20150217《靜思妙蓮華》立行安住堅固地(第503集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「深植諦理無為法，以入真如寂清澄，恆持廣大弘誓願，立行安住堅固地。」
⊙「華光如來過十二小劫，授堅滿菩薩，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「告諸比丘：是堅滿菩薩次當作佛，號曰華足安行，多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀，其佛國土，亦復如是。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「多陀阿伽度」謂：如來。「阿羅訶者」謂：應供。「三藐三佛陀者」謂：正遍知。如來十號中之三號。
⊙「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙正法住世，謂值佛正法時，有教、有行、有證。
⊙像法住世，謂正法已衰，唯有像教，相似行，證果者少。
⊙至末法時世，則唯有教在，而行證皆無矣。
【證嚴上人開示】
「深植諦理無為法，以入真如寂清澄，恆持廣大弘誓願，立行安住堅固地。」
深植諦理無為法
以入真如寂清澄
恆持廣大弘誓願
立行安住堅固地
我們常常就是這樣說，信根要深植，道理我們就能夠明白。真諦道理就是叫做無為法；無為法，那就是在我們日常生活中，雖然我們看不到、感覺不到，卻是離不開我們的行為，我們所造作行為等等，所受用的一切物質，無不都是在這個無為法當中。
手拿著一支筆、拿著一本筆記本。筆記本是紙，紙從哪來？知道，紙漿。紙漿是什麼東西？就是樹。樹在哪裡？在山林。山林的樹，怎麼有樹呢？就是樹種。樹種怎麼會變成樹？就是因緣，有大地，那片的土地、那片的空氣，這樣慢慢因緣成熟，所以種子為樹苗，為大樹，經過了天地、日月時光等等，這樣形成。
所以，常常說時間、空間，時間、空間成就一切。有了這個東西成就，名稱、它的原理，就要有種種的因緣會合。所以這個原木，本來是樹木，到最後就是，你手中的一本筆記本。
而你那支筆呢？不論是那支筆是用塑膠，或者錫、銅、木等等做出來，總是也要有筆芯。筆芯怎麼來？也是同樣是大地之中，由萬物因緣成就。種種的物質在大地裡，將它提起來提煉，成為塑膠的原料，做一支筆的形，僅只一個塑膠的原料，無法寫出它的色彩，就還要有這個筆芯，這個色料又是怎麼來。
所以說，我們對天地之間，我們日常生活的東西，沒有一項不是從原理，這些東西，必定要經過了，種種來會合、製成。所以由因緣生，從它原來因緣，滅掉了，又再另外一個因緣，來製造它，換了它的名稱，變了它的作用。所以這叫做無為法──本來是沒有的，就是有這樣，這樣，非常多的東西將它滅掉，滅掉它原來的本質，又將這些很多的東西，再將它會合，種種的器具，再來將它成就。
就像我們現在環保菩薩，在保護大地，就是這些東西已經破壞，或者是去將它取著，原來的東西，他把它取來之後，製造過了，大家用了，又不要，又將它丟掉了，他們就去將它回收回來，回收回來之後，仔細將它分類，分類之後，還要經過了這個機器等等，將這些東西，回歸它的原來的質，將這個原來的質料，又再將它變形，變了種種，我們現在所在用的東西。
這都一樣，怎麼樣輪迴，怎麼樣成就，怎麼樣滅掉，滅掉之後，又是另外循環，再讓它成就。形不斷在變，卻是那個原來的質，那個理，我們看不見那個質裡面，有它的道理存在。這真的是奇哉、妙哉啊！也就是「一切皆空」，它沒有永遠住的，天地之間萬物都是「成、住、壞、空」，「空」掉之時，種種的因緣，又再會合而「成」，這樣又是再，「成、住、壞、空」。
就像我們人一樣，「生、老、病、死」，同樣的意思，我們捨掉了這個身體，世間就沒有「我」在世間了。不過「我」，還是又再到另外一個地方，因緣具足的地方。前一段在說正報、依報。我要出生在什麼地方？我什麼都沒帶去，我就是依我的業識，因的種子，到和我有緣的地方，這樣去了。「生」就開始，隨著這個家庭的環境，隨著那個國土的環境和文化。就在那個地方長大。
現在我說的是臺語，因為我出生在臺灣，而我來生的依報在哪裡？到底是要說什麼話呢？就隨那個地方、那裡的語言、文化、那裡的生活背景、那個家庭，這叫做依報。但是我的正報呢？到底我將來，我的正報，又是什麼樣？我現在不知。
總而言之，這種「生、老、病、死」，死而復生，這樣在循環，我們的心理就是在「生、住、異、滅」中，心不安定下來，所以很容易一念生，外面的境界的欲來誘引，這樣去。開始就是看到東西，就在那個東西之中，一直在那個地方要如何取得，要如何貪得，要如何擁為己有，開始又再造業。所以「生、住、異、滅」是我們的心患得患失，很多、很多的辛苦，不斷、不斷複製很多的煩惱、因緣等等的業，所以讓我們無法了解道理。
唯有佛陀能夠向我們說，很多的道理，讓我們能夠一理通、萬理徹，知道這些，一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，這我們都可以知道。不過，佛陀還告訴我們，我們有一切，恆久常存我們的真如本性。所以我們為了要找回來，我們的真如本性，所以入真如，教我們的方法，要寂清澄。所以我們現在知道法了，我們應該要開始恆持廣大心，我們發心修行。
《法華經》開始就是要教我們，如何捨小為大。我們既然知道苦，就是我們自己造來一切、一切，苦，就是惡的因緣的結果，我們今天會受苦，是過去所做的惡因、惡緣，帶來了人生的苦難。我們知道了，要趕快「佛道無上誓願成」。但是要成就佛道，你就要去斷煩惱，無邊的法，我們就要學等等，所以我們要發了這念心，恆持廣大，我們永遠都要，發大心、立大願，我們要好好把握，要恆持，要永久、要永久，這樣要好好堅持我們的願力。
這個大願不離開弘誓願。每一尊佛都是「眾生無邊誓願度」，要度眾生的過程，「煩惱無盡誓願斷」。我們要度眾生，就要斷煩惱，否則我們本欲度眾生，反被眾生度，所以我們就要很注意，我們要將煩惱去除。我們入人群中去，因為人群中有無量無數的法，世間法，好讓我們去瞭解。
看到世間的污濁之後，我們才會懂得珍惜，那個清淨的法。我們若真正，煩惱都斷除，佛法都很清楚了，自然我們在人群中，絕對不受人群，人我是非，一切愛欲情仇，這樣影響我們，所以我們很自然「立行安住堅固地」。
我們前面的經文那就是說，「華光如來過十二小劫，授堅滿菩薩，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記」。
