Some kshetras with pure light shining. Some 種佛剎有清淨的光明普照 kshetras have pure light shining on them. Are 著 金剛華所成 是金 made up of vajra blooms. They are com

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1 封面內頁 Inside of Front Cover 緬懷師恩, 繼志其道 記萬佛聖城 宣公上人涅槃十九周年紀念法會 / Remembering Our Teacher s Kindness and Following in His Footsteps The 19th Anniversary of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua s Nirvana 正法印 Proper Dharma Seal 菩提田 Bodhi Field 生死曠野, 菩提樹王 ( 續 ) The Bodhi Tree King in the Wilderness of Birth and Death (Continued)...21 大方廣佛華嚴經淺釋 The Flower Adornment Sutra With Commentary...3 聽話的徒弟 A Good Disciple Listens...26 妙法蓮華經淺釋 The Dharma Flower Sutra with Commentary...6 翻譯與詮釋 ( 續 ) On Translation and Interpretation(Continued)...32 地藏菩薩本願經淺釋 The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva 連鬼神都不知道 Not Even the Ghosts and Spirits Know...36 with Commentary...8 法界音 News from the Dharma Realm 楞嚴咒句偈疏解 The Shurangama Mantra # 人物誌 Biographies 佛祖道影白話解 : 十八祖伽耶舍多尊者 The Eighteenth Patriarch, Venerable Gayāśata...12 水鏡回天錄白話解 : 佛法東來 漢明帝 ( 續 ) Reflections in the Water-Mirror: The Buddhadharma Comes East Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty(continued).14 白山黑水育奇英 宣化上人事蹟 中國篇 ( 續 ) Events in the Life of the Venerable Master: The China Period White Mountains and Black Waters Nurture Rare Talent (continued)...16 緬懷師恩, 繼志其道 記萬佛聖城 宣公上人涅槃十九周年紀念法會 ( 續 ) / Remembering Our Teacher s Kindness and Following in His Footsteps The 19th Anniversary of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua s Nirvana (Continued)...41 華嚴精舍轉妙法輪 恒實法師 近傳法師來訪報導 Turning of the Dharma Wheel at the Avatamsaka Vihara A two day visit by Rev. Heng Sure and DM Jin Chuan...44 在澳洲實現上人的教育願景 金岸法界成立澳洲藝文哲理學院 Realizing the Ven.Master s Vow for Education in Australia The Australian School of Arts and Philosophy at Gold Coast Dharma Realm...47 JULY 月號 P 法語法雨 Dharma Talk Dharma Rain 封背 Back Cover 論語淺釋 ( 續 ) The Analects of Confucius (continued)...19 古來修行人, 各有各的特長 / Ancient Cultivators Each Have Their Distinctive Strengths

2 Some kshetras with pure light shining. Some 種佛剎有清淨的光明普照 kshetras have pure light shining on them. Are 著 金剛華所成 是金 made up of vajra blooms. They are composed 剛妙蓮華所成就的 有是 宣國 修 華化際 訂 藏上譯 版 世人經 講學 界解院 品 記 第 錄 翻 五 譯 佛化音 有的佛剎是以 佛所化的音聲為體 無 邊列成網 有無量無邊 莊嚴的蓮華 就好像網羅 似地排列著 of wonderful lotus flowers made of vajra. Some have sounds created by the Buddhas. Some kshetras take the transformational sounds of Buddhas to make up their substance. Boundless, they are arranged like a net. The lotus flowers and other objects which make up the substance of these kshetras are laid out in the form of nets. 有剎如菩薩 摩尼妙寶冠 或有如座形 從化光明出 有剎如菩薩 有的 佛剎就好像菩薩的形象 Sutra: Some kshetras resemble the Bodhisattvas, Crowns of wondrous mani gems; While others are shaped like thrones, All appear from the light of transformation. 摩尼妙寶冠 又好像 菩薩所戴的摩尼妙寶冠一 樣 或有如座形 或 者有的又像師子座那個形 狀 從化光明出 從 化佛所化出的光明中生出 來這種的形象 Revised version Translated by the International Translation Institute Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua Chapter Five : The Worlds of the Flower Treasury 正 法 印 P ROPER D HARMA S EAL The Flower Adornment Sutra With Commentary 大 方 廣 佛 華 嚴 經 淺 釋 有剎淨光照 有一 或是栴檀末 或是眉間光 或佛光中音 而成斯妙剎 或是栴檀末 或者 Commentary: Some kshetras resemble the Bodhisattvas Crowns of wondrous mani gems. Some kshetras are shaped like the bodies of Bodhisattvas or like adorned mani jeweled caps worn by Bodhisattvas. While others are shaped like thrones. Some kshetras are shaped like lion thrones. All appear from the light of transformation. All these shapes appear from the light of transformation of the Buddhas. Sutra: 有的佛剎是用栴檀末香 Perhaps from chandana powder, 或是眉間光 或者是 Or from the light between the eyebrows; 佛的眉間光 或佛光中 Or from sounds within the Buddhas light, 音 或者是佛放光 光 These splendid lands are formed. 中又宣說法音 而成斯 妙剎 而成就了這種種 微妙不可思議的諸佛剎土 有見清淨剎 以一光莊嚴 或見多莊嚴 種種皆奇妙 Commentary: Perhaps from chandana powder, or from the light between the Buddha s eyebrows, or from sounds from within the Buddhas light. Some kshetras are formed from the sounds proclaimed by the Buddha as he speaks Dharma. These splendid lands are formed. They all form 有見清淨剎 有的 眾生見著的清淨佛剎 以 subtly wonderful and inconceivable Buddha kshetras. 一光莊嚴 是用一種的 光來莊嚴的 或見多莊 Sutra: 嚴 或者有的是以多種 Some see pure kshetras, July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 3

3 的寶光來莊嚴的 種種皆 奇妙 : 無論是什麼來莊嚴 的, 都非常的奇妙 Adorned with a single radiance; Others see multiple adornments, In varieties rare and magical. Proper Dharma Seal 正法印 或用十國土妙物作嚴飾或以千土中一切為莊校 或用十國土 : 或者有的佛剎是用十個佛國土 妙物作嚴飾 : 所有莊嚴的妙物來作莊嚴校飾的 或以千土中 : 或者是以一千個佛土裏邊 一切為莊校 : 所有一切的妙寶來作它的莊嚴校飾 或以億剎物莊嚴於一土種種相不同皆如影像現 或以億剎物 : 或者有的佛剎是以一億佛剎所有的寶物 莊嚴於一土 : 來莊嚴一佛的國土 種種相不同 : 種種莊嚴的妙寶形象都不同 皆如影像現 : 就好像鏡中的影像一樣, 什麼像都會現出來, 什麼莊嚴的妙寶都有 不可說土物莊嚴於一剎 各各放光明如來願力起 不可說土物 : 又有的佛剎是以不可說 不可說那麼多的諸佛國土所有種種的莊嚴寶物 莊嚴於一剎 : 來莊嚴一個佛國土 各各放光明 : 每一種妙寶都放大光明 如來願力起 : 為什麼能有這樣的境界呢? 這都是佛在過去生中所發的願力成就的 Commentary: Some living beings see pure kshetras, Adorned with a single radiance. Others see multiple adornments, In varieties rare and magical. Yet other lands are adorned with the light from many kinds of jewels. Whatever they may be, the objects that enhance these kshetras are all exceptionally rare and marvelous. Sutra: Some kshetras are embellished, By fine objects from ten lands; While others have as ornamentation, All the objects in a thousand lands. Commentary: Some kshetras are embellished, By fine objects from ten lands; While others have as ornamentation, All the objects in a thousand lands. Some kshetras are enhanced by decorations from ten countries, while others are adorned with all kinds of wonderful gems found in a thousand Buddha lands. Sutra: Some use the objects of millions of kshetras, Just to adorn a single land; With uniquely different appearances, They appear like reflections. Commentary: Some use the objects of millions of kshetras, Just to adorn a single land. While there are single kshetras adorned with objects found in a thousand countries, they are surpassed by other kshetras which are adorned with precious objects from millions of Buddha kshetras. With uniquely different appearances, They appear like reflections. What are they like? They are like images reflected in a mirror. Absolutely any image can be reflected here. In the same way, there is every sort of fine gems and rare objects which appear in this single kshetra. Sutra: Objects of inexpressible lands, Adorn a single kshetra; Each and every one releases light, By the power of the Thus Come Ones vows. Commentary: Objects of inexpressible lands, Adorn a single land; Each and every one releases light, By the power of the Thus Come Ones vows. 4 金剛菩提海二 O 一四年七月

