福蓋正行所集經

Herein it is further said that one who breaks the precepts will hardly be able to accomplish the virtuous qualities of the wholesome Dharma of the Tathāgatas; just as the Queen who was demoted to become a greedy person. When she arrived at a certain house, she said to the husband: I am the Queen, and I wish to have things as I please. You should bring fragrant, beautiful flowers and perfumes, together with necklaces and ornaments to adorn my body. All the goods in your storehouse should be brought forth and supplied. If it can be like this, then I will stay here. The poor husband then replied: Such goods are not to be found anywhere in this house.

When the King's Daughter heard this, she immediately reviled him, saying: This is far too poor; I must leave this place.

The Buddha taught: One who breaks the precepts is likewise so; he cannot accomplish the supreme pure liberations, just like that King's Daughter. Likewise he cannot offer up the various fragrances of Warmth, Summit, and Forbearance. Nor can he obtain the flower of the Prātimokṣa precepts.

Nor can he fasten the hair-ornament of the Liberation of Meditative Concentration. Nor can he obtain the treasury of the various Factors of Enlightenment (Bodhipakṣa). Nor can he accomplish the Wisdom-King through Hearing, Reflecting, and Cultivating.

Nor can he attain the supreme perfect enlightenment (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi). Nor does he have the retinue of Pratyekabuddhas and Śrāvakas. Because this precept-breaker has no wholesome karma, when he is born into this world he has no merit or virtue.

None of the worthy ones delights in dwelling together with him. Therefore it is said: A person who is good for nothing will forever lose all the merit and the wealth of the Dharma of the Tathāgata at the fruition of transcending the world.

At that time, within the assembly, the Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, came before the Buddha, and said: Why is it that the World-Honored One, toward disciples who have transgressed and violated the precepts, has not taught them deeply the essentials of the Dharma, has not embraced and accepted them, but moreover is seen to drive them away? Is it because the Tathāgata has no thought of compassion for them?

The Buddha said to Ānanda: Toward all sentient beings in the world I bear equal love in expounding the Dharma, and my mind withholds nothing at all. It is because that person is not one who can bear the load. Therefore it cannot be spoken to him.

When a wise one expounds the Dharma to such unworthy persons in this world, then with respect to sentient beings there is a mark of difference. If there is something amiss, then it should not be proclaimed, just as when one needs a certain object but it cannot be used. It is like a king who held a great almsgiving and then invited the Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, and others to come and be supplied with goods; but there was a Brāhmaṇa who came from another region, stood before the king, and begged for still more food.

When the king heard this, he was surely displeased. But at that time there was a close minister who, on the king's behalf, gave alms to that Brāhmaṇa to his satisfaction. The king came and said: This fellow is without virtue, so do not give to him.

The Buddha taught Ānanda: I too am like this. Because that precept-breaker is not one fit for the gift of Dharma, therefore it should not be spoken. Suppose for that one's sake it were spoken, that one still would not receive and uphold it; like a jar with a hole, it cannot hold water.

It causes water to leak out both day and night. Only upon searching does one find the place of the leak. That precept-breaker likewise cannot receive the Dharma of merit.

It is likewise so. Suppose someone transgresses even a few of the precepts—then with respect to the factors of enlightenment and the various kinds of Dharma-jewels, this person also cannot accomplish eloquence. One should know that even if this person upholds the pure precepts, they will not be complete.

They cannot be increased. From this, the conduct of the precepts also cannot be augmented. With respect to the Dharma of liberation, again it cannot be increased; with respect to the Dharma of liberation, again it cannot be increased.

That person will obtain a path that is not peaceful in the least. It may be that such a one realizes only a semblance of the path of liberation. As for one who firmly upholds the precept-Dharma and does not transgress, this person, with respect to the factors of enlightenment and the wealth of the Dharma, each and every one of them, enters into the place of clear understanding.

Reflecting in accord with principle, he abides in the place of peace. O Bhikṣus! Toward this scripture, ever delight in receiving and upholding it; for the sake of others expound the merit of giving and of the precepts, and you shall accomplish the canopy of merit.

