20140304《靜思妙蓮華》長養慕法之心
⊙大眾之疑以顯慕法，三智圓明能破疑暗，聞佛法髓生長慧命，佛心護念佛口生子。
⊙「比丘比丘尼，諸天龍鬼神，及乾闥婆等，相視懷猶豫，瞻仰兩足尊。是事為云何？願佛為解說。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙「於諸聲聞眾，佛說我第一，我今自於智，疑惑不能了，為是究竟法？為是所行道？佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙疑惑不能了：疑理迷於事，不能決定是非者。於事不清，於理不達。
【證嚴上人開示】
「大眾之疑以顯慕法，三智圓明能破疑暗，聞佛法髓生長慧命，佛心護念佛口生子。」
大眾之疑以顯慕法
三智圓明能破疑暗
聞佛法髓生長慧命
佛心護念佛口生子
就是要與大家分享，我們前面說過了，諸天鬼神等等都是心懷猶豫。比丘、比丘尼，甚至緣覺，或者是發菩薩心的人，包括天龍八部等等，在法華會上，因為佛陀將要顯示大乘法，所以人人心中有疑。
這個疑不是不相信佛，是仰慕佛陀還有更深的法；懷疑，是懷疑自己到底這樣修行，要如何才能真體會佛知、佛見，甚深微妙的法？懷疑自己是不是能夠體會到？當然人人都是仰慕著佛法，佛陀能夠趕緊將他內心，所保護著的法，能趕緊一一公開，讓大家能夠瞭解，開示大眾。
佛陀就是，三智圓明能破疑黑暗。所有眾生的心疑，佛陀以三智圓明，能破除眾生心中的無明，或者是暗鈍，或者是懷疑等等。只要人人「聞佛法髓」，那就「成長慧命」。
佛法就如法髓一樣，會替我們造血。就如我們現在的醫療發達，若有人身體的造血功能失調，若有因緣，我們的醫療發達，發現到合的，幹細胞能符合的話，造血的細胞若能合，就能從另外一個人的身上，這樣抽下來，就是我們說的「髓」。其實現在髓，不必一定要抽骨髓，就是在血(液)中循環，血中就有血的幹細胞在，就能夠再去救人，這個幹細胞，周邊血幹細胞，能輸入到另外這個，需要的人骨髓中，自然他就會恢復，他造血的功能。
就如我們凡夫，我們就如我們的身體，造血的功能失調一樣，現在我們向佛取法髓，來補充我們，讓我們的慧命法髓的功能再造。所以，佛法就是法髓。我們慧命中的法髓，我們久來已經是失調，失調了，功能失去了，所以我們現在借佛的智慧、所說的法，入我們的心，讓我們這個慧命法髓再造，使我們的慧命，能夠發揮它的功能、它的良能，還能幫助別人。
這就是我們也看到很多，接受別人的骨髓，現在健康了。這就是接受來的，又能夠付出去，這是慧命增長。
「佛心護念」。佛心，佛陀覺悟之後，那剎那間的心思，本來就想趕緊與大家，分享覺悟的境界是這樣。考慮到眾生，無法體會佛知、佛見，所以他就要用心循循善誘，悲智雙運。悲，就是體諒眾生的，小根、小智，體諒眾生歷久以來在六道中，有很多的煩惱不斷複製，所以無法一時間，能體會佛的知見。
所以，佛陀要先讓人人，「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行」。壞的事情不要再做了，才不會再複製業力。不再複製，這些業，慢慢地內心的無明(淡化)。因為他若做了好事，就成為法喜充滿，這個法的歡喜，能沖淡那種煩惱無明的苦。
這就是佛陀他應用種種的方法，讓人人「諸惡莫作」，瞭解因緣果報，「眾善奉行」，那就是造福人間，在造福中產生了智慧，在智慧中明白道理。所以這樣循環，這叫做善的循環。就如我們人身體中的，血輪循環一樣，血循環好，我們的身體就會比較健康，慧命也是如此。
所以，我們前面的（經）文：「比丘比丘尼，諸天龍鬼神，及乾闥婆等，相視懷猶豫，瞻仰兩足尊。是事為云何？願佛為解說。」
比丘比丘尼
諸天龍鬼神
及乾闥婆等
相視懷猶豫
瞻仰兩足尊
是事為云何
願佛為解說
《法華經方便品第二》
這是舍利弗代替全場的人，來向佛請求，請求佛陀能趕緊來說話。大家的心還有在懷疑，有猶豫，到底佛陀這一乘大法，發揮，我們是否能體會到佛知、佛見，這一乘大法？這是前面的（經）文。
接著，「於諸聲聞眾，佛說我第一，我今自於智，疑惑不能了，為是究竟法？為是所行道？佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」
於諸聲聞眾
佛說我第一
我今自於智
疑惑不能了
為是究竟法
為是所行道
佛口所生子
合掌瞻仰待
《法華經方便品第二》
在聲聞大眾中，佛陀常常就稱讚我，舍利弗就是智慧第一，都說我在大眾中是智慧第一。我現在，我舍利弗，現在以智慧第一，要來接觸佛法，要瞭解佛知、佛見，佛的甚深微妙之法，我自己，舍利弗本身，還是「疑惑不能了」。我自己也是一樣，說大家心中有疑惑，其實包括我在內，我的心同樣也有疑惑，無法透徹瞭解佛陀所要說的法。
