佛垂般涅槃略說教誡經 1.3

1.3

proper mentality and correct mindfulness. They should not hide their flaws, or come out with divergent views that confuse the people. Toward the four offerings they should know moderation and be satisfied. When they happen to receive offerings, they must not accumulate anything.

“This then is a brief account of the forms of maintaining discipline. Discipline is the basis of the liberation that comes from correct obedience [to the Dharma]. Thus it is called prātimokṣa, [complete liberation]. Based on this discipline (śīla), you can engender all forms of meditative concentration (samādhi) and the wisdom (prajñā) that ends suffering. Therefore, you

monks should maintain pure spotless discipline and not let yourselves break the precepts. If people are able to uphold pure discipline, then they will be capable of having good qualities. Without pure discipline, good qualities and virtues will not be born. Thus you must realize that discipline is the principal secure abode of virtuous qualities.

“All you monks are already capable of abiding in discipline. You must control the five senses. Do not let them stray into the five desires. It is like a person herding an ox—holding his staff, he watches over it and does not let it get away and trespass on other people’s crops. If you indulge the five senses, the five desires will become boundless and uncontrollable, like a bad horse which cannot be reined in but instead pulls the person down into a pit. If you are robbed and injured the pain is only for a lifetime, but if the five senses are rebellious the disaster reaches into many lifetimes. The harm done is very serious: you must be careful. This is why the wise control [the five senses] and do not follow them. They hold them fast like potential rebels and do not let them loose. If people do indulge them, they always meet with destruction before long.

“Mind is the ruler of these five senses. Therefore you must be good at controlling the mind properly. There is more to be feared from [misuse of] the mind than from poisonous snakes or wild beasts or vengeful rebels or great conflagrations or indulging in excess: no metaphor will suffice. Moving around back and forth, superficial and impulsive, it sees only the honey but not the deep pit. It is like a mad elephant without a [mahout’s] hook [to control it]. It is like a monkey in a tree leaping and frolicking about, impossible to curb or control. You must be quick to take control of it and not let it run loose. Those who indulge this mind lose all the good things of humanity. Those who control it in one place can accomplish all tasks. Therefore, you monks should work scrupulously and make progress in taming and subduing the mind.

“When you monks consume food and drink, it should be like taking medicine. Do not take more of what you like or less of what you dislike. Take [food and drink only] to support your physical existence and ward off hunger and thirst. As bees gather from flowers, taking only the flavor but not harming the color or scent, so should monks be. When they receive offerings from people, they accept them to remove affliction; they should not ask

for a lot and damage their good state of mind. It is like an intelligent person who calculates how much the strength of an ox will bear, and does not exhaust it by overloading it.

“During the day you monks should scrupulously cultivate good things and not let time slip away. Let there be no slacking off in the early evening or in the predawn hours. In the middle of the night recite sutras aloud to keep yourself alert. Do not let your whole life pass in vain without attainment on