安樂集 2.60

2.60

第二、明壽命長、短者。此方壽命大期不過百年，百年之內少出多減。或生年夭喪，乃至童子身亡，或腹胞胎傷墮。何意然者？良由眾生作因時雜，是以受報亦不得齊同也。是故《涅槃經》云：「作業時黑，果報亦黑；作業時白，果報亦白。淨雜亦爾。」又據《淨度菩薩經》云：「人壽百歲，夜消其半，即是減却五十年也；就五十年內，十五已來未知善、惡，八十已去昏耄、虛劣，故受老苦。自此之外唯有十五年在，於中，外則王官逼迫，長征遠防，或繫在牢獄；內則門戶吉、凶，眾事牽纏，𠙦𠙦忪忪，常求不足。」如斯推計，可有幾時得修道業？如此思量，豈不哀哉？何得不厭？

Second, clarifying the length of lifespan: the maximum term of lifespan in this realm does not exceed one hundred years; within those hundred years, those who exceed it are few and those who fall short are many. Some die young in childhood, or even perish as young boys, or suffer injury and abortion in the womb. Why is this so? It is truly because sentient beings create mixed causes; therefore, their retributions received cannot be uniform either. Hence the Nirvāṇa-sūtra states: 'When karma created is black, the retribution is also black; when karma created is white, the retribution is also white. Purity and mixture are likewise.' Furthermore, according to the Jingdu pusa jing: 'A human lifespan is a hundred years, half of which is consumed by night, which reduces it by fifty years. Within those fifty years, up to age fifteen one does not yet understand good and evil; beyond eighty, one is muddled, senile, feeble, and weak, thus enduring the suffering of old age. Aside from these, only fifteen years remain. Therein, externally one is coerced by the king and officials with long military campaigns and distant frontier defense, or locked up in prison; internally, domestic auspiciousness and misfortune and myriad affairs entangle one, full of fluster and agitation, constantly seeking and never content.' Calculating in this manner, how much time is there to cultivate the practice of the path? Reflecting upon this, is it not lamentable? How could one not feel revulsion?