20140408《靜思妙蓮華》方便善巧而教(第278集)
⊙「諸佛智慧甚深無量，其智慧門難解難入。」
⊙圓教，以不偏為義。
⊙圓教：明不思議因緣、二諦、中道、事理具足不別，適最上利根之人，故名圓教也。
⊙「舍利弗！諸佛隨宜說法，意趣難解，所以者何？我以無數方便、種種因緣。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙無數方便：謂修菩薩行者，於諸有情，或於聖教有未入者，引之令入。
⊙乃至諸戒律儀受持，防非止惡，種種方便，令諸有情皆得利益，是為方便善巧。
【證嚴上人開示】
「諸佛智慧甚深無量，其智慧門難解難入。」
諸佛智慧
甚深無量
其智慧門
難解難入
大家還記得，在〈方便品〉裡，這段文一直出現在經文中。確實，想一想，人間就是一個五趣雜居地。五趣是天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生。我們世間，地球上，雖然人類是一種，卻是真的是雜居，因為人人的心很複雜，五個人差不多有六種心。
所以，我們這麼複雜的人間觀念，這全都是充滿了無明煩惱。佛陀要來指導我們的方向，很單純，就只是一項——回歸心靈清淨本性。所以說，「五個人六個心」，其實五個人是共一心，那就是佛心。
我們往往都將佛心——佛的心意、趣向，我們都將它忘失，忘記它。所以各人，各人，回歸各人的五趣雜居在這人群中，所以複雜了。所以，我們要瞭解學佛，最重要的就是要理解佛的意趣。不過，意趣難解，這是我們昨天說過的。所以在佛陀，還未答應要講說之前，就是一直讚歎，讚歎一乘微妙的真實法。
一乘微妙真實法，是諸佛的智慧，甚深無量。「其智慧門難解難入」，智慧門就是佛的意趣，他的心意的趣向。所以我們的趣向若不準，要如何入此門呢？我們要入一個門，我們的方向也要對。
記得昨天我們也說過，佛陀是隨順眾生的根機，所說言教不虛，或者是用圓教、頓教、漸教等等，無非是要隨順眾生，引導眾生能夠開、解——心門能夠打得開，意趣能夠瞭解。這是佛陀的心意。卻是偏偏我們眾生，無明覆蔽了我們的心，一直無法去體會。所以「或圓，或頓，或漸」。
有四教：偏、圓、頓、漸，或者是藏、通、別、圓等等，這全都是佛陀對機說法的教義。在這當中，就是圓教是最圓融，佛陀「時乃說之」，常常就是要告訴大家，這種圓融的教育。
圓教
以不偏為義
這「圓」，圓，圓就是不偏，就是他的教義非常圓滿。如月，(農曆)十五、十六日的圓月一樣，就是這麼圓。所以這圓教，那就是要表明不思議的因緣。
圓教：
明不思議因緣
二諦 中道 事理
具足不別
適最上利根之人
故名圓教也
佛陀在說教中，不離「如是因，如是緣，如是果、報」等等，這是佛陀說法的基礎，也是真理。所以常常告訴大家，哪怕是要說話，也要選擇時機，選擇地點，選擇人與人，眾生會合的時候，這也就是有因、有緣。所以，佛陀面對著眾生說法，沒有離開「因緣」。
還有「二諦」，是「真諦」、「假諦」，或者是「空諦」、「有諦」。無論是真、假二諦，空、有二諦，都是不離「中道」。這「中道」說的是真空嗎？恐怕有人將它偏解了，變成了「偏空」。那說「有」呢？恐怕有人執著，迷著於有而執不捨。所以，佛陀在講法時，無論是二諦，但是也不離開中道；真、假會合，那就是「中道」。或者是事，對人講事，其實是在說理，所以事理具足。
這就是佛陀一代說教的方法，所以這叫做「圓教」。無論何時，佛陀都是在說法，都不離這種不可思議因緣，二諦、中諦、事理，全都很具足。
但是眾生的根機，能夠如何適合？實在是有比較困難。但是能夠全都具足，因緣、二諦、中諦、事理，若能夠了解透徹佛陀的意趣，所說的法，能夠全都圓融接受，這種人叫做上根利智的人。其實，道理都沒有分別，只是眾生的取著。若能完全具體接受，這就是叫做圓教。
所以接下來這段（經）文，也是昨天有說過了。我們再來看。「舍利弗！諸佛隨宜說法，意趣難解，所以者何？我以無數方便、種種因緣。」
舍利弗
諸佛隨宜說法
意趣難解
所以者何
我以無數方便
種種因緣
《法華經方便品第二》
這段（經）文與前面所說的，是同樣的道理。
諸佛，不只是釋迦佛，還有過去、未來的諸佛。「隨宜說法」，同樣要適應眾生的根機來逗教，無非就是要使令眾生能夠理解。但是眾生還是意趣難解，無論佛如何隨宜，適應根機來說話，無論怎麼說，大家總是取著於(部份)，那一段。所以還是到了佛陀，要講《法華經》這個時間，佛陀還說「意趣難解」。
