《太上感应篇》Vol. 5

While a person’s breath has not yet ceased, the good and evil deeds of their entire life appear all at once. The adverse conditions at death and the favorable conditions of life interact as two kinds of habitual tendencies. If the mind holds only pure and clear thoughts, one will ascend through the air and surely be born in the heavens. If the wish to ascend is accompanied by blessings, wisdom, and a wish for purity, the mind will naturally open wide; one will see the Buddhas of the ten directions and all the pure Buddha lands, and be reborn according to one’s wishes. If desire is slight and pure thoughts predominate, one may rise lightly through the air, but will not travel far; this is how one becomes a flying immortal.

Powerful ghost kings, flying yakshas, and earth-dwelling rakshasas travel freely through the four heavens, without obstruction. If any among them have good wishes and kind hearts, and wish to uphold the Tathagata’s teachings, they may protect the Dharma and its precepts, accompanying those who observe the precepts; protect sacred spells and guard those who recite them; or protect meditation, helping people abide peacefully in the Dharma and patiently pursue their practice. These hosts of spirits come in person to the Tathagata’s presence. Those in whom desire and pure thoughts are balanced neither ascend and fly away nor sink downward.

Among people born in the human realm, those with more clear and lucid thoughts are intelligent, while those whose attachments to desire are stronger are dull-witted. Beings whose desires outweigh their pure thoughts are reborn as animals: those with stronger desires become land beasts, while those with weaker desires become birds. If seven parts are desire and three parts pure thought, one sinks below the water wheel and is born at the edge of the realm of fire, enduring its fierce heat. Such a being becomes an egui, a kind of ghost consumed by fire, continually burned by flames and harmed by water, without food or drink, for hundreds of thousands of kalpas. At this point, desire accounts for nine parts and pure thought for only one.

Sinking farther, one enters the fire wheel, with the body caught where wind and fire converge. Those with lighter offenses are born in the hells with intervals; those with heavier offenses are born in the Avici hells, where there is no respite. If desire is pure and there is not the least pure thought, one sinks into the Avici hell, the hell of unremitting suffering. If one also slanders the Mahayana teachings, destroys the Buddha’s precepts, falsely expounds the Dharma, covets offerings from the faithful, abuses the respect shown by others, or commits the five rebellious acts and the ten evils, one will be reborn in the Avici hells of the ten directions.

Though evil karma is created by oneself and brings consequences to oneself, beings of the same kind also experience corresponding conditions together. The seven destinations—hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, immortals, heavenly beings, and asuras—are all formed by dullness, delusion, and various conditioned acts. Beings are born through deluded thoughts and then transmigrate under the force of the karma those thoughts create. To the original mind, perfectly wondrous and luminous, which creates nothing, these realms are like flower-shadows in the sky: they have no substance from the beginning, appear only through delusion, and have no true source.

These beings do not recognize their original mind. They pass through immeasurable kalpas of transmigration and never attain true purity, all because they follow the ways of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. What are the seven destinies? The first is the heavenly destiny.

Although people in the world do not seek eternal life, they can restrain themselves from indulging in illicit sexual conduct and keep their minds clear and bright. After death, they dwell near the sun and moon. Such heavenly beings are called the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Their affection for their wives is relatively mild, yet when alone in a pure and quiet place they still cannot completely give up sensual pleasure. After death, they pass beyond the reach of the sun and moon and dwell above the human world. Such heavenly beings are called the Trayastrimsha Heaven.

They sometimes experience desire and sexual union, but afterward feel no attachment and do not dwell on it. In the human world, they are less active and more still. After death, they dwell in empty space, beyond the reach of the sun and moon’s light; each heavenly being there has light of their own. Such heavenly beings are called the Suyama Heaven.

They are often able to remain quiet, yet even when stirred by feelings or impulses, they still cannot completely resist them. After death, they rise to a subtler realm, no longer in contact with the human world or heavenly realms below. Such heavenly beings are called the Tushita Heaven.

They may have no desire of their own, yet still act in response to another’s wishes. Sexual union brings them no pleasure, like chewing wax. After death, they are born in a realm where they can surpass the transformations made by others. Such heavenly beings are called the Heaven of the Joy in Transformation.

Their minds are not attached to the world, yet they still take part in worldly affairs. During sexual union, their minds remain clearly detached from it. After death, they can transcend both the realms of transformation and those that arise without transformation. These two kinds of heavenly beings are called the Heaven of the Lords Who Rejoice in Others’ Transformations.

In these six heavens, the body has transcended coarse sensual pleasure, but the mind remains connected to desire. From here down through the eighteen heavens of the Realm of Form and the four heavens of the Formless Realm, these heavenly beings, according to the Buddha’s teaching, still have not understood the mind of subtle, wondrous awareness. Formed through the accumulation of deluded thoughts, the delusory Three Realms arise; beings then sink through the seven destinies, carried along by deluded thoughts, each following the course of its own kind.

Next is the destiny of the immortals. The scripture says: There are also people who do not cultivate Samadhi (meditative concentration) through right awakening, but instead pursue misguided ideas, imagining that they can preserve their bodies by withdrawing into mountain forests and places rarely visited by people. Immortals are divided into ten kinds. Some persist without interruption in taking medicines, mastering the art of nourishing life through food; they are called Earth-Walking Immortals. Some persist without interruption in taking plants and herbs, mastering the art of nourishing life through medicines; they are called Flying Immortals. Some persist without interruption in refining metals and minerals, mastering the art of transformation; they are called Wandering Immortals.

If a person persists in a single method of cultivation without interruption, different practices will bring different attainments. Those who persist in cultivating movement and stillness, bringing Qi and vital essence to fullness, are called “Immortals Who Travel in Emptiness.” Those who persist in cultivating bodily fluids, bringing their nourishing merit to completion, are called “Immortals Who Travel in Heaven.” Those who persist in cultivating essence, Qi, and bodily form, absorbing their finest qualities to completion, are called “Immortals Who Travel Freely.” Those who persist in chanting incantations and practicing prohibitions and spells, perfecting their arts, are called “Immortals Who Travel in the Dao.” Those who persist in focused contemplation, perfecting the power of recollection, are called “Immortals Who Travel in Illumination.” Those who persist in cultivating communion and response, bringing their resonance to completion, are called “Immortals Who Travel in Essence.” Those who persist in cultivating transformation, bringing their awakening to completion, are called “Immortals Who Travel in Transcendence.”

These immortals cultivate the mind and spirit in the human world, but they have not attained right awakening—the true realization. Instead, by other means, they have obtained methods of longevity and may live for tens of millions of years. They dwell in deep mountains or on islands at sea, cut off from human society. Yet they remain within the cycle of rebirth. Delusions draw them along, preventing them from attaining Samadhi, a state of meditative concentration and deep awakening. When the karmic merit sustaining their long lives is exhausted, they return and disperse into various realms of life.

The third is the realm of the Asuras, a class of beings among the realms of life. The scriptures say that among the three realms there are also four kinds of Asuras:

Some were originally in the realm of ghosts. Through the power of protecting the Dharma, they developed the ability to understand transformations and move in and out of empty space. These Asuras are born from eggs and belong to the realm of ghosts.

Some were originally in the heavenly realm, but fell because their virtue declined. They dwell near the sun and moon. These Asuras are born from the womb and belong to the human realm.

Some Asura kings rule over entire worlds. Mighty and fearless, they contend for power with Brahma, the Lord of the Heavens, and the Four Heavenly Kings. These Asuras are born through transformation and belong to the heavenly realm.

Another, lower-ranking kind of Asura lives in the midst of the great ocean, hidden in underwater caverns. They travel through the air in the morning and return to rest in the water at dusk. These Asuras are born from moisture and belong to the animal realm.

The fourth is the human realm, the class of beings to which humans belong. The scriptures say that becoming a person of high rank and distinction, or a king or elder, comes from reverently honoring and serving the Three Treasures—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Being upright in appearance, fair-skinned, and handsome comes from practicing patience in the face of adversity. Being diligent and energetic, free from negligence, and glad to do good and accumulate merit comes from exertion. Being composed and serene, and careful and measured in speech and conduct, comes from meditation. Being intelligent and discerning, able to understand profound principles, explain subtle meanings, and enlighten the ignorant, so that listeners regard one’s words as precious, comes from wisdom.

A clear, resonant voice results from the karmic conditions accumulated in the past through frequently chanting and praising the Three Treasures—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. A clean, healthy body results from having held compassion in the past. Constant fear and a hoarse, broken voice result from karmic conditions associated with the hells.

Dullness, laziness, gluttony, unclear speech, timidity and weakness, a preference for keeping company with foolish people, and a fondness for darkness result from karmic conditions associated with animals. A filthy nature results from the karma of pigs; a vicious nature, from that of pit vipers; a lack of kindness, from that of dogs; and a cruel, stubborn temperament, together with self-righteousness, from that of sheep. Craving fine food, killing living beings at will, and lacking compassion result from the karma of jackals, civets, eagles, and other animals. Restless, unsteady behavior and an inability to endure difficulties result from the karma of macaques.

It is also said: A tall, long-limbed body results from having shown respect to others in the past; a short body, from having looked down on others; and an ugly appearance, from having been prone to anger. Being born ignorant results from having failed to seek learning in the past; being dull-witted, from having refused to teach others. A short life and frequent illness result from having been fond of killing; a life without support, marked by constant poverty, from having been fond of stealing; having no children, from having violated another man’s wife; and having promiscuous children, from having committed adultery with another man’s daughter. Widowhood, widowerhood, and orphanhood result from having mistreated one’s children; hunger, from having liked to eat alone. Falling into servitude results from having failed to repay debts and from having shown no respect for the Three Honored Ones—the Three Treasures.

An ugly appearance results from having blocked a Buddha lamp in the past. Being reborn as a water buffalo results from having served as an official who was cruel and oppressive, exploiting the people. Being reborn as a muntjac results from having frightened others; being reborn as a dragon, from having enjoyed teasing them. Severe sores on the body that are difficult to heal result from having flogged others. People’s delight at seeing you results from having felt delight toward others in the past; their aversion at seeing you, from having felt aversion toward others. Being confined by officials and put in fetters results from having caged living beings. Being reborn as a “kiss” (the original character is damaged and cannot be identified with certainty) results from having enjoyed fishing.

Being reborn in the Land of the Naked results from having been careless with clothing and offended Buddhist temples in the past. Being reborn in the Land of Horse Hooves results from having worn wooden clogs and trampled on Buddhist ground. Being reborn in the Land of Pierced Chests results from having regretted acts of generosity and goodness after performing them.

It is also said: After owl-kind beings have repaid the karmic retribution due to them and regained their original form, they are reborn in the human realm, but still belong to the dull-witted and foolish class.

Among the deluded, there are signs that bring calamity; among the mediocre, there are the habits of foxes; among the vicious, the habits of wolves; among the petty, the habits of roundworms; among the weak and yielding, the habits of creatures that feed on others; among the toilers, the habits of those who serve; among the polished, the habits of those skilled in social exchange; among the perceptive, signs of good fortune; and among the well-versed, the habit of acting in accordance with principle. After these beings have repaid the debts of karma from their previous lives, they are born again as humans. Since beginningless time, because the reckoning of karmic retribution has been thrown into confusion, they have brought one another into being and killed one another. Having neither encountered the Tathagata nor heard the True Dharma, they have continued to turn endlessly through the toil of the dusty world. Such people are called beings worthy of pity.

The fifth category is the hell realm. The scripture says: Deluded by their own karmic force, these beings plant the causes of ten kinds of unwholesome action and consequently undergo six corresponding forms of retribution.

What are the ten kinds of habitual causes? First, sexual desire; second, greed; third, arrogance; fourth, anger; fifth, deceit; sixth, fraud; seventh, resentment; eighth, wrong views; ninth, wrongful harm; and tenth, contention and litigation.

What are the six forms of retribution? Beings create karma through the six consciousnesses, and the resulting evil retribution manifests through the six sense faculties. The first is retribution through sight, which brings its corresponding karmic result. When the karma of seeing gathers into retribution, just before death one first sees fierce flames filling the worlds in all ten directions. The deceased’s spirit-consciousness plunges downward, riding on smoke into the Avici Hell, where suffering is unceasing.

The second is retribution through hearing, which brings its corresponding karmic result. When the karma of hearing gathers into retribution, just before death one first sees waves engulfing heaven and earth. The deceased’s spirit-consciousness sinks downward with the current into the Avici Hell.

The third is retribution through smell, which brings evil results. When the karma of smelling gathers into retribution, just before death one first sees poisonous vapors spreading everywhere, near and far. The deceased’s spirit-consciousness surges up from beneath the ground and enters the Avici Hell.

The fourth is retribution through taste, which brings evil results. When the karma of tasting gathers into retribution, just before death one first sees iron nets and fiercely blazing flames enveloping the world. The deceased’s spirit-consciousness passes downward through the iron net, is hung upside down, and enters the Avici Hell.

The fifth is retribution through bodily touch, which brings evil results. When the karma of touch gathers into retribution, just before death one first sees great mountains closing in from every side, leaving no path ahead. The deceased’s spirit-consciousness then sees a great iron city, where there are fire-serpents, fire-dogs, tigers, wolves, lions, ox-headed jailers, and horse-headed Rakshasas—demons who serve as hell wardens. Carrying spears and lances, they drive the deceased through the city gate and send them to the Avici Hell.

The sixth kind is evil karma created through greed for rewards and insistence on repayment, which brings an evil consequence. Because this thought and the evil karma are intertwined, as death approaches, a person first sees fierce winds destroying the land. The consciousness of the deceased is swept into the sky, then spins downward and, borne by the wind, plunges into the Avici Hell, where suffering never ceases.

Each of the six kinds of retribution manifests two evil signs of its own. Together, these are called the “ten causes and six consequences of the hells.” In general, these consequences are created by sentient beings through delusion and false imaginings. Those who commit every kind of evil karma fall into the Avici Hell, the deepest and most severe of the hells, where they endure immeasurable suffering for countless kalpas. When each of the six faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—creates evil karma, one falls into the corresponding eight uninterrupted hells. If all three forms of karma—bodily, verbal, and mental—are used to commit the offenses of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, one falls into the eighteen hells. If the three forms of karma are not all used for evil, and only one offense is committed, such as killing alone or stealing alone, one falls into the thirty-six hells. If only one faculty commits one kind of offense, one falls into the one hundred and eight hells. Sentient beings commit different offenses and consequently fall into the corresponding hells in the world. The scripture says these hells arise through false imaginings; they do not exist inherently.

The sixth kind of rebirth is the realm of hungry ghosts. The scripture says that although these beings did not break the precepts, violate the Bodhisattva precepts, or slander the Buddha’s teaching on nirvana, they suffer for many kalpas because of various other kinds of mixed karma. Once their karmic offenses have been exhausted, they are reborn in various forms as ghosts.

Those who committed offenses out of greed for wealth, after their retribution has run its course, attach themselves to objects they encounter and take on their shape; these are called “strange ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of desire for beauty attach themselves to the wind they encounter and take on its form; these are called “drought ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of a desire to confuse and mislead others attach themselves to animals they encounter and take on their form; these are called “bewitching ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of greed and hatred attach themselves to insects they encounter and take on their form; these are called “poisonous insect ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of attachment to past events and memories attach themselves to the air of decay they encounter and take on its form; these are called “plague ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of pride attach themselves to breath they encounter and take on its form; these are called “hungry ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of a desire to deceive attach themselves to dark places they encounter and take on their form; these are called “nightmare ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of a desire for fame and pursuit of brightness attach themselves to vital essence they encounter and take on its form; these are called “goblins.” Those who committed offenses out of a desire to get things done and have everything go their way attach themselves to light they encounter and take on its form; these are called “serving ghosts.” Those who committed offenses out of a desire to form factions and depend on others attach themselves to people they encounter and take on their form; these are called “messenger ghosts.”

All these ghosts fall into their state because of excessive attachment to desire and emotion. Only after the fire of karma has burned itself out do they rise from the lower realms and become ghosts. The realm of hungry ghosts is especially painful: because of their greed, even when they long for something, they ultimately cannot obtain it; because of their envy, they watch others eat their fill while they themselves remain perpetually hungry and deprived.

By harming others with poison, one generates fire within the body, which eventually turns back and consumes oneself. Through arrogance and contempt, one’s blessings become so meager that even the lesser ghosts cannot be subdued.

Long ago, the Buddha was in the kingdom of Vaiśālī, an ancient Indian city-state. One morning, eighty-four thousand hungry ghosts came to him, pleading: “In our former lives, we saw the Buddha but did not know he existed; we heard the Buddha’s teachings but did not know they were the Dharma; we saw monks but did not know they were the Sangha. We did not do good deeds or accumulate blessings ourselves, and we urged others not to do good either. When we saw others doing good, we often mocked them; when we saw them doing evil, we felt glad. Because our deeds were so wicked, we fell into the realm of hungry ghosts, where we have suffered hunger and thirst for seventy thousand years. Whenever we see a little water, it soon disappears. When we see a great body of water, ghosts, spirits, and rakshasas—fierce ghostly beings—block our way. Even when heavy rain falls, we feel as though we are standing on hot sand. We beg you to take pity on us and help us.”

The Buddha then instructed them to offer water to the Buddha and the monastic community. In this way, they were freed from their suffering.

Ananda encountered a hungry ghost in the city of Kapilavastu. The ghost called himself “Flaming Face,” a hungry ghost whose face was like a flame, and told Ananda: “You will die in three days and fall into our realm.” Ananda asked, “What can I do to avert this disaster?” Flaming Face replied: “If you give us food and satisfy our hunger, we can escape our misery, and you can avoid disaster.”

Ananda went to ask the Buddha. The Buddha said: “If you wish to give food, first take a clean vessel and put food in it. Recite my dharani, a protective incantation, seven times. Then go outside, snap your fingers seven times, and offer the food to the ghosts and spirits. They will be freed from their misery, you will avoid disaster, and your life will be extended.” The Buddha then taught him the incantation. Ananda trusted the teaching and followed it, and he was indeed spared.

The seventh realm is the animal realm. The scripture says that when the karmic consequences of birth as a hungry ghost have run their course, feelings and thoughts alike return to emptiness. One then encounters in the human world those to whom one owes a debt or bears a grievance from a former life, and is reborn as livestock, to be raised by them and repay the old debt.

Those reborn from object-haunting ghosts, once the objects they depended on have perished and their karmic retribution has ended, often become creatures such as owls. Those reborn from wind-and-drought ghosts, beings associated with windstorms and droughts, often become ill-omened creatures that foretell calamity. Those reborn from livestock-haunting ghosts, which attach themselves to animals and cause mischief, often become foxes. Those reborn from poison-insect ghosts, associated with venomous insects and harmful sorcery, often become poisonous animals.

Ghosts who die through decline or plague, once the karmic retribution of decline and poverty has run its course, are often reborn as creatures such as roundworms. Ghosts born from breath, once the breath has dispersed and their karmic retribution has ended, are often reborn as food. Ghosts who have dwelt in darkness for a long time, once the darkness has dispersed and their karmic retribution has ended, are often reborn as things people wear. Ghosts transformed from the essence that harmonizes with all things, once the harmonizing Qi has dispersed and their karmic retribution has ended, are often reborn as objects people use. Ghosts endowed with a numinous awareness, once that awareness has vanished and their karmic retribution has ended, are often reborn as various things people can use for rest or sustenance. Ghosts attached to people, once the person dies and their karmic retribution has ended, are often reborn as livestock used by people.

All these ghosts are reborn as animals only after the fire of karma has been exhausted and they have repaid debts incurred in former lives. This, too, is the result of deluded karmic forces drawing them onward. If one realizes Bodhi, the path to awakening, one understands that these deluded causes and conditions have never possessed any real, inherent nature.

A scripture also says: Rebirth as an animal is a way of repaying debts incurred in the past. If the creditor demands more than what is owed, the debtor, in a later life as a human, will seek repayment of the excess. If the creditor has the means and the good fortune, the debtor need not lose human form but can repay the creditor’s labor while remaining human. Without such good fortune, the debtor will become an animal again. The remaining debt may be repaid with money or labor; once it has been fully paid, the matter ends.

If, while repaying a debt, one kills the other party or eats their flesh, then even after countless kalpas, as many as the dust motes, they will continue to devour and kill one another, like a wheel turning without end. They will take turns occupying higher and lower positions, with no end in sight. Have you not heard that Diao Tiao, because he was arrogant and loved to insult others, became a dog after death? Or that Li Liulang, because he charged double interest when lending money, also became a dog after death?

The eulogy says:

Accumulating deeds that are not good brings calamities that stretch on without end. Evil karma builds little by little, and its lingering harms are hard to dispel. Those who delight in greed and cruelty will in time bring ruin upon their clans and kin. The Qin dynasty accumulated harsh and oppressive policies; when King Ziying surrendered, he could only ride in a white carriage and wear white garments. Retribution for good and evil answers in kind; events that bear it out are no illusion.

End of Volume Twenty-Nine of the Taishang Ganying Pian.