But, according to the Fanwang [jing], "if you do not burn your body
　　　　  then you are not a renunciant bodhisattva." This is approved in the
　　　　  commentaries on this precept [which state] that having attained the
　　　　  stage of the clan (xingdi, Sanskrit gotra-bhumi) one has the ability
　　　　  for this requirement.(65)
　　　　  The venerable Yijing (635-713) in his Jigui zhuan (Nanhai jigui
　　　　  neifa zhuan) says,
　　　　  "Burning the body is not fitting. Among all renunciates those who
　　　　  are commencing their studies want to be brave and keen. They
　　　　  consider burning the fingers as the practice of vigor (jingqin,
　　　　  Sanskrit, viriya) and the burning of the body as the production of
　　　　  great merit. Although they do occur in the sutras, such actions are
　　　　  for the laity who may offer their own bodies, not to mention any
　　　　  external possessions which they have. Renunciates, on the other hand
　　　　  should abide by the Vinaya. If they transgress the precepts then
　　　　  they have not correctly perceived their significance. Thus for
　　　　  Sarvasattvapriyadarsana [i.e., Bhaisyagururaja], who is classed as a
　　　　  lay person, to burn his arms et cetera, is considered perfectly
　　　　  permissible. Bodhisattvas may give up their sons and daughters, but
　　　　  bhiksus need not seek for sons and daughters to surrender:(66) And
　　　　  so on. But I would say that Yijing has made a false analysis, which
　　　　  is neither Hinayana nor Mahayana. If one sides with the Hinayana,
　　　　  how can one recognize Sarvasattvapriyadarsana? Likewise if one sides
　　　　  with the Mahayana how can one not cite the Fanwang jing, but
　　　　  perversely use the Hinayana Vinaya? Presumably he had not yet read
　　　　  the Fanwang jing! In recent times Master Cheng's Yaolan [i.e.,
　　　　  Shishi yaolan (Essential Readings for Buddhists), comp. Daocheng,
　　　　  fl. 10 17, T.54.21271 also fails to cite the Fanwang jing. This is
　　　　  quite wrong and mistaken.(67)
　　　　  There follows a discussion of Hinayana versus Mahayana precepts, and
　　　　  then Congyi cites both passages from the Fanwang jing and
　　　　  Shouleng'yan jing to demonstrate that the practices of burning the
　　　　  body are justified and that Yijing and his kind are sadly mistaken
　　　　  to believe otherwise.(68)
　　　　  The mention of Yijing and his extraordinarily heartfelt attack on
　　　　  shao shen, from which Congyi merely extracts a few lines, may now
　　　　  help us to identify a very specific reason for the creation of part
　　　　  of the Shouleng'yan jing. Yijing returned to China after his
　　　　  peregrinations around India and the southern seas in 695. Although