⊙「佛心知見深遠，眾生知見淺劣，二乘啟知求解，諦聽善思念行。」
⊙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。
⊙佛特顯示：一乘實法。如是懈怠、不敬信、增上慢人，不堪受教，不能知解。
【證嚴上人開示】
「佛心知見深遠，眾生知見淺劣，二乘啟知求解，諦聽善思念行。」
佛心知見深遠
眾生知見淺劣
二乘啟知求解
諦聽善思念行
「佛心知見深遠」，確實是很深、很長、很遠。要說起了凡夫與佛的距離，實在是差得很遠。因為，「眾生知見淺劣」，這淺劣、深遠，那又是差多遠！所以，凡夫用凡夫心，要來測量佛的知見，實在是不可能。所以我們必定要修行。
眾生的知見，就是在自己的範圍，思想範圍裡，佛陀則是「心包太虛」。其實，我們人人，也能「心包太虛」，只是我們有一個自私利的見解，自私、利益自己，這種的見解，所以我們無法「心包太虛」。
「心包太虛」，乃就是，宇宙萬物都收攝於佛心性中，就是在真如之中。真如收回來，那是在一個「見」，就是佛知佛見；放出去，那就是宇宙萬物的真理。佛，他能夠這樣，其實，我們也是一樣。所以佛陀一直認為，眾生與他平等，應該也是如此。
看看我們有的人說，「那麼遠，怎麼看得見？」一副望遠鏡，鏡頭那麼小，拿來靠近眼睛這樣看過去，哇，很遠啊！好幾里遠，那個環境都看得到。視角不必很大，只要良能夠，視角就能很寬、很闊、很大。我們凡夫就是只用在功能，我們的見解只用在功能，我們還未用到良能。
功能，本來就是良能，只是我們眾生那種功利心，拿來遮在良能前面，所以就迷了，看不到外面寬闊的境界。宇宙萬物的真理，本來能夠收攝在我們的內心，真如本性之中，偏偏我們的真如良能，就是被這種凡夫，功利的功能遮住，所以我們所見的只是範圍，凡夫的範圍而已。
所以修行，我們既不希望做凡夫，我們是要向佛看齊，所以我們要開始信受佛所教法。
當初，在佛的時代，佛陀為了眾生的根機，所能接受的境界，他隨機逗教，所以有小乘、中乘、大乘，開三乘法，適應眾生的根機。不過，這是從事相而言，其實，佛陀所說法的道理，無論是深是淺，都是很圓融，看眾生的根機如何去接受。所以，在眾生有差別，在佛是已經圓滿了。
所以，這二乘已經隨佛修行，經過了四十多年後，佛陀在法華會上鞭策小乘，他就開始說：過去的(教法)就是權教，你們還未真實接納到我的本意，我的趣向，你們還未能瞭解。這些人都是停滯於小、中，小乘、中乘，所還未到達，一實大乘的道理，還未體會。所以佛陀不斷、不斷，讚歎諸佛甚深微妙的智慧，難知難解，一直、一直要告訴大家，希望讓大家的心開得再大一些，見解要再寬闊一些，希望人人懂得發大心、發大願。
所以，佛陀在法華會上，開始啟開這個寬大之門，二乘的修行者開始思慕，就很想要瞭解。所以「啟知求解」，有要追求，追求佛陀內心所護念，最甚深微妙之法，要如何究竟的道理，一直到達如來真如的本性，能夠讓我們體會到。這就是「二乘啟知求解」。
這個時候開始，大家要用心了。因為五千人退席了，(在場)這些人已經都是貞實，無有枝葉。其他人都退去，既然留下來的人，就是全心發大願，願意用心來聽法。所以佛陀開始就告訴他們：「諦聽，諦聽，善思念之。」要好好聞、思、修，不只是聞、思、修，還要身體力行。
前面的（經）文就這樣說：「譬喻言辭，演說諸法。」用種種種種的方便，「譬喻言辭」來說話，無論是講因緣，說道理等等，都是用很多方法，應機譬喻，這樣來講說諸法。
但是，所說的法，於佛是這麼真心在說法，但是於眾生，「是法非思量分別之所能解」。這段（經）文，我們要很用心去思考。佛陀既然應機逗教，就是隨順眾生的根機說教，但是眾生所收納下來的就是部分，就是解開他當時的煩惱、無明，心意開解。真實究竟的真理，真如本性，還無法透徹。
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
就譬如佛經典裡有很多故事。有一位婦女，生了七個孩子，卻是孩子長大了，一個一個就夭折了。已經到第六個，第六個也是忽然間夭折。這個女人哪堪得，能堪得這樣受打擊呢？所以就這樣精神錯亂了。
