法苑珠林 68.79

68.79

又雜寶藏經云。佛在世時。波斯匿王時於眠中聞二內官共諍道理。一人說言。我依王活。一答言。我自依業不依王也。王聞可彼依王活者。而欲賞之。即遣直人語夫人言。我今當使一人往者重與財物。尋即遣彼依王活者。持所飲酒送與夫人。此人出戶鼻中血出不得前進。尋即倩彼依業者送。夫人見已重賜錢財衣服瓔珞。來到王前。王見深怪。即便喚彼依王活者。而問之言。我使汝去。云何不去。彼即向王具白情事。王聞歎言。佛語真實自作其業還自受報。不可奪也。由是觀善惡報應自業所引。非天非王之所能與。要須自作自得。起於正見信業果報。近獲人天。遠招佛果。若違聖教具受前苦。

The Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka Sūtra also states: When the Buddha was in the world, King Prasenajit once heard during his sleep two palace attendants arguing over principles. One said, "I live relying on the king." The other answered, "I myself rely on karma; I do not rely on the king." Hearing this, the king approved of the one who relied on the king to live, and wished to reward him. He immediately dispatched an orderly to tell the queen, "I shall now send a person to come; bestow heavy wealth upon him." Soon after, he sent the one who relied on the king to live, carrying the wine he was drinking, to deliver it to the queen. When this person stepped out of the door, blood gushed from his nose and he could not proceed. He immediately hired the one who relied on karma to deliver it. When the queen saw him, she heavily bestowed money, wealth, clothing, and necklaces. When he came before the king, the king was deeply astonished upon seeing him. He immediately called the one who relied on the king to live and asked him, "I sent you to go; why did you not go?" He then fully stated the circumstances to the king. Hearing this, the king exclaimed, "The Buddha's words are true! One creates one's own karma and receives one's own retribution in return; it cannot be taken away." From this, it can be seen that the retribution of good and evil is drawn by one's own karma; it is not something that heaven or a king can bestow. One must inevitably create it oneself and obtain it oneself. Giving rise to right view and having faith in the retribution of karmic fruits, one will attain rebirth among humans and gods in the short term, and summon the fruit of Buddhahood in the long term. If one violates the sacred teaching, one will fully undergo the aforementioned suffering.