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过五关度六将证菩提【连载之六】

Passing Through Five Barriers and Enlightening Six Generals to Gain Bodhi【serials 6】

Master Yin Guang

目录

Catalogue

【连载之一】【Serial 1】

▍开堂白

Opening Statement

▍有没有来世

Whether There's Afterlife?

【连载之二】【Serial 2】

▍过关前言

Introduction

▍第一关 四大假合

The First Barrier: The False Compound of Four Great Elements

▍第二关 非同非异

The Second Barrier: Neither Identical nor Different

▍第三关 随心应量

The Third Barrier: Quantity and Quality in accord with

the Mind's Capacity

【连载之三】【Serial 3】

▍第四关 心现识变

The Forth Barrier: Manifestation of the Mind,

Transformation of the Consciousness

【连载之四】【Serial 4】

▍第五关 一心三藏

The Fifth Barrier: Three Treasuries of One Mind

【连载之五】【Serial 5】

▍第六关 无情亦情

The Sixth Barrier: The Non Sentient Being Is the

Sentient Being

▍圆教精髓

The Essence of the Perfect Teaching

【连载之六】【Serial 6】

▍顿证菩提

Sudden Enlightenment of Bodhi

 

 

·顿证菩提

·Sudden Enlightenment of Bodhi

《佛说阿弥陀经》讲:已发愿已往生;今发愿今往生;当发愿当往生(舍利弗,若有人已发愿、今发愿、当发愿,欲生阿弥陀佛国者,是诸人等,皆得不退转于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提,于彼国土,若已生,若今生,若当生)。《阿弥陀经》有没有讲,「已发愿者经过十年念佛、八年拜佛、三年拜忏,今往生?今发愿者经过三年拜忏、十年行善、五年断恶,当往生?当发愿者经过三年持咒,四年坐禅,五年朝山,当、当、当往生」?有没有这样说法啊?「发愿往生」:「发」是成就之义;「愿」,上面一个原,下面一个心,就是原来的心;以现在这个凡夫的心见到了我们原来的真心即是「往生」;「原来的心」是不是万法都是「我一个念」呐?

The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra says:People who have made the vow have already been born in Amitabha's Country; people who now make the vow are being born in Amitabha's Country; and people who are about to make the vow will be born in Amitabha's Country. (Shariputra, if there are people who have already made the vow, who now make the vow, or who are about to make the vow, 'I desire to be born in Amitabha's Country,' these people, whether born in the past, now being born, or to be born in the future, all will irreversibly attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi.) Does the Amitabha Sutra say, "People who have made the vow after ten years of chanting the name of Buddhas, eight years of worshiping Buddha and three years of repentance, are now being born in Amitabha's Country? People who now make the vow will be born in Amitabha's Country after three years of repentance, ten years of doing good deeds and five years of cutting off evil deeds? People who are about to make the vow after three years of reciting mantras, four years of sitting for meditation and five years of making pilgrimages, will, will, will be born in Amitabha's Country"? Does it say anything like this? 发(Fa)愿(Yuan)往(Wang)生(Sheng) (Make the vow to be born in Amitabha's Country):"发(Fa)" means achievement; "愿:(Yuan)" with an "original"("原" in Chinese) above and a "mind" ("心" in Chinese) below means original mind; in other words, seeing our original mind with the mind of an ordinary people is being born in Amitabha's Country. Isn't it true that "the original mind" means everything is just the manifestation of one thought of mine?

《阿弥陀经》里有一句「临命终时」,许多人以此认定:一定要人死了以后才成佛。诸佛菩萨没有这种说法。一切经典都是讲活着的时候成佛,活着的时候往生。「临命终时」:「临」是「道交感应」;「终」是表「圆满」。怎么圆满呢?以我现在的凡夫心见到了我原来的真心,这就是「阿弥陀佛」,这就是我们生死的假命与不生不死的法身慧命感应道交,圆融一体,叫「临命终时」。我们讲,「这个讲经堂经过三个月的工程终于告终」,你能不能讲「这个讲经堂经过三个月的工程现在终于死啦」?

There is a set phrase called "临(Lin)命(Ming)终(Zhong)时(Shi) (When the life completes)" in Amitabha Sutra. A lot of people asserted: People achieve Buddhahood only after they die. There's no such a version from any Buddha or Bodhisattva. All the classics talk about becoming Buddha when you are alive, and being born in Pure Land when you are alive. The moment when ("临" in Chinese) means "in mutual response with the way"; complete ("终" in Chinese) means "achieving perfect interpenetration". How to achieve perfect interpenetration? To see my original true mind with the mind of an ordinary people at present is Amitabha, which means our false lives within the cycle of birth and death have gained a mutual response and completely interpenetrated with our wisdom lives without a life or death, this is how "the moment when the life completes" comes from. We say, "This Lecture Hall is finally completed after three months of construction", can we say, "This Lecture Hall is finally died after three months of construction"?

《阿弥陀经》还讲:即以食时,还到本国。以吃饭打比喻,我吃甜食是甜嘴巴;吃辣是辣嘴巴;吃咸是咸嘴巴;吃臭豆腐是臭嘴巴。比喻这个心懂得了阿弥陀佛,我就是阿弥陀佛, 这叫「还到本国」。

Amitabha Sutra also says: At mealtime they return to their original country. Having meal here is a metaphor: my mouth turns sweet when I eat sweets; turns spicy when I eat spicy food; turns salty when I eat salty food; turns stinky when I eat stinky Tofu, which means I am Amitabha when I understand what Amitabha means, this is called "returning to the original country."

从「阿弥陀佛」修证功德来看,「阿弥陀佛」即表圆满佛果、如来全身。「阿」即如来法身,「弥」即如来报身,「陀」即如来化身。「佛」表如来觉身。「阿」为无形无相之真心,本具一切万法的性具功德;「弥」即妄想识心,智慧妙用;「陀」为十方三世森罗万象。「陀」为「弥」所变,为「阿」所现,即所谓万法唯心所现,唯识所变。「阿弥陀」为「佛」所见。

To see from the perspective of merits of Amitabha's cultivation and certification, Amitabha means the perfect fruition of Buddhahood, the whole body of Tathagata. Within which "A" represents the dharma body of Tathagata, "mi" is the reward body of Tathagata, "ta" is the manifested body of Tathagata. "bha (Buddha)" represents the enlightened body of Tathagata.

"A" is the formless true mind, which originally possesses the merits of all things of its nature. "mi" is the false conscious mind, the wonderful use of wisdom. "ta" is everything, everywhere throughout the time. "ta" is the transformation of "mi" and the manifestation of "A". That is, the so-called all things are manifested by the mind and transformed by consciousness. "Amita" is seen by "Buddha (bha)".

《阿弥陀经》从古至今被说为「法华秘髓」,最难懂。你有没有尝到「法华秘髓」的法味啊?

《法华经》全称《大乘妙法莲华经》,这是「法喻立题」。妙法是「法」,莲华是「喻」,乃释迦如来金口亲自命名。《法华经·譬喻品第三》文云:是大乘经,名妙法莲华,教菩萨法,佛所护念。这个妙法为什么用莲华来作比喻呢?

Since ancient time, Amitabha Sutra was commented as "the secret essence of the Lotus Sutra", the most difficult one to comprehend. Have you gotten the taste of "secret essence of the Lotus Sutra"?

The full name of the Lotus Sutra is the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the title of which is set up in a figurative way of dharma. Wonderful dharma is a "dharma", lotus flower is a "figure of speech", which was named by Sakyamuni himself. The Lotus Sutra·Chapter 3·A Parable says: Speak this Great Vehicle Sutra by the name of The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower, a Dharma for instructing Bodhisattvas of whom the Buddhas are protective and mindful. Why this wonderful dharma was metaphorized as the lotus flower?

世间植物,有的是先开花后结籽,比如桃花、杏花;有的是先结果后开花再长果,比如南瓜、冬瓜;有的是一花一果,比如柿子;有的光开花不结果,有的不开花光结果。可是莲华不一样,它同时多花多籽,而且当下开花当下结籽,所以叫花开莲现。开多花结一个果的,那是表小乘人修无量的苦行成就一个小果位;只开花不结果的,那是指修无益的外道苦行等等。唯有莲华,即花即果,这表圆顿大法一步登天,不历修证。同时,莲华出淤泥而不染,这是比喻大乘佛法入世修行,在烦恼证菩提。

Among plants on the earth, some bloom first and then bear fruits, like peach blossoms and apricot blossoms. Some bear fruits first and then bloom and grow fruits, like pumpkins, winter melons. For some, one flower bears only one fruit, like persimmons. Some only bloom and bear no fruit, while some others only bear fruits without blooming. But lotus flower is different: it grows lots of flowers and seeds at the same time, moreover, seeds are formed the moment the lotus flower is blooming, thus the so-called flower blooms while the lotus appears. One fruit from many flowers represents Hinayana practitioners who have attained a small fruition by numerous ascetic practices. Blossoms only with no fruit indicates those unhelpful ascetic practices of other external cultivators and so forth. Only lotus, fruiting while flowering, which represents the perfect and sudden Mahayana Buddhism that can be attained by one step without experiencing the cause of the cultivation and certification. Meanwhile, the lotus growselegantlyoutofthemuddywaters, unaffectedanduntouchedbydirtand impurities, a symbol of the fact that Mahayana Buddhism can be cultivated in everyday life, and Bodhi can be gained in afflictions.

《法华经》少说有几十处在讲,修行人听佛讲了一段经,明白了不生不灭的道理,明白了「万法都是我一念所现」的道理,没有离开讲经堂,没有离开板凳,当下成就——成阿罗汉、辟支佛、十地菩萨、等觉菩萨都有。佛反反复复把这个标准答案教给我们。

It is mentioned dozens of times at least in the Lotus Sutra that a practitioner, right after listening to a paragraph from the Buddha, understands the truth of no birth no death and "All things are the manifestations in one thought of mine." without leaving the lecture hall, or your seat—a sudden enlightenment in the moment—of becoming an Arhat, a Pratyekabuddha, or a Bodhisattva of the Tenth Grounds and even a Bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment. Buddha repeatedly conveys this standard answer to us.

《妙法莲华经·法师品第十》讲,佛告药王:又如来灭度之后,若有人闻妙法华经乃至一偈一句,一念随喜者,我亦与授阿耨多罗三藐三菩提记。读一句《法华经》,长则十个字,短则四个字,什么是「一念随喜」呀?懂得天地万法都是一个人一个念随缘变现而已,也就是懂得了「一心三藏」的道理,蒙佛授记。小则菩萨位,大则圆满佛。菩萨位属于「分真即佛」,注意,也叫「分证即佛」,部分地证到了佛的境界,如果佛是100分,那么分真即佛就是从60分到99.9999……分,都算。

The Lotus Sutra·Chapter 10·Masters of the Dharma says, The Buddha told the Medicine King: Furthermore, after the extinction of Thus Come, should there be one who hears but a single verse or a single sentence of The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra and feel the rejoice in one thought, I bestow upon him as well a prediction of anuttarasamyaksambodhi. One sentence of the Lotus Sutra can be as long as a dozen words or as short as four words. What is the "rejoice in one thought"? Having understood that all things throughout the universe are just the manifestations of one person's one thought in accordance with causal conditions, in other words, the truth of "Three Treasuries of One Mind", one will receive a prophecy of Buddhahood by the Buddha. The lowest fruition he gets will be the stage of Bodhisattva, the highest Perfect Supreme Buddha. Bodhisattva at this stage is called "the Buddha yet to achieve perfection", note that, it is also called "Bodhisattva stages of those progressing towards Buddhahood", according to the level of his enlightenment, he had partially experienced Buddha's wisdom. If perfect Buddha means 100 scores, then all the other enlightened Buddhas scoring from 60 to 99.9999 count in this range.

《法华经·分别功德品第十七》讲,阿逸多,若善男子善女人闻我说寿命长远,深心信解,则为见佛常在耆阇崛山,共大菩萨、诸声闻众,围绕说法。懂得了《法华经》的道理,就是见佛。并不是说,你上五台山,看到天上一朵云彩显出阿弥陀佛的像,回来一把鼻涕一把泪,「师父,我看到佛了……」那不一定是佛,可能还是鬼!当你明白了如来藏的道理,那是不是佛啊?那还真是佛呢!明白了如来藏的道理,就是天上出现一堆臭狗屎,是不是佛啊?都是佛!明白如来藏的道理,是佛也是佛,不是佛也是佛;不明白如来藏的道理,是佛也不是佛,不是佛也不是佛。大家明白了吗?

The Lotus Sutra·Chapter 17·Discrimination of Merit and Virtue says, Ajita, if a good man or good woman hears of the long duration of the Buddha's life span and, with deep mind, believes and understands, he or she will then see the Buddha ever-present on Mount Grdhrakuta together with the great Bodhisattvas and the assembly of Hearers surrounding him as he speaks the Dharma. Having understood the truth of the Lotus Sutra is to meet Buddha. It doesn't mean that after paying a visit to Wutai Mountain, where you witness a cloud in the sky changes into an image of Amitabha, you come back with a handful of tears and snot: "Master, I finally saw Buddha..." It might not be a Buddha, it can be a ghost! But when you know the truth of the Tathagata's Treasury, isn't that Buddha as well? That's indeed the Buddha! Once you understand the truth of the Tathagata's Treasury even a pile of dog dung floating high in the sky, isn't that Buddha, too? Everything is Buddha! When you understand the truth of the Tathagata's Treasury, the Buddha is Buddha, nothing is not Buddha, if you don't understand the Tathagata's Treasury, even the Buddha is not Buddha, nothing is Buddha, isn't it clear?

再看《法华经·普贤菩萨劝发品第二十八》讲,普贤,若有受持读诵,正忆念,修习书写是法华经者,当知是人,则见释迦牟尼佛,如从佛口,闻此经典;当知是人,供养释迦牟尼佛;当知是人,佛赞善哉;当知是人,为释迦牟尼佛手摩其头;当知是人,为释迦牟尼佛衣之所覆。还是强调,读懂了《法华经》的人,就是见到了释迦牟尼佛!不管你是自己读懂也好,或者听任何人讲的,哪怕是听鬼讲的,你只要听懂了,就等同「从佛口闻此经典」,是不是就像佛亲口跟你讲经一样?当知是人,就是供养释迦牟尼佛,佛给他摩顶,用衣服把他包起来,当成宝一样。所以,一「闻」就供养诸佛了,看你懂不懂。

Let's look at the Lotus Sutra·Chapter 28·The Encouragement Of The Bodhisattva Universal Worthy says, Universal Worthy, if a person can receive and uphold, read, recite, properly recollect, cultivate, and write out the Dharma Flower Sutra, you should know that this person thereby sees Shakyamuni Buddha. It is as if he had heard this sutra from the Buddha's mouth. You should know that this person has made offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha. You should know that the Buddha has praised this person, saying, 'Good Indeed'! You should know that this person's head has been rubbed by Shakyamuni Buddha's hand, and that he has been covered by Shakyamuni Buddha's robe. These quotes emphasize again anyone who have understood the Lotus Sutra is to meet Shakyamuni Buddha! Whether you get it by reading or by hearing from anyone, even from a ghost, as long as you understand it, it is equal to "hearing this sutra from the Buddha's mouth". Isn't it just like Buddha imparting the dharma to you by himself? You should know that this person has made offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha, who sees him as a treasure by rubbing his head and wrapping him up with Buddha's rope. That's why you've made offerings to all Buddhas once you "heard" the Lotus Sutra, see if you understand or not.

大家还知道,八岁的龙女她不是成分真即佛,是成圆满佛。在《法华经·提婆达多品第十二》讲到,她就听文殊菩萨传了一遍《法华经》,当下证圆满佛。那海里的其他虾兵蟹将、龙子龙孙也成了无量的大菩萨,跟着文殊菩萨到法华盛会,是不是?

As we all know, the eight-year-old daughter of Dragon King became the perfect Supreme Buddha instead of the enlightened Bodhisattva. The Lotus Sutra·Chapter 12·Devadatta tells us that having heard the Lotus Sutra from Bodhisattva Manjusri for only once, and instantly, she became the Perfect Supreme Buddha. Other shrimp soldiers, crab generals, sons and grandsons of Dragon king in the ocean also became immeasurable great Bodhisattvas, then they followed Manjusri to attend the distinguished gathering of the Dharma Flower Assembly, right?

