諸經要集 2
English (machine translation) 2
- Language
- English
2.1
Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Monastery
2.2
Section 2: Revering the Dharma (this has eight topics)
Section 3: Revering the Saṃgha (this has three topics)
2.3
1. Expressing the Intent
2. Preaching the Dharma
3. Listening to the Dharma
4. The Gradual and the Sudden
5. Seeking the Dharma
6. Resonating with Blessings
7. Repaying Kindness
8. Slandering the Dharma
2.4
First: Expressing the Intent
2.5
I have heard that quiescent cessation is unmoving, and thus without form and without words; yet responding to stimulus it penetrates through, and so there are names and teachings. Therefore, a four-line verse is difficult to hear, while the fire of the trichiliocosm is easy to enter. May it be that in the freezing cold and quiet night, under the bright moon during the long hours, dwelling alone in leisure, one recites the scriptures, voicing the musical tones, with words clear and distinct and the flavor of the phrases flowing beautifully, the cadence and rhymes harmonizing to please the hearts of the multitude, benefiting the goodness of living beings! This is sufficient to make dark spirits leap with joy and minds feel delight. With long practice and mastery, the text and meaning are thoroughly understood, and with reverent mind one recites with earnest devotion, his utmost sincerity secretly moving [the unseen]. Indeed we know that upholding a single verse brings vast and profound blessings, and copying a single word produces merit surpassing accumulated kalpas. Thus Kāśyapa received it on his crown without begrudging flaying his skin, and Sattva rejoiced in his heart without hesitating to shed his blood. This is the initial portal of the nectar and the ultimate virtue of entering the Path.
2.6
Second: Preaching the Dharma
2.7
When a Dharma master ascends the seat, he must first pay homage to the Triratna, purify his own mind, observe the time and select the audience, have the intention of compassion, and rescue and benefit living beings; only then should he preach. Therefore the Bao'en jing says: 'If the listener sits while the preacher stands, one should not preach for him. If the listener seeks faults in the preacher, one should not preach for him. If the listener relies on the person and not on the Dharma, relies on the letter and not on the meaning, relies on sūtras of provisional meaning and not on sūtras of definitive meaning, relies on consciousness and not on wisdom, for all such one should not preach. Why? Because such a person cannot venerate the pure Dharma of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. If one preaches with respect for the Dharma, the listener will also give rise to reverence and listen with earnest mind without giving rise to disdain. This is called pure preaching.'
2.8
Furthermore, the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya states: 'Eliminate the mind of greed, do not have a mind of self-deprecation, do not have a mind that disdains the assembly, [maintain] a mind of loving-kindness, a mind of joy, a mind to benefit, and an unshakeable mind. Establishing such minds, even if one expounds only a single four-line verse, causing the other person to understand it as it truly is, it will bring peace, joy, and immeasurable benefit throughout the long night.'
2.9
Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa-sūtra states: 'If someone upholds, reads, recites, copies, and expounds [the scripture] at the wrong time, in the wrong country, without being requested to preach, preaching with a slighting mind, looking down on others while praising oneself, preaching haphazardly wherever he is, he on the contrary destroys the Buddha-Dharma, even causing countless people to die and fall into hell. Such a one is an evil acquaintance of sentient beings.'
2.10
Furthermore, the Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya states: 'There are five kinds of people to whom the Dharma should not be preached when they ask: first, those who ask to test; second, those who ask without doubt; third, those who ask not for the purpose of repenting an offense; fourth, those who ask with no intention of accepting instruction; fifth, those who ask to interrogate and find fault. To all of these one must not respond. If the person truly has a good mind, does not possess the aforesaid intentions, and wishes to give rise to good and eradicate evil, the Dharma master should preach for him with a good mind, adapting to the occasion through skillful means. If one's own understanding is not yet clear, or if one has doubts about the Dharma, one must not preach it, for fear of causing the other person to receive an erroneous transmission, so that both parties commit an offense.'
2.11
Furthermore, the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra states: 'The Buddha said: One who abides in accordance with the Dharma can benefit both self and others; one who does not abide in accordance with the Dharma cannot be said to benefit self and others. One who abides in accordance with the Dharma possesses eight knowledges. What are the eight? First, knowledge of phenomena; second, knowledge of meaning; third, knowledge of time; fourth, knowledge of contentment; fifth, knowledge of self and other; sixth, knowledge of the assembly; seventh, knowledge of faculties; eighth, knowledge of superior and inferior. When this person is endowed with these eight knowledges, in whatever he preaches he is endowed with sixteen things: first, preaching at the proper time; second, preaching with earnest mind; third, preaching in sequential order; fourth, preaching in harmony; fifth, preaching in accord with meaning; sixth, preaching with joy; seventh, preaching as appropriate; eighth, preaching without disdaining the assembly; ninth, preaching without rebuking the assembly; tenth, preaching in accordance with the Dharma; eleventh, preaching for the benefit of self and others; twelfth, preaching without distraction; thirteenth, preaching matching the meaning; fourteenth, preaching truly and correctly; fifteenth, not giving rise to arrogance after preaching; sixteenth, not seeking future recompense after preaching. Such a person is able to listen from others.'
