Source: The Internet
Written in vernacular Chinese by: Liu Xin		Re-emendation as well as corrections of punctuation marks and typing errors by Vajrayana disciples

A Jackal that Expounds Buddhist Dharma

Don’t say that animals are of no Buddha-nature, please just read the following article >>>

The World Honourable One said, “Innumerable kalpas ago among Tutuoshan in Pimaguo, one day, a jackal (it is an animal which is similar in appearance as a fox but is smaller in size) was being chased by a starving lion who wanted to catch it as its prey. The jackal ran so hurriedly that it dropped into a well and was unable to get out. Having trapped under the well for three days, the jackal felt that it had no more hope to survive and thus it said, ‘Encountering such a disaster, I’m going to end my life in this well. All things on Earth are impermanent and always change irregularly. It’s a pity that I’ve never done any meritorious virtue (功德) in this karma-retributive (apatti-vipaka) body. However, even worse is that I’ve contaminated the well-water on my deathbed. If I’d known that, I’d have allowed the lion to eat me at the beginning. I hereby seek refuge as well as confessing my sins to all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions with a peaceful and quiet mind. I sincerely hope that the evil karma made by my body, speech and mind in my past lives can all be reimbursed in this present life. With the three karmas (trini-karmani) purified, my mind can stay real and I’m able to meet Masters (good teachers) generation after generation. Cultivating in accordance with the Dharma, I desperately hope to attain Buddhahood as soon as possible.’

At this time, Sovereign Sakra (Ruler of the 33 Heavens), who could hear the jackal’s calling names of all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions, suddenly thought of all the Buddhas in the past. Thinking that he himself had lacked guidance from Masters which resulted in his indulgence in the pleasures of the five senses as well as his inability to detach from the prison of conjugal love, Sovereign Sakra could not help bursting into tears. Then he headed to the well where the jackal was trapped with eighty thousand deities to inquire the Dharma. When Sovereign Sakra saw the jackal which was at the bottom of the well putting its hands on the earthen wall and trying to scramble itself out of the well but failed, he thought, ‘The emanation (nirmita) of sages is of no regular ways to follow. Though I see the image of a jackal now, it must be the manifestation of a Bodhisattva. I should consult him about Buddha Dharma so as to get rid of my confusion. Moreover, this also allows the eighty thousand deities to be able to hear Buddha Dharma.’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘It’s been a long time since we last heard of such exalted Buddha Dharma. We’re now in a dark condition that we have no Masters to guide us. What you said just now is by no means common. I hope that you can preach the deities here about Buddhism and enlighten all of us.’ The jackal raised its head and answered, ‘How dare you lack etiquette as a Heavenly King!  You’ve no idea what is appropriate to the occasion. You’re imbecilic and proud, too. Doesn’t it make sense that the Master is at a low location but the one who requests for Dharma is at an upper position?  Such behaviour is far from being reverent, let alone seeking for the learning of Buddhism. Buddha Dharma is like pure water, which can moisturize and benefit people. However, for those who possess haughty and arrogant minds, how can they be able to learn Buddhism?’  Hearing the jackal’s words, Sovereign Sakra felt very ashamed of himself. His deity-followers were shocked to see him being scolded and they all stopped laughing, ‘Our Heavenly King is so poor that he has not just wasted his time on descending to the world this time, he was also lectured to such an extent that made him feel ashamed of himself.’ Sovereign Sakra told the deities, ‘Don’t be astonished at it. Indeed, my behaviour is improper. We ought to be able to feel ashamed of our own faults before we can hear the gist of Buddhism.’ He then hung his precious celestial clothes down at once to welcome the jackal out from the well. After that, he paid homage and also apologized (to the jackal). He knocked his head on the floor so as to confess and cordially invite the jackal to expound them Buddha Dharma. He said, ‘We’re exactly like what you’ve said: lacking a Master to teach us the principles of sufferings, pleasures, norms and impermanence, we simply intoxicate ourselves in the enjoyment of five desires.’ The deities prepared splendid food for the jackal. Having eaten the food, the jackal did not feel despair anymore. Instead, its mind was filled with excitement as well as gratification since an accidental catastrophe was twisted into a rather good incident.