4 或有諸國土願力所淨治一切莊嚴中普見眾剎海 或有諸國土 : 或者又有諸佛國土 願力所淨治 : 是以一切佛菩薩所發的願力令國土清淨莊嚴的 一切莊嚴中 : 在所有一切妙寶莊嚴的物質中 普見眾剎海 : 又普遍能見到十方諸佛世界和佛剎微塵數的世界以及香水海 所有的微塵數剎海, 都在這一切莊嚴裏邊現出來 諸修普賢願所得清淨土三世剎莊嚴一切於中現 Sutra: Perhaps there are lands, Purified and regulated by vows; Within all the adornments, The myriad seas of kshetras are seen. Commentary: Perhaps there are lands, Purified and regulated by vows; Within all the adornments, The myriad seas of kshetras are seen. The articles of adornment within all the fragrant seas and world seeds are brought about by the Buddhas vow power. Sutra: The cultivation of Universal Worthy s vows, Brings these pure lands into being; The adornments of kshetras of the three times, Completely manifest in their midst. 諸修普賢願 : 普賢菩薩的大願是願中之王 所以修普賢大願王這種願海的人 所得清淨土 : 將來所得的國土都是清淨的 三世剎莊嚴 : 過去 現在 未來的諸佛剎土所有一切的莊嚴 一切於中現 : 都會在這個清淨國土裏邊現出來 佛子汝應觀剎種威神力未來諸國土如夢悉令見 佛子汝應觀 : 各位佛的弟子, 你們應該觀察觀察 剎種威神力 : 這些佛剎和世界種一切不可思議的境界, 都是諸佛大威神力所成就的 未來諸國土 : 將來的諸佛國土 如夢悉令見 : 就好像作夢似的, 你都能見著 本來還沒有到的事情, 你就能做夢夢見了 未來諸佛國土的種種境界, 你沒見過根本就不懂, 現在你見著了, 這就猶如是在夢中見到的一樣貌 待續 Commentary: The cultivation of Universal Worthy s vows Universal Worthy Bodhisattva s great vows are the kings of vows. Cultivating the sea of Universal Worthy s vows, brings these pure lands into being. If you cultivate Universal Worthy s oceanic vows, then in the future all your Buddha lands will be immaculate. The adornments of kshetras of the three times, Completely manifest in their midst. The adornments of all Buddha lands of the past, present, and future, are all seen clearly in these pure countries. Sutra: Disciples of the Buddha, you should observe, The awesome spiritual strength creating kshetra seeds; The countries of the future, Are seen as if in a dream. Commentary: Disciples of the Buddha, you should clearly contemplate, observe and understand the inconceivable state of the Buddha. The awesome spiritual strength creating kshetra seeds is a state accomplished by the magnificent power of the Buddha. The countries of the future, Are seen as if in a dream. This state is likened to a dream. Before actually seeing such events, they might appear in your dream. You can see in a dream-like vision many things you have never laid eyes on. By the same token, the Buddha lands as many as dust motes all appear as if in a dream. They are that which you have never seen before, but now, they completely appear just like in a dream. To be continued Proper Dharma Seal 正法印 July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 5

5 宣 國修 法 化 際訂 師 上 譯版 功 人經 講學 德 解院 品 記 第 錄 十 翻 譯 九 At that time the World Honored 義 而說偈言 在這個時 One, Shakyamuni Buddha, wishing 候 釋迦牟尼佛願意再把前 to restate this meaning, spoke 邊所說的道理 說得更詳細 verses, saying: 一點 所以用偈頌再來重說 一遍 是人鼻清淨 鼻清 淨 就是父母所生的 肉 鼻 知道大千世界內外 這就是 天鼻 他又不著 住一切的香塵 也不被香塵 his nose, his physical nose. With it he can know all the smells inside and outside in the great world system; this is the heavenly nose. He is not of smell, because of his wisdom nose. 鼻 他又能異時互用 同 He can distinguish scents without 時互用 這就是 佛鼻 mistake; this is his Dharma nose. He 所以鼻也具有五種鼻 can have all of these functions at the 前邊所講的眼 耳 現在 same time; this is the Buddha nose. 是鼻 這也就是眼睛能聽 He is complete with the five kinds of 耳朵又能見 鼻子也能聞 noses. Revised version Translated by the International Translation Institute Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua 境界 每一根都具足六根的 功能 眼睛本來可以看得見的 但是它又可以聽 耳朵本來 是聽的 但是它又可以見 鼻子本來是聞的 它也可以 We have discussed the eye and ear, and now we are discussing the nose. The eyes can hear; the ears can see; and the nose can see and hear! This is a state in which the six organs interpenetrate in their functions. Each organ is complete with the functions of the other five. The eyes 吃東西 互相為用 每一根 basically can see, but now they can 都有六根的作用 hear. The ears can hear, but now they 這位受持 妙法蓮華經 can see. The nose is for smelling, 的法師 他的鼻根非常清 but now it can eat! The organs are 淨 於此世界中 他就 interchangeable. Each organ operates 在這個世界中 若香若臭 with the functions of the other five. 物 或者是香物 或者是 Such functioning takes place in 臭物 臭物 也可以讀 the realm of the inconceivable where 嗅物 嗅 也就是 臭 嗅 實際上 也是嗅到這 個氣味 就知道臭了 什麼是最臭的物 人 二Ｏ一四年七月 and know. Here we are talking about attached to or defiled by the objects 太好聞 所以就讀成一個 金剛菩提海 or fetid, He can completely smell 能分別不謬 這就是 法 因為人人都知道這個臭是不 6 This person s nose is pure, And within the world, All odors, fragrant 所染 這就是 慧鼻 他 也能見 這就是六根互用的 Chapter Nineteen: The Merit and Virtue of a Dharma Master 正 法 印 P ROPER D HARMA S EAL The Dharma Flower Sutra with Commentary 妙 法 蓮 華 經 淺 釋 爾時 世尊欲重宣此 the six organs are interchangeable. So, right in this world, he can smell all that is fragrant or the most foul of smelly odors. What are the smelliest creatures? Human beings are the most foul smelling. Excrement and urine can be smelled at quite a distance. We 就是一個最臭的物 你看大 are afraid of the odor, so we flush it 小便 便出去那麼臭 令人 down the toilet. But no matter how

