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爾時吉祥主藥神，承佛威力，普觀一切主藥神眾，而說頌言。
「爾時」，當爾之時就是在法會的時候。「吉祥主藥神，承佛威力，普觀一切主藥神眾而說頌言」，就說出幾句偈頌。
如來智慧不思議，悉知一切眾生心，能以種種方便力，滅彼群迷無量苦。
這是這個吉祥主藥神讚佛的偈頌。他說如來這種圓滿的智慧是不可思議的。如來的智慧是不可思議，我們眾生也有不可思議的東西，是什麼呢？是愚癡不可思議。怎麼叫愚癡呢？愚癡就是不辨是非：是，他也不知道是是；非，他也不知道是非。邪正不辨：什麼是邪的，他也不知道；什麼是正的，他也不知道。黑白不分：黑色的他說是白的；白色他又說是黑。本來這個黑白也沒有什麼一定。譬如那黑，原來你給它起個名字叫白，它黑也就是白了；白色的你給它起個黑的名字，說叫黑，它白又變成黑了。沒有什麼一定的根據，可是一般眾生所知道的，黑就是黑，白就是白，因為這個名已經定了。要是一開始沒有黑白的時候，那個白的，起個黑的，說是黑的顏色；黑的說是白的顏色，就可以。但是現在眾生都習慣這個黑白了，就應該有一定，可是他還不知道。你說這是不是不可思議呢？這是眾生的愚癡不可思議。不好的，他認為是好；好的，他認為是不好了。出世法是應該修的，他說那是大錯而特錯；世間法應該放下，他一定不要放下。因為一定放不下世間法，所以出世法也就不容易成功。你說這眾生是不是不可思議呢？那麼眾生是不是沒有佛的智慧呢？沒有如來的智慧呢？不是！那個太陽光，本來是人人都有的，可是就有烏雲把它遮住了。烏雲，就是愚癡；那個太陽光，就是智慧。因為你有了烏雲了，所以把太陽光給遮上了，天氣就陰了。雲從什麼地方生出來的？就是從貪瞋癡生出來；智慧從什麼地方生出來的？從戒定慧生出來的。所有的眾生，如果想要恢復我們本有的這種智慧，一定要修戒，修定，修慧。
戒，就是止惡防非，也就是諸惡不作，眾善奉行。你能諸惡不作，眾善奉行，你就有功德；有功德就生出這個「定」。「定」要外功內果，你在外邊修六度有一點基礎了，你就有定。所以布施、持戒、忍辱、精進，這四度都是幫助禪定的。布施也可以立功；持戒也可以有戒的功德；你忍辱有忍辱的功德；你精進有精進的功德。你有這四度來幫助這個禪定，定力充足了，就會生出智慧。你如果沒有功德，就很容易誤入歧途；你若有功德了，幫助你這個禪定，禪定也很快就會成就了。所以修行切記不要慳貪，不要捨不得。捨不得，捨不得，你要捨才能得，所以一定要修布施、持戒、忍辱、精進，幫助這個定，由定就發出智慧來了。你定功深了，就有一種智慧了。定功深也就好像什麼呢？好像你讀書讀得多了就有了修養了，所以說「學問深時意氣平」。你這人若有學問，自然就有一種修養了。修養，就是沒有貪瞋癡，沒有無明。這個無明是不容易斷的，不容易沒有的，但是你可以叫它一天比一天減少。用什麼來減少無明？就用這個般苦智慧。你有了般若智慧了，就能把這個黑暗的無明破了。這個不可思議的境界根本就不能說的；不可思議，沒有法子講，不過我頭上安頭說出來幾句。你們不要像我，頭上再安個頭，那就變成三個頭了。兩個頭已經不少了，你安上三個頭，那變成三頭六臂。你看那觀音菩薩，不只三頭六臂；準提菩薩也是那麼多的手眼。觀音菩薩是千手千眼，可是那真有三個頭，你安上的三個頭那是死的。
佛的智慧，悉知一切眾生心。一切眾生的心有多少？不知道。佛可知道，所以《金剛經》上說：「一切眾生若干種心。」這若干種心就是所有的眾生；有多少眾生就是有多少心，如來悉知悉見。如來怎麼知道我們的眾生的心呢？奇怪！那我們眾生所行所做，佛都不知道了嗎？不錯，眾生所行所做，甚至於你沒有做的，佛都知道。一切眾生若干種心，如來悉知悉見。那麼一切眾生若干種事，如來也是悉知悉見；一切眾生若干種行為，如來也是悉知悉見。方才問說如來怎麼知道眾生心呢？這個道理我也說不出來。我舉一個科學的例子來譬喻一下。這個譬喻本來是不對的，但是，我沒有法子有一個對的來譬喻，只可以說一個不對的。不對的譬喻是什麼呢？就好像雷達似的，所有的電波有多少，它這兒都能收得到。又好像無線電，只要號碼對了，各國的消息這個無線電就都可以收到。
那麼佛是一個大科學家，他不但有雷達，還有無形的雷達；不需要做一個東西才能知道，他那個雷達是自然現出來的。每一個眾生的性都有佛性，所以佛就有佛性的雷達。這個雷達你不要以為是有形相的，是沒有形相的，可是佛會看這雷達，所以說叫大科學家。佛這個雷達就是什麼呢？就是智慧眼，因為佛智慧眼具足。這個譬喻是大錯而特錯的？不對的？那你可以舉出一個對的告訴我，將來我再講經的時候，也可以照你那個對的來講了。
我現在不知道再用什麼對的方法來形容，所以只可以說一個不對的。
果護，怎麼樣？你有沒有一個對的來解釋一下。（果護：……）可以，你可以給我印證了？你有這麼大的膽量？
因為這個，所以如來就知道一切眾生的心了。那單知道心又有什麼用？說如來看著眾生，眾生誰要偷東西，如來就知道。「哦！這個眾生去偷餅乾吃；那個眾生去偷花生吃。」佛不管這個小事情。說那個眾生殺人了，佛給他寫上記錄，也不需要。佛知道眾生的心，不是盡記眾生的過錯，也不是盡記眾生的功德。功過在佛的日記簿上沒有的，這都是我們凡夫所幹的事情：寫一個日記簿，一天有什麼事情寫上。佛知道眾生心，究竟是為什麼？這不說了嗎？「能以種種方便力」，佛知道眾生心，才可以教化眾生，想要令眾生離苦得樂，了生脫死，早成佛道，就為的這個。所以能以種種的方便法，就好像開鎖似的，眾生的那個心鎖鎖上了，沒有法子開智慧門，佛用智慧的鑰匙來把眾生的智慧門給開開，把那個愚癡的門給關上。
所以能以種種方便的力量「滅彼群迷無量苦」。誰是群迷？說他是群迷，你是不是啊？我是不是啊？這個群迷就包括你我他一切眾生都在內；沒有證果，沒有出三界都是迷。你不要以為你是不得了哦！自己覺得自己，哦！這麼高！這麼大！這簡直是人中之怪－－人中的怪物。「我可是有辦法。」你有什麼辦法？你那個迷還沒有破呢，你有什麼辦法？沒有辦法的。滅彼，佛知道眾生的苦太多了，所以滅彼群迷，把群迷的苦都給滅了。什麼是苦呢？不明真理就是苦，你明白真理，苦就了了。怎麼樣明白真理？學習佛法。怎麼樣學習佛法？發恆遠的心。你要盡未來際發願要學習佛法：「我生生世世出家，作比丘，作比丘尼；我不出家，作優婆塞，作優婆夷，我都要學習佛法。生生世世都要在佛法裏頭來薰修，來泡著；泡到這個佛法裏邊，不離開佛法。我明白了佛法，我又要講給其他人來聽，輾轉弘揚這個佛法。」要發這種願。
待續 |
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Sutra:
At that time, the Medicine-Ruling Spirit Auspicious received the Buddha's awesome might, universally contemplated all the multitudes of medicine-ruling spirits, and spoke the following verse.
Commentary:
At that time, during the Dharma Assembly, the Medicine-Ruling Spirit named
Auspicious received the Buddha's awesome might, universally contemplated all the multitudes of medicine-ruling spirits, and spoke the following verse.
