20150527《靜思妙蓮華》慈父愛子無偏黨 (第574集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「人初之性本善，童幼純真無染，慈父愛子無偏，大覺同圓種智。」
⊙「今此幼童皆是吾子，愛無偏黨。我有如是七寶大車，其數無量，應當等心，各各與之，不宜差別。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙喻眾生同具出世無漏種子，同聞佛法，同起於行，即皆平等同為佛子，故應以慈悲平等心各與以大乘。
【證嚴上人開示】
「人初之性本善，童幼純真無染，慈父愛子無偏，大覺同圓種智。」
人初之性本善
童幼純真無染
慈父愛子無偏
大覺同圓種智
常常說，「人之初，性本善」。這念清淨的本性，也就是我們與生俱來，只是我們一直都是凡夫，凡夫，六道輪迴、煩惱複製，所以人初之性慢慢受污染了。
不過，每一個人生下來最初那時候，那個本性的善念，天真、活潑。還是同樣在童年之時，所以「童幼純真無染」，還未受染著，過去的習氣，還未再慢慢回來之前，很幼稚的時代，那就是無染著。這個慈父父親對孩子，孩子小，父親面對著孩子，可愛啊！所以幼童的孩子，受到父母的疼愛，這是天經地義。因為孩子年幼，天真無邪，父母對孩子，就是那分親情的愛，所以這就是無偏，這是最純、最真的時代。
不過，未來人間，環境的變化，慢慢家庭，或者是外面的朋友，就是慢慢來薰習我們，清淨的本性慢慢地薰習，就慢慢遠離了，我們清淨這念無染的本性。就漸漸一直遠離，遠離了，就接近了無明，接近了過去的因緣，所帶來那個習氣，又是再會合，所以，因為這樣，對家庭的感情、對外面的朋友，就慢慢這樣被牽引出去了。所以需要的是大覺，「大覺同圓種智」，那就是要有這位慈父，用智慧的愛，如何來教育他的孩子，也需要這個孩子與父親，有緣、有情，所以這分覺有情的愛，能夠時時會合著，這也就是因與緣。
我們在慈濟裡面，不也就是常常看到這樣嗎？有的老人，一輩子勞苦，為家庭付出，為子女不顧一切，這樣辛苦為家庭經營。孩子慢慢長大，孩子，各人都有不同個性，無不都是讓父母煩憂、操心。最後，就是孤老無依，或者兩老相依，一人病，一人顧，或者是兩人都病了，無人照顧，或者是一輩子孤單一人，像這種人生也是很多。
常常聽到，老人牽著慈濟人的手，這樣牽得緊緊的，不捨得放，說：「他比我的孩子更好，比我的親人還要親，很照顧我，我也隨他在做環保，我現在很快樂了，我沒煩沒憂了。」也有這樣的。
也有年輕的，他小時候家境變化，或者是父母不賢，所以孩子沒有受到父母的疼惜，家庭不斷折磨，一直到了這個孩子流浪在外面，或者是做了很不好的事情，受法律制裁。監獄裡面，青少年不少，還是有一群人間菩薩，慈濟人走入監獄去，用盡方法如何將這些少年，未成年的孩子，要如,何淨化，年輕的心態能夠將他導向正確。
就像這樣，這次我在外面行腳，屏東有一群年輕的人，這樣有慈濟人陪伴來了，每一個人都是眉清目秀，男孩子很英俊、很年輕，這樣排整齊坐在前面。年輕人很勇敢，說了他的過去的人生，說了他的家庭的異常，父母的情形。這樣，讓這個孩子的心恨，恨家庭；恨，恨父母，所以他就故意變壞，就這樣去和這些，很多不務正業的人在一起，後來，不論是販毒、吸毒、或者是去賭博，一直長大之後，就開始去強盜、搶人。無奇不有，打架、殺人、搶人，喝酒、賭博都有，所以，在很年輕，就進進出出(監獄)，一直到被判重刑。
這樣，慈濟人進去了，從這樣開始陪伴，帶他讀書、「入經藏」，這樣一直一直接觸，接觸到孩子從內心淨化了，從這樣開始素食了，規矩變好了，如規蹈矩，在監獄裡面成為典範，懂得做好事，願意幫助人，很勤快等等。所以自己內心發願，這樣出來之後就學得很好。回去向父母懺悔，跪在父母的面前。父母也陪他來，來到我的面前，這樣叩頭，父母也陪他來，來到我的面前，父母就說：「感恩，感恩師父，您們的慈濟，將我們的孩子又帶回來了。」
「其實他就是很不孝，什麼事情都做，所以和我們斷絕了，十多年的親情。這次回來，他這樣向我們跪拜、懺悔了。」我就再問他一次，說：「現在乖嗎？」「很乖，每天都奉茶給我。」父親、母親都同聲這樣說。我說：「是不是那一天回來懺悔那天，奉茶給你而已？」他說：「不是，每天早上，一直到現在，整年了。」每天按時出門，照時間回家，每天早上向父母請安、奉茶，(再)出門。
這是其中的一個。十幾個之中，就有十幾個故事。那個轉變，人生的開頭是逆向的人生，但是有那個因緣，就能夠遇到善知識，如父、如師，這樣到監獄去教他、去疼他、去引導他，能夠讓他脫離了監獄。同時最重要的，是脫離了心靈的牢獄，自己將心打開了，見到自然、自由的光芒，回歸了他心靈這個天真的本性。
所以「慈父愛子無偏」，其實，這分的好緣，前後所接觸到的，無不都是清淨法、清淨的愛。清淨的愛付出，那就是亦父亦師，這樣這麼的純真無染，這如父子至親的情，那分的付出。
我們眾生在佛陀的心目中，就像初生幼子一般，佛陀用那分慈父的愛，來愛初生幼子，所以他永遠沒有將我們放棄，我們永遠也依教奉行。所以，若能夠這樣，「大覺同圓種智」，我們可以再回歸清淨的本性，我們能夠與佛法會合真如本性。這就是我們應該要知道，回歸我們的人初之性。
