20140618《靜思妙蓮華》應病開法藥（第329集）
「調心寂靜合和眾，受持清澄無染著，守志願行菩提道。」
「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」《法華經 方便品第二》
【證嚴上人示】
「調心寂靜合和眾，受持清澄無染著，守志願行菩提道。」
調心寂靜合和眾
受持清澄無染著
守志願行菩提道
我們若能心好好調，調得我們一片這種靜寂的心，人人的心都是在靜寂中，這個寂靜，就是我們修行者所要追求的。因為，心若寂靜，自然人與人之間就是合和。
叢林修行叫做「和合眾」。我們有共同一念心，這樣合起來，這個同一念心就是要修行。我們的方向，無不都是寂靜的境界。這是人人心的趣向，希望我們能夠在一個環境中，讓我們的心很平靜。你是這樣的心，他也是這樣的心，而我也是這樣的心，這種共同一念心，不就是「合」。有了「合」的心，自然就「和」了，這種「和合眾」共聚的地方，叫做叢林。
這種叢林境界，能夠推行到社會，整個社會也是一樣，同樣這念心，如何心調和，如何人人和合？這是一個最祥和的社會。這也就是每天每天，都是這樣在說，希望我們人人一股清流。佛法如水，能夠洗滌我們人人內心的污垢。修行的目標就是這樣，要如何去除，我們內心的無明、染垢。所以，我們必定要，受持清澄的方法。
如何來淨化我們的心，這是很重要的。所以，無染著，方法，我們要精進。聽聞一法，我們要聞、思、修。方法就是這樣，聽了之後，好好思考，有道理的，我們做得到的，我們必定要身體力行，這是方法。要如何來接受佛陀說種種法，我們要用何種心境來接受，接受此法，來清除我們內心的污垢。我們若能清除內心的污垢，我們還要再保護，乾淨之後，就不要再染著了。
再來，就是要「守志願行菩提道」。我們必定要守志，既然發心，發心如初，就成佛有餘了。我們若能時時抱持著初發心，這念心好好地把握著，守持著，若能如此，這種願行不離菩提道，我們絕對是在菩提道上精進。我們要接近「道」，而且行在道，你們想，要接近佛，哪有遠呢？所以，人人本具佛性，人人本具佛法，人人心中都有寶，心中都有法，探手無不是寶，力行無不是法，只是我們沒有表達出來而已。
佛陀在世時，有一次，一位貧窮的人，到佛的面前來，向佛膜拜頂禮，抬頭向佛這樣說：「佛啊！我苦。」佛陀以很慈祥的眼神來看，「你苦在哪裡？」他說：「我什麼都沒有，什麼都缺。看大家在供養佛陀，我知道我這輩子這麼貧困，聽人家這樣傳說，就是要供養三寶。但是我什麼都沒有，我要用什麼來供養呢？聽人家這樣說，說要致富，就要布施。但是，我也是什麼都沒有，我要用什麼去布施呢？」
佛陀就微笑對他這麼說，就說：「布施，不一定是要富有，也不一定是要用錢布施。你即使是貧，沒有物資，你也能布施。」這位貧窮人請教佛陀，「什麼都沒有，如何能叫做布施？」佛陀就說：「教你七種布施，都不必用錢。」
開始，佛陀就說：第一、你要面露笑容，看到人就要和顏悅色，不要一直叫苦啊！苦啊！一直叫苦，你就有埋怨的心，在你的面容，現出了那種苦而怨的形態，有人看到你，就會遠離你，棄捨你。所以你一定要和顏悅色，看到人，要用親切感待人。
第二、見到人，無論他人對你說了什麼話，你的回應一定要用好話。時時與人說好話，人前、人後，在人的背後，也要說好話，在人前，也要好言好語讚歎人。
第三、你要抱持著好心。時時你的觀念、內心，見到人就要用那分，人人都是好人，可親近的人，我自己也是好人，我就要自動親近人，這種好心。
第四、要用好眼。用很好的眼睛去布施。眼睛要如何布施？就是說，有的人看不清楚，你要指導他，牽引他，路要如何走，方向在哪裡。
還有(第五) ，你要用身的布施。有的人體力不夠，很重的東西，無法拿，無法扛，無法做的粗重工作，你能用你身體的力量去幫助他，做粗重的工作。如此，這叫做身力量的布施。
再來，你要有敬的布施，這是第六。見到人，要對人人尊重。你要懂得尊重別人，恭敬別人，對老人要恭敬，對一般人要很和氣、尊重。
第七、那就是愛。無論是對人，對小孩童，對貧困、殘疾的人，你都要付出這分愛心。甚至對所有的生命，人間一切的事物，都要用愛去布施。這就是全都能布施，不必用錢，你應該做得到。
這位貧窮人聽到，「這麼簡單，就稱為布施？」佛陀說：「是啊！雖然是這麼簡單，你這輩子做得到嗎？」貧窮人就說：「這怎麼會做不到呢？不必用錢，我就能去做好事，我瞭解了。過去生中，可能這些都是我的缺點，常常自哀自嘆，所以我的身，無論身、口、意等等，都沒有做到對人有愛，有恭敬，有利益，不曾說過一句好話，不曾幫助過人一分的力量。佛陀啊！我知道了，現在開始，這七種布施，我會身體力行。」
看，佛陀的慈悲，原來要致富，不一定是要有錢。就是只要我們這樣做，做得到，我們的人生，就是富有的人生。
所以，我們人人心懷寶物，我們人人心中，都有清淨如來的本性，我們人人都有，與佛陀平等的智慧，我們全都是本來具有，只是方法我們還沒有很清楚。我們現在既然知道了，發心要親近佛法，必定要聞、思、修，身體力行這樣去做，自然我們就會接近覺道，自然我們就會接近佛性。
所以，佛陀不斷地在提醒我們，聽經，要仔細聽。我們昨天不是說過嗎？佛陀叫舍利弗，說：「舍利弗善聽」。好好地聽，大家既然要聽法，要好好地聽。
要知道，「諸佛所得法」，昨天說過了，表示佛陀修行的過程，還有諸佛修行的過程，都是要很精進。過程精進都是一樣，所得來的法也是一樣，就是覺悟，覺悟人人本具佛性。每一尊佛都是同樣過程的修行，修行所得到的是同樣的法，同樣的覺悟，同樣瞭解眾生皆有佛性。施教的過程也是一樣，因為眾生，無明、煩惱厚重，很重，所以每一尊佛同樣都是要用無量方便力，來為眾生說法。
不過，現在這段（經）文，就又這麼說：「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」
眾生心所念
種種所行道
若干諸欲性
先世善惡業
佛悉知是已
《法華經 方便品第二》
眾生，佛陀要為眾生說法，但是眾生心所念的，到底眾生心所念的是什麼？眾生發心修行，所要修行的路，他的根機有深、有淺。眾生，有的心欲很重，欲念很重，欲念很大，有的人就是少欲知足，有的人就是欲無窮盡，這要視眾生的根機。欲念若較深、較重的，那就是煩惱多；若是少欲知足的，煩惱就輕。
所以，眾生雖然要修行，「若干諸欲性」，心欲有重、有輕，眾生的心欲有多少，煩惱就有多少。我們常常說眾生，有八萬四千的煩惱，所以佛陀就要開八萬四千法門。應眾生心病，佛陀就要開眾生所需要的心藥，去治療。所以，這全都是眾生的煩惱。
為什麼有的煩惱輕，有的煩惱重，有的心欲少欲，有的怎麼會這種欲念無止境？這都是與每一個人，「先世善惡業」有關。常常說過，我們一定破除迷信，不過，因緣果報觀，我們一定要相信。天地、宇宙、人之間，無不都是有因緣果報，這是我們人人一定要相信。
每一個眾生，經過了六道輪迴，隨著境界薰習了我們的習氣。有時候，這個境界現前，就隨惡造惡，所種的因，惡因自然就結了很多的惡緣了，這就是眾生所帶來的果報。
這個果報，來到人間，善因、善果，這樣的人來人間，所遇到的是善的緣、善的果、善的報，都是所看到的境界，都有好的因緣來牽引他，這全都是叫做善業。過去生有造善因，結善緣，所以這輩子，所見到的人，都會牽引他向善的方向。所以這是善，與過去生有關。
或者是惡呢？所到的環境都是很惡劣的環境。因為，有遇到的都不是好的緣，讓他去做那種壞的因。這就是因為惡緣，所以再去造惡因，種惡因，又再結惡緣，這種惡因、惡緣不斷複製，煩惱就不斷產生。
所以，「先世善惡業」，都是這樣不斷地糾纏過來，所以，我們必定要用心。佛陀對一位貧窮人，都會為他開示，平時要和顏悅色，平時要說好話，時時看人都是好人。我們若能夠這樣，有七種方法，我們同樣這樣做，那是不是都是與人結好緣呢？這是我們學佛的方法。
這些事情，佛陀都知道，他要為眾生說法。諸佛來人間，也是同樣是這樣。對眾生一切的根機，若不能很了解，要如何應機逗教呢？要如何開方便法？所以，這個方便法，也要很清楚眾生的根機。所以，「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」全都知道，這就是佛陀要先瞭解眾生。
各位菩薩，我們都要先認識人。對人，我們先瞭解，他所需要的是什麼？我們才能用心付出。人，人人第一所愛的，就是親和感。我若看到人，我對這個人，我看到了，就很有緣。我們要讓人看了，覺得我們與他很有緣，很投緣。第一項，你就要修和顏悅色，要好好開始如何保養我們的「慈濟面霜」，在我們的形態中。
還要真的如何說話，讓人家能夠聽進去，要常常說好話。要抱著好心、恭敬，人人都是好人。還要常常去幫助人，無論是眼光(眼力)，人家看不清楚，我們要指導他走一條，安全的道路；還要不吝惜手腳，盡量去幫助人，我們有什麼力量，能夠幫助得到人的，就盡量付出。對人要有恭敬的心，恭敬的態度，我們對人人，真的要無私的大愛付出。
我們每天所過的日子，不是物質享受的歡喜，是人和的歡喜，這叫做叢林，這叫做修行的道場。所以，我們要時時「調心寂靜和合眾」，我們要做一個與人人和合的人，這就是我們的道場。
心靈的道場也是如此，我們要「受持清澄無染著」，我們真的要好好受持。我們既然發心修行，我們的習氣一定要改。改除我們的習氣，就表示去除我們的無明，不要再有染著。我們既然是發心修行，我們必定要「守志願行菩提道」。
佛陀，諸佛來人間，無不都是要為我們教育。所以種種的方法，方便法，無不都是要為眾生說。但是佛陀，諸佛都已經先瞭解眾生的根性，他才有辦法用方便力，來施教眾生。所以各位，學佛，就是要學這些重點方法。請大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Prescribe Dharma Cures According to the Illness (應病開法藥)
Date: June. 18. 2014
“As a harmonious assembly, adjust your minds to be tranquil and still. Maintain clarity and be free of defilements. Uphold your resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path.”