6 跑得遠遠的 西方人怕臭味, 就用水把它沖走了, 說是若不把它沖走, 不衛生 ; 也真是這樣子的 但是再衛生, 一天到晚保衛這個生命 ; 到死的時候, 也一樣死, 連多活一天都不可以的 或者是香物, 或者是臭物 ; 種種悉聞知 : 香, 他也知道 ; 臭, 他也知道, 都可以完全聞得到, 善能分別香 臭 實際上香就是善的氣味, 臭就是惡的氣味 你做善, 你不用告訴人說 : 哦! 我做了某某善了! 你根本就有一股善的味道, 有一股香味 你盡做善事, 你自己不知道, 但是有修行的人, 他不要說來用眼睛看 耳朵聽, 就用鼻子這麼一聞, 就知道你是做善的 是做惡的 做善的就有一股香氣, 做惡的就有一股臭味 你看! 這一點都不能瞞得了人的 須曼那闍提, 多摩羅栴檀, 沉水及桂香, 種種華果香 : 又有須曼那華香 ; 須曼那華, 譯為稱意華, 黃色又摻上白色, 白中有黃 黃中又有白, 白色就表示銀子, 黃色就表示金子, 又叫金銀花 又有闍提華香 ; 闍提華, 譯為金錢華, 這種花是黃色的, 花開得好像一個個金錢似的 又有多摩羅跋香 ; 多摩羅跋, 譯為性無垢, 本性就沒有塵垢, 非常乾淨 又有牛頭栴檀香, 又有沉水香, 又有桂花香 種種的花 種種的果, 受持 妙法蓮華經 的這位法師, 他一聞就知道是什麼花樹 果樹的香, 分別很清楚 及諸眾生香, 男子女人香 : 又知道這一切的眾生, 象 馬 牛 羊等這種種的香 又知道男人女人的香 這個香, 只可以當個 氣, 就是男人的香氣 女人的香氣 說法者遠住, 聞香知所在 : 講說 妙法蓮華經 的這位法師, 雖然他在遠的地方住著, 離香塵很遠很遠的, 可是他一聞到香氣, 就知道這個香從什麼地方來的 大勢轉輪王小轉輪及子群臣諸宮人聞香知所在身所著珍寶及地中寶藏轉輪王寶女聞香知所在諸人嚴身具衣服及瓔珞種種所塗香聞香知其身諸天若行坐遊戲及神變持是法華者聞香悉能知 hygienic and careful one is, how meticulous in taking care of the body, when the time comes, one is still going to die. And when the time comes to die, you don t get a single extra day. This person can distinguish the fragrant from the fetid. The fragrances in the world come from wholesome energy. The stench in the world comes from evil energy. If you do a good deed, you don t need to tell anyone. You will naturally have a good, fragrant smell and people will pick up on that. People who cultivate don t need to look at someone or hear that person s voice, they can just take a whiff and know if that person does evil or good. Those who do good have a good smell; those who do evil, stink. You can t cheat people like that. The sumana and jatika, the tamala and chandana, The scents of aloe-wood and cassia, The scents of various flowers and fruits, The sumana flower s name means in accord with one s wishes. These flowers are white and yellow and combinations thereof. White represents silver, and yellow represents gold. They are also called the silver and gold flower. Jatika means golden coin because that s what the flower looks like. Tamala means nature without filth, it is extremely clean. There are various kinds of flowers and fruits, but one who upholds the Dharma Flower Sutra knows immediately by smelling what kind of flower or fruit each is. The scents of living beings, The scents of men and women The speaker of Dharma, at a distance, smells them and knows where they are. From a very long distance away, the one who speaks the Dharma Flower Sutra can tell where all these things are. Sutra: The great and mighty wheel-turning kings, The minor wheel-turners and their sons, Ministers and courtiers By their scents, he knows where they are. The jewels worn on the body, The jewel treasuries in the earth, The Wheel-Turning King s jeweled women Smelling their scents, he knows where they are. The ornaments adorning people s bodies, Their clothing, beads, Various kinds of perfumes Smelling their scents, he knows where they are. The gods, whether walking or sitting Or playing with their spiritual transformations The upholder of the Dharma Flower, Having smelled their scents, knows them all. Proper Dharma Seal 正法印 待續 To be continued July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 7

7 宣國比 忉 化際丘 利 上譯尼 天 人經恒 講學持 宮 解院 神 記修 通 錄訂 品 翻 譯 第 一 The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva with Commentary Just smiling at each other will do for gods 你不要以為笑就是好啊 我 in the Tushita Heaven. We shouldn t think 們人間的人以為笑就是好 that smiling is a good thing! Among human 事 笑 也就是有一種情 欲的作用 所以你到這夜摩 天啊 這天人都是願意自己 修行用功 很少人與人之間 互相握手 這握手就是男女 夫婦間行這種性行為 兜 率笑 兜率天對著笑一 二Ｏ一四年七月 arouse desire. Since the gods in the Suyama Heaven want to develop skill in their practices, they very rarely hold hands, because holding hands is how men and women carry out sexual activity. In the Tushita Heaven they need only smile at each other. In Transforming Bliss, it s a stare. In 化樂熟視 這化樂天 the Transformation of Bliss Heaven, the gods 的男女熟視 熟 就是 need only stare. Stare meaning to take a 看的時間久一點 譬如或者 long look at each other, like maybe for one 一分鐘 或者五分鐘 互相 minute or five minutes. They look at each 看一 兩分鐘這麼熟視 other intently for a minute or two. 天 就這麼一看就得了 不 是看很久 六欲天男女的性 行為就是這樣子的 因為它 越往高一層欲念就愈輕一 層 你若欲念不輕呢 你 Revised by Bhikshuni Heng Chih Translated by the International Translation Institute Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua 金剛菩提海 response, but in fact, a smile functions to 笑 也生不到那個天上去 你生 到那個天 也都沒有多少欲 念了 所以這是六欲天的欲 樂 初禪有三天 二禪有三 天 三禪有三天 初禪三天 是梵眾天 梵輔天 大梵 天 In Others a glance. In the Heaven of Comfort Gained through Others Transformations, the gods just glance at each other and that s enough. They don t have to stare. The sexual behaviour of gods and goddesses in the Six Desire Heavens is like that. The higher the heaven, the lighter the gods sexual desire. Those whose thoughts of sexual desire are not light won t even be born in the heavens; those who are born in the heavens hardly have any sexual thoughts. That s how the Six Heavens gods derive sexual pleasure. There are three heavens in the First Dhyana, three heavens in the Second Dhyana, 梵眾天 什麼是叫 and three heavens in the Third Dhyana. 梵 呢 梵就是清淨的意 The three heavens of the First Dhyana are 思 這個初禪天的欲念更輕 the Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma 了 所以就叫 梵 梵 這個地方所住的一切天人都 是清淨的 這是梵天的天 民 所以有 眾 梵輔天 這也是清淨 而做天上的宰官 在天上做 官的 所以叫 輔 就是 輔佐大梵天王 大梵天 呢 就是大梵 天王所住的地方 他是一個 8 beings, smiling is considered to be a positive 他暫視 他化自在 Chapter One: Spiritual Penetrations in the Palace of the Trayastrimsha Heaven 地 藏 菩 薩 本 願 經 淺 釋 兜率天他就互相笑一笑 Multitudes, the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma and the Great Brahma Heaven. They came from the Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma. What does Brahma mean? Brahma means purity. Thoughts of desire in the First Dhyana Heaven are even lighter, so it is said to be Brahma. The gods living in this heaven are purer. Multitudes refers is the celestial citizens who abide in the Brahma Heaven. The Heaven of the Ministers of

