【靜思妙蓮華】20150414 - 欲令眾生得安穩 - 第543集 Enabling Sentient Beings to Reach Stability (欲令眾生得安穩)

20150414《靜思妙蓮華》欲令眾生得安穩 (第543集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「不忍眾生苦，得自在安穩樂；不為四顛倒暴風所動，名穩；諸善念增長，眾生解苦得樂；三乘受法子，覺有情分佛憂。」
⊙四倒：無常為常，無樂為樂，無我為我，不淨為淨。
⊙「長者諸子，若十、二十、或至三十，在此宅中。長者見是大火從四面起，即大驚怖，而作是念：我雖能於此所燒之門安隱得出。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙謂長者見火焚宅，而自己安然得出於火宅之門，得安隱處。
⊙而長者見諸子戀著於戲樂，苦來逼身，不知遠離遭火燒灼之苦，於是衷心起大悲念。
⊙明如來悲智明鑑眾生為五濁、八苦之所迫逼，如火焚燒猶戀著不離，父視子而起悲念應機救拔。
⊙然佛究竟住寂光地，不為煩惱之火所灼，更何驚怖之有。

【證嚴上人開示】
「不忍眾生苦，得自在安穩樂；不為四顛倒暴風所動，名穩；諸善念增長，眾生解苦得樂；三乘受法子，覺有情分佛憂。」

不忍眾生苦
得自在安穩樂
不為四顛倒
暴風所動
名穩
諸善念增長
眾生解苦得樂
三乘受法子
覺有情 分佛憂

佛陀「不忍眾生苦，得自在安穩樂」。因為眾生苦，佛陀不忍心，佛陀本來已經是解脫了，世間一切種種苦，老早佛陀覺悟了，但是為了眾生，還是隨順眾生，人間，倒駕慈航，來來回回。同樣在這個人間，生、老、病、死，用這樣身形來施教，無非就是要示範，讓眾生瞭解，苦難中，我們有一項，自在、不受生死煩惱所苦。

這佛陀本來不必再來人間，只是為眾生而來人間。所以這是佛陀的不忍，不忍眾生在受苦，而自己得自在、受安穩的快樂，這是佛陀不忍，所以他才要再來人間。

「不為四顛倒暴風所動」，就是名叫做「穩」。我們眾生就是因為有顛倒，所以才會惹起了暴風來動，讓我們不安穩。是什麼讓我們顛倒？那就是「常樂我淨」。

無常，我們凡夫，將它認為是「常」。世間的形象，哪一項是常住？一切器世間無住相。從我們自己的身體，我們就知道。幾年前頭髮都是黑的，不知頭髮什麼時候白了？幾天前才剪的指甲，怎麼又長了？我們不知。這就是「無常」，它還是在行蘊中。人的身體是這樣，器世間一切一切的東西，哪一項不是「無常」呢？凡夫以為有「常」，所以這樣佔有、貪著等等，造作種種的業力。所以「無常」，以為「常」，實在世間是苦，以為是「樂」。

我們凡夫對這些境界，我們無法去體會，只是執著在「四倒」──無常以為常、無樂以為樂、無我以為有我、不淨以為淨，像這樣，這是四種顛倒。

四倒：
無常為常
無樂為樂
無我為我
不淨為淨

所以，有了這四種顛倒，我們就無明暴風這種暴風就動了，我們哪有辦法安穩下來呢？一念起，貪、瞋、癡，無明生了，既然是這樣，我們無法能安穩。所以說，我們要「不為四顛倒暴風所動」，我們不要被這「四顛倒」的暴風、無明，來搖動我們，若能這樣就能安穩。這必定要去除了這四項的顛倒，回歸了覺悟的四項，常、樂、我、淨；回歸我們永恆真如本性，回歸我們不受煩惱，來擾動我們的身、心；回歸我們的本性，回歸我們的大我與宇宙，會合在一起；啟動我們的慧命，真如本性，回歸到智慧覺海，能夠體會一切；回歸到我們那分清淨無染、靜寂的境界。若這樣，我們就叫做安穩了。

「諸善念增長」。我們若不受這「四顛倒」，來搖動我們，自然我們就可以，行善、造福、結好緣，世間，入人群中去，真正為人群付出。這種「諸善念增長，眾生解苦得樂」，使令眾生都可以和我們一樣，不受「四顛倒」動搖，讓我們很安穩自在。我們有這樣的心得，我們也可以與眾生分享，這種「解苦得樂」。解開了這個苦，煩惱、雜念等等的苦，看開了人世間生、老、病、死、求不得、怨憎會等等、(愛別離)、五蘊熾盛的苦，完全去除，那就能夠得到「解苦得樂」。

所以「三乘受法的法子，覺有情分佛憂」。三乘，那就是，已經聽聞佛法的人。不論你現在初學，聽佛法也要用心接受。或者是佛法已經瞭解了，「一切唯心造」，將自己的心照顧好，不要去惹是生非，來成煩惱、執著。這樣的心顧好，才能夠再進一步，菩提覺道，覺有情者，自覺、覺他，入人群中去度化眾生。若能夠這樣，就是代替佛陀來分憂。

佛陀來人間為一大事因緣，辛辛苦苦，無非就是要眾生，人人能夠體會、能夠覺悟，能夠真正入人群中再度化，輾轉相度去轉法輪。這是佛陀的期待。不過，我們人人，要懂得把握時間，佛法，我們若沒有現在及時來信受，到底要等什麼時候呢？

在佛陀的時代，佛陀在摩竭陀國的時候，有一位遠途來，新出家沒多久，年輕的比丘，他想要來到佛的地方，請示佛法，但是路途遙遠，所以他一路走過來，營養失調，但是，一心精進，就是要到佛前，聽聞佛法。但是，還未到城內，就在城外的邊緣，這位比丘就病倒了。這個消息，跟隨佛陀身邊的比丘聽到了，趕緊回去，到精舍，求請佛陀能去看看他否？佛陀就在那天的黃昏，他就到城外，在那個客僧所安住的地方去看，果然，這位年輕的比丘，病得很重。

比丘，年輕的比丘，聽到佛陀來了，很用力想要起來，在那裡掙扎要起來，佛陀趕緊制止他：「請安住，不必動。」讓這位年輕的比丘很感動。佛陀就問他：「現在身體如何？還堪得忍耐嗎？」這位年輕的比丘就說：「一天比一天更加難受，實在是不堪忍耐。」佛陀就又問他：「那你這樣有什麼樣的後悔嗎？」這年輕的比丘回答：「確實，佛陀，我有後悔。」

佛陀就問：「你有什麼後悔呢？」他說：「我這麼年輕，聽聞了佛法，我發心我出家了，但是離佛那麼遙遠，一心一志，希望我能夠從遙遠的地方，來接近佛陀，聽聞佛開示，親身能夠親聞佛法入心。但是，我還這麼年輕，佛法還沒聽到，我這個身體就這樣，所以我懊惱。」佛陀就說：「來，你且安心。我先問你，你的眼根接觸到外面，是不是眼根接觸到外面，有生這個眼識？」

「是啊，佛陀，外面的境界就是因為，我的眼根去緣，接觸，所以外面的『色』入我的心來。」佛陀就說：「假如你沒有眼根，這樣與外面的『色』是不是有隔絕？」「是啊，我若沒有眼根，和外面就能隔絕。」佛陀就說：「有眼根，若沒有眼識，有辦法分別外面的境界嗎？」「是啊，佛陀，有眼根，若沒有，眼識，就不會緣外面的境界。」

佛陀就說：「是，若沒有眼根緣外面的境界，若這樣，就沒有煩惱。這種因為眼根接觸到外面的塵境，所以匯納來了種種形形色色，入這個眼識，讓我們的心在擾動。其實，不只是眼識，耳、鼻、舌、身，全都是有根與外面的塵，互相接觸，所以才有受、想、行、識。這樣，這個道理你瞭解嗎？」

年輕的比丘，他忽然間好像什麼都覺悟了，「是啊，佛陀，我瞭解了，就是因為眼、耳、鼻、舌、身，緣著外面的境界，匯入了這個意，這個意擾動了我所有的識，所以造作了種種煩惱的因緣。就是來自於五根、五塵、五識，才會讓我身心起了，顛倒、動亂、煩惱的心。」佛陀帶著微笑，就向比丘說：「安心吧，你已經瞭解了。」比丘也會心一笑，佛陀就這樣離開了。

佛陀離開，比丘目送佛陀離開，眼睛閉起來就往生了。這個消息，之後又傳到佛陀的地方，比丘向佛陀說：「佛陀，那位青年比丘，從佛陀離開之後，他就往生了，但是聽說非常的安詳。」佛陀就說：「是啊！他已經身心入寂靜的境界了，是一位不可多得利根上智的人。」

我們是不是，同樣有這樣的利根呢？佛陀的三乘弟子，分別的就是，上根機、中根機、下根機，不過，他有那個因緣，來接觸佛法，五趣雜居的眾生，就沒有那麼幸運了。不論是天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生，是不是有因緣接觸佛法呢？不一定。但是「三十子」，是已經接近佛法了。而能夠接近佛法，是不是上根智來接受呢？要不然，光是聲聞——耳聽、耳聞，卻無法體會到，那還是鈍根機。

所以，這個長者，三界火宅，這個大火宅裡面的這位長者，已經感覺到了，這個大火已經從四面起了，所以驚怖。

長者諸子
若十、二十、
或至三十
在此宅中
長者見是大火
從四面起
即大驚怖
而作是念
我雖能於此
所燒之門
安隱得出
《法華經譬喻品第三》

接下來就說，「而作是念」。大長者就是佛，他就是這樣念，心裡這樣想：「我雖能於此所燒之門安隱得出。」長者這樣想，看到這個火在燒，其實老早這位就很安全，在外面，火還沒有燒，長者就已經在外面了，但是看到這個火，這樣那間大房子在燒，看到眾生苦，長者就是悲心起。看到這些不能夠很受教，不曉得即時出離，這是讓他很擔憂。自己是已經老早，就離開這個大宅，但是還是又再掛心，大宅裡面這麼多的眾生。所以他自己已經出大宅的門了，就是安穩，所住的是在安穩樂處，安穩樂處，這是佛陀的宮宅。

謂長者見火焚宅
而自己安然
得出於火宅之門
得安隱處

他的心已經在大宇宙間，與世間，器世間一切，完全都脫離，只是覺悟的智慧不忍心，那個悲心，看到這個大宅裡面，這些孩子與眷屬。無論如何，還是三界導師，對這個大宅的眾生還是很掛心。看到這裡面的孩子，戀著嬉戲，明明火就燒起來，這些孩子還在那裡玩，「苦來逼身，不知遠離遭火燒灼之苦」，因此從內心生起了大悲念。

而長者見諸子
戀著於戲樂
苦來逼身
不知遠離
遭火燒灼之苦
於是衷心
起大悲念

這就是表示，如來悲智，明鑑眾生被五濁、八苦所迫逼，就像火在燒，還同樣戀著不離。

明如來悲智
明鑑眾生
為五濁、八苦
之所迫逼
如火焚燒
猶戀著不離
父視子而起悲念應機救拔

如一位父親，譬喻一位父親，看到孩子還在那裡在貪戀，在那裡還在放蕩遊戲，這不忍心，所以開始就要應機救拔，開始要設法，要如何來，將他一一救拔出來。

我們應該都要很清楚，佛陀已經是，究竟住於常寂光土，那是已經取入涅槃了。在他自己的境界裡，既然能夠安然自在，沒有受這些煩惱所困擾，所以他不驚、不怖。

然佛究竟
住寂光地
不為煩惱之火所灼
更何驚怖之有

若在他自己的境界，卻是為眾生而驚怖，為眾生這個善一直減少，惡一直增加，這是大覺者的憂、的怖。驚怖、擔憂，「煩佬」，若是對他自己，是已經安然自在了。所以，「佛以苦眾生苦，樂於眾生樂(樂眾生樂)」，看到眾生快樂，佛歡喜；看到眾生受苦，佛悲。所以佛陀就是，三界導師、四生慈父，是大慈悲父，這就是譬喻，「長者是為諸子而驚怖」，是為這些孩子而驚而怖，這就是長者的大慈悲。

各位，學佛，總是要真真正正體會，佛陀的心懷。佛陀用種種方法，讓我們知道無常，讓我們知道是苦，讓我們知道是空、是無我。用種種的方法，用方便法，這樣一一教化我們，最後回歸於一實相的真理，那就是人人可成佛，人人回歸如來本性。我們應該要去體會，大家時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Enabling Sentient Beings to Reach Stability (欲令眾生得安穩)
Date: April.14. 2015

“The Buddha could not bear for sentient beings to suffer while He had attained freedom, peace and joy. Not being swayed by the violent winds of the Four Inverted Views is what we call stability. When they develop more wholesome thoughts, they can be freed of suffering and attain joy. The [Dharma-]children who accept the Dharma via the Three Vehicles are awakened sentient beings who share the Buddha’s burden.”

The Buddha “could not bear to sentient beings to suffer while He had attained freedom, peace and joy.” Because sentient beings were suffering, the Buddha could not [simply do nothing]. The Buddha Himself had already transcended all suffering in this world. Many ages ago, He had attained enlightenment. But for the sake of sentient beings, He adapted to [their needs] and repeatedly steered the ship of compassion back to the human realm. While in this world, He also went through birth, aging, illness and death. He used His physical manifestations as teachings, all for the purpose of demonstrating and helping sentient beings understand that amidst suffering, they can freed from one kind, the afflictions of cyclic existence. The Buddha did not have to come to the world. He came to this world for our sake. This is because He could not bear to let us suffer while He had attained freedom and the joy of safely and stability. Because of this sense of compassion, the Buddha returned to this world.
“Not being swayed by the violent winds of the Four Inverted Views” is what we call “stability”. Because we sentient beings have confused and inverted views, we have stirred up violent winds. So, we do not feel at peace. What causes our confusion? “Permanence, joy, self and purity.” We unenlightened beings regard impermanence as permanence. Is there anything in this world that is permanent? Nothing in the realm of physical existence lasts forever. Just by observing our bodies, we can learn this. A few years ago, your hair was black. When did your hair turn white? Look at the nails you cut just a few days ago. How did they get to be long again? We have no idea. This is all impermanence, a constant process of infinitesimal changes.
This applies to the human body, and in the entire realm of physical existence, is there anything that is not impermanent? Ordinary people believe there is “permanence,” so they try to possess and greedily cling to things, thus creating various kinds of karma. This is the result of regarding “impermanence” as “permanence”. Although the world is actually full of suffering, we regard it as joyful. We ordinary people are not able to experience the truth of these states because we cling to the Four Inverted Views,

“clinging to what is impermanent as permanent, clinging to what is not joyful as joyful, clinging to a non-existent self as self and clinging to what is impure as pure.”