2.12
Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra states: 'If a sentient being uprightly practices good karma and preaches a single verse of Dharma to a person of wrong views, causing him to have pure faith in the Buddha, at the end of his life he will be born in the Heaven of Responsive Sound and enjoy various pleasures; falling back from heaven, he will transmigrate according to his karma. If one preaches the Dharma to others for the sake of wealth and goods, and not with a compassionate mind to benefit sentient beings, and accepts wealth and goods, or uses them to drink alcohol, or drinks and eats together with women, like the ways of actors who sell themselves seeking wealth, the fruit of such Dharma-giving is very slight: he will be born in the heavens as a wise bird capable of reciting verses; this is called inferior Dharma-giving. What is called middling Dharma-giving? If one preaches the Dharma to others for the sake of fame, for the sake of surpassing others, for the sake of excelling other great Dharma masters, or preaches the Dharma to others with a jealous mind, the recompense obtained from such Dharma-giving is also small: he will be born in heaven to receive an ordinary distinctive recompense, or be born among humans; this is called middling Dharma-giving. What is called superior Dharma-giving? If with a pure mind and wishing to increase the wisdom of sentient beings, one preaches the Dharma not for wealth or profit, but to cause sentient beings of wrong views to abide in the right Dharma, such Dharma-giving benefits oneself and benefits others, is unsurpassed and supreme, and its blessings will not be exhausted even up to nirvāṇa; this is called superior Dharma-giving.'
2.13
Furthermore, in the Kāśyapa-sūtra, at that time the Bhagavat spoke in verse, saying:
2.14
"The great trichiliocosm / Filled within with rare jewels: / If one uses these for dāna, / The merit gained is small. / If one preaches a single verse of Dharma, / The merit is exceedingly great. / If one takes all the requisites of pleasure in the three realms / And gives them entirely to one person, / It does not equal the gift of a single verse; / The merit [of the verse] is supreme. / This merit surpasses that, / Being able to leave all suffering and affliction. / If worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges / Were filled within with rare jewels, / And given to all the Tathāgatas, / It would not equal the gift of a single Dharma. / Though the blessing of giving jewels is great, / It cannot match the gift of a single Dharma. / The blessing of a single verse is already superior; / How much more so many verses—inconceivable!"
2.15
Furthermore, the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā states: "Laypersons should practice the gift of wealth; monastics should practice the gift of Dharma. Why? Because a layperson's gift of Dharma does not equal that of a monastic. This is because those who listen to and receive the Dharma have shallower faith in laypersons. Furthermore, laypersons possess much wealth; monastics are well-versed in reading and reciting the sūtras and teachings, explaining them to others without fear before the assembly, which is not something laypersons can equal. Moreover, in causing listeners to give rise to reverence, they do not equal monastics; and in wishing to preach the Dharma to subdue people's minds, they do not equal monastics. As a verse says:"
2.16
First cultivate the teaching oneself,
and only then instruct others;
one may then make this statement:
"Follow what I practice."
If oneself acts unwholesomely,
how could one cause another to be wholesome?
If oneself has not attained tranquil cessation,
how could one cause another to be tranquil?
2.17
Furthermore, if a person who has left household life practices material giving, it obstructs other wholesome [practices]. They distance themselves from the araṇya (forest dwellings) and inevitably go into villages, dealing with white-robed laypeople and engaging in much talk, which arouses the three poisons; their mind toward the six pāramitās and so forth becomes weak, until they crave and cling to the five desires and abandon the precepts to return to lay life. Therefore it is called death. Or they may violate the precepts and easily commit grave offenses; these are called death and other such afflictions and sufferings. For this reason, for those who have left household life, the gift of the Dharma is praised, while for those at home, the gift of material wealth is praised.
2.18
Furthermore, the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: "Those who preach the Dharma have five qualities. First, the gift of the Dharma benefits both oneself and others, while the gift of material wealth does not. Second, the gift of the Dharma can cause sentient beings to emerge from the three realms, while the gift of material wealth does not take them out of the desire realm. Third, the gift of the Dharma benefits the dharmakāya, while the gift of material wealth merely nourishes the physical body. Fourth, the gift of the Dharma increases inexhaustibly, while the gift of material wealth is bound to run out. Fifth, the gift of the Dharma can cut off ignorance, while the gift of material wealth only suppresses greed." Thus we know that material giving does not equal [the giving of] the Dharma. Within the gift of the Dharma itself, there are gradations: if someone has an understanding and does not want others to know it, fearing that others will surpass them and concealing it without speaking, then throughout their future lives they will never hear the Dharma.
2.19
Furthermore, the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "If one is stingy with the Dharma, one will constantly be reborn in the border regions where there is no Buddha-Dharma. Because of stinginess with the Dharma, one obstructs the luminous wisdom of others. This is worse than selling the Dharma; [even] another person [who sells it] is conversely superior to this."
2.20
Furthermore, the *Sarvadharmagahanaviśuddhavirājadharma-sūtra* says: "If all the sentient beings on water, on land, and moving through the sky within Jambudvīpa were entirely to obtain human bodies, and if there were a person who instructed all these people, causing them to dwell peacefully in the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds, the merit they obtain would not be as great as that of someone who instructs and admonishes a single person, causing them to attain faith and practice."
