發表主題: 20140905《靜思妙蓮華》柔和善順向佛道（第386集） 周五 9月 05, 2014 6:02 am
20140905《靜思妙蓮華》柔和善順向佛道（第386集）
⊙「心即是佛，自心佛不滅。大慈悲心，柔軟如淨水。悲智雙運，堅定持願行。」
⊙「若聞法布施，或持戒忍辱，精進禪智等，種種修福慧，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙「諸佛滅度後，若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」
⊙諸佛滅度後：滅，即滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。度是度分段變易兩種生死，這其生死大患永滅。
⊙若人善軟心：謂心柔和而隨順於道也。奉佛持佛教誡，信受奉行，當須柔軟甘和而不麤澀，是名柔軟。
⊙如是諸眾生：又名有情，即一切有情識的動物。集眾緣所生，名為眾生，又歷眾多生死，名為眾生。
⊙皆已成佛道：道者通之義，佛智圓通無壅，故名之為道。道有三種：一聲聞之所得，二緣覺之所得，三佛之所得。
【證嚴上人開示】
學佛的目標，就是要成佛。若要成佛，我們首先要接近佛。佛其實離我們不遠，人人自性心就有佛，所以「心即是佛，自心佛不滅」。
心即是佛
自心佛不滅
大慈悲心
柔軟如淨水
悲智雙運
堅定持願行
一早禮佛，當我拜下去時，起身抬頭看，佛龕裡就是，一幅字宙浩瀚遼闊的宇宙，星光閃閃。忽然間就會去想到「自性佛」，禮大覺佛。
我們人人本具自性。明明知道佛陀告訴我們：人人本具佛性。我們要相信，相信佛所說，我們要尊重自己的佛性。自己的佛性若不尊重，你禮佛、拜佛，只是外在人造的形像。那尊佛不是人雕的嗎？我們向外在人造、有為的佛像，你那麼虔誠禮拜，我們的內心呢？我們的「自性佛」不滅，我們自性的這片佛心，我們有現前嗎？是不是將「自性佛」助顯出，虔誠的相，來禮身外佛呢？
各位，真正的修行，我們要愛自己。就是有這樣的小故事：
有一天，波斯匿王他靜下來時，忽然間浮起了佛陀所說的法，要如何調心自愛。何謂自愛？他就是這樣默默地思考：真正的自愛，是不是要身、口、意三業善，這樣是自愛嗎？身、口、意惡，這樣是不自愛，是不是這樣呢？然後就是向佛請教。
佛陀微笑了，「對啊！波斯匿王，很好，我說的話你有入心，所以你自己在問心要如何自愛，是非常可貴。對！身、口、意三業清淨，口說好話，身行好事，那就是因為你的心集中在好意，這念的好心，所以言語、動作都是善，是善能受人人所敬愛，這叫做自愛。倘若你的心沒有調整好，你的心散亂了，開口動舌就是惡言、惡行，如此就受人輕視、唾棄、不尊重，這樣就是不自愛。」這是佛陀與波斯匿王的對答。
這段很短的故事，卻也能讓我們修行者來想，我們也要時時問心：我們的心中有佛，我們相信嗎？相信佛陀這樣告訴我們的法，我們有接受嗎？
「自心佛不滅」，無論我們從過去未來生以前，我們就已經本具佛性。不過，過去未來生之前的以前，我們到底是造了什麼善、惡，是否善惡雜揉？我們再來人間，借父母的緣，用我們過去的因，所以有此「依報」在人間，有我們的「正報」能來修行，這是很不可思議的因緣。
這就是我們佛性永遠存在，「自心佛不滅」，自己的心佛性全都不滅。哪怕是此生，有的人還不肯聽法；聽了法，還不肯好好老實修行。其實，他的佛性也沒有滅，還是帶去來生、來世。而來生、來世，能那麼容易得遇佛法嗎？不知。雖然帶著佛性，生生世世，我們是煩惱不斷造作、無明愈厚，佛性就愈埋愈深，所以要見「自性佛」的機會就愈少。
我們若能(將)無明，一層一層去除，利用我們今生此世在佛法中，能好好聽法，好好如法修行，調整好我們身、口、意業，這樣就是無明一層一層消除。此生未能成佛，還有來生來世，因為這輩子，我們已經消除不少的煩惱，這分覺性慢慢在浮現出來，盼望現在的因緣，再帶給我們來世，能依報、正報，都在佛法中，一聞十悟、一聞百悟、一聞千悟，或者是一聞大悟。這就要看我們是否將我們煩惱、無明減輕否？或者是不斷製造煩惱，讓煩惱愈來愈厚，這種貪、瞋、癡，這個癡還帶到來生來世，癡念愈重，那就是很可憐，也是讓佛陀，這樣跟著眾生很辛苦。
所以「大慈悲心，柔軟如淨水」。何謂大慈悲心？就是柔軟如水，隨方就圓。像水，長的器具，水倒進去就變長的；是四方的、是短的，就變四方、短的；是圓的，那就圓的。我們的心要如水一樣，所以叫做圓融。
如水隨方就圓，這叫做心的圓，稱為圓覺——圓的覺悟。我們覺悟我們是在這個環境中，我們就要隨這個環境生活，要生活得沒有煩惱、是歡喜，這才是「柔軟如淨水」。
面對眾生，芸芸的眾生、剛強難調的眾生，不是在別人，是在自己，我們自己的內心剛強難調伏，怎麼辦？就要好好學。看別人不順眼，其實是自己讓人不順眼。看別人，我們在起煩惱，是我們自心煩惱；別人又不惹你，是你自己起煩惱。所以，這就是我們欠缺智慧，不懂得善解，不會包容，所以因此我們會充滿煩惱。我們既然在人間，既然發心修行，我們要時時悲，悲憫眾生。
他就是不懂事，他就是煩惱覆心，所以我們要來教育，發揮我們的智慧，這叫做同事度、同修度，必定要悲智雙運。要「悲智雙運」，也要「堅定持願行」，既然要修行，都是發心立願，所以這念心願我們要好好堅持。這就是我們修學佛法，最重要的方法。
若聞法布施
或持戒忍辱
精進禪智等
種種修福慧
如是諸人等
皆已成佛道
《法華經方便品第二》
前面經文說，「若聞法布施」。我們若聽到法之後，我們要好好運用，如何讓大家都用得到。我們自己要身體力行，修來的法，我們用方法悲智雙運來布施人、教育別人、感化別人，這都稱為聞法布施。
別人，若是脫軌的人，我們要忍辱，自己要守戒、自己要忍辱。我們不要說別人的錯誤，我們自己比他更錯，那就不對。修行要人人自己，好好能自修、自持，所以要持戒、要忍辱、要精進、要禪定、智慧，用這種種修行，這叫做福與慧。在人群中好好，將自己的心調伏好，如此就是真正修福慧的人。
所以，「如是諸人等，皆已成佛道」。若能如此，能這樣布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧，懂得與人時時結好緣、造福，時時圓融人間事，這稱為智慧。像這樣的人那就是「皆已成佛道」，這樣就能成佛道，我們就是走在菩提道無偏差。希望大家要用心。