These are four kinds of confusion. The Four Inverted Views create violent winds of ignorance in our minds. When these kinds of violent winds are blowing, how can we find any stability?
Once a thought stirs and gives rise to greed, anger and delusion, we will not be able to find any stability. Therefore, we must “[not be] swayed by the violent winds of the Four Inverted Views.” We must not let the Four Inverted Views’ violent winds, that ignorance, disturb or trouble us. If we can avoid that, our minds will be stable. This is why we must eliminate the Four Inverted Views and return to an awakened state of permanence, joy, self and purity. We must return to our everlasting intrinsic nature of True Suchness, to a state where afflictions will not trouble our bodies and minds. We must return to our intrinsic nature, to the greater self where we are one with the universe. By awakening our wisdom-life and our true nature, we will return to our ocean of enlightened wisdom and be able to comprehend everything.By returning to this pure, undefiled and tranquil state, we will have stability.
“They develop more wholesome thoughts.”If we do not allow the Four Inverted Views to disturb us, we can naturally do good deeds, benefit others and form good karmic connections.We can go among people and truly give of ourselves for their benefit.“When they develop more wholesome thoughts, they can be freed of suffering and attain joy.”
We can enable all sentient beings to be like us.If we are not swayed by the Four Inverted Views, we have a sense of stability and freedom.Once we have this experience, we can share it with others so that they can be freed from their suffering and attain joy.
When they are free from the suffering of afflictions and discursive thoughts, they can accept the cycle of birth, aging, illness and death.The suffering of not getting what they want, meeting those they hate and so on, the suffering of the raging Five Aggregates, can all be completely eliminated.This is how they are able to be “freed of suffering and attain joy”.
So, “The Dharma-children who accept the Dharma via the Three Vehicles are awakened sentient beings who share the Buddha’s burden”.The Three Vehicle [practitioners] are those who have already heard the Buddha-Dharma.Even if you have just begun to learn, you must accept it mindfully.
If you already understand the Buddha-Dharma, that “all things are created by the mind,” then take good care of your minds and avoid stirring up the kind of trouble that gives rise to afflictions and attachments.Only by taking good care of our minds can we advance further along the Bodhi-path.
Awakened sentient beings awaken both themselves and others.
They go among people to transform sentient beings.If we do this, we are sharing the burden of the Buddha.The Buddha came to this world for one great cause and worked hard for the sole purpose of helping everyone realize and awaken [to the Dharma] so they can then go among and transform others by turning the Dharma-wheel for them.This was the Buddha’s hope, but [for this to happen], all of us must seize every moment.
If we do not faithfully accept the Dharma right now, what moment are we waiting for?During the Buddha’s lifetime,.He was once in the kingdom of Magaha, A young bhiksu who had just left the lay life went on a long journey to find the Buddha and to ask Him for teachings.
He had a great distance to travel, and while he progressed on his journey, he became malnourished.Nevertheless, he single-mindedly forged ahead, just so he could listen to the Dharma directly from the Buddha.However, just before reaching the city, right on its outskirts, this young bhiksu collapsed from illness.The news of this reached the bhiksus who attended the Buddha so they quickly returned to their abode and asked the Buddha to go to see this young man.
That very day, at dusk, He left the city and went to the place where visiting monastics stayed.When he arrived, He found the young bhiksu in a serious condition.When the young bhiksu heard that the Buddha had come to see him, he made a great effort to get up and struggled to raise himself.The Buddha quickly stopped him, and said, “Please stay still, you do not need to move.”
These words really touched the young bhiksu.The Buddha asked him, “How do you feel right now? Can you endure the pain?”The young bhiksu repined, “The pain is getting worse day by day. It is very nearly unbearable.”
The Buddha then asked him, “Do you have any regrets?”The young bhiksu answered, “Yet, Venerable One, I do have some regrets.”The Buddha asked, “What are your regrets?”He replied, “At a young age, after I first heard the Buddha-Dharma, I decided to become a monastic. But, I was so far away from You. I wholeheartedly resolved to make this long journey to come into Your presence to hear You teach, to heart the Dharma in person and take it to heart. But, even though I am still so young before I was able to heart the Buddha-Dharma, my poor health has caused me to stop here.So, I am really upset”.
The Buddha said, “Come now; stop worrying. Let me ask you, when you see the world with your eyes, as your eyes connect with the world, doesn’t this gives rise to eye-consciousness? ”
“Yet, Venerable Buddha. When the sense organ of my eye comes in contact with external conditions, the ‘forms’ around me enter my mind”.
The Buddha said, “If you did not have eyes, wouldn’t you be isolated from the ‘forms’ around you? Yes! Without my eyes, I would be isolated from the world around me”.
The Buddha said, “If you have eyes, but no eye-consciousness, could you still discern external phenomena?” “True, Venerable Buddha, with eyes but no eye-consciousness, I could not connect with external phenomena”.
The Buddha said, “That is correct. If you have no eyes and cannot connect with external phenomena, you will not give rise to afflictions. When your eyes come in contact with external sense objects, these various shapes and colors are all taken into your eye-consciousness, disturbing your mind.
Actually, this does not just apply to your eye-consciousness. Your ears, nose, tongue and body are all sense organs that connect with external sense objects. This is what gives rise to feeling, perception, action and consciousness. Do you understand this principle?”
The young bhiksu appeared to suddenly realize all of this. “Yes, Venerable Buddha, I understand. Because my eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body have connected with external phenomena, I have taken them into my mind. My mind then stirs my Consciousnesses. Thus I create the karmic causes and conditions for various afflictions. This comes from the Five Sense Organs, Five Sense Objects and Five Consciousnesses. This is what has caused me to give rise to confusion, turmoil and afflictions.
The Buddha smiled and said to the bhiksu, “Please rest assured. You already understand.” The bhiksu gave Him a knowing smile in return and then the Buddha left. The bhiksu watched the Buddha leave, then he closed his eyes and passed away.
The news of this was then passed on to the Buddha’s abode. The bhiksus came to the Buddha and said, “Venerable Buddha, that young bhiksu died soon after You left him. But we heard that it was a peaceful death.”
The Buddha said, “Indeed, he was already in a tranquil and still state. He was a wise person with sharp capabilities.” Do we also have sharp capabilities like this young monk? The Buddha’s Three Vehicle disciples can be divided into those with great, average and limited capabilities. [This young bhiksu] had the causes and conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. However, other beings of the Five Destinies may not be so fortunate.
Whether in the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost or animal realm, does everyone have the causes and conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma? Not necessarily. However, “the 30 sons” have already drawn near to the Buddha-Dharma. Even if we draw near to the Buddha-Dharma, are we able to accept it with great capabilities? If we are only Hearers, we only listen to but are unable to realize [the Dharma]. This means we still have limited capabilities.
The elder who was living inside the burning house of the Three Realms was already aware of the fire arising from all four sides. So, he was shocked and afraid.

“The elder’s sons, 10, 20, even 30 of them were still in the house. The elder, seeing the fire arise from all four sides, was greatly shocked and afraid and had the following thought. Although I can, through this burning doorway, escape to safety…”

The passage continues with, “He had the following thought”. The elder is [an analogy for] the Buddha. The thought in his mind was, “Although I can, through this burning doorway escape to safety…” this is what the elder thought. When he saw the fire burning, he was actually already in a safe place outside. Even before the fire had started, the elder was already outside the house. But when he saw the fire burning the house, and witnessed sentient beings’ suffering, this elder felt compassion.
Seeing people who were unable to accept the teachings and did not know to promptly escape made him very concerned. He himself had already escaped from the house. However, he was very concerned about the many sentient beings who were still inside. He had already left through the door of the house, so he was in a safe and stable place. This safe, stable and joyful refuge is the royal home of the Buddha.

The elder saw the fire consuming the house, but he had already safely escaped from the door of the burning house and reached a safe and stable place.

In the vast universe, the Buddha’s mind has completely transcended everything in the realm of physical existence. But with His enlightened wisdom, He could not bear [for sentient beings to suffer].With his compassion, the elder saw that his children and relatives remained inside the great house. No matter what , the Buddha is still the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. He is still concerned about the sentient beings in this house.

He saw that the children were still inside, attached to having a good time. Clearly, a fire was burning, but the children were still playing. “Suffering was pressing in on them, but they did not know to escape, so they would suffer being scorched by fire.” As this was the case, great compassion arose in the Buddha’s heart. Thus the Tathagata, with compassion and wisdom, examined how sentient beings were pressured by the Five Turbidities and the Eight Sufferings, as if they were about to be consumed by fire, yet they still lingered and did not try to leave. The Buddha is like a father who saw that his sons were still lingering [in the burning house].They were still indulging in playing games. He could not bear to [abandon them] so He looked for ways to save them. He devised methods to bring them out and save them one by one. So, we need to clearly understand that the Buddha had already attained the ultimate state and abided in the tranquil land of calm illumination. He had already attained and entered Nirvana. Since He could be peaceful and free without beings troubled by any afflictions, He did not feel shock or fear.

Though the Buddha was in [the ultimate] state, He still felt shock and fear on behalf of sentient beings because the goodness in them was constantly diminishing and the evil in them was constantly growing. This created the shock, fear and worries in the Great Enlightened One. As for His own state, He was already peaceful and free.
But, “the Buddha suffered when sentient beings suffered and was joyful when sentient beings were happy.”When He sees sentient beings happy, He is joyful. When He sees sentient beings suffer, He is sad.
Therefore, the Buddha is the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kind father or the four kinds of beings. He is a father with great compassion. He is analogous to “the elder who felt shock and fear for his children.”It was for their sake that he felt shock and fear. This shows the great compassion of the elder. Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we need to truly realize what is in the Buddha’s heart. The Buddha taught with various methods to help us understand that everything is impermanent, and that everything is suffering, has an empty nature and has no-self. Trough various methods and skillful means, He taught each person, one by one, so they could ultimately return to the true principle of ultimate reality which is that everyone can attain Buddhahood and return to their intrinsic Tathagata-nature. We should all realize this. So everyone, please always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

【人間菩提】20150630 - 同心支持祈平安 Giving Support to the Injured in the Dust Explosion in Taiwan

同心支持祈平安
Giving Support to the Injured in the Dust Explosion in Taiwan

生命拔河痛難忍
醫療協力總動員
志工關懷撫親屬
同心支持祈平安

八仙樂園粉塵爆炸意外，傷患分送往北中南各家醫院，醫護人員也在第一時間，不論休假與­否，傾全力投入；而全台各地醫療院所，更是將相關醫療用品分類打包，送往北部醫院。

無常意外，令人心痛，今年20歲的李珮筠，全身燒燙傷面積高達90%，加上有嚴重的「­吸入性燒傷」，由於傷勢過重，在29號下午兩點多拔管，放棄治療，而她的弟弟也還在與­死神拔河。

虔誠祈禱，台北慈濟醫院也舉辦「八仙粉塵爆炸事件祈福會」，將近400位民眾共同匯聚­善念，一同祝福所有傷者能平安度過難關。

【靜思妙蓮華】20150413 - 長者驚怖慈悲憂念 - 第542集 The Elder Is Shocked and Afraid

20150413《靜思妙蓮華》長者驚怖慈悲憂念 (第542集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「無明火燒諸善念，五濁八苦無邊際，憎愛取捨三毒火，喻說三界實無安。」
⊙「周匝俱時欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。長者有子，若十、二十、乃至三十，在此宅中。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
「長者見是大火從四面起，即大驚怖，而作是念：我雖能於此所燒之門安隱得出。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙眾生處此無明煩惱熾盛之中難於出離，猶諸子在火宅中不易救脫，為長者之所驚怖也。
⊙念其退大善故驚，憂其起眾惡故怖。驚，即懷於慈，念其失善無樂。怖，即衷於悲，憂其造惡有苦。是長者之驚怖，是慈悲憂念之意。

【證嚴上人開示】
「無明火燒諸善念，五濁八苦無邊際，憎愛取捨三毒火，喻說三界實無安。」

無明火燒諸善念
五濁八苦無邊際
憎愛取捨三毒火
喻說三界實無安

這一直就向大家這樣說，是一個譬喻。佛陀一再一再就是這樣說，講因緣、說譬喻，因緣果報這是真理，卻是大家將因緣果報，只是執著在，我的現在，現在若是苦，都是感受到了，才來說，過去的因果。其實，我們現在就要很瞭解，瞭解在現在，我們到底，我們的心的起動，到底在做什麼？自己要很清楚。

雖然過去的不能不知，卻是現在因已經成了、緣也已經合了，我們現在應該如何來解，解開了這個因與緣，這是我們學佛最重要。現在我們是什麼呢？無明，凡夫無明。無明是從哪裡起呢？一念間。所以，因為一念無明，不斷產生了很多煩惱，煩惱是從造業中來累積，這種無明惑，這個道理，不曉得大家知不知道？

看，現在大乾坤四大不調，大乾坤的四大不調，那就是因為這個無明火，已經集合了，火、煙，煙霧瀰漫了，這是我們應該要去瞭解。有形的在人間，每天在「志工早會」時，就先說今天看到的新聞，很多的國家，每天都看到炮火連天，或者是自殺的炸彈，造成多少的苦難眾生，成為難民、成為殘廢等等。

這個無明一起，那就會燒掉諸善念。人人本具佛性，就是這種無明，一衝動起來之後，人人本具的善念，就被這個無明火燒掉了。這些人都是共這樣的業，所以這樣的依報，生在這樣的國土裡，受到這樣這麼苦，流離失所的折磨。這種「無明火燒諸善念」，這是現在的人間，這眾生的共業，所以造成了「五濁八苦無邊際」。

「五濁」大家都已經知道，見濁、眾生濁、命濁、煩惱濁、劫濁。這種種、種種人的心理，所產生出來，也已經現前在普天之下。

大乾坤這麼的不調和，人人都是不瞭解這「八苦」。生、老、病、死，在這個四大苦以外，又再為這個心態，愛的無法時時在一起，就要分別，這種的「愛別離」，「怨憎會」，不愛的人，偏偏就是常常在一起，光是聽到聲音，心就起煩惱；還有就是「五陰熾盛」，在我們的身體，在我們的心理，總共會合起來，這種身心苦難，這就是在「八苦」之中。這在人間是無邊無際，無邊際的苦難。

這都不離開憎愛取捨。人生就是這樣，憎啊、愛啊！我要取著取不到，我要捨捨不掉。像這樣，憎就是不愛，憎恨，光是看到就生氣，聽到就不歡喜。這種的憎恨，到底人是怎麼了？他又沒有對你怎樣，你為何這樣？甚至也聽過，母親生下這個孩子，要生之前，很辛苦，好幾天的產難，孩子生下來之後，就很恨、很氣，就是光聽到孩子，看到，要叫他的名字，就很不情願。問她「妳到底是怎麼了，怎麼對孩子這樣？很少聽到這樣的，再怎麼樣，母親疼子這是天性，為什麼妳這樣呢？」回答的，就說：「不知道，我也知道孩子是我生的，但是我怎麼聽到他的聲音，我就很怕、很恨，到底為什麼，我也不知道。」

「為什麼別人生孩子那麼順利，痛一陣短時間就過了，為什麼你這樣的痛，痛那麼久呢？當然這個孩子和你也是有因緣，所以才會那麼難生，就要看得開，這個孩子被你生，也是很無辜。」】是啊！我也是知道。」要如何去解呢？(慈濟)委員就不斷陪伴，為他(們)製造機會，讓母子在一起。現在母子倆帶出、帶入，做環保，「原來我的孩子這麼孝順的，他是來報恩的，不是要來報仇的。」這彼此之間，這段母子緣，真的也折磨過。

所以，憎愛取捨，這種人與人之間，很不可思議！所以這到底是如何來的呢？三毒火。因為我們人，假使這樣一直不瞭解，中間沒有人好好來調解，愛與恨，被怨的人，就會起恨，這樣這個三毒火就起來了。人世間不就是這樣嗎？所以，像這樣的一個大宅，這麼複雜的人生，身心所造作這麼複雜的業，你們想，這就是譬喻，「三界實無安穩」。

三界內，色界、無色界、欲界。心中的欲，所以造成了憎愛取捨；有了憎愛取捨，就有五濁八苦。有這五濁八苦，來自無明火，所以「燒諸善念」，起了很多的苦難無邊際，開始製造了三毒火，這全都是在這個大宅的裡面，人生的心念。

本來這間房子，也是很明亮、很莊嚴的大宅，那就是因為人人，不懂得愛惜，年久失修。這表示我們人人對佛法真理，慢慢就是這樣衰頹了，所以人不守軌道，不能接受正法、正知見，所以就會，愈造愈多，自然這個火宅，那個火從四面忽然間起來，那就是四大不調，在這個大乾坤，大三災不斷在循環、頻傳，一直發生起來。

「周匝俱時欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。長者有子，若十、二十、乃至三十，在此宅中。」

周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅
長者有子
若十、二十、
乃至三十
在此宅中
《法華經 譬喻品第三》

這個大宅裡面，不只是有眷屬，還有孩子， 是長者的孩子。這都是佛的弟子，有在接觸佛法，分成這三大類：一類是菩薩，一類是緣覺，一類那就是聲聞。就光是聽經聽很多，就是還不(完全)瞭解，這種人佔大多數。這瞭解了，不過，獨善其身，這樣的人也不少。偏偏就是瞭解了，也是發大心、立四弘誓願度眾生，入人群中發揮四無量心──慈、悲、喜、捨，付出，鋪好人間的路來與菩提道交接，這種覺有情人，這樣的人數卻是不多。所以，譬喻「十」、譬喻「二十」、譬喻「三十」。

所以下面再接下來，這段(經)文，「長者見是大火從四面起，即大驚怖，而作是念：我雖能於此所燒之門安隱得出。」

長者見是大火
從四面起
即大驚怖
而作是念
我雖能於此
所燒之門
安隱得出《法華經 譬喻品第三》

這是長者，雖然能在這個所燒的門，這樣出來，但是回頭一看，這個大宅已經火，是從四面全都起了，愈是怕，很驚、很怖。這也是一種的譬喻。

眾生處此
無明煩惱熾盛之中
難於出離
猶諸子在火宅中
不易救脫
為長者之所驚怖也

眾生就是在這個無明煩惱熾盛，就如火在烰、在燒，這種鐵板已經火燒了，這樣還不想要跳脫出去。這「難於出離」，在這當中不想要出去。

「猶諸子在火宅中不易救脫」，因為不想要求法。即使法在我們面前，也還耽著在這個欲，去惹火來燒身，這都是叫做無明，就是不想要出離。這就像這些孩子，雖然是聽法，卻是還遊戲在裡面。聽雖聽，要放下很難。已經接觸到佛法了，要放下很難，心門打不開，那個煩惱永遠，任何人都沒有辦法求解脫。

唯有就是將心門打開，佛法入內心，將佛法應用在我們的日常生活，這樣才是真正自我救脫。別人無法救我們，要救我們的人，是我們自己。大家不想要脫離這個苦，哪怕長者驚怖、很怕：到底這些孩子，什麼時候才會聽話？這些孩子什麼時候才會想要趕緊離開，這種火宅之門？

火宅到底在哪裡？是我們人人心中都有一個火宅。大乾坤是三界，小乾坤是我們自己的心宅，心中的火宅。佛陀就是為眾生而苦，因為苦眾生之苦，眾生不懂得要出離，佛陀憂心。佛的心念就像那個長者，「念其退大善故(驚)」。

念其退大善故驚
憂其起眾惡故怖
驚 即懷於慈
念其失善無樂
怖 即衷於悲
憂其造惡有苦
是長者之驚怖
是慈悲憂念之意

人人本具，人人性本善，人人本具佛性，但是，現在的人已經顛倒了，在這個火宅中，已經退失了大善，所以長者驚：怎麼大家本來如來清淨的本性，人人本具的善念，怎麼不見了呢？所以會驚。

失去了善念，那就是憂，「憂其起眾惡故怖」。善念若失，眾惡就生，這是佛對眾生的擔心、對眾生的驚怖。就像那位長者看到火，會驚、會怖畏：這些孩子都無法出來，要怎麼辦呢？

這是佛陀對我們未來，二千五百多年前的如來，對我們未來，現在這個時代的眾生所擔憂的，所以譬喻驚怖，像火若一直燒起來，真的是很擔心的事情，所以「念其退大善故驚」，憂，「憂其眾惡故怖」，所以怕大家起惡念，善念消失，惡念起，這就是驚怖。

驚，就是「懷於慈」，因為佛心慈，佛心是大慈悲父，所以「念其失善無樂」，佛陀擔憂我們眾生，這個善念若失去，那就沒有快樂了。人人心若常常懷著善念，我們會常常很快樂；而我們若是心無善念，常常都是惡念起，這樣就不快樂了。

怖，就是「衷於悲」，那個內心就是悲懷，慈心悲懷，慈心，怕眾生不快樂，悲懷，就是擔憂眾生，去造業、受苦。父母最擔心孩子不受教，最擔心孩子在外面去闖禍，去惹禍生非。這就是父母對孩子最擔心的，佛陀就是四生慈父，也是同樣希望眾生，都可以快樂、無苦難，很擔憂的就是眾生，造惡業、受苦報。這個因緣果報，就是佛陀要讓大家，很清楚、明道理，所以佛陀辛苦，這幾十年的說法，無非希望眾生，能夠醒悟過來，懂得知道自己的心，要如何將心，那個善念入心來，將我們的真如本性啟發出來，這是佛陀來人間一大事的目標。所以，這是長者他驚怖的理由，是佛陀慈悲憂念之意。

各位，學佛真的要用心。我們若是不用心，我們自己心裡的火宅，無明不斷復起，若這樣，我們所造作的都是惡的業，我們造成的這個善念，就是由這個惡念消滅掉。這個惡念來自無明，無明會像火種一樣，這個火種若起，就燒掉了我們的善念。

我們的善念減少了，惡業就增加，惡業增加，我們造作了這個五濁，在這個大乾坤，污染愈來愈升高起來，溫室效應，四大已經不調了。五濁已經這麼盛的時代，我們人人在生、老、病、死中，再加上了那種，愛別離、怨憎會，以及五陰熾盛等等，這樣集合起來，這種八苦是無邊際，我們還不知道苦嗎？

所以，我們既然知道苦，好好來接受法，這個法，要如何離開這個憎、愛，該取的是法、該捨的那就是惡。所以我們要心要入法來，我們應該捨掉種種煩惱、惡念，不要再有這個憎愛取著。取的，要取的，就要取佛法，要捨的，要捨煩惱，若能這樣，三毒的火才能消，要不然，這個三界火宅永遠無安。

這個三界：欲界、色界、無色界。我們要很用心，不要欲念起，外面的「色」來誘引，我們的煩惱不斷在內心裡，這樣在困擾我們，這就是內心的大宅，所以希望大家聽法要用心入。你是要當「一十子」、「二十子」、「三十子」呢？已經好不容易接受到佛法，我們聽，一聞千悟，要趕緊心顧得好，入人群中去轉法輪，這才是我們學佛的目標。人人時時要多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Elder Is Shocked and Afraid (長者驚怖慈悲憂念)
Date: April.13. 2015

“The fire of ignorance burns away all goodness. The Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings are boundless. Hate, love, grasping, letting go and the flames of the Three Poisons are analogous to the lack of peace and stability in the Three Realms.”

This, as I have said to everyone, is an analogy. Time and again, the Buddha gave explanations by using causes and conditions and analogies. The karmic law of cause and effect is a true principle, yet everyone is simply attached to how karma affects them in their current life. If they are suffering now, if this is what they experience, then they say, “This is a consequence of what I did in the past.” Actually, right now we must really understand just what it is that our minds are actually thinking and what actions we are taking. These are things we must be very clear about. Though we must understand our past, those causes have already matured and the conditions have converged, so now how can we unravel these karmic entanglements? This is most important for Buddhist practitioners.
What state are we in right now? Ordinary people are in a state of ignorance. How does this ignorance arise? It arises in the space of a thought. So, one ignorant thought can continue to give rise to many afflictions. Afflictions accumulate as we create karma. Are you all familiar with the principles of how we give rise to ignorance and delusion? See, right now the four elements of the macrocosm are out of balance. This imbalance of the four elements is caused by the fires of ignorance that have already converged. Because of these fires, the air is filled with thick smoke. This is what we must understand. The tangible effects are seen in this world.
Every day at the volunteer’s Morning Assembly, we first discuss the day’s news. In many other countries, every day we see gunfire and bombings, even suicide bombings. This has caused so many suffering people to end up as refugees, or become disabled, and so on. So, as soon as ignorance arises, it can burn down every good thought.
Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, but when ignorance is set in motion in their minds, people’s intrinsic goodness will be burned away by the fire of ignorance. These people all share the same collective karma, so their circumstantial retribution has led them to be born into such a country. They end up facing this tremendous suffering and the torment of being displaced from their homes. “The fire of ignorance burns away all goodness.” This is what the world is like now. So, the collective karma of sentient beings leads to “the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings, [which] are boundless.” Everyone is familiar with the Five Turbidities, the turbidities of views, of sentient beings, of life, of afflictions, and the kalpa of turbidity. All of these are created by the various workings of people’s minds, and already pervade today’s world. The macrocosm is very much out of balance. People do not quite understand the Eight Sufferings, such as birth, aging, illness and death. In addition to these [sufferings of the body], there are sufferings that arise from our minds. We cannot always be with those we love; we have to part ways with them. This is parting from those we love. Then we “meet those we hate.” Unfortunately we may constantly be around people we do not like. As soon as we hear their voice, afflictions arise. There is also “the raging of the Five Skandhas.” In our bodies and in our minds, altogether, the sufferings we face are encompassed in the Eight Sufferings.These are the boundless and endless sufferings we face in this world.
They are all inseparable from hate, love, grasping and letting go.
This is how life is.
We hate, we love; we cannot get what we want, nor can we let go of what we need to relinquish.What we hate is what we have no love for.When we hate something, just seeing it angers us, just hearing it gives rise to a sense of aversion.This is hatred.What is the matter with this person?
This person has not done anything to us, I have even heard of this phenomenon between a mother and her child.
The process of giving birth was very difficult; she was in labor for many days.After her child was born, she became resentful and angry.She was unwilling to see or hear him, or even say his name.
Someone asked her, “What’s the matter with you? Why would do treat your son like this? This is very rare because no matter what, maternal love is a natural instinct. Why would you act this way?”
She replied, “I don’t know why. I know that I gave birth to him, but whenever I hear his voice. I become fearful and resentful. Why that is, I have no idea. Maybe you wonder why other women go through such smooth labors with only a short time of pain, whereas your labor was so painful and lasted so long. There are surely karmic connections between you and your child that resulted in such a difficult birth. So, you should let go [of your resentment]. You are the one who gave birth to him; he is innocent in all this.”
[She replied,] “Yes, I know that, too.”How could we help her really understand this?Our Commissioners constantly kept them company and tried to create opportunities for mother and son to bond.They brought mother and son along with them to do recycling work.
“I didn’t realize how filial my son is. He was born to repay a kindness, not to exact revenge”.The karmic connection between them had truly tormented them both.So, the hate, love and afflictive emotions between people are truly inconceivable.
Where did these emotions come from?From the flames of the Three Poisons.If we never fully understand each other and no one helps to mend this love-hate relationship, the one being resented will develop hatred.This is how the fires of the Three Poisons arise.
Isn’t this the way things work in the world?
Just like this, in this great house, people’s lives are so complicated; our mind and body create such complicated karma.Think about how this is analogous to the “lack of peace and stability in the Three Realms”.
The Three Realms are the form, formless and desire realms.The desires of the mind lead to hate, love, grasping and letting go.
Because of these afflictive emotions, we have the Five Turbidities and the Eight Sufferings,These turbidities and sufferings arise from the fires “burn away all goodness,” giving rise to boundless suffering and creating the flames of the Three Poisons.
All this is happening inside this great house, inside people’s minds.
Originally this great house was radiant and magnificent.But because people did not cherish it, it had fallen into disrepair.
This represents how our understanding of the truths of the Buddha-Dharma has gradually faded and deteriorated.People no longer behave properly and cannot accept Right Dharma or proper understanding and views.So, we create more and more [karma].
Then naturally the house will catch fire.
The fire arises suddenly on all four sides, signifying the imbalance of the four elements.Thus, in the macrocosm, the three major calamities are in a cycle of frequent occurrence.

“All at once, throughout the house, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze. The elder’s sons, 10, 20, even up to 30 of them, were still in the house.”

In this great house, not only are there relatives, there are also children.They are the elder’s children.They are all disciples of the Buddha and have come in contact with the Buddha-Dharma.They can be divided into three major categories, Bodhisattvas, Solitary Realizers and Hearers.
People who have heard many teachings but still do not understand make up the great majority of disciples.Then there are those who have understood, yet they only seek to awaken themselves.
There are quite a few of them as well.Lastly, there are who understood and have formed great aspirations and made the Four Great Vows to deliver sentient beings.They go among people and exercise the Four Infinite Minds of loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.Thus they have a road through this world that will intersect with the Bodhi-Path.
These awakened sentient beings are sadly few in number. So, 10, 20 and 30 are all symbolic numbers. This is the following passage of sutra text. Let us examine it.

“The elder, seeing, the fire arise from all four sides, was greatly shocked and afraid and had the following thought, “Although I can, through this burning doorway, escape to safety…”

Although the elder could escape the burning house through the door, upon looking back and seeing the great house in flames, how the fire had sprung up on all four sides, he was very fearful,shocked and terrified. This is another analogy.

Sentient beings are in this place of raging ignorance and afflictions and find it hard to escape. Similarly, the sons in the fiery house are not easily saved. Therefore, the elder is very shocked and afraid.

Sentient beings are in this place of raging ignorance and afflictions. It is as if they are burning, baking in a blazing fire. The metal pan in already burning hot, but they still do not want to escape. They “find it hard to escape”. In the midst of this, they did not want to leave.
“Similarly, the sons in the fiery house are not easily saved”. If we do not want to seek the Dharma, even though it is right before us, we still wallow in our desires and stir up the flames that will burn us. This is ignorance; people do not want to escape. We are like those children; though we have heard the Dharma, we remain inside playing games. Though we listen, we cannot let go [of what we have]. We have encountered the Buddha-Dharma, but it is hard to let go. If the door to your mind cannot be opened, afflictions will remain inside forever. No one else can free you from those afflictions; to reach liberation, we must open the doors to our minds. Then after the Buddha-Dharma enters, we must apply it to our daily living. This is the only way we can liberate ourselves.
Other people cannot save us. We are the only ones who can save ourselves. The people [in the house] did not seek to escape their suffering, no matter how shocked and afraid the elder was. When will these children actually begin to listen? When will these children actually want to quickly escape through the doors of this burning house? Where is this burning house? All of us have a burning house in our minds.
In the macrocosm, [the house] is the Three Realms. In the microcosm, the house is our mind. There is a burning house inside of us. The Buddha went through suffering for our sakes. We suffering sentient beings are not trying to escape, so the Buddha was worried for us. The Buddha’s thoughts were like those of the elder, “thoughts about the loss of goodness”.

Thoughts about the loss of goodness lead to shock. Worries about the rise of all evils lead to fear. Shock comes from his loving-kindness and being mindful of those who may lose their goodness and joy. Fear comes from his compassion and being worried for those who commit evils and thus suffer. The elder is shocked and afraid because of his loving-kindness and compassion, and his thoughts and worries [for his sons].

