报通三世、转变由心
[226] Rewards [And Retribution] Connected [Through The] Three Periods, [Are With] Transformations Due [To The] Mind
经云：「菩萨畏因，众生畏果。」菩萨恐遭恶果，预先断除恶因，由是罪障消灭，功德圆满，直至成佛而后已。众生常作恶因，欲免恶果，譬如当日避影，徒劳奔驰。
[A] sūtra says, ‘Bodhisattvas fear causes, [and] sentient beings fear effects.’ [As] Bodhisattvas fear encountering [of] evil effects, [with] advanced severing [to] eliminate evil causes, due [to] this, [they are with] transgressive obstacles eliminated, [and with] meritorious virtues perfected [and] completed, accomplishing Buddhahood then [at the] end. Sentient beings constantly creating evil causes, [while] desiring [to] avoid evil effects, for example, [are] like when [there is the] sun, avoiding shadows, [which is] futile, [even if] running [away] quickly.
[Note 1: As prevention is better than cure, it is better to fear the creating of evil causes, than to fear the reaping of their evil fruits. With no evil causes created, there is no fear of their evil fruits. With evil causes created, even if there is fear of their evil fruits, they will be challenging to avoid.]
每见无知愚人，稍作微善，即望大福。一遇逆境，便谓作善获殃，无有因果，从兹退悔初心，反谤佛法。岂知报通三世、转变由心之奥旨乎？
Often seen [are] ignorant foolish people, [having] slightly created [a] little good, immediately expect great blessings. Once meeting adversity, then saying creating good obtains misfortune, not having cause [and] effect, from this retreating [and] regretting [their] initial minds, instead slandering [the] Buddha’s Dharma [teachings]. How [could they] know [the] profound implications of rewards [and retribution] connected [through the] three periods, [are with] transformations due [to the] mind?
[Note 2: A little good karma (善业) created in the present might not immediately bear great fruit, only bearing fruit later. Misfortune that occurs then is due to past evil karma (恶业) ripening, not due to the good karma. Their initial minds (初心) might be with the Bodhi Mind (菩提心), the aspiration to guide one and all to Buddhahood (佛果). The three periods (三世) are the (i) past period (过去世), (ii) present period (现在世) and (iii) future period (未来世). The creating of more good karma can magnify good fruits or mitigate evil fruits, while the creating of more evil karma can magnify evil fruits or mitigate good fruits.]
报通三世者，现生作善作恶，现生获福获殃，谓之现报。今生作善作恶，来生获福获殃，谓之生报。
Those rewards [and retribution] connected [through the] three periods, [are with those in this] present life creating good [and] creating evil, [in this] present life obtaining blessings [and] obtaining misfortunes, calling them present rewards [and retribution. With those in this] present life creating good [and] creating evil, [in a] future life obtaining blessings [and] obtaining misfortunes, calling them future rewards [and retribution].
今生作善作恶，第三生，或第四生，或十百千万生，或至无量无边劫后，方受福受殃者，谓之后报。后报则迟早不定，凡所作业，决无不报者。
Those [in this] present life creating good [and] creating evil, [in the] third life, or fourth life, or tenth, hundredth, thousandth, ten thousandth life, or until immeasurable boundless kalpas later, then receiving blessings [and] receiving misfortune, calling them later rewards [and retribution]. Later rewards [and retribution are] thus [with] later [or] sooner [arrival] not definite, [while] all those created karmas, [are] definitely not those without rewards [and retribution].
转变由心者，譬如有人所作恶业，当永堕地狱，长劫受苦。其人后来生大惭愧，发大菩提心，改恶修善，诵经念佛，自行化他，求生西方。
Those [with] transformations due [to the] mind, for example, are people, those [who have] created evil karma, [who] should long fall [into] hell, [for] long kalpas receiving suffering. These people, later give rise [to] great repentance, give rise [to the] great Bodhi Mind, correct evil [and] cultivate good, recite sūtras [with] mindfulness [of the] Buddha, [with] personal practice transform others, [and] seek birth [in the] Western [Pure Land].
[Note 3: The most powerful methods to prevent falling into hell after having created much evil karma are as listed above. Mindfulness of Buddha (念佛) is one of the swiftest methods to express repentance (忏悔) and create much meritorious virtues (功德) to mitigate evil karma. With mindfulness of Buddha, his Pure Land will be reached, through which Buddhahood will most swiftly be attained.]
由是之故，现生或被人轻贱，或稍得病苦，或略受贫穷，与彼一切不如意事。先所作永堕地狱，长劫受苦之业，即便消灭，尚复能了生脱死，超凡入圣。
Due [to] this thus, [in this] present life, perhaps by people looked down on, or slightly attaining sickness [with] suffering, or briefly receiving poverty, with all those matters not according [to] wishes. That earlier created karma of long falling [into] hell, [for] long kalpas receiving suffering, [is] immediately then eliminated, [with them] still again able [to be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, [to] transcend [the] ordinary [to] enter [the] noble.
[Note 4: With practice of the methods listed above Note 3, evil karma will be mitigated, as expressed with lessened suffering.]
《金刚经》所谓：「若有人受持此经，为人轻贱，是人先世罪业应堕恶道，以今世人轻贱故，先世罪业，即为消灭，当得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提」者，即转变由心之义也。
[In the] Vajra Sūtra, [is] that saying, ‘If [there] are people [who] receive [and] uphold this sūtra, by people looked down on, these persons, [with their] earlier lives’ transgressive karmas, [who] should fall [into] evil paths, with [the] present life’s people looking down on [them] thus, [their] earlier lives’ transgressive karmas, [will] immediately be eliminated, [and they] will attain Anuttara Samyak Saṃbodhi.’ [This is] then [the] meaning of transformations due [to the] mind.
[Note 5: The principle taught in the Vajra Sūtra《金刚经》applies to the list of methods above Note 3 too. Anuttara Samyak Saṃbodhi (阿耨多罗三藐三菩提) is Buddhahood (佛果).]
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师文钞》（正编）：与卫锦洲书；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Letter For Wèi Jǐnzhōu;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第两百二十六则）：五、勉居心诚敬（第四则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (226th Short Section): 5th [Chapter]: Encouragement [Of The] Mind [To] Dwell [In] Sincerity [And] Reverence (4th Short Section)
[Ref: #226 / 5.4]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关典籍
Related Text:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
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