今此要略一書。乃雲棲大師。於沙彌十戒經等輯出。其義切要。而文簡略。以便初機沙彌習學。猶觀掌果。按沙彌有三品。一。從七歲至十三歲。名驅烏沙彌。謂其年幼未堪別務。唯令為僧守護穀麥。及於食厨坐禪等處。驅遣烏鳥。以代片勞。兼生福善。無致坐消信施。虗度光陰也。二。從十四歲至十九歲。名應法沙彌。謂其年正與二法相應。一。能事師執勞服役。二。能修習禪誦故也。三。從二十歲至七十歲。名名字沙彌。謂其年滿二十。應受具戒。或根性暗鈍。或出家年晚。不能頓持諸戒。雖年登比丘。位是沙彌。故名名字沙彌。品數雖三。而俱稟十戒。總名為一法同沙彌。若剃鬚髮。不受十戒。名形同沙彌。其形相雖同。由無戒攝。非五眾數。今揀形同。而取法同也。
This concise guide was compiled by the Great Master Yunqi from texts such as the *Sutra on the Ten Precepts for Novices*. Its meaning is essential, and its wording is brief, designed to make it easy for beginning novices to study—as clear as looking at a palm fruit.
Novices are of three grades:
First, from age seven to thirteen, they are called "crow-shunning novices." This is because they are too young to take on other duties, so they are only assigned to guard the grains and provisions for the monks, and to shoo away crows and other birds from the dining hall and meditation areas. This serves as a small contribution of effort while also cultivating merit and virtue, so that they do not idly consume the offerings of the faithful or waste their time.
Second, from age fourteen to nineteen, they are called "novices in accord with the Dharma." This is because their age aligns with two aspects of the Dharma: first, they can serve their teacher with diligent labor, and second, they can engage in meditation and recitation.
Third, from age twenty to seventy, they are called "novices in name only." This is because, at the age of twenty, they should receive the full precepts. However, either due to dull faculties or a late start in renouncing home life, they cannot immediately uphold all the precepts. Although they have reached the age of a monk, their status remains that of a novice—hence the name "novice in name only."
Although the grades are three, they all receive the ten precepts, and together they are called "novices of the same Dharma." If one shaves head and beard but does not receive the ten precepts, they are called a "novice in form only." Though their appearance is the same, because they lack the support of precepts, they are not counted among the five assemblies. Here, we set aside the "form only" type and adopt the "same Dharma" type.
梵語沙彌。此云息慈。謂息惡行慈。息世染而慈濟眾生也。亦云勤䇿。亦云求寂。
A novice monk in Sanskrit is called a "Shami." This is translated as "Calming Compassion." It means to cease unwholesome actions and cultivate kindness—to let go of worldly defilements and compassionately help all beings. It is also referred to as "Diligent Effort" or "Seeking Serenity."
梵語者。謂天竺人音。與梵天語同。故名梵語。由昔世界初成。未有人居。地光上徹。色界梵天之眾。尋光下觀新地。食其地味。失天光明神足。不復上昇。遂為人祖。世居天竺。自後人隨地轉。音各成異。唯天竺存焉。故其語是梵語。書是梵書。餘國所無也。此云者。謂以此方東華息慈之言。翻彼天竺沙彌之號。義出耶舍傳。言息惡行慈者。是釋明息慈二字。猶恐初學未知息何惡行何慈。故復以息世染而慈濟眾生詳之。葢由凡夫從無始來。為無明所覆真性。起諸妄想。攀緣塵境。情染世間五欲。以身口意。造諸過失。墮落三途。輪迴六趣。無有出期。如來愍此。制以十戒。令止息身口意之過惡。而證寂滅涅槃之聖果。然惡雖止息。而無慈愍之心。不能修行六度。周濟四生。遂墮偏小。未得稱善。況能悟大菩提。成等正覺。是故使行慈濟以圓萬行。直趨寶所。不滯化城。故止觀云。當知生死涅槃。俱復是惡。六度菩薩。慈悲兼濟。此乃稱善。息慈之義。斯之謂歟。亦云勤䇿。亦云求寂者。梵語涅槃。此云圓寂。以智德俱備稱圓。惑習障盡名寂。謂沙彌始心出家。稟受十戒。勤修策勵。斷除煩惱惑習。而求證涅槃之妙果故也。
The term "Sanskrit" refers to the language of the people of India, which is said to be the same as the language of the Brahma Heaven, hence the name. In the distant past, when the world first formed and no humans yet dwelled upon it, the earth's radiance shone upward to the heavens. The beings of the Form Realm in the Brahma Heaven, drawn by this light, descended to observe the new land. They partook of the earth's essences, lost their celestial radiance and miraculous powers, and could no longer ascend. Thus, they became the ancestors of humanity, residing permanently in India. Over time, as people spread across the earth, their languages diverged into many forms—except in India, where the original language was preserved. Therefore, their speech is Sanskrit, and their script is the Sanskrit script, which no other land possesses.
The term "this is called" (here translated) means: using the words of this eastern land, "one who ceases evil and practices compassion," to render the Sanskrit title "Shramanera" (novice monk). The meaning comes from the biography of Yasa. The explanation of "ceasing evil and practicing compassion" clarifies the two characters "cease" and "compassion." Lest beginners fail to grasp what evil is ceased and what compassion is practiced, it further elaborates: "ceasing worldly defilements and compassionately aiding all beings."
This is because ordinary beings, from beginningless time, have been shrouded by ignorance over their true nature, giving rise to all sorts of deluded thoughts. They cling to sensory objects, become emotionally attached to the five worldly desires, and through body, speech, and mind commit all kinds of transgressions. Thus, they fall into the three lower realms and revolve within the six paths of rebirth, with no hope of escape. The Thus-Come One (Buddha), out of compassion for this, established the ten precepts, enabling them to halt the evils of body, speech, and mind, and to realize the holy fruit of tranquil Nirvana.
However, though evil is ceased, without a mind of compassion and pity, one cannot cultivate the six perfections or universally aid all sentient beings born in the four ways. One would then fall into the lesser, one-sided paths and not yet be called "good"—let alone awaken to the great Bodhi and attain perfect enlightenment. Therefore, one must practice compassion and aid others to perfect the myriad practices, going directly to the precious treasury without lingering in the phantom city.
Thus, the "Calming and Contemplation" treatise states: "Know that both birth-and-death and Nirvana are still 'evil.' The Bodhisattva of the six perfections, with compassion and aid for all, is what is called 'good.'" This is the meaning of "ceasing evil and practicing compassion."
He is also called "the diligent one" or "one who seeks tranquility." The Sanskrit word "Nirvana" is rendered here as "perfect stillness"—perfect because wisdom and virtue are fully complete, still because all delusions and habitual tendencies are entirely extinguished. This means that a novice monk, from the moment of first leaving home, receives the ten precepts and diligently cultivates, striving earnestly to sever afflictions and habitual delusions, in order to seek the wondrous fruit of Nirvana.
律儀者。十戒律諸威儀也。
"Discipline" refers to the ten precepts and all forms of proper conduct.
始從不殺。至第十不捉金銀寶物。名為十戒律。後列二十四事。名諸威儀。
First, from not taking life, up to the tenth precept of not keeping gold, silver, or precious things—these are called the Ten Precepts. After that, twenty-four rules are listed, known as the various codes of proper conduct.