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有情覺悟，跳出塵埃；六度萬行，時刻培栽。
第二個，就講到菩薩法界。方才為什麼我把它換為「三世一切人」？就是因為這十法界都是由人修成的。人，不離現前一念心。所以第二個是菩薩法界。
菩薩法界，菩薩是梵語，翻譯過來，叫「覺有情」。怎麼叫覺有情呢？這個覺有情有兩個講法：一個是覺悟一切有情，令一切有情都覺悟了，這是一個講法；第二個是有情中的一個覺悟者。
這兩個講法我們都有份的；什麼有份呢？有份成菩薩。我們因為都是一個有情的眾生，我們也可以在眾生裏邊，做一個覺悟者。我們也可以以這個覺悟的道理，再去覺悟一切眾生。所以這個菩薩是不錯的，你也有份，我也有份。不單菩薩是這樣子，就是佛，我們也都有份。
「哦！我不明白這個道理，怎麼方才法師您說佛就是人成的！那麼我們為什麼就不成佛呢？」我們先不要說這個「人成佛、不成佛」的問題，你說這個果芳他將來會不會長大？果芳雖然還是叫「小孩子」，那麼將來他會不會長大成人，又變老了？會不會的？有這個可能，是不是呀？這就像我們現在是小孩子，佛就譬如大人；我們將來長大了就是佛，沒有長大就是小孩子。我們現在在佛教裏頭就是一個小孩子，天天要吃奶，天天要聽法。這個聽法，是特別能增長人善根的，特別能開人智慧的。所以你若能有機會聽法，那比你賺多少錢都有價值。
今天我有一個規矩又要立出來。什麼規矩呢？我希望以後我們這兒的人，不要那麼多的假日，不要那麼多的旅行；若放假的日子啊，以研究佛法做旅行，以研究佛法度假日。為什麼呢？因為去旅行，太危險了。啊！你看看！每一個放假的日子，死的人，就不只一個，一定是多過一個。那麼多過一個，或者去旅行，就有份的。所以在這個國家，我們要矯正這個風氣。這個國家人人都願意玩，願意去旅行。我們佛教徒就要改善這個風氣。做佛教徒的不要去旅行那麼多，有時間來研究佛法，你說多好！來誦一誦經、念一念咒、拜拜佛，那更好！
拜佛是功德無量的，「佛前頂禮，罪滅河沙」，你佛前拜一拜，你恆河沙的罪業都滅了。「捨錢一文，增福無量」；但是我可不是教你們捨錢給我，你們要明白。你們有錢，到其他的道場去捨去，那給你們增福是很多的。我們這個地方，因為我們都是苦惱人，受不了人的供養；若供養一多，我們或者就會死了。若沒有人供養呢？我們苦生命，就多活幾天。你看！我們雖然苦，我們也願意多活幾天，不願意現在就死了。所以你要願意捨錢，到旁的地方去捨去，我絕對是歡迎的。因為其他種福的地方多得很，不需要一定在金山寺。金山寺都是苦惱人，都是沒有福報的人，所以你們在這兒求福，是求不到的。你們不要害怕，我們餓不死！
「有情覺悟」：這菩薩是個有情者，有情中一個覺悟者，覺悟中一個明白者，明白中一個修行者，修行中一個實行者，這就是菩薩。所以說「跳出塵埃」：他若不明白，就跳不出這個塵埃；這個塵，太厚了，所以他跳不出去。你若覺悟了，這個塵就薄了，就好像塵土都沒有了，就可以跳出這個塵埃。跳出塵埃以後怎麼辦呢？是不是就睡覺呢？是不是就吃飯呢？不錯！還要睡覺，還要吃飯，還要穿衣服。可是怎麼樣呢？不是單單就做這些事情。本來你去做工，為著兩餐，為著吃飯、穿衣服，為衣、食、住這三個問題；那麼你跳出塵埃，就不是為這三個問題而生存了。那為什麼呢？為著要行六度。
「六度」：就是布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧。說：「我知道，這布施就是教人布施給我。」不是的，是我們要布施給人。所以那個錢，我們要揀開它，我們不要這個的。這一些個骯髒的東西，我們不要那麼多的。這個錢，是最邋遢的一個東西，你要是和它接近得太多了，那就是塵埃。什麼叫塵埃？這個錢就是塵埃。你能不要錢，那是最清淨了，就跳出塵埃了。你現在是跳出塵埃了，因為你持銀錢戒；不過你不要再被它黏上。 「萬行」：再修行萬行。「時刻培栽」：不是說是今天我修，明天就不修了；今年我修，明年就不修了；這個月我修行，那個月就休息啦！今生我修行，來生就不修行啦！或者這一刻修行，那一刻又睡覺去了。不是的。時刻培栽，時時刻刻地都要修行六度萬行。不要說時時刻刻，就生生世世，我們都要修行六度萬行。你能這個樣子，那就是菩提薩埵了。說：「這是很不容易的！」你以為做菩薩那麼容易就做啦？沒有那麼容易的。不單做菩薩不容易，做緣覺、聲聞也都不容易的。做什麼容易呢？鬼！做鬼最容易，墮地獄最容易，做畜生最容易；你若願意容易，就做那個東西去。所以你想要做菩薩，那就是不容易的；菩薩就叫不容易。容易就是鬼，不容易就是菩薩。說是：「很難的。」「難」也是菩薩，那個難，就是不容易的一個別名。
所以，菩薩就要行人家難行能行的苦行，難忍能忍的忍辱。人家認為很困難的，哎！沒有關係，我們去幹去，這個樣子的。不是說：哦！不容易做，我不幹了。你不幹了，那你就不是菩薩；往前進，精進！精進！精進！就是菩薩了。就是這樣子，沒有旁的巧妙，你要是能做人家所不能做的事情，那就是菩薩；因為人人都不能做，你能做上來了，就是菩薩。
待續 |
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Verse:
Sentient beings when enlightened / Leap out of the dust.
Their six perfections and ten thousand practices/ At all times are nurtured.
The second Dharma Realm is that of Bodhisattvas. Why did I say All people of the three periods of time above? It’s because people can cultivate to go to any of the Ten Dharma Realms. Yet people are not beyond a single thought of the mind.
The Sanskrit word Bodhisattva is translated as “enlightened being” and has two meanings:
1. one who causes all sentient beings to become enlightened.
2. an enlightened one among all sentient beings.
We are included in both meanings. We all have a share of Bodhisattvahood because we are all beings. We can become enlightened ones among beings, and we can teach other beings to become enlightened as well. So being a Bodhisattva isn’t bad. Not only do we have a share of Bodhisattvahood, we also have a share of Buddhahood.
“I don’t get it,” you say. “Dharma Master, you said earlier that Buddhas are just people who have realized Buddhahood. Well, why haven’t we become Buddhas?”Let's not talk about people becoming Buddhas. Consider Kuofang who grows up, becomes an adult, and eventually gets old. We are like children within the Buddhadharma, and the Buddha is an adult. When we grow up, we will become Buddhas. But right now, we are still children in Buddhism. As youngsters need milk, we constantly need the nourishment of hearing the Dharma. Listening to the Dharma is an especially good way to make our good roots grow and to bring forth our wisdom. An opportunity to listen to the Dharma is more valuable than any amount of money you could earn.
Today I'm going to make a rule. I hope that from now on all of you will not take so many holidays and go on so many trips. Take the study of the Buddhadharma as your trip. Spend your holidays studying the Buddhadharma. Why do I say this? Because it's very dangerous to travel. Every holiday there are many fatalities, and if you travel, you might end up being one of them. We want to change the trends of this country. The people in this country are fond of recreation and travel. Buddhists should not take so many vacations. We can use this time to study the Buddhadharma. Even better, we can chant Sutras, recite mantras, and bow to the Buddhas!
There is infinite merit and virtue in bowing to the Buddhas.
Bowing before the Buddhas can eradicate offenses
As numerous as the Ganges’ sands.
If you bow to the Buddhas, you can cancel as many offenses as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River. It is also said, “Giving a single penny brings limitless blessings.” However, I’m certainly not asking for money from you. You should understand that. You can make contributions to other temples and earn great blessings that way. We here are so wretched that we don't have the blessings to receive offerings. If we accept too many offerings, we might die. If no one makes offerings, maybe we can live a few days more. Despite the suffering, we still wish to live a little longer. We don't want to die yet. Therefore, if you wish to give money, you can give it to other places. There are plenty of places where you can plant blessings; you don't have to do it at Gold Mountain Monastery, because Gold Mountain Monastery has only wretched people with few blessings. If you seek blessings here, you'll be disappointed. But don't worry, we won't starve!
Sentient beings when enlightened / Leap out of the dust. / Their six perfections and ten thousand practices / At all times are nurtured. A Bodhisattva is a sentient being; among sentient beings, he's an enlightened one. Among the enlightened, he's one who understands. Among those who understand, he’s a cultivator. Among cultivators, he’s one who truly practices. A Bodhisattva “leaps out of the dust.” If he did not have understanding, he wouldn’t be able to transcend the defilement. The dust would so thick that he wouldn’t be able to leap out of it. When he becomes enlightened, the dust thins out and he can leap out of it.
“After a Bodhisattva leaps out of the dust, what does he do? Sleep and eat?”
Yes, he still sleeps, eats, and wears clothes; but he no longer works like a slave to provide his body with food, clothing, and a place to live. When you get out of the dust, you cease to be concerned with these three problems, and instead you concentrate on cultivating the six perfections: giving, holding precepts, patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdom.
“I know what the perfection of giving entails. It involves telling others to make offerings to me,” some of you are thinking. Wrong. It is learning to give to other people. As for money, it would be nice to shred it up. We shouldn’t want so much of that filthy stuff. Money is an extremely defiling possession, and too much involvement with it is what is meant by “dust.” If you don't want money, then you will be extremely pure and will be able to transcend the “dust.” Some of you have now transcended the “dust” because you are holding the precept of not handling money. However, make sure you don't get contaminated by money again in the future.
You should also cultivate the ten thousand practices and nurture them at all times. You cannot say,“I'll cultivate today, but not tomorrow. I'll cultivate this year, but not next year. I'll cultivate this month and take a rest next month. I'll cultivate this life, but not next life.” To cultivate one moment and sleep the next moment won't work. At all times you should nurture your cultivation of the six perfections and ten thousand practices. Cultivate them in life after life. If you practice in this way, you will be a Bodhisattva.
“That’s not easy,” you say.
Did you think that being a Bodhisattva would be easy? Not only is it not easy to be a Bodhisattva, it's not easy to be a Shravaka or a Pratyekabuddha, either.“Then what is it easy to be?”
It is easy to be a ghost, to go to the hells, or to become an animal. If you want things to be easy, you can be those beings. If you want to be a Bodhisattva, it won't be easy. You say it’s difficult; the word “difficult” describes what Bodhisattvas do.
Bodhisattvas must be able to do what others cannot do; they must endure what others find difficult to endure. When people consider a job too difficult, they say,“That's all right; we'll handle it.” They are not put off by difficult tasks. If you don't dare to do what is hard, you are not a Bodhisattva. Go forth with vigor! That's what a Bodhisattva is like; there is no other esoteric or wonderful secret. If you can do the things that other people cannot do, you are a Bodhisattva.
To be continued |
