|
今早法師問，「念佛」和「持戒」的關係是什麼？念佛和持戒的關係非常密切。持戒、學戒是學佛的第一步，是開始；念佛求生淨土，是學佛的目標，學佛的歸宿。所以有始有終。我們開始做得圓滿，結尾也會圓滿，就能回到阿彌陀佛清淨的國土裡。假如開始學佛時不學戒，不持戒，或者持戒馬馬虎虎，受戒不學戒馬馬虎虎，念佛也馬馬虎虎
，結的果當然也是馬馬虎虎的，所以兩者是一體兩面的，有始有終。學戒、受戒、持戒是學佛的第一步，一個開始；念佛求生極樂世界，是學佛的宗旨，是歸宿，是結果。
下面我們看基本的態度：
第3，今日我若短他人妻女，將來他人也一定婬我眷屬，所以不可做。
第4，觀想一切眾生都是過去生的父母、六親眷屬，所以不忍心傷害他們。
第5，要隨喜讚歎不婬的古今偉人
第6，多懺悔往昔所造邪婬的業。
第7，經常打坐觀照自身的不淨。
第8，觀想愛死病人悲慘的下場。
第9，視一切女子長者如母如姐，
幼者如妹如女。
印光大師也說，因為婬習跟我們太露露久了，不要說中下根的人，就是上根人
，假如不是戰戰兢兢，如臨深淵，如履薄冰這樣來把持自己的話，也難免被色和婬欲所迷。所以我們學佛不要再墮落
，要從這裏立定宗旨打基礎。
〈楞嚴經〉上說，「若諸世界六道眾生，其心不婬，不隨生死相績。汝修三昧，本出塵勞，婬心不除，塵不可出。」三藏十二部講來講去就是講「婬」字。
佛為一大事因緣出現於世，就是要告訴我們，這個婬欲，害我們在六道輪迴裏頭出頭沒。所以六道眾生假如不除掉婬欲，生死必定會相續；生了又死，死了又生，無有出期。我們現在能夠遇到正法，曉得學佛，一定要知道婬心不除，塵不可出。這是決定性的，沒有方便，不是模擬兩可的。我們可以按自己的程度，來持戒學戒，出離生死，但婬心不除，是絕對塵不可出的。
我們現在知道婬習和我們眾生的關係太密切了，那我們在遇到境界時，怎麼樣能把持自己呢？我們必定常常心心念念都要保持正念，常常薰陶自己。
這裏有三個方法可以黨陶自己：
第一觀想：看年老的像媽媽，年長的像姐姐，年幼的像妹妹，再小的好像女兒，這樣子欲心再盛也絕不敢對母親姐妹起不正念。所以在《梵網經菩薩戒》說，「視一切男子是我父，一切女人是我母，我生生從之受生。」女眾就想年老的是父親，年長的是哥哥，小的是弟弟；男是就想是母親、姐妹、女兒等
明朝有個讀書人赴京趕考，婬心起了，不能自制。但是古人有一個觀念，就是你考科舉時絕對不能犯婬，不然文昌帝會把你除名；你明明可以中狀元的
，都會把你除名。那他怎麼辦呢？一個善知識就說，「你去某某地方，那裏的女人怎麼怎麼好，很出名。」又說，「
你掀開帳簾，是你母親或你姐妹坐在那裡。你怎麼樣？你婬心想不熄？
」他說「馬上熄了。」所以佛教我們要常常作觀想，一切女人想做是你的母親姐妹，你怎麼還會想到這些事呢？所以要用理智去克制欲望。
第二個是冤想。見到美女一般人都會生愛心，但愛心會讓我們墮落到惡道受苦。很多時候我們縱欲一時，但是長久受苦，很多眾生也清楚知道這種危險
。蓮池大師說，「色就如同一盤很好吃的菜裏放了毒藥」：眾生以為是一盤好吃的菜，但裏邊有毒藥，吃了終會害自 己的。
所以你見到一個美麗的女人，你要想她比那老虎、豺狼、毒蛇、砒霜還要毒百倍。因為那些只毒你這一生的色身，但是女色毒你無窮劫，所以你要常常作這個冤想，看美色是冤家，不要貪著
美色。
第三，不淨想。你要想對方雖漂亮，只是外表一層薄皮。皮剝掉裏邊是什麼？骨肉、膿血、屎尿。假如你觀想薄皮底下那個真面目，就不會再貪愛了；不要說旁人，自己都覺得臭不可聞，所以我們不要被一層薄皮蒙蔽。
好像漂亮的花瓶，假如裏邊裝的是糞，你還要不要？不要的。人也是，你看他很漂亮，但是他裏邊裝的都是膿血屎尿，沒有什麼好東西。你常這樣觀想
，你對自己也不會很愛戀，對對方也不會起貪著了。我們眾生是藉假修真，藉這個假的臭皮囊來修行，以恢復自己的真如本性，本源清淨。
這是要我們常常不斷地薰陶自己，不然境界來才觀想，那就來不及了。
待續
|
|
This morning, the Dharma Master asked what was the
relationship between reciting the Buddha's name and
upholding the precepts. They are closely related. Upholding
and learning the precepts is the first step in learning
Buddhism and is just the beginning. On the other hand, we
recite the Buddha's name in order to seek rebirth in the
Pure Land; it is the goal of studying Buddhism and our
ultimate aim. Hence, there is a beginning and an end. If we
do things correctly right from the beginning, the end will
also be perfect and we will be able to return to Arnitabha
Buddha's Pure Land. However, at the beginning, if we don't
study or uphold the precepts properly, or if we don't recite
the Buddha's name sincerely, then the fruit that we reap
will not be perfect. Therefore, the two complement each
other. Learning, receiving and upholding the precepts is the
first requirement of studying Buddhism and is the beginning.
