法苑珠林 71.20

71.20

As the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says: "The beings of Yama are not sentient beings; sinners see them and consider them sentient beings, holding blazing iron pincers in their hands. When the evil karma of those hell dwellers is exhausted, after their lives end they no longer see Yama's wardens. Why? Because they do not belong to the category of sentient beings. Just as when the oil and wick are exhausted there is no lamp, so it is when karma is exhausted: they no longer see Yama's wardens. Just as when sunlight appears in Jambudvīpa there is no darkness, so it is when evil karma is exhausted: Yama's wardens, with their evil eyes and evil mouths resembling sentient beings, and their terrifying forms, are all wiped out. Just as when a painted wall is destroyed the painting is also destroyed along with it, so it is with the painted wall of evil karma: they no longer see the terrifying forms of Yama's wardens." Proving it with this passage: sentient beings whose evil karma dictates they should experience suffering naturally and falsely perceive hell where there is nothing. Question: As for those who see hell: it may be granted that the wardens, tigers, wolves, and so forth that they see are false perceptions; but at that hell site, King Yama resides in the midst to judge the sinners, so this realm does exist—how can you say it is absent? Answer: Their seeing the lord of hell is also a false perception; it is simply that the sinners' evil karma perfumes their minds, causing their minds to undergo transformation and falsely perceive where there is nothing; in truth there is no hell with Yama in its midst. Thus the Vijñaptimātratā-śāstra says: "Just as there is no hell-lord in hell, yet the sentient beings of hell, dependent on their natural karma, see a hell-lord inflicting various kinds of suffering, and give rise to thoughts perceiving 'this is a place of hell, this is night-time, this is day-time; because of my evil karma I see dogs, I see crows, or I see mountains crushing me.'" Proving it with this passage: good and evil perfume the mind, causing the mind to see differently; in reality there is no hell. Therefore, although there is no hell outside the mind, when evil karma is accomplished, they forcibly and falsely perceive it on their own. Question: Since this retribution of painful karma is not a good thing, why not simply speak of goodness to cause them to practice it? Why must you speak of painful karma according to their sentiments? Answer: The dharmas of cause and effect of good and evil must be set in opposition. If one does not explain that greed and the like are faults, how can one reveal that giving and the like are good? If one does not proclaim that the three lower destinies are suffering, there is no way to reveal that human and celestial realms are blissful. Therefore, one must speak of the sinful actions of ordinary persons to make people recognize them, develop revulsion, and take refuge in goodness. If they are of dull faculties, when they hear of this painful karma and give rise to revulsion, they immediately seek worldly bliss, and on this basis turn their minds to cultivate various meritorious karmas. If they are of sharp faculties, when they hear of this painful karma and give rise to revulsion, they immediately seek liberation, and on this basis turn their minds to be able to cultivate the contemplation of the Path, thereby generating the cause of transcendence within delusion. Thus a sūtra says: "All afflictions are the seeds of buddhahood." Therefore we know that painful karma is the root of revulsion and the condition for generating goodness; hence it must be taught. If one did not speak of this evil karma and sinful actions, sentient beings would not recognize them and would constantly practice them without cease. Although one speaks of various faults conforming to the perceptions of their sentiments, in truth there is no separate karmic suffering outside the mind; there is only consciousness without external objects, and the substance of the mind is ever-pure. Thus a sūtra says: "Although it speaks of the fault of sensual desire, it does not see any dharma that can be desired; although it speaks of the fault of anger, it does not see any dharma that can be angered at; although it speaks of the fault of delusion, it knows that all dharmas are not deluded and without obstruction; although it shows sentient beings the terrifying suffering of falling into the three bad destinies, it does not apprehend the characteristics of hell, hungry ghosts, or animals." Proving it with this passage, we know that the cause and effect of sinful actions is mind-only and has nothing external. Ordinary fools do not understand, so as an expedient conforming to their sentiments, one must speak of karmic suffering. In the two gates above, according to the ultimate teaching, it is taught that the substance of sin is true [suchness] and there is nothing separate to destroy; yet because the foolish do not understand, one must decisively speak of sin. This specifically explains the foolish person's confusion about truth and false understanding, and thus why one must decisively speak of the intent behind sinful actions.