觀念阿彌陀佛相海三昧功德法門 1.63

1.63

又問曰：釋迦說教示悟眾生，何故一種佛法即有信不信共相譏毀者？有何所以？答曰：凡夫機性有其二種，一者善性人、二者惡性人。其善性人，一聞即捨惡行善善人、二者捨邪行正善人、三者捨虛行實善人、四者捨非行是善人、五者捨偽行真善人。此五種人若能歸佛，即能自利利他，在家行孝，在外亦利他人，在望行信，在朝名君子，事君能盡忠節，故名自性善人也。言惡性人者，一即謗真行偽惡人、二者謗正行邪惡人、三者謗是行非惡人、四者謗實行虛惡人、五者謗善行惡惡人。又此五種人若欲願歸佛，不能自利亦不利他人。又在家不孝，在望無信，在朝名小兒，事君則常懷諂佞謂之不忠。又此人等於他賢德善人身上，唯能敗是成非，但見他惡，故名自性惡人也。又上至諸佛賢聖、人天六道一切良善，此等惡人所譏恥辱也。諸有智者應知。今一一具引善惡二性人，道理顯然。答上問竟。

Again it is asked: "Śākyamuni expounded teachings to instruct and awaken sentient beings; why is it that within this single Buddha-Dharma there are those who believe and those who do not, mutually slandering and disparaging it? What is the reason for this?" The answer is: The disposition of pṛthagjanas is of two kinds: first, persons of good nature; second, persons of evil nature. Among the persons of good nature: first are good persons who, upon hearing once, abandon evil and practice good; second are good persons who abandon the heterodox and practice the orthodox; third are good persons who abandon the false and practice the real; fourth are good persons who abandon the wrong and practice the right; fifth are good persons who abandon the artificial and practice the genuine. If these five kinds of persons are able to take refuge in the Buddha, they can benefit themselves and benefit others; at home they practice filial piety, outside they also benefit other people, in the community they practice trustworthiness, in the royal court they are called superior persons (junzi), and in serving the sovereign they are able to exhaust their loyalty and integrity—hence they are called inherently good persons. As for persons of evil nature: first are evil persons who slander the genuine and practice the artificial; second are evil persons who slander the orthodox and practice the heterodox; third are evil persons who slander the right and practice the wrong; fourth are evil persons who slander the real and practice the false; fifth are evil persons who slander the good and practice the evil. Furthermore, if these five kinds of persons desire to take refuge in the Buddha, they cannot benefit themselves nor can they benefit other people. Moreover, at home they are unfilial, in the community they lack trustworthiness, in the royal court they are called petty men, and in serving the sovereign they constantly harbour flattery and sycophancy, which is called disloyalty. Furthermore, with respect to other virtuous and good persons, these people can only spoil what is right and turn it into wrong, seeing only the evil of others; hence they are called inherently evil persons. Furthermore, from the Buddhas, sages, and nobles above, down to all good beings among humans, gods, and the six destinies, these evil persons ridicule, insult, and disgrace them. All wise persons should know this. Now, having cited in full both kinds of persons of good and evil nature, the principle is obvious. The answer to the above question is finished.