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上人：孫悟空這只是魔的一份子，類似這個情形是很多的。孫悟空也就是大約在想陰上修行有問題了，所以就變成一隻猴子，鑽天入地。這正是《楞嚴經》說的，魔的一個代表者。那麼至於其餘的魔，當然他做魔做夠了，也就會皈依三寶。在什麼時候他能一念迴光返照，覺悟了，他還不失為一個佛的弟子；他若不覺悟，就是魔。這魔就是他越老，年頭越多，神通越大。他若年輕，就沒有那麼大的力量，沒有那麼大的神通。越老那力量、神通，都不可思議了，所以叫魔。這個魔比鬼更厲害。魔鬼、魔鬼，這鬼是會變魔的。
你們聽沒聽過以前那個如意魔女？那是周朝的一個鬼，她不守規矩，就被雷給劈了。雷劈了她，但是沒有完全把她消滅了，所以她聚精會神地又聚會到一起，就修行成一個魔，各處去要人的命。
為什麼魔要人的命呢？就是因為要增加自己的勢力和眷屬的勢力。每逢這個魔魔死一個人，其餘的魔就來恭賀他說：「你真有本事！」就像我們做官的，陞官似的，就那樣子。因為魔多殺一個人，就增加一種勢力，這個鬼的勢力也聽魔招呼的。如意魔女以後遇到我，也皈依三寶了，這也是魔皈依佛的一個例證。
這個世間一切的事情都很微妙不可思議的。在這個經上，只是說一少部分，要是詳細說，每一陰的魔，就有千千萬萬那麼多，有種種的不同。所以舉出這一樣，大家也可以觸類旁通，就不要生那種貪求愛心了。沒有欲念了，什麼魔也不怕。你要是沒有貪欲了，什麼魔也沒有辦法你。魔就是看見你門開了，他就會進來；你總是門不開，他就不會進來。
為什麼魔生到天上去，因為他修了很多福報。經上說天魔，不要以為那個天魔就是在天上，他可以到天上去，但他不一定常常在天上。那麼人間這一切的有神通的魔，都可以做為天魔。天上的魔如果需要他們去，吶喊助威，隨時他們都可以去的。他們生到天上，不單有欲念，而且根本這個脾氣是最大，剛強得不得了，就是因為有一種好勇鬥狠，所以就做魔了。他若沒有好勇鬥狠，沒有脾氣了，那就是佛的眷屬了。有脾氣，這個無明很重的，這都是魔的眷屬。
至於他們將來受什麼果報，那是很遠很遠的一個事情，這不可以考究的。他們有的遇到這個神通大的，如果他們太不聽教化，可以把他們摧毀，沒有了，化為和虛空一樣。那麼有的沒有經過摧碎，他做的惡多了，他不改過，還是那麼背覺合塵，還是那麼迷，當然將來他也有他的果報，他的果報那也是很辛苦的。或者去做狐貍啊，做黃鼠狼啊，都墮落到畜生道去，這都是魔的精靈，他做這一種的東西。或者變蛇啊，或者變老鼠啊，或者做種種奇奇怪怪的畜生，這都是那種魔裏魔氣的東西變的。所以你們若看見很惡的眾生，好像老虎啊，這都有一點魔的力量在那兒幫助牠，所以牠才有那麼大本事。
待續
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Venerable Master: Monkey was only a demon, and
there are many other cases which are similar. Monkey probably ran into
trouble as he was cultivating at the level of the thinking skandha, and
so as a result, he turned into a monkey that could ascend to the
heavens and burrow into the earth. He is exactly what the Shurangama
Sutra calls “a representative of the demons.” As for other demons, when
they are tired of being demons, of course they will also take refuge in
the Triple Jewel. With a single thought of reflecting within and
awakening, they can become disciples of the Buddha. Before they awaken,
they are still demons. The older demons get, the greater their
spiritual powers become. The young ones aren’t that strong and their
spiritual powers aren’t that great. The older ones have inconceivable
strength and spiritual powers, which is why they are called demons.
Demons are even more powerful than ghosts. The Chinese have the term
“demonic ghost” because ghosts can turn into demons.
Have you heard about the “as-you-wish demon
woman”? She had been a ghost in the Zhou Dynasty, but because she
didn’t follow the rules, she was struck by lightning. However, the
lightning didn’t destroy her completely, and she pulled herself back
together with a concentrated effort. Then she cultivated and became a
demon who went around taking people’s lives, because she wanted to
increase her own power and the power of her retinue. Each time she
caused a person’s death, the other demons would congratulate her:
“You’re really powerful!” It’s similar to how other officials act
toward an official who has just been promoted. A demon’s power
increases with the number of people it kills, until even ghosts have to
follow its orders.
Later, when the as-you-wish demon woman met me,
she took refuge with the Triple Jewel. Thus she was a demon who took
refuge with the Buddha. Everything in this world is wondrous and
inconceivable. This Sutra describes only a small portion. If we were to
go into detail, each skandha has myriads of different kinds of demons.
The Sutra mentions one kind to give people a general idea, so that they
know to avoid thoughts of greed and craving. If you have no desire, you
need not fear any demon whatsoever. If you are devoid of greed or
desire, no demon can trouble you. Demons will come in only when they
see that you’ve opened yourself up to them. If you always keep the
doors closed, they won’t come in.
Demons get born in the heavens because they have
cultivated many blessings. The Sutras talk about demons from the
heavens, but you shouldn’t think they are only in the heavens. They can
go to the heavens, but they are not always there. Demons in the human
realm that are endowed with spiritual powers can also be considered
demons from the heavens. If the demons in the heavens need them to go
there to cheer them on in battle and to increase their power, they can
go at any time. Although they are born in the heavens, they still have
desires and huge tempers and are incredibly stubborn. It’s just because
of their belligerent character that they become demons. If they weren’t
so aggressive and hot-tempered, then they would join the Buddhas’
retinue. Those with bad tempers and heavy ignorance join the demons’
retinue.
As for what kind of retribution they will receive
in the future, that’s a very distant question that cannot be answered.
If they encounter someone with great spiritual powers but are rather
resistant to being taught and transformed, they may be pulverized into
nothingness. Even if they aren’t pulverized, if they do a lot of evil
and fail to reform, if they still turn away from enlightenment to unite
with the worldly dust and continue to be confused, then they will have
to undergo retribution and great suffering. They may fall among the
animals and become foxes or weasels. It is the spirits of demons that
cause them to turn into such creatures. They may become snakes or rats,
or various other strange animals. These are all transformations of
beings endowed with malicious demonic energy. Fierce beasts such as
tigers are so powerful because they are aided by a bit of demonic power.
To be continued
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