20150522《靜思妙蓮華》觀四念處明如來藏 (第571集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「四念處四種觀，微妙智慧為體；念慧觀心力量，用心安住在道。心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海。」
⊙「駕以白牛，膚色充潔，形體姝好，有大筋力，行步平正，其疾如風。又多僕從而侍衛之。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「所以者何？是大長者，財富無量，種種諸藏悉皆充溢。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙有價值能充足人類所需求，喻佛果地能成之萬行為因，而所成之萬德為果，福慧圓滿。
⊙財富無量，諸藏充溢：四諦十二緣六度萬行，約行明如來藏；一切法不出於五陰十八界等，即是約理明如來藏。
【證嚴上人開示】
「四念處四種觀，微妙智慧為體；念慧觀心力量，用心安住在道。心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海。」
四念處四種觀
微妙智慧為體
念慧觀心力量
用心安住在道
心靈財富因核
真空妙有果海
「四念處」大家都知道：要「觀身不淨，觀受是苦，觀心無常，觀法無我」。這四種要常常在我們的內心。身體是一項最不乾淨的東西，何況皮膚、肉、骨，若有哪裡受傷，所產生出來那個味道，也是很不好的味道。所以身體是最骯髒、也是最污濁的東西，卻是多少人為了身體的情、欲，所以造成了多少，人間家庭親情的悲劇。
我們要好好思量，身是不淨器，心，我們要「觀身不淨」、「觀受是苦」。我們所看到的東西，求啊求！求不得，那就很痛苦。所有日常生活，不如意的事情，那種的感受也是很辛苦，我就明明是要這樣做，但是事與我們的心意互相違背；那種的感受很不好受。
那麼，觀心是無常的，生、住、異、滅。現在很高興，一下子什麼事情，一變動了，心的意就變了。常常一句話說，「發心容易，恆心難。」我們的心無法常住，無法安住，這就是我們凡夫心多變化，所以變異無常，這個心沒辦法時時安住。
還有，我們一切法就是無常，卻是凡夫顛倒，將無常以為是常，不知道包括大乾坤，天地之間都有無常的法。所以「三理四相」，我們應該要很清楚，這是修行，我們時時向大家提起，所以「四念處四種觀」，我們要要時時好好，自自己的自身，好好觀想，時時要念「一念心」。
所以這念心是微妙，很微妙，「微妙智慧為體」。智慧那個實體，那就是真如本性，它是常住、無生無滅、永恆存在。可惜是我們凡夫還沒辦法，回歸到我們真如本性的實體來，所以我們必定要用前面，「四念處四種觀」。我們要念念在茲，所以「念慧觀心」，用智慧來觀我們的心，這股的力量才有辦法鋪平了，人間的路先鋪平，才能夠交接到我們的菩提道。所以，我們要用我們的心力，要身體力行，法在心、行如法，這樣念慧觀心的力量。
我們要用心，時時「用心安住在道」，安住在我們修行的菩提道中。其實我們人人，「心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海」。就像這次菲律賓，獨魯萬這個地方，這麼嚴重的災難(海燕颱風)，慈濟人及時進去，發揮了人人慈悲智慧的力量。有一位年輕人寫一封信，感恩慈濟能夠這麼多人，來安定他們的生活，將他們這個地區在短時間之內，已經為他們打掃得那麼乾淨，同時啟發了，他們的希望，他們的愛心。
還有在一個中學，那就是興華中學，這是我們慈濟人，第一個點去為他們做清掃，「以工代賑」將他們帶起來。其中有九位老師，他們雖然準備要復學了，他們就捐出了，他們零用錢在「竹筒」裡。其中一位老師，安娜，這位老師，代表這九位的老師，將這個「竹筒」，就拿來給慈濟，除了錢拿來捐，又拿起了麥克風、擴音機，她就拿來向大家這樣說，「竹筒歲月」，由這位老師，自動要向大家介紹慈濟的起因，是從「五毛錢」開始。將這個故事向她的鄉親說。
而後在那裡發願，發願她將來要投入慈濟，做一位傳法的人。她不是說「志工」哦，她就是做「傳法的人」，要將這個「竹筒歲月」五毛錢的故事，能夠變成了現在能夠這樣，在普天之下、地球上、國際間在救濟。想，這不就是「心靈財富」嗎？因，那顆種子，「因核」。「真空妙有」，人生雖然是無常，四大不調、禍福不知道是什麼時候，隨時都會變動。菲律賓受到這麼大的災難，卻是凝聚了大家的愛心，力量帶動起來，這個「因」，那就能瞭解，雖然被破壞的東西，有那種「妙有」，那就是愛的力量。
「愛」是我們真如本體，因為這個清淨的本性，是光明、是智慧、是永恆，它不是無常，它是永恆，那分長久含藏著，那番無量無數的果，果實，那個結果都是在，這念因的種子裡面。常常提這個「因核果海」，合抱之樹，就是出於毫芒，所以說，樹大棵了，纍纍的果實，這不是很奇妙嗎？千年的大樹，它的果實還是一樣不斷纍纍。這「因核」，因就是這麼小，毫芒那個力量，能夠發揮了，無量無數、無量無數，不可思議的力量出來，這就是我們修行要時時用心。
前面我們經文就是這樣說，那輛白牛車，白牛駕駛這輛車，那個莊嚴，能夠載人，又後面還很多很多人，這樣來侍衛。
駕以白牛
膚色充潔
形體姝好
有大筋力
行步平正
其疾如風
又多僕從而侍衛之
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這我們昨天說過了。佛法只要你用心，要轉法輪，受法、轉法輪，自然也能度很多的眾生，從後面「前行後繼」，不斷這樣繼承下去。這是要我們要有承擔，傳承這個法，所以能夠轉法輪。
所以下面這段(經)文就說了，「所以者何？是大長者，財富無量，種種諸藏悉皆充溢。」
