20141105《靜思妙蓮華》諸天護法請轉法輪(第429)
（法華經•方便品第二）
⊙「法入心弘誓願，菩薩道入人群，天人眾護大法，心向善法輪轉。」
⊙「爾時諸梵王，及諸天帝釋，護世四天王，及大自在天；並餘諸天眾、眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙從諸梵天王，及諸天帝釋等，凡屬天部之種類。諸梵天眾眷屬請轉法輪。諸天眷屬百千萬，則有百億梵天。稱為梵天王，名曰尸棄，深信正法，每逢佛出世，必最初來請轉法輪。
⊙恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪：左右掌指合十，以表吾心專一之敬禮法。華人以拱手為敬，印度以合掌為敬。轉法輪者，譬喻說教法。託此比彼，寄淺訓深。轉自心之法，轉度他之心，恰如轉車輪。
【證嚴上人開示】
「法入心弘誓願，菩薩道入人群，天人眾護大法，心向善法輪轉。」
法入心弘誓願
菩薩道入人群
天人眾護大法
心向善法輪轉
我們人人學佛必定要法入心，不只是法要入心，我們還要發弘誓願。將這個法了解之後，了解法很好，能夠去除煩惱、能夠引導人人入善道、正確的方向，我們自己得到法，我們懂得這樣走，我們應該還要發心立願，將佛的教法，再度化給他人，鼓勵人人與我們，一起走入佛陀正法，去除煩惱，轉惡為善。
人人要發這念心，要度眾生、斷煩惱、學佛法、誓成佛。這是我們學佛，人人應該要有的這個弘誓願。我們要立這分的大願，我們要將這個佛法弘揚出去，這才是真正法入心。
不只是獨善其身，自修自得，一定是要入人群去。我們若入人群中，將我們所修、所得、所行為，作為人的典範來引導人，這叫做度眾生。度眾生必定要入人群，入人群一定是弘誓願的菩薩，所以說菩薩道是入人群。
我們若有這念心，自然「天人眾護大法」，天人一定是擁護大法。我們修行，必定最起碼就要修五戒，在家學佛的弟子就要修五戒，若沒有這五戒，就不算是佛的弟子。這是佛弟子中最基礎的，應該要守、要持的法。
所以，五戒，大家都知道了，戒殺、盜、淫（在家居士不邪淫）、妄、酒。守得好一戒有五位護法神，五戒就二十五位的護法神，那就要你將心守得好。心若守好，自然就行為就能夠守持得很好。
戒是防非止惡，心若有戒，我們的身行就防止了，這個行的惡，所以行若善，自然就有護法神。而你的心念，若是不清淨，一戒受污染，就五位護法神退掉了；二個心戒污染，就十位護法神退掉；五戒的心若全都淡忘了，退掉了這個道心，自然二十五位護法神就遠離你，就不會再來擁護你了。何況我們發菩薩心，行菩薩道，入人群中，當然所說的正法，我們的心正、道正，自然「天人眾護大法」。
我們的心要向善，法輪才會轉。佛陀來人間，無非就是要轉眾生的心輪。人人本具佛性，卻是人人的心，受到煩惱無明覆蔽，佛陀一大事因緣來人間，無不都是為了我們，轉我們的凡夫心，回歸清淨的本性，這就要用法。
佛陀初覺那個時候，他對這個法，得到法，法喜充滿，宇宙大地一切一切的道理完全開啟了。了解了這麼大、這麼深、這麼微、這麼妙的法，很急著要如何與大家分享，不過，看，好像能接受到、了解、體會，不是那麼容易。所以，有一心念浮現在佛的心——不如提早入涅槃；這個法既然對人間，人間無法接受，這樣留在人間有什麼用呢？不如早入涅槃。
這個念頭一起，很多的「諸梵王，及諸天帝釋，護世四天王，及大自在天」，這個時候全都湧現出來。「並餘諸天眾、眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」
爾時諸梵王
及諸天帝釋
護世四天王
及大自在天
並餘諸天眾
眷屬百千萬
恭敬合掌禮
請我轉法輪
《法華經方便品第二》
就用很虔誠的心來請，恭請釋迦佛要住世，請佛住世、要轉法輪。是那個境界。所以我們現在這段(經)文，上面所所說的，那就是「爾時」，「爾時」，就是佛陀心靈境界現前，覺悟之後，那一念間要如何對人間說法，有一個剎那間的心，想要取入滅，所以那個時候叫做「爾時」。同時很多天人湧現，那個時候。
所以那些天人、梵天王，就是身心清淨的天界。色界天王已經離開了欲，心無欲念，這在宇宙間有這樣，這麼清淨無染的梵天王。以及天帝釋，那就是在欲界，欲界釋提桓因。護世四天王，那就是在監督我們，人間欲界之中，「及大自在天」，就是在欲界的第六天。這樣這個境界是多麼浩大啊！很多，無量數。
所以這段經文說，「並餘諸天眾」。不只是那些天王，天王又帶著他們的所屬的天眾，全部湧現在佛陀他初覺悟的那個心靈道場，完全浮現出來。諸天，同時「眷屬百千萬」，諸天王以及他們的眷屬百千萬，在這當中合掌，恭敬合掌來請佛。佛陀自稱「請我轉法輪」。這個境界很美的境界，這全都在佛陀那個覺悟之後，森羅萬象，心境的遼闊，將欲界、色界、無色界全部會合在浮現在他覺悟的心靈世界裡。
從四天王天、帝釋天，或者是梵天、自在天，這都是屬於天部。不是在人類，人類之上，天歸屬於天的部份，種種的類別。所以天也有分在欲界的，也有分在色界、無色界。
欲界、就是還有眷屬等等，到了色界也有眷屬，無色界，那是心靈的世界。超越無色界就是，非常的清淨，道理很具足，這就是形容佛陀心靈的境界，充滿了很充足、微細的道理、浩瀚無窮的道理，都是在佛陀的心靈世界。
在這個六道中的天界，就是還有欲。再接下來就是人類了，人類就是我們的世界。人類就是善惡，有善的人，善的人就造福，有惡的人，就是造惡。就是因為善惡交加，這樣互相在拉拔，這種被惡的拉過去，那就開始一直造業。這種心魔，人人的心若不能清淨，很容易就受心魔煩惱、無明所覆蓋。我們若是有福，能夠善友聚會，互相勉勵、互相有益人間，這樣慢慢不斷積福就生是天堂。
這就是在人間，能夠成佛、能夠生天，卻是在人間也會造惡，人間受盡折磨；再更惡的，再複製無明，無明再複製惡，他就是(墮)地獄、餓鬼、畜生，這也是在人間。所以稱為「善惡無記」，你也會去造善，你一念惡生，你也會去造惡。所以人間好修行，因為我們能夠看到人間苦，我們才懂得知福，我們才會去造福；我們看到人間惡，我們才會自己覺醒，才會好好修行。
更有福的，我們遇到佛法，很深奧的佛法，讓我們在日常生活，生活中有法，佛法在我們的生活中，菩薩在我們的人間中，這就是我們最有福之人。在人間我們可以修行，我們能夠慢慢接近佛法，能夠超越欲界到色界，超越色界、無色界，能夠回歸清淨、無染、無穢、無染著，這樣就是覺悟的世界。
從諸梵天王
及諸天帝釋等
凡屬天部之種類
諸梵天眾眷屬
請轉法輪
諸天眷屬百千萬
則有百億梵天
稱為梵天王
名曰尸棄
深信正法
每逢佛出世
必最初來
請轉法輪
在這個色界梵天王，其中的領導者，名叫做「尸棄」。這位尸棄大梵就是領導者，那就是深信正法，這位天王，他是深信正法，他已經身心清淨，沒有淫欲的心念，沒有物欲的心念，所以貪、瞋、癡一切全都去除了，是身心清淨，因為他是深信佛法。每一次若是有佛出現人間，他一定就是來請佛轉法輪。佛初覺，最初證覺那個時候，尸棄大梵，梵天王一定會，率領著所有的天眾，就會出現在初證覺，這尊佛的心靈世界，來恭請這尊佛，一定要在人間轉法輪。
我們常常說要幾千年，多久啊，「百千萬劫難遭遇」，才能夠遇到一尊佛。若如此，我們就知道色界梵天王，清淨的世界，他的時間有多長。四天王天的一天，是我們(人間)的五十年；忉利天的一天，是我們(人間)的一百年。又不斷上去，愈來愈長的時間，何況一直到超越無色界，這是永恆，就是清淨無染的世界。所以他能夠看我們世間，幾萬年才能夠有一尊佛出世。
所以，我們能夠聽到佛法，真的也要很感恩諸天護法，能讓佛陀願意走入人群來。其實，佛陀他修行，也為人類來修行，成道，也為人類來成道，這是一種現相，所以難免他的內心世界，有這麼開闊，內心世界，同樣有這個動念的計畫，所以這全都是，佛陀初成佛的心念世界。
「恭敬合掌禮，請佛轉法輪」。這麼多的天人，包括梵天，一直所有的天人在這個地方，都是很虔誠，左右掌合十，十根手指頭要合攏來，合為一，所以這表示我們大家的心，專一、禮敬的方法，我們將這個雜念，十根手指頭，雜念心將之合起來會合，這表示雜念歸一，這樣的恭敬來禮敬，這就是法，表示最虔誠的法。所以我們華人說拱手為敬，孔夫子都說這(拱手)，這就是表示敬禮、敬禮，但是印度他是合十為敬，所以我們的合十，是依照佛法傳下來，在印度合十為敬，就是表示虔誠一念的恭敬。
恭敬合掌禮
請我轉法輪：
左右掌指合十
以表吾心
專一之敬禮法
華人以拱手為敬
印度以合掌為敬
轉法輪者
譬喻說教法
託此比彼
寄淺訓深
轉自心之法
轉度他之心
恰如轉車輪
所以請佛來轉法輪，譬喻，用種種的方法，因為過去的佛也是這樣。既然凡夫要將佛陀心靈的境界，全都接受，這是不可能。所以諸梵天請佛轉法輪。過去的佛有這樣譬喻、言說來教法。這個譬喻，告訴你們是圓的，圓的是什麼樣？什麼叫做圓的？圓的就是這樣，這樣叫做圓。這樣的圓，到底圓到什麼程度？你看月亮，那個就是叫做圓的。意思就是說，給用這個東西來表達這個道理，這叫做譬喻。用這個淺淺的，讓你了解的東西，來譬喻很深的法，能夠入你的心，能夠讓你了解。這樣轉自心的法，轉度到他心去。
佛陀他覺悟的心，他這樣分分秒秒、點點滴滴都是用心，將他的心得要轉給凡夫，這樣叫做「轉度他之心」，轉自心的法來度到我們的心來，這叫做用譬喻來轉法輪。所以，譬喻這個車輪，什麼叫做「轉」？就像輪子，輪子這樣在轉，車子就會向前走。同樣的道理，我們的心輪若不轉，我們無法精進，正法若不轉，無明永遠就撥不開，所以我們要依教奉行。
看看諸天，一尊佛出世，諸天，從梵天色界天，一直到欲天界，這樣所有無法去算數的天人，這樣出現道場，來安慰釋迦文。讓釋迦佛能夠知道，過去的諸佛也是這樣，就是用這種的法度入眾生的心。所以，我們今天有法可聽，真的感恩佛陀為一大事來人間，修行成佛；在那個心靈的道場中，更加感恩佛陀來描述諸天的道場現在他的心，所以他下決定來度人間轉法輪。我們要時時感恩！
感恩的話說不盡，我們就要堅定的心來轉法輪。這樣諸天護法在我們的身邊，我們更要時時自我警惕，戒慎虔誠。多用心啊！
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Dharma-Protectors Request Teachings (諸天護法請轉法輪)
Date: November. 05. 2014
“Take the Dharma to heart and make the Great Vows. Practice the Bodhisattva-path among the people, then heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma. When minds are oriented toward goodness, the Dharma-wheel will turn.”
As we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must take the Dharma to heart. Not only must we take the Dharma to heart, we must also make the Great Vows. First we must understand the Dharma. It is good to understand the Dharma because it will help us to eliminate afflictions and guide everyone onto the path toward goodness, so they head in the right direction. When we ourselves attain the Dharma, we know which path to take. Then we must aspire and vow to pass the Buddha’s teachings on to others and encourage them to join us in practicing the Right Dharma of the Buddha, eliminating afflictions and turning evil into goodness. We must all form this aspiration to transform sentient beings, eliminate afflictions, learn the Buddha-Dharma and attain Buddhahood. When we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must all make these Great Vows. Making vows to spread the Buddha-Dharma far and wide shows that we have truly taken the Dharma to heart.
We do not engage in spiritual practice only for our own benefit or liberation; we must go among the people. As we interact with people, our cultivation, attainment and behavior serve as examples that can guide others. This is how we transform sentient beings. To transform sentient beings we must go among them. Those who do this must be Bodhisattvas who have made the Great Vows.
On the Bodhisattva-path, we must work with others. If we have this intention, then naturally “heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma.” Heavenly beings will protect this Dharma. Every spiritual practitioner must, at the very least, abide by the Five Precepts. The lay disciples who study the Buddha’s teachings must uphold the Five Precepts. Those who do not uphold the Five Precepts cannot be considered the Buddha’s disciples. This is the most fundamental teaching that the disciples must uphold and practice. Everyone knows the Five Precepts, no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying or drinking alcohol. Upholding one precept brings us five Dharma-protectors. Upholding five precepts brings us 25 Dharma-protectors. They help us to guard our minds. If we can guard our minds, naturally we can maintain good behavior.
Precepts guard against wrongdoings and stop evils. When the precepts are on our minds, we can prevent and stop our bodies from committing unwholesome actions. If our actions are wholesome, there will be Dharma-protectors around us. If our minds are not pure and we violate one of the precepts, five Dharma-protectors will withdraw. If we violate two precepts, ten Dharma-protectors will leave. If our resolve weakens and we lose our spiritual aspirations, the 25 Dharma-protectors will automatically leave and no longer protect us. By making Bodhisattva-aspirations, walking the Bodhisattva-path and going among the people, we will speak the Right Dharma, have the right mindset and be on the right path. Then naturally, “heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma.”
Our minds must be oriented toward goodness for the Dharma-wheel to turn. The Buddha comes to this world for the sole purpose of turning the wheel in our minds. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but our minds have been covered by afflictions and ignorance. The Buddha comes to the world for one great cause, for the sole purpose of turning our unenlightened minds back toward our pure intrinsic nature.
Doing this requires the Dharma.When the Buddha first reached enlightenment, He attained the Dharma and was filled with Dharma-joy.The truths of all things in the universe were completely open to Him.He understood such great, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma and was eager to share it with everyone.
However, [He knew] that for people to accept, understand and realize it would not be easy.So, a thought arose in the Buddha’s mind that perhaps it would better to just enter Parinirvana.Since the Dharma was teachings for this world, if humans could not accept the Dharma, what was the point of staying in this world?Perhaps He should enter Parinirvana early.
As soon as this thought arose in His mind, all Brahma Kings and Sovereign Sakras, as well as “the four heavenly kings who guard the world and the king of Great Freedom Heaven,” all these begins, suddenly appeared.
“The other multitudes of heavenly beings,with retinues numbering in the billions, reverently put their palms together and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel.”
With great reverence they invented.Sakyamuni Buddha to remain in his world and turn the Dharma-wheel.This is was the scene.In the sutra passage we are discussing, it includes the phrase, “At that time”.“At that time” refers to a memento after the Buddha attained enlightenment, when He was wondering how to teach the Dharma in this world.
For an instant, He considered entering Parinirvana.The sutras describe that moment as “at that time”.
Many heavenly beings simultaneously appeared.These heavenly beings, Brahma Kings and the others, exist in a realm where they have attained a state of purity in body and mind.
Heavenly kings of the form realm have transcended their desires; their minds are free of desires.In the universe, there are these pure and undefiled Brahma Kings.Sovereign Sakras come from the desire realm.From the desire realm, Sakra Devanam-Indra and the four heavenly kings who guard the world are also supervising those of us who are in this world, in the desire realm.
As for “the king of Great Freedom Heaven,” that is the sixth heaven in the desire realm.
These heavens are immense.They are countless, innumerable.So, this passage in the sutra goes on to talk about “the other multitude of heavenly beings”.The heavenly kings did not come alone; they also brought their heavenly retinues with them when they appeared at the Buddha’s inner place of enlightenment.All these heavenly beings appeared with “retinues numbering in the billions”.All the kings and the billions in their retinues pressed their palms together in reverence and respectfully made this request of the Buddha.
The Buddha said, “They requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel.”This was a very beautiful scene.All of this occurred after the Buddha’s awakening, when all kinds of things [were encompassed by] His expansive mind.
So, the desire, form and formless realms all converged and appeared in the Buddha’s enlightened state of mind.The heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, Sovereigns Sakra’s heaven the Brahma heaven, the Heaven of Great Freedom, these are all part of the heaven realm, not of the human realm.Beiges at the stage above humans are heavenly beings.They also fall into different categories.These heavens are divided into three types, those in the desire, form and formless realms.Those in the defile realm still have a retinue.Those in the form realm do not have any, and the formless realm is a spiritual state.Beyond the formless realm is a very pure state, replete with the principles.
This describes the spiritual state of the Buddha.This state is filled with subtle and detailed principles and boundless and inexhaustible principles.This is the spiritual state of the Buddha.
In the heaven realm, which is one the Six Realms, there are still desires.Humans are a stage below that.The human realm is our world.We can be good or evil.There are good people who create blessings and there are evil people who commit evils.This is because good and evil pull at us in a tug of war. When we are pulled toward evil, we will begin to unceasingly create [evil] karma.
If we cannot maintain purity in our minds, our minds will easily be covered by the afflictions and ignorance of maras. If we are blessed, we can come together with wholesome friends and encourage each other to be of benefit to the world. By slowly accumulating blessings, we will be reborn in heaven. In the human realm, it is possible to attain Buddhahood and practice so that we will be reborn in heaven. But we can also commit evils in the human realm. Tomented by all kinds of suffering, we may do even more evil deeds and multiply our ignorance. Then out of this ignorance, we create more evil. This is how we fall into the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. This also happens in the human realm.
Thus, “karma is good, evil or indeterminate”. We can do good deeds, or if an evil thought arises, we may commit evils. So, the world is a good place for spiritual practice because only by seeing suffering in the world will we recognize our own blessings and thus create more blessings by benefiting others. Only by seeing evil in the world will we be awakened and realize we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. If we are more blessed, we will encounter the Buddha-Dharma, which is very mysterious and profound. This allows us to find the Dharma in our daily living. When the Dharma is in our lives and Bodhisattvas are walking among us, we are indeed very blessed.
In the human realm, we can engage in spiritual practice and gradually draw closer to the Buddha-Dharma so that we can transcend the desire realm to reach the form realm. When we transcend the form and formless realms, we can return to a pure and undefiled state, which is the state of enlightenment.
“Along with all Brahma Kings, all Sovereign Sakras and so on, all kinds of heavenly beings that are part of the multitudes of their retinue invited [the Buddha] to turn the Dharma-wheel. The heavenly retinue numbered in the billions and Brahma heavens numbered in the trillions.”
“One of the Brahma Kings was named Sikhin. He had deep faith in Right Dharma. Every time a Buddha came to the world, he had to be the first to invite the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.”
One of the Brahma Kings in the form realm was a leader by the name of Sikhin. Great Brahma Sikhin was a leader who had deep faith in Right Dharma. This heavenly king had deep faith in Right Dharma and had already purified his body and mind. He no longer had sexual desires and no longer desired material things. Thus, thoughts of greed, anger and ignorance had been completely eliminated from his mind; his body and mind were pure because he had such deep faith in the Dharma. Every time a Buddha appeared in the world, he invited that Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Whenever a Buddha first awakened, Great Brahma Sikhin, this Brahma King, always led the heavenly beings to appear in the mental state of this Buddha after He first attained enlightenment to respectfully invite the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel in this world.
We always say that thousands of years is such a long time! “Difficult to encounter even in millions of kalpas” describes how rare it is to meet a Buddha knowing this, we can tell how long Brahma Kings in the form realm can live in this pure world. One day in the heavens is 50 years in the human realm. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is 100 years in the human realm and so on. This number grows larger in the higher heavens. This is particularly true in the formless realm. That pure and undefiled state is everlasting, so this king was aware that tens of thousands of years must pass for a Buddha to appear. So, to be able to hear the Buddha-Dharma, we must be truly grateful to these heavenly Dharma-protectors for helping the Buddha to be willing to go among the people. Actually the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood for our sake. He manifested these appearances for us. Thus, inevitably, His state of mind was very broad and expansive. In His mind, He came up with this kind of plan. So, all this was a description of His state of mind upon attaining enlightenment. “[They] reverently put their palms together, and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel”. All these heavenly beings, including Brahma Kings, were very reverent when they came to this place and pressed their left and right hands together. They placed their fingers against each other to demonstrate that their minds were unified. This was also a way to pay respect. Pressing our ten fingers together symbolizes how we gather our discursive thoughts together so our minds can be focused.Paying respect in this way is a way to express our utmost reverence. So, Chinese people cup one hand in the other before their chest to show respect
Confucius said that making this gesture is a way to pay respect. But in India, they press their palms together in respect. So, we put our palms together in accordance with Buddhist traditions. In India, putting palms together is respectful and demonstrates wholehearted reverence.
[They] reverently put their palms together, and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel: They pressed their left and right palms and fingers together to demonstrate their wholehearted respect.
Chinese people cup one hand in the other before their chest to show respect. Indian people put their palms together in respect. Turning the Dharma-wheel is an analogy for giving teachings. Using one thing to refer to another is using the simple to teach something profound. Turning the wheel of Dharma in His mind can transform the minds of others, just like turning the wheel of a cart.
They invited the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel through analogies and many kinds of methods.The Buddhas of the past did the same. For ordinary people to completely understand the spiritual state of the Buddha is impossible. So, the Brahma King invited the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Past Buddhas taught the Dharma with analogies and other verbal teachings. An analogy can describe to us what is round. What does roundness look like? Something round is like this; this is round. What are the different degrees of roundness?Look at the moon; that is something that is round. This means that we are using an object to illustrate a principle. This is what we consider an analogy. Simple things that we understand are used as analogies for profound Dharma, so we that can take the Dharma to heart, so that we can understand. By turning the wheel of Dharma in His mind He can transform the minds of others. The enlightened mind of the Buddha is what He, over time and bit by bit, mindfully tried to deliver to ordinary people. This is “transforming the minds of others.”
He turned the Dharma-wheel in His mind to deliver the Dharma into ours. To do this, He used analogies to turn the Dharma-wheel, so this is an analogy to a cart’s wheel. What do we mean by “turn”? Think about wheels. As the wheels turn, the cart will move forward. The underlying principle is the same. If the wheels in our minds are not turning, we cannot diligently advance. If [the wheels of]. Right Dharma are not turned, we will never be able to eliminate our ignorance.
So, we must practice according to His teachings. Look at the heavens. When this Buddha appears in the world, all being, from the Brahman Heaven in the form realm to the heavens n the desire realm, more heavenly beings than can be counted, all appeared to Sakyamuni to comfort him. They reassured Him that past Buddhas used the same methods in transforming the minds of sentient beings.
So, since we can heart His teachings today, we must be grateful to the Buddha for coming to this world for one great cause and attaining Buddhahood in His inner place of enlightenment. We must be even more grateful for what the Buddha described as heavenly beings manifesting in His mind so that He decided to stay in the world to turn the Dharma-wheel. We must always be grateful.
We can never fully express our gratitude, so we must turn the Dharma-wheel with firm resolve. Then heavenly Dharma-protectors will be with us. We must constantly be vigilant of ourselves, remain disciplined and reverent, and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
（法華經•方便品第二）
⊙「法入心弘誓願，菩薩道入人群，天人眾護大法，心向善法輪轉。」
⊙「爾時諸梵王，及諸天帝釋，護世四天王，及大自在天；並餘諸天眾、眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」《法華經方便品第二》
⊙從諸梵天王，及諸天帝釋等，凡屬天部之種類。諸梵天眾眷屬請轉法輪。諸天眷屬百千萬，則有百億梵天。稱為梵天王，名曰尸棄，深信正法，每逢佛出世，必最初來請轉法輪。
⊙恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪：左右掌指合十，以表吾心專一之敬禮法。華人以拱手為敬，印度以合掌為敬。轉法輪者，譬喻說教法。託此比彼，寄淺訓深。轉自心之法，轉度他之心，恰如轉車輪。
【證嚴上人開示】
「法入心弘誓願，菩薩道入人群，天人眾護大法，心向善法輪轉。」
法入心弘誓願
菩薩道入人群
天人眾護大法
心向善法輪轉
我們人人學佛必定要法入心，不只是法要入心，我們還要發弘誓願。將這個法了解之後，了解法很好，能夠去除煩惱、能夠引導人人入善道、正確的方向，我們自己得到法，我們懂得這樣走，我們應該還要發心立願，將佛的教法，再度化給他人，鼓勵人人與我們，一起走入佛陀正法，去除煩惱，轉惡為善。
人人要發這念心，要度眾生、斷煩惱、學佛法、誓成佛。這是我們學佛，人人應該要有的這個弘誓願。我們要立這分的大願，我們要將這個佛法弘揚出去，這才是真正法入心。
不只是獨善其身，自修自得，一定是要入人群去。我們若入人群中，將我們所修、所得、所行為，作為人的典範來引導人，這叫做度眾生。度眾生必定要入人群，入人群一定是弘誓願的菩薩，所以說菩薩道是入人群。
我們若有這念心，自然「天人眾護大法」，天人一定是擁護大法。我們修行，必定最起碼就要修五戒，在家學佛的弟子就要修五戒，若沒有這五戒，就不算是佛的弟子。這是佛弟子中最基礎的，應該要守、要持的法。
所以，五戒，大家都知道了，戒殺、盜、淫（在家居士不邪淫）、妄、酒。守得好一戒有五位護法神，五戒就二十五位的護法神，那就要你將心守得好。心若守好，自然就行為就能夠守持得很好。
戒是防非止惡，心若有戒，我們的身行就防止了，這個行的惡，所以行若善，自然就有護法神。而你的心念，若是不清淨，一戒受污染，就五位護法神退掉了；二個心戒污染，就十位護法神退掉；五戒的心若全都淡忘了，退掉了這個道心，自然二十五位護法神就遠離你，就不會再來擁護你了。何況我們發菩薩心，行菩薩道，入人群中，當然所說的正法，我們的心正、道正，自然「天人眾護大法」。
我們的心要向善，法輪才會轉。佛陀來人間，無非就是要轉眾生的心輪。人人本具佛性，卻是人人的心，受到煩惱無明覆蔽，佛陀一大事因緣來人間，無不都是為了我們，轉我們的凡夫心，回歸清淨的本性，這就要用法。
佛陀初覺那個時候，他對這個法，得到法，法喜充滿，宇宙大地一切一切的道理完全開啟了。了解了這麼大、這麼深、這麼微、這麼妙的法，很急著要如何與大家分享，不過，看，好像能接受到、了解、體會，不是那麼容易。所以，有一心念浮現在佛的心——不如提早入涅槃；這個法既然對人間，人間無法接受，這樣留在人間有什麼用呢？不如早入涅槃。
這個念頭一起，很多的「諸梵王，及諸天帝釋，護世四天王，及大自在天」，這個時候全都湧現出來。「並餘諸天眾、眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」
爾時諸梵王
及諸天帝釋
護世四天王
及大自在天
並餘諸天眾
眷屬百千萬
恭敬合掌禮
請我轉法輪
《法華經方便品第二》
就用很虔誠的心來請，恭請釋迦佛要住世，請佛住世、要轉法輪。是那個境界。所以我們現在這段(經)文，上面所所說的，那就是「爾時」，「爾時」，就是佛陀心靈境界現前，覺悟之後，那一念間要如何對人間說法，有一個剎那間的心，想要取入滅，所以那個時候叫做「爾時」。同時很多天人湧現，那個時候。
所以那些天人、梵天王，就是身心清淨的天界。色界天王已經離開了欲，心無欲念，這在宇宙間有這樣，這麼清淨無染的梵天王。以及天帝釋，那就是在欲界，欲界釋提桓因。護世四天王，那就是在監督我們，人間欲界之中，「及大自在天」，就是在欲界的第六天。這樣這個境界是多麼浩大啊！很多，無量數。
所以這段經文說，「並餘諸天眾」。不只是那些天王，天王又帶著他們的所屬的天眾，全部湧現在佛陀他初覺悟的那個心靈道場，完全浮現出來。諸天，同時「眷屬百千萬」，諸天王以及他們的眷屬百千萬，在這當中合掌，恭敬合掌來請佛。佛陀自稱「請我轉法輪」。這個境界很美的境界，這全都在佛陀那個覺悟之後，森羅萬象，心境的遼闊，將欲界、色界、無色界全部會合在浮現在他覺悟的心靈世界裡。
從四天王天、帝釋天，或者是梵天、自在天，這都是屬於天部。不是在人類，人類之上，天歸屬於天的部份，種種的類別。所以天也有分在欲界的，也有分在色界、無色界。
欲界、就是還有眷屬等等，到了色界也有眷屬，無色界，那是心靈的世界。超越無色界就是，非常的清淨，道理很具足，這就是形容佛陀心靈的境界，充滿了很充足、微細的道理、浩瀚無窮的道理，都是在佛陀的心靈世界。
在這個六道中的天界，就是還有欲。再接下來就是人類了，人類就是我們的世界。人類就是善惡，有善的人，善的人就造福，有惡的人，就是造惡。就是因為善惡交加，這樣互相在拉拔，這種被惡的拉過去，那就開始一直造業。這種心魔，人人的心若不能清淨，很容易就受心魔煩惱、無明所覆蓋。我們若是有福，能夠善友聚會，互相勉勵、互相有益人間，這樣慢慢不斷積福就生是天堂。
這就是在人間，能夠成佛、能夠生天，卻是在人間也會造惡，人間受盡折磨；再更惡的，再複製無明，無明再複製惡，他就是(墮)地獄、餓鬼、畜生，這也是在人間。所以稱為「善惡無記」，你也會去造善，你一念惡生，你也會去造惡。所以人間好修行，因為我們能夠看到人間苦，我們才懂得知福，我們才會去造福；我們看到人間惡，我們才會自己覺醒，才會好好修行。
更有福的，我們遇到佛法，很深奧的佛法，讓我們在日常生活，生活中有法，佛法在我們的生活中，菩薩在我們的人間中，這就是我們最有福之人。在人間我們可以修行，我們能夠慢慢接近佛法，能夠超越欲界到色界，超越色界、無色界，能夠回歸清淨、無染、無穢、無染著，這樣就是覺悟的世界。
從諸梵天王
及諸天帝釋等
凡屬天部之種類
諸梵天眾眷屬
請轉法輪
諸天眷屬百千萬
則有百億梵天
稱為梵天王
名曰尸棄
深信正法
每逢佛出世
必最初來
請轉法輪
在這個色界梵天王，其中的領導者，名叫做「尸棄」。這位尸棄大梵就是領導者，那就是深信正法，這位天王，他是深信正法，他已經身心清淨，沒有淫欲的心念，沒有物欲的心念，所以貪、瞋、癡一切全都去除了，是身心清淨，因為他是深信佛法。每一次若是有佛出現人間，他一定就是來請佛轉法輪。佛初覺，最初證覺那個時候，尸棄大梵，梵天王一定會，率領著所有的天眾，就會出現在初證覺，這尊佛的心靈世界，來恭請這尊佛，一定要在人間轉法輪。
我們常常說要幾千年，多久啊，「百千萬劫難遭遇」，才能夠遇到一尊佛。若如此，我們就知道色界梵天王，清淨的世界，他的時間有多長。四天王天的一天，是我們(人間)的五十年；忉利天的一天，是我們(人間)的一百年。又不斷上去，愈來愈長的時間，何況一直到超越無色界，這是永恆，就是清淨無染的世界。所以他能夠看我們世間，幾萬年才能夠有一尊佛出世。
所以，我們能夠聽到佛法，真的也要很感恩諸天護法，能讓佛陀願意走入人群來。其實，佛陀他修行，也為人類來修行，成道，也為人類來成道，這是一種現相，所以難免他的內心世界，有這麼開闊，內心世界，同樣有這個動念的計畫，所以這全都是，佛陀初成佛的心念世界。
「恭敬合掌禮，請佛轉法輪」。這麼多的天人，包括梵天，一直所有的天人在這個地方，都是很虔誠，左右掌合十，十根手指頭要合攏來，合為一，所以這表示我們大家的心，專一、禮敬的方法，我們將這個雜念，十根手指頭，雜念心將之合起來會合，這表示雜念歸一，這樣的恭敬來禮敬，這就是法，表示最虔誠的法。所以我們華人說拱手為敬，孔夫子都說這(拱手)，這就是表示敬禮、敬禮，但是印度他是合十為敬，所以我們的合十，是依照佛法傳下來，在印度合十為敬，就是表示虔誠一念的恭敬。
恭敬合掌禮
請我轉法輪：
左右掌指合十
以表吾心
專一之敬禮法
華人以拱手為敬
印度以合掌為敬
轉法輪者
譬喻說教法
託此比彼
寄淺訓深
轉自心之法
轉度他之心
恰如轉車輪
所以請佛來轉法輪，譬喻，用種種的方法，因為過去的佛也是這樣。既然凡夫要將佛陀心靈的境界，全都接受，這是不可能。所以諸梵天請佛轉法輪。過去的佛有這樣譬喻、言說來教法。這個譬喻，告訴你們是圓的，圓的是什麼樣？什麼叫做圓的？圓的就是這樣，這樣叫做圓。這樣的圓，到底圓到什麼程度？你看月亮，那個就是叫做圓的。意思就是說，給用這個東西來表達這個道理，這叫做譬喻。用這個淺淺的，讓你了解的東西，來譬喻很深的法，能夠入你的心，能夠讓你了解。這樣轉自心的法，轉度到他心去。
佛陀他覺悟的心，他這樣分分秒秒、點點滴滴都是用心，將他的心得要轉給凡夫，這樣叫做「轉度他之心」，轉自心的法來度到我們的心來，這叫做用譬喻來轉法輪。所以，譬喻這個車輪，什麼叫做「轉」？就像輪子，輪子這樣在轉，車子就會向前走。同樣的道理，我們的心輪若不轉，我們無法精進，正法若不轉，無明永遠就撥不開，所以我們要依教奉行。
看看諸天，一尊佛出世，諸天，從梵天色界天，一直到欲天界，這樣所有無法去算數的天人，這樣出現道場，來安慰釋迦文。讓釋迦佛能夠知道，過去的諸佛也是這樣，就是用這種的法度入眾生的心。所以，我們今天有法可聽，真的感恩佛陀為一大事來人間，修行成佛；在那個心靈的道場中，更加感恩佛陀來描述諸天的道場現在他的心，所以他下決定來度人間轉法輪。我們要時時感恩！
感恩的話說不盡，我們就要堅定的心來轉法輪。這樣諸天護法在我們的身邊，我們更要時時自我警惕，戒慎虔誠。多用心啊！
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Dharma-Protectors Request Teachings (諸天護法請轉法輪)
Date: November. 05. 2014
“Take the Dharma to heart and make the Great Vows. Practice the Bodhisattva-path among the people, then heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma. When minds are oriented toward goodness, the Dharma-wheel will turn.”
As we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must take the Dharma to heart. Not only must we take the Dharma to heart, we must also make the Great Vows. First we must understand the Dharma. It is good to understand the Dharma because it will help us to eliminate afflictions and guide everyone onto the path toward goodness, so they head in the right direction. When we ourselves attain the Dharma, we know which path to take. Then we must aspire and vow to pass the Buddha’s teachings on to others and encourage them to join us in practicing the Right Dharma of the Buddha, eliminating afflictions and turning evil into goodness. We must all form this aspiration to transform sentient beings, eliminate afflictions, learn the Buddha-Dharma and attain Buddhahood. When we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must all make these Great Vows. Making vows to spread the Buddha-Dharma far and wide shows that we have truly taken the Dharma to heart.
We do not engage in spiritual practice only for our own benefit or liberation; we must go among the people. As we interact with people, our cultivation, attainment and behavior serve as examples that can guide others. This is how we transform sentient beings. To transform sentient beings we must go among them. Those who do this must be Bodhisattvas who have made the Great Vows.
On the Bodhisattva-path, we must work with others. If we have this intention, then naturally “heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma.” Heavenly beings will protect this Dharma. Every spiritual practitioner must, at the very least, abide by the Five Precepts. The lay disciples who study the Buddha’s teachings must uphold the Five Precepts. Those who do not uphold the Five Precepts cannot be considered the Buddha’s disciples. This is the most fundamental teaching that the disciples must uphold and practice. Everyone knows the Five Precepts, no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying or drinking alcohol. Upholding one precept brings us five Dharma-protectors. Upholding five precepts brings us 25 Dharma-protectors. They help us to guard our minds. If we can guard our minds, naturally we can maintain good behavior.
Precepts guard against wrongdoings and stop evils. When the precepts are on our minds, we can prevent and stop our bodies from committing unwholesome actions. If our actions are wholesome, there will be Dharma-protectors around us. If our minds are not pure and we violate one of the precepts, five Dharma-protectors will withdraw. If we violate two precepts, ten Dharma-protectors will leave. If our resolve weakens and we lose our spiritual aspirations, the 25 Dharma-protectors will automatically leave and no longer protect us. By making Bodhisattva-aspirations, walking the Bodhisattva-path and going among the people, we will speak the Right Dharma, have the right mindset and be on the right path. Then naturally, “heavenly beings will protect the Great Dharma.”
Our minds must be oriented toward goodness for the Dharma-wheel to turn. The Buddha comes to this world for the sole purpose of turning the wheel in our minds. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but our minds have been covered by afflictions and ignorance. The Buddha comes to the world for one great cause, for the sole purpose of turning our unenlightened minds back toward our pure intrinsic nature.
Doing this requires the Dharma.When the Buddha first reached enlightenment, He attained the Dharma and was filled with Dharma-joy.The truths of all things in the universe were completely open to Him.He understood such great, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma and was eager to share it with everyone.
However, [He knew] that for people to accept, understand and realize it would not be easy.So, a thought arose in the Buddha’s mind that perhaps it would better to just enter Parinirvana.Since the Dharma was teachings for this world, if humans could not accept the Dharma, what was the point of staying in this world?Perhaps He should enter Parinirvana early.
As soon as this thought arose in His mind, all Brahma Kings and Sovereign Sakras, as well as “the four heavenly kings who guard the world and the king of Great Freedom Heaven,” all these begins, suddenly appeared.
“The other multitudes of heavenly beings,with retinues numbering in the billions, reverently put their palms together and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel.”
With great reverence they invented.Sakyamuni Buddha to remain in his world and turn the Dharma-wheel.This is was the scene.In the sutra passage we are discussing, it includes the phrase, “At that time”.“At that time” refers to a memento after the Buddha attained enlightenment, when He was wondering how to teach the Dharma in this world.
For an instant, He considered entering Parinirvana.The sutras describe that moment as “at that time”.
Many heavenly beings simultaneously appeared.These heavenly beings, Brahma Kings and the others, exist in a realm where they have attained a state of purity in body and mind.
Heavenly kings of the form realm have transcended their desires; their minds are free of desires.In the universe, there are these pure and undefiled Brahma Kings.Sovereign Sakras come from the desire realm.From the desire realm, Sakra Devanam-Indra and the four heavenly kings who guard the world are also supervising those of us who are in this world, in the desire realm.
As for “the king of Great Freedom Heaven,” that is the sixth heaven in the desire realm.
These heavens are immense.They are countless, innumerable.So, this passage in the sutra goes on to talk about “the other multitude of heavenly beings”.The heavenly kings did not come alone; they also brought their heavenly retinues with them when they appeared at the Buddha’s inner place of enlightenment.All these heavenly beings appeared with “retinues numbering in the billions”.All the kings and the billions in their retinues pressed their palms together in reverence and respectfully made this request of the Buddha.
The Buddha said, “They requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel.”This was a very beautiful scene.All of this occurred after the Buddha’s awakening, when all kinds of things [were encompassed by] His expansive mind.
So, the desire, form and formless realms all converged and appeared in the Buddha’s enlightened state of mind.The heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, Sovereigns Sakra’s heaven the Brahma heaven, the Heaven of Great Freedom, these are all part of the heaven realm, not of the human realm.Beiges at the stage above humans are heavenly beings.They also fall into different categories.These heavens are divided into three types, those in the desire, form and formless realms.Those in the defile realm still have a retinue.Those in the form realm do not have any, and the formless realm is a spiritual state.Beyond the formless realm is a very pure state, replete with the principles.
This describes the spiritual state of the Buddha.This state is filled with subtle and detailed principles and boundless and inexhaustible principles.This is the spiritual state of the Buddha.
In the heaven realm, which is one the Six Realms, there are still desires.Humans are a stage below that.The human realm is our world.We can be good or evil.There are good people who create blessings and there are evil people who commit evils.This is because good and evil pull at us in a tug of war. When we are pulled toward evil, we will begin to unceasingly create [evil] karma.
