弘明集 13.17

13.17

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.