20151012《靜思妙蓮華》為救眾生入三界(第672集)
(法華經•譬喻品第三)
⊙「愛無遠近連心接力,大覺有情為諸眾生,大愛人間宏誓無疆,深信如來施權說實。」
⊙「如來已離,三界火宅,寂然閒居,安處林野。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「今此三界,皆是我有,其中眾生,悉是吾子。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「而今此處,多諸患難,唯我一人,能為救護。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙即見諸眾生為生老等之所燒煮也。昔之三界,既為佛有,佛已出離。今之三界為眾生有,眾生亦當出離。
⊙「而今此處,多諸患難,唯我一人,能為救護。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙此處既屬我有,又多諸患難,即應救拔,眾生又是吾子,豈可父居界外,蕭然無累。
⊙不忍諸子界內迷向奔馳,我既寂然安處,豈可袖手不顧。更不忍諸子患難燒煮乎,故云唯是能救護。
【證嚴上人開示】
「愛無遠近連心接力,大覺有情為諸眾生,大愛人間宏誓無疆,深信如來施權說實。」
愛無遠近連心接力
大覺有情為諸眾生
大愛人間宏誓無疆
深信如來施權說實
愛,人間不可以缺少愛。佛陀來人間教育我們,不就是要教育我們人人,打開心門,將這分無染的、無求的大愛,為眾生去付出嗎? 愛,沒有遠或者是近,不分親或是疏,不論認識、不認識,我們都是愛。
與我們很好的緣,那就是過去生彼此之間有好的緣,這次來人間互相幫助,幫助我們的道業,幫助我們人生正確的方向,這就是好緣。若是不好的緣呢?也是很特殊,過去生中結了不好的緣,所以這輩子,來鍛鍊我們修行的道心。所以,我們修行者,不論是看到好緣、不好的緣,我們都要展開了,這分愛心、感恩心。這就是佛陀對我們的教育。
就像馬來西亞這一大片土地,人口與臺灣差不多,發心的人也不少,卻是需要人幫助的也是很多。我就這樣向他們要求,全馬來西亞,要將心連起來。現在正是因緣成熟之時,南馬、北馬,兩邊若合起來,一百萬會員,讓一百萬人來瞭解慈濟,一百萬人啟發愛心,一百萬人能夠正知正見,這粒粒都讓他成為種子,若這樣,這一大片的土地,不就是「愛鋪滿地」呢?
他們有心、有願、有力,馬上將愛這個愛連結起來,心也連結起來,這樣連心接力,開始中在今年的四月間,已經九十多萬人了。我就告訴他們,十個月間有辦法這樣的成長,多少人接觸了這正確正法,大家啟發這念心,功德無量啊!到六月應該超過,就問我:「師父,那我們明年的目標呢?」,「二百就好,一多二,一個人再多兩個,將這個愛的力量,這樣伸長下去,有辦法嗎?「好,我們會努力。」
這種對人間有信心,對人間有愛,只要這個愛這樣心連起來,所以不分遠或是近,只要人人彼此感恩,互相合心,這個力量就很大。
佛陀在世時,摩竭陀國,阿闍世王他有一個野心,希望周圍的國家他都要併吞,所以一直向這波斯匿王,一直要撩撥起了那分戰爭。但是,阿闍世王的父親,與波斯匿王是好朋友。雖然他的孩子是這樣忤逆,不過看在老朋友的情分,他也一直希望能夠原諒,希望能夠兩國平安,這是一分情。不過,阿闍世王,他的野心還是不斷,起兵來,他也是同樣兵來將擋,交戰起來。
阿闍世王受波斯匿王所降伏了,雖然降伏了他,他還是用父輩的心,將他帶來坐在他的車上,不是回到皇城,是來到佛的祇陀園裡。
佛陀看了,就問:「波斯匿王,你對阿闍世,有什麼樣的處罰計畫嗎?」波斯匿王向佛陀說:「佛啊,不論如何,我還是期待阿闍世能夠覺悟,能夠去瞭解,懺悔他過去的前非。過去忤逆父母,殺父害母,這分懺悔的心要起啊!希望他能接受佛陀的教化,重新作人,這樣我願意原諒他,希望他重新再起。」
