諸經要集

Chief Editor: Thích Nguyên Chơn

XXIII. THE TEN EVIL ACTIONS

XXIII.6. Divisive Speech

[138c] If one does not practice, one should not hope for the day of release from birth, aging, illness, and death; if one practices, there will be a path leading to bodhi and nirvana. The Buddhas attained the Way by practicing the four means of embracing beings^[1]; therefore, both ordinary people and sages take refuge in them. Bodhisattvas attain sainthood by practicing the six paramitas; therefore, both good and evil people revere them.

Today, we see worldly people often fabricating false statements and speaking ill of one party to another, causing people’s families to become divided and friends to part. Because they delight in creating the karma of discord, they incur the retribution of separation in future lives. If, out of kindness, one instructs someone to stay away from evil people, this too causes a separation; yet because it benefits that person, no offense is committed.

Therefore, the Satyasiddhi Treatise states: “If one teaches and transforms people out of kindness, then even if one causes them to separate, one commits no offense. But if one uses malicious words to incite others to fight, this is called divisive speech. This offense is extremely grave, and one will fall into the realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals.

If one is born among human beings, one will often be disparaged and reviled by others and will encounter only evil family members and associates who seek to harm one. As explained above in the section on the fault of false speech, telling lies to create conflict between one party and another is called divisive speech. Those who commit this offense undergo painful retribution in the three periods of time.

Since this has already been clearly explained above, it need not be repeated here.”

The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya^[2] records: “The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– Listen carefully! Long ago, two fierce beasts became friends. One was a lion named Good Fang, and the other was a tiger named Good Pounce. Day and night they hunted deer and antelope together for food.

At that time, a jackal habitually followed behind the two beasts and lived by eating the meat they left over. The jackal then thought: ‘I cannot go on following them like this forever. I must devise some way to make them quarrel so that they no longer travel together.’ Having thought thus, it went to the lion Good Fang and said:

– The tiger Good Pounce said to me: ‘I was born in a better place and come from a nobler lineage; my appearance and strength are also superior to Good Fang’s. Why? Because every day I eat fresh, delicious meat, while Good Fang follows behind and lives on my leftovers.’ Good Pounce also spoke this verse:

In appearance and birthplace,

And in strength, I surpass him;

Good Fang is no match for me—

Thus did Good Pounce speak!

[139a] Good Fang asked the jackal:

– How do you know this?

The jackal replied:

– When you two meet, you will know for yourselves.

After secretly saying this to Good Fang, the jackal immediately went to Good Pounce and said:

– Do you know? Good Fang said: ‘My lineage, birthplace, and strength are all superior to Good Pounce’s. Why? Because I regularly eat fresh, delicious meat, while Good Pounce follows behind and lives on my leftovers.’ Good Fang also spoke this verse:

In appearance and birthplace,

And in strength, I surpass him;

Good Pounce is no match for me—

Thus did Good Fang speak!

Good Pounce asked:

– How do you know this?

The jackal replied:

– When you two meet, you will know for yourselves.

Later, when the two fierce beasts met, they glared at each other in great anger. The lion Good Fang immediately thought: ‘I must clarify this matter!’ Having thought thus, he struck Good Pounce and asked in verse:

In appearance and birthplace,

And in strength, I surpass him;

Good Fang is no match for me—

Did Good Pounce speak thus?

Good Pounce thought: ‘Surely the jackal wants us to fight each other.’ He then answered in verse:

Good Pounce never said,

In appearance and birthplace,

And in strength, I surpass him;

Good Fang is no match for me!

Hearing words that bring no benefit,

And trusting the words of a slanderer,

One destroys one’s own close friendship

And causes friends to become enemies.

One should use true wisdom

To eradicate anger;

If one speaks truthful words,

They bring benefit to close friends.

Now we must skillfully subdue

And eliminate this evil friend;

We should kill that jackal

Who has sought to divide us.

Having spoken, they immediately struck the jackal dead.

The Buddha then taught the bhiksus:

– These two beasts were estranged by the jackal, so that when they met, they were displeased with each other. How much more, then, would human beings who are estranged by others suffer affliction?”

In the Sutra of the Mindfulness of the True Dharma, King Yama spoke this verse in reproach of sinners:

[139b] Overly delighted, one speaks many words;

Greed causes others to fear.

Among the faults of the mouth and untruthful speech,

Divisive speech stands foremost.

In the Flower Hand Sutra^[3], the Buddha spoke this verse:

Harsh speech and divisive speech,

Delighting in speaking of others’ faults—

Such a person is not good

And will commit every kind of evil deed.

The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom^[4] states: “Without depending upon generosity, observance of the precepts, extensive learning, or much listening, merely by speaking truthful words, one may also gain immeasurable merit.”

In the Sutra on Requiting Kindness^[5], the Buddha spoke this verse:

The Buddha told Ananda:

People living in the world

Bring calamity forth from their mouths;

Therefore, guard the karma of speech,

For its harm exceeds a raging fire.

A raging fire can only burn

The possessions of the world,

But harsh speech burns away

All seven noble treasures^[6].

For all classes of sentient beings,

Calamity issues from the mouth,

Causing the body to suffer the axe’s blow

And bringing the disaster of bodily destruction.

Verse on Direct Retribution:

Divisive speech separates people;

One falls into the hell of dismemberment.

Hell guards strike one upon the mouth,

And burning knives sever one’s tongue.

Having suffered pains such as these,

One is further afflicted by hunger and thirst.

Evil karma continually binds one,

And one must also drink one’s own blood.

Verse on Residual Retribution:

Using embellished speech to harm others,

One falls into the three evil paths.

Even if one obtains a human body,

Residual retribution^[7] still follows.

One encounters evil family members and associates,

Who oppose and hate one another;

One thinks only of committing evil,

And hell has no appointed end.

XXIII.7. Flattering Speech

When speech is truthful, its principles are clear; embellished speech always runs contrary to truth. Because one is truthful, one possesses true principles; because one is genuine, merit and virtue arise; and when merit and virtue arise, one becomes a sage.

Because of frivolous speech, there is falsehood; because of falsehood, offenses arise; and when offenses arise, one must undergo suffering. Therefore, to reach the truth and seek the fruit of sainthood, one must speak truthful words. If one speaks false words, one turns away from the truth. All speech that is not upright is called frivolous speech. Embellished words that benefit neither oneself nor others merely increase heedlessness and nourish unwholesome qualities, [139c] causing people to fall into the three evil paths. After one has completed the retribution for these offenses and is reborn as a human being, even when one speaks truthful words, no one will believe them. All unclear speech is also called frivolous speech.

Therefore, the Satyasiddhi Treatise states: “Even though one speaks truthful words, if one speaks them at an improper time, this too is frivolous speech.”

The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom contains this verse:

Fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts,

Their mouths continually spew raging flames;

Their cries resound everywhere—

Such is the karmic retribution of the mouth.

Though learned and possessed of broad understanding,

And though one teaches the Dharma before the assembly,

Because one planted the karma of being untrustworthy,

No one will believe one.

If one wishes to become widely learned,

To hear much, and to gain everyone’s trust,

Then one must be truthful

And refrain from embellished speech.

The Sarvastivada Treatise^[8] states: “The four faults of speech may be combined with one another, and each fault has four cases:

1. Divisive speech that is neither false speech nor harsh speech. For example, someone carries the words of one person to another. Because the person accurately conveys the truth, it is not false speech; because the person speaks courteously, it is not harsh speech. Yet because the intention is to cause division, it is called divisive speech.”

2. Divisive speech together with false speech, but without harsh speech. Suppose someone carries one person’s words to another with the intention of causing discord between them; this is called divisive speech. Because what that person conveys is untrue, it is called false speech; because the words are courteous, it is not harsh speech.

3. Both divisive speech and harsh speech, but without false speech. Suppose someone carries one person’s words to another with the intention of causing discord between them; this is called divisive speech. Because that person uses coarse words, it is called harsh speech; yet because what is conveyed is true, it is not false speech.

4. Comprising divisive speech, false speech, and harsh speech. Suppose someone carries one person’s words to another with the intention of causing discord between them; this is called divisive speech. Because what that person conveys is untrue, it is called false speech; because the words are coarse, it is called harsh speech.

False speech and harsh speech likewise each have these four cases. Frivolous speech is always present in these cases and therefore is not discussed separately. Thus, the Treatise on the Establishment of Truth states: “The other three karmas of speech are sometimes conjoined with one another and sometimes not, but frivolous speech is invariably present in all four cases.”

Verse on the Direct Retribution:

Meaningless, embellished words

Cause people’s minds to become confused,

And sever the wholesome roots of others;

Boiling copper is poured into the mouth,

Hot iron scorches the tongue,

The intestines and liver are burned away;

[140a]The pain is impossible to endure,

And in torment one constantly cries to heaven.

Verse on the Residual Retribution:

Frivolous speech obscures the truth;

After death, one falls into the evil destinies.

Upon emerging, one is born human,

But one’s speech is unclear;

While alive, no one trusts or respects one,

And one is constantly ridiculed by others.

As a person who knows shame,

Why not speak wholesome words?

XXIII.8. Greed and Stinginess

The root of sentient beings’ affliction of delusion is precisely attachment to self; the source of ordinary beings’ affliction of erroneous delusion is stinginess and greed. Thus, goodness is as light as a goose feather, while evil is as heavy as Mount Tai; merit is as scant as spring ice, while poverty and deprivation are as abundant as autumn rain. It is not easy to escape the net of the six sense faculties, nor is it possible to cross beyond the shore of the three poisons.

The heavy body is constantly submerged, like a fish beneath the river that, although flicking its tail and wishing to fly upward, can never be like a bird in the sky. Consequently, the pressures of poverty contend to oppress beings, and sufferings follow one another, causing harm. It is like a moth rushing into a flame and burning itself, or a silkworm making a cocoon and binding itself.

Because of the karma of greed and stinginess, one must undergo the suffering of hunger and cold. Giving is the cause that leads to wealth, nobility, and happiness.

As the Sutra on the Analysis of Karmic Retribution^[9] says in verse:

One who always delights in cultivating wisdom,

But does not practice giving,

Will be intelligent in the next life,

Yet poor and without possessions.

One who delights only in giving,

But does not cultivate wisdom,

Will be wealthy and noble in the next life,

Yet foolish and devoid of wisdom.

One who cultivates both wisdom and giving

Will possess both wealth and wisdom in the next life.

If one cultivates neither wisdom nor giving,

One will remain forever foolish, poor, and lowly.

The Compendium Treatise^[10] states: “Stinginess obstructs wealth and nobility; jealousy obstructs honor and eminence. Furthermore, the greed that arises in sentient beings does not extend beyond sensual beauty and wealth. The first fault, attachment to sensual beauty, has already been explained above. Here, only the remaining points are presented briefly.”

As the Nirvana Sutra^[11] states: “Suppose a man takes a female rakshasa as his wife. After she gives birth to children, that female rakshasa devours her own children; when she has eaten them all, she then devours her husband as well. The female rakshasa of sensual craving is the same: however many seeds of wholesome roots sentient beings possess, she devours them all. When those seeds of wholesome roots are exhausted, she then devours the sentient beings themselves. Consequently, sentient beings must fall into the realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals.”

