A person unknowing: the actions performed by him, born of greed, born of aversion, and born of delusion, whether many or few, are experienced right here: no other ground is found. So a monk, knowing, sheds greed, aversion and delusion; giving rise to clear knowledge, he sheds all bad destinations.

-- The Buddha (Nidana Sutta)

Not a single thing in this world remains the same. Everything is ceaselessly flowing and changing.

Even though you or the ones you love suffer from the karma you have created through your words or actions, that suffering can change in an instant, depending upon how well you are able to return thoughts to your foundation, and depending upon the thoughts you give rise to right now.

Suppose someone in your family did something really rotten and dreadful. Even in such a situation, you should unconditionally entrust everything to your foundation. Through it, the minds of parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters are all connected as one. So entrust everything to your foundation, knowing that your inherent mind, your true nature can take care of everything.

For instance, if your child runs away and later returns home, don’t start yelling at him or her. Instead, embrace the child with a warm and gentle heart. Ask if he or she is hungry, if he or she were safe when away from home.

Initially, your child may respond in a cold or distant manner, but gradually, he or she will begin to feel the warmth and love of family and home, and will stop wandering the streets.

As you entrust all your love and concern to your foundation, through their foundation, your child will sense them. Eventually, your family will come to share love and happiness together.

Such harmony is the source of all good fortune, grace and virtue.

-- Zen Master Daehaeng

空而不空 美丽人生

文｜ 朱运涛

喜读《坛经》，喜欢静静地品味《坛经》。这部经典记述了中国禅宗六祖慧能的得法、传法经历，处处显示了大师的无上智慧。其中慧能大师关于“大”和“空”的描述，让人心胸开阔，受益颇多。

慧能在第二品般若品中说：“何名摩诃？摩诃是大，心量广大，犹如虚空，无有边畔，亦无方圆大小，亦非青黄赤白，亦无上下长短，亦无嗔无息，无是无非，无善无恶，无头无尾。诸佛刹土，尽同虚空。”

这句话是慧能对梵语“摩诃”的解释。“摩诃”是梵语，意思是大，即人的心量广大，大到如虚空一般，无边无际，无所谓方圆大小、青黄赤白、上下方位、尺长寸短，也没有是善恶、头尾之分。佛之居地，都是如“摩诃”一般大而虚空，大到无量便成虚空，正因为虚空才不会产生所谓的边际、色相之分。人心亦是如此，本是处在“摩诃”之境，每个人都是处在“诸佛刹土”中，每个人本处佛地，每个人都是佛。

慧能大师又进一步对“空”进行了扩展：“善知识，世界虚空，能含万物色相，日月星宿，山河大地，泉源溪涧，草木丛林，善人恶人，善法恶法，天堂地狱，一切大海，须弥诸山，总在空中。世人性空，亦复如是。”世界是虚空的，包含世间的万物色相，比如日月星宿，山河大地，泉源溪涧等等，这一切都永恒地含在虚空之中。

世界的虚空是如此的一种气势，容纳世间一切，而世人的“本性”也像“世界”一样虚空。大师在这里让我们明白，人心是无限辽阔的。而人心正因为虚空，所以才能“胸中有韬略，心演百万兵”，让世界纳入胸怀，让天地存于心间！

大师在告诉我们每个人都有摩诃般大的虚空之心量，都是处在“诸佛刹土”中之后，为了防止世人迷妄，又来了一个大的回向——莫著空。慧能大师说：“世人妙性本空，无有一法可得。自性真空，亦复如是。善知识，莫闻吾说空即便著空。第一莫著空，若空心静坐，即著无无记空。”“世人妙性本空，无有一法可得。”人的心量虚空是因为人的“妙性”是空的，不用依靠什么“法”去获得。但是，自性虽然本为空，却不能执著于空，这就是“莫闻吾说空即便著空”，为什么？因为“若空心静坐，即著无无记空”，人若是静坐时刻意地让心保持在空虚状态，就是“著无无记空”，就成为坐空念空，陷入了执著于空相的窠臼，就与真正的佛法相隔千里了。

慧能大师的这些思想，对现代人颇有启发意义。 试想，我们的本性是空，我们的心像“世界”一样虚空到极限，可以涵容一切，我们还会在意尘世间无尽的繁琐细微之事么？那种生不带来死不带去的名利之分，我们是否应该看淡点，去“淡泊名利”呢？刹那空而不空美丽人生 —— 读《坛经》小感间显现又消失的名利对我们无限虚空的心来说又算什么呢？一个人在人生道路上，难免会遇到挫折失败，经历风风雨雨，也会有取得成功时候，会有“春风得意马蹄疾，一日看尽长安花”的辉煌时刻。可是无论失败成功，都只是人生的经历，是终究会成为“空”，我们也应该做到不计较成功失败，学会宠辱不惊，这不是退缩，更不是懦弱，而是一种大智慧。一切的尘世琐事、名利缰锁、得失成败都会在我们虚空的心中成为虚空，成为遥远的过去。我们的心因为虚空，任何生存的环境，无论是富裕是贫穷，是筚路蓝缕还是豪车华屋，对我们的心来说也都不算什么，都可以忍受。但是，看现代许多人，一味地逃避艰苦，追求无尽的舒适，抱怨生存条件差，甚至铤而走险，走上犯罪道路，这都是没有意识到自己的虚空本性，没有意识到自己的心可以涵容一切啊！他们应该用大师的思想去拯救自己！