所以者何
是大長者
財富無量
種種諸藏
悉皆充溢
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為這位長者，他財富很多很多，無量！要給他的豈是，只有這一點點而已？不是，是要全部。所以，就像佛陀他要教導眾生，就是教導人人，與佛同等，那個覺性，要讓人人能夠體會得到，能夠覺悟天地宇宙之間的真理，能夠在天下間，這種安然自在的生活。
卻是眾生迷，還是這樣浮沉在生死海中，還是同樣這種，無明反覆複製在造業。這種的無明遮蓋掉了，清淨的智慧，所以，佛陀若要將他的心境，說給大家知道，但是境界，那個根機差很遠，根本沒辦法瞭解，所以就要開三乘法。獨善其身、了脫生死，也要瞭解為什麼要了脫生死？要讓他知道這些道理。
這就是聲聞、緣覺，那就是羊車、鹿車，應他們的根機所需要，應他們的力量能夠拉的車。這就是佛陀的智慧、譬喻，譬喻世間的長者。
所以這世間有價值、很充足，人類所需求。這位長者的財富，已經是這麼的富能敵國，天底下所需要，有價值的東西，這位長者都不欠缺，而且很豐富，非常充溢、很足夠，能夠普及給，天下人所要求的。佛果地，佛的果地，那就是佛陀成佛之後，他這個「果」成也要有「因」，佛陀修行的因地是「因核」，就是那個很微妙那個種子，是很多很多。有種就有核，你看哪一顆果實之內，不是有那分成大樹的「因」存在呢？佛陀修行的過程，是這樣累生累世，粒粒的種子，那就是累生累世，他所修行的那個含藏的因，非常充足，那個因。
有價值
能充足人類所需求
喻佛果地
能成之萬行為因
而所成之萬德為果
福慧圓滿
我們這輩子能夠修行，是因為有緣，過去生中我們也是有這個因，那個因引來，這輩子這個果，我們做人，我們還有這個緣——果中帶緣，緣中帶因。
這樣是不是上輩子修的因，這輩子修的果，這樣就成了嗎？還沒，我們就要生生世世。因為佛陀在修行，過去二萬(日月)燈明佛，他生生世世還是不斷，隨著佛世，不斷修行。還有過去無量數(佛)，這就是在講《法華經》的開頭，就已經講出了「因核果海」那個境界，是一輩子經過一輩子，不斷累積這個因——修學的因，不斷累積他的生生世世的果實，這種因、果，是要長期不斷累積。
所以，譬喻「佛果地」，已經結果了；成佛的境界已經，「果」與「地」已經(成就)。我們過去也說「菩薩十地」，我們要成佛就要經過十地行，到最後才能夠到達成佛的果地。所以，有價(值) ，能充足人類所需求，這個大長者就如佛，已經很成熟了，而且果地，登這個成佛的果地了，所以「能成萬行為因」，你要到這個果地，必定要萬行，這就是因。
萬行，我們先要有「四諦、十二因緣、六度行」，這樣我們都要很透徹，累生累世。所以「萬行為因」，這個果地就是要，前面要先有「能成之萬行為因」，你要有辦法去付出，要去瞭解人生苦難，然後去瞭解我們，生從何來？死何趣向？到底我們這一輩子，過去的劇本如何寫，這一輩子的人生，要如何走？我們所感受到等等，我們若全都瞭解了，我們就很甘願走入人群中，去行六度，日常的行為要如法行中。所以，我們要先有「萬行之因」，才有辦法成就「萬德之果」，這樣就能夠「福慧圓滿」。這就是表示財富。
財富無量
諸藏充溢：
四諦十二緣
六度萬行
約行明如來藏
一切法不出於
五陰十八界等
，即是約理明如來藏
所以這個「財富無量，諸藏充溢」。那就是「四諦、十二因緣、六度萬行」，剛才說過了。「一切法不出於五陰十八界」等等的法，這個一切法，一切「無為法」，一切「有為法」，有為、無為法，無不都是在這個五陰十八界。
五陰，大家應該知道，五陰就是五蘊。常常在念「五蘊皆空」、「遠離顛倒妄想」，這種的五蘊：也可以叫做五陰，我們這個色、受、想、行、識，這五瘟，也是在我們的日常生活中。所以「五陰十八界」，那就是根，六根、六塵、六識(和合)，三六，十八，那叫做十八界，這是就是道理。
前面「六度萬行」，那就是行，我們就要行，不斷去身體力行，回歸我們的藏識──第八藏識就清淨了，那就入第九識，就是如來識，就在我們，清淨無染如來藏的裡面。
一切法無不都是，在我們日常生活中，生活就是在如理中。假使我們若是不順道理，與道理脫了軌道，若這樣，我們就是複製煩惱，而複製煩惱所行動的，就是惡法，惡就是墮落、造業，苦不堪啊！
各位，學佛就是要，在日常生活中，如何去付出？怎麼樣能夠到達，我們真正修行的目標？必定要時時，「四念處」、「四如意足」、「四正勤」這些法；「三理四相」我們要很清楚，才能夠非常微妙的智慧，為我們真如的本體，我們瞭解要念念觀慧，在這個心的力量去付出，用心安住我們修行的道心，才能夠啟開了心靈的財富，這個種子，「因核」，才能夠透徹了真空妙有的「果海」。
各位，學佛是簡單，但是也就要有這念心，所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: See the Buddha-nature in the Fourfold Mindfulness (觀四念處明如來藏)
Date: May.22. 2015
“The Fourfold Mindfulness teaches four methods of contemplation. Its essence is wondrous and subtle wisdom. With the strength that comes from contemplating the mind with wisdom, we enable our minds to abide on the path. This spiritual wealth is the seed. True emptiness and wondrous existence is the ocean of fruits.”
