金光明經文句 1.26

1.26

Furthermore, harming life is called phenomenal killing; not harming life is called phenomenal non-killing. Explaining in terms of the Dharma-gate: analyzing dharmas is called principle killing; embodying dharmas is called principle non-killing. One should know that the precept against killing has various differences, and when discussing its fruit and retribution, they are also different.

If one guards it with deliberate intention, like a horse fitted with a bridle or a cowherd holding a staff, the retribution is in the human path for one hundred and twenty years; one obtains only the flesh eye and does not have the four eyes. If it naturally becomes one's nature, like rivers pouring into the sea, the retribution is in the six heavens, the longest being ninety-two billion six hundred and seventy million years; one obtains only the divine eye and has not yet obtained the three eyes. If one additionally cultivates the visitor precepts and the wisdom of impermanence, suffering, and non-self, the retribution is in [the realm of] transformation, with a life span of seven hundred asaṃkhyeyas; one obtains only the wisdom eye and has not yet obtained the two eyes. If one additionally cultivates the wisdom of permanence and impermanence, the retribution is in the ocean of the Lotus Store, receiving a dharmatā body; one partially obtains the five eyes and partially obtains a permanent life span. Compared to the Buddha, one's faculties are still incomplete and one's life span is reduced—how much more so for the previous faculties and life spans!

If one is a person of the perfect teaching, one observes the phenomenal precept against killing and also observes the principle precept against killing; without destroying the body, one accords with the single mark; without cutting off delusion and craving, one gives rise to brightness and liberation; embodying the aggregates, realms, and entrances, there is nothing injured or harmed; whether cause or fruit, there is neither production nor cessation; accomplishing wisdom, one abides in the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light; with permanent life span clear and still, one is fully endowed with the five eyes, obtains the mastery of faculties so that the ear sees and the eye hears, and obtains mastery over life span so that long and short are at one's disposal. This is called the ultimate keeping of the precept, where faculties are complete and life span is not reduced.

Furthermore, why would a person of the perfect teaching merely keep this precept as exclusively killing or exclusively compassionate? He also performs phenomenal killing and also performs principle killing. For example, King Senya killed five hundred brāhmaṇas, giving them the eyes to see the Buddha and granting them a life span of ten kalpas. Furthermore, performing the Dharma-gate killing means analyzing and washing away accumulated attachments and purifying all afflictions, like a tree deity breaking branches so as not to harbour hostile birds, or like the kalpa fire burning wood so that both ashes and charcoal are obliterated. Therefore the Aṅgulimāla-sūtra says: “I vow to cut off the aggregates, realms, and entrances; I cannot keep the precept against killing.” All afflictions are the seeds of the Tathāgata; only when these seeds are completely severed is one named a Buddha, accomplishing the adamantine, wondrous Dharma body, serenely responding to all things. Exclusively killing and exclusively compassionate, manifesting forms across the nine paths, he displays long or short life spans according to what is appropriate, and uses deficient or complete faculties according to what they perceive, in order to transform and save them. The previous kinds of precept practice were shallow, close, narrow, and blocked—they are not the universal path. The perfect precept is vast and far-reaching, distinct in path yet converging together, and therefore called the ultimate keeping of the precept against killing. As for the precept against killing, from humans and gods on up to the culmination of the Buddha, vast, horizontal, and vertical, its meaning is like this—how could one say it is merely a matter of the Hīnayāna?