佛陀就看看阿闍世,「你覺得如何?現在波斯匿王願意,願意原諒你,希望你能夠反省,體會人間真道理。因為你去征服別人,兩敗俱傷,又再這個因緣果報是不昧。這輩子讓你爭得勝了,來生你還是會輸啊!因為業力可怕,隨著來生,還是要受報,你征服得了有形的國土,你征服不了人的心。」所以佛陀這樣不斷用這個,溫柔的道理來教育他,所以他終於能夠,心受佛陀降伏了,他也答應要好好反省。
一場的衝突、一場的戰爭,就在佛陀的面前,化解了兩個國家的仇恨,這就是愛、愛心,佛陀的慈悲說法,圓滿地解除了兩邊這分的紛爭。
這種連心接力,這必定要有「大覺有情,為諸眾生」。菩薩也是這樣,佛陀也是這樣,佛陀的教育,信仰佛的波斯匿王,同樣也是這樣,用這個「大覺有情」,希望能夠原諒,希望能夠為他的老朋友,來教育他的下一代。這種的正知、正見、正念,寬大的愛心,這在佛陀的時代就有這樣。所以,「大愛人間宏誓無疆」。發願,不只是為自己的國家,別人的國家,同樣國王若能夠接受佛法,那個國家人民,就能夠得到福祉。
「深信如來」,這都是深信如來,阿闍世王後來也是皈依佛,所以皈依之後,他對他的國家,那種霸權的力量已經解除了,用愛疼惜他的人民,這就是深信如來。如來用種種方法施權說實,用種種因緣果報來說服,同時也用實法、大乘法,要他們打開心門用大愛。這就是佛陀人間的教育。
所以我們前面也一直這樣在說,佛陀不斷提醒眾生,一切由心,心靈的這個三界,欲念,所以要占有他人,造很多的業,這樣人間為了互相侵奪,在製造人禍,很苦啊!甚至不只是為了這個欲,自己的內心,那個「色」的無明,只是一念心,所要的不是只在周圍眼前,所要的,所要求的,希望能夠所有所有的土地,都歸為己,己有。這是「色」,這種的「色」,就是從欲心開始,一直囤積,囤積到「無色」那種的塵沙惑。連小小很微的塵沙,無法去除,這就是我們眾生的因,因核,因,一點點而已,看不到,但是裡面所隱藏著很大的力量,這種的塵沙惑。
我們人表面上看起來無為無欲,表面上來看,沒有和他爭,但是我們這個無爭,卻是內心還有記恨,那個力量還是很大。所以佛陀說,這是三界的火種。雖然這件事情,「好啦,說過就算了。」但是那個愛恨情仇,還是在內心裡。所以,這個「色」與「無色」,那個塵沙非常微細,很恐怖。
所以前面一直說「長者怖畏」,同樣佛陀也是很憂愁,到底芸芸眾生,要如何才能讓人人,真正脫離他心地的煩惱?要如何才能打開人人的心,那分大愛、沒有記恨仇?這種闊大的愛,要如何才能讓他覺悟呢?要如何才能夠,讓這個愛遍布天下?這就是佛陀所擔憂之處,他擔憂的心就是這樣。所以,在我們的人間,雖然擔心眾生,卻是自己已經離開三界火宅,自己「如來已離三界火宅,寂然閒居安處林野。」
如來已離
三界火宅
寂然閒居
安處林野
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為如來的心完全清淨,連塵沙惑都沒有完全清淨,只有的那就是為眾生,那是悲憫眾生、慈念眾生、不捨眾生,所以再來人間。所以他的內心就是,「寂然閒居」,是很清淨,「安處林野」。
下面再說這段(經)文,「今此三界,皆是我有,其中眾生,悉是吾子。」
今此三界
皆是我有
其中眾生
悉是吾子
《法華經譬喻品第三》
佛陀是三界導師,三界導師就是要來,開啟眾生心靈。因為這些都是孩子,佛陀的慈悲,四生之父,所以「而今此處,多諸患難」,這個境界,已經災難不斷不斷發生了。
而今此處
多諸患難
唯我一人
能為救護
《法華經譬喻品第三》
「唯我一人,能為救護。」佛陀這樣說,像這樣,世間濁惡,世間已經是濁氣這麼重,四大不調了,愈來愈是愈嚴重,這就是來自人心。(要) 能夠清除人心的煩惱,佛自己認為,這是我的責任,所以「唯我一人,能為救護」,這個「我」,是法;佛陀他認為大我,那就是真理。這種大我的真理,涵蓋了天地之間的真理,唯有真理才有辦法救人,而這個真理是佛所說法,所以佛陀他希望,這真理能夠入眾生群中去。這是心佛陀的期待,也是他的使命,要如何讓這個世間能調和,人心能夠調伏,調伏人心。人心就是太剛強了,要如何來調伏它?
