Toh 355Thánh Kinh "Giảng Dạy về Sự Chín Muồi của Thiện Nghiệp và Bất Thiện Nghiệp" (Kuśalākuśalakarma­vipākanirdeśa)

Summary

Teaching the Ripening of Virtuous and Nonvirtuous Actions begins
with Nanda asking the Buddha why beings living in this world experience different ranges of
conditions. This leads the Buddha to explain how all experiences are brought about by the ripening
of a variety of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions. The results of nonvirtuous actions are detailed
first, prompting Nanda to ask about people, such as benefactors, who, conversely, are committed to
performing virtuous actions. The Buddha’s discourse then details the workings of karma by making use
of a plethora of examples before concluding with a description of virtuous actions and the benefits
they bring.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima
Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Lowell Cook, who also wrote the introduction. Benjamin
Collet-Cassart checked the translation against the Tibetan and edited the text. The translation was
then checked against the Chinese by Jeffrey Kotyk and subsequently edited with reference to the
Chinese by Joie Chen and Rory Lindsay.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the
Words of the Buddha.

Introduction

In Teaching the Ripening of Virtuous and Nonvirtuous
Actions, Nanda asks the Buddha why different beings experience different fortunes and
what types of past actions have now ripened into their respective conditions. The Buddha answers
this question by elucidating the inconceivable dynamics of karma through a series of examples of
virtuous and nonvirtuous actions along with their positive and negative results. While these
one-to-one correspondences might strike the reader as an oversimplification of a very subtle and
complex process, such pedagogical devices are common in the Buddhist tradition. Notably, in the classical
presentation of the three types of karmic results (Tib. las kyi ’bras bu gsum), the second is said to be the “correlated effect” (Tib.
rgyu mthun pa’i ’bras bu), which describes
how results mirror their causes.

The Tibetan version of Teaching the Ripening of Virtuous and
Nonvirtuous Actions is a translation of the Chinese sūtra titled Shanwo yinguo jing
善惡因果經 (Taishō 2881). One thing that is particularly intriguing
about this Tibetan sūtra is that it is practically identical to another Tibetan translation,
Teaching the Causes and Results of Good and Ill (Toh
354). Upon comparison, it is clear that these two Tibetan texts are
simply different translations of the same Chinese sūtra. However, perhaps solely on account of
their dissimilar titles, they are retained as two distinct yet adjacent entries in the Degé
Kangyur.

The principal difference between these two sūtras is that Toh 355, translated here,
employs a Sino-Tibetan lexicon whereas Toh 354 uses an Indo-Tibetan lexicon. These two lexicons refer respectively to
the indigenous and presumably more archaic range of Tibetan terminology used to translate
Chinese texts, whether they be Buddhist or otherwise, and the range of terminology that was
constructed in the likeness of Sanskrit and implemented during the early ninth century in order
to imbue translations with a more Indic flavor. This
may suggest that Toh 355 is the older of the two translations, since the dominance of Indian
Buddhism came at a later point in the Tibetan imperial period.

The translator of Toh 355 is unknown, since the translation does not contain a colophon.
Nor is its title present in either the Denkarma (Tib. ldan/lhan dkar
ma) or Phangthangma (Tib. ’phang thang ma) catalogs
of the early ninth century. The translator of Toh 354 was the prolific translator Chödrup (Tib.
chos grub, alias Facheng 法成, c. 755–849), who was active in Dunhuang during the early ninth century. Given
that Chödrup is known for his use of Indian vocabulary, it is quite certain that he did not also
translate Toh 355.

Beyond the Tibetan, the sūtra was translated from Chinese into Sogdian and an English
translation of the Sogdian has previously been published by David Neil MacKenzie (1970). While
this translation corresponds more closely to Toh 354, it nevertheless helped clarify several
passages in Toh 355. The present English translation was produced based on the Degé block print with
reference to the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma)
and subsequently compared with the Chinese version.

The Translation

Teaching the Ripening of Virtuous and Nonvirtuous Actions

##

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was teaching the Dharma
while residing in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, surrounded by countless
bodhisattvas and many divine and human followers.

