Publisher's Synopsis
"The Sutra of the Causes and Conditions That Have Never Been Spoken Of" (Chinese Edition)
這部經佛陀親自定名為《未曾有說因緣經》。"未曾有"是空前殊勝的意思，佛在這部經中空前殊勝地以十六個字揭示了生死之間的一切因緣果報法 --
「知死有生，作善獲福，為惡受殃，修道得道。」
這十六字真言，為一切眾生初步奠定了正信之根。《華嚴經》上說"信是道元功德母"，"信"是最重要的"因"。一切善根由此而立；一切道行由此而起；一切功德由此而成。
著者：釋迦牟尼佛; 黃勝常
編者：東山講堂及美國地藏學會
The Buddha himself named this sutra: "The Sutra of the Causes and Conditions That Have Never Been Spoken Of". "Never" refers to unprecedented and remarkable. In this sutra, the Buddha unprecedentedly and remarkably revealed through "four verses"* the dharma of all cause-condition-consequence-retribution in and between lives and deaths:
"Realizing that there will be a new birth after death; Performing virtuous deeds will harvest blessings; Committing evil deeds will suffer misfortunes; Cultivating the [Buddha's] Path will obtain the Path."
This four-verse* dharani establishes the preliminary foundation of the root of correct faith for all sentient beings. In the "Flower Ornament Sutra" (Avataṃsaka Sutra), it says: "Faith is the origination of path and the mother of virtue". "Faith" is the most important "cause"-all virtuous roots are established from here; all cultivation of the path begins from here; all merits and virtues are realized from here.
This sutra has vivid stories of the past lives of the Buddha Sakyamuni as a hyena as well as King Ajita, Sariputra as Lord Sakra, Queen Mallika as Lady Tiwei and the five stone women as deceiving sramanas (monks). Also appearing in the sutra are the Buddha's mundane wife Yasodhara and son Rahula; his disciples Maudgalyayana and Ananda; and King Prasenajit and Prince Jeta who went to pay respects to the Buddha and thus encountered a rare chance to receive teachings directly from the Buddha himself.
*The Chinese translation is 16 characters in four verses.
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