萬善同歸集 3.31

3.31

「又無常迅速，念念遷移；石火風燈，逝波殘照，露華電影，不足為喻。《法句經》云：『佛告梵志，世有四事，不可得久。一者、有常必無常。二者、富貴必貧賤。三者、合會必別離。四者、強健必當死。』又經云：『非空非海中，非入山石間；無有地方所，脫之不受死。』如上所明，萬德眾善，菩提資糧。惟除二法，能成障閡：一者、不信。二者、瞋恚。不信，障未行善、欲行善；瞋恚，滅已行善、現行善。以不信故，如同敗種，永斷善根，墮壞正宗，增長邪見；以瞋恚故，焚燒功德，遮障菩提，開惡趣門，閉人天路。又不瞋從慈而起，大信因智而成。智刃纔揮，疑根頓斷；慈雲既潤，瞋火潛消。是以因智，度苦海之津；因信，入菩提之戶；因慈，住大覺之室；因忍，披如來之衣。《華嚴經》云：『信為道元功德母，長養一切諸善法；信能增長智功德，信能必到如來地。信令諸根淨明利，信力堅固無能壞；信能永滅煩惱本，信能專向佛功德。信為功德不壞種，信能生長菩提樹；信能增益最勝智，信能示現一切佛。』《大莊嚴法門經》云：『瞋恨者能滅百劫所作善業。』《華嚴經》云：『菩薩起一瞋心，能生百萬障門。』又經云：『劫功德賊無過瞋恚。』又意地起瞋，大道冤賊。」

"Furthermore, impermanence is swift, shifting from thought to thought; sparks from flint, a lamp in the wind, flowing waves, the setting sun, morning dew, or flashes of lightning are insufficient as metaphors. The Dharmapada states: 'The Buddha told a brāhmaṇa: In the world there are four things that cannot last long. First, that which is permanent must be impermanent. Second, the rich and noble must become poor and lowly. Third, meetings must end in separation. Fourth, the strong and healthy must die.' Another sūtra states: 'Neither in the sky nor in the ocean, nor entering between mountain rocks—there is no place on earth where one can escape and not suffer death.' As explained above, the myriad virtues and good practices are the provisions for bodhi. Only two dharmas can create obstructions: first, lack of faith; second, anger. Lack of faith obstructs good not yet practiced and good one desires to practice; anger destroys good already practiced and good currently being practiced. Because of lack of faith, like a spoiled seed, one forever severs wholesome roots, destroys the correct lineage, and increases wrong views; because of anger, one burns merit, obscures bodhi, opens the gates of the durgatis, and closes the path to humans and devas. Furthermore, freedom from anger arises from compassion, and great faith is accomplished through wisdom. As soon as the blade of wisdom is brandished, the root of doubt is severed at once; once the cloud of compassion moistens, the fire of anger secretly subsides. Therefore, by means of wisdom one crosses the ford of the sea of suffering; by means of faith one enters the door of bodhi; by means of compassion one abides in the chamber of great awakening; by means of forbearance one wears the robe of the Tathāgata. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: 'Faith is the source of the Way, the mother of merit, nurturing all wholesome dharmas; faith can increase the merit of wisdom, faith can surely lead to the Tathāgata stage. Faith causes all faculties to be pure, clear, and sharp; the power of faith is firm and indestructible. Faith can forever extinguish the root of afflictions; faith can turn exclusively toward the Buddha's merit. Faith is the indestructible seed of merit; faith can bring forth the bodhi tree. Faith can increase the supreme wisdom; faith can manifest all Buddhas.' The Dazhuangyan famen jing states: 'One who harbors anger and hatred can destroy wholesome karma created over a hundred kalpas.' The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: 'If a bodhisattva gives rise to a single thought of anger, it can generate a million obstacle gates.' Another sūtra also states: 'Among thieves who rob merit, none surpasses anger.' Again, when anger arises in the mind-ground, it is the mortal thief of the Great Way."