Human nature is inherently good. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. Yet, people are currently in a state of confusion. Inside this burning house, they have lost their great goodness. This shocked the elder. Why is it that everyone’s intrinsically pure Tathagata-nature, their inherent goodness, can no longer be seen? This is why he was shocked. Their loss of goodness worried him. “Worries about the rise of all evils lead to fear”. When goodness is lost, all evils will arise. This is why the Buddha worried for sentient beings. He was shocked and afraid for them, like the elder when he saw the fire. The elder was shocked and afraid. If these children could not escape, what could he do about it? The Buddha [worried] about the future. The Tathagata, over 2500 years ago, worried about those of us in His future, our present. This is analogous to the [elder’s] shock and fear. If this fire constantly burned, it would be a very worrisome matter.
So, “Thoughts about the loss of goodness lead to shock”. “Worries about the rise of all evils lead to fear”. He was afraid that everyone would give rise to unwholesome thoughts, that their goodness would vanish. This led to shock and fear. His shock came from His loving-kindness. The Buddha is very kind. His mind is that of a compassionate father, so He was “mindful of those who may lose their goodness and joy”.
The Buddha worried about us sentient beings, that if we lose our goodness, we will no longer be happy. If we constantly have good thoughts, then we will always be happy. If our minds are lacking in goodness, unwholesome thoughts will constantly arise and we will be unhappy. Fear comes from His compassion. The Buddha was compassion. He had loving-kindness and compassion. Out of His kindness, He was afraid sentient beings would be unhappy. Out of His compassion, He worried that they would create karma and experience suffering.
Parents worry most that their children worry that their children may get into trouble and cause disasters or create conflicts. This is what parents worry about the most. The Buddha is the kind father of the four of beings, so He also hoped that sentient beings can live happily, free of suffering. He worried that sentient beings would create bad karma and suffer painful retributions. This karmic law of cause and effect is the principle that the Buddha wanted to help everyone to clearly understand.
So, the Buddha worked hard and gave decades of teaching solely in the hope that we sentient beings could awaken and understand how our minds can take in thoughts of goodness and bring forth our intrinsic Tathagata-nature. This was the one great cause for which the Buddha came to this world. This was why the elder was shocked and afraid, and the reason the Buddha was concerned.
Everyone, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must be mindful indeed. If we are not mindful, then, in the burning house in our minds, ignorance will continuously reappear. If this is the case, all the karma we create will be bad karma. Any good thoughts that may arise will be eliminated by unwholesome thoughts. Unwholesome thoughts stem from ignorance, and ignorance is just like a spark.If the spark ignites, it will burn up all of our good thoughts. When our goodness is diminished, our bad karma will grow. When our bad karma increases, we create the Five Turbidities. In the macrocosm of the world around us, there are elevated levels of pollution, as well as the greenhouse effect. The four elements already out of balance and the Five Turbidities are prevalent. We all face birth, aging, illness and death, in addition to parting with those we love, meeting those we hate and the raging of the Five Aggregates.
When they come together, the Eight Sufferings are truly boundless. How can we still not recognize all this suffering? Once we recognize suffering, we must earnestly accept the Dharma. This Dharma can help us transcend love and hate. We should grasp the Dharma and let go of evil.
So, we must take the Dharma to heart. We should let go of various afflictions and unwholesome thoughts. Let us not continue to feel afflictive emotions. What we should grasp is the Buddha-Dharma, and what we should let go of are afflictions. Only by doing this can we extinguish the flames of the Three Poisons.
Otherwise, there will never peace in the burning house of the Three Realms. The Three Realms are the desire, form and formless realms. We must be careful not to give rise to desires or be enticed by forms in our external conditions. Otherwise, afflictions will continue to remain in our minds and trouble us greatly. This is the great house of our minds. So, I hope everyone will mindfully listen to the Dharma.
Do you want to be among the 10, 20 or 30? We have finally been able to receive the Buddha- Dharma. In hearing one teaching, let us realize 1000. We must always take good care of our minds and go among the people to turn the Dharma-wheel. This must be our goal as Buddhist practitioners. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

【人間菩提】20150629 - 戒慎虔誠祈平安 To Respond to a Mass Casualty Fire Incident

戒慎虔誠祈平安

To Respond to a Mass Casualty Fire Incident



無常大火瞬息至

人傷我痛急動員

關懷發放膚苦難

戒慎虔誠祈平安



無常瞬間，台灣史上最嚴重的燒傷意外，27號晚間，新北市八仙樂園發生粉塵爆炸，現場­一片混亂。許多熱心民眾主動協助警消救援，慈濟志工也隨即趕往協助，安撫傷者惶恐的心­。



家屬的心靈，同樣飽受煎熬。慈濟人分成多條路線，前往醫院關懷。除了送餐點，也守候在­家屬與傷患身旁，給予勇氣和依靠，帶來祝福金與證嚴上人的慰問信。



虔誠為所有傷者祈禱，慈濟志工發揮「人傷我痛、人苦我悲」的精神，將繼續陪伴傷患與家­屬，面對後續治療與復健的路。

【靜思妙蓮華】20150410 - 長者三十子 - 第541集 The Thirty Sons of the Elder

20150410《靜思妙蓮華》長者三十子 (第541集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「如來本性眾生心，業識微波起風動，性欲不同分五趣，故有三十子義成。」
⊙「周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「長者諸子，若十、二十、或至三十，在此宅中。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙五趣眾生皆是佛子，等同無二，惟此堪稱為長者之子者，乃指具有出世無漏種子者而言。
⊙若十：指大乘一切種智，三智之一，言能知一切諸佛之道法，又能知一切眾生之因種之菩薩。
⊙二十：指獨覺，常樂寂靜，獨自修行，修行功成於無佛之世，自己覺悟，而離生死者。
⊙三十：指聲聞。此諸人眾同居此宅，喻三乘根性，修持法人，悉依此根本識而住。
⊙然此識若不為末那識所覆障，即不名為阿賴耶識，而名為菴摩羅識。喻不名火宅，而是名為安穩真如宅。

【證嚴上人開示】
「如來本性眾生心，業識微波起風動，性欲不同分五趣，故有三十子義成。」

如來本性眾生心
業識微波起風動
性欲不同分五趣
故有三十子義成

也就是說，「心、佛、眾生，三無差別」，我們人人本具如來清淨本性，只是我們凡夫「業識微波起風動」。看看，水若很清，它就像一面鏡子，而你若是讓那個水，稍微將它搖動，所有的景象就凹凸不平，那就是照不明了。我們凡夫的心識，不就是這樣嗎？我們都是在這個業識，在波動中。

這個業識在波動，是如何波動呢？一句話說，「無風不起浪」，業識本來這樣靜靜，但是就是無明風起了，所以使我們這個業識就開始，「無明」緣「行」，「行」緣「識」，「識」緣「名色」……，從這樣開始，「十二因緣」不斷緣去，緣到「老病死(老死)」。

老病死，還是帶著一個業識，隨著業識再到五趣雜居的地方。是要來人間，或者是要到地獄呢？或者是畜生、餓鬼，或是人間心靈的地獄？人間行為的畜生，或者是人間無奈何的，飢餓的地方？這要看我們在過去生中，那種的無明風是如何造作。

這五趣都是，隨著我們「性欲不同」。所以接下來這段(經)文，就有「三十子」的譬喻。

我們前面說過了，這個大宅的裡面，就是一個主人，這個主人，經文的裡面稱為長者，長者他用他的德、用他的時間，在領導。卻是長者年齡大了，老邁了。裡面雖然有人很多，卻是年久失修了，所以在這個大宅敗壞的過程中，裡面這麼多的人在那個地方，還是不知不覺。這也是一種的譬喻，譬喻眾生造很多的業，共業在天地之間，所以大乾坤四大不調了。這我們昨天說過了，四面「俱時欻然火起」。

周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅
《法華經譬喻品第三》

在這個時代，看，一直不調和，災難頻傳。開始四面火起，這是多麼危急的時代！

所以，佛陀二千多年前，就是為了這件事情來，要讓大家知道，這個人倫道德、世間真理，慢慢衰頹了。就如那間大房子很久了，年久失修，不論是棟梁開始都在腐敗中，裡面還有這麼多人，眾生的欲心，就在這個五趣雜居地，道理不在人心了。所以我們現在才需要人人，發大心、立大願，「四弘誓願」的心，在我們現在趕緊再提起。

「三十子」，就是要學佛，開始我們就要用心，來承擔如來家業。長者子「長者諸子，若十、二十、或至三十，在此宅中。」

長者諸子
若十、二十、
或至三十
在此宅中
《法華經譬喻品第三》

這個大宅已經，四面忽然間起火了，「焚燒舍宅」。在這個舍宅裡面，長者的孩子，十、二十，乃至三十，都是在這個宅中。

這個「三十子」，完全是佛陀的慈悲，他不捨眾生，天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生，五趣之內，佛陀都不放棄任何一個眾生。佛陀視一切眾生，如一子。

五趣眾生
皆是佛子
等同無二
惟此堪稱為
長者之子者
乃指具有出世
無漏種子者而言

什麼叫做「三十子」呢？那就是出世，有心想要出世，有在修行，這樣的種子的心，那就是長者的三十子。天、人，不一定會接受佛法，何況地獄、餓鬼、畜生，更是無佛法的地方。但是，這三十子，就是已經接受佛法了。

接受佛法，也是有分成三階段。「若十」，就是第一個說「十」，那就是「指大乘一切種智」。

若十：
指大乘一切種智
三智之一
言能知一切
諸佛之道法
又能知一切眾生
之因種之菩薩

一切種智是佛的三智之一，就是一切種智，意思就是說，「能知一切諸佛之道法」。

第一種的「十子」，那就是表示菩薩已經通徹了解，佛陀所說的道理，知道不只是要修心，同時要身體力行，在人間、人群中去付出。這是佛子中的第一上根機，行菩薩道，譬喻在這「三十子」中的其中之一。

「二十」也是譬喻，那就是獨覺。

二十：指獨覺
常樂寂靜
獨自修行
修行功成
於無佛之世
自己覺悟
而離生死者

獨覺，知道一切都是這念心，所以因為這樣，他覺悟了，所以這種「常樂寂靜」，就很歡喜自己獨修了，所以「獨自修行」，這個心，不要去緣眾生的煩惱，獨善其身。他這個覺悟的種子，深種在他的內心，哪怕再出世來人間，繼續那分清淨的覺性，所以他能夠無佛之世，「自己覺悟離生死」，不再心動念，這叫做獨覺。

我們修行，豈只是為了離生死？尤其是佛法所說的生死，是我們的心意識的生滅法。所以，獨覺，覺性雖然是很明朗，卻是無法去覺悟別人，所以他也是無法成佛，缺了緣。

若像這樣，在經典中有一段這樣的故事，就是說，有一座深山，有五百多人共住在那個山林之中，在那裡在修行。其中，有一位獨覺，山裡的猴子，看到這位獨覺，在這個人群與別人較不同，所以這隻猴子也隨這個獨覺，這樣作息，隨他這個行動。

這隻猴子跟久了，學這個獨覺的形態，這樣這隻猴子，卻是無法真正覺悟那個菩提道。這意思就是說，光是要在獨覺，連畜生道牠能夠學人，與人同樣的作息，與人同樣的行為，全都能夠一樣，卻是缺乏那分發菩提心，我只守我自己，若這樣，永遠這個法無法往外傳，這種不是真正究竟的修行。

第三，那就是聲聞，「三十」，就是譬喻聲聞。

三十：指聲聞
此諸人眾同居此宅
喻三乘根性
修持法人
悉依此根本識而住

聲聞就是聽佛的聲音入耳根，說不定，「千說悟一」，佛陀說一千次，他才知道一項事情，很鈍根的人，也是很多。

到底聽了，能清楚嗎？法能夠入心嗎？法入心，能夠身體力行嗎？這就是要我們自己，「斯人飲水，冷暖自知」。我們是不是都在這「三十子」的裡面？是聲聞嗎？或者是在獨覺呢？或者是在菩薩呢？能夠體會一切種智，不只是自覺、自體會，體會之後，還要分享給他人，眾生苦難，我們願意投入。

幾天前，濟修，他是清修士，來告假說他要去美國，同時也要參加，與美國的慈濟人會合，要去海地。美國思晟在海地，開始在準備要去做發放。濟修他們都到達了，思晟去機場為他們接機，在海地開始展開了，去布善種子的工作。但是，第一件的事情，就是去拜訪，因為要發放，必定要有維和部隊，要軍隊來維持次序，這是在海地，若要發放的慣例，必定就要先去與部隊溝通。

這次的維和部隊，是輪到約旦的部隊。濟修、心圓，他們到達時，他們所負責的，就是進到部隊與司令說話，拜託他們到時候，邀請他們來維護發我們。開始濟修就一直和他說，慈濟「竹筒歲月」，慈濟的緣起，再從頭說起，說給軍隊的人聽。同時要讓他們知道，慈濟與海地的因緣，因為那個部隊，住在海地的部隊都常常在換，所以慈濟的故事，從頭說起，之後，讓他們聽得很感動，將英文的(慈濟)月刊，送給他們。這位領團的這個司令，他看到這個東西，很感動，開始也介紹，因為我們海地的醫師，也準備，要發放的同時，也要義診，他就將他們軍隊的醫師，介紹給我們，說，到時候軍隊的醫師也能夠參加，在這個義診中去看病。

像這樣，法，就是要有人傳。海地是一個很苦難的國家，本身沒有軍人，他們就是由聯合國，輪流派軍，派兵在那個地方，這樣輪流去保護海地。這一次看到我們要去發放，臺灣的白米到達海地，從加拿大、從美國，慈濟人會合要去做發放，還要再去做義診。同時，最重要的任務，就是要去為他們培訓，去分享人間菩薩的法則，我們慈濟，靜思的法脈、慈濟宗門，還是同樣，要在那個地方建立起來。

所以，當地已經有種子了，一顆、二顆、三顆，現在培訓的人又再增加出來。現在去培訓，到底是「十子」呢？他們的根機是不是一下子，就能夠接受行菩薩道，了解法，也願意利益人群呢？這叫做菩薩，或者是這次的培訓，能夠去接引到，口「佛法很好，我願意接受佛法，我願意將這個心要收攝好，不要犯了人道的規則。」是不是能教育到這樣呢？或者是聽到佛法，種一顆種子，「佛法很好，我知道了」。

若這樣，了解佛法，海地本來不曾聽過佛法，是因為在他們地震之後，慈濟人到達那裡，才開始接觸佛法。所以說起來，這個「聲聞」，這樣來接觸佛法，這就是因緣，有了這個因緣，佛法能夠到海地去。到海地，能讓這些種子在當地播種，這就是因緣，有了這個因緣，佛法能夠到海地去，到海地，讓這些種子，在當地去播種，這就是因緣。這就要發大心的菩薩，才有辦法將這個因緣種，帶到那個地方，在那個地方，身體力行去教育。

這就是第一種的「十子」，那就是歸入於菩薩道。緣覺是「二十」。再來就是聲聞，按照佛所說法，聽進去，這樣能夠根機如何來接受，如何來修行的人，這是「修持法人」，這些人稱為是「三十子」。

在這個五趣的裡面，唯有這三種人，他從佛口生，從法化生，這是真佛子。所以，長者稱五趣裡面，長者的「三十子」，「若十、二十、乃至三十」，這是與佛有緣。

若是(根本)識，「識若不為末那識所覆蓋」，末那識就是第七識，「即不名阿賴耶識」，就沒有這個種子，造作在那個倉庫裡面。我們的心裡的那個藏識，全都是藏著，這個末那識(種子)。

然此識
若不為
末那識所覆障
即不名為阿賴耶識
而名為菴摩羅識

這個第六識，就是接受外面的六塵、外面的形象在他的心，搬進來末那識、第七識去(思惟)、造作之後，這個種子成了，歸納在這個阿賴耶識。若能夠沒有這些外面造作的種，那就不必有阿賴耶識。那是什麼呢？就是菴摩羅識，那就是真如本性，清淨，人人本具清淨本性。

總而言之，我們若能夠了解，其他，菴摩羅識的前面，全都不要去受染，這就沒有大宅的火，這個三界就不會發生火災了。若沒有這些無明風火，那就是安穩的真如宅。所以各位菩薩，要發菩薩心，五趣雜居的裡面，有幸的人能夠，從佛口生、從法化生，看我們的根機如何接受，所以我們要時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan

Subject: The Thirty Sons of the Elder

(長者三十子)

Date: April.10. 2015

“Tathagata-nature is in the minds of sentient beings, but subtle ripples in their karmic consciousness arise when the wind blows. Dispositions and desires differ and are divided into the Five Destinies. Therefore, the metaphor of 30 sons is given.”

