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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

20140710《靜思妙蓮華》為佛子說深妙道(第345集) Teaching Buddha-children the Wondrous Path


20140710《靜思妙蓮華》為佛子說深妙道(第345集)

◎「天地人事則是菩薩事,心法合一是菩提道,佛心妙同體大悲。」
◎「入大乘為本,以故說是經。有佛子心淨,柔軟亦利根,無量諸佛所,而行深妙道,為此諸佛子,說是大乘經。」《法華經方便品第二》
◎而行深妙道:諸佛心本行深妙道,唯談一乘實相之理。蓋妙法則權、實一體。以人間苦事相多,即教之以理、導之以法。

【證嚴上人開示】
天地人事則是菩薩事
心法合一是菩提道
佛心妙同體大悲

「天地人事則是菩薩事」,時時都是這樣想,天地之間,人與一切環境、一切生靈,這和菩薩的事情是息息相關。

我們學佛,不就是要學得,佛的心入我們的心,這是人人本來就有,如來清淨本性。好像每天都是這樣說。所以,既然是,「心、佛、眾生,三無差別」,不就是都生在,天之下,地載之上嗎?所有一切生靈,都不離開天地間的事情,所以,我們學佛在人間,必定要通達人間事,除了通達人間事,更要通達成佛的道理。

因為是學佛,所以稱為菩薩,那就是真佛子了。因為我們聽佛的教法,我們將佛的法水入心,來滋養我們的慧命,希望我們的慧命成長,但願我們慧命,與我們的真如本性合一,這樣我們永遠就無生無滅了。這就是人間學佛者,名稱為解脫。

因為,想要修行的人,都是先瞭解,人生煩惱、事物種種會惹來了人間苦難多,因為這樣,所以想要追求佛法,如何才能脫離了,由不得自己,六道輪迴的這種苦難,所以要追求。

若是想離開六道,除非到不生不滅的境界。何謂不生不滅呢?就是回歸自然。自然的境界就是無為法,無為法就是我們人人本具真如,這是人人都本有。不過,我們就是六道這樣在輪轉,受了後天一次再一次,無數次的世界、時代、空間、環境等等,不斷這樣污染、複製,所以我們就成為凡夫。現在知道了,要去除凡夫,回歸我們現在清淨的本性,必經之道,就是行菩薩道。

菩薩道,不離開天地人事。我們既然當菩薩,就是在天下之間,地載之上,才能展開菩薩道的志業,所以「天地人事則菩薩事」。

「心法合一」,我們要用心,修行若不用心,法聽了就漏掉。漏掉的法,不如不聽。漏掉的法,沒聽到的法,我們怎麼知道要如何修行呢?道理不知道,要怎麼修行?就如若不認得路,不知道地理,不知道路程,你要如何走?這就是我們要知道路,我們不認得路,我們要問路。同樣的道理,我們的根機若較利,用心聽法,聽就通了,「我知道了,知道這條路要怎麼走。」若是再說,不知道,那只好我們就要依靠善知識。前面我們也說了,我們學佛很需要善友、知識。所以這善友、知識,能陪我們走到正確的,我們所要去的方向。

所以,我們必定要用心,先懂理,才有辦法修行。道理我們若不聽,都不知道,我們要如何修行呢?菩薩的道路,我們要如何走?所以我們必定要用心,用心聽法,法聽入心,在我們的日常生活中,法和心合一。

所以慈濟人常常說,心中有佛,行中有法。所以,佛法,不論何時都在我們的內心裡,所以,佛心和我們合一,所以,心法合一即是菩薩道,也就是菩提道。菩提,就是一條路,菩薩是走在這條路的人,所以叫做菩提,就是道。菩薩,那就是「覺有情」,瞭解這條路之後,行在菩薩道上的人,這樣的人必定心法合一,所以這就是菩薩道。

「佛心妙法,同體大悲」。這種同體大悲的心,就是菩薩心,就是佛陀要教我們的方法。

每天,每天,我們都能聽到非常感人的道理。在我們(慈濟)醫院的志工,他們在醫院裡,就是在做醫病之間的拱橋。聽他們每天早上輪流心得分享,我都把它當作在聽經。聽人生苦難的經,聽,聽這一群菩薩投入在人間,如何將大醫王、菩薩的智慧,如何用方法去普及,在這些苦難中的眾生。我都把它當作經在聽,每天都是感動、感恩。

尤其是在聽醫師(分享),當醫師不是那麼容易,現在的醫療法很複雜,已經醫療科技發展到,從內科就能瞭解到胃,或者是肝,或者是腸,這當中有什麼樣的毛病,這真的是很精密的儀器。

除了很多的儀器能去判斷之外,還要更清楚一點,就要很直接將管(鼻內視鏡),那裡有一顆,如Camera照相機一樣,已經縮到像一顆豆子一般,在管道(食道)裡,要如何讓它進去,從「自然孔」。我們每個人都有九孔,常常說「九孔常流不淨物」,我們人身都有九孔,這都是「自然孔」,看,我們的眼睛二孔,耳朵也二孔,鼻子也二孔,嘴,還多了嘴一個孔,這樣總共幾個孔?七孔;還有二孔在哪裡呢?那就是我們大小便溺。這都是九孔,「九孔常流不淨物」,這叫做「自然孔」。

這個東西要從,「自然孔」的地方這樣鑽進去,有的是從嘴,口腔這樣吞,以前叫做「吞胃鏡」。過去在吞胃鏡,很不舒服,很難過,有的人邊吞會邊吐,很不舒服。醫師不忍心,他要如何能減輕病人不受苦?其中胡志棠,胡主任,不斷在研究如何來救病人,如何讓病人能減輕他的苦難,要如何讓病人能夠健康、安心。所以,不斷不斷研究,從吞胃鏡一直發展到,從鼻子的孔穿進去。

因為他去過日本,二00五年去日本,發現到(鼻內視鏡),穿鼻孔到裡面,這樣就是減輕了痛感,病人沒有痛的感覺,又邊做,還能邊和他講話。不過,這種不痛的感覺,到什麼程度呢?他自己以他的身體來試管。

他就站著,他要看,看那個畫面,他就自己穿,從鼻子一直穿進去,站著穿,站著看那個畫面。怎麼好像沒有穿到胃呢?好像畫面照不清楚,他就再想,是不是姿勢?坐著看看,還是不清楚。畫面跟著走,後來他就想,應該是要躺著。將身體的內臟和肢體的姿態,自己去調整,調整之後,原來就是要躺在椅子,半坐半躺,這樣進人胃部裡等等,發現了;不過,他還要讓病人再如何更舒服,能輕安自在,自己就又再調整,移到床上,舒服了。

(大腸鏡的檢查)他又覺得,要如何能再更輕鬆,將這方法再加上了灌水,灌水方法,更舒服了。要如何將裡面的病源揪出來,拉出來,然後如何治療。看到他以身試管,這種的心情,他就這樣說,他說:「人痛我也痛」。別人在痛,看到別人在痛,就是我在痛;別人在苦,我的心很悲。尤其又說,人家的病,我要疼惜。所以,這是他的使命感。

甚至將兒子也帶來試驗,兒子也讓父親做試驗,這種父子合作,如何讓病人最舒服。這實在,大醫王是佛心,佛心那就是「妙手、妙法、妙人醫」,這種同體大悲,這不就是佛陀要給我們的智慧嗎?

佛陀要讓我們瞭解身體,我們人的身體不淨物,人的身體有無常,無常的身體多病苦難。就要有醫師發心,行菩薩道來解開眾生的病苦。也是要用心。

所以佛,就是諸佛、菩薩在人間,不論何時都是為眾生想盡方法,解除眾生的苦難。所以,唯「入大乘為本」,同樣的道理,光學醫學還不夠,還要到達利益眾生,最最對眾生有幫助,無苦難,讓他能快樂、平安。這就是佛陀要教我們,為眾生的大乘根本法。所以,佛陀說是經。

入大乘為本
以故說是經
有佛子心淨
柔軟亦利根
無量諸佛所
而行深妙道
為此諸佛子
說是大乘經
《法華經方便品第二》

「有佛子心淨,柔軟亦利根」。我們希望每一位不是為自己,都是為別人付出無所求。昨天我們說過了,對眾生要有這片柔軟心,當然要不斷用心,利根,柔軟亦利根。像這樣的佛子,在「無量諸佛所」,很多,這些菩薩不是在現在,這是在過去,生生世世在佛,諸佛之所,就一直不斷薰習、薰習,薰習出了,我們走在這條菩薩道上,得很多的道理,心地風光就是在這條路走出來。

醫有醫道,菩薩有菩薩道,菩薩道、醫道,無不都是增長慧命,保護性命,這全都是與眾生息息有關,這全都是深妙道。所以,諸佛菩薩為眾生行深妙道。

諸佛的心本來就是深妙,佛心本來就是深妙,談的只是一乘實相的道理。一乘,就只有一條路,這條路要來運載我們眾生,經過這條路的方法,這種的道理、實相。到底實相是什麼呢?全都是要經過種種,藉由人體,人體是父精母血所構成的人體,人體就是有為法。父母分開,就是無為,個人本具佛性,但是因緣會合起來,就成為有為法。

