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 20171123《靜思妙蓮華》眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉 (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十)

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20171123《靜思妙蓮華》眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉  (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十) Empty
發表主題: 20171123《靜思妙蓮華》眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉 (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十)   20171123《靜思妙蓮華》眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉  (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十) Empty周三 11月 22, 2017 10:01 pm

20171123《靜思妙蓮華》 眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉 (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十)

⊙「四十餘年遲而不務速說,今雖欲說五千即時退座,如來住世尚爾何況未來,理在眾生剛強難調伏化。」
⊙「藥王!此經是諸佛祕要之藏,不可分布妄授與人!諸佛世尊之所守護,從昔已來未曾顯說。」《法華經法師品第十》
⊙「而此經者,如來現在猶多怨嫉,況滅度後?」《法華經法師品第十》
⊙而此經者,如來現在猶多怨嫉:如來在世,信此經尚難,並多懷怨嫉。方便品:此輩罪根深重及增上慢。
⊙怨嫉而生增慢:如佛說是經時,五千增上慢等退席皆是。謂昔說小乘,今忽云非究竟,為可怨嫉。
⊙況滅度後:佛世尚爾,況復滅後。
⊙語重深長:勿妄宣傳。一、是法為祕要之藏,從昔已來,如來未曾顯說。二、如來現說是法,猶多怨嫉。三、佛滅度後,於此難信難解之經,怨嫉增上慢之者更多,故佛戒人不可分布妄授與人。

【證嚴上人開示】
「四十餘年遲而不務速說,今雖欲說五千即時退座,如來住世尚爾何況未來,理在眾生剛強難調伏化。」

四十餘年
遲而不務速說
今雖欲說
五千即時退座
如來住世尚爾
何況未來
理在眾生剛強
難調伏化

這是覺得遺憾啊!人身難得,佛法難聞,能夠值遇佛世更是不簡單。二千多年前,佛陀出現人間,能夠與佛同世,甚至聽法也已經四十多年了,是多麼不容易的事情啊!但是佛陀他從阿含小教開始,那是為什麼呢?因為眾生根機,還不堪接受真實大法,所以佛陀要用很長久的時間,愛心、耐心,面對著鈍劣根機的眾生,要循循善誘。過了四十二年後,佛陀才開始說真實法,開權顯實,但是在這四十二年間,佛陀「不務速說」,就是遲遲將他這真實法,就是隱藏在內心裡,因為眾生要聽這個法,還不是時機,因為根機還未整齊,還無法接受,因為這樣,不務速說。

現在,所說的現在,「今雖欲說,五千即時退席」,這個「今」就是佛陀時代。佛陀那個時代,當時雖然佛陀開始要講,開始要講了,大家該應該還記得,《無量義經》講完了,佛陀並沒有要起座的意思,同樣還是坐著。

佛陀暫停下來,開始入定了,放光。這個景象是很異常,很異常,過去不曾這樣。這次佛陀經典講也好像結束,也好像是還沒結束,這樣佛陀就入定了。再者看到佛陀坐定時,那個形態不同,在那白毫,兩眉中間,慢慢開始好像日光照耀,反射出去的那個光,光芒四射,大家的感覺,後面的法應該是前所未有,佛陀到底後面所要說的是多麼精彩的法?對大家好像都很有關係,是真正密切重要的法,所以那當中沒人離座,想要等待,等待佛陀講出,他後面想要講的法。但是久久佛陀還未出定,光芒四射,這到底是為什麼?面面相觀。

這當中,彌勒,彌勒菩薩就是在《法華經》,將要接受佛陀授記,將來娑婆世界成佛,就是要接娑釋迦佛後面能成佛,在娑婆世界教化眾生,永續佛法,對他來說是很大的責任。現在大家的心開始有懷疑了,無法了解,面面相觀,到底佛陀要說什麼法?彌勒菩薩他就有責任了,開始他就站起來,來問,要問誰?佛陀是入定了,現在要問誰?過去佛,七佛之師,那就是問文殊菩薩,文殊菩薩已經過去也成佛了,龍種上尊王佛,大家應該還記得,不只是這樣,修行的過程,也教過了七尊佛前後成佛,可見文殊菩薩他就是過去佛,而彌勒菩薩是未來佛。未來佛就來請教過去佛,請教文殊菩薩,「導師何故?」現在的導師釋迦牟尼佛,是什麼因由,這樣在發光?在入定中發光,到底佛陀有什麼樣的因由,有什麼樣的大法?

開始文殊菩薩來與彌勒菩薩,這樣對唱,說起了日月燈明佛的時代,不是只有一尊同名同姓,二萬尊,同名同姓佛出現人間,只是為了一件事情,那就是講《法華經》。教導眾生的過程,與現在釋迦佛一樣,過去還是循循善誘,將入滅前必定講說《法華經》,過去的佛是這樣,這麼多佛,佛佛道同,現在釋迦尼佛也是一樣。這因緣都是一樣,是出在眾生根劣,出在眾生剛強難調伏,所以每一尊佛出世,必定要用一段長的時間,有次序,從淺入深,從小往大,這樣循循善誘,佛佛道同。當初的釋迦牟尼佛,也就是二千多年前,佛陀四十多年間說法,眾生的根機也還未全都很成熟,不過時不留人,同樣分秒時間過,佛陀在人間,與人間的生活一樣,在這自然法則裡面,同樣有老、病的這個過程,有孩童、少年、青年、中年、壯年、老年這樣的法則,這樣過來,這是人間佛,和人間的生活都一樣。