我们应该时刻关注自己的内心，认识到自己的内心是虚空的，这样才会轻松地应对困难，获得幸福。虚空是一种智慧，智慧是一种虚空。虽然，我们的心量随时虚空，但是不能时刻地去执著这种虚空。慧能大师教我们“莫著空”，因为“著空”就是“著无无记空”，执著于“空相”，就又被“空”所羁绊，像前文所讲，陷入了“空”的窠臼。如果我们执著于“空”，很可能会对自己的生活，对自己的人生采取消极应对的态度，对自己的朋友冷漠麻木，对自己所爱的人冷酷无情，对生活概无所谓，因为一切皆空，怎样做都是空，还不如不做！殊不知，这就是真正的愚笨，与智慧的佛法相差万里了。生活赐予许多值得我们珍惜的东西：亲情、友情、爱情、健康、事业、欢乐、痛苦、磨难、挫折，这些我们怎可用“自性本空”去逃避呢？大师说“自性真空”，却没有让我们执著与空，所以，要珍惜生活赐予我们的一切，怀着一颗造福世人、行善救人之心，保持一种乐观自信的状态，对任何事都不去逃避，努力积极地去追求，去拼搏，去张扬自己的个性，去感受生命的宏大气魄，从而开拓出一个雄浑人生。

想到这里，我轻轻地走出书室，站在阳光下， 顿觉神清气爽。淡蓝色的天空没有一丝云朵，伸展到 望不见的远方，温柔中显现着气势。太阳热而不烈， 将万丈光芒赋予了生灵万物。放眼望去,看到挽手散步的恋人、朝气蓬勃的少年、宁静安详的老者、远处美丽的湖水，还有湖边亭亭玉立的棕榈树、婀娜多姿的玉柳、挺拔俊秀的木棉树、亭阁坛桥、楼宇雕塑。将这一切纳入心间，我仿佛看到了慧能大师神秘的微笑。

The dharma is the truth that all natures are pure.

-- Bodhidharma

Receiving Teachings

by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

Whenever you receive Dharma teachings, you should conduct yourself in a humble way and generate the proper motivation: to liberate all beings from suffering. In the texts it says that you should remain like someone who is very humble and peaceful. You should be like a yak without horns — when a yak has horns, it’s very proud and wants to fight everyone, but once its horns are cut or broken, it becomes very humble.

You should be free of the three defects of a pot: not listening, like an upside-down pot; not being able to retain what you hear, like a pot with a hole in it; and mixing negative emotions with what you hear, like a pot that contains poison. You should also avoid the six stains: pride, lack of faith, lack of effort, outward distraction, inward tension, and discouragement.

These six stains are due to thinking that you are better than the teacher who is explaining the Dharma; not trusting the teacher or the teachings; failing to apply yourself to the Dharma; getting distracted by external events; focusing your five senses too intently inward; and being discouraged, for instance, if the teaching is too long.

In addition, you should avoid the five wrong ways of remembering: remembering the words but not the meaning, remembering the meaning but forgetting the words, remembering both but with no understanding, remembering them out of order, and remembering them incorrectly.

When receiving teachings, it is also important to engage in the six perfections: make excellent offerings, such as preparing the teacher’s seat, arranging a flower offering, incense, and so forth, which is the practice of generosity; clean the place, put it in order, control your behaviour, and listen with the proper motivation, which is the practice of discipline; do not harm even the smallest insect and bear heat, cold, pain, and other difficulties, which is the practice of patience; discard any wrong views concerning the teacher and the teachings and listen joyfully with genuine faith, which is the practice of diligence; listen to the teacher’s instructions without distraction, which is concentration; and ask questions to clear up doubts and uncertainties, which is the practice of wisdom. Embraced by the six perfections, such conduct accumulates a vast amount of merit.

You should also generate the four types of faith, which are vivid, eager, confident, and irreversible faith. Among these, confident faith and irreversible faith are the most important. Vivid faith arises upon meeting a great master or visiting a temple with representations of the Buddha’s body, speech, and mind. Eager faith is the eagerness to be free of the sufferings of the lower realms and engage in positive actions. Confident faith is the faith in the Three Jewels that arises from the bottom of one’s heart. And irreversible faith is having such confidence that no matter what happens, your faith remains unshakeable.

Lastly, you should consider the teacher as a skillful doctor, the teachings as medicine, yourself as the patient, and diligent practice as the treatment to recover from your illness.

