20150121《靜思妙蓮華》實道非魔(第484集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
⊙「如今者世尊，從生及出家，得道轉法輪，亦以方便說。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙「世尊說實道，波旬無此事，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙佛所說皆是真如一實之理，是隨自意語，說心所護念，一乘真實道法。
⊙金剛經：「如來是真語者，實語者，不誑語者，不異語者。」故云：世尊說實道法。
⊙波旬：譯惡魔、惡者、為殺者，常欲斷人慧命，懷惡意成就惡法，故名。殺害善法者，無有善法。
⊙從此知佛陀施教以正道法，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。信心堅定深妙實法，成就慧命。
⊙昔日未明佛陀悲智施權，不失一實妙法之道，所以我心懷疑惑，如墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。
【證嚴上人開示】
「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
立信念持初心
宏誓願定自性
導正向入人群
行菩提正覺道
我們人人信佛，必定要立下我們正信之念。信心容易，但是要持恆心難，所以我們學佛，必定要持恆心，就是很長久的心，甚至最初那念心。我們為什麼要信佛呢？信佛最大的目的，那就是學，學佛。學佛的目的，又是在哪裡呢？就是希望我們也能夠成佛。
我們在芸芸凡夫中，我們要能夠「背塵合覺」。凡夫就是煩惱重重，一念心，一動起來，要讓這念心安穩下來，談何容易啊！每一天所面對的，人我是非，還有自己本身，貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，你們想，這不就像是塵埃？
我們現在學佛之後，我們就是將這個「塵」，我們就將它反過來面，我們面前所向著的是清淨，清淨無染污，藍天白雲，海闊天空，這個靜寂、清澄。我們的心，這種「合覺」，我們回過頭來是向著清淨法，不只是自覺，我們還能夠將我們的心得，與別人分享：過去的煩惱那都是多餘的，過去的煩惱，對我們一點都沒有利益，原來佛法是一切行無常。
人生！生者皆有苦。就是瞭解苦，才來追求苦是從哪裡來？就是「集」這些煩惱而來。道理愈來愈明白，這種五蘊皆空的人生，我們還有什麼要計較呢？我們沒有「我」，「我」永遠所得的東西，一輩子，幾十年間，來、去雙手空空，
還要執著什麼、還要計較什麼？我們這些事情都瞭解了，自然我們的心「心無罣礙，無罣礙故」，無有煩惱，「無有恐怖」，這就是我們要學佛，「背塵合覺」的境界，自覺、覺他，這種清淨無染的心，這是學佛。
而我們學佛要能夠「持初心」，我們要保持著初發心。記得這念心，在我們的日常生活中，任何事都是自願，目標就是瞭解一切行無常。有什麼好計較呢？把握著無常，不斷流逝過去的時間，要好好把握於現在，不要讓分分秒秒流逝，所以時間把握。
在這個空間用感恩心，讓我們能夠專心，沒有家庭煩惱障礙，只是我們立這念心，要發大心、立大願，我們還要再為天下眾生，就像我們要去帶人，自己也要將法入心，用我們的身體典範去帶人，這也就是我們的宏願。
「定自性」。將我們的性，好好安定下來，不要說入人群中去，聽世間人，人間事，有種種的是非，或者是有種種會誘惑人的享受，我們心一定要很定。不只是「定自性」，還要去向大家，顧大家的道心，我們還要再讓芸芸眾生，外面這種享樂、怕苦的人，也能夠懂得知道，我們如何在日常生活，如何節省、如何修行？在家菩薩，也能夠在社會做道場。家庭、社會都是在家菩薩的道場，所以「宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群」，要導人，將人引導到在正確的方向，引導正確的方向，在人群中好修行。
常常就是這樣告訴大家，人人身上一部經。但是，以前的人這樣說，旁觀者清，所以你在他的周圍，就能夠開導他，你應該這樣讀這本經，這本經你要如何解它？善解這本經的人生。我們還能夠去為他輔導，輔導他，在這個人生中，有重重的困難，如何解開他心的困難，這樣引導他再入人群中，你們想，這不就是「導正向入人群」呢？
所以「行菩提正覺道」。走進來菩提，「菩提」就是覺。我們想要求佛、學佛，要求得我們能夠，與佛的智慧接近，這樣叫做學佛。所以學佛者的初心，當初那念心，我們為何要信佛？我們為何要學佛，學佛就是要成佛。學功夫，就希望功夫在手。不是學不起來，是要我們專心學，學得功夫很精，還能夠教人。
所以我們必定要「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
立信念持初心
宏誓願定自性
導正向入人群
行菩提正覺道
這這麼簡單，我們應該都做得到。所以佛不斷用簡單的法，其實都是用真理在教化。前面那段(經)文，舍利弗又是這樣再說「如今者世尊，從生及出家，得道轉法輪，亦以方便說。」
如今者世尊
從生及出家
得道轉法輪
亦以方便說
《法華經 譬喻品第三》
我們前面這段(經文) ，世尊釋迦佛，同樣是父母生的，所以同樣與人，人生一樣，有幼童的時代、有年少的時代。年少就能夠看見人間疾苦，發宏願要如何來拯救人間，這種迷茫、顛倒，心煩惱的苦，生死的苦，愛別離的苦，求不得的苦，怨憎會的苦等等。這個身體如何生、老、病、死，死又是往哪裡去？生又是從哪裡來？年輕輕，很年輕開始，他，悉達多太子，他就想到這麼多事情，所以因為這樣他立宏誓願，出家了。