所以，前面那些，應該大家很熟了，長者的財富無量，用種種的法、種種的財物來誘引他的孩子，誘引眾生脫離了三界火宅，希望人人都是接受到的，是大白牛車，讓人人可以在這個很大、康莊的大路，很穩當地這樣向前前進，這是菩薩道。
下面接下來這段(經)文說，「今此幼童皆是吾子，愛無偏黨。我有如是七寶大車，其數無量，應當等心，各各與之，不宜差別。」
今此幼童皆是吾子
愛無偏黨
我有如是七寶大車
其數無量
應當等心
各各與之
不宜差別
《法華經譬喻品第三》
應當用平等心，這樣一一都給他們，「不宜差別」。這和剛才說的不就是一樣嗎？佛陀對眾生，就像在看幼小的孩子一樣，將這些孩子，像父親在抱孩子一樣，那種的心情。不論孩子如何的壞，在那裡跑來跑去，父親一直呼喚他，母親一直去招呼他，孩子還是在裡面亂跑、爬高爬低，父母還是很耐心，輕聲細語，抱在身上。這就是世間，我們眾生性難調難伏，佛陀，或者是世間慈父，不就是一樣這樣疼惜。
凡夫懵懂不知法，所以佛陀就用這樣的心，殷殷善誘，所以，愛，要這些孩子無偏差。佛陀用四十多年的時間，要將這些根機愈整愈齊。一直到四十二年後，開始就是說《法華經》，希望任何一個眾生、弟子，都能夠聽到。若不在這個時候說，已經沒有時間了。
喻眾生
同具出世無漏種子
同聞佛法
同起於行
即皆平等同為佛子
故應以慈悲平等心
各與以大乘
人生對佛陀而言也有無奈的，也是知道，還有這麼多人還在懵懂中，卻是這個大法也是要說呀！所以，他就有羊車、鹿車、大白牛車，這可見在佛陀說《法華經》這個時代，還是這麼懵懂的小乘人，還不少，三分之二還是停滯在，羊車、鹿車的環境中。所以，這就是眾生所以苦，在六道中這樣不斷在輪迴。這全都是幼童，佛陀他就這樣說「皆是吾子」，「愛無偏黨」。就說，「我有如是七寶大車，其數無量」。
佛陀所說的法很多，卻是真實的法，佛陀有限的時間，也沒辦法向這種，根機不整齊的眾生，要適應讓眾生，佛陀有一個時間，到了晚年之時，有一段時間身體不好，就告訴阿難：「阿難，佛的壽命與人間相同，不過，佛的壽命也可以很長。假如若需要我再住世一劫，我有那個能力可以住世一劫，要有人間這個緣。是不是需要我再住世長久，一劫的時間？」佛陀三次問阿難，對阿難這樣說，但是阿難那個時候並沒有回答佛陀。
所以天人，就是梵天，魔王趁機而入，就說：「你過去曾經說過，你的化緣若盡，就要取入涅槃。現在世間的緣與你盡了，你現在應該要入涅槃之時了。」所以，佛陀從這樣開始，我人間化緣盡了，就這樣受限在(人壽)八十。要不然，依佛陀的力、願力，他的世間緣再需延續，自然他可以長住世間。不過，那個因緣錯過了。
後來，迦葉將要結集經典的時候，向阿難責問的時候，問阿難：「那個時候為何你不反應，請佛住世？」阿難很懊惱說：「那時候我聽佛陀這樣說，我很想要回答，不過我的心，好像被魔將我控制住了，我沒辦法回答。」
這我們也可以知道，世間的業力就是這樣，「道高一寸，魔高一丈」，所以魔王控制不住佛，但是控制了阿難的心。所以佛陀他的時間不夠了，沒辦法將所有的眾生，親自一一讓他們體悟，沒辦法一一了解大乘的道理，所以他只好八十(歲) ，就要取入滅。所以，(講)《法華》是七年的時間，所以佛陀已經到了七十多歲了，才開始講《法華經》。
他提前向舍利弗授記了。這就是佛陀，要讓舍利弗承擔起這個僧團。因為，僧團相信，舍利弗能體悟佛法，而且舍利弗是智慧第一，舍利弗都能夠信服了，何況是大家呢？這是佛陀的用意，用智慧，智慧第一的舍利弗做當機者，才會向舍利弗第一個授記。
這是「愛無偏黨」，<授記品>對更多人授記。甚至連跟他對頭的提婆達多，連這樣，佛陀也授記。調皮的孩子，或者是乖巧的，無不都是佛陀的孩子，所以他用這樣慈父疼子的心，來愛天下眾生，所以說，「皆是吾子，愛無偏黨」。
因為佛陀還有很多很多的法，雖然無法在那個時候(說)，來不及。不過，前面我們說過了，不論是「四諦」、「十二因緣」、「六度」法，無不都是大法，無不都是真實法。天地宇宙之間，宇宙的所有物質的本體，都有它的法、它的道理存在。總是我們學佛，真的要時時用心，有很多的法，在我們的日常生活中。我們若時時用心，回歸童真，佛陀如何教，我們如何來接受，若這樣，總有一天，我們也是能夠，能夠「大覺同圓種智」，我們的覺悟，也是能夠與佛同等。
各位菩薩，回歸清淨如來的本性，守在「人初之性」，那個「本善」，像「童幼純真無染」的心。我們有「慈父愛子無偏」，所以我們用心接受，不要懷疑。人與人之間這個感情要珍惜，要像法子在傳法，像家屬的父子在傳承家業，要這樣，我們就能夠得到法喜充滿，法無邊際，「大覺同圓種智」。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Kind Father Loves His Children Impartially (慈父愛子無偏黨)
Date: May.27. 2015
“Human nature is originally good. Children are pure, innocent and uncontaminated. The kind father loves all his children equally, so they reach the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.”