It is extremely important that your mind be steadfast and your intention pure; without that, even your worldly activities cannot be successful. In one of his previous lives, Buddha Shakyamuni was a cowherd during the time of the third Buddha of this era, Kashyapa. When Buddha Kashyapa came to his area, the cowherd boy felt fervent devotion and offered seven peas, which fell into Buddha Kashyapa’s begging bowl. Due to the merit of that act, in his next life he became a universal king, and his seat was on the same level as Indra, king of the gods. This was due to his pure motivation and intention, not to the size of the offering.

We are too attached to the concerns of this life, and business people understand this, so they manipulate us through their advertising, which has an especially strong affect on young people. They suffer thinking that if they don’t have the latest thing, life is meaningless. If they have it, they will be beautiful and something great will happen. They do not question: Is all this true? Will it really make me happy? Actually, it is they themselves who have to make things good and create their own happiness.

In the Dharma we use our intelligence to think about our situation and see clearly whether something is necessary or not.  What benefit or problems will it create? Is this good for me in the short term? In the long run? We question to find out the truth and then live by that. If we blindly follow what others do, we cannot live our own life or discover its real purpose. If we do what benefits ourselves and others, we are actually practicing Dharma. Since we seek to become a genuine, noble person, we are not entirely concerned with this worldly life and more concerned with the Dharma.

-- 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

忏悔净障

堪布卡塔仁波切

有时，我们也把恶或不善的行为称做罪行或业障。我们要思考的重点是：哪些是这样的行为？如何产生的？一旦产生后，会造成什么样的害处？最后，我们要如何消除这些不善的行为呢？

　　

首先，不善之行为的意思是什么？大体而言，是指身、语、意所犯的错误，将导致今生和来世的痛苦。业行的一个法则是，造业也只是刹那间的事，其痛苦却是无穷的；就像树是从一粒小种子长出来的一样，它虽是种子的果实，却可活很久。至於恶行，不仅造恶的人受苦，别人也会深受其害。怎么会这样呢？

　　

据说，在我们所住的世界上，有成千上万种不同的本尊，他们都随喜善行，并且保护帮助行善的人；但同时，也有成千上万的恶神邪灵都随喜恶行。因此，有人行恶时，较恶的力量就会增加，而随喜善行的本尊力量就会减弱，导致传染病、饥荒、战争和冲突如雨般降临世上。

　　

从小范围来看，我们如果做恶，很容易就把家人和亲友一起拖下水。如果有一个人开始吸毒，就会影响到他的朋友们做相同的事，别人看到了也会参与，吸毒便从一个人传到另一个人身上。任何恶行都可能像这样传染开来。另外再举个例子：爱钓鱼的人，他们的亲朋好友参与这种杀鱼的活动，因此，恶的行为就此加倍扩大。

业障

　　

业障特别是指：无法回想过去、透视未来，不能用视听的能力去感觉出远方的事情，或无法了解别人的想法；业障也指对自己的佛性一无所悉――所有这些情形都被归类在一般性的业障中。

　　

我们不能说有人造恶，也有人没有。或是说，有人有业障，而有人没有。事实上，所有世上的人都有同样的恶业和障碍，这是由於我们还未觉悟成佛、我们不是佛的缘故。「我们不是佛」本身这个事实，就代表非善和业障。我们今生以及过去无数生，都造作了不少恶业，并形成障碍。虽然最后我们受尽苦难，把过去恶行的苦果都消了，但是一转身，我们又再次造了业，形成障碍，产生更多的痛苦。从无始以来，我们一直都是这样的。

净业

　　

一般来说，业障和恶行是没有任何好处的，只除了一项特点——那就是它们可经由忏悔来清净。如果我们想要洗净木炭，是没有用的――它永远是黑色的。如果障碍和恶行像木炭一样，就无法经由忏悔来清净了；但是它们比较像块布，可以把它们洗净，可以由忏悔来清净，这是唯一的好处。

　　

大部分的众生都生在六道里，而他们根本不知道如何清净恶行。一般来说，只有修行佛法的人道众生才知道怎么去做。但我们要不要应用现有的净业方法，则要看个人了。无论如何，我们可以说我们是有很好的条件，可以实际去这样做。

苦因

　　

恶行便是引起自己和他人受苦的原因，我们也许不知道它是从何而来。它是国王或什么大人物弄来的？抑或是什么神降下来的？答案是否定的。各种痛苦的产生，乃是由於我们的心识有善与非善的两种特质，而那些是来自心识里非善的力量。

　　

痛苦的根本原因是什么？是无明愚痴。这意思是说，我们不明了自心所具之特质，也不知道恶行将导致受苦，而善行则会带来快乐。由於如此愚昧，痛苦才会产生。因此，痛苦的根本就是愚痴。

　　

由於愚痴，我们便造作身、语、意的恶业。之所以会有这些错误的行为，是因为我们不了解自心的善性，没能好好地培养它们；我们没有好好培养，而且由於无明，我们有害的缺失继续增加，导致更多的错误的行为。

三毒

　　