所以說「見諸眾生」,佛陀的慈悲,眾生為生、老、病、死等等,所燒煮,真的病來臨時,苦不堪啊!
即見諸眾生
為生老等
之所燒煮也
昔之三界
既為佛有
佛已出離
今之三界為眾生有
眾生亦當出離
生、老、病、死,好像火在燒,那麼的苦。那種的苦,病在身上,其實是心的感覺那個痛苦,像這樣,佛已經是出離,這個生死,生死的觀念,但是這個地方,既然有了這樣的眾生,那麼的受苦不安,所以這個三界眾生,唯有要用法來感化他們,讓他們更瞭解,無常的人間,所造作的業,這個業是永遠的,這個業不斷一直帶下去,未來複製煩惱、複製業力,若這樣,未來人世間,會不得安穩。所以佛陀說,「而今此處,多諸患難,唯我一人,能為救護。」
而今此處
多諸患難
唯我一人
能為救護
《法華經譬喻品第三》
因為這個地方屬於我的責任,這是我的責任,佛陀這樣說。因為佛陀他的「我」是大我,就是這個道理,還無法入人的心去,所以就做屬於我所有,這變成是這樣,道理還無法入人心。
此處既屬我有
又多諸患難
即應救拔
眾生又是吾子
豈可父居界外
蕭然無累
「又多諸患難」,這個地方已經很多不調和,患難就是不調和,所以災難一直起,,應該要設法來救拔。所以「眾生又是吾子」,這些事情已經,變成了這麼複雜,愈來愈污濁,很多的災難不斷一直起,這些又是我的孩子,「豈可父居界外呢?」孩子在那個界內,三界內,在險宅中,這位父親怎麼能逍遙在外面呢?所以他雖然心已經脫離了煩惱,已經不用在三界內,不過他就是不忍心,不忍心「諸子界內迷向奔馳」,在這三界內還在迷,那個心,煩惱、無明還是四竄,這樣在奔馳。
不忍諸子
界內迷向奔馳
我既寂然安處
豈可袖手不顧
更不忍諸子
患難燒煮乎
故云唯是能救護
「我既寂然安處」,我已經脫離了這種煩惱,我已經非常寂靜,心沒有起伏,不過不能袖手旁觀,所以不能不顧到些孩子,不能不去關懷這些眾生,這樣還在火宅內,在那個地方在迷茫,還在那個地方習氣不斷,還在那個地方煩惱覆心,實在是很不忍心。
所以,這種在那個地方,自己自我起火,自己自我在燒、在煮,實在是很不捨,所以說唯我能救護。」「唯我」,這個「我」字,那就是一定要記住那就是大道理,唯有真理才有辦法來幫忙。
所以,法,我們要聽入心;聽入心之後,我們自己要做到,自己的煩惱要去除,自己的習氣要去除,去除自己的習氣,去除自己的煩惱,去除那個塵沙、無明,潛伏在我們的內心,無形無蹤,但是這種的習氣、塵沙煩惱,我們還要去除,才有辦法像佛陀,他能夠這樣已經寂然,在那個地方,這樣非常清淨的地方。他的清淨的地方,是他們的內心。
前面說他已經「寂然閒居,安處林野」,這就是佛陀的心境,他寂然閒居,那個心很乾淨,就如《無量義經》的「靜寂清澄」那個境界。這我們大家應該要好好用心,不要習氣猶在,煩惱還覆在我們好好用心,不要我們的習氣還常常在,也不要有煩惱,還覆蓋在我們的真如上面。所以我們要時時多用心啊!
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Enter the Three Realms to Save Sentient Beings (為救眾生入三界)
Date:October.12. 2015
“Love knows neither near nor far when we connect our hearts and efforts to work for all sentient beings, like great awakened beings. Let us fill the world with great love and boundless great vows. We have deep faith in the Tathagata, that He teaches the true through the provisional.”
Love is something that the world cannot lack. The Buddha came to this world to teach us. Didn’t He do this in order to teach us to open our hears and, with this undefiled and selfless great love, give to sentient beings? Love does not distinguish between people who are near or far, between people we are close to or distant from, between people we know or do not know; we love all of them. If we have a good relationship with someone, that means we formed good affinities in the past and are thus helping each other in this lifetime. People who help us with our spiritual cultivation and in finding the right direction in life are people we have good affinities with.
What of people with whom we have bad affinities? Those [relationships] are also special. In past lifetimes, we formed bad affinities with some people, so in this lifetime they help us strengthen our spiritual aspirations. So, whether we spiritual practitioners meet people we have good or bad affinities with, we must always open up our loving and grateful hearts. This is what the Buddha teaches us.
Take the vast country of Malaysia for example. Its population is comparable to Taiwan’s, and many people there have aspired [to help others]. However, there are many who need help. So, I made a request of them, “Tzu Chi volunteers all over Malaysia must link their hearts together. Causes and conditions have matured; now is the time to do this.”
If south and north [Malaysia] come together, they can recruit 1 million members. If one million people understand Tzu Chi, if one million people’s love is awakened, if one million people have Right Understanding and Right Views, each of them will become a seed [of love]. If this happens across this country, won’t “love fill the land”?
They had the resolve, the will and the strength. So, they quickly linked their love and linked their hearts. Linking their hearts, they pooled their strength. By April of this year, they had over 900,000 members. I told them, “In a little over ten months, you have achieved this incredible growth. So many people have encountered the Right Dharma. Everyone has become inspired, and you have created countless merits! By June, you will probably exceed this goal.”
They asked me, “Master, what should be our goal for next year?” I said, “For next year’s goal, two million will be enough. Each person can bring in two others so that the power of love can spread out in this way; can you do this?” They said, “Yes, we will work hard to do this.” This shows their faith in the world and their love for the world. All they need to do is link their hearts together with love. No matter how far away they live from each other, as long as there is mutual gratitude and unity, their strength will be great.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, in the kingdom of Magadha, King Ajatasatru was very ambitious and hoped to annex the surrounding kingdoms, so he constantly tried to provoke King Prasenajit into engaging in war.
But King Ajatasatru’s father was King Prasenajit’s good friend. Although his friend’s son was very vicious, for the sake of his old friendship, King Prasenajit tried to forgive him and hoped that their kingdom could be at peace.This was how he felt.
However, King Ajatasatru never let up in his ambition.
He summoned his armies, so King Prasenajit also called forth troops to do battle.In this battle, King Ajatasatru was beaten by King Prasenajit.Although he had defeated him, he still felt like father toward him.
He brought King Ajatasatru into his carriage, and instead of returning to the capital, he brought him to Jeta Grove to see the Buddha.
The Buddha looked at them and asked, “King Prqasenajit, what sort of punishment do you have planned for Ajatasatru?”King Prasenajit said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, no matter what has happened, I still hope for Ajatasatru to awaken, to understand and repent for his past wrongdoing. In the past, he disobeyed and killed his parents. He must repent those actions. I also hope he can accept the Buddha’s teachings. Then I’ll be willing to forgive him hope that he can start anew.”
The Buddha looked at Ajatasatru and said, “What do you think? Right now, King Prasenajit is willing to forgive you. He hopes you can reflect on your actions and realize the true principles of life. If you try to conquer others, both sides will suffer losses, and the law of karma never fails. Even if you win in this life, you will lose in your next life, because the forces of karma are fearsome. These forces will follow you to your next life, and you will suffer the consequences. You can conquer a tangible kingdom, but you cannot conquer people’s hearts.”
So, the Buddha continued to use these gentle principles to teach.Eventually his mind was tamed by the Buddha, and he also agreed to earnestly reflect on himself.