[140b] Again, a person may delight in beautiful flowers without seeing the danger of a venomous snake concealed beneath them. Hastily reaching out to pluck the flowers, the person is bitten by the venomous snake; the poison penetrates the body, causing death. All ordinary beings are likewise: they are attached to the flowers of the five sensual desires but do not see the danger of the venomous snake of sensual craving. Hastily reaching out to pluck them, they are immediately harmed by the poison of sensual craving and, after death, fall into the three evil destinies.

The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: “Wealth and possessions are causes of the afflictions and unwholesome karma. All wholesome dharmas, such as observance of the precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom, are causes and conditions of nirvana. Therefore, even material wealth should be relinquished; how much more should one sow the seeds of giving in the excellent field of merit!

“Suppose two brothers each set out carrying ten jin of gold. When they reach a deserted stretch of road where no one is passing, the elder brother thinks: ‘Why should I not kill my younger brother and take his gold? This place is deserted, and no one would know!’ The younger brother likewise thinks of killing his elder brother and taking his gold. Because both brothers give rise to evil thoughts, their speech and the looks they exchange become strange.

“Afterward, the two brothers suddenly come to their senses. Filled with profound remorse, they say: ‘We are no different from beasts! We are brothers of the same flesh and blood, yet merely for a little gold we have given rise to evil thoughts and wished to kill one another.’ Together, the two brothers go to the riverbank, where the elder brother takes his gold and throws it into the water. The younger brother says:

“‘Excellent! Excellent!’

“The younger brother also throws his gold into the river. The elder brother says:

“‘Excellent! Excellent!’

“The two brothers ask each other: ‘Why did you say, “Excellent”?’ They both answer: ‘Because of this gold, I gave rise to the evil thought of killing you. Now that I have been able to cast it away, I said, “Excellent!”’”

For this reason, greed and stinginess must be eradicated.

The Treatise on the Great Adornment^[12] states: “I once heard that on one occasion the Buddha and Ananda were passing through a wilderness in the kingdom of Shravasti. Seeing a lump of gold beside the edge of a field, the Buddha said to Ananda:

“‘That is a venomous snake.’

“Ananda said to the Buddha:

“‘Blessed One! It is indeed a venomous snake!’

“At that time, a man plowing the field heard the Buddha and Ananda speak of a venomous snake. He thought: ‘I will go and see what it is that the shramanas call a venomous snake.’ He went over to look and saw a lump of pure gold. He thought: ‘The shramanas call it a venomous snake, but this is actually pure gold.’ Thereupon, he gathered up all the gold and carried it home. This man had previously been extremely poor, lacking sufficient food to eat and clothing to wear; but after finding the gold, he became wealthy and had food and clothing in abundance.

“The king and his officials were greatly astonished at his wealth. They investigated him, arrested him, and cast him into prison. Although he surrendered all the gold he had previously obtained, he still could not escape punishment. As he was about to be beheaded, he cried out:

“‘Venomous snake, Ananda! Venomous snake, Blessed One!’

“Someone standing nearby heard these words and reported them to the king. The king immediately summoned the man and asked:

“‘Why did you say, “Venomous snake, Ananda! Venomous snake, Blessed One!”?’

“The man replied:

“‘Formerly, while your servant was plowing a field, I heard the Buddha and Ananda call gold a venomous snake. Only now do I understand.’

“[140c] When the king heard this, he released the man and allowed him to return home.”

The Ekottarika Agama Sutra^[13] records: “Long ago, when the Buddha was still in the world, in the city of Sravasti there was a householder named Bhadra who was exceedingly wealthy, possessing countless assets and immeasurable quantities of gold and silver. Although rich, he was extremely miserly and dared not spend anything. Each day he ate and drank frugally and wore coarse, shabby clothing.

Nor would he give anything to his wife and children, relatives, servants, friends, wise and learned persons, or to sramanas, brahmins, and others. Moreover, he often gave rise to wrong views and severed his roots of goodness. Because he had no descendants to succeed him, after his death all his wealth was confiscated by the authorities.

King Prasenajit personally went to seize all his property and bring it back. Afterward, the king went to the Buddha and said:

– World-Honored One! Where will the householder Bhadra be reborn after his life ends?

The Buddha told the king:

– The householder Bhadra has exhausted his merit without creating new merit. Moreover, he gave rise to wrong views and severed his roots of goodness. Therefore, after his life ended, he was reborn in the Wailing Hell.

When King Prasenajit heard the Buddha say this, he shed tears of compassion and asked:

– World-Honored One! What good karma did the householder Bhadra create in the past that caused him to be born into a wealthy household? And what evil karma did he create that prevented him from enjoying that wealth and honor?

The Buddha replied:

– In the distant past, after the Buddha Kasyapa entered nirvana, this householder was the son of a landowner in the kingdom of Sravasti. At that time, a pratyekabuddha came to his home to beg for alms, and the householder brought out food as an offering. Upon receiving the food, the pratyekabuddha immediately flew away through the sky. Seeing this, the householder made a vow: ‘Through this root of goodness, may I, life after life, be born into wealth wherever I may be and never fall into the three evil destinies.’ Yet after making the offering, he regretted it and thought: ‘I should have given that food to a servant instead of giving it to that shaven-headed sramana.’

The Buddha further told the king:

– Because the householder Bhadra offered food to a pratyekabuddha in a past life and made that vow, wherever he was born he possessed great wealth. Yet because he regretted the gift after making it, although he was born into wealth and honor wherever he went, he was unable to enjoy them. Furthermore, he was greedy and miserly, caring only to hoard his possessions. He did not dare provide food and clothing even for himself, nor would he give anything to his wife and children, relatives, friends, wise and learned persons, or to sramanas, brahmins, and others.

Therefore, when wise people hear of this matter, [141a] if they possess wealth, they should practice giving and not harbor miserliness. When giving, they should wholeheartedly make the gift with their own hands; after giving, they should rejoice and not give rise to regret. If they can do so, the resulting merit and blessings will be immeasurably and boundlessly great.”

The Chuyao Sutra^[14] records: “Long ago, when the Buddha was still in the world, in the kingdom of Sravasti there was a householder named Nanda who was exceedingly wealthy. He possessed immeasurable quantities of gold, silver, jewels, elephants, horses, carriages, servants, clothing, ornaments, fields, and gardens. None of the wealthy people in the kingdom could compare with him.

Although extremely rich, he had no faith in the Three Jewels and was greedy and miserly. His house had seven gates, yet he still instructed the guards not to admit anyone who came begging. He covered the entire courtyard overhead with an iron net for fear that birds might fly in and eat his grain and rice.

He sealed the base of the walls all around with mortar for fear that mice might gnaw holes, enter, and diminish his wealth.

He had only one son, named Candana Fragrance. As he was about to die, he told his son: ‘I fear that I shall not live much longer. After I die, you must not squander this wealth. Do not give anything to sramanas or brahmins. Even if children come begging, do not give them a single coin. This wealth is sufficient to support seven generations.’ Having given these instructions, he died and was reborn as the son of a blind Candala woman in the kingdom of Sravasti. At birth, the child was blind in both eyes. His mother had thought: ‘I am now blind; if I give birth to a son, he will be able to help me!’

When she learned that her son had also been blind from birth, she was overwhelmed with grief. Weeping, she spoke this verse:

I am blind, and my son is blind;

Both of us are afflicted with blindness.

Encountering this child who consumes my scant means

Only deepens my sorrow and suffering.

The blind mother raised the child until he was about eight or nine years old and could walk by himself. She then gave him a staff and a bowl and said: ‘Go and beg for food to sustain yourself. You need no longer remain here. I too am blind and must beg for food merely to preserve this remnant of a life; I cannot care for you.’

The child went from house to house begging for food and gradually arrived at the home of Candana Fragrance. Standing outside the gate, he called loudly: ‘I am a blind child; please give me some food!’

At that time, the gatekeeper became angry, seized the child by the arm, and threw him into a deep pit, breaking his left arm and injuring his head. All the food he had begged was scattered over the ground. Passersby who saw this were filled with pity and went to tell his blind mother. Upon hearing what had happened, she immediately felt her way with her staff to the place where her son lay. She lifted him up, laid him across her lap, and lamented:

– What offense has my son committed that he must endure such suffering?

The child told his mother:

– I went to the house of Candana Fragrance and stood outside the gate calling for food, but I encountered an evil man who threw me down and left me like this.

Knowing of this matter, the Buddha immediately told Ananda:

– Calamity! Calamity! After the householder Nanda died, he was reborn as the son of a blind Candala woman, [141b] and from the moment of his birth he was blind in both eyes.

In the past, his household was exceedingly wealthy, possessing boundless riches and immeasurable numbers of elephants, horses, carriages, and the seven treasures, yet now he cannot enjoy any of them. Because of his greed and miserliness, he must undergo the retribution of blindness in this way; after his life ends, he will fall into the Avici Hell.

After midday, the Buddha, accompanied by the community of bhiksus and surrounded by all the people of the city, went before the house of Candana Fragrance, where the blind child was lying. When Candana Fragrance heard that the Buddha was outside the gate, he immediately came out, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and stood to one side. Knowing that the assembly had gathered and seeing Candana Fragrance present, the Buddha taught the assembly that greed, miserliness, and jealousy bring immeasurable offenses, whereas the practice of giving brings countless merits and blessings. The Buddha wished them to transcend conditioned dharmas and follow the path of the unconditioned.

At that time, wishing to free Candana Fragrance from the suffering of hell, the World-Honored One asked the child:

– Are you the householder Nanda?

The child replied three times:

– I am indeed the householder Nanda.

When the assembly heard this, they were astonished and said to one another: ‘This child is none other than the householder Nanda!’

Witnessing this, Candana Fragrance was moved with compassion and wept without cease. He again bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and implored the Buddha to eradicate the very roots of his offenses. At the same time, he invited the Buddha and the Sangha to come to his home the following day to receive a meal.

The next day, after the meal had been received, the Buddha expounded the sublime Dharma. Upon hearing it, Candana Fragrance immediately attained the fruit of stream-entry.

The Buddha told Ananda:

– Those who hoard wealth, not daring to use it for food or other necessities and refusing to give it away, are the most foolish of people. Therefore, the wise should practice giving, aspiring to transcend birth and death. They must not be miserly and thereby undergo boundless suffering.”

The Ten Recitations Vinaya^[15] records: “When the Buddha was staying in the kingdom of Shravasti, the elder Kaludayin had attained the fruit of arhatship. One day, Kaludayin took his alms bowl into the city to beg for food. He came to the house of a brahmin. The husband was away, and the wife had closed the door and was making fried cakes. He immediately entered samadhi, used his spiritual powers to pass through the earth into the courtyard, and snapped his fingernails as a signal. The woman turned to look and thought: ‘How did this shramana enter here? He has certainly come because he craves these cakes, but I will give him none.’ She then said to Kaludayin: [141c]

– Even if you stare until your eyes bulge out, I will give you none!

Kaludayin immediately used his spiritual power to make both eyes bulge out.

She again thought:

– Even if both your eyes bulge out as large as bowls, I will give you none.

Kaludayin immediately made both eyes bulge out as large as bowls.

She again thought:

– Even if you stand upside down before me with your head on the ground, I will give you none.

Kaludayin immediately stood upside down with his head on the ground.

She again thought:

– Even if you die, I still will give you none.

Kaludayin immediately entered the samadhi of the cessation of perception and feeling^[16], and the activities of his mind ceased.

The brahmin’s wife then pushed and pulled him, but he remained motionless. Greatly frightened, she thought: ‘This shramana often goes to King Prasenajit’s palace to teach the Dharma and is Queen Mallika’s teacher. If the king and queen hear that a shramana died in my house, a great calamity will surely befall me.’ She said to the bhikshu:

[141c] - If you come back to life, I will give you one cake.

Kaludayin immediately emerged from samadhi. She looked at the cakes she had already fried. Every one was delicious, and she begrudged giving any of them away. She scraped a little remaining batter from the basin and put it into the pan, but it swelled up and became even larger and more delicious than the previous cakes. She then took one of the cakes fried earlier to give him, but as soon as she picked it up, all the remaining cakes stuck to it. Kaludayin asked:

– How many cakes are you giving me?

She then took four cakes, intending to give them to him, but Kaludayin said:

– I do not need these cakes. Take them to the Jetavana Monastery and offer them to the Sangha.

Because she had planted roots of goodness in a previous life, she immediately thought: ‘This bhikshu truly does not crave cakes; he came here to beg for alms only out of compassion for me!’ Having thought this, she took a basket of cakes to the Jetavana Monastery and offered them to the Sangha. After making the offering, she came and sat before him. Kaludayin then contemplated the causes and conditions and taught the Dharma. She immediately attained the pure Dharma eye and requested to become an upasika^[17].

When she returned home, she recounted what had happened. Upon hearing it, her husband immediately went to Kaludayin and listened to him teach the Dharma. After listening, he too attained the pure Dharma eye and became an upasaka^[18]. They devoted all their wealth and strength to making offerings to and serving the Sangha. When their lives came to an end, they further instructed their children to continue making offerings without interruption.”

The Sutra of One Hundred Causes and Conditions^[19] records: “The Buddha was staying in the Kalanda Bamboo Grove at Rajagriha. One day, Maudgalyayana was sitting beneath a tree when he saw a ghost whose body resembled a burning pillar, whose belly was as large as a mountain, and whose neck was as slender as a needle. Its hair was like sharp blades that coiled around and cut into its body, and all its limbs were ablaze. It was near death from thirst, and its lips and mouth were parched. Whenever it tried to approach a river or stream to drink, the water there suddenly dried up. Even if heavenly amrita rained down, upon falling on its body, it all turned into red flames.

Maudgalyayana asked:

– What karma did you commit that you must undergo such painful retribution?

The hungry ghost replied:

– I am so thirsty that I cannot explain it. Go and ask the Buddha, and you will understand.

Maudgalyayana went to the Buddha, related the matter, and said:

– Blessed One! What karma did this ghost create in a previous life that it must undergo such painful retribution?

The Blessed One replied:

– Listen attentively! I shall explain it clearly to you. During the Bhadrakalpa, in the kingdom of Varanasi, a Buddha named Kashyapa appeared in the world. At that time, a shramana traveling on the road to teach and transform others became extremely thirsty. He encountered a woman named Evil Views drawing water from a well. The monk approached her and asked for water to drink. The woman said:

– Even if you die of thirst, I will give you none. If I give you any, my water will be diminished, and I will not be able to carry it home.

Unable to obtain any water despite his request, the shramana continued on his way. That woman was exceedingly greedy and miserly and would give nothing to anyone who came to ask. After her life ended, she fell into the realm of hungry ghosts. Because of this karmic cause and condition, she undergoes such painful retribution.

The Buddha told Maudgalyayana:

– The woman who refused to give water at that time is now none other than this ghost.

[142a] When the Buddha explained the causes and conditions concerning Evil Views, the bhikshus and others cast off their greed and miserliness and attained the four fruits of the shramana; some generated the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. All who heard the Buddha’s words rejoiced, accepted them, and practiced accordingly.”

The Sutra of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury^[20] records: “At that time, there was an arhat named Sanghayashas, who possessed vast wisdom and a refined, lucid voice. Long ago, after he had gone forth but before attaining the Way, he was once traveling about teaching and transforming others. He reached a coastal region and saw a palace adorned with the seven precious substances, shining with brilliant light. When the time came to receive the meal, he approached that palace and spoke this verse while begging for food:

Hunger is the foremost illness;

Conditioned existence is the foremost suffering.

Knowing all dharmas to be thus,

One will attain the fruit of nirvana.

At that time, the master of the house came out to welcome him, spread out a mat, and invited him to sit. Sanghayashas saw two ghosts inside the house. Their bodies were naked, emaciated, and black; they were hungry, thirsty, feeble, and each was chained to the leg of a bed. Beside the two ghosts were placed a bowl filled with fragrant rice and a vessel of water.

The master of the house then offered that food to Yashas and said:

– Venerable sir! Please do not give this food to those two ghosts.

Seeing that they were suffering greatly from hunger, Yashas took a little rice and gave it to them. As soon as the two ghosts finished eating, they vomited blood and pus, which flowed all over the ground and defiled the entire palace. Astonished, Yashas asked the master:

– For what reason do these two ghosts undergo such painful retribution?

The master replied:

– In a previous life, these two ghosts were my son and my daughter-in-law. Long ago, when they saw me practicing generosity to create merit, the husband and wife often became angry and begrudged what I gave. I repeatedly admonished them, but they would not listen. I therefore made this vow: ‘Such wrongdoing will certainly bring painful retribution. When they undergo punishment, I shall watch over them.’ Because of those causes and conditions, they now suffer in this way.

Afterward, Sanghayashas continued onward to another place, where he saw a pavilion adorned with many rare and precious jewels. Within it were many members of the Sangha practicing walking meditation and sitting in meditation. When the time came to receive the meal, the sound of the ghanta^[21] rang out, and the Sangha assembled in the dining hall to eat. As the meal was nearing its end, the delicious foods suddenly turned into blood and pus. They then picked up their bowls and hurled them at one another, breaking heads and swelling faces. Blood flowed all over their bodies, and they lamented: ‘Why did we begrudge a small amount of food, causing us now to suffer like this!’

Sanghayashas approached and asked the reason. They replied:

– Elder! During the time of Buddha Kashyapa, we lived together in the same place. One day, a visiting monk arrived. We became angry and hid the food, refusing to share it with him. Because of that deed, we must now suffer in this way.”

The verse concerning direct retribution^[22] says:

[142b] Greedy, feigning virtue,

Living by the slaughter of beings,

Their hearts filled with myriad deceptions,

Seeking profit in myriad ways,

They suffer punishment in hell;

Their habitual tendencies still follow them,

And sharp blades flay their flesh,

Leaving only white bones.

Verse on the Retribution of Habitual Tendencies^[23]:

Because their hearts are filled with craving and desire,

They sink into the evil destinies;

When their offenses are exhausted, they are born as humans,

Yet their habitual tendencies still follow them.

They constantly harbor the hearts of wolves and jackals,

And no one wishes to draw near them;

Throughout their lives they never awaken—

How laughable are the foolish!

XXIII.9. Anger and Jealousy

Because the four great elements become disturbed, the three poisons run rampant, and the six thieves invade and harm, a hundred pressing anxieties arise. Since people already nurture resentment in their hearts, they continually watch for one another’s strengths and faults; or, constantly harboring hatred, they repeatedly seek to harm one another. They utterly lose all humanity and righteousness and have no compassion.

They devise ways to kill, create occasions for killing, incite others to kill, praise killing, secretly administer poison, or covertly employ evil spells so that poisonous substances enter the six hollow organs and five solid organs, tearing apart the heart and liver, causing others to die bearing bitter grief and to carry their anguish forever down to the Nine Springs. What words could ever fully express such injustice and enmity?

Therefore, a sutra says: “Many poisonous trees grow in the elder’s house, just as a rakshasa follows and begs from a man who is crossing the sea while clinging to a float.”

Just as a single lamp can dispel the darkness of a hundred years, a tiny spark can burn ten thousand bundles of dry firewood to ashes. Yet a mind of anger is even fiercer than a raging fire; therefore, practitioners of the Way must guard themselves. No thief that plunders merit is more vicious than anger.

If the fire of anger arises for even a single thought, it immediately burns away all wholesome merit. Thus, when a person has a vicious nature, all people and animals fear them. If one does not choose good people as companions, one’s words become malicious; if one’s heart always delights in destroying others, people will become disgusted.

A person without loving-kindness will be feared, detested, and shunned by beings as though they were a tiger or wolf; in the present life they will be despised by others, and after death they will fall into hell. Therefore, wise people who perceive this fault must eliminate it through patience in order to bring suffering to an end.

The Sutra of Mindfulness of the True Dharma records: “If a person gives rise to anger, they burn their own body. When the mind is constantly angry, the countenance becomes distorted, causing everyone to fear, avoid, despise, and reject that person; after death, they fall into hell. Because of anger, there is no evil deed they will not commit. Therefore, wise people must abandon anger as they would keep far away from a raging fire. To recognize the faults of anger is to benefit oneself. If one wishes to benefit oneself and others, one must practice patience.

[142c] One who uses the water of wisdom to extinguish the fire of anger is like a strong person using water to put out a great fire that is consuming a house. One who is capable of patience develops a gentle and wholesome mind. If a person can relinquish anger, everyone will love them, delight in drawing near them, and trust them; their countenance will always be radiant, and their mind will be tranquil.

One who skillfully keeps the mind pure commits no faults of body or speech, is free from sorrow, does not fear the evil destinies, puts an end to resentment and hatred, incurs no ill repute, is free from afflictions, brings enmities to an end, is not reviled by evil people, and no longer has such fears as remorse, ill repute, adversity, suffering, or an arrogant mind. If a person is free from such fears, they possess every merit, their good reputation spreads everywhere, and they attain happiness in both the present and future lives.

Beings regard such a patient person as they would their own parents and delight in drawing near them.

Therefore, anger is like a venomous snake, a sharp blade, or a raging fire. When it is eliminated through patience, all anger comes to an end. Restraining anger is what is called patience.

A person who cultivates wholesome Dharma should reflect: “Patience is like a precious treasure and must be carefully preserved.” Yet among beings, the good and the evil differ: foolish people consider it admirable to revile others and expose their faults, whereas wise people regard humbling themselves and remaining silent as supreme. Foolish people often turn minor disputes into great enmities. If they prevail, the other person’s resentment grows even deeper; if, on the contrary, they are defeated, their own sorrow increases. Therefore, one must be careful in speech and not discuss the faults of others. When others revile us, it is entirely due to causes from previous lives and does not occur without cause.”

The Sutra of the Collection of the Six Paramitas^[24] records: “Long ago, a bodhisattva manifested as a king of elephants. Broad and magnanimous in mind, he contemplated and understood the existence of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; therefore, he took refuge in the Three Jewels, constantly used loving-kindness to rescue beings, and made this vow: ‘If I attain Buddhahood, I will liberate all beings.’

