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 20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九)

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20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九) Empty
發表主題: 20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九)   20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九) Empty周日 7月 14, 2019 8:25 pm

20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九)

⊙隨喜善法,自他同行,明從傍隨喜,獲福果;不逆他善,隨順他行,如實修行,內因外緣,自滋法髓,助他慧命。

【證嚴上人開示】
隨喜善法,自他同行,明從傍隨喜,獲福果;不逆他善,隨順他行,如實修行,內因外緣,自滋法髓,助他慧命。

隨喜善法
自他同行
明從傍隨喜
獲福果
不逆他善
隨順他行
如實修行
內因外緣
自滋法髓
助他慧命

各位菩薩,用心。用心聞法,如是聞而如實收穫,請大家要用心!「隨喜善法,自他同行,明從傍隨喜,獲福果」,我們用心體會它。這段這麼長的時間,不就是一直在說隨喜功德?雖然〈隨喜功德品〉,已經告一段落了,延續下來的,也沒有離開了告訴大家隨喜。隨喜是一個美德,我們真的要培養出隨喜這念心;隨喜,我們的心才會開闊。我們自己對法生起了歡喜心,對法歡喜,應該我們要依教奉行,所以我們自己自受持法。受持法就是要入我們的心,我們要來應用法,用在我們的身上,是要如何恆持過來?所以發心立願,自己好好修行,也得要成就他人,這才是佛陀的盼望,也才是佛陀一大事來人間教菩薩法。

菩薩就是要救度眾生,眾生有心靈的苦,有外在種種的苦,這些苦就是因為,造業因緣集過來。度眾生就是應眾生內外之苦,要去為他們解除,這樣才需要我們入人群;入人群,語言就是最好度眾的工具,該說的話就是要說。我們想要幫助人的事情,我們要很誠心誠意,不是我知道就好,我也得要知道,讓更多人來合同。這麼多人,我們若沒有讓他們很清楚,他們心哪能夠感動呢?沒有感動的心,他們哪能夠行動呢?有行動沒有感情不是菩薩,菩薩叫做「覺有情」。

所以我們入人群,度化眾生成菩薩,就是一個一個發心,一個一個願意付出,這從我們發心立願的第一個,就要開始。就像我們一個團體,什麼人在帶這個團體,這個人叫做第一個。這個人若沒將這些法入心,沒有將救苦救難的事情,放在心中,這就是再如何都沒辦法,將人的力量會合。因為菩薩沒學法,哪有法得以度眾生呢?所以我們要很用心。既發心,我們一定要培養著隨喜心;這些事情要讓很多人,來起這分歡喜心、同情心,能夠投入去輔導眾生的心,這樣我們法在人間才有用。

從這個第一人帶一個團,這個團一直延續五十人,五十人跟前面那個人,心都能夠合起來,就是要有這樣,人人都能夠做那個第一個人,能夠帶這五十個群,這樣的佛法才會普遍,要不然佛法無法度入眾生群中。所以我們要培養,「隨喜善法,自他同行」,我們自己做,也得要度他人與我們共同做,這叫做「自他同行」。「自覺覺他,覺行圓滿」,這才叫做菩薩。我們現在起地凡夫──開始才出來而已,我們就是學在這個範圍內;「隨喜善法,自他同行」。這句話要用心。

接下來還有,「明從傍隨喜,獲福果」。甚至我們還要很清楚,除了我們自己帶的團隊,我們要再讚歎其他的人帶隊;其他的人帶隊不會帶,我要教他:「你應該這樣、這樣帶,你這個團隊才會齊。」這種不是我自己,旁邊的人,我也同樣,同樣「從傍隨喜」。不是只有我自己修,我要隔壁這個人,你也要這樣修、你也要這樣帶,這樣大家才有心得。「福果」就是心得。我們自己有感覺到了,歡喜了,當下即是福。若是帶人不歡喜,你再如何辛苦都沒有功德,因為沒有得到感覺;沒有得到感覺就是沒有法喜,這樣這個法就是沒有入心。希望我們清楚、詳細來了解。

「不逆他善,隨順他行」。凡是善的,他是做善事,我們應該要共同合起來,隨一個方向去走,這「不逆」。不逆就是隨順的意思,「不逆他善,隨順他行」,這不是我已經會帶人了,我就唯我獨尊,一直,自己的方法就一直去。若這樣大家都唯我獨尊,你們想,佛陀人間的法要如何傳?要如何將法傳入人間?所以人人必定要有這種,修法要得法喜。人,我們要彼此互相關懷,與人會合起來,「不逆他善,隨順他行」。最開始帶頭的人,他領導眾生是這樣走。

所以我們「三皈依」,皈依僧,我們要懂得統理大眾。統理大眾是要如何統理?就是將心會合。佛法的方向,我們要正確向前走,人人能夠帶眾,但是人人要有一個方向,同樣的道理。「體解大道,發無上心」、「深入經藏,智慧如海」、「統理大眾,一切無礙」。彼此若有障礙,這已經分心出去了,分心就會彼此障礙,所以大家要很謹慎。我們要「如實修行,內因外緣」,既然發心要「如實修行」,發真實心,誠、正、信、實,這才有辦法信、願、行。「內因」就是,憑我們自己長久的發願,這個因緣成熟,外面接觸到佛法,接觸到人生、眾生苦,內外會合了,這個因緣是很重要。儘管你發心,外面若沒有這個因緣,你也沒有機會可做,所以我們要「如實修行,內因外緣」,我們要顧好。