所以「為是究竟法？為是所行道？」到底佛陀所要說的法，這究竟的法，或者是佛陀過去所行的道路？人云要知道這條路如何走，我們就要問走過這條路的人，才知道這條路是好走，不好走？這條路是直的、或彎的？這就要問過來人。
這個法的究竟就是甚深微妙，甚深微妙一乘大法，這是佛陀所走過的路。因為佛陀說過了，所供養的是，無量百千萬億諸佛，在百千萬億佛所，親近佛所教法。所以，佛陀所走過來的路，所修行的道場，已經是經歷這麼多，佛陀一定全都很瞭解。至於我們，還不瞭解。
所以「佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」大家都是很期待，期待法，這個究竟法，以及佛陀所走過來的經驗，修行道場的經驗，大家都很期待佛陀能夠開口，將這些法這樣說出來。
所以，佛陀所說的教法，「佛口所生子」，因為我們法，是從耳朵聽進來的，法是從佛口所說出來，而我們是從耳朵聽進來，所以佛陀的說法，就在四十多年來，內心所保護著，佛陀開頭就想要說的法，一直保護著到現在。希望佛陀將這四十多年間，所保護著的真實究竟法，這樣從佛陀的口中說出來。法出佛口，聲入耳根，所以叫做「佛口所生子」，大家都是很虔誠合掌，在等待了。這是舍利弗向佛陀求，求佛說這一乘實道。
我們現在先瞭解，「疑惑不能了」。舍利弗，佛陀所讚歎，千二百五十人中，這些弟子、常隨眾，智慧第一是舍利弗。舍利弗跟隨佛也已經，近四十年間了，因為佛陀他是成道的第二年，來度到舍利弗、目犍連。所以他就說，跟隨佛這麼久的時間，佛陀都說我是智慧第一，我現在在這智慧第一之中，我都還無法瞭解，我還有疑惑。
「疑」、「惑」兩個字，就是「疑理迷於事」。疑這個道理，道理若不透徹，對事就無法很透徹。
疑惑不能了：
疑理迷於事
不能決定是非者
於事不清
於理不達
我們不是常常說過，我們事若圓，道理就圓。事要如何能圓？我們做人就要圓。人格，我們人的人格若能圓滿，那就是我們要修行了。我們要修行，貪、瞋、癡、驕慢、懷疑，這些我們都要漸漸將它淡化掉，我們的人格才會慢慢修圓起來。所以人圓，事就圓。我們這些煩惱，慢慢淡掉，我們對人、事、物的瞭解，會更加清楚，對的，就是對的，不對的，就是不對的，是非分清。
「於事不清，於理不達。」我們若於事不清楚，道理我們怎麼能夠通達？所以在《無量義經》，我們若能「志玄虛漠」，自然「無量法門，悉現在前」，就「得大智慧，通達諸法」。
人就是要入人群中去，人人的身上，就是我們的一分道場，人人身上都是我的道場。因為每一個人的習氣不同，每一個人觀念不同，是對的，是不對的，能夠讓我拿來好好思考：哪一個人的長處、優點，是對的，是道理；哪一個人這樣無明，這種無明，我要很警惕。「是非當作教育，不要把人事當作是非」。
其實，我每天每天就是這樣，是非就是對我的教育。對的，我要再認真，把握當下，這對的事情要堅持繼續；不對的，是給我一個警惕，以後不要再犯了這個錯誤。所以，於事不清，於理就不達了。
「疑惑中常悔，自為過咎。」這在後面的經典中，就會有這段。因為我們有疑惑，疑惑之後，就感覺很後悔。有時候做錯事情，有一句話說：「最大的懲罰就是後悔。」這個後悔就是做錯了。
我們有時候做錯事情之後，自己又反省：錯了！錯了之後，對自己會感覺，對自己人格有虧損，這就是悔，很後悔。「自為過咎」，自己會自責。我們凡夫都是這樣，之前沒有好好想清楚，一念偏差，為所欲為，就做了。做了之後，才來過咎，已經過錯了之後，才一直追究，追究自己，追究別人。這都是很煩惱沉重的事情。所以我們要多瞭解。
各位菩薩，學佛，我們真正要時時用心。其實，疑也是好事，有懷疑，我們要趕緊去找。這就是顯示了慕法的心，仰慕著法的心，這樣也是叫做精進。我們要成長慧命，就要在法中，真正精、純的法，用於我們的心；不是只在文字。我們若常常在文字上轉，我們跳脫不出來。所以希望人人慧命要成長，法要應時代利用。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Behold the Dharma with Admiration (長養慕法之心)
Date: March. 04. 2014
“The assembly’s doubts revealed everyone’s admiration for the profound teachings. The perfect radiance of the three kinds of wisdom can eliminate the darkness of doubt. By listening to the essence of the Buddha-Dharma, we develop our wisdom-life. The Buddha’s mind safeguards His Dharma-children.”
