【靜思妙蓮華】20150807 - 鳩槃荼喻邪戒 - 第626集 Kumbhanda Demons Represent Deviant Precepts

20150807《靜思妙蓮華》鳩槃荼喻邪戒 (第626集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

「修行方向差之毫釐，欲求上生天界為往，漏落還生欲界為返，邪思偏行執迷不悟。」
「孚乳產生，各自藏護。夜叉競來，爭取食之。食之既飽，惡心轉熾，鬥諍之聲，甚可怖畏。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
「鳩槃荼鬼，蹲踞土埵，或時離地，一尺二尺，往返遊行，縱逸嬉戲，捉狗兩足，撲令失聲，以腳加頸，怖狗自樂。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙鳩槃荼鬼：八種鬼神之一，食人精氣，形貌醜陋如甕，瓶腹、冬瓜體態。
⊙鳩槃荼此云甕形，以其形似甕故，即可畏鬼。虛坐為蹲，實坐為踞，喻外道依於戒取，執邪為道，名非因計因，即持牛狗等戒之徒。
⊙離地為離欲界，一尺為離色界，二尺為離無色界，皆往返遊行、升降輪迴，徒勞無功之意。

【證嚴上人開示】
「修行方向差之毫釐，欲求上生天界為往，漏落還生欲界為返，邪思偏行執迷不悟。」

修行方向差之毫釐
欲求上生天界為往
漏落還生欲界為返
邪思偏行執迷不悟

就是同樣，修行，修心啊！我們修行要注重在我們的心，方向毫釐的偏差，那就是差很遠了。所以，有人欲求上生天界，或者是無色界、色界，想要脫離欲界，但是心若一點點偏差，那就是「漏落還生欲界為返」。這種想要往上求，不小心也會再掉下來，那就是在欲界的裡面。

我們一念心，一個動作的偏差，那就是上天堂，或者是降人間、下地獄，同樣就是在我們這念心的偏差，行為的錯誤，而這都是差一點點而已。這一點點是在哪裡呢？就是邪思偏行。思想要正啊！我們修行不就是這樣說，要「八正道」，不論是思想、見解、行為，所做的行為、業，必定都是要正確。

邪的意思就是偏倚，已經偏離正，所以它叫做邪。一點點的偏差，那就是千里錯誤了。這一錯，就普遍這樣，一直一直迷下去，所以執迷不悟，若這樣偏了，就執，要再回來就難了。所以，修行方向很重要。

前面的(經)文我們說：「孚乳產生，各自藏護。夜叉競來，爭取食之。食之既飽，惡心轉熾，鬥諍之聲，甚可怖畏。」

孚乳產生
各自藏護
夜叉競來
爭取食之
食之既飽
惡心轉熾
鬥諍之聲
甚可怖畏
《法華經譬喻品第三》

昨天說過了，包含在孵的，用蛋孵的生態，或者是四足、二足所生的，那就是乳養的，所以叫做「孚乳產生」。這就是譬喻因果──「因核果海」。

最近我們在中部(慈濟人) ，收集一些種子來，種子拿來看，感覺很奇妙啊！有的種子生來就有花紋，不同樣的花紋，很漂亮。怎麼看都不知道，這顆種子不論大、不論小，原來它裡面所含藏的是那棵樹；那棵樹的長大，又纍纍不斷在產生果實。所以，「因核」很厲害。

所以現在若說，大家很擔心原子或者是核子，這大家擔心。記得日本一個地震、海嘯，一直到現在，這個問題還是頻頻傳出，危機四伏，這實在是很可怕！應該要說，這個種子是無處不在，都是含藏著善惡在那裡面。

我們人也是一樣，我們的基果，就是這個「因核」，現代的名稱叫做「基因」，在我們佛法中叫做「因」；因果，你什麼樣的因，生長起來，就是什麼樣的形，那叫做「果」。所以「各自藏護」，你到底是什麼因，就是帶著什麼業，叫做「業因」，我們所造作的業，含在這個因裡面。

所以「因」的來源就是「業」，所以我們佛法叫做「業種」，業的種子。我們現在所有的動作，開口動舌，說一句好話，大家聽了很歡喜。方向正確，我們這樣走就對了，這「走就對了」、「做就對了」是一句好話，方向正確，什麼都對，那個結果就是皆大歡喜。因為他造福人群，這種「因」也是同樣，全都含藏在我們所造作、收納下來那個「業識」。不知大家能否瞭解？

