越固执的人越容易受伤

达照法师

别让心太固执

佛在菩提树下开悟的时候说：“一切众生皆有如来智慧德相，但以妄想、执着而不能证得。”也就是说我们在这个世界上，不管你在轮回当中出现的问题、毛病有多少，善恶、烦恼有多少，关键的错误就是两个：一个是我执；一个是因为我执产生的错误行为。要修解脱道的人必须要认识到，我执跟解脱之间的关系到底在哪里？

当我们把心量放大，把恶业消除，把善业圆满起来，感受到了人生的和谐、快乐，但是最终还有一层，就是最外面的这层气球，它把我们包住了，这就是我执。破除了我执，我们就了断了生死。

这个世界上的众生的心是刚强难调的，人家说比花岗岩还硬，我估计比金刚石还要硬，可能用电钻都钻不进去，很固执。但是你只要每天静下来半个小时，慢慢地坚持，心就会开始柔软起来，开始融化，语言就开始不长刺了。

有些厉害的人语言像刀一样锋利，会把人气死，那是在造业——用语言就把人家气死，你说多造业！心坚硬的人是最容易受伤的，越固执的人越容易受伤，因为他很难包容别人，很容易感觉自己被人欺负。

“从来硬弩弦先断，每见钢刀口易伤。”弓如果太硬，它的弦就容易断；锋利的钢刀，它的刃最容易受损。你的心如果太强硬，就很容易受伤，别人的两句话可以把你气得不行；别人烧几炷香，拜几下佛，你就觉得他一定是自私的，接受不了；别人叫你去做好事，你也会觉得别人不对。

要有一颗上善若水的心

通过静心，你的心会开始柔化。柔化到什么程度？开始是软下来，最后心变成水一样。上善若水，如果你的心像水一样，那就是最上等的善良。像水一样谦虚、柔软，能够停留在卑下的地方，滋润万物。所以刚强的人不会永远占上风；只有真正慈悲的人、有爱心的人，才会受到这个世界众生的崇敬。

我们一定要明白，当第六意识妄想的心静下来后，心就开始变得柔顺；心柔软了，身上的病也会消除。

现在很多人得癌症，特别是肝癌，一定是他的心太固执了。癌就像石头，刚强难化。一个人的心如果刚强难化，到最后心不再柔化，硬了，心的能量就会转变成质量在他的身体中展现出来，于是在身体上出现问题。所以一定要劝癌症病人，心要柔和，不要固执。

如果心没有固执，完全柔和了，那么他身上即使有癌症也会被软化掉。癌症另外的名称叫瘤，肿瘤。肿瘤最初就是肉块，小小的，软软的。如果是良性的就没问题；如果是恶性的就叫癌症了。

所有的病都是由心而生的。但是我们不要看到别人有癌症，就说：“你心太硬了。”你不能这样说，因为这样说会伤害他人，而且这只是其中的一个原因。病不是由单一原因引起的，外在的生活习惯、饮食习惯和空气环境也与之息息相关。

佛法讲缘起，条件是众多的，但是其中心的力量是不可估量的。你可以这样去观察，可以教他让心变得柔软。

你能够在心里把自己的妄想慢慢地融化，最后你的心像水一样，甚至比水还要柔软。什么东西比水还柔软？虚空。

我用手拍水的时候，手还是会痛的；我的手在虚空中挥舞一下，不会痛，因为虚空不会伤害任何东西。我们的心如果像虚空一样，这叫做至善——至上的善。

祖师大德告诉我们，儒家的孔孟是人间的圣人，他们的思想境界都达到了这种至善。至善比上善还要高，而且还“止于至善”——将至善作为自己的终极目标。

Intention is the core of all conscious life. Conscious intention colours and moves everything.

-- Venerable Hsing Yun

Self-Compassion
Generosity to Oneself (Part 1)

by Bee Li Tan

There has been greater recognition of the importance of self-compassion as we go about our hectic daily lives. Part of practising self-compassion involves being kind and generous to yourself. This has been generally associated with spending on yourself and giving your time to rest, exercise, among others. These are all true but, in this article, I will offer you a different perspective on how we can practise generosity towards ourselves in a way that has a more positive and larger impact that extends beyond the present life. I do so by highlighting the words of our Gotama Buddha as shared in the Pali Canon, that is, the written collection of the Buddha’s teachings.

There are 4 main points I would like to make and here they are:

1. By being generous to others, you are indirectly being generous to oneself.

Let me illustrate. The Buddha once said, “What the miser fears, that keeps him from giving, is the very danger that comes when he doesn't give”. — SN 1.32

What does this mean? According to the laws of the Kamma, when we share and practise generosity, we accumulate good merits. As a result of that merit, we gain wealth. A miser believes that he increases the chances of retaining his wealth by hoarding his possessions. He may keep his wealth for some time, but he isn’t giving himself the opportunity to accumulate merits that would support him in future. Therefore, a miser’s fear eventually becomes a reality in future when the good merits supporting his present wealth expires. 

On the contrary, in another sutta, the Buddha said this, 

“So, when the world is on fire with ageing and death,

one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:

what's given is well salvaged.

What's given bears fruit as pleasure.

What isn't given does not:

thieves take it away, or kings;

it gets burnt by fire or lost.” — SN 1.41

This means that whatever wealth that we have would either dwindle or be parted from us someday because we either use it for pleasure or someone takes it from us (by theft or tax!). Even if we had millions of dollars in our account at the time of death, we would still have to part with that fortune. So, if we are to enjoy our wealth on our own without sharing, the wealth just ends there. In contrast, when we share our wealth to make others happy or to alleviate their suffering, we are accumulating good merits, and that merit will support us in future. That is how we salvage our wealth for the future.

But what if we do not have much to give, you may ask. In another sutta, the Buddha pointed out that even giving a little, one reaps merit (AN5.256-7). He said, “Even if you empty the scraps of food into a stream so that fishes can consume the food, that would be a source of merit.” So, it is okay if you are unable to give a large amount. Giving even a little can impact others in ways you will not anticipate and still cultivates generosity in your heart.

The rewards of giving were further outlined in other suttas. For example, the Buddha shared that when we give someone a meal, we give them 5 things: life, beauty, happiness, strength, and quick-wittedness. And as a result of doing so, we gain a share of those 5 things karmically (AN5.37). In AN5.32, the Buddha added that if we are to alms to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, we also gain bliss, status, and honour (Iti 90). He also elaborated in another sutta that generosity alongside truth and self-restraint are essential to spiritual progress (AN5.256-257). Specifically, in the ability to gain Right Concentration and attaining any of the 4 stages of enlightenment (i.e., Stream-Enterer, Once Returner, Non-Returner, and Arahantship).

But there are several caveats I would like to highlight. First, the Buddha isn’t encouraging us to give greedily with hopes of getting something in return. Generosity is a quality we cultivate which involves the sincere wish to benefit others and the right understanding that such acts do generate merits. We give genuinely but it is okay to recognise the impact it has on us.

After all, we rely on our merits to live comfortably. Without these merits, it would be challenging to carry out of worldly responsibilities, do good, and develop ourselves further spiritually. Second, how you give with (such as your intention, conditions of the mind, external circumstances), influence the results of the deed and these were mentioned in several suttas (AN7.49, AN5.148, AN5.36, AN6.37).

Third, although the Buddha encouraged generosity, he also recommended setting aside some of our wealth to protect ourselves (e.g., insurance/savings) (AN8.54, AN5.41). So, he isn’t suggesting that we give everything without considering our needs and future.

Forth, the Buddha did say that giving to the virtuous, results in more merits, that is, to those who are free from the 5 hindrances, established in virtue, concentration, and wisdom (AN3.57). Meaning, not all recipients are equal. Giving to certain individuals does generate more merits. 

The above caveats suggest that there are ways to give wisely and if you are interested to find out more, you may refer to the book, titled Merits1, which is a compilation of suttas on the topic by Bhikkhu Bodhi. But the bottom line remains the same, giving is beneficial to oneself and others. It supports a comfortable life for us and is foundational to our spiritual progress.

2. There is a kind of giving that involves not doing.

Generosity is often associated with offering someone something. But did you know that there is a form of giving that involves self-restraint?

Once the Buddha shared that there is a gift that is original, long-standing, and unadulterated from the beginning of time (AN8.39). That is, by keeping the 5 precepts. Namely, to abstain from:

i. Taking life

ii. Taking what is not given (i.e., stealing)

iii. Engaging in sexual misconduct

iv. Lying

v. Consuming intoxicants

Doing so would give a limitless number of beings the freedom from fear, animosity, and oppression. And in doing so you gain a fair share of that freedom. What does this mean? It means that because we do not physically harm others, we also do not inflict emotional pain upon them. We free them from both the emotional pain that accompanies physical suffering and the emotional pain that comes with the anticipation that you may harm them. For example, the family members of an abusive alcoholic will be fearful in his presence either because he is abusing them at that point in time or because they are afraid he will soon hurt them.

Why limitless number of beings? If we break just 1 precept each day, we would have harmed more than 30,000 beings assuming we live up to age 85. Sometimes, the impact of our actions multiplies such as when a person in power lies or cheats, it can affect over hundreds of people. The effects of us keeping or breaking the precepts is great.

How do you gain a fair share of that freedom if you are to keep the precepts? At a karmic level, not harming others means that we do not generate the resulting negative karmic forces that would cause us suffering in this lifetime or the next (MN136). That means, you are less likely to be physically hurt or killed, stolen from, cheated on, etc. – so you gain that share of freedom. At a logical level, when we keep our precepts, those who are wise and virtuous will appreciate us and want to associate with us while those who aren’t, will find us boring and rigid. Thus, keeping the precepts becomes a natural filter that sieves out people who may not be good for us. In this way, we get peace of mind too because we are surrounded by people who keep the precepts. 

In his relations with beings, the bodhisattva should not allow himself to forsake them. As befits the abilities determined by his powers, he should always strive to draw them in.

From the very beginning, the bodhisattva should accord with the power of his abilities and use skilful means to instruct beings, causing them to enter the Great Vehicle

In that which is done for the benefit of beings, do not succumb to either weariness or negligence. Bring forth vows for the sake of realising bodhi. Benefiting the world is just benefiting self.

So long as he has not yet gained irreversibility, in the bodhisattva’s striving for bodhi, he should be as intensely diligent in practice as someone whose turban has caught on fire.

