Thursday, June 26, 2014

【靜思妙蓮華】滅除夢妄思想念 2013年11月12日 第173集 Eliminate Deluded Thinking, Perceiving, Recalling (滅除夢妄思想念)

 

⊙「於無漏實相,心已得通達。」經文《法華經序品第一》
⊙「懃苦修習眾德行」《無量義經德行品第一》
⊙內修外行,謂之眾德行。又具足三學六度者。
⊙德藏菩薩成佛後,號曰為淨身,亦度無量眾。
⊙前既警告眾生之放逸而入涅槃,此復慰眾生之悲惱而示授記。
⊙「佛此夜滅度,如薪盡火滅。」《法華經序品第一》
⊙「滅」是滅見、思、塵沙惑等三種無明煩惱惑;「度」是度分段、變易兩種生死。

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修行最重要的就是要回歸本性,本性實相,無量之道,法門我們應該要能清楚。要了解我們的本性,體會無量法門,必定要有智慧。智慧就是「於無漏」,無漏就是智慧。

昨天說過了,日月燈明佛即將準備入滅,大家很擔心,所以向大眾宣告,有一位德藏菩薩即將成佛,將來能領導修行者修行。這位德藏菩薩,也是已經得了實相真理,而且就是已通達無漏法,所以,「於無漏實相,心已得通達」。

於無漏實相
心已得通達
經文《法華經序品第一》

這必定要經過一段,很長的時間修行。我們常常說,修行要用耐心、定心。我們要有耐心、有定心,因為凡夫無始以來,只是一念無明,就生起了三細,三細就是很微細的念頭,就是無明。一念無明起,貪、瞋、癡發生起來,就開始三途六道沉淪。所以,我們現在因緣成熟了,能夠得聞佛法,開始我們要修行。佛陀他就說,哪怕是他修行以來已經過了,三大阿僧祗劫,很久的時間,佛他就要那麼久,何況我們凡夫!所以我們必定要知道,一定要耐心——耐久的心。

就如我們一塊布,很乾淨,你不小心,一個墨汁、髒的東西滴到它,你想要把它洗乾淨,那就要費一番的功夫了。所以,要污染它很快,但是要恢復乾淨,真的是需要時間。所以,要得到「心已通達」,通達無漏諸實相,必定要「懃苦修習眾德行」,要很殷勤,不怕苦,我們要用心去修習種種的德行。

懃苦修習眾德行
《無量義經德行品第一》

「德者,得也。」法要入心,得到法的真髓,才能叫做德。所以,德是要來自於勤修行,所以說「懃苦修習眾德行」。我們要不斷修,日日修、時時修、分分秒秒都要修。我們不要有一點的漏失,我們要在分秒中縝縝密密,真的很縝密、很謹慎、很綿密,這樣的時間不斷連續。就是總說一句,要顧好這念心。所以,要能累積眾德行,眾德行就是內修外行。

內修外行
謂之眾德行
又具足
三學六度者

大家都知道,師父常常跟大家說,靜思法脈勤行道,內修是誠、正、信、實。我們要很縝密思惟,心要顧好,我們要勤,勤行道,對人也是在修行,做事也是在修行。禪宗不是說「挑柴運水無不是禪」,「禪」就是定的意思,我們要有正定、正知、正見等等,這都是在日常生活中。

日常的行為要先內修,所有一切的行為,就是要誠、正、信、實。我們自己內心要好好修練誠、正、信、實。外行,慈濟宗門人間道,我們要入人群去,在人群中我們所要行的是「慈、悲、喜、捨」四無量心,這就是外行。內修、外行能成就,這叫做德行。

種種的德行,除了內修外行,我們還要有三無漏學,戒、定、慧。戒、定、慧是什麼?回歸回來是無漏實相法。我們修行,一切的實相真理,要用我們的智慧去體會,要用我們的智慧去感受。智慧要從戒、定,才能得到人間,世、出世間的實相真理。所以這叫做三學,也叫做三無漏學。

除了戒、定、慧之外,那就是需要六度。六度應該大家都知道,就是布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧。在我們的道場來說,我們要時時勤修戒、定、慧,我們慈濟宗門人間路,入人群去就是要行六度法,這是慈悲喜捨不離開六度,這就是我們要好好用心。

昨天說過了,日月燈明佛已經等於是在授記德藏菩薩未來將成佛,他成佛,「號曰為淨身,亦度無量眾」。

德藏菩薩成佛後
號曰為淨身
亦度無量眾

德藏菩薩他的法號,他將來成佛,佛號就是淨身。這尊菩薩同樣結了很多眾生緣,所以他可以度無量眾。這也就是要說,佛佛道同,每一尊佛就是這麼地慈悲,入滅之前就是殷殷來安慰眾生,也要跟大家說:「不能放逸,佛將要入涅槃,大家要趕快啟發大家的心。」

前既警告
眾生之放逸
而入涅槃
此復慰眾生之悲惱
而示授記

這段文的意思,它的含意,除了警惕大家要殷勤精進,同時再安慰大家,佛若是滅度之後,後有繼承者,要來人間度眾生,已經為他授記了,現在的德藏菩薩,未來成佛是淨身,淨身佛。這就是在安慰眾弟子,同時也警惕大家,佛即將入滅了,大家要殷勤精進,但是不用擔心,後來還會有佛在人間。這就是佛的慈悲。「佛此夜滅度,如薪盡火滅」。

佛此夜滅度
如薪盡火滅
經文《法華經序品第一》

此夜,就是很近的時間,不久,在此夜,在今天這個時間的晚上開始,佛陀就要取入滅。所以,「如薪盡火滅」,就如柴點起火來,火若燒柴,柴也是一樣會成灰燼,火也滅了。

這一代時教,用很長的時間修行、成佛,在人間化度眾生,甚至傳法妙光菩薩。妙光(菩薩)再教化,八王子已經發心出家了,一切所要化度的都圓滿了,日月燈明佛即將入滅。入滅之後就是要火化,所以「如薪盡火滅」。柴若是燒完了,火滅了,這叫做滅度。

「滅」就是滅見、思、塵沙惑等三種無明煩惱惑;「度」就是度分段、變異二種的生死。

「滅」
是滅見、思、塵沙惑等三種
無明煩惱惑
「度」
是度分段、變異
兩種生死

我們眾生無明煩惱很多,我們若是沒有滅盡煩惱,我們哪能開智慧呢?我們不是說過,阿難隨著佛陀,佛陀跟阿難說:「來,你用指甲挑起沙。」問阿難說:「指甲上的沙多?或者是大地的沙多?」
當然,阿難都不用再思考,一下子就可以回應了,「佛陀,這不是很簡單嗎?指甲上的沙要如何與大地比啊!」
佛陀說:「阿難,你現在所聽到的法,與世間實相的真理、真諦的道理比起來,像是指甲上的沙,所聽到的是這樣而已。法,實相的法,如大地之沙那麼多。」

現在我們反過來說,我們現在修行,雖然說:「有啦,有改了,我瞭解了。」其實,我們了解的比阿難少很多,到底我們改多少呢?我們的煩惱,還像大地塵沙那麼多,我們現在有改的,比指甲上的沙少之又少啊!

所以見,我們的見解,不管是九十六見、六十二見,比這些見更微細、更多,所以我們要滅。苦集,我們知道苦了,也已經知道集種種的因緣,讓我們苦,該怎麼辦呢?那就要滅了。滅什麼呢?滅諸煩惱。什麼叫做煩惱?就是見。

見。在《水懺》裡,我用五年的時間,都不離開這些煩惱的解釋。其實,一部的《水懺》可以與我們所有的塵沙煩惱比嗎?還是比不過。所以用這麼多年的時間說,說我們人的煩惱,起心動念到底有多少?很多。所以我們要滅,滅這個見。

我們的見解、思想,實在偏差太遠了。修行,就是要修得將思想,思、想、念要趕快回歸我們的本性,所以我們有很多,我們應該要滅掉的思、想、念,我們要滅除「夢妄思想念」。

在《無量義經》你們不是,常常這樣讀到,「夢妄思想念」。所以思想,我們要好好用心,夢妄的思想要不斷地將它滅除。

除了見思惑以外,還有塵沙惑,如微塵之多,很多,無法去算,這都是惑。惑,就是不清楚。我們還有很多事情我們都不清楚,所以我們大家,要真正的認清楚「見」。

「滅」,我們要滅除夢妄思想念,見、思、塵沙惑等,三種的無明惑。這個「惑」就是不明白的意思。「度」,就是度「分段」、「變易」二種的生死。

我們凡夫與小乘聖人,我們還未離開「分段」,一段一段的生死。我們今生此世,我們還有前生彼世,那個時候,所以那段也是一段的生死,現在我們又一段生死,未來還有一段生死,不知道有多少一段一段的生死,都是由不得自己。

還有「變易生死」。變易生死是我們心理的變易,生、住、異、滅。大小乘,還未覺悟之前,都還有分段生死,所以我們要「度」,「此身不向今生度,更向何生度此身」。

各位菩薩,大家要用心,我們要把握時間,好好來斷滅見思惑,我們要自度度人,所以我們要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Eliminate Deluded Thinking, Perceiving, Recalling (滅除夢妄思想念)
Date: November. 11. 2013

The most important aspect of spiritual practice is to return to our intrinsic nature. Intrinsic nature [is] the ultimate truth; the path to the infinite. Through Dharma-doors, we can learn to understand our intrinsic nature. To experience the infinite Dharma-doors, we must have wisdom. Wisdom is without Leaks. Flawless is [a way to describe] wisdom. As I said yesterday, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha was about to enter Parinirvana, and everyone was worried. So, He declared that Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva would soon become a Buddha and lead practitioners in their spiritual cultivation. Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva had already attained the ultimate truth, that is to say, he had already clearly understood Flawless Dharma.

So, he “completely understood the ultimate truth that is without Leaks.”

Accomplishing this requires a long period of spiritual practice. I often say that practice takes patience and concentration. We need patience and concentration because, from Beginningless Time, one ignorant thought created the Three Subtleties. The Three Subtleties are very subtle thoughts. One ignorant thought arises and creates greed, anger and delusion. Thus, we become trapped in the Six Realms. Now the karmic conditions are ripe for us to listen to the Buddha-Dharma and begin our spiritual practice. The Buddha said [attaining Buddhahood] took Him three great asankya kalpas of spiritual practice; that is a very long time. If it took Him that long, it will take even longer for us. So, we must know that we need patience and endurance.
Take a piece of clean cloth for example. If we carelessly spill ink on it and [stain it], washing it clean will take a lot of work. Staining it happens quickly, but restoring its purity really takes time. To attain a state in which the “mind has understood it completely,” comprehend the ultimate truth without Leaks,

we must “painstakingly and diligently cultivate all virtues.”

We must be diligent and not afraid of hardship. We have to make an effort to diligently cultivate various virtues. “One who is virtuous, attains”. We must let the Dharma enter our hearts. Virtue comes from attaining the true essence of the Dharma. So, it is the result of diligent practice.So, it is the result of diligent practice.“Painstakingly and diligently cultivate all virtues.”We must continuously engage in spiritual practice every day, every hour, every minute, every second.We cannot let even a bit [of wisdom] leak away.Therefore, we have to practice continuously, be diligent, vigilant and meticulous, every minute and second, continuously.

In summary, we must take good care of our minds and accumulate virtues by internally cultivating and externally practicing.

You may recall that I often say that the Jing Si Dharma-Lineage is a diligent path.We internally cultivate sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness.We must be scrupulous in our thinking and take good care of our minds.We must be diligent in our practice.Our interaction with others is spiritual practice.Doing anything is spiritual practice.
Zen Buddhism says, “carrying firewood or water is also meditation.”Meditation is Samadhi.We must have Right Samadhi, Right Knowledge, Right Views, etc.So, in our daily living, we must internally cultivate [virtues] through daily behavior.Our conduct must reflect sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness.We must cultivate [these virtues] in our hearts.For external practice, the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism is the path of working in this world.We must go among people and practice the Four Infinite Minds, loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.They are externally practiced.
Virtue can be achieved through internal and external practice.Aside from attaining virtue through these practices, we must also practice the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.What are precepts, Samadhi and wisdom?They represent a return to the teachings of the ultimate truth, which is without Leaks.
To attain ultimate truth, we must realize and experience it through wisdom.Our wisdom comes from precepts and Samadhi, so we can attain the worldly and world-transcending ultimate truth.These are the Three Flawless Studies.Besides precepts, Samdhi and wisdom, we need [to practice] the Six Perfections.
You probably all remember that they are giving, [upholding] precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom.In our spiritual training ground, we must constantly and diligently practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
The Tzu Chi School of Buddhism is a path in this world.We go among people to practice the Six Paramitas.Loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity are tied to these Six Perfections.We must be mindful of this.
As I said yesterday,Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha predicted that.Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva will become a Buddha.

After He attains Buddhahood, “his epithet will be Pure Body and he will also transform countless beings.”

The Dharma-name of Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva, his epithet as a Buddha, is Pure Body.This Bodhisattva created many karmic affinities with sentient beings, so he could transform countless sentient beings.This also shows all Buddhas share the same path.
Every one of Them is very compassionate.Before entering Parinirvana, this Buddha comforted everyone. He told them that they cannot become lax. Since He was about to enter Parinirvana, they must quickly awaken their minds.

“First, He warned sentient beings about beings lax. Then, He entered Parinirvana. To comfort sentient beings in their grief, He predicted who would be future Buddhas.”

This passage exhorts us to be diligent. At the same time, this comfort us. After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, a successor will come to this world to transform people. He already bestowed a prediction on Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva to attain Buddhahood and become Pure Body Buddha. This is how a Buddha comforts His disciples. He also exhorted them all to be diligent because He would soon enter Parinivana.
However, no one should worry because there will still be a Buddha in the world. This is the Buddha's compassion.

“That night the Buddha crossed into extinction, as when wood is consumed and the flame dies. ”

“That night” means that in a very short time, the Buddhas would cross into extinction, “like when wood is consumed and the flame dies”. When firewood is kindled and burned to the end, it becomes ash. The flame also dies. During this period of teachings, He had spent a long time engaging in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood, then He taught sentient beings in this world.
He even passed the Dharma on to Wondrous Light, so he could transmit it to others. The eight princes had already become monastics and those He needed to teach were taught, so Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha would enter Parinirvana soon. Then He would be cremated. This is like “like when wood is consumed”. After the kindling is burnt, the flame dies. This is crossing into extinction.

[This is the extinction] of views, thinking and dust-like delusions, which are the three kinds of ignorant and afflicted delusions. Crossing is crossing the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational.

Sentient beings have much ignorance, afflictions. If we cannot completely eliminate afflictions, how can we attain wisdom? As I have said before, [one time,] as Ananda was with the Buddha, the Buddha told him, “Pick up some sand with your fingernail. Is there more sand under your fingernail or on the land?” Of course, Ananda did not have to think about this “Venerable Buddha, this is very simple. How can the sand under my fingernail compare to the sand on the land?” The Buddha said, “Ananda! Compared to principles of ultimate truth, the teachings you have heard are like the sand under your fingernails. That is all you have heard. The Dharma of ultimate truth is as plentiful as the sand on the land. Conversely, we can say of our practice.
“Yes, I have changed! I understand now!” But we understand a lot less than Ananda did. How much have we changed? Our afflictions are still as numerous as the sand on the land. What we have changed is as little as the sand underneath our fingernails. We talk about the 62 and the Views, but there are more numerous and fine afflictions. So, we have to eradicated them. We know the causation of our suffering and how we accumulate such karmic conditions how we accumulate such karmic conditions. What can we do? We must eliminate them.What must we eliminate? All afflictions. What [causes] our afflictions? Our views. I spent five years on the Water Repentance to continually explain these afflictions. But can the afflictions [explained] in the Water Repentance compare to our dust-like afflictions? No, they are incomparable. So, I have spent many years speaking about human afflictions. How often do thoughts stir in our minds? Very often! So, we must eliminate these views.
Our views and thinking have deviated too much.To engage in spiritual practice is to cultivate our thinking and thoughts, so we can quickly return to our intrinsic nature. We have many thoughts that we need to eradicate, much “deluded thinking perceiving and recalling”.
In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, we often read about “deluded thinking, perceiving and recalling”. So, we must make an effort to continuously eliminate deluded thinking and perceiving. Aside from delusions in views and thinking, there are dust-like delusions, so many that they cannot be counted.Having delusions means we lack clarity. There are a lot of things were not clear about So, we must clearly understand our views. We must eliminate delusional thinking, perceiving and recalling. Delusions of views, thinking and dust-like delusion of ignorance.Delusion means a lack of understanding. Crossing is crossing the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational. We unenlightened beings and Small Vehicle saints have not transcended fragmentary samsara, so we experience cyclic existence in fragments.We are currently living in this lifetime. There has been a past and will be a future lifetime. Each of those lifetimes is a fragment of samsara. Right now we experience a fragment of samsara. In the future, there will be another fragment. We do not know how many we have experienced; this is all beyond our control.There is also transformational samsara, which refers to our spiritual transformation, its arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. Before Small or Great Vehicle practitioners awaken, they experience fragmentary samsara.
So, we must transform ourselves “If we do not transform ourselves in this life, when are we going to do it?” Fellow Bodhisattvas we should be mindful. We must seize this time to eliminate delusions of views and thinking.We should transform ourselves and others. So, we must always be mindful.

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

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