Upholding the precepts is the foundation of being a human being. Anyone who observes the Five Precepts will abound in manifold merits and virtues. Anyone who breaks the precepts cannot escape the sanctions of the nether laws, which diminish one’s blessings and lifespan. If the transgressor is a Buddhist who ought to uphold the precepts, an additional offence of breaking precepts will be incurred, and all resultant bitter fruits must be endured by oneself in the future.
Another profound realization of this humble learner concerns the Buddha’s immense compassionate power. This supreme compassionate power can guide us suffering living beings to transcend suffering and attain bliss. We only need to dwell in gratitude, sincerely recite the Buddha’s name and repent our karmic obstructions. Through such practice, the dark karmic offences that would bring torment in the hells due to our past evil deeds can be eliminated.
All of us are ordinary beings, and naturally we have harbored erroneous thoughts and committed improper deeds in the past. As soon as we recognise our mistakes and inappropriate conduct, we ought to rectify them immediately, never repeating such wrongs. For the rest of our lives, we should earnestly uphold the pure precepts, practise good deeds, accumulate virtues, recite the Buddha’s name and release living beings until the end of our lifespan. Even if we fail to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, the Nether Sovereign Yama King will certainly mete out lenient judgment and pardon our karmic offences.
These are merely a few reflections of this humble learner Ayù, written down to share with all fellow practitioners.
Here I sincerely wish all sentient beings on Jambudvīpa may live pure lives, refrain from sexual misconduct throughout their lifetimes, cultivate the Dharma purely alongside their spouses, and be blessed with abundant virtuous affinities.
I also wish all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm of empty space can uphold and accomplish pure precepts, bring forth the great Bodhi mind, refrain from all evil, practise all good, diligently cultivate through Buddha-recitation, attain purity of body and mind, and achieve rebirth by transformation in a lotus flower.
Respectfully written by Shangguan Yuhua, the humble learner
1 / The Register of Life and Death
From what I witnessed, the Register of Life and Death is pale yellow, adorned with linear patterns on its cover, bearing three characters “Register of Life and Death”. It is bound in the ancient thread-bound book style.
The pale yellow volume records all fortunes and misfortunes experienced by souls during their mortal lives. The Magistrate also holds a dark red volume of the Register of Life and Death, which documents detailed information of souls within the netherworld. Its binding and styling are identical to the pale yellow one; only the color differs.