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 20170505《靜思妙蓮華》惡道險難應去應度 (第1081集) (法華經•化城喻品第七)

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20170505《靜思妙蓮華》惡道險難應去應度 (第1081集)  (法華經•化城喻品第七) Empty
發表主題: 20170505《靜思妙蓮華》惡道險難應去應度 (第1081集) (法華經•化城喻品第七)   20170505《靜思妙蓮華》惡道險難應去應度 (第1081集)  (法華經•化城喻品第七) Empty周五 五月 05, 2017 12:40 am

20170505《靜思妙蓮華》惡道險難應去應度 (第1081集)
(法華經•化城喻品第七)

 
譬二乘人初聞大教,隨即忘失,流轉生死。世尊施權設方便教,令斷見思惑煩惱障,暫證偏空以為止息,然後到於究竟寶所。
爾時,導師知此人眾既得止息,無復疲倦,即滅化城,語眾人言:汝等去來!寶處在近,向者大城,我所化作,為止息耳。《法華經化城喻品第七
「諸比丘!如來亦復如是,今為汝等作大導師,知諸生死煩惱惡道險難長遠,應去應度。《法華經化城喻品第七
諸比丘!如來亦復如是:佛陀悲智教之殷切,本懷眾生同成正覺,述說導師,引領向菩提道,顯示佛意。
今為汝等作大導師:為汝等諸人聲聞眾等引導出三界名小導師更為勉勵教向成佛之道名大導師
⊙知諸生死煩惱惡道:佛知五道眾生三界生死;沉溺見思無明不能自拔,諸煩惱賊,怖畏毒害,種種惡道。
⊙險難長遠:五道險難長途凶險患難,曠劫輪迴,故云長遠。長遠者五百由旬故。
⊙知諸生死,煩惱惡道,險難長遠:眾生,於險難惡道。二種生死,佛悉知之,故云知諸等。
⊙應去應度:謂應離去此惡道,應度過此惡道。即合善知險道之相,兼過險道至寶所。
⊙應去:已入化城,不復前進,故應去。 
應度:未入化城,多劫沉溺,應以化城而濟度。
 
【證嚴上人開示】

「譬二乘人初聞大教,隨即忘失,流轉生死。世尊施權設方便教,令斷見思惑煩惱障,暫證偏空以為止息,然後到於究竟寶所。」
 
譬二乘人初聞大教
隨即忘失
流轉生死
世尊施權設方便教
令斷見思惑煩惱障
暫證偏空以為止息
然後到於究竟寶所
 
也就是要說,我們修行就是這樣,過去生、今生、來生,過去的,是無量數劫以前,我們也是曾聽過大乘法,也是有發大心,卻是是會容易忘失;今生此世再來人間,就是已經又是在將過去,所聽聞的大法就這樣忘記了,所以現在,今生此世再聞大教,很快又是忘記了;所以因為這樣,生生世世,過去聽法、發心,但是還未完成,又來個下一輩子,世代紛擾,容易被誘惑了,忘失了,今生此世再聽到,還是同樣,也是法很陌生,好像很生疏。
 
過去就是一直聽小法,知道人間苦,一點就通了,知道世間苦難偏多,自己也感受到了,世間真是苦,所以佛陀所說的苦諦道理,一說就能很了解。佛陀再分析,集一切種種煩惱,複製無明,所以不斷來生死,這樣大家就怕了。真是苦,苦的道理來自「集」,所以「集」的源頭就是無明,無明就是在起心動念。知道了,現在要,能去除無明,就是要自己趕快修行,自己修行,就是不要再與人攀緣,「我要斷絕世緣,就不要再與人攀緣,我就不會再有來生世。」這是他們的偏解了。
 
佛陀總是讓他們,先了解生死輪迴,苦難的道理,先讓他們了解,慢慢誘引他們,帶領他們。所以「世尊施權設方便」,先暫時讓他們了解,若能知苦、懂得要脫苦,自然就不會再造作惡業,所以佛陀就這樣,用暫時權教,教育,希望他們能,「令斷見思惑煩惱障」,這些見思惑、無明煩惱的障礙,就是要好好練心。
 
修行的過程,就是要好好地練心,心若是練不好,一點點偏差,「差毫釐,失千里」。佛陀盼望人人,好好地趕緊斷除無明,所以漸進、漸進,讓大家能守好自己的這念心,不要再去造惡業。這是初機,聲聞、緣覺由佛的聲音入耳根,了解在內心,就是這樣的階段,知苦、不敢造惡,這是修行的過程。
 
漸漸地,「暫證偏空以為止息」。這就如緣覺,來到緣覺,他能緣外面的境界,隨順佛陀的教法。佛陀的教法說無常,分析天地之間,一切都是空幻,在《般若經》中,能體會一切一切皆空。所以他來到一切皆空了,所有的形相是無常的、短暫的,是幻化,所以他們知道空的道理,就這樣「以為止息」,以為,「這樣我都透徹了,從『有』看到『沒有』(空)了,這些『有』的東西,分析到底,什麼都沒有了,我已經透徹了,我了解了,我已經滅度了。我就是這樣以為止息」,我就是這樣。
 
但是,佛陀知道大家的根機,已經到止息,停滯下來,這個境界,所以佛再鼓勵我們,大家若止息下來,休息之後大家要再向前走,因為「寶處在近」。你們若真正要能修行到,透徹、了解佛的真理,就要到究竟的寶所去,那個究竟寶地,才是我們要去的目標。我們雖然這個過程經過險路,其實我們要到那個永遠永遠,都是平安、安穩的地方,我們若能到安穩的地方,你不論去與來,都能很自在。這是佛陀就如一位導師,這樣在度化我們,這樣在接引我們,用很長的時間。
 
<化城喻品>這麼長,從無量塵點劫,大通智勝佛的時代。這是佛陀已經開頭就說了,一塵為一劫,想想看,這樣的時間譬喻。<化城喻品>開頭也這樣說,若算師、若算師弟子,數不能盡,沒辦法算,這譬喻我們的生死來回人間。
 