我們要「自滋法髓,助他慧命」,自己要滋長,滋養出了法的精髓出來。我們儘管與佛同等真如本性,但是沒有珍惜,煩惱不斷累積,真如不斷用煩惱來將它覆蓋。我們現在已經有內因了,能夠接觸到佛法,能夠有這樣的因緣,我們若不懂得好好把握,借這個因緣來滋養我們的慧命,我們是空過。因為外面的境界,會合著我們的慧命,這叫做滋潤,這樣是法髓;法髓要借著外面的因緣,來讓我們的慧命成長。

如同一個不能自己造血的人,就是藉著配對尋尋覓覓,幾十萬人當中才能夠配對到,與我們相會合的這個髓緣,來增長我們。我們不知道到底幾生世,失去了我們的慧命滋養,就是像一個病人,失去了造血的功能,生生世世都是凡夫,不斷就是讓我們,失慧命的煩惱無明。得到這個病,現在這樣為大家譬喻,我們凡夫豈不就是失去了,如同一個病人,失去造血的功能呢?很不容易,多久多久的人間生命才能夠再遇到菩薩行啊!

這個因緣,讓我們有機會看到眾生苦,讓我們有機會以眾生為道場,這就是借他慧命,也是「助他慧命」。不論是借來的,我們是一位,缺造血(功能)的病人,我們尋覓到了、找到了,我們接受了,接受來滋養我們的生命。而滋養慧命,這叫做法髓。我們有健康的法髓了,我們能夠再幫助別人,也要去找,找到配對相合,同樣他也能夠增長慧命。與這個道理同樣,自得、助他得,這就是我們所說的「隨喜善法」的功德,「自他同行」的意思。

凡夫,真的是歷劫以來,我們就像那個已經失去那個造血功能的人,我們是累生世這樣一直消失掉,這個真如本性一直被覆蓋掉了。很不簡單今生此世得到了,我們若不懂得把握來滋養慧命,那真的是很可惜。所以需要「如實修行,內因外緣,自滋法髓,助他慧命」。請大家這段文要去用心,好好去研究到底為什麼呢?這個法是在說什麼?用這樣來譬喻,大家有沒有聽懂?這就是要如何會事合理,大家用心。我們已經開始要準備入,〈法師功德品〉了,因為這是本文,本文是一定要會合佛性,每一個法就是要會合在真如。所以這是本門的道理,看起來很淺,但是要了解起來很深,就像在這個法,總是要有這樣的因緣。看看,在「薰法香」,大家在聽法,認真聽就有用途,沒有認真聽是「無法度」。

那遙遠的地方,地球的半邊那一邊──非洲,菩薩從美國、從臺灣會合起來,到非洲去,他們去那個地方,就是非洲有無數無數苦難人,需要菩薩救度,菩薩一定要有法才能夠度。菩薩的因緣來自一九九四年,那年我們臺灣,整理很多的二手衣,就是舊衣,將它整理好了送到非洲去。慈濟人就是在那個地方,接觸了這個因緣,開始在那裡發放舊衣,但是他們很歡喜,心很有所得。

所以那個期間開始,慈濟人落實在本土,在那個地方就開始,一直將法延生下來,一直就是沒有間歇。有一位周居士,周憲斌居士,他很精進、很資深,就是從那時一直延續關懷非洲。這次聽經,他深深體會到,師父真的是拚命在為眾生,要將《法華經》說到完。他深體師意,開始發心了,就是要將法遍布在非洲。他一直有這樣的心願,如何去找因緣來成就這項事情?他有一位就是太太的妹婿(林青嶔),與他是姻親,他想到他在馬拉威。馬拉威也是一個,非洲最最苦難、貧困的地方,所以他就這樣二千四百公里,遙遠哦!他迢迢去那個地方,去引度這個妹婿。這個妹婿林居士,他在那個當地有因緣,所以開始這樣會合起來,一直為馬拉威,要如何了解他們?要如何幫助他們?

有一次德本,與約堡慈濟人會合起來,在那裡在辦培訓生活營(2017年)。這個培訓生活營結束了,慈濟人在車站遇到一位年輕人,是馬拉威當地的年輕人。我們的慈濟人無人不度,就是去問他:「你從哪裡來?」等等。他就說:「我是從馬拉威來,我來這裡出差,我將要回去。」就開始告訴他慈濟……,等等,將慈濟所有的法,就是在車裡一直告訴他,說慈濟人、慈濟事、慈濟的法。這位馬拉威的年輕人(麥克),他就很歡喜,他就說:「若像這樣的團體,我很願意投入,我很願意為貧困的人去付出。」就這樣約定了。

開雖然離開那麼遠,不斷不斷在書信來往,彼此訊息,現在的資訊很發達,彼此訊息就一直通。知道慈濟是這樣,所以他投入了,慢慢投入來了解。他就是在精進的時候,他更了解。回去了,從這樣為他們的地方,他的兄弟、地方,說出了這件事情。他的哥哥(查理)聽了之後,也覺得這是很好的事情,兄弟同心志,願意為當地困難的人付出。所以因為這樣,潘明水居士再到南非去之時,就給他們這個消息,給他們這麼多的資料。所以,就大家準備了,當地很資深的慈濟人,等於是第一代的慈濟人,總共十幾個人到馬拉威,他們二千四百公里的路,這樣去了。

