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 20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八)

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20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八) Empty
發表主題: 20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八)   20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八) Empty周一 6月 24, 2019 12:49 pm

20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八)

⊙須臾間喻念劫融通,長劫亦喻須臾之頃;一乘圓頓微妙之法,凡情觀之須臾念短,與之長劫何以能比?往昔諸佛菩薩眼觀,則為現前之正覺觀,十萬億之佛土等念,須臾與劫准此可知。
⊙「若分座令坐,是人功德,轉身得帝釋坐處,若梵王坐處,若轉輪聖王所坐之處。」
《法華經隨喜功德品第十八》
⊙「阿逸多!若復有人,語餘人言:有經,名法華,可共往聽。即受其教,乃至須臾間聞。」《法華經隨喜功德品第十八》
⊙阿逸多!若復有人,語餘人言:若復有人,語餘人言:若有說法之處,誠語勸他人令知。
⊙有經,名法華,可共往聽。即受其教,乃至須臾間聞:勸同往聽,聞得體解,復又勸邀他人同往,乃至須臾之間得聞說法。
⊙合伴往聽、須臾聞法,其事甚微,其益弘大。心與聖相冥合形與法身共處,形神俱勝,道果可知也。

【證嚴上人開示】
須臾間喻念劫融通,長劫亦喻須臾之頃;一乘圓頓微妙之法,凡情觀之須臾念短,與之長劫何以能比?往昔諸佛菩薩眼觀,則為現前之正覺觀,十萬億之佛土等念,須臾與劫准此可知。

須臾間喻念劫融通
長劫亦喻須臾之頃
一乘圓頓微妙之法
凡情觀之須臾念短
與之長劫何以能比
往昔諸佛菩薩眼觀
則為現前之正覺觀
十萬億之佛土等念
須臾與劫准此可知

大家聽起來好像很深很深。凡夫與佛的境界,要來探討佛陀的境界,確實是很深;也不是叫做佛陀的境界,佛陀的智慧來了解時間、空間,它的真相。常常在說,「百千萬億劫」,這不是空談,不是譬喻,不是沒有實體。只是我們凡夫,凡夫只是僅僅看眼前,我們所看的是眼前的事情,我們了解是現前的事物,範圍不會廣。佛、菩薩,他們的覺悟範圍,所透視,境界就是與我們不同了。所以,「長劫亦喻須臾之頃」。諸佛菩薩,佛陀一說,菩薩了解,是因為他們的看法看得開,那麼廣、那麼大,時間的長、空間的大,所以用長劫。長劫,就是時間很長很長,亦可以譬喻須臾之頃,諸佛菩薩,他們能夠長短自如。

常常告訴我們,百千劫在一刹那間,瞬息能夠了解宇宙空間、時間、事物,過去、未來,諸佛菩薩境界能夠沒有阻礙。但是我們凡夫,只是僅僅說現在、現在,過去生是如何,我們是不知道,未來生更不可預測。我們想要知道的時間,這輩子短短幾十年,我們就不知道過去生。現在我們為什麼,很多事情都這麼多不如意呢?我們自己也不知道 ,如何來累積這麼多煩惱,我們自己的習氣,都不知道是如何累積來,讓人感覺有緣無緣是為何,怎麼差那麼多?我們自己的事情是如何累積來?現在所感受的自己不知道。未來呢?會有什麼結果我們也無所知。這就是時間與人間,我們無法了解。

佛陀的境界就是,「長劫亦喻須臾之頃」,將過去幾千萬劫,過去的過去的過去是什麼事情,常常在敘說過去,還得等未來、未來幾千萬年後、幾萬劫後,會有什麼事情。這就是佛的境界。所以,虛空法界所有事物,「一乘圓融微妙之法」,不是僅僅為我們分析道理,甚至也讓我們了解,過去、現在、未來。這是佛的境界,多麼的圓滿啊!人間事物、時間、空間,所有包含在佛的悟性之中;覺悟之後,隨時都可以向大家來分析,「唉呀,境界之妙啊!」佛陀之覺悟,凡夫堪嘆,就是這麼的微弱,所知的、所知道的,才是那麼一點點而已,還是這樣日日都是煩惱、計較。愈多人,愈聽愈多,「到底怎麼會這麼忙啊?」「事業現在愈擴愈大了。」「唉呀,何必要這樣呢?放下一點點。」「放不下啦!」這都是常常的對話。

隨時有這樣,在事業有成的人,常常與師父在對話,這幾句話對任何一個人,任何一個事業有成,來跟師父說,都是這樣告訴他。「師父,我對慈濟很敬佩,我很想要比較專心一點來做。」「可以啊!你現在就很可以專心了。」「不過現在還沒,我現在事業還要如何擴展。」我就這樣告訴他:「不用了,你這時再幾代人,你都享受不完。」他說:「是啦,沒錯!不過做人就是這樣,有事業就要做,就要再顧一些員工,員工的家庭也靠我在生活。」我說:「你難道只是這樣,沒有你大家無法生活?你不如將他們安頓好,讓他們好過好生活,趁著他們年輕,再讓他們再去找。世間空間有多大,人間有多少,自然他們會有生活的功能。」儘管我也向他說得很廣,但是能夠告訴他的,能夠聽得進去只是這些話。而聽進去嗎?還是很難。「道理我都知道,只是放不下啦!」是啊,歸根究柢,還是放不下,這叫做人。

我們對法,「一乘圓頓微妙之法」,我們「凡情觀之須臾念短」。很短見,光是說空間有多大、時間有多長,人間有多少的煩惱,要如何放下煩惱回歸真如?但是這些道理,對任何人來說都很難得,想要用心去體會它,因為這些都是凡情。還有時間,目前的事業比較要緊,都是說在目前。這種凡夫的感覺,覺得很多凡情未了,所以把握現在最重要;現在有錢可賺,總是事業還要再擴大。同樣的道理,每一個小人物也是同樣這樣,因為真實道理聽不下去,無法體會佛陀所說,他「長劫」與「須臾之頃」的差別。凡夫念念在須臾間計較、計較,無明煩惱覆蔽,我們就是這樣,但是佛菩薩的境界就不是這樣。他能夠將所有一切諸法、物體、時間,都能夠很清楚為我們解釋,所以我們應該要好好用時間來體會,要不然凡夫與聖人,這個距離差太遠了。

