中華民國前監察院長陳履安於三月廿四日（週一）前往北加州萬佛聖城，並在萬佛聖城大殿暢談他的學佛因緣與心得。
是日正逢萬佛聖城舉行觀音七法會，陳履安博士於當天下午三時許抵達萬佛聖城。首先瞻仰開山祖師上宣下化老和尚的舍利，接著參觀了這座佔地四百八十八英畝的北美第一座佛教大叢林，並在萬佛聖城的「君康」素食館用晚齋。
晚間七時半，在萬佛聖城方丈恒律法師的歡迎之下，陳博士在萬佛殿以中、英雙語發表專題演講。陳博士自五十一歲起學佛，由禪坐入門。他說：「早期我非常喜歡坐禪，心確實可以安靜、降伏下來。但時間一久，念頭就起來了。」陳履安指出：現代人修行，為什麼很多方法用不上功，煩惱又那麼多？都因為「我」這個自我意識太強。坐禪雖然可以打掉念頭，但效果未必能持久。「一旦打坐坐得久，容易在比較的心理之下，升起貢高我慢的念頭，覺得自己比別人會打坐，比別人坐得久。」
陳履安博士很誠懇地說：「佛法的根本是菩提心的開發－－決心要上求佛道、下度眾生。打坐很久的人會發現，沒有菩提心是坐不下去的。」
如何開發菩提心，破除自我意識？就是要「自他轉換」：如果我是他，會怎麼想？站在他的立場會怎麼想？以這種「照鏡子」的方法，經常自我檢查，就比較容易發起菩提心，陳履安博士如是建議。現代社會中，環境污染是個很嚴重的問題。陳履安認為真正的原因是：心被污染了。以打電動玩具的孩子為例，幾個小時的打鬥遊戲玩下來，孩子心中滿是打打殺殺的念頭，心靈污染得很快。
陳履安相信，以佛法的圓融，對下個世紀會有非常大的影響。他鼓勵大家「法門無量誓願學」。在三藏十二部當中，他特別提到「楞嚴經」，推崇這部經是修行手冊。同時他以在家人的身份，勉勵居士們做好護法、皈依三寶，更要恭敬佛、法、僧三寶。陳履安特別呼籲在家人：「沒有皈依的，要趕快皈依。」 |
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On March 24, 1997, the former Chief of Control Yuan of the Republic of China in Taiwan, Dr. Lyuan Chen, paid a visit to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) and gave a lecture at the Buddha Hall.
It was the first day of Gwan Yin session when Dr. Chen arrived CTTB around 3:00 pm. He first viewed the sharira of the founder of CTTB, the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. He then proceeded to tour this first huge Buddhist monastery, nestled on a 488-acre lot, in North America. This tour was followed by a vegetarian dinner at the Chunkang Restaurant.
Being welcomed by the Abbot, Heng Lyu Shr, Dr. chen delivered a speech in both Chinese and English at Buddha Hall at 7:30 pm. He was initiated into Buddhism through the Dharma door of sitting in meditation at the age of 51. He said, “In the beginning I liked sitting in meditation very much. My heart was truly settled and subdued. However, thoughts would arise after a period of time. “ Dr. Chen asked why is it that spiritual cultivators nowadays cannot put dharma doors into practice? Why they are constantly vexed? He then offered an answer to his own question. The reason lies in ego---everyone is overtly self-concious. Although thoughts can be wiped out when sitting in meditation, the effect doesn’ t last long. You will be arrogant once you can sit in meditation for a relatively long time, because you will feel you are superior to others in terms of sitting in meditation.
Dr. Chen spoke heartily, “The foundation of Buddhadharma lies in the cultivation of the Bodhi mind---a determination of seeking the Buddha Way above and crossing over the living beings below. A senior cultivator in Chan meditation will figure out that one cannot keep sitting in meditation without a Bodhi mind.”
But then again, how do we cultivate the Bodhi mind? How do we break through self-consciousness? Dr. Chen suggested a method---to put oneself in other people’s place: If I were him, what would I think? If one can constantly reflect on oneself in this way, chances are the Bodhi mind can be brought up. Environmental pollution is a serious problem in this day and age. Dr. Chen attributed the problem to the pollution of the human mind. For instance, when kids play video game of war or fighting for a few hours, their minds will be inundated with the thoughts of killing and fighting. Their minds are polluted quickly in this way.
Dr. Chen believes that the perfect and all-encompassing Buddhadharma will have a great impact in the next century. He encourages everyone to vow to study the numerous dharma doors. Among the tripitika and the twelve divisions of Buddhist scripture, he singled out the Surangama Sutra, holding it in high esteem as the cultivator’s manual. He further urged laypeople to be good dharma protectors, to take refuge with the triple jewel and to respect the triple jewel of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. He advocated that among laypeople whoever hadn’t taken refuge (with the triple jewel) should do so as soon as possible.
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