20140919《靜思妙蓮華》慈悲之心度無量（第396集）

月亮在周五 9月 19, 2014 5:52 pm 作了第 1 次修改

20140919《靜思妙蓮華》慈悲之心度無量（第396集）

⊙「修行修心念，宏慈持悲憫，法喜念樂捨，勤修四無量。」
⊙「乃至童子戲，若草木及葦，或以指爪甲，而畫作佛像。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙「如是諸人等，漸漸積功德，具足大悲心，皆已成佛道，但化諸菩薩，度脫無量眾。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙漸漸積功德：長久累積福利人群之功能，此功能為善行之德，故曰功德。
⊙又內修涵養，外行謙恭之德者。內修誠正信實謂之功，外行慈悲喜捨謂之德，內修外行有所得，故曰功德。
⊙具足大悲心：大悲愍眾生，同體眾生苦，即拔苦之心切。謂菩薩愍念一切眾生受種種苦。
⊙常懷「人傷我痛，人苦我悲」，不忍之心，拯救濟拔，令其得解脫，是名大悲心，懇切至誠，無求無怨。
⊙皆已成佛道：道者是因，修行此道正因。人皆本具佛性，若用圓妙正觀，則以大慈悲舖成菩薩通達之菩提道。
⊙但化諸菩薩，度脫無量眾：始從方便引導無量眾生，終至入正道法，樂求一乘實法，度脫無量眾。

【證嚴上人開示】
「修行修心念，宏慈持悲憫，法喜念樂捨，勤修四無量。」

修行修心念
宏慈持悲憫
法喜念樂捨
勤修四無量

這是要我們大家平時修行，最重要是修心，我們的心，心念起落，我們要用心，起一念心，歡喜為善，歡喜向惡，都是一念心起。向善，是我們學佛者的本分；一念惡，那就是修行者的業。惡業惡行的累積，可怕！所以，我們要時時從日常生活中，微細的起心動念，我們要常常自我警惕：「我是修行者，我是清修者，我是佛弟子，三寶弟子，發心行菩薩道者。」所以這念心要時時照顧好，若是一念偏差，我們造作就是錯誤頻頻發生。所以一念心是很重要。

「宏慈持悲憫」。常常要抱持著這分宏大的心，常常告訴過大家「心包太虛，量周沙界」，修行者的心就是這麼寬大，宇宙有多大，我們的心就能有多大。這是佛陀覺悟的境界；我們不就是要學佛嗎？所以我們要培養寬宏的心，常常說心要寬、念要純，所以心寛念純不就是這樣嗎？所以這叫做宏慈。

我們的心很寬大，培養我們的悲心，悲心，那就是運悲──秉持著這個慈心，我們就能運用我們的悲願，這叫做秉慈運悲。所以「宏慈持悲憫」，我們能常常用慈悲心於人群中，為人群所需要而付出，這叫做「宏慈持悲憫」。

我們要常常有悲憫心，悲憫心的付出，我們能時時「法喜念樂捨」。「樂」就是快樂。我們若能常常去付出，心很清淨，念念善、念念慈，對人對事都是，「宏慈持悲憫」，如此，我們還有什麼心念過不去？我們還有對什麼人過不去呢？我們能心寬念純，若這樣我們會時時，看到事情，歡喜；遇到什麼樣的境界，也是歡喜，雖然是逆境，也是把它當作逆增上緣，這都是法。

「法喜念」，常常都是生起法喜的念頭；無論是什麼樣的境界，我們都歡喜接受。我們時時「樂捨」──很歡喜去付出；無論是對什麼樣的人，有需要我們，我們就是歡喜布施、歡喜付出、歡喜幫助，人世間一切好的事情，我們全都是歡喜付出。所以這叫做「法喜念樂捨」，常常都有歡喜心，用歡喜心去付出。