所以,用長劫。在佛經中,動不動就是幾千萬億劫,與我們凡夫目前的事情,煩惱事多,這種須臾的短暫與這個長劫,我們是要如何比?凡夫與佛的境界,我們要如何能夠靠近呢?雖然佛陀告訴我們,人人本具佛性,雖然告訴我們,人人真如本性,時刻都在我們的身;在我們的身心,我們沒有離開,卻是我們與佛的真如、與佛的本覺,我們還是還離這麼遠,是要如何比?所以「何以能比」,無法比。「往昔諸佛菩薩眼觀」。過去佛,用人間的時間來說,離開我們二千五百多年了,但是那個時代,他就是用佛眼來觀眾生。諸佛菩薩也是用慈眼視眾生,來看眾生,卻是與我們就不同了。用他們的眼光來看我們,「道理明明就這樣,就這樣告訴你們,期待你們能夠體會、了解」,但是我們就是執迷不悟。

諸佛眼來看,就是「則為現前之正覺觀」。諸佛菩薩的眼光來看,每一項事物現在他的面前都是很正面、很正確。這是佛菩薩的境界,他們的智慧來看。所以他們,他們的境界常常都是「十萬億之佛土等念」。娑婆世界,在娑婆世界說法,會常常譬喻過去諸佛、十萬億佛國等等,為弟子授記,也會常常說:「在幾十億年後、幾十萬億年後,某某人能夠成佛,將來住世時間,會幾千年、幾萬年。」這就是以佛的境界來看,未來他那些弟子修行,同樣也能夠達成,與釋迦佛、諸佛同等的觀念;用那個眼光來看世界、來看時間、來看宇宙。這完全不是凡夫的境界,不是凡夫的時間,我們應該要很相信。

佛陀的智慧,他們在說的時間是很實際。我們在天文學,我常常拿出來比喻,很實際。我們在說的,忉利天的一日,是人間的一百年,大家認為這是神話。還有天堂,愈上去的天堂,,他們的日,一日是我們的人間,千年、萬年都有。再更實在來說,天文學家送我們一個證書,天邊,在天空中,有一顆「慈濟」小星星。這是已經國際間來觀天文學,他們看到這顆小星星,還沒有名字,由臺灣一群的學者提出來,與國際間要來為這顆星命名,提出慈濟對人間,有幫助、有貢獻,為它命名叫做「慈濟」小星星,國際間都通過了。報紙也有登出來了(2018/7/30 人間福報刊登,「小行星的愛與死」),證實這顆小星星,在這個宇宙間它是存在。

而這顆星,我就很好奇,雖然拿到證書了,我還想要問:「這顆星與地球的距離是多遠?到底它繞太陽一周,是我們人間多久?」比較起來,就是它繞太陽一周,是五年七個月。我們「慈濟」小星星,與我們的地球來比較,我們過了五年七個月,它就是一年,繞在這個太陽的上面;它這樣繞一圈,我們已經五年了。這是很實際,在天際的環境、時間。所以,最近學者也有提起了,「人間千年,天上一日」,不是神話。是啊,絕對不是神話。

所以我們要很相信,佛陀心靈的世界,含蓋了虛空法界、宇宙之間。空間、時間沒有一項佛不清楚,何況人間呢?人間,人、眾生的心態,眾生所累積,得來這個因緣果報,是如何作起點?我們的一輩子,難道只是知道我們的一輩子?我們的過去的過去的過去,就是造這樣這樣的因,不斷累積累積,這樣的無明、習氣來的果報。這是真理,我們要相信。所以在佛、菩薩,他們的眼光來看,「則為現前之正覺觀」。不論在任何一個空間,他們來看,「唉呀,何必煩惱呢?唉呀,放下啦!煩惱是這樣這樣來累積,現前你才會這麼苦。」儘管他們,佛、菩薩來為我們分析得很清楚,但是我們就看不開,這就是佛與眾生的境界。

所以,「十萬億之佛土等念」。他們來看我們的世間人人,凡夫穢土,也可以轉念成為諸佛的淨土。人人若是看得開,現在小小的這個地球,其實宏觀是十萬億佛土,這樣來將我們會合起來,世界之一。所以常常說,一塵一沙一界一國土,所以將我們這個世界,用塵沙來譬喻,一塵一世界,這我們過去都有說了,而我們是不是能夠相信呢?唉呀,信不信由你,總是,是真實道理。

所以,眾生的須臾,或者是佛陀的長劫,或者將佛陀的長劫,來看人間的須臾變遷,這佛陀很清楚,只是我們人掛礙在現在目前。所以請大家要很用心去體會,這個須臾和長劫要如何比?而我們可以類推,這種佛菩薩的境界。所以我們要用心來體會,體會我們人間就是這麼的渺小,時間是這麼的短暫。我們人生幾十年,也是很短暫的時間,我們的看法、境界,是這麼的渺小,與佛的宏觀,與佛的長時間、長劫來比,所知道的實在很有限。

所以,凡夫啊!時間的短暫,見解、記憶,這要與佛如何比呢?所以常常也是很感嘆,不過,我也很讚歎;讚歎諸佛菩薩的智慧,感慨悲歎自己:凡夫啦!還是境界很窄、很小,才得要再努力。

