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俗話說：「萬事起頭難」。不管是修行、讀書、寫文章或其他各種事，起頭都是最難的。舉個例子，這次參加精進佛七，就感覺到頭一、二天是最難熬的，後幾天就慢慢好了。再說《金剛經》，我們剛開始只要起一個信念，去接受經中的道理，慢慢地自能明暸。這可反映到修行上，最難是起頭，假如能發菩提心皈依三寶，將來終能究竟成佛。
從我個人的觀點來看，《金剛經》和精進佛七雖是兩個不同的法門，但卻是殊途同歸，而且本質上也都是一樣的，是為度化種種不同的眾生而產生的法門。念佛法門一方面，是對佛起尊敬心，並且祈請阿彌陀佛加持以往生西方淨土；另一方面就是清心寡欲、增長智慧。在七天的法會中，有一些規矩，像禁語、日拜一千拜、日行七炷香和守八關齋戒，都是對人身心有好處的法門。禁語可減少大量的外務，俗務少了，煩惱也少了，貪瞋癡也會少了，戒定慧自然會慢慢增長。念佛七炷香和拜佛千拜可以增進禪坐的定力。最重要的是，念佛若能念到一心不亂，可往生西方極樂世界，享無量壽、無眾苦，而且沒有做惡事的機緣，證佛果就容易多了。
《金剛經》是另一種法門，是空的法門，一切都是空的，連法都是空。《金剛經》有偈：「一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。」一切世俗美妙的事物，都是夢，都像露水和閃電一樣，雖然美麗，但只是假相，一閃即逝，是給世人一個警示—縱有家財萬貫，百年之後，一樣糞土一堆。依照《金剛經》的教導，世人應該將所有世俗外務都放下，世上所有的煩惱，都是因眾生執著於一切外務，產生貪瞋癡所引起的。
眾生需要佛法來洗滌心靈，像唐朝神秀大師的偈語：「身如菩提樹，心如明鏡臺，時時勤拂拭，勿使惹塵埃。」這是我們凡夫俗子的境界。在《金剛經》最後的境界是無我，佛果只是一個名，他們並沒有證到甚麼，只是發現自性，像六祖惠能大師的偈：「菩提本無樹，明鏡亦非臺，本來無一物，何處惹塵埃？」甚麼都沒有，怎麼會弄髒呢？到了最後連法都要放下。
這兩個雖然是兩個不同的法門，但是在實行上都需要一個原動力，那就是信心。《金剛經》中有強調信心的重要：若有人以恆河沙等身布施，但是功德卻比不上一個聽聞《金剛經》後信心不逆的人。由此可知《金剛經》是比較令人難信，尤其是此經叫人放下一切，世俗的人假如沒有一點智慧，很難去相信和實行，再加上此經較為抽象，所以在經中特別強調信心的重要。
而信心對實行念佛法門的人也是最重要的。念佛法門是很殊勝，卻又挺容易做到，只要一句「南無阿彌陀佛」不離口和虔誠的禮拜就是了。但是也許就是太容易了，而且功德又那麼殊勝，所以有時會有人不相信，或是相信卻有一點懷疑的心理。所以事實上這是外表看似簡單，但是要持續卻需要有很堅強的信心與毅力才能完成。
（待續） |
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It is said, "Everything is difficult at the start." Whether cultivating, studying, writing an article, or doing anything else, the most difficult part is always at the beginning. Take my participation in the Vigorous Recitation Session. I felt the first two days were the most difficult to get through, while the last few days went well. Similarly, when we first start reading the
Vajra Sutra, if we believe in the principle it expounds, then we will gradually understand its meaning. In cultivation, the most difficult part comes at the start: if we can bring forth the Bodhi mind to take refuge with the Triple Jewel, then eventually we can accomplish Buddhahood.
From my point of view, although the Vajra Sutra and the Vigorous Recitation Session are different Dharma doors, they lead to the same destination and they have the same function -- to teach and transform all the different kinds of living beings. By reciting the Buddha's name, on the one hand, we grow to respect Amitabha Buddha and we pray that he will help us be reborn in the western Pure Land. On the other hand, we purify our minds, reduce desires, and increase wisdom. In the seven-day Dharma Assembly, the rules of not talking, bowing one thousand bows a day, reciting for seven periods, and upholding the Eight Lay Precepts all benefit our body and mind. By keeping silent, we greatly reduce our external involvements. Fewer involvements results in fewer afflictions, greed, hatred and stupidity. Our power of precepts, concentration and wisdom then grows. The daily schedule of seven recitation periods and one thousand bows increases our samadhi power in meditation. Most of all, if we can reach the state of reciting with an unconfused mind, we can be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss in the West where we will have endless life, no suffering, no chance to do evil, and a much better chance to realize Buddhahood.
The Vajra Sutra is another Dharma door, that of emptiness. Everything is empty, even the Dharma itself. One verse in this Sutra says, "All conditioned dharmas are illusory, like dreams and bubbles, like dew and lightning. We should contemplate them in this way." All the wonderful things in the world are nothing but dreams, like dew and lightning, beautiful but unreal, gone in an instant. This serves a warning - Even if a person is a millionaire, after he passes away, his wealth will be like a pile ofexcrement. The
Vajra Sutra instructs us to put down all mundane business. All the afflictions in the world come from living beings' attachments to external states, arising from greed, hatred and stupidity.
Living beings need the Buddhadharma to purify their minds. As Great Master Shen Syou of the Tang Dynasty said in verse, "The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind like a bright mirror stand. Time and again brush it clean, and let no dust alight." This is 'the state of ordinary people. The ultimate state of the
Vajra Sutra is no-self, and the Buddhahood is merely a name. Nothing is certified to; only the self-nature is discovered. As the Sixth Patriarch Hwei Neng said inverse, "Originally Bodhi has no tree; the bright mirror has no stand. Originally there is not a single thing; where can dust alight?" Since there is nothing, how can there be defilement? Ultimately, even the Dharma must be renounced.
Although these are two different Dharma doors, in practice they require the same motivation of faith. In the
Vajra Sutra, the importance of the faith is emphasized--if a person makes offerings with as many bodies as the sands in the Ganges River, his merit and virtue is not as great as that of a person who hears the
Vajra Sutra and believes in it. From this, we can know that it difficult to have faith in the
Vajra Sutra, especially since the Sutra tells us to put everything down. A worldly person without wisdom can hardly believe and follow such a principle. Since this Sutra is rather abstract, it stresses the importance of faith.
Faith is also of key importance in cultivating the harma door of reciting the Buddha's name. This Dharma door is both supreme and easy. All you have to do is chant "Namo Amitabha Buddha" without stop and sincerely bow in homage. But perhaps since it is so easy and its merit and virtue is that special, people do not believe in it. Or even if they do, they still have a little doubt in their minds. Therefore, although it appears to be simple, you need firm faith and persistence in order to be successful.
(to be continued) |
