諸經要集 13.36

13.36

As stated in the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā: 'One who understands indeterminate dharmas well knows that before dharmas arise, they cannot be differentiated.' As the Buddha said in the Karmavibhaṅga-sūtra, the Buddha addressed Ānanda: 'There are persons who perform good deeds with the body, perform good deeds with speech, and perform good deeds with the mind, yet when their lives end they fall into hell. There are persons who perform evil deeds with the body, perform evil deeds with speech, and perform evil deeds with the mind, yet when their lives end they are born in heaven.' Ānanda said to the Buddha: 'For what reason is it so?' The Buddha said: 'The causes and conditions of such a person's sins or merits from past lives have already ripened, while the causes and conditions of their sins or merits from this life have not yet ripened. Or, when approaching the end of life, right view or wrong view, a wholesome or unwholesome mind arises, and because the mind at the verge of death has great power.' Furthermore, the Ekottarika-āgama says: At that time, the Bhagavat addressed the bhikṣus: 'There are four types of persons who now appear in the world. What are the four? There is a person who suffers first and is happy later; there is a person who is happy first and suffers later; there is a person who suffers first and suffers later; there is a person who is happy first and is happy later. What is a person who suffers first and is happy later? Suppose there is a person born into a low and base family, lacking sufficient food and clothing, yet without wrong views. Because they know the retribution of the virtue of giving in former days, by which one obtains birth in a wealthy and noble family, and that by failing to practice the virtue of giving one constantly encounters poverty, baseness, and lack of food and clothing, they then repent and alter their past deeds, sharing whatever remainder they have equally with others. If born among humans, they will have abundant wealth and plentiful treasures with no deficiency. This is called a person who suffers first and is happy later. What kind of person is happy first and suffers later? Suppose there is a person born into a noble family with abundant food and clothing, yet that person constantly harbors wrong views, which correspond with extreme views. Later they are born into hell; if they manage to become human, they are born into an impoverished family without food or clothing. This is called a person who is happy first and suffers later. What kind of person suffers first and suffers later? Suppose there is a person born first into a low and base family, lacking sufficient food and clothing, yet they harbor wrong views, which correspond with extreme views. Later they are born into hell; if born among humans, they are exceedingly poor and base, lacking sufficient food and clothing. This is called suffering first and suffering later. What kind of person is happy first and is happy later? Suppose there is a person born first into a wealthy and noble family, with abundant wealth and plentiful treasures, who reveres the Three Honored Ones and constantly practices giving. Later they are born among humans or gods, constantly experiencing wealth, nobility, and an abundance of wealth and treasures. This is called a person who is happy first and is happy later.'