I often say, “Human nature is inherently good.” This pure intrinsic nature is what we were born with, but we have remained unenlightened. We have transmigrated in the Six Realms and reproduced our afflictions, so our inherent goodness has slowly been contaminated. However, right after we were born, at the very beginning of our life, we maintain that inherent goodness, that innocence and liveliness. This is also what we are like in our childhood.
So, “Children are pure, innocent, uncontaminated.” As children, we have not yet been contaminated, and our past habitual tendencies have not yet resurfaced. When we are very young, we are uncontaminated. When a kind father interacts with his young children, he finds them adorable. Thus young children are loved and adored by their parents; this is very natural. When children are young, they are innocent and without guile, so parents have great affection for them. Of course, this affection is impartial. Childhood is the time when people are most pure and innocent.
But as the world and the environment change, our family members or our friends slowly and gradually influence and change us. Our originally pure natures have slowly become influenced. So, we have gradually become distant from our pure and undefiled nature; slowly, we grow further from it. The farther we are from it, the closer we are to ignorance and the closer to the habitual tendencies that we brought along with our past [karma] converging again with us. So because of this, we are slowly pulled away from our relationships with our family and with our friends. Thus, what we need is a great awakening, “so [we] reach the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.” So, there must be a kind father to teach his children with wisdom and love.
This father and his children must also have an affinity and affection. Then this awakened love will constantly bring them together. This is the working of causes and conditions. In Tzu Chi, don’t we often hear stories like this? There are old people who labored their entire lives to provide for their families. They did all they could for their children and worked hard to support them. As their children grew older, they each developed different personalities, causing their parents to be worried and anxious. Ultimately, the parents may end up alone, or may only have each other. One may fall ill so the other becomes the caregiver. Or both may fall ill, with no one left to help either of them. Perhaps one is left to grow old and die alone. We hear many stories like this.
We often hear about old people holding the hands of Tzu Chi volunteers and squeezing them tight, unwilling to let go, saying, “The volunteers treat me better than my children. I feel closer to them that I do to my own family. They take good care of me and I also join them in doing recycling work. I feel very happy now. I have no troubles or worries.”
We hear many stories like this. There are also young people who grew up under difficult conditions. Perhaps they had irresponsible parents who did not love and care for them. They were tormented at home until they finally ran away.Perhaps they ended up doing something illegal, and were punished by the law.
In the jails, there are many young people.There is a group of Living Bodhisattvas, Tzu Chi volunteers, who go into the jails.They do everything they can to help these youths, who are not yet adults, to bring purity to their minds and guide them to develop the correct mindsets.
One time, when I was traveling around Taiwan, a group of young men came to see me in Pingtung.They were accompanied by Tzu Chi volunteers.Every one of them had delicate features; they were very handsome and very young.They sat up straight in the front row.
One of the young men was very brave.He talked about the kind of life he had once led, the problems his family faced and what his parents were like.This was the reason that this child became hateful.He hated his family.He hated his parents.
Therefore, he intentionally behaved badly and began to associate himself with people who did not engage in honest work.Eventually, he did everything from selling drugs, to taking drugs, to gambling.When he was elder, he began to steal and to rob people.He did unbelievable things.He got into fights, robbed people, and drank gambled and even assaulted people.So, from a very young age, he was in and out of prison.
Eventually he received a very harsh sentence.When Tzu Chi volunteers went into the jail, they began to keep him company.They taught him to read and to study the Dharma.Through their constant interactions, he gradually began to purify his mind.This led him to become vegetarian and more well-behaved.He followed the rules and became a model prisoner.
He did good deeds, was willing to help others and was very earnest and diligent.This [behavior] came from the vows he made, so after he was released from jail, he became well-behaved.He repented his ways in front of his parents.He knelt before them and kowtowed.His parents came with him to see me.
They said, “We are grateful. We are grateful to you, Master, because Tzu Chi had led our child back to us. He used to be very unofficial. He did all kinds of [bad] things, and he had cut off his relationship with us for more than ten years. When he came home this time, he knelt before us and repented his way.”
I asked them again, “Is he well-behaved now?”“Very much so. Every day he brings us tea.”Both his father and mother said the same thing.
I asked, “Did he only bring you tea on the day he came home and repented?”They said”No. he does this every morning; he has done this for an entire year so far.”
Every day he leaves the house at the same time and comes home at the same time.Every morning he greets his parents and serves them tea before leaving the house.
This is the story from one of those young men.
Out of the more than ten young men, there were as many stories of lives that have been changed.Though things began unfavorably for them, they had the karmic conditions to encounter spiritual friends who served as their fathers, their teachers, who went into the jail to teach them, care for them and guide them.These volunteers helped them to be freed from jail.
At the same time, most importantly, they were freed from the prison of their own minds.When these men opened up their own hearts, they saw the natural radiance within themselves and returned to their original state of innocence.
“The kind father loves all his children equally.”In fact, with good karmic conditions, everything we encounter will be pure Dharma, and everyone we meet will have pure love.
Those who give out of pure love are like parents and like teachers.This is because they give out of affection as dear as that between father and son, one that is pure and undefiled.
To the Buddha, we sentient beings are like newborns.He loves us the way a kind father loves a newborn child.So, He will never abandon us, and we must always practice according to the teachings.By doing this, we will have “the same all-encompassing wisdom” as the Great Enlightened One”. We are return to our pure intrinsic nature. With the Buddha-Dharma we can converge with our nature of True Suchness. This is what we must understand in order to return to our inherent nature.