-- Nāgārjuna

生存的智慧

文｜达亮

人生是一场没有硝烟的战争。生存，就是成功地从硝烟中突围。生存的智慧则是我们所必须领会的学问。

智慧是一粒种子，能让你收获粮仓；智慧是一丝清风，能让你乘风破浪；智慧是一捧清泉，能让你 拥抱海洋。

倘若没有智慧，没有人能够生活。

史铁生身患重病，他凭着坚强的意志和信心创作出许多优秀作品，他是靠智慧使他在另一个天地展现白己的才华。

布鲁诺用智慧开启心中的锁，宣传哥白尼的“日心说”；阿基米德用智慧打开自己心中的锁，提出了浮力的定律，霍金用智慧发现了宇宙中的黑洞秘密。欧亨利小说中的一位画家用其智慧，让“最后一片叶子”拯救了那位病危中小姑娘，使她获得第二次生命。而素食则是一种养生之中深藏不露的大智慧。

这个世界上的生存法则是物竞天择，适者生存。弱者生存之道也充满了智慧。

黄鼠狼会放救命屁逃过追杀；幼小的刺猬可以缩成一团，让天敌难以下口；壁虎可以断尾保命；蜥蜴的生存之道无非是“适应”。它可以随着环境变化不断地变换自己的肤色而常常逃过一次次的生命劫难。

墙头上的草，相风而动，因风而摆。墙头草固然是左右摇摆，但这也不失为一种求存之道。审时度势，相机而动。这是一种人生的智慧。

有一只夜莺，竟然要一寸虫量量它的歌到底有多长。歌要怎么量呀？如果它量不出来，就要被吃掉了。一寸虫该怎么办呢？

别紧张，一寸虫急中生智，想到了一个很棒的方法，它还是用身体一寸一寸地量，然后边“量”边跑掉了。

孩子是生活的弱者，为了避免生活的伤害，孩子最需要生存的技巧和智慧。怎样学会自我保护?怎样和陌生人打交道?怎样面对不怀好意的行为?怎样让自己在生活中立足，并处于不败之地?怎样让自己活得精彩?

父母最舍不得告诉孩子的，就是这个世界的险恶，然而，这的确是真实存在的，一寸虫的智慧就是生存的智慧。

其实，适时示弱也是一种人性智慧，这是一种获取成功的手段。

强者示弱，不但不会降低自己的身份，反而能够赢得别人的尊重，留下“谦虚、和蔼、平易近人、心胸宽广”等美名。

懂得示弱的人，往往能更有力地存活下来。

项羽强悍英武，飞扬跋扈，结果兵败垓下，英雄末路，自刎乌江，而汉高祖刘邦善于示弱，结果一统江山，坐拥天下，成为一代帝王；韩信居功自傲，功高盖主，结果招来杀身之祸，而与他同朝的另一位大臣萧何，却懂得处处避其锋芒，赢得了朝野一致的好评，也确保了他一生的地位和平安。

人类是最能求生存的，古有一句经典的话，大丈夫能屈能伸，这也是生存的大智慧。

现代人要想在社会中获得成功，首先具备不服输的品性；其次要懂得认输。因为懂得认输，从而以退为进，赢得潜心发展的主动权；懂得认输，而是需要有更新的观点。

要明白，有时认输并不代表懦弱和窝囊，而是一种清醒的理智。学会认输，将有助于我们在前行的路上成为更大的赢家。

生存是一件极其艰难的事情，而智慧恰恰是解决所有难题的灵丹妙药。不囿于常规，全力求新求异，也许生存不仅会显得比较容易，更会焕发出夺目的性灵之光。

Buddha's doctrine is hard to find 

Without it there is no liberation. 

Thus, aspiring for liberation, 

One should devotedly listen to it

--  Vasubandhu

Beyond Birth and Death

by Thich Nhat Hanh

We come to the practice of meditation seeking relief from our suffering, and meditation can teach us how to transform our suffering and obtain basic relief. But the deepest kind of relief is the realisation of nirvana. There are two dimensions to life, and we should be able to touch both. One is like a wave, and we call it the historical dimension. The other is like the water, and we call it the ultimate dimension, or nirvana. We usually touch just the wave, but when we discover how to touch the water, we receive the highest fruit that meditation can offer.

In the historical dimension, we have birth certificates and death certificates. The day your mother passes away, you suffer. If someone sits close to you and shows her concern, you feel some relief. You have her friendship, her support, her warm hand to hold. This is the world of waves. It is characterised by birth and death, ups and downs, being and non-being. A wave has a beginning and an end, but we cannot ascribe these characteristics to water. In the world of water, there is no birth or death, no being or non-being, no beginning or end. When we touch the water, we touch reality in its ultimate dimension and are liberated from all of these concepts.

The second-century philosopher Nagarjuna asked, “Before something was born, did it exist or not?” Before the egg was born from a chicken, was it existent or nonexistent? If it were already there, how could it have been born? Since a baby is also already present in the womb of her mother, how can we say she is not yet born? Nagarjuna says that something already present cannot be born. To be born means from nothing you become something; from no one you become someone. But nothing can be born from nothing. A flower is born from the soil, minerals, seeds, sunshine, rain, and many other things. Meditation reveals to us the no-birth of all things. Life is a continuation. Instead of singing “Happy Birthday,” we can sing “Happy Continuation.” Even the day of our mother’s death is a day of continuation; she continues in many other forms.

A friend of mine has been taking care of her ninety-three-year-old mother. The doctors say that her mother will die any day. For more than a year, my friend has been teaching her mother meditation exercises that have been very helpful. She began by watering the seeds of happiness in her mother, and now her mother becomes very alive every time my friend comes around. Recently she told her mother, “This body is not exactly yours. Your body is much larger. You have nine children, dozens of grandchildren, and also great-grandchildren. We are all continuations of you, and we are very happy and healthy. You are quite alive in us.”

Her mother was able to see that, and she smiled. My friend continued, “When you were young, you were able to teach many people how to cook and do many other things. You made people happy. Now we are doing the same thing; we are continuing the work you have begun. When you were young, you wrote poetry and sang, and now many of us write poems and sing beautifully. You are continuing in us. You are many beings at the same time.” This is a meditation on non-self. It helps her mother see that her body is just a small part of her true self. She understands that when her body departs, she will continue in many other forms.

Who can say that your mother has passed away? You cannot describe her as being or non-being, alive or dead, because these notions belong to the historical dimension. When you touch your mother in the ultimate dimension, you see that she is still with you. The same is true of a flower. A flower may pretend to be born, but it has always been there in other forms. Later it may pretend to die, but we should not be fooled. She is just playing a game of hide-and-seek. She reveals herself to us and then hides herself away. If we are attentive, we can touch her anytime we want.

One day as I was about to step on a dry leaf, I saw the leaf in the ultimate dimension. I saw that it was not really dead, but it was merging with the moist soil and preparing to appear on the tree the following spring in another form. I smiled at the leaf and said, “You are pretending.”

Everything is pretending to be born and pretending to die. The Buddha said, “When conditions are sufficient, the body reveals itself, and we say the body is. When conditions are not sufficient, the body cannot be perceived by us, and we say the body is not.” The day of our so-called death is a day of our continuation in many other forms. If you know how to touch your mother in the ultimate dimension, she will always be there with you. If you touch your hand, your face, or your hair, and look very deeply, you can see that she is there in you, smiling. This is a deep practice, and it is also the deepest kind of relief.

Nirvana means extinction, the extinction of all notions and concepts, including the concepts of birth, death, being, non-being, coming, and going. Nirvana is the ultimate dimension of life, a state of coolness, peace, and joy. It is not a state to be attained after you die. You can touch nirvana right now by breathing, walking, and drinking your tea in mindfulness. You have been “nirvanised” since the very non-beginning. Everything and everyone is dwelling in nirvana.

Nikos Kazantzakis tells the story of St. Francis of Assisi standing in front of an almond tree in midwinter. St. Francis asked the tree to tell him about God, and suddenly the tree began to blossom. In just a few seconds, the almond tree was covered with beautiful flowers. When I read this story, I was very impressed. I saw that St. Francis stood on the side of the ultimate dimension. It was winter; there were no leaves, flowers, or fruits, but he saw the flowers.

We may feel that we are incapable of touching the ultimate dimension, but that is not correct. We have done so already. The problem is how to do it more deeply and more frequently. The phrase, “Think globally,” for example, is in the direction of touching the ultimate dimension. When we see things globally, we have more wisdom and we feel much better. We are not caught by small situations. When we see globally, we avoid many mistakes, and we have a more profound view of happiness and life.

There are times when we feel angry at someone, and we think that if we do not confront him, our dignity will be lost. Perhaps that person challenged our authority, and we feel frustrated that we did not respond right away. We may go to bed unhappy and barely manage to get a good night’s sleep, but the next day, we feel completely different. We laugh and smile, and see the situation entirely differently. Suddenly, what happened yesterday is not important. Only one night separates us from the event, and already things are quite different. This is to think globally, in terms of time.

When we dwell in the historical dimension, we are tossed about by many waves. Perhaps we have a difficult time at work. Or we have to wait too long in line at the supermarket. Or we have a bad telephone connection with our friend. We feel tired, a little depressed, or angry. This is because we are caught in the present situation. But if we close our eyes and visualise the world one hundred years from now, we will see that these problems are not important. Embracing just one hundred years, we see things very differently. Imagine how drastic a change is brought about by touching the ultimate dimension!

When you touch one moment with deep awareness, you touch all moments. According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, if you live one moment deeply, that moment contains all the past and all the future in it. “The one contains the all.” Touching the present moment does not mean getting rid of the past or the future. As you touch the present moment, you realise that the present is made of the past and is creating the future. Touching the present, you touch the past and the future at the same time. You touch globally the infinity of time, the ultimate dimension of reality. When you drink a cup of tea very deeply, you touch the present moment and you touch the whole of time. It is what St. Francis did when he touched the almond tree so profoundly that he could see it flowering even in the middle of winter. He transcended time.

Meditation is to live each moment of life deeply. Through meditation, we see that waves are made only of water, that the historical and the ultimate dimensions are one. Even while living in the world of waves, we touch the water, knowing that a wave is nothing but water. We suffer if we touch only the waves. But if we learn how to stay in touch with the water, we feel a great relief. Touching nirvana frees us from many worries. Things that upset us in the past are not that important, even one day later — imagine when we are able to touch infinite time and space.

We come to the practice seeking relief in the historical dimension. We calm our body and mind and establish our stillness, our freshness, and our solidity. We practice loving-kindness, concentration, and transforming our anger, and we feel some relief. But when we touch the ultimate dimension of reality, we get the deepest kind of relief. Each of us has the capacity to touch nirvana and be free from birth and death, one and many, coming and going.

We do not have to die to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, we have to be fully alive. When we breathe in and out and hug a beautiful tree, we are in Heaven. When we take one conscious breath, aware of our eyes, our heart, our liver, and our non-toothache, we are transported to Paradise right away. Peace is available. We only have to touch it. When we are truly alive, we can see that the tree is part of Heaven, and we are also part of Heaven. The whole universe is conspiring to reveal this to us, but we are so out of touch that we invest our resources in cutting down the trees. If we want to enter Heaven on Earth, we need only one conscious step and one conscious breath. When we touch peace, everything becomes real. We become ourselves, fully alive in the present moment, and the tree, our child, and everything else reveals themselves to us in their full splendour.

“The miracle is to walk on Earth.” This statement was made by Zen Master Linji. The miracle is not to walk on thin air or water, but to walk on Earth. The Earth is so beautiful. We are beautiful also. We can allow ourselves to walk mindfully, touching the Earth, our wonderful mother, with each step. We don’t need to wish our friends, “Peace be with you.” Peace is already with them. We only need to help them cultivate the habit of touching peace in each moment.

Life begins with love, is maintained with love, and ends with love. Right now, while we're alive, is the time to practice and express love. So please take care of your love. Love is capable of reaching so many people.

-- Tsoknyi Rinpoche

佛不度众生，众生自己度自己

慈诚罗珠堪布

“善知识！见自性清净，自修自作”，自己心的本性、最后的证悟，必须要靠自己，没有办法靠佛，也没有办法靠上师。当然，也不能理解错了，我们有些时候说不需要靠上师、不需要靠佛；有些时候说一定要靠上师加持，没有加持证悟不了。这是什么意思呢？依靠佛的加持、上师的加持，这些都是非常重要的，但是怎么去靠，还是要通过自己的努力，自己要有这个信心，没有信心怎么去靠呢？没有信心，我们念上师的祈祷文就只是念这些字而已。所以，最关键的问题还是在自己这里。

达摩祖师的著作中，还有禅宗的书里面说，佛不度众生，众生自己度自己。事实也是这样子的，但是我们也不能理解成佛跟我们没有任何的关系。佛跟我们当然有关系，上师对我们当然重要，我们就要靠佛和上师的加持，但是谁去靠？还是要自己去靠，自己要有强大的信心。我们要建立这样的信心，通过自己的努力去证悟，所以就要自修自作，因为最后证悟的也不是其他的人，就是自己。

通过自己的努力证悟了什么呢？证悟了自己的“自性法身”，即佛的法身。“自行佛行”，就是我们自己的行为要按照佛的要求去做，自己去行佛的行为。

“自作自成佛道”，通过自己的努力，最后自己就可以成佛了。自己是最最重要的，这是佛教跟其他的宗教最大的不一样，是根本性的一个区别。不是靠某一个神来给我们解决、安排我们的命运，佛教就认为要靠自己。佛存在、佛的力量存在、加持存在，上师的力量存在，但是我们怎么样能够得到佛的加持？怎么样能够得到上师的加持？这要通过自己的努力。

如果自己什么都不需要做了，上师和佛的加持自然而然就能得的话，那么天下所有的众生都应该得到。众生中有些是地狱或饿鬼众生，为什么众生有这么多的“等级”呢？是不是因为佛的加持有偏心呢？佛不会偏心，是因为自己不够努力，所以就有了地狱、饿鬼、动物等众生。因此要靠自己的力量，去发掘自己的本性，然后自己成佛，这就是“自作自成佛道”。

我们好好修完四加行、五加行以后，实在找不到其他大圆满、大手印的上师，没关系的，那就看《坛经》、修禅宗的禅，也是非常非常好。因为每一个人要去找一位上师，要到某一个地方去灌顶，然后再去修，确实很困难，而《坛经》本身没有要求灌顶，也没有严格限制人数。实际上，大圆满最后也就是讲这些内容了，但大圆满要求灌顶，说得很清楚，不可以对没有灌顶的人讲。

With mindfulness, vigilance, and conscientiousness, constantly guard the gateways of your senses. Again and again, three times both day and night, examine the flow of your thoughts.

-- Atiśa

Deities

by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Exhibitions like this one on Tibet are helpful for introducing people to a culture. We Tibetans have a distinctive culture. Materially, we are rather poor, but in spiritual and cultural development we are quite rich with much to offer the world. For instance, from my own experience, I know that the Tibetan medical system is particularly valuable, especially for a number of chronic diseases. In fact, because of its usefulness, despite the deliberate destruction of Tibetan culture by the Chinese, they have left the Tibetan medical system intact and have even preserved and promoted it.

The objects of a culture represent that culture in part, but the main part of a culture is not in paintings and so forth but inside the mind. If it is alive in the daily life of people, we can know its usefulness. For instance, because of Tibetan culture, Tibetans for the most part are jovial people. We ourselves had not noticed it, but many foreigners who visited India noticed our joviality and asked what our “secret” is. Gradually, I came to think that it is due to our Buddhist culture that emphasises the Bodhisattva ideal of compassion in a great many ways. Whether literate or illiterate, we are accustomed to hearing and speaking of all sentient beings as mothers and fathers. Even someone who looks like a ruffian has “all mothers, all sentient beings” on his lips. I feel that this ideal is the cause of our happiness. It is particularly helpful in daily life when facing serious problems.

However, perhaps you may wonder why we Tibetans keep talking about compassion and yet some of our deities are so fierce. Let me explain this.

In general, in Buddhism gods or deities are divided into two types, mundane and supramundane. Within the mundane, there are descriptions of many types of gods and demi-gods included within the six types of transmigrating beings — hell-beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, demi-gods, and gods. In the Desire Realm, there are six types of gods; in the Form Realm there are four types corresponding to the four concentrations which are further divided into seventeen types, and in the Formless Realm there are four. Then, there are bad spirits that are included within hungry ghosts, demi-gods, and animals. There are many different types of spirits which I will not detail here.

Because there are many societies of gods, it is important to make a distinction between mundane and supramundane deities; otherwise, you could mistake a local, mundane deity for a supramundane deity of Highest Yoga Tantra, for instance. There are mundane deities that take possession of people and use them as mediums, but these beings are like us in that they have the afflictive emotions of desire and hatred. In the course of our lives, we have been born as such beings, and they have been born like us. From the Buddhist viewpoint, beings have limitless different types of good and bad karma due to which they come to appear in limitless different ways.

With respect to supramundane deities, there are two main types: those who are Bodhisattvas, who have attained the path of seeing the truth, and those who are Buddhas. Among those who appear as Bodhisattvas, there are two types: those who are actually Buddhas but appear as Bodhisattvas and those who are actually Bodhisattvas. Among those who are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, there are many who appear as protectors such as Mahakala, Mahakali, and so forth.

Deities in mandalas are supramundane ones who have reached the path of no more learning and are Buddhas. In Yoga Tantra, for instance, there are mandalas with even a thousand deities who are appearances of the one central deity. In the Highest Yoga Tantra mandala of Guhyasamaja there are thirty-two deities which are appearances of the factors of purification of the constituents of one person. Thus, even though many deities appear in the mandala, there is really only one being.

Deity yoga is practised for the main purpose of achieving the supreme feat of Buddhahood in order to be of full service to other sentient beings. In general, the tantric path comprises the yoga of the non-duality of the profound and the manifest. The profound is the wisdom realising the profound emptiness of inherent existence, and the manifest is the simultaneous manifestation of that wisdom consciousness as a divine circle. The appearance factor of the consciousness manifests as a deity, mandala dwelling, and so forth, and the ascertainment factor of that same consciousness realises the absence of inherent existence of those.

In Highest Yoga Tantra, the uncommon, special practice involves the usage of subtler levels of consciousness. In the context of this topic, the Guhyasamaja Tantra speaks of the three bodies of the ordinary state which are caused to appear as the three bodies of the path state, in dependence upon which the Three Buddha Bodies of the effect state are actualised. About the three bodies of the ordinary state, our ordinary death — the mind of clear light that dawns at death — is the Truth Body of the ordinary state. Similarly, except for rebirth in a Formless Realm, there is an intermediate state between death and rebirth, which is called the Complete Enjoyment Body of the ordinary state. The point of conception in the new life is called the Emanation Body of the ordinary state. In the same way, within one day, deep sleep is posited as the Truth Body of the ordinary state; dreaming is posited as the Complete Enjoyment Body of the ordinary state, and waking is posited as the Emanation Body of the ordinary state. These factors in ordinary existence are used in the path such that the corresponding factors of Buddhahood are achieved. The practice is done within deity yoga, but in addition, subtler levels of mind are used, making progress over the path to Buddhahood quicker.

In deity yoga the practitioner is seeking to achieve, at best, the supreme feat of Buddhahood; at the middling level, any of the eight great feats; and at the lowest level, an activity of pacification, increase, subjugation, or ferocity — all for the sake of others’ welfare. Among the deities used in such meditation, there are both peaceful and wrathful forms. The reason for these many forms is this: In the scriptures of the Hearers, there is no explanation of using an afflictive emotion in the path; however, in the Bodhisattva scriptures of the Perfection Vehicle, there are explanations of using the afflictive emotions of desire in the path in the sense of using desire as an aid in accomplishing others’ welfare as in the case of a Bodhisattva king’s fathering many children to help the kingdom. However, in the Mantra Vehicle, even hatred is explained as being used in the path. This refers to the time of implementation, not to the motivation which is just compassion. With compassion as the causal motivation, at the time of the actual practice, the practitioner utilises hatred or wrath for a specific purpose. This technique is based on the fact that when we become angry, an energetic and powerful mind is generated. When trying to achieve a fierce activity, the energy and power make a difference. Thus, it is because of the usage of hatred in the path in this way that there come to be wrathful deities.

In the hands of many peaceful and wrathful deities there are skulls and so forth. For instance, Chakrasamvara holds a skull with blood in it; the skull signifies bliss, and the blood symbolises the mind realising the emptiness of inherent existence. The reason why the skull is associated with bliss is that the basis of the bliss of the melting of the basic constituent [that is to say, the basis of sexual bliss] is said to be at the crown of the head. In a similar way, a professor of medicine at the University of Virginia explained that the ultimate source of the generation of semen is in the head. Thus, the skull filled with blood symbolises emptiness and bliss.

In other contexts, a skull symbolises impermanence; a corpse symbolises selflessness. With a supramundane deity, five dry skulls symbolise the five exalted wisdoms and the five Buddha lineages. Such explanations are required for understanding a wrathful deity.

In the praises of wrathful deities, it is always mentioned that they do not stir from the Truth Body or from love. If a practitioner of tantra who did not have the prerequisite of the development of strong compassion attempted such wrathful practice, it would harm rather than help. As the great Tibetan adept from Hlodrak, Namkha Gyeltsen (lho brag nam mkha’ rgyal mtshan), said, if you practice tantra without having great love and compassion and understanding of emptiness, the repetition of fierce mantra can lead to rebirth as a bad spirit that seeks to harm beings. It is extremely important to have the prerequisites and all qualifications for the practice of tantra.

Similarly, the proper practice of the yoga of inner wind, or breath, is difficult and can be dangerous. Therefore, it is said that tantric practice must be done in secret, in hiding. It is easy to look at the pictures and statues in a museum but difficult to do the actual practice.

The entire existence of phenomena can be encompassed in this view. Living or not living, they are related either in the form of causality or mutually dependent on each other. So nothing can be harmed which is interdependent of everything. The nature of dependency gives everything an identity and it makes something an identity. Therefore it is very important to understand the interrelatedness of everything in existence. If you are able to see this reality then your behaviour and your approach to everything would be quite different to the way you usually approach things. The misconception of existing independently or inherently of anything is the cause of all kinds of contradiction and conflict. All contradiction and conflict is being caused by this illusion, thinking that the “I” exists independent of others and others exist independently without relating to anything else. This view leads to the rising of attachment to whatever is “I” and “mine” and a feeling of hatred towards what is “the other” and “others”.

By this delusion and this feeling of unrelatedness and the feeling of not being connected to oneself or oneself is not connected to others, the feelings of loving-kindness, intimacy, or respect towards the existence of the entirety of phenomenon are difficult to arise in our mind. This applies in a similar way to the intimacy of the mind/body relationship. Some diseases are caused due to seeing mind and body as independent and separate entities. If you are able to see the interrelatedness of mind and body, sensitivity towards your body becomes much sharper. Therefore maintaining good health also becomes easier.

-- 5th Samdhong Rinpoche, Lobsang Tenzin

面对人生的痛苦时，你更需要智慧！

如孝法师

如果我说人生是苦的，你可能不太相信，但是我说人生是自己做不了主的，这是无可否认的。设想一下，我们无法选择自己的父母；我们出生在哪个时代，受什么样的教育，我们也做不了主；长大以后机遇怎么样，运气怎么样也做不了主；我们的身体状况，它也是不听我们指挥的……这些种种种种的现实无可否认。

我们回过头看看自己的路，能做主的又有多少，更不要说自要己定下来的规划和快乐的目标，我们甚至连快乐本身的定义都不知道。你说我们拥有多一些钱就快乐了，所以你会朝着这个目标不断地努力，甚至付出生命的代价都在所不惜。但是当你真正拥有钱的时候，你会发现我们和快乐远离了，这时我们可能断了快乐的根都不知道。

如果我们心力太脆弱，不想面对自己真实人生的话，那么我们就可以不探讨。但是这种不能做主的生命真相，它依然会来临，不会因为你脆弱就饶过你。所以人生不是需要坚强，而是必须坚强。但只坚强就够吗？

智慧就是还没有经历事情你就觉悟了，如果等你经历完事情再觉悟，恐怕太晚了。更何况，我们对经历的事情都不愿意去总结呢，恐怕人生就在一层一层的黑暗当中度过。黑暗是事物的必然规律，佛法把它叫“无明”——对于万事万物的不了解，不正知，没有智慧。你的坚持只能伴随你一次一次地走向深渊，犹如飞蛾扑火一般没有任何意义，这是对人生的浪费。

我们的生命充满了一段一段不能够串习起来的苦，苦是我们人生的真相。不管是来源于心理方面的苦，还是来源于身体方面的苦，还是来源于环境方面的苦，总之，我们被动地接受一切，从来不能够主动去调整。基于对人世间这样真实的观察，证明了我们人生需要认真地去思考，要有一个选择。在现实的人生当中有种种思想，人类一直在探讨这个问题，那在这个问题上谁成功了呢？

从历史以及文化的各个方面看，唯有释迦牟尼佛真正做到了，他也证明了这一点，并且非常慈悲地以他的智慧来说法，给我们后人留下了经验，留下了一条路。所以佛陀的教法不会给我们带来困惑，因为它是真实的人生规律，不增不减，你绝对能够去运用。不管你用得多少，只会帮助你的生活提高，一点儿都不矛盾。所以我们首先要明白，学佛在现实生活当中对各种问题是解决，绝对不是增加麻烦，应该放心。

当然，在这个世界上，每个人只属于他自己，别人理解也罢不理解也罢，这是不可强求的事情。我们应该以这样的平常心面对自己的人生，做客观的选择。通过对比，能够知道佛陀说法的珍贵，并且生起信心。要坚定自己的信念，不是为别人学佛，是为自己学佛，自己走自己的路。

To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.

-- Bodhidharma

How to Meditate Every Day

by Diana Winston

Your unforgiving alarm rings for all it’s worth. It’s 7AM. You crash out of bed, slamming your toe on your bedside table. You fumble for your zafu in the dark. “It’s over here somewhere,” you mumble. Hearing you awaken from the dead, your cat runs screeching. You are about to plant your still-zombified self on the cushion when nature calls. Three minutes later your mother calls too, and you know you really shouldn’t answer it but she does have that crucial bit of information about the results of The Voice, and… that’s it, the day has started. You’re late for work, the shower’s running cold again, your toothbrush bristles are thoroughly chewed through, the cat is ripping apart your sofa, blackmailing you for food, and of course, as always, despite hundreds of clothes in your closet, you have nothing to wear. You leave the house agitated, jangled, caught in another shouting match with yourself: “You lazy… you didn’t meditate! Again. You’ll never change!”

Sound familiar? Sure it does. Despite all those resolutions — post-retreat, New Year’s, and otherwise — another day has gone by without sitting. You know it’s good for you, you know it’s probably the best thing you’ve ever done in your life and ever could do, but it’s really hard to do it.

Why is it so hard to sit regularly?

Forget this culture that’s devoted to busyness. Forget the fact that Americans report having 16.5 hours of leisure time weekly, once work and household obligations are taken care of, and the time is rapidly shrinking. Forget that many of us have to work two jobs with outrageous hours to make ends meet. We are up to our ears at work. Forget the fact that we’re taught as a culture that busyness is a virtue and God forbid, we should ever take a second for ourselves.

Oh, and while we’re at it, forget that we are bombarded daily with infotainment from television, radio, billboards, internet ads, email, IMs, … etc. OK, have you forgotten all of that? Because even putting it all aside, there are still several other reasons it’s hard to meditate every day:

1. It’s hard because meditation is the opposite of how we’ve been culturally conditioned.

2. It’s hard because it’s not necessarily yet a habit. Habits come easily, we just do them. New habits take work.

3. It’s hard because sometimes meditation can feel excruciatingly boring. Our lives are far more entertaining than knowing if a breath is long or short.

4. It’s hard because there are seemingly far more interesting and necessary things to do. We could watch TV, work out, write poetry, scrub the grout from our showers…

5. It’s hard because our brains are wired to be stimulated and it takes a tremendous effort to overcome our addiction to stimulation.

6. It’s hard because sometimes, we are going through intense emotions that we don’t want to feel, and nothing short of restraints are going to make us sit there and feel that grief. No, nothing! Sometimes the thought of meditating makes us gag. Especially when we’re having a difficult time in life. Yet paradoxically, that’s the best time to meditate. It’s when we need it the most.

If you don’t meditate regularly, you have good excuses. You’re like most people. It makes you wonder if you should even bother. But you should bother, you definitely should bother, and here’s why:

Why Sit?

1. In light of the busyness and other cultural factors I’ve mentioned, meditation is the ideal antidote. We should all be meditating in order to give ourselves a break from the incessant speed of our culture. In fact, it’s a revolutionary act to sit.

2. It’s good for you. Study after study demonstrates scientifically (and if science says so it must be true) that meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, boosts the immune system, and creates a general sense of well-being.

3. Meditation can be quite interesting. We can gain insight into our minds, hearts, and bodies, the way habits and patterns work, what motivates us, and what we care about.

4. It can teach us new skills, like my two personal favourites: equanimity and compassion. As we meditate, sitting through all aspects of experience, the good, bad, and ugly, and we sit there with great calm, letting things come and go, we develop a balanced and non-reactive mind. This skill transfers out into our lives. We also develop a quality of loving acceptance and compassion, as we notice again and again how poignant this human we call ourselves is.

5. The latest rage in neuroscience these days is neuroplasticity. It has been assumed that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that turns out to be nonsense (although you’ve never met my mother’s dog). The brain, in any age human, can create new neural patterns. Brain development isn’t just for kids anymore. The findings are striking — if we practice something, it will rewire our brains, creating a new neural pathway. Forget the old refrain that we’ll never change. We can change, absolutely! Therefore, we’ve got to meditate, preferably on a daily basis in order to cultivate the wholesome states of mind that come through meditation — calm, concentration, wisdom, equanimity, and joy — that eventually become who we are.

6. What we practice will grow. If we want to cultivate a busy, anxious mind, practice busy-anxiousness. If we want to cultivate a calm, centred mind, we need to practice it, simple as that. Sure, we can try to practice these virtues throughout the day, but our daily sitting practice is a greenhouse of sorts. It’s our daily intensive to focus on, mould, and remind our mind of states that will benefit it.

As an aside: Everything takes practice. And through practice, something can be mastered. Studies show a harmonica takes 50 hours to achieve decent ability. Piano takes 450 hours of practice. The violin takes 1200 hours. Math (K-12th grade) takes only 2300 hours, compared to competitive swimming, which takes 6000-8000 hours. Kung fu takes a mere 600 hours. Now before you pull out your rusty old harmonica, let’s imagine how many hours mindfulness takes to achieve some success… 500, 1000, 2000? More?

Who do you want to be? A busy, anxious, obsessed, neurotic, resentful, unhappy cog? Or a relaxed, peaceful, loving, compassionate, wise, happy human?

You can choose.

Have I convinced you yet?

Ok, OK, you’re saying. She’s right. I really should be sitting more regularly. But it still isn’t easy. Help. Help.

Ten Suggestions for Having a Regular Daily Practice Even if You Would Rather Be Thrown into a Shark-Infested Ocean:

1. Be gentle on yourself. If you think you’re a failure and berate yourself for missing a day or a week, meditation then becomes another excuse for self-hatred. Look, meditation training is like swimming upstream, doable, but takes some effort. Be forgiving, yet keep at it.

2. Allow it to become a habit. Try to do it at the same time in the same place every day. The way to cultivate a habit is to actually do it. The more consistent you can be, the easier it is for the new grooves to be worn into your brain.

3. Review your day and pick a time to do it that makes sense. If you are not a morning person, in fact, can’t even look at yourself in the mirror until after you’ve had your coffee, wait till later in the day. If you come home exhausted every night, try the mornings.

4. Be willing to be flexible. If you miss your morning session, be creative. Take a mindful, silent walk at work; sit before you fall asleep. Don’t throw in the towel just because your daily routine got upended.

5. Prioritise. You need to somehow insert into your brain that meditation is just as important as brushing your teeth, showering, eating, Friends reruns, whatever it is. I think it’s amazing how much time we find to answer email but how strikingly little time there is to sit daily. Hmmmm.

6. Set your intention. Ask yourself as you sit down, why am I meditating today? See what emerges. Then ask yourself, what are my deepest reasons for practice? Return to these motivations when the going gets tough. A liberated mind takes work and reminders.