This passage is sharing with everyone about what we have discussed before. Everyone was hesitant, all the spirits, gods, bhiksus, bhiksums, even Solitary Realizers, and those who made Bodhisattva-aspirations, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors and so on. At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, because the Buddha revealed Great Vehicle Dharma, they all had doubts in their minds. These doubts did not come from lack of faith in the Buddha, but out of admiration that He still had deeper teachings.
So, they doubted whether they could engage in this kind of spiritual practice to truly realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views. They doubted they could realize the extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Of course, they all admired the Buddha-Dharma. So, the Buddha quickly revealed the Dharma that He had been protecting in His mind, piece by piece, for everyone to understand.
In teaching everyone, the Buddha demonstrated that “the perfect radiance of the three kinds of wisdom can eliminate the darkness of doubt.” The Buddha used the radiance of the three kinds of wisdom to eliminate the ignorance, darkness and doubts in the minds of sentient beings. As long as people “listen to the essence of the Buddha-Dharma,” they will “develop their wisdom-life.” The Buddha-Dharma is like [bone] marrow which produces blood cells. Modern medical science is very advanced. Should our body’s ability to produce blood fail, if we are fortunate, medical advancements can help us find people with compatible stem cells. Then the compatible marrow stem cells can be extracted from the other person’s body. This is the “marrow” we speak of.
Actually, nowadays marrow does not have be extracted from the bone it is already circulating in our blood stream. In our blood, there are blood stem cells that can be used to save people. Once these peripheral blood stem cells are transplanted into the bone marrow of the person who needs it, naturally, their blood-producing function will be restored. We ordinary people are like bodies with dysfunctional blood production. We obtain Dharma-marrow from the Buddha to supplement and recover our wisdom-life’s function of growth. So, the Buddha-Dharma is Dharma-marrow, the essence of our wisdom-life. For a long time, our bodies have been imbalanced, and we have lost this function.
Now, by taking the Buddha’s wisdom and His teachings into our minds, the Dharma-marrow of our wisdom-life will function again.This enables our wisdom-life to function and fulfill its potential.This also enables us to help others.We see many [instances of patients] receiving someone’s bone marrow and becoming healthy again.
When we can accept teachings and then help others, we are developing our wisdom-life.“The Buddha’s mind safeguards [them].”
After the Buddha attained enlightenment, in that instant, He wanted to immediately share that state of mind with everyone.But, considering that sentient beings could not yet realize His knowledge and views, He had to carefully guide them and exercise both compassion and wisdom.
With compassion, He had empathy for their limited capabilities and wisdom and for the long time they had spent in the Six Realms, which caused them to endlessly create afflictions, preventing them from instantly realizing His knowledge and views.The Buddha first wanted to help us all to “refrain from all evils, do all good deeds”.
By not committing evil, we will stop producing more karma, and gradually, our ignorance [will disappear].When we do something good, we will be filled with Dharma-joy.This sense of Dharma-joy dilutes the suffering of afflictions and ignorance.
This is how the Buddha uses many methods to teach people to “refrain from all evils” and teach them about the law of karma.
“Doing all good deeds” is how we sow blessings in the world.As we create blessings, we grow in wisdom, with which we realize the principles.This is a cycle of goodness.
It is like the circulation of blood in our bodies.When the blood circulates properly, our bodies are healthier.Our wisdom-life works in the same way.
So, the previous passages stated, “Bhiksus, bhiksunis, all heavenly beings, dragon, ghosts, gods gandharvas and so on, look at one another hesitantly, and then gaze up at the Two-Footed Honored One.”
“What is the meaning of all this?I hope the Buddha will explain it.”
Sariputra, on behalf of the assembly, requested that the Buddha quickly speak because everyone still had doubts.They were hesitant about the One Vehicle Dharma and whether they would be able to realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views of the One Vehicle Dharma.This is what the previous passage was about.
He continued, “Among Hearers, the Buddha declared me foremost.And yet now even with my level of wisdom, I cannot resolve my own doubts.For the sake of the ultimate Dharma and for the sake of this Path, the Dharma-children of the Buddha, with palms together, look up expectantly.”
In this assembly of Hearers, the Buddha constantly praised him, Sariputra, as foremost in wisdom in the assembly.The Buddha said he was foremost in wisdom.Now he, Sariputra, foremost in wisdom, wanted to more deeply understand the Buddha-Dharma and His knowledge and views, Hid profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.
Now he, Sariputra, foremost in wisdom, wanted to more deeply understand the Buddha-Dharma and His knowledge and views, His profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Sariputra himself still “could not resolve doubts”. He was the same as them He said that everyone had doubts, and that actually included himself. He had the same doubts they did and could not fully penetrate the Buddha’s teachings.
