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諸佛菩薩、師父上人、諸位善知識：
今天我要談的題目是「善知識」。眾生都想要離苦得樂，我們都知道，只有修學佛法才是究竟的方法。在末法時期，世間混亂，邪師邪說多如恆河沙，眾生即使有善根也很難不隨波逐流，而找到正路。
今（1999年）夏天我在報上看到一則消息，題目是「大陸一貪官記憶力驚人」。貪官處處有，但這位官員幾年來利用職權貪贓枉法，多次受賄之後終於被發現抓獲。有關部門進行了審查，發現他前後受賄的贓款達幾百萬元。世風日下，這個款項數目雖然不小，但審查人員並不太吃驚；真正令人驚嘆的是他的記憶力。這個貪官總共受賄兩百多次，他能夠將每一次接受的金額，交接的時間、地點、涉及人物記憶得毫釐不差。審理人員將他的口供與從多方蒐集來的資料進行了比較，不由得為其精確的記憶力感到十分驚訝。
記得上人說過智慧也是種果報，是為別人奉獻而又不求回報的結果。這位貪官有這麼好的記憶力，前世也應有善根，做過些善事才會有這種素質。可他卻不知珍惜自愛，實在可惜。問題出在哪呢？大家會說問題是他不信因果，可讓不信的人生信，這件事說說似乎簡單，當我們實際去勸化時就發現重重困難。我曾請教上人如何才能使眾生相信因果，上人說：「要懂的人去講才行。」這就是說要靠有智慧的善知識，才能使人發起信心。
事實上，善知識的功德不限於最初發心的階段，而是貫穿著修行解脫的全過程。這一點，在增壹阿含第四十卷有一部經講得清楚。經文是這樣的：
「聞如是，一時佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。爾時阿難白世尊言。所謂善知識者。即是半梵行人也。將引善道以至無為。佛告阿難，勿做是言。所謂善知識者。即是半梵行之人。所以然者，夫善知識之人。即是全梵行之人。與共從事將至好道。我亦由善知識，成無上正等正覺，以成道果度脫眾生不可稱計。皆免生老病死。以此方便。知夫善知識之人。全梵行之人也。復次阿難。若善男子善女人與善知識共從事者信根增益。問施慧德皆悉備具。猶如月欲盛滿。光明漸增倍於常時。此亦如是。若有善男子善女人親近善知識信聞念施慧皆悉增益。以此方便。知其善知識者即是全梵行之人也。若我昔日不與善知識從事。終不為燈光佛所見授決也，以與善知識從事故，得為與提和竭羅佛所見授決。以此方便，知其善知識者即是全梵行之人也。若當阿難世間無善知識者。則無有尊卑之敘父母師長兄弟宗親。則與彼豬犬之屬與共一類。造諸惡緣種地獄罪緣。有善知識故便別有父母師長兄弟宗親。…」
阿難原以為親近善知識，那清淨梵行就成就了一半，而佛卻告訴阿難，親近善知識，可以說清淨梵行就完全成就了，可見善知識的偉大！沒有善知識，世間就沒有光明，是一片黑暗。我們如果能夠念念不忘善知識的教誨，信心充滿，依教奉行，整個梵行的因緣也就都俱足了。迷惘時，會得到開示；缺乏福報時，會有福田可供耕耘；畏懼時，會得到安慰，可如果我們悖離了善知識，心念不安住在正道上，就難免造種種罪業，誤入歧途。
待續
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All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Venerable Master, all good advisors, my topic today is, "Good Advisors."
All sentient beings wish to leave suffering behind and attain bliss. We know that cultivating the Buddhadharma is the ultimate solution. During the Dharma-ending age, our chaotic world is filled with wicked teachers and words. Even living beings with roots of goodness drift along with the currents of the times, finding it difficult to locate the proper path.
This past summer (1999) I read a newspaper article entitled, "Corrupt Official in China Has Phenomenal Memory". Greedy government officials are everywhere, but this officer had used his position to illegally accept bribes for several years. The man was finally arrested after he had committed numerous frauds. The investigators found that the offender had amassed several million dollars through his scams. Although this dollar figure isn't small by today's standards, law enforcement officials were not particularly surprised. They were only amazed by the man's memory. This insatiable bureaucrat had accepted 200 some bribes. He recalls the sum of money exchanged in each transaction, the time, location and individuals involved in every incident flawlessly. The arbitrators compared his oral statement with research material from various sources—they couldn't help but be astounded by the accuracy of his memory.
I remember that the Venerable Master once said that wisdom is also a reward from the past, a result of philanthropy without strings attached. This greedy officer must have done some good deeds in the past to have such an excellent memory; yet it is unfortunate that he didn't know to cherish his ability. Why is that? You might say that he didn't believe in the law of cause and effect. To convert non-believers into believers is easier said than done. When we try to persuade people in reality, we find that the obstacles are monstrous and persistent. I once asked the Venerable Master how we might ensure that living beings believe in the law of cause and effect. He said, "It must be explained to them by someone who truly understands." In other words, only good advisors are capable of bringing forth people's faith.
In reality, good advisors help us even beyond the initial stage of making resolutions. Good advisors help us throughout the entire process on the path toward liberation. The Buddha elucidated this point in one of the Sutras in Roll Forty of the
Gradual Collection. That Sutra states:
Thus it was heard. At one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravasti, in the Jeta Grove in the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary. At that time Ananda uttered to the World Honored One, "A practitioner with a good advisor has already perfected half of his pure practices, for the good advisor guides one onto the wholesome path leading to the unconditioned."
The Buddha advised Ananda, "Do not assert that a practitioner with a good advisor perfects only half of his pure practices. Why? If you attend to a good advisor, you have already perfected all pure practices. Working along a good advisor ensures that one will reach a good path. I, too, by virtue of having good advisors, realized the Unsurpassed, Proper and Equal Enlightenment and attained the fruition to the Way; thereupon I liberated countless sentient beings and freed them from birth, aging, sickness, and death. Through this skillful means, you should know that those around a good advisor are practitioners replete with perfected conduct."
"Moreover, Ananda, if good men and women attend to a good advisor, the roots of their faith will increase; their virtue of listening to the Dharma, of charity, of wisdom are all obtained. Just as the moon increases in brightness when it is nearly full, so it is with good men and women who draw near good advisors. Their virtues of faith, listening to Dharma, mindfulness, charity and wisdom will all increase. This expedient illustration shows that good advisors assure that people complete their pure practices. If I had not served good advisors in the past, Burning Lamp Buddha would never have prophesized my realization of Buddhahood. Since I had attended upon good advisors, Dipamkara Buddha saw me and prophesized my realization of Buddhahood. Through this example, we learn that those who have good advisors become replete with all pure practices. If no good advisors exist in the world, people would not honor the social status and relationships with parents, teachers, siblings and relatives. Then human beings would differ in no way from swine and dogs, for they create evil affinities and illicit conditions for reincarnation in the hells. With good advisors, people will honor their relationships with parents, teachers, siblings and relatives."
Ananda had originally thought that by drawing near a good advisor, a person only accomplished half of his pure practices. However, the Buddha told Ananda that one's pure practices are completely realized when one draws near a good advisor. That shows how great are benevolent and wise counsels. Without good advisors, the world is dark and dim. If we manage to remember the teachings of a good advisor at all times, maintaining complete confidence in them and putting their teachings into practice, we will have fulfilled the causes and conditions for all pure practices. That way, when we're lost, we'll receive instructions. When we need blessings, we will have fields of blessing to till. When we're afraid, we'll be comforted. However, if we abandon a good advisor and fail to abide resolutely on the proper path, we will inevitably create all kinds of offenses and go astray.
To be continued
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