在那個時間裡,十六王子就是在大通智勝佛,修行成道之後度眾生,轉輪聖王來協助,大通智勝佛他的道場,鼓勵他國內的人民要信佛,要聽佛法,要學佛理,要身體力行。這當中,人人聽聞佛法,十六王子發心要出家了,轉輪聖王與大臣浩浩蕩蕩,這樣送到道場去了,(在)大通智勝佛座下求出家。
 
這當中,開始十六王子,請佛轉法輪,所有的梵天王,也趕緊從十方,八方,上、下,叫做十方。所有的梵天王,都是與宮殿俱、眷屬俱,一方一方一直來了,他們各有求法的心。
 
梵天王也就是三界的統領者,梵天王他們在人間,也是很長久的時間修行,修的是上上行,守上上戒,完全清淨,福業具足了,所以他們能生在梵天。這我們一段時間,很長,一直在解釋,梵天從十方來,每一方都是那麼誠懇而來。梵天王都集中來了,人間的國王、大臣也都在場了,大家聽法。
 
聽了一段很長的時間,同樣從小乘而中乘,到了根機成熟,十六沙彌表達他們的心意:「我們大家想要追求的佛法,是與佛平等的知見,佛的知見到什麼程度,希望我們都能與佛同樣的知見、覺悟的境界,這是我們要追求的。」
 
十六沙彌所請求的,因緣成熟了,所以大通智勝佛開始說大乘法,說了很長的時間,之後,大通智勝佛入定了,入靜室去了,但是在這麼久的時間聽法,小乘、中乘轉為大乘法來時,有的人信解奉行,有的人心還有疑問。這當中,十六菩薩沙彌已經信受奉行了,了解了,大乘法的道理完全了解,看到還這麼多人還未透徹了解,十六菩薩沙彌把握機會,就趕緊將所有的有緣人,「來啊!你們若想要了解,喜歡聽我跟你們說的,已經你們就跟我來。」各個就座了,隨大家有緣,向這十六菩薩沙彌的位置去了。所以,各人有緣眾,開始聽每一位沙彌所說法,有緣的人,從這樣開始,生生世世。
 
釋迦佛就是十六沙彌最後一位,就是第十六沙彌,也已經成佛了,他成佛的世界就是在娑婆世界,這是他的心願。五趣雜居、堪忍的世界,他發心立願,就是要來度娑婆世界的眾生。從這樣開始,這些眾生生生世世聽佛法,佛滅度,又再來人間,在人間成佛,說法、滅度,佛法留在人間,就這樣不斷傳聞,不斷將法傳下去,這樣來聽,也再來人間,再次將佛法再提升起來。
 
每一期的佛法都有,正法、像法、末法時期,像法,很類似佛在世,所說法的修行人,還能看到,但是慢慢地,就慢慢消失了,再來的修行者也已經遠離正法,時間很長了,也遠離了像法,時間也不短,現在末法這個時期,所遺留下來,就是這樣經典輾轉論述。這樣留下來,現在就是要靠我們自己,真正將佛法所留下來的,要應世間。佛法不離世間法,要淨化人心,要度眾生,應現在的時代;現在的時代,大空間,宇宙天空之下,地球,人類生活之中,人與人之間,到底要如何化度呢?就是用佛法來化度,這樣的道理。
 
所以因緣,我們就要自己來聽,聽法,法要聽得很入心。知道,我們已經知道這個道理了,險道,人間很險的道路,娑婆世界,五趣雜居,心念一動,善念起,能夠造福人間、傳承佛法;惡念一起,可怕,造惡多端,造成家庭倫理亂了,造成了社會國家次序亂,人禍、天災等等,破壞山河大地,已經是人造的禍,已經到達了污染天空、污染法界。
 
其實,佛法現在在人間,也已經受人間的干擾,所以佛法要能真正,安然通達入人心,實在也不容易。那就要靠我們有心的人,一念動,善念,要如何將佛法在人間,正法、正方向,這樣來鼓勵人人身體力行,這才有辦法,真正安然究竟到寶所,真正佛法,我們才實實在在入心自在。
 
佛心就是我們人人的心,人人本具佛心,非常清淨的善念,就是我們這樣一念妄動。我們要修行,修行若不究竟修,若沒有很究竟來修,容易忘記。因為千劫、萬劫,無央數劫,塵點劫,無始劫,這樣一直來,我們萬一有一點點,不好的因緣把我們牽引去了,這樣我們過去所聽聞的就忘失了,這樣就又是流轉。
 
因為我們修小乘行,獨善其身,其實還沒有個定處,只光是說斷煩惱,未來所歸依的地方,那個真真正正生命的安穩樂處,是在哪裡?是要再向前走,一定要到佛的境界,你才是真正(到)安穩樂處。所以,就是要鍛鍊到與佛同等,佛知佛見,與佛同等的境界,我們才能如如不動,不受濁惡再將我們污染。這要用這麼長的時間,經典是這樣說,我們這樣簡單再複述過來。
 
來,我們來看前面的經文,「爾時,導師知此人眾既得止息,無復疲倦,即滅化城,語眾人言:汝等去來!寶處在近,向者大城,我所化作,為止息耳。」
 
爾時
導師知此人眾
既得止息
無復疲倦
即滅化城
語眾人言
汝等去來
寶處在近
向者大城
我所化作
為止息耳
《法華經化城喻品第七
 
這已經就明顯說了,過去慢慢地引導你們,大家已經了解了,五道、三界,我們已經走過五道,了解三界,我們的心理形態。五道是真實的人間那種苦,有物質的苦,有人事的苦,人間種種,是我們的身體,我們的感受,受到人間這麼多苦。除了人間的苦,所造作的又有地獄的苦,地獄的苦比人間,千千萬萬般的苦還更苦,所以這就是地獄。
 
