【靜思妙蓮華】20150803 - 由根本惑生諸煩惱 - 第622集 Fundamental Delusion Gives Rise to Afflictions

20150803《靜思妙蓮華》由根本惑生諸煩惱(第622集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「造諸惡業從根本惑，繫縛結使生諸煩惱，橫遍十方豎窮三際，欲色無明惹三界火。」
⊙「諸惡蟲輩，交橫馳走。屎尿臭處，不淨流溢，蜣蜋諸蟲，而集其上。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「狐狼野干，咀嚼踐踏，嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙咀嚼：用牙齒咬碎磨細食物，如口含味以咀嚼，不用而棄。喻貪心取境，有用而取。外道以疑故不信正法，遂不知生死流轉之因果，而陵滅諦理也。
⊙貪使有二：一、有力貪者，以威勢取之。如貪婪獨自大，凌他欺小，荼毒人群，如狐狼。二、無力貪者，但能從他乞索麤弊，如豪強侵奪良善，依附之餘黨作勢。
⊙嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉：如足蹴躡以踐蹋，又小則咀嚼，多則踐蹋。以唇咥血曰嚌，以齒斷骨曰齧，喻貪噬無厭。
⊙死屍喻麤弊五塵。狼藉者，狼群常在草地處臥息，離去一片凌亂，云：狼藉。生蟲咀嚼以殆盡，死屍嚌齧以有餘，故云骨肉狼藉。謂食之不盡，零落於草間。
⊙世人肆筵設席，杯盤狼藉，積聚五塵，行為放縱狼藉，不知止足，亦猶是。

【證嚴上人開示】
「造諸惡業從根本惑，繫縛結使生諸煩惱，橫遍十方豎窮三際，欲色無明惹三界火。」

造諸惡業從根本惑
繫縛結使生諸煩惱
橫遍十方豎窮三際
欲色無明惹三界火

「造諸惡業從根本惑」。這是我們眾生凡夫不知覺中，日常的生活沒有離開這些，種種錯誤的行為，以及不知覺中從內心所起，那種根本惑。根本的惑就是叫做根本無明。

我們這段時間所在形容，就是我們眾生煩惱無明，與飛禽走獸牠們那種的生態，在我們凡夫的心態差沒多少。所以，我們就要時時提高警覺，不要讓我們的心態與飛禽走獸，那個習氣、生態這樣相同。我們要將它好好分別，這個分別，讓我們回歸我們人倫道理，我們才能夠心清淨，我們才能夠慧命成長。

所以「繫縛結使」。我們這樣常常綁住，將我們纏住，這個「結」將我們結綁住，這樣心都纏，纏在這個煩惱裡。因為我們有這些煩惱，這些根本無明的煩惱，纏在我們的心裡，日常的生活等等，不知覺中煩惱很快浮上來。看到這個人，聽到這個聲音，或者是看到那個境界等等，我愛起貪著，想盡辦法，明明我們就已經聽佛法了，但是外面那個境界我看到，很快就浮現出這個意識來，貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑等等。像這樣，外面的境界，裡面的心態，就是常常這樣纏綁著，所以不斷滋生，起了很多的煩惱，就已經是惑了。「惑」本來也是叫做「無明」，無明另外的名稱叫做「惑」，所以這個「惑」，和這個「無明」，這樣「結使」起來，煩惱重重啊！

所以，像這樣的煩惱，在我們一天的時間，一年的時間，一輩子的時間，是不是我們一定「橫遍十方」，將我們這個心地，橫的這樣東西南北，或者是四維、上下等等，這個「十方」在心地，這樣將我們布滿了呢？或者是「豎窮三際」，「豎」就是直，直，直是過去、現在、未來，我們的上輩子、這輩子及來生，這叫做「直」。對「直」的過去，延續到我們的現在，現在放不下，還要再拉到未來。所以昨天、今天、明天，還是看不開，何況前生、今生、來生呢？同樣的道理，所以「直」，「豎窮三際」就是徹底，過去、現在、未來很徹底，煩惱還是不斷延伸、開闊，不斷蔓延出去，這全都是我們的煩惱。

所以，煩惱來自哪裡呢？欲、色、無色，像這種欲界、色界、無色界，這種的無明，這樣惹起三界的火。所以我們要好好用心，「三界」大家都知道了，從我們的心靈的三界，就是欲、與色與無色，這都在我們的心裡。心欲，馬上貪、馬上要，開始日日思惟，未來還是煩惱重重，這都是人生日常生活的心地。

諸惡蟲輩
交橫馳走
屎尿臭處
不淨流溢
蜣蜋諸蟲
而集其上
《法華經譬喻品第三》

我們應該要知道，人生苦難是偏多。所在看的這些經文，飛禽走獸牠們的生活、牠們的生態很苦呢！就像「蜣蜋諸蟲」，牠們的生活都是在骯髒的地方，那種「交橫馳走」，不論是四腳行走的，或者是無足爬行的，或者是用飛的，我們人間的上上下下。

尤其是有的生活的環境，牠就是都在糞裡面，糞尿的裡面，所以牠在那裡製造，那些骯髒的東西，是牠們生活必備的，要在那裡產卵、孵蛋等等。所以這就是牠們生活的環境。

我們看到感覺可憐，牠們為什麼牠們會生在，這種的環境裡呢？其實，我們人間壽命偏短，壽命不長，人間，尤其是短短的壽命，卻是造了很多的惡業，破壞山河大地，擾亂人民社會等等。這在天人來看人間的人，他們也覺得：怎麼這麼可憐！人類這種的心毒，煩惱、無明這種濁氣這麼重。天人來看人間是這樣呢！

卻是，聖人來看天人，也覺得也是可憐愍啊！雖然壽命很長，雖然享受很多，卻是不懂得要求道的心。「富貴學道難」啊！空過在那裡享受，享受福盡還是「五衰相現」，同樣還要再墮落。所以，聖人來看天、人，以及畜生類，聖人全都感覺三界眾生很可憐。所以，諸佛菩薩希望我們，能夠藉這個世間的環境，這樣瞭解苦，也懂得要趕緊修行，能夠快快覺悟。

接下來，「狐狼野干，咀嚼踐踏，嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉。」

狐狼野干
咀嚼踐踏
嚌齧死屍
骨肉狼藉
《法華經譬喻品第三》

像這樣，狐狼，那就是狐狸一樣，這種的動物，牠很聰明，也是很多疑、孤疑。野干與這個狐差不多，但是比牠還小，所以形色是青黃，這個尾巴較大，看起來是雷同，我們用這個顏色和牠尾巴，這樣稍微能夠分別。牠所住的地方也差不多，在比較危巖的地方，就是牠要保護牠的安全，不要被人去破壞到牠的巢穴，所以住的地方，那就是去取在比較危險的地方，卻是對牠們來說是最安全的。對人類來說是危險的，晚上就出來，那個叫聲、夜鳴，所以這種的怪獸，這是一種的怪獸，這種的野干是一種的怪獸。

「咀嚼」，意思就是這些動物，在吃東西、咬東西，在吃、在咬時，就是咬碎，會啃，啃牠要的，不要的就把它啃掉，要的牠吃，牠吞下去，這種吃東西這樣啃、這樣吞，這就是牠們生活的形態。這也就是譬喻，「貪心取境(有用而取)」。

咀嚼：
用牙齒
咬碎磨細食物
如口含味以咀嚼
不用而棄
喻貪心取境
有用而取
外道以疑
故不信正法
遂不知
生死流轉之因果
而陵滅諦理也

我們在貪心，修行者也是一樣，斷章取義，同樣的道理，在牠們的生態，吃東西把它咬開，用牙齒慢慢囓，不要的東西牠就把它丟掉。就像這個外道，外道以疑，所以不信正法，他就取著他修行的方法，不去相信正法，所以，他這樣在修行，以為他就能夠證果了，他就不必再輪迴生死了。這是取那個捷徑，因為他沒有去，去體會到，「苦、集、滅、道」的道理，修他自已要修的，所以並沒有依教奉行。所以這些「諦」，真理，他就是撥無因果，不相信這個諦理，這也就是「貪」，貪求在「馬上修、馬上得」，這種的貪，其實，所有的煩惱來自於，「五利使」、「五鈍使」，「五鈍使」就是「貪」開始。

貪使有二
一、 有力貪：
有力貪者
以威勢取之
如貪婪獨自大
凌他欺小
荼毒人群
如狐狼
二、 無力貪：
無力貪者
但能從他乞索麤弊
如豪強侵奪良善
依附之餘黨作勢

貪就是分二種：第一、就是「有力貪」，有力貪，就是用我們的威勢去貪。像現在的人，這種的貪婪無度，貪來的就是我獨大，所以就凌小，大欺小，所以荼毒人群，這個「毒」迠這一直放給人間。所以，像狐狼一樣，「狐狼野干」就是這麼的狡猾。