總而言之，天地萬物，包括我們「四生」，眾生的生態等等，無不都是因為業，先為因，後為果，所以這種因果業力的循環，所以叫做「各自藏護」。「萬般帶不去，唯有業隨身」，這就是「藏護」。

所以「夜叉」譬喻，大家全都是各有因果，那就是像夜叉，我們看不到，冥冥中的業力，我們也是看不到。

有的人說：「你好像邪祟在牽著你。」有的人就說：「你實在是五鬼纏身。」什麼叫做五鬼？色、聲、香、味、觸，這叫做五鬼。有人愛喝、愛賭、愛玩等等，一迷下去，就像活鬼在牽你，這與夜叉差不了多少。我們雖然看不出，夜叉的形(態) 是什麼，卻是在我們人與人之間，我們所遇到的，就像夜叉和鬼一樣，這樣破壞我們的慧命，損壞我們的人格等等。這叫做夜叉，這是一種的形容。

「競來搏撮」，有時候壞朋友一大堆，好不容易一個好人叫醒我們，又一大堆的朋友，壞的朋友，五鬼就又來纏身了。像這樣，這就是在我們因緣果報中，在我們帶來的業因、業緣，所以我們這輩子遇到的，就是這樣的事情。

所以「夜叉競來，爭取食之」。人家說：「相欠債、相欠債。我操勞成這樣，就一直提供給你。」不論是男女、夫妻、父子等等，或者是其他和我們毫無關係的，也這樣來卡住，被他控制住，就是一直要供應他。這種的也是很多。所以「食之既飽，惡心轉熾」，這種的人，在我們的身邊也有。所以「鬥諍之聲，甚可怖畏」，這是世間的形態。

下面這段經文再來說，「鳩槃荼鬼，蹲踞土埵，或時離地，一尺二尺，往返遊行，縱逸嬉戲，捉狗兩足，撲令失聲，以腳加頸，怖狗自樂。」

鳩槃荼鬼
蹲踞土埵
或時離地
一尺二尺
往返遊行
縱逸嬉戲
捉狗兩足
撲令失聲
以腳加頸
怖狗自樂
《法華經譬喻品第三》

看，這「鳩槃荼鬼」，他就是八種鬼神之一，他專門就是吃人的精氣。那個形貌是很醜，那個身態就像甕一樣，脖子細細的，但是身體很大，好像冬瓜。這樣肥肥的下來，手腳是細細的，這種鬼的形，形態很不好看。

鳩槃荼鬼：
八種鬼神之一
食人精氣
形貌醜陋如甕
瓶腹、冬瓜體態

看看現在一些年輕人，或者是中年人不只是粉擦得白，口紅塗紅，眼眶還要畫青的、畫綠的，還要畫黑的，在眼圈裡就要畫好幾色，其實老就是老了，再怎麼樣也漂亮不起來，所以這和鳩槃荼不是一樣嗎？

其實，在我們的佛典中，也是有這樣一段，所說的「鳩槃荼鬼」，其實她是，佛陀講《鬼子母經》時，其實她就是鬼子母（或名鬼魔母）。這個鬼她有一千個孩子，她要養一千個孩子，她就去抓別人的孩子，來養她的孩子。所以佛陀的時代，聽到有這樣的事情，佛陀就開始決心，要去降伏這個鬼子母。

要如何降伏她呢？佛陀的智慧，就將比丘、阿難等等，叫過來，說：「來，你們向鬼子母，在這個千子之中，將那個年紀最小的抓來。」比丘就去找，去將他抓來，這樣好幾位，都集中到佛的身邊來。佛就將這些孩子隱藏起來，尤其是那個年紀最小的。這個母親出去之後，抓別人的孩子，要回來給她的孩子時，怎麼少了好幾個孩子呢？尤其是她最最疼愛、年紀最小的孩子，怎麼都不見了！就有人說，比丘把你的孩子帶走了，所以她就這樣一路一直哭，嚎啕大哭，一直找她的孩子。

所以看到比丘在精舍外面，鬼子母來問：「我的孩子，我的孩子在哪裡呢？你們為什麼抓我的孩子？」比丘就說：「你的孩子不是很多嗎？讓幾個孩子來跟隨佛陀啊。」

鬼子母，趕緊跑到佛的面前去，向佛陀求乞：「我的孩子還我。」佛陀就幾個孩子放出來，「但是少一個，我裡面年紀最小這一個，怎麼不在其中呢？」佛陀就說：「你已經有那麼多孩子了，哪會差這一個，有關係嗎？鬼子母就說，「不行，這個孩子我很重視。」佛陀說：「要不然這些呢？是不是歸我的？」「也不行，每個孩子我都不能少。」

佛陀就說：「那你平時抓別人的孩子、吃別人的孩子，讓別人的父母，孩子不見，連屍體都找不到。像這樣，你想，那些父母的心是怎樣呢？」這時候，鬼子母開始覺悟了，「是啊，將心比心。這段時間我失去了我的孩子，我的心是多麼苦啊！我對人類製造了這麼多，讓別的父母受苦難。我不對了，我覺悟了，我願意皈依，守持佛戒。」佛陀允許她皈依，然後鬼子母變成了是，佛的護法者休是成就眾生的，有人要求子、有人病痛，她都會像慈母的心去照顧。

其實這鳩槃荼鬼，他的形態是真的是這樣。一個女人生那麼多孩子，怎麼不會邋遢呢？都會邋遢。尤其是女人，妝扮時美麗，若是老了還化妝，那是很醜，因為不像老人自然的形態，所以我們人，自然就美了，最重要的，真的要有慈母心。

所以這個「鳩槃荼」，此云甕，甕的形狀，和甕的形狀一樣，因為他的形就像甕，所以讓人見了，就很怕。

鳩槃荼此云甕形
以其形似甕故
即可畏鬼
虛坐為蹲
實坐為踞
喻外道依於戒取
執邪為道
名非因計因
即持牛狗等戒之徒

所以，這種「鳩槃荼鬼，蹲踞土埵」。因為他坐，這樣的身形，要坐也是很辛苦，其實，又再一個形容，就是他這個身體會邋遢，要坐，無法坐得很好，所以叫做「虛坐為蹲」，真的要坐下來，不是很好坐，坐下和蹲著差不多，所以「實坐為踞」，要坐下去也是這樣，就是很辛苦。這種的體態，可能大家能夠想像，這種人若很肥胖，胖得這樣上百公斤，這種真的起落、坐、蹲、站，全都很辛苦。這就譬喻「外道依於戒取」。這種外道，我們在修行若是偏差了，偏差了就是這樣，取這種不正確的戒，非戒執戒、非因執因、非果執果，全都是不對的，和修行相反，這種的方式。

印度，九十多種的修行，裡面有修火行、水行，修狗行、牛行的，就是修那個牛糞，住在牛糞中，吃牛糞的東西等等，他的生活就是在這種牛、狗，牛怎麼生活，狗怎麼生活，他就跟著牛、狗的生活，還是身體赤裸，這種裸體修行。這就是譬喻，用這種最難看的形態，身體的鳩槃荼鬼，這種形態來譬喻這種，外道偏邪修行的方式。佛陀用這樣來來讓我們能夠體會，修行，我們要歸入正道，不要在邪道。

「或時離地，一尺二尺」。有時候在修行時，他們不是沒有修，也是叫做修行，但是在修行，這個離地，「或時離地」，「離地」就是離欲界。

離地為離欲界
一尺為離色界
二尺為離無色界
皆往返遊行
升降輪迴
徒勞無功之意

「一尺二尺」。「一尺」就是離開色界，或者是「二尺」，離開無色界，他們就是要離開這三界，希望能夠這樣，去追求他們修行的方式。所以這種「或時離地」，就是脫離了欲界，脫離了色界、無色界，意思就是這樣。所以「往返遊行」，一下子起、一下子落，其實這是在形容我們的心。我們的心，聽法，「聽懂了，我知道不要貪，要去除貪。」「知道了，心都有很多煩惱，要捨離煩惱。」警惕不要有煩惱，到底能夠保持多久呢？去除煩惱又能多久呢？很快就又掉下來，還是貪、瞋、癡。

「叫我素食？可以啦，一星期一餐，可以嗎？」「好，方便法給你，一星期一餐。是不是可以一星期三餐呢？」「考慮看看……，好啦，三餐。」「是不是能再進步，一星期三天呢？」「比較難。比較難，試試看？」「我試試看。」三天過後，「我們下星期再三天好嗎？」「很辛苦。」同樣又退回來。

