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Monday, October 19, 2015

【靜思妙蓮華】20150915 - 乘三乘而得樂 - 第653集 Journeying in the Three Vehicles Brings Joy



20150915《靜思妙蓮華》乘三乘而得樂(第653集)
(法華經•譬喻品第三)

⊙「眾生雖聞大法教誨,不肯信受無法受教,世智辯聰稚小樂著,既無大志復著三界。」
⊙「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》
⊙「今在門外。汝等出來,吾為汝等,造作此車,隨意所樂,可以遊戲。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙今在門外,汝等出來:佛初說四諦三轉,教他自證。「今在門外」,皆能出三界宅,得安穩處。殷勤招喚「汝等出來」,重頌勸轉。
⊙吾為汝等,造作此車:再勸證轉,佛能造作車乘,即是引己所證。「造作此車」,以三車本無實體,然妙法恆存。
⊙隨意所樂,可以遊戲:重頌長行所說,此三乘法,皆是聖所稱歎,自在無繫,乘是三乘,而自娛樂。冥斥二乘,不堪任重道遠,僅可自利遊戲而已。

【證嚴上人開示】

「眾生雖聞大法教誨,不肯信受無法受教,世智辯聰稚小樂著,既無大志復著三界。」

眾生雖聞大法教誨
不肯信受無法受教
世智辯聰稚小樂著
既無大志復著三界

瞭解嗎?眾生雖然聽法,聽了之後卻是無法用心接受。法沒有入心,何況生活中能夠如法呢?

再說「不肯信受無法受教」。修行之後,不肯信受佛法,又不想要聽法。既然不聽法了,這樣哪有辦法接受教育呢?所以「世智辯聰」,是「稚小樂著」。這樣的人就是只靠自己,「聽了,也是這樣,我知道的又沒有比較少。」這種世智辯聰。甚至更貢高的,連信受、聽聞都不想要。就與一個幼稚的孩子一樣,這種「稚小」,和孩子一樣幼稚,只想要玩,還是在這三界內隨心所欲。或者是生活中,人與人之間互相計較,像這種都是很幼稚的人。

這樣的人就是都是為私己,所以「既無大志復著三界」。這種修行不要發大心、立大願,認真接受佛法,入人群中付出,只是想到自己,真的是還是在三界內,無法跳脫出去。

我們昨天說過「五分法身」:戒、定、慧、解脫、解脫知見。只是戒、定、慧,這樣還不夠。這種知見解脫,這才是真正我們的慧命,接觸了佛法,天地宇宙合而為一,心寬念純,心包太虛,為天下事,不要為私己之事。

就像佛陀修行、成道、人間化度,經過了十多年後,他想到他的釋迦族,想到父親、阿姨、親族,應該也要度化。佛陀就向僧團,一千二百五十人說:請大家要好好這個儀容端正、舉止如法,用出你們那莊嚴、修學的涵養,隨我進入迦毘羅衛國。

因為佛陀瞭解,迦毘羅衛國釋種,釋迦族的人,人人都自認為,他們的種族是最高貴,所以很傲慢的心。這傲慢的種族,必定要有很十足莊嚴、儀態端正,才有辦法去降伏這些,我慢貢高的種族。

一到了迦毗羅衛國的國土,開始傳聞了,大家很歡喜,王宮也聽到了。國王就要全國人民,要趕緊灑掃街道,要張燈結綵,喜氣洋洋,這樣恭敬迎接佛入王宮了。

佛陀向淨飯王說法,向全宮殿內,大家來聽法等等。淨飯王聞法之後他很歡喜,想要如何讓佛法更昌盛。看到這些比丘千多人,這麼莊嚴,這麼整齊,這麼有威儀,希望僧團能夠再更多,他就指派釋迦族最貴族,或者是王親國戚,只要有兩個以上的兒子,就可以一個去出家。

在貴族之中就有五百人。大家落髮之後,換上了僧服,大家都很莊嚴。但是,要來求佛教誡之前,就是要向僧團,一一去頂禮,頂禮了僧團,一一頂禮完,才能夠到佛前受教誡。

這當中裡面,這五百人裡面,有一位最尊貴,那就是在這王族中,稱為拔提釋王,他的身分很高,因為就是父輩。一一向僧團頂禮,不過,來到優波離的面前,他就遲疑了,久久不願意頂禮。他就說了,「我這麼高貴的身分,我是釋種,釋迦族,我為什麼要去向一位賤族頂禮?尤其他是我的奴僕。」

佛陀就對他說:「人生本來就是平等,人,所有一切有生命的,都是平等。首陀羅種,就是賤族,他也是人,釋迦種族,剎帝利也是人。同樣是人,都有生老病死的平等;同樣是人,有求不得的苦,有怨憎會苦……,同樣也有生老病死苦。這種的苦,世間人人都平等,何必去分什麼貴、賤族呢?既然出家了,你就要放棄分別心,放下你這種貢高驕傲的心。」

聽入了,拔提釋王瞭解了,虔誠向優波離頂禮了。當他這樣頂禮下去,起來,心輕安自在。開始就與五百位一群王族,大家向佛陀頂禮,接受佛陀的教誡了。

有一天,到了墓地的地方,周圍曠野,他在那個地方打坐、經行,思惟佛陀的教育。忽然間,他這樣說:「哎呀!我過去在皇宮,有很多勇士都是跟在我的身邊,在保護我,我的宮裡是這麼多人在伺候我。我心不安,我覺得惶恐,需要人保護。但是,我這時候,隨著佛陀在外這樣在化度,吃飯要托缽,自己要出去沿門托缽,住的地方是樹下、曠野,這種的生活,我怎麼這麼歡喜呢!我怎麼每天都這麼輕安自在啊!哎呀,真的是很奇妙,這種的生活,我竟然一點煩惱都沒有。」

阿難看到了,也聽到了,就將這個消息報給佛陀。

佛陀也讚歎:「像這樣這麼高貴,貢高驕傲,已經將這個憍慢心折服了。」從這樣開始,他已經是證羅漢果了,脫離三界,得「五分法身」:戒、定、慧、解脫、解脫知見。歡喜!這種,這就是佛陀所要教育的。我們也希望,我們人人都能夠這樣,接受佛法之後,我們能夠天地之間,全都自在輕安。

前面那段(經)文,長者「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》

我們昨天說過了。是啊!這位長者看孩子出來了,還要讓孩子更歡喜,去選擇更大型的車。

那就是要讓我們知道,同樣聽聞佛法,我們光是聞法,「知道」就好了嗎?我們要用功,去除煩惱。就像拔提釋王他去除了煩惱,歡喜、自在、快樂,因為心裡的法,已經開始豐富起來了。

下面這段(經)文又這樣說,「今在門外。汝等出來,吾為汝等,造作此車,隨意所樂,可以遊戲。」

今在門外
汝等出來
吾為汝等
造作此車
隨意所樂
可以遊戲
《法華經譬喻品第三》

大家在門外,「你們都已經出來了,我為了你們大家,真正為你們造這些車,不同種類的車,叫你們趕緊出來,隨你們的願,讓你們歡喜的,要選擇的,你們可以隨心所欲,隨心所樂。」「樂」,就是歡喜,隨你們的心,看要如何選擇。「可以遊戲」,接受了這個法,你們可以很自在應用這個法,這樣的意思,所以,這是佛「初說四諦,三轉法輪」。

今在門外汝等出來:
佛初說四諦三轉
教他自證
今在門外
皆能出三界宅
得安穩處
殷勤招喚汝等出來
重頌勸轉

這就是,昨天我們也說過了,「三轉」,苦、集、滅、道,所以「教他自證」。你們應當要知道,不只是知道苦,還要深深體會,所有的煩惱,人間是這樣,你們應該要斷,斷,還要修,還要證。這是佛「造作車乘」。用車子,不只是讓你自己坐,還能夠載;不只是聽,還能夠斷煩惱。這是接引,引人人能夠自己證知,自己能夠知道,去體會苦、集、滅、道。

吾為汝等
造作此車:
再勸證轉
佛能造作車乘
即是引己所證
造作此車
以三車本無實體
然妙法恆存

像我們去見苦知福,要不然你們不知道,你是一個很有福的人。多少人因為見苦,瞭解,「我很有福了,我還要再求什麼呢?看別人的環境,這樣這麼苦,他都有辦法忍受,我還有什麼不能忍耐的呢?」所以,不要再去造作不好的緣。

我們要消除業障,才能夠得智慧明了;要斷煩惱,才能夠消業障。所以,「集」來的一切,能夠消受。人家說:「隨緣消業障。」我們接受這個因緣,不要再造新的惡業,自然這樣就會逆緣會過去,好緣,重新再結好緣。所以,結好緣、造福因,這樣再開始。

所以「吾為汝等,造作此車」,這是為大家所造作的車,所以大家要好好接受。

其實法,「造作此車,以三車本無實體」。其實,車子哪有什麼實體呢?羊車,羊能夠拖車嗎?鹿車,鹿拖的車,是「畚文的車」嗎?什麼車?沒有力啊!腳那麼細,牠哪有辦法拖車呢?但是牛車,牛車就能夠拖車了,牛體力強壯,牠有辦法拖車。

就是,這就是要我們能夠瞭解,佛陀開始,從「四諦法」開始,開始說法,一直到讓人人,能夠接受一切空,「生老病死」,到頭來也是空;一切物質是會集成名,從「沒有」的東西 ,是這樣集過來變成「有」。

想,光是穿一件衣服,要經過多少道人工,這些人工也要經過了多少器具?這些器具,才能夠完成這件衣服。所以說起來,世間哪一樣東西,不是聚集來的呢?天地之間,萬法本空,因集而成。這些「集」若解開了,什麼東西都沒有了,什麼東西都不必用了,這空啊!不過,人活著,非用不可。妙啊!妙有啊!

為什麼這麼多的東西聚集過來,我們三餐這樣吃,這道菜、那道菜等等,吃進去在肚子裡,我們體內的營養成分,就是靠這麼多複雜的東西會合,進去我們的體內。我們什麼都不知道,只知道口欲。

問他自己:「你是醫師,你怎麼高血壓?」「這就沒辦法,我就是比較愛吃什麼。」醫師也自己控制不住。這就是不受教。因為醫學本來就這樣跟你說,你就是明明知道,你還要抽菸、你還要喝酒,你還要……,很多不該有的事情,你不懂得去平衡。

同樣的,我們修行,同樣的,和醫生一樣。我們修行佛陀的教法,為什麼我們怎麼不解脫?為什麼我們會煩惱這麼多?為什麼我們的習氣還這麼重?這同樣,與醫師知道醫學,但是就是沒有用在自己。我們呢?知道法,會說很多的法,但是也沒有,在我們身上的動作(落實),所以這樣,一個很好的修行機會,我們總是在「戲論」中空過。這實在是很可惜!

所以說,「三車本無實體」。「一切皆空」這個道理我們不知,所以我們會時時執著。

我們前次也說過,宇宙本無實體,宇宙所包含很多的法,但是就是沒有一個實體,這個實體是人造的。所以「然妙法恆存」,不過法是永遠。不論人所造成的有為法,是有被破壞之時,人有為去造成,它會被破壞,不過它的理還是永遠存在。這個東西被破壞了,卻是它的原理存在,只要再去組合起來,還是同樣的物質。所以說起來,這個妙法永存。

「隨意所樂,可以遊戲」。我們若能夠這些道理都知道,這樣,我們在所有的法,悠遊自在,輕安自在,道理自在,沒有什麼樣的苦。就像長行文說「此三乘法皆是聖所稱歎,自在無繫,乘是三乘,而自娛樂。」

隨意所樂
可以遊戲:
重頌長行所說
此三乘法
皆是聖所稱歎
自在無繫
乘是三乘
而自娛樂

我們在長行文,有這段(經)文。這個三乘法都是聖所稱歎,諸佛菩薩所稱歎這個三乘法,你要先聽進去,然後斷煩惱,然後要發大心、立大願,行在菩薩道中。這麼多的法,好讓你悠遊自在。

冥斥二乘
不堪任重道遠
僅可
自利遊戲而已

這也是暗中在鞭策,你只會聽,不知道要斷煩惱;你只知道要斷煩惱,不關心天下事。這就是佛陀在鞭策,不堪任重道遠的人,只顧自己有得休息就好,不知道還有多少事情,應該要做,任重道遠啊!只是為自己這樣在遊戲,得到一點點法,就只在那裡戲論遊戲,這樣是不對的。所以,我們學法要真正學入心,用在日常生活中,要時時多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Journeying in the Three Vehicles Brings Joy (乘三乘而得樂)
Date:September.15. 2015

“Although sentient beings listen to the teachings of the Great Dharma, they are unwilling to believe and accept it and thus cannot follow the teachings. Filled with worldly knowledge and cleverness and attached to childish enjoyments, they have no great aspirations and remain stuck in the Three Realms.”

Do you understand this? Though people have been listening to the Dharma, they still cannot mindfully accept it. They do not take the Dharma to heart, let alone follow it in their daily living. “They are unwilling to believe and accept it and thus they cannot follow its teachings.” Though they engage in spiritual practice, they do not believe and accept the Buddha-Dharma, nor do they want to listen to [more] teachings. Once they refuse to listen to [more] Dharma, how can they possibly be taught?
“Full of worldly knowledge and cleverness,” they are “attached to childish enjoyments.” People like this rely only on themselves. “Listening [to teachings] won’t make a difference. I won’t know more than I already do.” With worldly knowledge and cleverness, people who are more arrogant do not even want to listen to or accept it. They are like immature children.
“Childish” means that they are like immature children who just want to play and stay in the Three Realms to do whatever they like. Perhaps in their daily living, they are constantly fighting over trivial matters. People like this are very childish. They only care about themselves. Therefore, “They have no great aspirations and remain stuck in the Three Realms.”
When they engage in spiritual practice they do not want to form great aspirations or make great vows or earnestly accept the Buddha-Dharma and go among people to give to others. They only think about themselves, so they remain trapped in the Three Realms, unable to escape.
Yesterday, we spoke of the Fivefold Dharmakaya, precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated understanding and views. Having precepts, Samadhi and wisdom is still not enough. This kind of liberated understanding and views can be achieved only when our wisdom-life has come into contact with the Buddha-Dharma and become one with the universe. Then we will have broad minds and pure thoughts, minds that can encompass the universe, and work for the good of the world instead of only for our own personal matters.
We must be like the Buddha, who engaged in spiritual practice, attained enlightenment, then transformed others. After [teaching for] more than ten years, He began to think about the Sakya clan, about how His father, His aunt and His relatives also needed to be transformed. The Buddha then spoke to the 1250 people in His Sangha and said, “Please carefully mind your appearance and act according to the Dharma. Please demonstrate the dignity and refinement that you have developed through your practice as you follow me into the kingdom of Kapilavastu.”
The Buddha said this because He understood that the people of the Sakya clan of the kingdom of Kapilavastu believed that they came from the most noble clan, and thus they were very arrogant.
To deal with these very proud people, the bhiksus must be very dignified and behave properly to be able to overcome the pride and arrogance of this clan. As soon as they entered Kapilavastu, people begun to spread the news. Everyone was very happy. This news was also heard in the palace. The king then asked his people to quickly sweep and clean the streets and decorate them with lamps and ribbons, creating a jubilant atmosphere. In this way, he respectfully welcomed the Buddha into the palace.
When the Buddha expounded the Dharma for King Suddhodhana, everyone inside the palace came to listen.
After King Suddhodhana heard the teachings, he felt very happy and wanted to help the Buddha-Dharma thrive. When he saw that these [1250] bhiksus were so magnificent, so orderly and have a very dignified demeanor, he hoped for more people to join the Sangha. The King told the nobles of the Sakya clan and the members of the royal family that, by decree, if a family had two or more sons, one of them could become a monastic. Among the nobility alone, more than 500 people did.
After everyone had their heads shaved, they put on the monastic robes. Everyone looked very dignified. However, before asking the Buddha for teachings, they had to first prostrate to the Sangha. Only after prostrating to each and every bhiksu could they come before the Buddha to receive teachings.
Among this group of 500 new bhiksus, one of them was the most respected and noble. He was of the royal family and was calles King Bhadratta. He had the highest status, since he was of [King Suddhodhana's ] generation.
He began prostrating to everyone in the Sangha but as he stood in front of Upali, he hesitated for a long time, King Bhadratta said, " I am a highly respected nobleman and a member of the Sakya clan. How can I be exected to prostrate to someone from the lowest caste, especially one who used to be my slave?
" The Buddha said to him, " All lives are inherently equal. People and all living beings are equal. [Upail] is indeed part of the lowest caste. However, he is still a human being. Members of the Sakya clan, who are of the Kastriya caste, are also humans. As humans we all go through birth, aging, illness and death. As human, we all experience the suffering of not getting what we want and that of meeting those we hate. Everyone faces the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death. In experiencing this suffering, everyone in the world is equal. Why do we have to categorize people as noble or lowly?
Since you want to become a monastic, you must let go of your discriminating mind as well as your pride and arrogance." Hearing this, King Bhadrahatta understood, so he reverently prostrated to Upali.
After he had prostrated to Upali and stood up, his mind was peaceful and free. Then he, along with the rest of the 500 nobles, prostrates to the Buddha and began to receive the Buddha's teachings.
One day, they arrived at a graveyard. In an open field. There, Bhadradatta walked and sat in meditation contemplating the Buddha's teachings.
Suddenly, he said, " In the past, when I was in the palace, I had many warriors by my side, proteching me. Living in the palace, I had many people who served me, but I always felt uneasy. I felt fearful, so I needed people to protected me.
However, now, I am travelling with the Buddha. In order to feed myself, I need to being for alms from door to door. I live under trees and in open fields. How can this kind of life make me so happy? How can I feel so peaceful and free every day? This is trully incredible! With this kind of life, I actually have no afflictions at all." Ananda had seen and heard him say this so he shared this with the Buddha.
The Buddha praised King Bhadratta. The nobleman, who had previously felt himself to be superior, had now managed to subdue his arrogance. From that moment on, he attained the fruit of Arhatship, transcended the Three Realms and achieved the Fivefold Dharmakaya, precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated understanding and views. He was so happy!
This is what the Buddha wanted to teach us. We also hope that in the same way all of us can accept the Buddha-Dharma and then, while living in this world, we can always feel free and peaceful.

The previous sutra passage states, " He told the children, I have a variety of precious playthings, excellent carts of wondrous treasures. There are sheep-carts, deer-carts and great ox-carts. "

We discussed this yesterday. Indeed! After the elder saw that the children had left the house, he wanted to make them even happier and encouraged them to choose the bigger cart. This helps us to understand that though we are listening to the Buddha-Dharma, is it enough to just listen to and know the Dharma? We need to work hard to eliminate our afflictions.
Look at how eliminating his afflictions brought King Bhadradatta a sense of joy, happiness and freedom because of the wealth of teachings that were in his mind.

The following sutra passage state, “[The carts] are now outside the door. You should come outside, and I will create these carts for you, according to what you like, for you to play with”.

Once everyone was outside, [the Buddha said], “All of you are now outside. For all of you, I have actually create these carts. There are different kinds of carts, so I told you all to come out quickly and choose the one that makes you most happy, the one you want. You can pick the one you like, which means, “Follow your heart in making your choice so you can play”.
Once we accept the Dharma, we can freely make use of it. This refers to how the Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths with the Three Turnings of the Dharma-wheel”.

“[The carts] are now outside the door. You should come outside: When the Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths with the Three Turnings of the Dharma-wheel, He taught us to realize them for ourselves. “[The carts] are now outside the door” means that all can escape the house of the Three Realms to reach a safe and stable refuge. He earnestly called to them, “You should come outside”. This was the turning of persuasion.”

Yesterday, we talked about the Three Turnings of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. “He taught us to realize them for ourselves”. We should all know these. Not only must we recognize suffering, we must deeply comprehend it. There are so many afflictions in the world. There are so many afflictions in the world. We should eradicate them. To eradicate them, not only must we practice the Path, we must attain cessation. This is how the Buddha “created these carts and vehicles”.
A cart can not carry us, but can also transport others. [The Dharma] is not meant only to be heard; it can be used to eliminate afflictions. It guides people to attain realizations, to help them recognize and experience suffering, causation, cessation and the Path.

“And I will create these carts for you: He further gave the turnings of persuasion and confirmation. The Buddha could create these carts and vehicles because He drew on what He had realized. That these carts were created means that the three carts fundamentally have no true essence. Still, the wondrous Dharma exists forever.”

Take, for example, how witnessing suffering helps us recognize our blessings. Otherwise, we would not recognize how blessed we are. Upon witnessing suffering, many people realize that “I’m already very blessed. What more can I ask for? When I see that other people’s lives are filled with great suffering and that they are still able to bear it, how can there be anything I can’t endure?”
So, we must not create more negative affinities. We must eliminate karmic obstacles in order to attain wisdom and clear understanding. Only by eliminating our afflictions can we eradicate our karmic obstacles. Then, we can put an end to the “causation” that we have accumulated.
People say, “Eliminate karma whenever conditions manifest”. We must accept our karmic conditions and not create more negative karma. Then these adverse conditions will naturally disappear. So, with good conditions, we must form more good affinities. We must form good affinities and plant good seeds. This is what we must start doing. When He said, “I will create these carts for you”, He meant the carts He created were for everyone, so we must wholeheartedly accept them.
Actually, “That these carts were created means that the three carts fundamentally have no true essence”. How could these carts actually have a true essence? It says there are sheep-carts; can a sheep actually pull a cart? As for the deer-cart, are deer going to pull something like a rickshaw? What kind of cart would that be? Deer are not strong; their legs are so slender. How can deer actually pull a cart?
However, when it comes to the ox-cart, an ox is able to pull a cart. An ox is physically strong, so he has this ability. This is all to help us understand. The Buddha began teaching the Dharma by teaching the Four Noble Truths. He started teaching and continued until everyone could understand that everything is inherently empty.
After undergoing birth, aging, illness and death, all that is left is emptiness. All material things arise from a convergence of [causes and conditions] and then are given names. something “non-existent” can become “existent” when causes and conditions converge. Think about this; to make a piece of clothing, so much manual labor is required. How many tools does all this labor require? Only by using these tools can we finish making a piece of clothing.
Therefore, is there anything in the world that does not arise from the convergence [of causes and conditions]?
In this world, everything is empty in nature and arises through convergence. Once the elements that have converged disperse, Once the elements that have converged disperse there will be nothing there, there will not be anything left for us to use. This is emptiness. But as long as we are alive, we can find a way to be useful How wondrous! This is wondrous existence.
So many factors have to come together for us to eat our meals. We eat this dish and that one, and they go into our stomachs. Our body has to be nourished by taking a complicated combination of nutrients into our body. We are not thinking of this, we think only of the tastes that we crave.
I asked [a doctor], “As a doctor, how can you have hypertension?” “I can’t help it, I really crave certain kinds of foods.” The doctor may not be able to control himse.lf He does not take in the teachings. Medical. science has already explained things. People clearly know [the consequences], but still smoke, consume alcohol and do many things that they should not do. People do not know to live in balance.
It is the same in our spiritual practice. We are like those doctors. We are practicing the Buddha’s teachings, so why haven’t we attained liberation? Why do we have so many afflictions?Why are our habitual tendencies still so severe?
We are just like doctors who have the knowledge but do not apply it to their own lives. So, what do we do? We know the Dharma and can expound many teachings, but we have not changed the way we ourselves act.
Though we have the change to engage in spiritual practice, we often waste time on frivolous discussions. This is a pity “The three carts fundamentally have no true essence, everything is empty in nature.” If we do not understand this principle, we will constantly form attachments.
As we mentioned previously, the universe fundamentally has no true essence. The universe encompasses so many phenomena but does not have a true essence of its own. Thus essence is a manmade concept. “Still, the wondrous Dharma exists forever” The Dharma will exist forever. Everything we create is conditioned phenomena and will be destroyed at some point. What humans create will eventually be destroyed, but its underlying principles will exist forever. An object can be destroyed, but its principles will still exist. If we bring the same elements together again, we can produce the same thing.
Therefore, we say that wondrous Dharma exists forever. “[They are made] according to what you like, for you to play with.
If we can thoroughly understand these principles, we can freely navigate through all Dharma.” We will feel peaceful and at ease with all these principles
We will not feel there is any kind of suffering.

As it states in the prose section, “The Dharma of the Three Vehicles is praised by all the noble beings.” “These vehicles allow us to be free, with no ties” “By journeying in these Three Vehicles, you will attain what you enjoy.”

This sutra passage is found in the long-form section. The Dharma of the Three Vehicles is praised by all the noble beings. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas praise this Dharma of the Three Vehicles. First, we must listen to it. Then, we must eliminate our afflictions. After that , we must form great aspirations and make great vows to walk the Bodhisattva-path. All this Dharma can help us attain freedom and peace of mind.

This passage is also subtly motivating us. “You only listen [to the teachings] but do not try to eliminate your afflictions.” “You only want to eliminate your afflictions but do not worry about the rest of the world.”
This is how the Buddha constantly motivates us People who cannot bear the long road and the heavy load only care about getting the rest they need. They do not think about how much still needs to be done. The road is long and the load is heavy, but they just want to have fun.

After learning a little bit of Dharma, if all we do with it is use it to engage in frivolous discussions, that is not the right thing to do. When it comes to learning the Dharma, we must take it to heart and apply it in our daily living. We must always be mindful.

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

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