【靜思妙蓮華】20140703 - 待機說佛慧 - 第340集 Awaiting Conditions to teach the Buddha’s Wisdom

20140703《靜思妙蓮華》待機說佛慧(第340集)



⊙「進！往前精進，自識心地風光，如法滋潤慧命，寂靜清澄永恆。」

⊙「我設是方便，令得入佛慧，未曾說汝等，當得成佛道。所以未曾說，說時未至故。」《法華經方便品第二》

⊙我設是方便：佛設權智教法，對實智之稱，達於方便法之智，以小徑轉通大道，是謂行方便之智也。

⊙令得入佛慧：佛先應機宜施於小教，漸以權教引入於大道，令得入佛慧。諸佛平等之大慧，即一切種智，是無上正等覺。

⊙法華經方便品曰：「如來所以出，為說佛慧故。

⊙未曾說汝等：時未到、機未熟，待機、會緣，即將宣告，從來未曾說之法。

⊙當得成佛道：成佛之道無二法，唯是一乘實法，根機因緣各不相同，成佛唯一道法。

⊙所以未曾說：四十餘年，佛心懷妙法，時機未熟，說時未至，故未曾說。



【證嚴上人開示】

進 往前精進

自識心地風光

如法滋潤慧命

寂靜清澄永恆



學佛，要步步精進，「進！往前精進」。我們要知道，時間分秒都不留給人，所以我們要疼惜光陰如寸金，所以我們要好好把握時間，要好好精進。常常一句話說：說我們「斯人飲水，冷暖自知。」修行如何能感覺到心靈的境界？唯有人人能夠感覺到，別人無法體會到我們的心靈。



我們到底在想什麼？想聞、思、修？想昨天聽過的法？想，昨天我們所做過的事情？想，想昨天我們與人互動，是歡喜，是不歡喜？種種的心靈境界，唯有自己能知。



我們若是想，就是相，有相；你與人，是什麼人的形象，那個人的相浮在你的心裡，這叫做想。想那個人的形象，這個人是讓我們歡喜的人嗎？心靈的境界就是歡喜。這種思念，歡喜的境界，這就是「思」。我們的心田在耕作，耕作我們印入心版的相，所以這叫做思想。



想，用心去思考昨天的經過，我們用心思考，是歡喜，是不歡喜，我們的心靈境界就是在這個相，這叫做「有為法」。



這段時間，大家每天都在聽經，聽了之後，我們有好好去探討法，其中道理是什麼？我們有用心嗎？我們的心地有在耕耘嗎？我們要自己自問，問我們自己有沒有？我們的心地風光，我們自己清楚了然，我們會很清楚，我們每樣都很瞭解，這個心地風光，唯有人人自己能知道，所以「斯人飲水，冷暖自知」。到底我們聽了多少法，有入我們的心嗎？我們有用心耕作，我們在耕作中有發現此風光嗎？



就如我們在園裡除草，我們看一片一片的草地，雜草叢生。大家除草，這種草是什麼草類呢？當你在除草時，除草，你就要知道，這株是什麼草，是「臭頭香」，或者是酢漿草，或者是……，很多種的草類。你要除掉，若不知道這草的名字，就如我們的無明，不知源頭一樣。所以「是農是禪」，所以「是心是佛」，「是佛是法」，這都是在我們的心裡。所以這種「自識心地風光」，就要從我們是不是精而不雜，進而不退，向前前進，就是下功夫。



所以，我們要「如法滋潤慧命」。修行就是要讓我們的慧命成長，讓我們的慧命，在內心復活起來，否則慧命，都讓它在冬眠。慧命要成長，以法來滋潤。



我們的心，平時是不是有寂靜清澄，永恆、永遠，把握於秒、於剎那間，我們能夠永恆的心，煩惱去除，寂靜清澄於永恆，那就是真如本性。



各位，進！不要再退。心是要精而無雜，我們才能認識我但自己，心地的風光。這是多美的境界！需要的是法來滋潤我們的慧命。要常常保持我們的心，在這種清淨的境界，永遠永遠。這樣才不辜負，佛陀來人間的一大事因緣，設種種方便教法，無不都是希望我們能夠入佛慧。



我設是方便

令得入佛慧

未曾說汝等

當得成佛道

所以未曾說

說時未至故

《法華經方便品第二》



我們昨天說過了，那就是佛陀說「我設是方便」，佛陀用種種方便教法，用種種的權智來教育我們。「權」就是對實(智)，為了要幫助真實法能夠顯現，大家比較簡單、容易瞭解，所以他用方便法，這就是佛陀的用心。若不是為要使眾生能夠體悟實智，佛陀也不必這麼辛苦。