成佛,是在心腦開啟,體會到那個質最精妙,那個佛性。我們眾生,這幾天都這樣說,我們五根緣五塵境,意識隨著根塵去分別,所以五根、五塵,或者是六根、六塵,外面收攝在第六識來思考,是要造作煩惱、無明,外面的境界引進來,使我們去造成,行,是要惡行或是要善行?惡行,那就是那念貪念的心起,緣外面的境界之後,收納在第六識來思考。愛、取,要用什麼方法,達成了這個愛的取著呢?採取的行動,那就是造惡。惡,造惡的人也很聰明。尤其是現在的科技發達,電腦,現在要領錢不用去銀行領,就可以在半路就能領,只要有一個機器,有一張卡就能領。有的對電腦很通徹了解,所以他能改他的軟體,他的程式,有辦法去領好幾千萬元的現金,這樣提著那些現金,好幾千萬,這樣臺灣到處走。

臺灣的治安還算好,破案率還算很快,這幾天的新聞(二0一六年),報紙不斷在報,從國外來的人,來造作這樣的行動。這個造作的行動,是從哪裡能去造作?是從他的第六識,第六識思考,利用現代的科技,這種聰明利根,我們過去也說,利,利根也是一種煩惱,差毫釐,往錯誤的方向,毫釐之差,千里之錯,他這第六識一念偏差,他有通天的本領,可以去利用這個科技的程式,去盜領這麼多錢。同樣,有惡法產生,也就有法去破它,人間全都是相對。有生病的人,病了,病也是因為身體不調和,惡的細菌、病菌作怪起來,醫生檢查對症下藥,還是用藥去治療,這個藥也是有毒,以毒攻毒,治病,破解那個毒,病的菌、那細菌,就這樣將它破除掉。所以常常,有的醫生看病,良醫不一定要用藥,向他說:「你這個病不必用藥,你可能幾天就會好了,多喝一些水,多做一些運動等等。」果然病好了。

有的人就說:「醫生,您一定要開藥給我吃,您不開藥給我吃,我就不能安心。」良醫就能很坦白跟他說:「不要一直想要吃藥,藥對身體不好,藥有毒的成分在。」讓我們了解,藥,有病一定要吃藥,不必用藥的病,良醫就為我們指點:「不必用藥,只要你多喝水,只要你多休息,只要你多運動等等會好。」若是較毒的病,「要用藥,所用的藥,你能吃幾天哦,不能再吃太久,這個藥它對身體也有損,所以不能吃太久的藥」。這就是良醫,給我們一個治病的方法,保護我們的健康。

同樣,人在天地間,看到天地,天地之間所有的物質,人的內心還是起心動念,想要去取著,要去取著就不擇手段。這種不擇手段的取著,那就是第六識的功能去運作,運作去接觸,去取來,所以這個取就是從「觸」,所以他就有「取」,取著來的那就「有」了,有什麼?有業。這個業,造作的種子,就歸納在第八識。

好像常常在向大家說,卻是大家會忘記,要再重新向大家說。所以這八識、七識、六識,這都是在助長,我們在外面所緣的,所造作的,完成之後囤積的,那就是在第八識,這樣囤積在第八識裡,這一直到了我們最後的人生,我們什麼都沒有帶走,世間的一切用心計較,去取著,所造作的惡,卻是到頭來什麼都沒有,這就是人生。

我們一輩子用心計較,做到想要得到時,那就是人生這樣過了。東西,事業留在世間,人就是這樣過去了,火化掉,成灰了,自己這樣是不是結束了呢?自己沒有結束,就帶著業來世間。這世間上,有人間地獄,有人間畜生道,有人間餓鬼道,人間三途,受盡苦磨,這樣的人生由不得自己。所以,眾生剛強,自作自受,難調難伏,佛陀他的慈心,悲憫眾生,累生累世不斷來人間為一大事,但是眾生不斷複製的業力,佛陀還沒有將我們放棄,所以來教導眾生。人間菩薩,人人教一個成一個,算一個,他就是這樣不斷不斷來人間。這樣要眾生能體會,還是要用方便法。這是佛陀的智慧,一實法中的方便智,所以前面四十多年間,佛陀就是以真實法的方便智慧,說「阿含」、「方等」、「般若」,這樣不斷過來,已經到現在,佛陀覺得非說不可,那個時候,開始要講《法華經》。

儘管現相放光,希望人人懂得珍惜,卻是一直到了佛陀開始要講時,先讚歎這個法,一直在讚歎佛,智慧的境界等等。舍利弗的智慧知道佛陀的心懷,所要說的,未來到底要說什麼,所以舍利弗三請佛陀,佛陀三止,最後開始講,那當中,五千人即時退座,是不是很剛強呢?這些人為什麼呢?後面的心理就要再分析了。「如來住世尚爾何況未來?」如來在世時,如來親自說法,與佛同世這些弟子,佛陀在講經,他們都能這樣從座而起,五千人禮佛而退,這是佛陀的時代啊!何況未來呢?未來要講《法華經》,是更困難,因為眾生愈來愈剛強。所以,這個道理,「理在眾生剛強,難調伏化」,佛陀在世就這樣了,何況未來呢?這是我們可以了解。

所以,我們來看後前面的文,前面的文這樣說:「藥王!此經是諸佛祕要之藏,不可分布妄授與人!諸佛世尊之所守護,從昔已來未曾顯說。」

藥王
此經是
諸佛祕要之藏
不可分布妄授與人
諸佛世尊之所守護
從昔已來未曾顯說
《法華經法師品第十》

這是佛在法華會上這樣說,〈方便品〉那時候也這樣說,舍利弗請法時,佛陀也這樣說,現在向藥王菩薩,在〈法師品〉,佛陀再次又是這樣說。為什麼四十多年來不務速說?因為時機還未到,眾生的根機還不堪接受時,所以佛陀要將那「一實乘」法,還是這樣懷護,護在他的內心裡,這就是佛祕要之藏,很重要。來人間,無非是為了這件事情來。這件事情,就是要向大家說「人人本具佛性」,要向大家說「人人可成佛」。可成佛的方法是在哪裡?找回自己的真如本性。但是眾生剛強,談何容易!所以,「不可分布妄授與人」,這麼剛強,你要跟他說,他不只不聽,反而反感,反感、反叛,又會毀謗,沒有好感。反感就是沒有好感,因為他無法接受,所以沒有那個好感接受,他就會反駁,因為這樣,「不可分布妄授」,不可隨意對人就說,因為他的根機,他才到世智辯聰而已,還沒有到達清淨的智慧,所以還不能說,「不可分布妄授」。