If we can adjust our minds to be tranquil and still, then everyone’s mind can be in such a state. This tranquility and stillness is what we spiritual practitioners are seeking, because when our minds are in this state, we will naturally live in harmony. A Sangha practicing in a monastery is described as a “harmonious assembly.” We are united by the same intent. This shared intent is to engage in spiritual practice. We are all on the same course to a tranquil and still state. This is the direction our minds move toward. We hope to be in an environment that allows our mind to be at peace. You have this mindset, she also has this mindset, and I also have this mindset. By sharing the same mindset, we are “united”. With “united” minds, we will naturally live in “harmony”. The place where a “harmonious assembly” gathers is called a monastery. By expanding this environment to encompass the rest of society, everyone in our society will share this mindset of harmonizing and uniting their minds. Then this will be a most harmonious society. This is what I mean every day when I say I hope we can be like a pure stream. The Buddha-Dharma is like water it can wash away the defilements in our minds. This is the goal of our spiritual practice, to learn how to eliminate the ignorance and impurities in our minds. Therefore, we must have methods of maintaining clarity.
How can we purify our minds? This is very important [to do,] so we must diligently practice the methods of keeping our minds free of defilements. After listening to a teaching, we must contemplate and practice it. This is the method. After listening, we must thoroughly contemplate. If a teaching makes sense and we can apply it, we must put it into practice. This is the method, the way to accept the Buddha’s different teachings, the mindset we must use to accept the Dharma that washes away defilements from our minds.
After cleansing our minds of defilements, we must then protect them, so our clear minds will not be defiled again. Furthermore, we must “uphold our resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path.” We must uphold our resolve. Since we have formed aspirations, if we can sustain our initial aspiration, we will surely attain Buddhahood. If we can always maintain that inspiration, hold on to it and uphold it, then our vows and actions will never deviate from the Bodhi-path and we will certainly diligently advance upon it. We must draw near to and then walk this path.
Think about it; we want to draw near the Buddha, but He is not far from us at all. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and all intrinsically have Buddha-Dharma. We all have treasures in our minds and the Dharma in our hearts. Everything we reach for is a treasure; in everything we do there is Dharma. It is just that we have not demonstrated this.
While the Buddha was living at Jetavana Grove, one day a poor man suddenly arrived at the gates. He came before the Buddha and reverently prostrated..He looked up and said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, I am suffering.”The Buddha looked upon him with compassion.“Where does your suffering come from?”He said, “I have nothing and lack everything.I see people making offerings to you.I have been poor all my life and when I hear others say that we must make offerings to the Three Treasures,.I wonder what I could use to make offerings when I have nothing at all.I also hear from other people that to be rich, one must give.But I have nothing, so what can I give?”
The Buddha responded with a smile, “You do not need to be wealthy to give, nor does your contribution need to be monetary.Even if you are poor and have no material goods, you can still give.”
This poor man asked the Buddha, “If I have nothing, what can I give?”The Buddha said, “I am going to teach you seven ways of giving that do not require money.”The Buddha said, “First, you must smile and be pleasant whenever you see other people.Do not keep complaining about your suffering.If you do, you will feel resentful and your face will reflect your resentment of your suffering.Then people who see you will stay away from you or abandon you.Therefore, you must always be pleasant.When you see others, treat them warmly.”
“Second, when you see someone, regardless of what that person says to you, you must respond with kind words.Always speak kindly of people whether they are present or not.Even when they are not there, say good things about them.When they are there, praise them with kind words.”
“Third, you must have a positive mindset.Whenever you see people, see them as kind, approachable people.Think of yourself as a kid person as well and proactively approach others. ”
“Fourth, you must practice giving with good eyes.And how do you give with your eyes?When someone cannot see clearly, you must guide him and show him how to walk the path, what direction to go in.Also, you must give with your body.Some people may not be physically strong.When they cannot carry or lift heavy things, or do certain kinds of heavy labor, you can use your physical strength to help them with these difficult tasks.This is giving with physical strength.”
“Next, you can give your respect.This is the sixth thing.Show your respect to everyone you see.Revere the elderly and be friendly and respectful to everyone.”
“Seventh is [giving your] love to everyone, from children, to the poor, to the disabled.”
“You should always give your love.You must even give out of love to all living beings and all things in the world.These are all ways you can give.None of them require money, so you can do it.”
Hearing this, the poor man said, “[Can] such simple acts be considered giving?”The Buddha said, “Yes.Though they are very simple, do you think you can actually do them?”The poor man said, “How can I not do them?I do not need money do these good deeds.I now understand that, in the past I have had all these flaws.I constantly complain about my life.So with my body, speech and mind and so on, I do not show people love or respect, or help them.I never said a single kind word and never helped others with my physical strength.Venerable Buddha, I now know [can do].”From now on, I will put these seven types of giving into practice.”
f giving into practice”
See, out of His compassion the Buddha taught us that [spiritual] abundance does not come from money. As long as we can cultivate these practices, there will be abundance in our lives. So, we all have treasures in our minds. We all intrinsically have a pure Tathagata-nature. We all share the same wisdom as the Buddha. These are things we intrinsically have, but we were not clear on how [to manifest them]. Now that we know all this, we must aspire to draw near to the Dharma, to listen, contemplate and practice. By putting the Dharma into practice, naturally, we will approach the Bodhi-path and draw near to our Buddha-nature. So, the Buddha constantly reminds us that when we listen to sutras, we must pay attention.