7. Pick a doable amount of time. Don’t strive for an hour unless it seems easy to you. Twenty minutes to a half-hour can work fine. Up it, if that seems easy and fits in with your schedule. Even five minutes will activate those neural pathways, keep it going. And get a new groove forming.

8. If all else fails, get your sweet self on your cushion and take three breaths.

9. Sometimes sitting truly feels impossible. Then use your designated time for some kind of spiritually supportive practice: read a dharma book, listen to a tape, write in your journal.

10. When you screw up, be gentle with yourself. I already said this, but I’ll say it again, it’s key for developing a regular practice.

To "remain in the natural state" refers to the fact that generally, like now, you experience the arising of the mind, which is the constant flow of concepts or conceptual proliferation, that arise and subside, arise and subside. Through objective appearances and subjective awareness, you experience the conceptual proliferations.

So when you sit in equipoise and attempt to remain in the natural state, you are looking in, turning in, you are no longer focussing externally. You turn inside and then simply relax.

"Simply relax" means that you don't think of a single thing. You don't generate faith or fervent regard, or give rise to virtuous thoughts, or have some devotional thought for the guru, nor do you stop thoughts, or change or obstruct them. You don't do anything other than just simply relax.

In that state of simple relaxation, the arising of thoughts or concepts is naturally arrested, severed, as if cut off with a knife. In the moment of that experience, there is no experience of thinking about the past, anticipating the future, or being distracted in the present. One simply remains in the natural state.

-- Yangthang Rinpoche

深信因果，求生淨土

定弘法師

因果對現在社會來講非常的重要，淨土宗第十三祖印光大師就十分重視因果的教育，他說，現在要挽救世道人心，離開因果教育，連佛菩薩、聖賢都沒有辦法。所以佛法在世間必須要擔負起教化眾生、覺悟眾生的使命，用什麼教育最好?就是用因果。所以恩師慈悲，特別給我安了這個題目，叫做《因果?!》。

確實，我們細細思惟，整個佛法教育的內涵，就是“因果”兩字。佛法是心性之學，它目標是幫助我們明心見性，見性就成佛。生佛平等，眾生本來皆具有圓滿的佛性，所以每個眾生都能夠作佛。明心見性這不光是禅宗追求的目標，所有的法門目標都在這裡。念阿彌陀佛求生極樂世界，目標也是為了明心見性，只不過分兩步走，第一步先往生極樂世界，見阿彌陀佛;見到阿彌陀佛了，你肯定能夠明心見性，古人講的「但得見彌陀，何愁不開悟?」明心見性者，怎麼樣才能夠達到這樣的目標?夢東禅師，這是淨土宗第十二祖，又名徹悟禅師，他說「善談心性者，必不棄離於因果;深信因果者，終必大明乎心性」。一個明心見性的大德，當然善談心性，你仔細聽聽他講的，肯定離不開因果。人能夠深信因果，最後一定能夠達到大明心性;換一句話說，我們現在希望這一生念佛往生淨土，也不能離開因果。所以因果可以說是貫穿世尊四十九年所說的一切法。

佛成佛之後，首先在鹿野苑講法，對五比丘說聲聞法。聲聞法是四谛，四聖谛「苦集滅道」，這個就是因果，苦集是世間因果，滅道是出世間因果，佛所說的不外乎就是這兩種因果。按照天台家分判，世尊說法分為五時，第一時是華嚴時，《華嚴》講五周因果;阿含時，剛才講的聲聞法講四谛，也是因果;然後方等、般若，最後法華、涅盤。一直到《法華》，這是佛講到最後，講到一乘了義，古人稱「成佛的法華，開慧的楞嚴」，《法華經》是教你怎麼成佛的，《法華》講的是一乘因果。所以佛自始至終都沒有離開因果教育。

我們問什麼叫因果?因果就是自性性德的規律，它是自然的，它不是人為創造，就好像在空谷裡叫一聲，大叫一聲，這個聲音傳出去了，它就有回聲。回聲它是自然，它不是說山谷裡還有另外一個人，你叫一聲，他又叫一聲，不是，自然而然，這就是性德的作用。能夠隨順自性的性德，你就一定能夠斷惡修善，斷惡修善就有善的果報;如果違逆性德，造惡業，果報就是不好的，惡有惡報。所以當我們能夠深信因果，必定能隨順性德，隨順性德時間久了，自然了，就能明心見性。所以我們從今天開始，這五堂課講因果，也是用佛所說的四谛法。

四谛法，不光是聲聞法當中才有四谛，四谛法是通大小乘，小乘講四谛，大乘，乃至一乘圓教，都是講四谛法。我們首先解釋一下四谛，四谛包括苦、集、滅、道。苦谛，谛就是真谛，用我們現在話來講就是真理。聖人、佛菩薩見到了真理，見到了真相，他把這些真相告訴我們。我們聽到聖賢、佛菩薩的教誨，依教奉行，就能夠覺悟，就能夠斷煩惱、開智慧，乃至出三界、成佛道。第一個真理叫苦谛，苦，受苦的苦，這是講三界六道裡面的苦報，六道裡面只有苦，沒有樂，《法華經》裡講三界通苦，三界猶如火宅。這是因為眾生迷惑顛倒，造業要受苦報，所以苦是迷的結果。第二是集谛，集就是集合的集，這個集就是集起。我們迷惑了之後就會造業，造什麼業?貪瞋癡慢等等這些煩惱，還有殺盜淫妄這些惡業，這些業聚集起來就形成了苦報，這是講三惡道的苦報。如果我們行善，行善如果心不清淨，還離不開貪瞋癡的煩惱，那你所造的還是六道裡面的業，叫善業，善業在六道裡面得善報，但是沒有出離六道輪回，還是苦。集起三界裡面的苦報，這種造業就叫集谛，所以苦是果，集是因。佛先講果報，苦這個果報，再給你講因，這能夠提起你的注意。我們凡夫往往都是先看到果報，知道這果報苦，然後就想到要如何避免。

如果我們想真正離苦得樂，必須要離開三界六道的輪回，這就是出世間的因果——滅、道兩谛，就是兩種真理。滅谛就是涅盤，涅盤也稱為寂滅、滅度等等，這個是覺悟之後的果報。滅什麼?滅除煩惱、滅除生死。不是說一聽到涅盤，就認為死了就叫涅盤，這搞錯了。涅盤是一種境界，這是什麼境界?沒有煩惱的境界，沒有生死的境界。所以人還不用死，活著，他已經斷除煩惱，他已經離開生死輪回了，這個人也叫涅盤，叫有余涅盤。當他離開這個世間了，真的身體這報身也緣盡了，一般世間人說死了，實際上他沒有生死，他離開人間了，這種涅盤叫無余涅盤。余是余下來，身體都不留下來了，那叫無余涅盤。所以釋迦牟尼佛三十歲就證得涅盤，也就是他成佛了，在世間講經說法四十九年，最後七十九歲入滅，他入滅，就是入無余涅盤。所以這是概念常識我們要搞清楚，涅盤不是說死了。

滅谛就是悟道的果報，覺悟了就能滅煩惱，因就是道，道谛，道就是能通於涅盤的道路。這個道路也是方法，分為正道、助道。每一個法門，就是佛講的八萬四千法門，都能幫助你證得涅盤，換句話說，這些都是正道。每一個法門都有正助***，譬如說大家可能很熟悉念佛法門，念佛求生西方極樂世界這是正道，它能幫助你往生極樂世界，往生極樂世界那就是入涅盤，那就真正成佛。助道是什麼?就是輔助你念佛求生淨土，我們要斷惡修善、要積功累德，這個是輔助，這叫助道，所以淨土法門也是正助***。這是屬於道谛，每一個法門都是道，都幫助你證得圓滿的涅盤境界。涅盤的意思就是永遠脫離煩惱，得大自在的境界，就是成佛的境界。

我們每一個人，首先我們要有自信心，每個人都能成佛。為什麼?《圓覺經》上說明了，眾生本來是佛。本來是佛，當然能夠成佛。現在為什麼不是佛，我自己照照鏡子，看我怎麼看都不像佛，原因何在?《華嚴經》裡告訴我們，這是因為我們有妄想分別執著，所以不能證得我們本來是佛，這個證就是證明。佛告訴我們，本來我們都是佛，現在我們沒證明，沒得到佛的受用，只有苦報，沒有那種佛的大自在、大智慧、大神通，就是沒有證明。沒有證明的原因就在於我們自己有妄想分別執著，佛講了，只要我們把妄想分別執著放下，你就證明，當下你就知道，原來自己確實本來是佛，一點沒有缺少。

所以，我們這一次的講座就圍繞四谛法，詳講因果，把因果弄明白了，我們就能夠離苦得樂，就能破迷開悟，甚至轉凡成聖。聖就是佛，佛是大聖人，我們要立志作佛。在末法時期，最方便、最容易的法門就是念阿彌陀佛求生極樂世界。所以我們都要立志(發願)念阿彌陀佛往生西方極樂世界，去作佛，去到那裡，阿彌陀佛教化你，你一定能成佛。立了志以後，我們就要認真來學，學懂了，認真的修，依教奉行，你就能夠成功。所以如果大家真聽明白了，你這一生就能作佛。

講四谛的因果，我也不要自己講，我用經典來講。講經說法一定要依靠經典，不能自己亂說，離開佛經一句，那都是魔說，所以我們一定要依靠佛經。我自己現在是專修專弘《大乘無量壽經》，所以我講四谛，我用《無量壽經》的兩品經文來講。這個世間因果就是苦、集二谛，我選用《無量壽經·濁世惡苦第三十五》。這品經文把世間的苦、集二谛講得非常具體、非常透徹，我覺得比任何的注解都圓滿。出世間因果，我自己是修學淨土法門的，我也將這個出世間的因果就定位在淨土裡頭，就是我們能夠往生極樂世界，往生不退成佛，這就是出世間的因果。我選用《無量壽經》第二十四品，「三輩往生」這品，這一品就是專門教我們怎麼往生的，你懂得怎麼往生這個因果，你就保證能夠出三界、成佛道。

《無量壽經》後半部是彌勒菩薩當機，釋迦牟尼佛把淨土法門付囑給彌勒菩薩，勸他在往後擔負起弘揚流通淨土法門的任務。我們就想到，彌勒菩薩當來三會龍華，他從兜率天下生成佛，成佛之後，他福報很大，不像釋迦牟尼佛要講四十九年法，講經三百余會這麼多，彌勒菩薩只講三會，就講三場經，就把該度的眾生全都度盡了，叫龍華三會，所以他不用那麼辛苦。他只講三場經，到底講什麼法門?從這個經典我們就能看得出來，釋迦牟尼佛已經把淨土法門囑咐給他了，讓他負責將來的弘揚，所以他將來下生龍華三會當中，我們肯定他一定會講《無量壽經》，一定講淨土法門，一定是勸導眾生求生西方極樂世界。

這個淨土法門不光是釋迦牟尼佛極力弘揚，你看《阿彌陀經》裡也講，《無量壽經》裡也講，十方諸佛都極力稱揚贊歎這個法門，所以這部經就是十方諸佛所稱贊、所護念的經典。因為這個法門能幫助上中下三根，就是一切根性的眾生，都能夠當生成就。其他的法門未必可以有保證，這個法門有保證，因為它是靠阿彌陀佛願力加持，接引我們往生淨土。這是二力法門，不光靠自力，還要靠佛力，而且主要是靠佛力，靠自己是很難很難，靠佛力那就很容易了。這個法門稱為易行道，容易修行、容易成功，所以我才選定這個法門。我跟我的恩師學法二十年，很幸運，終於把經教給聽懂了，既然世尊勸告我們要好好修這個法門，那我就老實聽話，一心念阿彌陀佛，專依《無量壽經》，一門深入，長時薰修，我這一生就一定能成就。

念佛功德第一大!

