20140915《靜思妙蓮華》嚴飾心靈道場（第392集）
⊙「物本無貴賤之分，唯是凡夫心之見，有用之物最為貴，虔誠最為大供養。」
⊙「白鑞及鉛錫，鐵木及與泥，或以膠漆布，嚴飾作佛像，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道」《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙世間物質名相之多，材質各有所異，各有所作用。所以和合而成各種相，隨心造物；嚴飾道場，而造作佛像。
【證嚴上人開示】
「物本無貴賤之分，唯是凡夫心之見，有用之物最為貴，虔誠最為大供養。」
物本無貴賤之分
唯是凡夫心之見
有用之物最為貴
虔誠最為大供養
也是要和大家分享，我們日常生活所需要的物質，什麼是貴？什麼是賤？貴賤就在於你是否需要用。你若必需要用，沒有不行，這就是最貴重的物質。假如只是擺設在前面讓人欣賞，這樣有也好、沒有也好，富有的人就將它顯示裝飾，表達他生活有餘，所以有很多裝飾的物資，只不過是裝飾而已，這種裝飾之物可有也可無。所以我們最重要的生活，就是需要、或者是必須要的東西。
不過我們凡夫，凡夫的見解，東西拿出來，就是要和人比最好的，或是和人搶流行，最先，這全都是凡夫之見。這種欲的見解，所以不斷大地資源，必定不斷消耗，受這工商業界，那種為了要發展，所以就不斷一直開發，所以，對大地的傷害很大。
不過現在就是這樣，修行者，我們一定要瞭解道理，「無為法」對我們而言，是最實用。日常生活中，面對物質很滿足，有得用就好了，不必求新、不必求變，最實用的物資這就是最寶貴，這是修行者滿足的心。知足常樂就是福！
誠意就是最大的供養。肚子餓，一碗飯，這碗飯是最好的。假如一整天一直在應酬，花用都是在大飯店，再怎麼豐盛，豐富的餐食，其實都是叫做多餘；多餘的餐食倒進廚餘桶，那就是一堆廚餘。所以說來，誠意、簡單的付出，這是最大的供養。
前面我們在說，佛，佛所說，佛滅度後，要如何佛法能流傳人間？那就是形像。有人就是為了佛法要流傳人間，用有相的物質來顯示這是佛法，無論是建塔顯德，佛陀的德行，來過人間，入滅之後火化了，佛陀佛骨舍利，流傳人間，建塔顯示佛的德行，所以用此心情來建塔。
塔，前面就說是，「顯德」的意思，很高，除了(建)塔顯德以外，那就是「寺」。但是經典，古時代還是叫做「廟」。「廟」前回也說過了，是慎終追遠。古人就是紀念祖先，建家廟來紀念，或是最尊重的，供奉在那裡。所以《法華經》還是在很古時，兩千多年前，所以經典那個時候，都是叫做「廟」。一直傳到漢明帝時，有摩騰、竺法蘭，以白馬駝經來到中國，那時候招待在「鴻臚寺」，但是這是表示最恭敬，國家貴賓所住宿的地方，但是漢明帝對佛法，好慕著佛法。希望將這兩位修行者，留住在中國，所以才在洛陽城外來建寺，名稱叫做「白馬寺」。白馬寺就這樣開始，是我們用「寺」的名稱開頭。
不過，我一直在想，為什麼那時候的國家，招待外賓叫做「寺」呢？想一想，確實，「寺」這個字，中國人造字就是那麼巧妙。「寺」這個字上面一個「士」，底下一個「寸」，合起來叫做「寺」。「士」，就是表達清高的人士，有學問、有學德，他的地位在社會是地位高，這全都叫做「士」。當官就是要來統治社會、社會人民需要制度來治理人民，以及國家的行政，這全都需要官員、大臣來制度，所以叫做制法，所以立法、制度，這叫做「法度」。所以是國家大臣來立法制度，所以叫做法度。
漢明帝將這個「寺」的名稱，就供養給外來的兩位修行者，讓他們在裡面安心居住，在那裡將經典，要如何傳承、翻譯，就是在白馬寺裡。這表示那時候漢明帝的誠意，非常的誠意，對外來修行者，那分的恭敬、尊重，用這個地方來翻譯經典，將佛陀的教法流傳在中國。這實在是很用心，這種虔誠的供養，真的是功德無量。
有了寺，人間才知道有佛法，裡面一定要有像、形像，因為眾生執著，執著要有形像，他才能起恭敬心。過去高僧他們在修行，修到最極頂時，他們不是有形像才來禮拜。
從前有一段故事，叫做生公，有一位叫做「道生」的修行者，非常非常的虔誠修行，將佛法句句入心，瞭解了佛法，想要讓心這樣安靜下來，到了山上搭建草茅，將石頭撿一撿、排一排，向這些石頭說法。所以有云「頑石點頭」，故事也是這樣來的。
就想到有一次，我們臺中(慈濟)醫院，在建的時候，已經第一期的工程建起來了，去看，還未啟用，周圍在造景。那時有一位陳教授，他是景觀專家，他是教授，所以，師父來的時候，他就這樣陪我走，他就說：「師父，我帶您去看您的弟子。」我想「我的弟子？是在哪裡？」一直帶著我，帶我到要進入地下室的車道，他就說：「師父，您看，您的弟子都排在這裡。」「我哪有看到，沒有啊！」「有啊，您看，我將它們排得很整齊。」
隨著他的手這樣指、這樣指，「石頭啊！」他說：「是啊，石頭。我很用心，就地取梁，這車道要如何讓它進去，我盡量用自然景觀，就地取梁，但是它能用，我很恭敬它，我都告訴它們：『我們都是師父的弟子，我們都要有規矩，要排排隊』。」
他用虔誠的心，尊重這些石頭，天生萬物必有用，所以，排好了，「師父來，一定要來看它們，為它們皈依。」這就是陳教授。若想到這位好弟子，替師父在那裡照顧工程，替師父在那裡造景觀、替師父在那裡度眾生。大地萬物皆有用，有用的東西就是最珍貴。
造佛像，有的是用石頭雕刻，有的是用銅，金屬物來鑄(造)，有的就是「白鑞及鉛錫」。鑞、鉛、錫，我們要造一尊佛像，就是用銅、用鉛，也要先開模。所以「白鑞及鉛錫，鐵木及與泥，或以膠漆布，嚴飾作佛像，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道。」
白鑞及鉛錫
鐵木及與泥
或以膠漆布
嚴飾作佛像
如是諸人等
皆已成佛道
《法華經 方便品第二》
我們能知道，世間的物質名相有很多名相，很多物質材質各有所異，不同。鑞來造鑞像，現在有人做鑞像，用鑞直接造象，形象各形各色都能做。不過這些鑞的名(稱)，它的質不同，若只是鑞來造形像，能做得很美。若要雕佛像，也會很莊嚴。不過它的質不耐火，不過，這個質，它不耐火，遇火就熔掉了。所以古人用鑞來做模型，開模之後，再用其他的材質，無論是銅、是錫等等的金屬類鑄造起來。所以說，「材質各有所異，各有作用」。
天地萬物一切的物質，都是隨心造作。心、知識、智慧無形，發揮了它的知識、運用他的智慧，這叫做隨心。造物，那就是有形的物質，隨著無形的心念，來將它製作出來，所以，無為法與有為的物質會合起來，就成各種形象，所以這是隨心造物。
無論是我們日常生活，所用的東西等等，同樣是隨人的心造作的物質。雕塑佛像也是同樣，隨人的心來造作佛像，造作佛像嚴飾道場。
世間物質
名相之多
材質各有所異
各有所作用
所以和合
而成各種相
隨心造物
嚴飾道場
而造作佛像
不過，這個道場除了寺與佛像，最重要的是裡面的修行者。幾天前我也說過了，真正莊嚴道場就是人。修行的地方雖然很簡單，剛剛說生公為石頭說法，頑石也會點頭，這就是表示修行者的誠意，從內心誠意方殷，諸佛自然就現全身。每一個人，人人心中有佛，人人心中這尊佛，是不是能夠現出莊嚴相，為人類的典範呢？人人若能發心修行，將內心的佛展現出來，這就是最莊嚴道場，這叫做「嚴飾道場」。
看看這幾天，我們精舍裡面多麼莊嚴，有出家修行者，有在家居士，人間菩薩慈濟人，回到精舍精進。聽到大家和齊念誦，無論是繞佛、繞法，應該都是整齊莊嚴，很有道氣。也是在靜思堂也是很莊嚴，那裡有七個國家，發心要來瞭解慈濟的精神，要來體會靜思法脈的法。
人人都是那個國家的，企業家、實業家，是那個國家工商業界的領導者，他們竟然近千人來到臺灣，在我們臺灣中部的榮譽董事、中部的慈濟人，大家這樣來做工作者，真的是來(承擔)生活組，就是寮房、茶水、香積、打掃，我眼睛這樣看看他們，不簡單啊！雖然沒有說出來，不過我的心很讚歎。那些全都是榮董，又是某某夫人，若在他們的世界，他們都是這樣的稱呼。來到慈濟世界，人人慈悲等觀，大家都平等了，來接待國外的企業界人士。你們想，這就是虔誠，也就是嚴飾──很莊嚴來布置，我們這個道場的氣氛很昌盛。
這用恭敬心造佛像，感覺上，你要做外面的佛像，不如趕快，人人造作自己內心的佛像，「人人有個靈山塔」，這不就是說「塔」是要建立在我們的內心呢？所以，「塔」是在我們的心裡，「廟」就是寺，就是道場——心靈道場。所以，我們將我們的心靈道場，要建設得好，人人本具佛性，那尊佛像是在我們的內心裡，所以，人人有個塔、人人有個道場、人人有一尊佛像，這要看我們人人是不是，有這分虔誠的心，有虔誠的心，道場必定是廣嚴飾，很開闊，無處不道場，都是法，無處不佛法。
所以，這就是我們，佛陀在講經，我們要瞭解，只是期待時間這樣過，有形將無為的心，隨心，我們的心利用天下物質，將它成為種種相，能夠用，顯示出來，將佛法內外合一──內心虔誠、外相莊嚴。這樣合一起來，若能夠這樣，佛法永遠都是在正法中，所以，五個五百年，我們永遠都是在第一個五百年。各位菩薩，修行我們要時時多用心。
【註】「頑石點頭」的成語，是出自晉朝《蓮社高賢傳》書中的一段「生公說法，頑石點頭」的故事。
生公，就是東晉末年的道生和尚（西元355生，434歿）；他俗姓魏，幼年追隨竺法汰（西元320生，387歿）出家，後來游學長安，受業於鳩摩羅什（西元344生，413歿）門下。
胡適在講述《中國禪學的發展》時，推崇道生和尚是「把印度佛教變中國佛教、把印度禪變中國禪」的關鍵人物。他創立了幾個很重要的教義，包括：「頓悟成佛」、「善不受報」、「佛無淨土」。
道生和尚在《涅盤經》還沒有全部譯出的情況下，公然主張「一闡提皆具佛性」，為眾僧徒所不容，而被逐出寺院。直到後來《涅盤經》傳入中國、全部譯出，果然與生公之說相合，他才得以光榮回到廬山的寺院。
相傳他在被逐之後，落腳於蘇州的虎丘山，聚石為徒，對石講《涅盤經》，講到「一闡提皆具佛性」處，問群石：「我所說的法是否契合佛心呢？」群石都為之點頭。
後人以此「生公說法，頑石點頭」，來比喻：「感化之深，使頑固無知之人也十分心服」。
今日蘇州虎丘山，還留有「說法台」、「點頭石」的觀光景點，紀念這段故事呢。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Adorning Our Inner Spiritual Training Ground (嚴飾心靈道場)
Date: September. 15. 2014
“Fundamentally, things do not have a difference in value; that only comes from the views of ordinary people. Things that are useful are the most valuable. Reverence is the greatest offering.”
