五年前，正是我被氣功迷得七葷八素的時候，有一天，靜立中的我，身子突然旋轉起來，越轉越快，在我眼裡，整個宇宙都在飛速旋轉。肢體似乎被外力操縱，大腦作用完全失去，心裡害怕極了。情急之下，大喊了聲「師父」，於是轟然倒地，像一架失控的飛機。
師父遠在邊疆，根本不可能現身相救，是自己意識瞬然甦醒。盡管如此，心裡仍是感謝師父，藉他之威，回復了我的鎮定。
足下輕飄飄、輕飄飄，身子軟綿綿、軟綿綿，腦袋卻暈暈忽忽，彷彿千萬細胞仍在興奮地迴旋。這可不妙！大後天我就要奉命出差，去黃山「教」一個日本旅遊團操練氣功。這模樣，別說去黃山，走在上海的馬路上，都有生命之虞。差錯是練氣功中出的，功卻是師父給的，就差不找師父找誰？只是師父遠在千里之外，一時半刻解決不了問題，急切中生出一個念頭：何不找師父的師父？
傳說師父原無任何功能，有一天見了釋迦牟尼佛玉雕照片，突然就有了某種特異功能，於是我自作聰明的認為佛陀是師父的師父。至於我後來怎樣認識這個問題，是個另外的話題，說起來將是另一篇文章，因此暫時略去。
那是我第一次到玉佛寺，在門口碰到一個胖乎乎的中年婦女，正精神旺盛地向別人傳授學佛經驗。我聽得有趣，習氣所染，不由自主地問她有些什麼功夫。
這位滿面含笑的婦女眼神忽地一斂，湊到我耳旁輕聲說：「我就是看出了什麼，也不會對你說，這不是我們信佛的根本。」隨即一本正經地問：「你念〈大悲咒〉嗎？」「什麼大北走？」我一時莫名其妙，以為是個沒聽說過的佛名。她不回答我，卻對那些聽眾說：「我有一個朋友在美國，今年二十八歲，三年來什麼也不吃，光靠喝大悲水，救治好了白血病……。」我聽得更是雲裡霧裡，這個大什麼北，到底是人還是藥？
走進玉佛寺，觸目皆佛像，內在的恭敬不自覺地溢出來，融進群體的恭敬氣氛中。輕飄飄的身子變得沉重，背靠著一根廊柱，我閉上了眼睛，我不會念什麼經文，只好輕輕叨念：佛、佛、佛……香味悠悠地飄來，念佛聲也悠悠地飄來，靜穆中一個蒼老的聲音說：「你在念什麼？」我睜開眼，一個眉鬚花白的僧人站在面前，慈眉善目地望著我。我動了個玩笑的念頭，正色說：「我在念經。」
「什麼經？！」咄咄逼人。「金剛經。」一慌亂，我又撒了第二個謊，臉立刻發起燒來。僧人搖了頭，問道：「為什麼不念〈大悲咒〉呢？」
我呆住了，今天是怎麼回事？這三個字總跟著我？我說：「師父，我說老實話，我從來沒讀過什麼經，也不懂您說的是什麼。」 他說：「你跟我走。」
這位師父將我帶進了僧房，拿出一本很厚的書，對我開講起來。我懵懵懂懂，似懂非懂，彷佛嬰兒初見世界。他突然轉了話題，說：「我知道，你現在身體發軟，頭很暈，你是第一次來吧？」
我一個機伶，彷彿一個饞人在不相關的話裡，突然聽見「糖果」的字眼。思緒頓時集中起來，接下來的，開始往心裡跑了。可是，他又不說了，從書裡拿出了一本小冊子，〈大悲咒〉他這樣說。「大悲咒？」我興奮起來，這個寶貝一定與我有緣，它再三再四地出現，定然利益我的身心。「你拿回去念吧，先念七遍。以後有空就念。」師父寬大的袖子輕輕一拂，我鞠躬而退，心中暗喜，倒挺像小說裡的幸運者撞上了奇緣。當晚，我念了七遍，頭一下不暈了，第二天起身，渾身輕快，頭腦清醒，心胸如同被水沖過的藍天。沒想到世上還有如此靈驗的寶貝。從此「大悲咒」三個字，刻進了我的心裡。
孫悟空的如意金箍棒，變長變短變粗變細，為的是護身降魔，而我念誦〈大悲咒〉，究竟為了什麼呢？倘若我不摔這一跤，〈大悲咒〉是否會出現在我的面前？世上摔跤者眾多，是否都會遭遇〈大悲咒〉？與〈大悲咒〉有緣者是否都會有痛疾？〈大悲咒〉出現在何時何地？為何而有呢？
在我習慣念了〈大悲咒〉時，〈大悲咒〉的神祕力退卻了；它的美麗，卻由著它動聽的音節顯露出來，它的每一個音節都像一片花瓣。我曾面對著一朵鮮花，感到不可思議；〈大悲咒〉像一朵巨大的天花，同樣地不可思議。
有一天，女兒告訴我蘇青文集中有一篇關於〈大悲咒〉的小說，我有些奇怪，但還是將這篇《胸前的祕密》找來讀了。小說寫一個男人因為妻的不貞，恨透了女人；怕女兒長大像母親，竟將女兒推下山去，自己又離家當了兵。軍隊敗退時，別人搶劫，他卻奸淫婦女，以此報復女人。在又一次暴行中，他良心發現，落荒而逃。不知不覺中，來到一座寺廟；莊嚴的佛像，使他感到罪惡的恐怖，於是要求出家。老和尚不答應，只教他念〈大悲咒〉消災遠禍。他後來喜歡上一個長得像他女兒的女孩子，臨死前送給這個女孩一個挂件，裡面是他念了十萬遍的〈大悲咒〉。
這是一個放下屠刀立地成佛的故事。蘇青展示了人生的絕望和希望，〈大悲咒〉象徵了安撫的力量。我想蘇青也是難以知曉〈大悲咒〉的，我們無法以自己的凡情，測度這種超越了思惟的聖言，但是有緣者都能受到一種感召，這感召是巨大的，我們只能用「大慈大悲」四字勉強概括。
說起大慈大悲，就想起觀世音菩薩，正是這觀世音菩薩為我們帶來的〈大悲咒〉，說起來還有一段美麗感人的故事呢！當年釋迦佛在世時，有一次準備給弟子們演說佛法，弟子之一的觀音在會眾中密放神通光明，剎時山河大動，金光遍佈。一位弟子合掌問佛；佛告訴大家，今天的大會中有一位菩薩，名觀世音自在，從無量劫來成就大慈大悲，善能修習無量陀羅尼門，剛才的神通就是他的作為。這時，觀世音起身，對佛說他有〈大悲心陀羅尼咒〉，能得壽命、得富饒、滅惡業、離障難，增長一切善法，遠離一切怖畏，滿足一切希求。佛對他說：此咒面世的時機已到，應該速說，以利眾生。於是，〈大悲咒〉就這樣公開了。
那麼觀世音又是從何處得到〈大悲咒〉的呢？原來在過去無量劫中，他聽聞了名為千光王靜住如來的教導，那位如來對他演說了〈大悲咒〉，並摩他頂，要他持此心咒，為未來惡世眾生作大利樂。當時，觀音修行僅在初地，一聞此咒，便超至八地境界。觀音心中歡喜，即發誓言：如果自己將來能利益眾生，現在就生出千手千眼；言畢，千手千眼具足，十方千佛都放光明以觸他身。他一下超無數億劫微細生死，所生之處，總在佛前，並且蓮華化生，不受胎藏之苦。多少劫來，他不怠慢，一直持誦此咒。他向會眾保證，除了對〈大悲咒〉起疑不信者，誦持〈大悲咒〉而墮三惡道、誦持〈大悲咒〉卻不生佛國、誦持〈大悲咒〉仍不消滅罪障，他誓不成正覺。
此咒全名為「廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼」。後世之人在誦持前，加上觀音名號，於是，此咒變為「千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼」，簡稱「大悲咒」。
我曾購得一盤〈大悲咒〉磁帶，是上海聲像出版社所出，語音圓潤連貫，一氣呵成，那音節如同清風拂面，卻又有強力將人定在靜中。後來我又在友人處聽到另一盤〈大悲咒〉，唱腔很足，音調低沉，如同空中滾雷，有一種感染人的掀動感。總之，不論何種唱誦法，都是好聽，因為它流自慈悲心中。
有一回，一位朋友說，只聽見〈大悲咒〉在啦啦啦的，真不知它究竟在說些什麼。當初也有人向觀音菩薩請教大悲咒的形狀相貌，觀音菩薩是這樣回答的：大慈大悲心是；平等心是；無為心是；無染著心是；空觀心是；恭敬心是；卑下心是；無雜亂心是；無見取心是；無上菩提心是。這些心即是陀羅尼相貌。
重新溫習這些話，又一次被智慧之雨滋潤。我們和觀世音菩薩相差多遠呢？無論多遠，有〈大悲咒〉作筏，我們都能漸漸接近美麗的彼岸。那位中老年婦女說的大悲水，本就在生活之中；當我們渴了的時候，我們知道找怎樣的水喝。在我們生下來的時候，我們就已經具備了趨向清泉，迴避濁流的本能。我們因此得遇〈大悲咒〉，是非常自然的事情呀！ |
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Five years ago when I was very much into Qigong, one day I was standing there when my body started to turn around. The turning was so fast I felt that the whole universe was spinning. My limbs seem to be controlled by external forces, and my brain didn't seem to be functioning normally. I was really scared. Out of desperation I screamed, "Teacher!" and felt like an airplane out of control.
