20150825《靜思妙蓮華》降伏五見心向正道(第638集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「凡夫眾生煩惱濁心，五見交攻不求正道，不知出離常在三界，甘受輪迴喻欲界火。」
⊙「諸鬼神等，揚聲大叫。雕鷲諸鳥，鳩槃荼等，周慞惶怖，不能自出。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴，毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中，薄福德故，為火所逼。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴：蘊積之義，能聚集善惡諸法，包含蘊積亦名藏。竄伏逃遁、孔穴藏匿，名藏竄孔穴。
⊙毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中：毗舍闍，為噉精氣之鬼，及五穀之精氣。諸外道厭離欲界，亦修禪定以趣入色、無色界。
⊙今世福德淺薄，以無宿世善根，苦多而樂少，因薄福德故。不能在於善中修道，故云為火所逼。
⊙藏竄孔穴之中，雖無猛火，猶有熱惱。喻四禪雖無欲界麤惡，亦有喜樂等愛味細苦，故是火逼。
【證嚴上人開示】
「凡夫眾生煩惱濁心，五見交攻不求正道，不知出離常在三界，甘受輪迴喻欲界火。」
凡夫眾生煩惱濁心
五見交攻不求正道
不知出離常在三界
甘受輪迴喻欲界火
很感慨！因為眾生煩惱起自濁心，我們的心有一念的染著，一念心起，開始那個煩惱不斷延伸，真的是苦不堪。煩惱「五鈍使」，貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，使我們眾生的心充滿了煩惱，再加上了五種的「利使」，那就是，身(見)、邊(見)、邪(見)、見取(見)、戒禁取(見)。對，這就是想的在內心，充滿了煩惱，卻是要有外面去造作，煩惱就成果了。
所以，這個「鈍使」與「利使」，兩個五種結合起來，互相交攻，有了內心的煩惱，指使著外面的身行，不論是動作、修行，在家、出家，這東西都是在我們的，凡夫眾生之中。想要修行，我們就要很深警覺。
凡夫平時沒學佛，他怎會知道什麼是「五利使」？什麼是「五鈍使」呢？不知。就是我們有學佛，我們瞭解了，瞭解之後，我們就要好好預防我們的心境。「一切唯心造」，心若濁起，煩惱就生起來，我們既然修行，就是要放下一切，增加我們清淨無私、求大法的力量，這是我們的心。若有要求大法，就要身體力行菩薩道，發心清淨修大法，身體力行入人群中，若這樣，這也就是五項東西，我們將它轉煩惱為清流，我們能夠幫助很多的眾生。
法國一個無國界醫師的織，M.D.M.這個組織，他們在一九九二年年底，來向我們說，現在衣索比亞的人，真的是命在旦夕，很多人，生命的危機很大，從他們所報告出來的資料，我們瞭解了，原來它長久的時間與索馬利亞，這二個國家多年多年以來，就一直在戰爭的狀況中，所以人民貧窮困苦，又再加上了長久乾旱，所以這多種的災難，希望我們能夠與他們合作，去幫助他們。
所以我們不忍心，那個國家的人這麼的苦，所以我們就先去和他們會合，先去走一趟。回來的報告，實在是苦不堪！決定和他們合作。所以從一九九三年的一月，一直到一九九六年一月，三年的時間，我們為他們建設(重建)，兩個醫療中心，同時也為他們，建設十五個醫療站，同時又為他們訓練三百位，就是醫護人員。三年的時間，我們又為他們衛生教育，同時還在十個村，為他們建立了十四個集水站，當地都沒水。
衣索比亞給我的印象很深，這也就是我們國際間，在救災很大的困難其中之一，而且過程的艱險，同樣是很艱難，尤其是那個地方人民的苦，每一次若說起衣索比亞，頭腦中所浮現的，是他們的生活環境，尤其是醫療，那種病無醫，病人的形態，我們醫療站為他們建設，三年的時間，法國的醫師與我們的醫師，去那個地方輪流去為他們看病。
尤其是記憶很深，林堅熙醫師那時候他是內科，而且是神經內科，那時候我們，一個醫療中心剛蓋好，他們去的時候就接到，有人扛著一位婦女就是小產，血一直流，不止，結果要用什麼來為她接生?尤其是內科醫師要怎麼辦呢?還是為她接生。
而且還有，有人腳斷了，也是來到那個醫療中心，腳斷了要怎麼辦?只好就是再為他接上去，之後用一根竹子立高起來，竹子上面綁一條繩子，繩子下面掛著一個籃子，這個籃子就是裝一些石頭，一邊繩子是綁在，他這個人的腳上，用這樣，這個景象也是很深在頭腦裡。
更深的，那就是他們的飲水。女人，有的住在十多公里的遠，她們每一天頭上都是頂著桶子，放在頭上，這樣從一早出門，就來到那個有水，有水坑的地方舀水。他們所舀的水是死水，而且非常髒，只是一個低窪的地方。狗也在那裡喝水，人也在那裡舀水，這樣舀了八分滿的水桶的水，頂在頭上再回去。
根據他們當地人說，女人一天就是這樣的一桶水，一趟路來，中午了，早上出門已經中午了，水舀好回去已經黃昏了，這樣為了一桶水，多數的人都是這樣。再看到，一個男人趴到水邊，吸一口水起來，同時因為手趴在地，起來時骯髒，他順便那口水，這樣吸起來，噴出去洗手，同樣是又噴回去死水坑中，很骯髒，看得讓我很怕。
還記得那時候，好幾年了，我就說：「我最擔心的，是這樣眼睛若閉上，睜開就是在衣索比亞。」這是過去我常常說的話，可見那個景象是多麼苦，在我印象中是多麼深！
不過，這三年的時間，我們在那裡教他們，慢慢看到他們已經生活穩定，提升生活的品質。我們的集水站是用那個塑膠管，從山上一直一直水源，沿著水源這樣一直引水下來。看到他們來盛水的時候，像在接自來水的水一樣，那時候實在很歡喜。
衣索比亞那個地方的眾生苦難，不就是從煩惱濁起嗎？這種從煩惱濁生，造成了民間疾苦，再加上了天災，這就是「五見交攻」。內心的煩惱，身體去造作，所以造成了這種天下大亂，民不聊生，這就是「五見交攻」，所以「不求正道」。
我們在學佛的人，我們應該用心好好自度，將佛法度入心來。人間不能等，人間的人心需要淨化，我們要及時，將我們瞭解的法趕緊給大家，把握時間，讓人人的心正向道，正向在這個菩提道，這是我們要及時。
我們要學道，我們就守在我們的本分，我們的本分要如何認識佛法，佛法，我們要如何趕緊回向給眾生，就是說自落，求法自度，我們趕緊向於眾生去度人，這才是真正回歸，我們修學的本分。
所以什麼叫做回向？那就是吸收進來，用出去，這就是我們的本分，這才是正回向，修行。但是我們都「不知出離」，都不懂要如何脫離內心的煩惱。這種「不知出離常在三界」，所以我們修行，要先淨好我們的心，付出為人群，能夠天下平安、社會祥和，這就是我們現在做得到的。
所以不要這樣，甘願在這個輪迴中，像欲界的火在燒，三界的煩惱已經用很多的譬喻。光人間的苦難，我們就述說不完，這是真正人間是這麼苦！所以我們應該把握當下，趕緊為人間盡本分就對了。
前面這段(經)文，「諸鬼神等，揚聲大叫。雕鷲諸鳥，鳩槃荼等，周慞惶怖，不能自出。」
諸鬼神等
揚聲大叫
雕鷲諸鳥
鳩槃荼等
周慞惶怖
不能自出
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這都是在譬喻我們人間心態，這麼多的煩惱，已經到處亂跑。就是怕，就跑不出去，心沒有安下來，所以那麼多的煩惱，這樣在「周慞惶怖」；「不能自出」，沒辦法可出去。
下面說，「惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴，毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中，薄福德故，為火所逼。」
惡獸毒蟲
藏竄孔穴
毗舍闍鬼
亦住其中
薄福德故
為火所逼
《法華經譬喻品第三》
「惡獸毒蟲」，大家都知道了。這個「藏竄孔穴」，這是表示囤積的意思，「藏」就是囤積、蘊藏著，已經囤積著很多的意思，聚集有這個善惡的法。我們三界內有善惡法，佛陀來人間「開、示」，分析這個境界在我們人的心裡，會造作什麼樣的惡，我們應該要修什麼樣的善，所以諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。
「竄」，就是竄伏，就是這樣隱藏在那個其中，或者是要竄，這樣去流動，這種，就是煩惱我們藏在我們心裡，覆藏在我們的心，但是，它也會逃遁，也會流竄出去了，所以藏竄木是流竄，這樣在那個孔穴，在那個孔中，所以叫做「藏竄孔穴」。
惡獸毒蟲
藏竄孔穴：
蘊積之義
能聚集善惡諸法
包含蘊積亦名藏
竄伏逃遁孔穴藏匿
名藏竄孔穴
再來，「毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中」。「毗舍闍」那就是一種鬼，這種鬼就是噉人的精血、精氣。「這個人的精神怎麼這麼不好？」「看起來好像傻傻的。」這就是有這種的煩惱，心中若沒煩惱，他不會這樣完全失神了，甚至也會「噉五穀之精氣」。這稻子農夫很用心種，忽然間病蟲害來了，那個稻子也會這樣萎下去，精氣已經被毗舍闍吸引，那就是因為氣候不對了，氣候不好，所以稻穗就發病。
這就是說這也就是眾生的業，引起了這個氣候已經不調和了，人類不斷用外來的力量，要壓制它，用農藥等等，這對稻穗、五穀雜糧損害更大。所以，這也就表示，我們人心的煩惱。
所以「諸外道厭離欲界，亦修禪定，以趣入色、無色界」。有的外道教說：「這欲界辛苦，真的有輪迴。」他相信，所以他要修行，他要修行，但是他執偏、邪掉了。所以他說要入，色界、無色界的定，所以就容易偏差，有時候毀謗正法等等，擾亂人的精神。所以他在毗舍闍鬼，也是這樣的形容，擾亂人的精神，修行到了走火入魔的境界，就是這樣。
毗舍闍鬼
亦住其中：
毗舍闍
為噉精氣之鬼
及五穀之精氣
諸外道厭離欲界
亦修禪定
以趣入色、無色界
再來「薄福德故，為火所逼」。現在世間這個「福德淺薄」，我們現在造福不多，尤其是「無宿世善根」，我們過去生就是沒修善根，所以苦多樂少，因為福德薄。你若福德很厚的人，付出無所求，永遠用不盡我們的心靈的財富。有一種人「我願意做」，他就是執著在付出多少，計較多，這就福德就是較薄，「不能在(於)善中修道」，像這樣，就是「為火所逼」。
今世福德淺薄
以無宿世善根
苦多而樂少
因薄福德故
不能在於善中修道
故云為火所逼
同樣在三界內，很多的煩惱還藏在我們的心裡，所以「藏竄孔穴」的裡面，雖然沒有很大的猛火，就是這樣隱藏在裡面悶悶地燒，悶燒，這在我們的內心裡，就是同樣有熱惱。所以這是在四禪，雖無有欲界之麤惡，我們欲界是很粗的惡，但是，想要修行，外道就是要求那個喜樂，所以還有愛的貪欲、還有微細的苦，這是修行。
說他要修到四禪天，這叫做色界。在四禪裡，他還有那種微細的求欲，要求定；無色界、非想非非想處，這種還是同樣受悶的火，微細的逼，雖然沒有欲界那麼粗，那個欲，他還有微細的欲求。
藏竄孔穴之中
雖無猛火
猶有熱惱
喻四禪
雖無欲界麤惡
亦有喜樂等
愛味細苦
故是火逼
學佛，我們要用心，這都已經到了很微細的煩惱，卻是微細的煩惱未除，就是粗重的煩惱會再產生。真的星火燎原，只要你有一點的煩惱在內心，還是會成為很大，很大粗相的煩惱。就像剛剛說的衣索比亞，我們已經在多少國際間，慈濟人及時在那個地方發揮了，為眾生解除困難等等。人間世相有多少的苦！所以我們應該要謹慎，要如何將法能穩定人心，在社會，這樣才能人人平安。這就要看我們，是不是人人願意時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Defeat the Five Views and Turn to the Right Path (降伏五見心向正道)
Date:August.25.2015
“Ordinary people have afflictions and turbid minds. With the combined attack of the Five Views, they do not seek the Right Path. They do not know how to escape, and so they abide constantly in the Three Realms. Thus, the fire in the desire realm is a metaphor for their willingness to suffer cyclic existence.”
Alas, because sentient beings have afflictions, they give rise to turbidity in their minds. When our minds have even the slightest trace of contamination, with one thought arising, afflictions begin to grow and expand, which results in truly unbearable suffering.
The five chronic afflictions are greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. These all fill our minds with afflictions. In addition to these, there are five kinds of acute afflictions, the view of self, extreme view, deviant views, stubborn views and views of deviant precepts.
Indeed, when these views affect our thinking, our minds become filled with afflictions, but it is when we physical act on them that these afflictions will have consequences. When both chronic and acute afflictions, these two sets of five, come together, they combine forces to attack.
Once our minds give rise to afflictions, they will incite us to take physical action. Whether in daily living or spiritual practice, whether we are lay practitioners or monastics, these afflictions are always in our unenlightened [minds]. If we want to engage in spiritual practice, we must be very vigilant of them. If we do not ordinary learn the Buddha’s Way, how will we know what the five acute afflictions and the five chronic afflictions are?
We will not recognize them. It is because we are learning the Buddha’s Way that we do understand what they are. After we have understood, we must earnestly safeguard our minds. “All things are created only by the mind.” Once the mind becomes turbid, afflictions arise. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we must let go of everything to develop our pure and selfless capacity to seek the Great Dharma. This comes from our minds.
To seek the Great Dharma, we must put the Bodhisattva-path into practice; we must aspire to purify our minds and cultivate the Great Dharma by going among people to put it into practice. If we can achieve all of this, we can purify these five kinds of afflictions and help numerous sentient beings.
There is a French organization called Doctors of the World, or Medicines due Monde (MoM). They came to us at the end of 1992 and said that people in Ethiopia were in danger of losing their lives. There was a major crisis. From the material provided in their reports, we learned that Ethiopia had been at war with Somalia for a very long time. These two countries had been in a state of war for many years, so the people suffered from poverty and hardship.
Moreover, they had experienced a lengthy drought. So, the Ethiopians suffered from many disasters. MoM hoped that we could work with them to help the Ethiopians. We could not bear for the Ethiopians to face this tremendous suffering, so we decided to first send people to join MoM in assessing the situation.
From the assessment reports, we saw truly unbearable suffering, so we decided to work with them. From January 1993 to January 1996, over a period of three years, we built two medical centers for them.
At the same time, we unlit 15 medical station and trained 300 medical staff.Over a period of three years, we educated them on sanitation and built 14 water stations in 10 villages because they had no water.
I often say that Ethiopia made a deep impression on me.This was one of the most difficult international disaster relief projects we have worked on.The process was very arduous.What especially struck me was the extent of their suffering.
Every time I talk about Ethiopia, what surfaces in my mind is how difficult their living conditions were, particularly in the area of medicine.
They had no means of getting illnesses treated.
Such was the situation of those who needed care.
We built medical stations for them, and over a period of three years, the French doctors and our doctors took turns going there to treat patients.One doctor in particular made a deep impression on me.Dr. Lin Jian-xi was one of the neurologists in our Internal Medicine Department.At that time, we had just finished constructing one of the medical centers.
Immediately after he arrived, someone came in carrying a woman who was in the midst of a difficult labor.She kept bleeding.What equipment could he use to deliver the baby?
Moreover, as he was a doctor of Internal Medicine, would he know what to do?He still managed to deliver her baby.
In another case, someone whose foot was cut off was brought to that medical station.What could Dr. Lin do about it?He found a way to reattach the foot.Then he elevated the leg with a stick of bamboo.The bamboo was connected to a rope, which was tied to a basket with some rocks.The other end of the rope was tied to this person’s leg.He rigged this contraption.This picture was deeply imprinted in my head.
What made an even deeper impression on me was [the difficulty of] their water situation.Some women lived over 10km away [from water].
They carried buckets on their heads every day.
They would leave their homes early in the morning to collect water from a water hole.
The water they scooped up was standing water, which was very filthy.The water would collect in a low-lying area.There, dogs would drink water, and people would scoop water from there, too.
When their buckets were 80 percent full, they put them on their heads and went home.
According to what local people told us, a woman would spend an entire day collecting this one bucket of water.By the time they arrived there, it would be noon.They would leave in the morning to arrive at noon.By the time they got back home with the water, it was already dark.They did all of this for one bucket of water.Most people there lived in this way.
I also saw images of a man lying on his stomach next to the water hole, drinking water directly [from the water hole].Because he braced himself on the ground with his hands, when he stood up, his hands were dirty.So,he spit the water from his mouth to wash them, and that water ended up back in that pool of standing water, so the water was very filthy.
The sight of this was very frightening.
I still remember how, at that time many years ago, I said, “My greatest fear is that, if I close my eyes, I may reopen them and find myself in Ethiopia.”In the past, this was something I often said.Clearly the tremendous suffering in those images made a deep impression on me.
But, in those three years, as we trained the locals in Ethiopia, we saw people’s lives gradually stabilize and the quality of life improve.Our water stations used plastic pipes to divert water all the way down from water sources high up in the mountains.We saw that now when they collected water, it was just like pouring water from a tap.They were truly very happy.
In Ethiopia, didn’t sentient beings’ sufferings arise from the turbidity of afflictions?The turbidity of afflictions gave rise to the people’s great suffering, with natural disasters added on top.This is the “combined attack of the Five Views”.
The afflictions in people’s minds led their bodies to take action, causing widespread chaos so that the population could not sustain their livelihood.This is “the combined attack of the Five Views,” which makes people “one seek the Right Path”.
As Buddhist practitioners, we must put our hearts into earnestly transforming ourselves and taking the Dharma to heart.
The world cannot wait;people’s minds need to be purified.We must promptly share the Dharm we understand with everyone and seize this moment to help guide everyone’s mind onto the right course onto the Bodhi-path. We must do this right away.
To learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must fulfill our basic responsibilities. Our responsibility is to learn the Buddha Dharma, and with the Dharma, swiftly dedicate our merits to all beings. This means we must seek the Dharma to transform ourselves and then quickly dedicate ourselves to transforming others. Then we will truly fulfill our basic duties of learning and practicing [the Dharma].
What does it mean to dedicate our merits? It means to absorb the Dharma and then apply it. This is our fundamental duty. This is how we truly dedicate merits and engage in spiritual practice. But we “do not know how to escape”. We do not understand how we can transcend the afflictions in our minds. We “do not know how to escape so [we] abide constantly in the Three Realms”, so in our practice, we must first purify our minds. We must give of ourselves of others so that there can be peace in the world and harmony in society. These are things we are able to do right now.
We must not be like that, willing to stay [trapped] within cyclic existence. The fire in the desire realm is scorching us. The afflictions of the Three Realms have been described with many analogies. The sufferings in the human realm alone cannot be described in full. Indeed, worldly matters cause much suffering, so we must seize the moment and fulfill our fundamental duties toward the world.
The previous sutra passage states, “With ghosts and spirits crying out loud in raised voices, eagles, vultures and all kinds of birds, kumbhanda and the like, the obstacles all around were terrifying. They could not escape by themselves.”
These are all analogies for how, in our minds, our many afflictions are leading us all over the place. Terrified, we cannot manage to escape; thus our minds cannot settle down. Because of these many afflictions, “The obstacles all around were terrifying”. “We could not escape by ourselves”. Just thinking about this is exhausting.
Next it states, “Vicious beasts and poisonous creatures were hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens, and the pisaca demons were living inside as well. Because their blessings were meager, they were hard-pressed by the fire.”
“The vicious beasts and poisonous creatures” are what everyone knows about. They are “hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens”. This represents being stored up. “Hiding” refers to accumulating and aggregating; it means so much has already been stored up. Good and evil phenomena have gathered here.
In the Three Realms, there are both good and evil phenomena. The Buddha came to “open and reveal”, to analyze the different states of mind we have, the different kinds of evil deeds we commit and the kinds of good deeds we should cultivate. So, we must do all good deeds and refrain from all evils.
“Scurrying” refers to fleeing in secret. These creatures may hide in one place or scurry and keep moving around. This is just like how afflictions are stored in our minds. They may be concealed in our minds, but they may still escape and find their way out.
So, to “hide and scurry” also means to run away. This is like what happens with creatures that live in “holes and dens”. This is called “hiding inside holes and dens”.
The vicious beasts and poisonous creatures were hiding inside holes and dens: This refers to the process of accumulation. All good and evil phenomena can gather, and with the process of accumulation, this is called hiding. They go into hiding by concealing themselves inside holes or dens. Thus it says they were hiding inside holes and dens.
In addition to this, “The pisaca demons were living inside as well. “The pisaca” is a type of demon which feeds on people’s blood and vitality. “Why does this person seem to be in low spirits? It looks as if he is in a daze”. That is because he has this kind of affliction.
If people’s minds were free of afflictions, they would not be so listless and in low spirits. They even “suck the vitality of the five grains”. Farmers work hard to cultivate rice. If the crop is suddenly infested with disease o insects, the stalks of rice will wither as if their vitality had been sucked out by the pisaca. When the weather is abnormal and temperatures are extreme, the rice stalks suffer. This also happens because the karma created by sentient beings has caused an imbalance in the weather. People continue to use external means of suppressing the problem, by using pesticides and so on. These means are even more harmful to the crop. These kinds of problems also represent the afflictions in our minds.
“Many heretical practitioners renounce the desire realm and through the practice of meditation seek to enter the form and formless realms.”
Some heretical teachings explain that the desire realm is exhausting, and we will indeed transmigrate. They believe this, so they engage in spiritual practice. They want to cultivate themselves, but they are attached to deviant teachings. So, they say they want to enter Samadhi in the form and formless realm’s. Thus, they may easily go astray. Sometimes they slander the Right Dharma, Sometimes they slander the Right Dharma, disturb people’s spirits and so on.
The pisaca demons are described as doing the same. They disturb people’s spirits so that their spiritual cultivation takes them to a state where they seem to be possessed. This is what happens to them .
The pisaca demons were living inside as well: The pisaca demons feed on people’s vitality and also suck the vitality of the five grains. Many heretical practitioners renounce the desire realm and through the practice of meditation seek to enter the form and formless realms.
“Because their blessings were meager, they were hard-pressed by the fire.” Right now, this world’s “blessings are meager.” We are not creating many blessings, particularly as we are “without roots of goodness from previous lives.” In our previous lives, we did not cultivate roots of goodness, so we experience much suffering and little joy.
This is because our blessings are meager. If we are rich in blessing and give without any expectations, we will never use up our spiritual wealth. There are people who say, “I am willing to do this, but they are attached to how much they give.” They compare and calculate, so their virtues and blessings are meager. “They are unable to engage in spiritual practice surrounded by goodness.” People like this are “hard-pressed by the fire.”
Their blessings in this life are meager. Without roots of goodness from previous lives, they experience much suffering and little joy. Because their blessings are meager, they are unable to engage in spiritual practice surrounded by goodness, so they are said to be hard-pressed by the fire.
As we live within the Three Realms, many afflictions are still hidden in our minds Hence, “They were hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens.” Although the fire is not raging, it is hidden inside and burning slowly. Afflictions are stewing in our own minds. We still have these fiery afflictions.
[So, we strive to reach] the four Dhyana heavens which are free of the crude evils of the desire realm. In the desire realm there are obvious evils, but though they want to practice, these heretical practitioners are only seeking that kind of joy, so there are still these desires and cravings, and they still feel traces of suffering.This is [what they] practice. They say they work to reach the four Dhyana heavens, which are in the form realm. Which the four Dhyana heavens, there are still traces of cravings and desires, like seeking Samadhi. In the formless realm state of neither thought nor absence of thought, they are still subtly pressed by a slow fire they are still subtly pressed by a slow fire.
Although these are not as obvious as [the afflictions] in the desire realm, there are still subtle desires and cravings.
They were hiding inside holes and dens: Though not in the raging fire, they are still vexed by the heat.
This is an analogy for the four Dhyana heavens. Though beyond the crude evil of the desire realm, they still [seek] joy, delight and so on, and have subtle sufferings of cravings, thus they are pressed by the fire.
In summary, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be mindful. We are down to the subtlest afflictions. But if subtle afflictions are not eliminated, the obvious afflictions will arise again. A single spark can start a prairie fire. As long as we have a trace of afflictions in our minds, it may expand into severe and obvious afflictions, like the situation in Ethiopia we just spoke of. We have since been involved in many international [relief missions]. Tzu Chi volunteers promptly manifest their ability to relieve many sentient beings from hardship. There is so much suffering in this world!
Therefore, we must be cautious and make use of the Dharma to settle people’s minds so their society and their lives can be peaceful. All this depends on whether each of us is willing to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「凡夫眾生煩惱濁心，五見交攻不求正道，不知出離常在三界，甘受輪迴喻欲界火。」
⊙「諸鬼神等，揚聲大叫。雕鷲諸鳥，鳩槃荼等，周慞惶怖，不能自出。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴，毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中，薄福德故，為火所逼。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴：蘊積之義，能聚集善惡諸法，包含蘊積亦名藏。竄伏逃遁、孔穴藏匿，名藏竄孔穴。
⊙毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中：毗舍闍，為噉精氣之鬼，及五穀之精氣。諸外道厭離欲界，亦修禪定以趣入色、無色界。
⊙今世福德淺薄，以無宿世善根，苦多而樂少，因薄福德故。不能在於善中修道，故云為火所逼。
⊙藏竄孔穴之中，雖無猛火，猶有熱惱。喻四禪雖無欲界麤惡，亦有喜樂等愛味細苦，故是火逼。
【證嚴上人開示】
「凡夫眾生煩惱濁心，五見交攻不求正道，不知出離常在三界，甘受輪迴喻欲界火。」
凡夫眾生煩惱濁心
五見交攻不求正道
不知出離常在三界
甘受輪迴喻欲界火
很感慨！因為眾生煩惱起自濁心，我們的心有一念的染著，一念心起，開始那個煩惱不斷延伸，真的是苦不堪。煩惱「五鈍使」，貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，使我們眾生的心充滿了煩惱，再加上了五種的「利使」，那就是，身(見)、邊(見)、邪(見)、見取(見)、戒禁取(見)。對，這就是想的在內心，充滿了煩惱，卻是要有外面去造作，煩惱就成果了。
所以，這個「鈍使」與「利使」，兩個五種結合起來，互相交攻，有了內心的煩惱，指使著外面的身行，不論是動作、修行，在家、出家，這東西都是在我們的，凡夫眾生之中。想要修行，我們就要很深警覺。
凡夫平時沒學佛，他怎會知道什麼是「五利使」？什麼是「五鈍使」呢？不知。就是我們有學佛，我們瞭解了，瞭解之後，我們就要好好預防我們的心境。「一切唯心造」，心若濁起，煩惱就生起來，我們既然修行，就是要放下一切，增加我們清淨無私、求大法的力量，這是我們的心。若有要求大法，就要身體力行菩薩道，發心清淨修大法，身體力行入人群中，若這樣，這也就是五項東西，我們將它轉煩惱為清流，我們能夠幫助很多的眾生。
法國一個無國界醫師的織，M.D.M.這個組織，他們在一九九二年年底，來向我們說，現在衣索比亞的人，真的是命在旦夕，很多人，生命的危機很大，從他們所報告出來的資料，我們瞭解了，原來它長久的時間與索馬利亞，這二個國家多年多年以來，就一直在戰爭的狀況中，所以人民貧窮困苦，又再加上了長久乾旱，所以這多種的災難，希望我們能夠與他們合作，去幫助他們。
所以我們不忍心，那個國家的人這麼的苦，所以我們就先去和他們會合，先去走一趟。回來的報告，實在是苦不堪！決定和他們合作。所以從一九九三年的一月，一直到一九九六年一月，三年的時間，我們為他們建設(重建)，兩個醫療中心，同時也為他們，建設十五個醫療站，同時又為他們訓練三百位，就是醫護人員。三年的時間，我們又為他們衛生教育，同時還在十個村，為他們建立了十四個集水站，當地都沒水。
衣索比亞給我的印象很深，這也就是我們國際間，在救災很大的困難其中之一，而且過程的艱險，同樣是很艱難，尤其是那個地方人民的苦，每一次若說起衣索比亞，頭腦中所浮現的，是他們的生活環境，尤其是醫療，那種病無醫，病人的形態，我們醫療站為他們建設，三年的時間，法國的醫師與我們的醫師，去那個地方輪流去為他們看病。
尤其是記憶很深，林堅熙醫師那時候他是內科，而且是神經內科，那時候我們，一個醫療中心剛蓋好，他們去的時候就接到，有人扛著一位婦女就是小產，血一直流，不止，結果要用什麼來為她接生?尤其是內科醫師要怎麼辦呢?還是為她接生。
而且還有，有人腳斷了，也是來到那個醫療中心，腳斷了要怎麼辦?只好就是再為他接上去，之後用一根竹子立高起來，竹子上面綁一條繩子，繩子下面掛著一個籃子，這個籃子就是裝一些石頭，一邊繩子是綁在，他這個人的腳上，用這樣，這個景象也是很深在頭腦裡。
更深的，那就是他們的飲水。女人，有的住在十多公里的遠，她們每一天頭上都是頂著桶子，放在頭上，這樣從一早出門，就來到那個有水，有水坑的地方舀水。他們所舀的水是死水，而且非常髒，只是一個低窪的地方。狗也在那裡喝水，人也在那裡舀水，這樣舀了八分滿的水桶的水，頂在頭上再回去。
根據他們當地人說，女人一天就是這樣的一桶水，一趟路來，中午了，早上出門已經中午了，水舀好回去已經黃昏了，這樣為了一桶水，多數的人都是這樣。再看到，一個男人趴到水邊，吸一口水起來，同時因為手趴在地，起來時骯髒，他順便那口水，這樣吸起來，噴出去洗手，同樣是又噴回去死水坑中，很骯髒，看得讓我很怕。
還記得那時候，好幾年了，我就說：「我最擔心的，是這樣眼睛若閉上，睜開就是在衣索比亞。」這是過去我常常說的話，可見那個景象是多麼苦，在我印象中是多麼深！
不過，這三年的時間，我們在那裡教他們，慢慢看到他們已經生活穩定，提升生活的品質。我們的集水站是用那個塑膠管，從山上一直一直水源，沿著水源這樣一直引水下來。看到他們來盛水的時候，像在接自來水的水一樣，那時候實在很歡喜。
衣索比亞那個地方的眾生苦難，不就是從煩惱濁起嗎？這種從煩惱濁生，造成了民間疾苦，再加上了天災，這就是「五見交攻」。內心的煩惱，身體去造作，所以造成了這種天下大亂，民不聊生，這就是「五見交攻」，所以「不求正道」。
我們在學佛的人，我們應該用心好好自度，將佛法度入心來。人間不能等，人間的人心需要淨化，我們要及時，將我們瞭解的法趕緊給大家，把握時間，讓人人的心正向道，正向在這個菩提道，這是我們要及時。
我們要學道，我們就守在我們的本分，我們的本分要如何認識佛法，佛法，我們要如何趕緊回向給眾生，就是說自落，求法自度，我們趕緊向於眾生去度人，這才是真正回歸，我們修學的本分。
所以什麼叫做回向？那就是吸收進來，用出去，這就是我們的本分，這才是正回向，修行。但是我們都「不知出離」，都不懂要如何脫離內心的煩惱。這種「不知出離常在三界」，所以我們修行，要先淨好我們的心，付出為人群，能夠天下平安、社會祥和，這就是我們現在做得到的。
所以不要這樣，甘願在這個輪迴中，像欲界的火在燒，三界的煩惱已經用很多的譬喻。光人間的苦難，我們就述說不完，這是真正人間是這麼苦！所以我們應該把握當下，趕緊為人間盡本分就對了。
前面這段(經)文，「諸鬼神等，揚聲大叫。雕鷲諸鳥，鳩槃荼等，周慞惶怖，不能自出。」
諸鬼神等
揚聲大叫
雕鷲諸鳥
鳩槃荼等
周慞惶怖
不能自出
《法華經譬喻品第三》
這都是在譬喻我們人間心態，這麼多的煩惱，已經到處亂跑。就是怕，就跑不出去，心沒有安下來，所以那麼多的煩惱，這樣在「周慞惶怖」；「不能自出」，沒辦法可出去。
下面說，「惡獸毒蟲，藏竄孔穴，毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中，薄福德故，為火所逼。」
惡獸毒蟲
藏竄孔穴
毗舍闍鬼
亦住其中
薄福德故
為火所逼
《法華經譬喻品第三》
「惡獸毒蟲」，大家都知道了。這個「藏竄孔穴」，這是表示囤積的意思，「藏」就是囤積、蘊藏著，已經囤積著很多的意思，聚集有這個善惡的法。我們三界內有善惡法，佛陀來人間「開、示」，分析這個境界在我們人的心裡，會造作什麼樣的惡，我們應該要修什麼樣的善，所以諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。
「竄」，就是竄伏，就是這樣隱藏在那個其中，或者是要竄，這樣去流動，這種，就是煩惱我們藏在我們心裡，覆藏在我們的心，但是，它也會逃遁，也會流竄出去了，所以藏竄木是流竄，這樣在那個孔穴，在那個孔中，所以叫做「藏竄孔穴」。
惡獸毒蟲
藏竄孔穴：
蘊積之義
能聚集善惡諸法
包含蘊積亦名藏
竄伏逃遁孔穴藏匿
名藏竄孔穴
再來，「毗舍闍鬼，亦住其中」。「毗舍闍」那就是一種鬼，這種鬼就是噉人的精血、精氣。「這個人的精神怎麼這麼不好？」「看起來好像傻傻的。」這就是有這種的煩惱，心中若沒煩惱，他不會這樣完全失神了，甚至也會「噉五穀之精氣」。這稻子農夫很用心種，忽然間病蟲害來了，那個稻子也會這樣萎下去，精氣已經被毗舍闍吸引，那就是因為氣候不對了，氣候不好，所以稻穗就發病。
這就是說這也就是眾生的業，引起了這個氣候已經不調和了，人類不斷用外來的力量，要壓制它，用農藥等等，這對稻穗、五穀雜糧損害更大。所以，這也就表示，我們人心的煩惱。
所以「諸外道厭離欲界，亦修禪定，以趣入色、無色界」。有的外道教說：「這欲界辛苦，真的有輪迴。」他相信，所以他要修行，他要修行，但是他執偏、邪掉了。所以他說要入，色界、無色界的定，所以就容易偏差，有時候毀謗正法等等，擾亂人的精神。所以他在毗舍闍鬼，也是這樣的形容，擾亂人的精神，修行到了走火入魔的境界，就是這樣。
毗舍闍鬼
亦住其中：
毗舍闍
為噉精氣之鬼
及五穀之精氣
諸外道厭離欲界
亦修禪定
以趣入色、無色界
再來「薄福德故，為火所逼」。現在世間這個「福德淺薄」，我們現在造福不多，尤其是「無宿世善根」，我們過去生就是沒修善根，所以苦多樂少，因為福德薄。你若福德很厚的人，付出無所求，永遠用不盡我們的心靈的財富。有一種人「我願意做」，他就是執著在付出多少，計較多，這就福德就是較薄，「不能在(於)善中修道」，像這樣，就是「為火所逼」。
今世福德淺薄
以無宿世善根
苦多而樂少
因薄福德故
不能在於善中修道
故云為火所逼
同樣在三界內，很多的煩惱還藏在我們的心裡，所以「藏竄孔穴」的裡面，雖然沒有很大的猛火，就是這樣隱藏在裡面悶悶地燒，悶燒，這在我們的內心裡，就是同樣有熱惱。所以這是在四禪，雖無有欲界之麤惡，我們欲界是很粗的惡，但是，想要修行，外道就是要求那個喜樂，所以還有愛的貪欲、還有微細的苦，這是修行。
說他要修到四禪天，這叫做色界。在四禪裡，他還有那種微細的求欲，要求定；無色界、非想非非想處，這種還是同樣受悶的火，微細的逼，雖然沒有欲界那麼粗，那個欲，他還有微細的欲求。
藏竄孔穴之中
雖無猛火
猶有熱惱
喻四禪
雖無欲界麤惡
亦有喜樂等
愛味細苦
故是火逼
學佛，我們要用心，這都已經到了很微細的煩惱，卻是微細的煩惱未除，就是粗重的煩惱會再產生。真的星火燎原，只要你有一點的煩惱在內心，還是會成為很大，很大粗相的煩惱。就像剛剛說的衣索比亞，我們已經在多少國際間，慈濟人及時在那個地方發揮了，為眾生解除困難等等。人間世相有多少的苦！所以我們應該要謹慎，要如何將法能穩定人心，在社會，這樣才能人人平安。這就要看我們，是不是人人願意時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Defeat the Five Views and Turn to the Right Path (降伏五見心向正道)
Date:August.25.2015
“Ordinary people have afflictions and turbid minds. With the combined attack of the Five Views, they do not seek the Right Path. They do not know how to escape, and so they abide constantly in the Three Realms. Thus, the fire in the desire realm is a metaphor for their willingness to suffer cyclic existence.”
Alas, because sentient beings have afflictions, they give rise to turbidity in their minds. When our minds have even the slightest trace of contamination, with one thought arising, afflictions begin to grow and expand, which results in truly unbearable suffering.
The five chronic afflictions are greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. These all fill our minds with afflictions. In addition to these, there are five kinds of acute afflictions, the view of self, extreme view, deviant views, stubborn views and views of deviant precepts.
Indeed, when these views affect our thinking, our minds become filled with afflictions, but it is when we physical act on them that these afflictions will have consequences. When both chronic and acute afflictions, these two sets of five, come together, they combine forces to attack.
Once our minds give rise to afflictions, they will incite us to take physical action. Whether in daily living or spiritual practice, whether we are lay practitioners or monastics, these afflictions are always in our unenlightened [minds]. If we want to engage in spiritual practice, we must be very vigilant of them. If we do not ordinary learn the Buddha’s Way, how will we know what the five acute afflictions and the five chronic afflictions are?
We will not recognize them. It is because we are learning the Buddha’s Way that we do understand what they are. After we have understood, we must earnestly safeguard our minds. “All things are created only by the mind.” Once the mind becomes turbid, afflictions arise. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we must let go of everything to develop our pure and selfless capacity to seek the Great Dharma. This comes from our minds.
To seek the Great Dharma, we must put the Bodhisattva-path into practice; we must aspire to purify our minds and cultivate the Great Dharma by going among people to put it into practice. If we can achieve all of this, we can purify these five kinds of afflictions and help numerous sentient beings.
There is a French organization called Doctors of the World, or Medicines due Monde (MoM). They came to us at the end of 1992 and said that people in Ethiopia were in danger of losing their lives. There was a major crisis. From the material provided in their reports, we learned that Ethiopia had been at war with Somalia for a very long time. These two countries had been in a state of war for many years, so the people suffered from poverty and hardship.
Moreover, they had experienced a lengthy drought. So, the Ethiopians suffered from many disasters. MoM hoped that we could work with them to help the Ethiopians. We could not bear for the Ethiopians to face this tremendous suffering, so we decided to first send people to join MoM in assessing the situation.
From the assessment reports, we saw truly unbearable suffering, so we decided to work with them. From January 1993 to January 1996, over a period of three years, we built two medical centers for them.
At the same time, we unlit 15 medical station and trained 300 medical staff.Over a period of three years, we educated them on sanitation and built 14 water stations in 10 villages because they had no water.
I often say that Ethiopia made a deep impression on me.This was one of the most difficult international disaster relief projects we have worked on.The process was very arduous.What especially struck me was the extent of their suffering.
Every time I talk about Ethiopia, what surfaces in my mind is how difficult their living conditions were, particularly in the area of medicine.
They had no means of getting illnesses treated.
Such was the situation of those who needed care.
We built medical stations for them, and over a period of three years, the French doctors and our doctors took turns going there to treat patients.One doctor in particular made a deep impression on me.Dr. Lin Jian-xi was one of the neurologists in our Internal Medicine Department.At that time, we had just finished constructing one of the medical centers.
Immediately after he arrived, someone came in carrying a woman who was in the midst of a difficult labor.She kept bleeding.What equipment could he use to deliver the baby?
Moreover, as he was a doctor of Internal Medicine, would he know what to do?He still managed to deliver her baby.
In another case, someone whose foot was cut off was brought to that medical station.What could Dr. Lin do about it?He found a way to reattach the foot.Then he elevated the leg with a stick of bamboo.The bamboo was connected to a rope, which was tied to a basket with some rocks.The other end of the rope was tied to this person’s leg.He rigged this contraption.This picture was deeply imprinted in my head.
What made an even deeper impression on me was [the difficulty of] their water situation.Some women lived over 10km away [from water].
They carried buckets on their heads every day.
They would leave their homes early in the morning to collect water from a water hole.
The water they scooped up was standing water, which was very filthy.The water would collect in a low-lying area.There, dogs would drink water, and people would scoop water from there, too.
When their buckets were 80 percent full, they put them on their heads and went home.
According to what local people told us, a woman would spend an entire day collecting this one bucket of water.By the time they arrived there, it would be noon.They would leave in the morning to arrive at noon.By the time they got back home with the water, it was already dark.They did all of this for one bucket of water.Most people there lived in this way.
I also saw images of a man lying on his stomach next to the water hole, drinking water directly [from the water hole].Because he braced himself on the ground with his hands, when he stood up, his hands were dirty.So,he spit the water from his mouth to wash them, and that water ended up back in that pool of standing water, so the water was very filthy.
The sight of this was very frightening.
I still remember how, at that time many years ago, I said, “My greatest fear is that, if I close my eyes, I may reopen them and find myself in Ethiopia.”In the past, this was something I often said.Clearly the tremendous suffering in those images made a deep impression on me.
But, in those three years, as we trained the locals in Ethiopia, we saw people’s lives gradually stabilize and the quality of life improve.Our water stations used plastic pipes to divert water all the way down from water sources high up in the mountains.We saw that now when they collected water, it was just like pouring water from a tap.They were truly very happy.
In Ethiopia, didn’t sentient beings’ sufferings arise from the turbidity of afflictions?The turbidity of afflictions gave rise to the people’s great suffering, with natural disasters added on top.This is the “combined attack of the Five Views”.
The afflictions in people’s minds led their bodies to take action, causing widespread chaos so that the population could not sustain their livelihood.This is “the combined attack of the Five Views,” which makes people “one seek the Right Path”.
As Buddhist practitioners, we must put our hearts into earnestly transforming ourselves and taking the Dharma to heart.
The world cannot wait;people’s minds need to be purified.We must promptly share the Dharm we understand with everyone and seize this moment to help guide everyone’s mind onto the right course onto the Bodhi-path. We must do this right away.
To learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must fulfill our basic responsibilities. Our responsibility is to learn the Buddha Dharma, and with the Dharma, swiftly dedicate our merits to all beings. This means we must seek the Dharma to transform ourselves and then quickly dedicate ourselves to transforming others. Then we will truly fulfill our basic duties of learning and practicing [the Dharma].
What does it mean to dedicate our merits? It means to absorb the Dharma and then apply it. This is our fundamental duty. This is how we truly dedicate merits and engage in spiritual practice. But we “do not know how to escape”. We do not understand how we can transcend the afflictions in our minds. We “do not know how to escape so [we] abide constantly in the Three Realms”, so in our practice, we must first purify our minds. We must give of ourselves of others so that there can be peace in the world and harmony in society. These are things we are able to do right now.
We must not be like that, willing to stay [trapped] within cyclic existence. The fire in the desire realm is scorching us. The afflictions of the Three Realms have been described with many analogies. The sufferings in the human realm alone cannot be described in full. Indeed, worldly matters cause much suffering, so we must seize the moment and fulfill our fundamental duties toward the world.
The previous sutra passage states, “With ghosts and spirits crying out loud in raised voices, eagles, vultures and all kinds of birds, kumbhanda and the like, the obstacles all around were terrifying. They could not escape by themselves.”
These are all analogies for how, in our minds, our many afflictions are leading us all over the place. Terrified, we cannot manage to escape; thus our minds cannot settle down. Because of these many afflictions, “The obstacles all around were terrifying”. “We could not escape by ourselves”. Just thinking about this is exhausting.
Next it states, “Vicious beasts and poisonous creatures were hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens, and the pisaca demons were living inside as well. Because their blessings were meager, they were hard-pressed by the fire.”
“The vicious beasts and poisonous creatures” are what everyone knows about. They are “hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens”. This represents being stored up. “Hiding” refers to accumulating and aggregating; it means so much has already been stored up. Good and evil phenomena have gathered here.
In the Three Realms, there are both good and evil phenomena. The Buddha came to “open and reveal”, to analyze the different states of mind we have, the different kinds of evil deeds we commit and the kinds of good deeds we should cultivate. So, we must do all good deeds and refrain from all evils.
“Scurrying” refers to fleeing in secret. These creatures may hide in one place or scurry and keep moving around. This is just like how afflictions are stored in our minds. They may be concealed in our minds, but they may still escape and find their way out.
So, to “hide and scurry” also means to run away. This is like what happens with creatures that live in “holes and dens”. This is called “hiding inside holes and dens”.
The vicious beasts and poisonous creatures were hiding inside holes and dens: This refers to the process of accumulation. All good and evil phenomena can gather, and with the process of accumulation, this is called hiding. They go into hiding by concealing themselves inside holes or dens. Thus it says they were hiding inside holes and dens.
In addition to this, “The pisaca demons were living inside as well. “The pisaca” is a type of demon which feeds on people’s blood and vitality. “Why does this person seem to be in low spirits? It looks as if he is in a daze”. That is because he has this kind of affliction.
If people’s minds were free of afflictions, they would not be so listless and in low spirits. They even “suck the vitality of the five grains”. Farmers work hard to cultivate rice. If the crop is suddenly infested with disease o insects, the stalks of rice will wither as if their vitality had been sucked out by the pisaca. When the weather is abnormal and temperatures are extreme, the rice stalks suffer. This also happens because the karma created by sentient beings has caused an imbalance in the weather. People continue to use external means of suppressing the problem, by using pesticides and so on. These means are even more harmful to the crop. These kinds of problems also represent the afflictions in our minds.
“Many heretical practitioners renounce the desire realm and through the practice of meditation seek to enter the form and formless realms.”
Some heretical teachings explain that the desire realm is exhausting, and we will indeed transmigrate. They believe this, so they engage in spiritual practice. They want to cultivate themselves, but they are attached to deviant teachings. So, they say they want to enter Samadhi in the form and formless realm’s. Thus, they may easily go astray. Sometimes they slander the Right Dharma, Sometimes they slander the Right Dharma, disturb people’s spirits and so on.
The pisaca demons are described as doing the same. They disturb people’s spirits so that their spiritual cultivation takes them to a state where they seem to be possessed. This is what happens to them .
The pisaca demons were living inside as well: The pisaca demons feed on people’s vitality and also suck the vitality of the five grains. Many heretical practitioners renounce the desire realm and through the practice of meditation seek to enter the form and formless realms.
“Because their blessings were meager, they were hard-pressed by the fire.” Right now, this world’s “blessings are meager.” We are not creating many blessings, particularly as we are “without roots of goodness from previous lives.” In our previous lives, we did not cultivate roots of goodness, so we experience much suffering and little joy.
This is because our blessings are meager. If we are rich in blessing and give without any expectations, we will never use up our spiritual wealth. There are people who say, “I am willing to do this, but they are attached to how much they give.” They compare and calculate, so their virtues and blessings are meager. “They are unable to engage in spiritual practice surrounded by goodness.” People like this are “hard-pressed by the fire.”
Their blessings in this life are meager. Without roots of goodness from previous lives, they experience much suffering and little joy. Because their blessings are meager, they are unable to engage in spiritual practice surrounded by goodness, so they are said to be hard-pressed by the fire.
As we live within the Three Realms, many afflictions are still hidden in our minds Hence, “They were hiding and scurrying inside holes and dens.” Although the fire is not raging, it is hidden inside and burning slowly. Afflictions are stewing in our own minds. We still have these fiery afflictions.
[So, we strive to reach] the four Dhyana heavens which are free of the crude evils of the desire realm. In the desire realm there are obvious evils, but though they want to practice, these heretical practitioners are only seeking that kind of joy, so there are still these desires and cravings, and they still feel traces of suffering.This is [what they] practice. They say they work to reach the four Dhyana heavens, which are in the form realm. Which the four Dhyana heavens, there are still traces of cravings and desires, like seeking Samadhi. In the formless realm state of neither thought nor absence of thought, they are still subtly pressed by a slow fire they are still subtly pressed by a slow fire.
Although these are not as obvious as [the afflictions] in the desire realm, there are still subtle desires and cravings.
They were hiding inside holes and dens: Though not in the raging fire, they are still vexed by the heat.
This is an analogy for the four Dhyana heavens. Though beyond the crude evil of the desire realm, they still [seek] joy, delight and so on, and have subtle sufferings of cravings, thus they are pressed by the fire.
In summary, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be mindful. We are down to the subtlest afflictions. But if subtle afflictions are not eliminated, the obvious afflictions will arise again. A single spark can start a prairie fire. As long as we have a trace of afflictions in our minds, it may expand into severe and obvious afflictions, like the situation in Ethiopia we just spoke of. We have since been involved in many international [relief missions]. Tzu Chi volunteers promptly manifest their ability to relieve many sentient beings from hardship. There is so much suffering in this world!
Therefore, we must be cautious and make use of the Dharma to settle people’s minds so their society and their lives can be peaceful. All this depends on whether each of us is willing to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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