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 20180330《靜思妙蓮華》能持此經 則持佛身 (第1316集) (法華經•見寶塔品第十一)

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20180330《靜思妙蓮華》能持此經 則持佛身 (第1316集) (法華經•見寶塔品第十一) Empty
發表主題: 20180330《靜思妙蓮華》能持此經 則持佛身 (第1316集) (法華經•見寶塔品第十一)   20180330《靜思妙蓮華》能持此經 則持佛身 (第1316集) (法華經•見寶塔品第十一) Empty周四 3月 29, 2018 10:23 pm

20180330《靜思妙蓮華》能持此經 則持佛身 (第1316集) (法華經•見寶塔品第十一)

⊙精心不退,勤行道法,則是精進;內外自正,理攝三聚,則是持戒。脫體無染塵淨,成就滋長慧身,疾得佛道自性,明德至上善道。
⊙三聚戒:一、攝律儀戒,受持五八十具等一切之戒律者。二、攝善法戒,以修一切善法為戒者。三、攝眾生戒,又云饒益有情戒,以饒益一切眾生為戒者。
⊙「於我滅後,聽受此經,問其義趣,是則為難。」《法華經見寶塔品第十一》
⊙「若人說法,令千萬億,無量無數,恆沙眾生,得阿羅漢,具六神通,雖有是益,亦未為難。」《法華經見寶塔品第十一》
⊙「於我滅後,若能奉持,如斯經典,是則為難。」《法華經見寶塔品第十一》
⊙於我滅後,若能奉持,如斯經典,是則為難:若持此經,為諸人說,則令其人得無上道。是則為難。以上頌奉持是經之難。奉持:謂敬奉憶持,使不忘失。
⊙「我為佛道,於無量土,從始至今,廣說諸經,而於其中,此經第一。若有能持,則持佛身。」《法華經見寶塔品第十一》
⊙我為佛道,於無量土,從始至今,廣說諸經:我為眾生得佛道故,分身遍滿十方國土。從始成道,以至於今,廣說無量諸餘經典。
⊙而於其中,此經第一:於餘無量諸經典中,此法華經最為第一。於諸經中為第一者,乃群經之關鍵,千聖之命門。
⊙若有能持,則持佛身。:法華經體,是佛法身。能持是典,則為見佛。
⊙則持佛身:以諸佛全身不離此經故,若持聞思修,本妙靈機,當體全彰,觸處即是菩提,豈易持哉。

【證嚴上人開示】
早上聽到大家做早課,好像不太一樣,就是聽起來才知道,今天(二0一六年)是農曆九月三十日,那就是藥師佛的聖誕。是啊!藥師佛,《藥師經》也是一段時間,也算來已經三十年前了,所說過的經,斷斷續續,這樣完成了《藥師經》。所以今天藥師佛的聖誕,早上聽到外面,在讚歎藥師佛的偈文,也是很感動呢!是啊!日日要感動,日日要感恩,感恩釋迦牟尼佛從娑婆世界,來說東方琉璃世界,藥師佛的精神理念,這是佛讚佛,所以讓我們娑婆世界的眾生,還能更加了解佛佛道同,每一尊佛無不都是為眾生而來。是啊!眾生的得救就是佛的目標,所以佛陀,每一尊佛四弘誓願,要度盡一切眾生,所以「眾生無邊誓願度,煩惱無盡誓願斷,法門無量誓願學,佛道無上誓願成。」四弘誓願就是這樣,每一尊佛的根本大願,只要眾生有機會、有因緣,佛陀絕對度他。所以我們要很用心,我們這麼用心,佛陀應該會更用心,他的法,我們要好好地接納下來。

《法華經》是佛陀在娑婆世界說法,需要我們去用心體會,娑婆世界的眾生就是要這樣,接納佛陀的精神理念,就這樣將法傳承在娑婆世界裡,所以要大家用心來體會。來,我們來講經文。
「精心不退,勤行道法,則是精進;內外自正,理攝三聚,則是持戒;脫體無染塵淨,成就滋長慧身,疾得佛道自性,明德至上善道。」

精心不退
勤行道法
則是精進
內外自正
理攝三聚
則是持戒
脫體無染塵淨
成就滋長慧身
疾得佛道自性
明德至上善道

用心哦,「精心不退,勤行道法」,精就是精進,我們要很用心精進。精是不雜,進是不退,我們聽經已經這麼長的時間,日日精進,時時用心,我們應該也可說是精進,精進就要不退轉,這樣來勤行道,我們要很勤,行在這條修行的道路。這個法,法,佛陀從四十多年來,不斷為我們說法,談有說空。這些道理,雖然現在佛陀說,過去這些法都叫做方便法。是,是方便法,不過開了這方便的法門,我們才有辦法透徹入,究竟一乘圓妙實相的大法。所以,沒有過去,哪有現在呢?所以勤,精心不退,勤行道法,道法就是要從頭一直一直,不要退轉,這就是我們的勤行道法,若能這樣,叫做精進。有這樣在精進,從聲聞而緣覺,從緣覺的道理就轉為自利利他,兼利他人,發大心的六度波羅密,這就是六度萬行。在這六度萬行,佛陀其實是從開始就沒離開六度萬行,只是應根機而說法而已,內涵都有六度,道行的方法,都涵蓋在這六度之中。

這一路這樣過來,現在佛陀將過去,說過去全都是方便,雖然過去是方便,這六度萬行那個精髓會合起來,全都在我們這部《法華經》之中。要六度行,就要以四弘誓願為基礎,願力,誓就是立誓,我就是發誓、我立誓,我絕對是要這樣:精而不雜,進而不退,勤精進在這條道路,不只是今生,生生世世。這就是精進,這精進就是內外,內修外行。內心要不斷不斷念念不離道法,念念不離妙法,妙有真空,真空妙有。就如昨天下午毛博士(大氣暨海洋物理博士,毛正氣教授)來和我談,因為前一次來,我就跟他說:「你既是學天文的,我想要了解的是整個天體,若能宇宙,給我一個密碼。」我就這樣跟他說,他就說:「宇宙的密碼?」我說:「有困難?」他說:「不、不、不,但是我要回去用功。」回去足足用功二個多月,他說他這樣看了好幾本書,昨天乾脆就拿一本,天文學的書來送我。

