釋氏要覽 1.374

1.374

The Illustrated Scripture on the Ordination Altar states: 'Whoever wishes to receive the precepts should first be inspired by a wise person to give rise to a mind of compassionate protection toward all objects.' Thus the Vibhāṣā says: 'Through a mind of wholesome aspiration and non-harm directed universally toward all sentient beings, one attains the precepts.' If, upon assembling the saṃgha and performing the liturgical ritual, one merely says, 'Generate the highest mind to receive the highest precepts,' the novice (śrāmaṇera), never having heard this before, will not know what the 'highest mind' is. This would be like thunder without rain booming over a sky of strange peaks, or sweet rain failing to reach a scorched earth (the 'highest mind' is none other than giving rise to compassionate protection toward all objects).