法苑珠林 93.8

93.8

At that time, King Prasenajit said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, as the Buddha has said, when the mind is joyful and does not generate evil karma, this is called 'contaminated goodness'; yet that is not so. Why is this? When a person drinks liquor, their mind is joyful. Because the mind is joyful, afflictions do not arise. Because there are no afflictions, one does not commit harm. Because one does not harm living things, the three types of activity are pure. The path of purity is precisely uncontaminated karma. World-Honoured One, I recall that formerly, when going on a hunting expedition, I forgot to take the head cook along. In the deep mountains I felt hungry and demanded food. Those in attendance replied: 'When the king departed this morning, no order was given to bring the head cook; therefore at present there is no food.' Having heard these words, I galloped back to the palace and ordered food to be provided. The supervisor of the royal kitchen was named Śukla. Śukla said: 'There is no ready-made food at the moment; it will now be prepared.' Pressed by hunger at that time, I fell into a rage without reflection and ordered the ministers to execute the kitchen supervisor. Upon receiving the king's order, the ministers consulted together, saying: 'Searching through the whole kingdom, this is the only man who is loyal, upright, and serves straightforwardly. If we kill him now, there will be no one else capable of supervising the kitchen for the king and pleasing his wishes.' At that time Queen Mallikā heard the king's order to kill Śukla, and she felt great pity and concern. Knowing that the king was hungry and exhausted, she immediately ordered fine meat and delicious liquor to be prepared, bathed in famous perfumes, adorned her body, and, taking along various courtesans, came to my presence. When I saw the queen exquisitely adorned, leading courtesans and bringing fine liquor and meat, my angry mind instantly ceased. Why was this? Queen Mallikā upheld the five precepts and had severed liquor, not drinking it; I had always resented this. Today she suddenly brought liquor and meat to make merry together and display affection; thereupon I drank liquor and ate meat with the queen, making various sorts of music, joyful and merry, and my wrathful mind was extinguished. The queen, knowing that I had forgotten my anger, immediately sent a eunuch to convey my command without authorization, bidding him tell the ministers outside not to kill the kitchen supervisor. They complied with the command. When the next morning came, I felt deep remorse, was sorrowful and did not eat, and my complexion was haggard. The queen asked me: 'Why are you sorrowful? What troubles you?' I said: 'Yesterday, pressed by the fire of hunger, out of a wrathful mind I had Śukla killed. Considering it myself, there is no one else in the kingdom capable of supervising my kitchen like Śukla. It is for this reason that I feel remorse and sorrow.' The queen smiled and said: 'That man is still alive. May the king not grieve.' I asked again: 'Is it truly so, or is it in jest?' She replied: 'He is truly alive; it is not in jest.' I ordered my attendants to summon the kitchen supervisor. The messenger went to summon him, and in an instant brought him. I was exceedingly joyful, and my sorrow and remorse were immediately dispelled." The king said to the Buddha: "Queen Mallikā upholds the Buddha's five precepts and observes the six days of purification each month. In a single day, of the lifelong five precepts, she already violated the two precepts against drinking liquor and false speech; and among the eight purification precepts, she abruptly violated six precepts. How is this matter? Is the guilt of the precepts she violated light or heavy?" The World-Honoured One answered: "By violating the precepts in such a manner, she obtained great merit and was free of guilt. Why is this? Because it was done for the sake of benefit. As I said before, when the queen cultivates goodness, there are altogether two kinds: the first is contaminated goodness, and the second is uncontaminated goodness. The precepts that Queen Mallikā violated enter into contaminated goodness; those she did not violate are called uncontaminated goodness. If one relies on literal words, breaking precepts to cultivate goodness is called contaminated goodness; if one relies on the implicit meaning, whatever goodness arises from an ordinary mind is uncontaminated karma." The king said to the Buddha: "As the World-Honoured One has said, when Queen Mallikā drank liquor and broke the precepts without generating an evil mind, she obtained merit and had no retribution of guilt; all the common people are also likewise. Why is this? I recall that recently in the city of Śrāvastī there were various eminent kṣatriya nobles and lords who, on account of a petty dispute, gave rise to great enmity. Each hatched plots and raised troops to attack one another. Both families were royal relatives; they could not be arrested, yet they were engaged in clamorous combat and would not listen to rational admonition, which caused me deep concern. I also thought to myself: 'Formerly, when I was crown prince, I was angry with the great minister Dīrgha; our feelings could not be reconciled, and I intended to execute him. Because the queen mother gave us liquor to drink, our feelings harmonized.' Having reflected thus, I immediately ordered loyal ministers to prepare fine liquor and various sweet delicacies, and sent orders to proclaim to the eminent clans, ministers, officials, and commoners throughout the kingdom that all should assemble, as there was a great national affair to discuss. The disputing ministers and both factions of retinues numbered five hundred each; answering the summons, they assembled. In the royal hall great music was arranged. The king ordered loyal ministers to prepare lapis lazuli bowls, each bowl holding three sheng. The various precious bowls were filled with fine liquor. Before the assembly, I first gulped down a bowl. The king said: 'Today we discuss state affairs, and I presume there are no dissenting intentions. Today everyone must empty this one bowl of fine nectar medicine before we discuss affairs.' All said: 'We shall obey.' Great music was played and sung. When the people obtained the liquor and heard the music, their minds were joyful and they forgot their feuds and hatred. Because of liquor, disputes ceased and great peace was obtained. How could this not be the merit of liquor? In secret I see the poor, low, common people, slaves, servants, maids, and barbarian peoples of the world gathering to drink liquor either on festivals or in wine shops. Because of their joyful minds, without needing anyone to teach them, they all begin to dance. When they have not had liquor, there is never such a thing. Therefore one should know that when people drink liquor, it leads to joy. When the mind is joyful, evil thoughts do not arise. When evil thoughts do not arise, this is precisely a good mind. Through the causes and conditions of a good mind, one should receive good retribution. Even monkeys, when getting liquor, are able to dance, not to mention people of the world! As the World-Honoured One said, giving goodness brings good retribution, and giving evil brings evil retribution. Queen Mallikā, entirely because in a previous life she liked to give to others, now receives a good retribution. World-Honoured One, why do you make people uphold the five precepts and observe the six days of purification each month? On the six days of purification, one must not wear adornments, fragrances, flowers, or fine clothing, nor play music or sing, nor is one permitted to approach one's husband with endearing charms. What purpose does this serve in the end? Its merit is praised in vain—is this not suffering?" The Buddha told the king: "What the great king objects to is not without reason. Yet when Queen Mallikā was young, had I not instructed her to receive the rules of the precepts and cultivate wisdom, how could she have today's virtue so as to be able to cross over herself and further cross over the king's person? To whom else would merit such as this belong?"