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ACCORDING TO NAGARJUNA Bodhisattva [in the Treatise on Realization of Great Wisdom]:
Question: It is taught that those who receive lay precepts will be born in the deva world, attain the bodhisattva way, and experience nirvana. What, then, is the use of receiving the precepts for home leavers?
Answer: Those who receive both types of precepts become awakened. But one type is difficult and the other is easy. Laypeople engage in various works. If they wish to concentrate on the dharma of the way, their business declines. If they are focused on their business, their activity of the way declines. Without choosing one and abandoning the other, laypeople need to practice dharma. This is difficult. Those who have left the household can be free from worldly affairs, distant from confusion, and practice the way wholeheartedly. So, this is easy.
Further, laypeople are noisy and confused while being occupied in many things. The roots of their driving forces are the center of all unwholesome actions. That is why lay practice is difficult. Leaving the household is similar to going out into an empty field where there are no people. They can keep their minds unified and free from thinking. As their thoughts inside retreat, their affairs outside also disappear. It is said in a verse:
Sitting leisurely among trees,
quietly letting go of all unwholesome actions,
and attaining a single mind free from desire—
this is pleasure beyond a deva’s bliss.
People seek wealth, profit, fame,
and desire comfortable clothes and furniture.
Such pleasure is not true comfort,
wanting profit brings no satisfaction.
While begging food in a patched robe,
in motion or stillness the mind is always unified.
The eye of wisdom observes the reality of all things.
Within various dharma gates, all equally enter this insight.
The wisdom of understanding is serene,
incomparable in the three realms.
In this way we know that maintaining the home leaver’s precepts is very easy.
Also, if you leave the household and maintain the precepts, you attain immeasurable wholesome merit, which is fulfilled. For this reason, laypeople should leave the household and receive all of the [home leaver’s] precepts.
On the other hand, leaving the household is difficult from the beginning.
Once Brahmans of the Jambudvipa World asked Shariputra, “What is most difficult in the buddha dharma?”
Shariputra said, “Leaving the household is most difficult.”
They asked, “What is difficult about being a home leaver?”
Shariputra said, “Enjoying the life of a home leaver is difficult.”
They asked, “What is difficult in enjoying the life of a home leaver?”
Shariputra said, “Practicing all types of wholesome deeds is difficult. That is why it is good to leave the household.”
Now, when someone leaves the household, the Demon King says in lamentation, “This person wants to reduce the urge of desire, will certainly attain nirvana, and will join a group of the sangha treasure.”
Again, even if those who have left the household in the buddha dharma break the precepts and commit a crime, they can be liberated after the crime is over. It is like a story told in the Sutra on the Former Birth of Nun Utpalavarna:
[Nagarjuna continues:] At the time when the Buddha was in this world, Nun Utpalavarna attained six miraculous powers and became an arhat. She visited noble householders and talked about the life of home leavers. She encouraged noble women to become nuns.
They said, ‘‘We are young and beautiful. It would be hard to keep the precepts.”
Utpalavarna said, “It’s all right to break the precepts. Leave the household first.”
The women said, “If we break the precepts, we will fall into hell. How can we do that?”
Utpalavarna said, “Then go ahead and fall into hell.”
They laughed and said, “We would be punished in hell. How can we allow ourselves to fall into hell?”
Utpalavarna said, “Reflecting on my former life, I was an entertainer, putting on various costumes and speaking memorized lines. Once I put on a nun’s clothes for a joke. As a result of this action, I was reborn as a nun at the time of Kashyapa Buddha. Because of my high status and proper conduct, I grew arrogant and broke a precept. I fell into hell and experienced various punishments. In my next birth I met Shakyamuni Buddha, left the household, attained six miraculous powers, and became an arhat. From this I know that if you leave the household and receive precepts, even if you break a precept, you can become an arhat because of the merit of the precepts you received. But you cannot attain the way if you only create unwholesome deeds without receiving the precepts. I was once a criminal falling in and out of hell. If a mere criminal dies and enters hell, no merit has been attained. So, you should know that even if you break a precept, you can receive the fruit of the way.
Also, when the Buddha was at Jeta Grove, a drunken Brahman went up to him and requested that he be made a monk. The Buddha asked Ananda to shave the Brahman’s head and let him put on a dharma robe. When the Brahman became sober, he was so shocked he had become a monk that he ran away.
The disciples asked the Buddha, “Why did you make that Brahman a monk?”
The Buddha said, “He would otherwise never have the aspiration for leaving the household, even for immeasurable eons. He aroused a faint aspiration because he was drunk. Due to such causes and conditions, he will leave the household and attain the way in the future. The merit of these causes and conditions and leaving the household is immeasurable.
Thus, holding the five precepts as a layperson does not equal leaving the household. [Thus said Nagarjuna.]
The World-Honored One allowed a drunk Brahman to leave the household and receive the precepts. He regarded this as planting the first seed for attaining the way. From this we clearly know that since olden times sentient beings without the merit of leaving the household have not been able to attain enlightenment—the buddha fruit—for a long time. Because this Brahman was drunk, he aroused a faint aspiration, had his head shaved, received the precepts, and became a monk. Although he became sober soon after that, he could preserve his merit and nurture the wholesome root of attaining the way. This is the golden admonition that expresses the World-Honored One’s profound intention, the original meaning of the emergence of the Tathagata into this world.
All sentient beings should clearly receive this teaching with trust and practice it in the past, present, and future. Indeed, arousing the aspiration and attaining the way always take place in one moment. This Brahman’s merit of momentarily leaving the household is like this. How much more so is the limited and unlimited merit for a human being who leaves the household and receives the precepts! How can the merit be less than that of this drunken Brahman?
One of the wheel-turning kings emerged when he was over eighty thousand years old and, decorated with seven treasures, presided over the Four Continents. These continents were like a Pure Land. The kings’ pleasure cannot be described in words. It is said that one of the kings presided over a billion worlds. There are wheels made of gold, silver, copper, and iron for presiding over one, two, three, or four continents. The bodies of those who turn these wheels are not defiled by the ten unwholesome actions.
A wheel-turning king is filled with such privileges. When he finds a strand of white hair on his head, he gives the throne to his crown prince and immediately leaves the household. He puts on a kashaya, practices in a mountain or forest, and when his life ends, is invariably reborn in the world of the Brahma King. The white strand of his hair is put into a silver box treasured at his palace. This is transmitted to the next wheel-turning king. When the next wheel-turning king becomes old, he does the same as the previous king.
The life span of a wheel-turning king after leaving the household is so long that it cannot be compared to that of humans in our time. It is said that the life span of a wheel-turning king is over eighty thousand years and his body is equipped with the thirty-two marks, to which people today cannot come close. However, seeing white hair and knowing the impermanence of life, a wheel-turning king leaves the household without fail and practices the way in order to engage in pure conduct and accomplish merit.
Kings nowadays are not like the wheel-turning kings. If they waste the passage of time in greed without leaving the household, they may regret it in the next lifetime. Furthermore, this is a small country in a remote land, where there is a king who lacks the virtue of a king. People are greedy without end. If they leave the household and practice the way, all devas will protect them with delight. The dragon god will revere and guard them. The buddha eye of all buddhas will clearly confirm them with joy.
Without having faith, the courtesan put on a nun’s robe for a joke. She was perhaps at minor fault for this action, but with the power of wearing this robe she encountered the buddha dharma in her next life-time. A nun’s robe means a kashaya. As a result of wearing a kashaya for a joke, she left the household, received the precepts, and became a nun called Utpalavarna at the time of Kashyapa Buddha. Although she broke precepts and fell into hell for punishment, her merit did not perish, and finally she encountered Shakyamuni Buddha. She saw the Buddha, listened to the dharma, aroused the aspiration for enlightenment, and practiced. Thus, she became free from the three realms and became a great arhat. She had mastered the six miraculous powers, including the three extraordinary types of knowledge. She was certainly unsurpassable in the way.
If so, the growing merit of those who have trust from the beginning and receive a kashaya with the pure heart of faith for the sole sake of unsurpassable enlightenment should be more immediate than the merit of this courtesan. Even further, the merit of those who arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, leave the household, and receive the precepts for the sake of unsurpassable enlightenment should be immeasurable. Without having a human body, it is rare to achieve this merit.
Although there are a great number of bodhisattvas and ancestors, whether they are householders or home leavers in India and China, none of them come close to Ancestor Nagarjuna. He particularly took up the stories of the drunken Brahman and the courtesan to encourage sentient beings to leave the household and receive the precepts. Ancestor Nagarjuna’s enlightenment was predicted by the golden mouth of the World-Honored One.
The World-Honored One said, “There are four most excellent occurrences in the Southern Continent. They are: seeing the Buddha, hearing the dharma, leaving the household, and attaining the way.”
Know clearly that these four most excellent occurrences surpass the activities in the Northern Continent and in all deva worlds. Now, led by the root power of wholesome actions in past lives, you have received the most excellent body [human body]. Rejoice, leave the household, and receive the precepts. Do not waste your most excellent body and leave the dewdroplike life to the wind of impermanence. If, birth after birth, you live as a home leaver, your merit and virtue will accumulate.
The World-Honored One said:
In buddha dharma, the effect of leaving the household is wondrous. The merit of building a stupa of seven treasures, as high as the Heaven of Thirty-three Devas, is not as large as the merit of leaving the household. The reason is that an evil, stupid person can destroy a stupa of seven treasures but cannot destroy the merit of leaving the household. This being so, if you teach men and women, let go of servants, pardon criminals, and let yourself leave the household—entering the way—the merit is immeasurable.
Thus, the World-Honored One let the amounts of merit be known and compared them. Shrivaddhi heard this, and, although he was one hundred twenty years old and frail, he determined to leave the house-hold and receive the precepts. He sat on a seat lower than youths, practiced, and became a great arhat.
Know that, through causes and conditions, a human body in this lifetime is a temporary assemblage of the four great elements and the five skandhas. It always contains eight sufferings. Further, it is born and perishes moment by moment without ceasing. It is born and perishes at each of the sixty-five moments contained within one finger snap, but because of ignorance we don’t notice it. There are six billion, four hundred million, ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred eighty moments in a day and night, and the five skandhas are born and perish at each moment, but we don’t notice it. What a pity that although we are born and perish at each moment, we don’t notice it! The amount of births and deaths at each moment is known only by the Buddha—the World-Honored One—and Shariputra. There are many other sages, but none of them know it. With this law of birth and death in each moment, sentient beings create wholesome and unwholesome actions. Also, with this law of birth and death in each moment, sentient beings arouse the aspiration for enlightenment and attain the way.
What is born and perishes in this way is the human body. Even if you cling to it, it will not stay where it is. Since olden times there has not been a single person who clung to the body and made it stay. Thus, the human body does not belong to the self. Yet, if you turn around, leave the household, and receive the precepts, you realize unsurpassable, complete enlightenment, realized by buddhas of the past, present, and future, which is the indestructible diamond buddha fruit. Who among the wise would not joyously seek this?
This being so, all the eight children of the Chandra Surya Pradipa Buddha in the past gave up their monarchy of ruling the world of the four directions and left the household.
All sixteen children of Maha Abhijna Jnana Abhibhu Buddha also left the household. When this buddha was in samadhi, he expounded the Lotus Sutra for all beings, and now he is a tathagata of the ten directions. All the eight trillion beings led by the wheel-turning king, the father of this buddha, saw the king’s sixteen children leave the household and asked the king for permission to leave the household. The king gave all of them permission to do so.
Also, King Shubhavyuha’s two children, as well as his father and queen, all left the household.
Know that when great sages emerge it is an authentic custom for them to leave the household. No one can say that they do so out of ignorance. If you learn that they leave the household out of their wisdom, you should wish to do the same.
In this present time span of Shakyamuni Buddha, Rahula, Ananda, and others all left the household. One thousand, or it is also said twenty thousand, members of the Shakya Clan also left the household. Their actions are indeed excellent precedents. From the Five Monks to Subhadra [the Buddha’s first disciples to the last], those who took refuge in the Buddha all left the household. Know that the virtue is immeasurable.
This being so, if people care about their children and their grandchildren, let them leave the household as soon as possible. If they care about their parents, encourage them to leave the household.
Thus, it is said in a verse:
If there had been no past world,
there would have been no past buddhas.
If there had been no past buddhas,
there would have been no home leaving
and precept receiving.
This is a verse of all buddha tathagatas. It denies the negation of the past world spoken of by those outside the way. So, know that home leaving and precept receiving are the dharma of all buddhas in the past. As we have the fortune of encountering the time of home leaving and precept receiving, which are the wondrous dharma of all buddhas, how could we wastefully miss the opportunity to leave home and receive precepts? It would be difficult to understand the hindrance to doing so. Attaining the highest merit with the lowliest body is the highest achievement in the Jambudvipa World or in the three realms. Do not fail to leave the household and receive the precepts before the Jambudvipa’s human body perishes.
Ancient sages said [in the Abhidharma Mahashastra Treatise]:
Even if they break the precepts, those who have left the household excel householders who maintain the precepts. For this reason, the kindness of those who expound a sutra and encourage others to leave the household is difficult to repay. Those who encourage others to leave the household help them practice venerable actions. The reward they receive excels that of King Yama, the Wheel-Turning King, and Indra. For this reason, the kindness of those who expound a sutra and encourage others to leave the household is difficult to repay. Encouraging others to receive the precepts of supporting the dharma [lay practice] is not as valuable. To stay in laity is not recommended in sutras.
In this way, know that even if they break the precepts, those who have left the household excel householders who maintain the precepts. Taking refuge in the Buddha, leaving the household, and receiving the precepts are always excellent. The reward for encouraging others to leave the household excels that of King Yama, the Wheel-Turning King, and Indra. Even common people or untouchables who have left the house-hold excel the nobles. They even excel King Yama, the Wheel-Turning King, and Indra. Receiving lay precepts is not like this. Therefore, leave the household.
Know that the immeasurable teachings of the World-Honored One were extensively collected by the World-Honored One and the five hundred great arhats [in the Abhidharma Mahashastra Treatise]. From this we know, indeed, that principles are clear in the buddha dharma. Ordinary teachers of recent times cannot fathom one arhat’s wisdom, three types of extraordinary knowledge, or six miraculous powers. Then, how can they understand the wisdom of the five hundred arhats? Although these arhats knew what ordinary teachers of recent times didn’t know, saw what they didn’t see, and mastered what they didn’t master, it is not that the arhats didn’t know what ordinary teachers of recent times know. Therefore, do not compare the ignorant and foolish theory of these ordinary teachers with the words of arhats and three types of outstanding knowledge.
The Abhidharma Mahashastra Treatise says in chapter 120, “Even those who have aroused the aspiration for enlightenment and left the house-hold are called sages. How much more so is it true of those who have attained the dharma of patience?”
Know in this way that those who have aroused the aspiration for enlightenment and left the household are called sages.
Among the five hundred great vows of Shakyamuni Buddha, his one hundred thirty-seventh vow says, “May I attain a true awakening in the future and may people who want to leave the household in my dharma have no hindrance—such as being lazy, forgetful, crazy, arrogant, lacking reverence and wisdom, being driven by many desires, or having scattered minds. Until this is achieved, I will not be fully awakened.”
His one hundred thirty-eighth vow says, “May I attain a true awakening in the future, and may women who want to leave the household in my dharma, study the way, and receive the great precepts accomplish their wishes. Until this is achieved, I will not be fully awakened.”
His three hundred fourteenth vow says, “May I attain a true awakening in the future, and if there are sentient beings who have little wholesome roots but arouse enjoyment in these wholesome roots, may I let them leave the household and study the way in the buddha dharma in their future lifetime, and let them abide at ease in the ten pure precepts. Until this is achieved, I will not be fully awakened.”
Know that all the good men and good women who have left the household now have been helped by the power of the World-Honored One’s great vows in the past, have left the household, and received the precepts without hindrance. The Tathagata made these vows and caused them to leave the household. They clearly know that this is a great merit, most venerable and unsurpassable.
The Buddha said, “If you make offerings to those who follow my teaching, shave off their hair, and wear a patch of kashaya, but have not received the precepts, you will enter the castle of no fear. Because of that, I speak in this way.”
From this we know that if you make offerings to people who have shaved off their hair and wear a kashaya, but have not received the precepts, you may enter the castle of no fear.
He also said, “Even if they haven’t received the precepts, if you harm those who have left the household with me, shaved off their hair, and wear a piece of kashaya, you will harm the dharma body and the reward body of all buddhas in the past, present, and future, and so you will fill the three unwholesome paths.”
The Buddha also said:
If sentient beings leave the household for me, shave off their hair, and wear a kashaya, even if they have not received the precepts, they will all be marked with a sign of nirvana. If you harm those who have left the household for me but haven’t received the precepts; if you annoy, insult, or denounce them; if you beat, bind, cut them with a hand, a sword, or a stick, or take away their robes and bowls; or if you take away their tools for livelihood, you will harm the true reward bodies of all buddhas in the past, present, and future, and challenge the eyes of all humans and devas. Thus, you will conceal the seeds of authentic dharma among the three treasures, make all devas fall into hell, depriving them of receiving benefaction, and expand and fill the three unwholesome paths.
From this, know that those who shave their heads and wear ink-dyed robes, even if they have not received the precepts, are marked with a sign of unsurpassable, great nirvana. If you confuse them, you would harm the reward bodies of all buddhas of the past, present, and future. Your offense would be the same as murdering your parents. Thus, we know that the merit of leaving the household is being intimate with all buddhas of the past, present, and future.
The Buddha said, “You, home leavers, should not arouse an unwholesome mind. If you do, you are not home leavers. You, home leavers, your action and speech should be in accord with each other. If they aren’t, you are not home leavers. I abandoned my parents, siblings, family members, relatives, and teachers to leave the household and practice the way. Indeed, this is the time to assemble wholesome awakening. It is not the time to assemble unwholesome awakening. Wholesome awakening is to have a tender heart toward all sentient beings as if they were babies. Unwholesome awakening is not like this.”
Thus, the self nature of a home leaver is having a tender heart toward all sentient beings as if they were babies. This is not arouse an unwholesome mind. This is your action and speech should be in accord with each other. When you take the form of a home leaver, you have such virtue as this.
The Buddha said:
Now, Shariputra, if bodhisattvas, great beings, wish to attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment on the day they leave the household, turn the dharma wheel on the same day, and have sentient beings of uncountable eons become free from dust and attain pure dharma eyes, have sentient beings of uncountable eons become free from attachment and attain liberation from desires, and have sentient beings of uncountable eons practice unremittingly in unsurpassable, complete enlightenment, the bodhisattvas, great beings, should study realizing wisdom beyond wisdom.
The study of realizing wisdom beyond wisdom spoken of here is transmitted from one ancestor to another. Unsurpassable, complete enlightenment matures on the very day of leaving the household. However, in practicing and realizing for uncountable eons and for innumerable eons, it is not bound by having limitations or beyond having limitations. Those who study should know this.
The Buddha said:
If, on the day they leave the household, bodhisattvas, great beings, arouse the thought of declining their royal heritage and wish to attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment, they will immediately turn the dharma wheel. They will free uncountable sentient beings from dust and help them to attain pure dharma eyes. They will free uncountable sentient beings from attachment and with wisdom mind liberate them from desires. They will help uncountable sentient beings to attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment and unremitting practice. If these bodhisattvas, great beings, arouse this thought, they should study realizing wisdom beyond wisdom.
This merit [of leaving the household] is expounded in this way by Shakyamuni Buddha, who was born in the palace as the bodhisattva of the final body, declined his royal heritage, attained enlightenment, turned the dharma wheel, and awakened sentient beings.
[The Sutra on the Buddha’s Deeds in His Former Lives says:]
Prince Siddhartha went to his chariot driver, Chanda, and took up a sword with its handle decorated with wish-granting jewels and seven treasures. He pulled the sharp blade from the sheath with his right hand and grabbed his snail-shaped blue lotus-colored hair with his left hand. He cut the hair off and threw it up in the air. Indra saw him do so, greatly rejoiced in Siddhartha’s rare aspiration, and caught the bundle of the prince’s hair with his heavenly robe, keeping it from dropping on the ground. Then, all the devas presented their supreme heavenly offerings.
This was when Shakyamuni Buddha was a crown prince. He climbed over a wall of the palace at midnight, went into the mountains the next day, and cut off his own hair. Then the Deva of Suddha Avasa Heaven came down, shaved his head, and made an offering of a kashaya to him. This is an auspicious event of the emergence of the Tathagata in this world. Such an occasion is normal for all buddhas, world-honored ones.
Not even one of the buddhas of the past, present, and future in the ten directions became a buddha as a householder. Because there were buddhas in the past, there is leaving the household and receiving the precepts. The attainment of the way by sentient beings invariably depends on their leaving the household and receiving the precepts. Because leaving the household and receiving the precepts is the definitive way of all buddhas, the merit is immeasurable.
Although, in the scriptures, there is a teaching about a layperson becoming a buddha, it is not an authentic transmission. Although there is a teaching of a woman becoming a buddha [by turning into a man], it is not an authentic transmission. What is authentically transmitted by buddha ancestors is leaving the household and becoming a buddha.
[The Jingde Record of Transmission of the Lamp says:]
Dhitika, the son of a wealthy man, went to see Venerable Upagupta, the Fourth Ancestor, and expressed his wish to leave the household.
Upagupta said, “Do you want to leave the household for the benefit of your body or mind?”