You all know the Fourfold Mindfulness. We must “contemplate the body as impure, contemplate all feelings as suffering, contemplate the mind as impermanent” and “contemplate all things as being without a self.” We should constantly engage in these four types of contemplation. The body is a most unclean object. Furthermore, if our skin, flesh or bones are damaged anywhere, the wound may give off a foul odor. Therefore, the body is very unclean and filled with many impurities. However, to satisfy the cravings and desires that arise from this body, people take many actions that result in family tragedies. We need to carefully think about how the body is an impure vessel. With our minds, we should “contemplate the body as impure” and “contemplate all feelings as suffering.” When we pursue the things we see and cannot get what we want, it is very painful. When things do not go the way we want in our daily living, we also experience suffering. When we clearly want things to go a certain way but what happens is the opposite of what we intended, it is very hard to deal with. We must also contemplate the mind as impermanent; thoughts arise, abide, change and cease. We can be very happy right now, but if something suddenly changes, our state of mind will change.
We constantly say, “Forming aspirations is easy, persevering in them is hard.” Our minds cannot always abide in the same state and always remain peaceful. This is because the minds of we ordinary people are constantly changing. Due to their impermanent nature, our minds cannot abide peacefully at all times.
Moreover, all things are impermanent, but we ordinary people are confused, mistaking impermanence for permanence. We may not realize that in the universe and in this world, everything in impermanent. So, we must clearly understand the Three Principles and Four States; that is part of spiritual practice. We constantly mention these to everybody.
So, “The Fourfold Mindfulness teaches four methods of contemplation.” We need to earnestly reflect upon ourselves. We must constantly cultivate our minds. The mind is very subtle and wondrous. “Its essence is wondrous and subtle wisdom.” The essence of our wisdom is our nature of True Suchness, which abides permanently; it does not arise or cease and is always present. Unfortunately, we ordinary people have not yet returned to our essence, our nature of True Suchness. Therefore, we must make use of the “Fourfold Mindfulness, [which] teaches four methods of contemplation.” Our every thought must be on what we are doing. So, we must “contemplate the mind with wisdom.” Only by using wisdom to contemplate our minds will we have the strength to pave a smooth road in this world that connects with the Bodhi-path.
We must use the strength of our minds to put the teachings into practice. When the Dharma is in our hearts and there is Dharma in our actions, contemplating our minds with wisdom gives us this strength. We need to be mindful so that “we enable our minds to abide on the path,” on the Bodhi-path we are practicing.
Indeed, in every one of us, “This spiritual wealth is the seed. True emptiness and wondrous existence is the ocean of fruits.”
Recently in the Philippines, after Tacloban suffered a tremendous disaster, Tzu Chi volunteers rushed there right away and exercised the power of their intrinsic compassion and wisdom.
There was a young man who wrote a letter to us, expressing his gratitude to all the Tzu Chi volunteers for helping to stabilize their lives.Not only did the Tzu Chi volunteers help clean up the disaster areas in such a short period of time, they had also inspired hope and love in the survivors.
There was a school there called.Leyte Progressive High School.This was the first site we had helped clean up.
Through the “cash for work” program, we mobilized the local population.
During this process, there were nine teachers who, though they were preparing to start school again, put all of their spare change into bamboo banks.One of the teachers was named Anna.She represented all these teachers in presenting the bamboo banks to Tzu Chi.
In addition to bringing the donation, Anna also picked up the microphone and, over the loud speaker, shared with everyone the spirit of the bamboo banks.This teacher, on her own initiative, in traduced the origins of Tzu Chi, how it started with donations of 50 cents.
After she told this story to the townspeople, she vowed to get involved in Tzu Chi and be a person who spreads the Dharma.She did not say she would become a volunteer, but “a person who spreads the Dharma” to share this spirit of the bamboo banks and the story about the 50 cents, which now allows us today to be able to provide relief and assistance to countries all over the world.
See, isn’t this spiritual wealth?This cause is a “seed”.As for “true emptiness and wondrous existence, “this life is impermanent and the four elements are out of balance.
No one knows when disasters or blessings may appear; everything is constantly changing.
The Philippines suffered this tremendous disaster but it brought everyone’s love together and mobilized their strength.From this cause we can understand that even things that are destroyed can give rise to “wondrous existence,” which is the power of love.
Love is the essence of True Suchness.Our pure intrinsic nature is radiant, wise and everlasting.It is not impermanent; it is everlasting.For a long time it has contained infinite and countless fruits.These fruits were born from the seeds of causes.
We always say, “A seed contains an ocean of fruits”.A thick-trunked tree starts as a tiny seed.Isn’t a giant tree heavy-laden with fruits such an incredible thing?
A giant tree, after 1000 years, can still continue to bear many fruits.However, these end that gave rise to it was so small.Though small, it unleashed a boundless, infinite and inconceivable strength.This is why, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must always be mindful.
The previous sutra passage discussed how the cart drawn by the great white ox was magnificent and could carry many people.Many people also followed the cart as guards.
Pulling these carts were white oxen, their skin completely clean, their figures pleasing, their bodies powerful.They walked straight and smoothly, swiftly like the wind.And there were many attendants guarding each.
As we discussed yesterday, if we can mindfully learn the Buddha-Dharma, then when we accept the Dharma and turn the Dharma-wheel, we will naturally be able to transform many beings.When people in front practice, the people in the back will pass it on.This requires us to shoulder the responsibility for transmitting the Dharma.
So, we must turn the Dharma-wheel.
The next sutra passage states, “Why was this so? This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.” “Why was this so? This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.”
Because this elder had infinite wealth, how could he just give his children a tiny bit of his wealth? No, he wanted to give them everything. So, he is like the Buddha, who wanted to teach sentient beings that they are all equal to the Buddha. He wanted them to experience their awakened nature, to awaken to the true principles of the universe and to be able to live in this world free and at peace. However, sentient beings are deluded, so they still continue to flounder in the sea of cyclic existence. They still continue to replicate their ignorance and create karma. This ignorance has covered their pure wisdom.
Though the Buddha wanted to explain His state of mind to everyone, their capabilities were so limited that they could not understand at all. This is why the Buddha taught the Three Vehicles. People who only seek to awaken themselves and transcend cyclic existence must also understand why they would want to transcend cyclic existence. They should understand the principles behind it. These are Hearers and Solitary Realizers, who choose the sheep-carts and deer-carts according to the needs of their capabilities and based on what they could pull with their strength. This shows the Buddha’s wisdom, so He is described with the analogy of an elder in the world.
[This elder] had so many valuable things that would meets people’s needs, so the wealth of this elder could rival that of an entire country. He had everything that people need, everything that was valuable. Moreover, his wealth was so abundant, so full and overflowing, that he had enough to meet the needs of everyone in this world.
“The fruition of Buddhahood, the state the Buddha attained, is the state He reached after His enlightenment. This “fruit” also had its “seed”. The causal ground where He engaged in spiritual practice is the seed. A seed like that is very exquisite and wondrous, and there are so many of them; these seeds must come from fruit. You can see that within every fruit is the cause for a great tree to form. The process of the Buddha’s spiritual practice over many lifetimes involved accumulating many seeds. Across those many lifetimes, the causes created by His spiritual practice were very ample.
“That which is valuable is that which can meet all of humanity’s needs. This is like the fruition of Buddhahood. The myriad practices we form are the causes and the myriad virtues these result in are the effects. This is the perfection of blessings and wisdom.”
We are able to engage in spiritual practice in this life because of our karmic conditions. In the past life, we also had this cause. Those causes led to this effect in this lifetime. To be born human, we must have the right karmic conditions. With effects come conditions and with conditions come causes. With the seeds we cultivated in our previous lives, will we be able to bring our practice in this life to fruition? Not yet, we need to do this, life after life. The Buddha had engaged in spiritual practice. [In the presence of] 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. Lifetime after lifetime, He never stopped following Buddhas to engage in spiritual practice. There were countless Buddhas before Him. At the beginning of teaching the Lotus sutra, the Buddha had already explained the state of “a seed containing an ocean of fruits”, that it takes lifetime after lifetime of accumulating the causes for learning and practice and lifetime after lifetime of accumulating their effects. These causes and effects must be endlessly accumulated over a long time. So, “the fruition of Buddhahood” is a fruit that has ripened. The state of Buddhahood is a fruit and a stage that has already [been attained].
In the past we have discussed the stages of the Bodhisattva’s Ten Grounds. In order to attain Buddhahood, we must go through each of the Ten Grounds. Only then can we reach the fruition of Buddhahood. Because he had what was valuable, that which could meet all of humanity’s needs, this elder was like the Buddha. The Buddha was already completely mature and had reached the fruition of Buddhahood. So, “The myriad practices we form are the causes”. In order to reach this state of fruition, we must engage in myriad practices. These are the causes. To engage in myriad practices, we must first know the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links and the Six Perfections. We must thoroughly understand them over many lifetimes. “The myriad practices…are the causes.” To reach the state of fruition, first we need to have “the myriad practices [as] the causes.” We must find a way to give to others and understand the suffering in life, then understand how we came into this world and where we will go after we die. Just how did we write the script for this life in our past lives? And in this life, what do we want to do? How we want to [deal with what we] feel, etc.?
If we can understand these principles, we will be willing to go among the people to practice the Six Perfections. In our daily living, our actions must be in accord with the Dharma. Therefore, we need to first have “myriad practices as causes” in order to have “myriad virtues as effects.” Then we can perfect our cultication of both blessings and wisdom. This is symbolized by wealth.
This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing: The Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links and actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions are the practices that reveal the Tathagata-garbha. No phenomena exist outside of the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms and so on; this is the principle that reveals the Tathagata-garbha.
So, “This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.” This refers to “the Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions.” We just talked about these “No phenomenon exists outside of the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms and so on.” These phenomena we are talking about are all unconditioned Dharma and all conditioned phenomena.
All conditioned and unconditioned Dharma are within the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms. Everyone should know the Five Skandhas. The Five Skandhas are the Five Aggregates. We always chant that “The Five Aggregates are all empty in nature.” Thus we transcend confusion and delusions.” The Five Aggregates are also called the Five Skandhas.
Form, feeling, perception, action consciousness are the Five Aggregates. This is what we experience in our daily living.
The 18 Realms are the combination of the Six Roots, Six Dusts,the Six Consciousnesses. Three times six equals eighteen. This gives us the 18 Realms. These are principles.
Previously, we talked about “actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions. We must unceasingly put them into practice to return to our storehouse consciousness and purify our eighth consciousness. Then we can enter the ninth consciousness, which is the Tathagata-consciousness.Then we will be inside our pure and undefiled Tathagata-garbha.
All Dharma is inseparable from our daily living. We [need] to live in accord with principles. If we do not follow the principles and deviate from them, we will give rise to afflictions. With afflictions, the actions we take will be evil deeds. This means we have degenerated and have created karma that leads to unbearable suffering.
Everyone, in order to learn the Buddha’s Way, we need to learn how to give to others in our living and how to reach the ultimate goal of our spiritual practice. We must constantly practice the Fourfold Mindfulness, The Four Bases of Fulfilling Power and the Four Right Efforts and so on. We must clearly understand the Three Principles and Four State so that we can develop exquisite and wondrous wisdom, which is the essence of our true nature. With our every thought, we must contemplate with wisdom and give out of the strength of our hearts. We must mindfully abide in our aspirations so we can unlock our spiritual wealth.
