20150814《靜思妙蓮華》善惡業轉一切唯心 (第631集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，捷疾一念趨向；餓鬼常趣飢餓、不清淨處。」
⊙「復有諸鬼，首如牛頭，或食人肉，或復噉狗。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險，飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險：或時計常，或復計斷，不明左右，前後迴轉；如頭髮蓬亂，為邊見外道兇惡之相。
⊙飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走：邊見外道不過強執所見，而無功德資糧、缺法性水以自給，故有喻飢渴所逼。
⊙修學慎思，切莫偏頗，如殘害兇險，無有戒定學德，缺正道法，如飢渴所逼。
⊙不知謂知，各陳己見，宣唱邪論，如叫喚，隨諸邪行，輪迴不息，喻叫喚馳走。
【證嚴上人開示】
「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，捷疾一念趨向；餓鬼常趣飢餓、不清淨處。」
三界唯心
轉向隨善惡業
善向人天
惡入夜叉餓鬼
暴惡習行
捷疾一念趨向
餓鬼常趣飢餓
不清淨處
最近一直說，那就是「三界唯心」。一念心，無色界、色界、欲界這三界，我們要向內心追究，好好研究，好好去體會。心外無法，一切的法就是在我們內心，三界也是在我們的內心。
這無色界有無明惑的煩惱；色界那就是有人與人之間，之間還有物質，那種計謀、鬥爭的煩惱；欲(界)那就是面對著，周圍環境，這種貪欲、享受，起顛倒妄想，這種的苦，煩惱的苦。
總而言之，不論是從欲生出了色，從色又再到無色，都是在我們「三界唯心」，這都是在這念心。所以這念心的轉向，若是隨著善惡的業這個心在轉，欲念若愈來愈多，煩惱、佔有的欲，就愈來愈大，愈來愈大，愈爭就愈激烈，所以，這種隨著善惡業，不斷在轉向，都是在我們這念心。
在迷茫顛倒中，有時候有了因緣，我們能夠得到好的因緣，在這顛倒亂想中，一句話或者是一個境界，或者是一個環境，接引我們，讓我們從迷茫中、煩惱中，覺悟了，瞭解過去一切都是錯誤，回歸自己，重新開始。像這樣，善念一生，就開始向善造福，所以這也是同樣在一念心。所以這種的轉向，隨善惡的業這樣一直轉，這全都是在凡夫，叫做「善惡無記」。
我們的心到底是善呢？或者是惡呢？這個善惡業，善的就是向人天。我們若是善業，能夠持五戒，甚至更進一步，若比持五戒再更進一步，那就是修十善行。
五戒，大家知道了，不殺、不偷盜、不邪淫、不妄語等等(不飲酒)。若是十善，身三、口四、意三。身體那就是，不殺、不偷盜、不邪淫。口四，不妄語、不惡口、不兩舌、不綺語。意三，就是不貪、不瞋、不癡。若是能夠守十善，行十善法，這樣就是在天道；所以(持)五戒不失人身，(持)十善登天堂；這是向善。
若是惡呢？惡，轉向在惡的，那就要入夜叉、餓鬼道了。行惡，那就是三途：地獄、餓鬼、畜生(道)。這是惡的業，這也是唯心造。
這念心在轉，很快，「捷疾」就是很快速，這念間的趨向，這種很快速的一念間的轉變，這是我們凡夫的習氣。
常常說，「你這樣做對嗎？」「我認為是對。」很快他就回答：「我認為是對。」又有人說：「可能你這樣做，未來的結果是這樣、這樣，想清楚。」想一下，執著的人，那種自大的人，即使知道有錯，他還是一樣又再執，不肯認輸，明明知道，經過分析之後，錯，有可能不會成功，不過我既然說是這樣做了，就是還是執迷不悟。
這種的人那就是習，不斷薰習，知錯而不改，還是執著向前走。這種執著那一念，才是真可怕。
這一念心若是執著，一錯再錯，這種明明知道錯，偏偏向錯的方向走，這樣的人，這種的固執，真的是「餓鬼常趣飢餓」。因為有法在身邊，不願意接受，就不願意接受了，所以永遠內心什麼都空，沒有法在心裡，永遠心都不踏實，就好像餓鬼，永遠沒有法的資糧，所以慧命非常虛弱。即使
這就是人生，永遠都甘願在，這種濁氣很重的世間，在這麼的濁氣，尤其是不肯接受法，來滋潤我們的慧命。所以甘願在這濁氣中，不清淨處，這就是我們人生，所以我們學佛，真的時時要用心，境界都在自己的心，一念心，我們要好好正向。就像我們現在，大家都很精進，早上大家集合來，就是聽法，薰法香。
每天早上都是三點多起床，四點多出門，五點多，人人到聞法的道場。現在冬天的氣候，這麼冷，有時候下雨，還是風雨無阻，這種的精進，聽來大家都說法喜充滿。
有時候，最近就問：「你們不會覺得很，那麼早起，很辛苦？」他們說：「剛頭會，不過現在感覺很充足。為了要早起，所以我就會早睡。一大早起來開始，感覺聽法之後，大家分享一下，法喜充滿。上班的上班，開始工作的人工作，感覺今天怎麼好像，時間很充足、歡喜，做工作一點都不覺得累；遇到事情很快就能善解，有問題很快就能夠解決。」這是最近國內外回來的人，他們都這樣說。甚至有人很認真抄筆記，看到認真抄筆記，每一字都是這樣抄寫得很好。
這種若能夠將這個法真的入心，真的用在日常生活中，這點點法水都入心來，滋潤慧命，淨化煩惱，完全去除，這樣聽法才是真正我們學佛，該用的方法。
來，前面我們就已經，說過了很多，飛禽走獸，或者是餓鬼夜叉、魑魅魍魎，各有各種那個習氣，與生俱來的業。這種，生活中其實會合起來，就是我們人的心。三界之內，我們的心就是在這個三界，欲界、色界、無色界，這樣自己自我煎熬，這種的無明，就像在鍋裡，這樣在燒、在烤一樣。
很多形形色色的物質，或者是無形無色，讓我們的心很恐懼的鬼神，這全是形容我們的心。所以前面說，「復有諸鬼，首如牛頭，或食人肉，或復噉狗。」
復有諸鬼
首如牛頭
或食人肉
或復噉狗
《法華經譬喻品第三》
大家若了解上面所說的，這些(經)文都很清楚了，下面這段(經)文再說，「頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險，飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走」。
頭髮蓬亂
殘害兇險
飢渴所逼
叫喚馳走
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這段「頭髮蓬亂」形容，大家都知道了，就是披頭散髮，就是這樣沒有整理。古時候，頭髮若放散下來，就是表示心不規則，這同樣的道理，所以它說「殘害兇險」。已經身形都不顧，表示心思也亂了，這種心思亂，這身形就不顧，這種「殘害兇險」，用這樣來解釋。
頭髮蓬亂
殘害兇險：
或時計常
或復計斷
不明左右
前後迴轉
如頭髮蓬亂
為邊見外道
兇惡之相
「或時計常，或復計斷」。因為我們的心思已經散亂了，修行，有的人就是，執著在「常」，有的人執著在「斷」。譬如說我們修行，我們都知道有因緣果報，所以我們不要再結惡緣，我們要結好緣；我們不要去做錯誤的事情，我們要造福人間。我們相信有因緣果報。有的人就是撥無因果，他不相信因緣果報，這一生死，永遠就是沒了，這輩子，今朝有酒今朝醉，這輩子能享受，我盡量享受，不管明天。
但是有的執「常」的，也是說：「我這一生當人，我下輩子也是當人。這輩子若沒有修好，我來生再來修。」雖然他相信有來世，不過他沒有體會因果。你來生就是來還債，這輩子已經不知道傷害多少了，來生所遇到的因緣果報，是很可怕，不過他不知。所以他以為來世同樣是當人，這一生沒有修，我來世再修。來世沒有那個因緣遇到，讓你有修行的機會，可能一輩子將你折磨得，讓你喘不過氣來，他不知道。
所以執常、執斷都不對，一定要有因緣果報觀，否則就是不明。不明左右，所以它就前後迴轉。我們人的頭髮若放下來，你將頭晃晃看，要前又要後，要左又要右，到底是要前後左右？就是自己不知；這個心沒有法，所以就這樣在那裡一直迴轉。就像頭髮，你愈轉，頭前後左右一直轉，一直晃，晃到後來，你想，頭昏腦脹，而且頭髮也亂了，這就是「邊見外道」。那種兇惡的形象，這種將頭髮放散下來，就是表示心思已經亂了。
再來說「飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走」。
飢渴所逼
叫喚馳走：
邊見外道
不過強執所見
而無功德資糧
缺法性水以自給
故有喻飢渴所逼
「飢渴所逼」，那就是譬喻「邊見外道」，不過就是這樣強執。他就是一直一直，過不去的關卡，你明明知道這是行不通的法，但是他就是永遠那麼強的執著，執著他的見解，執著他的「常」。「沒關係，這次是這樣，下次我再開始。我這輩子擁有，我有錢，我富有，我若以後再來，我也同樣這麼有錢、這麼富有。」他不知道你的錢、你的富有，到底是怎麼來的，不知道，總是不斷地爭、不斷地取，不知道過去你是有造福，這輩子讓你做事、賺錢等等；這輩子不懂得造福，只是不斷貪求無饜，求得多辛苦啊！這種辛苦所得來的，最後，來生還是要還，要還債。
他就是不知道，所以「強執所見，而無功德資糧」。都不要做好事，只是一直想要收入，都不願意付出去造作福業，所以沒有功德。內心沒有修，外面不行動，所以這種沒有資糧，沒有善念，內心一點點都沒有，外面無善行，這就是沒有功德的資糧，「缺法性水以自給」，沒有法性的水，讓我們成長我們的慧命，所以譬喻「飢渴所逼」。
修學慎思
切莫偏頗
如殘害兇險
無有戒定學德
缺正道法
如飢渴所逼
人生就是這樣，所以我們修行，修學要慎思，要好好思惟，絕對不要偏頗。我們的心方向要正確，不要有偏頗，譬如那種「殘害兇險」，沒有戒定慧，我們就是沒有學到戒定慧，所以不相信這個法，所以這個善法不修，惡行偏，一直增長，所以這種「殘害兇險」，就是心中沒有法，他是缺了正道，沒有戒定慧學德，所以他就缺了正道法。就像「飢渴所逼」這樣的人，這種的惡鬼，內心就是沒有法。
不知謂知
各陳己見
宣唱邪論
如叫喚
隨諸邪行
輪迴不息
喻叫喚馳走
這種不知法來修心，所以他就是自己說自己，我對，都說我自己的法，不肯接受別人。自己偏差，一直「宣暢邪論」，不斷在那裡叫喚，自己已經偏差，還叫別人一起去，這種邪行，這樣自然就輪迴不息，這種的邪既然入心，自然這種的輪迴不息，自己行又再叫別人一起，這就是我們修行要好好選擇，選擇好我們該修的行、該做的功課。
我們要好好修，好好做功課，將我們的心這個法要好好入，法入心，修在行。所以「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，「捷疾」，很快「一念趨向」，所以我們這念心要顧好，這樣很快速，所以我們若一念偏了，「餓鬼常趣飢餓」。我們要好好小心，無明煩惱要趕緊去除，否則我們的心都是濁氣。所以人人時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Good and Evil Are Created by the Mind
(善惡業轉一切唯心)
Date:July.14. 2015
“The Three Realms are created only by the mind. The orientation of our minds follows good and evil karma. Good karma leads to heaven and human realms; evil karma to realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts who practice violence and evil. With a thought, we speedily move in that direction. Hungry ghosts are always oriented towards places of starvation and defilement.”
Recently we have been saying that “The Three Realms are created only by the mind.” Our mind encompasses the formless, form and desire realms. We have to examine our mind to learn about and experience these states. Outside of the mind there are no phenomena; all phenomena are created by the mind. The Three Realms are also states of mind.
In the formless realm, there are afflictions that arise from the delusion of ignorance. In the form realm, there are relationships and material things between people, so afflictions arise from our plotting and fighting. In the desire realm, when we interact with our surroundings, our greed and our desire for pleasure give rise to confusion and delusion, which lead to suffering from afflictions.
In summary, whether desires give rise to forms, or whether forms lead to formless afflictions, “The Three Realms are created only by the mind.” These are all states of mind.
So, if the orientation of our mind changes along with our good and evil karma, then as our desires grow greater, our afflictions and cravings to possess things will likewise grow. The more they grow, the more intense this fighting will be. So, we follow our good and evil karma to constantly change our orientation; this all happens in our minds.
When in a state of confusion and delusion, if the karmic causes and conditions are there, we sometimes have the good affinities in the midst of that confused state to hear a sentence, experience a situation or encounter an environment that guides us and helps awaken us from our confusion and afflictions. We will understand the mistakes we have made, return to our [pure nature] and start all over.
In this way, once a thought of goodness arises, we will [do good deeds] and create blessings. This likewise depends on our minds. So, our mind changes in orientation, following the good and evil karma we create. In that unenlightened state, “[Karma can be] good, evil or indeterminate.”
Do we have a mind of goodness? Or do we have a mind of evil? Among good and evil karma, good karma leads to the heaven and human realms. To create good karma, we uphold the Five Precepts. To go a step beyond upholding the Five Precepts, we need to practice the Ten Good Deeds.
You all know the Five Precepts. They are no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying and so on. As for the Ten Good Deeds, three are of the body, four are of speech and three are of the mind. [The three of] the body are no killing, no stealing and no sexual misconduct. The four of speech are no lying, no harsh speech, no gossip and no flattery. The three of the mind are to have no greed, no anger and no ignorance. By practicing the Ten Good Deeds, we will be reborn in the heaven realm.
So, abiding by the Five Precepts ensures that we will reborn as humans and abiding by the Ten Good Deeds leads us to heaven. This is where good karma leads. What about evil karma? If we are oriented toward evil, we will enter the realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts. Doing evil leads us to the Three Evil Destinies, the hell, hungry ghosts and animal realms. Evil karma is also created only by the mind.The mind changes very quickly; “speedily” means at a fast rate.The orientation of our mind can change very quickly, in the space of a thought.
This is our habitual tendency as ordinary people.
People often ask, “Are you doing that right? I believe it is right.”The immediate response is, “I believe it is right.”Then someone else says, “If you do it that way, such-and-such will be the result, so please think this through.”
Even after thinking, a stubborn person, someone who feels self-important, will be too stubborn to admit it, even though he knows he is wrong.It is obvious, after analyzing the situation, that this is the wrong way to do it, and he will likely not succeed.But since he said he was going to do it this way, he clings to his delusions and does not awaken.
People like this constantly reinforce their habits.
They know they are wrong but refuse to change; they continue to stubbornly go down that road.
Being attached to that kind of mindset is truly frightening.
If we are stubborn and repeat our mistakes, if we obviously know we are wrong but deliberately keep going in the wrong direction, we are in an inflexible state, much like how “hungry ghosts are always oriented towards [places of] starvation”.
The Dharma is right there, but they are unwilling to accept it.Because they refuse to accept it, their hearts will always remain empty.If they never take the Dharma to heart, they will never feel steady and grounded, just like hungry ghosts.Without the nourishment of the Dharma, their wisdom-life will be very weak.This is life; some people are forever willing to remain in this world of severe turbidity.Moreover, they are unwilling to accept the Dharma in order to nourish their wisdom-life.So, they are willing to remain in this turbidity, this unclean place.
This is what we see in life.
So, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must truly always be mindful.All conditions exist in our minds.We must client our minds in the right direction.For example right now, we are all diligently practicing.In the morning people gather together to listen to my morning Dharma lecture.
Every morning, people wake up around 3am, leave their house after 4am and arrive at their spiritual practice center to listen to the teachings a little after 5am.
Right now it is winter; it is very cold, and sometimes it is raining.But people are undeterred by the wind and rain.After engaging in this diligent practice, everyone says they are full of Dharma-joy.
Recently I asked them, “Isn’t it hard to get up so early in the morning?”
They answer, “Only at eh beginning. But now I feel a sense of fulfillment. To wake up early, I go to bed early. After I started waking up early, I felt that after listening to the Dharma and hearing everyone share their realizations. I am filled with Dharma-joy. Then, when I go to work and start my work day, I feel like somehow I have plenty of time to do things, and I am very happy. I do not get tried at all during the work day. Whenever I encounter an issue, I can resolve it very harmoniously. Whenever there is a problem, I can solve it quickly.”
This is what people who recently came to the Abode, both from Taiwan and abroad, have said to me.
Some people also earnestly take notes.I see how earnestly they write; every word in their notes is written neatly.If they truly take the Dharma to heart this way, they can apply it in their daily living.By taking every drop of Dharma-water to heart, they have nourished their wisdom-life and have completely eliminated their afflictions.This is the proper method for listening to the Dharma and learning the Buddha’s teachings.
So, we have already discussed a lot about the previous passages.Birds and beasts, hungry ghosts, yaksas, goblins, and monsters have different kinds of habitual tendencies resulting from the karma they bring.
In fact, all these different lifestyles put together are nothing other than the human mind.When we talk about things in Three Realms, our minds are actually in these three states, the desire, form and formless realms. This is how we torment ourselves. In this state of ignorance, it is as if we are being cooked and roasted in a pan. These many objects of every shape and color, or these ghosts and spirits that are intangible and formless and make us terrified, are all descriptions of our mind.
So the previous passage states, “There were also many ghosts with heads like an ox’s. They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well”. If everyone understands what I said earlier, the meaning of this passage will be clear to them. The next sutra passage states, “Their hair was matted and unkempt, and they were destructive and treacherous. Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly”.
“Their hair was matted and unkempt”. Everybody understands that this describes hair that is disheveled, that has not been cared for at all. In the past, if people let down their hair, it meant their minds were not disciplined. That was the reasoning.
It says, “They were destructive and treacherous”. If someone does not take care of their appearance, it means their mind is also in disarray. When their mind is in disarray that is reflected in their appearance. “They are destructive and treacherous” is how this is explained.
Their hair is matted and unkempt, and they are destructive and treacherous: some cling to eternalism, while others cling to nihilism. They do not know clearly right from left, and turn back and forth in circles. Like those with matted and unkempt hair, those who follow extreme and heretical views have an appearance that is ferocious and evil.
“Some cling to eternalism, while others cling to nihilism”. When our minds become scattered, some spiritual practitioners may cling to “eternalism” while others may cling to “nihilism”. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we know about the karmic law of cause and effect. So, we should not further create negative karmic connections. We should create good connections. We should not commit wrongdoings, but should benefit everyone. We believe in the karmic law of cause and effect, but some people deny it. Since they do not believe in the law of karma, they believe that once this life ends, there is nothing after that. [Their attitude is] “If I have liquor today, I will get drunk today”. They try to indulge in this life to the fullest and do not care about the future. But those who cling to eternalism say, “I am human this lifetime, so I will be human in future lifetimes. If I do not properly engage in spiritual practice in this lifetime, I can do it in the next”. Although they believe in future lifetimes, they do no comprehend the law of cause and effect or realize they have to pay their karmic debts. If they cause a lot of harm in this lifetime, the karmic retribution they face in future ones will be terrifying. But they do not understand this. They think they will always be human, and if they do not cultivate themselves this life, they can always do it in future lifetimes. However, they may not have the karmic conditions to engage in spiritual practice in the future. They may face so much torment their whole lives that they do not even have time to breathe, but they do not realize this.
So, it is not right to cling to eternalism or nihilism. We must believe in the law of cause and effect. Otherwise, we will lack clarity. “They do not know clearly right from left, so they keep going in circles. If we let our hair down, and then shake our heads around, looking forward and backward, left and right, in the end, we do not know whether we are going forward or backward, left or right. Without taking the Dharma to heart, we just keep turning around in circles, just like how, if we keep shaking our heads, spinning our hair all around, in the end, we will be dizzy, and our hair will be messy. This is like holding “extreme and heretical views”. Such a ferocious appearance, with such long and unkempt hair, represents people’s confused thinking.
Next it states, “Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they scream and run wildly”.
“Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly: They hold extreme views and heretical views, but they are strongly attached to those views and have no nourishment of virtue. They lack the water of Dharma-nature to draw on. This is analogous to being oppressed by hunger and thirst”.
Being “oppressed by hunger and thirst” is an analogy for “extreme and heretical views”. People’s attachment to these views is so strong; they just can never get past this obstacle. They clearly know that their methods will not work, but they have such strong attachments. They cling to their views and understanding and to their belief in permanence.
“It’s fine; things just turned out this way. I’ll start over next time. I am wealthy in this lifetime. When I am reborn, I will likewise be this wealthy”. They do not know where their wealth comes from. They have no idea, so they keep competing with others and keep taking things from them. They do not know that the blessings they created in the past are the reasons they are successful in making money in this lifetime.
Instead of creating blessings in this lifetime, they keep trying to satisfy their insatiable greed. They work so hard in their pursuits. All these things they work so hard to obtain in the end leave them with karmic debts that they have to repay in future lifetimes. They do not know this, so “They are strongly attached to those views” and “have no nourishment of virtue.”
They do not care about doing good deeds.They are only concerned with their income, so they do not to give and create blessings.Therefore, they have no virtues.
They do not cultivate inwardly or practice outwardly. These people have no spiritual nourishment or thoughts of goodness in their minds at all. Outwardly, they do not do any good deeds, so they create no nourishment of virtue. “They lack the water of Dharma-nature to draw on.” They lack the water of Dharma-nature that allows us to develop our wisdom-life. This is analogous to “being oppressed by hunger and thirst.”
Learn and practice careful contemplation, and do not by any means be biased. Those who are destructive and treacherous are without the virtues of learning the precepts and being in Samadhi; they are lacking the practice of the Right Path. This is liked being oppressed by hunger and thirst.
This is the way life is. As we learn and practice, we must think carefully. We must be cautious so as to never go astray. Our minds must be oriented in the right direction; they must not deviate in the slightest. Otherwise we would be like “those who are destructive and treacherous.” They do not practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Not have learned precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, they do not believe in these teachings and therefore do not cultivate virtuous Dharma. Their actions constantly deviate more toward evil. So, “those are destructive and treacherous” have no Dharma in their minds. They lack the Right and virtues from practicing precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Lacking the teachings of the Right path is like being “oppressed by hunger and thirst.” These evil ghosts have no Dharma in their minds.
They claim to know when they do not. Each expresses his or her own views and pronounces and promotes evil doctrines, as if crying out. They follow evil practices and transmigrate endlessly without rest. This is like being driven to scream and run wildly.
Because people do not cultivate their minds with the Dharma, they insist that they are always right and teach whatever they want without accepting others’ views teach whatever they want without accepting others’ views. They have gone astray and continue to “pronounce and promote evil doctrines.” They are constantly crying out like this. Not only have they gone astray, they also encourage other people to joy them. With these deviant practices, naturally they will transmigrate endlessly.
Once deviant thoughts arise in their minds, naturally they will be trapped in cyclic existence and they will call on others to join them in their actions. This is why we must choose carefully when we decide to engage in spiritual practice. We must earnestly do the homework assigned to us. By earnestly doing this homework, we are making the effort to take the Dharma to heart and manifest it in our practice.
“The Three Realms are created only by the mind. The orientation of our minds follow good and evil karma. Good karma leads to heaven and human realms; evil karma to realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts who practice violence and evil.” “With a thought,” very quickly, we speedily move in that direction. So, we must take good care of our minds, or they may deviate very quickly. If we go astray in the space of a thought, we will be like “hungry ghosts [who] are always oriented towards [places of] starvation.” We must be extremely careful and eliminate ignorance and afflictions right away, or else our mind will be filled with turbidity. So, 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）
⊙「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，捷疾一念趨向；餓鬼常趣飢餓、不清淨處。」
⊙「復有諸鬼，首如牛頭，或食人肉，或復噉狗。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險，飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險：或時計常，或復計斷，不明左右，前後迴轉；如頭髮蓬亂，為邊見外道兇惡之相。
⊙飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走：邊見外道不過強執所見，而無功德資糧、缺法性水以自給，故有喻飢渴所逼。
⊙修學慎思，切莫偏頗，如殘害兇險，無有戒定學德，缺正道法，如飢渴所逼。
⊙不知謂知，各陳己見，宣唱邪論，如叫喚，隨諸邪行，輪迴不息，喻叫喚馳走。
【證嚴上人開示】
「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，捷疾一念趨向；餓鬼常趣飢餓、不清淨處。」
三界唯心
轉向隨善惡業
善向人天
惡入夜叉餓鬼
暴惡習行
捷疾一念趨向
餓鬼常趣飢餓
不清淨處
最近一直說，那就是「三界唯心」。一念心，無色界、色界、欲界這三界，我們要向內心追究，好好研究，好好去體會。心外無法，一切的法就是在我們內心，三界也是在我們的內心。
這無色界有無明惑的煩惱；色界那就是有人與人之間，之間還有物質，那種計謀、鬥爭的煩惱；欲(界)那就是面對著，周圍環境，這種貪欲、享受，起顛倒妄想，這種的苦，煩惱的苦。
總而言之，不論是從欲生出了色，從色又再到無色，都是在我們「三界唯心」，這都是在這念心。所以這念心的轉向，若是隨著善惡的業這個心在轉，欲念若愈來愈多，煩惱、佔有的欲，就愈來愈大，愈來愈大，愈爭就愈激烈，所以，這種隨著善惡業，不斷在轉向，都是在我們這念心。
在迷茫顛倒中，有時候有了因緣，我們能夠得到好的因緣，在這顛倒亂想中，一句話或者是一個境界，或者是一個環境，接引我們，讓我們從迷茫中、煩惱中，覺悟了，瞭解過去一切都是錯誤，回歸自己，重新開始。像這樣，善念一生，就開始向善造福，所以這也是同樣在一念心。所以這種的轉向，隨善惡的業這樣一直轉，這全都是在凡夫，叫做「善惡無記」。
我們的心到底是善呢？或者是惡呢？這個善惡業，善的就是向人天。我們若是善業，能夠持五戒，甚至更進一步，若比持五戒再更進一步，那就是修十善行。
五戒，大家知道了，不殺、不偷盜、不邪淫、不妄語等等(不飲酒)。若是十善，身三、口四、意三。身體那就是，不殺、不偷盜、不邪淫。口四，不妄語、不惡口、不兩舌、不綺語。意三，就是不貪、不瞋、不癡。若是能夠守十善，行十善法，這樣就是在天道；所以(持)五戒不失人身，(持)十善登天堂；這是向善。
若是惡呢？惡，轉向在惡的，那就要入夜叉、餓鬼道了。行惡，那就是三途：地獄、餓鬼、畜生(道)。這是惡的業，這也是唯心造。
這念心在轉，很快，「捷疾」就是很快速，這念間的趨向，這種很快速的一念間的轉變，這是我們凡夫的習氣。
常常說，「你這樣做對嗎？」「我認為是對。」很快他就回答：「我認為是對。」又有人說：「可能你這樣做，未來的結果是這樣、這樣，想清楚。」想一下，執著的人，那種自大的人，即使知道有錯，他還是一樣又再執，不肯認輸，明明知道，經過分析之後，錯，有可能不會成功，不過我既然說是這樣做了，就是還是執迷不悟。
這種的人那就是習，不斷薰習，知錯而不改，還是執著向前走。這種執著那一念，才是真可怕。
這一念心若是執著，一錯再錯，這種明明知道錯，偏偏向錯的方向走，這樣的人，這種的固執，真的是「餓鬼常趣飢餓」。因為有法在身邊，不願意接受，就不願意接受了，所以永遠內心什麼都空，沒有法在心裡，永遠心都不踏實，就好像餓鬼，永遠沒有法的資糧，所以慧命非常虛弱。即使
這就是人生，永遠都甘願在，這種濁氣很重的世間，在這麼的濁氣，尤其是不肯接受法，來滋潤我們的慧命。所以甘願在這濁氣中，不清淨處，這就是我們人生，所以我們學佛，真的時時要用心，境界都在自己的心，一念心，我們要好好正向。就像我們現在，大家都很精進，早上大家集合來，就是聽法，薰法香。
每天早上都是三點多起床，四點多出門，五點多，人人到聞法的道場。現在冬天的氣候，這麼冷，有時候下雨，還是風雨無阻，這種的精進，聽來大家都說法喜充滿。
有時候，最近就問：「你們不會覺得很，那麼早起，很辛苦？」他們說：「剛頭會，不過現在感覺很充足。為了要早起，所以我就會早睡。一大早起來開始，感覺聽法之後，大家分享一下，法喜充滿。上班的上班，開始工作的人工作，感覺今天怎麼好像，時間很充足、歡喜，做工作一點都不覺得累；遇到事情很快就能善解，有問題很快就能夠解決。」這是最近國內外回來的人，他們都這樣說。甚至有人很認真抄筆記，看到認真抄筆記，每一字都是這樣抄寫得很好。
這種若能夠將這個法真的入心，真的用在日常生活中，這點點法水都入心來，滋潤慧命，淨化煩惱，完全去除，這樣聽法才是真正我們學佛，該用的方法。
來，前面我們就已經，說過了很多，飛禽走獸，或者是餓鬼夜叉、魑魅魍魎，各有各種那個習氣，與生俱來的業。這種，生活中其實會合起來，就是我們人的心。三界之內，我們的心就是在這個三界，欲界、色界、無色界，這樣自己自我煎熬，這種的無明，就像在鍋裡，這樣在燒、在烤一樣。
很多形形色色的物質，或者是無形無色，讓我們的心很恐懼的鬼神，這全是形容我們的心。所以前面說，「復有諸鬼，首如牛頭，或食人肉，或復噉狗。」
復有諸鬼
首如牛頭
或食人肉
或復噉狗
《法華經譬喻品第三》
大家若了解上面所說的，這些(經)文都很清楚了，下面這段(經)文再說，「頭髮蓬亂，殘害兇險，飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走」。
頭髮蓬亂
殘害兇險
飢渴所逼
叫喚馳走
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這段「頭髮蓬亂」形容，大家都知道了，就是披頭散髮，就是這樣沒有整理。古時候，頭髮若放散下來，就是表示心不規則，這同樣的道理，所以它說「殘害兇險」。已經身形都不顧，表示心思也亂了，這種心思亂，這身形就不顧，這種「殘害兇險」，用這樣來解釋。
頭髮蓬亂
殘害兇險：
或時計常
或復計斷
不明左右
前後迴轉
如頭髮蓬亂
為邊見外道
兇惡之相
「或時計常，或復計斷」。因為我們的心思已經散亂了，修行，有的人就是，執著在「常」，有的人執著在「斷」。譬如說我們修行，我們都知道有因緣果報，所以我們不要再結惡緣，我們要結好緣；我們不要去做錯誤的事情，我們要造福人間。我們相信有因緣果報。有的人就是撥無因果，他不相信因緣果報，這一生死，永遠就是沒了，這輩子，今朝有酒今朝醉，這輩子能享受，我盡量享受，不管明天。
但是有的執「常」的，也是說：「我這一生當人，我下輩子也是當人。這輩子若沒有修好，我來生再來修。」雖然他相信有來世，不過他沒有體會因果。你來生就是來還債，這輩子已經不知道傷害多少了，來生所遇到的因緣果報，是很可怕，不過他不知。所以他以為來世同樣是當人，這一生沒有修，我來世再修。來世沒有那個因緣遇到，讓你有修行的機會，可能一輩子將你折磨得，讓你喘不過氣來，他不知道。
所以執常、執斷都不對，一定要有因緣果報觀，否則就是不明。不明左右，所以它就前後迴轉。我們人的頭髮若放下來，你將頭晃晃看，要前又要後，要左又要右，到底是要前後左右？就是自己不知；這個心沒有法，所以就這樣在那裡一直迴轉。就像頭髮，你愈轉，頭前後左右一直轉，一直晃，晃到後來，你想，頭昏腦脹，而且頭髮也亂了，這就是「邊見外道」。那種兇惡的形象，這種將頭髮放散下來，就是表示心思已經亂了。
再來說「飢渴所逼，叫喚馳走」。
飢渴所逼
叫喚馳走：
邊見外道
不過強執所見
而無功德資糧
缺法性水以自給
故有喻飢渴所逼
「飢渴所逼」，那就是譬喻「邊見外道」，不過就是這樣強執。他就是一直一直，過不去的關卡，你明明知道這是行不通的法，但是他就是永遠那麼強的執著，執著他的見解，執著他的「常」。「沒關係，這次是這樣，下次我再開始。我這輩子擁有，我有錢，我富有，我若以後再來，我也同樣這麼有錢、這麼富有。」他不知道你的錢、你的富有，到底是怎麼來的，不知道，總是不斷地爭、不斷地取，不知道過去你是有造福，這輩子讓你做事、賺錢等等；這輩子不懂得造福，只是不斷貪求無饜，求得多辛苦啊！這種辛苦所得來的，最後，來生還是要還，要還債。
他就是不知道，所以「強執所見，而無功德資糧」。都不要做好事，只是一直想要收入，都不願意付出去造作福業，所以沒有功德。內心沒有修，外面不行動，所以這種沒有資糧，沒有善念，內心一點點都沒有，外面無善行，這就是沒有功德的資糧，「缺法性水以自給」，沒有法性的水，讓我們成長我們的慧命，所以譬喻「飢渴所逼」。
修學慎思
切莫偏頗
如殘害兇險
無有戒定學德
缺正道法
如飢渴所逼
人生就是這樣，所以我們修行，修學要慎思，要好好思惟，絕對不要偏頗。我們的心方向要正確，不要有偏頗，譬如那種「殘害兇險」，沒有戒定慧，我們就是沒有學到戒定慧，所以不相信這個法，所以這個善法不修，惡行偏，一直增長，所以這種「殘害兇險」，就是心中沒有法，他是缺了正道，沒有戒定慧學德，所以他就缺了正道法。就像「飢渴所逼」這樣的人，這種的惡鬼，內心就是沒有法。
不知謂知
各陳己見
宣唱邪論
如叫喚
隨諸邪行
輪迴不息
喻叫喚馳走
這種不知法來修心，所以他就是自己說自己，我對，都說我自己的法，不肯接受別人。自己偏差，一直「宣暢邪論」，不斷在那裡叫喚，自己已經偏差，還叫別人一起去，這種邪行，這樣自然就輪迴不息，這種的邪既然入心，自然這種的輪迴不息，自己行又再叫別人一起，這就是我們修行要好好選擇，選擇好我們該修的行、該做的功課。
我們要好好修，好好做功課，將我們的心這個法要好好入，法入心，修在行。所以「三界唯心，轉向隨善惡業；善向人天，惡入夜叉餓鬼；暴惡習行，「捷疾」，很快「一念趨向」，所以我們這念心要顧好，這樣很快速，所以我們若一念偏了，「餓鬼常趣飢餓」。我們要好好小心，無明煩惱要趕緊去除，否則我們的心都是濁氣。所以人人時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Good and Evil Are Created by the Mind
(善惡業轉一切唯心)
Date:July.14. 2015
“The Three Realms are created only by the mind. The orientation of our minds follows good and evil karma. Good karma leads to heaven and human realms; evil karma to realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts who practice violence and evil. With a thought, we speedily move in that direction. Hungry ghosts are always oriented towards places of starvation and defilement.”
Recently we have been saying that “The Three Realms are created only by the mind.” Our mind encompasses the formless, form and desire realms. We have to examine our mind to learn about and experience these states. Outside of the mind there are no phenomena; all phenomena are created by the mind. The Three Realms are also states of mind.
In the formless realm, there are afflictions that arise from the delusion of ignorance. In the form realm, there are relationships and material things between people, so afflictions arise from our plotting and fighting. In the desire realm, when we interact with our surroundings, our greed and our desire for pleasure give rise to confusion and delusion, which lead to suffering from afflictions.
In summary, whether desires give rise to forms, or whether forms lead to formless afflictions, “The Three Realms are created only by the mind.” These are all states of mind.
So, if the orientation of our mind changes along with our good and evil karma, then as our desires grow greater, our afflictions and cravings to possess things will likewise grow. The more they grow, the more intense this fighting will be. So, we follow our good and evil karma to constantly change our orientation; this all happens in our minds.
When in a state of confusion and delusion, if the karmic causes and conditions are there, we sometimes have the good affinities in the midst of that confused state to hear a sentence, experience a situation or encounter an environment that guides us and helps awaken us from our confusion and afflictions. We will understand the mistakes we have made, return to our [pure nature] and start all over.
In this way, once a thought of goodness arises, we will [do good deeds] and create blessings. This likewise depends on our minds. So, our mind changes in orientation, following the good and evil karma we create. In that unenlightened state, “[Karma can be] good, evil or indeterminate.”
Do we have a mind of goodness? Or do we have a mind of evil? Among good and evil karma, good karma leads to the heaven and human realms. To create good karma, we uphold the Five Precepts. To go a step beyond upholding the Five Precepts, we need to practice the Ten Good Deeds.
You all know the Five Precepts. They are no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying and so on. As for the Ten Good Deeds, three are of the body, four are of speech and three are of the mind. [The three of] the body are no killing, no stealing and no sexual misconduct. The four of speech are no lying, no harsh speech, no gossip and no flattery. The three of the mind are to have no greed, no anger and no ignorance. By practicing the Ten Good Deeds, we will be reborn in the heaven realm.
So, abiding by the Five Precepts ensures that we will reborn as humans and abiding by the Ten Good Deeds leads us to heaven. This is where good karma leads. What about evil karma? If we are oriented toward evil, we will enter the realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts. Doing evil leads us to the Three Evil Destinies, the hell, hungry ghosts and animal realms. Evil karma is also created only by the mind.The mind changes very quickly; “speedily” means at a fast rate.The orientation of our mind can change very quickly, in the space of a thought.
This is our habitual tendency as ordinary people.
People often ask, “Are you doing that right? I believe it is right.”The immediate response is, “I believe it is right.”Then someone else says, “If you do it that way, such-and-such will be the result, so please think this through.”
Even after thinking, a stubborn person, someone who feels self-important, will be too stubborn to admit it, even though he knows he is wrong.It is obvious, after analyzing the situation, that this is the wrong way to do it, and he will likely not succeed.But since he said he was going to do it this way, he clings to his delusions and does not awaken.
People like this constantly reinforce their habits.
They know they are wrong but refuse to change; they continue to stubbornly go down that road.
Being attached to that kind of mindset is truly frightening.
If we are stubborn and repeat our mistakes, if we obviously know we are wrong but deliberately keep going in the wrong direction, we are in an inflexible state, much like how “hungry ghosts are always oriented towards [places of] starvation”.
The Dharma is right there, but they are unwilling to accept it.Because they refuse to accept it, their hearts will always remain empty.If they never take the Dharma to heart, they will never feel steady and grounded, just like hungry ghosts.Without the nourishment of the Dharma, their wisdom-life will be very weak.This is life; some people are forever willing to remain in this world of severe turbidity.Moreover, they are unwilling to accept the Dharma in order to nourish their wisdom-life.So, they are willing to remain in this turbidity, this unclean place.
This is what we see in life.
So, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must truly always be mindful.All conditions exist in our minds.We must client our minds in the right direction.For example right now, we are all diligently practicing.In the morning people gather together to listen to my morning Dharma lecture.
Every morning, people wake up around 3am, leave their house after 4am and arrive at their spiritual practice center to listen to the teachings a little after 5am.
Right now it is winter; it is very cold, and sometimes it is raining.But people are undeterred by the wind and rain.After engaging in this diligent practice, everyone says they are full of Dharma-joy.
Recently I asked them, “Isn’t it hard to get up so early in the morning?”
They answer, “Only at eh beginning. But now I feel a sense of fulfillment. To wake up early, I go to bed early. After I started waking up early, I felt that after listening to the Dharma and hearing everyone share their realizations. I am filled with Dharma-joy. Then, when I go to work and start my work day, I feel like somehow I have plenty of time to do things, and I am very happy. I do not get tried at all during the work day. Whenever I encounter an issue, I can resolve it very harmoniously. Whenever there is a problem, I can solve it quickly.”
This is what people who recently came to the Abode, both from Taiwan and abroad, have said to me.
Some people also earnestly take notes.I see how earnestly they write; every word in their notes is written neatly.If they truly take the Dharma to heart this way, they can apply it in their daily living.By taking every drop of Dharma-water to heart, they have nourished their wisdom-life and have completely eliminated their afflictions.This is the proper method for listening to the Dharma and learning the Buddha’s teachings.
So, we have already discussed a lot about the previous passages.Birds and beasts, hungry ghosts, yaksas, goblins, and monsters have different kinds of habitual tendencies resulting from the karma they bring.
In fact, all these different lifestyles put together are nothing other than the human mind.When we talk about things in Three Realms, our minds are actually in these three states, the desire, form and formless realms. This is how we torment ourselves. In this state of ignorance, it is as if we are being cooked and roasted in a pan. These many objects of every shape and color, or these ghosts and spirits that are intangible and formless and make us terrified, are all descriptions of our mind.
So the previous passage states, “There were also many ghosts with heads like an ox’s. They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well”. If everyone understands what I said earlier, the meaning of this passage will be clear to them. The next sutra passage states, “Their hair was matted and unkempt, and they were destructive and treacherous. Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly”.
“Their hair was matted and unkempt”. Everybody understands that this describes hair that is disheveled, that has not been cared for at all. In the past, if people let down their hair, it meant their minds were not disciplined. That was the reasoning.
It says, “They were destructive and treacherous”. If someone does not take care of their appearance, it means their mind is also in disarray. When their mind is in disarray that is reflected in their appearance. “They are destructive and treacherous” is how this is explained.
Their hair is matted and unkempt, and they are destructive and treacherous: some cling to eternalism, while others cling to nihilism. They do not know clearly right from left, and turn back and forth in circles. Like those with matted and unkempt hair, those who follow extreme and heretical views have an appearance that is ferocious and evil.
“Some cling to eternalism, while others cling to nihilism”. When our minds become scattered, some spiritual practitioners may cling to “eternalism” while others may cling to “nihilism”. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we know about the karmic law of cause and effect. So, we should not further create negative karmic connections. We should create good connections. We should not commit wrongdoings, but should benefit everyone. We believe in the karmic law of cause and effect, but some people deny it. Since they do not believe in the law of karma, they believe that once this life ends, there is nothing after that. [Their attitude is] “If I have liquor today, I will get drunk today”. They try to indulge in this life to the fullest and do not care about the future. But those who cling to eternalism say, “I am human this lifetime, so I will be human in future lifetimes. If I do not properly engage in spiritual practice in this lifetime, I can do it in the next”. Although they believe in future lifetimes, they do no comprehend the law of cause and effect or realize they have to pay their karmic debts. If they cause a lot of harm in this lifetime, the karmic retribution they face in future ones will be terrifying. But they do not understand this. They think they will always be human, and if they do not cultivate themselves this life, they can always do it in future lifetimes. However, they may not have the karmic conditions to engage in spiritual practice in the future. They may face so much torment their whole lives that they do not even have time to breathe, but they do not realize this.
So, it is not right to cling to eternalism or nihilism. We must believe in the law of cause and effect. Otherwise, we will lack clarity. “They do not know clearly right from left, so they keep going in circles. If we let our hair down, and then shake our heads around, looking forward and backward, left and right, in the end, we do not know whether we are going forward or backward, left or right. Without taking the Dharma to heart, we just keep turning around in circles, just like how, if we keep shaking our heads, spinning our hair all around, in the end, we will be dizzy, and our hair will be messy. This is like holding “extreme and heretical views”. Such a ferocious appearance, with such long and unkempt hair, represents people’s confused thinking.
Next it states, “Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they scream and run wildly”.
“Oppressed by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly: They hold extreme views and heretical views, but they are strongly attached to those views and have no nourishment of virtue. They lack the water of Dharma-nature to draw on. This is analogous to being oppressed by hunger and thirst”.
Being “oppressed by hunger and thirst” is an analogy for “extreme and heretical views”. People’s attachment to these views is so strong; they just can never get past this obstacle. They clearly know that their methods will not work, but they have such strong attachments. They cling to their views and understanding and to their belief in permanence.
“It’s fine; things just turned out this way. I’ll start over next time. I am wealthy in this lifetime. When I am reborn, I will likewise be this wealthy”. They do not know where their wealth comes from. They have no idea, so they keep competing with others and keep taking things from them. They do not know that the blessings they created in the past are the reasons they are successful in making money in this lifetime.
Instead of creating blessings in this lifetime, they keep trying to satisfy their insatiable greed. They work so hard in their pursuits. All these things they work so hard to obtain in the end leave them with karmic debts that they have to repay in future lifetimes. They do not know this, so “They are strongly attached to those views” and “have no nourishment of virtue.”
They do not care about doing good deeds.They are only concerned with their income, so they do not to give and create blessings.Therefore, they have no virtues.
They do not cultivate inwardly or practice outwardly. These people have no spiritual nourishment or thoughts of goodness in their minds at all. Outwardly, they do not do any good deeds, so they create no nourishment of virtue. “They lack the water of Dharma-nature to draw on.” They lack the water of Dharma-nature that allows us to develop our wisdom-life. This is analogous to “being oppressed by hunger and thirst.”
Learn and practice careful contemplation, and do not by any means be biased. Those who are destructive and treacherous are without the virtues of learning the precepts and being in Samadhi; they are lacking the practice of the Right Path. This is liked being oppressed by hunger and thirst.
This is the way life is. As we learn and practice, we must think carefully. We must be cautious so as to never go astray. Our minds must be oriented in the right direction; they must not deviate in the slightest. Otherwise we would be like “those who are destructive and treacherous.” They do not practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Not have learned precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, they do not believe in these teachings and therefore do not cultivate virtuous Dharma. Their actions constantly deviate more toward evil. So, “those are destructive and treacherous” have no Dharma in their minds. They lack the Right and virtues from practicing precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Lacking the teachings of the Right path is like being “oppressed by hunger and thirst.” These evil ghosts have no Dharma in their minds.
They claim to know when they do not. Each expresses his or her own views and pronounces and promotes evil doctrines, as if crying out. They follow evil practices and transmigrate endlessly without rest. This is like being driven to scream and run wildly.
Because people do not cultivate their minds with the Dharma, they insist that they are always right and teach whatever they want without accepting others’ views teach whatever they want without accepting others’ views. They have gone astray and continue to “pronounce and promote evil doctrines.” They are constantly crying out like this. Not only have they gone astray, they also encourage other people to joy them. With these deviant practices, naturally they will transmigrate endlessly.
Once deviant thoughts arise in their minds, naturally they will be trapped in cyclic existence and they will call on others to join them in their actions. This is why we must choose carefully when we decide to engage in spiritual practice. We must earnestly do the homework assigned to us. By earnestly doing this homework, we are making the effort to take the Dharma to heart and manifest it in our practice.
“The Three Realms are created only by the mind. The orientation of our minds follow good and evil karma. Good karma leads to heaven and human realms; evil karma to realms of yaksas and hungry ghosts who practice violence and evil.” “With a thought,” very quickly, we speedily move in that direction. So, we must take good care of our minds, or they may deviate very quickly. If we go astray in the space of a thought, we will be like “hungry ghosts [who] are always oriented towards [places of] starvation.” We must be extremely careful and eliminate ignorance and afflictions right away, or else our mind will be filled with turbidity. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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