SA-2 131（一三一）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying in the Selling Cloth Forest in the city of Nārājanapada. At that time, the village headman who was a debater had this thought: “I should not go to see the Nirgrantha Jains, but go to see the Buddha.” Having thought this, he went to see the Buddha, greeted him, and sat to one side. The Buddha then said to the village headman who was a debater: “What kind of teachings does the Nirgrantha Jains’ son teach his disciples?”

At that time, the village headman said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! The Nirgrantha Jains always say: ‘If one commits the act of killing, then according to the number of times one kills, one will definitely fall into the evil realms and enter hell. Stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech are also like this. According to the number of times one commits them, one will definitely fall into hell.’”

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the village headman: "If it is as the Nirgrantha Jains say, then sentient beings would not at all fall into the evil realms and enter hell. Why is that? As the Nirgrantha Jains say, if one commits the act of killing, then according to the number of times one kills, one will definitely fall into the evil realms and enter hell. Stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech are also like this. If that is so, then all sentient beings kill living beings less often and do not kill more often. If those who do not kill more often fall into hell, then those who kill less often and do not kill more often should not fall into the evil realms and enter hell. Stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech are also like this. The time spent doing these actions is less, and the time spent not doing them is more. They should all not fall into the evil realms and enter hell."

The Buddha again said to the village headman: "If it is as you say, then there are no people at all who enter hell."

At that time, the village headman said to the Buddha: "Indeed, Gautama."

The Buddha again said to the village headman: "If there are teachers in the world who are able to measure well, have wisdom and discernment, are on the ground of contemplation, and speak with their own eloquence, this is the ground of ordinary beings. They teach their disciples the Dharma like this: 'Those who kill will all fall into evil paths and enter hell, according to the amount of killing they do. The more killing they do, the more they will be pulled into hell. The same is true for stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech. According to the amount of these actions, one will fall into evil paths and enter hell.' Those disciples wholeheartedly believe and enjoy what their teacher says, and they accept it with utmost sincerity, saying: 'Our teacher knows the objects in front of him and sees what he sees.' Those disciples also have disciples of their own, and they tell them: 'Our teacher says that when one kills, one will fall into evil paths and enter hell according to the amount of killing one does.' Those great-grandchildren think: 'I have killed before, and I will definitely fall into hell. When I steal, engage in sexual misconduct, and speak falsely, I will definitely fall into evil paths and enter hell.' Because of this view, they attain this view, which is called wrong view. They do not abandon this view, do not understand or doubt it, and do not regret their evil karmic causes. They still constantly do such evil deeds, their minds unwilling to change, and they are not satisfied. They are not satisfied with the liberation of the mind, nor with the liberation of wisdom. Because they are not satisfied with the liberation of the mind and wisdom, they slander the sages. Because they slander the sages, this is wrong view."

The Buddha again said to the village headman: "If there is a person who has this wrong view and falls into evil paths, entering hell, all sentient beings have causes and conditions that defile their minds. Because of this, all sentient beings obtain karmic afflictions. Even if a Buddha appears, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṃbuddha, the Buddha rebukes killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech in various ways, and also praises those superior dharmas, with definite faith and understanding."

He again said to the Buddha: "My World-Honored One truly knows and sees, and teaches the Dharma in various ways, enabling me to teach my disciples the Dharma like this. He rebukes killing in various ways and praises not killing. He praises not lying, not sexual misconduct, and not stealing in various ways. I have previously killed, stolen, engaged in sexual misconduct, and lied. I always regret these causes and conditions. Although I regret them, I am called one who does not commit evil karma. Therefore, I deeply regret these evil karmas. Because of repentance, all doubts and regrets are eliminated, and good karma is furthered. I no longer kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, or lie. I regret what I have done in the past and will not commit various evil karmas again. Therefore, my mind is satisfied and I attain liberation, and I am also able to satisfy wisdom liberation. Because my mind and wisdom are satisfied, I do not slander the sages. Because I do not slander the sages, I attain right view."

The Buddha told the village headman: "Because of being able to cultivate right view, when the body perishes and life ends, one can go to the good realms and be reborn in the heavens. Because of being able to repent and have right view, one can purify the minds of all sentient beings and also purify the afflictions and karmic hindrances of sentient beings. When the noble disciples hear this, they immediately practice and study. Whether it is the right time, the wrong time, or the time in between, the day and night have already passed. In this time, is the time of killing more or the time of not killing more? By reasoning, the time of killing is less, and the time of not killing is more. I have intentionally killed in the past. It is truly unwholesome and not reasonable. From now on, I will not kill again. I will not give rise to dislike, hatred, or jealousy towards anyone. I will deeply give rise to joy. Because of giving rise to joy, I deeply give rise to delight. Because of giving rise to delight, I deeply attain ease. Because of deeply attaining ease, I attain happiness. Because of attaining happiness, my mind becomes concentrated. Because the noble disciples' minds become concentrated, they attain being together with loving-kindness. Because of being together with loving-kindness, there is no resentment, hatred, or jealousy. Their minds are vast, their aspirations are broad and boundless. Because of well cultivating loving-kindness, towards all sentient beings in the east, there is no resentment or hatred. The same is true in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, and above and below. In all worlds, one universally gives rise to a mind of loving-kindness. One should resolve to establish such a good mind and abide in goodness."

At that time, the World-Honored One took a small amount of soil from the ground and placed it on his fingernail, and asked the village headman who composed the treatise: "Which is more, the soil of the great earth or the soil on my fingernail?"

The village headman said: "The soil on the fingernail is extremely small and cannot be compared. The soil of the great earth is not comparable to even a hundredth, a thousandth, or a trillionth of the soil on the fingernail."

The Buddha told the village headman: "All the evil karma is like the soil on the fingernail. The soil of the great earth cannot be measured by calculation or analogy."

The village headman said: "It is so, it is so. The comparison of evil karma can be known like this. Such a small amount of karma cannot lead people to fall into evil paths, nor can it stay there, nor can it be counted. The merit obtained by practicing loving-kindness is like the soil of the great earth; the sin of killing is like the soil on the fingernail. The merit of compassion is like the soil of the great earth; the sin of stealing is like the soil on the fingernail. The merit of joy is like the soil of the great earth; the sin of sexual misconduct is like the soil on the fingernail. The merit of equanimity is like the soil of the great earth; the sin of false speech is like the soil on the fingernail."

When the Tathāgata was expounding the Dharma in this way, the village headman who composed the treatise heard the Buddha's words, and his mind was free from defilements, his Dharma-eye became pure, he attained the Dharma, realized the Dharma, saw the Dharma, understood the Dharma, reached the limit of the Dharma, transcended doubts, did not follow others' beliefs, and attained the state of having accomplished what was to be done. He then rose from his seat, arranged his robe, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! I have been liberated! I have been liberated! Now I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha. I become a lay devotee, and for as long as I live, my faith is pure." The village headman further said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! It is like someone who, for the sake of profit, engages in evil slander, and it becomes worse day by day. They lose their own wealth, let alone gain any profit. I am also like this. For the sake of profit, I associated with foolish and unwholesome Nirgranthas. I was deluded and associated with them, making offerings and showing respect. I did not gain any good benefits from them, but was led astray and was about to fall into hell. The World-Honored One has pulled me out and liberated me from the evil destinies. Now I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha again. For as long as I live, I become a lay devotee. I have abandoned all faith, affection, and respect for those foolish Nirgranthas. I now take refuge in the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha for a third time. For as long as I live, I become a lay devotee, and I will not give rise to disbelief."

At that time, the village headman who composed the treatise heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and left.

Agitation and dispute, taming horses and evil nature, topknot
and sage, royal hair and donkey surname, famine and
farming, what treatise is said to be the tenth?