這種人間，這種欲的生活，好像要禁戒很困難，所以「一尺二尺」，這樣「往返遊行、升降輪迴，徒勞無功」。所以我常常聽到，「他們現在也在素食。」「真的嗎？」「一星期一天。」「一星期一天，有什麼用？」這就是我們人的心態，所以起起落落。

各位，學佛，我們必定要用心。用心，不論是莊嚴的形態，那就是德，「富潤屋，德潤身」。我們好好修行，要不然真的日常的生活，周圍真的是看不到，「夜叉惡鬼，鳩槃荼鬼」，什麼時候會在我們的身邊，我們都不知道，到底是菩薩，或者是鬼子母，或是鳩槃荼等等？我們在這人間，活生生，周圍之中，就有很多的魑魅魍魎，在我們的生活中，在牽引我門入陷阱，這很多。

所以各位菩薩，學佛就是要學菩薩道，不要在這個欲界與這鬼神，我們無形中被他們牽引去了，偏差，「差之毫釐，失於千里」，請大家時時多用心！

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Kumbhanda Demons Represent Deviant Precepts(鳩槃荼喻邪戒)
Date:July.07. 2015

“If the direction of our spiritual practice is off by a tiny amount, we may seek a better birth in the heaven realm but fall and return to the desire realm. With deviant thinking and biased actions, we cling to confusion and cannot awaken.”

In cultivating our actions, we are also cultivating our minds. The focus of our spiritual practice is our minds. If our [initial] direction is off by a tiny bit, we will end up far off course. Some may seek a better birth in heaven, or in the formless and form realms. They want to transcend the desire realm. But if the direction of their thinking is off, they will “fall and return to the desire realm.” People seeking to be born in a higher realm, if they are not careful, will easily fall down. They end up back in the desire realm. The slightest deviation in our thinking or action is the difference between going to heaven or falling into the human realm or hell. This is what happens if our mind goes astray or if we make mistakes in our behavior. We may be off only slightly.
Where is this slight difference found? In our deviant thinking and biased actions. [The direction of] our thinking must be correct. As we engage in spiritual practice, we talk about following the Eightfold Right Path. Everything from our thinking and views to our actions and livelihood must be right.
“Deviant” means we have gone astray. If we stray from the right path, we have deviated. This slight deviation has led us far off course. After making an initial mistake, we keep going in the wrong direction. So, we cling to delusions and do not awaken. Once we deviate we will cling to that course, making it hard to return [to the right path].
Thus, the course of our spiritual practice is very important.

The previous sutra text states, “They were laying, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became even more fierce. These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”

As we discussed yesterday, this includes those hatched from eggs and those born with four legs or two, those who are nursed. Thus it says, “laying, nursing, procreating.” This is an analogy for karmic cause and effect. “A seed contains an ocean of fruits.”
Recently Tzu Chi volunteers from central Taiwan collected some seeds for me to see. When I look at the seeds, I find them wondrous. Some seeds have natural patterns. These different patterns are very beautiful. No matter how we look at it, no matter whether the seed is big or small, it inherently has a free hidden within it. Once the tree grows, it will endlessly produce fruits. So, “the seed” is very powerful. Nowadays, people are concerned about atomic or nuclear power.
Everyone is concerned about this. We recall the earthquake in Japan that triggered a tsunami; to this day, it continues to cause problems and create all kinds of hidden dangers. This is truly terrifying. Indeed, we can say that seeds like these exist everywhere, and they can contain both good and evil. We humans are the same. Our genes are like these seeds; the modern term for them would be genes. The Buddha-Dharma describes them as “causes”.
The law of karma tells us the causes we create will matures and manifest as certain appearances, which are the “effects”.
These are [hidden and safeguarded].
The causes we have created determine the karma we bring with us.These are our karmic causes.
The karma we create is contained in these causes.The source of the “cause” us karma so the Buddha-Dharma describes this as “karmic seeds” of seeds of karma.
In all of our actions, in everything we say if we speak kind words that will bring people happiness.If we are on the right course, we should keep walking.Thus, we say, “Just walk on” and “Just do it”.By speaking kind words and being on the right course everything we do will be right.As a result, everyone will be pleased.
When we benefit everyone, the karmic causes we create through our actions are also stored in our karmic consciousness.I do not know if everyone can understand this.
In summary, all things in the world, including the four kinds of beings and sentient beings’ way of life, etc., arise from karmic cusses.
First there are causes, then there are effects.
This is this karmic cycle of cause and effect.
[The causes are each hidden and safeguarded].
We cannot take anything with us when we die; only karma follows us into our next life.This is what are “hiding and safeguarding”.
We use yaksas as an analogy for how each of us has different causes and effects.Yadsas are invisible to us much like karmic forces we cannot see.People say to other people, “Evil spirits seem to be guiding you”.Others might say.“You are bound by the five ghosts.”
What are the five ghosts?Form, sound, smell, taste and touch.These are called the five ghosts.Some like to drink, gamble, indulge and so on.Once they are deluded, it is as if living ghosts are pulling them along.These people are not very different from yaksas.
While we cannot see what yaksas look like, in our interpersonal interactions, we will encounter [people] like yaksas and ghosts.They destroy our wisdom-life, damage our character and so on.This is a way of describing yaksas who are “contending and fighting with each other”.
Sometimes, we have so many unwholesome friends that when a spiritual friend tries to wake us up, that group of unwholesome friends [prevents this].Then the five ghosts will entangle us again.This is due to the law of karma.We brought karmic causes and conditions with us, thus we encounter these things in our lives.
So, “Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them.”People often say they have mutual karmic debts.“I work so hard just to keep providing for you.”This could be between men and women, husbands and wives, fathers and sons and so on.It could be someone not related to us in any way, yet they still bind or control us, and we must keep providing for them.There are many such cases.
So, “Having eaten their fill their evil thoughts became even more fierce.”These kinds of people exist among us.“These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”
This is the state of our world.

The next sutra text states, “Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt
and occasionally jumping up one or two feet into the air travelling up and returning, lazily indulging in this game. They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

See, these kumbhanda demons are one of the eight kinds of demons.They specialize in eating people’s vital essence.They have an ugly appearance, with a body shaped like a pot.Their neck is skinny, but their body is large, like a winter melon.

Their entire [body] is so fat, and their arms and legs are skinny.They have a really ugly appearance.Look at the way young people and middle-age people not only put on pale foundation and red lip stick they also apply blue, green or black eyeliner.They add many colors around their eyes.Actually when you are old you are old; there is no way to be beautiful again.So, aren’t we just like kumbhanda demons?
In fact, in Buddhist sutras, there is a similar description.The kumbhanda demon described is actually the mother of demons in the Sutra on the Mother of Demon Children.This demon had 1000 children.To raise her 1000 children,she hunted the children of other people to feed her own children.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, when He heard about this, He was determined to tame the mother of demons. How could He tame her? With His wisdom, the Buddha called on the bhiksus and Ananda. “Go, from among the 1000 children of the mother of demons, bring me the youngest one”. The bhiksus went to find her children. They captured several of them and brought them all to the Buddha.
The Buddha hid all the children, especially the youngest one. When the mother of demons came home from snatching other people’s children to feed her own children, she wondered why so many of them were missing. In particular, her favorite, the youngest child, was also gone.
Then someone told her, “The bhiksus took your children”. She kept crying and looking for her children. When she saw the bhiksus outside the abode, she asked, “My children, where are my children? Why did you take my children?”
A bhiksu said, “Don’t you have many children? Let some of them follow the Buddha.” So, the mother of demons quickly went before the Buddha and begged Him, “Please return my children”.
So, the Buddha release several of her children. There is one still missing. Why is my youngest child not among them?”
The Buddha said, “You already have so many children. Will missing one make that much difference?” The mother of demons said, “I really cherish this child”.
The Buddha said, “What about the other children? Can they follow me?”
“No, I cannot lose a single child”.
The Buddha said, “But you normally hunt the children of others and eat them so that other parents have lost their children and cannot even find a trace of them. How do you think these parents feel?”
At that moment, the mother of demons began to awaken. “Yes, I must put myself in their shoes. When I thought I lose my children, I felt tremendous suffering. I have caused so many parents to suffer. That was wrong of me; I realize that now. I am willing to take refuge with You and abide by Buddhist precepts.”
The Buddha allowed her to take refuge with Him, and the mother of demons became one of the Buddha’s Dharma-protectors and helped fulfill sentient beings’ [wishes]. When someone was sick or wanted children, she took care of them like a kind mother.
The kumbhanda demon does in fact look like that. If a woman gave birth to that many children, how could her appearance not become unkempt? Women can apply makeup to look beautiful. But if they use [too much] in their old age, they will look ugly, because they have lost the natural beauty of the elderly. Humans are most beautiful when they look nature. Most importantly, they must have the heart of a kind mother.
The kumbhanda demons have bodies shaped like pots. They are shaped like pots. Because they are shaped like pots, people are scared at the sight of them.

Kumbhanda means pot-shaped because they are shaped like pots. These are frightful demons. They crouch, which looks like sitting, or squat, which is actually sitting. This is like how heretical practitioners take deviant precepts. They cling to deviant paths as the correct path. This is seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

These “kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt.” Due to the shape of their bodies, they find it difficult to sit. Another way of describing this is, due to their disheveled from, they cannot sit properly. So, “they crouch, which looks like sitting.”
To actually sit down is not easy for them. Sitting is not too different from crouching.So, they
squat, which is actually sitting. This is how they sit; it is very difficult for them. You can imagine the appearance of their bodies.
If someone is very fat, weighing well over 100 kilograms, they will find getting up, sitting down, to all be very difficult. “This is like heretical practitioners who take deviant precepts.”
Heretical practitioners have deviated in their spiritual practice, so they are attached to the wrong kinds of precepts. When we cling to deviant precepts, we see the wrong cause as the cause and the wrong effect as the effect. Everything we do would be wrong and this would be the opposite of cultivating ourselves.
In ancient India including those that involved fore or water or living like cows or dogs. Some practiced living in cow-dung and eating it and so on. They chose to live like cows and dogs. However cows or dogs lived, they lived the same way. They went naked as part of their practice. This is analogous to the ugly appearance of kumbhanda demons. The appearance of these demons is an analogy for the deviate practitioners of heretical practitioners.
The Buddha used this [analogy] to help us realize that we must enter the right path and avoid deviant paths. “Occasionally jumping up, one or two feet into the air. For some [heretical] practitioners, it is not that do not practice; they do engage in spiritual practice. But in their spiritual practice, they “occasionally jump up.” “To jump up” is to leave the desire realm.

To jump up is to leave the desire realm; one foot into the air is leaving the form realm, while two feet is leaving the formless realm. They always travel up and return, rising and falling in cyclic existence. This refers to futile effort.

In one or two feet into the air, “one foot” means leaving the form realm, while “two feet” is leaving the formless realm. They want to leave the Three Realms. In the hope of doing that, they seek out methods of spiritual practice. They “occasionally jump up” means they leave the desire realm, or the form realm or the formless realm. This is what this mean.
“They always travel up and return.” They rise for a moment and then fall again. This actually describes our minds. When we listen to the Dharma, [we say] “I understand; I know I can’t be greedy. I must eliminate my greed.” Or, “I know that my mind is afflicted and I must let go of my afflictions. I must be vigilant to avoid having afflictions.”
But how long can we maintain that state? For how long can we be free afflictions? Soon, we will fall back into a state of greed, anger and ignorance. “You want me to be vegetarian? That’s fine can I start with one meal a week?” “Can I start with one meal a week?” “Ok, use this skillful means of being vegetarian for one meal per week.” “Can you try to do it for three meals per week? They think about it, “Fine, three meals.” “Can you go a step further and be vegetarian three days per week?” “That’s harder.” “I know it’s harder, but give it a try?” “I will try.” After they do it for three days, “Try for another three days next week?” “It’s too hard.” Then they retreat again. Living in this world, we are filled with desires, so abiding by precepts feels very difficult.
So, “One or two feet up in the air, they always travel up and return, rising and falling in cyclic existence.” This refers to futile effort.”
I often hear people say, “They have also decided to be vegetarians now.” Really?” “Yes, once a week.” “What’s the use of doing it one day a week?” This is what people’s minds are like, constantly rising and falling.
Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way. In being mindful, we have a dignified appearance, which reflects our virtue. “Wealth enriches the house as virtue enriches the body.” We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice, otherwise, we would not be able to see what is truly around us in our daily living. “Yaksas, evil ghosts or kumbhanda demons” may appear around us at any time, but we cannot tell. Are they Bodhisattvas or mothers of demons, or kumbhanda demons, etc.? As we live in the world, there are many goblins and monsters around us. In our lives, they may lead us into traps.
Therefore, dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s Way. In this desire realm, we must not let ourselves be led astray by demons. A slight deviation can cause a great divergence, so everyone, please always be mindful.

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