就開始他就說:「我用功這段時間,我要來交功課,就是宇宙的,天文的密碼。」對啊,不論是天地萬物,宇宙間,很多科學家重重疊疊,這樣鍥而不捨,在探討天體宇宙的奧祕。其實在近百多年來更加密切,從愛因斯坦開始,很密切的,這種在探討宇宙它的奧妙。是啊!廣無邊際的道理,這實在是讓人感覺到,這種的奧妙。他一邊在說,哪一位科學家研究到什麼程度,我就覺得:這就是佛說的啊!佛陀二千多年前,含意就在這裡,宇宙萬物,天體之間,這個法就是這樣,這種真空妙有,妙有真空,哪一項物質裡面,沒有含藏著它的法。法就是看不到、摸不到,無形無體相,但是它的真理完具,合和在這物體之中。星體也是一樣,天空體相,與現在,真正的天空體相是長什麼樣子?有的人說圓的,有的人是說凹凸不平,有的人說平的等等,這在天文學,還有可研究的事情還很多。

但是,佛陀的時代,一語道破,應該這些法能讓我們很用心,現在接受就能體會,無不在一念間,只要我們的心念,用心來接受。這能量,能量,現在他們對這個能量,還在天地宇宙、星體虛空中,還在做研究。很多事情,還無法能解開的奧祕,佛陀無私,向大家已經說了。幾天前我們在說寶塔現前,佛陀輕輕地手指一按,寶塔門開了,裡面的多寶佛全身,多寶佛讓座給釋迦牟尼佛,二尊佛共同是入塔內共坐一處。這個過程中,佛陀釋迦牟尼佛,分身諸佛已經聚集過來了,充滿了奧妙的道理,但是說開了就是法,法身能量。佛陀所講說的真理,我們人用心接受,刻入心版裡,從我們的心版,就是這個法,應時、應機,它就可以發揮,如何將這個法讓人接受了,人與人之間,應眾生的苦難,去發揮救人的工作。佛陀的願力,「眾生無邊誓願度」,要度眾生,就是要先解救眾生苦,「苦既拔已,復為說法」,《無量義經》不就是這樣說?這就是要經過了接受法入內心,這叫做內修;法刻入心版,這就是內修。

刻入了心版來,行動在我們的身行裡,為典範,做給人看,開始能夠號召更多人,共同加入這個能量,能量來,同樣這個能量就是心,人人的心合一。常常說,一念心能遍三千世界,一念心能遍於恆河沙的諸法,法入人人的心,這就是一念心,虔誠的心。

昨天毛博士他也說,這個能量,在科學家已經證實了,這個能量就是我們心,一念心,虔誠的心,這個聲音也能貫穿空間,三度空間、四度空間,有十度空間,這就是我們常常在說的,上達諸天、諸佛、天龍八部,可以能通達。我們的一念間,能透過了,透過了三度空間、四度空間,這是科學的名稱。

我過去不是說,大家誦經,我們要很虔誠,將我們內心的虔誠,透過聲音,大聲誦出來。我們的空間有無量數魑魅魍魎,同樣在聽法、聽經,我們人人虔誠的一念心,無不都是透過了人類世界,三度、四度空間,其它的地方,其它的世界,同樣我們能貫穿過去。是啊!虔誠一念間。所以,這就是要我們的一念心,一念心就是內修,內修外行,我們能從內心很虔誠的心,將這個法,念佛念入我們的心版來,念佛念入我們的心來,所以佛心為己心。這寶塔有古今,有過去無量劫的多寶佛,有二千多年前釋迦牟尼佛說法,釋迦牟尼佛他的法身不滅,永遠在人間,這還是到現在,我們的教主,我們的慈父,釋迦牟尼佛。他的分身就是接受他的法,遍布在人間,這個精神理念無不都是內外合一,法聽進來,在我們的心裡,行動出去,「菩薩所緣,緣苦眾生」。「眾生無邊誓願度」,國際間哪一個地方有災難,菩薩遠近能合一,去做救苦、救難,或者是去與他們分享法的奧妙,這個精神的理念。

這都是在內外,我們自正,「理攝三聚」。我們自己,這個道理我們要很正,不要讓它偏差了,我們心的正道法,没有偏差,就是我們應該要心心念念,心正、道正,理就正。我們自己的心要攝心在這樣,有「三聚戒」。

三聚戒:
一、攝律儀戒
受持五八十具等
一切之戒律者
二、攝善法戒
以修一切善法
為戒者
三、攝眾生戒
又云饒益有情戒
以饒益一切眾生
為戒者

三聚戒就是我們要平時修行,第一就是「攝律儀戒」。攝律儀戒,佛陀所說戒法,最初接受佛法,一般的信徒要持五戒,或者是進來之後持八戒,八戒就是八齋戒,有的人就是持八齋戒,有的人要受十善戒,或者是出家之後受具足戒,這都叫做攝律儀戒。我們這個戒律就是這樣,我們要受持這一切戒律。第二就是「攝善法戒」,以修一切善法就是我們的戒。我們既然學佛,一切善我們都要學,修一切善,斷一切惡。第三是「攝眾生戒」。「眾生無邊誓願度」,所有的眾生,我們都要饒益有情,眾生我們都要關懷,所有的有情,不只是人物,所有的動物,有情或無情,我們都要疼惜物命。這也是我們的戒,「饒益一切眾生」就是我們的戒。這叫做三聚戒。