「世尊之所守護」,只好,佛陀就是「諸佛世尊之所守護」,佛還是同樣將它守護在內心,這是諸佛道同,每一尊佛都是這樣。所以「從昔已來未曾顯說」。四十多年來,都還沒有開始講說,這就是佛陀那時候,向藥王菩薩表達,「四十餘年遲不務速說」,一直到現在還不趕快說,是因為眾生還是,無明很重、很剛強,根機未成熟,信心不深固,若對他說這法,他們會拿去惡解,會毀謗等等,邪知、邪思、邪行,所以,佛陀還不能說這個法。必定要跟大家,說到很接近佛的心意,差不多大家可以,接近佛的心意了,這樣佛陀才能說出來,讓大家知道,就是哪怕沒有透徹了解,也不會生起毀謗的心。所以,這一定要慢慢讓大家靠近,較貼心一點,較相信一點,才有辦法說出去。這是向藥王這樣解釋,解釋四十多年間,佛陀不務速說,不趕緊要說,就是因為要讓大家更貼心靠近,更了解佛,深信不疑,佛所說的法,你現在若聽了,不很了解,至少也不會毀謗,也不會再去造作不當的事情,這就是佛陀的用意。

下面接下來的(經)文,就這樣說:「而此經者,如來現在猶多怨嫉,況滅度後?」

而此經者
如來現在
猶多怨嫉
況滅度後
《法華經法師品第十》

聽到這樣,看到這段經文,心就很酸啊!很擔心啊!佛陀在世時,還是同樣「猶多怨嫉」。佛陀在世,將他覺悟的法,要讓眾生了解,佛陀多麼盼望,盼望眾生能跟他同樣,跟他同樣的知見,跟他同樣能徹悟天地宇宙萬物的真理,不希望眾生再沉淪,在這種人群中,造作惡業,不希望眾生不斷在人間受苦難,佛陀多麼盼望大家能跟他一樣,一切透徹了解。展開心胸,心包太虛,了解這人間道路的險惡,體會虛空法界,靜寂清澄那個優美的境界,這是佛陀的盼望,能眾生體會與佛同等的心境。不過,無奈啊!眾生猶多怨嫉,佛陀在世,多少的外道教,宗教很複雜,哪怕是他所教育的弟子僧團中,還是同樣有這樣怨嫉的人,提婆達多所帶領的群眾,一黨派的人,時時都是來擾亂佛陀的僧團,時時都在毀謗佛陀的人格。佛陀在世就有這樣怨,怨妒,怨妒佛陀人人尊重,怨妒佛陀的智慧,可以度化這麼多人,受這麼多人的信仰,很怨妒。所以就會生起嫉恨的心,就起了嫉惡,惡心就想破壞。佛在世時就有這樣,況滅度後呢?

而此經者
如來現在
猶多怨嫉:
如來在世
信此經尚難
並多懷怨嫉
方便品:
此輩罪根深重
及增上慢

所以「而此經者,如來現在猶多怨嫉」。所以,如來在世就這樣了,「信此經尚難」,佛陀開始講這部經,要能很徹底相信,了解、體會,那時候就困難了,再加上很多心懷不軌,本來就反叛佛陀的心意,這種人的怨嫉。當然,在佛在世就是這樣,所以〈方便品〉,大家還記得嗎?這段經文說:「此輩罪根深重及增上慢。」這就是很頑固,他的煩惱業力,重重疊疊把他障礙了。那個惡念、惡法還很厚,所以叫做罪根深重,很多障礙著他。善的法,不肯接受,惡的法,不斷在他的心裡這樣澎湃地發作,甚至自己會造作增上慢,以為自己很厲害,以為自己的思想是對的,如提婆達多一樣。

所以「怨嫉而生增慢」,因為怨,因為嫉妒,所以生起了增上慢。

怨嫉而生增慢:
如佛說是經時
五千增上慢等
退席皆是
謂昔說小乘
今忽云非究竟
為可怨嫉

所以「如佛說是經時,五千增上慢等退席」。這全都是這樣。他們聽到佛陀一直讚歎,諸佛的智慧,聽到一實乘法的殊勝,要排除過去阿含、方等、般若,那時候的方便教法,「開權」,佛陀讚歎未來一實法,要「顯實」,這些人,五千人,就增上慢那個心生起來,就不願意在當場再聽下去。就這樣不約而同,五千人站起來,頂禮,作禮而退,這就是增上慢的心作祟,就是這樣退席。佛陀的時代就這樣,何況現在呢?不肯聽經,自以為是,這也有很多人,這都是增上慢的人。

所以「謂昔說小乘」,他們的心這樣想,過去所說的小乘法,「今忽云非究竟」,過去說「阿含」,我們從那時候就這樣一直聽、一直修行,「方等」,我們也接受,這樣在修行,「般若時」,也是這樣修行;來到現在,佛陀說非究竟法,因為這樣,他們就起了那一分怨嫉的心。用這麼久的時間修行,到現在說非究竟,所以他們的心生怨嫉。怨、所以嫉,就起恨,用這麼多時間,這樣還沒有得到究竟。就從這樣起了增上慢。這是在佛在世,聽佛講經已經四十多年了,看,聽到佛陀說:「這樣還不是究竟。」。他就開始起了怨嫉,沒有耐心,開始說:「這樣不是我要的目的。」他起心動念,就開始這樣要遠離,就增上慢起了。

況滅度後:
佛世尚爾
況復滅後

「況滅度後?」佛在世都這麼困難,佛滅後呢?佛陀滅度之後的時代,法要如何傳?〈法師品〉,無不都是在說這些話,佛滅度後,法要如何傳?要如何來持誦這部經,要如何護持這部經,如何來講說這部經呢?真正是令人很擔心。佛滅度後的現在,聽經者難,說法者更難,在這個五濁惡世。所以若有人願意聽經,我就很感恩,不聽,這是自然的事情。佛陀的時代就有這樣的弟子,何必埋怨呢?