Didn’t we discuss this yesterday? The Buddha called to Sariputra and said, “Sariputra, listen well,” which means to listen carefully. If we want to listen to teachings, we must pay attention. As for “the Dharma obtained by all Buddhas,” I said yesterday that [this line] refers to the process of the spiritual practice of all Buddhas and how They had to be very diligent. With the same diligence, They engaged in spiritual practice, so the Dharma They attained was the same, which is enlightenment. They awakened to the Buddha-nature we all have. All Buddhas went through the same journey of spiritual cultivation and obtained the same Dharma and enlightenment.
In the same way, They realized all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. The way They give teachings is also the same. Because sentient beings are ignorant and seriously afflicted, every Buddha must utilize the power of skillful means to expound the Dharma.
But now this sutra passage states, “The thoughts in the minds of sentient beings, the various pathways they have walked, the nature of their various desires, their karma, good and bad, from former lives, the Buddha know them all thoroughly”.
Everyone, the Buddha wants to expound the Dharma for sentient beings. But what are the thoughts. In the minds of sentient beings? They aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation. They aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation but their practices [depend on] their capacities, which ways in depth. Some sentient beings have very strong desires. Some are content and have few desires. Some have endless desire. All this depends on their capabilities. Those with more and stronger desires will have more affliction. Those who are content have fewer afflictions.
Though sentient beings want to engage in spiritual practice, “the nature of their various desires”. [are all different,] some serious, some mild. The more desires they have, the more afflictions they will have. We always say sentient beings have 84000 kinds of afflictions, so the Buddha needs to open 84000 Dharma-doors. In response to their mental ailments, the Buddha prescribes the spiritual medicine that sentient beings need for their treatment. This is all for the afflictions for sentient beings.
Why are some afflictions mild and others more severe? Some people have fewer desires, while others have an endless number of desires. All this has to do with “[our] karma, good and bad, from former lives. I often say we must break away from superstition, but we must believe in the law of karma, but we must believe in the law of karma.
The world, the universe and relationship are all governed by the law of causes and effect”. This is something we must believe. Every one of us sentient beings, throughout cyclic existence in the Six Realms throughout cyclic existence in the Six Realms, is influenced by our surroundings to form habitual tendencies. Sometimes, when negative conditions manifest, we then create negative karma. These negative causes we create. Will then naturally yield negative conditions. These are the karmic retributions that we bring with us into the world, bring with us into the world. If we come to the world with positive causes and effects, we all encounter positive conditions, we will encounter positive conditions and retributions, we encounter and are guided by good karmic condition . All this comes from good karma.
In previous lives, we created positive causes and conditions, So in this life, everything we see will lead us on the course to do good. So, goodness is related to our previous lives. What if we have negative [karma]? Then we will live in a terrible environment and will only encounter negative conditions, which lead us to create more negative causes So because of negative conditions we create more negative causes, which lead us to create more negative conditions. When we are in this vicious cycle we continuously give rise to afflictions.
“[Our] karma, good and bad , from former lives” constantly entangles us. So, we must be mindful.
The Buddha taught that poor man to always have a pleasant demeanor, to always speak kind words and to always see others as good people. If we can practice these seven ways [of giving], aren’t we creating good affinities with others? This is our method as Buddhist practitioners.The Buddha already knows all this, so He gives teachings to sentient beings. All Buddhas also come to the world and do the same thing. If they did not really understand the capabilities of sentient beings, then how could They give suitable teachings?How could They open up the skillful means?
[So, teaching] skillful means requires an understanding of sentient beings’ capabilities So “the thoughts in the minds of sentient beings, the various pathways they have walked, the nature of their various desires, their karma, good and bad, from former lives, are fully known to the Buddha”
He knows all, because He first learned about sentient beings. Dear Bodhisattvas, we need to first learn about people. We must first understand what they need so we can give them something suitable. When people first see you, a sense of friendliness will draw them close to you. When we see someone, we want to feel like we have an affinity with them. We want people to feel, upon meeting us, that they have a close affinity with us.
First, we must cultivate a pleasant demeanor and learn how to maintain it [by applying] the “Tzu Chi Facial Cream”(a smile). This is all in our [everyday] appearance. We also must work on how to speak so that others are willing to listen. We must always speak kind words, have a positive mindset and show respect because every person is a good person. We should also constantly help others. If someone has poor eyesight and cannot see clearly, we must guide them onto a safe path. We must spare no effort in helping others. Whatever strength we have must be dedicated to doing everything we can to help others.
When we interact with others, we must also treat them with respect. We must give to others out of selfless great love. If so, our daily living will not center on the joy of material pleasures, but the joy of harmonious relationships. This happens in a monastery, a training ground for spiritual cultivation. Therefore, we should constantly “In a harmonious assembly, we must adjust our minds to be tranquil and still”.
We must be able to be in harmony with everyone; this is what we learn in our training ground. We do the same in our spiritual training ground. We must “maintain clarity and be free of defilements”. We really must work on maintaining this.
Since we aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation, we must change our habitual tendencies. Changing our habitual tendencies means we are eliminating our ignorance and will no longer be defiled. Since we have these spiritual aspirations, we must “uphold our resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path”.