Everyone should be familiar with the earlier text. The elder had unlimited wealth, and he used various methods and various treasures to draw his children out of the burning house of the Three Realms. He hoped everyone would choose the cart drawn by the great white ox, which would help everyone to travel the bright and broad path and move forward steadily. This is the Bodhisattva-path. Then the following sutra passage states,
“Now, these young children are all my children, and I love them all impartially. I have these great carts covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number. I should give them to each [child] with an impartial mind so that they are not treated differently.”
The elder wanted to be impartial when he gave them [his treasures], so that they are not treated differently”. Isn’t this what we just discussed? The Buddha sees sentient beings as if they were His young children. His feelings for them are like that of a father holding a young child. It does not matter how badly children behave. When they are running around all over the place though their father keeps calling to them and their mother tries to give them directions, the children continue to run around wildly, climbing up and down. Still, their parents remain very patient. Speaking softly, they hold them close. This is how the world is. We sentient beings are hard to train, but the Buddha, or the kind father of the world, still loves us no matter what. We are confused and do not understand the Dharma. Therefore, the Buddha patiently guides us. With love, He treats us all equally. The Buddha spent more than 40 years helping sentient beings become equal in their capabilities. Only after 42 years had passed did He teach the Lotus Sutra. He hoped that all sentient beings and disciples would be able to hear this teaching. If He had not taught it then, He would have run out of time.
“This is an analogy for how sentient beings equally possess transcendent, flawless seeds, equally listen to the Dharma and equally put it into practice. Thus we are all equally the Buddha’s children. So, the Buddha, with impartial compassion, gives each the Great Vehicle teachings.”
The Buddha could not change [His limited lifespan] so He understood that though many people were still in a confused daze, He had to teach the Great Vehicle Dharma. Therefore, he provided sheep-carts, deer-carts and ox-carts. From this we can clearly see that when the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, there were still many consumed Small Vehicle practitioners. Two out of three people were still stuck at the state of the sheep-cart or deer-cart. This is why sentient beings are suffering. They are constantly trapped in cyclic existence in the Six Realms. Thus they were like children.
The Buddha feels that “[These] are all my children, and I love them all impartially”. Thus He said, “I have these great carts covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number”. The Buddha gave many teachings. But when He taught the True Dharma, He had very limited time so He could not explain it according to all the varying capabilities of sentient beings. For a period of time in His old age, the Buddha was in poor health. He told Ananda, “Ananda, the lifespan of Buddha is similar to that of humans. However, Buddhas can live for a long time. If I am needed to stay here for one kalpa, I have the ability to do so. This depends on my affinities with this world. Do the people need me to stay here longer, for the period of one kalpa?” The Buddha asked Ananda this three times in the same way.
However, at that time, Ananda did not answer the Buddha. So, heavenly beings, King Brahma and King Mara stepped in and said, “You have said in the past that once Your affinities with this world have ended, You would enter Parinirvana. Since Your affinities with it have ended, You should enter Parinirvana right now”. This was when the Buddha decided, “My conditions for transforming this world have ended, so He limited Himself to 80 years”. Otherwise, with the power of the Buddha’s vows, if He had needed to extend His time here, He could have lived in this world a long time. But Ananda missed that opportunity.
Later, as Kasyapa was about to compile the sutras, he reproached Ananda for this. He asked Ananda, “At that time, why didn’t you respond by asking the Buddha to stay?” Deeply upset, Ananda said, “When I heard the Buddha ask the question, I really wanted to respond.” “But I felt as if Mara was controlling my mind. I could not answer.” From this we learn that this was the karma of the people in this world. “Those advanced in spiritual practice may still be influenced by maras.” King Mara could not control the Buddha, but he could control Ananda’s mind. Therefore, the Buddha did not have enough time to personally teach every sentient being and help each one understand and realize the principles of the Great Vehicle. At the age of 80, the Buddha had to enter Parinirvana.
He had been teaching the Lotus Sutra for seven years. So, the Buddha was in His 70s when He began expounding the Lotus Sutra.
He had already bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood upon Sariputra. The Buddha did this because He wanted Sariputra to take responsibility for the Sangha. This was because the Sangha believed that Sariputra could realize the Buddha-Dharma. Moreover, Sariputra was foremost in wisdom. If Sariptura could believe and accept this, then so could everyone else. This was the Buddha’s intention behind [choosing Sariputra,] foremost in wisdom, as the recipient of the Dharma. This was also why He bestowed the first prediction of Buddhahood upon him. The Buddha ”loves them all impartially, so in the Chapter on Bestowing. Predictions, ”Even His nemesis Devadatta receive a prediction of Buddhahood from Him predication of Buddhahood from Him. Whether mischievious or obedient, Whether mischievous or obedient, He saw them all as His children Like and father who cares for his children, he loves all sentient beings.
Thus He said, “[These] are all my children, and I love them all impartially.”The Buddha still had many teachings to give, but no way to give them all at that time; His time had run out. However, as we have mentioned, even the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic. Existence, and the Six Perfections are all Great Dharma. They are all True Dharma. In the essence of all material things in the universe, there is Dharma; there are principles.
In conclusion, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must indeed always be mindful. There is much Dharma in our daily living. If we are always mindful and return to a state of innocence, we can accept the teachings that are given. In this way, one day we will also be able to achieve “the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.”
