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業報循環，輪迴不已，羊復為人，人復為羊。楞嚴明訓，即所謂羊有羊國，馬有馬國，牛有牛國。豬有豬國，狗有狗國，乃至蜂有蜂國，蟻有蟻國，蚊有蚊國，蟲有蟲國，各從其類。力大者為王，眾多者為國。業報，業就是所造的業，你造這個業一一有的造善業，有的造惡業，所以業報循環。你造善業，將來得到善的果報，造惡業呢，得到惡的果報。輪迴不已，這種的業報就好像一個輪子似地，這麼來回來回轉來轉去、轉來轉去不停止。不停止，所以說羊復為人。在《楞嚴經》一一羊可以做人；羊可以做人呢，其他的一切畜生都可以做人。人復為羊，人也可以做羊。這是楞嚴明訓，《楞嚴經》上明明白白地告訴我們。
不過我們人在做人的時候，沒有做羊，他就認為自己不會做羊的。就這麼也不怕這種惡的果報，所以就盡量去造業，造惡業。即所謂，就是所說的羊有羊國。這個造惡業受惡報，你造羊的業
，將來就做羊。羊也有牠的這種的團體，牠的團體也就好像牠的國家似的。這個羊和羊牠有牠的範圍。馬有馬國，我們一般人認為我們養鳥，其實牠也有牠這種的種族。羊和羊的種族，這也好像有一個國家似的。牛有牛國，牛和牛好像有一個國家似的。
這種的情形又可以有一個講法，說誰願意吃羊，哪個人就托生養羊那個國家，將來去做羊去。願意吃馬的人呢，將來就受馬的果報，跑到那個馬的那個團體裡邊，那種族裡邊去。這個國不一定是國家的國就是牠的種族。牛有牛國，這個牛，人吃牛吃得太多了，也就將來投生到有牛的那個國家，去和牛做為一樣的種族。這個道理我們做人的時候，有很多不相信的，可是到那個時候，你就相信不相信，你那種業報要造成了，也會將來得到那種的果報的。
豬就有豬的國家；狗有狗的國家一一是簡簡單單地說；蜂有蜂國，你看蜂和蜂就在一起，這蜜蜂。蟻有蟻國，螞蟻，你看那螞蟻和螞蟻都在一起，牠也有牠的這種團體。蚊有蚊國，那個蚊子牠也都聚會在一起，有牠的國家，牠一叫那個也聽見了。蟲有蟲國，這個蟲子也到夏天，牠這個也叫一聲，那個也叫一聲，各從其類。牠都是和牠那個種族一樣的，就去在一起。
力大者為王，在這一起這一類的，哪一個最有力量，這就是其中的英雄，就是成王了。眾多者成國，眾多這個也可以說是成國。一個眾多了，牠要太多了，就變成一個大的團體。這是這樣子
，簡簡單單講。
宿業相尋，絲毫不錯。以佛眼觀之，顛顛倒倒，忽然而天，忽然而地，忽然而人，忽然而鬼，忽然而畜生，忽然而修羅，忽然而蜎飛蠕動，依業受生還報而不自知，甚可憐憫。古人云：「脫馬腹，入驢胎，閻王殿前幾度回？始從帝釋面前過，又到閻君鍋裏來。」
旁邊那講忽然而天，忽然而地。現在又總起來
講，忽然而畜生。忽然就是不知不覺地就去做畜生去了。忽然而修羅，又不知不覺地忽然間就去做阿修羅。這阿修羅就歡喜鬥爭，他是鬥爭堅固的。現在這個世界上多數是阿修羅，阿修羅不知多少，所以就互相好鬥爭，這叫鬥爭堅固的時代
。所以人人哪一個國家都講鬥爭，你鬥爭我，我鬥爭你。忽然而蜎飛蠕動(
「蠕」字有的讀「軟」音，有的讀「如」音，都可以。)這個又忽然間做那個蜎飛一一蜎飛，就是飛得很短的一個路程，飛不長遠。很小很小的東西，比那個蚊蟲還小。蠕動，蠕動就是只能慢慢地爬，爬得很慢很慢地。只能動，一點一點地往前爬，這爬蟲。
依業受生，為什麼他又到天上去？又到地獄？又到人間？又作餓鬼？又作畜生？又作修羅呢？都是依他自己造的這個業受生，他就又作那個去了。不是說上帝叫他去做畜生；也不是說上帝叫他去做餓鬼；不是上帝叫他去做人的。這個人哪
，不是上帝叫他作的。誰叫他作的上帝？他會叫人作人，誰叫他作的上帝？不要說上帝，就是佛
，都是人作的。不是生來就是佛。雖然說，他一生出來就說天上天下唯我獨尊，但是他有很多很多，很長的時間由人道修到這個佛道上。不是說
他就是佛，所以佛都是由人成的，他也是依業受生的。他淨業成熟了，所以他成佛了。那麼受生、還報而不自知，你種善因，就結善果；做惡業，就結惡果。受這個善惡的業報而不自知一一自己不知道、不明白。
甚可憐憫，這一類的人是很可憐憫的，所以佛發願要度眾生，就是度這一類的眾生。那麼菩薩度眾生，也是度這一類不明白的眾生。我們眾生要明白了，是自己度自己；也不需要佛度，也不需菩薩度，也不需要師父度。都是迷時師度，悟時自度，你要明白了，就要自己度自己。
弟子：師父，這個依業還報而不自知。
上人：自己不知道，受什麼果報自己不知道。
這個菩薩他在那行菩薩道，你要做閻羅王。這
個閻羅王臉是黑色的，好像鐵那麼黑。鐵面無私，他沒有人情講的，你犯罪，他就要把你下地獄去。並不是他叫你下地獄，是你自己犯了罪過了。所以這閻王殿前，他那個殿的前邊，幾度徊，徊就是在那徘徊，在那走來走去的。始從帝釋面前過。一開始到天上在這個帝釋的面前那走過去
。又到閻君鍋裏來。等在天上天福享盡了，又落地獄到那油鍋，用油鍋來炸上。好像用那個油炸那個麵似的，這個很可怕的。那麼人在這個沒有了生死之前，誰也免不了這個六道的輪迴轉來轉去，所以這是很危險的，這六道輪迴。你要超出六道輪迴，成佛了，就不在六道輪迴裏轉了。所以我們修行，就要想辦法快點成佛。
由此觀之，頭出頭沒，倏死倏生。如微塵之無定，隨業風而浮沉，流轉六道之中，而無止息。
由此觀之，這是說前邊這種種的情形一一生了又死，死了又生一一在這個六道輪迴裡轉來轉去，所以說頭出頭沒。有的時候就做這個眾生，有的時候又做那個眾生，這頭出頭沒。倏死倏生。突然間就死了，突然間又生出來。如微塵之無定，這好像一粒微塵似的，忽高忽低，忽上忽下，沒有一定的。你隨業風而浮沈，隨著你所造的業，這種風，或者飄起來，或者向下沉去了。你做善事就往上點，你做惡事就向下沉去了。流轉六道之中，在這個六道輪迴裡頭輪來輪去那麼流轉。而無止息。沒有一個止息的時候。
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Text:
The cycle of karmic retribution results in ceaseless
transmigration. Sheep can become people, and humans can
become sheep, as explained in the Shurangama Sutra.
There are nations of sheep, nations of horses, nations of
cows, of pigs, of dogs and so forth down to the nations of
bees, ants, mosquitoes, and other insects. Each of these
gathers in groups of its own kind. The strong become kings,
and the multitudes become nations.
Commentary:
The cycle of karmic retribution results in ceaseless
transmigration. The karma that people create may be good or
bad. If you create good karma, you will receive a pleasant
reward. If you create bad karma, you will suffer an
unpleasant retribution. The cycle of karmic retribution is
like a turning wheel. It turns around and around and never
stops. Hence sheep can become people, and humans can become
sheep, as explained in the Shurangama Sutra.
Not only can sheep become people, other animals can become
people as well. The Shurangama Sutra tell
us this very clearly.
However, when we are
people, we are not sheep, so it doesn't occur to us that we
could become sheep. And so we commit all kinds of evil karma
without being afraid of the evil retribution that will
result. There are nations of sheep. If you create evil
karma, you will receive a bad retribution. If you create the
karma of sheep, you will become a sheep in the future. Sheep
also have their own group, which is like their nation. The
sheep know their own boundaries. There are also nations of
horses. Most people think of horses as being raised and bred
by people, but actually, horses, like sheep, have their own
species, which is like their "nation." And all the cattle
could be considered to form nations of cows.
Another interpretation
would be that people who like to eat mutton will be reborn
as sheep in a country where sheep are raised. People who
like horse meat will receive the retribution of being horses
and will become part of the "society" or "species" of
horses. The term "nation" is not used in the usual sense; it
refers to the animal's species or "race”. Cows belong to the
bovine group. If people eat too much beef, they will be
reborn as cows and join the "race" of cows. You may find
this hard to believe when you are still a human being, but
when your karma ripens, whether you believe it or not, you
will have to undergo the retribution.
There are nations
of pigs, and of dogs. This
is to put it simply. And so forth down to the
nations of bees, ants, mosquitoes, and other insects.
You may have noticed how bees always stay together
with bees, ants stay with ants in their own group, and
mosquitoes also gather with their own kind. They have their
own "nation." When one mosquito calls out, the others hear
it right away. In the summertime, all the insects hum and
buzz, calling out to one another. Each of these
gathers in groups of its own kind. They stay
together with their own "race." The strong become
kings, and the multitudes become nations. Within
each kind and species, the strongest individual is the hero
and the king. When there are a lot of beings of a species,
you could say they form a "nation" or a large group. This is
a very simplistic explanation.
Text:
When one's retribution for past karma comes, it is
never off by the least bit. When one contemplates with the
Buddha Eye, one sees how totally inverted beings are.
Suddenly they soar to the heavens and then plummet to the
hells. Suddenly they are people, suddenly they are ghosts,
suddenly they are animals, suddenly they are asuras, and
then, just as suddenly, flittering, flying, crawling, and
creeping things. Beings undergo these retributions in accord
with their own past deeds, yet remain quite unaware that
this is happening. How pitiful this is. An ancient verse
says,
Just out of
a horse's belly, and into a donkey's womb,
How many times have you passed by Yama's door?
Having just gone before Lord Shakra,
Now you end up in Yama's pot.
Commentary:
Suddenly they soar to the heavens and then plummet to the
hells. Suddenly they are people, suddenly they are ghosts,
suddenly they are animals, without quite realizing how it
happened. Then, just as suddenly they are asuras, beings who
love to fight. The present world is filled with asuras.
There are untold numbers of asuras, and they quarrel and
fight with one another. This is the age of fighting. Every
nation wants to fight. You fight with me, and I fight with
you. And then, just as suddenly, they are flittering,
flying, crawling, and creeping things. They may become
flittering creatures that are tinier than insects and can't
fly very far, or creatures that crawl very slowly along the
ground.
Beings undergo these
retributions in accord with their own past deeds. Why do
living beings go to the heavens, to the hells, or to the
human realm, or become hungry ghosts, or animals, or asuras?
They are reborn according to their own karma. Lord God
doesn't tell them to become animals or hungry ghosts or
people. God didn't tell people to become people. If he could
tell people to become people, who told him to be God? Not to
mention God, even the Buddha was originally a person. He
wasn't born a Buddha. Although it's said that when the
Buddha was born, he said, "In the heavens above and the
earth below, I alone am honored," he actually cultivated as
a person for a very, very long time before he achieved
Buddhahood. You can't say he's the Buddha, and that's it.
The Buddha was also a person who underwent birth according
to his karma. Since his pure karma ripened, he became a
Buddha.
Beings are reborn
according to their karma, yet remain quite unaware that this
is happening. If you plant wholesome causes, they bear
wholesome fruit. If you plant unwholesome causes, they bear
unwholesome fruit. Beings undergo retribution for their good
and evil karma without realizing what is happening. How
pitiful this is. Such people are very pitiful. And so the
Buddha vowed to save living beings--this kind of beings in
particular. Bodhisattvas also save these living beings who
don't understand what's going on. Once we living beings gain
some understanding, we can save ourselves; we won't need the
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or our teacher to take us across.
When we are confused, our teacher leads us. When we awaken
and understand, we can take ourselves across.
Disciple:
What about "Beings undergo these retributions in accord with
their own past deeds, yet remain quite unaware that this is
happening"?
Ven. Master:
They themselves don't know what kind of retribution they are
receiving.
King Yama is actually a
Bodhisattva practicing the Bodhisattva Path. King Yama's
face is as dark as iron. He is absolutely impartial and
devoid of mercy. If you have committed offenses, he will
send you to the hells. It's not that he orders you to go the
hells; you yourself created those offenses. So, how
many times have you passed by Yama's door? Having
just gone before Lord Shakra in the heavens, now that you've
exhausted your heavenly blessings, you end up in
Yama's pot back in the hells, where you get
deep-fried like a piece of dough, It's very scary! Before
being liberated from birth and death, no one can escape
transmigration in the six paths. Going around in the six
paths is very dangerous. If you can transcend it and become
a Buddha, you won't have to transmigrate anymore. So as we
cultivate, we ought to try our best to become Buddhas a
little sooner.
Text:
From this one should see that living beings suddenly
die and are reborn, bobbing up and down like motes of dust,
with no fixed location. They drift along in the wind of
karma, turning in the six paths without cease.
Commentary:
From this, from the above description of the rounds of
births and deaths in the six paths, one should see
that living beings suddenly die and are reborn, bobbing up
and down like motes of dust, with no fixed location.
Sometimes you are born as one kind of living being; at other
times you are born as another kind of being. Suddenly you
die, and just as suddenly you are born again. You're like a
speck of dust, rising and falling in an unpredictable way.
They drift along in the wind of karma, turning in
the six paths without cease. You
are carried along by your own past karma. On good deeds you
rise; on evil deeds you fall. You go around and around in
the six paths, and there is no end to it.
End
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