The Birth of lnfinite Merits and Wisdom
我们在「回归清净本性」已经说到六波罗蜜。众生在六道中，真的是苦不堪言。有的人说生在天堂很幸福，但是福尽一样要再堕落，也同样不是「常」，也还是「无常」，寿命再长也是有尽的时候，所以天并不是真正永恒的。人间就不必说了，人寿百岁是古来稀，一百岁实在是真的很少，何况还有很多无常。所以说起来，人间六道轮回苦难不断。
尤其是修罗道。修罗是遍布在五道当中，就算是在「天」，天也有天的修罗，在享福当中，他们还是会有很多的不满足，还是有很多长久以来所累积的习气。所以有很多，都是动不动就发脾气，瞋恨心同样还是有。这种虽然是在天，但是还是堕落的机会多。
何况是人间，互相的争斗，彼此瞋恨、明争暗斗，这是人间的修罗，愈是富有、地位愈高、名声愈大，这种修罗的习性发作时，实在是扰乱社会。所以在人天也一样很苦，也一样很危险，这种习气一起，福尽恶堕。平常因为瞋恨心，开口动舌所造累积的业，恶业很多。所以他的福尽了之后，恶业现前，他就堕落三恶道—饿鬼、地狱、畜生，都是苦不堪言。
有的人会说：「畜生看得到。但饿鬼在哪里？地狱又是什么型态？」
其实在人间，就已经遍满了很多饿鬼道的众生。放眼天下，看到贫穷的国家，尚未开发、很原始的地方；或是文明国家，相争战斗的地方。你去看这么多的地方，有多少人都因为遭受到人祸灾难，所以变成到处流离的饿殍，没得吃得人很多。所以如果要看饿鬼道，人间有很多地方；又如卢安达，我们再回想，真的是不堪回首。
再去想想当初他们的型态，还有从来都没有开发过的地方，还是很原始的生活，他们全身裸体。冬天时会冷，他们保持身体的温暖，就是用一样动物的油，把动物的油拿来涂在身上，再把沙铺在身上。用动物油为底，以沙为面，整个身体都是油与沙，这样来御寒。你看他是在人生道，惑是在畜生道？又或者他们是在人间？或是在饿鬼呢？看到他们这样的生活，若是以我们的境界来看他们，三恶道就是聚集在那个地方。
尤其是我们在衣索比亚，也有去一个地方，本来我们要去帮助，但是那个地方很原始，除了刚才说得那种裸体以外，还有饥荒以及干旱，他们不只吃动物还会吃人。人与人之间，只要有了仇恨，他就「杀」，甚至「吃」，这和地狱也差不多了。人与人之间瞋恨得对立，互相残杀、互相吞食，这不就是人间的三恶道吗？
人之所为，无一不是业从心生，无一不是业由身做。
生在那个地方的人难道是他们自己选择要去的吗？不是。他门生在那个地方，也是由不得自己去的。各位，由不得自己，是什么东西会让我们由不得自己呢？ 「业」啊！
种恶因，结恶业，得恶报；种善因，结善业，得善报。随业而来，随业而去，半点不由人。
这个业的种子，在过去生中无量无数恶的累积，多恶少善，多数都是恶的没有善。我们前面也说过了，我们在平常时，无论是「恶多善少」，或是「善多恶少」，同样都是一颗一颗的种子。恶的如果累积较多，那样业的力量就会较大，就会随着业的力量而去，由不得自己。
所以说起来，我们学佛要常常保持这念心，佛陀要启发我们的道心，这念道心不只是向着人天道，也不只是惧怕三恶道，不只是这样。其实连人、天，我们都要惧怕。因为享受容易堕落，作人很无常，所以真正要启发菩提心，我们的觉性。
六波罗蜜是菩萨，自度度他、自利利他，自觉觉他的修行法。
菩提就是觉，就是清净的本性要启发出来，所以我们要行六波罗蜜。很多都是累积而来的，我们有这个因缘，我们要好好启发这念道心。
波罗蜜是梵语，译为到彼岸。
当然六波罗蜜就是六种工具，让我们能度过烦恼的波浪。
若修六波罗蜜行，必能从生死的此岸，度过烦恼的中流，走到究竟涅槃的彼岸。
我们众生平时烦恼好像大河或是海洋，烦恼一起来，就会遮天蔽地，让我们迷失一切。所以我们应该要运用工具，才能够度过这种烦恼的波浪。人人心中若是不调和，自己的内心如果没有调整好，当心地的烦恼发作起来，实在是会遮天蔽地，很危险。所以用六波罗蜜这个工具，让我们度过。
持戒就是止恶防非，恶的境界现前，能有所警觉，犯错能即时忏悔。
「六度」我们在「回归清净本性」当中说过布施。布施接下来就是持戒。大家都知道，「戒」就是「止恶」——「止恶防非」。我们有什么恶念来到我们面前的境界，我们的内心要发做的时候，我们内心要马上警觉，要能马上止息。或者是已经来不及了，犯了错，就要能够即时忏悔。
佛经当中有这一段经文：在无数劫之前，当时还没有佛，但是有一群外道修行的团体。其中有一位外道修者的梵志，他们平时的修行，也是有戒律，守律也是很严格，就是很清净的修行者。
有一天他们外出，从白天一直走到天黑，整天的时间都没有喝水，因为无水可喝。天黑了，到了一个村庄的地方，大家都已经夜深人静了，但是他看到有一口池子，这口池子有水，他突然觉得我现在最需要的就是水，赶紧就掬了水来喝。
喝下去之后，忽然间他想到：「这口池子是有主人的，我没有先询问过，我就先喝了，所以我犯戒了。要怎么办呢？」到底主人在哪里？不知道。所以他就去找国王自首，请国王治它的罪。国王觉得很好笑，为什么只是喝水就有罪呢？没罪啊！
但是这位修行者他就说：「有，我的心有罪，我的良知过不去。请国王一定要治我的罪。」国王觉得很不可思议，到底是要怎么治呢？这当中国王觉得很烦，就说：「我现在很忙。」就叫太子过来跟他说：「来，你把这位修行者带去花园，等我忙完了之后再来。」结果太子就把他带进去花园的凉亭旁边等着，在那里跟他说：「不然你就在这里等吧！」说完后太子也离开了。
国王很忙，到了第六天的时候，突然国王想到了：「后来那位修行者，后来那位梵志是怎么回去的呢？」国王赶紧叫人去看。那位修行者他等不到人，在那边六天没吃没喝的，所以这六天的时间已经是脱水了，人已经整个消瘦干枯了，但是人还活着。
国王看到了，叫问他：「你为什么还在这里？」他就说：「因为国王你叫太子带我来这里，所以我就要守规矩，我就是在这里等着。」国王看了很不忍心，心想怎么会有修行人这个样子，所以就说：「这样已经处罚过你了，你心理的罪恶感已经可以打开了。」赶紧叫他的夫人，准备比较有营养的东西给他吃。
国王的夫人看到这位修行人，觉得很好笑，非常的不以为然，怎么只是喝个水而已，就来这边饿了、渴了五、六天呢！所以微微一笑，不以为然。故事到这里结束。
佛陀接着说：「你们可知道，无心的过失，那个国王就是我释迦牟尼佛。六年的苦行，一日一麻，六年的饥饿。那位太子把他带去那个地方，后来没有理他，那位太子就是现在的罗睺罗，他怀在母胎六年才出生。那位王后夫人，一个轻视的一笑，就是现在的耶输陀罗。耶输陀罗在当时只是起了一念的轻慢，耻笑他，只是微微一笑这样而已，她怀胎六年，受到整个迦毗罗卫国的人议论纷纷：『怎么会有人怀胎六年？是不是太子离开皇宫之后不守妇道。』所以令她受了六年的毁谤委屈。」
持戒是修行学佛的根本，时时摄念在心，妄念易消、善念易生，心自然平静祥和。
所以我们人的心要顾好，因缘果报，有时有意犯错，当然有意就是罪，无意就是过，这个罪过，有意无意同样都是一颗种子，也同要也要受报。所以我们大家平时待人接物、起心动念，真的要时时自我警惕。所以持戒也要多用心，才能使我们的身心清净。
Yesterday we began talking about the Six Paramitas. Sentient beings truly suffer in the Six Realms. Some will say that life in heaven is blessed. But after blessings are exhausted one will fall. Living in Heaven is not permanent, it is still impermanent. Even the longest lifespan still has an end. So life in Heaven is not really eternal, let alone life in the Human Realm. It is rare for people to live to be 100. Very few people live that long. Moreover, the conditions are always changing. In the Six Realms the Asuras Realm can be found within the other five realms.
There are Asuras in Heaven. Though they enjoy blessings, they are still very discontent. Over time their bad habits become deeply-ingrained. So many of them easily lose their tempers and become angry and hateful. Even though they are in Heaven, they are still like that, so they have many opportunities to fall. How much more so in the Human Realm!
People fight each other, are caught up in anger and hatred, and undermine others openly and covertly. They are Asuras in the Human Realm. The wealthier a person is, the higher his status and the greater his fame, the greater the disturbance to society he causes when his Asura habits manifest. Life can be miserable and dangerous in Heavenly and Human Realms, too. When bad habits arise and blessings are exhausted, we fall into the evil realms. Because of anger and hatred, with every word we speak, bad karma is created and accumulated. Then, once our blessings are exhausted, evil retributions will manifest and we will fall into the Three Evil Realms of Hungry Ghost, Animal and Hell. The suffering will be unspeakable.
Some people will say, "We can see animals, but where are the hungry ghosts? What does Hell look like?"
In truth, this world is already filled with hungry ghosts. If we look around the world, we will see them in impoverished countries that are still undeveloped and unsophisticated, or in civilized countries torn by war and strife. Many people experience manmade disasters. So hunger and starvation can be seen everywhere. Many people have no food to eat. So if we want to see the Hungry Ghost Realm, we can see it in many places like Rwanda. Thinking back to Rwanda memories arise that are truly unbearable to recall.
I remember the way they looked in those undeveloped places; people still led primitive lives. They were completely naked so they got cold during the winter. To keep their body warm, they covered themselves in animal oil and then placed a layer of sand over it. The animal oil was base for the sand on the surface. So their bodies were covered in oil and sand. This was how they stayed warm. Are they living in the Human Realm or Animal Realm? Are they part of the Human Realm or the Hungry Ghost Realm? Looking at the way they live from the perspective of our environment, we see all the Three Evil Realms there.
In Ethiopia there was also a place that we planned to help. But that place was very primitive. Apart from being nude like those I just mentioned, they were also suffering famine and drought. Not only did they eat animals they even ate humans. When hostility and hatred arose they readily killed people, and even ate them. This was not too different from Hell. People there saw each other as enemies. They maimed, killed and ate one another. Don't we see the Three Evil Realms in this world?
Everything we do is karma which arises from our minds and is created through our actions.
Did those who were born there choose to be there? No. Their birthplace was not something they could control. Fellow practitioners, what things cause us to not have control? Karma.
Sow evil seeds, create bad karma, reap bad retributions. Sow good seeds, create good karma, reap good retributions. We come and go according to our karma. None of it is within our control.
We accumulated these karmic seeds with countless evil deeds in our past lives. We might have done more evil than good, or mostly evil and no good. We have spoken about this earlier. In our everyday lives, whether we commit more evil deeds or more good deeds, each deed becomes a karmic seed. If we accumulate more evil, the power of bad karma will be greater. We will follow those karmic forces and have no control.
Therefore, as we learn Buddhism, we must maintain this mindset. The Buddha wanted to inspire us to practice. Our aspiration must go beyond seeking Heavenly and Human Realms, beyond fearing the Three Evil Realms. It is not just this. In fact, we should also fear Heaven and Human Realms. Pleasures easily cause degeneration, and human life is very impermanent. Therefore, we must truly develop Bodhicitta, which is our enlightened nature.
The Six Paramitas are practices Bodhisattvas use to transform, benefit, and enlighten themselves and others.
Bodhi means enlightenment. It is about developing our pure, intrinsic nature. So we must practice the Six Paramitas. We accumulate these practices over time. With this karmic affinity, we must diligently develop this will to practice.
Paramita is a Sanskrit word. It means going to the other shore.
The Six Paramitas are six kinds of tools that help us weather the turbulent waves of afflictions.
If we practice the Six Paramitas, we can cross from this shore of life and death, through the currents of affliction, to the other shore of Ultimate Nirvana.
Sentient beings afflictions are like a great river or like ocean waves. When they arise, they obscure everything and cause us to become lost. So we need to use tools to weather the turbulent waves caused by afflictions. If our minds are not well-balanced and adjusted then when afflictions arise, afflictions will truly blot out everything. This is very dangerous. So the Six Paramitas are tools that allow us to cross (this sea of afflictions).
Upholding precepts is to stop evil and to guard against wrongs. When evil conditions manifest, be highly alert and aware. Thus, when we commit wrongs, we can instantly repent.
Yesterday we spoke about giving the first of the Six Paramitas. After that come precepts. We all know that precepts stop evil and guard against wrongs. Whenever conditions appear and engage us, and unwholesome thoughts are about to arise, deep down in our minds we must promptly become alert and immediately stop them. If it is too late and we have committed the wrong, we can instantly repent.
The sutra tells the following story. Innumerable Kalpas ago there was a Brahman practitioner, that is, a non-Buddhist practitioner. At that time, there was no Buddha-dharma. But there was a community practicing another path. The practice of these Brahmans also included precepts and regulations. This practitioner adhered strictly to the precepts, so he was very pure.
He went out one day and walked from the day until night without drinking water because there was no water to drink. When it became dark, he arrived at a village. It was late at night and the village was quiet. But he saw a pond with water in it. Immediately a thought arose, "What I really need now is water." He quickly cupped some water and drank.
After he drank, another thought quickly arose, "This pond must be owned by someone. I did not ask anyone for permission, I just drank it. I have violated a precept. What should I do?" He did not know who the owner was, so he turned himself in to the king and asked the king to punish him for his crime. The king found it quite amusing, "There was no crime. You just drank some water. You are not guilty."
But this practitioner said, "In my mind, I know I am guilty. My conscience gives me no peace heart. Your Majesty, please punish me for my crime." The king found this inconceivable. "How am I supposed to punish you? The king became bothered and said, "All right, all right. I am very busy now." So he told the crown prince, "Please accompany this practitioner to the garden, I will go there after I finish my tasks." The prince brought him to the gazebo in the garden and then told him, "Why don't you wait here?" With that the prince left.
The king was very busy. Six days passed and the king suddenly wondered, "What happened to that Brahman? The king immediately asked someone to check. This practitioner had waited there for six days. No one came, so he did not eat or drink. At this point, he was very dehydrated and his body was very dry and emaciated. But he was still alive.
The king saw him and asked, "Why are you still here?" He replied, "You asked the crown prince to bring me here, so I must follow the rules and wait here." The king found this unbearable. Why did practitioner act this way? The king then said, "This counts as the punishment. You do not need to feel guilty anymore." Then he promptly asked his queen to prepare a nutritious meal for the Brahman.
When the queen saw this practitioner, she found him ridiculous and took exception to his actions. Why did he wait for nearly six days, just because he drank some water? So she gave him a slight and patronizing smile.
At this point of the story, the Buddha said, "Do you know? The kind who made that unintentional mistake was I, Sakramuni Buddha. As a result, I ate one sesame seed a day in my six years of ascetic practices. I starved for six years. The prince who brought him there and then ignored him is now my son, Rahula. This is why he had to spend 6 years in the womb. That queen with the patronizing smile is now Yasodhara, (Rahula's mother). Yasodhara was merely arrogant and mocking. But just because of that smile, her pregnancy lasted for six years. That engendered a lot of gossip in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. "How can a woman be pregnant for six years? Was it because she was unfaithful after the prince left the palace?" So for six years, she endured their ridicule.
Upholding precepts is the foundation of spiritual cultivation and learning Buddhism. Constantly be mindful so that delusional thoughts can be easily eliminated and good thoughts can easily arise. Then naturally our minds will be calm and peaceful.
The Buddha said, "We must take good care of our heart and remember karmic retributions." If we commit wrongdoings purposefully, that is transgression. When we do so unwittingly, that is a mistake. A wrongdoing, be it intentional or unintentional, will be a karmic seed. We will eventually face karmic retributions.
So in our daily interactions, let us always be vigilant of our thoughts. Let us be mindful in upholding precepts so we can be pure in body and mind.
出处：http://moya.iyard.org/bin/view/Blog/BlogEntry2267
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment