今天在三點鐘的時候，講「阿彌陀佛」。這個「佛」字還沒有完全解釋明白，所以現在單單講這一個佛字。佛以前和一切眾生是一樣的，不但和人是一樣的，和一切有生命的東西都是一樣的，甚至和這個蚊蟲啊、蜂子啊，都是一樣的；因為他和眾生是一樣的，所以他以後就發菩提心；發菩提心，就行菩薩道，自利利他，自覺覺他，自益益他，自度度他。
他所行所做都是沒有自私心，都是大公無私地幫助一切人。他在因地修行時，捨了他的生命來救度眾生。他看見老虎要餓死了，他把他的身體布施給老虎吃。他看那個鷹吃這個鳥——那個鷹要餓死了，他把他身上的肉布施給鷹吃；捨肉餵鷹，割截他的身體來餵鷹。
你們各位想一想，老虎是最惡的一種野獸，老鷹是最惡的一種飛禽。這個老虎是獸類最惡的；這個鷹是鳥類最惡的。這樣最惡的眾生，他看見牠要餓死，他都把自己的生命不要了，來救牠們的生命。就因為他有這樣偉大的精神，所以他就成佛了。他成佛了，是不是就享成佛的快樂呢？不是。他還不忘所有的眾生，所以他又來度眾生，教化眾生。這是佛自覺也圓滿了，覺他也圓滿了——令其他人也覺悟，這叫覺行圓滿——修行的行門都圓滿了，這叫三覺圓、萬德備。他一舉一動都是幫助其他人，他德行圓滿了，所以就是佛。這是佛大概的意思。
不是單單佛能成佛，我們所有的人都可以成佛。我們這樣信佛才沒有迷信，不像其他的宗教，說只有我是個真神，其餘的都是假的；你就是怎麼樣相信我，你只可以給我做奴隸，你不能到我這個地位。這樣就有一點專制、獨裁、不公平。那麼在佛教，人人都可以成佛，人人都可以作佛，這個是一個最民主的一種宗教，最公平的一種宗教，完全沒有自私心，完全沒有自利心，是大公無私，至正不偏的。佛看一切眾生和自己是一樣的，所以他要度一切眾生。
有的人聽見這樣講，就生了一種驕傲心。為什麼生驕傲心呢？他沒有想佛是修行而成佛的，他說：「喔！人人都是佛，我不需要修行，我就是佛。」這是太邪知邪見了。不錯，人人都可以成佛，你要修行才能成佛，你開悟才能證得佛果；你不修行，你也沒有開悟，你成什麼佛？你成這個愚癡佛、迷佛；又愚癡又迷，什麼都不明白。聽人家講，你也不懂得意思，你也成了佛了，這是不可以的。為什麼我要這樣說呢？因為在過去我遇到很多這樣的人，所以我對你們各位講一講。
現在我們講這個淨土法門。唸佛，這叫淨土法門。淨土就是西方極樂世界阿彌陀佛的那個國土。這個淨土法門沒有人明白，也沒有人懂，所以在佛的弟子之中，也沒有人請問這種法門。以佛的弟子，以他們那樣大的智慧，都不懂這個法門。誰也不知道請問這個法門，所以《阿彌陀經》，這一部經是不問自說的。佛所說的經典都是有當機者。誰是當機，誰就請問。像《金剛經》，須菩提就是一個當機眾。他請問佛說這個《金剛經》。《彌陀經》，所有佛的弟子都沒有人懂這個法門，甚至於大智慧舍利弗，他也不懂，所以佛是不問自說；沒有人請問這部，佛自己向舍利弗說的這個經典。
由這一點來看，佛說《阿彌陀經》這是非常重要的。這是度一些個有大智慧的人；沒有智慧的人根本就不明白。所以我們現在能大家聚會一起，修這種唸佛法門，這是釋迦牟尼佛最高興的一件事，也是阿彌陀佛最歡喜的一件事。
待續
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This afternoon at the three o'clock lecture I spoke about Amitabha Buddha, but I did not finish explaining the term "Buddha." I will do so now.
Previously, the Buddha was the same as every other living being. Not only was he the same as human beings, he was the same as all living creatures, even mosquitoes, bees, and ants. Because he shared this kinship he later brought forth the thought of enlightenment. Having brought forth the thought of enlightenment, he practiced the Bodhisattva Way, benefitting himself and benefitting others, enlightening himself and enlightening others, helping himself and helping others, saving himself and saving others. There was no selfishness in the things he did; he was open and unselfish. He helped everyone. When he cultivated in the causal ground, he gave up his very life to rescue living beings. The Buddha saw a tiger about to starve to death, and he offered his body to the tiger as food. When he saw a hawk on the brink of death, he fed his own flesh to it, slicing the meat from his bones in order to feed it. Think it over: The tiger is the most ferocious of beasts and the hawk is one of the fiercest of birds, but when the Buddha saw that these evil creatures were starving, he gave up his life to save them. Because he had such a great, magnanimous spirit, he became a Buddha.
After he became a Buddha, did he then sit back and enjoy the bliss of Buddhahood? No. He did not forget all living beings. He saved them; he taught and transformed them.
The Buddha has three kinds of enlightenment,
- self-enlightenment;
- the enlightenment of others; and
- the perfection of enlightenment and conduct.
He enlightens himself; and he enlightens all living beings, and he has perfected the practices of his cultivation.
Perfect in the triple enlightenment,
Replete with the myriad virtues,
He is called "Buddha."
As to the myriad virtues, in every move the Buddha makes, he benefits others, thus perfecting his virtuous conduct. That is why we call him "Buddha." This has been a general explanation of the term.
Not just a Buddha can realize Buddhahood. Everyone can become a Buddha. That is why our faith in the Buddha is not superstitious [literally, "confused faith"]. Buddhism is not like other religions whose deities claim, "I am the true god. All others are false. No matter how faithfully you believe in me, you will eternally be my inferior. Never can you occupy my position."
Religion such as this is dictatorial, authoritarian, and unjust! On the other hand, everyone can become a Buddha. This is why Buddhism is the most democratic religion, the most just religion. The Buddha is completely devoid of selfishness, thoroughly devoid of desire for self-benefit. He is open, generous, and impartial, straightforward, true, and unprejudiced. He sees all beings as identical with himself and so he wants to take them all across.
Hearing this, someone has become arrogant. Why? It doesn't occur to him that the Buddha became a Buddha by virtue of his cultivation. He says, "Oh, everyone is a Buddha. I don't have to cultivate, I am Buddha! Everybody is a Buddha!"
This person has deviant understanding and heterodox views. It's true that everyone can become a Buddha, but in order to do so, one must cultivate. When you become enlightened you can certify to the result of Buddhahood. If you do not cultivate and have not become enlightened, what kind of a Buddha are you? You are a stupid Buddha, a confused Buddha. Muddled and dense, you understand nothing. You hear others talk about it, misunderstanding them, yet consider yourself a Buddha, too. This is not permissible.
Why do I mention all this? Because in the past I have met many people who have held such views and so I decided to tell you about it.
We will now discuss the Pure Land Dharma-door, Buddha Recitation. The Pure Land is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the country of Amitabha Buddha. When the Buddha was in the world, no one understood the Pure Land Dharma-door. That is why not even one of the Buddha's disciples even thought to request instruction in this technique. The Buddha's disciples, with their great wisdom, didn't understand it. No one thought of asking for it, and so the Amitabha Sutra, which we just recited, was spoken by the Buddha without request. All the other Sutras which the Buddha spoke were requested by an interlocutor. For example, in the Vajra Sutra the interlocutor was Subhuti, who asked the Buddha to speak the Sutra. Since none of the Buddha's disciples understood this Dharma-door of Pure Land recitation—not even the great and wise Shariputra—the Buddha spoke the Amitabha Sutra to Shariputra without waiting to be asked. It is an extremely important Sutra and takes across those of great wisdom. Those who lack wisdom are not able to understand it. That we now have met to cultivate this method of Buddha Recitation makes Shakyamuni Buddha very happy and pleases Amitabha Buddha a great deal, too.
To be continued |
