20150115《靜思妙蓮華》秉慈運慧斷諸疑網(第480集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「秉慈運慧施教誨，啟智用悲拔眾苦，譬喻言說種種法，心安善解寬包容。」
⊙「初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑，將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「佛以種種緣，譬喻巧言說，其心安如海，我聞疑網斷。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙佛慧運慈以種種緣，譬喻巧言說。今知佛昔日應機巧說，為實施權，權即實，故心安斷疑慮。
⊙如今疑網斷除，方得其心安如海寬廣。舍利弗自述：在於疑網斷除後，心始安然，如靜海之澄湛無波。
⊙疑惑交絡譬如網。《法華經》方便品曰：無漏諸羅漢，及求涅槃者，今皆墮疑網。
【證嚴上人開示】
「秉慈運慧施教誨，啟智用悲拔眾苦，譬喻言說種種法，心安善解寬包容。」
秉慈運慧施教誨
啟智用悲拔眾苦
譬喻言說種種法
心安善解寬包容
真正的慈悲就是眾生平等。佛陀疼惜眾生如羅睺羅一樣，那種平等心，用父母心來看待每一個人，這也叫做「無緣大慈」。希望這個人永遠都是平安、幸福，這不就是父母心嗎？
慈濟教師聯誼會，給他們一首歌，那就是用智慧來看自己的子女，用慈悲來看天下的眾生；將學生當作子女，將子女當作像一般人，若這樣心就會平衡了。看學生就像在看我們的子女，盼望我們的子女能幸福、盼望我們的子女能成功，這就是最好的老師。希望學生都全能成功、平安、快樂、幸福，就像自己的子女一樣，這叫做「良師」，很好的老師。
還要用智慧，若要能慈悲，心很開闊、能包容，就是要有「慧」，慧，才能對眾生平等。但是要如何能對天下眾生，能將他的苦難拔除？那就需要「智」。智，就是分別智。到底這個人的苦，苦在哪裡呢？他有錢、他有名、他有權、他有利，為什麼，他怎麼會苦惱那麼多？
過去有一位在世界，他企業做得很好，連鎖的企業，已經好幾個國家，都有他的企業，做得很大。有時候，一年來幾次，有的時候若來了，就有人會告訴我：「師父，開導他一下。最近他的心有綁住，不快樂。」知道他的心不快樂，到底為什麼不快樂，不知道。我就問：「某某居士，你為什麼看來眉頭深鎖？有什麼煩惱嗎？」「唉！」嘆口大氣生意，他就說：「沒有什麼煩惱，只是覺得我的兒子，已經將近三十(歲)了，怎麼還找不到對象呢？」
又經過一段時間，再來時，就告訴我：「師父，怎麼辦？對方是不錯，兒子也中意，不過我有點擔心。」「既然現在這個對方，你已經有中意，算不錯，兒子也歡喜了，你還擔心什麼呢？」他說：「宗教和我不同。」「唉呀，宗教，各人信仰，各人自由，只要她能入我們的家教就好了。女孩子乖嗎？」「看起來是很乖。」「這樣不就好了。」她就說，太太就說：「我覺得兒子說好就行了，信教是他們的事。」他就說：「不行！這要入我們的家教，而入我們的家教，宗教若不同，以後誰要祭拜我們？」
我就說：「唉呀！人生最重要的是這個時候，到底什麼樣的宗教，都是一樣，只要宗教是有愛、有善、有疼人的心，這就是和我們總歸來，叫做慈悲大愛。只要有慈悲、有大愛，她難道不會孝順嗎？祭拜，拜得你，人到哪裡去了？不知道！你還在回過頭來說。」後來就對他說個笑話，我說：「說不定你娶進來之後，有朝一日，你若是人生過完時，說不定再回來（投生），是她的孩子。」
他說：「有可能嗎？」我說：「你對這個家愛不愛？」「愛啊，很愛啊！」「你愛這個家，你難道不希望這個家永遠是你的？」「唉！求不到啦。」「對啊，就是求不到，你還要求她為你祭拜嗎？」想一想也對，答應了。開始聽到他們要下聘等等，結果結婚了。
又過了一段時間，又在擔心。「你又在擔心什麼？」他說：「這麼多個月了……。」一直擔心他媳婦會不會生？「你怎麼煩惱這麼多呢？」
所以類似這樣，常常在那幾年的時間，若看到他，都是煩惱。事業都是不用擔心，因為事業做得很好，只是為了兒子和孫子，而煩惱。孫子還沒生，很煩惱。孫子生下來，才知道，孫子生下來，到了一歲多時，好像不太對勁。應該一步多，會站起來，會走路，看起來就白白胖胖的，怎麼還不會站呢？開始又擔心了。
這是一位大企業家，這樣的煩惱。這一段的煩惱、那一段的煩惱，段段的煩惱，他心靈有所趣向，就來坐一坐，但是，這幾年來，就很少看到了。所以，現在想到這一位，就會覺得人生的悲苦，到底什麼才是悲？什麼才是苦？有得吃、有得用，財產是全地球，他的企業，全球不知道有關係企業，不知有多少，卻是擔心這麼多，對他來說很悲苦。有時候，
我去年遇到他的朋友，問：「某某人現在怎麼樣？」「聽說有憂鬱症。」「怎麼會這樣呢？所以這麼久都沒看見他。」「唉，看不開啦！」這就是心結沒打開，這可能就要釋迦佛的時候才有辦法打得開。這全都是要說於一念心，這念心是自己的。
好像有一段這樣的佛教故事。一位老和尚要蓋寺院，請師傅來蓋，同時寺院裡面的僧眾，也下去幫忙做。這位老和尚，看到釘子，一些鐵釘有長、有短，本來是一堆一堆，他將它混在一起，之後就向那些弟子說：「這些釘子，二吋、三吋、一吋的，都要再將它分類分好。」
這些弟子有怨不敢說，在那裡猶豫。這位老和尚看大家沒動作，回過頭來就問他說：「這時候你若不挑，難道你要等到往生時，讓你能夠選時間，到哪裡嗎？」這些弟子恍然大悟：「是啊！趕快，要趕快來挑。」這尺寸二吋、一吋、三吋，趕快將它分類，分整齊。這樣到了將要半夜了，才全部分好。去向他的師父說：「已經全都分好了。」老和尚就說：「要分、不分，是你們的事情，與我無關。」大家的內心覺得：做得這麼累，一句讚歎都沒有，又說做這些事情，是我們的事情。
這位老和尚回過頭來又問他：「誰要你來修行？你為什麼要來修行？」「修行是我自己歡喜來。」「你為什麼要在這裡蓋寺院？」「因為是有一個修行安身的地方。」「安身的道場(蓋)起來了，你為什麼還在這裡？」「因為要修佛、法。」老和尚就說：「佛與法，又沒有壞，何必要你修？」「對啊！佛與法沒有壞，為何要我修呢？」後來其中一位弟子就說：「明白了！是要修自己的心。」
各位，要修自己的心，外面所在做的等等，是給我們一個環境，給我們一個修行的環境而已。所以做、不做，都是我們自己的事；修、不修都是我們的事情，所以善、惡看自己。不過，我們在修行，我們必定要按照軌道來。「秉慈運慧施教誨」，我們就是用慈的心，發揮我們的平等大慧，這樣來教導眾生，這叫做「無緣大慈」。
我們要「啟智用悲拔眾生苦」。因為智就是叫做分別智，我們來分別眾生，你是怎麼樣的苦？你需要什麼法來為你安排，安撫你的心？或者是有形的苦難，或者是無形心的煩惱，這都要用智。所以叫做啟智用悲，「同體大悲」。
有時候會覺得，「求無厭」這樣的人，真的是不可理喻。不過，還是同體大悲，眾生的無明就是這樣，還是要耐心。又來了，就要用心，來分別他、來安撫他。是短時間或是長時間？有結束或沒有結束？不知道，總是看因緣。有緣就把握，拔除他的苦難；缺了因緣，就是苦不完，這也很遺憾。所以，這種「啟智用悲拔眾生苦」，盡我們的心力，因緣來時就要付出。
所以用「譬喻言說種種法」，用種種的譬喻就像那位老和尚，釘子一堆一堆，尺度都分清楚，沒事將它打散，才要人再去分類；分完之後，很辛苦，竟然，說「要分、不分，都是你的事。」像這樣，用種種的方法，總是在工作中，讓弟子在去體悟──無法等到我們人生最後的時候，讓我們有選擇，能選擇的時候，我們就要把握時間好好選擇；這也是一種教育。這種譬喻、言詞、種種的法來教育，希望我們接受的人，我們能心安善解。
修行者時時都要心安，種種的事情我們要善解，我們的心才會寬，才能夠包容一切。一直說，宇宙的大覺者，覺悟了宇宙真理，就是像，心要打開，包容乾坤、太虛；我們的心，太虛有多大，我們的心，要比太虛更大，能夠包容天地萬法。這就是我們修行的目標。
所以舍利弗對能夠成佛，很歡喜、很驚喜，但是對自己還是有一點的懷疑，這是前面那段(經)文，「初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑，將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？」
初聞佛所說
心中大驚疑
將非魔作佛
惱亂我心耶
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這是真實的嗎？我真的能成佛了？不是有魔來擾亂我的心？所以「佛以種種緣」，接下來這(段)經文又再說，「佛以種種緣，譬喻巧言說，其心安如海，我聞疑網斷」。
佛以種種緣
譬喻巧言說
其心安如海
我聞疑網斷
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為眾生就是根機不同，不得不用種種的因緣，不得不用譬喻、權巧來說法。所以佛陀必定要用慧，秉慈、運慧。
才會說佛的心，看眾生像羅睺羅，他自己的兒子一樣。三界如一大宅，長者將這個宅裡，都是自己的孩子，就是像一位慈父，看他的孩子一樣。所以這種佛慧來運慈，用慈悲來看待天下眾生。
佛慧運慈以種種緣
譬喻巧言說
今知佛昔日
應機巧說
為實施權 權即實
故心安斷疑慮
「今知佛昔日應機巧說」，現在舍利弗知道了，「為實施權」，其實「實」就是「權」，為這個實，實法，一乘實法，眾生聽不懂，無法理解，所以必定要為了這個實法，佛陀要施權巧方便。所以，為實施權，權即實，其實方便法，就是妙權來顯實，用種種微妙、權巧方便的法來顯示，實相的道理，所以權即是實，實也是權，全都是妙法。
所以，知道過去佛所說的，也是真實法，現在只是將這個真實法，將它肯定下來，有一個定向。所以，舍利弗就斷疑慮，不必再懷疑了，也不再擔心了，所以因為這樣，心安如海。
如今疑網斷除
方得其心
安如海寬廣
舍利弗自述：
在於疑網斷除後
心始安然
如靜海之澄湛無波
這樣，聽佛所說法，現在疑全都斷除，就像網子網住，一把剪刀就將它剪斷，網子開了，我們就能解脫。所以方得其安，其心安如海。因為沒有被網網住，網開了，天地寬，心寬闊了。
那時候，舍利弗的心，開始才能安下來，如靜海之澄湛無波，已經全都心很安定了。疑惑是一項很辛苦，就像剛才提起這位大企業家，他可以海闊天空，全球到處都有他的企業，應該要很滿足，偏偏為了孩子這樣在擔心，這難道不就是自己織一張羅網，來網住自己嗎？所以說來，疑惑，不知自己的滿足，這種人生，就像網一樣。
疑惑交絡譬如網
《法華經》方便品曰：
無漏諸羅漢
及求涅槃者
今皆墮疑網
《法華經》的<方便品>說「無漏諸羅漢，及求涅槃者，今皆墮疑網」。
《法華經》的前面，我們說很多了，大家來修行，佛陀所說的法，人人都是偏執，所以對真實法，都沒有辦法去體悟，所以只想要獨善其身，只想要求涅槃。只認為我就斷煩惱，這樣我就不必再來六道輪迴。不是，煩惱，你雖然是斷了，但是惑、疑還是存在。
所以這幾天一直告訴大家，我們要雙管齊下，我們要有福與有慧，要平修，智慧、慈悲要平行，人生無常、苦難偏多，我們都知道了，集來人我是非的煩惱，我們都知道了。所以我們入人群中，在人我是非，我們的心有預防。堅固我們的心，還是入人群中，為人群去拔除苦難，自然我們的習氣、煩惱，在人群中，慢慢就會放下了。
這些事、這些人，我都將他平等看待，任何一個人，我們就是同體大悲，任何一個人，我們就是無緣大慈，這樣才是真正菩薩道，接近佛的境界。
所以，我們的心門要開啟，用真實法，修真實行，那就是菩薩道，我們應該入心的真實人間菩薩。所以我們要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Eliminate Doubts with Compassion and Wisdom (秉慈運慧斷諸疑網)
Date: January.15. 2015
“We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings. We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings. With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught. With peace and understanding in our hearts, we can be very accommodating.”
Having true loving-kindness means treating all sentient beings equally. The Buddha cherished all beings the same way He did Rahula, [His only son]. With that sense of impartiality, He saw every person from a parent’s perspective. This is also unconditional loving-kindness. When we hope that someone will live a peaceful and blessed life, don’t we have the heart of a parent?
At the Tzu Chi Teacher’s Association, we share a song with the teachers about treating one’s own children with wisdom and treating all sentient beings with loving-kindness. If they can treat students like their own children and treat their children like any other person, they will have a balanced perspective. Those who treat their students like their children, hoping these children will be blessed and hoping these children will be successful, are the best teachers. Those who hope all their students will be successful, peaceful, happy and blessed as though they are their own children are the good, kind teachers. We must also apply wisdom. To have loving-kindness, to have an open mind and accommodating heart, we must have wisdom.
Only with impartial wisdom can we treat sentient beings equally. But, how do we help sentient beings relieve their suffering? This also requires wisdom, discerning wisdom. Where does this person’s suffering actually come from? He has money, he has fame, he has power, he has wealth. So, why does he experience so much suffering? There was a very successful businessperson who owned a chain enterprise with subsidiaries in several countries. This was a big business. Sometimes, he would visit me several times a year. Whenever he came, people would tell me, “Master, give him a little guidance. Recently he has been feeling trapped, unhappy.”
They knew he was unhappy. [I would ask,] “Why is he unhappy?” “I don’t know.” So, I asked him, “Sir, why do you look so concerned? Do you have many afflictions?” “Ah,” He sighed heavily. Then he said, “I don’t have any worries. It’s just that my son is almost 30 years old. Why isn’t he married yet?” After some time, when he visited again, he said, “Master, what am I to do? My son’s girlfriend is nice, and he likes her, but I’m a little worried.” [I said,] “Since you already like your son’s current girlfriend, and think she’s nice, and he’s happy with her, what are you still worried about?”
He said, “She follows a different religion. When it comes to religion, she is free to choose her own religious beliefs. As long as she follows our family traditions.” “Is the girl well-behaved?” “She is very nice.” [I said,] “That’s good enough.” His wife then said, “As long as our son in happy, it’s fine. Whatever religion they choose is their business.” He said, “No, she has to follow our family traditions. If she is part of our family and her religion is different, who will make offerings to us when we die?” I said, “Ah, this is the most important time in people’s lives. All religious are basically the same, so long as they teach people to be loving, kind and caring. Ultimately that is what we call having compassion and great love. If she is compassionate and has great love, won’t she be filial to you?”
“You want her to make offerings to you after you die, but you do not know where you will end up. You might have already come back to this world.”Then, I joked, “After she marries your son, maybe one day, when you pass away, you may return to this world as her child.”
He said, “Is that possible?”I said, “Do you love your family or not?”“I love my family very much. Since you love this family, don’t you wish to be a part of it forever?”[He said,] “That’s impossible.”
“Indeed, you cannot get what you want, so why do you still want her to make offerings to you?”He agreed with this, so he approved [the marriage].
Then I heard about their engagement and so on, and eventually they got married.After a period of time, he became worried again.
“What are you worried about now?”He said, “Many months have passed…”He worried his daughter-in-law was barren.“How can you have so many afflictions?”He always had afflictions like these.
Often, over those few years, whenever I saw him, he had afflictions.He never had to worry about his business because things were going very well.He only worried about his son and grandson. Before his grandson was born, he was worried.After his grandson was born, by the time he was almost two years old, they realized that something was wrong.
A child who was almost two should be able to stand up and walk.
He looked healthy and chubby, why wasn’t he able to stand up?
Again, he was worried.He was a successful entrepreneur, but with so many afflictions.He worried about this and that; one affliction arose after another.When he wanted to resolve this mental conflict, he would come visit me.
But, in the past few years, I have not seen him much.
So, when I think of him, I feel the sorrows and suffering in life.
Just what is sorrow?What is suffering?He had food, necessities, and his business spanned the globe.In his chain, who knows how many associated businesses he had all over the world?But he worried so much that [his life was full of] sorrow and suffering.
Sometime last year, I met one of his friends, and asked how he was doing.
“I hear that he has depression.”I said, “How can this be? So, this is why I haven’t seen him for so long.”[His friend] said, “Ah, he cannot let things go.”He could not unravel the knots in his mind.
Perhaps only by meeting Sakyamuni Buddha could he untangle those knots.This is all comes down to our thoughts, to what we do with out minds.
There is a Buddhist story about this.An old monk was building a temple, so he asked master carpenters to build it.At the same time, the Sangha in the temple also joined in to help.This old monk saw the nails [for the tiles].Some of the nails were long and some were short.They were originally separated in piles, but he mixed them together and then told his disciples, “These nails, two inches, three inches, one inch, must all be sorted again.”The disciples did not dare show their resentment.They just hesitated.
The old monk saw that no one had moved, so he turned to the and asked, “If you are not sorting them now, are you waiting until your next lifetime, thinking you have a choice in where you end up?”
These disciples had a sudden awakening.“That’s right, we must quickly sort them by size.”“There are two inch, one inch and three inch ones. Let us quickly separate and organize them.”
Finally, the finished just before midnight.They went to their master and said, “We have finished sorting them.”The old monk said, “Whether you sort them or not, that is your business. It has nothing to do with me.”
Everyone felt, “We worked so hard, but he did not have one word of praise for us. Then he said whether we did this or not is our own business.”This old monk then asked them, “Who wanted you to engage in spiritual practice?Why do you engage in spiritual cultivation?”
[They said,] “We do it because we want to. Why do you want to build a temple here?”“To have a safe place to practice.”Then he said, “One this practice center has been built, why will you still be here? ”“Because we want to cultivate Buddha-Dharma.”
The old monk said, “The Buddha and the Dharma are fine; why do you need to cultivate them?”“Indeed! The Buddha and the Dharma are fine, why do we need to cultivate them?”Eventually, one of the disciples said, “I understand now; what we need to cultivate is our minds.”
Everyone, we must cultivate our own minds.Everything we are doing externally just creates an environment for our spiritual cultivation.Whether we do it or not is our own business. Whether we engage in spiritual practice or not is up to us.
So, whether we are good or evil depends on us. But, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must do so according to the path. “We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings”. With loving-kindness, we exercise our impartial great wisdom to teach sentient beings; this is unconditional loving-kindness. “We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings”. Because we have discerning wisdom, we consider the type of suffering sentient beings face and figure out the teachings they need so they can feel comforted. Whether people face tangible suffering or intangible mental afflictions, we need to apply wisdom to deal with them. So, we must awaken wisdom and apply compassion. This is universal compassion.
Sometimes, I think those with “insatiable cravings” are extremely unreasonable. But, we must still have universal compassion. Sentient beings are like this because of ignorance. Therefore, we must be patient. When they come to us, we must carefully discern [their needs] and then comfort them. Who knows how long it will take and whether their issue can be resolved? When conditions are right, we must seize them to help eliminate [their] afflictions. Without the right karmic conditions, their suffering will be endless. This is very regrettable.
Thus, “We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings”. We must do everything in our power to help when the opportunity presents itself. “With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught”. The Buddha taught with various parables, like that of the old monk. The nails were in separate piles, clearly sorted by size. He mixed them up for no reason and then demanded they be sorted again. After the disciples worked hard to sort them again, [he actually said], “Whether you sort them or not is your business”. With these kinds of various methods, the Buddha always helped His disciples to comprehend [principles] through their work.
We cannot wait until our very last breath to choose [to practice]. When we have the opportunity to choose, we must seize the time and choose wisely. This is also a teaching. He used these analogies and expressions, all kinds of various Dharma, to teach us hoping those of us who can accept the Dharma can feel peaceful and be understanding. Practitioners must always have a peaceful mind. We must be understanding of various matters. Only then will our minds be open enough to encompass everything.
I always say the Great Enlightened One of the Universe realized the true principles of the universe. Similarly, we must open up our minds to encompass the macrocosm, the universe. However big the universe is, our minds must be even bigger so we can encompass all things in the universe. This is the goal of our spiritual practice. So, Sariputra was happy and surprised to be able to attain Buddhahood, but he still had the slightest doubts about himself. This was in a previous passage.
“When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great fear and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confused my mind?”
“Is this true? Can I really attain Buddhahood? Is this Mara coming to disturb my mind?’’ So, “the Buddha, by means of various conditions, ’’as this next sutra passage begins, stating,
“the Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful verbal teachings and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”
Because sentient beings’ capabilities varied, He had to teach the Dharma with various causes and conditions, parables and skillful means. So, the Buddha had to apply His wisdom to teach us to exercise loving-kindness and wisdom. This is why we say that in the Buddha’s mind, He saw sentient beings as His only child, Rahula. The Three Realms are like a big house.
The enter who owns it treats everyone in the house like his own children. He looks upon them like a kind father looking upon his children. So, the Buddha exercised loving-kindness with wisdom and treated all sentient beings with compassion.
“With His wisdom, the Buddha taught with various conditions, analogies and skillful verbal teachings. Now [Sariputra] knows that in the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true. Therefore his mind can be at ease and he can eliminate his doubts.”
“In the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities”. At this time, Sariputra understood that the Buddha “taught the provisional for the sake of the true”. Actually, the “provisional” is the “true”. Because the true, the True Dharma, the One Vehicle Dharma, cannot be understood by sentient beings, for the sake of the True Dharma, the Buddha had to give provisional teachings and skillful means. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true.
Actually, skillful means are wondrous provisional teachings that reveal the true. With these various subtle and wondrous, provisional and skillful teachings, He revealed the principles of ultimate reality. So, the provisional is the true, the true is also the provisional. All teachings are wondrous Dharma. So, what the Buddha taught in the past was also True Dharma. Now He was just affirming it as True Dharma that provides a fixed course. Therefore, Sariputra cold eliminate his doubts. He did not need to doubt anymore. He did not need to worry anymore. Thus his mind was a calm as the sea.
“Now that he severed the web of doubts, he attained peace as extensive as the sea. Sarputra himself said, “After savering the web of doubts, my mind began to be at peace, “like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.”
By listening to the Buddha’s teachings, now all his doubts had been eliminated. This is like a web that has been cut apart by scissors. When the web is cut open, we will be free. Then our minds can attain a state of peace, can “be as calm as the sea” because they are no longer trapped by the web. When the web is cut open, the world is open to us. Our minds become expansive.
At that time, Sarputra’s mind became peaceful, “like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.” His mind had already become very calm.
Doubts and delusions can be very painful. Take the businessman I mentioned before; he could have stepped back to see the bigger picture. His business was present all over the world; he could have been very satisfied. Yet he was so worried about child. Wasn’t he weaving a net and ensnaring himself?
So, having doubts and delusions, not being content with what one has, living this kind of life, is like being caught in a web.
In the Lotus Sutra, the Chapter on Skillful Means states, “All Arhats, those without Leaks, and those who seek Nirvana have now fallen into a web of doubts.”
At the beginning of the Lotus Sutra, we spent a lot of time discussing how when people practiced the Buddha’s teachings, they were biased and attached so they could not realize the True Dharma and only sought their own awakening. They only sought Nirvana because they thought that ending afflictions, they would not transmigrate in the Six Realms.
This is not so. Though they may have ended afflictions, delusions and doubts still exist. So, for the past few days I have been telling you that we must do two things at once. We must cultivate both blessings and wisdom at the same time. Compassion and wisdom must be cultivated together.
We know that life is impermanent and full of suffering. We also know that interpersonal conflicts lead us to accumulate afflictions. Therefore, when we go among people Buddha’s teachings we must guard against interpersonal conflicts. We must strengthen our resolve and continue to go among the people to relieve their suffering. Then naturally, we will gradually let go of our habitual tendencies and afflictions.
Whatever we deal with, whomever we meet, whatever we deal with, whomever we meet, we will treat them all the same. To any person, we will show universal compassion. To any person, we will show unconditional loving-kindness. This is the true Bodhisattva-practice that will bring us closer to the state Buddhahood.
So, we must open the door to our hearts. By practicing the True Dharma, we are on the Bodhisattva-path. We must be true Living Bodhisattvas who take [the Dharma] to heart. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「秉慈運慧施教誨，啟智用悲拔眾苦，譬喻言說種種法，心安善解寬包容。」
⊙「初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑，將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「佛以種種緣，譬喻巧言說，其心安如海，我聞疑網斷。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙佛慧運慈以種種緣，譬喻巧言說。今知佛昔日應機巧說，為實施權，權即實，故心安斷疑慮。
⊙如今疑網斷除，方得其心安如海寬廣。舍利弗自述：在於疑網斷除後，心始安然，如靜海之澄湛無波。
⊙疑惑交絡譬如網。《法華經》方便品曰：無漏諸羅漢，及求涅槃者，今皆墮疑網。
【證嚴上人開示】
「秉慈運慧施教誨，啟智用悲拔眾苦，譬喻言說種種法，心安善解寬包容。」
秉慈運慧施教誨
啟智用悲拔眾苦
譬喻言說種種法
心安善解寬包容
真正的慈悲就是眾生平等。佛陀疼惜眾生如羅睺羅一樣，那種平等心，用父母心來看待每一個人，這也叫做「無緣大慈」。希望這個人永遠都是平安、幸福，這不就是父母心嗎？
慈濟教師聯誼會，給他們一首歌，那就是用智慧來看自己的子女，用慈悲來看天下的眾生；將學生當作子女，將子女當作像一般人，若這樣心就會平衡了。看學生就像在看我們的子女，盼望我們的子女能幸福、盼望我們的子女能成功，這就是最好的老師。希望學生都全能成功、平安、快樂、幸福，就像自己的子女一樣，這叫做「良師」，很好的老師。
還要用智慧，若要能慈悲，心很開闊、能包容，就是要有「慧」，慧，才能對眾生平等。但是要如何能對天下眾生，能將他的苦難拔除？那就需要「智」。智，就是分別智。到底這個人的苦，苦在哪裡呢？他有錢、他有名、他有權、他有利，為什麼，他怎麼會苦惱那麼多？
過去有一位在世界，他企業做得很好，連鎖的企業，已經好幾個國家，都有他的企業，做得很大。有時候，一年來幾次，有的時候若來了，就有人會告訴我：「師父，開導他一下。最近他的心有綁住，不快樂。」知道他的心不快樂，到底為什麼不快樂，不知道。我就問：「某某居士，你為什麼看來眉頭深鎖？有什麼煩惱嗎？」「唉！」嘆口大氣生意，他就說：「沒有什麼煩惱，只是覺得我的兒子，已經將近三十(歲)了，怎麼還找不到對象呢？」
又經過一段時間，再來時，就告訴我：「師父，怎麼辦？對方是不錯，兒子也中意，不過我有點擔心。」「既然現在這個對方，你已經有中意，算不錯，兒子也歡喜了，你還擔心什麼呢？」他說：「宗教和我不同。」「唉呀，宗教，各人信仰，各人自由，只要她能入我們的家教就好了。女孩子乖嗎？」「看起來是很乖。」「這樣不就好了。」她就說，太太就說：「我覺得兒子說好就行了，信教是他們的事。」他就說：「不行！這要入我們的家教，而入我們的家教，宗教若不同，以後誰要祭拜我們？」
我就說：「唉呀！人生最重要的是這個時候，到底什麼樣的宗教，都是一樣，只要宗教是有愛、有善、有疼人的心，這就是和我們總歸來，叫做慈悲大愛。只要有慈悲、有大愛，她難道不會孝順嗎？祭拜，拜得你，人到哪裡去了？不知道！你還在回過頭來說。」後來就對他說個笑話，我說：「說不定你娶進來之後，有朝一日，你若是人生過完時，說不定再回來（投生），是她的孩子。」
他說：「有可能嗎？」我說：「你對這個家愛不愛？」「愛啊，很愛啊！」「你愛這個家，你難道不希望這個家永遠是你的？」「唉！求不到啦。」「對啊，就是求不到，你還要求她為你祭拜嗎？」想一想也對，答應了。開始聽到他們要下聘等等，結果結婚了。
又過了一段時間，又在擔心。「你又在擔心什麼？」他說：「這麼多個月了……。」一直擔心他媳婦會不會生？「你怎麼煩惱這麼多呢？」
所以類似這樣，常常在那幾年的時間，若看到他，都是煩惱。事業都是不用擔心，因為事業做得很好，只是為了兒子和孫子，而煩惱。孫子還沒生，很煩惱。孫子生下來，才知道，孫子生下來，到了一歲多時，好像不太對勁。應該一步多，會站起來，會走路，看起來就白白胖胖的，怎麼還不會站呢？開始又擔心了。
這是一位大企業家，這樣的煩惱。這一段的煩惱、那一段的煩惱，段段的煩惱，他心靈有所趣向，就來坐一坐，但是，這幾年來，就很少看到了。所以，現在想到這一位，就會覺得人生的悲苦，到底什麼才是悲？什麼才是苦？有得吃、有得用，財產是全地球，他的企業，全球不知道有關係企業，不知有多少，卻是擔心這麼多，對他來說很悲苦。有時候，
我去年遇到他的朋友，問：「某某人現在怎麼樣？」「聽說有憂鬱症。」「怎麼會這樣呢？所以這麼久都沒看見他。」「唉，看不開啦！」這就是心結沒打開，這可能就要釋迦佛的時候才有辦法打得開。這全都是要說於一念心，這念心是自己的。
好像有一段這樣的佛教故事。一位老和尚要蓋寺院，請師傅來蓋，同時寺院裡面的僧眾，也下去幫忙做。這位老和尚，看到釘子，一些鐵釘有長、有短，本來是一堆一堆，他將它混在一起，之後就向那些弟子說：「這些釘子，二吋、三吋、一吋的，都要再將它分類分好。」
這些弟子有怨不敢說，在那裡猶豫。這位老和尚看大家沒動作，回過頭來就問他說：「這時候你若不挑，難道你要等到往生時，讓你能夠選時間，到哪裡嗎？」這些弟子恍然大悟：「是啊！趕快，要趕快來挑。」這尺寸二吋、一吋、三吋，趕快將它分類，分整齊。這樣到了將要半夜了，才全部分好。去向他的師父說：「已經全都分好了。」老和尚就說：「要分、不分，是你們的事情，與我無關。」大家的內心覺得：做得這麼累，一句讚歎都沒有，又說做這些事情，是我們的事情。
這位老和尚回過頭來又問他：「誰要你來修行？你為什麼要來修行？」「修行是我自己歡喜來。」「你為什麼要在這裡蓋寺院？」「因為是有一個修行安身的地方。」「安身的道場(蓋)起來了，你為什麼還在這裡？」「因為要修佛、法。」老和尚就說：「佛與法，又沒有壞，何必要你修？」「對啊！佛與法沒有壞，為何要我修呢？」後來其中一位弟子就說：「明白了！是要修自己的心。」
各位，要修自己的心，外面所在做的等等，是給我們一個環境，給我們一個修行的環境而已。所以做、不做，都是我們自己的事；修、不修都是我們的事情，所以善、惡看自己。不過，我們在修行，我們必定要按照軌道來。「秉慈運慧施教誨」，我們就是用慈的心，發揮我們的平等大慧，這樣來教導眾生，這叫做「無緣大慈」。
我們要「啟智用悲拔眾生苦」。因為智就是叫做分別智，我們來分別眾生，你是怎麼樣的苦？你需要什麼法來為你安排，安撫你的心？或者是有形的苦難，或者是無形心的煩惱，這都要用智。所以叫做啟智用悲，「同體大悲」。
有時候會覺得，「求無厭」這樣的人，真的是不可理喻。不過，還是同體大悲，眾生的無明就是這樣，還是要耐心。又來了，就要用心，來分別他、來安撫他。是短時間或是長時間？有結束或沒有結束？不知道，總是看因緣。有緣就把握，拔除他的苦難；缺了因緣，就是苦不完，這也很遺憾。所以，這種「啟智用悲拔眾生苦」，盡我們的心力，因緣來時就要付出。
所以用「譬喻言說種種法」，用種種的譬喻就像那位老和尚，釘子一堆一堆，尺度都分清楚，沒事將它打散，才要人再去分類；分完之後，很辛苦，竟然，說「要分、不分，都是你的事。」像這樣，用種種的方法，總是在工作中，讓弟子在去體悟──無法等到我們人生最後的時候，讓我們有選擇，能選擇的時候，我們就要把握時間好好選擇；這也是一種教育。這種譬喻、言詞、種種的法來教育，希望我們接受的人，我們能心安善解。
修行者時時都要心安，種種的事情我們要善解，我們的心才會寬，才能夠包容一切。一直說，宇宙的大覺者，覺悟了宇宙真理，就是像，心要打開，包容乾坤、太虛；我們的心，太虛有多大，我們的心，要比太虛更大，能夠包容天地萬法。這就是我們修行的目標。
所以舍利弗對能夠成佛，很歡喜、很驚喜，但是對自己還是有一點的懷疑，這是前面那段(經)文，「初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑，將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？」
初聞佛所說
心中大驚疑
將非魔作佛
惱亂我心耶
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這是真實的嗎？我真的能成佛了？不是有魔來擾亂我的心？所以「佛以種種緣」，接下來這(段)經文又再說，「佛以種種緣，譬喻巧言說，其心安如海，我聞疑網斷」。
佛以種種緣
譬喻巧言說
其心安如海
我聞疑網斷
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為眾生就是根機不同，不得不用種種的因緣，不得不用譬喻、權巧來說法。所以佛陀必定要用慧，秉慈、運慧。
才會說佛的心，看眾生像羅睺羅，他自己的兒子一樣。三界如一大宅，長者將這個宅裡，都是自己的孩子，就是像一位慈父，看他的孩子一樣。所以這種佛慧來運慈，用慈悲來看待天下眾生。
佛慧運慈以種種緣
譬喻巧言說
今知佛昔日
應機巧說
為實施權 權即實
故心安斷疑慮
「今知佛昔日應機巧說」，現在舍利弗知道了，「為實施權」，其實「實」就是「權」，為這個實，實法，一乘實法，眾生聽不懂，無法理解，所以必定要為了這個實法，佛陀要施權巧方便。所以，為實施權，權即實，其實方便法，就是妙權來顯實，用種種微妙、權巧方便的法來顯示，實相的道理，所以權即是實，實也是權，全都是妙法。
所以，知道過去佛所說的，也是真實法，現在只是將這個真實法，將它肯定下來，有一個定向。所以，舍利弗就斷疑慮，不必再懷疑了，也不再擔心了，所以因為這樣，心安如海。
如今疑網斷除
方得其心
安如海寬廣
舍利弗自述：
在於疑網斷除後
心始安然
如靜海之澄湛無波
這樣，聽佛所說法，現在疑全都斷除，就像網子網住，一把剪刀就將它剪斷，網子開了，我們就能解脫。所以方得其安，其心安如海。因為沒有被網網住，網開了，天地寬，心寬闊了。
那時候，舍利弗的心，開始才能安下來，如靜海之澄湛無波，已經全都心很安定了。疑惑是一項很辛苦，就像剛才提起這位大企業家，他可以海闊天空，全球到處都有他的企業，應該要很滿足，偏偏為了孩子這樣在擔心，這難道不就是自己織一張羅網，來網住自己嗎？所以說來，疑惑，不知自己的滿足，這種人生，就像網一樣。
疑惑交絡譬如網
《法華經》方便品曰：
無漏諸羅漢
及求涅槃者
今皆墮疑網
《法華經》的<方便品>說「無漏諸羅漢，及求涅槃者，今皆墮疑網」。
《法華經》的前面，我們說很多了，大家來修行，佛陀所說的法，人人都是偏執，所以對真實法，都沒有辦法去體悟，所以只想要獨善其身，只想要求涅槃。只認為我就斷煩惱，這樣我就不必再來六道輪迴。不是，煩惱，你雖然是斷了，但是惑、疑還是存在。
所以這幾天一直告訴大家，我們要雙管齊下，我們要有福與有慧，要平修，智慧、慈悲要平行，人生無常、苦難偏多，我們都知道了，集來人我是非的煩惱，我們都知道了。所以我們入人群中，在人我是非，我們的心有預防。堅固我們的心，還是入人群中，為人群去拔除苦難，自然我們的習氣、煩惱，在人群中，慢慢就會放下了。
這些事、這些人，我都將他平等看待，任何一個人，我們就是同體大悲，任何一個人，我們就是無緣大慈，這樣才是真正菩薩道，接近佛的境界。
所以，我們的心門要開啟，用真實法，修真實行，那就是菩薩道，我們應該入心的真實人間菩薩。所以我們要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Eliminate Doubts with Compassion and Wisdom (秉慈運慧斷諸疑網)
Date: January.15. 2015
“We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings. We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings. With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught. With peace and understanding in our hearts, we can be very accommodating.”
Having true loving-kindness means treating all sentient beings equally. The Buddha cherished all beings the same way He did Rahula, [His only son]. With that sense of impartiality, He saw every person from a parent’s perspective. This is also unconditional loving-kindness. When we hope that someone will live a peaceful and blessed life, don’t we have the heart of a parent?
At the Tzu Chi Teacher’s Association, we share a song with the teachers about treating one’s own children with wisdom and treating all sentient beings with loving-kindness. If they can treat students like their own children and treat their children like any other person, they will have a balanced perspective. Those who treat their students like their children, hoping these children will be blessed and hoping these children will be successful, are the best teachers. Those who hope all their students will be successful, peaceful, happy and blessed as though they are their own children are the good, kind teachers. We must also apply wisdom. To have loving-kindness, to have an open mind and accommodating heart, we must have wisdom.
Only with impartial wisdom can we treat sentient beings equally. But, how do we help sentient beings relieve their suffering? This also requires wisdom, discerning wisdom. Where does this person’s suffering actually come from? He has money, he has fame, he has power, he has wealth. So, why does he experience so much suffering? There was a very successful businessperson who owned a chain enterprise with subsidiaries in several countries. This was a big business. Sometimes, he would visit me several times a year. Whenever he came, people would tell me, “Master, give him a little guidance. Recently he has been feeling trapped, unhappy.”
They knew he was unhappy. [I would ask,] “Why is he unhappy?” “I don’t know.” So, I asked him, “Sir, why do you look so concerned? Do you have many afflictions?” “Ah,” He sighed heavily. Then he said, “I don’t have any worries. It’s just that my son is almost 30 years old. Why isn’t he married yet?” After some time, when he visited again, he said, “Master, what am I to do? My son’s girlfriend is nice, and he likes her, but I’m a little worried.” [I said,] “Since you already like your son’s current girlfriend, and think she’s nice, and he’s happy with her, what are you still worried about?”
He said, “She follows a different religion. When it comes to religion, she is free to choose her own religious beliefs. As long as she follows our family traditions.” “Is the girl well-behaved?” “She is very nice.” [I said,] “That’s good enough.” His wife then said, “As long as our son in happy, it’s fine. Whatever religion they choose is their business.” He said, “No, she has to follow our family traditions. If she is part of our family and her religion is different, who will make offerings to us when we die?” I said, “Ah, this is the most important time in people’s lives. All religious are basically the same, so long as they teach people to be loving, kind and caring. Ultimately that is what we call having compassion and great love. If she is compassionate and has great love, won’t she be filial to you?”
“You want her to make offerings to you after you die, but you do not know where you will end up. You might have already come back to this world.”Then, I joked, “After she marries your son, maybe one day, when you pass away, you may return to this world as her child.”
He said, “Is that possible?”I said, “Do you love your family or not?”“I love my family very much. Since you love this family, don’t you wish to be a part of it forever?”[He said,] “That’s impossible.”
“Indeed, you cannot get what you want, so why do you still want her to make offerings to you?”He agreed with this, so he approved [the marriage].
Then I heard about their engagement and so on, and eventually they got married.After a period of time, he became worried again.
“What are you worried about now?”He said, “Many months have passed…”He worried his daughter-in-law was barren.“How can you have so many afflictions?”He always had afflictions like these.
Often, over those few years, whenever I saw him, he had afflictions.He never had to worry about his business because things were going very well.He only worried about his son and grandson. Before his grandson was born, he was worried.After his grandson was born, by the time he was almost two years old, they realized that something was wrong.
A child who was almost two should be able to stand up and walk.
He looked healthy and chubby, why wasn’t he able to stand up?
Again, he was worried.He was a successful entrepreneur, but with so many afflictions.He worried about this and that; one affliction arose after another.When he wanted to resolve this mental conflict, he would come visit me.
But, in the past few years, I have not seen him much.
So, when I think of him, I feel the sorrows and suffering in life.
Just what is sorrow?What is suffering?He had food, necessities, and his business spanned the globe.In his chain, who knows how many associated businesses he had all over the world?But he worried so much that [his life was full of] sorrow and suffering.
Sometime last year, I met one of his friends, and asked how he was doing.
“I hear that he has depression.”I said, “How can this be? So, this is why I haven’t seen him for so long.”[His friend] said, “Ah, he cannot let things go.”He could not unravel the knots in his mind.
Perhaps only by meeting Sakyamuni Buddha could he untangle those knots.This is all comes down to our thoughts, to what we do with out minds.
There is a Buddhist story about this.An old monk was building a temple, so he asked master carpenters to build it.At the same time, the Sangha in the temple also joined in to help.This old monk saw the nails [for the tiles].Some of the nails were long and some were short.They were originally separated in piles, but he mixed them together and then told his disciples, “These nails, two inches, three inches, one inch, must all be sorted again.”The disciples did not dare show their resentment.They just hesitated.
The old monk saw that no one had moved, so he turned to the and asked, “If you are not sorting them now, are you waiting until your next lifetime, thinking you have a choice in where you end up?”
These disciples had a sudden awakening.“That’s right, we must quickly sort them by size.”“There are two inch, one inch and three inch ones. Let us quickly separate and organize them.”
Finally, the finished just before midnight.They went to their master and said, “We have finished sorting them.”The old monk said, “Whether you sort them or not, that is your business. It has nothing to do with me.”
Everyone felt, “We worked so hard, but he did not have one word of praise for us. Then he said whether we did this or not is our own business.”This old monk then asked them, “Who wanted you to engage in spiritual practice?Why do you engage in spiritual cultivation?”
[They said,] “We do it because we want to. Why do you want to build a temple here?”“To have a safe place to practice.”Then he said, “One this practice center has been built, why will you still be here? ”“Because we want to cultivate Buddha-Dharma.”
The old monk said, “The Buddha and the Dharma are fine; why do you need to cultivate them?”“Indeed! The Buddha and the Dharma are fine, why do we need to cultivate them?”Eventually, one of the disciples said, “I understand now; what we need to cultivate is our minds.”
Everyone, we must cultivate our own minds.Everything we are doing externally just creates an environment for our spiritual cultivation.Whether we do it or not is our own business. Whether we engage in spiritual practice or not is up to us.
So, whether we are good or evil depends on us. But, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must do so according to the path. “We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings”. With loving-kindness, we exercise our impartial great wisdom to teach sentient beings; this is unconditional loving-kindness. “We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings”. Because we have discerning wisdom, we consider the type of suffering sentient beings face and figure out the teachings they need so they can feel comforted. Whether people face tangible suffering or intangible mental afflictions, we need to apply wisdom to deal with them. So, we must awaken wisdom and apply compassion. This is universal compassion.
Sometimes, I think those with “insatiable cravings” are extremely unreasonable. But, we must still have universal compassion. Sentient beings are like this because of ignorance. Therefore, we must be patient. When they come to us, we must carefully discern [their needs] and then comfort them. Who knows how long it will take and whether their issue can be resolved? When conditions are right, we must seize them to help eliminate [their] afflictions. Without the right karmic conditions, their suffering will be endless. This is very regrettable.
Thus, “We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings”. We must do everything in our power to help when the opportunity presents itself. “With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught”. The Buddha taught with various parables, like that of the old monk. The nails were in separate piles, clearly sorted by size. He mixed them up for no reason and then demanded they be sorted again. After the disciples worked hard to sort them again, [he actually said], “Whether you sort them or not is your business”. With these kinds of various methods, the Buddha always helped His disciples to comprehend [principles] through their work.
We cannot wait until our very last breath to choose [to practice]. When we have the opportunity to choose, we must seize the time and choose wisely. This is also a teaching. He used these analogies and expressions, all kinds of various Dharma, to teach us hoping those of us who can accept the Dharma can feel peaceful and be understanding. Practitioners must always have a peaceful mind. We must be understanding of various matters. Only then will our minds be open enough to encompass everything.
I always say the Great Enlightened One of the Universe realized the true principles of the universe. Similarly, we must open up our minds to encompass the macrocosm, the universe. However big the universe is, our minds must be even bigger so we can encompass all things in the universe. This is the goal of our spiritual practice. So, Sariputra was happy and surprised to be able to attain Buddhahood, but he still had the slightest doubts about himself. This was in a previous passage.
“When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great fear and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confused my mind?”
“Is this true? Can I really attain Buddhahood? Is this Mara coming to disturb my mind?’’ So, “the Buddha, by means of various conditions, ’’as this next sutra passage begins, stating,
“the Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful verbal teachings and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”
Because sentient beings’ capabilities varied, He had to teach the Dharma with various causes and conditions, parables and skillful means. So, the Buddha had to apply His wisdom to teach us to exercise loving-kindness and wisdom. This is why we say that in the Buddha’s mind, He saw sentient beings as His only child, Rahula. The Three Realms are like a big house.
The enter who owns it treats everyone in the house like his own children. He looks upon them like a kind father looking upon his children. So, the Buddha exercised loving-kindness with wisdom and treated all sentient beings with compassion.
“With His wisdom, the Buddha taught with various conditions, analogies and skillful verbal teachings. Now [Sariputra] knows that in the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true. Therefore his mind can be at ease and he can eliminate his doubts.”
“In the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities”. At this time, Sariputra understood that the Buddha “taught the provisional for the sake of the true”. Actually, the “provisional” is the “true”. Because the true, the True Dharma, the One Vehicle Dharma, cannot be understood by sentient beings, for the sake of the True Dharma, the Buddha had to give provisional teachings and skillful means. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true.
Actually, skillful means are wondrous provisional teachings that reveal the true. With these various subtle and wondrous, provisional and skillful teachings, He revealed the principles of ultimate reality. So, the provisional is the true, the true is also the provisional. All teachings are wondrous Dharma. So, what the Buddha taught in the past was also True Dharma. Now He was just affirming it as True Dharma that provides a fixed course. Therefore, Sariputra cold eliminate his doubts. He did not need to doubt anymore. He did not need to worry anymore. Thus his mind was a calm as the sea.
“Now that he severed the web of doubts, he attained peace as extensive as the sea. Sarputra himself said, “After savering the web of doubts, my mind began to be at peace, “like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.”
By listening to the Buddha’s teachings, now all his doubts had been eliminated. This is like a web that has been cut apart by scissors. When the web is cut open, we will be free. Then our minds can attain a state of peace, can “be as calm as the sea” because they are no longer trapped by the web. When the web is cut open, the world is open to us. Our minds become expansive.
At that time, Sarputra’s mind became peaceful, “like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.” His mind had already become very calm.
Doubts and delusions can be very painful. Take the businessman I mentioned before; he could have stepped back to see the bigger picture. His business was present all over the world; he could have been very satisfied. Yet he was so worried about child. Wasn’t he weaving a net and ensnaring himself?
So, having doubts and delusions, not being content with what one has, living this kind of life, is like being caught in a web.
In the Lotus Sutra, the Chapter on Skillful Means states, “All Arhats, those without Leaks, and those who seek Nirvana have now fallen into a web of doubts.”
At the beginning of the Lotus Sutra, we spent a lot of time discussing how when people practiced the Buddha’s teachings, they were biased and attached so they could not realize the True Dharma and only sought their own awakening. They only sought Nirvana because they thought that ending afflictions, they would not transmigrate in the Six Realms.
This is not so. Though they may have ended afflictions, delusions and doubts still exist. So, for the past few days I have been telling you that we must do two things at once. We must cultivate both blessings and wisdom at the same time. Compassion and wisdom must be cultivated together.
We know that life is impermanent and full of suffering. We also know that interpersonal conflicts lead us to accumulate afflictions. Therefore, when we go among people Buddha’s teachings we must guard against interpersonal conflicts. We must strengthen our resolve and continue to go among the people to relieve their suffering. Then naturally, we will gradually let go of our habitual tendencies and afflictions.
Whatever we deal with, whomever we meet, whatever we deal with, whomever we meet, we will treat them all the same. To any person, we will show universal compassion. To any person, we will show unconditional loving-kindness. This is the true Bodhisattva-practice that will bring us closer to the state Buddhahood.
So, we must open the door to our hearts. By practicing the True Dharma, we are on the Bodhisattva-path. We must be true Living Bodhisattvas who take [the Dharma] to heart. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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