法苑珠林 86.50

86.50

問經說懺悔能滅罪業。云何唯說觀理智心能滅諸業。釋言。懺悔有二。一是迷心依事懺悔。謂佛像前行道禮敬發願。要期斷除事惡。二是智心依理懺悔。謂觀身心斷除結使。但所造業有輕有重。若論輕業事懺亦滅。若論重業有可轉者。亦能轉重令輕。謂三塗業人中輕受。故十住婆沙論云。我言。懺悔罪則輕薄。於少時受。故知事懺轉重令輕。牽報不定。由不斷結故。有漏力微。不盡故業。後必受報。非全不定。今故偏說。觀理斷結。無惑潤業。業不牽生。隨所斷處。故業永盡。於現造業亦不招生。則於過現所造善惡。方是究竟牽報不定。今據此義。是以偏說。故諸智者。欲斷過現三塗重業。即學觀理永免惡道。是故初果名為觝債。故攝論云。若無苦下無明諸行不生。若行已生無修道。無明諸行不熟。何以故。須陀洹人不造感生報業故。阿那含人不受下界生報。又優婆塞戒經云。若人具有欲界諸業得阿那含果。能轉後業現在受之。羅漢亦爾。故知觀理是真懺悔。故華嚴經偈云。

Question: The sūtras say that repentance can extinguish sinful karma. Why is it said only that the mind of wisdom contemplating principle can extinguish all karma? Explanation: Repentance has two kinds. First is repentance through external practice with a deluded mind, which refers to circumambulating, paying homage, and making vows before an image of the Buddha, resolving to sever outer evils. Second is repentance relying on principle with a wise mind, which refers to contemplating the body and mind to sever the fetters. But the karma created may be light or heavy. If discussing light karma, outer repentance also extinguishes it. If discussing heavy karma, if it is convertible, it can also convert the heavy into the light, meaning that karma of the three destinies is lightly undergone among humans. Therefore, the Daśabhūmikā-vibhāṣā says: 'I say that through repentance, sins become light and thin, being undergone for a short duration.' Thus we know that outer repentance converts the heavy into the light, rendering the retribution drawn forth indefinite. Because the fetters are not severed, the power of outflows is weak; it does not exhaust past karma, and retribution must still be undergone later, so it is not completely indefinite. Now we speak specifically of this: contemplating principle severs the fetters; without delusions to moisten karma, karma does not draw forth rebirth. Wherever it is severed, past karma is forever exhausted, and current karma created also does not bring about rebirth; thus regarding the good and evil created in the past and present, only then is the retribution drawn forth definitively indefinite. Relying on this meaning, it is spoken of specifically. Therefore, all wise people wishing to sever the heavy karma of the three destinies from past and present learn contemplation of principle to forever escape the evil paths. For this reason, the first fruit is called 'repudiating the debt'. Hence the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: 'If there is no suffering below, ignorance and karmic formations do not arise. If formations have arisen and there is no path of cultivation, ignorance and formations do not ripen.' Why is this? Because a srotāpanna does not create karma that brings about retribution of rebirth, and an anāgāmin does not receive rebirth retribution in the lower realms. Furthermore, the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra says: 'If a person possesses all the karmas of the desire realm and attains the fruit of anāgāmin, they can convert future karma to be undergone in the present; so too for an arhat.' Thus we know that contemplation of principle is true repentance. Hence a verse of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: