佛說罪福報應經

Thus have I heard: ⁽²⁾ at one time the Buddha was dwelling in the vihara of the Śākya clan, in the country of Kapilavastu, together with one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikṣus. ⁽³⁾

In accordance with the original vow of the dānapatis ⁽⁴⁾ to offer the vegetarian alms-feast during the ninth month, once it had been fully completed, the Buddha stepped forth from the Meditation Chamber and went to the grove of trees of Prince Jeta within the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika ⁽⁵⁾ in the country of Śrāvasti.

When He arrived at the boundary between the two countries, there was in that place an exceedingly great tree, named Nyagrodha ⁽⁶⁾. That tree was one hundred and twenty leagues ⁽⁷⁾ tall. The breadth, square and round, of the branches and leaves of that tree gave shade for about sixty leagues. The fruits upon that tree were about several myriad hộc, and these fruits, when eaten, were fragrant and sweet as honey. Above all, the ripe fruits that fell down were gathered and eaten by the people, and every illness was cured and their eyes became bright and clear.

At that time, the Buddha sat resting beneath the trunk of the tree, and the Bhikṣus went to pick the fruits and eat. The Buddha said to Ānanda: "I observe that Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things all have their previous causes (túc-duyên)!". When Ānanda heard the Buddha speak thus, he came forward at once, paid homage to the Buddha, knelt down, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, You have just spoken of the two words 'previous causes' (túc-duyên); what then are previous causes? Now we, Your disciples, wish to hear about these previous causes. We respectfully beseech the World-Honored One to expound them fully for us, that we may know, and that those who have never yet heard may be enlightened."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Excellent! Excellent! Since you wish to hear about these previous causes, let your minds be one-pointed, and listen carefully!"

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "People who make merit are likened to this tree. This tree, by its original nature, had a seed of but a single kernel; gradually it grew larger, and the fruits harvested were without limit. At present, those who are noble and honored, such as kings, elders, and householders, have attained this from their diligently paying homage to the Buddha and serving the Three Jewels ⁽⁸⁾ in former times.

At present, those who are greatly wealthy, with riches without limit, have attained this from their diligently practicing the conduct of giving (dāna) in former times. At present, those who are long-lived, free from sickness and disease, with strong and robust bodies, have attained this from their diligently practicing the conduct of upholding the precepts in former times. At present, those who are upright and proper, of fine and beautiful complexion, with bearing most radiant, with bodies soft and supple, with breath of mouth fragrant and clean, whose appearance no one beholds without rejoicing, and of whom one never tires of looking—they have attained this from their diligently practicing the conduct of patient endurance (kṣānti) in former times.

At present, those who cultivate and practice, who are never given to laziness, who delight in making merit and virtue, have attained this from their diligently practicing the conduct of vigor (vīrya) in former times. At present, those who are at ease and untroubled, whose words and deeds are considered and true, have attained this from their diligently practicing the conduct of meditative concentration (dhyāna) in former times.

At present, those who are talented and clear-minded, who comprehend the profound Dharma, who extol the wondrous meaning, who awaken those in darkness, whose words no one hears without inquiring, receiving in faith, propagating, and trusting in them as precious treasures—they have attained this from their diligently cultivating the conduct of wisdom (prajñā). At present, those who possess a clear and pure voice have attained this from their formerly chanting and praising the merits of the Three Jewels.

At present, those who are pure and free from sickness and disease have attained this from their formerly practicing loving-kindness (từ-tâm)..."

Then, Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, what is called loving-kindness?"

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "First, to have a kindly heart toward sentient beings, as a mother loves her child. Second, to have a heart of compassion for the world, wishing that they might have mindfulness of the path of liberation. Third, that the heart be always joyful. Fourth, that the heart constantly hold all beings in protective recollection, so that none of them be transgressed against. This is loving-kindness."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Those who obtain a great and tall body, formerly had a heart that revered others. Those who suffer a small and slight body, formerly were given to arrogance and contempt toward others. Those who suffer an ugly body, formerly were given to anger and resentment toward others.

Those who are born knowing nothing, formerly had no learning. Those who are dull and stupid, formerly were not given to teaching and instructing others. Those who are mute and stammering, formerly were given to slandering and reviling others.

Those who are blind, formerly were not given to heeding the scriptural Dharma. Those who become servants, formerly still bore debts that were not repaid. Those who are lowly and base, formerly did not pay homage and reverence to the Three Jewels.

Those who are black and ugly, formerly obscured the radiance of the Buddha. Those born in lands where the people go naked, formerly were given to wearing thin and disheveled garments, abruptly entering temples, stupas, and viharas. Those born in countries with the custom of binding the feet like a horse's hoof, formerly were given to wearing shoes and clogs before the Buddha.

Those born in countries with the custom of piercing the breast, formerly, although they gave and made merit, still had a heart of regret. Those beings born among the river-deer, the deer, the young deer, and the roe-deer, formerly were given to frightening others. Those beings born and fallen among the dragons, formerly were given to mocking and jeering at others.

Those whose bodies grow malignant and venomous tumors, difficult to treat and cure, formerly were given to beating and striking sentient beings. Those whom people behold with joy, in a former life beheld others with a joyful heart. Those whom people behold without joy, in a former life beheld others without a joyful heart.

Those whom the district officials fetter and chain in body, confining and detaining in prison, in a former life were people given to caging and binding sentient beings, causing sentient beings to be unable to follow their own free will. Those whose lips are cleft, in a former life were given to angling for fish, making the fish cleft of lip. And, those who, hearing good and wholesome words, have a heart unwilling to hear, and who, moreover, within such speech must speak contrarily, disturbing the hearts of those who delight in hearing and receiving in faith the scriptural Dharma—such a person must afterward fall and be reborn among the dogs with pricked-up ears."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "In this world there are foolish people who, hearing the words expounding the Dharma, have a heart unwilling to take them to mind; afterward they must fall and be reborn among the long-eared donkeys and horses. Those who are miserly and grasping, greedily eating alone, afterward must fall and be reborn among the hungry ghosts; and if afterward they are reborn as humans, they suffer poverty, destitution, hunger, and want, with clothing that does not cover their bodies and food that does not suffice their mouths.

Those who themselves eat fine food and give others poor food, afterward must fall and be reborn among the pigs, dogs, and dung-beetles. Those given to robbing and seizing the livestock of others, afterward must fall and be reborn among the goats, to be flayed of their skin while still alive, repaying their former debts. Those given to killing living beings, afterward must fall and be reborn as the mayfly upon the surface of the water, born in the morning and dying in the evening.

Those given to stealing the goods and wealth of others, afterward must fall and be reborn among the servants, the oxen, and the horses, to repay their former debts. Those given to committing adultery with the wives or daughters of others, when they die, enter hell, where the men must embrace a copper pillar and the women must lie upon an iron bed; and when they come out of hell, they are commonly born in lowly and base places, and must fall and be reborn among the chickens and ducks.

Those given to telling lies, propagating the unwholesome affairs of others, when they die, enter hell, where molten copper is poured into their mouths and their tongues are drawn out and stretched, and oxen are made to plow upon them; and when they come out, they must fall and be reborn among the owls and screech-owls, whose cries no one hears without being terrified, and all say they are monstrous omens and curse them to death.

Those given to drinking wine to drunkenness, transgressing the thirty-six faults ⁽⁹⁾, when they die, must fall into the Hell of Boiling Excrement (Phí-Thỉ); and when they come out, they are born and fall among the orangutans; and afterward, returning to be human, they are foolish, living a life knowing nothing at all, with husband and wife not in harmony, given to quarreling with each other, given to driving each other away (divorce); and after they die, they again fall and are reborn among the turtledoves and pigeons.

Those given to coveting the strength of others, afterward must fall and be reborn among the elephants."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Those who head provinces and prefectures, receiving the rank and emolument of office, who either seize innocent people, or oppress and extort from the people, who register their names to hunt them down and bind them, who use whips and staves to beat them, who coerce the people and carry them off, and who accuse them of baseless matters, then put them in cangues and chains, confining and detaining them, causing the people to have no ease or repose—such officials must afterward fall into hell, their bodies suffering pain and torment for several thousand koṭis of years;

and when their offense is exhausted and they are released, they must again fall among the water-buffalo, with their nostrils pierced through, to pull boats and carts, beaten with whips and staves, repaying their former offenses."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Those who are not pure come from the lifetime of a pig. Those who are miserly, grasping, and not pure and upright come from the lifetime of a dog. Those who are stubborn, self-willed, and cruel come from the lifetime of a goat.

Those who have a foul and fishy odor come from the lifetime of a fish or a soft-shelled turtle. Those who are vicious and malicious, bearing a venomous heart hard to fathom, come from the lifetime of a python or a snake. Those who love to eat fine food, who are given to slaughtering sentient beings, who have no loving-kindness, come from the lifetime of a wolf, a tiger, a leopard, a fox, or a hawk.

Those who die young, whose embryos are wounded and miscarried, whose lives last but a little, whose destiny is lost early, who must fall into the three paths for several thousand myriad kalpas—the Buddha teaches: such kinds of people, in a former life, were people given to hunting and shooting, burning the mountains and forests, searching out nests, smashing eggs, casting nets to catch fish, slaughtering all sentient beings.

Alas! To covet the flesh of sentient beings for one's own eating and drinking, and thus must constantly receive the retribution of a short life, in this life and other lives, in this kalpa and other kalpas, receiving the retribution with no appointed time of escape—therefore one must be careful, one must be careful! Truly painful beyond all telling!"

The Buddha again said to Ānanda: "Whatever merit and virtue one performs, it answers back upon oneself. In lighting incense, gathering merit, reciting the scriptures, and practicing the path, one should not hire others; vows and prayers made falsely are like hiring another to eat in one's stead—how should one be full, and how could one avoid hunger? When fresh and pure incense is lit, regarded as the incense of the mind, gathering all thoughts into one-pointedness of mind, with no remaining scattered thoughts, and likewise the bright lamp is kept ever burning with never a moment of going out, one shall attain the three penetrating knowledges ⁽¹⁰⁾, with nothing to obstruct.

Lighting incense, offering the vegetarian feast, reciting the scriptures, and making offerings of articles are the customary practice; and giving further besides, one shall obtain merit, the devas shall welcome and attend, the myriad evils shall all retreat, and every demon shall be wholly cleansed away, not daring to confront. As for the lazy and slothful, who, while they have peace and harmonious ease, have no heart of vigor, but who one morning, when sick and ailing, or when something is not favorable or auspicious, only then wish to light incense and beseech, and regard this as making merit—in such a case, the devas have not yet descended, while every demon has already come, contending to vex and harass, causing every kind of strange and monstrous change.

For these reasons, everyone should always be vigorous! Offense and merit follow oneself, as the shadow follows the form. Sowing and planting the root of merit is also like this Nyagrodha tree, which had originally but a single seed yet yielded fruits without limit.

Giving one portion, one obtains a myriad portions in return. This is what I say truly, without the slightest falsehood!"

At that time, the Buddha spoke the verse, saying:

When causes and conditions assemble and unite, one should only draw near:
The Five Precepts ⁽¹¹⁾, the Ten Wholesome deeds ⁽¹²⁾, casting away anger.
Do not hope for others' promises, but make of yourself your own self;
The glory and joy of the world are like floating clouds.
Whirling round the five paths like a wheel,
What is there to reckon of lifespan, what to begrudge of gold and silver.
Heaven and earth shall yet decay—how much more this body of one's own;
Reverently to uphold the precepts and scriptures is most precious.
Do not covet wealth and beauty..., shame and mislead others;
Sentient beings of the three realms ⁽¹³⁾ are like a flock of sheep;
Going and coming through the five paths, the body torn apart,
Life is swift, like flowing water—where is there constancy?
Doing evil is most swift, suffering the offense long,
Falling into hell, into the cauldron of boiling oil.
Restrain the heart, make firm the will, keep far from calamity,
...Once one has committed the offense within, the suffering is hard to bear!

