【靜思妙蓮華】20141001 - 諸佛設方便 - 第404集 All Buddhas Establish Skillful Means

20141001《靜思妙蓮華》諸佛設方便(第404集)（法華經•方便品第二）

⊙佛出人世間，隨眾生煩惱，教令除無明，諸佛設方便。
⊙「於諸過去佛，在世或滅度，若有聞是法，皆已成佛道。」《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙「未來諸世尊，其數無有量，是諸如來等，亦方便說法。」《法華經 方便品第二》
⊙無論過去或未來，諸佛亦都以方便說法，度脫眾生離諸煩惱，入佛知見。

【證嚴上人開示】
「佛陀出現於人間，隨著眾生煩惱，教令眾生去除無明，這是諸佛的方便法。」

佛出人世間
隨眾生煩惱
教令除無明
諸佛設方便

佛陀的慈悲，就是出現在人類的世間。因為眾生煩惱多，所以佛陀需要在人間中，隨著眾生的煩惱，因應眾生的根機，應機逗教，這只有一項目的，就是要使令眾生，無量無數的煩惱能夠一一去除。

佛陀的慈悲，這不只是釋迦佛，是過、現、未來諸佛，都是一樣，要教導眾生。就是要設諸方便，我們還記得嗎？經典還未開啟之前，佛陀在放光，萬八千佛土，很多佛的世界，好像都呈現在那個世界，靈鷲山的地方。到底佛陀是為什麼這樣現瑞，和平常不一樣呢？大家面面相觀，互相問：佛陀今天怎麼與過去不同？

所以彌勒菩薩出來找人問，選擇的就是，誰啊？是啊，就是文殊師利菩薩。文殊師利菩薩，他曾經過了過去無數佛，他承受了佛的法，又再幫助佛法宣揚教法。所以，二萬(日月)燈明佛的，最後那尊佛，有八王子，八王子還是文殊師利菩薩，來教化他們，前後陸續能成佛。

我們就能知道，文殊菩薩他已經在過去佛，再顯示於諸佛菩薩的累世之中，他助道場、再教育；這樣現在釋迦佛，開始要講《法華經》，他就說出了過去所見的佛，現種種瑞相的經驗，這樣來顯示「佛佛道同」。每一尊佛都是一樣，出現人間最大的目的，就是要淨化人心、去除眾生心中煩惱垢穢，所以說「諸佛設方便」。

現在的釋迦佛，因為我們都說「本師釋迦牟尼佛」，「本師」就是我們的老師；我們的老師的教法，我們要依教奉行。「三界導師」，也還是釋迦牟尼佛，在欲界、色界、無色界，就是指有形的人間，有形的世間這些眾生，在欲界中，人人心中都有欲，充滿了欲念，污濁的世間，這叫做欲界。佛陀現身於欲界世間，設種種方法，希望人人知道一切世間的苦，是從欲開始。

所以，從「集」，讓大家知道「苦」之後，說出人世間種種的形態，所以再用這個形態中，有各種人的追求，結果所造的業，業因又是造了苦的緣，所以，因緣果報不斷累積，所以變成了這種苦難的世界。每天早上的(志工)早會，不就是說世間，不論是多遠的國家，他的苦難，我們現在在這裡，分明歷歷都看得見。

讓我們知道天災，是如何累積來的？眾生共業啊！人禍，人禍是如何來的？以佛法來解釋，是心，人人的心造作共業，所以累積了人心險惡，這種使人間造成了人禍不斷。

又再瞭解的事情能很多，仔細地為我們分析，無不都是從人心。「一念無明生三細，境界為緣長六粗」，一念的無明起，貪、瞋、癡，這三毒，或者是衍生變為五毒，五毒也就是造成了五濁，貪、瞋、癡、貢高我慢、懷疑，這全都是造成整個世間的濁氣，這是從一念心一動，欲念的心起，開始就是這麼大，不斷不斷一直複製，輪迴不斷循環，循環輪迴，輪迴複製，所以變成了這個世間，這叫做欲界。

