Autious Speech and Actions Can Eliminate Old Karma
一者烦恼，二者是业，三者果报。此三种法，能障圣道及以人天胜妙好事，是故经中目为三障。
昨天说过了，烦恼会障碍道业，烦恼从心起，业是从身、口造，无论是心的贪嗔痴，起了种种尘劳，乃至无量无数八万四千多的烦恼，当然我们身口所造的业，同样是无量无数的业，受业就要得果报，善业归于福的福报，恶业就归在恶的恶报。这实在是丝毫不差。
所以我们平时学佛，我们就是要很小心，小心在我们的起心动念，小心在我们的举止动作，这些无不是业，所以我们要很谨慎。
众生因一念不觉，造作无量罪与垢，若能觉照每个起心动念，谨言慎行，就能随缘消旧业，更不造新殃。
三种法能障圣道，恶法能障碍人天善道，因为你造恶，不只是失去人身，将来也不只是不能升天，还要堕入地狱，这都是恶法。所以说来，恶法就是障碍我们在来世能「生为人」或是「生于天道」的道路，这叫做「恶法障人天道」。
第二种是「善法障出世道」，为善为何会有障碍啊？因为我们每件善事都会放在心中，会计较，一直觉得我已经做了很多很多的好事，非常自大，这同样也是一种修行的障碍。
人身虽然我们要保持着，因为身在天堂就是没有佛法可修，所以我们修行的人，最想求的是不失人身。倘若我们生在天道，享福之后，就会迷失自己，因为没有佛法可听。所以我们最重要的是不失人身，在人间我们才有佛法可听，才有善事可以做。因为在人间娑婆世间，堪忍的事多。
五浊：见浊、众生浊、命浊、烦恼浊、劫浊。
因为娑婆世界的名称，叫做堪忍的世界，就是表示在这个世间中，苦难的事情偏多。其实什么是苦呢？第一就是五浊三灾，所以使众生普遍受苦。五浊就是：见浊、众生浊、命浊、烦恼浊、劫浊。很多很多的浊气，合在一起，浊就是垢秽，在劫浊的这个时间，有「见浊、众生浊、命浊、烦恼浊」合起来的这个时间叫做劫浊。
佛经中云末法恶世，将会出现大小三灾。
小三灾：饥馑、瘟疫、刀兵劫；
大三灾：火灾、水灾、风灾，
你看很多的苦难聚集在此时，天灾、人祸。天下就是三灾不断连环，饥馑、瘟疫、战争，这就是人生的苦难。生活在这种五浊三灾的世界，当然众生苦啊！但是就是因为有苦难需要人去拯救，启发爱心。有这么多的苦，让人有警世的精神。
不是说过了：「有了惊世的灾难之后，众生更要有警世的觉悟。」我们在这种苦乐参半的时代中，我们可以看到很多的苦难，印证佛陀的教法：「人生无常，国土危脆。」我们已经可以印证。在这中间就可以启发很多人的爱心。
你看在九二一的时候，好像菩萨忽然间从地涌出，这就是有了灾难之后，才有机会多启发人心，让人人在「惊世的灾难」之后，「警世的觉悟」能够提升起来，所以我们就是在这个娑婆世界，苦乐参半，有的人在受苦，有的人有余力，有能力的人能去救济有苦难的人，这就是做人、学佛的好处。
出世法即出世间法，意指在人间，依佛陀所教的道理，修行菩萨道。
我们做人如果不懂得学佛，实在是很可惜，所以我们要知道修善法，不能被障碍，我们一定不要只贪恋在人天道，一定要爱惜这个人身，借这个人身赶紧修出世法。出世法，就是要知道「不要再六道轮回」，天虽然享受，但是福总要消逝的时候。人虽然能修善法，但是要在五浊恶世，在众生浊中，要保持这念心的清净、这念善，有时候都很困难。
最好的就是要修出世法。「修出世法」大家都说「学佛」，学佛就是希望能够成佛，成佛这才是我们的目标。就算再倒驾慈航，诸佛菩萨也不会受世间的苦乐染污了本性。就像一间大医院中，医院里面有很多传染病的人。医师，好的医师、有爱心的医师，必定具备智慧，他要把自己防范得很好，保护得很好，他要不怕医院里面有传染病的人，他要去救他。
同样在世间的众生，很多都已经处在这种不调和的病态中，需要佛菩萨来教我们，教我们如何调和。不只是调和人与人之间的病态，最重要的是调和人人本身心里的病态。所以我们学佛就是要不断调适、调适，调适我们的心不会受到周围环境影响到这念的道心。
纵然我们做了很多的好事，倘若我们在这里起了贡高我慢，心存有我们救了多少人？我们付出了多少东西去救人？这种罣礙就会障碍我们出世的道业。有一句话说：「前脚走，后脚放。」该做的，我们方向不能偏差，准确的方向我们要一步一步向前走，要前脚走，后脚放。这样心才不会有障碍。
第三就是「不动法障菩提道。」什么叫做不动法？不动法就是当我们很有修行，哪怕已经是修到进入第四禅，第四禅天就是我们心的境界，已经都不动了。在这之间他不苦不乐，世间无论有多少的苦，好像都和他没有关系，世间有多少的欲乐，也和他没有关系，因为他的心已经不受苦乐所摇动，他的心已经很稳定，但是在这个境界，他会障碍菩提道。因为启动不了他的悲心。
我们佛法、佛道，佛陀教导我们在众生中要起悲念，所以我们说：「大慈、大悲、大喜、大舍。」「大慈无悔、大悲无怨、大喜无忧、大舍无求。」这不就是一直对大家所叮咛的，慈济人大家要修到这种程度。
