20140409《靜思妙蓮華》方便施教對機而演 (第279集)
⊙「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益；妙權善巧，譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見。」
⊙譬喻言辭，演說諸法，是法非思量分別之所能解，唯有諸佛乃能知之。《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙演說諸法：妙權巧說，方便設教，譬喻言辭，依於一實諦理演說諸法實相。
⊙諸法實相：究竟之理，或言真如；法性之體，或言實相，真俗二諦具含中道，諸法不離因緣果法。
⊙此釋佛知見，對機所說，難知難解；佛所自證之實相，即諸法寂滅相。
⊙是法非思量分別之所能解：佛所說之方便、因緣、譬喻，莫非即是法。然一乘實法，非以思量分別之所能解釋。
【證嚴上人開示】
「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益；妙權善巧，譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見。」
種種方便
令諸有情
信受奉行
皆得利益
妙權善巧
譬喻言辭
方便施教
利益知見
還是對大家這樣說，佛陀來人間就是為了施教，將他所覺悟的心與大家分享，希望人人與佛同等覺悟。但是，談何容易啊！佛陀不得不以，「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益」。因為，所有的有情眾生，要能體會到，佛所知、所見、所解，佛的心懷，是不容易的。所以，佛陀必定要用種種的方便，使一切有情能夠信受奉行。
我們前面說過，佛陀所說的教法都是很完整，無論什麼時候都希望眾生，能夠體會法的真髓。卻是，眾生能夠領受的，只是在他的凡夫的境界，來接受聖人的說法，所以佛陀，他只好就分段、分段說法。無論是頓教、漸教，或者是圓教，希望人人能夠在所有的教法中，能夠信受，信受才能夠得到利益。眾生若不肯信受，佛法再如何圓融，對眾生一點都沒有利益。
無論佛法有多好，我們若不肯好好聽，我們若不肯好好去思考，不能身體力行，再好的法在我們身邊，對我們都不能受用。所以說，信受奉行是很重要。
佛陀為了要讓眾生得到利益，所以他就要用「妙權善巧，譬喻言辭」，以東西來譬喻，用人事來譬喻，用故事來譬喻，用佛陀過去生中的法來譬喻。很多因緣、譬喻，種種的言教，無不都是希望眾生能夠瞭解，能夠啟發他們的知見，讓他們能受用。
所以，佛陀還是要用「妙權善巧」。「權」就是權教，權教就是方便。方便也是真理，也是從佛陀的內心，經過了思考，看、觀眾生的根機，適合眾生的根機，所以佛陀施用這種的方法。所以就是叫做「方便施教，利益知見」。
這個「利益知見」，眾生是不是能夠得到利益？佛陀所說之法，若能好好信解，自然就能夠有知見。
在這個知見利益，在過去，佛陀在王舍城時，波斯匿王，他對佛陀的說法，諦聽，善思念之，真正是一位佛陀的好弟子。
有一天，他靜下來時，他就這樣想：我常常親近佛，聽佛說法之後就是滿心歡喜。我現在身為國王，領導國政，國家很和平，人民很和睦，我現在還能聽佛法，我這輩子這麼有福，是不是我來世，同樣也能這麼有福，這麼有利益？
佛陀，就向波斯匿王說：你若是想要知道下輩子，是不是能有這樣的利益，告訴你，你要不放逸。你對你的人民，用這種的愛在施政，所以人人尊重你，你感覺很滿足，這是因為你精進，你不放逸，你將法聽入心。假使放逸了，心若放逸，放逸了，如此就沒有此法，沒有善法施政，所得到的那就是被譏嫌，被人批評，被人怨恨。所以不可有放逸。你若能夠不放逸，今世是如何的精進，如何得到福；來生也是同樣，同樣這麼精進，如此來生還是同樣能得到大利益。
其實，看到這段（經）文，就會想佛陀，難道沒有想要告訴他，不是只想享受人生的福，應該要有出世的精神；讓他不只是瞭解俗諦，還要讓他瞭解真諦。真諦就沒有說這輩子的利益，還想帶到來世，應該是今生此世，要很瞭解真空、妙有，這種出世的精神，入世的事業，這才是真正究竟。
佛陀為何不在此時，向他講解菩薩法呢？可見，波斯匿王的道心，還未很堅定。這是佛陀觀機逗教，用種種譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見，看他的根機到什麼程度，就利益他的根機。
接著，這段（經）文這樣說：「譬喻言辭，演說諸法，是法非思量分別之所能解，唯有諸佛乃能知之。」
譬喻言辭
演說諸法
是法非思量分別
之所能解
唯有諸佛乃能知之
《法華經 方便品第二》