所以「內外自正,理攝三聚」,內外的正理,內心也好,外行也好,我們必定要有這三聚戒。「脫體無染塵淨」,我們都很清淨了,所以,「成就滋長慧身」。我們若能這樣,戒、定、慧、解脫、解脫知見,這法體都沒有染著,沒有染著煩惱無明塵埃,這樣自然我們的本性清淨,就,「成就滋長慧身」,我們的慧命就成長了。所以「疾得佛道自性,明德至上善道」。明明德,透徹了解,我們自己的真如本性,我們在人間該行的道理,一直到了最善,無上正等正覺的善道,若能這樣,我們真的要用心去體會,這就是要精心,要很精勤的心志,無雜念,好好體會,這我們要隨時都要很用心。

接下來,前面的文:「於我滅後,聽受此經,問其義趣,是則為難。」

於我滅後
聽受此經
問其義趣
是則為難
《法華經見寶塔品第十一》

因為前面我們已經說,很多很多的困難,很多困難,但是佛陀也說,不可思議的事情都不困難,但是真正要持法,持誦這部經,護持這部經,在佛滅度後,「聽受此經,問其義趣,是則為難」。其他都不困難,就是佛滅度後,要聽受這部經的人很困難,能有耐心,從「如是我聞」開始,一直到現在都沒有讓它漏掉,不知道有沒有?說的人是「如是我聞」,經文就一直這樣一直說過來,聽的人呢?要聽從頭「如是我聞」,一直到現在都沒有漏掉的,真的是很困難,光是說聽經就難了。

「若人說法,令千萬億,無量無數,恆沙眾生,得阿羅漢,具六神通,雖有是益,亦未為難。」

若人說法
令千萬億
無量無數
恆沙眾生
得阿羅漢
具六神通
雖有是益
亦未為難
《法華經見寶塔品第十一》

雖然能說法說很多,三藏十二部經,除了《法華經》之外,其他的都說了,說這麼多經,尤其是能使人人得到阿羅漢果,或者是得六神通,雖然能讓人這樣聽經得法,有益這麼多人,但是這樣不困難。我們昨天說過了,為什麼呢?因為這些人,都還是在小乘法之中,僅僅要求神通,要求獨善其身,哪怕他真的是得六神通了,這也不足為難。聽經很困難。

所以下面接下來又說,下面的文說:「於我滅後,若能奉持,如斯經典,是則為難。」

於我滅後
若能奉持
如斯經典
是則為難
《法華經見寶塔品第十一》

聽經困難,持經也困難。「若持此經,為諸人說」,佛陀滅度之後,持這部經,又要為人說法,「則令其人得無上道」。

於我滅後
若能奉持
如斯經典
是則為難:
若持此經
為諸人說
則令其人得無上道
是則為難
以上頌
奉持是經之難
奉持:
謂敬奉憶持
使不忘失

要講這部經,不只是文字,若依文解字,這就是較容易,但是持這部經,要為人說話,還要「令其人得無上道」,這就是要不斷地分析。就像要說天文,就要不斷去探討探討,探討出了多少的奧祕,解開了多少,才能將真實的天體形象說出來。同樣,佛法也是這樣,廣無邊際,法無形無體,要將它說到了解佛的意涵,實在是很困難,因為佛的覺悟已經與天體合一了。我就常常這樣說過,覺性與天體合一,在講佛法,不就是一樣嗎?探討人的心態,因為人的一念間,會造就了天地人間的一切,是善是惡,是禍或者是福,都是在人的一念間。這個覺性迷了,覺迷了,那就偏在惡;覺性一增,那就是向善,這就是在那一念間。這一念間,這樣說我們能了解嗎?就要用很多,甚至是人間的事物,在過去、在現在在發生的,都要一一從事來會理,所以,要讓大家能了解,又能體會、入心,又能在行動中,「是則為難」。

這,以上就是在說要奉持這部經的難處。所以,奉持,意思就是很恭敬,而且要憶,憶念。這部經不是讀了就過去了,要刻入心版,叫做「奉持」。就是憶念,一個「心」,再一個「意」字,要時時這部經銘刻在心版,沒有忘失,這叫做「奉持」。

接下來再這麼說:「我為佛道,於無量土,從始至今,廣說諸經,而於其中,此經第一。若有能持,則持佛身。」

我為佛道
於無量土
從始至今
廣說諸經
而於其中
此經第一
若有能持
則持佛身

佛陀就這麼說,他就說:「我為佛道,於無量土」,不只是在娑婆國土,而是在其他無量土。可見,從十六王子的時代,一直一直,在眾生界,無量世界,佛陀從那個時候,這念心,悠遊在無量世界中,所以「於無量土」。「從始至今」,從開頭,應該在〈化城喻品〉,十六王子的開頭。「廣說諸經」,從那個時候開始,聽法,聽《法華經》,而這樣開始,就說很多的經。

我為佛道
於無量土
從始至今
廣說諸經:
我為眾生得佛道故
分身遍滿十方國土
從始成道以至於今
廣說無量諸餘經典

這意思就是從佛開始,了解佛道以來,這樣分身滿十方國,開始一直將他的法再度眾生,眾生的法再普遍,自度度他,這個法不斷推廣出去。「從始成道」,從開始一直到成道,一直到現在。「廣說無量諸餘經典」,已經說很多了。

而於其中
此經第一:
於餘無量諸經典中
此法華經最為第一
於諸經中為第一者
乃群經之關鍵
千聖之命門

所以「而於其中,此經第一」。所說的經是很多,光是在現在,釋迦牟尼佛這個娑婆世界,佛陀就有八萬四千恆河沙,等等的經典的經藏在。但是這麼多經之中,「而於其中,此經第一」。這麼多經典中,這部經是為第一,那就是《法華經》,「法華經最為第一」,所以《法華經》叫做諸經之王,那就是《法華經》。

再來說,「若有能持,則持佛身」。

若有能持
則持佛身:
法華經體
是佛法身
能持是典
則為見佛

有人能持這部經,就是《法華經》,就等於持佛身一樣。常常說,念佛要念入自己的心來,就是以佛心為己心,佛心要做自己的心,那就是整部《法華經》,都要入我們的心來。所以「法華經體,是佛法身」,《法華經》的經體是佛的法身。「能持是經典,則為見佛」。若能護持這部經,那就是(如)持佛身一樣。

則持佛身:
以諸佛全身
不離此經故
若持聞思修
本妙靈機
當體全彰
觸處即是菩提
豈易持哉

所以,「以諸佛全身不離此經故」。不只是釋迦牟尼佛,所有的佛,佛佛道同,諸佛全身不離此經。「若持聞思修」。若能這樣,將這部經好好受持,好好地聽,聽進來,不要漏掉。聽經若漏失了,那就等於沒有聽;聽經,一定要刻入心版來,要奉持,就是記憶著,要將它記憶著,這叫做奉持。聽來,記憶著,好好地思考,這叫做聞、思。聽了之後,要經過好好思考,法才不會讓它偏差了。思考,這樣是對或不對?若不很了解,我們要趕快去問。所以前面也有說,能問也很不容易;能問,就要能用。所以要問,思想要很正確,若不正確,我們就要能問,這也就是修行。

其實修行,聞思之後,正確,了解我們要如何做,我們就要開始行動,身體力行;思考是正確了,我們就要身體力行,叫做聞、思、修。這部經,就是「本妙靈機」。我們人人本具著真如本性,只要接受到這個法,有對機,我們發大心、立大願,有大根機,接觸到這個法,「當體全彰」。因為我們大根機,大法入,接觸到了,我們應該就能了解這法的全體,法,這部《法華經》,它的奧妙,它的重點、精髓,我們應該全部了解了。佛說那麼多法,將這些精髓合在一起,為我們解說,這是大機,我們應該要好好體會,若這樣,「當體全彰」,整個法我們都應該能透徹了解。「觸處即是菩提」,我們若了解了,我們接觸到的地方,無不都是真實妙法,我們所做的、所感觸到的,雖然是很輕微,微塵,非常輕微,但是也是一樣,是一個很奧妙的法。

他們科學家有一個「微」,微,就是很微細,微中子,很微小的微中子,裡面含著的理,他是這樣一層一層,都要將它解剖掉,去探討那個最極細的裡面到底是什麼。同樣的道理,所以我們要去體會,了解它的道理之後,我們就能很清楚佛所說的教法,力量就是要從這諸經中是第一,就是在這樣的法,透過這個法。所以「若有能持,則持佛身」,若有人能來受持這部經,就是持佛的身。這我們要了解,《法華經》就是佛的法身,《法華經》這整體,就是佛的法身,佛的法身,我們若能好好受持,那就是佛法身不退,這就是我們要用心去體會。

則持佛身:
以諸佛全身
不離此經故
若持聞思修
本妙靈機
當體全彰
觸處即是菩提
豈易持哉

「則持佛身」。「以諸佛全身不離此經」,因為諸佛全身,都沒有離開這部經,所以「若持聞思修,本妙靈機,當體全彰」,要很用心去體會,「觸處即是菩提」,我們應該都要很清楚。

到底持這本經是不是很簡單呢?只要我們一念心,是不是簡單?發心者就不困難,有心、有願、有力就不困難,我們若無心、無願,這是不是很困難?或者是很容易?是困難?是容易呢?唯有我們自己的心能了解。我們有很用心聽嗎?很用心接受嗎?我們有在身體力行嗎?我們自己最清楚。這不就是很簡單的事情嗎?要說簡單,是很簡單,要說困難也很困難,聽經,繼續要能聽下去就不容易了,何況能身體力行,更是困難。

總而言之,力量,我們愛的力量就是能量。昨天毛教授在說的事情,就是到了最後,最不可思議是能量,這個能量從哪裡來?是一念心,這個心念,所以我們要時時多用心。


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Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Upholding this Sutra is Upholding the Dharmakaya (能持此經 則持佛身)
Date: March.30.2018

This morning, while listening to everyone during the morning recitation, something seemed a little different. Only after I began listening did I realize that today is the 30th day of the ninth month of the lunar year, which is the birthday of Medicine Buddha.

It’s true! When it comes to Medicine Buddha and the Medicine Buddha Sutra, there was also a period of time, looking back, more than 30 years ago, that I taught that sutra. It was after many starts and stops that I finally finished the Medicine Buddha Sutra. So, today is Medicine Buddha’s birthday. This morning when I heard you all from outside as you were praising Medicine Buddha in verse, I felt very moved!

Really! Every day we should feel moved. Every day we should be grateful; grateful to Sakyamuni Buddha who, while He was in the Saha World, told of the spirit and philosophy of Medicine Buddha from the land of [Pure] Crystal in the east. This was one Buddha praising another Buddha, letting us sentient beings of the Saha World understand even further that all Buddhas share the same path and all Buddhas come for the sake of sentient beings.

It is true! The deliverance of sentient beings is the objective of the Buddha. So, the Buddha, and every Buddha, makes the Four Great Vows, wanting to completely deliver every sentient beings. So, they “vow to deliver countless sentient beings, vow to eliminate endless afflictions, vow to learn the infinite Dharma-doors,” and “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” These are the Four Great Vows, the fundamental great vows of every Buddha. Whenever They have the opportunity, whenever causes and conditions permit, Buddhas will be sure to deliver sentient beings. So, we should be very mindful.

However mindful we may be, the Buddha is certain to be even more mindful. So, when it comes to His Dharma, we should do our best to take it in. The Lotus Sutra is the Dharma that the Buddha taught in the Saha World, so we must be mindful in experiencing it. This is how sentient beings of the Saha World take in the Buddha’s spirit and philosophy. This is how the Dharma is transmitted in the Saha World, so this requires us to mindfully seek to comprehend.

Now, let us start to discuss the sutra. “Our minds must be focused and never retreat as we diligently practice the teachings of the path. This is what it means to advance diligently. We must correct ourselves inwardly and outwardly with the Threefold Combined Precepts. This is what it means to uphold the precepts. When we are liberated, pure and free of defilements, we will successfully nourish our wisdom-body, readily attain the Buddhahood of our intrinsic nature and illuminate the virtues of the supreme path of goodness.”

Be mindful! “Our minds must be focused and never retreat as we diligently practice the teachings of the path.” Being focused is being diligent. We must be mindful and diligent, focused and not distracted, advancing and not retreating. Having listened to the sutra for so long, if we are diligent every day, always mindful, we can be said to be diligent. Being diligent means that we never retreat in our earnest practice of the path. We should be very diligent upon this spiritual path that we practice.

As for the Dharma, this is what the Buddha continually taught us for more than 40 years. He taught both existence and emptiness. With all these principles, the Buddha is telling us now that these past teachings were skillful means. It’s true, these were teachings of skillful means, but He had to establish these teachings of skillful means so we could have a way to thoroughly penetrate the great Dharma of the One Vehicle, the perfect and wondrous ultimate reality. So, without these in the past, where would we be now in the present? Thus, being diligent means that our minds are focused and never retreat as we diligently practice the teachings of the path.

These teachings of the path must be continually practiced from the very start without ever retreating. This is the diligent practice of the teachings of the path. If we can do this, then this is diligence. By being diligent like this, we go from being Hearers to Solitary Realizers, then turn from the Solitary Realizer principles to benefitting ourselves as well as others; we benefit others as well. We form great aspirations of the Six Paramitas, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. As for actualizing the Paramitas in all actions, in fact, from the beginning the Buddha’s teachings never strayed from actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. It was just that He had been teaching the Dharma according to people’s capabilities up until then. Still, the Six Paramitas had always been included in His methods for practicing the path. The Six Paramitas were always in His teachings. Having made it thus far, the Buddha was now saying that, in regard to the past, everything up until now had been skillful means. Though the past teachings had been skillful means, this essence of actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions was brought together, and all of this is found inside the Lotus Sutra.

In practicing the Six Paramitas, the Four Great Vows are the foundation. A vow has power; a vow must be made. “I am making a vow. I vow that I will definitely be like this, focused and not distracted, advanced and not retreating, earnest and diligent upon this path, not just in this lifetime, but in each and every lifetime.” This is diligence. This diligence is both external and internal; we cultivate it inwardly, while practicing it outwardly. Internally, we must not let our thoughts depart from the teachings of the path, nor depart from the wondrous Dharma, from wondrous existence in true emptiness, true emptiness in wondrous existence.

For example Professor Mao came here yesterday afternoon to chat. The last time he came I told him, “You studied astronomy; I wish to understand the entire universe. I would like it if you gave me a secret code to the universe.” This is what I said to him. He replied, “A secret code to the universe?” I asked him, “Would that be difficult?” He told me, “No, no, no, but I must go home and put some effort into it.” He went home and put two full months into it. He told me he had referenced a great many books. Yesterday when he came, he straightaway handed me a book on astronomy, then began telling me, “I worked hard during this time and I have come to hand in my homework. Here is a secret code to the universe, to astronomy.” It is true; when it comes to all things in the universe, many scientists have, one after the other, been chipping away at it, investigating these mysteries of the universe. In fact, during the last 100 years, they have been getting ever closer. Beginning with Einstein, they have been getting ever closer as they investigate the mysteries of the universe.

It is true! With these vast and boundless principles, people will truly feel a profound sense of wonder. As he related to me the progress one scientist he reached in his research. I began thinking, “This is exactly what the Buddha taught!” The Buddha taught this more than 2000 years ago, and the underlying meaning was also right here! His teachings on everything in the universe, of all things in the world, were exactly like this. This was wondrous existence in true emptiness, true emptiness in wondrous existence. Whatever kind of material thing it is, it will always contains its own Dharma. The Dharma cannot be seen nor touched. It is formless, without substance or appearance, however it is replete with the true principles, which come together to for material things. The celestial bodies are also like this. When we think now about the essence and appearance of all these celestial bodies in the universe, what are they really like? Some say they are round, some say they are uneven, while others say they are flat and so forth. As far as astronomy is concerned, there are still so many things that need to be researched. Yet, the Buddha, in His time, summed everything up so succinctly. These teachings can help us to be mindful. By accepting them now, we can experience how everything is in the span of a single thought. We simply must be mindful in accepting them. When it comes to this energy they talk about, which exists within space and celestial bodies, they are still doing research.

So many things, so many mysteries they cannot yet understand, were already selflessly taught by the Buddha. A few days ago, we were talking about the appearance of the stupa of treasures, how the Buddha, by lightly touching it with His finger, thereby opened the stupa of treasure’s door and how Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body was inside. Many Treasures Buddha yielded half His seat to Sakyamuni Buddha, Sakyamuni entered and the two Buddhas sat together inside the stupa. During this process, the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, had already gathered together. His multiple manifestations, so everywhere was filled with wondrously profound principles. To put it more clearly, these were the teachings, the energy of the Dharmakaya.

The true principles expounded by the Buddha are mindfully accepted by us individuals and engraved upon our hearts. When the Dharma is engraved in our hearts, we can adapt it to the time and conditions in order to exercise its abilities so that others can accept the Dharma. In the way we relate to other people, we can respond to sentient begins’ suffering and manifest or ability to save others. The Buddha had the power of vows, vowing “to deliver countless sentient begins.” To deliver sentient begins, one must first rescue them from their suffering. “Having relieved them from suffering, they then expound the Dharma for them.” This what is says in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. This is what happens when we accept the Dharma and take it to heart. This is called internal cultivation. Engraving the Dharma upon our hearts is internal cultivation.

With the Dharma engraved in our heart and put into action in our physical conduct, we become role models; we can act to show others. We can then call on even more people to join together with us in this energy. This energy that comes is similarly an energy of the mind, from everyone unifying their hearts. We often say that the mind can pervade the trichiliocosm. In one thought we can reach teachings as numerous as the sands of the Granges River. The Dharma can enter everyone’s heart; this just depends on our minds, on our reverent minds.

Yesterday, Dr. Mao also told me that this energy has already been verified by scientists. This energy is our mind. With our minds, reverent minds, the sound [of our thought] can pass through space, through three-dimensional space, through four-dimensional space. There is even ten-dimensional space. This is what we often say; our thoughts can reach the heavenly beings above, can reach the Buddhas and the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. It can reach them! In a single thought, we can reach through, can pass through three-dimensional space or four-dimensional space. These are scientific term. I have often said in the past that when we recite the sutras, we should be very reverent, for the reverence within us for the reverence within us can be expressed through our voices as we chant loudly as we chant loudly. In our space are all sorts of invisible beings who just like use are listening to the Dharma, who like us are listening to the sutras. The reverence in everyone’s mind can reach everywhere throughout the human world, throughout three-dimensional and four-dimensional space, throughout other lands and throughout other worlds. Our minds can similarly pass through all this. It is true! [These are] reverent thoughts. So, this comes from our minds, we must cultivate them inwardly, cultivate internally and practice externally. Then with that reverence within us, we take this Dharma and chant the Buddha’s name until. He becomes engraved upon our hearts, chant it until He enters our hearts, so the Buddha’s mind becomes our own. In this stupa of treasures was the ancient and the present [Buddha]. There was Manny Treasures Buddha from countless kalpas before and there was Sakyamuni Buddha, who taught the Dharma more than 2000 years ago. Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharmakaya will never cease. It is everlasting in the world, even now. The founder of our religion, our Kind Father, is Sakyamuni Buddha. His multiple manifestations accepted His Dharma and then spread throughout the world. This spirit and ideal it totally unified internally and externally. We take the Dharma into our hearts, then go and put it into action. “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings. [They] vow to deliver countless sentient beings”. Wherever there is a disaster in the world, Bodhisattvas from near and far come together to go save them from suffering, to save them from difficulties, or go to and share with them this profound wonder of the Dharma, this spirit and ideal. These is both internal and external; we must correct ourselves “with the Threefold Combined Precepts”.

For ourselves, we must be correct in regard to these principles and never allow ourselves to deviate from them. We should never deviate from the teachings of the path within us. We must do this in our each and every thought. If our minds are upright and the path is right, then our principles will be correct. We should focus our own mind in this way, by having “the Threefold Combined Precepts”.

The Threefold Combined Precepts: 1. The precepts of discipline and etiquette. We must accept and uphold the five, eight, ten or full set of precepts. 2. The precepts of virtuous Dharma. We must take practicing all virtuous Dharma as our precepts. 3. Precepts of benefitting all beings. This is also called the precepts of helping sentient beings. These precepts are focused on helping all sentient beings.

The Threefold Combined Precepts are what we should ordinarily practice. The first is “the precepts of discipline and etiquette”. The precepts of discipline and etiquette are the teachings of precepts taught by the Buddha. When we initially accept the Buddha-Dharma, disciples ordinarily observe the Five Precepts, or later advance to upholding the Eight Precepts. The Eight Precepts are the Eight Purifying Precepts. Some people observe the Eight Purifying Precepts. Some wish to observe the Ten Wholesome Precepts, or after becoming monastics, observe the full set of precepts. These are known as the precepts of discipline and etiquette. Our precepts are like this. We should accept and uphold all of these precepts.

The second is “the precepts of virtuous Dharma”. This is taking the practice of all virtuous teachings as our precepts. Since we are Buddhist practitioners, we wish to learn all that is virtuous, cultivate all that is good and eliminate everything evil.

The third is “precepts of benefitting all beings”. We “vow to deliver countless sentient beings”. This is all sentient beings; we hope to benefit all living beings, to care for all sentient beings. This is inclusive of all sentient beings, not just people. This means all animals, everything sentient and non-sentient. We should cherish the lives of all things. These are our precepts as well. “Helping all sentient beings” is our precept. These are called the Threefold Combined Precepts.

So, “We must correct ourselves inwardly and outwardly with the Threefold Combined Precepts”. The true principles are both internal and external. Whether in our minds or in our external practice, we must have the Threefold Combined Precepts. “We are liberated, pure and free of defilements”. Since we are very pure, we are able to nurture our wisdom-life. If we can do this, with precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberation’s understanding and views, our Dharma-body will remain totally undefiled, undefiled by the dusts of affliction and ignorance. Then, naturally our intrinsic nature remains pure. We will then nourish our wisdom-life. Our wisdom-life will grow. Then, “We readily attain the Buddhahood of our intrinsic nature and illuminate the virtues of the supreme path of goodness”. We illuminate luminous virtue and thoroughly understand our own nature of True Suchness. We should practice these principles in the world until we arrive at supreme goodness, the virtuous path leading to supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment. If we are to do this, we truly must mindfully seek to comprehend. We must be focused, by very diligent in our spiritual resolve, free of discursive thought and earnest in our understanding. This means we must be very mindful at all times.

What comes next is the previous passage. “After I enter Parinirvana, if one were to listen to and accept this sutra and inquire into its meaning, then that would be considered difficult!”

As we already said before, there will be a great many difficulties. There will be many difficulties. However, the Buddha also told of how none of those truly inconceivable feats would be difficult. But to truly uphold the Dharma, to uphold and recite this sutra, safeguard this sutra after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, “to listen to and accept this sutra and inquire into its meaning, that would be considered difficult!” Those other things would not be difficult. What would be difficult would be for people to listen and accept this sutra after the Buddha had entered Parinirvana. To have the patience to start from “Thus have I heard” and reach this point without any Dharma leaking away, I do not know if you have been able to do this.

The one teaching begins with “Thus have I heard” and then keeps on teaching the text of the sutra. What about the listeners? For them to listen from “Thus I have heard” until now without any teachings leaking away would truly be difficult. Just listening to the sutra is difficule!

“If someone were to teach the Dharma, helping thousands, millions, billions, countless numbers of sentient beings as numerous as the Ganges’ sands to attain Arhatship and be replete in the Six Spiritual Powers, though this would be beneficial, even this would not be considered difficult.”

Although there are many teachings that can be taught, such as the 12 divisions of the Tripitaka, apart from the Lotus Sutra, those other sutras have all been taught. One can teach all of those sutras, and furthermore lead everyone to attain the fruit of Arhatship, or even attain the Six Spiritual Powers. Although this may help many to listen to the sutras and attain the Dharma, although this many benefit a great many people, it nevertheless still not difficult.

We talked about this yesterday. Why is this? It is because these people are still within the Small Vehicle Dharma. They merely seek spiritual powers. They only seek to benefit themselves. Even if they were to attain spiritual powers, this still would not be considered difficult. Listening to the sutra is very difficult.

So, the next sutra passage below continues by saying, “After I enter Parinirvana, if one were able to reverently uphold such a sutra as this then that would be considered difficult.”

Indeed, listening to the sutra is difficult. Upholding the sutra is difficult as well. “If one were able to uphold this sutra and teach it to many others…” after the Buddha had entered Parinirvana upholding this sutra and teaching it to others helps these people to attain the unsurpassed path.”

After I enter Parinirvana, of one were able to reverently uphold such as this then that would be considered difficult: If one were able to uphold this sutra and teach it to many others, helping these people attain the unsurpassed path, that would be considered difficult. The previous verse describes the difficulty of reverently upholding this sutra. Reverently upholding: This means retaining and upholding it with respect and reverence so that we do not forget it.

If you want to expound this sutra, it is not only about the words. To just explain what the words mean is relatively easy, but to uphold this sutra, we must teach it for others. We must also “help these people attain the unsurpassed path.” This requires us to endlessly analyze it for them. It is just like astronomy, which also requires continual investigation, exploration of its many mysteries. These must all be solved before the form of celestial bodies can be truly known. The Buddha-Dharma is also like this. It is vast and boundless; the Dharma has no shape or substance. To teach it to the point where others can understand the Buddha’s underlying meaning is very difficult indeed. This is because when the Buddha was enlightened, He had already become one with the universe.

I have often said this, that when He attained enlightenment, He became one with the universe. When expounding the Buddha-Dharma, isn’t it the same? We investigate the state of the mind, because the human men, with a single thought, can create everything in the world, whether good or evil, whether calamity or blessing; this all depends upon a person’s mind. When our enlightened nature becomes lost, when we become confused, we may tend toward evil. When our enlightened nature grows, then we tend toward goodness. This all depends on the mind. When it comes to the mind, if we say it this way can we understand? We need to use so many [analogies], even worldly matters and objects, things that happened in the past or now. One by one, we use matters to understand the principles. So, to help everyone understand [the principles], help them experience them and take them to heart, help them to put them into practice, “would be considered difficult.”

What came previously was explaining the difficulties involved in reverently upholding this sutra. So, to reverently uphold something means to have great respect for it. Moreover, it means to remember it. This sutra is not something we can read and then forget about; we must engrave it in our minds. This is “reverently upholding” it. It means remembering it. Remembering it means that we keep it always in mind. It means constantly engraving the sutra in our minds without ever forgetting it. This is “reverently upholding” it.

The next passage goes on to say, “For the sake of the path to Buddhahood, throughout countless lands, from the beginning until now, I have widely taught many sutras, this sutra is foremost, if one can uphold it, one is thus upholding the Buddha’s body.”

This is what the Buddha said “For the sake of the path to Buddhahood, throughout countless land” means He would not only be in the Saha World, but in countless other lands as well. Clearly, since the era of the 16 princes, He has continually been in the realms of sentient beings, in countless worlds. The Buddha, since that time, having the resolve that He did, has navigated through countless worlds. So, there were “countless lands, From the beginning until now…”

The beginning probably the one described in the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, His beginning as one of the 16 princes. “Widely taught many sutras” means starting from back them, when He first listened to the Lotus Sutra, beginning then, he had taught many sutras.

For the sake of the path to Buddhahood, throughout countless lands, from the beginning until now, I have widely taught many sutras: He attained Buddhahood for the sake of sentient beings His manifestations have spread to fill the lands of the ten directions. From first attaining Buddhahood until now, He widely taught countless other sutras.

This means that from the time the Buddha began to understand the path to Buddhahood, His manifestations filled the lands in the ten directions. They used His Dharma to further transform sentient beings, so that sentient beings would then spread the Dharma wider, transforming themselves as well as others; this Dharma was then continually spread. “From the beginning until now,” from the beginning until He attained Buddhahood, right up until now, He had widely taught countless sutras. He had already taught so many.

And among all those sutras, this sutra is foremost: Among all those countless other sutras, the lotus Sutra is foremost. It is foremost among all sutras because it is the key to all the other sutras and the vital door for the thousand noble beings.

