2017最感動ＭＶ《上師相應法＆加持大寶藏》

《法王如意寶晉美彭措上師相應法》

內欽熱臥賊誒樣康色。 自大聖境五台山

蔣華特傑辛拉葉拉門。文殊加持入心者

晉美彭措壓拉所瓦得。祈禱晉美彭措足

恭傑多巴頗瓦辛基洛。證悟意傳求加持

門措上師祈禱文

願吉祥

本初空界自力無滅相

任顯無量游舞莊嚴身

佛三根本如海事業力

垂賜善妙吉祥大加持

墮落無邊有海煎熬眾

賜予清淨智慧勝光明

海生天女喜悅妙音海

善演至尊空行誠祈禱

身壽不變堅固金剛性

弘化事業周遍諸方隅

結緣福施誓言清淨力

眾生教法利樂願永護

皈境世尊發心聖諦力

如海具勢護法威猛力

不變意樂真實祝願力

加持所願成就妙相增

影音與更多資訊請連結：智悲佛網

Understanding Virtues & Non-Virtues

by Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen Rinpoche

MORAL ETHICS IS THE BASIS FOR ATTAINING A HUMAN BODY

We often hear that it is difficult to find a human body. Not just any human body, but a “precious” one that has contact with the Dharma teachings – that’s what is difficult to obtain. Basically, the cause for attaining a human body is moral ethics, such as the ten virtues. Briefly these are:

• Three virtues of the body – not taking life, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct

• Four virtues of speech – not telling lies, not using divisive speech, not using harsh words and not engaging in idle talk; and

• Three virtues of the mind – not coveting, not engaging in harmful thought, and not holding wrong views

Conversely, the ten non-virtues refer to the opposites of the ten virtues.

Ethical discipline refers to avoiding the ten non-virtues and practising the ten virtues.

If we don’t keep moral ethics, there is a strong possibility that we will be born in the lower realms where there is no chance to study or practise the precious Dharma teachings. Since without ethical conduct it will not be easy to find a precious human life, bodhisattvas keep pure moral ethics so that in their next life they can again be born as humans where there are Dharma teachings.

The worst result of engaging in the ten non-virtues is to be reborn in the hell realms. The middling result leads to rebirth as a hungry ghost. The least severe consequence of doing the ten nonvirtues will cause you to be reborn as an animal. Practising the ten virtues causes you to be reborn in the three higher realms. That is why avoiding the ten non-virtues and protecting the ten virtues are so important for our Dharma practice. There is no possibility of encountering the precious Dharma in the lower realms, let alone studying or practising it. So cherish this opportunity of a precious human rebirth and protect the ten virtues.

REFLECTING ON VIRTUES AND NON-VIRTUES

When we do something good for another, how good we feel! The benefit of doing virtuous things for others is clear. Apply this knowledge in your daily life – avoid all negative actions, especially the ten non-virtues, and engage in positive actions, including the ten virtues. When you know how to do this, your peace, harmony, joy and happiness will increase without limit, especially if these noble acts are performed with the support of bodhicitta. These practices are also grounds for achieving enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Virtue and non-virtue, positive karma and negative karma are not just theories. They are the laws of the universe. Whatever we do becomes a cause that manifests a result. So reflect on the ten virtues and be inspired to live your life based on these and be free of the ten non-virtues.

Do virtuous things for others. This means not causing harm and bringing peace. Peace is the absence of obscurations, negative thoughts, delusion and distraction in the mind.

The ten virtues, six perfections, the good qualities of the relative state, and the qualities of Buddhahood are based on moral ethics. Love, compassion and bodhicitta are planted in and depend on the ground of moral ethics. Meditative concentration and critical insight are also based on personal discipline. The noble Nagarjuna wrote in the Letter to a Friend:

Morality was declared to be the foundation for all virtues,

Just as the earth is for all things moving and still.

When we hold and observe the five lay precepts, or monks’ and nuns’ precepts, we can say that we are real Dharma practitioners. Without at least the five precepts, we are not counted among the Sangha members.

Only one who is disciplined will be able to keep moral ethics. This is clear even in ordinary life. Generally, those who are cautious about respecting others’ lives and feelings, who abstain from stealing from others, who always use gentle words and speak the truth, and who use skilful words to bring others into harmony are well respected throughout the world. One who keeps moral ethics well gains great dignity and glory. Such a person has the ability to bring about peace and benefit to others. All the bodhisattvas are pleased with such an individual, and he or she is praised by distinguished and wise people.

Even when such individuals grow old and weak, they are still respected by gods and humans and are an object of praise. Like a precious shrine, such people are honoured with prostrations and devotion because their behaviour is a source of serenity, integrity and peace. Therefore, keeping the moral precepts is our best form of protection.

As the wish-granting tree bears great fruit, pure moral ethics brings great fruits for oneself and others. Moral discipline will bring about all the temporary peace and happiness of gods and humans. One who keeps pure moral ethics possesses the foundation to increase and perfect the peerless qualities of a Buddha. Ultimately, it will lead to complete Buddhahood.

As for wisdom, all phenomena are mind, mind is self-awareness, self-awareness is bliss, and bliss is freedom from reference points. If sealed in this way, there are the threefold sealing, the threefold consolation, and the four kāyas. This is the wisdom that realises the true reality of entities.

-- 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje

在每个修行的层次里都要取舍因果

達真堪布

佛讲，众生有三种根器：有求佛果的，有求解脱的，有求人天福报的。无论是何种根器，若要成就佛法的功德，都要断恶行善。不要拿空性来忽略因果，拿空性来毁灭因果。佛讲得很清楚：“万法皆空，因果不空。”《心经》里讲：“色不异空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色。受想行识，亦复如是。”密宗里讲，因果是世俗谛，空性是胜义谛，二谛是双运的，是一体的；因果是从相上讲的，空性是从体上讲的，这两个是一不是二。有因果就有空性，有空性就有因果。

现在很多修禅宗、修密宗的人，不取舍因果，还说，“密宗没有戒律，什么都可以。”密宗怎么没有戒律呢？密宗的戒律比显宗的还多。阿底峡尊者到藏地之前，是印度那烂陀寺的住持。他后来到藏地给信众传法的时候讲：自己受了小乘的别解脱戒以后，从来没有犯过；受菩萨戒的时候经常犯，但是堕罪和相续从不过夜，会立即忏悔掉；进入密乘，受密乘戒以后，所犯的戒律数不胜数。

所以不要找借口，认为自己是修密的，杀盗淫妄酒都可以做，贪嗔痴慢疑都可以有。修密宗不是修佛的吗？学密宗的不是学佛的吗？不要拿这些高深的法来毁灭因果。因果是一种自然规律，是毁灭不了的。

八万四千法门都不离因果，都讲取舍因果，不讲因果的不是佛法，不取舍因果的不是佛法。什么是正法，什么是邪法？主张断恶行善的就是正法，不主张断恶行善的就是邪法。虽说不同的修行层次里有不同的标准，但是都一样要断恶行善，都一样要取舍因果。所以不要安慰自己，找借口造业。后果严重啊！业力现前的时候，想躲也躲不掉，那个时候才知道痛苦，才知道害怕，但是已经晚了。

我们看现在社会上，好多人的苦难都是因业力所感，无法逃脱。以前我们的生活水平没这么高，家庭条件没这么好，但是身体很好。现在虽然我们的生活富裕了，但是人的身体越来越不健康，心里越来越不快乐了。我们山上那些藏民，虽然生活水平很低，物质条件很差，但是身体非常健康，没有那些复杂的疾病。我们条件那么好，但却躲不掉因果。以前每个家庭都有好几个孩子，也没有那么大的压力。现在每个家庭只有一个孩子，但是负担越来越重了，压力越来越大了。

业力是躲不掉的。在这边占便宜，就会在另一边吃亏；这边占便宜，在另一边就会得到报应——谁也占不了谁的便宜。你种善根了，一定会得善果；你造恶业了，一定会得恶果。这是不会有假的。现在取舍因果真的很难，但是作为修行人，即使社会再复杂，环境再恶劣，我们也一定要把握住自己的命运，谨慎地取舍因果。

The emptiness of form does not render forms empty; forms themselves are empty.

-- Lama Tsongkhapa

Universal Responsibility

by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

We are responsible for the happiness and peace of all the sentient beings around us, including humans, animals and other living beings. How are we responsible for their happiness, peace and success?

If we look at others with negative thoughts, such as ill will, anger, jealousy or a selfish mind, and if we are only concerned about ourselves, with no feeling for their happiness or problems, then our actions and behaviour will also be negative and we will have a negative vibration. Our negative attitude affects others — it makes them unhappy, sad, depressed and unpleasant, and it creates an unhappy, depressed environment. Our negative attitude and disrespectful, harmful behaviour towards others causes anger and negative thoughts to arise in them. This causes them to create negative karma and to harm us, and this destroys any peace and happiness that they have.

If we look at others with loving, compassionate thoughts and if we cherish them with bodhicitta and a positive mind that is patient and peaceful, our positive attitude creates a warm feeling for them. There is respect and other positive behaviour, such as kindness and non-harming, and on top of that, we help them. We give peace and happiness to other sentient beings — we bring peace to their hearts and we bring them happiness and harmonious relationships. If we help others and avoid harming or interfering with others’ wishes, we bring them success. If we have a loving, compassionate mind, we also have a loving, compassionate smile and a kind face, and that brings happiness to others.

Our attitude and behavior towards others can bring either happiness or unhappiness to their lives and to their hearts. Therefore, we are responsible for the happiness, peace and success that others receive in everyday life. All the people, animals and other living beings that we see and don’t see — their happiness, peace and success comes from us and we are responsible for that. In everyday life, if we are at home, in an office, at a Dharma center or in a shop — wherever we are, we should feel responsible for the happiness of all the living beings that are around us. We should keep our mind continuously in this state of feeling responsibility for the happiness of all sentient beings, including human beings, other creatures and insects.