The elephant king ruled over a herd of five hundred elephants, among whom two were his wives. One day, the elephant king went down into a pond and plucked a very beautiful lotus flower, which he gave to his senior wife. Upon receiving the flower, the senior wife rejoiced greatly and said:

– In weather as bitterly cold as this, how can there be such a flower in the pond?

The junior wife became greedy and jealous and swore:

– I will kill you with a virulent poison!

The junior wife died from overwhelming resentment. Her consciousness was reborn as the daughter of a wealthy family. She was extraordinarily beautiful and intelligent, understood matters past and present, was skilled in observing celestial phenomena, and clearly knew the rise and decline of the times.

When the king heard of her, he took her as his queen. As soon as she entered the palace, the queen presented policies for governing the realm that accorded closely with the views of the loyal ministers. The king was therefore greatly pleased and cherished her; he followed every word she spoke. One day, the queen said:

– I dreamed of an elephant with six tusks, and I wish to obtain its tusks to inlay this seat. If Your Majesty cannot find them, I shall die.

[143a] The king said:

– Do not utter such inauspicious words. If others hear them, they will laugh at us!

Seeing the queen’s sorrow, the king immediately summoned four great ministers to deliberate. Claiming that it was his own dream, he asked:

– Has such an elephant ever existed?

The first great minister replied:

– Your Majesty! I have never heard of one!

The second great minister replied:

– Could Your Majesty merely have dreamed it?

The third great minister replied:

– I have heard that such an elephant exists, but it is very far away.

The fourth great minister replied:

– If we ask Shakra, we will learn the truth of this matter.

The four great ministers summoned all the skilled hunters from every region and questioned them about it.

A hunter from the south said:

– My late father said that such an elephant exists, but it is very far away and difficult to reach.

The four great ministers immediately reported to the king:

– Your Majesty! There is one man who knows!

The king immediately summoned the man. The queen instructed him:

– Travel due south for three thousand li. After entering the mountains and traveling for about two days, you will reach the place where that elephant dwells. Dig a pit beside the path, shave off your hair and beard, put on a kashaya, and hide in the pit to shoot it. Then saw off two of its tusks and bring them back.

The hunter obeyed her command and traveled to the elephant’s dwelling place. Hiding there, he first shot the elephant in the leg. He then donned the Dharma robe, held an alms bowl, and stood in the pit. When the elephant king saw the shramana, he bowed his head to the ground and said:

– Homage to you, ascetic! For what reason do you wish to kill me?

The hunter replied:

– I want your tusks.

The elephant king said:

– My pain is nearly unbearable. Saw off my tusks and leave quickly. Do not allow my mind to become distracted and give rise to evil thoughts. If evil thoughts arise, after death I will fall among hell beings, hungry ghosts, or animals. To cultivate patience, practice compassion, and repay evil with goodness is the noble conduct of a bodhisattva.

The hunter immediately sawed off the elephant’s tusks.

The elephant king told him:

– Ascetic! Go quickly; do not let the herd of elephants find your tracks.

After telling the hunter to go far away, the elephant, unable to endure the pain, sank to the ground on both knees, trumpeted loudly, and then died peacefully. His consciousness was immediately reborn in the heavenly realm.

The herd of elephants came from all directions and asked:

– Who killed our king?

They set out together to search, but could not find the killer. They then returned to guard the elephant king’s body, wailing and weeping bitterly in their grief.

The hunter brought the tusks back. As soon as the king saw them, he was utterly terrified. The queen took the tusks in her hands and was just about to examine them when she was suddenly struck by lightning, vomited blood, and died. Her consciousness fell into hell.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– The elephant king at that time was I; the chief wife was Gopika; the hunter was Devadatta; and the queen was Good Hands. A bodhisattva who cultivates the paramita of patience must observe the precepts in this manner.”

The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom records: “Sakra, Lord of the Devas, asked the Buddha in verse:

What may one slay and dwell in peace?

What may one slay and be free from care?

What is the root of all poison,

Destroying every wholesome quality?

The Buddha replied in verse:

[143b] Slay anger and one dwells in peace;

Slay anger and one is free from care.

Anger is the root of all poison;

Anger destroys every wholesome quality.”

The Sutra of the Miscellaneous Treasury of Jewels contains this verse:

Conquer another, and his resentment grows;

Be defeated, and one suffers sorrow.

One who contends for neither victory nor defeat

Is a person of supreme happiness.

If one practices patience, one acquires five virtues:

1. One bears no hatred.

2. One utters no reproaches.

3. One is loved by everyone.

4. One’s good reputation spreads afar.

5. In the next life, one is reborn in a wholesome realm.

These five virtues are called the five auspicious things.

Furthermore, the Dirgha Agama Sutra^[25] contains this verse:

A fool reviles; the wise remain silent;

The fool believes that he has won.

Being ignorant and without understanding,

He says that I am afraid.

I contemplate the ultimate meaning:

Patience is supreme.

Those whose minds are exceedingly evil

Continually accumulate anger and resentment.

Not becoming angry at what provokes anger

Is the supreme victory.

A person should accomplish two things,

For oneself and also for others:

Whenever people enter into disputes,

It is best not to answer them.

A person should accomplish two things,

For oneself and also for others:

When seeing someone who does not contend,

Do not regard that person as a fool.

If one possesses great strength

Yet patiently bears with the weak,

That is the greatest strength;

It is the supreme practice of patience.

Fools consider themselves strong,

But this is not true strength.

One who patiently endures in accordance with Dharma

Possesses strength that none can equal.

The Sutra on the Stages of Cultivating the Path^[26] contains this verse:

The mouth speaks gentle words,

Yet the heart is wicked.

On meeting others, one appears delighted

And seems to cherish their company.

The mouth speaks harmonious words,

Yet the heart within is malicious,

Like a tree whose blossoms are beautiful,

But whose fruit is bitter and poisonous.

The Sutra of the Parable of the Red-Beaked Crow records: “Long ago, there was a crow named Kauki^[27] that made its nest in a tree within a dense forest. It had offspring and became close friends with a monkey. At that time, a venomous snake in the forest was always lying in wait. When Kauki was away, [143c] it came and seized all the young crows and devoured them. Upon returning and finding its offspring gone, Kauki wailed bitterly in anguish, not knowing where they were. After pondering for a long time, it realized that the snake had eaten them. When the monkey returned and saw Kauki weeping sorrowfully, it asked the reason.

Kauki replied:

– The snake seized all my children and ate them!

The monkey said:

– I shall avenge you.

At that moment, the venomous snake was slithering along. The monkey approached and teased it to its face. Enraged, the snake coiled itself around the monkey. The monkey seized the snake by the head, dragged it to a rock, and ground it against the stone until it died, after which it cast the snake’s corpse aside. The monkey returned and reported the news, and Kauki was overjoyed. Even animals take revenge in this way; how much more so human beings!”

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Parables^[28] records: “Long ago, the head and tail of a snake quarreled with each other. The head said:

– I am greater.

The tail said:

– I am greater still.

The head said:

– I have ears with which to hear, eyes with which to see, and a mouth with which to eat. I always go in front, and therefore I am greater. You have none of these abilities, so how can you be called great?

The tail said:

– Only when I allow you to move can you move. If I do not allow it, you cannot move.

Having said this, the tail immediately wrapped the body three times around a tree and did not release it for three days. Because the head could not find food, it became so hungry and thirsty that it nearly died.

The head said to the tail:

– Release me. I acknowledge that you are greater.

Upon hearing this, the tail released its hold. The head said to the tail:

– Since you are greater, you should go first.

The tail immediately went first, but before it had traveled more than a few steps, it fell into a deep pit and died.”

The Buddha used this story as a parable for sentient beings who lack wisdom and deludedly cling to self and others, and who ultimately must fall into the three evil destinies.

The Mahasanghika Vinaya^[29] records: “In a past age, a flock of chickens lived among dense bushes. A fox stalked and devoured them, leaving only one hen. At that time, a crow came to live with her, and they produced one offspring. When the young bird was learning to call, the crow spoke this verse:

This child is not truly mine:

Its father is of the forest, its mother of the village.

Born from their dwelling together,

It is neither crow nor chicken.

If it wishes to learn the crow’s call,

It was nevertheless born of a hen;

If it wishes to learn the chicken’s call,

Its father is nevertheless a crow.

Learning from the crow, it sounds like a chicken;

Learning from the chicken, it calls like a crow.

Trying to learn from both crow and chicken,

It succeeds in neither.

This parable refers to ascetics who, although observing the precepts, have not yet become pure and remain defiled by admixture. Their outward appearance resembles that of the wholly virtuous, yet their mouths utter evil words. One would call them good people, but their mouths speak evil words; one would call them bad people, but they bear the appearance of renunciants.”

The Sutra on Cutting Down the Poisonous Tree records: “Long ago, in the garden of an official in the kingdom of Sravasti, there grew a kind of poisonous tree. [144a] Anyone who passed by this tree suffered either a headache or pain in the back. The official cut it down, but it sprouted again. Its beauty delighted all who looked upon it, but they did not know that the tree was extremely poisonous. A knowledgeable person said, ‘It must be dug out by the roots.’ Someone wished to dig it up, but feared death and therefore continued to hesitate. Renunciants who study the path are likewise.

The Buddha then spoke this verse:

If one fells a tree but does not dig out its roots,

Though cut down, it will grow again.

If craving is not eradicated at the root,

Then suffering will arise once more.

The bhiksu awakened, reproached himself inwardly, and immediately attained the fruit of stream-entry.”

Furthermore, the Bo Sutra^[30] contains this verse:

Evil arises from the mind,

Then returns to harm oneself,

Just as rust arising on iron

Consumes the iron’s own form.

When a tree bears abundant flowers and fruit,

Its branches are certain to break.

A cobra carries venom in its mouth,

Which returns to harm its own body.

The Treatise on the Good View^[31] contains this verse:

When a person gives rise to anger,

It is like a chariot rushing swiftly.

For a skilled driver to control it

Is not especially difficult;

But for a person to subdue the mind of anger—

That indeed is truly difficult.

The Sutra on the Stages of Cultivating the Path contains this verse:

Those who give rise to angry thoughts

Constantly resent and hate others.

In later lives they fall into the bodies of snakes,

Or become ferocious beasts.

Like bamboo cut across,

A plantain bearing fruit, or a mule becoming pregnant,^[32]

They bring harm back upon themselves;

Therefore, one must arouse loving-kindness.

The Sutra of the Hundred Causes records: “At the time when the Buddha was staying in the Kalanda Bamboo Grove near the city of Rajagrha, there was in that city a householder named Virtuous Countenance. He was exceedingly wealthy, possessing treasures beyond reckoning, but he had an evil disposition: he was greedy, envious, and deceitfully flattering, and had no inclination to give. He even drove away birds and would not allow them to approach his house.

One day, some impoverished śramaṇas and brahmins came to his house to beg for alms, and he reviled them with malicious words. Because of this, after his life ended, he fell into the body of a snake and returned to guard his wealth. Whenever anyone approached the house, it glared at them furiously and sought to bite them to death.

When King Bimbisara heard of this, he was deeply frightened and thought: ‘This venomous snake seeks to kill anyone it sees. Now only the Buddha can subdue it.’ Having thought thus, the king led his ministers to the Buddha’s dwelling, [144b] bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side. The king related the entire matter and entreated the Blessed One to subdue this venomous snake so that it would no longer harm anyone. The Buddha consented.