It was then that, for the benefit of many beings, Nanda asked the Blessed
One, “Blessed One, presently in this world, among beings sharing similar types of rebirths, some are beautiful while others are ugly; some are powerful while
others are weak; some are rich while others are poor; some are afflicted while others are at
ease; and some are mighty while others are wicked.

“Their voices are dissimilar and their words unalike. Some die at the age of one
hundred, while others die at the age of thirty, or even ten. Some have lovely faces yet are poor, while others are ugly yet rich. Some
among the wicked are talented, while others within the high class are untalented. Some are afflicted yet have
long lives, while others are happy yet have short lives.

“Some encounter misfortune upon performing good deeds, while others perform nonvirtuous
actions and have them turn into meritorious benefits.
Some are of fair complexion yet are cross-eyed, while others are dark in
tone yet full of luster. Some are short
and small yet possess courage, while others are big and tall yet work as servants. Some have
many children, while others are childless.
Some always roam about outside and are
constantly hungry, while others stay inside palaces and leisurely enjoy themselves with food and
clothing.

“Some are poor in their youth yet rich and mighty in their old age. Some are
honest and avoid disputes yet hold regrets about this. Some are respectful sons who are
obedient to their fathers and
who discuss and explain the holy books and scriptures. Some do
not get along with their relatives and bicker. Some have high positions and own assortments of
material goods. Some lack houses of their own and live as lodgers. Some live like birds, wild
animals, or ferocious beasts. Some wear wool as their clothing, feed on meat, and are
illiterate. Some do not move yet are happy and acquire
positive traits. Some live by earning wages.

“Some are learned and broad minded, while others are ignorant and foolish. Some search
but never find anything, while others find something without even searching. Some are wealthy,
mighty, and affluent yet greedy, while others are poor yet generous. Some speak truthfully and
gently, while others pierce like nails when they talk. Some are loved
and respected by others, while others are deserted and forsaken by everyone. Some
compassionately care for animals, while others take lives carelessly. Some are open minded and
agreeable, while others are disliked by everyone. Some do not get along with their wives and mothers-in-law, while others
are amicable with their relatives. Some are fond of Dharma discourses, while others feel
sleepy when hearing the sūtras.

“Some are conscientious and erudite. Some are fond of learning and diligent in
meditation. Some
resemble beasts of burden. Some have taken on the various appearances of wild animals.

“Blessed One, if you were to explain such causes and results in detail, all those many
followers would focus their minds single-pointedly on virtue upon hearing your teaching!”

The Blessed One replied, “Nanda, as you have inquired about various forms of
karmic ripening, those manifold differences manifest in accordance with the conduct of past
lifetimes. In this respect, a lovely face in one’s
present life comes from patience. Ugliness comes from anger and hatred. Poverty comes from greed.
Mightiness and greatness come from paying homage to the buddhas with reverence. Wickedness comes
from being proud and aggressive. A tall and good-looking body comes from
being respectful. A short body comes from being lazy with respect to the Dharma. Foolishness comes from having been a sheep. Being scrawny and dark
comes from concealing images of the thus-gone ones. Disproportionate lips come from tasting
the food of Dharma teachers.
Twitchy eyes come from not providing fire to those who request it. Being
unable to see at dusk comes from prying out the eyes of falcons. Muteness comes from denigrating the
sublime Dharma. Deafness comes from being displeased while hearing the Dharma. Buck teeth come
from craving for marrow and bones. A wrinkly nose comes from burning foul-smelling incense and offering it to the buddhas.
Cleft lips come from piercing the lips of fish. Yellowed hair comes from plucking out the hair of pigs. Split ears come
from piercing ears. Resembling a desert snake comes from wearing filthy clothes while following
the buddhas. Being dark skinned comes from placing statues of the buddhas
inside households or in courtyards. Blindness and lameness come from not standing
when seeing preceptors and masters. A hunched back comes from wearing filthy clothes and turning
one’s back toward images of the buddhas. A
pronounced forehead comes from not prostrating
respectfully but resting a hand on the forehead upon seeing the buddhas. A short neck comes
from hanging one’s head down and looking away when one sees honorable ones and masters. Liver
disease comes from hacking and slicing up the bodies of beings. Leprosy comes
from inappropriately taking away the wealth of others. Excessive phlegm comes from
serving others cold food during winter. Being childless comes from killing many baby birds. Having a lot
of children comes from caring for many animals. A long lifespan comes from being
especially compassionate. A short lifespan comes from taking lives. Wealth comes from practicing
generosity. Owning horses and chariots comes from making donations to the Three Jewels. Sharp faculties come from being diligent in studying
and reciting the sūtras. Dullness comes from having been a beast of burden. Working as a servant boy or girl comes
from not repaying debts. A short temper comes from having been a monkey.

“Furthermore, leprosy comes from destroying representations of the Three Jewels. Having
impaired limbs comes from severing the arms and legs of beings. Maliciousness comes from having been a snake or scorpion. Having the six
sense faculties complete comes from upholding discipline. Having the six sense faculties
incomplete comes from letting one’s discipline fall apart. Bad hygiene comes from not making
offering to the noble ones. Being fond of song, dance, and music comes from having been a musical performer.
Excessive desire comes from having been a bird. Goiters come from mixing things up. Having a deformed mouth comes from using abusive language.
Lacking genitalia comes from castrating dogs, pigs, or horses. A short tongue comes from mouthing off to honorable ones and masters and disparaging
them behind their backs.

“Those who commit adultery with the wives of others will be reborn as geese and ducks.
Those who deceive relatives will be reborn as sparrows. Those who use sūtras and holy
books but greedily hide them from others will be reborn as earthworms after
they pass away. Those who enjoy brandishing bows and arrows and riding horses will be
reborn as jackals and wolves in their next life. Those who enjoy short hair and wear head ornaments will be reborn as
mosquitoes in their next life. Those who enjoy sleeping and eating will be reborn as pigs
in their next life. Those who enjoy colorful silk clothing will be reborn as multicolored birds.
Those who enjoy speaking about distressing things and joking will be reborn as parrots. Those who enjoy divisive speech will be reborn as
six-headed cobras in their next life.
Those who enjoy telling inappropriate jokes will be reborn as ignorant bugs in their next
life. Those who enjoy
spreading negative news will be reborn as owls in their next life. Those who enjoy harm and
negativity and crave gossip will be reborn as foxes in their next life. Those who enjoy frightening people
will be reborn as centipedes in their next life.

“Those who entered temples with wooden shoes in past lives will be reborn as horses in a
future life.
Those who carelessly farted in past lives will be reborn as stink bugs in this life. Those who
used the Saṅgha’s mortars and pestles in past lives will be reborn as flat-headed worms in
this life. Those who prevented beings from eating food will be reborn as woodpeckers.
Those who stole the Saṅgha’s water in past lives will be reborn as aquatic beings—fishes, turtles, and the like. Those who bemoaned the Saṅgha in past lives will be reborn as latrine maggots. Those who have stolen the Saṅgha’s fruits will be reborn as liver-eating larvae. Those who have stolen the Saṅgha’s wealth will be reborn as donkeys or oxes turning millstones. Those who have urged the Saṅgha to loan out their wealth will be reborn as pigeons. Those who have insulted the Saṅgha will be reborn as bugs living on the necks of oxen. Those who have consumed the Saṅgha’s vegetables will be reborn as bugs living on the roots of vegetables. Those who sit on the seats of the Saṅgha will be reborn as redheaded worms.
Those who have availed themselves of the assorted things belonging to the Saṅgha will be reborn as crawling bugs.

“Those who enter a temple wearing bone hairpins will be reborn as long-beaked birds. Those who enter
a temple after having covered themselves with white and red powders will be reborn as
jackdaws. Those who enter a
temple wearing colorful silken clothes will be reborn as yellow birds. If a married
couple sleeps overnight in a temple, they will be reborn as blue-headed worms. Those who use the
stūpas of the thus-gone ones as resting places will be reborn as camels. Those who enter a
temple wearing shoes and socks will be reborn as frogs. Those who prattle on while listening to the Dharma
will be reborn as chirping birds.
Those who cause
monks who observe stainless discipline to become impure will be reborn in the hell of iron
creatures; there, they
will be shredded as rains of circular blades shower down upon their bodies by the hundreds and
thousands.”

Nanda then asked the Blessed One, “Since indeed, just as the Blessed One has taught,
availing oneself of the Saṅgha’s wealth is a heavy misdeed, how should those who focus on
virtue—benefactors and the like— then offer their respects and
pay homage inside temples?”

The Blessed One responded, “Those who go to temples may adopt two mindsets: virtuous and
nonvirtuous mindsets. What is meant by ‘virtuous mindset’? When entering a temple, those who
make prostrations upon seeing the buddhas, pay respect to the Saṅgha, inquire about or chant the
sūtras, receive precepts, confess misdeeds, offer the common property of the Three Jewels, or uphold the
sublime Dharma even at the cost of their lives will be reborn as gods by taking a single step
forward. In the future, as they live
as householders, they will be endowed with wealth like that of the
gods. This is the endowment of supreme virtue.

“Concerning nonvirtue, when entering a temple, those who beg and take loans from the
Saṅgha, who seek fault with and disparage the Saṅgha, who consume the Saṅgha’s food yet remain
unsatisfied, and who take home the Saṅgha’s edible plants, fruits, and vegetables
will bring upon themselves the severe suffering of the hell realms caused by the hellish wheels,
the scorching fires, the mountains of knives, the razor trees, and so forth. This is known as supreme nonvirtue.

“Nanda, in the future, advise my followers not to avail themselves of the
possessions offered to the Three Jewels. If they thus act in accordance
with what the Blessed One has taught, they will undoubtedly be liberated when the Buddha
Maitreya appears in this world.

“Those who steal the wealth of others in this life will fall into the cold
hells in their next life, or they will be born as silkworms that are boiled and liquefied. Those who create nonvirtue in this life by extinguishing the lamps placed
in front of statues of the buddhas, or in front of sūtras, will be born among hell beings
surrounded by darkness. Those who work as
butchers and take the lives of many beings in this life will fall into the hell of knives and
razor forests. Those who enjoy sending out falcons, dogs, and so
forth for hunting in this life will fall into the hell of iron saws. Those who are strongly
inclined toward sexual misconduct in this life will fall into the hell of copper pillars and
iron beds. Those who take many wives in this life will fall into the hell of iron
pestles.
Those who sleep with many women or men in this life will fall into the hell of poisonous
snakes. Those who burn and boil things
in this life will fall into the hell of raining embers. Those who pluck out the hair of pigs or
the fur of dogs in this life will fall into the hell
of extreme boiling. Those who castrate pigs, dogs, or horses in this life will fall
into the hell of stone torment. Those who drink excessive amounts of alcohol in this life will be reborn in
the hell of drinking molten copper. Those who slaughter animals and cause them hellish torments
in this life will fall into the hell of iron wheels. Those who steal the Saṅgha’s fruits in this life will
fall into the hell of iron balls. Those who eat the intestines of dogs and pigs in this life
will fall into the hell of filth. Those who catch fish in this life will fall into the
hell of razor forests. The stepmothers who treat their stepchildren as inferior in this life
will fall into the hell of fire logs. Those who create
discord in this life will end up in the hell of iron ploughs. Those who rebuke others with foul
words in this life will fall into the hell of the tongueless. Those who lie in this life will
fall into the hell of pounding iron spikes. Those who kill and who venerate demons in this life will
fall into the hell of iron awls. Those who practice witchcraft in this life and, to
make money, make false claims such as ‘The ghosts have been summoned!’ will fall into the hell
of śālmalī trees. Those who practice sorcery in this life and deceive others by
saying with closed eyes ‘This guru of yours is worthy of offerings’ will fall into the hell of
severed waists. Those who practice sorcery in this life and coerce others to take life and to venerate demons will fall into the hell of chopping axes; there,
their bodies will be chopped apart by hell minions, and their eyes will be pecked out by
iron-beaked birds. Those who practice sorcery in this life and who collect much wealth from performing burial rites, examining the
good and bad omens related to houses, and examining whether or not the five families are at peace, thereby deceiving fools, will be reborn
in the hell of iron webs; there, they will be trapped in webs as countless horrible birds
perch atop their bodies, devour their flesh, and peck at their bones and tendons, causing them
endless suffering. Those who practice medicine in this life without the ability to cure sickness
and who lie in order to take payment will fall into the hell where they are pierced with iron
needles as their bodies erupt in a blaze. Those who destroy temples and
stūpas and who heedlessly disobey the Saṅgha, their parents, or preceptors in this life will eventually be reborn in
the eight great hells of incessant torment. Next, they will go to the one hundred thirty-six
great hell realms, where some will remain for one eon, some for two eons, and some for five
eons. After their lives there come to an end, if they encounter a spiritual guide,
they will give rise to the mind of awakening. Otherwise, they will fall once again into the hell
realms.

“Having
a large body, being dark skinned, being short tempered, and enjoying travels comes from having
been a camel.
Craving movement, yearning to eat, and avoiding danger comes from having been a tiger. Not being
intimidated by heat or cold and having a large physique comes from having been an ox. Having a loud voice, being
shameless, being stubborn in what one desires, and not distinguishing good from bad comes from
having been a donkey. Always craving and yearning for meat and being fearless comes from having
been a lion. Being tall, having round eyes, frequenting mountains and solitary places, and often
being enraged at one’s
wife comes from having been a tiger. Being hairy, having round eyes, and not liking to stay in
one place comes from having been a bird. Being fickle and enjoying killing insects comes from
having been a fox.
Being valiant, being of little modesty, and craving a wife and children comes from having been a
wolf. Being identified
as deceptive, being drowsy, and being angry comes from having been a dog. Enjoying anger, being fond of speaking, and being loved
by all comes from having been a parrot.
Gathering in groups, being fond of speaking, and having lots of grief comes from having been a
cuckoo. Being small, being inclined toward sexual misconduct,
and being nervous comes from having been a sparrow. Having twitchy eyes, having a
short temper, drooling, and desiring physical numbness while sleeping comes from having been a
lizard. Speaking angrily, being furious when not understanding what
others say, and insulting people comes from having been a scorpion. Staying alone, longing for food,
and having sleepless nights comes from having been a cat. Making holes in
the house, being inclined to steal, and not recognizing relatives comes from having been a
mouse.

“Those who destroy temples and stūpas and take materials belonging to the
Three Jewels for their personal use will be reborn in the relentless hells in their next life.
After they are born there, even if they are freed from those hells, they will be
reborn as pigeons, sparrows, yellow birds, parrots, blue-necked birds, fish, turtles, monkeys, pigs,
or deer; even if they
are born as humans, they will be reborn as persons labeled as paṇḍakas, women, persons with
double gender, persons with no gender, persons with mixed genders, and the like. All those who have great anger
will be reborn as vipers, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, grizzlies, cats, falcons, and so
forth; even if they attain a human body, they will be inclined to kill birds and
pigs, and they will become huntsmen or prison guards. The ignorant who cannot distinguish between virtue and
nonvirtue will be reborn as elephants, pigs, oxen, sheep, buffalo, lice, fleas, bees, swallows,
ants, and the like in their next life; even if they attain a
human body, they will be reborn deaf, blind, mute, with goiters, hunchbacked, and so forth.
Their limbs or sense faculties will be impaired, and thus they will be unable to persevere in
the Dharma.

