法苑珠林 93.46

93.46

第一據實有損者。依經食肉之人有十種過失。第一明一切眾生無始已來。皆是己親。不合食肉。故入楞伽經云。我觀眾生輪迴五道。同在生死共相生育。遞為父母兄弟姊妹。若男子若女中表內外。六親眷屬。或生餘道。善道惡道常為眷屬。以是因緣。我觀眾生更相噉肉無非親者。由食肉味遞互相噉。常生害心增長苦業。流轉生死不得出離。佛說是時。諸惡羅剎聞佛所說。悉捨惡心止不食肉。遞相勸發菩提之心。護眾生命。過自護身。離一切諸肉不食。悲泣流淚白言。世尊。我聞佛說諦觀六道。我所噉肉皆是我親。乃知食肉眾生是我大怨。斷大慈種長不善業。是大苦本。我從今日斷不食肉。及我眷屬亦不聽食。如來弟子有不食肉者。我當晝夜親近擁護。若食肉者。我當與作大不饒益。大慧羅剎惡鬼常食肉者。聞我所說。尚發慈心。捨肉不食。況我弟子行善法者。當聽食肉。若食肉者。當知即是眾生大怨。斷我聖種。大慧。若我弟子聞我所說。不諦觀察而食肉者。當知即是旃陀羅種。非我弟子。我非其師。

First, that based on truth there is harm: according to the sūtras, those who eat meat possess ten kinds of faults. The first clarifies that all sentient beings, since beginningless time, have all been one's own kin, and it is unfit to eat meat. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra states: "I see sentient beings transmigrating in the five destinies, together in birth and death, giving birth to and nurturing one another, mutually being fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, whether male or female, maternal cousins or paternal relatives, the six kinds of kin, or born into other destinies—in good destinies and bad destinies always being kin. By this cause and condition, when I observe sentient beings mutually eating each other's flesh, there are none who are not kin. Because of eating the taste of meat they mutually devour one another, constantly giving rise to harming minds and multiplying painful karma, revolving in birth and death without being able to escape." When the Buddha spoke this, the wicked rākṣasas, hearing what the Buddha spoke, entirely cast aside their evil minds, ceased and did not eat meat, and mutually encouraged each other to generate the bodhicitta, protecting sentient beings' lives more than they protected their own bodies, leaving behind all meat and not eating it. Weeping with tears flowing, they addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One, having heard the Buddha's words and carefully contemplating the six destinies, the flesh that I have eaten has all been my own kin; thus I know that sentient beings who eat meat are my great enemies, severing the seeds of great loving-kindness, increasing unwholesome karma, and forming the root of great suffering. From this day forward I sever and do not eat meat, nor will I allow my retinue to eat it. If there are disciples of the Tathāgata who do not eat meat, I shall approach and protect them day and night; if they eat meat, I shall bring great harm to them." "Mahāmati, even rākṣasas and evil ghosts who constantly eat meat, upon hearing what I said, gave rise to a mind of loving-kindness and abandoned meat and did not eat it; how much less should my disciples who practice wholesome dharmas be permitted to eat meat! If they eat meat, know that they are the great enemies of sentient beings and sever my noble lineage. Mahāmati, if my disciples hear what I say, yet without careful examination eat meat, know that they are of the caṇḍāla caste, not my disciples, and I am not their teacher."