20130806《靜思妙蓮華》生佛事相始終如一

【證嚴上人開示】
常常在說，兩件事是擋不住的，時間、無常，無常就是不斷流逝，不斷向前這樣一直追逐，時間是流逝過去，無常是一直接近來。
所以佛陀說世間苦，苦在壽命不久長，這是我們大家都知道的，知道我們要好好地把握人生，聽聞佛法要用心。
《法華經》裡面也這麼說，現在可以在這個道場裡面，來聽聞《法華經》，這都是過去無始劫以前，所結緣的，因為每一尊佛來到人間，最後還是同樣要講《法華經》，到了釋迦佛，他後半段的人生，一大說教即將結束之前，他還是一樣講《法華經》，這叫做佛佛道同。
不管是在過去無央數劫，同樣在靈山會聽聞《法華經》，那些結緣眾，怎樣叫做結緣眾？將《法華經》能夠用於，入心、聞法、解悟，這就是有緣。
又有另外一種是結緣，結緣就是也是來聽，聽了，不錯、了解了，不過不是很清楚，但是不很認真，不過有結了這個緣，這種的人是比聞法解悟，那種一聞千悟，比這種的人多很多，只是結緣、聽到、隨喜，沒有很透徹的解悟，這叫做結緣眾。
哪怕是結緣眾，隨喜也有功德，這樣他生生聞佛法，同樣會遇到，《法華經》的道場裡面，但是，是不是，從這個道場開始，過去的結緣、隨喜，是不是在這個時候，會更加透徹了悟呢？
所以佛陀當初在講《法華經》，看到他們已經都來了，已種善根，希望他們在這一次能夠更成熟，希望他們能夠發大心、立大願。
另外一種，佛陀也在等待，等待還沒有種善根，還沒有接觸過《法華經》，過去不曾聽過，現在更不知道，這種還未種善根的人，希望他能夠來種善根。
未種善根者
令種善根
已種善根者
令其成熟
已經成熟者
令得解脫
《妙法蓮華經綸貫》
意思就是說，在佛陀當時在說法時，就有這三類人，有的人已經與法華的因緣很深，現在只是在等待，完全解悟、解脫，有的已經種了，開始在成熟了，那種隨喜結緣，希望他已種，希望他能夠成熟，所以佛陀在講經，講一講，忽然間他會停下來、等待，在那裡發光。
大家在那裡看，大家都到齊了，為什麼佛陀還在定中呢？當然《法華經》中也有說，佛陀在定中就是「離言法華」，也是同樣在說法；「離言」，沒有講話，「離言法華」，那就是入「無量義三昧」，在那當中，還是雖然定下來，但是凡夫多數未種善根，或者是已種善根。
尤其是未種善根的人，大家在那裡交頭接耳，到底佛陀為什麼停這麼久？在那當中，大家的心有疑問，有的人也會覺得有需要嗎？所以有的人就會退席，這種完全不了解，沒有耐心，所以有一段時間，那就是五千人退席，也有啊！佛陀在等待因緣。
其實佛陀成佛以來，已經無央數劫，累世累世都是為這一大因緣，每一世都在開示，但是眾生悟入的又有多少人呢？若是眾生全都可以悟入了，則人人就已經回歸本性了，人人本性即是佛，還需要聽嗎？就不需要了。
但是放眼來看，還不是一樣，迷茫的眾生還這麼多，未成熟的眾生也那麼多，未種善根的眾生還是那麼多，已種善根，還是同樣在六道中輪轉，一樣在起心動念。
所以佛陀一直在等待，等待眾生悟入，因為我們眾生還未悟，還是在正與邪中間，互相在牽扯、拔河，正(見)若弱一點，邪(見)就又增長起來，這是佛陀悲啊！悲憫眾生，就是佛陀慈悲，生生世世在人間，佛陀所要度化的眾生，眾生還是在迷茫中，所以他就要用耐心等待，他已經開示了就是施教，不斷地施教。
雖然我們認為佛陀，已經在二千多年前就圓寂了，還在嗎？在；他是不斷倒駕慈航，到了彼岸，還是要再回歸，回歸來，同樣是在這個教室，還沒有下課，他還要來，來為大家復課，所以愈來感覺起來愈困難。
佛陀時代的人口，佛陀時代人心的單純，那種的生態，一直到二千多年後的現在，世間已經是紛紛擾擾，眾生是心愈來愈複雜，煩惱是成倍複製再複製，厚厚的煩惱那種不受教育，不能聽佛陀真心說法的教育，我們好好用誠意接受，已經愈來愈少了；所以佛陀也是嘆無奈、悲眾生。
所以我們前面說，佛，講《無量義經》，同樣繼續在那裡坐，就是在那裡發光、放光。
說《無量義經》後
不起法座
即便入定放光
