⊙信得自心佛心無異，心境一如機契實相，如來悲智權實雙運，信力堅固近佛知見。
⊙「佛以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出。」《法華經方便品第二》
【證嚴上人開示】
我們若「信得自心佛心無異，心境一如機契實相，如來悲智權實雙運，信力堅固近佛知見。」
這就是要與大家分享，我們的信心，我們要相信，提出了我們的大信力，相信自己的心與佛的心是沒有異樣。佛心，「佛、心、眾生，三無差別」，所以佛的心，眾生的心，都是一樣。我們對自己一定要有信心，信我們的如來本性也是同樣與佛同等。
我們若能有這樣的相信，我們的心與境就一如，回歸我們原來清淨的本性，我們的根機就能契合真理。所以「機契實相」，就是我們的根機，就能和這個道理契合起來。這要看我們的心是否有大信心。
我們若有大信力的心，我們絕對相信。佛陀這樣告訴我們，我們人人本具佛性，這一點我們一定要相信，這叫做「大信力」。要相信自己，絕對要很有自信。若這樣，我們的根機就是大根、大力，能契合真理，所以「心境一如機契實相」，這要我們提升自己。
因為如來他的悲智，慈悲、智慧，慈悲智慧雙運，來到人間就是為了一大事因緣。佛陀已經是悲智雙運在人間，若沒有慈悲，他不必再來人間，就是具足了慈悲，不忍眾生還在六道輪迴中受無量苦，不忍眾生在人間這樣共業，使得天地之間四大不調，這麼多人受苦受難，這是諸佛菩薩所不忍心。
不忍心就是「同體大悲」。因為眾生的苦難，就是諸佛、菩薩的苦難，這種「同體大悲」。運此大悲來啟智，所以智慧在人間隨機逗教，叫做「悲智雙運」，叫做「如來」。
「如(來) 」就是乘一乘實法而來人間，叫做「如來」。乘一乘真如的實法來到人間，就是要施展這分慈悲、智慧。眾生的根機不整齊，所以佛他要用妙權、妙實，悲智雙運，這是如來的悲智，「權實雙運」。
所以我們要心生大信力，信力要再堅固。信心，光是一時的信心沒有用，我們必定要堅固。所以我們前面有說過了「信根」，這信根要深、要闊，信力才能堅固。若能這樣，我們才能「近佛知見」。學佛，我們必定要先建立信心。
大家都知道，佛陀出生這一天，就是農曆的四月初八。所以佛教一直傳到中國，就是以四月初八為佛誕生在人間的日子。不過，時代不斷不斷在轉變，農業社會已經過去。佛法從印度來到中國，這都是以農業社會的「農曆」年、月、日。但是近代以來，在國際間統一用西元的日期，所以在我們臺灣也開始認為，佛法也應該將它國際化。
看看聖誕節就能夠全球都是國際化，何況在我們臺灣，我們釋迦佛的誕生日，當然也是要國際化。所以訂下來了，在這五月的第二個星期日，稱為「佛誕節」，這樣普天同慶。(編按：199年9月內政部修正紀念日及節日實施辦法，同時公告「佛誕節」正式成為國定紀念日，並與母親節合併在五月第二個周日放假一天。)
這一天，全球每一個地區，從早上到晚上都是很盛況。光說在香港，(二0一二年)他們浴佛，令人很感動。香港分會的地方很小，所以就去向香港政府申請，申請在大通路，香港稱為中環(編按：中環遮打道假日行人專用區)，就是市中心一條很大的馬路，這是平時在香港是最熱鬧，車水馬龍，真的是很熱鬧的市中心。
我們在五月十三日向政府申請一天封路。這天的時間，這條路都封起來，從早上九點開始封至下午五點，這一天的時間，完全讓慈濟在那裡辦浴佛大典。本來氣象報告說，這一天會有豪大雨，卻是不可思議，早上下雨、下雨，下到差不多我們需要去準備時雨就停了。
之後我們就開始邊佈置、邊彩排。因為時間是十點開始，九點才封路，那麼大一片的地方要佈置，因此有的邊佈置，有的邊彩排，所以音響開始放出浴佛的音樂出來。在那個步行道的地方，很多人來逛街，有一些外國人也是來逛街，聽到這悠揚的音樂，看到那個地方開始佈置起來，很多在逛街的人，就一直圍過來、圍過來。
看到佛像，看到那個場面，不由自己，大家雙手合掌。看他們在彩排，看他們在佈置，人愈來愈多，大家這樣合掌。有外國人，有當地人，那個畫面很美，又是很整齊。
開始時間到了，正式浴佛，莊嚴的畫面開始了，又是整齊，那種次序莊嚴。就有外國人來問說：「我們能和他們一起去浴佛嗎？」我們的慈濟人，在外面安排次序的人，就很虔誠向他邀請：「可以。」紛紛地外國人也一起進來，或者是當地人，不分老幼，都是這樣一起來浴佛。
還有一項，聽到的訊息不可思議！有一在示威的人，因為物價波動、薪資等等，所以香港也有這樣在示威的團體。這個團體接近這個地方，我們的委員菩薩就很虔誠走近，合掌向他們邀請說：「你們這樣示威，心情浮動。來啊，歡迎您們來一起浴佛。我們若一起浴佛，我們的心會很平靜。」