我們《法華經》再接下來，佛陀要將此大法付託於弟子，娑婆世界的弟子，還是無人敢接受，向佛說：「佛陀啊！我知道佛陀的期待，不過，我們不敢。為什麼不敢？因為娑婆世界的眾生剛強，難調難伏。」你們若常常讀《法華經》，甚至禮拜《法華經》，這段（經）文，你們應該都有讀過了。
想想看，佛陀一代時教，一輩子在人間殷殷勤勤來說法，教化眾生，希望人人能夠這麼簡單，就接受佛陀的心懷，佛陀的意趣。但是，四十多年過去了，開始決定要講《法華經》，還有這麼多人，「未得謂得」的增上慢。一直到佛陀開始正式宣佈：你已經三請，我豈得不說，大家諦聽，善思念之。這時候，五千人退席而去。
你看，這是佛陀，他在人間四十多年的施教，卻是所得來的是那樣的境界，五千人退席了。留下來的這些人，佛開始讚歎，純有貞實。「無復枝葉，純有貞實」。佛陀開始說，到將要結束之前，「大家瞭解嗎？教菩薩法，就是要承擔天下眾生的責任，大家瞭解嗎？」這個法將要付託給大家，那個場面，還是大家很冷漠，無人願意說：「我瞭解，我承擔。」還是沒有。
這段（經）文，我也是這樣常常迴旋於，我的腦海中：「是啊！確實如此，到底真正是誰願意全部來承擔呢？」因為人人根機，心量還無法打開，無法將自己淨空。所以，這就是還有眾生剛強，難調難伏，這種怯弱的心，所以都是各執一端。
「無數方便」，也就是說，佛陀用種種的方法要來教化，無不都是教人人要行菩薩道。有人願意發心，將佛陀的典範，佛陀教育，以身作則，這個教法瞭解了，開始在修菩薩行。
無數方便：
謂修菩薩行者
於諸有情
或於聖教有未入者
引之令入
種種因緣：
未成熟者令其成熟
已成熟者令入道法
乃至諸戒律儀
受持防非止惡
種種方便
令諸有情皆得利益
是為方便善巧
這種菩薩行者，「於諸有情」，就是入人群中。入人群去，或者是用佛陀的聖教，佛陀是一代聖人，所說的教法，用佛陀的教法這樣去施教。
「或於聖教，有未入者」。雖然同樣用佛的教法，於眾生群中去施教，但是有的人還無法入，無法去瞭解。不只是佛用種種的方法，佛陀教育的菩薩，開始要施教，同樣入人群中，用種種方法來引導令入。
這種種方法就是種種因緣，向大家說種種的因緣。但是有的人「未成熟者」，就設法如何「令其成熟」；若已經成熟者，還是鍥而不捨，還不斷牽引他入於道法。
所以我們人間，剛才說五趣雜居，人人都想要入佛的知見，但是各人，有的根機比較利就已成熟，已成熟但是尚未決心，真正入佛的知見，所以也是要用心引導。
「乃至」用種種「諸戒律儀」，要如何讓他能順利進來，用佛陀的教法。佛陀的教法：戒、定、慧；戒是最基本。所以「諸戒律儀」受持，要讓大家「受持防非止惡」，種種方便，防非止惡，用「種種方便，令諸有情，皆得利益」，這全都是方便法。
就如我們慈濟，雖然人人都是以善門(入)，我們還要引他入佛門。我們「不經一事，不長一智」，但是智慧一定不離這個法脈。所以，慈濟宗門，就是要入人群去，去行「四無量心」；靜思法脈，人人就要開始發心，「四弘誓願」，要從我們的內心誠、正、信、實，修行的理念，這種的戒，「諸戒律儀」這樣才能開，用種種方便，使一切有情皆得利益，去為善付出，結好緣。無論什麼時間，什麼空間，什麼樣的人與人之間，在這有情(世間)，就是要去付出這個利益，這叫做方便善巧。
各位菩薩，學佛實在也是深，但是我們若是用心，這是在平時的教法，佛陀雖然說圓教、頓教、漸教、偏教，或者是藏、通、別、圓等等，無不都是一理，就是包含所有圓滿的法。看我們用什麼心，來接受佛陀的教育。所以時時就要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teaching with Suitable and Skillful Means (方便善巧而教)
Date: April. 08. 2014
“The wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and infinite. The door to Their wisdom is difficult to understand and enter.”
