20140523《靜思妙蓮華》隨機施教除心垢（第311集）

月亮在周五五月 23, 2014 10:14 am 作了第 1 次修改

20140523《靜思妙蓮華》隨機施教除心垢（第311集）

⊙「眾生心欲生垢，煩惱恆沙差別，佛如實淨妙智，隨機施教了知。」
⊙「如是，舍利弗！劫濁亂時，眾生垢重，慳貪嫉妒，成就諸不善根故。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙劫濁亂時：時代昏濁，世代衰微，道德喪失，人間雜亂，善根淺薄，不善者增多。
⊙無明惑故貪、瞋、癡及種種煩惱；自障障他，障礙深厚，斯為煩惱濁。

【證嚴上人開示】
「眾生心欲生垢，煩惱恆沙差別，佛如實淨妙智，隨機施教了知。」

眾生心欲生垢
煩惱恆沙差別
佛如實淨妙智
隨機施教了知

眾生心的欲，生了很多的垢穢。「濁」不就是，從我們人的心所生呢？常常就告訴大家，現在污染，空氣污染是完全由人所造出來，所以累積起來成為空氣污染、大地污染。本來空氣、大地都是清淨，就是因為人心所造作，這全都是在「煩惱恆沙差別」。

看看我們人有多少的煩惱！煩惱無量，煩惱無數，無量無數煩惱，猶如恆沙那麼多，都是不同的煩惱。所以佛陀，如實淨妙智，這就是佛陀不斷要向大家，啟動了人人真如本性。所以佛陀就是要讓大家知道，卻是大家有恆沙差別的煩惱，所以無法根機平等，佛陀所說的法，接受的人就是不整齊，佛陀不得不隨機施教。

要教育眾生，也要看現代世間，到底毛病出在哪裡？這些毛病的根源在哪裡？要用什麼藥去治病？這是佛陀的，如實真(淨)妙智來觀，觀時機。

所以，隨機施教，也要觀時、觀人、觀地點。這是過去常常告訴過大家的。我們要說話，就要如此，因人、因時、因地，何況佛陀出現人間，是為一大事因緣。他的一大事因緣，就是在濁世的時代，要來救現代，這個時代到底眾生的苦難，出在何處？出在天災頻傳，出在人禍不斷，在這種多災多難的時代，佛陀出現了。

其實，二千多年前，那就是在減劫，濁氣開始在產生時。看看佛陀的時代，常常都是國與國互相相爭，立城為國，每一個城，每一個國，都希望還能再去侵佔，他人的國家，來擴大他的範圍。就如佛陀，他的釋迦族，也有其他族來侵佔，來滅釋迦族。佛陀的時代就有這樣互相侵略，互相爭鬥，何況說在我們現在呢？

現代人也是一直在創業，不斷要擴大他的版圖。從此地創業，希望能再於其他的國家，不斷在國際間，所有他的企業都要普及，連鎖起來。真的，人很渺小，心卻是很大，這麼大的貪心，自然造了很大的業，業，就是不清淨，所以有污染。「眾生心欲生垢」，就是因為這一念的欲念，生起了很多污垢，濁氣就是從人心的心欲開始，所以產生、延伸出的煩惱，如恆河沙的差別。

所以，唯有佛陀不忍心，就是在眾生濁中，佛陀出現，真的是要度化眾生。有人願意發心，將佛陀的觀念能夠傳，但是真的發心要弘法的人不多。所以，法不行，法無法廣行於人間。但是，眾生的欲就不斷延伸，人心增加，人口一直增加，這種世間，世間很多人沒聽到正法。

過去，佛法有在施行，但是都是提倡：念佛、念佛，世間苦，六道輪迴苦，念佛才能阿彌陀佛，接引到西方極樂世界。大家認為這是最行得通的法，自己自救，自己心靜，將來就能離開這個惡濁的世間，能夠到西方極樂世界。

