這一品叫安樂行品，安樂行也就是菩薩行；菩薩行也就是安樂行。安就是安居到這個行上，樂也就是快樂，快樂安居是菩薩所修的這個行門。這個安是身也安，心也安，身心都安居在這個所行菩薩道這種境界上，不但安居在這種境界上，而且還快樂。怎麼會快樂呢？因為自己所歡喜行這個菩薩道。前邊這個法師品、提婆達多品、和這個勸持品，都是這《法華經》的很重要的經文，這一品更重要。怎麼會安樂呢？因為坐如來座，著如來衣，入如來室，修這種安樂的行，這種安樂行是行菩薩道必需要經過的這一條路，所以這叫做安樂行品，這是第十四。
爾時文殊師利法王子菩薩摩訶薩白佛言
「爾時」：當爾之時，這是說完了勸持品的時候，在這個安樂行品一開始的時候。「文殊師利」：這文殊師利以前講過很多次。文殊師利是梵語，有的翻譯成「妙德」，有的又翻譯成「妙吉」，妙德、妙吉，這個意思都是一樣的。總而言之，這一位菩薩的境界是不可思議的。曾經記得講《地藏經》的時候，講過這個文殊師利菩薩出世的時候，有十種的祥瑞。這十種的祥瑞果修大約記得，因為她的姊姊以前記得的。姊姊既然記得，妹妹一定不會忘了的。那麼為了節省時間，等一等讓果修講一講這十種的祥瑞。果修記得嗎？這一位菩薩生出來的時候就有這麼十種的祥瑞，與其他的菩薩不同的。
這一位菩薩他修菩薩行的時候，不打妄語，他也不殺生，也不偷盜，總而言之，他謹守戒律。由什麼證明他守戒律而不偷盜呢？他有一次對其他的菩薩講，他說：「我從一發心修行就持這個不盜戒，所以現在我所有的東西就沒有人偷盜，不但沒有人偷盜，我就放到地下最值錢的東西，也沒有人會撿，會把它拿去的。」有的菩薩就不相信他講這話，說：「那我們現在要來一個實地的試驗，實實在在地測驗一下。你把你最值錢的東西拿來放到城門那個地方，因為那地方人最多，來回走，放到那個門中間，經過三天的時間如果沒有人拿這個東西，這證明你所說的是實在的。」
文殊師利菩薩說：「好啊！我們就試驗囉！試試看囉。」就把他那個最值錢的一個寶珠拿出來，這個菩薩都有寶珠的，菩薩有很多寶貝的。那麼拿來就放到這個城門的中間了。人到外邊去，進這個城裏邊來，經過這個門，可是雖然這樣多的人，經過三天，果然沒有人拿。那麼一般的菩薩知道文殊師利菩薩守這個不盜戒這是真的。
還有，這位菩薩智慧最大。為什麼他智慧最大呢？他就是修般若行修的，從一開始修行菩薩道，他就修般若，修文字般若、觀照般若、實相般苦，修這三般若，所以他這個智慧最大。
那麼這一位菩薩，釋迦牟尼佛沒成佛以前都跟這一位菩薩來學佛法。在《妙法蓮華經》前面我講妙光菩薩，就是這文殊師利菩薩，這妙光法師。所以我們現在修行，受過戒律，一定要認真來守這個戒律。你現在不認真守戒律，將來成道的時候也會不真實的。所以我們要學文殊師利菩薩這樣不殺生、不偷盜、不邪淫、不妄語、不飲酒。
「法王子」：佛是法王――法中之王，是天中天、聖中聖。那麼菩薩是法王之子，就是法王的兒子，所以這叫文殊師利法王子。「菩薩摩訶薩」：菩薩是半梵語，具足叫「菩提薩埵」。菩提是覺，薩埵是情，就是覺有情。他善能覺悟一切有情，令一切有情都得到覺悟了，這叫覺有情。又這位菩薩是在有情裡邊的一個覺悟的有情。他和我們這一切眾生都一樣來著，不過他覺悟了所以就是有情中的一個覺悟者，這叫菩提薩埵。「摩訶薩」：摩訶是個大，薩也就是菩薩，就是在菩薩之中他又是一個大菩薩。大菩薩也就是個老菩薩，老菩薩就不是一個小菩薩。什麼叫小菩薩呢？初發心的菩薩叫小菩薩，剛剛發菩薩心。初發心的菩薩不一定就可以成菩薩。為什麼呢？因為初發心的菩薩有的發一天，有的發兩天，有的發三天的，就跑回來了。好像那個舍利弗行菩薩道以後就向後轉了。所以初發心的菩薩，在古人有這麼幾句偈頌說得很好。
「魚子奈摩羅，菩薩初發心，
三事因中多，及期結果少。」
魚子就是魚產的卵；奈摩羅這個果在印度有，其他地方很少的。它開很多花，不一定結一個果；魚子魚產卵產得很多，不一定個個都變成魚。這魚子和奈摩羅果，和菩薩初發心。發心的菩薩很多，一聽說行菩薩道不錯，就都發了菩提心，過了一個時期覺得行菩薩道很不容易的，莫如不行了。這初發心的菩薩是很多，真正成老菩薩也是不太多，所以才說「魚子奈摩羅，菩薩初發心。」「三事因中多」：這三種在因地，就是種這個因很多。「及期結果少」：真能成就的是很少的。所以這老菩薩受過鍛練來的。什麼叫鍛練呢？就用火燒過的。不是說用火燒出來的這個菩薩。是怎麼樣呢？好像在水火裡頭經過這種不容易忍的，好像火燒那麼痛苦，好像水淹那麼難受，經過這麼多的魔考，鍛練成功了，所以這是老菩薩。這個文殊師利菩薩不單是老菩薩，又是個大菩薩，一個不可思議的大菩薩。所以這摩訶薩「白佛言」：他對佛就講了。講什呢？
待續
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This chapter is called
Happily-Dwelling Conduct. [The Sanskrit title of the chapter is Sukha-vihara.
Sukha means "happy," and vihara means "dwelling." The Chinese translation is
an le heng, literally "dwelling-happyconduct."] Happily-dwelling conduct is the Bodhisattva conduct, and the Bodhisattva conduct is itself the happily-dwelling conduct. One happily dwells in the doors of practice cultivated by Bodhisattvas. Both one's body and one's mind reside in the states of cultivation of the Bodhisattva Way, and do so happily, since that is what one likes to do. The "Masters of the Dharma Chapter," the "Devadatta Chapter," and the "Exhortation to Maintain Chapter," which came previously, were very important sections of the
Dharma Flower Sutra. This chapter is even more important. The reason one dwells happily is that one sits on the Tathagata's throne, puts on the Tathagata's robe, and enters the Tathagata's room. One cultivates those kinds of happily-dwelling conduct.
Happily-dwelling conduct is the road on which one must travel in cultivating the Bodhisattva Way, hence the name of this chapter, "Happily-Dwelling Conduct," chapter fourteen.
Sutra:
At that time Dharma Prince Manjushri Bodhisattva Mahasattva said to the Buddha,
Commentary:
At that time is when the Buddha had finished speaking the "Exhortation to Maintain Chapter" and was ready to speak the "Happily-Dwelling Conduct Chapter."
Manjushri Bodhisattva's name is a Sanskrit word. Some translate it as "Wonderful Virtue," and some as "Wonderfully Auspicious." But Wonderful Virtue is Wonderfully Auspicious, and they mean the same. In general, this Bodhisattva's state is inconceivable. As explained in the commentary to the
Earth Store Sutra, ten auspicious signs occurred when Manjushri Bodhisattva was born. Guo Xiu probably remembers what the ten signs are, since her older sister remembered them. If the older sister remembers, the younger sister won't forget. To save time, we'll have Guo Xiu explain the ten signs later. Guo Xiu, do you remember the ten auspicious signs that marked the birth of Manjushri Bodhisattva, setting him apart from other Bodhisattvas?
While Manjushri Bodhisattva was cultivating the Bodhisattva conduct, he never lied, killed, or stole. He kept the precepts very carefully. There is proof that he never stole. One time he said to the other Bodhisattvas, "From the time I first brought forth my resolve to cultivate, I have always maintained the precept against stealing. That's why no one ever steals from me. Why, I could set my most valuable possession down on the ground, and no one would steal it." Some of the Bodhisattvas did not believe him and said, "We should test this out. Bring your most valuable possession, and we'll put it in front of the city gate." They chose that spot because it was where the most people came and went. "We'll leave it there for three days, and if no one has taken it by the end of that time, that will prove what you say is true."
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "Fine, let's try it out." He took his most valuable gem—Bodhisattvas have many treasures—and put it in front of the city gate. People came in and out of the city through the gate for three days, but no one took the jewel. The Bodhisattvas then knew that Manjushri Bodhisattva had truly maintained the precept against stealing.
This Bodhisattva has the greatest wisdom. Why? Because he cultivated Prajna practices. From the time he began to cultivate the Bodhisattva Way, he cultivated Prajna. He cultivated Literary Prajna, Contemplative Prajna, and Real Mark Prajna—the three kinds of Prajna. As a result, his wisdom is the greatest.
Before Shakyamuni Buddha realized Buddhahood, he studied the Buddhadharma under this Bodhisattva, who appeared earlier in the
Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra as the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light. Manjushri Bodhisattva is also the Dharma Master Wondrous Light. So, you who are cultivating the Way and have taken precepts must truly keep the precepts. If we don't truly keep the precepts now, later when it's time for us to realize the Way, our realization won't be true either. For that reason, we should learn to be like Manjushri Bodhisattva: We should not kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or take intoxicants.
Dharma Prince is Manjushri Bodhisattva's title. The Buddha is the Dharma King. He is the king within the Dharma, The god among gods, and the sage among sages. Bodhisattvas are Dharma Princes; they are the sons of the Dharma King. Hence, Manjushri Bodhisattva is called the Prince of Dharma.
Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit word. "Bodhi" means "enlightenment," and "sattva" means "being(s)," so the whole word means "one who enlightens beings." A Bodhisattva can help other living beings to become enlightened. A Bodhisattva is also a living being who is enlightened. He is a living being just as we are, but he is an enlightened living being among sentient beings. That's the meaning of Bodhisattva.
Mahasattva is also a Sanskrit word. "Maha" means "great," and "sattva" is the Bodhisattva. Mahasattvas are the great Bodhisattvas among Bodhisattvas, which means they are senior, not junior Bodhisattvas. Junior Bodhisattvas are those who have just decided they want to be Bodhisattvas. It's not certain that Bodhisattvas who are newly resolved will necessarily become Bodhisattvas. Why not? Because some make the resolve for one, two, or three days and then run away. For example, Shariputra wanted to practice the Bodhisattva Way, but then retreated. The ancients had a verse that describes this very well:
Fish eggs, amalakas,
And newly resolved Bodhisattvas:
All three are many on the causal ground,
But few at the level of fruition.
Fish lay many eggs, but a large number of them never hatch into fish. The
amalaka is a fruit found almost exclusively in India. The tree blossoms profusely, without necessarily bearing even one fruit. Also, many people bring forth the beginning resolve to cultivate the Bodhisattva Way; they hear how good it is to practice the Bodhisattva Way, so they bring forth the Bodhi mind. But after a while they realize it's not at all easy, and they prefer not to practice it. Thus, there are many newly-resolved Bodhisattvas, but few actually become old Bodhisattvas. And so there are many of these three—fish eggs, amalaka blossoms, and newly-resolved Bodhisattvas—at the level of planting causes; but few of them actually come to fruition.
Senior Bodhisattvas have been thoroughly smelted; they've passed through the fire. That's not to say that Bodhisattvas are actually burned. It means that they have been through experiences as painful as being burned by fire and as difficult to endure as being drowned by water. By passing through so many demonic tests, the Bodhisattvas have been successfully smelted and forged. That's how they become senior Bodhisattvas. Manjushri Bodhisattva is not only a senior Bodhisattva, he is a great and inconceivable Bodhisattva, which is why he is called a Mahasattva. And so this Mahasattva said to the Buddha. What did he say?
To be continued |
