⊙諸佛愍念眾生，凡夫沈迷欲海，二乘執著涅槃，不能解悟一乘。
⊙「爾時世尊從三昧安詳而起，告舍利弗：諸佛智慧甚深無量」。《法華經方便品第二》
⊙故此經開顯，正為對治二乘，尤為接引二乘之上根。故特告舍利弗，使不著於小果涅槃，而趣向大乘，不著於生滅之涅槃。
⊙「其智慧門難解難入，一切聲聞辟支佛所不能知」。《法華經方便品第二》
⊙智慧門者，謂了知一切諸法即是實相。門以能通、能入為義，是為智慧門。
*************************************************************
【證嚴上人開示】
「諸佛愍念眾生，凡夫沈迷欲海，二乘執著涅槃，不能解悟一乘。」
諸佛愍念眾生
凡夫沈迷欲海
二乘執著涅槃
不能解悟一乘
這是佛陀對眾生，最擔心的事情。因為，我們眾生都是凡夫，凡夫就是沉迷於欲海中。
這個「欲」字，所有的眾生都具有。六道的眾生，哪怕是天堂的眾生，還是一樣，天人還有天人的欲。阿修羅，他本來就是有天福、缺天德，所以他還是一樣有欲，沉迷於欲海中。我們人類，人的心念是什麼心念呢？同樣欲海無邊，所以才會一句話說：「愛河千尺浪，苦海萬重波。」所以因為如此，輪迴在六道中，這是人類的欲。
我們常常在說，人會造就一切的禍端，就是來自於一念欲心起，貪欲，貪，求不得就起瞋怒之心，瞋怒的火一起，那就迷茫了自己，愚癡。就是因為愚癡，所以貪欲；因為貪欲，所以瞋怒……。這三項真的是微細的煩惱，不斷複製、不斷輪轉，就是因為貪、瞋、癡。
貪、瞋、癡會伴隨了很多的煩惱，所以他會造很多的業。所以，這貪、瞋、癡，在人就是跟著貢高、驕傲，伴隨著懷疑、不信因緣果報，不能接受佛的正法。所以很多很多，都是因為一個貪欲開始，這就是凡夫！
所以佛陀來人間，就是為了愍念眾生，心想不開，才會沉迷於欲海中。有的人已經能相信，佛陀來人間告訴我們，「人人本具佛性」。有的人都是與佛有緣，生生世世結伴來人間，生生世世就是接受佛法。佛陀說「無緣眾生不能度」，(從)這句話我們就能知道，我們的過去生應該都與佛有結過因緣。所以，有的是已成就、當成就、未成就，所以就有「二乘」。
二乘就是相信佛所說法，佛所說法他能相信，能瞭解「人生苦、空、無常、也是無我」，這些道理佛陀宣說，他們瞭解。
或者是在無佛時代，就如我們現在，現在釋迦佛離我們二千多年過去了，不過現在也有很利根的人，上根上智，他雖然還未接觸到佛法，但是他能體會人生真的是無常，四季輪轉，日夜交替，生、老、病、死。有的人接觸了佛法，雖然沒有當面與佛見過面，不過光是瞭解這個道理，他就能體會這麼多的法。像這樣，他們就能知道應該要修行。
修行，開始就是要如何能了脫生死。了脫生死，小乘證小果──初果、二果、三果、四果，那就是獨善其身，他們所追求的就是涅槃。涅槃，他們認為無生無滅，不生不滅就不必在六道輪迴，所以他們就是要追求、這種執著於涅槃，他以為如此就是無生滅。
其實，究竟的涅槃是不執著。所以佛陀現在要來開啟，在《法華經》這部經，就是棄捨方便，開始開啟一乘法。因為二乘還是執迷於涅槃。雖然我們說佛陀已經入涅槃，但是佛陀沒休息，諸佛菩薩都不斷來人間。
想，觀世音菩薩也倒駕慈航。我們再看，開始在《法華經》開講之前，文殊菩薩引述了二萬位的日月燈明佛，文殊菩薩本身過去也是七佛之師，過去也已成佛了。有這麼多的佛，就是要來印證，入涅槃不是就完全無生滅，同樣還要倒駕慈航來人間。
倒駕慈航不是因緣果報牽來的，是他的弘願——「四弘誓願」、「四無量心」。佛陀自法身菩薩，就是不斷不斷往來人間，就是要度眾生。所以這個涅槃，不是入滅後就全不見了，不是。他還是不斷來人間，只是知道人生所有一切的道理，沒有沉迷、沒有執著，所以超越沉迷、超越執著。所以，這就是要悟一乘的道理。
但是，凡夫這麼沉迷，二乘這麼執著，所以不能解悟一乘的道理。
所以佛陀這一期的教化即將盡，所以開始講《法華經》。在道場中出定後，「爾時世尊，從三昧安詳而起」，開始看大眾，就停留在舍利弗，就問：「舍利弗，諸佛智慧甚深無量。」
爾時世尊
從三昧安詳而起
告舍利弗
諸佛智慧甚深無量
《法華經方便品第二》
因為人人都理解，舍利弗是僧團中智慧第一。現在要說一乘法，若不是大智慧者無法體會。所以佛陀的用意，就是要讓「二乘」，有聲聞、有獨覺，這些上機的人，大家要知道，佛的智慧甚深，哪怕是舍利弗你，不知道能理解否？這是佛陀巧妙的方法，要讓大家知道，現在將要開講，這是一個非常深，而且是諸佛的智慧，甚深無量。
其實在靈山會上的大眾很多，從十方諸菩薩都來了，天人、天龍八部、人間菩薩，還有已經修行成正果的羅漢、比丘、比丘尼、全國有知識的人士全都集合。在這麼多人之中，既然是這麼甚深無量的法，怎麼會不對機於法身的菩薩呢？就例如在菩薩中的文殊菩薩也是在場，佛陀怎麼沒有向文殊菩薩，或者是其他法身的菩薩來對機，為什麼會向舍利弗？
因為「二乘」的聖人中，小乘上根機的人，就是舍利弗。舍利弗的智慧，他的功德是在聲聞眾中之上首，是一位領導者，所以人人對舍利弗都非常的尊重，只要舍利弗能相信，人人就一定心服。何況他在僧團中是上首，所以佛陀就向著舍利弗，開始要說，「諸佛智慧甚深無量」。
因為，這部經就是要開顯，開顯，開權顯實。「開」就是「開權」。過去就是方便，「權]就是方便，權巧方便，所以現在開了方便，應該要把它撥開，「開權」就是要將它撥開，將過去所說方便法，現在撥開。過去是方便法，現在就是要顯「真實法」，所以叫做「開權顯實」。《法華經》的意思就是在「開權顯實」，就是一真實相，就是一乘道。
故此經開顯
正為對治二乘
尤為接引
二乘之上根
故特告舍利弗
使不著於小果涅槃
而趣向大乘
不著於生滅之涅槃
《法華經》就是「開權顯實」，才開始要對治二乘。因為二乘還是執著在方便法。他們還有，凡夫是沉迷(生死)，二乘是執著(涅槃)。所以他知道有涅槃不生滅，但是他無法捨掉生滅相，無法捨掉。所以這是佛陀要再進階，讓大家知道，涅槃雖然是不生滅，但是不應該執著，學佛就是要救度眾生，是要兼利他人，不光是獨善其身。所以，這就是為了要接引二乘上根之人，所以他要「開權顯實」，也是二乘上根之人才有辦法開始能慢慢來接受。
可見，佛陀四十多年來，一直到現在，要讓大家能透徹瞭解，要「開權顯實」，也不是那麼容易。所以針對舍利弗，就是要令他不著小果，不可再執著於小果的涅槃。以為自我解脫、做個自了漢，這不是佛陀的意思。
佛陀要人人行大乘法，不是獨善其身，所以要自覺、覺他，覺行要圓滿。光是自覺，執著於小果涅槃，不夠，所以要「趣向大乘不著於生滅之涅槃」。就是要再趣向，要再發心，還要進階，要向不生、不滅、不執著的涅槃。
所以佛陀又說，諸佛智慧很深，「其智慧門難解難入，一切聲聞辟支佛所不能知。」
其智慧門難解難入
一切聲聞辟支佛
所不能知
《法華經方便品第二》
佛的智慧很深，智慧門現在開始佛要開，開佛的本懷、佛的「真實智」。智慧門是難解難入，一切聲聞所不能知，你們若再停滯於聲聞，只是依靠聲音來覺悟，光是這樣絕對無法瞭解。
現在佛開始，釋迦佛開始要將智慧門開啟，暢演他的本懷，所以他就說：「現在要開智慧門了，你們這些聲聞、緣覺無法瞭解」。
這個「智慧門」就是「了知一切諸法即是實相」。「門」就是通達，能入的意思。門既然開了，能出入自在，這就是「智慧門」。
智慧門者
謂了知一切諸法
即是實相
門以能通
能入為義
是為智慧門
各位，真的大家會覺得差不多，很多差不多都在這個地方，為何師父一直反覆，一直在說，為什麼？智慧、實相那麼難嗎？真的很難。各位，我們大家修行，不要只想做一個自了漢。其實，做一個自了漢，也很不容易，要能向內都能將貪瞋癡慢疑除掉，這是不容易，很不容易！何況我們人人還是凡夫，我們還是沉迷，沉迷於欲海中。
你既然還沉迷於欲海中，我們的內心要真正與佛的心門(契合)。佛的心門常常都是打開，不過我們就是不得其門而入。儘管佛陀一直為我們指導、開示：你能向這個方向，入這個門。但是我們就是還有欲，這種貪、瞋、癡的煩惱，不斷複製、不斷輪轉，所以我們沉淪在六道中。
各位，我們現在應該要覺醒了。現代的社會，很多都能讓我們很清楚地瞭解，所以要瞭解世間事不困難，但是我們真的要覺悟。所以既然是在這個大時代，我們應該有大覺悟的機會。所以要人人時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Open the Door to Wisdom with Compassion (愍念眾生開智慧門)
Date: December. 04. 2013
“All Buddhas feel sympathy for sentient beings. This is because unenlightened beings are immersed in a sea of desires. [Practitioners of] the Two Vehicles are attached to Nirvana and cannot understand and realize the One Vehicle.”
This is what worries the Buddha most. Because we are all unenlightened beings, we are immersed in a sea of desires. All sentient beings have “desire”. This applies to sentient beings in all Six Realms, even in the heaven realm. Heavenly beings also have heavenly desires.
Asuras have heavenly blessings but lack heavenly virtues. Therefore, they are still deeply immersed in the sea of desires. As humans, what type of mindset do we hold? It is also a boundless sea of desires, which is why we have the saying, “1000-foot swells rise in the river of cravings. 10,000 waves surge in the sea of suffering.” Because of this, we transmigrate within the Six Realms. This [results] from desires.
I often say that humans create the sources of all disasters, which all come from the arising of greedy thoughts. When that greed is not satisfied, we become angry. Once the flames of anger are ignited, we become lost. Because of ignorance, we become greedy. Because we are greedy, we become angry. These three are truly subtle afflictions that continuously reproduce themselves in an endless cycle. Because greed, anger and ignorance arise along with many afflictions, people then create much karma. Therefore, greed, anger and ignorance exist in people alongside pride, arrogance and doubt. Thus, they do not believe in the law of karma and cannot accept the Buddha’s Right Dharma. Therefore, many things happen because of desire. This is state of ordinary people.
The Buddha comes to this world out of sympathy toward sentient beings. Because their minds have not yet awakened, they are immersed in the sea of desires. Some people do already believe that the Buddha comes to this world to tell us that we all have an intrinsic Buddha-nature. Some people have a karmic affinity with Buddha, and they agree to return to this world together an accept the Buddha’s teachings, life after life. “Beings lacking affinity cannot be transformed.” From these words, we know that in our past lives, we have likely formed karmic affinities with the Buddha. Some have achieved Buddhahood, some are achieving, some have not yet achieved.
So, there are practitioners of the Two Vehicles. They believe in the Buddha’s teachings and can understand how life is “suffering, empty, impermanent, and without permanent The Buddha taught these principles, and they understand them.People may also live in a time without a Buddha, like the present moment.Though Sakyamuni Buddha left us over 2000 years ago, there are still people with sharp capabilities.Even if they have not encountered the Dharma, they still realize that life is truly impermanent; the seasons change, day and night alternate, and [humans undergo] birth, aging, illness and death.
Some people have encountered His teachings, though they have not seen the Buddha in person.Just by understanding these principles alone, they can realize many of His teachings.In this way, they know they must engage in spiritual practice.
In the beginning, spiritual practice is about trying to be liberated from birth and death.
Small Vehicle practitioners seek the Four Fruits: the initial, the second, the third and the fourth.They practice only to benefit themselves and seek Nirvana.They believe Nirvana means no birth and no death, so they will no longer have to transmigrate among the Six Realms.Thus, they seek and are attached to Nirvana because they see it as a state of non-arising and non-ceasing.But actually, ultimate Nirvana is free of attachments.
This is why the Buddha was beginning to teach the Lotus Sutra, He set aside skillful means and began teaching the One Vehicle Dharma because the Two Vehicle [practitioners] were still too attached to attaining Nirvana.Though the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, He has not rested; all Buddhas and Bodhisattva continuously return.
Think about it, Guan Yin Bodhisattva also returns out of compassion.
Also, before the Lotus Sutra was expounded, Manjusri Bodhisattva spoke of 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas.Manjusri Bodhisattva himself was the teacher of seven ancient Buddhas and had already attained Buddhahood in the past.There are so many Buddhas, attesting to the fact that entering Parinirvana does not mean They no longer experience birth and death.They still return to this world out of compassion.
Their karmic retributions did not bring Them back, the Four Great Vows and the Four Infinite Minds did.
Since reaching the state of Dharmakaya Bodhisattva, the Buddha continuously returned to this world to tramsform sentient beings.So by entering Parinirvana, or extinction, He has not completely disappeared.NoHe still continues to return to this world.Since He knows all principles in the world, He is not deluded and is free of attachments.
Thus, He surpassed delusions and attachments.So, we must realize principles of the One Vehicle.
But ordinary people are very deluded and Two Vehicle practitioners are very stubborn, so they cannot comprehend the principles of the One Vehicle.As the Buddha’s [conditions] for transforming this world were ending, He began to teach the Lotus Sutra after He emerged from Samadhi.
“At that time the World-Honored One arose serenely from Samadhi” and looked at everyone.[His gaze] fell on Sariputra, so He told him, “The wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited”.
Because everyone knew that Sariputra was foremost in wisdom among the Sangha, this means that only those with great wisdom can comprehend the One Vehicle teachings.
So, the Buddha intended for [practitioners of] the Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, those with great capabilities, to recognize that the Buddha's wisdom is so profound that then Sariputra may not understand His principles. This is the Buddha's clever way of helping all of us recognize that He is about to discuss something very profound. Indeed, the wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited. Actually, there were many people at Vulture Peak. Form the ten directions came all Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, eight classes of Dharma- protectors and Living Bodhisattvas, as well as those who already attained fruits, Arhats, bhiksus, bhiksunis. All the intellectuals gathered there as well.
Among all these people, why didn't the Buddha teach this extremely profound and unlimited Dharma according to the capabilities of Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas? For instance, Manjusri Bodhisattva was present. Why don't the Buddha teach according to Manjusri 's capabilities or that of any other Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas? Why did He address Sariputra? Among the sages of the Two Vehicles, the one with the most superior capabilities among Small Vehicle practitioners was Sariputra.
Sariputra 's wisdom and merits were the greatest among the Hearers, so everyone respected him very much. Therefore, as long as Sariputra was convinced, everyone else would be convinced. Besides, he was one of the heads of the Sangha, so the Buddha began telling him, “the wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited”. This sutra is about to open the provisional to reveal the true.
“Open” refers to opening the provisional, the skillful means of the past. “Provisional’ refers to clever, skillful means. Now that we have opened them up, we need to put them aside. To open the provisional is to set aside the skillful means that have been taught. In the past, there were skillful means. Now, He will reveal the True Dharma. This is to “open the provisional to reveal the true”. The purpose of the Lotus Sutra is to “open the provisional to reveal the true,” the one ultimate truth, the One Vehicle Way.
“Therefore, this sutra opened and revealed [Dharma] in response to practitioners of the Two Vehicles, particularly to guide the best of them. Therefore, He specifically taught Sariputra, so he would now be attached to the Small Vehicle fruit of Nirvana, but seek the Great Vehicle Nirvana of non-attachment to cyclic existence.
The Lotus Sutra “opened the provisional to reveal the true” in response to the Two Vehicle practitioners. Those practitioners were still attached to skillful means. Ordinary people are immersed in delusions, and Two Vehicles practitioners have attachments. They know that Nirvana leads to the end of cyclic existence, but they cannot let go of the appearance of cyclic existence. This is why Buddha helped them further understand that, though Nirvana leads to the end of cyclic existence, we should not be attached to it. The purpose of learning the Buddha’s Way is to transform sentient beings, to benefit others, not just ourselves. Therefore, to guide those with superior capabilities among Two Vehicle practitioners, the Buddha had to “open the provisional to reveal the true.” Only practitioners with those capabilities were able to slowly accept this.
We can clearly see that it has taken the Buddha over forty years to help them achieve through understanding to “open the provisional to reveal the true” is not that easy.
Therefore, He targeted Sariputra so that he would not be attached to the Nirvana of the Small Vehicle nor believe that [all he had to do was] liberate himself. This is not the Buddha’s intention.He wants us to practice Great Vehicle teachings, not focus on our own awakening. Therefore, we must awaken ourselves, others and have perfect awakened conduct. Simply awakening ourselves and being attached to small Vehicle Nirvana is not good enough. Therefore, we must instead “seek the Great Vehicle Nirvana of non-attachment to cyclic existence.” This means we must keep going, keep making great aspirations and moving to the next level of a Nirvana that is noon-arising, non-ceasing and free of attachments.
So, the Buddha also said that the wisdom of all Buddhas is very profound “This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter. It cannot be known by any Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas.”
The Buddha’s wisdom is very profound. He is about to open the wisdom-door and reveal His original [teachings], His True Wisdom. This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter. It cannot be known by any Hearers.If we remain at the level of Hearers and rely on listening [to the teachings] to awaken, we will have no way to achieve understanding. Now the Buddha is about to open the wisdom-door, to freely carry out His original intentions.
Thus He said, “Now I am about to open the wisdom-door, which cannot be known by you Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas”
The wisdom-door is knowledge and understand of all things, which is the ultimate truth. A “door” is a way to understand clearly, somewhere we can enter.
Once the door is open, we can enter and exit freely. This is the wisdom-door.
Everyone, you may think I am spending a lot of on this point and wonder why I keep talking about it .Is [attaining] wisdom and the ultimate truth really that difficult?
Everyone, when we engage in spiritual practice, we do not focus only on ourselves Actually, even attaining self-realization is not that easy .To look within and eliminate greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt is not very easy at all. Besides, we are all still ordinary people, we are still immersed in the sea of desires. Since we are still immersed in the sea of desires, our minds must be attuned to the door of the Buddha’s mind.The door to His mind is always open, but we do not always choose to enter. Even though the Buddha continues to guide and tell us, “you can come this way and enter this door, we still have desires”. These afflictions form greed, anger and ignorance continue to [grow] in a cycle of reproduction, so we are trapped in the Six Realms
Everyone, we must awaken right now. In our modern society, we are able to understand many things clearly. So to understand worldly maters is not difficult. But we must truly awaken. Since we live in this era, we have opportunities for great awakening. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙「爾時世尊從三昧安詳而起，告舍利弗：諸佛智慧甚深無量」。《法華經方便品第二》
⊙故此經開顯，正為對治二乘，尤為接引二乘之上根。故特告舍利弗，使不著於小果涅槃，而趣向大乘，不著於生滅之涅槃。
⊙「其智慧門難解難入，一切聲聞辟支佛所不能知」。《法華經方便品第二》
⊙智慧門者，謂了知一切諸法即是實相。門以能通、能入為義，是為智慧門。
*************************************************************
【證嚴上人開示】
「諸佛愍念眾生，凡夫沈迷欲海，二乘執著涅槃，不能解悟一乘。」
諸佛愍念眾生
凡夫沈迷欲海
二乘執著涅槃
不能解悟一乘
這是佛陀對眾生，最擔心的事情。因為，我們眾生都是凡夫，凡夫就是沉迷於欲海中。
這個「欲」字，所有的眾生都具有。六道的眾生，哪怕是天堂的眾生，還是一樣，天人還有天人的欲。阿修羅，他本來就是有天福、缺天德，所以他還是一樣有欲，沉迷於欲海中。我們人類，人的心念是什麼心念呢？同樣欲海無邊，所以才會一句話說：「愛河千尺浪，苦海萬重波。」所以因為如此，輪迴在六道中，這是人類的欲。
我們常常在說，人會造就一切的禍端，就是來自於一念欲心起，貪欲，貪，求不得就起瞋怒之心，瞋怒的火一起，那就迷茫了自己，愚癡。就是因為愚癡，所以貪欲；因為貪欲，所以瞋怒……。這三項真的是微細的煩惱，不斷複製、不斷輪轉，就是因為貪、瞋、癡。
貪、瞋、癡會伴隨了很多的煩惱，所以他會造很多的業。所以，這貪、瞋、癡，在人就是跟著貢高、驕傲，伴隨著懷疑、不信因緣果報，不能接受佛的正法。所以很多很多，都是因為一個貪欲開始，這就是凡夫！
所以佛陀來人間，就是為了愍念眾生，心想不開，才會沉迷於欲海中。有的人已經能相信，佛陀來人間告訴我們，「人人本具佛性」。有的人都是與佛有緣，生生世世結伴來人間，生生世世就是接受佛法。佛陀說「無緣眾生不能度」，(從)這句話我們就能知道，我們的過去生應該都與佛有結過因緣。所以，有的是已成就、當成就、未成就，所以就有「二乘」。
二乘就是相信佛所說法，佛所說法他能相信，能瞭解「人生苦、空、無常、也是無我」，這些道理佛陀宣說，他們瞭解。
或者是在無佛時代，就如我們現在，現在釋迦佛離我們二千多年過去了，不過現在也有很利根的人，上根上智，他雖然還未接觸到佛法，但是他能體會人生真的是無常，四季輪轉，日夜交替，生、老、病、死。有的人接觸了佛法，雖然沒有當面與佛見過面，不過光是瞭解這個道理，他就能體會這麼多的法。像這樣，他們就能知道應該要修行。
修行，開始就是要如何能了脫生死。了脫生死，小乘證小果──初果、二果、三果、四果，那就是獨善其身，他們所追求的就是涅槃。涅槃，他們認為無生無滅，不生不滅就不必在六道輪迴，所以他們就是要追求、這種執著於涅槃，他以為如此就是無生滅。
其實，究竟的涅槃是不執著。所以佛陀現在要來開啟，在《法華經》這部經，就是棄捨方便，開始開啟一乘法。因為二乘還是執迷於涅槃。雖然我們說佛陀已經入涅槃，但是佛陀沒休息，諸佛菩薩都不斷來人間。
想，觀世音菩薩也倒駕慈航。我們再看，開始在《法華經》開講之前，文殊菩薩引述了二萬位的日月燈明佛，文殊菩薩本身過去也是七佛之師，過去也已成佛了。有這麼多的佛，就是要來印證，入涅槃不是就完全無生滅，同樣還要倒駕慈航來人間。
倒駕慈航不是因緣果報牽來的，是他的弘願——「四弘誓願」、「四無量心」。佛陀自法身菩薩，就是不斷不斷往來人間，就是要度眾生。所以這個涅槃，不是入滅後就全不見了，不是。他還是不斷來人間，只是知道人生所有一切的道理，沒有沉迷、沒有執著，所以超越沉迷、超越執著。所以，這就是要悟一乘的道理。
但是，凡夫這麼沉迷，二乘這麼執著，所以不能解悟一乘的道理。
所以佛陀這一期的教化即將盡，所以開始講《法華經》。在道場中出定後，「爾時世尊，從三昧安詳而起」，開始看大眾，就停留在舍利弗，就問：「舍利弗，諸佛智慧甚深無量。」
爾時世尊
從三昧安詳而起
告舍利弗
諸佛智慧甚深無量
《法華經方便品第二》
因為人人都理解，舍利弗是僧團中智慧第一。現在要說一乘法，若不是大智慧者無法體會。所以佛陀的用意，就是要讓「二乘」，有聲聞、有獨覺，這些上機的人，大家要知道，佛的智慧甚深，哪怕是舍利弗你，不知道能理解否？這是佛陀巧妙的方法，要讓大家知道，現在將要開講，這是一個非常深，而且是諸佛的智慧，甚深無量。
其實在靈山會上的大眾很多，從十方諸菩薩都來了，天人、天龍八部、人間菩薩，還有已經修行成正果的羅漢、比丘、比丘尼、全國有知識的人士全都集合。在這麼多人之中，既然是這麼甚深無量的法，怎麼會不對機於法身的菩薩呢？就例如在菩薩中的文殊菩薩也是在場，佛陀怎麼沒有向文殊菩薩，或者是其他法身的菩薩來對機，為什麼會向舍利弗？
因為「二乘」的聖人中，小乘上根機的人，就是舍利弗。舍利弗的智慧，他的功德是在聲聞眾中之上首，是一位領導者，所以人人對舍利弗都非常的尊重，只要舍利弗能相信，人人就一定心服。何況他在僧團中是上首，所以佛陀就向著舍利弗，開始要說，「諸佛智慧甚深無量」。
因為，這部經就是要開顯，開顯，開權顯實。「開」就是「開權」。過去就是方便，「權]就是方便，權巧方便，所以現在開了方便，應該要把它撥開，「開權」就是要將它撥開，將過去所說方便法，現在撥開。過去是方便法，現在就是要顯「真實法」，所以叫做「開權顯實」。《法華經》的意思就是在「開權顯實」，就是一真實相，就是一乘道。
故此經開顯
正為對治二乘
尤為接引
二乘之上根
故特告舍利弗
使不著於小果涅槃
而趣向大乘
不著於生滅之涅槃
《法華經》就是「開權顯實」，才開始要對治二乘。因為二乘還是執著在方便法。他們還有，凡夫是沉迷(生死)，二乘是執著(涅槃)。所以他知道有涅槃不生滅，但是他無法捨掉生滅相，無法捨掉。所以這是佛陀要再進階，讓大家知道，涅槃雖然是不生滅，但是不應該執著，學佛就是要救度眾生，是要兼利他人，不光是獨善其身。所以，這就是為了要接引二乘上根之人，所以他要「開權顯實」，也是二乘上根之人才有辦法開始能慢慢來接受。
可見，佛陀四十多年來，一直到現在，要讓大家能透徹瞭解，要「開權顯實」，也不是那麼容易。所以針對舍利弗，就是要令他不著小果，不可再執著於小果的涅槃。以為自我解脫、做個自了漢，這不是佛陀的意思。
佛陀要人人行大乘法，不是獨善其身，所以要自覺、覺他，覺行要圓滿。光是自覺，執著於小果涅槃，不夠，所以要「趣向大乘不著於生滅之涅槃」。就是要再趣向，要再發心，還要進階，要向不生、不滅、不執著的涅槃。
所以佛陀又說，諸佛智慧很深，「其智慧門難解難入，一切聲聞辟支佛所不能知。」
其智慧門難解難入
一切聲聞辟支佛
所不能知
《法華經方便品第二》
佛的智慧很深，智慧門現在開始佛要開，開佛的本懷、佛的「真實智」。智慧門是難解難入，一切聲聞所不能知，你們若再停滯於聲聞，只是依靠聲音來覺悟，光是這樣絕對無法瞭解。
現在佛開始，釋迦佛開始要將智慧門開啟，暢演他的本懷，所以他就說：「現在要開智慧門了，你們這些聲聞、緣覺無法瞭解」。
這個「智慧門」就是「了知一切諸法即是實相」。「門」就是通達，能入的意思。門既然開了，能出入自在，這就是「智慧門」。
智慧門者
謂了知一切諸法
即是實相
門以能通
能入為義
是為智慧門
各位，真的大家會覺得差不多，很多差不多都在這個地方，為何師父一直反覆，一直在說，為什麼？智慧、實相那麼難嗎？真的很難。各位，我們大家修行，不要只想做一個自了漢。其實，做一個自了漢，也很不容易，要能向內都能將貪瞋癡慢疑除掉，這是不容易，很不容易！何況我們人人還是凡夫，我們還是沉迷，沉迷於欲海中。
你既然還沉迷於欲海中，我們的內心要真正與佛的心門(契合)。佛的心門常常都是打開，不過我們就是不得其門而入。儘管佛陀一直為我們指導、開示：你能向這個方向，入這個門。但是我們就是還有欲，這種貪、瞋、癡的煩惱，不斷複製、不斷輪轉，所以我們沉淪在六道中。
各位，我們現在應該要覺醒了。現代的社會，很多都能讓我們很清楚地瞭解，所以要瞭解世間事不困難，但是我們真的要覺悟。所以既然是在這個大時代，我們應該有大覺悟的機會。所以要人人時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Open the Door to Wisdom with Compassion (愍念眾生開智慧門)
Date: December. 04. 2013
“All Buddhas feel sympathy for sentient beings. This is because unenlightened beings are immersed in a sea of desires. [Practitioners of] the Two Vehicles are attached to Nirvana and cannot understand and realize the One Vehicle.”
This is what worries the Buddha most. Because we are all unenlightened beings, we are immersed in a sea of desires. All sentient beings have “desire”. This applies to sentient beings in all Six Realms, even in the heaven realm. Heavenly beings also have heavenly desires.
Asuras have heavenly blessings but lack heavenly virtues. Therefore, they are still deeply immersed in the sea of desires. As humans, what type of mindset do we hold? It is also a boundless sea of desires, which is why we have the saying, “1000-foot swells rise in the river of cravings. 10,000 waves surge in the sea of suffering.” Because of this, we transmigrate within the Six Realms. This [results] from desires.
I often say that humans create the sources of all disasters, which all come from the arising of greedy thoughts. When that greed is not satisfied, we become angry. Once the flames of anger are ignited, we become lost. Because of ignorance, we become greedy. Because we are greedy, we become angry. These three are truly subtle afflictions that continuously reproduce themselves in an endless cycle. Because greed, anger and ignorance arise along with many afflictions, people then create much karma. Therefore, greed, anger and ignorance exist in people alongside pride, arrogance and doubt. Thus, they do not believe in the law of karma and cannot accept the Buddha’s Right Dharma. Therefore, many things happen because of desire. This is state of ordinary people.
The Buddha comes to this world out of sympathy toward sentient beings. Because their minds have not yet awakened, they are immersed in the sea of desires. Some people do already believe that the Buddha comes to this world to tell us that we all have an intrinsic Buddha-nature. Some people have a karmic affinity with Buddha, and they agree to return to this world together an accept the Buddha’s teachings, life after life. “Beings lacking affinity cannot be transformed.” From these words, we know that in our past lives, we have likely formed karmic affinities with the Buddha. Some have achieved Buddhahood, some are achieving, some have not yet achieved.
So, there are practitioners of the Two Vehicles. They believe in the Buddha’s teachings and can understand how life is “suffering, empty, impermanent, and without permanent The Buddha taught these principles, and they understand them.People may also live in a time without a Buddha, like the present moment.Though Sakyamuni Buddha left us over 2000 years ago, there are still people with sharp capabilities.Even if they have not encountered the Dharma, they still realize that life is truly impermanent; the seasons change, day and night alternate, and [humans undergo] birth, aging, illness and death.
Some people have encountered His teachings, though they have not seen the Buddha in person.Just by understanding these principles alone, they can realize many of His teachings.In this way, they know they must engage in spiritual practice.
In the beginning, spiritual practice is about trying to be liberated from birth and death.
Small Vehicle practitioners seek the Four Fruits: the initial, the second, the third and the fourth.They practice only to benefit themselves and seek Nirvana.They believe Nirvana means no birth and no death, so they will no longer have to transmigrate among the Six Realms.Thus, they seek and are attached to Nirvana because they see it as a state of non-arising and non-ceasing.But actually, ultimate Nirvana is free of attachments.
This is why the Buddha was beginning to teach the Lotus Sutra, He set aside skillful means and began teaching the One Vehicle Dharma because the Two Vehicle [practitioners] were still too attached to attaining Nirvana.Though the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, He has not rested; all Buddhas and Bodhisattva continuously return.
Think about it, Guan Yin Bodhisattva also returns out of compassion.
Also, before the Lotus Sutra was expounded, Manjusri Bodhisattva spoke of 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas.Manjusri Bodhisattva himself was the teacher of seven ancient Buddhas and had already attained Buddhahood in the past.There are so many Buddhas, attesting to the fact that entering Parinirvana does not mean They no longer experience birth and death.They still return to this world out of compassion.
Their karmic retributions did not bring Them back, the Four Great Vows and the Four Infinite Minds did.
Since reaching the state of Dharmakaya Bodhisattva, the Buddha continuously returned to this world to tramsform sentient beings.So by entering Parinirvana, or extinction, He has not completely disappeared.NoHe still continues to return to this world.Since He knows all principles in the world, He is not deluded and is free of attachments.
Thus, He surpassed delusions and attachments.So, we must realize principles of the One Vehicle.
But ordinary people are very deluded and Two Vehicle practitioners are very stubborn, so they cannot comprehend the principles of the One Vehicle.As the Buddha’s [conditions] for transforming this world were ending, He began to teach the Lotus Sutra after He emerged from Samadhi.
“At that time the World-Honored One arose serenely from Samadhi” and looked at everyone.[His gaze] fell on Sariputra, so He told him, “The wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited”.
Because everyone knew that Sariputra was foremost in wisdom among the Sangha, this means that only those with great wisdom can comprehend the One Vehicle teachings.
So, the Buddha intended for [practitioners of] the Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, those with great capabilities, to recognize that the Buddha's wisdom is so profound that then Sariputra may not understand His principles. This is the Buddha's clever way of helping all of us recognize that He is about to discuss something very profound. Indeed, the wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited. Actually, there were many people at Vulture Peak. Form the ten directions came all Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, eight classes of Dharma- protectors and Living Bodhisattvas, as well as those who already attained fruits, Arhats, bhiksus, bhiksunis. All the intellectuals gathered there as well.
Among all these people, why didn't the Buddha teach this extremely profound and unlimited Dharma according to the capabilities of Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas? For instance, Manjusri Bodhisattva was present. Why don't the Buddha teach according to Manjusri 's capabilities or that of any other Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas? Why did He address Sariputra? Among the sages of the Two Vehicles, the one with the most superior capabilities among Small Vehicle practitioners was Sariputra.
Sariputra 's wisdom and merits were the greatest among the Hearers, so everyone respected him very much. Therefore, as long as Sariputra was convinced, everyone else would be convinced. Besides, he was one of the heads of the Sangha, so the Buddha began telling him, “the wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited”. This sutra is about to open the provisional to reveal the true.
“Open” refers to opening the provisional, the skillful means of the past. “Provisional’ refers to clever, skillful means. Now that we have opened them up, we need to put them aside. To open the provisional is to set aside the skillful means that have been taught. In the past, there were skillful means. Now, He will reveal the True Dharma. This is to “open the provisional to reveal the true”. The purpose of the Lotus Sutra is to “open the provisional to reveal the true,” the one ultimate truth, the One Vehicle Way.
“Therefore, this sutra opened and revealed [Dharma] in response to practitioners of the Two Vehicles, particularly to guide the best of them. Therefore, He specifically taught Sariputra, so he would now be attached to the Small Vehicle fruit of Nirvana, but seek the Great Vehicle Nirvana of non-attachment to cyclic existence.
The Lotus Sutra “opened the provisional to reveal the true” in response to the Two Vehicle practitioners. Those practitioners were still attached to skillful means. Ordinary people are immersed in delusions, and Two Vehicles practitioners have attachments. They know that Nirvana leads to the end of cyclic existence, but they cannot let go of the appearance of cyclic existence. This is why Buddha helped them further understand that, though Nirvana leads to the end of cyclic existence, we should not be attached to it. The purpose of learning the Buddha’s Way is to transform sentient beings, to benefit others, not just ourselves. Therefore, to guide those with superior capabilities among Two Vehicle practitioners, the Buddha had to “open the provisional to reveal the true.” Only practitioners with those capabilities were able to slowly accept this.
We can clearly see that it has taken the Buddha over forty years to help them achieve through understanding to “open the provisional to reveal the true” is not that easy.
Therefore, He targeted Sariputra so that he would not be attached to the Nirvana of the Small Vehicle nor believe that [all he had to do was] liberate himself. This is not the Buddha’s intention.He wants us to practice Great Vehicle teachings, not focus on our own awakening. Therefore, we must awaken ourselves, others and have perfect awakened conduct. Simply awakening ourselves and being attached to small Vehicle Nirvana is not good enough. Therefore, we must instead “seek the Great Vehicle Nirvana of non-attachment to cyclic existence.” This means we must keep going, keep making great aspirations and moving to the next level of a Nirvana that is noon-arising, non-ceasing and free of attachments.
So, the Buddha also said that the wisdom of all Buddhas is very profound “This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter. It cannot be known by any Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas.”
The Buddha’s wisdom is very profound. He is about to open the wisdom-door and reveal His original [teachings], His True Wisdom. This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter. It cannot be known by any Hearers.If we remain at the level of Hearers and rely on listening [to the teachings] to awaken, we will have no way to achieve understanding. Now the Buddha is about to open the wisdom-door, to freely carry out His original intentions.
Thus He said, “Now I am about to open the wisdom-door, which cannot be known by you Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas”
The wisdom-door is knowledge and understand of all things, which is the ultimate truth. A “door” is a way to understand clearly, somewhere we can enter.
Once the door is open, we can enter and exit freely. This is the wisdom-door.
Everyone, you may think I am spending a lot of on this point and wonder why I keep talking about it .Is [attaining] wisdom and the ultimate truth really that difficult?
Everyone, when we engage in spiritual practice, we do not focus only on ourselves Actually, even attaining self-realization is not that easy .To look within and eliminate greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt is not very easy at all. Besides, we are all still ordinary people, we are still immersed in the sea of desires. Since we are still immersed in the sea of desires, our minds must be attuned to the door of the Buddha’s mind.The door to His mind is always open, but we do not always choose to enter. Even though the Buddha continues to guide and tell us, “you can come this way and enter this door, we still have desires”. These afflictions form greed, anger and ignorance continue to [grow] in a cycle of reproduction, so we are trapped in the Six Realms
Everyone, we must awaken right now. In our modern society, we are able to understand many things clearly. So to understand worldly maters is not difficult. But we must truly awaken. Since we live in this era, we have opportunities for great awakening. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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