20140509《靜思妙蓮華》施權顯實歸於佛乘（第301集）
⊙「無上甚深微妙法，百千萬劫難遭遇，我今見聞得受持，願解如來真實義。」〈開經偈〉
⊙「種種因緣、譬喻言辭，而為眾生演說諸法，是法皆為一佛乘故。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙譬喻言辭：佛為說一佛乘法，眾中猶不能解悟。故更作三車一車譬喻說。初許三車，是施權；後等賜大車，是顯實。
【證嚴上人開示】
「無上甚深微妙法，百千萬劫難遭遇，我今見聞得受持，願解如來真實義。」
無上甚深微妙法
百千萬劫難遭遇
我今見聞得受持
願解如來真實義
〈開經偈〉
各位，看到這樣的文字，這是我們佛教徒，人人一看就能瞭解，它叫做〈開經偈〉。〈開經偈〉就是過去，法師若要講經之前，也就是要先念一段〈開經偈〉，就是要講這部(經)的開始，先讓大家知道聽經要珍惜，要知道所說的法，無不都是無上甚深微妙法。
千經萬論，在佛教的三藏十二部經，若要解釋、要講起來真的是，千經萬論，很多，哪一部經，不是真實無上甚深微妙法？大家聽任何一部經，都要用虔誠、敬重的心，因為，它是「百千萬劫難遭遇」。
既然是「百千萬劫難遭遇」，我們現在得到了，難得的已得，得到(又)能夠看到，看到這部經，來讀、來誦，甚至我們若自己讀、誦，還不很瞭解，我們現在還可以聽，聽到有人來為我們解釋，法師來解釋，讓我們從經文中瞭解，再來為我們見證；見證我們所瞭解的，或者是我們不瞭解的，來為我們開導。所以，這是非常難得。
讓我們瞭解經的道理之後，我們要得受持，一定要好好的受持。聽經，要入心，受法，我們要在行中應用，所以「願解如來真實義」。「不經一事，不長一智」，聽經我們若不入人群中去體會，我們無法瞭解，所以我們必定要發願，入人群中去體會。我們聽到的，有時候怎麼聽都不瞭解，但是在人群中用心體會，說不定從事見理。
昨天，在世俗而言，在民俗叫做中元節，對佛教而言，是解夏日。夏，就是在大自然界，就是有生物等等，繁殖很盛，所以蚊蟲也多，天氣也熱，氣候也是多雨，會常常下雨，或者是風。佛陀就利用夏天，讓大家集合在一起專心聽法，又讓在家居士，有種福、造福的機會；修行者能夠專心聽法，在家居士能夠來如法供養，同時他也能夠接觸到，佛法僧團的莊嚴。所以，這是佛陀的悲智雙運。
在那個時代，佛陀他就是利用夏天結夏安居。看到弟子三個月的時間，很用心、精進，在生活規律上認真聽法，在體解佛陀的真實法。三個月過去了，這個期限結束了，佛陀歡喜了，所以叫做「解夏」。
昨天在我們精舍，也是一樣，因為我們不斷在推動，也是在宏揚，要如何正法入人群中，要如何來引導人人，破除迷信，能夠開啟正法的門。讓人能夠瞭解民俗傳說，所以，這個民俗傳說，有時候也會擾亂了人心，阻礙了智慧的方向，所以要人人能夠打開這一分迷茫的心，讓他能見到真實法。
加上最近國際間，一直在說「溫室效應」，帶來了很多四大不調，天下災難。這種不調和，希望我們能將人心先調和。要調和人心，第一，要破除迷信，人人在正信中，從佛法來求知、求解。能夠瞭解佛法之後，人與人之間自然就能夠平和，生活就有節制。這就是要從人心(開始)。
所以，我們不斷在宏揚正法。很歡喜看到最近，真的人人開始接受正法了，人人已經知道該要改變過去世俗，民間的流傳、迷信的風俗，慢慢地改變過來，這也是讓我們很歡喜，也是很感恩。
這樣幾年來，慈濟人在社會不斷、不斷地宣導、宏揚、在推動，我們能很歡喜的看到正法，已經入人心了。很感恩這麼多的慈濟人，來成就全省各個社區，每個社區都在舉行，不要用殺生普度，要用虔誠祈福，已經展開得很普遍。
所以，「百千萬劫難遭遇，我今見聞得受持，願解如來真實義」。佛陀來人間為了眾生，要能夠開啟眾生，這一念內心的迷茫、無明，要如何將根深柢固，在六道中不斷不斷薰習，薰習得無明層層疊疊(能解除)。佛陀生生世世來人間，用不同的形態來為眾生說法。所以前面不斷說過了，佛陀來人間的一大事因緣，就是要「開、示、悟、入」佛的知見，希望眾生人人，能與佛同樣的知見。佛陀能知道多少，眾生應該也要知道多少；佛陀對宇宙的道理能夠瞭解，也希望我們人人，都與佛同等能夠瞭解。
不過，談何容易啊！能夠與佛同等，這是肯定的。只是我們知道之後，要趕快精進。發心容易，只是要修行最難的一關，就是「恆心難」。我們要抱持著恆心，當初發什麼樣的願，我要堅持到底，要日日精進，時時接受佛陀的教法。若能夠如此，總有一天，我們也能與佛同樣，佛知佛見，入我們的心。
