【靜思妙蓮華】20140826 - 唯一無二乘 - 第378集 The One and Only Vehicle

20140826《靜思妙蓮華》唯一無二乘（第378集）

⊙「修學法者，持戒定慧，立信願行，心得安穩，行一乘道。」
⊙皆說一乘道：一乘法，乃是佛為一代時教本懷，究竟至極之教。即今此大乘妙法蓮華經。
⊙九部法，又稱九分教，略稱九經。為修多羅、祇夜、伽陀、本事、本生、未曾有、因緣、譬喻、優波提舍。
⊙今此諸大眾：靈山會上諸大眾聞法眾，心意至誠懇切，信受聞法之諸大眾。
⊙皆應除疑惑：謂人宿世無善種，於佛法中心生疑惑，而不愛樂聞佛正法。於是疑理迷於事，不能決定是非者。
⊙世尊咐囑：今此靈山上聞法大眾，深信莫生疑，若有存疑慮，故云：皆應除疑惑。
⊙諸佛語無異：諸佛之道同，佛所說之如來藏心也。
⊙金剛經云：如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。
⊙唯一無二乘：唯是一乘法，才是真實的菩提道。其他二乘和三乘都是方便的權教而已。十方佛法唯是一乘，故知二乘權說也。

【證嚴上人開示】
修學法者
持戒定慧
立信願行
心得安穩
行一乘道

我們修學佛法之人，必定要持戒定慧，立信願行，心得安穩，行一乘道。這是我們的目標。既然發心修學，我們必定要守持於我們的軌道，那就是持戒、定、慧。

預防錯誤的念頭，阻止我們錯誤的行為，所以我們必定要持戒。有戒，心才能定下來。心若不定，浪費時光。今天的發心，認真精進，忽然間，一念的雜念入心來，心中的「定」就讓它搖動了；雜念於心中起煩惱，過去我們所受持的，那個「定」就消於一旦，片刻的時間，就將我們過去所立堅定的願，就破除了。

因為一念的雜念，所以讓我們的心，起行動，行為就偏差。所以我們的定心、願力，一定要顧守得很好。我們若心中無定，絕對是沒智慧。智慧是從靜中來，靜而定。

佛陀的教育，就是期待我們人人，可以不再有錯誤，定力，一定要堅定；這是佛陀的教法。必定要立信、願。你有戒、定、慧的心，立願之後，向前前進，心地風光，我們才看得見——原來心定的境界是這麼美，不受人、事、物搖動。

事情過了之後，「幸好，我的定念，我這念清淨不受波動的心，是多麼內心輕安自在。」這種輕安自在，就是於立信、願、行當中。因為我們相信，我們就不受搖動；因為我們立堅定行，向前進，(向)前路前進，所以我們在過程中，又再回憶，「幸好！這段心地風光很美啊！」這種心得能安穩，安穩於何處？就是行於一乘道中。

佛陀雖然離我們二千多年，其實並沒有離開，法，還是在我們現在，所以此一乘法，那就是佛陀他一代時教的本懷。

不是二千多年前的釋迦佛而已，於無量數劫，無量數劫，對佛而言，也不是很長的時間，所以他從開始就是這念心——希望人人能夠透徹真理，真理本住人心，人人的心具有佛性。這麼簡單幾句話就說完，偏偏我們眾生，於凡夫界的長時間，造作了很多，也染習了很多的習氣。佛陀他一定要希望眾生，人人能夠回歸，這麼簡單的道理入心，所以他一代時教的本懷，在他的內心。

皆說一乘道：
一乘法
乃是
佛為一代時教本懷
究竟至極之教
即今此
大乘妙法蓮華經

這是佛陀一代時教，來到靈山會之時，佛陀開懷了，將他的心中所有的教法，完全直接要向大家說。說什麼教呢？說出了究竟至極之教，那就是現在我們在聽，我們在說的《大乘妙法蓮華經》。

