Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  Now you can see, hear, and practice these awakenings because of the merit of your wholesome conditions from the past. By practicing and nurturing these awakenings birth after birth, you can certainly arrive at unsurpassable enlightenment and expound these eight awakenings to all beings, just as Shakyamuni Buddha did.

  Written at the Eihei Monastery on the sixth day, the first month, the fifth year of the Kencho Era [1253].

  FASCICLES NOT DATED BY DOGEN

  85

  KARMA IN THE THREE PERIODS

  VENERABLE KUMARALABDHA, THE Nineteenth Ancestor, journeyed to Central India, where he met a seeker called Jayata, who asked him, “My parents follow the path of the three treasures, but they have been sick and nothing they do goes well. Our next-door neighbors have been engaged in the low practice of slaughtering animals, yet they are healthy and content. How come they are happy while we are so unfortunate?”

  Kumaralabdha said, “Why should you doubt? The results from our wholesome and unwholesome actions take effect in the three periods. But people only see that the peaceful die young and the violent live long, or that the unrighteous prosper and the righteous decline. They deny the law of cause and effect and say that our sins and good deeds are without consequences. They do not know that the shadows and echoes follow our actions without a hairbreadth gap. The results of our actions don’t get worn away even in one hundred, one thousand, or ten thousand eons.”

  Hearing these words, Jayata was freed from his doubt.

  Kumaralabdha is the nineteenth-generation ancestor who was entrusted with the dharma. His name was predicted by the Tathagata. He not ony clarified and authentically transmitted Shakyamuni Buddha’s dharma, but also illuminated the dharma of all buddhas of the past, present, and future.

  After posing this question, Jayata studied the Tathagata’s true dharma with Kumaralabdha and became the Twentieth Ancestor. It was also foretold that he would be the Twentieth Ancestor by the World-Honored One.

  This is how the investigation of buddha dharma should be conducted. Do not join those with crooked views who do not know the law of cause and effect, who do not clarify the results of their actions, who ignore the relationship between the past, present, and future, and who do not make a distinction between wholesome and unwholesome deeds.

  What Kumaralabdha meant by the results from our wholesome and unwholesome actions take effect in the three periods is:

  One: the result received in this lifetime.

  Two: the result received in the next lifetime.

  Three: the result received in a lifetime after the next.

  These are called the three periods. From the beginning of learning the way of buddha ancestors, we study and clarify the principle of the effects of karma in the three periods. If we don’t, many of us will make a mistake and fall into crooked views. Not only do we fall into crooked views, we get into unwholesome realms and experience suffering for a long time. When we do not maintain wholesome roots, we lose a great deal of merit and are obstructed for a long time from the path of enlightenment. Would this not be regrettable?

  The karmic effects in the three periods apply to both wholesome and unwholesome karma. First are the results in this lifetime:

  It is taught that if one’s karma is created and continued, and one receives various effects of this karma in this lifetime, they are called the results in this lifetime. In this case one receives the effects of wholesome or unwholesome action in this lifetime.

  Here is an example of taking an unwholesome action and receiving unwholesome results in this lifetime:

  Long ago there was a woodcutter who got lost after sunset in the snow on a mountain. He was close to freezing to death. He kept walking and saw a bear in the woods. It had a blue body and flaming eyes. The woodcutter was scared and almost fainted. He did not know it was a bodhisattva taking the form of a bear.

  Seeing that the woodcutter was scared, the bear said, “Don’t be afraid. Even if parents and their children have different minds, I will never harbor bad intentions.”

  Then the bear carried the woodcutter into a cave, warmed up his body, and revived him. She brought fruit and roots to feed him. Fearing that the coldness was not going away, she lay with him in her arms. She took care of him in this way for six days.

  On the seventh day the weather cleared up and the road became visible. The woodcutter came back to himself. Noticing it, the bear brought some sweet fruit and gave it to him as a farewell gift. She took him out of the forest and tenderly said good-bye to him.

  The woodcutter knelt down and said in gratitude, “What can I do to return your kindness?”

  The bear said, “I don’t want anything in particular from you. But you could protect me just as I have protected you.”

  The woodcutter promised to do so and climbed down the mountain carrying wood.

  Then he met two hunters who asked, “Have you seen any birds or animals?”

  The woodcutter said, “I didn’t see any birds or animals except a bear.”

  The hunters asked him to show them where the bear was.

  The woodcutter said, “I will show you if you give me two-thirds of what you get.”

  The hunters agreed. The three men went together, killed the bear, and divided the meat three ways.

  When the woodcutter was going to pick up his share of meat, his unwholesome action caused both of his arms to drop off like a broken necklace or cut-off lotus roots. The hunters were shocked and asked him what made this happen. Fully ashamed, the woodcutter explained.

  The hunters scolded him and said, “How could you dare to do such an evil thing to the bear who had been so kind to you? It is amazing that your body has not completely rotted.”

  The three men together donated the meat to a Buddhist temple. A senior monk there with his wondrous wisdom entered samadhi and observed the meat. Then he understood that it was the meat of a great bodhisattva who brings forth benefit to all beings. The monk came out of samadhi and told people about it. They were awed, gathered together fragrant firewood, and burnt the meat. They built a stupa to enshrine the remaining bones, and held ceremonies of dedication.

  One receives the results of such an unwholesome action either immediately or soon after the action.

  This is called “receiving the results of an unwholesome action in this lifetime.”

  If you receive kindness, aspire to return the kindness. If you give kindness, do not expect the kindness to be returned. It is also true nowa-days that if you harm someone who has been kind to you, you will certainly receive the results of the unwholesome action.

  Sentient beings should never have an intention like this woodcutter. Outside the forest he bade farewell in gratitude to the bear and asked, What can I do to return your kindness? But upon meeting the hunters at the foot of the mountain, he wanted two-thirds of the bear’s meat. Pulled by his greed, the woodcutter harmed that great kind being.

  Both laity and home leavers should never exercise such forgetfulness. The power of an unwholesome action cuts the arms faster than a sword.

  Here is an example of making a wholesome action and receiving the results in this lifetime:

  Long ago there was a eunuch who was managing the court affairs for King Kanishka of the country of Gandhara. When he went outside the city, he saw as many as five hundred oxen entering the city. He asked the man who was driving the herd, “What are you going to do with these oxen?”

  The man said, “I am going to have them neutered.”

  The eunuch said to himself, “Because of my past unwholesome karma, I have received an emasculated body. Now I want to use my resources to save these oxen from their misfortune.”

  So the eunuch paid the man and freed all the oxen. This wholesome deed transformed the eunuch into having a male body. He was delighted and went back to the city. He stood at the palace gate, sent a messenger to the king, and asked for his audience. The king called him in and asked what had happened. The former eunuch reported the incident to the king.
The king was amazed, awarded him with treasures, gave him a high position, and had him manage external affairs.

  One receives the results of such a wholesome action either immediately or soon after the action.

  From this story we clearly know that those who help the well-being of oxen, usually not regarded as valuable, receive immediate wholesome effects. How much more so for those who honor the fields of kindness [parents] and the fields of virtue [buddha ancestors] and practice various wholesome actions! This is called “receiving wholesome results in this lifetime.”

  Examples of receiving wholesome and unwholesome results are countless, and it is impossible to speak about them.

  The second type of karmic effect is that the effect of one’s action in this lifetime grows and one receives the result in the next lifetime. It is called the result received in the next lifetime.

  Those who commit one of the five types of avichi crimes are certain to fall into Avichi Hell in the next lifetime. “Next lifetime” means the life after this lifetime, which is also called the second lifetime.

  Some of those who commit other types of crimes also fall into hell in the next lifetime. Some others fall into hell in the life after the next one if they are bound to do so. But those who commit one of the five types of avichi crimes will certainly fall into Avichi Hell in the next life-time. The five types of avichi crimes are: killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, causing a buddha body to bleed, and harming the community of practitioners of the dharma wheel.

  Those who commit any of these crimes inevitably fall into Avichi Hell in the next lifetime. Some of them commit all five crimes, like Monk Padmottara at the time of Kashyapa Buddha. Some commit one crime, like King Ajatashatru, who killed his father at the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Some others commit three crimes, like Ajata, who killed his father, his mother, and an arhat when he was a layman. Later he was allowed to leave the household.

  Devadatta, also known as Dipadaduo or Dipadadou [in Chinese], meaning “Heavenly Heat,” committed three types of avichi crimes: harming the community of practitioners of the dharma wheel, causing a buddha body to bleed, and killing an arhat.

  Devadatta talked five hundred ignorant novices into climbing to the top of Mount Gaya to conduct a new type of ceremony. This is the crime of harming the practicing community. Shariputra detested this crime and made him sleep deeply. Maudgalyayana led the group of novices and they climbed down the mountain. When Devadatta woke up, he swore to take revenge. He picked up a rock thirty hasta long and fifteen hasta wide, and threw it at the World-Honored One, trying to kill him. The rock was blocked by a mountain spirit and crushed. A small broken piece flew and struck a toe of the Tathagata, which caused the toe to bleed. According to this story, Devadatta’s crime of harming the community preceded causing the Buddha to bleed. There are other versions, and it is unclear which crime he committed first.

  He also struck Nun Utpalavarna, who was a great arhat, with his fist and killed her. This was the crime of killing an arhat. Thus, it is said that Devadatta committed three avichi crimes.

  There are two types of crime that harm the practicing community: breaking the rituals and breaking the dharma wheel. Breaking the rituals of the practicing community can take place in the Three Continents but not in the Northern Continent [where buddha dharma is not practiced]. This has happened from the time when the Tathagata lived in this world until today. Breaking the dharma wheel of the practicing community took place only when the Tathagata lived in this world. In other times it has happened only in the Southern Continent, and not in the other Three Continents. This is the more serious crime.

  Because Devadatta committed these three grave crimes, he fell into Avichi Hell in the next lifetime. There are people who commit all five grave crimes. Others commit one. Devadatta committed three. All these people fall into Avichi Hell. One grave crime should result in being in Avichi Hell for one eon. Those who commit the five avichi crimes should fully receive the result of the five types of punishment in one eon, in addition to before and after.

