20150429《靜思妙蓮華》諸子無知父憂如焚 (第554集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「天下子女不解父母心，長情大愛永恆緬懷中，諸子無知著塵弊垢識，迷覺一念善惡唯心轉。」
⊙「亦復不知何者是火？何者為舍？云何為失？但東西走戲，視父而已。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「爾時，長者即作是念：此舍已為大火所燒，我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙佛慈不忍眾生無知耽湎放蕩，沉迷玩物喪志不悟，禍火已起，昏然不知。
⊙慈父見子喪德失志、昏昧如癡，如父憂子心急如焚，疾呼急出。
【證嚴上人開示】
「天下子女不解父母心，長情大愛永恆緬懷中，諸子無知著塵弊垢識，迷覺一念善惡唯心轉。」
天下子女
不解父母心
長情大愛
永恆緬懷中
諸子無知
著塵弊垢識
迷覺一念
善惡唯心轉
知道天底下現在的子女，能夠了解父母的心嗎？現在的生活和過去完全不同，過去是三代同堂、四代同堂、五代同堂，總是就是大家族，大家都住在一起，彼此之間互相照著倫理、輩分，這樣的生活。
漸漸地，現在的時代，那就是孩子若長大，就搬出家庭，所以父母都是在家鄉。到底孩子，下一代的孫子，再下一代，不知道是否知道阿公是什麼名字？阿嬤是姓什麼？可能第二代、第三代，就已經對上一代的人，一直一直情淡了，所以這個親的感覺，也已經沒有了。這是現代的生活。
要不就是在都市的人，雖然和孩子住一起，自己若年歲大了，就自己會想，我若住在家裡，讓年輕人麻煩，我去住養老院，卻是還是隱藏著那分悲與孤，很孤單。
若是有的家庭，父母身體有病了，無法照顧，還是同樣送他到養老院，讓專人去照顧。這種種的老人問題就很多了。
所以常常說，堪嘆人生苦難多！現在的社會，真的是人倫、道德觀念，一直稀疏了，一直稀了，一直疏遠了。看到人人的家庭，老人全都是在鄉下。要不然，養老院是多少的老人，問他：「有孩子？」「有啊。」「你怎麼來這裡住？」「不要讓年輕人多添麻煩。」
若想到父母在照顧孩子的時候，不論再怎麼的窮，還是同樣，孩子要吃得飽、穿得暖；若是較有錢的人，就要拚，拚個事業，以後讓孩子有一個基礎。孩子長大，栽培他要如何，讓他那個學問再高一點、有地位一點。這叫做父母心。所以，愈來父母、子女的心，那就是兩極化。父母永遠都是為孩子設想，子女慢慢就是，遠離父母到他鄉去，這是天下現在的現象。所以子女不解父母心，這是現代人，年老了最感覺得到的苦。
「長情大愛永恆緬懷中」。不論他是去住養老院，或者是等等，他還是同樣「長情」，永遠就是心掛慮著，在遠方的兒子、孫子等等，永遠永遠都是在思念著子女。這也就是年紀較大了，這種牽腸掛肚，也同樣是長一輩人的心態。
但是，諸子，一些孩子在外面，到底是在做什麼？「諸子無知」，離鄉背井，卻是放蕩在外面，這也是當父母很擔心的事情。若說孩子在外面成功，學業、事業，沒空回來探望，這樣父母還會覺得，人若問說：「你的孩子在外面做什麼？」「在當老師、教授。」等等，都會向人炫耀。卻是孩子若在外面為作，做壞事情，或者是在外面失志、落魄，這全都是父母最牽掛、擔憂，怕人知，怕人知道，心，不光采，這種的心態也是苦。
其實，情與愛，在人間本來就是無常。現在的人，就是對父母的情愛，容易淡忘。再換一個角落的情與愛，糾纏不清，愛、恨、情、仇，這也是很苦。
總而言之，光在一個世間，一個「情」字與「愛」，就已經很複雜了。真的都有這麼複雜嗎？其實是很簡單，迷與覺而已，只是在一念間。善，那就是人倫軌道，走在這個人倫軌道上，這全都是善；而人若是脫軌，那就是惡。善與惡，只是一念心而已。心一轉，那就是善，從惡轉善；善，心一轉，那就從善轉惡。
現在天下之間，有多少是大乾坤不調和，小乾坤，人類亂了心，身心都不健康；心一不健康，身造作的就是完全錯誤。這就是現在，在這個天地之間的人，人與人之間，已經大規模的動亂了，都是來自於這個心。多數的人，在這個苦難中，看到在莫三比克，從去年，今年開始，有一群有情人，從南非這樣，這個愛已經，跨過了史瓦濟蘭、又走過了莫三比克，只要慈濟人走過的足跡，步步生蓮。
雖然南非這一群菩薩，自己本身是貧、是外物很欠缺，卻是有滿滿豐富的愛心。從今年的年初，那個莫三比克有了災難，南非慈濟人再次陪伴，莫三比克那裡的菩薩去勘災，教他們如何勘災，教他們如何家庭訪問。教了他們之後，他們就開始就是落實，步步踏實，按照他們所教的這樣去力行。
有一位，維多莉亞這位志工，她就是那個環境很髒亂，尤其是幾個月了，那個水災過了之後，還沒有整理的地方，要經過那個地方，有死豬、死狗，很多東西浸泡在那裡，那個臭啊！垃圾的環境，還是積水到現在，還是沒有清理，卻是要走過這些地方。這個志工脫掉鞋子來，捲起褲管，同樣走過了，這麼骯髒、那麼臭的地方，去關懷。那個過程很感動人。但是，她就這樣說，她說：「我雖然家徒四壁，我現在同樣很窮，雖然無法給苦難人，大家有飯可吃，但是我還有雙腳，很健壯可以走，我一定每天、每天，我都要來走一走、看一看。至少也要讓這些苦難人知道，有人在關懷他們、有愛在關懷。」
她又說，她說：「我現在若一天，不去做一件好事情，沒有去關懷一、二個人，總是感覺身心很不安。」這就是說只是一念心，過去是很埋怨，認過去就是你窮、我窮，你苦、我苦，我所需要的，我不要讓。像那樣是過去「貧中之貧」。現在看到一大群，每天就是很快樂，每天都在關懷別人，那種的心很歡喜。甚至對老人、對病人，那分的牽、扶，扶扶攙攙這樣在關心。
