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《上人法雨》

 

VENERABLE MASTER'S DHARMA RAIN

清心寡欲脫紅塵
With a Pure Mind and Few Desires,
Transcend the World

宣公上人一九九三年十一月六日開示於紐約上州羅徹斯特
A Dharma Talk by the Venerable Master Hua on November 6, 1993 in Rochester, New York
鄰虛塵     記錄     Transcribed by Lin Xuchen

(接上期)

魚在水裡躍,人在世上鬧;
不知為善德,虧心把孽造。
金銀堆成山,閉眼全都撂;
空手見閻君,悔心把淚掉。

這是說利人的事不肯做,盡做損人的事 。可是對於利己的事,就算把腦袋削尖了,他也要往裡頭鑽,這不是苦瓜,也是瓜苦!就沒想過這錢太多,就應該用來幫助他人。有些人做那麼一點,也是在那兒沽名釣譽,到處告訴人:我是冬捨棉衣,夏捨單衣,又給人食物……,想弄個好名,這不是真的。其實,天下衣服天下人穿,天下食物天下人吃,天下房子天下人住,就是看每個人都和自己一樣,那有多麼海闊天空!若能愛人如己,這不是很快樂嗎!「不知為善德」,善德是利益別人,利益自己就不是善德。培德是損己利人,虧德是損人利己。「金銀堆成山,閉眼全都撂,空手見閻君,悔心把淚掉」,那時候後悔也來不及了,地獄匾額寫的是「後悔遲了!」「眼前骨肉已非真」,一有感情就黏住了,就出不了三界。染污的路拼命走,清淨路總想不起來走一走,所以說富貴功名如浮雲,眼前骨肉已非真。又有脖鎖子、手捧子、腳鐐子,這三件東西把人綁得牢牢的。

莫把金枷套頸,休將玉鎖纏身;
清心寡欲脫紅塵,快樂風光本分。

我生來就直言直行,不會講人喜歡聽的話,所謂「忠言逆耳利於行,良藥苦口利於病。」「是道則進,非道則退,擇善而從,不善而改。」

(Continued from last issue)

Fish jump in the water; people make trouble in the world.
Not knowing to foster wholesome virtues,
With blind consciences they commit offenses.
Treasures are heaped as high as mountains,
But when they die, it's all gone.
Empty-handed, they go to see King Yama.
With hearts full of regret, their tears fall.

This is saying that people do nothing to benefit others, but only do things which harm others. If there's benefit for themselves, then they'll exhaust their brains to do it. If that's not being a bitter melon, then it's melon bitter! It never occurs to them that if they have too much money, they should use it to help others. Some people do a little charity, but they're just fishing for fame. They go around saying, "I donate padded clothing in winter and unlined garments in summer. I also donate food..." They just want a good reputation; they're not genuine. Actually, the clothes, food, and housing in the world should be worn, eaten, and lived in by the world's people. If we see everyone the way we see ourselves, then our lives would be as vast as the sea and sky! If we can love people as we love ourselves, is that not happiness? "Not knowing to foster wholesome virtues": Wholesome virtue benefits others. Unvirtuous deeds benefit oneself. Fostering virtue means denying oneself to benefit others. Losing virtue means injuring others to help oneself. "Treasures are heaped as high as mountains, but when they die, it's all gone. Empty-handed, they go to see King Yama. With hearts full of regret, their tears fall." It’s too late for regret. The sign on the gate to the hells says, "Too late for regret!" "The blood relations of the present are temporary." With emotion, one is stuck and can't leave the Triple Realm. One keeps taking the path of defilement, and never thinks to walk the path of purity. Thus it’s said, "Wealth and high position are a wisp of floating cloud. The blood relations of the present are temporary." People are also securely bound by cangues, handcuffs, and ankle fetters.

Don't put a golden collar around your neck, Or bind the body with shackles of jade. With a pure mind and few desires, transcend the world. The scenes of happiness are originally yours.

All my life, I've been direct in speech and action, and don’t know how to say things that people like to hear. The saying goes, "Honest words are hard on the ear, but beneficial to one’s practice. Good medicine is bitter to the taste, but effective in curing the illness." "If it’s the Way, then advance along it. If it’s not the Way, then retreat from it. Select what is good and follow it. Take what is bad and change it."

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