三世怨偈
今世行善，
增多福报，
不求净土，
随生人天。
来世富贵，
乐多苦少，
放逸破戒，
增多恶业。
后世福尽，
恶业必报，
在第三世，
成自怨家。
Verses On Third Lifetime’s Sorrow
[Those in this] present life practising good,
[with] increase [in] much blessed rewards,
[while] not seeking [birth in] Pure Land,
[will] accordingly [be re]born [as] humans [or] gods.
[In the] next life [with] wealth [and] honour,
[due to] much ‘happiness’ [and] little suffering,
[there is] heedless breaking [of] precepts,
[which] increases much evil karma.
[In the] life after the next, [with] blessings exhausted,
evil karma [will] definitely [have] retribution,
in [that] third lifetime,
[then] becoming one’s [own] enemy.
*
只以念佛之人，无深信切愿，但求福报，希图来世富贵，不知希图来世富贵，譬如仰天射箭，力尽则还，非但无益，且有损也。
Of people only with mindfulness [of] Buddha, [but] without profound Faith [and] sincere Aspiration [to be born in Pure Land], only seeking blessed rewards, hoping [to] seek, [in the] next life, wealth [and] honour, not knowing [that] hoping [to] seek [the] next life’s wealth [and] honour, for example, [is like] facing [the] sky shooting [an] arrow. [When its] energy exhausts, thus returning, [this is] not only without benefits, also having harm [due to possibly falling onto the shooter, and to even fall lower than before].
即如今世念佛，感人天福报，有福报而无正智。
Such as [those in this] present life mindful [of] Buddha, [or just doing much good, if] creating human [or] heavenly blessed rewards, having blessed rewards and without right wisdom.
以有福报故，则有势位富贵。
With having blessed rewards [in the next life] thus, then having power [and] status, wealth [and] honour.
以无正智故，则愚痴而不信因果。
With [being] without right wisdom thus, then ignorant and not believing [in the karmic law of] cause [and] effect.
夫以不信因果之人，处势位富贵之地，如虎附翼，益增其恶。
Of those people with no belief [in] cause [and] effect, being [on the] ground of power [and] status, wealth [and] honour, [they are] like tigers attached [with] wings, all the more [able to] increase their evil.
故福报愈大，造孽愈多。
Thus, [with] blessed rewards [that are] more great, creating [of] evil [is] much more.
既造恶业，应受恶报，此所谓三世怨也。
Since [having] created evil karma, deservingly receiving evil’s retribution [in the life after the next], this [is the] so-called ‘third lifetime’s sorrow’.
故念佛者，断不可存福报之心，当以猛利直前，往生西方，为了脱生死之妙法。
Thus, those mindful [of] Buddha, absolutely must not retain [the] mind [of seeking] blessed rewards [for human or heavenly rebirths, and] should [instead], with powerful [practice] directly [and] forwardly, [for] rebirth [in the] Western [Pure Land, as the] wonderful method for liberation [from the cycle of] births [and] deaths.
净土宗十三祖印光大师
《净土法门说要》
（王求是， 龚云伯）记
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
(Talk [On] Pure Land Dharma Door’s Essentials)
Recorded [By] Wáng Qiúshì And Gōng Yúnbó
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
Related Articles:
Are You ‘Recycling’ Yourself Every Three Lifetimes?
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/08/are-you-recycling-yourself-every-three-lifetimes
无量福偈
Verse On Immeasurable Blessings
（三世怨偈）
(Verse On Three Lifetimes’ Grievances)
https://purelanders.com/2022/07/25/verse-on-immeasurable-blessings-verse-on-three-lifetimes-grievances