The jackal had in mind, ‘Among the category of animals, none of them are uglier or more vulgar than jackals. Only by relying on the power of Wisdom can I be in this present manner.’ It thought again, ‘I don’t like this incomplete physical body and life in the first place. Hence, the reason to feel happy is that these ignorant deities are indebted to Sovereign Sakra, who possesses a bit of Prajna Wisdom, for leading them to come and listen to Buddha Dharma. It offers me a chance to propagate the Dharma as well.’ It then exclaimed, ‘Bravo!  Nothing else can make one more delightful than this. I should now preach Buddha Dharma in order to achieve meritorious virtue.’ It thought again, ‘Owing to the fact that my Master has ever taught me wisdom and skillful means that I can enjoy the grace today. Take refuge to my Master, take refuge to my Master; Take refuge to Prajna Wisdom, take refuge to Prajna Wisdom. Though I’ve ever violated mistakes that resulted in my sinking to the evil paths, I’m able to know the causes and conditions of past lives thoroughly. The power of Prajna Wisdom is capable of moving so many deities to descend into the man’s world to support and give me offerings. Moreover, I’m given a chance to propagate Buddha Dharma by which my wish is also fulfilled.’ At this time, Sovereign Sakra exhorted all the deities, ‘From what the Master has said, he’s certainly going to preach us Buddha Dharma and so we’re probably having great gains today. We should all prostrate him and cordially invite him to teach us condescendingly.’ The deities all agreed to do so. They prostrated the jackal respectfully and surrounded it with their right shoulders bared (偏袒右肩). They then knelt with their palms joined and said together, ‘We hereby cordially invite Osho (the Japanese reading of the Chinese ‘he shang’ which means a highly virtuous Buddhist monk. It is also a respectful designation for Buddhist monks in general. It is originally derived from the Sanskrit, upadhyaya, meaning ‘master’ in the sense of ‘teacher’) jackal to expound Buddha Dharma and teach us all, benighted deities who are indulged in the five desires. We’re constantly afraid that in case impermanence comes and our blessed reward (福報) is drunk to the dregs, we’ll be depraved to the three evil paths after death from where it’s difficult to escape again. It’s been trillions of years before we’re able to encounter such field of merit for once. We sincerely hope that you can discourse Buddha Dharma as well as Right View so that not only we, deities will be benefitted, but also all sentient beings who will receive blessings consequently. Wishing that you and we would never be separated before all of us have attained Buddhahood. Since meeting with good spiritual teachers (Kalyanamitra) is something difficult, it’s important for us to set up such an oath.’

Seeing that all the deities were eagerly persuading it as well as their dying for hearing Buddha Dharma, the jackal felt even more delighted. He told Sovereign Sakra, ‘I’ve ever seen that when people on Earth would like to listen to Buddha Dharma, they would first install a lofty and solemn Dharma throne before they request the Master to ascend the high throne to expound Buddha Dharma. You know why?  Buddhist sutras are extremely venerable that blessed reward will be obtained when one pays respect to them. Don’t damage your own benefits because of a slight.’ Having heard (what the jackal said), all the deities took off their jewelled garments immediately and stacked them up into a lofty throne. In a twinkle, a throne which looked incomparably dignified and pure was completed. The jackal enthroned on the throne and said to Sovereign Sakra, ‘There’re two reasons why I’m expounding Buddha Dharma now. First, it’s for the sake of teaching deities and from which immeasurable blessings can be obtained. Second, it’s to reciprocate the kindness of your food and drink offerings that I have to do so.’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘We’ve saved you out of the well and kept your life. This should be of the largest meritorious virtue. As you’re now repaying the debt of gratitude by expounding Buddha Dharma, why don’t you mention this meritorious virtue?  All sentient beings hope to have peaceful and happy lives. None of them are willing to die and thus the meritorious virtue of preserving one’s life ought to be the greatest!’  The jackal answered, ‘People tend to have different preferences towards birth and death: some are reluctant to part with life while some others can confront death open-mindedly. What kind of people are mortally afraid of death? Those who are imbecilic with wrong views when they are alive. They disbelieve afterlife and stay away from Buddha Dharma. They are unable to meet good teachers but stop at nothing in committing crimes including slaughter, steal, licentiousness and absurdity. Only this type of people will cravenly cling to life instead of braving death. What sort of people are magnanimous when facing death?  They’re those who can come across good teachers and show reverence to the Three Treasures. They correct evil deeds and practise good ones. They exercise filial piety towards their parents and pay respect to their teachers as well. They get along in amity with their wives, family dependents and servants. They treat the others modestly and respectfully. Such people are disillusioned with their bodies as well as lives and hence they can remain sanguine when facing death. When a good person dies, he/she’ll be advanced into the Heavens to enjoy the pleasures of the five desires because of his/her blessed reward; In contrast, as soon as an evil person dies, he/she’ll be degenerated into hell to suffer from immeasurable pain. A good person who confronts death magnanimously is just like a prisoner being released from jail whereas an evil person is fear of death as though one is imprisoned and becomes a prisoner.’

Sovereign Sakra asked, ‘According to what you’ve said, there’ll not be any meritorious virtue in helping others to save their lives. How about the remaining two reasons?  What are the meritorious virtue in doing them?  Would you please explain that together so as to edify us who have not yet understood.’ The jackal answered, ‘Donating food and drinks can save a person’s life for one day while donating treasure can offer blessed reward to a person for a lifetime. However, both result in intensifying the seriousness of Samsara as well as the entanglement of karma-cause. Expounding Dharma to enlighten sentient beings is known as Dharma Dana which enables people to break away from the reincarnation of the six realms. There are three types of persons who can separate themselves from reincarnation: One is a Buddha; The second is a Pratyekabuddha (辟支佛); The third is an Arhat. These sages all started with the listening to Buddha Dharma and then practised cultivation accordingly as well as properly until they could achieve the realization of the fruit (phalasacchikiriya). The reason why sentient beings can be exempted from having pain (dukkha-vipaka) in the three evil paths but enjoy the blessing and happiness of both human and heavenly beings is that they have ever heard of Buddha Dharma. As a result, the Dharma Dana is the most charitable and pious deed through which boundless meritorious virtue can be received.’

