諸經要集

Editor-in-Chief: Thích Nguyên Chơn

XXIV. DECEPTION

This chapter consists of six sections: Introduction, Feigning Intimacy, Plotting Harm with Poison, Feigning Wealth and Honor, Feigning Courage, and Deception Among Animals.

XXIV.1. Introduction

The great Way admits no barriers; what it values is truthful speech. Thus, when wholesome words are spoken, even people a thousand miles away will respond; when unwholesome words are uttered, even those within arm’s reach will not listen. In the age of the declining Dharma, both people and the Dharma become deceptive: some rely on what is right to commit wrong, while others embellish falsehood to make it appear true.

Because the human heart may be upright or corrupt, the Dharma may appear genuine or counterfeit; when one becomes entangled in fame and gain, attachment to self and others grows ever greater. If even those close at hand cannot be relied upon, how much less those who have always been strangers; hence, it is difficult to form friendships. Therefore, the sutra teaches: “The straightforward mind is the place of awakening.” This is indeed true!

XXIV.2. Feigning Intimacy

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Treasures^[43] records: “All forms of fraud, falsehood, and deception appear outwardly upright, yet inwardly conceal improper intentions. Therefore, the wise must clearly distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit.

Long ago, there was an elderly brahmin who had married a young wife. Because she disliked her aged husband, the wife repeatedly urged him to hold a feast and invite young, strong brahmins to attend. Suspecting that his wife harbored improper intentions, the husband refused.

One day, his stepson accidentally lost his footing and fell into a fire. The young wife saw him, but [148b] did not pull him out. The husband angrily shouted:

– Why did you see the child fall and yet refuse to pull him out?

The wife immediately replied:

– From childhood until now, I have been intimate only with my husband and have never associated with any other man. How, then, could I pull this young man out?

Hearing this, the elderly husband believed her words. He therefore held a great feast and invited young brahmin men to attend. He then witnessed his wife engaging in illicit relations with them. Greatly enraged, he took all his precious possessions, abandoned his wife, and departed. On the road, he met another brahmin and befriended him. That evening, the two slept in the same place, and in the morning they resumed their journey. The other brahmin said:

– At the place where we slept last night, a leaf became caught on my robe. From childhood until now, I have never taken anything belonging to another. I wish to return it to its owner. Please wait here; once I have returned it, I shall come back.

On hearing these words, the elderly brahmin trusted, loved, and respected him all the more, and agreed to wait. The other brahmin deceitfully carried the leaf into a ravine and lay there idly for a while. He then returned, saying that he had given it back. At that moment, the elderly brahmin needed to relieve himself, so he entrusted his precious possessions to the other brahmin. Seeing that his opportunity had come, the man seized the treasures and fled. Realizing that the thief had stolen his valuables, the elderly brahmin was filled with anger and regret.

He then continued on his way and stopped to rest beneath a tree. He saw a crane holding a blade of grass in its beak and saying to the other birds:

– We should cherish one another, so let us all gather in one place!

The other birds believed it and flew there to assemble. After they had left their nests, the crane flew over and pecked open their eggs to eat them. When it saw the birds returning, it once again held grass in its beak. Discovering the crane’s deceit, all the birds departed. Beneath that same tree, the brahmin also saw a non-Buddhist renunciant wearing a patched robe, walking slowly and saying:

– Living beings, move aside!

Seeing this, the elderly brahmin asked:

– Why do you say ‘move aside’ as you walk?

The non-Buddhist renunciant replied:

– As a renunciant, I have compassion for all beings. I say this because I fear harming insects and ants.

Hearing this, the elderly brahmin believed him. When evening came, he sought out the man’s dwelling. Upon arriving, he heard the sounds of singing and dancing and saw a woman emerge from a cellar in the room to engage in sexual intercourse with the non-Buddhist renunciant amid music, singing, and revelry. Seeing this, the elderly brahmin thought, ‘Nothing in the whole world is worthy of trust,’ and spoke this verse:

She would not touch another man;

He returned the grass to its owner;

The crane falsely held grass in its beak;

The non-Buddhist feared harming insects,

His mouth forever saying, ‘Move aside!’

Such indeed is their deception;

[148c] None of them is worthy of trust—

In future lives, their suffering will be immeasurable.”

Therefore, the Nirvana Sutra records: “The Buddha taught: As in a verse I once spoke long ago:

All rivers

Have winding bends;

All forests

Contain precious timber.

All women

Harbor deception;

Those unattached to anything

At once attain peace and joy.

XXIV.3. Plotting Harm with Poison

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Treasures records: “Devadatta employed every possible means to kill the Buddha, but did not succeed. At that time, a brahmin from southern India who was highly skilled in spells and the preparation of poisons arrived. Devadatta asked him to compound a poison, which Devadatta then scattered upon the Buddha with his own hands. But the wind blew it back onto his head, causing him to lose consciousness and collapse upon the ground, near death and beyond all remedy.

Ananda addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Devadatta has been poisoned and is about to die!

Out of compassion, the Buddha spoke truthfully to Ananda:

– From the time I practiced the bodhisattva path until I attained Buddhahood, I have always had compassion for Devadatta and have never borne hatred toward him. If this is true, may the poison naturally dissipate.

As soon as these words were spoken, the poison was neutralized. Seeing this, the bhikshus said:

– How extraordinary, Blessed One! Devadatta constantly harbors evil intentions toward the Tathagata; why, then, did the Tathagata save his life?

The Buddha said:

– It is not only today that Devadatta has harbored evil intentions toward me; he did so in the past as well.

The bhikshus then asked:

– Blessed One! In the past, how did Devadatta harbor evil intentions toward you?

The Buddha recounted: ‘In a past age, in the city of Varanasi in the kingdom of Kashi, there were two chief ministers. One was named Sina, and the other was named Evil Intent. Sina always acted in accordance with the law, while Evil Intent constantly committed evil deeds and delighted in slander. One day, Evil Intent reported to the king:

– Sina intends to rebel.

The king immediately sent men to arrest and imprison Sina. At that time, devas and benevolent spirits spoke from midair:

– This worthy man is truly innocent. Why has he been arrested?

On another occasion, Evil Intent plundered the king’s treasury and falsely accused Sina of the crime. The king, however, no longer trusted him and ordered that Evil Intent be arrested and handed over to Sina for judgment. Sina then advised Evil Intent to go and repent before the king.

Knowing himself to be guilty, Evil Intent fled to the kingdom of King Vaidehi. There he made a jeweled box containing two venomous snakes. Anyone who saw these snakes would be harmed by their poisonous vapors.

Evil Intent therefore asked King Vaidehi to dispatch an envoy to present this jeweled box to the king of Kashi and Sina, with these instructions: ‘Show it only to these two men; let no one else see it.’ Seeing how exquisitely adorned the jeweled box was, the king was delighted and ordered Sina to open it and look inside. Sina said:

– An object brought from afar should not be opened and examined at once, [149a] nor should food brought from afar be eaten hastily. Why is this? Because there may be evil men in that kingdom who could use a poisoned object to harm us.

The king said:

– Nevertheless, I am determined to see it!

Sina earnestly remonstrated with him three times, but the king remained adamant that he wished to see it. Seeing this, Sina said:

– Your Majesty! If you do not trust your minister’s words, then Your Majesty may open it and look for yourself; your minister does not dare!

As soon as the box was opened, the poison blinded both of the king’s eyes. Sena was overwhelmed with grief and compassion, and immediately sent people throughout the four quarters to seek effective medicine with which to treat the king. The king recovered completely and was restored to his former condition.

The king at that time was Sariputra; Sena was I myself; and Evil Intention was Devadatta.”

XXIV.4. Pretending to Be Wealthy and Noble

The Mahasanghika Vinaya^[44] records: “The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– In the distant past, in the city of Varanasi in the kingdom of Kasi, there was a learned brahmin named Purohita. He was the king’s teacher and had five hundred pupils. At that time, the brahmin kept a servant named Kalaha, whose duty was to provide the young students with the things they needed. This servant was keen-witted by nature and remembered every teaching he heard.

One day, the servant quarreled with the students. He then went to another kingdom and falsely claimed to be the son of the brahmin Purohita of Varanasi,^[45] and that his name was Yajnadatta. The servant went to the royal preceptor of that kingdom and said:

– I am the son of the brahmin Purohita, the royal preceptor of Varanasi. I have deliberately come here to study the brahmanical teachings.

The royal preceptor said:

– Very well!

This servant was intelligent, and because he had already heard these teachings before, when he heard them again he remembered them all. The royal preceptor was greatly pleased and instructed him to teach his five hundred pupils. He said:

– Teach them in my place, for I must attend to affairs of the royal court.

This royal preceptor had no son, but only one daughter, so he told the servant:

– Yajnadatta! If you will heed my words and not return to your country, I shall give you my daughter in marriage.

He replied:

– I shall obey.

Thus, they lived together in the same household, enjoying a life of great comfort and abundance. Being difficult to please, whenever his wife prepared food, Yajnadatta would often complain that it was undercooked or overcooked and not to his taste. His wife thought: ‘If anyone comes here from Varanasi, I shall ask about the manner of eating and drinking in that country so that I may serve my husband accordingly.’

At that time, the brahmin Purohita of the other kingdom heard about this and thought: ‘My servant Kalaha has fled to that country. I should go there to see him.’ The brahmin then traveled to that kingdom. At the time, the servant was strolling in a garden with the students. Seeing his former master from afar, the servant became frightened and quietly said to the students:

– All of you should go back [149b] and study your lessons by yourselves.

After the students had departed, the servant approached his former master, bowed reverently, and said:

– I came to this country and told people that you, venerable sir,^[46] were my father. I then studied under the royal preceptor here and mastered all the scriptures. The royal preceptor gave me his daughter in marriage. Today, I beg you not to reveal my circumstances. I shall duly fulfill my duties as a servant and attend upon you, venerable sir.

The brahmin master, being well versed in worldly affairs, said:

– You truly are my son. Rise quickly!

The servant then returned to his wife’s home and told everyone in the household:

– My father has arrived.

Hearing her husband say this, the wife was delighted and prepared many kinds of food and drink. When the meal had been served, the wife took advantage of a free moment to bow privately to the brahmin and say:

– I attend upon my husband, but the food I prepare is often not to his liking. Father, please teach me what he usually ate when he was at home, so that I may prepare such food and drink for him.

The visiting brahmin immediately became angry and thought: ‘How wretchedly this man treats another family’s daughter!’ He then said:

– Rise quickly, my child. Before I return home, I shall teach you a verse that will make your husband cease speaking in this way.

Hearing this, the wife rejoiced, took her leave, and withdrew. She then returned and told her husband:

– Your father has deliberately traveled here from afar, but he must return soon.

The husband thought: ‘As my wife says, I should have him leave soon and not allow him to remain here long. I fear he may let something slip and expose me, causing me great harm.’ The husband then provided a large sum of money, instructed his wife to prepare food, and attended upon the brahmin. The husband, being the leader of a guild,^[47] was occupied in a gathering with his associates and was not at home. After offering the meal, the wife bowed in farewell and asked her father to recite the verse.

The brahmin then said:

With no father, you went abroad,

Deceiving everyone with falsehoods;

You always ate all manner of coarse fare—

Why, then, do you disparage fine food?

– I now give you this verse. Whenever your husband becomes angry and complains that the food is poor, stand to one side, turn your back to him, and softly recite the verse just loudly enough for him to hear.

Having given these instructions, the brahmin returned to his own kingdom. The servant accompanied his master on his departure. Thereafter, whenever mealtime came, the husband would again become angry. His wife stood beside him and recited the verse as instructed. When the husband heard it, he was displeased and thought to himself: ‘Alas! That old man has revealed my shameful secret!’

From that day onward, the husband always spoke gently, hoping that his wife would not become angry, for he feared that she might disclose his secrets to others.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– The brahmin Purohita, the former master, was I myself. The servant Kalaha at that time is now the bhiksu Chanda. In the past, Chanda relied upon my influence to deceive others, and now he does so again.”

XXIV.5. Pretending to Be Courageous

[149c] The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom records: “All dharmas are unreal. Because of ignorance, sentient beings fail to recognize acquaintances and strangers for what they are, and consequently become angry, revile, and kill one another, committing many grave offenses. They therefore fall into the three evil destinies^[48] and undergo immeasurable suffering.

For example, in a room at a monastery in the mountains, a demon often came to cause trouble, making the members of the Sangha afraid to stay there. At that time, a visiting monk arrived and asked to spend the night. The monk in charge of duties^[49] assigned him that very vacant room and said:

– A demon in this room delights in harming people. Stay here if you are able.

Considering himself a monk who observed the precepts and possessed great learning, the visiting monk declared:

– What can this petty demon possibly do? I shall subdue it.

Having said this, the visiting monk entered the room. That evening, another visiting monk arrived at the monastery and asked for lodging. The monk in charge likewise took him to that room and informed him that a demon often came there to harm people. This visiting monk also said:

– What can this petty demon possibly do? I shall subdue it.

The monk who had arrived first went into the room, closed the door, and sat quietly waiting for the demon. After nightfall, the monk who had arrived later knocked on the door and asked to enter. The first monk took him for the demon and refused to open the door, while the second monk used all his strength to force it open. The monk inside resisted with all his might, but the monk outside was stronger and managed to push the door open and rush inside. They fought until dawn, when at last they recognized each other as former fellow students. Both were ashamed and apologized to one another. Everyone gathered around and laughed at them.”

Sentient beings are likewise. The five skandhas are unreal; there is neither person nor self. Yet through attachment to appearances, beings give rise to conflict and then injure and destroy one another. If the body were cut open and examined, there would be only bones and flesh, with neither person nor self. Therefore, the bodhisattva teaches sentient beings: “Do not contend over what is originally empty. Even a human body cannot be found—how much less can one expect to see the Buddha?”

XXIV.6. Deceitful Animals

The Sutra of Old Miscellaneous Parables^[50] records: “Long ago, a wealthy woman had an illicit affair with another man. She gathered all her gold, silver, and possessions, and the two fled together. When they reached a riverbank, the current was swift. The man said:

– Give me the valuables. I shall cross the river first and then return to bring you across.

The man crossed the river but did not return. The woman sat alone in grief, with no one to help her. She then saw a jackal that had caught a wild goose. On seeing a fish in the river, the jackal dropped the goose and plunged into the water to catch the fish. It failed to catch the fish and also lost the goose. The woman said to the jackal:

– How foolish you are! Because you greedily tried to catch both, you ended up getting neither.

The jackal retorted:

– I am still less foolish than you!

The Mahasanghika Vinaya records: “The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– In the past, during a certain year, unseasonable rain fell continuously for seven days, [150a] and the livestock could not be put out to pasture. At that time, a hungry wolf went in search of food, wandering through seven villages without finding anything. It reproached itself: ‘How unfortunate I am! I have gone through all seven villages without finding anything to eat. I might as well remain in this mountain forest and observe the fast.’ Having thought this, the wolf stayed in a cave and made a vow: ‘May all sentient beings dwell in peace and security.’ The wolf then sat upright, composed its body, and closed its eyes.

On the fast day, Sakra^[51] mounted the white elephant Airavata^[52] and went to observe who among human beings was keeping the precepts and who was breaking them. When he reached that mountain cave and saw the wolf sitting with closed eyes in contemplation, Sakra thought: ‘How extraordinary! Even human beings do not possess such a resolve, much less a wolf!’ Wishing to test whether this was genuine or false, Sakra immediately transformed himself into a goat, stood before the cave, and loudly called to its herd.

Seeing the goat, the wolf thought: ‘How marvelous! The meritorious reward for observing the fasting precepts has already manifested. I searched through seven villages for food and found none, yet now, after observing the fasting precepts for only a short while, delicious food has come to my very mouth.

I can eat it first and observe the fasting precepts afterward.’

With this thought, the wolf immediately left the cave and approached the goat. Seeing the wolf draw near, the goat fled in terror. The wolf chased it but could not catch it. After running some distance, the goat transformed into a dog with a broad mouth and large ears, turned around, barked loudly, and chased the wolf. Seeing the ferocious dog, the wolf fled in fear. The dog pursued it but could not catch up, and the wolf escaped. After returning to the cave, the wolf thought: ‘I wanted to eat its flesh, but it turned around and wanted to eat mine.’

Sakra then transformed himself into a lame goat, stood before the wolf, and bleated. The wolf immediately thought: ‘The one before was a dog, but because I was so hungry that my eyes deceived me, I saw it as a goat. This one here is truly a goat.’ Examining it carefully from its ears and horns to its coat, the wolf saw that it was indeed a goat. The wolf immediately rushed out in pursuit, and the goat again fled in alarm. After being chased some distance, the goat transformed into a dog, turned around, and pursued and bit at the wolf. The scene unfolded just as before. Sakra then transformed himself into a young goat that called to the herd and cried for its mother, standing before the wolf. The wolf angrily said:

– Even if you transformed into a piece of meat, I would not deign to come out, much less when you are merely a young goat trying to deceive me!

The wolf resumed observing the fast, calming its mind and contemplating as before. Sakra then knew that the wolf was resolved to observe the fast, but he nevertheless remained in the form of a young goat standing before it.

At that time, the wolf spoke this verse:

Even if you truly were a goat,

I still would not wish to step outside;

How much less when you are merely disguised,

Trying to frighten me as before.

Seeing that I observe the fast,

You have come again to test me.

[150b] Even if you were a piece of meat,

I still would not believe you;

How much less when you are a young goat,

Deceitfully calling to the herd.

The Blessed One then spoke this verse:

If one who has gone forth

Observes the precepts with an agitated mind

And does not relinquish gain and support,

One is like the wolf observing the fast.”

The Five-Part Vinaya^[53] records: “The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– Long ago, there was a manava^[54] who regularly recited the scriptures of the ksatriyas^[55] in a mountain cave. Nearby, a jackal constantly listened to the recitations and thus came to understand their meaning. The jackal thought: ‘Since I understand the words of this scripture, I am worthy to be king of the beasts.’ Having thought this, the jackal set out on a journey. When it encountered another, feeble jackal, it intended to kill it. The feeble jackal asked:

– Why do you wish to kill me?

– I am the king of the beasts. If you refuse to submit to me, you must die.

– Please do not kill me. I will follow you! the feeble jackal pleaded.

Thus, the two jackals traveled together. They encountered another jackal, and the first again intended to kill it. The questions and answers were the same, and that jackal willingly asked to become its follower. In this manner, the jackal successively subdued all the jackals. It then led the pack of jackals to subdue all the elephants, led the herd of elephants to subdue all the tigers, and led the tigers to subdue all the lions, finally becoming king.

After becoming king, it thought: ‘Now that I am king of the beasts, how could I take a beast as my wife?’ It then mounted a white elephant and led countless herds of beasts to encircle the city of Kasi several thousand times. The king sent an envoy to ask:

– Why are you beasts doing this?

The jackal replied:

– I am the king of the beasts and must marry the king’s daughter. It will be well if he gives her to me; otherwise, I shall destroy his kingdom!

The envoy returned and reported this. The king summoned his ministers to deliberate. Only one great minister disagreed; all the others believed that the princess should be given away. Why? At present, the entire kingdom depended on elephants and horses in warfare, whereas the beasts had lions. Upon hearing the lions’ roars, the elephants and horses would certainly panic and fall. If battle were joined, the beasts would surely destroy them. Why begrudge one daughter and thereby lose the entire kingdom?

At that time, a wise great minister said to the king:

– From ancient times until now, I have never heard of a king’s daughter being given in marriage to an animal. Though I am dull-witted, I shall be able to kill this jackal and cause all the herds of beasts to scatter and flee.

The king asked:

– What is your plan?

The great minister replied:

– Your Majesty need only appoint a day for battle and first meet that jackal to make this demand: ‘Have the lions fight first and roar afterward.’ Thinking that we are afraid, they will certainly order the lions to roar first and fight afterward. On the day of battle, Your Majesty should issue a decree that all people and livestock within the city [150c] must plug their ears.

The king followed this plan, ordering an envoy to deliver the challenge and the demand. On the day of battle, the king again sent a letter repeating the demand before dispatching his troops. Just as the vanguard was about to engage in combat, the jackal indeed ordered the lions to roar first. When the jackal heard the lions’ earth-shaking roars, its heart burst into seven pieces, and it fell from the elephant’s back to the ground. All the herds of beasts fled at once. From this account, the Buddha spoke this verse:

That jackal was exceedingly arrogant

And wished to seek a beautiful wife;

It therefore came to the city of Kasi,

Proclaiming itself king of the beasts.

An arrogant person is likewise:

Delighting in commanding a multitude of followers,

In the land of Magadha^[56]

He proclaims himself master of the Dharma.

The king of Kasi at that time was I myself; the wise great minister was Sariputra; and that jackal was Devadatta.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– In the past, Devadatta falsely claimed others as his retinue, and today he does the same.

The Buddha spoke this verse:

The good easily gather with the good;

Good and evil are truly difficult to reconcile.

The evil easily gather with the evil;

Evil and good are likewise difficult to bring together.”

The Sutra of the Buddha’s Original Conduct^[57] records: “At that time, the Buddha told the bhiksus:

– I recall that long ago there was a river named Paliyada. At that time, on the riverbank lived a garland maker who owned a garden beside the river. One day, a turtle emerged from the river and entered the flower garden in search of food. Wherever the turtle went, it crushed and ruined the flowers and grass. Seeing the turtle damaging the flowers, the gardener caught it, shut it inside a bamboo basket, and intended to take it home for meat. The turtle thought: ‘How can I escape this calamity? What means can I devise to deceive the gardener?’ Having considered the matter, the turtle said:

I came up from the water, my body covered in mud;

Set the flowers aside and wash my body.

This body, stained with mud, is truly filthy;

I fear it will soil the basket and all the flowers.

At that time, the gardener thought, ‘Excellent! This tortoise has cleverly shown me what to do. I should now heed its advice and wash it so that the mud does not soil the flower basket.’ With this thought, he took the tortoise down to the river to wash it. He removed it from the basket, placed it upon a rock, and then scooped up water, intending to wash it. At that moment, the tortoise gathered all its strength and hurled itself into the water. Seeing this, the garland maker said:

[151a] - How strange! This tortoise has managed to deceive me. Now I must trick it into coming back ashore. He then spoke this verse:

Good tortoise, listen well to me;

We have been friends for many years.

I shall make a garland as your gift;

How joyful to meet your kin once more!

Hearing this, the tortoise thought, ‘This garland maker is lying in order to deceive me. His mother is ill and confined to bed, while his wife gathers flowers, makes them into garlands, and sells them to earn a living. Now that he speaks in this way, he must certainly want to eat my flesh and is therefore enticing me ashore.’ The tortoise then spoke this verse:

Brew wine at home and gather your kin;

Prepare many dishes and fill the trays.

Return to your home and tell them this:

Cook the tortoise’s head in gruel and stew its fatty flesh.

The Buddha told the bhiksus: You should know that the tortoise at that time was I, and the garland maker was Mara Papiyan. At that time, Mara Papiyan sought to deceive Me but could not; now he wishes to deceive Me again—how could he succeed!

Furthermore, the Buddha told the bhiksus: I remember that long ago there was a great naga who lived in the vast ocean. His wife was pregnant and suddenly craved a monkey’s heart. Because of this, her body grew thin and sickly, her complexion became sallow, and she could neither walk nor stand steadily. Seeing his wife in this condition, the husband naga asked:

– My dear! What troubles you, or what do you wish to eat? Why have I not heard you ask for any food at all?

The wife naga remained silent and gave no reply. The husband naga asked again:

– Why do you say nothing today?

The wife naga replied:

– If my husband will grant my wish, only then shall I speak. Otherwise, I shall say nothing!

The husband naga replied:

– Tell me what it is. If it can be obtained, I shall seek it for you by every possible means.

The wife naga then said:

– I now wish to eat a monkey’s heart. Can you obtain one?

The husband naga replied:

– What you ask for is truly difficult to find. We live in the great ocean, whereas monkeys dwell in the green forests. How could I obtain one?

The wife naga said:

– Then what are we to do now? If you cannot find a monkey’s heart, I shall miscarry, and my own life will not last much longer.

Hearing this, the husband naga replied:

– My dear! Try to wait patiently. I shall go and search for one now. [151b] If I succeed, nothing could bring greater joy to both you and me.

Thereupon, the husband naga went ashore. Not far from the shore stood a great tree called the Udumbara. In that tree, a large monkey was plucking fruit and eating it. Seeing this, the husband naga slowly approached the foot of the tree and, speaking sweetly, called out in greeting:

– Excellent, excellent! Vasistha, what are you doing up in that tree? Is it arduous or exhausting? Is food easy to find, without too much toil?

The monkey replied:

– Indeed, worthy sir! I suffer no hardship at all here!

The naga asked again:

– What do you eat here?

The monkey replied:

– I eat Udumbara fruit.

The naga then said:

– Now that I have met you, I am so delighted that I cannot contain myself, and I wish to become your friend. Let us cherish one another. If you accept my offer, you need not remain here, for there is little fruit on this tree—how could you be happy? You should come down and follow me. I shall carry you across the ocean to the opposite shore, where there is a great forest filled with every kind of tree and an abundance of flowers and fruit.

The monkey asked:

– How could I reach the opposite shore? The ocean is deep and vast and difficult to cross. How could I possibly cross it?

The naga replied:

– I shall carry you upon my back to the opposite shore. You need only come down and climb onto my back.

