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Major ExpositionsKGSS III:114-115§ 114 - 115
[The Person Difficult to Save] 114 Concerning beings who are difficult to cure, the Buddha has taught the following. The Nirvana Sutra states: Kasyapa, there are three kinds of people in the world who are hard to cure: those who slander the great vehicle, those who commit the five grave offenses, and those who lack the seed of Buddhahood (icchantika). These three sicknesses are the most severe in the world; they cannot be treated by sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas. Good sons, suppose a person is stricken with a disease that is certain to be fatal and is without cure, but treatment is given and there is appropriate medicine. Were it not for the treatment or appropriate medicine, in no way would it be possible to cure the illness. Know that the person would be certain beyond any doubt to die. Good sons, these three kinds of people are like this. Following the Buddha and bodhisattvas, they have heard and received the cure - they are able to awaken the mind of aspiration for supreme, perfect enlightenment. But sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, whether they preach the dharma or not, cannot bring such people to awaken the mind aspiring for supreme, perfect enlightenment.
At that time, the king at Rajagrha was Ajatasatru. Of a vile nature, he often engaged in killing. In speech, he was given to the four evils, and he was possessed of greed, anger, and folly, with which his heart raged furiously... Taking evil people for his companions, he craved the worldly pleasures of the five desires, and this led him even to viciously murder his blameless father the King. Because he killed his father, a fever of remorse arose in his heart... Because of this fever of remorse in his heart, sores began to cover his entire body. These sores emitted a foul stench and filth oozed, such that none could go near him. Then he reflected, "Already I am receiving in this present body the fruition of recompense. The fruition-recompense of hell is surely not far off and is approaching." Then the queen-mother Vaidehi applied a variety of medicines, but the sores only spread and showed no sign of alleviation. The King said to his mother, "These sores have been produced by the heart; they do not arise from the four elements. It is said that there are people who can cure them, but that is completely unreasonable." At that time there was a minister named Candrayasas. Approaching the King, he stood to one side and said, "Great King! Why are you so sorrowful and emaciated, and why does your countenance show no sign of joy? Is it your body that aches, or is it your mind?" The King replied to his minister, "How could I not ache now in both body and mind? I have viciously committed a grave crime in murdering my blameless father. I was once told by a wise man that there are in this world five kinds of people who cannot escape falling into hell. These are people who have committed the five grave offenses. I already bear the karmic evil of countless, innumerable, incalculable offenses. How could I not ache in both body and mind? There is no good physician who can heal them." The minister said to the Great King, "Do not be so terribly afflicted with sorrow and pain." Then he spoke in verse:
"The King has said that there are in this world five kinds of people who cannot escape falling into hell. But who has gone to see for himself, and returned to inform the King? 'Hell' is simply something about which many of the so-called wise men of the world speak. The King states that there is surely no good physician in the world to treat his body and mind. But there is now a great doctor named Purana Kasyapa. He knows and sees everything and has attained unimpeded powers; and, thoroughly practicing the pure life of discipline, he always expounds for innumerable, countless sentient beings the way of supreme nirvana. For his disciples, he teaches the dharma thus:
This master is now in Rajagriha. I pray, Great King, that you deign to visit him and have him heal your body and mind." Then the king replied, "If he can clearly do away with my karmic evil as you say, I will rely upon him." Again, there was a minister named Praptagarbha, who also approached the King and said: "Great King, why is it that your features are so thin and emaciated, your lips so dry, your voice so feeble?... Where is the affliction? Does your body ache, or your mind?" The King replied, "Why should my body and mind not ache now? I am foolish and blind; I have no eyes of wisdom. I associated with wicked friends, taking them as good friends, and following the advice of the evil Devadatta, I viciously committed a grave crime upon the person of the king, who was devoted to the right dharma. Long ago, I heard a wise person teach in verse:
Because of this, I tremble in my heart and am greatly afflicted. And there is no treatment, even by a good physician." The minister said, "Pray, Great King, be not so anxious and fearful. There are two kinds of law, one for those who renounce homelife and one for those who govern the state. The law of state recognizes the case of a person killing his father and taking over the kingdom; although this is said to be a grave offense, in actuality it is not a crime. It is like the karala worm, which necessarily tears through its mother's womb to be born. Thus is its law of birth. Although it rends its mother's body, in actuality this is no crime. It is the same with a mule in foal. The law of statecraft in itself is also thus. One may kill father or brother, but this is actually not a crime. According to the law of those renouncing homelife, however, to kill even a mosquito or ant constitutes a crime... "The King has said that there is in this world no good physician to heal his body and mind. But there is now a great master named Maskarin Gosaliputra. He knows and sees everything, and pities sentient beings as though they were his own children. He has freed himself of blind passions and can extract the sharp arrows of the three poisons from sentient beings... This master is now in Rajagrha. I beg, Great King, that you go to see him. If you do, all your evils will be eradicated." Again, there was a minister named Tattvalabdha. He came before the King and stated in verse:
The King answered, "How should I not ache now in both body and mind? My father, the late king, was loving and kind, and he looked after me with special tenderness. He was truly without fault. When I was about to be born, he consulted a soothsayer who said, 'This infant, once he has been born, will unfailingly grow up to slay his father.' In spite of these words, he cared for me and raised me. Long ago, I heard a wise man say that the person who commits incest with his mother, violates a nun, steals from the sangha, kills one who has awakened the aspiration for supreme enlightenment, or murders his own father will unfailingly plunge into Avici hell. How should I not ache now in both body and mind?" The minister said, "Pray, Great King, be not afflicted with sorrow and pain... All sentient beings possess a residue of karma, and through the working of karma, they are repeatedly involved in samsaric life. Suppose the late king possessed a residue of karma, and the King has now slain him. Why, then, are you to blame? Pray, Great King, be easy in mind and throw off your sorrow! For it is said:
[There is a great master named] Samjayin Vairattiputra." Again, there was a minister name Sarvarthajña. He approached the King and spoke such words... The King replied, "How should I not ache now in both body and mind?... The late king was blameless, and I viciously committed a great offense in murdering him. Long ago, I heard a wise person say, 'The person who slays his father will unquestionably suffer terrible pain and affliction for countless, incalculable kalpas.' I am certain to plunge into hell before long, and there is no good physician who can treat my karmic evil." The minister said, "Pray, Great King, cast off your sorrow and affliction! Has the King not heard? Long ago there was a king named Rama. He killed his father and ascended to the throne. King Bhadrika, King Viruchin, King Nahusa, King Kathika, King Visakha, King Candraprabha, King Suryaprabha, King Kama, King Bahujanadhara - such kings as these were all able to ascend to the throne upon slaying their fathers. But not one has gone to hell. At this moment there reign such kings as King Virudhaka, King Udayana, King Canda, King Musaka and King Padma, who have all killed their fathers. Not one of them has been overcome by sorrow and grief. Though people speak of hell, hungry ghosts, and heaven, who has ever seen them? Great King, there are only two states of life - that of men and that of beasts. Although there are these two, one is not born through causation, one does not perish through causation. If there is no causation, what is good or evil? Pray, Great King, do not give yourself to sorrow and fear. For it is said:
[There is a great master named] Ajita Kesakambalin..." Again, there was a minister named Mangala...[He said,] "What does hell (naraka) mean? I will offer an explanation. Nara means earth, ka means to break. If hell is broken apart, there is no retribution for evil. This is 'hell.' "Again, nara means human, ka means god. For having killed one's father, one is born as man or god. For this reason, the ascetic Vasu declared that by killing sheep, one gains the pleasure of men and gods; this is 'hell.' "Again, nara means life, ka means long. By killing, one gains long life; this is 'hell.' "Great King, know for these reasons that there is no hell. Great King, if one plants wheat, one reaps wheat; if one plants rice, one reaps rice. The person who destroys hell in return goes to hell. The person who kills a man in return again becomes a man. "Great King, listen now to what I say. In reality there is no such thing as murder. If there is a real self, it cannot be killed, and if there is no self, there can be no killing in it. Why? Because if there is a real self, it is ever unchanging. Since it is eternal, it cannot be murdered. In being indestructible, incorruptible, unbound, unfettered, without anger, and without joy, it is like empty space. How, then, can there be any crime of