接下來這段（經）文，「諸佛滅度後，若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」
諸佛滅度後
若人善軟心
如是諸眾生
皆已成佛道
《法華經方便品第二》
「諸佛滅度後」，這個「滅」字就是，滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。
諸佛滅度後：滅，即滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。度是度分段變易兩種生死，這其生死大患永滅。
「惑」就是煩惱、無明。就是從見解、思想，見解、思想造了很多很多，如塵沙一樣的無明，這就是我們所以苦、所以造業、所以「集」了很多惡，讓我們善念，常常都受惡念埋沒，善念總是拔河都輸，惡念都拉贏過去。同樣的道理，我們的自心念，見思、塵沙、無明這三種(惑)，就是不斷在複製。佛陀就是要教育我們，如何來「滅」，「苦、集、滅」。「集」了很多塵沙無明的煩惱，現在我們要將它「滅」掉。我們要滅掉這個煩惱，要從我們的觀念、思想開始。
「度」，就是度，分段與變易兩種生死。這過去都一直說過了。凡夫的「分段生死」，或是羅漢、緣覺的「變易生死」，這真的是我們要趕緊自度。要修一個如何來、如何去，人生的道路不要偏差、錯誤。所以我們現在就要開始，否則「分段生死」都難斷了，要如何談到「變易生死」呢？
「變易生死」就是起心動念，這個起心動念，到辟支佛的程度還有，所以一定要將之斷除。，要真正斷掉，這是不容易；若斷得掉，就是生死大患永滅。
「若人善軟心」，意思是說人的心要柔和，隨順於道。
若人善軟心：
謂心柔和
而隨順於道也
奉佛持佛教誡
信受奉行
當須柔軟甘和
而不麤澀
是名柔軟
我們既然發心立願於菩提道，我們在菩提道，明明就是直的，我們就應該好好守這個道，奉持佛陀的教法，我們要向前前進。我們要向前前進，在這個大環境，一定要有善軟心。
就如水，從一小孔倒下去，這個型是四方的，這個水從圓圓的小孔灌進去，裡面也是滿滿的四方的水。或者是什麼型都沒有關係，你就是要有柔軟的心，在其中自然就會圓滿。這就是佛陀的教誡，我們要面對很多剛強的眾生，要如何自心調伏、調伏他人的心，這必定要柔軟。
我們的心要柔，與人要和，來隨順法的教育。「奉佛持佛教誡」，我們要跟隨佛陀，接近佛法，如此，我們接受此教誡，我們才有辦法。所以「當須柔軟甘和而不麤澀」，我們的心要很柔軟，要柔軟至很甘。常常說甘願嗎？甘願。甘願做，就歡喜受。若不甘願，那就是麤澀。要甘，才與人能和，才不會麤澀，如此稱為柔軟。我們若麤澀，就是與自己也過不去，與別人也過不去，心就很煩惱。所以我們要柔軟、柔和，別人看起來很順眼、也很歡喜，我們自己也覺得不容易的事情，這樣我也圓滿過來，也會很歡喜。所以「如是諸眾生」，那就是有情，前面也說過了。
如是諸眾生：
又名有情
即一切有情識的動物
集眾緣所生
名為眾生
又歷眾多生死
名為眾生
所有一切有情識的動物。我們人也是動物之一，我們有生命、我們會動，是動物之一，不過我們的名稱叫做「人」。豬也是動物，牠的名稱叫做豬；狗也是動物，牠的名稱叫做狗；蟲也是動物，牠的名稱叫做蟲。但是，只要你去抓牠，或是要趕牠，牠會一直掙扎，你若是抓到牠，牠會一直掙扎，那就是有情識，牠有情、有識，牠有感受，感受稱為情識。所以我們應該要知道，眾生全都是有生命。
「集眾緣所生」。我們為何生為人？因為我們過去有這樣的因、結這樣的緣，種種的過去、現在的因緣和合起來，所以我們有父母生我們，有這個大環境的世界，在生活。尤其是這個大世界的生活中，還有很多種不同身形的生命，因此稱為眾生。
這些有情界的眾生，都有成佛的可能。所以說起來，「皆已成佛道」，能接近佛法，這樣去感受。以前也曾說過，六月六(日)在曬經(本)時，一頭牛來到那裡，光是聞一下(《金剛經》)而已，牠也會成佛；牠能聞，聞到佛法，也會成佛。這經典中有很多(事例)，所以「皆已成佛道」，道者就是通的道理，能通就是道理，不通就不是道理。
皆已成佛道：
道者通之義
佛智圓通無壅
故名之為道
道有三種：
一聲聞之所得
二緣覺之所得
三佛之所得
「佛智圓通無壅」，沒有東西將之壅塞、塞住，「故名之為道」。
「道」有三種，是聲聞所得的道、是緣覺所得的道、是佛大覺所得的道。所以，我們學佛總是要在菩提道，無論是聲聞、緣覺、佛，都是在此菩提道中。小乘的聲聞他會走偏路，心若不直、路若不正、道心還未堅定，那就容易偏差。
「若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」佛陀一直這樣為我們祝福，只要我們人人有這個善、柔軟的心，這些眾生都能成佛道。這是佛陀一直在為我們祝福，我們要趕緊接受；接受了要身體力行。所以請大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Be Gentle and Accommodating on the Path to Buddhahood (柔和善順向佛道)
Date: September. 05. 2014
The goal of learning the Buddha’s Way is to attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, we must first draw near to the Buddha. He is actually not far away from us; He exists in our nature. Therefore, “The mind is the Buddha. The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.”
The mind is the Buddha. The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished. Great compassion is gentle like pure water. By exercising both compassion and wisdom, we hold fast to our vows and practice.