Sovereign Sakra asked, ‘Master, is your present body (look) a manifestation of miraculous power?’ The jackal said, ‘It’s caused by karmic retribution instead. It’s really not from manifestation.’ Hearing the jackal’s answer, all the deities were so surprised and grieved that they could not help shedding tears. They got even more respectful to the jackal and said, ‘At first, we thought it was the visualization transformed from Bodhisattva for the sake of liberating sentient beings. It’s only at this moment can we realize that it is karmic retribution. What was the cause that led to such an effect?  We sincerely hope that you’re benevolent enough to tell us the cause-condition of it.’ The jackal said, ‘It’s so good that you can make such a request!  Let me tell you what had happened. I was born in a poor family in Padma town of Varanasi during my previous existence. I, who was a noble belonging to the caste (gotra) of Kshatriya, was named Ajita. Being intelligent and fond of studying, I followed my Master to learn in remote mountains at the age of twelve. I learnt diligently and had never ever been slacked off. My Master also taught me knowledge as well as wisdom day and night so as to give me appropriate guidance. After fifty years, Ajita had full proficiency in 96-volume scriptures and treatises, medical prescriptions, spells and divination of good and evil fortunes. He was famous for his wisdom and knowledge everywhere as well. Ajita thought at that time: My current achievements are all resulted from the contributions of Master’s guidance and it’s difficult to repay. However, my financial situation is so poor that I’m incapable of making any offerings to my Master. The only way to requite is to sell myself. Coming up with such an idea, he then prostrated to his Master and said: Disciple would like to sell myself to make offerings to Master so that I can repay your kindness. His Master answered: I’m a recluse living among the mountains who manage to survive just by begging for food. I’m not lack of anything, too. Why do you need to sell your honourable body to give me offerings?  With your wisdom, talent and learning, you should be able to enlighten all human beings and become a bright lamp of Buddha Dharma. The meritorious virtue of your teaching is well enough to pay back the debt of gratitude you owe me. You should never have such a thought any more. As a wise man, Ajita would not disobey the instruction of his Master. Hereafter, he remained in the mountains and lived on by begging for food.

Shortly after that, the king died. Having discussed with one another, his officials declared to their fellow countrymen that they were calling on all wise men to make speeches as well as debates together and the winner would be crowned king. Ajita was also called upon. He and other 500 erudite scholars had debated for seven days and eventually no one could surpass him. The officials were so happy that they reconvened nobles like Brahmin etc. to bow to Ajita and supported him as the king. Seeing such a circumstance, Ajita was delighted as well as worried simultaneously. He thought: If I become the king, I’ll probably have the bad habit of annoyance. I’ll hanker after pleasure which results in agonies of the people. I’ll thus sink into hell after death to undergo all kinds of suffering. If I refuse to be the king, my financial condition is too poor to give any offerings to Master to repay his kindness. After thinking about (the matter) repeatedly, Ajita finally decided to accept everyone’s support. He determined to proclaim himself emperor for the sake of repaying his Master as well as providing for the need of his parents. Upon his acceptance of the throne, Ajita sent loyal officials who brought with them horse-drawn carriages, jewelled parasols (Sanskrit: chatraratna, meaning umbrella; one of the eight auspicious symbols in Buddhism, which represents the offerings made by devas to the Buddha immediately after His Enlightenment. The chatraratna denotes the protection of beings from harmful forces and influences) with hanging banners, fragrant flowers as well as dance accompanied by music and a variety of food and drinks to the mountains right away to welcome his Master back the capital city so that he could give him offerings. Besides, he had also built a solemn seven-treasure-palace, which was decorated with carvings, engravings and polychromatic paintings, as an offering to his Maser. It was completely equipped with beds and beddings, food and drinks, medicine, gardens, fruits and flowers as well as baths with spring water. Ajita, together with his wives, imperial maids and people of the entire nation all followed his Master to accept (samadaya) the Precepts of the Ten Good Deeds every day. One hundred years had passed and they kept practising in the same way.

At that time, there were two small states in the border which had enmities towards each other. Both of them convened their respective troops and horses to suppress the other one. Having chaos caused by war for many years, none of them won. The two states, one named Andhra while the other called Malabhaya. The king of Andhra summoned his ministers to discuss on strategies that could annex and occupy Malabhaya. The ministers said: King Ajita came from a lowly background, even though he has already been on the throne, his humble traces still exist. He has upheld the Ten Good Deeds reverently ever since he was crowned king and has never been licentious. Although there are imperial maids, he makes love with them for less than several times throughout a year. In our opinions, we can pick a hundred sweet, beautiful and lovely young girls from our nation and then dress them up nicely. Send some faithful emissaries who bring with them these selected girls as well as precious treasures to pay tribute to King Ajita. If he accepts them, we can thus ask him to dispatch us a million strong soldiers to help with our attack of Malabhaya. By doing so, we can surely conquer Malabhaya this time.