華光如來
過十二小劫
授堅滿菩薩
阿耨多羅
三藐三菩提記
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這個華光如來，大家知道是何人？舍利弗。舍利弗好不容易經過了一段，非常長的時間，這樣恢復了他立弘誓願的心，在《法華經》中終於體悟了，重新再發願，發弘誓願要度眾生。這個時候，佛陀為他授記，授記未來成佛，名叫做華光如來。
尤其是國土的莊嚴、富有，那個國土多數都像天人、都是菩薩，那麼的清淨、那麼和合的世界，又壽長。華光如來壽多長？十二小劫，是啊。華光如來這個壽，十二小劫，也是再長的壽命，都有盡的時候，所以這個時候，華光佛也是一樣，要再傳承這個法。所以那個時候，華光佛他就為菩薩群中，這位堅滿菩薩，這樣要為他授記，將來能夠成佛，就是阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
所以佛陀就向大家又再說：「告諸比丘：是堅滿菩薩次當作佛，號曰華足安行。」
告諸比丘
是堅滿菩薩
次當作佛
號曰華足安行
華光如來向堅滿菩薩授記，將來作佛，他的號叫做，華足安行。這就是現在釋迦佛在說未來，這個華光如來成佛之後，又再授下面，這就是叫做法髓相傳，也是法脈相傳，不斷要傳下去。現在再開始說，這竹段(經)文開始，能夠得受，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，是無上正等正覺，還有，「多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀，其佛國土，亦復如是。
多陀阿伽度
阿羅訶
三藐三佛陀
其佛國土
亦復如是
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這個國土就是有這樣，和華光如來一樣，也是很清淨，那個地方也是具足了，很多的菩薩。來，我們來看什麼叫做，「多陀阿伽度」多陀阿伽度這是梵語，翻譯叫做為如來。「阿羅訶」，阿羅訶就是應供。「三藐三佛陀」叫做正遍知，意思這就是，成佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，就是成正覺。成正覺，佛陀覺行圓滿了，這個覺得圓滿，他要具足十號，這個十號裡面就有，如來、應供、正遍知，還有明行足、善逝、世間解，等等十號，這是十號之中，前三號來代表，這表示表示，那位華足(安行)如來，他未來成正覺這個境界，十號具足。
多陀阿伽度
謂：如來
阿羅訶者
謂：應供
三藐三佛陀者
謂：正遍知
如來十號中
之三號
佛陀再稱舍利弗：「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」
「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」
舍利弗
是華光佛
滅度之後
正法住世
三十二小劫
像法住世
亦三十二小劫
《法華經譬喻品第三》
時間再長，都有窮盡，都有盡頭之時，就是華光佛，若是滅度之後，他正法住世，有三十二小劫，很長。我們的娑婆世界，眾生業重，佛陀滅度後之時，我們的正法住世，才有千年，再下來就是像法了。「像法住世，亦三十二小劫」，在娑婆世界的像法(時期) ，也才有一千年，所以現在我們離釋迦牟尼佛，是二千五百多年了，再接下來，叫做末法了。
不過，舍利弗成佛的華光佛，那個世界壽命很長，華光佛本身壽命十二小劫，而且他的國土人民壽命，有八劫，也是很長。但是他的像法的時間更長，像法三十二小劫，又再正法也是三十二小劫。正法、像法時間很長。
正法住世
謂值佛正法時
有教、有行、
有證
正法，正法住世的意思就是說，我們能夠遇到佛，了解了佛，能夠見佛、聞法，這都是正法時期，所以在正法住世，大家在修行就是有教、有行，那個教，隨著佛陀的教法，這樣如法修行，所以在那當中，能夠證果的人，就很多了。
而若是到像法之時，像法住世那時候，那就是正法已經慢慢衰頹去了，所以正法一直、一直減弱下去，再來就是像法，就是雕塑佛像。
像法住世
謂正法已衰
唯有像教
相似行
證果者少
現在不論是緬甸也有佛窟，到處，到處都是寺院；泰國也是，寺院非常的堂皇。大陸整片的山，敦煌等等，一直到阿富汗，看，這全都是佛像非常多。甚至將佛所說的法，成為一個經變圖，將這個經(文) ，成為一個故事，(將)故事就來雕刻，所以看到那個佛窟中，可以看見很多的故事，這雕塑起來看圖去讀經。這就是在像法之時。
但是像法，有經典很昌盛，大家刻經、印經等等，很昌盛，所看起來，好像佛法很昌盛，卻是大家只在形象上去造像，修行只是一個修行的形態，所以這叫做像法——形象的教法。卻是「相似行」，好像有在修行，但是到這時候，證果的人就很少。因為有修無證，因為在修就是不真實用心，也沒有真正體會佛的真理，所以「相似行」，好像在修行，所以無證；即使證也是很少、很少，微分的瞭解。
至末法時世
則唯有教在
而行證皆無矣
一直到了末法之時，至末法時，末法時世，那就是「有教在」，雖然有佛教，但是「行證皆無」。真正身體力行依佛的教法，這樣真實去力行的人，那就已經很少。所以我們必定要用心來修行。佛法在人間，現在雖然是末法，眾生很惡濁之時，但是這就是讓我們修行的時刻，要不斷累積行善、造福、結福緣。
這幾天前也一直說過，「菩薩所緣，緣苦眾生」。你要當菩薩，若沒有在苦難眾生中，你哪有菩薩呢？就像醫生，若沒有病人，怎麼會需要醫生呢？所以我們要練得，回歸如來清淨本性，必定要從菩薩道，行入人群中行，在人群中，看盡了世間法，印證了清淨無染的佛法，回歸我們的本性。所以我們人人，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practice and Abide in a Place of Firmness (立行安住堅固地)
Date: February.17. 2015
“Deeply cultivate truths and unconditioned Dharma to enter True Suchness with tranquility and clarity. Forever and extensively uphold and Great Vows to practice and abide in a place of firmness.”