所以,這就是為什麼,「不可分布妄授」,但是眾生為什麼這麼可憫,永遠都無法去體會,體會佛陀的心意,講這部經的用心。當然現在要講,更是要體會的人更難。所以說「佛世尚爾,況復滅後」。這是語重深長,話說起來很重,佛陀那時候就已經這麼明顯說,其實含有很深、很長的意義。

語重深長:
勿妄宣傳
一、
是法為祕要之藏
從昔已來
如來未曾顯說
二、
如來現說是法
猶多怨嫉
三、佛滅度後
於此難信難解之經
怨嫉增上慢之者
更多
故佛戒人
不可分布妄授與人

佛陀擔心的,是未來的眾生要怎麼辦?不是擔心他那時候而已,又擔心的是未來的眾生,要怎麼辦呢?未來的眾生就是我們現在,與佛陀的時代,佛陀的時代,地球上的人口多少,現在的人口又是多少呢?佛陀的時代,人的思想是這樣這麼單純;現在的時代呢?人的思想是這麼複雜。佛陀他了解未來濁惡世,此經要如何傳下去?要如何傳下去?所以下面還有經文,佛覆護說《法華經》的人。

這就是未來的(經)文要說的,佛陀語重深長啊!意義很深、很長,就是一直到未來,在佛世一直到未來的眾生,要如何度化?但是,還不能很輕易就說。所以說「勿妄宣傳」。要講這部經,要因人、因時、因地,是什麼樣的人可以向他說,是什麼樣的時間才能說,是什麼地方才能說這部經,這很不容易。所以,「勿妄宣傳」,不能隨便這樣就說出去,一定要很慎重,因為這部經,不了解,邪知、邪見的破壞會更深,所以也不能這樣隨便就說。但是,也不能不說,所以這是兩難,不能隨便說,也不能不說,所以要「勿妄宣傳」。「妄」,那個「妄」字,是雙重的意思,不能亂說,不要隨便宣傳,但是也是要將法,要永續於未來人間,所以,很困難,兩難。所以「勿妄宣傳」,要宣傳,但是要真正因人、因時、因地,要選擇好,也不得不說,還是要說。

一、是法為祕要之藏。這部經是祕要,非說不可,是佛陀的本懷,是諸經之王,也是諸經的精髓。佛法怎能不說這部經呢?一定要說。不過,還是祕要之藏,還是要很謹慎。「從昔已來未曾顯說」,如來還不曾顯說。這就是第一項,我們要知道「勿妄宣傳」,我們要說,但是我們要很謹慎,佛陀都那麼謹慎了,何況我們現在呢?

第二、如來現說是法,猶多怨嫉。要講這部經,要先有個覺悟,佛陀的時代就有這麼多怨嫉的人。這種煩惱無明,你開始在講經,你會遭遇到很多煩惱無明,不是嗎?現代有這樣的名稱──網路。網,到處都有網,若是起煩惱的網,就讓你處處行不通,煩惱很多啊,困擾人心的事情會很多,要先有這樣的覺悟。佛世時,開始講《法華經》,就會有這麼多的煩惱,未來佛陀滅度後時,要講這部經,你要先有這樣的覺悟。所以,佛在世多怨嫉,何況未來呢?

第三、佛滅度後,於此難信難解之經,怨嫉增上慢之者更多。會更多,這是第三,我們應該要知道,所以,「故佛戒人,不可分布妄授與人」。因為這樣,所以佛陀從〈方便品〉開始就警告我們了,不可分布妄授與人,因為難信難解的法,多怨嫉的法,開始要講這部經,會惹來多麼多的煩惱啊!所以要講經,真的也是要有,很大的勇氣與覺悟,明知是這樣,卻是願意去講說這部經。所以說,人間的困難重重,煩惱重重,災難重重,五濁,濁氣重重,那就是,就是法沒辦法興盛在人間,法沒辦法在眾生心中。菩薩道,這條的菩薩道,康莊的大路,菩提大直道,卻是大家很畏懼,不敢向前走。要走這條路,談何容易啊!不過,不得不說,只要大家聞法時時要多用心!


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Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Sentient Beings are Stubborn and Resentful (眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉)
Date: November 23.2017

“For over 40 years, He delayed and did not teach it immediately. Now that He wanted to teach it, 5000 people left their seats all at once. Even when the Tathagata lived, people were like this. this is to say nothing of the situation in the future. The reason is that sentient beings are stubborn and hard to tame and transform.”

This is so regrettable ! it is rare to be born human; it is rare to hear the Buddha-Dharma. to be born during the time of the Buddha is even rarer. Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha appeared in the world. To be able to live in the same era as the Buddha and listen to His teachings for over 40 years was such a rare occurrence. Yet He started with the Agama and the Small Vehicle teachings. Why was that? If was because the capabilities of sentient beings were still unable to accept the Great Dharma. so, the Buddha had to spend a long time, using His love and patience to guide sentient beings with dull capabilities. Only after 42 years did the Buddha begin to teach the True Dharma, opening up the provisional to reveal the true. But during those 42 years, the Buddha “did not teach it immediately”. He delayed and kept His Ture Dharma concealed deep within his mind. It was not yet time for sentient beings to hear this Dharma. this is because their capabilities were still uneven, and they were unable to accept it. Because of this, He “did not teach it immediately”.

