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方才這個人，他自己不知道自己會不會成佛？成佛和不成佛，不是會不會的問題，就是看你修行不修行的問題。誰修行，誰就成佛；誰不修行，誰就不成佛，也就和你誰吃飯，誰就飽；誰若不吃飯，誰就不飽，一樣的道理。你若說：「我修行！我修行！」口裡說修行，身體不實實在在去做去，這是沒有用的，就好像說食數寶似的。說食，說：「那個油餅啊，烙得真好吃，那個餃子也太好了，包子我更歡喜吃。」但是就這麼念一念，好像念經似的，不吃去，這沒有用的，不會於你自己有好處的。又好像替旁人數錢，在銀行裡做工，一天到晚數錢，數來數去都不是自己的。那自己還是一個月只賺三、五百塊錢的樣子，沒有多。數，可是百萬百萬百萬的，天天數錢，數得不知多少，但是不是自己的。那麼因為這個，所以要老老實實去修行。
若是修行，你想不成佛，也不可以的；你若不修行，你想成佛，也不能夠的。
你又問：「這個妄想很多，怎麼辦？是不是另有一個妙法子來對治這個妄想？」不是的，就是這個「念佛是誰」，就是對治你妄想的。你若是能專一其心，找這個「誰」，就把其他的妄想就都沒有了。我前幾天給你們講了多少次，這「念佛是誰」就好像掃地那個掃把似的，掃一下子，它就乾淨一點，掃一下子，它就乾淨一點。你念一個「誰」，心裡的妄想就少了很多，你念兩個「誰」，又少了很多，你誰、誰、誰、誰，它把這個妄想就掃乾淨了。說：「我要另外再找一個方法去試一試。」再好的方法也沒有這個方法再好了。你就念個咒，或者念佛，都是對治你妄想的方法。你若會用，那個妄想就是個真；不會，那個真就變成個妄。你會用這個法、會用功，真、真、真，都真了；你若不會用功，就妄、妄、妄，都變成妄了，所以這就看你用功的程度怎麼樣子。你常常地把這個金剛王寶劍舉起來，照了一切的虛妄，把虛妄都照化了、沒有了。
今年這個禪七在一轉眼的時間就過去了，用功用得相應的，也不要歡喜；用得不相應的，也不要生煩惱，那麼可以繼續再努力。你現在知道這個參禪的方法了，這個在家裡也可以用功修行，也可以念玆在玆地來參悟這話頭。只要你這個念頭不斷，終究有一天一定會開悟的。你用功用得專一，就會有成就的；你不專一，就是釋迦牟尼佛來對著你面，你也不會開悟的。為什麼呢？你心不在焉，所以你的功夫就不成就。
我們今年這個禪七是很圓滿的，有這麼多人，很少躲懶偷安的。雖然吃完了飯，浪費一點時間，但是這是很難說的。因為在這一個國家開荒，這個地都沒有種過，開這個佛教的荒地，這要一點一點地來，所以就規矩上差一點呢，我也不講。一年比一年緊一點，這是你們知道的，去年就沒有今年這麼緊，是不是啊？（某弟子：去年我不在。）你不在，他們在，是不是啊？不記得了？我知道去年沒有今年這麼認真，今年呢，多少有一點成就，有幾個人都得到好處了，但是不是開大悟，都是開一點小悟。那麼你若問是誰啊？反正不是你，你若問，就不是你；你若不問呢，或者你就有份。這是將來的，將來你有份，那不要著急。
這個用功用得相應不相應，就好像人喝這個水似的，這個水是涼的、熱的，自己知道，旁人呢，不一定知道。那麼在今年，這個禪七已經過去了，將來有機會再參加禪七，要特別認真，一秒鐘也不要空放過去，好好用一用功，那麼認識父母未生以前的本來面目是怎麼樣子的。 |
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你會用這個法、會用功，真、真、真，都真了；你若不會用功，就妄、妄、妄，都變成妄了。
If you can develop your skill--then it is true, true, true--all of it is true.If you aren't able to develop your skill, then it is false, false, false--all of it turns into falseness. |
Just now someone doubted whether he could become a Buddha or not. Becoming a Buddha is not a question of whether you can or not, but a question of whether you cultivate or not. Whoever cultivates will become a Buddha; whoever doesn't cultivate will not become Buddha. It is the same principle as whoever eats will get full; whoever doesn't eat, won't get full. If you insist, "I cultivate! I cultivate!" only saying you cultivate but failing to actually do the cultivation, then that is useless. That's like talking about food or counting others' money. Talking about food, you say, "That kind of pancake is delicious. When you pan-fry it, it's great! Chinese dumplings are superb! I like to eat Chinese hot buns even more!" But all you do is recite the menu--sort of like reciting a Sutra. You don't actually eat those things. Then, that's of no use. You don't gain any advantage at all from it. Or it's like a teller in a bank who counts other people's money. All day long he counts money, but none of what he counts is his own. He's still just a paid employee who earns a few hundred dollars a month. He may count billions, count vast sums of money every day, but it's not his. These examples are just to say, we should honestly and reliably, actually cultivate.