所以，從「小徑」，從小小的路帶引你，無不都是希望我們，能夠走入通達大道。從小路能夠走到大路去，這條路才是真正我們能夠，通達佛智慧的道路。否則，我們都只是繞在小路，小叉路很多，要有人引導，從小路慢慢引到大路。不可再停滯於小路了，萬一若是再回頭，那就是迷，無法通達大道。



我設是方便：

佛設權智教法

對實智之稱

達於方便法之智

以小徑轉通大道

是謂行方便之智也



所以，無非就是「令得入佛慧」。引我們從小路走過來，無不都是希望我們能走入，康莊大直道的菩薩道路。這就是佛陀的用心，設方便法「令得入佛慧」。



令得入佛慧：

佛先應機宜

施於小教

漸以權教引

入於大道

令得入佛慧

諸佛平等之大慧

即一切種智

是無上正等覺



雖然是設方便法，還是希望眾生能夠入佛慧。「佛先應機宜施(於)小教」，應眾生的根機，是不是能夠接受，這是適宜，就是比較方便一點，比較簡單一點，能夠接引，用這種方便，使眾生能夠體會這種方法來施於小教。



「漸以權教引入(於)大道」，用「權」，權巧方便之法，來引導大家入大道，這樣才能入佛慧。若不經過小路，無法到大路。因為我們凡夫，小根、小機、小智，所以不得不用小路來引導，讓我們大家走到大路來。這是諸佛平等的大智慧。



佛陀就是要我們這樣，無論你們大家，包括我在內，我的心靈境界是什麼，是不是很多的煩惱、雜念呢？佛陀就是用種種方法，為我們去除我們的雜念、煩惱，能從煩惱、雜念，歸入到與佛平等的大智慧。



儘管我們一直說，「心、佛、眾生三無差別」，這種「無為法」是很自然，人人本具。偏偏我們就是受「有為法」，世間形形色色的事事物物，這樣讓我們這個相來入心，讓我們眾生執相，在我們的心，亂了我們的思考，讓我們的心地雜亂叢生，雜亂的煩惱一直生出來。這都是在「有為法」中，起諸煩惱。



我們若能回歸，人人本來就具有這種平等大慧，全都是平等，心、佛、眾生，都是平等，這種的大智慧，那就是無上正等正覺。我們人人若能到達這個境界，那就是入「無為法」。「無為法」人人本具，本來就是，我們人人(本具)真如本性。



所以《法華經》這一段(經)文說，這也是在〈方便品〉中，「如來所以出，為說佛慧故」。



法華經方便品曰

如來所以出

為說佛慧故



如來所以會出現在人間，就是只為了一大事因緣，為了要說佛的智慧。要告訴大家，大家心、佛、眾生平等。心、佛、眾生平等大慧，所以我們常說慈、悲、喜、捨，慈悲等觀。我們要將此慈悲行，已經教到眾生全都是平等——沒有我是能布施者，沒有來受施者，沒有什麼東西，是我們所要給他的。



其實，天下萬物，天下人享用，這是天下眾生共有，有誰是特別擁有的呢？只是一切因緣，有的欠缺這樣的因緣，有的豐富了這樣的因緣。所以佛陀來為我們，為我們啟示，有這樣好因緣的人，要趕緊去接引欠缺的因緣，同樣是取天下物，用於天下人所需要，這就是「有為法」。



但是，要發揮「無為法」，人人本具慈悲等觀，這麼平等的大慧。如何去接受，去引度眾生，希望眾生要具足這種因緣，富有，富有智慧，富有悲心，這是眾生人人本具。



過去佛陀說很多的法，千經萬論，但是「未曾說汝等」。所說的「汝等」，是佛的對機，當機者。我們過去說有四種類，有啟機，也有當機等等，也有結緣，這種在一個法會之中，無論是結緣眾，或者是，或者是當機眾，就是佛陀要對大家來說話，這就是佛陀說「汝等」。就是釋迦佛當時，在會中，佛陀這樣說：「未曾說汝等」，還未告訴你們大家，還沒有說什麼呢？為什麼還沒有說呢？就是說「時未到，機未熟」。



未曾說汝等：

時未到 機未熟

待機 會緣

即將宣告

從來未曾說之法



為什麼佛陀(不直言)？他，很簡單地告訴大家：「你們大家都能成佛，人人都與我平等，人人可以成佛。」無法說，說了也聽不懂！所以「時未到，機未熟」，現在說，現在大家就聽不懂，所以現在佛陀不說。佛陀一直在等待機會，過去無量無量的時間都沒有說，所以佛陀就是在待時機，會因緣。