At that time, although the monkey still hesitated, he was foolish and therefore became delighted. He immediately leaped to the ground and climbed onto the naga’s back. The naga then thought, ‘Excellent, excellent! My wish has been fulfilled.’ He carried the monkey toward his dwelling, and together they submerged beneath the sea. Finding this strange, the monkey asked the naga:

– My friend! Why are we diving beneath the water?

The naga replied:

– My wife is pregnant and wishes to eat your heart. That is why I have brought you here.

Hearing this, the monkey thought, ‘Alas! I am truly unfortunate today and have brought this calamity upon myself. What can I do to escape this danger and preserve my life?’ The monkey then thought, ‘I must deceive this naga.’ Having considered this, he said to the naga:

– My good friend! I left my heart on the Udumbara tree and did not bring it with me. Why did you not tell me the truth earlier? [151c] Had I known that you needed my heart, I would have brought it along. Now take me back so that I may fetch my heart, and then we shall return.

Hearing this, the naga carried the monkey back to the place from which they had come. When the monkey saw that the naga was nearing the shore, he exerted all his strength, leaped from the naga’s back, and sprang up into the Udumbara tree. After waiting for a while beneath the tree and seeing that the monkey delayed and would not come down, the naga called out:

– My dear friend! Come down quickly, and let us go together to my home!

The monkey remained silent and refused to descend. Seeing that the monkey still had not come down after a long time, the naga spoke this verse:

Dear monkey friend, now take your heart!

Come quickly to my back, and let us depart.

I shall take you to that forest,

Where flowers and fruit abound, sweet to the lips.

The monkey then thought, ‘This naga is truly foolish,’ and immediately spoke this verse:

Naga, although your scheme was rather deep,

Your wisdom, it appears, is truly dull.

You should consider the matter very carefully:

Of all living creatures, who is without a heart?

That forest may indeed abound in flowers and fruit,

Even in sweet fruit such as the Amra,

But I no longer wish to go with you;

I would rather eat the Udumbara fruit.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

– The great monkey at that time was I, and the naga was Mara Papiyan. In the past, Mara Papiyan sought to deceive Me but could not. Now he again wishes to entice Me with the five worldly desires, but how could he ever move Me from this seat?”

The Sutra of the Miscellaneous Treasury of Jewels records: “Long ago, the crows and owls deeply hated one another. The crows waited until daytime, when the owls could not see, and then came to slaughter the flock of owls. The owls, in turn, took advantage of the night, when the crows could not see, and attacked the flock of crows, pecking out their entrails, tearing apart their bodies, and devouring them. Thus, one side feared the day and the other feared the night, and the conflict continued endlessly.

At that time, an intelligent crow said to the flock of crows:

– We and the owls have formed such bitter enmity that there is no hope of reconciliation. In the end, we shall continue to destroy one another until both sides are utterly annihilated. We should devise a way to exterminate the entire flock of owls; only then shall we be able to live in peace. Otherwise, the owls will eventually destroy us.

The flock of crows asked:

– By what means can we destroy our enemies?

The intelligent crow said:

– My friends! Pluck out my wing feathers and peck at my head. I shall devise a plan to destroy them.

The flock of crows obeyed and left its entire body covered with wounds. Afterward, [152a] it went to the owls’ cave and wailed piteously. Hearing the crow’s cries, the owls asked:

– Why have you come to us today with your whole body covered in wounds?

The crow replied:

– The flock of crows hates me and will not allow me to live among them, so I have come here to seek refuge and escape their hatred.

Hearing what the crow said, the owls took pity on it and cared for it, regularly giving it their leftover meat. As the days and months passed, its wing feathers grew back and its wounds healed. The crow then devised a plan, carrying dry firewood and grass into the owls’ cave as though to repay their kindness. The owls asked the crow:

– Why are you bringing firewood inside?

The crow replied:

– The cave is filled entirely with cold stone. This wood and grass can be used to keep out the cold wind.”

The owls thought this reasonable and therefore remained silent. From then on, the crow continued carrying things into the cave, pretending to repay their kindness and support them. At that time, bitter cold arrived and thick snow covered the ground, so the entire flock of owls hid inside the cave. Seeing that the favorable opportunity had come, the crow rejoiced greatly, took a glowing ember from a herdsman, and set the cave ablaze. The entire flock of owls was burned to death within the cave. The devas then spoke this verse:

When enmity has arisen before,

One should not place trust in the other,

As the crow feigned friendship

And burned that flock of owls to death.”

The Sutra Collection of the Six Paramitas records: “Long ago, when the bodhisattva was the king of the peacocks^[58], he had five hundred peahen wives, yet abandoned them all and took a blue peahen^[59] as his wife. The blue peahen drank only sweet water and ate delicious fruit. Because he loved his wife, the peacock went out every day to find these things and bring them back to her.

At that time, the queen of that country fell ill and dreamed that peacock flesh could cure her illness. Upon awakening, the queen reported this to the king. The king ordered the hunters to go quickly and find a peacock to capture. The queen said:

– Whoever captures the peacock shall be given my youngest daughter in marriage and rewarded with one thousand catties of gold.

The hunters throughout the country divided up and went searching. Seeing that the peacock often flew from the blue peahen’s dwelling to gather food, they mixed honey with roasted rice and smeared it all over the tree. The peacock gathered it and took it back to his wife. The next day, a hunter again smeared the mixture on his own body and sat waiting. When the peacock came to gather it, he was immediately captured. The peacock said to the hunter:

– You have endured this hardship surely for the sake of profit. I shall show you a mountain of gold, an inexhaustible treasure. I beg you to spare my life!

The hunter replied:

– If I capture you, the king will grant me one thousand catties of gold and give me his youngest daughter in marriage. How could I believe your words? I must present you to the king!

In the king’s presence, the peacock said:

– Great King, your compassion extends to all. I pray that you will hear the words of this humble one. Please give me a little water. I shall bless it with a heart of loving-kindness and then have the queen drink it, whereupon her illness will be cured. If it proves ineffective, it will not be too late to punish me.

The king consented. After the queen drank it, all her ailments were healed, [152b] and her countenance became exquisitely beautiful. The same happened to everyone in the palace. The entire country praised the king for his vast compassion, saying that he had not killed the peacock, yet had cured everyone’s illnesses. The peacock said:

– Please allow me to immerse myself in the great lake and bless its waters, so that throughout the realm, all who are ill may be healed. If you fear deception, then strike my leg with a staff.

The king said:

– Very well!

After the peacock blessed the water, the people drank it and all became healthy. The deaf could hear, the blind could see, the mute could speak, the lame had their legs made straight, and every illness vanished. The queen was cured, and the people throughout the country were likewise freed from illness. The king then no longer intended to harm the peacock. Knowing this clearly, the peacock came forward and said:

– Through the king’s kindness in sparing my life, I have saved the people of the entire country. Having completed my repayment, I ask permission to depart.

The king said:

– Very well.

The peacock immediately flapped his wings and flew straight up into a tree. He then said to the king:

– There are three fools in the world.

The king asked:

– Who are they?

The peacock said:

– The first is myself, the second is the hunter, and the third is the king.

The king said:

– Explain this.

The peacock said:

– The grave precepts of the Buddhas teach that physical beauty is a raging fire. The burning of one’s body and loss of one’s life all arise from craving beauty. I abandoned five hundred peahen wives who attended me day and night. Because I was enamored of the blue peahen, I sought food to provide for her like a servant, and thus fell into a snare and endangered my life. This is why I am a fool. The hunter is a fool because I sincerely wished to ransom my life with an entire mountain of gold, yet he abandoned that inexhaustible treasure, believed the false words of the queen, and hoped to marry the princess. Upon examination, the mad folly of people in the world is all just like this. They abandon the Buddha’s sincere admonitions and instead believe the deceptive words of demons and specters, delighting in drinking and sexual misconduct. Some suffer the calamity of their homes and families being ruined; others die and fall into Mount Tai^[60], where they endure immeasurable suffering. Afterward, when they return to human existence, they are like wingless birds wishing to fly into the sky—how could it not be difficult? Women’s beguiling allure is like a monstrous apparition, causing kingdoms to be lost and bodies to be harmed, yet fools hold it in esteem. Not one word in ten thousand is truthful, yet the hunter believed them. As for the king, he obtained celestial medicine that cured the people throughout the realm, eliminated every poison, made their countenances like flowers, and brought joy to old and young alike, yet he let it go. This is why the king is called a fool.

The Buddha told Sariputra:

– From then on, the Peacock King traveled everywhere, using divine medicine and a heart of loving-kindness to practice generosity and cure the illnesses of sentient beings. The Peacock King at that time was none other than I; the king was Sariputra; the hunter was Devadatta^[61]; and the queen was Devadatta’s wife.

Thus did the bodhisattva practice generosity with loving-kindness and the perfection of wisdom.”