2.21
Furthermore, the *Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā* says: "There are four things that can cause the regression and loss of wisdom, which bodhisattvas should stay far away from. What are the four? First, not revering the Dharma and those who preach the Dharma. Second, concealing and being stingy with essential teachings. Third, creating obstacles for those who delight in the Dharma and ruining their intent to listen. Fourth, harboring arrogance, exalting oneself, and disparaging others. There are also four things through which one attains wisdom, which one should constantly practice. What are the four? First, revering the Dharma and those who preach the Dharma. Second, according to the Dharma one has heard and recited, preaching it for others with a pure mind, seeking neither gain nor offerings. Third, knowing that wisdom is attained through extensive learning, diligently seeking it without ceasing, as if putting out a fire on one's own head. Fourth, retaining without forgetting the Dharma as one has heard it, valuing practicing as preached and not valuing mere talk."
2.22
Conditions for Hearing the Dharma, Part Three
2.23
When one wishes to listen to the Dharma, one must have a true mind, respect the Dharma and revere the person [teaching it], and with utmost sincerity seek transcendence, not longing for human or heavenly conditioned states. Therefore, in the Āgama-sūtras the Buddha spoke a verse, saying:
2.24
The listener focuses their mind like one who thirsts for drink,
with single-minded concentration entering into the spoken meaning;
hearing the Dharma, they leap with joy, their heart filled with sorrow and delight—
for such a person, it may be preached.
2.25
Furthermore, the *Upāsakaśīla-sūtra* says: "When listening from another, one should be endowed with sixteen things: first, listening at the proper time; second, listening with delight; third, listening with utmost sincerity; fourth, listening with reverence; fifth, listening without seeking faults; sixth, listening not for the sake of debate; seventh, listening not for the sake of victory; eighth, when listening, not disparaging the preacher; ninth, when listening, not disparaging the Dharma; tenth, when listening, never disparaging oneself; eleventh, when listening, remaining far from the five hindrances; twelfth, when listening, doing so to uphold and recite it; thirteenth, when listening, doing so to eliminate the five desires; fourteenth, when listening, doing so to perfect faith; fifteenth, when listening, doing so for the sake of all sentient beings; sixteenth, when listening, doing so to sever the roots of darkness. Good sons, one who possesses eight kinds of wisdom is able to preach and able to listen. Such a person can benefit both self and others. One who is not fully endowed with them cannot be said to benefit oneself and benefit others."
2.26
Furthermore, the *Aśokarāja-sūtra* says: "In the past, King Aśoka had a man of the Way preach the Dharma. At that time, a curtained corridor was used to screen the women so that they could listen to the Dharma. Then the Dharma master preached the Dharma for the women, constantly preaching on generosity, on morality, and on rebirth in heaven. There was a woman who was willing to break the king's law: she parted the curtain, went before the Dharma master, and asked him: 'When the Tathāgata, the Great Awakened One, awakened to all dharmas beneath the bodhi tree, did he awaken to generosity and morality, or did he awaken to other dharmas as well?' The Dharma master answered: 'The Buddha awakened to the fact that all conditioned phenomena with outflows are suffering, just like molten iron; the cause of this suffering arises from habituated craving, just like a poisonous tree; and cultivating the Eightfold Noble Path is how to extinguish suffering and its accumulation.' Hearing these words, this woman attained the stage of srotāpanna. Tying a sword to her neck, she went to where the king was and said to the king: 'Today I have violated the king's grave law. I pray the king punish me according to the law.' The king asked: 'What offense did you commit?' She replied: 'I broke the king's prohibition and went to where the man of the Way was, just as a thirsty cow does not avoid death. I was truly thirsty for the Buddha-Dharma, and for that reason I rashly intruded to listen to the Dharma.' The king asked: 'When you listened to the Dharma, did you attain anything at all?' She replied: 'I was able to see the four noble truths, understand the skandhas, āyatanas, and dhātus, and know that all the elements are without self, thereby attaining the Dharma-eye.' Hearing these words, the king leaped with joy. He immediately bowed to her, and then issued an order, saying: 'From this day forth, screens and partitions are not permitted. Those who delight in listening to the Dharma are permitted to go straight to the Dharma master's presence and listen to the Dharma face to face.' He praised her, saying: 'How extraordinary! From within my palace has emerged a jewel of a human being!' By these conditions, one should know that listening to the Dharma brings great benefit."
2.27
Furthermore, the *Zabaozang jing* says: "At that time, the country of Pañcāla presented five hundred white wild geese to King Prasenajit. The king ordered them sent to the Jetavana vihāra. At mealtime for the community of monks, people offered food. Seeing the gathering of monks, the geese came and stood before them. The Buddha preached the Dharma with a single voice, and each sentient being understood according to their kind. At that time, the flock of geese also understood the Buddha's words, heard the Dharma with joy, called out to one another in harmony, and returned to the pond. Later, their feathers grew longer and they flew off to another place. A hunter covered them all with a net and killed them. One goose made a cry, and all the geese harmonized with it, recalling the sound from when they heard the Dharma. Supported by this wholesome mind, they were born into the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. In the principle of rebirth in heaven, there are three mindful recollections: first, recalling where one originally came from; second, recalling where one is definitely born; third, recalling what karma one previously performed to be born in heaven. They then reflected and saw of their past lives that they had no other wholesomeness, but had only heard the Dharma beside the Buddha and the saṃgha. Having made this reflection, the five hundred devaputras immediately descended to the Tathāgata's side. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and they all attained srotāpanna. King Prasenajit happened to go to the Buddha's place. He had always seen the five hundred geese lined up before the Buddha, but on that day he did not see them. He then asked the Buddha: 'Where have the geese here gone?' The Buddha said: 'If you wish to see those geese: the previous geese flew to another place and were killed by a hunter, and when their lives ended, they were born in heaven. Now, these five hundred devaputras, who wear fine heavenly crowns and are exceptionally handsome and upright, are them. Today they listened to the Dharma and all attained srotāpanna.' The king asked the Buddha: 'By what karmic conditions did this flock of geese fall among animals, then when their lives ended be born in heaven, and today attain the Way?' The Buddha said: 'In the past, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, five hundred women all took the precepts together. Their resolve was not firm, and they violated the precepts they had received. Because of the conditions of violating the precepts, they fell among animals to take the bodies of these geese. Because they had taken the precepts, they were able to encounter the Tathāgata, hear the Dharma, and attain the Way. Through the conditions of hearing the Dharma while in the bodies of geese, they were born in heaven.'"