看到,「哦!這個國家,苦難的人為何這麼苦?」連他們本地人,第一代的志工都不敢相信。雖然他們在南非,雖然他們看過很多的苦難人,但是不曾看到,馬拉威那個苦難的苦。可見他們這樣的形容,我們就能夠知道到底多苦呢?所以他們開始發心,要如何幫助呢?勘查,去勘察了,發現到這麼可憐,到底要如何幫助起?看看第一個個案,一個老奶奶已經上年齡的,一個很可憐的老婆婆。這個老婆婆她有兩個兒子,一個兒子已經到他鄉外里去了,另外一個兒子是,有時候精神病會發作。什麼時候會發作呢?喝酒就發作,精神病。

她住的那間房子,進去看,根本沒有門,門都被封死了。他們在那個地方,要了解這位婆婆的家庭很困難,後來引導他進去這間房子裡面,一無所有,髒亂、沒有東西。在這間房子根本于像房子,雖然有磚塊疊起來,但是,就是通透的,所以這是搖搖欲墜的一間,很破爛,無法形容。連南非本地人都會覺得:為何這麼苦?為何這麼貧?不捨,要怎麼辦?

開始就做,趕快替婆婆將這間房子整修起來。他們就在那個地方開始張羅,土啊、水泥啊,自己動手,趕快引領他們當地人。而當地人也很特殊,人人都很貧困,但是不計較,能夠共同會合來做好事,他們歡喜。所以,貧人幫助貧人,付出力量,大家歡喜。所以慈濟人在那裡,買水泥混和土,那就是大家動員起來,幫這位婆婆,用他們的土法,水泥混和土塗牆壁,雖然是很粗糙,但是像一個家了。這大家看到,大家歡喜,尤其是這兩個兄弟,麥克與查理這兩個兄弟很歡喜,開始慈濟就帶一些當地志工,在這裡發心立願,人人要做好事。

第二次慈濟人再來了,準備一些要如何發放的東西。帶著這些東西過去也是很辛苦,因為他們每次要過關,就要經過了檢驗,很多的檢驗,人的人體要檢驗,物資也要檢驗。因為那個地方很多的傳染病,外地的人要進來,就是要先打預防針,就要示出這樣的證明,才可以進去,何況這一次又帶著東西進去,真的是很辛苦。這一次進去,除了要再勘察,要再去發放,這樣的準備,重重重重的辛苦。看到是「怵目動心」,不是驚心,是動心,感動。

開始去,那些人,愈來看到慈濟人就愈友善,第一次、第二次大家看到有東西來,以為人人有份,他們也趕快要來排隊。但是看到這麼多人,他們就再告訴他們:「東西有限,你們是不是能夠再讓給更可憐的人?身體較不好的人,有孩子比較需要的人,你們是不是能夠讓給他們呢?」他們很快就了解道理,自己就會這樣紛紛退讓出去,這是很不簡單。第一次我看到這樣的情形,剩下來的幾位,才有辦法領到我們帶去的東西。而那些沒有東西可拿的人,也很歡喜,看到人家拿到東西很歡喜,願意,他們要做這種,能夠幫助人的人,才是真歡喜、有所得。我覺得他們那裡的人很有智慧。要當志工,就給你們這件背心穿,大家拿到那件背心,志工的背心,那種的歡喜無法形容。

其中有一位酋長,開始來的時候,他很不相信。「你們這是在做什麼?」潘居士就慢慢地引導他,說出了慈濟,「來,你們可以為我們帶路,去看苦難人。」他用高姿態,「好,你們若要看苦難人,我陪你們去。」翻越過了一個小山丘,那邊更加苦,確實更加苦,苦得無法可形容。慈濟人就是憑著他們,那種虔誠、愛的態度,去接近那些苦難人之時,那種彎下腰來,不怕他臭,不怕他骯髒,這樣在膚慰著。人坐在地上,慈濟人也與他們一樣,哪怕是華人、慈濟人,也是與他們都一樣,這位酋長他感動了。潘明水說:「就像這樣,你有想要做嗎?」他開始點頭。「來,要做也同樣蹲下來,與我們一樣來關心他,來說話,來。」真的與慈濟人一樣放下身段,坐在地上與他們說話了。之後,潘居士就說:「這樣你要加入志工的隊伍嗎?」很歡喜。

他要穿那件志工背心,他一接到了,志工背心不是有一個鈕扣嗎?這還未打開,他這樣接到這個東西,歡喜得不會打開,那件背心的鈕扣,這樣就要將它穿上去了。潘明水才為他解開那個鈕扣,開始為他穿上這件志工背心,開始降伏了那個驕傲的心,與慈濟人一樣開始去做慈濟事。這就是愛能夠降伏,善能夠彼此同行,這種「如實修行,內外因緣」,這就是了。但是要有需要開始初發心,他,周居士,他體會到師父是在拖命,想要完成這個法,為了要讓人人能夠了解。在遙遠的地方,半個地球的那一邊,他們願意這樣做。發心有想傳法,就有人會跟,有人會到達,不論它多遠的路,二千四百公里,來回這樣願意付出。你們想,這豈不就是聞法、傳法呢?豈不就是隨喜功德?

