20150914《靜思妙蓮華》三轉四諦法輪(第652集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「大白牛車藏諸寶，心靈山下真道場，切莫戲論是日過，把握當下正念間。」
⊙「不受我教，將為火害。即便思惟，設諸方便。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「告諸子等：我有種種，珍玩之具，妙寶好車，羊車鹿車，大牛之車。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙告諸子等，我有種種：巧施權教先以讚歎，應機宜設教法故云：告諸子等，我有種種。
⊙珍玩之具，妙寶好車：稱歎說三車希有，喻三轉十二行法輪。佛於鹿野苑對聲聞乘人說四諦法。有示、勸、證之三轉法輪。弟子受用如珍玩之具，妙寶好車。
⊙第一、示轉：此是苦汝應知，此是集汝應斷，此是滅汝應證，此是道汝應修，此示四諦之四相。
⊙第二、勸轉：此是苦汝當知，此是集汝當斷，此是滅汝當證，此是道汝當修，此勸四諦之修行。
⊙第三、證轉：此是苦我已知，此是集我已斷，此是滅我已證，此是道我已修，此是佛自舉己為證。
⊙眾生以身為妙寶：五分法身，戒、定、慧，解脫、解知見之樂，離火宅苦，故云妙寶好車。
⊙車乘：即運載之義，謂聲聞、緣覺、菩薩各以其法為乘，運出三界生死，同到真空涅槃，故名三車，即三乘通行之四諦法輪。
【證嚴上人開示】
「大白牛車藏諸寶，心靈山下真道場，切莫戲論是日過，把握當下正念間。」
大白牛車藏諸寶
心靈山下真道場
切莫戲論是日過
把握當下正念間
「大白牛車藏諸寶」。還記得嗎？長者呼籲：「孩子，快出來，出來，外面有三種車，隨便你們選，你們是要羊車、鹿車，或者是大白牛車？來，快來。」這是世間的慈悲父，看到孩子還是耽戀，沒辦法去了解那個危險的地方，父親就要設種種的方法，來誘引他的孩子脫離險之地，所以外面設三車。
外面的三種車，小型車、中型車、大型車。孩子全都出來了，安全在外面，長者就要再跟他們說：「看，這三種車，你們看看，小型的車，只是自己好玩而已，中型，中型車只能夠載自己，沒辦法能載別人，很孤單。這大型車，看看，裡面那個裝潢是這麼漂亮，裡面已經藏著，很很很多寶物，這大型車就是大白牛車，就是譬喻大乘法。
佛陀要你道理明白了，煩惱去除了，你還要再自度，自己用這輛車能夠再度他人。所以，能夠自度、利他，必定要自己要藏，藏著很多的法，法聽，聽入心來，不只是聽入心，還能夠將法再使用出去。這大白牛車內藏著很多的寶物。
所以「心靈山下」，靈山，靈山莫遠求。靈山就是在我們心頭，人人都有一個靈山塔，只要你願意發心，只要你現在這念心，即是靈山道場。修行，最重要就是，向我們的自性靈山來修，這才是我們的真道場。這內心的道場，我們「切莫戲論」，因為「是日已過」，不要只是法聽來玩的，法聽來只是拿來辯論而已，不是。法，是要讓我們用，我們當下，把握當下，這才能真正修行得法。
「這個法，真的我受用很多。」「我過去不好的習氣，我現在都改除了，每天都過著歡喜快樂、輕安自在。」這樣的法是真正入心。
我入心的經驗，這個法我再來和大家分享。將我自己的經驗，分享給和我一樣，也是曾經過了這樣，過著日日懊惱，不平衡的心能夠輕安自在，不要讓日子這樣空空過去。
所以我們要「把握當下」，當下每一時刻的「正念間」。聽法，就是要聽得，過去不正確的觀念，我們要改了，將那個不正確的觀念，變成了正知、正見、正思惟、正語、正業等等，我們的正命。我們在每一秒間，我們都要好好把握，顧好我們的心念，這才是真正聽法；能夠讓我們受用，這叫做修行。
前面我們就說過了，經典說，「不受我教」。因為那些孩子讓長者很擔憂，光是這樣在玩，耽戀嬉戲之中，災難不斷逼近了，若不趕緊乘大車趕緊離開，若這樣，小乘著，只是在小型車獨善其身。這樣的人，或者是聽進去，沒用在日常生活中，不能體會佛的真諦法，這樣煩惱又再覆心，因為他沒有體會，無法瞭解。同樣還是煩惱未斷，這種六道，煩惱還是再回覆，所以長者說「不受我教」，這是很擔憂的事情。
大長者是這樣，大覺者佛陀也是這樣。「不受我教，將為火害。即便思惟，設諸方便。」
不受我教
將為火害
即便思惟
設諸方便《法華經譬喻品第三》
開始用心來設種種方便法。因為大法無法入眾生心，所以要循循善誘，適應眾生的根機，所以他就要設種種方便。
下面這段(經)文再說，「告諸子等：我有種種，珍玩之具，妙寶好車，羊車鹿車，大牛之車。」
告諸子等
我有種種
珍玩之具
妙寶好車
羊車鹿車
大牛之車
《法華經譬喻品第三》
「告諸子等：我有種種」。「種種」是什麼？就是用種種的方法，用施權，施權來教他，讓大家先歡喜接受，所以就讚歎三乘法。這個小型車，有小型車可愛的地方，中型車有很好用的地方，還有這麼大型的車，看，誰有辦法來駕駛，這輛大型車？每一種車能夠載的。就說給他們聽。
告諸子等
我有種種：
巧施權教
先以讚歎
應機宜設教法
故云：
告諸子等
我有種種
所以「應機宜設教法」，所以向孩子說：「我有很多種，很多種，能夠適應你們所需要。」所以慢慢引導，對他們說，讚歎三車，讚歎這三種車很稀有。
這個三車就是三乘，在這三乘法，開始，佛陀從聲聞開始，那就是「三轉十二行法輪」。
珍玩之具
妙寶好車：
稱歎說三車希有
喻
三轉十二行法輪
佛於鹿野苑
對聲聞乘人
說四諦法
不要說佛陀開始說，「苦、集、滅、道」，這是小(乘)教，不簡單啊！想想看，那五比丘是從皇宮出來的，是佛陀悉達多太子的堂兄弟，又還有舅輩的，跟隨他一段時間，那麼長時間在苦修，六年的苦行，所以他覺得讓度的是這五位，這五位有種種的因緣，應該接受到佛陀覺悟的第一法。所以他就來到鹿野苑，向他們開始講「四諦法」。這「四諦法」說三次，這是什麼樣的三次呢？那就是示轉、勸轉、證轉，這三項三轉。
有示、勸、證
之三轉法輪
弟子受用
如珍玩之具
妙寶好車
因為希望能夠讓弟子受用，這種就是寶，你若能夠受用，終身受用，那就是「珍玩之具」。聽來了，讓我們能夠接受、體會，得到法喜，了解了，這都是很好的車，車，就是能載，能夠載東西，大型車載較多，小型車載很少，這就是「連載」的意思，大家要知道什麼叫做「示轉」？同樣「苦集滅道」的法，但是不很瞭解，佛陀不厭其煩開示，這樣說：此是苦汝應知，此是集汝應斷，此是滅汝應證，此是道汝應修，此示四諦之四相。
第一、示轉：
此是苦汝應知
此是集汝應斷
此是滅汝應證
此是道汝應修
此示四諦之四相
這四諦的道理，有四種的形象，這你應該要知道。應該知道「苦」，應該要知，知道是「集」來種種因、緣，因緣你要注意，不要再起惑，不要再造業，所以這要「斷」。我們應該要淨，清淨身、口、意業，這是「道」，你應該要修。這是真理，這是四相，所以大家要好好體會。
第二，因為第一次這樣說過之後，一個阿若憍陳如瞭解了，其他呢，還未清楚。好，再來(說)：「此是苦汝當知」。
第二、勸轉：
此是苦汝當知
此是集汝當斷
此是滅汝當證
此是道汝當修
此勸四諦之修行
有注意到嗎？差一字，「應知」現在是「當知」，因為前面所說過的苦，你應該知道。現在我當然要瞭解，要更瞭解，瞭解了「集」種種的因緣而來，我要時時警惕我自己，我應該要當然，要斷除種種的煩惱。「此是滅汝當證，此是道汝當修」。
看，聽聽我們常常所聽到的，過去有這樣壞習氣，過去的人生，有這樣苦過來的日子，這種的苦，已經知道了，所以我甘願還。轉苦，那消除了，那個苦的煩惱，連心也將它放下了，我不敢再造了，不敢再起惑造業，我現在要好好結善緣、造福人間。轉一個心念，對準方向，若這樣，在這個道中修。
這是佛陀第二次再轉法輪，勸大家不是只有你要知道而已，勸他們「應當」，當然要知道、當然要斷，當然要證、當然要修。
第三是「證轉」。若這樣，第二次說完，大家瞭解了嗎？還有不瞭解，佛陀沒放棄，好，再來(說)第三次：「此是苦我已知，此是集我已斷，此是滅我已證，此是道我已修，此是佛，自舉己為證。」
第三、證轉：
此是苦我已知
此是集我已斷
此是滅我已證
此是道我已修
此是佛自舉己為證
這是佛陀證明給大家知道：看，我已經全都瞭解，這些苦是我親身，這個心去體會到人間苦。這種的苦，這就是來自，自己所帶來的業力，正報、依報所帶來各人的受生。所以我已經證了，我瞭解了，過去的緣我也已經斷了，這種來去自由，沒有帶業去來。
瞭解這些煩惱，完全突破了，這個心靈與天地宇宙合而為一，開闊無邊際，輕安自在。那剎那之間我證悟了。這三轉是佛陀，舉自己的心得過程。
這五個人，佛陀這個「四諦法」講三次，所以三四，十二，叫做「三轉十二行法輪」。所以「眾生以身為妙寶」。我們要好好珍惜我們的身。
眾生以身為妙寶
五分法身
戒、定、慧、
解脫、
解知見之樂
離火宅苦
故云妙寶好車
我們這個身體是一個妙寶藏，裡面藏著什麼呢？修行的工具。看，「五分法身」，「五分法身」那就是，戒、定、慧、解脫、解脫知見。我們真正要從，無明煩惱中解脫出來，解脫之後，這個知見很開闊，所以這就很快樂了。斷除了煩惱，我們就是「離火宅苦」。
火宅，就是我們煩惱逼迫，眾生煩惱不離開，所以見思惑，造很多的業。大乾坤已經不調和了，又再小乾坤生老病死苦，又再有四大不調苦，再加上無常，再加上了，人與人之間明爭暗鬥、社會動亂等等，這都是起心動念，人禍造成。要怎麼辦？就要有「五分法身」，戒、定、慧、解脫、解脫知見之所成就。若這樣，我們才能夠很快樂，心每天都很平穩，羊車、鹿車、大白牛車，這「車乘」，就是運載的意思。譬喻，聲聞、緣覺、菩薩這三乘，三種車，三種所載的力量大小，各個有它不同的法，所以「運出三界(生死)」，無不都是要出離三界的生死。
車乘
即運載之義
謂聲聞、
緣覺、菩薩
各以其法為乘
運出三界生死
同到真空涅槃
故名三車
即三乘通行之
四諦法輪
三界，最重要的就是我們的心，心靈三界。「同到真空涅槃」，不要再有那麼多的煩惱在心裡。這種「三乘通行(之)，四諦法輪」，不論你是小乘、中乘、大乘，還是同樣就是，在這「四諦法」之中。
所以各位，學佛，我們若能夠在這「四諦法」很清楚，戒、定、慧之「三無漏學」，好好守護，自然我們解脫、解脫知見，能夠供應給很多人，很快樂，人人輕安，人人自在，這不就是人間淨土嗎？所以人人要時時多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Three Turnings of the Four Noble Truths (三轉四諦法輪)
Date:September.14. 2015
“The great white ox-cart stores many treasures. The true spiritual training ground is on the Vulture Peak within the mind. Do not let this day pass with frivolous discussions; seize the present moment with Right Mindfulness.”
“The great white ox-cart stores many treasures.” Do you still remember this? The elder called out, “Children, Come out, quickly! Outside, there are three kinds of carts for you to choose from. Do you want the sheep-cart, the deer-cart or the cart drawn by the great white ox? Come quickly!”
When the compassionate father in this world saw that his children were still lingering and could not understand the dangers they were in, he had to devise various ways to draw his children out of that hazardous place. So, he set up three carts outside.
The three carts outside were the small, middle and great carts. When the children had all come outside to safety, the elder spoke to them again, “Look at these three kinds of carts. The small one is only enough for one person to play with. The middle one is just big enough for you to transport yourself, but you cannot take passengers, so you will be lonely.
Look at this big cart. The inside is decorated so beautifully. Inside the cart there is already a store of treasures.” This great cart is the great white ox-cart, an analogy for the Great Vehicle Dharma.
The Buddha wanted us to understand the principles, eradicate afflictions and transform ourselves, then use this vehicle to deliver others. To transform ourselves and benefit others, we must store up many teachings for ourselves. We must listen to the Dharma and take it to heart. Not only must we take it to heart, we must then put the Dharma into practice. Within this great white ox-cart, many treasures are stored.
There is a “Vulture Peak within the mind.” We do not need to go far to seek Vulture Peak; Vulture Peak is within our minds, and we each have a stupa on this Vulture Peak. As long as we are willing to form the aspiration, then our mind at this moment is the spiritual training ground on Vulture Peak.
In our spiritual cultivation, it is most important to practice at the Vulture Peak in our minds; this is our true spiritual training ground. In this inner spiritual training ground, we must not engage in “frivolous discussions.” This is because “This day is passing.” We must not listen to the Dharma just for fun or just hear it in order to debate it, no. The Dharma is meant to be applied. We must seize the present moment [to practice]; that is the only way we can realize the Dharma.
“Ah, the Dharma is indeed very beneficial! I used to have many bad habitual tendencies, but now I have eradicated them all. Now, every day my life is joyful and happy, peaceful and free.” This comes from truly taking the Dharma to heart. With the experience of taking it to heart, we can then share the Dharma with others. We can take our experiences and share them with those who are like us so that their minds, which once went through a period of being in distress every day and were not in balance, can become peaceful and free. We must not just let time just pass us by.
So, we must “seize the present moment.” With Right Mindfulness in every moment, when we hear the Dharma, we will realize that we must change the incorrect perspectives we hold.
We must transform our incorrect understandings into Right Understanding, Right Views, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Action, etc.This is Right Livelihood.
In every second, we must earnestly hold on to our Right Mindfulness.We must take good care of our minds; only then are we truly listening to the Dharma.
When we are able to truly apply it, that is called spiritual practice.
Previously we discussed how the sutra states, “They do not accept my teachings.”The children caused the elder to worry greatly.All they did was play games.
They were attached to their playing while disasters continued to close in on them.If they did not take the great cart and leave immediately, then as Small Vehicle practitioners, they would take the small cart to only benefit themselves.These kinds of people many take in the teachings, but they do not apply them in their daily living, and cannot realize the Buddha’s True Dharma, so afflictions will cover their minds again.
Because they never experienced it, they cannot understand and still have not eliminated their afflictions.
Living in the Six Realms, afflictions will just continue to arise.So, the elder said, “They do not accept my teachings.”This was very worrisome to him.The great elder felt this way, as did the great enlightened Buddha.
“They do not accept my teachings and will be harmed in the fire. Thus he immediately considered” how to mindfully devise various skillful means.
Because sentient beings could not take the Great Dharma to heart, the Buddha had to patiently guide them and teach according to their capabilities.To do this, He had to devise skillful means.
The next sutra passage states, “He told the children, ‘I have a variety of precious playthings, excellent carts of wondrous treasures. There are sheep-carts and deer-carts and great ox-carts’.”
“He told the children, ‘I have a variety.’”
What is a “variety”?Many different kinds of methods.He taught with provisional teachings.In order for everyone to accept them joyously, He first praised the Three Vehicles.A small cart can be very adorable.A medium cart can be very useful.Then there is this very big cart.Let us see, who can drive this big vehicle?He explained to them what each cart could carry.
He told the children, “I have a variety [of playthings].”He skillful gave the provisional teachings by beginning with praise, adapting to capabilities by devising suitable teaching methods.Thus it says, He told the children, “I have a variety.”
He “adapted to capabilities by devising suitable teaching methods”.So, [He ] said to the children, “I have many kinds of things that can suit your needs.”
He slowly guided and explained things to them.He praised these three kinds of carts for being extraordinary.
These three kinds of carts are the Three Vehicles.The Three Vehicles began with the Buddha’s teachings for the Hearers, which was the “Three Turnings and Twelve Applications of the Dharma-wheel.”
Precious playthings, excellent carts of wondrous treasures:
He praised the three carts as extraordinary.
This is an analogy for the Three Turnings and Twelve Applications of the Dharma-wheel.
When the Buddha was in Deer Park, He taught those in the Hearer Vehicle the Four Noble Truths.
We cannot dismiss the Buddha’s initial teaching of “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path” as the teachings of the Small Vehicle.This was not a simple teaching!
Think about it, the [first] five bhiksus He taught all came from the royal palace.They were the Buddha’s, Prince Siddhartha’s, cousins and uncles who had followed Him as He engaged in ascetic practice for six years.So, He believed He should transform these five.
These five also had various causes and conditions that determined that they should receive the Buddha’s first teachings upon His enlightenment.
So, the Buddha came to Deer Park and began teaching them the Four Noble Truths.He taught the Four Noble Truths three times. How are these three times described?
They were the turnings of illustration, persuasion and confirmation. These were the Three Turnings. [He] hoped His disciples could make use of them; thus they would be treasures. If we can use somethings for the rest of our lives, then this would be a “precious plaything”.
After hearing teachings, if we can accept and experience them, obtain Dharma-joy and understand them, then they will be excellent vehicles.
A vehicle can transport things. A big cart can transport many things, while a small cart can transport only a little. These are both means of “conveyance”. We must know what the “turning of illustration” is.
“turning of illustration” is still a teaching of the Four Nobble Truths but people did not understand them well, so the Buddha tirelessly explained them. He said, “This suffering; you should recognize it. This is causation; you should eradicate it. This is cessation; you should attain it. This is the Path; you should practice it. This is illustrating the four appearances of the Four Noble Truths”.
The Four Noble Truths have four appearances. This is something we should know. We should recognize “suffering”. We should recognize that “causation” is an accumulation of different kinds of causes and conditions. We must be aware of causes and conditions and stop giving rise to delusions and creating karma. So, we must “eradicate” them. We should be pure, should purify our karma of body, speech and mind. This is the “Path” that we must practice. These are the true principles and their four appearances. So, we must all do our best to realize them.
Then He taught again, because after teachings it the first time, only Ajnata Kaundinya understood it. And the others? They still did not understand. So this time He taught, “This is suffering; you must recognize it”.
Second, the turning of persuasion. This is suffering; you must recognize it. This is the cessation; you must attain it. This is the Path; you must practice it. This is persuading us to engage in the spiritual practice of the Four Noble Truths.
Did you notice it? Only one word is different. “Should recognize” is now “must recognize”. Before, when talking about suffering, we said we must recognize it. Now we must develop a deeper understanding of it. After understanding that “causation” arises from the accumulation of causes and conditions, we must constantly remind ourselves to be vigilant. We should [see that], of course we must eradicate our various kinds of afflictions.
“This is cessation; you must attain it. This is the Path; you must practice it”. Think about the stories that we often hear. In the past, people had these types of bad habits. Earlier in their lives, they suffered greatly. Having already recognized this suffering, now, “I willingly repay my karmic debts”.
By looking at suffering differently, we can eradicate the afflictions of suffering. Even our minds can let go. We will not dare to continue giving rise to delusions and creating karma. Instead we will earnestly form good affinities and benefit other people.
Thus we shift our mindset and aim it in the right direction. By doing all this, we are cultivating the Path. This was the second turning of the Dharma-wheel. He persuaded everyone that it was not enough to just recognize these truths. [He] persuaded them on what they “must” do. Of course they must recognize, eradicate, attain and practice [these teachings].
The third is “the turning of confirmation”. After teaching these truths for the second time, did everyone understand? Some still did not understand. But the Buddha did not give up, so [He taught] it for the third time.
“This is suffering; I have recognized it. This is causation; I have eradicated it. This is cessation; I have attained it. This is the Path; I have practiced it. This is the Buddha”. He held Himself up as proof.
This was the Buddha confirming for everyone. See, I have already understood everything. I have personally experienced the suffering of this world”. This kind of suffering comes from the karmic forces that we have brought with us. We bring direct and circumstantial retributions. So, “I have already attained and understood this, I have already eradicated my past conditions, so I can come and go freely in this world without bringing karma with me.”
“After understanding these afflictions and my mind became one with the universe; it was open, spacious and boundless, peaceful and at ease. In that moment, I attained enlightenment.” In this third turning, the Buddha held up His own experience as proof.
For these five people, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths thrice. Three times four is twelve, so this is called “the Three Turnings and Twelve Applications of the Dharma-wheel.
“Sentient beings must take their bodies as their wondrous treasure.” We must earnestly cherish our bodies.
Sentient beings must take their bodies as their wondrous treasure. The Five Dharmakaya (Dharma-body) is precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and the joy of liberated understanding and views. With these we leave the suffering of the burning house hence these are the excellent carts of wondrous treasures.”
Therefore, this body is a wondrous treasure. What is hidden inside of it? The tools for spiritual practice. Consider the Fivefold Dharmakaya. The Fivefold Dharmakaya is precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated understanding and views. We must make an effort to liberate ourselves from ignorance and afflictions. After we are liberated, we must be open in our understanding and views. Then we will be very happy.
By eradicating afflictions we have left “the suffering of the burning house.” Being in the burning house means being pressed by afflictions. When we cannot transcend our afflictions, our delusions of views and thinking lead us to create much karma. The macrocosm of the world is out of balance, and the microcosm of our body. We also imbalances of the four elements. On top of that, we face impermanence. On top of that, people fight openly and secretly. On top of that, people fight openly and secretly, causing societal unrest, etc. This is how [discursive thoughts] and manmade calamities are created.
What can we do? We must develop the Fivefold Dharmakaya of precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated understand in and views.
Only by doing this can we be very happy and can our minds be stable every day. There are the sheep-cart, the deer-cart and the great white ox-cart. “Carts or vehicles” are means of conveyance.” These are metaphors for Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas, the Three Vehicles.
The three kinds of carts carry different amounts. Thus, each group has its own Dharma, “their conveyance out of the Three Realms.” They are all trying to escape cyclic existence in the Three realms.
A cart or vehicle is a means of conveyance. So, for Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas, their individual teachings are their vehicle, their conveyance out of birth and death in the Three Realms. Thus, all arrive at the true emptiness of Nirvana. These are called the Three Vehicles. The Three Vehicles all reach their destination with the dharma-wheel of the Four Noble Truths.
In the Three realms, the most importance thing is our minds; the Three Realms are states of mind. “All arrive at the true emptiness of Nirvana.” We must not have so many afflictions in our minds.
“The Three Vehicle all reach their destination with the Dharma-wheel of the Four Noble Truths.” No matter if we use the Small, Middle or Great Vehicle, we are still practicing the Four Noble Truths.
So everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, if we can clearly understand the Four Noble Truths, and earnestly uphold the Three Flawless Studies of precepts. Samadhi and wisdom, then naturally we will become liberated and attain liberated understanding and views that we can share with everyone to help them feel happy. If everyone felt free and at peace, wouldn’t this world be a pure land? So everyone, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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