2.28
Furthermore, the *Jiu za piyu jing* says: "In the past, there was a śramaṇa who recited the sūtras day and night. A dog crouched under the bed, single-mindedly listening to the sūtras without thinking of food. After years accumulated like this, when its life ended it obtained a human form, being born in the country of Śrāvastī as a girl. When she grew up, seeing a śramaṇa on almsround, she ran and personally took food to give to the śramaṇa with joy. Later she became a bhikṣuṇī and attained the fruit of arhatship." Furthermore, the *Fu fazang jing* says: "The Buddha said: 'All sentient beings wishing to cross the great ocean of saṃsāra of the three realms must rely on the raft of the Dharma to attain deliverance. The Dharma is a cool freshness that removes the fever of afflictions; the Dharma is a wondrous medicine that can cure the sickness of defilements; the Dharma is the true good friend to sentient beings, bringing great benefit and rescuing them from all suffering and distress. Why is this? The nature of the will of all sentient beings is unfixed: they follow what they are dyed with and accustomed to; approaching good, they become good; approaching evil, they become evil. If they approach bad friends, they then create evil karma and transmigrate through birth and death without limit. If they approach good friends, they arouse a mind of faith and reverence, listen to and receive the wondrous Dharma, and are certainly caused to leave behind the suffering and distress of the three wretched realms, and through this merit experience the most supreme bliss.' The king of the country of Pāṭaliputra had a white elephant capable of destroying enemy adversaries. If someone committed a crime, the king had the elephant trample them to death. Later, the elephant stable was burned by fire, and the elephant was moved near a monastery. The elephant heard a bhikṣu reciting a verse from the *Dharmapada*: 'Practicing good leads to rebirth in heaven; practicing evil leads into the abyss.' When the elephant heard the Dharma, its mind became gentle and aroused loving-kindness and compassion. Later, when a criminal was delivered to it, it merely sniffed with its trunk, licked with its tongue, and walked away, completely refusing to kill him. When the king saw this, his mind was greatly terrified. He immediately summoned all his ministers to deliberate on the matter together. A wise minister said to the king: 'Because this elephant was near the monastery, it must have heard the wondrous Dharma; that is why it is so. Now it can be moved to be tied near a slaughterhouse.' The king adopted his words. When the elephant saw slaughtering, its evil mind blazed fiercely, and its cruelty increased even more. Therefore, one should know that the nature of the will of all sentient beings is unfixed: even animals, hearing the Dharma, give rise to kindness, while seeing slaughter, increase their harm—how much more so for humans, who would not be conditioned by habits? Therefore, wise persons should realize this: seeing evil, one must discard it; beholding good, one should approach it; and one should diligently listen to the scriptures and teachings. Furthermore, in the past there was a brahmin who held human skulls, in very great numbers, and went throughout the city of Pāṭaliputra hawking them for sale. After passing much time, there was no one who bought any. The brahmin was then exceedingly angry, and shouted abuses: 'The people of this city are foolish and dull! If you do not buy skulls from me, I will make an evil reputation for you!' At that time, the upāsakas in the city, fearing defamation, took money and bought them. They then used a copper chopstick to pierce their ears: if it passed completely through, they paid a high price; if it passed halfway through, they paid gradually less; and if it did not penetrate at all, they gave no payment at all. The brahmin said: 'My skulls are completely identical; why do you pay unequal, differing prices?' The upāsaka said: 'The one that passed completely through was a person who in life listened to and received the wondrous Dharma, possessing high and supreme wisdom; we value it for being like this and gave a high price. The one that passed halfway through listened to the scriptures and teachings, yet could not skillfully distinguish them; therefore we gave a small price. The one that did not penetrate at all was a person who in the past did not listen to the Dharma at all; therefore we gave no price.' Then the upāsakas took these skulls, went outside the city, and erected stūpas to make offerings to them. After their lives ended, they were all born in heaven. By these conditions, one should know that the wondrous Dharma has great merit. Even these upāsakas, by taking the skulls of those who listened to the Dharma to erect stūpas and make offerings to them, were still able to be born in heaven—how much more so if one can with utmost sincerity listen to and receive the scriptures and teachings, and offer and revere those who uphold the scriptures! The retribution of such merit is truly difficult to fathom, and in the future one will surely achieve the anuttara path. Therefore, wise persons, wishing to attain unexcelled peace and joy, should with utmost sincerity diligently listen to the scriptures and teachings.