All Buddhas come to the world for the sole purpose of teaching us. [They utilize] various methods and skillful means solely to give [teachings]. But the Buddha and all Buddhas must first understand sentient beings capabilities so they can teach them with the power of skillful means. So everybody, we must learn this as we learn the Buddha’s Way. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
「調心寂靜合和眾，受持清澄無染著，守志願行菩提道。」
「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」《法華經 方便品第二》
【證嚴上人示】
「調心寂靜合和眾，受持清澄無染著，守志願行菩提道。」
調心寂靜合和眾
受持清澄無染著
守志願行菩提道
我們若能心好好調，調得我們一片這種靜寂的心，人人的心都是在靜寂中，這個寂靜，就是我們修行者所要追求的。因為，心若寂靜，自然人與人之間就是合和。
叢林修行叫做「和合眾」。我們有共同一念心，這樣合起來，這個同一念心就是要修行。我們的方向，無不都是寂靜的境界。這是人人心的趣向，希望我們能夠在一個環境中，讓我們的心很平靜。你是這樣的心，他也是這樣的心，而我也是這樣的心，這種共同一念心，不就是「合」。有了「合」的心，自然就「和」了，這種「和合眾」共聚的地方，叫做叢林。
這種叢林境界，能夠推行到社會，整個社會也是一樣，同樣這念心，如何心調和，如何人人和合？這是一個最祥和的社會。這也就是每天每天，都是這樣在說，希望我們人人一股清流。佛法如水，能夠洗滌我們人人內心的污垢。修行的目標就是這樣，要如何去除，我們內心的無明、染垢。所以，我們必定要，受持清澄的方法。
如何來淨化我們的心，這是很重要的。所以，無染著，方法，我們要精進。聽聞一法，我們要聞、思、修。方法就是這樣，聽了之後，好好思考，有道理的，我們做得到的，我們必定要身體力行，這是方法。要如何來接受佛陀說種種法，我們要用何種心境來接受，接受此法，來清除我們內心的污垢。我們若能清除內心的污垢，我們還要再保護，乾淨之後，就不要再染著了。
再來，就是要「守志願行菩提道」。我們必定要守志，既然發心，發心如初，就成佛有餘了。我們若能時時抱持著初發心，這念心好好地把握著，守持著，若能如此，這種願行不離菩提道，我們絕對是在菩提道上精進。我們要接近「道」，而且行在道，你們想，要接近佛，哪有遠呢？所以，人人本具佛性，人人本具佛法，人人心中都有寶，心中都有法，探手無不是寶，力行無不是法，只是我們沒有表達出來而已。
佛陀在世時，有一次，一位貧窮的人，到佛的面前來，向佛膜拜頂禮，抬頭向佛這樣說：「佛啊！我苦。」佛陀以很慈祥的眼神來看，「你苦在哪裡？」他說：「我什麼都沒有，什麼都缺。看大家在供養佛陀，我知道我這輩子這麼貧困，聽人家這樣傳說，就是要供養三寶。但是我什麼都沒有，我要用什麼來供養呢？聽人家這樣說，說要致富，就要布施。但是，我也是什麼都沒有，我要用什麼去布施呢？」
佛陀就微笑對他這麼說，就說：「布施，不一定是要富有，也不一定是要用錢布施。你即使是貧，沒有物資，你也能布施。」這位貧窮人請教佛陀，「什麼都沒有，如何能叫做布施？」佛陀就說：「教你七種布施，都不必用錢。」
開始，佛陀就說：第一、你要面露笑容，看到人就要和顏悅色，不要一直叫苦啊！苦啊！一直叫苦，你就有埋怨的心，在你的面容，現出了那種苦而怨的形態，有人看到你，就會遠離你，棄捨你。所以你一定要和顏悅色，看到人，要用親切感待人。
第二、見到人，無論他人對你說了什麼話，你的回應一定要用好話。時時與人說好話，人前、人後，在人的背後，也要說好話，在人前，也要好言好語讚歎人。
第三、你要抱持著好心。時時你的觀念、內心，見到人就要用那分，人人都是好人，可親近的人，我自己也是好人，我就要自動親近人，這種好心。
第四、要用好眼。用很好的眼睛去布施。眼睛要如何布施？就是說，有的人看不清楚，你要指導他，牽引他，路要如何走，方向在哪裡。
還有(第五) ，你要用身的布施。有的人體力不夠，很重的東西，無法拿，無法扛，無法做的粗重工作，你能用你身體的力量去幫助他，做粗重的工作。如此，這叫做身力量的布施。
再來，你要有敬的布施，這是第六。見到人，要對人人尊重。你要懂得尊重別人，恭敬別人，對老人要恭敬，對一般人要很和氣、尊重。
第七、那就是愛。無論是對人，對小孩童，對貧困、殘疾的人，你都要付出這分愛心。甚至對所有的生命，人間一切的事物，都要用愛去布施。這就是全都能布施，不必用錢，你應該做得到。
這位貧窮人聽到，「這麼簡單，就稱為布施？」佛陀說：「是啊！雖然是這麼簡單，你這輩子做得到嗎？」貧窮人就說：「這怎麼會做不到呢？不必用錢，我就能去做好事，我瞭解了。過去生中，可能這些都是我的缺點，常常自哀自嘆，所以我的身，無論身、口、意等等，都沒有做到對人有愛，有恭敬，有利益，不曾說過一句好話，不曾幫助過人一分的力量。佛陀啊！我知道了，現在開始，這七種布施，我會身體力行。」
看，佛陀的慈悲，原來要致富，不一定是要有錢。就是只要我們這樣做，做得到，我們的人生，就是富有的人生。