The kings have engaged in this conflict, this war, but once they came before the Buddha, He resolved the hate and animosity between them.He did this with love.
The Buddha’s compassionate teachings harmoniously resolved the conflict between these two kingdoms.To connect to the hearts of other people, one must be a “great awakened being” who “works for all sentient beings”.
This is what Bodhisattvas are like King Prasenajit followed the Buddha’s teachings and was also able to be like a “great awakened being”.He tried to be forgiving.He hoped to teach his friend’s son on his behalf.
People with Right Understanding, Right Views, Right Mindfulness and great loving hearts could be seen in the Buddha’s lifetime.
Next, “Let us fill the world with great love and boundless great vows.”King Prasenajit did not just make vows for the sake of his own kingdom.If the king of the other kingdom could accept the Buddha-Dharma, the people of that kingdom would be blessed.
“Have deep faith in the Tathagata.”All this comes from having deep faith in Him King Ajatasatru later took refuge with the Buddha.
So, after taking refuge, he was no longer authoritarian toward the people of his kingdom.Instead, he cherished his people with love.That came from his deep faith in the Tathagata.
The Tathagata used many methods to give provisional to reveal the true.He taught the law of karma to convince people, as well as the True Dharma and Great Vehicle Dharma to get us to open our hearts and exercise great love.This was what the Buddha taught in this world.
Previously we have talked about how the Buddha ceaselessly; reminded sentient beings that everything is created by the mind.In the Three Realms of our minds, we have desirous thoughts, so we want to take advantage of others.Thus we create much karma.In this world, in taking from each other, people cause manmade calamities.This is great suffering!
This does not only happen because of our desires; there is also the ignorance caused by form, which is only in our minds.What [King Ajatasatru] wanted and pursued was not only the things in front of his eyes.
He hoped that all the lands would be his.These are [afflictions of] “from,” which all begin with desirous thoughtsMeanwhile, we continue to accumulate so many formless afflictions, those dust-like delusions; we cannot eliminate even the smallest of them. These are sentient beings’ karmic seeds; they are so subtle that we cannot see them. But hidden inside them is a great force.
These are our dust-like delusions. On the surface, we seem to be free from desires. On the surface, we are not fighting with others. However, although we are not fighting, we still hold grudges in our hearts. These [seeds] are very powerful. So, the Buddha said they are the sparks of fire in the Three Realms. After something happens, [though we say, “Fine, what is done is done, the afflictive emotions that arose are still in our minds”. So, in the form and formless [realms], these delusions are as tiny as dust; they are very frightening.
Earlier we said, “The elder was frightened. The Buddha was also very worried. Among the multitude of sentient beings, how could He help everyone to truly transcend the afflictions in their minds? How could He get everyone to open up their hearts and have a great love that holds no grudges, that kind of expansive love? How could He help people become awakened? How could He spread this love throughout the world? These were the things the Buddha worried about.
So, when the Tathagata is in this world, though He was worried about sentient beings, He Himself had already left the burning house of the Three Realms.
“The Thahagata has already left the burning house of the Three Realms and calmly dwells in tranquility, peacefully abiding in the forest and fields”.
Because His mind was completely pure, He did not even have dust-like delusions. His mind was completely pure. It was only for the sake of sentient beings, out of the compassion and kindness he felt towards them and His unwillingness to abandon them, that He returned to this world. Thus His mind “calmly dwells in tranquility”. It is in a very pure state, “peacefully abiding in the forest and fields”.
The next sutra passage states, “Now these Three Realms all belong to me, and the sentient beings within are all my children”.
The Buddha is the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. As the guiding teacher, He came to awaken the minds of sentient beings, because they were all His children. Out of His compassion, He was the kind father of the four kinds of beings. “And now this place faces many problems and hardships”. This place is already full of recurring disasters. “I am the only one able to deliver and protect it”.
This was what the Buddha said. This is saying that the world is turbid and evil. The turbidity of this world is very severe. The imbalance of the four elements is worsening. This is because of people’s minds. Eliminating the afflictions in people’s minds is what the Buddha believed to be His responsibility.
