法苑珠林 23.37

23.37

夫貴賤靡常貧富無定。譬水火更互寒暑遞來。故見有財富室溫衣豐人足不勞營覓自然而至。復見有貧苦飢弊役力馳求。晨起夜寐形骸為之沮悴。心情為之勞擾。縱有所獲百方散失。終日願於富饒未甞暫有。以此苦故。所以勸獎令其惠施力厲修福。若復有人衣裘服玩鮮華香潔。春秋氣序寒溫冷暖。四時變改隨須無闕。而復見有尺布不完丈帛殘弊。垢穢塵墨臭膩朽爛。炎暑不識絺𥿭。氷雪不知繒纊。乃至形骸不蔽。男女惡露非唯可恥實亦慚怍。若見此苦豈可不遠。所以勸獎令其修福。應施衣服及以室宇。豈不見眾人皆有而我獨無。是故應須勇猛修習。若復有人。食則甘味並薦珍羞備舉。連机重案滿床亘席。芳脂芬馥馨香具列。而復有脫粟之飯不充。藜藿之羹常乏。鹽梅早自兩無。魚菜久已雙闕。乃至并日而餐糜粥相係。雜以水菓。加以草菜。萎黃困篤自濟無方。若見此苦豈可不遠。所以勸獎令其修福。應施飲食及以水漿豈可眾人皆足而我獨困。是故應須勇猛修習。若復有人。榮位通顯乘肥衣輕適意自在。行則天人瞻仰。住則鬼神敬貴。而復見有卑鄙猥賤人所不齒。生不知其生。死不知其死。塗炭溝渠之側。坐臥糞壤之中。雖有叱咄之聲。反致捶撲之苦。非唯神鬼不敬。乃亦狗犬加毒。若見此苦豈可不遠。所以勸獎令其修福。應滅憍慢奉行謙敬。豈可他人常貴而我常賤。是故應當勇猛修習。若復有人。形貌端正言音風吐。常存廣利。仁慈博愛語不傷物。而復有人而狀痤醜所言嶮暴。唯知自利不計念彼。彼忍辱故所以致勝。多瞋恚故所以招惡。若見此苦豈可不遠。所以勸獎令其修福。應滅瞋恚奉行忍辱。豈可以令眾人常處勝地而我永隔淨緣。是故應須勇猛修習。若復有人意力強幹少有疾病。常堪行道無有障礙。而復有人羸瘵多患氣力弊劣。動輒增困眠坐不安。見有此惡實宜捨遠。所以勸獎令其修福。應施醫藥隨時賑救。豈可眾人常無疾頓。而我永嬰沈滯。是故應須勇猛修習。凡是如此之事。實最應勸。若不相勸。則學者不勤也。

Now, nobility and baseness are not permanent; poverty and wealth are not fixed. They are like water and fire alternating, or cold and heat succeeding one another. Thus we see those whose wealth fills their houses, whose clothing is warm and abundant, and who, with sufficient people, obtain things naturally without toiling to seek them. Again we see those who are impoverished, wretched, hungry, and exhausted, toiling with bodily strength and rushing in pursuit; rising at dawn and sleeping at night, their physical frames become withered and emaciated, and their minds become weary and agitated. Even if they obtain something, it is scattered and lost in a hundred ways; all day long they wish for affluence, yet have never had it even for a moment. Because of this suffering, we therefore exhort and encourage them to bestow alms and vigorously cultivate merit. Again, if there are people whose furs, clothing, and ornaments are fresh, radiant, fragrant, and clean, and as the seasonal qi of spring and autumn, cold, warmth, coolness, and heat change through the four seasons, they lack nothing according to their needs; yet again we see those who do not have a full foot of cloth, whose ten feet of silk are worn and tattered, stained with dirt and soot, foul-smelling, greasy, rotten, and decayed—in burning summer heat they know not fine or coarse linen, in ice and snow they know not silk or floss—down to their physical frames being uncovered, the foul exudations of men and women being not only shameful but truly disgraceful. If one sees this suffering, how could one not keep distant from it? Therefore we exhort and encourage them to cultivate merit: they should give clothing and dwellings. How could one not see that the multitude all have them, while I alone have none? For this reason, one must bravely and vigorously cultivate. Again, if there are people for whom food consists of sweet flavors served together with rare delicacies fully presented, with low tables joined and double trays filling couches and spreading across mats, where fragrant fats and rich perfumes are laid out in full; yet again there are those for whom unhusked millet is insufficient, goosefoot and bean-leaf soup is constantly lacking, salt and sour plums have long been completely absent, and fish and vegetables have long been doubly wanting—down to eating only every other day, with thin gruel succeeding thin gruel, mixed with water fruits and supplemented with grasses and vegetables, yellowed, withered, distressed, and sick, having no way to sustain themselves. If one sees this suffering, how could one not keep distant from it? Therefore we exhort and encourage them to cultivate merit: they should give food, drink, and water. How could it be that the multitude are all sufficient, while I alone am destitute? For this reason, one must bravely and vigorously cultivate. Again, if there are people whose glorious status is illustrious and prominent, who ride fat horses and wear light furs, doing as they please in comfort and ease, looked up to by devas and humans when they go forth, and revered by ghosts and spirits when they abide; yet again we see those who are lowly, vulgar, mean, and despised, whom people do not deign to mention, who in living do not know life and in dying do not know death, in the mire beside gutters and ditches, sitting and lying in excrement and earth, and though they have voices of protest, it only results in the suffering of being beaten and whipped; not only do spirits and ghosts not respect them, but even dogs inflict harm upon them. If one sees this suffering, how could one not keep distant from it? Therefore we exhort and encourage them to cultivate merit: they should eliminate arrogance and practice humility and respect. How could it be that other people are constantly noble while I am constantly base? For this reason, one should bravely and vigorously cultivate. Again, if there are people whose appearance is upright and handsome, whose voice and deportment are refined, who constantly preserve broad benefit, who are kind, compassionate, universally loving, and whose words do not harm creatures; yet again there are people whose appearance is deformed and ugly, whose speech is precipitous and violent, who know only self-benefit and do not consider others. Because the former practiced kṣānti, they achieved excellence; because the latter had much anger, they brought about evil. If one sees this suffering, how could one not keep distant from it? Therefore we exhort and encourage them to cultivate merit: they should eliminate anger and practice kṣānti. How could one allow the multitude to constantly abide in superior realms, while I am forever separated from pure conditions? For this reason, one must bravely and vigorously cultivate. Again, if there are people whose mental fortitude is strong and competent, who have few illnesses, and are always capable of practicing the Way without obstacles; yet again there are people who are emaciated, consumptive, full of ailments, whose breath and strength are worn and feeble, who become more distressed at every move, finding no peace in sleeping or sitting. Seeing such evil, it is truly fitting to abandon it and keep distant. Therefore we exhort and encourage them to cultivate merit: they should give medicines and provide timely relief. How could it be that the multitude are always free of disease and distress, while I am forever afflicted and mired? For this reason, one must bravely and vigorously cultivate. All matters such as these are truly what should most be exhorted. If we do not exhort one another, then practitioners will not be diligent.