法苑珠林 56.28

56.28

夫貧富貴賤並因往業。得失有無皆由昔行。故經言。欲知過去因當觀現在果。欲知未來果當觀現在因。所以原憲之家黔婁之室。繩樞甕牖無掩風塵。席戶蓬扉不遮霜露。或編稻[葶-丁+呆]以為薦。或裁荷葉以充衣。斂肘則兩袖皆穿。納縷則雙衿同缺。口腹乃資於安邑。宿止則寄在於靈臺。頭戴十年之冠。身被百結之縷。鄉里既無田宅。雒陽又闕主人。浪宕隨時巑岏度日。雖慚靈輒。而有翳桑之弊。乃愧伯夷便致首陽之苦。裘裳頓乏。豈見陽春升斗並無。何以卒歲。所以如此者。皆由曩日不行惠施常蘊慳貪。致令果報一朝窶盡。是故行者宜當布施也。

Poverty, wealth, nobility, and lowliness are all caused by past karma. Gain, loss, having, and lacking all originate from former deeds. Therefore, the sūtra says: 'If you wish to know the past cause, look at the present effect; if you wish to know the future effect, look at the present cause.' Thus, in the home of Yuan Xian and the chamber of Qianlou, ropes for hinges and jars for windows could not keep out the wind and dust; reed doors and tumbleweed gates could not shelter them from frost and dew. Some wove rice stalks to serve as mats; some cut lotus leaves to use as garments. Drawing in the elbows, both sleeves were worn through; pulling on the threads, both lapels were likewise torn. For their bellies they depended on [the spring of] Anyi; for shelter they stayed at the Spirit Terrace. On their heads they wore hats of ten years; on their bodies they draped threads of a hundred patches. In their hometowns they had neither fields nor houses, and in Luoyang they lacked a host. Wandering aimlessly with the times, they passed their days in dire crags. Though ashamed before Lingzhe, they had the plight of being sheltered under the mulberry; though abashed before Boyi, they incurred the suffering of Mount Shouyang. Abruptly lacking coats and skirts, how could they see the warm spring? Possessing not even a pint or a peck, how could they finish the year? The reason it is like this is entirely because in former days they did not practice generous dāna and always harbored stinginess and greed, causing their karmic retribution to become utterly destitute in a single morning. Therefore, practitioners should practice dāna.