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Sunday, November 23, 2014

【靜思妙蓮華】20140610 - 一心信解受持佛語 - 第323集 Single-mindedly believe and understand the Buddha’s Teachings


 20140610《靜思妙蓮華》一心信解受持佛語(第323集)

⊙守護明徹心靈,廣積福慧資糧,心淨則應萬事,精專而成一念。
⊙「舍利弗!汝等當一心信解,受持佛語。諸佛如來,言無虛妄,無有餘乘,唯一佛乘。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙信解:聞佛之說法,初信之,後解之,謂之信解。又初機者信之,利根者解之,稱之信解。
⊙受持佛語:受者領受,持者憶持,力行精進。以信力故受,以念力故持。
⊙言無虛妄:諸佛一大事,為開示眾生悟入究竟一乘,必無妄語也。諸佛大覺是實語者,不妄語者。
⊙「須菩提!如來是真語者,實語者,如語者,不誑語者,不異語者。」《金剛經》

【證嚴上人開示】
守護明徹心靈
廣積福慧資糧
心淨則應萬事
精專而成一念

「守護明徹心靈」。人人本具佛性,我們人人都有這念,非常清淨無染,一片寧靜的心。我們若好好,人人自己自守護好,我們這念本來明徹的這念心,才能「廣積福慧資糧」。

我們必定要入人群中,與人人結好緣,我們要時時要累積福緣,我們要時時警惕我們自己的心,不要受惡念來染污我們的心。惡念就是貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑,這幾個字,才五個字而已,自然就讓我們製造了,見思、塵沙的無明,所以我們要常常用心,保護我們這念明徹的心靈。我們要趕緊精進,「廣積」要好好累積,常常說,時間會累積一切,分秒中起心動念,我們舉步動足所做的一切,都是不斷不斷在累積,累積了福緣、福因。假使我們在這個時間中,不是精進,卻是起心動念,惡念、惡行,同樣是累積,累積了惡業。所以我們要發心,「廣積福慧資糧」。

心要常常保持著,「心淨則應萬事,精專而成一念」。我們的心若能夠很淨,看水,水若很淨,就如鏡;心若淨,真正的清淨,每項事情,我們都明明覺了,每樣我們都能夠很瞭解,處事,我們做事情,才不會漏失錯誤。所以我們必定要時時保持著,心的乾淨,才能「應萬事」。

「精」,我們的心要精,「精而不雜,專而不散」。所以我們的心要很精、很專,「(精)專而成一念」。最重要的,我們要有這念心,是這麼清楚的一念心,一點都不要讓它散掉,這是我們修行心靈的道場。

我們要記住,我們修行的心,心靈的道場是很重要。不只是形式道場,是心靈道場。人人若顧住了心靈道場,自然形象的道場,就能浩蕩長而整齊。所以佛陀在世,在教育弟子也是隨境而教。

有一次,佛陀在外面行腳,身邊是阿難和迦葉。將近中午時,看到不遠處有一片瓜園,佛陀就叫阿難,「阿難,你看,那裡有一片瓜園,你去乞一顆瓜,我們來止渴止飢。」阿難聽到佛陀這樣說,就趕緊向瓜園走去。

瓜園那裡有一位,看管瓜園的女人,見到阿難來了,阿難也向瓜園走去,這位女人看到阿難,態度很不好,阿難還未開始(說),她就用很兇惡的眼神看著阿難。阿難還是用很殷勤,雙手合掌向這位女施主說:「請您布施我一顆瓜。因為我的佛陀在那裡,中午了,他口渴了,想要向您乞討一顆瓜。」阿難還未說完,這位女人就開口罵人,很兇惡,甚至將阿難趕離開,「我不要看到你在我面前,你即刻離開。」一顆瓜不肯布施,同時還趕人。阿難沒辦法,趕緊離開。

佛陀帶著微笑,就向迦葉說:「來,迦葉,你去。」迦葉覺得阿難年輕、莊嚴,人見人歡喜,去乞討一顆瓜,都被人罵了,而我是有年紀的人,我要去向人乞討一顆瓜,可能嗎?不過,佛陀既然指定我去,這其中一定有因緣。所以,信教奉行,佛陀如何教,他就如何走。

他就走到那個瓜園,這位女人看見迦葉尊者,遠遠地一直走來,自然地,她也這樣向前走,走到瓜園前,雙手合掌,向迦葉尊者,很有禮貌地請安、問好。這位女人很歡喜,趕緊送出了一顆很大的瓜,雙手奉獻,感恩。這種互相的感恩。迦葉尊者離開瓜園,自己一直覺得不可思議,為何這位女人看到我,就會起很歡喜的心,布施這顆這麼美、這麼大的一顆瓜?

