Dharma Torch

Translated by Imperial Command by the Translation Tripiṭaka Master of the Western Heaven, Court Virtuous Grand Master, Probationary Chief Minister of the Imperial Banquets, Dharma Propagation Master, Granted the Purple, His Majesty’s Servant Dānapāla

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at the Jetavana Monastery of Anāthapiṇḍada in the land of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly. At that time, there was in the city a man of the clan of Dhaniya, whose son was named Pure Intention. He came to where the Buddha was. Upon arriving, he beheld the excellent marks of the Buddha and his heart was filled with joy. He praised the Buddha in many ways, joined his palms in reverence, and having paid obeisance at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew to stand to one side.

Dhaniya’s son Pure Intention stepped forward and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I have a few doubts I wish to inquire about. I pray that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, will permit me to speak.”

The Buddha said: “Pure Intention, whatever doubts you have, you may now ask freely. The Buddha will explain them to you one by one.”
Dhaniya’s son Pure Intention said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I observe that among all the people of this world, their various circumstances and conditions differ from one another in countless ways. Some I see obtaining long life, others short life; some afflicted with much illness, others with little; some of handsome appearance, others of ugly appearance; some living as they wish, others not as they wish; some born into lowly lineages, others into noble lineages; some wealthy and honored, others poor; some foolish, others wise. Such are the many varieties of difference. Through what causes and conditions do such karmic recompenses come to be? I pray that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, will expound this to me.”

The Buddha said: “Pure Intention, you should now understand that the causes and actions performed by sentient beings of this world differ from one another, and therefore the fruits they obtain also differ from one another.” Dhaniya’s son Pure Intention again said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, regarding this difference of causes and fruits of which the Buddha speaks, I pray that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, will expound upon it, whether briefly or at length. This meaning I cannot comprehend on my own.” The Buddha said: “Pure Intention, listen well and attend carefully. I shall now explain it to you.” Dhaniya’s son Pure Intention received the teaching and listened.

The Buddha said: “Pure Intention, you should now understand that in this world there are men and women who harbor malice in their hearts, who at times take up knives and at other times wield staffs, seeking by whatever means to kill and harm living beings, with no heart of compassion and no sense of shame or remorse — killing with their own hands or directing others to kill. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born their lifespan is brief and short. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of taking life, one receives the fruit of a short lifespan.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women whose hearts harbor no malice, who do not take up knife or staff, who do not kill living beings, who possess hearts of compassion, and who have a great sense of shame and remorse. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born their lifespan is long and far-reaching. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of not killing, one receives the fruit of a long lifespan.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who at times take up staffs, sticks, tiles, or stones to strike and throw at sentient beings, or who with their own hands vex and harm others. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born they are afflicted with many illnesses. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of vexing and harming, one receives the fruit of much illness.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who do not take up staffs, sticks, tiles, or stones to strike and throw at sentient beings, and who do not with their own hands vex and harm others. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born they are afflicted with few illnesses. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of not vexing and harming, one receives the fruit of little illness.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who habitually give rise to minds of resentment and anger, generating thereby many faults. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born their appearance is ugly. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of resentment and anger, one receives the fruit of ugly appearance.”

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who do not give rise to minds of resentment and anger, and who thereby generate no faults. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born their appearance is handsome and dignified. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of freedom from resentment and anger, one receives the fruit of dignified appearance.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who, upon seeing the gains, support, renown, or any pleasing circumstances belonging to others, contrive by whatever means to obstruct them, so that the other may not obtain them. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born, whatever they undertake does not go as they wish. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of obstructing others’ pleasing circumstances, one receives the fruit of things not going as one wishes.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who, upon seeing the gains, support, renown, or any pleasing circumstances belonging to others, do not contrive by any means to obstruct them, but rather wish for the other to obtain them. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born, whatever they undertake goes as they wish. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of not obstructing others’ pleasing circumstances, one receives the fruit of things going as one wishes.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who fail to show respect to those deserving of respect, fail to show reverence to those deserving of reverence, and fail to make offerings to those deserving of offerings, and who habitually give rise to pride and self-exaltation. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born they are born constantly into lowly lineages. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of pride and self-exaltation, one receives the fruit of birth into a lowly lineage.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women who show respect to those deserving of respect, show reverence to those deserving of reverence, and make offerings to those deserving of offerings, and who do not give rise to pride or self-exaltation. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born they are born constantly into noble lineages. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of freedom from pride and self-exaltation, one receives the fruit of birth into a noble lineage.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women whose hearts are miserly and stingy, who do not give food and drink, clothing, bedding, medicine, dwelling places, bed and seat, or even anointing incense or powdered incense as offerings to śramaṇas, brahmins, and others. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born they are poor and lacking. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of miserliness, one receives the fruit of poverty.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women whose hearts are not miserly or stingy, who regularly give food and drink, clothing, bedding, medicine, dwelling places, bed and seat, and even anointing incense and powdered incense as offerings to śramaṇas, brahmins, and others. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born they are wealthy, honored, and at ease. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of freedom from miserliness, one receives the fruit of wealth and honor.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women whose hearts take no delight in the correct Dharma and the sūtras, and who do not go to śramaṇas or brahmins to inquire into matters of doctrine — what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, what should be aroused and what should not be aroused, what should be practiced and what should not be practiced — and who are unable to put forth such questions and have them resolved. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they fall into an evil destiny and endure the suffering of the hells. When the hell-retribution is exhausted, even if they obtain human birth, in every life into which they are born they are foolish and without wisdom. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of taking no delight in the Dharma and not inquiring into the Dharma, one receives the fruit of foolishness.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, in this world there are men and women whose hearts constantly take delight in the correct Dharma and the sūtras, and who are able to go to śramaṇas or brahmins to inquire into matters of doctrine — what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, what should be aroused and what should not be aroused, what should be practiced and what should not be practiced — and who are able to put forth such questions and have them resolved. Through this cause and condition, when their bodies break apart and their lives come to an end, they are born into a good destiny and receive the body of a deva. When the heavenly retribution is exhausted and they return to be born among people, in every life into which they are born they are endowed with great wisdom. Pure Intention, you should understand that through the cause of taking delight in the Dharma and inquiring into the Dharma, one receives the fruit of wisdom.

“Furthermore, Pure Intention, as I have set forth above, causes and fruits differ from one another in countless ways. Therefore you should understand: the cause of a short lifespan produces the fruit of a short lifespan; the cause of a long lifespan produces the fruit of a long lifespan. The cause of much illness produces the fruit of much illness; the cause of little illness produces the fruit of little illness. The cause of ugly appearance produces the fruit of ugly appearance; the cause of dignified appearance produces the fruit of dignified appearance. The cause of things not going as one wishes produces the fruit of things not going as one wishes; the cause of things going as one wishes produces the fruit of things going as one wishes. The cause of a lowly lineage produces the fruit of a lowly lineage; the cause of a noble lineage produces the fruit of a noble lineage. The cause of poverty produces the fruit of poverty; the cause of wealth and honor produces the fruit of wealth and honor. The cause of foolishness produces the fruit of foolishness; the cause of wisdom produces the fruit of wisdom. Pure Intention, therefore you should now truly understand: the cause and fruit of a short lifespan are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of a long lifespan are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of much illness are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of little illness are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of ugly appearance are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of dignified appearance are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of things not going as one wishes are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of things going as one wishes are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of a lowly lineage are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of a noble lineage are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of poverty are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of wealth and honor are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of foolishness are as the Buddha has taught; the cause and fruit of wisdom are as the Buddha has taught. Therefore the wise act in accordance with what has been taught.

“Pure Intention, you should understand that the Buddha has declared a long lifespan to be the supreme wholesome recompense; little illness to be the supreme wholesome recompense; dignified appearance to be the supreme wholesome recompense; things going as one wishes to be the supreme wholesome recompense; a noble lineage to be the supreme wholesome recompense; wealth and honor to be the supreme wholesome recompense; and wisdom to be the supreme wholesome recompense. Pure Intention, such teachings as these are what the Buddha has declared — you should cultivate and study them.”

At that time, after Dhaniya’s son Pure Intention had heard this Dharma, joy arose in his heart, and he said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, it is just as in this world there are places of utter darkness where one cannot know the path, and though one has eyes one cannot see clearly. But if a wise person comes bearing a torch, then the path one must travel can be made out in full. So too does the World-Honored One expound the correct Dharma well, dispelling all lack of wisdom, and distinguishing each and every matter of the Dharma one by one: this is wholesome, this is unwholesome; this should be aroused, this should not be aroused; this should be practiced, this should not be practiced. Such teachings as these can be well proclaimed in this world only by the Buddha, the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Awakened One, when he appears in the world. This day I have obtained great wholesome benefit. I now take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Bhikṣu Sangha. I will uphold the precept of refraining from killing and the other precepts, and become an upāsaka. I pray that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, will receive and accept me.” The Buddha said: “Excellent! I now receive and accept you.”

Upāsaka Pure Intention then said further to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, among the virtuous men of this city of Śrāvastī, if they hear of this matter, they should all reflect to themselves: ‘Through the long night, Dhaniya’s son has guided and opened the way for the benefit of all sentient beings.’” Having spoken these words, Upāsaka Pure Intention paid obeisance to the Buddha and withdrew.