Dhitika said, “I want to leave the household, but not for my body or mind.” Upagupta said, “Who leaves the household if not for the benefit of body or mind?”
Dhitika said, “A home leaver does not have a self or self-possession. Because of having no self or self-possession, the mind is not born and does not perish. Not to have the mind that is born or perishes: this is an unchanging dharma. All buddhas practice this way. Neither their minds nor their bodies have marks.”
Upagupta said, “You are greatly enlightened and your mind has been illuminated. You should take refuge in the buddha, dharma, sangha and nurture the sacred seed [of buddhahood].”
Thus, Upagupta allowed Dhitika to leave the household and receive the precepts.
Now, to encounter the dharma of all buddhas and leave the household is the supreme result. The dharma is not for the self or self-possession. It is not for body or mind. It is not that you leave the household for the benefit of body or mind. This is the meaning of leaving the household is not for body or mind. Because it is not for the self or self-possession, it is the dharma of all buddhas. This is the way of all buddhas. Because this is the way of all buddhas, it is not for the self or self-possession, and not for the body or mind.
There is nothing equal to this in the three realms. Thus, leaving the household is the supreme dharma. It is not sudden, not gradual, not permanent, not impermanent. It is not coming, not going, not abiding, not making. It is not wide, not narrow, not large, not small. It is not becoming, and not not-becoming. There are no ancestors transmitting buddha dharma person to person that have not left the household or have not received the precepts.
This is how Dhitika first met Venerable Upagupta and asked about leaving the household. In this way, Dhitika left the household, received the precepts, practiced with Upagupta, and finally became the Fifth Ancestor.
[The Jingde Record of Transmission of the Lamp says:]
Sanghanandi, the Seventeenth Ancestor, was a prince of King Ratnavyuha of Shrasvasti. He could speak soon after his birth and kept praising the Buddha’s teaching. At age seven he detested worldly pleasure and presented this verse to his parents:
Bow to my compassionate father.
Veneration to my blood mother.
I now wish to leave the household,
begging you to kindly accept my plea.
But his parents insistently discouraged him. So, the prince refused to eat. Finally, his parents allowed him to leave the household while staying in the palace. They named him Sanghanandi and asked monk Dhyanartha to be his teacher. For nineteen years Sanghanandi didn’t tire of his practice. He said to himself daily, “While living at home, how can I be a home leaver?”
One night he saw a heavenly light descending all of a sudden and illuminating a straight road. Without noticing, he walked slowly on the road for ten li. When he came to a grotto in front of a huge rock, he went inside and sat quietly. Knowing that his son had left, the King expelled Dhyanartha and searched all over the country, looking for the prince. But he could not find him. Ten years later, Sanghanandi attained dharma, had his enlightenment confirmed, became a wandering teacher, and got to the country of Madhya.
This is the first time that becoming a home leaver while being at home has been heard of. However, with the help of his wholesome action in the past, he found a straight way in the heavenly light. Then, he left his palace and got to the grotto. Indeed, it is an excellent precedent. One who detests worldly pleasure and is cautious about common dust is a sage. One who loves the five desires and does not reject them is an ordinary fool.
Emperors Dai and Su practiced intimately with monks but they still clung to their thrones and did not abandon them.
Layman Lu [Huineng] left his parents and became an ancestor. It is the merit of leaving the household. On the other hand, Layman Pang abandoned treasure but did not throw away the dust of the world. It should be regarded as extreme foolishness. You cannot compare Lu’s power of the way with Pang’s study of the ancient way. Those who are clear leave the household. Those who are ignorant stay in the household, which becomes the causes and conditions of dark [unwholesome] actions.
One day, Nanyue Huairang, said with admiration, “Home leaving is done to practice the way to become free from birth. There is nothing that excels this in the deva and human worlds.”
The way to become free from birth is the true dharma of the Tathagata. Thus, it is excellent in the deva and human worlds. In the deva worlds, there are six deva worlds in the desire realm, eighteen deva worlds in the form realm, and four types of worlds in the no-form realm. None of them excel the path of home leavers.
Panshan, Zen Master Baoji, said, “Virtuous practitioners of Zen, studying the way in our school is like the earth holding mountains without knowing how steep they are, or a stone containing a jewel without knowing how flawless it is. One who practices like this is called a home leaver.”
The true dharma of buddha ancestors is not necessarily concerned with knowing or not knowing. As leaving the household is the true dharma of buddha ancestors, its merit is clear.
