法苑珠林 74.12

74.12

如五分律云。貸僧物不還。計直犯重。又觀佛三昧經云。盜僧鬘物者。過殺八萬四千父母等罪。又寶梁經云。寧噉身肉終不得用三寶物。又依方等經。華聚菩薩云。五逆四重我亦能救。盜僧物者。我不能救。又大集經濟龍品云。時有諸龍得宿命心。自念過業洟泣雨淚。來至佛前各如是言。我憶往昔。於佛法中或為俗人親屬因緣。或復聽法因緣。所有信心捨施種種華果飲食。共諸比丘依次而食。或有說言。我曾喫噉四方眾僧華果飲食。或有說言。我往寺舍布施眾僧。或復禮拜如是喫噉。乃至七佛已來。曾作俗人有信心人。為供養故施諸華果種種飲食。比丘得已迴施於我。我得便食。由彼業緣。於地獄中。經無量劫。大猛火中。或燒或煮。或飲洋銅。或吞鐵丸。從地獄出墮畜生中。捨畜生身生餓鬼中。如是種種備受辛苦。佛告諸龍。此之惡業與盜佛物。等無差別。比丘五逆業其罪如半。然此罪報難可得脫。於賢劫中值最後佛。名曰樓至。於彼佛世罪得除滅。

As the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya states: 'Borrowing the property of the Saṅgha and not returning it: calculating the value, one incurs a grave offense.' Furthermore, the Guan Fo sanmei jing states: 'One who steals garlands and property of the Saṅgha incurs a sin greater than killing eighty-four thousand fathers and mothers.' Furthermore, the Ratnarāśi-sūtra states: 'Better to eat one's own flesh than ever to use the property of the Three Jewels.' Furthermore, according to the Vaipulya Sūtra, Bodhisattva Kusumasañcaya said: 'I can save even those guilty of the five heinous deeds and the four grave offenses, but one who steals the property of the Saṅgha, I cannot save.' Furthermore, the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, in the 'Chapter on Rescuing the Dragons', states: 'At that time, there were dragons who attained the knowledge of past lives. Recalling their past karma, they wept tears like rain, came before the Buddha, and spoke thus: We remember in the past, within the Buddha's Dharma, due to conditions as relatives of laypeople or conditions of listening to the Dharma, we had faithful minds and gave in dāna various flowers, fruits, food, and drink, eating together with the bhikṣus in order. Or some said: I once consumed the flowers, fruits, food, and drink belonging to the Saṅgha of the four directions. Or some said: I went to the monastery to give dāna to the Saṅgha or to prostrate, and thus ate and drank there. Even across the era of the seven Buddhas, having been a faithful layperson, for the purpose of making offerings I gave various flowers, fruits, and food and drink; after the bhikṣus received them, they gave them back to me, and I took and ate them. Due to the conditions of that karma, I spent immeasurable kalpas in the hells amidst fierce blazing fires, being burned or boiled, drinking molten copper, or swallowing iron pellets. Emerging from the hells, I fell among beasts; leaving the bodies of beasts, I was born among hungry ghosts. In this way I fully endured all manner of bitterness and hardship. The Buddha told the dragons: This evil karma is no different from stealing the property of the Buddha. The offense of a bhikṣu committing the five heinous deeds is only half as great. Yet this karmic retribution is difficult to escape: you will encounter the final Buddha in the Bhadrakalpa, named Ruci, and in the time of that Buddha your sins will be eliminated.'