20150128《靜思妙蓮華》莫忘本弘願 (第489集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「佛敘述昔教今忘，今時於大眾中說，明往昔教菩薩法，唯因漏落忘本願。」
⊙「汝亦長夜隨我受學，我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道，汝今悉忘，而便自謂已得滅度。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙因志願不深故，自有中途廢大習小，中途悉忘，而今自謂已得滅度。我昔教汝志願佛道，而汝今悉忘，廢大習小，致有憂悔。
⊙而今於大眾中宣說：有志弘願者，莫忘當初；佛陀從久遠以來，無不都以一實大乘度化。
【證嚴上人開示】
「佛敘述昔教今忘，今時於大眾中說，明往昔教菩薩法，唯因漏落忘本願。」
佛敘述 昔教今忘
今時 於大眾中說
明往昔 教菩薩法
唯因漏落 忘本願
也就是說佛陀過去，不斷用心教育，卻是有人，多數的人，就是這樣聽，很快就給忘掉了。所以「佛敘述」，前面這些(經)文，就是佛陀再來敘述過去，不斷在提醒。
就像前面有「昔教」，已經過去在二萬億佛所，那個過去的佛陀，如何來修行，如何來引導，引導人人能夠瞭解，佛法深奧的道理。不只是一生而已，無法去算數的以前，只為了一項事情，為了要讓人人明心見性。
這麼簡單的法，卻是要用很長久的時間，不斷地教育。這是一種敘述，來告訴大家時間很長，累生累世，教了以後，很快就又忘失。
舍利弗是一位代表者，敘述他自己本身的心態，就是包括了很多人，共同想要表達的話。因為都是同樣隨佛的因緣，不知多長、多久了，過去佛陀不斷地教育，到今生此世還是守在小乘法裡。這是舍利弗於大眾中的心聲。所以佛陀在大眾中，就開始再宣示，讓大家更加清楚，「(明)往昔教菩薩法」。過去累生累世，經過了二萬億佛所，這麼長久的時間，都是不斷，所教的就是菩薩法，要人人重視菩薩道。
可是我們人就是因為「唯因漏落」。因為我們的煩惱無明，貪、瞋、癡、驕慢、懷疑等等，這種周而復始，一生過一生，再過一生，到底多少生多少世，生生世世不斷複製煩惱，這些煩惱隨著習氣，所以叫做漏落生死。雖然生生世世有因緣接觸佛法，但是凡夫法，凡夫這種的漏落的煩惱，那個複製的量更多。
就像在家人，為了家庭、為了事業、家業等等，庸庸碌碌，很沒有時間。聽法，聽了，有道理，歡喜，「我應該習氣要改，我應該法要精進」。卻是，聽法的時間，比在社會庸庸碌碌的時間，當然較少了，複製煩惱的時間當然就較多了，所以漏落無明，這就會多很多，真正清淨的法能夠入心，那就很少了。
哪怕是出家修行，每天早上在聽法，聽法的時間才有幾十分鐘，一天庸庸碌碌，對人、對事，這個環境煩惱在我們的心中。又是這樣（聽法與勞務）來對比？在做事難免，我會覺得：「這盆花放在這裡較好。」有人就說：「不對！這裡就要用竹子布置才好看。」去到菜園，「今天要撒莧菜籽。」另外一位就說：「不對，應該要種蕹菜。」可能這小小的事情，說不定會互相爭執。
莧菜與蕹菜差在哪裡呢？同樣就是要撒種子，在這個菜圃已經全部打平了，只缺這個種子落土，差不多的事情，難道要爭執？不必。「好，你若認為這樣好。」就是同樣是一個法，這個法沒有差錯、沒有分歧，共同的結果，應該互相將就，這樣就會圓滿了，就不必在那裡爭執。
最近聽一些在家菩薩就說，來精舍短期修行，到菜園去，有的師父觀機逗教。鋤頭在鋤，鋤到石頭，「石頭怎麼那麼多？」「是啊！這就是我們的心地，也是這樣。心這片的土地，若發現到石頭，就要趕快將它撿到旁邊，菜種起來才漂亮。」
這些居士聽，「很有道理！這就像我日常的生活，有時候若遇到事情較困難，心就很煩，只煩在心的外面，沒有自己反省自己，內心這個心地，原來是我的自己有煩惱，不是外面的事情困擾。」若是比較會帶的師父，懂得將法入於農作中，這樣引導他們，他們都很歡喜。
所以說，在日常的生活，不離開法。而我們若是心離開了法，就是「漏落」，就是又再煩惱起來了，又是再墮落凡夫，凡夫的法，心的無明又再生起來。這就是因為我們受教之後，很快就忘失了，就忘記了。
佛陀在這段時間，一直複述，一直說：過去我如何、如何來教育，多長多久的時間，和大家的緣，累生累世設法教育，但是每一項的教育，無不都是要大家行菩薩道，才能夠有機會，回歸我們清淨的本性。這累生世都是一樣，但是，弟子還是累生累世，長久的時間有緣受教，但是很快就忘失。這是我們這段時間聽來的法，我們應該要很清楚的綱領。
常常記得，我們已經與佛有緣，才會又在現在釋迦佛法中，我們再延續，又再來複習。我們過去已經與佛有緣的修行，我們這輩子，快把握時間，有緣聞法，法要入心，住在我們這個佛智中，不要受外面境界，來擾動我們這念道心。
所以前面的經文說，「汝亦長夜隨我受學，我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」
汝亦長夜
隨我受學
我以方便
引導汝故
生我法中《法華經 譬喻品第三》
因為過去佛陀，已經在這麼長久的時間在修行，同時也是不斷向大家教育。卻是他邊修行，邊同時來教育，卻是我們還是長夜茫茫，無明長夜。
我們凡夫在聽法，也似聽懂，也似聽不懂。聽懂的，覺得做不到，很困難。這全都是心地黑暗的長夜，黑暗的，未天亮的晚上，還是帶著凡夫心無明來受教。這是佛陀這樣說，「我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」人人就是還睡不醒，或者是還是在茫茫的長夜中，煩惱還沒有盡，也就是我們內心，那個曙光，還沒有浮出來，這叫做「長夜」，在這種還帶著無明，無明還未盡除，這樣來受佛所教育。
下面這段再說，「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道，汝今悉忘，而便自謂已得滅度。」
舍利弗
我昔教汝
志願佛道
汝今悉忘
而便自謂
已得滅度《法華經 譬喻品第三》
佛陀又再提醒舍利弗，這麼長久的時間，那個心，心靈的曙光，還沒有浮出來。「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道」，過去二萬億佛那時候，我在修行時，佛陀那個時候，得來了非常多的結緣眾，經過二萬億佛所，都是一樣這樣的方式，「上求佛道，下度眾生」，這些受化的眾生，生生世世追隨過來，所以那個時候開始就是教育大家，要「志願佛道」。
修行，我們要發大願、立大行。「大願」就是，誓度眾生、誓成佛道。這就是我們過去隨佛修行，你、我都是在那個時候，佛陀的結緣眾，我們這樣一路一直來到現在。
卻是我們在這長期的時間，佛陀這樣說「汝今悉忘」，我一直、一直這樣帶，就是希望人人發這樣的願，大家又是再忘記了。「而便自謂已得滅度」，大家到現在，這輩子有緣在一起，還是隨我修學，大家又是再偏執於空有的地方，所以大家還沒有徹底圓滿，只求自覺，還沒有發心要求覺他。
發心容易，恆心難。這個心很快就忘記了，很快就忘記是因為，「志願不深故，自有中途廢大習小」。
因志願不深故
自有中途廢大習小
中途悉忘
而今自謂已得滅度
我昔教汝志願佛道
而汝今悉忘
廢大習小
致有憂悔
我們這個信的根，若沒有很深、很堅固，我們容易學，學了之後，很快的我們又是再忘記，就又再失去那一念，當初發願的念頭。因為這樣在這個中途，若有什麼樣的煩惱無明，外面的境界誘惑我們，這樣我們的心就開始，隨著境界轉了，這樣我們就會「廢大」。發大心，我們就把它去除掉了，開始又再回來修習，小我、自覺、自利。這是時間長，我們的發願不深。
最近也一直和大家分享，要記得，不要忘失初心，不要忘記我們最初，發願的那念心，這是很重要。幼小的孩子都能夠了解，何況我們是老修行者呢？各位，我們要好好用心保護，不要中途這樣又再讓它忘記。
「(而)今自謂(已得)滅度」。不要以為我這樣修、我這樣得。佛陀已經過去就不斷這樣說：我有教你們要志願佛道。但是我們現在都忘掉了，所以有憂，擔憂自己的修行方法，擔憂未來到底煩惱有去除嗎？我們大家還不很清楚了解。這是佛陀在大眾中，公然向大家說的話。
而今
於大眾中宣說：
有志弘願者
莫忘當初
佛陀從久遠以來
無不都以
一實大乘度化
過去這樣來引導你們，這樣來教育你們，教育你們要發大心、要立大願，入人群中，才能夠磨練我們這念心。就像我們現在，愈是投入的菩薩，對人群、天下事愈是熱心、不怕辛苦，就是這樣，全心在付出。在家菩薩是這樣，出家修行者，也是這樣，若是愈有發心，愈投入在人群中，了解人間事愈多，「佛法不離世間法」，能夠見證人間法、見證佛法。
像這樣修大乘行者，雖然說起來更為辛苦，對內，自身要保護，這念清淨的心，對外，要入人群中去，要教育，去將佛法，像播種的人，去撒種子；但是又不受外面的環境，是風、是雨、是大太陽這個境界，讓我們退失了，向外付出的這念心。這就是愈是發心，愈不怕辛苦；愈不怕辛苦的付出，所工作的收穫是愈大。這是一種的體悟。
佛陀向舍利弗說了，過去長久的時間，本來佛的本懷，就是要教菩薩法。就是向舍利弗就是這樣說，對舍利弗你們大家，都是期待人人能夠把握因緣，在修學過程中，必定要兼利他人，不要在中途又再忘失。這也能夠說，過去是這樣教，你們現在忘記了；現在再啟發你們，你們不要將來又忘記。這是凡夫，時時都有發心、退道，發心、退道，時時發心，時時退道。若是這樣，再長久的時間，我們也難得真正體悟佛的教法。
各位，學佛真的是要，好好用心來學，否則每天聽、每天發心、每天就又再忘記，每天都是周而復始，一輩子；這一生發心，來生又再環境誘惑，又是在凡夫人間法，無明煩惱，又再覆蔽我們的心，我們又是再這念心，修行的清淨心，又讓它漏掉了。像這樣，周而復始，一生過一生，現在今生此世，一天又讓它過一天，一年又讓它過一年，同樣，法這樣在聽，同樣這樣在漏失，同樣煩惱不斷再複製。你們想，我們要到什麼時候，我們才真正能夠，與佛的覺海，交會在一起呢？
各位菩薩，學佛要記住，我們佛陀以往已經教菩薩法。這個教菩薩法，一定要常常在我們的心。千經萬論，歸納回來，無非就是要教我們行菩薩道。我們不要再有漏落，忘失了我們的本願。所以我們要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: We Must Never Forget Our Original Vows (莫忘本弘願)
Date: January.28. 2015
“The Buddha described His past teachings, which had now been forgotten. Now He spoke to the assembly again to clarify that in the past, He had taught the Bodhisattva Way, but because of their Leaks, they had forgotten their original vows.”
This explains that, in the past the Buddha was always teaching mindfully. But some people, the majority of people, quickly forgot the teachings after hearing them. This was what “the Buddha described”. In the previous sutra passage, the Buddha again described the past; He was constantly reminding us. For instance, He spoke of His “past teachings” and how, in the presence of two trillion Buddhas, He had engaged in spiritual practice and guided people to understand the deeply profound principles of the Buddha-Dharma. He did not only do this for one lifetime, but for an incalculable number of past lives. He did all this for the sake of one thing, to help us develop the clarity of mind to see our intrinsic nature.
This Dharma is so simple, but He had to spend such a long time to unceasingly teach it. This kind of description tells everyone that this has happened over a very long time, over many lifetimes. After He taught it, it was quickly forgotten.
In the [sutra], Sariputra was representative [of the assembly]. When he described his own mindset, he was expressing what many other people all wanted to say. They all had karmic conditions to follow the Buddha for who knows how long of a time. In the past, the Buddha taught them unceasingly, yet in this lifetime they still remained in the state of the Small Vehicle. This was what Sariputra and the others felt.
So, the Buddha began proclaiming the following at this assembly. He wanted everyone to clearly understand that, “in the past, He had taught the Bodhisattva Way.” Over many past lifetimes, He had been in the presence of two trillion Buddhas. Over this long time, what He was constantly taught was the Bodhisattva Way. He wanted everyone to value the Bodhisattva-path. But we humans [cannot], “because of [our] Leaks”. Because of our ignorance and afflictions, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt, etc., we cycle back, one lifetime after another. For an unknown number of lifetimes, we have endlessly given rise to afflictions. These afflictions arise from habitual tendencies; thus we have Leaks.
Though we have had the karmic conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma life after life, we retain the characteristics of ordinary people so we reproduce thoughts of afflictions more often [than thoughts of the Dharma]. For example, laypeople do things for the sake of their family or for their careers, and so on. They are so busy they do not have much time. After they hear the Dharma, [they think], “It makes sense and makes me happy. I should change my habitual tendencies. I should diligently [practice] the Dharma.” But the time they spend listening to the Dharma in comparison to the time they spend being busy is quite small, and of course, the time they spend reproducing afflictions is greater. This is why sentient beings have many Leaks and much ignorance, and why so little pure Dharma has been able to penetrate their minds. This is true even for monastic practitioners. Their morning routine is to listen to the Dharma, but the time they listen is less than an hour.The rest of their day is very busy with interacting with people and dealing with matters with afflictions from their environment in their minds.We can also compare these amounts of time.
As we go about our work, inevitably one person will say, “This plant will look better here.”And then someone also will say, “No, it won’t.”“It will look better if we put some bamboo here.”In the fields, [one says,].“Today we will plant amaranth seeds.”But another will say, “No, we should plant water spinach.”
A small matter such as this can turn into a dispute between people.What difference does it make whether we plant amaranth or water spinach?To grow either, we need to sow seeds.The field has already been plowed, all we need to do is plant the seeds.
Why argue over things that are so similar?This is unnecessary.
“If you think this is good, that is fine.”When things are pretty much the same, if neither is wrong or will take us astray and the results will be the same, then both parties should give a little.Then there will be harmony and we will not need to engage in disputes.
Recently I have heard some lay Bodhisattvas-volunteers share about their short-term retreat at the Abode.In the fields, they realized that the monastics teach according to capabilities.When they hit rocks while hoeing the fields, [the volunteers say,] “There are so many rocks!”[The monastics would say,].“Indeed! This is what our minds are like. When we find a rock in this field, we must quickly pick it up and set it aside. Then the vegetables can grow beautifully.”
Hearing this, the volunteers thought, “This makes a lot of sense. This is just like my daily living. Sometimes if I encounter difficulties, I feel very annoyed. I am annoyed with the things around me, but I do not reflect on myself and examine the field of my own mind. These afflictions were already inside of me and not caused by external things.”
Dharma Masters who are good at guiding people will bring the Dharma into these farming methods.[Guided in this way,] the volunteers feel very happy.This is why I say that our daily living cannot deviate from the Dharma.If our minds deviate from the Dharma, we will experience Leaks.We will give rise to afflictions again and then fall back into the ways of ordinary people.We will give rise to more ignorance.This is because after accepting the teachings, we quickly lose them; we forget them.
During this period of time, the Buddha constantly described and explained how He had taught people in the past.Over such a long period of time, He formed connections with everyone by devising teachings for them over many lifetimes.But every single teaching was all about encouraging everyone to walk the Bodhisattva-path.Only by doing that would they have the chance to return to their pure intrinsic nature.Lifetime after lifetime He did the same thing.His disciples had had the karmic conditions to accept these teachings life after life, but they quickly forgot them.
So, when we hear the Dharma right now, we must clearly understand the essential points.We need to remember that we already have an affinity with the Buddha.That is why we continue to learn and review the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha.
In the past we already had the affinity to engage in spiritual practice with Him.So, in this lifetime, we must seize every moment.Since we can hear the Dharma, we must take it to heart and abide in the Buddha’s wisdom.We cannot allow external conditions to disturb our spiritual aspirations.
So, the previous sutra passages states, “You throughout the long night, have followed me and received my instruction. I have used skillful means to guide you so that you could be born of my teachings.”
The Buddha had already spent a long time engaging in spiritual practice.At the same time, He taught everyone unceasingly.
However, while He engaged in practice and at the same time taught everyone, we still remained lost in the long night, the long night of ignorance.When we ordinary people hear the Dharma although we seem to understand, we really do not.What we do understand, we feel that we cannot put it into practice; it seems very difficult.This is the long and dark night of our minds, like the darkness at night, before dawn.We bring our ignorant and ordinary mind with us when we receive teachings.
This is why the Buddha said, “I have used skillful means to guide you so that you could be born of my teachings”. Everyone is still asleep, unable to awaken, or they are still lost in that long night, because they have not eliminated their afflictions. This means that the first glimmers of dawn have not yet appeared in our minds. This is what we call the long night. This is the state of mind in which we have not eliminated our ignorance; in this state we receive the Buddha’s teachings. And so the following passage states,
“Sariputra, in the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood. But you have completely forgotten this. And then they say that you have already attained Nirvana”.
The Buddha again reminded Sariputra that, after such a long time, the glimmers of dawn had not yet surfaced in his mind. “Sariputra, in the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood”. During the time of the two trillion Buddhas, the Buddha was engaged in spiritual practice. At that time, the Buddha created many affinities with people. In the presence of those two trillion Buddhas, He always did the same thing; He sought the Buddha’s Way and transformed sentient beings. The sentient beings transformed by Him then followed Him, lifetime after lifetime. At this assembly, He began to teach everyone that they must “vow to follow the path to Buddhahood”. As they engage in spiritual practice, they must make great vows to do great things. “Great vows” are the vows to transform sentient beings and to attain Buddhahood. We can do this because we have followed the Buddha in spiritual practice. You and I, in our past lifetimes, formed karmic connections with the Buddha. We have been on that road right up to the present. But over this long period of time, as the Buddha said, “You have completely forgotten this”. He continued to lead everyone, hoping that they would make this kind of vow, but everyone had forgotten again.
“And then you say that you have already attained Nirvana”. Up until that lifetime, they had the karmic affinity to be together and continue to learn from the Buddha. But, they still clung to emptiness and existence, so they had not achieved a perfect [awakening]. They only sought self-awakening and had not yet aspired to awaken others. Forming aspirations is easy; persevering is hard.
We quickly forget this resolve. The reason people quickly forget is, “if your vows are not deeply rooted, you set aside the Great to learn the Small”.
“Because your vows were not deeply rooted, in the course of your spiritual practice, you set aside the Great to learn the Small. Halfway there, you completely forgot. So, now you claim to have already attained Nirvana. In the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood. Yet now you have completely forgotten it and set aside the Great to learn the Small, causing you worries and regrets.”
If our root of faith is not deeply and firmly anchored, we may learn easily, but after we learn we quickly forget. Thus we lose that original aspiration. Over the course [of our spiritual practice], when any kind of afflictions or ignorance in our surroundings influence us, our minds waver and go astray. This is why we “set aside the Great”. We form a great aspiration, then lose it and go back to cultivating ourselves for our own awakening and our own benefit. This happens when the period of time is long but our vows are not deeply rooted.
Recently I have been sharing with everyone that we must never forget our initial aspiration. We must not forget our state of mind when we made those vows. This is very important. Small children can understand this, let alone us older spiritual practitioners. Everyone, we must mindfully protect this [resolve]. We must not forget it again as we practice.
“Now you claim to have already attained Nirvana”. We cannot assume that by practicing that way we will achieve this result. The Buddha never stopped telling us that He taught us to vow to walk the path to Buddhahood. However, we have forgotten, and so we have worries. We are worried about our method of spiritual practice, about whether in the future, we will be able to eliminate our afflictions. We still have not clearly understood. This was what the Buddha, amidst the assembly, openly told everyone.
“And now, He proclaimed to the assembly: You who have made the Great Vows must not forget your initial aspiration. The Buddha, for a very long time, has always delivered sentient beings with the Great Vehicle of One Reality.”
In the past, this was how He guided us and this was how He taught us.He taught us to form great aspirations and vows. We must go among people to develop this state of mind. For example, [in Tzu Chi] if Bodhisattva-volunteers are dedicated, if they are enthusiastic about world affair and helping humanity, they will not be afraid of hard work and will wholeheartedly contribute. Lay Bodhisattva-volunteers can do this, so can monastic practitioners. The greater their aspirations are, the more dedicated they will be to other people and the more they will understand worldly matters. “The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the workings of the world.” We can verify the workings of the world, along with the Buddha-Dharma. Based on this, though practicing the Great Vehicle seem to be very hard work, internally, we must safeguard a pure state of mind, while externally, we must go among the people to teach them.We must sow the seeds of the Buddha-Dharma. We must sow the seeds of the Buddha-Dharma but remain unaffected by our surroundings. Whether wind, rain or blazing sun, we must not let these conditions cause us to lose our aspiration to help other people.
The greater our aspirations, the less we are afraid to work hard. The more we tirelessly give, the greater the harvest we reap from our work. This is a kind of realization. So, the Buddha told Sariputra that for a long period of time in the past, His original intent had been to teach the Bodhisattva Way.This was what He said to Sariputra. He hoped that Sariputra, as well as everyone else, would be able to seize the opportunities, over the course of their spiritual practice, to also benefit other people and not lose their aspirations again halfway through. He was saying that, this was what He taught in the past, but they had forgotten it. So, now He was going to remind them again, and they must not forget it in the future.
Ordinary people often form aspirations then give up, then form aspiration, then give up. They are constantly forming aspirations and constantly giving up.When this is the case, no matter how long we take, we find it hard to truly realize the Dharma. Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must make an effort to learn it mindfully. Otherwise, every day we will listen, form aspirations and then forget again every day. We will go through this cycle every day. In this life time we form aspirations, then in the next we are tempted by phenomena to fall back into the characteristics of ordinary people so that ignorance and afflictions cover our minds once again.Then we allow the pure resolve to engage in spiritual practice to leak away again. This is the cycle we keep repeating, lifetime after lifetime.
Now in this current lifetime, we do this day after day, year after year. We keep listening to the Dharma, keep allowing it to leak away and keep giving rise to more afflictions. Think about this; how long do we have to wait to be one with the ocean of the Buddha’s enlightenment?
Dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s Way we must remember that the Buddha has already taught us the Bodhisattva Way.This teaching must always remain in our hearts. All the scriptures are ultimately about teaching s to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must not allow this to leak away, nor can we forget our original vows. 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）
⊙「佛敘述昔教今忘，今時於大眾中說，明往昔教菩薩法，唯因漏落忘本願。」
⊙「汝亦長夜隨我受學，我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道，汝今悉忘，而便自謂已得滅度。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙因志願不深故，自有中途廢大習小，中途悉忘，而今自謂已得滅度。我昔教汝志願佛道，而汝今悉忘，廢大習小，致有憂悔。
⊙而今於大眾中宣說：有志弘願者，莫忘當初；佛陀從久遠以來，無不都以一實大乘度化。
【證嚴上人開示】
「佛敘述昔教今忘，今時於大眾中說，明往昔教菩薩法，唯因漏落忘本願。」
佛敘述 昔教今忘
今時 於大眾中說
明往昔 教菩薩法
唯因漏落 忘本願
也就是說佛陀過去，不斷用心教育，卻是有人，多數的人，就是這樣聽，很快就給忘掉了。所以「佛敘述」，前面這些(經)文，就是佛陀再來敘述過去，不斷在提醒。
就像前面有「昔教」，已經過去在二萬億佛所，那個過去的佛陀，如何來修行，如何來引導，引導人人能夠瞭解，佛法深奧的道理。不只是一生而已，無法去算數的以前，只為了一項事情，為了要讓人人明心見性。
這麼簡單的法，卻是要用很長久的時間，不斷地教育。這是一種敘述，來告訴大家時間很長，累生累世，教了以後，很快就又忘失。
舍利弗是一位代表者，敘述他自己本身的心態，就是包括了很多人，共同想要表達的話。因為都是同樣隨佛的因緣，不知多長、多久了，過去佛陀不斷地教育，到今生此世還是守在小乘法裡。這是舍利弗於大眾中的心聲。所以佛陀在大眾中，就開始再宣示，讓大家更加清楚，「(明)往昔教菩薩法」。過去累生累世，經過了二萬億佛所，這麼長久的時間，都是不斷，所教的就是菩薩法，要人人重視菩薩道。
可是我們人就是因為「唯因漏落」。因為我們的煩惱無明，貪、瞋、癡、驕慢、懷疑等等，這種周而復始，一生過一生，再過一生，到底多少生多少世，生生世世不斷複製煩惱，這些煩惱隨著習氣，所以叫做漏落生死。雖然生生世世有因緣接觸佛法，但是凡夫法，凡夫這種的漏落的煩惱，那個複製的量更多。
就像在家人，為了家庭、為了事業、家業等等，庸庸碌碌，很沒有時間。聽法，聽了，有道理，歡喜，「我應該習氣要改，我應該法要精進」。卻是，聽法的時間，比在社會庸庸碌碌的時間，當然較少了，複製煩惱的時間當然就較多了，所以漏落無明，這就會多很多，真正清淨的法能夠入心，那就很少了。
哪怕是出家修行，每天早上在聽法，聽法的時間才有幾十分鐘，一天庸庸碌碌，對人、對事，這個環境煩惱在我們的心中。又是這樣（聽法與勞務）來對比？在做事難免，我會覺得：「這盆花放在這裡較好。」有人就說：「不對！這裡就要用竹子布置才好看。」去到菜園，「今天要撒莧菜籽。」另外一位就說：「不對，應該要種蕹菜。」可能這小小的事情，說不定會互相爭執。
莧菜與蕹菜差在哪裡呢？同樣就是要撒種子，在這個菜圃已經全部打平了，只缺這個種子落土，差不多的事情，難道要爭執？不必。「好，你若認為這樣好。」就是同樣是一個法，這個法沒有差錯、沒有分歧，共同的結果，應該互相將就，這樣就會圓滿了，就不必在那裡爭執。
最近聽一些在家菩薩就說，來精舍短期修行，到菜園去，有的師父觀機逗教。鋤頭在鋤，鋤到石頭，「石頭怎麼那麼多？」「是啊！這就是我們的心地，也是這樣。心這片的土地，若發現到石頭，就要趕快將它撿到旁邊，菜種起來才漂亮。」
這些居士聽，「很有道理！這就像我日常的生活，有時候若遇到事情較困難，心就很煩，只煩在心的外面，沒有自己反省自己，內心這個心地，原來是我的自己有煩惱，不是外面的事情困擾。」若是比較會帶的師父，懂得將法入於農作中，這樣引導他們，他們都很歡喜。
所以說，在日常的生活，不離開法。而我們若是心離開了法，就是「漏落」，就是又再煩惱起來了，又是再墮落凡夫，凡夫的法，心的無明又再生起來。這就是因為我們受教之後，很快就忘失了，就忘記了。
佛陀在這段時間，一直複述，一直說：過去我如何、如何來教育，多長多久的時間，和大家的緣，累生累世設法教育，但是每一項的教育，無不都是要大家行菩薩道，才能夠有機會，回歸我們清淨的本性。這累生世都是一樣，但是，弟子還是累生累世，長久的時間有緣受教，但是很快就忘失。這是我們這段時間聽來的法，我們應該要很清楚的綱領。
常常記得，我們已經與佛有緣，才會又在現在釋迦佛法中，我們再延續，又再來複習。我們過去已經與佛有緣的修行，我們這輩子，快把握時間，有緣聞法，法要入心，住在我們這個佛智中，不要受外面境界，來擾動我們這念道心。
所以前面的經文說，「汝亦長夜隨我受學，我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」
汝亦長夜
隨我受學
我以方便
引導汝故
生我法中《法華經 譬喻品第三》
