前期經文：眾生無福受眾苦
憨山大師說：「夢入大火聚」，作夢夢見走到一個大火堆裏去了。「怕怖多慞慌」，這時候怕得不得了，啊！恐懼得不得了，所以多慞慌，不知道我跑到這火堆，這不是要被火燒死了嗎？這時候嚇得身上都出汗，也沒有法子躲避這火難。「正當苦惱時」，正在這苦惱的時候，又害怕又恐懼的時候啊！「滴水變清涼」，有一滴水，人家滴上了，就覺得：啊！真這很好了，很清涼了。「一至水燒盡」，等把這一滴水燒沒有了，這時候又苦惱起來，又苦了，又害怕了。啊！這種苦是太多了，所以叫眾苦，受眾苦。
「重蓋密障常迷覆」：重蓋，就是遮蓋著；什麼遮蓋著？就是這無明煩惱蓋著。密障，就是很嚴密的障。障有三種，有煩惱障、有業障，又有報障；又有煩惱障，有所知障，這種種的障遮障著。常迷覆，常常地令你迷惑，令你不明白，遮蓋著你。令你本來很聰明的，啊！一天比一天糊塗；本來很有主意的，一天比一天這妄想就多。你們誰要是重蓋密障常迷覆的人，在這個地方就應該覺悟囉！應該明白囉！不應該再這麼迷了。「一切皆令得解脫」：為什麼呢？佛願一切眾生的苦都得到解脫。「此淨光神所了知」：這種的境界、這種的解脫門，是淨光主風神所能了的。
在這個夢裏邊啊，你夢見在一個大火堆裏頭，恐懼得那個樣子，也沒有法子逃出這個火堆，越著急，這兩條腿它越罷工，它邁不動步，不聽你指揮。等到你醒來的時候，「一至醒眼觀」，你醒來的時候，你看一看，「向者誰悲傷」，在夢裏頭悲傷那個人是誰呢？又是哪一個呢？那麼這是夢裏到了火堆裏頭，怕得那個樣子；我們現在在這個世界上，沒有開悟的人，都是在這兒苦苦惱惱的，奔奔波波的，爭爭吵吵，煩煩惱惱，覺得很不錯的。你要知道啊，等到你死的時候，你有什麼把握沒有？等到你病的時候，有沒有什麼把握？如果沒有把握的話，那你的夢就沒有醒呢！你若有把握了，病嘛，我可以不病；死嘛，我可以不死；我若願意死嘛，隨時都可以的。能以有這個把握，那個夢或者就醒了。所以啊！在這個地方，各位要特別注意的。
弟子問：突然間死，是不是也像活牛剝皮？譬如有人被槍打死，是不是一樣痛苦？
上人：那個苦啊！更難受，在當時不知道，等過去的時候就知道，每一天到那個時候都是有那種痛苦的。你告訴他，不要盡找便宜的事情，以為這麼死是很沒有痛苦的；這個痛苦啊！比那個自然死的更長遠。所謂便宜，第一就是應該不應該的；這個很便宜的。好像買茶杯，本來這個茶杯值五塊錢，現在只要五毫子，喔！這便宜了！本來人死啊！是很痛苦的，那我找一個方法，死了沒有痛苦，這是很便宜的。但是你死的時候便宜，死後了也是不便宜，還是比那個痛苦更厲害，不過人不知道，而鬼知道。那個鬼，每逢到你死的那時候，他就受不了，就很痛苦了；天天到那個時候，他就痛苦了。你若病死的呢，雖然像活牛剝皮一樣，但是他死了以後，就沒有那麼多痛苦了。
弟子問：佛教對安樂死是如何？是否完全不允許？
上人：人做的事情不一定完全對，也不一定完全不對，所以政府不許可這麼樣子，這是對的。那麼人看這個人死的事情很痛苦，想要幫助他，把他殺了，叫他死，這個也是對的。但是，這都是人所做的事情。在佛教裏頭，不錯，不許可有這種的情形！這一切都是業，他的痛苦也是業，應該受這個果報。不能你用一種勉強的手段，來把這個業令他不受報了。據說崇禎皇帝前生是個出家人呢！但是沒有受具足戒，只是個沙彌，很早就死了，他師父就叫他師兄弟說：「你們啊！拉著他的身體，把他腳綁上繩子拖。什麼時候把這個身體都拖碎了，沒有了，那時候就算了。」他這一些個師兄弟就說：「這個太殘忍了！人都已經死了，何況他活著那麼好。死了把他這個身體在地上拖，這麼樣，屍首也拖沒有了。這個太不慈悲了，沒有慈悲心。把他埋上了，讓他得到一個全屍，埋上他。」
因為前生他做沙彌，來生就做崇禎皇帝。做皇帝呢！就有道無福。所以，以後就上吊，在煤山上吊，自己就吊死了。如果他這一些個師兄弟把他屍首給拖沒有了呢，今生做皇帝，就會做一個又有福、又有道德的皇帝。因為他們不拖碎他的屍首，所以今生有道沒有福，結果還要自己上吊；在煤山吊死。有的人這麼說的，是真的？是假的？我也不知道！屍首啊！一點一點的就磨沒了嘛，屍體和土地一摩擦，就壞了嘛！壞了就碎了，拖碎了嘛！這個明眼的善知識知道他這種罪業沒有消盡，若把屍體都沒有了，他來生就會做一個好皇帝。但是他這個師兄啊，就不想他做個好皇帝！就想他做一個半途而廢的皇帝，於是乎，今生就來和他搶做皇帝，就變成李自成。
現在講這個魔。魔有多少種？這個佛的十力，誰記住嗎？有沒有人記得？這神通力要講十力，不是單單六種神通；神通力也講六種神通，還要有十力。這十力誰會講？我現在就給你們講這講十個魔了，你們有人知道這十個魔了嗎？
如來廣大神通力，克殄一切魔軍眾
所以調伏諸方便，勇健威力能觀察
「如來廣大神通力，克殄一切魔軍眾，所以調伏諸方便，勇健威力能觀察」。那個文，你們都消文消得可以過得去了。「魔軍眾」，講得不太清楚，現在把它再講一講。「如來廣大神通力，克殄一切魔軍眾」，克殄，就是能降伏，就是能把天魔外道都給折服了。魔牠就能殺人、能害人、能令人死、能令人發狂、能令人失去理智；失去這個理智，就是顛顛倒倒認不清楚真理了。這魔能令人這樣子，迷亂顛倒，不守規矩；這都是魔王的本領。
這第一個魔是什麼呢？就是這個「欲」，英文就叫 desire，你們現在有desire的，知道不知道？這就是個魔！所以說「欲是汝軍一」，這個欲啊，就是你那個魔軍的第一個魔軍。第一個魔軍就是這個欲。第二魔軍是什麼呢？是「憂愁」。你有了利益了，跟著憂愁就來了！為什麼要憂愁呢？就因為不能滿足這個欲。不能滿足這個欲，所以就生了一種憂愁。今天想、明天想，想來想去，頭髮也想白了，眼睛也想花了！舌頭可沒有想掉，牙掉了！那麼這就憂愁，第二個就是憂愁軍第二。第三個是什麼呢？是「飢渴」。憂愁，為什麼憂愁呢？就因為飢渴，對這個 desire 很飢渴的。飢，就好像餓。渴就是沒有水喝了，這很渴的，叫什麼？thirsty 渴了。渴什麼呢，就是欲沒有滿足，所以就好像餓了，又好像渴了似的！飢渴，這是第三個魔軍。
待續 |
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Sutra text from last issue: Living beings, lacking blessings, under the many sufferings...
