20150710《靜思妙蓮華》自利利人安忍運載 (第606集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法，菩薩悲智化有情，如牛安忍能運載，故以牛車喻菩薩。」
⊙「愍念安樂，無量眾生，利益天人，度脫一切，是名大乘。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「菩薩求此乘故，名為摩訶薩。如彼諸子為求牛車出於火宅。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙以智上求菩提，用悲下救眾生，就發心向大之因行言之則名菩薩乘，就果地言之亦名佛乘。
⊙薩言有情，摩訶薩，義言大有情。
⊙以自利利人，故名摩訶薩之大乘法。菩薩慈悲化物，如牛之安忍運載，故以牛車求出火宅喻菩薩。
⊙牛車喻佛教菩薩法，修六度行，但欲度人出於三界，而不求自出。如牛之荷負，安耐一切普運，故以牛車喻之。
【證嚴上人開示】
「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法，菩薩悲智化有情，如牛安忍能運載，故以牛車喻菩薩。」
上求自利兼利人
摩訶薩之大乘法
菩薩悲智化有情
如牛安忍能運載
故以牛車喻菩薩
也就是向大家說，學佛就是希望能夠成佛，而佛是以不斷：「佛啊！您就要讓我成佛。」是不是用這樣求來的呢？不是。那就是我們要自己身體力行，自己向上。
是說我們的志願要向上，而我們要與佛一樣，當然我們就要向佛學，所以「向上」，是來說我們自己的。我們自己是不是願意，提高我們的志向，我們要學，學得與佛同等，這種的慈悲、這種的智慧，既然要學了，就要依教奉行，聽聞佛法。
佛陀的心意就是，希望人人瞭解之後，還能夠身體力行入人群中，這佛法才能夠展得開，眾生才能夠實質得救，不是空幻的，是真實得救。這是佛陀的心懷。
所以我們現在應該要瞭解，我們要「上求自利」，向佛陀看齊。我們按照佛陀他修行、現相人間來教導我們，我們要去體會佛陀成佛的目標是為了要救人。我們若人人都瞭解這個目標，我們就要趕緊發心與佛同樣，這叫做「上求」。我們的意志所求的是，要與佛同等，我們不是要求得自了——聽，我瞭解了。不是。我們所要瞭解的，還要有如何來身體力行。這種「上求自利」，是我們自己能夠去做，自己體會之後又再兼利他人，這才是叫做自利利他。
自利，那就是自己成長慧命。慧命要成長，我們一定要入人群，從人群中得來了，人間很多很多的訊息，得來了人間很多生活形態，得來了人間苦、集、滅、道，很多的道理，我們都要入人群中去取得，所以這也是我們「自利」。我們入人群中去取得，我們就自然會去付出，這叫做「利他」。
常常說我們救人的人，是不是自己自得到，我們能夠救人的這個力量？這是我們自得的嗎？救他，他雖然得救了，其實我們所得的，那就是快樂、歡喜，增長我們的慧命。所以，我們付出的其實是收穫，因為你有辦法付出，付出的是有形，是很多人共合起來，大家共同去付出，其實對自己來說是收穫，這是我們得到，得到歡喜、安心。這就是我們上求得慧命增長，那就是因為我們去兼利他人。自利、利他，這叫做「上求」。瞭解，又身體力行，身體力行得來的那分法喜，對外面的境界見解成熟很多，所以叫做成長慧命。
而我們若沒有去付出，只是「知道啦，知道啦！」到底你知多少呢？什麼都沒付出，你什麼都不知道，沒有去感觸到，無法去體會，所以你什麼都不知。所以，我們必定，自利，要兼利他人，兼利他人就是入人群去，借重大家的力量來付出，這樣我們才是真正大收穫，對我們的慧命，真的是很大的收穫。
所以，「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法」，這就是叫做大乘法。「摩訶」就是大的意思；「薩」就是菩薩、就是有情，就是叫做「大有情」；這就是大乘法。
「菩薩悲智化有情」。「摩訶薩」就是大菩薩。這個大菩薩運用了他的慈悲，運用他的智慧，「化度有情」，這就是他的心願。菩薩，人人都是有心願，學佛陀的心，入人群中去廣度眾生。
就像牛安忍，人生在世，苦難偏多，所需要就是要有那分的安忍，要安住這種堪忍的世界，我們要堪得忍，就能夠平安過。「如牛安忍能運載」，不只是忍，牠還能夠負重，負起重的責任，這就是牛牠安忍的德。牛也有德，牠就是要堪得起忍耐。就是因為牠有業，墮落當牛，所以牠還要認命，要堪得忍耐。
「故以牛車喻菩薩」。有三輛車，羊車、鹿車、牛車。羊就是吃草時，牠就不顧前後，自己吃自己的草。若是鹿呢？在吃草時，牠會顧前後。若是牛呢？不只是吃草，牠還有任務，牠還要為人類付出，這就是責任感。
所以我們學佛，就要有「上求自利兼利人」。我們在付出時，其實看到人間的疾苦。佛陀說，「苦」，其實「苦」是來自「集」；「集」是如何「集」來的呢？你入人群中，看所有人間，他是如何苦，自然我們在苦難中體會了，「集」的道理，所以我們會愈發心。因為「苦」、「集」我們體會到了，增長我們的慧命，我們就懂得，要怎麼樣去行「道」，「滅」除煩惱。
在這個人群中我們都瞭解了，世間苦難偏多，不要去惹到這些「苦」，所以對「集」來的煩惱，這道門，我們懂得防非止惡，所以我們戒、定、慧。知道苦難是這樣「集」來的，所以我們就懂得戒、定、慧，我們可以防我們自己，不會再受到種種，不好的因、不好的緣。
所以這就是我們要知道，入人群中，我們要用感恩心。這叫做大菩薩，叫做大法、大乘法。大菩薩的心就是悲智雙運，就是要化度有情，就像牛，這個牛也有安忍，牠堪得負重，所以牛車來譬喻菩薩(乘)。這大家若能清楚了，我想我們修行就不困難了。
前面的經文說：「愍念安樂，無量眾生，利益天人，度脫一切，是名大乘。」
愍念安樂
無量眾生
利益天人
度脫一切
是名大乘
《法華經譬喻品第三》
前面說的瞭解了，我們就知道菩薩不只是安忍，他還能夠愍念眾生。
「菩薩求此乘故」，菩薩就是要求這種的大願力，「上求佛道」要「下化眾生」，所以「名為摩訶薩」。這是他所發的心願。「如彼諸子為求牛車出於火宅。」
菩薩求此乘故
名為摩訶薩
如彼諸子為求牛車
出於火宅
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這段(經)文就是智，「以智上求菩提」，我們學佛，就是要向上求得菩提覺道，這是用智慧來選擇我們所要走的路。同時，我們用悲心向下救度眾生。所以，菩薩必定要不斷「上求下化」，「上求」那就是要求得菩提覺道，這是用智慧來選擇，我們所要走的路。「用悲下救眾生」我們用我們的悲心，我們向下為了要救度眾生，所以菩薩必定要不斷，「上求下化」，所以「上求」是智慧，「下化」是慈悲。
所以「就發心向大之因行」，我們發心就是要向大，我們要將我們這個內心的種子，要好好開始發心，那念心那就是因。開始想要救人，不是只要自救，自救同時也要救人，所以這是我們，發大心的第一念頭，這就是因。這個因，我們要身體力行，所以身體力行，那就是「上求佛道，下化眾生」，這樣來說，所以名叫做菩薩乘。願意發心，所以身體力行，這叫做菩薩乘。就果地來說，那就是佛乘。
以智上求菩提
用悲下救眾生
就發心向大之
因行言之
則名菩薩乘
就果地言之
亦名佛乘
我們開始於「因」，我們要成佛，一定要發大心、行菩薩道，這叫做因地。你能夠到修行，成佛了，這叫做「果」。釋迦牟尼佛已經證果了，而我們現在是發心，發要成佛的心，我們現在是這個「因」，我們的因地開始要修行，修行過程就是要行菩薩道，這個過程到達佛的境界，才叫做成果。所以，以行菩薩道為因，成佛為果，所以這個因、果，都是大乘。我們若沒有這個因，哪有辦法得到這樣的果呢？
⊙薩言有情，摩訶薩，義言大有情。
「菩薩」就是叫做「有情」，叫做「覺有情」。「摩訶」叫做「大」，叫做「大有情」菩薩也能夠叫做「大有情」。
「以自利利人，故名摩訶薩之大乘法」，這樣叫做大乘法。而菩薩就是「慈悲化物」，就像牛安忍運載，哪怕是很重，牠也很甘願，這樣穩穩的步伐這樣向前走，任勞任怨，再重，牠也願意拖過去。所以牛車就是求出火宅，譬喻就是菩薩，為了要求這個牛車，所以離開火宅，這就是菩薩。
以自利利
故名摩訶薩
之大乘法
菩薩慈悲化物
如牛之安忍運載
故以牛車求出火宅
喻菩薩
我們瞭解人間疾苦，所以我們必定要用心，去追求佛法的真理。所以我們不要說，修行，修行就是修我自己就好，不是，我們必定要兼利他人。開頭就說過了，自利兼利他，其實我們付出的當中，我們是很大的收穫。雖然每天都覺得很忙碌，忙什麼呢？瞭解，瞭解天底下多少的事情。因為我們慈濟宗門，不能不瞭解天下事，所以不得不去瞭解天下事。會感覺到那個眼界，會看很遠、很開闊，也能夠體會，天下全球人類的生態。
假使我們若沒有慈濟的法門，我修我自己修自己的行，我就自己獨善其身，我怎會知道天底下的事情呢？有很多人來發心：「哪一個地方有災難，師父，您就給我機會，我要報名，我要去。」不論多遠，不論多麼困難，他們願意發心。「走過萬里路，勝讀萬卷書」，去到那個地方的感觸，開始更加發揮了他的大愛之心，因為這在他的慧命中，已經增長了，在他的力量開始要發揮出去了。
看，多少人無所求的付出，承擔很重的責任，為天下的責任來承擔，這就是發心修菩薩道。就像我們在研究，哪個地方有災難，家園毀掉了，要如何讓災民及時能夠有一個，安穩、遮蔽風雨，臨時安心、安身的地方。在研究我們怎麼樣，馬上將這個東西，運到災區去，即刻就可以展開了，安住他身心的簡單居住的地方，簡易屋。
幾年來一直一直在研究，怎麼樣讓他安穩，能夠度過幾年的時間，讓他有幾年的時間安身心去打拚，恢復他的家園。這就是急難救濟中，不只是一時讓他肚子能飽，再給他有一個短暫幾年的時間，安住身心。我們一群菩薩很認真，為善競爭，大家來開發，有用這樣的方式，怎樣的材料，去了有辦法很大批的東西到達，很快的人力就能夠完成。看到在發展中，每次我都很感動。
所以說起來，菩薩發心，發心就是從這樣開始做，瞭解天下事，瞭解天下苦，瞭解很多的「集」。苦難是集來的，其實我們要成佛，也要集種種的因緣，來合力去完成人間的菩薩道，這樣才能夠解決了人間的苦難。
所以牛車比如佛教菩薩法，修六度行，但欲度人出於三界，一個目標，佛陀就是要度人人，能夠出離三界，而且不求自出，不是我自己出來就好，我還要叫大家全都要出來。所以，就像牛，牛荷負著很重的東西，牠還是要安、要忍耐、要安忍，要耐得起人間很多的考驗，所以才有辦法運出了，很多的東西。所以我們修行，自己像牛那種的責任，這樣拖很重的車，也願意向前走。所以前面的文，我們一直在說，「如彼諸子，為求牛車出於火宅」，這就是大乘，大白牛車。
牛車喻佛教菩薩法
修六度行
但欲度人出於三界
而不求自出
如牛之荷負
安耐一切普運
故以牛車喻之
各位菩薩，學佛就是要這樣，不要只求小乘法，我們所要求的「上求佛道」，是「下化眾生」，「上求佛道」是自利兼利人。我們要求的是大乘法，我們所要運用在人間，是悲智雙運，我們想要救度眾生，要像牛這樣安忍運載。所以，這就是於佛陀所說的三乘法，所以到了佛陀將入滅時，也沒有離開「苦、集、滅、道」，還是要這樣再交代，回歸「苦、集、滅、道」，所有的弟子應該要謹記。總而言之，我們要學佛，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Peacefully and Patiently Transport Heavy Burdens (自利利人安忍運載)
Date:July.10. 2015
“We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings, like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens. Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
I want to share with everyone that we learn the Buddha’s Way in the hope of attaining Buddhahood. Will we attain it by continuously praying, “Venerable Buddha, please help me attain Buddhahood”? Is this how we attain Buddhahood? No. We need to put the Dharma into practice. We must vow to seek the teachings. To be like the Buddha, of course we need to learn from the Buddha.
So, seeking the teachings depends on our own efforts, on whether we are willing to elevate the aim of our aspirations. We must learn to be like the Buddha and attain His level of compassion and wisdom. Since we are learning, we must practice according to the teachings and listen to the Buddha-Dharma.
In the Buddha’s mind, He hoped that after everyone understood, they would then go among people and put the teachings into practice. Then the Buddha-Dharma can be spread widely and sentient beings can actually be saved. This is not illusory; people are truly saved. This was the Buddha’s intention. Therefore, we should now understand that we must “seek the teachings to benefit ourselves.” We must look to the Buddha. We must follow the Buddha’s spiritual practice and what He manifested in this world to teach us. We need to realize that His goal in attaining Buddhahood was to save people. If we understand this goal, we must immediately aspire to be like Him. This is what it means to “seek the teachings.”
We should have the same mission as the Buddha. We are not seeking only our own understanding, to simply hear and understand. No,what we must understand is how to put these teachings into practice. “[Seeking] the teachings to benefit ourselves” is what we can do for ourselves. If we attain realizations, then benefit others, we are truly benefiting ourselves and others.
We benefit ourselves by developing our wisdom-life. To develop our wisdom-life, we must go among people. By interacting with people, we gain a lot of information about the world, we learn about many ways of life and we learn about suffering, causation, cessation and the Path in the world. These many principles can be learned by going among people. So, this is also how we “benefit ourselves”.
When we go among people and gain something, naturally we will want to give to others. This is called “benefiting others.” We always wonder, when we help people, are we benefiting ourselves? If we have the ability to help others, do we benefit as well? When we help others, while they are helped, we have also attained happiness and joy, which help our wisdom-life grow. So, when we give, we actually reap the benefits. When we are able to give something tangible, it is the work of many people coming together to be able to give. In the end, we actually reap the benefits. We attain joy and a sense of peace. This happiness when we seek the teachings and enable our wisdom-life to grow. It is because we help others at the same time. We benefit ourselves and others. This is what it means to “seek the teachings”.
By understanding the teachings and putting them into practice, we attain a sense of Dharma-joy and a deeper understanding of the world around us. This is how we develop our wisdom-life. If we do not give to others, and just say, “know, I know,” then how much do we really understand?
If we do not give of ourselves at all, we do not actually understand anything.If we do not have the experience, we will not attain any realization, so we will not understand anything.Therefore, to benefit ourselves, we need to benefit others at the same time.To benefit others, we go among people and gather everyone’s strength to give to others.This is how we reap the greatest benefit.For our wisdom-life, helping others is indeed very beneficial.
So, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasttvas.”
This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.“Maha” means great, “sattvas” refer to Bodhisattvas, to sentient beings.So, Mahasattvas means “great sentient beings”.They follow the Great Vehicle Dharma.
“A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings.”Mahasattvas are great Bodhisattvas.Great Bodhisattvas exercise their compassion and their wisdom “to transform sentient beings”.This is their vow.
All Bodhisattvas have made a vow to learn from the Buddha’s mind and go among people to transform them all.They are peaceful and patient like an ox.
There is so much suffering in this world.So, we need to be peaceful and attaint to stay in this world of endurance.
If we have the patience, we can get through things safely, “like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens”.Not only is an ox patient he can also transport heavy burdens; he can shoulder heavy responsibilities.This is his virtue of beings peaceful and patient.
The ox has virtues, too.He is able to patiently endure this kind of life.Because he had created the karma to be born as an ox, he accepted his fate and patiently endured this.“Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
There were three kinds of carts, the sheep-cart, deer-cart and ox-cart.When sheep eat grass, they do not care about anything else, but just focus on eating the grass before them.As for the deer, when they are eating grass, they pay attention to their surroundings.
What about the ox?They not only eat the grass, they also have a sense of mission, which is to help humans; they have this sense of responsibility.So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others.”
When we give to other people, we are actually seeing the suffering in the world.The Buddha talked about “suffering,” but “suffering” comes from “causation”.How did we accumulate this “causation”?When we go among people and see how they suffer in this world, amidst this suffering we will naturally realize the principles behind “causation”.Thus we will be more committed to our aspirations.
By comprehending “suffering” and “causation,”.
We can develop our wisdom-life.We will know how to walk “the Path” and achieve the “cessation” of afflictions.By going among people, we understand this.The world is filled with suffering; to avoid triggering this “suffering,“ we must guard against wrongdoings and stop evil to close the door to “causation”.
Thus, we cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom because we know how suffering is accumulated.
With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can protect ourselves from being affected by negative causes and conditions.This is what we must understand.
When we go among people, we must be grateful.This is how we can be great Bodhisattvas.This is how we practice the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Great Bodhisattvas exercise both compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings.They are like the ox, who is peaceful and patient and is able to transport heavy burdens.
So, the ox is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.If everyone understands this, our spiritual practice will not be difficult.
The previous sutra passage states, “Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle.”
If we clearly understand the previous passage, we understand that Bodhisattvas are not only peaceful and patient, they also have sympathy for sentient beings.
Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle…“.
Bodhisattvas seek the power of these great vows.They “seek the Buddha’s Way” and “transform sentient beings,” so “They are called Mahasattvas”.This was the aspiration they formed.