2.29
Furthermore, the Xianyu jing says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, in the country of Śrāvastī there was the elder Sudatta. He had faithful reverence for the Buddha-Dharma and acted as a dānapati to the saṃgha, supplying everything the saṃgha needed. Within Sudatta's household there were two parrots: one was named Luti, and the other was named Sheluti. By nature they were clever and intelligent, and they understood human speech. When they saw bhikṣus coming, they would first inform the household so that they would come out to welcome them. Later, Ānanda came to the elder's house. Seeing that the birds were intelligent and clever, he explained the four truths to them: suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path. In front of the gate there was a tree; the two birds, having heard the Dharma, flew up into the tree, joyfully reciting and retaining it. Staying the night in the tree, they were eaten by a wild cat. By virtue of these wholesome roots, they were born in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. Exhausting their lifespans in that heaven, they were born in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven; when their lifespans in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven were exhausted, they were born in Yāma Heaven; when their lifespans in Yāma Heaven were exhausted, they were born in Tuṣita Heaven; when their lifespans in Tuṣita Heaven were exhausted, they were born in Nirmāṇarati Heaven; when their lifespans in Nirmāṇarati Heaven were exhausted, they were born in the sixth heaven, Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. When their lifespans in Paranirmitavaśavartin were exhausted, they were reborn in Nirmāṇarati Heaven. In this order they repeatedly descended all the way back down to the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. When their lifespans in the Four Heavens were exhausted, they repeatedly ascended back up to Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. In this way they went up and down through seven cycles, born in the six desire heavens, freely enjoying pleasures, living out the full lifespans of the six heavens without untimely death. Later, when their lives ended, they were born among humans, left the home life to cultivate the path, and attained [the fruit of] pratyekabuddhas: one was named Damo (Dharma), and the other was named Xiudamo (Sudharma).
2.30
Furthermore, the Xianyu jing says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, there was a bhikṣu chanting sūtras in a forest, his voice elegant and fine. At that time there was a bird who, hearing the Dharma with reverence and love, stayed in a tree listening. Just then, it was shot and killed by a hunter. By virtue of these wholesome roots, it was born in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, its countenance upright and dignified, its radiance shining brightly, without equal. Conscious of its past lives, it knew that it was because of the bhikṣu chanting sūtras and hearing the Dharma that it was born there. It immediately took heavenly flowers and went to the bhikṣu's dwelling, paying homage and making inquiries, and offering the heavenly fragrant flowers to the bhikṣu. The bhikṣu questioned it thoroughly and learned the whole story, whereupon he bade it sit down and expounded the Dharma for it, and it attained srotāpanna. Having attained the fruit, it returned to heaven. If even birds and fowls listening to the Dharma reap boundless retribution of merit, how much more so for a human being! How could listening to the Dharma with a faithful mind fail to bring wholesome retribution?
2.31
Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā (Shanjian lülun) says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, he went to the bank of the Gaggara pond in the country of Campā to preach the Dharma to the assembly. At that time, there was a frog in that pond. Hearing the sound of the Buddha preaching the Dharma by the pond, it came out of the pond and went beneath the roots of the grass to listen to the Buddha preaching the Dharma. At that time, there was a man holding a staff herding cows. Seeing the Buddha seated and preaching the Dharma to the assembly, he went toward the Buddha's dwelling wishing to hear the Dharma. He stuck his staff into the ground, accidentally piercing the frog's head. It died immediately and was born in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Due to the retribution of its merit, its palace measured twelve yojanas in length and breadth, and it enjoyed amusements and pleasures with heavenly maidens. It then rode its palace to the Buddha's dwelling and bowed its head in homage at his feet. The Buddha, knowing full well, asked: "Who are you that you suddenly pay homage at my feet, your supernormal powers and radiance, your primary and secondary marks incomparable, illuminating this place through and through?" The frog devaputra then answered in verse, saying:
2.32
"In the past I had the body of a frog, / Seeking food in the water. / Hearing the sound of the Buddha preaching the Dharma, / I came out to the roots of the grass. / There was a cowherd / Who came carrying a staff to listen to the Dharma; / The point of his staff pierced my head, / And when my life ended I was born in heaven."
2.33
The Buddha used the verse spoken by the frog devaputra to preach the Dharma to the fourfold assembly. At that time, eighty-four thousand people in the assembly all attained the trace of the Path. The frog devaputra attained the fruit of srotāpanna, and departed with a smile.
2.34
4. Conditions of the Gradual and Sudden
2.35
As the Baiyu jing says: In the past there was a settlement located five yojanas from the royal city. In the village there was fine, delicious water. The king ordered the villagers to constantly send this delicious water every day. The villagers grew weary and distressed, and all wished to flee far away from this village. At that time, the village head said to the people: "Do not leave. I will speak to the king on your behalf to change five yojanas into three yojanas, so that it will be near for you and you will not grow weary traveling back and forth." He then went and spoke to the king, and the king changed it for them to three yojanas. The crowd, upon hearing this, was overjoyed. Someone said to them: "This is still the original five yojanas; there is no difference at all." Although they heard these words, because they trusted the king's words, in the end they were unwilling to abandon it. Worldly people are also like this: cultivating the true Dharma, crossing over the five destinies toward the city of nirvāṇa, their minds grow weary and they wish to cast it off, halted amidst saṃsāra, unable to advance further. The Tathāgata, the King of Dharma, possesses great skillful means: within the One Vehicle Dharma, he discriminates and preaches three. People of the Small Vehicle hear this and rejoice, considering it easy to practice; they cultivate goodness and advance in virtue, seeking to cross over saṃsāra. Later, hearing someone say that there are no three vehicles, that it is still just the One Vehicle, because they trust the Buddha's words they are ultimately unwilling to abandon it. Like those villagers, it is just like this.