If you really cultivate, then it is impossible not to become a Buddha, even though you might not want to. However, if you don't cultivate, then it is impossible to become a Buddha even if you want to. And so you ask, "What shall I do about excessive false thinking? Is there some special wonderful method for counteracting false thoughts?" No. "Who is mindful of the Buddha" is the method for counteracting your false thoughts. If you can concentrate on looking for "who," then the other false thoughts will disappear.
During these few days I have told you many times that the topic of "Who is mindful of the Buddha" is like a broom used for sweeping the floor. Sweep a bit and things get a little cleaner. Sweep a bit more, and things get a bit more clean. Each time you contemplate "who," many false thoughts are eradicated. If you contemplate "who" twice, the amount of false thinking decreases even more. The process of contemplating "who, who, who, who" sweeps the false thoughts away and leaves us clean. You say, "I want to try some other method." There isn't any better method. This is the very best method. If you recite mantras or are mindful of the Buddha, then those are methods for counteracting your false thoughts. If you can use them, then those kinds of false thoughts can lead to the truth. But if you can't use them, then those kinds of false thoughts turn into falseness. If you can use the Dharma--if you can develop your skill--then it is true, true, true--all of it is true. If you aren't able to develop your skill, then it is false, false, false--all of it turns into falseness. And so it remains to be seen to what level you are able to develop your skill. If you always hold aloft the regal jeweled Vajra sword to illuminate everything that is empty and false, then what is empty and false will vanish. It will disappear.
Time passes in the blink of an eye. Those who have had some response from their work should not be pleased with themselves; those who haven't had any response should not be distressed. You should continue to work hard. You now know the method used in investigating Chan meditation. And so you can continue to work at your cultivation even at home. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you can investigate this meditation topic until you awaken to its meaning. As long as you maintain the investigation, it is for certain that one day you will become enlightened. By being single-minded in your work, you will be successful. If you are not single-minded, then even if Shakyamuni Buddha himself appeared before you, you still wouldn't be able to become enlightened. Why? It is because you don't have your mind on what you are doing, and so you cannot become accomplished in your skill.
This year's Chan meditation session has been a good one--out of so many people, very few have been lax. Although sometimes after lunch you wasted a little time, it's not fair to expect too much. In this country, we are breaking new ground that has never been planted before. In order to plant Buddhism here, the breaking of new ground must be done little by little. That is why I haven't said anything about certain bending of the rules. Every year things get a little stricter--you already realize that. Last year was not as strict as this year, right? Or have you forgotten? I know that last year was not as intense as this year. This year some of you have had some accomplishment. Several people obtained some advantages. But if you ask if these were major awakenings--no, they were minor ones. And if you ask who had them, then it's obvious you weren't one who did! If you ask, then it wasn't you. If you don't ask, then perhaps you had a share. At least in the future you all can have a share, so don't be nervous.
In developing your skill, whether you have a response or not is just like when you drink water only you know whether the water is warm or cold: it is something you yourself know; others may not know. This year's Chan meditation session is over; in the future if you have chance to attend another Chan meditation session, you should be especially intense and not let even a second go by in vain. Work well in developing your skill to find out what your original face is--the one you had before your parents give birth to you. |
