Lecture on the Shurangama Sutra——40

–Volume8(Par4)

Author: Fafu

Translator : Gemini

Dear Dharma Friends,Welcome to this episode of the podcast provided by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.

Today, we will explore the profound law of cause and effect in the Dharma—the Ten Causes of Habit and the Six Intersecting Retributions. This is the core teaching of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, revealing the truth that sentient beings create boundless suffering by generating negative karma from their ingrained habits.

I. The Ten Causes of Habit:

The Buddha explicitly pointed out that Hells are not originally existent but are created by sentient beings who, due to “delusion and confusion”, perform actions that cultivate ten kinds of habits, ultimately forming various karmic powers, which in turn attract various retributions. These “Ten Causes of Habit” are the specific reasons for our sinking into the sea of suffering:

1. Habit of Lust (Fire of Desire): The habit of lust, like a raging fire starting, causes one to be self-immolated. The Buddha regards sexual misconduct as the “Fire of Desire.” Bodhisattvas see lust as avoiding a pit of fire. It is the fundamental cause of the continuity of birth and death, and the chief of all sins.
2. Habit of Greed (Water of Greed): The habit of greedy craving, like endless absorption, leads to accumulated cold and hardened ice, which cracks the flesh. The Buddha regards excessive craving as the “Water of Greed.” Bodhisattvas see greed as avoiding a sea of pestilence; it can make people die comfortably.
3. Habit of Arrogance (Drinking the Water of Delusion): The habit of arrogance, like incessantly flowing waves, accumulates into water. The Buddha regards arrogance as “Drinking the Water of Delusion”; the more sentient beings drink, the stupider they become. Bodhisattvas see arrogance as avoiding a great drowning. Humility is the conqueror’s best weapon; arrogance is the self-intoxication of the deluded.
4. Habit of Anger (Sharp Swords): The habit of anger, with aggressive surges, is as hard as metal. The Buddha regards anger as “Sharp Swords”; one’s whole body is blades, and whoever touches them is hurt. Bodhisattvas see anger as avoiding execution and slaughter. Anger is like a bomb that can destroy all merit. Only those who can endure humiliation are truly powerful people.
5. Habit of Deception (Slanderous Thief): The habit of cunning and deceitful trickery, which, through inducement, causes one to want to know more and more. The Buddha regards cunning deceit as a “Slanderous Thief”. Bodhisattvas see deceit as fearing jackals and wolves.
6. Habit of Delusion (Robbery and Murder): The habit of reckless deception, creating something out of nothing and ceaselessly falsely accusing, making the truth difficult to see. The Buddha regards deceitful delusion as “Robbery and Murder”. Bodhisattvas see deception as stepping on a poisonous snake; one can never reach the destination.
7. Habit of Resentment (Resentful Ghost of Harm): The habit of complaint and hatred, harboring malicious and sinister thoughts. The Buddha regards the enemy of resentment as a “Resentful Ghost of Harm”. Bodhisattvas see resentment as drinking poisoned wine.
8. Habit of Wrong Views (Pit of Views): The habit of various wrong views, being self-righteous, leading to outcomes contrary to one’s wishes. The Buddha regards evil views as the “Pit of Views”. Bodhisattvas see pervasive clinging to falsehood as entering a poisonous ravine. Right view is the fundamental basis of practice.
9. Habit of False Accusation (Slanderous Tiger): The habit of falsely accusing and slandering others, ceaselessly creating injustices. The Buddha regards false accusation as a “Slanderous Tiger”. Bodhisattvas see false accusation as being struck by a thunderbolt.
10. Habit of Concealment (Secret Thief): The habit of litigation and concealment, unwilling to let others know one’s faults, yet the truth becomes clear. The Buddha regards concealment as a “Secret Thief”. Bodhisattvas regard concealment as wearing a high mountain and walking on a giant sea. Your karmic power will press you into the deep sea. Our “Karma Mirror” records everything without omission.

II. The Six Intersecting Retributions:

All sentient beings create karma through the Six Consciousnesses, and the evil retributions incurred are experienced through the Six Sense Roots. More critically, when the evil karma created by one root manifests its retribution, all Six Roots will simultaneously and synchronously experience various painful retributions. This is known as the “Six Intersecting Retributions”. The suffering reaches its extreme; for instance, in Hell, one experiences ten thousand births and ten thousand deaths in one day and one night.

1. Retribution of Sight (Eye): The evil consequence caused by actions created through sight. At the end of life, one first sees raging fire covering the ten directions; the spirit falls into the fire, sinking straight into the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, one sees various evil objects and generates limitless fear, or sees absolute silence and generates limitless terror.
2. Retribution of Hearing (Ear): The evil consequence caused by actions created through hearing. At the end of life, one first sees waves and torrents submerging heaven and earth; the spirit descends and follows the stream, entering the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, one hears various clamors and becomes mentally disturbed, or hears absolute silence and the ethereal soul sinks.
3. Retribution of Smell (Nose): The evil consequence caused by actions created through smell. At the end of life, one first sees poisonous gas filling near and far; the spirit surges forth from the ground, entering the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, one is extremely smoked by foul odors and the mind is disturbed, or the breath is masked and blocked, causing one to faint on the ground.
4. Retribution of Taste (Tongue): The evil consequence caused by actions created through taste. At the end of life, one first sees a fierce, blazing iron net covering the world; the spirit descends and is caught in the net, head inverted, entering the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, inhaling causes cold ice to form and crack the flesh, or exhaling turns into fierce fire that scorches the bones and marrow.
5. Retribution of Touch (Body): The evil consequence caused by actions created through touch. At the end of life, one first sees great mountains converging from the four sides with no way out; the spirit is driven into a great iron city, heading toward the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, converging mountains crush the body, causing bones and flesh to rupture, or swords and knives touch the body, tearing apart the heart and liver.
6. Retribution of Thought (Mind): The evil consequence caused by actions created through thought. At the end of life, one first sees evil wind destroying the land; the spirit is blown into the sky, whirls and falls on the wind, sinking into the Uninterrupted Hell. Or, extreme delusion causes one to be frantic and run ceaselessly, or realization brings suffering, boundless torment, and pain that is hard to endure.

III. Conclusion

These phenomena of Hell retribution are not originally existent but are created by our own “delusive thoughts”and actions. When the evil karma of sentient beings is “fully completed”, they will enter the Avīci Hell, enduring immeasurable suffering for immeasurable eons. If the Six Roots “each create” different karma, one enters the Eight Uninterrupted Hells. If the Three Deeds of body, mouth, and mind “do not act concurrently,” such as solely killing or solely stealing, one enters the Thirty-Six Hells. If “one root commits one type of karma alone”, one enters the One Hundred and Eight Hells.

Thank you for listening!