“Oh good man! When practicing meditation, one arrives at such right knowledge ['jnana'] and right view of life. That's why I say in the sutras that any bhiksu who practices meditation can indeed see how the five skandhas appear and disappear. Oh good man! If one does not practice meditation, one cannot clearly see how obtain things in the world. And how could one know of the things that concern to the supramundane world? While there is no meditation, one can even fall over a flat place. The eye sees what is out of order; the mouth speaks what is out of order; and the ear hears what is different [from reality]; the mind understands what is out of order. Desiring to articulate (words with) the particular letters, the hands write strange sentences; desiring to take a particular path, the body follows a different path. One who practices Samadhi gains many benefits and attains unsurpassed Enlightenment.”
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
Lion's Roar said: "Oh, World Honored One! Who suffers little in the present life what would have to suffer in hell?"
“Oh, good man! Any person in the world who practices the body, sila, Wisdom, and the mind, as stated above, and who sees that all things are void and all-equal, and who sees no Wisdom, nor who is wise, nor ignorance, nor who is ignorant, nor practice and nor even those who practice, that person is someone who is wise. Such a person really practices the body, sila, mind, and Wisdom. Such a person really makes [what would have been] the karmic retribution in hell become little to be suffered in this life. This person may have committed the gravest of sins, but it thinks about [the matter], sees, makes it light, and says: 'What I did is grave in nature. But, nothing is better than good deeds. For example, 100 pounds of flowers upon flowers cannot ultimately be compared with a 'ryo' [unit of weight or money] of true gold. We might well throw a 'sho' of salt into the Ganges, but no salty taste will come about [from this] and no one who drinks its water will feel it. A rich man may possess 1,000 million jewels and yet he will not be arrested and made to suffer pain because of this. Or a great gandhahastin (musky elephant) can break an iron cage, escape and be free.’ So it is [also] with the person who has Wisdom. It always thinks to himself: 'I have much of the power of good and little of evil deeds. I confess and repent, and end up with evil. If we practice Wisdom, the power of Wisdom will grow, and the power of ignorance will lessen.’ Thinking thus, he befriends a Good Teacher of the Way and learns the right view of life. If he sees a person who upholds, recites, copies and expounds the 12 types of sutras, he will feel respect in his mind and, moreover, will make offerings to him of such things as clothing, food, accommodation, bedding, medicines, flowers and incense, and will praise and respect him. Wherever he goes, he praises only what is good and does not speak of what is lacking. He makes offerings to the Three Treasures, respects and believes that the Vaipulya Sutra of Great Nirvana and the Thatagata are Eternal and Unchanging, and that beings possess the Buddha Nature. Such a person makes what would be heavily suffered in hell, something that is [only] slight pain in this life. Oh, good man! For this reason, it is not the case that all actions are definite and that all beings definitely have to undergo karmic retribution."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"We speak about the non-practice of Wisdom. Wisdom has great power, like that of a Garuda [a mythical bird]. It truly destroys the evil deeds and the darkness, as does the light of the sun. It thoroughly uproots the tree of the skandhas, like water, on which things can float easily. The wisdom thoroughly burns out the evil views of life, like a great fire, is the fountainhead of all good dharmas, and the seed from which stems the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If someone does not see things thus, this is nothing more than the non-practice of Wisdom."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
“We say that there is the non-practicing of the mind. This is nothing more than being unable to meditate on the mind. It [the mind] carries itself lightly and noisily, and is hard to catch hold of and to destroy. It runs about unmolested like an evil-minded elephant. Its movements are quick at every moment, as swift as lightning. It's as noisy and restless as a monkey. It's like a ghost or a flame. It is the root of evil, and it is hard to satisfy the call of the five desires. This is like fire that feeds on fuel, or the great ocean which swallow the waters of all rivers, or like the grasses and plants that grow so luxuriantly in Mandara (Mount). If a person does not meditate on the falsity of birth and death, it will always be tempted, as with a fish that swallows the hook. Always a watchword is given, followed by all the acts. This is like the mother who leads all the small ones.
A person becomes greedily attached to the five desires and does not care for Nirvana. This is like the camel that eats honey, forgetting all about the fodder till death slaughter it. Anyone who does not see things thus can be called one non-practicing of the mind.”