可以说，每一个人都由身、口、意三种特质组成的。除此外，我们还执著於一个「我」或「自我」的观念。但事实上，「我」并不存在。因为执「我」，便生起了「他」，在人、我之间起分别，其实这些都是自心所造作的。

　　

另外，苦乐、爱欲和贪著的觉受，都和「自我」有关，而嗔恨则是对「他人」的。在这一点上，经由无明愚痴的作用，贪、嗔、痴就此生起

　　

贪著和嗔恨依序产生别人比我好的想法，接著嫉妒心便生起。有时候，我们认为别人比自己差，而产生了骄傲自大的心态。自己唯恐所拥有的金钱财物会失去或被偷，便产生了贪著。基本上，经由根本之因的愚痴作用，贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑五毒就这样产生了。

六道与六苦

　　

我们有六种基本的心灵痛苦状态，也有六道。事实上，这两组都属「六」的东西，关系十分密切。

　　

一、 地狱道

　　

在六种痛苦的心灵状态中，如果一个人的嗔恨心最强，便会投生到地狱道里。地狱道不是外在人为所造的，而是由根植於我们心识中的嗔业所感召的果报。由于嗔恨的力量，便产生了在地狱的痛苦。在六道之中，地狱道的痛苦最强烈、也最持久。

　　

二、饿鬼道

　　

我们由于愚痴而生起了自、他的分别。执著於有「他」(众生相)时，就会产生嗔恨；执著於有「我」(我相)时，就会产生贪婪。基本上来说，贪的涵义，就是自己不想分亨或布施好的东西给他人，也害怕会失去或有耗尽的一天。这是一种吝啬的行为，也包括不愿将佛法傅授给别人。由於贪力的趋使，便会投生到饿鬼道。饿鬼的数目非常庞大，都是由不同的悭贪习气所化现的。

　　

三、畜生道

　　

一般来说，所有的众生多少都有些迷惑和愚痴，不过，当愚痴变成一个凌越一切的特点时，就会造成投生到畜生道的主要原因。动物们没有伦理道德，也没有什麽不该做的观念。

　　

到现在为止，已经谈论了三种投生的类别――地狱道、饿鬼道和畜生道――此即为下三道。在此三道的苦是最剧烈的。

　　

四、人道

　　

上三道在藏语称为三「乐道」，能投生到此三道，主要是修行善业缘故。如果善业带著强烈的我执，便会投生到人道。

　　

在人道是有二种生活方式。其一是修持佛法，从轮回中解脱，并且利益他人；另一是处於贪嗔等痛苦的心灵状态中，结果做了很多不善之行。畜生由於极端愚痴而这样做，但人是具有聪明才智的，如果他们致力於行善，便会是非常善良的；但如果造恶，便会变得极端邪恶。

　　

世界上有很多的人口，但是真正善用人身的人很少。大多数人只会为自己打算，却一点也不关心众生的利益。举例来说，大部分人都像商人一样，只对谋利一事感到兴趣，但是谋利这事通常是建筑在他人的损失之上的。在这个例子里，商人只要能营利，根本不在乎别人如何？他们也只关切自己的福利，仅仅是为了自己利益，便杀了其他成千上百的众生。狮子为了充饥，通常只杀一只动物来吃；人类却非绝对必要地杀了成千上百的鱼，还有数不清的昆虫，都在耕种时被扑灭了。因此，人类的恶行是非常巨大的。如果我们来看看那些善用人身学习和修持佛法的，便知道其数目是非常、非常少的。我们要牢牢记住，人类所造的恶业是远远超过其所积聚的善业。

　　

五、阿修罗道

　　

会生为阿修罗(或半神)的主要因素，是由于其善业和强烈嫉妒心混合的结果。为何嫉妒会和善业成双呢？举个例来说，为了修完一个法，我们必须完成固定数目的大礼拜，有一个人做了几个大礼拜後，看到别人做得比他快，而且远远超前，结果就产生了嫉妒心。因此，这种嫉妒的心灵痛苦状态，就和顶礼佛、法、僧的善业混合在一起。

　　

阿修罗有二种嫉妒的心理。第一：他们嫉妒天神。即便他们自己所拥有的很多，也不会丧失，但还是觉得天神比他们享乐，财富和资源比他们多。第二：有一种很特别的树木，根生于阿修罗道；虽然此树长在阿修罗道这边，但是花和果都结在天道那边．阿修罗对此感到非常嫉妒，因为他们必须照料树木，却无法从中得到任何好处．就是这两种嫉妒心理，使他们困於轮回之中。

　　

六、天道

　　

最後，我们谈到天道(或神道)投生天道的主要原因，是由于累积了很多的善业，但却伴随著骄慢之心。由於其善行掺杂了自大，所以不能从轮回中解脱。嫉妒、骄慢和善行，可以用许多方式混合。再以做大礼拜为例，有人做完了一千遍大礼拜的时间，别的人只做了五百遍，这个人便觉得自己很了不起。这样的想法便生出骄傲自大的心理，和大礼拜的善行掺混在一起。