有為法的身體,有病就要有醫師來治理。同樣的道理,我們的眾生也已經心理有病了,所以要借重佛法,佛法來療治我們的心病,但是醫道來療治人的身體,所以這都是妙法。這一乘實相的道理,就是妙法要用權、實,合為一體。

權,就是有為法,有體質的東西,用心讓大家瞭解,身體就像一個小乾坤,無處不在,這種自然法界中,真的是看不到,就要借重我們有形,我們的身體去探討,用遼闊的醫學去探討小乾坤,有多少的東西。自然界,要如何去吸收自然界的理法,來幫助有為法,已經構成起來的東西,要如何讓它恢復,去修補恢復。但是,世間雖然有修補恢復的東西,但沒有不滅的有相、有為法,不過它有它的道理。

我們人,儘管我聽了道理,聽了道理,回歸於真如無為的本性,是不是這樣,我們就不會死了呢?同樣會死。不過,這種精神理念,回歸我們清淨的本性,這就是有形,叫做權,無形,叫做實,權實一體,這就是佛陀如何說小(乘)法,而要讓我們通達大道、大法。

所以,以人間,苦的事相實在是很多,所以就教,佛陀來施教,教之以理,導之以法。這就是佛陀來人間。

而行深妙道:
諸佛心本行深妙道
唯談一乘實相之理
蓋妙法
則權實一體
以人間苦事相多
即教之以理
導之以法

用人間這種苦相很多來譬喻,用種種言辭來施教,讓我們能體會道理。

就像我們的身體有病,要如何治療,當醫師的,就要用種種的方法,不斷去改善,不斷去創新,如何能有更好的方法來救人。所以常常說,時代不同了。法儘管不變,不過不變的法、道理,要應千變萬化的生態。這就是法在人間,很需要的,不能沒有。所以我們既是佛子,必定要時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teaching Buddha-children the Wondrous Path (為佛子說妙道)
Date: July. 10. 2014

The world and its people and matters are the concern of Bodhisattvas. When the mind and the Dharma are one, we are on the Bodhi-path. With the Buddha-mind and wisdom Dharma, we have universal compassion.

“The world and its people and matters are the concern of Bodhisattvas.” I always think this way. In this world, all people, all environments and all living beings are the intimate concerns of Bodhisattvas. We learn the Buddha’s Way so that we can take the Buddha’s mind into our own. This is the pure Buddha-nature that we all intrinsically have. I seem to be saying this every day.
So, since the mind, Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature], doesn’t that apply to all beings born under the heavens and on earth? All living beings are connected to the things that happen in this world. So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way in this world, we must thoroughly understand worldly matters. In addition to thoroughly understanding worldly matters, we must also understand the principles of attaining Buddhahood. Because we are learning the Buddha’s way, we are called Bodhisattvas, which truly makes us Buddha-children. Because we listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we take the Buddha’s Dharma-water into our heart to nourish our wisdom-life in hopes it will grow. I hope our wisdom-life and our nature of True Suchness become one; then we will forever be in a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. This is what Buddhist practitioners call liberation.
The first thing learned by those who want to engage in spiritual practice is that human existence comes with afflictions; matters, objects and other things will bring about much suffering. Because of this, we seek the Buddha-Dharma to find ways to be liberated from suffering we cannot control, such as cyclic existence in the Six Realms. This is what we seek. The only way to transcend the Six Realms is to reach a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. What is a state of non-arising and non-ceasing? It is one of returning to what is natural. The natural state is unconditioned; it is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. This is something we intrinsically have. However, we transmigrate through the Six Realms. Again and again we are influenced by countless worlds, time periods, spaces, environments and so on, so we continuously multiply our defilements. This is what makes us unenlightened beings. Now that we know this, we want to leave this unenlightened state and return to our pure intrinsic nature. The only way to do this is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path is all about people and matters in this world. Since we are Bodhisattvas, under the heavens and on the earth, we will carry out the spiritual mission of the Bodhisattva-path.
So, “the world and its people and matters are the concern of Bodhisattvas.” “The mind and Dharma [must be] one.” We must be mindful. If we are not mindful in our spiritual practice, we forget the Dharma once we hear it. If we are going to forget it, why listen? If the Dharma leaks out of our minds, how will we know how to practice? Without knowing principles, how can we practice?
Similarly, if we do not know the way, do not know the terrain or the course, how will we know where to go?That is why we need to know the way.When we do not know the way, we need to ask for directions.By the same principle, if our capabilities are relatively sharp, we can listen mindfully and understand right away.“I know what course to take.”
But if we do not understand, we have to rely on our virtuous friends.
As we have said before, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we really need wholesome and virtuous friends,.These wholesome and virtuous friends can accompany us onto the right course and point us in the right direction.So, we must be mindful and first understand the principles in order to engage in spiritual practice.If we do not listen to and learn the principles, how can we engage in spiritual practice?How can we walk the Bodhisattva-path?So, we must be mindful.
By listening mindfully to the Dharma, it will penetrate our minds so that in our daily living, the Dharma and our minds are one.Tzu Chi volunteers often say, “Have the Buddha in your mind, the Dharma in your actions.”The Buddha and the Dharma must be in our minds at all times.Then the Buddha-mind will be one with our minds.And when the Dharma is one with our minds, we are on the Bodhisattva-path, which is also the Bodhi-path, the road to awakening.
Bodhisattvas are people who walk on this path, so the path is called Bodhi.Bodhisattvas are “awakened sentient beings” who understand and then walk this path.Thus, their minds must be one with the Dharma.This is [how to walk] the Bodhisattva-path.“With the Buddha-mind and wondrous Dharma, we have universal compassion”.This sense of universal compassion is the mindset of a Bodhisattva and is something the Buddha wants to teach us.
Every single day, we hear a very moving [stories related to this].The volunteers who help out at [Tzu Chi] hospitals act as the bridge between the medical team and the patients.Listening to their daily sharing of their experiences is like listening to teachings for me.I am listening to teachings about suffering, I am listening to and learning about the way these dedicated Bodhisattvas exercise the wisdom of [doctors] and [volunteers] as they work among suffering sentient beings.I hear their sharing as if listening to teachings.
Every day I am moved and am grateful, especially when I listen to the doctors.Being a doctor is not very easy.Modern medical treatments are very complex.Medical technology is so advanced that we can understand exactly what kind of disease the stomach, liver or intestines are suffering from.This is truly sophisticated technology.
Aside from equipment that helps with diagnosis, if we want to see even more clearly, we can use a tube, [an endoscope].It has a camera on one end that has been reduced to the size of a bean, and can be sent down our esophagus.
But how do we get it in there?Through a “natural opening”.Everyone of us has nine orifices.It is often said, “The nine orifices constantly discharge impurities.”We all have nine orifices on our bodies.These are all “natural openings”.Look, our eyes are two openings, our ears also have two openings, our nose also has two, then the mouth is another.How many orifices are these?Seven orifices.Where are the other two openings?The places where we urinate and defecate.These are the nine.
“The nine orifices constantly discharge impurities.”These are called “natural openings”.
This [scope] has to enter through a “natural opening”.Some enter from the mouth and are swallowed.This is [esophageal] endoscopy.When endoscopy was performed in the past, it was very uncomfortable and very painful.
Some patients will throw up during the process as it is very uncomfortable. Doctors could not bear [their suffering]. How could they reduce the patient’s suffering. One of the department chairs, Dr. Hu Chi-tan, is continuously finding ways to save patients. He looked for ways to alleviate their suffering, ways to help patients be healthy and feel at ease. So, he continuously conducted research to replace the esophageal endoscopy by introducing the endoscope through the nasal passage. When he was in Japan back in 2005, he learned that introducing the endoscope through the nostrils can greatly reduce the pain. The patient would not feel any pain and could even talk to him during the procedure. But to what extent is the pain minimized? He experimented on his own body to find out.
First, he stood to observe the image. He inserted the scope himself through his nostril as he stood and tried to examine the image. Why didn’t it seem like it reached the stomach? Why wasn’t the image clear? He wondered, “Is it my posture? Then he tried sitting. The image was still unclear. As the image shifted, he thought, “Maybe I should lie down”. So, he adjusted the position of his body and limbs and the positioning of his organs. After making the adjustments, he realized he had to lie back in a chair, half sitting, half lying down. This allowed the camera to enter the stomach and other organs. But, he wanted to make the patient more comfortable, and to feel peaceful and at ease, so he make further adjustments. Once he moved onto the bed, he felt comfortable. He also wanted to make [colonoscopies] more relaxing.
So, he developed the water-assisted method, which made it more comfortable. He worked on ways to isolate and identify the source of the illness, as well as ways to treat it. We can see how he tested the scope on himself, how he must have felt. He said, “When others are in pain, I am also in pain. When I see others suffer, I feel their suffering. When they are in pain, I feel very sad”.
In particular, he also said, “I cherish those who are ill. This shows his sense of mission. He even experimented on his son. His son also consented to be experimented on. This father and son team worked together to find way to make the patients most comfortable. Indeed, doctors have a Buddha-mind, which means they apply wondrous skills, wondrous techniques and wondrous treatment. Isn’t this universal compassion, the wisdom the Buddha wanted to share with us?
The Buddha wanted us to understand our bodies. Our bodies are filled with impurities and are impermanent. Our ever-changing bodies experience much illness and suffering. So, we need doctors who aspire to walk the Bodhisattva-path to relieve suffering. This also requires mindfulness. So, the Buddha, and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in this world, are always trying to find ways to help relieve sentient beings of their suffering.
So “[His only] aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle”. By the same principle, medicine alone is not enough. We must also learn something that is most beneficial to sentient beings so they can be free of suffering, and be happy and at peace. This is the fundamental Great Vehicle Dharma of working for sentient beings that the Buddha wanted to teach us.