第二、「無力貪」，無力的貪，只能夠「從他乞索麤弊」。那就是人家大，我們就去附屬他，附屬他，從中取利。這自己沒力，就去附屬給別人，附屬他的力很強，這樣我們和他一起去，「侵奪良善」，像這樣也很多。所以說起來，不論是強欺弱，或者是弱附勢，這造同樣的業。這全都是，「依附之餘黨作勢」，這就是沒力的人，只好仗別人的力，去貪，所以這種的形態。

還一種，就是「嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉」。

嚌齧死屍
骨肉狼藉：
如足蹴躡以踐蹋
又小則咀嚼
多則踐蹋
以唇咥血曰嚌
以齒斷骨曰齧
喻貪噬無厭

我們看狗或是什麼，狗我們比較常看到，狗，東西開始要吃時，牠霸占著、嘴去咬，像這樣「嚌齧」，那就是這樣腳去霸占著，再開始去吃。像這樣，這麼多，前面兩腳已經占著東西，嘴就在吃了，又看到東西還有，很想要再去拿，後腳先去踩著，前腳再去搶。

看牠們那種的生態，「唇咥血」，這就是，打開時，裡面，嘴咬著的已經是血肉模糊，強咬弱的東西，這樣就已經是了。牙齒還在啃骨，看到這樣，這種動物與動物之間，強的去咬弱的，弱的生命在牠的口中在掙扎，血肉模糊，嘴裡有肉、有血，卻是牙齒也這樣啃骨。這種就是「貪噬無厭」，宜的是，看起來真的是很可憐，也很可怕。


這種「死屍」，看到那些東西這樣被牠咬一咬，有的就是沒有全部吃下去，有的肚腸也都露出來外面，血肉模糊。這是譬喻麤弊五塵。

死屍喻麤弊五塵
狼藉者
狼群常在
草地處臥息
離去一片凌亂
云：狼藉
生蟲 咀嚼以殆盡
死屍嚌齧以有餘
故云骨肉狼藉
謂食之不盡
零落於草

麤弊五塵，那就是色、聲、香、味、觸。我們人不就是這樣嗎？與那個色、聲、香、味、觸，為了這些事情，所以我們會貪心，與那些動物強欺弱，這樣在搶，這樣的生態，又是差多少呢？我們的貪心，現在正在做這些事情，心還在貪那些東西，這樣的「狼藉」。

就像這些動物牠在草堆裡，東西在那個地方，大家在那裡翸啊翸，翸到最後就是一場很亂的地方，吃一吃、休息，又在那裡翸，這個一片的凌亂，這叫做「狼藉」。
這種生蟲就是昆蟲，這所有都讓這些這樣，看起來「死屍」就是，被牠吃剩的東西，這樣就是這麼亂，所以「骨肉狼藉」，就是形容這些東西，強的吃弱的，弱的東西，在那個地方很亂，這與我們人生這樣、這樣，在人禍發生，世間之後，遺留下來的不是也同樣，那麼狼藉的境界嗎？所以這是說，吃的東西是不盡，到處是零落在那個環境裡，到底好好的東西，為什麼要這樣破壞呢？好好的生命，為什麼要這樣爭鬥呢？所以說起來，世間人，像我們世間人為了要取得，所以他不斷地應酬。應酬，一盤一盤的菜這樣出來，山珍海味，大家喝酒划拳，在那個地方，東西端出來很香，整隻的燉雞，整隻的乳豬，這樣一塊一塊慢慢撕，吃得滿桌子。酒也喝足了，東西也吃了，桌上剩下來的，就是一些骨頭，一些很骯髒的東西這樣整桌。這與我們人在應酬(一樣) 。

為什麼要要應酬呢？你要貪、我要奪，在桌子上，大家來交易。我們人與這樣不就是一樣嗎？像這樣在放縱狼藉，這就是人生不懂得，要好好這樣停止下來，人生就是這樣。

世人肆筵設席
杯盤狼藉
積聚五塵
行為放縱狼藉
不知止足
亦猶是

所以，各位菩薩，學佛，我們要好好，真的要常常警惕，警惕在我們這個惡業，這個根本的惑(衍生的)，就是「五鈍使」、「五利使」。貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，不斷像一條繩索將我們綁住，綁得很快，拉得很緊，這種的煩惱，我們都沒有放鬆過，一直煩惱的「結使」，都一直在我們的心裡。