My teacher was far away; there was no way he could come have rescued me. I recovered on my own. However, I am still grateful to him, for he did help me regain my calm.
My feet and body felt soft and mushy, and my brain was dizzy as if the cells were still spinning. This was not a good sign, for I needed to go to Huangshan two days form then to teach a Japanese tour group how to practice Qigong. In my situation, I could run into trouble even walking in Shanghai, not to mention travelling afar. The accident happened when I was practicing Qigong. I needed to find my teacher to help me out, but he was far away and could not help me. In that moment of desperation a thought came to my mind: "Why not get help from my teacher's teacher?"
Legend had it that my teacher gained his spiritual powers on the day he saw a jade image of Shakyamuni Buddha. I jumped to the conclusion that Shakyamuni Buddha was my teacher's teacher. How I came to this conclusion is a subject for a later discussion.
That was the first time I visited Jade Buddha Monastery. I met a chubby, middle-aged woman who was telling people about her experience in practicing Buddhism. Her talk caught my interest and I asked her if she had any gongfu (spiritual skills).
The smiling woman looked at me seriously and whispered in my ears: "Even if I had gongfu, I wouldn't let people know; it would go against the basic rules for practicing Buddhism." Then she asked me seriously, "Do you recite the Dabei Zhou (Great Compassion Mantra)?"
"Who is Dabei Zhou(Great Compassion Mantra)?" I was very confused, thinking that was the name of a Buddha I'd never heard of.
She didn't answer me but told the audience: "My good friend who lives in the United States is twenty-eight years old. For the past three years she has relied solely on Dabei water to cure herself of leukemia." I was even more confused, wondering whether she was talking about a person or a medicine.
Upon entering into Jade Buddha Monastery, I saw nothing but the Buddha statute,which, along with the whole environment, naturally inspired solemn sincerity. My body felt weak and heavy. I leaned against a pillar and closed my eyes. I didn't know how to recite any mantra or Sutra, so I just recited quietly, "Buddha, Buddha, Buddha..." I inhaled the fragrant air while listening to the sound of the Buddha's name. An old man asked in the silence, "What are you reciting?" When I opened my eyes, an old monk with white eyebrows and beard was standing before me and gazing at me kindly. I wanted to kid him, so I said, "I was reciting a Sutra."
"Which one?" He didn't let me off easily.
"The Vajra Sutra." This was my second lie, and my face was red.
The monk shook his head and asked, "Why don't you recite the Dabei Zhou?"
I was stunned, for it seemed these three characters were following me all the time. I said: "Master, I have to confess that I've never read any Sutra, and I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Follow me," he said.
He took me to his room, brought out a very thick book, and started to lecture. I didn't quite get what he said, and I felt like a baby exploring the world for the first time. Suddenly he changed the topic and said, "I know your body feels weak and your head is dizzy. Is this your first visit?"
I felt inspired, like someone who hears the word "candy" in an unrelated statement.
I immediately concentrated my mind, but he stopped talking, pulled out a booklet from the thick book, and said "Dabei Zhou."
"Dabei Zhou?" I was so excited and thought I must have an affinity with it, for it seemed to have borught definite benefit to my body and mind so many times
"Why don't you take it home and recite it seven times, and then recite whenever you have time." The monk dismissed me with a wave of his sleeve. I bowed to take my leave and felt very happy, like some lucky person who has just had an adventure. That evening I recited the mantra seven times, and my dizziness went away. When I rose the next morning, my body was smooth and my head was clear, and my whole chest felt like the blue sky washed with water. I never knew there existed such a jewel like this in the world. From then on, the Dabei Zhou was ingrained in my mind.
Monkey's magic rod can shrink and expand to protect itself and control the demons. Why was I reciting Great Compassion Mantra? Had I not fallen, would I have encountered it? Do all the many people who fall in this world get to encounter it? Would anyone who has affinities with this mantra suffer from sickness? When and where will the mantra appear, and why?