2.36
Furthermore, the Huayan jing says: Sons of the Buddha! Just as the rising sun first illuminates all the great kings of mountains, next illuminates all the great mountains, illuminates the diamond-jewel mountains, and only then universally illuminates the whole great earth. The sunlight does not form this thought: 'I should first illuminate the great kings of mountains, and gradually down to universally illuminating the great earth.' It is simply because those mountains and lands have heights and depths that the illumination has precedence and succession. The Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Samyaksaṃbuddha, is also like this: having accomplished the sun-disk of wisdom of the immeasurable and boundless dharma-realm, he constantly emits the immeasurable, unobstructed light of wisdom, first illuminating the great kings of mountains such as the bodhisattvas, next illuminating the pratyekabuddhas, next illuminating the śrāvakas, next illuminating sentient beings whose wholesome roots are definitively established, according to how they should be converted, and only then completely illuminating all sentient beings down to those who are stubbornly settled in error, creating for them the causal conditions for future benefit. The sunlight of the Tathāgata's wisdom does not form this thought: 'I will first illuminate the bodhisattvas down to those stubbornly settled in error.' He simply emits the sunlight of great wisdom, universally illuminating everything. Sons of the Buddha! Just as when the sun and moon appear in the world, there are none down to the deep mountains and secluded valleys that they do not universally illuminate. The sun and moon of the Tathāgata's wisdom are also like this: they universally illuminate all things, leaving nothing unclear. It is only because the aspirations and wholesome roots of sentient beings are different that the Tathāgata's light of wisdom has various distinctions.
2.37
Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa-sūtra says: If one could attain nirvāṇa apart from four things, that would be impossible. What are the four? First, drawing close to good friends; second, single-mindedly listening to the Dharma; third, focusing the mind in reflection; fourth, cultivating in accordance with the Dharma. Because of this meaning, the causal condition of listening to the Dharma allows one to draw near to Mahāparinirvāṇa. Why is this? Because it opens the Dharma-eye. There are three kinds of people in the world: the first has no eyes (an analogy for ordinary worldlings); the second has one eye (an analogy for śrāvakas); the third has two eyes (an analogy for bodhisattvas). Those said to have 'no eyes' consistently do not hear the Dharma. As for the person with 'one eye', although they temporarily hear the Dharma, their mind does not abide in it. As for the person with 'two eyes', they single-mindedly listen and accept it, and practice in accordance with what they have heard. Because of listening to the Dharma, one is able to know the world has these three kinds of people.
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5. Conditions for Seeking the Dharma
2.39
As the Zabaozang jing says: The Buddha-Dharma is vast and broad, delivering across without limits; anyone who seeks the path with an earnest mind never fails to attain the fruit, and down even to playful mockery, merit is not in vain. In the past, there was an old bhikṣu, advanced in years and decrepit, his mental faculties muddled and obstructed. Seeing various young bhikṣus preaching the Dharma in various ways, and hearing of the four fruits, his mind gave rise to admiration and longing. He said to the young bhikṣus: "You are intelligent and wise; I pray you give the four fruits to me." The young bhikṣus mocked him, saying: "We have the four fruits, but we must have delicious food before giving them to you." Hearing these words, the old bhikṣu was overjoyed; he immediately prepared various fine viands and invited the young bhikṣus, begging for the four fruits. After the young bhikṣus finished eating his food, they made sport of each other, teasing the old bhikṣu and saying: "Venerable sir, sit in one corner of this house, and we will grant you the fruit." Hearing this, the old bhikṣu was overjoyed and sat as instructed. The young bhikṣus then took a leather ball, struck him on the head with it, and said to him: "This is the fruit of srotāpanna." Hearing this, the old bhikṣu focused his thoughts without distraction, and immediately attained the first fruit. The young bhikṣus made fun of him again, saying: "Although we have given you the fruit of srotāpanna, you still have seven births and seven deaths. Move to another corner, and next we will give you the fruit of sakṛdāgāmin." Because the old bhikṣu had attained the first fruit, his mind progressed further, and he moved to sit again. The young bhikṣus again struck his head with the ball and said to him: "We give you the second fruit." The old bhikṣu became even more concentrated in mindfulness, and immediately realized the second fruit. The young bhikṣus again teased him, saying: "You have now attained the fruit of sakṛdāgāmin, but you still have the difficulty of coming and going in saṃsāra. Move to another seat, and I will give you the fruit of anāgāmin." The old bhikṣu moved his seat as told. The young bhikṣus again struck him with the ball and said to him: "I now give you the third fruit." Hearing this, the old bhikṣu was overjoyed, redoubled his earnestness, and immediately realized the fruit of anāgāmin as well. The young bhikṣus made sport of him again, saying: "You have now attained the fruit of non-returning, yet you still receive an outflow-tainted body in the form and formless realms; impermanent, shifting, and decaying, thought by thought it is suffering. Move to another seat, and next we will give you the fruit of arhat." The old bhikṣu moved his seat as told. The young bhikṣus again threw the leather ball, striking him on the head, and said to him: "I now give you that fourth fruit." The old bhikṣu contemplated single-mindedly, and immediately realized the fruit of an arhat. Having attained the four fruits, he was exceedingly joyful. Preparing various fine viands and various fragrant flowers, he invited the young bhikṣus to repay their kindness. When discussing the factors of the Path and the undefiled virtues with the young bhikṣus, the young bhikṣus were tongue-tied and blocked in their speech. Only then did the old bhikṣu say to them: "I have already realized the fruit of an arhat." Hearing these words, the young bhikṣus all confessed and repented of their previous fault of playful mockery. Therefore, practitioners should fix their minds on the wholesome; if even playful mockery still yields real retribution, how much more so an earnest mind!