【婆羅門女救度母親的方法比目犍連***更殊勝!——目犍連***做大法會，不容易做，要仰靠眾僧之力，而且他母親是從餓鬼道生天，婆羅門女母親的罪業比目犍連母親罪業重，墮地獄，她能幫她生天。婆羅門女用多少時間?一天一夜就行了。那婆羅門女當時沒證得阿羅漢果，論修證功夫遠不如大目犍連(神通第一)，她為什麼救度她母親的功德比目犍連還要殊勝?原因在哪裡?婆羅門女念佛，念佛功德第一大!】

我們每個寺廟一般在農歷七月十五都會做盂蘭盆會的法會，在中國大陸都很流行。盂蘭盆會這個故事不知道大家曉不曉得?這是佛當年神通第一的弟子大目犍連***救他母親的故事，所以盂蘭盆會也是佛門一個孝親的活動。法會就是一種活動，什麼活動?教育活動，因為佛教是教育。如果只是搞儀式上的法會，沒有把這個活動的教育內涵講清楚，那就變成宗教儀式，教化眾生的效果就不大，所以這個活動的內涵、意義要首先講清楚。《佛說盂蘭盆經》我過去講過一遍，用蕅益大師的注解來講，它也是佛門的孝經，講目連救母。

目犍連剛剛證得阿羅漢，六種神通現前了，天眼通、天耳通、他心通、宿命通、神足通，還有漏盡通，六種神通具足。他第一個想到，他母親現在在哪裡?自己有神通，要幫助他母親，這孝子於是就用天眼觀察，發現他母親正在餓鬼道受饑餓的痛苦。餓鬼肚子很大，咽喉很細，吃不下東西。拿東西給他吃，他拿到口，還沒有放進嘴裡，那口中的火焰噴出來，已經把食品燒成火炭。甚至終年都聽不到米漿的名詞，非常痛苦。所以目犍連***看到他母親受這種苦很悲傷，立刻就用神通將一缽飯送到他母親的面前，供養他母親。結果他母親一看到飯，你想想，餓鬼比饑餓的人要痛苦多了，饑餓的人看到面包都迫不及待，那餓鬼看到那缽飯就猛然撲上去，還不讓別的餓鬼搶，這是悭貪成性招感餓鬼道。所以她看到飯，第一個不是想別人有沒有得吃，她先想自己要吃，還不讓別人吃，拿手護著，然後去吃那缽飯。結果剛送到嘴邊，那飯已經變成火炭，吃不了。目犍連***看到這個情形，非常的驚訝、非常的痛苦，自己想救母親，卻沒有能力，雖然已經證得阿羅漢，已經是佛弟子當中神通第一的大阿羅漢，但是竟然他母親都救不了。於是他就跑去跟佛講，求佛來幫助他，怎麼能夠把他母親救出來?

於是佛跟他講，你母親造的惡業重，餓鬼是悭貪的業，不是你用神通力可以改變她的業力，不僅你改變不了，即使這些天神，他們力量再強都改變不了。唯有靠十方眾僧之力，就是要仰靠三寶加持才能救你母親。所以佛就教他個方法，到七月十五供僧。每年，佛的制度是四月十五到七月十五是結夏安居，這些出家弟子們回到佛的身邊受再教育，平常他們都各自在四方去弘法利生，這時候回到老師身邊繼續受再教育。剛好這時候也是雨季，下著雨，弘法也不方便。下著雨還能聽法的，這都很難得、很難能可貴，你看今天下著雨，大家還是坐無虛席，所以你們都很了不起。佛叫弟子們干脆雨季別出去說法了，回來好好用功修學提升自己，你才能把法弘好，所以這三個月當中大家勇猛精進，境界大幅提升。

到七月十五做為僧自恣日，就是出家人互相做批評和自我批評，互相來幫助改過遷善，這一天你來供僧，功德特別大。而供僧人，尤其是真正修行的人，而且是聖賢僧，你供養十方聖賢僧，這個功德回向給你母親，能夠讓你母親從惡道超拔出來;不僅你母親可以超度，而且能夠度七世父母往生到天上。於是目犍連***依教奉行，在七月十五那天用供飯菜的那個盆供僧，叫盂蘭盆會，結果真的令他母親到忉利天上去了，而且七世父母得以超生。這是《佛說盂蘭盆經》講的公案，所以以後寺院每年的七月十五都搞盂蘭盆會。當時目犍蓮***能夠建立這樣的大法會，能夠超度他母親，那是什麼原因?當時真正有聖賢僧，出家人真修行，所以功德特別大。如果寺院裡面出家的人沒有真正修行，這個功德就不會很大，所以這個供養要真正懂得。

現在問題是佛法衰微，衰在哪?真正修行的人少，不要說有修行，有道心的人都少，就是立志這一生了生脫死的人都不多。佛門的人信佛的人很多，真想了生死的不多，你要供養這些真正修行的人，那功德才是大。所以現在我們講盂蘭盆會供僧怎麼供法?最重要的，培養真正修行的人，培養弘法利生的人才，「人能弘道，非道弘人」，佛門的興旺要靠人。我們能夠認真努力的造就佛門的人才，這就是供僧，這個比你供養他一缽飯功德大多了。所以現代盂蘭盆會意義我們要講清楚，什麼是真供養?《普賢菩薩行願品》裡講“法供養為最”，七種法供養，第一個就是“如教修行供養”。真正如教修行就是法供養，你與其在外面找，不如你自己好好修，把自己先造就成一個真修行人，你只要依教奉行，你自己成就了，你的功德就能夠讓你的父母超生。

《地藏經》裡頭就給我們講這個例子，地藏王菩薩過去是一個婆羅門女的時候，婆羅門女是在家人，女性，虔誠的佛弟子。她母親不信三寶，造作很多殺業、毀謗等等這些惡業，墮到了地獄。婆羅門女很想知道她母親的去處，知道她母親造的不善，肯定會墮惡道，很想救她、幫助她，這是孝女。所以怎麼做?經上講，「遂賣家宅，廣求香華」，供佛塔寺。她來護持佛陀教育，把自己的所有的財物全部拿出來，房產都賣了，來護持佛法。寺院自古以來都是從事佛陀教育的機構，它的職能是教化眾生，講經說法，就像我們現在這樣的。古時候寺院常常辦弘法的講座，這個道場是如法的道場，所以能夠護持這樣的道場，功德很大。婆羅門女因為她至誠心的供養，感得佛示現，當時的佛是覺華定自在王如來，那時候已經是像法時期了，佛已經滅度很久了。但是佛是不生不滅的，你有感，他就有應。你看婆羅門女至誠心感，佛就應，在空中有聲音報給她，我就是你所瞻禮的覺華定自在王如來，見到你憶念母親比一般人更加的殷切，所以你的孝心感動了我，我來告訴你，你現在想知道你媽媽在哪裡，趕緊回家，干什麼?念佛名號，「端坐思惟吾之名號」，就是念佛。所以婆羅門女趕快回家，為了知道她母親的去處，念佛，就念當時的佛。我們現在念阿彌陀佛是一樣的。

念佛念到一心不亂，她念多久?一天一夜，就有能力到地獄裡面救度眾生，作菩薩了。所以地獄的無毒鬼王見到婆羅門女，就稱「菩薩，何緣來此?」她是真菩薩，她自己都不知道自己作菩薩了，人家都知道。因為什麼?到地獄裡面只有兩種人，不是菩薩來，就是造惡業的眾生來受苦，婆羅門女不是惡報來的，她是度眾生來的。無毒鬼王告訴她，你母親三天前就已經往生天上了，不僅你母親生天了，跟她在一起的這些地獄眾生全部都生天了!你看!婆羅門女救度母親的方法比目犍連***更殊勝!——目犍連***做大法會，不容易做，要仰靠眾僧之力，而且他母親是從餓鬼道生天，婆羅門女母親的罪業比目犍連母親罪業重，墮地獄，她能幫她生天。婆羅門女用多少時間?一天一夜就行了。那婆羅門女當時沒證得阿羅漢果，論修證功夫遠不如大目犍連(神通第一)，她為什麼救度她母親的功德比目犍連還要殊勝?原因在哪裡?婆羅門女念佛，念佛功德第一大!所以真正想要救度自己父母，最好的方法就學婆羅門女。她做到兩條：一條，大布施、大供養，就是身心世界一切放下;第二，念阿彌陀佛，一心的去念，一心求往生。那你不僅能超度現世父母，生生世世的父母你都能超度，都能幫助他們往生淨土。

《普曜經》雲：“若有一心叉十指，等心自歸一如來，口自發言南無佛，是功德福為最上。”

萬般帶不去，唯有業隨身

經文講『愛保貪重』，愛是情愛、欲愛，保就是想保持住，自己愛的東西想保持住，貪心又很重，於是就『心勞身苦』。你看經文把我們這些情況講得多麼的透徹，人為什麼會憂慮、會煩惱，會那麼多痛苦、辛苦?就是愛保貪重，你要是能放下，就沒有什麼憂慮，也不會辛苦了。所以財要多布施，財稱為通貨，通就是流通的，不能把它堵在那，堵死在那不動就有問題了。所以古代的銅板中間都有個孔，讓你知道這要通才行;如果堵住不通，停在那裡了，這就出問題。所以我們有財，多用來幫助社會、幫助眾生、護持正法，這都是聰明的人，有智慧的人，用自己的福報更來造福、更來利益眾生。

『如是至竟，無一隨者』，至竟，竟就是終了、到頭了，到頭的時候沒有一樣能跟著你走。正如古德講的，「萬般將不去，唯有業隨身」，跟著你的只有業。你看人臨死的時候，即使家財萬貫，他能帶走什麼?一分錢都帶不走，連自己的身體都帶不走，能帶走的就是自己造作的業，如果一生造善業多，投生善道，造惡業多，投生惡道。什麼叫善、什麼叫惡?為別人的就是善，為自己的就是惡。你用這個標准來看，現在人有幾個是行善的?有幾個能做到大公無私?造的都是惡業，那來生就知道去處了，你看多可憐。

