大方廣佛華嚴經疏 35.20

35.20

Third, from "O sons of the Buddha, the ten unwholesome courses of action" onwards treats the precept of benefiting sentient beings (sattva-kṛtya-śīla). The text divides into two: first, extensively explaining the gathering of beings; second, from "O sons of the Buddha, when the bodhisattva upholds the precepts in this way" onwards, concluding with the precept of benefiting beings. In the former, demonstrating the supremacy of this precept has five meanings: 1. Wisdom; 2. Vows; 3. Practice; 4. Accumulation; 5. Fruit of accumulation. As for the first: this means skillfully knowing the causes and fruits of suffering for sentient beings. The text divides into three: first, generally explaining the knowledge of the cause; second, from "therein" onwards, specifically demonstrating knowledge of the fruit; third, from "O sons of the Buddha" onwards, concluding with the cause of suffering. As for the first: in the general part, the fruits have the differences of the three wretched paths, and the causes have the gradations of the three times; the treatise calls this the difference of times. The three times are again twofold: 1. Regarding the mind: for example, in killing, wishing to kill, the actual killing, and having killed—when all three times are heavy, it is called upper; when any one time is light, it is middling; when all three times are light, it is lower. 2. Regarding duration: that is, doing it for a short time, for a long time, throughout one's life, and so forth. The remaining three grades are as explained above under the ten wholesome actions. Furthermore, within each of the paths, there are also three grades and so on. However, according to the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra*, the three paths each have their peripheral and central forms: the central is heavy and the peripheral is light. Comparing the central hungry ghost to the peripheral animal, the hungry ghost's transgression is heavier; therefore, in the *Abhidharmasamuccaya-bhāṣya* and other texts, hungry ghosts come next after hell. If comparing the central animal to the peripheral hungry ghost, the animal's transgression is heavier; therefore it now says that the lower grade is the cause of hungry ghosts. Second, in specifically demonstrating knowledge of the fruits: among the ten unwholesome actions, each has a distinction of two fruits: 1. The distinction of the fruit of retribution, namely the maturation (vipāka) in the three wretched paths; 2. The distinction of the fruit of residual conditioning (vāsanā), namely the remaining retribution among humans, which is the remnant of the primary retribution. In the sūtra, "if born among humans, one obtains two kinds" is this. However, treatises such as the *Abhidharmasamuccaya-bhāṣya* and *Yogācārabhūmi* open the fruit of residual conditioning into two: 1. Regarding internal retribution, it is called the fruit of uniform outflow (niṣyanda-phala), which is just as explained in the sūtra; 2. Regarding external retribution, it brings about the sovereign fruit (adhipati-phala), which the present sūtra lacks. Below, based on those [treatises] which show that the maturation retribution fruit is the same for all ten evil deeds, we now only explain the uniform outflow and sovereign fruits. Now, the two uniform outflows are mostly heavier for the first and lighter for the second: the light is the uniform outflow of the expedient preparatory action, and the heavy is the uniform outflow of the primary evil deed. The ten evil deeds are thus divided into ten: 1. Within killing: killing causes premature death so that one does not complete one's natural lifespan; hence one obtains a short life, which is the uniform outflow of the primary evil deed. Second, experiencing pain before dying; hence one incurs much sickness, which is the uniform outflow of the expedient. Out of fear there is no radiance; this produces the external sovereign fruit of material requisites and other things being meager and lacking luster. 2. Stealing harms another's wealth; hence one incurs poverty. Because it prevents them from enjoying things according to their wishes, one's shared wealth cannot be used with sovereignty; this produces the external fruit of field crops being damaged by frost and hail. 3. In sexual misconduct: because one causes another's wife to be unchaste and lures her with expedients, the filth of sexual misconduct produces external foul-smelling dust and dirt. 4. The uniform outflow of false speech: moreover, slander relates to transgressing the object, and being deceived relates to transgressing the mind; because the words are untrue, it externally produces agricultural tasks and undertakings that mostly do not prosper or harmonize. 5. In divisive speech: because one causes others to become estranged and turns friends into enemies, due to uttering words of inequity, externally there are many dangerous obstacles. 6. In harsh speech: because the essence of the speech is evil and the function of the speech is evil, the words constantly involve dispute and vex others; externally it produces thorns, sand, saline soil, and such matters. 7. In frivolous speech: words are not accepted by anyone because their capacity does not take them in; words are unclear because they are naturally frivolous and erroneous. Because words are frivolous, externally it produces fruits and crops that do not ripen in their proper season. 8. In covetousness: because one is unsatisfied with what has been obtained, and craves what has not yet been obtained. With covetousness, thought after thought one desires more; externally the sovereign fruit decreases day by day. 9. In ill will: the two uniform outflows resemble the previous light and heavy. Seeing what is disagreeable, one seeks faults in others; second, vexing and harming them, one's anger does not accord with the feelings of others. Externally, the sovereign fruit produces flavors that are pungent and bitter, as well as many vicious beasts and poisonous insects. 10. In wrong views: one is reborn in a family of wrong views, just as water flows toward moisture. Because the mental view is not upright, one has much deceit and crookedness. Broadly, because of lack of uprightness, externally the finest flowers and fruits all disappear, seeming pure but impure, seeming peaceful but not peaceful. Therefore, contemplating the fruit to know the cause, one should eradicate and sever them. 3. Concluding with the cause of suffering: because immeasurable masses of suffering arise from this.