經過了一段辛苦，身不怕苦，還是五年參訪、六年苦行，吸收了九十多種的，外道的教法，了解了知彼知己，自己要的是什麼呢？外面的修行方法都知道了，不是自己所要的法，我應該也要去找一條，真正是屬於自己體悟到的法。終於覺悟了，天地宇宙萬物瞬息之間，在腦海中啟開了，宇宙大法完全和他的覺，覺悟，這樣合而為一，所以天地萬物的道理，沒有一項不瞭解。
所以「從生及出家，得道轉法輪」。雖然眾生，在佛陀看看這些眾生的根機，無法這樣說就瞭解，不得不以方便說，用方便的教法、簡單的道理，來好好引導眾生，讓人人先瞭解人間的苦，所以佛陀開始為人生，啟開了這個「苦諦」的道理、修行的方法。
從「集」種種，人人能夠好樂「道」，所以要如何滅掉了煩惱。才能夠入這個覺道來，這是諸佛過去、現在的釋迦佛，未來無量數的諸佛，佛佛道同，都是這樣的方式——來人間生，來人間修行，來人間覺悟，在人間說法。這叫做出家，「從生及出家」，這是佛佛道同。說法還是從淺入深，淺的法，叫做方便法，深，那就是真實法，回歸回來，我們人人本具的佛性。
所以，舍利弗接下來又再說：「世尊說實道，波旬無此事，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。」
世尊說實道
波旬無此事
以是我定知
非是魔作佛
我墮疑網故
謂是魔所為
《法華經 譬喻品第三》
舍利弗還是這樣說：世尊開始所說的都是實法。「波旬」，波旬就是魔。其實魔是從我們的心，產生出來的，我們的心產生出來幻想、幻聽，不是真正身外有魔。意思就是煩惱，煩惱中還有很多不實的，虛幻這個念頭。所以才說「波旬無此事」。
釋迦佛在向我們說法，無不都是真如一實的道理，那就是隨自語意。開始佛陀要將他內心，所覺悟的法，直接開始轉法輪，輸送給每一位眾生、每一位弟子，將他內心的法，轉到眾生的心去。「隨自語意，說心所護念，一乘真實之法」這就是實道。
佛所說皆是
真如一實之理
是隨自意語
說心所護念
一乘真實道法
《金剛經》裡，不也是說「如來是真語者、實語者、不誑語者、不異語者。」
金剛經：
如來是真語者、
實語者、
不誑語者、
不異語者
故云：
世尊說實道法
這就是世尊所說的法。哪怕是隨他語意，也是用他的心、道理，循循善誘。來到法華會時，世尊，釋迦牟尼佛，更是顯示出了，他內心所保護著，四十多年間，最初覺悟的，那念心、那個境界，所以「世尊說實道」。
波旬：
譯惡魔、惡者、
為殺者
常欲斷人慧命
懷惡意成就惡法
故名：殺害善法者
無有善法
「波旬」意思就是說，惡魔，也就是惡者、為殺者，常斷人的慧命，懷惡意成就惡法，這叫做殺害善法者，無有善法。這種的魔是在外面的人，來對待我們嗎？多數是我們自己，我們的心沒有定意，我們的心、我們的性，就沒有定下來，所以我們自己起疑心，真實法我們不懂得要接受，我們偏偏去求，求邪法、行邪道。這是我們自己的心，所以波旬、惡魔，惡，這不是別人，是我們自己。
我們自己若定性，心性若定下來，有正確的信心，那麼心會定下來，哪怕是有外面來誘惑我們，我們也不會受它誘惑去。所以這個魔，惡魔，就是斷人的慧命。哪怕是我們自己起念，動心起念，或者是別人來誘引我們，我們若被誘引去，我們就會斷慧命。心若定，就不會說，有這個幻想、幻覺，或者是心，自己又偏邪去了，我們要預防我們自己。
所以過去一直告訴大家，戒、定、慧「三無漏學」。戒，戒就是防非止惡，這就是我們應該要有，才能夠保持我們的慧命。所以外面若有懷惡意，來誘引我們，我們心不動。
「殺害善法者，無有善法」所以叫做「波旬」。我們現在的心，已經沒有這些動念，所以叫做「波旬無此事，以是我定知」，現在舍利弗知道，心，自己的心定下來了，再也不會受外面的境界，來搖動自己的心，信心也已經堅定了，所以他說：「以是我定知，非是魔作佛。」
從此知佛陀施教
以正道法
以是我定知
非是魔作佛
信心堅定深妙實法
成就慧命
所以我的心已經很瞭解，佛陀是真語者、實語者、不異語者，所以一定信佛說的話，就對了。我的心相信這是佛說實法，不是虛幻聽來的法。舍利弗很堅定這念心，從此開始，知道佛陀，他在施教是，在教育的過程，就是先以淺的法、小教，來適應根機，但是，在這個小教之中，有它真妙的道理存在。現在開權，正直捨方便，說真實法，此時應該更要相信，所以說「以是我定知，非是魔作佛」。
信心堅固了，那就是堅定的心，深妙實法，應該相信這個深妙的實法，這叫做慧命。我們的信心若堅定，一心深入微妙的真理，這就能夠成長我們的慧命。
舍利弗又再自己說：「我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為」。過去我就是墮於疑網中，自己的心定不下來，以為一切皆空，還有什麼可進修的呢？自己若聽到也能夠成佛，他認為自己哪有辦法成佛呢？對自己沒信心，都認為這個法是虛幻，不是真的，所以「謂是魔所為」，以為這個法是虛幻。因為他執於偏空，所以他有這種心念。
昔日未明
佛陀悲智施權
不失一實妙法之道
所以我心懷疑惑
如墮疑網故
謂是魔所為
昔來，在過去，還不清楚佛陀的智慧，施權沒有離開，一實妙法的道理，過去他都不了解，所以說「墮疑網」。那個時候我還在疑網中，只執於偏空，不知道還有真實妙有的道理。所以他這樣自己說：「我的心好像，被魔這樣覆住了一樣。」那時候就是欠缺這分，對自己的自信心。
各位，我們人人應該，就要對自己有信心，相信佛陀向我們說真如實法：人人本具真如、人人都能成佛。過去恆河沙數、未來恆河沙數的諸佛，你們難道不相信，說不定我們也是，未來恆河沙數諸佛之一？我們現在一分的覺悟、少分的覺，就已經開始是初見佛心之時，所以我們應該要好好自信。