I am sharing this so everyone will consider, of the things we need in daily living, which are of the greatest value and which are of the least value? The value of something depends on whether or not we need to use it. If we need it and cannot do without it, it is a most precious and valuable thing. If it is something displayed for people to admire, whether we have it or not does not matter. The wealthy can display things as ornaments to demonstrate they have more than they need. Many ornamental material things are merely used as decoration; these are things we can easily do without. So, the most important things in life are the things we need or cannot do without.
But based on our [limited] understanding as unenlightened beings, often when we show something to other people, we are trying to prove we have something better or we are trying to appear trendy and to be the first to have something. This is the view of unenlightened beings. With views and understandings that are shaped by desire, the Earth’s resources are continuously being depleted. As industries seek to develop their business, they are constantly tapping into more resources. This is very harmful to the Earth, but that is how things are right now. We spiritual practitioners must understand the principles. “Conditioned phenomena” are most practical for us.
In our daily living, we need to be content with the material things we have, as long as they meet our basic needs. There is no need to seek what is new or different. The most useful things are the most precious. This is the contentment of a spiritual practitioner; being content and happy is a blessing. Reverence is the greatest offering we can make. When we are hungry, the bowl of rice we eat at that moment will be the tastiest. If we attend many business lunches and dinners and spend a lot of money at fancy restaurants, no matter how beautifully made the dishes are, they are actually more than we need. This excess food is then dumped into the compost, so it becomes nothing more than waste.
Therefore, giving something simple with great reverence is the best offering we can make. Before, we were speaking about the Buddha. After He entered Parinirvana, how could the Dharma be spread throughout the world?Through images. Some people, in order to transmit the Dharma in the world, used tangible things as manifestations of the Buddha-Dharma. They erected stupas to display the Buddha’s virtue. After the Buddha came into this world, then entered Parinirvana, His remains were cremated. The sariras of His bones were spread in the world and stupas were built to display His virtue. So, stupas were built out of such sentiments.
A stupas, as I said before, is a “manifestation of virtue” through its height. Aside from stupas [built] to display virtues, there are also “temples”. But in the sutras, in ancient times, [temples] were still called “shrines”. as I have said before, are where people show respect to and remember [the dead].
To memorialize their ancestors, the ancients built family shrines.They paid tribute in those places to their most revered ancestors.
The Lotus Sutra was taught during ancient times, over 2000 years ago.
So, during that time, those places were called “shrines”.At the time of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, Matang and Dharmaratna used white horses to carry sutras into China.They were first received at Hong Lu Temple.We have discussed this before.Having them stay there was a way to respect them as honored foreign dignitaries.
But Emperor Ming very much admired the Buddha-Dharma and hoped these two spiritual practitioners would remain in China, so he built a temple outside Luoyang for them called White Horse Temple.That is why White Horse Temple was constructed and why we began to call [a religious place] a “temple”.
However, I have always wondered, “At that time, why was the place used to receive foreign guests called a ‘temple’?”I examined the Chinese character for “temple”.The Chinese constructed characters so cleverly; the upper half of the character is “scholar”, the lower half is “propriety”.[These characters] combined create “temple”.“Scholar” refers to people free of corruption, who have the knowledge and virtue of learning.So, they have a high status in society.People like this are called “scholars”.
As government officials, they govern society.People living in society need rules.A country’s administrative rules must be instituted by officials and ministers.So, there need to be laws.Making and creating a system of laws leads to a “legal order”.When a country’s ministers make and create a system of laws it is a “legal order”.
Emperor Ming bestowed the label “temple” on the place he made as an offering to these two foreign spiritual practitioners to provide a place for them to peacefully reside.The transmission and translation of the sutras then took place at White Horse Temple.This was a sign of the emperor’s reverence, his exceptional sincerity.He had such respect and reverence for these foreign spiritual practitioners.He gave them this place to translate sutras so that the Buddha’s teachings could be spread in China.Indeed, he was very devoted
Making this offering of reverence really was an act of infinite merits and virtues.Once a temple exists, people can learn about the Buddha-Dharma.
Within [a temple], there must be images because people cling to [images].
People’s minds need images to give rise to a sense of reverence.
When eminent monks of the past reached the peak of their spiritual cultivation, they did not need to prostrate to images.There is a story about Sheng Gong.This practitioner, also named Daosheng, was very reverently engaged in spiritual practice.He took every word of the Dharma to heart.
Having undertaken the Buddha-Dharma, he wanted to bring his mind to a state of tranquility, so he went to the mountains, built a grass hut, collected rocks, lined them up and taught the Dharma to these rocks.So, “even stubborn rocks nod in agreement” [is a saying] that came from this story.
I recall a time, as the Taichung Tzu Chi hospital was being built, I visited the site after the first phase of construction was complete.The hospital was not yet in use and the landscaping us still being installed.At that time, Professor Chen, a professional landscape designer accompanied me as I walked around the site.He said, “Master, I’d like to bring you to see your disciples”. I thought, “My disciples? Where?” He brought me to see the driveway into an underground garage. Then he said, “Master, look, your disciples are lined up here”. “I don’t see anyone here!” He said, “Look, I lined them up very neatly.” He pointed here and there “Those are rocks!” He said, “Indeed, they are rocks. I carefully made use of local resources to construct this entrance to this driveway. I did my best to make use of local resources so it would like natural. Before using them, I showed them great respect. “I told the rocks that we are all Master’s disciples. We all need to be orderly and form lines.”
With great reverence, he paid respect to these rocks; truly all things in the world are useful. “Once the rocks we arranged, he said, “I knew I had to bring you to them, so they can take refuge with you.” This was what Professor Chen did. I think of him as a good disciple overseeing the construction there on my behalf, creating the landscaping there on my behalf and transforming sentient beings there on my behalf. All things on Earth are useful, and useful things are the most valuable.
Some Buddha statues are carved from stone, some from bronze or other metals. Some are made from “wax, lead or tin”. If we want to make a Buddha statue, be it with copper or lead, we must first make a mold.
So,“[The may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning images of the Buddha. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood”.
We know that things in the world take many names and forms. They are all different and unique in their own way. Wax is used to make wax statues by carving the wax directly. They can be made in various shapes and colors. There are also different qualities of wax. If a statue is made purely out of wax, it can be very beautiful. If one carves a Buddha statue out of it, it will look very dignified. But this material cannot withstand fire. It will melt hear fire, so the ancients used wax to make a mold. After that, they used another material, either bronze, tin or another metal, to cast the statue. So, each material is different and serves a different purpose.
All the material things in this world are created as the mind dictates. The mind, knowledge and wisdom are intangible. When we exercise knowledge, apply our wisdom, our minds are doing the dictating. Tangible, physical things are created when our intangible thoughts dictate their production. So, unconditioned Dharma and conditioned material objects combined to form all kinds of appearances. This is making things as the mind dictates.
Whether these are things we use in daily living or not, they are things made as our mind dictates. The same applies to sculpting Buddha statues Human minds dictate their creation as adornments for spiritual training grounds.
“Material things in the world have many names and appearances. Material goods are all unique, each serves a purpose. When they are combined, they can form all kinds of appearances. We make things as our minds dictate to adorn the spiritual practice center by creating Buddha-images.”
In a spiritual practice center,besides a temple and Buddha statues, spiritual practitioners are most important. A few days ago I also said that what truly dignifies a practice center are its people. Even if the place they practice in is very simple, as I just said, when Sheng Gong taught the Dharma to rocks, even stubborn rocks were nodding. This is a sign of the reverence of spiritual practitioners. With this kind of utmost sincerity, Buddhas will naturally appear [to us]. In every one of our minds, there is a Buddha. Can this Buddha in us manifest His dignified appearance so we can serve as a model for other people? If we all aspire to engage in spiritual practice to manifest the Buddha within us, this will bring the most dignity to our practice center. This is how we adorn our practice center.
Look at how dignified the Abode has been over these past few days. There were monastics, lay practitioners and Tzu Chi Bodhisattva [-volunteers] here for a spiritual retreat. Hearing everyone harmoniously reciting together, whether they were circumambulating the Buddha or [chanting] the Dharma, they did so neatly, with dignity and an air of spiritual refinement the Jing Si Hall. Volunteers from seven countries were there. They had aspired to understand the essence of Tzu Chi and realize the Dharma of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage. In their respective countries, they are all entrepreneurs, businesspeople, leads of industry and commerce. Nearly 1000 of them came to Taiwan. Honorary board members from the Central Region volunteered to take on the duties of the hospitality team for this retreat. They took care of the dormitories, the snacks, the cooking and the sweeping.
As I watched them do all this, I was very impressed. Even though I did not say anything, I really admired them. They were all honorary board members, wives of important people and so on. In their social circles, they are very well-respected. But in Tzu Chi, everyone shows compassion to all equally and everyone is equal, so they came to serve these overseas businesspeople. This demonstrates their reverence and is a form of adornment. They arranged things in a very dignified way. The spiritual atmosphere of our practice center was thriving. People create Buddha statues out of reverence. But I feel that, rather than making this external object we should instead, without hesitation, work to create a Buddha statue within ourselves.
“We each have a stupa on Vulture Peak.” Isn’t this saying the “stupa” must be established in our minds? So, the “stupa” is in our minds. A “shrine” is what we call a temple; it is our inner spiritual training ground.Our inner spiritual training ground must be solidly constructed. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. That is the Buddha statue that is in our minds. So, in each of us there can be a stupa, a spiritual training ground and a Buddha statue. This depends on whether or not we are reverent. With great reverence, our spiritual training ground will be adorned with dignity. It is vast because we can practice everywhere and because the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere. We must understand that the Buddha gave teachings with the expectation that with the passage of time, the tangible would take shape from the unconditioned mind.
Thus we use material things in the world to create many kinds of [objects] to create outward expressions of the Buddha-Dharma within us. When our inner reverence and external dignity are unified in this way, the Buddha-Dharma will forever be as it was during the era of Right Dharma. So, among these five periods of 500 years, we will forever be in that first period.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
⊙「物本無貴賤之分，唯是凡夫心之見，有用之物最為貴，虔誠最為大供養。」
⊙「白鑞及鉛錫，鐵木及與泥，或以膠漆布，嚴飾作佛像，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道」《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙世間物質名相之多，材質各有所異，各有所作用。所以和合而成各種相，隨心造物；嚴飾道場，而造作佛像。
【證嚴上人開示】
「物本無貴賤之分，唯是凡夫心之見，有用之物最為貴，虔誠最為大供養。」
物本無貴賤之分
唯是凡夫心之見
有用之物最為貴
虔誠最為大供養
也是要和大家分享，我們日常生活所需要的物質，什麼是貴？什麼是賤？貴賤就在於你是否需要用。你若必需要用，沒有不行，這就是最貴重的物質。假如只是擺設在前面讓人欣賞，這樣有也好、沒有也好，富有的人就將它顯示裝飾，表達他生活有餘，所以有很多裝飾的物資，只不過是裝飾而已，這種裝飾之物可有也可無。所以我們最重要的生活，就是需要、或者是必須要的東西。
不過我們凡夫，凡夫的見解，東西拿出來，就是要和人比最好的，或是和人搶流行，最先，這全都是凡夫之見。這種欲的見解，所以不斷大地資源，必定不斷消耗，受這工商業界，那種為了要發展，所以就不斷一直開發，所以，對大地的傷害很大。
不過現在就是這樣，修行者，我們一定要瞭解道理，「無為法」對我們而言，是最實用。日常生活中，面對物質很滿足，有得用就好了，不必求新、不必求變，最實用的物資這就是最寶貴，這是修行者滿足的心。知足常樂就是福！
誠意就是最大的供養。肚子餓，一碗飯，這碗飯是最好的。假如一整天一直在應酬，花用都是在大飯店，再怎麼豐盛，豐富的餐食，其實都是叫做多餘；多餘的餐食倒進廚餘桶，那就是一堆廚餘。所以說來，誠意、簡單的付出，這是最大的供養。
前面我們在說，佛，佛所說，佛滅度後，要如何佛法能流傳人間？那就是形像。有人就是為了佛法要流傳人間，用有相的物質來顯示這是佛法，無論是建塔顯德，佛陀的德行，來過人間，入滅之後火化了，佛陀佛骨舍利，流傳人間，建塔顯示佛的德行，所以用此心情來建塔。
塔，前面就說是，「顯德」的意思，很高，除了(建)塔顯德以外，那就是「寺」。但是經典，古時代還是叫做「廟」。「廟」前回也說過了，是慎終追遠。古人就是紀念祖先，建家廟來紀念，或是最尊重的，供奉在那裡。所以《法華經》還是在很古時，兩千多年前，所以經典那個時候，都是叫做「廟」。一直傳到漢明帝時，有摩騰、竺法蘭，以白馬駝經來到中國，那時候招待在「鴻臚寺」，但是這是表示最恭敬，國家貴賓所住宿的地方，但是漢明帝對佛法，好慕著佛法。希望將這兩位修行者，留住在中國，所以才在洛陽城外來建寺，名稱叫做「白馬寺」。白馬寺就這樣開始，是我們用「寺」的名稱開頭。
不過，我一直在想，為什麼那時候的國家，招待外賓叫做「寺」呢？想一想，確實，「寺」這個字，中國人造字就是那麼巧妙。「寺」這個字上面一個「士」，底下一個「寸」，合起來叫做「寺」。「士」，就是表達清高的人士，有學問、有學德，他的地位在社會是地位高，這全都叫做「士」。當官就是要來統治社會、社會人民需要制度來治理人民，以及國家的行政，這全都需要官員、大臣來制度，所以叫做制法，所以立法、制度，這叫做「法度」。所以是國家大臣來立法制度，所以叫做法度。
漢明帝將這個「寺」的名稱，就供養給外來的兩位修行者，讓他們在裡面安心居住，在那裡將經典，要如何傳承、翻譯，就是在白馬寺裡。這表示那時候漢明帝的誠意，非常的誠意，對外來修行者，那分的恭敬、尊重，用這個地方來翻譯經典，將佛陀的教法流傳在中國。這實在是很用心，這種虔誠的供養，真的是功德無量。
有了寺，人間才知道有佛法，裡面一定要有像、形像，因為眾生執著，執著要有形像，他才能起恭敬心。過去高僧他們在修行，修到最極頂時，他們不是有形像才來禮拜。
從前有一段故事，叫做生公，有一位叫做「道生」的修行者，非常非常的虔誠修行，將佛法句句入心，瞭解了佛法，想要讓心這樣安靜下來，到了山上搭建草茅，將石頭撿一撿、排一排，向這些石頭說法。所以有云「頑石點頭」，故事也是這樣來的。
就想到有一次，我們臺中(慈濟)醫院，在建的時候，已經第一期的工程建起來了，去看，還未啟用，周圍在造景。那時有一位陳教授，他是景觀專家，他是教授，所以，師父來的時候，他就這樣陪我走，他就說：「師父，我帶您去看您的弟子。」我想「我的弟子？是在哪裡？」一直帶著我，帶我到要進入地下室的車道，他就說：「師父，您看，您的弟子都排在這裡。」「我哪有看到，沒有啊！」「有啊，您看，我將它們排得很整齊。」
隨著他的手這樣指、這樣指，「石頭啊！」他說：「是啊，石頭。我很用心，就地取梁，這車道要如何讓它進去，我盡量用自然景觀，就地取梁，但是它能用，我很恭敬它，我都告訴它們：『我們都是師父的弟子，我們都要有規矩，要排排隊』。」