光就是佛的德，也就是證明他將《無量義經》，完全攝受在內心的世界，內心世界，這個無量義是法華的精髓，他把這法華的精髓，要散布給芸芸眾生，篤定了法華的精髓，心很歡喜；《無量義經》已經成就了，是法華的精髓，佛陀的喜悅就放光。
光是表達悲智，智慧可以啟發人人心地的黑暗，能夠在黑暗中現光明，這是智慧，佛陀他就是不捨眾生，要讓大家了解，時間不能等，人生是無常，哪怕我是已成佛了，同樣有老、病、死，這是現相、示寂，但是這只是一個事相；真正的理，他是不斷來人間，這是不生不滅永恆的道理，所以叫做倒駕慈航，這就是表示佛的慈悲。
今見如昔
即使往昔亦如今見
生佛事相始終一如
以是之故
當知今佛現光
亦欲說大法也
在這個法華會上，今見如昔，即使往昔亦如今，現在在法華會裡，人一直來很多很多，佛陀在那裡定坐，在那裡默然，「離言法華」還是在定中，現在是這樣，過去也是這樣，這個境界，道場的盛況，境界就是一樣，現在跟過去完全一樣。
所以生佛事相始終一如，眾生就是迷茫，佛陀是覺悟，其實佛與眾生都是一樣，不過迷茫的人，需要覺悟的人再來引導，覺悟的人要來教化，他有方法，這個方法就是，現在、過去都一樣，所以事相始終如一。
在法華會要開始了，在六成就裡，眾成就，已經講得很清楚了，所以：
以是之故
當知今佛現光
亦欲說大法
因為佛陀在那裡現光，都是為了要講大法：
世間
非唯凡夫世間
兼具聖人世間
言謂
聲聞、緣覺、菩薩
之三乘聖人也
凡夫
固不易信此大法
佛陀來世間說法，「世間、非唯凡夫世間」，這個世間，我們現在所生活的，這個天地之間，裡面有聖人、凡夫，很多不同根機的人，所以叫做五趣雜居。
五趣：
天、人、地獄、
餓鬼、畜生
四聖：
佛、菩薩、
聲聞、緣覺
在這天地之間，佛、菩薩、聲聞、緣覺等等，像這樣已經入於聖道，這種世間兼具聖人，在這個五趣雜居地裡面，就是有聖人，聖人就是已經接觸了佛法，有聲聞、緣覺，聲聞就是聽佛的聲音、佛的教法，憑著那聲音、教法，他可以信受奉行，這是聲聞。
緣覺就是緣著這個境界，他看到春、夏、秋、冬，理解人生無常，他這樣可以覺悟。
菩薩呢？菩薩就是已經登聖人之地了，他可以聽聞佛法，不管是佛所說法，或者是境界，天地境界的變遷，還有更超然的，那就是體會人生苦難，這就是菩薩；菩薩叫做覺有情者，已經覺悟了，還是對芸芸眾生有情，所以佛所說的法，他可以信受，他可以了解。
但是還有更多的，在天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生，這一類的就比較難了，所以凡夫(固)不易信此大法，不容易，除了聲聞、緣覺、菩薩以外，一般的凡夫，要叫他很徹底的相信，實在是不容易。因為《法華經》乃是大乘，要有大覺悟、大根器的人才能夠接受，一般的人真的是難，因為在《法華經》裡面，他所要說的就是唯一佛法，過去的方便法都捨掉了，要讓大家知道大家都可以成佛，大家都與佛平等，這對一般的凡夫，其實是難以接受，所以唯佛與佛乃能究竟，這是唯有佛與佛，能夠究竟了解這個法。
所以就告訴大家，佛陀是宇宙的大覺者，我們凡夫只是在一個乾坤，乾坤跟宇宙不同，宇宙是三千大千世界，叫做宇宙，但是乾坤是在大太陽系，我們只是在千世界裡面的，一個星球、地球，我們只不過是在地球的中間，腳所踏的大地，頭頂的天，這樣叫做乾坤。
總之佛陀所覺悟的，與我們所知道的，天地間之物是不同的，天地間，人、事、物、理，要能夠很透徹，又不很簡單，所以：
而唯一佛法
唯佛與佛乃能究竟
唯有佛與佛才能，瞭解大宇宙的真理。
聲聞、緣覺
以聞佛教
得證涅槃
自謂已證無生
故不信
更有無上菩提之道
聲聞與緣覺聽到佛法，心只是知道如何去除煩惱，無明煩惱就是夢幻，知道了，但是心能夠寧靜下來，這樣他自謂已證無生，故不信更有無上菩提之道。
這些聲聞與緣覺，以為佛陀過去所說的，我都知道了，我的煩惱都已去除了，我懂的事情很多，佛不必再說了，我都已經知道了，我已經證得了，這種貢高憍慢，「未得謂得是大妄語」，假如再接下去了解經文之後，我們就知道我們的人生多錯誤，有多少了？所以我們人人應該要縮小，何況說面對著宇宙大覺者，浩瀚無涯的佛法，我們有那麼快就能得到嗎？

我們一定要用寬闊的心，我們要縮小自己的微細，我們要虛心求教，將我們所得來的教法，我們要好好思考、細細思惟，不懂的我們還要再求教，我們還要再用心體會，所以請人人要時時多用心。

無量光曜心 文章總數 : 968 威望 : 72 注冊日期 : 2009-04-25

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Cycles of All Phenomena Are the Same (生佛事相始終如一)
Date: August. 06, 2013

I often say there are two things that cannot be stopped: time and impermanence. Impermanence refers to how things constantly fade. Impermanence is constantly chasing us. Time keeps passing by as impermanence (death) draws closer. Thus, the Buddha said that the world is full of suffering because our lifespans are limited. This is something we all know. We know that we should make good use of this life and mindfully learn the Buddha-Dharma. The Lotus Sutra states that those who could listen to the Lotus Sutra at this Dharma-assembly were those who had formed these karmic connections since Beginningless Time. Because each Buddha who came to this world eventually expounded the Lotus Sutra, when it was Sakyamuni Buddha’s turn, before He finished giving the [Mahayana] teachings during the second half of His life, He also expounded the Lotus Sutra. Thus, all Buddhas share the same path.
Those who have heard the Lotus Sutra at Vulture Peak over countless past eons had these karmic connections. Who were those with such karmic connections? Those who absorbed, penetrated, realized and practiced the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. These people had the karmic connections. There were also those who formed connections. They just came to listen. They listened, liked and understood it, but they did not have thorough understanding. Even though they were not earnest, they still formed a karmic connection. There were many more people like this than people [with sharp capabilities] who could realize 1000 things from hearing one teaching. Those who just listened and enjoyed without gaining a thorough understanding, were those who had formed karmic connections.
For these people forming connections, their joy from listening also created merits. By hearing the Buddha-Dharma life after life, they also encountered the Dharma-assembly for the Lotus Sutra. However, at this Dharma-assembly, would those who casually formed connections be able to gain a more thorough understanding this time? So when the Buddha taught at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, He hoped they would be present. They had planted roots of goodness and He hoped this time their roots would mature so they could make great aspirations and great vows. The Buddha was also waiting for another group, those who had not yet planted roots of goodness those who had not encountered the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in the past and definitely did not know about them now. He hoped those who had not yet planted roots of goodness would come to plant them now.

[He] enabled those who have not planted roots of goodness to plant them, enabled those who have already planted roots of goodness to make them grow, enabled those whose roots have matured to attain liberation. –“An Introduction to the Wondrous Lotus Sutra”

This means that when the Buddha was teaching, there were these three kinds of people. Some already had a deep connection with the Lotus Sutra, they were just waiting to fully realize it and achieve liberation. Some already planted [these roots], which were beginning to mature.For those who had casually formed connections, He hoped their planted roots could mature.Therefore when the Buddha gave these teachings, after He taught for a while, He suddenly paused and radiated light.
Everyone was already present so they watched the Buddha and wondered why He was still in Samadhi.Of course, the Lotus Sutra also states that when the Buddha was in Samadhi, He “expounded the Lotus Sutra without speech, ” which was another way He taught Dharma.
“Without speech” means not talking.“Expounding the Lotus Sutra without speech” is entering the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings.During that time, as He was in Samadhi, those who had not planted roots of goodness, or those who had already planted those roots but particularly those who had not planted them, whispered to each other and wondered why the Buddha paused for so long.
During this time, everyone had questions.Some people wondered if this was necessary.Therefore, some of them left.These people completely did not understand and were impatient.So over a period of time, 5000 people left.
That happened!The Buddha was waiting for the right time.Because He had already attained enlightenment countless eons ago.Life after life, He come for this great cause.Every time He reveals and manifests teachings but how many sentient beings can realize and accept them?
If all sentient beings could do so, they would have all returned to their pure intrinsic nature, which is the Buddha-nature.Then do they still need to listen?They do not.
But when we look around, things are the same.Many sentient beings are still lost.Many of them have immature roots of goodness and many have not yet planted any.Those who have planted roots of goodness are still cycling through the Six Realms.They still give rise to thoughts and emotions; So, the Buddha has been waiting for them to realize and enter [His teachings].
Because we sentient beings have not awakened, we still struggle with the influences of good and.
If good (views) weaken a bit, then evil (views) grow.This shows the Buddha’s compassion for all beings.With compassion, the Buddha returns to this world, life after life.The sentient beings He wants to transform are still in a state of delusion.So, He has to wait patiently.
He has already revealed the teachings, is constantly revealing them.Although we think that the Buddha passed into Parinirvana over 2000 years ago, is He still here?He is.He constantly return on the ship of compassion.After reaching the other shore, He still returns and comes back to this classroom.The class is not over yet; He comes back to refresh the lessons for everyone.But now there are more difficulties.
The people who lived during the Buddha’s lifetime were pure and simple in heart.Compared to the way of life back then, our present time, over 2000 years later, is filled with distractions.All minds are getting more complicated.Afflictions multiply and replicate unceasingly.All thick layer of afflictions prevents people from accepting the sincere teachings of the Buddha.There are fewer people who accept it reverently.
The Buddha laments this and feels compassion for sentient beings.So previously we have said that.

[After] expounding the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He continued to sit there and radiate light.

The light is the Buddha's virtue, which also proves that He has retained the Sutra of Infinite Meanings in His heart. The Sutra of Infinite Meanings is the essence of the Lotus Sutra, which He wanted to teach to all sentient beings. Once He firmly established the essence of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha was very joyful. The Sutra of Infinite Meaning was complete, and it was the essence of the Lotus Sutra, so He radiated light out of joy. The light also represented compassion and wisdom. Wisdom can break through and illuminate the darkness in everyone's mind. This is wisdom. The Buddha does not want to see sentient beings suffer, so He taught everyone that they cannot wait.Life is impermanent.
Even though He has attained Buddhahood, He still experiences aging, illness and death. This is how He manifests to teach and demonstrate Parinirvana. However, this is just a phenomenon. The truth is that He keeps returning to this world. This is an everlasting principle that does not arise or cease. Thus, by returning on the ship of compassion, the Buddha demonstrates compassion.

What [I] see today is the same as the past. Though it was the past, it is the same as today. For living beings and Buddhas, all phenomena are always the same. Now, one know that when the Buddha radiates light. He wants to expound great Dharma.

At this Lotus Dharma- assembly, “What [I] see today is the same as the past. Though it was the past, it is the same as today”. Now at this Lotus Dharma-assembly, many people kept arriving. The Buddha entered Samadhi and silently expounded the Lotus Sutra without speech”. It was like this now and was the same in the past.This place, these grand conditions were completely the same as the conditions in the past. “For living beings and Buddhas, all phenomena are always the same”. Sentient beings are confused and deluded, whereas the Buddha is enlightened. Actually the Buddha is the same as sentient beings.
But those who are confused and deluded need an enlightened being to guide them. The enlightened being has methods to teach and transform. The methods used now and before are the same, so “the cycles of all phenomena are always the same”. The Lotus Dharma- assembly was about to begin. Among the Six Fulfillments, fulfillment of the assembly was clearly explained.

So, “Now, one knows that when the Buddha radiates light, He wants to expound great Dharma”.

The Buddha radiated light solely because He was about to expound the great Dharma. “The Buddha came to the world to expound Dharma. 'World' refers not only to the world of unenlightened beings”. In the world we live in right now, there are noble beings and unenlightened beings, and people with different capabilities.
So, this is where the Five Destinies are intermixed.

The Five Destinies: heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost, animal. In this universe, The Four Noble Beings: Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas

are those who have entered the Noble Path. There are also noble beings in this world. Here, where the Five Destinies are intermixed, there are noble beings. They have already encountered the Buddha-Dharma. They are Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Hearers listen to the Buddha's voice and His teachings. Through that voice, they faithfully accept and practice His teachings. These are Hearers Pratyekabuddhas come in contact with phenomena.
By observing the four seasons, they understand that life is impermanent. Through this, they can attain realizations. How about Bodhisattvas? They have reached the state of noble beings.They can listen to the Buddha-Dharma, whether it is the Dharma spoken by the Buddha, the changing states of this universe, or even something more transcendent, to realize the sufferings and hardships in life. These are Bodhisattvas.
They are enlightened beings who have already attained awakening but still feel for the multitudes of sentient beings. They can believe, understand and accept the Buddha’s teachings.However, there are more beings in the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal destinies. It is harder for those kinds [of beings]. So “unenlightened beings do not easily believe in this great teaching.” Outside of Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, it is truly not easy for ordinary beings to completely accept it.Because the Lotus Sutra is a Mahayana teaching, only enlightened beings with great capabilities can accept it. It is truly difficult for ordinary people because in the Lotus Sutra, what He taught was the ultimate Buddha-Dharma. He set aside all skillful means from the past to let us know that we call attain Buddhahood and we are all equal to the Buddha. For ordinary people, this is indeed difficult to accept.
“Only Buddha can realize the ultimate. This means [only by becoming a Buddha] can we realize the ultimate Dharma. So, this tells everyone that the Buddha is the Great Enlightened One of the Universe.We, as ordinary people, exist in a macrocosm. A macrocosm is different from the universe. The universe consists of the 3000 great chiliocosms. The macrocosm is the solar system. We are just on Earth, a single planet within a chiliocosm. The land we step on and the sky above our heads are all part of the macrocosm.
In short, what the Buddha realized and what we know about the world are different. If we want to fully understand people, matters and objects, that is not easy.

Therefore, only Buddhas can realize the ultimate Buddha-Dharma. Only Buddha Buddhas can realize the true principles in the universe. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana. They claimed to have realized a state of no-birth so they did not believe that there was an unsurpassed Bodhi-path.

Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas heard the Buddha’s teachings and knew how to eliminate afflictions.
They knew that ignorance and afflictions are illusory As their minds were able to be tranquil they claimed to have realized a state of no-birth.Therefore, they did not believe that there was an unsurpassed Bodhi-path. These Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas thought that they already knew everything the Buddha had said, that they had already eliminated their afflictions that they knew a lot.The Buddha did not need to speak anymore; they already knew everything. They had already achieved attainment. This is egotism and conceit.“Claiming an unattained achievement is a lie.”If we continue to study the sutras, we will know how many mistakes we have made in our lives.
So each of us should shrink our egos, especially when in the face of the Great Enlightened One of the Universe and the boundless Buddha-Dharma. Can we attain [these achievement] so quickly? We must have a broad mind and shrink our egos.
We need to humbly ask for teachings. We need to thoroughly and meticulously contemplate the teachings we learn and ask questions about what we do not understand. Moreover, we need to comprehend it mindfully. So everyone, please always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

(馬)濟勖心得分享:

生佛事相終如一
浩瀚佛法虚心求

佛與眾生同等，分别在於眾生迷茫，佛陀覺悟。
迷茫的需要覺悟的來引導和教化，無論過去或現在，始终如一。

佛法浩瀚无涯，而我們只不過是宇宙里一个小小乾坤，怎能這麼快就得法?

因此，學佛，需要縮小自己，並以寬闊的心，虚心求教，才是辦法。

20130806《靜思妙蓮華》生佛事相 始終如一

20130806《靜思妙蓮華》生佛事相始終如一