2.40
Furthermore, the Zabaozang jing says: In the past there was a woman, clever and wise, who deeply believed in the Triratna. She would regularly invite a bhikṣu by roster from the saṅgha into her home to make offerings. Later, an old bhikṣu happened to visit her house in turn. He was advanced in years, dull of faculties, and devoid of any understanding. When the vegetarian meal was finished, the woman sincerely entreated him to preach the Dharma, laid out a seat before him, and sat quietly with closed eyes. The bhikṣu, knowing he did not understand how to preach the Dharma, took advantage of her closed eyes to flee and return to the monastery. Yet this woman contemplated with sincere devotion: conditioned phenomena are impermanent, suffering, and empty, lacking self-mastery. Observing deeply in mind, she immediately attained the fruit of srotāpanna. Having attained the fruit, she went to the monastery looking for him in order to repay his kindness. Yet this bhikṣu, examining himself and finding no knowledge, had abandoned her and fled; feeling doubled shame and disgrace, he hid away even more. But this woman sought him relentlessly, until at last he showed himself. When the woman saw him, she recounted in full the circumstances of her attaining the fruit of the Way and presented offerings to repay his kindness. When the old bhikṣu heard this, he felt great shame and deeply reproached himself, and he too attained the fruit of srotāpanna. Therefore, practitioners should sincerely and wholeheartedly seek the Dharma. If one is sincere, whatever one seeks will certainly be attained. Furthermore, the Ji yiqie fude sanmei jing says: Long ago in the past, an asaṃkhyeya of kalpas ago, there was a ṛṣi named Uttama. Dwelling in the mountain forests, he was endowed with the five abhijñās and constantly practiced a benevolent mind. Later he thought: "It is not only a benevolent mind that can deliver sentient beings; only by gathering vast learning can one extinguish sentient beings' defilements and wrong views and give rise to right view." Having thought so, he went to cities, towns, and villages, everywhere seeking a teacher to preach the Dharma. At that time, a heavenly Māra came and said to the ṛṣi: "I now possess a single verse spoken by the Buddha. If you can now flay your skin for paper, draw your blood for ink, and snap your bones for pens to copy this verse, I will speak it for you." Hearing this, the ṛṣi Uttama thought: "Throughout immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kalpas, I have constantly been cut and dismembered by others for no purpose, suffering immeasurable pain with no benefit whatsoever. Today I should renounce this unsolid body to readily obtain the sublime Dharma." Rejoicing and leaping with joy, he at once used a sharp knife to flay his skin for paper, drew his blood for ink, and snapped his bones for pens, joining his palms toward heaven to request the preaching of the Buddha's verse. Seeing this, Māra grew sorrowful, depressed, and withered, and vanished at once. Seeing this, the ṛṣi spoke these words: "For the sake of the Dharma, I do not begrudge body or life, flaying my skin for paper, drawing my blood for ink, and snapping my bones for pens; for the sake of sentient beings, I am utterly sincere and not deceitful. If in other worlds there is one of great compassion who can preach the Dharma, may they appear before me." When he spoke these words, thirty-two Buddha-lands away to the east, there was a Buddha-land named Samantamalā. In that land was a Buddha called Vimalaprabharāja, who suddenly stood before him and emitted a great light illuminating Uttama's body. His pain was immediately eliminated and he was restored as before. The Buddha then expounded to him at length the samādhi of gathering all meritorious virtues. Hearing the Dharma, Uttama attained unimpeded eloquence. When the Buddha had finished preaching the Dharma, he vanished again. Having obtained eloquence, the ṛṣi Uttama expounded the sublime Dharma widely for sentient beings, causing immeasurable sentient beings to abide in the path of the three vehicles. Only after a thousand years had passed did his life come to an end, and he was born in the land of Samantamalā of Vimalaprabharāja. Because of his veneration of the Dharma, he has now attained buddhahood. The Buddha told Vimalaprabha: "He who was Uttama in the past is my very own person today." Therefore, one should know that if someone can reverently seek the Dharma, the Buddha does not enter nirvāṇa for that person, nor does the Dharma perish. Although in a different land, they will always see the Buddha face to face and get to hear the true Dharma. (This is like the boy of the snowy mountains in the Nirvāṇa-sūtra renouncing his body for half a verse, or Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra breaking his bones to extract marrow for the sake of seeking the Dharma; such causes and conditions are immeasurable and cannot be fully recounted).