　　

天道的生活是非常快乐的，直到死前才会感到痛苦。他们的享受和财富都这么大，以致完全分了心；就像儿童一样，玩得太高兴了，把时间都忘了，直到将死的七天以前，天神一直都耽於享乐之中。他们死前的征兆是：衣服和身体开始变臭，庄严的花冠也开始凋萎腐烂。以前和他们一起玩乐的天神和女神，看到这种情况，便远远走避。这将死的天神(或女神)有天眼，可以看到他们未来要投生的地方。比起天道的享乐，通常他们会投生到较低的其他道中。由于可以预见自己未来将受的苦，因此心中倍感难受。六道轮回之中，肉体受最剧烈痛苦的地方，是在地狱最底层的阿鼻地狱。然而，心灵上感受最大痛苦的，是在天神将死，要再投生的七天中。

六苦的对治

　　

六道众生所受的痛苦和苦难，是由六种基本的心垢所引起的，它们是在此六种状态下产生的。我们要如何消除这种痛苦的情境呢？主要是以忏悔一切不善来清净它们，并以不断的善行代之。

　　

一、慈悲

　　

嗔恨的对治方法是慈悲。慈心是希望众生能幸福快乐，而悲心则是愿众生能免於苦痛。慈悲心一生起，嗔恨便会自动消失。当我们以慈悲心来对待众生时，便无法容下愤怒和嗔恨了。

　　

二、布施

　　

导致投生于饿鬼道的贪吝，其对治的方法是布施，在修持布施度时，我们专注在两种接受的对象上：三宝(佛、法、僧)和比我们情况差的众生。经由布施的修持，我们关闭了投生於饿鬼道之门。

　　

三、智慧

　　

我们要以智慧，来对治使我们投生於畜生道的愚痴。智慧来自听闻法教并依教奉行，它让我们了知投生六道乃由心垢而起。智慧意指清楚的了解并辨知善与不善、以及其果报。

　　

四、发展对身体的觉观以及培养知足的心理

　　

对治执著的方法，依所提到的执著而施。如前所述，在人道有两种主要不同生活之道的人：修持佛法，朝向解脱，以及被贪执和爱欲控制的人。执著的焦点在哪里呢？主要在于我们的身体和财富。

　　

对治身体执著的方法，在于发展对它的觉观和禅修――尤指身体的本质之不净。再则，由于身体会死亡，因此它是无常的。第三，身体的状况会改变，所以，也不是很稳固的。经由这样的觉观，我们对身体的执著就会减少。

　　

从学习佛法中，我们也可以培养对自己所拥有的一切感到知足，并想：「好了，现在我有这样和那样东西，够了！我觉得很满意了！」

　　

简而言之，对治执著的两种方式，就是发展对身体的专注与觉观，减少对它的攀执和爱欲。还有，就是培养对自己所拥有的一切，量与质都感到满足。

　　

五、随喜

　　

嫉妒是投生在阿修罗道的主要原因，我们要以随喜他人的善行来对治它。随喜他人，嫉妒心自然而然就会平息下来。随喜有一个好处，我们可以很简单地说明：如果我们看到有人修习佛法、行布施或做其它善事，因而生起随喜心，这种随喜和原本的善行是具同等价值的，所累积的善业也是相同的。同样地，如果我们随喜他人做恶，那麽所累积的恶业也是一样的。一旦我们的心已习於做恶，要生出善心就很困难了。

　　

经由修行，我们持续地培养善心、慈悲和随喜的胸怀，结果便会变得习於行善，恶业也会慢慢减少。我们必须要去感受了解善行的好处是什麽，以及做恶会带来什麽样的痛苦和损害。

　　

六、对治骄慢的一般方法以及究竟方法

　　

我们已讨论过，生在天道的主要原因，是由于善行中掺混著骄慢的结果。事实上，有两种方法可以对治骄慢，一种是一般方法，另一种是究竟的方法。如果有人称赞我们，我们因而觉得自傲，此时就应该想想其他比我们行的人，这样做，我们的傲慢就会减少――这是对治骄慢的一般方法。再举个例子来说，如果别人恭维我们的身材长得很高，而使自己觉得骄傲时，就要去看看身材比我们长得更高的人，这样一来，我们便会知道自己一点也不怎样，骄慢就会减少；如果有人说「你很富有。」我们就必须想想比自己更富裕的人，然後便会明了，我们对于自己以及自己所拥有的一切，根本没有值得骄傲的地方――这也是一个一般的对治方法。

　　

从一开始就要了解，所有的现象都不是真实存在的。我们要尽力以了悟无我的智慧，探知空性。当这样的般若智慧生起时，我们就会明白，在那里根本没有一个「我」可以骄傲的――这是一个对治骄慢的究竟方法。

四门与忏悔

　　