念佛法門，一段時間非常的興盛。雖然佛法在人間，卻只是停滯在念佛。我們本來常常在說，「念佛要念入心」，佛若念入心，我們的心即是淨土。心中有佛，行中才有法，法中自然就有禪、有淨。所以，我們若能瞭解，就懂得如何將佛陀的法，更普遍讓大家更能行、可做。

常說「經者，道也；道者，路也」。但是，員林有一位張居士，他就是起初很虔誠，他學佛法，就是念佛，一直一直就是念佛，念得很虔誠。他的隔壁，有我們的一位委員玉珠，她覺得這位張居士，這麼虔誠信佛，我們慈濟應該若將他度進來，他就是一粒種子，他很會說法，所以應該要度他。

這樣，若看到他，就跟他說：「慈濟、慈濟。」這位張居士就一直跟她說：「念佛，念佛。因為念得心清淨，我一心念佛就好，我不要與人攀緣，什麼樣的團體，我都不要加入，我只要一心念佛。」這樣一直度、度，看到玉珠，就是不放棄，若看到了，就又跟他說慈濟，我們慈濟在做什麼、什麼。他覺得：「妳只說慈濟，都不跟我說法。我都跟妳說法，你只向我說慈濟。」就是這樣一拖好幾年。

一直到了有一天，玉珠就告訴他：「張居士，你既然念佛念得那麼好，要你做慈濟，你也不要。不然你也跟我說法，換你來度我。」這位張居士聽到我們的委員，要他度她，他忽然靜下來，自己自我反省：「是啊！我要如何度妳呢？我只是念佛，心要清淨，我如何能度妳，我要用什麼來度妳呢？」

就在那個時候，九二一(地震)發生了，南投，中部，房屋倒得那麼多，傷、亡等等。忽然間，清醒過來，他感覺到：「我只是念佛，我到底能幫助人什麼？」他忽然間自己覺悟，自己瞭解了，趕緊報名。告訴委員：「我要參加，投入九二一(賑災)，這場災難去救災。」從此開始投入了，做得很歡喜，感覺幫助人，才是真菩薩，然後投入環保。

他就在一個新村，一個社區的入口處，警衛室裡，用一個很大、很明顯的，寫著「水、電、米、(免)碳、撲滿」。他寫在那裡，那個社區裡面住很多人，有人好奇就問他，他開始就告訴他慈濟的理念。在整個社區裡，他能在那裡度人，甚至環保做得很歡喜。

這不就是隨機施教，更能夠瞭解，瞭解「經者，道也；道者，路也」。所以說起來，心中有佛，行中有法，法中自有禪與淨。淨土、禪，不就是在法中嗎？「挑柴運水無不是禪，舉手動作無不是佛」，我們若佛入心，法在我們的行中。這就是佛法要在人間，必定要有人真正投入人群去，去度眾生。

若只是學佛，有人學佛，但是只要念佛，做一個自了漢，自我念佛想要往生淨土，但是，這是不是很消極？淨土在我們的心裡，人群中即是淨土。

所以，佛陀出現到現在，二千多年，到底淨化了多少人？人若是偏差，雖然聽到佛法，也是獨善其身而已。佛陀到最後，開始要說的，就是人人回歸本性。回歸本性，從凡夫地，要到佛的境界，必定要行過菩薩道。菩薩道要在濁世中、人群中要去付出；要去付出，必定要很瞭解佛的道理，學法在濁世，在濁世中施行佛法，才能夠化濁為淨。這是我們大家要努力。

所以，佛陀就再向舍利弗，經文這樣說：「如是，舍利弗！劫濁亂時，眾生垢重，慳貪嫉妒，成就諸不善根故」。

如是舍利弗
劫濁亂時
眾生垢重
慳貪嫉妒
成就諸不善根故
《法華經方便品第二》

眾生這種垢，垢穢，都是出於慳貪。「慳」就是慳吝，這種慳吝、貪著——東西是我的，都是我的，你的我也想要。這種內心的欲念非常的堅固。所以，這種慳貪，這種慳貪就是捨不出去，自己的東西守護得很好，不肯願意付出，這種慳貪。