我們還未很透徹瞭解，佛陀慈悲，用「種種因緣、譬喻言辭，而為眾生演說諸法，是法皆為一佛乘故」。
種種因緣
譬喻言辭
而為眾生
演說諸法
是法皆為
一佛乘故
《法華經方便品第二》
這段（經）文，我們也曾讀過了。其實「種種因緣、譬喻、言辭」，種種因緣，這種種因緣很多，說之不盡。人人的身上，人人都有各不相同的因緣，佛陀的時代也是一樣，要講法時，也是就近取因緣來說法。人對人的因緣，或者是人對事物的因緣，或者是人對環境的因緣，或者是過去、現在、未來，一切的因緣，這都叫做「種種因緣」。
佛陀為了要讓眾生瞭解更多，所以「譬喻、言辭」，用種種來譬喻，這一項你們若聽不懂，我再舉例。舉例能瞭解？不瞭解；再舉例其他的。這是佛的慈悲，不捨眾生，不忍讓眾生漏失掉，所以不斷這樣譬喻，用各種的方法。
所以「佛為說一佛乘法」，佛所說的法，無不都是一佛乘，就是要讓大家與佛相同；佛陀既然能夠瞭解，希望我們人人能夠成佛，也可以瞭解。所以，這是佛陀不論是種種因緣，也是為了一佛乘，或者是譬喻、言辭，那樣的法也沒有離一佛乘。所以用權，權教，是為了一實法，一佛乘法，開三乘教法，因緣成熟時，佛陀就要將三乘教法，歸納為一佛乘。這是《法華經》中的精髓。
譬喻言辭：
佛為說一佛乘法
眾中猶不能解悟
故更作三車一車
譬喻說
初許三車是施權
後等賜大車是顯實
佛陀現在一直說一佛乘法，但是「眾中」，在會眾之中「猶不能解悟」，同樣的無法解悟。所以在《法華經》中還有三車的譬喻，那是以後的（經）文，他有三車，其實三車，三輛車，是羊車、鹿車、大白牛車。雖然是應眾生所好，所歡喜的選擇，只要你能夠脫離火宅，只要能夠脫離危險的地方，選擇任何一輛車都可以。所以他用三車來譬喻。
其實，開始時，佛陀譬喻為一位長者，在大火宅，火在燒時，「大家趕快出來啊！快出來啊！」不過，很多都如無知的小孩童，看到火，好像很好玩，還在那裡玩火，還不知道害怕。所以這位長者無奈，只好用一些玩具，好玩的東西，在火宅外面呼喊這些孩子，「出來啊！快出來啊！你看，外面有更好玩的東西。來啊！快出來啊！這些東西任你們大家選。」
這些孩童轉頭看到，有更好玩的東西，他就趕快放棄當時，很危險的地方，火正在燒，他看到外面有更好玩的，他就趕快跑出來；不是害怕跑出來的，是因為外面有更好玩的東西，這才跑出來的。不論是歡喜羊拖的車，還是鹿拖的車，或者是大隻牛拖的車，隨他們選擇，只要他們願意出來，暫時脫離火宅到安穩之處。
這位長者就告訴他們，其實要給你們的不是小車，要給你們的是大車喔！這輛大車，除了你自己能駕駛這輛車，你還可以載很多人去悠遊世界，安穩自在。這種譬喻，就是說，雖然開始「初許三車，是施權」，用三輛車是施權，用方便法，「後等賜大車」，最後，就是給他最後這一輛最大的車。那就是聲聞、緣覺，最重要的就是菩薩；聲聞、緣覺，是方便法接引他進來，最主要的就是能夠，要我們能夠真正行菩薩道，這個方法，我們自己自度，我們還能度他人。
所以，用「種種因緣、譬喻、言辭」，無非就是要我們人人自度，同時度他；度他，同時是，增長自己成就的方法。這是佛陀的慈悲。
各位菩薩，學佛，我們就要學這樣的大乘法。大家發心立願，在共住的大地上，人心若亂了，就是亂了秩序，連氣候的秩序也會亂。所以我們大家，一方面要趕緊精進聽聞佛法，一方面我們要身體力行，破除迷信，引導正法。這就是我們現在，人人應該要精進，要身體力行。所以感恩人人用心用愛，有志一同，能夠推行正法入人群中。也要我們大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Give Provisional Teachings to Reveal the True (施權顯實歸於佛乘)
Date: May. 09. 2014
“The unsurpassed, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma is rarely encountered in billions of kalpas. Now that I can see, hear and accept it, I vow to understand the Tathagata’s true meaning.”
Everyone, this passage is something which all Buddhist practitioners can immediately recognize. It is the “Verse for Opening a Sutra.” We have the “Verse for Opening a Sutra” because Dharma Masters in the past, before they expounded a sutra, would recite this “Verse for Opening a Sutra.” They said it at the beginning of the sutra to remind everyone to cherish these teachings and to help everyone recognize the teachings as unsurpassed, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.
For the 12 Divisions of the Tripitaka to be explained, it would take tens of thousands of texts and treatises. Each of these is unsurpassed, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Whenever we listen to teachings from the sutras, we must be reverent and respectfully because they are “rarely encountered in billions of kalpas.” Since they are so rarely encountered and we now have attained this precious teaching, we have attained what is rarely attained. We have attained it, and we can see it. We can see this sutra, and we can read and recite it. And, if when we read and recite it ourselves, we do not truly understand it, now we can also listen to others explain it to us. Dharma Masters can explain it to us, help us to comprehend the sutra text and verify our understanding of the text for us. For those teachings we do not comprehend, they can guide us toward understanding. So, this is a very precious opportunity.
After we understand the principles in the sutras, we have to uphold and practice them. In listening to the teachings, we must take them to heart. In accepting the Dharma, we must apply it to our actions and “vow to understand the Tathagata’s true meaning.” “Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom.” If we listen to, but do not practice the Dharma, we will be unable to understand it. Thus, we must vow to work in the world in order to experience the Dharma. Sometimes no matter how we hear something, we cannot understand it. Yet if we are mindful in working with others, then maybe we will see the principles in [action].
Yesterday was what most people call the Hungry-Ghost Festival. For us Buddhists, it is the last day of summer. Summer is the period of time in nature when many living beings are busy reproducing. So, there are many bugs and mosquitoes. The weather is very hot and it rains very often, or it may be windy. The Buddha made use of summer as a time to gather everyone to listen to the Dharma.This retreat also gave lay practitioners opportunities to create blessings.Monastics could focus on listening to teachings and lay practitioners could make offerings to them while coming into contact with the dignity of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.This was how the Buddha exercised compassion and wisdom.
During that era, the Buddha would hold retreats during the summer.For those three months, He saw His disciples mindfully and diligently leading disciplined lives to listen to teachings a realize the True Dharma.After three months passed, the season would end, and the Buddha would be very happy.That marked the end of summer.
Yesterday at our Abode, we also did the same because we are continuously promoting and advocating ways to bring the Right Dharma to the people and lead them to eliminate their superstitions.We want to open the door to the Right Dharma to help them penetrate folk tales.Sometimes, folk tales can confuse people and block their way to wisdom.But we want everyone to resolve their confusion so that they can see the True Dharma.
Recently, the international community has been discussing the Greenhouse Effect, which brings imbalances in the four elements and disasters around the world.To deal with this imbalance, I hope we can bring harmony to people’s minds.To bring harmony, we must first eliminate superstitions.We need to have proper beliefs and seek knowledge and understanding from the Dharma.After we understand the Buddha-Dharma, then naturally our relationships will be harmonious and our living will be disciplined.This all starts with our minds.So, we are constantly promoting the Right Dharma.
Recently, I have been very pleased to see that people are indeed beginning to accept Right Dharma.Everyone knows they must change and turn away from folk tales and superstitions.Things are slowly changing.This makes us very happy and very grateful.
In these past few years, Tzu Chi volunteers have continuously promoted and advocated this.We are very glad to see that the Right Dharma has entered people’s minds.
I am very grateful that so many Tzu Chi volunteers have made this happen in communities all over Taiwan.In each community they remind people that blessings do not come from sacrificing animals, but instead from reverent prayer.This has become very widespread.So, the Dharma is very rarely encountered.“Now that we can see, hear and accept it, we vow to understand the Tathagata’s true meanings.”
The Buddha comes to this world for the sake of sentient beings, to inspire them to eliminate their confusion and ignorance, the deeply-rooted ignorance they have accumulated in cycling through the Six Realms that is now piled up layer upon layer.
The Buddha comes to this world, life after life, and takes on different forms to give teachings.
As I have constantly said, the Buddha comes to this world for one great task, to “open, reveal, realize, and enter” the Buddha’s knowledge and views. He hopes that all sentient beings may have the same knowledge and views as Him. He hopes that we know everything He knows. He can understand the truths of the universe, and He hopes that we can all attain the same level of understanding. However, this is not easy at all. We can certainly become the Buddha’s equal. So, once we realize this, we must work diligently toward that goal.
Forming aspirations is easy. The most difficult part of spiritual practice is “sustaining our aspirations”. We need to persevere. We must hold on to and diligently fulfill our vow every day and accept the Buddha’s teachings constantly. If we can keep doing this, someday we will be like the Buddha and take the Buddha’s knowledge and views into our minds. We have not yet completely understood the Buddha’s compassion.
The Buddha, “with various causes and conditions, with analogies and expressions, has proclaimed all Dharma to sentient being; these teachings are all for the sake of the One Buddha Vehicle”.
We have read this sutra passage earlier as well. Indeed, when we speak of causes and conditions, these various causes and conditions are truly endless in number. Each of us has different causes and conditions. The same was true during the Buddha’s era, so when He gave teachings, He also used causes and conditions to explain the Dharma. There are causes and conditions between people, as well as between people and matters, and between people and their environment. There are also causes and conditions in the past, present, and future. All these are “various causes and conditions”.
To help sentient beings achieve a deeper understanding, He utilized various “analogies and expressions”. If we did not understand one example, He would use another one. Would we understand that example? If we still did not understand, He would come up with other examples. Out of His compassion, He would not give up on any one of us. So, He continuously utilized analogies and various methods. So, “the Buddha comes to teach the One Buddha Vehicle”.
All Dharma He teaches is the One Buddha Vehicle to help everyone become the same as Him. Since the Buddha can understand it, He hopes we can all attain Buddhahood and achieve the same understanding as Him. All the various causes and conditions He uses are to teach the One Buddha Vehicle. Even when He gives analogies and expressions, He is still teaching the One Buddha Vehicle. So, He uses provisional teachings to teach the One Reality. For the One Buddha Vehicle, He gave the Three Vehicle teachings. When the causes and conditions are suitable, the Buddha combines the Three Vehicle Dharma back into the One Vehicle Dharma. This is the essence of the Lotus Sutra.
Analogies and expressions: The Buddha taught the One Buddha Vehicle but the assembly could not understand and realize it. Therefore, He used the three carts and one cart as an analogy. The giving of the first three carts is the giving of the provisional teachings. Later, the giving of the great cart is the revealing of the true teachings.
The Buddha now always teaches the One Buddha Vehicle. But this time, “the assembly” gathered there could not understand and realize it”. They still could not comprehend it. So in the Lotus Sutra, there is an analogy of three carts. This is in the later sutra passages. He talks about the three carts. The three carts are actually a sheep cart, a deer cart, and a big white ox cart. They were chosen to appeal to sentient beings, so that they could easily pick one. As long as it got them away from the burning house, from that dangerous place, they were free to choose any cart.
So, the three carts are used as an analogy. Actually, in the beginning, the Buddha compared Himself to an elder, who, when his house was burning, said, “Everyone, get out quickly!” But most people were like naive children; they thought it was fun to play with fire. They did not know to be afraid of it.So, the elder felt somewhat helpless. He had to use these carts, [which the children] would want to play with, to call to the children from outside the house, “Come out! Hurry up and come out! Look, these things are even more interesting! Hurry up! Come out quickly! You can take your pick of any of these things.”
The children turned around and saw that these were better things to play with, so they quickly left that very dangerous place. The fire was still burning but when they saw more interesting things outside, they quickly ran out of the house. They did not run of fear, but because there were more interesting things.Whether they liked the carts pulled by sheep, by deer, or by a big ox, the elder let them choose, as long as they were willing to come out and temporarily escape to a safer place.
The elder told them, “I do not really want to give you a small cart, I want to give you a big cart. With this big cart, in addition to just driving yourself around, you can also drive many people around the world steadily and with ease.”
This analogy is telling us that by “giving the first three carts, [He] was giving provisional teachings.” The three carts are analogies for skillful means. “Later, giving the great cart” refer to how He gave the biggest cart last. [After] Hearer and Pratyekabuddha [Vehicles] was the most important, the Bodhisattva [Vehicle].
For Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, He attracted them with skillful means. But the most important thing He wanted us to do was to walk the Bodhisattva-path. That is the way for us to transform ourselves, as well as transform others. So, “with various causes and conditions,” and “with analogies and expressions,” He wanted to solely teach us to just transform ourselves and others at the same time. Transforming others is also a way to help us to perfect our own spiritual cultivation. This is the Buddha’s compassion.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we must learn the Great Vehicle Dharma and use it to develop aspirations and vows. We live together on this land.If people’s minds are in chaos, then order will be disturbed. Even the climate’s order will be in chaos. On the one hand, we must diligently listen to the Buddha-Dharma, and on the other, we must put it into practice, eliminate superstitions, and lead people to the Right Dharma. So, all of us must now diligently put the teachings into practice.
I am grateful to each of you for being mindful and loving, and for sharing the same mission to promote Right Dharma amongst people. To do this, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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