Sutra:
The Thus Come One's wisdom is inconceivable.
He completely understands the hearts of all living beings.
He can employ all sorts of expedient powers
To extinguish the immeasurable suffering of the confused multitudes.
Commentary:
This is a verse in praise of the Buddha, spoken by the Medicine-Ruling Spirit named Auspicious. He says:
The Thus Come One's full, perfect
wisdom is inconceivable. We living beings also have something which is inconceivable— our stupidity. What is stupidity? It is the inability to distinguish between right and wrong, proper and deviant. We do not know what is proper and what is deviant. We do not differentiate between black and white. We say that what is black is white, and what is white is black. Basically, the terms "black" and "white" are not absolute. If we had named the black color "white" in the beginning, it would be known as "white." "White" would be used to refer to black things. If we decide to call white things "black," then white becomes black. Although these terms are not absolute, most living beings identify black as black and white as white, because these names have been fixed by convention. In the beginning, if the names "black" and "white" had been used to name the opposite color, that would be one thing. But since living beings are already used to the conventional way of defining these terms, the terms are in effect fixed. Nevertheless, they still don't know the difference between black and white. Wouldn't you say that's inconceivable? Thus, the stupidity of living beings is inconceivable. Alas! They take what is bad to be good, and what is good to be bad. Transcendental dharmas ought to be cultivated, but they consider them to be completely wrong. Worldly dharmas ought to be renounced, but they insist on clinging to them. Since they cannot renounce worldly dharmas, it is difficult for them to successfully cultivate transcendental dharmas. Wouldn't you say living beings are inconceivable? Well, is it the case that living beings lack the wisdom of the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones? No. The sunlight is there for everyone, but sometimes it gets blocked by clouds. Those dark clouds represent stupidity, while sunlight represents wisdom. When your dark clouds block out the sunlight, the day is dark and gloomy. Where do these clouds come from? They are produced by greed, hatred, and stupidity. Where does wisdom (sunlight) come from? It is produced through precepts, samadhi, and wisdom. If we living beings wish to recover our original wisdom, it is essential that we cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom.
Precepts serve to stop evil and prevent wrongdoing. They are summarized as follows: Do no evil, and practice all good. If you can do this, then through observing precepts, you will acquire samadhi (concentration). If you practice good deeds, you will have merit and virtue, which in turn produces samadhi. Samadhi is a result of external merit and inner fruition. You must externally cultivate the Six Paramitas. Once you have a foundation in the Six Paramitas, you will have samadhi. Therefore, the first four Paramitas— giving, holding precepts, patience, vigor— are aids to Chan samadhi. You can establish merit by giving. There is also merit in holding precepts, being patient, and being vigorous. The merit of the four Paramitas helps you to attain samadhi, and when that samadhi is full and complete, wisdom arises. If you lack merit and virtue, however, it is very easy to go astray. Merit and virtue help you to achieve samadhi more quickly. Therefore, in cultivation, take care not to be stingy and unable to give things away. You have to give before you can receive. Thus, it is essential to first practice giving, holding precepts, patience, and vigor, in order to gain samadhi. Once you have samadhi, wisdom can develop. When your skill in samadhi is deep, you will have wisdom. This is similar to studying. When you have studied a great deal, your character will become refined. There is a saying:
When one's erudition is profound, one's manner is calm.
People who are educated are naturally refined. Refinement refers to a lack of greed, hatred, stupidity, and ignorance. It is not easy to get rid of ignorance. However, you can gradually reduce it day by day. What do you use to lessen ignorance? Prajna wisdom. With Prajna wisdom, you can destroy the darkness of ignorance.
An inconceivable state basically cannot be described in words. It is beyond conception and impossible to talk about. Nevertheless, I have "added a head on top of a head" in trying to say a few things about it. You should not follow my example and add yet another head on top of that, for then there would be three heads! Two heads is already a lot. If another head is added, then you would have three heads and six arms. You see that Guanyin Bodhisattva has more than three heads and six arms, and Junti Bodhisattva also has many hands and eyes. Guanyin Bodhisattva has a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, and he really has three heads. But the heads that you would add on are dead.
The Buddha's wisdom is such that he completely understands the hearts of all living beings. How many are the thoughts of all living beings? We don't know. The Buddha knows, though. As the
Vajra Sutra says, "The Thus Come One completely sees and knows the various thoughts of all living beings." However many living beings there are, there are equally many thoughts. How does the Thus Come One know about living beings' thoughts? Strange! Doesn't that mean that the Buddha knows everything that living beings are up to? That's right. The Buddha knows everything that living beings do, and even knows the things they have not yet done. Just as the Thus Come One completely sees and knows the various thoughts of all living beings, he also completely sees and knows the various affairs of all living beings. The Thus Come One also completely sees and knows the various actions of all living beings. "How can the Thus Come One know about living beings' thoughts?" I cannot explain the principle, but I can offer an example from science. This analogy is not quite correct, but I cannot find a better one. This wrong analogy is the only one I can give. What is it? It is that of radars. No matter how many radio waves there are, the radar will detect them. It is also like a wireless set. As long as the correct number is dialed, the wireless set can receive news from all the various stations of different countries.
The Buddha is a great scientist. Not only does he have a radar, but his radar is invisible. It has no physical form, and comes into being spontaneously. Every living being's nature has the Buddha nature, and the Buddha's radar detects the Buddha nature. You shouldn't be under the impression that this is a physical radar, because it is without shape or form. Nevertheless, the Buddha can read this radar. That's why he is said to be a great scientist. The Buddha's radar is just his wisdom eye. You may be thinking, "This analogy is completely off the mark. It is totally wrong." Well, you can tell me an analogy that is right, and in the future I can use it when I explain Sutras.
Since I haven't found any correct way of describing this state, I can only resort to this incorrect explanation.
Guo Hu, what do you think? Do you have a correct explanation? [Guo Hu says something inaudible.] So you approve of my explanation? You certify it? Are you really that daring?
In any case, that is how the Thus Come One knows the thoughts of living beings. What's the use of knowing their thoughts? Is it so the Thus Come One can watch over living beings? For example, he might see them stealing things and think, "Oh, so this living being is stealing crackers to eat. That one is stealing peanuts." Actually, the Buddha doesn't watch over such trivial matters. "Probably the Buddha makes a note of it when a living being commits murder." The Buddha doesn't use his knowledge of living beings' thoughts expressly for the purpose of recording their offenses and their merit. Offenses and merit do not exist in the Buddha's record book. Those are items that ordinary living beings make a record of. They keep daily journals of the events that happen. "Then why does the Buddha want to know living beings' thoughts?"
Doesn't the text say it clearly? He can employ all sorts of expedient powers. The Buddha knows living beings' thoughts, so he can teach and transform them. He wants to help living beings leave suffering and attain bliss, end birth and death, and attain Buddhahood soon. That's his purpose. It is like opening a lock. Living beings' minds are locked, and the door of wisdom cannot be opened. The Buddha uses the key of wisdom to open living beings' door to wisdom and close the door to stupidity. Thus, he employs all sorts of expedient powers
to extinguish the immeasurable suffering of the confused multitudes. Who are the confused multitudes? "They are," you say. Are you one of them? Am I? The "confused multitudes" refers to you, me, and all living beings. Anyone who has not attained sagehood and transcended the Triple Realm is confused. Don't think you're so extraordinary, so great and lofty— you're nothing but a human freak. Don't think you're that capable. What special ability do you have? Before you have destroyed your confusion, what ability do you have?
The Buddha is aware of the immense suffering of confused living beings, and he wishes to extinguish it. What is suffering? It is a lack of understanding of true principle. If you understand the truth, your suffering comes to an end. How can you come to understand truth? By studying the Buddhadharma. How can you study the Buddhadharma? By making a steadfast resolve. Vow to study the Buddhadharma till the ends of time. "In life after life, I will leave home to become a Bhikshu or Bhikshuni. Or, if I don't leave home, then I will become an Upasaka or Upasika. In any case, I will study the Buddhadharma. In every life, I will immerse myself in the Buddhadharma and never be apart from it. Once I understand the Buddhadharma, I will explain it to others and propagate it."
To be continued |