他用虔誠的心，尊重這些石頭，天生萬物必有用，所以，排好了，「師父來，一定要來看它們，為它們皈依。」這就是陳教授。若想到這位好弟子，替師父在那裡照顧工程，替師父在那裡造景觀、替師父在那裡度眾生。大地萬物皆有用，有用的東西就是最珍貴。
造佛像，有的是用石頭雕刻，有的是用銅，金屬物來鑄(造)，有的就是「白鑞及鉛錫」。鑞、鉛、錫，我們要造一尊佛像，就是用銅、用鉛，也要先開模。所以「白鑞及鉛錫，鐵木及與泥，或以膠漆布，嚴飾作佛像，如是諸人等，皆已成佛道。」
白鑞及鉛錫
鐵木及與泥
或以膠漆布
嚴飾作佛像
如是諸人等
皆已成佛道
《法華經 方便品第二》
我們能知道，世間的物質名相有很多名相，很多物質材質各有所異，不同。鑞來造鑞像，現在有人做鑞像，用鑞直接造象，形象各形各色都能做。不過這些鑞的名(稱)，它的質不同，若只是鑞來造形像，能做得很美。若要雕佛像，也會很莊嚴。不過它的質不耐火，不過，這個質，它不耐火，遇火就熔掉了。所以古人用鑞來做模型，開模之後，再用其他的材質，無論是銅、是錫等等的金屬類鑄造起來。所以說，「材質各有所異，各有作用」。
天地萬物一切的物質，都是隨心造作。心、知識、智慧無形，發揮了它的知識、運用他的智慧，這叫做隨心。造物，那就是有形的物質，隨著無形的心念，來將它製作出來，所以，無為法與有為的物質會合起來，就成各種形象，所以這是隨心造物。
無論是我們日常生活，所用的東西等等，同樣是隨人的心造作的物質。雕塑佛像也是同樣，隨人的心來造作佛像，造作佛像嚴飾道場。
世間物質
名相之多
材質各有所異
各有所作用
所以和合
而成各種相
隨心造物
嚴飾道場
而造作佛像
不過，這個道場除了寺與佛像，最重要的是裡面的修行者。幾天前我也說過了，真正莊嚴道場就是人。修行的地方雖然很簡單，剛剛說生公為石頭說法，頑石也會點頭，這就是表示修行者的誠意，從內心誠意方殷，諸佛自然就現全身。每一個人，人人心中有佛，人人心中這尊佛，是不是能夠現出莊嚴相，為人類的典範呢？人人若能發心修行，將內心的佛展現出來，這就是最莊嚴道場，這叫做「嚴飾道場」。
看看這幾天，我們精舍裡面多麼莊嚴，有出家修行者，有在家居士，人間菩薩慈濟人，回到精舍精進。聽到大家和齊念誦，無論是繞佛、繞法，應該都是整齊莊嚴，很有道氣。也是在靜思堂也是很莊嚴，那裡有七個國家，發心要來瞭解慈濟的精神，要來體會靜思法脈的法。
人人都是那個國家的，企業家、實業家，是那個國家工商業界的領導者，他們竟然近千人來到臺灣，在我們臺灣中部的榮譽董事、中部的慈濟人，大家這樣來做工作者，真的是來(承擔)生活組，就是寮房、茶水、香積、打掃，我眼睛這樣看看他們，不簡單啊！雖然沒有說出來，不過我的心很讚歎。那些全都是榮董，又是某某夫人，若在他們的世界，他們都是這樣的稱呼。來到慈濟世界，人人慈悲等觀，大家都平等了，來接待國外的企業界人士。你們想，這就是虔誠，也就是嚴飾──很莊嚴來布置，我們這個道場的氣氛很昌盛。
這用恭敬心造佛像，感覺上，你要做外面的佛像，不如趕快，人人造作自己內心的佛像，「人人有個靈山塔」，這不就是說「塔」是要建立在我們的內心呢？所以，「塔」是在我們的心裡，「廟」就是寺，就是道場——心靈道場。所以，我們將我們的心靈道場，要建設得好，人人本具佛性，那尊佛像是在我們的內心裡，所以，人人有個塔、人人有個道場、人人有一尊佛像，這要看我們人人是不是，有這分虔誠的心，有虔誠的心，道場必定是廣嚴飾，很開闊，無處不道場，都是法，無處不佛法。
所以，這就是我們，佛陀在講經，我們要瞭解，只是期待時間這樣過，有形將無為的心，隨心，我們的心利用天下物質，將它成為種種相，能夠用，顯示出來，將佛法內外合一──內心虔誠、外相莊嚴。這樣合一起來，若能夠這樣，佛法永遠都是在正法中，所以，五個五百年，我們永遠都是在第一個五百年。各位菩薩，修行我們要時時多用心。
【註】「頑石點頭」的成語，是出自晉朝《蓮社高賢傳》書中的一段「生公說法，頑石點頭」的故事。
生公，就是東晉末年的道生和尚（西元355生，434歿）；他俗姓魏，幼年追隨竺法汰（西元320生，387歿）出家，後來游學長安，受業於鳩摩羅什（西元344生，413歿）門下。
胡適在講述《中國禪學的發展》時，推崇道生和尚是「把印度佛教變中國佛教、把印度禪變中國禪」的關鍵人物。他創立了幾個很重要的教義，包括：「頓悟成佛」、「善不受報」、「佛無淨土」。
道生和尚在《涅盤經》還沒有全部譯出的情況下，公然主張「一闡提皆具佛性」，為眾僧徒所不容，而被逐出寺院。直到後來《涅盤經》傳入中國、全部譯出，果然與生公之說相合，他才得以光榮回到廬山的寺院。
相傳他在被逐之後，落腳於蘇州的虎丘山，聚石為徒，對石講《涅盤經》，講到「一闡提皆具佛性」處，問群石：「我所說的法是否契合佛心呢？」群石都為之點頭。
後人以此「生公說法，頑石點頭」，來比喻：「感化之深，使頑固無知之人也十分心服」。
今日蘇州虎丘山，還留有「說法台」、「點頭石」的觀光景點，紀念這段故事呢。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Adorning Our Inner Spiritual Training Ground (嚴飾心靈道場)
Date: September. 15. 2014
“Fundamentally, things do not have a difference in value; that only comes from the views of ordinary people. Things that are useful are the most valuable. Reverence is the greatest offering.”
