○勸學篇第一
Chapter 1: Encouraging Learning
此篇大門有三一順益二違損三業報。
第一順益者涅槃云欲見佛性證大涅槃必須深心修持淨戒若持是經而毀淨戒是魔眷屬非我弟子我亦不聽受持是經月燈三昧云雖有色族及多聞若無戒智猶禽獸雖處卑下少聞見能持淨戒名勝士華嚴經云具足受持威儀教法行六和敬善御大眾心無憂悔順佛正法不違其教是故能令三寶不斷法得久住又云戒是無上菩提本應當具足持淨戒若能堅持於淨戒是則如來所讚歎持法經云持二百五十戒者現世可得阿羅漢辟支佛涅槃大智度論云若求大利當堅持戒如惜重寶如護身命以戒是一切善法住處持戒之人壽終之時風刀解身筋脈斷絕心不怖畏地持云三十二相無差別因皆由持戒所得若不持戒尚不得下賤人身況復大人相報此律云持律之人得五種功德一戒品牢固二善勝諸怨三眾中決斷無畏四所有疑悔善能開解五善能持毗尼令正法久住十誦云佛法幾時住世答隨清淨比丘說戒法不壞名法住世成實論云道品樓觀以戒為柱禪定心城以戒為郭要佩戒印得入善眾五百問事云若持戒者即見法身若護法者便為護佛如半月說戒即見我也。
The foremost benefit is Nirvana. If one wishes to see the Buddha-nature and realize great Nirvana, they must sincerely cultivate and uphold pure precepts. If someone upholds this scripture but destroys the pure precepts, they are of the demon’s retinue, not my disciple. I would not even allow them to receive or uphold this scripture.
The *Moon Lamp Samadhi Sutra* says: Though one may have high birth, extensive learning, without precepts and wisdom, they are like a beast. Though one may be of low status and little learning, if they can maintain pure precepts, they are called a noble one.
The *Avatamsaka Sutra* says: By fully receiving and upholding the teachings of dignified conduct and practicing the six harmonious ways, one can skillfully guide the community without worry or regret, following the Buddha’s true Dharma and not violating his teachings. Thus, the Three Jewels remain unbroken and the Dharma endures long.
It also says: Precepts are the root of unsurpassed enlightenment. One should fully uphold pure precepts. If one can steadfastly maintain pure precepts, that is what the Tathagata praises.
The *Upholding of Dharma Sutra* says: One who upholds the 250 precepts may, in this life, attain the Nirvana of an Arhat or Pratyekabuddha.
The *Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom* says: If one seeks great benefit, they should firmly uphold precepts, cherishing them as a precious jewel or guarding them as their own life. For precepts are the abode of all wholesome qualities. When a person of precepts dies, even as the wind-blade cuts through the body and the sinews sever, their mind does not fear.
The *Maha Sampanna* (a text on the precepts) says: The thirty-two marks of a great being are not due to any other cause—they all come from upholding precepts. If one does not uphold precepts, they cannot even attain a lowly human birth, let alone the marks of a Great Being.
The *Four Part Vinaya* says: A person who upholds the Vinaya obtains five rewards: 1. Firm foundation in the precepts. 2. Surpassing all adversaries. 3. Bold and fearless in community decisions. 4. Resolving all doubts and regrets skillfully. 5. Ability to uphold the Vinaya well, preserving the true Dharma long in the world.
The *Ten Recitations Vinaya* asks: How long will the Buddha’s Dharma dwell in the world? It answers: As long as pure monks uphold the Dharma of the precepts and do not corrupt it, so long will the Dharma dwell in the world.
The *Satyasiddhi Shastra* says: The tower of the path is supported by the pillar of precepts. The city of concentrated mind is surrounded by the walls of precepts. One must wear the seal of precepts to enter the assembly of the virtuous.
The *Five Hundred Questions* states: If one upholds precepts, they see the Dharma-body. If one protects the Dharma, they protect the Buddha. For example, when the precepts are recited semi-monthly, that is when you see me.
