所以天臺智者大師在九旬（九十天）裏面，只講一個「妙」字，這未免講得太詳細了。這個「妙」字，不用說九十天，就是九個月、九年、九十年也講不完的，因為它是「妙」，所以只可以說大概的意思。不是說這個意思好不好的問題，你如果想知道多，就要自己用功，往深處去研究。
復次，就是前邊的義理還沒有說完，現在再說一次。妙色，就是那羅延，堅固的意思。為什麼說他堅固呢？你看下面這位執金剛神，持就是拿著，手裏拿著金剛寶杵；如果他不堅固，怎麼拿得動這金剛寶杵呢？如果他沒有力量，連綁小雞子的力量都沒有，他怎麼可以執金剛寶杵，或者金剛王寶劍呢？這都是護法所拿的兵器，所以這位執金剛神就是護法。他得到佛的境界，見著佛示現無邊的色相身，他得到這種解脫門。先無後有，就是本來沒有的，但是他現出來了。
日輪速疾幢執金剛神，得佛身一一毛如日輪，現種種光明雲解脫門。
這位執金剛神，非常迅速，他得到佛的境界。佛身上每一根毫毛上都有一道光，這道光好像日輪一樣光明。這光明不單單只一種顏色，有種種不同顏色的光明，好像「五色祥雲」，在虛空中飄渺著。他得到這種解脫門。
須彌華光執金剛神，得化現無量身大神變解脫門。
須彌就是妙高，華光就是現出一種光，光裏頭還有華，華上頭還放著光。這位執金剛神他得到佛的境界，他明白佛化現無量的身，顯現種種大神通變化。他得到這種解脫門。
魔有魔相，佛有佛相，有的時候為了要降魔，佛就現魔相，所現的魔相比魔還要高大。譬如魔身高一百丈，而佛就化現魔身，高一千丈，比魔高了九百丈。因為這樣，魔一看自己這麼小他這麼大，就被降伏了，才會五體投地，依教奉行。這是佛降魔的方便法門，之後佛把魔身收回來，又現出佛身。魔一看他有這麼大神通，也就不敢不聽佛的教化了。
佛法若會用就奧妙無窮；若不會用就好像衣裏面有一個明珠，你不知道的話還是一個窮人。你若知道有明珠，會用這個明珠，這如意寶珠裏邊能出生一切寶，取之不盡，用之不竭。你若得到這如意珠，你就是最富有的人了。這如意珠就是佛法，也即是無盡的法寶。他得到這種大神變解脫門。
清淨雲音執金剛神，得無邊隨類音解脫門。
清淨雲音是這位執金剛神的名字，他得到佛的境界，佛能隨類現身演說妙法。你不要以為佛只常常現佛身，佛什麼身都現。譬如佛要去度魚，他就現魚身，演魚所說的語言及聲音，在水裏教化牠。佛要度龍就現龍身；佛要度畜生就現一切唯心造畜生身。所以叫一切唯心造隨類音，不但現他那種身，還會說他那種話。他得到這種解脫門。
妙臂天主執金剛神，得現為一切世間主，開悟眾生解脫門。
妙臂就是一個手可變為無量手，無量手又可變成一個手，一個手可變為千萬手，千萬手又可變成一個手，這個手願意拿多少東西都隨心所欲的，所以叫妙臂。
這位執金剛神明白佛的境界，知道佛示現一切世間主，來教化眾生，令眾生都能開悟。為什麼要示現世間主？因為世間主有領導能力，眾生相信國王所說的話，容易被領導走向正路，因此佛也現此身。他得到這種解脫門。
可愛樂光明執金剛神，得普開示一切佛法差別門，咸盡無疑解脫門。
可愛樂光明是這位執金剛神的名字，他明白佛的境界，佛能普遍令一切眾生明瞭一切佛法的義理，和所有的差別的法門。咸盡無疑，咸就是完全，完全了解，疑就是剩下，無疑就是沒有剩下。他什麼佛法都明白了，他得到這種解脫門。
大
樹雷音執金剛神，得以可愛樂莊嚴具，攝一切樹神解脫門。
大樹雷音是這位執金剛神的名字，他得到佛的境界，有許多可愛樂莊嚴具，好像哪一個樹神願意玩什麼玩具，他都有。因此他用一切的莊嚴具––玩具來管理這些樹神。這些樹神大概都是歡喜玩，歡喜莊嚴具，所以他得到這一種的解脫門。
今天是叫你們出家發願的日子，誰要發願就到佛前拜三拜，然後說自己所發的願，先說弟子叫某某名字。在金山寺，無論出家人或在家人都要發無上菩提心，發大願力。世界上佛教以前很少這樣做的，若是往過去無量劫說呢，佛教徒發願也是很多的。現在世界上很少有人這樣做，因為已走到末法了，就把一切真實的修行都給忘了。現在有人發人所不能發的願力，你要自己時時刻刻把它念熟了，記在心裏，不要發過願就忘了，沒這麼一回事了，這是不可以的，必須要時時刻刻記住自己所發的是什麼。
好像現在三步一拜的兩位，他們在過去就是發了這個行人所不能行的願。他們兩人發願說：「無論將來我們到什麼地方，都要做金剛大力士，忍人所不能忍的，行人所不能行的，要做這種苦行，不管這種苦行成不成功，我們都要去做。」
修道發願是很要緊的，「忍辱」也是最要緊的，人若是能忍辱，一定會成就道業。忍辱就是不如意的事情來了能忍受，能像吃蜜糖那麼甜，一點都沒有火，這樣才會成就忍辱的行。所以，我今天和以前，聽有發願，我很注意聽，可是都沒有人發忍辱的願。但是在沒有發願以前，我不能告訴你們應該發什麼願。願要自己發，不是要人家告訴你，若是要人家告訴你，那是人家的願，不是自己的。以後我希望你們都能發 「忍辱」的願，這是太要緊了。
待續 |
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(continued from previous issue) For example, the Great Master Zhi Zhe of Tiantai spent ninety days explaining the word miao "wonderful." You might say that he went into too much detail in his explanation. Actually, not to speak of ninety days, even nine months, nine years, or ninety years would not be enough time to fully explain the meaning of "wonderful," simply because it is wonderful. One can only give people a general idea of what it means.
It is not a question of whether the meaning is good or not. People who want to know more have to spend time investigating in greater depth on their own.