他前面就是無數方便，種種因緣，還是用種種因緣，才譬喻言辭來演說諸法。佛陀還在此處說，他用種種譬喻言辭，來說種種之法，此法對眾生而言，用眾生的境界，「非思量分別之所能解」，不是眾生的根機，他們這樣聽，這樣去思量能夠瞭解的。因為，這種的妙法，「唯有諸佛乃能知之」，佛與佛的境界才能瞭解。
每一尊佛，他們同一種的心意，不忍眾生在迷茫中。諸佛，他與什麼樣的世界有緣，出生於什麼樣的世界，同一種目的，那就是開示眾生，悟入佛陀的知見。這是佛佛道同。
每一尊佛，觀眾生根機不同，設種種方法，在不同的時代、不同的環境，就以不同的環境、不同的時代，說種種那個時代的法。所以，在不同的環境，就用不同環境的現象，都是法，那無不都是法。
其實，每一尊佛，都有很固定的一法，那就是一乘實相的道理。這不是眾生的見解，能夠思量分別，能夠瞭解的，唯有佛與佛才能夠瞭解。
「演說諸法」，我們再來瞭解佛陀演說諸法，用種種的方法來演說。
演說諸法：
妙權巧說
方便設教
譬喻言辭
依於一實諦理
演說諸法實相
「妙權巧說」，用微妙的方便來善巧說法，視眾生根機「方便設教」。方便設教，隨什麼樣的環境，他就施什麼樣的教法。「依於一實諦理，演說諸法實相」，雖然是用種種妙權巧說，方便設教，無論是什麼樣的方法，為了要讓大家更加瞭解。譬喻言辭，他所依據的就是一實諦理，演說諸法實相。
他要說的一乘實相，到底是什麼？佛陀依據此法，要應種種的萬法施教，這是非常的深奧。「諸法實相」是什麼？那麼我們再用心來瞭解。
諸法實相：
究竟之理或言真如
法性之體或言實相
真俗二諦具含中道
諸法不離因緣果法
此釋佛知見
對機所說
難知難解
佛所自證之實相
即諸法寂滅相
那就是，「究竟之理，或言真如。」常常在說，佛陀為一大事因緣，就是要告訴大家，「人人本具真如本性」。人人都本具，希望我們人人，能夠回歸於真如本性。其實「真如」，叫做「究竟之理」。我們聽很多很多的道理，無非就是要能聽到那個，究竟的真理。我們修很多很多的行，長時間在修行，無非也希望能夠回歸真如本性。所以，真如本性就是究竟的真理，那個真理的盡頭就是「真如」。
所以「法性之體，或言實相。」我們常常說實相、實相，實相是什麼東西呢？實相，另外一種說法，叫做「法性」。這個法的本性，也是真理的體性，叫做「法性」。「法性之體」，就如「究竟之理」，或者是叫做「真如」。同樣的東西。
所以，所有的權巧方便，譬喻言辭，都有它的中心思想，思想的中心存在，所以說「真俗二諦」，全都含有「中道」的道理。佛陀無論是說真諦、俗諦，或者是空諦、有；無論是說空談有，或者是說真道俗等等，都不離圓融的「中道」。
「中道」的道理——他告訴你「空」，是因為你太執著；你執著於「有」，佛陀就會用「空」，般若空法，向大家分析、分析，化整為零。這麼多這麼多的事情，其實分析到最後，沒有什麼事情；有這麼多、這麼多東西，將之分析，四大分開，還是同樣歸零。所以「中道」就是圓教，圓融的道理，那就是中道。對執有的人談空，(對)偏空的人就說妙有。中道，不空、不有，是空、是有，這就是中道圓融的教理。
所以「諸法不離因緣果法」。所有的法，佛陀無論是說空談有，全都不離開這個因緣。雖然佛陀這樣開種種方法，對眾生所說的，但是眾生要能夠體會到，思想的中心，還是還有一段的距離。
「佛所自證之實相，即諸法寂滅相。」其實，佛所證的法，是諸法寂滅相。諸法寂滅，就是真如本性，這是佛陀所證的境界。
「是法非思量分別之所能解」。唯有我們要用心好好體會。
是法非思量分別
之所能解：
佛所說之方便、
因緣、譬喻
莫非即是法
然一乘實法
非以思量分別
之所能解釋
就如我們剛才說過了，是要稱為「真如」，要稱為「實相」，要稱為「究竟法」，要稱為「寂滅法」等等，其實，只有一種而已，不過，名詞有這麼多。
種種的方便、因緣、譬喻，無不都是法，就是一乘實法。這種一乘實法，非以思量分別之所能解釋，不是光用想的就能解釋，最重要的是要身體力行。「斯人飲水，冷暖自知」，這麼簡單，所以我們人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Proclaiming the Dharma According to Capabilities (方便施教 對機而演)
Date: April. 09. 2014
“Various skillful means enable all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [teachings] and attain benefits. Using wondrous provisional and suitable teachings, analogies and verbal expressions, He skillfully gives teachings to benefit them with knowledge and views.”