看前面的文,來:「若分座令坐,是人功德,轉身得帝釋坐處,若梵王坐處,若轉輪聖王所坐之處。」

若分座令坐
是人功德
轉身得帝釋坐處
若梵王坐處
若轉輪聖王
所坐之處
《法華經隨喜功德品第十八》

在這個地方,我們以凡夫聽佛的教法,我們能夠歡喜收入心我們的心來。我們也有這樣的發願,聽法,我們也想要講法,也想要傳法,但是聽來、了解,講法談何容易啊!所以,我們要見聞隨喜,應該大家做得到,讓人人,完成大家一起來聽。我現在無法告訴你,「來啦,我帶你來聽」。我們記得嗎?我們要推動骨髓(捐贈),老菩薩,他們很熱心,在市場內,拿著小海報,要去告訴大家:「今天在某一個地方,離我們市場沒有多遠,在那裡有要辦抽血、驗血,將來可以配對骨髓。」人家一問她,拿著這個東西問她:「阿嬤,這裡面是在說什麼?」「我不知道,來啦,在那裡。」不過大家,「在那裡」,就是不要過去。她不如靈機一動,站在那個地方喊:「救人哦!救人啊!」大家轉一個身:「阿嬤,是怎麼了?」「來啦,來啦!你們跟我走,去了就知道。」一大群人跟她走。

那時候是我們的醫院,我們護士與血庫的技術員,在那個地方。開始很多人就告訴他:「來,年輕人,我為你解釋,救人的機會在你的一念間,來啦!」就又一些委員,又一些技術員,還有護士,這樣來為大家解釋。年輕人有這股的熱情,「好啊!」這比率,配對機會很少。抽一個血,「可以啊!」10CC,抽一下。所以,我們凡夫,只要你肯發心,會不會說都不要緊。但是你發心,就譬如這位老菩薩,她發心就是要將人引過來。我們無法說,讓别人來說,讓別人清楚了解。這同樣的道理。但是這位要引人來聽法的人,是自己很了解,只是見聞隨喜。有人在說法,我雖然我也很了解,但是還有人不了解,我就趕快邀他,邀來:「來來來,來聽法。」不論是法師在說法,或者是居士在說法,他就是這樣發心,趕快將他帶來聽法。

所以若坐、若立,若立、若坐,很多人站在那裡聽。假使有的人覺得:我已經很了解,而這位可能是還不曾聽到法。「來,我將我的位子讓出來,讓你坐,讓你安心聽法。」不論是引人進來,或者是分坐,分這個座位讓人坐,這都是功德,都是要成就人能夠體解大道。就是要我們要發心,我們若有了解佛法,體解大道,自然我們就發無上心;懂得要去招呼人,懂得要讓座給人,這就是「皈依佛,體解大道,發無上心」,又是「當願眾生……」。這三皈依大家都知道。所以這樣的功德,我們前面說過,「轉身得帝釋坐處」。有這樣想要將佛法,讓大家能夠隨喜,能夠來聽法,這樣就有福了,有這樣的福,就像帝釋他們享受天福。因為看人,增加人來了,了解佛法,很歡喜,自己也很享受。趕快站起來讓人坐,讓他安穩心,看他很安穩,聽得很歡喜,而我們讓座的人也很歡喜,轉一個身,感覺歡喜快樂如帝釋一樣。

不光是只有帝釋,還有梵天王。這不同的境界,更深的福。所以,若轉輪聖王,不只是他們在人間能夠聽法,還能夠弘揚佛法,人間的地位,又是好像國王領導人間,這種轉輪聖王。這很現實的享受,這總是在自己的心若歡喜,不論什麼事情都是很歡喜,心無掛礙、無煩惱,這我想是最歡喜。能夠完成大家平安、穩定,法入心,我相信這是最歡喜的事情。

要不然就像說:「我很愛做慈濟,我很想要全心投入。」「可以啊,你可以啊!」「唉,我現在放不下。」像這樣,儘管他錢賺很多,連鎖(店)很多很多,全世界事業都有他的,但是煩惱很多豈有快樂?一個人所穿的衣服也是普通。吃的呢?同桌在吃飯,也沒有吃得比別人更多。這樣到底為什麼多平常的人那麼多煩惱呢?這就是人間各人的境界,總是不同的觀念。

下面這段文再說:「阿逸多!若復有人,語餘人言:有經,名法華,可共往聽。即受其教,乃至須臾間聞。」

阿逸多
若復有人
語餘人言
有經 名法華
可共往聽
即受其教
乃至須臾間聞
《法華經隨喜功德品第十八》

這段文,我們差不多能夠清楚。佛陀再叫,再呼喚著「阿逸多」,那就是佛陀又再叫彌勒,也是要叫大家仔細聽。再叫名,就是「仔細聽,大家要聽清楚」。「若復有人,語餘人言」,又再有人。剛才是勸聽、讓座,而現在就是還有人,再趕快去告訴別人,再去說有這樣的經,叫做《法華經》。這種「語餘人言」,有心去勸遠遠的人:「來啊!來聽,有這部經叫做《法華經》。」介紹這部經,它的妙法對人的受用,勸人來聽。就像這樣,誠意勸人來聽,這就是「若有說法之處,誠語勸他人令知」。

阿逸多
若復有人
語餘人言:
若有說法之處
誠語勸他人令知

就是只要有在講法,知道講《法華經》,我們遠遠的地方也要勸人要聽,是用一片的誠意;一片的誠意要讓人,勸人,人人能夠知道,要去聽這部經,叫做《妙法蓮華經》。《妙法蓮華經》是諸佛所要教導很重點的經典,「來啊,大家快來聽」。這種在遠遠的地方,用刻意、用誠心去勸誘人來聽,聽這部《妙法華經》。

所以你來,我陪你來。不是只是叫你去而已,「來,你若要去,我陪你去」。就像我們很多菩薩,「哎呀!他很發心。師父,我趕快撥個時間,趕快將他帶來。這是他很發心,他要再對慈濟更深入了解。我就說,他有時間,我絕對撥時間陪他來。」真的常常都有這樣。這種讓人知道慈濟是在花蓮,花蓮(靜思)精舍你要了解,去那個地方更了解。這是委員,我們的菩薩要引導人發心,他也可以專程陪人來,這就是《法華經》行菩薩道的人。