When I prostrate to the Buddha in the morning, after bowing down, as I stand and look up, [behind] the Buddha statue I see the image of a vast and expansive universe filled with twinkling stars. Then suddenly I think of the Buddha-nature within all of us as I bow to the Great Enlightened Buddha. We all intrinsically have this [Buddha-]nature. We know that the Buddha has said that all of us intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We must believe what He told us and respect our Buddha-nature. If we do not respect our own Buddha-nature, then we are only paying respect to a physical, manmade statue of the Buddha. Isn’t that Buddha statue carved by humans? We have reverence for a manmade Buddha statue but [are we reverent of the Buddha] of our minds? Our Buddha-nature will never be extinguished. Have we manifested our Buddha-mind, our Buddha-nature? Are we using our Buddha-nature to help manifest reverence for external Buddhas?
Everyone, to truly engage in spiritual practice, we have to love ourselves. There is a story about this. One day, King Prasenajit, after setting his mind, suddenly thought of the Buddha’s teachings on adjusting the mind and loving oneself. What does it mean to love oneself? He contemplated this silently. Does truly loving oneself mean creating positive karma with body, speech and mind? Is this loving oneself? Does creating negative karma with body, speech and mind mean we do not love ourselves? Is that correct? So, he went to ask the Buddha for teachings. The Buddha smiled, “You’re correct, King Prasenajit, very good. You took my words to heart, so you are asking yourself how to love yourself; this is very praiseworthy. When our body, speech and mind are pure, we speak kind words and do good deeds because the thoughts in our mind are good. With good thoughts in our minds, our words and actions will be wholesome. When we are wholesome, we will be respected and loved by all. This is a way to love ourselves. If our minds are not well-adjusted, if our minds are scattered, everything we say and od will be negative. Then we will be disparaged, rejected and disrespected. This is not the way to love ourselves.” This is the dialogue that took place between the Buddha and King Prasenajit.
This is a very short story, but it inspires us to think about how we spiritual practitioners must constantly reflect on ourselves. Do we really believe we have [a Buddha-nature]? Do we have faith in the Buddha-Dharma, and if so, have we accepted it? “The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.” In the past, before we were born into our lives, we already intrinsically had Buddha-nature. Yet, before each of our lives, what positive or negative [karma] did we create?Did we create a mix of both?We return to this world through our karmic connection with our parents and the causes we created in the past.
Because of this “circumstantial retribution,” we come to this world.Before of our “direct retribution,” we can engage in spiritual practice.The workings of karma are truly inconceivable.Our [Buddha-nature] has always existed.
“The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.”The Buddha in our hearts is not extinguished at all.Even if in this life, some people still refuse to hear the Dhamra, or will not practice it even after hearing it, their Buddha-nature has not been extinguished.
They will still bring it into future lifetimes.But in future lifetimes, will they encounter the Buddha-Dharma so easily?We do not know.Although we bring our Buddha-nature with us, lifteine after lifetime, we unceasingly create afflictions.
As our [layers of] ignorance grow thicker, our Buddha-nature is buried more deeply and we have fewer opportunities to recognize it.We can eliminate our ignorance layer by layer.If we spend this life [immersed in] the Buddha-Dharma, listening to the Dharma, practicing the Dharma and adjusting the karma of our body, speech and mind, we can eliminate layers and layers of ignorance.If we cannot attain Buddhahood now, we amy still do so in a future lifetime because in this lifetime, we have already elimianted many afflictions and our awakened nature is slowly emerging.
We hope, with our present causes and conditions, in future lifetimes, our circumstantial retribution and direct retribution can lead us again to the Dharma.Whether we hear one thing and realize ten, or realize 100, or realize 1000, or hear one thing and attain great realizations, this all depends on whether we can reduce oru afflictions and ignorance.
If we unceasingly create afflictions, our layers of afflictions will grow thicker.
When we bring greed, anger and ignorance with us into our future lifetimes, we will become more and more deluded; that would be a pity.For the Buddha to keep teaching us is also a lot of work for Him.
Therefore, “great compassion is gentle like pure water”.What is great compassion like?
It is as gentle like water, which takes the shpae of all vessels.When poured into a long vessel, water becomes long.When poured into something square and short, water becomes square and short.In a round vessel, it is round.When our mind is like water, it is in prefect harmony [with all things].
Water takes the shape of its vessel.This describes the harmony of the mind, which comes from prefect awakening.When we awaken, as we are in this environment, we mus tadapt to the way of life here so we can be free of afflictions and be happy.Only then can we be “gentle like pure water”.When dealing with the myriads of stubborn and hard-to-train sentient beings, we msut look to ourselves, not others; it is our own mind that is stubborn and hard to train.
What should we do?We must learn [the Dharma].When we feel an aversion toward others, we ourselves tend to be the ones causing this feeling of aversion.when we becoem afflicted by the sight of others, we are the source of our afflictions.Others are not provoking us; we are provoking ourselves.This is because we lack wisdom and are not understanitgn or accomodating toward others.This is why we are filled with afflicitions.
Since we aspire to engage in spiritual practice, we must always have compassion for all asentient beings.They do nto know better, so their minds are covered by afflcitions.
We have to teach them by exercising oru wisdom.This is how we transform others by working or practicing alongside them.We must “exercise both compassion and wisdom,” and “hold fast to our vows and practice”.Since we have formed aspirations and vows, we msut firmly uphold them.This is the most important method for learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma.
[Those who] heard the Dharma preacticed giving, upholding precepts, patience, Samadhi, wisdom and so on, and cultivated blessings and wisdom.People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.
The earlier passage stated, “[Those hwo] heard the Dharma practiced giving.”After we hear the Dhamra, we need to apply it.How can we help everyone apply it?We must put it into practice ourselves.With the Dharma we practice, we can exercise both compassion and wisdom to give to others,to teach, inspire and transform others. This is “hearing Dharma and practicing giving”. If others have strayed, we must have patience. We ourselves must follow precepts and be patient. We should not speak of other people mistakes, or our mistake would be worse than others; that would be wrong. As part of our spiritual cultivation, we must focus on our own practice. So, we must uphold precepts and practice patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. Through these kinds of practices, [we attain] blessings and wisdom.
As we interact with people, we must train our minds well. Only then are we truly cultivating blessings and wisdom. So, “People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood”. They practice giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom and constantly create good affinities with others and are of benefit to them. If we are always in perfect harmony with all things, we have wisdom. People who can do this “have all realized the path to Buddhahood”. This is how we attain Buddhahood. To walk the Bodhi-path without deviating at all, we must always be mindful.
