Monday, September 21, 2015

【靜思妙蓮華】20150806 - 不信因果甚可怖畏 - 第625集 Not Believing in Cause and Effect is Terrifying



20150806《靜思妙蓮華》不信因果甚可怖畏 (第625集)
(法華經•譬喻品第三)

⊙「五趣雜居善惡因果,惑業煩惱邪見之心,撥無善惡因果之事,各自藏護果因種子,因核果海含藏不失。」
⊙「孚乳產生,各自藏護。夜叉競來,爭取食之,食之既飽,惡心轉熾,鬥諍之聲,甚可怖畏。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙鳥生孵卵曰孚,獸生曰乳,喻善惡之法,從自是因,生自是果。
⊙各自藏護:因自有果名藏,必得不失名護。
⊙夜叉:謂邪見之心,撥無善惡因果,如夜叉競共爭取人肉、毒蟲而食。
⊙食之既飽者,謂邪見之心取理,顛倒妄見,不信因果,斷諸善根,成就惡心轉熾,邪見之心增廣。
⊙鬥諍之聲者,內存惡念,外現身行,口宣於無因無果之法。能令聞者,墮落三途,故言甚可怖畏。
⊙以上喻邪見所生眾多煩惱,煩惱更滋生邪見,互相倚伏之相。
⊙戒取執邪為道,名非因計因,即如持牛狗等戒之徒。

【證嚴上人開示】
「五趣雜居善惡因果,惑業煩惱邪見之心,撥無善惡因果之事,各自藏護果因種子,因核果海含藏不失。」

五趣雜居善惡因果
惑業煩惱邪見之心
撥無善惡因果之事
各自藏護果因種子
因核果海含藏不失

修行不離開一念心。要知道,我們所處的地方就是五趣雜居、善惡因果所聚集的地方。

五趣雜居,天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生。五趣在三界中,我們就是在「人趣」,也稱「人道」,而善惡都在人道中。

造善因,結善果;人世間有像天人一樣的享福。造惡因,結惡果;看到惡人惹是生非,造成社會不平靜,或是看到有的人很可憐,很多不如意的事情一再發生,已生在不如意的環境,又苦難的事情都集中在他的身上。人生苦啊!我們就知道過去的苦因,得現在的苦果。過去既然有苦因,現在是不是還在造苦、惡的業呢?

有的人在貧困中卻很精進,雖然一輩子勞苦,雖然一生有很多的不如意事,但是他心自安,沒有再造什麼惡業。也有人在很富有的過程,事事如意,這輩子還是樂善好施,還是在付出,在善中又再行善,這就是福慧的人。乘過去的善因緣來今生受福果,受福又再造福,更有緣能得聞佛法,那就是福慧雙修了。

惡的人也會改變。過去生的因緣,今生在這樣的環境出生,他就學這個環境的生活長大,所以有惑業煩惱、邪見的心。但是,若有不可思議的因緣,他也能轉變過來。

就像在馬來西亞雪隆,有一位錦棚居士現在很精進,也是好幾年來投入在環保志業中。他年輕時,出生在人人吃、喝、賭的這種家族環境裡,所以他也是吃喝玩樂、賭博全都會。若是他開車在路上,有車擋在前面,也敢去撞前方的車,還下來和人論長爭短,不覺得自己有錯。

他交朋友很講義氣,什麼人被欺負,一通電話就出去了,所以整天混在黑道裡,吵架、打架、罵人,身口意沒有一項是善業。後來,他感覺這群朋友怎麼一個個往生了,死的死、逃的逃,失蹤的失蹤了,所以在一九九八年,離開馬來西亞到美國。

在那裡有一個佛教的團體,有人送他一本《如是我聞》(編按:靜淇師姊著),從《如是我聞》這本書裡面,認識了慈濟,也認識了慈濟的師父。從此,他在美國就一直投入做環保。到了二000年回到馬來西亞,找到雪隆有這個團體,從此安住他的心,在環保中用心再用心,付出再付出,做得很歡喜。

他的孩子說:「過去的父親不是這樣,現在的父親真的是慈父,很體貼。」母親也說:過去是壞孩子,現在很孝順。」他太太說:「我現在的先生是體貼溫柔,輕聲柔語,過去開口就是粗話罵人。」人生整個轉變過來了,二三年前已經受證慈誠了。醒悟的人生,體會到人生本來就是空啊!

所以,迷的時候造惑業,悟的時候行菩薩道,這都是在人間這種五趣雜居地裡。他成長在這樣的家庭環境,有了因緣換一個環境,改變了他的人生。

最近一直向大家提起了五道,或是惑業、因緣果報,人生就有這麼多不可思議。一切唯心,我們的心若是撥無善惡因果,就會為非作歹,沒辦法醒悟。所以「撥無善惡因果之事」,那就是「各自藏護果大種子」,全都在自己的因核果海。

一棵大樹的源頭是藏在毫芒的種子中,只要因緣會合──落土、水分、陽光、空氣,從樹種、樹苗,一直到開花結果,那個「果海」就很多很多了。源自那顆小小的種子,卻有無量數的果實,年年不斷反反覆覆,結果纍纍,這是不可思議!所以,因果都是「含藏不失」,都是含在其中。

前面經文所描述的,不論是飛禽走獸或是魑魅魍魎的譬喻,全是要告訴我們「一切唯心」。

再下來經文就說,「孚乳產生,各自藏護。夜叉競來,爭取食之,食之既飽,惡心轉熾,鬥諍之聲,甚可怖畏。」

「孚乳產生,各自藏護。夜叉競來,爭取食之,食之既飽,惡心轉熾,鬥諍之聲,甚可怖畏。」《法華經譬喻品第三》


「孚乳」。鳥類生的叫做「孚」;獸類生的叫做「乳」,牠生下來就要哺乳。空中飛的、地上走的,全都包含在「孚乳產生」。

⊙鳥生孵卵曰孚,獸生曰乳,喻善惡之法,從自是因,生自是果。

不論是卵生或胎生,就是「各自藏護」。什麼樣的生類,就有什麼樣的習氣,或與生俱來的毒。

幾天前也說過,蜂有蜂毒,蚊子有蚊類的毒。蚊子看起來小小隻而已,牠生在污濁的地方,若叮咬了人,會將病菌傳播到人體。像這麼微小的蟲類,也有牠與生俱來的病菌含藏在其中,何況身型大的蛇、蜂等等。

無數量不同的種類的生態,譬喻「善惡之法,從自是因,生自是果」,每一種都是含藏在牠們的所生存的境界、體內等等,因與果都在其中,這叫做「各自藏護」。

⊙各自藏護:因自有果名藏,必得不失名護。

「因自有果名藏」。有因就會有果,你看這麼小顆的種子還有一層殼保護著,它包著裡面很小、很小的東西,那個就是「核」,這個因核裡面含藏著果實。就像大樹最初也是藏在那個小小的種子之中;所以,因自有果叫做藏。

就像我們說人生八識田中,第八識也是一個藏識。所有的業因都含藏在第八識。前生藏的業因帶來此生受報,此生做的業因再加上去,再帶去來生,不斷累積在藏識裡面,生生世世不斷現出了因緣果報的生態,這就是因緣果報的藏識。不只人是如此,所有的生態,都有藏識。

「必得不失名護」。不論你是造善或作惡,都有一層殼保護著。善惡到了因緣來時,這個因與緣自然會合,果就顯現出來。這是因緣果報的奇妙。

「夜叉競來,爭取食之」。各種的生物,惡的還有更惡,不論是毒蛇猛獸再怎麼惡,也有「來無形影去無蹤」的惡鬼夜叉,同樣也是「競來搏撮」。

⊙夜叉:謂邪見之心,撥無善惡因果,如夜叉競共爭取人肉、毒蟲而食。

夜叉就是譬喻人的邪見的心。人人一念心若偏差,惡念就生出來,心就不單純了,就「撥無」因果,對「善惡因果」不相信,所以他沒有因果觀。像這樣「只要我喜歡,有什麼不可以?」逞強、鬥諍。

就像「夜叉」,一天到晚「競共爭取」,你爭我奪,互相明爭暗鬥,像在取「人肉、毒蟲而食」。不論是吃人、吃獸都是這樣,這麼的逞強鬥狠。夜叉惡鬼離我們多遠?在人群中,不怕因緣果報的人,不懂道理的人,就有這些事情。這種的人心,就是因為撥無因果,所以「食之既飽,惡心轉熾」。

⊙食之既飽者,謂邪見之心取理,顛倒妄見,不信因果,斷諸善根,成就惡心轉熾,邪見之心增廣。

「食之既飽」,譬喻「邪見之心取理,顛倒妄見」,這種人「不信因果,斷諸善根,成就惡心轉熾」,這個惡的心愈來愈熾盛,所以「邪見之心增廣」,邪見的心愈增愈高,愈做愈廣、愈大,所以惡的人愈做愈惡。

看看製造人群的悲慘,逃難中無家可歸,血淋淋,對人間的慘惡,就是「鬥諍之聲,甚可怖畏」。

⊙鬥諍之聲者,內存惡念,外現身行,口宣於無因無果之法。能令聞者,墮落三途,故言甚可怖畏。

這種鬥諍的聲音,光是聽到就令人很擔心、很害怕。現在的媒體,哪一個國家發生什麼事情,哪一個社會有什麼新聞,媒體傳播這種互相爭鬥所製造的人禍,讓人心惶惶不安。

「內存惡念」,這種人內心存著惡念,「身行口宣」,身體造作惡的事情,口去製造很多的是非,所以身、口、意業,像這樣無因無果之法,將來一定會墮落三途。

就像那位朱居士說的,他看到那些黑道的朋友,不是死便是逃,要不然就是失蹤了,沒有好下場。所以「甚可怖畏」。

⊙以上喻邪見所生眾多煩惱,煩惱更滋生邪見,互相倚伏之相。

以上這些就是譬喻邪見眾生所生的煩惱很多,還不斷在滋生,不斷在複製、蔓延這種的邪知邪見,彼此有相同的觀念,就互相一個牽一個去造惡、墮落。有的人:「好啊,我去修行。」但是他所要修的行偏差了,行在邪道,這都是錯誤的修為。

⊙戒取執邪為道,名非因計因,即如持牛狗等戒之徒。

像在印度,有的修狗屎、牛屎那種的戒,叫做在去除煩惱。其實,真正的修行是在人群中,怎麼樣能在人群裡修得忍辱行、修得心開闊,修得入人群中不受人群種種煩惱染著,還願意付出,這才是真正修行的方向。希望大家要細細來思惟,時時要多用心。

Subject: Not Believing in Cause and Effect is Terrifying (不信因果甚可怖畏)
Date:August.06. 2015

“Beings of the Five Destinies coexist with a mix of good and evil karma. With deluded karma, afflictions and deviant views, we deny the law of cause and effect. Everyone conceals seeds of cause and effect. Seeds contain an ocean of fruit; though hidden, they are not lost.”

Spiritual practice is inseparable from our mind. We should know that we are currently living in a place where beings of the Five Destinies coexist, where positive and negative causes and conditions are gathered together.
Beings of the Five Destinies coexist here; we should all clearly understand this. What are the Five Destinies? The Five Paths, the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. I hope everyone will constantly take these in, familiarize themselves with them and remember them. We are now living in the Three Realms and the Five Destinies are in the Three Realms. We are presently in the “human destiny,” which is the human realm. In the human realm, there is both good and evil. Positive karmic causes result in positive effects. In the human world, some people enjoy great blessings, as if in heaven. They are like heavenly beings in the human realm. Negative karmic causes result in negative effects.
Right now, in this world, people who commit evils stir up trouble and cause instability in society. We also see people we feel very sad for. They experience adversities time and again. They are born into a disagreeable environment, and all kinds of suffering seem to be concentrated in on them. Their life is one of suffering! We understand that the causes of suffering we created in the past result in the fruits of suffering we face today. We created causes of suffering in the past, but are we still creating karma of suffering and evil now? Some people are poor, yet they remain diligent in the face of hardship. Though they labor all their lives, though things do not go as they wish, their hearts are still at peace. They do not create more negative karma. There are also people who are very wealthy, and everything goes smoothly for them. They are still kind and charitable in this life, continuing to give to others. Living a life of goodness, they still do good; these are people with blessings and wisdom.
With past positive karmic causes and conditions, they are able to receive the fruits of blessings in this life; they reap blessings because of their karma. As they reap the blessings [of their karma], they create the causes for more blessings. Thus they strengthen their affinity to hear the Buddha-Dharma. This is how they cultivate both blessings and wisdom.
People with evil in them can also change if they created causes and conditions in the past. They were born in this environment, and this shaped the kind of people they became. Though they grew up with the deluded karma, afflictions and deviant views of that place, they can still encounter incredible affinities that allow them to change their ways.
For example, in Selangor, Malaysia, there is a diligent [volunteer] who has been dedicated to doing recycling work for many years.
This volunteer is Mr. Chu Jinpeng. In the past, when he was young, he was born into an environment in which his family loved to eat, drink and gamble. Growing up in that environment, of course he also loved to eat, drink, play and gamble. He did all those things.
When he drove on the streets, if there was a car in his way, he dared to drive right into that car.
After running into them, he got out of his car to argue with them.He never felt like he did something wrong.
He was very loved to his friends.If any of his friends was bullied, one phone call would bring him out [to fight].So, he spent his days in the criminal underworld; e constantly argued, fought and yelled.Neither his speech, actions nor thoughts were kind.That was how he used to be.
Then he began to wonder why his friends were dying one by one.Some passed away, some ran away, some went missing.He [did not want to continue in] this environment.
So in 1988, he left Malaysia and went to the United States.There, he encountered a Buddhist organization.Someone gave him the book “Thus I Have Heard”.
Through this book he came to learn about Tzu Chi, and about the founder of Tzu Chi.This came from reading that book.This was how he became involved with Tzu Chi in the US and how he devoted himself to recycling work.
In 2000, he returned to Malaysia and found Tzu Chi volunteers in Selangor.He got involved and was thus able to put his mind at peace.
He was very mindful when he did recycling work and was constantly giving; this made him happy.
His own child said, “My father was not like this before. He is now truly a kind father, very caring.”His mother also said, “He was very disobedient; now he is very filial.”His wife said, “My husband now is considerate and gentle. Before he only used to yell and curse. Now he speaks in tender and loving tones.”
He completely turned his life around.Now, he is a certified Faith Corps member.He was certified two or three years age.In his now awakened life, he realized that his brothers in the underworld were either dead, missing or on their run.
Life has no inherent [quality] so when he was lost, he created deluded karma, but when he awakened, he walked the Bodhisattva-path.
This all happened in the human realm, where beings of the Five Destinies coexist.
He grew up in an [unwholesome] family environment and learned to live that kind of life.
He had the karmic conditions to go elsewhere, which changed his life.
This is why lately I have been bringing up the Five Destinies, deluded karma and the law of karma.There is so much in life that is incredible.
Everything arises from the mind.
If we deny that there are positive and negative karmic retributions, then we will continue to commit transgressions and thus be unable to wake up.
So, “we deny the law of cause and effect”.But, “Everyone conceals [the seeds].”In every one of us, “Seeds contain an ocean of fruit.”
The source of a great tree is concealed within a tiny seed.With the convergence of causes and conditions, when soil, water ,sunlight and air come together the seed become a seedling, which grows into a big tree that produces flowers and fruits.Then there will be an “ocean of fruit”.
From this tiny seed comes countless fruit as this cycle repeats endlessly, as the tree bears fruit year after year.This is incredible.
Thus, karma is “hidden but not lost”.It is all contained within us.So, the previous sutra text already described everything from birds and beasts to goblins to monsters.All of this tells us that everything arises from the mind.

Next, “They were leaving, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became more fierce”

“Laying” refer to birds. Birds are hatched from eggs. they lay and then hatch the eggs. so, “laying” refers to birds. “Nursing” refers to the animals who drink milk right after being born. Their mothers are “nursing”. Creatures that fly in the air or walk on the ground are all included in “laying, nursing, procreating”.

“Birds lay eggs; this is laying. Beasts nurse newborns; this is nursing. This is analogy for the teachings of karma. That which gives birth is a cause. That which is given birth to is an effect.

Whether they are egg-born or womb-born, they are “each hiding and safeguarding”. “Each hiding and safeguarding” means that every kind of living being harbors habitual tendencies specific to its species, and each has its own inherent poison. Several days ago I was saying that bees have their own kind of venom, and mosquitos also have their poisonous nature. Mosquitos are very small creatures that breed and live in filthy conditions. When they bite people, they can transmit germs to them. So in this way, these tiny insects are inherently born with the ability to spread the causes of illnesses. These [toxins] are harbored within them, to say nothing of snakes and bees.
So, among these countless kinds of creatures, there are many different ways of living, different ways of being born. This is an analogy for “the teachings of karma”. That which gives birth is the cause; That which is given birth to is an effect”.
All is concealed within what they give birth to. Their way of life, their body, etc. conceal both causes and effects. This is what “each [is] hiding and safeguarding”.

“Each hiding and safeguarding [their young]: With causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding. They will never be lost; this is safeguarding.”

“Within causes; effects are hidden; this is hiding”. Every cause has an effect. Consider a tiny seed. Each seed has a shell that protects it encompassing the tiny thing inside; that is the kernel. Hidden within the cause is the effect, the way a great tree is hidden within a very tiny seed. Within causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding.
We talk about the eighth consciousness, which is also our storehouse consciousness. All the causes we have created are stored within this eighth consciousness. Causes created in past lives were brought with us, and along with causes we create in this lifetime, we bring them with us into the next life. We endlessly add to our storehouse consciousness, so lifetime after lifetime we continue to face the manifestation of our karmic retributions. This is the working of the law of karma and our storehouse consciousness.
This consciousness is not only found in humans. All living beings have this storehouse consciousness within. So, they will never be lost; this is safeguarding. [The karmic seeds] are protected. Whether we do good or whether we commit evil, there is a layer which is safeguarding us.
When good or evil meet karmic conditions, when causes converge with certain conditions, the fruit will manifest. This is the wondrous working of karma.
“Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them”. No matter how evil a creature is there is another that is even more so. No matter how evil vipers or ferocious beasts are, there are [worse creatures] that come and go without a trace. These evil ghosts and yaksas still “battle to grab and pull”. We speak of them as well.
The yaksas mentioned here are an analogy for people’s deviant views.

“Yaksas: With deviant views, people will deny the karmic law of cause and effect. This is like yaksas who fight each other to get human flesh and poisonous insects to eat.”

If a person’s mind goes astray, then his mind will give rise to evil. Once evil arises, he is no longer pure in heart. Then he will deny the law of karma. He will not want to believe in the karmic retribution of good and evil, so he will have no concept of cause and effect. “As long as I like it, I can do whatever I want”. He shows off and fights and thus is like the yaksas, who constantly “fight each other to get [things]”. They fought to take things from each other, in the open and in secret, as if they were competing to get human flesh or poisonous insects to eat. Whether they want to eat humans or animals, they are always showing off and fighting fiercely.
They fought to take things from each other, in the open and in secret, as if they were competing to get human flesh or poisonous insects to eat. Whether they want to eat humans or animals, they are always showing off and fighting fiercely. This is their state of mind because they deny the law of karma.
Yaksas and evil ghosts seem far removed from us. Among people, there are those who do not fear the law of karma, and those who do not understand the principles. So, we see [examples] of this too.
Therefore, “Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts become more fierce.

Those who have eaten their fill are those who seek principles with deviant views. With their mixed-up and false views they do not believe in cause and effect. Thus they cut off their roots of goodness and help their evil thoughts become more fierce and their deviant grow more extensive.

See, they have eaten their fill. This is an analogy for those who seek principles with a deviant mindset, with their mixed-up and false views. People like this do not believe in karma, so they “cut off their roots of goodness and help their thoughts become more fierce.” Thus, the evil in their minds rages all the more furiously, and “Their deviant views grow more extensive.”
The more extensive these deviant views become, the more their acts of evil expand and grow.
Thus the evil in these people grows stronger. See how this leads to tragedy for so many people are driven from their homes and blood is spilled everywhere; this is a result of human cruelty. This is what is meant by, “The sounds of clashing and fighting are deeply terrifying.

The sound of clashing and fighting: In their hearts are evil thoughts and outwardly express evil actions. With their speech they proclaim that there is no karmic cause and effect. This can lead listeners to fall into the Three Evil Realms. Thus it is deeply terrifying.

These sounds of clashing and fighting alone will bring worry and fear to people. In today’s media, whenever something happens in some country or in some society, reports of it will become widespread. These clashes, fights and manmade disasters make people very nervous and unsettled.
“In their hearts are evil thoughts.” People with thoughts of evil will manifest them in their words and actions. With their body, they commit wrongdoings. With their speech, they cause many conflicts. So, they create karma of body, speech and mind. People liked this do not believe in cause and effect. Thus they will fall into the Three Evil Realms.
This is inevitable in their future. As Mr. Chu said, he saw that his friends were either dead or had run away, or else had gone missing. There were no happy endings. “Thus it is deeply terrifying.”

These are all analogies for how the deviant views of sentient beings will produce many afflictions. They will flourish endlessly, continuing to replicate and spread. We share these deviant views with each other, so you and I both end up seeing things the same [mistaken] way.

People mutually pull each other down, to commit evils and give rise to deviant understanding and views.
Some will say. “Fine, I want to practice! But they deviate in their spiritual cultivation and walk a deviant path. These are mistaken forms of spiritual practice.

The view of deviant precepts is clinging to a deviant path as the correct path. This is called seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

In India, some engage in spiritual practice that involve precepts relating to dog and cow excrement. They want to use them to eradicate afflictions. Actually, true spiritual practice takes place among people. By going among people we learn to develop patience; we learn to open up our minds, and we learn to interact with others without being contaminated by their various afflictions. Being willing to give of oneself to others is the only way to truly engage in spiritual cultivation.
So, I hope that everyone will contemplate this quite carefully and thoroughly. To do this, we must always be mindful.

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

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