“They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart”.
Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle are called Mahasattvas.They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.
This sutra passage is about wisdom. “With wisdom, they seek Bodhi”. When we learn the Buddha’s Way, we “seek the teachings”, which means we seek the Bodhi-path to awakening. We must use wisdom to choose the path we are going walk. “With compassion, they transform sentient beings”. With our compassion, we help and transform sentient beings. So, Bodhisattvas must constantly “seek and transform”.
“To seek” requires wisdom and “to transform” requires compassion. “Thus they form great aspirations [and engage in] causal practice”. When we form aspirations, they must be great. To plant these seeds in our minds, we must earnestly form aspirations.
These aspirations are causes. We start to think about helping others, instead of just saving ourselves. As we save ourselves, we must also save others. This is our first thought of forming great aspirations. This is the cause. We must then act on this cause.
Putting it into action means we “seek the Buddha’s Way and transform sentient beings”. Speaking of it this way, it is the Bodhisattva Vehicle.
We are willing to make aspirations so we then put them into action. This is the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.
With wisdom, they seek Bodhi. With compassion, they transform sentient beings. Thus they form great aspirations. When speaking of the causal practice, it is called the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.
We start with the “cause”. If we want to attain Buddhahood, we must form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. This is called the causal ground. If we engage in spiritual practice and attain the state of Buddhahood, we have attained the “fruit”. Sakyamuni Buddha had already attained this “fruit”. Sakyamuni Buddha had already attained this fruit. As for us, we are forming aspirations. We aspire to attain Buddhahood. We are now at the state of “causes”. At the causal ground, we start to engage in spiritual practice. The process of our spiritual practice is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. This takes us to the state of Buddhahood, which is the fruit we attain.
Thus, walking the Bodhisattva-path is the cause and attaining Buddhahood is the fruit. So, both the cause and the fruit are part of the Great Vehicle. If not for these causes, how could we attain these fruits?
Bodhisattvas are “sentient beings”. They are “enlightened sentient beings”. “Maha” means “great”, so Mahasattvas are great sentient beings.
Bodhisattvas are also called great sentient beings. “The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas”. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Bodhisattvas “transform beings with compassion” they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Even if the load is heavy, the ox is still willing. He walks forward with steady steps, uncomplaining. No matter how heavy the load, he is willing.
Thus those who left the burning house for the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas. In order to obtain the ox-cart, they left the burning house; these are Bodhisattvas.
“The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. Bodhisattvas transform beings with compassion; they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Thus those who left the burning house for the sake of the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
We understand the world is filled with suffering. So, we must mindfully seek the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. We must not think of spiritual practice as just cultivating ourselves. No, we must also benefit others.
From the beginning I talked about the practice of benefiting oneself and others. In fact, as we give to others, we are also reaping great benefits.
Every day, we feel that we are very busy. What we are busy doing? Understanding. We try to understand how the world works, because in the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, we have to understand the affairs of the world. We must know what is happening in the world, then our outlook will extend further and broader, and we will be able to realize the way of life of people around the world.
Without the ways of practice laid out by Tzu Chi, we may just focus on our own spiritual practice and only awaken ourselves. How would we know about what is happening around the world? Many people have vowed to me, “Wherever there is a disaster, Master, give me a chance to help. I want to sign up to go”. No matter how far it is or how difficult it is, they are willing to go. Travelling 10,000 miles benefits a person more than reading 10,000 books. The feelings they experienced by going there lead them to further exercise their great love.
Because they have already developed their wisdom-life, they will utilize their strengths. See, so many people are giving unconditionally and shouldering heavy responsibilities. They are taking on responsibilities for the world. This is the aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path.
This is why we researched how, after a disaster strikes and homes are destroyed, we can quickly provide the survivors with a safe refuge to protect them from wind and rain where they temporarily rest their bodies and minds. We researched how to immediately ship shelters to disaster areas and right away provide the people with simple shelters to rest their bodies and minds. We call them prefabricated shelters.
Over these few years, we have been developing ways for people to have a safe refuge for at least a few years so that they would have time to focus on building lives and restoring their homes our emergency disaster relief does not only provide them food so they do not go hungry, we also give them a few years to rest their body and mind.
Our Bodhisattvas work earnestly in healthy competition to develop and use a method of construction and materials that can be easily transported at once to build a large number of units in a short time.
Every time I see a prototype, I am very moved. So, once Bodhisattvas form aspirations, they began to take action accordingly. We understand worldly matters, understand the suffering in the world and how the causes of suffering are accumulated. Suffering caused by accumulation, but actually, to attain Buddhahood, various causes and conditions in order to complete the Bodhisattva-path and relieve the suffering in the world.
So, the ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way, and the practice of the Six Perfections. “They only seek to deliver all people.” The Buddha has one goal, to deliver everyone from the Three Realms. He does not seek His own escape; it is not enough if He is the only one who escapes He also calls on everyone to escape. He is like an ox who shoulders a heavy burden.The ox must be peaceful and patient and endure the challenges in this world in order to deliver so many things. So, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must feel a sense of responsibility like the ox. Even when he is pulling a very heavy cart, he is willing to continue walking forward.
We have been discussing this previous passage, “They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.” This is the Great Vehicle, the great ox-cart.
The ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and the practice of the Six Perfections. They only seek to deliver all people from the Three Realms and do not seek their own escape. They are like an ox who shoulders the burden to peacefully and patiently deliver all. Thus the ox-cart is used as an analogy.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we cannot only seek the Small Vehicle Dharma. We must “seek the Buddha’s Way and “transform sentient beings.” “Seeking the Buddha’s Way” is to benefit ourselves and others. What we must seek is the Great Vehicle Dharma. What we must apply in the world is both compassion and wisdom. To deliver all sentient beings, we must be like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens.