看到這樣的環境，雖然是家貧，卻是心富，這種長情大愛，不一定說是自己的父母、子女，其實，所有的人類，這個大愛，已經是擴大了，那個情已經，除了自己的父母去愛以外，他們現在常常都在辦，父母恩重(活動) ，常常舉辦這種要如何孝道，提倡子女為父母洗腳，他們說，過去都不曾有過，現在常常有這樣，這在那種貧困的地方，開始恢復了人類軌道，那種的愛，拉長情、擴大愛，這種每一天都是緬懷著苦難人，大家都有這分愛心，慢慢擴大。
所以，迷、覺，還是在一念中。在這三界火宅，就是要如何使人，趕緊讓大家覺悟起來，覺悟起，這個沉迷在這樣的環境，是不對的，要趕緊覺悟。要如何轉變這個環境，讓這個大環境能夠平安，火要如何讓它消失，人要如何避離那個，火在燒的地方，如何來重建家園，這是最重要。人云，和合為貴，有和、有合，這個心若和合起來，自然就會互相協力，重建這個人類的情與愛。
前面的(經)文，那就是長者，看到孩子在那個火宅裡面，不知道火是怎麼樣的燒，還只是在裡面，「東西走戲，視父而已」，還在那裡玩。
亦復不知何者是火
何者為舍
云何為失
但東西走戲
視父而已
《法華經譬喻品第三》
現在這段經文再說，「爾時，長者即作是念：此舍已為大火所燒，我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。」
爾時長者即作是念
此舍已為大火所燒
我及諸子若不時出
必為所焚
《法華經譬喻品第三》
就是這樣，我若不趕緊出去，要怎麼辦呢？
長者雖然在外面，但是看到孩子還在那裡玩，火來逼身了，還當火是好玩的。父親如何的呼喚，還是同樣只是眼睜睜地看，卻是不想要趕緊聽父親的呼喚。這段文，當父親的是不是心很難過呢？前面已經不斷作思惟，設很多種的方法，這些孩子還是這樣。
這個時候就是譬喻「佛慈不忍眾生無知，耽湎放蕩」。儘管那個父親在外面，這樣、這樣一直叫喚，卻是大家照常這樣無動於衷。所以這個火宅已經是很危險了，若不趕緊出來，一定會被火燒到，這就是長者的心。長者是佛，佛心慈悲，不忍心這些眾生。
佛慈不忍眾生
無知耽湎放蕩
沉迷玩物
喪志不悟
禍火已起
昏然不知
雖然佛陀不斷設法來教育，用真實法說話，大家聽不懂，用方便法設教來教育，說種種的法。其實佛陀所說的法，真理，是遍及天下一切，無為法，化為有為的因緣、譬喻，種種的物，物理、生理、人的心理，「四相三理」，用天下有形、有物，這樣來譬喻。
人與人的生活中有四生：胎生、卵生、濕生、化生。人生是胎生，又再譬喻到，胎生有多少的動物，將這個動物，譬喻我們的人生，看得到的動物受苦受難，佛陀就要說因緣果報；看到人生苦難，佛陀就要說地獄；看到人生那個飢餓，佛陀就要說餓鬼道；人生富貴享受，佛陀說天道等等。那個因緣果報，在這個六道中在輪迴，讓大家能夠更清楚。用種種來譬喻。卻是聽法的人一邊聽法，還是還未真正的覺醒，還是像夜遊人一樣，所以「耽湎放蕩」，這樣無知，就是這樣「沉迷玩物，喪志不悟」。
我們發心，應該要發大心、立大願，「眾生無邊誓願度，煩惱無盡誓願斷」，還要身體力行，「無緣大慈，同體大悲」，入人群中去，這才是立志、弘願。但是，聽佛法之後，還是一半了解、但是一半還是沉迷。
「沉迷玩物」，就是逞自己的欲，所欲，這種不悟。「禍火已起」，大家所造作的禍，災禍，這個火已經燃起了。你們想，我們人，已經在現在的社會，前面開頭說的這段文，過去家庭倫理，全都是很清楚，現在的家庭倫理，就都已經喪失掉了，何況是天下人與人之間，那種互相對立、明爭暗鬥，這種都只是為了欲，這種的欲，所以習氣難除。這已經惹禍了，火已經起了，還是「昏然不知」。所以長者這樣，「我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚」，這個時候若不趕緊，還是會燒到。這是「慈父見子喪德失志」。「喪德」，就是愛玩的人光是愛玩，不想要做正經的事情。
就像現在的新聞，常常在報，年輕人，他要工作的環境，要挑較輕鬆的，環境要較好的，還要薪水再高一點，還…，很多，所以讓他挑一挑，沒有什麼適應他做的工作。你們看，現在的人，就只是想玩而已，所以說起來，在工作的時候，也還是在玩電腦、進入網路裡。這種無知喪志玩物，這個德要從何來呢？沒有修，哪有德？所以已經「喪德失志」了，那就「昏昧如癡」。
慈父見子
喪德失志
昏昧如癡
如父憂子
心急如焚
疾呼急出
這是，父親很憂心、很擔憂，心急如焚，所以大聲喊，大家要趕緊，這是這樣一次一次，不斷一直急，這樣已經到了「疾呼」的程度。這就是我們眾生，若不趕緊及時反省、懺悔，趕緊改過過來，不知今天、明天以後的社會，又是成什麼樣？所以我們人人要，心，法要入心，行在法中。時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: A Father’s Urgent Concerns (諸子無知父憂如焚)
Date: April.29. 2015
“Sons and daughters all over the world do not understand their parent’s hearts. With long-lasting compassion and great love, parents forever cherish their children. The children are ignorant and defile their consciousness with attachments to sensory objects. Confusion and awareness are decided in a single thought; good and evil are created by the mind.”
Are sons and daughters all over the world able to understand their parents’ hearts? The way people live now is completely different from the past. In the past, three generations, four generations or even five generations lived in the same place as one big family. Everyone lived together, mutually upheld proper family relationships and respected their elders. This was how they lived. Things gradually changed over time; these days, once the children grow up, they move out of the house. The parents remain in their hometown.
Will their children’s children, the grandchildren, the next generation, actually know their grandfather’s name or their grandmother’s maiden name? It is possible the second and third generation’s affection for the first generation has continued to fade away. So, there is no sense of closeness between them. This is the way families are now. For those people who live in cities, even if they are living with their children, when they become elderly, they may think, “If I live at home, I’m a bother to these young people. I’ll go to the nursing home.” But they are still hiding a feeling of sadness and loneliness, a deep loneliness. In some families, people are unable to care for their sick parents, so they likewise send them to nursing homes so that professionals can take care of them. There are a lot of these kinds of issues with the elderly now.
We often sigh about how life is full of suffering. In our current society, people have lost sight of morals and ethics. These values have faded and become distant. As we take a look at people’s families, many seniors still live in the countryside. As for the many seniors in the nursing homes, when we ask them, “Do you have children?” [they say,] “We do.” “Then why do you live here?” “I don’t want to be a bother to the young people.” When parents are taking care of their children, no matter how poor they are, they still want their children to be well-fed and warmly-clothed. Parents who are wealthier work hard to expand their business so they can give their children a solid foundation. As their children grow up, they encourage them to increase their knowledge in order to earn a higher status. This is the mindset of parents.
Gradually, the mindset of the parents and of their children become polarized. Everything parents do is for their children’s sake. But their children eventually leave them and move far away. This is a phenomenon we see in the world right now.
The lack of understanding children show for their parents is the suffering elderly people experience most these days. “With long-lasting compassion and great love, they forever cherish their children.” Whether they are living in nursing homes or somewhere else, parents still have “long-lasting compassion.” They will always be concerned about their children and grandchildren living far away. They constantly think about them. These people who are in their later years have these kinds of worries; this is the mentality of seniors. However, what exactly do these children do after leaving [their parents]?
“The children are ignorant.”After leaving their hometowns, many of them lead an undisciplined life.This is really worrisome for their parents.If their children become successful, they are too busy with their work or caret to come home.Then, when their parents are asked, “What do your children do? He is a teacher,” “She is a professor” and so on, is how they proudly respond.
But if their children stir up trouble and do bad things, or if they should become frustrated and depressed, as parents they will be concerned.They worry that people will find out.
With this fear comes a sense of disgrace.This state of mind also causes suffering.
Actually, affection and love are inherently impermanent.
Unfortunately, nowadays, people easily forget about the affection and love their parents have shown them.But with other kinds of affection and love, they become inextricably entangled.Love, hate, affection and animosity all lead to great suffering.
In summary, in this world, just the feelings of affection and love alone can cause many complications.Are they really that complicated?Actually, they are very simple.
Whether we are deluded or awakened is decided in the space of single thought.Goodness comes from following ethics and morals.When we follow these ethics and morals, everything we do will be good.If we deviate from them, we will commit evil deeds.Good and evil both arise from the mind.
Oriented one way, our minds think good thoughts and can turn from evil toward goodness.But with a shift in mindset, we can also turn from goodness toward evil.
In this world, there are so many imbalances in the macrocosm of the world and so much confusion in the microcosm of people’s minds.These lead to poor physical and mental health.Once people’s minds are unhealthy, every action they take will be wrong.This is the reason that so many interactions between people in this world have caused such large-scale disturbances.These problems all originate from the mind.
The majority of people are living in suffering.Take a look at Mozambique.Starting last year or early this year, a group of compassionate South African volunteers have been bringing their love across the borders into Swaziland and then all the way to Mozambique.Wherever Tzu Chi volunteers have walked, lotus flowers will bloom with each step.
Though these Bodhisattvas from South Africa are themselves poor and lacking in material goods, their hearts are filled with an abundance of love.At the beginning of this year, when Mozambique experienced a disaster, South Africa Tzu Chi volunteers once again accompanied the local Bodhisattvas to visit the disaster area and taught them how to survey the disaster and conduct assessments of each [affected] family.
After learning these methods, the Mozambican volunteers put them into practice, steadfastly following their teachings.
Once of them was a volunteer named Victoria.She had gone into those filthy conditions.Several months after the flood, the places that were affected had still not been cleaned up.In the places she had to pass through, there were many dead pigs and dogs.Many things were still rotting in the water and there was a terrible stench because the garbage and stagnant water had not been cleared away.
To pass through areas like this, Victoria would take off her shoes, roll up her pant legs and walk through these filthy and foul-smelling areas to care for people.What she did was very touching.But she said, “My family is very poor, and I am also living in poverty, so I cannot offer food to the survivors. However, I have feet and good health, so I can walk. I will visit this place every day and at least let the people who are suffering know that someone cares, that there are still people with love who care.”
She also said, “Now, if I don’t do a good deed every day, or provide care to one or two people, I do not feel at ease, mentally or physically.”This all comes from the mind.
In the past, [some volunteers] complained a lot. In the past, they felt, “You are poor; well, so am I. You are suffering; so am I.” They did not want to give something they needed to anyone else. This kind of mindset they used to have is that of the poorest among the poor. Now, we see a large group of volunteers who are happy every day. Each day, they take care of other people. This brings the volunteers great happiness. When they encounter the elderly and the sick, they care for them by physically guiding and supporting them.
