佛垂般涅槃略說教誡經 1.5

1.5

“You monks, by day practice wholesome dharmas with diligent minds, not letting time be lost. In the first watch of the night and the last watch of the night, do not slacken either; in the middle watch, recite the sūtras to maintain balance. Do not, on account of sleep, let an entire life pass in vain with nothing attained. You must reflect that the fire of impermanence burns all the worlds; seek your own liberation early, and do not sleep. The bandits of affliction are constantly waiting to kill people, worse than deadly enemies; how can you sleep without waking yourselves in fright? The poisonous snake of affliction sleeps in your mind, just like a black viper sleeping in your room; with the hook of keeping the precepts you must quickly expel it. Only once the sleeping snake has gone may you sleep peacefully; to sleep when it has not gone is to be a person without shame. The garment of shame is the foremost among all adornments. Shame is like an iron hook: it can restrain a person from unrighteousness. Therefore, monks, you should always maintain shame and conscience, never letting them lapse even for an instant. If you abandon shame, you will lose all merits. One who possesses conscience has wholesome dharmas; one who lacks conscience is no different from beasts.