Now, at this point, “Now that He wanted to teach it, 5000 people left their seats all at once.” This “now” refers to the era of the Buddha. At that time. The Buddha was about to expound it, He was about to expound it.

We ought to remember that, after teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, the Buddha had no intention to rise from His seat. He remained seated just as before. The Buddha paused momentarily and began to enter Samadhi while emitting a radiant light. The scene was so extraordinary, so extraordinary; nothing like this had ever happened before. This time, it seemed that He had finished teaching the sutra, but it also seemed He was not yet done. Just like this, He entered Samadhi. In addition, when the Buddha entered Samadhi, it had a different appearance. In the tuft of white hair between his two brows, slowly, like bright daylight, light radiated in all directions. Everyone felt that the Dharma He was about to teach. What fascinating Dharma was the Buddha going to be teaching? It seemed to be teachings that would be greatly relevant to everyone, truly closely related and important teachings.

So, during that time, no one left their seats; they wanted to wait, to wait for the Buddha to teach the Dharma that He wanted to teach.

However, for a long time, the Buddha did not emerge from Samadhi but continued radiating light. Why was this happening? Puzzled, everyone turned to look at one another. Amidst all this was Maitreya Bodhisattva. In the Lotus Sutra, Maitreya Bodhisattva would receive predictions that He will attain Buddhahood in the future, in the Saha world. He would attain Buddhahood after Sakyamuni, teaching and transforming sentient beings in the Saha world and forever help the Buddha-Dharma to continue. To him, this was a great responsibility. At that time, people began giving rise to doubt. Unable to understand, they looked around at one another. “What is the Buddha going to teach?” Maitreya Bodhisattva felt that it was his duty, so he stood up to ask a question. Who could he ask? The Buddha had entered Samadhi, so who could he ask now?

The teacher of the seven ancient Buddhas, Manjusri Bodhisattva. Manjusri had already attained Buddhahood as the Honorable Dragon King Buddha. Everyone should still remember this. Moreover, in this course of his spiritual practice, he also taught seven ancient Buddhas who attained Buddhahood, one after the other. From this we can tell that Manjusri Bodhisattva was a Buddha in the past, and that Maitreya Bodhisattva would also be a Buddha in the future. The future Buddha asked the past Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, “Why is our guiding teacher doing this?” For what reason was their teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, radiating light like this? He had entered Samadhi and was radiating light. What reason could the Buddha have for doing this? What kind of Great Dharma was He going to teach? Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva engaged in dialogue like this. They mentioned the era of the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. It was not just one, but 20000 Buddhas with the same exact name who appeared in the world, all for the sake of one cause, which was to teach the Lotus Sutra. Their process for teaching sentient beings was the same as that of Sakyamuni at that time. The past Buddhas also guided patiently, always teaching the Lotus Sutra before entering Parinirvana. The past Buddhas were all like this. All Buddhas share the same path. It was the same for Sakyamuni Buddha. Their causes and conditions were all the same. It was because sentient beings have dull capabilities and are stubborn and hard to tame that whenever a Buddha appears in the world. He always needs to take a long time and proceed in sequence from shallow to deep, from small to great, guiding them patiently. All Buddhas share the same path.

During the era of Sakyamuni Buddha, which was over 2000 years ago, in over 40 years of teaching, the capabilities of sentient beings had yet to fully mature. Yet time waits for no one. The minutes and seconds pass by all the same. When the Buddha was in the world, He lived as humans lived, a life following the laws of nature, going through the same course of aging and illness. He also went through childhood, preadolescence, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and old ago according to the laws of nature, following this process. He was a Buddha in the human world; he lived like the people in the world. To attain Buddhahood is to open our heart and mind and realize our most wondrous quality, our Buddha-nature.

When it comes to us sentient beings, I have been talking lately about how our Five Roots connect with the Five Dusts, leading our consciousness to discriminate. So, because of our Five Roots and Five Dusts, or the Six Roots and Six Dusts, we take in external phenomena within our [sixth] consciousness and contemplate it. Do we create afflictions and ignorance? We bring in these external conditions that ca use us to create karma. Do we take negative actions or positive ones? Negative actions arise from greedy thoughts. Once we connect with our external conditions, we take them into our [sixth] consciousness and contemplate them, crave them and grasp for them. What method must we use to grasp what we crave? The actions we choose to do so are negative ones. Those who commit evil deeds are also very smart, especially with he advanced technology nowadays.

With computers, if we want to withdraw money, we do not need to go to the bank. Instead, we can withdraw money on our way; as long as there is an [ATM] and we have an [ATM] cared, we can make withdrawal. Some people are very proficient with computers, so they can change the software and programming to take out millions and millions of dollars. They took out millions in cash like this, going everywhere in Taiwan. Public safety in Taiwan is pretty good, and cases get solved fairly quickly. In the news recently(2016), we have constantly seen reports in the newspapers about people coming from foreign countries to commit such crime. These actions of creating [karma], where did they come from? They were from within their [sixth] consciousness. Their [sixth] consciousness contemplates how to take advantage of modern technology.

Such intelligence and sharp capabilities, as we mentioned before, can also be a type of affliction. The slightest deviation can take us far off course and cause a great divergence. When a single thought goes astray in the [sixth] consciousness, there is nothing that people cannot do. They can take advantage of technology to steal a lot of money. In the same way, just as evil is produced, there are also ways to deal with it. Everything in the world is relative. When someone gets sick, it is because their body is in disharmony and bad bacteria and germs cause problems. After a doctor checks our symptoms, they prescribe medicine to treat us accordingly. The medicine can also considered poisonous; by combatting poison with poison, they treat the illness and eliminate the poison. The bacteria that cause the disease are thereby eliminated.