在自己的地方,德本到約堡就有幾百公里的路,他們常常來來回回在那裡集合,在那裡已經培養出當地的志工。慈濟會跨越了國際,已經引導七個國家,現在已經第八個國家。這個地方已經是很貧困,他們也將法引入這個地方去了。我們相信對這個地方,我們若再去了解它,在這裡要去廣度眾生,有愛心到達,就有物資幫助的地方,有物資到達、有精神理念支援那個地方,那塊土地,自然就能夠撒下那顆種子。所以菩薩,人人就是菩薩,我們應該要很用心,將我們這法,已經在〈隨喜功德品〉,要如何將這個法聽了之後,「隨喜」這兩字,要如何去隨喜?什麼叫做功德?光是一個隨喜就有功德嗎?你沒有去用功,你自己的內心不修、外不行,這樣有功德嗎?光是聽就能夠得嗎?不是這樣。一定聽了之後要自受持,自受持之後要再傳;傳了之後要再隨喜,要從第一位一直到第五十位。

這不是僅僅說,「我告訴你、你告訴他」這樣的五十位,不是。這就是發心,你將他顧到讓他有辦法發心。就像我們的委員,發揮了委員的功能,說給會員聽,會員發心願意來當委員;受證之後,又能夠去召集會員,是這樣一群帶過一群,一代傳過一代啊!這才是真的叫做「隨喜功德」。慈濟在幾十年來有辦法這樣,四大志業在臺灣完成,又能夠跨國,九十幾個國家去救災,五十幾個國家,經營、播種、落實種子。能夠這樣,若不是有資深,第一、二、三人開始,由他們每一個人就是第一個人,去這樣陣陣、群群,這樣不斷不斷去傳、去號召,去人人點點滴滴去會集,我們哪有辦法去做這麼多事情?

所以資深菩薩人人都是五十人,人人,他所度化的是無數人,甚至就地耕作,播善種子,播多少了呢?看看,南非從一九九四年,幾個貨櫃的舊衣送去,他們接觸到這些東西,開始發心發放。面對著那麼的多,需要舊衣的貧困的人,他們就開始,一接觸到就抱著不忍之心,開始自動投入,組成了這個志工的團隊。大家有志一同,就慈濟這個模型開始一直展開了,與臺灣慈濟人,不斷很密切的互動,從這樣,臺灣幫助在南非,南非開始經營到國外,這樣延續非洲八個國家了。

各位,這就是叫做隨喜功德,這樣一直延生出去,這才是真正我們聽經的目的。所以要好好很用心,用心在「隨喜善法,自他同行」,很重要,大家記入心。「明從旁隨喜,獲福果」,你若沒有從旁邊延生出去,讓人人有那個因緣聽到,有那個因緣互相勉勵來完成,這沒有從旁邊這樣延生,你只是直的,不夠,還是要寬的走。所以,不論從深的、從橫的,全都要有人人彼此。但是我們要有一個規則,一定要順這個規矩,「不逆他善」,「隨順他行」。如果沒有,哪裡有今天這樣呢?這個大團體在這個地方,能夠做到地球上多少國家,要走過一半的地球的國家了,所以我們應該要遵守這個規則。所以,「如實修行」,內外因緣,我們就要好好把握,才有辦法「自滋法髓,助他慧命」。

希望今天這一個大綱,你們是不是很用心去想想看,若沒有好好用心,聽法等於是浪費時間。我們時間已經很緊逼,來不及了,我也是拖命說,大家也得要利用生命,好好地聽法,所以人人要時時多用心!


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Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Share in the Joy of the Virtuous Dharma Together (隨喜善法 自他同行)
Date: July.15.2019

“We must share in the joy of the virtuous Dharma and practice both on our own and with others. This explains how we attain blessed fruits by rejoicing alongside others. We must not go against others’ good deeds, but rather follow along with their actions. We must sincerely engage in spiritual practice and cultivate inner causes and external conditions, nourish our own Dharma-marrow and help others grow their wisdom-life.”

Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be mindful. We must mindfully listen to the Dharma. We must listen in this way and sincerely receive the benefits. Everyone, please be mindful! “We must share in the joy of the virtuous Dharma and practice both on our own and with others. This explains how we attain blessed fruits by rejoicing alongside others.” We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. Haven’t we spent a long time continuously talking about sharing in the joy of merits and virtues?