So, the Buddha taught this sutra.“My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle, therefore I expound this sutra. Buddha-children are pure in heart, flexible and have sharp capabilities, and who, in the presence of infinite Buddhas, have walked the profound and wondrous path. For these Buddha-children, I give Great Vehicle teachings”.

“Buddha-children are pure in heart, flexible and have sharp capabilities”. We hope people not only work for their own sake, but give unconditionally for the sake of others. Yesterday, we discussed how we need to be gentle toward sentient beings. Of course, we must always be mindful, “flexible have sharp capabilities”. Buddha-children such as these studies “in the presence of infinite Buddhas”. These Bodhisattvas learn not [only] in the present, but also learned in the past; in life after life, they [studies with] infinite Buddhas and were continuously permeated [with teachings]. After those teachings are internalized, we will walk the Bodhisattva-path and learn many principles. This wonderful state of mind is found on the path. Doctors have a healer’s path, Bodhisattvas a Bodhisattva-path. Both paths help develop wisdom-life and protect physical life. Both are intimately related to sentient beings and are profound and wondrous paths.
Therefore, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas walked the profound and wondrous path for the sake of sentient beings. The hearts of all Buddhas have always been profound and wondrous, so They teach only principles that lead to the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle. One Vehicle means there is only one path, one road that can transport us[ if we] apply its principles, the principles of ultimate reality.
What exactly is ultimate reality? [To learn this] we have to experience many things through our bodies, which are formed by our parent’s sperm and egg. The human body is a conditioned phenomenon. Without our parent, there is just an unconditioned phenomenon, our intrinsic Buddha-nature.But when causes and conditions converge, there is conditioned phenomenon, a body. When it is ill, we need a doctor to treat it. By the same principle, when we sentient beings have mental aliments, we rely on the Buddha-Dharma to treat them, similar to the way doctors treat our bodies. This is all wondrous Dharma, the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle.
Wondrous Dharma is a combination of both true and provisional teachings. Provisional teachings are conditioned phenomena, tangible things.I work hard to help everyone understand that the body is like a small universe unto itself. [The microscopic things] that are omnipresent in the Dharma-realms’ natural world are really not visible, so we need to rely on tangible things, like our bodies, to learn more about them.
We can use the vast field of medicine to study this small universe and the many things within it we must try to absorb principle of the natural, [unconditioned] world to help with conditioned phenomena, those things that are already formed, [so we know how to] let them recover and repair themselves. Although things in the world can be fixed or restored, everything that is a conditioned phenomenon will inevitably cease. But everything has it inherent principle.
If we humans listen to principles and return to our intrinsic, unconditioned nature of True Suchness, does that mean we will not die? We will still die. But these spiritual principles will help us return to our pure intrinsic nature.The tangible are provisional teachings. These two are one, so the Buddha can teach Small Vehicle Dharma to help us thoroughly understand the Great Path,the Great [Vehicle] Dharma.In this world, there are many different forms of suffering. So, the Buddha teaches with principles and guides with the Dharma. This is why the Buddha comes to this world.

[They have] walked the profound and wondrous path: The aim of all Buddha-minds is to walk the profound and wondrous path and only expound the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle. The wondrous Dharma encompasses both provisional and true teachings as one. Since there is much suffering in this world. they taught with principles and guided with the Dharma.

He used examples of suffering to make analogies, and taught with all kinds of expressions so we can realize [true] principles. When our body suffers from illness, how can it be treated? Doctors have to use various methods. They also constantly improve, constantly innovate, better methods to save people.
So I always say, the times are different, but the Dharma does not change. However, unchanging Dharma and principles must adapt to the ever-changing ways to living. This is the Dharma is necessary to this world; it has to be here. Therefore, since we are Buddha-children, we must always be mindful.

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

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