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "The people of the world have no wisdom, and so must undergo the round of birth and death. Because of the fleshly eye (the eye of flesh), they do not know offense and merit. Now I, using the eye of the path (the eye of the Way), behold the retribution of offense and merit from countless kalpas down to this present body, as clearly as looking at a beryl gem in the palm of the hand, perceiving all within and without with perfect clarity, with not the slightest remaining thought of doubt!"

At this point, Ānanda then arranged his robes, came before the Buddha, paid homage to the Buddha, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, the World-Honored One has expounded this sutra for us to hear; but what should this sutra be called?"

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "This sutra is called the Sutra of the Cycle Through the Five Destinies, and is also called the Sutra of the Retribution of Offense and Merit. If there be any good man or good woman who reads, recites, and propagates this sutra, he shall obtain merit and virtue beyond measure, and hereafter shall be able to behold, to pay homage to, to serve, and to make offerings to a thousand Buddhas in the age of the Worthy Kalpa ⁽¹⁴⁾, not falling into the eight difficulties ⁽¹⁵⁾ or the three paths, and shall attain to the Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom."

When the Buddha had spoken this sutra, five hundred Bhikṣus had their defiling karma (the afflictions) wholly cleansed away, and their hearts and minds opened in clarity; seven hundred Bhikṣuṇīs attained the path of Srotāpanna ⁽¹⁶⁾; eight hundred Arhats ⁽¹⁷⁾ attained the path of the Bodhisattva ⁽¹⁸⁾; the devas, the dragons and spirits, together with twelve thousand pure-faith laymen (good men), and six thousand pure-faith laywomen (good women) gathered beneath the trunk of the tree at that time, all were able to enter into the traces of the Path; and the Bhikṣus, Bhikṣuṇīs, Upāsakas ⁽¹⁹⁾, and Upāsikās ⁽²⁰⁾ all attained the fruit of the path of Anāgāmin. ⁽²¹⁾

The devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits, and the people of the world, hearing the Buddha expound this wondrous Dharma, every one of them said: "Most excellent!" And, at once they rose in body to pay homage to the Buddha, circumambulated the Buddha three times, and with rejoicing withdrew.

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Buddha is a general term, designating any who possess the capacity for complete enlightenment in three aspects: self-awakening, awakening others, and the perfection of awakened conduct. The presently enlightened one is the Buddha Śākyamuni. His worldly name was Siddhārtha.

He was the son of King Śuddhodana and of Queen Māyā, of the country of Kapilavastu in Central India. He was born in the early morning of the fifteenth day of the fourth lunar month, 2,581 years ago (as of 1957). He went forth from the household life at the age of 29; at 35 he accomplished the path; he expounded the Dharma for 45 years; and at the age of 80 He entered Nirvāṇa in the grove of twin Sāla trees.

Where the sutra has the two words "the Buddha says," it refers to what the Buddha Śākyamuni spoke. As this sutra was spoken by the Buddha Śākyamuni Himself, in accordance with the occasion and the circumstances. This sutra is one scripture, number 747, in the Great Canon (Tripiṭaka).

The full title of this sutra is: The Sutra of the Cycle Through the Five Destinies, the Retribution of Offense and Merit. Now the title has been shortened to "The Retribution of Offense and Merit."

In this sutra the Buddha clearly explains the causes of sentient beings' making offense and making merit (doing evil, doing good), and how sentient beings must undergo or shall enjoy the bad or good retribution corresponding to those causes, going, coming, rising, and descending round about (cycling) through the five paths (the Five Destinies): hell, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and devas.

⁽²⁾ Thus have I heard: A short while after the Buddha entered Nirvāṇa, the Venerable Elders of the Saṅgha assembled and recited together the teachings the Buddha had given. The Venerable Ānanda was nominated to recite the Sutra Basket (Sūtra-piṭaka), and so at the beginning of every sutra is recorded the phrase "Thus have I heard," which is the Venerable Ānanda's own affirmation, to attest its authenticity.