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The commentary says: At times there are monastics and laity of slight learning and shallow understanding who deem their wisdom superior to others. Even if they wish to cultivate and study, they do not focus on the internal scriptures, but only admire worldly books and non-Buddhist treatises. Thus in the Nirvāṇa-sūtra the Buddha said: "After my parinirvāṇa, there will be śrāvaka disciples who are foolish and break the precepts, fond of giving rise to quarrels, who will abandon the twelve divisions of scriptures to read and recite various non-Buddhist treatises, literary verses, and calligraphy, accepting and hoarding all kinds of impure things, claiming this is permitted by the Buddha. Such persons trade fine sandalwood for ordinary wood, exchange gold for brass, silver for pewter, fine silk for coarse felt and hemp, and exchange amṛta for vile poison."
2.42
Furthermore, the Vibhāṣā says: Just as when a person looks at the sun their eyes are not clear and bright, so when one contemplates and seeks non-Buddhist books and treatises, it causes the eye of wisdom not to be clear. Just as when a person looks at the moon their eyes are clear and bright, so when one contemplates and seeks Buddhist sūtras and treatises, it causes the eye of wisdom to be clear and bright. If one contemplates and seeks worldly, external texts, it is like striking a macaque—only filth comes out. If one contemplates and seeks the Buddha's Dharma, it is like refining pure gold—the more it is refined, the purer it becomes.
2.43
Furthermore, the Bodhisattva-bhadraśīla-sūtra says: If a bodhisattva does not read and recite the Tathāgata's correct scriptures, but reads and recites worldly treatises, literary verses, and commentaries, they commit an offense. They do not commit an offense if it is for the sake of debate to refute wrong views, or if two parts are Buddhist scriptures and one part non-Buddhist books. Why? To know that external treatises are deceptive phenomena while the Buddha's Dharma is true; to know worldly affairs; and to avoid being held in contempt by worldly people. Proven by this passage, if a student of the Buddha's Dharma completely neglects the internal to pursue the external, they commit an offense. Even if one understands principle and practice, one may only practice it temporarily; in order to subdue non-Buddhists, one must still feel revulsion and detachment from it, and advance in cultivating internal matters, ensuring they increase and excel. If one is partial and addicted to them, one destroys the true Dharma. Thus the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: If a bodhisattva abandons what the Buddha has spoken without studying it, and conversely practices non-Buddhist wrong treatises and worldly scriptures, this is called an offense, an offense of numerous faults, an offense arising from defilement. If a person of superior intelligence can quickly receive and study them and attain immovable wisdom, and each day always spends two parts receiving and studying the Buddha's Dharma and one part external treatises, this is called not committing an offense. If toward worldly treatises and non-Buddhist wrong teachings one cherishes affection, does not abandon them, and does not think of discarding them, this is called an offense, an offense of numerous faults, an offense arising from defilement.
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Section 6: Conditions of Eliciting Blessings
2.45
As the Lalitavistara-sūtra says: If there is a virtuous person who hears this scripture and joins their hands in refuge, they immediately abandon the eight matters that are the root of indolence and accomplish eight merits. What are the eight? First, obtaining an upright and fine complexion; second, obtaining strong vigor and power; third, obtaining flourishing retinue; fourth, attaining immeasurable eloquence; fifth, swiftly leaving home to train; sixth, their conduct being pure; seventh, obtaining samādhi and concentration; eighth, obtaining the brilliance of wisdom that illuminates everywhere. If there is a Dharma master who arranges a seat and recites this scripture, they obtain the blessings of eight seats. What are the eight? First, obtaining the seat of an elder; second, obtaining the seat of a cakravartin; third, obtaining the seat of the lord of the gods; fourth, obtaining the seat of the lord of Paranirmitavaśavartin; fifth, obtaining the seat of an arhat; sixth, obtaining the seat of a bodhisattva; seventh, obtaining the seat of a Tathāgata; eighth, obtaining the seat of turning the wheel of the Dharma to deliver all sentient beings. If there is a Dharma master who proclaims this Dharma, and someone praises them saying 'Sadhu!', that person shall obtain eight pure practices. What are the eight? First, words and deeds accord without deviation; second, the speech of the mouth is sincere without falsehood; third, in public assemblies they are truthful without deception; fourth, their words are trusted by people and not cast aside or shunned; fifth, their words are gentle and never coarse; sixth, their voice is plaintive and harmonious like a weeping swan; seventh, body and mind follow the times, with a voice like Brahmā's, so that when people in the assembly hear it, all consult and receive it; eighth, their tone is like the Buddha's, pleasing to the minds of sentient beings. If someone copies this scripture, they obtain eight great treasuries. What are the eight? First, obtaining the treasury of memory, never forgetting or abandoning; second, obtaining the treasury of the mind, with nothing uncomprehended in discerning the sūtra-teachings; third, obtaining the treasury of coming and going, universally understanding the sūtra-teachings of all Buddhas; fourth, obtaining the treasury of dhāraṇī, able to retain in mindfulness everything heard; fifth, obtaining the treasury of eloquence, proclaiming the scriptures for sentient beings so that all joyfully receive them; sixth, the treasury of the profound Dharma, upholding and protecting the true Dharma; seventh, the Dharma-treasury of the aspiration for the Way, never severing the teachings of the Triratna; eighth, the Dharma-treasury of practicing in accord, immediately attaining the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas.
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- 諸經要集 — Classical Chinese