法苑珠林 87.26

87.26

Furthermore, the Jiaoliang gongde jing states: If the four great continents were filled with attainers of the fruits of the two vehicles, and someone made offerings to them for the rest of their life and even erected stūpas, it would not equal the inconceivable merit obtained by a man or woman who speaks thus: 'I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha.' Because among all blessings, only the Three Jewels are supreme. If one gives rise to slander, one incurs boundless sin. Because good and evil follow the same pattern: Jīvaka and Devadatta both drew blood from the Buddha; due to their hearts' goodness or evil, though their lifespans were of the same kalpa, their suffering and pleasure differed.