其實，「皆說一乘道」。此「皆說」，全部，四十多年來，雖然佛陀說，過去的四十二年間是設方便教，其實，我一直向大家強調：方便教是施妙權。「妙」就是道理存在；雖然是說小乘法，但是，這就是法的基礎。就如一間房子，一定要有地基，我們若沒有從土地往下挖，將地基打穩，哪有辦法將柱子，一層、一層豎立上去呢？如果沒有柱子，沒有牆，若如此，如何能稱為一間房子呢？

同樣道理，佛陀要將很完整的法(說出)，他一定要先向下鋪地基。我們若基礎不瞭解，如何能到達一個，很完整的道理呢？所以說，佛陀過去的方便法，不是沒道理，全部都是道理，所以叫做「皆說一乘道」。

就是現在的《法華經》，不能沒有過去佛陀四十多年間，所施設的巧妙的方便法，這就是完整的法。就是在《法華經》裡，也是同樣用譬喻、言教、因緣等等，「九部法」來向我們解說，構造了經典的完整。

九部法
又稱九分教
略稱九經
為修多羅、祇夜、
伽陀、本事、
本生、未曾有、
因緣、譬喻、
優波提舍

前面我們也說過了「九部法」，無論是用何方式，讓大家容易聽得懂，又能入心，若如此，就是完整的法。

今此諸大眾：
靈山會上
諸大眾聞法眾
心意至誠懇切
信受聞法之諸大眾

「今此諸大眾」。過去「皆說一乘道」，「今此諸大眾」，現在，這些大眾，是在何時？佛陀的時代，將要講《法華經》那個時候，靈山會上諸大眾聞法的人。

還記得嗎？講《法華經》的開頭，佛陀發光現瑞，入定很長的時間。大家的內心，各人各人心靈的境界，所猜測佛陀到底為什麼，怎麼今天的身形，(與)過去都不同？面面相觀。才有彌勒菩薩請問文殊菩薩，文殊菩薩就趁著佛陀入定時，他就引述過去二萬，(日月)燈明佛的那個時代。一直到，佛陀開始出定了，不斷一直讚歎，讚歎將要說的法，從內心，過去還不曾說過的，現在開始，要將過去的方便法完全捨掉，要直接所說的是真實法。

有的人沒有耐心，差不多過去(講的)我都知道了，佛陀說那麼多，我都知道了。未來所要說的真實法，也無不都是如此，差不多吧。所以，沒有那個耐心。那種心意至誠懇切之心不夠，聽法的誠意之心不夠，所以當場五千人退席。佛陀看到這五千人退席，趕緊安穩大家的心：「退亦佳矣！」退去也好，因為這些人都是增上慢人。

大家應該都記得，那些人已經退席，留下來的人，就是心意至誠懇切的人，已經大根大機要來接受大法的，這些人。所以「今此(諸)大眾」，就是這樣的人；此大眾是，信受聞法之大眾，願意很用心來信佛所說的法，用很虔誠、鄭重的心，要來接受佛陀的法，所以恭敬地聽，恭敬地接受，這些大眾。

所以佛陀特別向當時那些大眾——「今此諸大眾」，就是這些人，「皆應除疑惑」，全都要除掉懷疑之心。「既然是這麼堅定留下來聽法，大家應該要虔誠，信根要深入，有疑的心要趕緊去除。既然留下來要聽，就不要有疑心。」這是佛陀慈悲，再次叮嚀。

皆應除疑惑：
謂人宿世無善種
於佛法中心生疑惑
而不愛樂聞佛正法
於是疑理迷於事
不能決定是非者

這就是「謂人宿世無善種」。宿世，就是過去的過去；善根沒有深入，所以叫做「無善種」。這種人「於佛法中心生疑惑」。善根不夠，信根不深，就是於佛法中，一邊聽，但是一邊懷疑。信與疑一半一半的這種人，雖然他聽到佛法，也是在佛法中，卻是，那個「信」不完全，所以「心生疑惑」。

「於佛法中生疑惑，而不愛樂聞佛正法」。不懂得很珍惜，不懂得很愛，這種「不愛樂聞佛正法」這很可惜。在佛法中，還不懂得要愛，不懂得珍惜此法，所以，聽，有聽與沒有聽差不多，這邊聽，那邊漏，正法就無法入心。所以，意就這樣起疑理，開始起疑，道理在他的心中也是很迷惑，遇到人、事、物，就迷了。