有經 名法華
可共往聽
即受其教
乃至須臾間聞:
勸同往聽
聞得體解
復又勸邀他人同往
乃至須臾之間
得聞說法

所以,「有經,名法華,可共往聽」。你來,我陪你去。「即受其教,乃至須臾間聞」,就這樣跟他來了。「他既然這樣說,我相信,好朋友說的,我相信,我就跟你去聽,不論聽多聽少」,所以「乃至須臾間聞」。這段意思就是「勸同往聽」。「你去,我也陪你去。」或者是「我去,你陪我去。」總是好朋友。所以,聽了之後,「聞得體解」。聽,這新來聽法的人歡喜了,他深心體解法之妙,他的內心有所受用。他有所受用,自然他就再去邀別人。

「復又勸邀他人同往」。現在換我來帶人,再來勸別人,「來,我過去是人家帶我去,我現在我陪你去」。是,聽法之後,你的心,心誠意解,你能夠聽,能夠很歡喜。所以,哪怕是聽一小段,「你聽聽看,聽得進,你就多聽;你若聽不進,你就聽短一點,不要緊」。所以,「乃至須臾之間得聞說法」。你若聽不下去,聽一點點也不要緊。就是這樣的用心,這樣勸他。

合伴往聽
須臾聞法
其事甚微
其益弘大
心與聖相冥合
形與法身共處
形神俱勝
道果可知也

「合伴往聽」,我們一起做伴來聽。「須臾聞法,其事甚微,其益弘大」。帶人來聽,用一些時間這樣來,其實利益是很大。不只是陪人來,說不定聽到這個人開始發大心了,可以去傳法、說法了,對人間幫助很大也說不定。你陪他來,有這個因緣,換他來發大心。這「益」,利益很大,在法,來弘揚佛法。所以,「心與聖相冥合,形與法身共處」。我們的心就是聽法之後,雖然我們是凡夫,聽佛或者是法師講經之後,自然我們的心與那個法是真正默默、暗暗已經交契了;我們的心已經受法,很接受著這個法,超越了,超越了人間、空間與時間。若智慧深的人,一聞體解大道,發無上心,所以說「心與聖相冥合」。

這凡夫心與聖人的心,說法的源頭,這個源頭是如何來?雖然經過這樣流傳來了,不論多久,一人到五十人,這個「第五十人」在傳經,到第一人開始說法。這個法若沒有異樣,現在聽經,「第五十人」傳給他的法,他也能夠契合在第一人說的法。所以佛陀講法,不論如何傳下去,只要是正確,後面再聽的人那個心與聖相冥合,自然契佛心、懂佛理,這樣就契合起來了。所以,「形與法身同處」。所以佛陀他傳下來的法身,佛法正確在人間,等同佛法身在人間。要不然我們這時候,大慈悲父,也是佛為我們的導師。二千多年,我們現在還是稱佛為師,這難道不就是,「心與聖相冥合,形與法身共處」呢?真的是歡喜啊!說到這裡就會很歡喜。「形神俱勝」。不論是這個身形或者是精神,就覺得很殊勝、很歡喜;不論是帶人來,或者是被人帶來,只要那個心與法相契合。這與聖人的心契合,與佛陀的法身契合,是相同,很殊勝,所以「道果可知也」。

各位菩薩,我們勸人聽法,真的是一項功德無量。尤其是凡夫與聖人,實在是距離很遠,以佛陀來看,時間、空間、人與人之間,他可以觀宇宙,與人間、時間會合起來,是這樣須臾為長劫。而我們凡夫只是僅僅限在我們的眼前,人、事、物,煩惱無明覆蓋我們的心。而佛陀的心胸是「心包太虛,量周沙界」,這就是不同。凡夫只有「我」,將我自己放大;佛陀他是已經一片虛空界,心包太虛,無量世界,時間、人間一概涵蓋,所以這是聖人的心。

我們要如何聽法,與聖人的心冥合起來?要如何能夠體會佛法?我們的身入人群,以慈心入人群來度化眾生。不論是講法,不論是拔眾生的苦難,如何「苦既拔已」,再「復為說法」?這種的境界,我們是不是有在做呢?有在做,告訴大家「有在做」,只是我們與法相契合還沒有很清楚。就像郭居士,他在印尼,「師父說,將《法華經》鋪在路上讓你們走」。他是走過了,回頭,「哦,原來我現在在走、在做,就是《法華經》的道理」。

對啊,「道者,路也」,道者,經也,經就是道,道就是路,我們這條路如何走過來?好好回頭。現在我們要好好聽經,聽經更能夠了解我們到底做過什麼?我們現在,目前及時要做的是什麼?所以,空掉自己,不要計較。我們重視人生,我們為人生去付出。這是聽法之後,更能夠清楚,我們到底在做什麼,所以要請大家要時時多用心!
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Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Encouraging Others to Go and Listen to the Dharma (勸同往聽 聞得體解)
Date: June.24.2019

“In the span of an instant, the thoughts [of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas] can reach unhindered throughout kalpas such that long kalpas seem like instants to them. Regarding the perfect, immediate, subtle and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma, unenlightened beings think of it in terms of short instants. How can this compare to [thinking in terms of] long kalpas? In the eyes of past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they saw everything that appeared before them from the view of perfect enlightenment and thought of everything as countless Buddha-lands. From this, we can know [the difference between] thinking in instants and thinking in kalpas.”

When we hear this, it seems extremely profound. The unenlightened state [seems very distant from] the state of the Buddha. When we seek to investigate the Buddha’s state, it is truly very profound. Actually, the Buddha’s state is not [different]. [The difference is] the Buddha’s wisdom, with which He understood the true reality of both time and space. When we often talk about “trillions of kalpas,” this is not just empty talk, an analogy or something that lacks any real substance. It is just that we are unenlightened beings, who can only see what is in front of our eyes. We can only see what is right in front of us. What we understand are things in front of us, so our range [of understanding] is not very broad. The Buddha and the Bodhisattvas have awakened [their minds] and can see things clearly, so their state [of mind] is different from ours. Thus, “Kalpas seem like instants to them.” All Bodhisattvas can immediately understand what a Buddha teaches as their perspectives are so broad and vast. [They can see] the length of time and vastness of space, so they think in terms of long kalpas.