大慈为悔：为了世间人的幸福，我们愿意去付出。世人健康、幸福、富有，我们替他欢喜。世间人我们来启发他们的爱心，人人行菩萨道，我们也替他们欢喜。虽然我们付出得很辛苦，但是我们绝对不会后悔。
世间人受苦，「人伤我痛，人苦我悲」，为了那些受灾的苦难人，我们冒着生命危险也愿意去救，怎样的辛苦都在所不惜，为了别人的苦难，我们去付出，我们一点都不怨。
记得有一回我到大林的慈院，看到一位先生，站在病房的走廊。本来我已经走过去了，但是他远远站在那个地方，那种眼神和态度，令我不由得再走了回来。走近他的身边询问：「如何？你来看什么人呢？」他就赶紧叫：「师父！」我就问说：「怎么了？是谁来住院？」他就说：「是太太。太太车祸住在病房里面。」
我就跟着他进去看他太太，后来才知道这对夫妻就是我们的环保志工，也是我们的幕后委员。虽然夫妻都还没有受证，但是他们投入慈济已经十年了，从开始推动环保就投入了。
这次为什么会车祸呢？因为她是幕后委员，她去收钱，收会费之后，从员林要到彰化的路上，在骑机车过去的时候，刚好一位开车的女士停下车来，门一开就撞到机车，人就飞出去，也是脊椎受伤。
在员林的医院说：「要赶紧为她开刀。」一听到说要开刀，就说：「我们要赶紧回我们的大林慈院。」来到大林慈院的时候，医生看了说：「不用开刀，不过你要躺几天。要订做铁衣，穿铁衣就可以了。」所以我去看她的时候，她就是躺在病床上，跟我说她受伤的经过。
先生站在旁边，他就说：「要感恩啊！要感恩！」太太就说：「是啊！我也是很感恩啊！我如果不是去收功德款，如果不是要拿钱去彰化，说不定这次的车祸就难说了。」我就问：「对方有没有来看妳？」太太就开始发牢骚了，她说：「有啊！穿得很漂亮，还带着皮包来。」我问说：「然后呢？」太太说：「都没有表示什么！」
先生就说：「我们不能这样说，我们要感恩她。幸好只是轻轻的撞了一下而已，幸好那个时候路上没有车开过来。如果撞得大力一点，或是刚好大路上有车开过来，难道只是这样而已吗？师父说这是消我们的业，我们不要计较，不要生气，要感恩她。」我就说：「你这样很正确。」
先生说：「师父，我很想去她家度她！」我问说：「你要怎么度她？」先生说：「我要去为她安心，可能她心不安所以才没有来。我先去为她安心，跟她说不要紧，感恩这是一个缘，我们要继续结好缘，我想要把她带出来当会员。」你看，这种没有怨。
太太就说：「师父，我这回躺在这里，我什么都不怨叹，只是担心我先生。我们要做工才有饭吃。」先生就说：「不要这样想，妳就让我休息几天，休息几天在这里陪伴妳。」你看，多善解。看这对夫妻，大悲无怨、大慈无悔，真的是一对大慈大悲的夫妻。你看，这就是菩萨。
大喜、大舍、付出无所求，这才是我们在人间真正要求的佛法。我们不是要修到那种苦乐对我们都没关系，我们只要内心有定性，不会受世间种种烦恼来染污我们的心，但是我们一定要保存着慈悲喜舍，众生的苦乐绝对和我们有关系。假使我们修成这种不动法，反而会障碍菩提道。
恶法障人天道，善法障出世道，不动法障菩提道。
这三种：「恶法障人天道，善法障出世道，不动法障菩提道。」这叫做三障。三障对我们出世和人间的好事都会受到障碍。所以诸佛菩萨不断教导我们，要如何保持好人间胜妙好事，不要受到三障所障碍。
这三项就是人间学佛的大障碍，所以大家要很用心。
First is affliction, second is karma, and third is retribution. These three things obstruct the Noble Path and good deeds that lead to Human and Heavenly Realms. In the Sutras they are called Three Obstructions.
Yesterday we spoke about how afflictions obstruct cultivation and afflictions arise from the mind. Karma is produced through speech and action. When greed, anger and ignorance arise in the mind, they generate a countless number of defilements and afflictions. Of course, the amount of karma created through speech and action is just as immeasurable. We feel the effects of karma as retributions. Good karma brings blessed retributions. Bad karma brings bad retributions. There are absolutely no exceptions.
Thus, as we learn Buddhism, we need to be very careful with our every thought and action, our every thought and action. Everything creates karma, so we must be very cautious.
A sentient being's unenlightened thought will give rise to countless wrongdoings and defilements. If we can hold every thought up to the light and be cautious with our speech and actions, we can use every opportunity to eliminate old karma and not create new bad karma.
These three things can obstruct the Noble Path. Evil will block our way to Heavenly and Human Realms. If we do evil, not only will we lose our human form and not be born in the Heavenly Realm, we will fall into hell. These are evil ways. Thus, engaging in evil ways will obstruct our path to be born in Heavenly or Human Realms. "Evil blocks our path to Heavenly or Human Realms."
And "Goodness obstructs our path to transcendence." How does doing good create obstacles? Because we dwell on every good deed we have performed. We become calculative and think, "I've done so many good deeds." We become very arrogant, which is also an obstacle to spiritual practice.
We want to retain human form because although there is much pleasure in Heaven, there is no Buddha-dharma there to practice. So what spiritual practitioners need most is to retain this human form. If we are born in Heaven, we will lose ourselves in comfort because there is no Dharma to hear. We seek to stay in the Human Realm where we can hear Dharma and have the chance to do good deeds. There is so much suffering to endure in this Saha World.
The Five Impurities are Impurity of Views, of Sentient Beings, of Life, of Afflictions, and the Kalpa of Impurity.
The Saha World is also called the World of Endurance. This signifies that many people are suffering in this world. Suffering from what? From the Five Impurities and Three Calamities. They cause pervasive suffering to sentient beings. Many impurities coexist. Impurities are defilements. In the Kalpa of Impurity, all the other impurities are present. This era is called the Kalpa of Impurity.
Three Minor Calamities: Famine, epidemics, war;
Three Major Calamities: Disasters from Fire, Water and Wind.
Look at the suffering concentrated in this era, the many natural and manmade disasters. Since sentient beings live among these Five Impurities and Three Calamities, of course they suffer. But since they face these sufferings, they need people to help them and inspire their love. So much suffering also brings about an awakening.
As I have said before, after earth-shattering disasters, sentient beings must experience a great awakening. In times when joy and suffering are intermixed, we can witness much suffering that verifies the Buddha's teaching: "Life is impermanent, and the land is fragile." We see evidence of this already. These events will bring out the love in people's hearts.
During the 9/21 earthquake in Taiwan, it was as if Bodhisattvas emerged from the earth. This shows that, after disasters happen, we have the chance to awaken people's kindness. Thus, after world-shattering disasters, we can give rise to a world-alerting awareness. This Saha world has an equal mix of joy and suffering, while others have more than enough. Those with means can help the poor and suffering. This is the benefit of being human and learning Buddhism.
Transcendent Dharma Truths refers to teachings the Buddha taught and the practicing of the Bodhisattva-way.
It will be a pity if we do not learn Buddhism. We should not be obstructed by doing good deeds. Also we must not cling to Heavenly or Human Realms. Rather, we should treasure this human form and use it to cultivate transcendent Dharma.
Transcendent Dharma is a way to stop the cycle of rebirth in the Six Realms. Though Heaven is full of pleasures, we will eventually exhaust our blessings. Humans can cultivate goodness, but they live in an Evil World of Five Impurities. Among the impurity of Sentient Beings, it is sometimes very hard to maintain a pure mind of goodness.
The best thing is to practice transcendent Dharma which is what we mean when we speak of learning Buddhism, following the Buddha. We do so in the hopes of attaining Buddhahood. Attaining Buddhahood is our real goal. Even when they return to this world, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will not be influenced by the joy and suffering here; their intrinsic natures will not be defiled.
The world is like a large hospital. There are many patients with infectious diseases. Good kind-hearted doctors must be equipped with wisdom. They can take preventive measures to protect themselves. They are not afraid of patients with infectious diseases. They will save them.
Similarly, there are many sentient beings who suffer from the illness of imbalance and need Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to teach them how to be balanced. Not only do we need to balance our relationships with others, more importantly, we need to balance our minds. So we learn Buddhism to find a way to constantly condition the mind so our resolve to practice will not be influenced by the environment.
For instance, if we become arrogant and proud of our many good deeds, or of all the people we helped, or of all our material contributions, these hang-ups all our material contributions, these hang-ups will obstruct our transcendent cultivation.
I often say, "Let go of the last step as you take the next one." Do what is right. Do not deviate from the right direction. We must go forward step by step, and let go of the last step as we take the next. Thus our minds can be free of obstructions.
The third is "Unmoving Dharma obstructs the Path to Bodhi." What is Unmoving Dharma? This refers to a state of advanced practice. Perhaps one has already reached the Fourth Dhyana. It is a degree of contemplation when the mind becomes indifferent to joy and suffering. All the suffering in the world has nothing to do with him. All the pleasures of the world have nothing to do with him either. His mind is no longer affected by suffering or pleasure. So his mind is very stable. Such a state can obstruct the path to enlightenment because it prevents the awakening of compassion.
As the Buddha taught us, we must be compassionate toward sentient beings. That is why we speak of great kindness, compassion, joy and giving. Great kindness is free of regrets, Great compassion is free of complaints, Great joy is free of worries, Great giving is free of conditions. I constantly say that all Tzu Chi volunteers need to practice and attain this level.
Great kindness is free of regrets. We willingly give and contribute to benefit our fellow human beings. We rejoice when they are blessed with health, good fortune and wealth. When their love is awakened and they walk on the bodhisattva-path, we are happy for them. Even though giving is very hard work, we absolutely have no regrets.
When others are hurt, we feel their pain. When others suffer, we feel sorrow. To help those suffering from disasters, we are willing to risk our own lives. No matter how hard the work may be, we will do all we can to relieve suffering. We do all this without any complaint.
I remember one time I visited Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital. A man was in the hallway of the inpatient ward. I was going to pass by but I could see his expression and demeanor from far away, so I walked back and approached him I asked him, "What is the matter? Who are you visiting?" He quickly said, "Master." I asked, "What is the matter? Who is in the hospital?" He said, "My wife. She was in a car accident."
So I went in the room with him to visit his wife. Later, I learned that this couple volunteers by sorting recycling and also collects donations for Tzu Chi. Though neither of them have received their commissioner certification yet, both have been volunteering with Tzu Chi for over ten years. They started getting involved when we began promoting environmental protection.
How did the accident happen? The wife was collecting donations as part of her Commissioner training. As she was traveling from Yuanlin to Zhanghua on her motorcycle, a woman in a stopped car just happened to open the door and hit her motorcycle. She flew off the motorcycle and suffered spinal injuries.
When she was rushed to a hospital in Yuanlin, the doctors wanted to operate immediately. When they heard that, they said, "We want to transfer to Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital." After they arrived the doctor said, "You don't need surgery, but you need to lie down for a few days. We need to fabricate a spinal brace. You just have to wear that." So when I visited her, she was lying in bed. She told me how she got injured.
Her husband stood by her and kept saying, "We really must be grateful." She said, "Yes, I am very grateful. If I weren't collecting donations at the time and bringing them to the Zhanghua, this accident may have turned out differently." I asked, "Did the other party visit you?" She started to complain, "Yes, she was dressed very beautifully and came with her designer purse." I asked her, "And?" She replied, "She didn't say anything."
Her husband said, "Don't say that. We should thank her. Fortunately, she hit you very lightly. Fortunately no other cars were on the road. If she hit you harder or if another car was coming, your injuries probably wouldn't be so light. Master says this helps eliminate our karma. So let's not be petty or angry. Let's be grateful to her." I told him, "You have the right attitude."
He replied, "Master, I want to visit and educate the other driver." I asked, "How will you educate her?" He said, "I want to reassure her. Perhaps she hasn't visited again because she is uneasy. So I want to reassure her, tell her not to worry and that we are grateful for this affinity, To strengthen our good affinities, I want to invite her to be involved in Tzu Chi." He felt no resentment.
His wife said, "Master, now that I'm bed-ridden, I really don't have any complaints. I'm just worried about my husband. We have to work to make a living." He replied, "Don't think that way. You're allowing me to rest for a few days and stay here with you." Look at how understanding they are. They have their spirit of great compassion without resentment and great kindness without regret. They are a truly kind and compassionate couple. You see, they are Bodhisattvas.
They have great joy and give unconditionally. This is the kind of Dharma that we need to seek in this world. Do not cultivate your minds into a state where you are indifferent to suffering and joy. That's not the way. Our minds must be firm so we will not be defiled by the many types of afflictions in this world. But we must remain kind, compassionate, joyous, giving. Sentient beings' pain and joy should definitely concern us. If we attain a state of Unmoving Dharma, that will obstruct our path to Buddhahood.
Of these three, evil obstructs the path to Heavenly and Human Realms. Goodness obstructs the path to transcendence. Unmoving Dharma obstructs the path to Bodhi.
These are called the Three Obstructions. These three obstacles will hinder our transcendence and efforts to do good. So all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas continuously teach and guide us to maintain good practices that lead to Human and Heavenly Realms and to not be hindered by the Three Obstructions.
These three obstructions are great obstacles to learning Buddhism. So everyone, please always be mindful.
出处：http://moya.iyard.org/bin/view/Blog/BlogEntry2235
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