Great Master Hanshan said, “In a dream I entered a huge bonfire.” While dreaming, he saw himself walking into an enormous blazing fire.“I panicked and was overwhelmed by fear.” At that time, he was terribly afraid, incredibly terrified, hence “overwhelmed by fear. He didn't anticipate walking into a bonfire, and wasn't he going to be burned to death by the fire? He was so petrified he broke out in a sweat. There was no way he could escape from the fire.“Just at that moment of alarm,” right when he was so scared and apprehensive, “A drop of water turned things fresh and cool.” There was a single drop of water the touch of which seemed so fine, so cool and refreshing.“But then the water evaporated.” When that single drop of water evaporated in the fire, the suffering started all over again. It was both agonizing and terrifying. There are far too many such sufferings, and so they are called “the many sufferings.”
Living beings are ever shrouded and confused by weighty coverings and dense obstructions.“Weighty coverings” refers to being covered over by ignorance and afflictions.“Dense obstructions” are thick blockages, specifically the Three Kinds of Obstructions: The Obstruction of Afflictions, the Obstruction of Karma, and the Obstruction of Retribution. Another classification is into the Obstruction of Afflictions and the Obstruction of What is Known. With such various kinds of obstructions forming blockages, you are “ever shrouded and confused.” They keep you in a perpetual state of delusion, so you don't understand anything due to those obstructions. You may be quite intelligent to start with, but day by day you become more muddled. Basically you had a clear purpose in mind, but then your false thoughts multiply as the days pass. Any of you who are ever shrouded and confused by weighty coverings and dense obstructions should wake up at this point and start to understand! Don't continue being so confused. But he leads them all to achieve liberation. Why is that? The Buddha wants all living beings to be released from their sufferings. The Spirit named Pure Light has this understanding. The Wind-Ruling Spirit named Pure Light can comprehend this kind of state, this type of door to liberation.
Within a dream you see yourself inside a huge bonfire and are so afraid. You have no way to get out of the fire. The more seared you are, the more your legs go on strike and won't walk. They don't obey your orders. But when you wake up, from your awakened vantage point you wonder, “Who was so distressed?” Who was it? That was a case of being terrified in a dream of entering a holocaust. We people now in this world who are not yet awake are constantly suffering and getting upset. We are so busy squabbling and quarrelling and being afflicted, and we feel it's not all that bad. But you should realize, when the time comes for you to die, what control will you have? When you fall sick, how will you be in charge of the situation? If you have no control, then you haven't awakened from the dream!
If you do have control, then you can be sick or not as you please. And you can die or not die as you want, whenever you want. If you are in charge like that, then you may have awakened from the dream. Therefore you should pay particular attention to this point.
Disciple: Is instantaneous death as painful as flaying a live cow? For example, if someone is shot and dies fast, is that extremely painful?
Venerable Master: Such pain is even harder to bear. You aren't aware of it right at the moment, but afterwards you know. Every day at the same time you reexperience the pain. Don't try to find a cheap way out, thinking that to die that way isn't very painful. Such a death takes a lot longer than a natural death. As to it being a bargain, first of all, is it really a bargain or not? For example, this teacup is basically worth fire dollars, but now it is selling for only fifty cents. That's a bargain. Basically, when someone dies, it's very painful. If I try to find some way not to die a painful death, then that's really a bargain. However, you get a bargain at the time of death, but after death it's no bargain. It's far more suffering than the other way of dying. You don't realize that when you're still a person, but when you are a ghost you know. When the time you died comes around again, as a ghost you can't stand it, because it's horrible suffering. Each day at that time, the suffering is undergone again. But if you die of illness, even though it is as painful as for a cow being flayed alive, after you have died, you don't have so much suffering.
Question: What is the Buddhist point of view on euthanasia? Is it absolutely banned?
Venerable Master: The things people do are not necessarily totally right or totally wrong. Therefore it's correct for the government not to permit euthanasia. People may see someone going through the agony of dying and think they could help alleviate the person's suffering by making him die. It might seem right to assist his death. However, these are just things people do. It's true that within Buddhism, such actions are not allowed. Everything is karma. The person's pain is also karma which he is supposed to experience. He is due to undergo that retribution. You can't employ some kind of contrived maneuver to prevent him from suffering the consequences of his karma.
A propos of this, Emperor Chongzhen had been a left-home person in his previous life. But even though he had left home, he hadn't received full ordination. He was just a novice monk, a little Shramanera, and he died very young. When he passed away, his Teacher told his fellow monks,“Tie his corpse by the legs and have it dragged around, and keep dragging the corpse until it disintegrates.” But the Shramanera's Dharma brothers said that was too cruel. The novice, who was already dead, had been so good when he was alive. After his death, to drag his corpse on the ground until it was pulverized would be too lacking in compassion. And so they left the corpse intact and buried it instead. Because the boy had been a novice in his previous life, in his next life he became Emperor Chongzhen, an Emperor who had the Way but lacked blessings. Consequently, later on he ended up hanging himself on Coal Mountain. If his Dharma brothers had dragged his corpse until it disintegrated, then in that life as an Emperor he would have had blessings along with virtue in the Way. But because they didn't do that to his corpse, in his life as Emperor he had the Way but was deficient in blessings, and he still ended up hanging himself and dying on Coal Mountain. That's what people say. Whether or not it's true, I don't know. But if his corpse had been gradually ground to bits, as his clear-sighted Teacher knew, then that karma would have been ended. If his corpse had been totally pulverized by being dragged on the ground, then in his next life he would have been a good Emperor. But a monk senior to him in the group didn't want him to be a good Emperor. He wanted him to be an Emperor who only made it half way through his term. Hence in the next life, that very monk wrested the throne away from him, since he became Li Zicheng.
Venerable Master: [to disciples] Your literal explanation of the text was pretty good, but you didn't explain the hordes of demons very clearly, so I'll explain the text again.
The Tathagata’s vast, great powers of spiritual penetrations
Keep all the hordes of demons under control.
His many expedient methods for taming and subduing
Are what Courageous Power can contemplate.
Commentary:
The Tathagata's vast, great powers of spiritual penetrations / Keep all the hordes of demons under control. / His many expedient methods for taming and subduing / Are what Courageous Power can contemplate. To keep under control means to quell, in this case making the heavenly demons and externalists submit. Demons are able to kill and bring other harm to humans. They make people die or go insane and lose their wits, so their faculty of reasoning is gone, and they are upside-down and don't clearly recognize what is true. Demons render people so confused and disoriented that they don't follow the rules. That's the demons’ talent.
The first kind of demon is desire. Do those of you who have desire realize it's a demon? Therefore, desire is the first of the hordes of demons. Of all your demonic armies, desire is the primary one.
Then which one is second? It's worry. Once you have some benefit in mind, a lot of anxieties arrive. Why do you worry? Because you can't fulfill your wishes. When you are unable to satisfy your desire, you start to worry. You think about it today and then the next day. You keep going over it in your mind until your hair turns white and your eyes grow dim. Your tongue won't fall out from your mental effort, but your teeth will! That's why worry is the second of the demonic hordes.
What is the third type of demon? It's craving, literally “hunger and thirst.” Why do you become worried and anxious? It's due to craving. You are parched and ravenous regarding the object of your desire, like someone desperately hungry for food or intensely thirsty with no water to drink. Here it refers to craving due to unfulfilled desires, which is similar to hunger and thirst. Hence, craving is the third of the demonic states.
To be continued |