瞭解佛法之後，自然我們的欲心降低，慢慢將這個欲，將它淨化。淨化之後，生活在這個「色」的世界裡，色界，什麼都有，但是我們不會在這「有」之中起欲心，是非分清楚。我們不會在是非不明白中，去起心動念。所以一切世間的色，不會來擾亂我們的心，因為我們看清楚了，這叫做色界。

這個色界又能超越，「色」能用在去幫助人，我擁有很多東西，我不只是不貪著，我能夠將我所有的再捨，捨給人人所需要的。或者是所有的一切，我都一無所有，不過我有身體、我有力量，我能夠用身，用力去身體力行付出，去幫助所需要幫助的人，這叫做「無色界」；就是我們的理念很清楚、很乾淨，甚至又再超越了「欲」與「色」，我們能為人間去付出。這叫做「三界」，這是我這樣解釋的三界。

我們人間，可以在人間修行，佛陀既出現在人世間，因為佛陀已經覺悟，不過，早就覺悟了，早就覺悟，為什麼還要來人間？為了要使人、世間，這個欲界世間的眾生，所有的煩惱，佛陀就要隨著人類在世間，來瞭解世間的煩惱，所以隨眾生的煩惱，他一一用各種各種的方法，來教導我們。

光是教，不夠，還讓我們去體驗。在體驗當中，我們體會到行菩薩道，救人的感覺是很好。有時候，我們(志工)早會時，可以看到過去捐骨髓，那是要全身麻醉，不過有人願意，對色身無所執著，只要能夠救人，我願意。這「教令除無明」，教他除去了，執著這個身體的無明，你這個身體是一個色身，這個色身，能夠有無限量的生命力，要付出這個生命力，也要有那分的智慧，從他的智慧、慧命，來助這個色身去付出，這就是教育。

眾生最執著的這個「色」——所有的物質，連身體這個物質，他也教我們可以付出。所以經典中這樣說「頭目髓腦悉施人」，《無量義經》很多的教育，都是在於如何破除「色」的念頭，要如何是非分清楚，不會貪著在欲界之中；還要超越了色界那個色的執著；還能夠捨，這種付出之後無所求，「三輪體空」。

這種「三輪體空」都不執著，只要能夠付出，得到的感覺，受幫助的人得救了，幫助人的人法喜充滿。就是得到法喜，用這個方法來救人，這樣很歡喜。

有時候，捐髓者若來了，就說：會很痛嗎？辛苦啊！感恩。他就會分享說：不會，痛一下子而已，不過，救人的感覺很好。你看，這不就是超越嗎？這種將(物質)當中，最愛的身體，也這樣去付出。所以，欲界、色界、無色界，我們完全超越了。這是佛陀來人間所教育我們。不只是釋迦佛，諸佛，過去佛也是這樣，都是要設種種的方便。

過去前面那段(經)文就說：「於諸過去佛，在世或滅度，若有聞是法，皆已成佛道。」

於諸過去佛
在世或滅度
若有聞是法
皆已成佛道
《法華經 方便品第二》

大家要注意，這段(經)文，「於諸過去佛，在世或滅後」。這麼長久的時間，期間這些眾生能夠受過去佛的教育，一直到現在釋迦佛的法中，這樣不斷還是有心聽法。

過去我們有說過，五個堅固的時期，在「像法時期」，因為建塔、造廟，還要再聽法。那個時候的眾生，「正法」過後，在「像法時期」還是不斷延續過來，這樣有那個恆久心聽法，「皆已成佛道」，這樣漸漸累積，雖然不是很殷勤精進，但是還是聽法的心虔誠，還是一直累積過來，這樣「皆已成佛道」。

現在再接下來這段(經)文：就是「未來諸世尊」，前文文說「於諸過去佛」，過去很久的時間有很多的佛，那是過去，延續著道理佛法，這樣不斷延續下來，一直到釋迦佛。釋迦佛講《法華經》時，就是準備再不久就要滅度了，所以佛陀，釋迦佛也就要再告訴大家，「未來諸世尊」，不是現在的釋迦佛(而已)，還有「未來諸世尊，其數無有量，是諸如來等，亦方便說法。」

