先断恶因,再修善因
First Sever Evil Causes, Then Cultivate Good Causes
经云,菩萨畏因,众生畏果。
[A] sūtra says, ‘Bodhisattvas fear [creating of evil] causes, [and] sentient beings fear [receiving of evil] effects.’
若欲不受苦果,必须先断恶因。
If desiring [to] not receive suffering’s effects [i.e. bitter fruits], [there] must first [be] severing [of] evil causes.
若能常修善因,决定恒享乐果。
If able [to] constantly cultivate good causes, definitely [able to] constantly enjoy blissful effects.
此即书之作善降祥,作不善降殃。
This is the same as [the] Book [Of History’s《尚书》meaning] of ‘[With] doing [of] good [then] conferred [with the] auspicious, [and with] doing [of that] not good [then] descending [with] misfortune.’ (作善则降吉祥,作不善则降灾殃)
易之积善必有余庆,积不善必有余殃之意。
[This is the Book Of] Changes’《易经》meaning of, ‘[Of families] accumulating good, definitely having remaining good fortune, [and of families] accumulating [that] not good, definitely having remaining misfortune’ (积善之家必有余庆,积不善之家必有余殃) [for future generations, due to collective karma (共业)].
净土宗十三祖印光大师
《如来随机利生浅近论》
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
(Simple Discussion [On The] Thus Come [One] According [To] Capacities Benefitting [Sentient] Beings)
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

