【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)