法苑珠林 83.22

83.22

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: Bodily vigor is minor; mental vigor is major. External vigor is minor; internal vigor is major. Moreover, the Buddha taught that the power of mental karma is great; for instance, when a ṛṣi becomes angry, he can cause a great kingdom to be obliterated. Moreover, when body and speech commit the five grave sins, their great retribution is one kalpa in the Avīci hell; yet under the power of mental karma, one can be born in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception with a lifespan of eighty thousand mahākalpas, or have an immeasurable lifespan in the Buddha-lands of the ten directions. For this reason, vigor of body and speech is minor, whereas vigor of mind is major. In this way, the various sūtras extensively praise vigor: with single-minded right mindfulness one quickly attains the fruits of the Way; it is not necessary to have broad learning.