8 很用功修道的人, 但是他只知道修天福, 而沒有得到開悟證果, 所以修道修完了之後, 他就生天了, 生天就做大梵天王 這大梵天王, 有梵眾天 梵輔天來擁護他, 這是初禪三天 這 初禪三天 叫 離生喜樂地, 離開生死, 那個地方非常歡喜的 在我們人用功得到初禪的境界, 可以到初禪天上去, 可以見到天上大梵天王, 大梵天王的宰官 老百姓 你能到初禪天的境界, 你的脈就停止了, 你那麼一打坐脈不動 我們一般人的血脈若不動呢, 這就死了 但是你這種境界, 是因為你這個自性能到達初禪天上去 你身體上的血脈 脈絡停止了, 不流動了, 但這並不是死, 這也可以說是入初禪的定, 或者入一個鐘頭 兩個鐘頭 三個鐘頭 五個鐘頭, 或者一天 兩天 三天 五天 十天 二十天, 你這脈都不動 脈不動, 可是身體不會壞, 我們一般普通人死了, 到了七天之後, 肉就臭了, 身體壞了 但是你能用功有這種境界, 你的身體不會壞的, 不管入定多少日子, 這個身體還是一點都不會壞的, 這是入到初禪三天 二禪三天, 是少光天 無量光天 光音天 怎麼樣能生到這天上呢? 就是要去欲斷愛, 沒有淫欲心 ; 你若有淫欲心, 那麼不能生到這個天上了 這每一層天比每一層天都高一個階級, 為什麼階級能高一層呢? 因為他這個欲念沒有了, 欲念輕了, 一層比一層的欲念就減少, 減輕 這二禪天, 有少光天, 這個天的天人身上也都有光, 這個光比夜摩天的光更大了 不過在這一層天, 在這二禪三天中, 這少光天的光較其他兩層天的光都少 為什麼他有光呢? 就是因為他在世間上的時候持戒清淨 專守戒律 梵眾天 梵輔天也是守戒律的, 不過守得沒有那麼好, 清淨是清淨, 但沒有發光 少光天守戒律不單守得好, 而且生出一種光明來, 所以生到這種天上 待續 Brahma. These are ministers in the heavens who came to their positions because of purity. They assist the Great Brahma Lord. The Heaven of the Great Brahma Lord is where the Great Brahma Lord lives. He is someone who developed skill in his cultivation, but he only knew to cultivate heavenly blessings and so he has not yet enlightened or become a sage. After cultivating to a point, he became born in the heavens and became a Great Brahma Lord. The Great Brahma Lord is supported and protected by the Brahma multitudes and Brahma Ministers. These are the three heavens of the First Dhyana. The three heavens of the First Dhyana are called The Level of Happiness and Relative Bliss Derived When Some Production Ceases. Putting an end to some aspects of production and extinction results in extreme happiness. When we work enough to reach the state of the First Dhyana, we can see the Great Brahma Lord, the ministers, and the ordinary gods of the Great Brahman Heaven. When we reach the First Dhyana heavens, our pulse stops. As soon as we go into meditation, our pulse does not beat. Ordinarily, no movement of the pulse indicates death. But in this meditation state, it is because our inherent nature has reached the First Dhyana heavens that our physical pulse stops. Although it s not moving, we are not dead. This can be described as entering samadhi in the First Dhyana. We may stay in that samadhi for an hour, two hours, three hours, five hours or one day, two days, three days, five days, ten days, or twenty days. Although our pulse does not move, the body does not deteriorate. For most of us average people, by the first week after death our corpse begins to stink. However, if we can work hard and reach the state described here, then our body will not deteriorate no matter how long we are in samadhi. This is about the three heavens of the First Dhyana. The three heavens of the Second Dhyana are: the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Limitless Light, and the Heaven of Light Sound. How can we become reborn in the heavens? We must renounce desire and cut off emotional love. We must not even have thoughts of sexual desire. Those who entertain thoughts of sexual desire cannot get reborn in the higher heavens. Each heaven is one level higher than the one below. What determines the progression upward? It s based on diminishing thoughts of desire. Each level upward represents a lessening and lightening of desire. The heavens of the Second Dhyana include the Heaven of Lesser Light. Heavenly beings here have auras that are brighter than the lights in the Suyama Heaven. At the same time, among the three heavens of the Second Dhyana, the light of the Heaven of Lesser Light is comparatively weaker than the other two heavens. Why do these beings have light? It is because when they were people, they kept the precepts purely. They focused on keeping the precepts well. Those in the Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma and Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma also observe the precepts but not so well. They are pure but they do not emit light. Those in the Heaven of Lesser Light not only keep the precepts well but emit a light. This is why they became born in this kind of heaven. To be continued Proper Dharma Seal 正法印 July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 9

9 四 四 五 乾 陀 訶 囉 445. Chyan Two He La The Shurangama Mantra with Verse and Commentary 楞 嚴 咒 句 偈 疏 解 頌 食香鬼王化金剛 Fragrance-eating Ghost Kings transform into Vajra Spirits. 自在佛陀度十方 The Buddha Sovereign rescues those throughout the ten 六道輪迴浮沉轉 四生胎卵各承當 乾陀訶囉 本 來也是屬於鬼 是 食香鬼 他各處嗅 花味 有香味他就 食香鬼王化金 to cultivate and are able change and transform themselves into 神 再往前修 就 成香自在佛的眷 屬 所以說 方 這位佛在那 教化十方衆生 六道輪迴浮沉 轉 人在六道 堂 忽而在地獄 Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua Translated by the International Translation Institute Revised by Bhikshu Heng Shun 金剛菩提海 二Ｏ一四年七月 Chyan Two He La originally pertains to the category of immediately go to that place. Later on these ghosts learn how Vajra Spirits. Therefore it is said, Fragrance-eating Ghost Kings transform into Vajra Spirits. After having consumed a lot of fragrances, Fragranceeating Ghosts later turn away from delusion and go back to enlightenment and become Vajra Spirits. As they continue to progress in their cultivation, they will become part of the following of the Buddha Fragrant Sovereign. Therefore, the verse continues to say, The Buddha Sovereign rescues those throughout the ten directions. This Buddha is able to teach and transform living beings throughout the ten directions of space. Within the cycle of the six paths of existence, one floats, sinks, and turns about. Within the cycle of the six paths of existence, suddenly 忽然轉餓鬼 忽然 they are in the heavens above and then, just as suddenly, they 做畜牲 有時往上 are in the hells. Or they immediately turn into hungry ghosts, 昇浮起來 有時又 or instantly become animals. Sometimes they float and ascend 向下降沉到三惡 upwards, and at other times they sink downwards and go to 道 天 人 阿修 the three evil paths of existence. The gods, asuras, and humans 羅是三善道 餓 鬼 畜牲 地獄是 三惡道 所謂 出馬 腹 入驢胎 閻王 殿前幾度回 始從 帝釋殿前過 又到 閻君鍋裏來 人做畜牲時不知 10 Commentary: 成金剛 所以說 自在佛陀度十 正 法 印 and egg-born, are responsible for themselves. ghosts who consume fragrances. They go everywhere to sniff 輪迴中 忽而在天 P ROPER D HARMA S EAL Beings born in four different ways, including womb-born the scent of flowers. Wherever there is a fragrant smell, they 返迷歸覺做了金剛 修 訂 sinks, and turns about. 懂得修行 便轉變 爲吃的香多了 就 比 丘 恒 順 directions. Within the cycle of the six paths of existence, one floats, 到了 後來這鬼也 剛 食香鬼因 宣國 化際 上譯 人經 講學 解院 記 錄 翻 譯 Verse: are the three good paths of existence. And animals, hungry ghosts, and denizens of the hells are the three evil paths of existence. There is a saying that goes like this, Having just left the belly of a horse, one enters the womb of a donkey. One returns many times to appear in front of King Yama in his court. Then having just passed through Shakra s palace, once again one falls into the cauldron of King Yama. When humans are reborn as animals, they do not know how to cultivate. Being a horse, one enters the belly of a horse. 修行 做馬就入了 At other times, one goes into the womb of a donkey to become 馬腹 有時又跑到 a donkey. It s not known how many times we have run back

10 驢胎裏做驢子 在閻王殿裏不知跑 來跑去過多少次 剛才從帝釋殿前 走過去 又回到閻羅王的油鍋裏去 六道輪迴浮沉輪轉 不知道轉到什 麼地方去 四生胎卵各承當 四生是胎 卵 濕 化 也不知道什麼時候就 做了哪一類衆生 胎卵濕化 到業 and forth to the court of King Yama. Having just passed through Shakra s palace, one then comes back again to the cauldron of boiling oil of King Yama. Within the cycle of the six paths of existence, one floats, sinks, and turns around and around. One does not know where one is going. Beings born in four different ways, including womb-born and egg-born, are responsible for themselves. The four types of birth are being born from a womb, being born from an egg, being born from moisture, and being born by transformation. We do not know when we will become any of these types of living beings. When karma is accumulated and its results are invoked, one will become that type of living being. 感交集時 就各從其類 有哪個因 According to the causes and supporting conditions one has, one will run off to become 緣 就跑到哪一類去 that particular category of living being. The Unique Strength of Present Cultivators 宣化上人開示於1970年12月9日 百日禪期間 Instructional Talk by Venerable Master Hua on December 9, 1970 (100-Day Chan session ) Proper Dharma Seal 現 在 修 行 人 的 特 長 古來的人修行 各有各的長處 各有個 人的這種特別境界 一般人所比不了的 現 在的人修行也有一個特別長處 什麼特別長 處呢 就是幫助其他人來洗衣服 看到其他 人很多的毛病 很多的不合法的事情 於是 乎就要管理其他人的閒事 這是一種特長 還有一種特長是什麼呢 就是脾氣特長 這 是古來人所做不到的事 現在的人就能做得 到 做得到 就比古來的人脾氣大 比古來 的人煩惱大 比古來的人妒忌障礙大 比古 來的人貪心大 瞋心大 癡心大 這是現在 修行人的特長 這一種特長 也正是特別的短處 正是 不長 你覺得是特長 實際是一個最沒有用 的 自己的功夫沒有用好 怎麼有時間去 管其他人的閒事 自己不曉得用功 盡用這 個反光的鏡子來照 這樣的用功用到盡未來 際 甚至於恆河沙那由他不可思議那麼多的 阿僧祇劫 也是不會成功的 這是決定的 為什麼 你盡給人洗衣服 盡向外照了 沒 有迴光返照 Ancient cultivators have their distinctive strengths and unique states that are beyond those of ordinary people. Present day cultivators have their unique strength as well. What is it? They are constantly correcting other people s faults and minding other people s business. They also have another strength : their extremely bad temper. The ancient people were incapable of this. Present cultivators have worse temper, more afflictions, jealousies, are greedier, angrier, and much more ignorant. These are strengths of present day cultivators. These strengths are actually weaknesses, however. You think they are strengths, but they are completely useless. You have not even perfected your own cultivation yet, where do you find the time to meddle in other people s affairs? If you do not apply genuine effort but keep looking at others faults like a reflecting mirror would, then even if you cultivate until the end of time, for as many inconceivable kalpas as nayuta asamkhyeya (incalculable) Ganges sands, you will still not succeed. This is an absolute certainty. Why is this true? Because you keep washing other people s dirty linen [i.e. correcting other people s faults] but forget to reflect from within. July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 正 法 印 11

11 Lives of the Patriarchs 佛祖道影白話解 十八祖伽耶舍多尊者 The Eighteenth Patriarch - Venerable Gayāśata 宣公上人講於1981年8月21日 周果如 英譯 Lectured by the Venerable Master Hua on August 21, 1981 English Translation by Guo Ru Jou B IOGRAPHIES 人 物 誌 尊者 摩提國人 十七祖至其 The Venerable Gayāśata was from Magadha. When the Seventeenth Patriarch reached 國 見一童子持鑑造祖前 祖 that country, he saw a pure youth approaching him with a mirror in his hands. 問 汝幾歲耶 曰 百 The Patriarch asked, How old are you? 歲 祖曰 汝年尚幼 何 A hundred years. 言百歲 童曰 我不會 理 正百歲耳 祖曰 汝 善機耶 童曰 佛言 若 人生百歲 不會諸佛機 未若 生一日 而得決了之 The Patriarch said, You are still a youngster. Why do you say you are a hundred years old? The youth replied, I do not understand reality, so I might as well be a hundred. You are good at arguing, aren t you? noted the Patriarch. The youth continued, The Buddha said, If a person lives to be a hundred but has not understood the Buddha s capacity, that is not as good as living for one day understanding it. 時聞風吹殿鈴聲 祖問曰 At one time, the wind blew and they heard the sound of a bell. The Patriarch asked, 鈴鳴耶 風鳴耶 尊者曰 Does the bell ring or does the wind ring? 非風鈴鳴 我心鳴耳 祖 The youth answered, Neither the wind nor the bell rings; it is my mind that rings. 曰 心復誰乎 答曰 The Patriarch said, And what is the mind? 俱寂靜故 祖曰 善哉 Complete stillness, he answered. 善哉 付以大法 尊者後得 The Patriarch praised him, Good indeed! Good indeed! and transmitted the Great 鳩摩羅多 即踴身虛空 現十 Dharma to him. 八變 火光三昧 自焚其身 Later, after the Venerable One had met Kumārata (the succeeding Patriarch), he ascended into space where he displayed the eighteen transformations, entered the 尊者 摩提國人 十 八祖伽耶舍多尊者 是摩提國 人 12 金剛菩提海 Firelight Samadhi, and cremated his own body. Commentary: The Venerable Gayāśata, the Eighteenth Patriarch, was from Magadha. 二Ｏ一四年七月

12 十七祖至其國, 見一童子, 持鑑造祖前 : 第十七祖到摩伽提國時, 見到一個小孩子拿著一面鏡子, 來到第十七祖這兒 鑑, 就是鏡子 祖問: 汝幾歲耶? : 因為看到這小孩子, 十七祖就問他說 : 你幾歲了? 曰: 百歲 : 這小孩說 : 我一百歲了! 哈哈! 祖曰: 汝年尚幼, 何言百歲? : 十七祖就說了 : 你現在是很幼小的, 為什麼說你有一百歲了呢? 童曰: 我不會理, 正百歲耳 : 這個童子就說了 : 我因為不明白 不了解真理, 所以已經一百多歲了! 祖曰: 汝善機耶? : 十七祖就說 : 你善於狡辯呢! 善機, 就是善辯 童曰 : 這童子就說 : 佛言: 若人生百歲, 不會諸佛機 佛當初說, 若人活了一百歲, 卻不明白諸佛真理 真理, 真正的道理 ; 諸佛機, 就是機宜 未若生一日, 而得決了之 : 還不如活著一天, 就明白這個真理, 也就是聞道了 儒家說 朝聞道, 夕死可矣! 我若是在早晨聽見個道理, 我就晚間死了都願意, 都覺得是應該了! 這就是不如生一日, 而得決了之, 明白真正的真理了 十七祖又問 : 你手中拿著鏡子, 這表示什麼? 這個童子就用偈頌回答 : 諸佛大圓鑑內外無瑕翳兩人同得見心眼皆相似這時他的父母聽到這話, 就馬上將他捨出, 教他隨著十七祖出家了 出家後, 有一次, 時聞風吹殿鈴聲 : 聽見風吹著殿前所掛的鈴噹的聲音 祖問曰: 鈴鳴耶? 風鳴耶? 十七祖又問這個小孩子 : 是這個鈴有聲音出? 還是風有聲音出呢? 尊者曰: 非風鈴鳴, 我心鳴耳 這個小孩子就說 : 這不是風有聲音, 也不是鈴有聲音, 是我的心裏有聲音 在 六祖壇經 上說, 風吹著幡, 有人就問 : 是風動? 是幡動? 你說是風動嘛, 那幡它也在那兒動 ; 你說是幡動嘛, 若沒有風, 幡也不會動啊! 你說風動, 風你看不見它, 那你是看見幡在那兒動嘍! 所以一個和尚就說 風動, 一個和尚就說 幡動, 爭論不已 待續 When the Seventeenth Patriarch reached that country, he saw a pure youth approaching him with a mirror in his hands. The Patriarch asked, How old are you? A hundred years. Haha! The Patriarch said, You are still a youngster. Why do you say you are a hundred years old? The youth replied, I do not understand reality, so I might as well be a hundred. You are good at arguing, aren t you? noted the Patriarch. He said: You re good at crafty argument! The youth continued: The Buddha said, If a person lives to be a hundred but has not understood the Buddha s capacity: The Buddha has said that if a person lives to be a hundred but has not understood the truth of the Buddhas, that is not as good as living for one day understanding it. It would be better for him to live for only one day while understanding the truth and learning about the Way. Confucius said, If I learn about the Way in the morning, then it would be all right if I were to die that night! He would rather live for only a day and understand true principles. The Seventeenth Patriarch again asked: You held a mirror in your hand. What does that indicate? The pure youth then replied with this verse: The great perfect mirror of all Buddhas, Is not nebulous, is flawless inside out. Two persons have now seen it together, Their minds and visions alike. At that time when his parents heard what was said, they immediately let him follow the Seventeenth Patriarch and leave the home-life. After he had left the home-life, at one time, the wind blew and they heard the sound of a bell. The Patriarch asked the child, Does the bell ring or does the wind ring? The Venerable One answered, Neither the wind nor the bell rings; my mind rings. The Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra records that once when the wind was blowing a banner, someone asked, Is it the wind that moves or the banner? If you say it is the wind moving, then the banner is also moving. If you say it s the banner moving, yet without the wind, it can t move either! If you say it is the wind that is moving, since you cannot see the wind, then you are watching the banner moving! Hence, one monk said it was the wind that moved. Another monk said it was the banner that moved. The two kept arguing back and forth. To be continued Biographies 人物誌 July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 13