各位，學佛真的要好好，顧好我們這念心，清淨的本性，不要這念心去散掉。像舍利弗，智慧第一，他還在疑網中，數十年間，現在才開始突破了這個疑網，才開始真正接觸到(佛道) ，慧命將成長的開頭。所以我們人人要時時多用心。
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
⊙「如今者世尊，從生及出家，得道轉法輪，亦以方便說。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙「世尊說實道，波旬無此事，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙佛所說皆是真如一實之理，是隨自意語，說心所護念，一乘真實道法。
⊙金剛經：「如來是真語者，實語者，不誑語者，不異語者。」故云：世尊說實道法。
⊙波旬：譯惡魔、惡者、為殺者，常欲斷人慧命，懷惡意成就惡法，故名。殺害善法者，無有善法。
⊙從此知佛陀施教以正道法，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。信心堅定深妙實法，成就慧命。
⊙昔日未明佛陀悲智施權，不失一實妙法之道，所以我心懷疑惑，如墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。
【證嚴上人開示】
「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
立信念持初心
宏誓願定自性
導正向入人群
行菩提正覺道
我們人人信佛，必定要立下我們正信之念。信心容易，但是要持恆心難，所以我們學佛，必定要持恆心，就是很長久的心，甚至最初那念心。我們為什麼要信佛呢？信佛最大的目的，那就是學，學佛。學佛的目的，又是在哪裡呢？就是希望我們也能夠成佛。
我們在芸芸凡夫中，我們要能夠「背塵合覺」。凡夫就是煩惱重重，一念心，一動起來，要讓這念心安穩下來，談何容易啊！每一天所面對的，人我是非，還有自己本身，貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，你們想，這不就像是塵埃？
我們現在學佛之後，我們就是將這個「塵」，我們就將它反過來面，我們面前所向著的是清淨，清淨無染污，藍天白雲，海闊天空，這個靜寂、清澄。我們的心，這種「合覺」，我們回過頭來是向著清淨法，不只是自覺，我們還能夠將我們的心得，與別人分享：過去的煩惱那都是多餘的，過去的煩惱，對我們一點都沒有利益，原來佛法是一切行無常。
人生！生者皆有苦。就是瞭解苦，才來追求苦是從哪裡來？就是「集」這些煩惱而來。道理愈來愈明白，這種五蘊皆空的人生，我們還有什麼要計較呢？我們沒有「我」，「我」永遠所得的東西，一輩子，幾十年間，來、去雙手空空，
還要執著什麼、還要計較什麼？我們這些事情都瞭解了，自然我們的心「心無罣礙，無罣礙故」，無有煩惱，「無有恐怖」，這就是我們要學佛，「背塵合覺」的境界，自覺、覺他，這種清淨無染的心，這是學佛。
而我們學佛要能夠「持初心」，我們要保持著初發心。記得這念心，在我們的日常生活中，任何事都是自願，目標就是瞭解一切行無常。有什麼好計較呢？把握著無常，不斷流逝過去的時間，要好好把握於現在，不要讓分分秒秒流逝，所以時間把握。
在這個空間用感恩心，讓我們能夠專心，沒有家庭煩惱障礙，只是我們立這念心，要發大心、立大願，我們還要再為天下眾生，就像我們要去帶人，自己也要將法入心，用我們的身體典範去帶人，這也就是我們的宏願。
「定自性」。將我們的性，好好安定下來，不要說入人群中去，聽世間人，人間事，有種種的是非，或者是有種種會誘惑人的享受，我們心一定要很定。不只是「定自性」，還要去向大家，顧大家的道心，我們還要再讓芸芸眾生，外面這種享樂、怕苦的人，也能夠懂得知道，我們如何在日常生活，如何節省、如何修行？在家菩薩，也能夠在社會做道場。家庭、社會都是在家菩薩的道場，所以「宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群」，要導人，將人引導到在正確的方向，引導正確的方向，在人群中好修行。
常常就是這樣告訴大家，人人身上一部經。但是，以前的人這樣說，旁觀者清，所以你在他的周圍，就能夠開導他，你應該這樣讀這本經，這本經你要如何解它？善解這本經的人生。我們還能夠去為他輔導，輔導他，在這個人生中，有重重的困難，如何解開他心的困難，這樣引導他再入人群中，你們想，這不就是「導正向入人群」呢？
所以「行菩提正覺道」。走進來菩提，「菩提」就是覺。我們想要求佛、學佛，要求得我們能夠，與佛的智慧接近，這樣叫做學佛。所以學佛者的初心，當初那念心，我們為何要信佛？我們為何要學佛，學佛就是要成佛。學功夫，就希望功夫在手。不是學不起來，是要我們專心學，學得功夫很精，還能夠教人。
所以我們必定要「立信念持初心，宏誓願定自性，導正向入人群，行菩提正覺道。」
立信念持初心
宏誓願定自性
導正向入人群
行菩提正覺道
這這麼簡單，我們應該都做得到。所以佛不斷用簡單的法，其實都是用真理在教化。前面那段(經)文，舍利弗又是這樣再說「如今者世尊，從生及出家，得道轉法輪，亦以方便說。」
如今者世尊
從生及出家
得道轉法輪
亦以方便說
《法華經 譬喻品第三》
