法苑珠林 82

English (machine translation) 82

Language: English

82.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Temple

82.3

Division 2: Upholding Precepts (Divided into three sections)

82.4

Section on Explaining the Intent
Section on Exhorting to Uphold
Section on Citing Evidence

I have humbly heard that the precepts are the teacher of humanity, revered by both monastic and lay. The mind is the master of karma, controlled alike by ordinary beings and sages. This is truly because the three jewels provide sustenance and all four kinds of birth are equally moistened by them. Therefore the sūtra says: 'The saddharma endures; the saddharma disappears.' Does its meaning not lie herein? Thus, taking the observance of precepts as virtue is demonstrated clearly in the great sūtras; their intrinsic goodness worthy of veneration is clarified in the great treatises. Precepts, moreover, are compared to the sun and moon, and likened to precious gems. In principle they equal fragrant ointments; in practice they are like treasuring water. Crossing the great sea, they are called a sturdy vessel; producing and growing the sprouts of goodness, they are termed level ground. For this reason, when bodhisattvas receive them, not an atom's breadth is missing; when arhats guard and uphold them, not a mustard seed's width is violated. One would rather die clutching one's thirst than drink water [containing] insects, and rather be tied up unto death without harming blades of grass. The Classic says: 'Establish yourself and practice the Way, spreading your fame to future generations; in speech and action be loyal and trustworthy, apprehensive and cautious.' How could one let loose the horse of the mind without applying bridle and reins, or gallop the ape of passion with no restraints or chains at all? If the buoyant raft is already ruined, what prospect is there for the journey ahead? If the vase of virtue is already broken, superior conditions are forever severed. Or again, one invites and gathers evil people, associating with baneful gangs, mutually inciting one another and fully committing offences and flaws. With neither remorse nor shame, neither disgrace nor modesty, day by day it grows worse, sinking and floating ever more. It is like the bitter seeds, mugwort, and wormwood whose branches and leaves are entirely bitter, or the harītakī tree throughout whose whole trunk there is no sweetness. Passing from light into darkness, there is no further time of escape. Since the number of kalpas is so vast, the pain and suffering are difficult to bear. Thereupon, the boiling cauldron gushes and seethes, its fierce vapor surging to heaven; the glowing coals blaze brightly, their crackling sounds shattering the ground. Molten copper poured into the mouth rots the belly and dissolves the liver; copper pillars pressed against the body exhaust bones and flesh alike. Tossing and turning, wailing and groaning—how can words recount it? Such sufferings indeed arise from breaking the precepts.

82.7

Section Two: Exhortation to Uphold [the Precepts]

82.8

As the Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra says: 'If one can wholeheartedly uphold the precepts even unto the end of life, one will attain present retribution.' Formerly I heard that in the city of Nandivardhana there were two lay brothers who both upheld the five precepts. At that time, the younger brother suddenly suffered from flank pain, and his breath was about to cease. The physician then told him: 'Eat freshly killed dog meat and take it together with wine; your ailment will surely be eliminated.' The sick man said: 'As for the dog meat, it may be bought and sought in the market to be eaten. As for the matter of drinking wine, I would rather give up my body and life; I will never violate the precepts to drink wine.' His elder brother, seeing his younger brother in extreme distress and urgency, brought wine and told his younger brother: 'Renounce the precept and take the wine to treat your sickness.' The younger brother said to the elder brother: 'Although my sickness is urgent, I would rather give up my body and life than violate the precepts and drink this wine.' He then spoke a verse:

82.9

'How strange that as I approach the end of life,
You would break the necklace of my precepts!
I adorn my body with the precepts,
With no need for funeral accoutrements.
Since a human body is already hard to obtain,
To encounter the precepts is even harder.
I would rather surrender hundreds of thousands of lives
Than violate and break the restrictive precepts.
Only once in immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kalpas
Does one ever encounter the precepts.
Within the world of Jambudvīpa,
A human body is extremely hard to obtain.
Though one may again obtain a human body,
To encounter the saddharma is doubly hard.
And when one occasionally encounters the treasure of Dharma,
The foolish do not know to take it.
One who is able to distinguish it well—
This matter is also difficult.
The treasure of precepts has entered my hands;
Why would you wish to snatch it away?
This is to act as an enemy,
Not as one dear to me.'

82.10

Having heard this, the elder brother replied to his younger brother: 'Because we are kin, I would not ruin you.' The younger brother said to the elder brother: 'This is not loving affection; it is ruin and destruction.' He then spoke a verse:

82.11

'I wish to proceed to an exalted state,
Yet by breaking the precepts you would cause me to fall.
To renounce the precepts is like this;
How can it be called loving affection?
I have diligently practiced the roots of the precepts,
Yet now you wish to plunder them.
Among the five precepts that I uphold,
The precept against wine is the weightiest.
Now wishing forcefully to ruin me,
You cannot be called kin.'

82.12

The elder brother asked the younger brother: 'Why do you take wine as the root of the precepts?' The younger brother then spoke a verse in reply to the elder brother:

82.13

'If among the restrictive precepts
One does not wholeheartedly guard and maintain them,
One then goes against great compassion.
Even if a drop of wine were on the tip of a grass blade,
I would not dare taste or touch it.
For this reason I know
Wine is the cause of evil destinies.
The sūtras for householders
Speak of the evil retributions of wine;
Only the Buddha can discern them—
Who else could measure them?
The Buddha taught that among the three karmas
Of body, speech, and mind, the evil deeds
Have wine alone as their root,
Causing one to fall further into evil conduct.
Formerly, a laywoman,
Due to the cause and condition of wine,
Consequently broke the other four precepts;
This is counted among evil deeds.
Wine is the root of heedlessness;
Not drinking it closes the evil destinies,
Enabling one to attain a faithful and joyful mind,
To cast away stinginess and give away wealth.
Śūra, hearing what the Buddha taught,
Was able to obtain immeasurable benefit.
I have no contrary intention whatsoever
To violate or transgress them.
To speak of it in brief:
I would rather surrender hundreds of thousands of lives
Than violate the Buddha's teaching;
I would rather let my body wither and dry
Than ever drink this wine.
Even if by violating the precepts
My lifespan were a hundred thousand years,
It would not be as good as guarding the restrictive precepts
Though my body and life perish immediately.
Even if it were certain to cure me,
I still would not drink it,
How much less now when it is not known for certain
Whether it will cure me or not!'
Having formed this resolute mind,
Great joy arose in his heart;
He immediately attained the vision of the true reality,
And his affliction was completely eliminated.

82.14

Indeed, persons of great wisdom, weary of the world, practice the Way. Although they fully uphold the precepts, inwardly they cherish concentration and wisdom, not displaying the outward signs of upholding them, while speaking inwardly of true virtue. Thus the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'What is the precept of avoiding wrong livelihood? This bodhisattva does not make an outward display of pure precept-observance wishing to let others know it, while inwardly having no true virtue yet displaying the appearance of true virtue. He merely upholds the pure precepts, single-mindedly seeking the Dharma, ultimately reaching sarvajña. What is the precept of not giving rise to evil? This bodhisattva does not consider himself noble and say, "I uphold the precepts," nor, seeing a person who violates the precepts, does he reproach him to cause him worry and vexation. He simply unifies his mind to uphold the pure precepts; the superior fruit will surely be obtained without any need for doubt.'

82.15

Furthermore, the Bodhisattvapiṭaka-sūtra says: 'Śāriputra, because the bodhisattva mahāsattva practices the śīlapāramitā, he attains ten kinds of pure śīla. You should know them. What are the ten? First, never bringing harm to any sentient beings. Second, not committing theft with respect to the property of others. Third, keeping far away from defiled habits regarding the wives and concubines of others. Fourth, not raising deceit towards sentient beings. Fifth, harmonizing relatives and dependants without causing separation. Sixth, not uttering harsh words toward sentient beings, because he is able to endure their evil speech. Seventh, keeping far away from frivolous talk, because whenever he has something to say, he speaks after careful examination. Eighth, keeping far away from greedy attachments, having no sense of "mine" toward what others enjoy. Ninth, keeping far away from anger, being well able to endure harsh words and insults. Tenth, keeping far away from wrong views, by not revering or serving other devas, ṛṣis, spirits, and ghosts.'

82.16

Furthermore, the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra says: 'Second, upholding the precepts of the ten good actions has five beneficial matters: first, being able to restrain evil conduct; second, being able to generate a good mind; third, being able to block defilements; fourth, accomplishing a pure mind; fifth, being able to increase the precepts.'

82.17

If a person well cultivates the practice of heedfulness, the eighty-four thousand immeasurable categories of precepts are all contained within the precepts of the ten good actions.

82.18

Furthermore, the Candrapradīpa-samādhi-sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: If there is a bodhisattva who can purely uphold the precepts, he has ten kinds of benefit. What are the ten? First, fulfilling all-knowledge. Second, training as the Buddha trained. Third, not being disparaged by the wise. Fourth, not retreating from his vows. Fifth, dwelling securely in practice. Sixth, abandoning saṃsāra. Seventh, yearning for and delighting in nirvāṇa. Eighth, attaining an unentangled mind. Ninth, attaining superior samādhi. Tenth, not lacking the wealth of faith.'

82.19

Furthermore, the Ṣaṭpāramitā-saṃgraha-sūtra says: 'There are further four kinds of precept-observance endowed with wisdom. What are the four? First, upholding the precepts and constantly expounding the Dharma. Second, upholding the precepts and constantly seeking the Dharma diligently. Third, upholding the precepts and correctly discerning the Dharma. Fourth, upholding the precepts and dedicating [merit] toward bodhi.'

82.20

Section Three: Adducing Verifications

82.21

As the Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra states: 'Formerly I heard that there were bhikṣus who entered the ocean with merchants to gather jewels. Having reached the midst of the ocean, the ship broke apart. At that time there was a young bhikṣu who grasped a plank. Because the elder (sthavira) bhikṣu did not obtain a plank, he was about to sink into the water. At that time, the elder, terrified and fearful of being carried away by the water, said to the youth: "Do you not remember the precepts laid down by the Buddha? You must respect the elder. You should give the plank you obtained to me." Thereupon the youth reflected: "The Tathāgata, the World-Honoured One, indeed had these words: whatever is beneficial and pleasant should first be given to the elder." He further thought: "If I give the plank to the elder, I will surely sink into the water. The calamity of the whirling waves and the great sea is exceedingly deep and vast; my life will now not be preserved. Moreover, I am young and newly left home, not having attained the fruits of the Way, and this causes me sorrow. For me to surrender my body now to rescue the elder—this is precisely the time." Having had this thought, he spoke a verse:

82.22

"'Should I preserve myself,
Or is following the Buddha's words superior?
He is a mass of immeasurable merit,
Whose fame pervades the ten directions.
My physical body and life are extremely vile and lowly;
How could I go against the noble teaching?
I have now received the Buddha's precepts,
And unto death I will surely uphold them firmly.
In order to follow the Buddha's words,
I offer the plank and surrender my body and life.
If one does not perform difficult tasks,
One will never obtain difficult fruits.
If I hold this plank,
I will surely cross the disaster of the great sea;
Yet if I do not comply with the noble intention,
I will sink into the sea of birth and death.
If I now sink into the water and die,
Though dead, it will still be called superior;
If I abandon what the Buddha taught,
I will lose the benefits of gods and men,
As well as the great nirvāṇa,
The supreme and foremost bliss.'"

82.23

Having spoken this verse, he immediately gave up the plank and held it out to the elder. Having handed over the plank, at that time the sea god was moved by his utmost sincerity, and immediately caught the young bhikṣu and placed him on the shore. The sea god joined his palms and said to the bhikṣu: 'I now take refuge in one who firmly upholds the precepts. Now encountering such a matter of distress and calamity, you were able to uphold the Buddha's precepts.' The sea god spoke a verse in reply:

82.24

"'You are truly a bhikṣu;
You are truly an ascetic.
Calling you a śramaṇa—
You truly match this title.
Due to the power of your virtue,
Your company of companions and their wealth and jewels
Were able to escape the calamity of the great ocean,
And all came forth in peace and safety.
Your words and vows are steadfast,
Respectfully complying with what the Buddha spoke.
You are a great, superior person,
Able to eliminate multitude of afflictions and perils.
How could I now
Not offer you protection?
To uphold the precepts when seeing the truth—
This matter is not difficult;
For an ordinary being not to break the prohibitions—
This is called rare indeed.
For a bhikṣu abiding in safety and peace,
To be pure and self-vigilant,
Being able not to break the restrictive precepts—
This too is not yet difficult.
Not yet having attained the trace of the Way,
Yet placed in great fear and terror,
To abandon the life one loves
To guard and uphold the Buddha's teachings and precepts,
Doing what is difficult to do—
This is the most rare of all.'"

82.25

The treatise also says: 'Formerly I heard that there was a bhikṣu who went begging for food in sequential order. He arrived at the house of a bead-piercer and stood outside the gate. At that time, that bead artisan was piercing a maṇi jewel for the king. The bhikṣu's robe was red, and shining onto that jewel, its color appeared red. That bead artisan then entered his house to fetch food for the bhikṣu. At that time, a goose saw the red color of the jewel, shaped like meat, and immediately swallowed it. The artisan brought food to give as alms to the bhikṣu, and immediately searched for the jewel, but did not know where it was. This jewel was costly, and the artisan, being poor and anxious, said to the bhikṣu: "Did you take my jewel?" The bhikṣu feared that he would kill the goose to take the jewel. What plan could be devised to escape this calamity? He then spoke a verse:

82.26

"'I now protect the life of another,
Though my own body suffers distress.
There is no other expedient;
Only with my life can I substitute for its.
If I say another carried it away,
These words would also be improper;
Even if I myself could escape fault,
I should not speak falsely.
I now surrender my body and life
For the sake of this goose's life;
Therefore, through the condition of guarding the precepts,
I thereby achieve liberation.'"

82.27

At that time, although the gem-piercer heard this verse, he said to the bhikṣu, "If you do not return it, you will suffer in vain; I will never let you off." The bhikṣu then looked in all four directions, finding nothing to rely on, just as a deer that has entered an enclosure does not know where to go; the bhikṣu was likewise without rescue. At that time, the bhikṣu straightaway gathered himself and straightened his robes. The man said to the bhikṣu, "Are you going to fight with me now?" The bhikṣu replied, "I am not fighting with you; I am fighting with my own defilements." And he spoke a verse, saying:

82.28

"When I abandon my bodily life, / it will fall to the ground like dry firewood. / Let it cause people to praise: / 'For a goose's sake, he could give up his life.' / It will also cause people of later times, / when they all produce sorrow and suffering / and give up a body like this, / that those who hear of it will be urged to exert vigor, / to practice the true path, / and firmly maintain the prohibitive precepts; / while those who are inclined to violate the precepts / will aspire and delight in maintaining the precepts."

82.29

Then the gem-piercer struck him with a club. Both his hands along with his head were bound. Looking around in all four directions, he knew not to whom he could report it. He then reflected, "All the suffering endured in saṃsāra must be like this." And he spoke a verse, saying:

82.30

"In past lifetimes, / I abandoned my bodily life out of lust and theft / countlessly like this; / as sheep, deer, and the six domestic animals, / my relinquishments of the body cannot be reckoned. / At those times, I endured suffering in vain. / To abandon body and life for the sake of the precepts / is superior to violating the prohibitive precepts. / Even if one wished to protect oneself, / one will inevitably return to future extinction. / It is better, for the sake of maintaining precepts / and for the sake of protecting another's bodily life, / to abandon this fragile and brittle body, / so as to attain the life of liberation. / I wear rags from the dust heap, / and make begging for food my practice; / I dwell under trees— / for what reason / would I act as a thief? / You ought to observe carefully!"

82.31

At that time, the gem-piercer said to the bhikṣu, "What is the use of so much talk?" He then bound him further and doubled the beating. Tying a cord tightly, blood flowed from all his ears, eyes, mouth, and nose. At that time, the goose came to feed on the blood. In anger, the gem-piercer struck the goose, killing it instantly. The bhikṣu asked, "Is this goose dead or alive?" The gem-piercer answered, "Whether the goose is now dead or alive, why bother to ask?" Then the bhikṣu went to the goose's place; seeing that the goose was already dead, he wept with tears and was downcast. He then spoke a verse to the goose, saying:

82.32

"I endured all this bitter pain, / hoping to allow this goose to live. / Now my life has not yet ended, / but the goose has died before me. / I hoped to protect your life, / and suffered this extreme agony; / how could it be that you died first, / so that my karmic reward is not accomplished?"

82.33

The gem-piercer asked the bhikṣu, "What relation after all is this goose to you, that you should grieve and worry so?" The bhikṣu replied, "My vow was not fulfilled, which is why I am not joyful." The gem-piercer asked, "What vow did you wish to make?" The bhikṣu answered in verse, saying:

82.34

"In ancient times, the Bodhisattva / gave up his body to ransom a dove; / I also had this intention, / wishing to give up my life to take the place of the goose. / I attained the supreme mind, / desiring to preserve the life of this goose, / that it might long abide in constant peace and happiness; / but because you killed the goose, / the wish of my mind was not fulfilled."

82.35

At that time, after the bhikṣu had explained it all fully, the gem-piercer cut open the belly of the goose and recovered the gem. Once he saw the gem, he raised his voice and wept aloud. He said to the bhikṣu, "You protected the life of the goose without begrudging your own body, causing me to commit this unlawful deed." And he spoke a verse, saying:

82.36

"You concealed your meritorious deeds / just like ashes covering a fire. / Because of my foolishness, / I burned hundreds of bodies. / You correspond exceptionally well / with the marks and signs of the Buddha. / Because of my foolishness, / I was unable to observe well, / and was burned by the fire of ignorance. / I pray you will briefly stay / and listen a little to my repentance. / Just as one who stumbles / presses against the earth and rises again: / Homage to pure practice! / Homage to the firm maintenance of precepts! / Meeting with such extreme bitter hardship, / you did not commit flawed conduct. / If one does not encounter such evil, / maintaining precepts is not rare; / it is only when one must face such suffering / that being able to maintain the prohibitive precepts / is truly called difficult! / For a goose's sake, you endured suffering on your body / without violating the prohibitive precepts; / such a matter is truly rare!" / When his repentance was finished, / he immediately released the bhikṣu to return.

82.37

The *Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra* also states: There were bhikṣus traveling in the wilderness who were robbed by bandits and stripped of their robes. At that time, this band of bandits feared that the bhikṣus would go and report them to the settlements, and wanted to kill them all. One of the bandits had previously gone forth [as a monk]; he said to his companions, "Why should we kill them all now? The rule of bhikṣus forbids injuring grass. If we now bind the bhikṣus with grass, because they fear injuring it, they will never be able to run in all four directions to report us." The bandits then bound them with grass and left them behind. The bhikṣus, having been bound with grass, feared violating the prohibitive precepts and dared not pull to break it. With no clothes on their bodies, they were scorched by the sun and bitten and harassed by mosquitoes, horseflies, flies, and fleas. Bound from dawn until dusk, it turned to sunset and pitch darkness. Night-roaming birds and beasts dashed back and forth, which was terrifying. An elder bhikṣu spoke to the youths, admonishing them with a verse, saying:

82.38

"If there are those with wisdom, / who can firmly maintain the prohibitive precepts, / in seeking the nirvāṇa of humans and devas, / they will attain it just as they wish. / Their fame will be heard everywhere, / and all will make offerings to them. / They will surely attain the bliss of humans and devas, / and also obtain the fruit of liberation. / The nāga king Elāpatra, / because he violated the prohibitive precepts / and damaged the leaves of a tree, / fell among the nāgas upon the end of his life. / None of the buddhas gave him a prediction / of when he would emerge from among the nāgas. / To be able to firmly maintain the prohibitive precepts— / this matter is exceedingly difficult! / The marks of the precepts are extremely numerous, / difficult to distinguish and understand; / like a forest of swords or a thicket of thorns, / one who abides within is mostly wounded and broken. / The foolish and inferior are incapable / of guarding and upholding such precepts."

82.39

These bhikṣus were pressed by suffering, unable to bend, stretch, or move about, fearing they would injure the life of the grass; they resolved only to protect the precepts and not violate them until death. Then they spoke a verse, saying:

82.40

"From ancient times until now, / we have created many evil karmas: / sometimes obtaining birth in the human realm, / committing theft and adultery with others' wives, / and undergoing executions under the king's law / beyond all reckoning; / again, enduring the sufferings of hell, / which likewise are hard to calculate; / or receiving the body of a beast, / as cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs, / roe deer, deer, birds, and beasts, / being slaughtered by others, / losing life boundlessly / without ever having the least benefit. / We today, / for the sake of protecting the noble precepts, / readily give up this slight life; / we will surely obtain great benefit! / We are now in danger and peril, / and are certain to give up body and life; / if when our lives end, / we are born in heaven to enjoy bliss, / but if we violate the prohibitive precepts, / our evil reputation will be heard in the present, / we will be despised by others, / and upon the end of life will fall into the evil destinies. / Now let us establish an agreement together / to remain here until our lives end: / even if this sunlight / scorches our bodies and dries up our lives, / we must maintain the Buddha's precepts, / and never violate them midway; / even if we encounter ferocious beasts / that tear our bodies and limbs to pieces, / we will never dare to violate / the prohibitive precepts of the Lion of the Śākyas! / We would rather die maintaining the precepts / than wish to live violating the precepts!"

82.41

When the bhikṣus heard the elder bhikṣu speak this verse, each straightened his body without moving or shaking, just like a great tree whose branches and leaves do not stir when there is no wind. At that time, the king of that country happened to go out hunting, and gradually wandered to the place where the bhikṣus were bound. Seeing them from afar, the king gave rise to doubt, suspecting that they were naked Nirgranthas and the like. He sent someone to go and look. The bhikṣus felt deep shame and covered their bodies, allowing the messenger to know for certain that they were Śākyan śramaṇas. How was this known? Because their right shoulders were tanned black. He immediately returned and reported, "Great King, they are śramaṇas, not Nirgranthas." And he spoke a verse, saying:

82.42

"The king should now know / that they were robbed by bandits; / out of shame, they are bound by grass, / like great elephants restrained by hooks."

82.43

At that time, when the great king heard this matter, he gave rise to deep doubt and wonder, and silently reflected: "I should now go to the bhikṣus' place." Having thought thus, he spoke a verse, saying:

82.44

"Green grass is used to bind their hands, / like parrot wings; / also like sheep for sacrifice to devas, / they neither move nor stir. / Although knowing they are in peril and difficulty, / they remain silent and do not harm the grass; / like a forest consumed by fire, / or a yak dying for the sake of its tail."

82.45

Having spoken this verse, he went to their place and asked in verse, saying:

82.46

"Your bodies are exceedingly robust, / free of disease and appearing strong; / for what reason / are you bound by grass and do not stir? / Do you not know / that your bodies naturally possess strength? / Are you deluded by incantations, / or is this an ascetic practice? / Or do you yourselves loathe your bodies? / I pray you quickly explain your intention!"

82.47

Then the bhikṣus answered the king in verse, saying:

82.48

"Because of guarding the prohibitive precepts, / we dare not pull and break them. / The Buddha taught that all grass and trees / are the dwellings of ghosts and spirits; / we dare not transgress this, / and therefore cannot snap them. / Just as within an arena of incantations, / a boundary is drawn against snakes: / through the power of the divine incantation, / the venomous snake dares not cross over; / the Muni has drawn the boundary, / and we dare not transgress it. / Although we might protect our lives, / they will inevitably return to destruction. / We wish to die maintaining the precepts, / and never to live violating the precepts. / The virtuous and the unvirtuous / both alike give up their lifespan: / for the virtuous, the life of wisdom remains, / and they also possess good reputation; / the unvirtuous lose the life of wisdom, / and also lose their good name. / We śramaṇas / take the maintenance of precepts as our strength. / The precepts are a good field, / capable of giving birth to all merits; / they are a ladder for ascent to heaven, / the seed of good name, / the bridge and ford to attaining sagehood, / the foremost of all benefits. / What person possessed of wisdom / would wish to destroy the vessel of precept virtue?"

82.49

At that time, when the king heard this verse spoken, his mind was exceedingly joyful. He immediately untied the grass bindings for the bhikṣus, and spoke a verse, saying:

82.50

"Excellent! You are able to firmly maintain / what was taught by the Lion of the Śākyas, / rather giving up your own body and life / to protect the Dharma without violating it. / I now also take refuge / in the great Dharma manifested like this; / I take refuge in the liberated Muni, / who is free from feverish afflictions; / and in those who firmly maintain the prohibitive precepts, / I now also take refuge!"

82.51

Accounts of Sympathetic Resonance (briefly citing two proofs)

82.52

Śramaṇa Shi Facong of the Liang
Śramaṇa Shi Fachong of the Sui

82.53

Later, under the Southern Liang, there was the śramaṇa Shi Facong of Jingkong Temple in Xiangyang. He was a native of Xinye in Nanyang. Outstandingly upright in spirit, his nature was as pure as jade. He was content with greens and legumes, seeking no rich delicacies. He subsequently came to White Horse Spring on Mount Sangai in Xiangyang, where he built a room one zhang square to serve as a dwelling to settle his mind. He entered the valley in two places and established āraṇya hermitages; those patrolling the mountain today still recognize their old foundations. At first, the Prince of Jin'an of the Liang, having heard of his reputation, came to inquire of him. Just as he approached the meditation cell, accompanied by horsemen, the mounts stepped backward without cause. The prince returned ashamed, and that night he experienced a bad dream. Later he went again, and the horses retreated as before. The prince then purified himself with fasting and personally displayed utter reverence; only then was he able to enter and see him. When he first arrived at the side of the temple, he saw only a valley ablaze with fierce fire. Gazing and waiting for a good while, it suddenly turned into water. After pausing and looking on in admiration for a moment, the water vanished and the hall appeared. When he inquired about the matter, he learned that [Facong] was at that time entering the water and fire samādhis. On either side of the corded chair where Facong sat in the hall, there was a tiger. The prince did not dare advance. Facong then pressed their heads to the ground with his hands, closed their eyes, and summoned the prince forward; only then was he able to pay his respects. The prince then reported that his territory was sorely plagued by the calamity of tigers and requested Facong's help. Facong immediately entered samādhi. In a moment, seventeen large tigers arrived. He then conferred the three refuges and precepts upon them, enjoining them not to harm or assault the common people. He also instructed a disciple to tie cloths around the tigers' necks, [saying,] 'When seven full days have passed, you must come here.' On the appointed day, the prince held a vegetarian feast and the assembly gathered; the tigers arrived as well. [Facong] then gave them food and drink and untied the cloths, after which they caused no harm. On that day he led the prince to White Horse Spring, within which was a white turtle that took food directly from Facong's hand. He said to the prince, 'This is a male dragon.' They also went to the Numinous Spring, where there was a five-coloured carp that likewise took food from his hand. He said, 'This is a female dragon.' The prince and his officers sighed in admiration at these events, gave lavish donations, and returned. There were several dozen rough men among the attendants who came by night intending to plunder the donated goods. They met roaring tigers blocking their path, and also saw a giant standing beside the meditation cell; a pine tree beside him reached only to his knees. Holding a vajra pestle, he was on guard. Pacing restlessly throughout the night, they returned only at noon. The prince found their arrival strange, and only then did they confess the matter. He subsequently submitted a memorial reporting it. When Facong first lived in the meditation hall, white deer and white sparrows would constantly perch and dwell there tamely. Wherever he went, compassionate rescue was his priority. Seeing a butcher driving over a hundred pigs, Facong called out three times, 'Liberation! Śūraṅgama!' The pigs' ropes then came undone and they scattered. The butchers were furious and were about to strike him, but they all stood stiffly unable to move. They then returned to repent their wrongdoing and consequently discontinued the karma of killing. Again, on the Han River, fishermen were pulling in nets. As before, he called out three times, and they were unable to pull the nets; only then did their hearts turn, and they returned with empty nets. Furthermore, Jingzhou suffered a severe drought. Changsha Temple dispatched a monk to Facong's dwelling to pray for rain. When the messenger returned, heavy rain fell, filling the pools and ponds. Later he died at Tiangong Temple in Jiangling; this was in the early years of the Liang. A stele inscription still exists at that temple.

82.54

Under the Sui, there was the śramaṇa Shi Fachong of Huacheng Temple on Mount Lu in Jiangzhou. His secular surname was Bi, and he was a native of Jiujiang. He constantly recited the Lotus and Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras. In his later years he lived halfway up the summit of Mount Lu at Huacheng Temple cultivating samādhi. Unless it was for monastic affairs, he never set foot outside. He constantly urged the monastic assembly not to allow women to enter the temple, [saying,] 'Above, it harms the Buddha's teaching; below, it brings vulgar gossip.' However, because the temple's foundation and affairs were weighty, some did not comply. Chong sighed and said, 'Not encountering a Buddha in this life is already a condition born of wrongdoing. If the correct teaching cannot be practiced, it is right to die early. Why worry that this region will not uphold the precepts?' Thereupon, from Incense Burner Peak on this mountain, he cast himself down, vowing to shatter his body and bones so as to be reborn in the Pure Land. Midair, his head suddenly flipped upward, and he drifted slowly downward into the deep valley without harming a single hair. The monastic assembly did not know of it. Later, someone travelling up the path to the mountain peak looked down more than a thousand ren and heard the sound of a human voice. Approaching and searching for it, it turned out to be Chong. His life was still intact, and he was reciting as before. They welcomed him back to the temple. Moved by his remonstrance unto death, the monks barred women from entering. Six years passed before he died. It was the height of summer, yet his corpse did not smell or rot. This was in the late years of the Kaihuang reign era. (The above two accounts are from the Tang Gaoseng Zhuan.)

82.55

Section on Kṣānti, Part 3 (This contains four subsections)

82.56

Subsection on Stating the Intention
Subsection on Exhorting to Forbearance
Subsection on the Virtues of Forbearance
Subsection on Citing Proofs

82.57

Subsection on Stating the Intention, Part 1

82.58

It is heard that the virtue of forbearance is supreme and exalted; upholding precepts and ascetic practices cannot match it. Therefore, the monk Kṣānti was dismembered without resentment, and the master of forbearance, the ṛṣi, suffered mutilation without anger. Moreover, in the path of compassion, saving and delivering comes first; in the intention of a bodhisattva, pity and concern are the function. One should constantly travel throughout the hells to endure suffering on their behalf, broadly deliver sentient beings, and bestow peace and happiness upon them. How could one allow slight provocations to give rise to great hatred—even to looking with hostile eyes, raising one's voice, adopting a fierce expression and severe tone, and subsequently beating each other and laying sticks upon them? Or fathers and sons, brothers, mutually harming one another, and friends and kin turning instead to injure each other! Their evil rebellion is worse than owls, and their venom exceeds that of bees and scorpions. That is why across kalpas, animosity and enmity never cease from lifetime to lifetime.

82.59

Subsection on Exhorting to Forbearance, Part 2

82.60

As the Bodhisattvapiṭaka Sūtra says: 'Wrath and anger can swiftly destroy the roots of goodness accumulated over hundreds of thousands of mahākalpas. If one's roots of goodness have been destroyed by anger, one must pass through hundreds of thousands of mahākalpas before again beginning to practice the noble path with diligence and hardship. If it is so, anuttarasambodhi is extremely difficult to attain. For this reason, I must put on the armour of forbearance and crush the army of anger with steadfast strength. Śāriputra, I now explain this matter broadly for you: I recall that in the past, when I was a great ṛṣi named Practice Abode, at that time an evil Māra transformed into five hundred strong-cursing men, who constantly pursued me and raised all kinds of evil revilements, day and night, coming and going, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, in monasteries, quiet rooms, villages, and secular homes, whether in streets and lanes or in quiet, empty places, following my sitting and standing. These transformed Māras reviled, cursed, and scolded me with coarse and harsh words for a full five hundred years without ever resting. Śāriputra, I myself recall that during those five hundred years of being scolded and slandered by those Māras, I never gave rise to the slightest resentful thought toward them; I constantly aroused compassionate rescue and observed them with it.'

82.61

The Tattvasiddhi-śāstra also says: 'Small people cannot bear harsh speech and revilement, like birds rained on by stones; great people can bear harsh speech and cursing, like an elephant rained on by flowers. The practitioner should constantly observe the past and present causes and conditions of the person before him: perhaps in the past they were my parents who raised my body without avoiding guilt or seeking merit, and I have not yet repaid their kindness—why should I give rise to anger? Or they were brothers, wife and children, or relatives; or they were noble persons or former good friends. If worldly sentiment fails to recognize this, why should one add slander?'