⁽³⁾ Bhikṣu (Bhikṣu): rendered into Chinese as "mendicant" (Khất-sĩ). It means a practitioner who, above, seeks the path of the Buddhas in order to cultivate self-awakening, and, below, goes among the multitude to beg for food, that he may the more conveniently transform and deliver them. There are two divisions of Bhikṣus. The male division is called Bhikṣu, who hold 250 precepts. The female division is called Bhikṣuṇī (Bhikṣuṇī), who hold 350 precepts and 8 articles of reverence toward the Saṅgha.

⁽⁴⁾ Dānapati (Dānapati): that is, the donor. A donor who has a heart truly sincere and gives with impartiality, by virtue of that merit, shall be able to cross over the sea of suffering of poverty and destitution.

⁽⁵⁾ The trees of Prince Jeta and the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika: Anāthapiṇḍika's actual name was Sudatta, a man of the country of Śrāvasti; because he was given to rescuing and aiding the solitary and helpless, his contemporaries conferred upon him that epithet. When he met the Buddha and heard the Dharma in the country of Magadha, he forthwith invited the Buddha to his home country to expound the Dharma and deliver beings.

In order to provide a place for the Buddha and the assembly of the Saṅgha to dwell, he had to buy the land from Prince Jeta at a very high price—he had to pave the surface of the ground entirely with gold. Anāthapiṇḍika gave rise to the resolve to act according to what Prince Jeta had said, carrying gold and paving the ground entirely; and afterward he built a vihara as an offering. As for the trees, these Prince Jeta gave rise to the resolve to offer.

Therefore, when the Buddha arrived at this place, He said to Ānanda: "The land of this garden was bought and offered by Anāthapiṇḍika; this grove of trees was offered by Prince Jeta. The two men, of one heart, raised up and reverenced this merit; from now on this place should be called the trees of Prince Jeta and the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika."

⁽⁶⁾ Nyagrodha (Nyagrodha): rendered into Chinese as "Jointless" (Vô-tiết).

⁽⁷⁾ League (dậm): each league is 576 Western meters in length.

⁽⁸⁾ The Three Jewels: the three precious ones: the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha.

⁽⁹⁾ Drinking wine transgresses 36 faults: The Sutra on the Arising of Good and Evil says: One who drinks wine to drunkenness transgresses 36 faults: 1) Riches and possessions are dispersed and lost. 2) Many sicknesses and diseases manifest. 3) One is given to strife and contention. 4) Killing and harming are increased. 5) Anger and irritation are increased. 6) Many things are not according to one's wishes. 7) Wisdom gradually diminishes. 8) Merit and virtue cannot be increased. 9) Merit and virtue gradually decrease. 10) One is given to disclosing secrets. 11) One's undertakings do not succeed. 12) Sorrow and grief are increased. 13) All the faculties (sense organs) become dull. 14) One reviles and dishonors father and mother. 15) One does not revere the Śramaṇas. 16) One does not believe

the way of the Brahmins. 17) One does not revere the Buddha. 18) One does not revere the Buddha-Dharma and the Saṅgha. 19) One is given to befriending evil companions. 20) One is given to estranging good companions. 21) One forsakes even food and drink. 22) The body is left uncovered. 23) Lust and desire are greatly aroused. 24) Many people do not love one. 25) One speaks and laughs ramblingly. 26) Father and mother are not glad. 27) Kinsfolk loathe and forsake one. 28) One deliberately holds to unrighteous,

unlawful practices. 29) One drifts far from the true Dharma. 30) One does not revere the worthy and the good. 31) One transgresses into faults and errors. 32) One drifts far from the path of Nirvāṇa. 33) One grows ever more deranged and frenzied. 34) Body and mind are scattered and disordered. 35) One is dissolute and does evil. 36) The body disintegrates and life is lost, falling into the great hell, suffering torment without end.