不只是慳貪，又再嫉妒，嫉能妒賢。人家若比我們能幹，我們對他很不滿，「你怎麼能比我能幹？」人若在誇讚他，他聽了很不歡喜，「怎麼不是我？」這種別人能幹，別人受人讚歎，對這種慳貪、嫉妒的人，是很不能忍受的，這是煩惱。

好的事情，不懂得要牽大家一起來做，這種人，也是叫做慳貪嫉妒。怕好事情讓別人做了，別人受到讚歎，而我們沒面子。好像很多人都有這種的心病，怕別人能幹，怕別人做太多好事，怕別人的能力太過顯耀。不懂得要成就好的人，能幹的人，我們都不懂得要成就他，這全都是叫做慳貪。

不只是外面的物質，這是我們內心對人的慳貪。好事不與人分享，好事不肯鼓勵人去做，這全都是叫做慳貪。因為這樣，「成就諸不善根(故)」，很多(善)根都敗掉了。佛陀也這麼說，我們眾生全都是焦芽敗種，根都枯萎掉了，所有的種子都是空的種子，無法一生百千萬，百千萬從一生，這種的種子，這粒種子很難得。

何謂「劫濁亂(時)」？那就是時代昏濁，時代很昏暗、昏濁了，世代衰微了，現在的道德衰微。

劫濁亂時：
時代昏濁
世代衰微
道德喪失
人間雜亂
善根淺薄
不善者增多

看看，新聞，在北部，有一個婦人，浮屍在花蓮海岸線，在海邊浮屍，已經發現到時，手腳都被綑綁著，整個身體無法認出這是什麼人。好不容易瞭解這個人是某某人，然後，為什麼會從北部，來到花蓮，尤其是手腳被綑綁著，這到底是為何？所以用很長的時間，好幾個月，是五月發生的事，一直到現在，破案了，原來是女兒與她的男朋友，共同殺害她的母親。

為何女兒會殺害母親呢？因為母親的名下，有四、五筆房地產，就是要她母親的房地產。這對母女，(女兒)從小開始，就與母親沒有什麼緣，但是，到最近一直很殷勤，所以，有一天就將母親騙出來，將她載來花蓮，這樣殺害她。

像這樣，母親生的女兒，竟然母女之間各有心垢，就是心不乾淨。母親對女兒的緣較薄，女兒對母親真的積恨，母親的名下，又有這樣的財產、房地產，價值很高。女兒也知道，母親可能不會把這些東西給她。所以，這全都是亂了，這種道德人倫已經昏濁了，道德衰微了，竟然與男朋友這樣，共謀殺害自己的母親，這道德真的是喪失。

現在的新聞，或是孫子殺祖父，將祖父全身殺得稀爛，到底有什麼樣的大恨深仇？也有男女之間，感情談不合，就這樣殺，然後自己再去跳樓。這都是在新聞裡。感覺起來，這都是在這個時代昏濁，或是道德已經喪失了，人間真的很雜亂，這就是因為我們眾生，善根淺薄。

我們不知道幾生幾世，這種的習氣，濁，污染的習氣，這樣不斷衍生出來。一直到此時，因緣會合，就是家庭的問題一直發生，親，至親、血親都互相殘殺。如這樣的人，「不善者增長(多)」，這種不善的人一直增加起來，所以，來自於無明惑，所以因為貪，這個無明在心裡，所以起了貪念。

無明惑
故貪瞋癡
及種種煩惱
自障障他
障礙深厚
斯為煩惱濁

貪，就會有瞋、癡。若沒有貪、瞋、癡，怎麼會做出這麼殘酷的事情呢？這就是惑，無明，昏暗無明，有這個惑，迷惑，所以這種貪、瞋、癡的事情，不斷發生。這種種種煩惱，「自障障他，障礙深厚」，所以這叫做「煩惱濁」。