我記得有個同修跟我講了一件事情，就是講在某個地方猴子很多，那個地方的人就常常去抓猴子來吃猴腦，這很殘忍。怎麼抓猴子?當地的人很有經驗，他知道猴子很喜歡吃堅果，榛子這些東西，還有香蕉什麼的。他就拿那個椰子殼，椰子殼是很硬的，把它上面的蓋切掉，露一個孔，猴子的手剛好能伸進去。伸進去之後，那必須是伸開手才能出來，如果抓著拳頭是出不來的。他們就設計了這個椰子殼，裡頭放著猴子喜歡吃的東西，就放在地上，一個一個。結果猴子看到這椰子殼裡有它喜歡吃的東西，全都下來了，把手伸進椰子殼裡頭，把那個東西抓住，有香蕉，還有花生，這些堅果，抓住之後手就出不來了。因為它必須要放開手才能出得來，可是猴子不懂得放開手，死抓著不放。結果那個椰子殼就套在它手上，它怎麼弄都弄不出來，當然它也就不能上樹了，它上樹得拿手，它只能在地上到處亂串。後來獵人來了，就輕而易舉的把這猴子抓住，然後拿刀把它手一砍，就拿過去吃猴腦。我們看到這猴子也是很愚癡，抓住東西都不懂得放手。其實想想，人不也都是這樣嗎?所謂「人為財死，鳥為食亡」，你想想凡人，為了他的財產，為了他的名利，一生的追求，到最後造了無窮的業，可能導致現世就家破人亡，來世三途受報。所以咱們也不要笑那個猴子愚癡，關鍵想想自己，引以為戒，這些財產、這些身外之物要放下，你不放下、不撒手，你就出不來，你想出三界、想往生淨土，那得撒手放下，不要作繭自縛，自己纏縛自己了。

善惡之報，如影隨形

『善惡禍福，追命所生』，一個人行善、造惡，自然感得有福或者有禍，所謂禍福無門，惟人自召，禍福是自己招來的;善惡之報，如影隨形，善惡感得的是福和禍，都是自作自受。福和禍是果報，善和惡是業因，這些業追逐著你，跟著你到投生的地方，所以追命所生，你帶的是業力。『或在樂處，或入苦毒』，如果善業多，你就到快樂的地方投生，像人天這是快樂的地方;或在苦毒，這是三惡道。而我們如果細細思惟，人天也不快樂，人間所謂的樂實際上也是苦。我們凡人所追求的五欲之樂，財色名食睡五欲誰不想?誰都要，可是你想，這五欲好像給你帶來快樂了，實際上它給你帶來無窮的苦。財，財富，你一味追求，到最後只有痛苦，愈追求貪心愈重，欲海難填，追求一輩子還覺得不夠。 所以怎麼才能快樂?知足就快樂，知足常樂。知足者富，誰最富有?知足的人富有。

現在我們國家也都特別倡導廉政建設，對於貪污受賄不正之風的官員嚴懲不貸。用法律的手段有它的好處，但是問題在於作這些惡業的人，他的心未必能夠轉回來，所以用強制的手段只能讓他更加隱秘，他不敢妄為，但是他那個偷盜的心，假公肥私、損人利己的心未必消除。要怎麼才能徹底讓他的心正過來?那就要靠因果教育。過去我看到一段新聞報導，國家組織部長李源潮在上海浦東干部學院講話當中提到，領導干部、黨員必須要培養敬畏心。我覺得這個提法太好了，人如果沒有敬畏，他就膽大妄為。《論語》中孔子也講，“君子有三畏”，三種敬畏心，敬畏天命、敬畏大人之言、敬畏鬼神和因果。人能有敬畏心，自然不敢去造惡，這個自我約束比法律手段更有效果，它從教育上已經幫人防非止惡，不用等到你犯罪才去制裁。可是怎麼培養敬畏心?最有效的就是因果教育，知道善有善報，惡有惡報，知道有天地鬼神時時監察。我們犯罪不要以為神不知、鬼不覺，其實神目如電，我們在暗室屋漏中干一點虧心事，早就被神明記錄下來(生死簿)，到最後閻羅王一並算帳。生的時候可能就遭到報應，譬如說被法律制裁锒铛入獄，官員被雙規，財產被沒收，這是現世之報;來世必定是三途，三途的苦報就久遠了。

『消散復取』，用這種損人利己的方法得到的東西當然就很容易失去，所以很快的消散，用完了，花光了，然後再用這種方式來索取、來盜取，無止境的來貪取，最後把自己的福報都享盡了，享盡，壽命就跟著終了，所謂祿盡人亡。偷盜結罪大小是看你損害的影響面有多大、程度有多深，如果是偷盜一個人的，那你跟這個人結罪，將來你得還這個人，這個罪業相對還不算大，只是這兩個人之間的討債還債的關系;如果我們偷盜的是一個國家的財物，這是公有財物，這個財物是屬於廣大人民的，我們偷盜、占用那是對一國人民結罪，欠的是整個國家人民的債，那個債就重了，那你什麼時候還得起?將來得做牛做馬來還。所以真正廉潔奉公之人，公家的一針一線都不敢擅用。以前，我們師父過去的老校長周邦道先生，他也做過官員，做官員的時候真正廉潔。公家給他家安了公用電話，這打電話，公事就用這個電話打，私事不打這個電話，到街上的公用電話去打，不打公家的電話，連家裡人都不可以用，接聽可以，接聽不用錢，打出去不行;公家給他配的車，上班、公事，他坐這個車，如果是辦私事，不坐這個車，自己去擠公共汽車。這個官員太難得、太少見了，真正是廉潔奉公，他知道因果，擅用國家財物那就是欠國家人民的債。

還有一個比這個罪更重的，盜三寶物、盜常住物。常住是十方道場，這個道場是十方道場，就是所有的出家人都可以用、都可以住，如果我們擅用這個常住的東西，沒有經過常住同意，而且是以一種偷心、占便宜的心盜取的，盜取就是不與取，人家沒同意，常住沒同意，你就拿了，你就用了，這個果報就重。為什麼?因為常住物是屬於十方，十方僧眾那個范圍就太廣大了，絕對不是地球，也不是這十億個銀河系的娑婆世界而已，而是遍法界虛空界所有的聖賢僧，那是無量無邊，那我們對他們欠了債能還得起嗎?

《沙彌律儀要略》，蓮池大師編著的，講了一個故事，迦葉佛的時候，這是釋迦牟尼佛之前的一位佛，時間是很久遠之前了。那時候有個小沙彌出家了，還沒受大戒，他對他的師父感情很好。這種感情實際上也是不正確，為什麼?情執，他是依人沒有依法，佛說依法不依人。他就覺得這是我的師父，這個出家人是我師父，那個出家人不是我師父。他的工作是守果園，給常住的道場守果園。有一次，他看到果子成熟了，他就偷偷摸摸的摘了七顆果子來供養他的師父。我們看這人不錯，很有孝心，老想著他師父。但是他沒有經常住同意，自己屬於偷盜，雖然不是為自己，為他師父也不行。結果他那一生之後墮地獄，在地獄裡面吞熱鐵丸，那果子變成熱鐵丸了，燒得通紅的大鐵丸讓他吞進去，腸胃什麼都焦爛，鐵丸從身體裡出入，非常痛苦。你看偷常住物七顆果子，還不是為自己，是為他師父，這罪業都在阿鼻地獄，如果偷盜比這更多的那還了得!所以華聚菩薩說過，五逆十惡罪我都能救他，但是偷常住物，我就救不了他，這說明偷常住物比五逆十惡罪還要重，那決定是地獄。所以真正在如法的道場修行，那個盜心首先要放下。什麼叫盜心?占便宜的心，我們還有占人便宜、占道場便宜這個心，這就麻煩了，造罪業。還不如別來道場，那罪業還小一點，你占別的地方的便宜還不至於那麼嚴重。

神明克識，終入惡道

經文講『神明克識，終入惡道』，就是剛才講到的這一期生命完了，他所造的罪業，神明都把它記錄在案。每個人都有一個生死簿、善惡簿，就是個人檔案。神明，有專門負責記錄人善惡檔案的這些神明。《華嚴經》上也講到，人與生俱來的就有兩個神，一個叫同生，一個叫同名，分別站在人兩個肩上，人看不到他，他看到人，所以我們所造的一舉一動、一言一行，乃至起心動念，都瞞不過他。一個神記錄善，一個神記錄惡，跑不掉，到最後死的時候，閻羅王把這善惡冊子攤開來一看，你這罪就判定了。神明克識，識就是記錄，把它記下來，克就是能的意思，神明真能記下來。

中國老祖宗也都常說「頭上三尺有神明」，這絕對不是假的。道家講得很多，你看《太上感應篇》就告訴我們，人身上有三屍神，專門把人的善惡向天曹、上帝禀告，向玉皇大帝禀告;還有一個家裡頭有灶神，灶神是記錄這一家的善惡，也是定期，就是農歷每個月月末向天上上帝去禀告。這種神靈是很多的，他們就是干這一行的，專職干這行，所以我們真的都要老老實實做人。這個神明也可以解釋為我們的第八識，第八識是阿賴耶識，它的功能就是專門記錄我們的善惡，變成種子，這個種子儲存八識田中，就是記錄在案了，將來遇到緣，種子起現行，就形成果報。有古德把這兩種說法合匯在一起，外頭有神明記錄人的善惡，我們也有八識田中種子落印象，有善有惡都落下種子。更何況用唯識的觀點來講，外頭的神明也是自己唯識所變，心外無法，外面的神明都是自己內心變現的，所以內外是一不是二，這種說法就更圓融了。

所以人如果造惡，惡業滿盈了，終入惡道，終就是命終，就到三惡道去了。『自有三途』，「自」用得很好，自然，不是人為驅使，上帝沒有能力把你打到三途去，閻羅王也不敢錯判案子，你自己的惡業招感，自入三途。三途就是地獄、餓鬼、畜生三惡道。『無量苦惱』，無量的痛苦、煩惱，『輾轉』在惡道之中，累劫難出，這個時間是用劫來計算。一劫的時間有多長?我就計算過，大概是十二點七億年這叫一劫，這個累劫就是講無量劫。在惡道裡頭輪回想要出來可不容易，地獄道受滿了到餓鬼道，餓鬼道再畜生道，畜生道受滿了，那都不知多少劫才能出離。釋迦牟尼佛當年曾經在只園精捨，有一次大家在習勞、干活，佛看到園中有一窩螞蟻，就禁不住笑起來。弟子們看著，佛為什麼沖著螞蟻笑?問佛。佛就說，你看這些螞蟻，七尊佛出世了，它們還一直做螞蟻。不是說螞蟻的壽命有那麼長，螞蟻壽命很短暫的，但是它死了以後，因為執著這個螞蟻身，它又輪回做螞蟻。七尊佛出世了，那時間太長了。你看我們釋迦牟尼佛到彌勒佛這個時間有多長?五十六億七千萬年，這是一尊佛與一尊佛之間的歲月，那還是比較密的，我們這個劫叫賢劫，千佛出世，有些劫是一尊佛都沒有。七尊佛都出世了，你想這時間過多久?這些眾生還在螞蟻道輪回，真是『累劫難出，痛不可言』，要出離相當不容易。

