諸經要集 13.47

13.47

Now, where there is a form, a shadow appears; where there is a sound, an echo responds. One has never seen a form remain while the shadow vanishes, or a sound continue while the echo departs. The mutual retribution of good and evil is an evident principle. It is my earnest wish that you have deep faith and do not doubt what will follow. The light and heavy retributions of suffering are detailed below. If with the body one commits the killing of living beings, or skins, cuts, minces, and slices them, roasts and boils clams and oysters, flies falcons and runs hounds to hunt living beings, one will fall into the hell of butchering, tearing, chopping, and cutting. If one steams, boils, roasts, or scorches living beings, one will fall into the hell of the cauldron of boiling water and burning coals. Because of such killing of living beings, in hell one fully undergoes extreme suffering for exhaustive years and endless eons. When this suffering has ended, one falls again into the animal realm, becoming cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, donkeys, mules, camels, chickens, dogs, fish, birds, clams, and crabs, to be killed by humans. Species such as snails and clams do not complete their lifespans, but have their flesh used to provide dishes and preserves. Among beasts and birds in the mountains, they undergo measureless births and deaths; without some minute good, there will never be a time of release. If by chance they possess a fragment of merit and weakly regain human form, they may miscarry in the womb, die at birth, or die at ten or twenty years of age before acquiring understanding. Going from darkness into darkness, they are objects of pity. One should know that short lifespans are all caused by killing living beings.