說起來也很不思議，也有很多示威者聽到我們虔誠邀請，聽到音樂，心靈的感覺，他們也紛紛有部分的人也集中過來，在那裡雙手合掌，靜心來開始一起浴佛。這一場實在是很不可思議！看到大家那麼虔誠，也能調伏那個心——對政府有不滿的心，對社會有怨的心，竟然能夠把心寧靜下來。
所以說起來，「如來悲智，權實雙運」。佛陀來人間，就是要用這種很權巧方便，應境、應時，能夠來教化眾生。哪怕是二千多年後的現在，同樣的，佛教徒只要有心，瞭解佛法，這分大信力堅固，哪怕是在這樣的國家，哪怕我們沒有場地，都能在這國家借場地，在那個地方淨化人心。
所以只要有信心，無論氣象局如何報告，竟然在那天早上，到了他們將要佈置場地時雨就停了。一天的時間能夠很涼爽，人心和睦、社會祥和，在這祥和之中完成了浴佛。這是多麼不可思議！
所以我們要瞭解，學佛，我們必定要有信心。所以我們要相信，「信得自心佛心無異，心境一如機契實相」，我們提升自己的根機，只要我們有信心，佛陀的悲智就是雙運在人間。我們一定能淨化人心，使令社會能夠祥和。信力很堅固，自然我們就能近佛之知見。
我們前面有提起，「佛陀就是以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出」。
⊙「佛以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出。」《法華經方便品第二》
要記得，我們眾生真的是處處都是貪著。我們前面已經說過了，無處不貪著，無事不貪著。人，眾生，就是因為一個「貪」字起頭，才會有瞋、癡、慢、疑，才會造成了人間很多的災難。所以說起來，佛陀用他的智慧來施教、施權，用方便法來教育。
他用三乘的教法。小乘、聲聞乘；中乘、緣覺乘。無論是小乘、中乘，還有六道中輪迴的眾生，佛陀就是用種種權巧方便，無不都是要使令眾生能脫離苦縛，苦難的縛著。這就是佛陀來人間的目標，希望人人能夠再進修「六度」。
六度就是布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧。這是佛陀希望這些修小乘法者能夠轉小為大。這就是佛陀在人間，最後所說的法《法華經》，是一乘實相。讓那些小乘者，希望能讓他們知道，過去(所講的)只是佛法的基礎，要讓我們如何洗滌我們的心，去除我們的無明，如何能消除我們的習氣。
過去雖然說是方便法，其實是在洗滌我們的心。心若洗滌乾淨，我們再轉一個念，那就是回歸本性，我們這清淨無染的本性就現前。無染的本性就是自覺，同時還要覺他。因為芸芸眾生還是在這六道輪迴中，所以需要人人發大心、立大願，回歸娑婆。
雖然佛陀要度我們脫離三界六道，但是需要人人回歸娑婆，在這堪忍世界來度化眾生，所以要轉小為大。
將我們的心鏡擦乾淨之後，我們自照令內心清淨，然後把我們這面鏡子再照耀他人，讓人人也能夠看到他的本來面目。再告訴大家，「從這面鏡子，你有看到你自己嗎？」
「看到了。」
「其實你也有。」從哪個地方拿出你自己的鏡子，照了之後，「鏡子還照不明。」「來，你用方法，如何擦鏡，讓這面鏡子的本質明朗起來，自然自己照得到自己，然後你還能照別人。」這就是自覺、覺他。
眾生人人本懷著清淨無染大圓鏡智，每一個人都有一面很大的鏡子的智慧，這叫做「大圓鏡智」。
這是佛陀他用很多方法，要使令我們脫苦縛。所以經文中說：「引之令得出」。對於「處處著」，要如何引他出來，眾生很多的苦難，要如何讓他脫離苦。這就是佛陀來人間，悲智雙運。這是我們要用心，提出大信力，用心瞭解佛陀的悲智雙運。時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: With Strong Faith We Resonate with the Truth (信力堅固機契實相)
Date: February. 04. 2014
We must “believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. When the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth. With wisdom and compassion, the Tathagata gave both provisional and true teachings. When Power of Faith solidities, it brings us closer to the Buddha’s knowledge and views.”
