The Message of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths

by Sylvia Boorstein

THE BUDDHA'S FIRST TEACHING

Accounts of the Buddha’s life, said to have been told by generations of disciples before they were written down and codified as scripture, often begin with the words, “Thus I have heard,” which carry the sense of oral tradition into the present. The teacher-to-student, elder-to-novice tone of the narratives invites us into a centuries-old community of storytellers who made the Buddha’s practice their own practice. We are in the line of people who have heard the story.

The sermon called “Setting into Motion the Wheel of Truth” is the account of the Buddha’s first formal teaching after he declared his enlightenment, his experience of deeply understanding both the cause of and the remedy for suffering. It includes, before the Buddha’s statement of the Four Noble Truths as the summary of his insight, the fact that he gave this teaching to five monks he met walking near Benares. A story told about that encounter describes how the five monks, recognising the Buddha from afar as the person who had formerly done ascetic practice with them, said disparaging things to each other about him.

As one account has it: “They agreed among themselves, ‘Here comes the monk Gautama, who became self-indulgent, gave up the struggle and reverted to luxury,’ ” and only reluctantly agreed to listen to him. That same account describes how at the end of the Buddha’s teaching, as one after another of the monks understood the truth of what he had said, “the news travelled right up to the Brahma world. This ten-thousand-fold world-element shook and quaked and trembled while a great measureless light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared in the world.”

The stories my friends and I tell each other about our experience of hearing the Four Noble Truths for the first time resemble, though in twenty-first-century English-language idiom, the account of what happened in Benares. My view that I was stuck forever with my worrying, fearful, often sorrowful mind-the victim of whatever events my life had in store for me-“shook and quaked” at the news that a liberated mind, a mind at ease in wisdom and filled with compassion, was a possibility. Long before I had any confidence that I would be able to see clearly, it was thrilling just to know that it was possible for human beings-like the Buddha, who was a human being-to become, through practice, free of suffering.

TEACHING THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 

When I teach the Four Noble Truths, I say them this way:

I.

Life is challenging. For everyone. Our physical bodies, our relationships-all of our life circumstances-are fragile and subject to change. We are always accommodating.

II.

The cause of suffering is the mind’s struggle in response to challenge.

III.

The end of suffering-a non-struggling, peaceful mind-is a possibility.

IV.

The program for ending suffering is the Eightfold Path. It is:

1. Wise Understanding: realising the cause of suffering;

2. Wise Intention: motivation to end suffering;

3. Wise Speech: speaking in a way that cultivates clarity;

4. Wise Action: behaving in ways that maintain clarity;

5. Wise Livelihood: supporting oneself in a wholesome way;

6. Wise Effort: cultivating skillful (peaceful) mind habits;

7. Wise Concentration: cultivating a steady, focused, ease-filled mind;

8. Wise Mindfulness: cultivating alert, balanced attention.

Each time I teach the Four Noble Truths I re-inspire myself. They make so much sense. Every step of the practice path is an ordinary, everyday activity of human beings. I say, “Look what a feedback loop this is! It’s a never-ending, self-supporting system. Any piece of it builds all the other parts. The more we understand the causes of suffering, the greater our intention; the wiser and more compassionate our behaviour, the clearer our minds; the deeper our understanding of suffering, the stronger our intention; over and over and on and on.”

I especially like to teach the steps in this 1 through 8 progression, because I always want to pause and emphasise Wise Mindfulness. It reaffirms for me the goal of practice. Paying attention, seeing clearly in every moment, leads — by way of insight—to appropriate response.

I sometimes end a Four Noble Truths teaching by saying, “That was a lot of words. But truly, what the Buddha taught was simple: When we see clearly, we behave impeccably.” If I want to be sure that I’ve made the point that acting wisely and compassionately is the inevitable, passionate imperative of the heart that comes from realising the depth of suffering in the world — that we pay attention for goodness’ sake — I say it this way: “When we see clearly, we behave impeccably, out of love, on behalf of all beings.”

THE PRESENT MOMENT 

Until quite recently, no one ever challenged me when I said that the Buddha said, “We ought to practice as if our hair is on fire.” I thought it was a good metaphor for the energy level needed to meet the lifelong challenge of keeping the mind clear, remembering what’s important, refining the capacity of the heart for goodness. Then a young woman came to see me during lunchtime at a daylong mindfulness workshop. She said, “That’s an awful image. It’s so frantic.” She reminded me that Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Life is so short, we should all move more slowly.”

When I taught again in the afternoon, I went back to the hair-on-fire metaphor and suggested that I thought it had to do with urgency and not alarm. I told the group how inspired I had been when one of my teachers — describing how easily we are caught up in rehearsing for the future or ruminating over the past, all the while not awake to present experience, not choosing wisely — had said, “It’s your life. Don’t miss it!” I wanted to tell a story about what being awake to present experience means, and immediately thought of a famous one from the Zen tradition.

A tiger gave chase to a monk who had been walking peacefully near a cliff, and the monk, running as fast as he could, had no choice but to leap off the edge of the cliff to avoid being eaten. He was able, as he leaps, to grab hold of a vine trailing over the cliff. He dangled in mid-air with the tiger snarling at him overhead and under him a very long fall into a rushing river full of boulders. Then he noticed a mouse gnawing at the vine. He also noticed, growing out of a cleft in a rock in front of him, a strawberry plant with one ripe berry. He ate it. He said, “This is a very good strawberry.”

The monk’s situation is a dramatic example of everyone’s situation. We are all dangling in mid-process between what already happened (which is just a memory) and what might happen (which is just an idea). Now is the only time anything happens. When we are awake in our lives, we know what’s happening. When we’re asleep, we don’t see what’s right in front of us.

A year after my husband and I were married, we moved to Kansas. To our extended families in New York and New Jersey, Kansas was impossibly far away. We developed the habit — maintained through all our moves and all these years — of including a recent photo of us in the New Year greeting that we send each year, so that our relatives would feel that we were staying in touch. As our family grew, the photo went from two people, to three people, to four, then five, then six. Then the number of people in the photo stayed the same for many years, but the children in it got bigger and everyone in it got older. By and by, as my sons and daughters chose life partners, more people joined the photo. They had children, and then even more people were in the photo. With increasing years and increasing people, the project of taking the August photo, which had begun as simply as, “Let’s step out into the backyard for a minute,” became more elaborate. It required a lot of advance planning to coordinate schedules.

The photo taking, in a recent year, happened just under the wire for sending the greeting cards on time. I brought the film to the photo shop early the next morning, went for an hour-long bike ride while the pictures were being developed, and then went back to the photo shop to choose the best of them to make duplicates for the cards.

The photos were great. Several of them had all of us smiling. I picked the one I thought was best.

“How many prints do you need?” the saleswoman asked.

It was then that I realised that I didn’t need any. Everyone we had needed to send photo greetings to — parents, aunts, uncles — had died. I felt genuinely surprised and a bit embarrassed. I had explained to her earlier that I needed the prints developed promptly so I could send my cards on time.

I thought of whom else I could send a card to. I have two cousins. Seymour has a few. My friends have varying views about the political correctness of supporting the culture’s use of religious holidays for mercantile gain, and they mostly don’t send cards. My children’s in-laws? That seemed like a good idea. They would, I thought, enjoy seeing the whole family.

Just then I realised that I was trying very hard to wring the last bit of possible pleasure out of a situation that didn’t exist anymore. The trying was tedious. I also realised that the increasing effort, each year, to get everyone together in a good mood to take a photo had become tedious.

“I don’t need duplicates after all,” I said, indicating the display of our family pictures in front of me on the counter. “So many of these are fine. I’ll have enough for everyone.”

I walked through the parking lot on my way to my car feeling dismayed about my whirlwind, enthusiastic attempt to orchestrate a project without a cause, and thinking, “How can I not have noticed before now that the list of relatives is down to nothing? All of those people didn’t die in the last year.”

An hour before, I’d been riding my bike, feeling energetic and vital, and now, quite suddenly, I felt old. I started to tell myself a sad story about how tired I was from rushing around, and then I realised, “No, I’m not. That’s not true. I’m not tired. I’m startled to find that so much of my life has happened, that all my older relatives have died, that I am — if things go as they should — next in line in this family for dying. But not yet. Now I’m alive.” I laughed as I saw that I had almost been trapped by my chagrin and dismay — they both siphon energy out of the mind — into missing my opportunity. I turned around, went back to the photo shop, and found the same saleswoman.