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"We say that there is the non-practice of the precepts. Oh good man! This is nothing more than not being able to regard sila [precepts of morality] as a kind of ladder for all good dharmas. Sila is the root of all good dharmas. This is like the land, which is where all the trees grow. This is the best guide to everything that is good. It's like the owner of a ship that guides all the merchants. Sila is the banner of victory. It's like the hanging ensign of Devendra. Sila eternally extirpates all evil deeds and the three unfortunate realms. It thoroughly cures serious illnesses, such as a medicinal tree. Sila is nothing more than the food on the steep path of birth and death. It is the armor and sword that crush the thieves of defilements; and it is the best spell, which annihilates the poison of the vipers of defilements, or it is the bridge through which one can truly cross over the path of evil deeds. Any person who cannot think that way, is someone who does not practice the precepts. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Oh good man! For example, there can be all-wonderful gardens and forests in the world. But if any corpse is there, that place becomes impure, people abandon it, and person any no longer feels love or attachment [to that place]. It's the same with what happens in the world of matter. Though wonderful to look at, in that there is a body to represent them, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas abandon it.
Oh good man! If a person cannot see things in this light, we do not call this the practice of the body. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Oh good man! For example, there is a man who has an enemy, who always looks for his whereabouts. Someone who is wise sees this, keeps awake and protects against it. If do not protects himself, there is the danger of being harmed. It's the same with all the bodies of beings. Be hot or cold, always nourish it with food and drink. If not thus well protected, the body will decay. Oh good man! The Brahmin, in worship to the god of fire, always offers incense and flowers, praises and worships it, makes offerings and serves him, and may well get a life of 100 years. But if he touches it, the fire will burn the hand that touched him. This fire, which was so cherished and valued with offerings, knows nothing about repay what it owes to one who has single-mindedly served it. It's the same with the bodies of all beings. Over the years, the body is served with the best of incense and flowers, necklaces, clothes, food and drink, bedding and medicines. But when it finds the causal relations that afflict it inside and out, everything at once collapses, and now it does not think of repay even a little the offerings and those clothes were given to them in days gone by."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Oh, good man! There are two kinds of people. One makes the indefinite definite, causes the karmic rewards of the present life are those of the life to come, what is light in that which is grave, and what is to be suffered in this human life to be suffered in hell. The ignorant makes things grave.
The second (kind of person) makes what is definite indefinite, what belongs to the life to come [happen] in the present life, what is grave in that which is light, and what is of hell in that which is light in this human life.
Of the two kinds, the one is ignorant, and the other is wise. The wise person makes things light, and the ignorant person makes things grave in nature. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Oh, good man! I recall that once in the past, we were shopkeepers, Devadatta and me. Each of us had about 500 merchants. In search of earnings, we went to great sea in search of rare things. Through evil causal relations, we met along the way with a storm and, ship-wrecked, all our comrades died. At that time, Devadatta and me, because of non-harming (others) and by the causal relations for a long life, were blown across onto land. Then, Devadatta, regretting that he had lost the treasure, was greatly worried and sobbed uncontrollably. I then said: 'Oh Devadatta! Do not cry '! Devadatta said: 'Listen to me carefully, listen carefully! For example, there is a man overwhelmed by poverty. He goes to the graveyard, grabs a corpse and says: 'Oh you! Give me the joy of death. I'll give you now life and poverty’. Then the corpse stands up and says to the poor man: 'Oh good man! Take poverty and life for yourself. I am now immersed in the joy of death. I'm not glad to see him alive and poor '. The situation is like this. But I have no the bliss of death at hands, and furthermore, I'm in misery. What else can I do other than sob and cry '? I also appease him: 'Do not be sad. I have now two beads, which are priceless. I will give one to you’. I gave it [to him] and said: 'A person who has life gains this gem. If you have no life, how can you expect to have this'? So, I felt tired and slept in the shade of a tree. Devadatta, with feverish greed, acquired an evil thought. Boring and blinding my eyes, he caught the other bead. In pain, I cried and sobbed. Then, there was a woman who came to me and asked: 'Why are you sobbing and crying'? So, I told her everything that had happened. Upon hearing that, she further asked: 'What is your name'? I said: 'My name is True-Word'. (She said:) 'How can I know that you're truthful '? So, I took an oath: 'If I should now have evil thoughts against Devadatta, let me be a one-eyed; otherwise, let my eyes gain the light’. In saying this, my eyes were healed and were as good as before. Oh good man! This is where we say that the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva talks about the reward that comes about in this life. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva not commits actions that will lead him to hell. For the sake of beings, he takes a great vow and comes alive in hell. Oh, good man! In days gone by, when the lifespan of beings was 100 years, countless beings, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, received karmic results in hell. I saw this, took a great vow and gained life in hell. The Bodhisattva, at that time, truth to tell, had no sin of such kind (which would lead him to hell). For the sake of beings, he gained life in hell. I, at that time, was in hell, living there for countless ages and exposing the 12 types of sutras extensively for all sinners. The sinners, on hearing this, crushed all their karmic results and escaped from hell, except the icchantikas. This is why we say that the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva receives the karmic results no later than in this life. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Oh, good man! There are two kinds of karma, namely: definite and the indefinite. Of the karma that is definite, there are two kinds. One is that definite in result, and the other the definite in time. There can be cases where the result is definite and the time indefinite. When the causal relations conjoin, the result comes about in the Three Times of the present, the next life, or later lives.
Oh, good man! When one does good or evil with a settled mind, one gains a believing mind and joy. And one takes a vow or makes offerings to the Three Treasures. This is a definite action.
One who is wise is persistent in good deeds and cannot be demoted. Because of this, the grave actions turn out to be light. One who is ignorant is persistent in evil. Because of this, any light action turns out to be grave [in consequences] and calls forth a grave return. This is why all actions are not called definite."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38 - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Tenth, his wisdom is perfect. By Wisdom is meant seeing the so-called Tathagata, the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, the Pure, and the fact that all beings possess the Buddha Nature. He sees the two phases of things, which are: Void versus non-Void, Eternal versus non-Eternal, Bliss versus non-Bliss, the Self versus not-Self, what is possible or not possible for crushing out the proposition of dissimilarity ['vaidharmya-drstanta'], the coming about or seeing of dissimilarity that arises out from the causal relations, and the fruition of dissimilarity that arises out from the non-causal relations or non-causality. This is what we call perfection of Wisdom.
Oh, good man! This is how we say that when the Bodhisattva is perfect in these ten things, he can clearly see the formlessness of Nirvana. "
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"Ninth, if the Bodhisattva sees any of his brethren, or anyone who is upholding the same precepts, lacking in things; he goes to others, and begs for an incense burner, priestly robes, for what is required in nursing practice, clothing, food and drink, bedding, and accommodations. "
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"Eighth, there is protection of Dharma. By protecting the Dharma is meant to love the Wonderful Dharma, be always happy to talk about it, read and recite, write and copy it, think about its meaning and expound it widely, and make it prevail. If there is a person who copies, expounds, recites and praises [Dharma] and think about the meaning, one should seek things and offer him such as support, things such as clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicines. For the protection of Dharma, one must be ready to sacrifice his own body and life. This is protection of Dharma. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Seventh, he has gentleness of speech. By gentleness of speech is meant the true and wonderful words that one utters and queries before the mind acts. It is timely speech and words of truth. We call this 'gentle words'. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Sixth, he is perfect in remembrance. By perfection in remembrance is meant thinking about the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the precepts, the heavens, and equanimity. We call this perfection in thought."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Fifth, there is effort. By effort is meant that someone thinks single-mindedly on the Four Noble Truths. Even if that person's head was on fire, he would not cast off this [the weighting on the Four Noble Truths]. This is effort. "
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Fourth, he seeks quietude. By quietude is meant the quietude of body and mind, through which one meditates on the depths of all existences. We call this quietude."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Third, the Bodhisattva makes friends with many good friends of the Way. By good friend of the Way is meant a person who speaks well about faith and precepts, erudition (culture), donation, Wisdom, and who makes people practice the Way. Such a person is called the Bodhisattva’s good friend of the Way."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
"Second, there is perfection of purity in the observance of moral precepts. Oh, good man! There may be a Bodhisattva who is pure in upholding the precepts. And yet, he does not so for the sake of shila, for the sake of shilaparamita, nor by beings, nor for profit, nor for Bodhi, nor for Nirvana, and nor to [become] a Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha. He only observes the precepts for the highest 'Paramartha-satya’[Ultimate Reality]. Oh, good man! This is what we call perfection in purity of the precepts of a Bodhisattva."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.