Moreover, to continue the discussion of the meanings mentioned previously, the Vajra-wielding Spirit named Wondrous Color Narayana... "Narayana" means "strong and solid." How do I know? Because the text says that he is a vajra-wielding spirit. If he were not strong and solid, how could he wield a vajra jeweled pestle? If his arms were as weak as a baby chick's, how could he hold a vajra jeweled pestle? Vajra jeweled pestles and vajra jeweled swords are weapons wielded by Dharma protectors. Vajra-wielding spirits are Dharma protectors. This particular spirit obtained the liberation door of seeing the Thus Come One manifest bodies of boundless forms. He sees the Buddha manifest these bodies. The word "manifest" indicates that these bodies are not real. They appear out of nothing. Originally they did not exist. The Buddha manifests boundlessly many such bodies. This spirit obtained that door to liberation.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Banner as Swift as the Sun obtained the liberation door of every hair on the Buddha's body displaying all kinds of clouds of light, just like the sun's orb.
Commentary:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Banner as Swift as the Sun is very speedy. He obtained the state of the Buddha, the liberation door of every hair on the Buddha's body displaying all kinds of clouds of light, just like the sun's orb. Every hair on the Buddha's body sends forth a ray of light, just like the sun. This ray of light is not of a single color. It is actually a cloud of light of rainbow colors, like a five-colored auspicious cloud floating in the sky. That is this spirit's door to liberation.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Sumeru Flower Light obtained the liberation door of making appear measureless bodies and great spiritual transformations.
Commentary:
The next Vajra-wielding Spirit is named Sumeru Flower Light. Sumeru means "wonderfully tall." The light he emits has flowers in it, and the flowers in turn give off light. This spirit obtained the liberation door and understood the Buddha's state of making appear measureless bodies and great spiritual powers and transformations.
Demons have the appearance of demons, and Buddhas have the appearance of Buddhas. Sometimes, in order to subdue a demon, the Buddha himself may manifest the appearance of a demon. However, he manifests in a form that is larger than the demon. For example, if the demon is five thousand feet tall, the Buddha might manifest as a demon that is ten thousand feet tall, five thousand feet taller than the demon. When the demon sees how small he is in comparison to the Buddha, he submits and pays obeisance, promising to follow the Buddha's instructions. After the demon is subdued, the Buddha reappears in his own body. When the demon sees how great the Buddha's spiritual powers of transformation are, he dares not disobey the Buddha's teaching.