The next sutra passage states, “After Buddhas crossed into extinction, there are those with virtuous and gentle minds. Myriad living beings such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood. In, “after Buddhas crossed into extinction”.
“Extinction” refers to the extinction of the delusion of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance.
“After Buddhas crossed into extinction: “Extinction” refers to the extinction of the Three Delusions, delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusion of ignorance. To cross is to transcend the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational. It is the everlasting extinction of great troubles.”
“Delusions” are afflictions. Afflictions and ignorance arise from views, understanding, and thinking. Our understanding and thinking give rise to dust-like ignorance. This is why we are suffering, why we create karma, why we accumulate many negative [causes] that cause our wholesome thoughts to be constantly buried underneath negative thoughts. Thus our wholesome thoughts lose this tug of war and negative thoughts win. Following the same principle, in our own minds, the delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance are endlessly multiplying. The Buddha comes to teach us about the cessation of suffering along with the truth of suffering and its causation. Its causation is the accumulation of many dust-like ignorance and afflictions. Now we must bring these to cessation. If we want to eliminate afflictions, we must begin with our perspective and thinking.
“Crossing” is to transcend both fragmentary and transformational samsara. I have discussed this in the past. Ordinary people go through “fragmentary samsara”. Arhats and Solitary Realizers go through “transformational samsara”. Thus we ourselves must quickly transcend and [transform] how we come to and leave this life. We must not go down the wrong path. This is what we must start doing right now. If we find it hard to end our fragmentary samsara, how can we discuss transformational samsara? The arising of the slightest thought [traps us] in “transformational samsara”. This arising of subtle thoughts still occurs in the minds of Pratyekabuddhas. So, we must learn to eliminate them. But to really eliminate them is not easy. If we can eliminate them, we will be freed from the great troubles of cyclic existence forever. So, “those with virtuous and gentle minds” means that people’s minds must be gentle and follow the path.
“There are those with virtuous and gentle minds: Those who are gentle will follow the path of upholding the Buddha’s teachings. They faithfully accept them and are flexible, willing and harmonious, not rude and coarse. Thus, they are considered gentle.”
Since we have aspired and vowed to walk the path to enlightenment, as we walk the Bodhi-path, which is clearly a direct path, we must follow it carefully. Upholding the Buddha’s teachings, we continue to move forward. As we advance through our environment, we must have virtuous and gentle minds. We must be like water poured through a small hole into a square vessel. Water is poured through a small, round hole, yet it will take on the full square shape. It can actually take on any shape. As long as our minds are gentle, we can be in perfect harmony with anything. This is what the Buddha teaches us. As we deal with many stubborn sentient beings, how can we train our own minds, as well as the minds of others? Doing this requires gentleness. Our minds must be gentle and we must get along with others as we follow the teachings of the Dharma. “Upholding the Buddha’s teachings” [means we] follow the Buddha and draw near the Dharma. In order to do this, we must accept the teachings. So, we must be “flexible, willing and harmonious, not rude and coarse.”
Our mind has to be very gentle, so flexible that it becomes very willing. We constantly, ask, “Are you willing?” if we willingly do something, we happily accept what happens. If we are not willing, we will be rude and coarse. We must be willing to be harmony with people. We must not be rude and coarse. This is known as being flexible. If we are rude and coarse, then we are making our own life difficult, and making things difficult for others as well. This fills our minds with afflictions.
Thus, we have to be flexible and gentle. Then other people will find us pleasing and be happy to see us. If we find a way to perfectly accomplish something that is not easy, then we will be very happy too.
So, “myriad living beings such as these refers sentient beings, as I have previously said.
Myriad living beings such as these: Also known as sentient beings, this is referring to all animals with sentience and consciousness. They arise out of myriad accumulated conditions, so they are called myriad living beings. They also experience myriad births and deaths, so they are called myriad living beings.
All animals have sentience and consciousness. We humans are also animals. We have life and we can move, so we are also considered animals. However, we are labeled “human.” A pig is an animal and is labeled “pig.” A dog is an animal and is labeled “dog.” A worm is an animal and is labeled “worm.” If we try to catch any animal, or try to drive away, it will struggle. If we catch it, it will keep struggling because it has sentience and consciousness. It has feelings, which is a form of sentience and consciousness. So, we should know that myriad living beings are alive. “They arise out of myriad conditions accumulating.” Why were we reborn as humans? Because in the past, we created these causes and formed these conditions. Our past and present causes and conditions have converged, thus our parents gave birth to us and we can now live in these surroundings.There are all kinds of life in this world; they are all considered myriad living beings. All the myriad living beings have the potential of attaining Buddhahood.
So, we say they “have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” They can draw near the Buddha-Dharma to feel this. Previously have told the story of how, while sutras were being aired outside a cow came by and smelled the Diamond Sutra a bit. She will also able to attain Buddhahood. Just by smelling the Buddha-Dharma, she will also be able to attain Buddhahood. The sutras contain many stories like this. They “have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” A path is something that leads somewhere. If it can take somewhere, it is a principle; if it goes nowhere, it is not a principle.
[They] have realized the path to Buddhahood: A path refers to something that leads somewhere. The Buddha’s wisdom can lead us perfectly and without obstructions, therefore it is called a path. There are three kinds of paths: 1. The path attained by Hearers. 2. The attained by Solitary Realizers. 3. The path attained by Buddhas.
“The Buddha’s wisdom can lead us perfectly” and there is nothing obstructing it, therefore it is called a path.” There are three kinds of “paths,” the path attained by Hearers, the path attained by Solitary Realizers and the path attained by Great Enlightened Buddhas. So, to learn the Buddha’s Way, we must be on the Bodhi-path. Whether we are Hearers, Solitary Realizers or Buddhas, we are all on this path to enlightenment.