I am sharing this so everyone will consider, of the things we need in daily living, which are of the greatest value and which are of the least value? The value of something depends on whether or not we need to use it. If we need it and cannot do without it, it is a most precious and valuable thing. If it is something displayed for people to admire, whether we have it or not does not matter. The wealthy can display things as ornaments to demonstrate they have more than they need. Many ornamental material things are merely used as decoration; these are things we can easily do without. So, the most important things in life are the things we need or cannot do without.
But based on our [limited] understanding as unenlightened beings, often when we show something to other people, we are trying to prove we have something better or we are trying to appear trendy and to be the first to have something. This is the view of unenlightened beings. With views and understandings that are shaped by desire, the Earth’s resources are continuously being depleted. As industries seek to develop their business, they are constantly tapping into more resources. This is very harmful to the Earth, but that is how things are right now. We spiritual practitioners must understand the principles. “Conditioned phenomena” are most practical for us.
In our daily living, we need to be content with the material things we have, as long as they meet our basic needs. There is no need to seek what is new or different. The most useful things are the most precious. This is the contentment of a spiritual practitioner; being content and happy is a blessing. Reverence is the greatest offering we can make. When we are hungry, the bowl of rice we eat at that moment will be the tastiest. If we attend many business lunches and dinners and spend a lot of money at fancy restaurants, no matter how beautifully made the dishes are, they are actually more than we need. This excess food is then dumped into the compost, so it becomes nothing more than waste.
Therefore, giving something simple with great reverence is the best offering we can make. Before, we were speaking about the Buddha. After He entered Parinirvana, how could the Dharma be spread throughout the world?Through images. Some people, in order to transmit the Dharma in the world, used tangible things as manifestations of the Buddha-Dharma. They erected stupas to display the Buddha’s virtue. After the Buddha came into this world, then entered Parinirvana, His remains were cremated. The sariras of His bones were spread in the world and stupas were built to display His virtue. So, stupas were built out of such sentiments.
A stupas, as I said before, is a “manifestation of virtue” through its height. Aside from stupas [built] to display virtues, there are also “temples”. But in the sutras, in ancient times, [temples] were still called “shrines”. as I have said before, are where people show respect to and remember [the dead].
To memorialize their ancestors, the ancients built family shrines.They paid tribute in those places to their most revered ancestors.
The Lotus Sutra was taught during ancient times, over 2000 years ago.
So, during that time, those places were called “shrines”.At the time of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, Matang and Dharmaratna used white horses to carry sutras into China.They were first received at Hong Lu Temple.We have discussed this before.Having them stay there was a way to respect them as honored foreign dignitaries.
But Emperor Ming very much admired the Buddha-Dharma and hoped these two spiritual practitioners would remain in China, so he built a temple outside Luoyang for them called White Horse Temple.That is why White Horse Temple was constructed and why we began to call [a religious place] a “temple”.
However, I have always wondered, “At that time, why was the place used to receive foreign guests called a ‘temple’?”I examined the Chinese character for “temple”.The Chinese constructed characters so cleverly; the upper half of the character is “scholar”, the lower half is “propriety”.[These characters] combined create “temple”.“Scholar” refers to people free of corruption, who have the knowledge and virtue of learning.So, they have a high status in society.People like this are called “scholars”.
As government officials, they govern society.People living in society need rules.A country’s administrative rules must be instituted by officials and ministers.So, there need to be laws.Making and creating a system of laws leads to a “legal order”.When a country’s ministers make and create a system of laws it is a “legal order”.
Emperor Ming bestowed the label “temple” on the place he made as an offering to these two foreign spiritual practitioners to provide a place for them to peacefully reside.The transmission and translation of the sutras then took place at White Horse Temple.This was a sign of the emperor’s reverence, his exceptional sincerity.He had such respect and reverence for these foreign spiritual practitioners.He gave them this place to translate sutras so that the Buddha’s teachings could be spread in China.Indeed, he was very devoted
Making this offering of reverence really was an act of infinite merits and virtues.Once a temple exists, people can learn about the Buddha-Dharma.
Within [a temple], there must be images because people cling to [images].
People’s minds need images to give rise to a sense of reverence.
When eminent monks of the past reached the peak of their spiritual cultivation, they did not need to prostrate to images.There is a story about Sheng Gong.This practitioner, also named Daosheng, was very reverently engaged in spiritual practice.He took every word of the Dharma to heart.
Having undertaken the Buddha-Dharma, he wanted to bring his mind to a state of tranquility, so he went to the mountains, built a grass hut, collected rocks, lined them up and taught the Dharma to these rocks.So, “even stubborn rocks nod in agreement” [is a saying] that came from this story.
