這時候人家找他，他就回頭找我，叫我給想辦法。我說我有什麼辦法？他說你在大壩那個地方，那個小孩子都要死了，你叫他活，他就活了，這小孩子你看看囉！我說：你叫你小孩子來，我看看。那他就叫小孩子來，他也跪在那兒，他小孩子也跪在那兒。我一看，這個小孩子就是個和尚的樣子，我說：你想他病好，你就送他去出家，到廟上去出家，他病就好了。
他爸爸就說：如果他病好了，我就送他出家。果然好了，那就好了，你不過半個月他就會好了。那麼他很高興，本來沒有錢就捐了十塊，布施了十塊錢，那麼就走了。走了果然以後這小孩子病就好了，我那時候也很注意這小孩子，希望他出家。於是乎，過了一個月，我又到那個鄉下去，特意到他家裏看看這小孩子，一問他父親，說他病好了。我說你趕快送他出家去囉！他說等幾天。我就走了，走了又過一個月我又去看一看。問他小孩子病好了沒好啊？啊，好了。
好，我說你趕快送他出家去，你不送他出家，他病還會發作的。我說：我這一次來啊，這是第二次，以後他病再發作了，我也不管了。那麼他父親以為這是恐嚇他，他也不相信，以為小孩子病好了就捨不得了。捨不得第三次，我又從他們鄉下那兒走過去了。這個小孩子的病果然就發作了，在我沒有去前十幾天這個病就發作了。這一次我沒有到他家裏，但是我沒有到他家裏他知道，這個小孩子在他家裏他就看見我從他那個鄉下走過去。對他爸爸就說，爸爸，我這回病不會好啦，今天啊，三緣寺某某人從我們這個村裏邊過去，他都不到我們家裏來了，我這個病大要不能好了。他父親說：不要緊，等明天我到廟上去找他，找他把你送出家去。那麼第二天他父親就到廟上去，他離廟上大要就有三個miles那麼遠吧！三個miles，四個miles的，這麼遠，所以他走路到廟上去。很奇怪的，他到廟上去他這個小孩坐在家裏，這個靈魂也跟著去了，到了廟上，在那一個房裏坐，他見到什麼人，那一個房有什麼東西，他都看得清清楚楚。那麼他父親到廟上找我，我當時也不在廟上。不在廟上呢，那麼他回來了，回來他就和他爸爸講，說是今天你到廟上去我也跟著你後邊去了。他爸爸說：我沒看見你了。哈，你沒看見我，我可看見你了，你到什麼地方和這個方丈和尚講話，又到那牌位功德堂那邊，我看見很多牌位在那，這廟上都有什麼什麼的。他父親說：奇怪，怎麼你沒有去你就知道我和誰講什麼話，見到什麼人，那一個房裏又有誰？你都知道，啊，就這麼樣子，他父親覺得很奇怪，等我到後行龍溝回來，又從他那條村經過，這個小孩子也知道。就對他父親講，三緣寺某某人從我們這個村裏經過，他都不到我們這兒坐了，大約我不能出家了。就這麼樣子，等這天晚間，這個小孩子就對他爸爸講說：爸爸，爸爸你快點燈看看我坐得正當不正當？那麼他父親就點著燈了一看，他就坐著結雙跏趺坐，坐得很正當就死了，就這麼就死了。你看本來他應該出家，也有人叫他出家，病好了就捨不得出家，他父親捨不得叫他出家，結果那麼死了。那麼由這一點看來，這個出家和不出家是沒有一定的。本來他應該出家，我也看他，是個和尚，但是他爸爸媽媽捨不得，不叫他出家，結果就沒有出家了。這個小孩子，到現在，死了之後還常常跟著我。活著他沒有出家，死了他還知道修道。所以這個人，生死的問題是不容易解決的。佛為利益興於世，佛為了利益眾生，才出興於世。清淨光神入此門，這個清淨光神主城神他入這種的解脫門。
如來自在無有邊。如雲普遍於世間。令他們發菩提心。此是香幢所觀見，這種佛的境界，這是這個香幢主城神他所看見的，所得到的這種解脫門。眾生愚癡如盲瞽，眾生啊，癡就是愚癡，暗就是黑暗。愚癡呢就像那個沒有眼睛的人一樣，盲就是沒有眼睛，這瞽也是沒有眼睛。就像一個沒有眼睛的人一樣。種種障蓋，眾生的種種愚癡法就像那個猴子，沒有事情他總要找一個事情來幹。你看那個猴子，他這個手拿這個東西，那個手又要拿那個東西，總是不閒的，但是他總也做不出來一個什麼事。眾生就是這樣子，你把這樣子這個愚心放下了，就貪財的人有貪財的這種欲，貪財的欲，因為他知道這個財不是什麼好東西，來把它放下。可是把財放下了，把這個色又拿起來，或者把其他的這種貪心生出來了，所以叫種種障蓋。財、色、名、食、睡，這一些個欲望都是障蓋，蓋住，所纏覆，纏就擺脫不開，不能得到解脫，這叫纏了，纏上了。覆也和那個蓋字是一樣的，遮覆。佛光照徹普令開，佛放這個大智慧光明把眾生的這個愚癡都給照破了，眾生的黑暗也給照破了，就像天上沒有雲而見到太陽光一樣，所以佛光照徹普令開，令一切的愚癡的眾生都得到智慧了。如是寶峰之所入，像這種的境界，這個寶峰主城神他所明了的。
復次，淨莊嚴幢道場神，得出現供養佛廣大莊嚴具誓願力解脫門。
這一部華嚴經是重重無盡的，所以在前邊的義理沒有說完，再繼續來說這個經的道理，所以說復次。淨莊嚴幢，這是這道場神的名字。他清淨又莊嚴，猶如寶幢，因為他護持道場，這個道場就有寶幢，所以這一位道場神護持所有的道場，那麼這個道場很多很多種道場。譬如你參禪這是修禪的道場，你修密宗這是密 宗的道場，你修習淨土宗這是淨土宗的道場。所以這個道場也是有無量無邊的。我們修道的人必須要有道場，有道場才能修道。你修道必須要有護法護持道場的神，所以這一位道場神，他得到一種境界，是什麼呢？是佛在過去生中所修的菩提行，所修的這個精進波羅蜜、禪定波羅蜜、忍辱波羅蜜、持戒波羅蜜、布施波羅蜜、般若波羅蜜，修這個六度萬行的時候，那麼佛最歡喜的就是供養佛，他不是單單供養一個佛，供養十方三世一切諸佛，供養這個盡虛空遍法界一切諸佛，所以說廣大莊嚴具。他發這種廣大的心來供養佛，供養佛的道場，他的功德圓滿。誓願力，他又發大的誓願，發大的這種菩提心來廣度一切眾生，令一切眾生都齊成佛道。那麼這一位淨莊嚴幢道場神啊得到這種的解脫門。
須彌寶光道場神，得現一切眾生前，成就廣大菩提行解脫門。
須彌是梵語，翻譯過來叫妙高，那麼這一位道場神叫妙高寶光道場神。這一位道場神他得到佛一種境界，他普現一切眾生前，所有的眾生，佛都不捨棄。那麼佛在因地的時候修行這個六度萬行這種種的法門，就是發願要成就眾生的菩提行，成就眾生的廣大菩提行。什麼叫廣大的菩提行呢？就是從凡夫而修成佛道，在中間經過這很長遠的時間，所以才叫廣大菩提行，修道修這種行門。可是時間很長遠，他得到這種的解脫門。
那麼很多天也沒有問題了，今天不知道有沒有問題？誰要有問題，提出來，要沒有問題，我們就找一個問題。
問：（聽不清楚）
要看這個夢是什麼樣的夢，有的是糊塗夢，有的是明白夢，有的是愚癡夢，有的是智慧夢。看什麼夢，應該記的不妨記著，不應該記的，那麼能把它忘了也不錯。
待續
|
|
At that time, someone came to look for the Abbot and he turned to me and told me to find a way. I said, "What can I do?" He said, "When we were at Daba, you saved the life of a dying child. Why don't you take a look at this child?"
"Tell your boy to come here," I told the father. The father called the son, and both of them knelt before me. I saw at once that the boy looked just like a monk. "If you want him to get well, send him to the temple to leave home. He will certainly get well."
"If he gets well, I will certainly send him to leave home," said the father.
"Fine," I said. "He will get well in less than half a month." The father was very happy. Basically he was very poor, but he gave an offering of ten dollars. We took our leave. Later, the son did get well. I kept my eye out for the boy, hoping he would leave the home-life. After a month, I passed through his village again and made a special visit to his home. When I asked his father, the father said the boy was well, and I said-, "You'd better send him to the temple to leave home."
"In a few days," said the father. I left. After another month passed, I went to see them again. "Is the boy well?" I asked. "He is," said the father.
"Then you'd better send him to the monastery to leave home right away. Otherwise, he will get sick again. This is the second time I have come to see you. If he gets sick again, I will not pay any attention." The father thought I was trying to scare him and didn't take me seriously. Once his son was well, he could not bear to give him up.
The third time I passed by their village, I heard that the boy had fallen ill again more than ten days earlier. That time, I did not visit their home. However, the boy knew—he saw—when I passed by his home and said to his father, "This time I'm not going to get well. Today the monk from Three Conditions Temple passed our house but didn't come to see us. I probably won't get well."
"Don't worry," said the father. "Tomorrow I'll go find him at the temple and take you to leave the home-life." The father walked three or four miles to the temple. The boy stayed home, but strangely enough, his spirit followed the father to the temple. He saw which room his father was sitting in, the people he met, and everything that was in the temple. He saw it all very clearly. I was out that day, and so the father did not find me. When the father returned, the boy told him, "I followed you to the temple today."
"I didn't see you," said the father.
"But I saw you," said the boy. "You talked to the Abbot, then you went to the Merit and Virtue Hall where there were a lot of plaques." And he described the people who had been at the temple.
"Strange!" said the father. "You didn't go, and yet you know exactly what I said and who I met, and all the people who were there."
On my way back to the temple, I passed by their village again, and again the boy was aware of it. He told his father, "So-and-so from Three Conditions Temple has passed by our house again without coming to call on us. It probably means I can't leave home." That evening, the boy called out, "Father, light the lamp and see if I'm sitting properly." The father lit the lamp and saw the boy sitting there in full lotus posture. He was sitting very erect, but he had already died. He was supposed to leave the home-life and someone told him to leave home, but after he got well his father could not bear to give him up. In the end, he died. This goes to show that whether or not a person leaves home is not fixed. Basically he was supposed to leave home; I saw that he had the appearance of a monk. However, his parents could not bear to let him go. Consequently, he didn't get to leave home. This child, even after his death, still follows me all the time. Although he did not leave home when he was alive, after death he understood that he should cultivate the Way. The problem of birth and death is not easy to resolve.
In order to benefit them, living beings, the Buddha appears in the world. The City-Ruling Spirit Body of Pure Radiance entered this door to liberation.
Sutra:
The self-mastery of the Thus Come One is without bounds.
Like clouds it spreads pervasively through all worlds. He even appears in dreams to tame and subdue beings.
This is what Fragrant Banner has observed.
Dark and deluded living beings are like the blind,
Entangled in all sorts of obstacles and coverings.
The Buddha's light shines through, opening their wisdom.
This is what Jeweled Peak has entered.
Commentary:
The self-mastery of the Thus Come One's wonderful functioning of spiritual penetrations, by which he teaches and transforms all sentient beings, pervades the ten directions of the Dharma Realm. Therefore, it is without bounds or limits. An analogy is given. It is like clouds in the sky, in that it spreads pervasively through all worlds. The Buddha teaches and transforms living beings when they are awake and conscious. What is more, he even appears in dreams to teach, transform, tame and subdue beings who have affinities with him, leading them to bring forth the resolve for Bodhi. This state of the Buddha is what the City-Ruling Spirit Fragrant Banner has observed. He has attained this liberation door.
Dark and deluded living beings are like the blind and sightless. In their ignorance, they are entangled in all sorts of obstacles and coverings. They are like monkeys, who are always getting into mischief. Have you noticed how monkeys are always carrying something in each hand? They are never idle, but they never accomplish anything either. Living beings are the same way. They cannot relinquish their desires. For example, money-grubbers have the desire for wealth. If they realize that money is not such a good thing, they can relinquish it. But once they put down their desire for money, they get attached to beautiful forms or give rise to some other desire. "All sorts of obstacles and coverings" includes the desires for wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. These are all obstacles and coverings which bind them up so they cannot get free and cover them over.
The Buddha's light shines through, opening their wisdom. The Buddha emits the light of great wisdom, which penetrates through and destroys living beings' stupidity and darkness. This light is like the light of the sun shining in a clear blue sky, causing the wisdom of foolish beings to unfold. This state is what the City-Ruling Spirit Jeweled Peak has entered and understood.
Sutra:
Moreover, the Way-place Spirit named Banner of Pure Adornment obtained the liberation door of manifesting great power of vows to make offerings of vast, great adornments to Buddhas.
Commentary:
The Flower Adornment Sutra is endlessly multi-layered and inexhaustible. The word "moreover" signifies that the text will continue discussing principles of the Sutra which have not yet been fully explained.
The Way-place Spirit named Banner of Pure Adornment is pure and adorned, like a precious banner. Since this spirit protects Way-places, those Way-places have precious banners. There are numerous kinds of Way-places. There are Chan Way-places, where people investigate Chan meditation. There are also Way-places where people study and explain the teachings. There are Way-places where one specializes in observing the Vinaya or moral precepts, Way-places where one cultivates secret practices, and Way-places where Pure Land practices are cultivated. There are infinitely many kinds of Way-places. Cultivators need to have a place where they can cultivate the Way. They also need Dharma protectors, spirits that protect the Way-place.
This Way-place Spirit obtained the liberation door of manifesting great power of vows to make offerings of vast, great adornments to Buddhas. He attained a state in which he saw the Bodhi practices cultivated by the Buddha in former lifetimes. He witnessed the Buddha cultivating the paramitas of vigor, dhyana concentration, patience, holding precepts, giving, and Prajna. The Buddha cultivated the Six Paramitas and the myriad practices. And he saw that what the Buddha liked best was to make offerings to Buddhas. He made offerings not just to one Buddha, but to all Buddhas of the ten directions throughout the three periods of time, to the ends of empty space throughout the Dharma Realm.
He brought forth a vast, great resolve to make offerings to the Buddhas and adorn the Buddhas' Way-places, thereby perfecting his merit and virtue. Such was the great power of his vows—his Bodhi resolve—to extensively save living beings and guide them all to Buddhahood. That was the liberation door that the Way-place Spirit named Banner of Pure Adornment attained.
Sutra:
The Way-place Spirit named Sumeru Jeweled Brilliance obtained the liberation door of appearing before all living beings and accomplishing vast practices of Bodhi.
Commentary:
"Sumeru" is a Sanskrit word meaning "wonderfully tall." The next Way-place Spirit is named Sumeru Jeweled Brilliance, Wonderfully Tall Jeweled Brilliance. He obtained a state of the Buddha, the liberation door of appearing before all living beings and accomplishing vast practices of Bodhi. The Buddha does not forsake any living being. While on the causal ground, the Buddha cultivated the Six Paramitas and myriad practices, vowing to help living beings cultivate and accomplish the Buddha Path.
"Vast practices of Bodhi" refer to lengthy practices that ordinary living beings must cultivate in order to accomplish Buddhahood. This spirit obtained this door to liberation.
Nobody has had a question for many days. If anyone has a question today, you can ask it now. If there are no questions, you should look for one to ask.
Question: [inaudible]
Venerable Master: It depends on the dream. Some dreams are muddled; some are clear; some are foolish; some are wise. It depends on the kind of dream. If it ought to be remembered, you ought to remember it. If it shouldn't be remembered and you can forget it, that's pretty good too.
To be continued
|
