Homage to the Three Jewels.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavān was dwelling at the Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha, together with a large saṅgha of one thousand two hundred and fifty monks who surrounded and honored him as he taught the Dharma. He expounded that which is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, excellent in meaning, excellent in words, unique, perfect, completely pure, thoroughly refined, and concerns pure conduct.

At that time, the layman Nandika and a retinue of five hundred lay practitioners departed from the great city of Rājagṛha, and went to where the Bhagavān was. He bowed his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān three times, and sat down to one side. Then, those five hundred lay practitioners also bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet and sat down to one side. Then the layman Nandika asked the Bhagavān, “What sort of ripening will arise for those who violate the five basic precepts of a lay practitioner as prescribed by the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha who knows and sees?”

The Bhagavān answered the layman Nandika, “Nandika, it is excellent that you have thought to ask the Tathāgata about this matter. Your intellect is vast, your consideration is fine, and your eloquence is excellent. Therefore, Nandika, I shall teach the Dharma discourse called The Ten Negative Consequences. Listen well and duly and take it to heart! I shall explain it to you.”

“Excellent, Bhagavān,” said the layman Nandika, and he listened to the Bhagavān.

The Bhagavān said, “Nandika, these ten negative consequences of killing should be known. What are the ten? They are as follows: (1) in this life one will beget hostility and also in other lives one will continue to experience hostility; (2) one will not be trusted by many beings; (3) one will have nightmares; (4) one will experience fear and others will be fearful of you; (5) even after going to sleep comfortably, one will wake up in distress; (6) one will think of evil things; (7) one will be confused at the time of death; (8) since one will commit and accumulate deeds leading to a short life, (9) after the dissolution of the body and death, one will fall into the lower realms, the bad destinations, and be reborn in the hells; (10) even if, after dying and transmigrating from there, one is born in this world as a human, no matter where one is born, one will have a short life and also many illnesses. Nandika, these ten negative consequences of killing should be known.

“Nandika, these ten negative consequences of taking what is not given should be known. What are the ten? (1) One will incur great hostility; (2) one will be highly anxious; (3) one will act at the wrong time, one will act late in the day; (4) one will be surrounded by non-virtuous friends; (5) one will be abandoned by virtuous friends; (6) one will have faulty discipline; (7) one will be troubled by kings, by thieves, and by punishments; (8) since one will commit and accumulate deeds leading to the loss of wealth, (9) after the dissolution of the body and death, one will fall into the lower realms, the bad destinations, and be reborn in the hells; (10) even if, after dying and transmigrating from there, one is born in this world as a human, no matter where one is born, one will be poor. The wealth one has obtained, acquired with great effort, by the sweat of one’s brow, through the strength of one’s arms and legs, will be threatened by the five troubles. What are the five? One’s property will be laid waste by kings, fire, water, disgruntled heirs, and secrets. Nandika, these ten negative consequences of taking what is not given should be known.

“Nandika, these ten negative consequences of sexual misconduct should be known. What are the ten? (1) One will experience the hostility of those whose spouses one has led astray; (2) one will quarrel with one’s spouse; (3) one’s non-virtuous qualities will increase and one’s virtuous qualities will decrease; (4) one will have no peace; (5) one’s son and wife will be unprotected; (6) one’s wealth will be unguarded and unprotected, one’s house will be unguarded and unprotected, and one’s life will be unguarded and unprotected; (7) one will not be trusted by one’s friends, relatives, kinsmen, and ministers; (8) since one will commit and accumulate deeds leading to rivalry, (9) after the dissolution of the body and death, one will fall into the lower realms, the bad destinations, and be reborn in the hells; (10) even if, after dying and transmigrating from there, one is born in this world as a human and becomes a woman, she will have a husband who has rival women, and if one becomes a man, he will not be able to protect his son and wife. Nandika, these ten negative consequences of sexual misconduct should be known.

“Nandika, these ten negative consequences of telling lies should be known. What are the ten? (1) One’s mouth will be foul-smelling; (2) one will be abandoned by the protective deities of the body and will become vulnerable to non-humans; (3) even when one speaks the truth, one’s words will be distrusted; (4) even when one’s assistance is needed, the learned will not think of asking; (5) untrue calumnies about oneself will spread; (6) one will be unworthy of respect; (7) one will experience suffering and sadness; (8) since one will commit and accumulate deeds leading to many false accusations, (9) after the dissolution of the body and death, one will fall into the lower realms, the bad destinations, and be reborn in the hells; (10) even if, after transmigrating from there, one is born in this world as a human, no matter where one is born, one will face many false accusations. Nandika, these ten negative consequences of telling lies should be known.

“Nandika, these thirty-five negative consequences of drinking spirituous liquors and intoxicants, which are the cause of heedlessness, should be known. What are these thirty-five? (1) In this life one’s wealth will be depleted; (2) illnesses will increase; (3) quarrels and disputes will arise; (4) one will pay attention to that which is meaningless; (5) bad reputation will arise; (6) wisdom will weaken; (7) wealth will not be obtained, and whatever wealth has already been obtained will diminish and come to an end; (8) one will be unable to keep secrets; (9) one’s efficiency will wane; (10) one’s strength will be diminished; (11) one will neglect one’s mother; (12) one will neglect one’s father; (13) one will neglect śramaṇas; (14) one will neglect brahmins; (15) one will not honor the head of the family; (16) one will disrespect the Buddha; (17) one will disrespect the Dharma; (18) one will disrespect the Saṅgha; (19) one will disrespect engagement in the trainings and have faulty discipline; (20) the sense doors will be unguarded; (21) one will become extremely heedless toward women; (22) one will be rejected by relatives, kinsmen, friends, and ministers; (23) one will be considered unattractive by many people; (24) one will become unpleasant to many people; (25) one’s actions will be at odds with Dharma; (26) one will uphold that which is not Dharma; (27) one will abandon the true Dharma; (28) one will abandon modesty and decency; (29) even when enemies are present, the learned will not think of asking one for assistance; (30) one will act heedlessly and with negligence; (31) one will not abide by the teaching of the Tathāgata; (32) one will be far from nirvāṇa; (33) since one will commit and accumulate deeds leading to insanity, (34) after the dissolution of the body and death, one will fall into the lower realms, the bad destinations, and be reborn in the hells; (35) even if, after dying and transmigrating from there, one is born in this world as a human, no matter where one is born, one will be mad and have a blurry memory. Nandika, these thirty-five negative consequences of spirituous liquors and intoxicants, which are the cause of heedlessness, should be known.”

Thus spoke the Bhagavān. After the Sugata had spoken thus, the Teacher added:

“Being beneficial and compassionate to sentient beings, One must abandon killing, beating, and binding. In the same way that you protect your own beloved life, Protect the lives of others too!

“Others have accumulated their wealth with great difficulty, So one should not even think about that which is not given. Having experienced separation from what one loves in the world, Just so, one should be steady for the benefit of others.

“One should avoid others’ adorned spouses Like a burning flame. One should be content with the spouse one has found, And not engage, out of lust, in that which is like poison.

“One should not knowingly speak falsehood, Neither for the sake of oneself nor for the sake of others. Neither hurting nor troubling others, And having pondered, one should speak with gentle words.

“A person who is fond of drinking alcohol cannot bring about their own benefit or others’ happiness. Spirits cause bewilderment and a bad complexion— One should not drink that which is like halāhala poison.

“If one wishes to enter the higher realms as easily as entering a house, One must not kill living beings, nor steal the property of others, Nor tell lies, nor drink alcohol, Nor seek, even in thought, the spouse of another.

“These are the precepts of householders Who wear white clothes and dwell at home. Beyond this, there is the teaching about the basic precepts, Taught by the Victorious One for renunciates.”

The layman Nandika, having heard this teaching in the presence of the Bhagavān, was pleased, delighted, overjoyed, glad, full of happiness and cheerfulness of mind. He rose from his seat, bowed his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, and circumambulated the Bhagavān three times. Delighted, he rejoiced at what the Bhagavān had said and departed.

When the Bhagavān had spoken thus, the monks rejoiced and praised his words.

Translated by the Indian preceptor Śākyasiṃha and the translator Bandé Jingyi Nyingpo, and edited and finalized by the chief editor and translator Bandé Devacandra.