“I’m back,” I said. “I decided I want an eight-by-ten of the one I liked best.”

As she was writing up the order for the enlargement, she looked up at me and said, “Eight-by-ten?”

I said, “No. I changed my mind. Eleven-by-fourteen.”

She smiled. “Are you sure?”

I said, “Yes. I’m sure. This is a very good photo.”

THE BUDDHA'S DEATH 

The Buddha was an old man, past eighty years old, when he died. On the evening he died, knowing that he was dying, he preached for the last time, encouraging his monks to continue on steadfastly with their practice after he was gone. The Buddha’s words, translated into modern idiom, reassure “I was only able to point the way for you.” He also said, “Be a lamp unto yourself!” reminding them, and I think us as well, that we need to see the truth for ourselves for it to free us from confusion — and that we can!

I imagine the scene twenty-five hundred years ago with all of the monks gathered around the Buddha, anticipating with sorrow his impending death, and simultaneously being roused and inspired and encouraged. He reminds them that “everything that has a beginning ends,” which seems to me both the core of his teaching and — in that moment — a consolation.

The Buddha’s final words, often translated as “Strive on with diligence,” have an echo of exhortation about them. I find them thrilling. Those words connect me with a sense of faith and confidence in the possibility of freedom that I think the Buddha must have aroused in his followers. I imagine him saying, “Move with sureness into the future.”

ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE SEPARATED SELF

For many years I taught mindfulness at Elat Chayyim, a retreat centre in the Catskill Mountains of New York, every October. It’s a great pleasure for a Californian, for whom the seasons don’t change very much, to see signs of an oncoming real winter: the leaves changing colour, many of the trees already bare, and birds, great flocks of them, flying south. Elat Chayyim seems to be on the flyway of geese, and they honk as they go by. I watch them. I notice who the lead goose is, the one I think is giving instructions for synchronised flying. I wonder how those instructions are transmitted, because the squadron shifts direction all at once. Sometimes when I see the flock shift suddenly east or west, sometimes even north, I think to myself, “Go south, go south!” Then I think, “They don’t need my help.”

The geese turn by themselves, all together, probably in response to an internal signal that they’re going the wrong way. They know where they’re going. They’ll get there. They’ll stay a while. Then they’ll fly north. They’re always travelling. They never finish. Neither do we.

When I began spiritual practice in the 1970’s, my friends and I believed we would become — once and for all — enlightened. I think we were inspired by the Buddha’s own enlightened vision and the words he spoke when he understood the mechanism by which the mind — in confusion — weaves individual experiences into an ongoing, seemingly unbroken narrative of a life in which one finds oneself cast as the author of the drama, the principal player, and the hero and victim of everything that happens. Realising that the sense of owning that role is illusion — and that the role itself is burdensome, frightful to play — the Buddha was able to stop. He said, “The ridgepole is broken. House builder, you will build no more!” He knew he had destroyed, forever, the habit of rebuilding the sense of a separate self. He was free.

I have moments in which I understand that there is no one who owns the narrative of my life, no one to whom the events of my life are happening, that all of creation is a huge, interconnected, amazing production of events unfolding in concert with each other, connected to each other, dependent on each other, with no separation at all. When these moments happen, I feel happy, at ease, and grateful. I think of them as experiences of enlightenment. They are real and I trust them, but they don’t last. However clearly I see, however much I think, “Now I will never lose this perspective,” my mind makes wrong turns and I do lose it.

When I discover that I am — once again — confused, I try to remember that the habit of return is what matters. I credit myself with the insights I’ve had and assume that I can get them back. I think about the Buddha charging his monks with the responsibility to go on by themselves. I think about the geese, programmed for their journey, and I imagine that we are programmed for our journey as well. I pay attention. I make course corrections. I think about “Strive on with diligence,” or “Move with sureness into the future,” and I remember that I don’t need to move into the whole of the future. Just the next step.

Fools attempt to avoid their suffering, the wise enact their pain. Drink the cup of sky-nectar while others hunger for outward appearances.

-- Mahasiddha Saraha

心隨萬境轉

地清法師

早期我在監獄弘法都是講心地法門，有個主任在課後和我談論佛法。他印證一句話：「師父，佛法說『萬法唯心造』。心的變化能夠控制一個人的生命，生命不是受物質控制，而是離不開心念。師父，你相信嗎？心念會殺人的。」

　　

一個人沒有病，但是他的意識、念頭不穩定依然會死。心念不夠，意識熬不過，驚嚇而死。受驚嚇而死的要比心臟病、癌症更來的嚴重。這所謂的驚嚇就是恐怖心、罣礙心、煩惱心。

　　

主任說他還沒來此地當主任之前，曾在一所監獄負責為死刑犯送便當的工作。因為以前犯人將被執行死刑前，獄所會請具有宗教信仰又性情溫和的人來打點他的事情。而且一般死刑犯在刑罰確定後，其情緒及精神壓力幾乎很難控制得住，煩惱心特別重。所以沒有信仰的人要擔任這種執事，很難做得下去。

　　

當時有個死刑犯隔天要被送到刑場槍斃了，問他有什麼要求？他說害怕被子彈打死，希望能死得痛快一點！

　　

主任心想，哪有這種事？再怎麼說明天就要槍斃了，但是應死刑犯的要求，他答應晚上回去好好想一想，看看有沒有方法能夠讓他死得痛快一點。這也是安慰死刑犯的方便法。

　　

當晚主任想了又想，有一個方法可以試試看，而且也答應對方了。所以半夜又折返監獄找那位死刑犯，告訴他找到方法了，但是要配合指令做才行。

　　

首先他拿了兩條布條將死刑犯的眼睛矇起來，再將手反綁在椅背上，主任抓著死刑犯的手說，實在想不出更好的方法，而且也沒有資格答應他要求的事，唯有這個方法最好。說著說著，拿著刀子在他的手上劃了一刀。

　　

不過數秒，已聽到滴答滴答的流血聲，主任在一旁說：「喔！你的血開始流了，差不多流完時，你就會死去，這是最痛快的死法。」

　　

又過了幾分鐘，主任又喊說：「血已經流半桶了！」。再過幾分鐘又說：「快要滿了！你的臉色已經發青了！」

　　

就這樣一直對死刑犯喊話，不多久犯人就這樣死了。

　　

主任對我敘述這段經歷。他問我：「師父，你相信我真的割他的手嗎？」

　　

我說：「相信啊！你沒割他的話，怎麼會流血而亡呢？」

　　

但是他搖搖頭說：「我不能自作主張啊！我怎麼可以割他呢？不可以啊！」

　　

咦！沒拿刀割他？那他怎會流血而死？

　　

主任苦笑著說明原委：

　　

原來他預先準備了一個小水槽，下方就放一個小水桶，當他將犯人眼睛矇住後，拿出一個帶有尖銳角邊的東西往他手上一劃，並告訴犯人已割下去了，血不斷流出來，然後再偷偷地將小水槽上的水龍頭打開，讓水滴答、滴答滴下來，就這樣將犯人滴死了。

　　

真正的事相，其實犯人並沒有流血，因為主任利用心理戰術，讓他的心識起作用，聽到滴水聲以為是流血聲，就這樣活活被嚇死了。

　　

有可能嗎？我還是有點懷疑。主任說：「噯！眾生心，寄託心都是空虛的。一般的眾生都是寄託在情，寄託在物，並不知道情和物的變化很大，如果能夠將這個心寄託在佛的光明，然後透過生活中的樂去對峙、思惟，相信一定能夠深深體悟緣起性空，對事、物不起執著的態度。」

　　

聽他這麼說覺得很有意思。修心地法門的人聽到了一定會有所覺照，因為我們的起心動念都是善惡、分別，念念都是生滅法。但是有多少人能夠從中領受佛法（真理）的光明呢？

Like the earth, a balanced and well-disciplined person resents not. He is comparable to an Indakhila. Like a pool, unsullied by mud, is he, -- to such a balanced one life's wanderings do not arise.

-- The Buddha

The Benefits of Reciting the Six-Syllable Mantra

by Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche

Everyone has assembled here in order to recite the six-syllable mantra. It is indeed the best way to make our human lives meaningful. In this world, the six-syllable mantra is the most suitable practice for ordinary people like ourselves. Lord Buddha has taught many different kinds of Dharma teachings, and if all those teachings are summarised in a nutshell, it is the six-syllable mantra. There can be no Dharma practice more profound than this mantra. Reciting the six-syllable mantra is extremely beneficial and necessary at this point of time. We have taken countless births in samsara, and every time we are born in samsara, we committed lots of negative karma and we have had many transgressions of precepts and vows. All these downfalls, transgressions and defilements can be purified through the recitation of this mantra.

Not only do we have this precious human life, we also possess the Buddha-nature, which is the potentiality or the seed for attaining complete enlightenment. Generally speaking, all sentient beings are Buddhas. The only difference between a Buddha and a sentient being is that the Buddha is free from all defilements while the sentient being is not. The moment the defilements are removed from the Buddha-nature of a sentient being, the sentient being becomes a Buddha. It is important to know that all these defilements which have covered our mind are temporary. They can be removed and eliminated through skillful methods such as by reciting the six-syllable mantra. All these defilements that have covered our Buddha-nature have been accumulated from countless lives in samsara. And all these defilements fall into two categories – the defilement of afflictive emotions and the defilement that obstructs one from realising the absolute reality. Both these defilements can be purified and eliminated from its roots through the recitation of the six-syllable mantra.

Everyone of us here has formed this great opportunity to recite this mantra. We must appreciate that we have formed this great opportunity through our good karma and great aspirations in the past. Each mantra that we are going to recite here will be more precious than all the wealth of the entire world, because at the end of our lives, none of that wealth can be taken with us to our next birth, but each of the mantra that we are going to recite here can be “taken” with us, even after this life. If we do not recite the six-syllable mantra, and we do not do any Dharma practice or any mental transformation, then at the end of this life, we have to go empty-handed.

I’m sure everyone of us who is here has come with devotion and faith in the Dharma. And through such devotion and faith, the power and benefit of the recitation will be extremely great. With this recitation, we can truly benefit from the teachings of the Buddha, and benefit all mother sentient beings. The six-syllable mantra actually represents our Buddha-nature. In other words, the six-syllable mantra is our own enlightened nature in the form of mantra. The six-syllable mantra also represents the three bodies or the three ‘kayas’ – Dharmakaya*, Sambhogakaya* and Nirmanakaya*.

When we do the recitation, we should not miss any word of the mantra, we should pronounce each word very clearly and completely from OM to HUM in a pleasant melody. During the recitation, we should constantly feel that we are doing the recitation in order to purify the karmic defilements, the negative karmas and the afflictive emotions of all mother sentient beings. We should again and again make supplications within our mind and say: “May all mother sentient beings attain Enlightenment. May all mother sentient beings get the opportunity to meet the Buddha within themselves.”

During the recitation, we should also keep our body, speech and mind absolutely pure by getting rid of non-virtuous deeds that we usually commit. We should try to spend the few days in this retreat  like a monk in a monastery. In this way, when we do the recitation with virtuous body, speech and mind, and pure aspiration for the benefit of all mother sentient beings, then truly there will be no practice better than the recitation of this mantra. During this retreat, if we can, we should also at all times refrain from eating meat, consuming alcohol or smoking. We should try and maintain a pure body, speech and mind. And with that kind of body, speech and mind, whatever practice we do will be more powerful and meaningful. Thus, when we do the recitation, there is a great power to it which will bring happiness and peace to all sentient beings.

I personally have received some kind of a prediction or prophecy from the three ‘kayas’ to benefit sentient beings by expounding the powerful benefits of the six-syllable mantra. Because of that, I have been promoting the recitation of the six-syllable mantra everywhere. I would like to reiterate that all the defilements, all the negative karma that we have been accumulating, can be purified and dispelled from our mind because they are temporary. It is very important to know that the recitation of the six-syllable mantra is the antidote to these temporary defilements. The benefits of reciting the six-syllable mantra are so immense that they are immeasurable. Hence during the recitation of the mantra, you should constantly supplicate within your mind:

“May all the defilements in the minds of all sentient beings and myself be purified. May all of us get the opportunities to meet the Buddha within face to face. May all sentient beings and myself take birth in the land of bliss, in Western Paradise – the land of Amitabha Buddha, after death, and from there may all of us attain complete Enlightenment.”

In this way, you can benefit yourself as well as others. The six-syllable mantra which we called “mani” is the most suitable Dharma practice that ordinary people like ourselves can have. Through this skilful way of practice, we have the way to become enlightened, we have the way to purify our minds. If we don’t attempt to expel the defilements and negative karma from our minds and practise in this way, then we will always remain as ordinary sentient beings.

You should recite the mantra at all times, even when you are walking and sitting, and not just at the shrine. You should recite the mantra whenever you can, and as often as you can. If you recite OM MANI PADME HUM, you will meet the Buddha within.

My health hasn’t been good for the past few months. Even then, I have decided to come here to lead this retreat. Because I thought if I do not come and lead this retreat, it would be like giving up on sentient beings and if I do that, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will not be pleased. Thus, despite my poor health, I am here.

* Dharmakaya : The Body of ultimate reality which is the absolute emptiness aspect of all Buddhas.

* Sambhogakaya : The Bliss Body of a Buddha.

* Nirmanakaya : The Manifestation Body of a Buddha.

The deepest reasons to love yourself have nothing to do with anything outside you – not with your body or with others’ expectations of you. If you ground yourself in your own goodness, nothing will be able to damage your self-esteem.

--17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

佛教的报恩思想

文｜慎言

报恩思想是佛教的重要思想之一，也是自古以来的古圣先贤十分重视的伦理思想。佛教的知恩报恩、少恩重报、广报诸恩的报恩思想，不仅是一个人为人处世的基本要求，也是我们应当具备的基本品格修养。佛教在重视知恩报恩的同时，对那些受人之恩，不念恩、不报恩乃至恩将仇报的过患也做了论述。

一、知恩报恩

知恩报恩思想是佛教的最基本思想。所谓知恩报恩，就是当自己受到他人的恩惠时，应当感念他人的恩德，并尽自己的力量予以报答。有很多佛教经典对知恩图报思想都有论述。如《杂阿含经》卷第四十七云：“若有能为彼野狐治疗疥疮者，野狐比当知恩图报。而今又一愚痴之人，无有知恩报恩。是故诸比丘，当如是学：知恩报恩，其有小恩尚报，终不忘失，况复大恩！”作为动物的野狐患有疥疮时，若有人能为野狐治疗疾病，野狐则会知恩图报。作为人类朋友的动物，有很多能够知恩图报的。“羔羊跪乳”、“乌鸦反哺”的寓言故事，都说明了动物知恩报恩的善良本性。动物尚且能够知恩图报，但是，人类却有受恩不报，甚至恩将仇报的事情。为此，佛陀开示弟子，作为佛弟子应当不计恩德大小，应当做到受恩不忘，小恩必报，更不用说受大恩。

《吉祥经》则劝人要学会以谦恭礼让，知足感恩之心来对待他人。经云：“恭敬与谦让，知足并感恩，及时闻教法，是为最吉祥。”知足感恩是我们应当具有的品格。在一个人的成长过程中，我们会经常得到来自各个方面，不同人的恩德。对于他们的施恩，不论恩德大小，我们都应以感恩的心来对待，切不可认为是理所当然的事情。一个不懂得感恩的人是没有良知的人，与这样的人交往只会使人变得更加贪婪自私。

不仅佛教提倡知恩报恩，古圣先贤也劝人要知恩报恩。如《菜根谭》云：“我有功于人不可念，而过则不可不念；人有恩于我不可忘，而怨则不可不忘。”做人就应当这样，当我们有恩于人的时候，应当忘掉这种恩德，也不可存有望人回报之心；当人有恩于我们的时候，则应当经常感念别人的恩德，并寻找机会来回报别人的恩德。

二、少恩重报

感恩是一种心态，不论我们受人恩德的大小，都应当存有感恩心。佛教经典中认为，我们不仅要知恩报恩，而且应当少恩重报。如《优婆塞戒经·自他庄严品》云：“小恩加己，思欲大报。”《胜天王般若经》亦云：“受恩常感，轻恩重报。”在现实生活中，我们经常会得到来自他人的关心和帮助。这些帮助有的是影响你一生的大恩大德，也有的是一些举手之劳的帮助。对于大恩，我们通常都会终生难忘，但是对于那些小恩，诸如只言片语的安慰和鼓励，我们通常过后就忘掉了。其实，这些小恩我们看似无关紧要，但是在你最需要帮助的时候，往往就是那一句安慰鼓励的话语，却使你鼓起了生活的信心，改变了自己的命运。因此，即便是他人给予我们的再小的恩德，我们都应铭记在心，待条成熟时给予重报。