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Treasures records: “The Buddha said:

– In a past age, many kinds of waterbirds inhabited a certain lotus pond. Among them was a crane that walked in a leisurely manner. [152c] All the other birds said: ‘This bird walks and stands with serenity, never disturbing the aquatic creatures^[62].’ At that time, a white goose spoke this verse:

It takes each step in leisurely ease,

Its cry is truly gentle and sweet;

It deceives the entire world,

But who does not know its guile?

The crane replied:

– Why do you say this? Let us become friends!

The white goose answered:

– I know that you are deceitful; I will certainly not become your close friend.

The Buddha said:

– Bhiksus, you should know that the white goose at that time was none other than I. The crane at that time is now Devadatta.”

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Treasures records: “The Buddha taught:

– In a past age, beside the Snow Mountains^[63] there lived a king of the wildfowl, whose comb was brilliant red and whose entire body was white. He had a very large flock of attendant birds. The bird king said to the entire flock:

– You should remain far away from cities, towns, and villages, lest the people capture and eat you. We have many enemies and must carefully protect ourselves.

At that time, a cat in the village learned that there were birds on that mountain. It went there and walked slowly beneath a tree, lowering its face as it said to the bird king:

– I am your wife, and you are my husband. Your form is handsome and lovable, with a red comb upon your head and an entirely white body. I have come here to enjoy pleasures together with you.

The bird king then spoke this verse:

That yellow-eyed cat, a foolish breed,

Desires to eat flesh without any dread.

Never have I seen a wife like this

Whose husband could live long, free from peril.

The bird king at that time was none other than I, and the cat at that time was Devadatta. In the past, Devadatta once sought to entice and deceive me; now he again does the same in order to divide my followers.”

Concluding verses:

A treacherous and foolish heart

Causes others to trust without suspicion,

Feigning an appearance of friendship

And pretending to rely upon each other.

Outwardly close, inwardly plotting harm,

Morning and night they kill one another;

Only after dwelling together for a long time

Does one clearly recognize the danger.

XXV. LAZINESS AND ARROGANCE

This section comprises three parts: Introduction, Scriptural Evidence, and Establishing Resolve.

XXV.1. Introduction

The reason practitioners fail to attain the Way is that their minds are lazy and deluded. Mental [153a] laziness and delusion arise largely from disturbance by external conditions. This disturbance has three causes: being drawn by fame and gain, being enticed by physical beauty, and craving delicious flavors.

Although fame and gain are encountered daily, they accumulate within the mind only gradually. As soon as alluring beauty is encountered, the heart becomes deeply attached. The richer the flavor, the tighter the bondage. All other matters are merely branches and leaves of these three.

The sage clearly knows: “If these three things are not eliminated, realization of the fruit of the path is impossible.” Consider the nature of water: when gathered together, its force is very powerful; when dispersed, its force is weak. The nature of fire is likewise. Thus the treatise says: “The lighter the substance, the stronger its force; the heavier the substance, the weaker its force.” From this it may be understood that awakening to the path truly depends upon diligent effort.

Those who are indolent and arrogant, because they are attached to sounds and forms, will obstruct the attainment of the noble fruit. Therefore, the Blessed One sounded the Dharma drum in the Deer Park, and Confucius^[64] transmitted the principles of the Way in the state of Lu. If even those possessing ears and eyes are unable to hear and see, how could their minds and consciousness accord with and awaken to it?

XXV.2. Scriptural Evidence

The Sarvastivada Treatise records: “As for the precepts (pratimoksha), if discussed in relation to the five destinies^[65], only human beings can receive the precepts; beings in the other four destinies cannot. Among them, heavenly beings cannot receive the precepts because of their profound attachment to pleasures.

Long ago, because a disciple was ill, Venerable Maudgalyayana^[66] ascended to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to consult Jivaka^[67]. He arrived just as the heavenly beings were entering the Garden of Delight^[68]. Venerable Maudgalyayana stood waiting beside the road, but none of the heavenly beings looked at him. Only Jivaka, who was traveling behind them, saw Venerable Maudgalyayana, raised one hand in greeting, and then rode past in his chariot.

Seeing this, Maudgalyayana thought: ‘When this man was in the human realm, he was my disciple. Now that he enjoys heavenly blessings, his attachment to heavenly pleasures has caused him to lose his original resolve.’ He immediately used his spiritual power to stop the chariot. Jivaka descended and bowed his head at Maudgalyayana’s feet. Maudgalyayana reproached him at length. Jivaka said:

– When I was in the human realm, I was your disciple, and so I raised my hand to greet you. None of the other heavenly princes did even that!

Venerable Maudgalyayana then went to admonish Sakra Devendra:

– It is exceedingly difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world. Why do you not regularly attend upon him and receive the true Dharma?

Wishing to explain the matter to Maudgalyayana, Sakra sent a messenger to summon a heavenly prince. Although called three times, the heavenly prince did not come; only afterward, having no other choice, did he appear. Sakra said to Maudgalyayana:

– This heavenly prince has only one heavenly maiden and one kind of music for his amusement. Yet because his mind is deeply defiled by desire, even though he received the command, he could not tear himself away and therefore refused to come. How much more so is this true of a heavenly king, who has many palaces and countless heavenly maidens, [153b] for whom a hundred flavors appear whenever he desires food, and who has hundreds of thousands of kinds of music for his pleasure! Looking east, he forgets the west. Although he knows that it is exceedingly difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world and difficult to hear the true Dharma, he is bound by pleasures and therefore is not free.

Moreover, having come to understand the suffering of the three evil destinies, it follows that beings there have no conditions for receiving the precepts. In the human realm, the precepts can be received only on three continents. Uttarakuru alone has no Buddha-Dharma, and its inhabitants cannot receive the precepts, because they are obstructed by ignorance and by their fortunate karmic rewards and therefore do not receive and uphold the true Dharma.”

The Shan-jian Vinaya^[69] records: “The group of six bhiksus^[70] sat in low places and taught the Dharma to people seated in high places, thereby showing contempt for the Dharma.

The Buddha reproached them and said to the bhiksus:

Long ago, in the kingdom of Varanasi, there was a householder named Chabajya. His pregnant wife craved mangoes and said to her husband:

– I want to eat mangoes. Can you find some for me?

Her husband replied:

– This is not the season for mangoes. How could I find any?

His wife said:

– If you cannot find any, I will surely die.

Hearing his wife say this, the husband thought: ‘Only the king’s garden has mangoes out of season. I will go and steal some.’ Having formed this thought, he waited until nightfall and secretly entered the king’s garden to steal mangoes. Before he had picked even one fruit, dawn had already broken. Unable to leave the garden, he hid in a tree.

At that time, the king entered the garden with a brahmin, for the king wished to eat mangoes. The brahmin remained below and taught the Dharma to the king, who was seated upon a high throne. Concealed in the tree, the fruit thief thought: ‘I deserve death for stealing fruit, but because the king is listening to the brahmin teach the Dharma, I may now escape.

My conduct is contrary to the Dharma; the king’s conduct is also contrary to the Dharma; and the brahmin’s conduct is likewise contrary to the Dharma. Why is this so? For my wife’s sake, I stole the king’s mangoes.

Out of arrogance, the king has made his teacher sit below while he himself sits upon a high throne to hear the Dharma. Greedy for gain and offerings, the brahmin sits below and teaches the Dharma to the king. Since all three of us are acting contrary to the Dharma, I shall escape.’ Having thought this, he climbed down, approached the king, and spoke this verse:

Two persons do not know the Dharma,

Two persons do not honor the Dharma.

The teacher does not accord with the Dharma,

The listener does not understand the Dharma.

For the sake of eating fine rice

And various superior delicacies,

Merely for food and drink,

I teach contrary to the Dharma.

Also merely for fame and gain,

I destroy the proper rules of conduct.

Upon hearing this verse, the king pardoned the fruit thief.

The Buddha said:

– Even when I was an ordinary being, I knew that such conduct was contrary to the Dharma; how much more so now that I have attained Buddhahood. You who are my disciples should teach the Dharma to those seated in low places. The fruit thief of that time was I in a former life.”

The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom records: “During the time of Kasyapa Buddha, [153c] two brothers left the household life together to study the path. One devoted himself to upholding the precepts, reciting sutras, and practicing seated meditation, while the other devoted himself to exhorting and guiding donors to perform meritorious deeds.

When Sakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world, one was born into the family of a wealthy elder, while the other became a great white elephant whose strength could rout enemy armies. The elder’s son left the household life to study the path, attained the six spiritual powers^[71], and realized the fruit of arhatship^[72]. Yet because he possessed little merit, he had difficulty obtaining food on his alms rounds. One day, carrying his bowl, he entered the city to seek alms. He went everywhere but received nothing. When he passed the white elephant and saw the king feeding it all manner of food, he said to the elephant:

– Both you and I are at fault.

The white elephant understood his meaning and refused food for three consecutive days. The elephant keeper became alarmed, sought out the monk, and asked:

– What did you do to cause the king’s white elephant to become ill and abstain entirely from food and drink?

The monk replied:

– In a former life, this elephant was my junior Dharma brother. Together we left the household life to study the path during the time of Kasyapa Buddha^[73]. At that time, I only upheld the precepts, recited sutras, and practiced seated meditation, but did not practice generosity. My junior Dharma brother, however, only encouraged donors to give alms; he neither upheld the precepts nor cultivated learning. For this reason, he has now taken the body of an elephant, but because he practiced generosity, he has abundant food and drink and enjoys every kind of delicacy. At that time, I was concerned only with cultivation and learning and was unwilling to give alms. Thus, although I have now realized the fruit, I have difficulty obtaining food on my alms rounds. Because our causes and conditions were different, although I have encountered a Buddha appearing in the world, I still suffer hunger and thirst.”

The Sutra of a Hundred Parables^[74] records: “Long ago, in a certain kingdom, all the women adorned themselves with blue lotuses on the day of a festival. At that time, the wife of a poor man said to her husband:

– If you can find blue lotuses for me, I shall remain your wife. If you cannot find them, I shall leave you.

The husband was skilled at imitating the calls of mandarin ducks^[75], so he secretly entered the king’s pond, imitating their calls, in order to steal blue lotuses. At that moment, the pond keeper asked:

– Who is there?

Startled, the man blurted out:

– I am a mandarin duck.

The pond keeper immediately seized him and took him to the king. On the way, the man imitated the call of a mandarin duck. The pond keeper said:

– Why did you not call out earlier? What use is it to do so now?”

Foolish people in the world are likewise: throughout their lives they kill and create evil karma, refusing to cultivate their minds until they become wholly virtuous. Only when they are about to die do they say, ‘Now I wish to cultivate virtue’; but by then the wardens of hell^[76] have already seized them and delivered them to King Yama^[77], and even if they wish to cultivate virtue, it is too late. They are like that foolish man who imitated the cry of a mandarin duck only when he was nearly before the king.”

The Sutra of a Hundred Parables records: “Long ago, there was a very wealthy elder. Because those around him wished to win his favor, they all treated him with reverence. Whenever the elder spat out phlegm, his attendants trampled it underfoot. [154a] At that time, there was a foolish attendant who could never compete with the others in time, so he thought: ‘If I wait until the phlegm falls to the ground, someone else will already have trampled it. Therefore, when he is about to spit, I shall step on it first.’ Just as the elder was about to spit out phlegm, the fool raised his foot and stepped on the elder’s mouth, bruising his lips and breaking his teeth. The elder asked:

– Why did you step on my mouth?

The fool explained his reason:

– Just as you were about to spit, I stepped on it first, hoping to win your favor!

Whatever one does, one must await the proper occasion. If the time has not yet come and one forcibly presses ahead, one will instead bring suffering upon oneself. Therefore, people in the world should know what is timely and what is untimely.”

XXV.3. Establishing Resolute Aspiration

The Sutra of Miscellaneous Parables^[78] records: “Long ago, there was a man named Tác-bạc who heard that foreign lands possessed many rare treasures. He wished to go there to seek a livelihood, but between the two countries there was a menace of rakshasas^[79], making passage impossible. One day, while Tác-bạc was walking about, he suddenly saw at the western gate of the marketplace a monk seated upon an empty couch, offering the five precepts^[80] for sale. Tác-bạc asked:

– What are the five precepts?

The monk replied:

– The five precepts have no visible form. They are transmitted directly by word of mouth and received by the mind. In a future life, they enable one to be reborn in heaven; in this present life, they deliver one from the menace of rakshasas.

Hearing the monk say this, Tác-bạc wished to buy them and asked:

– For how much are they sold?

He replied:

– One thousand gold coins.

Tác-bạc immediately undertook the five precepts. The monk then instructed him further:

– Once you have crossed the border, if you encounter a rakshasa, you need only say, ‘I am a disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni who observes the five precepts,’ and you will escape harm.

Before long, Tác-bạc reached the border between the two countries and saw a rakshasa whose body stood one zhang and three chi tall^[81], with a golden head, red eyes, and a body covered in hard scales. Its mouth gaped wide; it moved as swiftly as a swallow in flight; its feet sank into the earth up to its knees with every step; and its mouth spewed hot blood. A horde of several thousand rakshasas surrounded and seized Tác-bạc. He immediately said:

– I am a disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni who observes the five precepts.

Even after hearing this, the rakshasas adamantly refused to release him. Tác-bạc then struck a rakshasa with both fists, but his hands adhered tightly to its scales and could not be withdrawn. He kicked it in the head, but his feet also became firmly stuck. By then, all five parts of his body were firmly caught in its scales, and only his back could still move. The rakshasa said:

Your body, hands, and feet

Have all been firmly caught;

You should resign yourself to death—

What use is struggling now?

Tác-bạc remained resolute and said to the rakshasa:

My body, hands, and feet

Are bound but for a time;

I hold a mind like gold and stone—

You surely cannot harm me.

The rakshasa again said to Tác-bạc:

[154b] I am the king of demons,

Possessed of extraordinary might;

Since ancient times I have devoured

More people than can be reckoned.

You should resign yourself to death—

Why do you still boast so proudly?

Tác-bạc grew angry and wished to revile it, but then he reflected: ‘This body has wandered through birth and death in the three realms, yet I have never offered it as food to anyone. Today I shall offer it to this rakshasa so that it may enjoy a full meal.’ Having thought thus, Tác-bạc spoke this verse:

My body reeks of foulness;

Long have I wished to cast it off.

Now that I have met this rakshasa,

I offer it this body.

My resolve is to seek the Mahayana

And attain omniscience^[82].

The rakshasa was intelligent and understood Tác-bạc’s words. Feeling ashamed, it released him, knelt, joined its palms, and repented:

You are a teacher who delivers beings,

Rare within the three realms;

Resolved to seek the Mahayana Dharma,

Before long you will attain Buddhahood.

Therefore, I take refuge in you,

Bowing my head in reverent homage.

After repenting, the rakshasa took Tác-bạc to the foreign country, where he obtained many jewels, and then escorted him home. Through the cultivation and accumulation of merit, Tác-bạc attained the fruit of stream-entry.”^[83]

One should know that the power of the precepts is inconceivable. Practitioners are therefore urged to uphold the precepts strictly and establish a courageous resolve like that of this man.

The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom records: “There once was a venomous dragon of extraordinary might. When it gazed at someone, any weak person would immediately die; when it exhaled its poisonous breath, even a strong person would die. At that time, the dragon undertook the precepts for one day, left its cave, entered the forest, and meditated. After a long while, the dragon grew weary and fell asleep.

As the dragon slept, its body coiled like a snake, and its skin shone with the colors of the seven treasures. Seeing this, a hunter rejoiced and thought: ‘Such a rare hide is exceedingly difficult to obtain. Would it not be fitting to present it to the king as an ornament?’ Having thought this, the hunter pinned down the dragon’s head with a staff and used a knife to flay its skin.

The dragon then thought: ‘My strength could overturn an entire kingdom; what could this insignificant man possibly do to me? Yet today I am observing the precepts, heedless of my body, and shall patiently endure in obedience to the Buddha.’ Having thought this, the dragon closed its eyes so as not to look, kept its mouth shut so as not to breathe out poison, and, out of compassion for the man, lay still while the hunter flayed its skin, without giving rise to any malicious thought. Thus, deprived of the skin that covered its body, it was left as a mass of red flesh, writhing in agony upon the ground.

At that time, the sun blazed fiercely. The dragon wished to crawl to a great river, but insects were gnawing at its flesh. Because it was observing the precepts, [154c] the dragon dared not move. It thought again: ‘I shall now offer this body to these insects in my quest for the Buddha Way, giving them this flesh so that they may be satisfied. After I attain Buddhahood, I shall give them the Dharma so that their minds may benefit.’ When its body had dried out, the dragon died and was reborn in the Trayastrimsha Heaven.

The venomous dragon of that time was Buddha Shakyamuni; the hunter was the six heretical teachers, Devadatta, and the others.... The insects were the eighty thousand devas who attained the Way when the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma.

Even an animal strictly upheld the precepts in this manner, refusing to violate them even unto death. How much more should human beings refrain from deliberately transgressing them!”

The Five-Part Vinaya records: “The Buddha taught: In the distant past, there was a black snake that bit a calf and then slithered into a cave. At that time, a sorcerer recited the Cổ Dương spell^[84] to make the snake come out, but it had no effect. The sorcerer then kindled a fire before the calf and recited a spell that transformed it into a fiery bee, which flew into the cave and burned the snake. Unable to endure the pain, the snake crawled out of the cave. Seeing this, a black goat tossed the snake with its horns and cast it before the sorcerer. The sorcerer said:

– Suck the venom out of the calf; otherwise, I shall throw you into the fire.

Hearing this, the black snake spoke this verse:

Once I have released my venom,

I will certainly not take it back.

Even if I must be put to death,

I care nothing for this life.

Thus, the snake refused to take back its venom and cast itself into the fire.

The Buddha said:

– The black snake of that time was none other than Shariputra. In the past, he accepted the suffering of death rather than take back his venom; how much less would he now retrieve medicine that he had discarded?”

The Sutra of the Miscellaneous Treasures records: “The Buddha taught: In the distant past, between the two countries of Kashi and Videha, there was an empty wilderness. In that place lived a malevolent demon named Sa-tra-lư, who constantly blocked the road, so that none of the people could pass through it.

At that time, there was a caravan leader named Lion who was leading five hundred merchants and wished to pass along this road. Everyone feared that they would be unable to cross it, but the caravan leader said:

“Set your minds at ease and do not be afraid. Simply follow me.”

The caravan leader then went ahead to lead the way. When he reached the demon, he said:

“Have you not heard my name?”

The demon replied:

“I have heard your name, and so I have come here to do battle.”

The demon then asked:

“What abilities do you possess?”

The caravan leader immediately drew his bow and shot at the demon. All five hundred arrows that he fired sank into the demon’s belly. He then struck him with knives and clubs, but they too stuck fast to his belly. The caravan leader charged forward and struck with his left hand, but his left hand also became stuck. He struck with his right hand, but his right hand also became stuck. He kicked with his right foot, but his right foot also became stuck. He kicked with his left foot, but his left foot also became stuck. Finally, he butted the demon with his head, and his head became stuck as well. The demon then spoke this verse:

Your hands, your feet, and even your head—

All of them are stuck fast.

What person or thing remains unstuck?

[155a] The caravan leader replied in verse:

My hands, my feet, and my head,

All my wealth, my knives, and clubs—

Although all these things are stuck,

My power of diligence is not stuck to you.

Firm and mighty, my diligence never ceases;

In battle with you, I shall certainly not be defeated.

Now my diligence shall never cease;

I shall never be afraid of you.

The demon then said:

“For your sake, I shall now release these five hundred merchants.”

The Buddha said:

“The Lion of that time was I in a former life, and Satra-lu was the demon of the wilderness.”

The Vibhāṣā Treatise records: “Seeing the bodhisattva seated beneath the bodhi tree, his body upright and unmoving, having vowed to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, Māra, the demon king, hurriedly left his palace, went to the bodhisattva, and said:

“‘Son of the kṣatriya lineage, leave this seat. This is now an evil and defiled age,^[85] and sentient beings are obstinate and unruly. You will certainly be unable to attain the path of unsurpassed bodhi. You should instead accept the throne of a wheel-turning king,^[86] and I shall present you with the seven treasures.’

“The bodhisattva said:

“‘The words you have just spoken are like enticements used to coax a child. The sun, moon, and stars might fall from the sky; mountains, rivers, and the great earth might rise into empty space; but nothing can cause me to leave this seat before I attain the path of bodhi.’

“Thereafter, Māra led an army of three billion six hundred million^[87] demons. Each manifested a terrifying form and carried weapons of many colors. They surrounded the entire area for thirty-six yojanas^[88] and charged together toward the bodhi tree to disturb the bodhisattva, but they could not succeed. At that time, the bodhisattva’s body and mind remained unmoving, firmer than Mount Sumeru.”^[89]

The Saṅgharakṣa Sūtra records: “Long ago, the bodhisattva manifested as a parrot^[90] that always lived in a tree. At that time, the wind caused the trees to rub against one another and produce fire. Gradually, the flames blazed fiercely and burned throughout that mountainous region.

“The parrot thought, ‘Even birds merely flying past this place, alighting in a tree for only a moment, would give rise to a wish to repay its kindness. How much more should I, who live here day and night, strive to extinguish this fire?’ Having thought this, the parrot flew to the sea, gathered water with its wings, and carried it back to extinguish the fire. It also sprayed water from its beak and flew back and forth without rest. Seeing the parrot’s toil, a benevolent deity was moved and immediately helped it extinguish the fire.”

The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom records: “Long ago, a pheasant^[91] lived in a forest. One day, the forest suddenly caught fire. The pheasant labored alone, flying to a river to fetch water and extinguish the flames. It hurried back and forth with immense difficulty, yet did not regard this as suffering. Seeing this, Śakra asked:

“‘What are you doing?’

“The pheasant replied:

“‘Out of compassion for sentient beings, I am exerting myself to save this forest. In the past, this forest was cool and sheltered us, allowing us to live here in peace and comfort for a long time. [155b] My kin, many other species, and I all rely upon it for refuge. Now that I still have strength, why should I not fight the fire?’

“Śakra asked:

“‘You labor so diligently, but when will you stop?’

“The pheasant replied:

“‘Only when I die shall I stop!’

“Śakra asked:

“‘Who will bear witness for you?’

“The pheasant immediately made this vow:

“‘If my mind is utterly sincere and my faith is not false, may this fire extinguish itself.’

“At that time, the devas of the Pure Abodes^[92] knew that the pheasant had made a great and far-reaching vow, and so they extinguished the fire. From that time onward, the forest grew lush and verdant and was never again afflicted by fire.”

Therefore, a sūtra records: “Those who make wholesome vows will surely be protected by the devas.” These words have thus been verified.

Verse:

Too indolent to study, confused about the Three Vehicles,^[93]

When questioned, one knows not even a single thing.

A flower bud without a seed—

When it blooms, how could it bear fruit?

The mind is filled with arrogance,

Disdaining others—an unwholesome cause.

One falls into a place of darkness,

Confined within a sealed prison.

For hundreds of thousands of years,

One endures myriad millions of torments.

Though suffering, one feels no remorse,

Because of arrogance and indolence.

The sages skillfully teach through parables;

Resolve to understand the discipline diligently.

Ordinary beings treat the Dharma with contempt—

How could they know to repent at once?”

Notes:

^[43] Sūtra of the Storehouse of Miscellaneous Treasures (Tạp bảo tạng kinh 雜寶藏經; S: Saṃyukta-ratna-piṭaka-sūtra): a sūtra in ten fascicles, translated by Kikkāya and Tan Yao during the Northern Wei dynasty in China and included in volume 4 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. Its contents recount events relating to the Buddha and his disciples, together with various circumstances that arose after the Buddha entered nirvana.

^[44] Mahāsāṅghika Vinaya (Tăng-kì luật 僧祇律; S: Mahāsaṅghavinaya): a Vinaya text that sets forth the two hundred and fifty precepts for bhikṣus and the three hundred and forty-eight precepts for bhikṣuṇīs. This is the Vinaya collection of the Mahāsāṅghika school of Sectarian Buddhism.

^[45] The kingdom of Vārāṇasī (Ba-la-nại quốc 波羅柰國; S: Vāraṇasī, Varāṇasī, Varaṇasī): the ancient kingdom of Kāśī. In more recent times it was called Benares, and today it is Varanasi in India. This was one of the six major places where the Buddha taught the Dharma.

^[46] Great household 大家: a wealthy and influential person in society.

^[47] Administrative chief 曹主: a person responsible for or presiding over a particular organization.

^[48] Three evil paths (tam đồ 三塗): three places of suffering, namely, the path of fire, the path of blades, and the path of blood. They are synonymous with the three evil destinies: hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals.

^[49] Karmadāna 維那 (S: karma-dāna): an administrative office responsible for managing, directing, and attending to the affairs of the monastic community. Today, the officeholder is called the monastery administrator.

^[50] Old Sūtra of Miscellaneous Parables (Cựu tạp thí dụ kinh 舊雜譬喻經): a sūtra in two fascicles, translated by Kang Senghui during the Wu dynasty in China. He gathered together the various parables found in the sūtras. Although it was translated after the Han dynasty, it is called “Old.”

^[51] Śakra Devānām Indra 帝釋天 (S: Śakra-devānām-indra): king of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and one of the twelve devas who guard the eastern direction, specifically protecting the Buddhadharma.

^[52] The white elephant Airāvata (y-la bạch long trượng 伊羅白龍象): the chief white elephant ridden by Śakra. It is one of the fourteen treasures produced by the churning of the Ocean of Milk. It may also be understood as having been formed when thunder caused clouds to assume a particular shape, with those clouds then personified as an animal.

^[53] Five-Part Vinaya (Ngũ phần luật 五分律): a Vinaya text in thirty fascicles, jointly translated by Buddhajīva and Zhu Daosheng during the Liu Song dynasty in China.

^[54] Māṇava 摩納 (Ch.: immortal): a sage in a past life and a former incarnation of Śākyamuni Buddha while he was still cultivating the causes of Buddhahood.

^[55] Kṣatriya (Sát-lợi 剎利; S: kṣatriya): the second of India’s four social classes, comprising royalty, nobility, and the warrior class, who were responsible for military and political affairs.

^[56] Magadha (Ma-kiệt-đà quốc 摩竭之國): an ancient kingdom of India, corresponding to the region of present-day Bihar. It was one of the sixteen great states during the Buddha's lifetime. This kingdom had a very profound connection with the development of Buddhism.

^[57] The Sutra of the Buddha's Original Conduct (Phật bản hạnh kinh 佛本行經; S: Abhiniṣkramaṇasūtra): a scripture in sixty fascicles, translated by Jñānagupta during the Sui dynasty in China and included in volume 3 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. Its contents relate the Buddha's birth, renunciation, attainment of enlightenment, and other events, as well as the causes and conditions through which he taught and transformed his disciples.

^[58] Peacock 孔雀: the peacock.

^[59] Blue peacock 青雀: the blue peacock.

^[60] Mount Tai 太山: here refers to hell.

^[61] Devadatta 提婆達多 (S: Devadatta): a bhikṣu who committed the five heinous offenses, disrupted the Sangha, and opposed the Buddha. He was the son of one of the Buddha's paternal uncles.

^[62] Aquatic creatures (thủy tính 水性): animals that live in water.

^[63] Snow Mountains 雪山: the mountain range extending across northwestern India.

^[64] Confucius 孔子: a native of the state of Lu during the Zhou dynasty, whose personal name was Qiu and whose courtesy name was Zhongni. He once served as an official in Lu. After traveling throughout the realm for a time, he returned home, edited the Book of Odes and the Book of Documents, revised the Book of Rites, critically interpreted and expounded the Book of Changes, and compiled the Spring and Autumn Annals. He also established a school, founded Confucianism, and had more than three thousand disciples. He lived to the age of seventy-three (551–479 BCE).

^[65] Five paths (ngũ đạo 五道): the five destinations into which sentient beings are born according to the karmic causes and conditions they have created. They are hell, hungry ghosts, animals, the human realm, and the heavenly realm.

^[66] Maudgalyāyana 目犍連 (S: Maudgalyāyana): the arhat foremost in spiritual powers among the Buddha's ten great disciples.

^[67] Jīvaka 耆婆: a renowned Indian physician who lived during the Buddha's lifetime and served as royal physician to King Bimbisāra and King Ajātaśatru. He was deeply devoted to Buddhism and frequently treated the Buddha's disciples.

^[68] Garden of Delight (Hoan Hỷ viên 歡喜園): one of Śakra's four gardens in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. This garden lies north of the city of Sudarśana. Because the devas experience great joy when they stroll there, it is called the Garden of Delight.

^[69] The Samantapāsādikā Vinaya Commentary (Thiện kiến luật 善見律; also called: Thiện kiến luật tì-bà-sa): a Vinaya text in eighteen fascicles, translated by Saṅghabhadra during the Southern Qi dynasty in China and included in volume 24 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. It is one of the five treatises of the Śrāvaka Vinaya tradition and is a commentary on the Vinaya Piṭaka transmitted by the Theravāda school of Sri Lanka.

^[70] Group of Six Bhikṣus 六群比丘 (S: ṣaḍ-vargīka-bhikṣu): six bhikṣus who frequently engaged in unlawful conduct during the Buddha's lifetime. These six formed a faction, failed to observe the disciplinary regulations, and often committed misconduct. The Buddha established precepts in response to their actions.

^[71] Six spiritual powers (lục thần thông 六神通; S: ṣaḍ abhijñāḥ): the six extraordinary abilities possessed by noble ones of the three vehicles. They are the power of miraculous transformations, the divine eye, the divine ear, knowledge of others' minds, knowledge of former lives, and knowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows.

^[72] Arhat 阿羅漢 (S: arhat): the highest of the four attainments of a śrāvaka.

^[73] Kāśyapa Buddha (Ca-diếp Phật 迦葉佛; S: Kāśyapa Buddha): the sixth of the seven Buddhas of the past and also the third of the one thousand Buddhas of the Auspicious Kalpa.

^[74] The Sutra of One Hundred Parables (Bách dụ kinh 百喻經; S: Kāśyapa Buddha): a scripture in four fascicles, compiled in the fifth century by the Indian master Saṅghasena and translated into Chinese by his disciple Guṇavṛddhi during the Southern Qi dynasty ⁽⁴²⁹⁾; it is included in volume 4 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. This sutra collects parabolic stories concerning good and evil, transgression and merit, and karmic retribution in allegorical form. It contains one hundred parables employed to elucidate Buddhist teachings.

^[75] Mandarin ducks 鴛鴦: birds belonging to the wild-duck family; the male is called yuān and the female yāng, and they always travel in pairs.

^[76] Hell wardens 獄卒 (S: naraka-pāla): demonic beings in hell who manifest terrifying forms, such as ox-headed or horse-headed figures, to punish offenders.

^[77] King Yama 閻羅王: king of the world of ghosts, sovereign administrator of the netherworld, and presiding deity of hell.

^[78] The Sutra of Miscellaneous Parables (Tạp thí dụ kinh 雜譬喻經): a scripture in one fascicle, compiled by Dao Lue and translated by Kumārajīva during the Later Qin dynasty in China; it is included in volume 4 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. It consists of thirty-nine parables, chiefly presenting illustrative causes and conditions to elucidate and discuss good and evil and karmic retribution.

^[79] Rākṣasa 羅剎 (S: rākṣasa): a malevolent demon of Indian mythology endowed with supernatural powers, able to fly swiftly through the sky or move rapidly over the ground.

^[80] Five precepts (ngũ giới 五戒; S: pañca śīlāni): the five precepts undertaken and observed by laymen and laywomen. They are not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to speak falsely, and not to consume intoxicants.

^[81] One zhàng and three chǐ (nhất trượng tam xích 一丈三尺): approximately 3.3 meters.

^[82] Knowledge of all things 一切智 (S: sarvajña): the wisdom that clearly knows all phenomena and their characteristics, both internal and external.

^[83] Fruit of stream-entry (Dự lưu quả 預流果; S: srotāpanna): the attainment of entering the ranks of the undefiled noble ones, one of the four attainments of a śrāvaka: stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat.

^[84] Black ram 羖羊: a black male goat.

^[85] Evil turbidity 濁惡: the five kinds of impurity that arise during the declining kalpa. They are the turbidity of the kalpa, the turbidity of views, the turbidity of afflictions, the turbidity of sentient beings, and the turbidity of lifespan.

^[86] Wheel-turning king 轉輪王 (S: cakra-varti-rājan): a king who causes the true Dharma to prevail in the world and rules the four continents surrounding Mount Sumeru. His realm is exceedingly rich and beautiful, and its people dwell in peace and happiness.

^[87] Koṭi 俱胝 (S: koṭi): an Indian numerical unit, corresponding to ten million or one hundred million in Chinese reckoning.

^[88] Yojana 踰繕那 (also called: do tuần): an ancient Indian unit of length. According to Chinese reckoning, one yojana was formerly considered to be 20 kilometers; according to Indian reckoning, 15 kilometers; and in Buddhist usage, 8 kilometers.

^[89] Mount Sumeru (Tu-di sơn 須彌山; S: Sumeru): originally a mountain in Indian mythology that was adopted into Buddhism. This exceedingly lofty mountain stands at the very center of a small world-system. It is encircled by eight concentric mountain ranges and eight concentric seas, together forming a world.

^[90] Parrot 鸚鵡: a parrot or parakeet.

^[91] Pheasant 雉: a bird resembling a chicken but having multicolored plumage and a very long tail.

^[92] Pure Abodes (Tịnh Cư thiên 淨居天): the five heavens belonging to the fourth dhyāna in the Form Realm, which are also the realms into which noble non-returners are born. They are the Heaven Free from Affliction, the Heaven Free from Heat, the Heaven of Excellent Vision, the Heaven of Excellent Manifestation, and the Akaniṣṭha Heaven.

^[93] Three vehicles (tam giáo 三教): the three vehicles. They are the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle.