A mother's heart is the Bodhisattva's heart
诸位同修，我们学佛，就是要培养一念信心，「信为道源功德母，长养一切诸善根。」
法并非只是拿来研究，而是要入于心表现，在日常行为行动中，才是真正信敬佛法僧。
倘若我们学佛，不能对佛法僧起信仰心，那么法再好，虽然你读了很多，研究得很深入，只是拿来作学问功夫。真正的信仰，就是要「信而敬之」。我们要信佛敬佛、信法敬法、信僧敬僧，我们要信而敬之。
法不是拿来作研究的，法是用在我们的日常生活。法就是我们平时待人接物，进退礼仪，无不都是法。所以法要入心，我们要把法用在行动、行为中，这才是真正的信敬佛法僧。
因为无明层层重复，烦恼覆心而，「不信十分诸佛，不信尊法贤圣僧，不孝父母、六亲眷属。」
昨天我们说过了，因为我们的无明层层重复，所以烦恼覆心，所以「不信十方诸佛，不信尊法圣贤僧，不孝父母、六亲眷属。」不只是不信佛法僧，连自己的父母他都不孝。
其实信佛法僧，是学佛之人应该都要有的。只是现在社会一般人，有的人也有信仰，各有所主。所以现在所说的就是信佛，我们若是佛教徒，我们必定要信奉、敬重佛法僧。学佛的正信，就是除了要信敬三宝，我们也要敬畏因果。
敬畏因果，我们就要知「道」因缘果报，我们是从何而来？我们过去生中与这对的父母有缘，无论是什么样的父母，我们总是「借」重父母的缘来到人间。我们要对父母真正孝而顺之，不过现在的人，很多不知道什么叫做孝。
父母对孩子，人人都知道，抚养孩子是天赋、应该的、是责任。所以作父母的对子女都懂得尽责任，而且给孩子的是无所不至，一辈子的努力、打拼，都是同样为了孩子。很多，在社会间比比皆是。他的努力、他的辛苦，他这样节俭，舍不得自己用。你「们如果」问他，就是一个心态，为了孩子打拼。这种父母很多。尤其是母亲，母亲菩萨心，她爱子就如同菩萨爱众生，愿意舍命给孩子。
慈母心如菩萨心，无悔无怨呵护子女，宁可用自己生命，换取子女平安出世长大。
我们是否还记得，在几年前，曾经有一个女人，当她怀孕满四个月的时候，医师发现她罹患了肝病，医生赶紧建议，这个时候治疗还来得及，不过因为她怀孕了，所以医生建议将孩子拿掉。把四个多月的孩子拿掉，这位妈妈觉得已经四个月，是我的孩子了。
所以她坚持不顾自己的生命，她拒绝治疗，要求医生保全她肚子里面的孩子。她希望无论如何，这个孩子都要生下来，就算是需要以生命换生命。
当时有很多的慈青来医院作志工的时候，这些志工都被这个母亲的母爱所感动，每一梯次作志工的慈青来了，都会到医院去关怀这位妈妈。看到这位妈妈的身体一天一天的衰弱了，肝癌的病毒一天一天侵蚀她，看了实在很不忍心，但是也看出了母性的坚强。她和这些年轻人说话时，都是面带笑容，摸着还在她的肚子中的孩子。
而肚子也一天天的大了起来，好像一位很骄傲、欢喜的妈妈，这种疼惜身体内有一个生命，她很欢喜。但同时妈妈的生命也一天天向死亡的尽头走去。而肚子中孩子的身体则是一天天的成形，一天天的健壮起来。大家都在为这位妈妈祈祷，但愿她能完成母亲的天性，更期待她能够活下去，陪着孩子生活。
终于她大半年的时间，在慈济医院总算如她所愿。「记得那一天她生产了」，医师看她的身体已经快不行了，而孩子也足月了，应该可以剖腹，因为当时她的身体状况要自然生产的话会非常辛苦、痛苦。那天我听到她要生产了，就专程到产房去看她，就是在待产房里面，看到她的时候，她还面带笑容，我也为她加油打气。
她说：「师父！我很感恩，这一段时间，很多师姊都很照顾我，我已经很满足了。今天我的孩子要出世了。」就好像一个健康的妈妈，孩子将要临盆之前那样的喜悦。
那天真的剖腹，生出来的孩子很健康。隔天我再去看她，我说：「恭喜！孩子妳看到了吗？」她说：「我知道孩子健康就好了。我知道就好了。」其实她很怕当孩子抱到她身边的时候会受到感染，孩子还小，看这个妈妈这么伟大，用生命换生命。就是出世了，她还是顾虑孩子会不会受到感染，想到这个女人，几天后她就往生了，连孩子都没有看到。
这种智慧，这种勇猛、毅力，你们想，这就叫做「妈妈」。这真的是人间菩萨，为孩子愿意牺牲生命，非常难得，母性的光辉就在这种地方。
为人子女，当思报亲恩，饮水思源头，才不枉得人身。
但是有多少人无法体会，母亲十月怀胎的辛苦。大家都不知道，其实母亲生产时的痛苦，孩子要离开母亲的胎胞时，也是很挣扎的脱离出来。大家都忘了生命的来源是怎么来的，是这么不容易才出世。
出世之后，除了妈妈的呵护以外，还有父亲。父亲辛辛苦苦建立家业，辛辛苦苦要让孩子有最好的教育、最好的生活。但是我们就是无法体会。所以慈济有一出《父母恩重难报经》的舞台剧，在一段歌词中就这么说：「不孝父母，现在的众生就是「枉得人身」，「心行愚痴，不思亲恩。」
就是我们人生空过得很冤枉，既然让我们能够得到这个身体，大家就应该要知道，这个身体得来不易，人生应该要能知道我们是万物之灵、我们能够知道恩义，但我们人来到人间，却不知道人情世故，这就是枉得。很冤枉我们虽然有得到这个身体，但我们却和一般的动物差不了多少。和动物最明显的差别，就是人知道礼仪，知道人情世故，要能知恩、报恩。这样有这个人身，才是真正有价值的人生。
亲恩浩荡，要及时懂得表达，对父母的孝与顺。
所以说来，做人最根本要从家庭开始，待人接物要从孝顺父母开始，要从知道我们的身体从哪里来的这个源头开始。人若不知道根本，不懂得回报父母恩，这实在是枉得人身。不思亲恩，不会考虑到父母给我们这个亲的恩情，不是说家里很有钱，父母留下很多钱，或者是给我们很好的生活，这样才要感恩。不是！就是连贫穷的时候，父母还在为子女不断地努力，我们更要加倍感恩。
所以过去有很多感人、孝顺的故事，都是在那种贫穷的家庭。会想的人，就懂得固守人本道德，所以他懂得孝顺、懂得尊重。父母对我们有大恩德，但是我们不懂得起恭敬心。父母给我们的恩德真的很大！
各位，有时我们静静地想，从小父母对我们如何？说不定也有父母，比较不会表达，有的人回忆当年，觉得和父母的缘不是很合，不很贴心。不过无论如何，我们也要想成，若不是父母那分的呵护、那分疼爱，我们如何成长为人？
所以父母的大恩大德，除了十月怀胎以外，我们能够长大成人，无不都是父母辛苦付出、用心疼爱。他们的大恩大德，我们不懂得生出恭敬心。常常听到有的人不会表达出他的爱、他的孝，就让人觉得他很忘恩负义，不孝不顺。
说起来，我们要懂得表达，不要做那种本来内心有孝，但是不愿意表达，不愿意顺从父母，这样就会让人觉得不孝。
本来是孝顺，就是等到父母往生的时候，后悔也来不及。所以说「子欲养而亲不在」，这真的是很遗憾的。做人若能及时表现「孝而顺之」，这就是不后悔的人生。所以我们佛教徒，一定要做到信敬三宝，还要孝养父母，这才是我们佛教徒的本份事。
所以请大家要多用心。
We learn Buddhism to nurture our faith. “Faith is the source of all merits and virtues; it nourishes all roots of goodness.”
Dharma is not meant to only be studied, but to be taken into the heart and expressed through actions in our daily living. This is true belief and reverence in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
If learning Buddhism does not build our faith in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then no matter how good the teachings are, how much we have read and how deeply we have studied them, they can only be taken as academic knowledge. True belief requires faith and reverence. Have faith in and venerate Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, we need to have such reverence along with faith. Dharma is not meant to be studied, it is to be practiced in daily living.
Dharma exists in our everyday affairs. Proper etiquette and conduct are all forms of Dharma. Take Dharma into the heart and use it to guide actions and behaviors. This is true belief and reverence in Buddha.
Because we have accumulated a lot of ignorance, afflictions obscure our minds and we do not believe in Buddhas of the ten Directions, we do not believe in Sages and Holy Sanghas, and we are not filial toward parents and elders.
As we discussed yesterday, we have accumulated so much ignorance that our minds are covered by afflictions “Some do not believe in Buddhas of ten Directions. Some do not believe in Sages and Holy Sanghas. Some are not filial to parents and elders. ” Not only do they not believe in they are even un-filial to their parents
Actually, faith in the Three Treasures is something all Buddhists should have in our society. However, some people have different faiths. Right now I am speaking of being Buddhist. Since we are Buddhists, we need to have faith in and venerate Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. To have Right Faith in Buddhism, in addition to believing in and respecting the Three Gems, we also need to respect and fear cause and effect.
We should understand causes, conditions, fruitions and retributions. How did we come to be born into this world? In previous lives, we created affinities with our parents. No matter what they are like, we come into the world through our affinities with them. So be filial and compliant to parents. But people nowadays don't understand filial piety.
We all know that parents have a duty to raise their children. It is their obligation and responsibility. Therefore, parents will spare no effort to give their children the best. They work hard and toil all their lives for the sake of their children. Most parents in society sweat, work hard and live frugally. If you ask them why, they say their mindset is to work hard for the children.
Many parents are like this, especially mothers. Mothers have Bodhisattva hearts and love children as Bodhisattvas love all beings, so much so that they would sacrifice their lives.
A mother's heart is the Bodhisattva's heart. They protect children without regrets or resentment. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their children's health and safety.
I am not sure if you still remember the pregnant woman from a few years ago. She was diagnosed with liver cancer four months into her pregnancy. The doctor advised that she promptly undergo treatment before it was too late. But she was pregnant and so the doctor advised her to abort the pregnancy first. But the mother already considered the four-month-old fetus as her child.
So without regard for her own life, she refused treatment and asked the doctor to save her baby. She was determined to bring this baby to term, no matter what, even at the cost of her own life.
During that time, many of our collegiate volunteers were at the hospital. Our adult volunteers were all very touched by this woman's maternal love. Whenever a new group of collegiate volunteers arrived, they were brought to visit her. We watched this mother grow weaker and weaker each day as the cancer caused her body to deteriorate. It was truly heartening. But we saw the strength of a mother. Whenever she spoke to these young volunteers, she always smiled and caressed her baby.
As her belly grew each day, she was the picture of a proud and happy mother. She cherished the life growing inside of her. She was so happy. But each day brought her closer to death. The baby inside her grew a bit every day, growing stronger and healthier.
Everyone prayed that this mother would bring the baby to term and recover, then live to raise her child. After six months at our hospital, her wish was granted. I still remember the day she gave birth. The doctor saw that her body was very weak, but the baby was almost full-term, so a caesarean section was viable as a natural birth would be very painful.
On the day of her caesarean section, I visited her in the delivery room. She was waiting there. When I saw her, she still had a smile on her face. I said some encouraging words to her. She told me, “Master, I am very grateful. During this time, many volunteers took good care of me. I am very content, because my child will be born today.” She looked just like any other healthy mother who was excited about having her baby.
She had the caesarean section and delivered a healthy baby. When I saw her the next day, I told her, “Congratulations! Have you seen your baby?” She replied, “All I need to know is that the baby is healthy.” She was very worried that she would infect the baby, because it was still so small. Look at how incredible this mother is. She exchanged her own life for her baby's. Even after the baby was born, she was concerned that she would infect it. A few days later, she passed away. She did not even see her baby.
She had such wisdom and courageous persistence. This is the nature of a mother. She was truly a human Bodhisattva who was willing to sacrifice her life for her child. That is very rare and shows the beauty of maternal nature.
As a son or daughter, let us think about and repay our parents' grace. As we drink water, we think of the source, thus we would not have attained the human form in vain.
But many people cannot understand the hardship mothers endure during the ten months of pregnancy. For the baby, the moment of leaving the mother's womb is a difficult struggle. People seem to forget how they came into this world and how hard it was at birth.
After we are born, not only are we cared for by our mothers, but by our fathers as well. Fathers work hard to support the family and provide us with the best education and quality of life. But we simply do not comprehend this.
In our musical on the Sutra of Profound Gratitude Toward Parents, one of the lyrics describes those who are not filial to their parents. Humans “attain this form in vain, act with ignorance and delusion, disregarding parents' grace”.
We do not live up to the value of this body. Everyone should know that it is difficult to obtain this body. We should know that we are the most sentient of all creatures, since we know to repay kindness we have received. If we do not recognize and appreciate others' kindness, then we have attained this body in vain and are no different from ordinary animals.
What distinguishes humans from animals is our capacity to understand propriety and relationships with others. So we can recognize and repay grace. Only then are we truly living a life of value.
Parental grace is immeasurable. Know to express filial piety and compliance toward parents.
So being a good person starts at home. Good behavior starts with filial piety toward our parents, the source of our bodies. If we do not understand our roots, do not know to repay our parents' kindness, we have lived our lives in vain.
Then we are not thinking about or considering all that our parents have done for us. We do not repay them only if they leave us a big inheritance or give us a comfortable life. No, even if our parents are poor, they still work hard to provide for us. So we need to be even more grateful.
That is why, throughout the ages, many moving stories of filial piety emerged from very poor families. Children who are filial under those conditions know to uphold their moral duties. They know to be filial and respectful. We are profoundly indebted to our parents and yet any of us neglect to show them respect. We are truly indebted to them.
Everyone, sometimes we should recall how our parents have treated us. Maybe they were not as expressive, so some may remember their parents as uncaring or unsympathetic. But no matter what, we must know that if it were not for our parents' loving care, how could we have grown into adults?
The immeasurable generosity of our parents extends beyond the ten months of pregnancy. We can grow into adults solely as a result of their tireless efforts and love. They have shown us great grace and virtue, yet we do not properly respect them. We often hear that some people truly do not know how to express their love and filial piety to their parents. So they appear ungrateful, not filial, and not compliant.
In summary, we need to express ourselves. Do not be filial in thought while unwilling to show it or unwilling to comply with parents. That makes us seem ungrateful, un-filial.
If we wait until our parents are gone to express our filial piety, it will be too late even for regrets. It is said, "filial piety often comes too late.” That is truly regrettable. As human beings, if we can seize the moment to be filial and compliant to our parents, we will have no regrets. So as Buddhists, we must have faith in and venerate Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and be filial to our parents. These are the core responsibilities of a Buddhist.
So everyone, please always be mindful.
出处； http://moya.iyard.org/bin/view/Blog/BlogEntry2187
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment