前期經文提示：
阿難。是善男子。滿足神通。成佛事已。純潔精真。遠諸留患。當度眾生。滅除度相。回無為心。向涅槃路。
名救一切眾生。離眾生相回向。
那麼他能以成佛事已，「純潔精真」：到純潔精真這種的程度上。「遠諸留患」：遠諸留患也就是遠諸留礙，沒有一切障礙了。「當度眾生」：所應當度的這一切眾生，「滅除度相」：沒有一個度眾生的相。好像《金剛經》上，釋迦牟尼佛說：「我應滅度一切眾生。滅度一切眾生已。而無有一眾生實滅度者。」說我應該度一切眾生，我把一切眾生度完了之後，一個眾生我也沒有度。為什麼呢？就是沒有度相，不要著住，說：「這是我做的，那個是我做的。」好像造個廟吧，「啊！這個廟是我造的，某一個廟我是一個發起人，那時候我做了多少多少功德！」這就是都有相了。尤其這度眾生而無一切度眾生之相，這就是不認為這個是我做的，因為這就是本來我的責任，本來我就應該做這個事情。要是你本來應該做的事情，你又向誰去報功呢？向誰去領功呢？你去向人家報功，這好像不是自己應該做的似的。
好像在中國有的人就這麼說：「我這一生啊，也沒有偷過人的東西，也沒有殺過人，也沒有做壞事，我怎麼還不好呢？」好像他的責任就是應該去偷，現在他沒有偷，好像就是自己好忿忿不平了；好像他的責任就應該去殺人，那現在他沒有殺人，他覺得自己不夠本了似的，不夠本錢了；他沒有做過壞事，好像他的責任就應該做壞事似的，所以這是一種錯誤的觀念。那麼度眾生而無度眾生之相，這是當度眾生，滅除度相，沒有度眾生之相。
「回無為心，向涅槃路」：回這個小乘的無為心，而向大乘涅槃的道路。「名救護一切眾生離眾生相回向」：這個名字就叫救護一切的眾生離眾生相回向，要離開眾生相。我救度一切眾生，這是我的本份，而離開這個救度眾生的相，不是以為：「我救了眾生了，這回我的功德可不小了，啊！我有了大功德了！」不要存這個心。我的責任就是應該教化眾生，就是應該度眾生的，不要以為度了眾生就有了功德了。那麼說：「度眾生沒有功德嗎？」有功德，度眾生是有功德，但是你不要存一個功德心，過去就過去了，不要有一個度眾生的心。不是教你不度生，是教你不存這個度眾生相，沒有這個相。
壞其可壞。遠離諸離。名不壞回向。
「壞其可壞」：什麼叫壞其可壞呢？可壞，應該不要的；就應該不要了，就壞了它。什麼是不應該要的呢？講來講去都是這個東西––業障，這個業是不可以要的，無明是不可以要的，煩惱都是不可以要的，都要把它壞了它，不要它。「遠離諸離」：遠離那些你應該離開的東西。遠離諸離，壞其可壞，就是你犯的毛病，譬如貪、瞋、癡，這都是修道的人不應該要的，你應該把它壞了它；這個貪、瞋、癡，也是我們應該遠離的，也要把它離開。總而言之，這一切的善法，應該保存它；一切的惡法，都應該破壞它，一切的惡法應該遠離它，所以「名不壞回向」：這個就叫不壞回向。不壞什麼呢？不壞你本有的善根，不壞你自己本有這個覺性，所以這個就叫不壞回向，要把那個壞的壞了它，不壞的要保存著它。
待續 |
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Sutra text from last issue:
Ananda, when these good men are replete with spiritual penetrations, have done the Buddhas’
work, are totally pure and absolutely true, and are apart from
obstacles and calamities, they take living beings across while
casting aside the appearance of taking them across. They turn
the unconditioned mind toward the path of Nirvana. This is
called the Transference of Saving and Protecting Living Beings, While Apart from the Appearance of Living Beings.
Having done the Buddhas' work, they are totally pure and absolutely true; they have reached the level of total purity and absolute truth, and
they are apart from obstacles and calamities. They are far from all hindrances.
Then they take living beings across while casting aside the appearance of taking them across.
They rescue those whom they should rescue without having any thought of having rescued them. As Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Vajra Sutra: "I should take all beings across to Nirvana, and yet when all beings are thus taken across, there should not be any beings taken across to Nirvana." Why? Because there is no appearance of "taking across." This means one must not be attached and think, "I did this, I did that." For example, after a temple is built, one thinks, "Oh! I built this temple. I'm one of the people who established this temple in the beginning. I accrued so much merit then!" To think like that is to be attached to appearances. "They take living beings across while casting aside the appearance of taking them across." This means you don't look upon the deed as something you did, but rather as something you were supposed to do. It was your responsibility in the first place; why would you need to let anyone know it had been done? If you brag about what you've done, it implies that it was something you didn't have to do.
For example, in China there are some people who say, "I didn't steal anything or kill anyone in this life. I've never done anything bad, so why aren't things better for me?" They make it sound as if they were supposed to steal and kill but refrained from doing so; their tone of voice is indignant, as if they have been treated unfairly. Their words imply that they were supposed to murder people, and since they haven't, they feel they've taken a loss and are short of capital. They say they haven't done anything bad, implying that their duty was to do bad things. This is a mistaken point of view. Here, they take living beings across without any appearance of taking living beings across. That is, "They take living beings across while casting aside the appearance of taking them across."
They turn the unconditioned mind toward the path of Nirvana.
They turn the unconditioned mind of the Small Vehicle toward the Great Vehicle's path of Nirvana. This is called the Transference of Saving and Protecting Living Beings, While Apart from the Appearance of Living Beings. One must separate from the appearance of living beings. When you rescue living beings, that is simply your responsibility, and you should not be attached to the appearance of having rescued them. You should not think, "Now that I've saved some living beings, my merit must certainly be considerable! I have tremendous merit and virtue now!" Don't entertain such thoughts. It is your responsibility to teach and transform living beings; you're supposed to rescue living beings, so you shouldn't think that you are earning merit when you rescue them.
"Does that mean there isn't any merit and virtue involved in rescuing living beings?" There is merit and virtue; rescuing living beings certainly does bring merit, but you shouldn't dwell on it. What's past is past. Don't hold on to the idea of having rescued living beings. This is not to say that you should not rescue beings; it's to say that you shouldn't harbor the appearance of having rescued them.
To destroy what should be destroyed and to stay away from what should be left behind is called the Transference of Indestructibility.
To destroy what should be destroyed means to get rid of the things that one should not want or keep. What are the things one should not keep? No matter how much we talk, it always comes back to the same things: Karmic obstacles should not be kept; ignorance should not be kept; and afflictions should not be kept. Destroy these. Get rid of them.
To stay away from what should be left behind
means to keep away from the things you should remove yourself from. "To stay away from what should be left behind" and "to destroy what should be destroyed" refers to your faults. For instance, people who cultivate the Way should not have any greed, anger, or stupidity. You should destroy them. Greed, anger, and stupidity are also vices we should all keep away from; we should leave them behind. Generally speaking, all wholesome dharmas should be preserved. All unwholesome dharmas should be destroyed.
Get them far behind you. This is called the Transference of Indestructibility.
What is not destroyed? Your inherent good roots are not destroyed. Your originally existent enlightened nature is not destroyed. With the Transference of Indestructibility, you have to destroy what should be destroyed and keep what is indestructible.
To be continued
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