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。
（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)
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