冥報記 1.2

1.2

Now, of all things that partake of breath and possess life, none is without consciousness. Possessing consciousness, they have deeds; and according to whether their deeds are good or evil, they receive their retribution. Just as a farmer sows and plants, reaping according to what he has sown, this is surely the constant principle of things, certainly admitting of no doubt. Those of highest wisdom penetrate to the primal source, knowing without [speculative] views; those of lowest folly are blind to its traces, straying without return; both are beyond words. People of intermediate grade cannot reach penetration on their own: their views stir according to conditions, and following their views they conceive doubts. Their doubtful views take many paths, each harboring different attachments. When the Buddhist scriptures discuss these distinctions, there are sixty-two wrong views in all; it is from these that perverse errors arise. I, Lin, rank behind the intermediate person, yet by good fortune have awakened to one part in ten thousand of this. Observing in recent times those among the multitude who do not believe in cause and effect, their professed views, though many, agree in asserting that good and evil have no retribution. Their claims of no retribution are roughly of three kinds: First, [nature is] spontaneous, and therefore there is no cause and effect; one should merely give free rein to desires and await circumstances. Second, [all is] utterly extinguished: they say that upon death the body is annihilated and consciousness has nowhere to abide; since body and consciousness are both extinguished, who is there to receive suffering or pleasure? Because there is no recipient, they know there is no cause and effect. Third, there is no retribution: they say that they see in the present day those who cultivate virtue and the Way die early in poverty and low station, while those who practice cruelty and evil enjoy wealth, high status, and long lives; for this reason they know there is no cause and effect. I, Lin, venture to say that Confucian books discuss retribution for good and evil extensively. In the near term, retribution comes in one's own time; in the mid term, retribution comes after several years; in the far term, retribution comes upon one's descendants. As for retribution in one's own time: King Hui of Chu swallowed a leech and his chronic illness was cured; Duke Jing of Song would not pray [to avert the portents] and the baleful stars retreated; Chi Chi committed treason and was executed in his tracks; Zhao Gao sowed chaos and in a moment his clan was destroyed—such are of this kind. As for retribution after several years: Wei Ke married off his father's concubine and ultimately rescued his army; Sunshu Ao buried a two-headed snake and ended up enjoying manifold blessings; Empress Lü of the Han poisoned Prince Ruyi and the pale dog brought disaster; the ruler of Qi killed Pengsheng and a standing boar haunted him—such are of this kind. As for retribution upon descendants: Fu Fugi was reverent at three appointments, extending the way of Confucius; Deng Xun saved a thousand lives a year, bequeathing blessings upon Empress Hexi; Chen Ping devised dark stratagems and knew himself that he would have no posterity; Luan Yan was arrogant and extravagant, and his son Ying suffered the calamity—such are of this kind. Furthermore, Shun of Yu ascended the throne through filial conduct; King Wen of Zhou received the Mandate through benevolence and worthiness; Jie and Zhou lost their states through cruelty and ruthlessness; Kings You and Li met their disastrous ends through lust and self-indulgence. The merits and virtues of the Three Dynasties brought prolonged blessings to their descendants; the First Emperor of Qin was arrogant and brutal, and his line was extinguished by the time of his son. Comparisons such as these are indeed numerous across all categories. Though their magnitude differs, they are all verifications of good and evil. However, these matters pertain to the kingly way and their principles concern the Mandate of Heaven; they are not what should be spoken of in ordinary conversation. What is recorded here merely takes subtle and minute verifications, hoping thereby to inspire those of like mind and leave a record for descendants, seeking evidence between humans and spirits—it is merely such as this. In the teachings expounded by the Śākyan, there is nothing that is not cause and effect. Cause is the action, and effect is the retribution. There is not a single dharma that is not a cause, nor a single cause that is not requited. Yet their exposition of retribution also has three kinds: The first is retribution in the present life: where one creates good or evil karma within this body and receives retribution in this very body, all is called retribution in the present life. The second is retribution in the next life: this means that when one creates karma in this body, one does not receive it immediately, but according to whether the karma is good or evil, one is born into the various destinies; all is called retribution in the next life. The third is retribution in subsequent lives: this means that when one created good or evil karma in past bodies, it is capable of yielding retribution that must be experienced over many bodies; therefore, the karma created in the present does not bring immediate retribution, but is received in the next life after that, or only begins to be received after five or ten lifetimes; all is called retribution in subsequent lives. These three retributions encompass all phenomena without remainder. This causes the various current views to undergo a great awakening. Yet worldly scholars of the present day still harbor confusion regarding it: they mostly practice the cause but forget the effect, doubting what they hear and believing only what they see. Hence, when they hear of retribution in subsequent lives, it seems to them as though it may or may not exist; but when they see an actual verification, they are startled, lament, and faithfully submit. Formerly, Xie Fu, a gentleman of high character under the Jin; Fu Liang, Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat under the Song; Yan Yanzhi, Secretariat Drafter to the Crown Prince; and Lu Guo, Gentleman-Attendant to the Minister over the Masses under the Qi—some were prominent figures of their time, others were celebrated writers of their age—all recorded the Records of Avalokiteśvara's Verifications. Furthermore, Xiao Ziliang, Prince of Jingling under the Qi, composed the Records of Proclaimed Verifications (Xuanyan ji), and Wang Yan composed the Records of Netherworld Signs (Mingxiang ji). All of these served to manifest good and evil and exhort and admonish future generations, truly causing those who heard them to awaken with a deep heart. Since I, Lin, admire their purpose and also wish to exhort others, I have forthwith recorded what I have heard and compiled it into this record. I have fully set forth what I received and the origins of what I heard and saw; my words are unadorned with literary embellishment, and the matters are entirely factual. It is hoped that those who see it in later times may direct their minds to it.