萬佛城金剛菩提海 Vajra Bodhi Sea

金剛菩提海:首頁主目錄本期目錄

Vajra Bodhi Sea: HomeMain IndexIssue Index

《正法印》

 

PROPER DHARMA SEAL

大方廣佛華嚴經淺釋
The Flower Adornment Sutra with Commentary

【卷四 世主妙嚴品第一之四】

Chapter One: The Wondrous Adornments of World Rulers, Part Four

宣化上人講於一九七三年十一月 Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua on November, 1973
國際譯經學院 記錄 Translated by the International Translation Institute
修訂版 Revised Version

時華淨光主稼神,得能令一切衆生受廣大喜樂解脫門。

這一位是時華淨光主稼神。時華,「時」是時時,時時刻刻。這一位主稼神有大妙蓮華,放一種淨光明,照耀十方法界一切衆生,令一切衆生都得到歡喜。所以他說:他得到的解脫門,能令一切衆生受廣大喜樂解脫門,能令一切衆生,包括你這個衆生,我這個衆生,都包括在內。所以我們由這一位主稼神,令我們受到廣大的喜樂,將來也能得到這一種的解脫門。

只要你能依教奉行,能依法修行,精進不退,始終能得到這廣大喜樂解脫門。

色力勇健主稼神,得以一切圓滿法門,淨諸境界解脫門。

色力,就是這個身體。勇健,就是勇猛而健康。這一位主稼神善於做工,善於教化衆生,他是晝精進,夜精進,晝夜六時恆精進,他的身體強壯而勇猛,為教化衆生不辭勞苦,所以他得到能以一切圓滿的法門,淨諸境界,以這個圓滿的法門來教化一切衆生,令一切衆生都能返本還原。所謂「復本心源」,得到清淨的本體,淨諸境界。這個境界就是衆生,也就是令一切衆生返迷歸覺,捨邪歸正,行菩薩道,成就佛果。他得到這種解脫門。

華嚴的境界,是不可思議的。不要說以凡夫的知見來講解它,就是諸佛菩薩在常寂光淨土中,時時說刻刻說,也說不完華嚴的道理。現在只不過掛一漏萬,說一個大概意思而已。

各位善知識如果覺得有什麼疑問,可以提出來,大家共同用直心來研究道理。佛教偉大的地方,就是有了疑問,可以研究。不像其他宗教,只許聽講,不許疑問,這才是迷信。

*    *    *

那麼在九號打佛七是嗎?在本月九號開始舉行一個阿彌陀佛七,從什麼時間開始,到什麼時候休息,在這個七天的時間內唸南無阿彌陀佛;那麼唸完了南無阿彌陀佛,打完了這個佛七,就要問一問唸佛的是誰?我們再打兩個禪七。這個禪七從什麼時間開始到什麼時間停止––等一等,你翻譯給他們各位聽一聽––無論任何人歡喜參加我們這個禪七,我們都特別歡迎。今天得到禪中心的護法、善知識來參加這個講經法會,我很歡 喜,很歡迎他們。

有沒有誰有什麼問題?不願意參加他怎麼會明白;他想要明白必須要參加。


Sutra:
The Crop-Ruling Spirit named Continual Blooms' Pure Light obtained the liberation door of being able to bring vast, great happiness to all living beings.

Commentary:
The
next Crop-Ruling Spirit is named Continual Blooms' Pure Light. Continual Blooms means this Crop-Ruling Spirit has great, wonderful lotus flowers that bloom constantly and emit a pure light that shined upon all living beings throughout the ten directions of the Dharma Realm, bestowing joy and happiness upon them. That's why the text says he obtained the liberation door of being able to bring vast, great happiness to all living beings. All living beings includes you, I, and everyone else. This Crop-Ruling Spirit brings tremendous joy and delight to all of us, ensuring that we will one day obtain this Dharma door as well. As long as we can vigorously cultivate in accord with the Dharma and not retreat, we will eventually obtain this Dharma door.

Sutra:
The Crop-Ruling Spirit named Robust Physical Strength obtained the liberation door of using all perfect Dharma doors to purify all states.