所以，我們人人心懷寶物，我們人人心中，都有清淨如來的本性，我們人人都有，與佛陀平等的智慧，我們全都是本來具有，只是方法我們還沒有很清楚。我們現在既然知道了，發心要親近佛法，必定要聞、思、修，身體力行這樣去做，自然我們就會接近覺道，自然我們就會接近佛性。
所以，佛陀不斷地在提醒我們，聽經，要仔細聽。我們昨天不是說過嗎？佛陀叫舍利弗，說：「舍利弗善聽」。好好地聽，大家既然要聽法，要好好地聽。
要知道，「諸佛所得法」，昨天說過了，表示佛陀修行的過程，還有諸佛修行的過程，都是要很精進。過程精進都是一樣，所得來的法也是一樣，就是覺悟，覺悟人人本具佛性。每一尊佛都是同樣過程的修行，修行所得到的是同樣的法，同樣的覺悟，同樣瞭解眾生皆有佛性。施教的過程也是一樣，因為眾生，無明、煩惱厚重，很重，所以每一尊佛同樣都是要用無量方便力，來為眾生說法。
不過，現在這段（經）文，就又這麼說：「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」
眾生心所念
種種所行道
若干諸欲性
先世善惡業
佛悉知是已
《法華經 方便品第二》
眾生，佛陀要為眾生說法，但是眾生心所念的，到底眾生心所念的是什麼？眾生發心修行，所要修行的路，他的根機有深、有淺。眾生，有的心欲很重，欲念很重，欲念很大，有的人就是少欲知足，有的人就是欲無窮盡，這要視眾生的根機。欲念若較深、較重的，那就是煩惱多；若是少欲知足的，煩惱就輕。
所以，眾生雖然要修行，「若干諸欲性」，心欲有重、有輕，眾生的心欲有多少，煩惱就有多少。我們常常說眾生，有八萬四千的煩惱，所以佛陀就要開八萬四千法門。應眾生心病，佛陀就要開眾生所需要的心藥，去治療。所以，這全都是眾生的煩惱。
為什麼有的煩惱輕，有的煩惱重，有的心欲少欲，有的怎麼會這種欲念無止境？這都是與每一個人，「先世善惡業」有關。常常說過，我們一定破除迷信，不過，因緣果報觀，我們一定要相信。天地、宇宙、人之間，無不都是有因緣果報，這是我們人人一定要相信。
每一個眾生，經過了六道輪迴，隨著境界薰習了我們的習氣。有時候，這個境界現前，就隨惡造惡，所種的因，惡因自然就結了很多的惡緣了，這就是眾生所帶來的果報。
這個果報，來到人間，善因、善果，這樣的人來人間，所遇到的是善的緣、善的果、善的報，都是所看到的境界，都有好的因緣來牽引他，這全都是叫做善業。過去生有造善因，結善緣，所以這輩子，所見到的人，都會牽引他向善的方向。所以這是善，與過去生有關。
或者是惡呢？所到的環境都是很惡劣的環境。因為，有遇到的都不是好的緣，讓他去做那種壞的因。這就是因為惡緣，所以再去造惡因，種惡因，又再結惡緣，這種惡因、惡緣不斷複製，煩惱就不斷產生。
所以，「先世善惡業」，都是這樣不斷地糾纏過來，所以，我們必定要用心。佛陀對一位貧窮人，都會為他開示，平時要和顏悅色，平時要說好話，時時看人都是好人。我們若能夠這樣，有七種方法，我們同樣這樣做，那是不是都是與人結好緣呢？這是我們學佛的方法。
這些事情，佛陀都知道，他要為眾生說法。諸佛來人間，也是同樣是這樣。對眾生一切的根機，若不能很了解，要如何應機逗教呢？要如何開方便法？所以，這個方便法，也要很清楚眾生的根機。所以，「眾生心所念，種種所行道，若干諸欲性，先世善惡業，佛悉知是已。」全都知道，這就是佛陀要先瞭解眾生。
各位菩薩，我們都要先認識人。對人，我們先瞭解，他所需要的是什麼？我們才能用心付出。人，人人第一所愛的，就是親和感。我若看到人，我對這個人，我看到了，就很有緣。我們要讓人看了，覺得我們與他很有緣，很投緣。第一項，你就要修和顏悅色，要好好開始如何保養我們的「慈濟面霜」，在我們的形態中。
還要真的如何說話，讓人家能夠聽進去，要常常說好話。要抱著好心、恭敬，人人都是好人。還要常常去幫助人，無論是眼光(眼力)，人家看不清楚，我們要指導他走一條，安全的道路；還要不吝惜手腳，盡量去幫助人，我們有什麼力量，能夠幫助得到人的，就盡量付出。對人要有恭敬的心，恭敬的態度，我們對人人，真的要無私的大愛付出。
我們每天所過的日子，不是物質享受的歡喜，是人和的歡喜，這叫做叢林，這叫做修行的道場。所以，我們要時時「調心寂靜和合眾」，我們要做一個與人人和合的人，這就是我們的道場。
心靈的道場也是如此，我們要「受持清澄無染著」，我們真的要好好受持。我們既然發心修行，我們的習氣一定要改。改除我們的習氣，就表示去除我們的無明，不要再有染著。我們既然是發心修行，我們必定要「守志願行菩提道」。
佛陀，諸佛來人間，無不都是要為我們教育。所以種種的方法，方便法，無不都是要為眾生說。但是佛陀，諸佛都已經先瞭解眾生的根性，他才有辦法用方便力，來施教眾生。所以各位，學佛，就是要學這些重點方法。請大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Prescribe Dharma Cures According to the Illness (應病開法藥)
Date: June. 18. 2014
“As a harmonious assembly, adjust your minds to be tranquil and still. Maintain clarity and be free of defilements. Uphold your resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path.”