這就是信根不深入，戒根動搖，所以不懂得去防，預防邪思、邪念、邪見。沒有預防，讓這種外面的人、事、物，偏差的事相入心，所以搖動了定念，就失去了智慧，「不能決定是非(者)」。我們如果疑理迷事，我們就無法決定是，是或不是。是非不清，那就迷了，這就很可惜。

所以，世尊於大眾中，他就是這樣又再叮嚀、吩咐，再再為我們咐囑，為我們叮嚀。

世尊咐囑：
今此靈山上
聞法大眾
深信莫生疑
若有存疑慮
故云
皆應除疑惑

「今此靈山會上聞法大眾」。佛陀，世尊，對當時靈山會上的大眾，很殷切來咐囑，要如何(讓)大家「深信莫生疑」。大家要深信，現在於法華會上，這部經已經是佛陀的本懷，從無數劫以來所心保護著，心懷的一乘法。於此時，完全正直(捨方便)，來開此真實法的法門，希望大家能一心直入，我們如來真如的本性。

因為時間有限，大限將至，所以不得不在此時一實妙法，趕緊說出，又擔心大家又是一信半解——信，又再是無法透徹了解，所以半信半疑。佛陀還是很堅定，又再次交代、叮嚀，叮嚀靈山會上聽法的大眾，大家要「深信莫生疑」，不要生出疑心。「若有存疑慮」，「皆應除疑惑」，這就是佛陀向大家交代，不要再有疑心。

「諸佛語無異」，意思就是說，佛，不只是釋迦佛，過去的佛也是一樣，所說的法都是一樣，所以「諸佛語無異」。佛，諸佛之道同，佛所說如來藏心。

諸佛語無異：
諸佛之道同
佛所說之
如來藏心也

這就是諸佛「如來藏」。「如來藏」是不是大家都有呢？我們說「八識」，常常說「九識」，(第)八識就是業識，眾生具足八識。眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意，意隨著外面的五塵、五境去緣，收納於意識（第六識）裡。而意識再收納於第七識的思——思考、見解。如何去造作，造善、為惡，這輩子造何因、結何緣，這一切的一切都收納進來於第八識，所以第八識稱為「藏識」，所有好壞之事都是在藏識中。

塵沙煩惱，全都在藏識中，所以就無明。這是凡夫所藏著，這個倉庫裡面很亂，很複雜的東西都丟在那裡。我們要修行，就是要趕緊清理好這個倉庫，這個第八識。過去錯誤的、不對的，我們要趕緊將它除開，趕緊將它淘汰掉，不要再撿回來，好好整理，整理好，清淨了，就成為「如來藏心」。「如來藏心」就是清淨心，這叫做第九識。

所以佛陀，諸佛都是一樣，「佛佛道同」，將他心懷中，所藏著的這種清淨、無染污的法，已經告訴大家了，這「佛佛道同」。所以《金剛經》云：「如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。」

金剛經云：
如來是
真語者
實語者
如語者
不誑語者
不異語者
                   
就是實語，真實語之人，這是「佛佛道同」。「唯一無二乘」。每一尊佛來到人間所說的法，只要說一項，告訴大家，我們人人本具佛性。這麼簡單。我們要修行，回歸本性，「唯是一乘法，才是真實的菩提道」。所以，其他二乘或者三乘，都是方便的權教而已。所以說「十方佛法唯是一乘」，二乘是權說。

唯一無二乘：
唯是一乘法
才是真實的菩提道
其他二乘和三乘
都是方便的
權教而已
十方佛法唯是一乘
故知二乘權說也

希望我們人人能了解，佛陀來人間的目的，就是這麼殷切希望人人能用心接受，要愛樂佛法。我們要深信佛法，我們才能從此法入菩提道；步步向前走，我們才能得到心靈的風光，佛陀寂靜的境界中。所以必定我們要時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan

Subject: The One and Only Vehicle (唯一無二乘)

Date: August. 26. 2014

We, as Buddhist practitioners, must “uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, and establish faith, vows and practice. Thus our minds can be at peace and we can walk the path of the One Vehicle.”