來到佛陀的面前,他就向佛陀說:「佛陀,這一定有因緣。」佛陀就說:「好,向你說這個因緣。」

無量劫前,二位修行者,比丘,有一天,一前一後。前面一位年輕比丘向前走,聞到一股臭味,用眼睛看,原來在路邊有一隻死貓,尤其是太陽大,已經發出臭味,又有蟲。這位比丘以手掩鼻,不由自己說:「死貓真臭。」講了這樣一句話,以手掩著(鼻)就走過了。後面另外一位修行者走過來,同樣聞到這股味,發現到那隻死貓,他起了悲憫的心,走近這隻貓身旁,向牠三皈依,同時對牠說:「脫離了畜生道,要好好地再來做人,得善道。」這樣,甚至去幫牠挖一個洞,就將這隻貓埋了起來。

佛陀說至此,就說:「阿難,你知道嗎?走在前面那位比丘,是現在的誰呢?」阿難心裡有數,垂下頭來,「佛陀,我知道,應該是我。」回過頭來說:「迦葉,那位看到這隻死貓,起了憐憫心,一個悲心的比丘,就是你,迦葉。你過去生中就是付出給這隻貓,又為牠皈依,來生善道,所以牠能夠脫離畜生道,來生於人間。所以現在看到你,心起歡喜,回報供養。」

原來,我們日常的生活就是這樣。我們天地、人間、眾生之間,我們要互相好好對待,互相相處。我們的心若淨,所見到的事情,都是起了那分善的心。我們的心若很專,一念就是佛心。我們要好好的,心要顧好。

所以經文這麼說,「舍利弗!汝等當一心信解,受持佛語」。

舍利弗
汝等當一心信解
受持佛語
《法華經方便品第二》

我們昨天也解釋過,我們必定要好好信解。因為佛陀叮嚀道:「舍利弗!」叫舍利弗,就等於在叫大家,所有的弟子,因為「汝等」,舍利弗,你與大家,應該要「一心信解」,好好「受持佛語」,我們聽了之後要受持。

「諸佛如來,言無虛妄,無有餘乘,唯一佛乘。」

諸佛如來
言無虛妄
無有餘乘
唯一佛乘
《法華經方便品第二》

人人要知道,「(諸佛)如來,言無虛妄」。這是佛陀向大家保證,說的句句都是真實的。

有的時候,我若向大家說話,說:「你們要相信,我是跟你們說真的。」有時候,我也會這樣說。所以,佛陀那個時候向大家說話,也是很擔心大家,以為佛陀只是說法,這個法可能是方便法。佛陀也是會擔心有些人,考慮有些人認為佛陀既然過去,就是說方便法,那現在是不是也用方便法呢?所以佛陀考慮到,有些人的心理有這樣想,所以佛陀還會再告訴大家:大家應該要「一心信解,受持佛語」。

「諸佛如來,言無虛妄,無有餘乘」,所說的法沒有其他,就是「唯一佛乘」。你們會覺得與昨天重複?沒錯,是重複,要讓大家更清楚,信解。

「信」就是聽佛說法,初信。聽佛說法,開始初聽就能夠信。我們聽法,若沒有這個「信」字,那麼聽一遍,下一次他就不要再聽了,因為他不信。所以常常說「信為道源功德母」。這個「信」,是非常的重要。

信解:
聞佛之說法
初信之 後解之
謂之信解
又初機者信之
利根者解之
稱之信解

所以「聞佛之說法,初信之」,開始就要建立這念信心,「後解之」,你有相信了,自然你就會想去瞭解,此法的內容,這樣叫做「信解」。「前信後解」,前面聽,相信,聽了之後,要好好去用心,去瞭解,這叫做「信解」。

「初」,尤其是,「初機者信(之)」,初機就是剛開始發心者,就是開始就需要「信」。利根者解,「利根者解之」,初機要相信,「利根」就是說智慧較高的人,他就能知道,我要好好來瞭解,不光是信而已,還要深入瞭解,這是利根者。初機是信,我們若沒有信,就不會想去解它,所以有智慧的人去瞭解,這叫做「信解」。

佛法需要信解,同時,不只是信與解而已,也需要「受持」,我們要「受持佛語」。受者,是領受。我們「領」,就是領過來,佛陀這樣說,我信受,我這樣接受過來。佛陀是這樣說,這樣教,所以我用很虔誠直心,將佛陀所教之法,我接受。所以受者,是領受之意,領教、接受,領佛陀的教育,我們好好地接受。

受持佛語:
受者 領受
持者 憶持
力行精進
以信力故受
以念力故持

「持者」就是「憶持」。接受佛陀的教育,我們要常常放在腦中,要記得。要守持,就是憶,要常常記憶著,將佛陀的教法記憶於我們的心。我們若能記得,法入心,「力行精進」。法若有入心,自然就是「力行精進」,我們會很用心去精進,這叫做「受持」。

「以信力故受」,有信的力量,我們有身體力行,這種我們才能守信。我們的信若沒有守住,只是初信,很快就忘記了,這樣不行。這「信力精進」,我們必定要堅持。

「以念力故持」,用念、念力。這是「五根」、「五力」之中,念力,要好好地堅持下去。所以,信受奉行佛的教法,這就是我們學佛者應該要有的。

佛陀說,諸佛如來言無虛妄。這是向大家保證,佛所說的話是很正確。因為,諸佛,是為一大事因緣來人間,是為了要「開、示」眾生,「悟、入」究竟的一乘法。這是諸佛共同的目標。既然是一大事因緣,來為眾生說法,怎麼會有虛妄呢?不可能。

言無虛妄:
諸佛一大事
為開示眾生
悟入究竟一乘
必無妄語也
諸佛大覺
是實語者
不妄語者

「諸佛大覺是實語者,不妄語者」。《金剛經》中,不就是這樣說嗎?而我們呢?我們就是凡夫,我們都還未能證得;所以還未證,所以不能解,我們無法瞭解佛陀他的心意。所以我們就要努力,我們自己要努力,不要懷疑,懷疑佛陀來人間,只是用權巧方便,不要這樣懷疑。

權巧,之前也說過,「妙權」用非常微妙、權巧的方便,來引導人人,共同一個方向,這個方向整齊,就是要讓大家,走上這條菩提大直道。

所以,不要懷疑,(佛)向我們凡夫,所教育的方法。所以我們要善用信心來領解,就是佛他的,「唯一佛乘」是實法,我們一定要用信心,來信受奉行佛陀的教法。我們要受持,受持,就是要信受佛語。我們要相信佛陀絕對沒有虛妄,他是「真語者,實語者,不綺語者」,所以佛所說之法,我們要相信。佛陀這樣不斷在叮嚀。

須菩提
如來是真語者
實語者
如語者
不誑語者
不異語者
《金剛經》

二千多年前,佛陀直接向弟子說的話,就會考慮到弟子的心,各人的習氣,各人的心思都不同,所以佛陀就要用著很慈悲的心,不斷不斷向大家叮嚀、再交代,希望人人要相信佛的一乘妙法。此一乘妙法是在人人本心地裡,是用方法為我們指導。我們要相信,我們要守護明徹的心靈,我們要廣積福慧資糧,才能夠體會到,佛到底是在說什麼?佛陀一大事因緣來人間,是要教我們做什麼?就是教我們要心明徹,教我們要廣積福慧資糧。

我們要走這一條路,我們要有資糧。看佛陀出來外面行腳,時間到了,也是需要止渴、止飢,所以走在外面,他也需要,何況我們凡夫呢?我們要走在這條菩薩道上,需要有慧命資糧;慧命的資糧,就是我們要力行菩薩道,廣積福慧,這就是我們的資糧。福慧是從眾生中得,我們要身體力行,在眾生中,我們還要保持著心淨,我們(則能)應萬事。心要精而專,專為一念,這清淨一念,就是如來清淨本性。所以我們要時時多用心。


