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今天講完了經，每一個人趕快辦一辦自己的公事，辦完了，或者五分鐘，或者十分鐘，我那兒有一個上中文的課程。昨天我寫密宗的略說，我給大家略略地解釋一下。誰願意參加這中文的課程，我都非常歡迎。
密宗，一般人認為這是不得了，啊！這真是妙，秘密法！我告訴你們，每一個學密宗的人，完全出於自私。沒有第二個意思，完全是自私才學密宗。為什麼呢？他想要秘密不教旁人知道，所以我現在教你們這個道理，你們就要知道，學密宗的人，多數是屬於自私的，少數是屬於公共的，要知道這個道理。第一，密宗的人多數吃肉、喝酒，他說這不錯的，可以結婚又可以成佛。可是魚與熊掌不可兼得，往往修密宗，修得不如法，就墮落到阿修羅道裡去，這是很危險的。
各位應該要知道，在沒講經前先唱偈頌，這偈頌叫鐘聲偈，講經之前唱的。要唱得聲音越長越好，唱的時間越長越好，尤其唱的聲音，能唱得很大的更好。在請法時不要說得太快，本來這個也應該像唱歌那樣，慢慢地唱，不是好像放機關槍似的，說得很快，說完就算了。這種音韻，把大家唱得心都很平定的，一聽這個聲音，像音樂似的，把大眾的妄想都唱沒有了，然後我們再聽經。下個禮拜二、禮拜四兩天由慧僧法師來教你們講經的儀式，念什麼？怎麼樣。其實這沒有一定，不是一定的儀式。他說中國怎麼樣子唱，可是我們現在是在美國，在美國的樣子不一定要和中國一樣。他說他來教，你們不妨學一學，知道在中國講經是怎麼樣的，在這個國家應該是怎麼樣的。還有，他說要教你們「華嚴字母」，他若能教「華嚴字母」，你們各位要注意學一學。「華嚴字母」在中國，很少出家人會念，很少很少的。念這個有什麼用呢？這是佛教裡頭一種很奧妙的一種歌。唱這個字母功德是很大的。若唱得好，把善財童子也唱來了。善財童子他會在這兒蹦蹦跳跳的，像那個小孩子那樣子歡喜得不得了。這又有什麼用呢？善財童子以前到過我們這個道場，也常常來，有的開眼的人會看到他在這兒又唱歌、又跳舞，很高興的樣子，來過很多次。不過有的人沒看見就不知道，或者講經，他也來聽，很多很多次的。我們這個華嚴道場，華嚴海會，十方諸佛菩薩都來擁護我們這個道場，所以我平時對你們說，三藩市不會有地震，就因為我們這兒有華嚴道場，華嚴大法在這兒演說，三藩市一定會平安。一般人不知道是因為我們在這兒講《華嚴經》，他們才得到平安，我們也不需要叫他們知道，來對我們說謝謝，我們不需要這個樣子。
一九六八年，地質學家和科學家就造謠言，說三藩市要地震。不錯，要地震，但是都搬家了，每一年地震都不是在三藩市，搬到另一個地方去。這就證明，諸佛菩薩擁護我們這個美國佛教開始的一個道場，諸佛菩薩不會來提著你耳朵告訴你說：「好啦！我擁護你這個道場，不要害怕。」他不會這樣來告訴你。事實上證明，這已經見出來佛菩薩是來擁護我們這個道場，因為頭先有小小的地震發生，所以我就說一說這個的意思。
【佛神通力無所礙 遍坐十方覺樹下
演法如雲悉充滿 寶髻聽聞心不逆】
「佛神通力無所礙」：所有十方一切諸佛的神通妙力，無所礙，沒有一切的障礙。
「遍坐十方覺樹下」：什麼是覺樹呢？就是菩提樹，菩提樹就是覺樹。佛在十方諸佛國土，都是坐在菩提樹下而悟道，所以說遍坐十方覺樹下，是誰覺悟的呢？是佛覺悟的，這棵樹就是樹王，佛就是法王，覺悟一切法，而成就佛果。
「演法如雲悉充滿」：佛演說這個妙法，就好像虛空中的雲一樣。悉充滿，充滿整個法界，令一切眾生都得到法雲普蔭。普蔭，就是這一種法雲，在一切眾生的頭上，令一切眾生都得到清涼，得到快樂，得到自在，所以說悉充滿。各得其所得，一切眾生所應得的那個法，都得到了，就好像天下雨，有雲就下雨，一切眾物都各得其量，都得到它所應得的數量。
「寶髻聽聞心不逆」：寶髻迦樓羅王，聽聞這種境界，這種的法門，他心裡不懷疑，不會違背這種道理，他是明瞭這種的法門。
【佛於往昔修諸行 普淨廣大波羅蜜
供養一切諸如來 此速疾王深信解】
「佛於往昔修諸行」：佛在以前修種種法門，難行的，他能行；難忍的，他能忍；難受的，他能受；難吃的，他能吃，修這種種最難修的法門，他都修了。前幾天我講金山活佛，金山活佛是個假的名字，他並沒有真成佛，不過他也是修人所不能修的行門。一般人看著他有一點點的小神通，就稱他為活佛，但這是假名字，並不是真的。他能修這個無緣大慈，同體大悲，什麼叫無緣大慈呢？在緬甸那個地方，天氣很熱，吃飯剩下的，就要倒了它，不能留，一留就會壞。他呢？在那個廟上住，廟上有時候剩很多的飯，他親身把飯菜拿去給牛吃，給牛吃了，就對牛說法，不是一隻牛、兩隻牛，而是很多的一群牛，他都來餵。牛一看見他來了，就歡迎他，這不是一天、兩天，天天他都這樣子去餵牛，結牛的緣。還有人家給他送飯，他自己不吃，他吃什麼呢？他吃瓜皮子、花生皮、香蕉皮、蘋果皮、報紙，總而言之，能吃的東西，他都吃。人家送給他的供養齋，他拿來餵烏鴉，他這麼一念：「誰念南無阿彌陀佛」，他出這樣一個聲音，這些烏鴉都飛來了，飛到他那兒，他就給牠們吃。好的東西都給烏鴉給狗吃，他自己卻吃壞的，行這種同體大悲，和眾生都一體。你看！我們人哪一個能自己的飯不吃，吃報紙，吃花生皮子，好的東西讓給畜生吃呢？沒有人肯這樣子，這樣叫難行能行，本來人都想吃好的，他把好的餵烏鴉，這就叫行無緣大慈，同體大悲，和牛本來是沒有什麼緣的，他能去餵牛，和牛結緣，無緣也要有緣，沒有緣的他也對他慈悲。他也歡喜放生，他若一放生，就放得很多；到魚市去，看到魚，所有活的魚，他都買，所有活的烏龜，他也買，所有活的，無論什麼東西他都買，有多少他買多少，然後拿到河裡去放生，他喜歡這樣子，這都是不容易做得到的，本來他也沒有錢，但是他就要去買這些東西去放生，但是賣魚的、賣畜生的，都認識他，知道他買了他的歸依弟子會給錢的，所以都相信他賣給他，這就是修種種人所不能修的苦行；也不求名，也不求利，這也叫普淨廣大波羅蜜。
「普淨廣大波羅蜜」：普淨，這個淨就是做完了，把波羅蜜都做完了，淨，也可以說沒有了，乾淨了，什麼乾淨？波羅蜜乾淨了，波羅蜜做到圓滿了，究竟了，所以就叫普淨廣大波羅蜜，到彼岸了。
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Today after the Sutra lecture there will be a Chinese class on the essay I wrote entitled "A General Explanation of the Secret School." Most people consider the Secret School fantastic---truly wonderful because it's