Small Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers, will take the small side roads. If their minds are not straightforward, if they are not on the right road and their spiritual aspirations are not yet firm, it will be easy for them to go astray. “There are those with virtuous and gentle minds. myriad living beings such as these have all realized the path to the path to Buddhahood.” The Buddha has always given us this blessing. As long as our minds are wholesome and gentle, we can all attain Buddhahood. The Buddha has always given us His blessing, so we must promptly accept it. After accepting it, we must put the teachings into practice. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
20140905《靜思妙蓮華》柔和善順向佛道（第386集）
⊙「心即是佛，自心佛不滅。大慈悲心，柔軟如淨水。悲智雙運，堅定持願行。」
⊙「若聞法布施，或持戒忍辱，精進禪智等，種種修福慧，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙「諸佛滅度後，若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」
⊙諸佛滅度後：滅，即滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。度是度分段變易兩種生死，這其生死大患永滅。
⊙若人善軟心：謂心柔和而隨順於道也。奉佛持佛教誡，信受奉行，當須柔軟甘和而不麤澀，是名柔軟。
⊙如是諸眾生：又名有情，即一切有情識的動物。集眾緣所生，名為眾生，又歷眾多生死，名為眾生。
⊙皆已成佛道：道者通之義，佛智圓通無壅，故名之為道。道有三種：一聲聞之所得，二緣覺之所得，三佛之所得。
【證嚴上人開示】
學佛的目標，就是要成佛。若要成佛，我們首先要接近佛。佛其實離我們不遠，人人自性心就有佛，所以「心即是佛，自心佛不滅」。
心即是佛
自心佛不滅
大慈悲心
柔軟如淨水
悲智雙運
堅定持願行
一早禮佛，當我拜下去時，起身抬頭看，佛龕裡就是，一幅字宙浩瀚遼闊的宇宙，星光閃閃。忽然間就會去想到「自性佛」，禮大覺佛。
我們人人本具自性。明明知道佛陀告訴我們：人人本具佛性。我們要相信，相信佛所說，我們要尊重自己的佛性。自己的佛性若不尊重，你禮佛、拜佛，只是外在人造的形像。那尊佛不是人雕的嗎？我們向外在人造、有為的佛像，你那麼虔誠禮拜，我們的內心呢？我們的「自性佛」不滅，我們自性的這片佛心，我們有現前嗎？是不是將「自性佛」助顯出，虔誠的相，來禮身外佛呢？
各位，真正的修行，我們要愛自己。就是有這樣的小故事：
有一天，波斯匿王他靜下來時，忽然間浮起了佛陀所說的法，要如何調心自愛。何謂自愛？他就是這樣默默地思考：真正的自愛，是不是要身、口、意三業善，這樣是自愛嗎？身、口、意惡，這樣是不自愛，是不是這樣呢？然後就是向佛請教。
佛陀微笑了，「對啊！波斯匿王，很好，我說的話你有入心，所以你自己在問心要如何自愛，是非常可貴。對！身、口、意三業清淨，口說好話，身行好事，那就是因為你的心集中在好意，這念的好心，所以言語、動作都是善，是善能受人人所敬愛，這叫做自愛。倘若你的心沒有調整好，你的心散亂了，開口動舌就是惡言、惡行，如此就受人輕視、唾棄、不尊重，這樣就是不自愛。」這是佛陀與波斯匿王的對答。
這段很短的故事，卻也能讓我們修行者來想，我們也要時時問心：我們的心中有佛，我們相信嗎？相信佛陀這樣告訴我們的法，我們有接受嗎？
「自心佛不滅」，無論我們從過去未來生以前，我們就已經本具佛性。不過，過去未來生之前的以前，我們到底是造了什麼善、惡，是否善惡雜揉？我們再來人間，借父母的緣，用我們過去的因，所以有此「依報」在人間，有我們的「正報」能來修行，這是很不可思議的因緣。
這就是我們佛性永遠存在，「自心佛不滅」，自己的心佛性全都不滅。哪怕是此生，有的人還不肯聽法；聽了法，還不肯好好老實修行。其實，他的佛性也沒有滅，還是帶去來生、來世。而來生、來世，能那麼容易得遇佛法嗎？不知。雖然帶著佛性，生生世世，我們是煩惱不斷造作、無明愈厚，佛性就愈埋愈深，所以要見「自性佛」的機會就愈少。
我們若能(將)無明，一層一層去除，利用我們今生此世在佛法中，能好好聽法，好好如法修行，調整好我們身、口、意業，這樣就是無明一層一層消除。此生未能成佛，還有來生來世，因為這輩子，我們已經消除不少的煩惱，這分覺性慢慢在浮現出來，盼望現在的因緣，再帶給我們來世，能依報、正報，都在佛法中，一聞十悟、一聞百悟、一聞千悟，或者是一聞大悟。這就要看我們是否將我們煩惱、無明減輕否？或者是不斷製造煩惱，讓煩惱愈來愈厚，這種貪、瞋、癡，這個癡還帶到來生來世，癡念愈重，那就是很可憐，也是讓佛陀，這樣跟著眾生很辛苦。
所以「大慈悲心，柔軟如淨水」。何謂大慈悲心？就是柔軟如水，隨方就圓。像水，長的器具，水倒進去就變長的；是四方的、是短的，就變四方、短的；是圓的，那就圓的。我們的心要如水一樣，所以叫做圓融。
如水隨方就圓，這叫做心的圓，稱為圓覺——圓的覺悟。我們覺悟我們是在這個環境中，我們就要隨這個環境生活，要生活得沒有煩惱、是歡喜，這才是「柔軟如淨水」。
面對眾生，芸芸的眾生、剛強難調的眾生，不是在別人，是在自己，我們自己的內心剛強難調伏，怎麼辦？就要好好學。看別人不順眼，其實是自己讓人不順眼。看別人，我們在起煩惱，是我們自心煩惱；別人又不惹你，是你自己起煩惱。所以，這就是我們欠缺智慧，不懂得善解，不會包容，所以因此我們會充滿煩惱。我們既然在人間，既然發心修行，我們要時時悲，悲憫眾生。
他就是不懂事，他就是煩惱覆心，所以我們要來教育，發揮我們的智慧，這叫做同事度、同修度，必定要悲智雙運。要「悲智雙運」，也要「堅定持願行」，既然要修行，都是發心立願，所以這念心願我們要好好堅持。這就是我們修學佛法，最重要的方法。
若聞法布施
或持戒忍辱
精進禪智等
種種修福慧
如是諸人等
皆已成佛道
《法華經方便品第二》
前面經文說，「若聞法布施」。我們若聽到法之後，我們要好好運用，如何讓大家都用得到。我們自己要身體力行，修來的法，我們用方法悲智雙運來布施人、教育別人、感化別人，這都稱為聞法布施。
別人，若是脫軌的人，我們要忍辱，自己要守戒、自己要忍辱。我們不要說別人的錯誤，我們自己比他更錯，那就不對。修行要人人自己，好好能自修、自持，所以要持戒、要忍辱、要精進、要禪定、智慧，用這種種修行，這叫做福與慧。在人群中好好，將自己的心調伏好，如此就是真正修福慧的人。
所以，「如是諸人等，皆已成佛道」。若能如此，能這樣布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧，懂得與人時時結好緣、造福，時時圓融人間事，這稱為智慧。像這樣的人那就是「皆已成佛道」，這樣就能成佛道，我們就是走在菩提道無偏差。希望大家要用心。
接下來這段（經）文，「諸佛滅度後，若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」
諸佛滅度後
若人善軟心
如是諸眾生
皆已成佛道
《法華經方便品第二》
「諸佛滅度後」，這個「滅」字就是，滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。
諸佛滅度後：滅，即滅見思、塵沙、無明三種惑。度是度分段變易兩種生死，這其生死大患永滅。
「惑」就是煩惱、無明。就是從見解、思想，見解、思想造了很多很多，如塵沙一樣的無明，這就是我們所以苦、所以造業、所以「集」了很多惡，讓我們善念，常常都受惡念埋沒，善念總是拔河都輸，惡念都拉贏過去。同樣的道理，我們的自心念，見思、塵沙、無明這三種(惑)，就是不斷在複製。佛陀就是要教育我們，如何來「滅」，「苦、集、滅」。「集」了很多塵沙無明的煩惱，現在我們要將它「滅」掉。我們要滅掉這個煩惱，要從我們的觀念、思想開始。
「度」，就是度，分段與變易兩種生死。這過去都一直說過了。凡夫的「分段生死」，或是羅漢、緣覺的「變易生死」，這真的是我們要趕緊自度。要修一個如何來、如何去，人生的道路不要偏差、錯誤。所以我們現在就要開始，否則「分段生死」都難斷了，要如何談到「變易生死」呢？
「變易生死」就是起心動念，這個起心動念，到辟支佛的程度還有，所以一定要將之斷除。，要真正斷掉，這是不容易；若斷得掉，就是生死大患永滅。
「若人善軟心」，意思是說人的心要柔和，隨順於道。
若人善軟心：
謂心柔和
而隨順於道也
奉佛持佛教誡
信受奉行
當須柔軟甘和
而不麤澀
是名柔軟
我們既然發心立願於菩提道，我們在菩提道，明明就是直的，我們就應該好好守這個道，奉持佛陀的教法，我們要向前前進。我們要向前前進，在這個大環境，一定要有善軟心。
就如水，從一小孔倒下去，這個型是四方的，這個水從圓圓的小孔灌進去，裡面也是滿滿的四方的水。或者是什麼型都沒有關係，你就是要有柔軟的心，在其中自然就會圓滿。這就是佛陀的教誡，我們要面對很多剛強的眾生，要如何自心調伏、調伏他人的心，這必定要柔軟。
我們的心要柔，與人要和，來隨順法的教育。「奉佛持佛教誡」，我們要跟隨佛陀，接近佛法，如此，我們接受此教誡，我們才有辦法。所以「當須柔軟甘和而不麤澀」，我們的心要很柔軟，要柔軟至很甘。常常說甘願嗎？甘願。甘願做，就歡喜受。若不甘願，那就是麤澀。要甘，才與人能和，才不會麤澀，如此稱為柔軟。我們若麤澀，就是與自己也過不去，與別人也過不去，心就很煩惱。所以我們要柔軟、柔和，別人看起來很順眼、也很歡喜，我們自己也覺得不容易的事情，這樣我也圓滿過來，也會很歡喜。所以「如是諸眾生」，那就是有情，前面也說過了。
如是諸眾生：
又名有情
即一切有情識的動物
集眾緣所生
名為眾生
又歷眾多生死
名為眾生
所有一切有情識的動物。我們人也是動物之一，我們有生命、我們會動，是動物之一，不過我們的名稱叫做「人」。豬也是動物，牠的名稱叫做豬；狗也是動物，牠的名稱叫做狗；蟲也是動物，牠的名稱叫做蟲。但是，只要你去抓牠，或是要趕牠，牠會一直掙扎，你若是抓到牠，牠會一直掙扎，那就是有情識，牠有情、有識，牠有感受，感受稱為情識。所以我們應該要知道，眾生全都是有生命。
「集眾緣所生」。我們為何生為人？因為我們過去有這樣的因、結這樣的緣，種種的過去、現在的因緣和合起來，所以我們有父母生我們，有這個大環境的世界，在生活。尤其是這個大世界的生活中，還有很多種不同身形的生命，因此稱為眾生。
這些有情界的眾生，都有成佛的可能。所以說起來，「皆已成佛道」，能接近佛法，這樣去感受。以前也曾說過，六月六(日)在曬經(本)時，一頭牛來到那裡，光是聞一下(《金剛經》)而已，牠也會成佛；牠能聞，聞到佛法，也會成佛。這經典中有很多(事例)，所以「皆已成佛道」，道者就是通的道理，能通就是道理，不通就不是道理。
皆已成佛道：
道者通之義
佛智圓通無壅
故名之為道
道有三種：
一聲聞之所得
二緣覺之所得
三佛之所得
「佛智圓通無壅」，沒有東西將之壅塞、塞住，「故名之為道」。
「道」有三種，是聲聞所得的道、是緣覺所得的道、是佛大覺所得的道。所以，我們學佛總是要在菩提道，無論是聲聞、緣覺、佛，都是在此菩提道中。小乘的聲聞他會走偏路，心若不直、路若不正、道心還未堅定，那就容易偏差。
「若人善軟心，如是諸眾生，皆已成佛道。」佛陀一直這樣為我們祝福，只要我們人人有這個善、柔軟的心，這些眾生都能成佛道。這是佛陀一直在為我們祝福，我們要趕緊接受；接受了要身體力行。所以請大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Be Gentle and Accommodating on the Path to Buddhahood (柔和善順向佛道)
Date: September. 05. 2014
The goal of learning the Buddha’s Way is to attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, we must first draw near to the Buddha. He is actually not far away from us; He exists in our nature. Therefore, “The mind is the Buddha. The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.”
The mind is the Buddha. The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished. Great compassion is gentle like pure water. By exercising both compassion and wisdom, we hold fast to our vows and practice.
