EmperorWu of Liang asked Zen Master Zhi Gong about cause and effect
Emperor Wu of Liang then asked, "What merits can monks and Taoists who don't observe the fasting and precepts gain from reciting Buddhist scriptures?"
Zhi Gong replied, "Monks and Taoists who don't observe the fasting and precepts, even if they recite Buddhist scriptures and worship Buddha, have no merit at all. How can they cultivate merit?!"
The Buddhist scriptures say: "To seek blessings, one must fast and observe abstinence. Fasting and observing the precepts are the way to seek blessings." In Buddhism, fasting and abstinence are the foundation. If you don't fast and abstain, where will blessings come from? The Mahayana Precepts Sutra states: "Those who eat the five pungent vegetables, drink alcohol, and eat meat will remain filthy and unclean for forty-nine days. Such a person would not even dare to ascend a Buddhist temple or pagoda, let alone worship the Buddha and recite sutras!" Furthermore, the Shurangama Sutra says: People who eat the five pungent vegetables will be kissed and licked by ghosts while they sleep at night. They will be exposed to the ghosts' foul air, which will cause their blessings and virtues to disappear day by day and their sins to increase. "Precepts and Preparation（《戒疏發引》" states: "If one holds a pot to encourage others to drink (wine) , they will be punished with loss of hands and feet for five hundred kalpas. How much less if one drinks (wine) alone? Alas, even monks and Taoists do not believe in fasting and observing precepts, so what merit can a donor create?"
Emperor Wu of Liang then asked, "Please tell me how much merit there is in reciting sutras."
Answer, "The Diamond Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, the Avalokitesvara Sutra, the Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra, and the Heart Sutra are priceless treasures contained in the Tripitaka. Anyone who recites sutras to pray for blessings and ward off disasters must do so with sincerity and earnestness, putting it into practice. Every thought and action must be free from evil, with sincerity, and repentance. If the host lacks faith, they should not entertain such thoughts. Monks and Taoists who do not observe fasts should also refrain from such greed.
Zhi Gong also said: "We Buddhists must not be lazy and idle, and must not indulge ourselves. Do not be greedy for sleep in the morning and evening. If you want to sleep, do not take off your clothes, so as to avoid making it inconvenient for "Buddha Precepts Guard God" to "getting up (leave the meditation seat)" .
a prominent Buddhist monk during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang in China.
He was renowned for his supernatural powers and untidy demeanor, sharing similarities with Fotu Cheng (佛圖澄), and was known for numerous miraculous deeds.
According to legend, Emperor Wu of Liang once asked Zhang Sengyou to paint his portrait, and Zhi Gong appeared as the "Eleven-faced Guanyin (Ekādaśamukha) (十一面觀音)", so he is also considered to be the incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Free English Dharma Books from Buddhist Text Translation Society