未來諸世尊
其數無有量
是諸如來等
亦方便說法
《法華經 方便品第二》

過去的諸佛是用方便法，現在的釋迦佛，也是一樣用方便法，未來的諸世尊，同樣也是要用方便法。過去也說過了，佛陀的「九部法」，就是用九種的方法來開方便門。但是，這個方便門，最後總要有一個結語，最正確的叮嚀，那就是在《法華經》一乘法中。不論是過去或未來的諸佛，都以方便來說法。這是佛佛道同，為了「度脫眾生離諸煩惱，入佛知見」。

無論過去、
或未來
諸佛亦都以
方便說法
度脫眾生
離諸煩惱
入佛知見

這是在一乘。佛陀過去是開三乘法，現在佛陀將這三乘法回歸於一乘。三乘法，大家知道嗎？聲聞、緣覺、菩薩佛的過程是什麼呢？菩薩。所以要讓大家知道，「聲聞」，靠聲音聽進來，瞭解佛法，或者是佛法。離佛遠的地方，他對這個道理瞭解，種種的境界，他能夠去體會，人生真的是無常，人間在無常中的苦、空。在這個苦、空之中，到底要用什麼方法，去除這個苦、破除這個空。空中的真理在哪裡？這是「緣覺」。他還只知道苦、知道空，但是真理，妙有的道理在哪裡，還不清楚；所以這叫做緣覺。緣這個境界來體會人間無常，

所以，佛陀，讓大家知道人間苦、空、無常。瞭解之後，斷了煩惱，你們還要再超越，不是只顧自己，還要兼利他人，那就是行菩薩道；菩薩道的最後，那就是歸於佛的境界。這就是佛陀，對眾生是用心的教育。

我們要知道，我們人都是在法中，能夠及時就能瞭解。不過，我們偏偏在法裡面，無法去體會到。就像一個人，因為在外面走，行於外面，天煎地逼，太陽很炎熱，汗流得很多，快要脫水，快要沒有水分了，很口渴，需要找個水來喝。有人指導他：「你要喝水，往這個方向走過去，那個地方有一條小小溪流，你能到那個地方喝。」這個需要喝水，很口渴的人，照著這個方向走過去，看到水，很歡喜，一股細細水一直流下來，他就趕緊伸手去捧水。

捧著，就說：「夠了、夠了。」不過，水還是一直流下來。他就說：「夠了！」水卻一直流，那位指水路的人，跟在他的後面，要看他走對方向了沒？到達了沒，跟在他的後面來，在他的後面看到，他怎麼捧著水，說很口渴，怎麼不喝呢？他就出聲說：「你不是很口渴，為什麼你捧著水，不趕快喝呢？」他就說：「我要的水只要這捧就好，不過一直流下來，流不盡，我要怎麼喝？」後面的人就說：「你很傻，你要喝的水，你就是捧來喝下去就對了。」卻是，他還是執著：「我要的水，我就是拿多少，我就是要喝那些就好，它卻一直流下來。」

這與我們現在修行一樣，有的人知道人生很苦，怎麼求得解脫、修行，毫釐之差，偏了，邪道，偏邪了，可能會覺得：我要修的是現在就解脫，佛法怎麼那麼多？這麼多，三大阿僧祇劫，是要修到什麼時候？佛法，動不動就要守戒，就要持齋，就要…，那麼多的規矩，這要我做到完，我不可能，要守那麼多的規矩，要走那麼遠的路，我不可能，我不如就取一個捷徑，如何求了，我就能得，這樣就好了。像這樣，是愚痴的人。

我們的煩惱、無明都不想要斷除，不要斷除無明，只想我要怎麼得。所以，佛法希望我們，成佛不是佛能夠賜我們，他是能教我們，教我們你要怎麼斷無明、去煩惱，將你心中清淨的本性浮現出來。浮現出你清淨的本性，自然你「體解大道」；體解大道，你要懂得「發無上心」。天下一體，這就是佛陀至高無上的道理。各位菩薩，我們學佛，真的是要時時多用心。

【註一】《法華經》序品第一：「爾時文殊師利語彌勒菩薩摩訶薩及諸大士、善男子等……佛滅度後，妙光菩薩持妙法蓮華經，滿八十小劫為人演說。日月燈明佛八子皆師妙光，妙光教化，令其堅固阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。……彌勒當知，爾時妙光菩薩豈異人乎，我身是也，求名菩薩汝身是也。」

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan

Subject: All Buddhas Establish Skillful Means (諸佛設方便)

Date: October. 01. 2014

The Buddha appears in this world and, according to the afflictions of sentient beings, teaches them ways to eliminate their ignorance. These are the skillful means of all Buddhas.

Out of His compassion, the Buddha manifests in this world. Because people have many afflictions, the Buddha needed to come here and teach according to sentient beings’ afflictions and capabilities. His only purpose for doing this is to enable sentient beings to eliminate their countless afflictions, one by one. This is the Buddha’s compassion. Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one like this. All past, present and future Buddhas are the same. They teach sentient beings by establishing skillful means. 

Do you remember? Before He revealed [the Lotus] teachings, the Buddha radiated light that illumined 18,000 Buddha-lands. It seemed like they all appeared at Vulture Peak. Why did He manifest this auspicious appearance that was so out of the ordinary? Everyone looked at each other and asked, “Why is the Buddha different today?” So, Maitreya Bodhisattva sought someone to ask. Who was the one he chose? Yes, Manjusri Bodhisattva. Manjusri Bodhisattva had lived among countless past Buddhas. He had also accepted the teachings of all Buddhas and helped to spread the Buddha-Dharma. 

The last of 20,000 [Sun-Moon] Lamp Radiant Buddhas had eight sons, the eight princes. Those eight princes were taught by Manjusri so they could successively attain Buddhahood. So, we know that in the past, Manjusri Bodhisattva had already been a Buddha. Then he appeared during the lifetimes of many subsequent Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to help teach at their [Dharma-assemblies]. 

Now, as Sakyamuni Buddha was about to expound the Lotus Sutra, Manjusri shared his experiences with past Buddhas and revealed how “all Buddhas share the same path.” Every Buddha is the same. Their main goal in coming to this world is to purify people’s minds and help them eliminate the afflictions and impurities of the mind. This is how “all Buddhas establish skillful means.” 

At present, [the Buddha is] Sakyamuni. We always say, “our fundamental teacher Sakyamuni Buddha”. “Fundamental teacher” means He is our teacher, so we must practice according to His teachings. “Guiding teacher of the Three Realms” also refers to Sakyamuni Buddha and the desire, form and formless realms. This refers to the tangible world and how the sentient beings living in it are in the desire realm; all of us have desires in this world filled with desire and turbidity. This is called the desire realm. The Buddha appeared in the desire realm to establish many different methods in the hopes we can all recognize that suffering begins with desire. 

So, this is the “causation” [of suffering]. After teaching the truth of suffering, He spoke of various behaviors in the world. Then He used the things people pursue when they act in these ways and the karma that they create as a result [to explain] that these causes create conditions of suffering. So, the endless accumulation of karmic retributions creates this world of suffering.

At the volunteer assembly each morning, don’t I talk about this?No matter how far from here a country may be, we can clearly see their suffering from here.[Technology] allows us to understand how causes for natural disasters have accumulated.They come from our collective karma.

What causes man-made calamities?According to the Buddha-Dharma, it is the mind.

We create collective karma, so dangerous evils accumulate in our hearts causing endless manmade calamities.There are many other things we can understand.

[The Buddha’s] detailed analysis shows us that everything results from the workings of our minds.

“An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties. External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks.”An ignorant thought gives rise to the Three Poisons of greed, anger and ignorance or continues on to become the Five Poisons.The Five Poisons also create the Five Turbidities.Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt cause the creation of all of the world’s turbidities.This all comes from the arising of one thought.

When this single thought of desire arises, at the beginning, it is this big; it ceaselessly multiplies as we go through endless cyclic existences.We continue to cycle and it continues to multiply.This then cerates our world.This is the desire realm.

After we understand the Buddha-Dharma, our desires will naturally lessen and we can slowly purify the desire realm.After it is purified, we still live in a realm of “forms”.All kinds of things exist in the form realm, but our minds will not give raise to desire in response to them.We will clearly distinguish right from wrong, so we will not give rise to [afflictions] out of confusion.Therefore, none of the forms in the world can disturb our minds once we can see them clearly.This is the form realm.

The form realm also can be transcended.Forms can be used to help people.We may have many things, but not only do we not greedily cling to them; we can give all we have to anyone who needs it.Even if we have nothing else, we still have our body and our strength.We can use our body to actively practice giving and helping those who need help.This is the formless realm.

When our perspective is very clear and pure, we can even transcend the desire and form realms to make positive contributions to this world.These are the Three Realms as I explain them.In this world, we can engage in spiritual practice.The Buddha came to this world because He attained enlightenment here.But He had long been enlightened.

If so, why did He still come to this world?He did this to enable sentient beings in the desire realm [to eliminate] their afflictions.So, the Buddha went among the people to understand their worldly afflictions.

Then, according to those afflictions, He gave specific teachings to address them.It was not enough to just teach, He also helped us to experience [His teachings].Through these experiences, we realize that walking the Bodhisattva-path and helping people give us a wonderful feeling.

Sometimes, during the [volunteers’] morning assembly, we see people who have donated their bone marrow.[The procedure] requires general anesthesia, but some people are still willing to do it.Free of attachment to their body, [they say,] “If I can save a life, I’m willing to do this.”Thus, “to teach them to eliminate ignorance” means teaching people to eliminate the ignorance of being attached to a physical body.

Our body is a physical body.This physical body has unlimited vitality.To contribute this vitality, we must have wisdom.We can use wisdom and wisdom-life to assist our physical body in giving to others.This comes from the teachings.Sentient beings are most attached to “form,” to material things, yet the Buddha taught us to give even the material substance of our body.

So, in the sutra, it states “He head, eyes, bone marrow and brain were all given to others.”Many teachings from the Sutra of Infinite Meanings are about how to eliminate the notion of “form” and how to clearly distinguish right from wrong. When we understand these things we will no longer greedily [linger] in the desire realm. We must also transcend the attachment to form in the form realm and achieve equanimity. Giving with equanimity is unconditional and is a practice of the Three Spheres of Emptiness. The Three Spheres of Emptiness is about not having attachments. As long as we can give and we feel that those being helped have been saved, we will be filled with Dharma-joy. We will attain this. 

Helping people like this is very joyful. Sometimes, when bone marrow donors come, I would ask, “Does it hurt? You must be tired! I am grateful to you”. They would say, “No, it just hurts for a moment. But it felt so good to save someone!” Isn’t this transcending [form]? This is taking something from our beloved physical body and giving it to others. So, this is transcending the desire, form and formless realms completely. This is what the Buddha came to teach us. 

Not only Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas in the past also taught the same by establishing various skillful means. So the previous section of the sutra states, 

“With all Buddhas of the past, whether during Their lifetime or after They entered Parinirvana, if people have heard Their teachings, they will have realized the path to Buddhahood.”

We must all pay attention to these verses, “With all Buddhas of the past, whether during. Their lifetime or after They entered Parinivana”. For a very long time, sentient beings have received the teachings of past Buddhas, and at this moment, they are receiving Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. They still have the will to listen to the Dharma, and they listen to it. 

Previously, we discussed that in the period of the Five Solidities, in the era of Dharma-semblance, people built stupas and temples. Sentient beings, after the era of Right Dharma Era had passed, lived in the era of Dharma-semblance and continued to pass on [the Dharma]. They still had the perseverance to listen to it. “They have realized the path to Buddhahood”. This was done gradually over time. Though they did not practice very earnestly, they listened to the teachings with reverence and so continued to accumulate realizations until finally, they “realized the path to Buddhahood”. 

Now, the next passage of the sutra discusses, “the World-Honored Ones of the future”. The previous passage discussed “all Buddhas of the past”. There have been many Buddhas in the past. They passed down the principles and the Buddha-Dharma unceasingly until the time of Sakyamuni Buddha. When Sakyamuni expounded the Lotus Sutra, He was preparing to enter Parinirvana before long. So, Sakyamuni Buddha also talked to everyone about “the World-Honored Ones of the future”. Aside from the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, there will be 

“the World Honored Ones of the future, who are limitless in number. All of these Tathagatas will also teach skillful means”.