When I prostrate to the Buddha in the morning, after bowing down, as I stand and look up, [behind] the Buddha statue I see the image of a vast and expansive universe filled with twinkling stars. Then suddenly I think of the Buddha-nature within all of us as I bow to the Great Enlightened Buddha. We all intrinsically have this [Buddha-]nature. We know that the Buddha has said that all of us intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We must believe what He told us and respect our Buddha-nature. If we do not respect our own Buddha-nature, then we are only paying respect to a physical, manmade statue of the Buddha. Isn’t that Buddha statue carved by humans? We have reverence for a manmade Buddha statue but [are we reverent of the Buddha] of our minds? Our Buddha-nature will never be extinguished. Have we manifested our Buddha-mind, our Buddha-nature? Are we using our Buddha-nature to help manifest reverence for external Buddhas?
Everyone, to truly engage in spiritual practice, we have to love ourselves. There is a story about this. One day, King Prasenajit, after setting his mind, suddenly thought of the Buddha’s teachings on adjusting the mind and loving oneself. What does it mean to love oneself? He contemplated this silently. Does truly loving oneself mean creating positive karma with body, speech and mind? Is this loving oneself? Does creating negative karma with body, speech and mind mean we do not love ourselves? Is that correct? So, he went to ask the Buddha for teachings. The Buddha smiled, “You’re correct, King Prasenajit, very good. You took my words to heart, so you are asking yourself how to love yourself; this is very praiseworthy. When our body, speech and mind are pure, we speak kind words and do good deeds because the thoughts in our mind are good. With good thoughts in our minds, our words and actions will be wholesome. When we are wholesome, we will be respected and loved by all. This is a way to love ourselves. If our minds are not well-adjusted, if our minds are scattered, everything we say and od will be negative. Then we will be disparaged, rejected and disrespected. This is not the way to love ourselves.” This is the dialogue that took place between the Buddha and King Prasenajit.
This is a very short story, but it inspires us to think about how we spiritual practitioners must constantly reflect on ourselves. Do we really believe we have [a Buddha-nature]? Do we have faith in the Buddha-Dharma, and if so, have we accepted it? “The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.” In the past, before we were born into our lives, we already intrinsically had Buddha-nature. Yet, before each of our lives, what positive or negative [karma] did we create?Did we create a mix of both?We return to this world through our karmic connection with our parents and the causes we created in the past.
Because of this “circumstantial retribution,” we come to this world.Before of our “direct retribution,” we can engage in spiritual practice.The workings of karma are truly inconceivable.Our [Buddha-nature] has always existed.
“The Buddha in our hearts is never extinguished.”The Buddha in our hearts is not extinguished at all.Even if in this life, some people still refuse to hear the Dhamra, or will not practice it even after hearing it, their Buddha-nature has not been extinguished.
They will still bring it into future lifetimes.But in future lifetimes, will they encounter the Buddha-Dharma so easily?We do not know.Although we bring our Buddha-nature with us, lifteine after lifetime, we unceasingly create afflictions.
As our [layers of] ignorance grow thicker, our Buddha-nature is buried more deeply and we have fewer opportunities to recognize it.We can eliminate our ignorance layer by layer.If we spend this life [immersed in] the Buddha-Dharma, listening to the Dharma, practicing the Dharma and adjusting the karma of our body, speech and mind, we can eliminate layers and layers of ignorance.If we cannot attain Buddhahood now, we amy still do so in a future lifetime because in this lifetime, we have already elimianted many afflictions and our awakened nature is slowly emerging.
We hope, with our present causes and conditions, in future lifetimes, our circumstantial retribution and direct retribution can lead us again to the Dharma.Whether we hear one thing and realize ten, or realize 100, or realize 1000, or hear one thing and attain great realizations, this all depends on whether we can reduce oru afflictions and ignorance.
If we unceasingly create afflictions, our layers of afflictions will grow thicker.
When we bring greed, anger and ignorance with us into our future lifetimes, we will become more and more deluded; that would be a pity.For the Buddha to keep teaching us is also a lot of work for Him.
Therefore, “great compassion is gentle like pure water”.What is great compassion like?
It is as gentle like water, which takes the shpae of all vessels.When poured into a long vessel, water becomes long.When poured into something square and short, water becomes square and short.In a round vessel, it is round.When our mind is like water, it is in prefect harmony [with all things].
Water takes the shape of its vessel.This describes the harmony of the mind, which comes from prefect awakening.When we awaken, as we are in this environment, we mus tadapt to the way of life here so we can be free of afflictions and be happy.Only then can we be “gentle like pure water”.When dealing with the myriads of stubborn and hard-to-train sentient beings, we msut look to ourselves, not others; it is our own mind that is stubborn and hard to train.
What should we do?We must learn [the Dharma].When we feel an aversion toward others, we ourselves tend to be the ones causing this feeling of aversion.when we becoem afflicted by the sight of others, we are the source of our afflictions.Others are not provoking us; we are provoking ourselves.This is because we lack wisdom and are not understanitgn or accomodating toward others.This is why we are filled with afflicitions.
Since we aspire to engage in spiritual practice, we must always have compassion for all asentient beings.They do nto know better, so their minds are covered by afflcitions.
We have to teach them by exercising oru wisdom.This is how we transform others by working or practicing alongside them.We must “exercise both compassion and wisdom,” and “hold fast to our vows and practice”.Since we have formed aspirations and vows, we msut firmly uphold them.This is the most important method for learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma.
[Those who] heard the Dharma preacticed giving, upholding precepts, patience, Samadhi, wisdom and so on, and cultivated blessings and wisdom.People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.
The earlier passage stated, “[Those hwo] heard the Dharma practiced giving.”After we hear the Dhamra, we need to apply it.How can we help everyone apply it?We must put it into practice ourselves.With the Dharma we practice, we can exercise both compassion and wisdom to give to others,to teach, inspire and transform others. This is “hearing Dharma and practicing giving”. If others have strayed, we must have patience. We ourselves must follow precepts and be patient. We should not speak of other people mistakes, or our mistake would be worse than others; that would be wrong. As part of our spiritual cultivation, we must focus on our own practice. So, we must uphold precepts and practice patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. Through these kinds of practices, [we attain] blessings and wisdom.
As we interact with people, we must train our minds well. Only then are we truly cultivating blessings and wisdom. So, “People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood”. They practice giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom and constantly create good affinities with others and are of benefit to them. If we are always in perfect harmony with all things, we have wisdom. People who can do this “have all realized the path to Buddhahood”. This is how we attain Buddhahood. To walk the Bodhi-path without deviating at all, we must always be mindful.