Once I memorized the mantra and its mystery disappeared, its beauty began to manifest in the sounds of recitation. Each rhythm is like a petal, and the entire flower is inconceivable. The Great Compassion Mantra is like a huge, inconceivable, heavenly flower.
One day my daughter told me there was a novel regarding the mantra in Su Ching's collection. I was surprised and found the article "The Secret of the Pendant." The story goes like this: A man hated all women because his own wife was unfaithful. Fearing that his daughter would be like his wife, he pushed her off a cliff, and then left home to join the military. When the army was retreating and other people were looting goods, he was raping women in vengeance. Later, regretting his behavior, he went into a monastery, where the sight of the solemn statues made him frightened of his own offenses. He requested to leave home, but the abbot did not permit it. The abbot taught him to recite the Great Compassion Mantra so that he would be safe from disasters. Later he fell in love with a girl who looked like his daughter. Before he died, he gave the girl a pendant containing the mantra, which he had recited ten thousand times.
This story shows that once you give up your butcher's knife, you can become enlightened. The author illustrated the desperation and hope of human life, and the mantra symbolized a soothing power. I doubt the author truly understood the mantra, but people with affinities are called, and the calling is so strong that it can only be described as "great kindness and compassion."
Speaking of great kindness and compassion reminds me of Guanyin Bodhisattva, who gave us the mantra with a beautiful story. Once when Buddha was ready to preach, his disciple Guanyin Bodhisattva, by his spiritual powers, emitted light which shone upon the mountains and rivers. When another disciple placed his palms together and asked the Buddha the cause for the light, the Buddha told everyone that the light was the work of a Bodhisattva in the assembly named One Who Contemplates Sounds at Ease, who accomplished great kindness and compassion countless ages ago, and who skillfully practiced infinite dharani doors. At that time, Guanyin Bodhisattva stood up and told the Buddha that he had attained the Great Compassion Dharani Mantra, which can prolong life, bestow wealth, diminish bad karma, dispel obstacles and fear, increase good dharmas, and fulfill all wishes. The Buddha replied that it was time to speak the mantra to benefit living beings. That's how we came to know of the mantra.
How did Guanyin Bodhisattva learn of the mantra? Limitless eons ago, he heard the teachings and received the mantra from Thousand Lights King Peacefully Dwelling Thus Come One. That Buddha anointed his head and asked him to uphold the mantra to benefit living beings in the world. Guanyin Bodhisattva, who was at the First Ground, immediately attained to the Eighth Ground upon hearing the mantra. Guanyin Bodhisattva was joyful, and vowed that if he could benefit living beings in the future, he would attain a thousand hands and a thousand eyes. Immediately after making that vow, he gained a thousand hands and eyes, and thousands of Buddhas in the ten directions shone their light upon him. He transcended limitless eons of birth and death, and was always born at the time of a Buddha. He was born from a lotus, and had no suffering. For countless eons, he has been upholding the mantra without cease. And he has vowed that he will not attain enlightenment if anyone who believes in and recites the mantra falls into the three evil paths instead of going to the Buddhalands, or is unable to eliminate their karma.
The mantra's full name is "The Vast, Great, Perfect, Unobstructed Great Compassion Dharani." Later on people added Guanyin Bodhisattva's name to the title, making it "The Vast, Great, Perfect, Unobstructed Great Compassion Dharani of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Who Has a Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes." It is called the "Great Compassion Mantra" for short.
I once bought a tape of the mantra made by a company in Shanghai; the sound was smooth and continuous, and the rhythm was like a breeze touching my face, yet so powerful that it held me mesmerized. Later on, I heard another tape of my friend's, also very touching, but with a fancier rhythm and a deeper tone, like rolling thunder. All in all, no matter how the mantra is presented, it sounds good because it comes from kindness and compassion.
Once a friend commented that he heard nothing but "la la la" in the mantra. Someone once asked Guanyin Bodhisattva about the characteristics of the Great Compassion Mantra. The Bodhisattva replied:"The mind of great compassion is a mind of equality, no gain, no attachment, emptiness, respect, modesty, no disorder, no substitution, and unsurpassed Bodhi; these are the characteristics of the dharani."
Going through these comments, I have been moistened by the rain of wisdom again. How far away are we from Guanyin Bodhisattva? No matter what the distance is, using the Great Compassion Mantra as our vessel, we will be able to reach the beautiful shore one day. The middle-aged woman who talked about the Great Compassion water is alive among us; when we are thirsty we know what kind of water to drink. We are born with the instinct to search for clear spring water and avoid dirty water. Therefore it is very natural that we know the mantra. |
