你們美國人真是妙想天開，昨天講的並不是說不叫你造塔，你造塔造得愈多愈好，造得恆河沙數那麼多更好。可是這個塔，不是你說用妄想想造一個塔，是真有這個塔，真造出來的塔。不是說：「我這麼想一想造個塔。」不是這個。恆河沙數的塔，用七寶來造成，你說這有多大的功德？這功德最大的。但是你若靜坐一須臾，真能得到無心了，做了無心道人，那比你造恆河沙數那麼多的寶塔還有功德。並不是說不叫人造寶塔，你願意造寶塔，造多少都可以。這不是講笑話，不是說租給你一個，租給我一個，租給他一個，不是這樣子。寶塔怎麼樣租法呢？你租來做什麼？
我們今天講一個靜坐一須臾的公案，給大家聽一聽。以前在中國湖南溈山有個靈佑禪師，就是溈山老人，他在溈山用茅草搭一個茅棚，在那兒住。住了幾年了，就很多人都知道，這位老和尚、這位老人有道德、有修行，那麼就很多人去見他。這個消息傳來傳去，就傳到裴休的耳朵裡頭去了，他也去見一見這個老和尚。到那兒，和溈山老人一談話，非常有緣，他就生出一種信心，「啊！你在這兒真是一個有道的高僧，但是你住這個茅棚這麼破破爛爛的，又漏水又不擋風的，這太苦了。你造個大廟在這兒住囉！我給你拿錢。」當時一拿就拿了三百兩銀子。這三百兩銀子，當時大約造我們這麼大的一個廟，可以造十個，因為那時候這個錢很值錢的，一分銀子就能買很多東西。那麼裴丞相做一個大護法來布施，出三百兩銀子。但是溈山老人那時候也沒有safe（保險箱），也沒有個箱子，也沒有地方放，於是乎他就放到茅棚旁邊草裡頭了。
那麼等了三年，裴丞相又來見溈山老人了。到這兒一看，還是那個破茅棚，破破爛爛的，心裡就想：「唉！這個和尚，我給他三百兩銀子，他幹什麼用了？是不是都買酒喝了？是不是都買肉吃了？奇怪！三百兩銀子不修廟，還住這麼個破茅棚？」進來一見溈山老人，還是這個樣子，那麼他就和溈山老人談，說：「前三年我布施給你三百兩銀子，叫你修廟，你怎麼不修廟呢？你這個銀子都幹什麼用了？」溈山老人說：「哦！這個銀子嘛，你放到什麼地方，你到什麼地方去找去！」
他一想：「那時候沒有地方放，就放到那草裡了。」還是到草那個地方，一看，三百兩銀子還是在那個地方，動也沒有動，也沒有說是把它收起來放一個好的地方，怕人給偷去，沒有。裴丞相一想：「哦！這真是一個有道的高僧，三百兩銀子，三年他動都不動，就放到那地方，哦！這個廟是要我給修了。」於是乎就自己又拿出來錢，一造就造了一個大廟，這個大廟一住可以住三千多人在那兒。
廟造好了，很多禪和子（這參禪的叫禪和子）。就來到這兒用功修行；那麼就有兩千多人。能住三千多人，現在有兩千多人。裴休一看：「啊！這麼多和尚都聚會到這個地方來，我叫我的兒子也來出家！」於是乎就送他的兒子來出家，他兒子是個翰林，很有學問的，就好像現在的老profesor（教授）的樣子，很有學問的。那麼送來出家，溈山老人就叫裴丞相這個兒子做什麼呢？說：「你出家要先行行苦行，你做水頭吧！這兩千多人的水，你天天要擔水。」那麼一早起，兩點多鐘就要起身擔水，擔到晚間十二點。你們這坐禪是這樣，他擔水也是這樣子。擔來擔去，擔來擔去，一擔，擔了幾年。擔了幾年水，旁的什麼也沒有做，也沒有一個時間看經，也沒有一個時間來拜佛，也沒有一個時間來念佛。他擔水就是一邊擔水一邊念佛，但是正式的看經、念佛，他沒有機會，因為他是個沙彌，要行苦行。
那麼擔了幾年水，他說：「咦！這個禪堂，他們這人都在禪堂裡住，我看看禪堂裡頭是個什麼情形？」於是乎，他就偷偷地到那個地方，把頭伸進去望一望禪堂裡邊，偏偏這時候，啊！這個也打呼，那個也睡覺。他一看，怎麼個個都是這樣子，他說：「喝！我天天這麼苦，挑水給你們喝，作飯給你們吃，我以為你們用功修行，原來你們都在這兒睡覺啊！憑我一個翰林給你們挑水，讓你們來睡覺！」就覺得心裡很不高興了。
這一不高興，方丈就派侍者叫他去見方丈，那麼幾年來他也沒有見過方丈，也沒有見過師父。這回去見師父，溈山老人說：「你把你的東西收拾收拾，你要走了，我這兒不留你了，不用你了，我遷你的單。」
裴休兒子說：「我犯了什麼過了，你遷我單？」溈山老人說：「你犯了什麼過啊？你為什麼要說是這些個人都睡覺，你來做工，你一個翰林來挑水給這一些個睡覺的人作飯吃，你是不是打這個妄想？」他說：「是啊，那我看他們真都睡覺嘛！」溈山老人就說了，說：
「老僧打一坐」，老僧在這兒打一坐，「能消萬兩金」，你就一萬兩金子也都受得了的，何況你一個翰林挑水呢？你現在這樣子，一點忍辱的功夫也沒有，你要走了，我這兒不留你了。
這裴休的兒子法名叫法海，就跪到方丈和尚面前哀求，說：「不要遷我單，原諒我這一次啊。」方丈和尚說：「不行！你這種沒有出息的人，不能原諒的，趕快給我起單，走！」那麼起單就起單囉，把東西收拾好了，就問說：「那你叫我到什麼地方去啊？我到什麼地方去住呢？」溈山老人就給他拿了八個半錢，說：「你啊！什麼時候把這八個半錢用完了，你就在那兒住了；你有半個錢呢，也不要住，就要走。」
那麼這個法海拿了八個半錢就下山了，各處去化緣、乞討，化飯吃，這八個半錢始終也不敢用。由這湖南一走，走到南京、鎮江。到鎮江那個地方要過江，他要過江到那一個山上去看看；這個擺船的人呢，也不和他要多錢，也不和他要少錢，就和他要八個半錢。那麼八個半錢都沒有了，到那個山上就不下山了，所以就在金山那個地方。
那個山就叫金山，原來不叫金山來著，叫什麼山呢？這不可考。以後怎麼叫金山呢？他到那個山上，看那個山有洞，他就在山上那個洞裡住。住住洞呢，這個洞晚間就放光，他到那兒一看，原來有兩缸金子在那個地方，他就用這個金子來在那兒造了江天寺。所以中國這個金山，就是因為他在那兒得了兩大缸金子，所以叫金山了。這個寺的名字就叫江天寺。那麼在那兒創了一個道場，到現在在中國這個道場也是很有名的。在坐禪的來講，「金山的腿子，高旻的香。」
高旻寺坐香是一秒鐘也不會錯的，一定要有一定的時間。在金山住的人呢，都要練好這個腿子，都練得非常好，坐多久也不怕痛的，他那個腿子都坐熟了。在前幾天有人坐得腿痛都哭起來了，我叫人如果腿痛的時候，可以站起來，站一站。這個方居士就說：「那麼可以坐那個地方，把腿伸一伸，一秒鐘也就不痛了嘛！」本來這個法可以的，但是因為你若叫人把腿伸到止單下邊來，他就不會一秒鐘了，不會一分鐘！他把腿伸了，最低限度也要十分鐘，或者二十分鐘。伸了腿那時候不能用功的，那麼為什麼叫人站起來？站起來，大家都看得見的，你坐那兒伸著腿，有的人就看不見，他自己也面皮厚厚的，「不要緊，他也這樣子嘛！」也就不覺得怎麼樣醜了。那麼你若站著呢？「喔！人家都坐著，我站著不好意思，啊！趕快再坐下來。」是這樣子，有這種情形，所以叫人站起來。實在受不了，你站起來；或者要睡覺，也站起來，這第一的你能把精神換一換，提起精神來；第二呢，也不會那麼長久。
今天又有人說：「這個禪堂裡很多動靜，有人咳嗽，又有人打呼，又有人這麼一動彈，這個止單就響了，很多動靜。」這個是在什麼地方都會有的，你沒有這個動靜，就有那個動靜；沒有那個動靜，又有那個動靜。你若會用功的人，有動靜，你不為這個動靜所轉，不要跟著它那個動靜，不要聽著一個動靜，你就跟著那個動靜就跑了。說：「他這麼真討厭，令我也不能入定了！」就是他沒有動靜，你在這時候也不一定入定；你若入定，你就不會知道人有動靜。
那麼用功又要有忍耐，就是他有動靜，也就要看看你在聽見動靜的時候，會不會心裡不高興，有沒有忍耐力。這忍耐力，遇著什麼境界都不動，這就是忍。你在鬧市場中好修行，你若真是會用功的人，在什麼熱鬧的地方，也一樣用功。不過我們現在都是初參，方才開始，在鬧市裡頭沒有那麼容易。但是很不容易找那麼一個完全都是靜的地方，你就是在山上，在深山裡頭靜得不得了，啊！你自己和自己都過不去，自己對自己會發脾氣的。
修道就是要能克服環境，無論什麼環境，不要討厭這個環境，說：「哦！這個環境不好，這個環境不好。」你到另外一個地方，比這個更不好，你另外再到一個地方更不好，天下就沒有好的地方。你若是克服環境了，什麼地方都一樣。佛不擇地而成，佛不是說選擇一個地方他成佛，哪個地方都可以成佛的。
各位已經苦了六天了，還有明天一天，看看怎麼樣子。要腳踏實地，認真用功，認真叫這個功夫上路了，認識你的本來面目了。你若認識本來面目了，那時候腿也不痛了，腰也不痛了，非常自在，非常清涼。 |
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What I said yesterday was not telling you not to build pagodas; in fact, the more you build, the better. If you build pagodas to the number of Ganges' sands, then that's even better. But it shouldn't be that you just express your fantasy of wanting to build a pagoda. The pagoda must actually exist. You have to really build it, not just talk about wanting to build one. By building pagodas of the seven jewels in number like grains of sands in the Ganges River, you will derive great merit and virtue. But the merit and virtue obtained from sitting quietly in dhyana samadhi for even an instant and being truly without thought--becoming a person of