法苑珠林 23.22

23.22

"The great ocean is exceedingly vast; / The hole in the floating wood is small; / Emerging once every hundred years, / To encounter it is exceedingly difficult. / Now the water in my pond is small; / The hole in the floating board is very large; / Sticking my head out repeatedly, / I still cannot encounter the hole in the wood. / A blind turtle meeting the floating wood— / Their encountering each other is exceedingly difficult; / Returning from bad destinies to a human body, / The difficulty of encountering it is likewise so. / Now that I have attained a human body, / I ought not to be heedless. / Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges / I have never before chanced to meet; / Today I am able to consult and receive / The words of the World-Honoured One of the Ten Powers. / The sublime Dharma taught by the Buddha / I surely must practice. / If one is able to cultivate and practice it well, / The salvation will be exceedingly great. / It cannot be gained through another's deeds; / Therefore I must be diligent myself. / If I fall into the eight places of difficulty, / How could I ever be free? / The karma of the world pursues me, / Causing me to plunge into the bad destinies. / I must now flee and escape, / To get out of the prison of the three realms of existence. / If I do not escape this prison, / How will I attain liberation? / The animal paths are varied and manifold, / Continuing through kalpas exceedingly long; / Hell and hungry ghosts / Are steeped in deep darkness and suffering. / If I do not diligently cultivate, / How will I be able to escape / The perilous, difficult bad destinies? / Today I have attained a human body; / If I do not bring suffering to an end, / I will not escape the prison of the three realms of existence. / I ought to diligently employ skillful means, / And surely escape the prison of the three realms of existence. / Now I seek to renounce the household life, / And must surely attain liberation."