secret Dharma! Almost everyone who studies the Secret School is selfish, due to that attitude of wanting to keep the Dharma hidden and not let others know it. You should know this principle, that the majority of Secret School adherents are selfish and only a handful are public-spirited. First of all, most followers of the Secret School eat meat and drink liquor. They think, "This is not bad; one can get married and also become a Buddha"---have one's cake and it is too, as it were. But as the quote from Mencius goes, one cannot have both fish and bear's claws. It's frequent for those who mispractice the Secret School to fall into the path of asuras. You should all realize how very dangerous this is!
Before the Sutra lecture we have been chanting the Bell Song. When you chant it, the notes should be protracted as long as possible, and it's best to chant it with a loud, full sound. Don't pronounce the Request for Dharma too fast either. Actually it should be chanted rather than simply stated, and slowly, not like the firing of a machine gun, as if you wanted to get it over with. The rhythm and phrasing should calm people's minds, like hearing music which chants people's false thinking away. Then afterwards they listen to the Sutra. That's how it should be.
Next week (Tuesday and Thursday), Dharma Master Hui Seng will come and teach you the ceremonial chants and recitations for formal Sutra lectures. However, the ceremony is not all that fixed. He will tell you how it was done in China, but now we are in America, and American style doesn't have to be the same as in China. But since he's coming to teach it, you can study it, so you can see how to adapt the Chinese ceremony to the United States. He also plans to teach you the Flower Adornment Syllabary, which is something you should study carefully. Very few left-home people in China can perform that ceremony. It's a very esoteric and wonderful chant within Buddhism. There is enormous merit and virtue from reciting the Flower Adornment (Avatamsaka) Syllabary. If you recite it well, the Youth Good Wealth will come and jump for joy like a little child.
The Youth Good Wealth has come to our Way-Place many, many times. People who have opened their eyes have seen him here singing and dancing and very pleased. Others haven't seen him and don't know. Sometimes he has come during the Sutra lectures when he was happy with what he heard. Ours is a Flower Adornment Way Place with a Flower Adornment Assembly in progress, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions continually protect it. The reason I regularly tell you that there won't be a major earthquake in San Francisco is that we have a Flower Adornment Bodhimanda and the Great Dharma of the Flower Adornment is being spoken, and so San Francisco is sure to be peaceful. Most Bay Area residents have no idea that their peaceful and secure life is due to our lecture series on the Flower Adornment Sutra here, but it doesn't matter. There's no need to tell them and try to get them to be grateful to us.
Starting in 1968 (this lecture was delivered September 16, 1973), the seismologists and other scientists spread rumours that there would be a major earthquake in San Francisco. It's true there were supposed to be quakes, but they moved elsewhere each year, and didn't occur in San Francisco. That's proof the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are protecting our pioneer Buddhist Way Place in America. Nevertheless the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would never take you by the ear and say, "Don't be afraid---we're protecting your place." They wouldn't tell you, but this is a sure indication that they are keeping our Bodhimanda safe. Right before lecture (7:15 p.m.) there was a slight tremor of the earth, so I spoke about this.
Sutra:
The Buddha's power of spiritual penetrations are unobstructed.
He sits under the Tree of Enlightenment throughout the ten directions,
Proclaiming Dharma just like clouds filling every place.
When Jewelled Crest heard about this, his mind did not resist.
Commentary:
The Buddha's powers of spiritual penetrations are unobstructed. Nothing blocks or hinders the wonderful powers of spiritual penetrations of all Buddhas of the ten directions.
He sits under the Tree of Enlightenment throughout the ten directions. The Tree of Enlightenment is the Bodhi Tree. In all Buddha-lands of the ten directions, the Buddha is seated beneath the Bodhi Tree, awakening to the Way. The Bodhi Tree is the tree of the Buddha's Enlightenment, and it's called the King of Trees. The Buddha is the King of Dharma, who has awakened to all dharmas and achieved the fruition of Buddhahood. Under the Tree of Enlightenment the Buddha is
proclaiming wonderful Dharma just like clouds in empty space, filling every place throughout the Dharma Realm, enabling all living beings to obtain the universal shade from the cloud of Dharma. The Dharma is like a cloud above the head of each living being, bringing cool refreshment, happiness and comfort. Also, each being obtains just that Dharma which he or she should obtain, just as when there is rain from clouds in the sky and all living things absorb the amount of rain suited to them.
When the Garuda King Jewelled Crest heard about this kind of state and Dharma-door,
his mind did not resist. He had no doubts in his mind. He clearly understood this Dharma-door.
Sutra:
The Buddha in the past cultivated all practices,
Universally purifying the vast, great Paramitas,
And making offerings to all of the Thus Come Ones.
The King Swiftness deeply believes and understands this.
Commentary:
The Buddha in the past cultivated the various doors of
all the practices. He was able to do what is hard to do, endure what is hard to endure, take what is hard to take, eat what is hard to eat, and be patient with what it is hard to be patient with. He cultivated all the Dharma-doors which are most difficult to practice---much like the Living Buddha of Gold Mountain of whom I spoke before.
"Living Buddha" is a made-up name. He wasn't really a Buddha, but he did practice the doors of conduct most people can't cultivate. Seeing his small amount of spiritual penetrations, people began to call him the "Living Buddha" but it was only a nickname, not the reality. However, he was able to practice great kindness towards those with whom one lacks affinities, and great compassion of identity in substance.
How did he cultivate such great kindness towards beings with whom he had no conditions? In Burma, due to the hot climate, any food left over from a meal had to be discarded and could not be saved, for it would spoil. Sometimes in the temple where he was living there was a lot of left-over food. He would personally collect the rice and vegetables and feed them to the cows, at the same time speaking Dharma for the cows--not just one or two, but a great many cows. The cows welcomed him as soon as they saw him coming, and he would feed them, day after day, tying up affinities with cows. Furthermore, when people made offerings of food to him, he didn't eat it himself. What he ate were discarded peelings and rinds, such as melon rind, peanut shells, banana skins, apple parings--newspapers. In general, he would eat all such things which were remotely edible. He fed the good food offered to him to the crows. All he had to do was say, "Na Mwo A Mi Two Fwo," and the crows would come flying to him and he would feed them. He also fed the good food to the dogs along with the crows, and ate the bad food. That's known as practicing great compassion of identity in substance. He was one with living beings.
Who among us can eat newspapers and peanut shells and give the good food to animals? No one. That's an example of practicing what is hard to practice, and illustrates his cultivation of great kindness towards those with whom one lacks affinities, and great compassion of identity in substance. To start with he had no particular ties with cows, but he fed them and created affinities. When affinities are lacking, one should have some, and he was kind and compassionate where he lacked conditions with living beings.
He also liked to liberate life, always lots of living creatures each time. He would go to the fish market and purchase all the fish that were alive, all the live turtles, and anything else that was living---no matter how many there were. Then he would liberate life and set them free in the lake. That's what he liked to do. Such things are not easy to accomplish. He didn't have any money, but he wanted to purchase those creatures to liberate life. However, the merchants all knew him, and could rest assured that his disciples would pay for whatever he bought, and so they sold to him. That's practicing all kinds of ascetic practices which most people can't do. And he didn't seek fame or benefits.
That's also a way of universally purifying the vast, great paramitas. "Purifying" here means completing, fulfilling all the Paramitas. It can also mean cleaning them up so they are over perfecting the Paramitas to the ultimate point, so all have reached the other shore.
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