除了地獄,比地獄還輕的就是畜生道。畜生道,苦不苦呢?看到,一隻貓就能有一間房子,一萬元的美金,買一間房子,然後裡面安裝冷氣,裡面裝設電燈,就是讓這隻貓住。想想看,一隻貓能這樣享受。這樣享受,牠知不知道?我們也不知道,我們也不知道貓這樣住,牠到底知不知道?這是動物,也有這種有福的動物。過去生光是要修福,要與人結緣,但是不肯守戒,這種有造福,不守戒,就要墮落畜生道。
 
還有,雖然能夠來人間,有人的身,但是一生下來,一輩子就是這樣貧窮苦難折磨。還有,那種生下來就已經飢餓。看看多少國家,在非洲多少貧窮苦難、人禍不斷,災難、天災偏多,看看他們,沒水、沒糧食,那種,看到頭是這麼大、手腳是這麼瘦小,全身,肚子這麼大,看,全身,有蒼蠅、蚊子、螞蟻在全身,眼睛也有蒼蠅,連眨個眼睛的力氣都沒有。
 
看到這樣,活生生受到多少小蟲、小動物,在他的身上。我們光是一隻蚊子叮了我們,我們就很痛苦,光是一隻蒼蠅在那裡飛來飛去,我們就很煩惱。看到非洲苦難人,那真的是,(如)餓鬼、地獄的生活。我們在人間.看得到的就是這樣,這種餓鬼、地獄(道)的生活。畜生道,我們也看得到,有的全身爛,沒有主人要飼養牠,到處流浪的畜生道也是有,畜生地獄,到處都被人討厭,到處都被人喊打。
 
看,這種,險惡的生命(遭遇),做人是這樣,當畜生是這樣。我們說看不到的地獄,其實不必看到地獄,現在苦不堪忍耐,就能說是地獄了,何況是真實地獄?這就是我們人生的因緣果報。因緣果報只是來自一念心,一念心,所以,這念心會依止在哪裡呢?我們若是道理透徹,都了解了,依止在道理上,我們不受外面將我們影響了。
 
但是,凡夫很難很難,難得心能完全煩惱去除,很難,難得凡事都沒有疑問,很難。所以我們必定要很用功,不只是獨善其身就好,必定是在人群中多看、多修行,多修福慧,多守戒律,多鍛鍊我們的定心,才能在人群中生智慧。所以這是佛知佛見,一定要在人群中來磨練,這是必然的道理。
 
所以,這時,佛陀已經看到弟子,二乘弟子,該修的修了,該了解的也了解了,只是還要讓他再進步。所以「此人眾既得止息」。已經該了解的都了解了,五道、三界全都,道理已經都了解,這樣叫做經過,了解過了。我們若能到「究竟」,才是真正來去自如,這才是真正安穩樂處。所以,現在到「止息,無復疲倦」已經一段很長的時間走過,不會說我很累了,累也累過了,恢復體力了。
 
所以開始,導師「即滅化城」,就將化城滅掉了。「語眾人言」,跟大家說,「汝等去來!寶處在近」,已經在寶處很近的地方。過去這座大城是我所化作,讓大家這樣稍微停歇一下,你們到這裡已經平安了。因緣果報,你們也都了解了,所說的平安就是了解了,這些道理,你們了解了。「寶處在近」,真正能去體會,開始能體會,這個階段應該要再精進,,所以「寶處在近」。你們應該能知道,什麼叫做無明煩惱,人間等等,你們都道理了解,你們能進去了,進入人群中鍛鍊,人群中才是你的寶處,真正是你要歷練的地方。
 
所以過去跟你們說的,生死無明,分段生死或者是變易生死,這些事情,你們都知道了,開始你們要向前走,過去已經過去了,所以「向者大城,我所化作」,這樣將你們牽(引)過來了,那些路就是這樣,讓你們過程而已,所以只是讓你們停一下,跟你們說,到這裡是一段落,讓大家稍微停一下,止息,讓大家喘息一下。
 
所以「諸比丘」,接下來這段(經)文說,「諸比丘!如來亦復如是,今為汝等作大導師,知諸生死煩惱惡道險難長遠,應去應度。」
 
諸比丘
如來亦復如是
今為汝等作大導師
知諸生死煩惱惡道
險難長遠
應去應度
《法華經化城喻品第七
 
開始叫我們要去度眾生了,「應去應度」。「諸比丘!如來亦復如是」。
 
諸比丘
如來亦復如是:
佛陀悲智教之慇切
本懷眾生同成正覺
述說導師
引領向菩提道
顯示佛意
 
這是佛陀的悲智,教育殷切。他這段話,已經告一段落了,又再叫比丘。「本懷眾生同成正覺」。佛陀本身成佛之後,他就是期待眾生跟他一樣,「同成正覺」,盼雍眾生人人都與他一樣,佛知、佛見,透徹宇宙萬法真理。這是佛的本懷,希望人人能夠同成正覺。
 
述說導師引領向菩提道。佛,他就是導師,就是用導師來譬喻,譬喻這樣,希望人人與他一樣,他帶我們走,跟他一樣能向著菩提道,菩提大直道,這是顯示佛的本懷。「如來亦復如是」,經過了長遠的險道,也是這樣將大家帶過來了。「今為汝等作大導師」,現在為你們大家作大導師。佛陀譬喻大導師,現在就是帶你們。
 
今為汝等
作大導師:
為汝等諸人
聲聞眾等
引導出三界
名小導師
更為勉勵
教向成佛之道
名大導師
 
「為汝等諸人,聲聞眾等」,你們這些人,「汝等」就是這些聲聞眾,以及緣覺等等。「引導出三界」,慢慢地帶你們經過了五道,也越過了三界。
 
大家了解,三界,就是譬喻我們的心靈世界。心的欲念,欲念去除了;色,外面的境界,我們是不是通徹了解,不會受外面境界,形形色色影響我們的心?能夠沒有影響,那就是進入了無色界。無色界,雖然了解了,一切人間事物都完全透徹,清除了過去的煩惱無明,但是在這無色界,我們還未究竟。所以導師這樣帶著我們,要能究竟,來鍛鍊我們究竟的地方,那就是在人群中。在人群中,我們已經超越了五道,五險道超越了,我們再也不會受人群濁氣,再將我們誘引了,在生死來回不必怕了。生死本來就是自然法則,來去自如,心理也不會受人群,把我們誘惑了,已經到這樣的程度。
 
