第三章 講經篇
上人一生講述的經典，大約有《華嚴經》、《法華經》、《楞嚴經》、《金剛經》、《心經》、《六祖壇經》、《地藏經》、《彌陀經》、《四十二章經》、《百法明門論》、《佛遺教經》、《永嘉大師證道歌》等大約三十多種。國學部份有《四書》和《易經》。其中有三部著作是很特殊的，很少人講述的，即《楞嚴咒句偈疏解》、《水鏡回天錄》及《佛祖道影白話解》。
《楞嚴咒句偈疏解》這是上人在一九七九至一九八七年所講述的，共講了八年，這部咒在佛教歷史上罕有人解釋，唯有清朝的續法大師及武林慈雲寺的柏亭法師曾註解過。柏亭法師精研密部，作著《楞嚴經灌頂疏》二十六卷，翻梵文為華文，尤其善於詳譯密咒。雖然佛教經咒有「五不翻」之例，乃是因諸佛祕語，餘聖難通，何況凡人呢?
但諸經咒雖慣不翻，卻仍有異說，也有人認為翻譯咒意有二十四種利益。所以上人在民國三十八年時獲得《楞嚴咒疏》單行本，自述「得未曾有，時刻研究，頗窺祕境，隨身攜帶，未曾或離」又云「俾能正法久住，邪說永息，人手一冊，同入究竟堅固大定。」
之後上人即在美國宣講咒疏，對全咒五百五十四句，逐句以「七言詩」解之，並白話述之，真可謂「空前絕後」的作品，相當珍貴。上人說：
「用四句偈來解釋每一句咒語也是解釋不完的，因為咒的妙義是無窮無盡的，四句偈只是拋磚引玉的大概說一說而已。這四句偈頌看起來很簡單，但它是從我心裡流出來的，也可以說是等於我的血，我的汗，並不是尋章摘句，從其他的書本上抄來的！」、「我現在給你們講楞嚴咒，這楞嚴咒百千萬劫也沒有人講一次，也不容易講一次。在我給各位講時，我知道沒有人聽得懂，就是有人自以為懂得，也不是真懂！可是十年、百年、千年後有人見到這樣淺的註解，那時對楞嚴咒就會深深的明瞭了。」下面再舉上人對《楞嚴咒》的開示如下 :
「奧妙無窮實難猜，金剛密語本性來。
楞嚴咒裡有靈妙，五眼六通道凡開。」
「究竟堅固定中王，直心修學至道場，
身口意業須清淨，貪嗔癡念要掃光。
誠則感應獲現證，專能成就大神通，
有德遇斯靈妙句，時刻莫忘紹隆昌。」
「阿難已證初果，還要受女難，還得用楞嚴咒去救他，何況我們這些凡夫呢？不仗著楞嚴咒，怎麼能了生死呢 ?」
「在這個世界上，如果有一個人會背會誦楞嚴咒，那妖魔鬼怪都不敢公然出世，如果連一個人也沒有會背會念楞嚴咒，那妖魔鬼怪就都會公然出現於世了。」
「實際上你學楞嚴咒，就是佛的化身，不但是佛的化身，還是佛的頂上化佛，化佛中的化佛，所以楞嚴咒的妙處是不可思議的！」
下面介紹「《水鏡回天錄》，這是上人在一九八五至一九八九年講述的書，共四年。內容是上人詠讚諸佛菩薩、羅漢、歷代高僧大德、在家居士、古今中外的大德、異人、元首、文豪……等，作一個客觀的評語。正如孔子作《春秋》一樣，上人本著忠貞愛國的心，欲挽回末世的混亂，可以套句孔子的話說：「知我者，其惟《水鏡》乎！罪我者，其惟《水鏡》乎！」《水鏡回天錄》正是春秋筆史的一脈心傳，也是當今世上一本活生生的因果錄。這本書上人先對人物的一生作簡單的介紹，再以八句四言詩去歌讚他，結尾再加「又說偈曰」的七言律詩。此書很值得再三玩味，可以讓人知因果、鑑往知來、斷惡修善。」在序文中，上人寫著 :
「眾生習善，耳提面命，三誨五教，猶不奉行。若遇惡緣，念念增長，無教自通。迷途知返者鮮矣。故譬如水中之月，鏡裡之花，有影無形，此正所謂不可希望之希望，不可成就之成就。故名之曰《水鏡回天》云爾。」
最後一部是《佛祖道影白話解》，這是上人於一九七二至一九八五年所講，計十三年，共宣講了三百四十六次。這部書主要是自釋迦佛在拈花微笑後，傳法給迦葉尊者，再傳給二祖阿難尊者，一直到第二十八代東土初祖達摩禪師，才正式將禪法傳入中國。到了三十三祖（即東土六祖）的慧能大師以後，又「一花開五葉」。後來五家又成為七宗，也是就有法眼宗、曹洞宗、雲門宗、溈仰宗、臨濟宗、黃龍派及楊岐派，加上牛頭支、兩土聖僧（東土及西土）、天台宗、華嚴宗、慈恩宗、瑜伽宗、律宗、蓮社宗及近代十大高僧，計三百三十八尊。每尊上人都做「或說偈曰」（即七言八句的律詩）去讚頌之，並於蓮宗六祖永明延壽大師後，又各再加四言八句的詩讚之，一直到最後一尊廣欽老和尚，可謂對此三百三十八尊祖師都做了詳細的講述。因為原文書是古體文，完全沒有標點符號，加上都是一些禪門的「境界語言」，所以更是難上加難，很難去理解古來大德深祕的境界，只能說「不可說」及「如人飲水，冷暖自知」。
待續 |
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Part Three Chapter on Lecturing the Sutras
The Sutras which the Master lectured during his life are generally listed here: Avatamsaka Sutra, Dharma Flower Sutra, Shurangama Sutra, Vajra Sutra, Heart Sutra, Sixth Patriarch's Sutra, Earth Store Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Forty-two Sections Sutra, Hundred Dharmas Shastra, The Buddha Bequeaths the Teaching Sutra, Great Master Yung Jia's Song of Enlightenment--more than thirty different ones. Also the Master explained two areas of Chinese philosophy: The Four Books and the Book of Changes. Among all these are three that are quite unusual--very few people have ever explained them. They are: Verses and Commentary on the Shurangama Mantra, Water and Mirrors, and modern-language explanations of the Biographies of the Buddhist Patriarchs.
The Master’ lecture series on Verses and Commentary on the Shurangama Mantra lasted for eight years, from l979 to l987. Throughout all of Buddhist history this mantra has rarely been explained. Only Dharma Master Xu Fa of the Qing dynasty and Dharma Master Be Ting of Compassionate Cloud Monastery in Wu Lin ever explained it. Dharma Master Be Ting investigated the Esoteric Division and wrote the Commentary on Anointing the Crown in the Shurangama Sutra in 26 rolls, translating the Sanskrit into Chinese and further gave a thoroughly detailed explanation of the mantra. In Buddhism there are “five kinds of terms not translated” in sutras and mantras, because the secret languages of Buddhas is difficult for most other sages to comprehend, how much the less ordinary people. Although the custom is not to translate the mantras found in sutras, still, people have different things to say about it. Some people think that translating the meaning of mantras has twenty-four kinds of benefits. And so when the Master came in possession of a copy of the “Commentary on the Shurangama Mantra” in l949, he records: I obtained what I’d never had before. I continually investigated that thorough explanation of the esoteric, carrying it always with me and never being
apart from it. He also said for the Proper Dharma to remain long in the world, and to stop the deviant discourses once and for all, people must join together and enter the ultimately firm great samadhi.
Later, after the Master came to America, he himself explained the Shurangama Mantra, using seven-characters per line verses to explain each of the 554 lines and further gave a modern-language commentary. Truly this masterpiece is something “never done before.” It is exceptionally valuable. The Master said:
The four-line verses used to explain every line of the mantra do not by any means exhaust the explanation because the wonderful meanings in the mantra are infinite and endless. These four-line verses are a mere mention of the broad idea--just tendering a bit of brick, hoping someone will come up with jade. These four-line verses appear to be very simple, but they come from my heart. You could say they are my blood and sweat. They certainly aren’t plagiarized--copied from someone else’s work! I’m explaining the Shurangama Mantra for you now, and throughout hundreds of thousands of eons, no one even explains it. Also, it’s not easy to explain in its entirety. When I’m explaining it, I know that none of you really understand what I’m saying. Even if there are those who think they do, they don’t really. But perhaps ten years from now, or a hundred, or a thousand years from now, someone will read this simple explanation and gain a profound understanding. Below are other comments the Master made regarding the Shurangama Mantra:
Infinite esoteric wonder so hard to appraise,
These vajra secret phrases come from our own nature.
The Shurangama Mantra is endowed with an efficacy
That can open the five eyes and six penetrations.
The Ultimately Durable king among Samadhis--
With a straight mind practice and study it, and the Way Place can be reached.
Purify the karmas of body, mouth, and mind;
Sweep clean the thoughts of greed, hatred, and stupidity.
From sincerity comes a response; clear certification is obtained.
From concentration one accomplishes spiritual powers which are great.
Endowed with virtue, you have encountered its magical, wonderful phrases.
At all times, never forget to glorify its magnificence.
Ananda had already certified to the first fruition, but he still had to undergo difficulty with a woman. The Buddha had to use the Shurangama Mantra to save him. How much the more is that the case for us ordinary beings? If we don’t rely on the Shurangama Mantra, how are we going to end birth and death?
As long as there is even one person left in this world who knows how to recite the Shurangama Mantra by heart, the monsters, demons, ghosts, and weird creatures will not dare to show themselves openly. But if it comes to the point that no one can recite the Shurangama Mantra from memory, then the monsters, demons, ghosts, and weird creatures will openly display themselves.
Actually by studying the Shurangama Mantra you are the Buddhas’ transformation body; not just a transformation body but the transformation Buddha atop the Buddha's crown. The inconceivable qualities of the Shurangama Mantra are hard to fathom!
Now let us introduce Reflections in Water and Mirrors Reversing the Tide of Destiny, which is thirteen years’ worth of lectures given by the Venerable Master, extending from l972 through l985, for a total of 346 topics. Important personages introduced in this text are as follows: Shakyamuni Buddha, who, after twirling a flower and giving a subtle smile, transmitted the Dharma to Venerable Kashyapa; who transmitted it to the Second Patriarch, Venerable Ananda; and so forth to the Twenty-eighth Patriarch, Bodhidharma, who became the First Patriarch in China and brought the Dharma of Chan meditation to China. Continuing through the Thirty-third Patriarch (the Sixth Patriarch in China), Great Master Huineng, at that point “one flower opened five petals. After that comes Five Divisions with Seven Schools, which are the fayan school, the candong school, the yunmen school, the weiyang school, the linji school as well as the huanglong sect and the yangqi sect. Add to that the niutou sect, holy Sanghas of two lands (east [China] and west [India]), the tiantai school, the huayan school, the ceen school, the yujia school, the vinaya school, the lotus society school, and ten contemporary High Sanghans, and the grand total is three hundred thirty-eight Venerable Ones who are introduced. There is also a verse in praise of each Venerable One (regulated Chinese verse form with eight lines containing seven characters each.). From Great Master Yungmingshou, Sixth Patriarch of the Lotus Society School on through the final contemporary Sanghans, Elder Master Guangchin, another verse is added composed of eight lines containing four characters each.). It can be said that these three hundred thirty-eight Venerable Patriarchs are all duly praised. The text is written in the literary style of Chinese and has no punctuation. Add to that liberal doses of Chan banter “enlightened words” and it becomes doubly difficult to comprehend. It is difficult to fathom the deeply esoteric state of those greatly virtuous ones of old. It only be described as ineffable, “and likened to only the person who drinks the water knows whether it is cold or warm.”
To be continued |
