佛說興起行經序
Preface to the Sutra on the Causes and Conditions of Actions
所謂崑崙山者，則閻浮利地之中心也。山皆寶石，周匝有五百窟，窟皆黃金，常五百羅漢居之。阿耨大泉，外周圍山，山內平地，泉處其中。泉岸皆黃金，以四獸頭，出水其口。各遶一匝已，還復其方，出投四海。象口所出者，則黃河是也。其泉方各二十五由延，深三厥劣——一厥劣者，七里也。泉中有金臺，臺方一由延，臺上有金蓮華，以七寶為莖。如來將五百羅漢，常以月十五日，於中說戒。因舍利弗問佛十事宿緣，後以十五日時，將本弟子說訖乃止，如是至九。往所以十問而九答者，以木槍之對，人間償之，欲示人宿緣不可逃避故也。又阿耨泉中，非有漏、礙形所可周旋，唯有阿難為如來所接也。所以慇懃告舍利弗者，欲化諸龍故也。
The so-called Mount Kunlun is the very center of the Jambudvipa continent. The mountain is entirely made of precious stones, surrounded by five hundred caves, each of which is made of gold, and is always inhabited by five hundred Arhats. The Anavatapta Lake lies within the surrounding mountains, in the midst of a flat plain. Its shores are all of gold, and from the mouths of four animal heads, water flows forth. Each stream circles once around before returning to its original direction and flowing out into the four seas. The water flowing from the elephant's mouth is none other than the Yellow River. The lake measures twenty-five yojanas on each side and is three krosa deep—one krosa being equivalent to seven li. In the middle of the lake stands a golden platform, one yojana square, upon which grows a golden lotus with a stem made of the seven treasures. On the fifteenth day of each month, the Tathagata, accompanied by five hundred Arhats, often gathers there to recite the precepts. It was there that Shariputra asked the Buddha about ten matters of past karma, and later, on the fifteenth day, the Buddha, together with his original disciples, explained them until the matter was concluded, repeating this nine times. The reason why there were ten questions but only nine answers was because of the matter of the wooden spear—a debt to be repaid in the human realm—intended to show that past karma cannot be escaped. Moreover, within the Anavatapta Lake, no being burdened with defilements or physical obstructions can move about freely; only Ananda was received there by the Tathagata. The reason the Buddha earnestly instructed Shariputra was to guide and transform the nagas.
佛說興起行經卷上(一名嚴誡宿緣經，出雜藏)
Buddha Speaks the Scripture of Causes and Conditions(Also known as the Sutra of Admonitions on Past Conditions, excerpted from the Miscellaneous Collection)
後漢外國三藏康孟詳譯
Later Han Dynasty Translation by Foreign Tripitaka Master Kang Mengxiang
聞如是：一時， 佛在摩竭國。
普為眾生故， 止於竹園中。
佛語諸比丘， 及神足羅漢：
「各齎所乞食， 共至阿耨泉。」
路由五姓國， 將諸比丘眾，
於中共乞食。 比丘五百人，
以神足飛下， 比丘僧圍遶，
到阿耨大泉， 世尊坐其中。
世尊食已訖， 諸比丘故食。
當於飯食時， 地為大震動。
比丘問世尊： 「此地何為動？」
世尊便為說， 愍此眾生動：
「地獄有罪人， 極行眾逆惡，
鬼神有千人， 斫其兩大肋，
須臾不休息， 斧斤皆燒赤，
斫滿正千歲， 力極乃得斷。」
問：「作何等罪， 乃致此苦痛？
此肋大爾許， 使地為震動？」
「此本世間人， 恒喜婬他妻，
坐貪色欲故， 又殺清信士。
以是宿緣故， 致得此大身，
鬼神有千人， 恒斫此兩肋。」
世尊說如是， 佛問諸四道：
「汝等作何緣？ 各各可自說。」
神通大弟子， 能繼轉法輪，
智慧舍利弗， 起問於世尊：
「世尊無雙比， 無事不見聞。
世尊先自說， 宿世諸因緣。
孫陀生惡謗， 望得其敬事，
無故誹謗尊， 此是何因緣？
坐奢彌跋提， 此五百比丘，
無故相誹謗， 此是何因緣？
何為得頭痛？ 誅殺五親時，
諸節皆疼痛； 及患脊背強；
剛木槍刺脚； 調達崖石擲，
垖破脚拇指； 此是何因緣？
多舌童女人， 帶杅起其腹，
無故來相謗， 在於大眾中；
又在毘蘭邑， 三月食馬麥，
國師梵志請， 此是何因緣？
在於欝祕地， 苦行足六年，
斷息禪羸瘦， 此是何因緣？」
世尊為演說： 「舍利弗諦聽。
今當盡為說， 先世所行緣。」
This is what I heard: At one time, the Buddha was in the land of Magadha.
For the sake of all beings, he dwelled in the Bamboo Grove.
The Buddha addressed the bhikkhus and the Arhats with spiritual powers:
"Each of you, take the food you have received as alms, and let us all go to the Anu Spring."
Their route passed through the country of the Five Clans, and with the assembly of bhikkhus, they went there to seek alms.
There were five hundred bhikkhus, who descended by their spiritual powers. Surrounded by the Sangha, they arrived at the great Anu Spring, where the World-Honored One took his seat.
After the World-Honored One had finished his meal, the bhikkhus continued eating.
During that very meal, the earth shook violently.
The bhikkhus asked the World-Honored One, "Why is the earth shaking?"
The World-Honored One then explained, moved by compassion for these beings:
"In the hells, there is a sinner who committed extreme and numerous evil deeds. A thousand ghostly spirits are chopping at his two great ribs. Without a moment's rest, their axes are all red-hot. They will chop for a full thousand years, and only when their strength is exhausted will the ribs break."
They asked, "What crime did he commit to bring about such suffering? Are his ribs so immense that they cause the earth to shake?"
"This person was once a man in the world who constantly took pleasure in adultery with others' wives. Due to his greed for sensual desire, he also killed a devout layman. Because of these past causes, he obtained this massive body, and a thousand ghostly spirits constantly chop these two ribs."
The World-Honored One spoke thus, and the Buddha then asked the fourfold assembly:
"What are your own causes? Each of you may speak."
The great disciple with spiritual powers, capable of turning the Wheel of Dharma, the wise Shariputra, rose and asked the World-Honored One:
"World-Honored One, you are matchless; there is nothing you have not seen or heard. You have previously spoken of your own past causes and conditions.
Sundari maliciously slandered you, hoping to gain respect. She slandered the Honored One without cause—what was the cause for this?
Because of Shyamavati, these five hundred bhikkhus were slandered without cause—what was the cause for this?
Why did you suffer a headache? When the kinsmen were killed, why did all your joints ache? And why did you suffer from a stiff back?
Why was your foot pierced by a hard wooden spear? Why did Devadatta hurl a rock from a cliff, crushing your big toe? What were the causes for these?
Why did the sharp-tongued young woman strap a pot to her belly and come to slander you without cause in the midst of the great assembly?
Also, in Virañja, why did you eat horse barley for three months? And why did the royal teacher, the Brahmin, make an offering? What were the causes for these?
In Uruvilva, why did you practice austerities for six full years, ceasing your breath in meditation until you became emaciated? What was the cause for this?"
The World-Honored One began to explain: "Shariputra, listen attentively. I will now fully explain the past actions that were the causes."