If Bhikṣus dwell in right contemplation, draw near to good friends, and joyfully listen to the right Dharma, then they can dispel the worldly sorrows, anxieties, and resentments, and those evil dharmas cannot arise; just as when a flame is extinguished, it is made to be no more. If Bhikṣus abide in incorrect thinking, leading to negligence and indulgence, causing the mind to become disordered, then they merely grasp at the conditions of the five desires, causing sentient beings to give rise to afflictions, and they will assuredly lose the dharmas of merit.

It is like unseasonable thunder and lightning ruining the grain crops. It can bring upon this world many kinds of calamity. Constantly recalling deceitful matters, without any shame.

Toward white-robed laypeople, slandering and despising them. Such a non-Dharma person is very weak in resolve. Toward the pure and excellent fruit of the Śramaṇa, his mind does not hope for or delight in it.

The ambrosial (amṛta) Dharma of the Tathāgatas, he cannot drink. Delighting in committing all manner of evil deeds, seeking entry into the perilous path, he receives the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals, dwelling in truly evil and suffering realms. He takes these as his place of refuge and shelter.

Toward the words of the Buddha's teaching, his mind has no faith. Though he transgresses only a minor precept, he still receives such fierce retribution—how much more so one who commits even greater evil karma! When the fruit of recompense arrives, the suffering is beyond measure, as is told in the Sūtra of the Causes and Conditions of Elāpattra the Dragon King.

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was at the city of Varanasi, in the Deer Park; at the place of the Fallen Devas (Varanasi), amid the great assembly expounding the essentials of the Dharma. At that time Elāpattra the Dragon King clearly knew that the Buddha was at that place teaching the Dharma; so he gave rise to a pure mind, wishing to go to the Buddha's place to draw near and make offerings. He then reflected: I belong to the class of dragons; there are many who do not delight in us; if I bring this body there, I will surely be harmed.

So he transformed this body into the body of a Wheel-Turning King (Cakravartin), with a most beautiful appearance and majestic virtue, sovereign and free. He took the various precious necklaces and fastened them upon his body, and seated himself beneath a jeweled parasol, then mounted a chariot to set forth. There were seven thousand divine sons (devaputras), filling the space within and without.

There were also ninety koṭis of soldiers in attendance, escorting before and behind. There were also a hundred thousand non-Buddhist Brahmacārins, Brāhmaṇas, and others. Those who go begging for food also followed behind, with awesome and majestic spiritual power, like Śakra, Lord of the Devas, and then he hastened to the Dharma assembly of the Tathāgata.

At that time the World-Honored One, together with the Fourfold Assembly, devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, and others, reverently surrounded him to listen to him expound the Dharma. Then those in the assembly, seeing this strange occurrence, gave rise to doubt, and so they came before the World-Honored One to ask about this king as well as his majestic virtue and the like. The Buddha told the great assembly: This is not a king of the human realm; wait a little while, and naturally it will become clear. At that time the Dragon King came to the Buddha's place, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and then sat to one side.

The Buddha said: O Dragon King! You, from of old, on account of folly, received this recompense-body; what cause and condition has brought you to come here? You should quickly depart from this place, cast off and manifest again your former form, and then you may come back to this place. Make it known within the assembly. At that time the Dragon King said:

Reverently to the World-Honored One: I bear the body of a dragon, and there are many who hate me; if they encounter that form, there will surely be calamity. For this reason I have transformed myself.

At that time, when the Buddha had heard this, he then commanded Vajrapāṇi, the Great Yakṣa Spirit, to take that dragon away to another place where it would be safe and at ease. Thereafter he manifested his original form: a body truly long, ugly and withered, possessing all kinds of evil marks, formed through the accumulation of many deeds owing to his former karma; so that he had as many as seven heads; each one piled upon the principal head, and he dwelt upon the Elā tree.

From this tree, when it swayed and withered, blood and pus flowed forth, truly foul-smelling, and there came countless insects to feed at that place. Having manifested his original form, he again came to the Buddha's place. The head of this dragon was at the city of Varanasi; while the tail was at the far country of Takṣaśilā.

At that time, those in the great assembly who had long departed from craving, seeing this evil thing, immediately gave rise to alarm and fear, and thought: By what recompense did this sentient being come to be born like this and come here?

The Buddha told the great assembly: This dragon transformed into the body of a Wheel-Turning King and came here, and I commanded him to go to another place to manifest again his original form.

At that time the Śramaṇas, having heard the Buddha's teaching, were truly anguished, and sat there in silence. Then the Dragon King Elāpattra, in the body of a dragon, wept and addressed the Buddha.

I only pray, World-Honored One! Out of compassion and pity, bestow upon me the prediction of when I shall be freed from this evil-beast body.

The Buddha said: O Dragon King! Now for your sake I shall speak. Calm your mind and listen, so as to have faith. In the future, when the lifespan of sentient beings is eighty thousand years, there will be a Buddha who appears in the world named Maitreya (the Loving One). That Buddha will bestow upon you the prediction for the time when you shall be freed from the dragon body.

At that time the Dragon King, having heard what the Buddha said, immediately raised his voice in weeping, with tears flowing like a spring. The Buddha, with a mind of great loving-kindness, spoke kind words of consolation, saying: You must know for yourself! Do not add to your sorrow and suffering.

Now within this assembly it is hardly fitting to dwell in such distant grief. At that time the Dragon King deeply reproached himself for his evil karma; there was none like it. He prayed that, by the power of the Buddha, he might pass through and be freed from this suffering.

Then he gave forth a vow, saying: From this time forward, even to the very end of future ages, my mind shall not think of wrong deeds, nor give rise to negligence; even down to crawling insects I shall not slay them. When he had spoken these words, he made obeisance at the feet of the Buddha and no longer manifested himself amid the assembly.

At that time the Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, single-mindedly joined his palms, and asked the Tathāgata about that Dragon King. On account of what offense committed in the past did he fall to become a dragon? And further, by what karma does he have seven heads, each piled upon another? And further, there is the Elā tree, which when it sways gives rise to pain and suffering, and blood and pus flow forth—why is this? I only pray that the Tathāgata, for our sake, will speak of these causes and conditions, so as to make clear those offenses.

At that time the World-Honored One explained to Ānanda: In a certain former life in the distant past, when the lifespan of sentient beings was twenty thousand years, there was a Buddha who appeared in the world named Kāśyapa Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of Men to be Tamed, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One.

At that time the Dragon King, within the Buddha's Dharma, had gone forth and cultivated the path as a Bhikṣu of the Three Baskets (Tripiṭaka), distancing himself from afflictions, cultivating the practice of seclusion, dwelling in a place of quiet. He practiced śamatha until he emerged from concentration. When the day had passed, he then entered the village to practice the conduct of alms-begging; sometimes he obtained alms, sometimes not.

There were also those who reviled and scolded him, so he gave rise to affliction and went out of the village, on to a certain araṇya (place of forest seclusion); even to four places, coming and going again and again. At that time that Buddha, knowing of this matter, reproached that Bhikṣu and, for his sake, expounded the marks of the precepts, in order to cause him to repent and confess his faults; but because that one did not believe and accept it, he said these words: That insentient thing—what matter could there be?

On account of these two causes and conditions he received these sufferings as recompense. Through the course of alms-begging, he was born into the class of dragons because of his lack of faith. And so he was born beneath the Elā tree.

The Buddha said to the Bhikṣus: That Dragon King Elāpattra, because he created little evil cause yet now suffers much, this is because he himself created this cause and himself receives this recompense. It is not that earth, water, fire, and wind, apart from himself, can call it forth and bring it in. All of it is brought about by the inner mind.

If sentient beings ultimately create joy, then there is no dark karma. In those evil realms one assuredly receives those sufferings as recompense. If sentient beings ultimately create joys, then the enterprise is pure and clear. In the realms of gods and humans one will assuredly receive joyful recompense. If the karma created by sentient beings, the wholesome and the unwholesome, is the same, then they will receive a mixed recompense. Therefore, O Bhikṣus! As for dark karma, ultimately do not create it. As for white karma, you should resolutely create it. When the fruit of recompense arrives, it is like a torrent. The influence of wholesome and unwholesome karma is without error, as in the verse below:

Throughout immeasurable kalpas

That karma cannot decay

When the fruit of recompense has ripened

Sentient beings assuredly receive it

The Buddha said: O Bhikṣus! Rely upon the words of the Buddha and reflect in accord with principle. As for the precepts, you should not transgress them even a little. Therefore now I speak, distinguishing clearly the wrongness of slandering and violating the precept-Dharma, so as to cause sentient beings to see clearly and give rise to fear, forever departing from the evil paths; and to diligently cultivate wholesome deeds. O Bhikṣus! Toward this scripture you should, for the sake of others, expound it, so as to accomplish the merit of loving-kindness.

At that time within the assembly the Venerable Ānanda said: Reverently to the World-Honored One! This matter of upholding the marks of the precepts—how can it be fully understood?

The Buddha said to Ānanda: One who wishes to enter into the Dharma of the Buddha must first uphold the Five Precepts. That is to say: not killing, departing from stealing, distancing oneself from sexual misconduct, cutting off false and deceitful speech, and not drinking intoxicants in negligence. Such marks of conduct should each and every one be clearly understood. Ānanda! In all places, at all times, in cities, towns, and villages. If there are pure good men and good women who rely upon wholesome dharmas, joyfully uphold the pure precepts, and give rise to a pure mind, then with respect to the Five Precepts they should keep guard thoroughly and uphold them.

But in the Sūtra of the Creation of Meritorious Karma it is said: Why is it that those who uphold the precepts accomplish merits and virtues?—If there is a person who, for the sake of all sentient beings, does not commit killing, then this person is called one who upholds the precept against killing. As for the one who kills, from the moment he first gives rise to the mind resolved to kill some particular living being; or who instructs another to kill and gives rise to a mind that urges on the killing of that one's life, causing it to be utterly lost—this person is said to have the offense of killing.

If, with respect to the wealth and possessions of others, one does not take them, then this person is called one who upholds the precept against stealing and robbery. That is to say, the goods of another he does not take and keep. As for taking it oneself, or forgetting the other and then hiding it; even down to from the start giving rise to the mind and act of stealing and taking that thing—this person is said to have the offense of theft.

If a person can depart from all the defilements of desire; or, with respect to that beautiful form, does not give rise to a mind of transgression, then this person is said to uphold the precept against sexual misconduct. As for one who has a mind of wrongful desire, toward one who is not a member of his own kin who has been given in marriage and sent far away, and then gives rise to defiling desire. With all such one should not have intercourse; or where the kinsfolk constantly keep guard, and then with clever words he creates deceitful expedient means, giving jewels and treasures, or when that one meets with misfortune he gives rise to a mind of coercion.

When he gives rise to such a mind, even to the point of carrying it out, then this person is said to have the offense of sexual misconduct.

As for one who can depart from speaking false and deluded words, and speaks truthfully and honestly. With mind and mouth not at variance. This person is called one who upholds the precept against lying. False speech means: seeing, one says one did not see; what is not true, one says is true. In the Vinaya it is said: There was a certain Bhikṣu who went to that distant place; or there might be someone who asks, "Have you seen this person?" He had indeed seen, yet he answers, "I did not see." Such kinds of things are called the offense of lying.

If a person, with respect to intoxicants, upholds the precept of not drinking, and does not even wish to smell the odor. This person is called one who upholds the precept against drinking intoxicants. Intoxicants are of three kinds.

The first is Surā, that is to say, made from rice. The second is Maireya; using only fruits or flowers and the like, taking their juice to make it. These two kinds of intoxicants, both in color and in scent and taste, when one perceives the wafting aroma one wishes to drink.

Having drunk, one becomes intoxicated and gives rise to negligence. The third kind is called Madya. Here it is abbreviated and not spoken of in full.

These are the three kinds of intoxicants. If a person delights in drinking, then this person is said to incur the offense of drinking intoxicants. Moreover, as it is said in the Nandika Sūtra: Drinking the intoxicant Madya should not be done.

As for Bhikṣus who have drunk, they will give rise to negligence, squander their wealth and possessions, however much never being enough. Increasing anger and delusion; or moreover fighting one another, adding more evil words; causing many people to quarrel; many times losing all their clothing, naked and never ashamed, a bad reputation that lasts a lifetime, while the good keep their distance. No longer wishing to recite the scriptures of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna); diminishing wisdom, increasing ignorance; not reverently believing in the Three Jewels, in parents and kinsfolk.

Within the family having no respect. Such breaking of the precepts comes from drinking one of the three kinds of intoxicants as above; and so there arise such wrongful matters as these. Therefore one should clearly understand that with respect to killing and the rest, one should not commit them, but should rather depart from them far.

The Sūtra Compiled on the Right Practice of the Canopy of Merit (Puṇya-chatra-saṃyukta-pariyāya)

End of Scroll Eleven