So, “Among all those sutras,” “this sutra is foremost”. The sutras He taught were many. In the present Saha World alone, Sakyamuni Buddha had 84,000 teachings, as many as the sands of the Ganges, inside His sutra treasury. Yet, among those many sutras, “among all those sutras, this sutra is foremost”. Among all those many sutras, this sutra is the foremost. This is the Lotus Sutra. “The Lotus Sutra is foremost”. So, the Lotus Sutra is called the king of all sutras. This is the Lotus Sutra. It further says, “If one can uphold it, one is thus upholding the Buddha’s body”.

If one can uphold it, one is thus upholding the Buddha’s body: The body of the Lotus Sutra is the Dharma-body of the Buddha. Being able to uphold this sutra is equal to seeing the Buddha.

If one were able to uphold this sutra, meaning the Lotus Sutra, it would be like upholding the Buddha’s body. We often say that we chant the Buddha’s name until we have taken Him to heart, until the Buddha’s mind becomes our own. For the Buddha-mind to become our own mind, it means that we must take the entire Lotus Sutra to heart. So, “The body of the Lotus Sutra is the Dharma-body of the Buddha”. The body of the Lotus Sutra is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. If we can uphold this sutra, it will be as if we are seeing the Buddha. If we can safeguard this sutra, it is as if we are upholding the Buddha’s body.

One is thus upholding the Buddha’s body: The entire bodies of all Buddhas are inseparable from this sutra. If we uphold it, listen to it, contemplate it and practice it, our wondrous intrinsic spiritual capacities will manifest completely and everything we encounter will be Bodhi. How could it be easy to uphold?

So, “The entire bodies of all Buddhas are inseparable from this sutra”. This is not only Sakyamuni Buddha’s [body], but [the bodies of] all Buddhas, for all Buddhas share the same path. The entire bodies of all Buddhas are inseparable from this sutra. “If uphold it, listen to it, contemplate it and practice it” means we can do this, we can earnestly accept and uphold it, earnestly listen to it. Once we take it in, we must never let it leak away. If we listen to the sutra and let it leak away, it is as if we had never listened at all. While listening to the sutra, we must be certain to engrave it upon our hearts. We should reverently uphold it, which means we should remember it. We need to remember it! This is what it means to reverently uphold it. After listening to it, we remember it and earnestly reflect upon it. This is listening and contemplation. After listening to it, only by really reflecting upon it can we avoid deviating from the Dharma. We must reflect upon it; is it correct or not? If we do not understand something clearly, then we should immediately go and ask about it. We spoke previously as well about how it is not always easy to ask questions. If we ask questions, then we can apply it. So, we should ask. Our thinking should be correct. If it is not correct, then we can ask. This too is part of spiritual practice. Actually, with spiritual practice, after listening and contemplation, when our thinking is correct, when we understand what it is that we should do, then we should start putting it into action, we should put it into practice. If our contemplation [shows] it is correct, then we should go about putting it into practice. This is listening, contemplating and practicing. This sutra [can benefit] “our wondrous intrinsic spiritual capacities”.

We all have the intrinsic nature of True Suchness; we just need to accept the Dharma. If it resonates with our capabilities, then we form great aspirations and make great vows. If we have great capabilities, then when we encounter this Dharma, [our capacities] “will manifest completely”. Because our capabilities are great, by encountering and entering this Great Dharma, we should be able to understand the entire essence of the Dharma, of this Dharma, the Lotus Sutra, of its profound wonder, its main points and its essence. We should be able to understand all of it.

From the Buddha’s many teachings, He took the essence, put it all together, then explained it to us. This is for those with great capacities, so we should earnestly seek to experience it. If we can, then [our capacities] can “manifest completely”. We should be able to thoroughly understand the Dharma in its entirety. “Everything we encounter will be Bodhi”. When we understand this, whatever we encounter is all the true and wondrous Dharma. Whatever we do, whatever we experience, however subtle it may be, even if it is as fine as dust, it will likewise be wondrously profound Dharma. Scientists have discovered the “neutrino”. The neutrino is extremely minute. Within the neutrino, that very subtle and intricate neutrino, are the underlying principles; scientists are analyzing this layer by layer. They are investigating what ultimately lies within its inner reaches. By the same token, we must go about trying to understand these principles, the we can be clear about the Buddha’s teachings. This power must come from this, the foremost of all the sutras. It must come from this kind of Dharma. It must come from this kind of Dharma.

So, “To be able to uphold it is to uphold the Buddha’s body.” If someone can accept and uphold this sutra, then they will be upholding the Buddha’s body. This is what we should understand. The Lotus Sutra is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. The Lotus Sutra is His entire body, the Dharmakaya of the Buddha. If we earnestly uphold the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, then the Dharmakaya will never recede. We must mindfully seek to experience this.

This is “to uphold the Buddha’s body. The entire bodies of all Buddhas are inseparable from this sutra.” Because the entire bodies of all the Buddhas are inseparable from this sutra, “if we uphold it, listen to it, contemplate it and practice it, our wondrous intrinsic spiritual capacities will manifest completely.”

We should mindfully seek to experience this, then “everything we encounter will be Bodhi.” I think we should all be very clear on this now. Is it truly easy to uphold this sutra? As long as we are single-minded in it, won’t it be easy? It is not hard for those with aspirations to do so. With resolve, vows and strength it will not be difficult. If we do not have the aspiration or the vows, then won’t it be difficult? Or will it be easy? Will it be difficult or easy? This is something only we ourselves can understand. Are we mindfully listening? Are we mindfully accepting the teachings? Are we putting them into practice? We ourselves know the answer best. Isn’t this a simple matter? When we say it is easy, it is easy. When we say it is difficult, it is also difficult. Just to listen to the sutra, to continue listening is in itself not easy, not to mention putting it into practice. This is even more difficult.

In summary, this power, our power of love, is energy. Yesterday, when Prof. Mao was sharing with me, at the very end he spoke of the most incredible energy. Where does that energy come from? It is the mind. It is the mind, so we should always be mindful!

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