We often say that the Root of Faith must be deeply planted, then we can understand the principles. The principles of absolute truth are what we call unconditioned Dharma. Unconditioned Dharma is found in our daily living. Though we cannot see of feel it, it is always present in all of our actions, in all the karma we create, and so on. All of the material things that we use also exist within this unconditioned Dharma. You may be holding a pen and a notebook in your hands. The notebook is made of paper. Where did this paper come from? We know it comes from paper pulp. What is paper pulp made of? It is made of trees. Where are the trees? In the mountain forests. Where did the trees in the forest come from? They came from tree seeds. How do tree seeds turn into trees? From causes and conditions. Starting with the land, that piece of land and the air surrounding it, the conditions can gradually come to maturity. The seed becomes a sapling, and then a large tree. Over time, in this land, under natural conditions, the tree gradually takes shape.
So, I often talk about time and space. Time and space bring all things to fruition. For something to come into being and have a name, its underlying principles require many causes and conditions to converge. This is how what was originally a tree eventually came to be the notebook that you are holding in your hands. And what about your pen? Whether it is made of plastic, or tin, copper, wood or any other material, it nevertheless must have a cartridge. Where does this cartridge come from? It also comes from the land.
All things arise from causes and conditions. There are many natural resources in the land. We remove them and refine them, and they become the raw material for plastic, which can be formed into the shape of a pen. These raw materials only produce plastic; there is still no way to write with it. We still need a cartridge for the pen, and where does the ink come from? Therefore, everything in the world and everything we use in our daily living follows its underlying principles. All these things must pass through many different stages in their manufacturing process. So, they arise through causes and conditions. And when their original causes and conditions are exhausted, they can meet with other causes and conditions to produce something different, so they have a new name and function. These are the workings of unconditioned Dharma.
Originally these things did not exist; there were only all these different kinds of things that we then destroy, breaking down their original substance, then bringing all these things together and using all kinds of machinery to form them into something. This is just like what our recycling Bodhisattvas do. They protect the earth by collecting things that no longer work or things that were once used by other people. Originally, other people acquired these things. They were manufactured, then after people use them, they no longer want them, so they throw them away. Our volunteers gather up these things. After they collect these discarded things, they carefully sort them. After sorting them, they put them through machines that break them down into their raw materials.Then these raw materials are transformed into a variety of products that we are using today.
This is the same principle; everything goes through a cycle.It comes into being, then it is destroyed.After it is destroyed, it goes through another cycle and becomes something else.Its form is endlessly changing, but its original substance and underlying principles [remain the same,] even if we cannot see that within this substance the principles still exist.This truly is amazing and wonderful!
“Everything is empty in nature.”Nothing will exist permanently.
All things in this world go through “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”.After they “disappear” cause and conditions can converge again to give rise to a new “formation” and a new cycle of “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”.
Similarly, we humans go through a cycle of birth, again, illness and death.The same principle applies here.
Once we leave this body, this “self” ceases to exist in the world.
But the “self” then goes on to a different place, when sufficient causes and conditions converge.A previous sutra passage mentioned direct retributions and circumstantial retributions.
Where will we be born?We bring nothing with us at all.We simply follow the causes we have planted in our karmic consciousness to a place we have a karmic affinity with.
Upon arriving in that place, our life begins with “birth”.Then the environment of that household and the environment and culture of that country shape our development.
I am speaking Taiwanese now.But where will my circumstantial retributions take me in my next lifetime?What language will I speak?It will depend on the country where I will be born, on the language and the culture there, as well as my family background.
This is called circumstantial retribution.
But what about direct retribution?In the future, what ill my direct retribution be like?I cannot know that right now.In summary, we go through “birth, aging, illness and death,” death and rebirth in an endless cycle.As for the mind, our thoughts go through “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing,” so it is difficult to calm down our minds.
Very easily, once [discursive] thoughts arise, the objects of desire in our external conditions entice us, and our minds follow.So, when we see something, our minds begin to focus on it, and we constantly think about how we can acquire it, how we can satisfy our greed and how we can take it for our own.Thus we begin to create karma.
So, “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing,” come from our worries about gaining and losing things.This leads to much suffering and gives rise to so many afflictions and causes and conditions [for creating] karma.Thus we are unable to understand principles.Only the Buddha can explain so many principles such that we “grasp one truth and understand all truths”.Then we realize that, “All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, and illusion, a bubble, a shadow”.We can understand all of this, however, the Buddha also told us that we all have an everlasting and enduring nature of True Suchness.
So, we are practicing in order to rediscover our nature of True Suchness.To enter True Suchness, the method He taught us is to have tranquility and clarity.So, now that we know the Dharma, we should forever uphold our great aspirations.We have aspired to engage in spiritual practice, and the Lotus Sutra teaches us how to set aside the Small [Vehicle] for the Great.Thus we learn that suffering comes from all the karma we ourselves create.Suffering is the result of our negative karmic causes and conditions.We face suffering today because we created negative causes and negative conditions in the past, which bring with them the suffering in life.
Understanding this, we must promptly “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood”.But to complete the path to Buddhahood, we must eliminate afflictions, learn the boundless Dharma, ect.So, after we make this aspiration, we should forever and extensively uphold it.We must always form great aspirations and make great vows.We should seize them and sustain them forever.We must do this forever; this is how we persist with the power of our vows.
These great vows are inseparable from the [Four] Great Vows.
Every Buddha “vows to deliver countless sentient beings”.
In the process of transforming sentient beings.They “vows to eliminate endless afflictions”.If we want to transform sentient beings, we must eliminate our afflictions.Otherwise, “When trying to transform sentient beings, we are instead transformed by them.”
So, we must be very careful and eliminate our afflictions.We interact with people because there is infinite Dharma among them; the workings of the world are all there for us to understand.
After seeing the impurities in the world, we will truly cherish the pure Dharma.
If we are truly able to eliminate all afflictions and clearly understand the Buddha-Dharma,then naturally when we are among people, we will certainly remain unaffected by interpersonal conflicts and afflictive emotions; they will not influence us. Then we will naturally “practice and abide in a place of firmness”. The previous sutra passage states,
“Flower Light Tathagata after 12 small kalpas pass, will bestow upon Firm and Complete Bodhisattva the prediction of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
Do you know who Flower Light Tathagata is? He is Sariputra. After Sariputra went through a very difficult and long period, he rediscovered his aspiration to carry out the Four Great Vows. Sariputra finally attained realizations when he heard the Lotus teachings. Thus he vows again to transform sentient beings. At that moment, the Buddha bestowed a prediction upon Sariputra that he will attain Buddhahood and be called Flower Light Tathagata, and the land where he will do so will be particularly magnificent and prosperous. Most people there will be like heavenly beings, and all will be Bodhisattvas. It will be a very pure, very harmonious world. It will be a very unified world. People will also have long lives.
How long will Flower Light Tathagata live? 12 small kalpas. Yes, Flower Light Tathagata’s lifespan is 12 small kalpas, but even such a long lifespan will come to an end. So, at that time, Flower Light Tathagata will also need to transmit the Dharma. So, at that time, from among all the Bodhisattvas, Flower Light Buddha will bestow a prediction upon Firm and Complete Bodhisattva, that he will attain Buddhahood, which is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. So, the Buddha again said to everyone.
“He will announce to the bhiksus, Firm and Complete Bodhisattva will be the next to become a Buddha and will be named Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct”.
Flower Light Tathagata will bestow a prediction on Firm and Complete Bodhisattva that he will attain Buddhahood and his name will be Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct. Here, Sakyamuni Buddha was speaking of the future, that after Flower Light Tathagata become a Buddha, He will bestow predictions on a future Buddha. This is called transmitting the Dharma-essence, or continuing the Dharma-lineage. The lineage must be continually passed down. Therefore, at the beginning of this sutra passage, He spoke of how [this future Buddha] will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, which is supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment.
“[His epithets will be] Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-sambuddha. His Buddha-land will be like that of Flower Light Buddha.”
The land [of this future Buddha] will be like that of Flower Light Tathagata. It will also be very pure and will also be full of Bodhisattvas. Let us have a look at the word “Tathagata”.
“Tathagata is a Sanskrit word that means Thus Come One. Arhat means One Worthy of Offerings Samyak-sambuddha is One Who is Completely Awakened. This means that upon attaining Buddhahood, one will achieve Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, perfect enlightenment.”
One who attains perfect enlightenment will also have the perfect enlightened conduct of a Buddha. With enlightened conduct, one is endowed with the ten epithets. Among the ten epithets are. Thus Come One, One Worthy of Offerings, One Who is Completely Awakened, One Who is Perfect in Wisdom and Action, the Well-Gone One, Knower of the World and so on. Of the ten epithets, the first three are used [in this passage]. This signifies that when Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct Tathagata attains the state of perfect enlightenment, He will be endowed with the ten epithets. The Buddha then called on Sariputra again.
“Sariputra, after Flower Light Buddha enters Parinirvana, Right Dharma will abide in the world for 32 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide in the world for 32 small kalpas.”
No matter how long [a lifespan is], it will come to an end. After Flower Light Buddha enters Parinirvana, the Right Dharma will abide in the world for 32 small kalpas, which is a very long time. In this Saha World, the karma of sentient beings is severe. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, the Right Dharma only abided in the world for 1000 years. It was followed by the era of Dharma-semblance.
“The era of Dharma-semblance will also abide in the world for 32 small kalpas”. But the era of Dharma-semblance in the Saha World was only about 1000 years. We are now living over 2500 years after the lifetime of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is the era of Dharma-degeneration. But when Sariputra becomes Flower Light Buddha, he will do so in a land with great longevity. Flower Light Buddha will live for 12 small kalpas and the people in that land will live for 8 small kalpas, which is also a long time. But the era of Dharma-semblance following Him will be even longer. It will last 32 small kalpas. The era of Right Dharma before it will also last 32 small kalpas. These eras will last a very long time. When Right Dharma abides in the world, we can encounter the Buddha and understand [the teachings]. We can see the Buddha and hear the Dharma. This is during the era of the Right Dharma.
So, when Right Dharma abided in the world, the teachings ad practices were widely available. Thus people followed the teachings and engaged in spiritual practice accordingly. During that period, may people were able to attain realizations.
By the time of the era of Dharma-semblance, when Dharma-semblance abided in the world, the Right Dharma had gradually deteriorated. Its [presence] had weakened over time. In the era of Dharma-semblance, people sculpted many images of the Buddha.
“If Dharma-semblance abides in the world, Right Dharma has already deteriorated. There is only that which resembles teachings and appears practice, so only a few attain realizations.”
Right now in Myanmar there are Buddha caves and Buddhist temples everywhere. In Thailand there are very opulent temples. There are entire mountains in China, like those at Dunhuang, and even places as far away as Afghanistan, filled with images and status of the Buddha. People have even turned the Buddha’s teachings into a series of images. They take the sutra text, create a storyline from it, then illustrate it in carvings.
So, in these Buddha caves, we find many of these stories. This is like reading an illustrated version of the sutra. These were created during the era of Dharma-semblance. During the era of Dharma-semblance, some sutras were very popular People carved them or printed them and so on; they flourished. On the surface, it seemed as if the Buddha-Dharma was flourishing. But it was very superficial and based on creating images. This was just the appearance of spiritual practice. So, this was called the era of Dharma-semblance.
These only “appeared like practice.”People appeared to engage in spiritual cultivation but by this time, very few people attained realizations. They practiced without attaining realizations, because they were not truly mindful in their practice and did not realize the Buddha’s true principles. So, this only “appeared like practice.” They only seemed to engage in spiritual practice, so no one attained realizations. If any did, they understood just a little bit, only a tiny amount.
This continued until the era of Dharma-degeneration. In this “era of Dharma-degeneration,” although “the teachings remain,” although the Buddha’s teachings still exist, “neither practice nor realizations are present.”Those who genuinely put the Dharma into practice are very few in number.
So, we must mindfully engage in spiritual practice. With the Buddha-Dharma in the world, though we are in the era of Dharma-degeneration, a time when sentient beings are evil and defiled, this is a good time for us. We must continuously accumulate good deeds, benefit others and form good karmic affinities. As I said several days ago, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” How can you be a Bodhisattva if you do not live I a world with suffering beings?