Commentary:
The
next Crop-Ruling Spirit is named Robust Physical Strength. Physical Strength refers to the body. Robust means courageous and healthy. This Crop-Ruling Spirit is a hard worker skilled at teaching living beings. He is vigorous by day and by night, constantly vigorous in the six periods of the day and night. He is stalwart and valiant and will undergo any amount of toil and suffering in order to teach and transform beings. Thus he obtained the liberation door of using all perfect Dharma doors to purify all states. He uses perfect Dharma doors to teach and transform living beings, causing them to return to the source of the mind and regain their pure fundamental substance. "States" refers to living beings. He can lead all beings to turn from confusion and return to enlightenment, to renounce the deviant and return to the proper, and to practice the Bodhisattva path and real ize Buddhahood. He obtained that kind of liberation door.

The State of the Flower Adornment is inconceivable. Not only can those with common understanding never finish explaining it, even the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land of Eternal Stillness and Light could never finish explaining the principles of the Flower Adornment though they might speak all the time. Now we are just "bringing up one and leaving out ten thousand," giving a very general explanation. Good advisors, if you have any questions or doubts, you may bring them up. We can together, with straightforward minds, look into the principles. This is where the greatness of Buddhism lies. If there are questions, we can look into them. This differs from other religions where followers can only listen but not question—now that's superstition.

On the 9th of this month, we will have a Buddha Recitation Session. Each day from the beginning to the end, we will recite "Namo Amitabha Buddha" without stop. After we finish reciting and the session is over, we will ask, "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" during two weeks of Chan meditation. From the beginning to the end of each day, we will meditate continuously. Anyone who would like to participate is welcome. Today the Dharma protectors, good and wise advisors, from the Zen Center have come to participate in this Sutra Lecture Dharma Assembly, and we are delighted and extend a warm welcome to them.

Are there any questions? How can a person understand if he doesn't participate? If he wants to understand, he must participate.

 
華嚴經的所在處,就是佛的所在處,也就是法的所在處,也就是賢聖僧的所在處。
Any place where the FLower Adornment Sutra is found is a place where the Buddhas are, a place where the Dharma is, and a place where the sages and worthy ones of the Sangha are.
 

增益精氣主稼神,得見佛大悲無量神通變化意力解脫門。

這位增益精氣主稼神。「增益」:增就是增多一點;益也就是再添上一點。多一點什麼呢?就是多一點精氣。這一位主稼神,他耕耘收穫,使五穀豐富,能增加人的精氣,這裡邊也包括神了。精氣增加了,這神也就滿足了;增加精氣,這身體也健康了,也無一切疾病。身體健康,人就可以修行了;若你的身體不健康,想要用功修行也不方便,你有很多病痛在身上,所以修行也就沒有那麼容易。

現在講這位增加精氣主稼神,也可以說是增加我們這個法身慧命,增長我們的菩提心。這一位主稼神,名字叫增益精氣,他也就是幫助一切衆生來增加菩提心。也可以說是令人增加一切的善法心,消滅一切的惡法。善法就是菩提心;惡法就是貪瞋癡的心。這一位主稼神,他是幫助一切衆生的,所以令衆生種功德田,結功德果。

他明白佛的境界,是什麼呢?見佛大悲。他見釋迦牟尼佛在過去生中修大悲心,得到無量無邊的神通變化,以修大悲心而得到無量無邊的神通力量,所以變化的力量是不可思議的。我們如果能依法修行,勤修大悲心,也能得到無量無邊的這種神通變化力,這個變化是沒有一定的;沒有定法,所以謂之變化。可是一般人的變化,都是在動中變化,在靜中就不能變化。佛的境界,不但在動中有這個神通變化力,就是在靜中也有神通變化力;不論動靜中都有這個神通變化力,所以佛能應機說法,教化一切衆生。

這一位增益精氣主稼神,他明白佛法中的一小部份,而入這一種的解脫門。

古人說:「動則變,變則化,爲天下至誠。」所以我說,動就有了變化。你們美國人都看過易經,這易經就是講動靜變化的道理,乾三連一動;第一爻如果一動,就變了一個兌上缺。第二爻如果動;第一爻如果不動,就變成一個離中虛。第三爻如果動了;第一爻和第二爻都不動,就變成一個巽下斷。你們學過易經的,便能懂得這種變化的道理。神通變化就是這個樣子,大同小異,所以你不妨修一個神通試試看。

你修出神通,對這個變化就懂了;你懂了,所以叫至誠。至誠之道可以先知;誠到極點了,什麼事情都可以先知道。不過你要先知道了以後,就不要知道太多;知道太多了也很麻煩的,這也是動,也是妄想。

普生根果主稼神,得普現佛福田,令下種無失壞解脫門。

這位普生根果主稼神,他不但能動,而且還能生,生什麼呢?生根、生果。生什麼根?生果的根;生什麼果?生根的果。有根才有果,有果必須要有根。根是什麼根?是菩提根;果是什麼果?是菩提果。你怎麼知道是菩提根、菩提果?如果再不知道的話,沒有比這樣人再愚癡的了。為什麼呢?在下邊的長文中說得很清楚的。

「得普現佛福田」:佛福田裡面就是種這菩提根,所以這一位主稼神,就是幫助人生菩提根,結菩提果,所以他才現「得現佛福田」。

普現佛福田,這還不算,在下邊說得更清楚。「令下種無失壞」:除非你沒有聽過華嚴經,那暫且不管了;只要聽到華嚴經,一歷耳根便成道種,這就是令下種無失壞;不會壤的,不會不出的。無論什麼時候,總會生這菩提根,結菩提果的:這菩提種子不會壤的。就好像把金剛吃到肚裡去,這個金剛始終不會沒有的,不會壞的。你消化力再強,不會把金剛都消化沒有了。那麼這個菩提種、菩提根、菩提果也是和這金剛一樣的,所以說「一歷耳根便成道種」,你一聽完這一句經文,絕對將來會發菩提心。

好像你們各位,現在發心出家,這都是善根成熟了,才會發心的。那麼在你們過去生中,有種種差別的因緣,有種種不同的因緣。有的人想發心,就有很多的障緣,但是你現在種下這個種子,令下種無失壤,絕不會丟的。這粒種子,你種上了,始終會生根、長葉、開花、結果,不用憂愁的,早成晚成,早晚都會成佛的。這一位普生根果主稼神,他明白佛的境界一小部分,而入了這種解脫門。

待續

 

 

Sutra:
The Crop-Ruling Spirit named Increasing Essence and Energy obtained the liberation door of seeing the Buddha's great compassion and power of boundless spiritual penetrations and transformations. The Crop-Ruling Spirit named Universally Producing Roots and Fruits obtained the liberation door of universally manifesting the Buddhas' fields of blessings and causing beings to plant seeds that cannot be lost or destroyed.

Commentary:
The
next Crop-Ruling Spirit is named Increasing Essence and Energy. Increasing means adding more. More of what? Essence and energy. Crop-Ruling Spirits watch over the farming and harvesting of the various grains and crops, and so they are able to increase people's essence and energy, as well as spirit. When essence and energy increase, spirit increases as well, and one's body is healthy and free from illness. With a healthy body, one can cultivate. If one is in poor health and suffering from illness, it is not easy to apply effort in cultivation. Now, this Crop-Ruling Spirit named Increasing Essence and Energy can also be said to increase the wisdom life of our Dharma body and to increase our Bodhi resolve. He helps all beings increase their resolves for Bodhi. He causes people to increase in good Dharma and wipe out all evil dharmas. Good Dharma refers to the Bodhi resolve. Evil dharmas refers to thoughts of greed and hatred. Wishing to help living beings, this Crop-Ruling Spirit plants the field of merit and virtue, and harvests the fruits of merit and virtue. What state of the Buddha has he understood? He obtained the liberation door of seeing the Buddha's great compassion and power of boundless spiritual penetrations and transformations. He saw how Shakyamuni Buddha cultivated the great compassion heart in past lives, thereby obtaining limitless, measureless powers of spiritual penetrations and transformations beyond conception. If we cultivate in accord with the Dharma, vigorously cultivating a great compassionate heart, we can also obtain infinite powers of spiritual penetrations and transformations. Transformations are not fixed. There are no fixed dharmas. Ordinary transformations require movement and cannot happen in stillness. Within the Buddha's state, transformations can also occur in stillness. The Buddha's spiritual penetrations and transformations can function in both movement and stillness. Thus the Buddha can speak Dharma in response to people's potentials and teach and transform all beings. That's the liberation door that the Crop-Ruling Spirit Increasing Essence and Energy entered after he understood a little bit of the Buddhadharma.

The ancients had a saying, "With movement, there is change. With change, there is transformation. Only one of utmost sincerity in the world can bring about transformation." So I said that movement brings about change and transformation. Americans are generally familiar with the Book of Change (Yijing). This book explains the principles of transformations in movement and stillness.

The qian hexagram () has three unbroken lines. When the first line moves, it becomes the dui hexagram, which is empty on top (). If the first line remains the same and the second line moves, it becomes the li hexagram, which is empty in the middle () If the first and second lines remain the same and the third line moves, it becomes the xun hexagram, which is broken on the bottom (). Those of you who have studied the Book of Changes will understand these principles. The transformations brought about through spiritual penetrations are generally the same way, so you might as well cultivate until you obtain spiritual penetrations. Then you can try it out! When you have spiritual penetrations, you will understand transformations. Those with utmost sincerity can know things in advance. But if you have foreknowledge, you shouldn't want to know too much, because knowing too much can be a lot of trouble. Do you understand? This is also movement; it's also false thinking.

The Crop-Ruling Spirit named Universally Producing Roots and Fruits not only moves, but produces. What does he produce? He produces roots and fruits. What kind of roots? The roots of fruits. What kind of fruits? The fruits of roots. If there are roots, then there can be fruits. For there to be fruits, there must be roots. What roots are these? Bodhi roots. What fruits are these? Bodhi fruits. "How do you know they are Bodhi roots and Bodhi fruits?" you may ask.

If you don't know this, then you are totally ignorant. Why? The text that follows very clearly says that he "universally manifests the Buddhas' fields of blessings." What is planted in the Buddhas' fields of blessings is none other than Bodhi roots and Bodhi fruits. This Crop-Ruling Spirit helps people produce Bodhi roots and bear Bodhi fruits. That's how he has obtained the liberation door of univer-sally manifesting the Buddhas' fields of blessings. As if that weren't enough, his liberation door was also that of causing beings to plant seeds that cannot be lost or destroyed. If you have never heard the Flower Adornment Sutra, then it doesn't matter. When you hear the Flower Adornment Sutra,

Once it passes through your ears, it becomes a seed for the Way.

That's what's meant by "causing beings to plant seeds that cannot be lost or destroyed." These seeds will not get spoiled or fail to sprout. No matter when you plant them, they will definitely grow Bodhi roots and bear Bodhi fruits. The Bodhi seeds are indestructible.

This is like when you ingest vajra, even though it passes through your stomach, it remains unharmed. No matter how strong your digestive sys­tem is, it can't digest vajra. The roots and fruits of Bodhi are like vajra. Once they enter your ears, they become seeds for the Way. Having heard this passage of Sutra, it's certain that you will eventually bring forth the Bodhi resolve. Those of you who have resolved to leave the home life have done so because your good roots have matured. Since every­one has different causes and conditions from past lives, sometimes when people make a resolve, they run into a lot of obstacles. However, the seeds that this Crop-Ruling Spirit causes beings to plant cannot be lost or ruined. Once they are planted, they are bound to grow roots and leaves, and bear fruit. So don't worry. Sooner or later, you shall realize Buddhahood.

This Crop-Ruling Spirit named Universally Producing Roots and Fruits understood a small part of the Buddha's state and entered this liberation door.

To be continued

 

宣揚正法萬佛城,
現在未來永不停;
菩提泉湧甘露水,
般若雲封龍樹林。
白鶴麋鹿聞風化,
玄鳥迦陵和雅音;
法界爲生皈依處,
大方廣佛華嚴經。

 

The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas proclaims the Proper Dharma
Now and in the future, never stopping.
Sweet dew water flows from the spring of Bodhi;
Dragon-tree Forest is sealed with clouds of Prajna.
White cranes and deer are influenced by example;
Black birds and kalavinkas sing in harmony.
The place of refuge of the living beings of the Dharma Realm;
The Great Means Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra.

▲Topa>

法界佛教總會Dharma Realm Buddhist Association │ © Vajra Bodhi Sea