法苑珠林 86.27

86.27

夫四重五逆佛海死屍。小乘經律譬同斬首。既律無開緣懺不復本。依大乘經許其洗蕩。如呪枯木還生華果。雖許此懺須立大心順教奉行如死還活。大士大行義不唐捐。身戒心慧志常修習。既慚且愧精勵形心。心想尚虛罪豈定性。今欲科約行業條例順違。善惡罪福具兼二種。先就惡業以論違順。違於涅槃順於生死。辯此違順略顯十心。有罪行者。須識業相量事而行矣。

Now, the four pārājikas and the five heinous crimes are like corpses in the ocean of the Buddha. In the sūtras and Vinaya of the Hīnayāna, they are compared to decapitation: since the Vinaya allows no exceptional circumstances, repentance cannot restore one's original state. Yet relying on the Mahāyāna sūtras, washing and purification are permitted, like incanting over a dead tree so that it again bears flowers and fruit. Although such repentance is permitted, one must establish great resolve and practice in accordance with the teachings, like one returning to life from death. A great person's great practice is never undertaken in vain. One's body, precepts, mind, and wisdom are always cultivated with determination. Feeling both shame and remorse, one vigorously trains body and mind. Since mental thoughts are fundamentally empty, how could sin possess a fixed nature? Now, wishing to classify and arrange the regulations for practices of accordance and transgression, both wholesome and unwholesome, sins and blessings, contain both kinds. First, concerning unwholesome karma, we shall discuss transgression and accordance: transgressing nirvāṇa and according with birth-and-death. To distinguish this transgression and accordance, ten mental attitudes are briefly revealed. Practitioners who have sinned must recognize the characteristics of their karma and act according to the circumstances.