⁽¹⁰⁾ The three penetrating knowledges: 1) The deva-eye (heavenly eye). 2) The knowledge of former lives (recollection of past existences). 3) The exhaustion of the defilements. At the stage of Buddhahood they are called "penetrations" (Đạt); at the stage of Arhat they are called "clear knowledges" (Minh).

⁽¹¹⁾ The Five Precepts: 1) Not to kill living beings. 2) Not to steal. 3) Not to commit sexual misconduct. 4) Not to lie. 5) Not to drink wine.

⁽¹²⁾ The Ten Wholesome deeds: Not to kill living beings. Not to steal. Not to commit sexual misconduct. Not to lie. Not to speak with a double tongue. Not to speak harsh words. Not to speak embellished, frivolous speech. Not to be covetous. Not to be angry and irritated. Not to be deluded.

⁽¹³⁾ The three realms: the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Worthy Kalpa (Bhadrakalpa): Buddhist learning divides the time of the Kalpa of Abiding into three: past, present, and future. The Kalpa of Abiding of the past is called the Adorned Kalpa (Trang-Nghiêm-kiếp). The Kalpa of Abiding of the future is called the Constellation Kalpa (Tinh-Tú-kiếp). And the Kalpa of Abiding of the present is called the Worthy Kalpa (Hiền-kiếp). It is called the Worthy Kalpa because within this kalpa a thousand Buddhas appear in the world to deliver beings.

⁽¹⁵⁾ The Eight Difficulties: These are the eight places that are obstacles to seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma: 1) In hell. 2) Among the hungry ghosts. 3) Among the animals. 4) In the continent of Uttarakuru to the north of Mount Sumeru (also called the Northern Kuru Continent), where there are many delights. 5) In the heaven of Long Life (that is, the Realm of Form and the Formless Realm), enjoying much longevity and peaceful ease. 6) Those who are blind, dim of sight, mute, or stammering. 7) Those skilled and clever in worldly wisdom. 8) Those born before or after the time when a Buddha comes into the world.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Srotāpanna (Srotāpanna-phala): the first of the four fruits of the Śrāvaka. Rendered into Chinese as: Entering the Stream, Going Against the Stream, Joining the Stream. All mean a practitioner who has gone against the current of birth and death of the ordinary worldling, and has come to join the stream of the Holy Path.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Arhat (Arahat): the fourth fruit-stage of the four fruits of the Śrāvaka. Arhat is rendered into Chinese as Non-arising (also rendered in some places as Birthless). It means that the retribution of one lifetime is wholly extinguished, and one enters Nirvāṇa forever, no longer to be reborn in the three realms.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva): in full, Bodhisattva (Bồ-đề-tát-đỏa). Rendered into Chinese as Awakened Sentient Being (Giác-hữu-tình). It means those who give rise to the great mind, who for the sake of sentient beings seek the unsurpassed path and constantly awaken sentient beings to accomplish the unsurpassed path.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Upāsaka (Upāsaka): transliterated in some places as Ô-Ba-Sách-Ca. Rendered into Chinese as Pure-Faith Layman or Near-Serving Male, but all meaning a man who has taken refuge in the Three Jewels, received and upholds the Five Precepts, and constantly draws near to and serves the Three Jewels.

⁽²⁰⁾ Upāsikā (Upāsikā): transliterated in some places as Ô-Ba-Tư-Ca; rendered into Chinese as Pure-Faith Laywoman or Near-Serving Female, but all meaning a woman who has taken refuge in the Three Jewels, received and upholds the Five Precepts, and constantly draws near to and serves the Three Jewels.

⁽²¹⁾ Anāgāmin (Anāgāmin): the third fruit-stage of the four fruits of the Śrāvaka. Anāgāmin is rendered into Chinese as Non-returning or Non-coming-back. It means a practitioner who has extinguished all the deluded karma of the Realm of Desire, and need not return there again. Thereafter he need only be born up into the Realm of Form or the Formless Realm.