Carrying out the work according to the stratagem, they soon got the pretty girls and treasures ready. They then sent emissaries to make their way to dedicate the tributes to King Ajita. King Ajita was very happy to get so many beautiful girls as well as treasures, he then asked: Your king has given me such nice presents, what would he like to have in return? The emissary reported: Malabhaya is a place governed by Your Majesty but the king of that state is so fraudulent and cunning that he has no intention of liberating his people. Instead, he himself lives licentiously and dissolutely without putting national affairs in good order. His people are poisoned by him and hence, they treat him as if he is their enemy. Therefore, we specially request that Your Majesty can send a million strong soldiers to assist us to subdue him. Our dedication of beautiful girls and treasures shows our sincerity for exactly this sake. King Ajita said: Fine. He thereupon dispatched a million effective as well as strong soldiers and in addition to the one million troops from Andhra, which were sent by their king, they joined forces and headed together to crusade against Malabhaya. Having battled for a hundred days and a casualty of more than half of the soldiers, the joint forces hardly managed to win. The king of Malabhaya as well as his clans were all guillotined. Tens of millions of lives were lost in this way. Ever since King Ajita got the numerous beautiful girls, he was so obsessed with them that he forgot about his original intention. He became extravagant as well as dissolute and hankered after all kinds of enjoyment. In addition, he ignored national affairs and unexpectedly, his ministers as well as officials of all ranks were in revolt. They plundered common people to be their slaves. Wind and rain were imbalanced, famine victims were found everywhere. Other countries seized the opportunity to come and invaded Ajita’s state. Henceforth, Ajita’s dynasty was destroyed while he himself was also perished.

King Ajita was lapsed into the hell after his death and was tormented by all sorts of pain and sufferings. Owing to the strength of knowledge and wisdom from his previous life, he was able to know his destiny. He confessed and condemned himself for the evil karma committed. Turning away from evil but cultivating virtue, his life in the hell was immediately terminated and he was reincarnated into the Hungry Ghost Realm. Still being capable of knowing his destiny in the Hungry Ghost Realm, he repented the evil karma done and practised the Way of Ten Good Deeds. This enabled him to break away from the Hungry Ghost Realm at once and he was reborn in the Animal Realm to become a jackal. As a result of the power of Wisdom, I could still be aware of destiny in my past lives. I corrected my mistakes, practised cultivation and upheld the Ten Good Deeds reverently. Furthermore, I educated those of my kind to practise the Way of Ten Good Deeds. When encountered a lion preying on me this time, I was momentary so frightened that I fell into a well where I could await death at ease. I hope to separate from sufferings and obtain happiness after that by being reborn in the Heavenly Realm. Since you’ve now saved me out of the well, my wish is unable to come true anymore. When exactly can the toil and pain that I’ve been suffering and tolerating be ended?  That’s why I said your saving of my life has no meritorious virtue at all.’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘I’m afraid what Venerable has just said about good man is broad-minded when facing death is not correct. Why?  When Master was under the well, if I hadn’t hung the celestial clothes down the well, you wouldn’t have been able to come up. Nor could you be saved. Master, the reason why you’re rescued is that you had initiated the action of leaving the well by means of the celestial clothes. It’s thus obvious that you’re not really reluctant to live on. How can you say that you don’t covet life?’  The jackal said, ‘There’re three important reasons why I came out of the well by means of the celestial clothes. The first reason is that I wouldn’t like to go against your wish, Sovereign Sakra. Running counter to other’s good intention which results in its failure to be achieved will make one suffer from immense painful retributions. If one brings others agony, one’s wishes will never come true generation after generation. It’s the same as bringing sufferings and distress to oneself. It’s because of such a cause but not my covetousness to life. The second reason is that I meet all of you who would like to listen to Buddha Dharma. It’s for the sake of preaching all of you true Dharma and not be stingy when it comes to expounding Buddha Dharma. If one is in a situation that one should expound the Dharma but one fails to do so, it’s regarded as one’s stinginess on Dharma Wisdom. The corresponding retribution is being deaf, blind and dumb life after life. Having the six sense organs not working well, one will live in remote areas where Wisdom cannot be found. Even though one manages to be born in good places, one’s mind remains ignorant so that there is no achievement whatever one learns. It’s also the same as bringing sufferings and distress to oneself. It’s because of such a cause instead of my covetousness to life.  It’s similar to common people who had ever practised Dana and cultivated goodness in their previous lives. Because of the causes and conditions of their beneficial practices in their previous lives, they are born as humans in this life whose wishes are all fulfilled and they also own enormous wealth. When poor people come to beg for handouts, however, they refuse to donate due to stingy minds. The retribution of avarice is to be reincarnated in the Hungry Ghost Realm where one is always suffering from hunger and thirst. Besides, one is naked without any clothes to wear so that one feels frigid in winter days and one’s body is ruptured. (On the contrary,) no shady and cool shelters can be found during hot summers. Such painful days will only come to an end after ten millions of years. After that, one is reborn in the Animal Realm where one feeds on grass and drinks water. One is so stupid and ignorant that one may just eat in filthy mud. That’s the retribution of avarice and refusal to donate whereas the retribution of being miserly in expounding Dharma Wisdom is exactly the same. The third reason is to declare Right View as well as propagating Buddha Dharma in order that deities and people can all be benefitted in terms of having a growth in wisdom among them. This is known as Dharma Dana, which is an affair of immeasurable meritorious virtue. It’s all because of such a cause but not my covetousness to life.’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘Would you please tell us the blessed reward of preaching Buddha Dharma and enlightening sentient beings?’ The jackal said, ‘Preaching the Right Dharma enables people to understand that there‘re future worlds after death so that if they do good deeds , they’ll have good fortune. If they do evil deeds, they’ll suffer from painful retribution. If they practise cultivation, they’ll have attained Enlightenment. With this meritorious virtue, they’ll be wise and sensible as well as knowing their destinies in their later generations. When they’re reincarnated to the Heavenly Realm, they’ll be teachers of deities right away. When they’re born on Earth, they’ll be Cakra-vartin (the Wheel-turning King 轉輪聖王), who educate people of the entire world with the Ten Good Deeds. When they’re emperors, they’ll rule their nations with Right Dharma and they understand their destinies, too. Since they know the causes and conditions of their destinies well, they won’t let their minds get indulgence. Being honourable, as one indulges in the enjoyment of pleasures of the five desires, demons will appear to disturb and destroy by making one so confused that one will commit evil karma. In case when one really makes mistakes momentarily and is exposed to evil retributions, one can be exempted from the painful retributions rapidly due to the cause of the power of Wisdom. Having rebirth in the Heavenly Realm, one’s Wisdom Bright-Light will gradually build up until one achieves the Bodhisattva Path and further attains Anutpattika-Dharma-Ksanti (無生忍). Hence, Buddhas have said that the blessed reward of preaching Buddha Dharma is limitless and boundless.’ Having heard the discourse of the jackal, Sovereign Sakra was very joyful and he said, ‘Yes, wonderful!  It’s from your teaching that we, the deities here, can just know the difference between Wealth Dana and Dharma Dana. Wealth Dana is like a bean-sized lighting which can illuminate a very small room; Dharma Dana is similar to the Sun’s radiance that shines on everything in the world. Wherever it goes, darkness disappears because of the bright nature of sunlight which is able to illuminate everything. Today, you’re also the same, Master. As a result of your practising of Right Dharma in the past, you’ve become wise and enlightened. Right now, you’ve just relieved sentient beings from the darkness of ignorance with your Wisdom Bright-Light.’