過去還沒有跟你們說。還沒有說「你們」，「你們」是什麼？還沒有開始說。這就是已準備，因為時機都到了，因緣也成熟了，因為佛陀已經進入老年之時，涅槃，自然法則也差不多了，所以，時也差不多了，根機也差不多了，機緣都差不多會合之時，「即將宣告」。佛陀開始要向會中之人來宣告，宣告什麼呢？「從來未曾說之法」，過去還沒有說過的法。



要告訴他們什麼呢？「汝等當得成佛道」。這是一件多麼好的消息！佛陀已經開始說，你們也同樣能夠成佛道。不是光靠耳根聽法，是你們的心，自然本來就有，這種智慧平等的妙法，本來就具有，所以當得成佛道。



當得成佛道：

成佛之道無二法

唯是一乘實法

根機因緣

各不相同

成佛唯一道法



成佛之道，無二的法門，沒有第二條路，也沒有第二道門，就是一條康莊的大直道。這宗旨的門徑，「唯是一乘實法」，就是一乘實相，一乘真如之妙法。「根機因緣各不相同」，因為眾生根機、因緣都不一樣，現在這樣在聽，各人聽同一種法，卻是各人的理解還是不同，所以「根機因緣各不相同」。「成佛唯一道」，無論你們的根機是什麼根機，無論你們的因緣是什麼因緣，這種一乘實法只有一項。



「所以未曾說」。四十餘年，佛心懷此妙法，時機還未成熟，所以說的時機還未到，『所以未曾說』。



所以未曾說：

四十餘年

佛心懷妙法

時機未熟

說時未至

故未曾說



因為說了，儘管這樣說，也是聽不懂，有說跟沒有說還是一樣。所以，佛陀要慈悲，不斷地陪伴，以種種方法來誘引，希望人人，從世間的「有為法」中，能夠體會入「無為法」，這麼平等，人人本具的真實妙法。



所以，各位菩薩，學佛，唯有一項——進！向前前進(精進)。真正的心地風光，不要讓它流失了，否則我們就只是常常繞於小路，很複雜的小路，一走錯路，要再回來，就很遲了。所以，還是「進！往前精進」，這條康莊大路，才能體會我們的心靈風光。所以人人時時要多用心。



Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan

Subject: Awaiting Conditions to teach the Buddha’s Wisdom (待機說佛慧)

Date: July. 03. 2014



We must keep advancing and going forward. We must recognize the beautiful state of mind within us. We must nourish our wisdom-life with Dharma to attain an everlasting state of tranquility and clarity.



In learning the Buddha’s Way, we must practice diligently. “We must keep advancing and going forward.” We know that time waits for no one, so we must treasure every moment. We must seize every second to practice diligently. There is a common saying, “Only the person who drinks the water knows if it is hot or cold.” The way spiritual practice affects our minds is something only each of us knows for ourselves. Other people cannot comprehend our minds. What are we thinking about? About listening, contemplating and practicing. About the teachings we heard yesterday. About the things we did yesterday. About whether our interactions yesterday made us happy or not. These various states of mind are known only to ourselves.

Whenever we think of something, it will have an appearance. A person’s image surfaces in our minds when we are thinking of that person. Is this a person who makes us happy? [If so,] then our state of mind is happy. This kind of thinking, this happy state of mind, comes from contemplating. By engaging in contemplation, we are cultivating the field in our minds; we are imprinting things onto our minds .When we meticulously think about the things that happened yesterday, whether we were happy or not, our minds are focused on appearances. This is conditioned phenomena.

For some time, we have been listening to the Dharma every day. After listening to it, have we really analyzed the underlying principles? Have we mindfully cultivated the field in our minds? We must ask ourselves whether or not we have learned to clearly recognize the beauty of our state of mind. When we are in a clear state, we will very clearly understand everything. Our beautiful state of mind is known only to ourselves. So, “only the person who drinks the water knows if it is cold or warm.” We have listened to so much Dharma; have we taken any of it into our minds? Have we mindfully cultivated [our minds]? Have we discovered this beautiful state of mind in our spiritual cultivation? [Spiritual practice] is like weeding a garden. When we look at one patch of grass after another, they are full of weeds we must clear. Do we know what kind of weeds they are? When we are weeding, we must be able to identify the weeds. Is it nut grass, creeping oxalis, or some other kind of weed? If we want to clear it but do not know its name, that is like trying to eliminate ignorance without knowing its source. Thus, “Farming is a form of meditation.” “The mind is the Buddha.” “The Buddha is the Dharma.” This all depends on our minds. “We must recognize the beautiful state of mind within us.”

