20140704《靜思妙蓮華》機緣成熟時（第341集）
⊙因人時地機緣，緣熟是時候了，說妙法入佛慧，信行心成佛道。
⊙「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》
⊙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。
⊙「所以未曾說，說時未至故。今正是其時，決定說大乘。我此九部法，隨順眾生說。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙說時未至故：說法需因人、時、地，機宜未成熟——因緣未至，缺一未能說。
⊙機緣未熟故：下劣根機，悟性遲鈍。
⊙今應是其時：大機根利，悟性頓速。
【證嚴上人開示】
時間就是在分秒中消逝，人人要好好把握在分秒間。好像每天這句話都重複，不過，每一天我們的生活，就是在分秒間，沒有離開，就是在這分秒間，我們在累積一切，所以我們要時時把握住分秒。常常說，分秒能成就一切。所以我們雖然是常常聽，講的人也常常講，但是最容易疏忽掉，就是在這分秒間。
就如佛陀來人間一大事因緣，從出生、修行、成佛、說法，這個過程中無不都是在分秒間，一個希望，那就是期待眾生能夠與佛一樣，平平等等，這種心靈的境界，都是這麼平齊。這是佛陀他的心願，對眾生的期待，分秒都沒有離開他的心。
所以我們要知道，佛心、眾生心，都是同樣平等智慧。卻是我們人人，還沒有很透徹瞭解。佛陀本來就要和我們分享了，就是在等待機會。
既然我們與佛同等的智慧，那佛陀還在等什麼呢？佛陀在等的就是人，真正能瞭解他心裡所想的法，所得到的知、見、解，等這樣的人。
因人時地機緣
緣熟是時候了
說妙法入佛慧
信行心成佛道
所以，佛陀要等待這樣，能體會他心裡的見解，透徹覺悟的境界(的人)，要和他對話、講話，談何容易啊！要因人、因時、因地。
佛陀希望普遍人人，都能夠很瞭解，等待人人能夠接受，能夠瞭解。但是，也要時機，這些人全都集合了嗎？在群眾之中，這麼多人當中，到底他們的根機，人人整齊了嗎？是不是人人都能接受呢？(等待)這個時間。時間，還要有地點，多少人能集會的時候呢？所以常常對大家說，要說一件事，就要因人、因時、因地，機會因緣有沒有會合。
所以，佛陀說法，這一大事因緣要能完成，真的不是很容易！所以，因緣，緣成熟，也是時候了，就是佛陀，將要暢演本懷的時刻到了。眾生，已經弟子都差不多整齊了。無法接受的人，五千人也已經退席了，留下來的這些人都是有心。時間很適當，地點是最適合，所以是緣熟，是時候了，所以要說妙法，希望人人能隨此妙法入佛慧，與佛同樣的知、見。
但是，要如何入佛慧呢？信、行的心。
前面也有一段時間在說深信，廣大，要信，信要廣大甚深，這信根要扎得很深，根要很開闊，才能很堅固，堅固我們的信心，堅固我們的宏願。我們要發大心、立宏願，信根若沒有很深、很長、很堅固，宏願就無法很堅固。所以，佛陀的大法，要建立在信、行，不光是相信而已，還要身體力行。
「佛在心中，法在行中，禪在法中。」我們大家已經都知道了，心就是佛，人人本具智慧深妙的道理，人人都是本具。我們昨天說過了，有為法和無為法，我們借有為法，世間的一切有為法，我們能入我們的無為法，我們人人本來就有的，這是天地，不是用人能去創造出來。
因為天地宇宙，宇宙也是本來就有，無論星空，空，宇宙間什麼樣的星，地球也包括在內，星球之間。現在的科學就說，地球是幾十億萬年，同樣，時間也是不斷地過，地球也有成、住、壞、空的一天。這是在這種無為，無為法，這種的宇宙間，大自然。就像我們的人生，生、老、病、死，這也是很自然的事情，很自然的法，這都是本來就有。而人人有一項，就是清淨佛性，就像宇宙，永遠、永遠，這都是不變的。
這大自然中之性，六道中所有的生靈，包括天人，包括人間，包括地獄、餓鬼、畜生等等，人人都是本具佛性。只是我們凡夫這個性，不是有人為我們創造的，是我們自己這一念無明念動，所以產生了因果關係，所以才會生不帶來，死不帶去，唯有業隨身。這種不帶來，不帶去，就是有為法。這種有為法，我們一輩子辛辛苦苦在人間，造了多少的業，這個業就是隨著我們走。
無論你是生天，那就是善業，十善。在人間能行十善業，那就有天人的福報。天人到底在哪裡呢？我們現在用我們的知識來說，人間天堂。你過去生就是有造福，有造福的人再來人間，出生就是在天堂的家庭，一輩子就是福，那麼富，就是一輩子，從小一直一帆風順到終老，這就是十善業很具足的人。這是人間天堂。
也有人間的地獄，人間的餓鬼，也有人間阿修羅，人間的畜生道，這都是在人間。這是誰創造給我們的呢？沒有，是我們自己過去生的，因緣、習氣。有了因緣，就有貧、富的差別；有了習氣，所以我們做人品德就不同，所以這都是我們自己做的。
這是這麼的深奧，說起來也很簡單，但是需要有信。我們要相信，相信佛陀所說法，相信有為法是我們人間所造作，很多造出了人間的共業。雖然是各人造的業，但是若是很多人共惡，那就是共業，在這人間災難就偏多了。若是能有很多人造福，共福業，這個人間就風調雨順，就能人間平安如淨土，就沒有那種穢濁的人間。所以，這也是很多人所共造作，這樣集合起來的因緣會合。我們一定要相信。
才會說趕快人間菩薩招生，一人一菩薩，人間全都是菩薩，不就是人間淨土嗎？所以我們一定要相信。光是信，沒有用，要身體力行。所以，若能身體力行，心成佛道，淨化我們的心，我們要信、願、行，心要很堅定，自然我們就是入佛慧，成佛道。所以要時時要有用心。
所以前面，《法華經》的經文裡，佛陀設方便，希望人人都能入佛慧，甚至很多的大法，微妙大法，一實妙法。
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》
佛陀還在等待，所以前面說我們要因人、因時、因地。時機成熟了，是時候了，佛陀開始就要說妙法了。現在告訴你們，大家都能成佛。
「所以未曾說，說時未至故。」佛陀的一大事因緣，為了要講妙(法)，內心的法，這樣一等四十多年了。所以四十多年來，佛陀心懷妙法，是因為時機未熟，時間還沒到，眾生的根機還沒成熟，還不整齊，所以「說時未至」。
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
該說的話，時間還沒到，因為根機還未成熟。還未成熟的根機，若說了，有時候曲解了就會受謗法，會毀壞佛法。所以要等待大家的時機。「所以未曾說，說時未至故。」說的時間還沒到，今正是其時。
所以未曾說
說時未至故
今正是其時
《法華經方便品第二》
這經文接下來再說，「今正是其時」，現在正是時候了。五千人，增上慢人，已經退席了。沒有很想要瞭解的人，也已經離開了。現在留下來的，你們大家就是根機成熟了，時機也不能再等待了，這個時候正是時候。所以「今正是其時，決定說大乘。我此九部法，隨順眾生說」。
今正是其時
決定說大乘
我此九部法
隨順眾生說
《法華經方便品第二》
我們先瞭解，為什麼叫做「說時未至故」。
說時未至故：
說法需因
人 時 地
機宜未成熟
因緣未至
缺一未能說
那就是說，說法需要因人、時、因地。因時、因地，要機宜成熟。「機」，若還未很成熟；「宜」，就是都很成熟了。這顆水果能摘嗎？內行的人，果農去看一看：「嗯，能摘了。」「宜」，可啦，可以摘下來了。這是成熟的果，可以摘下來。同樣的道理，所以機宜若未成熟，那就是表示因緣還未到，所以，因緣還未到，這因緣缺一都不可說了。
就如法華會，那五千人若沒有退席，雖然人都到齊了，場地也適當了，時機也對了，但是還有根機無法接受的人，所以這樣，在這場合，也還不是很妥當，所以佛就還不說。時機，時間已經有了，場地也有，人也集合過來，不適合聽的人也已經離開了，「今正是其時」，才是時候。
若是他們還沒離開，這些(根)機，無法接受的人還在，佛陀還是在定中，還不想說。說出來之後，一直在讚歎，讚歎的時間，有的人不耐煩，他自然淘汰，就離開了，這個時候就是能說之時。在這個時機之前，那就是時間還沒有到。因為「說時未至故」，時間還沒到，那就是機緣未熟，還沒有成熟，因為「下劣根機，悟性遲鈍」。
機緣未熟故：
下劣根機
悟性遲鈍
這樣的人就是還不成熟的根機，不是能接受大法的人，也不是這個時候他有辦法接受，也不是他的根機足夠。所以這樣的人就是「下劣根機，悟性遲鈍」。這些人若還在裡面，所以因緣還沒有成熟，擔心他一知半解，去煽動了對佛法，更不瞭解的人，就讓人造業。所以因為這樣時機未到。
「今應是其時」，現在是時候了。這些人退席了，時間也是剛好，場地就在這裡，開始要說。因為「大機根利」，這些「大機」，根機很高的人，悟性頓速的人，一說，他就瞭解了；不只是瞭解、我相信，不只是我相信，我能夠身體力行。
今應是其時：
大機根利
悟性頓速
這種真正是信解平行，這種利根的人，也能頓悟。佛陀所說的法，他能夠瞭解。所以「今正是其時」，正是當時，正是時候了，正是需要說大法時。
時緣機熟，時間、因緣，人人也都差不多信心定下來了，都瞭解了，知道珍惜此法，懂得用心去體會，所以時間不能等待了，正是這個時候。這就是一個佳會，最佳、最好的說法的法會場所，所以叫做靈山會。在這靈山會，佛陀開始將要說大法了。
各位菩薩，佛陀的慈悲，從他開悟那一剎那開始，妙法在他的內心，體悟了眾生人人本具佛性，瞭解那是一切有為法，在有為法中，眾生累積的煩惱、無明造業，未來的人間；二千多年前，佛所說的未來，就是我們現在，這種濁惡世間，眾生苦不堪。所以，在那個時代開始施教，就是要人人發大心、立大願，行菩薩道。不光只是聽法，獨善其身，要普遍人人去推動，如何能度化人人，轉惡為善，轉貧為富——「貧中之富」、「富中之富」。不要再貪著於富中之貧，當守財奴，不要在貧困之中再造作惡業。
這就是要世間的人人發心立願，同時去推動，同時發心。這是佛陀在二千多年前，為未來的現在，所說的法，所以時機、因緣都到齊了，我們人人，要好好把握時間，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: When Potential and Conditions Mature (機緣成熟時)
Date: July. 04. 2014
Time passes by with every minute and second, [so] we must seize every moment. I seem to repeat this sentence every day. Still, as we live our lives each day, we cannot escape the passing of the minutes and seconds; everything we do accumulates over time. So, we must take advantage of every second. It is often said, “Time makes all things possible.” Though we frequently hear [these words] and frequently repeat them, it is very easy to forget them as each moment passes.
Similarly, when the Buddha came to the world for His one great cause, from birth to spiritual practice to attaining Buddhahood to expounding the Dharma, [every step of] this process happened with the passage of time. [His] one hope was for sentient beings to be equal to Buddhas, for reach the same spiritual state. This was the Buddha’s vow and hope for sentient beings. This thought never once left His mind.
So, we must know that the minds of the Buddha and of sentient beings contain the same universal wisdom. Yet none of us have thoroughly understood this. The Buddha always wanted to share this with us and was waiting for the right opportunity. But if we have the same wisdom as the Buddha, why was He waiting [to teach us]? He was waiting for people who could truly understand the Dharma in His mind, the knowledge, views and understanding that [He] had attained.
The Buddha teaches according to the people, place, time and opportunity. When the conditions are ripe, it is time for Him to teach the wondrous Dharma for people to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom. With practice and faith, they attain Buddhahood.
The Buddha was waiting for people who could comprehend His views and understanding and penetrate His state of complete enlightenment. Finding people like this to converse with Him was not easy at all. [It takes the right] people, time and place. The Buddha hoped to widely spread the Dharma for people to understand, so He waited for those who could accept and comprehend it. But, the timing must also [be right]. Had such people gathered [before Him]? In such a large group of people, were everyone’s capabilities equal? Would all of them be able to accept the teachings? He was waiting for [the right] time. In addition to a time, there has to be a place. How many people could be assembled there? So, I frequently tell everyone that explaining a certain thing requires the [right] people, timing and place, the convergence of these causes and conditions.
So, for the Buddha to expound the Dharma and achieve His one great cause was really not easy. When the conditions were ripe, then it was time. It was time for Him to freely carry out His original intent. These sentient beings, His disciples, were all more or less [ready], and those who could not accept [the Dharma] had left the assembly. Those who remained were all determined [to learn]. The timing was right, the place was appropriate, so the conditions were ripe, and it was time. So, He would teach the wondrous Dharma. He hoped people could follow this Dharma to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom and attain the Buddha’s knowledge and views.
But how could they penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom?Through faith and practice.We have spent some time talking about deep faith.Our faith must be broad and very deep; our Root of Faith must be planted deeply.Roots must be deep and extensive to be strong.We must strengthen our faith, strengthen our vows.We must form great aspirations and great vows.If our Root of Faith is not very deep, very extensive or very strong, then we cannot hold fast to our vows.
So, the Buddha’s great Dharma builds upon our faith and practice.Not only must we have faith in it, we must ales put it into practice.“We must keep the Buddha in our minds, the Dharma in our actions and Samadhi in our practice of the Dharma.”We already know that the Buddha is in our minds; we intrinsically have profound, wondrous wisdom.
Yesterday, we spoke of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.Through the conditioned phenomena in the world we can penetrate unconditioned Dharma, which is an intrinsic part of us.It is something natural, not something humans can create.
The universe around us has always been present.There are stars and planets in the sky, and the Earth is also included in this space.Modern science hypothesizes that.Earth is several billion years old.As time continuously passes, even Earth will experience formation, existence, decay and disappearance.This [process] is an example of unconditioned Dharma in the universe and in nature.Similarly, our bodies go through birth, aging, illness and death.This is a very natural process, a natural law.It has always existed.
And in all of us, there has always existed a pure Buddha-nature.Like the universe, this is everlasting and unchanging.Within the natural world are the living beings of the Six Realms, which are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, etc.
We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but we also have an unenlightened nature.
This was not created by other people.It came about when our minds gave rise to an ignorant thought and triggered the cycle of cause and effect.We bring nothing with us when we are born and take nothing with us after we die; only our karma will follow us.
The things we cannot bring or take with us are conditioned phenomena.For this conditioned phenomena, we world so hard for our shale lives in this world and create so much karma.Then this karma will follow us [to our next lives].If we are born in the heaven realm, we created good karma and practiced the Ten Good Deeds.
In this world, we can practice the Ten Good Deeds to attain the blessing of becoming heavenly beings.So, where are these heavenly beings?Based on what we know now, we can see people living in heaven on earth.They must have created blessings in past lives.Those who create blessings return to this world to be born into a blessed family.
Then their entire lives will be filled with blessings and abundance.For an entire lifetime, from their childhood to old age, everything will go smoothly for them.These are people replete with good karma.This is heaven on earth.There is also hell on earth.There are also hungry ghosts on earth, as well as auras and animals.
We see them all in this world.Who created these [destinies] for us?No one, we did this ourselves in our past lives with our karmic conditions and habitual tendencies.Our causes and conditions separate us into the poor and the rich.Because of our habitual tendencies, we have different morals and characters.We created all of this ourselves.
This idea is very profound, yet it is simple to explain.But faith is essential.
We must have faith in the Buddha-Dharma and[understand] that conditioned phenomena are what we create in this world. Though karma in the world is created by individuals, if many people commit evils, that becomes our collective karma. Then there will be many disasters in this world. If many people create blessings, we will have collective blessed karma. Then the weather will be favorable, the world will be as peaceful as a pure land, and there will be no turbidities. This also happens because of the convergence of the karmic conditions we have created. So, this is something we must believe.
This is why we talk about quickly recruiting Bodhisattvas in this world. If we each recruit one Bodhisattva, the entire world will be full of Bodhisattvas. Then wouldn’t this world be a pure land? This is something we must believe. But just believing is useless, we must also take action. If we can put [the Dharma] into action, then we can attain Buddhahood. To purify our minds, we must cultivate faith, vows and practice. With a strong resolve, naturally we can penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom and attain Buddhahood. To do this, we must always be mindful.
Previous passages in the Lotus Sutra [explained that] the Buddha established skillful means to enable all to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom, and even many great teachings, such as the subtle and wondrous Dharma of One Reality.
“I have established these skillful means to enable all of you to enter the Buddha’s wisdom. I did not yet tell you all that all of you will certainly attain Buddhahood. I did not say that because the time to speak had not come”.
The Buddha is still waiting. We previously said that we need to wait for the right people, time and place. When the conditions were ripe, it was time for the Buddha to teach the wondrous Dharma. Now He was telling them that they could all attain Buddhahood “because the time to speak had not come”. The Buddha’s one great cause was to teach the wondrous Dharma in His heart. He had waited for over 40 years.
“For over 40 years, He kept it in His heart because the conditions were not yet ripe.”
The time was not yet right. Sentient beings’ capabilities had not matured and still varied.
So, “the time to speak had not come”.
It was not yet time to say what He wanted to say because people’s capabilities had not matured. If He said this to those with immature capabilities, they might misconstrue, then slander the Dharma and thus damage the Buddha-Dharma. So, He was waiting for the right conditions.
So,“I did not say that because the time to speak had not come. The time to speak had not come. Now is the right time”.
The next section of the sutra then states, “Now is the right time”. Right now is precisely the right time. The 5000 people with overbearing arrogance had left the assembly. Those who did not really want to understand had left. The ones who remained were people with matured capabilities, and the Buddha could not wait any longer. This was the time.
So, “ now is the right time to decisively give the Great Vehicle teachings. The nine divisions of my Dharma are taught according to the capabilities of sentient beings”.
Let us first understand what “the time to speak had not come” means.
“Because the time to speak had not come:
Teaching requires the right people, timing and place. If suitable circumstances have not matured, if any of the causes and conditions are incomplete, He is unable to speak”.
Thus, teaching required [the right] people, time and place. Suitable circumstances must be present. “Circumstances” may or may not be mature, but calling them “suitable” means the are mature. “Can I pick this fruit?” An expert, the fruit farmer, examines it and says, Yes, it can be picked. [It is] suitable. It is now “suitable” to be picked. This ripened fruit can now be picked. The underlying principle is the same. If suitable circumstances are not present, we do not have the right karmic conditions yet. We cannot be missing any [necessary] karmic condition. Take the Lotus Dharma-assembly for example. If those 5000 people had not left, although many were gathered there, the place was suitable and the timing was right, there would still be those who could not accept the Dharma due to their capabilities. In that case, it would not be right to speak. Therefore, the Buddha still had not taught it. They had a time and place, and people had gathered there.After the unsuitable people left, then it was “the right time”. If they had to left, if people incapable of accepting it remained, the Buddha would have stayed in Samadhi because He would not want to speak yet. Once He began speaking, He kept praising the Dharma, which made some people impatient. They naturally weeded themselves out by leaving. Then it was the right time for Him to speak. Before this moment, the timing was not yet right. “Because the time to speak had not come” means the time was not right.
The karmic conditions were not ripe; they had not matured because “those lesser capabilities are slow to awaken.”
These people had immature capabilities and could not accept the great Dharma. This was not the time for them to accept it, and their capabilities were insufficient. So, these people were among “those of lesser capabilities [who] are slow to a awaken.” If such people remained, with their immature karmic conditions, they might gain only a partial they might gain only a partial understanding. Then they may go on to incite those who are even less familiar with the Buddha-Dharma, causing them create bad karma.
Because of this, the opportunity was not ripe. Now is the right time. Now was the time, because these people left. The timing was just right. In that place, the Buddha began to speak, because people had “great and sharp capabilities.” Those with “great capabilities,” those who could awaken instantly, would understand it once He taught it. Not only would they understand, they would believe. Not only would they believe, they would put it into practice.
Now is the right time: those of great and sharp capabilities can instantly awaken.
This is truly having faith and understanding in parallel. Those with sharp capabilities can instantly awaken and understand the Dharma taught by the Buddha.So, “now is the right time.” This was the moment; this was the time. This was when the great Dharma had to be taught. When conditions, capabilities and timing ripen, people’s faith also solidified. They could understand and cherish the Dharma, and be mindful in realizing it. So, the time for waiting was over; this was the time. This was an excellent assembly; the best place for teaching the Dharma. This was the Vulture Peak Assembly. At this assembly, the Buddha began to teach the great Dharma.
Dear Bodhisattvas, the Buddha is compassionate. From the moment He awakened, the wondrous Dharma had been on His mind. He realized that all sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature and that all things are conditioned phenomena. Amidst conditioned phenomena, sentient beings create karma out of their accumulated afflictions and ignorance.
Now 2000 years later, what the Buddha referred to as the future 2000 years ago is what we consider the present. In this evil and turbid world, sentient beings face unbearable suffering. So when the Buddha taught in His lifetime, He hoped we could make great aspirations and vow to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Not only must we listen to the Dharma and benefit ourselves, we must widely motivate everyone to transform others and turn evil into goodness, the [spiritually] poor into the [spiritually] wealthy. There are the poor among the wealthy and the wealthy among the wealthy. Those who cling to wealth are the former; they are slaves to wealth. We must also not create bad karma out of poverty. This requires everyone in the world to make vows; we must promote [our mission] as we make vows.