又再「勤修四無量」。「勤修」，我們要時時修行，尤其是不要懈怠、我們要勤精進，勤精進於「四無量」：慈無量、悲無量、喜無量、捨無量。所以，不只是慈無量，還要無悔；不只是悲無量，還要無怨；不只是喜無量，還要無憂；不只是捨無量，還要無求。這「四無量心」，在在都是在修行，在修心念。

展開我們宏大的慈，持著悲憫的心，時時歡喜、時時快樂，快樂幫助人，幫助之後很歡喜，這種快樂、歡喜，這全都是在慈、悲、喜、捨。這慈、悲、喜、捨，就是「四無量心」，這「四無量心」，是我們菩薩行者不能缺少的。所以過去佛陀，一直鼓勵大家要好好用心。

佛在世，佛陀能親自為大家說法，但是佛滅度後，佛法是不是就沒有了呢？所以，佛陀的慈悲、智慧，那就是秉慈運悲，慈悲為未來的眾生，所以鼓勵用種種方法、形像，來引導人人將佛法入心。所以：「乃至童子戲，若草木及葦，或以指爪甲，而畫作佛像」。

乃至童子戲
若草木及葦
或以指爪甲
而畫作佛像
《法華經方便品第二》

無論你用種種什麼樣的東西，只要心中虔誠，有佛像在心，看到佛塔起歡喜心、恭敬心，看到寺院，起虔誠的心等等，全都是要引起我們人人這念心——這念悲心，能夠慈悲的心念。

有一次，佛陀就把他的指甲剪下來，要一位比丘前往罽賓國去，在罽賓國的南山，召集一些修行者，這位比丘很恭敬，拿著佛陀的指甲，到那裡去提倡人人建塔。

所以有五百位的僧眾接到指爪，甲就是指甲，用恭敬心，開始五百人動員在那裡建塔。在這座山，有一群獼猴,就是猴子。一群彌猴，有五百隻猴，每天看那些出家人，在那裡建塔，建塔時，又是用著很虔誠的心，在那裡膜拜，工程中一邊建塔，一邊膜拜、修行。這五百隻獼猴看了，開始猴學人的動作，同樣牠在旁邊，同樣在那裡建塔，搬東西在那裡堆堆、積積，同樣隨著人拜，牠們也拜。

這過了一段時間，忽然間山上下大雨，水從山上沖下來，這群五百隻獼猴被水沖走了，五百隻猴都死了，但是這五百隻猴子，在這裡往生，生到天上去了。這五百隻猴自己覺得不可思議。

後來大家就用天人的天眼，看他們過去到底做了什麼？看到的因緣就是，在那裡造塔，在那裡膜拜，很虔誠、歡喜，所以光是這個福緣，牠們生天了。所以，這百五位天人，就到佛的精舍，向佛禮拜，感恩佛陀的慈悲，派遣比丘眾在那裡建塔，讓牠們能夠模仿僧人建塔，所以他們感恩佛。佛陀為這五百位天人說法，歡喜而退。這是在《法譬喻經》裡面，,有這樣的一段故事。所以我們學佛，無論是什麼因緣，無不都是啟發我們的善心、我們的愛的力量。

所以再接下來說：「如是諸人等，漸漸積功德，具足大悲心，皆已成佛道，但化諸菩薩，度脫無量眾。」

如是諸人等
漸漸積功德
具足大悲心
皆已成佛道
但化諸菩薩
度脫無量眾
《法華經方便品第二》

「如是諸人等」，因為(建)寺院、塔廟、造像起歡喜心，這樣所以「漸漸積功德」。讓人看了也歡喜，虔誠禮拜；虔誠禮拜的人，也是漸漸能夠積功德，虔誠禮拜積了此功德，啟發了求法的心，身體力行，所以「具足大悲心」。

因為外面的形像，引入我們的心來，所以對佛法了解，「具足大悲心」，「皆已成佛道」，因為是外面的形態，從內淨化，所以也是一樣能夠成佛道。

「但化諸菩薩，度脫無量眾」。在此佛陀又再浮現出了，佛陀來人間的目的。雖然用種種的方式、設種種方便法，但是「但化諸菩薩」，所教化的，希望人人從有形的「像法」，引入我們的心，回歸「正法」。所以我們還要再回歸行菩薩道，這樣來度化。自己自行、教人行，這樣來「度脫無量眾」。自己得到佛法歡喜，也能夠引度他人來接受佛法，同樣也是法喜。

「如是諸人等」，就是每一個人「由於一念虔敬建塔造像，以諸有為法，巧工造作莊嚴佛像傳人間」。

如是諸人等：
由於一念虔敬
建塔造像
以諸有為法
巧工造作
莊嚴像傳人間

「如是諸人等」，就是這樣的人，用最虔誠的心，來建塔、造廟種種，這樣傳在人間的這些人，「漸漸積功德」，長久累積福利，造福，造種種的福。

漸漸積功德：
長久累積
福利人群之功能
此功能為善行之德
故曰功德

我們因為建塔之後，此像留存人間，留存人間，所以讓很多人能夠，因為有形、有像啟發，不只是留於後世，現在我們本身也就是要虔誠，也就是要入佛法中，去了解佛法，如何修行、如何利益人群。像這樣，這種的功能，就是我們所造作的一切，能夠引導別人，不只是引導人人，自己也自發心。

「此功能為善行之德」。內心的修行，這是我們的涵養；我們內心有這種修養，顯出來，人與人之間互相對待，對人就是有謙卑、恭敬，這就是德。讓人看得到，你的形態待人，謙卑、恭敬。常常告訴大家「感恩！」凡事都是感恩，這都是叫做謙卑；要尊重，就是心中存有大愛，這種的涵養，所以感恩、尊重、愛，這就是內修外行。

又內修涵養
外行謙恭之德者
內修誠正信實
謂之功
外行慈悲喜捨
謂之德
內修外行有所得
故曰功德

所以「誠正信實謂之功」，我們要有內修誠正信實，這就是內修的功；外行就是「慈悲喜捨謂之德」，能夠付出，這就是德。「內修外行有所得」，所以叫做「功德」。「得者，德也。」我們內修外行，有所得，就是我們的功德。

「具足大悲心」，「大悲」就是「愍眾生，同體眾生苦，即拔苦之心切。」我們要常常體會到眾生的苦。

具足大悲心：
大悲愍眾生
同體眾生苦
即拔苦之心切
謂菩薩愍念
一切眾生
受種種苦

我們若自己有苦，就會想要如何去拔除。別人的苦和我們的苦是一樣的，要即刻解除，這個心要很殷切，這樣叫作菩薩悲憫，一切眾生受種種之苦。這是菩薩所不能忍的事情，所以常常就是常懷著，「人傷我痛，人苦我悲」之心，「不忍之心，拯救濟拔，令其得解脫，是名大悲心，懇切至誠，無求無怨。」

常懷人傷我痛
人苦我悲
不忍之心
拯救濟拔
令其得解脫
是名大悲心
懇切至誠
無求無怨

要當一個菩薩，就是要這樣非常的懇切，無求無怨。「無求」就是捨，「無怨」就是悲。大慈悲喜捨，這就是菩薩的心。所以若能這樣「皆已成佛道」，若能夠如此，漸漸、漸漸累積，行菩薩道步步精進，就能漸漸接近佛的道路。所以

皆已成佛道：
道者是因
修行此道正因
人皆本具佛性
若用圓妙正觀
則以大慈悲舖成
菩薩通達之菩提道

所以「道者是因，修行此道正因，人皆本具佛性」，我們人人本具，我們若會用，就是用在真正圓妙的正觀──我們要真正的圓融妙巧，那個正確的觀念，即以大慈悲鋪成，菩薩通達菩提之道。我們若能用這圓妙正觀，如此來啟發我們的悲心，大慈悲之心，用此大慈悲之心來鋪路，就能鋪成了一條，菩薩通達的菩提道。所以要用心。

所以「但化諸菩薩，度脫無量眾」。因為這樣，佛陀雖然用各種的方便，前面很長的時間一直說方便，現在建塔、造廟、雕像，還是方便。這些方便法，「但化諸菩薩」，就是要來接引、度化諸菩薩，這些菩薩再發心「度脫無量眾」,所以開始從方便，來引導無量眾生，用這種方便法來引導無量眾生。「終至入正道法」。

但化諸菩薩
度脫無量眾：
始從方便
引導無量眾生
終至入正道法
樂求一乘實法
度脫無量眾

到最後還是要引他入正道之法。「樂求一乘實法，度脫無量眾」。讓大家能夠「樂」，這裡要讀「樂」，樂求，能夠大家很歡喜、很快樂，從內心時時那分的喜心；這在「四無量心」，「喜」，無憂無愁，常常以寬闊的心，如此去「求一乘實法，度脫無量眾」。這就是用種種的方法，無非就是接引菩薩發宏大願，發「宏慈持悲憫」這種的願心，再來度其他的人。

各位菩薩，學佛我們要用心，雖然是方便，其實內涵著很深的法，請大家時時要多用心。

19/9 大愛台靜思晨語摘要：
修行修心真法喜
奧妙方便法難明

「修行修心念」-- 修行最重要修心，向善向惡，
都是一念心起。日常生活中要自我警惕，時時顧好這一念，
一念偏差造作，就會錯誤頻生。

「宏慈持悲憫」--心寬念純為宏慈。以寬大的心培養悲心，
秉慈運悲，常懷慈悲心為人群所需而付出。

「法喜念樂捨」 -- 常生法喜念頭，任何境界都歡喜接受，
逆境當逆增上緣。時時樂捨的歡喜付出；對任何人，
有需要就歡喜布施、歡喜付出、歡喜幫助。

「勤修四無量」。時時不懈怠、修行勤精進於
「慈悲喜捨四無量」，不只修心念，還要無悔、無怨、
無憂、無求。修菩薩行，不能缺少四無量心，所以佛陀
才一直鼓勵大家要多用心。

「如是諸人等」因建寺院、塔廟、造佛像而起歡喜心。
又因外形讓人看了歡喜而虔誠禮拜，也「漸漸積功德」，
啓發求法的心去了解佛法并身體力行，而「具足大悲心」，
更讓心得到淨化，而「皆已成佛道」。

「但化諸菩薩」-- 但是諸佛所教化的，希望人人從
有形的像法引入心，回歸正法行菩薩道來度化。
自己力行也教人行，而「度脫無量眾」--自己得法喜，
也能度他人得法喜。

「具足大悲心」，大悲是同愍眾生苦，而拔苦心切。
眾生的苦要常體會，自己有苦會想去拔除。別人的苦
和我們一樣，要殷切的即刻解除 --「菩薩悲憫一切眾生，
受種種之苦。」這是菩薩所不能忍的事，所以常懷
「人傷我痛，人苦我悲」之心，「不忍之心，拯救濟拔，
令其得解脫，是名大悲心，懇切至誠，無求無怨。」

當菩薩要非常懇切，「無求」-捨，「無怨」-悲。
大慈悲喜捨，就是菩薩心，「皆已成佛道」，若能漸漸累積，
行菩薩道時步步精進，就能漸漸接近佛的道路--
「道者是因，修行此道正因」。「人皆本具佛性」，
若用在真正圓融巧妙的正確觀念，「則以大慈悲鋪成，
菩薩通達菩提之道」。

佛陀最初就是從方便法引導無量眾生，最後
「終至入正道法」，「樂求一乘實法，度脫無量眾」。

其實方便法，含藏各種深奧的法，需要很用心，方能體會。

無量光曜心 文章總數 : 968 威望 : 72 注冊日期 : 2009-04-25

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Transform Countless Beings with Compassion (慈悲之心度無量)
Date: September. 19. 2014

Spiritual practice is about cultivating our mind. We should “have great loving-kindness and compassion, and feel Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity. Thus we diligently cultivate the Four Infinite Minds.”

As we engage in daily spiritual practice, it is most important to cultivate our minds. We must be mindful of the thoughts we give rise to. Whether our thoughts lead us to happily do good deeds or happily turn toward evil depends on the workings of our mind. Orienting ourselves toward goodness is part of our fundamental duty as Buddhist practitioners. Giving rise to an evil thought [creates] karma. The accumulation of unwholesome karma and actions is frightening. So, while giving rise to even the slightest thoughts in our daily living, we must always remind ourselves, “I am a spiritual practitioner. I am a pure practitioner. I am the Buddha’s disciple, a disciple of the Three Treasures. I have aspired to walk the Bodhisattva-path.” We must always take good care of this mindset. If one thought goes astray, we create karma and begin a series of mistakes. Thus, being mindful is very important.
“Have great loving-kindness and compassion”. We must always maintain this inclusive mindset. As I always tell you, “The mind encompasses the universe and embraces everything.” Spiritual practitioners’ minds are that expansive. However vast the universe is, our state of mind must be just as vast. This is the Buddha’s enlightened state. Don’t we want to learn to be like the Buddha? So, we must develop an expansive mindset.
I often say our hearts must be open and our thoughts must be pure. Shouldn’t that be our state of mind? That is great loving-kindness. When our minds are very broad and expansive, we can nurture our compassion. When we practice loving-kindness, we will also exercise compassion. By maintaining our practice of loving-kindness, we can put our compassionate vows into practice. This is practicing kindness and exercising compassion, thus we have “great loving-kindness and compassion.” We can always exercise loving-kindness and compassion toward others and give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. This is having “great loving-kindness and compassion.”
We must always have compassion. By giving with compassion, we can always feel “Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity.” “Blissful” means happy. If we can always practice giving, our minds will be very pure and our every thought will be wholesome and kind. As we interact with people and matters we will “have great loving-kindness and compassion.” Then there will be no attachment that our minds cannot let go of. There will be no one we cannot get along with.
If we have open hearts and pure thoughts, everything we see will make us happy. Any circumstance we face will also make us happy. Although we may face difficulties, we consider them adverse assisting conditions. This is the Dharma.
So, we have “Dharma-joy”. If Dharma-joy constantly arises in our minds, regardless of the situation we are dealing with, we can accept it happily. We must always practice “blissful equanimity.” This means we joyfully give. Regardless of who the other person is, we will give to him if he has a need. We happily give, happily serve and happily help others. All good things in the world come from giving happily. This is “Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity.”
We can always, out of a sense of joy, practice giving to others.Then we are “diligently cultivating the Four Infinite Minds”.We must diligently practice, must constantly engage in spiritual cultivation.In particular, we must not become indolent.We must diligently progress in our practice of the Four Infinite Minds, in finite loving-kindness, infinite compassion, infinite joy and infinite equanimity.Not only do we need infinite loving-kindness, we must practice it without regret.Not only do we need infinite compassion, we must practice it without resentment.Not only do we need infinite joy, we must practice it without worry.Not only do we need infinite equanimity, we must practice it without expectations.
With these Four Infinite Minds, wherever we are, we are engaged in practice and in cultivating our minds.We open up our great loving-kindness to practice compassion and to always help others joyfully.After helping others, we feel very happy.This happiness comes from loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.These are the Four Infinite Minds.This Four Infinite Minds are indispensable for Bodhisattva practitioners.
So, in the past, the Buddha constantly encouraged everyone to be mindful.During His lifetime, He was able to personally teach the Dharma.But after He entered Parinirvana, would the Buddha-Dharma disappear?
So, He [exercised his] compassion and wisdom.He practiced kindness and exercised compassion for the sake of sentient beings of the future.This is why He encouraged using various means and images to guide everyone to take the Dharma into their hearts.

So, “Even children at play with straws, sticks or reeds, or even with their fingernails, may draw images of the Buddha.”

No matter what kind of materials we use, if we are reverent and have the image of the Buddha in our hearts, when we see stupas, we feel joy and respect and when we see temples, we feel reverent as well.All of these things are intended to inspirit the compassion in everyone’s hearts, our loving-kindness and compassion.
There was one time when the Buddha clipped His fingernails and asked a bhiksu to bring them to Kashmir and assemble a group of spiritual practitioners in the mountains to the south.This bhiksu respectfully brought the Buddha’s fingernails to Kashmir to encourage everyone to build stupas 500 monastics were there to receive the fingernails.With reverence, the 500 of them mobilized to build a stupa there.
One this mountain, there was also a troop of monkeys, a troop of 500 rhesus monkeys.
Every day, these monkeys saw the monastics building the stupa.As the monks constructed the stupa,they prostrated with reverence.While they were building the stupa, they engaged in spiritual practice and prostrated.When the 500 rhesus monkeys saw this, they started to imitate the people’s actions; they also began to build a stupa nearby.They collected materials and piled them up.As the monastics prostrated, they also prostrated.
Sometime later, there was a heavy rain that began with no warning.Water rushed down from the top of the mountains and the 500 rhesus monkeys were washed away.They all died, but they were all reborn in the heaven realm.The monkeys were amazed, but then they used the heavenly eyes they now possessed to look at what they had done in the past.
They saw that they were [reborn in heaven] because they prostrated as they built the stupa and felt a great sense of reverence and joy.Simply based on this blessed condition, they were reborn in the heaven realm.So, these 500 heavenly beings went to the Buddha’s abode to pay their respects to Him and give thanks for His compassion in sending the bhiksus to build the stupa and providing them with the chance to imitate them. They were grateful to the Buddha.
The Buddha taught the Dharma to these 500 heavenly beings, then they joyfully withdrew. This story is from the Dharmapadavadana Sutra. Thus, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, any and all causes and conditions can inspire the benevolence in our hearts and the power of our love.

So, next we will discuss,“People such as these gradually accumulated merits and virtues. Replete with great compassion, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood. They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes”.

“People such as these”. Because while building temples, stupas, shrines and statues, they became joyful, they “gradually accumulated merits and virtues”. When other people saw [what they had done], those people reverently prostrated. Then those who reverently prostrated could also gradually accumulate merits and virtues. By prostrating reverently, they accumulated merits and virtues and were inspired to seek the Dharma and put it into practice. Then they could be “replete with great compassion”. This is because when external images are brought into our minds, we can understand the Buddha-Dharma, be “replete with great compassion” and “realize the path to Buddhahood”.
These external phenomena can bring purity to our minds, so this is also a way we can realize the path to Buddhahood. “They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes”. Here, the Buddha reiterated His purpose for coming to this world. Although He used various methods to establish many skillful means, He was “teaching the Bodhisattva Way”. In everything He taught, He hoped we could bring tangible “Dharma-semblance” into our hearts so we could return to the Buddha’s Right Dharma.
So, we still need to walk the Bodhisattva-path in order to transform [ourselves]. When we practice and teach others to practice, we can “transform and liberate countless multitudes”. When we obtain the Dharma, we feel happy and can then guide others to accept the Dharma so they can feel the same Dharma-joy.

Now let us look at “people such as these”. This refers to everyone who erected stupas and created images out of reverence. “With conditioned phenomena and meticulous handwork, dignified images were spread throughout the world”[/b]

“People such as these” are people who, with utmost reverence, built stupas, shrines and so on. People who spread [the Dharma] in this world “gradually accumulated merits and virtues”. Over a long time they have accumulated the blessings of benefiting others.

“[They] gradually accumulate merits and virtues: Over a long period of time they have strengthened, their ability to benefit others. This ability is the virtue of doing good deeds. So, they have merits and virtues.”

After stupas are built, their image remains in this world. Because their image remains in this world, they are something tangible that can inspire people. Beyond leaving something for future generations, we ourselves must also be reverent and try to understand how we can practice the Buddha-Dharma to benefit people. This is the ability [to benefit others]. This is how we can create things to provide guidance to everyone. Not only can we guide everyone, we can [inspire ourselves] to form aspirations. “This ability is the virtue of doing good deeds.”
Our internal cultivation is about refining our character. If we are spiritually refined, that will manifest in our treatment of others. When we treat others with humility and respect, we are virtuous. When dealing with people, if we have a visibly humble and respectful demeanor, and constantly express our gratitude to everyone, if we are grateful for everything, we are demonstrating humility.
We also must have respect, while comes from having unconditional love in our hearts and having this kind of refinement. So gratitude, respect and love are what we internally cultivate and externally practice.

“Virtuous people internally cultivate their character and externally practice humility and respect. Internally cultivating honesty, integrity, faith and steadfastness is a merit. Externally practicing loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is a virtue. What we attain through internal cultivation and external practice is called merits and virtues”.

So, [cultivating] “sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness” is a merit. This effort to cultivate our minds is the work we must do internally. Externally, “practicing loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is a virtue”. Practicing giving is a virtue. “what we attain through internal cultivation and external practice” are “merits and virtues”. “What is attained is virtue”. Through internal cultivation and external practice what we attain are merits and virtues. This comes from cultivating our minds.

Then we are “replete with great compassion. ” “Great compassion” is to have great universal compassion for sentient beings and earnestly try to relieve their suffering.

We must always seek to understand sentient beings’ suffering. When we are suffering, we think about how to eliminate it. The suffering of others is the same as our own; it must immediately be relieved. We must be earnest about this. This is the Bodhisattvas’ compassion for sentient beings who are facing all kinds of suffering. That is something Bodhisattvas cannot bear.

So, they always “feel others’ pain and suffering as their own. They cannot bear it. so they try to save and relieve them, and enable them to attain liberation. This is great compassion. With utmost sincerity and earnestness, they have no expectations or resentment.

To be a Bodhisattvas we must be truly earnest in all these ways, without expectations or resentment. “Without expectations” is the state of equanimity. “Without resentment” is the state of compassion. Having great loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is the mindset of a Bodhisattva. If we can achieve this, we “have realized the path to Buddhahood. If we can steadily walk forward on the Bodhisattva-path through diligent practice, we can gradually move closer to the path to Buddhahood.

[They] have realized the path to Buddhahood: this path is the cause. The direct cause of the path of spiritual practice is that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. If we exercise perfect and wondrous right perspective, then with great compassion we will pave the bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood.

So, “this path is the cause. The direct cause of the path of spiritual of practice is that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Since we intrinsically have [Buddha-nature], if we know how to exercise it, we will use it [to manifest] perfect and wondrous right perspective. We must truly have this perfect, wondrous, skillful and correct perspective. Then with great compassion we will pave the Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood. If we use this perfect wondrous right perspective, we can unlock our compassion and our great loving-kindness. With this great compassion, we can pave a Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood.
To do this, we must be mindful. So “They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes.” Because this though the Buddha had already spent a very long time teaching skillful means, [He] also encouraged] the building of stupas, shrines and statues, which is still skillful means. These skillful means “teach the Bodhisattva Way.” They are used to guide and transform Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas then form aspirations again to “transform and liberate countless multitudes.” So, [the Buddha] began teaching skillful means to guide countless sentient beings. He used these skillful means to guide countless sentient beings to “ultimately enter the Right Path.” Eventually, He led them to Right Dharma, to “joyfully seek the True Dharma of One Vehicle” and “transform and liberate countless multitudes.”

[Bodhisattvas] want everyone to be “joyful.” They joyfully seek so that everyone can always be happy, with joy always rising from their hearts. In the Four Infinite Minds, joy is said to be freedom from worries and sorrows. We should always have a broad mind to seek the True Dharma of the One Vehicle and transform and liberate countless multitudes. These various methods are all used to guide Bodhisattvas to form great aspirations, to have “great loving-kindness and compassion” and then to transform others.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be mindful learning the Buddha’s Way. Though these are skillful means, they actually contain very profound Dharma. Everyone, please always be mindful.

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