釋氏要覽 1.451

1.451

These are texts of prayers to the Buddha. They convey the intention of the donor on this day. In supplication prayers one does not dare treat the small as great; therefore, when composing the text, it must be accurate and true, and must not be reckless, exaggerated, deceptive, or false, bringing grief upon oneself. The Nanshan chao says: "Recently in circulation, people vie to embellish ornate rhetoric, their words exceeding the reality. Whenever mentioning someone, they praise them as a noble clan; the poor and lowly are praised as having lavish feasts. Falsely making up matters only increases falsehood and flattery." (Regarding 'purely speaking disciples': Emperor Wu of Liang said: 'Both inside and out are pure; defilements, afflictions, and entanglements are completely eliminated; because they believe in the correct and do not believe in the heterodox.')