This is tells us again that the Buddha comes to the world to teach and share His enlightened state of mind with everyone, in the hope that we will attain the same awakening. But His task is not easy at all. The Buddha had no choice but to use “various skillful means,” which “enable all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [teachings] and attain benefits.” For all sentient beings to be able to realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views and be able to understand His intent is not easy. So, He had to use various skillful means to lead all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [the Dharma]. As we have said before, the Buddha’s teachings are very complete. At all times, he hopes that sentient beings can understand the true essence of the Dharma.
But sentient beings can only utilize their unenlightened minds to try to accept His noble teachings. So, the Buddha had to explain the teachings section by section. Whether He is giving immediate, gradual or perfect teachings, He hopes everyone can faithfully accept them. Only by faithfully accepting them can we benefit. If sentient beings reject [the teachings].No matter how perfect the Buddha-Dharma is, it cannot benefit sentient beings,no matter how good the Buddha-Dharma is, if we refuse to listen attentively, if we refuse to think about it carefully and do not put it into practice, even if the best teaching is right before us, we will not be able to make use of it.
So, faithful acceptance and practice are crucial. To help sentient beings attain these benefits, the Buddha used “wondrous provisional and suitable teachings, analogies and verbal expressions.” He used things, interpersonal matters and stories as analogies, as well as teachings from the Buddha’s past lives. The many causes, conditions, analogies and various verbal teachings were all taught solely to help sentient beings attain understanding and awaken their knowledge and views, so they could make use of these teachings.
Therefore, the Buddha still had to use “wondrous provisional and suitable teachings.” “Provisional” refers to provisional teachings, which are skillful means. Skillful means are also true principles; they come from the Buddha’s heart, then are analyzed and contemplated. By observing the capabilities of sentient beings and knowing what [method] is suitable for them, the Buddha will then use that particular method. Therefore, it is said, “He skillfully gives teachings to benefit them with knowledge and views.”
If he “benefits them with knowledge and views,can sentient beings really benefit from this？”If they can believe in and understand the Dharma taught by the Buddha,naturally they will develope knowledge and views.This is how He “benefits them with knowledge and views.”
In the past,when the Buddha was at City of the House of Kings, King Prasenajit listened for truths in the Buddha’s teachings,pondered it carefully and was mindful of it.He was indeed a very good disciple of the Buddha.One day,when he stilled his mind,he thought, “I constantly draw near the Buddha and feel joyful after listening to the Dharma.As a king,I set national policies.My country is truly peaceful,and many people live in harmony.I am even able to listen to the Buddha- Dharma.I feel so blessed in this life.I wonder if, in my next life,I will be able to enjoy the same blessings and the same benefits [when he asked,] ” the Buddha kindly said to him, “If you want to know whether, in your next life,you will be able to benefits in the same way,do as I said;do not be indolent. You govern your people with love,so everyone respects you.You feel very content because you are diligent,never lose focus and take the Dharma to heart.If you become indolent and grow lazy,then the Dharma will disappear.You will no longer govern with virtuous Dharma.You will then be subject to people’s contempt,criticism and hatred.So,you cannot become indolent.If you can refrain from becoming indolent,as you have been diligent in this life and attained this blessings,if you can be just as diligent in the future lifetime,you will sill attain the same great benefit in the future. ”
In fact,when we read this part of the sutra,we wonder, “Why didn’t the Buddha tell him to
not just enjoy the blessing of this world but to have the will to transcend the world？Why did he help him understand only the Worldly Truth,but not also the Absolute Truth？” The Absolute Truth is not concerned with bring the benefit of this lifetime into the next.It is about using this lifetime to truly understand true emptiness and wondrous existence.
Using a world-transcending spirit to work is the ultimate [state] .Why didn’t the Buddha take this opportunity to explain the Bodhisattva-path？
We can see from this that King Prasenajit’s spiritual aspirations were still not very firm.
This was how the Buddha taught according to capabilities.He used virtuous analogies,expressions,and skillful means to benefit people with knowledge and views.
By recognizing the extent of their capabilities,the Buddha could benefit them accordingly.
The next passage of the sutra states,“[with] analogies and verbal expressions,He proclaimed all Dharma.This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination;only Buddhas alone can know it.”
Previously,He used countless skillful means and various causes and conditions to come up with analogies and expressions to proclaim all Dharma.The Buddha says again here that He use various analogies and expressions to give all kinds of teachings.For sentient beings,based on their state of mind, “[this Dharma]
cannot be understood through deliberation discrimination. ”It is not something
that sentient beings,with their capabilities,can understand by listening or
contemplating.
When it comes to this wondrous Dharma, “only Buddhas alone can know it.” Only those in the Buddha’s state can understand. Every Buddha has the same intention and cannot bear to let sentient beings remain lost. All Buddhas are born to certain worlds based on Their karmic connections, but They all have the same goal, to open and reveal teachings to sentient beings, so they can realize and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and views. This is the path shared by all Buddhas.
