【靜思妙蓮華】20150922 恆持剎那行於大道 - 第658集 Sustain Your Resolve to Walk the Path

20150922《靜思妙蓮華》恆持剎那行於大道(第658集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「時間苦短莫空過，恆持剎那當把握，切莫耽樂離正道，修心養性行大道。」
⊙「多諸毒蟲，魑魅可畏，大火猛燄，四面俱起。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「而此諸子，貪樂嬉戲，我已救之，令得脫難。是故諸人，我今快樂。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙而此諸子貪樂嬉戲：喻諸子之出世無漏種子，緣起非易；今在無明塵沙覆障之中，貪樂嬉戲仍易被燒害。
⊙我已救之，令得脫難：眾生愛著見思，不能自拔，佛慈悲愍迴入娑婆救拔度化。
⊙是故諸人，我今快樂：表明歡喜之由，因子免難。善順適從父心，結成歡喜，故言我今快樂。

【證嚴上人開示】

時間很快在過，卻是我們要知道，「時間苦短莫空過」，它不斷行蘊，不論是天亮了或者是日落夜暗，無不時都是在運轉中，時間一點點都沒有停歇，所以「時間苦短莫空過，恆持剎那當把握，切莫耽樂離正道，修心養性行大道。」

時間苦短莫空過
恆持剎那當把握
切莫耽樂離正道
修心養性行大道

這是很重要，時間既然這麼苦短，因為它不論何時，都是這樣在消逝，所以我們必定要，好好把握在剎那間。因為它消逝也是不斷出現，這種循環，我們要趕緊，遇到因緣時要趕緊剎那把握，把握在恆持。

常常說，我們的一念間，與外面的境界因緣接觸，好的因緣來時，我們把握住起來那就是永遠，所以叫做恆持。這個永恆是由於剎那間，我們有及時把握，所以才有這個永恆。這很久的時間，就像我們(聽聞)佛法，我們若是有因緣遇到佛法，一句話，可能是我們終身受用。

常常都會去想到，那時候我的師父和我，在臺北慧日講堂，那個場地，那個景象，在我的腦海中，永遠都沒有讓它滅了。這個永恆、恆持，不論我現在遇到人、事、物有困難，我都會浮現出了，那個場景、這個聲音，我的師父這樣跟我說：「你我師徒因緣特殊，你決心皈依，記住『為佛教，為眾生』。」這種的境界還是，歷歷明明在腦海中。這叫做恆持。

在那幾句話，不到二秒鐘，三秒鐘，這樣讓我這輩子都沒有忘掉。這輩子做不完，當然，還有來生。

雖然我們常常說緣生緣滅，但是真理、法是永恆，我們這輩子終生奉持，來生我們再發願，來生還是同樣緊接著這種循環，這樣接納下去。

就像佛法二千多年了，現在佛法還是在人間，佛陀的慧命還沒滅。雖然佛身二千多年前，一個名相叫做「取入涅槃」，身體是不在了，卻是但是佛陀的精神、理念、法，還活在人間，所以叫做「法身」；法身，就沒有生滅。

過去的以前，悉達多太子的之前，生生世世這樣在成就慧命，到成佛之後，佛陀是倒駕慈航來人間。他現相人間，是在教導我們要如何修行，人生世間哪怕是成佛了，壽命就是取在八十，不很短，也不太過長，很正常的人生壽命。這就是要現相讓我們知道，與我們人都是一樣，有生、老、病、死，但是那個精神理念，就是沒有那個生滅相。所以因為這樣，無始以來就有這個法，人人本具覺性，人人都能夠宇宙的道理，我們都能夠會合。

這是佛陀他的愛，那種「無緣大慈」，永恆的大愛出現人間。而我們現在就是，接受佛陀所教育我們的，所以佛教能普及人間，佛教要普遍傳達出去，所以，「為佛教，為眾生」，我們必定要恆持那個剎那，永遠永遠，好好把握住那個時候，啟發我們發心的那一念間，那個剎那就是我們要恆持，所以叫做「恆持剎那當把握」，永遠永遠要把握住。

「切莫耽樂」。不要貪戀，貪著在這種人間嬉樂，不可以，這都是無常。這種人間的嬉樂，很容易使我們耽迷下去，使我們起心動念、煩惱、貪欲等等，無明惑業就是在這個耽樂中所發生的，不可以，我們若是一耽著這個欲樂，我們就容易離開正道了。

所以，我們要好好「修心養性行大道」。人身難得，佛法難聞，接受佛法之後，我們要發大心、立大願、行大道。

我們若在皈依時就是說，「體解大道，發無上心」，皈依，「自皈依佛，當願眾生，體解大道，發無上心。」那個「無上心」，就是在這個大道，這種菩薩道，叫做大道，大菩提道，就是大覺悟的道路。我們修心，我們養性，我們要把握時間好好將佛法入心，好好養我們的心性，啟發我們這分宏願。

靜思弟子都是要有「四弘誓願」。靜思法脈所要傳的，內修「四弘誓願」──眾生無邊誓願度，煩惱無盡誓願斷，法門無量誓願學，佛道無上誓願成。這就是我們靜思法脈，人人既發心了，就要有這「四弘誓願」，這就是叫做「行大道」。

那麼我們入慈濟宗門，「慈濟人間路」，我們要入人群中去，所以要發「四無量心」，「慈、悲、喜、捨」──大慈無悔，大悲無怨，大喜無憂，大捨無求。

為眾生的幸福，我們願意付出，無後悔，所以說「大慈無悔」。眾生苦難，我們一定要投入，去拔除他的苦難，任勞任怨，絕對無怨無尤，「很辛苦，我甘願，我無怨」，「大悲無怨」。大喜，付出之後，輕安自在，「無憂」了。因為眾生在苦難中，我們已經付出了，將他救拔出來了，他安穩了，啟發他的心了，身心安穩了，我們無憂愁了。因為是我們自己自動自發，願意捨，所以「大捨無求」，我們願意付出無所求，還要怎樣呢？感恩！

這是我們菩薩道，內修就是「四弘誓願」，外行「四無量心」；內修是靜思法脈，外行是慈濟宗門，這是一個很完整的福慧雙修。慈濟宗門是修福，靜思法脈是修慧，所以福慧兩足。這就是我們要在時間中，好好把握。

過去，大家很嚮往美國經濟好、科技很發達，所以認為它是人間天堂。卻是，看，人禍、天災，這種的景象，歷歷傳在我們的眼前，你看，人生是這麼的無常！

所以我們經文就說，「多諸毒蟲，魑魅可畏，大火猛燄，四面俱起。」

多諸毒蟲
魑魅可畏
大火猛燄
四面俱起
《法華經譬喻品第三》

人生！很多很多這種不安全。毒蟲就是猛獸，所有的動物，而這些動物沒有離開我們的心。所以在心外面有這些動物，其實我們的內心，這些動物，毒蟲猛獸，都在我們的內心裡。

或者是我們待人接物，同樣是隱伏著這種毒蟲猛獸。更可怕的，就是「魑魅可畏」，來無形、去無蹤，那種很快，反個掌、翻個臉，就是這樣的無常。你看，龍捲風這樣捲過去，瞬間房子都毀了，人命在呼吸間，看那個境界，真的是如「大火猛燄」，這種的世間「四面俱起」，這就是人間。所以我們豈能再耽戀，在這樣的世間呢？

「一失人身，萬劫難再」，趁著我們這一生，我們現在能夠聽、我們現在能夠做，我們有現在這個因緣，我們要好好把握，要不然，「一失人身，萬劫難再」，來生是不是還能在人道呢？還未聽到佛法以前，我們到底有造了多少的業？我們都不知。不過，我們把握在現在，恆持在剎那當下間，不要一點點再偏離正道了，好好修心養性，行在大道，這才是我們未來人生的去向。

下面這段(經)文，又再說「而此諸子，貪樂嬉戲，我已救之，令得脫難。是故諸人，我今快樂。」

而此諸子
貪樂嬉戲
我已救之
令得脫難
是故諸人
我今快樂
《法華經譬喻品第三》

這是一種譬喻。因為我們眾生無明，還在人間這樣貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，「貪樂嬉戲」，所以佛陀來人間要來度化眾生，「開、示」，好不容易四十多年，譬喻「諸子之出世無漏種子」，四十多年了開始這些弟子，聲聞，藉著聲音入耳中，瞭解有這樣的佛法，獨覺、緣覺、辟支佛，像這些，「瞭解了，我要斷煩惱，我要持戒、定、慧。」這「三無漏學」，這是很不容易。佛陀來人間說法四十多年，才開始聽佛說法，才開始法入心，斷煩惱，能夠持戒、定、慧，這「無漏種子」，這些弟子才這樣開始，人人都是無漏的種子，真的「緣起非易」，這個因緣要成就，實在是很不簡單。

「今在無明塵沙覆障之中」。雖然說這個因緣這麼殊勝，無漏的種子也已經入心了，不過，我們要很注意，這種的無明就像塵沙一樣，像灰塵一樣，我們若是沒有好好時時用功，這個灰塵不知什麼時候，從縫鑽進來，很多這種無明塵沙，來障礙著我們，若這樣我們就無法向前前進。這種的障礙，這個塵沙的障礙，就是來自一個「貪」字，「貪樂嬉戲」，所以這還在這三界中。

而此諸子貪樂嬉戲：
喻諸子之
出世無漏種子
緣起非易
今在無明塵沙
覆障之中
貪樂嬉戲
仍易被燒害

各位，用心想想看，我們是不是還有這個，塵沙無明呢？這是很細很細的無明，這種「我要」還執著住，這種的無明還有沒有？我想，大家在內心都回答師父，肯定：「有。」這個「我要」的執著還有。「我要我的孩子娶好媳婦。」「我要我的媳婦娶過來，趕緊生孫子。」有，等等很多。這就是人的執著。

我已救之
令得脫難：
眾生愛著見思
不能自拔
佛慈悲愍迴入娑婆
救拔度化

佛陀說：「我已救之，令得脫難」。這些弟子已經，為他們播下一些種子，佛法已經有入心了。不過「眾生愛著見思，不能自拔」。眾生那個貪愛的心，還是在那個見思惑中，不能自拔。所以佛陀必定要用慈愍的心，要不斷迴入娑婆。

總而言之，人人本性都有，與佛陀同等的真如，所以佛陀因為還未，將我們栽培成就，他不斷要迴入娑婆，來救拔、度化眾生。所以，「我已救之，令得脫難」，因為要得到這個因緣，不是很容易，現在已經播下種子，有了緣，所以佛陀說「我已救之」，有種子就有救了。所以「令得脫離」，能夠讓他慢慢瞭解、脫離。

「是故諸人，我今快樂」。大家要知道，我現在很歡喜。這是佛陀的晚年，已經年紀大了，講《法華經》就是準備，將入涅槃之前了。所過去的四十多年間，(說法)四十二年後，才講《法華經》，所以佛陀說這些都是，我已經播下的種子了，這些種子已經是無漏，有戒、定、慧。雖然還有塵沙的煩惱，但是這個種子入心了，我現在快樂，我應該沒有掛慮了，快樂。這是表明佛陀歡喜，因為這些孩子，既然心中有種子了，這片田地懂得耕耘了，自然應該會有收穫。

所以「善順」。真正大家，這些孩子已經瞭解佛陀的教法，了解這個長者父親的交代，而我們眾生瞭解佛陀的教法。所以，大家已經懂得順從，所以父親的心也能夠安心了。佛陀看到弟子願意棄小就大，開始一一要發大心，佛陀也就安心了。「結成歡喜」，因為這樣集合起來，佛陀安心歡喜，所以叫做「我今快樂」。

是故諸人
我今快樂：
表明歡喜之由
因子免難
善順適從父心
結成歡喜
故言我今快樂

其實，佛陀所說的快樂，只不過就是一段的緣。這個結緣這一場，已經是將要一段落了，所以佛陀覺得時間已到了，看到弟子也慢慢在接受、瞭解，瞭解是要取大白牛車，自度度人的時刻，所以他安心了。

所以這就是，我們要學佛，要用心，我們不要再耽著下去，人生是無常，時間是不斷過去，我們要把握在任何的剎那，所以我們要時時多用心！

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Sustain Your Resolve to Walk the Path (恆持剎那 行於大道)
Date:September.22. 2015

Time is passing very quickly, so we must realize that, “Our time is painfully short; we must not let it pass in vain.” Time just keeps moving. Whether during the light of day or dark of night, time is constantly passing. Time never stops, not even briefly, and thus “Our time is painfully short; we must not let it pass in vain. Instead, we must seize the moment and sustain it forever, not linger in enjoyment or stray from the Right Path. We cultivate our mind and refine our character to walk the great path.”

This is very important. Our time here is painfully short because, at all times, each moment is fading away. So, we must certainly make an effort to seize each present moment. As each moment fades, the next arises. In the midst of this endless cycle, when we encounter suitable causes and conditions, we must seize that moment immediately and sustain it forever.
I often talk about the moment of a single thought. When we come in contact with conditions around us, if we encounter positive causes and conditions, and seize those moments, they can last forever. This is how we sustain them. Forever begins with a single moment. Only if we seize that instant in time will we have it forever, for a very long period of time. It is the same when we listen to the Buddha-Dharma. If we have the causes and conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma, a single phrase may benefit us for the rest of our lives.
I often think about that time, when my master and I were at the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall in Taipei. The image of that place and of the scene has always remained in my mind; I have never allowed it to fade away. Sustaining [this phrase] eternally means that, no matter what difficulties I encounter regarding people, matters or things, that place and his voice will surface in my mind.
My master said to me, “Our master-disciple relationship is special. Now that you have resolved to take refuge, always remember, For Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.”
That scene still remains clearly in my mind. This is called “sustaining it forever.” Those words were spoken in less than two or three seconds but I have never forgotten them throughout my life. I cannot carry them out fully in this lifetime, so I will continue applying them in future lives. Although we always say that karmic conditions arise and cease, true principles, the Dharma, are everlasting. We can uphold them for the rest of our lives and vow to continue to do the same in the next. In our next life we will immediately pick up where we left off, continuing this cycle. In the same way, for more than 2000 years, the Buddha-Dharma has remained in this world. The Buddha’s wisdom-life has not yet ceased. Although, more than 2000 years ago, we say that the Buddha “entered Parinirvana” and His physical body is now no longer present, His spirit, His ideas and the Dharma He taught are still alive in the world today. This is what we call the Dharmakaya (Dharma-body).
The Dharmakaya does not arise or cease. In the distant past, even before He was born as Prince Siddhartha, His wisdom-life developed over many lifetimes. After He attained Buddhahood, He sailed the ship of compassion back to the world. He manifested in this world to teach us how to engage in spiritual practice. Although He attained Buddhahood in that lifetime, His lifespan was only 80 years.
It was neither too short nor too long, It was very typical of a human being. By manifesting in this way, He let us know that He was just like us, subject to birth, aging, illness and death.
However, His spirit and philosophy will never exhibit arising and ceasing. Therefore, The Dharma has existed since Beginningless Time we all intrinsically have an awakened nature, and we can all become one with these truths of the universe. Thus it is due to the Buddha's love, His unconditional loving-kindness, His great everlasting love, that He manifested in this world. And now that we have accepted the teachings He gave us, those teachings can spread throughout the world. The Buddha's teachings must be widely circulated. So," For Buddha's teaching, for sentient beings" is what we must sustain forever in every moment. We must always hold on to the thought that we had when our aspirations were first awakened. That is the monent we must sustain forever.
So, " We seize the moment and sustain it forever". We must always hold on to it " We must not linger in enjoyment". We must not have attachments or cling to worldly pleasures. This must be avoided, because they are all impermanent.
Worldly pleasures may easily cause us to lose our way and to give rise to discursive thoughts, afficitions, desire, etc. Ignorance and deluded karma arise when we linger in enjoyment. This must be avoided. If we daily in worldly pleasures, we will easily stray from the Right Path. Therefore, we must make an effort to "cultivate our mind and refine our character to walk the great path". It is rare to be born human and rare hear the Buddha-Dharma. Once we have accepted the Buddha-Dharma, we must form great aspirations, make great vows and walk the great path.
When we take refuge, we vow that we will " comprehend the great path" and " form the supreme aspiration". When we take refuge, " We vow to take refuge with the Buddha. May all sentient beings comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration". That " supreme aspiration" is to walk the great path.
The Bodhisattva-path is also called the great path or great Bodhi-path, it is the path to great awaking. To cultiving our minds and refine our charcter, we must seize every moment to take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. We must earnestly refine our character and become inspired to make the great vows.
All Jing Si disciples must make the Four Great Vows. The Jing Si Dharma-lineage transmits the Four Great-Vows for internal cultivation " I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. I vow to eliminate endless afflictions. I vow to learn the infinite Dharma-doors. I vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood". These are part of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage.
Once we have aspired to join this lineage, we must make the Four Great Vows. This is "walking the great path". Thus we enter the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, a road to working with people in the world. Beacause we want to go among people, we must cultlvate the Four Infinate Minds, " loving-kindess, compassion, joy and equanimity". Great loving-kindness is without regrets, great compassion is without redentment, great joy is without worries and great equanimity is without expectations.
For the benefit of sentient beings, we willingly give to thers without regrets. So, we talk about having " order loving-kindness without regrets". When sentient beings are suffering, we must dedicate ourselves to relieving their suffering and work hard without complaint, absolutely without resentment or discontent. This work is very hard, but we willingly do it, free of resentment. This is " great compassion without resentment". " Great joy" means that when we give to others, we feel peaceful and at ease. We will be " without worries" because when sentient beings were suffering, we gave to help them and relieved them of their suffering. We gave them a sense of stability and inspired their resolve. Having brought peace to their bodied and minds we will be without worries.
Beacase we are acting on our own intiative, we are willing to give to others. This is " great equanimity without expectations". In addition to being willing to give unconditionlly, what else must we do ? Be greatful. So, on the Bodhisattva-path internally we cultivate the Four Great Vows and externally we practice the Four Infinate Minds. Our internal cultivation follows the Jing Si Dharma-lineage the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism. This is how we cultivate both blessings and wisdom. With the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, we cultivate blessings. With the Jing Si Dharma-lineage, we cultive wisdom.Thus we are replete with both blessings and wisdom. We do this by making the best use of every moment.
In the past, everyone looked up to the Us for its prosperity and technological advancements. They saw it as a heaven on earth. But look at its manmade and natural disasters. Scenes of those kinds of calamities are transmitted to us time and time again. See, this is the impermanence of life.

So, the sutra passage states, “There were many poisonous creatures, fearsome monsters and goblins, and great fires that raged furiously, springing up from all sides”.

Life is full of these hazards. Poisonous creatures and fierce beasts, which can refer to all animals. These animals are always a part of our minds. We see these animals in our surroundings, but they are actually in our minds as well. These animals, these poisonous and fierce creatures, all exist within our minds. As we interact with people and deal with things, these creatures may be lurking. Even more terrifying are the “fearsome monsters and goblins”. They come and go without a trace. They move as quickly as the flip of a hand or the change of an expression. This is that kind of impermanence.
You see, when a tornado hits, houses collapse in an instant, and we can see that human lives [are very fragile]. In that kind of situation, it is as if “Great fires are raging furiously” in this world, they “spring up from all sides”. This is the nature of the human realm. So, how can we let ourselves linger in enjoyment in this kind of a world?
“Once lost, it takes eons to regain human form”. We must take advantage of this lifetime to listen to the Dharma while we can, to take action while we can and to earnestly seize this opportunity while we have the [right] karmic conditions. Otherwise, “Once lost, it takes eons to regain human form”. In our next life, will we necessarily be born in the human realm? Before we heard the Buddha-Dharma, how much karma did we create? We do not know.
Regardless, we must seize the moment and sustain [our original inspiration]. We must not deviate from the Right Path at all. We must cultivate our minds, refine our character and walk the great path. This is the course for us in our future lives.

The next sutra passage goes on to state, “Yet you children still clung to your playing. But now I have already saved you and helped you to escape disaster. This is why, everyone, I am now happy.”

This is a kind of analogy, because we sentient beings are ignorant and continue to give rise to greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, “clinging to [our] playing”. So, when the Buddha came to the world, He had to transform sentient beings by opening and revealing” [the Dharma] for more than 40 difficult years. This is like “the children’s flawless seeds of world-transcendence” [arising]. During these 40-plus years, these disciples, the Hearers, by relying on listening, understood that such teachings existed.
The Solitary Realizers, also known as the Realizers of Conditions or Pratyekabuddhas, could say, “I understand the Dharma. I will eliminate my afflictions. I must cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, the Three Flawless Studies”. This was not an easy thing to have happen.
The Buddha came to the world and taught for more than 40 years before they [truly] listened to His words, took them to heart and contemplated their afflictions in order to cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. These flawless seeds were finally arising in His disciples. Thus they all had these flawless seeds. Indeed, conditions “do no arise easily”. It is actually not a simple thing to bring causes and conditions to fruition.
“They are still covered by the dust of ignorance”. Although we have exceptional karmic conditions and the flawless seeds have been sown in our minds, we must still be very vigilant. Ignorance is like specks of sand and dust. Ignorance is like specks of sand and dust. If we do not work earnestly at all times, this dust will find its way in through any crack. All this dust-like ignorance can hinder us. If this happens, we will be unable to keep moving forward.
These dusts that hinder us come about simply because of our greed, because we “still cling to [our] playing”. Thus, we still remain in the Three Realms.

Yet you children still clung to our playing:
This refers to the fact that the children’s flawless seeds of world-transcendence do not arise easily. They are still covered in the dust of ignorance, greedy for their playing. Thus they may still be easily burned by the fire.

Everyone, mindfully consider this; is there still dust-like ignorance in our minds? This kind of ignorance is so subtle. We still cling to this feeling of “I want.” Is this kind of ignorance still in your minds? I think in all of your minds, you are answering me with a firm. “Yes.” We still cling to this thought of “I want.” “I want my son to find a good wife.” “Then I want my daughter-in-law to quickly give me a grandchild.” These thoughts and many others like them are the attachments we humans have.

The Buddha said, “But now I have already saved you and helped you to escape disaster.” The Buddha already planted the seeds in these children. They have taken the Dharma to heart, however, “sentient beings are attached to views and thinking and cannot free themselves.” Sentient beings, filled with greed and cravings, are still immersed in their delusions of views of thinking and cannot free themselves.
Thus the Buddha, out of kindness and compassion, repeatedly returned to the Saha World .

In summary, everyone intrinsically has a nature of True Suchness equal to the Buddha’s. It is because the Buddha has not yet brought us to spiritual maturity that He repeatedly returns to the Saha World to save, transform and deliver sentient beings.
So, the Buddha said, “But now I have already saved you and helped you to escape disaster.” Attaining these causes and conditions was not an easy matter. Now, the seeds had been sown and the [right] conditions were present, so the Buddha said, “Now I have already saved you.” Once these seeds are in us, we can be saved. Thus, He has “helped [us] to escape disaster” He helped us to gradually understand and escape. “This is why, everyone, I am now happy.” Everyone should know that He was very happy in the Buddha’s later years, when He was already quite old, He gave the Lotus teachings in preparation for entering Parinirvana. [He had already taught] for more than 40 years. After 42 years of teachings, He finally gave the Lotus teachings. Thus, the Buddha said that He had already sown these seeds. These seeds were already flawless and were replete with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Although [the children] still had dust-like afflictions, once these seeds were sown in their minds the Buddha was happy. He did not need to worry about them anymore. “Happy” describes the Buddha’s joy. He felt that way because these children had these seeds in the field of their minds, and since they could cultivate them, naturally they would reap a great harvest.
Thus, they “followed [His wishes] accordingly” Indeed, these children understood the Buddha’s teachings, they understood the instructions given by this elder, their father. Once we sentient beings understand the Buddha’s teaching and are following them accordingly, like a father, He will feel relieved.
When the Buddha saw that His disciples were willing to set aside the Small for the Great and had, one by one, made great aspirations, the Buddha felt relieved. “This made Him happy.” Because they had all come together, the Buddha felt peaceful and happy.
This is why He said, “I am now happy.”

This is why, everyone, I am now happy: This explains the reason for His happiness. Because the children avoided disaster, and followed their father’s wishes accordingly, He was happy as a result. Thus it says “I am now happy.”

Actually, the happiness the Buddha spoke of was simply a temporary condition. These affinities that He had formed had reached the end of their current stage. So, the Buddha felt that His time was up. When He saw that His disciples had gradually accepted and understood that they must choose the great ox-cart and that it was time to transform themselves and others, the Buddha felt relieved. This is why we must learn the Buddha Way and be mindful.
We must no longer linger. Life is impermanent, and time is continuously passing. We must seize every moment. Therefore we must always be mindful.

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