大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 71.38

71.38

Regarding the commentary’s “Third, in accordance with the actions of sentient beings”: these three phrases below explain habit-energy viewing the present with respect to the present. “Formerly a king did not establish a stable in a monastery” is a passage from the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*. It means this king had an elephant capable of rivaling an entire state; whenever there was an enemy, it was outfitted with weapons and armor, and never failed to conquer. Later, the enemy states were all terrified, and for a long time there were no rivals; so he established a stable in a monastery to raise it. Hearing the assembly of monks paying homage and chanting for a long time, its mind was perfumed, and it became gentle and wholesome by disposition. Later, when troops from a neighboring state invaded, the elephant was outfitted to counter them, but it utterly refused to fight. The king was worried and distressed, fearing the defeat of his kingdom. A wise minister addressed the king: “This elephant has stayed in the monastery for a long time, seeing and hearing wholesome deeds, and has been transformed by them. It should be placed in a slaughterhouse to make it constantly see killing.” Soon after, its evil mind arose again. If it is so even for an animal, how much more so for a human: being close to the good makes one not unwholesome, and being close to evil makes one not un-evil!