This tells us that we must have faith, we must believe. By giving rise to great Power of Faith, we will believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. [The nature] of mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different. So, the Buddha’s mind and sentient beings’ minds are the same. We must have faith in ourselves and believe that our intrinsic Tathagata-nature is also equivalent to the Buddha’s. If we have this kind of faith, the mind and all phenomena become one, and we can return to our pure intrinsic nature. Then our capabilities will be in sync with true principles.
So, we become “in sync with the ultimate truth” when our capabilities connect with these principles. Whether we can do this or not depends on whether we have great faith. If we have great Power of Faith, we will absolutely believe what the Buddha has told us about everyone intrinsically having Buddha-nature. We must believe this. Having “great Power of Faith” means we have great self-confidence. Then we will have great capabilities and powers, and we can be in sync with true principles. So, “when the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth.” This is how we elevate ourselves. Because the Buddha has compassion and wisdom, He exercised both simultaneously and came to this world for one great cause. The Buddha is both compassionate and wise. If He was not compassionate, He would not return.
But because He is replete with compassion, He cannot bear to let sentient beings experience such great suffering in their cyclic existence in the Six Realms. He cannot bear to let them cause imbalance in the [natural world] through their collective karma. For so many people to be suffering is something Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot bear. They cannot bear it because they have “great universal compassion.” Therefore, the suffering of sentient beings is the suffering of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This “great universal compassion,” when exercised, awakens wisdom. Then with wisdom, they teach according to capabilities in this world. This is what it means to “exercise both compassion and wisdom.” So [Buddhas are called] Tathagatas (Thus Come) because they come to this world by the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. They come the world with this teaching to exercise and spread their compassion and wisdom.
Because sentient beings have varying capabilities, the Buddha has to give wondrous provisional and wondrous true teachings.He does this out of both compassion and wisdom.He “gives both provisional and true teachings”.So, we must give rise to a great Power of Faith and work to further strengthen it.Momentary faith is of no use, so we must reinforce it.
Earlier I spoke of how the Root of Faith must be deep and extensive, so we can strengthen our Power of Faith.By doing this, we can be “closer to the Buddha’s knowledge and views”.To learn the Buddha’s Way, we must first establish faith.
We all know that the Buddha was born on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month.
When Buddhism spread to China, that day was celebrated as the Buddha’s Birthday.
But the time are continuously changing, and agricultural societies are a thing of the past.
When the Dharma came to China from India, people used the lunar calendar because they lived in an agricultural society.
But in modern times, internationally we use the [Gregorian calendar].So, here in Taiwan we also started thinking that we should globalize [the Buddha’s Birthday].Look at how Christmas is a global holiday, [popular] even in Taiwan.So, of course, we must also globalize.Sakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday.
Thus we established the second Sunday of May as the Buddha’s Birthday.This way, we can all celebrate it together.On this day, in every region around the world, things are very festive from morning to night.
In Hong Kong alone, their [2012] Buddha-bathing ceremony was very touching.The Hong Kong branch office space is very small, so [volunteers] applied to the government to use Da Tong Road in the Central District, which is a major road downtown.This is typically the busiest street in Hong Kong, with a lot of traffic.It is really a bustling city center.We applied to the government to close the street for one day on May 13 from nine o’clock in the morning till five o’clock in the afternoon.It would be closed off this whole day, so Tzu Chi could hold our Buddha-bathing [ceremony].
Originally, the weather forecast said there would be heavy rain.And, incredibly, it rained and rained in the early morning, but when the preparations were about to begin, the rain stopped.Ten, we started to set up and rehearse.Because the ceremony was to begin at 10am, the road was not sealed off until 9am.There was such a large area to decorate, so while some people were setting up, others were rehearsing at the same time.
The loudspeakers played the music for the ceremony.On the sidewalks, there were many pedestrians who were out shopping, including many foreigners.When they heard this beautiful music and saw that area being decorated, many shoppers came to see what was going on.When they saw the Buddha statue and the setup, they could not help but put their palms together.As volunteers rehearsed and decorated, more and more people gathered and held their palms together.There were both foreigners and locals. That scene was very beautiful and orderly. When the official ceremony began, we saw such magnificent scenes. They were very dignified in their [formations]. Some foreigners asked, “Can we join in bathing the Buddha?” Tzu Chi volunteers who were maintaining order sincerely invited them to join in. soon, foreigners continuously streamed in, as did locals, both young and old. They all came to bathe the Buddha. We also heard about another incredible thing. There was a group of demonstrators, protesting inflation and [low] wages, etc..
In Hong Kong, there are also such protest groups. When this group drew near [the ceremony], our Tzu Chi Commissioners very sincerely approached them with palms together and invited them, saying, “Your protests cause your emotions to fluctuate. Come, we welcome you to bathe the Buddha. When we bathe the Buddha together, our minds become very peaceful”.
Incredibly, many of the protestors, after hearing our sincere invitation and music, felt that they should join us. They put their palms together and calmed their hearts to bathe the Buddha. This was indeed very amazing. Protestors nearby saw how reverent we were, and this calmed their minds. Though they were dissatisfied with the government and resentful of society, they were able to calm their minds. “With wisdom and compassion, the Tathagata gave both provisional and true teachings”.
When the Buddha comes to the world, He has to use provisional, skillful means that suit the situation and time in order to teach and transform sentient beings. Even now, over 2000 years later, as long as we, Buddhist disciples, have the will to understand the Buddha-Dharma and are strengthening our great Power of Faith, even if we are in another country and do not have a venue, we are able to borrow one from the government, so we can purify people's minds.
Because we have faith, regardless of what the weather forecast said, amazingly, the rain stopped that morning as we were about to decorate the site. For that entire day, it remained very cool, so people were amiable and things were peaceful. With this sense of harmony, the Buddha-bathing was completed. This was very incredible.
So, we must understand that, to learn the Buddha's Way, we must have faith. So, we must “believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. When the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth”. We can elevate our capabilities as long as we have faith. The Buddha exercises compassion and wisdom in this world, so we can definitely purify people's minds, ensuring that there will be harmony in society. With strong Power of Faith, naturally we can be close to the Buddha's knowledge and views.
Earlier, I mentioned that, “The Buddha used the power of skillful means to reveal the Three Vehicle teachings so that sentient beings, who are attached to everything, may be guided and released.”
Remember, we sentient beings truly form attachments to all things. Previously, I have said, “There is nothing we are not attached to.” “There is nothing we do not crave.” For humans, for all sentient beings, when we give rise to greed, we experience anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt. This leads to many calamities in the world. So, the Buddha used His wisdom to give provisional teachings. To teach us, He used skillful means, the teachings of Three Vehicles. The Small Vehicle refers to Hearers. The Middle Vehicle refers to Solitary Realizers. For Small and Middle Vehicle practitioners, as well as sentient beings in the Six Realms, the Buddha teaches various skillful means solely to enable them to eliminate the entanglements of suffering. This is the Buddha’s goal in coming to this world.
He hopes everyone can further cultivate the Six Paramitas, which are giving, upholding precepts, patience diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. The Buddha hopes Small Vehicle practitioners can turn from the small to the great. As for the last teaching the Buddha gave in the world, the Lotus Sutra is the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle. He wanted to help Small Vehicle practitioners realize that His past teachings were just the fundamentals for [learning] the Dharma. Those teachings helped us cleanse our hearts and eliminate our ignorance, as well as our habitual tendencies. As He taught skillful means in the past, He was actually cleansing our hearts. When our hearts are clean, we can turn our thinking around and return to our intrinsic nature. Our pure and undefiled intrinsic nature will then manifest.With that undefiled nature, we will awaken ourselves and others at the same time Multitudes of sentient beings are still cyclic existence in the Six Realms, so He needs everyone to form great aspirations and vows to return to the Saha World.
Although the Buddha wants to transform us so we can transcend the Three Realms and the Six Destinies, He still needs people to return to the Saha World, this world of endurance, to transform others. So, we must turn form the small to the great. After we clean the mirror of our minds, we must examine ourselves. Once our hearts are clean, we can turn this mirror to reflect others, so they can also see their true nature.
Then we can ask them, “Can you see yourself in this mirror?” “Yes, we can.Actually, you have such a mirror, too.” When we take out our mirrors, it may not yet reflect things clearly .We need to find a way to wipe it clean, so the surface will be clear and bright.
Then naturally we can use it to reflect ourselves, as well as other people. This is how we awaken ourselves and others. All sentient beings originally had a pure, undefiled great perfect mirror wisdom. We all have this great mirror. It is called great perfect mirror wisdom. The Buddha used many methods to enable us to escape painful entanglements, so that, according to the verses, we “may be guided and released”.
Since we are “attached to everything”. He finds ways to guide and release us from our many sufferings. Helping us transcend suffering is why the Buddha comes to the world and exercises both compassion and wisdom. So, we must put our hearts into giving rise to great Power of Faith and mindfully understanding how the Buddha exercises compassion and wisdom.We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙「佛以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出。」《法華經方便品第二》
【證嚴上人開示】
我們若「信得自心佛心無異，心境一如機契實相，如來悲智權實雙運，信力堅固近佛知見。」
這就是要與大家分享，我們的信心，我們要相信，提出了我們的大信力，相信自己的心與佛的心是沒有異樣。佛心，「佛、心、眾生，三無差別」，所以佛的心，眾生的心，都是一樣。我們對自己一定要有信心，信我們的如來本性也是同樣與佛同等。
我們若能有這樣的相信，我們的心與境就一如，回歸我們原來清淨的本性，我們的根機就能契合真理。所以「機契實相」，就是我們的根機，就能和這個道理契合起來。這要看我們的心是否有大信心。
我們若有大信力的心，我們絕對相信。佛陀這樣告訴我們，我們人人本具佛性，這一點我們一定要相信，這叫做「大信力」。要相信自己，絕對要很有自信。若這樣，我們的根機就是大根、大力，能契合真理，所以「心境一如機契實相」，這要我們提升自己。
因為如來他的悲智，慈悲、智慧，慈悲智慧雙運，來到人間就是為了一大事因緣。佛陀已經是悲智雙運在人間，若沒有慈悲，他不必再來人間，就是具足了慈悲，不忍眾生還在六道輪迴中受無量苦，不忍眾生在人間這樣共業，使得天地之間四大不調，這麼多人受苦受難，這是諸佛菩薩所不忍心。
不忍心就是「同體大悲」。因為眾生的苦難，就是諸佛、菩薩的苦難，這種「同體大悲」。運此大悲來啟智，所以智慧在人間隨機逗教，叫做「悲智雙運」，叫做「如來」。
「如(來) 」就是乘一乘實法而來人間，叫做「如來」。乘一乘真如的實法來到人間，就是要施展這分慈悲、智慧。眾生的根機不整齊，所以佛他要用妙權、妙實，悲智雙運，這是如來的悲智，「權實雙運」。
所以我們要心生大信力，信力要再堅固。信心，光是一時的信心沒有用，我們必定要堅固。所以我們前面有說過了「信根」，這信根要深、要闊，信力才能堅固。若能這樣，我們才能「近佛知見」。學佛，我們必定要先建立信心。
大家都知道，佛陀出生這一天，就是農曆的四月初八。所以佛教一直傳到中國，就是以四月初八為佛誕生在人間的日子。不過，時代不斷不斷在轉變，農業社會已經過去。佛法從印度來到中國，這都是以農業社會的「農曆」年、月、日。但是近代以來，在國際間統一用西元的日期，所以在我們臺灣也開始認為，佛法也應該將它國際化。
看看聖誕節就能夠全球都是國際化，何況在我們臺灣，我們釋迦佛的誕生日，當然也是要國際化。所以訂下來了，在這五月的第二個星期日，稱為「佛誕節」，這樣普天同慶。(編按：199年9月內政部修正紀念日及節日實施辦法，同時公告「佛誕節」正式成為國定紀念日，並與母親節合併在五月第二個周日放假一天。)
這一天，全球每一個地區，從早上到晚上都是很盛況。光說在香港，(二0一二年)他們浴佛，令人很感動。香港分會的地方很小，所以就去向香港政府申請，申請在大通路，香港稱為中環(編按：中環遮打道假日行人專用區)，就是市中心一條很大的馬路，這是平時在香港是最熱鬧，車水馬龍，真的是很熱鬧的市中心。
我們在五月十三日向政府申請一天封路。這天的時間，這條路都封起來，從早上九點開始封至下午五點，這一天的時間，完全讓慈濟在那裡辦浴佛大典。本來氣象報告說，這一天會有豪大雨，卻是不可思議，早上下雨、下雨，下到差不多我們需要去準備時雨就停了。
之後我們就開始邊佈置、邊彩排。因為時間是十點開始，九點才封路，那麼大一片的地方要佈置，因此有的邊佈置，有的邊彩排，所以音響開始放出浴佛的音樂出來。在那個步行道的地方，很多人來逛街，有一些外國人也是來逛街，聽到這悠揚的音樂，看到那個地方開始佈置起來，很多在逛街的人，就一直圍過來、圍過來。
看到佛像，看到那個場面，不由自己，大家雙手合掌。看他們在彩排，看他們在佈置，人愈來愈多，大家這樣合掌。有外國人，有當地人，那個畫面很美，又是很整齊。
開始時間到了，正式浴佛，莊嚴的畫面開始了，又是整齊，那種次序莊嚴。就有外國人來問說：「我們能和他們一起去浴佛嗎？」我們的慈濟人，在外面安排次序的人，就很虔誠向他邀請：「可以。」紛紛地外國人也一起進來，或者是當地人，不分老幼，都是這樣一起來浴佛。
還有一項，聽到的訊息不可思議！有一在示威的人，因為物價波動、薪資等等，所以香港也有這樣在示威的團體。這個團體接近這個地方，我們的委員菩薩就很虔誠走近，合掌向他們邀請說：「你們這樣示威，心情浮動。來啊，歡迎您們來一起浴佛。我們若一起浴佛，我們的心會很平靜。」
說起來也很不思議，也有很多示威者聽到我們虔誠邀請，聽到音樂，心靈的感覺，他們也紛紛有部分的人也集中過來，在那裡雙手合掌，靜心來開始一起浴佛。這一場實在是很不可思議！看到大家那麼虔誠，也能調伏那個心——對政府有不滿的心，對社會有怨的心，竟然能夠把心寧靜下來。
所以說起來，「如來悲智，權實雙運」。佛陀來人間，就是要用這種很權巧方便，應境、應時，能夠來教化眾生。哪怕是二千多年後的現在，同樣的，佛教徒只要有心，瞭解佛法，這分大信力堅固，哪怕是在這樣的國家，哪怕我們沒有場地，都能在這國家借場地，在那個地方淨化人心。
所以只要有信心，無論氣象局如何報告，竟然在那天早上，到了他們將要佈置場地時雨就停了。一天的時間能夠很涼爽，人心和睦、社會祥和，在這祥和之中完成了浴佛。這是多麼不可思議！
所以我們要瞭解，學佛，我們必定要有信心。所以我們要相信，「信得自心佛心無異，心境一如機契實相」，我們提升自己的根機，只要我們有信心，佛陀的悲智就是雙運在人間。我們一定能淨化人心，使令社會能夠祥和。信力很堅固，自然我們就能近佛之知見。
我們前面有提起，「佛陀就是以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出」。
⊙「佛以方便力，示以三乘教，眾生處處著，引之令得出。」《法華經方便品第二》
要記得，我們眾生真的是處處都是貪著。我們前面已經說過了，無處不貪著，無事不貪著。人，眾生，就是因為一個「貪」字起頭，才會有瞋、癡、慢、疑，才會造成了人間很多的災難。所以說起來，佛陀用他的智慧來施教、施權，用方便法來教育。
他用三乘的教法。小乘、聲聞乘；中乘、緣覺乘。無論是小乘、中乘，還有六道中輪迴的眾生，佛陀就是用種種權巧方便，無不都是要使令眾生能脫離苦縛，苦難的縛著。這就是佛陀來人間的目標，希望人人能夠再進修「六度」。
六度就是布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧。這是佛陀希望這些修小乘法者能夠轉小為大。這就是佛陀在人間，最後所說的法《法華經》，是一乘實相。讓那些小乘者，希望能讓他們知道，過去(所講的)只是佛法的基礎，要讓我們如何洗滌我們的心，去除我們的無明，如何能消除我們的習氣。
過去雖然說是方便法，其實是在洗滌我們的心。心若洗滌乾淨，我們再轉一個念，那就是回歸本性，我們這清淨無染的本性就現前。無染的本性就是自覺，同時還要覺他。因為芸芸眾生還是在這六道輪迴中，所以需要人人發大心、立大願，回歸娑婆。
雖然佛陀要度我們脫離三界六道，但是需要人人回歸娑婆，在這堪忍世界來度化眾生，所以要轉小為大。
將我們的心鏡擦乾淨之後，我們自照令內心清淨，然後把我們這面鏡子再照耀他人，讓人人也能夠看到他的本來面目。再告訴大家，「從這面鏡子，你有看到你自己嗎？」
「看到了。」
「其實你也有。」從哪個地方拿出你自己的鏡子，照了之後，「鏡子還照不明。」「來，你用方法，如何擦鏡，讓這面鏡子的本質明朗起來，自然自己照得到自己，然後你還能照別人。」這就是自覺、覺他。
眾生人人本懷著清淨無染大圓鏡智，每一個人都有一面很大的鏡子的智慧，這叫做「大圓鏡智」。
這是佛陀他用很多方法，要使令我們脫苦縛。所以經文中說：「引之令得出」。對於「處處著」，要如何引他出來，眾生很多的苦難，要如何讓他脫離苦。這就是佛陀來人間，悲智雙運。這是我們要用心，提出大信力，用心瞭解佛陀的悲智雙運。時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: With Strong Faith We Resonate with the Truth (信力堅固機契實相)
Date: February. 04. 2014
We must “believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. When the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth. With wisdom and compassion, the Tathagata gave both provisional and true teachings. When Power of Faith solidities, it brings us closer to the Buddha’s knowledge and views.”
This tells us that we must have faith, we must believe. By giving rise to great Power of Faith, we will believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. [The nature] of mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different. So, the Buddha’s mind and sentient beings’ minds are the same. We must have faith in ourselves and believe that our intrinsic Tathagata-nature is also equivalent to the Buddha’s. If we have this kind of faith, the mind and all phenomena become one, and we can return to our pure intrinsic nature. Then our capabilities will be in sync with true principles.
So, we become “in sync with the ultimate truth” when our capabilities connect with these principles. Whether we can do this or not depends on whether we have great faith. If we have great Power of Faith, we will absolutely believe what the Buddha has told us about everyone intrinsically having Buddha-nature. We must believe this. Having “great Power of Faith” means we have great self-confidence. Then we will have great capabilities and powers, and we can be in sync with true principles. So, “when the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth.” This is how we elevate ourselves. Because the Buddha has compassion and wisdom, He exercised both simultaneously and came to this world for one great cause. The Buddha is both compassionate and wise. If He was not compassionate, He would not return.
But because He is replete with compassion, He cannot bear to let sentient beings experience such great suffering in their cyclic existence in the Six Realms. He cannot bear to let them cause imbalance in the [natural world] through their collective karma. For so many people to be suffering is something Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot bear. They cannot bear it because they have “great universal compassion.” Therefore, the suffering of sentient beings is the suffering of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This “great universal compassion,” when exercised, awakens wisdom. Then with wisdom, they teach according to capabilities in this world. This is what it means to “exercise both compassion and wisdom.” So [Buddhas are called] Tathagatas (Thus Come) because they come to this world by the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. They come the world with this teaching to exercise and spread their compassion and wisdom.
Because sentient beings have varying capabilities, the Buddha has to give wondrous provisional and wondrous true teachings.He does this out of both compassion and wisdom.He “gives both provisional and true teachings”.So, we must give rise to a great Power of Faith and work to further strengthen it.Momentary faith is of no use, so we must reinforce it.
Earlier I spoke of how the Root of Faith must be deep and extensive, so we can strengthen our Power of Faith.By doing this, we can be “closer to the Buddha’s knowledge and views”.To learn the Buddha’s Way, we must first establish faith.
We all know that the Buddha was born on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month.
When Buddhism spread to China, that day was celebrated as the Buddha’s Birthday.
But the time are continuously changing, and agricultural societies are a thing of the past.
When the Dharma came to China from India, people used the lunar calendar because they lived in an agricultural society.
But in modern times, internationally we use the [Gregorian calendar].So, here in Taiwan we also started thinking that we should globalize [the Buddha’s Birthday].Look at how Christmas is a global holiday, [popular] even in Taiwan.So, of course, we must also globalize.Sakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday.
Thus we established the second Sunday of May as the Buddha’s Birthday.This way, we can all celebrate it together.On this day, in every region around the world, things are very festive from morning to night.
In Hong Kong alone, their [2012] Buddha-bathing ceremony was very touching.The Hong Kong branch office space is very small, so [volunteers] applied to the government to use Da Tong Road in the Central District, which is a major road downtown.This is typically the busiest street in Hong Kong, with a lot of traffic.It is really a bustling city center.We applied to the government to close the street for one day on May 13 from nine o’clock in the morning till five o’clock in the afternoon.It would be closed off this whole day, so Tzu Chi could hold our Buddha-bathing [ceremony].
Originally, the weather forecast said there would be heavy rain.And, incredibly, it rained and rained in the early morning, but when the preparations were about to begin, the rain stopped.Ten, we started to set up and rehearse.Because the ceremony was to begin at 10am, the road was not sealed off until 9am.There was such a large area to decorate, so while some people were setting up, others were rehearsing at the same time.
The loudspeakers played the music for the ceremony.On the sidewalks, there were many pedestrians who were out shopping, including many foreigners.When they heard this beautiful music and saw that area being decorated, many shoppers came to see what was going on.When they saw the Buddha statue and the setup, they could not help but put their palms together.As volunteers rehearsed and decorated, more and more people gathered and held their palms together.There were both foreigners and locals. That scene was very beautiful and orderly. When the official ceremony began, we saw such magnificent scenes. They were very dignified in their [formations]. Some foreigners asked, “Can we join in bathing the Buddha?” Tzu Chi volunteers who were maintaining order sincerely invited them to join in. soon, foreigners continuously streamed in, as did locals, both young and old. They all came to bathe the Buddha. We also heard about another incredible thing. There was a group of demonstrators, protesting inflation and [low] wages, etc..
In Hong Kong, there are also such protest groups. When this group drew near [the ceremony], our Tzu Chi Commissioners very sincerely approached them with palms together and invited them, saying, “Your protests cause your emotions to fluctuate. Come, we welcome you to bathe the Buddha. When we bathe the Buddha together, our minds become very peaceful”.
Incredibly, many of the protestors, after hearing our sincere invitation and music, felt that they should join us. They put their palms together and calmed their hearts to bathe the Buddha. This was indeed very amazing. Protestors nearby saw how reverent we were, and this calmed their minds. Though they were dissatisfied with the government and resentful of society, they were able to calm their minds. “With wisdom and compassion, the Tathagata gave both provisional and true teachings”.
When the Buddha comes to the world, He has to use provisional, skillful means that suit the situation and time in order to teach and transform sentient beings. Even now, over 2000 years later, as long as we, Buddhist disciples, have the will to understand the Buddha-Dharma and are strengthening our great Power of Faith, even if we are in another country and do not have a venue, we are able to borrow one from the government, so we can purify people's minds.
Because we have faith, regardless of what the weather forecast said, amazingly, the rain stopped that morning as we were about to decorate the site. For that entire day, it remained very cool, so people were amiable and things were peaceful. With this sense of harmony, the Buddha-bathing was completed. This was very incredible.
So, we must understand that, to learn the Buddha's Way, we must have faith. So, we must “believe that our minds are no different from the Buddha-mind. When the mind and phenomena are one, we are in sync with the ultimate truth”. We can elevate our capabilities as long as we have faith. The Buddha exercises compassion and wisdom in this world, so we can definitely purify people's minds, ensuring that there will be harmony in society. With strong Power of Faith, naturally we can be close to the Buddha's knowledge and views.
Earlier, I mentioned that, “The Buddha used the power of skillful means to reveal the Three Vehicle teachings so that sentient beings, who are attached to everything, may be guided and released.”
Remember, we sentient beings truly form attachments to all things. Previously, I have said, “There is nothing we are not attached to.” “There is nothing we do not crave.” For humans, for all sentient beings, when we give rise to greed, we experience anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt. This leads to many calamities in the world. So, the Buddha used His wisdom to give provisional teachings. To teach us, He used skillful means, the teachings of Three Vehicles. The Small Vehicle refers to Hearers. The Middle Vehicle refers to Solitary Realizers. For Small and Middle Vehicle practitioners, as well as sentient beings in the Six Realms, the Buddha teaches various skillful means solely to enable them to eliminate the entanglements of suffering. This is the Buddha’s goal in coming to this world.
He hopes everyone can further cultivate the Six Paramitas, which are giving, upholding precepts, patience diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. The Buddha hopes Small Vehicle practitioners can turn from the small to the great. As for the last teaching the Buddha gave in the world, the Lotus Sutra is the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle. He wanted to help Small Vehicle practitioners realize that His past teachings were just the fundamentals for [learning] the Dharma. Those teachings helped us cleanse our hearts and eliminate our ignorance, as well as our habitual tendencies. As He taught skillful means in the past, He was actually cleansing our hearts. When our hearts are clean, we can turn our thinking around and return to our intrinsic nature. Our pure and undefiled intrinsic nature will then manifest.With that undefiled nature, we will awaken ourselves and others at the same time Multitudes of sentient beings are still cyclic existence in the Six Realms, so He needs everyone to form great aspirations and vows to return to the Saha World.
Although the Buddha wants to transform us so we can transcend the Three Realms and the Six Destinies, He still needs people to return to the Saha World, this world of endurance, to transform others. So, we must turn form the small to the great. After we clean the mirror of our minds, we must examine ourselves. Once our hearts are clean, we can turn this mirror to reflect others, so they can also see their true nature.
Then we can ask them, “Can you see yourself in this mirror?” “Yes, we can.Actually, you have such a mirror, too.” When we take out our mirrors, it may not yet reflect things clearly .We need to find a way to wipe it clean, so the surface will be clear and bright.
Then naturally we can use it to reflect ourselves, as well as other people. This is how we awaken ourselves and others. All sentient beings originally had a pure, undefiled great perfect mirror wisdom. We all have this great mirror. It is called great perfect mirror wisdom. The Buddha used many methods to enable us to escape painful entanglements, so that, according to the verses, we “may be guided and released”.
Since we are “attached to everything”. He finds ways to guide and release us from our many sufferings. Helping us transcend suffering is why the Buddha comes to the world and exercises both compassion and wisdom. So, we must put our hearts into giving rise to great Power of Faith and mindfully understanding how the Buddha exercises compassion and wisdom.We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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