Although the Chapter on the Merits and Virtues of Joy has already come to an end, it continues on [in the sense that the Buddha] never stops telling us to share in joy. Sharing in joy is a beautiful virtue. We truly should cultivate this mindset that [enables us] to share in the joy [of the Dharma]. When we share in this joy, our hearts will open wide. When we [encounter] the Dharma, our hearts will give rise to joy. As we share in the joy of the Dharma, we should practice according to its teachings. We must accept and uphold the Dharma ourselves. Accepting and upholding the Dharma means taking it into our hearts and putting the Dharma to use by applying it through our actions. How can we make sure we will uphold it forever? [To do so], we must form aspirations and make vows to work hard at our own spiritual practice, while also helping others to succeed. This is the Buddha’s [greatest] hope and His one great cause for coming to the world, to teach the Bodhisattva Way. Bodhisattvas must save and transform sentient beings. Sentient beings face [internal] mental suffering and all kinds of external hardships. All this suffering comes from the karmic conditions that they have created and accumulated. To transform sentient beings, we must respond to their suffering, whether internal or external, and relieve them of it. This means that we must go among people. When we go among people, language is the best tool we have for transforming others. We should say what we need to say. As we seek to help others, we must be very sincere and genuine. [But] it’s not good enough to know this ourselves; we also need to know how to get even more people to join in. There are so many people. If we cannot help them understand, then how will we ever awaken their hearts? If their hearts are not awakened, then how will they ever take action? If we act without love, then we are not Bodhisattvas, for Bodhisattvas are “beings of awakened love”. So, if we want to go among people to transform sentient beings and become Bodhisattvas, then we must form one aspiration after another and make vow after vow to help others. This all begins with our very first aspiration. This is like how, in an organization, the person who leads the group is the first person [in the group]. If they have not taken these teachings to heart, if relieving others’ hardships and suffering is not [foremost] in their minds, then no matter what they do, they will never be able to unite everyone’s strengths. If a Bodhisattva has never learned the Dharma, then by what means can they transform others? So, we need to be very mindful. Since we have formed aspirations, we must make sure to cultivate this mindset of sharing in the joy [of the Dharma]. We must help many people to share in this joy and this compassion, so that they may also devote themselves to guiding sentient beings. Only then will our Dharma become useful in the world. The first person leads this group until the group grows to 50 people. Those fifty people are able to come and share in that first person’s aspiration. This is how it needs to be.

Everyone must become like that first person and lead [another] group of 50 people; then, the Buddha-Dharma will spread everywhere. Otherwise, the Buddha-Dharma will never be able to spread among and transform people. So, we should train ourselves to “share in the joy of the virtuous Dharma and practice both on our own and with others.” We do this ourselves, and we also do it to transform others to do it together with us. To “practice both on our own and with others” and “awaken ourselves and others with perfect awakened conduct” is what it means to be a Bodhisattva. We start from the stage of unenlightened beings; we are just beginners. So, this is the scope of our learning. “We must share in the joy of the virtuous Dharma and practice both on our own and with others.” We must be mindful of these words.

Continuing on, [it says], “This explains how we attain blessed fruits by rejoicing alongside others.” We need to be especially clear about this; besides the group we are leading, we also need to praise people leading other groups. If others find it difficult to lead, then we must teach them. “You have to lead in this way if you want your team to be orderly.” We should not just [praise] our own [group], but the people beside us as well; we must also “rejoice alongside others”. We cannot just [focus] on our own practice; we also need to [help] our neighbor; we must teach them how to practice and lead so that everyone will gain insights. “Blessed fruits” are the insights we gain. The moment we joyfully realize them, we gain these blessings. If our leadership does not bring others joy, however hard we work, we will never gain merits, because they will never realize Dharma-joy and thus will not take the Dharma to heart. I hope we can clearly understand this in detail. “We must not go against others’ good deeds, but rather follow along with their actions.” Whether others do good deeds, we must join them and follow along in the same direction. We “must not go against” them, meaning that we must follow along with them. “We must not go against others’ good deeds, but rather follow along with their actions.” We must not think that we are such good leaders that our way is the only way and continuously stick to our own ways forever. Just think, if everyone was this self-important, how could the Buddha have ever spread the Dharma in the world? How could we ever spread the Dharma in the world? So, we all must have this [humble mindset]. To practice the Dharma, we must have Dharma-joy. We should take care of one another and join forces with one another. “We must not go against others’ good deeds, but rather follow along with their actions.” The very first leader must guide sentient beings in this way. So, we “take refuge in the Three Treasures.” We take refuge in the Sangha.We must understand how to lead people harmoniously. We want to lead people, but how do we go about leading them harmoniously? We can do so by uniting their hearts.We want to move forward in the direction of the Buddha-Dharma. Anyone can lead others, but they still need to have a direction. By the same principle, [we must] “comprehend the great path, form the supreme aspiration and delve deeply into the sutra treasury, which contains wisdom as vast as the ocean, to lead people harmoniously, without obstruction.” f there are barriers between us, then we are already divided. Divisions will cause us to obstruct one another, so we must all be very careful about this. We must “sincerely engage in spiritual practice and cultivate inner causes and external conditions.” Since we have formed aspirations, we must “sincerely engage in spiritual practice.” It is only by forming genuine aspirations with sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness that we can pave the way for faith, vows and actions. Our “inner cause” us what drives us to uphold our vows for so long. When our causes and conditions ripen, we encounter the Buddha-Dharma out in the world and encounter the suffering in sentient beings’ lives. The internal and the external come together. Our causes and conditions are very important. Although we might form aspirations, if the external conditions are not right, we will never get the chance to act on them. So, we must “sincerely engage in spiritual practice and cultivate inner causes and external conditions.” We must make sure to do this. We must “nourish our own Dharma-marrow and help others grow their wisdom-life.” We want to nourish ourselves, to nourish our Dharma-marrow. Our nature of True Suchness equals the Buddha’s, but if we do not cherish it, we will ceaselessly accumulate affliction until our True Suchness is obscured by endless afflictions. We have the inner causes now that enable us to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. We are able to have these causes and conditions, but if we do not know to earnestly grasp them and use these causes and conditions to nourish our wisdom-life, then we are wasting our time. When our external conditions resonate with our wisdom-life, this is our nourishment.

