法苑珠林 92.79

92.79

Accounts of Sympathetic Resonance: (Above, there have been a great many among both monastics and laity who, unable to overcome fame and profit, suffered immediate retribution. These are scattered across various sections, so here I briefly cite a single verified account without elaborating at length. Time and again one sees ignorant laypeople who, seeing the Buddha reprimand his disciples, immediately consider themselves to be good people and single-mindedly look for the faults of the saṃgha. According to what the sūtras explain, the transgressions of a layperson are like grease on black clothes: although the garment has external dirt, one does not notice another color. A person who has left home is like clean fine cotton: although even a fly's speck lightly soils it, one notices immediately and it is easily removed. Therefore, when a layperson commits a transgression and enters hell, it is like a stone sinking in water, with no time of emergence. When a person who has left home commits a transgression and enters hell, it is like striking a ball against the ground—it bounces right back up. Why is this? Because when committing the transgression, they feel extreme shame, and having done it, they immediately repent. It is also like a drop of water on a hot pan: as it drops it seems moist, but though moist, it quickly dries up. Why is this? Because of the smoke and fire. When a worldly person commits a transgression and enters hell, it is like an arrow being shot: there is no notion of it turning back. It is also like using an iron mallet to drive into deep mud: there is no notion of emergence. Why is this? Because of their deeply malicious mind. It is also like an old elephant entering mud, lacking the strength to get out. If they are wealthy and noble, they immediately give rise to egotistical pride, recklessly trespassing against the Three Jewels and killing at will. Greedily clinging to wealth and sex day and night without satiety, they feel no shame—how do they differ from beasts? On the contrary, they slander the worthy and good, and treat the Buddha-Dharma with contempt. Reflecting quietly upon this matter, it is truly heartbreaking. If they are poor and base, they covet food and clothing, driven by royal labor service, troubled by public and private duties, striving day and night. Those without faith suffer total deprivation of clothing and food, distress pressing closely upon their bodies. They rob and strip the Three Jewels, steal from their six relations, support their wives and children, and preserve their own physical lives. Hence, they move from suffering to suffering, their suffering pervading the ten directions; from darkness they enter darkness, darkening the Dharma realm. Bodhisattvas frown over this, and the Buddhas weep tears of blood at this. Suddenly contemplating this truth, the grief and pain become even deeper.)