“Those who are arrogant and haughty will be reborn as filth maggots, camels, donkeys,
dogs, horses, and the like in their next life; even if they attain a human body, they will be
born as slaves. They will end up destitute and begging as everyone insults and condemns
them. Those who drive others into servitude by abusing
their power and who steal their wealth will fall into the hell of śālmalī trees in their next
life; there, they will be slaughtered and devoured by eighty million different beings. Those who dislike rising for others
will be reborn with the body of a cow in their next life; with rigid limbs and not knowing how
to lie down, they will be unable to sleep. Those who make an evening snack out of feast offerings in this life will
become hungry ghosts in their next life; they will be unable to find any food and
drink for billions of years, and all their joints will blaze with fire as they move around. Those who are inclined to be naked in this life will be reborn as featherless,
ever-crying birds. Those who bring home
the remainders of the food consumed in feast offerings in this life will fall into the hell of
blazing iron in their next life; even if they are born as humans, they will suffer from throat
diseases and have short lifespans. Those whose foreheads do not touch the floor when prostrating
to the buddhas in this life will fall into the upside-down hell in their next life; even if they
are reborn as humans, they will be condemned and deceived by all. Those who do not join their
palms together when prostrating to the buddhas in this life will be reborn in borderlands in
their next life; there, they will engage in great amounts of work with minimal results. Those
who sleep through their chanting without being able to get up in this life will be reborn as
snakes in their next life; with long and large bodies,
they will end up being devoured by every male and female insect. Those who unevenly join their
hands while prostrating to the buddhas in this life will, in their next life, fall into the hell where their hands are tightly bound behind their backs; even if they are reborn as humans,
they will be caught up in disputes. Those
who, in this life, single pointedly prostrate to the buddhas with their palms joined and their five physical
points touching the floor will always be mighty and
happy wherever they are born.

“Being joyless and short tempered in this life comes from having been a beast of
burden. Being cross-eyed in this life
comes from having glanced at the wives of others. Those who are pressured by their wives to
oppose their parents in this life will fall into the hell of
tongue cutting. Those who crave for alcohol in this life will be reborn as water insects in
their next life; even if they are reborn as humans, they will die from diseases involving
muscle pain and uncomfortable breathing.

“Nanda, all the many different types of suffering I have described come about on
the basis of nonvirtuous actions. At worst, those actions will cause one to fall into the hell
realms. Next, they will cause one to be reborn in the animal realms. At best, they will cause
one to be reborn in the realms of hungry ghosts.

“Those who take lives will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will experience two types
of karmic ripening: they will be poor, and they will be powerless as their wealth is
shared. Those who commit sexual
misconduct will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will
experience two types of karmic ripening: their wives will be unchaste as the senior and junior
wives quarrel, and their wishes will not be fulfilled. Those who
tell lies will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will experience two
types of karmic ripening: they will be denigrated by others, and they will be deceived by
everyone in the future. Those who use divisive speech will fall into the three lower realms;
even if they are born as humans, they will lose their friends, they will have bad friends, and
they will be jealous.
Those who pronounce harsh words will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as
humans, they will experience two types of karmic ripening: they will always hear many unpleasant
sounds, and everything they say will be disputed as faulty.
Those who make meaningless chatter will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will experience two types of
karmic ripening: no one will believe them even if they tell the truth, and everything they say
will remain unclear. Those who commit
misdeeds under the influence of desire will fall into the three lower realms; even if they
are born as humans, they will experience two types of karmic ripening: they will be attached to
wealth without ever being content, and their wishes will never be fulfilled no matter how hard
they try. Those who commit misdeeds under the influence
of anger will fall into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will
experience two types of karmic ripening: others will always try to take advantage of them, and
they will always be harmed by others. Those who commit misdeeds under the influence of wrong views will fall
into the three lower realms; even if they are born as humans, they will experience two types of
karmic ripening: they will always be reborn in the households of persons with wrong views, and
they will be crafty. O heirs of the victorious ones, those ten nonvirtues are the
causes for having to suffer much misery!”

Then, as those among the many followers who had practiced the paths of the ten
nonvirtuous actions heard the Blessed One’s description of the suffering of hell beings, they
cried out in unison, “What kind of virtue will free us from this suffering?”

The Blessed One replied, “You must make all beings act in accordance with meritorious
actions. How is merit created?
Those who construct stūpas and temples primarily for the sake of bringing great benefit to
beings will
undoubtedly become kings in the future; as they accomplish the benefit of many beings, there
will be no one with whom they are not in harmony. Those who engage with
the Dharma and develop faith in it in this life will become supreme among humans; they will
undoubtedly become great ministers and rulers of territories in the future, they will possess
garments and horses, and they will own everything they need. Those who bow to many people and
create merit in this life will become masters of wealthy and mighty households; they will be venerated
by all, they will meet no obstacles when they travel in any of the four directions, and all
their activities will be successful. Those who offer lamps in front
of the buddhas and are devoted to those lamps will be born among the gods of the sun and moon in
the future, and they will be illuminated with light. Those who practice generosity with a
compassionate attitude in this life will be extremely wealthy in the future, and they will naturally attract
food and clothing. Those who enjoy giving out food and drink in this life will naturally have
food and drink everywhere they are born;
their faculties will be sharp, their eloquence will be great, and they will have long lives.
Those who give food to animals will be reciprocated a hundredfold. Those who give to icchantikas
will be reciprocated a thousandfold. Those make gifts to monks, nuns, or other persons
observing pure discipline will be reciprocated ten
thousandfold. Those who make gifts to the monks who expound the Dharma—those who spread the
Great Vehicle, explain the treasuries of the Thus-Gone One, and are able to open the eyes of
everyone—will be reciprocated countless numbers of times. Those who make gifts to the buddhas
and bodhisattvas will reach the final fruition.

“Furthermore, those who make gifts to the three recipients of generosity will receive
endless rewards. What are those three? They are the buddhas, parents, and the sick. Those
who offer them a single morsel of food will attain those endless rewards, so what need is there
to mention the continuous practice of generosity? Those who offer baths to many Saṅgha members
in this life will have lovely faces, possess all the clothing they want, and be respected by
everyone in all their future lives. Those who read sūtras of the sacred Dharma and
praise their recitation will have beautiful voices in all their future lives, and everyone will
enjoy listening to them. Those who maintain their discipline in this life will have lovely faces
and be supreme among humans in all their future lives. Those who, in this life, dig many wells
in water-scarce areas, thereby providing drink, and widen roads to fit everyone, thereby freeing up all people, will be kings among humans
in all their future lives, and they will naturally receive food and drink with hundreds of
flavors. Those who, in this life, copy the sūtras and so forth or give them to others to let them read will be unobstructed in all their future lives, and they will not forget anything they learn upon hearing it a single time; the
buddhas and bodhisattvas, too, will always pay them heed, and they will
become most supreme and eminent among humans—they will be great leaders. Those who enjoy freeing
many beings by building
bridges, boats, and so forth in this life will possess the seven precious substances, and they
will be venerated and praised by many in all their future lives; they will be welcomed
when arriving and escorted when departing.

“Nanda, I have explained all the sūtras in terms of karma, causes, and fruition. It
is said that if beings recite, read, or practice this sūtra, they will be liberated from the
unfree states and from suffering. Those who denigrate this sūtra will have their tongues entirely cut off
in this very life.”

Nanda then asked, “Blessed One, what is the name of this sūtra? How should it be
remembered?”

The Blessed One replied, “Nanda, remember this sūtra as The Causes
and Effects of Virtue and Nonvirtue, and as The Path and
Practice of the Bodhisattvas.”

When this sūtra was being given by the Blessed One, eighty-thousand gods and
humans from among the many followers gave rise to the mind of unsurpassed awakening. The bodies
of eight thousand women transformed into male bodies, and all the
nonvirtuous beings became virtuous.

Thus concludes the sūtra “Distinguishing between Virtue and
Evil Deeds.”

Notes

Bibliography

sorcery

sorceress

bon mo
བོན་མོ།

witchcraft

three recipients of generosity