思地獄苦，發菩提心

地獄種類是很多的，最苦的地獄是無間地獄，那痛苦是沒有間斷，還有八大地獄，什麼等活地獄、黑繩地獄、燒熱地獄等等。江逸子老師的《地獄變相圖》是根據《玉歷寶鈔》(道家經典)畫的，你看看佛經裡講的地獄比那個可怕多了，以後要是把佛經所說的地獄展現出來，而且把這個果報的原因(因果)都要講出來，讓眾生看到了生敬畏心、恐懼心，這個很有好處，不敢造惡了。地獄真的有，不是假的，所以到了地獄裡頭，輾轉其中，一個地獄的業報受滿了，又轉到第二個地獄，先到最重的地獄，無間地獄受報，然後轉輕，一個一個的受完了，才能出離。出離了，可能變成到餓鬼道去受生，餓鬼道業受滿了，到畜生道，輾轉在三途裡面受苦，『累劫難出，痛不可言』。

有的人說，如果說殺生、偷盜那是會害人，私下搞男女關系又不會害別人，你情我願，這有什麼罪?這個問題在《楞嚴經》上就講到，《楞嚴經》記載：有一位寶蓮香比丘尼私行淫欲，她知見錯誤，她自己說，淫欲非殺非偷，無有罪報。結果說完之後，馬上從女根中生出猛火，燃燒她的身體，最後身陷無間地獄。這是破戒的比丘尼，這個罪報立刻現前。因淫欲而破戒下地獄，男抱銅柱，女臥鐵床。男子下到地獄看到那個燒紅的銅柱就以為是美女，業力變現，所以他就往上抱，一抱全身就燒得焦爛，結果死了;死了之後還沒完，陰風一吹又蘇醒了，又看到那個火紅的銅柱，又以為是美女，又往上抱，又死。所以地獄裡頭一日一夜萬死萬生，經多生多劫都不能夠覺悟，為什麼?業力太重。女臥鐵床也是這樣，那鐵床她以為是一個很舒服的床，可以行淫欲事，結果也是被燒得焦爛，什麼時候她覺悟過來，不敢再造惡業了，這個地獄的相就消失了。

罪業的輕重跟影響效果、大小成正比。尤其是弘揚正法，這是利益人天、利益九法界眾生，我們要是障礙弘法，這個罪都是在地獄。

在《大寶積經》裡面有一本《發起菩薩殊勝志樂經》，這本經師父老人家十多年前講過多次，我聽了好幾遍，聽了非常感動。當時聽了這個經就發了九條孝願，痛改前非，孝養父母。這個經裡頭就講到，佛當時在世的時候，有六十位菩薩，這些菩薩屬於初業菩薩，可能是受了菩薩戒的，但是沒有真修真干，他們業障深重，修道常常退轉。後來彌勒菩薩把他們帶到佛那裡，他們向佛請教，佛給他們講出過去生中他們的因緣。原來這六十菩薩在拘留孫佛時代，這是很久遠之前了，他們都是出家人，持戒精嚴的比丘，又有多聞，學習經教，懂佛法懂得很多，我們講這是大善知識。當時有兩位說法比丘(就是講經說法的法師)講佛法，大概這兩位法師講得不錯，法緣很殊勝，信眾很多，來聽經的很多，當然就會有很多人恭敬供養。這六十位持戒的比丘看到那兩個法師得到了名聞利養，心裡就生了嫉妒，於是就造作妄語說這兩個比丘行淫欲事，破戒，毀謗這兩個法師。結果信眾聽信了這些謠言，對這兩個法師就喪失了信心，所以這些眾生的善根就因此中斷了，那這個罪業就重。要知道，斷人的身命罪小，斷人的法身慧命罪重。你把一個人殺了，他投胎，二十年之後又是一個好漢;可是如果你斷他的法身慧命，你把他的知見弄歪了、弄錯了，誤導了他，他可能多生多劫都回不了頭，甚至造惡業墮惡道。

所以六十個造謠生事的比丘那一生結束之後，就墮入了無間地獄，在無間地獄裡頭六百萬年，這是世尊說六百萬年，這個年頭可不少。你看我們中國歷史上下五千年，這是世界上都罕有的，他是六百萬年。從無間地獄出來了，還有余罪，到等活地獄、到黑繩地獄、到燒熱地獄，一個地獄一個地獄的輪著來受苦報，總共在地獄裡面待了一千八百萬年。然後出來之後得了人身，還有余罪，五百世生盲無目，就是一出生就是瞎子，而且貧窮、下賤、愚鈍，被人欺負、被人凌辱，受種種苦報五百世。佛給他們預言，這些人到後五百歲，也就是佛滅度後第五個五百年之後，我們現在用西方的算法，我們今年是佛歷二千五百五十六年，二千五百年之後正是到現在這個時候，這六十菩薩又得到人身，又能聞到佛法，遇到淨土法門，這一生就能夠往生西方極樂世界。為什麼?他的罪業終於消盡了，他這一生就能往生西方。這是佛給他們預言的，在《發起菩薩殊勝志樂經》裡講的。

我們看看這些人的苦報不得了。那佛講的這六十菩薩是誰?他們是我們的代表，很可能我們都是這種人。我們不能說沒有善根，肯定過去生中是修行人，有善根，所以這一生遇到佛法才能夠有信仰，遇到念佛法門才能夠發願求生淨土。但是也有很多業障，這業障都是前生的余報還沒完全干淨。我看到這部經，我立刻想到，我就是其中的一個，曾經可能都墮過地獄一千八百萬年，當年就是一念嫉妒心毀謗說法法師，結果就受無窮的苦報。所以口業還怎麼敢造?尤其是毀謗出家比丘那個業是非常重，不論出家比丘如不如法、守不守戒，這是他自己的因果，只要他穿上這一身衣服，披上這一身袈裟，他就代表僧團的形象，我們就要對他恭敬。對他恭敬就是對三寶的恭敬，我們敬仰的是三寶，依法不依人，他現在表這個法，我們就尊重這個法，絕不能毀謗。

If we have listened to many learned masters and received deep instructions, have studied a few sutras and tantras, without ever applying them —‘Oh how pitiful!’— we are just fooling ourselves. 

-- Longchenpa

Be Careful Not to Contaminate Your Recitation

by Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche

If you recite the mantra with a very pure intention, it is most beneficial to all sentient beings. What you will achieve through the recitation is Buddhahood. Therefore, make the best effort during the retreat to do only virtuous deeds in your body, speech and mind and avoid non-virtuous ones. Your recitation is what you can “take” with you to your next life. Also, be careful and mindful of not allowing afflictive emotions like jealousy etc. from arising. Always maintain a calm and delightful state of mind. Rejoice that you have this great opportunity to recite this mantra. If you harbour negative thoughts when you are reciting, such thoughts can spoil your merits. Hence, keep a pure and perfect state of mind at all times.

Feel the sense of tremendous joy from having had this great chance to recite the mantra. So recite with happiness and joy, and not with negative thoughts.

 

Being able to recite the mani mantra is the most difficult opportunity to obtain. Yet you have found such a rare opportunity. As a Buddhist with a precious human life, what you have to achieve ultimately is Buddhahood. The six-syllable mantra can close the doors to the six realms of samsara. If you recite the mani mantra, you can be reborn in the Western Pureland and attain enlightenment. Be careful not to contaminate your recitation.

RECITE THE MANI MANTRA AT ALL TIMES 

Today is the last day of the retreat and we are going to complete 100 million of the mani mantra. During this retreat, we have purified our negative karma and made great supplications. And as a result of our efforts, it is raining today. This is an auspicious sign. The recitation should be done not for oneself but for the benefit of all mother sentient beings and the flourishing of the Buddha’s teachings. If you do this, your recitation will benefit you in this life and the lives to come.

Recite the mani mantra at all times. Keep praying so that you may attain complete enlightenment. The great benefits and blessings of this retreat are symbolised by this rain, which will bring peace, harmony and happiness everywhere. Avoid negative deeds and afflictive emotions at all times, and concentrate on the recitation of the mantra. Always clearly differentiate between what is virtuous and what is non-virtuous. Try to cultivate virtuous deeds as much as possible, as they are the causes of attaining enlightenment. Committing negative deeds will only land you in the lower realms. There is a very strong bond of samaya between the people of Singapore and I. Also, supplicate to Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) to attain realisations. Everyone here is very fortunate to be blessed with great karma and past aspirations. You have attained the endowment of a precious human body and have very successfully, without any obstacles, almost come to the end of the retreat.

I have always prayed for the benefit of all sentient beings and the spreading of the teachings of the Buddha. I pray that everyone can attain complete enlightenment. Likewise, you should pray in a similar manner. And pray that all your negative karma committed since beginningless lives can be purified, so that you can attain enlightenment.

Remember, the three ‘kayas’ are one and the same in essence. They are the true nature of our minds. Thus, they are spontaneously and primordially accomplished in our own minds. To realise this, you need to practise the virtuous deeds well, such as the practice of the six paramitas (or Perfections) – the perfection of generosity, the perfection of morality, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligent effort, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom.

You should also always make the effort to avoid performing negative deeds. Make this effort till the end of your life. If you do so, you will gradually realise the three ‘kayas’ within yourself.

Recite the mantra out of very deep and strong loving-kindness for all sentient beings. Do not harbour negative thoughts of covetousness and the intention to harm others etc, otherwise, your recitation will be tainted. If you do the recitation with loving-kindness, compassion and Bodhicitta, your recitation can lead you to the realisation of the three ‘kayas’. So bear in mind – recite with all-embracing compassion at all times.

REGRET CAN PURIFY YOUR NON-VIRTUOUS DEEDS 

It is an extremely auspicious moment as we have created the cause to attain ultimate happiness. I’m very happy that so many of you are able to participate in this retreat and recite the mani mantra. Your efforts will definitely benefit all mother sentient beings in the six realms of samsara. All sentient beings are our parents. Therefore, you should always recite the mantra out of loving-kindness and compassion for all mother sentient beings. If you do so, the results of your practice will manifest at the time of your death. Think of all mother sentient beings with compassion and love all the time. And purify your non-virtuous deeds and afflictive emotions out of a sense of regret. If you regret your non-virtuous deeds, they can be purified. When you are doing your dedication prayer, think of all mother sentient beings and dedicate the merits of your practice to their benefit from your heart. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for attending the retreat.