自己自障，自己不會好好的殷勤精進。雖然修行，還是懈怠，還是滿心煩惱。無法提起精進的心念，那就是懈怠，懈怠就是因為煩惱而產生。

看看我們大家，是不是日日都那麼精進？日日是否都把握時間？我們若沒辦法，不只是自己懈怠，自障，障礙自己，也障礙他人。所以，這個「障礙深厚」，無論是障礙自己，障礙他人，這一層、一層的煩惱，一直累積起來，所以叫做「障礙深厚」，這叫做「煩惱濁」。

各位菩薩，好好去想，我們是不是也有這個煩惱，覆蔽於我們的心？我們的煩惱心是不是愈積愈厚，愈來愈懈怠呢？是不是我們得到歡喜的法，有與人分享嗎？我們有鼓勵人，好好做好事嗎？有沒有？若沒有，我們就是慳貪嫉妒。這種毛病，自己自我檢查一下，自我體檢一下，自己體檢一下，看我們的內心有這樣慳貪嫉妒，或者是煩惱垢重，有沒有？這要自己先知己，才能知彼。要時時多用心。

體檢自心煩惱濁
人間佛教不自了

「濁」從心生。
眾生的垢穢，出自‘慳’吝‘貪’著。
捨不得，不願付出，嫉能妒賢，好事佔為己有，成就諸不善根。

現在是「劫濁亂時」，時代昏濁，世代衰微，
道德喪失，人間雜亂，善根淺薄，不善者多。
而內心除了為無明貪瞋癡惑業而煩惱，
還自障障他<自己懈怠不好好精進，還去障礙他人的修行>，
障礙深厚 - 煩惱濁。

因此該自省煩惱心是否越積越厚?是否越來越懈怠?
學習佛法後有沒有和人分享?
這些，都需要像體檢那樣，不時自我檢查。

過去提倡念佛，希望‘阿彌陀佛’接引到西方極樂世界，
只求自救，脫離惡濁的世間。
然而，即使‘唸佛唸入心'，也只停留在自度階段。

要知道「經者，道也；道者，路也」，心中既然有佛，
行中應該有法，法中自然有禪，有淨。都說佛法在人間，
就必定要有人真正投入人群，去度化眾生。

若只是唸佛，只做個‘自了漢’，是不是很消極?
淨土在心裡，人群即是淨土。從凡夫地，到佛境界，
必定要行菩薩道，即是在濁世中走入人群去付出。
要付出，就要很了解佛理，才能在濁世中施行佛法，化濁為淨。這，就是一乘真實大法的道理。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teachings for Eliminating Defilements (隨機施教除心垢)

Date: May. 23. 2014

“The desires of sentient beings give rise to defilements. Their afflictions have as many differences as the number of sands in the Ganges. The Buddha, with His nature of True Suchness and purifying wondrous wisdom, taught according to capabilities and understanding.”

The desires of sentient beings give rise to many defilements. Doesn’t “turbidity” arise from our minds? I constantly tell everyone, the pollution in our world is completely manmade. Our accumulated [actions] have polluted the air and land. Originally, the air and land were clean, but then human minds [gave rise to pollution]. “Their afflictions have as many differences as the number of sands in the Ganges.”

Look at the number afflictions we humans have, Our afflictions are infinite, innumerable and have as many differences as the number of sands in the Ganges. They are all different. So, “with His nature of True Suchness and purifying wondrous wisdom,” the Buddha continuously [teaches] everyone to awaken everyone’s nature of True Suchness. The Buddha wants to help people understand, but their countless afflictions vary greatly, so they have capabilities of different levels.

The recipients of the Buddha’s teachings are not all on the same level, so He has to teach according to their capabilities. To teach sentient beings, He also has to observe the current era to identify where the problems lie, what the roots of these problems are, and what medicine can cure these illnesses. With “His nature of True Suchness and purifying wondrous wisdom,” the Buddha observes the conditions.

So, teaching according to their capabilities is based on the time, people and location. In the past, I have often spoke about this. When we speak, we speak according to people, time and location. Furthermore, the Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. His one great cause was to save people in this turbid world, in this era.

In this era, where does sentient beings’ suffering arise from? From frequent natural disasters. From constant manmade calamities. In an era of many disasters and calamities, the Buddha manifested.

Indeed, that era over 2000 years ago was part of a decreasing kalpa, when turbidity began to arise. During the Buddha’s era, kingdoms were in constant conflict. Kingdoms were based on city-states. Each city, each kingdom, wanted to invade other kingdoms to expand its own boundaries. It was the same for the Buddha’s Sakya clan. Other clans were trying to invade and destroy the Sakya clan.

Even during the Buddha’s era, kingdoms invaded and fought each other, not to mention in our time. Nowadays, people want to grow their businesses. They want to continuously expand their [influence]. They create a business in this country and then hope to continuously expand internationally. They want their businesses to be widespread and franchised. Indeed, we are very small, but our desires are very big.

With such tremendous greed, naturally we will create tremendous karma. Karma is an impurity, so we become defiled. “The desires of sentient beings” give raise to defilements. One single thought of desire can give raise to many defilements.

Indeed, turbidity arises from people’s desires. Thus, the afflictions that arise and develop have as many differences as the number of sands in the Ganges. The Buddha could not bear [to see this], so because of sentient beings turbidity. He manifested in the world. He truly wanted to transform sentient beings.

There are people who are willing to pass on the Buddha’s ideas, but not many truly aspire to spread the Dharma. So, the Dharma is not widespread in this world. Yet sentient beings’ desires are always growing. The population is always increasing, and in such a world, many people are not able to hear Right Dharma.

In the past, the Buddha-Dharma was taught, but what was promoted was only chanting the Buddha’s name. “This world and cyclic existence in the Six Realms are suffering. Only by chanting His name will Amitabha guide you to the Western Pure Land.” People believed this was the most effective way to save themselves and calm their minds, to leave this evil and turbid world and reach the Western Pure Land.

This practice of chanting was very popular for a period of time. Although the Buddha-Dharma was in this world, spiritual practice stopped at chanting. Originally, we often said, “When chanting the Buddha’s name, we must take Him to heart.” If the Buddha is in our hearts, then our hearts will be a pure land. Only with the Buddha in our hearts can the Dharma manifest in our actions. The Dharma naturally brings about Samadhi and purity.

If we can understand the Dharma, we can spread the Buddha’s teachings more widely so people can practice them. We often say, “They sutra is the Path; the Path is a road to walk on.” Mr. Zhang was a lay practitioner in Yuanlin. When he first started, he very reverently learned the Buddha’s Way by constantly chanting the Buddha’s name. His chanting was very reverent.

Next door to him lived one of our Commissioners, Yuzhu. She felt that since Mr. Zhang was a devout Buddhist practitioner, if she could bring him into Tzu Chi, he would be a [promising] seed. Since he was good at explaining the Dharma, she wanted to recruit him.

Thus, whenever she saw him, she always talked to him about Tzu Chi, and Mr. Zang always told her to chant the Buddha’s name, because chanting purifies the mind. “I just want to focus on chanting His name. I do not want to contrive affinities with anyone. I do not want to join any organization. I only want to wholeheartedly chant His name.”

Yuzhu did not give up [on transforming him]. When she saw him, she talked to him about what Tzu Chi was doing. He felt, “You only talk about Tzu Chi; you never talk to me about the Dharma. I always share the Dharma with you, yet you only tell me about Tzu Chi.”

This went on for quite a few years. Then one day, Yuzhu told him, “Mr. Zhang, since you chant the Buddha’s name so well, but you don’t want to do Tzu Chi work, why don’t you teach me the Dharma? It’s time for you to transform me”.

When Mr. Zhang heard that our Commissioner wanted him to transform her, he suddenly fell quiet and reflected on himself. “Indeed, how should I transform you? I only chant the Buddha to have a pure mind, so how can I transform you? What can I use to transform you?”

Right around that time, the 921 earthquake happened. In Nantou and Central Taiwan, many houses collapsed, causing many injuries and fatalities. Suddenly, he saw thing clearly and felt, “By only chanting the Buddha’s name, how many people can I really help?” He suddenly came to a realization. He knew what to do, so he quickly told the Commissioner, “I want to join to help with the 921 earthquake relief efforts.”

From then on, he got involved. He very joyfully volunteered and felt that those who help others are true Bodhisattvas. Then, he got involved with recycling work. In Xincun, by the entrance to the community, at the security station, he erected a very large piggybank. Written on it was “[conserve] water, electricity, rice, carbon. He wrote all of these things on it. Many people lived in the village, and when people asked him about it out of curiosity, he told them about Tzu Chi’s principles. Living in that community, he transformed others and happily did recycling work.

Isn’t this teaching according to capabilities? Doesn’t this lead to a better understanding of how “the sutra is the Path,” and “the Path is a road to walk on”? Thus we say, “Maintain the Buddha in your heart, the Dharma in your actions.” Practicing the Dharma will naturally bring Samadhi and purity. Aren’t pure lands and Samadhi found in the Dharma?

Every action can be a practice of Samadhi. Our every action can be like the Buddha’s. If we take the Buddha to heart, we will manifest the Dharma in our actions. For the Buddha-Dharma to be present in this world, there must be people who go among others to transform sentient beings.

As some learn the Buddha’s teachings, they only chant the Buddha’s name because they only seek to awaken themselves in the hope of going to a pure land. But isn’t this a very passive [practice]? When a pure land is in our minds, we in a pure land when among others. Thus, since the Buddha manifested over 2000 years ago, how many people have actually been purified? If people go astray, though they hear the Dharma they only focus on their own awakening.

At the end, the Buddha began to teach everyone to return to their intrinsic nature. To go from the state of ordinary people to the state of the Buddha, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path. To walk the Bodhisattva-path, we must practice giving in this world. To practice giving, we must fully comprehend the Buddha’s principles. The Dharma is learned and put into practice in a turbid world; then turbidity can be transform into purity. This is what we must strive to do.

Thus, the Buddha spoke to Sariputra again. The sutra states, “It is thus, Sariputra, that in the era of chaos and turbidity of kalpa, sentient beings are heavily defiled with stinginess, greed, envy and jealousy. Thus, they develop all roots of unwholesomeness.”

The defilements of sentient beings arise from stinginess and greed. “Stinginess” is beings miserly. With this stinginess and greedy attachments, [we think,] “This is mine; everything is mine. I want what you have, too”. These kinds of desires are very strong.

With this stinginess and greed, we cannot bear to give away anything. By guarding our own possessions very closely and being unwilling to give, we are stingy and greedy.

Beyond that, we are also jealous. We envy people who are wiser and more capable. We resent them for being more capable. If people praise someone else, we feel very unhappy and wonder, “Why aren’t they praising me?” If others are capable and are praised, people who are stingy, greedy and jealous cannot stand it. This is an affliction.

With these afflictions, people cannot recruit others to do good deeds. These people are stingy, greedy and jealous. They are afraid that if others do good deeds, then others will be praised, while they will lose face.

Many people have these kinds of mental ailments. They are afraid that others will be more capable, that others will do too many good deeds, that others’ abilities will draw too much attention. They do not help good people succeed. They do not assist capable people. Thus, they are stingy and greedy, not only with regard to material things. We can be stingy and greedy by not sharing good things with people or not encouraging people to do good deeds. This is also stinginess and greed.