So, He said “I am the only one able to deliver and protect [them]”. Here, “I” refers to the Dharma. The Buddha believed this was the greater self, which is the true principles. These true principles of the greater self. Encompass the true principles of the world. Only true principles can save people, and these true principles are the Dharma taught by the Buddha. So, the Buddha hoped that these true principles could spread among people. This was what the Buddha hoped for and the mission He carried out. He wanted to help return balance to this world and help tame and train people’s minds. People’s minds are too unyielding; how can they be tamed?
So it says, “He sees all sentient beings”. The Buddha compassionately observes how sentient beings are being roasted by the fires of birth, aging, illness and death. When they fall ill, that suffering is unbearable!
He sees all sentient beings being roasted by the fires of birth, aging and so on. In the past, the Buddha had existed in the Three Realms, but He has already left. Now sentient beings exist in the Three Realms, so they too must leave them.
Experiencing birth, aging, illness and death is like being roasted by fire, so painful! Though illness affects us physically, it is the mind that experiences the suffering. As for the Buddha, He had already transcended the cycle of birth and death.
But since there are still sentient beings who are suffering and not at ease, for these sentient beings of the Three Realms, He used the Dharma to move and transform them. Moreover, He wanted them to understand that the karma they create in this impermanent world will last forever.
As long as they bring this karma with them, in the future they will continue to replicate their afflictions and karma forces. If this continues into the future, the world will never be safe and stable.
So, the Buddha said, “And now this place faced many problems and hardships. I am the only one able to deliver and protect it.”
Because He felt this place was His responsibility, the Buddha said, “I am responsible for it.” When the Buddha said “I.” He was referring to the greater self. This truth cannot easily penetrate people’s hearts so they take it to mean all things should belong to them. Thus they cannot truly internalize the teachings.
Since this place belongs to me and is facing many problem and hardships, I should rescue it. Sentient beings are all my children. How could I, as their father, live apart from them and feel unconcerned and carefree?
“Facing many problems and hardships” means there are many imbalances in this place. Problems and hardships arise from imbalance. As disasters constantly arise, the Buddha felt He hard to find a way to relieve sentient beings from them.Thus, “Sentient beings are all my children.” As things become more complicated, the world becomes increasingly turbid and disasters arise endlessly. “How could I, as their father, live apart from them?”
The children are in the world of the Three Realms, in this dangerous house, so how could the father travel outside carefree?Although He had already transcended afflictions and did not have to be in Three Realms, He could not bear to let. “His children run around confused in the world. Living in the Three Realms, they were still deluded. In their minds, afflictions and ignorance were still running rampant.
He could not bear to let His children run around confused in the world. As He abided tranquilly in a peaceful place, how could He pull away and not care? Furthermore, He could not bear to let His children be roasted by hardships. This the Buddha is the only one who can deliver and protect them.
“As He abided tranquilly in a peaceful place, He had already transcended these afflictions and was already in a tranquil and still state, so his mind was not fluctuating. However, He could not stand and watch idly. He could not disregard His children; He had to care for these sentient beings. As the children remain in the burning house, lost and confused, they cannot put an end to habitual tendencies, and afflictions continue to cover their minds. He truly could not bear for them [to suffer].
Living in that place, the children had started the fire themselves, so they were burning and roasting themselves. The Buddha truly could not bear to abandon them.
Thus He said He was the only one who could deliver and protect them. When He says, “I am the only one,” we must remember that “I” refers to great principles. Only true principles can be of help with this. Therefore we must listen to the Dharma and take it to heart. After we take it to heart, we must apply it by eliminating our afflictions and eradicating our habitual tendencies. We must eliminate our habitual tendencies, our afflictions and the dust-like ignorance in the depths of our minds. Though they are invisible, these habitual tendencies and dust-like afflictions are things we must still eliminate so that we can be like the Buddha, who is already tranquil and calm. In this world, He remains in a very pure place; this very pure place is His mind.
Earlier, He said He was already “calmly dwelling in tranquility, peacefully abiding in the forest and fields.” This was the Buddha’s state of mind. He was calmly dwelling in tranquility, so His mind was very pure, like the “tranquil and clear” state of mind described in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. This is something we must earnestly work towards. We cannot allow our habitual tendencies to always remain with us, nor allow our afflictions to continue to cover our nature of True Suchness. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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