13 水鏡回天錄白話解 Reflections in the water-mirror: Turning the tide of destiny 佛法東來 漢明帝 ( 續 ) The Buddhadharma Comes East Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty (continued) 宣化上人講述於 1987 年 9 月 5 日呂明賜譯 Lectured by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua on September 5, 1987 English translation by Michael Lu BIOGRAPHIES 人物誌 譯成之後, 道士就妒忌了, 對皇帝說 : 佛教的經典是假的, 道教的經典才是真的 如果不相信, 把兩種經典放到一起, 用火來燒 ; 誰的經典不燒, 就是真的, 誰的經典要是燒了, 就是假的 於是就在洛陽築起焚經臺, 然後舉火燒經典 結果道教的經典一燒就變成灰, 佛教經典怎麼燒也燒不化 當時很多道士看見這種情形, 就當場脫去道服, 把頭髮剃了, 出家做和尚, 不做老道了 這是佛教剛剛到中國, 經過這種困苦艱難, 我們現在學習佛法的人, 應該知道這些事情 當時他們就在白馬寺翻譯經典, 民間也有很多善男信女相信佛教, 善信日積月累一天比一天多, 佛教也就大大興盛起來 After they finished translating, the Taoist practitioners were jealous and said, The Taoist texts are true, and the Buddhist texts are fake! If you do not believe this, let us place the scriptures from both religions into a fire and see which ones do not burn. The ones that do not burn are true scriptures; the texts that burn are the fake ones. Thus, they constructed a platform for burning the texts. When the Taoist scriptures went into the fire, they immediately burst into flames and became ashes, but the Buddhist sutras would not burn however long they were in the flames. At that time, seeing this, many of the Taoist practitioners immediately took off their Taoist robes, shaved their heads, converted, and became Buddhist monks. These were the difficulties and hardships that Buddhism had to undergo after having first arrived in China. We who are now learning the Buddhadharma should be aware of challenges such as these. Thereafter, these two Venerables settled down to do the translation in the White Horse Monastery, and increasing numbers of people converted to Buddhism daily, so Buddhism greatly flourished throughout China. Venerable Kāśyapamatanga and Dharmarakṣa s tombs are located in Luoyang. Both of them were Arhats, sage monks, who could fly at will and perform an unlimited number of miracles. They possessed the Eighteen Transformations, such as standing, sitting, reclining in empty space, emitting fire from the upper part of the body and water from the lower part, and emitting water from the upper part of the body and fire from the lower part. They could do as they wished, fly at will, and transform limitlessly. Eighty years later, Dharma Master An Shigao arrived at Luoyang and also 14 金剛菩提海二 O 一四年七月

14 ) 摩騰 竺法蘭這兩位尊者是羅漢聖僧, 他們的墳墓現在都還在洛陽 這兩位聖僧能飛行自在, 變化無窮, 他們有十八變 : 在空中走路 在空中站著 在空中坐著 在空中躺著 在空中上身出火 下身出水, 下身出火 上身又出水 能隨心所欲, 飛行自在, 變化無窮 過了八十年之後, 安世高法師又到了洛陽, 翻譯很多經典, 所以那時佛教很興盛 到了隋唐的時候, 佛教更興盛了 ; 因為種種因緣, 佛法因人施教, 演化出八種宗派, 這八宗 ( 華嚴宗 禪宗 淨土宗 律宗 天台宗 法相宗 三論宗 真言宗 ) 的教義同時發展 贊曰 : 佛法東來始漢明帝夜夢金人問是何意西方有神普渡大地請速迎接同舟共濟 佛法東來, 始漢明帝 : 佛法是在漢明帝的時候, 開始傳到中國 夜夢金人, 問是何意 : 因為漢明帝晚上夢見丈六的金色神人, 就問太史官吉凶禍福, 這是什麼預兆 西方有神, 普渡大地 : 太史官說 : 西方有一種神, 名叫佛, 他普渡大地的眾生 請速迎接, 同舟共濟 : 我們應該快一點迎接佛的教化到中國來 ; 大家坐到法船上, 一起離苦得樂, 了脫生死 translated many Sutras. Buddhism thrived and flourished even more during the Sui and Tang Dynasties as shown with the formation of the Eight Schools (the Avatamsaka School, the Chan School, the Pure Land School, the Vinaya School, the Tiantai School, the Dharma Mark School, the Three Treatise School, and the True Words School ) in China. Around that time, Buddhism was taught to suit the capabilities and preferences of the people, so the Eight Schools arose from various causes and conditions. The Eight Schools prospered at the same time. A verse in praise says: The Buddhadharma comes to the East, Beginning with Han Emperor Ming. Dreaming at night of a golden person, He seeks its meaning. There is a god in the West, Who takes everyone on Earth across. Please quickly invite him over, So we can all board the Ship. Commentary: The Buddhadharma comes to the East, Beginning with Han Emperor Ming. The Buddhadharma arrived at China around the time of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty. Dreaming at night of a golden person, He seeks its meaning. One night, Emperor Ming dreamed of a golden person around sixteen feet tall. He then asked Fu Yi, the Grand Historian, as well as the director of the Board of Astrology, Is this an auspicious sign or an evil omen, a calamity or a blessing? What kind of omen is this? There is a god in the West, Who takes everyone on Earth across. Fu Yi said, In the West there is a god by the name of Buddha. He universally crosses over all living beings on Earth. Please quickly invite him over, So we can all board the Ship. We should quickly go and invite the Buddha to come to China to teach and transform living beings. Let us all board the Dharma-ship and leave suffering, attain bliss, and end birth and death. Biographies 人物誌 又說偈曰 : 漢朝機緣已成熟大教東來指迷途無量眾生獲甘露萬千善信飲醍醐男女勤修習百法沙門抖擻解三毒蔡愔功勞難窮盡天長地久皆歡呼 待續 Another verse says: Conditions during the Han have ripened, Great Teaching comes to the East showing the Way. Limitless beings taste the sweet dew, Many thousands of devotees relish the flavor in glee. Men and women alike practice multitudes of Dharmas, Monks and nuns vigorously dispel the three poisons. Cai Yin s merit is beyond praise, Throughout ages, everyone rejoices. To be continued July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 15

15 宣化上人事蹟 中國篇 Events in the life of the Venerable Master: The China period 白山黑水育奇英 續 White Mountains and Black Waters Nurture Rare Talent (continued) 宣公上人事蹟編輯委員會新編2009年 鄭耿琳 等人 英譯 A new edition by the Committee for the Publication of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua s Biography Translated into English by Genglin Zheng and others B IOGRAPHIES 57. 慈善楷模 人 物 誌 57. A Paradigm of A Kind-Hearted Philanthropist 上人離開中國很久 當年三緣寺的 When the Dharma Protectors of Three Conditions Monastery, Jinghua Li and 護法居士 李景華和程天熹 都已 Tianxi Cheng, passed away, the Master had already been away from China for a 經作古了 上人所著述的 水鏡回天 long time. In his book, Records of Water Mirrors Reflecting Heaven, he devoted a 錄 還特別寫文章紀念他們 令他 們護法為善的功德長存 special chapter to them. Thus he made the merit and the virtue of these Dharma Protectors known far and wide. Story in Venerable Master s Own Words: 上人自述 李景華老居士 個子高高的 是個 中醫生 他篤信佛教 茹素念佛 又 熱心公益 他在四十多歲時 膝下猶 虛 夫婦倆就很誠心的到三緣寺 求 The elder layperson, Jinghua Li, was very tall. He was a doctor who practiced traditional Chinese medicine. He had deep faith in Buddhism, was a vegetarian, and recited the Buddha s name. Furthermore, he devoted himself to the public welfare. When he was over forty years old, he was still childless. He and his wife went to Three Conditions Temple to meet the Abbot and pray for a child. The 廟上方丈和尚 常仁大師 給他們 Abbot compassionately fulfilled their wish: in the following year, a healthy son 一個兒子 方丈和尚慈悲滿願 第二 was born to them. They named him Dianxuan Li. Therefore the elder layperson, 年果得麟兒 取名李殿選 李景華老 Jinghua Li, had complete faith in the Abbot and deeply admired him. 居士對我們廟上方丈和尚很崇拜 對 他信心十足 16 金剛菩提海 二Ｏ一四年七月 At that time I was still a young novice. When Jinghua Li found out that the Abbot had appointed me to the position of Head Monk, and that many people

16 ) 他看見我那時候年紀很輕, 在廟上只不過是個沙彌, 方丈和尚就請我當首座, 而且有很多人相信我, 他很不服氣 : 你這麼年紀輕, 就這麼多人相信你? 有人相信我, 他就有點酸溜溜的味道 我在東北和李老居士很熟的, 他住的地方我都到過 雖然他和我還很好, 內心總是有點不對勁 他一生受的挫折不少, 逆境很多, 吃過很多苦頭, 還是照常吃素 1985 年春天的時候, 法界 ( 佛教 ) 大學派一個女眾訪問團去中國, 朝拜四大名山, 順道去看看這些老鄉親 因為李景華和我有通信, 所以我知道他的地址 他那時候已八十八歲, 還記得以前的事情, 聽說我要回去了, 有很多的感慨, 在家裏就大哭 訪問團到他那兒, 老居士在他家的門口長跪歡迎, 口裏說 : 活佛來啦! 歡迎老佛爺回來了! 在那兒痛哭流涕的, 很誠懇的 後來沒見到我, 大失所望 : 我以為他會回來, 原來沒回來 他又哭起來, 把訪問團嚇愣了, 真是令人感動! 過了幾個月, 他囑咐他的兒子李殿選, 要誠心信佛, 待人要忠厚, 要熱心公益, 沒多久就安詳往生了 程天熹和李景華是親戚, 李景華住前興隆溝, 他住在後興隆溝 程天熹也相信常仁大師, 和我們廟上的關係很深, 我常常在他家裏住幾天, 那是我還做沙彌的時候 他母親年輕就守寡, 他年少時吃喝嫖賭, 大家叫他程三尖頭 ; 等他懂事, 為報母恩, 改邪歸正, 從此熱心慈善 他有兩個太太, 都信佛 我認識他的時候, 他被推舉當哈爾濱市道德會的會長, 一般人稱程天熹老居士叫他 程善人, 因為他很願意幫助窮人 以前是程三尖頭, 是個惡人 ; 以後是程善人, 為慈善界之楷模, 佛教徒之虔誠者 所以, 以前的種種, 譬如昨日死 ; 以後的種種, 譬如今日生 有一年他家裏鬧鬼, 他那兒有個男人, 有邪魔附在身上, 一天到晚吵著要把他房子給燒了 程老居士很害怕, 年三十那天套車到廟上, 求方丈和尚去治邪 方丈和 had faith in me, he wasn t convinced. You re so young! Why do so many people have faith in you? He was sour about it. When I was in Manchuria, I was very close with this lay person Li, and he had invited me to visit him, no matter where he lived. Although we had a good relationship, he still harbored these hard feelings. His life was full of setbacks, adversity, and suffering, but he never gave up being a vegetarian. In the spring of 1985, Dharma Realm University sent a group of female practitioners on a pilgrimage to the four famous mountains of China. Along the way, they also visited the Master s old hometown friends and neighbors. I had stayed in touch with Jinghua Li, so I knew his address. By then, he was already eighty-eight years old, but he still had a good memory. When he heard that I was coming back, he sighed, and he started to cry right there in his house. When the delegation arrived, Jinghua Li knelt down in the front of his house, to welcome the delegation members, saying, Living Buddha comes back! Welcome to the Living Buddha who returns! He was weeping and sobbing, while looking very sincere. Later when he found out that I was not in the delegation, he was greatly disappointed, and said, I originally thought that he would return. Now I see he has not returned. He cried again and really startled the delegation. They were deeply moved! A few months later, he told his son, Dianxuan Li, to believe in the Buddha sincerely, to treat others well and honestly,and to truly devote himself to the wellbeing of the public. Not very long after, he passed away peacefully. Tianxi Cheng was a relative of Jinghua Li. Jinghua Li was living at the front of Xinglonggou (the Front Ditch of Prosperity), and Tianxi at the rear. Tianxi also followed the Great Master Chang Ren, and had a close relationship with our monastery. When I was a novice, I used to stay at his home for several days. His mother became a widow at a very young age. While he was young, he lived a life of the three primary afflictions (Skt. klesa) : the three poisons. So, many people used to call him Three Pointed Head Cheng. In order to repay his mother s kindness, he had since found the true nature of reality, and had become a considerate and charitable person. He now had two wives, and both of them believed in Buddhism too. People started to call him Good Man Cheng, because he enjoyed helping the poor. He then became the President of the Harbin Morality Association. Three Pointed Head Cheng was an ignorant man in the past, but then he became the Good Man Cheng, a role model of charity and a sincere Buddhist. So, what s past is past, as it died yesterday; what s in the future is in the future, as it is born today. One year his house became haunted. A man there was possessed by a demon. All day long the man cried and threatened to burn Cheng s house down and Mr. Cheng was really afraid. On New Year s Eve, Cheng went to the monastery requesting the Abbot to cure the possessed man. The Abbot asked me to do it, Mr. Cheng has contributed much to our monastery. Now he has trouble at his house, so please go there and take a look! When I arrived, the possessed man was standing at the north side, whereas I stood at the south. He stared at me with his hands partially covering his eyes. Biographies 人物誌 July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 17

17 Biographies 尚卻往我身上推 : 你去! 程老居士對我們廟上很有貢獻的, 現在他家裏有麻煩了, 你去他家裏看看! 我到那兒, 這個鬧邪的人在北邊站著, 我在南邊 這個人就用手遮著眼睛看, 他們問他 : 你為什麼要這麼看? 他說: 我睜不開眼睛, 這兒好光亮! 那個人從此不放火, 就這麼好了 你看, 這是不是邪門? 我那時候大約二十二歲, 穿得破破爛爛的, 是個剛出家的小沙彌 程天熹對我也特別好, 我去他家, 總給我叩頭頂禮 ; 他的孫子 親戚都皈依我, 不收還不行 後記 上人 1985 年在萬佛聖城, 對東北父老談話錄音時, 曾經提及 : 我在東北, 出家之後, 和各位老居士曾經常常見面, 和我的俗家的人很少來往 ; 因為我把世間的親情看得很淡, 一心弘揚佛法, 教化眾生 我在廟上, 附近的鄉村各處很多人都皈依我, 可是我家鄉的人很少人認識我, 很少人見過我 待續 Others asked him, Why do you look at him in this way? He replied, It is so bright here, that I can t open my eyes. After my visit, that man would no longer set things on fire, and his illness was cured. Isn t this strange? I was just a novice, in my twenties, wearing ragged clothes. Tianxi Cheng treated me well. After this, whenever I visited his house, he always bowed to me. Also, his grandsons and relatives all took refuge with me, and I could not decline. [Postscript] In 1985 at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the Venerable Master related the following to the hometown villagers who came from Manchuria, in the north. His instructional talks were recorded. I left the home-life when I was in Manchuria, in the North East of China. After becoming a monk, I often met with lay people. It happened that I seldom met with people from my family. This was because I saw worldly family affairs as insignificant. My feelings and devotion were single-mindedly focused on the teaching of the Buddhadharma, for the benefit of all sentient beings. When I was in the monastery, many nearby villagers took refuge with me. However, very few people from my family s village came to see me or would have recognized me. To be continued 人物誌 金寶散教師及教師支提若有忘所誦與念令不失未思所作已勿躁勿隨他外道天龍神於中皆莫信心應如金剛堪能通諸法心亦應如山諸事所不動喜樂出世語莫樂依世言自受諸功德亦應令他受修五解脫入修十不淨想八大丈夫覺亦應分別修 菩提資糧論 聖者龍樹菩薩造 Gold and jewels are distributed among teaching masters And also among the caityas of teaching masters. If there are those who forget what is to be recited, One assists their remembrance, enabling them to stay free of error. When one has not yet reflected on the right course of action, One must not be impulsive and must not simply emulate others. As for the non-buddhists, gods, dragons, and spirits, One must not invest one s faith in any of them. One s mind should be like vajra,able to penetrate all dharmas. One s mind should also be like a mountain, Remaining unmoved in any circumstance. Delight in world-transcending discourse, And do not take pleasure in worldly words. Personally adopt all manner of meritorious qualities. One should then influence others to adopt them as well. Cultivate the five bases of liberation. Cultivate the ten reflections on impurity. The eight realizations of great men Should also be the focus of analytic contemplation and cultivation. from the Nagarjuna s Guide to The Bodhisattva Path 18 金剛菩提海二 O 一四年七月