“Thus, they develop all roots of unwholesomeness and many roots [of goodness] will wither. The Buddha said the same thing. We sentient beings are scorched sprouts and bad seeds; our roots have withered. If the seeds are hollow, they cannot give rise to millions of things. Millions of things can arise from one seeds, so these kinds of seeds are very precious.

What is the “[era of] chaos and turbidity od kalpa? It is a time of confusion and the turbidity. This era is very dark, muddled and turbid. The world had degenerated, and morals have deteriorated.

The era of chaos and turbidity of kalpa: This era is muddled and turbid. Every generation is degenerating; their morals are deteriorating. The world is mixed-up and confused; people’s roots of goodness are shallow and weak. The number of unwholesome people is growing.

There was a news report about a woman from northern Taiwan who was found dead, floating near the Hualien coast. When the body was discovered, the hands and feet were tied up, and no one was able to identify her.

Eventually, she was identified. But how did she to Hualien from the north? Why were her hands and feet tied? This happened in May, and it took a long time for the case to be solved. A girl and her boyfriend had conspired to murder her mother.

Why would a daughter murder her mother? Because the mother had four or five properties under her name, and they wanted her properties. From an early age, [the daughter] had a poor relationship with her mother. Yet, recently she become unusually attentive. She lured her mother away from the house, drove her to Hualien and murdered her.

They were mother and daughter, but they had problems with each other because their hearts were impure. Her mother did not treat her well, so her enmity for her mother built up over time. Though her mother owned some very valuable properties, she knew her mother would not share any of it with her.

This is a sign of the confusion in the world. Morality had become muddled and turbid and has deteriorated. [She] and her boyfriend went as far as murdering her own mother. They have indeed lost their morality.

In the news, we also read about a grandson murdering his grandfather and mutilating his body. What great hatred could he have against him? When relationships go wrong, people may kill their lover and then jump off a building. When I read all this in the news, I feel the turbidity of this era, the loss of morality.

The world is in a state of confusion, all because we sentient beings have shallow and weak roots of goodness. For some unknown number of lifetimes these turbid, defiled habitual turbidity have been continuously flourishing. Then at this moment, causes and conditions converge, causing continuous problems in families. Even blood relatives are killing one another.

With people like this, “the number of unwholesome people is growing.” The number of unwholesome people is always growing. This happens because of delusion and because of greed. With delusion in our minds, we give rise to greed.

With delusions, greed, anger, ignorance and all kinds of afflictions, we obstruct ourselves and others, until our obstructions become heavy and thick. This is the turbidity of affliction.

With greed, there will be anger and ignorance. If not for greed, anger and ignorance, why would people do such brutal things? This is delusion, which is ignorance and lack of clarity. When we are deluded, greed, anger and ignorance continuously arise. With all kinds of afflictions, “we obstruct ourselves and others, until our obstructions become heavy and thick.” This is “the turbidity of affliction.”

If we obstruct ourselves, we will not earnestly and diligently work hard. Though we are practicing, we may still be lax and filled with afflictions. If we cannot be diligent, then we are indolent. Indolence is caused by afflictions. We must examine ourselves; are we practicing diligently every day? Do we make full use of every single day? If we cannot, not only are we indolent, we obstruct other people as well as ourselves.

So, “our obstructions become heavy and thick.” Whether we obstruct ourselves or others, layers and layers of afflictions accumulate. So, “our obstructions become heavy and thick.” This is “the turbidity of affliction.”

Dear Bodhisattvas, please think carefully; do these afflictions also cover our minds? Do our afflictions pile up thicker and thicker, causing us to become more indolent? Are we sharing the teachings that bring us joy with others? Are we encouraging people to do good deeds? Are we? If not, then we are stingy, greedy and jealous.

We must examine ourselves for these problems, to see whether we are stingy, greedy, jealous or heavily defiled by afflictions. We must first understand ourselves in order to understand others. Thus, we must always be mindful.

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