  An earlier teacher said, “Both in the Agama Sutra and in the Pari-nirvana Sutra, there is equally one eon. But the fires [of punishment] vary.” The teacher also said, “There is just increasing suffering.”

  As Devadatta committed three grave crimes, he was bound to receive suffering three times as much as those who committed one grave crime. But at the end of his life, he became slightly free from his unwholesome heart by saying, “I take refuge.” It is regrettable that he did not fully say, “I take refuge in the Buddha.” In Avichi Hell, however, he did say, “I take refuge in the Buddha.” His wholesome effect is not far in the future.

  Further, there were [four] Devadattas at the time of the four Buddhas. Monk Gokal was among the one thousand members of the Shakya Clan who left the household [at the time of Shakyamuni Buddha]. When he and Devadatta left the city, the horses they were riding suddenly fell down, so they were thrown off and their hats went flying. People who saw this predicted that these men would not be benefited by buddha dharma. Later, Kokalika falsely accused Shariputra and Maudgalyayana of grave crimes. The World-Honored One gently advised him to take it back, but he would not. The heavenly king Brahma also advised him, but he would not stop. For this false accusation, Kokalika fell into hell in the next lifetime. He has not yet encountered a condition to have a whole-some root.

  Also, the Monk of the Fourth-Stage Meditation slandered the Buddha at the end of his life. Because of this, the intermediary realm for the fourth stage of meditation disappeared; instead, a vision of Avichi Hell emerged. He fell into Avichi Hell after his life ended.

  Such cases are called “receiving the effect in the next lifetime.”

  The five effects of avichi [ceaseless] crimes are as follows:

  Taking the effect is without cease, therefore it is called “ceaseless.” As the effect is received in the next lifetime after the present body is given up, it is called “ceaseless.”

  Receiving the effect is without cease, therefore it is called “ceaseless.” As the five grave crimes cause birth in Avichi Hell, with continuous suffering for one eon without having pleasure, it is called “ceaseless.”

  The amount of time is without cease, therefore it is called “ceaseless.” As life in Avichi Hell is never cut off during the eon, it is called “ceaseless.”

  The life span is without cease, therefore it is called “ceaseless.” As the life span of one who has committed grave crimes and is born in Avichi Hell is never cut off, it is called “ceaseless.”

  The body shape is without limit, therefore it is called “ceaseless.” One who committed grave crimes is born in Avichi Hell. It is eighty-four thousand yojana wide and long. When even one person enters, the hell is full. When all people enter, it is full and they do not hinder one another. Thus, it is called “ceaseless.”

  Receiving the results after the next lifetime means that the effect of one’s action in this lifetime grows into the third or fourth lifetime. Or, passing these lifetimes, one receives various results even after a hundred or a thousand eons.

  Thus, one who creates an action, either wholesome or unwholesome, experiences the effects of the action in the third or fourth lifetime, or even after a hundred or thousand eons. This is receiving the results after the next lifetime.

  The merit of bodhisattvas’ practices throughout innumerable eons often brings forth results after the next lifetime. Practitioners who don’t know this principle frequently have doubts, just like Jayata when he was a layperson. His doubt would not have been resolved had he not met Venerable Kumaralabdha. If the practitioners’ thoughts are wholesome, their unwholesomeness disappears. If their thoughts are unwholesome, their wholesomeness immediately disappears.

  There were two people in the city of Shravasti. One of them always practiced wholesomeness, and the other unwholesomeness.

  The one who practiced wholesomeness always created wholesome deeds and never created unwholesome deeds. On
the other hand, the one who practiced unwholesomeness always created unwholesome deeds and never created wholesome deeds.

  On his deathbed, the one who practiced wholesomeness faced the realm intermediate to hell because of some unwholesome results [instead of the wholesome results] he was going to receive in the lifetime after his next life.

  Then, he said to himself, “I have been practicing wholesomeness and have never created unwholesome deeds. I ought to be reborn in the deva realm. Why am I facing the realm intermediate to hell?”

  But he thought, “It must be that I carry effects to receive in the life-time after next, which I need to receive now. That is why I am facing the realm intermediate to hell.”

  So he meditated on the wholesome deed he had created and aroused deep joy. As the thoughts of excellent wholesomeness became present, the realm intermediate to hell disappeared, and, in its place, the realm intermediate to the deva realm appeared. Thus, when his life ended, he was reborn in the deva realm.

  This person realized that he was carrying unwholesome karma and had to receive the results. But, he further thought of the results of his wholesome action. That is why he aroused deep joy. As his concentrated thought was sincere, the realm intermediate to hell disappeared and the realm intermediate to the deva realm appeared so that he could attain birth in the deva realm.

  If he had been an unwholesome person and had to face the realm intermediate to hell on his deathbed, he would have thought: “The wholesome actions I have practiced have no effect. Otherwise, why am I facing the realm intermediate to hell?” Then he would deny causation, and slander the three treasures. In that way he would have fallen into hell. Because this man was not like that, he was reborn in the deva realm. Clarify this principle.