So, these are the Three Vehicles that the Buddha talked about. Even when the Buddha was entering Parinivana, He still taught the Four Noble Truths. He still had to remind them to return to suffering, causation, cessation and the Path so that all His disciples would remember. In conclusion, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, 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）
⊙「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法，菩薩悲智化有情，如牛安忍能運載，故以牛車喻菩薩。」
⊙「愍念安樂，無量眾生，利益天人，度脫一切，是名大乘。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「菩薩求此乘故，名為摩訶薩。如彼諸子為求牛車出於火宅。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙以智上求菩提，用悲下救眾生，就發心向大之因行言之則名菩薩乘，就果地言之亦名佛乘。
⊙薩言有情，摩訶薩，義言大有情。
⊙以自利利人，故名摩訶薩之大乘法。菩薩慈悲化物，如牛之安忍運載，故以牛車求出火宅喻菩薩。
⊙牛車喻佛教菩薩法，修六度行，但欲度人出於三界，而不求自出。如牛之荷負，安耐一切普運，故以牛車喻之。
【證嚴上人開示】
「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法，菩薩悲智化有情，如牛安忍能運載，故以牛車喻菩薩。」
上求自利兼利人
摩訶薩之大乘法
菩薩悲智化有情
如牛安忍能運載
故以牛車喻菩薩
也就是向大家說，學佛就是希望能夠成佛，而佛是以不斷：「佛啊！您就要讓我成佛。」是不是用這樣求來的呢？不是。那就是我們要自己身體力行，自己向上。
是說我們的志願要向上，而我們要與佛一樣，當然我們就要向佛學，所以「向上」，是來說我們自己的。我們自己是不是願意，提高我們的志向，我們要學，學得與佛同等，這種的慈悲、這種的智慧，既然要學了，就要依教奉行，聽聞佛法。
佛陀的心意就是，希望人人瞭解之後，還能夠身體力行入人群中，這佛法才能夠展得開，眾生才能夠實質得救，不是空幻的，是真實得救。這是佛陀的心懷。
所以我們現在應該要瞭解，我們要「上求自利」，向佛陀看齊。我們按照佛陀他修行、現相人間來教導我們，我們要去體會佛陀成佛的目標是為了要救人。我們若人人都瞭解這個目標，我們就要趕緊發心與佛同樣，這叫做「上求」。我們的意志所求的是，要與佛同等，我們不是要求得自了——聽，我瞭解了。不是。我們所要瞭解的，還要有如何來身體力行。這種「上求自利」，是我們自己能夠去做，自己體會之後又再兼利他人，這才是叫做自利利他。
自利，那就是自己成長慧命。慧命要成長，我們一定要入人群，從人群中得來了，人間很多很多的訊息，得來了人間很多生活形態，得來了人間苦、集、滅、道，很多的道理，我們都要入人群中去取得，所以這也是我們「自利」。我們入人群中去取得，我們就自然會去付出，這叫做「利他」。
常常說我們救人的人，是不是自己自得到，我們能夠救人的這個力量？這是我們自得的嗎？救他，他雖然得救了，其實我們所得的，那就是快樂、歡喜，增長我們的慧命。所以，我們付出的其實是收穫，因為你有辦法付出，付出的是有形，是很多人共合起來，大家共同去付出，其實對自己來說是收穫，這是我們得到，得到歡喜、安心。這就是我們上求得慧命增長，那就是因為我們去兼利他人。自利、利他，這叫做「上求」。瞭解，又身體力行，身體力行得來的那分法喜，對外面的境界見解成熟很多，所以叫做成長慧命。
而我們若沒有去付出，只是「知道啦，知道啦！」到底你知多少呢？什麼都沒付出，你什麼都不知道，沒有去感觸到，無法去體會，所以你什麼都不知。所以，我們必定，自利，要兼利他人，兼利他人就是入人群去，借重大家的力量來付出，這樣我們才是真正大收穫，對我們的慧命，真的是很大的收穫。
所以，「上求自利兼利人，摩訶薩之大乘法」，這就是叫做大乘法。「摩訶」就是大的意思；「薩」就是菩薩、就是有情，就是叫做「大有情」；這就是大乘法。
「菩薩悲智化有情」。「摩訶薩」就是大菩薩。這個大菩薩運用了他的慈悲，運用他的智慧，「化度有情」，這就是他的心願。菩薩，人人都是有心願，學佛陀的心，入人群中去廣度眾生。
就像牛安忍，人生在世，苦難偏多，所需要就是要有那分的安忍，要安住這種堪忍的世界，我們要堪得忍，就能夠平安過。「如牛安忍能運載」，不只是忍，牠還能夠負重，負起重的責任，這就是牛牠安忍的德。牛也有德，牠就是要堪得起忍耐。就是因為牠有業，墮落當牛，所以牠還要認命，要堪得忍耐。
「故以牛車喻菩薩」。有三輛車，羊車、鹿車、牛車。羊就是吃草時，牠就不顧前後，自己吃自己的草。若是鹿呢？在吃草時，牠會顧前後。若是牛呢？不只是吃草，牠還有任務，牠還要為人類付出，這就是責任感。
所以我們學佛，就要有「上求自利兼利人」。我們在付出時，其實看到人間的疾苦。佛陀說，「苦」，其實「苦」是來自「集」；「集」是如何「集」來的呢？你入人群中，看所有人間，他是如何苦，自然我們在苦難中體會了，「集」的道理，所以我們會愈發心。因為「苦」、「集」我們體會到了，增長我們的慧命，我們就懂得，要怎麼樣去行「道」，「滅」除煩惱。
在這個人群中我們都瞭解了，世間苦難偏多，不要去惹到這些「苦」，所以對「集」來的煩惱，這道門，我們懂得防非止惡，所以我們戒、定、慧。知道苦難是這樣「集」來的，所以我們就懂得戒、定、慧，我們可以防我們自己，不會再受到種種，不好的因、不好的緣。
所以這就是我們要知道，入人群中，我們要用感恩心。這叫做大菩薩，叫做大法、大乘法。大菩薩的心就是悲智雙運，就是要化度有情，就像牛，這個牛也有安忍，牠堪得負重，所以牛車來譬喻菩薩(乘)。這大家若能清楚了，我想我們修行就不困難了。
前面的經文說：「愍念安樂，無量眾生，利益天人，度脫一切，是名大乘。」
愍念安樂
無量眾生
利益天人
度脫一切
是名大乘
《法華經譬喻品第三》
前面說的瞭解了，我們就知道菩薩不只是安忍，他還能夠愍念眾生。
「菩薩求此乘故」，菩薩就是要求這種的大願力，「上求佛道」要「下化眾生」，所以「名為摩訶薩」。這是他所發的心願。「如彼諸子為求牛車出於火宅。」
菩薩求此乘故
名為摩訶薩
如彼諸子為求牛車
出於火宅
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這段(經)文就是智，「以智上求菩提」，我們學佛，就是要向上求得菩提覺道，這是用智慧來選擇我們所要走的路。同時，我們用悲心向下救度眾生。所以，菩薩必定要不斷「上求下化」，「上求」那就是要求得菩提覺道，這是用智慧來選擇，我們所要走的路。「用悲下救眾生」我們用我們的悲心，我們向下為了要救度眾生，所以菩薩必定要不斷，「上求下化」，所以「上求」是智慧，「下化」是慈悲。
所以「就發心向大之因行」，我們發心就是要向大，我們要將我們這個內心的種子，要好好開始發心，那念心那就是因。開始想要救人，不是只要自救，自救同時也要救人，所以這是我們，發大心的第一念頭，這就是因。這個因，我們要身體力行，所以身體力行，那就是「上求佛道，下化眾生」，這樣來說，所以名叫做菩薩乘。願意發心，所以身體力行，這叫做菩薩乘。就果地來說，那就是佛乘。
以智上求菩提
用悲下救眾生
就發心向大之
因行言之
則名菩薩乘
就果地言之
亦名佛乘
我們開始於「因」，我們要成佛，一定要發大心、行菩薩道，這叫做因地。你能夠到修行，成佛了，這叫做「果」。釋迦牟尼佛已經證果了，而我們現在是發心，發要成佛的心，我們現在是這個「因」，我們的因地開始要修行，修行過程就是要行菩薩道，這個過程到達佛的境界，才叫做成果。所以，以行菩薩道為因，成佛為果，所以這個因、果，都是大乘。我們若沒有這個因，哪有辦法得到這樣的果呢？
⊙薩言有情，摩訶薩，義言大有情。
「菩薩」就是叫做「有情」，叫做「覺有情」。「摩訶」叫做「大」，叫做「大有情」菩薩也能夠叫做「大有情」。
「以自利利人，故名摩訶薩之大乘法」，這樣叫做大乘法。而菩薩就是「慈悲化物」，就像牛安忍運載，哪怕是很重，牠也很甘願，這樣穩穩的步伐這樣向前走，任勞任怨，再重，牠也願意拖過去。所以牛車就是求出火宅，譬喻就是菩薩，為了要求這個牛車，所以離開火宅，這就是菩薩。
以自利利
故名摩訶薩
之大乘法
菩薩慈悲化物
如牛之安忍運載
故以牛車求出火宅
喻菩薩
我們瞭解人間疾苦，所以我們必定要用心，去追求佛法的真理。所以我們不要說，修行，修行就是修我自己就好，不是，我們必定要兼利他人。開頭就說過了，自利兼利他，其實我們付出的當中，我們是很大的收穫。雖然每天都覺得很忙碌，忙什麼呢？瞭解，瞭解天底下多少的事情。因為我們慈濟宗門，不能不瞭解天下事，所以不得不去瞭解天下事。會感覺到那個眼界，會看很遠、很開闊，也能夠體會，天下全球人類的生態。
假使我們若沒有慈濟的法門，我修我自己修自己的行，我就自己獨善其身，我怎會知道天底下的事情呢？有很多人來發心：「哪一個地方有災難，師父，您就給我機會，我要報名，我要去。」不論多遠，不論多麼困難，他們願意發心。「走過萬里路，勝讀萬卷書」，去到那個地方的感觸，開始更加發揮了他的大愛之心，因為這在他的慧命中，已經增長了，在他的力量開始要發揮出去了。
看，多少人無所求的付出，承擔很重的責任，為天下的責任來承擔，這就是發心修菩薩道。就像我們在研究，哪個地方有災難，家園毀掉了，要如何讓災民及時能夠有一個，安穩、遮蔽風雨，臨時安心、安身的地方。在研究我們怎麼樣，馬上將這個東西，運到災區去，即刻就可以展開了，安住他身心的簡單居住的地方，簡易屋。
幾年來一直一直在研究，怎麼樣讓他安穩，能夠度過幾年的時間，讓他有幾年的時間安身心去打拚，恢復他的家園。這就是急難救濟中，不只是一時讓他肚子能飽，再給他有一個短暫幾年的時間，安住身心。我們一群菩薩很認真，為善競爭，大家來開發，有用這樣的方式，怎樣的材料，去了有辦法很大批的東西到達，很快的人力就能夠完成。看到在發展中，每次我都很感動。
所以說起來，菩薩發心，發心就是從這樣開始做，瞭解天下事，瞭解天下苦，瞭解很多的「集」。苦難是集來的，其實我們要成佛，也要集種種的因緣，來合力去完成人間的菩薩道，這樣才能夠解決了人間的苦難。
所以牛車比如佛教菩薩法，修六度行，但欲度人出於三界，一個目標，佛陀就是要度人人，能夠出離三界，而且不求自出，不是我自己出來就好，我還要叫大家全都要出來。所以，就像牛，牛荷負著很重的東西，牠還是要安、要忍耐、要安忍，要耐得起人間很多的考驗，所以才有辦法運出了，很多的東西。所以我們修行，自己像牛那種的責任，這樣拖很重的車，也願意向前走。所以前面的文，我們一直在說，「如彼諸子，為求牛車出於火宅」，這就是大乘，大白牛車。
牛車喻佛教菩薩法
修六度行
但欲度人出於三界
而不求自出
如牛之荷負
安耐一切普運
故以牛車喻之
各位菩薩，學佛就是要這樣，不要只求小乘法，我們所要求的「上求佛道」，是「下化眾生」，「上求佛道」是自利兼利人。我們要求的是大乘法，我們所要運用在人間，是悲智雙運，我們想要救度眾生，要像牛這樣安忍運載。所以，這就是於佛陀所說的三乘法，所以到了佛陀將入滅時，也沒有離開「苦、集、滅、道」，還是要這樣再交代，回歸「苦、集、滅、道」，所有的弟子應該要謹記。總而言之，我們要學佛，時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Peacefully and Patiently Transport Heavy Burdens (自利利人安忍運載)
Date:July.10. 2015
“We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings, like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens. Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
I want to share with everyone that we learn the Buddha’s Way in the hope of attaining Buddhahood. Will we attain it by continuously praying, “Venerable Buddha, please help me attain Buddhahood”? Is this how we attain Buddhahood? No. We need to put the Dharma into practice. We must vow to seek the teachings. To be like the Buddha, of course we need to learn from the Buddha.