有四种行恶的可能，传统上称为「四门」。首先是一个人的愚痴非常重，以致没有善恶的观念，因此，也没有机会忏悔、清净恶行；第二是一个人虽然知道什麽是善恶，但并不相信真有这回事，由于对善恶的意义没有真信，因此忏悔也非常不可能的，第三是一个人虽然相信善恶的重要性，但并未将它牢记在心――总是忘掉；第四是一个人能够分辨善恶，相信它们，虽也没忘记，但因为心中的染污太重，以致依然行恶。

　　

在第三和第四状况的人，可以藉由忏悔来清净，因为了解恶行会导致痛苦的人，才能决心藉著净业的方法来消除痛苦。

一、忏悔四力

　　

忏悔净障的过程需要四种不同的力量。首先，我们需要一个神圣的忏悔对象。他必须远离一切恶行与障碍，具真正能清净罪障的力量，并且富于慈悲与智慧，我们可在这位上师或精神上的法友面前忏悔恶行。如果没有上师可当为忏悔的对象，我们可以用佛菩萨的相来代替，也可以在佛塔或寺庙，或具加持力的圣物前忏悔。开始时，我们先对这些忏悔的对象或上师做或多或少的供养。第二，基于了解所造恶行的不当，我们需要忏悔力。第三，要大声认错，念出忏悔的内容。我们可以说：「从无始以来的多生中，无论我造过什麽恶业，我祈求您，请您平息净除它。」此时，如果你记得自己犯过哪些错误，便一一举出来，否则就如此想：「虽然我记不得了，但任何经由我的身、口、意所做的恶行，由于您的本觉智慧都能了知。我祈求您，请您清净我这些罪障。」最後，我们需要第四种力量――发誓不再重犯。这是四项中最难做到的。

　　

举例来说，如果有人昨天突然中毒，还未死，他便会去寻找能够解毒的医生，同时，也会因自己无知吃下毒药而深感後悔――恶业的苦果就像毒药一样，当我们在圣洁的上师或佛像前忏悔时，心中也应充满悔意「我真的非常後悔自己造了恶业。」

　　

忏悔罪障须及时是很重要的，因为我们不知道自己能活多久，而恶业的力量与时俱增。如果我们死了，罪障还未被净除，就再也没机会了，我们会因此在未来世中受苦。所以，我们不能这样想：「哦，我再等一个月，或明年再忏悔吧！．」

　　

噶玛噶举傅承持有者之一的冈波巴大师，回家乡後，曾以一例说明净业的急要性。他说，这就像有人掉下悬崖，但手抓到一条藤而悬在那里一样。藤的一边有只白老鼠在啃它，藤的另一边有只黑老鼠在嚼著它：悬崖下面，则有熊熊烈火、毒蛇以及各种剧烈的苦痛在等著他：而在悬崖上，则是他的同伴和朋友们；他住上看著他们，热切哀求著：「拜托！请帮助我吧！」

　　

在这个比喻中，悬崖下的火和蛇代表下三道的痛苦；挂在悬崖边将死的人，代表他没有力量把自己往上推，随时都有可能坠下；葛藤象征他的寿长，而二只老鼠啮啃著藤，正表示此人的生命一天天、一夜夜地减少；悬崖上的友伴，就是能够帮助他的佛菩萨们；而他向友伴们真切地哀哀求助，代表的就是忏悔和悔过。

二、其它的净业方法

　　

我们也可以用其它的方法来清净罪障。我们可以念诵佛号，例如：药师琉璃光如来、毗卢遮那佛、不动佛、阿弥陀佛、释迦牟尼佛等，或是念诵他们的心咒。我们还可以念经，例如：《大解脱经》和《心经》等。如果我们受持菩萨戒，没有损坏戒条，便能清净恶业。修持如大手印或大圆满的法，也有相同的作用。因为藉由这些修行，我们才可以成佛，而在那同时，业障也会自动净除。

三、戒律的堕毁

　　

由于我们可能破戒，所以须以还净来补救。谈到出家人的戒律，别解脱戒总共有二百五十一条，其中四条是根本戒，只要破了其中之一，便破了一切戒。例如：有个和尚看到了一个人，心里想：「我不喜欢他，我要杀了他。」这时，戒还未破。接著，和尚猛击他的头，并真打死了他，戒仍然没破。和尚一看到自己做的事，说：「我犯了多可怕的错误！．我居然杀了人，真可怕！」他深觉後悔，戒还是没破。但如果和尚随喜自己的作为，心想：「他翘掉了！太好了！」那时戒就破了。破戒必须由身、口、意三者始能完成――想法、实际的行动、以及对自己所为、所表现出的高兴。

　　

至于菩萨戒，只要有「我想杀那个人」的想法，就算已经违戒或毁戒了，因为菩萨戒主要是心戒，而出家的别解脱戒则是与行为有关。

　　

金刚乘的戒律又称三昧耶戒。如果我们看见一个人，只要在心里想：「原来就是这样嘛，没什麽了不起！」就损减或破毁了三昧耶戒。为什麽这样？因为在金刚乘中，行者必须视一切众生为勇父与空行的圣众，并应视五大元素为五方佛与五方佛母。而只要一有俗世不净的念头，就自动损减了三昧耶戒，不过，还未破及根本戒。

　　

虽然金刚乘的根本戒律有十四条，但实际上的三昧耶戒条则多得数不清――有几百万条，这是由于与心念有关之故。因此，禅观金刚萨埵以及念诵他的咒语，便成为相当重要的事．经典上说，我们应该在二十四小时中，忆念金刚萨埵并念诵百字明咒六次，即每四小时一次，白天夜晚各三次。如果我们记得所犯的过错，在四小时内忏悔，就能立即把业清净。这就是我们要以此方式来忆念金刚萨埵和念诵其咒的原因。

四、正确的发心

　　

忏悔业障时，正确的发心很重要。如果我们想：「我只忏悔自己的业障。」便属声闻缘觉之道。此道较低，因为他们只关注自己个人的解脱。不过，如果我们这样想：「我要为自己和一切六道众生的罪业而忏悔。」这样的发心就广大多了。我们应为无明愚痴、以及本身无法净业的人来忏悔消业。这种方法非常具大力，可以积聚很大的功德，兼具了大乘与金刚乘的特质。

五、无疑无惑的忏悔

　

我们要了解：最佳的忏悔方式，就是完全不带一丝怀疑的忏悔，这点很重要。

　　

举例来说，缝纫时，我们可以挑选利针或钝针来用。利针很好用，但若需要钝针，也勉强可用，因此针的锐利相当于心的敏锐度。就算这样说，如果我们用叉子来缝，则不管它多利，也不能使用――叉子就代表怀疑。忏悔时，如果我们能以毫无疑惑的心，确信忏悔定能净业消障，则它就一定能清除我们的罪障。

The nature of everything is illusory and ephemeral, those with dualistic perception regard suffering as happiness, like they who lick the honey from a razor’s edge. How pitiful they who cling strongly to concrete reality: Turn your attention within, my heart friends.

-- Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

The Dhamma of the Blessed One is Perfectly Expounded

by Ayya Khema

"The Dhamma of the Blessed One

is perfectly expounded,

to be seen here and now,

not a matter of time."

The first line of this chant proclaims real faith in the Dhamma. Not believing everything without inquiring, but an inner relationship of trust. When one is faithful to someone, then one also trusts that person, one gives oneself into his or her hands, has a deep connection and an inner opening. How much more is this true of the faith in the teaching of the Buddha. Those aspects of the Dhamma which we don't understand yet can be left in abeyance. Yet that doesn't shake our faith and trust.

If we feel that it is "perfectly expounded," then we are very fortunate, for we know one thing in this universe which is perfect. There's nothing else to be found that's without blemish, nor is there anything that is becoming perfect. If we have that trust, faithfulness and love towards the Dhamma and believe it to be perfectly expounded, then we have found something beyond compare. We are blessed with an inner wealth.

"To be seen here and now," is up to each of us. the Dhamma has been made clear by the Enlightened One who taught it out of compassion, but we have to see it ourselves with an inner vision.

"Here and now," needs to be stressed, because it means not forgetting but being aware of the Dhamma in each moment. This awareness helps us to watch our reactions before they result in unskillful words or actions. Seeing the positive within us and cultivating it, seeing the negative and substituting it. When we believe all our thoughts and claim justification for them, we're not seeing the Dhamma. There are no justifications, there are only arising phenomena which cease again.

"Not a matter of time," means that we are not dependent upon a Buddha being alive in order to practice the Dhamma; though this is a wide-spread belief, it is quite possible to practice now. Some people think there has to be a perfect situation or a perfect teacher or perfect meditation. None of that is true. Mental and physical phenomena (dhammas) are constantly coming and going, changing without pause. When we hang onto them and consider them ours, then we will believe any story our mind will tell us, without discrimination. We consist of body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, which we grip tightly and believe them to be "me" and "mine." We need to take a step back and be a neutral observer of the whole process.

"Inviting one to come and see,

leading inwards."

The understanding of the Dhamma leads us into our inner depth. We are not invited to come and see a meditation hall or a Buddha statue, a dagoba or a shrine. We are invited to come and see the phenomena (dhammas) arising within us. The defilements as well as the purifications are to be found inside one's own heart and mind.

Our minds are very busy, always remembering, planning, hoping or judging. This body could also be very busy picking up little stones and throwing them into the water all day long. But we would consider that a foolish expenditure of energy, and we direct the body towards something useful. We need to do the same with the mind. Instead of thinking about this and that, allowing the defilements to arise, we could also direct the mind towards something beneficial such as investigating our likes and dislikes, our desires and rejections, our ideas and views.

When the mind inquires, it doesn't get involved in its own creations. It can't do both at the same time. As it becomes more and more observant, it remains objective for longer periods of time. That's why the Buddha taught that mindfulness is the one way for the purification of beings. The clear and lucid observation of all arising phenomena eventually shows that there are only phenomena manifesting as mind and body, which are constantly expanding and contracting in the same way as the universe does. Unless we become very diligent observers, we will not see that aspect of mind and body and will not know the Dhamma "here and now," even though we have been "invited to come and see."

"To be known by the wise,

each for themselves."

No one can know the Dhamma for another. We can chant, read, discuss and listen, but unless we watch all that arises, we will not know the Dhamma by ourselves. There's only one place where Dhamma can be known, in one's own heart and mind. It has to be a personal experience which comes about through constant observation of oneself. Meditation helps. Unless one inquires into one's own reactions and knows why one wants one thing and rejects another, one hasn't seen Dhamma. Then the mind will also get a clear perception of impermanence (anicca) because our desires and dislikes are constantly changing. We'll see that the mind which is thinking and the body which is breathing are both painful (dukkha).

When the mind doesn't operate with an uplifted, transcending awareness, it creates suffering (dukkha). Only a measureless, illumined mind is free from that. The body certainly produces dukkha in many ways through its inability to remain steady. Seeing this clearly will give us a strong determination to know Dhamma by ourselves.

Wisdom arises within and comes from an understood experience. Neither knowledge nor listening can bring it about. Wisdom also means maturity, which has nothing to do with age. Sometimes ageing may help, but it doesn't always do that either. Wisdom is an inner knowing which creates self-confidence. We need not look for somebody else's confirmation and good-will, we know with certainty.

When we chant anything at all, it is vital that we know the meaning of the words and inquire whether they have any connection to ourselves.

pamadamulako lobho, lobho vivadamulako,

dasabyakarako lobho, lobho paramhi petiko,

tam lobham parijanantam vande'ham vitalobhakam

Greed's the root of negligence, greed's the root of strife,

Greed enslavement brings about, and in the future ghostly birth;

vihaññamulako doso, doso virupakarako.

vinasakarako doso, doso paramhi nerayo,

tam dosam parijanantam vande'ham vitadosakam

Hate's the root of turbulence, of ugliness the cause,

Hate causes much destruction and in the future hellish birth;

That One who's known hate to the end, I honour Him who's free of hate.

sabbaghamulako moho, moho sabbitikarako,

sabbandhakarako moho, moho paramhi

svadiko tam moham parijanantam vande'ham vitamohakam

Delusion's root of every ill, delusion's a troublemaker,

All blinding from delusion comes and in the future birth as beast;

That One who's known delusion's end, I honour Him, delusion-free.

The Buddha said:

"Though a thousand speeches

are made of meaningless lines,

better the single meaningful line

by hearing which one is at peace."

If we can practice one line of Dhamma, it's so much more valuable than knowing the whole chanting book by heart.

The arising and ceasing phenomena, which are our teachers, never take a rest. Dhamma is being taught to us constantly. All our waking moments are Dhamma teachers, if we make them so. The Dhamma is the truth expounded by the Enlightened One, which is the law of nature surrounding us and embedded within us.

Once the Buddha said: "Ananda, it is owing to my being a good friend to them that living beings subject to birth are freed from birth." (S. III, 18, XLV, 2).

Everyone needs a good friend, who has enough selflessness, not only to be helpful, but also to point out when one is slipping. Treading the Dhamma path is like walking a tightrope. It leads along one straight line and every time one slips, one hurts. If we have a painful feeling inside, we're no longer on the tightrope of the Dhamma. Our good friend (kalyana mitta) might say to us then: "You stepped too far to the right, or to the left, (whatever the case may be). You weren't careful, that's why you fell into depression and pain. I'll point out to you when you're slipping next time." We can only accept this from someone whom we trust and have confidence in.

One can be fooled by a person's beautiful words or splendid appearance. The character of a person is shown not only in words, but in the small day-to-day activities. One of the very important guidelines to a person's character is how they react when things go wrong. It's easy to be loving, helpful and friendly when everything goes well, but when difficulties arise our endurance and patience are being tested as well as our equanimity and determination. The less ego-consciousness one has, the easier one can handle all situations.

At first, when one starts to walk on the tightrope of the Dhamma path, it may feel uncomfortable. One isn't used to balancing oneself, but rather to swaying all over the place, going in all directions, wherever it's most comfortable. One may feel restricted and coerced, not being allowed to live according to one's natural instincts. Yet in order to walk on a tightrope, one has to restrict oneself in many ways with mindfulness. These restrictions may at first feel irksome, like fetters or bonds, later they turn out to be the liberating factors.

To have this perfect jewel of the Dhamma in our hearts, we need to be awake and aware. Then we can prove by our own watchfulness that "the Dhamma of the Blessed One is perfectly expounded." There is no worldly jewel that can match the value of the Dhamma. Each one of us can become the owner of this priceless gem. We can call ourselves most fortunate to have such an opportunity. When we wake up in the morning, let that be our first thought: "What good fortune it is for me to practice the Dhamma."

When you suffer, if you take that not just as your own suffering but rather as the nature of samsara, then you are understanding the most important point of Buddha's teachings.

-- Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche