法苑珠林 62.62

62.62

如正見經云。時佛會中有一比丘。名曰正見。新入法服有疑念言。佛說有後世生至於人死。皆無相報。何以知乎。此問未發。佛已預知。佛告諸弟子。譬如樹本以一核種四大包毓自致巨盛。牙葉莖節展轉變易。遂成大樹。樹復生果。果復成樹。歲月增益。如是無數。佛告諸弟子。欲踧集華實莖節更還作核。可得以不。諸弟子言。不可得也。彼已轉變。日就朽敗。核種復生。如是無極轉生轉易。終皆歸朽。不可復還使成本核也佛告諸弟子。生死亦如此。本由癡出。展轉合成十二因緣。識神轉易隨行而往。更有父母更受形體。不復識故。不得還報。譬如冶家。洋石作鐵鑄鐵為器。成器可還使作石乎。正見答言。實不可成鐵為石。佛言。識之轉徙住在中陰。如石成鐵轉受他體。如鐵成器形消體易不得復還。故識稟受人身更有父母。已有父母便有六閉。一住在中陰不得復還。二隨所受身胞內。三初生迫痛忘故識想。四生墮地故。所識念滅更起新見想。五已生便著食念故識念斷。六從生日長大習所新無復宿識。佛言。諸弟子。識神隨作善惡。臨死隨行所見非故身。不可復還識故面相答報也。未有道意。無有淨眼。身死識去。隨行變化。轉受他體。何得相報也。譬如月晦夜陰以五色物著冥暗中。千萬億人不能視物。若人把炬照之。皆別五色。如愚癡人暗蔽惡道。未得慧眼。往來相報。如月晦夜欲視五色終不得見。若修經戒守攝其意。如持炬火人別五色。譬如無手欲書無目欲視。暗夜貫鍼水中求火終不可得。汝諸弟子。勤行經戒深思生死。本從何來終歸何所。得淨結除所疑自解。正見聞已。歡喜奉行。

As the Samyagdṛṣṭi-sūtra says: At that time in the Buddha's assembly there was a bhikṣu named Samyagdṛṣṭi. Newly entered into the kāṣāya, he had a doubt and thought: 'The Buddha teaches that there are rebirths in future lives, yet when people die, none return to report it. How may one know this?' Before this question was voiced, the Buddha already knew it in advance. The Buddha addressed his disciples: 'Suppose there is the root of a tree: from a single seed, nurtured and reared by the four great elements, it grows to become immense and lush. Sprouts, leaves, stems, and nodes transform and change in turn, finally becoming a great tree. The tree again bears fruit, and the fruit again becomes a tree, increasing through months and years, countless like this.' The Buddha addressed his disciples: 'Were one to gather together the flowers, fruit, stems, and nodes, wanting them to revert back into the seed, could it be done or not?' The disciples said: 'It cannot be done. They have already transformed, daily tending toward decay and rot; the seed grows again, and in this way without limit it is reborn and transforms, in the end all returning to rot. They cannot again be made to return to the original seed.' The Buddha addressed his disciples: 'Samsara is also like this. Originally it arises from ignorance, combining in turn into the twelve links of dependent origination. The conscious spirit transforms and departs according to its actions, having different parents and receiving another bodily form. No longer recognizing the past, it cannot return to report. For example, a smelter melts stone to make iron, and casts the iron into a vessel. Once the vessel is made, can it be made to revert to stone?' Samyagdṛṣṭi answered: 'Truly, iron cannot be made back into stone.' The Buddha said: 'The transmigrating consciousness resides in the intermediate existence (antarābhava); like stone turning into iron, it shifts to receive another body; like iron turning into a vessel, its shape disappears and its substance alters, unable to return again. Thus the consciousness receives a human body and has different parents. Having parents, there are then six closures: First, dwelling in the intermediate existence, it cannot return. Second, it follows the body it receives into the womb. Third, at the initial birth, compressed by pain, it forgets its past consciousness and perceptions. Fourth, having fallen to the ground at birth, the thoughts of past consciousness are extinguished and fresh perceptions arise. Fifth, once born, it clings to thoughts of food, and so past consciousness and thoughts are severed. Sixth, as it grows from birth, it becomes accustomed to what is new and no longer possesses past recollections.' The Buddha said: 'Disciples, the conscious spirit follows the good and evil deeds it has done. At the verge of death, it follows its actions; what it sees is not its former body, and it cannot return to report using its former face and features. Without the thought of the Way, without the pure eye, the body dies and the consciousness departs, transforming according to its deeds and shifting to receive another body. How could it give a mutual report? For example, on a dark night at the end of the lunar month, with overcast skies, five-colored objects are placed in the deep darkness; thousands of millions of people would not be able to see the objects. If someone took a torch and illuminated them, they would all distinguish the five colors. Like an ignorant person blinded in the evil destinies, not yet having attained the eye of wisdom, to come and go reporting to one another would be like trying to see the five colors on a dark night at the end of the month—in the end one cannot see. If one cultivates the scriptures and precepts and guards and collects one's mind, it is like a person holding a torch distinguishing the five colors. It is like wanting to write without hands, or wanting to see without eyes; threading a needle on a dark night or seeking fire in water can never be accomplished. You disciples: diligently practice the scriptures and precepts, and reflect deeply on birth and death—where it originally comes from, and where it ultimately goes. Attaining purity, the fetters are removed and what was doubted resolves itself.' Having heard this, Samyagdṛṣṭi rejoiced and practiced it.