Our enlightened state can be equal to the Buddha’s.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must return to our pure Buddha-nature and abide by our “original nature,” which is “inherently good.” We must be like “children [who are]” “pure, innocent and uncontaminated.” We have a “kind father [who] love all his children equally.” Therefore, we must mindfully accept the Dharma without any doubts. We must cherish our relationships and pass on the Dharma as Dharma-children, like how a father passes on the family business to his son. By like this, we will be filled with Dharma-joy, boundless Dharma and “the same wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.” So everyone, 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）
⊙「人初之性本善，童幼純真無染，慈父愛子無偏，大覺同圓種智。」
⊙「今此幼童皆是吾子，愛無偏黨。我有如是七寶大車，其數無量，應當等心，各各與之，不宜差別。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙喻眾生同具出世無漏種子，同聞佛法，同起於行，即皆平等同為佛子，故應以慈悲平等心各與以大乘。
【證嚴上人開示】
「人初之性本善，童幼純真無染，慈父愛子無偏，大覺同圓種智。」
人初之性本善
童幼純真無染
慈父愛子無偏
大覺同圓種智
常常說，「人之初，性本善」。這念清淨的本性，也就是我們與生俱來，只是我們一直都是凡夫，凡夫，六道輪迴、煩惱複製，所以人初之性慢慢受污染了。
不過，每一個人生下來最初那時候，那個本性的善念，天真、活潑。還是同樣在童年之時，所以「童幼純真無染」，還未受染著，過去的習氣，還未再慢慢回來之前，很幼稚的時代，那就是無染著。這個慈父父親對孩子，孩子小，父親面對著孩子，可愛啊！所以幼童的孩子，受到父母的疼愛，這是天經地義。因為孩子年幼，天真無邪，父母對孩子，就是那分親情的愛，所以這就是無偏，這是最純、最真的時代。
不過，未來人間，環境的變化，慢慢家庭，或者是外面的朋友，就是慢慢來薰習我們，清淨的本性慢慢地薰習，就慢慢遠離了，我們清淨這念無染的本性。就漸漸一直遠離，遠離了，就接近了無明，接近了過去的因緣，所帶來那個習氣，又是再會合，所以，因為這樣，對家庭的感情、對外面的朋友，就慢慢這樣被牽引出去了。所以需要的是大覺，「大覺同圓種智」，那就是要有這位慈父，用智慧的愛，如何來教育他的孩子，也需要這個孩子與父親，有緣、有情，所以這分覺有情的愛，能夠時時會合著，這也就是因與緣。
我們在慈濟裡面，不也就是常常看到這樣嗎？有的老人，一輩子勞苦，為家庭付出，為子女不顧一切，這樣辛苦為家庭經營。孩子慢慢長大，孩子，各人都有不同個性，無不都是讓父母煩憂、操心。最後，就是孤老無依，或者兩老相依，一人病，一人顧，或者是兩人都病了，無人照顧，或者是一輩子孤單一人，像這種人生也是很多。
常常聽到，老人牽著慈濟人的手，這樣牽得緊緊的，不捨得放，說：「他比我的孩子更好，比我的親人還要親，很照顧我，我也隨他在做環保，我現在很快樂了，我沒煩沒憂了。」也有這樣的。
也有年輕的，他小時候家境變化，或者是父母不賢，所以孩子沒有受到父母的疼惜，家庭不斷折磨，一直到了這個孩子流浪在外面，或者是做了很不好的事情，受法律制裁。監獄裡面，青少年不少，還是有一群人間菩薩，慈濟人走入監獄去，用盡方法如何將這些少年，未成年的孩子，要如,何淨化，年輕的心態能夠將他導向正確。
就像這樣，這次我在外面行腳，屏東有一群年輕的人，這樣有慈濟人陪伴來了，每一個人都是眉清目秀，男孩子很英俊、很年輕，這樣排整齊坐在前面。年輕人很勇敢，說了他的過去的人生，說了他的家庭的異常，父母的情形。這樣，讓這個孩子的心恨，恨家庭；恨，恨父母，所以他就故意變壞，就這樣去和這些，很多不務正業的人在一起，後來，不論是販毒、吸毒、或者是去賭博，一直長大之後，就開始去強盜、搶人。無奇不有，打架、殺人、搶人，喝酒、賭博都有，所以，在很年輕，就進進出出(監獄)，一直到被判重刑。
這樣，慈濟人進去了，從這樣開始陪伴，帶他讀書、「入經藏」，這樣一直一直接觸，接觸到孩子從內心淨化了，從這樣開始素食了，規矩變好了，如規蹈矩，在監獄裡面成為典範，懂得做好事，願意幫助人，很勤快等等。所以自己內心發願，這樣出來之後就學得很好。回去向父母懺悔，跪在父母的面前。父母也陪他來，來到我的面前，這樣叩頭，父母也陪他來，來到我的面前，父母就說：「感恩，感恩師父，您們的慈濟，將我們的孩子又帶回來了。」
「其實他就是很不孝，什麼事情都做，所以和我們斷絕了，十多年的親情。這次回來，他這樣向我們跪拜、懺悔了。」我就再問他一次，說：「現在乖嗎？」「很乖，每天都奉茶給我。」父親、母親都同聲這樣說。我說：「是不是那一天回來懺悔那天，奉茶給你而已？」他說：「不是，每天早上，一直到現在，整年了。」每天按時出門，照時間回家，每天早上向父母請安、奉茶，(再)出門。
這是其中的一個。十幾個之中，就有十幾個故事。那個轉變，人生的開頭是逆向的人生，但是有那個因緣，就能夠遇到善知識，如父、如師，這樣到監獄去教他、去疼他、去引導他，能夠讓他脫離了監獄。同時最重要的，是脫離了心靈的牢獄，自己將心打開了，見到自然、自由的光芒，回歸了他心靈這個天真的本性。
所以「慈父愛子無偏」，其實，這分的好緣，前後所接觸到的，無不都是清淨法、清淨的愛。清淨的愛付出，那就是亦父亦師，這樣這麼的純真無染，這如父子至親的情，那分的付出。
我們眾生在佛陀的心目中，就像初生幼子一般，佛陀用那分慈父的愛，來愛初生幼子，所以他永遠沒有將我們放棄，我們永遠也依教奉行。所以，若能夠這樣，「大覺同圓種智」，我們可以再回歸清淨的本性，我們能夠與佛法會合真如本性。這就是我們應該要知道，回歸我們的人初之性。
所以，前面那些，應該大家很熟了，長者的財富無量，用種種的法、種種的財物來誘引他的孩子，誘引眾生脫離了三界火宅，希望人人都是接受到的，是大白牛車，讓人人可以在這個很大、康莊的大路，很穩當地這樣向前前進，這是菩薩道。
下面接下來這段(經)文說，「今此幼童皆是吾子，愛無偏黨。我有如是七寶大車，其數無量，應當等心，各各與之，不宜差別。」
今此幼童皆是吾子
愛無偏黨
我有如是七寶大車
其數無量
應當等心
各各與之
不宜差別
《法華經譬喻品第三》
應當用平等心，這樣一一都給他們，「不宜差別」。這和剛才說的不就是一樣嗎？佛陀對眾生，就像在看幼小的孩子一樣，將這些孩子，像父親在抱孩子一樣，那種的心情。不論孩子如何的壞，在那裡跑來跑去，父親一直呼喚他，母親一直去招呼他，孩子還是在裡面亂跑、爬高爬低，父母還是很耐心，輕聲細語，抱在身上。這就是世間，我們眾生性難調難伏，佛陀，或者是世間慈父，不就是一樣這樣疼惜。
凡夫懵懂不知法，所以佛陀就用這樣的心，殷殷善誘，所以，愛，要這些孩子無偏差。佛陀用四十多年的時間，要將這些根機愈整愈齊。一直到四十二年後，開始就是說《法華經》，希望任何一個眾生、弟子，都能夠聽到。若不在這個時候說，已經沒有時間了。
喻眾生
同具出世無漏種子
同聞佛法
同起於行
即皆平等同為佛子
故應以慈悲平等心
各與以大乘
人生對佛陀而言也有無奈的，也是知道，還有這麼多人還在懵懂中，卻是這個大法也是要說呀！所以，他就有羊車、鹿車、大白牛車，這可見在佛陀說《法華經》這個時代，還是這麼懵懂的小乘人，還不少，三分之二還是停滯在，羊車、鹿車的環境中。所以，這就是眾生所以苦，在六道中這樣不斷在輪迴。這全都是幼童，佛陀他就這樣說「皆是吾子」，「愛無偏黨」。就說，「我有如是七寶大車，其數無量」。
佛陀所說的法很多，卻是真實的法，佛陀有限的時間，也沒辦法向這種，根機不整齊的眾生，要適應讓眾生，佛陀有一個時間，到了晚年之時，有一段時間身體不好，就告訴阿難：「阿難，佛的壽命與人間相同，不過，佛的壽命也可以很長。假如若需要我再住世一劫，我有那個能力可以住世一劫，要有人間這個緣。是不是需要我再住世長久，一劫的時間？」佛陀三次問阿難，對阿難這樣說，但是阿難那個時候並沒有回答佛陀。
所以天人，就是梵天，魔王趁機而入，就說：「你過去曾經說過，你的化緣若盡，就要取入涅槃。現在世間的緣與你盡了，你現在應該要入涅槃之時了。」所以，佛陀從這樣開始，我人間化緣盡了，就這樣受限在(人壽)八十。要不然，依佛陀的力、願力，他的世間緣再需延續，自然他可以長住世間。不過，那個因緣錯過了。
後來，迦葉將要結集經典的時候，向阿難責問的時候，問阿難：「那個時候為何你不反應，請佛住世？」阿難很懊惱說：「那時候我聽佛陀這樣說，我很想要回答，不過我的心，好像被魔將我控制住了，我沒辦法回答。」
這我們也可以知道，世間的業力就是這樣，「道高一寸，魔高一丈」，所以魔王控制不住佛，但是控制了阿難的心。所以佛陀他的時間不夠了，沒辦法將所有的眾生，親自一一讓他們體悟，沒辦法一一了解大乘的道理，所以他只好八十(歲) ，就要取入滅。所以，(講)《法華》是七年的時間，所以佛陀已經到了七十多歲了，才開始講《法華經》。
他提前向舍利弗授記了。這就是佛陀，要讓舍利弗承擔起這個僧團。因為，僧團相信，舍利弗能體悟佛法，而且舍利弗是智慧第一，舍利弗都能夠信服了，何況是大家呢？這是佛陀的用意，用智慧，智慧第一的舍利弗做當機者，才會向舍利弗第一個授記。
這是「愛無偏黨」，<授記品>對更多人授記。甚至連跟他對頭的提婆達多，連這樣，佛陀也授記。調皮的孩子，或者是乖巧的，無不都是佛陀的孩子，所以他用這樣慈父疼子的心，來愛天下眾生，所以說，「皆是吾子，愛無偏黨」。
因為佛陀還有很多很多的法，雖然無法在那個時候(說)，來不及。不過，前面我們說過了，不論是「四諦」、「十二因緣」、「六度」法，無不都是大法，無不都是真實法。天地宇宙之間，宇宙的所有物質的本體，都有它的法、它的道理存在。總是我們學佛，真的要時時用心，有很多的法，在我們的日常生活中。我們若時時用心，回歸童真，佛陀如何教，我們如何來接受，若這樣，總有一天，我們也是能夠，能夠「大覺同圓種智」，我們的覺悟，也是能夠與佛同等。
各位菩薩，回歸清淨如來的本性，守在「人初之性」，那個「本善」，像「童幼純真無染」的心。我們有「慈父愛子無偏」，所以我們用心接受，不要懷疑。人與人之間這個感情要珍惜，要像法子在傳法，像家屬的父子在傳承家業，要這樣，我們就能夠得到法喜充滿，法無邊際，「大覺同圓種智」。所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Kind Father Loves His Children Impartially (慈父愛子無偏黨)
Date: May.27. 2015
“Human nature is originally good. Children are pure, innocent and uncontaminated. The kind father loves all his children equally, so they reach the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.”
I often say, “Human nature is inherently good.” This pure intrinsic nature is what we were born with, but we have remained unenlightened. We have transmigrated in the Six Realms and reproduced our afflictions, so our inherent goodness has slowly been contaminated. However, right after we were born, at the very beginning of our life, we maintain that inherent goodness, that innocence and liveliness. This is also what we are like in our childhood.
So, “Children are pure, innocent, uncontaminated.” As children, we have not yet been contaminated, and our past habitual tendencies have not yet resurfaced. When we are very young, we are uncontaminated. When a kind father interacts with his young children, he finds them adorable. Thus young children are loved and adored by their parents; this is very natural. When children are young, they are innocent and without guile, so parents have great affection for them. Of course, this affection is impartial. Childhood is the time when people are most pure and innocent.
But as the world and the environment change, our family members or our friends slowly and gradually influence and change us. Our originally pure natures have slowly become influenced. So, we have gradually become distant from our pure and undefiled nature; slowly, we grow further from it. The farther we are from it, the closer we are to ignorance and the closer to the habitual tendencies that we brought along with our past [karma] converging again with us. So because of this, we are slowly pulled away from our relationships with our family and with our friends. Thus, what we need is a great awakening, “so [we] reach the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.” So, there must be a kind father to teach his children with wisdom and love.
This father and his children must also have an affinity and affection. Then this awakened love will constantly bring them together. This is the working of causes and conditions. In Tzu Chi, don’t we often hear stories like this? There are old people who labored their entire lives to provide for their families. They did all they could for their children and worked hard to support them. As their children grew older, they each developed different personalities, causing their parents to be worried and anxious. Ultimately, the parents may end up alone, or may only have each other. One may fall ill so the other becomes the caregiver. Or both may fall ill, with no one left to help either of them. Perhaps one is left to grow old and die alone. We hear many stories like this.
We often hear about old people holding the hands of Tzu Chi volunteers and squeezing them tight, unwilling to let go, saying, “The volunteers treat me better than my children. I feel closer to them that I do to my own family. They take good care of me and I also join them in doing recycling work. I feel very happy now. I have no troubles or worries.”
We hear many stories like this. There are also young people who grew up under difficult conditions. Perhaps they had irresponsible parents who did not love and care for them. They were tormented at home until they finally ran away.Perhaps they ended up doing something illegal, and were punished by the law.
In the jails, there are many young people.There is a group of Living Bodhisattvas, Tzu Chi volunteers, who go into the jails.They do everything they can to help these youths, who are not yet adults, to bring purity to their minds and guide them to develop the correct mindsets.
One time, when I was traveling around Taiwan, a group of young men came to see me in Pingtung.They were accompanied by Tzu Chi volunteers.Every one of them had delicate features; they were very handsome and very young.They sat up straight in the front row.
One of the young men was very brave.He talked about the kind of life he had once led, the problems his family faced and what his parents were like.This was the reason that this child became hateful.He hated his family.He hated his parents.
Therefore, he intentionally behaved badly and began to associate himself with people who did not engage in honest work.Eventually, he did everything from selling drugs, to taking drugs, to gambling.When he was elder, he began to steal and to rob people.He did unbelievable things.He got into fights, robbed people, and drank gambled and even assaulted people.So, from a very young age, he was in and out of prison.
Eventually he received a very harsh sentence.When Tzu Chi volunteers went into the jail, they began to keep him company.They taught him to read and to study the Dharma.Through their constant interactions, he gradually began to purify his mind.This led him to become vegetarian and more well-behaved.He followed the rules and became a model prisoner.
He did good deeds, was willing to help others and was very earnest and diligent.This [behavior] came from the vows he made, so after he was released from jail, he became well-behaved.He repented his ways in front of his parents.He knelt before them and kowtowed.His parents came with him to see me.
They said, “We are grateful. We are grateful to you, Master, because Tzu Chi had led our child back to us. He used to be very unofficial. He did all kinds of [bad] things, and he had cut off his relationship with us for more than ten years. When he came home this time, he knelt before us and repented his way.”
I asked them again, “Is he well-behaved now?”“Very much so. Every day he brings us tea.”Both his father and mother said the same thing.
I asked, “Did he only bring you tea on the day he came home and repented?”They said”No. he does this every morning; he has done this for an entire year so far.”
Every day he leaves the house at the same time and comes home at the same time.Every morning he greets his parents and serves them tea before leaving the house.
This is the story from one of those young men.
Out of the more than ten young men, there were as many stories of lives that have been changed.Though things began unfavorably for them, they had the karmic conditions to encounter spiritual friends who served as their fathers, their teachers, who went into the jail to teach them, care for them and guide them.These volunteers helped them to be freed from jail.
At the same time, most importantly, they were freed from the prison of their own minds.When these men opened up their own hearts, they saw the natural radiance within themselves and returned to their original state of innocence.
“The kind father loves all his children equally.”In fact, with good karmic conditions, everything we encounter will be pure Dharma, and everyone we meet will have pure love.
Those who give out of pure love are like parents and like teachers.This is because they give out of affection as dear as that between father and son, one that is pure and undefiled.
To the Buddha, we sentient beings are like newborns.He loves us the way a kind father loves a newborn child.So, He will never abandon us, and we must always practice according to the teachings.By doing this, we will have “the same all-encompassing wisdom” as the Great Enlightened One”. We are return to our pure intrinsic nature. With the Buddha-Dharma we can converge with our nature of True Suchness. This is what we must understand in order to return to our inherent nature.
Everyone should be familiar with the earlier text. The elder had unlimited wealth, and he used various methods and various treasures to draw his children out of the burning house of the Three Realms. He hoped everyone would choose the cart drawn by the great white ox, which would help everyone to travel the bright and broad path and move forward steadily. This is the Bodhisattva-path. Then the following sutra passage states,
“Now, these young children are all my children, and I love them all impartially. I have these great carts covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number. I should give them to each [child] with an impartial mind so that they are not treated differently.”
The elder wanted to be impartial when he gave them [his treasures], so that they are not treated differently”. Isn’t this what we just discussed? The Buddha sees sentient beings as if they were His young children. His feelings for them are like that of a father holding a young child. It does not matter how badly children behave. When they are running around all over the place though their father keeps calling to them and their mother tries to give them directions, the children continue to run around wildly, climbing up and down. Still, their parents remain very patient. Speaking softly, they hold them close. This is how the world is. We sentient beings are hard to train, but the Buddha, or the kind father of the world, still loves us no matter what. We are confused and do not understand the Dharma. Therefore, the Buddha patiently guides us. With love, He treats us all equally. The Buddha spent more than 40 years helping sentient beings become equal in their capabilities. Only after 42 years had passed did He teach the Lotus Sutra. He hoped that all sentient beings and disciples would be able to hear this teaching. If He had not taught it then, He would have run out of time.
“This is an analogy for how sentient beings equally possess transcendent, flawless seeds, equally listen to the Dharma and equally put it into practice. Thus we are all equally the Buddha’s children. So, the Buddha, with impartial compassion, gives each the Great Vehicle teachings.”
The Buddha could not change [His limited lifespan] so He understood that though many people were still in a confused daze, He had to teach the Great Vehicle Dharma. Therefore, he provided sheep-carts, deer-carts and ox-carts. From this we can clearly see that when the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, there were still many consumed Small Vehicle practitioners. Two out of three people were still stuck at the state of the sheep-cart or deer-cart. This is why sentient beings are suffering. They are constantly trapped in cyclic existence in the Six Realms. Thus they were like children.
The Buddha feels that “[These] are all my children, and I love them all impartially”. Thus He said, “I have these great carts covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number”. The Buddha gave many teachings. But when He taught the True Dharma, He had very limited time so He could not explain it according to all the varying capabilities of sentient beings. For a period of time in His old age, the Buddha was in poor health. He told Ananda, “Ananda, the lifespan of Buddha is similar to that of humans. However, Buddhas can live for a long time. If I am needed to stay here for one kalpa, I have the ability to do so. This depends on my affinities with this world. Do the people need me to stay here longer, for the period of one kalpa?” The Buddha asked Ananda this three times in the same way.
However, at that time, Ananda did not answer the Buddha. So, heavenly beings, King Brahma and King Mara stepped in and said, “You have said in the past that once Your affinities with this world have ended, You would enter Parinirvana. Since Your affinities with it have ended, You should enter Parinirvana right now”. This was when the Buddha decided, “My conditions for transforming this world have ended, so He limited Himself to 80 years”. Otherwise, with the power of the Buddha’s vows, if He had needed to extend His time here, He could have lived in this world a long time. But Ananda missed that opportunity.
Later, as Kasyapa was about to compile the sutras, he reproached Ananda for this. He asked Ananda, “At that time, why didn’t you respond by asking the Buddha to stay?” Deeply upset, Ananda said, “When I heard the Buddha ask the question, I really wanted to respond.” “But I felt as if Mara was controlling my mind. I could not answer.” From this we learn that this was the karma of the people in this world. “Those advanced in spiritual practice may still be influenced by maras.” King Mara could not control the Buddha, but he could control Ananda’s mind. Therefore, the Buddha did not have enough time to personally teach every sentient being and help each one understand and realize the principles of the Great Vehicle. At the age of 80, the Buddha had to enter Parinirvana.
He had been teaching the Lotus Sutra for seven years. So, the Buddha was in His 70s when He began expounding the Lotus Sutra.
He had already bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood upon Sariputra. The Buddha did this because He wanted Sariputra to take responsibility for the Sangha. This was because the Sangha believed that Sariputra could realize the Buddha-Dharma. Moreover, Sariputra was foremost in wisdom. If Sariptura could believe and accept this, then so could everyone else. This was the Buddha’s intention behind [choosing Sariputra,] foremost in wisdom, as the recipient of the Dharma. This was also why He bestowed the first prediction of Buddhahood upon him. The Buddha ”loves them all impartially, so in the Chapter on Bestowing. Predictions, ”Even His nemesis Devadatta receive a prediction of Buddhahood from Him predication of Buddhahood from Him. Whether mischievious or obedient, Whether mischievous or obedient, He saw them all as His children Like and father who cares for his children, he loves all sentient beings.
Thus He said, “[These] are all my children, and I love them all impartially.”The Buddha still had many teachings to give, but no way to give them all at that time; His time had run out. However, as we have mentioned, even the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic. Existence, and the Six Perfections are all Great Dharma. They are all True Dharma. In the essence of all material things in the universe, there is Dharma; there are principles.
In conclusion, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must indeed always be mindful. There is much Dharma in our daily living. If we are always mindful and return to a state of innocence, we can accept the teachings that are given. In this way, one day we will also be able to achieve “the same all-encompassing wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.”
Our enlightened state can be equal to the Buddha’s.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must return to our pure Buddha-nature and abide by our “original nature,” which is “inherently good.” We must be like “children [who are]” “pure, innocent and uncontaminated.” We have a “kind father [who] love all his children equally.” Therefore, we must mindfully accept the Dharma without any doubts. We must cherish our relationships and pass on the Dharma as Dharma-children, like how a father passes on the family business to his son. By like this, we will be filled with Dharma-joy, boundless Dharma and “the same wisdom as the Great Enlightened One.” So everyone, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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