Linji Yixuan of Zhen Region, said, “Home leavers should discern what is right in everyday views, buddha from demon, and what is genuine, false, ordinary, or sacred. Those who discern in this way are called true home leavers. Those who cannot distinguish a buddha from a demon are like those who leave one home only to enter another home. They are called sentient beings who create karma, and cannot be called true home leavers.”
What is right in everyday views spoken of here means identifying with cause and effect, and identifying with the three treasures. Discern buddha means to clearly reflect on the merit of the causes and effects of being a buddha. It is to clearly understand what is genuine and what is false, what is ordinary and what is sacred. If you don’t clarify the distinction between a demon and a buddha, you will relapse and destroy the study of the way. If you are aware of a demon’s affairs and do not follow them, your endeavor of the way is unremitting. This is called the dharma of true home leavers. There are many who groundlessly regard demons’ affairs as buddha dharma. This is a mistake of recent times. You students should quickly know demons’ affairs and clarify, practice, and realize buddhahood.
[The Maha Pari-nirvana Sutra says:]
When the Tathagata was entering pari-nirvana, Kashyapa Bodhisattva said to him, “World-Honored One, the Tathagata, you understand all the roots [potentials] of human beings. You must have known that Sunakshatra was going to cut off his wholesome roots. Then, why did you allow him to leave the household?”
The Buddha said:
Good disciple, in the past, after I left the household, my brother Nanda, my cousins Ananda and Devadatta, and my son Rahula all followed me, left the household, and practiced the way. If I had not allowed Sunakshatra to leave the household, he would have succeeded to his father’s throne. Using his authority, he would have destroyed buddha dharma. For this reason, I permitted him to leave the household and practice the way.
Good disciple, if Sunakshatra had not left the household, he would have lost his wholesome roots and would have received no benefit in the uncountable lifetimes. As he has left the household, even if he has lost his wholesome roots now, if he maintains the precepts, venerates and makes offerings to old, senior, and virtuous ones, and practices the first to fourth stages of meditation, these will be wholesome causes. Wholesome causes give rise to wholesome dharma. If wholesome dharma rises, the way is practiced. If the way is practiced, unsurpassable, complete enlightenment is attained. That is why I allowed Sunakshatra to leave the household.
Good disciple, if I hadn’t allowed Sunakshatra to leave the household and receive the precepts, people would not be able to call me the Tathagata who embodies the ten powers.
Good disciple, the Buddha observes the wholesome and unwholesome potential sentient beings carry with them. Although they have these two types of potential, some of them quickly cut off all wholesome roots and maintain unwholesome roots. Why so? Because such people do not associate with wholesome friends, do not listen to the true dharma, do not think of wholesome things, and do not act according to dharma. For this reason, they lose wholesome roots and maintain unwholesome roots.
From this, know that although the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, clearly knows that some sentient beings are going to lose their wholesome roots, he allows them to leave the household for the sake of giving them wholesome causes. This is great compassion. Losing wholesome roots is caused by not associating with wholesome friends, not listening to the true dharma, not thinking of wholesome things, and not acting according to dharma. Students nowadays should always associate with wholesome friends. Wholesome friends say that there are buddhas and teach that there are crimes and beneficial activities. Those who do not deny cause and effect are wholesome friends and wholesome teachers. What is explained by these people is the true dharma. To think of this principle is wholesome thinking. To act in this way is wholesome action.
This being so, encourage sentient beings to leave the household and receive the precepts whether you are close to them or not. Do not reflect on their future relapsing or not. Do not worry about their practicing or not. This is indeed the true dharma of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The Buddha said to the monks, “Know that King Yama [King of Hell] said, ‘When can I be liberated from this suffering, attain a human body, leave the household, shave off my hair, wear the three dharma robes, and practice the way as a home leaver?’ Even King Yama makes his wish in this way. Then, why shouldn’t you? You already have attained human bodies and have become monks. This being so, monks, be mindful of the practice of the body, speech, and thought, and do not be negligent. Put an end to the five delusions and work on the five sense organs. Such monks can keep practicing the way.”
Hearing these words of the Buddha, all monks rejoiced and followed his teaching.
From this, we clearly know that even King Yama looks for birth in the human world. Those who are already born as humans should quickly shave off their hair, put on three dharma robes, and practice the buddha way. This is a merit of being in the human world more excellent than that in other paths. Therefore, although being born as a human, it is utmost foolishness to greedily pursue the path of worldly, official realms, passing the whole of life in a dream as a servant of kings and ministers, while going toward darkness in the future and having no place to rely upon.