The following day, the Buddha put on his robe, took up his bowl, and went to where the venomous snake was. As soon as it saw the Buddha, it flew into a rage and sought to bite him. The Buddha exercised the power of loving-kindness, sending forth five-colored light from the tips of his five fingers. The light shone upon the venomous snake’s body, causing its entire body to become cool, extinguishing its venomous fire, and filling its heart with great joy. It turned its head and looked in all four directions, thinking: ‘What merit and virtue does this person possess that he can emit light which shines upon my body and makes me so cool?’ Its delight was beyond description.

The Blessed One then subdued the venomous snake and explained the causes and conditions of its former life. After hearing this, the venomous snake reproached itself, its afflictions were dispelled, and it recalled and understood that in its former life it had been a wealthy elder who had committed evil karma and therefore now had to undergo this retribution. Before the Buddha, the venomous snake immediately gave rise to reverence and faith.

The Buddha said:

– In your former life, you did not heed My teaching, and so you had to take on this snake’s body. Now listen attentively.

The venomous snake replied:

– I shall obey the Blessed One’s teaching and dare not disobey!

The Buddha then said:

– If you have been subdued, crawl into My bowl.

As soon as the Buddha finished speaking, it crawled into his bowl. He carried it away and released it in the forest. When the king and his ministers heard that the Buddha had subdued the venomous snake, confined it in his alms bowl, and carried it away, people throughout the kingdom flocked together to see it.

When it saw everyone looking at it, the venomous snake became deeply ashamed and weary of its snake’s body. Its life then ended, and it was reborn as a deva in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. The deva thought: ‘What wholesome merit did I create that enabled me to be reborn in heaven?’ He then contemplated and understood that, while in the human realm in the body of a snake, he had encountered the Buddha, given rise to reverence and faith, and grown weary of his snake’s body; therefore, in his subsequent life, he had been reborn in heaven to enjoy celestial bliss.

The deva said: ‘I shall now return to repay the Buddha’s kindness.’ Manifesting a body radiant with brilliant light, he brought incense and flowers, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and, after making offerings of flowers and incense, sat to one side and listened to the Buddha teach the Dharma. His mind opened and comprehended, and he attained the fruit of stream-entry. He then spoke this verse:

The Great Sage, supremely exalted,

Is endowed with every merit and virtue;

He skillfully delivers those in darkness,

Causing them swiftly to attain the fruit of the path.

He removes the defilements of affliction

And crosses beyond the sea of birth and death.

Now, through the Buddha’s kindness,

I have escaped the three evil paths.

At that time, the devaputra praised the Buddha, circumambulated him three times, and then returned to his celestial palace. When King Bimbisara and the assembly heard the Buddha explain the causes and conditions of stinginess and greed, some attained the four fruits of the śramaṇa, while others gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. All rejoiced, faithfully accepted the teaching, and put it into practice.”

[144c] Furthermore, the Sutra of the Hundred Causes and Conditions records: “While in the kingdom of Kosala, the Buddha and the bhikkhus wished to go to the lak-na tree. On the way, they passed through a marsh where five hundred herdsmen tended five hundred exceedingly fierce buffaloes. From afar, the herdsmen saw the Buddha and the bhikkhus approaching and hurriedly called out:

– Blessed One, please do not take this road! Among that herd is an exceedingly fierce buffalo that often gores people to death. You cannot pass this way!

The Buddha then said to the five hundred herdsmen:

– Do not be afraid. Even if that fierce buffalo comes to gore Me, I shall know how to deal with it!

As soon as the Buddha finished speaking, the fierce buffalo charged toward him, its tail curled, its horns lowered, its hooves stamping the ground. Bellowing loudly, it rushed straight at the Buddha.

At that moment, the Tathagata conjured five lions from the tips of his five fingers, and they stood surrounding him, while a great fiery pit encircled the area on all four sides. When the fierce buffalo saw this, it was utterly terrified. It ran about seeking a way out but found none. It saw that only a small patch of ground before the Buddha’s feet was safe and cool. It immediately ran there, and suddenly its heart was free from fear. It knelt, lowered its head, and licked the Buddha’s feet; then it raised its head and gazed at him, filled with immeasurable joy.

The Tathagata knew that the fierce buffalo’s mind had been subdued and spoke this verse:

With a mind that gave rise to vicious evil,

You came intending to harm Me,

Hoping that you would gain victory;

Instead, you now lick My feet.

When the fierce buffalo heard the Buddha speak this verse, it became deeply ashamed. It suddenly awakened, and its afflictions were dispelled. It then understood that in a former life it had been a human who had committed much evil karma.

Its shame grew still deeper, and it no longer cared for food or drink. Later, its life ended, and it was reborn as a devaputra in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Immediately after his birth there, the deva suddenly saw that his body was as fully developed as that of an eight-year-old child, and he thought: ‘What merit did I cultivate that enabled me to be reborn in this heaven?’ The devaputra contemplated and understood that, while in the human realm in the body of a buffalo, he had been transformed and delivered by the Buddha, thereby gaining rebirth in this heaven.

He further thought: ‘I shall now return to repay the Buddha’s kindness.’ Having thought thus, the devaputra brought incense and flowers to the Buddha’s dwelling, while brilliant light from his body illuminated everywhere. He bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and sat to one side. The Buddha then taught the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths.

Upon hearing it, the devaputra’s mind became thoroughly clear, and he attained the fruit of stream-entry. He immediately rose, circumambulated the Buddha three times, and then returned to his celestial palace.

Early the following morning, the five hundred herdsmen went together to the Buddha’s dwelling. When they heard the Buddha teach the wondrous Dharma, their minds opened and comprehended. Each understood the principle of the path and asked to leave the household life. The Buddha said:

– Come, bhikkhus!

Their hair and beards fell away by themselves, kāṣāya robes clothed their bodies, and they immediately became śramaṇas. Thereafter, they cultivated diligently and attained arhatship.

When the bhikkhus saw this, they addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What karma did this fierce buffalo and those five hundred herdsmen create in a former life that caused them to undergo such retribution? And what merit did they cultivate that enabled them to encounter the Blessed One?

The Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

– You wish to know the karmic deeds they created in a former life and the retribution that followed; I shall explain it clearly to you. The Buddha then spoke this verse:

The wholesome and evil karma once created

Does not perish even after five kalpas;

Through the causes and conditions of wholesome karma,

They now receive this blessed recompense.

[145a] During the Auspicious Kalpa, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, the Buddha Kāśyapa appeared in the world. At that time, within the Dharma assembly, there was a Tripiṭaka-master bhikkhu who led five hundred disciples to another country to teach and transform beings. While the assembly was gathered in discussion, someone challenged him with a question, but the Tripiṭaka-master bhikkhu could not answer it clearly. He immediately became angry and reviled them, saying: ‘You do not understand, yet you still challenge me with questions. You are no different from buffaloes seeking to gore people.’

At that time, all his disciples silently departed. Because he had uttered such malicious words, this bhikkhu was born as a buffalo for five hundred lifetimes, while his five hundred disciples became herdsmen who continually followed and watched over him. Even to this day, they had not yet been liberated.

The Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

—You should know that the Tripitaka bhiksu of that time is now the most vicious buffalo in the herd, and his disciples at that time are now these five hundred buffalo herders. When the Buddha explained these causes and conditions, each person carefully guarded the three karmic activities of body, speech, and mind, became weary of samsara, and attained one of the four fruits of a sramana; some brought forth the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. Having heard the Buddha’s teaching, they all rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.”

Verse on the primary retribution:

Fools harbor much anger,

And are scorched by the fires of hell;

Jackals and wolves surround them,

While venomous snakes vie to approach.

Furiously they bite, tear, and devour,

Piercing through belly and back.

What one has done, one must endure oneself;

The fires of anger vie to consume one.

Verse on the residual retribution:

A wrathful mind abounds in poison,

And sinks into the evil destinies.

When the offense is exhausted, one is born human,

Yet residual retribution still follows and harms one.

On seeing others, one immediately seeks their faults;

Resentment and anger are like poisonous weeds.

Such things bring no benefit—

What value is there in anger and delusion!

[145b] XXIII.10. Wrong Understanding

Those who have newly begun to study the Way must take faith as foremost. It is like a person who reaches a mountain of treasures: without the hands of faith, that person can take nothing at all. Therefore, the sutra states: Foolish people do not understand cause and effect, recklessly give rise to wrong views, and slander the Three Jewels and the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths. They also claim that calamity and blessing do not exist, that good and evil do not exist, that there is no karmic retribution for good and evil, and that no beings undergo birth in this life or the next. Those who thus destroy the Dharma of good and evil are said to have severed their roots of goodness and will certainly fall into the Avici hell.

As the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra^[33] records: “If people do not believe in the Three Jewels and slander the Mahayana Prajnaparamita Sutra, they will fall into the Avici hell and undergo suffering for hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of years, passing from one hell to another. If this world is destroyed, they will be born in a hell in another world; when the hells in that world are destroyed, they will be born again in the hells of this world.

Thus they revolve throughout the worlds of the ten directions. When the hells of other worlds are destroyed, they will again be born in the hells of this world. When their offenses in hell are exhausted, they will be born among animals, likewise throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

When they have finished undergoing punishment in the animal realm, they will be born as humans, but in places where the Buddha-Dharma does not exist. They will be destitute and lowly, their faculties incomplete, and they will constantly be foolish and ignorant. Even if they are intelligent, if they obstinately cling to errors, this too constitutes wrong view.”

Accordingly, the Satyasiddhi Treatise records: “There are distinctions in delusion. Why is this so? Because not all foolish people are unwholesome. If delusion becomes intense and develops into wrong view, it is called an unwholesome karmic path. Therefore, because delusion intensifies wrong views, one incurs extremely grave offenses and will inevitably fall into the Avici hell. As for wrong views, some are light and some are grave; light wrong views can be transformed, while grave wrong views cannot be transformed.”

The Bodhisattva-bhumi Sutra^[34] records: “Wrong views are of two kinds:

1—Wrong views that can be transformed

2—Wrong views that cannot be transformed.

Slandering cause and effect and disbelieving in the existence of noble ones are wrong views that cannot be transformed. Regarding what is not a cause as a cause, and what is not a result as a result, are wrong views that can be transformed. Therefore, evil karma is wrong view, while wholesome karma is right view.”

Some do not slander the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, yet they do not understand the noble path or penetrate the truth that arises from the mind. They constantly torment their bodies in pursuit of liberation, like a dog chasing a stone without knowing to seek the person who threw it.

Therefore, the Mahavyuha Treatise records: “It is like a lion: when shot by someone, it immediately tracks down the person who fired the arrow. But when someone throws a stone at a foolish dog, it immediately chases the stone without knowing to seek the person who threw it. The lion is an analogy for a wise and discerning person who thoroughly investigates the source of the afflictions and eradicates them.

The foolish dog is an analogy for non-Buddhist practitioners, who use the five kinds of fire^[35] to burn their bodies but do not understand the source of the true mind. Ordinary fools, however, are mostly deluded about the truth. They do not know how to contemplate that body and [145c] mind are originally without self, but merely learn to practice austerities and regard them as the Way.

They are thus like non-Buddhist practitioners who cultivate erroneous teachings, cling to mistaken views, and oppose the truth; consequently, their practice becomes an evil Dharma. Therefore, the Mahaprajnaparamita Treatise records: “The offense of wrong view is extremely grave. Although one may observe the precepts and the two karmic activities of body and speech may be good, they nevertheless belong to wrong view because the mind is evil.”

The Buddha gave this analogy: “If one sows a bitter seed, although it is nourished by the four great elements, when the plant matures and bears fruit, the fruit will also taste bitter.” People with wrong views are likewise: although they diligently observe the precepts, their practice still becomes an evil Dharma. A person with wrong views is inferior to one who gives even a little without attachment. Those without attachment are easy to teach and transform, while the obstinate are difficult to liberate; they not only destroy themselves but also harm others.”

Thus, the Satyasiddhi Treatise records: “It is better not to practice at all than to practice an erroneous path. Otherwise, after death one will fall into an evil destiny.”

The Sutra of the Mindfulness of the True Dharma records: “King Yama spoke this verse to rebuke the offenders:

You are foolish and hold wrong views,

Bound by the cords of delusion;

You have fallen into this hell,

Amid the vast ocean of suffering.

Evil views consume all merit,

Making one the lowest among humans.

You fear falling into hell,

Yet hell is your own home.

Whoever gives rise to wrong views

Is a person devoid of wisdom.

All karma leading to hell

Is created by a hostile mind.

The hostile mind is foremost;

This enemy is exceedingly evil.

This enemy can bind people

And lead them down before King Yama.

At that time, the Blessed One then spoke this verse:

Delusion is like a mi-ni fish,

Dwelling within the house of craving.

While creating karma, one laughs with joy;

When undergoing suffering, one wails and weeps.”

Furthermore, the Sutra on the Stages of Cultivating the Path contains this verse:

The mouth speaks foolish words,

For that person’s heart is deluded.

The mind does not reflect upon evil,

Nor does it remember what is good.

The mind remains constantly obscured,

Unable to accomplish anything,

Like cooking a stew out in the wind:

The food can never become done.

Through prolonged habituation to delusion,

One’s faculties become incomplete;

One is born among buffaloes, sheep, and goats,

And afterward falls into hell.

The Sutra of the Youth Moonlight^[36], also known as the Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on Shenri, records: “At that time, there was an elder named Shenri. Following the malicious scheme of the six non-Buddhist teachers^[37], he invited the Buddha and the Sangha to his home to receive offerings. [146a] They told the elder to dig a pit about five or six zhang deep directly inside the entrance, fill more than half of it with burning charcoal, lay slender iron bars across its top, and then cover them with a thin layer of earth.

At the same time, they prepared various foods laced with poison inside the house. They told one another: ‘If the fire pit does not harm them, the poison in the food will still be sufficient to kill the Buddha and the Sangha. If we follow this plan, why fear that the Buddha will not die?’ The elder did exactly as instructed, and the non-Buddhist practitioners rejoiced greatly.

Shenri then went to the Buddha and earnestly invited him and the noble assembly. Out of compassion for the elder’s extreme foolishness and derangement, and wishing to transform and liberate him, the Blessed One silently accepted the invitation. Shenri was overjoyed and thought: ‘It is truly just as I anticipated.’

Even if poison were piled as high as Mount Sumeru, the conflagration at the end of a kalpa could consume a thousand worlds, and sharp swords and blades were brought forth, none of them could touch even a single hair of the Buddha. Now, to seek to harm the Buddha with only a small fire pit and poisoned food is no different from flies and mosquitoes wishing to topple Mount Sumeru, or termites and horseflies wishing to obscure the sun and moon. In this way, they merely destroy themselves. Why do they not repent at once?”

At that time, the elder’s mind was obscured by wrongdoing, and his understanding was impaired. The Blessed One thought, “Now that I have accepted Thân Nhật’s invitation, I should not go there in an ordinary manner.” The Buddha immediately exercised his spiritual powers, causing all ten directions to quake, and then, together with hundreds of thousands of noble beings and countless dragons and spirits, whether in the sky or beneath the earth, simultaneously arrived at the house to benefit the elder. Through his awesome spiritual power, the Buddha transformed the fire pit into a pond made of the seven precious substances, filled with water possessing the eight qualities; the poisoned rice and food were all transformed into heavenly ambrosial delicacies. Everyone rejoiced greatly.

Thereupon, the six non-Buddhist teachers fled in terror. The elder submitted, bowed his head, and prostrated himself at the Buddha’s feet, saying:

– Only now do I understand that it is through the Buddha that one attains awakening!

All who attended the assembly and heard the Buddha’s voice proclaiming the Dharma engendered merit and received benefits beyond reckoning.”

The Sutra on the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha^[38] records: “At that time, the Blessed One said to his royal father:

– In the city of Rajagriha, the elder Sudatta had an extremely diligent elderly maidservant named Tỳ-đê-la, to whom the elder had entrusted the keys to his storerooms and the management of all the household’s receipts and expenditures.

One day, Sudatta invited the Buddha and the Sangha to receive offerings of all necessities. At that time, many ill bhiksus came requesting various things. The old woman therefore became covetous, grudging, stingy, angry, and jealous of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and said:

– My elder has been bewitched by the sorcery of these sramanas and has become foolish. They are merely beggars who ceaselessly seek things without ever being satisfied. What virtue could they possibly possess?

After saying this, she made an evil vow: ‘I vow that, life after life, I shall never hear the name of the Buddha or the Sangha.’ Word of this evil vow gradually spread throughout Rajagriha. When Queen Mallika heard of it, she said:

– The elder Sudatta is as beautiful as a lotus flower, and everyone delights in associating with him. Why, then, does he have a servant as wicked as a venomous snake?

The queen summoned Sudatta’s wife and asked:

– You have an old maidservant with a venomous tongue [146b] who continually slanders the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Why have you not dismissed her?

Sudatta’s wife knelt and replied:

– The Buddha was able to subdue even such wicked people as Angulimala and others; how much more so this old maidservant!

Hearing this, Queen Mallika was filled with joy and said:

– Tomorrow I shall invite the Buddha into the palace and make offerings to him. Tell the maidservant to come at precisely the time of the meal offering.

Early the next morning, the elder Sudatta sent the maidservant with a vessel filled with gold to assist the king in making offerings. When Queen Mallika saw her arrive, she thought, ‘If the Buddha converts this person of wrong views, I too shall receive benefit.’

At that time, the Buddha entered through the main gate, with Nanda attending him on the left, Ananda on the right, and Rahula walking behind. The moment the old woman saw the Buddha, she trembled with fear and said, ‘This wicked man has followed me here!’

Having said this, she fled, intending to crawl through a dog hole to escape outside. Suddenly, that opening became sealed, and all the surrounding doors closed tightly except for the main gate. She then used a fan to cover her face.

The Buddha stood before her and caused the fan to become transparent like a mirror, so that it could no longer conceal her face. When she turned to look eastward, she saw a Buddha in the east; when she looked south, west, or north, she likewise saw Buddhas. Looking upward, she saw a Buddha above; looking down at the ground, she saw Buddhas covering the entire earth.

When she covered her face with her hands, all ten of her fingertips transformed into Buddhas. When she closed her eyes, her mind’s eye immediately opened, and she saw transformation Buddhas throughout all the worlds of the ten directions in empty space. At that time, twenty-five Chandala women, fifty Brahmin women, and women of other castes in the city all entered Queen Mallika’s palace.

All five hundred of them had previously disbelieved in the Buddha, but that day, when they saw the Buddha soaring through empty space and manifesting countless bodies to teach and transform the maidservant, they immediately abandoned all wrong views, prostrated themselves before the Buddha, and recited, ‘Namo Buddha.’ As soon as they had finished reciting, they saw innumerable transformation Buddhas and immediately aroused bodhicitta.

Although the old woman of wrong views saw the Buddha, she still did not give rise to reverence or faith; nevertheless, by encountering the Buddha, she was freed from the karmic offenses that would have bound her to birth and death for eighty trillion kalpas. After seeing the Buddha, she hurried home and said to the elder Sudatta:

– Today I encountered something extremely dreadful. I saw the sramana Gautama in the royal palace performing all manner of illusions. His body was like a golden mountain, his eyes like blue lotus flowers, and he emitted dazzling light.

Having said this, she covered a wooden cage with a hundred hides, crawled inside it, wrapped her head completely in a white cloth, and lay there in darkness.

When the Buddha was about to return to the Jeta Grove Monastery, Queen Mallika said:

– Blessed One! Please remain and teach that old woman of wrong views. Do not return to the monastery!

The Buddha told Queen Mallika:

– This old woman’s offenses are extremely grave. She has no affinity with me, but she has a profound karmic affinity with Rahula.

The Buddha returned to the monastery and immediately sent Rahula to Sudatta’s house to convert the old woman.

At that time, Rahula transformed himself into a holy wheel-turning king, while one thousand two hundred and fifty bhiksus transformed themselves into celestial princes. Together they went to Sudatta’s house and transformed the old woman into a jewel maiden. The wheel-turning king then shone a wish-fulfilling jewel upon the old woman’s face, [146c] causing her to see herself as a jewel maiden. Filled with joy, she said:

– Those sramanas merely boast, claiming that they possess the Way, yet they have not the slightest spiritual efficacy. Now that the wheel-turning king has appeared in the world, he brings benefit everywhere and has caused an ugly old woman like me to become a jewel maiden!

Having said this, she cast her five limbs to the ground and prostrated herself before the wheel-turning king. At that time, the minister responsible for the scriptures expounded the ten wholesome deeds to her. After hearing them, she rejoiced greatly and thought, ‘Everything spoken by the wheel-turning king is true!’ She immediately prostrated herself, repented of her offenses, reproached herself, and became completely subdued in mind.

Rahula and the bhiksus then resumed their original forms. When the old woman saw them, she said, ‘The pure Buddhadharma never abandons sentient beings. Even a wicked person like me can still be taught and converted!’

She requested and received the five precepts and attained the fruit of stream-entry. Rahula led her to the Buddha, where she prostrated herself and repented of her offenses. She then asked the Buddha for permission to go forth, and afterward attained arhatship, rose into empty space, and manifested the eighteen kinds of spiritual transformations.

When King Prasenajit and Queen Mallika saw this, they said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What offense did this old woman commit in a former life that caused her now to have the body of a servant? And what merit did she cultivate that enabled her to encounter the Buddha and attain the Way?

The Buddha replied:

– In the distant past, a Buddha named Nhất Bảo Cái Đăng Vương appeared in the world. After that Buddha entered nirvana, during the age of the Semblance Dharma, there was a king named Tạp Bảo Hoa Quang. The king had a son named Khoái Kiến, who went forth to study the Way. Relying upon his status as a prince, he was habitually arrogant. When his original preceptor expounded the profound and wondrous meaning of ‘Great Emptiness’ in the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the prince, after hearing it, misunderstood its meaning and spoke recklessly. After his preceptor passed away, the prince said:

– My root preceptor, the great monk, had no wisdom and knew only how to praise the meaning of “emptiness.” I vow that in future lives I shall not wish to meet him. My acharya possessed wisdom and eloquence; I vow that life after life he shall be my spiritual friend.

After saying this, he further instructed his followers to act according to wrong views. Although he observed the precepts, because he slandered the Prajnaparamita Sutra, misunderstood its meaning, and spoke falsely, after his life ended he fell into the Avici hell, where he underwent immeasurable suffering for eight billion kalpas. When his punishment in hell was exhausted, he was reborn as an impoverished and lowly person. For five hundred lives he was blind, deaf, and deluded, and for one thousand two hundred years he was continually a servant.

The Buddha told King Prasenajit:

– The preceptor at that time was none other than I; the acharya is now Rahula; the prince who became a bhiksu is now this old woman; and the assembly of disciples are now these women of wrong views who have aroused the aspiration for bodhi.”

The Sutra of Satyaka Nirgrantha^[39] records: “Long ago, when the Buddha was still in the world, he was staying in the city of Ujjayini. At that time, King Stern Blaze asked Satyaka Nirgrantha:

– Suppose there are evil persons who do not believe in the Three Jewels and who burn monasteries, stupas, scriptures, and images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. With malicious words they slander them, saying: ‘Those who build monasteries, print sutras, or make images will[147a] gain no merit; those who make offerings to monasteries, stupas, and Buddhist scriptures merely lose their wealth in the present and will gain no benefit in the future.’ Or they may hate monasteries, stupas, and images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, obstruct or destroy them, or compel them to be moved elsewhere. They may demolish the dwellings and caves of sramanas; seize property belonging to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, such as fields and gardens, houses, elephants and horses, vehicles, laborers, livestock, clothing, bedding, and precious jewels; beat sramanas with whips and rods and force them into compulsory labor; compel them to return to lay life; treat them contemptuously and make sport of them; criticize, revile, and slander them; personally take up sticks and beat them; or use every means to injure sramanas. To what class of sentient beings do such evil persons belong?

Satyaka Nirgrantha replied:

– Great King! Such persons belong to the class of sentient beings who commit the five heinous offenses. The Great King should impose the severest punishment upon them. Why? Because they have committed extremely grave fundamental offenses. There are five grave fundamental offenses:

1- Destroying monasteries and stupas, burning scriptures and images, and taking property belonging to the Three Jewels—whether taking it oneself, ordering others to take it, or rejoicing upon seeing others take it.

2- Slandering the Dharma of the Three Vehicles, obstructing it, concealing it, and preventing its transmission.

3- If there are sramanas who, with faith, have left the household life, shaved their hair and beard, and clothed themselves in kasayas, whether or not they observe the precepts, imprisoning them, placing them in cangues, fetters, and chains, beating them with whips and rods, forcing them to perform heavy labor, stripping away their kasayas and compelling them to return to lay life, or killing them.

4- Committing any one of the five heinous offenses.

5- Disbelieving in all karmic retribution for good and evil, habitually committing the ten evil deeds, having no fear of retribution in future lives, personally doing such deeds or ordering others to do them, and obstinately refusing to abandon them.

If persons who commit such grave fundamental offenses do not repent of their own accord, all their roots of goodness will certainly be burned away. They will fall into the great hells, undergo ceaseless suffering, and never have a day of release.

If a country contains such evil persons who destroy the Three Jewels, all Buddhas, arhats, and sages will depart; the devas will weep in sorrow, and benevolent spirits will offer no protection. People will kill one another, bandits will rampage everywhere, the dragon kings will withdraw and disappear, droughts will occur, winds and rains will become untimely, the five grains will fail, and the people will suffer hunger and thirst and devour one another. Bleached bones will cover the fields, diseases will multiply, and countless people will die. Seeing all this, the people will not reflect upon their own faults but will instead resent Heaven and blame the benevolent spirits.”

The Sutra on the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha records: “There are seven kinds of grave offenses, each of which can cause[147b] sentient beings to fall into the Avici hell for eighty-four thousand great kalpas:

1. Disbelieving in cause and effect

2. Slandering and disbelieving in the existence of Buddhas throughout the ten directions

3. Severing the lineage of wisdom

4. Committing the four grave offenses and receiving the food offered by the faithful in vain

5. Misappropriating property belonging to the Sangha

6. Oppressing bhiksunis and destroying their pure conduct

7. Engaging in impure conduct with any of the six close relatives.^[40]”

The Sutra on the Lesser Five Turbidities records: “There are five classes of persons who commit the five heinous offenses:

1. Those who disdain their parents and worship ghosts and spirits

2. Those who harbor jealousy toward the king

3. Those who slight and scorn their teachers and elders

4. Those who make light of life itself while esteeming wealth

5. Those who perform no meritorious deeds but instead commit offenses.”

The Madhyama Agama records: “The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– If ignorant ordinary beings commit evil through the three karmic activities of body, speech, and mind, after their lives end they fall into hell, where they undergo boundless suffering without the slightest joy.

It is like a person who commits theft, is arrested, and is handed over to the king. The king immediately orders his men to pierce the offender’s body with one hundred spears in the morning, yet the person remains alive. At noon, the king again orders them to pierce him with two hundred spears, yet the person is still alive. In the evening, the king again orders them to pierce him with three hundred spears. Although his entire body is torn apart, he still remains alive.

The Buddha asked the bhiksus:

– What do you think? Did this person suffer pain from being pierced by the spears?

The bhiksus replied:

– Blessed One! Being pierced by even a single spear would already be painful, how much more so by three hundred!

The Buddha then extended his hand, picked up a handful of gravel, each piece the size of a bean, and asked the bhiksus:

– Compared with the rocks of the Snow Mountains, which are more numerous: the stones in my hand or the rocks in those mountains?

The bhiksus replied:

– Blessed One! The rocks in the Snow Mountains are far more numerous; there can be no comparison.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– The suffering caused by being pierced with three hundred spears is as slight as this handful of gravel. But the suffering in hell is hundreds of thousands of myriads of times greater than the rocks of the Snow Mountains. What do you think of such suffering in hell?”

Some beings fall into hell, where the hell wardens use red-hot axes to hack their bodies all over. For hundreds of thousands of years, they undergo immeasurable suffering, yet the sinners still do not die. When the evil karma there comes to an end, the sinners are again forced to sit upon an iron bed; the hell wardens pry open their mouths with pincers and force them to swallow red-hot iron balls, for hundreds of thousands of years.

Again, they are made to sit upon an iron bed while boiling molten copper is poured into their mouths, for hundreds of thousands of years. Next, the sinners are forced to lie upon the iron ground, and the hell wardens drive red-hot iron nails throughout their bodies, for hundreds of thousands of years. The hell wardens then pull out the sinners’ tongues and force them to lick the iron ground, nailing them down and stretching them taut like oxhide, for hundreds of thousands of years.

The hell wardens also pull out the sinews of the sinners’ necks and harness them to carts, for hundreds of thousands of years. Again, they heat the iron ground until it is blazing and order the sinners to walk upon it, for hundreds of thousands of years. [147c] Upon a mountain of blazing fire, the hell wardens compel the sinners to walk; as soon as they set down a foot, their flesh and blood dissolve, and when they lift it, they come back to life, for hundreds of thousands of years.

The sinners are also fried and boiled in cauldrons of seething oil for hundreds of thousands of years, undergoing immeasurable suffering, yet still they do not die. Only when their offenses have been exhausted may they depart. After completing their punishment in hell, they enter the animal realm, where they constantly dwell in darkness and devour one another, enduring suffering beyond all description.

After completing their punishment in the animal realm, they may be born as human beings. Yet to pass from the animal realm into human birth is exceedingly difficult, like a blind turtle encountering the hole in a floating log. Even if they are born as human beings, they are poor and destitute, lowly and base, ordered about by others, ugly in appearance, deficient in their faculties, or short-lived.

Those who create evil karma continue to die and be reborn, revolving endlessly through the hells, beyond all description.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– Foolish ordinary beings create evil karma through body, speech, and mind, and therefore must undergo such punishment.

The Buddha further said:

– Wise people create wholesome karma through the three activities of body, speech, and mind. After their lives end, they are born in the heavenly realms and enjoy bliss, just as a wheel-turning king possesses all seven treasures^[41] and the four excellences^[42] of the human world.

The Buddha then asked the bhiksus:

– What do you think? Is this a joyful thing?

The bhiksus replied:

– Blessed One! To obtain even one treasure or one excellence would already bring great joy, how much more so all seven treasures and four excellences!

The Buddha then reached out his hand, picked up a handful of pebbles the size of beans, and asked the bhiksus:

– Which are more numerous: the stones in my hand or the stones in the Snow Mountains?

The bhiksus replied:

– Blessed One! The stones in the Snow Mountains are so numerous that no comparison can be made.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– The joy of a wheel-turning sage king, when compared with the joy of the heavenly realms, is like this handful of pebbles compared with the stones in the Snow Mountains. What do you think of the joy of the heavenly realms? Those born in the heavenly realms freely enjoy the six sense objects, experiencing boundless joy beyond all description. If they are later born from the heavenly realms into the human world, they will be born in a royal palace or into a noble clan, exceedingly wealthy and honored, possessing abundant money, property, and treasures. Their renown will spread far and wide; their features will be upright, their countenance beautiful, and they will be loved by everyone. Wise people who create wholesome deeds through the three activities of body, speech, and mind obtain such blessings. This is the worldly joy accompanied by outflows. If people cultivate roots of virtue and dedicate them to the path of bodhi, then even while remaining within samsara, they will continue to enjoy such blessed rewards. Until they realize nirvana, those blessed rewards will never be exhausted.”

Verse on the Direct Retribution:

The six thieves, treacherous, false,

The seven consciousnesses in turmoil, opposed to truth,

Forever slandering the true Dharma,

Speaking falsely, and filled with greed and anger,

[148a] Freely creating evil karma,

Unwilling to hear words of truth,

They fall into the Avici Hell,

Ten thousand sufferings binding their bodies.

Verse on the Residual Retribution:

People of wrong views, deluded and ignorant,

Endure suffering in the Avici Hell.

When their offenses end, they are born human,

Yet continue to hold wrong views.

The false and the true inherently oppose each other;

They themselves create their own deceit.

If this mind does not change,

They will remain submerged in hell forever.

Notes:

^[1] The four means of embracing 四攝法 (S: catvāri saṃgraha-vastūni): four methods used by bodhisattvas to embrace sentient beings, causing them to give rise to affection and trust, and thereby guiding them into the Buddha’s path so that they may attain awakening. These are generosity, loving speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation.

^[2] The Four-Part Vinaya (Tứ phần luật 四分律; S: Dharmagupta-vinaya): a Vinaya text in sixty fascicles, jointly translated by Buddhaśayas and Zhu Fonian in Chang’an during the Later Qin dynasty in China, around 410–412, and included in volume 22 of the Taisho Tripitaka.

^[3] The Flower Crest Sutra (Hoa thủ kinh 華首經; S: Kuśala-mūla-saṃgraha): a sutra in ten fascicles, translated by Kumarajiva during the Later Qin dynasty in China and included in volume 16 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This sutra recounts how the Buddha, while staying in the Karanda Bamboo Grove at Rajagriha, taught bodhisattvas from the ten directions about the process by which Mahayana bodhisattvas attain the path, the painful retribution incurred by slandering Mahayana practitioners, and the merit of protecting and upholding the Buddha-Dharma, making images, and so forth.