Every Buddha sees that sentient beings have different capabilities, so They come up with various methods for different eras and environments. Based on that specific place and era, They give suitable teachings for that time. So, in different environments, They manifest different appearances. This is all Dharma.
In fact, the one teaching all Buddhas give is the principle of the ultimate reality of the OneVehicle. This is not something that sentient beings can understand with deliberation and discrimination. Only Buddhas alone can understand it. “He proclaimed all Dharma”. Let us understand how the Buddha proclaimed all Dharma using various means.
“He proclaimed all Dharma:
He skillfully gave wondrous provisional teachings and established different skillful means. [With] analogies and expressions, based on the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle, He explained the ultimate reality of all things.”
He gave “wondrous provisional teachings”. He used subtle and wondrous means to give teachings and “established different skillful means” by observing the capabilities of sentient beings. His establishing different skillful means shows that the circumstances determined the types of teachings He gave. “With the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle, He explained the ultimate reality of all things.” Although He used various wondrous provisional teachings and skillful means, regardless of the method He used to enhance each person’s understanding in His analogies and expressions, He relied on the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle to explain the ultimate reality of all things. What was this ultimate reality of the One Vehicle that He wanted to teach? The Buddha had to adapt this Dharma to tens of thousands of teachings. [This Dharma] is very deep and profound. So what is “the ultimate reality of all things?” Let us put our heart into understanding it.
“The ultimate reality of all things:
The ultimate principle, or what is called True Suchness; the embodiment of Dharma-nature, or what is called ultimate reality; the Middle Way contained in the Two Truths, Absolute and Worldly; all Dharma is inseparable from the law of karma. These are Sakyamuni’s knowledge and views, which He taught according to capabilities, but they are difficult to know and understand. The ultimate reality that the Buddha realized was the ultimate state of cessation in all things.”
This is “the ultimate principle, or what is called True Suchness”. We often say the Buddha [taught] for one great cause, to tell all of us that “everyone has a nature of True Suchness”. [Buddha-nature] is intrinsic to all of us. He hopes that we can all return to our nature of True Suchness. Indeed, True Suchness is “the ultimate principle’. We have heard many, many principles for no other purpose than to [eventually] hear the ultimate principle of reality. We have engaged in spiritual practice for a very long time, for no other purpose than to return to our nature of True Suchness. So, our nature of True Suchness is the ultimate principle of reality. At the core of that principle is “True Suchness”.
This is “the embodiment of Dharma-nature, or what is called ultimate reality”. We often talk about ultimate reality, but what is ultimate reality? Another way of describing ultimate reality is Dharma-nature, the intrinsic nature of the Dharma. The embodiment true principle is also called Dharma-nature “the embodiment of Dharma-nature.” It is like “the ultimate principle,” or what is called True Suchness.
This is the same thing. All provisional and skillful teachings, analogies and expressions, all contain [the same] central tenet. So, “the two Truths, Absolute and Worldly, both contain the principle of the Middle Way.
Whether the Buddha talks about Absolute Truth, Worldly Truth, the Truth of Emptiness or Existence, whether He speaks of emptiness or existence, the true path or the mundane, [His teachings] never deviate from the perfect Middle Way. The principle of the Middle Way teach us about “emptiness” because our attachments are too strong. Since we are attached to “existence,” the Buddha uses “emptiness,” Prajna teachings, to help us analyze how everything breaks down into nothing.
Many things, when analyzed [down to their most basic components], are fundamentally empty.When all these things are analyzed, after the four elements disperse, there is nothing there. So, the Middle Way is the perfect teaching; the most complete principle is the Middle Way He teaches emptiness to people attached to existence, and He teaches wondrous existence to those biased toward emptiness. The Middle Way is not biased toward either emptiness or existence.This is the all-encompassing teaching of the Middle Way.
“All Dharma is inseparable from the law of karma.” All of the Buddha’s teachings, whether about emptiness or existence, are inseparable from the law of karma. Although the Buddha developed various means to teach sentient beings, they still have a long way to go before realizing His core teaching.
“The ultimate reality that the Buddha realized was the ultimate state of cessation in all things.” Indeed, the Dharma realized by the Buddha was the ultimate state of cessation in all things. The ultimate state of cessation, the nature of True Suchness, is the state realized by the Buddha. “This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.”We can only mindfully and earnestly experience it.
This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination:
Skillful means, causes and conditions and analogies given by the Buddha are all forms of the Dharma. But the True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.
As I just mentioned, what we call True Suchness, or the ultimate truth, the supreme Dharma, teachings on extinction, and so on, is all actually just one [truth], It merely has many labels. These skillful means, causes, conditions and analogies are all Dharma; they are all True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination or contemplation. Most importantly, we must put [the Dharma] into practice.