I recall a time, as the Taichung Tzu Chi hospital was being built, I visited the site after the first phase of construction was complete.The hospital was not yet in use and the landscaping us still being installed.At that time, Professor Chen, a professional landscape designer accompanied me as I walked around the site.He said, “Master, I’d like to bring you to see your disciples”. I thought, “My disciples? Where?” He brought me to see the driveway into an underground garage. Then he said, “Master, look, your disciples are lined up here”. “I don’t see anyone here!” He said, “Look, I lined them up very neatly.” He pointed here and there “Those are rocks!” He said, “Indeed, they are rocks. I carefully made use of local resources to construct this entrance to this driveway. I did my best to make use of local resources so it would like natural. Before using them, I showed them great respect. “I told the rocks that we are all Master’s disciples. We all need to be orderly and form lines.”
With great reverence, he paid respect to these rocks; truly all things in the world are useful. “Once the rocks we arranged, he said, “I knew I had to bring you to them, so they can take refuge with you.” This was what Professor Chen did. I think of him as a good disciple overseeing the construction there on my behalf, creating the landscaping there on my behalf and transforming sentient beings there on my behalf. All things on Earth are useful, and useful things are the most valuable.
Some Buddha statues are carved from stone, some from bronze or other metals. Some are made from “wax, lead or tin”. If we want to make a Buddha statue, be it with copper or lead, we must first make a mold.
So,“[The may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning images of the Buddha. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood”.
We know that things in the world take many names and forms. They are all different and unique in their own way. Wax is used to make wax statues by carving the wax directly. They can be made in various shapes and colors. There are also different qualities of wax. If a statue is made purely out of wax, it can be very beautiful. If one carves a Buddha statue out of it, it will look very dignified. But this material cannot withstand fire. It will melt hear fire, so the ancients used wax to make a mold. After that, they used another material, either bronze, tin or another metal, to cast the statue. So, each material is different and serves a different purpose.
All the material things in this world are created as the mind dictates. The mind, knowledge and wisdom are intangible. When we exercise knowledge, apply our wisdom, our minds are doing the dictating. Tangible, physical things are created when our intangible thoughts dictate their production. So, unconditioned Dharma and conditioned material objects combined to form all kinds of appearances. This is making things as the mind dictates.
Whether these are things we use in daily living or not, they are things made as our mind dictates. The same applies to sculpting Buddha statues Human minds dictate their creation as adornments for spiritual training grounds.
“Material things in the world have many names and appearances. Material goods are all unique, each serves a purpose. When they are combined, they can form all kinds of appearances. We make things as our minds dictate to adorn the spiritual practice center by creating Buddha-images.”
In a spiritual practice center,besides a temple and Buddha statues, spiritual practitioners are most important. A few days ago I also said that what truly dignifies a practice center are its people. Even if the place they practice in is very simple, as I just said, when Sheng Gong taught the Dharma to rocks, even stubborn rocks were nodding. This is a sign of the reverence of spiritual practitioners. With this kind of utmost sincerity, Buddhas will naturally appear [to us]. In every one of our minds, there is a Buddha. Can this Buddha in us manifest His dignified appearance so we can serve as a model for other people? If we all aspire to engage in spiritual practice to manifest the Buddha within us, this will bring the most dignity to our practice center. This is how we adorn our practice center.
Look at how dignified the Abode has been over these past few days. There were monastics, lay practitioners and Tzu Chi Bodhisattva [-volunteers] here for a spiritual retreat. Hearing everyone harmoniously reciting together, whether they were circumambulating the Buddha or [chanting] the Dharma, they did so neatly, with dignity and an air of spiritual refinement the Jing Si Hall. Volunteers from seven countries were there. They had aspired to understand the essence of Tzu Chi and realize the Dharma of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage. In their respective countries, they are all entrepreneurs, businesspeople, leads of industry and commerce. Nearly 1000 of them came to Taiwan. Honorary board members from the Central Region volunteered to take on the duties of the hospitality team for this retreat. They took care of the dormitories, the snacks, the cooking and the sweeping.
As I watched them do all this, I was very impressed. Even though I did not say anything, I really admired them. They were all honorary board members, wives of important people and so on. In their social circles, they are very well-respected. But in Tzu Chi, everyone shows compassion to all equally and everyone is equal, so they came to serve these overseas businesspeople. This demonstrates their reverence and is a form of adornment. They arranged things in a very dignified way. The spiritual atmosphere of our practice center was thriving. People create Buddha statues out of reverence. But I feel that, rather than making this external object we should instead, without hesitation, work to create a Buddha statue within ourselves.
“We each have a stupa on Vulture Peak.” Isn’t this saying the “stupa” must be established in our minds? So, the “stupa” is in our minds. A “shrine” is what we call a temple; it is our inner spiritual training ground.Our inner spiritual training ground must be solidly constructed. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. That is the Buddha statue that is in our minds. So, in each of us there can be a stupa, a spiritual training ground and a Buddha statue. This depends on whether or not we are reverent. With great reverence, our spiritual training ground will be adorned with dignity. It is vast because we can practice everywhere and because the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere. We must understand that the Buddha gave teachings with the expectation that with the passage of time, the tangible would take shape from the unconditioned mind.
Thus we use material things in the world to create many kinds of [objects] to create outward expressions of the Buddha-Dharma within us. When our inner reverence and external dignity are unified in this way, the Buddha-Dharma will forever be as it was during the era of Right Dharma. So, among these five periods of 500 years, we will forever be in that first period.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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