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……那麼是講到這兒了。講到這兒，我看今天我還講一講去香港的情形。你們是不是願意聽？你們願意聽《華嚴經》，是願意聽這個在香港和臺灣的情形？
（錄音帶被切）……這個水果和尚是福建人，他出家的廟叫承天寺；他特別用功，是長坐不臥，也不吃熟的東西，只吃水果。我在臺灣講經的時候，講他講了三次，但是這個周宣德老居士就慌了，說，「不要講他那麼多，臺灣的和尚沒有一個歡喜他的。所有的這些個法師對他都不滿意，說他也不認字，是個啞羊僧，對佛教沒有用處。」你看！這麼連熟的東西都不吃，一天到晚只是用功修行，這還修行出過錯來了，對佛教沒有用處！
可是他的用處就大了。怎麼大呢？他有一個皈依弟子，要出去旅行去，他就對他講，說：「你在四十九天之內不要出去旅行。」那麼他這個弟子就在四十八天，就剩最後一天，說這大約不要緊了，最後這一天我們出去沒有關係了，就出去了。出去就撞車，把腿就撞斷了，沒有了一條腿；沒有了一條腿，就有人告訴這個水果和尚。這個水果和尚說，「啊！已經算佛菩薩對他慈悲了。他如果不是做佛事信佛，他命都沒有了。」這個人就對旁人講說：「哎！我不聽師父的話。師父叫我四十九天不要到外邊去，我等四十八天以為就沒有什麼關係了，就出去，出去結果就沒有了一條腿。」
你們各位想一想，他（水果和尚）能以在沒有發生事情以前，就叫他不要出去，叫他在家裡 過四十九天。那麼他不聽，就發生這種的危險。以這樣的修行的人，這麼用功的一個和尚，所有這些個法師都誹謗他，都破壞他。但是也破壞不了，所有臺灣這些個居士還都個個皈依他，拜他作師父。拜他作師父也很簡單的，很隨便的可以皈依他，所以他的皈依弟子很多，個個都對師父非常地恭敬。這一般的法師都誹謗他，破壞他，那麼一般的居士還是一樣有眼睛，還要拜他作師父。
你們各位想一想，沒有旁的好說他了，就說他偷著吃東西。說他偷著吃什麼呢？偷著吃粥。周宣德老居士說，對我趴到我耳邊說，說，「這可不能對外邊講啊，他啊，一般人都說他偷著喝粥。他說他不吃熟的東西，是騙人呢！。
你看！就算他喝粥，這也不犯什麼過錯啊！這有什麼罪呢？吃熟的東西、不吃熟的東西，我在臺灣就給大家講過，我說這是他自己的權力，自己的自由，在佛教裡並沒有規定說你一定要不吃熟的東西；你要吃熟的東西這就有過了，有罪了，沒有這個規定。那麼為什麼要這樣來說他偷著吃粥？這些個人就是沒有事情幹了，怕所有的人都相信他，所以故意這麼造出謠言來誹謗他。其實沒有智慧的人，被人這麼樣一批評一誹謗，或者就不相信他；有智慧的人，根本這就不是一個問題。他吃粥，他願意吃粥他就吃粥嘛，願意吃飯他就吃飯嘛；他不吃粥，不吃飯，不吃熟的東西，是他自己的事情，並不是誰來勉強他的。
我在沒講這個香港、臺灣的事情之前，我現在告訴你們各位－個消息，我希望你們也做一個參考。什麼消息呢？這果前他在香港，現在發覺到用這個打字機來打這個經不好。什麼不好呢？因為好像跑馬似的，很快地就過去了，自己心裡頭並沒有經過一番的思想，來研究它，所以對這個經的道理，有一點恍惚的情形。那麼他要怎麼樣子呢？他現在所翻譯經典那個錄音帶，他不用打字機來打，他用筆來寫。他說這個寫，又能練習字，寫的也快：又你用筆一寫，頭腦裡邊就要想一想，想一想這個道理。所以他現在打字雖然打得很快，他不用打字機了，他要用手來寫。
我早就對你們講過，錄音機是一個最壞的東 西，因為有了錄音機，令你人都不寫筆記了，都倚賴錄音機了，說，「現在聽不聽都沒關係。甚至於在聽經的時候可以睡覺的。因為有一個錄音機它那兒『轉大法輪』，就把所有的佛法都給錄上了，我們將來一聽就可以了。」這一方面自己不寫筆記，一方面又有了依賴心去睡覺，這兩個壞處了。