“Only the person who drinks the water knows the water’s actual temperature.” It is that simple. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益；妙權善巧，譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見。」
⊙譬喻言辭，演說諸法，是法非思量分別之所能解，唯有諸佛乃能知之。《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙演說諸法：妙權巧說，方便設教，譬喻言辭，依於一實諦理演說諸法實相。
⊙諸法實相：究竟之理，或言真如；法性之體，或言實相，真俗二諦具含中道，諸法不離因緣果法。
⊙此釋佛知見，對機所說，難知難解；佛所自證之實相，即諸法寂滅相。
⊙是法非思量分別之所能解：佛所說之方便、因緣、譬喻，莫非即是法。然一乘實法，非以思量分別之所能解釋。
【證嚴上人開示】
「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益；妙權善巧，譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見。」
種種方便
令諸有情
信受奉行
皆得利益
妙權善巧
譬喻言辭
方便施教
利益知見
還是對大家這樣說，佛陀來人間就是為了施教，將他所覺悟的心與大家分享，希望人人與佛同等覺悟。但是，談何容易啊！佛陀不得不以，「種種方便，令諸有情，信受奉行，皆得利益」。因為，所有的有情眾生，要能體會到，佛所知、所見、所解，佛的心懷，是不容易的。所以，佛陀必定要用種種的方便，使一切有情能夠信受奉行。
我們前面說過，佛陀所說的教法都是很完整，無論什麼時候都希望眾生，能夠體會法的真髓。卻是，眾生能夠領受的，只是在他的凡夫的境界，來接受聖人的說法，所以佛陀，他只好就分段、分段說法。無論是頓教、漸教，或者是圓教，希望人人能夠在所有的教法中，能夠信受，信受才能夠得到利益。眾生若不肯信受，佛法再如何圓融，對眾生一點都沒有利益。
無論佛法有多好，我們若不肯好好聽，我們若不肯好好去思考，不能身體力行，再好的法在我們身邊，對我們都不能受用。所以說，信受奉行是很重要。
佛陀為了要讓眾生得到利益，所以他就要用「妙權善巧，譬喻言辭」，以東西來譬喻，用人事來譬喻，用故事來譬喻，用佛陀過去生中的法來譬喻。很多因緣、譬喻，種種的言教，無不都是希望眾生能夠瞭解，能夠啟發他們的知見，讓他們能受用。
所以，佛陀還是要用「妙權善巧」。「權」就是權教，權教就是方便。方便也是真理，也是從佛陀的內心，經過了思考，看、觀眾生的根機，適合眾生的根機，所以佛陀施用這種的方法。所以就是叫做「方便施教，利益知見」。
這個「利益知見」，眾生是不是能夠得到利益？佛陀所說之法，若能好好信解，自然就能夠有知見。
在這個知見利益，在過去，佛陀在王舍城時，波斯匿王，他對佛陀的說法，諦聽，善思念之，真正是一位佛陀的好弟子。
有一天，他靜下來時，他就這樣想：我常常親近佛，聽佛說法之後就是滿心歡喜。我現在身為國王，領導國政，國家很和平，人民很和睦，我現在還能聽佛法，我這輩子這麼有福，是不是我來世，同樣也能這麼有福，這麼有利益？
佛陀，就向波斯匿王說：你若是想要知道下輩子，是不是能有這樣的利益，告訴你，你要不放逸。你對你的人民，用這種的愛在施政，所以人人尊重你，你感覺很滿足，這是因為你精進，你不放逸，你將法聽入心。假使放逸了，心若放逸，放逸了，如此就沒有此法，沒有善法施政，所得到的那就是被譏嫌，被人批評，被人怨恨。所以不可有放逸。你若能夠不放逸，今世是如何的精進，如何得到福；來生也是同樣，同樣這麼精進，如此來生還是同樣能得到大利益。
其實，看到這段（經）文，就會想佛陀，難道沒有想要告訴他，不是只想享受人生的福，應該要有出世的精神；讓他不只是瞭解俗諦，還要讓他瞭解真諦。真諦就沒有說這輩子的利益，還想帶到來世，應該是今生此世，要很瞭解真空、妙有，這種出世的精神，入世的事業，這才是真正究竟。
佛陀為何不在此時，向他講解菩薩法呢？可見，波斯匿王的道心，還未很堅定。這是佛陀觀機逗教，用種種譬喻言辭，方便施教，利益知見，看他的根機到什麼程度，就利益他的根機。
接著，這段（經）文這樣說：「譬喻言辭，演說諸法，是法非思量分別之所能解，唯有諸佛乃能知之。」
譬喻言辭
演說諸法
是法非思量分別
之所能解
唯有諸佛乃能知之
《法華經 方便品第二》
他前面就是無數方便，種種因緣，還是用種種因緣，才譬喻言辭來演說諸法。佛陀還在此處說，他用種種譬喻言辭，來說種種之法，此法對眾生而言，用眾生的境界，「非思量分別之所能解」，不是眾生的根機，他們這樣聽，這樣去思量能夠瞭解的。因為，這種的妙法，「唯有諸佛乃能知之」，佛與佛的境界才能瞭解。
每一尊佛，他們同一種的心意，不忍眾生在迷茫中。諸佛，他與什麼樣的世界有緣，出生於什麼樣的世界，同一種目的，那就是開示眾生，悟入佛陀的知見。這是佛佛道同。
每一尊佛，觀眾生根機不同，設種種方法，在不同的時代、不同的環境，就以不同的環境、不同的時代，說種種那個時代的法。所以，在不同的環境，就用不同環境的現象，都是法，那無不都是法。
其實，每一尊佛，都有很固定的一法，那就是一乘實相的道理。這不是眾生的見解，能夠思量分別，能夠瞭解的，唯有佛與佛才能夠瞭解。
「演說諸法」，我們再來瞭解佛陀演說諸法，用種種的方法來演說。
演說諸法：
妙權巧說
方便設教
譬喻言辭
依於一實諦理
演說諸法實相
「妙權巧說」，用微妙的方便來善巧說法，視眾生根機「方便設教」。方便設教，隨什麼樣的環境，他就施什麼樣的教法。「依於一實諦理，演說諸法實相」，雖然是用種種妙權巧說，方便設教，無論是什麼樣的方法，為了要讓大家更加瞭解。譬喻言辭，他所依據的就是一實諦理，演說諸法實相。
他要說的一乘實相，到底是什麼？佛陀依據此法，要應種種的萬法施教，這是非常的深奧。「諸法實相」是什麼？那麼我們再用心來瞭解。
諸法實相：
究竟之理或言真如
法性之體或言實相
真俗二諦具含中道
諸法不離因緣果法
此釋佛知見
對機所說
難知難解
佛所自證之實相
即諸法寂滅相
那就是，「究竟之理，或言真如。」常常在說，佛陀為一大事因緣，就是要告訴大家，「人人本具真如本性」。人人都本具，希望我們人人，能夠回歸於真如本性。其實「真如」，叫做「究竟之理」。我們聽很多很多的道理，無非就是要能聽到那個，究竟的真理。我們修很多很多的行，長時間在修行，無非也希望能夠回歸真如本性。所以，真如本性就是究竟的真理，那個真理的盡頭就是「真如」。
所以「法性之體，或言實相。」我們常常說實相、實相，實相是什麼東西呢？實相，另外一種說法，叫做「法性」。這個法的本性，也是真理的體性，叫做「法性」。「法性之體」，就如「究竟之理」，或者是叫做「真如」。同樣的東西。
所以，所有的權巧方便，譬喻言辭，都有它的中心思想，思想的中心存在，所以說「真俗二諦」，全都含有「中道」的道理。佛陀無論是說真諦、俗諦，或者是空諦、有；無論是說空談有，或者是說真道俗等等，都不離圓融的「中道」。
「中道」的道理——他告訴你「空」，是因為你太執著；你執著於「有」，佛陀就會用「空」，般若空法，向大家分析、分析，化整為零。這麼多這麼多的事情，其實分析到最後，沒有什麼事情；有這麼多、這麼多東西，將之分析，四大分開，還是同樣歸零。所以「中道」就是圓教，圓融的道理，那就是中道。對執有的人談空，(對)偏空的人就說妙有。中道，不空、不有，是空、是有，這就是中道圓融的教理。
所以「諸法不離因緣果法」。所有的法，佛陀無論是說空談有，全都不離開這個因緣。雖然佛陀這樣開種種方法，對眾生所說的，但是眾生要能夠體會到，思想的中心，還是還有一段的距離。
「佛所自證之實相，即諸法寂滅相。」其實，佛所證的法，是諸法寂滅相。諸法寂滅，就是真如本性，這是佛陀所證的境界。
「是法非思量分別之所能解」。唯有我們要用心好好體會。
是法非思量分別
之所能解：
佛所說之方便、
因緣、譬喻
莫非即是法
然一乘實法
非以思量分別
之所能解釋
就如我們剛才說過了，是要稱為「真如」，要稱為「實相」，要稱為「究竟法」，要稱為「寂滅法」等等，其實，只有一種而已，不過，名詞有這麼多。
種種的方便、因緣、譬喻，無不都是法，就是一乘實法。這種一乘實法，非以思量分別之所能解釋，不是光用想的就能解釋，最重要的是要身體力行。「斯人飲水，冷暖自知」，這麼簡單，所以我們人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Proclaiming the Dharma According to Capabilities (方便施教 對機而演)
Date: April. 09. 2014
“Various skillful means enable all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [teachings] and attain benefits. Using wondrous provisional and suitable teachings, analogies and verbal expressions, He skillfully gives teachings to benefit them with knowledge and views.”
This is tells us again that the Buddha comes to the world to teach and share His enlightened state of mind with everyone, in the hope that we will attain the same awakening. But His task is not easy at all. The Buddha had no choice but to use “various skillful means,” which “enable all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [teachings] and attain benefits.” For all sentient beings to be able to realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views and be able to understand His intent is not easy. So, He had to use various skillful means to lead all sentient beings to faithfully accept and practice [the Dharma]. As we have said before, the Buddha’s teachings are very complete. At all times, he hopes that sentient beings can understand the true essence of the Dharma.
But sentient beings can only utilize their unenlightened minds to try to accept His noble teachings. So, the Buddha had to explain the teachings section by section. Whether He is giving immediate, gradual or perfect teachings, He hopes everyone can faithfully accept them. Only by faithfully accepting them can we benefit. If sentient beings reject [the teachings].No matter how perfect the Buddha-Dharma is, it cannot benefit sentient beings,no matter how good the Buddha-Dharma is, if we refuse to listen attentively, if we refuse to think about it carefully and do not put it into practice, even if the best teaching is right before us, we will not be able to make use of it.
So, faithful acceptance and practice are crucial. To help sentient beings attain these benefits, the Buddha used “wondrous provisional and suitable teachings, analogies and verbal expressions.” He used things, interpersonal matters and stories as analogies, as well as teachings from the Buddha’s past lives. The many causes, conditions, analogies and various verbal teachings were all taught solely to help sentient beings attain understanding and awaken their knowledge and views, so they could make use of these teachings.
Therefore, the Buddha still had to use “wondrous provisional and suitable teachings.” “Provisional” refers to provisional teachings, which are skillful means. Skillful means are also true principles; they come from the Buddha’s heart, then are analyzed and contemplated. By observing the capabilities of sentient beings and knowing what [method] is suitable for them, the Buddha will then use that particular method. Therefore, it is said, “He skillfully gives teachings to benefit them with knowledge and views.”
If he “benefits them with knowledge and views,can sentient beings really benefit from this？”If they can believe in and understand the Dharma taught by the Buddha,naturally they will develope knowledge and views.This is how He “benefits them with knowledge and views.”
In the past,when the Buddha was at City of the House of Kings, King Prasenajit listened for truths in the Buddha’s teachings,pondered it carefully and was mindful of it.He was indeed a very good disciple of the Buddha.One day,when he stilled his mind,he thought, “I constantly draw near the Buddha and feel joyful after listening to the Dharma.As a king,I set national policies.My country is truly peaceful,and many people live in harmony.I am even able to listen to the Buddha- Dharma.I feel so blessed in this life.I wonder if, in my next life,I will be able to enjoy the same blessings and the same benefits [when he asked,] ” the Buddha kindly said to him, “If you want to know whether, in your next life,you will be able to benefits in the same way,do as I said;do not be indolent. You govern your people with love,so everyone respects you.You feel very content because you are diligent,never lose focus and take the Dharma to heart.If you become indolent and grow lazy,then the Dharma will disappear.You will no longer govern with virtuous Dharma.You will then be subject to people’s contempt,criticism and hatred.So,you cannot become indolent.If you can refrain from becoming indolent,as you have been diligent in this life and attained this blessings,if you can be just as diligent in the future lifetime,you will sill attain the same great benefit in the future. ”
In fact,when we read this part of the sutra,we wonder, “Why didn’t the Buddha tell him to
not just enjoy the blessing of this world but to have the will to transcend the world？Why did he help him understand only the Worldly Truth,but not also the Absolute Truth？” The Absolute Truth is not concerned with bring the benefit of this lifetime into the next.It is about using this lifetime to truly understand true emptiness and wondrous existence.
Using a world-transcending spirit to work is the ultimate [state] .Why didn’t the Buddha take this opportunity to explain the Bodhisattva-path？
We can see from this that King Prasenajit’s spiritual aspirations were still not very firm.
This was how the Buddha taught according to capabilities.He used virtuous analogies,expressions,and skillful means to benefit people with knowledge and views.
By recognizing the extent of their capabilities,the Buddha could benefit them accordingly.
The next passage of the sutra states,“[with] analogies and verbal expressions,He proclaimed all Dharma.This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination;only Buddhas alone can know it.”
Previously,He used countless skillful means and various causes and conditions to come up with analogies and expressions to proclaim all Dharma.The Buddha says again here that He use various analogies and expressions to give all kinds of teachings.For sentient beings,based on their state of mind, “[this Dharma]
cannot be understood through deliberation discrimination. ”It is not something
that sentient beings,with their capabilities,can understand by listening or
contemplating.
When it comes to this wondrous Dharma, “only Buddhas alone can know it.” Only those in the Buddha’s state can understand. Every Buddha has the same intention and cannot bear to let sentient beings remain lost. All Buddhas are born to certain worlds based on Their karmic connections, but They all have the same goal, to open and reveal teachings to sentient beings, so they can realize and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and views. This is the path shared by all Buddhas.
Every Buddha sees that sentient beings have different capabilities, so They come up with various methods for different eras and environments. Based on that specific place and era, They give suitable teachings for that time. So, in different environments, They manifest different appearances. This is all Dharma.
In fact, the one teaching all Buddhas give is the principle of the ultimate reality of the OneVehicle. This is not something that sentient beings can understand with deliberation and discrimination. Only Buddhas alone can understand it. “He proclaimed all Dharma”. Let us understand how the Buddha proclaimed all Dharma using various means.
“He proclaimed all Dharma:
He skillfully gave wondrous provisional teachings and established different skillful means. [With] analogies and expressions, based on the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle, He explained the ultimate reality of all things.”
He gave “wondrous provisional teachings”. He used subtle and wondrous means to give teachings and “established different skillful means” by observing the capabilities of sentient beings. His establishing different skillful means shows that the circumstances determined the types of teachings He gave. “With the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle, He explained the ultimate reality of all things.” Although He used various wondrous provisional teachings and skillful means, regardless of the method He used to enhance each person’s understanding in His analogies and expressions, He relied on the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle to explain the ultimate reality of all things. What was this ultimate reality of the One Vehicle that He wanted to teach? The Buddha had to adapt this Dharma to tens of thousands of teachings. [This Dharma] is very deep and profound. So what is “the ultimate reality of all things?” Let us put our heart into understanding it.
“The ultimate reality of all things:
The ultimate principle, or what is called True Suchness; the embodiment of Dharma-nature, or what is called ultimate reality; the Middle Way contained in the Two Truths, Absolute and Worldly; all Dharma is inseparable from the law of karma. These are Sakyamuni’s knowledge and views, which He taught according to capabilities, but they are difficult to know and understand. The ultimate reality that the Buddha realized was the ultimate state of cessation in all things.”
This is “the ultimate principle, or what is called True Suchness”. We often say the Buddha [taught] for one great cause, to tell all of us that “everyone has a nature of True Suchness”. [Buddha-nature] is intrinsic to all of us. He hopes that we can all return to our nature of True Suchness. Indeed, True Suchness is “the ultimate principle’. We have heard many, many principles for no other purpose than to [eventually] hear the ultimate principle of reality. We have engaged in spiritual practice for a very long time, for no other purpose than to return to our nature of True Suchness. So, our nature of True Suchness is the ultimate principle of reality. At the core of that principle is “True Suchness”.
This is “the embodiment of Dharma-nature, or what is called ultimate reality”. We often talk about ultimate reality, but what is ultimate reality? Another way of describing ultimate reality is Dharma-nature, the intrinsic nature of the Dharma. The embodiment true principle is also called Dharma-nature “the embodiment of Dharma-nature.” It is like “the ultimate principle,” or what is called True Suchness.
This is the same thing. All provisional and skillful teachings, analogies and expressions, all contain [the same] central tenet. So, “the two Truths, Absolute and Worldly, both contain the principle of the Middle Way.
Whether the Buddha talks about Absolute Truth, Worldly Truth, the Truth of Emptiness or Existence, whether He speaks of emptiness or existence, the true path or the mundane, [His teachings] never deviate from the perfect Middle Way. The principle of the Middle Way teach us about “emptiness” because our attachments are too strong. Since we are attached to “existence,” the Buddha uses “emptiness,” Prajna teachings, to help us analyze how everything breaks down into nothing.
Many things, when analyzed [down to their most basic components], are fundamentally empty.When all these things are analyzed, after the four elements disperse, there is nothing there. So, the Middle Way is the perfect teaching; the most complete principle is the Middle Way He teaches emptiness to people attached to existence, and He teaches wondrous existence to those biased toward emptiness. The Middle Way is not biased toward either emptiness or existence.This is the all-encompassing teaching of the Middle Way.
“All Dharma is inseparable from the law of karma.” All of the Buddha’s teachings, whether about emptiness or existence, are inseparable from the law of karma. Although the Buddha developed various means to teach sentient beings, they still have a long way to go before realizing His core teaching.
“The ultimate reality that the Buddha realized was the ultimate state of cessation in all things.” Indeed, the Dharma realized by the Buddha was the ultimate state of cessation in all things. The ultimate state of cessation, the nature of True Suchness, is the state realized by the Buddha. “This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.”We can only mindfully and earnestly experience it.
This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination:
Skillful means, causes and conditions and analogies given by the Buddha are all forms of the Dharma. But the True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.
As I just mentioned, what we call True Suchness, or the ultimate truth, the supreme Dharma, teachings on extinction, and so on, is all actually just one [truth], It merely has many labels. These skillful means, causes, conditions and analogies are all Dharma; they are all True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination or contemplation. Most importantly, we must put [the Dharma] into practice.
“Only the person who drinks the water knows the water’s actual temperature.” It is that simple. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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