我們前面這段(經文) ，世尊釋迦佛，同樣是父母生的，所以同樣與人，人生一樣，有幼童的時代、有年少的時代。年少就能夠看見人間疾苦，發宏願要如何來拯救人間，這種迷茫、顛倒，心煩惱的苦，生死的苦，愛別離的苦，求不得的苦，怨憎會的苦等等。這個身體如何生、老、病、死，死又是往哪裡去？生又是從哪裡來？年輕輕，很年輕開始，他，悉達多太子，他就想到這麼多事情，所以因為這樣他立宏誓願，出家了。
經過了一段辛苦，身不怕苦，還是五年參訪、六年苦行，吸收了九十多種的，外道的教法，了解了知彼知己，自己要的是什麼呢？外面的修行方法都知道了，不是自己所要的法，我應該也要去找一條，真正是屬於自己體悟到的法。終於覺悟了，天地宇宙萬物瞬息之間，在腦海中啟開了，宇宙大法完全和他的覺，覺悟，這樣合而為一，所以天地萬物的道理，沒有一項不瞭解。
所以「從生及出家，得道轉法輪」。雖然眾生，在佛陀看看這些眾生的根機，無法這樣說就瞭解，不得不以方便說，用方便的教法、簡單的道理，來好好引導眾生，讓人人先瞭解人間的苦，所以佛陀開始為人生，啟開了這個「苦諦」的道理、修行的方法。
從「集」種種，人人能夠好樂「道」，所以要如何滅掉了煩惱。才能夠入這個覺道來，這是諸佛過去、現在的釋迦佛，未來無量數的諸佛，佛佛道同，都是這樣的方式——來人間生，來人間修行，來人間覺悟，在人間說法。這叫做出家，「從生及出家」，這是佛佛道同。說法還是從淺入深，淺的法，叫做方便法，深，那就是真實法，回歸回來，我們人人本具的佛性。
所以，舍利弗接下來又再說：「世尊說實道，波旬無此事，以是我定知，非是魔作佛。我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為。」
世尊說實道
波旬無此事
以是我定知
非是魔作佛
我墮疑網故
謂是魔所為
《法華經 譬喻品第三》
舍利弗還是這樣說：世尊開始所說的都是實法。「波旬」，波旬就是魔。其實魔是從我們的心，產生出來的，我們的心產生出來幻想、幻聽，不是真正身外有魔。意思就是煩惱，煩惱中還有很多不實的，虛幻這個念頭。所以才說「波旬無此事」。
釋迦佛在向我們說法，無不都是真如一實的道理，那就是隨自語意。開始佛陀要將他內心，所覺悟的法，直接開始轉法輪，輸送給每一位眾生、每一位弟子，將他內心的法，轉到眾生的心去。「隨自語意，說心所護念，一乘真實之法」這就是實道。
佛所說皆是
真如一實之理
是隨自意語
說心所護念
一乘真實道法
《金剛經》裡，不也是說「如來是真語者、實語者、不誑語者、不異語者。」
金剛經：
如來是真語者、
實語者、
不誑語者、
不異語者
故云：
世尊說實道法
這就是世尊所說的法。哪怕是隨他語意，也是用他的心、道理，循循善誘。來到法華會時，世尊，釋迦牟尼佛，更是顯示出了，他內心所保護著，四十多年間，最初覺悟的，那念心、那個境界，所以「世尊說實道」。
波旬：
譯惡魔、惡者、
為殺者
常欲斷人慧命
懷惡意成就惡法
故名：殺害善法者
無有善法
「波旬」意思就是說，惡魔，也就是惡者、為殺者，常斷人的慧命，懷惡意成就惡法，這叫做殺害善法者，無有善法。這種的魔是在外面的人，來對待我們嗎？多數是我們自己，我們的心沒有定意，我們的心、我們的性，就沒有定下來，所以我們自己起疑心，真實法我們不懂得要接受，我們偏偏去求，求邪法、行邪道。這是我們自己的心，所以波旬、惡魔，惡，這不是別人，是我們自己。
我們自己若定性，心性若定下來，有正確的信心，那麼心會定下來，哪怕是有外面來誘惑我們，我們也不會受它誘惑去。所以這個魔，惡魔，就是斷人的慧命。哪怕是我們自己起念，動心起念，或者是別人來誘引我們，我們若被誘引去，我們就會斷慧命。心若定，就不會說，有這個幻想、幻覺，或者是心，自己又偏邪去了，我們要預防我們自己。
所以過去一直告訴大家，戒、定、慧「三無漏學」。戒，戒就是防非止惡，這就是我們應該要有，才能夠保持我們的慧命。所以外面若有懷惡意，來誘引我們，我們心不動。
「殺害善法者，無有善法」所以叫做「波旬」。我們現在的心，已經沒有這些動念，所以叫做「波旬無此事，以是我定知」，現在舍利弗知道，心，自己的心定下來了，再也不會受外面的境界，來搖動自己的心，信心也已經堅定了，所以他說：「以是我定知，非是魔作佛。」
從此知佛陀施教
以正道法
以是我定知
非是魔作佛
信心堅定深妙實法
成就慧命
所以我的心已經很瞭解，佛陀是真語者、實語者、不異語者，所以一定信佛說的話，就對了。我的心相信這是佛說實法，不是虛幻聽來的法。舍利弗很堅定這念心，從此開始，知道佛陀，他在施教是，在教育的過程，就是先以淺的法、小教，來適應根機，但是，在這個小教之中，有它真妙的道理存在。現在開權，正直捨方便，說真實法，此時應該更要相信，所以說「以是我定知，非是魔作佛」。
信心堅固了，那就是堅定的心，深妙實法，應該相信這個深妙的實法，這叫做慧命。我們的信心若堅定，一心深入微妙的真理，這就能夠成長我們的慧命。
舍利弗又再自己說：「我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為」。過去我就是墮於疑網中，自己的心定不下來，以為一切皆空，還有什麼可進修的呢？自己若聽到也能夠成佛，他認為自己哪有辦法成佛呢？對自己沒信心，都認為這個法是虛幻，不是真的，所以「謂是魔所為」，以為這個法是虛幻。因為他執於偏空，所以他有這種心念。
昔日未明
佛陀悲智施權
不失一實妙法之道
所以我心懷疑惑
如墮疑網故
謂是魔所為
昔來，在過去，還不清楚佛陀的智慧，施權沒有離開，一實妙法的道理，過去他都不了解，所以說「墮疑網」。那個時候我還在疑網中，只執於偏空，不知道還有真實妙有的道理。所以他這樣自己說：「我的心好像，被魔這樣覆住了一樣。」那時候就是欠缺這分，對自己的自信心。
各位，我們人人應該，就要對自己有信心，相信佛陀向我們說真如實法：人人本具真如、人人都能成佛。過去恆河沙數、未來恆河沙數的諸佛，你們難道不相信，說不定我們也是，未來恆河沙數諸佛之一？我們現在一分的覺悟、少分的覺，就已經開始是初見佛心之時，所以我們應該要好好自信。
各位，學佛真的要好好，顧好我們這念心，清淨的本性，不要這念心去散掉。像舍利弗，智慧第一，他還在疑網中，數十年間，現在才開始突破了這個疑網，才開始真正接觸到(佛道) ，慧命將成長的開頭。所以我們人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Mara Cannot Teach the True Path (實道非魔)
Date: January.21. 2015
“We establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations. With great vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them. This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”
For us to believe in the Buddha, we must establish Right Faith. It is easy to have faith, but very difficult to sustain it. So, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must sustain our aspirations. We must have that perseverance to sustain even our initial aspiration. Why do we want to be Buddhist practitioners? The main goal in being Buddhist is to learn the Buddha’s Way. And what is our goal learning the Buddha’s Way? We hope to attain Buddhahood. Whilst among unenlightened beings, we must “turn from the dust toward awakening.”
Ordinary people have severe afflictions. Once a thought stirs in our minds, bringing our minds back to a peaceful state is not easy at all. Every day we face interpersonal conflicts as well as our own greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt. Think about this, aren’t they like dust? After we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must turn away from the “dust”. Then what we are seeing will be pure, pure and undefiled, like the blue sky and white clouds, like a vast sea and spacious sky. This state of tranquility and clarity is a mind [turned] “toward awakening”. We turn around to face the pure Dharma.
Then we not only awaken ourselves, we can also share our experiences with other people. “My past afflictions were unnecessary. My past afflictions were not beneficial to me at all.” According to the Buddha-Dharma, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent.
In life, all living beings are suffering. Because we want to understand suffering, we seek out the origin of suffering, which has its “causation” in accumulating afflictions. The better we understand these principles, such as the Five Aggregates being empty in nature, what will there be for us to take issue over? There is no “I”; there is nothing that belongs to us forever. Our lifetime lasts for several decades and we come and go with empty hands. So, what is there for us to be attached to, for us to take issue over? Once we understand all these things, naturally our minds “have no hindrances; there are no hindrances.” Thus, there are no afflictions; “there is not fear.” This is why we must learn the Buddha’s Way and “turn from the dust toward awakening” to awaken ourselves as well as others. This pure and undefiled mind comes from learning the Buddha’s Way.
And as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must sustain our initial aspirations; we must safeguard the first aspirations we formed. We must recall this aspiration in our daily living. Everything we do, we do willingly, with the goal of understanding that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, so there is nothing to take issue over. To seize the impermanent, the time that is constantly passing by, we must take advantage of the present and not let any second or minute slip by. So, we must seize each moment. In this space, we must be grateful that we can be focused [on our practice], without the afflictions or hindrances of family.
We have simply established this resolve, formed great aspirations and made great vows. So, we must act for the sake of all sentient beings. However, for us to guide people, we must also take the Dharma to heart. We must use our own lives as an example to guide people. This is part of our great vows.
“Bringing Samadhi to our nature” means that in our nature, we must be calm. When we interact with people, we must not be influenced by worldly matters and various interpersonal conflicts or be tempted to enjoy [empty] pleasure.Our minds must be unwavering.Not only must we “bring Samadhi to our nature,” we must also take good care of other people’s spiritual aspirations.
Then we must help the multitudes who only pursuer pleasure and are afraid of hardship to understand how they can, in their daily living, conserve [resources] and engage in spiritual practice.
Lay Bodhisattva-practitioners can also make society their place for spiritual cultivation.Family and society are where lay Bodhisattva engage in spiritual practice.
“With great vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them.”To guide people onto the right course, in the right direction, we must engage in spiritual practice among people.
I often tell you that every person is a sutra.However, people in the past said, “Bystanders can see clearly.”So, when we are by people’s sides, we can guide them in how they can read this “sutra,” how they can understand this “sutra”.By being understanding of the sutra of their lives, we can counsel them.
We can counsel them so when they face serious difficulties in life, they know how they can resolve them.Then we guide them to go among people again.Think about it, isn’t this “guiding people to the right course by going among them?”
So, “this is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”
We walk on the Bodhi-path.“Bodhi” is enlightenment.We seek and learn the Buddha’s Way so that we can draw closer to the Buddha’s wisdom.This is known as learning the Buddha’s Way.
So, we Buddhist practitioners [must recall] our initial aspiration.
Why did we become Buddhist practitioners?Why did we want to learn the Buddha’s Way?We learn the Buddha’s Way to attain Buddhahood.Learning a skill is about mastering it.It is not that we cannot learn it, we simply must be focused on learning it.If we can master it precisely, then we can teach others.
So, we must “establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations. With Great Vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them. This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to prefect enlightenment.”
This is so simple, we all should be able to do it.So, the Buddha constantly gave simple teachings, but He always taught true principles.
In the previous sutra passage, Sariputra was saying, “Similarly, at this time the World-Honored One, from His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel, has always taught by using skillful means.”
This is the earlier sutra passage.The World-Honored One, Sakyamuni Buddha, was also born to parents.Like other humans, he experienced childhood and adolescence.When he was young, he saw suffering in the world, and made a great vow to save the world from its delusion and confusion.
We face the suffering of afflictions, of cyclic existence, of parting with those we love, not getting what we want, meeting those we hate and so forth.Our bodies go through birth, aging, illness and death.Where do we go after we die?Where were we before we were born?
When he was very young, Prince Siddhartha was already thinking of these things.Because of this, he made great vows and left the lay life.He went through an arduous period of practice.
He was not intimidated by hard work, so he underwent five years of traveling and six years of ascetic practice.He absorbed over 90 different kinds of teachings to understand others and himself.
What was it that he wanted?
After learning all those other spiritual practices, he knew they were not the Dharma that he wanted.“I need to find a teaching that truly comes from my own realizations.”Finally, He attained enlightenment, and all things in the universe were instantly clear within His mind.
The Great Dharma of the universe became one with His enlightened state of mind.Thus, among the principles underlying all things, there were none He did not fully understand.Hence, “from His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma –wheel…”
When the Buddha observed the capabilities of these sentient beings, He knew they would not immediately understand, so He had to teach with skillful means.With skillful means and simple principles, He earnestly guided sentient beings.He wanted us to first understand the suffering in the world, so the Buddha began by revealing to people the principles of the truth of suffering and the methods of spiritual practice to go from the causation of suffering to delight of attaining the Path.
So, we must eliminate afflictions in order to enter the path to enlightenment. This was [the path of] all Buddhas in the past, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, and an infinite number of Buddhas in the future; all share the same path. They go through the same process of begin born into this world, engaging in spiritual practice in the world, awakening and teaching the Dharma in this world. This is known as leaving the lay life. “From [Their] birth to leaving the lay life, all Buddhas share the same path. The way They expound the Dharma goes from the simple to the profound. Simple Dharma is skillful means. Profound Dharma is the True Dharma, which helps us return to the Buddha-nature that we all intrinsically have. So, in the next passage, Sariputra said,
“The World-Honored One preaches the true path, Papiyas would not do this. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara”.
Sariputra was still saying that the World-Honored One taught True Dharma from the very beginning. “Papiyas” was King Mara. Actually, Mara is generated by our minds; he is the illusory thinking and perceptions that our minds generate. There is no Mara in the outside world. This means Mara is our afflictions.
Our afflictions contains many unreal and illusory thoughts. So, “Papiyas would not [teach the true path]”. When Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Dharma, everything that He taught was the principles of the one ultimate reality. This was in accordance with His own intent. The Buddha was beginning to share the Dharma He had awakened to and directly turn the Dharma-wheel to deliver it to every sentient being and every disciple. He delivered the Dharma from His mind into the minds of sentient beings.
“In accordance with His own intent, He taught the true path of the One Vehicle that He had safeguarded in His mind”. This was the true path. “Doesn’t the Diamond Sutra say the following? The Tathagata “speaks the truth, what is real. He does ont speak falsehoods or what is not so”.