This is our Dharma-marrow. Our Dharma-marrow relies upon our external karmic conditions which cause our wisdom-life to grow. This is like a person who lacks the ability to make blood cells and has to search all over to find a match. Only one person out of hundreds of thousands will be a bone marrow match, who can help them grow [new marrow]. We can never know exactly how many lifetimes our wisdom-life might go without nourishment. We are just like a sick person who has lost the ability to make blood cells. So, for lifetime after lifetime, we have been unenlightened beings, constantly acquiring afflictions and ignorance that cause us to lose our wisdom-life. I am using this analogy of a sick person. As unenlightened beings, haven’t we also lost something, just like this sick person who has lost the ability to make blood cells? It will not be easy. We might have to live through many human lifetimes before we get another chance to encounter the Bodhisattva-practice. These causes and conditions have given us a chance to witness and the opportunity to see this as our spiritual training ground. We rely on their wisdom-life and “help others grow their wisdom-life.” No matter what, we must rely on them, for we are like a sick person, unable to make our own blood cells, who has searched, found and accepted [their match] to help us [sustain] our life. This is how we nourish our wisdom-life. This is the Dharma-marrow.

If we Dharma-marrow is healthy, then we will be able to help others. We can find a match and help them nourish their wisdom-life too. The principle is the same. We attain and help others to attain the merits and virtues of “sharing in the joy of the virtuous Dharma,” which we were just talking about. This is the meaning of “practicing both on our own and with others.” We have remained unenlightened for many kalpas. As are just like just that person who has lost their ability to make blood cells; we have been losing it continuously over the course of a many lifetimes. Our nature of True Suchness has been obscured all this time. For us to have reached this point in this life is no simple feat. If we do not make the most of this to nourish our wisdom-life, then that would truly be a pity. So, we must “sincerely engage in spiritual practice and cultivate inner causes and external conditions, nourish our own Dharma-marrow and help others grow their wisdom-life.” Everyone, please be mindful of this; earnestly study this and ask yourselves why [this is important]. What is this Dharma trying to tell us? When I use this analogy, do you understand? This is how we unite matters with the principles. We must be mindful.

We are now preparing to enter the Chapter on Dharma Teachers’ Merits and Virtues. This is the teaching of the intrinsic, so it will certainly reunite us with our Buddha-nature. Every teaching serves to reunite us with our nature of True Suchness. The principles of the teaching of the intrinsic might seem very simple, but when we try to understand them, we find that they are very profound. To [learn] the Dharma, we always need to have the right karmic conditions. You see, during the morning Dharma lecture, everyone is listening to the Dharma. Only those who listen attentively can apply it. If we do not listen attentively, then we will be “unable to transform [others]”. In a far-away place, halfway around the world, in Africa, Bodhisattvas from the Us and Taiwan came together and went to Africa. They went to this place because there are countless suffering people in Africa who need Bodhisattvas to save and transform them. Only with the Dharma can Bodhisattvas transform others. The karmic conditions that brought our Bodhisattvas to this place began in 1994. During that year, here in Taiwan, we collect ed a lot of old, second-hand clothing. After sorting it all out, we sent it to Africa. In that place, Tzu Chi volunteers came across this opportunity and started distributing second-hand clothes there; this brought them great joy, and they all gained so much from the experience. So, it was around that time that Tzu Chi volunteers began practicing locally. They started spreading the Dharma there, and they have never stopped since. There is a lay practitioner named Zhou there, Mr. Zhou Xianbin, who is very diligent and experienced; He has taken care of Africa ever since that time. While listening to the sutra, he came to deeply realize how hard I am working for the sake of sentient beings to finish teaching the Lotus Sutra. Through his deep realization of my intent, he began to form aspirations to spread the Dharma all over Africa. He has always maintained this aspiration, but how would he find the karmic conditions that would enable him to succeed in this mission? There is someone [in his family], his wife’s brother-in-law, who is his relative by marriage, whom he knew was in Malawi. Of all the countries in Africa, Malawi suffers from the most hardships and poverty. This Was 2400 kilometers away from Zhou, so this was very far away! He traveled such a long way to that place to guide and transform his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law, Mr. Lin had his own karmic conditions in that place. This is how they began to join forces, all for the sake of Malawi. How could they learn more about [the Malawians]? How could they help them? There was a time when Tzu Chi volunteers in Durban and Johannesburg got together to hold a retreat for advanced certification training. When the training camp was finished, they met a young man at the train station, a local Malawi youth. There is no one our Tzu Chi volunteers will not transform. They asked him things like, “Where are you from?” and so on. He replied, “I’m from Malawi. I’m here on a business trip, and I’m about to return home”. They started telling him about Tzu Chi and so on, including all of Tzu Chi’s teachings. They kept talking to him here on the train, telling him about Tzu Chi’s volunteers, missions and teachings. This made this Malawian youth very happy. So, he said, “I would love to join a group like this. I would love to devote myself to serving the poor”. And with that, it was decided. Though they lived so far away from each other, they continuously corresponded and sent each other messages. Information technology is so advanced. They kept sending each other messages. Having found out about Tzu Chi, he joined, gradually got involved and came to understand us. It was during a spiritual retreat that his understanding deepened even further. When he arrived home, he explained everything to his brothers there. When his elder brother heard about it, he also thought it must be a very good thing. United by the same aspiration, they willingly devoted themselves to helping the local poor. So, because of this, when Michael Pan went to South Africa again, he shared this news with them. So. Everyone started getting ready, the local senior Tzu Chi volunteers that first generation Tzu Chi volunteers, over 10 people in total, went to Malawi, traveling 2400 kilometers just to go there. When they saw this place, they said, “Oh my! The people in this country are suffering so much”. Even the local volunteers the first generation of volunteers in South Africa could hardly believe it. Though they lived in South Africa and had seen so many people in hardship before, they had never seen such bitter hardships as in Malawi. We can see this from their descriptions, but is there any way for us to really know how much suffering they face there?