If we can adjust our minds to be tranquil and still, then everyone’s mind can be in such a state. This tranquility and stillness is what we spiritual practitioners are seeking, because when our minds are in this state, we will naturally live in harmony. A Sangha practicing in a monastery is described as a “harmonious assembly.” We are united by the same intent. This shared intent is to engage in spiritual practice. We are all on the same course to a tranquil and still state. This is the direction our minds move toward. We hope to be in an environment that allows our mind to be at peace. You have this mindset, she also has this mindset, and I also have this mindset. By sharing the same mindset, we are “united”. With “united” minds, we will naturally live in “harmony”. The place where a “harmonious assembly” gathers is called a monastery. By expanding this environment to encompass the rest of society, everyone in our society will share this mindset of harmonizing and uniting their minds. Then this will be a most harmonious society. This is what I mean every day when I say I hope we can be like a pure stream. The Buddha-Dharma is like water it can wash away the defilements in our minds. This is the goal of our spiritual practice, to learn how to eliminate the ignorance and impurities in our minds. Therefore, we must have methods of maintaining clarity.
How can we purify our minds? This is very important [to do,] so we must diligently practice the methods of keeping our minds free of defilements. After listening to a teaching, we must contemplate and practice it. This is the method. After listening, we must thoroughly contemplate. If a teaching makes sense and we can apply it, we must put it into practice. This is the method, the way to accept the Buddha’s different teachings, the mindset we must use to accept the Dharma that washes away defilements from our minds.
After cleansing our minds of defilements, we must then protect them, so our clear minds will not be defiled again. Furthermore, we must “uphold our resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path.” We must uphold our resolve. Since we have formed aspirations, if we can sustain our initial aspiration, we will surely attain Buddhahood. If we can always maintain that inspiration, hold on to it and uphold it, then our vows and actions will never deviate from the Bodhi-path and we will certainly diligently advance upon it. We must draw near to and then walk this path.
Think about it; we want to draw near the Buddha, but He is not far from us at all. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and all intrinsically have Buddha-Dharma. We all have treasures in our minds and the Dharma in our hearts. Everything we reach for is a treasure; in everything we do there is Dharma. It is just that we have not demonstrated this.
While the Buddha was living at Jetavana Grove, one day a poor man suddenly arrived at the gates. He came before the Buddha and reverently prostrated..He looked up and said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, I am suffering.”The Buddha looked upon him with compassion.“Where does your suffering come from?”He said, “I have nothing and lack everything.I see people making offerings to you.I have been poor all my life and when I hear others say that we must make offerings to the Three Treasures,.I wonder what I could use to make offerings when I have nothing at all.I also hear from other people that to be rich, one must give.But I have nothing, so what can I give?”
The Buddha responded with a smile, “You do not need to be wealthy to give, nor does your contribution need to be monetary.Even if you are poor and have no material goods, you can still give.”
This poor man asked the Buddha, “If I have nothing, what can I give?”The Buddha said, “I am going to teach you seven ways of giving that do not require money.”The Buddha said, “First, you must smile and be pleasant whenever you see other people.Do not keep complaining about your suffering.If you do, you will feel resentful and your face will reflect your resentment of your suffering.Then people who see you will stay away from you or abandon you.Therefore, you must always be pleasant.When you see others, treat them warmly.”
“Second, when you see someone, regardless of what that person says to you, you must respond with kind words.Always speak kindly of people whether they are present or not.Even when they are not there, say good things about them.When they are there, praise them with kind words.”
“Third, you must have a positive mindset.Whenever you see people, see them as kind, approachable people.Think of yourself as a kid person as well and proactively approach others. ”
“Fourth, you must practice giving with good eyes.And how do you give with your eyes?When someone cannot see clearly, you must guide him and show him how to walk the path, what direction to go in.Also, you must give with your body.Some people may not be physically strong.When they cannot carry or lift heavy things, or do certain kinds of heavy labor, you can use your physical strength to help them with these difficult tasks.This is giving with physical strength.”
“Next, you can give your respect.This is the sixth thing.Show your respect to everyone you see.Revere the elderly and be friendly and respectful to everyone.”
“Seventh is [giving your] love to everyone, from children, to the poor, to the disabled.”
“You should always give your love.You must even give out of love to all living beings and all things in the world.These are all ways you can give.None of them require money, so you can do it.”
Hearing this, the poor man said, “[Can] such simple acts be considered giving?”The Buddha said, “Yes.Though they are very simple, do you think you can actually do them?”The poor man said, “How can I not do them?I do not need money do these good deeds.I now understand that, in the past I have had all these flaws.I constantly complain about my life.So with my body, speech and mind and so on, I do not show people love or respect, or help them.I never said a single kind word and never helped others with my physical strength.Venerable Buddha, I now know [can do].”From now on, I will put these seven types of giving into practice.”
f giving into practice”
See, out of His compassion the Buddha taught us that [spiritual] abundance does not come from money. As long as we can cultivate these practices, there will be abundance in our lives. So, we all have treasures in our minds. We all intrinsically have a pure Tathagata-nature. We all share the same wisdom as the Buddha. These are things we intrinsically have, but we were not clear on how [to manifest them]. Now that we know all this, we must aspire to draw near to the Dharma, to listen, contemplate and practice. By putting the Dharma into practice, naturally, we will approach the Bodhi-path and draw near to our Buddha-nature. So, the Buddha constantly reminds us that when we listen to sutras, we must pay attention.
Didn’t we discuss this yesterday? The Buddha called to Sariputra and said, “Sariputra, listen well,” which means to listen carefully. If we want to listen to teachings, we must pay attention. As for “the Dharma obtained by all Buddhas,” I said yesterday that [this line] refers to the process of the spiritual practice of all Buddhas and how They had to be very diligent. With the same diligence, They engaged in spiritual practice, so the Dharma They attained was the same, which is enlightenment. They awakened to the Buddha-nature we all have. All Buddhas went through the same journey of spiritual cultivation and obtained the same Dharma and enlightenment.
In the same way, They realized all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. The way They give teachings is also the same. Because sentient beings are ignorant and seriously afflicted, every Buddha must utilize the power of skillful means to expound the Dharma.
But now this sutra passage states, “The thoughts in the minds of sentient beings, the various pathways they have walked, the nature of their various desires, their karma, good and bad, from former lives, the Buddha know them all thoroughly”.
Everyone, the Buddha wants to expound the Dharma for sentient beings. But what are the thoughts. In the minds of sentient beings? They aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation. They aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation but their practices [depend on] their capacities, which ways in depth. Some sentient beings have very strong desires. Some are content and have few desires. Some have endless desire. All this depends on their capabilities. Those with more and stronger desires will have more affliction. Those who are content have fewer afflictions.
Though sentient beings want to engage in spiritual practice, “the nature of their various desires”. [are all different,] some serious, some mild. The more desires they have, the more afflictions they will have. We always say sentient beings have 84000 kinds of afflictions, so the Buddha needs to open 84000 Dharma-doors. In response to their mental ailments, the Buddha prescribes the spiritual medicine that sentient beings need for their treatment. This is all for the afflictions for sentient beings.
Why are some afflictions mild and others more severe? Some people have fewer desires, while others have an endless number of desires. All this has to do with “[our] karma, good and bad, from former lives. I often say we must break away from superstition, but we must believe in the law of karma, but we must believe in the law of karma.
The world, the universe and relationship are all governed by the law of causes and effect”. This is something we must believe. Every one of us sentient beings, throughout cyclic existence in the Six Realms throughout cyclic existence in the Six Realms, is influenced by our surroundings to form habitual tendencies. Sometimes, when negative conditions manifest, we then create negative karma. These negative causes we create. Will then naturally yield negative conditions. These are the karmic retributions that we bring with us into the world, bring with us into the world. If we come to the world with positive causes and effects, we all encounter positive conditions, we will encounter positive conditions and retributions, we encounter and are guided by good karmic condition . All this comes from good karma.
In previous lives, we created positive causes and conditions, So in this life, everything we see will lead us on the course to do good. So, goodness is related to our previous lives. What if we have negative [karma]? Then we will live in a terrible environment and will only encounter negative conditions, which lead us to create more negative causes So because of negative conditions we create more negative causes, which lead us to create more negative conditions. When we are in this vicious cycle we continuously give rise to afflictions.
“[Our] karma, good and bad , from former lives” constantly entangles us. So, we must be mindful.
The Buddha taught that poor man to always have a pleasant demeanor, to always speak kind words and to always see others as good people. If we can practice these seven ways [of giving], aren’t we creating good affinities with others? This is our method as Buddhist practitioners.The Buddha already knows all this, so He gives teachings to sentient beings. All Buddhas also come to the world and do the same thing. If they did not really understand the capabilities of sentient beings, then how could They give suitable teachings?How could They open up the skillful means?
[So, teaching] skillful means requires an understanding of sentient beings’ capabilities So “the thoughts in the minds of sentient beings, the various pathways they have walked, the nature of their various desires, their karma, good and bad, from former lives, are fully known to the Buddha”
He knows all, because He first learned about sentient beings. Dear Bodhisattvas, we need to first learn about people. We must first understand what they need so we can give them something suitable. When people first see you, a sense of friendliness will draw them close to you. When we see someone, we want to feel like we have an affinity with them. We want people to feel, upon meeting us, that they have a close affinity with us.
First, we must cultivate a pleasant demeanor and learn how to maintain it [by applying] the “Tzu Chi Facial Cream”(a smile). This is all in our [everyday] appearance. We also must work on how to speak so that others are willing to listen. We must always speak kind words, have a positive mindset and show respect because every person is a good person. We should also constantly help others. If someone has poor eyesight and cannot see clearly, we must guide them onto a safe path. We must spare no effort in helping others. Whatever strength we have must be dedicated to doing everything we can to help others.
When we interact with others, we must also treat them with respect. We must give to others out of selfless great love. If so, our daily living will not center on the joy of material pleasures, but the joy of harmonious relationships. This happens in a monastery, a training ground for spiritual cultivation. Therefore, we should constantly “In a harmonious assembly, we must adjust our minds to be tranquil and still”.
We must be able to be in harmony with everyone; this is what we learn in our training ground. We do the same in our spiritual training ground. We must “maintain clarity and be free of defilements”. We really must work on maintaining this.
Since we aspire to engage in spiritual cultivation, we must change our habitual tendencies. Changing our habitual tendencies means we are eliminating our ignorance and will no longer be defiled. Since we have these spiritual aspirations, we must “uphold our resolve and vow to walk the Bodhi-path”.
All Buddhas come to the world for the sole purpose of teaching us. [They utilize] various methods and skillful means solely to give [teachings]. But the Buddha and all Buddhas must first understand sentient beings capabilities so they can teach them with the power of skillful means. So everybody, we must learn this as we learn the Buddha’s Way. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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