三、广报诸恩

佛教的报恩思想是博爱的，对象是广泛的。不仅有恩于自己的人应当报恩，即便是与自己有怨的人也应当感恩。佛教的报恩是等念怨亲，不念旧恶的。

一般来说，经典中所说的报恩对象是与自己有亲缘或法缘关系的人。如《吉祥经》云：“奉养父母亲，爱护妻与子，从业要无害，是为最吉祥。”《梵网经》亦云：“与父母兄弟六亲中，应生孝顺心，慈悲心。”由上可见，我们通常所说的报恩是指父母、兄弟、妻子、子女等亲眷。对于自己亲眷中的尊长，我们应当对他们孝顺，对于平辈或晚辈，我们则应当以慈悲心来对待。

除了亲眷之外，师长和三宝也是一个人应当报恩的对象。《梵网经》云：“孝顺父母、师、僧、三宝，孝顺至道之法，孝名为戒。”对于修道者而言，师长是使自己学业和道业得以进步的导师，我们应当报师长恩；三宝是自己的皈依之处，自己的法身慧命要靠三宝来成就。

除父母、师长及三宝外，一切应当恭敬之人，也都是我们报恩的对象。如《杂阿含经》云：“父母及兄长，和尚、诸师长，及诸尊重者，所不应生慢，应当善恭敬，谦下而问讯，尽心而奉事，兼设诸供养。”我们所应当报恩的对象不仅包括自己的父母、师长，还包括一切应当恭敬供养的人。所有这些应当尊重恭敬的人，我们都应当对其谦恭礼让，问寒问暖，尽心侍奉供养。在这个世上，与我们有恩的人有很多，有些甚至是陌生人，但这些人都是自己的恩人，我们都应当尽心尽力回报他们的恩德。

印光法师则认为，对于学佛者来说，只要自己能够恪尽己份来对待别人，就是报恩。法师说：“念佛之人，必须孝养父母，奉事师长，慈心不杀，修十善业。又须父慈子孝，兄友弟恭，夫和妇顺，主仁辅忠，恪尽己分，不计他对我尽分与否，我总要尽我之分。能于家庭及社会尽谊尽份，是名善人。善人念佛求生西方，决定临终即得往生。”

《大乘本生心地观经》中则特别指出报四恩的思想。经云：“世出世恩，有其四种：一父母恩，众生恩，三国王恩，四三宝恩。如是四恩，一切众生平等荷负。”在这四恩中，报父母恩、国王恩和三宝恩我们都能理解。唯独令人不解的是众生恩。究竟众生与我们有什么恩，以及如何报众生恩，在经中都有论述。经云：“众生恩者，即无始以来，一切众生轮转五道，经百千劫，于多生中互为父母故，一切男子即是慈父，一切女人即是悲母，昔生生中有大恩故，犹如现在父母之恩，等无差别。”从这个角度来看，即便是与自己有仇怨的众生，也有可能是我们过去父母或六亲眷属，他们在往昔对我们都有恩德。因此，我们要以等念怨亲的心来报众生之恩。

四、忘恩过患

在现实生活中，我们大多数人都知道感恩，但也有人将别人给予的恩惠看作是义务。当别人给予恩德时，他们心安理得地接受。假使哪一天别人不再给予这种恩惠了，他们就会憎恨、辱骂别人。对于这种不念恩德，不思报恩，反而恩将仇报的人，我们不仅会鄙视他，而且他也因违背戒规而受报。如《优婆塞五戒仪经》云：“菩萨于众生给施所需，应念其恩。若恶心、嗔心不念恩报恩者，犯重垢罪。若懒惰不报，犯轻垢罪。”一个有感恩心的人，对于别人的施恩，应当感念其恩德。若是怀有恶念，或者嗔恨之心来对待他人的恩德，则将犯轻垢罪。那种虽然感念他人恩德，却因为懒惰而不去报恩的人，也将犯轻垢罪。

有则故事说，有一个修行人结茅庵苦修，在离茅庵不远有一个卖烧饼的人。这个人见到修行人如此清苦修道很受感动。为了支持这个修道人修行，他每天早上都会送两个烧饼给这个修行人吃。起初，这个修行人对卖烧饼的布施善行十分感恩，天长日久，修行人便习惯了这种供养，理所当然地来即受之。

几年之后，这个卖烧饼的忽然有一天早上只给修行人供养一个烧饼。第一天，修行人没说什么，便将供养的烧饼收下。此后，一连几天卖烧饼的仍然只供养他一只烧饼，修行人便开始有点不高兴了。一段时间之后，这个修行人终于忍不住问卖烧饼的人，为何现在每次只给自己一只烧饼。卖烧饼的人说自己最近生意十分清淡，因而供养的烧饼减少了。修行人虽然不便强迫别人供养，但还是掩饰不住心中的愤怒。

修行人由于长期接受卖饼人的供养，于是将别人的供养看成一种义务，当有一天别人给予的供养减少了，他便生起嗔恨心。本来，卖饼人并没有义务供养他，只是出于一种尊敬和同情才这样做的。人家给予供养应当感恩，不给供养也应当以平常心来对待。若怀嗔恨心，不报人的恩德，反而抱怨，也犯轻垢罪。

佛教报恩思想的内涵非常丰富，以上只是简略介绍其中的一部分。通过这些介绍可知，我们在生活中处处都在接受他人给予的恩惠。我们应当时时以感恩的心来对待每一个人，以感恩的心来看待外面的世界，并尽己所能地为回报他人和社会给予我们恩德。当我们都能以感恩的心来对人时，我们就会生活在一个充满感恩的世界中。

If you’ve been practising for years, you should be seeing some results, If you’re not, you may be missing the point.

The result of spiritual practice should be our inner transformation into better human beings. After practising for months or years, we should be less prone to anger, pride, and jealousy. Our practice should lead us to a vaster, calmer mind.

For example, the whole point of dieting is to lose a few pounds, not to collect knowledge and become an expert on each and every diet. You may have heard about different diets and read many books, but you won’t lose weight unless you put one of them into practice in your everyday life. Similarly, if you do not implement the teachings, your destructive emotions and self clinging will not diminish, and the Dharma instructions will be of no use to you, no matter how many you receive.

-- Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche

The Path from Recognition to Rejoicing

by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Again, you can certainly continue your relationships, your friendships, and whatever you cherish as important in your life, just don’t let yourself become so swallowed up by them that you behave like a roller coaster, allowing the associated emotions to make you erratic and unstable. When you become like a roller coaster, at some point you lose your appreciation for the relationship, or whatever else you’re so attached to. You wear out your ability to bear these roller coaster emotions. Even if you are loving to each other in the beginning of a relationship or you care deeply about something important to you, sooner or later such emotions will make you feel resentful. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can work with these situations just like we work with all our attachments and grasping to the self.

The more we can work with our grasping and attachment to the self, the more open space and awareness we have to see more deeply what we need to do in our lives. This provides us with a great reference point, and helps guide us along.

I want to emphasise that this is not about being hard on ourselves. When we talk of seeing one’s self as a “foe,” for instance — as it is stated in the traditional teachings — I particularly want people not to take this statement in a negative personal light and beat themselves up, because that is not the proper practice here. The practice is meant to increase our relaxation, increase our spaciousness and detachment, not to overwhelm us with judgments and self-aggression. Please understand that this is a very fine line, especially in the West. You have to be very discerning to know when you’re becoming self-aggressive or getting into a heavyhanded, ineffective way of relating to your mind. Truly letting go of your attachments and grasping to the self requires your critical intelligence, awareness, and perceptiveness. Avoiding self-aggression requires a very keen interest, and the knowledge that there is an entire lineage which stands behind this way of working with the mind. And that lineage is not neurotic.

When we are aggressive toward ourselves, there is often a lot of attachment already present. Because we’re attached to seeing ourselves as “good” or “special,” we become aggressive toward ourselves. We’re talking about letting go of all grasping to the self. People who are very aggressive toward themselves are often perfectionists. They cannot relax sufficiently. They often can’t apply their intelligence skillfully because they are too fixated on their agenda or on comparing themselves to others. Let’s also admit that this happens from time to time with each of us. So it is important to know there exists a non-neurotic way of working with our mind, and we need to figure out how to do it. Much of this is detailed in the teachings, but we still have to find our own personal path within that context. Otherwise, we may find ourselves converting the Buddhist teachings into self-aggression, beating up on ourselves. Since we already have this tendency naturally, adding to it won’t do us any good at all.

So, it is very important to separate these two things: truly learning to let go, and being hard on yourself. Patrul Rinpoche, the nineteenth century master, says many times that although two things may look similar, we need to know how to distinguish them. I think becoming clear about this particular distinction is very important, especially for Westerners, for whom issues of self-esteem are often problematic. So I’m taking the time to explain this idea thoroughly, rather than assuming that people already understand it.

In other words, people have to develop their sense of renunciation even further. For this, people have to develop greater joy in renouncing negativity and grasping to the self. The joy has to come from deep within, because this is related to effective practice, to becoming free. It’s common sense to realize that before you can make any change you have to see what the problem is. If you are truly interested in letting go of a problem, then seeing the problem clearly should be joyful. There’s a saying: “Applying diligence must come from great joy within.” So I don’t want people to take these teachings in the wrong way. It’s not at all about becoming a martyr. It’s about getting free from grasping to the self. Okay? There’s a big difference!

Once one has entered the path of the Buddha’s teachings, one should learn how to practice correctly, or else dharma practice can become a fault. Gampopa said, “If you do not practise the Dharma according to the Dharma, the Dharma itself becomes the cause of falling into the lower realms.” Some who practise the Dharma nevertheless fall into the lower realms. Therefore, it is very important that we understand how to actually engage in practice, to know the essence of the teachings, the application methods, and the desired results. Only then will one’s dharma path be unerring.

-- Garchen Rinpoche

勇于承担错误与责任

惠空法师

凡事先检讨自已，养成认错的习惯，不可有推卸责任的心态

我们在修学佛法的过程中，大家尽量不要受到外在环境的影响。因为外在环境的变化是永无止境的，所以，我们自已内心要有一个固定的方向跟理念，及自已导守的规矩，如此就不会受外面的影响。别人好，你不会着急──唉呀，我怎么这么差劲！别人不好，你也不会跟他一起烂下去。

可是有些人还有一些不必要的自尊，及不必要的对自已坚固的保护，这和前面所说的理念、规矩、尺寸不一样，不可混为一谈。要知道，这可都是一大堆的烦恼啊！你自已不知道，还拼命保护它！比如说：今天什么事情该你做的，你就去做，这就是所谓的规矩、尺寸。很多人该他做的事没做好，就讲一大堆理由，这样是不对的！我所说的理念、规矩，是可以拿出来衡量的，而且是别人也可以做得到的；不是只有我才能够用，而是别人也可以用的；我的规矩尺寸也不是天天变来变去的，而是别人也可以认同的。

所以，大家平日要常常检讨自已：该做的做好了没有？例如：我们每天的作息，除了生病、有事请假以外，是不是都能正常地运作？有没有无故缺席、迟到？或在工作、学习中懒洋洋地？又比如：你的职分做到了没有？做好了没有？如果你自已没有做好，却老是怪别人──什么人不合作、什么人他又不做──你不要老是怪别人，老是找一大堆理由。你该自已问你自已：这件事情你该不该做好？而不要老是把理由推到别人身上去，或推到别的事务上面去。不要这样！该你的事情你就把它做好。又比如：你跟别人相处有没有很融洽？你不要说：就是因为他怎么样．．．．，所以我怎么样．．．．。你不要说因为别人怎么样，应该是你认为你自已应该怎么跟人家相处，你就怎么做。你没有跟别人相处好，就是你不对！大家要养成先承认错误的习惯──凡有什么事情做不好，必先检讨自已错的那一部分。事情办坏了，当然不完全是一个人的责任，也不是因为某一时间、某一事件才演变得不好，它必是很多很复杂的因素互相关联造成的。如果要推责任的话，那谁都可以找到一堆理由，但我们绝不可养成推卸责任的心态。只要你是参与在里面的一分子，事情做坏了，你就要把你那分责任先承担起来，这才是负责任的态度！唯有这种态度，你才会时时刻刻要求你自已很努力地把你自已该做的事情做好。这样子时间久了以后，你才会在不断要求自已的练习下，把你自已待人处世的尺寸提高，变成一个心性真正非常高洁，待人非常有理、柔和、谦恭的修行人。但如果好吃懒做，不肯负责，什么事就想推给别人去做，事情来了不肯承担，有好处自已先拿走，常常这样子的话，你怎么能够把事情做好呢？我们不是要比谁事情做得好，而是要尽力负责完成你自已份内的事情。

既然在我们生命当中，要去面对不断转变的时空，所以，我希望大家养成一个习惯，就是：什么事情不要找理由把责任推给别人。我常告诉各位：若要找理由，一千条理由都可以找得出来，而且谁都可以找理由，结果谁都不愿意负责任，谁都可以说：这个事情跟他没有关系；这件事情做坏了，他没有责任。这样子的话，还讲什么修行！连一点点自已的责任都不能承担起来的话，还能承担什么了脱生死的道业！所以，我一再跟各位说：事情，只要你参与在这里面，你就有责任，纵使别人故意捣蛋，你也要把你的责任担负起来，没有任何理由！我前面讲过，事情虽然不是我们做错的，而且我们也已经很努力地去做了，可是只要事情没做好，你就有责任！大家能养成这种勇于负责的态度，做人处世才会成功。

各位要想想：你们是来学什么的？──是来学佛修道，改变生命的气质。如果不求改进，只想保护你自已，什么事情都是我就这样便可以了，那还学什么道？修什么行？因此希望大家养成检讨自已的习惯，勇于承担自已的错误跟责任，不要有事情就逃避、推卸责任。这样子，你永远不会成长，永远是一个没有用的人。久了以后，在你的心性当中会造成很大的阴暗面，你自已永远没办法察觉。

Self-manifestation, which has never existed as such, is erroneously seen as an object. Through ignorance, self-awareness is mistakenly experienced as an "I". Through attachment to this duality we are caught in the conditioned world. May the root of confusion be found.

-- 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje

Ullambana

SIGNIFICANCE OF ULLAMBANA

Ullambana, falls on the 15 of the seventh lunar month each year, is also locally known as “Seventh Lunar Month” or “Hungry Ghost Festival”.  Buddhists participate  in the Ullambana Festival to make offerings to the Sangha of the ten directions. This is done to liberate beings of the three lower realms from suffering, so as to repay the deep kindness of parents.Thus, it is a celebration of Filial Piety by showing gratitude to our ancestors and departed parents.

THE ORIGIN OF ULLAMBANA

According to the Ullambanapatra Sutra,  Ullambana is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word that means “deliverance from suffering”. It specifically refers to the liberation of tormented beings in hell by making offering with basin containing the five fruits of a hundred different taste to the Sangha of the ten directions.

The origin of Ullamabana is closely associated with a story of Maudgalyayana, a chief disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha who was renowned for his psychic powers. One day, while recalling his deceased mother, Maudgalyayana saw with his powers his mother suffering in the hungry ghost realm due to her strong greed. Through his psychic power, Maudgalyayana had food transformed before his mother. But because of her strong greed, it was impossible for her to swallow it as the food would turn into burning charcoal when it enter her mouth. Although Maudgalyayana had great psychic powers, he was still unable to deliver his mother from suffering. Thus, Maudgalyayana approached the Buddha for instruction to liberate his mother from suffering.

The Buddha replied:

“The 15th of the seventh lunar month is the last day of the rainy retreat and is filled with wholesome Dharmic joy. Out of compassion to liberate your deceased mother, use a basin to gather food of a hundred different tastes and offer it to the Sangha of the ten directions to accumulate immeasurable merits.

The merits coupled with the pure virtues of the Sangha of the ten directions, would not only liberate your mother but also the parents of all others from suffering.”

Finally, Maudgalyayana did as the Buddha had instructed and liberated both his mother and the parents of all others. This practice is known as Ullambana in Buddhism.

The primary ideology of this Sutra is to liberate the suffering of deceased parents through the merits accumulated by making offering to the Sangha. As the emphasis of this Sutra is filial piety, it is highly regarded by people. The first Ullambana Festival was held by Emperor Wu on the 15th of the seventh Lunar month, Datong fourth years (538), at “Tong Tai” monastery. During the Tang dynasty, the Ullambana Festival was popularised among the commoners. Till today, Ullambana is a part of Chinese culture.

Buddhism has 6 realms into which beings can be reborn. These are:

1. Heaven, the home of the gods (devas)

2. The realm of humans

3. The realm of the Titans or angry gods (asuras)

4. The realm of the hungry ghosts (pretas):

5. The animal realm
6. Hell realm

盂兰盆节

佛教的七月十五的盂兰盆节，俗称中元节，也是孝亲节。 这天，佛教徒举行「盂兰盆法会」供养十方僧众，济度三恶道苦难，以及报谢父母长养慈爱之恩。这包含了两层涵义. 一是教育人们供养僧众，二是教育人们感恩祖先、父母们的无私奉献，思念他们的慈悲与关爱。并提倡孝道。

目犍莲尊者救母

据《佛说盂兰盆经》的记载，「盂兰盆（ullambana）」「盂兰」意思是「倒悬」；「盆」的意思是「救器」，所以，「盂兰盆」的意思是用来救倒悬痛苦的器物，衍生出来的意思是：用盆子装满百味五果，供养十方僧众，以拯救入地狱的苦难众生。

佛陀弟子中，神通第一的目犍莲尊者，惦念过世的母亲，他就用神通看到其母亲因在世时的贪念业报，死後堕落在恶鬼道，饿得不成人形，过著吃不饱的生活。目犍莲於是用他的神力化食物，送给他的母亲，但其母亲不改贪念，见到食物到来，深怕其他恶鬼抢食，贪念一起食物到她口中立即化成炭火，无法下嚥。目犍莲虽有神通，身为人子，却救不了其母，十分痛苦，於是便请求佛陀指点，如何营救母亲脱离苦海。

佛陀说：

七月十五日是结夏安居修行的最後一日，法喜充满，在这一天，盆罗百味，供养十方僧众，功德无量，可以凭此慈悲心，救渡其亡母。结合十方僧众德行的威力，不但可以拯救陷在地狱的母亲，脱离苦海，也可以解救别人的父母，让他们也脱离苦海。

於是目莲尊者照著佛陀的指示去做，终於解救自己的母亲，并普渡了别人的父母亲；在佛教称为「盂兰盆」法会。

此经的基本思想就是以供僧的功德救度已亡故之父母。由于本经强调孝道思想，所以颇受人们重视。梁武帝于大同四年（538）七月十五日，在同泰寺举办第一次盂兰盆会。到唐代，盂兰盆会便广泛地在民间流行。直至今日，盂兰盆会已成为中国民俗的一部分。

六道轮回（又名六趣、或六凡）是众生轮回之道途。六道可分为: 天道、人道、阿修罗道、畜生道、饿鬼道、地狱道.

What is Ullambana?

The lunar seventh month is commonly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival. In Buddhism, this month is also known as the Season of Filial Piety.

According to the Ullambana Sutra, the Buddha said that disciples of the Buddha, who practise filial conduct, should constantly recall their present parents as well as the parents of the past seven lives. Every year, on the fifteenth day of the lunar seventh month, children should always, out of filial and compassion, recall their parents who bore them by putting forth Ullambana offerings to repay the loving kindness of their parents who have raised and nurtured them.

Ullambana is a day for paying respect and gratitude to ancestors as well as expressing compassion and love for all beings suffering in this world. Ullambana in KMSPKS usually sees the chanting of two prayers — namely, the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Puja（慈悲三昧水忏）and the Yogacara Ulka-mukha Puja（瑜伽焰口）.

Why is the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Puja（慈悲三昧水忏）conducted during Ullambana? What is the Puja about?

The purpose of conducting The Compassion Samadhi Water Repentance Puja is to repent one’s unwholesome deeds. These include the karmic actions done in body, speech and mind, comprising the three misdeeds of the body – killing, stealing and sexual misconduct; four misdeeds of the speech – lying, slandering or divisive speech, idle talk and harsh speech; and three misdeeds of the mind – covetousness, malice and wrong views.

Through repentance, we can eliminate the negative strength or influence of these misdeeds in our mind. The Compassion Samadhi Water Repentance Puja is conducted during, but is not restricted to, Ullambana. We participate in the repentance puja and dedicate merit to all departed ones for them to be reborn in a good realm. For those who were born in the lower realms, how exactly they would benefit might be hard to measure. However, it is definite that they will gain great joy from the puja.

Why is Yogacara Ulka-mukhaPuja（瑜伽焰口）chanted during Ullambana?

The Yogacara Ulka-mukha Puja（瑜伽焰口）is held in accordance to the Sutra, and lasts for three to four hours. Although the service is performed to eradicate the hollow hunger of the hungry ghosts by bestowing food and drink on them, it is also to deliver these beings from all sufferings through the teachings of Lord Buddha.

By listening to the Dharma, the ghosts will then take refuge in Lord Buddha, receive the precepts, and thus cultivate the Right View, which will enable them to refrain from negative deeds and their terrifying consequences. Only then will enlightenment be within their grasp.

The humanistic aspect of this puja is twofold; to cultivate loving compassion amongst the living and to remind them to be faithful and sincere Buddhists who never leave the auspicious boundary of the Buddha and His Teachings.

Source:  https://mailchi.mp/abb90ddee2b9/6wwcbqeaxk-878493?e=bd08d150bd

All meanings in samsara are just like a dream. They have no true inherent existence and arise only as the display of pure awareness. When one fails to understand appearances as merely the display of pure awareness and identifies them as arising from self, i.e. self-identifies with them, then they become the experience of samsara.

This is a misinterpretation of the nature of the display, which would be like misinterpreting a striped rope to be a snake. Samsara is actually the confused perception of the display of rigpa, pure awareness.

If an appearance is not recognised as arising from the ground, then in that moment the confusion begins. A confused sentient being begins in the very moment when they fail to recognise their own display for what it is.

They are covering or obscuring their own nature by failing to recognise it as the display of the ground. This is called "not seeing it as one's own nature when it arises", the "unawareness of singular identity", and this precisely is the beginning of samsara.

If we were to ask whether the inconceivable qualities of Buddha nature that we develop as we grow on the path are new qualities, the answer is no. They are qualities that we possess right now. Although we are developing on the path, we are simply bringing out or actualising our inherent noble qualities that we've possessed all along, because we are originally Buddha.

-- Yangthang Rinpoche

七月不是鬼月！是“吉祥月”

星云大师

“七”，在中国的数字当中，是一个奇数：七巧、七星、七彩、七律；基督教也有“七天创造宇宙”之说， 甚至七天一周，每周日要上教堂做礼拜一次；在佛教里则有禅七、净七，乃至以七七四十九表示无限的意思——“七”是一个变化无穷、蕴涵无尽的数字。

然而，长久以来，中国的七月一直被认为是鬼月，是不吉祥的月份，料想是从道教中元普渡开鬼门关的思想演变而来。因为以讹传讹，于是把七月认为是一个“诸事不宜”的月份，例如七月不可出门、不可开刀、不可结婚、不可购屋、不可搬家等等；民间的七月，仿佛“鬼影幢幢”。其实在佛教里，七月十五日是“佛欢喜日” 。

所谓佛欢喜日，源自于佛世时的印度，每逢夏天雨季来临，所有僧侣皆不外出托钵，只在山中林间打坐经行，专心修持，此称为“结夏安居”。经过三个月的时间，到了七月十五日这天，也就是安居结束之日，所有僧众一一把自己的修行体悟向佛陀报告，等待佛陀的印可，这一天就叫做“僧自恣日”，又称“佛欢喜日”。

从古到今，每逢七月，一般寺庙大都会启建盂兰盆报恩孝亲法会，而信徒则为供僧、祭祖而大行布施功德，所以佛光山一直提倡七月是乃僧信孝亲报恩、祈福修善的“吉祥月”“功德月”“报恩月”“孝道月”“福田月”“僧伽月”。经过长期的倡导，现在社会大众已能普遍认同，并且接受七月为“孝道月”的观念。

七月其实不就是一年十二个月当中的一个月份吗？相传七夕是牛郎织女一年一会的日期；美国的国庆日也在七月，甚至全世界的名人当中，七月出生的更是不计其数。现在的学校大都在七月举行毕业典礼，联考发榜也是在七月；即使是中元普渡或盂兰盆法会，也是慈悲救济的意思。七月到底有什么不好？为什么大家要丑化七月呢？

七，本来是一个好的数字，但因民间牵强附会，大家七嘴八舌，搞得一般社会大众到了七月倒反而“七上八下”，认为诸事不宜。其实，佛教讲“日日是好日，月月是好月”，应该在七月成办的事什么都可以去做，实在不必为了无稽之谈而自乱生活步调，甚至因为疑神疑鬼而徒让心灵蒙上阴影，何苦来哉呢？

It is certain that all of the diverse characteristics of things are liberated into their own condition, like clouds in the atmosphere that are self-originated and self-liberated. You should look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

-- Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche

Four Steps to Magical Powers

by Venerable Sheng Yen

The four steps to magical powers are also called by such names as the four steps to the power of ubiquity, the four steps to unlimited power, and the four kinds of samadhi. In Sanskrit they are collectively known as riddhipada, meaning “steps to (magical) power.” Its Chinese translation, si ru yi zu, speaks of a mind that can accomplish whatever it wants to. This is a mind that is master of itself, free and at ease.

There is a Chinese saying, “Eight out of nine things that happen to us do not match our expectations.” Why does so much of what happens to us not match our expectations? It is because we are usually not the masters of our own mind. We think about things we should not, and we can’t bring ourselves to think about things we should. Both habits contribute to our not gaining control of our lives. We don’t learn from the past and have no clear plan for the future; therefore, we continue to make mistakes. Constantly faced with problems, our life is filled with adversity. Not being able to control our mind, we let small problems become big problems; not being able to reach our goals, we are ill at ease. However, with correct practice we can gradually eliminate these obstacles and more will happen according to our expectations.

THE FOUR ENHANCED PHENOMENA

The Mahayana path to buddhahood can be likened to a journey of five stages. In the first stage, we gather the provisions we will need for the journey. In terms of the path, this means practicing the four foundations of mindfulness and the four proper exertions. [1] In the second stage, we actually set off on the path to buddhahood. This stage consists of practicing the four steps to magical powers, and it is characterised by the four enhanced phenomena. The third stage is realising dhyana (jhanain Pali), [2] whereby one directly perceives that the true nature of the self is that of a buddha. This is the stage of the arhat, or saint. The fourth stage is to actualise the bodhisattva path, in which one practices dhyana to realise samadhi and wisdom. This enables one to use skillful means to deliver sentient beings; that is, to help them enter or follow the path. The fifth stage of the journey is complete liberation in buddhahood.

Before talking about the four steps to magical powers, I want to briefly describe the four enhanced phenomena of warmth, summit, forbearance, and supreme in the world. These phenomena grow out of the practice of the four steps and validate that one has planted them as virtuous roots. Warmth means that one’s mind is becoming soft and gentle and that the harshness is receding. Summit means that having gotten rid of harshness, one’s mind has ascended to the peak, so to speak. Forbearance means that one will not bring harm to oneself or others. Supreme in the world means that one has transcended worldliness and is approaching the stage of an arhat.

At the level of summit, one’s mind has become soft and gentle, not just sometimes but at all times. People often mistakenly assume that if one can enter samadhi, one’s problems will go away. Another misunderstanding is that having had a glimpse of enlightenment, one no longer has vexations. The truth is that only when wisdom and dhyana arise together are we at a stage where we will not bring vexation to ourselves or others. Until then, though we may be at ease with a joyous mind, we are not yet liberated because we are still attached to the idea of a self. To attain the summit level is not really that high, but it is still very good. It speaks of spiritual power, and it is at this level that we begin to practice the riddhipada, steps to magical power.

TWO KINDS OF POWER

It is possible to generate two kinds of powers through practice. The first is supernatural powers through which one can transcend ordinary physical limitations; for example, the ability to transport oneself to different places and times, to perform alchemy, or to become invisible. If you were invisible, you could take whatever you wanted and not get caught. I guess you could call it magical stealing. One could become rich without working. But if you had such supernatural powers, would you use them that way? I think not. These are not the kinds of powers one would use on the dhyana path.

The second kind of power one can generate is freedom and ease of mind. To attain that state we practice dhyana, which is the reason these practices are also called the four kinds of samadhi. There are differences between the non-Buddhist and the Buddhist practices of samadhi. In non-Buddhist meditation, one’s goal is to stop wandering thoughts, to enter samadhi, and to experience freedom from vexation. However, coming out of samadhi, one will again experience wandering thoughts and vexation. So life is good in samadhi but not so good out of it.

The Buddhist approach is different because we first practice the four foundations of mindfulness and the four proper exertions. Through these contemplations we generate wisdom. Whether or not we enter samadhi, we can still use this wisdom to lessen our vexations and reduce conflicts and contradictions within our mind. This is why we begin with the four foundations and four proper exertions.

Buddhism emphasises the need to practice in order to realise one’s own buddhanature. But this does not mean that someone who perceives buddhanature is no longer subject to vexation. After experiencing buddhanature for the first time, one still has habits and propensities that can lead to impure thoughts and impure conduct; greed and aversion may still arise. However, one is at least able to see clearly that one’s mind still cannot completely control the arising of vexations. At that point it becomes very important to practice samadhi.

To summarise, in the stages of practice toward enlightenment, we cultivate wisdom through contemplation, and when wisdom arises, we practice samadhi to develop freedom and ease of mind. This is the kind of power we want to develop through the four steps to magical powers, not supernatural powers.

THE FOUR STEPS

The first step to magical powers is chanda–riddhipada, concentration of desire; the second is virya–riddhipada , concentration of exertion, or diligence; the third is citta–riddhipada, concentration of mind; and the fourth is mimamsa–riddhipada concentration of inquiry, or investigation.

CHANDA: CONCENTRATION OF DESIRE

Chanda is the intense desire to attain the supreme and wondrous dhyana. This intense longing will cause one to prepare one’s mind accordingly and inspire one to practice hard. Translated into Chinese as “desire,” chanda can have a negative as well as a positive meaning. On the one hand it can mean greed, but as a step to concentrative power chanda also denotes a hope or vow. This vow is essential to overcoming the six obstructions to practice: drowsiness, scattered mind, idleness, laziness, forgetfulness (of one’s practice), and wrong view. The will to attain the supreme dhyana is the best antidote to laziness. So when you are practicing and begin to feel lazy, please give rise to the aspiration to attain the supreme dhyana.

To develop the power of chanda, one looks at the mind’s vexations and contemplates their true nature. Do these vexations have enduring existence? If you contemplate them deeply, you will see that vexatious thoughts are all indeed illusory. Since they are illusory, why be attached to them? You then realise that you suffer because of your attachments to vexations.

So the more we observe the mind and the more we realise that our vexations are illusory, the more we can let them go. In this practice, we remind ourselves that wandering thoughts arise because of our attachments and cause vexations. All of our thoughts, as long as there is attachment, are wandering thoughts. When you see that wandering thoughts are caused by vexation and also cause more vexation, you therefore see that you should not attach to them and will learn to let them go. Gradually the wandering thoughts will subside and your mind will become clearer and more stable, thus enabling dhyana.

VIRYA: CONCENTRATION OF DILIGENCE

Concentration of diligence, or exertion, means one is equipped with a strong vow to attain the supreme dhyana, and, therefore, one diligently applies the method of practice. Virya is diligence in dealing with the wandering thoughts that arise, whether they are thoughts of the past, present, or future. As for the present, thoughts come and go ceaselessly, and when we attach to them, they become wandering thoughts. However, thoughts of the past and future are also wandering thoughts, since the past is gone and the future is yet to be. All wandering thoughts, whether they relate to the past, the present, or the future, are illusory, so we just let them go. When we are diligent in letting go of thoughts of the past, not giving rise to thoughts of the future, and stopping thoughts in the present, we eventually enter the single-minded state of non-abiding. This corresponds to the line in the Diamond Sutra that says: “Abiding nowhere, give rise to [awakened] mind.”

CITTA: CONCENTRATION OF MIND

Citta is being mindful of your intent to practice. You need to be on guard against laziness, drowsiness, and scattered mind. You need to be aware that these states cause vexation and that they are the reasons we cannot attain liberation. Constantly be aware of their presence, and once aware of them, put them aside right away. Do not struggle with them, as that will make it worse. If you can do this, constantly observing your mind and putting down obstructions, you will be able to attain samadhi, the state of one-thought.

I have spoken of the need to practice dhyana diligently. But what do we use to practice dhyana? We use the mind of the present moment, keeping the mind on the present moment and only on the present moment. This is the mind that gives rise to dhyana, or wisdom.

The mind of ordinary sentient beings is selfish and full of vexation. Nevertheless, it is this same mind that we practice with, and it is the same mind as that of an arhat. However, when we start practicing dhyana, we cannot become pure immediately; we still have wandering thoughts, impure thoughts, and selfish thoughts. In the beginning, the mind is scattered, but when it is continuously on the method, it is on the path to dhyana.

MIMAMSA: CONCENTRATION OF INQUIRY

Mimamsa consists of having an inquiring or discriminating mind, ensuring that chanda, virya , and citta are present. With consistent practice, it is possible to enter deep samadhi if desire, diligence, and intent are present along with inquiry. Mimamsa consists of knowing fully the importance of the other riddhis, or steps, and that the four steps to magical powers is an important stage on the path to buddhahood.

Concentration of inquiry also means using wisdom to observe whether our mind is in the proper state. The proper state is summit, where the entire mind is soft and gentle, without harshness. If the mind is selfish and impure, then it is not in the proper state, and we need to correct it right away.

At the level of supreme in the world, one is liberated from samsara as an arhat. Though the mind will no longer give rise to unwholesome activity or vexation, there still remain residual habit energies until one attains buddhahood. In other words, there are still subtle obstructions. When all obstructions have finally been overcome, one has attained buddhahood.

KARMA AND SUPERNATURAL POWERS

Only those who have cultivated deep samadhi and who have attained the four dhyanas [3] and eight samadhis [4] have supernatural powers that they can control. One who has mastered real supernatural power can perform otherworldly feats at will. Even so, having these powers does not mean that one is liberated in the Buddhist sense. It may sound appealing, but actually these powers are not always useful and often yield negative results. They are not reliable and are often illusory. For instance, people may use supernatural powers to visit the past or foresee the future or witness things happening elsewhere. They may see concealed objects or read other people’s minds. Abilities like these may seem useful, but they mainly serve to give pleasure and pride to the user.

From the perspective of the present, seeing into the future may seem worthwhile. However, the future is really determined by causes and conditions and by causes and consequences; what will or will not happen is determined by karma. Trying to change one’s karma with supernatural powers won’t work, since that would violate the law of karma.

In both the early Buddhist and Mahayana traditions, there are records of supernatural powers being used. But what did the Buddha do when he was hungry? Did he conjure up a feast or have one catered by a deity? No, he walked around with his alms bowl begging for food. After he attained buddhahood, he walked from village to village spreading the dharma. He didn’t fly through the air. He didn’t magically erect monasteries but instead relied on laypeople to build them and to sew robes for the sangha. Before entering parinirvana, he received an offering of food that was tainted. You would think that he would have used his supernatural powers to know the food was bad, but instead he ate it and became very sick. So even though the Buddha possessed supernatural powers, he did not use them in self-centered ways.

One of the Buddha’s senior disciples, Maudgalyayana, was noted for his magic and clairvoyance. Another one of his disciples, called Colour of Lotus, was famous for her supernatural powers. Both of them were ultimately beaten to death by people hostile to Buddhism. You could say that they should have escaped from their attackers because of their supernatural powers. But they couldn’t, because having supernatural powers does not change one’s karma.

WHY WE PRACTICE DHYANA

I want to emphasise again that the reason we practice dhyana is not to acquire supernatural powers but to attain liberation. We begin the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment [5] with the four foundations of mindfulness to calm our mind and to become clearly aware of how thoughts rise and fall in our mind. We then practice the four proper exertions along with the four foundations, with an attitude of great diligence. Practicing these contemplations together results in the generation of wisdom. However, without adequate samadhi, this wisdom will not be deep-rooted and firm. At this stage, we need to develop samadhi power for this wisdom to have a secure foundation. To do that, we cultivate dhyana.

I’ve already described the four enhanced phenomena of warmth, summit, forbearance, and supreme in the world. These phenomena characterise the practice of the four steps. I also described the four steps to magical powers as the second of the five stages to buddhahood. On the foundation of dhyana, we build our practice from which we move forward on the path of the bodhisattvas and buddhas.

A GLIMPSE OF BUDDHANATURE

One of the main methods of dhyana in Chan is investigating huatou [6]. By investigating a huatou, one may make a breakthrough and perceive directly that self-nature is emptiness and that there is no enduring self. This self-nature is also called buddhanature. Seeing one’s buddhanature, however, does not mean that one is liberated, nor does it mean that one’s practice is completed. Rather, it means that one has gained more faith and confidence in the practice and that one now clearly knows where the path is. This may be likened to traveling on a dark road on a very dark night. All of a sudden there is a bolt of lightning, and for a split second you see the road before you, bright and clear. But seeing the road is not the same as having finished the journey. You still need to travel on to the end. In a similar manner, seeing your self-nature, you may have gained a little bit of wisdom but you still need to practice. The next step is to deepen your samadhi, to cultivate dhyana. So the four steps to magical power is really an analogy for the stages of meditative concentration.

CONCLUSION

Practising any one of the concentrations is a great benefit, but the greatest benefit would be to practice all four of the riddhis. Once you have established a firm footing in one of the riddhis, it is easier to move on to the next. When you have mastered the four steps to magical powers, the next stage is to fully embark on the path of the bodhisattvas and buddhas. I have talked a lot about supernatural powers but mainly to make it clear that the attainment of such powers is not the purpose of dhyana. The true magical power of dhyana is in attaining the path of the bodhisattvas and buddhas. That is what is really useful.

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[1] The four proper exertions are the four proper ways to maintain diligence in the practice, which are: to keep unwholesome states not yet arisen from arising; to cease unwholesome states already arisen; to give rise to wholesome states not yet arisen; to continue wholesome states already arisen.

[2] The broad meaning of dhyana (Sanskrit) refers to any meditative practice in Buddhism where the purpose is to train the mind toward enlightenment. The narrow meaning of dhyana refers to progressive meditative states, whose precise meanings depend on the method being practiced. In China, the word dhyana was transliterated to “Chan.” “Zen” is the Japanese transliteration of “Chan.”

[3] The four dhyanas are 1) freedom from desire and unwholesome thoughts; 2) freedom from discursive thoughts; 3) freedom from blissful states; 4) perfect equanimity and wakefulness.

[4] The so-called nine samadhis describe levels of meditative absorption. The first eight do not entail complete liberation; liberation is achieved only with the ninth samadhi.

[5] The thirty-seven aids to enlightenment are a group of seven sets of practices that, taken together, may be said to comprise the path leading to enlightenment: 1) the four foundations of enlightenment; 2) the four proper exertions; 3) the four steps to magical powers; 4) the five roots; 5) the five powers; 6) the seven factors of enlightenment; 7) the noble eightfold path.

[6] Huatou is the Chan method in which a practitioner investigates a question, such as “What is my original face before birth and death?” By intensively seeking the answer to the huatou, the mind of the practitioner may develop a “great ball of doubt,” the resolution of which may result in insight or awakening.

只要有生命就有念，這個如瀑流般的意識流從來沒有斷過；由於我們都是在不知裏，所以現在要開始看好自己所有的起心動念，首先就要修四念住。四念住就是把你的念安住在身、受、心、法上面：把你的心拿來觀察你的身，觀察你的受，觀察你的心，觀察心所生的一 切法，或者裏面的法、外面的法都包括在內。透過這個，你就慢慢可以掌握到自己的念是妄念還是正念；身有身的慣性，身的業力，與身的緣起，心也有心的慣性，心的業力習氣。妄念是你對它完全沒有控制力，它在想什麼都是隨便的、隨機的、跳來跳去。整個佛法其實都在訓練心，所有的修行都在轉你的念，怎麼把念轉對，這時你就有智慧了。這是很重要的！

-- 法傑法師