Often, when a good doctor treats patients, they do not necessarily need to prescribe medicine. They tell them instead, “You don’t need to take medicine to treat this illness. You should get better in a couple of days. Drink more water and get more exercise”. And surely enough, they get better. But some people might say, “Doctor, please prescribe some medicine for me. If you don’t give me medicine, my mind won’t be at ease.” Good doctors will tell them, “You shouldn’t always want to take medicine. Medicine is not good for the body. It has its poisonous components”. They will help us understand that for some diseases, we must take medicine; but for others, a good doctor will tell us, “There is no need to take medicine. As long as you drink more water, rest more and exercise more, you will feel better. For more serious conditions, “You must take medicine. You can take it for a couple of days, but no longer than that. The medicine is also harmful to the body, so do not take it for too long”. These are good doctors. They give us ways to treat our illnesses and protect our health.

In the same way, when people in the world see all the material objects of the world, thoughts arise within us. We want to grasp them, and to grasp them, we use any means necessary. Such unscrupulous behavior is driven by the functions of the [sixth] consciousness, which works to make contact and grasp things. The desire to grasp arises from this contact. And so when we desire to grasp things, this further gives rise to “becoming”. What does it become? It becomes karma. These seeds of karma that are created are then contained within the eighth consciousness. It seems like I am talking about this constantly, but since everyone will forget, I will remind everyone again. The sixth, seventh and eighth consciousness all arise from our connections with external conditions. The karma we create is then stored in the eighth consciousness. It is stored there within our eight consciousness until the end of our life. We do not take anything with us [except our karma]. All the worldly matters that we fuss over, the things we cling to and the evils we commit all come to nothing in the end. This is life. We spend all our lives fussing over minor matters. By the time we get what we want, our life has come to an end. We leave behind our belongings and careers. Our life passes us by like this, then our body is cremated and turned to ashes. Is this the end for us? We are not done yet. We come back to this world bringing our karma. In our world, there is hell in this world, the animal realm in this world and the hungry ghost realm in this world. In these Three Evil Destinies in our world, beings suffer all kinds of torments; such a life is beyond their control.

So, sentient beings are stubborn. We reap what we sow. We are difficult to tame and transform. Thus, the Buddha, out of His loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings, came to the world lifetime after lifetime for one great cause. Even though sentient beings are constantly reproducing karmic forces, the Buddha did not give up on us. So, He came back to guide sentient beings. When one more person is taught, then there is one more Living Bodhisattva. He kept coming to our world in this way. To help sentient beings be able to realize this, He used skillful means. This is the Buddha’s wisdom , the skillful wisdom of the One True Dharma.

So, over these first 40 or so years, He used the skillful wisdom of the True Dharma. The Buddha taught the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna, all the ways until now, when He felt He must teach [this sutra]. At that time, when He started to expound the Lotus Sutra, He manifested auspicious signs and radiated light in hopes of everyone cherishing [this sutra]. Then when the Buddha was about to begin teaching, He first praised the Dharma as well as the state of wisdom of all Buddhas. Sariputra in his wisdom understood the Buddha’s intent and what He was going to teach in the future. So, Sariputra asked the Buddha three times. The Buddha stopped him three times, before finally starting to teach. At that moment, 5000 people left their seats all at once.

Weren’t they very stubborn? Why did they do this? We will explain what was going on in their minds later on. “When the Tathagata lived, people were like this. This is to say nothing of the situation in the future”. When the Tathagata was alive, when the Tathagata taught the Dharma in person, even the contemporary disciples of the Buddha, got up from their seats as the Buddha taught the sutra. 5000 people paid respects to the Buddha and left. The era of the Buddha was like this, to say nothing of the future. In the future, teaching the Lotus Sutra would be even more difficult as sentient beings become more and more stubborn. So, the reasoning behind this is that. “Sentient beings are stubborn and hard to tame and transform”. We were already like this when the Buddha lived, to say nothing of the situation in the future. We ought to understand this.

So, let us look at the previous sutra passage. The previous passage states, “Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasure of all Buddhas. it cannot be spread and taught carelessly to people. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, protect it. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, protect it. From the past to the present, They have never taught it openly.”

This was what the Buddha said in the Lotus Dharma-assembly. He also said this in the chapter on skillful Means. When Sariputra requested the Dharma, the Buddha also said this. Now to Medicine King Bodhisattva, in the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha said this again. Because…. Why didn’t He quickly teach it during those 40-plus years? Because it was not time yet. Due to the capabilities of sentient beings, they were not yet ready to accept it. So, the Buddha retained this True Dharma of the One Vehicle deep within His mind. This is “the secret and essential treasure of all Buddhas”. It is very important. He came to the world only for this cause, which was to teach everyone that “Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature.” He wanted to teach everyone that “Everyone can attain Buddhahood”. How do we attain Buddhahood? We must discover our nature of True Suchness. However, sentient beings are stubborn, so this is easier said than done. “It cannot be spread and taught carelessly to people.” Sentient beings are so stubborn. When we share with them, not only do they refuse to listen, they respond with aversion and defiance, and will slender us. they do not have a good impression; being averse to it means having a bad impression. Because they are unable to accept [the Dharma], without a good impression of it, they will argue about it. Therefore, “It cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” It cannot be taught carelessly to anyone whose capabilities merely the level of worldly knowledge and cleverness, and have yet reach pure wisdom.

So, He was not able to teach it yet. “It cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” The Buddha, just like “all Buddhas, World Honored-Ones, protected it.” He also protected it in His mind. This is how all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha is like this. thus, from the past to the present, They have never taught it openly.” Throughout those 40-plus years, the Buddha did not begin teaching it. At that time, the Buddha told the Medicine King Bodhisattva that “For over 40 years, [I] delayed and did not teach it immediately.” He waited until this point because sentient beings were still severely ignorant and very stubborn. Their capabilities were not yet mature, and their faith was not strong enough. If He were to teach them this sutra, they would interpret it in a negative way and slender it. Due to their deviant views, deviant thinking, and deviant behavior, the Buddha could not teach this Dharma yet. He had to lead people until they were closer to the Buddha’s mind. When people more or less could draw near to the Buddha’s mind, then the Buddha taught it to help everyone understand.