As soon as Sovereign Sakra finished his comment, the eighty-thousand deities all stood up respectfully. They rectified their clothing and prostrated reverently. They then said to the jackal, ‘We sincerely hope that you can be compassionate enough to teach us the Precepts of Ten Good Deeds so as to benefit sentient beings and make them happy as well as peaceful. There’ll also be an increment in the meritorious virtue you possess.’ The jackal answered, ‘That’s great. It’s the right timing now.’ He started giving discourse afterwards, ‘To receive the Precepts, the first thing to do is to confess so as to purify one’s body, speech and mind. What are bodily karmas?  They are killing (destruction of life), stealing and sexual misconduct. What are verbal karmas?  Telling lies, gossip, foul-mouthed and unfettered speech are verbal karmas. What are mental karmas?  They are jealousy, hatred, arrogance as well as wrong views. Strictly forbid one’s body, speech and mind to make any of these wicked conducts is precisely the Ten Good Deeds. Indulgently allow one’s body, speech and mind to carry out all these evil karmas is exactly the Ten Evils. When one confesses one’s evil karmas whole-heartedly and earnestly but not committing the Ten Evils, one’s body, speech and mind will naturally be pure. The purified three karmas are known as the Ten Good Deeds.’

Sovereign Sakra asked again, ‘What are the retributions of complying with the Ten Good Deeds?’ The jackal answered, ‘I’ve ever heard the Buddhas say: If humans pursue the Way of Ten Good Deeds, they’ll be reincarnated in the Six Desire Heavens and will dwell in Seven Treasure Palaces where pleasures of five desires exist naturally without any need of hard-working. A great variety of food and beverages are available for eating and the life-span there is immeasurable. One’s parents, wives, relatives and family dependents that are grace and clean stay together happily and joyfully. If deities pursue the Way of Ten Good Deeds, they can even be able to reincarnate to higher Heavenly Realm when their celestial blessed reward is drunk to the dregs. It means that deities may have blessed reward much better than before and it’s different from the retribution of upholding the Ten Good Deeds on Earth. Why?  When an ordinary person cultivates wholesomeness, there is difficulty in guarding and keeping the three categories of precepts for mind (心道三戒).

