佛祖統紀 38.62

38.62

述曰。經函放光。佛道之彰化也。世之昧者。則斥為怪誕。故惡之斫破之。由其本心素無信耳。一賊忽起斫其脛。如斫其函。感報之速。自心之召也。世人見佛經說地獄果報。必曰。佛設此等語以怖人。佛聖智通三世。見人造善惡者。能預告以禍福。使人知所勸懲耳。非故設此語以怖人也。作不善降之百殃。豈亦怖人之語邪。

The commentary says: The emission of light from the scripture case was a manifestation of the Buddha's Path. The ignorant of the world denounce it as strange and absurd; thus, out of hatred, he hacked it to pieces, which arose solely from his own lack of initial faith. A rebel suddenly arose and struck his shin, just as he had struck the case. The speed of the response and retribution was summoned by his own mind. When worldly people see the Buddhist scriptures describe the retributions of hell, they invariably say: 'The Buddha devised such words to frighten people.' With holy wisdom penetrating the three periods of time, the Buddha saw those who committed good or evil and was able to forewarn them of calamity and fortune, merely to let people know what to pursue and what to shun. He did not deliberately devise such words to frighten people. 'Upon those who do what is not good, heaven sends down a hundred calamities'—could this also be speech intended to frighten people?