This is the Dharma the Buddha taught over 2000 years ago for the future, for us now. The opportunity and karmic conditions are aligned, so we must seize this time and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙因人時地機緣，緣熟是時候了，說妙法入佛慧，信行心成佛道。
⊙「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》
⊙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。
⊙「所以未曾說，說時未至故。今正是其時，決定說大乘。我此九部法，隨順眾生說。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙說時未至故：說法需因人、時、地，機宜未成熟——因緣未至，缺一未能說。
⊙機緣未熟故：下劣根機，悟性遲鈍。
⊙今應是其時：大機根利，悟性頓速。
【證嚴上人開示】
時間就是在分秒中消逝，人人要好好把握在分秒間。好像每天這句話都重複，不過，每一天我們的生活，就是在分秒間，沒有離開，就是在這分秒間，我們在累積一切，所以我們要時時把握住分秒。常常說，分秒能成就一切。所以我們雖然是常常聽，講的人也常常講，但是最容易疏忽掉，就是在這分秒間。
就如佛陀來人間一大事因緣，從出生、修行、成佛、說法，這個過程中無不都是在分秒間，一個希望，那就是期待眾生能夠與佛一樣，平平等等，這種心靈的境界，都是這麼平齊。這是佛陀他的心願，對眾生的期待，分秒都沒有離開他的心。
所以我們要知道，佛心、眾生心，都是同樣平等智慧。卻是我們人人，還沒有很透徹瞭解。佛陀本來就要和我們分享了，就是在等待機會。
既然我們與佛同等的智慧，那佛陀還在等什麼呢？佛陀在等的就是人，真正能瞭解他心裡所想的法，所得到的知、見、解，等這樣的人。
因人時地機緣
緣熟是時候了
說妙法入佛慧
信行心成佛道
所以，佛陀要等待這樣，能體會他心裡的見解，透徹覺悟的境界(的人)，要和他對話、講話，談何容易啊！要因人、因時、因地。
佛陀希望普遍人人，都能夠很瞭解，等待人人能夠接受，能夠瞭解。但是，也要時機，這些人全都集合了嗎？在群眾之中，這麼多人當中，到底他們的根機，人人整齊了嗎？是不是人人都能接受呢？(等待)這個時間。時間，還要有地點，多少人能集會的時候呢？所以常常對大家說，要說一件事，就要因人、因時、因地，機會因緣有沒有會合。
所以，佛陀說法，這一大事因緣要能完成，真的不是很容易！所以，因緣，緣成熟，也是時候了，就是佛陀，將要暢演本懷的時刻到了。眾生，已經弟子都差不多整齊了。無法接受的人，五千人也已經退席了，留下來的這些人都是有心。時間很適當，地點是最適合，所以是緣熟，是時候了，所以要說妙法，希望人人能隨此妙法入佛慧，與佛同樣的知、見。
但是，要如何入佛慧呢？信、行的心。
前面也有一段時間在說深信，廣大，要信，信要廣大甚深，這信根要扎得很深，根要很開闊，才能很堅固，堅固我們的信心，堅固我們的宏願。我們要發大心、立宏願，信根若沒有很深、很長、很堅固，宏願就無法很堅固。所以，佛陀的大法，要建立在信、行，不光是相信而已，還要身體力行。
「佛在心中，法在行中，禪在法中。」我們大家已經都知道了，心就是佛，人人本具智慧深妙的道理，人人都是本具。我們昨天說過了，有為法和無為法，我們借有為法，世間的一切有為法，我們能入我們的無為法，我們人人本來就有的，這是天地，不是用人能去創造出來。
因為天地宇宙，宇宙也是本來就有，無論星空，空，宇宙間什麼樣的星，地球也包括在內，星球之間。現在的科學就說，地球是幾十億萬年，同樣，時間也是不斷地過，地球也有成、住、壞、空的一天。這是在這種無為，無為法，這種的宇宙間，大自然。就像我們的人生，生、老、病、死，這也是很自然的事情，很自然的法，這都是本來就有。而人人有一項，就是清淨佛性，就像宇宙，永遠、永遠，這都是不變的。
這大自然中之性，六道中所有的生靈，包括天人，包括人間，包括地獄、餓鬼、畜生等等，人人都是本具佛性。只是我們凡夫這個性，不是有人為我們創造的，是我們自己這一念無明念動，所以產生了因果關係，所以才會生不帶來，死不帶去，唯有業隨身。這種不帶來，不帶去，就是有為法。這種有為法，我們一輩子辛辛苦苦在人間，造了多少的業，這個業就是隨著我們走。
無論你是生天，那就是善業，十善。在人間能行十善業，那就有天人的福報。天人到底在哪裡呢？我們現在用我們的知識來說，人間天堂。你過去生就是有造福，有造福的人再來人間，出生就是在天堂的家庭，一輩子就是福，那麼富，就是一輩子，從小一直一帆風順到終老，這就是十善業很具足的人。這是人間天堂。
也有人間的地獄，人間的餓鬼，也有人間阿修羅，人間的畜生道，這都是在人間。這是誰創造給我們的呢？沒有，是我們自己過去生的，因緣、習氣。有了因緣，就有貧、富的差別；有了習氣，所以我們做人品德就不同，所以這都是我們自己做的。
這是這麼的深奧，說起來也很簡單，但是需要有信。我們要相信，相信佛陀所說法，相信有為法是我們人間所造作，很多造出了人間的共業。雖然是各人造的業，但是若是很多人共惡，那就是共業，在這人間災難就偏多了。若是能有很多人造福，共福業，這個人間就風調雨順，就能人間平安如淨土，就沒有那種穢濁的人間。所以，這也是很多人所共造作，這樣集合起來的因緣會合。我們一定要相信。
才會說趕快人間菩薩招生，一人一菩薩，人間全都是菩薩，不就是人間淨土嗎？所以我們一定要相信。光是信，沒有用，要身體力行。所以，若能身體力行，心成佛道，淨化我們的心，我們要信、願、行，心要很堅定，自然我們就是入佛慧，成佛道。所以要時時要有用心。
所以前面，《法華經》的經文裡，佛陀設方便，希望人人都能入佛慧，甚至很多的大法，微妙大法，一實妙法。
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》
佛陀還在等待，所以前面說我們要因人、因時、因地。時機成熟了，是時候了，佛陀開始就要說妙法了。現在告訴你們，大家都能成佛。
「所以未曾說，說時未至故。」佛陀的一大事因緣，為了要講妙(法)，內心的法，這樣一等四十多年了。所以四十多年來，佛陀心懷妙法，是因為時機未熟，時間還沒到，眾生的根機還沒成熟，還不整齊，所以「說時未至」。
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
該說的話，時間還沒到，因為根機還未成熟。還未成熟的根機，若說了，有時候曲解了就會受謗法，會毀壞佛法。所以要等待大家的時機。「所以未曾說，說時未至故。」說的時間還沒到，今正是其時。
所以未曾說
說時未至故
今正是其時
《法華經方便品第二》
這經文接下來再說，「今正是其時」，現在正是時候了。五千人，增上慢人，已經退席了。沒有很想要瞭解的人，也已經離開了。現在留下來的，你們大家就是根機成熟了，時機也不能再等待了，這個時候正是時候。所以「今正是其時，決定說大乘。我此九部法，隨順眾生說」。
今正是其時
決定說大乘
我此九部法
隨順眾生說
《法華經方便品第二》
我們先瞭解，為什麼叫做「說時未至故」。
說時未至故：
說法需因
人 時 地
機宜未成熟
因緣未至
缺一未能說
那就是說，說法需要因人、時、因地。因時、因地，要機宜成熟。「機」，若還未很成熟；「宜」，就是都很成熟了。這顆水果能摘嗎？內行的人，果農去看一看：「嗯，能摘了。」「宜」，可啦，可以摘下來了。這是成熟的果，可以摘下來。同樣的道理，所以機宜若未成熟，那就是表示因緣還未到，所以，因緣還未到，這因緣缺一都不可說了。
就如法華會，那五千人若沒有退席，雖然人都到齊了，場地也適當了，時機也對了，但是還有根機無法接受的人，所以這樣，在這場合，也還不是很妥當，所以佛就還不說。時機，時間已經有了，場地也有，人也集合過來，不適合聽的人也已經離開了，「今正是其時」，才是時候。
若是他們還沒離開，這些(根)機，無法接受的人還在，佛陀還是在定中，還不想說。說出來之後，一直在讚歎，讚歎的時間，有的人不耐煩，他自然淘汰，就離開了，這個時候就是能說之時。在這個時機之前，那就是時間還沒有到。因為「說時未至故」，時間還沒到，那就是機緣未熟，還沒有成熟，因為「下劣根機，悟性遲鈍」。
機緣未熟故：
下劣根機
悟性遲鈍
這樣的人就是還不成熟的根機，不是能接受大法的人，也不是這個時候他有辦法接受，也不是他的根機足夠。所以這樣的人就是「下劣根機，悟性遲鈍」。這些人若還在裡面，所以因緣還沒有成熟，擔心他一知半解，去煽動了對佛法，更不瞭解的人，就讓人造業。所以因為這樣時機未到。
「今應是其時」，現在是時候了。這些人退席了，時間也是剛好，場地就在這裡，開始要說。因為「大機根利」，這些「大機」，根機很高的人，悟性頓速的人，一說，他就瞭解了；不只是瞭解、我相信，不只是我相信，我能夠身體力行。
今應是其時：
大機根利
悟性頓速
這種真正是信解平行，這種利根的人，也能頓悟。佛陀所說的法，他能夠瞭解。所以「今正是其時」，正是當時，正是時候了，正是需要說大法時。
時緣機熟，時間、因緣，人人也都差不多信心定下來了，都瞭解了，知道珍惜此法，懂得用心去體會，所以時間不能等待了，正是這個時候。這就是一個佳會，最佳、最好的說法的法會場所，所以叫做靈山會。在這靈山會，佛陀開始將要說大法了。
各位菩薩，佛陀的慈悲，從他開悟那一剎那開始，妙法在他的內心，體悟了眾生人人本具佛性，瞭解那是一切有為法，在有為法中，眾生累積的煩惱、無明造業，未來的人間；二千多年前，佛所說的未來，就是我們現在，這種濁惡世間，眾生苦不堪。所以，在那個時代開始施教，就是要人人發大心、立大願，行菩薩道。不光只是聽法，獨善其身，要普遍人人去推動，如何能度化人人，轉惡為善，轉貧為富——「貧中之富」、「富中之富」。不要再貪著於富中之貧，當守財奴，不要在貧困之中再造作惡業。
這就是要世間的人人發心立願，同時去推動，同時發心。這是佛陀在二千多年前，為未來的現在，所說的法，所以時機、因緣都到齊了，我們人人，要好好把握時間，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: When Potential and Conditions Mature (機緣成熟時)
Date: July. 04. 2014
Time passes by with every minute and second, [so] we must seize every moment. I seem to repeat this sentence every day. Still, as we live our lives each day, we cannot escape the passing of the minutes and seconds; everything we do accumulates over time. So, we must take advantage of every second. It is often said, “Time makes all things possible.” Though we frequently hear [these words] and frequently repeat them, it is very easy to forget them as each moment passes.
Similarly, when the Buddha came to the world for His one great cause, from birth to spiritual practice to attaining Buddhahood to expounding the Dharma, [every step of] this process happened with the passage of time. [His] one hope was for sentient beings to be equal to Buddhas, for reach the same spiritual state. This was the Buddha’s vow and hope for sentient beings. This thought never once left His mind.
So, we must know that the minds of the Buddha and of sentient beings contain the same universal wisdom. Yet none of us have thoroughly understood this. The Buddha always wanted to share this with us and was waiting for the right opportunity. But if we have the same wisdom as the Buddha, why was He waiting [to teach us]? He was waiting for people who could truly understand the Dharma in His mind, the knowledge, views and understanding that [He] had attained.
The Buddha teaches according to the people, place, time and opportunity. When the conditions are ripe, it is time for Him to teach the wondrous Dharma for people to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom. With practice and faith, they attain Buddhahood.
The Buddha was waiting for people who could comprehend His views and understanding and penetrate His state of complete enlightenment. Finding people like this to converse with Him was not easy at all. [It takes the right] people, time and place. The Buddha hoped to widely spread the Dharma for people to understand, so He waited for those who could accept and comprehend it. But, the timing must also [be right]. Had such people gathered [before Him]? In such a large group of people, were everyone’s capabilities equal? Would all of them be able to accept the teachings? He was waiting for [the right] time. In addition to a time, there has to be a place. How many people could be assembled there? So, I frequently tell everyone that explaining a certain thing requires the [right] people, timing and place, the convergence of these causes and conditions.
So, for the Buddha to expound the Dharma and achieve His one great cause was really not easy. When the conditions were ripe, then it was time. It was time for Him to freely carry out His original intent. These sentient beings, His disciples, were all more or less [ready], and those who could not accept [the Dharma] had left the assembly. Those who remained were all determined [to learn]. The timing was right, the place was appropriate, so the conditions were ripe, and it was time. So, He would teach the wondrous Dharma. He hoped people could follow this Dharma to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom and attain the Buddha’s knowledge and views.
But how could they penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom?Through faith and practice.We have spent some time talking about deep faith.Our faith must be broad and very deep; our Root of Faith must be planted deeply.Roots must be deep and extensive to be strong.We must strengthen our faith, strengthen our vows.We must form great aspirations and great vows.If our Root of Faith is not very deep, very extensive or very strong, then we cannot hold fast to our vows.
So, the Buddha’s great Dharma builds upon our faith and practice.Not only must we have faith in it, we must ales put it into practice.“We must keep the Buddha in our minds, the Dharma in our actions and Samadhi in our practice of the Dharma.”We already know that the Buddha is in our minds; we intrinsically have profound, wondrous wisdom.
Yesterday, we spoke of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.Through the conditioned phenomena in the world we can penetrate unconditioned Dharma, which is an intrinsic part of us.It is something natural, not something humans can create.
The universe around us has always been present.There are stars and planets in the sky, and the Earth is also included in this space.Modern science hypothesizes that.Earth is several billion years old.As time continuously passes, even Earth will experience formation, existence, decay and disappearance.This [process] is an example of unconditioned Dharma in the universe and in nature.Similarly, our bodies go through birth, aging, illness and death.This is a very natural process, a natural law.It has always existed.
And in all of us, there has always existed a pure Buddha-nature.Like the universe, this is everlasting and unchanging.Within the natural world are the living beings of the Six Realms, which are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, etc.
We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but we also have an unenlightened nature.
This was not created by other people.It came about when our minds gave rise to an ignorant thought and triggered the cycle of cause and effect.We bring nothing with us when we are born and take nothing with us after we die; only our karma will follow us.
The things we cannot bring or take with us are conditioned phenomena.For this conditioned phenomena, we world so hard for our shale lives in this world and create so much karma.Then this karma will follow us [to our next lives].If we are born in the heaven realm, we created good karma and practiced the Ten Good Deeds.
In this world, we can practice the Ten Good Deeds to attain the blessing of becoming heavenly beings.So, where are these heavenly beings?Based on what we know now, we can see people living in heaven on earth.They must have created blessings in past lives.Those who create blessings return to this world to be born into a blessed family.
Then their entire lives will be filled with blessings and abundance.For an entire lifetime, from their childhood to old age, everything will go smoothly for them.These are people replete with good karma.This is heaven on earth.There is also hell on earth.There are also hungry ghosts on earth, as well as auras and animals.
We see them all in this world.Who created these [destinies] for us?No one, we did this ourselves in our past lives with our karmic conditions and habitual tendencies.Our causes and conditions separate us into the poor and the rich.Because of our habitual tendencies, we have different morals and characters.We created all of this ourselves.
This idea is very profound, yet it is simple to explain.But faith is essential.
We must have faith in the Buddha-Dharma and[understand] that conditioned phenomena are what we create in this world. Though karma in the world is created by individuals, if many people commit evils, that becomes our collective karma. Then there will be many disasters in this world. If many people create blessings, we will have collective blessed karma. Then the weather will be favorable, the world will be as peaceful as a pure land, and there will be no turbidities. This also happens because of the convergence of the karmic conditions we have created. So, this is something we must believe.
This is why we talk about quickly recruiting Bodhisattvas in this world. If we each recruit one Bodhisattva, the entire world will be full of Bodhisattvas. Then wouldn’t this world be a pure land? This is something we must believe. But just believing is useless, we must also take action. If we can put [the Dharma] into action, then we can attain Buddhahood. To purify our minds, we must cultivate faith, vows and practice. With a strong resolve, naturally we can penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom and attain Buddhahood. To do this, we must always be mindful.