Though volunteers who live in these conditions lack material wealth, they have spiritual wealth. This long-lasting compassion and great love is not limited only to their own parents and children. Actually, their great love has expanded to encompass all human beings. Their compassion goes beyond loving their own parents. They also often hold activities that honor parents. They teach people ways of practicing filial piety by encouraging children to wash their parents’ feet.
They said, “We have never done this before. Now we do this often.” In that place of poverty, people are getting back on the right course. Because they have extended their compassion and spread great love, every day, the volunteers think of the suffering. Their love is gradually growing. Therefore, delusion or awakening are still determined by our minds.
In this burning house of the Three Realms, we need to find ways to help everyone quickly awaken to the fact that being immersed in this state of delusion is not right. Everyone must quickly awaken and find ways to change the environment so it can be safe for everyone. They need to learn how to put out the fire, to avoid the places where the fire is burning and to rebuild their home. This is very important.
It is said, “Harmony and unity are precious”. With harmony and unity in our hearts, we will work together in concert and rebuild the compassion and love between all people. The previous passage mentions how the elder saw that the children were still inside the burning house. They did not realize how the fire was raging, so they remained inside and “just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father”. They just kept on playing.
“Moreover, they did not know what fire was, what the house was or what the danger was. They just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father”.
Now, this sutra passage continues, “At that time, the elder had this thought. This house is already burning with great flames. If I and my children do not get out now, we will certainly be burned”.
He was thinking, “If I do not quickly get out, what will I do?” Though the elder was already outside, he saw his children continuing to play. The fire was almost upon them, but they still treated it as a plaything. No matter how their father cried out to them, they merely looked at him. They did not want to listen to what he was saying. From this passage, don’t we see how hard it is to be a father? He had already contemplated and devised many ways to reach out to them, yet the children did not change their ways.
This is an analogy for how, “In the Buddha’s kindness, He did not have the heart to allow anyone to remain ignorant and undisciplined”. Though the father was standing outside and crying out to them, everyone inside still remained indifferent. This burning house was very hazardous. If they did not get out immediately, they would certainly be burned by the fire. This is how the elder felt. The elder is the Buddha, and in His compassion, His heart went out to those sentient beings.
“In the Buddha’s kindness, He did not have the heart to allow anyone to remain ignorant and undisciplined. Absorbed with their playthings, they lost their resolve and did not awaken. The fire had already been ignited, yet they remained unaware.”
The Buddha continued to establish teachings, but when He directly taught the True Dharma, people could not understand. Therefore, He used skillful means to expound various teachings. Actually, the Dharma and the truths He taught encompass all things in the world. Unconditioned Dharma was taught with causes and conditions, analogies and various other conditioned phenomena. The workings of matter, body and mind, known as the Four States and the Three Principles, and all kinds of material and tangible things were used as analogies.
In this world, we also see the four kinds of birth. They are womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born and transformation-born. Human beings are womb-born. [Because of this] we can be compared to many other womb-born animals. The Buddha used these animals as analogies for our lives. With the suffering experienced by animals that we can see, the Buddha taught about the law of karma. We can see suffering people, so the Buddha taught about hell.
We see people who suffer from starvation, so the Buddha taught about the hungry ghost realm. In life, some people enjoy great wealth, so the Buddha taught about the heaven realm and how the karmic law of cause and effect guides transmigration in the Six Realms, all to help everyone understand more clearly. The Buddha used various kinds of analogies, but those listening to the Dharma still had not truly awakened; it was as if they were sleeping walking.
So, people “remain undisciplined” and unaware. Therefore, “Absorbed with their playthings, they lost their resolve and did not awaken.”When we are inspired, we must form great aspirations, make great vows. “We vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” “We vow to eliminate endless afflictions.” Then we must put these vows into practice. With unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion, we go among the people. Such is our resolve and such are our great vows.
Unfortunately, after listening to the Dharma, people only partially understand and remain partially deluded. “Absorbed with their playthings means indulging in their desires, and thus being unable to awaken.” “The fire has already ignited.” The disasters that people have caused are like the fire that has been ignited.
Think about the society we are living in. According to what we discussed at the beginning, people used to clearly understand family ethics. Nowadays, the ethics of family interactions have already been lost. Moreover, often when people interact, they oppose each other, fighting openly or plotting secretly. They do all this to satisfy their desires. So, habitual tendencies are hard to eliminate. This has already brought about disaster; a fire has already been ignited. Yet “they remain ignorant.”
So, the elder said, “If I and my children do not get our now, we will certainly be burned.” If they did not quickly escape, they would be burned. “The kind father saw his children weakening their virtues and their resolve.”
“Weakening their virtues” means people who like to play only want to play. They do not want to do anything serious. In today’s news reports we often hear about how young people want a workplace that is more relaxing, more comfortable, with higher salaries and many other perks. So, when they look around, they do not see any jobs that suit them. See, many people nowadays just want to play. Even when they are working, they may still be playing on their computers or using the internet. Out of ignorance, they weaken their resolve and focus on their playthings. Where do virtues come from? Without spiritual cultivation, how can one attain virtues? People have already “weakened their virtues and resolve” and so they “remain completely muddled and ignorant.”
The kind father saw his children weakening their virtues and their resolve and remaining completely muddled and ignorant. Thus the father worried for his children and his heart burned with anxiety, so he quickly called for them come out.