The Buddhadharma, if you know how to apply it, is infinitely wonderful and mysterious. If you don't know how to use it, it is like having a bright pearl sewn in your clothing and not knowing about it. Once you discover the bright pearl, you can use it. The bright pearl can give you all kinds of treasures. You can use it forever, and it will never wear out. If you find the pearl in your clothing, you will be the richest person. If you wish for money, the pearl produces money. If you want gold, it produces gold. If you prefer silver, it gives you silver. You can have whatever you want. That is an analogy for the liberation door of great spiritual transformations.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Pure Cloud Sound obtained the liberation door of boundless sounds that accord with the categories of beings.
Commentary:
The next Vajra-wielding Spirit is named Pure Cloud Sound. He obtained the liberation door of boundless sounds that accord with the categories of beings. He understood the Buddha's state where the Buddha is able to appear in the appropriate form for different kinds of living beings, speak in a way that they can understand, and proclaim the wonderful Dharma for them. You shouldn't have the idea that the Buddha always appears as a Buddha. The Buddha can take on any form at all. For example, if he wants to save fish, he appears in a fish's body and goes into the water to teach and transform fish, speaking to them in fish language. If he wants to save dragons, he manifests as a dragon. If he wants to save other animals, he appears in their forms. Not only does he take on the same form as them, he communicates with them in their own language. This spirit obtained the Buddha's liberation door of sounds that accord with the categories of beings.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Heavenly Lord with Splendid Arms obtained the liberation door of manifesting as all worldly leaders and enlightening living beings.
Commentary:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Heavenly Lord with Splendid Arms obtained the liberation door of manifesting as all worldly leaders and enlightening living beings. The wonderful thing about this spirit is that he can rub oil on his head using his hand. After rubbing, he turns into a slippery- head. When one hand is done rubbing, the other hand rubs some more. What is more, one hand can turn into countlessly many hands, and those countlessly many hands can turn back into one hand. One hand can become ten million hands, and ten million hands can become one hand, so he is said to have "splendid arms." Splendid means inconceivable. With his hands, he can pick up as many things as he wishes.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Delightful Brightness obtained the liberation door of expounding upon all the different doors of the Buddhadharma, completely covering them without remainder.
Commentary:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Delightful Brightness understood the Buddha's state and obtained the liberation door of expounding upon all the different doors of the Buddhadharma, completely covering them without remainder. He makes all living beings understand all the doors of the different meanings within the Buddhadharma. They completely understand all the principles of Buddhadharma without exception. That was this spirit's liberation door.
Sutra:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Great Tree Thunder Sound obtained the liberation door of using delightful adornments to gather in all tree spirits.
Commentary:
The Vajra-wielding Spirit named Great Tree Thunder Sound obtained the Buddha's state and the liberation door of using delightful adornments, including toys, to gather in all tree spirits. He uses toys and adornments to keep the tree spirits under control. Tree spirits are probably fond of playing and having fun. That was this spirit's door to liberation.
Everyone should make vows together. If you want to make vows, come forward and bow three times to the Buddhas, then make your vows. Be sure to say your name first.
The left-home people and lay people at Gold Mountain Monastery have all resolved to seek unsurpassed Bodhi and have made great vows. In the recent past, this was rarely done in Buddhism anywhere in the world. If we are talking about limitless eons in the past, there were many Buddhists who made vows. In this century, however, there are very few. That's why we have entered the Dharma-ending Age, where everyone has forgotten about cultivation.
Now some people have made their individual vows. You should constantly review your vows and become very familiar with them. Keep them securely in mind. Don't just forget your vows after you've made them. That is not allowed. At all times, you should remember the vows you've made.
For example, those two monks who are bowing every three steps made vows in the past to practice what others could not practice. These two vowed that no matter where they went, they would be Vajra Power Knights, enduring what others cannot endure and practicing what others cannot practice. They wanted to engage in such ascetic practice. Regardless of whether or not they succeeded at it, they were determined to undertake ascetic practice.
In cultivation, making vows is very important. Patience is also of the utmost importance. Anyone who can be patient will surely succeed in accomplishing the Way. Patience is the ability to endure adversity as if it were as pleasant as eating honey, without getting the least bit upset or angry. That's what's required to accomplish the practice of patience and perfect one's work in the Way.
Today when people made their vows, I listened carefully and noticed that no one made a vow to be patient. However, before you made your vows, I couldn't very well tell you what vows to make. Your vows have to be made of your own initiative; people cannot tell you what kind of vows to make. If people tell you what vows to make, those are their vows, not yours. In the future, I hope everyone can cultivate patience. This is very important.
To be continued |