第二違損者大品經云我若不持戒當墮三惡道中尚不得下賤人身況得成就眾生淨佛國土一切種智薩遮尼犍經云若不持戒乃至不得疥癩野干身何況當得功德之身梵網經云若佛子信心出家受佛淨戒故起心毀犯其戒者不得受一切檀越供養亦不得國王地上行不得飲國王水五千大鬼常遮其前鬼言大賊入房舍城邑宅中鬼復掃其脚跡一切世人罵言佛法中賊一切眾生眼不欲見犯戒人畜生無異木頭無別涅槃經云樂好衣服縱逸嬉戲奴為比丘婢為比丘尼不樂不淨觀毀謗毗尼互用三寶物等是名法滅盡相佛三昧經云犯四重禁虗受信施過殺八萬四千父母等罪此律云有五種疾滅正法一有比丘不誦律喜忘文句復教他人文既不具其義有闕二為僧中勝人上座一國所宗而多不持戒但修不善後生倣習放捨戒行三有比丘持法持律持摩夷不教道俗便即命終令法斷絕四比丘難可教授不受善語餘善比丘捨置五共相罵詈互求長短疾滅正法又破戒之人有五過失一自害二為智者所訶三惡名流布四命終生悔五死墮惡道又上座不學戒亦不讚歎戒有餘比丘樂學戒者不能以時勸讚我見如是上座過失故不讚歎恐餘人習傚長夜受苦十誦云有諸比丘廢學毗尼便讀修多羅阿毗曇世尊種種訶責五分律諸比丘不誦羯磨不得受具足戒善見云若不解律但解經論不得度沙彌作依止師。
**The Second Violation: Harmfulness**
The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra says: "If I do not uphold the precepts, I will fall into the three lower realms. I will not even attain a lowly human birth, let alone be able to perfect sentient beings, purify a Buddha-land, or achieve omniscience."
The Satyaka Nirgrantha Sutra says: "If one does not uphold the precepts, one cannot even attain the body of a mangy jackal, let alone the body of merit."
The Brahma Net Sutra says: "If a disciple of the Buddha, having taken refuge and received the pure precepts, deliberately gives rise to a mind that violates them, that disciple must not accept any offerings from benefactors, must not walk on the king's land, and must not drink the king's water. Five thousand great ghosts will constantly block their path, saying, 'Great thief!' When the violator enters rooms, cities, or houses, ghosts will sweep away their footprints. Everyone in the world will curse them, saying, 'This is a thief within the Dharma of the Buddha.' All sentient beings will not wish to even see them. A precept-violator is no different from an animal and is not separate from a piece of wood."
The Nirvana Sutra says: "Loving fine clothes, indulging in play, a man being a monk with a servant's mentality as a nun, not delighting in contemplating impurity, slandering the Vinaya, misusing the Three Jewels' property—these are signs of the Dharma's extinction."
The Buddha Samadhi Sutra says: "Committing the four grave offenses and vainly receiving offerings is a sin greater than killing 84,000 parents."
This Vinaya says there are five conditions that rapidly destroy the True Dharma: 1) A monk does not recite the Vinaya, forgets the text, and teaches others incorrectly, causing both the text and meaning to be incomplete. 2) A senior monk or community leader respected by a nation does not uphold the precepts, practices only what is unwholesome, leading later generations to imitate and abandon the precepts. 3) A monk skilled in Dharma, Vinaya, or the Great Teachings (Mātṛkā) does not instruct the laity and dies, causing a break in the Dharma's transmission. 4) A monk is difficult to teach, refuses good advice, and other good monks abandon him. 5) Monks mutually abuse one another, seeking each other's faults—this rapidly destroys the True Dharma.
Furthermore, a precept-breaker has five faults: 1) They harm themselves, 2) they are rebuked by the wise, 3) their evil reputation spreads, 4) they regret at death, and 5) they fall into the lower realms after death.
Moreover, if a senior monk does not study the precepts or praise them, and other monks who delight in studying the precepts are not encouraged by him in a timely manner—I see this fault in senior monks, so I do not praise them, fearing others will imitate this and suffer for a long time.
The Ten Recitations Vinaya says: Some monks abandoned studying the Vinaya and read only the Sutras and Abhidharma. The World-Honored One strongly rebuked them.
The Five-Part Vinaya says: Monks who do not recite the formal procedures (karma) cannot receive full ordination.
The Good View Vinaya says: One who does not understand the Vinaya, even if they explain Sutras and Abhidharma, cannot ordain novices or serve as a guiding teacher.
第三業報犯罪輕重者經云佛告目連若比丘比丘尼無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯眾學戒如四天王天壽五百歲墮泥犂中於人間數九百千歲佛告目連若無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯波羅提提舍尼戒如三十三天壽千歲墮泥犂中於人間數三億六十千歲佛告目連若無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯波逸提如夜摩天壽二千歲墮泥犂中於人間數二十一億四十千歲佛告目連若無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯偷蘭遮如兜率天壽四千歲墮泥犂中於人間數五十億六十千歲佛告目連若無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯僧伽婆尸沙如不憍樂天壽八千歲墮泥犂中於人間數二百三十億四十千歲佛告目連若無慚愧心輕慢佛語犯波羅夷如大自在天壽十六千歲墮泥犂中於人間數九百二十一億六十千歲總計僧尼於五篇七聚罪且篇別單一罪論之如人間日月歲數合有一千二百六十一億五十千歲墮泥犂中聖教不許特須敬順宜修方便檢察身口勗志專崇高慕前聖不得自怠輕慢佛語故經曰正法住正法滅意在茲乎。