|
聲聞眾僧，不論女男；
四諦觀行，隱實示權。
「聲聞眾僧」：聲聞，有初果、二果、三果、四果的聲聞。這裡面又分出：初果向（還沒有正式證得初果）、初果、二果向、二果、三果向、三果、四果向、四果。這個「向」，就是迴小向大。
聲聞的人，又叫阿羅漢，或叫羅漢，他能飛行變化，有神通。證果的人，不是隨隨便便就說：「誰證果了」，「我是阿羅漢了」，不可以的。因為，證果的聖人，走路鞋不沾地。你看他像在地上走，但是，他是在虛空裡頭，鞋不沾地，也不沾泥土，甚至於在濘泥裡走，他的鞋都很乾淨的。
初果要斷見惑；二果要斷欲界前六品思惑；三果要斷欲界後三品思惑；四果要斷塵沙惑。無明呢？他破了一點，但是沒有完全破盡。這無明破盡，就是成佛了。好比等覺菩薩，還有一分的生相無明沒有破，所以就不能成為佛。
「不論女男」：女人也可以證果，男人也可以證果，證果就是聲聞，就是阿羅漢。好像鳩摩羅什法師的母親，就是證三果的聖人。「四諦觀行」：觀行，就是觀察來修行。觀察修行什麼呢？四諦法：苦、集、滅、道。知苦、斷集、慕滅、修道。要修這四諦的法門。「隱實示權」：本來這些個聲聞，有的是大權教的菩薩，來示現權教的聲聞，所以這叫「隱實」，把實在的功德都隱起來了。「示權」，示，就是指示；權，就是權巧方便。這個大乘菩薩，他又現一個小乘的身，來接引小乘，然後迴小向大。
|
|
The Sound Hearer Sangha,
Both men and women,
Contemplate and practice the Four Holy Truths,
Concealing the real and displaying the provisional.
There are Sound Hearers of the first, second, third and fourth fruitions. These are further divided into the threshold of the first fruition (those who haven't officially realized the first fruition), first fruition, threshold of the second fruition, second fruition, threshold of the third fruition, third fruition, threshold of the fourth fruition, and fourth fruition. Those on the thresholds are approaching the fruitions, going from the small towards the great.
Sound Hearers, also called Arhats, can fly and transform themselves, and they possess spiritual penetrations. Certified sages don't casually say, "So and so has realized sagehood," or, "I am an Arhat." They cannot do that. When sages walk, their feet don't touch the ground. They seem to be touching the ground, but they're actually walking on air. Their shoes don't touch the ground or dirt. Even when they walk in mud, their shoes stay clean.
Sound Hearers of the first fruition must eradicate view delusions. Those of the second fruition must eradicate the first six grades of thought delusions in the desire realm. Those of the third fruition have to eradicate the last three grades of thought delusions, and those of the fourth fruition have to eradicate delusions as many as dust and sand. They've eradicated a little bit of ignorance, but not all of it. When they completely eradicate ignorance, they will become Buddhas. Even a Bodhisattva at the stage of equal enlightenment still has a bit of production-mark ignorance left and cannot become a Buddha yet.
Both men and women can realize the fruition and become Sound Hearers, Arhats. For example, Dharma Master Kumarajiva's mother was a sage of the third fruition. Contemplate and practice the Four Holy Truths. What is contemplated and cultivated? The Four Truths are: suffering, accumulation, cessation and the Way. One knows suffering, cuts off accumulation, yearns for cessation, and cultivates the Way. One must cultivate the Dharma-door of these Four Truths. Concealing the real and displaying the provisional. Some Sound Hearers are Bodhisattvas of the provisional teaching manifesting as Sound Hearers; this is called "concealing the real." They conceal their real merit and virtue. "Displaying the provisional" means instructing with skillful expedients. Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas appear as Small Vehicle adherents to guide those of the Small Vehicle, and then turn from the small and go towards the great.
|