You have not only received a human body, which is rare to achieve, but you also have encountered buddha dharma, which is rarer to encounter. Quickly abandon all relations, leave the household, and practice the way. You can always encounter kings, ministers, and family members. On the other hand, buddha dharma is as difficult to encounter as an udumbara blossom.
When impermanence arrives with no time, none of the kings, ministers, intimate friends, servants, family members, or rare treasures can help you. You go to the Yellow Spring [the underworld of the dead] by yourself. The only things that accompany you are wholesome and unwholesome karmas. Also, when you are about to lose your human body, you will probably have a deep desire to maintain your human body. If so, while you have your human body, leave the household as soon as possible. This is indeed the true dharma of all buddhas in the past, present, and future.
There are four types of practice for home leavers, called the four dependences. They are: sitting under trees for a lifetime, wearing a robe of excrement-cleaning cloths for a lifetime, begging food for a lifetime, and taking medicine made of urine and excrement in case of sickness for a lifetime. If you conduct these practices, you are regarded as a monk. If you don’t, you are not regarded as a monk. Thus, these are the practices of home leavers.
What has been authentically transmitted until now by buddha ancestors from India and China are these practices of home leavers. If you do not leave the monastery for a lifetime, these four dependences are practiced. Know that contradicting this and creating five dependences [as Devadatta did] is a wrong practice. Who would receive them with trust? Who would have patience to listen to such teaching? What has been authentically transmitted by buddha ancestors [as the four dependences] is the true dharma. Humans who leave the household according to these four dependences are the most auspicious, unsurpassable, and the most venerable.
Thus, in India, Nanda, Ananda, Devadatta, Aniruddha, Mahanaman, and Bhadrika are all grandchildren of King Simhahanu, noblest of all nobles. They left the household in early times. They are excellent examples for later generations. Now, those who are not nobles should not spare their positions. What positions are spared by those who are not princes? Turning what is most venerable in the Jambudvipa World into what is most venerable in the entire three realms is home leaving. Kings of other small nations and citizens of the nations groundlessly spare what should not be spared, are proud of what they should not be proud of, and remain in what should not be remained in, and so they do not leave the household. Who should not regard them as worthless? Who should not regard them as foolish?
Venerable Rahula was the son of the Bodhisattva [who became Shakyamuni Buddha] and a grandson of King Shuddhodana. The king wanted to pass on the throne to Rahula. But the World-Honored One encouraged him to leave the household. Thus, know that home leaving is the most venerable dharma. As the World-Honored One’s primary disciple with thorough practice and as the field of benefaction for sentient beings, Rahula still abides in this world, not having entered nirvana.
Among the ancestors who transmitted the treasury of the true dharma eye in India, there are a number of princes who left the house-hold. Bodhidharma, the First Ancestor of China, was the third prince of the king of the Xiangxi Kingdom. Not regarding kingship as weighty, Bodhidharma transmitted authentic dharma to China.
Know clearly that home leaving is most precious. While you need to leave the household quickly, how can you wait for tomorrow, leading a life that is not close to the lives of these princes? Your exhalation will not wait for your inhalation. It is wise to leave the household as soon as possible. Also know that the benefaction of your teacher at the time of your home leaving and receiving the precepts equals that of your father and mother.
The Guidelines for Zen Monasteries says in its first chapter:
It is taught that all buddhas in the past, present, and future have left the household and attained the way. The twenty-eight ancestors in India and the six early ancestors in China transmitted the buddha mind seal. They all were monks. They strictly observed the pure precepts and were models over the three realms. This being so, those who practice Zen and inquire about the way make the precepts a priority. How can you attain buddhahood and become an ancestor if you do not stay away from fault and prevent wrongdoing?
Even a monastery of the declining age is a fragrant forest of gardenia bushes that cannot be compared with ordinary trees or grass. Its community is like milk mixed with water. When you use milk, use milk that is mixed with water. Do not use anything else.
In this way, the authentic transmission of it is taught that all buddhas in the past, present, and future have left the household and attained the way is most precious. There are no buddhas in the past, present, and future who have not left the household. This is the unsurpassable enlightenment of the treasury of the true dharma eye, the wondrous heart of nirvana, authentically transmitted by buddhas and ancestors.
A day during the summer practice period, the seventh year of the Kencho Era [1255]. [Copied by Ejo.]