律戒本疏 1.63

1.63

Tenth: 'What is the use of speaking these trifling precepts every half-month?'—The joining together of the five classes is called 'trifling'. The monk Channa was ill-natured and obstinate, having faults and not reforming. Hearing of repentance, his resentment worsened; hearing people recite them, he thereupon spoke arrogant words: 'What is the use of speaking these precepts every half-month? It is just that by speaking these precepts, it makes people feel remorse and affliction, ruins their good intentions, burns and boils them within with anxiety, leaves them sad, suffering, and without joy, so that they strongly desire to return the precepts.' Precepts are the root of the Path, revered by all the noble ones. The texts of the five classes came from the Buddha's own mouth. If one disparages the precepts, one disparages the Three Jewels. Generally, disparaging or scolding the sūtras, the Vinaya, or other texts associated with the Vinaya all incur this precept. The precepts are the monastic norms; disparaging the precepts and ruining the prohibitions means one is not a śramaṇa. Therefore, disparaging the precept sūtra, for each word it is a pāyattika; disparaging other sūtras, for each word it is a duṣkṛta.