發表主題: 回復: 20140610《靜思妙蓮華》一心信解受持佛語(第323集)   周六 6月 14, 2014 10:33 pm
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Single-mindedly believe and understand the Buddha’s Teachings (一心信解 受持佛語)
Date: June. 10. 2014

Safeguard the clear and pure mind and extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom as assets. When the mind is pure, it can correspond to all things. When it is focused and refined, we are single-minded. “Safeguard the clear and pure mind.”

We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature; we all have this truly pure, undefiled and tranquil mind. If we can safeguard this mind that was originally clear and pure, we can “extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom as assets.”
For this, we must go among and develop good karmic affinities with people. We must constantly accumulate blessed conditions and constantly be vigilant of our own minds to avoid the defilements caused by evil thoughts. Evil thoughts are greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt. These five things alone naturally lead us to give rise to countless ignorant thoughts. So, we must always be mindful and safeguard our pure and clear minds. We must promptly, diligently and “widely accumulate” [blessings and wisdom].
It is often said, “Everything accumulates over time.” In every second, the arising of our thoughts and everything we do continuously accumulates and we may accumulate blessed causes and conditions. If we are not diligently practicing during this time and instead give rise to evil thoughts and commit evil actions, those will accumulate as bad karma. So we must aspire to “extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom as assets.” We must always safeguard our minds. “When the mind is pure, it can correspond to all things. When it is focused, it can be refined.” If the mind is pure, it is mirror-like, much like clear water. If our mind is truly pure and clear, we can clearly understand everything. Then when we deal with things, we will not make any mistakes. So, we must always maintain the clarity of our minds so it can “correspond with all things.”
“Refined” means our minds must be refined and not discursive. So our mind must be refined and focused. “When it is refined and focused, we can be single-minded.” Most importantly, we must be very mindful; we cannot let our minds become scattered at all. This is a spiritual training ground. But we must remember, the mind we are cultivating, our mental training ground, is very important. There is not only a physical practice center, but a mental one as well.
If we safeguard our mental training ground, naturally our physical practice center will be well-attended and well-organized. In the Buddha’s time, He also taught disciples based on different situations. One time, He traveled and taught with Ananda and Kasyapa by His side. One day, when it was almost noon, they saw, not too far way, a melon farm. The Buddha said to Ananda, “Ananda, look, there is a melon farm. Please ask them for a melon to quench our thirst and hunger.” Hearing this, Ananda immediately headed for the farm.
In the melon farm was the woman in charge. As Ananda approached the farm, this woman appeared to be very unfriendly.Before Ananda even began to speak, she stared at him with a mean look.Ananda was still very friendly.With his palms together, he said, “Please give me a melon.The Buddha is over there.It is noon and He is thirsty, so we hope you will give us a melon.”
Before Ananda could finish, the woman started to curse at him, and drove him out.
“I don’t want to see you here.You must leave now.”She was not willing to give even a single melon and instead, chased him out.Ananda had no choice but leave immediately the Buddha smiled and said to Kasyapa, “Kasyapa, you ask.”Kasyapa thought, “Amanda is young and dignified, like by everyone who meets him.If he was cursed at when asking for a melon, then how can I, an older man, possibly beg for and receive a melon?But if the Buddha specifically asked me to go, there must be a reason behind that.”
So, he faithfully accepted and did what the Buddha told him to do.So, he walked to the melon farm.When this woman saw Venerable Kasyapa coming from afar, naturally, she began walking toward him and met him in front of the melon farm.With palms together, she courteously greeted him.This woman was very happy; she immediately brought out a very big melon, offering it with both hands and with gratitude.After this mutual expression of gratitude, Venerable Kasyapa left the melon farm.He found this inconceivable.“Why was this woman so happy when she saw me that she gave me such a beautiful and large melon?”
He went back to the Buddha and said, “Venerable Buddha, there must be a reason for this.”The Buddha said, “Yes, let me explain the underlying causes and conditions.”
Countess Kalpas ago, there were two bhiksus walking along, one of them in front of the other.The young bhiksu walking in front smelled a stench, and when he looked.He saw a dead cat by the side of the road.Under the blazing sun, [the body] emitted a stench and [attracted] bugs.This bhiksu covered his nose and could not help but say, “The dead cat smells horrible.” After saying this, he pitched his nose and kept walking.
As the other spiritual practitioner passed by, he also smelled this stench and saw the cat.
He felt great compassion and approached the cat, helping it to take refuge.At the same time, he said to the cat, “Transcend the animal realm and return as a human, in a positive realm.”Then he dug a hole and buried the cat.
As this point in the story the Buddha said, “Ananda, do you know who the bhiksu was who walked by first?”Ananda understood and lowered his head, “Veneralbe Buddha, I know that was probably me.”Then, [the Buddha] turned to Kasyapa.“Kasyapa, the one who saw that dead cat and felt sympathy, that compassionate bhiksu was you.In your past life, you helped this cat take refuge and be born into a virtuous realm, so she could transcend the animal realm and be born human.So upon seeing you, she was happy and wanted to repay you with an offering.”
We must remember this in our daily living.In this world, sentient beings must treat each other well and get along.If our minds are pure, everything we see develops our sense of goodness.If our minds are focused, we will have a Buddha-mind.So, we must take good care of our minds.