But whether we can or not depends on our minds being focused, not scattered, advancing, not regressing, as we diligently move forward.We must put effort into this.

Thus, we must “nourish our wisdom-life with the Dharma”.Spiritual practice develops our wisdom-life; it revives the wisdom-life in our minds.Otherwise, our wisdom-life is hibernating.For our wisdom-life to grow, we must nourish our minds with the Dharma.

Our minds must always be in a state of tranquility and clarity.We must seize every moment, every second.

If we can constantly eliminate our afflictions while remaining tranquil and clear forever, [we can manifest] Buddha-nature.Everyone, we must advance and not regress.Our minds must be focused and not scattered, so we can recognize our own beautiful state of mind.This is such a wonderful state, so we need the Dharma to nourish our wisdom-life.We must always keep our minds in this pure state forever.Only then can we live up to the Buddha’s one great cause.He established various skillful means solely to help us enter the Buddha’s wisdom.



I established these skillful means to enable all of you to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.But I have not yet told you all that all of you will certainly attain Buddhahood.I have not yet said that, because the time to speak has not come.



Yesterday, we discussed how the Buddha “established these skillful means.”He taught with various skillful means and various forms of provisional wisdom.“Provisional” leads to true [wisdom].To better reveal the True Dharma and to help everyone understand it more easily, He used skillful means.This shows the Buddha’s meticulousness.If He did not want to help sentient beings experience and realize true wisdom, the Buddha would no t need to work so hard.So, He guides us through small side streets solely because He hopes we will eventually reach the main street.From the side streets, we reach the main road, which is the only path that leads to the Buddha’s wisdom.Otherwise, we will get lost among the side streets.They keep splitting off, so we need guidance to go from the side streets to the main road.We cannot stop on the side streets.If we go back that way, we will be lost and will not be able to reach the great path.



I established these skillful means:The Buddha established teachings with provisional wisdom.This is the wisdom that leads to true wisdom through skillful means.The small side street that leads to the great path is the wisdom of practicing skillful means.



The Buddha’s sole intention was to “enable us to enter the Buddha’s wisdom”.He guides us through small side streets in the hope that we will step onto the broad and direct Bodhisattva-path.This shows the Buddha’s meticulousness.He established skillful means to “enable [us] to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.”



Enable you to enter the Buddha’s wisdom:

The Buddha must first, according to what is suitable, give Small [Vehicle] teachings.

Gradually, through provisional teachings, He guides people onto the great path to enable all to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.

All Buddhas have great universal wisdom, which is all-encompassing wisdom, supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment.



Although the Buddha established skillful means, He still hopes sentient beings will enter the Buddha’s wisdom.Thus, “the Buddha must first, according to what is suitable, give Small [Vehicle] teachings”.He gave teachings that suited their capabilities, so that sentient beings could accept them.Suitable teachings are more skillful and simple, so He could guide sentient beings to understanding with these skillful means.Thus, He gave Small [Vehicle] teachings.

“Gradually, through provisional teaching, He guides people into the great path. With “provisional” and skillful teachings, He guides everyone to the great path, so they can enter His wisdom. If we do not pass through the small side streets, we cannot reach the main road. Because we ordinary people have limited senses, capabilities and wisdom, the Buddha has to guide us through small streets to help us reach the main road, which is the great universal wisdom of all Buddhas. The Buddha wants us to do the same. Don’t all of us, including me, have a state of mind filled with many afflictions and discursive thoughts? So, the Buddha uses various methods to help us eliminate discursive thoughts and afflictions. Then from discursive thoughts and afflictions we return to the great wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. We keep saying that “the mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different in their nature”. These unconditioned phenomena are very nature and are intrinsic to all of us. Yet we are affected by conditioned phenomena. We allow all kinds of appearances, all kinds of shapes and colors to enter our minds, and then we cling to those appearances. They disrupt our thinking and cause the weeds in our minds to flourish by continuously giving rise to discursive afflictions.

So, it is from conditioned phenomena that all afflictions arise. If we can all return to the great universal wisdom we intrinsically have, we will all be equal. The mind, Buddhas and sentient beings all have this great universal wisdom, which is supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment. If all of us can reach this state, we will have entered the state of unconditioned phenomena. The unconditioned Dharma is intrinsic to us all. It is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness.



Thus in the Lotus sutra, this passage in “the Chapter on Skillful Means states. The Tathagata appears in this world for the purpose of teaching the Buddha’s wisdom.