[He asked] “for the sake of the ultimate Dharma”, “for the sake of this Path”. The teaching the Buddha wanted to give was the ultimate Dharma. This was the path the Buddha had walked on. People say that to know how to walk this road, we must ask those who have walked it before so that we can know if it is easy or hard, if it is straight or winding. To know, we must ask someone who has walked it. At its ultimate, this is the One Vehicle Dharma, an extremely profound. This is the road the Buddha had traveled. The Buddha said that He had made offerings to countless Buddhas in the past. He [practiced] in Their presence and drew near all Their teachings.
So, on the road the Buddha traveled, He went to many spiritual practice centers, and had already experienced much. This is why the Buddha understood everything and why we still do not understand. “The Dharma-children of the Buddha, with palms together, looked up expectantly”. They all greatly anticipated [hearing] this ultimate Dharma and the Buddha’s experiences from these various spiritual practice centers. They eagerly waited for the Buddha to open His mouth and give these teachings.
So, from the Buddha’s verbal teachings arose “the Dharma-children of the Buddha”.
The Dharma we have entered through our ears. The Dharma is spoken by the Buddha’s mouth and is heard and absorbed by our ears. The Buddha’s teachings were safeguarded in His mind for over 40 years.
What the Buddha had initially wanted to say had been guarded until now. They hoped the Buddha would finally teach the ultimate Dharma He guarded for over 40 years. The Dharma exits the Buddha’s mouth and enters their ears. So, they were “the Dharma-children of Buddha”. Their hands were clasped reverently as they waited. This happened as Sariputra asked the Buddha to teach the true path of the One Vehicle. Let us first understand, “I cannot resolve my own doubts”.
Sariputra was the one praised by the Buddha. Among His retinue of 1250, all his disciples, the one foremost in wisdom was Sariputra. Sariputra had followed the Buddha for nearly 40 years, because the second year after the Buddha attained enlightenment, He transformed Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.
So, Sariputra said, “I have followed the Buddha for a very long time. He says I am foremost in wisdom. Now, although I am foremost in wisdom, I still cannot understand. I still have doubts and delusions”. The two words, “doubts” and “delusions” convey the “doubt of principles and confusion over things”. If we doubt the principles, if we cannot penetrate them, we cannot thoroughly understand matters.
I cannot resolve my doubts:
With doubt of priniplces and confusion over things, we cannot discern right from wrong. When we are not clear on matters, we do not understand the principles.
Don’t I often say that if we deal with matters harmoniously, we will be in harmony with the principles. How can we harmoniously deal with matters? We must harmoniously interact with people. For our character to be harmonious, we must engage in spiritual practice.
Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt are emotions we must gradually weaken. Only then will we become harmonious. When we can harmoniously interact with people, we will do all things harmoniously. When our afflictions slowly fade away, our understanding of people, matters and things will be much clearer. Right is right; wrong is wrong. We must discern them clearly. “When we are not clear on matters, we do not understand the principles.” If we are not clear on matters, how can we thoroughly understand the principles?
So, the Sutra if Infinite Meanings tells us that if we [make] “vow as vast as the endless void, naturally, “infinite Dharma-doors will readily appear before us,” and we “attain great wisdom and understand all Dharma. We must go among people. There is a spiritual training ground in each perso.
Each of them can assist with our spiritual practice. This is because we each have different habitual tendencies and perspectives. Whether they are correct or incorrect, they give us things to consider. If people have positive traits, if they are right, [we learn] their principles. If a person is ignorant, we should be vigilant of that in ourselves.
“Treat conflicts as lessons, do not turn disputes into conflicts.”
Indeed, this is how I live every day I treat conflicts as lessons. If I do something right, I will be earnest and seize the moment to persevere in sustaining those actions. If I do something that is not right, I will see it as a warning as to not make the same mistakes again.
So, when we are not clear on matters, we cannot understand principles. “When we have doubts and delusions, we often feel regret and blame ourselves excessively.” This is a saying that appears later in the sutra. Because we have doubts and delusions, we feel great regret. When we make a mistake, there is a saying, “The greatest punishment is regret.”We have this regret because we made a mistake. Sometimes, after we make a mistake, we engage in self-reflection. When we recognize we were wrong, we feel that our character is deficient we feel that our character is deficient. This comes from regret, from great remorse.
Thus, “we blame ourselves excessively.” We ordinary people act in this way. We do not think things through clearly, so when a thought goes astray, we do as we please. Only after we make mistakes do we feel guilt and do we constantly try to examine ourselves and others. These things cause very severe afflictions, so we must understand them more deeply.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful. Actually, doubts are good things. If we have doubts, we will quickly seek [answers.] This shows our admiration for the Dharma and demonstrates our diligence. To develop wisdom-life, we must take the truly essential and pure Dharma into our minds and apply it, not only focus on the words. If we always only focus on the words, then we cannot transcend.
So, I hope you will all develop your wisdom-life and apply the Dharma accordingly. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙大眾之疑以顯慕法，三智圓明能破疑暗，聞佛法髓生長慧命，佛心護念佛口生子。
⊙「比丘比丘尼，諸天龍鬼神，及乾闥婆等，相視懷猶豫，瞻仰兩足尊。是事為云何？願佛為解說。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙「於諸聲聞眾，佛說我第一，我今自於智，疑惑不能了，為是究竟法？為是所行道？佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙疑惑不能了：疑理迷於事，不能決定是非者。於事不清，於理不達。
【證嚴上人開示】
「大眾之疑以顯慕法，三智圓明能破疑暗，聞佛法髓生長慧命，佛心護念佛口生子。」
大眾之疑以顯慕法
三智圓明能破疑暗
聞佛法髓生長慧命
佛心護念佛口生子
就是要與大家分享，我們前面說過了，諸天鬼神等等都是心懷猶豫。比丘、比丘尼，甚至緣覺，或者是發菩薩心的人，包括天龍八部等等，在法華會上，因為佛陀將要顯示大乘法，所以人人心中有疑。
這個疑不是不相信佛，是仰慕佛陀還有更深的法；懷疑，是懷疑自己到底這樣修行，要如何才能真體會佛知、佛見，甚深微妙的法？懷疑自己是不是能夠體會到？當然人人都是仰慕著佛法，佛陀能夠趕緊將他內心，所保護著的法，能趕緊一一公開，讓大家能夠瞭解，開示大眾。
佛陀就是，三智圓明能破疑黑暗。所有眾生的心疑，佛陀以三智圓明，能破除眾生心中的無明，或者是暗鈍，或者是懷疑等等。只要人人「聞佛法髓」，那就「成長慧命」。
佛法就如法髓一樣，會替我們造血。就如我們現在的醫療發達，若有人身體的造血功能失調，若有因緣，我們的醫療發達，發現到合的，幹細胞能符合的話，造血的細胞若能合，就能從另外一個人的身上，這樣抽下來，就是我們說的「髓」。其實現在髓，不必一定要抽骨髓，就是在血(液)中循環，血中就有血的幹細胞在，就能夠再去救人，這個幹細胞，周邊血幹細胞，能輸入到另外這個，需要的人骨髓中，自然他就會恢復，他造血的功能。
就如我們凡夫，我們就如我們的身體，造血的功能失調一樣，現在我們向佛取法髓，來補充我們，讓我們的慧命法髓的功能再造。所以，佛法就是法髓。我們慧命中的法髓，我們久來已經是失調，失調了，功能失去了，所以我們現在借佛的智慧、所說的法，入我們的心，讓我們這個慧命法髓再造，使我們的慧命，能夠發揮它的功能、它的良能，還能幫助別人。
這就是我們也看到很多，接受別人的骨髓，現在健康了。這就是接受來的，又能夠付出去，這是慧命增長。
「佛心護念」。佛心，佛陀覺悟之後，那剎那間的心思，本來就想趕緊與大家，分享覺悟的境界是這樣。考慮到眾生，無法體會佛知、佛見，所以他就要用心循循善誘，悲智雙運。悲，就是體諒眾生的，小根、小智，體諒眾生歷久以來在六道中，有很多的煩惱不斷複製，所以無法一時間，能體會佛的知見。
所以，佛陀要先讓人人，「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行」。壞的事情不要再做了，才不會再複製業力。不再複製，這些業，慢慢地內心的無明(淡化)。因為他若做了好事，就成為法喜充滿，這個法的歡喜，能沖淡那種煩惱無明的苦。
這就是佛陀他應用種種的方法，讓人人「諸惡莫作」，瞭解因緣果報，「眾善奉行」，那就是造福人間，在造福中產生了智慧，在智慧中明白道理。所以這樣循環，這叫做善的循環。就如我們人身體中的，血輪循環一樣，血循環好，我們的身體就會比較健康，慧命也是如此。
所以，我們前面的（經）文：「比丘比丘尼，諸天龍鬼神，及乾闥婆等，相視懷猶豫，瞻仰兩足尊。是事為云何？願佛為解說。」
比丘比丘尼
諸天龍鬼神
及乾闥婆等
相視懷猶豫
瞻仰兩足尊
是事為云何
願佛為解說
《法華經方便品第二》
這是舍利弗代替全場的人，來向佛請求，請求佛陀能趕緊來說話。大家的心還有在懷疑，有猶豫，到底佛陀這一乘大法，發揮，我們是否能體會到佛知、佛見，這一乘大法？這是前面的（經）文。
接著，「於諸聲聞眾，佛說我第一，我今自於智，疑惑不能了，為是究竟法？為是所行道？佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」
於諸聲聞眾
佛說我第一
我今自於智
疑惑不能了
為是究竟法
為是所行道
佛口所生子
合掌瞻仰待
《法華經方便品第二》
在聲聞大眾中，佛陀常常就稱讚我，舍利弗就是智慧第一，都說我在大眾中是智慧第一。我現在，我舍利弗，現在以智慧第一，要來接觸佛法，要瞭解佛知、佛見，佛的甚深微妙之法，我自己，舍利弗本身，還是「疑惑不能了」。我自己也是一樣，說大家心中有疑惑，其實包括我在內，我的心同樣也有疑惑，無法透徹瞭解佛陀所要說的法。
所以「為是究竟法？為是所行道？」到底佛陀所要說的法，這究竟的法，或者是佛陀過去所行的道路？人云要知道這條路如何走，我們就要問走過這條路的人，才知道這條路是好走，不好走？這條路是直的、或彎的？這就要問過來人。
這個法的究竟就是甚深微妙，甚深微妙一乘大法，這是佛陀所走過的路。因為佛陀說過了，所供養的是，無量百千萬億諸佛，在百千萬億佛所，親近佛所教法。所以，佛陀所走過來的路，所修行的道場，已經是經歷這麼多，佛陀一定全都很瞭解。至於我們，還不瞭解。
所以「佛口所生子，合掌瞻仰待。」大家都是很期待，期待法，這個究竟法，以及佛陀所走過來的經驗，修行道場的經驗，大家都很期待佛陀能夠開口，將這些法這樣說出來。
所以，佛陀所說的教法，「佛口所生子」，因為我們法，是從耳朵聽進來的，法是從佛口所說出來，而我們是從耳朵聽進來，所以佛陀的說法，就在四十多年來，內心所保護著，佛陀開頭就想要說的法，一直保護著到現在。希望佛陀將這四十多年間，所保護著的真實究竟法，這樣從佛陀的口中說出來。法出佛口，聲入耳根，所以叫做「佛口所生子」，大家都是很虔誠合掌，在等待了。這是舍利弗向佛陀求，求佛說這一乘實道。
我們現在先瞭解，「疑惑不能了」。舍利弗，佛陀所讚歎，千二百五十人中，這些弟子、常隨眾，智慧第一是舍利弗。舍利弗跟隨佛也已經，近四十年間了，因為佛陀他是成道的第二年，來度到舍利弗、目犍連。所以他就說，跟隨佛這麼久的時間，佛陀都說我是智慧第一，我現在在這智慧第一之中，我都還無法瞭解，我還有疑惑。
「疑」、「惑」兩個字，就是「疑理迷於事」。疑這個道理，道理若不透徹，對事就無法很透徹。
疑惑不能了：
疑理迷於事
不能決定是非者
於事不清
於理不達
我們不是常常說過，我們事若圓，道理就圓。事要如何能圓？我們做人就要圓。人格，我們人的人格若能圓滿，那就是我們要修行了。我們要修行，貪、瞋、癡、驕慢、懷疑，這些我們都要漸漸將它淡化掉，我們的人格才會慢慢修圓起來。所以人圓，事就圓。我們這些煩惱，慢慢淡掉，我們對人、事、物的瞭解，會更加清楚，對的，就是對的，不對的，就是不對的，是非分清。
「於事不清，於理不達。」我們若於事不清楚，道理我們怎麼能夠通達？所以在《無量義經》，我們若能「志玄虛漠」，自然「無量法門，悉現在前」，就「得大智慧，通達諸法」。
人就是要入人群中去，人人的身上，就是我們的一分道場，人人身上都是我的道場。因為每一個人的習氣不同，每一個人觀念不同，是對的，是不對的，能夠讓我拿來好好思考：哪一個人的長處、優點，是對的，是道理；哪一個人這樣無明，這種無明，我要很警惕。「是非當作教育，不要把人事當作是非」。
其實，我每天每天就是這樣，是非就是對我的教育。對的，我要再認真，把握當下，這對的事情要堅持繼續；不對的，是給我一個警惕，以後不要再犯了這個錯誤。所以，於事不清，於理就不達了。
「疑惑中常悔，自為過咎。」這在後面的經典中，就會有這段。因為我們有疑惑，疑惑之後，就感覺很後悔。有時候做錯事情，有一句話說：「最大的懲罰就是後悔。」這個後悔就是做錯了。
我們有時候做錯事情之後，自己又反省：錯了！錯了之後，對自己會感覺，對自己人格有虧損，這就是悔，很後悔。「自為過咎」，自己會自責。我們凡夫都是這樣，之前沒有好好想清楚，一念偏差，為所欲為，就做了。做了之後，才來過咎，已經過錯了之後，才一直追究，追究自己，追究別人。這都是很煩惱沉重的事情。所以我們要多瞭解。
各位菩薩，學佛，我們真正要時時用心。其實，疑也是好事，有懷疑，我們要趕緊去找。這就是顯示了慕法的心，仰慕著法的心，這樣也是叫做精進。我們要成長慧命，就要在法中，真正精、純的法，用於我們的心；不是只在文字。我們若常常在文字上轉，我們跳脫不出來。所以希望人人慧命要成長，法要應時代利用。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Behold the Dharma with Admiration (長養慕法之心)
Date: March. 04. 2014
“The assembly’s doubts revealed everyone’s admiration for the profound teachings. The perfect radiance of the three kinds of wisdom can eliminate the darkness of doubt. By listening to the essence of the Buddha-Dharma, we develop our wisdom-life. The Buddha’s mind safeguards His Dharma-children.”
This passage is sharing with everyone about what we have discussed before. Everyone was hesitant, all the spirits, gods, bhiksus, bhiksums, even Solitary Realizers, and those who made Bodhisattva-aspirations, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors and so on. At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, because the Buddha revealed Great Vehicle Dharma, they all had doubts in their minds. These doubts did not come from lack of faith in the Buddha, but out of admiration that He still had deeper teachings.
So, they doubted whether they could engage in this kind of spiritual practice to truly realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views. They doubted they could realize the extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Of course, they all admired the Buddha-Dharma. So, the Buddha quickly revealed the Dharma that He had been protecting in His mind, piece by piece, for everyone to understand.
In teaching everyone, the Buddha demonstrated that “the perfect radiance of the three kinds of wisdom can eliminate the darkness of doubt.” The Buddha used the radiance of the three kinds of wisdom to eliminate the ignorance, darkness and doubts in the minds of sentient beings. As long as people “listen to the essence of the Buddha-Dharma,” they will “develop their wisdom-life.” The Buddha-Dharma is like [bone] marrow which produces blood cells. Modern medical science is very advanced. Should our body’s ability to produce blood fail, if we are fortunate, medical advancements can help us find people with compatible stem cells. Then the compatible marrow stem cells can be extracted from the other person’s body. This is the “marrow” we speak of.
Actually, nowadays marrow does not have be extracted from the bone it is already circulating in our blood stream. In our blood, there are blood stem cells that can be used to save people. Once these peripheral blood stem cells are transplanted into the bone marrow of the person who needs it, naturally, their blood-producing function will be restored. We ordinary people are like bodies with dysfunctional blood production. We obtain Dharma-marrow from the Buddha to supplement and recover our wisdom-life’s function of growth. So, the Buddha-Dharma is Dharma-marrow, the essence of our wisdom-life. For a long time, our bodies have been imbalanced, and we have lost this function.
Now, by taking the Buddha’s wisdom and His teachings into our minds, the Dharma-marrow of our wisdom-life will function again.This enables our wisdom-life to function and fulfill its potential.This also enables us to help others.We see many [instances of patients] receiving someone’s bone marrow and becoming healthy again.
When we can accept teachings and then help others, we are developing our wisdom-life.“The Buddha’s mind safeguards [them].”
After the Buddha attained enlightenment, in that instant, He wanted to immediately share that state of mind with everyone.But, considering that sentient beings could not yet realize His knowledge and views, He had to carefully guide them and exercise both compassion and wisdom.
With compassion, He had empathy for their limited capabilities and wisdom and for the long time they had spent in the Six Realms, which caused them to endlessly create afflictions, preventing them from instantly realizing His knowledge and views.The Buddha first wanted to help us all to “refrain from all evils, do all good deeds”.
By not committing evil, we will stop producing more karma, and gradually, our ignorance [will disappear].When we do something good, we will be filled with Dharma-joy.This sense of Dharma-joy dilutes the suffering of afflictions and ignorance.
This is how the Buddha uses many methods to teach people to “refrain from all evils” and teach them about the law of karma.
“Doing all good deeds” is how we sow blessings in the world.As we create blessings, we grow in wisdom, with which we realize the principles.This is a cycle of goodness.
It is like the circulation of blood in our bodies.When the blood circulates properly, our bodies are healthier.Our wisdom-life works in the same way.
So, the previous passages stated, “Bhiksus, bhiksunis, all heavenly beings, dragon, ghosts, gods gandharvas and so on, look at one another hesitantly, and then gaze up at the Two-Footed Honored One.”
“What is the meaning of all this?I hope the Buddha will explain it.”
Sariputra, on behalf of the assembly, requested that the Buddha quickly speak because everyone still had doubts.They were hesitant about the One Vehicle Dharma and whether they would be able to realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views of the One Vehicle Dharma.This is what the previous passage was about.
He continued, “Among Hearers, the Buddha declared me foremost.And yet now even with my level of wisdom, I cannot resolve my own doubts.For the sake of the ultimate Dharma and for the sake of this Path, the Dharma-children of the Buddha, with palms together, look up expectantly.”
In this assembly of Hearers, the Buddha constantly praised him, Sariputra, as foremost in wisdom in the assembly.The Buddha said he was foremost in wisdom.Now he, Sariputra, foremost in wisdom, wanted to more deeply understand the Buddha-Dharma and His knowledge and views, Hid profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.
Now he, Sariputra, foremost in wisdom, wanted to more deeply understand the Buddha-Dharma and His knowledge and views, His profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Sariputra himself still “could not resolve doubts”. He was the same as them He said that everyone had doubts, and that actually included himself. He had the same doubts they did and could not fully penetrate the Buddha’s teachings.
[He asked] “for the sake of the ultimate Dharma”, “for the sake of this Path”. The teaching the Buddha wanted to give was the ultimate Dharma. This was the path the Buddha had walked on. People say that to know how to walk this road, we must ask those who have walked it before so that we can know if it is easy or hard, if it is straight or winding. To know, we must ask someone who has walked it. At its ultimate, this is the One Vehicle Dharma, an extremely profound. This is the road the Buddha had traveled. The Buddha said that He had made offerings to countless Buddhas in the past. He [practiced] in Their presence and drew near all Their teachings.
So, on the road the Buddha traveled, He went to many spiritual practice centers, and had already experienced much. This is why the Buddha understood everything and why we still do not understand. “The Dharma-children of the Buddha, with palms together, looked up expectantly”. They all greatly anticipated [hearing] this ultimate Dharma and the Buddha’s experiences from these various spiritual practice centers. They eagerly waited for the Buddha to open His mouth and give these teachings.
So, from the Buddha’s verbal teachings arose “the Dharma-children of the Buddha”.
The Dharma we have entered through our ears. The Dharma is spoken by the Buddha’s mouth and is heard and absorbed by our ears. The Buddha’s teachings were safeguarded in His mind for over 40 years.
What the Buddha had initially wanted to say had been guarded until now. They hoped the Buddha would finally teach the ultimate Dharma He guarded for over 40 years. The Dharma exits the Buddha’s mouth and enters their ears. So, they were “the Dharma-children of Buddha”. Their hands were clasped reverently as they waited. This happened as Sariputra asked the Buddha to teach the true path of the One Vehicle. Let us first understand, “I cannot resolve my own doubts”.
Sariputra was the one praised by the Buddha. Among His retinue of 1250, all his disciples, the one foremost in wisdom was Sariputra. Sariputra had followed the Buddha for nearly 40 years, because the second year after the Buddha attained enlightenment, He transformed Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.
So, Sariputra said, “I have followed the Buddha for a very long time. He says I am foremost in wisdom. Now, although I am foremost in wisdom, I still cannot understand. I still have doubts and delusions”. The two words, “doubts” and “delusions” convey the “doubt of principles and confusion over things”. If we doubt the principles, if we cannot penetrate them, we cannot thoroughly understand matters.
I cannot resolve my doubts:
With doubt of priniplces and confusion over things, we cannot discern right from wrong. When we are not clear on matters, we do not understand the principles.
Don’t I often say that if we deal with matters harmoniously, we will be in harmony with the principles. How can we harmoniously deal with matters? We must harmoniously interact with people. For our character to be harmonious, we must engage in spiritual practice.
Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt are emotions we must gradually weaken. Only then will we become harmonious. When we can harmoniously interact with people, we will do all things harmoniously. When our afflictions slowly fade away, our understanding of people, matters and things will be much clearer. Right is right; wrong is wrong. We must discern them clearly. “When we are not clear on matters, we do not understand the principles.” If we are not clear on matters, how can we thoroughly understand the principles?
So, the Sutra if Infinite Meanings tells us that if we [make] “vow as vast as the endless void, naturally, “infinite Dharma-doors will readily appear before us,” and we “attain great wisdom and understand all Dharma. We must go among people. There is a spiritual training ground in each perso.
Each of them can assist with our spiritual practice. This is because we each have different habitual tendencies and perspectives. Whether they are correct or incorrect, they give us things to consider. If people have positive traits, if they are right, [we learn] their principles. If a person is ignorant, we should be vigilant of that in ourselves.
“Treat conflicts as lessons, do not turn disputes into conflicts.”
Indeed, this is how I live every day I treat conflicts as lessons. If I do something right, I will be earnest and seize the moment to persevere in sustaining those actions. If I do something that is not right, I will see it as a warning as to not make the same mistakes again.
So, when we are not clear on matters, we cannot understand principles. “When we have doubts and delusions, we often feel regret and blame ourselves excessively.” This is a saying that appears later in the sutra. Because we have doubts and delusions, we feel great regret. When we make a mistake, there is a saying, “The greatest punishment is regret.”We have this regret because we made a mistake. Sometimes, after we make a mistake, we engage in self-reflection. When we recognize we were wrong, we feel that our character is deficient we feel that our character is deficient. This comes from regret, from great remorse.
Thus, “we blame ourselves excessively.” We ordinary people act in this way. We do not think things through clearly, so when a thought goes astray, we do as we please. Only after we make mistakes do we feel guilt and do we constantly try to examine ourselves and others. These things cause very severe afflictions, so we must understand them more deeply.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful. Actually, doubts are good things. If we have doubts, we will quickly seek [answers.] This shows our admiration for the Dharma and demonstrates our diligence. To develop wisdom-life, we must take the truly essential and pure Dharma into our minds and apply it, not only focus on the words. If we always only focus on the words, then we cannot transcend.
So, I hope you will all develop your wisdom-life and apply the Dharma accordingly. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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