還有我們後以不論什麼地方有法師來，你們各位都要知道這種情形，你應該問中國的法師，問這個問題，說：「我請問法師，中國的佛教是因為什麼，現在沒有了？你們會不會知道它的原因？」問這個問題。所以有很多很多的道理，你可以問他的，外面所有的法師來，沒有資格問我們問題。我們講好，我們不會講的，他問我們怎麼講，我們就說不會講。就給他這麼一棒。我們就是不會講，得了嘛！你冒充什麼還講，講，你一講就有毛病，說我們不會講那有什麼，沒有什麼，我們就是不會講。但是我們會做，告訴他。你看他講個什麼？你根本就沒有智慧，
你那還有什麼用！台灣佛教為什麼，那麼弄的一塌糊塗？香港的佛教為什麼只知道趕經懺？問問他？只知道趕經懺。你們不懂趕經懺，趕經懺就是，這個人死了去給人家念經，這叫噹噹辟。香港現在沒有什麼本事，就是噹噹辟。這一噹噹辟，一天就是八十塊錢、有的一百二、有的二百的，好像一個有名的法師，要去一去，就最少要二百。就是香港這樣的。你們都不會鑽錢的，香港那個和尚啊，個個都有幾百萬的，就是噹噹辟、噹噹辟，辟來的。
（一九七三年十一月三日）
「爾時」，已經講完了，現在講「淨光普照主空神」。這一段文啊，在前幾天已經讀過了，所以不必再重讀了。「承佛威力，普觀一切主空神眾，爾說偈言。」這個淨光，清淨之光；普照，普照法界。這一位主空神，他「承佛威力」：仰承著佛的大威神力，「普觀一切主空神眾」：他普遍觀察一切的主空神眾，「爾說頌言」：說出這頌言來。
如來廣大目 清淨如虛空
普見諸眾生 一切悉明了
這四句偈頌，就是淨光普照主空神他讚歎佛所說的偈頌。那這天龍八部，一切的神眾，同時讚歎佛啊、同時說的偈頌。偈頌說是同時，記錄的時候，就有前後、次第。那麼也就好像我們這一班人，聚會到一起，大家同時來讚歎這一個人，或者這一個國家，或者一個事，同時大家都讚歎。
好像讚歎皇帝，那麼佛是法王，我們人間呢，皇帝是人王。我們拿人王的這種道理，來譬喻法王的法理。人間這皇帝到什麼地方去了，這一般老百姓來朝見皇帝就說了：「我主，萬歲萬歲萬萬歲！」那麼這一句話呀，是一般老百姓說的，同時說的。那麼無論有多少人，都是異口同音來稱讚這皇帝萬歲。這是人間的人王是這樣子。那麼法王呢，也是這樣子，那麼同時啊，這每一個神，都用四句偈頌來讚歎佛。這四句偈頌啊，就是他自己對佛的這種感想、這種看法。那麼同時讚歎佛，各人呢，因為他自己修道的經驗，他所得的這種境界，用來讚歎佛。
所以這一位淨光普照主空神，他說「如來廣大目」：如來廣大智慧光目，佛的法眼。「清淨如虛空」：這種清淨的光明法眼，好像虛空似的。「普見諸眾生」：普遍見著所有的一切眾生。「一切悉明了」：所有眾生起惑、造業、受報這種因緣，佛悉明了，清清楚楚的，佛都見到的。佛明了一切眾生的這種因緣，所以就用種種的方法來教化一切眾生，令一切眾生都離苦，得到快樂。
那麼這一位淨光普照主空神，他用這四句偈頌來表達他對佛讚歎和看法這種的境界。那麼方才說，讚歎皇帝是異口同音來讚歎；那麼讚歎這國家也是這樣異口同音，就有很多老百姓在一起聚會，這或者是國慶，或者是有什麼紀念日，大家在一起就說啦。譬如拿中華民國來說吧，他就說了，「中華民國萬歲！」那麼這讚歎中華民國，其他的國家也是一樣。好像日本，他說：「大日本帝國萬歲！」那個英國就說了，「大英不列顛萬歲！」就是這麼樣子。這都叫讚歎國家。
或者讚歎這個人，這個人生日，大家聚會到一起給他過生日，說：「Happy Birthday to you! （祝你生日快樂！）」這英文，是不是啊？都這麼一起來讚歎那麼這個呢，是世間世俗的一種慶祝，尚且如此。所以佛成佛了，那麼這一般往昔所教化的徒弟，他所得到的這個境界，那麼現在呢，就都來讚佛。這也就是來慶祝佛成道，說：「我們的師父啊，現在成佛了，我們趕快去讚歎去。」所以這無量天龍八部、菩薩、羅漢、天王都來讚歎佛。
那麼淨空普照主空神呢，他用這四句偈頌來讚歎佛。阿難結集經藏的時候呢，就把他寫到經上啦。我們現在一讀出來，也就明白《華嚴經》的妙處，它的偈頌這麼多。
佛身大光明 遍照於十方
處處現前住 普遊觀此道
「佛身大光明」：這位普遊深廣主空神，他說「佛身大光明」，他得到普入法界的解脫門，所以他見到佛身的大光明。「普照於十方」：佛的大光明普遍照耀一切眾生，十方的眾生。
「處處現前住」：每一個眾生都說佛對著他說法的，都在他前邊，現到他前邊而為他說法。這也就好像月映千江一樣，這一個月光普遍的影子，映到所有的有水的地方，所以這叫月映千江。那麼佛呢，也是這樣子。除非你不是眾生，你是眾生，這佛的光明就能照著你。照著你，你覺得這佛正是對著你放光來照著你，所以說處處現前住。每一個地方的眾生，都覺得佛是對著他說法呢。
「普遊觀此道」：這是普遊深廣主空神，他觀察明白道理，入這一種的解脫門。
佛身如虛空 無生無所取
無得無自性 吉祥風所見
「佛身如虛空」：佛是無相，但是還無不相。無相無不相，所以說是實相。實相是無生的，也無所取。既然無生，又怎麼有所取呢？
「無得無自性」：也無所得，你說有所得，得個什麼？無自性，佛身呢，也是沒有自性，就像虛空似的那麼，虛空也是沒有自性的。
「吉祥風所見」：這吉祥風主空神，他所能見到這種的道理。
上人：翻譯完了，今天大家有沒有什麼問題？那麼現在要找麻煩、不想找麻煩？
上人：果回，你回來了！到前面來說一說，他們怎麼樣情形。
果回：他們現在，在波德卡灣，是幾天前停住的地方，正準備早上再開始。因為恆具痛的很厲害，所以他們非停一停不可，他現在比較好了，所以可以再試試看。現在東西也都備齊了
上人：他說怎麼樣？
果回：在那個地方，在那個大路旁邊，在那兒……
上人：燒烤會？
果回：他們在那兒露營，升一個小火。
上人：他拿去那甘草，他有沒有吃？他怎樣吃？
果回：是的，他現在在吃。
上人：怎樣吃？
果回：怎樣吃嗎？我叫他放在開水裡，或者就那麼吃。我不曉得他到底怎麼吃？我想他大概泡開水喝。
上人：連那個都可以吃的。不單單喝那個水，就那個東西都可以吃的。他喝那個水沒有那麼大力量。（指藥效）我以前叫他那個拿去，我以為他們不是在人家裡住，那麼就可以這麼嚼著吃，就可以的。不一定要泡開水。
果回：他知道那個東西是可以吃的。但是，我記得以前……
上人：那個什麼毒，都可以解。他們若能多吃一點蜜糖，也可以解毒。還有誰？他們還有什麼情形？
果回：還有果舟，他明天會送吃的東西去。他說假如有人要在路上找他們的話，最好是中午的時候去找。他們說天一亮，只要車子能看得見他們，他們就上路了。可是，下午差不多四點鐘左右，有的時候更晚一點，他們就要開始找地方露營了。
待續 |
|
Furthermore, there's a situation you should be aware of after this any time a Dharma Master comes here from somewhere else. If it's a Dharma Master from China, you should ask the following question. Say to him, "Please may I ask the Dharma Master why Buddhism has disappeared from China now? Do you know the reasons?" Ask him that. There are a lot of principles you can question him on. When Dharma Masters come here from outside, they have no right to throw questions at us. If we speak badly, we're just unable to talk, and that's that. If the visitor asks you to give an explanation--we're unable to explain. You can turn the tables on him like that. We're just incapable of speaking, and that's all there is to it. If you have pretentions and talk on and on... once you start talking you're at error. But if we can't talk, then what? Nothing. We just can't talk. However, we can practice--tell him that and see what he says.
Basically you have no wisdom, so what's the use of talking at length? You can ask him, "How did Buddhism in Taiwan get to be such a mess? Why does Buddhism in Hong Kong only know how to hustle ceremonies for money?” You don't understand hustling ceremonies for money. It means going out to recite Sutras for the dead, banging on the Dharma instruments [illustrates] "ping, ping pong." One day of "ping, ping pong" costs $80, some charge $100 or $200. If a well-known monk goes, the minimum is $200. That's Hong Kong now. All of you don't know how to make money. The monks in Hong Kong all have millions, amassed from their "ping, ping pong, ping, ping pong."
(November 3, 1973 Saturday)
We have finished explaining "at that time," and now we'll discuss the Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light Shining Everywhere. I read the Sutra text a few days ago, I don't need to read it again. She received the Buddha's awesome might, universally contemplated all the multitudes of Emptiness-Ruling Spirits, and spoke the following verses. Her pure light shines everywhere throughout the Dharma Realm. That Emptiness-Ruling Spirit received great awesome spiritual power from the Buddha, observed all the many Emptiness-Ruling Spirits everywhere, and pronounced verses.
Sutra:
The Tathagata's vast great eye
Is pure like empty space.
It universally views all living beings,
Completely understanding them all.
Commentary:
There four lines of verse were spoken in praise of the Buddha by the Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light Shining Everywhere. The gods, dragons, and others of the eightfold pantheon, and all the hosts of spirits, were simultaneously praising the Buddha and speaking verses to do so. The verses were being spoken at the same time, but when they were recorded, they had a sequence to them. It's similar to how people get together and either praise a person, a country, or a situation--all at the same time.
An example is praise of an emperor. The Buddha is the Dharma King. Among people, the emperor is king, and we can employ the principle of a human king as an analogy for the principle of the Dharma King. In the human realm, wherever an emperor goes, the citizens come out to see him and shout, "Long live the King! Long live the King!" The citizens pronounce that praise simultaneously. No matter how many people say it, it's with one sound from different mouths. That's an example of a human king, but it's the same with the Dharma King. Every single spirit says his or her four-line verse in praise of the Buddha at the same time as the others are saying theirs. Because each has had a different experience in the course of his or her cultivation, each uses the state which he or she has obtained to praise the Buddha.
Hence the Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light Shining Everywhere said: The Tathagata's vast great eye. The Thus Come One's vast great light of wisdom, i.e., the Buddha's Dharma Eye, is pure like empty space. / It universally views all living beings. It can observe all living beings everywhere, completely understanding them all. Whether those living beings are giving rise to delusion, creating karma, or undergoing retribution, the Buddha thoroughly comprehends all the causes and conditions involved, perceiving them with utmost clarity. The Buddha fathoms those causal and conditioning factors for all living beings whatsoever, and so can employ all types of expedient dharmas to transform those living beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain bliss.
The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light Shining Everywhere used the four-line verse to depict her own state, outlook, and praise of the Buddha. Just now I mentioned how people praise the emperor with one sound from different mouths. National anthems are sung in that way too. When large numbers of citizens of a country assemble, perhaps on Independance Day or on Memorial Day, they make such pronouncements in unison as a group. If we take the Republic of China as an example, the wish is, "May the Republic of China last ten thousand years!" Other countries have similar pronouncements. For example, the citizens of Japan say, "May the Great Japanese Empire last ten thousand years!" The British say, "May Great Britain last ten thousand years!" These are praises of the nation.
There are also praises of individuals. When people celebrate someone birthday, they sing, "Happy birthday to you!" Isn't that the English for it? They pronounce that praise in unison. Worldly types of celebration are conducted in that way, and so now that the Buddha has accomplished Buddhahood, his disciples from the past, the students he taught over the ages, who have obtained various kinds of states, now all come to praise the Buddha in celebration of his accomplishment of Buddhahood. They say, "Our Teacher is now a Buddha, and we need to go quickly and praise him." That's why the infinitely many gods, dragons and others of the eightfold pantheon, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Kings of Gods all came to praise the Buddha.
The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light Shining Everywhere used four lines of verse, and when Ananda compiled the Treasury of Sutras, he recorded them in the Sutra. Now when we read the Sutra, we understand the wondrous points of the Flower Adornment Sutra and its many verses.
Sutra:
The great radiance of the Buddha's body
Pervasively illumines the ten directions.
In every location, he appears to dwell.
Universally Roaming observes this Path.
Commentary:
The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Universally Roaming Deeply and Widely said: The great radiance of the Buddha's body, because she had obtained the liberation door of universally entry to the Dharma Realm, so she saw how the great light from the Buddha's body pervasively illumines the ten directions. The Buddha's great radiance shines everywhere on all the living beings of the ten directions. In every location, he appears to dwell. Every living being says the Buddha is speaking Dharma directly to him or her, face to face. It's similar to how the moon appears in a thousand streams. A single moon is reflected everywhere in all places where there is water--hence the allusion to the moon's reflection in a thousand streams. The Buddha is that way too. Provided you are a living being, the Buddha's light can shine upon you. When that happens, you feel the Buddha is right before you radiating that light upon you. That's why the text says, "In every location, he appears to dwell." Living beings, no matter where they are, consider the Buddha to be speaking Dharma to them face to face.
Universally Roaming observes this Path. The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Universally Roaming Deeply and Widely contemplates and understands this type of principle, and enters this kind of liberation door.
Sutra:
The Buddha's body is like empty space.
It has no production and cannot be grasped.
It cannot be got at, and has no nature of its own.
This is seen by Producing Auspicious Wind.
Commentary:
The Buddha's body is like empty space. The Buddha is without marks, and yet without the absence of marks. Since he is neither marked nor unmarked, he is said to be characterized by real-mark. It has no production and cannot be grasped. Real-mark, the characteristic of reality, is without production, and it cannot be grasped. Since it has no production, what is there that could be grasped? Nothing. It cannot be got at, and has no nature of its own. Nothing about it can be got at. Ah! You tell me, is there anything that can be obtained? What could you get? It has no nature of its own. This is seen by Producing Auspicious Wind. The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Producing Auspicious Wind perceives this kind of principle.
Now that the translation into English is finished, are there any questions? Doesn't the person who wanted to make trouble want to make trouble? Kuo Hui (“Fruit of Returning”), you returned! Come up in front and tell us what's going on with them [the two monks who were making a pilgrimage of Three-Steps-One-Bow from San Francisco to Washington State].
Kuo Hui: They're over at Bodega Bay now, and they're ready to start in the morning, again, from where they left off a couple of days ago. They had to stop for a while, because Heng Ju was hurting pretty bad. [He had a bad case of poison oak from using poison oak leaves for toilet paper.] He's looking pretty good now, and they're going to try it some more. They have all the right equipment now.
Venerable Master: Where are they?
Kuo Hui: They're at the other side of Bodega Bay. They're camping...
Venerable Master: Not having a barbeque? [Laughter]
Kuo Hui: They might have a little fire...
Venerable Master: Did he eat the licorice root I gave him?
Kuo Hui: Yes, he's eating it now.
Venerable Master: How is he eating it?
Kuo Hui: I told him to put it in the tea, or just eat it. I'm not sure how he's doing it. I thought I saw some tea he made.
Venerable Master: It doesn't have to be brewed into a tea. The root itself can be eaten. It's not as potent taken as a brew. When I gave it to you to take to them before, I didn't expect them to be staying in people's houses. My idea was that he could just chew on it. It can dispel poison. Honey is very good for that too. What else is going on?
Kuo Hui: Kuo Chou is going to bring food to them tomorrow. They said the best time to find them on the road, if anyone goes looking for them, is at noon. They get on the road at daybreak, as soon as the cars can see them. And they start looking for a place to stay around 4 p.m., sometimes later. They stay on the road; they don't go on the beach.
To be continued |