因為過去佛陀，已經在這麼長久的時間在修行，同時也是不斷向大家教育。卻是他邊修行，邊同時來教育，卻是我們還是長夜茫茫，無明長夜。
我們凡夫在聽法，也似聽懂，也似聽不懂。聽懂的，覺得做不到，很困難。這全都是心地黑暗的長夜，黑暗的，未天亮的晚上，還是帶著凡夫心無明來受教。這是佛陀這樣說，「我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。」人人就是還睡不醒，或者是還是在茫茫的長夜中，煩惱還沒有盡，也就是我們內心，那個曙光，還沒有浮出來，這叫做「長夜」，在這種還帶著無明，無明還未盡除，這樣來受佛所教育。
下面這段再說，「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道，汝今悉忘，而便自謂已得滅度。」
舍利弗
我昔教汝
志願佛道
汝今悉忘
而便自謂
已得滅度《法華經 譬喻品第三》
佛陀又再提醒舍利弗，這麼長久的時間，那個心，心靈的曙光，還沒有浮出來。「舍利弗，我昔教汝志願佛道」，過去二萬億佛那時候，我在修行時，佛陀那個時候，得來了非常多的結緣眾，經過二萬億佛所，都是一樣這樣的方式，「上求佛道，下度眾生」，這些受化的眾生，生生世世追隨過來，所以那個時候開始就是教育大家，要「志願佛道」。
修行，我們要發大願、立大行。「大願」就是，誓度眾生、誓成佛道。這就是我們過去隨佛修行，你、我都是在那個時候，佛陀的結緣眾，我們這樣一路一直來到現在。
卻是我們在這長期的時間，佛陀這樣說「汝今悉忘」，我一直、一直這樣帶，就是希望人人發這樣的願，大家又是再忘記了。「而便自謂已得滅度」，大家到現在，這輩子有緣在一起，還是隨我修學，大家又是再偏執於空有的地方，所以大家還沒有徹底圓滿，只求自覺，還沒有發心要求覺他。
發心容易，恆心難。這個心很快就忘記了，很快就忘記是因為，「志願不深故，自有中途廢大習小」。
因志願不深故
自有中途廢大習小
中途悉忘
而今自謂已得滅度
我昔教汝志願佛道
而汝今悉忘
廢大習小
致有憂悔
我們這個信的根，若沒有很深、很堅固，我們容易學，學了之後，很快的我們又是再忘記，就又再失去那一念，當初發願的念頭。因為這樣在這個中途，若有什麼樣的煩惱無明，外面的境界誘惑我們，這樣我們的心就開始，隨著境界轉了，這樣我們就會「廢大」。發大心，我們就把它去除掉了，開始又再回來修習，小我、自覺、自利。這是時間長，我們的發願不深。
最近也一直和大家分享，要記得，不要忘失初心，不要忘記我們最初，發願的那念心，這是很重要。幼小的孩子都能夠了解，何況我們是老修行者呢？各位，我們要好好用心保護，不要中途這樣又再讓它忘記。
「(而)今自謂(已得)滅度」。不要以為我這樣修、我這樣得。佛陀已經過去就不斷這樣說：我有教你們要志願佛道。但是我們現在都忘掉了，所以有憂，擔憂自己的修行方法，擔憂未來到底煩惱有去除嗎？我們大家還不很清楚了解。這是佛陀在大眾中，公然向大家說的話。
而今
於大眾中宣說：
有志弘願者
莫忘當初
佛陀從久遠以來
無不都以
一實大乘度化
過去這樣來引導你們，這樣來教育你們，教育你們要發大心、要立大願，入人群中，才能夠磨練我們這念心。就像我們現在，愈是投入的菩薩，對人群、天下事愈是熱心、不怕辛苦，就是這樣，全心在付出。在家菩薩是這樣，出家修行者，也是這樣，若是愈有發心，愈投入在人群中，了解人間事愈多，「佛法不離世間法」，能夠見證人間法、見證佛法。
像這樣修大乘行者，雖然說起來更為辛苦，對內，自身要保護，這念清淨的心，對外，要入人群中去，要教育，去將佛法，像播種的人，去撒種子；但是又不受外面的環境，是風、是雨、是大太陽這個境界，讓我們退失了，向外付出的這念心。這就是愈是發心，愈不怕辛苦；愈不怕辛苦的付出，所工作的收穫是愈大。這是一種的體悟。
佛陀向舍利弗說了，過去長久的時間，本來佛的本懷，就是要教菩薩法。就是向舍利弗就是這樣說，對舍利弗你們大家，都是期待人人能夠把握因緣，在修學過程中，必定要兼利他人，不要在中途又再忘失。這也能夠說，過去是這樣教，你們現在忘記了；現在再啟發你們，你們不要將來又忘記。這是凡夫，時時都有發心、退道，發心、退道，時時發心，時時退道。若是這樣，再長久的時間，我們也難得真正體悟佛的教法。
各位，學佛真的是要，好好用心來學，否則每天聽、每天發心、每天就又再忘記，每天都是周而復始，一輩子；這一生發心，來生又再環境誘惑，又是在凡夫人間法，無明煩惱，又再覆蔽我們的心，我們又是再這念心，修行的清淨心，又讓它漏掉了。像這樣，周而復始，一生過一生，現在今生此世，一天又讓它過一天，一年又讓它過一年，同樣，法這樣在聽，同樣這樣在漏失，同樣煩惱不斷再複製。你們想，我們要到什麼時候，我們才真正能夠，與佛的覺海，交會在一起呢？
各位菩薩，學佛要記住，我們佛陀以往已經教菩薩法。這個教菩薩法，一定要常常在我們的心。千經萬論，歸納回來，無非就是要教我們行菩薩道。我們不要再有漏落，忘失了我們的本願。所以我們要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: We Must Never Forget Our Original Vows (莫忘本弘願)
Date: January.28. 2015
“The Buddha described His past teachings, which had now been forgotten. Now He spoke to the assembly again to clarify that in the past, He had taught the Bodhisattva Way, but because of their Leaks, they had forgotten their original vows.”