那個時候，全身的衣服都脫得精光，一絲不掛，跑在街上，不會分別周圍的境界。大家看到，議論紛紛，這個女人很可憐，是誰才有辦法救她呢？在這當中，這個女人就一直跑，走，來到佛的處所，在佛的面前跪，在那裡還是一絲不掛。卻是，來到佛前，她忽然間，內心起了那種苦的心情，放聲大哭。佛陀趕緊要人快拿一件衣服來，快給她的身體遮起來。
開始佛陀就說：「冷靜下來，聽我對妳說話。」這位女人，真的聽到佛的聲音，冷靜下來了。這一冷靜下來時，那種慚愧、懺悔、羞恥，趕緊將這衣服拉得緊緊的，包裹在她的身上。佛陀就說：「善女人，人人都知道妳心的苦。卻是要知道這個苦的心，與生俱來。其實，人生本是無常，長啊，短啊，你們看哪個家庭，有永遠的幾代、幾代人同堂呢？」
這期間，女人忽然間真的是如夢初醒，本來心很苦，要來聽佛如何能解除她心的苦，聽了之後，不知覺中，不只是苦不見了，反過來，心靈好像一道光明，非常溫暖的光明，這樣照入她的內心，清醒了。大家為這位女人慶幸。
卻是，一段時間過後，那就是第七個孩子，也是忽然間往生了。此時，這位婦女的先生，看他的太太好像很冷靜，就是接受這種境界。所以這先生就問太太說：「過去的五個孩子往生後，妳的苦難堪。第六個孩子去世時，妳心發狂。現在第七個孩子往生，妳竟然這麼冷淡自在？」
這位太太就說：「過去因為我不懂道理，不知道因果。我現在知道了，如是因，如是緣。我到底種什麼因，與他們結多長的緣，一切緣生，一切緣滅，是釋迦牟尼佛這樣告訴我，我瞭解了。」
這是在佛世時，有一段這樣的故事。所以，此處說「譬喻言辭」，之前說的是「種種因緣」，佛陀用種種因緣、譬喻言辭，演說諸法，也確實是這樣的道理，沒有離開因緣果報。那位女人，也是在因緣果報中受苦，佛陀將因緣果報說給她瞭解，除開了她的苦，心靈的苦。
但是，「是法非思量分別」。要能全都瞭解，真正圓融瞭解，那就是要全心，用心修行，長期要一層一層的煩惱，一分一分的法，這樣分分寸寸的進步，深入瞭解，才能體會佛的趣向與佛的知見。
所以「是法非思量分別之所能解」，雖然說很多法，但是，不是一般人，這樣想就能瞭解，不是如此。我們必定要諦聽，聞、思、善念，我們必定要有這樣，不斷不斷精進深入。
「唯有諸佛乃能知之」，唯有佛，佛與佛之間最能瞭解。何況佛陀前面也提起一乘實法，甚深微妙，尤其佛陀一直遲遲未說真實法，「止！止！不須復說。」是因為還有增上慢人在。所以說這一乘甚深妙法。如是懈怠、不敬信、增上慢這些人，不堪受教，不能理解。
佛特顯示
一乘實法
如是懈怠 不敬信
增上慢人
不堪受教
不能知解
因為此法法如此深，儘管佛陀不斷不斷用盡心思，這樣分別譬喻言辭，都無法讓一般人這樣就能瞭解，何況、何況說那些懈怠、增上慢的人，不受教的人，怎麼能體會到呢？
其實，我們人人本具佛性，唯有回歸如來真如妙理，這就是叫做諸佛，諸佛能夠瞭解。所以說來，「諸佛」，不只是我們以外，其實是我們人人回歸如來本性，這個清淨本性現前，所有的道理才能瞭解。
所以要聽法，我們必定要先回歸清淨的本性，所以聽法，必定要用清淨心來接受。也就是過去所說的「三無漏學」：戒、定、慧。聞、思、修，這樣好好用心來接受。
所以，請大家開始，要好好地把心清得乾乾淨淨，才能將佛的諸法，用我們的思量能夠瞭解。當然，這就是要佛，「(唯有)諸佛乃能知之」。記著，諸佛是在我們自己的內心，我們的心回歸如來清淨的本性，如此，我們就能夠瞭解。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Two Vehicle Practitioners Seek Understanding (二乘啟知求解)
Date: April. 10. 2014
“The Buddha’s mind, knowledge and views are profound and far-reaching. Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are superficial and inferior. Two Vehicle practitioners began to seek understanding, so they sincerely listened, contemplated and practiced.”