“Long kalpas” means a great length of time, yet it is like an instant to them. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are unconstrained by the length of time. The Buddha often told us that a hundred thousand kalpas [pass] in an instant. In a flash, they can understand the universe, space, time, matters and objects, both in the past and the future. The state of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is such that they are able to be unhindered. However, as unenlightened beings, all we can talk about is the present. We do not know what happened in the past, and we are even less able to predict [the future]. The time we wish to understand is just the few short decades of our present lifetime, for we know nothing about our past lifetimes. Why are there so many things that do not go the way we want? We ourselves do not know how we came to accumulate so many afflictions. We have no idea how we came to accumulate our personal habitual tendencies, which cause us to feel connected to some people and disconnected from others. Why is there such a great disparity? How have our personal issues accumulated? We also do not understand what we experience now. So, what about the future? What will happen? We are unable to know this as well. This is because we have no way to understand [the nature of] time and this world. The Buddha’s state of mind was such that “long kalpas seemed like instants to Him”. He [described] things that had happened millions of kalpas in the past, an [incredibly long] time ago. He often described the past as well as [events yet to come] millions of years in the future, thousands of kalpas in the future. This is the Buddha’s state [of mind]. So, when it comes to all things that exist throughout the Dharma-realm of the universe, “the perfect, immediate, subtle and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma,” not only did He analyze these principles for us, He even helped us to understand the past, present and future. This state of Buddhahood is so perfect and complete! Worldly matters and objects, time and space are all encompassed within the Buddha’s enlightened nature. After His enlightenment, He could analyze the Dharma for everyone any time. “Wow! What a wondrous state of mind!” When the Buddha awakened, He lamented for unenlightened beings since they are so weak. What they [understand] is only very little, and they spend every day afflicted, taking issue over things.

I hear of more and more people like this. “How come you are so busy? My business is growing bigger! Ah! Is this necessary? Set a few things aside!” “I cannot set them aside!” This is a conversation we often [hear]. This happens all the time. When successful business people come to converse with me, this is what I always say to each of them. Whenever any successful businessperson comes to speak with me, these are the things I tell them. They may say, “Master, I really admire Tzu Chi. I would like to focus more on [participating].” [I tell them], “You can! You can concentrate on it right now!” They say, “I cannot do it just yet. I am still trying to expand my business now.” This is what I tell them, “It is not necessary.”
“You have [more money] now than even several generations can spend.” They say, “That may be true, but this is how I am as a person. I have to keep my business going. I still must take care of my employees. The families of my employees also depend upon me for their livelihood.” I tell them, “Are you saying that without you, they would not be able to live? Better to let them settle their family situation and allow them spend their lives well by taking advantage of their youth to go find [another job]. The world is very big, and there are many [opportunities]. They naturally have the ability to make a living.” I could give them many other reasons, but of all the things I could tell them, these are the only words they will listen to. And do they listen to me? It is still hard for them. “I understand your reasoning, but I just can’t put it aside!” It is true, when all is said and done, they just cannot put things aside. This is the way people are. When it comes to the Dharma, “the perfect, immediate, subtle and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma,” we “unenlightened beings think of it in terms of short instants.” We are very short –sighted. If we just talk about the vastness of space, the length of time and how many afflictions we have in this world [but do not take action] how can we put aside our afflictions and return to our nature of True Suchness? Yet, regardless of who we are, these principles are very precious. Even though we wish to mindfully realize them, we are still occupied with worldly matters.

[We feel] we still have time, that our present business affairs are more urgent. We care only about the present. This is how ordinary people think about things; we have many worldly affairs yet unfinished, so we feel it is most important to do what is urgent right now. There is money to be made now, so we keep wanting to expand our businesses. This is the same principle. It is the same for every ordinary person. Because we do not continue to listen to the true principles, we cannot comprehend what the Buddha taught regarding the difference between “long kalpas” and “short instants.” With every thought, unenlightened beings take issue about things in each moment and become covered by ignorance and afflictions. This is how we are.

However, the minds of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not like this. They can explain all phenomena, including material things and time, very clearly to us. So, we must earnestly seek to comprehend this, otherwise [our journey] from ordinary beings to noble people will be far too long.

So, it will take long kalpas. In the Buddhist sutras, those kalpas often number in the trillions. As unenlightened beings, the things in front of us cause us many afflictions. How can brief instants like these compare with those long kalpas? How can we unenlightened beings be able to approach the Buddha’s state of mind? The Buddha told us that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. He told us that every person has the nature of True Suchness, which always exists within us; it is in our bodies and minds, and we are never separate from it. Yet, how can we compare the distance between the Buddha’s nature of True Suchness, [His] innate enlightenment, and our own state? “How can this compare”? It is incomparable. “In the eyes of past Buddhas Bodhisattvas.”

Speaking of the Buddha’s [time] in the past in terms of time in this world, He is more than 2,000 years removed from us, but during His time, He observed sentient beings with the Buddha-eye. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas all look at sentient beings with the eye of compassion. This is how they view sentient beings, but it is different from our own view. They look at us like this and they say, “The principles are clearly like this. This is what I told you. I look forward to the time when you can understand this.” Yet, we cling to our delusions and do not awaken. Looking at things through the Buddha-eye, “they see everything that appears before them from the view of perfect enlightenment.” From a Buddha’s or a Bodhisattva’s point of view, every single thing that appears before them is exactly the way it should be at the time is exactly the way it should be at the time. This is a Buddha’s and Bodhisattva’s state of mind. They see things using their wisdom. So, with their state of mind, they always “think of everything’s as countless Buddha-lands.” When the Buddha taught the Dharma in the Saha World, He often used past Buddhas or countless Buddha-lands as analogies and so on. He even made predictions for His disciples, often saying things like, “After billions or trillions of years, so and so will attain Buddhahood and will in the future abide in the world for several thousand or several tens of thousands of years.” In His state, the Buddha [could see] that, after engaging in spiritual practice, those disciples in the future would also be able to become accomplished. Their perspectives would be the same as Sakyamuni’s and the other Buddhas’. It is with this perspective that they will look at the world, time and the universe. This is not at all like ordinary beings’ state, nor ordinary beings’ [sense of] time. We should really believe this. With the Buddha’s wisdom, they spoke of time in a very real way. When it comes to our astronomy, the analogies we often employ are very real. When we talk about how one day in Trayastrimsa Heaven equals 100 years here on earth, everyone thinks of this as a myth. There are also heavens where, if you go high enough, one day for them equals 1000 or [even] 10,000 of our years.