Only with this seed, this cause, can we thoroughly understand true emptiness and wondrous existence, which is the ocean of fruits. Everyone, learning the Buddha’s Way is simple. However, it requires this correct mindset. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「四念處四種觀，微妙智慧為體；念慧觀心力量，用心安住在道。心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海。」
⊙「駕以白牛，膚色充潔，形體姝好，有大筋力，行步平正，其疾如風。又多僕從而侍衛之。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「所以者何？是大長者，財富無量，種種諸藏悉皆充溢。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙有價值能充足人類所需求，喻佛果地能成之萬行為因，而所成之萬德為果，福慧圓滿。
⊙財富無量，諸藏充溢：四諦十二緣六度萬行，約行明如來藏；一切法不出於五陰十八界等，即是約理明如來藏。
【證嚴上人開示】
「四念處四種觀，微妙智慧為體；念慧觀心力量，用心安住在道。心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海。」
四念處四種觀
微妙智慧為體
念慧觀心力量
用心安住在道
心靈財富因核
真空妙有果海
「四念處」大家都知道：要「觀身不淨，觀受是苦，觀心無常，觀法無我」。這四種要常常在我們的內心。身體是一項最不乾淨的東西，何況皮膚、肉、骨，若有哪裡受傷，所產生出來那個味道，也是很不好的味道。所以身體是最骯髒、也是最污濁的東西，卻是多少人為了身體的情、欲，所以造成了多少，人間家庭親情的悲劇。
我們要好好思量，身是不淨器，心，我們要「觀身不淨」、「觀受是苦」。我們所看到的東西，求啊求！求不得，那就很痛苦。所有日常生活，不如意的事情，那種的感受也是很辛苦，我就明明是要這樣做，但是事與我們的心意互相違背；那種的感受很不好受。
那麼，觀心是無常的，生、住、異、滅。現在很高興，一下子什麼事情，一變動了，心的意就變了。常常一句話說，「發心容易，恆心難。」我們的心無法常住，無法安住，這就是我們凡夫心多變化，所以變異無常，這個心沒辦法時時安住。
還有，我們一切法就是無常，卻是凡夫顛倒，將無常以為是常，不知道包括大乾坤，天地之間都有無常的法。所以「三理四相」，我們應該要很清楚，這是修行，我們時時向大家提起，所以「四念處四種觀」，我們要要時時好好，自自己的自身，好好觀想，時時要念「一念心」。
所以這念心是微妙，很微妙，「微妙智慧為體」。智慧那個實體，那就是真如本性，它是常住、無生無滅、永恆存在。可惜是我們凡夫還沒辦法，回歸到我們真如本性的實體來，所以我們必定要用前面，「四念處四種觀」。我們要念念在茲，所以「念慧觀心」，用智慧來觀我們的心，這股的力量才有辦法鋪平了，人間的路先鋪平，才能夠交接到我們的菩提道。所以，我們要用我們的心力，要身體力行，法在心、行如法，這樣念慧觀心的力量。
我們要用心，時時「用心安住在道」，安住在我們修行的菩提道中。其實我們人人，「心靈財富因核，真空妙有果海」。就像這次菲律賓，獨魯萬這個地方，這麼嚴重的災難(海燕颱風)，慈濟人及時進去，發揮了人人慈悲智慧的力量。有一位年輕人寫一封信，感恩慈濟能夠這麼多人，來安定他們的生活，將他們這個地區在短時間之內，已經為他們打掃得那麼乾淨，同時啟發了，他們的希望，他們的愛心。
還有在一個中學，那就是興華中學，這是我們慈濟人，第一個點去為他們做清掃，「以工代賑」將他們帶起來。其中有九位老師，他們雖然準備要復學了，他們就捐出了，他們零用錢在「竹筒」裡。其中一位老師，安娜，這位老師，代表這九位的老師，將這個「竹筒」，就拿來給慈濟，除了錢拿來捐，又拿起了麥克風、擴音機，她就拿來向大家這樣說，「竹筒歲月」，由這位老師，自動要向大家介紹慈濟的起因，是從「五毛錢」開始。將這個故事向她的鄉親說。
而後在那裡發願，發願她將來要投入慈濟，做一位傳法的人。她不是說「志工」哦，她就是做「傳法的人」，要將這個「竹筒歲月」五毛錢的故事，能夠變成了現在能夠這樣，在普天之下、地球上、國際間在救濟。想，這不就是「心靈財富」嗎？因，那顆種子，「因核」。「真空妙有」，人生雖然是無常，四大不調、禍福不知道是什麼時候，隨時都會變動。菲律賓受到這麼大的災難，卻是凝聚了大家的愛心，力量帶動起來，這個「因」，那就能瞭解，雖然被破壞的東西，有那種「妙有」，那就是愛的力量。
「愛」是我們真如本體，因為這個清淨的本性，是光明、是智慧、是永恆，它不是無常，它是永恆，那分長久含藏著，那番無量無數的果，果實，那個結果都是在，這念因的種子裡面。常常提這個「因核果海」，合抱之樹，就是出於毫芒，所以說，樹大棵了，纍纍的果實，這不是很奇妙嗎？千年的大樹，它的果實還是一樣不斷纍纍。這「因核」，因就是這麼小，毫芒那個力量，能夠發揮了，無量無數、無量無數，不可思議的力量出來，這就是我們修行要時時用心。
前面我們經文就是這樣說，那輛白牛車，白牛駕駛這輛車，那個莊嚴，能夠載人，又後面還很多很多人，這樣來侍衛。
駕以白牛
膚色充潔
形體姝好
有大筋力
行步平正
其疾如風
又多僕從而侍衛之
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這我們昨天說過了。佛法只要你用心，要轉法輪，受法、轉法輪，自然也能度很多的眾生，從後面「前行後繼」，不斷這樣繼承下去。這是要我們要有承擔，傳承這個法，所以能夠轉法輪。
所以下面這段(經)文就說了，「所以者何？是大長者，財富無量，種種諸藏悉皆充溢。」
所以者何
是大長者
財富無量
種種諸藏
悉皆充溢
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為這位長者，他財富很多很多，無量！要給他的豈是，只有這一點點而已？不是，是要全部。所以，就像佛陀他要教導眾生，就是教導人人，與佛同等，那個覺性，要讓人人能夠體會得到，能夠覺悟天地宇宙之間的真理，能夠在天下間，這種安然自在的生活。
卻是眾生迷，還是這樣浮沉在生死海中，還是同樣這種，無明反覆複製在造業。這種的無明遮蓋掉了，清淨的智慧，所以，佛陀若要將他的心境，說給大家知道，但是境界，那個根機差很遠，根本沒辦法瞭解，所以就要開三乘法。獨善其身、了脫生死，也要瞭解為什麼要了脫生死？要讓他知道這些道理。
這就是聲聞、緣覺，那就是羊車、鹿車，應他們的根機所需要，應他們的力量能夠拉的車。這就是佛陀的智慧、譬喻，譬喻世間的長者。
所以這世間有價值、很充足，人類所需求。這位長者的財富，已經是這麼的富能敵國，天底下所需要，有價值的東西，這位長者都不欠缺，而且很豐富，非常充溢、很足夠，能夠普及給，天下人所要求的。佛果地，佛的果地，那就是佛陀成佛之後，他這個「果」成也要有「因」，佛陀修行的因地是「因核」，就是那個很微妙那個種子，是很多很多。有種就有核，你看哪一顆果實之內，不是有那分成大樹的「因」存在呢？佛陀修行的過程，是這樣累生累世，粒粒的種子，那就是累生累世，他所修行的那個含藏的因，非常充足，那個因。
有價值
能充足人類所需求
喻佛果地
能成之萬行為因
而所成之萬德為果
福慧圓滿
我們這輩子能夠修行，是因為有緣，過去生中我們也是有這個因，那個因引來，這輩子這個果，我們做人，我們還有這個緣——果中帶緣，緣中帶因。
這樣是不是上輩子修的因，這輩子修的果，這樣就成了嗎？還沒，我們就要生生世世。因為佛陀在修行，過去二萬(日月)燈明佛，他生生世世還是不斷，隨著佛世，不斷修行。還有過去無量數(佛)，這就是在講《法華經》的開頭，就已經講出了「因核果海」那個境界，是一輩子經過一輩子，不斷累積這個因——修學的因，不斷累積他的生生世世的果實，這種因、果，是要長期不斷累積。
所以，譬喻「佛果地」，已經結果了；成佛的境界已經，「果」與「地」已經(成就)。我們過去也說「菩薩十地」，我們要成佛就要經過十地行，到最後才能夠到達成佛的果地。所以，有價(值) ，能充足人類所需求，這個大長者就如佛，已經很成熟了，而且果地，登這個成佛的果地了，所以「能成萬行為因」，你要到這個果地，必定要萬行，這就是因。
萬行，我們先要有「四諦、十二因緣、六度行」，這樣我們都要很透徹，累生累世。所以「萬行為因」，這個果地就是要，前面要先有「能成之萬行為因」，你要有辦法去付出，要去瞭解人生苦難，然後去瞭解我們，生從何來？死何趣向？到底我們這一輩子，過去的劇本如何寫，這一輩子的人生，要如何走？我們所感受到等等，我們若全都瞭解了，我們就很甘願走入人群中，去行六度，日常的行為要如法行中。所以，我們要先有「萬行之因」，才有辦法成就「萬德之果」，這樣就能夠「福慧圓滿」。這就是表示財富。
財富無量
諸藏充溢：
四諦十二緣
六度萬行
約行明如來藏
一切法不出於
五陰十八界等
，即是約理明如來藏
所以這個「財富無量，諸藏充溢」。那就是「四諦、十二因緣、六度萬行」，剛才說過了。「一切法不出於五陰十八界」等等的法，這個一切法，一切「無為法」，一切「有為法」，有為、無為法，無不都是在這個五陰十八界。
五陰，大家應該知道，五陰就是五蘊。常常在念「五蘊皆空」、「遠離顛倒妄想」，這種的五蘊：也可以叫做五陰，我們這個色、受、想、行、識，這五瘟，也是在我們的日常生活中。所以「五陰十八界」，那就是根，六根、六塵、六識(和合)，三六，十八，那叫做十八界，這是就是道理。
前面「六度萬行」，那就是行，我們就要行，不斷去身體力行，回歸我們的藏識──第八藏識就清淨了，那就入第九識，就是如來識，就在我們，清淨無染如來藏的裡面。
一切法無不都是，在我們日常生活中，生活就是在如理中。假使我們若是不順道理，與道理脫了軌道，若這樣，我們就是複製煩惱，而複製煩惱所行動的，就是惡法，惡就是墮落、造業，苦不堪啊！
各位，學佛就是要，在日常生活中，如何去付出？怎麼樣能夠到達，我們真正修行的目標？必定要時時，「四念處」、「四如意足」、「四正勤」這些法；「三理四相」我們要很清楚，才能夠非常微妙的智慧，為我們真如的本體，我們瞭解要念念觀慧，在這個心的力量去付出，用心安住我們修行的道心，才能夠啟開了心靈的財富，這個種子，「因核」，才能夠透徹了真空妙有的「果海」。
各位，學佛是簡單，但是也就要有這念心，所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: See the Buddha-nature in the Fourfold Mindfulness (觀四念處明如來藏)
Date: May.22. 2015
“The Fourfold Mindfulness teaches four methods of contemplation. Its essence is wondrous and subtle wisdom. With the strength that comes from contemplating the mind with wisdom, we enable our minds to abide on the path. This spiritual wealth is the seed. True emptiness and wondrous existence is the ocean of fruits.”
You all know the Fourfold Mindfulness. We must “contemplate the body as impure, contemplate all feelings as suffering, contemplate the mind as impermanent” and “contemplate all things as being without a self.” We should constantly engage in these four types of contemplation. The body is a most unclean object. Furthermore, if our skin, flesh or bones are damaged anywhere, the wound may give off a foul odor. Therefore, the body is very unclean and filled with many impurities. However, to satisfy the cravings and desires that arise from this body, people take many actions that result in family tragedies. We need to carefully think about how the body is an impure vessel. With our minds, we should “contemplate the body as impure” and “contemplate all feelings as suffering.” When we pursue the things we see and cannot get what we want, it is very painful. When things do not go the way we want in our daily living, we also experience suffering. When we clearly want things to go a certain way but what happens is the opposite of what we intended, it is very hard to deal with. We must also contemplate the mind as impermanent; thoughts arise, abide, change and cease. We can be very happy right now, but if something suddenly changes, our state of mind will change.
We constantly say, “Forming aspirations is easy, persevering in them is hard.” Our minds cannot always abide in the same state and always remain peaceful. This is because the minds of we ordinary people are constantly changing. Due to their impermanent nature, our minds cannot abide peacefully at all times.
Moreover, all things are impermanent, but we ordinary people are confused, mistaking impermanence for permanence. We may not realize that in the universe and in this world, everything in impermanent. So, we must clearly understand the Three Principles and Four States; that is part of spiritual practice. We constantly mention these to everybody.
So, “The Fourfold Mindfulness teaches four methods of contemplation.” We need to earnestly reflect upon ourselves. We must constantly cultivate our minds. The mind is very subtle and wondrous. “Its essence is wondrous and subtle wisdom.” The essence of our wisdom is our nature of True Suchness, which abides permanently; it does not arise or cease and is always present. Unfortunately, we ordinary people have not yet returned to our essence, our nature of True Suchness. Therefore, we must make use of the “Fourfold Mindfulness, [which] teaches four methods of contemplation.” Our every thought must be on what we are doing. So, we must “contemplate the mind with wisdom.” Only by using wisdom to contemplate our minds will we have the strength to pave a smooth road in this world that connects with the Bodhi-path.
We must use the strength of our minds to put the teachings into practice. When the Dharma is in our hearts and there is Dharma in our actions, contemplating our minds with wisdom gives us this strength. We need to be mindful so that “we enable our minds to abide on the path,” on the Bodhi-path we are practicing.
Indeed, in every one of us, “This spiritual wealth is the seed. True emptiness and wondrous existence is the ocean of fruits.”
Recently in the Philippines, after Tacloban suffered a tremendous disaster, Tzu Chi volunteers rushed there right away and exercised the power of their intrinsic compassion and wisdom.
There was a young man who wrote a letter to us, expressing his gratitude to all the Tzu Chi volunteers for helping to stabilize their lives.Not only did the Tzu Chi volunteers help clean up the disaster areas in such a short period of time, they had also inspired hope and love in the survivors.
There was a school there called.Leyte Progressive High School.This was the first site we had helped clean up.
Through the “cash for work” program, we mobilized the local population.
During this process, there were nine teachers who, though they were preparing to start school again, put all of their spare change into bamboo banks.One of the teachers was named Anna.She represented all these teachers in presenting the bamboo banks to Tzu Chi.
In addition to bringing the donation, Anna also picked up the microphone and, over the loud speaker, shared with everyone the spirit of the bamboo banks.This teacher, on her own initiative, in traduced the origins of Tzu Chi, how it started with donations of 50 cents.
After she told this story to the townspeople, she vowed to get involved in Tzu Chi and be a person who spreads the Dharma.She did not say she would become a volunteer, but “a person who spreads the Dharma” to share this spirit of the bamboo banks and the story about the 50 cents, which now allows us today to be able to provide relief and assistance to countries all over the world.
See, isn’t this spiritual wealth?This cause is a “seed”.As for “true emptiness and wondrous existence, “this life is impermanent and the four elements are out of balance.
No one knows when disasters or blessings may appear; everything is constantly changing.
The Philippines suffered this tremendous disaster but it brought everyone’s love together and mobilized their strength.From this cause we can understand that even things that are destroyed can give rise to “wondrous existence,” which is the power of love.
Love is the essence of True Suchness.Our pure intrinsic nature is radiant, wise and everlasting.It is not impermanent; it is everlasting.For a long time it has contained infinite and countless fruits.These fruits were born from the seeds of causes.
We always say, “A seed contains an ocean of fruits”.A thick-trunked tree starts as a tiny seed.Isn’t a giant tree heavy-laden with fruits such an incredible thing?
A giant tree, after 1000 years, can still continue to bear many fruits.However, these end that gave rise to it was so small.Though small, it unleashed a boundless, infinite and inconceivable strength.This is why, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must always be mindful.
The previous sutra passage discussed how the cart drawn by the great white ox was magnificent and could carry many people.Many people also followed the cart as guards.
Pulling these carts were white oxen, their skin completely clean, their figures pleasing, their bodies powerful.They walked straight and smoothly, swiftly like the wind.And there were many attendants guarding each.
As we discussed yesterday, if we can mindfully learn the Buddha-Dharma, then when we accept the Dharma and turn the Dharma-wheel, we will naturally be able to transform many beings.When people in front practice, the people in the back will pass it on.This requires us to shoulder the responsibility for transmitting the Dharma.
So, we must turn the Dharma-wheel.
The next sutra passage states, “Why was this so? This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.” “Why was this so? This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.”
Because this elder had infinite wealth, how could he just give his children a tiny bit of his wealth? No, he wanted to give them everything. So, he is like the Buddha, who wanted to teach sentient beings that they are all equal to the Buddha. He wanted them to experience their awakened nature, to awaken to the true principles of the universe and to be able to live in this world free and at peace. However, sentient beings are deluded, so they still continue to flounder in the sea of cyclic existence. They still continue to replicate their ignorance and create karma. This ignorance has covered their pure wisdom.
Though the Buddha wanted to explain His state of mind to everyone, their capabilities were so limited that they could not understand at all. This is why the Buddha taught the Three Vehicles. People who only seek to awaken themselves and transcend cyclic existence must also understand why they would want to transcend cyclic existence. They should understand the principles behind it. These are Hearers and Solitary Realizers, who choose the sheep-carts and deer-carts according to the needs of their capabilities and based on what they could pull with their strength. This shows the Buddha’s wisdom, so He is described with the analogy of an elder in the world.
[This elder] had so many valuable things that would meets people’s needs, so the wealth of this elder could rival that of an entire country. He had everything that people need, everything that was valuable. Moreover, his wealth was so abundant, so full and overflowing, that he had enough to meet the needs of everyone in this world.
“The fruition of Buddhahood, the state the Buddha attained, is the state He reached after His enlightenment. This “fruit” also had its “seed”. The causal ground where He engaged in spiritual practice is the seed. A seed like that is very exquisite and wondrous, and there are so many of them; these seeds must come from fruit. You can see that within every fruit is the cause for a great tree to form. The process of the Buddha’s spiritual practice over many lifetimes involved accumulating many seeds. Across those many lifetimes, the causes created by His spiritual practice were very ample.
“That which is valuable is that which can meet all of humanity’s needs. This is like the fruition of Buddhahood. The myriad practices we form are the causes and the myriad virtues these result in are the effects. This is the perfection of blessings and wisdom.”
We are able to engage in spiritual practice in this life because of our karmic conditions. In the past life, we also had this cause. Those causes led to this effect in this lifetime. To be born human, we must have the right karmic conditions. With effects come conditions and with conditions come causes. With the seeds we cultivated in our previous lives, will we be able to bring our practice in this life to fruition? Not yet, we need to do this, life after life. The Buddha had engaged in spiritual practice. [In the presence of] 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. Lifetime after lifetime, He never stopped following Buddhas to engage in spiritual practice. There were countless Buddhas before Him. At the beginning of teaching the Lotus sutra, the Buddha had already explained the state of “a seed containing an ocean of fruits”, that it takes lifetime after lifetime of accumulating the causes for learning and practice and lifetime after lifetime of accumulating their effects. These causes and effects must be endlessly accumulated over a long time. So, “the fruition of Buddhahood” is a fruit that has ripened. The state of Buddhahood is a fruit and a stage that has already [been attained].
In the past we have discussed the stages of the Bodhisattva’s Ten Grounds. In order to attain Buddhahood, we must go through each of the Ten Grounds. Only then can we reach the fruition of Buddhahood. Because he had what was valuable, that which could meet all of humanity’s needs, this elder was like the Buddha. The Buddha was already completely mature and had reached the fruition of Buddhahood. So, “The myriad practices we form are the causes”. In order to reach this state of fruition, we must engage in myriad practices. These are the causes. To engage in myriad practices, we must first know the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links and the Six Perfections. We must thoroughly understand them over many lifetimes. “The myriad practices…are the causes.” To reach the state of fruition, first we need to have “the myriad practices [as] the causes.” We must find a way to give to others and understand the suffering in life, then understand how we came into this world and where we will go after we die. Just how did we write the script for this life in our past lives? And in this life, what do we want to do? How we want to [deal with what we] feel, etc.?
If we can understand these principles, we will be willing to go among the people to practice the Six Perfections. In our daily living, our actions must be in accord with the Dharma. Therefore, we need to first have “myriad practices as causes” in order to have “myriad virtues as effects.” Then we can perfect our cultication of both blessings and wisdom. This is symbolized by wealth.
This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing: The Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links and actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions are the practices that reveal the Tathagata-garbha. No phenomena exist outside of the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms and so on; this is the principle that reveals the Tathagata-garbha.
So, “This great elder had infinite wealth. All his storehouses were full and overflowing.” This refers to “the Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions.” We just talked about these “No phenomenon exists outside of the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms and so on.” These phenomena we are talking about are all unconditioned Dharma and all conditioned phenomena.
All conditioned and unconditioned Dharma are within the Five Skandhas, 18 Realms. Everyone should know the Five Skandhas. The Five Skandhas are the Five Aggregates. We always chant that “The Five Aggregates are all empty in nature.” Thus we transcend confusion and delusions.” The Five Aggregates are also called the Five Skandhas.
Form, feeling, perception, action consciousness are the Five Aggregates. This is what we experience in our daily living.
The 18 Realms are the combination of the Six Roots, Six Dusts,the Six Consciousnesses. Three times six equals eighteen. This gives us the 18 Realms. These are principles.
Previously, we talked about “actualizing the Six Perfections in all actions. We must unceasingly put them into practice to return to our storehouse consciousness and purify our eighth consciousness. Then we can enter the ninth consciousness, which is the Tathagata-consciousness.Then we will be inside our pure and undefiled Tathagata-garbha.
All Dharma is inseparable from our daily living. We [need] to live in accord with principles. If we do not follow the principles and deviate from them, we will give rise to afflictions. With afflictions, the actions we take will be evil deeds. This means we have degenerated and have created karma that leads to unbearable suffering.
Everyone, in order to learn the Buddha’s Way, we need to learn how to give to others in our living and how to reach the ultimate goal of our spiritual practice. We must constantly practice the Fourfold Mindfulness, The Four Bases of Fulfilling Power and the Four Right Efforts and so on. We must clearly understand the Three Principles and Four State so that we can develop exquisite and wondrous wisdom, which is the essence of our true nature. With our every thought, we must contemplate with wisdom and give out of the strength of our hearts. We must mindfully abide in our aspirations so we can unlock our spiritual wealth.
Only with this seed, this cause, can we thoroughly understand true emptiness and wondrous existence, which is the ocean of fruits. Everyone, learning the Buddha’s Way is simple. However, it requires this correct mindset. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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