This is our goal. Once we have aspired to practice, we must stay on our course of cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Precepts prevent erroneous thoughts from arising and put an end to our erroneous behavior. Therefore, we must uphold precepts. Only precepts can bring us into a state of Samadhi. If we are not in Samadhi, we will waste time. Today, we may aspire to earnestly cultivate, but then suddenly, a discursive thought arises and causes our Samadhi to waver. This is how discursive thoughts give rise to afflictions. Because of this, the state of Samadhi we have been maintaining disappears in an instant. In an instant, we will have broken the firm vows we made. It is due to one discursive thought that our minds will waver and lead us to act improperly. Thus, we must safeguard our Samadhi and the power of our vows. If our minds are not in a state of Samadhi, we will definitely not have wisdom. Wisdom comes from tranquility, the tranquility of Samadhi. 

The Buddha teaches us in hopes that each of us will no longer make mistakes. We must remain firmly in a state of Samadhi. This is what the Buddha teaches us. We must establish faith and vows. We have the resolve to practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, so after we establish vows, we can move forward. Only then can we see how wonderful a mind in a state of Samadhi can be, how it is not swayed by people, matters and objects. After something has happened, [we think,] “Fortunately, my mind is in Samadhi. My pure and unwavering mind is so peaceful and free.” This state of peace and freedom comes from establishing faith, vows and practice. If we have faith, we will not be swayed. If we practice with resolve and move forward, and walk on the path diligently, during the process we will look back and say, “I am so fortunate; this state of mind is wonderful.” 

Where can we attain this state of peace and stability? By walking the path of the One Vehicle. Although the Buddha lived over 2000 years ago, He never actually left, because the Dharma is still with us now. This, the One Vehicle Dharma, is what the Buddha originally intended to teach. Sakyamuni Buddha did not [only live] over 2000 years ago, but also throughout countless kalpas. Countless kalpas, to the Buddha, is not a very long time either. From the beginning, He had this mindset of helping us thoroughly understand true principles. True principles intrinsically abide in our minds; all of us intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This can be explained in a few simple sentences, but we sentient beings are ordinary people who have created much [karma] and been tainted by many habitual tendencies. The Buddha hopes all sentient beings can return to [their true nature] and take this simple principle to heart. This is His life’s teachings that He always intended to give.

[All Buddhas] teach the One Vehicle Path: The One Vehicle Dharma is what the Buddha originally intended to teach and is the ultimate teachings, which is today’s Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

This is His life’s teachings.At the Vulture Peak assembly, the Buddha opened His heart to completely and directly share all the teachings in His heart with everyone.What kind of teachings were they?He gave the ultimate teachings, which is the teachings we are now listening to and discussing, the Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.

In “teaching to One Vehicle Dharma,” this “teaching” was everything [He taught] to 40-plus years, despite the fact that the Buddha said that.He taught skillful means for the first 42 years.In fact, I have always emphasized that skillful means are wondrous provisional teachings.“Wondrous” means they contain principles.Though it is Small Vehicle Dharma, it is the foundation of the Dharma.

Take a house for example; it must have a foundation.If we do not dig deep into the ground and lay down a solid foundation, how can we secure the columns and construct the house, story by story?If there are no columns, if there are no walls, then how can we consider this a house?By the same principle, for the Buddha to give the most complete teaching, He must first lay down a foundation.If we do not even understand the foundation, how can we have a complete understanding of principles?So, the skillful means taught by the Buddha are not lacking in principles; they are all based on principles.This is “[teaching] the One Vehicle Dharma”.

Even the Lotus Sutra we are discussing cannot be [understood] without the skillful means taught by the Buddha during the first 40-plus years.This is a complete teaching.Even the Lotus Sutra also uses analogies, expressions, causes and conditions and “the nine divisions of Dharma” to explain and create a complete sutra.

The nine divisions of Dharma are also the nine divisions of teachings generally called the nine kinds of sutras.

They are : sutras, gays, gathers, previous lives of disciples, or of Buddhas, things that have never been, causes and conditions, analogies, and updates.

We have discussed “the nine divisions of Dharma”.All these methods are used to help people more easily understand and take the Dharma to heart.

Thus this is considered a complete Dharma.So, “Now all those assembled here. ”

Now all those assembled here.At the Vulture Peak assembly, all those listening to the sutras had utmost sincerity.They are those who faithfully accepted the Dharma they heard.

In the past, [the Buddha] “[taught]” the One Vehicle Dharma.As for “now all those assembled here,” when were these people assembled?During the Buddha’s lifetime, when He was about to expound the Lotus Sutra.Many people assembled to listen to teachings on Vulture Peak.

Do you still remember?As the Buddha began to teach the Lotus Sutra, He reradiated light, manifested auspicious appearances and entered Samadhi for a very long time.People began to guess why exactly the Buddha’s appearance today was different from the past.They looked at each other until.Maitreya Bodhisattva asked Manjusri Bodhisattva.

So, Manjusri Bodhisattva, during the time that the Buddha was in Samadhi, described the era of the 20,000 Sun-Moon Lamp Radiant Buddhas until the Buddha emerged from Samadhi.Then the Buddha endlessly praised the Dharma He was about to teach.Starting at this moment, He began to give teachings He never gave before.He fully set aside the skillful means of the past to directly teach True Dharma.

Some people did not have patience for this.“I understand most of the past teachings.The Buddha gave so many teachings and I understood them all.

The True Dharma He is going to teach must be very similar to what He taught before.”So, they had no patience and lacked the sincerity and reverence to listen to the Dharma.

So, 5000 people left the assembly. The Buddha saw these 5000 people leave and immediately calmed everyone’s minds. He said, “It is better that they left” because these people were all overbearingly arrogant.We should all remember that after these people left the assembly, those who remained had utmost sincerity and had the great capabilities to accept the Great [Vehicle] Dharma. Thus, “now all those assembled here” were people like this. They were those who “faithfully accepted the Dharma they heard”. They were willing to wholeheartedly believe in the Buddha’s teachings. They accepted His teachings with great reverence and respect. Thus, they listened respectfully and accepted them respectfully. 

So, the Buddha specifically told them, “Now all those assembled here”should “resolve their questions”, they must eliminate their doubts. “Since you have firmly resolved to stay and listen to the teachings, you must all be sincere. You Root of Faith must grow deep. Any doubts must be immediately eliminated. Since you are staying to listen, you must not have doubts.” This was the Buddha’s compassionate reminder for everyone.

“[They] should resolve all their questions: Those who did not plant good seeds in past lives will have doubts about the Buddha-Dharma and not enjoy listening to the Right Dharma. Thus, they doubt the true principles and are confused, unable to discern right from wrong”.

There were those “who did not plant good seeds in past lives”. “Past lives” refers to prior lifetimes. If their roots of goodness were not planted deep, they were those who “did not plant good seeds”. They “will have doubts about the Buddha-Dharma”. Because their roots of goodness and faith were not deeply planted, while they did listen to the Buddha-Dharma, they also doubted it. For people who half-believed and half doubted, although they had listened to the Buddha-Dharma, their “faith” was not complete, so they “will have doubts”. They “will have doubts about the Buddha-Dharma and not enjoy listening to the Right Dharma”. They would not cherish or enjoy it. If they do “not enjoy listening to Right Dharma”, that would be very sad. Although they are immersed in the Dharma, they do not appreciate or cherish it, so whether they listen to it or not makes no difference. 

It may go in one ear and out the other. Right Dharma will not penetrate their minds. Then doubt about principles arises in them. If we begin to doubt, we will be very confused about principles. Then as we deal with people, matters and objects, we become confused. Because our Root of Faith is not deep, our Root of Precepts will not be stable. So, we will not know how to protect ourselves and guard against improper thinking and views. By not guarding against them, we allow people, matters and objects that lead us astray to enter our minds. This causes us to waver in our Samadhi and lose our wisdom and be “unable to discern right from wrong”. If we doubt principles or are confused by matters, we cannot decide whether something is true or not, nor discern right from wrong; this is delusion. This would be very unfortunate. So, the World-Honored One gave the assembly this reminder and instruction. He keeps reminding us of this. 