“The Buddha’s mind, knowledge and views are profound and far-reaching.” They are indeed profound, extensive, far-reaching. The distance between ordinary people’s [minds] and the Buddha’s is truly very great. “Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are superficial and inferior.” The superficial and the profound are very far apart. So, for ordinary people to use their unenlightened minds to try to fathom the Buddha’s knowledge and views is indeed impossible. Therefore, we must engage in spiritual practice.
Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are limited by the scope of their own thinking. The Buddha has “a mind that encompasses the universe.” Actually, all of us can have a “mind [that] encompasses the universe,” but we have self-serving views and understanding. Because our views and understanding are selfish and are only about benefiting ourselves, we do not have “a mind [that] encompasses the universe.” A mind that encompasses the universe means that all things are collected within the nature of the Buddha’s mind. This is the state of True Suchness. When True Suchness is in the mind, it is a view; it is the Buddha’s knowledge and views. When revealed to the world, it is the true principle of all things. The Buddha is capable of doing this, and actually, so are we.
The Buddha has always believed that all sentient beings are His equal so this should be the case. Some people will say, “That is so far away, how can I see it?” Though binocular lenses are small, when we look through them with our eyes, “Wow, [we can] see so far away, even places several miles away.” Its angle of coverage need not be very wide. But based on our potential abilities the angle of our view can be wide, broad and big. Ordinary people focus only on functional abilities. Our views and understanding are limited to how we function. We haven’t yet tapped into our potential abilities. Our functional ability comes from our potential, but our desire for material gain has masked our potential abilities. Thus we became lost and cannot see the expansive world outside. The true principles of all things in the universe were originally gathered within our minds, within our nature of True Suchness. Unfortunately, the potential abilities of our True Suchness have been obscured by our use of functional abilities [in pursuit of] material gain.
So, what we see is limited by our scope as unenlightened beings. As we engage in spiritual practice, since we do not aim to be ordinary people, we must look to the Buddha.Thus, we must begin to faithfully accept His teachings.
At the beginning, in the Buddha’s era, in order to suit what sentient beings’ capacities would allow them to accept the Buddha taught according to capabilities.So, He created the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles, the Three Vehicles, to suit their capabilities.
But, these only addressed particular situations.Actually, the principles taught by the Buddha, whether profound or superficial, were all perfect and complete.How they were accepted depended on people’s capabilities.So, the differences are found in sentient beings; the Buddha already attained perfection.
So, Two Vehicle practitioners had already been following the Buddha for over 40 years.
At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, to encourage.Small Vehicle practitioners, He said, “Past teachings were provisional.You have not yet truly perceived my intent or understood the workings of my mind.”These people were stuck at the Small or Middle Vehicle, so they had not yet reached or realized the Great Vehicle principles of the One Reality.
Therefore, the Buddha continuously praised all Buddha’s extremely profound, subtle and wondrous wisdom as difficult to know and understand.He continuously taught everyone, hoping that they could open their minds further and broaden their views and understanding.He hoped all of them would form great aspirations and vows.
So, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Buddha began to open this wide door.Two Vehicle practitioners began to yearn, began to want to understand [what He meant] so they “began to seek understanding”.They sought the most profound, sublet and wondrous Dharma guarded and retained in the Buddha’s mind.They wanted to know how these ultimate principles would lead them to their nature of True Suchness, so they could realize it.This is what “Two Vehicle practitioners began to seek understanding” means.
Starting at this time, they all had to be mindful.After 5000 people withdrew, those who remained were steadfast and true.The branches and leaves were gone; those people had left.Those who remained had wholeheartedly made great vows and were willing to mindfully listen to the Dharma.
From the Beginning, the Buddha told them to “listen for truths, ponder carefully and be mindful. ”They must really listen, contemplate and practice.Beyond that, they must also put [the Dharma] into action.The previous sutra passage said, “With analogies and verbal expressions, He proclaimed all Dharma.”
He taught using various skillful means and “analogies and verbal expressions”.
Whether discussing causes and conditions or many other principles, he used many skillful means and analogies suitable for people’s capabilities; this was how He taught all Dharma.The Buddha taught the Dharma so sincerely, but for sentient beings, “this Dharma could not be understood through deliberation and discrimination”.
We must mindfully contemplate this passage.Although the Buddha taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities, what they could take into their minds was only a part [of the teaching].It resolved the afflictions and ignorance they had at that time to open their minds.It resolved the afflictions and ignorance they had at that time to open their minds. But they still could not penetrate the ultimate true principles or their nature of True Suchness.
“The skillful means the Buddha teaches use causes and conditions and analogies. They are all forms of the Dharma. But the True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.”
Take this story from the sutras as an example. There was a woman who born seven children. As they grew older, one by one, they all died at a young age. By the time her sixth child suddenly died, this woman could not withstand such a blow. So, she lost her mind. In that moment, she tore off all the clothes from her body and rain into the street without a stitch of clothing. She had not idea where she was. When people saw her,
they commented how pitiful she was and wondered who could possibly save her. All the while, she alternated between running and walking until she came to where the Buddha lived. In front of Him, she knelt down while still completely naked. Once she was before Him, all the suffering in her heart suddenly welled up, and she cried loudly. The Buddha quickly asked for clothing to cover her body. The Buddha said, “Calm down. Listen to me”.
When this woman heard the Buddha’s voice, she calmed down. Once she calmed down, she felt remorseful, repentant and ashamed. She quickly pulled up the garment and wrapped it tightly around her body. The Buddha said, “Good woman, everyone knows of your suffering, but you must know that this suffering is something you were born with. Indeed, life is inherently impermanent, it may be long or short. Is there a family in which all generations can live together forever?
“ Suddenly, the woman seemed to awaken as awaken as if from a dream. Originally, she suffered deeply and wanted the Buddha to teach her how to dissolve it. As she listened to Him, without realizing it, not only did her suffering disappear, she felt as if a beam of brightness, a truly warming radiance, was shining into her heart and mind. Thus, she awakened. Everyone rejoiced for her but after a while, her seventh child suddenly passed away. This time, the woman’s husband saw that his wife remained collected and was able to accept what happened. So, he asked her, “When the first five children passed away, your suffering was unbearable. When the sixth child passed away, you lost your mind. Now, our seventh child has passed away, yet you seem indifferent and at ease.”
The wife said, “Before, I did not understand the principles of cause and effect. Now I know that such are the causes and conditions. [Our time with them] depended on the causes I created and the strength of the karmic connection we formed. All things arise and cease because of karmic conditions.This is what Sakyamuni Buddha told me and what I understood. ” This is a story from the Buddha’s lifetime. So, here we discuss “analogies and verbal expressions.”
What we just discussed was “various causes and conditions.” The Buddha used various causes and conditions, analogies and verbal expressions to proclaim all Dharma. Indeed, these principles are inseparable from the law of karma. That woman was also suffering from the workings of karma. So, when the Buddha explained the law of karma, He resolved her spiritual suffering.But “this Dharma cannot be understood through “discrimination or deliberation.” In order to truly and completely understand it, we must wholeheartedly, mindfully practice it for a very long time, [resolving] afflictions layer by layer, and [learning] the Dharma, portion by portion. We must make such incremental advances to deepen our understanding, so we can realize His intent, knowledge and views.
“This Dharma cannot be understood through discrimination or deliberation.” Though He extensively taught the Dharma, regular people cannot understand it simply by thinking about it. This is not how it works. We must attentively listen and carefully contemplate the Dharma. We must continuously delve deeply into it.
“Only Buddhas alone can know it.” Only Buddhas will really understand it, not to mention the Buddha said the one Vehicle was extremely profound, subtle and wondrous. In particular, the Buddha kept postponing teachings the True Dharma. “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” He said this because overbearingly arrogant people were still there.
So, if He taught the extremely profound and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma, those who were indolent or had no respect and faith or had overbearing arrogance would be unwilling to accept the teachings and thus could not understand them.
Because this Dharma is so profound, though the Buddha did all He could think of to use various analogies and verbal expressions, He could not help ordinary people attain realizations just from this. This is to say nothing of the indolent ones, the ones with overbearing arrogance and those who could not accept teachings. How could these people realize it? Actually, we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. If we can simply return to the wondrous principles of True Suchness, we will be counted among “all Buddhas.”
When He said, “All Buddhas can understand it, that does not exclude us. Indeed, we can return to our Tathagata-nature. When this pure intrinsic nature manifests, then we can understand all the principles.
So, to listen to the Dharma, we must first return to our pure, intrinsic nature. When we listen to the Dharma, we must accept it with a pure mind and with the Three Flawless Studies we spoke of, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must also listen, contemplate and practice to out our hearts into accepting it.
So please, we all must begin to earnestly our minds, only them cam we understand the Buddha-Dharma through our contemplation. Of course, this means we must become Buddhas, for “only Buddhas alone can know it.” Remember, all Buddhas are found within our minds. Once we return to our pure Tathagata-nature, then we can understand [the Dharma]. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙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。
⊙佛特顯示：一乘實法。如是懈怠、不敬信、增上慢人，不堪受教，不能知解。
【證嚴上人開示】
「佛心知見深遠，眾生知見淺劣，二乘啟知求解，諦聽善思念行。」
佛心知見深遠
眾生知見淺劣
二乘啟知求解
諦聽善思念行
「佛心知見深遠」，確實是很深、很長、很遠。要說起了凡夫與佛的距離，實在是差得很遠。因為，「眾生知見淺劣」，這淺劣、深遠，那又是差多遠！所以，凡夫用凡夫心，要來測量佛的知見，實在是不可能。所以我們必定要修行。
眾生的知見，就是在自己的範圍，思想範圍裡，佛陀則是「心包太虛」。其實，我們人人，也能「心包太虛」，只是我們有一個自私利的見解，自私、利益自己，這種的見解，所以我們無法「心包太虛」。
「心包太虛」，乃就是，宇宙萬物都收攝於佛心性中，就是在真如之中。真如收回來，那是在一個「見」，就是佛知佛見；放出去，那就是宇宙萬物的真理。佛，他能夠這樣，其實，我們也是一樣。所以佛陀一直認為，眾生與他平等，應該也是如此。
看看我們有的人說，「那麼遠，怎麼看得見？」一副望遠鏡，鏡頭那麼小，拿來靠近眼睛這樣看過去，哇，很遠啊！好幾里遠，那個環境都看得到。視角不必很大，只要良能夠，視角就能很寬、很闊、很大。我們凡夫就是只用在功能，我們的見解只用在功能，我們還未用到良能。
功能，本來就是良能，只是我們眾生那種功利心，拿來遮在良能前面，所以就迷了，看不到外面寬闊的境界。宇宙萬物的真理，本來能夠收攝在我們的內心，真如本性之中，偏偏我們的真如良能，就是被這種凡夫，功利的功能遮住，所以我們所見的只是範圍，凡夫的範圍而已。
所以修行，我們既不希望做凡夫，我們是要向佛看齊，所以我們要開始信受佛所教法。
當初，在佛的時代，佛陀為了眾生的根機，所能接受的境界，他隨機逗教，所以有小乘、中乘、大乘，開三乘法，適應眾生的根機。不過，這是從事相而言，其實，佛陀所說法的道理，無論是深是淺，都是很圓融，看眾生的根機如何去接受。所以，在眾生有差別，在佛是已經圓滿了。
所以，這二乘已經隨佛修行，經過了四十多年後，佛陀在法華會上鞭策小乘，他就開始說：過去的(教法)就是權教，你們還未真實接納到我的本意，我的趣向，你們還未能瞭解。這些人都是停滯於小、中，小乘、中乘，所還未到達，一實大乘的道理，還未體會。所以佛陀不斷、不斷，讚歎諸佛甚深微妙的智慧，難知難解，一直、一直要告訴大家，希望讓大家的心開得再大一些，見解要再寬闊一些，希望人人懂得發大心、發大願。
所以，佛陀在法華會上，開始啟開這個寬大之門，二乘的修行者開始思慕，就很想要瞭解。所以「啟知求解」，有要追求，追求佛陀內心所護念，最甚深微妙之法，要如何究竟的道理，一直到達如來真如的本性，能夠讓我們體會到。這就是「二乘啟知求解」。
這個時候開始，大家要用心了。因為五千人退席了，(在場)這些人已經都是貞實，無有枝葉。其他人都退去，既然留下來的人，就是全心發大願，願意用心來聽法。所以佛陀開始就告訴他們：「諦聽，諦聽，善思念之。」要好好聞、思、修，不只是聞、思、修，還要身體力行。
前面的（經）文就這樣說：「譬喻言辭，演說諸法。」用種種種種的方便，「譬喻言辭」來說話，無論是講因緣，說道理等等，都是用很多方法，應機譬喻，這樣來講說諸法。
但是，所說的法，於佛是這麼真心在說法，但是於眾生，「是法非思量分別之所能解」。這段（經）文，我們要很用心去思考。佛陀既然應機逗教，就是隨順眾生的根機說教，但是眾生所收納下來的就是部分，就是解開他當時的煩惱、無明，心意開解。真實究竟的真理，真如本性，還無法透徹。
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
就譬如佛經典裡有很多故事。有一位婦女，生了七個孩子，卻是孩子長大了，一個一個就夭折了。已經到第六個，第六個也是忽然間夭折。這個女人哪堪得，能堪得這樣受打擊呢？所以就這樣精神錯亂了。
那個時候，全身的衣服都脫得精光，一絲不掛，跑在街上，不會分別周圍的境界。大家看到，議論紛紛，這個女人很可憐，是誰才有辦法救她呢？在這當中，這個女人就一直跑，走，來到佛的處所，在佛的面前跪，在那裡還是一絲不掛。卻是，來到佛前，她忽然間，內心起了那種苦的心情，放聲大哭。佛陀趕緊要人快拿一件衣服來，快給她的身體遮起來。
開始佛陀就說：「冷靜下來，聽我對妳說話。」這位女人，真的聽到佛的聲音，冷靜下來了。這一冷靜下來時，那種慚愧、懺悔、羞恥，趕緊將這衣服拉得緊緊的，包裹在她的身上。佛陀就說：「善女人，人人都知道妳心的苦。卻是要知道這個苦的心，與生俱來。其實，人生本是無常，長啊，短啊，你們看哪個家庭，有永遠的幾代、幾代人同堂呢？」
這期間，女人忽然間真的是如夢初醒，本來心很苦，要來聽佛如何能解除她心的苦，聽了之後，不知覺中，不只是苦不見了，反過來，心靈好像一道光明，非常溫暖的光明，這樣照入她的內心，清醒了。大家為這位女人慶幸。
卻是，一段時間過後，那就是第七個孩子，也是忽然間往生了。此時，這位婦女的先生，看他的太太好像很冷靜，就是接受這種境界。所以這先生就問太太說：「過去的五個孩子往生後，妳的苦難堪。第六個孩子去世時，妳心發狂。現在第七個孩子往生，妳竟然這麼冷淡自在？」
這位太太就說：「過去因為我不懂道理，不知道因果。我現在知道了，如是因，如是緣。我到底種什麼因，與他們結多長的緣，一切緣生，一切緣滅，是釋迦牟尼佛這樣告訴我，我瞭解了。」
這是在佛世時，有一段這樣的故事。所以，此處說「譬喻言辭」，之前說的是「種種因緣」，佛陀用種種因緣、譬喻言辭，演說諸法，也確實是這樣的道理，沒有離開因緣果報。那位女人，也是在因緣果報中受苦，佛陀將因緣果報說給她瞭解，除開了她的苦，心靈的苦。
但是，「是法非思量分別」。要能全都瞭解，真正圓融瞭解，那就是要全心，用心修行，長期要一層一層的煩惱，一分一分的法，這樣分分寸寸的進步，深入瞭解，才能體會佛的趣向與佛的知見。
所以「是法非思量分別之所能解」，雖然說很多法，但是，不是一般人，這樣想就能瞭解，不是如此。我們必定要諦聽，聞、思、善念，我們必定要有這樣，不斷不斷精進深入。
「唯有諸佛乃能知之」，唯有佛，佛與佛之間最能瞭解。何況佛陀前面也提起一乘實法，甚深微妙，尤其佛陀一直遲遲未說真實法，「止！止！不須復說。」是因為還有增上慢人在。所以說這一乘甚深妙法。如是懈怠、不敬信、增上慢這些人，不堪受教，不能理解。
佛特顯示
一乘實法
如是懈怠 不敬信
增上慢人
不堪受教
不能知解
因為此法法如此深，儘管佛陀不斷不斷用盡心思，這樣分別譬喻言辭，都無法讓一般人這樣就能瞭解，何況、何況說那些懈怠、增上慢的人，不受教的人，怎麼能體會到呢？
其實，我們人人本具佛性，唯有回歸如來真如妙理，這就是叫做諸佛，諸佛能夠瞭解。所以說來，「諸佛」，不只是我們以外，其實是我們人人回歸如來本性，這個清淨本性現前，所有的道理才能瞭解。
所以要聽法，我們必定要先回歸清淨的本性，所以聽法，必定要用清淨心來接受。也就是過去所說的「三無漏學」：戒、定、慧。聞、思、修，這樣好好用心來接受。
所以，請大家開始，要好好地把心清得乾乾淨淨，才能將佛的諸法，用我們的思量能夠瞭解。當然，這就是要佛，「(唯有)諸佛乃能知之」。記著，諸佛是在我們自己的內心，我們的心回歸如來清淨的本性，如此，我們就能夠瞭解。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Two Vehicle Practitioners Seek Understanding (二乘啟知求解)
Date: April. 10. 2014
“The Buddha’s mind, knowledge and views are profound and far-reaching. Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are superficial and inferior. Two Vehicle practitioners began to seek understanding, so they sincerely listened, contemplated and practiced.”
“The Buddha’s mind, knowledge and views are profound and far-reaching.” They are indeed profound, extensive, far-reaching. The distance between ordinary people’s [minds] and the Buddha’s is truly very great. “Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are superficial and inferior.” The superficial and the profound are very far apart. So, for ordinary people to use their unenlightened minds to try to fathom the Buddha’s knowledge and views is indeed impossible. Therefore, we must engage in spiritual practice.
Sentient beings’ knowledge and views are limited by the scope of their own thinking. The Buddha has “a mind that encompasses the universe.” Actually, all of us can have a “mind [that] encompasses the universe,” but we have self-serving views and understanding. Because our views and understanding are selfish and are only about benefiting ourselves, we do not have “a mind [that] encompasses the universe.” A mind that encompasses the universe means that all things are collected within the nature of the Buddha’s mind. This is the state of True Suchness. When True Suchness is in the mind, it is a view; it is the Buddha’s knowledge and views. When revealed to the world, it is the true principle of all things. The Buddha is capable of doing this, and actually, so are we.
The Buddha has always believed that all sentient beings are His equal so this should be the case. Some people will say, “That is so far away, how can I see it?” Though binocular lenses are small, when we look through them with our eyes, “Wow, [we can] see so far away, even places several miles away.” Its angle of coverage need not be very wide. But based on our potential abilities the angle of our view can be wide, broad and big. Ordinary people focus only on functional abilities. Our views and understanding are limited to how we function. We haven’t yet tapped into our potential abilities. Our functional ability comes from our potential, but our desire for material gain has masked our potential abilities. Thus we became lost and cannot see the expansive world outside. The true principles of all things in the universe were originally gathered within our minds, within our nature of True Suchness. Unfortunately, the potential abilities of our True Suchness have been obscured by our use of functional abilities [in pursuit of] material gain.
So, what we see is limited by our scope as unenlightened beings. As we engage in spiritual practice, since we do not aim to be ordinary people, we must look to the Buddha.Thus, we must begin to faithfully accept His teachings.
At the beginning, in the Buddha’s era, in order to suit what sentient beings’ capacities would allow them to accept the Buddha taught according to capabilities.So, He created the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles, the Three Vehicles, to suit their capabilities.
But, these only addressed particular situations.Actually, the principles taught by the Buddha, whether profound or superficial, were all perfect and complete.How they were accepted depended on people’s capabilities.So, the differences are found in sentient beings; the Buddha already attained perfection.
So, Two Vehicle practitioners had already been following the Buddha for over 40 years.
At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, to encourage.Small Vehicle practitioners, He said, “Past teachings were provisional.You have not yet truly perceived my intent or understood the workings of my mind.”These people were stuck at the Small or Middle Vehicle, so they had not yet reached or realized the Great Vehicle principles of the One Reality.
Therefore, the Buddha continuously praised all Buddha’s extremely profound, subtle and wondrous wisdom as difficult to know and understand.He continuously taught everyone, hoping that they could open their minds further and broaden their views and understanding.He hoped all of them would form great aspirations and vows.
So, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Buddha began to open this wide door.Two Vehicle practitioners began to yearn, began to want to understand [what He meant] so they “began to seek understanding”.They sought the most profound, sublet and wondrous Dharma guarded and retained in the Buddha’s mind.They wanted to know how these ultimate principles would lead them to their nature of True Suchness, so they could realize it.This is what “Two Vehicle practitioners began to seek understanding” means.
Starting at this time, they all had to be mindful.After 5000 people withdrew, those who remained were steadfast and true.The branches and leaves were gone; those people had left.Those who remained had wholeheartedly made great vows and were willing to mindfully listen to the Dharma.
From the Beginning, the Buddha told them to “listen for truths, ponder carefully and be mindful. ”They must really listen, contemplate and practice.Beyond that, they must also put [the Dharma] into action.The previous sutra passage said, “With analogies and verbal expressions, He proclaimed all Dharma.”
He taught using various skillful means and “analogies and verbal expressions”.
Whether discussing causes and conditions or many other principles, he used many skillful means and analogies suitable for people’s capabilities; this was how He taught all Dharma.The Buddha taught the Dharma so sincerely, but for sentient beings, “this Dharma could not be understood through deliberation and discrimination”.
We must mindfully contemplate this passage.Although the Buddha taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities, what they could take into their minds was only a part [of the teaching].It resolved the afflictions and ignorance they had at that time to open their minds.It resolved the afflictions and ignorance they had at that time to open their minds. But they still could not penetrate the ultimate true principles or their nature of True Suchness.
“The skillful means the Buddha teaches use causes and conditions and analogies. They are all forms of the Dharma. But the True Dharma of the One Vehicle cannot be understood through deliberation and discrimination.”
Take this story from the sutras as an example. There was a woman who born seven children. As they grew older, one by one, they all died at a young age. By the time her sixth child suddenly died, this woman could not withstand such a blow. So, she lost her mind. In that moment, she tore off all the clothes from her body and rain into the street without a stitch of clothing. She had not idea where she was. When people saw her,
they commented how pitiful she was and wondered who could possibly save her. All the while, she alternated between running and walking until she came to where the Buddha lived. In front of Him, she knelt down while still completely naked. Once she was before Him, all the suffering in her heart suddenly welled up, and she cried loudly. The Buddha quickly asked for clothing to cover her body. The Buddha said, “Calm down. Listen to me”.
When this woman heard the Buddha’s voice, she calmed down. Once she calmed down, she felt remorseful, repentant and ashamed. She quickly pulled up the garment and wrapped it tightly around her body. The Buddha said, “Good woman, everyone knows of your suffering, but you must know that this suffering is something you were born with. Indeed, life is inherently impermanent, it may be long or short. Is there a family in which all generations can live together forever?
“ Suddenly, the woman seemed to awaken as awaken as if from a dream. Originally, she suffered deeply and wanted the Buddha to teach her how to dissolve it. As she listened to Him, without realizing it, not only did her suffering disappear, she felt as if a beam of brightness, a truly warming radiance, was shining into her heart and mind. Thus, she awakened. Everyone rejoiced for her but after a while, her seventh child suddenly passed away. This time, the woman’s husband saw that his wife remained collected and was able to accept what happened. So, he asked her, “When the first five children passed away, your suffering was unbearable. When the sixth child passed away, you lost your mind. Now, our seventh child has passed away, yet you seem indifferent and at ease.”
The wife said, “Before, I did not understand the principles of cause and effect. Now I know that such are the causes and conditions. [Our time with them] depended on the causes I created and the strength of the karmic connection we formed. All things arise and cease because of karmic conditions.This is what Sakyamuni Buddha told me and what I understood. ” This is a story from the Buddha’s lifetime. So, here we discuss “analogies and verbal expressions.”
What we just discussed was “various causes and conditions.” The Buddha used various causes and conditions, analogies and verbal expressions to proclaim all Dharma. Indeed, these principles are inseparable from the law of karma. That woman was also suffering from the workings of karma. So, when the Buddha explained the law of karma, He resolved her spiritual suffering.But “this Dharma cannot be understood through “discrimination or deliberation.” In order to truly and completely understand it, we must wholeheartedly, mindfully practice it for a very long time, [resolving] afflictions layer by layer, and [learning] the Dharma, portion by portion. We must make such incremental advances to deepen our understanding, so we can realize His intent, knowledge and views.
“This Dharma cannot be understood through discrimination or deliberation.” Though He extensively taught the Dharma, regular people cannot understand it simply by thinking about it. This is not how it works. We must attentively listen and carefully contemplate the Dharma. We must continuously delve deeply into it.
“Only Buddhas alone can know it.” Only Buddhas will really understand it, not to mention the Buddha said the one Vehicle was extremely profound, subtle and wondrous. In particular, the Buddha kept postponing teachings the True Dharma. “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” He said this because overbearingly arrogant people were still there.
So, if He taught the extremely profound and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma, those who were indolent or had no respect and faith or had overbearing arrogance would be unwilling to accept the teachings and thus could not understand them.
Because this Dharma is so profound, though the Buddha did all He could think of to use various analogies and verbal expressions, He could not help ordinary people attain realizations just from this. This is to say nothing of the indolent ones, the ones with overbearing arrogance and those who could not accept teachings. How could these people realize it? Actually, we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. If we can simply return to the wondrous principles of True Suchness, we will be counted among “all Buddhas.”
When He said, “All Buddhas can understand it, that does not exclude us. Indeed, we can return to our Tathagata-nature. When this pure intrinsic nature manifests, then we can understand all the principles.
So, to listen to the Dharma, we must first return to our pure, intrinsic nature. When we listen to the Dharma, we must accept it with a pure mind and with the Three Flawless Studies we spoke of, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must also listen, contemplate and practice to out our hearts into accepting it.
So please, we all must begin to earnestly our minds, only them cam we understand the Buddha-Dharma through our contemplation. Of course, this means we must become Buddhas, for “only Buddhas alone can know it.” Remember, all Buddhas are found within our minds. Once we return to our pure Tathagata-nature, then we can understand [the Dharma]. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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