Do you remember that, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, this verse appears repeatedly? Truly, if we think about it, this world is where the Five Destinies coexist. The Five Destinies are the five realms of heaven, humans, hell, hungry ghosts and animals. In this world, on Earth, though the human realm is one of those destinies, all [of the Five Destinies] are mixed together. This is because human minds are very complicated. Among five people, there can be six different mindsets.
So, because our thinking is so complicated, we are filled with ignorance and afflictions. The Buddha came to guide us onto a simple course, which is to return to our pure intrinsic nature. So, [though we say] “five people have six minds,” actually, five people have one mind, which is the Buddha-mind. We often [forget about] the Buddha’s mind, His thoughts and His intent. We forget about these completely. Once we forget about it, we each return to our own state of mind where the Five Destinies coexist. This creates complications.
We must realize that, to learn the Buddha’s Way, the most important thing is to understand the Buddha’s intent. However, His intent is hard to comprehend. This was what we discussed yesterday. Before the Buddha agreed to give the teachings, He kept praising the subtle and wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle. This True Dharma is the wisdom of all Buddhas; it is extremely profound and infinite. “The door to Their wisdom is difficult to understand and enter.” The door to wisdom is [to understand] the Buddha’s intent, the direction of His mind. If our direction is not right, how can we enter this door? To enter a door, we must be walking in the right direction.
Yesterday, we also discussed how the Buddha taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities and that His words were not unreal [to false]. The teachings He taught were perfect, immediate or gradual. Everything suited sentient beings and guided them to be more open and understanding, so they could open the door to their minds and understand the workings of His mind. This was what the Buddha intended. But we sentient beings have minds that are covered by ignorance, so we are unable to attain this realization.
So, the Four Teachings include partial, perfect, immediate and gradual teachings, or collected, interrelated, differentiated and complete teachings. These terms embody the way the Buddha taught according to capabilities. Among them, the perfect teaching is the most complete.The Buddha teaches it “when it is time”.He constantly gives everyone this complete teaching.
Here, “complete” refers to something that is unbiased.
This describes the meaning of His teaching as truly perfect, like the moon on the 15th and 16th of a lunar month, which is very round and full.So, the complete and perfect teaching illuminates incredible causes and conditions.
Perfect teaching:
Illuminates inconceivable causes and conditions the Two Troughs, the Middle Way and completely and without differentiation.
Suitable for those with superior capabilities, it is called the perfect teaching.
As the Buddha gave teachings, He always taught that “such is the cause, such is the condition, such are the karmic retributions,” and so on.This is the foundation of the Buddha’s teaching and is also a true principle.So, I often tell everyone that even when we speak, we must find the right time, right place and the right people to gather together.Then we have the required causes and conditions.So, when the Buddha gives teachings, everything is related to “causes and conditions”.Then there are “the Two Truths,” which are the Absolute Truth and the Nominal Truth , the Truth of Emptiness and the Truth of Existence.
No matter which of the Two Truths He spoke of, He never left the Middle Way.Is the Middle Way about true emptiness?Some may misinterpret it and become “biased toward emptiness”.What about existence?Some people are so deluded they become too attached to existence and cannot let go.So, when the Buddha teaches the Dharma, even the Two Truths, He never deviates from the Middle Way.When the Absolute and Nominal are combined, this is the Middle Way.It is used to talk about both the workings of things and the principles behind them, so it is complete.This is how the Buddha taught throughout His life.This is called the “perfect teaching”.
At all times, the Budhda is teaching the Dharma, which is inseparable from which is inseparable from these inconceivable and conditions, the Two Truths, the Middle Way, and the workings and principles of things.It is complete with all of these.
However, sentient beings’ capabilities [vary] .Figuring out which teachings are suitable is indeed very challenging.But those who can completely [understand] cause and conditions, the Two Truths, Middle Way, and workings and principles of things can penetrate the workings of the Buddha’s mind and completely accept all teachings.
These are people with the highest capabilities.
Indeed, the difference is not in the principles but in how sentient beings receive them.
When they can accept [the teachings] completely, it is called perfect teaching.We also discussed the following verse yesterday.
Let us look at it again “Sariputra, all Buddhas teach according to what is appropriate, but Their intent is hard to understand.What is the reason?I give countless skillful means according to various causes and conditions.”
This passage and the previous one are discussing the same principle.All Buddhas, not just Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas of the past and the future, “teach according to what is appropriate”.They teach according to capabilities to enable sentient beings to understand [the Dharma]. However, they still could not understand the direction of Their minds. No matter how suitable what They teach is for sentient beings’ capabilities, no matter what They say, people only grasp a part of it. So in that passage, as the Buddha was about to teach the Lotus Sutra, He still said, “Their intent is hard to understand”.
In the next part of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha wanted to pass on the great Dharma to His disciples in the Saha World, but no one dared to accept it. They said, “Venerable Buddha, we know Your hopes, but we do not dare [accept].” “Why didn’t they?” Because sentient beings of the Saha World are stubborn and difficult to train.
Since we frequently read he Lotus Sutra and prostrate to it [in our morning recitation], we have probably come across this passage. Consider how the Buddha spent His lifetime diligently teaching sentient beings in this world diligently teaching sentient beings in this world. He hoped that everyone could simply understand His intention and the working of His mind. After over 40 years had passed, when He decided to give the Lotus teachings, there were still many with overbearing arrogance who “claimed to have attained what they had not”. Then the Buddha officially announced that after Sariputra made three requests, He felt He had to give these teachings, so everyone must listen for truths, ponder carefully and be mindful. At that moment, over 5000 people left. You see, after the Buddha taught in the world for over 40 years, the result was still that 5000 people left the assembly. For those who stayed, the Buddha praised them as “steadfast and true. [The assembly] is free of branches and leaves, only the steadfast and true remain”.
The Buddha then said, as He was about to finish teaching, “Does everyone understand that to teach the Bodhisattva-path is to shoulder the responsibility of [teaching] sentient beings?” “Does everyone understand that this teaching is to be entrusted to all of you?” But everyone there remained unresponsive. No one willingly said, “I understand: I accept”. Not at all. This passage often lingers in my mind as well. Yes, indeed. Exactly who is willing to accept all the responsibility? Because of their capabilities, people are unable to expand their minds and completely purify themselves. Therefore, they still had the timid mindset of thinking sentient beings were stubborn and difficult to train.
So, they were attached to the extremes. ”Countless skillful means” is how the Buddha uses many methods to teach people to walk the Bodhisattva-path. When people are willing to form aspirations, they see the Buddha as a role model, understand the teachings he gave by example, and begin to cultivate the Bodhisattva-path.
“Countless skillful means: It is said that Bodhisattva-practitioners guide all sentient beings and those who have not penetrated noble teachings to help them enter [the teachings].
Various causes and conditions: Enable those who have not matured to mature. Enable those who have matured to enter the teachings of the Path, so they can uphold all rules and precepts to prevent wrongdoings and stop evils. Various skillful means enable all sentient beings to attain benefits. Thus they are skillful and suitable.”
Such Bodhisattva-practitioners “guide all sentient beings” and go among people to spread the Buddha’s noble teachings. The Buddha was a great sage, who passed on His teachings to others.
“Those who have not penetrated noble teachings” may still share the Buddha’s teachings with other sentient beings, but some of them may not have penetrated or understood [the Dharma.] Not only did the Buddha use many methods in His teachings, the Bodhisattvas He taught also went among people to give teachings and used many different methods to guide people. The methods they used depended on the caused and conditions when they talked to others.
But some people “have not matured, so [Bodhisattvas] “enable them to mature.” As for those who have already matured, [Bodhisattvas] still had to be persistent in guiding them to enter teachings of the Path. So, we said earlier, the world is where the Five Destines coexist. Everyone wants to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom. Some individuals with superior capabilities have already matured. However, they are not yet determined to really enter the Buddha’s knowledge and views. Thus, they had to be diligently guided, so “they could uphold” all “rules and precepts.”
What is the way to guide them to enter [the Path] smoothly?By using the Buddha’s teachings of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.Precepts are the foundation. Thus, they must “uphold all rules and precepts”, so they can “prevent wrongdoings and stop evils.” They use various skillful means to stop evils, and use “various skillful means to enable all sentient beings to attain benefits.” Those are the results of using skillful means. Consider Tzu Chi volunteers.Even though they came in through the door of charity, we still need to guide them through the door of the Buddha’s [wisdom.] “Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom.” Wisdom is essential to this Dharma-lineage. So, the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism is about going among people and cultivating the Four Infinite Minds.[To be aligned with] the Jing Si Dharma-lineage, we must make the Four Great Vows and cultivate sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness in our spiritual practice. We must uphold “all rules and precepts” to open [the door]. We must utilize various skillful means to enable all sentient beings to attain benefits.We do good deeds and form good affinities. Throughout all time, space and relationships, we benefit other sentient beings. This is how we use skillful and suitable means Dear Bodhisattvas, the Buddha’s Way is indeed profound. But if we are mindful of the Buddha’s teachings, whether He is giving perfect, immediate, gradual and partial teachings or collected, interrelated, differentiated and complete teachings, [we realize] they encompass the same principle, the same perfect and complete Dharma.
This all depends on the mindset we have when we accept the Buddha’s teachings. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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