The Tathagata appears in this world for the one great cause of teaching the Buddha’s wisdom. He wants to tell everyone that the mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different in their nature; all have great universal wisdom. We often say we must have loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, and we must be equally compassionate to all. We must teach these compassionate practices to sentient beings, so they treat all equally. There is no such thing as “a giver”. There is no such thing as “a receiver”. There is no such thing as “a gift given”.

Indeed, all things in the world exist to be collectively used by all sentient beings. How do people lay claim to particular things? Because of their causes and conditions. Some of us lack these kinds of karmic conditions, while others have them in abundance. So, the Buddha came to teach us that those who have good karmic conditions must quickly fill the needs of those who lack them. Since we are taking things from the world, we must use them to meet the needs of others. This is conditioned phenomena.

However, we must manifest unconditioned Dharma. We inherently have this universal compassion. With great universal wisdom, we can lead sentient beings. We hope that they are replete with these karmic conditions and have an abundance of compassion and wisdom. This is intrinsic to all of us.

The Buddha gave many teachings in the past; there are countless scriptures. When He said, “I have not yet told you all, “you all” referred to the initiators and adopters”. We have mentioned four kinds of practitioners, initiators, adopters, [influencers] and associators. At a Dharma-assembly, whether they were associators or adopters, the Buddha spoke to them all. This was why the Buddha said, “you all”. Sakyamuni Buddha said at the assembly, “I have not yet told you all”. He had not told them all. What hadn’t He told everyone? Why hadn’t He said it? Because “the time has not arrived, people’s capabilities have not matured”.



“I have not yet told you all: The time had not arrived, people’s capabilities had not matured. He waited for the right conditions and was about to proclaim, the Dharma He had not taught before.”



Why couldn’t the Buddha simply tell everyone, “You can all attain Buddhahood. You can all be my equals. Everyone can be a Buddha”. He did not say this, because even if He did, they would not understand. So, “the time had not arrived, people’s capabilities had not matured”. If He said it then, no one would understand. So, the Buddha did not speak of it then. Thus, the Buddha kept waiting for His opportunity. For a very long time, He did not say this because He was waiting for the right time, the right karmic conditions. “I had not told all of you this in the past. He had not yet told “all of you”. What hadn’t he told “all of you”? The Buddha had not begun to speak, but He was getting ready to, because at this moment, the timing was right, and karmic conditions had matured. The Buddha had already entered old age, and it was about time for Him to enter Parinirvana. So, the timing was about right, and people’s capabilities were almost mature. When everything was about to come together, the Buddha “was about to proclaim” this teaching. He was about to make a proclamation to the assembly.

What was He going to proclaim? “The Dharma He had not taught before”. He had not taught this in the past. What exactly was He going to tell them? “All of you will attain Buddhahood”. This was such great news. The Buddha was saying, “You can also attain Buddhahood”. “You are not just listening to the Dharma, [this Dharma] already exists within your hearts. This wondrous Dharma of universal wisdom “is intrinsic to all of all. So, you can attain Buddhahood.



All of you will attain Buddhahood: There is no other way to attain Buddhahood; it is only possible through the One Vehicle Dharma. The varying capabilities and karmic conditions of every person are different. But only one teaching leads to Buddhahood.



There is no other way to attain Buddhahood. There is not a second road, nor a second door. There is only one broad, direct path. The only way to achieve our mission is : through the One Vehicle Dharma. The ultimate reality of the One Vehicle is the wondrous Dharma True of Suchness. “The varying capabilities and karmic conditions of every person are different. Since sentient beings have different capabilities and karmic conditions, even when they listen to the same dharma, each of them will understand it differently.

So, “the varying capabilities and karmic conditions of every person are different. But only one teaching leads to Buddhahood.” No matter what our capabilities are, and what that karmic conditions are, there is only True Dharma of the One Vehicle.



“So, I have not said that For 40-years, the Buddha kept this wisdom Dharma in His mind. The timing and capabilities were not mature, so the time to speak had not arrived. So, I have not said that.”



This was because even if He did say it, [people] could not understand. It would be as if He had not spoken at all. So, the Buddha was compassionate He continuously kept people company and guided them with various methods in the hope that they could, by peneyrating the world’s conditioned phenomena, come to realize unconditioned phenomena, which is universal and true wondrous Dharma.

So, dear Bodhisattvas, in learning the Buddha’s Way, the only thing to do is to keep advancing. We should not let such a beautiful state of mind slip away; otherwise, we will be lost among the side streets. Those small streets are complicated; if we take a wrong turn and have to find our way back, that will delay us. Thus, we must “advance and keep going forward” on this broad path in order to experience our beautiful state of mind. So, everyone must always be mindful.



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