As well as their temporary happiness, we are responsible for their ultimate happiness — the cessation of the entire sufferings and their causes — the sorrowless state and the peerless happiness, full enlightenment. We are responsible for causing the ultimate happiness for these sentient beings, but this responsibility depends on our attitude. We can cause others to create negative karma, to generate anger, a dissatisfied mind, attachment, ignorance, all these things. We can cause others to create negative karma and to reincarnate, to fall down to the lower realms, to continuously experience the sufferings of samsara, or we can cause them to cease anger, the dissatisfied mind, attachment, ignorance and the self-cherishing thought. We can cause them to renounce samsara and to actualise the wisdom realising emptiness and bodhicitta. We can cause them to actualise the path and achieve ultimate happiness, especially peerless happiness, full enlightenment, depending on what we do with our mind. So, there is danger and there is also benefit.

There is great danger because we can cause harm to other sentient beings and there are also great benefits that we can offer them. We have the potential to offer the greatest benefit to other sentient beings, therefore we have this responsibility to help them. We have received a perfect human rebirth and we have the opportunity to practice Dharma. We have met the virtuous friend or, we have met not just one, but many qualified Mahayana virtuous friends, who reveal the path of virtue and the cause of temporary and ultimate happiness — the path to liberation, full enlightenment.

We have met the unmistaken path to peace and especially the graduated path to enlightenment that brings not only temporary happiness but also ultimate happiness, therefore we have the opportunity to help others. By receiving a perfect human rebirth and meeting a virtuous friend and this unmistaken path to peace, we can reveal the path to others and cease all their suffering and its causes, and bring them ultimate happiness, liberation and the highest enlightenment. We have the opportunity to help all sentient beings, therefore, we are responsible for their happiness, especially the ultimate happiness, enlightenment.

Bodhisattvas strive to achieve shamatha because it has a special benefit, once you have that mental power, the senses follow the mind.

-- Geshe Lhundud Sopa

保持内心的宁静

文｜僧禅

使人真正快乐起来的，不是世界上各种新鲜事物和刺激，而是我们时刻拥有一颗宁静的心。在这个充满各种诱惑的世界上，人们都喜欢新鲜和有刺激性的生活。其实，新鲜和刺激的东西并不长久，来自这些东西的快乐，不可能成为永恒的快乐，就像看戏一样，再精彩的戏也有结束的时候，一旦这个时刻来临，不管你多么舍不得，你也必须看着幕布落下，片段不可能成为永恒。

我们应该知道，内心的宁静是不可缺少的，宁静的内心能够洞察人自己的想法，还会知道世界的常态就是变化的。宁静的心不惧怕困难，懂得如何保持自在之心，懂得消解烦恼，这样的人就属于会生活的人，生命只属于这种人。

在一个郊区有个农人，逢人便诉苦，他说自己倒霉透顶了，十二头牛全部跑掉了，他老是问别人有没有看到他的牛。他还说，他有两亩芝麻地，都被虫子吃光了。他觉得自己是这个世界上最不幸的人。他找到一位师父，要师父帮他解脱，这位师父看着他，只是微微地笑了笑说：“幸好我没有十二头牛！”师父的意思是很明确的，不拥有某种东西，自然就不会有失去这种东西的烦恼。当然要求人们什么都不拥有，机乎是不可能的，那么，人们就只能在失去某种东西后，尽量调整内心的平衡，就当作自己从来不曾拥有某物。

我们经常说对症下药，世界上有很多种疾病，也有很多种药，但一种药不可能治好所有的疾病，对于人的心所生的疾病而言，它所需要的药却永远都是慈悲与智慧。

当你不再忙忙碌碌，也不再为了一些表面的目的而操劳，你自然就会在自己的心里遇到平和。可见，平和不是外在的，而是藏在人们心里的，你也不用着急去找它，它只要安静地去发现就可。

很多人在想寻求内心平和的时候，选择了远离城市的深山，然而，家庭和社会，并不是真正阻碍人们内心变得平和的原因。平和是心内的，而不是外在的，所以，心外是找不到人们想要的平和。

不管你走了多远，花了多少时间，你仍然远离自己内心的平和。快乐的出现也是同样的道理，如果你心中装着快乐，那么你不用走任何一步路，都与快乐同在，如果你的心里本来就没有快乐，那你也就与快乐无缘了。还有祥和与智慧也一样，一颗祥和的心，总是欢喜而逍遥的，一颗有智慧的心，能从世界上的每一棵树、每一只鸟那里看出真理来。

绚丽的色彩，看起来会很美，但不一定最动人心；宁静之景，却一定会搅动人们内心那个极乐世界的微风。如果用宁静的心去观照，没有什么不是美丽的，处处黄花，皆是般若；丛丛翠竹，都是法身。一花一世界，一叶一如来，倘若心灵美丽，当下就是极乐世界。

Subdue attachment and aversion and generate an attitude moist with love that looks on all with delight. Develop compassion that wishes to see all beings freed from misery. Develop the special attitude that carries the weight of the welfare of the world.

-- His Holiness the 7th Dalai Lama

Joy in an Age of Anxiety

by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

REAL PEACE IS IN OUR MIND

How can we have joy? Transform your mind. How you want to use your mind is in your control. We all face ageing, we have no choice but to go through it. We cannot change this fact. But how we face it or how we react to getting old is up to us.

When a person faces a problem, typically the person will think that it is the worst situation he or she can face and find it hard to cope. The mind exaggerates due to our belief that our happiness depends on our external circumstances. But really, the main cause for our happiness or suffering lies within us.

So we have to understand the essence and quality of our own mind. My father once advised me, “Do not look for a solution in the external situation. The real peace is in your mind.” He gave me this piece of advice as I was at that time suffering from panic attacks. I realised then that panic itself was not a problem, but how I related to it was the issue.

THE TWO CAUSES OF OUR SUFFERING

My motivation to learn meditation then was to rid myself of panic. So when I meditated, I did it with the intention of “Hello panic, get out! I’m meditating.” My teacher told me not to meditate in that manner as the panic would only become worse So I changed and started meditating with the intention of “Hello panic, welcome. I accept you. But why are you still here?”

Later I realised, our unhappiness stems from two things:

One, it is disliking, resisting and being averse to a situation or an object, for example the panic I am experiencing. Or what I called the panic of panic.

The second is craving for something else that we do not have, such as in my case: the desire or attachment for peace and to stop the panic.

In the end, I truly accepted my panic and learnt a lot from it. Panic has become my teacher and friend. I learn awareness, loving-kindness, compassion and also wisdom from my panic.

I am then able to be with my panic when it comes. I am happy too when it comes visiting because my meditation also comes along.

TRANSFORMING SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE

For example, pain is generally unpleasant. But you welcome the pain from foot reflexology because you know it is good for your heart, liver, kidneys and other organs. So such sensation of pain becomes pleasant. The same thing goes for chilli. When you are young, you don’t find chilli nice as it is too spicy. But now, as an adult, if you don’t eat your food with chilli, you don’t find it as tasty. It is the same with panic. You can change it to become your support for joy, just like foot reflexology and chilli. Even if someone points a gun to your head, that person may harm your physical body but your mind is in your hand.

So how do we do the actual practice? First, cultivate awareness of the body. Normally our mind is up there, jumping between past and future. When we are busy, it is even harder to stay in the present moment. So how do we focus our mind on the body? We need awareness and that is the essence of meditation.

Awareness is with us all the time. Our awareness is with us 24/7, even as we sleep. But we don’t know it. So the main thing is we have to recognise our own awareness.

MEDITATION IS ABOUT RECOGNISING AWARENESS

Meditation is all about recognising that awareness and maintaining that recognition. That’s it. In order to recognise awareness, we need some form of support, such as our body. You don’t have to block any thoughts or emotions. If you do that, it becomes worse so just let them come and go. Just don’t forget your awareness of the body. After a few seconds you may forget the body. It’s okay. Just come back to it again.

So now, let us begin the practice. Sit gently with your spine straight. Place your palms, joined together on your lap, or place them lightly on your knees. Close your eyes, relax your body. Feel your body and know your body. Be aware of any sensation within the body and relax. Bring your awareness on your body, part by part.

First, begin by bringing your awareness to the top of your head. Relax the muscles on top of your head. Be aware of any sensation on top of your head. It doesn’t matter what sort of sensation. Slowly bring your awareness to your forehead. Relax the muscles in the forehead. Be aware of your entire face, and relax. Be aware of the back of your head and relax. Then bring your awareness to your shoulders and relax. Next, your chest and relax. Be aware of your back and relax. Then focus on your stomach and relax. Then be aware and relax your arms. Next, be aware of your legs and relax. Be aware of your entire body and relax. Be aware of any feelings, sensations and emotions within the body and just watch and let them be.

If you can relax your body, good. If you cannot relax, it is okay too. Allow anything to happen. You do not have to pretend to be somebody or act to be someone else. Just be yourself and be free. You are free and in control of yourself.

SIMPLY WATCH

As long as you are aware, you are meditating. That is the essence. Just watch and be aware. If you can see the river, it means you have not fallen into it and have not been carried away by it.

For instance, you cannot stop toothache just through meditation. But it can transform toothache as a support for awareness and become a cause for happiness. It’s not easy, especially for beginner meditators. But we can try. Only by trying and making mistakes can we have success in the future. The more failures the better as it means we did try and will lead to success eventually.

So when you watch — positive emotions, negative emotions, crazy monkey mind, peace, joy or whatever experience, feeling or emotion you have — it doesn't matter; just watch. Don’t block them because it is impossible and needless to do so.

For example, if I ask you to think of anything except durian in your meditation, the one thing that will come up in your meditation is durian. Not having any thoughts is not the path of meditation. It is an experience of meditation. Just like peace, joy and bliss are experiences of meditation but not the essence of meditation.

Awareness is the essence, and is the heart of basic goodness. We all have wonderful qualities that are with us all the time such as love and compassion, abilities, power, wisdom, skills and lots of other good qualities.

We are more capable than we believe, and more good-hearted than what we feel. But people usually focus on and exaggerate the negative aspects, which generally make up just 10 percent of their lives, instead of the positive. So we have to learn to think, talk and act positively. Only then will you discover good qualities within.

In a nutshell, first, find joy and peace within you rather than seek them in the external environment. Second, utilise meditation as a tool to find that peace within you. And third, appreciate our basic goodness, appreciate our lives and be grateful that we are still alive and breathing and able to experience wonderful conditions such as living in a delightful country like Singapore.

Last time, someone approached me for blessings, I told him I wouldn't be able to give him blessings; blessings cannot be obtained from external parties. I told him that there are many impoverished, hungry children outside who are in need of food, education and others, and that if he could help these children receive education and to obtain good meals, he definitely would receive the blessings he is seeking!

-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

達賴喇嘛尊者：「從前有個人來找我加持，我說我沒法給你任何加持，加持不是外在所得來的。現在外頭有許多飢餓窮苦的孩子，如果你能幫助他們受教育，幫助他們三餐得到溫飽，這樣肯定能受到加持。」

現今信佛弟子的錯誤觀念

拉则祖古仁波切

拜佛、念佛、修禪等時信徒們的求心太重是錯誤觀念，很重的追求心去修法是未得愿望的過失，比如起火時一直動搖木材就起不了火一般，修行是不能求心而作事，需要正确的觀念發心而修，修時必須要自然的狀態中生起出世間法，比如放松而生起慈悲及智慧，然后觀想清淨的本尊菩薩等，修時完全投入慈悲、智慧及清淨心，而不是爭取甚么佛光等感受徵兆，因為先進的佛門弟子沒有听完就修，沒有修完就追求神通徵兆。

有人說我們去了某某的地方放生，天空實現了佛光徵兆等，是觀念錯誤，這种沒有人見證是佛光，只是作為一個生起信心及清淨心就可以，不要到處去宣說，放在心里就可以。有人第一天接受觀音菩薩的法門去修，晚上就見到了觀音，不久就放棄修法，這种人的修法如玩玩具一般的觀念是錯誤地，多數人修法向玩玩具一樣地，玩具拉手后按鈕沒有反應就是坏了，一開始修法沒有反應就放棄，這樣的觀念是錯誤觀念，這樣的觀念者甚么都修不到。

學佛人听聞佛法是非常重要，听了才去修，不要在自己的觀念那樣去修，听法听圓滿才去修，不要在自己的幻想而修，不然的話我們尊貴的佛法污染了自己的觀念幻覺，如此在對外宣說自己的觀念幻覺就會坏了正法的意義，如果修法時有徵兆也不要對外宣說，可以秘密去問上師是否是正确的徵兆。有些人自己都還不決定是正确徵兆，對外宣說是不對地，會成為妄語。

大家有佛法的善知識就修得圓滿，因為依靠佛法修世間法也要靠出世間法才能獲得世間成就，修時專心的修，具足信心一定會見佛！！！吉祥如意！！！

Instead of curses, the parents embraced their wayward children with love. They viewed everything that had happened as their own karma. Rather than being angry or depressed, they responded wisely entrusting everything back to their true nature, and freed their children from ignorance and misguided views.

Although we do things for others, ultimately we are the one who will benefit. If we do something harmful, it doesn’t just fade away. Eventually, it will all return to us.

Understanding this, one will be diligent and do one’s very best; one will be utterly sincere with everything that arises in one’s life. Then the things you do for others will also benefit you.

If you only think about yourself and your own difficulties, while ignoring the situation of those around you, how is this correct? Even if you have only a little to eat, share it with those who have less. If everyone practises like this, there will be more than enough for everyone.

-- Zen Master Daehaeng

How to Get to the Heart of Buddhadharma

by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi

Whenever you listen to an explanation of the Dharma, as you are doing now, it is very important that you reflect and analyse as you listen to what is being said. This is extremely important. If you only listen to what is being said without thinking at all, without reflecting or analysing, then there is no way you are going to learn anything.

In the process of educating yourself, when you are learning the Dharma and hearing an explanation, you have to simultaneously analyse as you listen. Without such analysis, you will not be able to check whether you understand what is being taught or not. If you don’t think about it, you will not be able to see whether you agree with what is being said or not.

While thinking as you listen to the teachings, if you find points that are objectionable to you or that you cannot agree with, then you need to bring them up and ask me. You pose a question: “Why did you say that? Is that correct? Is that wrong?”

When you are dealing with Buddhist philosophy and looking at the great treatises, in order to understand what is in the text, you have to reflect and analyse in order to understand its meaning. Otherwise, there is no way to understand these topics at all. When you engage in studying these topics, you have to try your best. Your mind has to be very alert in seeking out the answer through analysis and reflection.

IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO TRUTHS

The first line in the “Vajra Cutter Sutra”: “A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp,” is an introduction to what constitutes reality. The whole of reality, anything and everything that exist, can be included in the two truths. So this is the introduction to the basis.

It is stated in the teachings that if we do not understand the basis, what constitutes reality, especially in terms of the presentation of the two truths, we will not discover and understand well the intent of the Buddha and his teachings. In order to understand well the intent of the Buddha and the intent of his teachings, we need a good grasp of the two truths. When we have a good grasp of the two truths, we will be able to complete the accumulation of the two collections. With that, we will achieve enlightenment. These are the benefits of having a good grasp of the two truths.

This is how it is presented in the teachings in terms of the basis, the path, and the result. The basis is the two truths. The path is the method and wisdom. The result is the two bodies: the truth body and the form body.

It is so important to have some idea of the two truths. This is why I am repeating this over and over again, saying the same thing in different ways. The two truths are the bedrock or foundation for everything else. The purpose of repeating myself over and over again is to emphasise their importance. You should also think about them over and over again.

If somebody were to ask you what the two truths are, at least you should be able to say decisively, “The two truths mean this; these are their names and this is what they are.” At the very minimum, you must be able to say this. It doesn’t matter who is asking this question about reality or the two truths or how they phrase their question. You should be able to deliver a definitive answer. That means you don’t have one answer for one person and another answer for another person. Your answer should be a standard answer, which is reflective of reality.

There are many people who are easily swayed. This means that if somebody says, “It is like that,” these people would agree readily, “Yes! Yes! It is like that.” When another person says something completely different, they will also say, “Yes! Yes! You are right. It is like that.” Their understanding is not stable at all!

What I am trying to say is, that whatever understanding we gain from our studies, the conclusion we arrive at must be firm and unshakeable. We must be convinced of the conclusion we arrive at. This is one point I want to drive home. I am not saying that we should aim to be foolishly stubborn. Being decisive and holding on firmly to a position is not being foolishly stubborn: “This is so because my guru said so! Therefore, it has to be so.” It should never be like that. Your decisiveness comes from having thought thoroughly about the subject matter. You understand what you are saying because you have thought about it and you know that your position is backed up by reason.

The result of learning and reflection should be this kind of decisive, unshakeable conclusion. This is especially important when we are dealing with Buddhist philosophy. The end result we are aiming for must be like that. We cannot be wishy-washy with our command of the topic.

What I am presenting here is not something new. You have already studied the tenets that cover the Great Exposition School, the Sutra School, the Mind Only School and the Middle Way School. Each of them has their own assertions of what the two truths are. If you remember what you have studied, this should not be anything new to you.

You have to know the presentation of the two truths from the perspectives of these four Buddhist tenets. With an understanding of the presentation of the two truths by the lower schools, only then will you see how the presentation of the two truths according to the higher schools is special, unique and extraordinary.

THE ART OF LISTENING TO TEACHINGS

Although we don’t like suffering, we experience suffering in many ways. There has to be an answer to that. We don’t like it, yet it keeps on coming our way. We get angry and we have attachment for all kinds of things. We don’t like to be upset and we don’t like to be angry, yet anger still arises. Why? There has to be an answer. We can talk about reality, “Reality is these two truths. It is this and that.” But we still have to answer the question, “Why do we get upset? Why does attachment arise?”

When you hear an explanation like this, this is the way to listen to a teaching. For example, I had just asked the question: “Why do we get upset? Why does attachment arise?” At the same time, you should be analysing my question. You should not just sit there, thinking, “He is asking why we are angry.” You have to ask yourself the question, think about it and look for the answer. This is why there is an art to learning and studying the Dharma and an art to listening to the teachings. It is not just sitting there and registering the words you hear.

If you don’t think about what you have read or heard, it is impossible to develop any insights or understanding. Often people think, “You are saying this again. I have already heard this before many times. I already know this as you have said it numberless times already.” With this kind of attitude, not putting effort into analysing what you have studied or heard, you will not taste the Dharma. The Dharma will not go into you. And this is why you don’t change. This is the problem.

We should ask ourselves this. Many of us, if not all of us here, have heard numberless teachings over many years but nothing much has happened, isn’t that right? It is important then to ask our selves, “Where does the problem lie? What happened?” This absence of change despite having heard so many teachings over so many years is not due to a shortage of teachings. It is not due to experiencing the poverty of Dharma teachings. It is also not the fault of the teachings themselves. If we analyse and think carefully, it is evident that we have never ever seriously analysed what we have heard and what we have read. The problem comes from that lack of reflection, just listening to teachings and reading but no reflection at all.

INVESTIGATING BEYOND APPEARANCES

It is said in the teachings that when we look at our own or someone else’s body, the body appears to be something solid right there, whether we call it an inherently existent or truly existent pleasant body. Furthermore, we assent to that appearance.

When we see somebody that we dislike, what is the basis for our unhappiness with that person? It is just the mere appearance of the body of that person that makes us feel uneasy. It is said in the teachings that our feeling of unhappiness is based on our belief that there is a bad and terrible person existing right there from its own side. Whether this is true remains to be seen from our own experience. We have to think about this.

The big question pertains to our object of attachment, say the body of another person. In the view of that attachment, that attractive body appears to that mind of attachment in a certain way. The big question is this: “Yes, this is how this body is appearing to me, but is that representative of how that body actually exists?” We have to think about this deeply.

Likewise, with regard to the enemy or the person we dislike so much, in the view of that mind of aversion or anger, that enemy or bad person appears in a certain way. Is that appearance indicative of how that person actually exists? This is what we must investigate.

The correct conclusion from thinking about what I have just said should be the same as what the line, “Form is empty” [from the “Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra”] is trying to convey. We say that things do not exist in and of themselves, although they may appear in that way, be it our object of aversion or object of attachment. Applying the line, “Form is empty”, to our enemy or object of attachment, that person does not exist in the way that our anger or attachment believes it to exist. Just by understanding well that our enemy or friend does not exist in the way they appear and the way our mind believes them to exist, our emotion, be it anger or attachment, will be reduced substantially. There is no force behind that anger or attachment anymore. When we develop this understanding, it is said that not only are those emotions subdued but we can eradicate those emotions completely because there is no longer any basis for them to arise.

Sometimes, when adults play games with children, they clench their fists and pretend to be holding something in them. Then they tell the children, “I am holding something special in my hand. If you can guess what it is, then it is yours.” The children become excited and fantasise about what the special object may be. They look forward to getting that object inside the fist.

Actually, there is nothing there.

Likewise, we are like those children in that we imbue so many hopes and expectations onto the object we are clinging to, be it the enemy or friend. This can only lead to either very strong aversion or very strong clinging. At the end of the day, however, we are clinging on to nothing. We are getting upset with nothing. We are just like the child who is so excited over that empty fist. When the fist opens up, there is nothing there.

This is very clear evidence that we have been suffering and we will continue to suffer over nothing. Due to our hallucinated view, while there is nothing there, we think that it is everything although reality is not like that. Reality exists in terms of the two truths. Not knowing that all phenomena are empty and exist only in mere name, we lead life based on our made-up reality. Our hallucinated mind is the bedrock of all our views. Based on that, we lead our lives believing whatever our hallucinations tell us to be true. While they are not true, we think they are true and correct. We accept whatever appears to our mind. “The person appears like this. The object appears like that then it has to be like that. What I think is correct. How it appears to me is correct. There is nothing more than that. There is no other possibility for reality.” This is how we lead our lives. Based on this hallucination, we create our suffering life.

HOW TO TASTE THE ESSENCE

This is why it is so important to gain an understanding of reality and what actually exists. Because we don’t know this at all, this is why we suffer so much and we continue to be in samsara. If we don’t understand the two truths, we will never see the icing on top of the cake, the most delicious part of the entire Buddhadharma.

What is the essence, the very heart, of the entire Buddhadharma? If we don’t understand the two truths, there is no way to see the intent of the Buddha. Without understanding the two truths, there is no way to see how the Buddhadharma is truly in a class of its own. We will not be able to see how special, extraordinary and different it is from other beliefs and traditions. Appreciating the wonderful and special qualities of the Buddhadharma can only come from understanding well the presentation of the two truths, the Buddha’s explanation of what reality is. This is a hallmark of Buddhism that truly sets Buddhism apart from all other traditions.

Arya Nagarjuna said in his “Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment”, that when one comes to understand the emptiness of all phenomena — how things do not exist inherently — and at the same time, is able to explain how actions can give rise to their effects, when you have the realisation that emptiness is complementary with the working of karma and its effects, that realisation is beyond marvellous and exceedingly amazing.

Many people think that they have some understanding of emptiness. Yet, they are the very people who assert that since everything is empty, there is no karma because that is empty too. That is why there is no karma and no effects. This is no way to understand the heart of the Buddhadharma.

Mind acts like a crazy monkey. When a monkey sees something it has to grab it immediately. When it sees something else it drops the first thing and jumps to the new object of interest. Our mind is similar. Because of our obsession with objects of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, it keeps us busy all the time. There is not even a second of rest for the mind.

-- The Buddha

情与无情同圆种智，无情物能成佛吗？

慧律法师

为什么情与无情，同圆种智？有太多的人就说：无情物能成佛吗？这个就是卡在自己的能所的观念。

当我们的心迷了的时候，我们很清楚的，能缘的心、所缘的境界是历历清楚的，这个是桌子、这个是经本、这个是墙壁、这个是灯光、这个是佛像、这个是凤梨、这个是饮料、这个是袈裟、这个是冷气。当我们活着的时候，迷了的时候，我们对外面的相安立一个名词，坚固的执着这个名相是实在的，我们的生命就完全被限制住，限制住在某一种观念里面。

好了！我们现在慢慢了解，桌子，桌子空；花，花空；佛像，佛像空；墙壁，墙壁空，慢慢了解了这一念的，所有的法性；外面的相叫做法性，本来就空；而我们的众生，内在里面叫做觉性，也是空，不可得，本来就没有所谓的执着，我执、法执、空执，统统不存在；当我们除掉我执、法执、空执的时候，会发现内空跟外空是平等的，相的法性本空，觉性也空，内空、外空、第一义大空，没有所谓内空，没有所谓外空，没有所谓法性空，没有所谓觉性空，这个时候融入第一义大空，绝对的空，这个时候，叫做情与无情，同圆种智。

是因为这个修行人开悟、大悟了，就像如佛一般，那么所有的外在的世界其实不存在，不存在，它只是缘起，它只是缘起，只是如幻，只是缘起，只是如幻，他的心境改变的时候，这些所有的相都不能动摇到如来。所以说：情跟无情，同圆种智。

而不是说：那一棵树或者一颗石头可以成佛；而不是说那个桌子可以成佛，是成佛以后，那个成佛的圣人里外平等，山河大地；你听过一句话吗？若人识得心，大地无寸土，就是叫做情与无情，同圆种智。若人识得心，如果你能够了解真如本性，没有山河大地，山河大地尽不可得。

所以，当一个大悟的人，没有我相、人相、众生相，寿者相，没有山河大地，心性融入一切的时候，就是那一句：五阴本如来藏，妙真如性；六入本如来藏，妙真如性；十二处本如来藏，妙真如性；十八界本如来藏，妙真如性；七大，地、水、火、风、空、见、识即如来藏性，周遍法界。简单讲：所有的法界都是我们的真如自性，所以，情与无情，同圆种智，这个宇宙离不开地水火风空见识，地水火风空见识，因为业力的不同，所感召的色身不一样，其实是同一个本体。

同一个本体，今天你所看到的，种种的大象、狮子、饿鬼、天人，这个就是因为能量转换了，真如的本性的能量转换了，由恶业卡住了，跳脱不出来。所以当一个证悟到究竟的时候，我们就会说：情与无情，同圆种智，诸法，是法平等，无有高下，就是这个道理。

所以器世间，你照见法界空，那么就是器世间不可得；器世间不可得，销融的时候就消归自性，念念消归自性。所以知道万法同是心性所显现、影现出来的，没有实体可得。记得！见相二分没有实体可得，都是自体分。

情与无情，同圆种智，怎么解呢？很简单。若大悟，当一个人大彻悟的时候，心境本一如，就是内四大跟外四大平等，心跟境还是平等。什么叫做内四大，站在相上来讲是平等的，当一个人成佛的时候，他可以把这个外面的境界，如同涵盖到自己清净的自性一样。

所以说：情与无情，同圆种智。是因为这个人成佛，能够转识成智，能够转境为心，所以心境一如，才说：情与无情，同圆种智。是这个成就无上菩提的人，才能这样讲。就是说：我成佛了，外面的山河大地、这些树木，都是我清净心所影现出来的，所以它们也不离开我的佛性。是作如是解，而不是说树木可以成佛。是因为有情的众生成佛，能够转外面的物质世界为自己的清净心性所包容。所以，情与无情，同圆种智。是因为我们大彻大悟，转有情的识变成大智，而这个大智，等同虚空，这个虚空就包容情跟无情，这样叫做情与无情，同圆种智。

内四大跟外四大其实是平等一如的。所以，我们内跟外，是众生在分的，就佛来讲，大地的众生，包括山河大地、草木、一草一木，佛陀都不忍心去伤害它，佛陀绝对不会无缘无故地去伤害这个草木的，因为他知道，外四大是清净心所影现出来的世界，也是包容在他心境里面，动一个嗔恨心的念头去把那棵树砍掉，也会伤害自己的清净心。

From karma the various worlds arise.

-- Vasubandhu

Various Aspects of Tantra

by Trijang Rinpoche

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUDDHIST AND HINDU TANTRA

Although some scholars have maintained that Buddhist tantra was derived from Hinduism, this is not correct. This theory, prevalent among those who adhere to the tenets of the Hinayana, is based on a superficial resemblance of various elements of the two systems, such as the forms of the deities, the meditations on psychic channels and winds, the fire rituals and so forth. Though certain practices, like the repetition of mantras, are common to both the Hindu and Buddhist tantric traditions, their interpretation — their inner meaning — is vastly different. Furthermore, Buddhist tantra is superior because, unlike Hinduism, it contains the three principal aspects of the path: renunciation, bodhicitta and the right view of emptiness.

As even animals want freedom from suffering, there are non-Buddhist practitioners who want to be free from contaminated feelings of happiness and therefore cultivate the preparatory state of the fourth meditative absorption. There are even some non-Buddhist meditators who temporarily renounce contaminated feelings of happiness and attain levels higher than the four absorptions. However, only Buddhists renounce all of these as well as neutral feelings and all-pervasive suffering. Then, by meditating on the sufferings together with their causes, the mental defilements, they can be abandoned forever. This explains why, even though non-Buddhists meditate on the form and formless states and attain the peak of worldly existence, they cannot abandon the mental defilements of this state. Therefore, when they meet with the right circumstances, anger and the other delusions manifest, karma is created and they remain in cyclic existence.

Because of this and similar reasons, such practices are not fit to be included in the Mahayana. They resemble neither the practices of the common sutra path [Sutrayana, or Paramitayana] — which comprises renunciation, yearning for freedom from the whole of cyclic existence; the wisdom correctly understanding emptiness, the right view, which is the antidote to ignorance, the root of cyclic existence; and bodhicitta, the mind determined to reach enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings — nor those of the exclusive Buddhist tantric path of the Great Vehicle [Vajrayana, Tantrayana, or Mantrayana].

THE ORIGIN OF TANTRA

The tantras were taught by the Buddha himself in the form of his supreme manifestation as a monk, as the great Vajradhara and in various manifestations of the central deity of specific mandalas. The great beings Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Vajrapani and others, urged by the Buddha, also taught some tantras.

In terms of the four classes of tantra, the Kriya [Action] tantras were taught by the Buddha in the form of a monk in the realm of the thirty-three gods on the summit of Mt. Meru and in the human world, where Manjushri and others were the chief hearers. The tantras requested by the bodhisattva Pungzang were taught in the realm of Vajrapani. Others were taught by the Buddha himself and, with his blessings, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani. There were also some that were spoken by worldly gods.

The Charya [Performance] tantras were taught by the Buddha in the form of his supreme manifestation in the celestial realms and in the realm called Base and Essence Adorned with Flowers.

The Yoga tantras were taught by the Buddha when he arose in the form of the central deity of each mandala in such places as the summit of Mt. Meru and in the fifth celestial realm of desire.

The Anuttara tantras were also taught by the Buddha. In the land of Ögyan, having manifested the mandala of Guhyasamaja, he taught this tantra to King Indrabodhi. The Buddha taught the Yamantaka tantras at the time of the subduing of the demonic forces, when they were requested by either the consort of Yamantaka or the consort of Kalachakra. He taught the Hevajra tantra when he arose in the form of Hevajra in the land of Madgadha at the time of destroying the four maras; it was requested by Vajragarbha and the consort of Hevajra. Having been requested by Vajrayogini, the Buddha manifested as Heruka and taught the root tantra of Heruka on the summit of Mt. Meru, and when requested by Vajrapani, taught the explanatory tantra. As for the Kalachakra tantra, which was requested by King Suchandra, a manifestation of Vajrapani, the mighty Buddha went to the glorious shrine of Dhanyakataka in south India and, manifesting the mandala of the Dharmadhatu speech surmounted by the mandala of Kalachakra, taught it there.

Although he appeared in many different manifestations, the tantras were actually taught by the enlightened teacher, Lord Buddha.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN INITIATION

There are many differences, some great and some small, in the initiations of each of the four classes of tantra. Therefore, one initiation is not sufficient for all mandalas. When receiving an initiation from a qualified master, certain fortunate and qualified disciples develop the wisdom of the initiation in their mind streams. Otherwise, sitting in on an initiation, experiencing the vase, water and other initiations, will plant imprints to listen to Dharma in your mind but not much else will happen. Still, you need an initiation if you want to study tantra. If the secrets of tantra are explained to somebody who has not received an initiation, the guru commits the seventh tantric root downfall and the explanation is of no benefit whatsoever to the disciple.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUTRA AND TANTRA

Regarding renunciation and bodhicitta, there is no difference between Sutrayana and Tantrayana, but regarding conduct there is. Three kinds of conduct have been taught: disciples who admire and have faith in the Hinayana should separate themselves from all desires; disciples who admire the Sutrayana should traverse the stages and practice the perfections; those who admire the deep teachings of the Tantrayana should work with the conduct of the path of desire.

From the point of view of the philosophy, there is no difference in emptiness as an object of cognition but there is a difference in the method of its realisation. In the sutra tradition, the conscious mind engages in meditative equipoise on emptiness; in tantra, the innate wisdom, an extremely subtle mind, is involved — the difference, therefore, is great. The main practice of Sutrayana, engaging in the path as a cause to achieve the form and wisdom bodies of a buddha, is the accumulation of wisdom and merit for three countless eons and the accomplishment of one’s own buddha fields. Therefore, Sutrayana is known as the causal vehicle.

In tantra, even when still a beginner, one concentrates and meditates on the four complete purities that are similar to the result — the completely pure body, pure realm, pure possessions and pure deeds of an enlightened being. Thus, tantra is known as the resultant vehicle.

THE FOUR TRADITIONS

With respect to sutra, the explanation of the Hinayana and Mahayana is the same in all the four great traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Also, as far as the preliminary practices are concerned, there are no differences apart from the names. In the Gelug tradition they are called “the stages of the path of the three scopes”; in the Kagyü they are known as “the four ways to change the mind”; in the Drigung Kagyü as “the four Dharmas of Dagpa and the five of Drigung”; and the Sakya refer to “separation from the four attachments.” [Kyabje Rinpoche did not refer to the Nyingma tradition here.]

With respect to tantra, the individual master’s way of leading the disciples on the path depends on his experience and the instructions of the root texts and the commentaries of the great practitioners. Accordingly, the entrance into practice is taught a little differently. However, all are the same in that they lead to the final attainment of the state of Vajradhara.

It's not okay to be full of opinions and always having all these opinions and concepts because those would just be carried on with you. And so rather than that, you should make sure your mind turns to Dharma rather than worrying about what other people are doing, forming all these opinions about that. You should be thinking and reminding yourself, "Is my mind turning to Dharma with each passing day? Have I improved myself? Is my path turning to virtues? How much negative karma am I accumulating? What are my faults?" Check out on yourself. Don't check the faults of others. Don't spend your time checking and faulting others but fault yourself. Examine yourself continuously and self-adjust. Self-adjust with each and every passing day because you are an ordinary person. This is something you have to do in order to break free from this cycle. So please take this to heart.

-- Yangthang Rinpoche

五蕴

懺雲老法師

现在讲佛法名相，色受想行识五蕴，这是佛教基本名相。佛法的名相，能把我们众生心里的名相转过来。

色如聚沫，好比银楼橱窗里头摆的，有多少克拉的金刚钻石，还有蓝宝石、红宝石、珍珠、玛瑙、翡翠，还有极白的白玉，是白金镶的、或是黄金镶的，五光十色、眼花撩乱，佛说这都是色。还有时装比赛，再是跳舞场中，街上扭扭捏捏的人就那么走。要是破我们的迷执，说是猪，街上走什么人，猪不懂；要是人看猪呢？也不懂，有老母猪、有老公猪，也不懂。狗也是如此。种种这些，以至于活鱼、熊掌、猴头……，狗肉不好听、叫香肉，这都是色。佛说色如聚沫，要照析空观，可以说是分子、电子、中子聚合起来一样。

受如水泡，种种享受，你到病房一看，里头呻吟叫唤；手术室里，麻醉药过了，痛啊！发烧。再是殡仪馆，邬老居士故去后，他的公子害怕，要我帮着把老父亲送到殡仪馆，我看一个房间满堂都是人，就像北方大澡堂，人洗完澡都在那躺着、风凉风凉。一转念──这都是死人哪！感觉很不是滋味，世间这些享受最后落得一场空。佛说受如水泡，下雨天，雨点落在水池上，一点一个水泡、一点一个水泡……一下又破了；喜怒哀乐离合悲欢，最后一笔勾销。这一生的感受过去了，来生再一生，生生世世……。

想如阳焰，我们众生的想，比方自己的家，都觉得自己的家好，都以为自己的故乡好。都想：要是娶个太太，就是中国第一美女；儿子呢？就是二十四孝、现代的第二十五孝。自己的前途呢？都往好的地方想，得个硕士、博士，还得好几个博士；开公司开工厂，有多少个公司工厂；要是竞选，又选上多少个委员、议员、议长；开始事业地位渐渐升高，好比国外也有分公司、分工厂，这时候政府要给奖状，以至于国外的事业发展，外国的政府也给奖状、给名誉地位；那么六十大寿，满堂的人，几百几千；七十大寿人再多、八十人更多……，接着到国外，各国都欢迎，外国的元首都迎接；最后九十，事业更发展，儿子还能继续跟着办，孙子也能办，以至于曾孙都能办；接着一百岁，还选上议会议长，好比众议院、参议院议长；接着再选，就选上国务卿、选上总统；以后一百三十岁呢？就升天了。

佛说这个想啊，如阳焰：春天，太阳晒得地下水蒸气往上蒸发，老远看，公路上头都有浓厚的水蒸气，树木看了都曲折，就像树木映在水里一样。鹿不知道是水蒸气的作用，以为有水池子，鹿走得渴要去喝，跑到眼前，没有了。鹿一愣！怎么回事情？再往前一望：哦！那边还是有水，弯弯曲曲的水湾子。鹿再跑过去，到眼前又没有。怎么办？愈跑愈渴啊！再看到远地方：哦！那边还有……，就这么跑来跑去，水没喝着，把鹿跑死了、累死了。我们众生的妄想啊，如阳焰。

行如芭蕉，我们的一生，比方我今年七十三岁，我六十三岁如何，我五十三岁、四十三岁、三十三岁、二十三岁……，回忆过去啊！以同学来说，比如三年、三年前，就像芭蕉叶，剥下去三年、又剥下去三年、再剥下去又三年，找不出真实的人生，就像芭蕉一样，没有真实的树干，不像柏树、樱花，有真实树干，芭蕉没有真实树干，就是行，念念迁流，没有真实的人生。

最后，识如幻事──变戏法。识都是唯识所变现的，尤其是现代新兴的市区。到高雄，我过去到九如一路那一带，根本一片稻田；台北新生南路、新生北路，以至于好多路，以前都是一片稻田。我在三十七、八岁时，从台北内湖圆觉寺，坐公车坐半天，一路上都是稻田。现在，楼台店铺，市区都现出来了，都是唯识所现。好比这家搬来了，那家又搬来，比如在内湖小学做老师，不搬来不方便。搬来了，早晨得喝豆浆，就有人开豆浆店。愈搬愈多，一个豆浆店不够，别家也开豆浆店。有住家就要买菜，最初有菜车推车来，再久了，菜车不够，就得有菜市场。菜市场但是卖菜，还得卖些罐头，还有牙膏、牙刷、毛巾……，这就有超级市场。小孩子大了要读书，给他买学生装，就有成衣店，以至于服装店。走累了，还没到家，稍稍买点糕饼点心，就得有糕饼店。骑个脚踏车，半路要打气，就有脚踏车店；骑机车，半路得加油，就有加油站。以后，慢慢多赚点钱，有轿车，加油站又扩大。车子上高速公路，就有收费站。这样市区越来越发达，都是唯心所现、唯识所变。色受想行识的识，就是如幻──耍戏法、魔术变出来的。

