廣弘明集 26.47

26.47

All venerable monks and nuns, all doctrinal monks and nuns, and all three officers of the monasteries, you should further reflect on one matter: devouring sentient beings makes one a bad friend to all sentient beings and an enemy to all sentient beings. Such enemies fill the six realms of rebirth; when one wishes to cultivate, they all become obstacles and difficulties. First, there are obstacles in principle; second, there are obstacles in phenomena. What are the obstacles in principle? Through karmic causes and conditions, obstacles naturally arise, causing this practitioner to be foolish and without wisdom, not knowing the way out and having no expedient means; even if they encounter a good friend, they cannot accept [their teaching] in faith; even if they accept it in faith, they cannot put it into practice. These are the obstacles in principle. As for obstacles in phenomena: these enemies may be among evil ghosts, or among venomous beasts, or among powerful spirits, or among powerful nāgas, or among māras, or among devas. From such places they come everywhere to cause hindrances. Suppose a practitioner encounters a good friend, accepts [the teaching] with deep faith, and is just about to put it into practice: then difficulties arise again. They are either led into heterodox paths, or troubled so that their minds become chaotic; cultivating precepts, cultivating concentration, cultivating wisdom, cultivating all merits, they are always impure and never fulfilled. These are all past enemies stirring up oppositions and obstacles. These are the obstacles in phenomena. Such matters also ought to be deeply reflected upon. Merely through the cause and condition of devouring sentient beings, one can become distant from all Buddha-dharma, having such various faults and afflictions. The poison of greed is also like this; the poison of anger is also like this; the poison of delusion is like this. The three poisons, in equal measure, share the same faults. Together, all of you should deeply examine yourselves and well consider expedient means.