To reiterate, “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” We all intrinsically have a pure Tathagata-nature. It is just that for us ordinary people, “subtle ripples in [our] karmic consciousness arise when the wind blows.” You see, if water is very clear, then it is like a mirror. If we disturb the water a little, then there will be ripples in the images we see; thus the reflections are unclear. Isn’t this what the karmic consciousness of ordinary people is like? We all have these ripples in our karmic consciousness. How did there come to be ripples in our karmic consciousness? There is a saying, “Without wind, there are no waves.” Our karmic consciousness was originally calm, but the wind of ignorance arose, so our karmic consciousness began [to have ripples]. “Ignorance” leads to “volitional formation,” which leads to “consciousness,” which leads to “name and form.” Beginning with these conditions, the process of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence continues, eventually lead to aging, illness and death. After we die, we bring our karmic consciousness and follow where it leads to return to where the beings of the Five Destinies co-exist. Will we come back to the human realm, or will we end up in hell? Or will we be in the animal or hungry ghost realm, or in a mental hell on earth? Will we behave like an animal? Or will we helplessly starve? This depends on our past lives, on what the wind of ignorance led us to do. 

The Five Destinies correspond to our different “dispositions and desires”. So in the next sutra passage, there is the analogy of the 30 sons. We had talked about how, inside this great house, there is a head of the household. In the sutra, he is referred to as the elder. The elder made use of his virtue and his time to lead others. However, the elder had become old and frail. Although there were many people inside, the house had become rundown with age. As the house was in the process of falling apart, there were so many people inside who were still unaware of this. This is also an analogy for all the karma sentient beings have created. Their collective karma in this world has caused the four elements to become imbalanced. We talked about this yesterday. From all four sides, “All at once, a fire broke out.”

All at once, throughout the area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze.

In this current age, we see how the elements are constantly imbalanced. We frequently experience disasters, like a fire coming at us from all four sides. This is such a dangerous and critical age. So, more than 2000 years ago, the Buddha came to this world to help everyone understand this. People’s morals and the principles of the world have gradually deteriorated. This world is just like the great house; after years of disrepair, all the beams and columns were decaying, but there were still many people inside.

Due to sentient beings’ desirous minds, in this place where the Five Destinies co-exist the principles are no longer in peoples’ hearts.

This is why we now need everyone to form great aspirations and make great vows.We must quickly strengthen our resolve to carry out the Four Great Vows.

“The 30 sons” tell us to learn the Buddha’s Way.From the beginning, we must put our hearts into shouldering the Tathagata’s family duties.

The sons are described thus.“The elder’s sons, 10, 20, even up to 30 of them, were still in the house.”

Fire had already broken out on all four sides of the great house, “setting the house ablaze”.Inside the house were the elder’s sons, 10, 20, even up to 30 of them.All were in this house.These “30 sons” fully received the Buddha’s compassion.He could not bear to abandon sentient beings. 

In the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, anywhere in the Five Destinies, the Buddha was unwilling to give up on any being.The Buddha sees them all as His only son.

Sentient beings in the Five Destinies are all Buddha-children.The Buddha sees them equally as the one and only.Thus they are all considered the sons of the elder.They were those who were replete with world-transcending flawless seeds.

So, who are the “30 sons”?They have resolved to transcend the world and engage in spiritual practice; people with this kind of seed are the 30 sons of the elder.Heavenly beings and humans may not necessarily accept the Buddha-Dharma, not to mention those in the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, the places without the Buddha-Dharma.But these 30 sons are those who have already accepted the Buddha-Dharma.Their acceptance is split into three stages.[In this verse,] “10” symbolizes people with “the all-encompassing wisdom of the Great Vehicle”.

10:

This symbolizes people who have the all-encompassing wisdom of the Great Vehicle, one of the Three Kinds of Wisdom.

This means they are Bodhisattvas who understand all Buddhas’ teachings of the Path and also know the causes and seeds of all sentient beings.

All-encompassing wisdom is one of the Buddha’s Three Kinds of Wisdom.Having all-encompassing wisdom means one can “understand all Buddhas’ teachings of the Path”.

Therefore, the first number mentioned, 10, refers to the Bodhisattvas who have thoroughly understood the principles taught by the Buddha.They understand that, in addition to cultivating their minds, they must also put the Dharma into practice and go into the world to give to people.They are the Buddha-children with the greatest capabilities, who walk the Bodhisattva-path.

They are among “the 30 sons” mentioned in this passage. “20” is also an analogy; this one is referring to Solitary Realizers.

20:

This symbolizes Solitary Realizers.

Seeking permanent bliss and tranquility, they cultivate on their own.

When they accomplish their spiritual practice, even in an era without Buddhas, they can awaken themselves and transcend cyclic existence.

Solitary Realizers know that everything happens because of the mind.Understanding this, they have awakened.With this “permanent bliss and tranquility,” they enjoy cultivating by themselves, so “they cultivate on their own”.They want to avoid coming in contact with the afflictions of sentient beings.Therefore, they only seek to awaken themselves.

The pure seed for awakening is planted deeply in their minds.

Even if they come to this world again, they will continue to have a pure awakened nature.So, in an era without Buddhas, they can “awake themselves, transcend cyclic existence”.Thoughts will no longer stir in their minds.These are Solitary Realizers.

Do we engage in spiritual practice only for the sake of transcending cyclic existence?In particular, the cyclic existence the Buddha spoke of is the arising and ceasing that takes place in the mind-consciousness.So, as Solitary Realizers, though their awakened nature is very bright, they cannot awaken others, so they lack the karmic conditions attaining Buddhahood. 

There is a story in the sutras about something like this. There was once a remote mountain, and more than 500 people lived in the forests of this mountain. They were engaging in spiritual practice there. Among them, there was one Solitary Realizer. There was a monkey in these mountains who saw that this Solitary Realizer was different from the others in the group. So, this monkey followed this Solitary Realizer in everything he did and imitated his actions. 

After the monkey followed him for a long time, he learned the behaviors of this Solitary Realizer. Despite this, this monkey could not truly awaken to the Bodhi-path. This is describing the state of Solitary Realizers. Even animals can imitate humans, working and resting like them and behaving in the same way as them. They can act the same [as one who is awakened] yet still lack Bodhicitta. If I only keep to myself, then I will never be able to transmit the Dharma to others. This is not engaging in the ultimate spiritual practice. 

The third stage is that of Hearers. “30” symbolizes Hearers.

“30:

This symbolizes Hearers. All of these people live in this house. This like the capabilities of those in the Three Vehicles who practice the Dharma and abide in accord with their fundamental consciousness.”

Hearers take in the Buddha-Dharma with their ears. Perhaps they hear it taught 1000 times to realize it once. The Buddha has to say it 1000 times for them to understand just one thing. There are many with such dull capabilities. After hearing it, do they clearly understand? Can they take the Dharma to heart? If they can, can they put it into their actions? Each of us must reflect on ourselves. “Only the person who drinks the water” knows the temperature of the water.” Are we among “the 30 sons”? Are we Hearers, Solitary Realizers or Bodhisattvas? After realizing all-encompassing wisdom. 

Bodhisattvas do not just awaken themselves or realize it for themselves. After we realize it, we must share it with others. When sentient beings are suffering, we willingly devote ourselves to helping them. 

Several days ago, Chi Xu (Johan Alwall), who is a Pure Practitioner, reported that he was going to the United States. Once of the things he wanted to do was to meet up with US Tzu Chi volunteers and go to Haiti with them. US volunteer Si Cheng (Jams Chen) was Haiti, preparing for the distributions. When Johan and the others arrived there, James met them at the airport. Then they could begin their work of planting seeds of goodness in Haiti. However, the first thing Johan and James did was to pay a visit [to the UN peacekeepers]. To carry out the relief distributions, it was necessary to have a peacekeeping force, there had to be troops to help us maintain order. In Haiti, this was part of the routine of making distributions. They had to first meet with the peacekeepers. 

This time, it was the peacekeepers form Jordan. When Johan and Sin Yuan (Henry Hsu) arrived, they were responsible for communicating with the military commanders and asking them if they could protect the volunteers during the distributions. From the beginning of the meeting, Johan told them about Tzu Chi and the spirit of the bamboo banks. He started with the beginning of Tzu Chi’s story as he spoke with the military leaders. At the same time, he wanted to let them know about Tzu Chi’s connection with Haiti. Because the peacekeepers stationed in Haiti were constantly changing, our volunteers always told the Tzu Chi story from the beginning. 

They were all moved by what they heard, and [Johan] gave them our English quarterly journal. The commanding officer of these troops was very moved when he read it, so he began telling others about Tzu Chi. Because our doctors in Haiti were preparing to hold a free clinic during the relief distribution, the officer introduced the medic from his troop and told them, “When the time comes, the military doctors can also participate and treat people in the free clinic”. This is an example of how the Dharma must be spread by people. 

Haiti is a country of great suffering. They do not have their own military. The United Nations deploys different troops there in rotation. In this way, they take turns protecting Haiti. This time, when we wanted to distribute rice from Taiwan to Haiti, Tzu Chi volunteers from Canada and the US came together to hold the distributions. They also wanted to hold a free clinic. But their most important mission was to go and conduct volunteer training for them and share the principles of being Living Bodhisattvas. The Dharma-lineage of Jing Si and the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism also had to established in Haiti.

There were already seeds there, one, two, three local volunteers. And now, even more people want to be trained. Are the people who attend these trainings symbolized by the “10”? Do they have the capabilities to suddenly accept the practice of the Bodhisattva-path? Those who understand the Dharma and willingly benefit others are considered Bodhisattva.Maybe during this training, the local volunteers can realize that, “The Buddha-Dharma is great, I’m willing to accept it. I’m willing to re-focus my mind and not do improper things.” Can they be taught realize this? Perhaps when they hear the Buddha-Dharma, a seed is planted. “I realize now that the Buddha-Dharma is great. Thus they may come to learn Buddha-Dharma.

No one in Haiti had the Dharma before. It was after the major earthquake there, after the Tzu Chi volunteers went there, that they began to encounter the Buddha-Dharma.Therefore, they are Hearers who have karmic conditions to encounter the Dharma. It is because of these causes and conditions that the Buddha-Dharma was able to reach Haiti. 

In Haiti, for these seeds to be planted, there needed to be suitable causes and conditions. Bodhisattva who had formed great aspirations had to make use of this opportunity to bring these seeds to Haiti and teach the Dharma by putting it into action. They are symbolized by the first “10” sons.They are walking the Bodhisattva-path. 

Solitary Realized by “20.” Next, there are the Hearers who hear the Dharma taught by Buddha and accept it and practice it according to their capabilities. Hearers are the people who “practice the Dharma.” These people are symbolized by “30.”Within the Five Destinies, only these three kinds of people have been born from Buddha’s speech. These are true Buddha-children.

So, within the Five Destinies are “the 30sons” of the elder. The “10, 20, even up to 30 of them” all have affinities with the Buddha. If “this [fundamental] consciousness is not covered over by manas consciousness,” which is the seventh consciousness, “then it is not called alaya consciousness.” No seed had been created to be stored in the storehouse. The storehouse consciousness in our minds entirely stores the [seeds] of manas consciousness.

However, if this consciousness is not covered over by manas consciousness, it is not called alaya consciousness, but is amala consciousness. 

The Six Consciousness take in the Six Sense Objects from the outside. These external images are brought into the means consciousness. After the seventh consciousness [contemplates them] and gives rise to thoughts, these seeds are all brought back to the alaya consciousness.

If we do not create seeds under external influence, then there will be no alaya consciousness. Then what consciousness do we have? The amala consciousness, which is the pure nature of True Suchness, the pure nature that everyone intrinsically has.

In summary, if we can understand this, we will work to keep all the consciousness before the amala consciousness from being defiled. Then the house will not go up in flames and there will not be a fire in the Three Realms. 

If there is no wind or fire ignorance, then this will be a peaceful home of True Suchness. 

So, dear Bodhisattva you must form Bodhisattva-aspirations. Among the Five Destinies, the fortunate ones can be born from the Buddha’s speech and transformed by the Dharma. This depends on our capabilities for accepting it, so we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

【人間菩提】20150628 - 搶救傷患‧賦予希望 To Give Hope in a Mass Casualty Incident

搶救傷患‧賦予希望 
To Give Hope in a Mass Casualty Incident

粉塵爆炸火燒身 
及時搶救眾傷患 
人醫義診療心疾 
奉上制服予希望 

新北市八仙樂園27號晚間八點多，大型派對現場發生粉塵閃燃，民眾遭到大火燒燙傷，緊­急送往北部各大醫院。距離事發處較遠的台北慈濟醫院也收到了十三名患者。

台北慈濟醫院啟動大量傷患機制，即使已經晚上十二點，仍有一百多位醫護同仁在工作崗位­診治傷患，醫療志工也到場協助安撫病患。 

聞聲救苦慈濟人，一收到災害消息，各區志工即刻動員前往救災及關懷。在現場陪伴家屬，­幫忙尋找失聯民眾，也帶來即時安慰。

【靜思妙蓮華】20150409 - 癡迷如火以法離苦 - 第540集 Transcend Suffering with the Dharma

20150409《靜思妙蓮華》癡迷如火以法離苦 (第540集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「癡為無明之源頭，無明如火燻癡迷，癡名不了一切法，欻然火焚燒舍宅。」
⊙「周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。長者諸子，若十、二十、或至三十，在此宅中。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙周匝俱時：喻遍於五蘊。俱時，喻念念同起。塵相對所起心念，前念既滅，後念復生，生已還滅，念念不住，皆悉無常，是名念念壞滅無常。
⊙周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅：喻無明忽起，能燒火勢；又喻五濁八苦之火，遍四大在四生，故言周匝俱時。欻然火起，焚燒舍宅，明能燒火勢。
⊙五濁：見濁、眾生濁、煩惱濁、命濁、劫濁。八苦：生、老、病、死、愛別離苦、怨憎會、求不得苦、五蘊熾盛苦之火，遍在四大四生，故言欻然火起。
⊙欻然火起，焚燒舍宅：欻然，忽然、無端而有，喻火起焚燒。本無此苦，因無明造種種業，而受無量苦故。火，喻煩惱。
⊙焚燒舍宅：喻煩惱增長五蘊，復因五蘊生諸煩惱，兩相因有，使五蘊身成不淨、不明、苦、空、無常、無我。

【證嚴上人開示】
「癡為無明之源頭，無明如火燻癡迷，癡名不了一切法，欻然火焚燒舍宅。」

癡為無明之源頭
無明如火燻癡迷
癡名不了一切法
欻然火焚燒舍宅

人生，癡，無明的源頭就是癡；貪、瞋、癡三項，叫做無明。無明如火，火若一燒，就整個都是煙霧瀰漫，所以這個「癡」，也是因為我們無明火起，所以煙霧四散，看不到前面。我們常常聽人這樣一句話說：「無明火一把，燒掉了功德林。」這普遍大家都知道，大家都會說，卻是我們平時這個無明，時時在我們的心裡，觸境，即生無明。人、事、物、理，來到我們的面前，可能對我們有得、有失，那個時候無明就起了；有得失心，無明煩惱即時就浮現出來，這就是我們叫做凡夫啊凡夫。

癡，就是無明一起，癡暗惛迷就起了。所以這個癡的名，那就是「不了」，不了解。雖然平時的道理懂得，卻是法不入心；法若不入心，一切法與我們平時的作為、說的道理，無法接合起來。

就如一段譬喻的故事，說有一個國家，國王有一天想要去花園，欣賞花園的環境。想：怕花園很大、很廣，這樣走得會累。為自己考慮，所以一位隨從在身邊，他就說：「你拿一張椅子隨我走。」這位隨從自己內心想：「我堂堂一位男子漢，拿一張椅子跟在國王後面走，好像感覺不太有面子。」所以他就向國王說：「不要讓我用拿的，我寧願用擔的。」國王就說：「好啊，你如果要擔，擔三十六張的椅子。」

這就是一個譬喻。佛的經典，譬喻我們人與這樣相同，譬喻一位修行人，叫你要持戒，尤其男女之戒，要持得好，僧團修行者，對這個色欲嚴禁，這位出家人，師父告訴他：「地上怎麼有頭髮呢？一個僧團裡面，那麼長的頭髮，是女孩子的頭髮，將它撿起來。」他回答師父說，「那是女孩子的頭髮，我要守戒，我怎能去撿那個，女孩子頭上掉下來的一根頭髮。」師父就說：「你只知道身外的那根的頭髮，沒有去想到，你身內三十六種的穢物。」同樣的道理，國王要他拿一張椅子，感覺沒面子；與那位修行者，一個女孩子的頭髮，覺得我是守戒，所以我不去撿那根頭髮。

很多的道理，我們光會說，琅琅上口，一句話我們都會說，但是，我們都沒有去看到，真正的法。法沒有入心，外面的境界一來，我們隨境動心，隨境生起了無明，惹來了這個無明火。「欻然火燻」，就是這個境界一浮現出來，我們的心，忽然間就馬上起了無明。這個無明火若一起來，「燒舍宅」，我們的慧命就被讓一個無明的火，燒光了。

這就是我們要時時，生活中時時要很警惕，我們是不是有執著在某一項，對法迷失掉了？這是我們修行者，時時要懂得體會，法在我們的生活中，法是在我們的周圍裡。

周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅
長者諸子
若十、二十、
或至三十
在此宅中
《法華經譬喻品第三》

我們昨天說過「周匝俱時」，這個周圍之中，忽然間遍於五蘊，這個周圍，那個行蘊，不論是有色、無色；有色是器世間，無色的是在我們的心識裡。

周匝俱時：
喻遍於五蘊
俱時 喻念念同起
塵相對所起心念
前念既滅後念復生
生已還滅念念不住
皆悉無常
是名念念壞滅無常

我們面對著外面器世間，起了執著，內心那個貪、瞋、癡的境界，那就起來了。所以這種五蘊，同一個時候，緣外面的境界，收藏在內心，這樣念念同起。「前念既滅，後念復生」，念念連連接接，就像這樣，我們的心不專，就是心，都沒有常常在我們的心，這種念念不住，這叫做無常。我們的心無常，我們的身，還是不斷在行蘊中，這種念念敗壞，同樣的，這個周圍，所有色的境界，同樣在我們念念中，不只是心的無常，外面境界也是無常，心境不斷緣，人生就是這樣。這就是我們不明白道理，只執著在外表，沒有去真正用心內法。

我們的小乾坤，是集中在這個大乾坤之中，大乾坤就譬喻三界──欲界、色界、無色界；這個三界若縮小來，是在我們的心裡。我們的心欲，緣著外面的境界，離開了外面的境界，無形的煩惱，就是在「思」，不斷這樣無明惑，在我們的內心在造作，這是無色。

但是我們的內心行蘊，這樣包括在那個四大、四生。四大是地、水、火、風；四生，卵生、胎生、濕生、化生，所有一切眾生，都不離開這個「蘊」。所以「周匝俱時」，那就是蘊很普遍，天地人間有形、無色，全都不離開這個「蘊」，都在行蘊中。哎呀！煩惱造啊！忽然無中生有，火起了。這個煩惱，本來我們都沒什麼，空無一物，但是外面的境界一來，煩惱忽然就生出來。

周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅：
喻無明忽起
能燒火勢
又喻五濁八苦之火
遍四大在四生
故言周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅
明能燒火勢

這「欻然火起，焚燒舍宅」，這個「欻然火起」，那就是也是譬喻，譬喻無明忽起，能燒火勢，這個無明要起來，就是這樣就起來，那個火勢很猛焰，一下子就竄出去，也就是譬喻五濁八苦之火。「五濁」大家應該知道了，五濁是見濁、眾生濁、煩惱濁、命濁、劫濁，這叫做「五濁」；而「八苦」就是生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別離苦、怨憎會苦、求不得苦、五蘊熾盛苦。

五濁：
見濁、眾生濁、
煩惱濁、
命濁、劫濁
八苦：
生、老、病、死、
愛別離苦、
怨憎會、求不得苦、
五蘊熾盛苦之火
遍在四大四生
故言欻然火起

我們若知道這個「八苦」，我們就要真正及時用心，人生不離開這些苦難，這個生、老、病、死，在這個五濁惡世之中，這是自然的法則。眾生共業，將這個空間、大乾坤，已經，已經造成四大不調了，所以我們生在這個末法，面對著這個境界，我們又繼續複製煩惱。這個生、老、病、死，就已經苦不堪了，我們又再加上了，愛別離苦——我很愛的人，怎麼不能在一起呢？我這麼愛的人，以前卿卿我我，這時候怎麼反叛我，去和別人比較好呢？這就是愛別離。

從愛就起怨，怨憎會苦，這種愛恨情仇，這樣牽拖、纏得無法脫離，這種愛別離、怨懀會、求不得。所要的東西，所想要擁有的一切，求不到，這樣也是苦啊！人生到底要求多少？無止境。想，這不就是苦上加苦？苦苦，再加上了生、老、病、死苦，這種無量數的苦，匯入在五蘊熾盛的苦。色、受、想、行、識，這五蘊逼迫、熾盛的苦難。這就是我們應該要很用心，常常自我警惕。這普遍在四大、四生之中，都是在五蘊涵藏著。

「周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅」。這些東西，用這樣來譬喻，我們身心外境的這個境界，用這樣來譬喻，我們應該能夠體會，我們要及時，及時法入心。這時候，時時都要向大家警惕，現在什麼都不重要，最重要的，要法，法一定要在我們的生活中。法若入我們的生活來，我們就為人間菩薩，我們才能將法轉法輪在人群中，將人群的苦難救拔，將人群心靈的煩惱來淨化。
所以「欻然火起，焚燒舍宅」，再一次的解釋，「欻然」就是忽然的意思。

欻然火起
焚燒舍宅：
欻然
忽然、無端而有
喻火起焚燒
本無此苦
因無明造種種業
而受無量苦故
火 喻煩惱

本來是沒有，本來人人「性本善」，人人都有一個真如本性，本來就沒有煩惱，為什麼，我們什麼時候開始呢？這不知道。就是這樣，煩惱不斷不斷複製，複製到我們現在，這個末法，五濁的時代，我們所處的地球上，七十多億的人口，這麼多人口，那個心態已經脫軌了，脫軌就脫序了，就沒次序了。所以這種無端而有，現在的人間，已經集了很多的煩惱在一起，所以譬喻火起焚燒。

這個「大宅」，就是三界之內如火宅，這個三界之內如火宅，那就是人人的煩惱都是火種，每一個人心中的煩惱，煩惱就有火，所以每一個凡夫的心中，都有一個導火，引導那個火起的火種在。所以我們一定要很小心，不要將我們的無明火，去作導引線，使這個三界有這個火種，那就是造業很重。

「本無此苦」，本來天地之間，自然法則是這麼簡單，卻惹來了這麼多的無明，造種種業，受無量苦。我們給別人的苦，其實是自己在受苦，所以我們必定用愛付出，用愛去付出、去造福人群，修善、造福、結福緣。應該若這樣，人人有福，就是我們有福；人人對我們有緣，我們對人人有緣，若這樣，這個人間不就是很輕安自在？偏偏人人的心中，都有這樣的火種。火就是譬喻煩惱，煩惱就是火。

焚燒舍宅：
喻煩惱增長五蘊
復因五蘊生諸煩惱
兩相因有
使五蘊身成不淨、
不明苦、空、
無常、無我

火譬喻煩惱，這種火，它就焚燒一切，不是只焚燒舍宅。也就是煩惱不斷增長，不斷複製。這個五蘊：色、受、想、行、識。在這個色中，我們起了貪著、起了取等等；等等，在這個五蘊中，所以「復因五蘊生諸煩惱」，這就是複製。

我不斷在說的複製，因為我們的心已經有無明，外面的境界，又再讓你起煩惱、貪欲的心；貪欲的心，因為我們的無明，就外面去行動、去取著，行動、取著、造業，造業再來產生無明。

我們本來清淨如來本性，卻是因為無明、因為五蘊，執著外面的境界，去緣一切的塵境，用我們的身體去造業，等等不斷，所以成了不淨。不只是身不淨，心也不淨，已經混亂了。所以，不明苦、空、無常、無我。

我們若能夠知道道理，自然我們就知道人生是苦，何必就在苦中，再複製苦難呢？所以應該先了解苦的道理；苦的道理，若不了解，那就不斷爭取，去聚集很多的煩惱，不斷複製。所以就是還不明白：世間一切到頭來也是空，讓你爭取、擁有在身邊，很多；但是總有一天兩手一攤，什麼都沒有。計較什麼呢？還不都是空了嗎？人間這麼的無常，計較什麼呢？

所以，希望我們人人，真正要了解，癡就是無明之源頭，而且無明如火癡暗，這種癡迷的火，不斷在燻燒我們。再者，癡的名就是「不了」，就是不了解一切法。我們是不是，不了解一切法，所以我們才會這樣的癡，我們才會這樣的無明呢？我們應該慧命要成長，不要忽視任何一個時間。「欻然火起」，這個火，將要起了，這種無明火是很突然的，那個火勢竄出來，是不可收拾，所以人人要時時很謹慎，分秒都不要離開法。所以，心心念念都在法中，時時要多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan

Subject: Transcend Suffering with the Dharma (癡迷如火以法離苦)

Date: April.9. 2015

“With delusion as the source of ignorance, the fire of ignorance can create a haze of delusion. Delusion is a lack of understanding of all things. This fire quickly breaks out and burns the house.”

Life is full of delusion; the source of ignorance is delusion. Greed, anger and delusion are all forms of ignorance. Ignorance is like fire; once a fire starts to burn, a thick smoky haze will spread everywhere. So, this delusion is also due to the fires of ignorance starting to burn, spreading smoke everywhere and preventing us from seeing what is in front of us. 

We constantly hear people say, “The fire of ignorance can burn down the forest of merits and virtues.” Everyone is familiar with this phrase. We can all talk about it. But most of the time, ignorance is still in our minds. When we encounter conditions, ignorance arises. When people, matters, objects or principles are in front of us, they may lead us to feel a sense of gain or loss. That is when ignorance arises. With a mindset of gain and loss, ignorance and afflictions will rise to the surface. This is what makes us ordinary people. 

Delusion begins with ignorance, which gives rise to darkness and confusion. So the term, “delusion,” means a lack of understanding. Even though normally we understand the principles, we may not have truly taken the Dharma to heart. If we have not taken the Dharma to heart, the way we normally behave will not be in accord with the Dharma we speak of. This is conveyed through the following parable. 

There was once a kingdom whose king wanted to visit a garden to enjoy its scenery. He thought, “I’m afraid that if the garden is too big, then walking through it will be tiring.” Taking this into consideration, he looked at one of his servants and said, “Take a chair and follow me.” This servant thought, “As a proud man, if I follow behind the king with this chair, I feel like I will lose face.” 

So, he told the king, “Instead of holding this chair in my arms, I will carry it with a shoulder pole.” The king said, “That is fine with me. But if you are going to carry it with the pole, you might as well carry 36 chairs.” This is a parable. 

The sutras compare us to this servant. This parable was for a spiritual practitioner. He was told to uphold the precepts, especially the one governing sexual relationships there are strict prohibitions against sensual desires for monastic practitioners. This monastic practitioner’s master asked him, “Why is there a hair on the ground? In a monastic community, such a long piece of hair can only be a woman’s hair. Pick it up.” 

The monk answered his master, “It is a woman’s hair. I must uphold my precepts. How can I pick up a hair that fell from a woman’s head?” The master replied, “You only see [the impurity in] this hair. But you are not thinking about the 36 kinds of impurities inside your own body.” 

The principle is the same. The servant told to hold a chair for the king felt he would lose face. The monk felt similarly about that strand of woman’s hair. He felt, “I abide by precepts, so I should not pick up that hair.” There are many principles like this that we can talk about eloquently. These words come easily to us. However, we have not truly internalized the True Dharma. We have not taken it to heart. Once we encounter external conditions, thoughts stir in our mind. In response to our surroundings, we give rise to ignorance, stirring up a fire of ignorance.

Thus, a fire breaks out and smoke arises.When external conditions appear before us, our minds suddenly give rise to ignorance.Once the fire of ignorance starts, it “burns the house”.

Our wisdom-life will be incinerated by this fire of ignorance.This is why we must constantly remind ourselves to be very vigilant in our daily living.Are we so attached to a certain understanding that we become confused about the Dharma?What we spiritual practitioners must always realize is that the Dharma can be found in our daily living; it is everywhere in our surroundings.

All at once, throughout the area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze.The elder’s sons, 10, 20, even up to 30 of them were still in the house.

Yesterday we discussed “all at once, throughout the area”.

This is describing what is around us; all of a sudden there is the pervasive of the Five Aggregates.The aggregate of action affects everything, in both the form and formless realms.The form realm is the realm of physical existence.The formless realm is our minds.

All at once, throughout the area: this is an analogy for the extent to which we are influence by the Five Aggregates and for how our thoughts simultaneously arise.Thoughts arise in response to the sense organs coming into contact with the sense objects.As the previous thought ceases, the next thought arises.What arose has now ceased; none of the thoughts abide.All this is impermanent.Thus all thoughts cease and are impermanent.

As we encounter the external realm of physical existence, we develop attachments and greed, anger and delusion arise in our minds.Thus, the Five Aggregates are functioning all at the same time.We connect with external conditions, then store them in our minds.Thus all the thoughts arise at the same time.

“As the previous thought ceases, the next thought arises.”

Thought after thought follows each other.Because of this, we cannot focus our minds.Thus, thoughts do not remain in our minds; none of our thoughts abide.This is what we call impermanence.

Our minds is impermanent, and our body unceasingly undergoes the changes of the aggregate of action.Our every thought will disintegrate.The same supplies to our surroundings, to everything in the form realm.Not only are the thoughts in our minds impermanent, our external conditions are impermanent as well.

Our minds keeps reaching out; this is the way our lives work.Thus, if we do not understand principles, we will just be attached to their appearances with really mindfully internalizing them.The microcosms of our bodies are all gathered in the macrocosm of the world.The macrocosm is analogous to the Three Realms, the desire realm, form realm and formless realm.

If we examine these realms on a smaller scale, we can find them in the workings of our mind; they are our desires and the [forms] in the external conditions we connect to.Apart from our external conditions, there are the intangible afflictions that arise from our thinking.Delusions and ignorance are constantly going into effect in our minds.This is formless.

However, the aggregate of action in our minds is also found in the four elements and the four forms of birth.The four elements are earth, water, fire and air.The four forms of birth are egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born.Every single sentient being is inseparable from the [Five] Aggregates.

So, all at once, throughout the area“ means that the Five Aggregates are very pervasive.In this world, whether something is tangible or formless, it cannot escape the influence of these aggregates, of the aggregate of action.Once afflictions are created, suddenly a fire appears out of nowhere.

These afflictions did not originally exist; there was nothing there.

But once we encounter external conditions, afflictions suddenly arise.

All at once, throughout the area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze:This is like when ignorance suddenly arises and causes an intense fire.It also means the flames of the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings pervade the four elements and four kinds of beings.Thus it is said that all at once, throughout the area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze.This is explaining what causes an intense fire.

“A fire broke out, setting the house ablaze”. A fire breaking out is also an analogy for how ignorance can suddenly arise and cause an intense fire. When ignorance arises, this is how it is ignited. These flames will be very intense and will spread very quickly. This is also an analogy for the flames of the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings. 

Everyone should know the Five Turbidities. The Five Turbidities are the “turbidity of view, turbidity of sentient beings, turbidity of affliction, the turbidity of life and the kalpa of turbidity”. There are the Five Turbidities. 

Then there are the Eight Sufferings. The Eight Sufferings are “birth, aging, illness, death, parting with those we love, meeting those we hate, not getting what we want and the raging Five Aggregates”. 

Once we learn about the Eight Sufferings, we must promptly and mindfully [understand them]. Life is inseparable from these sufferings. Birth, aging, illness and death are part of the natural course of life in this evil world of Five Turbidities. The collective karma of sentient beings has caused this space, this macrocosm, to suffer an imbalance of the four elements. We have been born into this era of Dharma-degeneration. Facing these kinds of conditions, we still continue to reproduce our afflictions. 

Birth, aging, illness and death already cause unbearable suffering. Then we add “parting with those we love”. Why can’t we be with the people we love? How can a loved one we were so intimate with turn on us and now be so close with someone else? This is parting with those we love. From love comes hate, and we suffer when we meet those we hate. Our afflictive emotions can drag us down and trap us so we never escape. Parting with those we love, meeting those we hate and not getting what we want [cause suffering]. With everything that we want, when we cannot get what we want, that also causes suffering! 

How much do we want to have in life? This desire is endless. Think about it, doesn’t this add to our suffering? This is suffering upon suffering, on top of the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death. This countless suffering feeds into the suffering of the raging Five Aggregates. Form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness press on us like a raging fire. This is why we should be mindful and always remind ourselves to be vigilant. Everything within the four elements and the four forms of birth is encompassed by the Five Aggregates. 

“All at once, throughout the area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze”. These objects are used as analogies for our body, mind and external conditions. Though these analogies, we should be able to realize that we must promptly take the Dharma to heart and always remind everyone to be vigilant. Right now, nothing is more important than taking in the Dharma. The Dharma must be a part of our daily living. If the Dharma is part of our lives, we will be Living Bodhisattvas. Only then can we turn the Dharma-wheel amongst the people to relieve them of their suffering and help their hearts be purified of afflictions. 

So, “A fire broke out, setting the house ablaze”. Let me explain this one more time. “Broke out” means it happened suddenly. 

A fire broke out, setting the house ablaze: This fire breaks out suddenly, for no reason. Like a fire that breaks out and starts to burn, this suffering did not originally exist. Because of ignorance we create much karma and thus face boundless suffering. Here, fire is a metaphor for afflictions. 

[Afflictions] did not originally exist. Originally, everyone is inherently good.Everyone has an intrinsic nature of True Suchness that is free of afflictions. When and why did we start having them? We do not know; they arose like this and continued to multiply. We have reproduced so many that we are now in the era of Dharma-degenation and Five Turbidities. Here on earth, there are billions of people. There are seven billion people, and for many, their mindset has already gone off track. Once they have gone astray, they no longer behave properly. So, this fire breaks out for no reason. 

Right now, in this world, we have amassed so many afflictions. This is analogous to a fire that breaks out and sets things ablaze. This [world], the Three Realms, is like a house on fire. The Three Realms is a burning house because each of our afflictions is like a spark. Everyone’s minds have afflictions in them. Where there are afflictions, there is fire. 

Within the mind of every ordinary person there is a fuse that leads to the sparks that ignite this fire. Therefore, we must be careful to not allow our fire of ignorance to become a fuse that causes the Three Realms to ignite. That would create very severe karma. “This suffering did not originally exist.”

Originally, in this world, the laws of nature are very straightforward. Yet in response we stir up so much ignorance, create so much karma and face endless suffering. When we cause others suffering, we are actually suffering ourselves. So, we must help others out of love. We must give out of love and benefit everyone. We must do good deeds, create blessings and form good karmic connections. If we can do this, when everyone is blessed, we will be too. If everyone has a good affinity with us, we will have a good affinity with everyone. If this is the case, won’t we all feel peaceful and at ease? 

But instead, in everyone’s heart there are always these sparks fire. Fire is an analogy for afflictions. Afflictions are like fire.

Setting the house ablaze: this is like how afflictions intensify the Fire Aggregates, and how the Fire Aggregates in turn give rise to more afflictions. These two mutually cause the others’ existence, causing this body of the Five Aggregates to become impure, so we do not understand suffering, emptiness, impermanence or no-self.

Fire is an analogy for afflictions. This kind of fire can destroy everything, not just houses. This means our afflictions keep growing as we unceasingly reproduce them. This is [the working of] the Five Aggregates, form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness. Amidst “form” we develop greed, try to grasp things and so on. This is the influence of the Five Aggregates. 

So, “Then the Five Aggregates.” They are reproduced. I keep talking about reproducing afflictions. This happens because, in addition to the ignorance we already have in our minds, our external conditions cause us to give rise to afflictions and greed. When we are greedy, our ignorance will lead us to take action to grasp the objects of our desires. The act of grasping creates karma. The karma we create then gives rise to ignorance. Originally, we had a pure Tathagata-nature. But because of ignorance and the Five Aggregates, we became attached to external conditions and these sense objects we connected with. Then we physically took action and create karma. This cycle continues without end, so we became impure. 

Not only is our body impure, our mind is a well. Everything is mixed up, so we are unable to understand suffering, emptiness impermanence or no-self. If we could understand these principles, naturally we would know that life is suffering. Then we would not create more suffering in the midst of suffering.

So, we should first understand. The truth of suffering. If we do not understand the truth of suffering, we will keep fighting over things, accumulating many afflictions and. This is because we still do not understand that ultimately, everything in the world is empty. Even if we triumph and have many possession our side, eventually, a day will come when we have nothing left, just two empty hands. So, what are we taking issue over? In the end, can we hold on to anything? 

Life is so impermanent, why take issue over anything? So, I hope that everyone can truly understand that delusion is the source of ignorance, and ignorance is [smoke] from the fires of delusion. The fire of delusion surrounds us with smoke and flames. Moreover, delusion means lack of understanding, meaning we do not understand all Dharma. Isn’t because of this lack of understanding that we become deluded and thus accumulate much ignorance? We must develop our wisdom-life. We cannot waste any time. 

Thus, it says, “A fire broke out.” This fire is about to break out, and the fire of ignorance arises very suddenly. Once the fire intensifies, it cannot be controlled. So, everyone must be constantly vigilant. We cannot deviate from the Dharma for a second. Our every thought must be immersed in Dharma, and we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)

【人間菩提】20150627 - 無量善法從一生 Bringing Out the Goodness in People

無量善法從一生 
Bringing Out the Goodness in People 

不計艱難猶布施 
佛國人醫今義診 
平等之愛越高牆 
無量善法從一生

【靜思妙蓮華】20150408 - 時分有限慧命永恆 - 第539集 Our Time is Limited But Our Wisdom-life is Forever

20150408《靜思妙蓮華》時分有限慧命永恆 (第539集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「乾坤之間器世界，山河陸海非常住，身根壽命人命短，外物遷變生滅相。」
⊙「多諸人眾，一百、二百、乃至五百人，止住其中。堂閣朽故，牆壁隤落，柱根腐敗，梁棟傾危。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙柱根腐敗，梁棟傾危：生命之時分有限，必有敗壞之日。柱根腐敗，喻身根生病，衰老將盡之義。
⊙「周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。」《法華經 譬喻品第三》
⊙周匝俱時：周匝，喻遍於五蘊。俱時，喻念念同起。塵相對所起心念，前念既滅，後念復生，生已還滅，念念不住，皆悉無常，是名念念壞滅無常。


【證嚴上人開示】
「乾坤之間器世界，山河陸海非常住，身根壽命人命短，外物遷變生滅相。」

乾坤之間器世界
山河陸海非常住
身根壽命人命短
外物遷變生滅相

天下三界如一大宅，天地之間，這個器世界那就是無常，它的無常是四大假合，當然，有假合的形象，就有離開的時候。所以這個「四大」，就像我們人體也是一樣，假合的身體，卻是在這個世間遷變、生滅，包括我們人的身體，包括器世間一切的物質，沒有一項是常住，包括山河陸海，也無法常住。

記得在巴基斯坦一個地震，規模七點八，瞬息間很多房子，這樣倒塌、捎失、毀滅掉；另外就是在海面上，也是瞬間浮起一個小島。來，看到那個小島是無中生有起來，這叫做「成」，已形成。

這個小島，住在海中，「成」我們看到了，「住」，雖然我們不曾去過巴基斯坦，卻是當地人在住，是靠地上物質的房屋，來遮風避雨，住在那個地方，只是一個地震瞬間消滅掉，這樣在影像，媒體看到，所以這能夠見證，佛所說法是真實，只是我們的人命苦短，大地什麼時候「成」？我們不知，不過，我們出生在大地上，我們的親朋好友，說不定過去你都認識。但是，哪怕是我們至親的人，我們的父母、我們的親人，我們都認識的，但是也是已經過去了，陸陸續續，人間的生命苦短，我們看不到。

佛陀說這麼長的時間，那種的成、住、壞、空，我們因為時間不很長，卻是我們在現在這個時代，正好讓我們看到，「成」，那個小島忽然間浮出來，我們看到了，用現在的科技，人不必在那裡，很快的時間，幾秒鐘傳送的影像，及時我們看到了，這能夠證明佛陀所說的，天地之間道理，那就是「三理四相」。這四相，從物理來說是成、住、壞、空，這全都是叫做器世間，所有萬物，沒有一項，不是在這個器世界，成、住、壞、空之中。

過去幾個颱風，在不同的國家、不同的地方也是這樣，山崩了、陸地路斷了、橋斷了，這種氣候不調和，雨過大、風很強，那就是對山河大地就是有損。何況人間，人間為了利益，移山囤海等等，這種「非常住」。用人力去推動，也是大自然的頹毀，這「山河陸海非常住」，何況說我們人的生命，身根壽命，這種的生命真的是短暫。這全都是在我們在天地之間，這個所有的物理、生理，就是這樣的變化無常。所以，有形的器世間，它會遷變不斷，時間愈長，遷變愈大。我們心裡的生、住、異、滅，我們的心起動變化更快，可以造善業，一切的起動變他，也會造很多惡業。

為什麼現在的成、住、壞、空，這麼的頻繁，一直都在發生呢？古時候並沒有這麼多！這樣每天在國際間所發生的，地、水、火、風，是地震、是水災、是火災、是風災。世間上、國際間，能夠常常看，每天都看到，現在就是因為眾生共業，人類的破壞、大自然的破壞，無不都是，從我們心所造作，那個業造出來那個力量，就摧毀一切。這全都是在我們累生累世，一直到現在。古時候就是人倫道德，來維持人的行為，古時候的人很容易不好意思，這不好的事情，不要讓人知道，怕人知道的事情，就比較不敢做。而現在的人，就是不怕人知，所以就很敢做。

有一位中年婦女，用救護車將她的婆婆送來醫院，交給急診室，說：「這就拜託你們。我要趕緊回家，我的孩子在家裡，我現在要煮飯，所以我沒有時間在這裡，我這個婆婆就拜託你們了。」送來的這位婆婆，開始要急救，她就回去了。

其實，這位婆婆在她家，就已經沒呼吸了。聽他們的里長這樣說：「聽到她們婆媳在那裡吵吵鬧鬧，罵得大小聲，罵一罵，婆婆就去客廳裡坐，不知到底是如何，婆婆昏倒了，沒呼吸了。隔壁的人就來告訴她，說，妳這樣也不是辦法，應該要送去醫院，去急救。」卻是送到醫院，這樣丟下她。

急救無效，要向她的家屬說，但是遲遲不來。查她的資料，還有孩子在北部，趕緊通知，那邊的孩子也說：「我現在哪臨時有空？」所以，一位老人急救無效，這樣往生在醫院裡，讓志工就這樣一直去找，找與她有關的親人。

這是現代的現象，人世間，這種人倫道德一直淡薄了。所以這個世間，天地之間，這個大宅這麼多人，一百、二百至五百人，真真正正五分之三，就是畜生、地獄、餓鬼，這三惡道。而二善道，天與人只佔五分之二，再下去到底是多少人在造三惡道業呢？

因為這樣，所以這個大宅已經「堂閣朽故」，已經房子壞了。因為這些人已經，不懂得珍惜這間房子，沒責任感了，對這間房子沒有責任，就是沒有那分愛惜，彼此愛惜，所以堂閣、牆壁，全都隤落了，牆壁也一直壞了。

多諸人眾
一百、二百、
乃至五百人
止住其中
堂閣朽故
牆壁隤落
柱根腐敗
梁棟傾危
《法華經譬喻品第三》

再接下來就說，柱根，就是「柱根腐敗，梁棟傾危」，「柱根腐敗，梁棟傾危」了。這就是表示生命的時分有限，你不論是器世間的壽命，也是有限。哪怕我們的地球，現在科學家都一直在探討，也有人提出。

二一００年這個時候，這個地球上的水等等，與溫度會一直升高。有人就說：「那麼久的事情，與我無關。」其實怎會無關呢？再來世，又幾十年後往生了，來生，還是在這個地球上。那時候氣候又比現在更差，溫度更高，四大更不調和，不斷緊急地遷變，這種的破壞。

這就是在器世間，山河大地，同樣都有它的壽命存在，何況說在天地之間，眾生的生命，不只是人，其他的生物，都是生命之時分有限。都有個限度，到底長長短短，誰知道呢？我常常說，生命長短無人知，但是我們可以把握現在，將生命，我們將它開闊、擴大，擴大心胸，包容世界。這是我們要學的。

我們要行菩薩道，我們要學佛那個智慧覺海，將我們的心胸擴大，讓我們的生命，與這個世界等等都有關，不是只有在這樣，窄窄的一個國家，窄窄的一個縣市，小小的一個鄉村，人只有自己本身和我們的家庭，或者是家業，只有這個範圍和你有關，其他都與你無關，這種的生命不是很窄嗎？所以我們應該，將生命限度能夠開闊，生命要活得有品質、有價值、有深度。所以我們(生命)長短，我們不知，卻是我們自己能夠，拓開我們生命的價值，也能讓我們生命的深度，更有深度。

所 以佛陀要我們信根深又廣，這是過去一直，經典中的譬喻，佛陀的期待，人人要生深信的心，若能夠這樣，所以我們擴大我們生命的時分，不要讓生命的時分，將我們侷限住，我們一秒鐘能發揮很大的力量，所以我們要好好把握時間。凡夫全都是受這個生命時分，將我們侷限住，所以有了這個時分，我們不會去應用，「必有敗壞之日」。一間房子也是一樣，假如你蓋了，裡面沒人住，沒人理它，敗壞會更快，它的壽命會更短。

所以，我們的生命要不斷利用，生命才會長；物質，我們要不斷，去用、去關心，這樣這個物質，才會長，同樣，器世間的道理都相同，我們的生命也是這樣。所以「柱根腐敗」也是譬喻我們的身根，生命衰老將盡的意思。

柱根腐敗
梁棟傾危：
生命之時分有限
必有敗壞之日
柱根腐敗
喻身根生病
衰老將盡之義

其實，雖然生命的時分，是有個侷限，天地萬物的器具，也是有個限量的壽命，但是我們若懂得應用，我們的精神慧命，能長久利益人間。

接下來這段(經)文再說，「周匝俱時，欻然火起，焚燒舍宅。」

周匝俱時
欻然火起
焚燒舍宅
《法華經 譬喻品第三》

「周匝俱時」，「周匝」，就是這個範圍。「俱時」，一個時間。周匝譬喻，遍於五蘊。我們人有個範圍，我們身體的範圍，全都與五蘊有關。

「蘊」就是行蘊，光說我們的身體念念同起，五蘊念念同起。身體，我們的身體裡面，這種的念念同起，我在說話，你們在聽，到底是聽在這個說話的聲音呢？或者是心，想在你的心思？你的雜念與耳根聽法，雜念與聽聞這個法，同時這樣起來。這就是我們每一個人，我們的人身世界，每一個就是一個小乾坤，每一個小乾坤的「蘊」，不斷在運轉。

天地(有)天地蘊的運轉。天已經開始亮了，剛剛還是暗的，它也是在運轉中，在我們不知覺。在我們的身邊周圍，它不斷在運轉。我們自己的小乾坤，也是不斷在運轉，不只是你的念念之間，同時在運轉，連我們的身體也是新陳代謝，生生滅滅，我們的身體，也是在這個蘊在運轉。所以這是同時，「俱時」就是同時，遍於五蘊，在這個五蘊中，所有的器世間，都是在五蘊之中，不知覺中這樣在過，所以我們常常在說，秒鐘不斷這樣過。所以我們的心念也是這樣，一個念間，到底讓你起幾個念頭？心不專，這就是所以叫做凡夫。

周匝俱時
周匝：喻遍於五蘊
俱時：喻念念同起
塵相對所起心念
前念既滅
後念復生
生已還滅
念念不住
皆悉無常
是名念念壞滅無常

「塵相對所起的心念」，我們所看到的都是塵相，有形、有物質，器世間，這全都是有形象，所對的是我們的心念。我們看到這個東西，這個東西是我們的眼睛，對它這個東西，「前念既滅，後念復生」，我眼睛看這裡，花，看這裡，草，看，前念是花，後念是草；現在又看到，是人。這種前念、後念，都同在這個時候，所以「前念既滅，後念復生」，非常快速。「生已還滅，念念不住」，這一念生起來，馬上滅掉，就是這樣念念不住。所以「皆悉無常」，這樣叫做「念念壞滅無常」。

生、住、異、滅，我們的心理；在成、住、壞、空的物理；在我們的身體，生、老、病、死的生理，無不都是全都在五蘊之中。所以「周匝俱時」，所有包含天地之間，萬物、人命一統，都是與我們，連我們的內心都包含在一起，所以叫做「周匝俱時」。

我們要好好把握，在現在這個時間，讓我們的生命，好好來利用在人間，人與人之間，這必定要先自己的心要健全，我們才能夠周圍世界才能平安。所以我們要人人要時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Our Time is Limited But Our Wisdom-life is Forever (時分有限慧命永恆)
Date: April.08. 2015

“In this world, the realm of physical existence, mountains, rivers, land and oceans, will not exist permanently. The lifespan of the human body is short. External phenomena are transient, with the appearance of arising and ceasing.”

The Three Realms are like a great house. This world, the realm of physical existence, is impermanent because [the objects within it] are temporary unions of the four elements. Of course, temporary unions will one day dissolve. The workings of the four elements also apply to the human body. Our body is a temporary union of elements, so it will undergo changes and arise and cease. Everything, including our physical body and all objects in the realm of physical existence, is impermanent. Not even the mountains, rivers, land or sea will stay the same forever.
Recall the earthquake in Pakistan; it was measured at 7.8 in magnitude. In the blink of an eye, many houses collapsed, disappeared or were destroyed. At the same time, out on the ocean a small island suddenly surfaced. This island seemed to appear out of nowhere. This is “formation”.
After it was formed, this small island “existed” on the ocean. We can see the results of “formation”. As for “existence,” although we have not been to Pakistan, we know that the local people live in houses made from earthen materials for protection against the elements, for shelter from wind and rain. They “exist” in these dwellings, but an earthquake instantly destroyed everything.
We have seen these images in the media. This verifies the truth of the Buddha-Dharma. It is just that human lives are too short [to see this whole process]. When was this planet “formed”? We do not know, nevertheless, we were born here on this earth. Perhaps the people who are our dear friends now were people that we knew in a past life. Yet even if they were the people closest to us, our parents, our loved ones, all those whom we knew already passed away, one by one.
Life in this world is painfully short. We cannot see the long process that the Buddha spoke of, that of formation, existence, decay and disappearance because our time here is not long, yet we live in an age when we happened to see an example of “formation”. That small island suddenly surfaced. We were able to witness this. Because of modern science and technology, we did not need to be there in person. An image could be transmitted to us in just a few seconds so we could see this right away. This verifies the principles the Buddha taught about the workings of the world, the Three Principles and Four States.
The four states of physical matter are formation, existence, decay and disappearance. This happens in the realm of physical existence. Everything we see is a part of the realm of physical existence and undergoes formation, existence, decay and disappearance.
In the past, several typhoons, in various countries and various places, have led to heavy rain and to landsides. Roads and bridges were cut off. This kind of weather is not normal. Too much rain and strong winds can be very harmful to the land, not to mention to the people. For their own profit, humans dig into mountains and fill up the sea. Thus these “will not exist permanently.” Manpower is used to shift things around, which results in decay and ruin in nature. “Mountains, rivers, land and oceans will not exist permanently.”
Then what of the lives of human beings?The lifespan of the human body, our physical life, is truly very short.We can see all this in the world; the principles of matter and of life reflect impermanence and change.So, this tangible realm of physical existence will undergo endless changes.
Over longer periods of time, the changes will be even greater.
The arising, abiding, changing and ceasing that happens in our minds occurs more rapidly.All of these changing [thoughts] that arise can lead us to create much negative karma.Why do we [see the destructive results] of this process of the Four States this process of the Four States so frequently in our time?
In the past, there was not as much of what we now see happening in the world every day, these [disasters of] earth, water, fire and air.
There are earthquakes, floods, wildfires and windstorms.On this planet, all around the world, we constantly see these events occurring.This is happening now because of sentient beings’ collective karma.
The harm caused by humankind, our destruction of nature, comes entirely from our minds.The karma we create is so powerful that it destroys everything.We have accumulated this karma over lifetimes, all the way up until now.
In the past, morality and ethics kept people’s behavior in line.
People were once easily embarrassed.They did not want people to know about the bad things they had done.Afraid that others might find out, they did not dare do those things.
But nowadays, people are not afraid of others knowing, so they dare to do as they please.There was a middle-aged woman who sent her mother-in-law to the emergency room in an ambulance.
She said, “I’m putting her in your hands. I need to rush home. My child is at home, and I need to go make dinner, so I don’t have time to stay here right now. Please take care of my mother-in-law for me.”Just as her mother-in-law was about to be resuscitated, she went home.
In fact, her mother-in-law had stopped breathing back at their house.As her neighborhood head told it, “I heard the two of them arguing. They were yelling very loudly. Then the mother-in-law went to the living room. I don’t know what happened, but she fainted and stopped breathing. The neighbors told the daughter-in-law, “
”There’s nothing else you can do. You have to take her to the emergency room.”But after taking her to the hospital, she left her and went home.Emergency treatment failed, so the hospital needed to speak to the family, but they never showed up.Checking her records, they saw she also had a child living in the north.They immediately contacted him.
He also said, “I don’t have time to deal with this right now.”They were unable to save the old woman, and she passed away in the hospital.Then the volunteers had to go in search of anyone related to her.This is a modern-day phenomenon.
In today’s world, people’s sense of morality is weakening.And so, in this world, between heaven and earth, in this great house of so many people, there are groups of 100, 200, even 500 people.Three out of the five groups are the animal, hell and hungry ghost realms,
These are the Three Evil Realms.The two wholesome realms, the heaven and human, are only two of the five.And in the future, how many people will be creating karma that will lead them to evil realms?
Because of this, in this great house the halls and lofts are decaying and old.The house is run down because these people do not know to cherish it.They have no sense of responsibility.They do not feel responsible for it.They do not care for it, or cherish one another.
So, its halls and lofts are crumbling, and its walls are falling down.
The walls are falling apart.

There were many groups of people, groups of 100, 200, even up to 500, all dwelling within.Its halls and lofts were decaying and old; its walls and partitions were crumbling.
The pillars were rotting at their bases; the beams and columns were dangerously aslant.

Next we will discuss the pillars. “The pillars were rotting at their bases; the beams and columns were dangerously aslant”. Rotting pillars and precarious beams and columns represent how our lifetime is limited. In this realm of physical existence, not only will our life come to an end, our entire planet will as well.
Right now, scientists are investigating this. People have brought up the idea that by the year 2100, the sea levels will rise, as will the average temperature. Some people say, “Something so far in the future has nothing to do with me”. How can it have nothing to do with you? In your next life, you will, once again, live for several decades. After that, you will still be reborn on Earth. By that time, the atmosphere will be worse, the temperature will be higher and the four elements will be even more out of balance. There will be rapid and radical fluctuations, causing much destruction. Thus, in this realm of physical existence, even the mountains and rivers have their own lifespan, to say nothing of all sentient beings in this world; it is not just humans, all living beings have a limited lifespan. Their lives will one day come to can end.Who know if their life will be long or short?
I always say that no one knows the length of their life, but we can grasp every moment to broaden and expand the scope of our lives and open our hearts to encompass the world. This is what we must learn. We must follow the Bodhisattva-path and develop the Buddha’s ocean of enlightened wisdom. We must open up or hearts so [we see that] our live connect to all aspects of this world. We cannot narrow our focus to only our own country, our one city or our tiny little village. We cannot just focus on ourselves and our family or our family business. If we decide that this is the scope of our lives and nothing else has anything to do with us, aren’t we living a really limited life?
Therefore, we should expand the boundaries of our lives. We must live a life of excellent character, of value and of depth. We cannot know how long our life will last, but we can expand it to give it more value and deepen it to make it more meaningful. This is why the Buddha wanted our Roots of Faith to be deep and extensive.
In the past, this was what was taught with the parables in the sutra. The Buddha hoped that everyone would deepen their faith. If we are able to do this, we can expand what we can do with our limited time.
We cannot allow time to limit us. In a mere second, we can exert great power. So, we must seize the time we have ordinary people always feel limited by time. Ordinary people always feel limited by time. But even with the time that they do have, they may not know how to make good use of it.
“[Our body] will disintegrate someday”. We are just like a house. If a house is boarded up, without anyone living there or caring for it, it will disintegrate much more quickly. Its life will be shortened. Thus, we must constantly make use of our lives in order to extend them, just as we must make use of and care for our material possessions, so that they will last longer.
The principles of all material objects are the same, as are the working of our own lives. So, “The pillars were rotting at their bases” is an analogy for our physical body when it is old and feeble and close to its end.

“The pillars were rotting at their bases: the beams and columns are dangerously aslant: The amount of time we are alive is limited. Our body will disintegrate someday. The pillars rotting at their bases is an analogy for a body that is ill, feeble and close to its end”.

Actually, just as there is a limit to our lifespan, everything in this world is subject to a limited lifespan. But if we know how to make use of our life, our spirit and wisdom-life can benefit the world for a long time. The next sutra passage states,

“All at once, throughout this area, a fire broke out, setting the house ablaze”.

“All at once, throughout this area…”. “Throughout this area” refers to what is within certain extent. “All at once” refers to a period of time. “Throughout this area” is also an analogy for the pervasiveness of the Five Aggregates. We humans also have a certain extent; the extent of our body is all tied to the Five Aggregates. The “aggregates” are infinitesimal changes. In each of us, all kinds of thoughts arise at once under the influence of the Five Aggregates. Within us, within each of our bodies, all kinds of thoughts arise at once.
I am speaking and you are listening, but do you truly hear my words, or is your mind thinking about something else? If you have scattered thoughts as your ears hear the teachings, your discursive thoughts and the Dharma you hear are in your mind at the same time. This is because, for all of us, our body is a world unto itself Each body is a microcosm.Each microcosm has its own aggregates, constantly experiencing its own cycle of changes.
Having and earth have their own aggregates and cycle of changes The sky has already begun to lighten. Not long ago it was still dark It is also undergoing changes although we are not aware of them. As things in our immediate surroundings change continuously, the microcosm of our body is also unceasingly experiencing changes. Not only are our thoughts constantly changing, even our bodies are undergoing metabolism. With this constant arising and ceasing, our bodies are always under the influence of the Five Aggregates. All this happens at the same time.
“All at once” means at the same time.The pervasiveness of the Five Aggregates means that it is only through the aggregates that we experience this realm of physical existence, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. So, we always say that the seconds pass without pause. This is also true of thoughts arising in our minds. In the time of one thought, how many thoughts actually arise?We are unfocused, thus we are unenlightened beings.

All at once, throughout area: Throughout this area is an analogy for the extent to which we are influence by the Five Aggregates. All at once is an analogy for how our thoughts simultaneously arise. Thoughts arise in response to the sense organs coming into contact with the sense objects. As the previous thought ceases, the next thought arises What had arisen has now ceased; none of the thoughts abide. All this is impermanent. Thus all thoughts cease and are impermanent.

“Thoughts arise in response to the sense organs coming into contact with the sense objects” Everything we see is a sense object Tangible, material things in this physical realm all have appearances; what responds to them is our minds. When we see something, it is our eyes that are connecting to that thing.Then our mind is immediately filled with its appearance.
“As the previous thought ceases, the next arises.” If my eyes look here and see a flower, then look over there and see grass, my first thought is of flowers and my next about grass. Next I see people. These sequential thoughts are all arising at this time.
“As the previous thought ceases, the next arises” This happens very quickly. “What had arisen, has now ceased, none of the thoughts abide.” As some thoughts arise, others immediately cease. This is how thoughts do not abide. Thus, “All this is impermanent.” So we say, “All thoughts cease and are impermanent.” Each arises, abides, changes and ceases. This is the principle of mind. The principle of matter is the process of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.For our body, birth, aging, illness, death is the principle of life. All of this is part of the workings of Five Aggregates.
Thus, “throughout this area, all at once” includes everything on earth. It applies to all things and human life. It even encompasses our minds. It even encompasses our minds. This is “throughout this area, all at once.”
We must do our best to seize the time right now, so we can make good use of our lifetime in this world and our relationships. We must develop a healthy mind before we are able to bring peace to our surroundings. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)