佛就用色受想行识五蕴，破我们的执着。色有多少？比如说男女、金银，你到洛杉矶，到了还不知是洛杉矶，洛杉矶有那又高又大的人，说是墨西哥人。还有长得比美国人小一点、瘦一点，皮色也黑一点，这是中美洲人，叫波多黎各。马来有马来人，男子也穿个裙子，华侨都叫他巫人。还有印度人、还有白布缠头的巴基斯坦人。印度人信婆罗门教、印度教，他不缠头，回教才缠头。这形形色色、无量无边，佛说这都叫色。色受想行识，用这五种破我们的执着，也用这五种析空。佛家的名相，以五蕴最基本。受想行识是心理界，心理的变化波动；色是物质界。宇宙人生不外物质界、心理界──就是精神界两种。佛但说色法、心法，众生不明白，佛再把心法开成受想行识，就是五蕴。还有众生不明白，佛就说色声香味触法。以至于十二处、十八界。根，眼耳鼻舌身意：六根；对六尘，叫十二处。说是根能发识；眼耳鼻舌身意六根，接触色声香味触法六尘，生眼耳鼻舌身意六识，六根触六尘生六识。如此，六根六尘六识叫十八界，各有各的界限，眼看的不是耳听的，鼻子闻的不是舌头尝的，各有各的界限不同，叫十八界。根尘识十八界，像写生画架的三条腿一样，画架合起来提着就走，看哪儿风景好，画架架起来就画，就是十八界。广说十八界；中说，就是十二处，六根对六尘；略说，就是色受想行识五蕴。五蕴，蕴藏太多，就叫五蕴；也叫五阴，这些能阴蔽真如自性、佛性，阴蔽我们的良知良能，就叫五阴，都是一个意思。不论是讲五阴、或五蕴，都是佛法基本的名相。四谛、十二因缘、六度，也不外五阴、十二处、十八界这些名相，这在我们宇宙人生很重要。过去的军事首领，好比日本的东条、德国的希特勒，以至于历史上好多人物，像汉高祖刘邦、唐朝唐太宗、宋太祖，历代的这些人物，这里头要是有三止三观就好了。那么佛门的人物，佛门的居士，比如说李子宽、赵恒惕做过两湖总督、屈映光兄弟修密、台中李炳南老居士、朱镜宙老居士─是章太炎的女婿；当代的高僧，虚云老和尚的做法、弘一大师的做法、印光大师的做法，以至于倓虚大师的做法─最后在香港圆寂。世间我们观察历史这些人物，当代国际间大事、这些人物，我们怎么做呢？也要观，真观清净观、广大智慧观。观佛门的人物、居士、或是出家高僧怎么做法，都是我们应该观的、应该采取调和怎么做，所以观很重要、很重要。至于个人，比如我们处在这个国际间、这个国家、这个环境，我住在水里，我对水里的人怎么办法？我对眼前寺院怎么办法？全省的佛教界我怎么个办法？这些都需要观。诸位同学也需要，我在那个学校读书，我读的什么学系，我的前途如何？我的家庭如何？这都需要观。这观都是假观、观俗谛、观现象界；要是万缘放下，就是空观、观真谛，观因缘性空，这样好修行；又能万缘放下，又能在现象界、人事上做得恰到好处，这是中观。假观观得好、空观也观得好，空假中三观具足，那更好了。

The signs of the practice of wisdom awareness are: one will become self-guided in virtue, afflictive emotion will diminish, compassion toward sentient beings will arise, one will earnestly make effort toward the practice, one will abandon all distractions, and one will neither grasp nor become attached to this life.

-- His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche

We think we are who we think we are

by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

From a Buddhist point of view, our basic problem is that we don’t know who we really are and we identify with all the wrong things. We “think we are who we THINK we are.” If I say to you, who are you? You will start by giving your name and whatever it is you identify with. What do we identify with? We identify with our gender, our nationality, our social group, our educational level, our profession, our role as a husband or wife or mother or daughter or brother. We have many roles we play depending on the circumstance. We hold onto these roles.

From the Buddhist point of view this is our fundamental “unknowing.” It is a fundamental ignorance in which we identify with all these transitory states and don’t recognise our genuine identity.

Right now I am living in a household where there is a little boy. He’s two years old and very sweet. His parents are both scientists and he is very bright and because of the household he lives in he has a very strong connection to Asia and with the West. One of his favourite things is offering malas to the Buddha. Yet you can see even at this age how he is creating his own self image of who he is and how he will therefore relate to others outside of himself. He’s learning to put everything into categories. Because he is now in the process of concretising his identity, he is very much reaching out for those things which he wants and feels will make him happy and strongly objecting to anything he doesn’t want, which he regards as not being very pleasure making for him. See, right from the very start we begin this process of creating a persona for ourselves. Persona, from which we get the word personality, comes from the Roman and Greek masks which were worn by actors in the ancient dramas. They would always wear a mask that represented the character they were portraying, their “persona.” So our personality is the mask that we present to the world, depending on the role we are playing at that particular point. For example, you put on a different mask when talking to your parent than with your children. In your professional life you probably have different persona to that which you would reveal to your friends and intimates.

So we are endlessly playing different roles. In itself that’s not a problem, we have to play roles. The problem comes when we identify with those roles. It’s as if an actor not only brilliantly portrayed Hamlet, but he believed he was Hamlet. This is a problem. This is what we do for our whole lives. We not only play a part, but we begin to believe that the part we play is who we really are. When this fundamental aspect of unknowing becomes very strong in us, then of course, automatically comes the reaching out for anything we think will bring us pleasure and happiness and the pushing away of anyone and anything we think will bring us pain. We do this automatically. We just naturally try to attract pleasure and avoid pain, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional. This is what the Eight Worldly Concerns are dealing with, our automatic responses to the events that happen in our lives.

Beings with inferior karma aim at the grandeur and vanity of this world and act with no thought of karmic ripening. Future misery will endure much longer than that of the present, so feel motherly love and compassion for the beings of the three realms. Keep constant company with the awakened mind of bodhichitta. Forsake the ten non virtues and adopt the ten virtues.

Don't regard any sentient being as your enemy: to do so is only your mind's delusion. Don't seek food and drink through lies and deceit. Though your belly will be full in this life, it will weigh heavy in the following.

Don't get involved in business and making profits: in general, it is distracting for both yourself and others. Attach no importance to wealth, because it is the enemy of meditation and Dharma practice.

Dwelling only on food is a cause of distraction: keep your meditation provisions sufficient merely to sustain yourself. Don't live in villages or areas which promote attachment and aversion. When your body is in seclusion your mind will be also. Give up idle gossip and speak less. If you hurt another's feelings, both of you create negative karma.

In general, all sentient beings without exception have been your parents, so don't allow yourself to feel attached or hostile. Maintain a peaceful frame of mind. Give up angry and harsh words; instead speak with a smiling face.

Your parents' kindness cannot be repaid even if you sacrifice your life, so be respectful in thought, word, and deed.

Virtue and evil both come from perceived objects and companions, so don't keep company with evildoers. Don't remain in a place where people are hostile towards you and which furthers anger and desire. If you do, it only increases disturbing emotions in yourself and others.

Stay where your state of mind is at ease and your Dharma practice will automatically progress. To remain in places of extreme attachment and aversion is only distracting. Stay where your Dharma practice develops.

If you become conceited, your virtues diminish, so give up being arrogant and haughty. If you become disappointed and disheartened, console yourself and be your own counsel. Re-embark on the path.

-- Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche

有、无、非、空

白云老禅师

今天跟大家谈“有、无、非、空”的法义，这四个字很重要，如果搞不清楚，根本没有办法了解经典在说什么。佛法总是教我们怎样去认识“有”、突破“有”，进而去发现不同于原有的我，最后还要做到连这个“有”也要清净。

先谈比较容易了解的“有”，经典常提到这样的句子“一切有为法”，尤其唯识学，总是离不开“有为、无为”的探讨。基于“有”的本身是一种肯定的存在，不管眼睛看到的、耳朵听到的、凡是你所接触到的，从外表都可以瞧见，包括色尘、法尘、色法都是。那什么是“无为法”呢？如果你不了解无为的“无”是什么，就会变成一种否定；其实“无”不是没有，它是从“有”进一步去做深入的认识，经过五蕴的调理，因此在佛法中是一种观法。可见“观”就是深入的认识，一个问题经过深入的探讨，显现出来的第一个现象叫“非有”，也就是“不同于原有”，但这只是一个过程，当过程完成后才会产生“无”的现象，所以“无”是一种境界。

举一个例子来说：烦恼与菩提，大家都知道烦恼是肯定的“有”，那菩提呢？如果菩提不是“有”，难道是“无”吗？既然是“无”，那菩提究竟是什么？其实于法而言，烦恼是“有”，菩提还是“有”，关键在于怎么去发现其中的道理，也就是怎么去做深入的认识。“烦恼”很明显的是身心不自在，但什么时候身心会不自在呢？当然是关系到人与事的问题，这就涉及到业与道、因缘与因果的问题。

首先要确定的是，你是为自己烦恼还是为别人烦恼？因为两者的差别很大，自己烦恼很容易体会，别人烦恼看到的只是他的表面，至于他的内涵是什么？还有为什么烦恼？我们全然不知。如果从因果来看，一般佛教徒会认为：烦恼的产生是一种业报，当然以概念来看并没有错，可是必须要进一步深入的认识，否则等于只是解释名相，并不知道它的法义在哪里。

我们看，烦恼会令身心不自在，所谓的“烦身、恼心”，“烦”是表面的不自在，还可以看得出来，内在的“恼”呢？最多你只能从概念上去安慰他：“烦恼有什么用呢？”所以当很多人说：“啊！我的烦恼太多了！”如果你问他：“你烦恼什么？”他回答：“反正就是烦恼嘛！”那根本连烦恼都谈不上，纯是妄想杂念而已；真正谈烦恼，一定要知道烦恼什么？是为了什么人或什么事而烦恼？如果不去探讨“为什么”，而只告诉别人你很烦恼，人家根本不知道你究竟是怎么了？

所以，烦恼肯定是一个“有”，但这个“有”是表面的还是内在的？我们要进一步的去认识它；表面的，人家可以看出那种不自在，内在的人家就看不到，从中可以发现它的关键点在哪？就是“因缘”的问题；因为人有业，遇着不同的时间、空间就会显现，刚开始显现的时候还不能称之为烦恼，那只是一种“无明”而已，为什么？因为你不了解，所以也不能肯定“我为什么而烦恼”，这个时候最多只是无明──因为无明，所以搞不清楚；那搞不清楚是一种什么现象？就是迷惑！换句话说，把无明搞清楚了就不会迷惑了；所以有很多人把这几个名称混在一起，甚至连佛学辞典都这么认为──“无明”、“迷惑”、“烦恼”只是名字相不同，其实意义相同，但这是一个错误的观点！因为“无明”、“迷惑”、“烦恼”三者的“体、用、相、境”是不同的，所以意义也不同。以本体而言，于无明我们只发现了作用；以迷惑来说，我们会知道它的境界；所以真正谈烦恼，它一定具备了“本体”、“作用”、“表相”与“境界”这四项。

在这一堂课，你们一定要用心听，否则我讲完了你们还不知道我在说什么？以为只是解释这四个字而已，如果只是解释这四个字，你们翻翻佛学辞典也可以知道一点，但对于修行终究还是用不上。因此你们的意念必须跟着我讲的而动，如果猛记笔记，那是浪费时间！写了一大堆结果还是无明、迷惑、烦恼！经典经常提到“无明、迷惑、烦恼”这三个名相，我们必须从因缘与因果去认识，才不会停留在我刚刚说的概念里──“无明是一种作用，迷惑是一种境界，那烦恼呢，包含了体用相境．．．．．”以致不能了解我究竟在说什么？还有谈这些跟自己的那个“我”有什么关系？

首先举一个简单的例子：在正常的时间肚子饿了，如果没有饭吃，会产生什么现象？以人的基本心念来看，一般会去想办法找食物，让自己不致挨饿，但如果遇到一种人，饿了没有饭吃，他不会去面对问题，却在那里分析：“我为什么会饿？”、“不吃可以吗？”、“是不是吃了就不饿了呢？”、“难道人就只为了吃饭？”若以无明、迷惑、烦恼来看，那究竟这会是什么样的人？大家思考一下！如果用一个名词来形容，我会说这个人是神经病，不是吗？肚子饿了当然要吃东西，吃了自然就不饿，如果在这节骨眼还在那里分析、探讨，那就不符合现实了。就像很多学佛的人经常自以为是，最后迷惑了还不知道，甚至还得意洋洋的对人说，自以为是在修行办道：“哦！我要把所学的佛法运用出来！”看起来好像没错，我也曾经说过要把佛法融合在现实生活里，但并不是叫你饿了去做一串无意义的分析，须知学佛的人也是人，所以不要把自己当成好像“我不是人”，认为这是理所当然的事，饿了当然要去找吃的，不吃就会挨饿，如果你说要修“忍波罗蜜”，那么饿一天、两天、三天．．．．甚至饿个八天、十天，请问你还撑得下去吗？结果还不是要吃！

就是有太多学佛的人，找一些佛教的名相摆在现实生活中，自认为已与佛法融合，其实这是最大的错误，往往他们会忘了自己还是个人，只要是人就要用人的方法解决问题，除非哪一天真正成佛、成菩萨了。暂且不说成佛成菩萨，只要一般还在“欲界”的众生，饿了都要吃，如果你说：那“色界”的众生呢？他们饿了也不一定真正要吃，闻一闻就能满足；甚至还有“无色界”的众生，连闻都不需闻，只要想一想就可以得到满足；但除非你真正已到达了超出欲界的修养，可以不用吃了，但可别忘了“色界”、“无色界”还是在天道，只是层次高低不同而已，唯有真正成佛成菩萨了，吃与饿就不是问题了。

所以，有很多学佛的人，学佛了十几、二十几年，自认为修得不错，最后还是迷惑、烦恼，就像饿了不会去找饭吃，只在那里挨饿，最后饿死了成为鬼道众生。由此可见，为什么我一直强调佛法是对人说的，不是对佛说的？还有，为什么对色界、无色界的天道众生还要谈佛法呢？因为他们还是有业习在，既然有那么多缺陷，当然需要用佛法化解，以到达最后的圆满。不是有一句话──“出离三界”吗？但是要出离三界，肯定的是业已完全清净，如果还有业，必然得去面对与承受。所以大家要多思考我刚才所讲的：问题发生了，不要像一些人只会用佛法或者佛教里的名词、名相，自认为很有修养，已到达了某一种境界；须知学佛修行，如果只知道道理是不够的，还要起而行，在现实生活中实际的体验与发现，这是很重要的一点。

让我们再回到“烦恼”这个问题上，如果我们懂得一些道理，也知道“烦恼即菩提”这个名相，但却不能深解法义，那么在没有正式修行的实际体验下，烦恼怎么能“即”菩提呢？以禅宗的语言说：“你能发现、就能得到好处；不能发现，即使懂得一大堆，对你来说是一无是处！”现在大家不妨作个思考：“烦恼”既然是身心不自在，而且对这个问题也经过了认识、了解与发现，如果真正烦恼显现的时刻，你是否还能保持镇定，会冷静的去认识问题、去做了解与发现一些甚么？有一些佛教徒是这样的，每次烦恼来了，就把一切归之于业，感叹道：“唉！这些都是业报，是过去所做的，我现在应该要承受它。”但真正学佛的人就不一样了，虽然他不否定业是过去所造作的，也知道要承受它，但他明白如果问题不能化解，烦恼最终还是烦恼！所以，唯有能转烦恼显现菩提，那才是真正的修行。

问题就在乎烦恼显现的时候，你做得了主吗？能心平气和的去认识、了解与发现吗？这当中就有两种处理方式：一个是真正的修行人，懂得运用佛法的知见，去面对、认识、了解与发现，不会忘记自己是个人，也知道用人的方法去解决；另一种则完全忘了自己还是个人，面对现实时表现的是自我意识，所以稍不谨慎就会走上偏离的路。其中的因果关系与因缘法则在哪？就是如果只知运用佛教里的名词、名相，甚或佛法的道理与方法，但把人的角色与立场放一边，忘了自己还是个人，全以自我意识去面对，结果一定会出问题。可见，以佛法来说，不管你学什么，最大的敌人就是自我意识；总是把自我摆在前面，这也是为什么目前教界会那么乱的原因。

通常不管出家、在家学佛的，三皈依里不是有提到“深入经藏，智能如海”吗？大家早晚做三皈依，天天都念着这一句，难道真能深入经藏吗？所谓的“深入经藏，智能如海”，绝不是一天到晚翻阅大藏经，研究大藏经就能达成的。多年以前，我有一个出家弟子，是个比丘尼，如果现在她还在的话也已经八十岁了，以前，我的房间里有一个书柜子，里面放着藏经，藏经的柜子中间有一格，供奉着一尊佛像，她每天都会按时间到我房间去，把那个大藏经打开，可是她打开藏经不是给自己看，而是给佛像看，而且还一页一页的翻着。我问她：“是谁告诉你这样做的？”她说：“师父！我不识字，人家说这么翻可以种善根。”你们知道最后我是怎么处理的？我不称赞她，也不否定她，随她去做。你们想想看，我为什么要这么做？因为学佛的人，不要把每一个人摆在同一个水平在线，每个人的根基与智能都不一样，你不能要求每一个人都跟你一样。我们要了解，佛法为什么有八万四千法门？就是相应每一个人不同的根基。你想，她不识字，都还知道要种善根，希望来生得以识字。而今生她一字不识，不要说深入经藏，叫她念三字经都没有用，但千万也不能这样鼓励她：“哦！你不识字，所以这样做也很不错！”怕她会信以为真，真的就这样翻藏经给佛像看了。

但不能否定的是，她至少每天在同样的时间，做这件同样的事也不容易！所谓“应机说法”，我们千万不要把人摆在同一个水平在线，不是有这么的说法吗？孙中山先生讲平等，是平“足”不平“头”，因此我们千万不能够让一排人站在那里，从那个最矮的一把刀就这么削齐，想想，假使这一排有十个人，那就要死掉九个，剩下的就只有那个最矮的了；如果从最高的砍下去，你一个都砍不到，所以常有些人因为看到别人的基础不够，就认为他做的事都是愚蠢的，就去讽刺他、取笑他，这样是不慈悲的。相反的，也不必看到高不可攀的人，就以为他非常了不起，其实他的高不可攀，也是慢慢累积而成的，如果人家能做到，你也一定能做到，只要肯努力。

谈到“人为什么会烦恼”？其实是因自我分别而来的，再问“自我分别的力量来自哪里”？当然是来自业。所以这就是为什么要说“我”、“无我”的原因？因为人总是会把自己的那个“我”看得很重，一辈子就在自我意识里过日子，甚至站在别人面前还可以讲一大堆道理，最后自己还是自我，能说不能行也没用！至于“无明众生”的缘起是什么？还是缘于因缘法则与因果关系，基于十二因缘法，不管从理法还是从实法上谈，第一个都是谈“无明”。谈到十二因缘的“理法”大家比较熟悉，那么“实法”是什么？其实它是谈一个生命过程，从“无明”开始，到人怎样成孕、成形、然后出生．．．．．都是在谈实实在在的法。那十二因缘的“理法”是什么呢？就是包含了一切人与事的因与缘，不管论人谈事，几乎都有一个基因在，之后相应于缘，才会产生法，所以不要把这个无明，当成一个恐怖份子看待，然后产生害怕。再说人从无明而来，事从无明而生，如果我说“一切我们都明明了了”了，那肯定这个人不是佛再来就是菩萨再来。

可见，无明不可能直接完成烦恼，一定是迷惑而后产生烦恼的，因此从无明到烦恼的中间，一定有一个迷惑的过程，就好像不懂得道理方法，也不知道怎样实际去修行，人家叫他怎么做，他就怎么做，最后还是迷惑。记得以前我常举一个例子：一个人一有了烦恼就跑去找法师，他说：“师父！我大概业障太重，总是有很多烦恼，怎么办才好？”师父就教他一个方法：“你回去念佛！好好的念啊！”真的就有这种无明的人，乖乖的跑回去念佛，刚开始因为专心，没有时间去胡思乱想了，当然有效！但念久了还是烦恼，他又回去找这位师父：“师父啊！我现在还是有烦恼！”那位法师就说：“这样好了，我教你一个咒语”，这个人又欢欢喜喜地学了一个咒语回去猛念，结果还是一样，刚开始的确有效，就像我刚说的，因为他要把这个东西学会，他就没有时间去妄想，好像烦恼没有了，甚至还法喜充满呢！但最后念了念，烦恼来了还是无法化解，他又再去找法师，法师再教他一个方法，好比去念一部经或拜一个忏，总之每次一找法师，法师就教他一个方法，到最后这个人还是很烦恼，这下这个师父已没有戏唱了，因为他的法宝已经用完了，最后他的结论是：“唉！我什么都教你了，你还是烦恼，你的业障实在太重了，我也没有办法！”其实烦恼来了，你不问他为什么烦恼，就教他一个方法，让他当作化解烦恼的工具，那就成了我在书里写的：“把佛法当武器，把现实生活当作敌人，拿着武器去消灭敌人。”这有可能化解烦恼吗？烦恼一定是要去认识、了解、发现，才有机会突破与化解，如果只是教你一味单方去对付烦恼，学的人无明，教的人更无明，但在台湾的佛教界，这种现象却很普遍。

不可否认无明人人都有，这就是为什么我们要学佛的缘故，不就是希望能明了吗？不单单要明了，还要能够圆觉。虽然无明是不可能避免的，但千万不要在无明中过日子，否则看似在学佛，最后还是随着无明转，而且愈转愈无明。好比：有很多人一出家会发大心、发大愿，那一股道的热诚，以开水来比喻几乎超过一百度，但过不了几天或几个月，业一来承受不了就会想逃避，等到再接触到所谓“道”的问题，又会发起一股热诚，如此起起伏伏，自我意识作祟，所以，即使有机会接触道，最后还是承受不了烦恼；就像我们千佛山的梵密行者，刚开始要接受四十九天的磨练，天天做同样的功课，一成不变，想想在那四十九天中，会有多少的起心动念？所以我会告诉他们：如果你们只是勉强承受，算算四十九天过了后“我就会怎样”？其实那是没有用的！修行还是要去究竟认识自己，如果在这四十九天勉强的承受那倒还容易，就像那些吸毒者，那些演艺人员、名主持人，常常因为吸毒而送去勒戒，关个三、四个月，无论如何他还是得去承受，但在承受的过程，究竟能改变什么？对自己有多少认识？发现与了解自己多少？谁知道？

这一堂课我们几乎都在谈“有”，但到底“有”什么呢？于人的问题必定关系到事，如果事不关系到人，那么这件事也就没有什么！之所以会产生这么多的“有”，就是因为人与事会打交道。唯识学中有谈到“百法”，你看看其中“有为法”就有多少？我讲的都是概念，是平常大家可以体会的。其实真正依于“我”来看，是不能避免一连串的“有”，如果只是空谈道理：“有没有关系？”、“你要去认识、了解、发现，就能突破啊！”真正这么容易吗？关键在于你能认识多少、了解多少？发现多少？以致于突破多少？谈到无明，我这一辈子，从生下来到现在，九十几年都吃素，还是活得好好的，为什么？因为一个人如果处在无明中过日子，营养再好也无法吸收，身体各部份的器官就得不到足够的营养。无可讳言，人难免会有无明，但只要不迷惑，就不会形成烦恼，如此一来，吃什么营养都能吸收，怎么还会喊营养不够呢？其实我们的消化系统跟心情有密切关系，如果连吃饭都觉得是一件苦差事，那么再好的营养也没用。我们的身体需要充份的营养，吃饭就是用来补充所需的营养，自然的，如果吃饭能好好的吃，睡觉好好的睡，哪会有营养不足的问题产生？但是人往往就会忘了一点：面对问题时，只会用自我意识去看、去听、去讲，最后做自我意识的确定，一切离不开分别而后的计较、执着，所以吃什么营养都无法吸收。

如果我每天照三顿吃，可能就会像那些摔角的，以前我不是告诉大家一个数目字吗？每一天每一个人所需要的营养，以一百分来计算，百分之七十五是脑吸收，其它身体的各部份只要百分之二十五的营养就够了，这是正常的情形，如果常处在无明、迷惑、烦恼中，可能连百分之一百的营养，都还不够让你的脑消耗，为什么？因为妄想杂念一大堆，所需消耗的营养就更多了，其它部分的器官好比五脏缺乏营养，你说会不会生病？因为营养都让脑给耗光了！

所以，为什么学佛的要讲究清净？清净什么？就是清净那些妄想杂念，清净自我意识，怎样从无明中突破出来；只因一切有为法，关系到人与事的或是理与事的问题都叫做法，这些有行为造作的法，几乎都是让自己处在无明的状况中，不能远离无明而明了缘故，随着无明而迷惑，等到烦恼形成了，想再去寻求菩提，那就太迟了！应该是一开始产生无明时，就要去面对、着手，但什么时候是迷惑呢？就是在无明生起，产生分别的时刻，如果只是去计较、执着就会迷惑；但如果无明生起的刹那，不为无明所左右，反而能依于佛法的道理方法，把无明放在一边，实际的去面对人与事的问题，作认识、了解与发现，那就有突破的机会，不致因迷惑而形成烦恼。

至于烦恼真正已形成了怎么办？如果从无明，一下子就迷惑，马上成为烦恼，那也不是问题；但千万不要去找菩提，应当是去面对烦恼、认识烦恼，了解自己为什么会烦恼？我不是说：真正的佛法就是去探讨一连串的为什么，然后要化解这一连串的为什么？如果不从“为什么”着手，只是一个问题去找一个答案，那是没有用的，因为一个问题找到一个答案，往往答案里面还是问题，为什么？假设烦恼是问题，那菩提是答案，是否烦恼就能得到化解？其实找到的菩提还是问题重重，因为烦恼本来就是问题，你又再找一些问题。所以，当你认识了一些什么，了解一些什么，如果能这么想：我可不可以不烦恼？单就这点就已不容易了，至于如何去化解问题，那当然更要下功夫。

还有，为什么有的出家一辈子了，自己好像过得很不错，但一看到别人不对，就认为他应该怎样怎样，可是从来不会反过来看看自己？这才是最大的问题！尤其有很多人喜欢去“度”人，自认为懂得一些佛法，于是热心的想去帮助别人，结果尽挑剔别人的缺点，不会去发现别人的优点，还一味的强调自己的优点，掩没自己的缺点。因此，造成自己的烦恼不打紧，却不经意给别人带来许多烦恼，这种人在座的很多，这都因为看别人看得很清楚，就不会反过来看自己，所以才会讲到“为什么要有镜子？”这回事，这都因为眼睛不能够反过来看自己，才必须摆一面镜子照照自己，那谁又是镜子呢？其实，你所接触的人与事都是镜子！只不过当你看到镜子里显现出来的缺点时，要想想自己是怎么样？当一句话要讲出来时，要去思考这句话是利益的？还是伤害的？

可是人就是这样，经常处在是非里，这都是因为无明的缘故，把自己保护得好好的，每天跟无明一起过日子，还觉得顶不错呢！何不思考；看别人为什么看得那么清清楚楚，对自己就这么陌生？还有，为什么道业不能进展？缺点为什么不能愈来愈少？就是因为拼命的想掩盖自己的缺点，即使不小心暴露了，还找一大堆理由来维护自尊，认为这些不是缺点，形成“道”的障碍。尤其讲到别人的缺点好像理所当然，还说：“我是为你好呢！”换成别人讲你的缺点时，那就会像屋顶快要掀掉了似的，拼命保护自己。这完全缘于自我意识，处在无明里，不知道什么是修行？什么是办道？如果不能够从这些有为法中下手修行，只拼命的寻找无为法，甚至还以为自己是个很了不起的修行人，到头来依然是业障鬼一个！

所以，不要只顾看别人的缺点，应当反过来多看看自己，想想“如果是我”会怎么样？其实看别人的优点是最好学习的机会，因为当你能发现别人的优点，那个人就是你的善知识！如果也能发现别人的缺点，立刻作为自己的返照，那么那个有缺点的人，对你而言也是一个善知识。可见，学佛、修行办道必须先从“有”着手，不管正面、负面或相对的，都要去面对，都要去下工夫，千万不要害怕面对“有”，如果那一天“有”的问题都清净了，所有的问题也就不存在了！所以唯有从“有”去认识、了解与发现，那才是真正的修行办道；若还能进一步的突破，那么你必定已具有一些修养了！

所以，于“有”不要害怕，也不要把“有”视为理所当然，认为那就是老和尚讲的：老和尚不是说我们每一天都在跟“有”打交道？所以经常会看到一些人，总是把我上课说的话断章取义，最后还说是我讲的，就像有些人看到了别人的缺点会说：“你看看老和尚讲的，你就是这个样子！”这时他就不会反过来瞧瞧自己真有这么好？说不定还比那个人更糟糕呢！为什么？因为你讲别人不好，他如果反过来当面谢谢你，或者认为算了，那他算是个有修养的人。如果换了一个没修养的，也许看你一眼，掉个头就走。再看，万一别人讲你，如果你就做狮子吼，我说那才是真正的业障鬼！为什么你讲别人可以那么钜细靡遗，清清楚楚的，而别人讲你，你却一点都不能承受？你的修养到哪里去了？那就表示从来都没有修养，因为没有修行嘛！所以，只有不断的修行才能完成某些修养，修养一定是可以表现出来的，修行是自己踏踏实实去完成。

这一堂课我们大约谈一些“有”的问题，于“有”知道得愈多，理解的愈多，那么面对“无”、“非”、“空”就更容易理解了！