十善業道經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the palace of Sāgara, the Dragon King, together with a great assembly of eight thousand bhikṣus and thirty-two thousand Great Bodhisattvas, all of whom had gathered together in full.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Dragon King:

"Because the thoughts and conceptions of all sentient beings differ, the karma they create is likewise different. For this reason there is transmigration among the various destinies.

"O Dragon King! Do you see the various forms and kinds, all different from one another, within this assembly and within the great ocean? All such things are produced by the mind, through bodily karma, verbal karma, and mental karma, whether wholesome or unwholesome. Yet the mind has no form; it cannot be perceived. It is merely empty and illusory, arising from the coming together of various dharmas. It is utterly without any ruler, without a self and without anything belonging to a self. All things manifest differently in accordance with karma, yet truly within them there is no agent who creates. Therefore all dharmas are inconceivable, their self-nature being like a magical illusion.

"One who has wisdom and understands this in this way should cultivate wholesome karma. Thereby the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements that are produced will all be beautiful, and those who behold them will never grow weary.

"O Dragon King! Behold the form-body of the Tathāgata! This body is born from a hundred thousand koṭis of merit. Its marks are majestic and adorned, its radiance shining brilliantly, overspreading all the great assembly. Even the immeasurable koṭis of radiance of the Heaven of Self-Mastery and of the Brahma King cannot make themselves clearly visible before it. Whoever gazes upon this body of the Tathāgata is dazzled in the eyes.

"Behold also the wondrous, majestic, and purely adorned forms of these Great Bodhisattvas. All of them are born from the merit of cultivating wholesome karma.

"Furthermore, the eightfold assembly of devas, nāgas, and the rest, who possess great might and power, are likewise born from the merit of wholesome karma. Now, the various ugly forms, whether large or small, of the sentient beings within the great ocean are all produced by the manifold thoughts of their own minds, through unwholesome karma created by body, speech, and mind. Therefore, in accordance with their karma, they each receive the results for themselves. Now you should cultivate and learn in this way, and also cause sentient beings to understand thoroughly the principle of cause and effect, so that together they may cultivate wholesome karma.

"With regard to this, you should hold to unwavering right view, and do not let yourself fall into the path of the view of annihilation or the view of permanence. Toward the fields of merit you should rejoice and make offerings. Thereby you too will be honored and given offerings by humans and devas.

"O Dragon King! You should know that the Bodhisattva has one dharma by which he is able to cut off the suffering of all the evil destinies. What is that dharma? It means that throughout the day and night he constantly remembers, contemplates, and observes wholesome dharmas, causing wholesome dharmas to increase in each and every thought, not allowing the slightest unwholesome karma to mingle in.

"This can cause all that is evil to be forever ended and wholesome dharmas to become complete and full, so that one is always close to the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the other assemblies of sages. That which is called this wholesome dharma is none other than that upon which all devas, humans, the Bodhisattva, the Śrāvaka, the Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and the Buddha enlightenment all rely as their foundation in order to attain accomplishment; therefore it is called the wholesome dharma. This dharma is precisely the ten wholesome ways of action. What are the ten wholesome ways of action? They are the complete abandonment of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, frivolous speech, covetousness, anger, and wrong view.

"O Dragon King! If one abandons killing, one immediately accomplishes ten dharmas that part from affliction. What are the ten dharmas?

1. To all sentient beings one bestows fearlessness.

2. One constantly gives rise to vast loving-kindness toward sentient beings.

3. One forever ends the habitual tendency toward anger.

4. The body is constantly free from illness.

5. One's life is long.

6. One is constantly protected by non-human beings.

7. One has no evil dreams; whether sleeping or waking, one is at peace and joyful.

8. One eliminates the bonds of enmity, and all enmities resolve of themselves.

9. One has no fear of the evil destinies.

10. At death one is reborn in the heavenly realms.

"These are the ten dharmas. If one dedicates them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain sovereign mastery over the span of life in accordance with the Buddha's mind.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons stealing, one attains ten dharmas that are worthy of trust. What are the ten dharmas?

1. One's wealth accumulates in abundance, and kings, robbers, water, fire, and unworthy children cannot destroy it.

2. Many people hold one dear.

3. No one deceives one.

4. The ten directions praise one.

5. One has no worry of harm.

6. One's good reputation spreads everywhere.

7. Within the assembly one feels no fear.

8. In wealth, life-span, beauty, strength, and peaceful joy one is complete, fully endowed with eloquence and without deficiency.

9. One constantly bears a mind of giving.

10. At death one is reborn in the heavenly realms.

"These are the ten dharmas. If one dedicates them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will surely realize the vast and pure bodhi.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons sexual misconduct, one attains four kinds of dharmas praised by the wise. What are the four dharmas?

1. The faculties are harmonized.

2. One forever ends disturbance and agitation.

3. One is praised by the world.

4. One's wife cannot be violated.

"These are the four dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain the mark of a great man, the secret treasury of the Buddha.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons false speech, one immediately attains eight kinds of dharmas praised by the devas. What are the eight dharmas?

1. The mouth is always clean, with the fragrance of the blue lotus flower.

2. One is trusted and submitted to by the people of the world.

3. Whatever one says is always supported by evidence, and one is revered and loved by devas and humans.

4. One constantly comforts everyone with loving and gentle words.

5. One attains a supreme and joyful mind, and the three karmas are pure.

6. One's words are without error or fault, and the mind is constantly joyful.

7. One speaks with dignity, and devas and humans receive and practice one's words.

8. One's wisdom is supreme, and no one is able to subdue one.

"These are the eight dharmas. If one dedicates them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain the truthful speech of the Tathāgata.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons divisive speech, one immediately attains five kinds of dharmas that cannot be destroyed. What are the five dharmas?

1. One attains an indestructible body, for no one can harm it.

2. One attains an indestructible retinue, for no one can break it apart.

3. One attains an indestructible faith, for it accords with the karma one possesses.

4. One attains indestructible dharma-conduct, for one's cultivation is firm and solid.

5. One attains indestructible good spiritual friends, for one is never deceitful.

"These are the five dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain a true and proper retinue that the māras and heretics cannot destroy.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons harsh speech, one immediately accomplishes eight kinds of pure deeds. What are the eight deeds?

1. One's speech is always measured and moderate.

2. Whatever one says brings benefit.

3. One speaks of what is certain and reasonable.

4. One speaks fine and pleasing words.

5. What one speaks the skillful can readily receive.

6. One's words are always trusted and followed.

7. One's words can be faulted by no one.

8. What one says people greatly delight in.

"These are the eight deeds. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain the mark of the Brahma-voice of the Tathāgata.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons frivolous speech, one immediately accomplishes three certain dharmas. What are the three dharmas?

1. One is certain to be held dear by the wise.

2. One is certain to be able to use wisdom to answer every question in accordance with the truth.

3. One is certain to possess supreme might and virtue, without falsehood, toward devas and humans.

"These are the three dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain all the prophecies bestowed by the Tathāgata, which are always true and exact.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons covetousness, one accomplishes five dharmas of sovereign mastery. What are the five?

1. Sovereign mastery of the three karmas, for the faculties are complete.

2. Sovereign mastery of wealth, for enemies and robbers cannot seize it.

3. Sovereign mastery of merit, for in accordance with one's wishes all riches are completely provided.

4. Sovereign mastery of the royal throne, for rare and precious things are all presented in offering.

5. The wealth one obtains surpasses by more than five times what one had wished for, because in the past one was not stingy or jealous.

"These are the five dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain a position especially honored and revered within the three realms, and everyone will pay reverence and make offerings.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons anger, the mind immediately attains eight dharmas of joy. What are the eight dharmas?

1. The mind is not harmed by affliction.

2. The mind has no anger.

3. There is no mind of contention or dispute.

4. The mind is gentle, harmonious, and upright.

5. One attains the loving-kindness of the noble ones.

6. The mind constantly brings benefit and peaceful joy to sentient beings.

7. One's bodily form is beautiful and majestic, and everyone holds one in reverence.

8. Because of gentle harmony and patient endurance, one is soon reborn in the Brahma heaven.

"These are the eight dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will attain an unobstructed mind, and those who behold one will never grow weary.

"Furthermore, O Dragon King! If one abandons wrong view, one immediately accomplishes ten dharmas of merit. What are the ten dharmas?

1. One attains a mind and intention that delights in what is true, and one's friends are likewise true.

2. One believes deeply in cause and effect, and so would rather die than commit an evil deed.

3. One takes refuge in the Buddha alone, and does not follow any other deity.

4. One's mind has right view and is upright, forever cutting off all nets of doubt regarding fortunes and misfortunes of fate.

5. One is constantly reborn among devas and humans and no longer falls into the evil destinies.

6. Immeasurable merit and wisdom gradually increase.

7. One forever parts from the deviant paths and follows the path of the noble ones.

8. One does not give rise to the view of a self, and one casts aside all evil karma.

9. One abides in unobstructed understanding and awareness.

10. One does not fall into calamities and misfortunes.

"These are the ten dharmas. If one is able to dedicate them toward unsurpassed bodhi, then after becoming a Buddha one will soon attain the dharma of all the Buddhas and accomplish sovereign mastery of spiritual powers."

"If any Bodhisattva relies upon these wholesome karmas, then while cultivating the path, because he is able to abandon killing and to practice giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize, lives long without dying young, and is not harmed by any enemy or foe.

"Because he abandons stealing and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize, and is able to gather and amass in full the dharma-treasury of the Buddhas, supreme and unequaled.

