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亦無大海江河。及目真鄰陀山。摩訶目真鄰陀山。鐵圍山。大鐵圍山。須彌山等諸山王。通為一佛國土。寶地平正。寶交露幔。徧覆其上。懸諸幡蓋。燒大寶香。諸天寶華。徧布其地。
「亦無大海」，所變的世界把海也變沒有了，江、河都沒有了。「及目真鄰陀山」，什麼叫目真鄰陀山呢？這目真鄰陀山是梵語，翻譯過來的意思就是石頭山，這山上很多的大石頭，很多的石頭，目真鄰陀山，就叫石山。「摩訶目真鄰陀山」，摩訶就是大，大石山。單單的目真鄰陀山就是小石山，石頭或者有些沒有那麼大；摩訶目真鄰陀山就是大石山，這石頭特別大，甚至於整個一個山就是一塊大石頭，山上什麼也不生，草木都不生。「鐵圍山」，這鐵圍山在須彌山的外邊。「大鐵圍山」，大鐵圍山就是近須彌山。須彌山也是梵語，翻譯過來叫妙高。四王天是在須彌山的山半腰，只有一半這麼高。「諸山王」，須彌山是諸山之王。但是釋迦牟尼佛把這世界變得都沒有了，這一些個山都變成平地了。「通為一佛國土」，統統都變成釋迦牟尼佛所敎化的國土了。「寶地平正」，地都是琉璃為地，非常地平正的。「寶交露幔」，在陸地上就用幔帳遮起來。「徧覆其上」，這寶幔在陸地覆著寶幔。「懸諸幡蓋」，懸著掛上一切的幡、一切的寶蓋。「燒大寶香」，又燒最名貴的香。「諸天寶華，徧佈其地」，所有一切的諸天，寶華就是曼陀羅華，適意花遍布其上，「徧布其地」，在地下都布滿了這種的華。每一位佛都結上跏趺坐，坐到師子座上，來等著見多寶如來的全身。
昨天晚間稍微講一講結跏趺坐的功德。修道的人只要能坐這跏趺坐，就能生出你的戒力，生出你的定力，生出你的慧力。你能結跏趺坐而坐，所有的金剛護法，都來保護著你；所有的魔王，他都要遠避；所有的一切餓鬼，他就要向你叩頭。以前我曾經講過一個公案，我想有很多人沒有聽過這個公案，現在給大家講一講。
在中國，死人或者有什麼事情，就要請和尚去念經，這叫趕經懺，經懺僧。就有一個以給人念經來維持自己的生活，這麼一個法師。有一次，他就去給人念經，多數是晚間念經，他念完了經回來，大約晚間十二點鐘的樣子，經過一個村莊，這村莊就養了狗，狗就咬他，晚間狗咬他，狗吠，這家庭裡就夫婦兩人，那個太太就說：「你看一看，是什麼，是不是有賊來要偷東西？」於是乎她的丈夫就在窗戶向外一看，說：「嘿！誰？那個趕經懺的鬼！經懺鬼！」這個念經的法師：「啊！他們怎麼叫我經懺鬼呢？」本來他是念經的一個法師，他們叫他趕經懺的鬼。於是乎就往前走，想回自己的廟，走，天就下起雨來了，正遇著有一個橋，他就走到這橋底下來避雨，就在那打坐。
一開始他就結上雙跏趺坐那麼坐著，這一結雙跏趺坐，從水邊上就來了兩個鬼，鬼的樣子很難看、很醜陋。人看見鬼就生一種恐懼心，但是他因為在打坐，看見兩個鬼來了，他也就不害怕，因為他常超度鬼，常常心裡頭都有這麼個鬼，於是乎他見到鬼了，真見到鬼他也不怕，還在那兒打坐。
待續
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There were no oceans, rivers or streams and no Mucilinda or Mahamucilinda Mountains, no Iron Ring or Great Iron Ring Mountains, and no Mount Sumerus or any other kings of mountains. All became one Buddhaland. The jeweled earth was level and flat, covered entirely with gem-studded canopies and hung with banners. Precious incense was burned and heavenly precious flowers covered the ground.
There were no oceans, rivers, or streams, and no Mucilinda or Mahamucilinda Mountains. These lands had been transformed so that the oceans, rivers, and streams were all gone. What are Mucilinda Mountains? "Mucilinda" is a Sanskrit word which is interpreted as meaning "rock mountain." There are lots of rocks and boulders on these mountains, which is why they have that name. "Maha" means "large," so Mahamucilinda Mountains are large rock mountains. Mucilinda Mountains are small rock mountains. Perhaps some of the rocks on those mountains are not quite so large. But the rocks on the Mahamucilinda Mountains are especially large, so they are called large rock mountains. In fact, the whole mountain might just be one large rock. Nothing grows on these bare rock mountains, not even grass. There are
no Iron Ring or Great Iron Ring Mountains. The Iron Ring Mountains are outside of Mount Sumeru. The Great Iron Ring Mountains are closer to, but still outside of,
Mount Sumeru. "Sumeru" is also Sanskrit and means "wonderfully high." The Four Heavenly Kings live halfway up Mount Sumeru.
Or any other kings of mountains. Mount Sumeru is considered the King of Mountains. However, the Buddha transformed these lands so that all the mountains disappeared and became level ground.
All became one Buddhaland. All of it turned into the land in which Shakyamuni Buddha teaches and transforms living beings.
The jeweled earth was level and flat. The ground was made of lapis lazuli and was very flat. It was
covered entirely with gem-studded canopies and hung with banners. All sorts of jeweled canopies and banners were used to shade the ground.
Precious incense was burned, the most expensive kind of incense.
And heavenly, precious flowers covered the ground. The ground was covered all kinds of precious heavenly flowers, especially with Mandarava flowers--"as-you-wish flowers." Each one of the transformation bodies of Shakyamuni Buddha sat in full lotus upon their lion throne, waiting to see entire body of the Thus Come One Many Jewels.
Last night I explained a little bit about sitting in full lotus and the merit and virtue it brings. If those who cultivate the Tao can sit in full lotus, they will be able to develop the power of precepts, the power of samadhi, and the power of wisdom. If you can sit in full lotus, all the Vajra Dharma Protectors will protect you, all the demon kings will stay away from you, and all the hungry ghosts will bow to you! There is a story which I have told before, but I think that a lot of people have not heard it yet, so now I will tell it to you again.
In China, when someone dies, and on certain other occasions, monks are requested to go and recite Sutras. Such monks are known as "Commercial Sutra-reciting monks." Once, there was a Dharma Master who made his living by reciting Sutras for people. His recitations were usually in the evening. One time, he finished reciting the Sutras and was heading home at about midnight. He passed through a small village, by a house, and a dog started barking wildly at him. There was a couple in the house, and the wife said, "Why don't you take a look and see if it's a prowler coming to steal things." Her husband looked out the window and said, "Oh, it's just the commercial Sutra-reciting ghost!" When the Dharma Master who recited Sutras heard that, he thought to himself, "I wonder why they call me a Sutra-reciting ghost?" Basically he was a Dharma Master who recited Sutras, and yet they called him a Sutra-reciting ghost. As the monk continued on his way, it started to rain. He happened to see a bridge, and hid under it to avoid the rain, sitting down in full lotus to meditate.
Just as he got into full-lotus position, two ghosts came up from the riverside. They were really hideous, too! Most people are scared when they see ghosts, but the monk was meditating and besides his business was to rescue ghosts, so he wasn't afraid. Since he was always thinking about ghosts anyway, when he met them face to face he felt no fear at all. Therefore, he continued to sit in meditation.
to be continued |