The sutra text states, “Sariputra, you and the others should single-mindedly believe and understand, accept and uphold, the words of the Buddha.”

Yesterday I also explained that we must sincerely believe and understand because the Buddha reiterated this by saying,Sariputra, you and the others. Calling on Sariputra is the same as calling on all of us, all His disciples. Because “you and the others” means Sariputra and the others should “Single-mindedly believe and understand, accept and uphold, the words of the Buddha”. After listening, we must practice.

“In the words of all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, there is nothing false. There are no other vehicles; there is only the One Buddha Vehicle.”

Everyone needs to know that “in the words of all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, there is nothing false”. With this, the Buddha guaranteed, “Everything I said is true”. Sometimes when I speak I say, “You have to believe that I am telling you the truth”. Sometimes I would say this, too. At that time, when Buddha was speaking, He was also worried everyone would think that the Dharma He was teaching was just skillful means. He also worried that people would think that since He taught skillful means in the past, He was still teaching skillful means now. The Buddha thought people might be thinking this, so He told everyone again that they should “single-mindedly believe and understand, accept and uphold the words of the Buddha. In the words of all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, there is nothing false. There are no other vehicles”.
They give no other teaching: “there is only the one Buddha Vehicle”. You may think I am repeating yesterday’s teaching. You are right; I am repeating it to help everyone believe and understand it more clearly. Regarding “faith,” we must give rise to faith upon hearing the Buddha’s teachings. If we listen to the Dharma without faith after hearing it once, we will not want to listen again because we do not believe in it.
So I often say, “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits”. So, faith is extremely important.

Faith and understanding: When we listen to the Buddha give teachings, first we have faith, then understanding. When it comes to faith and understanding, people who are beginners have faith and those with sharp capabilities have understanding. This is having faith and understanding.

“When we listen to the Buddha give teachings, first we have faith. Right at the beginning we must establish faith. “Then understanding” means once we have faith, naturally we will want to understand the contents of the Dharma. This part is “faith and understanding”. “First believe, then understand”. After we listen, we mindfully try to understand what we heard. This is “faith and understanding”. “First” particularly refers to how “people who are beginners have faith”. Beginners are people who just formed aspirations. So, faith is necessary at the beginning. “Those with sharp capabilities have understanding” as beginners develop faith. “Sharp capabilities” are those with more wisdom. They know they must really try to understand this, not just believe in it. They try to deepen their understanding. First we develop faith; if we do not have faith, we will not want to understand.
So, those with wisdom will try to understand. This is “faith and understanding.” The Buddha-Dharma requires both. At the same time, we must go beyond that to “accept and uphold”. We must “accept and uphold the words of the Buddha”. To accept is to receive. To “receive” is to take in. When we faithfully accept what the Buddha says, we receive it and take it in. This is what the Buddha said, what He taught, so I reverently and directly accept the Dharma He taught. People who accept it, receive it and take it in. When we receive the Buddha’s teachings, we must accept it wholeheartedly accept and uphold, the words of the Buddha.

