In Chapter 14 （“Peaceful Practices”） of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra （SP）, four practices of discipline are stated concerning the dharmabhāṇaka （preacher） of the SP. Of these, the first practice, “action and association” （ācāragocara）, refers to the practice of the dharmabhāṇaka not associating with （that is, estranging from） certain persons, namely, （1） kings and ministers; （2） disciples of tīrthikas; and （3） cāṇḍālas; （4） the fourfold community of the Śrāvakayāna; （5） women and eunuchs; （6） śrāmaṇera and śrāmaṇerikā, and so on.
Existing studies （Ueda 1958, Kino 1964, Kubo 1968, Kariya 1972, among others） have shown that the “estrangement” in these practices of discipline runs counter to the spirit of Mahāyāna Buddhism. As I too have pointed out elsewhere （Bai 2020）, the dharmabhāṇaka portrayed in the SP is a person who disseminates the doctrine of the three vehicles and the SP to all sentient beings, and is born into the world after taking a vow to save all sentient beings. Therefore, it is inconceivable that the dharmabhāṇaka, who thoroughly engages in Mahāyāna altruism, would obey the practices of discipline mentioned above which closely resemble the spirit of Hīnayāna Buddhism. To address this issue, this paper analyzes the differences between the dharmabhāṇaka’s practices of discipline and those that are present in Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna Buddhism. This will allow me to present what “altruistic practice” is really meant to be for the dharmabhāṇaka, who is expected to follow these practices concerning discipline.