82.62

The Mahāyānasaṃgraha also says: 'By contemplating five meanings, one eliminates anger: first, contemplate that all sentient beings have been kind to me since beginningless time; second, contemplate that all sentient beings perish from moment to moment—who can harm and who is harmed? Third, contemplate that there is only phenomena and no sentient being—what can harm and what is harmed? Fourth, contemplate that all sentient beings suffer on their own—how could one wish to add further suffering to them? Fifth, contemplate that all sentient beings are my children—how could one wish to produce harm among them? Due to these five contemplations, one can eliminate anger.'

82.63

The Sūtra on Repaying Kindness also says: 'Even if a wheel of hot iron were to revolve atop my head, I would never, because of this suffering, give rise to an evil mind.'

82.64

The Tattvasiddhi-śāstra says: 'One who practices a mind of benevolence sleeps in peace and awakens in peace; they see no bad dreams; gods protect them and humans love them; poison does not affect them and weapons do not harm them; fire and water do not destroy them.'

82.65

A verse in the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya also says:

82.66

Forbearance is the supreme path; / The Buddha taught that unconditioned is best. / One who leaves household life yet torments others / Is not called a śramaṇa.

82.67

The Sutra of the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching also says: 'Only one who can practice forbearance may be called a powerful, great person.'

82.68

A sūtra also says: 'Seeing another's fault, the mouth must not speak of it; if there is evil in oneself, one should reveal it.'

82.69

A secular book also says: 'Hearing of another's fault is like hearing one's parents' names: the ear may hear it, but the mouth must not speak it.'

82.70

A sūtra also says: 'Praise another's goodness; do not speak of your own excellence.'

82.71

A secular book also says: 'The gentleman extols the goodness of others and does not boast of his own merit.'

82.72

A sūtra also says: 'In giving, do not look for a return from the other. If one receives another's favour, even of the thickness of a hair or more, one should make vows and receive it with shame and humility.'

82.73

A secular book also says: 'If you have done a favour for someone, may you forget it; if someone has done a favour for you, may you never forget it.'

82.74

It also says: 'When giving to others, take care not to dwell on it; when receiving a gift, take care not to forget it.'

82.75

A sūtra also says: 'Treating oneself as an analogy, do not kill and do not use the stick.'

82.76

A secular book also says: 'What you do not desire for yourself, do not do to others.' One should know that the inner and outer teachings are fundamentally the same at root. Although their external forms differ between black and white, their establishment of practice is without difference. If one goes against this principle, one becomes identical to the vulgar, so how can one follow either the inner or outer? As a sūtra says: 'The Buddha expounds the Dharma for sentient beings to sever ignorance and delusion, just like a skilled physician dispensing medicine according to the disease.' This is called the inner teaching.

82.77

A secular book also says: 'The Way of Heaven shows no partiality; it fosters only benevolence.' This is called the outer teaching.

82.78

Furthermore, if one who has left household life can contemplate suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self, abhorring saṃsāra and aspiring to transcend the world, this is to follow the inner. If one goes against this practice, one turns instead into an outer worldly person. As for householders, if they can cast aside worldly sentiments, aspire toward high ideals, single-mindedly revere the Three Jewels, cultivate the four virtues, and practice filial piety, fraternal respect, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, chastity, harmony, love, and respect—if they can carry out these practices, they turn instead to be aligned with the inner. If they violate these principles, they are no different from non-Buddhists. If worldly people can follow the inner teaching, they will awaken to true principle, their minds will constantly accord with the Way, and they will gradually advance along the superior path until reaching bodhi. Since this is known, if one wishes to engage in this practice, one must only humble oneself and accord virtue to others—like a dust cloth gathering filth to itself and offering cleanliness to others. Therefore a sūtra says: 'Attaining through yielding is the Buddha Path.'

82.79

Therefore a secular book says: 'The gentleman attains it through yielding.' For this reason, one must constantly consider others superior and constantly reprove oneself.

82.80

Subsection on the Virtues of Forbearance, Part 3

82.81

As the Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra says: 'The third [pāramitā], forbearance, has ten matters: first, not contemplating the marks of self and what belongs to self; second, not thinking of social lineage; third, destroying arrogance; fourth, not retaliating when evil comes; fifth, contemplating the notion of impermanence; sixth, cultivating loving-kindness and compassion; seventh, the mind not being negligent; eighth, relinquishing matters such as hunger, thirst, suffering, and pleasure; ninth, severing anger; tenth, cultivating wisdom. If someone can accomplish these ten matters, know that this person can cultivate forbearance.'

82.82

The Candrapradīpa-samādhi Sūtra also says: 'The Buddha said: If a bodhisattva abides in benevolent forbearance, there are ten kinds of benefit. What are the ten? First, fire cannot burn him; second, knives cannot cut him; third, poison cannot affect him; fourth, water cannot drown him; fifth, he is protected by non-humans; sixth, he attains the adornment of bodily marks; seventh, he closes off the evil realms; eighth, he is born in the Brahma realm according to his wish; ninth, he is always at peace day and night; tenth, his body is never separated from joy and pleasure.' Furthermore, the Siṃha-samādhi Sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: Forbearance has six matters that attain all-knowledge. What are the six? First, attaining bodily power; second, attaining vocal power; third, attaining mental power; fourth, attaining the power of supernatural bases; fifth, attaining the power of the path; sixth, attaining the power of wisdom.'