Take doctors, for example. If there were no patients, why would there be a need for doctors? So in order to train ourselves to return to our pure Tathagata-nature, we must follow the Bodhisattva-path and go among people. By interacting with them, we can see all the working of the world and verity the pure and undefiled Buddha-Dharma. Thus we return to our intrinsic nature 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）
⊙「深植諦理無為法，以入真如寂清澄，恆持廣大弘誓願，立行安住堅固地。」
⊙「華光如來過十二小劫，授堅滿菩薩，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「告諸比丘：是堅滿菩薩次當作佛，號曰華足安行，多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀，其佛國土，亦復如是。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「多陀阿伽度」謂：如來。「阿羅訶者」謂：應供。「三藐三佛陀者」謂：正遍知。如來十號中之三號。
⊙「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙正法住世，謂值佛正法時，有教、有行、有證。
⊙像法住世，謂正法已衰，唯有像教，相似行，證果者少。
⊙至末法時世，則唯有教在，而行證皆無矣。
【證嚴上人開示】
「深植諦理無為法，以入真如寂清澄，恆持廣大弘誓願，立行安住堅固地。」
深植諦理無為法
以入真如寂清澄
恆持廣大弘誓願
立行安住堅固地
我們常常就是這樣說，信根要深植，道理我們就能夠明白。真諦道理就是叫做無為法；無為法，那就是在我們日常生活中，雖然我們看不到、感覺不到，卻是離不開我們的行為，我們所造作行為等等，所受用的一切物質，無不都是在這個無為法當中。
手拿著一支筆、拿著一本筆記本。筆記本是紙，紙從哪來？知道，紙漿。紙漿是什麼東西？就是樹。樹在哪裡？在山林。山林的樹，怎麼有樹呢？就是樹種。樹種怎麼會變成樹？就是因緣，有大地，那片的土地、那片的空氣，這樣慢慢因緣成熟，所以種子為樹苗，為大樹，經過了天地、日月時光等等，這樣形成。
所以，常常說時間、空間，時間、空間成就一切。有了這個東西成就，名稱、它的原理，就要有種種的因緣會合。所以這個原木，本來是樹木，到最後就是，你手中的一本筆記本。
而你那支筆呢？不論是那支筆是用塑膠，或者錫、銅、木等等做出來，總是也要有筆芯。筆芯怎麼來？也是同樣是大地之中，由萬物因緣成就。種種的物質在大地裡，將它提起來提煉，成為塑膠的原料，做一支筆的形，僅只一個塑膠的原料，無法寫出它的色彩，就還要有這個筆芯，這個色料又是怎麼來。
所以說，我們對天地之間，我們日常生活的東西，沒有一項不是從原理，這些東西，必定要經過了，種種來會合、製成。所以由因緣生，從它原來因緣，滅掉了，又再另外一個因緣，來製造它，換了它的名稱，變了它的作用。所以這叫做無為法──本來是沒有的，就是有這樣，這樣，非常多的東西將它滅掉，滅掉它原來的本質，又將這些很多的東西，再將它會合，種種的器具，再來將它成就。
就像我們現在環保菩薩，在保護大地，就是這些東西已經破壞，或者是去將它取著，原來的東西，他把它取來之後，製造過了，大家用了，又不要，又將它丟掉了，他們就去將它回收回來，回收回來之後，仔細將它分類，分類之後，還要經過了這個機器等等，將這些東西，回歸它的原來的質，將這個原來的質料，又再將它變形，變了種種，我們現在所在用的東西。
這都一樣，怎麼樣輪迴，怎麼樣成就，怎麼樣滅掉，滅掉之後，又是另外循環，再讓它成就。形不斷在變，卻是那個原來的質，那個理，我們看不見那個質裡面，有它的道理存在。這真的是奇哉、妙哉啊！也就是「一切皆空」，它沒有永遠住的，天地之間萬物都是「成、住、壞、空」，「空」掉之時，種種的因緣，又再會合而「成」，這樣又是再，「成、住、壞、空」。
就像我們人一樣，「生、老、病、死」，同樣的意思，我們捨掉了這個身體，世間就沒有「我」在世間了。不過「我」，還是又再到另外一個地方，因緣具足的地方。前一段在說正報、依報。我要出生在什麼地方？我什麼都沒帶去，我就是依我的業識，因的種子，到和我有緣的地方，這樣去了。「生」就開始，隨著這個家庭的環境，隨著那個國土的環境和文化。就在那個地方長大。
現在我說的是臺語，因為我出生在臺灣，而我來生的依報在哪裡？到底是要說什麼話呢？就隨那個地方、那裡的語言、文化、那裡的生活背景、那個家庭，這叫做依報。但是我的正報呢？到底我將來，我的正報，又是什麼樣？我現在不知。
總而言之，這種「生、老、病、死」，死而復生，這樣在循環，我們的心理就是在「生、住、異、滅」中，心不安定下來，所以很容易一念生，外面的境界的欲來誘引，這樣去。開始就是看到東西，就在那個東西之中，一直在那個地方要如何取得，要如何貪得，要如何擁為己有，開始又再造業。所以「生、住、異、滅」是我們的心患得患失，很多、很多的辛苦，不斷、不斷複製很多的煩惱、因緣等等的業，所以讓我們無法了解道理。
唯有佛陀能夠向我們說，很多的道理，讓我們能夠一理通、萬理徹，知道這些，一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，這我們都可以知道。不過，佛陀還告訴我們，我們有一切，恆久常存我們的真如本性。所以我們為了要找回來，我們的真如本性，所以入真如，教我們的方法，要寂清澄。所以我們現在知道法了，我們應該要開始恆持廣大心，我們發心修行。
《法華經》開始就是要教我們，如何捨小為大。我們既然知道苦，就是我們自己造來一切、一切，苦，就是惡的因緣的結果，我們今天會受苦，是過去所做的惡因、惡緣，帶來了人生的苦難。我們知道了，要趕快「佛道無上誓願成」。但是要成就佛道，你就要去斷煩惱，無邊的法，我們就要學等等，所以我們要發了這念心，恆持廣大，我們永遠都要，發大心、立大願，我們要好好把握，要恆持，要永久、要永久，這樣要好好堅持我們的願力。
這個大願不離開弘誓願。每一尊佛都是「眾生無邊誓願度」，要度眾生的過程，「煩惱無盡誓願斷」。我們要度眾生，就要斷煩惱，否則我們本欲度眾生，反被眾生度，所以我們就要很注意，我們要將煩惱去除。我們入人群中去，因為人群中有無量無數的法，世間法，好讓我們去瞭解。
看到世間的污濁之後，我們才會懂得珍惜，那個清淨的法。我們若真正，煩惱都斷除，佛法都很清楚了，自然我們在人群中，絕對不受人群，人我是非，一切愛欲情仇，這樣影響我們，所以我們很自然「立行安住堅固地」。
我們前面的經文那就是說，「華光如來過十二小劫，授堅滿菩薩，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記」。
華光如來
過十二小劫
授堅滿菩薩
阿耨多羅
三藐三菩提記
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這個華光如來，大家知道是何人？舍利弗。舍利弗好不容易經過了一段，非常長的時間，這樣恢復了他立弘誓願的心，在《法華經》中終於體悟了，重新再發願，發弘誓願要度眾生。這個時候，佛陀為他授記，授記未來成佛，名叫做華光如來。
尤其是國土的莊嚴、富有，那個國土多數都像天人、都是菩薩，那麼的清淨、那麼和合的世界，又壽長。華光如來壽多長？十二小劫，是啊。華光如來這個壽，十二小劫，也是再長的壽命，都有盡的時候，所以這個時候，華光佛也是一樣，要再傳承這個法。所以那個時候，華光佛他就為菩薩群中，這位堅滿菩薩，這樣要為他授記，將來能夠成佛，就是阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
所以佛陀就向大家又再說：「告諸比丘：是堅滿菩薩次當作佛，號曰華足安行。」
告諸比丘
是堅滿菩薩
次當作佛
號曰華足安行
華光如來向堅滿菩薩授記，將來作佛，他的號叫做，華足安行。這就是現在釋迦佛在說未來，這個華光如來成佛之後，又再授下面，這就是叫做法髓相傳，也是法脈相傳，不斷要傳下去。現在再開始說，這竹段(經)文開始，能夠得受，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，是無上正等正覺，還有，「多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀，其佛國土，亦復如是。
多陀阿伽度
阿羅訶
三藐三佛陀
其佛國土
亦復如是
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這個國土就是有這樣，和華光如來一樣，也是很清淨，那個地方也是具足了，很多的菩薩。來，我們來看什麼叫做，「多陀阿伽度」多陀阿伽度這是梵語，翻譯叫做為如來。「阿羅訶」，阿羅訶就是應供。「三藐三佛陀」叫做正遍知，意思這就是，成佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，就是成正覺。成正覺，佛陀覺行圓滿了，這個覺得圓滿，他要具足十號，這個十號裡面就有，如來、應供、正遍知，還有明行足、善逝、世間解，等等十號，這是十號之中，前三號來代表，這表示表示，那位華足(安行)如來，他未來成正覺這個境界，十號具足。
多陀阿伽度
謂：如來
阿羅訶者
謂：應供
三藐三佛陀者
謂：正遍知
如來十號中
之三號
佛陀再稱舍利弗：「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」
「舍利弗！是華光佛滅度之後，正法住世三十二小劫，像法住世亦三十二小劫。」
舍利弗
是華光佛
滅度之後
正法住世
三十二小劫
像法住世
亦三十二小劫
《法華經譬喻品第三》
時間再長，都有窮盡，都有盡頭之時，就是華光佛，若是滅度之後，他正法住世，有三十二小劫，很長。我們的娑婆世界，眾生業重，佛陀滅度後之時，我們的正法住世，才有千年，再下來就是像法了。「像法住世，亦三十二小劫」，在娑婆世界的像法(時期) ，也才有一千年，所以現在我們離釋迦牟尼佛，是二千五百多年了，再接下來，叫做末法了。
不過，舍利弗成佛的華光佛，那個世界壽命很長，華光佛本身壽命十二小劫，而且他的國土人民壽命，有八劫，也是很長。但是他的像法的時間更長，像法三十二小劫，又再正法也是三十二小劫。正法、像法時間很長。
正法住世
謂值佛正法時
有教、有行、
有證
正法，正法住世的意思就是說，我們能夠遇到佛，了解了佛，能夠見佛、聞法，這都是正法時期，所以在正法住世，大家在修行就是有教、有行，那個教，隨著佛陀的教法，這樣如法修行，所以在那當中，能夠證果的人，就很多了。
而若是到像法之時，像法住世那時候，那就是正法已經慢慢衰頹去了，所以正法一直、一直減弱下去，再來就是像法，就是雕塑佛像。
像法住世
謂正法已衰
唯有像教
相似行
證果者少
現在不論是緬甸也有佛窟，到處，到處都是寺院；泰國也是，寺院非常的堂皇。大陸整片的山，敦煌等等，一直到阿富汗，看，這全都是佛像非常多。甚至將佛所說的法，成為一個經變圖，將這個經(文) ，成為一個故事，(將)故事就來雕刻，所以看到那個佛窟中，可以看見很多的故事，這雕塑起來看圖去讀經。這就是在像法之時。
但是像法，有經典很昌盛，大家刻經、印經等等，很昌盛，所看起來，好像佛法很昌盛，卻是大家只在形象上去造像，修行只是一個修行的形態，所以這叫做像法——形象的教法。卻是「相似行」，好像有在修行，但是到這時候，證果的人就很少。因為有修無證，因為在修就是不真實用心，也沒有真正體會佛的真理，所以「相似行」，好像在修行，所以無證；即使證也是很少、很少，微分的瞭解。
至末法時世
則唯有教在
而行證皆無矣
一直到了末法之時，至末法時，末法時世，那就是「有教在」，雖然有佛教，但是「行證皆無」。真正身體力行依佛的教法，這樣真實去力行的人，那就已經很少。所以我們必定要用心來修行。佛法在人間，現在雖然是末法，眾生很惡濁之時，但是這就是讓我們修行的時刻，要不斷累積行善、造福、結福緣。
這幾天前也一直說過，「菩薩所緣，緣苦眾生」。你要當菩薩，若沒有在苦難眾生中，你哪有菩薩呢？就像醫生，若沒有病人，怎麼會需要醫生呢？所以我們要練得，回歸如來清淨本性，必定要從菩薩道，行入人群中行，在人群中，看盡了世間法，印證了清淨無染的佛法，回歸我們的本性。所以我們人人，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practice and Abide in a Place of Firmness (立行安住堅固地)
Date: February.17. 2015
“Deeply cultivate truths and unconditioned Dharma to enter True Suchness with tranquility and clarity. Forever and extensively uphold and Great Vows to practice and abide in a place of firmness.”
We often say that the Root of Faith must be deeply planted, then we can understand the principles. The principles of absolute truth are what we call unconditioned Dharma. Unconditioned Dharma is found in our daily living. Though we cannot see of feel it, it is always present in all of our actions, in all the karma we create, and so on. All of the material things that we use also exist within this unconditioned Dharma. You may be holding a pen and a notebook in your hands. The notebook is made of paper. Where did this paper come from? We know it comes from paper pulp. What is paper pulp made of? It is made of trees. Where are the trees? In the mountain forests. Where did the trees in the forest come from? They came from tree seeds. How do tree seeds turn into trees? From causes and conditions. Starting with the land, that piece of land and the air surrounding it, the conditions can gradually come to maturity. The seed becomes a sapling, and then a large tree. Over time, in this land, under natural conditions, the tree gradually takes shape.
So, I often talk about time and space. Time and space bring all things to fruition. For something to come into being and have a name, its underlying principles require many causes and conditions to converge. This is how what was originally a tree eventually came to be the notebook that you are holding in your hands. And what about your pen? Whether it is made of plastic, or tin, copper, wood or any other material, it nevertheless must have a cartridge. Where does this cartridge come from? It also comes from the land.
All things arise from causes and conditions. There are many natural resources in the land. We remove them and refine them, and they become the raw material for plastic, which can be formed into the shape of a pen. These raw materials only produce plastic; there is still no way to write with it. We still need a cartridge for the pen, and where does the ink come from? Therefore, everything in the world and everything we use in our daily living follows its underlying principles. All these things must pass through many different stages in their manufacturing process. So, they arise through causes and conditions. And when their original causes and conditions are exhausted, they can meet with other causes and conditions to produce something different, so they have a new name and function. These are the workings of unconditioned Dharma.
Originally these things did not exist; there were only all these different kinds of things that we then destroy, breaking down their original substance, then bringing all these things together and using all kinds of machinery to form them into something. This is just like what our recycling Bodhisattvas do. They protect the earth by collecting things that no longer work or things that were once used by other people. Originally, other people acquired these things. They were manufactured, then after people use them, they no longer want them, so they throw them away. Our volunteers gather up these things. After they collect these discarded things, they carefully sort them. After sorting them, they put them through machines that break them down into their raw materials.Then these raw materials are transformed into a variety of products that we are using today.
This is the same principle; everything goes through a cycle.It comes into being, then it is destroyed.After it is destroyed, it goes through another cycle and becomes something else.Its form is endlessly changing, but its original substance and underlying principles [remain the same,] even if we cannot see that within this substance the principles still exist.This truly is amazing and wonderful!
“Everything is empty in nature.”Nothing will exist permanently.
All things in this world go through “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”.After they “disappear” cause and conditions can converge again to give rise to a new “formation” and a new cycle of “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”.
Similarly, we humans go through a cycle of birth, again, illness and death.The same principle applies here.
Once we leave this body, this “self” ceases to exist in the world.
But the “self” then goes on to a different place, when sufficient causes and conditions converge.A previous sutra passage mentioned direct retributions and circumstantial retributions.
Where will we be born?We bring nothing with us at all.We simply follow the causes we have planted in our karmic consciousness to a place we have a karmic affinity with.
Upon arriving in that place, our life begins with “birth”.Then the environment of that household and the environment and culture of that country shape our development.
I am speaking Taiwanese now.But where will my circumstantial retributions take me in my next lifetime?What language will I speak?It will depend on the country where I will be born, on the language and the culture there, as well as my family background.
This is called circumstantial retribution.
But what about direct retribution?In the future, what ill my direct retribution be like?I cannot know that right now.In summary, we go through “birth, aging, illness and death,” death and rebirth in an endless cycle.As for the mind, our thoughts go through “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing,” so it is difficult to calm down our minds.
Very easily, once [discursive] thoughts arise, the objects of desire in our external conditions entice us, and our minds follow.So, when we see something, our minds begin to focus on it, and we constantly think about how we can acquire it, how we can satisfy our greed and how we can take it for our own.Thus we begin to create karma.
So, “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing,” come from our worries about gaining and losing things.This leads to much suffering and gives rise to so many afflictions and causes and conditions [for creating] karma.Thus we are unable to understand principles.Only the Buddha can explain so many principles such that we “grasp one truth and understand all truths”.Then we realize that, “All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, and illusion, a bubble, a shadow”.We can understand all of this, however, the Buddha also told us that we all have an everlasting and enduring nature of True Suchness.
So, we are practicing in order to rediscover our nature of True Suchness.To enter True Suchness, the method He taught us is to have tranquility and clarity.So, now that we know the Dharma, we should forever uphold our great aspirations.We have aspired to engage in spiritual practice, and the Lotus Sutra teaches us how to set aside the Small [Vehicle] for the Great.Thus we learn that suffering comes from all the karma we ourselves create.Suffering is the result of our negative karmic causes and conditions.We face suffering today because we created negative causes and negative conditions in the past, which bring with them the suffering in life.
Understanding this, we must promptly “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood”.But to complete the path to Buddhahood, we must eliminate afflictions, learn the boundless Dharma, ect.So, after we make this aspiration, we should forever and extensively uphold it.We must always form great aspirations and make great vows.We should seize them and sustain them forever.We must do this forever; this is how we persist with the power of our vows.
These great vows are inseparable from the [Four] Great Vows.
Every Buddha “vows to deliver countless sentient beings”.
In the process of transforming sentient beings.They “vows to eliminate endless afflictions”.If we want to transform sentient beings, we must eliminate our afflictions.Otherwise, “When trying to transform sentient beings, we are instead transformed by them.”
So, we must be very careful and eliminate our afflictions.We interact with people because there is infinite Dharma among them; the workings of the world are all there for us to understand.
After seeing the impurities in the world, we will truly cherish the pure Dharma.
If we are truly able to eliminate all afflictions and clearly understand the Buddha-Dharma,then naturally when we are among people, we will certainly remain unaffected by interpersonal conflicts and afflictive emotions; they will not influence us. Then we will naturally “practice and abide in a place of firmness”. The previous sutra passage states,
“Flower Light Tathagata after 12 small kalpas pass, will bestow upon Firm and Complete Bodhisattva the prediction of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
Do you know who Flower Light Tathagata is? He is Sariputra. After Sariputra went through a very difficult and long period, he rediscovered his aspiration to carry out the Four Great Vows. Sariputra finally attained realizations when he heard the Lotus teachings. Thus he vows again to transform sentient beings. At that moment, the Buddha bestowed a prediction upon Sariputra that he will attain Buddhahood and be called Flower Light Tathagata, and the land where he will do so will be particularly magnificent and prosperous. Most people there will be like heavenly beings, and all will be Bodhisattvas. It will be a very pure, very harmonious world. It will be a very unified world. People will also have long lives.
How long will Flower Light Tathagata live? 12 small kalpas. Yes, Flower Light Tathagata’s lifespan is 12 small kalpas, but even such a long lifespan will come to an end. So, at that time, Flower Light Tathagata will also need to transmit the Dharma. So, at that time, from among all the Bodhisattvas, Flower Light Buddha will bestow a prediction upon Firm and Complete Bodhisattva, that he will attain Buddhahood, which is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. So, the Buddha again said to everyone.
“He will announce to the bhiksus, Firm and Complete Bodhisattva will be the next to become a Buddha and will be named Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct”.
Flower Light Tathagata will bestow a prediction on Firm and Complete Bodhisattva that he will attain Buddhahood and his name will be Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct. Here, Sakyamuni Buddha was speaking of the future, that after Flower Light Tathagata become a Buddha, He will bestow predictions on a future Buddha. This is called transmitting the Dharma-essence, or continuing the Dharma-lineage. The lineage must be continually passed down. Therefore, at the beginning of this sutra passage, He spoke of how [this future Buddha] will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, which is supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment.
“[His epithets will be] Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-sambuddha. His Buddha-land will be like that of Flower Light Buddha.”
The land [of this future Buddha] will be like that of Flower Light Tathagata. It will also be very pure and will also be full of Bodhisattvas. Let us have a look at the word “Tathagata”.
“Tathagata is a Sanskrit word that means Thus Come One. Arhat means One Worthy of Offerings Samyak-sambuddha is One Who is Completely Awakened. This means that upon attaining Buddhahood, one will achieve Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, perfect enlightenment.”
One who attains perfect enlightenment will also have the perfect enlightened conduct of a Buddha. With enlightened conduct, one is endowed with the ten epithets. Among the ten epithets are. Thus Come One, One Worthy of Offerings, One Who is Completely Awakened, One Who is Perfect in Wisdom and Action, the Well-Gone One, Knower of the World and so on. Of the ten epithets, the first three are used [in this passage]. This signifies that when Complete Lotus and Peaceful Conduct Tathagata attains the state of perfect enlightenment, He will be endowed with the ten epithets. The Buddha then called on Sariputra again.
“Sariputra, after Flower Light Buddha enters Parinirvana, Right Dharma will abide in the world for 32 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide in the world for 32 small kalpas.”
No matter how long [a lifespan is], it will come to an end. After Flower Light Buddha enters Parinirvana, the Right Dharma will abide in the world for 32 small kalpas, which is a very long time. In this Saha World, the karma of sentient beings is severe. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, the Right Dharma only abided in the world for 1000 years. It was followed by the era of Dharma-semblance.
“The era of Dharma-semblance will also abide in the world for 32 small kalpas”. But the era of Dharma-semblance in the Saha World was only about 1000 years. We are now living over 2500 years after the lifetime of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is the era of Dharma-degeneration. But when Sariputra becomes Flower Light Buddha, he will do so in a land with great longevity. Flower Light Buddha will live for 12 small kalpas and the people in that land will live for 8 small kalpas, which is also a long time. But the era of Dharma-semblance following Him will be even longer. It will last 32 small kalpas. The era of Right Dharma before it will also last 32 small kalpas. These eras will last a very long time. When Right Dharma abides in the world, we can encounter the Buddha and understand [the teachings]. We can see the Buddha and hear the Dharma. This is during the era of the Right Dharma.
So, when Right Dharma abided in the world, the teachings ad practices were widely available. Thus people followed the teachings and engaged in spiritual practice accordingly. During that period, may people were able to attain realizations.
By the time of the era of Dharma-semblance, when Dharma-semblance abided in the world, the Right Dharma had gradually deteriorated. Its [presence] had weakened over time. In the era of Dharma-semblance, people sculpted many images of the Buddha.
“If Dharma-semblance abides in the world, Right Dharma has already deteriorated. There is only that which resembles teachings and appears practice, so only a few attain realizations.”
Right now in Myanmar there are Buddha caves and Buddhist temples everywhere. In Thailand there are very opulent temples. There are entire mountains in China, like those at Dunhuang, and even places as far away as Afghanistan, filled with images and status of the Buddha. People have even turned the Buddha’s teachings into a series of images. They take the sutra text, create a storyline from it, then illustrate it in carvings.
So, in these Buddha caves, we find many of these stories. This is like reading an illustrated version of the sutra. These were created during the era of Dharma-semblance. During the era of Dharma-semblance, some sutras were very popular People carved them or printed them and so on; they flourished. On the surface, it seemed as if the Buddha-Dharma was flourishing. But it was very superficial and based on creating images. This was just the appearance of spiritual practice. So, this was called the era of Dharma-semblance.
These only “appeared like practice.”People appeared to engage in spiritual cultivation but by this time, very few people attained realizations. They practiced without attaining realizations, because they were not truly mindful in their practice and did not realize the Buddha’s true principles. So, this only “appeared like practice.” They only seemed to engage in spiritual practice, so no one attained realizations. If any did, they understood just a little bit, only a tiny amount.
This continued until the era of Dharma-degeneration. In this “era of Dharma-degeneration,” although “the teachings remain,” although the Buddha’s teachings still exist, “neither practice nor realizations are present.”Those who genuinely put the Dharma into practice are very few in number.
So, we must mindfully engage in spiritual practice. With the Buddha-Dharma in the world, though we are in the era of Dharma-degeneration, a time when sentient beings are evil and defiled, this is a good time for us. We must continuously accumulate good deeds, benefit others and form good karmic affinities. As I said several days ago, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” How can you be a Bodhisattva if you do not live I a world with suffering beings?
Take doctors, for example. If there were no patients, why would there be a need for doctors? So in order to train ourselves to return to our pure Tathagata-nature, we must follow the Bodhisattva-path and go among people. By interacting with them, we can see all the working of the world and verity the pure and undefiled Buddha-Dharma. Thus we return to our intrinsic nature Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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