大方便佛報恩經 2.18

2.18

"If a bodhisattva sees sentient beings who love and delight in the Buddha-Dharma come near to make offerings, to serve and attend upon them—washing their feet and massaging them, laundering and drying their garments, providing willow tooth-sticks and bath water, dusting and arranging their bedding, folding their quilts and pillows; supplying lamps and candles during the initial and final watches of the night; offering meals before noon, meals after noon, tarpaṇa foods, bhojanīya foods, khādanīya foods, and various syrups and drinks—namely, ariṣṭa drink, drākṣā drink, grape drink, and black molasses syrup—serving them in this way for even a week up to ninety days, wishing to entreat the bodhisattva and listen to the Buddha-Dharma; at that time, though the bodhisattva sees these people making such provisions, their mind is not pleased. Why is this? Because for a long time, throughout countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas, the bodhisattva has sought the Buddha-Dharma; because my mind toward all sentient beings is free from increase or decrease; because of a mind of loving-kindness and compassion; and because of abiding in an equanimous mind, I at times became a wheel-turning sage king, constantly guiding and transforming all sentient beings through the ten virtues. Out of regard for my wishes, they joyfully put them into practice, and after their lives ended, they were born among humans and devas, experiencing the sublime pleasures of the five desires, esteemed, dignified, and noble, having things according to their heart's desire: resting and rising in palaces, riding caparisoned horses, sporting in gardens and parks, amusing themselves with music, and happily eating and drinking. But impermanence suddenly arrived, along with old age, sickness, and death; the men and women of their households were filled with sorrow and anguish, weeping aloud, beating their chests with their hands, sometimes tearing out their hair, swallowing ashes and dirt, fainting and collapsing to the ground, holding banners and riding carriages, weeping as they escorted [the dead]. When the burial was completed, the men and women of the household, supporting one another by the hand, returned to their home, overcome with sorrow and fainting, collapsing to the ground for a long time; at times this brought on sickness, at times madness, and at times it resulted in death. It was a great detriment to the living and of no benefit to the dead.