法苑珠林 2.34

2.34

This is spoken with reference to the heavens of the desire realm. Furthermore, as the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says, sometimes through observing the precepts not to kill, not to steal, and not to engage in sexual misconduct, by these three virtues one also attains birth in heaven. This also refers to birth in the heavens of the desire realm, spoken on the basis of a different period; it is not that one is restricted solely to these three to attain birth in heaven. Furthermore, as the Sūtra on the Bathhouse says, the pure karma of bathing the saṃgha also enables one to be born in heaven and attain retribution in the higher realms. This is also an intentional teaching with reference to a different period; it is not that the scattered good of bathing the saṃgha directly causes birth in the higher realms—it is only retribution in the heavens of the desire realm. Furthermore, as the Nirvāṇa-sūtra says, a loving mother who rescued her child at the Gaṅgā River, where both child and mother died, attained birth in the Brahmā heaven. This was the compassion of a scattered mind, not aided by the good of other concentrations; how could she be born in heaven? This is merely stated in terms of a remote cause; it is not that scattered compassion alone is restricted to ascending to that birth. It is just like hearing the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] once and not falling into the four destinies; the principle is also like this. Therefore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says: If with the body one does not kill, steal, or commit sexual misconduct, and with the mouth one does not lie, speak frivolous words, speak divisively, or speak harshly, by maintaining these seven precepts one attains birth in the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. If one is able to maintain the seven kinds of precepts, one attains birth in the heavens of apparitional birth; here there are superior, middling, and inferior grades. If one observes the precept not to kill, one attains birth in the abode of the Four Heavenly Kings. If one observes [the precepts] not to kill and not to steal, one attains birth in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. If one observes [the precepts] not to kill, not to steal, and not to engage in sexual misconduct, one attains birth in the Yāma Heaven. If one observes [the precepts] not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to lie, not to speak divisively, not to speak harshly, and not to speak frivolously, one attains birth in the Tuṣita Heaven. If one receives the worldly precepts and faithfully reveres the Buddha's precepts—not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not speaking divisively, not speaking harshly, and not speaking frivolously—one attains birth in the Nirmāṇarati Heaven and the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. Furthermore, the Dīrgha-āgama says: Having previously purified and cultivated brahma-conduct in the presence of the Buddha, upon passing away from here one is born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, causing those deities to increase in five blessings: first, heavenly lifespan; second, heavenly physical appearance; third, heavenly fame; fourth, heavenly joy; fifth, heavenly awe-inspiring virtue. Furthermore, the Saṃyukta-āgama says: At that time the World-Honoured One told the monks: In a past age, in the kingdom of Kośala, there was a lute player named Deer-Ox (Gomṛga). Wandering through the human realms in the kingdom of Kośala, he rested in the wilderness. Six devīs of vast heavenly palaces came to the lute player Deer-Ox in the kingdom of Kośala and said to the lute player Deer-Ox, "Uncle, uncle! Play the lute for us, and we shall sing and dance!" The lute player Deer-Ox said, "Indeed, sisters, I will play the lute for you. You must tell me who you are and by what means you were born here." The devīs answered, "Uncle, just play the lute; we shall sing and dance, and in our songs we will personally recount the causes and conditions for our birth here." That man then played the lute, and those six devīs then began to sing and dance.