The next sutra passage states, “After Buddhas crossed into extinction, there are those with virtuous and gentle minds. Myriad living beings such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood. In, “after Buddhas crossed into extinction”.
“Extinction” refers to the extinction of the delusion of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance.
“After Buddhas crossed into extinction: “Extinction” refers to the extinction of the Three Delusions, delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusion of ignorance. To cross is to transcend the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational. It is the everlasting extinction of great troubles.”
“Delusions” are afflictions. Afflictions and ignorance arise from views, understanding, and thinking. Our understanding and thinking give rise to dust-like ignorance. This is why we are suffering, why we create karma, why we accumulate many negative [causes] that cause our wholesome thoughts to be constantly buried underneath negative thoughts. Thus our wholesome thoughts lose this tug of war and negative thoughts win. Following the same principle, in our own minds, the delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance are endlessly multiplying. The Buddha comes to teach us about the cessation of suffering along with the truth of suffering and its causation. Its causation is the accumulation of many dust-like ignorance and afflictions. Now we must bring these to cessation. If we want to eliminate afflictions, we must begin with our perspective and thinking.
“Crossing” is to transcend both fragmentary and transformational samsara. I have discussed this in the past. Ordinary people go through “fragmentary samsara”. Arhats and Solitary Realizers go through “transformational samsara”. Thus we ourselves must quickly transcend and [transform] how we come to and leave this life. We must not go down the wrong path. This is what we must start doing right now. If we find it hard to end our fragmentary samsara, how can we discuss transformational samsara? The arising of the slightest thought [traps us] in “transformational samsara”. This arising of subtle thoughts still occurs in the minds of Pratyekabuddhas. So, we must learn to eliminate them. But to really eliminate them is not easy. If we can eliminate them, we will be freed from the great troubles of cyclic existence forever. So, “those with virtuous and gentle minds” means that people’s minds must be gentle and follow the path.
“There are those with virtuous and gentle minds: Those who are gentle will follow the path of upholding the Buddha’s teachings. They faithfully accept them and are flexible, willing and harmonious, not rude and coarse. Thus, they are considered gentle.”
Since we have aspired and vowed to walk the path to enlightenment, as we walk the Bodhi-path, which is clearly a direct path, we must follow it carefully. Upholding the Buddha’s teachings, we continue to move forward. As we advance through our environment, we must have virtuous and gentle minds. We must be like water poured through a small hole into a square vessel. Water is poured through a small, round hole, yet it will take on the full square shape. It can actually take on any shape. As long as our minds are gentle, we can be in perfect harmony with anything. This is what the Buddha teaches us. As we deal with many stubborn sentient beings, how can we train our own minds, as well as the minds of others? Doing this requires gentleness. Our minds must be gentle and we must get along with others as we follow the teachings of the Dharma. “Upholding the Buddha’s teachings” [means we] follow the Buddha and draw near the Dharma. In order to do this, we must accept the teachings. So, we must be “flexible, willing and harmonious, not rude and coarse.”
Our mind has to be very gentle, so flexible that it becomes very willing. We constantly, ask, “Are you willing?” if we willingly do something, we happily accept what happens. If we are not willing, we will be rude and coarse. We must be willing to be harmony with people. We must not be rude and coarse. This is known as being flexible. If we are rude and coarse, then we are making our own life difficult, and making things difficult for others as well. This fills our minds with afflictions.
Thus, we have to be flexible and gentle. Then other people will find us pleasing and be happy to see us. If we find a way to perfectly accomplish something that is not easy, then we will be very happy too.
So, “myriad living beings such as these refers sentient beings, as I have previously said.
Myriad living beings such as these: Also known as sentient beings, this is referring to all animals with sentience and consciousness. They arise out of myriad accumulated conditions, so they are called myriad living beings. They also experience myriad births and deaths, so they are called myriad living beings.
All animals have sentience and consciousness. We humans are also animals. We have life and we can move, so we are also considered animals. However, we are labeled “human.” A pig is an animal and is labeled “pig.” A dog is an animal and is labeled “dog.” A worm is an animal and is labeled “worm.” If we try to catch any animal, or try to drive away, it will struggle. If we catch it, it will keep struggling because it has sentience and consciousness. It has feelings, which is a form of sentience and consciousness. So, we should know that myriad living beings are alive. “They arise out of myriad conditions accumulating.” Why were we reborn as humans? Because in the past, we created these causes and formed these conditions. Our past and present causes and conditions have converged, thus our parents gave birth to us and we can now live in these surroundings.There are all kinds of life in this world; they are all considered myriad living beings. All the myriad living beings have the potential of attaining Buddhahood.
So, we say they “have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” They can draw near the Buddha-Dharma to feel this. Previously have told the story of how, while sutras were being aired outside a cow came by and smelled the Diamond Sutra a bit. She will also able to attain Buddhahood. Just by smelling the Buddha-Dharma, she will also be able to attain Buddhahood. The sutras contain many stories like this. They “have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” A path is something that leads somewhere. If it can take somewhere, it is a principle; if it goes nowhere, it is not a principle.
[They] have realized the path to Buddhahood: A path refers to something that leads somewhere. The Buddha’s wisdom can lead us perfectly and without obstructions, therefore it is called a path. There are three kinds of paths: 1. The path attained by Hearers. 2. The attained by Solitary Realizers. 3. The path attained by Buddhas.
“The Buddha’s wisdom can lead us perfectly” and there is nothing obstructing it, therefore it is called a path.” There are three kinds of “paths,” the path attained by Hearers, the path attained by Solitary Realizers and the path attained by Great Enlightened Buddhas. So, to learn the Buddha’s Way, we must be on the Bodhi-path. Whether we are Hearers, Solitary Realizers or Buddhas, we are all on this path to enlightenment.
Small Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers, will take the small side roads. If their minds are not straightforward, if they are not on the right road and their spiritual aspirations are not yet firm, it will be easy for them to go astray. “There are those with virtuous and gentle minds. myriad living beings such as these have all realized the path to the path to Buddhahood.” The Buddha has always given us this blessing. As long as our minds are wholesome and gentle, we can all attain Buddhahood. The Buddha has always given us His blessing, so we must promptly accept it. After accepting it, we must put the teachings into practice. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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