82.83

The Sūtra of the Collection of the Six Pāramitās also says: 'Furthermore, there are four kinds of forbearance endowed with wisdom. What are the four? First, when seeking the Dharma, enduring the evil revilement of others; second, when seeking the Dharma, not avoiding hunger, thirst, cold, heat, wind, and rain; third, when seeking the Dharma, according with the conduct of the upādhyāya and ācārya; fourth, when seeking the Dharma, being able to bear emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.'

82.84

A verse in the Sūtra on the Bhikṣu Avoiding the Bad Reputation of Women also says:

82.85

Though he hears much ill repute, / the practitioner of austerities endures it.
He should not bitterly bewail himself, / nor should he give rise to affliction.
One who is terrified upon hearing sounds / is like a beast in the forest;
Such a flighty, restless sentient being / cannot accomplish the Dharma of leaving home.
A benevolent one should be able to withstand / harsh voices, whether low, middling, or high.
One who holds the mind firm and steadfast / embodies the Dharma of leaving home.
It is not by another's words / that you are made a bandit,
Nor is it by another's words / that you obtain arhatship.
As you know yourself, / so too do the gods know.

82.86

Section 4: Citations of Proof

82.87

As the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says: The Buddha told the monks, "In a past age, by the edge of an araṇya pond, there were two wild geese who became close friends with a turtle. Later, the pond dried up. The two geese conferred, saying: 'Now this pond has dried up, and our friend will surely suffer great hardship.' Having conferred, they said to the turtle: 'This pond has dried up, and you have no way to survive. You may bite onto a stick of wood, and we will each hold an end in our beaks to carry you to a large body of water. While holding the stick in your mouth, be very careful not to speak.' The turtle then bit onto it. As they passed over a village, the young children saw them and all said, 'The geese are carrying off a turtle!' The turtle became angry and said, 'What business is it of yours?!' Thereupon he lost hold of the stick, fell to the ground, and died. At that time, on this account, the World-Honoured One spoke a verse:"

82.88

"When a person is born, / an axe is in his mouth; / that which he chops himself with
Is his own evil speech. / What should be reviled he instead praises; / what should be praised he instead reviles.
He personally suffers his own misfortune / and ultimately has no more joy."

82.89

The Buddha said: "The turtle was Devadatta. In the past, through angry speech, he brought upon himself the suffering of death; now, again, out of anger he reviles the Tathāgata and falls into the great hells."

82.90

Furthermore, the Dharmapada-avadāna-sūtra says: In the past, before Rāhula attained the Way, his mind and nature were crude and coarse, and his speech had little truthfulness. The Buddha ordered Rāhula: "Go to the Xiandi Monastery and dwell there; guard your mouth, restrain your thoughts, and diligently cultivate the scriptures and precepts." Rāhula accepted the instruction, bowed, and departed. Dwelling there for ninety days, he felt shame and repented incessantly day and night. The Buddha went to see him. Rāhula joyfully stepped forward, bowed to the Buddha, and arranged a rope couch for him to sit on. The Buddha sat cross-legged on the rope couch and said to Rāhula: "Take the basin, fetch water, and wash my feet." Rāhula accepted the instruction and washed the Buddha's feet. When the washing was finished, the Buddha said to Rāhula: "Do you see the foot-washing water in the basin or not?" Rāhula said to the Buddha: "Indeed, I see it." The Buddha said to Rāhula: "Can this water be used for food and drink or not?" Rāhula said: "It cannot be used again. Why? This water was originally pure, but now, because of washing feet, it has received dust and dirt; therefore, it cannot be used again." The Buddha said to Rāhula: "You are also like this. Although you are my son and the grandson of a king, having renounced worldly glory and wealth to become a śramaṇa, you do not reflect on diligence, nor do you restrain your body and guard your mouth. The filth of the three poisons fills your breast. You are just like this water, which cannot be used again." The Buddha said to Rāhula: "Discard the water in the basin." Rāhula discarded it at once. The Buddha said to Rāhula: "Although the basin is empty, can it be used to hold food and drink or not?" He said to the Buddha: "It cannot be used again. Why? Because it bears the name of a foot-washing basin and has previously held impurity." The Buddha said to Rāhula: "You are also like this. Although you are a śramaṇa, your mouth has no truthfulness, your mind and nature are stubborn and unbending, you do not reflect on diligence, and you have previously incurred ill repute. You are also like a foot-washing basin, unfit to hold food." The Buddha tapped the basin with his toe; immediately it rolled and tumbled, bounding and falling several times before stopping. The Buddha said to Rāhula: "Do you cherish this basin or fear that it might break?" Rāhula said to the Buddha: "A vessel for washing feet is a cheap thing; though in my mind I would prefer it not break, I do not care for it deeply." The Buddha said to Rāhula: "You are also like this. Although you are a śramaṇa, you do not restrain your body and mouth; your crude words and evil speech cause much injury. You are not loved by the multitude, nor are you cherished by the wise. When your body dies and your consciousness departs, you will revolve in the three wretched realms, bringing suffering and distress upon yourself, unloved and uncherished by the immeasurable Buddhas, worthies, and sages—just as you say you do not cherish the basin." When Rāhula heard this, he felt shame and terror. "It is like a war elephant: though its two tusks, two ears, four legs, and tail—nine weapons—are fully equipped, it must first protect its trunk. Why? Because the elephant's trunk is soft and fragile; if struck by an arrow, it dies immediately. When a person commits the nine evils, he must only guard his mouth. Why guard the mouth? He must fear the three wretched realms. If he commits all ten evils and does not guard his mouth, it is like an elephant damaging its trunk. A person who commits the ten evils does not consider the poisonous pain and bitter hardship of the three wretched realms." He then spoke a verse:

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法苑珠林 — 道世, Classical Chinese