So, they began to form aspirations. What could they do to help? When they went to assess [the poverty there], they discovered just how sad things really are. What could they do to help them? The first case they saw was a granny who was very old, a very sad old woman. That old woman had two sons. One son had already gone abroad, while the other son had a mental illness that sometimes would flare up. When did this happen? His mental illness flared up whenever he drank alcohol. When they went to her house and looked around, there were no doors. The doors had all been sealed. While they were there, they tried to understand why the old woman’s family was so poor. Eventually, she took them inside and showed them her house. There was nothing in it, but the place was filthy, even with nothing in it. The house did not feel like a home at all. Though it was made out of stacks of bricks, it was full of holes. So, this house was on the verge of collapse. It was dilapidated beyond description. Even the locals from South Africa thought, “How can they suffer like this? How can they possibly be so poor? They couldn’t bear it; they had to do something. They started by quickly fixing up the old woman’s house. They started to get busy fixing her house. They needed dirt! They needed cement! They did the work themselves and were quick to lead the other local people. The local people there are also very special. Everyone is very poor, but they do not take issue with things. They were able to work together to do this good deed, and this made them very happy. This was the poor helping the poor. They were all happy to lend a hand. So, the Tzu Chi volunteers there bought the cement to mix with dirt. Everyone began to mobilize to help this old woman, using the local method of mixing cement with dirt to spread on the walls. Although spreading this on the walls seems crude, it began to look like a house. When everyone saw this, they rejoiced, especially those two brothers. This brought Mike and Charlie, the two brothers, so much joy. Then, Tzu Chi began recruiting local volunteers who formed aspirations and made vow there so that everyone would do good deeds.

Tzu Chi volunteers came again a second time. They prepared to distribute some things. Just bringing those things there was very difficult because they had to go through customs each time and go through inspections, so many inspections. They went through physical inspections, and their goods were inspected as well. Because of the many contagious diseases there, when people from outside want to go in, they must first receive vaccinations and show proof of it before they can enter. On top of this, they had [many] things to bring with them. This was truly very exhausting.

When they went this time, in addition to assessing [the poverty] there, they also went to distribute [relief] supplies. They had prepared to face all these various difficulties. Anywhere, it was quite a sight to see; it was not shocking, but inspiring and moving. When they started going there, the more the locals saw them, the friendlier they became. Twice before, they had seen them come with supplies. Thinking they would all get something, they all immediately began to line up. However, when [the volunteers] saw that so many people were there, they had to tell them, “The supplies are limited. Do you think you could give up your share to someone in a sadder situation than yourself, to someone in poorer health or to someone with kinds who might need it more? Could you give up your share for them?” They quickly came to understand the principle and, one after another, gave up their share. This is not a simple matter; this is the first time I have seen such a situation. Only a few people left in line were able to get supplies from us, and yet the people who received nothing were also rejoicing. They were happy to see the others get something. They were happy to become the kind of person who is capable of helping others. This alone is true joy, true attainment. I believe the people there are extremely wise. “If you want to be a volunteer, we will give you a vest to wear. When they received those volunteer vests, their joy was indescribable.

Among them; there was a tribal chief. When we first arrived there, he was very skeptical. “What are you doing here? Mr. Pan guided him gradually, telling him about Tzu Chi. “Perhaps you can take us to see people who are suffering.” [The chief] haughtily replied, “Fine, if you want to see suffering people, I will take you there.” He took them to a village over a hill, where life was much more difficult indeed, a place of indescribable suffering. Our Tzu Chi volunteers used their sincere and loving attitudes to approach these people in suffering. They knelt down to meet them at their level, not caring if they were smelly or dirty. This is how they comforted them. These people sat on the ground, and the Tzu Chi volunteers did the same. Even the Chinese Tzu Chi volunteers did the same as those local people, the chief was deeply moved by this. Michael Pan said, “This is what we want to do. Do you think you would like to help us?” The chief began to nod his head “If you want to help, come squat down like we are and care for the people like we do. Come speak with them”. Just like the Tzu Chi volunteers, he truly humbled himself, sitting on the ground to speak with like this. Later Mr. Pan asked him, “Would you like to join our team of volunteers?” He was glad to join. He wanted to wear the volunteer vest. He got one, but don’t our vests have a button in the front? He hasn’t even opened it up yet; he was so happy to receive it that he did not open up the button on the vest. He tried to put it on [over his head]. Michael Pan opened up the button for him, then started helping him put the vest on. [The chief] began to tame his arrogance and went to work alongside the Tzu Chi volunteers.

This is how live can tame [arrogance] so that we can all do good deeds together. This is what it means to “sincerely engage in spiritual practice and cultivate inner causes and external conditions”. However, there is also the need to form initial aspirations. Mr. Zhou understood that I am staying alive as long as I can in order to finish teaching this Dharma so that everyone can understand it. In the far-off place half a world away, they were willing to do all of this. When we form aspirations to spread the Dharma, there will be people who follow us until we reach our destination. No matter how far the road is, even 2400 kilometers, they are willing to go back and forth to help others. Think about it, isn’t this what it means to listen to and spread the Dharma? Isn’t this what it means to share in the joy of others’ merits and virtues? From their own home, from Durban to Johannesburg, it is already several hundred kilometers, but they are constantly going back and forth to gather together there. They have already trained local volunteers there. Tzu Chi has crossed borders [throughout Africa]. We are now leading people in seven countries there. Now, [in 2018], we have begun [operations] in an eighth country. This place is very poor, but they have bought the Dharma there. We have faith in this place. If we go there again to get to know them, we will widely transform the sentient beings there. When our love arrives, this place will receive our material assistance. When those materials arrive, our spiritual ideals will help support this place. In that land, they will naturally be able to spread those seeds. So, these are Bodhisattvas. They are all Bodhisattvas. Now, we must be very mindful, for we have [just finished] the Chapter on the Merits and Virtues of Joy. After listening to this Dharma, we must come to understand what it means to share in this joy. How do we share in this joy? What are merits and virtues? Can we attain them just by sharing in this joy? If we do not put in the effort to cultivate ourselves inwardly and practice outwardly, how can we attain any merits and virtues? Can we attain them just by listening? It does not work like this. Once we listen to the Dharma, we must accept and uphold it. Once we accept and uphold it, we can go on to spread it, and once we spread it, we can share in the joy. We want it to [extend] from that first person and reach all the way to the fiftieth person. This cannot be done just by saying, “I told you, so you go tell him” We would never reach fifty people that way. They must form aspirations. We must look after them until they form aspirations. Take our Tzu Chi commissioners, for example. They exercise their recruiting skills and share their experiences with the volunteers, who in turn form aspirations to become commissioners themselves. Once they become certified, they go on again to recruit more volunteers. In this way, each group leads the next, passing it on from generation to generation. This is what it truly means to “share in the joy of merits and virtues”.

In the past few decades, Tzu Chi has been able to bring [our] Four Missions to fruition in Taiwan. We have even gone internationally to over 90 countries for disaster relief work. In more than 50 countries, we conduct operations, spread seeds and help them take root. We are able to do this because of our experienced volunteers. They start by [training] one, two or three people, all of whom go on to become that first person by forming [their own] groups. In this way, they constantly spread the Dharma and recruit [new volunteers], gathering everyone together one by one. [Without them], how could we possibly have accomplished so many things? So, each of our experienced volunteers has passed the Dharma on to fifty people, who all go on to transform countless others. They cultivate the land wherever they go, sowing the seeds of goodness everywhere. How many have they sowed?

In South Africa, since 1994, we have sent several containers of used clothing there. When they received these things, they became inspired to help with the relief work. Face with so many impoverished people who all needed this second-hand clothing, they all started to feel that they could not bear for them to suffer. So, they began to take part themselves and form volunteer teams. Everyone, united by a common aspiration, began to implement the Tzu Chi model, constantly working closely together with the Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan. This is how Taiwan was able to help South Africa. Tzu Chi South Africa has started to conduct operations outside of the country. In this way, we have been able to reach eight countries in Africa. Everyone, this is the true meaning of “the merits and virtues of joy”. To keep spreading [this joy] is our true goal in listening to this sutra. So, we should work hard to be mindful as we “share in the joy of the virtuous Dharma and practice both on our own and with others”. This is very important; we must remember it well. “This explains how e attain blessed fruits by rejoicing alongside others”. If we do not keep spreading [the Dharma] to those alongside us, to give everyone the opportunity to hear it and the chance to encourage one another to accomplish [good deeds], then [the Dharma] will never spread. Just going in a straight [line] is not enough. We must form a wide [circle]. Whether we go deeply [into a community] or spread out across [the world], we all have to [encourage] one another. However, we need to have a certain rule, a rule that we must be sure to follow. “We must not go against others’ good deeds, but rather follow along with their actions”. If we did not do this, how could we have ever gotten where we are today? This great organization we have here has been able to reach so many countries throughout the world, countries that we must go halfway around the world to reach. So, we need to abide by these rules.

To “sincerely engage in spiritual practice” and cultivate inner causes and external affinities, we must make the most of our time; only then will we be able to “nourish our own Dharma-marrow and help others grow their wisdom-life”. I hope the summary I gave here today is something we will contemplate mindfully. If we do not work hard to be mindful, then listening to the Dharma will just be a waste of time for us. We are already hard-pressed for time so as it is; time is running out. I am staying alive as long as I can to teach. I hope we can all make the most of our lives to earnestly listen to the Dharma. So, we must always be mindful!

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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20190715《靜思妙蓮華》隨喜善法 自他同行 (第1652集) (法華經·法師功德品第十九)
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