大方便佛報恩經 7.22

7.22

The Buddha told Ānanda: "Good sons! The lion Firm Resolve was none other than myself, Śākyamuni. The bodhisattva thus drew close to good spiritual friends, even to the point of losing his life, yet never gave rise to evil. Why? Because of knowing kindness and repaying kindness. For what reason? Because the bodhisattva, by being able to draw close to good spiritual friends, can swiftly accomplish anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. Good sons! The bodhisattva always diligently seeks good spiritual friends to hear the Buddha-Dharma, even a single phrase, a single verse, or a single meaning, whereby the afflictions of the three realms all wither away. When the bodhisattva wholeheartedly seeks the Buddha's words, his thirst for the Dharma is so profound that he does not begrudge his body or life; even if he must tread upon red-hot iron or ground of raging fire, he does not consider it a hardship. If the bodhisattva does not begrudge his life for the sake of a single verse, how much less for the twelve divisions of scriptures? If he does not begrudge his body and life for the sake of a single verse, how much less any other wealth and possessions? Because of the benefit of hearing the Dharma, his body attains peace and joy, and he gives rise to deep faith, an upright mind, and right views. When he sees one who preaches the Dharma, it is as though he sees his parents, his mind free of pride and arrogance. For the sake of sentient beings, he wholeheartedly listens to the Dharma, not for gain; for the sake of sentient beings, not for self-benefit; for the sake of the Saddharma, he does not fear the wrath of kings, hunger and thirst, cold and heat, tigers and wolves, vicious beasts, bandits, and the like. Having first subdued his own afflictions and faculties, he only then listens to the Dharma, never listening at improper times. Listening to the Dharma wholeheartedly, revering the preacher, and honoring the Dharma—this is called the bodhisattva's knowing kindness and repaying kindness.