The father was very worried, and his heart burned with anxiety. Therefore, he loudly called out, “Everyone, get out now.” He yelled this over and over, feeling a great sense of urgency. He had already reached the stage of “call out.” This is because if we sentient beings do not quickly reflect upon ourselves, repent and immediately change our ways, who knows what society will be like tomorrow. Therefore, we must constantly take the Dharma to heart and manifest it in our actions. Thus we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「天下子女不解父母心，長情大愛永恆緬懷中，諸子無知著塵弊垢識，迷覺一念善惡唯心轉。」
⊙「亦復不知何者是火？何者為舍？云何為失？但東西走戲，視父而已。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「爾時，長者即作是念：此舍已為大火所燒，我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙佛慈不忍眾生無知耽湎放蕩，沉迷玩物喪志不悟，禍火已起，昏然不知。
⊙慈父見子喪德失志、昏昧如癡，如父憂子心急如焚，疾呼急出。
【證嚴上人開示】
「天下子女不解父母心，長情大愛永恆緬懷中，諸子無知著塵弊垢識，迷覺一念善惡唯心轉。」
天下子女
不解父母心
長情大愛
永恆緬懷中
諸子無知
著塵弊垢識
迷覺一念
善惡唯心轉
知道天底下現在的子女，能夠了解父母的心嗎？現在的生活和過去完全不同，過去是三代同堂、四代同堂、五代同堂，總是就是大家族，大家都住在一起，彼此之間互相照著倫理、輩分，這樣的生活。
漸漸地，現在的時代，那就是孩子若長大，就搬出家庭，所以父母都是在家鄉。到底孩子，下一代的孫子，再下一代，不知道是否知道阿公是什麼名字？阿嬤是姓什麼？可能第二代、第三代，就已經對上一代的人，一直一直情淡了，所以這個親的感覺，也已經沒有了。這是現代的生活。
要不就是在都市的人，雖然和孩子住一起，自己若年歲大了，就自己會想，我若住在家裡，讓年輕人麻煩，我去住養老院，卻是還是隱藏著那分悲與孤，很孤單。
若是有的家庭，父母身體有病了，無法照顧，還是同樣送他到養老院，讓專人去照顧。這種種的老人問題就很多了。
所以常常說，堪嘆人生苦難多！現在的社會，真的是人倫、道德觀念，一直稀疏了，一直稀了，一直疏遠了。看到人人的家庭，老人全都是在鄉下。要不然，養老院是多少的老人，問他：「有孩子？」「有啊。」「你怎麼來這裡住？」「不要讓年輕人多添麻煩。」
若想到父母在照顧孩子的時候，不論再怎麼的窮，還是同樣，孩子要吃得飽、穿得暖；若是較有錢的人，就要拚，拚個事業，以後讓孩子有一個基礎。孩子長大，栽培他要如何，讓他那個學問再高一點、有地位一點。這叫做父母心。所以，愈來父母、子女的心，那就是兩極化。父母永遠都是為孩子設想，子女慢慢就是，遠離父母到他鄉去，這是天下現在的現象。所以子女不解父母心，這是現代人，年老了最感覺得到的苦。
「長情大愛永恆緬懷中」。不論他是去住養老院，或者是等等，他還是同樣「長情」，永遠就是心掛慮著，在遠方的兒子、孫子等等，永遠永遠都是在思念著子女。這也就是年紀較大了，這種牽腸掛肚，也同樣是長一輩人的心態。
但是，諸子，一些孩子在外面，到底是在做什麼？「諸子無知」，離鄉背井，卻是放蕩在外面，這也是當父母很擔心的事情。若說孩子在外面成功，學業、事業，沒空回來探望，這樣父母還會覺得，人若問說：「你的孩子在外面做什麼？」「在當老師、教授。」等等，都會向人炫耀。卻是孩子若在外面為作，做壞事情，或者是在外面失志、落魄，這全都是父母最牽掛、擔憂，怕人知，怕人知道，心，不光采，這種的心態也是苦。
其實，情與愛，在人間本來就是無常。現在的人，就是對父母的情愛，容易淡忘。再換一個角落的情與愛，糾纏不清，愛、恨、情、仇，這也是很苦。
總而言之，光在一個世間，一個「情」字與「愛」，就已經很複雜了。真的都有這麼複雜嗎？其實是很簡單，迷與覺而已，只是在一念間。善，那就是人倫軌道，走在這個人倫軌道上，這全都是善；而人若是脫軌，那就是惡。善與惡，只是一念心而已。心一轉，那就是善，從惡轉善；善，心一轉，那就從善轉惡。
現在天下之間，有多少是大乾坤不調和，小乾坤，人類亂了心，身心都不健康；心一不健康，身造作的就是完全錯誤。這就是現在，在這個天地之間的人，人與人之間，已經大規模的動亂了，都是來自於這個心。多數的人，在這個苦難中，看到在莫三比克，從去年，今年開始，有一群有情人，從南非這樣，這個愛已經，跨過了史瓦濟蘭、又走過了莫三比克，只要慈濟人走過的足跡，步步生蓮。
雖然南非這一群菩薩，自己本身是貧、是外物很欠缺，卻是有滿滿豐富的愛心。從今年的年初，那個莫三比克有了災難，南非慈濟人再次陪伴，莫三比克那裡的菩薩去勘災，教他們如何勘災，教他們如何家庭訪問。教了他們之後，他們就開始就是落實，步步踏實，按照他們所教的這樣去力行。
有一位，維多莉亞這位志工，她就是那個環境很髒亂，尤其是幾個月了，那個水災過了之後，還沒有整理的地方，要經過那個地方，有死豬、死狗，很多東西浸泡在那裡，那個臭啊！垃圾的環境，還是積水到現在，還是沒有清理，卻是要走過這些地方。這個志工脫掉鞋子來，捲起褲管，同樣走過了，這麼骯髒、那麼臭的地方，去關懷。那個過程很感動人。但是，她就這樣說，她說：「我雖然家徒四壁，我現在同樣很窮，雖然無法給苦難人，大家有飯可吃，但是我還有雙腳，很健壯可以走，我一定每天、每天，我都要來走一走、看一看。至少也要讓這些苦難人知道，有人在關懷他們、有愛在關懷。」
她又說，她說：「我現在若一天，不去做一件好事情，沒有去關懷一、二個人，總是感覺身心很不安。」這就是說只是一念心，過去是很埋怨，認過去就是你窮、我窮，你苦、我苦，我所需要的，我不要讓。像那樣是過去「貧中之貧」。現在看到一大群，每天就是很快樂，每天都在關懷別人，那種的心很歡喜。甚至對老人、對病人，那分的牽、扶，扶扶攙攙這樣在關心。
看到這樣的環境，雖然是家貧，卻是心富，這種長情大愛，不一定說是自己的父母、子女，其實，所有的人類，這個大愛，已經是擴大了，那個情已經，除了自己的父母去愛以外，他們現在常常都在辦，父母恩重(活動) ，常常舉辦這種要如何孝道，提倡子女為父母洗腳，他們說，過去都不曾有過，現在常常有這樣，這在那種貧困的地方，開始恢復了人類軌道，那種的愛，拉長情、擴大愛，這種每一天都是緬懷著苦難人，大家都有這分愛心，慢慢擴大。
所以，迷、覺，還是在一念中。在這三界火宅，就是要如何使人，趕緊讓大家覺悟起來，覺悟起，這個沉迷在這樣的環境，是不對的，要趕緊覺悟。要如何轉變這個環境，讓這個大環境能夠平安，火要如何讓它消失，人要如何避離那個，火在燒的地方，如何來重建家園，這是最重要。人云，和合為貴，有和、有合，這個心若和合起來，自然就會互相協力，重建這個人類的情與愛。
前面的(經)文，那就是長者，看到孩子在那個火宅裡面，不知道火是怎麼樣的燒，還只是在裡面，「東西走戲，視父而已」，還在那裡玩。
亦復不知何者是火
何者為舍
云何為失
但東西走戲
視父而已
《法華經譬喻品第三》
現在這段經文再說，「爾時，長者即作是念：此舍已為大火所燒，我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。」
爾時長者即作是念
此舍已為大火所燒
我及諸子若不時出
必為所焚
《法華經譬喻品第三》
就是這樣，我若不趕緊出去，要怎麼辦呢？
長者雖然在外面，但是看到孩子還在那裡玩，火來逼身了，還當火是好玩的。父親如何的呼喚，還是同樣只是眼睜睜地看，卻是不想要趕緊聽父親的呼喚。這段文，當父親的是不是心很難過呢？前面已經不斷作思惟，設很多種的方法，這些孩子還是這樣。
這個時候就是譬喻「佛慈不忍眾生無知，耽湎放蕩」。儘管那個父親在外面，這樣、這樣一直叫喚，卻是大家照常這樣無動於衷。所以這個火宅已經是很危險了，若不趕緊出來，一定會被火燒到，這就是長者的心。長者是佛，佛心慈悲，不忍心這些眾生。
佛慈不忍眾生
無知耽湎放蕩
沉迷玩物
喪志不悟
禍火已起
昏然不知
雖然佛陀不斷設法來教育，用真實法說話，大家聽不懂，用方便法設教來教育，說種種的法。其實佛陀所說的法，真理，是遍及天下一切，無為法，化為有為的因緣、譬喻，種種的物，物理、生理、人的心理，「四相三理」，用天下有形、有物，這樣來譬喻。
人與人的生活中有四生：胎生、卵生、濕生、化生。人生是胎生，又再譬喻到，胎生有多少的動物，將這個動物，譬喻我們的人生，看得到的動物受苦受難，佛陀就要說因緣果報；看到人生苦難，佛陀就要說地獄；看到人生那個飢餓，佛陀就要說餓鬼道；人生富貴享受，佛陀說天道等等。那個因緣果報，在這個六道中在輪迴，讓大家能夠更清楚。用種種來譬喻。卻是聽法的人一邊聽法，還是還未真正的覺醒，還是像夜遊人一樣，所以「耽湎放蕩」，這樣無知，就是這樣「沉迷玩物，喪志不悟」。
我們發心，應該要發大心、立大願，「眾生無邊誓願度，煩惱無盡誓願斷」，還要身體力行，「無緣大慈，同體大悲」，入人群中去，這才是立志、弘願。但是，聽佛法之後，還是一半了解、但是一半還是沉迷。
「沉迷玩物」，就是逞自己的欲，所欲，這種不悟。「禍火已起」，大家所造作的禍，災禍，這個火已經燃起了。你們想，我們人，已經在現在的社會，前面開頭說的這段文，過去家庭倫理，全都是很清楚，現在的家庭倫理，就都已經喪失掉了，何況是天下人與人之間，那種互相對立、明爭暗鬥，這種都只是為了欲，這種的欲，所以習氣難除。這已經惹禍了，火已經起了，還是「昏然不知」。所以長者這樣，「我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚」，這個時候若不趕緊，還是會燒到。這是「慈父見子喪德失志」。「喪德」，就是愛玩的人光是愛玩，不想要做正經的事情。
就像現在的新聞，常常在報，年輕人，他要工作的環境，要挑較輕鬆的，環境要較好的，還要薪水再高一點，還…，很多，所以讓他挑一挑，沒有什麼適應他做的工作。你們看，現在的人，就只是想玩而已，所以說起來，在工作的時候，也還是在玩電腦、進入網路裡。這種無知喪志玩物，這個德要從何來呢？沒有修，哪有德？所以已經「喪德失志」了，那就「昏昧如癡」。
慈父見子
喪德失志
昏昧如癡
如父憂子
心急如焚
疾呼急出
這是，父親很憂心、很擔憂，心急如焚，所以大聲喊，大家要趕緊，這是這樣一次一次，不斷一直急，這樣已經到了「疾呼」的程度。這就是我們眾生，若不趕緊及時反省、懺悔，趕緊改過過來，不知今天、明天以後的社會，又是成什麼樣？所以我們人人要，心，法要入心，行在法中。時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: A Father’s Urgent Concerns (諸子無知父憂如焚)
Date: April.29. 2015
“Sons and daughters all over the world do not understand their parent’s hearts. With long-lasting compassion and great love, parents forever cherish their children. The children are ignorant and defile their consciousness with attachments to sensory objects. Confusion and awareness are decided in a single thought; good and evil are created by the mind.”
Are sons and daughters all over the world able to understand their parents’ hearts? The way people live now is completely different from the past. In the past, three generations, four generations or even five generations lived in the same place as one big family. Everyone lived together, mutually upheld proper family relationships and respected their elders. This was how they lived. Things gradually changed over time; these days, once the children grow up, they move out of the house. The parents remain in their hometown.
Will their children’s children, the grandchildren, the next generation, actually know their grandfather’s name or their grandmother’s maiden name? It is possible the second and third generation’s affection for the first generation has continued to fade away. So, there is no sense of closeness between them. This is the way families are now. For those people who live in cities, even if they are living with their children, when they become elderly, they may think, “If I live at home, I’m a bother to these young people. I’ll go to the nursing home.” But they are still hiding a feeling of sadness and loneliness, a deep loneliness. In some families, people are unable to care for their sick parents, so they likewise send them to nursing homes so that professionals can take care of them. There are a lot of these kinds of issues with the elderly now.
We often sigh about how life is full of suffering. In our current society, people have lost sight of morals and ethics. These values have faded and become distant. As we take a look at people’s families, many seniors still live in the countryside. As for the many seniors in the nursing homes, when we ask them, “Do you have children?” [they say,] “We do.” “Then why do you live here?” “I don’t want to be a bother to the young people.” When parents are taking care of their children, no matter how poor they are, they still want their children to be well-fed and warmly-clothed. Parents who are wealthier work hard to expand their business so they can give their children a solid foundation. As their children grow up, they encourage them to increase their knowledge in order to earn a higher status. This is the mindset of parents.
Gradually, the mindset of the parents and of their children become polarized. Everything parents do is for their children’s sake. But their children eventually leave them and move far away. This is a phenomenon we see in the world right now.
The lack of understanding children show for their parents is the suffering elderly people experience most these days. “With long-lasting compassion and great love, they forever cherish their children.” Whether they are living in nursing homes or somewhere else, parents still have “long-lasting compassion.” They will always be concerned about their children and grandchildren living far away. They constantly think about them. These people who are in their later years have these kinds of worries; this is the mentality of seniors. However, what exactly do these children do after leaving [their parents]?
“The children are ignorant.”After leaving their hometowns, many of them lead an undisciplined life.This is really worrisome for their parents.If their children become successful, they are too busy with their work or caret to come home.Then, when their parents are asked, “What do your children do? He is a teacher,” “She is a professor” and so on, is how they proudly respond.
But if their children stir up trouble and do bad things, or if they should become frustrated and depressed, as parents they will be concerned.They worry that people will find out.
With this fear comes a sense of disgrace.This state of mind also causes suffering.
Actually, affection and love are inherently impermanent.
Unfortunately, nowadays, people easily forget about the affection and love their parents have shown them.But with other kinds of affection and love, they become inextricably entangled.Love, hate, affection and animosity all lead to great suffering.
In summary, in this world, just the feelings of affection and love alone can cause many complications.Are they really that complicated?Actually, they are very simple.
Whether we are deluded or awakened is decided in the space of single thought.Goodness comes from following ethics and morals.When we follow these ethics and morals, everything we do will be good.If we deviate from them, we will commit evil deeds.Good and evil both arise from the mind.
Oriented one way, our minds think good thoughts and can turn from evil toward goodness.But with a shift in mindset, we can also turn from goodness toward evil.
In this world, there are so many imbalances in the macrocosm of the world and so much confusion in the microcosm of people’s minds.These lead to poor physical and mental health.Once people’s minds are unhealthy, every action they take will be wrong.This is the reason that so many interactions between people in this world have caused such large-scale disturbances.These problems all originate from the mind.
The majority of people are living in suffering.Take a look at Mozambique.Starting last year or early this year, a group of compassionate South African volunteers have been bringing their love across the borders into Swaziland and then all the way to Mozambique.Wherever Tzu Chi volunteers have walked, lotus flowers will bloom with each step.
Though these Bodhisattvas from South Africa are themselves poor and lacking in material goods, their hearts are filled with an abundance of love.At the beginning of this year, when Mozambique experienced a disaster, South Africa Tzu Chi volunteers once again accompanied the local Bodhisattvas to visit the disaster area and taught them how to survey the disaster and conduct assessments of each [affected] family.
After learning these methods, the Mozambican volunteers put them into practice, steadfastly following their teachings.
Once of them was a volunteer named Victoria.She had gone into those filthy conditions.Several months after the flood, the places that were affected had still not been cleaned up.In the places she had to pass through, there were many dead pigs and dogs.Many things were still rotting in the water and there was a terrible stench because the garbage and stagnant water had not been cleared away.
To pass through areas like this, Victoria would take off her shoes, roll up her pant legs and walk through these filthy and foul-smelling areas to care for people.What she did was very touching.But she said, “My family is very poor, and I am also living in poverty, so I cannot offer food to the survivors. However, I have feet and good health, so I can walk. I will visit this place every day and at least let the people who are suffering know that someone cares, that there are still people with love who care.”
She also said, “Now, if I don’t do a good deed every day, or provide care to one or two people, I do not feel at ease, mentally or physically.”This all comes from the mind.
In the past, [some volunteers] complained a lot. In the past, they felt, “You are poor; well, so am I. You are suffering; so am I.” They did not want to give something they needed to anyone else. This kind of mindset they used to have is that of the poorest among the poor. Now, we see a large group of volunteers who are happy every day. Each day, they take care of other people. This brings the volunteers great happiness. When they encounter the elderly and the sick, they care for them by physically guiding and supporting them.
Though volunteers who live in these conditions lack material wealth, they have spiritual wealth. This long-lasting compassion and great love is not limited only to their own parents and children. Actually, their great love has expanded to encompass all human beings. Their compassion goes beyond loving their own parents. They also often hold activities that honor parents. They teach people ways of practicing filial piety by encouraging children to wash their parents’ feet.
They said, “We have never done this before. Now we do this often.” In that place of poverty, people are getting back on the right course. Because they have extended their compassion and spread great love, every day, the volunteers think of the suffering. Their love is gradually growing. Therefore, delusion or awakening are still determined by our minds.
In this burning house of the Three Realms, we need to find ways to help everyone quickly awaken to the fact that being immersed in this state of delusion is not right. Everyone must quickly awaken and find ways to change the environment so it can be safe for everyone. They need to learn how to put out the fire, to avoid the places where the fire is burning and to rebuild their home. This is very important.
It is said, “Harmony and unity are precious”. With harmony and unity in our hearts, we will work together in concert and rebuild the compassion and love between all people. The previous passage mentions how the elder saw that the children were still inside the burning house. They did not realize how the fire was raging, so they remained inside and “just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father”. They just kept on playing.
“Moreover, they did not know what fire was, what the house was or what the danger was. They just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father”.
Now, this sutra passage continues, “At that time, the elder had this thought. This house is already burning with great flames. If I and my children do not get out now, we will certainly be burned”.
He was thinking, “If I do not quickly get out, what will I do?” Though the elder was already outside, he saw his children continuing to play. The fire was almost upon them, but they still treated it as a plaything. No matter how their father cried out to them, they merely looked at him. They did not want to listen to what he was saying. From this passage, don’t we see how hard it is to be a father? He had already contemplated and devised many ways to reach out to them, yet the children did not change their ways.
This is an analogy for how, “In the Buddha’s kindness, He did not have the heart to allow anyone to remain ignorant and undisciplined”. Though the father was standing outside and crying out to them, everyone inside still remained indifferent. This burning house was very hazardous. If they did not get out immediately, they would certainly be burned by the fire. This is how the elder felt. The elder is the Buddha, and in His compassion, His heart went out to those sentient beings.
“In the Buddha’s kindness, He did not have the heart to allow anyone to remain ignorant and undisciplined. Absorbed with their playthings, they lost their resolve and did not awaken. The fire had already been ignited, yet they remained unaware.”
The Buddha continued to establish teachings, but when He directly taught the True Dharma, people could not understand. Therefore, He used skillful means to expound various teachings. Actually, the Dharma and the truths He taught encompass all things in the world. Unconditioned Dharma was taught with causes and conditions, analogies and various other conditioned phenomena. The workings of matter, body and mind, known as the Four States and the Three Principles, and all kinds of material and tangible things were used as analogies.
In this world, we also see the four kinds of birth. They are womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born and transformation-born. Human beings are womb-born. [Because of this] we can be compared to many other womb-born animals. The Buddha used these animals as analogies for our lives. With the suffering experienced by animals that we can see, the Buddha taught about the law of karma. We can see suffering people, so the Buddha taught about hell.
We see people who suffer from starvation, so the Buddha taught about the hungry ghost realm. In life, some people enjoy great wealth, so the Buddha taught about the heaven realm and how the karmic law of cause and effect guides transmigration in the Six Realms, all to help everyone understand more clearly. The Buddha used various kinds of analogies, but those listening to the Dharma still had not truly awakened; it was as if they were sleeping walking.
So, people “remain undisciplined” and unaware. Therefore, “Absorbed with their playthings, they lost their resolve and did not awaken.”When we are inspired, we must form great aspirations, make great vows. “We vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” “We vow to eliminate endless afflictions.” Then we must put these vows into practice. With unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion, we go among the people. Such is our resolve and such are our great vows.
Unfortunately, after listening to the Dharma, people only partially understand and remain partially deluded. “Absorbed with their playthings means indulging in their desires, and thus being unable to awaken.” “The fire has already ignited.” The disasters that people have caused are like the fire that has been ignited.
Think about the society we are living in. According to what we discussed at the beginning, people used to clearly understand family ethics. Nowadays, the ethics of family interactions have already been lost. Moreover, often when people interact, they oppose each other, fighting openly or plotting secretly. They do all this to satisfy their desires. So, habitual tendencies are hard to eliminate. This has already brought about disaster; a fire has already been ignited. Yet “they remain ignorant.”
So, the elder said, “If I and my children do not get our now, we will certainly be burned.” If they did not quickly escape, they would be burned. “The kind father saw his children weakening their virtues and their resolve.”
“Weakening their virtues” means people who like to play only want to play. They do not want to do anything serious. In today’s news reports we often hear about how young people want a workplace that is more relaxing, more comfortable, with higher salaries and many other perks. So, when they look around, they do not see any jobs that suit them. See, many people nowadays just want to play. Even when they are working, they may still be playing on their computers or using the internet. Out of ignorance, they weaken their resolve and focus on their playthings. Where do virtues come from? Without spiritual cultivation, how can one attain virtues? People have already “weakened their virtues and resolve” and so they “remain completely muddled and ignorant.”
The kind father saw his children weakening their virtues and their resolve and remaining completely muddled and ignorant. Thus the father worried for his children and his heart burned with anxiety, so he quickly called for them come out.
The father was very worried, and his heart burned with anxiety. Therefore, he loudly called out, “Everyone, get out now.” He yelled this over and over, feeling a great sense of urgency. He had already reached the stage of “call out.” This is because if we sentient beings do not quickly reflect upon ourselves, repent and immediately change our ways, who knows what society will be like tomorrow. Therefore, we must constantly take the Dharma to heart and manifest it in our actions. Thus we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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