the Way without thought--surpasses the merit and virtue obtained from building pagodas of the seven jewels in number like Ganges' sands. This is certainly not telling people not to build pagodas. If you want to build pagodas, you can build as many as you like. I'm not joking. After all, there's no way to rent a pagoda for you, or rent a pagoda for me, or rent a pagoda for someone else. That's not how it's done. How could a pagoda be rented, anyway? And why would you want to rent one?
Today I will relate a true account about "sitting quietly for an instant." Long ago, Dhyana Master Ling You and after several years many people came to know of him as a cultivator who had virtue in the Way. Many people came to pay their respects. lived on Mount Wei in Hunan province in China. He was known as "the old man of Mount Wei." He built a hut and cultivated on the mountain, and after several years many people came to know of him as a cultivator who had virtue in the Way. Many people came to pay their respects. When the news reached Prime Minister Pei Xiu, he too went to call on him.
As soon as he had a conversation with the Old Man of Mount Wei, he felt the affinities were very deep and, inspired by his faith in him, he thought, "You are really a lofty monk who has the Way! But you are living in such a shaky, broken-down hut. It leaks when it rains and the wind blows through it. It's too bitter! You can build a monastery here. I'll give you the money." On the spot he gave the Old Man three hundred ounces of silver. The value of silver at the time was such that three hundred ounces could have built ten monasteries like the one we are in now. [the former Gold Mountain Dhyana Monastery]. In those days a piece of silver could buy a lot of things. Prime Minister Pei Xiu, acting as a great Dharma Protector, offered up three hundred ounces of silver. But the Old Man of Mount Wei didn't have a safe, or a safety deposit box, or even a special place to put it in. And so Minister Pei Xiu simply set the money outside the hut in the grass and left.
Three years later, Prime Minister Pei Xiu returned to call upon the Old Man of Mount Wei and found him still living in the same shabby hut. He thought, "Oh! I gave this monk three hundred ounces of silver. What did he do with it? Did he use it to buy wine? Did he buy meat with it? How strange! Three hundred ounces of silver and he didn't build a monastery. He's still living in this broken-down hut!" He went in and saw that the Old Man of Mount Wei was just the same as before. And so he asked him,"Three years ago I gave you three hundred ounces of silver and told you to build a monastery. Why didn't you do it? What have you done with the money?"
The Old Man of Mount Wei said, "Silver? Where did you put it? Go look for it there." Pei Xiu thought to himself, "At that time there was no place to put it, and so I left it in the grass." Then he went to search in the grass and sure enough, the silver was still there. It hadn't moved an inch. The Old Man of Mount Wei hadn't even gathered up the money to put it in a safe place out of fear that someone might steal it. Prime Minister Pei Xiu thought, “Oh, he's really a lofty monk who has attained the Way. For three years he didn't even touch that three hundred ounces of silver. I should build the monastery for him.” Then he took out some more money and built a huge monastery that could house more than three thousand people.
After the temple was built, many monks who cultivated Chan meditation went there to cultivate. The monastery could house over three thousand people, and more than two thousand people had already gone there to reside. Pei Xiu thought, “Ah, so many monks are living here together. I will tell my son to leave the home-life.” Then Pei Xiu sent his son, a Hanlin scholar who was extremely learned--on a par with a present-day full professor--to leave the home-life.
What did the Old Man of Mount Wei tell this son of the Prime Minister to do? He said, "Since you have just become a left-home person, first you have to practice austerities. I appoint you water-carrier. You must haul water every day for the two thousand and some people who live here." Thus, he had to rise each day shortly after two o'clock in the morning and carry water all day long until midnight. You all sit in your Chan meditation; he hauled his water. Back and forth, back and forth he went, hauling water for several years. During those several years of hauling water, he didn't do anything else. He had no time to study the sutras, no time to bow to the Buddhas, and no time to formally recite the Buddha's name. His cultivation consisted solely of carrying water and reciting Buddha's name as he went. He did not have a fixed time to concentrate on studying the sutras, or any opportunity to recite the Buddha's name together with everyone else. He was a novice; he had to do hard work.
After carrying water for several years, he thought: "Everyone resides in the Chan hall. I'm going to take a look and see what goes on in a Chan hall. It just so happened that when he stole a peek into the hall, this monk was snoring and that monk was sleeping and the more he looked, the more he saw they were all like that. He said to himself, "Wow! I have been working so hard every day carrying water for you to drink and to use in cooking. All along I thought you were working hard at your cultivation. But, in fact, you've only been sleeping here. Really! Here I am a Hanlin scholar toting water so you have the opportunity to sleep!" He was extremely upset.
As soon as he got upset, the abbot sent an attendant to summon him. In all those years he had never seen his teacher. Now he had a chance to see his teacher and the Old Man of Mount Wei said to him, "Pack up your things and get out. We can't use you here. You are being kicked out."
Pei Xiu's son said, "But what have I done wrong? Why are you throwing me out?" The Old Man said, "What have you done! Why did you say that all those people were sleeping--that you came here and worked--you a Hanlin scholar hauled water to feed a bunch of people who like to sleep. Did you or did you not have those false thoughts?" He replied, "Yes! I saw them all sleeping in the Chan hall!" The Old Man of Mount Wei said,When an old monk sits once in meditation, He can digest ten thousand ounces of gold.
You wouldn't be able to handle even one ounce of gold how much the less can you stand being a Hanlin who hauls water. Just take a look at yourself, you don't have the least bit of patience. You'll have to go. I refuse to keep you here."
Pei Xiu's son, whose name was Fa Hai, then knelt before the abbot and begged, "Please don't kick me out! Please forgive me this time." The abbot said, "No! I can't forgive such a useless person. Pack up and get out fast!"