而這種的煩惱結使，同樣「一生無量」，有了一念的貪，生起了無量的煩惱，橫遍十方，所以就過去、現在、未來，都是這樣，變成了一種習氣。所以因為這樣，在這個欲界、色界、無色界，「三界」充滿於我們的內心，在起火，惹災禍，這就是我們的人間。所以，希望大家，時時戒慎虔誠、慎思、莫放逸。所以要多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Fundamental Delusion Gives Rise to Afflictions (由根本惑生諸煩惱)
Date:August.03. 2015

“The creation of all negative karma begins with fundamental delusions. Our attachments and bonds drive us to give rise to all afflictions, which pervade throughout the ten directions of space and extend throughout the three periods of time. Desire, form and ignorance stir up the flames of the Three Realms.”

“The creation of all negative karma begins with fundamental delusions.” We ordinary sentient beings do not realize that in our daily living, we constantly engage in many kinds of erroneous behavior, and in this lack of awareness, our minds give rise to fundamental delusions. These fundamental delusions are also called fundamental ignorance.
What we have been describing are the afflictions and ignorance of sentient beings and the natural tendencies of birds and beasts, which are similar to our unenlightened states of mind. So, we must constantly heighten our vigilance and never allow our minds to develop the same tendencies as the birds and beasts. We must carefully distinguish ourselves from them. Drawing this distinction will bring us back to our human morals so that we can purify our minds and develop our wisdom-life.
So, “Our attachments and bonds drive us”. We often become bound by our entanglements. The “bonds” that trap us bind us up tightly. Thus, our minds are bound and become entangled in afflictions. Because these afflictions that arise from our fundamental ignorance entangle our minds, in our daily living they surface quickly before we even realize it.
When we see a particular person, hear a certain voice or see certain conditions, our greed arises and we do everything we can to [get what we want]. Even though we have listened to the teachings, when we come in contact with these conditions, these [afflictions] quickly surface in our minds, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, etc. In this way, amidst external conditions our minds constantly become entangled and endlessly give rise to many afflictions. Thus, we are already deluded. “Delusion” is really the same as “ignorance”; ignorance is also referred to as delusion.
So, delusion and ignorance are “bonds [that] drive us”. They create serious afflictions! When it comes to these afflictions, over the course of a day, or a year or an entire lifetime, won’t they certainly “pervade throughout the ten directions of space”? Don’t they fill our minds, spreading north, south, east and west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, up and down, in all the “ten directions of space”? They also “extend throughout the three periods of time.”
To “extend” means to go through [time], from the past to the present and into the future, from our past lives to this life and then into our future lives. This happens through [time]. [Afflictions] extend from the past into the present. If we still cannot let go, we will extend them even further into the future. Even with matters of yesterday, today, tomorrow we are unable to let go, to say nothing of matters of our past lives, our current life or our future lives. The same principles apply.
So, [afflictions] “extend throughout the three periods of time,” thoroughly penetrating past, present and future. They continue to expand across [time and space], endlessly growing outward. This is what happens with our afflictions.
Where do these afflictions come from? Desires, forms and formless [thoughts]. In the desire, form and formless realms, ignorance stirs up the flames of the Three Realms.So, we must make an effort to be mindful.
Everyone knows the Three Realms: they are the three states of our minds desires forms and formless [thoughts].This is all in our minds.With desires we instantly become greedy; we want it right away.We begin to think about it every day and eventually develop serious afflictions.This is what happens in our minds over the course of our daily living.

All sorts of vicious creatures were running back and forth in places that smelled of urine and feces where filthy things flowed.Dung battles and other insects were gathered on top.

We should all understand that life is full of suffering.In these passages we are reading about the lives of birds and beasts.The way they live brings deep suffering.
Take “during beetles and other insects” for example.They live their lives in filthy places where they are “running back and forth”.
Whether they walk on four legs, slither about without any legs or fly [with their wings], they are found everywhere throughout our world, above, below and around us.
In particular the environments some live in are composed of animal manure and urine.That is also where they reproduce because that type of filthy environment contains what they need to live.Their eggs are laid and hatched there.They live in this environment all of their life.
When we see them we may feel pity and wonder.“why were they born in such an environment?”Actually our human lifespan tend to be short; a human life is really not that long.
Yet within this short lifespan, we create so much negative karma.We destroy mountains and rivers, disrupt people and society and so on.So, when heavenly beings look at humans, they wonder “Why are their lives so sad?”
“There is poison in their minds and their afflictions and ignorance are very severe.”
This is what they think when they see us.
Yet when the noble begins see heavenly beings, they also feel pity for them.Although heavenly beings live for a long time and enjoy  many pleasures they do not have any spiritual aspirations.
“It is hard for the wealthy to learn the Way. ”
They waste their time in enjoyment.After they deplete their blessings the Five Sings of Decay manifest.Then they will fall [into a lower realm].
So, when noble beings see heavenly beings, humans and animals they feel sad for the beings of the Three Realms.
Therefore, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas hope that with the conditions we encounter in the world, we can understand suffering and immediately engage in spiritual practice so that we can quickly become awakened.

Next, it states, “Jackals and foxes were chewing, trampling, sucking and gnawing on corpses whose bones and flesh were scattered about.”

Jackals are very similar to foxes.These animals are very clever but also full of doubt and very suspicious.There are many foxes that look similar but some are smaller.Their coloring is tawny and their tails are bigger.So, even though they look like other foxes they can be distinguished by their coloring and their tails.
They live in similar places usually in places that are dangerous to get to.This is to ensure their safety; it keeps people from destroying their homes.
Thus, they tend to live in places that are dangerous and hard to get to though to them these places are safer.To us they seem very dangerous.
When evening falls their howls can be heard.
So, they were thought to be monsters.This kind of fox was thought to be a monster.
“Chewing” means that when these animals are eating something they bits down on it.As they eat they bits down to crush and gnaw on things.
They gnaw on the parts they cannot chew and swallow the rest.
When they eat they bite down and then swallow.This is their way of living.This is an analogy for “our greed for external conditions” as “we grasp at what we want”.

Chewing:
Chewing is using one’s teeth to bite, gnaw and grind up food.They will chew the tasty parts and discard the parts they do not want. This is like our greed for external conditions; we grasp at what we want. Heretical practitioners have doubts and thus do not have faith in the True Dharma. Hence they do not know the causes and effects of birth and death in cyclic existence and thus deny and throw out the true principles.

Because of the attachments in our hearts, in our spiritual practice, we often focus on one thing without regard for the rest. The same principle applies to their way of life; when they eat they tear things apart and chew slowly with their teeth. They simply throw away what they do not want. This is what heretics do. They have doubts, so they do not have faith in the Right Dharma; they cling to their methods of spiritual practice instead of developing proper beliefs. They think that by engaging in such practices they can realize the fruits [of awakening] and become liberated from cyclic existence. They cling to this shortcut because they have not comprehended the truths of suffering, causation, cessation, and the Path. They choose their own methods of practice. They do not practice according to the teachings. When it comes to the truths of life, they deny the law of karma. They do not believe in this true principle. This is a form of greed.
They are greedy for immediate results from their spiritual practice. This is a kind of greed. In fact, all our afflictions arise from the five acute and the five chronic afflictions. The five chronic afflictions begin with greed.

The affliction of greed has two varieties.
1. Greed of the powerful: Those with this kind of greed seek to obtain things through dominance. In their greed they only think of themselves, they abuse others and bully the weak, causing great suffering for the people. They are like jackals.
2. Greed of the powerless: Those with this kind of greed want to beg from or cheat others. They take advantage of good people by relying on and ganging up with powerful people who abuse others.

There are two kinds of greed. The first is “greed of the powerful”. Greed of the powerful means we seek to obtain thins through our power. Many people nowadays have this insatiable greed. They want to be on the very top. The big dominate and bully the small. This causes suffering for the people; this “poison” spreads throughout the world. People like this are like jackals.
“Jackals and foxes” are very cunning like this.
The second kind is “greed of the powerless”. When we have this greed, we want to acquire things by “begging from or cheating others”. When someone is very powerful, we attach ourselves to that person in order to prosper by association. We have no power so we associate ourselves with someone who is very powerful. Along with them, we “take advantage of good people”. There are also many people like this.
Whether the strong are bullying the weak or the weak are aligning with the powerful, the same kind of karma is created. People “gang up with powerful people who abuse others”.
People without power rely on other people’s power to do bad things to get what they want. This is how they go about things.
Another way is like “Sucking and gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about”.

Chewing, trampling, sucking, gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered all around: The creatures stamped and trampled on them. They would chew on the small pieces and trample the extra pieces. Sucking out the blood is called sucking. Breaking bones with ones teeth is called gnawing. This is an analogy for insatiable greed.”