Previous passages in the Lotus Sutra [explained that] the Buddha established skillful means to enable all to penetrate the Buddha’s wisdom, and even many great teachings, such as the subtle and wondrous Dharma of One Reality.
“I have established these skillful means to enable all of you to enter the Buddha’s wisdom. I did not yet tell you all that all of you will certainly attain Buddhahood. I did not say that because the time to speak had not come”.
The Buddha is still waiting. We previously said that we need to wait for the right people, time and place. When the conditions were ripe, it was time for the Buddha to teach the wondrous Dharma. Now He was telling them that they could all attain Buddhahood “because the time to speak had not come”. The Buddha’s one great cause was to teach the wondrous Dharma in His heart. He had waited for over 40 years.
“For over 40 years, He kept it in His heart because the conditions were not yet ripe.”
The time was not yet right. Sentient beings’ capabilities had not matured and still varied.
So, “the time to speak had not come”.
It was not yet time to say what He wanted to say because people’s capabilities had not matured. If He said this to those with immature capabilities, they might misconstrue, then slander the Dharma and thus damage the Buddha-Dharma. So, He was waiting for the right conditions.
So,“I did not say that because the time to speak had not come. The time to speak had not come. Now is the right time”.
The next section of the sutra then states, “Now is the right time”. Right now is precisely the right time. The 5000 people with overbearing arrogance had left the assembly. Those who did not really want to understand had left. The ones who remained were people with matured capabilities, and the Buddha could not wait any longer. This was the time.
So, “ now is the right time to decisively give the Great Vehicle teachings. The nine divisions of my Dharma are taught according to the capabilities of sentient beings”.
Let us first understand what “the time to speak had not come” means.
“Because the time to speak had not come:
Teaching requires the right people, timing and place. If suitable circumstances have not matured, if any of the causes and conditions are incomplete, He is unable to speak”.
Thus, teaching required [the right] people, time and place. Suitable circumstances must be present. “Circumstances” may or may not be mature, but calling them “suitable” means the are mature. “Can I pick this fruit?” An expert, the fruit farmer, examines it and says, Yes, it can be picked. [It is] suitable. It is now “suitable” to be picked. This ripened fruit can now be picked. The underlying principle is the same. If suitable circumstances are not present, we do not have the right karmic conditions yet. We cannot be missing any [necessary] karmic condition. Take the Lotus Dharma-assembly for example. If those 5000 people had not left, although many were gathered there, the place was suitable and the timing was right, there would still be those who could not accept the Dharma due to their capabilities. In that case, it would not be right to speak. Therefore, the Buddha still had not taught it. They had a time and place, and people had gathered there.After the unsuitable people left, then it was “the right time”. If they had to left, if people incapable of accepting it remained, the Buddha would have stayed in Samadhi because He would not want to speak yet. Once He began speaking, He kept praising the Dharma, which made some people impatient. They naturally weeded themselves out by leaving. Then it was the right time for Him to speak. Before this moment, the timing was not yet right. “Because the time to speak had not come” means the time was not right.
The karmic conditions were not ripe; they had not matured because “those lesser capabilities are slow to awaken.”
These people had immature capabilities and could not accept the great Dharma. This was not the time for them to accept it, and their capabilities were insufficient. So, these people were among “those of lesser capabilities [who] are slow to a awaken.” If such people remained, with their immature karmic conditions, they might gain only a partial they might gain only a partial understanding. Then they may go on to incite those who are even less familiar with the Buddha-Dharma, causing them create bad karma.
Because of this, the opportunity was not ripe. Now is the right time. Now was the time, because these people left. The timing was just right. In that place, the Buddha began to speak, because people had “great and sharp capabilities.” Those with “great capabilities,” those who could awaken instantly, would understand it once He taught it. Not only would they understand, they would believe. Not only would they believe, they would put it into practice.
Now is the right time: those of great and sharp capabilities can instantly awaken.
This is truly having faith and understanding in parallel. Those with sharp capabilities can instantly awaken and understand the Dharma taught by the Buddha.So, “now is the right time.” This was the moment; this was the time. This was when the great Dharma had to be taught. When conditions, capabilities and timing ripen, people’s faith also solidified. They could understand and cherish the Dharma, and be mindful in realizing it. So, the time for waiting was over; this was the time. This was an excellent assembly; the best place for teaching the Dharma. This was the Vulture Peak Assembly. At this assembly, the Buddha began to teach the great Dharma.
Dear Bodhisattvas, the Buddha is compassionate. From the moment He awakened, the wondrous Dharma had been on His mind. He realized that all sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature and that all things are conditioned phenomena. Amidst conditioned phenomena, sentient beings create karma out of their accumulated afflictions and ignorance.
Now 2000 years later, what the Buddha referred to as the future 2000 years ago is what we consider the present. In this evil and turbid world, sentient beings face unbearable suffering. So when the Buddha taught in His lifetime, He hoped we could make great aspirations and vow to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Not only must we listen to the Dharma and benefit ourselves, we must widely motivate everyone to transform others and turn evil into goodness, the [spiritually] poor into the [spiritually] wealthy. There are the poor among the wealthy and the wealthy among the wealthy. Those who cling to wealth are the former; they are slaves to wealth. We must also not create bad karma out of poverty. This requires everyone in the world to make vows; we must promote [our mission] as we make vows.
This is the Dharma the Buddha taught over 2000 years ago for the future, for us now. The opportunity and karmic conditions are aligned, so we must seize this time and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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