Speaking even more practically, astronomers have sent us a certificate. Up in the sky, in space, there is an asteroid that is named Tzu Chi. It is internationally recognized by astronomers. They observed this asteroid that still had no name. from Taiwan, a group of astronomers proposed to give it a name recognized internationally. [Due to] Tzu Chi’s help and contribution to the world they proposed to name this asteroid “Tzu Chi”. This [name] was recognized internationally. It was also published in a journal, confirming that this asteroid really exists in space. I was very curious about his asteroid. Although I received the certificate, I still wanted to ask them, “How far is that asteroid form Earth? How long does it take in our years for it to make one revolution around the sun?” Compared to [Earth time], it takes five years and seven months for it to revolve on time around the sun. If you compare our asteroid named Tzu Chi with our planet Earth, five years and seven months will pass on Earth before it will complete one year’s revolution around the sun. Once it makes one revolution around the sun, five of our years will have passed. This is a fact, due to the environment in space and that time. So, this is something scholars speak about “1000 years on earth is one day in heaven”, is not just a myth. It is true! It is definitely not just a myth. So, we must really believe that the spiritual world of the Buddha encompasses the entire universe. Regarding space and time, there was nothing the Buddha did not understand, let alone the human world. [Due to] sentient beings’ mindset in this world, they accumulate [karma], but where did their karmic cycle of causes and effects begin? Is it really only a matter of knowing about our present lifetime? A very long time ago in our past, we created causes that resulted in ignorance continually accumulating. This has resulted in the retributions of ignorance and habitual tendencies. These are true principles; we must believe them.

So, the way that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas look at things, “They see everything that appears before them from the view of perfect enlightenment. Whatever a situation entails, according to their perspective, [they say], “My goodness! Why be afflicted? Let it go! Your afflictions have accumulated in this way, and this is the reason why you are suffering now.” Even if the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas analyze things clearly like this for us, we still cannot see the bigger picture. These are [the differences between] the realms of Buddhas and sentient beings.

So, “[They] think of everyone as countless Buddha-lands”. Looking at everyone in the world, [in this] impure land of unenlightened beings, [they see that] it can be transformed into the pure land of all Buddhas. If everyone could see the bigger picture, concerning this small planet of ours, by expanding our vision, [we could] see it as countless Buddha-lands. This is what could bring us all together to become one with the world. So, I often say that a single dust particle is [like] a world or a nation. So, we can use a dust particle as an analogy for our world. One dust particle is one world. We talked all about this in the past, but are we able to believe it? Ah! It is up to us to believe it or not, but in any case, there is truth to this principle. So, as for sentient beings’ momentary [thinking] or the long [-term thinking] of the Buddha, perhaps it is in terms of the Buddha’s long kalpas that we should view this world’s momentary changes. The Buddha was very clear about this. It is just that we are obstructed by our present [concerns].

So, we must all mindfully seek to comprehend how to compare instants in terms of long kalpas. We can thus reason by analogy [to understand] the Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas’ state of mind. So, we should mindfully seek to comprehend how insignificant we are as people and how brief our time is here. Our lives only last a few decades, which is indeed a very brief period of time. Our perspective is very insignificant if we compare it to the Buddha’s expansive perspective [which is seeing] in terms of long kalpas. So, the things we know are truly limited.

This is what makes us unenlightened beings! Time is so short. How can we compare our perspectives and memories to those of the Buddha? So, I often lament, but I also have a lot of praise for the wisdom of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I can only lament that I myself am an ordinary being with a very narrow, very small, state of mind. This is why I must continue to work harder.

The previous sutra passage says, “They may even share their seats to let others sit. These are their merits and virtues. When they are born again, they will attain the seat of Sovereign Sakra, the seat of King Brahma or the seat of a wheel-turning sage king”.

Here [it says that] if we listen to how the Buddha teaches the Dharma, we will be able to joyfully take it to heart. We have made vows like this to listen to and expound the Dharma, and we also wish to transmit it. Yet, listening to the Dharma, understanding it and expounding it is not easy at all! So, we should rejoice in others’ accomplishments. We should all be able to do this to enable everyone to listen to it together. “I cannot explain it to you now. Come! Let me take you to listen”. Do we all remember? When we wanted to promote bone marrow donation, those elderly Bodhisattvas were very passionate. One sister in the market held a small poster in order to tell everyone, “Today in such and such place, not far from our market, they are talking blood for blood testing to find matches for future bone marrow donations”. People picked up [her pamphlets] and asked her, “Grandmother, what does it say inside?” “Ah! I don’t know. Come, [it is] just over there”. However, no one wanted to go there. She suddenly became inspired and, as she stood there, she yelled, “Help! Help!” everyone turned around “Grandmother, what’s wrong?” “Come, come! Follow me and you will see”. A large group followed her. At that time, our hospital’s nurses and blood bank technicians were there, and they began to explain to them. “Come young people, let me explain to you. You have a chance to save people with a single thought”. “Come!” Then, a few commissioners and a few technicians, as well as our nurses, came over to explain [bone marrow donation] to everyone. Some young people were passionately inspired. “OK! The chances of finding a match are very small. [We just need to] draw some blood. No problem!” They would draw 10cc of blood. So, as long as we unenlightened beings can willingly form an aspiration, it does not matter if we can explain it or not. As long as we form an aspiration, we will be like that elderly Bodhisattva who aspired to bring people in. If we cannot explain, we can let others explain it so that people can clearly understand. The principle is the same. As for these people who want to guide others to hear the Dharma, although they understand it well themselves, they simply rejoice in seeing and hearing others [explain it]. When someone teaches the Dharma, although I may understand very well myself, there still may be others who do not understand, so I must quickly invite them in by saying, “Come, come! Come listen to the Dharma!” Whether it is a Dharma-master or a lay person who is teaching the Dharma, those people have formed the aspiration to quickly lead others to listen to the Dharma.

