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前期提示：須摩提是誰呢？他就是釋迦牟尼佛。這個修毗耶是誰呢？就是提婆達多。
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爾時佛告諸菩薩及天人四眾。吾於過去無量劫中。求法華經無有懈倦。於多劫中常作國王。發願求於無上菩提。心不退轉。為欲滿足六波羅蜜。勤行布施。心無吝惜。象馬七珍。國城妻子。奴婢僕從。頭目髓腦。身肉手足。不惜軀命。
這一段文，是說釋迦牟尼佛在過去身中，為求無上菩提，布施外財、內財一切所有，都是為求法而做布施。
「爾時」：當爾之時，就是說完了〈見寶塔品〉之後，「佛告諸菩薩」：釋迦牟尼佛又是不問自說，告訴一切諸菩薩，「及天人四眾」：和天上的天人及人間的人，和比丘僧、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷的四眾弟子。他說：「吾於過去無量劫中」：說我在很久以前，無量無量劫那個時候，「求法華經無有懈倦」：我為了求這個《妙法蓮華經》，想明白其中的道理，無有懈倦；我沒有一時一刻懶惰過。懈倦，懈是懈怠，倦是疲倦，就是懶惰了。只要有講《法華經》，我就一定要去聽，我一定不會錯過機會。
「於多劫中」：在這種很長很長這麼多的劫裡邊，「常做國王」；我記得有一次我做國家的皇帝，「發願求於無上菩提」：我發大乘的願，求無上的菩提道，「心不退轉」：我求這個覺道，心裡頭就不退轉。「為欲滿足六波羅蜜」：想要滿足這六種波羅蜜的法，「勤行布施」：我殷勤而去做布施。「心無吝惜」：無論我布施什麼，我心裡也都不吝惜，我只布施給一切眾生。布施什麼呢？我用所有的「象馬」：這個最值錢的象和馬；「七珍」：就是七種寶貝，金、銀、琉璃、玻璃、硨磲、赤珠、瑪瑙，這七種寶貝。「國」：或者把我的國家送給人；「城」：或者把這一個城市也布施給人，這是一種物質。甚至於「妻子」：把自己的太太也布施給人，把自己的兒子也布施給人；「奴婢」：所用的工人、奴婢也都布施給其他人，只要其他人能有所需要；「僕從」：僕從就是跟著他的工人。以上這是外財，外邊的身外之財可以做布施。 那麼還有內財，內財是什麼？就是「頭」：自己這個頭也可以做布施；「目」：自己的眼目也可以做布施；「髓」：如果有人需要我的骨髓，我也布施給人；「腦」：自己的腦也布施給人；「身肉手足」：這身體和這所有的肉，或者手，或者足。「不惜軀命」：不愛惜自己這個身體，不愛惜自己這個生命，只要有人需要，我就布施給他。從這個頭、目、腦、髓，到身肉手足，不惜軀命，這叫內財。外邊的財也布施，內裡的財也布施，只要有人用得著，我就做布施。
以上所說，這都是一種布施。釋迦牟尼佛，為著行這個圓滿六波羅蜜，所以就把依報也捨了，正報也捨了，依、正二報一齊捨。這是一個真正布施，既捨依報，又捨正報，捨得自己也沒有了，連自己都捨了，這才是真正的布施。講到這個六度，像這樣子，才是真正布施波羅蜜。
→待續
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From last issue:
Xu Moti was Shakyamuni Buddha’s former incarnation. And who was Xiu Piye? He was Devadatta’s former incarnation.
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At that time the Buddha told the Bodhisattvas, gods, humans, and the four assemblies, In the past, throughout limitless eons, I sought the Dharma Flower Sutra without laxness or weariness. For many eons, I was always a king and vowed to seek supreme Bodhi with an unretreating mind. Wishing to perfect the Six Paramitas, I diligently practiced giving, my mind not begrudging elephants, horses, the seven precious things, countries, cities, wives, children, slaves, ervants, even my head, eyes, marrow, brains, body, flesh, hands, and feet-- not sparing even life itself.
This passage describes how, in his quest for supreme Bodhi, Shakyamuni Buddha in his past lives renounced all of his outer and inner wealth. He practiced giving in order to seek the Dharma.
At that time, having finished speaking the Chapter on the Jeweled Stupa, the Buddha Shakyamuni spoke again without waiting to be requested, and told all the Bodhisattvas, gods in the heavens, humans, and the four assemblies of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas, “In the past, throughout limitless eons, I sought theDharma Flower Sutra without laxness or weariness. A long, long time ago, limitless kalpas ago, in seeking to understand the doctrines of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, I never grew weary. I never took a break or was lazy for a moment. Whenever the Dharma Flower Sutra was being lectured, I went to listen. I never missed an opportunity.
For many eons, I was always a king and vowed to seek supreme Bodhi with an unretreating mind. In that long period spanning many eons, I remember I was once the emperor of a country. I made the Great Vehicle vow to seek Unsurpassed Enlightenment without ever turning back. Wishing to perfect the Six Paramitas, I diligently practiced giving. No matter what I was giving away, I was never stingy. I only wanted to give to all living beings, my mind not begrudging the most valuable elephants and horses, the seven precious things—gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian. Sometimes I gave away countries, cities—my entire kingdom. But these are just material possessions. I also gave up my own wives, children, slaves, and servants. I gave away the servants and workers who attended upon me and worked for me. As long as someone wanted them, I would give them away. The above are all considered outer wealth—possessions external to the body. I was able to give all these things away.
I also gave away inner wealth: even my head, eyes, marrow, brains, body, flesh, hands, and feet—not sparing even life itself. I was able to give away my very own head and eyes, and if someone needed a transfusion of marrow, I would also donate my own bone marrow. I could even give up my brains and all the flesh on my body, as well as my own hands and feet. I had no regard for my own body and life. As long as someone needed them, I would give all these things away. The passage: “even my head, eyes, marrow, brains, body, flesh, hands, and feet—not sparing even life itself” refers to inner wealth. Thus, I gave away both inner and outer wealth to anyone who needed them.
All of the above describes the practice of giving. In his desire to perfect his practice of the Six Paramitas, Shakyamuni Buddha was able to give up both his proper retribution and his dependent retribution, that is, give up both himself and everything he owned. He gave away both kinds of retribution. This is true giving. In giving up both the proper and the dependent retributions, he gave himself away entirely. Giving to the point of renouncing the self is true giving. To be able to do this is the true Paramita (Perfection) of Giving, one of the Six Paramitas.
→To be continued
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