那麼放這錄音機上的這個錄音帶，很久也沒有時間去聽，把所講經典的道理也都忘了；忘了，以後再有時間聽，聽也記得不太清楚了，也不知道師父那時候講什麼，也不知道了。所以用錄音機，要真正給研究佛學的人，是沒有多大幫助的，可以有小小的幫助。怎麼樣呢？因為自己寫字寫得沒有那麼快，有的時候講的會寫出來，有的時候寫不完就沒有寫；那麼沒有寫的地方，你可以留一個空的地方，然後再聽一聽錄音機怎麼樣講的。這麼樣子我認為是很完整的，有這麼一點點的小幫助。你們要是真想明白佛法，就要用手常常來寫，這是一個好辦法。
這次從二月十號到香港，就收到方果悟的信，她歡迎我到越南走一走。我在沒回香港之前，先到了臺灣，我開示時還有一些人願意聽的，有一些個聽了就發脾氣。為什麼願意聽呢？因為有些道理是他們從來沒聽過的。為什麼有人發脾氣呢？因為我說到他的毛病上了，所以他就不高興。等我講完開示，曹居士的太太這個馬飛揚（音）她說，「析骨為筆，剝皮為紙，刺血為墨，寫的這個《華嚴經》像須彌山那麼多。」我昨天晚間問你們這個講法，問你們有什麼意見沒有？那麼大約你們誰也沒有去研究，所以沒有意見，是不是啊？誰也不注意。果逸，你是研究過沒有？
果逸：（錄音帶被切。）
好了，你們各位倒各有所見，有的見著這個象的一條腿，有的見著象鼻子，有的摸著象肚子，各有各的意見。所以我們現在研究這個道理，這是很好的一個辦法。各人都發揮自己的智慧，有什麼看法我們提出來大家共同參考。
可是我當時，沒有這麼多人在一起來研究，我就一個人給她答覆這個問題了。我說：「第一個道理，這佛說的，不錯！是個比喻。本來沒有這麼個人，就說的有這麼個人，說這麼個人發這 樣大的心，他用骨頭來做筆。本來做筆可以用其它的束西，為什麼要用骨頭呢？這骨頭也不是做筆的一個東西。這表示他自己這種誠心。他既然剝皮做紙，那麼就沒有其它東西做紙的嗎？他為什麼不用其它東西，用這個皮？這也表示自己對經典的誠心。那麼用自己的血來寫這個經典，這都是表示自己真誠的心，也不怕痛，也不怕苦，也不怕難。
骨頭不能做筆，要用它來做筆：皮本來不能做紙，要用它來做紙；血也不能用它來做墨，用它來做墨：這都是行人所不能行的苦行。那麼用骨頭，他這兒只是說用骨頭，不是說用全身的骨頭。所以方才果瞻是說剁下一個手指頭來已經夠了。不錯。那一個手指頭做筆，就可以寫了很多的字，都可以的。
那麼這個皮呢，他不是一起把全身的皮都剝下來用它來做紙。他或者剝下一條胳臂的皮，或者剝下一條腿的皮。那麼有兩個胳臂，就可以剝兩次；腿呢又可以剝兩次，就四次了；四次，他用這一塊皮寫完了，再剝那一塊皮，在身上陸續這麼剝。這個地方剝下來，那個地方它慢慢就會好了，這個這是剝皮。
刺血呢，你既然剝皮當然就有血流出來，那麼用這個血來寫經典。這個人怎麼就不會死？這是譬喻有這麼個人這樣做，也不會死。因為他沒有說用全身的皮、全身的血、全身的骨頭。
所以這個馬飛揚（音）一想，當時她也認為這個話對了。我說這是假如有人這麼樣子去做，本來這是沒有這麼個人，佛說出這麼個道理來鼓勵人，令人發菩提心，說有這麼個人用骨來做筆，用皮來做紙，用血來做墨，這樣子痛苦的事情都能做得到。我們現在應該怎樣子呢？這是鼓勵人，令人發菩提心的一個意思。
待續
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At this point, I think I'll talk about the situation in Hong Kong. Do you want to hear? Do you prefer to listen to the
Flower Adornment Sutra or hear about the situation in Hong Kong and Taiwan?
[A break in the tape] The Fruit Monk is from Fujian Province. His temple is called Chengtian Monastery. His practice is especially rigorous: He never lies down or eats cooked food. He eats only fruit. When I was lecturing on Sutras in Taiwan, I mentioned him three times, which caused quite a flurry. People said, "Don't talk about him so much. None of the monks in Taiwan like him. The Dharma Masters disapprove of him, saying that he is an illiterate, a mute sheep in the Sangha who is of no benefit to Buddhism." Take a look. He abstains from cooked food and cultivates diligently all daylong, yet he gets accused of being useless to Buddhism.
However, he is actually very useful. He had a refuge disciple who was planning to take a vacation. He told that disciple not to travel for forty-nine days. His disciple waited for forty-eight days and then figured that it wouldn't matter if he went out on the last day. As soon as he went out, he was in a car accident that left one of his legs broken. Someone told the Fruit Monk, who responded, "The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were pretty kind to him. If he didn't work for Buddhism and believe in the Buddha, he would have lost his life." That disciple later told others, "I didn't listen to my teacher. My teacher told me not to go out for forty-nine days, but I thought it would be okay to go out after forty-eight days, and so I lost one leg."
Think it over. Before anything happened, the Fruit Monk was able to warn his disciple to stay home for forty-nine days. Since the disciple didn't listen, he endangered his own life. Despite the diligence and caliber of this monk's cultivation, all the Dharma Masters slander him and try to ruin him. However, their attempts are futile. The lay people in Taiwan still want to take refuge with him and bow to him as their teacher. Taking refuge with him is fairly easy and as a result he has many disciples, all of whom respect him greatly. Despite all the Dharma Masters' efforts to ruin his reputation, the lay people can judge for themselves and still want him to be their teacher.
Ah! Just think of this: Having nothing better to accuse him of, the Dharma Masters allege that he eats on the sly. What does he eat? Rice gruel. Someone came up to me and whispered, "Don't tell anyone else, but people say that he drinks rice gruel on the sly. He says he doesn't eat cooked food, but he's lying."
Even if he does drink rice gruel, that's not an offense, is it? What's wrong with that? As I said in Taiwan, he has every right to choose whether or not to eat cooked food. He has total freedom in that respect. There's no rule in Buddhism that says one can't eat cooked food, or that one commits an offense by doing so. Why do those people accuse him of eating gruel on the sly? They have nothing better to do and they are afraid everyone will believe in him, so they spread rumors to slander him. People who lack wisdom might lose faith in him after hearing such rumors, but wise people would not care in the least. He eats gruel— so what? If he wants to eat gruel or rice, he can do so. Whether or not he eats gruel or rice or cooked food is his own business. No one can force him into it.
Before I discuss the situation in Hong Kong and Taiwan, I have some news to tell you, which I hope you will take into consideration. What is this news? Guo Qian, in Hong Kong, has come to the realization that typing Sutras on the typewriter is not a good idea. Why not? Because it makes him go through the Sutra too quickly, like a galloping horse, before he has time to ponder it over and investigate it. As a result, he is a bit muddled about the principles in the Sutra. What is he going to do about this? Instead of transcribing the Sutra lecture directly on the typewriter, he is going to write it out by hand. On the one hand, he can practice his handwriting and learn to write faster; on the other hand, he can reflect on the principles as he writes the text down. And so, instead of typing it out quickly on the typewriter, he is going to write it out manually.