So, we may be sitting or standing. We may be standing or sitting; many people stand while listening to the Dharma. There may be some who feel that, “I already understand very well, but maybe this person has not yet heard it. Here, I will give you my seat. Please sit so you can peacefully hear the Dharma”. Whether we bring someone in or share our seat with them so that they can sit down, there is merit and virtue in all of this. It is all to help others be able to succeed in comprehending the great path. This requires us to form an aspiration. If we understand the Buddha-Dharma and comprehend the great path, then we will naturally form the supreme aspiration. By striving to invite others and give up our seats to them, we are “taking refuge in the Buddha”. [We must] “comprehend the great path and “form the supreme aspiration” as well as “[make vows for] all living beings”. Everyone knows the Three Refuges. So, we have talked about the merits and virtues of these before. “When they are born again, they will attain the seat of Sovereign Sakra”. Our wish to enable everyone to take joy in listening to the Buddha-Dharma will [bring] blessings. Blessings like these are like the heavenly blessings that Sovereign Sakra enjoys. When we see an increasing number of people understand and take joy in the Buddha-Dharma, we also enjoy this for ourselves. When we quickly rise to allow someone to sit, we so to help their mind to be at peace. To see them listening peacefully and joyfully, we who have given up our seat also feel joyful. When we are reborn, we will feel joyful and happy, just like Sovereign Sakra. Not only is there Sovereign Sakra, there is also King Braham. His realm is different; his blessings are even more his blessings are even more profound.

Next, a wheel-turning sage king can not only listen to the Dharma in the world, he can also advance the Buddha-Dharma through his worldly position. We will also be like a king leading his people, like a wheel-turning sage king. This is a very grounded sense of enjoyment. Like this, we will always be very joyful; whatever happens, we are always very joyful, without hindrances or afflictions. I believe this is the greatest joy. Being able to make it so that everyone is very peaceful and stable and the Dharma can enter their hearts, this is what I believe is the most joyful thing. Otherwise it is like when someone tells me, “I love doing Tzu Chi’s work. I would love to dedicate myself totally to it.” “That is great! You can do it!” “Alas, I cannot put things down tight now.” Although people like these earn a lot money, though they have many chain stores and their enterprise is spread throughout the world, they still have many afflictions. How can they be happy? The clothes they wear are no different from others’. What about eating? They eat at the same table, and they do not eat any more than other people. How come [someone like this] has so many more afflictions than other people? Everyone has their own state of mind, and everyone’s views are always different.

The next sutra passage says, “Ajita, suppose, also, that there are people who say to others, ‘There is a sutra called the Lotus Flower. Let us go listen to it together’. Taking this advice, they go listen to it, even for just an instant.

We can more or less understand this passage. The Buddha is calling out again, calling out to Ajita. That is, the Buddha was calling out to Maitreya, while also asking everyone to listen carefully. By calling out his name, He wanted everyone to listen carefully. “Suppose, also, that there are people who say to others…”. There are also others. Previously it mentioned those who encourage others to listen and give up their seats. Now, there are still others who quickly go to tell other people that a sutra like this exists, called the Lotus Sutra. Those like these “[speak] to others,” [meaning] they encourage people from afar. “Come! Come and listen. There is a sutra called the Lotus Sutra”. They introduce them to the sutra and the utility of its wondrous teachings, encouraging people to come listen. In this way, they sincerely inviting others to listen [to it]. [Thus], “Wherever the Dharma is taught, people will sincerely invite others to help them learn about it”.

Ajita, suppose, also, that there are people who say to others…: Wherever the Dharma is taught, people will sincerely invite others to help them learn about it.

As long as people are expounding the Dharma, and what they are expounding is the Lotus Sutra, even if we are far away, we should encourage others to go listen to them with complete sincerity. We should encourage others with complete sincerity so that everyone will realize that they should go listen to this sutra, called the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is the key sutra all Buddha wish to teach. “Come! Everyone, quickly come and listen.” Thus, in far-away places, they painstakingly and sincerely coax other people to come and listen to the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. “If you go, I will accompany you”. I am not simply telling you to go. “Come! If you go, I will go with you!” This is like many of our Bodhisattvas. “This person is truly dedicated! I will immediately open up my schedule so that I can bring him over at once! He is very motivated and wants to understand Tzu Chi even more deeply. I told him that when he has time, I will definitely make time to come with him”. There really are many people like this. They let people know that Tzu Chi is in Hualien and that they should know about the Jing Si Abode in Hualien, that they should come here to learn more. These are our commissioners who wish to guide people to form aspirations. They also make special trips to accompany people. They are people who practice the Bodhisattva-path, the path that is found in the Lotus Sutra.

“There is a sutra called the Lotus Flower. Let us go listen to it together”. Taking this advice, they go listen to it, even for just an instant: They encourage others to go listen to it together. Through listening, they will comprehend it, and then they will also encourage others to go so that even for just the span of an instant, they will be able to hear the Dharma being taught.

“There is a sutra called the Lotus Flower. Let us go listen to it together. If you go, I will accompany you.” “Taking this advice, they go listen to it, even for just an instant”. This is how they came with them. “Since this is what he told me, I believe him. He is my good friend, so I believe what he says I will go together with you to listen, whether we listen for a long or short time” So, “They go listen to it, even for just an instant”. This means that “They encourage others to go listen to it together” “If you go, I will go along with you.” “Or perhaps you can accompany me when I go”. They are good friends. So, after listening to it, “Through listening, they comprehend” when new people listen, they take joy in it; deep in their hearts, they realize the wonder of the Dharma. They feel in their hearts that it is useful, and [after applying] it, they will naturally go invite others. “Then they will also encourage others to go.” “Now it is my turn to bring someone. I must invite someone else. Come! Someone else brought me in the past. Now I will go with you.” Thus, after listening to the Dharma, our minds can genuinely understand it. If we can listen to it, we will rejoice. We may only hear a short passage. “Just try to listen. If it appeals to you, listen a little more. If it does not appeal to you, then we will not stay long. It does not matter!” So, “They go listen to it, even for just an instant, and are able to hear the Dharma being taught”. If we get tired of listening, then it is ok to listen only for a little. This is how we must mindfully encourage others.

Accompanying others to go listen to the Dharma for an instant is such a small thing, yet its benefits are tremendously great. When our mind implicitly comes to resonate with the mind of noble beings and our body abides together with the Dharmakaya, our body and mind will become extraordinary, and we can realize the fruit of the path.

“Accompanying others to go listen…” If we accompany someone to go and listen “to the Dharma for an instant, it is such a small thing, yet its benefits are tremendously great”. If we bring someone to listen and spend just a little time to go, the benefits are actually very great. If we bring someone along, perhaps we may later hear that this person has formed great aspirations and has become able to transmit and teach the Dharma. Perhaps this person may greatly benefit the world. Accompanying them [may provide] the karmic conditions for them to form great aspirations. The benefits are very great [when one] promotes the Buddha-Dharma. So, “Our mind implicitly comes to resonate with the mind of noble beings and our body abides together with the Dharmakaya”. After hearing the Dharma, although our minds remain unenlightened, by hearing the Buddha or Dharma master teach it, our minds naturally begin to silently and subtly resonate with it in earnest. Our minds have already accepted the Dharma; they have accepted it so deeply that we will transcend the world, time and space. Those who have deep wisdom will comprehend the great path and form supreme aspirations as soon as they hear it. So, it says, “When our mind implicitly comes to resonate with the mind of noble beings…”. These are the minds of ordinary and noble beings. Where is the source of the Dharma? Though it has been passed down like this to us, no matter for how long, as it passed from one person to the fiftieth, that fiftieth person who spreads the Dharma will reach [the state] of the first one who taught it. If the Dharma has not deviated, then when someone listens to it now, to the Dharma spread by “the fiftieth person,” then he can also resonate with the very same Dharma that the first person taught. As for the Dharma the Buddha taught, no matter how it is passed down, as long as it remains accurate, when people listen to it later, their state of mind will resonate with the state of mind of noble beings. The will naturally resonate with the Buddha-mind, and they will understand the Buddha’s principles. They will begin to resonate with them. So, “Our body abides together with the Dharmakaya”. As for the Dharmakaya the Buddha passed down, if that Buddha-Dharma remains true while it is in the world, then it is the same as the Buddha’s Dharmakaya being in the world. At this time [we view the Buddha] as a great compassionate father. We still take the Buddha as our guiding teacher. After more than 2000 years, we still call the Buddha our teacher. Isn’t this what [this passage says]? “When our mind implicitly comes to resonate with the mind of noble beings and our body abides together with the Dharmakaya…”. This is true joy! As it says here, we will be very joyful. “Our body and mind will become extraordinary”. Whether physically or spiritually, we will feel extraordinarily joyful. Whether we bring others to listen or we are brought along by others, as long as our minds resonate with the Dharma, we resonate with noble beings’ state of mind and the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. [Our minds] are the same, very extraordinary. So, “We can realize the fruit of the path”.

Dear Bodhisattvas, when we encourage people to listen to the Dharma, it truly brings us infinite merits and virtues. The distance between the mind of an unenlightened being and the mind of a noble person is especially great. The way the Buddha sees things, He can observe time, space, people’s relations and the universe, for [His mind] is one with the world and time. This is how instants become long kalpas. As unenlightened beings, we are limited by the afflictions [caused by] the people, matters and things before our eyes that cover our minds in ignorance. The Buddha’s mind “encompasses the universe and embraces the boundless worlds within it.” This is different [from our minds]. Unenlightened beings [think] only of “me,” putting themselves first. The Buddha’s mind is a state of total emptiness, encompassing the universe and the infinite worlds within it. It includes time and the world. So, this is a noble being’s mind. How can we listen to the Dharma so that [our minds] can resonate with the mind of a noble person? How can we comprehend the Buddha-Dharma? We [do this by] physically going among people with a loving heart to deliver sentient beings. Whether we expound the Dharma or save sentient beings in suffering, how do we “relieve their suffering” and then “expound the Dharma for them”? Are we working on accomplishing this state? We are! I tell everyone, “We are working on it!” It is just that we are not yet completely clear on how to resonate with the Dharma.

This is like Mr. Kusuma in Indonesia. “Master says that, with the Lotus Sutra, we can pave a path for [others] to walk on.” As he went along, he reflected, “Wow! This is what I have already been doing! These are the principles of the Lotus Sutra!” It is true! These are the principles. “This path is a road to walk on.” This sutra is a path. The sutra is a path; that path is a road to walk. How have we managed to walk along this path? We must earnestly reflect on this. We must now make an effort to listen to the sutra; by listening, we can understand even better exactly what it is that we have been doing. Now, what should we be doing without delay? We must empty out our [sense of] self and never take issue over things with others. We [must] place importance on human lives. We give of ourselves for the sake of human lives. After listening to the Dharma we can understand what we are actually doing. So, everyone, we must always be mindful!

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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20190624《靜思妙蓮華》 (第1637集) 勸同往聽 聞得體解(法華經·隨喜功德品第十八)
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