Even if they could not understand thoroughly, at least they would not slander it. So, He had to help everyone approach gradually and draw a bit closer to His mind, have a bit more faith. Only then could He teach it. This was the reason He gave Medicine King to explain why, throughout more than 40 years, He “delated and did not teach it immediately”. He did not teach it right away, because He was waiting for people to draw closer, understand the Buddha better and have been deep faith without doubt. For the Dharma that the Buddha taught, when they listened to it now, even if they did not understand it very well, at least they would not slander itor do anything improper. This was the Buddha’s intent.

The following [sutra] passage states, “As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous, to day nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.”

After reading this sutra passage, I feel very sad and worried. When the Buddha was in the world, people were “still resentful and jealous. When the Buddha was in the world, He wanted to take the principles He had realized and help sentient beings understand them. The Buddha had so much hope that sentient beings could have the same level of understanding and views as Him and could awaken to the true principles of all things in the universe just like He had. He did not want to see sentient beings sinking, creating evil karma among people. Nor did He want to see them suffer in the world. The Buddha really hopes that we all can be like Him and thoroughly understand everything. He wanted us to open our hearts to encompass the universe and understand the dangers [we will face] along the path in this world, to realize the true principles of the universe and this beautiful state of tranquility and clarity. This was the Buddha’s hope, that sentient beings can experience the same state of mind as Him.

But alas, there was nothing He could do. Sentient beings are “still resentful and jealous”. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were many deviant teachings, and many complicated religious beliefs. Even within the Sangha of those He taught, there were still resentful and jealous people. The group led by Devadatta was always causing disturbances in the Buddha’s Sangha and slandering the Buddha’s character. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were already people who were resentful and jealous of how everyone respected the Buddha and envious of hoe the Buddha’s wisdom was able transform so many people and gain the faith of so many people; they were really jealous and resentful of this. so, they gave rise to thoughts of jealousy and hatred, and thus gave rise to evil. With an evil mind, they sought to destroy.

This is how it was during the Buddha’s lifetime, to say nothing of after He passed into Parinirvana.

As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous: When the Buddha still lived in the world, people found it hard to believe in this sutra and many harbored resentment and jealousy. In the Chapter of Skillful Means: Their roots of transgressions were deep and grave and they had such overbearing arrogance.

“As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous.” So, it was like this even when the Tathagata lived in this world. “People found it hard to believe in this sutra.” When the Buddha first began to teach this sutra, for people to completely believe in it, understand and comprehend it was very difficult at that time. What is more, many people had deviant thoughts and rebelled against the Buddha’s intentions. Such resentment and jealousy was already apparent even during the Buddha’s lifetime. So, do we still remember the Chapter on Skillful Means? This passage from the sutra states, Their roots of transgressions were deep and grave and they had such overbearing arrogance. They were very stubborn. They were hindered by layer after layer of afflictions and karmic forces. Their unwholesome thoughts and ways were many, so their roots of transgressions were deep. They had many hindrances. They were unwilling to accept the virtuous Dharma, and their unwholesome thoughts kept surging up in their minds. They even gave rise to overbearing arrogance, thinking that they were so amazing assuming that their thinking was correct; Devadatta was like this.

So, “Resentment and jealousy give rise to overbearing arrogance.” Because of resentment and jealousy, they gave rise to overbearing arrogance.

Resentment and jealousy give rise to overbearing arrogance: for instance, when the Buddha taught this sutra, 5000 people of overbearing arrogance left their seats. They thought that He had taught the Small Vehicle before and now suddenly said it was not the ultimate, so they felt resentment and envy.

“For instance, when the Buddha taught this sutra, 5000 people of overbearing arrogance left their seats.” They were all like this. they heard hoe the Buddha kept praising the wisdom of all Buddhas and heard of the supreme Dharma of the One Vehicle, how He wanted to give up the skillful teachings of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna. This was “opening up the provisional”. The Buddha praised the Dharma of the One Vehicle. This was to “reveal the true”. These people, 5000 of them, gave rise to overbearing arrogance and refused to stay in that place and listen. And so, as if by prior agreement, 5000 people stood up together, paid their respects and left. This was all due to the negative influence. They left their seats like this. it was already like this in the Buddha’s lifetime. What about nowadays? [There are] those who are unwilling to listen to the sutras and think they are always right. There are many people like this. they all have overbearing arrogance. So, “They thought that He had taught the Small Vehicle before. This was what they thought. In the past, all He taught was the Small Vehicle, and “now He suddenly said it was not the ultimate”, He taught the Agama in the past, and since then, they had been continuously listening and practice like this. when He taught the Vaipulya, they also accepted and practiced accordingly. It was the same with the Prajna; they had been practicing this way. But at this point, He said these were not the ultimate teachings. Because of this, they gave rise to resentment and jealousy. They spent so much time in spiritual practice and now He said that it was not ultimate. And so, they gave rise to resentment and envy. Resentment gave rise to envy and hatred. They had spent so much time on this, but they had yet to reach the ultimate. Thus they gave rise to overbearing arrogance.