We see this with dogs or some other animals, most commonly with dogs. When they begin to eat something, they hold it down with their paws as they bite it. This is what “sucking and gnawing” refers to. They step on it with their paws to claim it, then they begin to eat it. We often see this. While they hold something down with their front paws and are gnawing away at it, if they see something else they want, they hold down what they have with back paws and grab the new thing with their front paws. We can see the way they live. When they “suck out the blood”, they have ripped open the insides. The animal in their jaws is completely crushed. When the strong eat the weak, this is what happens. They still gnaw on the bones with their teeth. We see this kind of interaction between animals, the strong biting the weak and the weak struggling and dying in the jaws of the other animal until their body is destroyed. The stronger animal is eating the flesh and blood while his teeth are still gnawing on the bones. This is “an analogy for insatiable greed”. Indeed, this is very sad to look at and also very scary.
As for “corpses”, animals that have been chewed up may not have been completely devoured. Their guts may be laid bare in a bloody mess after their bodies are destroyed. This is an analogy for the five sense objects.

“The corpses are the analogies for the five sense objects. Scattered about means that when a pack of wolves is lying in rest out in the plains, they leave things in disarray; this is why it says scattered about. Insects will chew and eat thoroughly, but the creatures sucking and gnawing on the corpses leave remnants, thus bones and flesh were scattered about. Because they do not eat it all, the extra is scattered and dropped around the plains.”

As for “corpses, animals that have been chewed up may not have been completely devoured. Their guts may be laid bare in a bloody mess after their bodies are destroyed. This is an analogy for the five sense objects.

The corpses are the analogy for the five sense objects. Scatted about means that when a pack of wolves is lying in rest out in the plains, they leave things in disarray; this is why it says scattered about. Insects will chew and eat thoroughly, but the creatures sucking and gnawing on the corpses leave remnants, thus bones and flesh were scattered about. Because they do not eat it all, the extra is scattered and dropped around the plains.

The five dense objects are form, sound, smell, taste and touch. Don’t we humans desire these sense objects? Form, sound, smell, taste and touch are the things we are greedy for. How are we that different from the strong animals that bully and snatch things away from the weak? This is our greed. Even as we are working, we still think about and desire those things that are scattered about. When animals fight over something in the bushes, they tear at it until it becomes a mess. They may eat, then rest, then tear at it again.This state of chaos is what is referred to as “scattered.”
Insects are the bugs that arise [on corpses]. When other animals eat corpses, whatever is left looks very messy. “Bones and flesh scattered around describes what happens after the strong eat the weak. There is such a mess there. This is like what happens with humans.
After manmade calamities occur, isn’t the trail of destruction that is left considered a scattered state? This indicates that things are not eaten cleanly, bits and pieces are scattered all over the place. Why would we go and destroy the good things around us? Why would we bring conflict into a life that is going smoothly? This is what people are like.
In order to obtain [what they desire], some people hold many business dinners. Dish after dish of food is brought to the table. While eating all kinds of delicacies, people plat drinking games.
In those restaurants, the food that is brought out smells so good. Entire roasted chickens and sucking pigs are torn apart and eaten piece by piece. The entire table becomes messy.After people have drank and eaten their fill, all that remains on the table are some bones. Trash is littered all over the table. This is how we entertain others. And why do we do this? You want something, I want something. We negotiate over a meal. Isn’t this what people do? We become indulgent and scattered in behavior. This is what happens when we do not understand when to stop. This is the way life is.

Worldly people throw banquets and feasts with plates and cups scattered around. They gather the five sense objects and become indulgent and messy in their behavior. They do not know to stop when they enough. Life is like this.

Dear Bodhisattvas as we learn the Buddha’s Way we must be constantly vigilant. We must be aware of our negative karma and our fundamental ignorance, the five chronic and five acute afflictions. Greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt constantly bind us like a rope. They wrap around us quickly and tightly. If we do not relax these ropes, these bonds of afflictions will drive us and remain in our minds. These afflictions which bind and drive us can give rise to countless afflictions. One thought of greed can give rise to countless afflictions pervading throughout the ten directions. Throughout the past, present and future this continues, thus we develop habitual tendencies. Because of this, the desire, form and formless realms are the three states that have filled our minds, within which fires and disasters break out. This reflects what happens in the world. Therefore, I hope that everyone can constantly be self-disciplined and reverent, be cautious and never become lax. To do this, we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)