This explains that, in the past the Buddha was always teaching mindfully. But some people, the majority of people, quickly forgot the teachings after hearing them. This was what “the Buddha described”. In the previous sutra passage, the Buddha again described the past; He was constantly reminding us. For instance, He spoke of His “past teachings” and how, in the presence of two trillion Buddhas, He had engaged in spiritual practice and guided people to understand the deeply profound principles of the Buddha-Dharma. He did not only do this for one lifetime, but for an incalculable number of past lives. He did all this for the sake of one thing, to help us develop the clarity of mind to see our intrinsic nature.
This Dharma is so simple, but He had to spend such a long time to unceasingly teach it. This kind of description tells everyone that this has happened over a very long time, over many lifetimes. After He taught it, it was quickly forgotten.
In the [sutra], Sariputra was representative [of the assembly]. When he described his own mindset, he was expressing what many other people all wanted to say. They all had karmic conditions to follow the Buddha for who knows how long of a time. In the past, the Buddha taught them unceasingly, yet in this lifetime they still remained in the state of the Small Vehicle. This was what Sariputra and the others felt.
So, the Buddha began proclaiming the following at this assembly. He wanted everyone to clearly understand that, “in the past, He had taught the Bodhisattva Way.” Over many past lifetimes, He had been in the presence of two trillion Buddhas. Over this long time, what He was constantly taught was the Bodhisattva Way. He wanted everyone to value the Bodhisattva-path. But we humans [cannot], “because of [our] Leaks”. Because of our ignorance and afflictions, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt, etc., we cycle back, one lifetime after another. For an unknown number of lifetimes, we have endlessly given rise to afflictions. These afflictions arise from habitual tendencies; thus we have Leaks.
Though we have had the karmic conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma life after life, we retain the characteristics of ordinary people so we reproduce thoughts of afflictions more often [than thoughts of the Dharma]. For example, laypeople do things for the sake of their family or for their careers, and so on. They are so busy they do not have much time. After they hear the Dharma, [they think], “It makes sense and makes me happy. I should change my habitual tendencies. I should diligently [practice] the Dharma.” But the time they spend listening to the Dharma in comparison to the time they spend being busy is quite small, and of course, the time they spend reproducing afflictions is greater. This is why sentient beings have many Leaks and much ignorance, and why so little pure Dharma has been able to penetrate their minds. This is true even for monastic practitioners. Their morning routine is to listen to the Dharma, but the time they listen is less than an hour.The rest of their day is very busy with interacting with people and dealing with matters with afflictions from their environment in their minds.We can also compare these amounts of time.
As we go about our work, inevitably one person will say, “This plant will look better here.”And then someone also will say, “No, it won’t.”“It will look better if we put some bamboo here.”In the fields, [one says,].“Today we will plant amaranth seeds.”But another will say, “No, we should plant water spinach.”
A small matter such as this can turn into a dispute between people.What difference does it make whether we plant amaranth or water spinach?To grow either, we need to sow seeds.The field has already been plowed, all we need to do is plant the seeds.
Why argue over things that are so similar?This is unnecessary.
“If you think this is good, that is fine.”When things are pretty much the same, if neither is wrong or will take us astray and the results will be the same, then both parties should give a little.Then there will be harmony and we will not need to engage in disputes.
Recently I have heard some lay Bodhisattvas-volunteers share about their short-term retreat at the Abode.In the fields, they realized that the monastics teach according to capabilities.When they hit rocks while hoeing the fields, [the volunteers say,] “There are so many rocks!”[The monastics would say,].“Indeed! This is what our minds are like. When we find a rock in this field, we must quickly pick it up and set it aside. Then the vegetables can grow beautifully.”
Hearing this, the volunteers thought, “This makes a lot of sense. This is just like my daily living. Sometimes if I encounter difficulties, I feel very annoyed. I am annoyed with the things around me, but I do not reflect on myself and examine the field of my own mind. These afflictions were already inside of me and not caused by external things.”
Dharma Masters who are good at guiding people will bring the Dharma into these farming methods.[Guided in this way,] the volunteers feel very happy.This is why I say that our daily living cannot deviate from the Dharma.If our minds deviate from the Dharma, we will experience Leaks.We will give rise to afflictions again and then fall back into the ways of ordinary people.We will give rise to more ignorance.This is because after accepting the teachings, we quickly lose them; we forget them.
During this period of time, the Buddha constantly described and explained how He had taught people in the past.Over such a long period of time, He formed connections with everyone by devising teachings for them over many lifetimes.But every single teaching was all about encouraging everyone to walk the Bodhisattva-path.Only by doing that would they have the chance to return to their pure intrinsic nature.Lifetime after lifetime He did the same thing.His disciples had had the karmic conditions to accept these teachings life after life, but they quickly forgot them.
So, when we hear the Dharma right now, we must clearly understand the essential points.We need to remember that we already have an affinity with the Buddha.That is why we continue to learn and review the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha.
In the past we already had the affinity to engage in spiritual practice with Him.So, in this lifetime, we must seize every moment.Since we can hear the Dharma, we must take it to heart and abide in the Buddha’s wisdom.We cannot allow external conditions to disturb our spiritual aspirations.
So, the previous sutra passages states, “You throughout the long night, have followed me and received my instruction. I have used skillful means to guide you so that you could be born of my teachings.”
The Buddha had already spent a long time engaging in spiritual practice.At the same time, He taught everyone unceasingly.
However, while He engaged in practice and at the same time taught everyone, we still remained lost in the long night, the long night of ignorance.When we ordinary people hear the Dharma although we seem to understand, we really do not.What we do understand, we feel that we cannot put it into practice; it seems very difficult.This is the long and dark night of our minds, like the darkness at night, before dawn.We bring our ignorant and ordinary mind with us when we receive teachings.
This is why the Buddha said, “I have used skillful means to guide you so that you could be born of my teachings”. Everyone is still asleep, unable to awaken, or they are still lost in that long night, because they have not eliminated their afflictions. This means that the first glimmers of dawn have not yet appeared in our minds. This is what we call the long night. This is the state of mind in which we have not eliminated our ignorance; in this state we receive the Buddha’s teachings. And so the following passage states,
“Sariputra, in the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood. But you have completely forgotten this. And then they say that you have already attained Nirvana”.
The Buddha again reminded Sariputra that, after such a long time, the glimmers of dawn had not yet surfaced in his mind. “Sariputra, in the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood”. During the time of the two trillion Buddhas, the Buddha was engaged in spiritual practice. At that time, the Buddha created many affinities with people. In the presence of those two trillion Buddhas, He always did the same thing; He sought the Buddha’s Way and transformed sentient beings. The sentient beings transformed by Him then followed Him, lifetime after lifetime. At this assembly, He began to teach everyone that they must “vow to follow the path to Buddhahood”. As they engage in spiritual practice, they must make great vows to do great things. “Great vows” are the vows to transform sentient beings and to attain Buddhahood. We can do this because we have followed the Buddha in spiritual practice. You and I, in our past lifetimes, formed karmic connections with the Buddha. We have been on that road right up to the present. But over this long period of time, as the Buddha said, “You have completely forgotten this”. He continued to lead everyone, hoping that they would make this kind of vow, but everyone had forgotten again.
“And then you say that you have already attained Nirvana”. Up until that lifetime, they had the karmic affinity to be together and continue to learn from the Buddha. But, they still clung to emptiness and existence, so they had not achieved a perfect [awakening]. They only sought self-awakening and had not yet aspired to awaken others. Forming aspirations is easy; persevering is hard.
We quickly forget this resolve. The reason people quickly forget is, “if your vows are not deeply rooted, you set aside the Great to learn the Small”.
“Because your vows were not deeply rooted, in the course of your spiritual practice, you set aside the Great to learn the Small. Halfway there, you completely forgot. So, now you claim to have already attained Nirvana. In the past, I taught you to vow to follow the path to Buddhahood. Yet now you have completely forgotten it and set aside the Great to learn the Small, causing you worries and regrets.”
If our root of faith is not deeply and firmly anchored, we may learn easily, but after we learn we quickly forget. Thus we lose that original aspiration. Over the course [of our spiritual practice], when any kind of afflictions or ignorance in our surroundings influence us, our minds waver and go astray. This is why we “set aside the Great”. We form a great aspiration, then lose it and go back to cultivating ourselves for our own awakening and our own benefit. This happens when the period of time is long but our vows are not deeply rooted.
Recently I have been sharing with everyone that we must never forget our initial aspiration. We must not forget our state of mind when we made those vows. This is very important. Small children can understand this, let alone us older spiritual practitioners. Everyone, we must mindfully protect this [resolve]. We must not forget it again as we practice.
“Now you claim to have already attained Nirvana”. We cannot assume that by practicing that way we will achieve this result. The Buddha never stopped telling us that He taught us to vow to walk the path to Buddhahood. However, we have forgotten, and so we have worries. We are worried about our method of spiritual practice, about whether in the future, we will be able to eliminate our afflictions. We still have not clearly understood. This was what the Buddha, amidst the assembly, openly told everyone.
“And now, He proclaimed to the assembly: You who have made the Great Vows must not forget your initial aspiration. The Buddha, for a very long time, has always delivered sentient beings with the Great Vehicle of One Reality.”
In the past, this was how He guided us and this was how He taught us.He taught us to form great aspirations and vows. We must go among people to develop this state of mind. For example, [in Tzu Chi] if Bodhisattva-volunteers are dedicated, if they are enthusiastic about world affair and helping humanity, they will not be afraid of hard work and will wholeheartedly contribute. Lay Bodhisattva-volunteers can do this, so can monastic practitioners. The greater their aspirations are, the more dedicated they will be to other people and the more they will understand worldly matters. “The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the workings of the world.” We can verify the workings of the world, along with the Buddha-Dharma. Based on this, though practicing the Great Vehicle seem to be very hard work, internally, we must safeguard a pure state of mind, while externally, we must go among the people to teach them.We must sow the seeds of the Buddha-Dharma. We must sow the seeds of the Buddha-Dharma but remain unaffected by our surroundings. Whether wind, rain or blazing sun, we must not let these conditions cause us to lose our aspiration to help other people.
The greater our aspirations, the less we are afraid to work hard. The more we tirelessly give, the greater the harvest we reap from our work. This is a kind of realization. So, the Buddha told Sariputra that for a long period of time in the past, His original intent had been to teach the Bodhisattva Way.This was what He said to Sariputra. He hoped that Sariputra, as well as everyone else, would be able to seize the opportunities, over the course of their spiritual practice, to also benefit other people and not lose their aspirations again halfway through. He was saying that, this was what He taught in the past, but they had forgotten it. So, now He was going to remind them again, and they must not forget it in the future.
Ordinary people often form aspirations then give up, then form aspiration, then give up. They are constantly forming aspirations and constantly giving up.When this is the case, no matter how long we take, we find it hard to truly realize the Dharma. Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must make an effort to learn it mindfully. Otherwise, every day we will listen, form aspirations and then forget again every day. We will go through this cycle every day. In this life time we form aspirations, then in the next we are tempted by phenomena to fall back into the characteristics of ordinary people so that ignorance and afflictions cover our minds once again.Then we allow the pure resolve to engage in spiritual practice to leak away again. This is the cycle we keep repeating, lifetime after lifetime.
Now in this current lifetime, we do this day after day, year after year. We keep listening to the Dharma, keep allowing it to leak away and keep giving rise to more afflictions. Think about this; how long do we have to wait to be one with the ocean of the Buddha’s enlightenment?
Dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s Way we must remember that the Buddha has already taught us the Bodhisattva Way.This teaching must always remain in our hearts. All the scriptures are ultimately about teaching s to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must not allow this to leak away, nor can we forget our original vows. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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