龍舒增廣淨土文 9.8

9.8

The Confucians speak of giving and requital; the Buddhists speak of dāna and karmic retribution: in reality they are one and the same. The Buddha said: "If you wish to obtain grain and food, you must diligently plow and sow. If you wish to obtain wisdom, you must diligently study and learn. If you wish to obtain longevity, you must diligently abstain from killing. If you wish to obtain wealth and honor, you must diligently give alms." Giving has four kinds: the first is the giving of wealth; the second is the giving of the Dharma; the third is the giving of fearlessness; the fourth is the giving of mind. The giving of wealth means benefiting people with wealth. The giving of the Dharma means teaching people with the good path. The giving of fearlessness means that when humans and sentient beings are in fear, I comfort them to make them fearless, or teach them to escape from fear and make them fearless. The giving of mind means that although one's strength cannot succor creatures, one constantly maintains the mind to succor creatures. The Buddha also considered filial support of parents to be giving; thus, all that is bestowed outward is giving. Therefore, being a subordinate and serving superiors with loyalty and diligence; being a superior and comforting the masses with benevolence and compassion; being a teacher and being prudent in instruction; being a friend and being sincere in mutual refinement; between every word and speech always aiming to be beneficial; at every movement and cessation always seeking to cause no harm; using all kinds of skillful means to benefit creatures and never letting them be injured—all of these are giving. When one's actions are like this and one's frame of mind is also like this, how could one fail to obtain the retribution of wealth and honor in future lives? An old saying goes: "Everyone knows there is a coming year, and every household sows next year's grain. Everyone knows there is a next life, so why not cultivate and secure next life's blessing?" Thus, the blessing enjoyed in this life was cultivated in a previous life, just as the grain eaten this year was sown the previous year. A person cannot sow grain in the morning and eat it in the evening, just as one cannot cultivate blessing for a moment and receive it immediately. Therefore, grain requires half a year, while blessing requires an intervening lifetime. Confucius said: "Disliking that goods should be wasted on the ground, one does not necessarily hoard them for oneself. Disliking that strength should not come forth from oneself, one does not necessarily exert it for oneself." Laozi said: "Having worked for others, one has even more for oneself; having given to others, one possesses even more." Both speak of giving. Zengzi said: "What proceeds from you will return to you," and Laozi said: "The Way of Heaven loves to return"; both speak of karmic retribution. Thus both Confucianism and Daoism speak of giving and retribution, only they do not speak of intervening lifetimes. What is called 'those who love others are constantly loved by others; those who respect others are constantly respected by others; those who bring calamity to others will certainly have calamity brought back upon them'—all of these are giving and retribution in the present life. Knowing this in cultivating the Pure Land nourishes and cultivates wholesome roots abundantly.