To avoid having hatred, one has to practise heart of benevolence and compassion first. It does only after doing this can one achieve the Precept of no hatred. Conducting heart of benevolence and compassion in the man’s world is something very difficult to persist. It’s like using a knife to cut water, once the knife is lifted; the water cuts combine together again instantly. The same happens with the upholding of the Precept of no hatred.
The time for the outbreak of the Precept of jealousy is conditional. What are the conditions?  When one sees someone else making profits; when one sees someone else being happy; when one sees that someone else is good-looking, healthy as well as wise and smart; when one sees that someone else practises cultivation and is blessed. In short, it is the occurrence of all good deeds (on someone else) that makes the timing for jealousy to take place. Thus, the outbreak of jealousy is at certain specific occasions and conditions.
Again, the timing for the rising of arrogant mind is also conditioned. At the sight of stupid and silly people, ugly people, filthy ones, poor guys, the disabled who are deaf, blind, lame or fistula (meaning: a disease that causes the swelling of the neck/lymph tuberculosis) etc., ethnic minorities and barbarians will arrogant minds be arisen. Hence, the capability of keeping the Precept of no arrogant mind is at certain specific occasions and conditions only.

As a result, it’s very difficult for ordinary people on Earth to guard and uphold mind precepts. Though one tries to keep them under control by force, it’s invariable that they’re always forgotten. For worldly people, the meritorious virtue of practising the Ten Good Deeds can be having the blessed reward of deities but it’s inferior to the ones obtained by deities practising the Ten Good Deeds in the sense that the miraculous power of light emission, fortune of eating, physical form and the capacity of knowing one’s destiny acquired by deities is superior to that obtained by man. Therefore, the retributions of practising the Ten Good Deeds in the Heavenly Realm are much better than those in the Human Realm.’

Sovereign Sakra said to the jackal, ‘Just as what you’ve said, when ordinary people practise the Ten Good Deeds, it’s hard for them to uphold the three categories of precepts for mind. Actually, the same happens to deities too!  Jealousy, hatred, arrogance as well as wrong views are also found among deities. How comes that the blessed reward received by deities surpasses that for humans?’  The jackal said, ‘Although deities also possess such bad habits, they’re different from those in the man’s world. You know why?  Having better blessed reward, deities have less hardship and more pleasures and thus their minds are less afflicted. The blessed reward of worldly people is much less, so they suffer more than having enjoyment which results in their minds being more afflicted.’

Sovereign Sakra asked, ‘All these deities are having a karmic impression of indulging in comforts dreadfully and their minds are as fickle as those of apes. If they start practising the Ten Good Deeds now but carelessly violate them later, what can they do?’  The jackal replied, ‘I’ve ever heard my Master said: If people practise the Ten Good Deeds but offend them temporarily and become committing ten evil karmas instead, they should confess to someone who is wise with the power of meritorious deeds and express to him/her their wrong acts. After that, they ought to uphold the Precepts of Ten Good Deeds all over again. In this way, one is not considered to have precept-deficiency. Why?  The Precepts of Ten Good Deeds is like young rice shoots while affliction is similar to weeds that they hamper each other in nature. If one wants to have the rice shoots grow, one should eradicate the weeds so that only rice shoots are left behind in the field and thus one can naturally reap the benefit. With a good harvest of rice, there’s no need to endure the torments of hunger.’

Sovereign Sakra, together with all the other deities were very delighted to hear such Right Dharma. They were no longer worried that they would be depraved to the three evil paths as soon as their heavenly blessedness was drunk to the dregs. Then they had another thought: Although there is no painful retribution in practising the meritorious virtue of the Ten Good Deeds, birth-and-death does exist as before which means that impermanence is not yet exempted. Moreover, whenever Parinirmita-vasavartin (他化自在天王) sees someone cultivating blessings, he’ll be so jealous that he’ll, by all means, create difficulties for them to forget about wholesome actions but produce evil karma instead. There’re still painful retributions in this way. Hence, they asked the jackal again, ‘What can be practised such that the meritorious virtue can be neither dying nor being born as well as free from the delusion of Demon King ?’

The jackal answered, ‘I’ve ever heard my Master said: When one takes the initiative of generating Boddhicitta and cultivates Bodhisattva Path, Marah-papiyan (魔王波旬) is unable to carry out any destructions. This is because one’s mind is not confused any more. One manages to be wise and intelligible life after life. Being wise and intelligible simply enables one to know one’s destiny. One who knows one’s destiny won’t make any evil karma and it’s the cause of one’s mind being pure that one is able to achieve Anutpattika-Dharma-Ksanti. With the non-retrogression of attainment in practices, one can thus stay away from the drawbacks of birth-and -death.’ Sovereign Sakra said, ‘How should we practise Bodhisattva Path?’  The jackal responded. ‘I’ve ever heard my Master said: As a Buddhist, fundamentally, one has to learn extensively the causes and conditions of every Dharma so as to understand what causes and retributions are before one can build up a strong faith (in Buddhism). Having a firm belief, one will spontaneously practise cultivation in an industrious manner. One who practises cultivation diligently will not create any cause-condition that concerns with evil karma. When one’s pure and kind mind is no longer heedless, one will achieve Wisdom (Prajna). These theories are all included in the Thirty-seven Aspects of Enlightenment (三十七道品) to aid the attainment of the Bodhi Path (菩提道).’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘As you’ve said, the implications of the Thirty-seven Aspects of Enlightenment are so extensive as well as far-reaching that it’s not for us, whose wisdom is too little in amount, to understand. In that case, how can we start practising Bodhisattva Path?’

The jackal replied, ‘I’ve ever heard my Master said: To practise Bodhisattva Path, one has to tame and overwhelm the six sense organs with skillful means. What are the skillful means then?  The Six Paramitas and the Four Immeasurable Hearts are the skillful means to tame and overwhelm the six sense organs.’

Sovereign Sakra asked, ‘Would you please tell us what the Six Paramitas mean?’ The jackal answered, ‘First, it’s Charitable-Giving (Dana). It’s to ensure that one is neither sentimentally attached to everything in the world nor does one lament them. This helps to get rid of one’s avaricious and stingy mind. Second, it’s Taking and Upholding Precepts (Sila). Not creating any evil karma is namely taking and upholding Precepts. Third, it’s Endurance and Patience (Ksanti). One comes across evil deeds but not having any vengeful thoughts is known as endurance and patience. Fourth, it’s Perseverance of Effort and Diligence (Virya). The cultivation of Buddhism without being sluggish, nor feeling regret is perseverance of effort and diligence. The fifth one is Meditation (Dhyana). It’s to restrain one’s mind so that no more evil thoughts are able to arise. The sixth one is Wisdom (Prajna). It’s the practice of Prajna Wisdom to eradicate affliction as well as ignorance. The Six Paramitas are skillful and handy strengths that can tame and overwhelm the six sense organs. There’re four other ways to subdue the six sense organs, they’re firstly, Benevolence Heart; secondly, Compassionate Heart; thirdly, Joyful Heart and lastly, the Heart of Renunciation. These four types of Heart are called the Four Immeasurable Hearts.’

Sovereign Sakra inquired, ‘How can one perform Benevolence Heart?’
The Jackal replied, ‘Seeing someone else suffering from disasters, one’s Benevolence Heart is raised to help with the rescue so that the victims can be relieved.
What is Compassionate Heart?  Seeing sentient beings making karmic causes of birth-and-death due to ignorance and thirst that results in their sufferings among the five realms and are unable to be liberated, one should avoid slackening one’s effort but cultivate Wisdom diligently so as to attain Buddhahood as soon as possible. After becoming a Buddha, one can employ one’s Wisdom Bright Light to break the ignorant darkness of sentient beings so that they can catch sight of brightness and be exempted from all sorts of affliction as well as ties of karmic causes. Even though one has not yet attained Buddhahood, one can dedicate all wholesome actions one has done to sentient beings in the hope that all of them will be peaceful and happy. I’m eager to take the place of sentient beings to endure the tortures of their evil karma. This is what Compassionate Heart is.
What is Joyful Heart?  When one sees people on Earth practising wholesome actions to pray for the Buddhahood of the Three Vehicles, one will definitely encourage, help and make compliantly rejoice. Encountering someone filled with joy, one will feel happy too. Whoever one meets, beautiful people, healthy and brave ones, rich men, wise ones, those who possess Compassionate Heart and guys who show filial obedience, all good and kind people in short, one will encourage and assist them all and also admire them accordingly. This is Joyful Heart.
What is the Heart of Renunciation?  With all meritorious virtue made or having done someone a favour, one does not hope to receive the pay-back at the moment. Neither does one like to get the repay in this present life nor having the return in the future. This is the Heart of Renunciation.
With the fulfilment of the four affairs, it’s called the Four Immeasurable Hearts. Adding to the former the Six Paramitas, they are known as the Ten Paramitas. The Ten Paramitas includes everything needed for the practice of Bodhisattva Path.’

Having heard the jackal’s explanation on the meritorious virtue and cause-condition of the Ten Good Deeds as well as the essentials of learning and practising supreme Boddhicitta from Bodhisattva Path, Sovereign Sakra Heavenly King capered delightfully. His body and mind were free from inhibitions because a lot of his queries were solved. He, along with the eighty thousand deities prostrated the jackal reverently. They held their palms together to show their respects and said to the jackal, ‘Today, disciple and the eighty thousand deities hereby jointly initiate Boddhicitta and vow to follow as well as practise Bodhisattva Path taught by Master. Please kindly grant us your consent and approval.’ The jackal answered, ‘It’s the right timing and also exactly what all of you have hoped for.’

Sovereign Sakra requested the jackal, ‘Please tell us your diet so that we can prepare meals for you.’ The jackal replied, ‘What I’ve been eaten is too intolerable to the ear (i.e. disgusting). Owing to the cause of wicked karma, the food I’ve been eating is very dirty. From the appearance, I’m an animal. In fact, I’ve been living like a hungry ghost instead. Don’t ask about my diet anymore.’

Sovereign Sakra asked, ‘Disregarding whether the food and drink you’ve been eating is good or bad, please do say a few words about it. Disciple should try my very best to serve you food-offering today!’ The jackal said, ‘What I always eat is excrement and urine of lions, tigers and wolves, dead bodies and remains (of the dead), torn clothes and leather. Sometimes, even such kinds of food cannot be found. In that case, I had to eat soil to allay my hunger. It’s the retribution of sin that makes me incapable of experiencing satiety from birth till death even though the food I’ve had is so dirty.’

Listening to the jackal talking about the circumstances of his diet, Sovereign Sakra and the deities were so sad that they all shed tears with no exception. They lamented unceasingly. They all said to the jackal, ‘Disciples’ wish to prepare you food and drinks can’t come true for the time being. What should we do then?  We’re returning to the heavenly palace now, what can we do to repay Master’s debt of gratitude?’  The jackal answered, ‘When you’re back at the heavenly palace today, you toss around to educate other deities with the Buddha Dharma you’ve learnt from me here. No matter whether they’re males or females, only if one of them can have faith in Buddhism and pursue it, you’ll have not only repaid me, but also paid back the Kindness of all Buddhas as well. If you’re able to educate someone else, the blessings and virtue you achieved will certainly grow. Let alone you can toss the Enlightenment around to more and more people, the meritorious virtue will be immeasurable.’

All the deities stood up facing the jackal and said, ‘Disciples are returning to the heavenly palace today, but we have no idea when Master, you’re able to abandon this karma-retributive body and ascend to the Heavenly Realm to get together with us.’ The jackal said, ‘I may probably be able to abandon this karma-retributive body after seven days and will be reborn in the Tusita Deva (兜率天). You, too, can vow to have your future lives in this Heaven because lots of Bodhisattvas are there for the sake of deities who want to learn Buddhism. It’s for such a cause that these Bodhisattvas preach Buddha Dharma and enlighten the deities.’

Sovereign Sakra said, ‘We’ll certainly follow your teaching to vow to have our future lives in the Tusita Deva after our lives in the Trayastrimsas Deva (忉利天) end so that we’ll be able to meet you in doing so. By the time, we can serve you as well as listening to your enlightenment just as what we did together today.’ He stopped his speech here when the deities scattered celestial flowers to the jackal as their offerings to it. They then returned to the Heavenly Realm. After the departure of the deities, the jackal stuck to the seat thinking of the Ten Good Deeds wholeheartedly. It did not go looking for food and it died seven days after that. He was reborn in the Tusita Deva and became the Emperor Prince there. Still managed to know destiny thoroughly, he educated deities with the Right Dharma of the Ten Good Deeds.”

The Buddha told King Pasenadi, “The jackal at that time was me and Sovereign Sakra was Sariputra. Besides, Uparta who was Ajita’s Master was Maitreya Bodhisattva. The eighty thousand deities were the eighty thousand Avaivartika Bodhisattvas in the Saha territory. King, I remember in former times when we started heart-giving to practise Bodhisattva Path until we attained Anutpattika-Dharma-Ksanti which is a status of Avaivartika (不退轉位). During the time in between, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Sariputra and I were always together. For the sake of Buddhism, we practised diligently, disregarded body and life, followed good Teachers and stayed with them day and night to research knowledge and attained Wisdom. The power of Wisdom allows one who is still in Samsara to educate immeasurable sentient beings wherever one is so that one can be departed from all sufferings. I am able to attain Buddhahood in this life owing to the convenience of Prajna Wisdom which serves as the cause of the cutting of all bad habits and the achievement of the Highest Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi). Furthermore, I enlighten sentient beings in the Saha World by means of Wisdom which results in the detachment of all pains. Hence, I say that Prajna Wisdom possesses four types of implications which are sweet dew, good medicine, bridges and vessels.”

Notes:
●	The above is the translated text of 【The Sutra of The Unprecedented Cause and Condition未曾有因緣經】in vernacular Chinese. It narrates the predestined causes of the Buddha in His past lives.
●	Ajita, who was a predecessor of the Buddha, had ever been king and when he died, he sank into the Hell Realm, the Hungry Ghost Realm and the Animal Realm (turned into a jackal). According to【The Sutra on the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teachings佛遺教經】, it says: Practitioners must not take part in a political party or a faction to work on political activities including state affairs and all political matters because it is easy to associate with undesirable elements without self-awareness and this leads to the sowing of cause and effect  .
●	From this scripture, we can also learn that once the celestial bliss of Sovereign Sakra drank to the dregs, he had to be reborn as a human; with favourable cause-condition in his past lives, he was able to meet with the Buddha in this life and practised cultivation to attain Arhatship. When the bliss of common people drinks to the dregs, they will be reincarnated to ….
●	Finally, we would like to express our respect prudently: ‘immeasurable meritorious virtue!’ to Liu Xin, who was a Lay Buddhist, wrote the text in vernacular Chinese.