再看《楞严经》讲:决定成佛,譬如以尘扬于顺风,有何艰险;何藉劬劳,肯綮修证。「藉」是凭借,依靠。「劬劳」是非常劳苦。「肯綮」出庄子《养生篇》。骨间肉曰肯,筋肉结处曰綮。肯綮修证,即劳筋苦骨,勤勇修行之义。也就是说,我们要究竟成佛易如反掌啊!像大风吹小小的灰尘啊!哪里靠你去认真修?哪里靠你去刻苦修?你把两个耳朵带来就行了,只要听懂「一心三藏」,就成「分真即佛」!《法华经》《楞严经》就是讲一步登天!不立阶梯!无修无证!诸佛菩萨都是这样讲!佛当年肉身在世就是这样成就众生,不用离开讲经堂,当下成就!我们讲经十多年来,也是如此。

Let's continue. The Shurangama Sutra says: To be a Buddha should be as easy as tossing dust into a favorable wind, is there any danger that you will meet with difficulty? What need is there to work yourself to the bone in pursuit of awakening? 籍(Ji) means to rely on or depend on. 劬(Qu )劳(Lao) means hard work. 肯(Ken)綮(Qing) is from Zhuangzi·Nourishing the lord of life. 肯(Ken)is the meat between bones. 綮(Qing)is muscle joints.肯綮修证means working extremely hard and practicing undauntedly. In other words, to attain Buddhahood is as easy as a piece of cake! Just like strong wind blowing away tiny dust! Who says it relies on your serious practice or painstaking effort? Just come with your ears, as long as you understand the truth of Three Treasuries of One Mind, you will definitely be an enlightened Bodhisattva! What the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama Sutra talk are mainly about one step to Heaven! No ladder is needed! No cultivation or certification! The same teaching delivered by every Buddha and Bodhisattva. When the Buddha manifested as a human body in this world, he helped all beings to achieve enlightenment this way, without leaving lecture hall, your achievement is at present! The same thing in our dharma teaching of over ten years.

在《楞严经》最后一页:诸佛如来,语无虚妄。若复有人身具四重十波罗夷,瞬息即经此方他方阿鼻地狱,乃至穷尽十方无间,靡不经历。能以一念,将此法门,于末劫中开示未学,是人罪障应念销灭,变其所受地狱苦因,成安乐国。

The Shurangama Sutra states in the last page: All Buddha, Tathagatas, speak words which are not false. There might be another person who had personally committed the four major offenses and the ten parajikas so that, in an instant he would have to pass through the Avichi Hells in this world and other worlds, until he had passed through all the Relentless Hells of all over the places without exception. And yet if he could explain this Dharma-gate of one thought to those in the Dharma-ending Age who have not studied it, his obstacles from offenses would be eradicated by response to the thought, and all the Hells where he was to undergo suffering would become lands of peace and bliss.

这是一段千古奇文。有些人说,《法华经》《楞严经》是大菩萨所持的法门呐!那我们看看这是什么人啊?犯四重、十波罗夷之罪的人啊,他是大根机的人吗?十波罗夷罪是杀佛、杀菩萨、杀罗汉,更不用说杀猪宰羊,无恶不作,十方三世还有谁比这个人再坏呀!一天都没有修,什么根机都没有,不仅最坏,而且只剩下一口气就要下地狱了,瞬息即经此方他方阿鼻地狱:不仅是要下此方地狱还要下他方地狱,因为他太坏了。乃至穷尽十方无间,靡不经历:十方佛土所有的无间地狱,没有一个他不经历的,因为他太坏了。这样的人「能以一念将此法门」——在快要断气的时候,他突然懂得了楞严大定,是不是?这一段经文呢,比较模糊,我们可以大概说明。他不仅懂了这个道理,而且发心能传给末世的修行人。这时呢,是人罪障,应念销灭:他明白这个道理了,所有的罪过当下一笔勾销——有没有讲明白这个道理以后,还到佛前去拜了三拜,念了三遍,有没有啊?没有啊!一句都没有。变其所受,地狱苦因,成安乐国:马上就下地狱了,却又转眼间到佛土了。

This is the most wondrous declaration through the ages. Someone says: "Well, the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama Sutra are the Dharma-gate for the great Bodhisattva!" But what about this guy mentioned above? He committed the crime of four major offenses and the ten parajikas, does he have sharp faculties? The crime of the ten parajikas are killing Buddha, killing Bodhisattva, killing Arhat, not to mention killing pigs and slaughtering sheep. He had done all these evil things. Is there anyone worse than this guy throughout universe at all time?! He didn't cultivate dharma for one single day, and had no basic practices of Buddhism, he was such a bad guy that he only had one last breath and was ready to go to hell, in an instant he would have to pass through the Avichi Hells in this world and other world: He would go to not only the hell of this world, but also the hell of the other worlds because he was too bad.

Until he had passed through all the Relentless Hells of all over the places without exception: For all the infernal hells of all Dharma Realms, there's no hell he didn't have to go through because he was too bad. For such a guy, if he could explain this Dharma-gate of one thought—when he was about to die, he suddenly understood the Great Shurangama Samadhi, didn't he? This paragraph of scripture is relatively ambiguous, let's explain briefly that he had not only understood this truth, but resolved to share it to the anagarikas in the Dharma-ending Age.

At that time, his obstacles from offenses would be eradicated by the response to the thought: The moment he understood the truth, all his faults were written off in the moment—does the scripture say, after he understood this truth, he then worshiped and chanted in front of Buddha for three times? Did he? No, he didn't! Not even one word. All the Hells where he was to undergo suffering would become lands of peace and bliss: He was so close to the hell, yet arrived in Pure Land in a blink of his eyes.

那一千二百五十阿罗汉中,憍陈如五比丘听佛讲了四圣谛,当下得「法眼净」。然后发心出家,从此世间才有了佛法僧三宝。舍利弗、目犍连,一见佛的面,几句话就证四果了,他们三皈依了没有?受五戒了没有?没有啊。

Among those one thousand two hundred and fifty Arhats, the five monks led by Kondanna gained the "pure dharma eyes" right after they heard Buddha's teaching of the Four Noble Truths. Hence they resolved to become monks, since then, there have been the Triratna of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in this world. Sariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana who had just met Buddha, attained the fourth stage of Arhatship after they heard a few words from Buddha. Did they take Ti-sarana and receive Five Precepts? No, they didn't.

不管是大法、小法,你要会用心,明白道理当下了生死。而大法永远殊胜,因为它是无漏的。这个法这么简单,佛讲方便易成就,可是我们就是不敢相信,甚至来误解、攻击、诽谤,是不是很可惜呀?我从来没有给任何人授记,我只是把佛的金口玉言告诉大家,来自己印证自己。《法华经·方便品第二》最后一句:自知当作佛。你们自己应该知道自己成佛了没有,是不是?后面,舍利弗等五六批弟子向佛表白了一段话,自己先给自己授记,佛给他们印证,并进而授圆满佛果之记,是不是?是舍利弗他们自己先明白了,证到了。如果舍利弗他们没有明白的话,佛会给他授记吗?换句话说,不管有没有授记,只要你明白这个道理,你都成就了,是不是?

Whether it's Mahayana or Hinayana, making good use of your heart to comprehend, you will put an end to birth and death the moment you understand the truth. And one vehicle is forever remarkable and outstanding, because it is no-outflows. This dharma is so simple that Buddha said it is convenient and easy to achieve, but many of us dare not to believe, and even misunderstand, attack and slander it, isn't it a great pity? I have never given prediction of enlightenment for anyone, I just tell you the precious words of Buddha, you can certify it by yourself.

The last words of the Lotus Sutra·Chapter 2·Expedient Devices:You know you will reach Buddhahood. You should know by yourself whether you have achieved Buddhahood, right? Later on, five or six groups of disciples such as Sariputra declared their enlightenment in the conversation with the Buddha, they predicted Buddhahood on their own first, Buddha then approved and gave them predictions of the fruition of Perfect Supreme Buddha, didn't he? It is Sariputra and other disciples who had realized the truth and obtained it first; if they hadn't understood, would the Buddha have given them predictions? In other words, regardless the prediction, you will be able to achieve Buddhahood as long as you understand the truth, won't you?

注:《楞严经》云,一切众生,从无始来,不知常住真心,性净明体,用诸妄想,此想不真,故有轮转。圆瑛大师讲:如来以舍识用根,为修楞严要旨,所以三番破识,全破其妄;十番显见,极显其真;二决定义,一决定以因同果,不可以生灭识心,为因地心;二决定从根解结,必宜取真常根性,入涅槃门。此皆如来金口所宣,学者未可抗违。又:不修首楞严大定,无漏之静虑,即无有出世间,真正之智慧。

Annotation: The Shurangama Sutra says: Since time without beginning, all beings have been undergoing death and rebirth over and over simply because they have not been aware of the pure understanding which is the essential nature of the everlasting true mind. Instead, they engage in false thinking, their thoughts are not true, so they are bound to the cycle of birth and death.