I told you a long time ago that tape recorder is a terrible thing. Since we have a tape recorder, no one takes notes anymore. Everyone depends on the tape recorder. People don't even think it matters whether or not they listen to the lecture anymore. They think they can doze off during the Sutra lecture, because the tape recorder is turning the great Dharma wheel, recording all the Buddhadharma. They figure they can listen to the tapes later. First, people don't take notes. Second, they become dependent on the recorder and start dozing off at lectures. Those are two disadvantages.
Then, they let the tapes sit there for a long time without listening to them, and as a result they forget all the principles that were lectured. When they finally have time to listen to the tapes, their memory is already quite foggy and they can't figure out what their teacher was talking about. Therefore, the tape recorder is not that helpful to students who truly want to investigate the Buddhadharma. It is helpful in a small way, since it can help people fill in what they missed in their notes from not being able to write fast enough. When you miss something in your notes, you can leave a space in your notebook and then listen to the tape to find out what was been said. The tape recorder is helpful in this small way, making your notes more complete. If you really want to understand the Buddhadharma, you should regularly write it out by hand. That is a very good method.
When I arrived in Hong Kong on February 10, I received a letter from Phuong Guo Wu inviting me to visit Vietnam. Before returning to Hong Kong, some people in Taiwan liked to listen to my lectures while others got mad. Some were willing to listen because they had never heard such principles before. Others got mad because I pointed out their faults. After my talk, Ma Feiyang, Upasaka Qiao's wife, asked me about a passage of the
Flower Adornment Sutra, "peeled off his skin for paper, split his bones to fashion brushes, drew blood for ink" in order to write out copies of the
Flower Adornment Sutra stacked as high as Mount Sumeru. I asked them if they had any questions to bring up for discussion at that point. Do any of you have questions on this passage? I have explained this passage here before, and now I want to hear your judgment. Guo Yi, what do you make of it?
Guo Yi: [Cut in tape.]
All of you have your own opinions, like the blind men who each felt a leg or perhaps the trunk or belly of the elephant. This is an excellent way to investigate the principles.
Each person applies his wisdom and expresses his opinion for others to consider. However, at that time, I didn't have that many people to study the question with, so I answered it by myself. I said, "First of all, the Buddha was speaking hypothetically, supposing that there might be a person who'd make such a great resolve and use his bones to fashion brushes. He could have made brushes out of other material. Why did he use bone, which is not usually used to make brushes? It was to show his sincerity. Why did he use skin to make paper instead of using some other material? It was also to show his sincerity towards the Sutra. Using his blood to write out the Sutra was another way of demonstrating his sincere resolve, which made him unafraid of pain, suffering, and hardship.
Although bone cannot be made into brushes, he was going to do it. Skin basically cannot be used as paper, but he used it as such. Blood is not used for ink, but he used it that way. He undertook ascetic practices that others could not do. The text says "bone," but that doesn't mean he used all the bones in his body. Just now Guo Zhan said it would be enough to chop off a finger. He's right. A brush made from the bone of a single finger can be used to write many characters.
As for skin, he did not peel all the skin off his body to use as paper. Perhaps he peeled the skin off one arm or one leg. Since he has two arms and two legs, he can peel his skin four different times, sometimes peeling in one place and sometimes in another. After the skin is peeled off, the wound will slowly heal.
When the skin is peeled off, one naturally bleeds. That blood can be used to write out the Sutra. Why would the person not die? This is only a hypothetical situation, but if a person really did those things, he would not die, for he is not using up all the skin, blood, and bones in his body.
Ma Feiyang, the person who asked this question, agreed with my explanation. I said that this was merely a hypothetical case; there is no such person in reality. The Sutra brings up this principle to encourage people to bring forth the resolve for Bodhi by thinking, "Someone may use his bones to make a brush, his skin as paper, and his blood as ink. If he can undergo that much pain, what about us?" This thought exhorts them to resolve their minds on Bodhi.
To be continued |