If we cannot maintain purity in our minds, our minds will easily be covered by the afflictions and ignorance of maras. If we are blessed, we can come together with wholesome friends and encourage each other to be of benefit to the world. By slowly accumulating blessings, we will be reborn in heaven. In the human realm, it is possible to attain Buddhahood and practice so that we will be reborn in heaven. But we can also commit evils in the human realm. Tomented by all kinds of suffering, we may do even more evil deeds and multiply our ignorance. Then out of this ignorance, we create more evil. This is how we fall into the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. This also happens in the human realm.
Thus, “karma is good, evil or indeterminate”. We can do good deeds, or if an evil thought arises, we may commit evils. So, the world is a good place for spiritual practice because only by seeing suffering in the world will we recognize our own blessings and thus create more blessings by benefiting others. Only by seeing evil in the world will we be awakened and realize we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. If we are more blessed, we will encounter the Buddha-Dharma, which is very mysterious and profound. This allows us to find the Dharma in our daily living. When the Dharma is in our lives and Bodhisattvas are walking among us, we are indeed very blessed.
In the human realm, we can engage in spiritual practice and gradually draw closer to the Buddha-Dharma so that we can transcend the desire realm to reach the form realm. When we transcend the form and formless realms, we can return to a pure and undefiled state, which is the state of enlightenment.
“Along with all Brahma Kings, all Sovereign Sakras and so on, all kinds of heavenly beings that are part of the multitudes of their retinue invited [the Buddha] to turn the Dharma-wheel. The heavenly retinue numbered in the billions and Brahma heavens numbered in the trillions.”
“One of the Brahma Kings was named Sikhin. He had deep faith in Right Dharma. Every time a Buddha came to the world, he had to be the first to invite the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.”
One of the Brahma Kings in the form realm was a leader by the name of Sikhin. Great Brahma Sikhin was a leader who had deep faith in Right Dharma. This heavenly king had deep faith in Right Dharma and had already purified his body and mind. He no longer had sexual desires and no longer desired material things. Thus, thoughts of greed, anger and ignorance had been completely eliminated from his mind; his body and mind were pure because he had such deep faith in the Dharma. Every time a Buddha appeared in the world, he invited that Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Whenever a Buddha first awakened, Great Brahma Sikhin, this Brahma King, always led the heavenly beings to appear in the mental state of this Buddha after He first attained enlightenment to respectfully invite the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel in this world.
We always say that thousands of years is such a long time! “Difficult to encounter even in millions of kalpas” describes how rare it is to meet a Buddha knowing this, we can tell how long Brahma Kings in the form realm can live in this pure world. One day in the heavens is 50 years in the human realm. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is 100 years in the human realm and so on. This number grows larger in the higher heavens. This is particularly true in the formless realm. That pure and undefiled state is everlasting, so this king was aware that tens of thousands of years must pass for a Buddha to appear. So, to be able to hear the Buddha-Dharma, we must be truly grateful to these heavenly Dharma-protectors for helping the Buddha to be willing to go among the people. Actually the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood for our sake. He manifested these appearances for us. Thus, inevitably, His state of mind was very broad and expansive. In His mind, He came up with this kind of plan. So, all this was a description of His state of mind upon attaining enlightenment. “[They] reverently put their palms together, and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel”. All these heavenly beings, including Brahma Kings, were very reverent when they came to this place and pressed their left and right hands together. They placed their fingers against each other to demonstrate that their minds were unified. This was also a way to pay respect. Pressing our ten fingers together symbolizes how we gather our discursive thoughts together so our minds can be focused.Paying respect in this way is a way to express our utmost reverence. So, Chinese people cup one hand in the other before their chest to show respect
Confucius said that making this gesture is a way to pay respect. But in India, they press their palms together in respect. So, we put our palms together in accordance with Buddhist traditions. In India, putting palms together is respectful and demonstrates wholehearted reverence.
[They] reverently put their palms together, and requested that I turn the Dharma-wheel: They pressed their left and right palms and fingers together to demonstrate their wholehearted respect.
Chinese people cup one hand in the other before their chest to show respect. Indian people put their palms together in respect. Turning the Dharma-wheel is an analogy for giving teachings. Using one thing to refer to another is using the simple to teach something profound. Turning the wheel of Dharma in His mind can transform the minds of others, just like turning the wheel of a cart.
They invited the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel through analogies and many kinds of methods.The Buddhas of the past did the same. For ordinary people to completely understand the spiritual state of the Buddha is impossible. So, the Brahma King invited the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Past Buddhas taught the Dharma with analogies and other verbal teachings. An analogy can describe to us what is round. What does roundness look like? Something round is like this; this is round. What are the different degrees of roundness?Look at the moon; that is something that is round. This means that we are using an object to illustrate a principle. This is what we consider an analogy. Simple things that we understand are used as analogies for profound Dharma, so we that can take the Dharma to heart, so that we can understand. By turning the wheel of Dharma in His mind He can transform the minds of others. The enlightened mind of the Buddha is what He, over time and bit by bit, mindfully tried to deliver to ordinary people. This is “transforming the minds of others.”
He turned the Dharma-wheel in His mind to deliver the Dharma into ours. To do this, He used analogies to turn the Dharma-wheel, so this is an analogy to a cart’s wheel. What do we mean by “turn”? Think about wheels. As the wheels turn, the cart will move forward. The underlying principle is the same. If the wheels in our minds are not turning, we cannot diligently advance. If [the wheels of]. Right Dharma are not turned, we will never be able to eliminate our ignorance.
So, we must practice according to His teachings. Look at the heavens. When this Buddha appears in the world, all being, from the Brahman Heaven in the form realm to the heavens n the desire realm, more heavenly beings than can be counted, all appeared to Sakyamuni to comfort him. They reassured Him that past Buddhas used the same methods in transforming the minds of sentient beings.
So, since we can heart His teachings today, we must be grateful to the Buddha for coming to this world for one great cause and attaining Buddhahood in His inner place of enlightenment. We must be even more grateful for what the Buddha described as heavenly beings manifesting in His mind so that He decided to stay in the world to turn the Dharma-wheel. We must always be grateful.
We can never fully express our gratitude, so we must turn the Dharma-wheel with firm resolve. Then heavenly Dharma-protectors will be with us. We must constantly be vigilant of ourselves, remain disciplined and reverent, and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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