法苑珠林 44.6

44.6

According to the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: “Great King, you should know that the virtues of a king are briefly of ten kinds. If a king achieves such virtues, even if he lacks a great treasury, great ministers, and a great host of troops, he can still be taken as a refuge. What are the ten? First, his clan and lineage are noble and exalted. Second, he attains great sovereignty. Third, his nature is neither cruel nor evil. Fourth, his arousal of anger is slight. Fifth, his grace and benevolence are vigorous and acute. Sixth, he accepts upright and true words. Seventh, in whatever he undertakes, he deliberates carefully and accords well with proper norms. Eighth, he yearns after wholesome phenomena. Ninth, he discerns differences well and knows the thoughts behind what is done. Tenth, he does not indulge himself or practice negligence. (If the opposite of these ten applies, even if he has a great treasury, great ministers, and a great army, he cannot be taken as a refuge.) Great King, you should know that the king’s skillful means are briefly of five kinds. What are the five? First, he observes well and embraces his ministers. Second, he acts benevolently and with wondrous conduct in accordance with the proper time. Third, free from negligence, he concentrates his thoughts on affairs of state. Fourth, free from negligence, he guards his treasuries well. Fifth, free from negligence, he exclusively cultivates the practice of the Dharma. (If the opposite of these five practices occurs, they become the five gates of decline and loss, regressing from and losing the present phenomena and the benefits of the Dharma.) Great King, you should know that there are briefly five kinds of lovable things. What are the five? First, being respected and loved by the world. Second, preeminent sovereignty. Third, the ability to crush enemies. Fourth, taking good care of the physical body. Fifth, the ability to go to good destinies. Furthermore, there are five kinds of things that can bring about what is lovable. What are the five? First, nurturing the world with kindness. Second, being endowed with heroism and valor. Third, skillful expedients. Fourth, experiencing objects with correct reception. Fifth, diligent cultivation of the practice of the Dharma. (The opposite of these five kinds is called unlovable.) Furthermore, kings have three kinds of fulfillment: first, fulfillment of karmic fruition; second, fulfillment of human effort; third, fulfillment of virtue. If a king is born into a wealthy and noble family, has a long life with few illnesses, possesses a great ancestral estate, and achieves an innate keen wisdom, this king is called one with fulfillment of karmic fruition. If a king, upheld by skillful expedients, constantly achieves perfect heroism, this king is called one with fulfillment of human effort. If a king upholds the True Dharma, he is called a Dharma King; abiding peacefully in the True Dharma, together with the inner palace, princes, ministers, heroes, nobility, and people of the state, he cultivates wisdom and dāna, plants blessings, observes the upoṣadha precepts, and firmly maintains the prohibitions; this king is called one with fulfillment of virtue. Furthermore, one with fulfillment of karmic fruition enjoys the retribution of pure karma from past lives. One with fulfillment of human effort enjoys the lovable fruits of the present life. One with fulfillment of virtue will also enjoy the fulfillment of the retribution of pure karma in the future. If a king is deficient in all three, he is called an inferior man. If he has fulfillment of karmic fruition, or fulfillment of human effort, or both, he is called a middling man. If he is endowed with all three, he is called a superior man.”