法苑珠林 54.19

54.19

As the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: All phenomena are illusory and deceptive. Sentient beings in their folly do not recognize who is near and who is distant; they scold, inflict harm, and even take life in their anger. By generating these grave misdeeds, they fall into the three miserable destinies and suffer immeasurable distress. For example, there was a monastery in the mountains. Within it was a separate room where a ghost would come to terrify and harass practitioners of the Way, so all the practitioners abandoned the room and left. A visiting monk arrived, and the karmadāna assigned him to stay in this room, telling him, 'In this room is a ghost who loves to harass people. Stay in it only if you are able.' The visiting monk, relying on the power of his adherence to the precepts and his vast learning, said, 'What can a petty ghost do? I can subdue it.' He then entered the room to stay. At dusk, another monk arrived seeking a lodging, and the karmadāna likewise told him to stay in this room, also telling him that a ghost harassed people there. That man likewise said, 'What can a petty ghost do? I shall subdue it.' The one who had entered first closed the door and sat upright, awaiting the ghost. The later arrival knocked on the door in the dark of night seeking entry. The one inside thought it was the ghost and would not open the door for him. The one outside pounded on the door with all his might, while the practitioner inside resisted him with his strength. The one outside prevailed, forced the door open, and got in. The one inside struck him, and the one outside struck back. When dawn broke and they looked at each other, they were actually old classmates. Having recognized each other, each apologized with shame. The crowd gathered like clouds, laughing at them and finding it strange. Sentient beings are also like this: the five aggregates are entirely empty, with neither self nor person. Grasping at signs, they quarrel and strive, wrongfully inflicting cruel harm. If one is flayed and dissected on the ground, there is only flesh and bone; there is neither person nor self. Therefore, the bodhisattva tells sentient beings: 'Do not quarrel within fundamental emptiness. A human body is hard to obtain, let alone encountering a Buddha.'