18 論語淺釋 ( 續 ) The Analects of Confucius (continued) 宣化上人講楊維光 劉年聰英譯 Lectures by the Venerable Master Hua English translation by Yong Wei Kwong and Liew Yen Chong DHARMA TALK DHARMA RAIN 法語法雨 里仁第四 Chapter 4: Living in a Benevolent Neighborhood 第一, 就是 利己利人, 這是個 仁, 是行菩薩道 ; 第二, 就是 不利己利人, 也不損害自己, 而去利人, 是行辟支佛道 ; 第三, 是 損己利人, 應該做什麼事情, 對自己有損害一點不要緊, 要利人, 這就是羅漢道 這個 仁 字, 在儒教講 仁, 在佛教裏頭, 就可以說是 戒 的一個意思 ; 你若能仁, 就不傷害其它的生命 好像不殺生就是個仁, 不偷盜就是個義, 不邪淫就是個禮, 不妄語就是個信, 不飲酒就是個智慧 這樣子, 本來 仁, 義, 禮, 智, 信, 這在儒教講得很圓滿了 ; 在佛教又把它變了個名詞, 說是 五戒 這變來變去, 根本的問題, 就是儒教所講的這個 仁 義 禮 智 信 ; 無非也就教人守禮, 教人守規矩, 守法律 The first kind is benefitting oneself as well as others. This is an act of 仁 (benevolence), which is to practice the Bodhisattva path. The second kind is not benefitting oneself but benefitting others. He does not harm himself but brings benefits to other people instead. This is to practice the Pratyekabuddha path. The third kind is harming oneself to benefit others. In whatever you do, it does not matter if you suffer a bit of disadvantage as long as you benefit others. This is practicing the Arhat path. The character 仁 is explained as benevolence in Confucianism whereas in Buddhism, it can be interpreted as 戒 (precepts). If you are able to practice benevolence, then you will not harm other living beings. For example, not killing is benevolence ; not stealing is righteousness ; not engaging in sexual misconduct is propriety ; not lying is faithfulness ; and not consuming intoxicants is wisdom. In this way, the fundamental qualities of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faithfulness, which are explained very satisfactorily in Confucianism, are now converted to the Buddhist term of five precepts. The fundamental issue underlying this inter-conversion of terms is that the qualities of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faithfulness promoted in Confucianism are simply to teach people to observe July 2014 Vajra Bodhi Sea 19

19 Biographies 人物誌 那麼戒也是這個樣子, 不過就是變變名 詞而已 ; 因為我們人聽這個名詞聽慣了, 就習以為常而不注意了, 覺得它很平常 也就好像我現在講這個 六大宗旨, 你 們一班人天天聽 : 哦! 這六大宗旨我知 道了, 我知道了! 其實你做到了沒有? 這也就像是 仁 義 禮 智 信, 我 們做到了沒有? 我們要做到才算呢! 殺 盜 淫 妄 酒 這五戒, 我們做到 了沒有? 我們做到才算呢! 就用口頭禪講 來講去, 你講得天花亂墜, 地湧金蓮, 你 不實在去做去, 還是沒有用的! 所以這是換湯不換藥, 換名不換義 ; 這個名字換了, 那個義理還是一樣的 所 以我們大家學佛, 不要盡好高騖遠, 盡淌 那兒搞名搞利去 一跑到名利上去, 那這 個人就完了, 這個人就已經一點意思都沒 有了, 這可以說是就是這樣了, 沒有前途 了 ; 所以我們人 方才不說過, 要把這 個 立場, 觀點, 態度 要認清了, 我們 在一個什麼位置上? 我們是一個什麼身份 的? 我們不能把自己弄得也不知道自己是 個做什麼的了 做弟子的, 就應該像個弟 子 ; 做師父的, 應該像個師父 ; 做同學 的, 應該大家互相勉勵 我們這才能互相 有進步呢! 如果你自己不顧及其他的人, 就知道有自己 ; 那就好像這個全世界就一 個天主, 那他就主去了! 我常說, 這光 棍的天主沒有什麼大意思的! 你看佛成佛 了, 是要有他所度的這些個緣 ; 他若沒有 這些個緣, 他成佛做什麼? 成佛也沒有什 麼意思! 所以我們人, 要和任何人都要六 和同住, 要和氣 ; 不能標異現奇, 不能我 做一個特別樣子 我作一個特別樣子, 那 一定立不住的! 那麼仁者就是要利益人, 利人就是個 仁 惡, 就是個害人, 害人就是惡 那麼 這個 惡 和這個 仁 正是相反的 待續 真妄交徹, 即凡心而見佛心 ; 事理雙修, 依本智而求佛智 華嚴經疏序 20 金剛菩提海二 O 一四年七月 the code of propriety, abide by the rules and standards, and obey the laws and regulations. Now, it is the same with the precepts. The only difference is that the term has been changed. Since we have been accustomed to hearing a particular term, we use it habitually without much thought and feel that it is very common. It is just like how I am explaining the Six Guidelines now. The whole lot of you listen every day and say, Oh! I know these Six Guidelines. I know them all! But did you really put them into practice? Similarly, when it comes to benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faithfulness, have we fulfilled these qualities? It counts only when we put them into practice! As for the five precepts of not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying and not consuming intoxicants, have we upheld them? It is only when we put them into practice that it counts! Just by paying lipservice and talking to-and-fro, even if you were to talk until heavenly blossoms rain down on you or golden lotuses well forth from the ground, it is still no use at all if you do not actually put them into practice! Therefore, this is just a case of changing the broth but not the medicine or changing the name but not the meaning. Although the term has been changed, the meaning and principle are still the same. That is why when we study Buddhism, we must not be fixated on aiming for the lofty and craving after what is beyond reach, or spend all our time drooling over fame and gain. Once a person pursues fame and gain, then he is finished. Such a person is utterly meaningless and it can be said that he does not have much of a future. Wasn t it mentioned just now that we have to recognize clearly our position, perspective and attitude? What position are we occupying? What is out status? We must not fool around until we have no idea what we are supposed to be doing. As a disciple, you should act like a disciple; as a master, you should behave like a master; as fellow students, you should encourage one another. It is only in this way that we are able to make mutual improvements! If you are self-centered and do not give any consideration to others, then it is similar to having only one heavenly lord in the whole world and he is the only master around! I have often said that there isn t much meaning in being the solitary heavenly lord! Look at the Buddha. He attained Buddhahood because he has affinities with those whom he has to cross over. If such affinities are absent, what is the purpose of attaining Buddhahood? It would have no meaning at all! That is why we people must practice the Six Harmonies, one of which is to co-exist harmoniously with everybody. Don t do unconventional and unorthodox things, behaving like you are someone special. Once you put on such an act, you will definitely not be able to gain any acceptance! Now, a benevolent person benefits others; to do so is to be benevolent. An evil person harms others; causing harm to people is an evil act. In this sense, evil and benevolence are direct opposites. Truth and falseness interlink and mingle: Within the ordinary mind one sees the Buddha mind. Specifics and principle are together cultivated: On relies on basic wisdom to seek the Buddha s wisdom. from the The Flower Adornment Sutra Preface To be continued