“The World-Honored One reminded them: On Vulture Peak, the assembly listening to the Dharma must have deep faith and not give rise to doubt. If they have any remaining doubts or worries, they should resolve all their questions.”

“On Vulture Peak, the assembly listening to the Dharma…” The Buddha, the World-Honored One, earnestly reminded the assembly on Vulture Peak that they must “have deep faith and not give rise to doubt”. Everyone must have deep faith. At the Lotus Assembly, [these teachings] were what the Buddha originally intended to teach. 

For countless kalpas, He has safeguarded the One Vehicle Dharma in His mind. Now, at this time, He completely and directly opened the Dharma-door to True Dharma. He hoped we could all wholeheartedly and directly enter our intrinsic Buddha-nature of True-Suchness. Because His time was limited and the end of this life was near, He had to teach the Wondrous Dharma of One Reality very quickly. But, He also worried that people would not thoroughly understand it, and half-believe and half-question it. Still, the Buddha was very determined, so He kept reminding those who were listening at the Vulture Peak assembly to “have deep faith and not give rise to doubt”, to avoid having a doubtful mind. 

So, “if they had remaining doubts or worries,they should “resolve their questions” ”.This was the Buddha reminding everyone to no longer give rise to doubts. “The teachings of all Buddhas are the same .”This means that “Buddhas” does not just refer to Sakyamuni, but also all Buddhas of the past; They all taught the same Darma. 

So, “the teachings of all Buddhas are the same; the path of all Buddhas are the same.” This is what the Buddha called the heart of the Tathagata-garbha. ” 

All Buddhas have “Tathagata-garbha”. Does everyone have “Tathagata-garbha”? We talk about the Eight Consciousnesses, and we also often discuss the ninth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is the karmic consciousness. Sentient beings have all Eight Consciousnesses.

The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind connect to the Five Sense Objects and Five Conditions and take them into our mind-consciousness. Then the mind-consciousness will be incorporated into the seventh consciousness, which has to do with thinking and understanding. So, the seventh consciousness leads us to commit good or evil deeds. Every cause and condition we create in this lifetime is taken into our eighth consciousness. So, the eighth is our storehouse consciousness. 

All good and bad deeds are contained in this storehouse consciousness. Dust-like afflictions are also stored here; this makes us ignorant. The storehouse in us ordinary people is very messy because we throw all kinds of complicated things in there. As part of our spiritual practice, we must immediately clean up this storehouse, which is our eighth consciousness. Our past mistakes must be removed and eliminated immediately. We must not take them back in; we must clean up. If we can clean up our minds, we can attain the heart of the Tahtagata-garbha.

“The heart of Tahtagata-garbha” is a pure heart; this is ninth consciousness. So, all Buddhas are the same. “All Buddhas share the same path” What is kept in the store house of His mind is the pure and undefiled Dharma. He has already shared with everyone that, “All Buddhas share the same path”. 

So, the Diamond Sutra states, “the Tathagata is one who speaks the truth, who speaks the actual who does not speak what is false, who does not speak what is not so.” 

The Buddha is one who speaks the truth. This is how “all Buddhas share the same path”. “There is only the One Vehicle, not two”. When each Buddha comes to give teachings, They only need to teach one thing. They just need to tell everyone, “All of us intrinsically has Buddha-nature”. It is that simple.

To engage in spiritual practice and return to our intrinsic nature, there is “only the One Vehicle Dharma,” which “is the true Bodhi-path.”So, the Two and Three Vehicles are just skillful, provisional teachings. “The Dharma of Buddhas of the ten directions is just the One Vehicle,” so the Two Vehicles are skillful means.

I hope we can all understand the Buddha’s purpose in coming to this world He was very earnest in hoping we could all mindfully accept and enjoy the Buddha-Dharma. We must have deep faith in the Buddha-Dharma. Only then can we enter the Bodhi-path and walk forward step by step. Only then can we attain a beautiful state of mind and enter the Buddha’s tranquil and still state. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

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