法苑珠林 64.66

64.66

若人觀於畜生。而起悲心。應念其中無量苦惱互相殺害。空行水陸死法無量。互相殘害。互相食噉。此諸眾生何時當脫。是名觀畜生苦而起悲心。若有能生如是之念則生梵天。若人觀於六欲諸天而起悲心。於六欲天受天之樂不可譬喻。種種山谷山峯園林。而受快樂。既受樂已業盡還退生在苦處受大苦惱。墮於地獄餓鬼畜生。東西馳走。繞亂無知受大苦惱。是名觀天而起悲心則生梵天。若人觀於人中而起悲心。以種種業生於人中受苦樂果。種種心性種種信解。或有貧窮依恃他人以自存活。如是觀於五道眾生生五種苦已而興悲心。如是之人得勝安隱則得涅槃。

If a person contemplates animals and gives rise to compassion, they should be mindful of the immeasurable suffering and distress among them, how they slaughter one another. In the air, water, and on land, the ways they die are measureless; they butcher and devour each other. When will these beings ever be liberated? This is called contemplating the suffering of animals and giving rise to compassion. If one can generate such thoughts, they will be born in the Brahmā heavens. If a person contemplates the gods of the six heavens of desire and gives rise to compassion: although they enjoy the pleasures of the gods in the six heavens of desire beyond all comparison, revelling in delight amidst various valleys, peaks, and parks, once their pleasure is enjoyed and their karma is exhausted, they fall back to be born in places of suffering and endure great distress. Falling into the hells, among the hungry ghosts, or as animals, they scurry to and fro, bewildered and senseless, suffering great agony. This is called contemplating the gods and giving rise to compassion, through which one will be born in the Brahmā heavens. If a person contemplates those in the human realm and gives rise to compassion: through various karmas they are born among humans, receiving the fruits of suffering and happiness, with diverse temperaments, dispositions, and convictions; some are impoverished, relying on others to survive. Having thus contemplated the sentient beings of the five destinies and their generating of the five kinds of suffering, one gives rise to compassion. Such a person attains supreme tranquility and thereby attains nirvāṇa.