三誡多求
汝等比丘受諸飲食當如服藥於好於惡勿生增減趣得支身以除飢渴如蜂採花但取其味不損色香比丘亦爾受人供養趣自除惱無得多求壞其善心譬如智者籌量牛力所堪多少不令過分以竭其力。
凡三喻以誡多求初服藥喻增減猶取舍也謂食以補飢猶藥以治病何用取舍二蜂花喻不損色香謂不得多求壞檀信之善心也趣自除惱者謂比丘受供取其除飢渴之惱而已何用多求三牛力喻籌量牛力猶云忖己德行謂牛所負過分則竭其力比丘受施過多則敗其道。
Three similes are used to warn against excessive seeking. The first is the medicine simile: increase and decrease are like taking or leaving. Just as food relieves hunger and medicine cures illness, what need is there to take or leave? The second is the bee-and-flower simile: it does not harm the color or fragrance—this means one should not seek too much and ruin the charitable heart of donors. "Merely dispelling one's own afflictions" means that a monk who accepts offerings does so only to relieve the afflictions of hunger and thirst—what need is there to seek more? The third is the ox-strength simile: measuring the ox's strength is like reflecting on one's own virtue and conduct. If an ox is loaded beyond its capacity, it exhausts its strength; likewise, if a monk receives too many offerings, it ruins his path.