戒疏發隱事義
Essentials of the Precept Commentary
後學雲棲寺沙門袾宏 述
Written by Master Zhuhong of Yunqi Temple
△卷第一畫一之規
Volume 1, Chapter 1: The Standards
漢曹參代蕭何為相。舉事無所變更。一遵何約束。百姓歌曰。蕭何為政。較若畫一。曹參代之。守而勿失。畫。直也。明也。又整齊也。陳隋
Cao Can of the Han Dynasty succeeded Xiao He as the Prime Minister. In all his actions, he made no changes, strictly following Xiao He's established rules. The people sang a ballad: "Xiao He governed, with laws clear and unified. Cao Can took over, upholding them without fail." The character "画" means straightforward, clear, and also orderly. This phrase comes from the Chen and Sui dynasties.
陳時。大師於瓦官寺開法華經題。講大論等。於光宅寺講仁王般若。隋文帝開皇十一年。太子於金城殿從師受戒。夢符手接
At that time, the Master expounded the Lotus Sutra and other great treatises at Waguan Temple, and taught the Benevolent King Prajnaparamita Sutra at Guangzhai Temple. In the eleventh year of Emperor Wen of Sui's Kaihuang reign, the Crown Prince received precepts from the Master in the Jincheng Hall, and in a dream, the Master's hand guided him.
大師年十八。出家湘州果願寺。一日夢巖崖萬重。雲日在側。滄海在下。山頂一僧。招手喚上。接引令登。覺以語人。曰。此天台山也。師遂往。遇定光禪師。光謂師云。憶昔年招手相接時否。瑞感鍾鳴
The Master was eighteen when he left home to become a monk at Guoyuan Temple in Xiangzhou. One day, he dreamed of towering cliffs layered upon layer, with clouds and sun beside him and the vast ocean below. At the mountaintop stood a monk, beckoning him to climb up and guiding him upward. When he awoke, he told others of this dream, saying, "This is Mount Tiantai." The Master then journeyed there and met Chan Master Dingguang, who said to him, "Do you remember when I beckoned and guided you up that time?" As an auspicious response, a bell tolled.
又聞鍾聲滿谷。眾咸怪異。光謂師云。鍾是召集有緣。爾當住此之祥也。魑魅望德而消
Again, they heard the sound of a bell filling the valley, and everyone found it strange. Guang said to the master, "The bell is a sign that calls together those with affinity. It is an auspicious omen that you should remain here. Evil spirits will vanish in the presence of virtue."
師往華頂。獨靜頭陀。忽於後夜大風拔木。雷震動山。魍魎千羣。一形百狀。而能安心湛然空寂。又作父母師僧之形。師唯深念實相。尋復消滅。強輭二緣所不能動。梵僧從空而禮
The master went to Huading Mountain and practiced solitary meditation as a wandering monk. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, a fierce wind uprooted trees, thunder shook the mountains, and countless spirits appeared in a hundred terrifying forms. Yet he remained calm, his mind serene and empty, undisturbed. Then they took the shapes of his parents, teachers, and monks. The master simply focused deeply on the true nature of reality, and they soon vanished. Neither forceful nor gentle temptations could move him. A monk from India, appearing in the sky, paid him homage.
師講淨名。忽見空中有三道寶階。跨似虹橋。梵僧數十。皆手擎香爐。從階而下。入堂敬禮。弘經螺水
The Master was expounding the Vimalakirti Sutra when suddenly three jeweled stairways appeared in the sky, spanning like a rainbow bridge. Dozens of Indian monks, each holding an incense burner, descended from the stairs and entered the hall to pay their respects, proclaiming the scriptures at the Spiral River.
佛隴山北。螺溪之源。地平泉清。處所閒敞。師乃止焉。有神人具疏云。請師於此行道。示寂石城
At the northern foot of Mount Folong lies the source of Luoxi Creek, where the land is flat and the spring is clear, a place both quiet and spacious. The master settled there. A spirit appeared and presented a written request, saying, "Please practice the Way here, and enter final peace at Shicheng."
隋帝屢詔請。師不獲已。行至石城。乃云大王召吾。吾不負言而來。今知命在此。不須前進也。於是示寂。智者
Emperor Sui repeatedly issued imperial edicts, urging the master to come. The master, left with no choice, journeyed as far as Shicheng. Then he said, "The great king summoned me, and I have come without breaking my word. Now I know my life ends here; there is no need to go further." With that, he passed away. — The Wise One
大師為煬帝授戒竟。乃云大王紆遵聖禁。名曰總持。王曰。大師傳佛法燈。稱為智者。委質虔恭
After the Master had conferred the precepts upon Emperor Yang, he said, "The Great King has humbly observed the sacred precepts, and may thus be called 'Upholder of the Dharma.'" The Emperor replied, "The Master has transmitted the lamp of the Buddha's teaching, and may thus be called 'the Wise One.'" And with that, he offered his sincere devotion and reverence.
左傳云。䇿名委質。委質。言屈膝也。委身也。豫讓曰。既已委質為臣。孟子曰。庶人不傳質為臣。質讀曰至。質者當也。委其身以質當於君。非己有也。又質者贄也。執贄而奉君。是就臣列也。一說委其形質曰委質。羅什法師
The Zuozhuan says: "To register one's name and offer one's services." "Offering one's services" means to bow in submission and to devote oneself. Yu Rang said: "Having already offered my services as a minister." Mencius said: "Commoners do not offer their services to become ministers." Here "services" is pronounced like "to arrive." The term means "to pledge"—one pledges one's body to the ruler, no longer belonging to oneself. It also means "a gift of introduction"—one brings a gift and presents it to the ruler, thereby assuming the position of a minister. Another interpretation says that offering one's physical form is what is meant by "offering one's services." — Master Kumārajīva
師在龜茲。前秦符堅。遣驍騎將軍呂光伐龜茲請師。至涼州。聞堅已歿。後秦姚興又伐涼。遂迎師至長安。師少時。日誦三萬二千言。隨母出家。徧遊西域。淹貫羣籍。尤善大乘。後居秦國。大闡經論。秦主師事之。優寵特甚。指掌
The Master was in Kucha. Fu Jian, the ruler of Former Qin, sent his general Lü Guang to campaign against Kucha and fetch the Master. When they reached Liangzhou, the Master learned that Fu Jian had already died. Later, Yao Xing of Later Qin attacked Liangzhou and brought the Master to Chang'an.
As a young boy, the Master recited 32,000 words daily. He left home life with his mother, traveling widely through the Western Regions. He mastered all the scriptures, especially excelling in Mahayana teachings. Later, he resided in the Qin state, extensively expounding the sutras and commentaries. The Qin ruler honored him as his teacher, bestowing great favor and reverence upon him. The Master clapped his hands.
論語云。或問禘之說。子曰。不知也。知其說者之於天下也。其如視諸斯乎。指其掌。指掌。言明且易也。尸毗代鴿
The Analects says: Someone asked about the meaning of the Di sacrifice. The Master replied, "I do not know. One who understood its meaning could govern the world as easily as seeing this"—and he pointed to his palm. Pointing to the palm means it is both clear and easy. [This is like] King Shibi giving his flesh to save the dove.
昔有菩薩為大國王。號薩婆達。布施眾生。恣其所索。帝釋欲試之。乃命邊王化鴿。己身化鷹逐之。鴿怖。投王足下。云大王哀哉。吾命窮矣。王曰莫恐。吾今活汝。鷹至。向王說曰。鴿足吾食。願王相還。王曰鴿以相歸。已受其歸。吾自足爾。鷹曰惟欲得鴿。不以餘肉。若王慈惠。必哀眾生者。割王肌肉令與鴿等。吾欣而受。王即自割髀肉稱之。令與鴿等。鴿肉逾重。割身肉盡。猶未與等。命近臣曰。爾疾殺我。稱之令與鴿等。吾奉佛戒。濟眾生苦厄。雖有眾邪之惱。猶若微風。焉能動太山乎。鷹照王懷。守道不移。各復本形。稽首於地。令天醫神藥傅王身瘡。斯須霍然都愈。二王右遶三匝。歡喜而去(輔行敘佛昔作王名尸毗。天變鴿以試。按薩婆達即尸毗)。普明全信
Once upon a time, there was a Bodhisattva who was a great king, named Savattha. He gave freely to all beings, letting them ask for whatever they wanted. The god Shakra, wishing to test him, transformed himself into a falcon and ordered the king of the border to take the form of a dove. The falcon chased the dove, and the dove, terrified, flew to the king and took refuge at his feet, crying, "Great King, have mercy! My life is at an end!" The king said, "Do not fear. I will save you now."
The falcon approached and said to the king, "This dove is my food. I beg you, return it to me." The king replied, "The dove has come to me for refuge. Having accepted it, I will provide you with food myself." The falcon said, "I only want the dove, not any other meat. If you are truly merciful and compassionate toward all beings, then cut flesh from your own body, and make it equal in weight to the dove. I will gladly accept that."
The king immediately cut flesh from his thigh and weighed it against the dove. But the dove was heavier. He cut away all the flesh from his body, and still it was not enough. He then said to his close minister, "Kill me quickly and weigh me, so that it equals the dove's weight. I have kept the Buddha's precepts and have vowed to relieve beings from suffering and hardship. Though many evils trouble me, they are like a gentle breeze — how could they move a great mountain?"
The falcon saw the king's mind, steady in his practice of the way, unmoved. Then both the falcon and the dove returned to their original forms. They bowed their heads to the ground, and the gods applied celestial medicine to the king's wounds, which healed instantly. The two kings circled him three times to the right, rejoicing, and then departed.
(According to the supplementary commentary, the Buddha in a past life was King Shibi, and the god transformed into a dove to test him. Note that Savattha is Shibi.)
May this be fully believed.
昔有國王曰普明。慈惠光被。十方歌懿。隣國有王名曰駁足。常好食人。誓取千王以賽山神。普明王出。察民苦樂。為駁足所執。王大啼哭。恨生來實語。許民救濟。而今乖信。駁足放之。還國大施。王安立太子。仍往就死。駁足感悟。歌利割截
Once upon a time, there was a king named Puming, whose kindness and grace shone far and wide, and all people in every direction sang his praises. In a neighboring kingdom, there was a king named Bozu, who had a habit of eating human flesh and had sworn to capture a thousand kings as an offering to the mountain god.
One day, King Puming went out to observe the joys and sufferings of his people, and was seized by Bozu. The king wept bitterly, regretting that he had always spoken the truth and had promised to rescue his people, yet now he was forced to break his word. Bozu released him, and Puming returned to his kingdom, where he held a great giving of alms. He established his prince as the new king, and then went back to face his death.
Moved by this, Bozu was deeply touched and reformed his ways. Even King Kalinga, who had once cut and sliced others, was inspired to change.
昔有菩薩號忍辱仙人。山中修道。歌利王入山畋獵。疲倦而寢。妃共禮仙人。王覺。尋至仙所。問得四果否。皆答言不得。王乃割截菩薩支體。仙人忍受。略不起瞋。反生慈憫。大施抒海
Once upon a time, there was a Bodhisattva known as the Patient Immortal, who cultivated the Way in the mountains. King Kalinga entered the mountains to hunt, grew weary, and fell asleep. His consorts came to pay respects to the Immortal. When the king awoke, he sought out the Immortal and asked whether he had attained the four fruits of enlightenment. The Immortal answered that he had not. Enraged, the king cut off the Bodhisattva's limbs, yet the Immortal bore it all without the slightest anger. Instead, he felt compassion and resolved to empty the sea with great giving.
大施太子求如意珠。雨寶濟貧。得珠墮海。抒海取之。曰。筋骨斷壞。終不懈廢。諸天助抒。海水減半。龍恐海乾。送珠還之。尚闍鳥巢
Prince Mahādāna sought the Wishing Jewel, raining treasures to relieve the poor. He obtained the jewel, but it fell into the sea. He drained the sea to retrieve it, declaring, "Even if my bones and sinews break, I will never give up." The heavens aided him in draining, and the sea's water decreased by half. The dragon, fearing the sea would dry up, returned the jewel to him. Like the bird folding its nest.
尚闍黎得第四禪。出入息斷。鳥謂為木。於髻生卵。定起欲行。恐損其卵。即更入禪。鳥去方起。分地息諍
The venerable teacher attained the fourth level of meditative absorption, where breath ceases entirely. A bird, mistaking him for a piece of wood, laid eggs in his hair bun. When he came out of his meditation and wished to move, he feared he might harm the eggs. So he re-entered meditation and only rose after the bird had left. Thus the dispute over land was settled peacefully.
劬賓大臣分閻浮提城邑山川為七分。平均各足。曾無缺欠。繇是息諍。二中進位
Minister Kubin divided the cities, mountains, and rivers of Jambudvipa into seven equal portions, each sufficient and complete without any shortfall. This brought an end to the disputes. As the second, he ascended in rank.
中道二種。謂但不但。若見但中。別教來接。若見不但中。圓教來接。又受接人三根不同。若上根。三地四地被接。中根。五地六地。下根。七地八地。所接之教。真似不同。若似位被接。別十迴向。圓十信。若真位受接。別初地。圓初住。麗澤交滋
The Middle Way has two aspects: the partial and the non-partial. If one sees only the partial Middle Way, they are guided by the Distinct Teaching. If one sees the non-partial Middle Way, they are guided by the Perfect Teaching. Moreover, those who receive this guidance differ in three levels of capacity. Those of superior capacity are guided at the third and fourth grounds. Those of middle capacity are guided at the fifth and sixth grounds. Those of inferior capacity are guided at the seventh and eighth grounds. The teachings they receive differ between the semblence and true levels. If guided at the semblence level, it corresponds to the ten dedications of the Distinct Teaching or the ten faiths of the Perfect Teaching. If guided at the true level, it corresponds to the first ground of the Distinct Teaching or the first abiding of the Perfect Teaching. Like two marshes nurturing each other, both grow together.
易兌卦象曰。麗澤兌。君子以朋友講習(兩澤相麗互相滋益。朋友講習。其象如此)。止觀誡勿領徒
The Image of Dui (The Joyous) says: Two lakes resting side by side—this is the Joyous. The noble person, following this, gathers with friends to discuss and practice the Way. (Two lakes lean on each other, mutually nourishing. Friends discuss and practice together; such is the symbolism.) In cessation and insight practice, one is admonished not to take on disciples prematurely.
摩訶止觀云。若被名譽羅羂。利養毛繩。眷屬集樹。當早推之。莫受莫著。台衡皆曰損己
The *Mohe Zhiguan* states: If one is caught in the snare of fame, bound by the silk rope of profit, or surrounded by the entangling trees of followers, one should immediately cast these aside—do not accept them, do not cling to them. Both the eminent masters of Tiantai and Hengshan taught that such attachments only diminish one’s own virtue.
天台曰。吾不領眾。必淨六根。為他損己。止登五品耳。南嶽云。一生望入銅輪。領徒太早。祇獲六根清淨位耳。三軌四行
Tiantai said, "If I do not lead a community, I will surely purify my six senses. But if I harm myself for others, I will only reach the level of the Five Grades." Nanyue said, "In this lifetime, I hoped to enter the Copper Wheel. But because I took on disciples too early, I only attained the position of purification of the six senses." Three modes of practice, four practices—this is the path.
入如來慈悲室。著如來忍辱衣。坐如來法空座。是名三軌。身行。口行。意行。慈悲行。名四安樂行。飯犬
Enter the Tathagata's chamber of compassion. Wear the Tathagata's robe of patience. Sit on the Tathagata's seat of emptiness and truth. This is called the Three Principles. Conduct of body, speech, and mind, along with compassionate conduct—these are called the Four Practices of Peace and Joy. Feed the dogs.
人有以飯上佛。佛分飯與餓狗。佛言此二功德平等不異。投醪
A person offered food to the Buddha. The Buddha divided the food and gave some to a starving dog. The Buddha said, "These two acts of merit are equal and without difference."
越王伐吳。有饋醇醪者。命投於河。令軍士下流飲之。一軍皆醉。邊際智滿
King Yue attacked the state of Wu. Someone offered him fine wine, but he ordered it poured into the river, letting his soldiers drink from downstream. The entire army became intoxicated. Thus, wisdom reaches its fullness at the edges.
妙宗云。達無明底。到諸法邊。名邊際智。不思議權智也。今發隱另出一說。達無明源底邊際為句。雖小不同。大意則一。八念
The commentary in *Miaozong* says: "Reaching the very bottom of ignorance and arriving at the edge of all dharmas is called 'limit wisdom.' This is the inconceivable provisional wisdom."
Here, *Fa Yin* offers a different interpretation. It phrases it as "reaching the source-bottom and edge of ignorance." Though the wording differs slightly, the overall meaning is the same.
Eight Recollections
一念佛。二念法。三念僧。四念戒。五念捨。六念天。七念入出息。八念死。狄邑不能下
One, mindful of the Buddha. Two, mindful of the Dharma. Three, mindful of the Sangha. Four, mindful of ethical precepts. Five, mindful of generosity. Six, mindful of the heavenly realms. Seven, mindful of the breath. Eight, mindful of death. If one cannot let go of these, one cannot attain liberation.
田單將攻狄。往見魯仲連。仲連曰。將軍攻狄。不能下也。田單攻狄。三月不克。乃問仲連。連曰。將軍之在即墨。坐別織簣。立則杖鍤。為士卒倡。當此之時。將軍有死之心。士卒無生之氣。所以破燕也。今將軍東有夜邑之奉。西有淄上之娛。黃金橫帶。而騁乎淄澠之間。有生之樂。無死之心。所以不勝也。不能以天下取河北
Tian Dan was about to attack the Di people. He went to see Lu Zhonglian. Zhonglian said, "General, if you attack Di, you will not be able to take it." Tian Dan attacked Di for three months but could not conquer it. So he asked Zhonglian about it. Zhonglian said, "When you were in Jimo, you sat weaving grass baskets, and stood holding a spade, setting an example for your soldiers. At that time, you had the mindset of one ready to die, and your soldiers had no thought of living. That was how you defeated Yan. Now, you have the revenues of Ye to the east and the pleasures of Zi to the west. With gold belt hanging at your waist, you gallop freely between Zi and Shen. You enjoy the pleasures of living and lack the resolve to die. That is why you cannot win. You cannot seize the lands north of the Yellow River with the whole world at your disposal."
神堯。唐高祖也。以一旅之小取天下。傳至代宗時。河北叛。終不能平。故曰不能以天下之大取河北。言姑息不振也。投身飼虎
Shen Yao, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, conquered the entire realm with a single small army. By the time of Emperor Daizong, the Hebei region rebelled and could never be pacified. Thus it is said: one cannot conquer Hebei even with the vastness of the entire world—a remark that exposes the weakness borne of appeasement and inaction. He cast himself to feed the tigers.
昔有菩薩逝心。恒處山澤。專精念道。行索果蓏。道逢乳虎乏食。欲食其子。菩薩心悲。四顧無物可以飼虎。遂投身飼之。破脊全鹿
Long ago, there was a Bodhisattva who lived in the mountains and marshes, devoted solely to the Way. Searching for fruits in the wild, he came across a tigress who, starving, was about to devour her own cubs. Moved by compassion, the Bodhisattva looked around but found nothing to offer the tigress. So he threw himself before her as food, breaking his back fully to feed her.
昔者菩薩身為鹿王。普覆羣鹿。牧人以聞。王率士眾合圍逼之。鹿王垂泣謂羣鹿言。吾將沒命。濟爾羣小。鹿王就索下前兩足。云登吾踊出。羣鹿如之。咸獲免焉。鹿王身肉決裂。血流滿地。碎形飯民
Long ago, the Bodhisattva was born as the king of a herd of deer, sheltering and protecting all the deer under his care. A herdsman reported this to the king, who then led his soldiers to surround and close in on them. The deer king, with tears falling, said to the herd, "I will give up my life to save all of you." The deer king then stretched out its front legs and said, "Climb onto me and leap over." The deer followed his instructions and all escaped safely. The deer king's body was torn and wounded, its blood spilled across the ground, and its broken body became food for the people.
昔有饑世。菩薩化為大魚。令諸饑民割肉食之。謂諸人言。汝但勿斷吾命。若斷命者。身肉腐爛。難久濟爾。不斷命者。吾肉久存。可濟爾等至禾熟時也。
Once, during a time of great famine, the Bodhisattva transformed into a great fish. He allowed the starving people to cut flesh from his body to eat. He said to them, "Just do not take my life. If you kill me, my flesh will rot and cannot sustain you for long. But if you spare my life, my flesh will remain, and it can nourish you until the harvest season arrives."