So, seeking the teachings depends on our own efforts, on whether we are willing to elevate the aim of our aspirations. We must learn to be like the Buddha and attain His level of compassion and wisdom. Since we are learning, we must practice according to the teachings and listen to the Buddha-Dharma.
In the Buddha’s mind, He hoped that after everyone understood, they would then go among people and put the teachings into practice. Then the Buddha-Dharma can be spread widely and sentient beings can actually be saved. This is not illusory; people are truly saved. This was the Buddha’s intention. Therefore, we should now understand that we must “seek the teachings to benefit ourselves.” We must look to the Buddha. We must follow the Buddha’s spiritual practice and what He manifested in this world to teach us. We need to realize that His goal in attaining Buddhahood was to save people. If we understand this goal, we must immediately aspire to be like Him. This is what it means to “seek the teachings.”
We should have the same mission as the Buddha. We are not seeking only our own understanding, to simply hear and understand. No,what we must understand is how to put these teachings into practice. “[Seeking] the teachings to benefit ourselves” is what we can do for ourselves. If we attain realizations, then benefit others, we are truly benefiting ourselves and others.
We benefit ourselves by developing our wisdom-life. To develop our wisdom-life, we must go among people. By interacting with people, we gain a lot of information about the world, we learn about many ways of life and we learn about suffering, causation, cessation and the Path in the world. These many principles can be learned by going among people. So, this is also how we “benefit ourselves”.
When we go among people and gain something, naturally we will want to give to others. This is called “benefiting others.” We always wonder, when we help people, are we benefiting ourselves? If we have the ability to help others, do we benefit as well? When we help others, while they are helped, we have also attained happiness and joy, which help our wisdom-life grow. So, when we give, we actually reap the benefits. When we are able to give something tangible, it is the work of many people coming together to be able to give. In the end, we actually reap the benefits. We attain joy and a sense of peace. This happiness when we seek the teachings and enable our wisdom-life to grow. It is because we help others at the same time. We benefit ourselves and others. This is what it means to “seek the teachings”.
By understanding the teachings and putting them into practice, we attain a sense of Dharma-joy and a deeper understanding of the world around us. This is how we develop our wisdom-life. If we do not give to others, and just say, “know, I know,” then how much do we really understand?
If we do not give of ourselves at all, we do not actually understand anything.If we do not have the experience, we will not attain any realization, so we will not understand anything.Therefore, to benefit ourselves, we need to benefit others at the same time.To benefit others, we go among people and gather everyone’s strength to give to others.This is how we reap the greatest benefit.For our wisdom-life, helping others is indeed very beneficial.
So, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasttvas.”
This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.“Maha” means great, “sattvas” refer to Bodhisattvas, to sentient beings.So, Mahasattvas means “great sentient beings”.They follow the Great Vehicle Dharma.
“A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings.”Mahasattvas are great Bodhisattvas.Great Bodhisattvas exercise their compassion and their wisdom “to transform sentient beings”.This is their vow.
All Bodhisattvas have made a vow to learn from the Buddha’s mind and go among people to transform them all.They are peaceful and patient like an ox.
There is so much suffering in this world.So, we need to be peaceful and attaint to stay in this world of endurance.
If we have the patience, we can get through things safely, “like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens”.Not only is an ox patient he can also transport heavy burdens; he can shoulder heavy responsibilities.This is his virtue of beings peaceful and patient.
The ox has virtues, too.He is able to patiently endure this kind of life.Because he had created the karma to be born as an ox, he accepted his fate and patiently endured this.“Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
There were three kinds of carts, the sheep-cart, deer-cart and ox-cart.When sheep eat grass, they do not care about anything else, but just focus on eating the grass before them.As for the deer, when they are eating grass, they pay attention to their surroundings.
What about the ox?They not only eat the grass, they also have a sense of mission, which is to help humans; they have this sense of responsibility.So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others.”
When we give to other people, we are actually seeing the suffering in the world.The Buddha talked about “suffering,” but “suffering” comes from “causation”.How did we accumulate this “causation”?When we go among people and see how they suffer in this world, amidst this suffering we will naturally realize the principles behind “causation”.Thus we will be more committed to our aspirations.
By comprehending “suffering” and “causation,”.
We can develop our wisdom-life.We will know how to walk “the Path” and achieve the “cessation” of afflictions.By going among people, we understand this.The world is filled with suffering; to avoid triggering this “suffering,“ we must guard against wrongdoings and stop evil to close the door to “causation”.
Thus, we cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom because we know how suffering is accumulated.
With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can protect ourselves from being affected by negative causes and conditions.This is what we must understand.
When we go among people, we must be grateful.This is how we can be great Bodhisattvas.This is how we practice the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Great Bodhisattvas exercise both compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings.They are like the ox, who is peaceful and patient and is able to transport heavy burdens.
So, the ox is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.If everyone understands this, our spiritual practice will not be difficult.
The previous sutra passage states, “Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle.”
If we clearly understand the previous passage, we understand that Bodhisattvas are not only peaceful and patient, they also have sympathy for sentient beings.
Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle…“.
Bodhisattvas seek the power of these great vows.They “seek the Buddha’s Way” and “transform sentient beings,” so “They are called Mahasattvas”.This was the aspiration they formed.
“They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart”.
Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle are called Mahasattvas.They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.
This sutra passage is about wisdom. “With wisdom, they seek Bodhi”. When we learn the Buddha’s Way, we “seek the teachings”, which means we seek the Bodhi-path to awakening. We must use wisdom to choose the path we are going walk. “With compassion, they transform sentient beings”. With our compassion, we help and transform sentient beings. So, Bodhisattvas must constantly “seek and transform”.
“To seek” requires wisdom and “to transform” requires compassion. “Thus they form great aspirations [and engage in] causal practice”. When we form aspirations, they must be great. To plant these seeds in our minds, we must earnestly form aspirations.
These aspirations are causes. We start to think about helping others, instead of just saving ourselves. As we save ourselves, we must also save others. This is our first thought of forming great aspirations. This is the cause. We must then act on this cause.
Putting it into action means we “seek the Buddha’s Way and transform sentient beings”. Speaking of it this way, it is the Bodhisattva Vehicle.
We are willing to make aspirations so we then put them into action. This is the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.
With wisdom, they seek Bodhi. With compassion, they transform sentient beings. Thus they form great aspirations. When speaking of the causal practice, it is called the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.
We start with the “cause”. If we want to attain Buddhahood, we must form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. This is called the causal ground. If we engage in spiritual practice and attain the state of Buddhahood, we have attained the “fruit”. Sakyamuni Buddha had already attained this “fruit”. Sakyamuni Buddha had already attained this fruit. As for us, we are forming aspirations. We aspire to attain Buddhahood. We are now at the state of “causes”. At the causal ground, we start to engage in spiritual practice. The process of our spiritual practice is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. This takes us to the state of Buddhahood, which is the fruit we attain.
Thus, walking the Bodhisattva-path is the cause and attaining Buddhahood is the fruit. So, both the cause and the fruit are part of the Great Vehicle. If not for these causes, how could we attain these fruits?
Bodhisattvas are “sentient beings”. They are “enlightened sentient beings”. “Maha” means “great”, so Mahasattvas are great sentient beings.
Bodhisattvas are also called great sentient beings. “The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas”. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Bodhisattvas “transform beings with compassion” they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Even if the load is heavy, the ox is still willing. He walks forward with steady steps, uncomplaining. No matter how heavy the load, he is willing.
Thus those who left the burning house for the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas. In order to obtain the ox-cart, they left the burning house; these are Bodhisattvas.
“The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. Bodhisattvas transform beings with compassion; they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Thus those who left the burning house for the sake of the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”
We understand the world is filled with suffering. So, we must mindfully seek the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. We must not think of spiritual practice as just cultivating ourselves. No, we must also benefit others.
From the beginning I talked about the practice of benefiting oneself and others. In fact, as we give to others, we are also reaping great benefits.
Every day, we feel that we are very busy. What we are busy doing? Understanding. We try to understand how the world works, because in the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, we have to understand the affairs of the world. We must know what is happening in the world, then our outlook will extend further and broader, and we will be able to realize the way of life of people around the world.
Without the ways of practice laid out by Tzu Chi, we may just focus on our own spiritual practice and only awaken ourselves. How would we know about what is happening around the world? Many people have vowed to me, “Wherever there is a disaster, Master, give me a chance to help. I want to sign up to go”. No matter how far it is or how difficult it is, they are willing to go. Travelling 10,000 miles benefits a person more than reading 10,000 books. The feelings they experienced by going there lead them to further exercise their great love.
Because they have already developed their wisdom-life, they will utilize their strengths. See, so many people are giving unconditionally and shouldering heavy responsibilities. They are taking on responsibilities for the world. This is the aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path.
This is why we researched how, after a disaster strikes and homes are destroyed, we can quickly provide the survivors with a safe refuge to protect them from wind and rain where they temporarily rest their bodies and minds. We researched how to immediately ship shelters to disaster areas and right away provide the people with simple shelters to rest their bodies and minds. We call them prefabricated shelters.
Over these few years, we have been developing ways for people to have a safe refuge for at least a few years so that they would have time to focus on building lives and restoring their homes our emergency disaster relief does not only provide them food so they do not go hungry, we also give them a few years to rest their body and mind.
Our Bodhisattvas work earnestly in healthy competition to develop and use a method of construction and materials that can be easily transported at once to build a large number of units in a short time.
Every time I see a prototype, I am very moved. So, once Bodhisattvas form aspirations, they began to take action accordingly. We understand worldly matters, understand the suffering in the world and how the causes of suffering are accumulated. Suffering caused by accumulation, but actually, to attain Buddhahood, various causes and conditions in order to complete the Bodhisattva-path and relieve the suffering in the world.
So, the ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way, and the practice of the Six Perfections. “They only seek to deliver all people.” The Buddha has one goal, to deliver everyone from the Three Realms. He does not seek His own escape; it is not enough if He is the only one who escapes He also calls on everyone to escape. He is like an ox who shoulders a heavy burden.The ox must be peaceful and patient and endure the challenges in this world in order to deliver so many things. So, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must feel a sense of responsibility like the ox. Even when he is pulling a very heavy cart, he is willing to continue walking forward.
We have been discussing this previous passage, “They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.” This is the Great Vehicle, the great ox-cart.
The ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and the practice of the Six Perfections. They only seek to deliver all people from the Three Realms and do not seek their own escape. They are like an ox who shoulders the burden to peacefully and patiently deliver all. Thus the ox-cart is used as an analogy.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we cannot only seek the Small Vehicle Dharma. We must “seek the Buddha’s Way and “transform sentient beings.” “Seeking the Buddha’s Way” is to benefit ourselves and others. What we must seek is the Great Vehicle Dharma. What we must apply in the world is both compassion and wisdom. To deliver all sentient beings, we must be like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens.
So, these are the Three Vehicles that the Buddha talked about. Even when the Buddha was entering Parinivana, He still taught the Four Noble Truths. He still had to remind them to return to suffering, causation, cessation and the Path so that all His disciples would remember. In conclusion, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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