He was kicked out and that was that. After Fa Hai had packed his things, he asked, "Please tell me where I should go. Where should I live?" The Old Man gave him eight and half cents and said, "Dwell right where you happen to be when you have spent the last of this eight and half cents. As long as you have even a half a cent left, you should keep moving." Carrying that eight and half cents, Fa Hai went down the mountain. He begged for food as he traveled, because he dared not spend the eight and half cents. He went straight through Hunan to Nanjing. As he crossed the river at Zhenjiang, intending to climb the mountain on the other side, the ferryman didn't ask for more and didn't ask for less--he wanted exactly eight and half cents for the fare. Since all the money was spent for the fare, once he reached that mountain, he didn't leave. He stayed on Gold Mountain. That mountain was named Gold Mountain. Actually, originally it was not called Gold Mountain. What was its name? There is no way to trace it. Well, how did it come to be called Gold Mountain? When Fa Hai first arrived on the mountain he found a cave and lived in it. One night the cave radiated light. He went further into the cave to trace the source of the light and discovered two crocks full of gold there. He then used the gold to build Jiangtian Monastery. And so in China that mountain is named Gold Mountain because two full crocks of gold were discovered there by him.
He established a Way-place there and to this day, it is one of China's most famous Way-places when it comes to Chan meditation. The saying goes:Gold Mountain legs.Gaomin incense.
At Gaomin Monastery, the sitting periods are measured by the length of time it takes a stick of incense to burn, and they are never off by a second. At Gold Mountain, those who lived there got their legs well-trained for meditation--to the point that no matter how long they sat they didn't fear the pain. They had veteran legs! Several days ago someone couldn't stand the pain and cried. I've told you before that you can stand up for a while if your legs hurt. Someone suggested, "Stretch out your legs for a second while still sitting there in order to get rid of the pain." Basically that method is all right, but if you allow people to stretch out their legs in front of the Chan bench, they won't do it for just a second or just a minute. At the least they will stretch their legs out for ten minutes or even twenty minutes. Once you stretch out your legs, you can't work at your meditation. And so why do I suggest that people stand up? When you stand up, everyone can see you. If you sit there with your legs stretched out, some people are not going to notice it. And you can be thick-skinned and rationalize with yourself: "It doesn't matter--others are probably doing the same thing." In general, you won't feel so embarrassed. But what happens if you stand up? "Gee! Everyone else is sitting. It's embarrassing to be standing here. I'm going to hurry up and sit down." That's why I want you to stand up instead. If you really can't stand it or if you feel like going to sleep, you can stand up. That's the first reason I want you to stand: you can shift your energy and bring up your spirits. The second reason is that you won't do it for long.
Someone complained today that there is too much noise in the Chan hall. One person was coughing; somebody else was snoring; and another person wiggling, which caused the bench to squeak. The noise was intolerable! That can happen anywhere. You may try to avoid this noise, but another noise shows up. If you get rid of that noise, you'll become aware of another one. If you are someone who knows how to apply your effort, then whether it's noisy or quiet, you will not be turned by movement or stillness. Don't follow the noise and quiet--don't listen to the movement and stillness. If you follow the movement and stillness, then you will say: "He is really irritating! She makes it impossible for me to enter samadhi!" Even if the other person weren't making noise, you still might not be able to enter samadhi. If you can enter samadhi, then you are not even going to notice his movements.
Developing skill in meditation requires patience. Whatever state comes up, you should not move. That is what's meant by patience. Noisy places are good places for learning to cultivate. If you are really able to work at your meditation, then no matter how noisy the environment, you can still do your work. But now we are all new at meditation; we have just begun, and so it's not so easy for us to cultivate in such a noisy place. However, it is also not at all easy to find a completely quiet place. Even if you go to the top of a mountain where the stillness is profound, you still have yourself to deal with. You may get angry with yourself.
In cultivating the Way you must be able to overcome the environment. That's how you should be. No matter what the situation, don't despise your environment, saying: "Ugh, this is a terrible environment." Move somewhere else and it may be worse. Leave that place and go on to another and it may turn out to be worse yet, until there's no place in the universe that suits you. If you can overcome the environment, then everywhere is the same for you. The Buddhas don't choose the place where they realize Buddhahood. The Buddhas don't pick their place when they become enlightened. It's possible to realize Buddhahood anywhere.
We have already passed through six days. Tomorrow is the last day. Let's see how you do. You set yourself firmly to the task and intensely apply effort. Be determined to make progress in developing your skill, in recognizing your original face. When you recognize your original face, then your legs won't hurt and your back won't ache. You will feel extremely comfortable--very clear and cool. |
