萬善同歸集 3.75

3.75

答：「前明業通三世，事已昭然，今重決疑，有其三義：一者、是諸佛菩薩示現施為，隨順世間，同其苦樂，千變萬化，誘引勞生。或居安而忽危，示物極即反；或處榮而頓弊，現盛必有衰。令耽榮者，悟世無常；使恃祿者，知生有限。潛消貪垢，巧洗情塵。示正示邪，或逆或順，斯乃密化之祕術，非凡小之所知。二者、善惡無定，果報從緣；業力難思，勢不可遏。故《涅槃經》云：『業有三報：一、現報：現作善惡，現受苦樂。二、生報：今生作業，來生受果。三、後報：或今生作業，過百千生方受其報。』又經云：『有業現苦有苦報；有業現苦有樂報；有業現樂有樂報；有業現樂有苦報。』或餘福未盡，惡不即加；或宿殃尚在，善緣便發。又若善多惡少，則先受樂，而後受苦，則福盡禍生。或善少惡多，則先受苦，而後受樂，則災消慶集。此皆並是後報，善惡業熟，今生善力難排，斷結證聖，尚還宿債。如師子比丘、一行禪師等，豈況業繫凡夫，寧逃此患？三、者或善根深厚，修進堅牢，決志無疑，誓過金石，則現受輕報，能斷深愆。故經云：『今生作惡少為善多，則迴地獄重，而現世輕。或作善少為惡多，則迴現世輕，而地獄重。乃至純善修行之人，現世暫時頭痛，則滅百千萬劫地獄之苦。』是以菩薩發願云：『願得今身償，不入惡道受苦。』作惡之人雖現安樂，果在阿鼻，積劫燒然，受苦無間。又復修行，力至將出輪迴，臨終之時，雖受微苦，無始惡業，一時還盡。如唐三藏法師，九世支那為僧，福德智慧，常稱第一；大弘聖教，廣演佛乘，利濟無邊，殊功罕測。及至遷化之時，臥疾房中。瞻病僧明藏禪師，見有二人，各長一丈，共捧一白蓮花，至法師前云：『師從無始已來，所有損惱有情，諸有惡業，因今小疾，並得消殄，應生欣慶。』法師顧視合掌，遂右脇而臥。弟子問云：『和尚決定得生彌勒內院不？』報云：『得生。』言訖，氣息漸微，奄然神逝。若明如上三義，方為知因識果之人；或昧斯文，終生疑謗。」

Answer: "It was previously explained that karma extends across the three periods of time, and the matter is already clear. Now, to resolve your doubts once more, there are three meanings: First, these are manifestations and activities of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, who accord with the world, sharing in its suffering and pleasure, transforming in thousands of ways to entice and guide toiling beings. Sometimes, dwelling in safety, they are suddenly in danger, showing that things reverse upon reaching an extreme; sometimes, residing in glory, they are abruptly impoverished, showing that flourishing inevitably entails decline. They cause those indulging in glory to realize that the world is impermanent, and cause those relying on emoluments to know that life has a limit. They secretly dissolve defilements of greed and skillfully wash away the dust of passions. Manifesting the right or manifesting the wrong, acting conversely or acting compliantly—these are the secret methods of covert transformation, not something ordinary people or Hinayānists can know. Second, good and evil are not fixed; the karmic fruit follows conditions. Karmic power is inconceivable; its momentum cannot be checked. Therefore the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'Karma has three retributions: 1. Retribution in the present life: performing good or evil in the present and receiving suffering or pleasure in the present. 2. Retribution in the next life: creating karma in this life and receiving the fruit in the next life. 3. Retribution in subsequent lives: or creating karma in this life and receiving its retribution only after hundreds of thousands of lifetimes.' Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'There is karma that is present suffering and has suffering retribution; there is karma that is present suffering and has pleasurable retribution; there is karma that is present pleasure and has pleasurable retribution; there is karma that is present pleasure and has suffering retribution.' Sometimes, because remaining fortune is not yet exhausted, evil does not immediately strike; sometimes, because past calamities still linger, good conditions burst forth. Furthermore, if good is abundant and evil is slight, one first receives pleasure and afterward receives suffering, so fortune ends and misfortune arises. Or if good is slight and evil is abundant, one first receives suffering and afterward receives pleasure, so disaster vanishes and blessings gather. These are all retributions in subsequent lives; when good or bad karma ripens, the power of present good is hard-pressed to dispel it. Even when cutting off fetters and realizing sagehood, one must still repay past debts. Just like the monk Āryasiṃha, Dhyāna Master Yixing, and others—how much more so for ordinary people bound by karma: how could they escape this affliction? Third, if one's roots of goodness are profound and solid, one's cultivation and progress firm and steadfast, one's determination without doubt, and one's vow exceeds metal and stone, then one receives light retribution in the present, being able to cut off deep transgressions. Therefore a sūtra says: 'If in this life one commits little evil and does much good, then the heavy punishment of hell is turned into a light one in the present life. Or if one does little good and commits much evil, then the light punishment of the present life is turned into a heavy one in hell. Even for a person of purely good practice, a temporary headache in the present life eradicates the suffering of hell for hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas.' For this reason bodhisattvas make the vow: 'May I repay it in this present body and not enter the wretched paths to suffer.' Although evil-doers may presently be at peace and happy, their fruit lies in Avīci, burning for accumulated kalpas, suffering without intermission. Furthermore, when the power of a practitioner's cultivation reaches the point of imminent escape from saṃsāra, at the time of death, although they undergo slight suffering, beginningless bad karma is repaid all at once. For example, Tripiṭaka Master [Xuanzang] of the Tang dynasty was a monk in China for nine lifetimes, and his merit and wisdom were always called foremost; he broadly propagated the sacred teachings and extensively expounded the Buddha Vehicle, offering boundless benefit, his extraordinary achievements rarely rivaled. When the time of his passing arrived, he lay sick in his chamber. The infirmarian monk, Dhyāna Master Mingzang, saw two people, each one zhang tall, holding a white lotus flower together, who came before the master and said: 'Master, from beginningless time until now, all your harmful actions toward sentient beings and all your bad karmas are completely eliminated due to this slight illness; you should give rise to joy.' The master looked, joined his palms, and then lay on his right side. A disciple asked: 'Will the Upādhyāya definitely be reborn in Maitreya's Inner Court?' He answered: 'I will be reborn there.' Having spoken, his breath gradually weakened, and he peacefully passed away. If one understands the above three meanings, only then is one a person who knows cause and recognizes effect; if one is benighted about these texts, one will ultimately give rise to doubts and slander."