^[4] The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom (Đại trí độ luận 大智度論; S: Mahāprajñāpāramitaśastra): a treatise in one hundred fascicles, composed by the bodhisattva Nagarjuna, translated by Kumarajiva during the Later Qin dynasty in China, and included in volume 25 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This treatise explains the Larger Prajnaparamita Sutra.

^[4] The Sutra on Repaying Kindness (Báo ân kinh 報恩經; also called the Sutra of the Buddha’s Repayment of Kindness through Great Skillful Means): a sutra in seven fascicles and nine chapters, whose translator is unknown. This sutra relates that when the Buddha was on Vulture Peak, Ananda heard non-Buddhist practitioners reproach the Buddha for lacking filial piety and therefore reported this to him. The Buddha then emitted light, assembling bodhisattvas from throughout the ten directions, and spoke of the causes and conditions in which Prince Sujati cut flesh from his own body to save his parents, as well as how he ascended to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to teach the Dharma to his mother.

^[4] The seven noble treasures 七聖財: seven noble qualities for accomplishing the Buddha’s path. They are faith, morality, moral shame, moral dread, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Because these seven qualities, when preserved, have the power to aid in the attainment of Buddhahood, they are called treasures.

^[7] Residual retribution 餘報: the remaining karmic retribution from a previous life.

^[8] The Sarvastivada Treatise (Tát-bà-đa luận 薩婆多論): a treatise in nine fascicles, whose translator is unknown, classified among the scriptures and treatises of the Qin dynasty.

^[9] The Sutra on Distinguishing Karmic Retribution (Phân biệt nghiệp báo kinh 分別業報經): a sutra in one fascicle, composed by the bodhisattva Mahavira and translated by Sanghavarman during the Song dynasty. This entire sutra is written in verse; its contents explain karmic retribution within the five realms.

^[10] The Mahayana Compendium (Nhiếp Luận 攝論; S: Mahãyãmã-Samparigraha-Sastra): a treatise in three fascicles, composed by the Indian master Asanga, translated by Xuanzang, and included in volume 31 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This treatise encompasses all the essential meanings of the Dharma teachings within the sacred doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism.

^[11] The Nirvana Sutra (Niết-bàn kinh 涅槃經; full title: Mahaparinirvana Sutra; S: Mahã-parinirvãna-Sũtra): a sutra in three fascicles, translated by Faxian during the Eastern Jin dynasty in China and included in volume 1 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This sutra expounds the doctrines that the Tathagata abides eternally, that all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, and that icchantikas attain Buddhahood.

^[12] Treatise on the Great Adornment (Great Adornment Treatise 大莊嚴論; also called: Treatise on the Sutra of the Great Adornment): a treatise in fifteen fascicles, composed by Asvaghosa and translated by Kumarajiva. Its contents extensively record stories concerning the Buddha’s previous lives and present life, as well as accounts related to good and evil, causes and conditions, and parables from the era of the compiler, with the aim of leading people to right faith.

^[13] Ekottarika Agama Sutra (Ekottarika Agama Sutra 僧一阿含經; S: Ekottarikāgama): a sutra in fifty-one fascicles, translated by Sanghadeva during the Eastern Jin dynasty. It comprises many short sutras spoken by the Buddha on various occasions for devas and human beings. This sutra is strongly imbued with Mahayana thought.

^[14] Chuyao Sutra (Chuyao Sutra 出曜經; S: Dharmatrāta): a sutra or treatise in thirty fascicles, compiled by the Venerable Dharmatrata and translated by Zhu Fonian during the Yao Qin dynasty in China, approximately between 351 and 417 during the Eastern Jin period; it is included in volume 4 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This scripture comprises thirty-four chapters, consisting of verses in the form of Buddhist instruction together with collected narratives presented as commentaries.

^[15] Ten Recitations Vinaya (Ten Recitations Vinaya 十誦律): a Vinaya text in sixty-one fascicles, jointly translated by Punyatara and Kumarajiva during the Yao Qin dynasty in China; it is included in volume 23 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This Vinaya divides the monastic precepts into ten sections for explanation.

^[16] Attainment of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling 滅受想定 (also called: attainment of cessation; S: nirodha-samāpatti): a meditative attainment that extinguishes the mind and mental factors in order to abide in an unconditioned state of mind. Together with the attainment of non-perception, it is called one of the two mindless attainments. The attainment of non-perception, however, is a fruition attained by ordinary non-Buddhist beings, whereas this attainment is the fruition attained by Buddhas and arhats, who have abandoned the hindrances to meditative concentration and are fully liberated.

^[17] Upasika 優婆夷 (S: upāsikā): a woman who reveres the Three Jewels, takes the Three Refuges, observes the Five Precepts, and practices wholesome Dharma; she belongs to one of the two assemblies of the Buddha’s lay disciples.

^[18] Upasaka 優婆塞 (S: upāsaka): a man who serves the Three Jewels and undertakes and observes the Five Precepts; he belongs to one of the two assemblies of the Buddha’s lay disciples.

^[19] Sutra of One Hundred Causes and Conditions: namely, the Sutra of the Collected One Hundred Causes and Conditions (撰集百緣經; S: Avadāna-śataka), in ten fascicles, translated by Zhi Qian during the Wu dynasty and included in volume 4 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This sutra comprises ten chapters and discusses the causes, conditions, and karmic retributions of the wholesome and unwholesome deeds of sentient beings.

^[20] Sutra on the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury (付法藏經; also called: Account of the Causes and Conditions of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury): a sutra or narrative in six fascicles, jointly translated by Kekaya and Tanyao during the Yuan Wei dynasty in China; it is included in volume 50 of the Taisho Tripitaka. Its contents recount the transmission of the Dharma and the lineage of twenty-three Indian patriarchs.

^[21] Gandi 犍椎 (also called: kiền trĩ): an instrument struck to announce the time in a monastery. According to fascicle 18 of the Five-Part Vinaya and the second fascicle of the Three Thousand Deportments of a Great Bhiksu, monasteries struck the gandi when assembling the Sangha for the uposatha, sutra recitation, receiving meals, and other occasions, much as wooden boards are struck in monasteries today.

^[22] Primary retribution 正報: the principal embodied retribution experienced by a sentient being as a result of past karma; namely, the present body and mind of that sentient being.

^[23] Accumulated retribution 集報: retribution arising from residual unwholesome habitual tendencies from the past.

^[24] Sutra of the Collection of the Six Paramitas 六度集經: a sutra in eight fascicles, translated by Kang Senghui during the Wu dynasty in China and included in volume 3 of the Taisho Tripitaka. This sutra comprises ninety-one stories of the Buddha’s former lives, arranged in correspondence with the six paramitas.

^[25] Dirgha Agama Sutra (長阿鋡經; S: Dīrghāgama): a sutra in twenty fascicles, jointly translated by Buddhayasas and Zhu Fonian in 413 during the Later Qin dynasty in China and included in volume 1 of the Taisho Tripitaka; it is one of the four Agamas of the Northern transmission.

^[26] Sutra on the Stages of the Path of Cultivation (修行道地經; S: Yoga-cārya-bhūmi-sūtra): a scripture in seven fascicles and thirty chapters, composed by the sramana Sangharaksa and translated by Dharmaraksa during the Western Jin dynasty. This treatise clearly expounds the characteristics of the five skandhas and the practices of the Three Vehicles.

^[27] Câu-kỳ 拘耆: the name of a species of red-beaked crow.

^[28] Sutra of Miscellaneous Parables (雜譬喻經): a sutra in one fascicle containing thirty-nine parables, translated by Kumarajiva. Its contents chiefly present illustrative causes and conditions to elucidate the principles of the karmic retribution of good and evil.

^[29] Mahasanghika Vinaya (僧祈律; S: Mahāsaṅghavinaya): a Vinaya text that discusses the 250 precepts for bhiksus and the 348 precepts for bhiksunis.

^[30] Bo Sutra (孛經): a sutra translated by the layman Zhi Qian of the Yuezhi kingdom during the Wu dynasty. Bo was the name of the state preceptor of the kingdom of Landa, who was the Buddha in a previous life.

^[31] Samantapasadika Vinaya (善見律; S: Samantapāsādikā): a Vinaya text that discusses the First, Second, and Third Councils; the transmission and preservation of the Vinaya Pitaka; and the journey of King Asoka’s son Mahinda to Sri Lanka to propagate the Dharma. From fascicle 4 onward, it mainly comments upon the Four-Part Vinaya.

^[32] A mule’s pregnancy (騾懷妊): a mule gives birth once and then dies.

^[33] The Large Sutra, namely the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra (大品般若經; S: Pañcaviṃśati-sāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā): a sutra in twenty-seven fascicles and ninety chapters, translated by Kumarajiva between 402 and 412. Its contents discuss the prajnaparamita contemplation of emptiness belonging to the early period of Mahayana Buddhism.

^[34] Bodhisattva Stages Sutra (菩薩地持經): a sutra in twenty-seven chapters that clearly explains the means of practice for Mahayana bodhisattvas. It is divided into three parts: the section on initial expedient means, the section on expedient means in accordance with the Dharma, and the section on ultimate expedient means.

^[35] Five fires (五火): fires on four sides and the sunlight above.

^[36] Sutra of the Youth Moonlight (月光童子經): a sutra translated by Dharmaraksa during the Western Jin dynasty. This sutra recounts how Thân Nhật and the six non-Buddhist teachers plotted to harm the Buddha. Although his son tried to dissuade him, he refused to listen. The Buddha transformed and instructed him through spiritual powers, and in the end he repented, confessed his wrongdoing, and took refuge in the Buddha.

^[37] The six non-Buddhist teachers 六師外道: six influential non-Buddhist schools in Central India during the Buddha’s lifetime.

^[38] Sutra on the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha (觀佛三昧經; S: Buddha-dhyāna-samādhisāgara-sūtra): a sutra recounting how the Buddha taught the Dharma in order to liberate his father, King Suddhodana, and his maternal aunt, Gautami, in the Nyagrodha Grove at Kapilavastu.

^[39] Sutra of Satyaka Nirgranthaputra (薩遮尼乾子經; S: Bodhisattva-gocaropāya-viṣaya-vikurvaṇa-nirdeśa): a sutra recounting how the great non-Buddhist teacher Satyaka Nirgranthaputra answered the bodhisattva Manjusri’s questions concerning the profound Mahayana Dharma, for which the Buddha praised him and bestowed a prediction upon him.

^[40] Six close relatives 六親: the six kinds of people closest to oneself: father, mother, elder brother, younger brother, wife, and child.

^[41] Seven treasures (七寶; S: sapta ratnāni): seven kinds of precious substances. According to the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions in the Avatamsaka Sutra, they are “gold, silver, lapis lazuli, giant clam shell, agate, pearl, and red pearl.” According to the Infinite Life Sutra, they are “gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, coral, agate, and giant clam shell.”

^[42] The Four Excellences (四妙; also called the Four Virtues): the four virtues of a wheel-turning sage king. They are longevity, freedom from illness, a handsome appearance, and abundant treasures.