弘明集 13.17

13.17

十二門經云。有時自計。我端正好。便當自念。身中無所有。但有肝腸胃肺骨血屎溺。有何等好。復觀他人身中。惡露皆如是。若慳貪意起。當念財物珍寶生不持來死不俱去。而流遷變化朝夕難保。身不久存物無常主。宜及當年施恩行惠贍乏以財救疾以藥。終日欣欣務存營濟。若瞋恚意起。當深生平等兼護十戒。差摩竭云。菩薩所行忍辱為大。若罵詈者默而不報。若撾捶者受而不校。若瞋怒者慈心向之。若謗毀者不念其惡。法句又云。受辱心如地。行忍如門閫。地及門閫。蓋取其藏垢納洿終日受踐也。成具經曰。彼以四過加己則覺知口之失也。報以善言和語。至誠不飾。四過者。上之所謂兩舌惡口妄言綺語也。夫彼以惡來我以善應。苟心非木石理無不感。但患處之不恒。弘之不積耳。苟能每事思忍。則悔悋消於見世。福報顯於將來。

The Shi'ermen jing says: 'If at times you calculate yourself, thinking, "I am handsome and fine," you should immediately reflect: "Within this body there is nothing at all, only liver, intestines, stomach, lungs, bones, blood, feces, and urine. What kind of fine thing is there?" Furthermore, observe inside the bodies of others; the foul impurities are all like this. If a thought of stinginess and greed arises, one should reflect: "Material goods and precious treasures are not brought along at birth, nor do they accompany one at death. Shifting and transforming, they can hardly be preserved from morning to evening. The body does not endure for long, and things have no constant master. One ought to take advantage of one's present years to bestow kindness and practice charity, relieving the destitute with wealth and saving the sick with medicine, joyfully devoting oneself throughout the day to aiding and succoring them." If a thought of anger and resentment arises, one should deeply give rise to equanimity and concurrently uphold the ten precepts.' Chamo Jie said: 'Among the practices of a bodhisattva, forbearance is paramount. If someone scolds and insults you, be silent and do not retaliate. If someone strikes and beats you, accept it and do not contest. If someone is angry, face them with a mind of loving-kindness. If someone slanders you, do not harbor their evil.' The Dharmapada also says: 'Receive insult with a mind like the earth; practice forbearance like a threshold.' As for the earth and the threshold, they are taken as metaphors for harboring dirt, taking in filth, and enduring treading all day long. The Chengju jing says: 'When another inflicts the four faults upon oneself, one realizes the errors of the mouth; one should respond to them with wholesome words and harmonious speech, in utmost sincerity and without embellishment.' The four faults are the aforementioned double-tongued speech, harsh speech, false speech, and frivolous speech. When another approaches with evil and I respond with good, if the mind is not wood or stone, by principle there is nothing that cannot be moved. The only worry is that one's handling of it is not constant and one's broad-mindedness does not accumulate. If one can contemplate forbearance in every matter, regrets and humiliations will dissipate in the present life, and retribution in blessing will become manifest in the future.