"Because he abandons sexual misconduct and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize, and his family is chaste and obedient; his mother, his wife, and his children—no one can gaze upon them with a mind of lust.

"Because he abandons false speech and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; he parts from all slander, guards and upholds the true Dharma, and whatever he does is certain to attain results just as he has vowed and wished.

"Because he abandons divisive speech and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; his retinue is harmonious, sharing one and the same aspiration, ever joyful, without opposition or contention.

"Because he abandons harsh speech and constantly practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; all the assemblies joyfully take refuge in him and look up to him, and whatever he says is trusted and accepted, with no one opposing.

"Because he abandons meaningless speech and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; his words are always free of deceit, everyone respects and accepts them, and he is able to use skillful means to forever cut off all doubts, errors, and delusions.

"Because he abandons the mind of covetous craving and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; whatever things he has he gives away and relinquishes, he possesses firm faith and understanding, and is fully endowed with great might and power.

"Because he abandons the mind of anger and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; he soon accomplishes for himself an unobstructed mind and wisdom, and his faculties are majestic and beautiful, so that all who see him hold him in reverence and love.

"Because he abandons the mind of wrong view and inverted thinking and practices giving, he constantly obtains treasures and wealth that no one can seize; he is always reborn into a household of right view and right faith, meets the Buddha, hears the Dharma, makes offerings to the Saṅgha, and constantly does not forget the mind of great bodhi.

"This is how, when cultivating the Bodhisattva path, the Great Being practices the ten wholesome ways of action, and through the adornment of giving attains such great benefit.

"O Dragon King! To speak of the essential point: when one performs the ten wholesome ways of action and uses moral discipline to adorn them, this has the power to give rise to all true benefits within the Buddha-Dharma, and to fulfill vast and great vows.

"Because one adorns them with patient endurance, one attains the perfect and complete sound of the Buddha, fully endowed with all the excellent marks.

"Because one adorns them with vigor, one is able to destroy the māra-enemies and to enter into the dharma-treasury of the Buddha.

"Because one adorns them with meditative concentration, one is able to give rise to mindfulness, wisdom, conscientious shame, and serene ease.

"Because one adorns them with wisdom, one is able to forever cut off all false views and discriminations.

"Because one adorns them with the mind of loving-kindness, one does not give rise to affliction or harm toward sentient beings.

"Because one adorns them with the mind of compassion, one cherishes sentient beings and constantly does not grow weary or cast them aside.

"Because one adorns them with the mind of sympathetic joy, when one sees others cultivating wholesome karma the mind has no jealousy.

"Because one adorns them with the mind of equanimity, toward favorable or adverse circumstances the mind feels neither attachment nor vexation.

"Because one adorns them with the four means of attraction, one is ever diligent in teaching and transforming all sentient beings.

"Because one adorns them with the four foundations of mindfulness, one is well able to cultivate the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness.

"Because one adorns them with the four right efforts, one is able to cut off all unwholesome dharmas and to accomplish all wholesome dharmas.

"Because one adorns them with the four bases of spiritual power, one constantly makes body and mind light, supple, and at ease.

"Because one adorns them with the five faculties, one's faith is firm, solid, and deep; one is diligent and not slack; one is constantly free of confusion and rash agitation, ever calm and tranquil, gentle and harmonious, cutting off all afflictions.

"Because one adorns them with the five powers, every kind of adversary is utterly destroyed, and no one is able to bring about ruin.

"Because one adorns them with the seven factors of enlightenment, one is constantly and skillfully awakened to all dharmas.

"Because one adorns them with the eightfold noble path, one attains true and proper wisdom, ever manifesting before one.

"Because one adorns them with the dharma of calm abiding (śamatha), one has the power to remove all the fetters and bonds.

"Because one adorns them with the dharma of insight (vipaśyanā), one is able to know the self-nature of all dharmas just as it truly is.

"Because one adorns them with skillful means, one soon and fully accomplishes the joy of the conditioned and the joy of the unconditioned.

"O Dragon King, you should know that these ten wholesome ways of action are completely endowed with the power to bring the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, the eighteen distinctive dharmas, and all the dharmas of a Buddha to perfect fullness. Therefore you all should diligently cultivate and learn them.

"O Dragon King! It is just as all cities, towns, and villages all rely upon the great earth in order to stand firm. All grasses, medicinal herbs, trees, and dense forests likewise rely upon the earth in order to grow. These ten wholesome ways of action are also like this: they are the firm and solid support for devas and humans. All the Śrāvakas, the Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, the practices and vows of the Bodhisattvas, and all the dharmas of a Buddha likewise all rely upon the great earth of these ten wholesome ways of action in order to attain accomplishment."

When the Buddha had finished expounding this sūtra, Sāgara the Dragon King, together with the great assembly, including all the devas, humans, asuras, and the rest, were all greatly delighted; they believed, received, and practiced accordingly.