Reciting the Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Land of
Ultimate Bliss is the final goal or fruition of studying
Buddhism. Below, we shall take a look at the fundamental
attitudes:
No.3 If today we lust after another man's
wife or daughter, then in the future, he will definitely
lust after our family members. Therefore, we must not do
such things.
No.4 We should regard all living beings
as our former parents or close relatives from past lives.
Therefore, we should not hurt them.
No.5 We should praise people of noble
character of the past and present.
No.6 We should frequently repent of all
the karma of lust that we created in the past.
No.7 We should frequently sit in
meditation and contemplate the impurities of our bodies.
No.8 We should remember the pitiful fate
of AIDS victims.
No.9 We should look upon all women as our
mothers, sisters, and daughters.
Great Master Yinguang also said, "It is
because our lustful habits have been with us for too long
that even people of superior roots, not to mention those of
inferior roots, would find it difficult not to succumb to
the lure of beauty and lust if they did not conduct
themselves as cautiously as if walking by the side of a deep
abyss or treading on thin ice." That's why we students of
Buddhism must not fall; we must have a clear aim in mind and
build a strong foundation.
The Shurangarna Sutra says, "If living
beings in the six paths of any mundane world had no thoughts
of lust, they would not have to follow a continual
succession of births and deaths. Your basic purpose in
cultivating is to transcend mundane defilements. But if you
don't renounce your lustful thoughts, you will not be able
to transcend the world." The Twelve Divisions of the
Tripitaka repeatedly talk about lust.
The Buddha appeared in the world because
of the causes and conditions of a great matter, which was to
tell us that lustful desire causes us to revolve in the six
paths of rebirth. Therefore, if living beings in the six
paths do not cut off thoughts of lust in their minds, they
will repeatedly be born and die without end. Now that we
have come across the orthodox Dharma and know about Buddhist
principles, we should know that if we do not cut off lust,
we will not transcend the world. This is definite and
unalterable. We can uphold and study the precepts according
to our potential in order to end birth and death, but if we
do not cut off lustful thoughts, then it is definite that we
cannot transcend the mundane.
Now we know that we living beings are
very strongly attached to our lustful habits. How can we
control ourselves when confronted with such states? We must
constantly maintain proper mindfulness in thought after
thought and remind ourselves. Here are three ways by which
you can remind yourself:
First, think of others as relatives:
Regard elderly women as your mothers, women who are slightly
older or younger as your sisters, and girls as your
daughters. Then no matter how strong your lustful desires,
you will definitely not dare to entertain improper thoughts
towards them/ Therefore, the Bodhisattva Precepts and the
Brahma Net Precepts say, "I should regard all men as my
fathers and all women as my mothers who gave birth to me in
life after life." Women should regard elderly men as their
fathers and men who are slightly older or younger as their
brothers, whereas men should regard women in a similar way.
During the Ming Dynasty, there was a
scholar who went to the capital to take the imperial
examinations. When his thoughts of desire were aroused, he
could not control them. There was an ancient saying that
people who took the imperial examinations must not engage in
lustful activities; otherwise Lord Wenchang would strike
their names off the scroll. Even if you could become the top
scholar, your name would be struck off the list. So what did
he do? A good advisor said to him, "Go to such and such a
place. The girls there are superb and very famous." He also
said, "When you part the curtains, suppose you see your
mother or sister sitting there, what would you do? Would
your lustful desires be extinguished then?" The scholar
replied that his desires would immediately be doused. That's
why the Buddha always teaches us to think of others as our
own relatives. When you regard them as your own kin, how
could you still think of such things? That is how we can use
reason to overcome desire.
Second, think of them as enemies: On
seeing a pretty girl, most people would be infatuated.
However, such infatuation would drag us down to the evil
paths where we would be crippled and suffer endlessly. Very
often, when we indulge in our desires for a moment, we end
up suffering indefinitely. Many people understand the danger
of such activities. Great Master Lianchi said, "Physical
beauty is like a plate of delicious food laced with poison."
People think that it is a very delicious food but there is
poison inside and if they eat it, it will harm them.
When you come across a pretty woman (or a
handsome man), you should regard her/him as a hundred times
more dangerous than a tiger, wolf, poisonous snake or
arsenic. These other things can only poison your body in
this life but pretty women (or handsome men) can poison you
for limitless eons. That's why you should constantly look
upon pretty forms as your enemies and not be greedy for
them.
Third, think of them as impure: You
should think that although the form is beautiful, it is only
a thin layer of skin on the outside. What is beneath when
the skin is peeled off? There are bones and flesh, pus and
blood, excrement and urine. If you could contemplate the
true appearance underneath the thin layer of skin, you would
not be greedy for love anymore. Not to mention other people,
we ourselves would find the stench unbearable. Therefore, we
must not be hoodwinked by a thin layer of skin.
Consider a beautiful flower vase that
contains excrement inside. Would you want it? Definitely
not. It is the same with the human form, which may seem
beautiful, but contains nothing but pus, blood, excrement
and urine. There is nothing good inside. If you constantly
contemplate thus, you will not love yourself nor will you
lust after the opposite sex. We living beings should make
use of the false to cultivate the true. We should make use
of this stinking skin bag to cultivate diligently so as to
regain our original true nature, which is pure and clean.
Hence, we must always check on ourselves. If we start
contemplating only when confronted with such states, then it
will be too late.
~ To be continued
|