最好的道場是在人群中,這就是我們要去鍛鍊,更上一層樓。所以「更為勉勵,教向成佛之道」,你要成佛,就是要這樣經過芸芸眾生,我們去教化他。就如釋迦佛一樣,我們也是眾生,他也是投入在我們人群中,這樣殷殷善誘地教化我們,他也不受我們影響了,還是一樣為大導師,在帶我們,希望我們人人和他一樣。我們也希望人人和我們一樣,能夠向大菩提道走。修行
 
所以「知諸生死煩惱惡道」。
 
知諸生死
煩惱惡道:
佛知五道眾生
三界生死
沉溺見思無明
不能自拔
諸煩惱賊
怖畏毒害
種種惡道
 
入菩提道之後,我們就能了解,如佛一樣,「(佛)知五道眾生,三界生死」。眾生,還有未來很多很多的眾生,未來還很多,不是只有今生此世,今生此世不聞佛法的人也很多,同樣還沉溺在五道四生之中,三界之中,「沉溺見思無明不能自拔」,這還有很多,過去一直延續到現在,現在又延續到未來。在五道眾生,三界生死,這樣沉溺,都是因為見思無明來造作,所以一直沉下去,無法自拔。自己造業,自己沉下去了,沒辦法,沒有能力再浮上來。
 
所以「諸煩惱賊,怖畏毒害,種種惡道」。這都是我們的人生,煩惱無明,我們的法都受這些煩惱賊,我們講經開頭就解釋很多,煩惱的賊,將我們原來本有的,清淨的本性、具足的智慧,法在我們的內心,就這樣煩惱賊一直搬出去,銷毀了我們真如本性的功能,所以這就是讓我們變成了,在這三界,輪迴五道之中。這是一個可怖可畏的地方,這就像是毒,所以五濁,也是五毒,這樣來誘引我們,陷阱處處,這種惡道,種種惡道。
 
所以「險難長遠」。
 
險難長遠:
五道險難
長途凶險患難
曠劫輪迴
故云長遠
長遠者五百由旬故
 
實在是人生在世間,險難很多很長,過去走過來的,生生世世由不得自己來今生,今生再由不得自己再來生,這樣不斷輪轉,所以「五道險難長途,凶險患難」,這實在是很可怕。所以「曠劫輪迴」,沒辦法,無邊際的時間這樣一直輪迴,「故云長遠」,所以這樣叫做長遠,這條險道很長、很遠。「長遠者,五百由旬(故)」,長遠者,就是譬喻五道,天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生道,那實在是很長久,生生世世都是這樣在輪轉。
 
「知諸生死,煩惱惡道,險難長遠」。
 
知諸生死
煩惱惡道
險難長遠:
眾生於險難惡道
二種生死
佛悉知之
故云知諸等
 
我們已經知道了,眾生於險惡中,現在還是這樣。在二種生死,就是「分段生死」,這樣一段一段生死,或者是變易生死。佛都了解,眾生就是這樣,「故云知諸等」,很多,大家要知道,這些事情,實在是說不盡、說不完。
 
「應去應度」。有這麼多眾生,從過去無始以來,一直沉溺在五道、三界中,這麼多,我們現在聽聞佛法、了解道理了,煩惱,也應該要知道方法,來去除煩惱,我們也應該煩惱去除,懂得自己謹慎,戒來防非止惡。我們有戒,就如要入戰場,要穿盔甲入戰場一樣,我們的身心有保護,有法來保護我們,我們能入人群中,「應去應度」。
 
應去應度:
謂應離去此惡道
應度過此惡道
即合善知險道之相
兼過險道至寶所
 
「(謂)應離去此惡道」,我們要自己滅度,滅除一切煩惱,法要趕緊度入心,所以我們要自己去除無明惡道。「應度過此惡道」,過去的,我們要去除一切無明,我們要預防,不要新的煩惱再來,這叫做滅。所以,度,就是法入心,要再去度人。
 
「即合善知險道之相,兼過險道至寶所」。我們能這樣了解了,善知識,我們要了解法,法了解之後,我們要趕緊去當人的善知識,要好好地自度度人。
 
應去:
已入化城
不復前進
故應去
應度:
未入化城
多劫沉溺
應以化城而濟度
 
「應去」,應去的意思就是,「已入化城,不復前進,故應去」。你們大家已經停在這裡,不能只是停在這裡,應該要再向前走。「應度」,是未入城的人,「多劫沉溺,應以化城而濟度」。
 
我們現在回過頭來,也還這麼多人都不知,沒有聽到法,不知道應該要自度度人,我們還是一樣,要將我們停止的化城要滅掉,要趕緊再向前走,入人群中度眾生。所以「應去應度」,這就是要讓我們歷練的機會,「應以化城而濟度」,我們要用像這樣的方法,去度眾生。
 
真的人生苦難偏多,應該要真是用心去自修,然後度人。這是我們人人初發心,那念心,我們應該要常常保留著,好好地將法入心,好好地去除一切煩惱,自度,然後度他。所以我們要時時多用心。


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Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Crossing the Dangerous Path (惡道險難應去應度)
Date: May.05.2017

“This is like how Two Vehicle practitioners, upon first hearing the great teaching, immediately forget and lost it, thus transforming in cyclic existence. The World-Honored One gave provisional teachings and established skillful means, enabling them to eliminate delusion of views and thinking and the obstruction of afflictions. This brief attainment is biased toward emptiness but they took it as a place to stop and rest. After that they would arrive at the ultimate place of treasures.”

In other words, our spiritual practice is just like this, in our past, present and future lifetimes. Our past lifetimes refer to the time immeasurable kalpas ago. We heard the Great Vehicle Dharma before and also formed great aspirations. Yet we easily forget them. In this lifetime, we came back to this world, yet we have already forgotten the Great Dharma that we heard in the past. So now, we are hearing the great teachings again yet quickly forget them as well. So because of this, lifetime after lifetime, although we heard the teachings and formed aspirations before, we have not yet completed them. Then in subsequent lifetimes, in times of confusion, we are easily tempted and forget [the Dharma]. When we hear it again in this life, it will still be the same; the Dharma will seem very unfamiliar to us. It will seem very strange. In the past, we heard the Small [Vehicle] Dharma and learned about the world’s suffering; we grasped this right away. We knew the world was full of suffering, and we even felt it ourselves.

The world is truly suffering, so from all of the principles that the Buddha spoke about the truth of suffering, we were able to understand as soon as we heard. The Buddha further analyzed how it is because we accumulate all kinds of afflictions and replicate our ignorance that we ceaselessly cycle in birth and death. Therefore, everyone is scared of this. It is truly suffering; the principle of suffering is that it comes from “causation”. So, the source of “causation” is ignorance, which arises with discursive thoughts. We know this, so we must now eliminate our ignorance. We must quickly engage in spiritual practice. When we practice on our own, we do not want to contrive affinities with others. “I want to cut off my worldly affinities and not contrive affinities with others. This way I will not have any future lifetimes.” This is a mistaken understanding. The Buddha first let everyone understand cyclic existence. He first helped everyone understand the principles of suffering and gradually brought them in and guided them.

“The World-Honored One gave provisional teachings and established skillful means.” He first temporarily helped them understand; if they knew suffering and how to escape from it, then naturally they would not create more karma. So, this is what the Buddha did; He temporarily taught with provisional teachings, hoping that they would “eliminate delusions of views and thinking and the obstruction of afflictions.” With all these obstructions from delusions of views and thinking, ignorance and afflictions, they must earnestly train their minds. The process of spiritual practice requires earnestly training the mind. If we do not train our minds well and it goes astray even in the slightest, “a slight deviation takes us far off course.” The Buddha hoped that everyone could earnestly and quickly eliminate their ignorance. So, He taught gradually, hoping everyone could safeguard their thoughts and not create evil karma any more.

They still have immature capabilities. Hearers and Solitary Realizers took in the Buddha’s voice with their ears and understood [the teachings] in their minds. They had reached this stage of recognizing suffering and not daring to commit evil deeds. This is the process of spiritual practice. “This brief attainment is biased toward emptiness but they took it as a place to stop and rest.” This is like the Solitary Realizers; they have reached the state of Solitary Realizers. They could connect to external conditions in accord with the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha taught about impermanence. He analyzed for us how everything in the world is empty and illusory. Through the Prajnaparamita sutra, one can comprehend how everything is empty. Thus they came to understand everything is empty, that all appearances are impermanent, temporary. They are all illusory. So, everyone knew the principles of emptiness, “but they took it as a place to stop and rest.” They thought, “Now, we understand thoroughly.” From “existence,” they saw “non-existence”. These things that exist can be analyzed all the way until it is clear nothing exists. “I now thoroughly understand. I have crossed into extinction.” Thus, “They took it as a place to stop and rest. I will just stay like this.” But the Buddha knew everyone’s capabilities and that they had stopped to rest at this state.

So, the Buddha once again encouraged everyone. “If you have stopped to rest here, once you are rested you must keep going forward,” because “the place of treasures is close by”. “If you all really want to practice until you thoroughly understand the Buddha’s principles, then you must reach the ultimate place of treasures.” The ultimate place of treasures is the true goal we must reach. Although in this process we must cross over this treacherous path, the place we want to reach is forever peaceful and stable. If we can reach this stable place, whether we are coming or going, we will be at ease. This is how the Buddha is like a guiding teacher; He delivers us in this way. He guides us in this way. This takes a very long period of time.

The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City is so long, starting from dust-inked kalpas ago in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s time. The Buddha said this at the beginning. With one kalpa for every dust particle, think about it; this is an analogy for this time. This was also explained in the beginning of the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. Even a mathematician and a mathematician’s disciples would be unable to calculate it. This is analogy for how long we have been coming and going through cyclic existence. At that time, the 16 princes [learned from] Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, engaged in practice, attained enlightenment and then transformed sentient beings. The wheel-turning sage king also assisted at Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s spiritual training ground, encouraging everyone in his country to have faith in the Buddha, listen to the Buddha-Dharma, learn the Buddha’s teachings and put the teachings into practice. During this time, everyone listened to the Buddha-Dharma. The 16 princes formed aspirations to become monastics. So, the wheel-turning sage kind and his high officials went in a grand procession to accompany the principles to the Dharma-assembly of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, where they asked to become monastics under His guidance. At that time, the 16 princes began to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. All the Brahma kings quickly gathered together from ten directions. The eight cardinal directions plus above and below are the ten directions. All of the Brahma kings came along with their entire palaces and followers. From each direction they came, each with the resolve to seek the Dharma. The Brahma kings are leaders of Three Realms. When they lived in the human world, they spent a long time in spiritual practice. They cultivated the supreme practices and upheld the supreme precepts. They were completely pure and replete with blessed karma. Thus, they were able to be born in Brahma Heaven.

We spent a long period of time explaining this. The Braham kings came from the ten directions; from each direction they came with such sincerity. All the Brahma kings had gathered there. Kings of the human realm and their ministers were also present. Everyone came to listen to the Dharma. After listening for a long period of time, they advanced from the Small to the Middle Vehicle until their capabilities matured. The 16 novices expressed their intentions. “The Buddha-Dharma we wanted to pursue is understanding and views equal to the Buddha’s. However [profound] His understanding and views, we hope to have the same ones as Him. The awakened state is what we all want to purse.” As the 16 novices requested [the Dharma], the causes and conditions finally ripened, so Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha began to teach the Great Vehicle Dharma. After teaching for a long time, Great Unhindered Buddha entered Samadhi. He went into His meditation room. But in this long time of listening to the Dharma, as Small and Middle Vehicle practitioners turned to the Great Vehicle Dharma, while some people understood and practiced it, others still had doubts. Meanwhile, the 16 novices had faithfully accepted, practiced and understood the teachings. They understood the principles of the Great Vehicle Dharma completely. Seeing all these people who had not yet thoroughly understood, the 16 novices seized this opportunity and quickly said to these people whom they had affinities with, “Come! If you want to understand and you like to listen to what I say to you, then come with me.” Thus each novice took the [Dharma-] throne, and, according to their affinities, everyone, went to where one of the 16 novices was. So, the associators with affinities for one novice began listening to the teachings of that novice. Starting from this, those with affinities [listened to teachings] lifetime after lifetime.

Sakyamuni Buddha was the last of the 16 novices; He was the 16th novice. He has also already attained Buddhahood. The world He attained Buddhahood in is this Saha World. This was His vow. For this place where the Five Destinies coexist, this world that must be endured, He formed aspirations and made vows to transform the sentient beings of the Saha World. So, starting in this way, these sentient beings listened to the Buddha-Dharma lifetime after lifetime. The Buddha would enter Parinirvana, then come back to our world. In our world, He attained Buddhahood taught the Dharma, then entered Parinirvana, but the Buddha-Dharma remains in the world. Thus it began to be continuously passed down. Those who listened would come back to this world and once again promote the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma would go through each period, the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration. Dharma-semblance means it looks similar to when the Buddha was in this world. Spiritual practitioners who taught the Dharma could still be seen. But gradually, they would slowly disappear. The spiritual practitioners after this were already far removed from Right Dharma. After a long time, people were far from even Dharma-semblance. The time for this is not short. Right now, in the ear of Dharma-degeneration, all that is left behind are explanations of the scriptures that have been passed down continuously. This what still remains. Now, we must rely on ourselves to truly take what remains of the Buddha-Dharma and apply it in the world. The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the working of the world. We want to bring purity to people’s minds and transform sentient beings, so we must adapt to the era we are in now. In this present era, in this great space, on this planet within our vast universe, in our lives as human beings and our interpersonal relationships, how do we go about transforming sentient beings? We must use the Buddha-Dharma to transform them. These are the principles. So, to have the causes and conditions, we ourselves must listen. We must listen to the Dharma and take it to heart. We already know these principles. This path in the world is very dangerous. In the Saha World, this place where the Five Destinies coexist, once our thoughts stir, if they are good thoughts, we benefit others and transmit the Buddha-Dharma. But if evil thoughts arise, that is terrifying; we commit many evil deeds. Thus family relationships are thrown into chaos, and the structure of societies and countries will be disrupted. Manmade calamities, natural disasters and so on destroy mountains, rivers and lands. These are calamities which we created. We have already polluted the sky and contaminated the Dharma-realms. Actually, the Buddha-Dharma in our world now has been disrupted by this world.

So, for the Buddha-Dharma to truly reach people’s hearts without disruption is not that easy. This depends on those of us with the resolve. As our thoughts stir, if they are good thoughts, we find ways to [spread] the Buddha-Dharma in this world. With Right Dharma and the right direction, we can encourage people to put it into practice. This is the true method to ultimately reach the place of treasures safely. Only then can we honestly take the true Dharma to heart and be at ease. The Buddha-mind is everyone’s mind. Everyone intrinsically has the Buddha-mind, very pure thoughts of goodness, but we still give rise to deluded thoughts. We want to engage in spiritual practice, but if we do not practice until the end, if we do not practice to reach the ultimate, then we will easily forget. Because after 1000 kalpas, 10,000 kalpas, countless kalpas, dust-inked kalpas, beginningless kalpas, all that time up until now, if we were to have even a bit of negative karmic conditions that pull us astray, we would forget all that we learned in the past. Then, we would continue to transmigrate. Because we practice the Small Vehicle and are only benefiting ourselves, we are not yet in a stable place. We are only focused on eliminating afflictions, but as for our future place of refuge, that truly safe, stable and joyful refuge, where is it? We must keep walking forward until we reach the state of the Buddhahood. Then we will have truly reached a safe, stable and joyful refuge. So, we must train ourselves until we are equal to the Buddha, with the Buddha’s understanding and views, in the same state as the Buddha. Only then can we remain unmoving and not be defiled by evil or turbidity. This takes a long time; the sutras explain this, and we are just restating it simply.

Let us look at the previous sutra text. “At that time, the guiding teacher knows these people have stopped and rested, so they are no longer exhausted. Thus he extinguishes the conjured city and speaks to these people, saying, ’All of you have been coming and going. The place of treasures is close by. That great city form before was conjured up by me to allow you to stop and rest’”.

This clearly states that he had slowly guided them in the past. Everyone already understood the Five Destinies and Three Realms. “We already walked past the Five Destinies and understand the Three Realms, those descriptions of mental processes”. The Five Destinies are true suffering in the world. There is material suffering as well as suffering from interpersonal issues. In the world there are all kinds; whether [suffering] of our body, or of our feelings, we face so much suffering in the world. Beside the suffering of the human realm, there is also the suffering of the hell realm. Compared to the suffering of the human realm, hell is tens of thousands of times more worse. This is what hell is like. In addition to hell, less severe than hell, is the animal realm. Is there suffering in the animal realm? We see that one cat can have her own house. It costs tens of thousands of US dollars to buy this home. Inside there is air-conditioning and electric lights, all for this cat to live in. Think about it; this cat has so many comforts. Is she even aware of such comforts? We do not know; we do not know if this cat knows she is living like this. This is an animal; there are also animals like this with blessings. In past lives, they must have cultivated blessings and created affinities with people. But they were unwilling to uphold precepts. By crating blessings without upholding precepts, they fell and were born in the animal realm. Then there are those who, though born human, with a human body; form the moment they are born, their whole life is filled with poverty, anguish and torment. There are also those who are born hungry.

Look at how many countries there are in Africa where many people are suffering from poverty and endless manmade calamities. There are also many natural disasters. Look at them; they lack food and water. We see how big their heads are, while their limbs are thin and frail. Their bellies are bid, and their whole bodies are covered with flies, mosquitoes and ants. Even their eyes have flies; they do not even have the strength to blink. We can also see this, while still alive, their whole bodies are covered in small insects. For us, if we get bitten by a mosquito, it is already unbearable. Or if a fly keeps buzzing around us, we give rise to many afflictions. seeing the suffering people in Africa, it is truly like living in the hungry ghost or hell realm. This is what can we see in this world, these people living in the hungry ghost and hell realms. We can also observe the animal realm. Some [animals] have sores all over their bodies and no one wants to take care of them. There are many homeless animals in the animal realm; this is like hell for animals. Everywhere they go, they are despised by people who curse at and beat them. Look at this kind of danger and evil in life. Being human is like this, living as an animal is like too. We say that we cannot see the hell realm, but actually we do not have to see it. Now, when we see unbearable suffering we can call that hell, to say nothing of the real hell. This is the law of karma in life.

Karmic causes and effect all comes from the mind. So, where do our minds abide? If we thoroughly understand the principles and abide on that [foundation], we will no longer be influenced by external states. But for ordinary people this is very difficult. It is rare to eliminate all afflictions; it is rare to have a mind with no doubts. So, we must put in great effort; benefiting ourselves alone is not enough. We must go among people to see more and practice more. We should cultivate more blessings and wisdom and uphold the precepts more. We need to train our power of Samadhi more so that we can gain while among others. This is the Buddha’s understanding and views. We must train ourselves by going among others. These are definite principles.

So, at this time, the Buddha already saw His Two Vehicle disciples had practiced what they needed to practice and understood what they needed to understand. He just had to help them take it one step further. So, “These people have stopped and rested. What they needed to understand, they understood. Regarding the Five Destinies and the Three Realms, they already understood all of these principles. Thus it says they have passed through this; they have already understood. Only if we can reach the ultimate cam we truly come and go freely. This is truly the safe, stable and joyful refuge.

So, now they “stopped and rested, so they are no longer exhausted”. They already went through a long period of time. They will not say that they are very tired; they have already been tired, and now they have regained their energy. So, the guiding teacher “extinguished the conjured city”. He lets the conjured city disappear. “[He] speaks to these people, saying, ‘All of you have been coming and going. The place of treasures is close by’”. They are already near to the place to the place of treasures. “This city you were in was conjured by me to allow everyone to stop and rest”. You have made it here and are safe. You all understand the law of karma. being at peace means you understand. You understand all these principles. The place of treasures is close by”. To truly experience this, to begin to comprehend, at this stage we should be more diligent.

So, “The place of treasures is close by. You should all understand what ignorance and afflictions are. You understand the principles of the world, etc. You are able to enter, able to go among people to train yourselves. Going among others is the place of treasure; it is there where you truly gain experience. So, you understand what I taught you before, about the ignorance of samsara; whether fragmentary samsara or transformational samsara, you know all about these things. You must continue to move forward. The past has already passed”.

So, “That great city from before was conjured up by me”. This is how he guided them all here. The roads are like this; this was just a part of the process. So, to allow them to stop for a while, He told them all that having reached this point, this stage was over. He allowed everyone to stop and rest for a while, allowed everyone to catch their breath.

So, “Bhiksus,” the following passage states, “Bhiksus, the Tathagata is also like this. Now I act as your great guiding teacher. I know the evil path of all the afflictions of cyclic existence, which is dangerous, difficult and long. You must depant and cross it”.

He began to tell us to deliver sentient beings. “You must depart and cross it. Bhiksus, the Tathagata is also like this”.

Bhiksus, the Tathagata is also like this: The Buddha taught earnestly with compassion and wisdom. His original intent was for sentient beings to likewise attain perfect enlightenment. He described the guiding teacher leading them toward the Bodhi-path to reveal the Buddha’s intent.

This is the Buddha’s compassion and wisdom; He taught so earnestly. This section of teaching had already reached the next stage, so He called for the bhiksus again. His original intent was for sentient beings to likewise attain perfect enlightenment. After the Buddha Himself attained Buddhahood, He hoped sentient beings could be the same as Him and “likewise attain perfect enlightenment. He hoped that all sentient beings could be the same as Him, with the Buddha’s understanding and views, penetrating the true principles of all things. This was the Buddha’s original intent. He hoped we all can attain perfect enlightenment. “He described the guiding teacher leading them toward the Bodhi-path”.

The Buddha is the guiding teacher; He used the guiding teacher as an analogy. The analogy was for how He hopes that everyone will be like Him. He guides us to walk the path so we can be like Him and walk the Bodhi-path, the great, direct Bodhi-path. This reveals the Buddha’s original intent. “The Tathagata is also like this”. After He crossed the long and dangerous path, He also led everyone through. “Now I act as your great guiding teacher”. Now He serves as everyone’s great guiding teacher. The Buddha is like a great guiding teacher; right now He is guiding us all.

Now I act as your great guiding teacher: “For the sake of all of you. Hearers and others in the assembly, I lead the way to escape the Three Realms”. This is called the small guiding teacher. “I further encourage you and teach you the path to Buddhahood”. This is called the great guiding teacher.

“For the sake of all of you Hearers and others in the assembly…”. The people He addressed, “all of you,” were these Hearers as well as Solitary Realizers. He leads the way to escape the Three Realms. He slowly guided all of them to pass through the Five Destinies and transcend the Three Realms. Everyone understands that the Three Realms are analogies for our states of mind. We have eliminated the desires of the mind. Have we thoroughly understood all external states of form? Then our minds will not be affected by external states and all kinds of form. If we are able to remain unaffected, that means that we have entered the formless realm. In the formless realm, although we understand, though we have penetrated all worldly matters and cleared away past ignorance and afflictions, still, in the formless realm, we have not yet reached the ultimate. So, a guiding teacher leads us to reach the ultimate [state]. The ultimate place where we can train ourselves is among people. By going among people, we have already transcended the Five Destinies. We have already transcended these five dangerous paths. We will also not allow the turbidities of society to tempt us again. Then we need not fear coming and going in samsara. Birth and death are laws of nature, so we can come and go at ease. Our minds will also not be tempted by other people. We have already reached this stage. The best spiritual training ground is among people. This is where we must train ourselves and reach a higher level. So, “I further encourage you and teach you the path to Buddhahood”. If we want to attain Buddhahood, we must interact with myriad sentient beings; we must teach and transform them, just like Sakyamuni Buddha. We are also sentient beings; He likewise got involved amidst sentient beings and patiently taught and transformed us. He was also not affected by us. He likewise remained our guiding teacher, leading us in the hope that we all could be like Him. We also hope that everyone will be like us and follow the great Bodhi-path. So, “I know the evil path of all the afflictions of cyclic existence”.

I know the evil path of all the afflictions of cyclic existence: The Buddha knows that sentient beings transmigrate through the Five Destinies and undergo cyclic existence in the Three Realms. They sink in delusions of views and thinking and ignorance, unable to extricate themselves. With all the robbers of afflictions, these are evil paths of terror, poison and harm.

After entering the Bodhi-path, we are then able to understand just like the Buddha, who “knows that sentient beings transmigrate through the Five Destinies and undergo cyclic existence in the Three Realms”. There are still many sentient beings to come in the future, still many more in the future. There is no only this lifetime. In this lifetime, there are still many people who have not yet heard the Buddha-Dharma. They still flounder in the Five Destinies, four forms of birth and the Three Realms. “They sink in delusions of views and thinking and ignorance, unable to extricate themselves”. There are still many like this, from the past until now and from now on into the future. Sentient beings in the Five Destinies and the Three Realms are floundering like this. Because they act out of their views and thinking and ignorance, they keep sinking down, unable to free themselves. They create karma themselves and keep sinking. They have no way, no ability, to free themselves. So, “With all the robbers of afflictions, these are evil paths of terror, poison and harm”. This is talking about our lives, our ignorance and afflictions. Our Dharma is taken by the robbers of afflictions. At the start of these lectures, we explained a lot about how the robbers of affliction steal what we originally had, our pure intrinsic nature and innate wisdom. The Dharma in our hearts is constantly pulled out by robbers of afflictions, destroying the abilities of our nature of True Suchness. So, this causes us to transmigrate in the three Realms and the Five Destinies. This is truly a terrifying place. It is like poison. So, the Rive Turbidities and the Five Poisons entice us in this way. There are traps everywhere on these evil paths. There are many kinds of evil paths. So, they are “dangerous, difficult and long”.

Dangerous, difficult and long: The Five Destinies are dangerous and difficult. The long path is treacherous and filled with adversities. We have transmigrated for countless kalpas, therefore it says it is “long”. It is long because it is 500 yojanas.

Truly, our [path of] life in this world has many dangers and is long. In the past, we already walked lifetime after lifetime without any control before coming to this life. After this life, without any control, we will be born again. This is how we ceaselessly transmigrate. “The Five Destinies are dangerous and difficult,” and the path is long, “treacherous and filled with adversities”. This is truly very frightening. So, “We have transmigrated for countless kalpas”. Helplessly, across boundless spans of time, we have ceaselessly transmigrated. “Therefore it says it is ‘long”’. This is why it is called long. This dangerous path is very long and far. “It is long because it is 500 yojanas”. The long road represents the Five Destinies, the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. This is truly very long; lifetime after lifetime we keep transmigrating. “I know the evil path of all the afflictions of cyclic existence, which is dangerous, difficult and long”. We already know sentient beings are amidst this danger. They still remain amidst the two types of samsara. “Fragmentary samsara” is each fragmentary lifetime of our cyclic existence, and there is “transformational samsara”. The Buddha understood all of this, how sentient beings are just like this. “Thus it says ‘I know’ and so forth”. There is so much that everyone must know, there is no way to finish explaining everything. “You must depart and cross it”. There are so many sentient beings from Beginningless Time until now who have continuously floundered in the Five Destinies and Three Realms. There are so many like this. Now, after listening to the Buddha-Dharma and understanding the principles, we should know the method to eliminate afflictions. We should also, having eliminated our afflictions know that we must be careful to guard against wrongs and stop evil. We have the precepts This is like how, when entering a battlefield, we must first put on armor to go into battle. We must protect our own minds and bodies. We use the Dharma to protect ourselves. Then we can go among people to “depart and cross it”.

You must depart and cross it: This means they must depart from this evil path, must cross over this evil path. These match with knowing well the features of the evil path and crossing the dangerous path to reach the place of treasures.

“This means they must depart from this evil path”. We ourselves must cross into extinction by extinguishing all afflictions and allowing the Dharma to cross into our hearts. So, we must eliminate ignorance and this evil path. “This means they must depart from this evil path”. We need to eliminate all past ignorance and prevent new afflictions from arising; this is called extinction. As for “crossing,” this is to take the Dharma to heart, then go help more people to cross. “These match with knowing well the features of the evil path and crossing the dangerous path to reach the place of treasures”. We can understand it like this, as virtuous friends, we must understand the Dharma. After we do so, we should quickly become others ‘virtuous friends and earnestly deliver ourselves and others. “You must depart” means “having entered the conjured city, they no longer advance further. Therefore, they must depart ’You have all stopped here. But you cannot just stop here, you must keep moving forward”. “Must cross it” refers to those who have not yet entered the city. “They have been submerged for many kalpas. Therefore ,with the conjured city they should be able to be saved and helped across”. As we look back now, there are still so many people who do not know, who have not listened to the Dharma. They do not know to deliver themselves and others. So it is the same, we must extinguish the conjured city where we stopped and quickly start moving forward again to go among people and deliver sentient beings. So, “You must depart and cross it”. This is an opportunity for us to train ourselves. “Therefore, with the conjured city they should be able to be saved and helped across”. We must use these kinds of methods to deliver sentient beings. Truly, life is filled with suffering. We must be mindful in cultivating ourselves and then go to deliver people. This is everyone’s initial aspiration. We must always preserve this aspiration and earnestly take the Dharma to heart. We must earnestly eliminate all afflictions and deliver ourselves, then deliver others. So, we must always be mindful.

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