三教平心論 2.34

2.34

The account of hells has already been discussed earlier. As for dying and transforming into an animal, this appears in the records of the Confucians on more than one occasion. Gun becoming a yellow bear and Pengsheng becoming a boar are recorded in the Zuo Commentary; the Lord of Bao becoming a dragon is recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian; and King Ruyi of Zhao becoming a dog is recorded in the Book of the Former Han. Such were the records in Confucian texts before Buddhism arrived in China; it was not the Buddhists who first originated this theory. Jia Yi said: 'Suddenly becoming a human being, why is it worth clinging to? Transforming into an alien creature, why is it worth grieving over?' If one believes these words, one knows that having this human body, it cannot be permanently preserved. Turning one's back on good and hastening toward evil, one cannot avoid becoming an alien species. Cleverness cannot rival karma; can wealth and nobility escape transmigration? Today riding sleek horses and wearing brocade, at another time holding the bit and bearing the saddle; today wielding the brush and playing with ink, in another life wearing horns and bearing fur. This is an inevitable principle. Therefore, with a vast and broad heart, the Buddha revealed the teaching of the five vehicles. The human vehicle teaches people to maintain the five precepts so that they constantly obtain a human body and do not fall into alien species. The heavenly vehicle teaches people to cultivate the ten wholesome deeds so that in retribution they obtain a heavenly body, not halting at being human. The latter three vehicles teach people to proceed from śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas up to the Buddha Way, permanently severing birth and death, abiding constantly without extinction, realizing unexcelled awakening, and returning to liberate sentient beings. Among the great Ways and profound principles of the world, what could surpass this? When the world possesses such a great Way and profound principle, yet people are utterly blind to it, and moreover rely on their cleverness, pride themselves on their influence, slander and attack the holy teaching, amass numerous transgressions, and hasten themselves toward the evil paths—is this not lamentable indeed! In general, for a human being possessing this body, its birth is extremely difficult, and its death is extremely easy. The World-Honoured One grasped earth to show his disciples, considering that of those transmigrating within the four modes of birth and six destinies, those who obtain a human body are like the earth in his hand, while those who lose a human body are like the earth of Jambudvīpa. This means that the times when one does good are few, and the times when one does evil are many; therefore, the times when one obtains a human body are few, and the times when one loses a human body are many. Is its birth then not extremely difficult?