killing? If there is no self, then all things are impermanent. Because they are impermanent, they perish with each instant. Because they perish with each instant, slayer and slain both perish instant by instant. If they perish in each instant, who is to blame? "Great King, it is like fire being innocent in consuming wood. It is like the axe being innocent in cutting the tree. It is like the scythe being innocent in severing the grass. The sword, in killing a man, is not a person. Even the sword has committed no crime; how can the person be blamed? Poison, in killing a man, is not a person. Even the poison is not a criminal; how can there be a crime? It is the same with all things. In reality, there is no such thing as killing. How can there be any crime? Pray, Great King, be not so afflicted with sorrow. For it is said:
There is at present a great master. His name is Kakuda Katyayana." "Again, there was a minister named Abhaya. "Now there is a great master. His name is Nigrantha Jñatiputra..." At that time there was an eminent physician named Jivaka. He approached the King and said, "Great King, are you able to sleep well?" The King answered in a verse... [Then he said,] "Jivaka, my sickness now lies heavy upon me. Against the King, who followed the right dharma, I have committed a grave and evil offense. No excellent physician, no miraculous medicine, no charms, no good and skilful nursing can heal me. Why? Because my father, King who adhered to the dharma, ruled the land according to the dharma, and was indeed blameless. Viciously I murdered him. I am like a fish upon the dry ground... Long ago I hear a wise man say, 'If a person's acts in body, speech, and mind are not pure, know that he is certain to fall into hell.' I am like this. How should I be able to sleep peacefully? And now there is no supreme great physician. If such a person were to impart to me the medicine of the dharma, surely it would relieve the pain of my sickness." Jivaka replied, "Oh, excellent, excellent! Though the King has committed a crime, profound remorse has been stirred in his heart and he is filled with shame and self-reproach. Great King, all Buddhas, the world-honored ones, always preach these words: There are two good means by which sentient beings can be saved: one is shame and the other is self-reproach. Shame means not committing further evil oneself; self-reproach means not leading others to commit evil. Shame is to be abased within oneself, self-reproach is to express this outwardly, toward others. Shame means to feel humility before others, self-reproach means to feel humility before heaven. This is shame and self-reproach. To be without shame and self-reproach is not to be human; it is to be a beast. Because one feels shame and self-reproach, one reveres father, mother, teachers, and elders. Because one feels shame and self-reproach, it is taught that there is accord among father, mother, elder and younger brothers, and elder and younger sisters. Excellent, Great King! You are now filled with shame and self-reproach.... "The King stated that there is no one to cure him. Know, Great King, of the son of King Suddhodana from the city of Kapilavastu. His family name is Gautama, and he is called Siddhartha. Without a teacher, he has naturally attained awakening and realized supreme, perfect enlightenment... He is Buddha, the World-honored one. He possesses diamondlike wisdom and can break through all the karmic evil of sentient beings. Some may say that he is incapable of doing so, but such statements are utterly without basis... Great King, the Tathagata has a cousin named Devadatta who disrupted the harmony of the sangha, inflicted a bleeding wound on the Buddha's body, and killed the nun Lotus. He committed these three grave offenses. By teaching him the different essentials of the dharma, the Tathagata reduced that heavy burden of karmic evil to minuteness. Thus the Tathagata is the pre-eminent physician, beyond compare with the six masters..." [There was a voice:] "Great King, the person who commits one grave offense suffers fully the corresponding retribution for it. If he commits two grave offenses, the retribution is double. If he commits five, the retribution is fivefold. Great King, we know with certainty now that you cannot escape your evil acts. Pray, Great King, go quickly to the Buddha! Apart from seeing the Buddha, the World-honored one, there is no help. It is out of deep pity that I urge you to do so." As the Great King heard these words, terror gripped his heart and a shudder ran through his body. He trembled in his five parts like a plantain tree. Gazing upward, he replied, "Who is it? There is no form, only the voice." "Great King! It is your father, Bimbisara. Let Jivaka's advice be heeded. Do not follow the words of the six ministers; their views are wrong." Upon hearing this, the King fainted and collapsed to the ground. The sores on his body spread with vehemence, and the stench and filth grew worse. Cooling salves were applied to treat the sores, but they still burned and the poisonous fever only worsened, with no sign of alleviation.
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