“People who accept it take it in. People who uphold it remember to practice it. They put in the effort to focus and advance. With the Power of Faith, they accept it. With the Power of Thought, they uphold it.”

To “uphold” is to “remember to practice”. After accepting the Buddha’s teachings, we must always keep it in mind and remember it. To uphold it is to always remember it, to keep the Buddha’s teachings in mind. If we can remember and take the Dharma to heart, we “put the effort to focus and advance”. If we take the Dharma to heart, naturally we make an “effort to focus and advance”. When we world hard to focus and advance, this is “accepting and upholding”. “With the Power of Faith, we accept it”. Only when we put the teachings into practice are we keeping the faith. If we do not keep the faith, we will soon forget that initial inspiration. We cannot let this happen. “With the Power of Faith, we focus and advance.” We must persevere. “With the Power of Thought, we uphold it.” This is part of the Five Spiritual Roots and Power.” With the Power of Thought, we will persevere. So, faithfully accepting and practicing the Buddha’s teachings is that we practitioners must do.
The Buddha said, “The worlds of all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, there is nothing false”.
This guaratees to everyone that what the Buddha says is correct.
All Buddhas come to the world for one great cause. To “open and reveal” so sentient beings can “realize and enter” the One Vehicle Dharma. All Buddhas share this same goal. Since Their one great cause is to teach the Dharma to sentient beings, how can Their words be false? That is impossible.

[The Buddha’s words are not] false: The one great work of all Buddhas for sentient beings to realize and enter the ultimate One Vehicle must not contain anything false. All Budhas are Great Enlightened Ones. They speak the truth. They do not speak falsehoods.

“All Buddhas are Great Enlightened Ones. They speak the truth. They do not speak falsehoods.” Wasn’t this written in the Diamond sutras? What about us? We are just ordinary people. We have not attained realizations, so we cannot understand the Buddha’s intent so we cannot understand the Buddha’s intent.
Therefore, we must work hard [to understand Him]. We must not suspect that when the Buddha comes to this world, He only teaches skillful means. We must not have such doubts. As I have said before, skillful means are “wondrous provisional teachings.” He utilized these subtle and wondrous means to guide everyone in the same direction. We must be on the same course, which helps us step onto this great Bodhi-path.
So, we must not doubt the methods the Buddha taught us. We must have faith to receive and understand that the Buddha’s One Buddha Vehicle is the True Dharma. We must faithfully accept and practice the Buddha’s teachings. We must uphold, which is to faithfully accept His Words. We must believe that the Buddha’s words are absolutely not false.
He “speaks the truth, speaks the actual,” and does not speak what is false.” So, we must believe in the Buddha’s teachings. This is what He continuously reminds us.

Subhuti, the Tathagata is one who speaks the truth, who speaks the actual, who speaks what is such, who does not speak what is false, who does not speak what is not so. The Diamond (Vaira) Sytra.

Over 2000 years ago, when the Buddha spoke directly to His disciples, He took their minds into consideration. Each person’s habitual tendencies and thinking were all different. So with great compassion, He continuously reminded them to believe in the wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle. The wondrous One Vehicle Dharma has always been in our hearts and He utilized methods to guide us to it.
We have to believe this and safeguard our clear and pure minds and extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom. Single-mindedly believe and understand in order to realize what the Buddha is saying. The Buddha comes to the world for one great cause. What does He want to teach us? To have clear and pure minds, to extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom.
To walk this path, we must have assets. Consider the Buddha on His travels. When the time came, He also needed to quench His thirst and hunger. So when He traveled, He also needed [assets], not to mention ordinary people like us. To walk this Bodhisattva-path, we must have assets for our wisdom-life. When we earnestly practice the Bodhisattva-path, we extensively accumulate blessings and wisdom as assets; they arise when we work with sentient beings when we put [teachings] into practice. Among sentient beings, we must maintain the purity of our minds so it correspond to all things. Our minds must be refined and focused. When we single-mindedly remain pure, we realize our pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. So we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

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