Master Yuan Ying said: The Tathagata reveals that the core of cultivating Shurangama is "to use the seeing nature instead of the conscious mind". Therefore, he points out and destroys the conscious mind three times to disclose its total falseness; he demonstrates the seeing nature ten times to expose the true nature tremendously. He explains the two decisive doctrines, one is to make Buddha's enlightenment on the ground of fruition as the resolve on the cause-ground, the false mind that is subject to arising and ceasing cannot be used as the resolve on the cause-ground; the other is to untie the knot from the roots and choose the everlasting true nature to enter the gate of Nirvana. These are all precious words of the Tathagata, the followers should not defy it.

PS: If the practitioners don't cultivate the Great Shurangama Samadhi,which is the non-outflow contemplation, they will never gain true wisdom of the transcendence.

成佛不从修得,为什么不从修得?众生本来是佛。一面镜子上盖满了灰尘,看不到光亮,用毛巾把它擦干净了以后是一面明镜。没有擦之前,它是不是明镜啊?镜子的亮性是不是本来具足啊?虽然成佛不从修得,但不修也不得。不听经不明理,不能得解脱受用。如同镜子要不擦的话,它发挥不了作用。同时,明理成分真即佛以后,还要悟后进修无量法门,才能成大圆满佛。

Buddhahood cannot be attained from cultivation, why? All beings are Buddha by nature. Just like a mirror is not able to reflect any light when fully covered by dust. However it will be a clear mirror after you wipe it with a towel. Is it a clear mirror before wiping? The mirror's feature of brightness is originally complete in itself, isn't it? Buddhahood cannot be attained from cultivation, nor without cultivation. Listening to no sutra and understanding no truth, you'll have no chance to get liberated or use fully the wonderful nature of yours. Just like the mirror won't shine by itself without wiping. Meanwhile, after you become an enlightened Bodhisattva by understanding the truth, you still need to cultivate numerous Dharma-gates to be the Perfect Supreme Buddha.

禅宗有一句话头,「二人同饮一杯水」。你想一想看,二人能同饮吗?你讲两只鸟、两只鸡同饮一杯水,可以说得过去啊,人不可以,是不是?所以这个「二人」,是什么「二人」呢?一个是坐在这里听课的假人,一个是第七识。第七识是前面六种意识心智慧的九倍,他从来不睡觉,也没有死亡的时候。不管你懂不懂,他都已经听懂了。我经常讲,你们听不懂是假的,听得懂是真的。

A saying goes in Dhyana, "Two people drink a glass of water at the same time." Think about it, can two people drink a glass of water at the same moment? It's okay if you say two birds or two chickens simultaneously drink a glass of water. It is impossible for human beings, isn't it? Who on earth are these "two people"? One is the puppet who sits here listening, the other is the seventh consciousness. The wisdom of the seventh consciousness is nine times wiser than that of the front six consciousnesses, who neither sleeps nor dies. It doesn't matter if you understand or not, he understood anyway. As I often mentioned, it's not true to say that you don't understand, as a matter of fact, you know what I am saying.

想不想跟里面那个「真人」见见面啊?真想的话我给引见一下,不要一天到晚还不知道自己的真人是谁。有时候我们信口开河,讲出一句很妙的话,或者很糟糕的话,是不是?讲了糟糕的话以后,就想打嘴巴、咬舌头,为什么?会得罪人。注意,开始后悔想打嘴巴的那个心,就是前面的眼耳鼻舌身意这六种意识心。而信口开河的那个心就是我们的真心——第七识。

Do you want to meet the "true self" inside? I would like to introduce if you are really interested. Don't be like staying with your true self all day long without knowing who you are. Sometimes we brag and say something excellent or stupid, right? After saying something stupid, we just want to slap our face and bite our tongue, why? Those words may offend others. Please note that the mind which begins to feel regret and want to slap your own mouth is the front six consciousnesses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. The one who boasts without thinking is our true mind—the seventh consciousness.

再比如,我们不慎摔一个大跟头,前方有大石头,请问你这个时候会不会在那里打官腔:「摔个大跟头,前面有个大石头,手不抱头,头破血流,两只手干什么,还不赶快抱一抱……」然后两只手把头抱起来,会不会这样啊?根本不会,当下就抱,是不是?这就是真人在指挥,也就是「潜意识」或者叫作「下意识」。

Let's take another example. Sometimes when we accidentally stumble and fall owing to a big rock in front of us, let me ask you, would you talk like a bureaucrat at that moment :"I stumbled and there is a huge rock ahead, if I don't protect my head with my hands, my head will break and bleed. What am I doing with my hands, why not hurry up and hold the head"—at last, your hands hold your head. Would it be like this? Absolutely not, you would hold your head in the moment, right? This is the order made by our "true self", namely, "subconsciousness" or "unconscious mind".

在「中阴身」期内,肉团身这个无明壳销毁,六种意识心已经不复存在,此时当家做主的非第 七识不可,明白吗?生前听经闻法证得的功德当下现前。其实何须到中阴身期间,他现在就已经成就,这叫瞒天过海。瞒六种意识心之天,过生死之海到佛土,这叫「俱崇密化之迹」(出自道宣律师《妙法莲华经·弘传序》),它已经秘密地把我们的这个心化为佛土,化为菩萨,所以这个法最妙。当年现场听佛传法的众生,他们也不知道自己当下成为法身菩萨。佛直接就宣布,有多少众生证得什么果位。

During our bardo state, our physical body—this shell of ignorance, is destroyed, and the front six consciousnesses don't exist anymore. At that time the only host must be our seventh consciousness, get it? The merit and virtue that you accumulated from listening to dharma and learning sutras when you are alive will show up in the moment. In fact, why wait until bardo state, he (our seventh consciousness) has already achieved now, which is called "crossing the sea by a trick". By playing a trick on six consciousnesses, we cross the sea of birth and death and reach the Buddha Land, the so-called "The secret trace leading to the other shore." (quoted from the Lotus Sutra·Preface for Propagation by Precept Master Dao Xuan), it has secretly transformed our minds into the Buddha Land and Bodhisattva, so this dharma is the most wonderful one. During the Buddha's time, the beings who attended the assembly and heard Buddha's teaching didn't know they attained Bodhisattva's dharma body in the moment, but the Buddha directly announced how many people and which stage of fruition they have certified.

注:中阴身:自亡者断气,第八意识脱离躯壳,至转世投胎前的这个过程称之为「中阴身」。所谓「前阴已谢,后阴未至,中阴现前。」前阴已谢指这一生寿命已经结束。后阴未至是说还没有再次投胎。就一般而言,人死后皆有中阴身。然大善大恶者则无。你生前积极行善,认真修行,乃至明心见性,断气后不经历中阴阶段,当下往生极乐。升天及下地狱者,亦然。

Annotation: Bardo: The period from the moment the deceased takes his final breath and the eighth consciousness leaves the physical body up to the next rebirth, is called "bardo". This is so-called "previous life withered, rebirth is yet to come and bardo shows up." "Previous life withered" means this life is over, "Rebirth yet to come" means the state before rebirth occurs. Generally speaking, people all have bardo after death except people of great kindness or great evil. If you have done a lot of good deeds and cultivated diligently, or even achieved enlightenment, you will skip the state of bardo, and will be born in Pure Land in the moment. The same is true for those who will go to the heaven or fall to the hell.

我们听经闻法,不历修证,当下成就「分真即佛」,只能保证不落六道轮回,最多可能成地上菩萨、等觉菩萨。像龙女那样当下成圆满佛,毕竟是极其个别。所以明白道理以后,还要广修六度万行。好,经过这样开示,以上18位同修,认为自己现在成就的请举手(举手者10位)。

By means of listening to sutras and dharma teachings, we will achieve the "enlightened Bodhisattva" in the moment without experiencing cultivation, which guarantees that you will never fall into six realms of samsara, or become Bodhisattva of beyond grounds or Bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment at best. To become Perfect Supreme Buddha in the moment like the Dragon King's daughter is an extremely rare exception. Hence after we know the truth, we still need to widely cultivate the six Paramitas and the Myriad Practices. Okay, after this instruction and explanation, for the previous 18 fellows, please raise your hand if you think you have achieved now. (10 hand raisers)

好,法会到此圆满。

Great, that is the end of a complete Buddhadhama assembly.

佛历二五五四年 扬州文峰寺

Buddhist calendar, year 2554

Wenfeng Temple, Yangzhou

印广法师

(By: Master Yin Guang)