This was during the Buddha’s lifetime, after they had heard the Buddha teach the sutras for more than 40 years. See, when they heard the Buddha say that they had not yet reached the ultimate, they started to feel resentful and envious. They had no patience and started to say, “This is not the goal that I want”. They gave rise to discursive thoughts and began to distance themselves. Thus overbearing arrogance arose in them. “[This is] to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Patinirvana.” It was so hard even during the Buddha’s lifetime. So, what about after He passed into Parinirvana? What about the time after the Buddha passed into Parinirvana? How would the Dharma be passed on? This is what the Chapter on Dharma Teachers is all about. After the Buddha passed into Parinirvana, how would the Dharma passed on? How would this sutra be upheld and recited? How would this sutra be safeguarded? How would this sutra be taught? This was truly worrisome.

Now, after the Buddha has passed into Parinirvana, even hearing the sutras is difficult, and teaching the sutras is even harder. In this evil world of the Five Turbidities, if someone is willing to listen to the sutras, I am very grateful for this. it is very natural for people to not listen. Even during the Buddha’s lifetime, there were disciples like this. so why complain? This is why it “cannot be spread and taught carelessly”. But why is it that sentient beings are so pitiful, never able to experience the truth of the Buddha’s intent and His dedication in teaching this sutra?

Of course, when teaching it now, it is even harder for people to understand it. Thus it says, “It was like this even while the Buddha is still alive, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.” These words were serious with profound meaning. They sounded very serious. Even back then, the Buddha had already talked about this very explicitly. In fact, this has deep and profound implications.

His words were serious with profound meaning: Do not be careless in propagating [the Dharma]. First, this Dharma is the secret and essential treasury. From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught. Second, when the Tathagata now taught this Dharma, many people were still resentful and envious. Third, after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana, because this sutra is hard to believe and comprehend, there will be even more resentful and envious people with overbearing arrogance. Thus, the Buddha advised others that the sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly.

The Buddha was worried about what sentient beings would do in the future. He was not only worried about [sentient beings in] His own era, but He also worried about future sentient beings. What could He do about them? The future sentient beings are us in the present. When we compare [our world now] to [the world] during the Buddha’s lifetime, how large was the population on Earth then? How about now? During the Buddha’s time, human thought was pure and simple. What about nowadays? Our thoughts are so complicated. The Buddha understood that the future would be a world of turbidities. How will the sutra be passed down? How do we pass it down?

And so, there are more sutra passages later on where the Buddha says He protects those who teach the Lotus Sutra. These are what the later sutra passages talk about. His words were serious and with profound meaning. The meaning [of His words] was deep and profound, how all the way into the future, throughout the Buddha’s lifetime and into the future, sentient beings could be transformed in these ways.

Yet [the Lotus sutra] cannot be taught lightly. Thus it says “Do not be careless in propagating [the Dharma].” When we teach this sutra, we must do so to the right people at the right time in the right place. What kind of people should we share it with? What times are appropriate for sharing it? Where can we share this sutra? There is nothing easy about this. so, “Do not be careless in propagating”. We must not teach it however we like. Instead, we should be earnest and cautious, because if people do not understand this sutra, the damage from deviant views will be even worse. So, we cannot teach it carelessly. However, we still need to teach it this is a dilemma. We cannot teach it carelessly, but cannot fail to teach it. So, we “[must’ not be careless in propagating it”.

The meaning of the word “careless” is twofold. We should not share it carelessly or propagate it however we want. At the same time we need to ensure that the Dharma will be sustained forever in the world to come. Thus, it is difficult on two accounts. So, we “[must] not be careless in propagating it”. We need to propagate it, but we must also do so with the right people, at the right time and in the right place. We must make wise choices, and we have no choice but to teach it. We still need to teach it. First, [we must know] that this Dharma is the secret and essential treasury”. The Lotus Sutra is secret and essential. It must be taught. It is the Buddha’s original intent. [The Lotus sutra] is the king of all sutras and the essence of all sutras, so how could the Buddha not teach this sutra? So, it must be taught. However, it is the secret and essential treasury, so we must be extremely careful. “From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught.” The Buddha has never before taught it openly. This is the first thing that we must know, to not be “careless in propagating [the Dharma]”. We need to spread it, but we must be very careful. The Buddha always had to be very careful, to say nothing of us in the present.

Second, when the Tathagata now taught the Dharma, many people were still resentful and envious. To teach this sutra, we need to be aware that during Buddha’s lifetime, there were already so many resentful and envious people with so many afflictions and so much ignorance. As we start to teach this sutra, we will encounter so many afflictions and so much ignorance. Isn’t this true?

Nowadays we talk about the internet. The “net” is everywhere. If this is a net that gives rise to afflictions, we will get stuck everywhere. There are so many afflictions and things that trouble and disturb people. We need to have this kind of awareness. During the Buddha’s lifetime, when He started to teach the Lotus Sutra, people already had so many afflictions. Now that the Buddha has passed into Parinirvana, when we teach this sutra, we first need to have this kind of awareness. So, even during the Buddha’s lifetime there were still many resentful and jealous people. This is to say nothing of the future.

Third, after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana, because this sutra is difficult believe in and comprehend, there will be even more resentful and envious people with overbearing arrogance. This is the third thing that we must know. Thus, “The Buddha advised others that the sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” For this reason, starting from the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha warned us that this sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly because it is difficult to believe and understand, a teaching that many people may resent. Teaching this sutra can lead to many afflictions. Thus, to teach the sutra, we really must have great courage and awareness. We must be aware of such [challenges,] yet still be willing to teach this sutra. This is why there are so many hardships, afflictions and disasters in the world. When the Five Turbidities are so severe, it means that the Dharma will be unable to flourish in the world and sentient beings will be unable to take the Dharma to heart. The Bodhisattva-path, this Bodhisattva-path is a broad and open road; it is the great, direct path to Bodhi. Yet people do not dare to move ahead out of fear. It is not easy at all to walk this path. Still, we have no choice but to teach it. So, when listening to the teachings, we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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20171123《靜思妙蓮華》眾生剛強 多懷怨嫉 (第1225集) (法華經•法師品第十)
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