北山錄 8.2.5

8.2.5

Therefore, ancestors act with blessings, and subsequent generations carry them on with blessings; none who lack blessings become their descendants. Ancestors act with calamity, and subsequent generations carry them on with calamity; none who lack calamity become their descendants. Thus dragons unite with clouds, and tigers unite with winds (when dragons croon, clouds arise; when tigers roar, winds are born). When the copper mountain collapsed, the palace bell reverberated (when the bell in the Han palace reverberated, it was because a copper mountain in Shu had collapsed; things of like kind respond to one another). When reed ash was dissipated, the lunar halo showed a gap (The Huainanzi says, “Following the ash, the lunar halo has a gap.” The commentary says, “Taking reed ash and making a ring representing the moon with one side missing, the halo of the moon will also be deficient”). These are indeed the principles of corresponding resonance (because like kinds stimulate each other). Common folk consider cruel lust, plunder, harm to life, and ruining households to be the only sins of the body (common folk are the vulgar populace; plunder means theft and robbery; thus lust, theft, and killing are all bodily karmic actions). They consider slanderous speech, deceitful outbursts, and transgressing against rulers and parents to be the only sins of the mouth (a collection of speech). They consider unscrupulous stratagems and harboring concealed malice and cruelty to be the only sins of the mind (mental karma). Little do they know that if one's myriad deeds contravene propriety and the Five Constants are neglected, if living in the secular world one falls short in loyalty and filial piety, or if having left home one is not profound in compassion—when offenses arise from the minute and accumulate to take form, they become sins (though water droplets are minute, they gradually fill a large vessel). Common folk consider sacrificing oneself for things and kneeling, prostrating, and clasping the hands (kneeling and prostrating mean worship; clasping refers to joining palms, and kneeling means sitting on the heels) to be the only blessings of the body. They consider reciting words, preaching the Dharma, pleasing others, and advancing oneself to be the only blessings of the mouth. They consider ending bias between love and hate and letting no envy or malice enter to be the only blessings of the mind. Little do they know that wherever hands and feet are placed, wherever words and discourse reach, and wherever thoughts traverse—arousing the intention to bring slight benefit, being sincere in a benevolent heart, and reflecting on guilt to confess faults (what is called repentance)—these are truly termed blessings. Thus the five grains do not alter their seed; the myriad actions do not fail their retribution. Confucius and Zhuangzi said that Boyi and Shuqi were benevolent yet died of starvation (Boyi and Shuqi were two sons of the Lord of Guzhu in Liaodong. Upon their father's death, they yielded the position and submitted to the Zhou. Hearing that King Wu was punishing Zhou, they clasped the reins of his horse and remonstrated, but were not heeded. Thereupon they secluded themselves on the southern slopes of Mount Shouyang, and refused to eat the grain of the Zhou until they starved to death); Weisheng was trustworthy yet drowned (Weisheng made a rendezvous with a woman under a bridge; she had not arrived when the water suddenly swelled, and fearing to break his trust, he did not move and drowned); Wu Zixu was loyal yet died falling upon his sword (Wu Yuan, styled Zixu, served as chancellor of Wu and remonstrated with Fuchai not to accept Xishi; the king did not listen, so he fell upon his sword and died. Yue subsequently captured Wu); taking these as instances where external affairs are not certain (certain means definite and fixed). These, in truth, were instances of clinging to reputations and harming virtue, straying from the Middle Way; it is not that good deeds invited calamity. Anciently, when the Mahāsattva sat at the Bodhi tree and battled the heavenly demons, it was through karma that it was so (when the Tathāgata attained awakening under the Bodhi tree, he broke the four māras, namely: heavenly māra, skandha-māra, kleśa-māra, and mṛtyu-māra). When he dwelt in a rocky cave and shed blood from his foot, it was through karma that it was so. When he arrived in Bāraṇasī and ate horse barley, it was through karma that it was so. Therefore, speaking of current retribution, good recompense does not extinguish past karma. The Rites say that when Zixia lost his son, he lost his sight (his pupils). Zengzi condoled with him, saying, “I have heard that when a friend loses his sight, one should weep for him.” Zengzi wept, and Zixia wept also, saying, “O Heaven! I am without guilt!” Zengzi said angrily, “Shang, why do you say you are without guilt? (Shang was Zixia's name.) You and I served the Master between the Zhu and Si rivers, and you retired to grow old upon the Xihe (the region of Huayin), causing the people of Xihe to suspect you were the Master: this is your first guilt. When you mourned your parents, the people heard nothing of it: this is your second guilt. When you mourned your son, you lost your sight: this is your third guilt (first, not matching the teacher; second, being slight in filial piety toward parents; third, being excessive toward one's son: these are guilts). How can you say of yourself that you are without guilt?” Only with one like Zengzi can one be said to perceive the mind of Heaven and Earth and know the sprouts of calamity and fortune. When Shi Daizhong died (a descendant of Grand Master Shi Que of Wei), he had no legitimate son but had six sons by concubines. They divined to determine who should be the heir (they would follow the auspicious one), saying that he who bathed and wore jade would receive the omen (cleansing and purifying to seek an auspicious omen). Five of them bathed and wore jade. Shi Qizi said, “Who, when observing mourning for a parent, would bathe and wear jade?” He did not bathe or wear jade (his mind held jade and moreover knew propriety). The omen fell upon Shi Qizi; the people of Wei regarded the tortoise as having awareness. From this we know that the principle of karma is profound and obscure: the Ruists discern this world, while the Buddhists penetrate the three times; the alternation of tension and relaxation comprehensively encompasses the realm under Heaven. Moreover, the scriptures also state that accidental killing brings accidental retribution. Once there was a mountain monk who accidentally stepped on an ant; the ant died, and later, when a wild boar struck a boulder causing it to collapse, the monk also met an accidental death there. Yet in the world, there are those whose outward countenance seems benevolent while their actions run contrary; whose words seem gracious while their minds are treacherous (treacherous means dangerous; what is called “stern of countenance but weak within,” and “deceitful of speech yet eloquent”). Flaunting reputation and coveting emoluments and gain, when they know the good they obscure it, and envious of evil they form factions; they neglect others and hurry for themselves, supporting the exalted and weakening the lowly, striving to usurp the worthy; fearing guilt, they dissemble their appearance, carrying out their affairs carelessly, yet broadly expecting great rewards. They do not at all see that their merits and faults grind against each other and that kindness and harm compensate one another. Superior wisdom examines this in oneself; mediocre wisdom seeks it in others; inferior wisdom is muddled and dark, all saying that loss and gain are merely natural. Now, Li Guang was never enfiefed as a marquis (Li Guang was a native of Longxi, known as the Flying General of the Han. He was an expert archer whose hands never missed their mark; once he shot a stone tiger, burying the fletching at the twang of his bowstring. In battling the barbarians his slaughter was extreme, and because of this he ultimately was never enfiefed as a marquis); Bai Qi died at Duyou (Bai Qi was a general of Qin, skilled in field warfare; he buried alive four hundred thousand surrendered troops of Zhao, and ultimately died at Duyou Post); Yu Xu was chancellor of Chaoge (in the Han, Yu Jing was skilled in deciding judicial cases; Xu was his descendant. Xu memorialized the emperor to establish military colonies in the three commanderies of Yongzhou to economize; ultimately he did not die a natural death). Although they preserved integrity and were loyal to their rulers, they all sought glory while harming living beings. Hence, only on the day of their approaching death did they begin to reflect upon their past faults.