This is the Dharma taught by the World-Honored One. Even when adapting the teachings to others, the principles came from His heart. This was how He patiently guided people. During the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the World-Honored One, Sakyamuni Buddha, further revealed what He had been safeguarding in His mind, which was the state of mind He had when He first attained enlightenment over 40 years ago. So, “the World-Honored One preached the true path”.
“Papiyas” is King Mara. He represents evil. He is one who kills, who constantly tries to end people’s wisdom-life. With evil intent, he fosters evil ways. So, “Those who kill and harm virtuous Dharma are without virtuous Dharma”.
Are maras the people around us who treat us [badly]? Oftentimes, because we are not in Samadhi, because our minds and nature, cannot remain unwavering, we give rise to doubts and do not accept the True Dharma. Instead, we pursue erroneous teachings and walk a deviant path. This is all because of our minds. So, Papiyas, maras and evil ones do not refer to other people, they are in us. If we can have Samadhi in our nature and calm our minds, we will have proper faith. If our minds are unwavering, even if external things are tempting us, we will not be enticed. So, Mara, this evil demon, tries to end people’s wisdom-life. If we give rise to the slightest thought, or if we follow those who tempt us, we may end our wisdom-life. If our minds are in Samadhi, then we will have no illusions or hallucinations. Our minds will not deviate. We must prevent ourselves [from deviating].
So, I have always taught everyone the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi, wisdom. Precepts guard against wrongs and stop evil. We must abide by them in order to protect our wisdom-life. If people with evil intentions tempt us, our minds must remain unmoving. “One who kills and harms virtuous Dharma is without virtuous Dharma”. He is called “Papiyas”. At present, our minds are already free from discursive thoughts. So, “Papiyas would not [teach the true path]. Therefore I know for certain”.
Now Sariputra understood that once he calmed his mind, external phenomena would no longer cause it to waver. His faith was also firm. So he said, “Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara pretending to be the Buddha”.
“From this I know that the Buddha taught with the Dharma of the true path. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. With solid faith in profound and wondrous True Dharma, wisdom-life will develop.”
Sariputra clearly understood that the Buddha speaks the truth, what is real; He does not speak what is not so．So, he always believes in what the Buddha says In his heart he believed this was the Buddha teaching True Dharma and that he was not hallucinating this Dharma.Sariputra was certain of this.From this point on, he understood that the way the Buddha taught, the process, was to first teach simple Dharma, limited teachings to suit people’s capabilities.But within these limited teachings are true and wondrous principles.Now, He was opening up the provisional and setting aside skillful means for the direct to teach the True Dharma.So, Sariputra should believe in it even more now．
Thus he said, “Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara pretending to be the Buddha.” With a solid faith comes great certainty in this profound and wondrous True Dharma.We should believe in this profound and wondrous True Dharma.This is wisdom-life. If our faith is firm and we wholeheartedly penetrate these subtle and wondrous true principle, then we can help our wisdom-life grow.
Sariputra himself then said, “But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.” In the past, he had fallen into a web of doubts and could not calm his mind.He thought everything was empty [in nature], so what else there to cultivate? When he heard about attaining Buddhahood, he did not think that he could attain Buddhahood He had no faith in himself.He thought this Dharma was illusory and not real.“So, I said it was the doings of Mara.” He thought this Dharma was illusory. Because he clung to his bias toward emptiness, he had this kind of mindset.
In the past I did not understand that with compassion and wisdom, the Buddha gave provisional teachings, which not deviate from the path of the wondrous Dharma of One Reality．
Therefore I had doubts and delusions, as if I had fallen into a web of doubts. Thus, I said it was the doings of Mara.
In the past, he did not understand this, so he said he “had fallen into a web of doubts.” At the time, he was still in a web of doubts and clug to his bias toward emptiness. He did not know about the principles of true and wondrous existence.So, he said about himself, “My mind seemed to have been obstructed by Mara.”
At that time, he lacked confidence in himself.
Everyone, we must all have confidence in ourselves and believe in what the Buddha taught us, the genuine Dharma of True Suchness.Everyone intrinsically has True Suchness, and everyone can attain Buddhahood.
In the past, there were countless Buddhas, and there will be countless Buddhas in the future, so why can’t we believe that we may also become one of the countless Buddhas in the future? We have now attained a little bit of awakening.We have already begun to see the Buddha’s mind, so we must have confidence in ourselves.
Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must take very good care of our minds and our pure intrinsic nature.We must not allow our mind to become scattered. Even Sariptura, who was foremost in wisdom, was trapped in a web of doubts for several decades.Only now was he beginning to break through it and truly connect with the [Buddha’s Way] to begin to develop wisdom-life.So, we must always be mindful．
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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