法苑珠林 82.38

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."