All past Buddhas used skillful means. In the present, Sakyamuni Buddha likewise used skillful means. The World-Honored Ones of the future also will use skillful means. In the past I also discussed the Nine Divisions of Teachings of the Buddha. He used nine methods to teach skillful means. But these skillful means must have a conclusion at the end. The most correct instruction is the One Vehicle Dharma of the Lotus Sutra.

Whether in the past or in the future, all Buddhas teach skillful means. Teaching with skillful means is the path shared by all Buddhas. 

This is “to transform sentient beings so they may transcend all affliction and penetrate the Buddha’s knowledge and views”.

This is the One Vehicle. The Buddha taught the Three Vehicles in the past. Now the Buddha has brought them back to the One Vehicle. Does everyone know what the Three Vehicles are? Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. Which of these leads to Buddhahood? The Bodhisattva [-vehicle]. So everyone must know that Hearers understand the Dharma by listening to the Buddha, or to the Buddha-Dharma, if they are somewhere far away from the Buddha. They understand the principles and can experience many different states [of mind]. Thus they realize that life is indeed impermanent. The impermanent world is empty and full of suffering. In the face of this suffering and emptiness, what method can we use to eliminate this suffering and pierce this emptiness? Where are the true principles of emptiness? These are [the questions of] Solitary Realizers. They only know suffering and emptiness, but they do not understand that there is also wondrous existence. So, these Solitary Realizers have come in contact with external conditions and thus realized the impermanence of life. So, the Buddha taught everyone that in the world there is suffering, emptiness and impermanence. 

After they understood, and eliminated afflictions, they had to go beyond this. We must not only care for ourselves, but also benefit others.This is walking the Bodhisattva-path. When we reach the end of the Bodhisattva-path, we ultimately attain Buddhahood. This is what the Buddha mindfully taught sentient beings. We should know that all of us abide in the Dharma and should be able to immediately understand it. However, though we abide in the Dharma, we cannot comprehend it. This is like a person who has been walking outside on the burning ground under the hot sun.Sweating profusely, he was soon dehydrated. Almost our of water and very thirsty, he needed to find water to drink. He found someone to give him guidance, “You need water? Go in that direction, there is a small stream where you can get water to drink.” 

This thirsty person who needed to drink water then walked in that direction. When he saw water, he felt joyful. As this tiny stream of water continued to flow, he quickly reached out to cup the water in his hands. He held it and said, “Enough, that’s enough, but the water continued to flow out.”

Again he said, “Enough” Yet the water continued to flow. The person who had pointed the way to water had follow behind to make sure he had gone in the right direction and arrived safely. When that person got there and saw him standing there, he wondered, “Why is he just holding the water?He said he’s thirsty, why isn’t he drinking?” So the man spoke up, “Aren’t you very thirsty?Why are you holding it and not drinking it?”

He said, “This handful of water is all I need, but the stream keeps flowing endlessly.How can I drink it?” 

The man behind him said, “You’re foolish, just drink however much you need.” But he was stubborn, “I will only take the amount of water I require.I want to drink only what I need, but it just keeps flowing.” This is like our present spiritual practice. Some people know life is full of suffering and they can attain liberation with spiritual practice. But by deviating only slightly [from the Path], they stray toward deviant teachings. Then they may think, “I want to practice to attain liberation now.Why are there so may Buddhist teachings?This will take three great asankya kalpas.When will I ever complete my spiritual practice?The Buddha-Dharma requires upholding precepts, being vegetarian and following many other rules.I can’t possibly follow them all.Following so many rules and walking such a long path is also impossible.I would rather take a shortcut.My goal is to just attain something immediately.That is good enough for me.” 

A person like this is foolish and deluded. We may not want to eliminate our afflictions and ignorance and only think about what we want to attain. The Buddha-Dharma helps us to understand that Buddhahood is not granted to us by the Buddha; He can teach us how to eliminate our ignorance and afflictions so our pure intrinsic nature can surface.

When our pure intrinsic nature surfaces, we will naturally “comprehend the great path.” “To comprehend the great path”, we must “make an unsurpassed resolve.” 

All things in the universe are one. This is the Buddha’s unsurpassed truth. Dear Bodhisattvas, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must truly always be mindful.

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