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《菩提田》

 

BODHI FIELD

自性的科學(續)
Science of Our Own Natures (continued)
1998年法界佛教總會臺灣訪問團
Dharma Realm Buddhist Association's Delegation to Taiwan in 1998

比丘恆實講於臺灣國立清華大學佛學講座1998年7月 24日
A talk given by Bhikshu Heng Sure on July 24, 1998, at the Buddhist Studies Symposium, Taiwan National Ching Hua University
比丘尼恆音 英譯 English translation by Bhikshuni Heng Yin

佛不認為他的耳朵只屬聽的範圍。甚至於《楞嚴經》上說六根互用:耳朵能吃東西;眼睛能講話;皮膚能聞香,非常非常之妙!《華嚴經賢首品》裡也是講菩薩的妙用,因為能把六根迴光返照,反聞聞自性,那個功用就都不一樣了。

這就是我們每一個人自性上根本的科學。那麼我們能不能用呢?如果你按照佛的方法去用功,你會用的。這不是私人所專有的,沒有什麼專利權的;不是「你不能用的。你要給我錢,我才告訴你;你給我一千塊臺幣,我把什麼妙咒告訴你,你才可以六根互用。」沒有的!這是公開的,但就是沒有人想用它,沒有人想修。自性的科學是自己本身的科學。大家有沒有打開過《華嚴經》去研究這個科學?你們到《華嚴經》裡研究去。

這個文化上的大革命,會不會是智慧的革命?恐怕還要等一些聰明的大學生,或者清華大學的學生來眞正研究出一些博士論文來。對於自性的科學、智慧的革命,你們試試以研究自身來做這種實驗看看。這種的研究非常值得,也不須要花多少錢。

我記得宣公上人在一九八〇年冬天的禪七,在萬佛聖城時——在場可能有幾位當時也在——上人那次說我們在萬佛城打禪七是比較辛苦的,聽說是像中國以前古來的打禪七差不多。早上兩點半起身,第一支香是三點,坐到夜晚十二點;休息兩個半小時,就第二天再來再用功。下午可以休息一個小時,辛苦辛苦,不過這是生死的關。你能在萬佛城的「金山腿子高旻香」這種禪七裡邊用過功,你就有機會眞正返本還原,很不可思議的。所以那時己經是坐禪第五天吧?大家的腿痛得要命,不是在那兒跟睡魔吵架,就是跟痛魔在腿子上搏鬥,很辛苦,很辛苦。上人看大家在那兒很疲倦,因為下午大家剛剛吃完飯,頭昏腦脹在這也不可以睡,也不能坐,勉勉強強地坐。

上人到裏邊來,他說:「你們哪!你們知不知道我的境界?你們大家不知道我的境界罷?」

「不知道。師父。」

上人坐下講開示,他說:「你們知道嗎?我跟你們一樣的,就有一點不同,我是一天到晚不間斷在這念佛。可是我跟你們不一樣的,就是我念的多少聲佛,我都知道得清清楚楚的。你們知道我一天到晚常常在這兒念咒,跟你們不一樣的地方是,我不是念一聲咒,然後打個妄想;念一聲咒,打個妄想。我念了多少〈大悲咒〉、〈楞嚴咒〉,我都清楚的。你們知道我一天到晚,常常在這心裡念經,念的哪一句、哪一段、哪一品、哪一部、我都清清楚楚的。我同時念佛、念咒、念經,你們說怎麼樣?疲倦不疲倦啊?可惜啊!」他說。那我們啞口無言,這是什麼境界?同時念咒、念佛、念經,這個心有這個功能嗎?

上人說:「你們去參!參去,參禪。」

你說,上人他說這是本心的功能,這是自性的科學。我們能不能用呢?誰在那兒化這個工夫了?各位年輕的科學家!何必在這個 laboratory(實驗室)裡用化學的原素,用名貴的儀器做實驗,而對自己本身的科學卻不懂呢?你不覺得這是心外求法嗎?大家一起研究來自性的科學,好嗎?

阿彌陀佛!

全文完


The Buddha understood very well the full capacity of his ears. The Shurangama Sutra explains that the six senses have interchangeable functions. For example, the ears can eat, the eyes can talk, and the skin can smell. It's incredibly wonderful. The "Worthy Leader Chapter" in the Flower Adornment Sutra also talks about the wonderful functioning of a Bodhisattva who has directed his senses inward to hear his own nature.

This is the fundamental science of our own nature. Can we use it? If you practice in accord with the Buddha's method, you can. This is not a patented, privately-owned ability that you have to pay to have. It's not like I'd charge you NT $1000 to learn some esoteric mantra which can make your six senses work interchangeably. This is public knowledge. It's just that no one desires to use it or cultivate it.

The science of our own nature is our basic, inherent science. Have you ever opened up the Flower Adornment Sutra to study this science? When you find a copy of the Sutra, you can look into it.

Therefore, I am suggesting that this major revolution in human history may be a revolution of wisdom. However, we may have to wait until some very intelligent college students such as yourselves decide to investigate and write Ph.D. dissertations on the Science of Our Own Nature and the revolution of wisdom. Try it out. The laboratory for these experiments is your own selves. Such research is tremendously valuable, and yet costs very little.

Maybe some of you were there during the winter Chan session of 1980. The Venerable Master Hua said that our Chan sessions at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are pretty tough. I've heard that they are rather similar to the Chan sessions held in China in the past. We get up at 2:30 in the morning. The first sit starts at 3:00, and there are sits throughout the day until midnight. After two and a half hours of rest at night, we start sitting again the next morning. Every afternoon there is one hour's break. It's hard work, but we are trying to get past the gate of birth and death. If you can practice in CTTB's Chan session, which is in the tradition of "Gold Mountain's legs and Gaomin's incense" [China's Gold Mountain Monastery was renowned for its strictness in training practitioner's legs and Gaomin Monastery was known for its long and precisely timed incense sticks.], you have an opportunity to truly return to the source. It is an inconceivable experience. So, on the fifth day of the Chan session, people were arduously battling with either the demon of sleep or the demon of pain. It was the sit after lunch, and they were sleepy and trying not to doze off, forcing themselves to continue sitting. The Venerable Master came into the hall and said, "Do any of you know my state?" "Huh? What?" we thought. "None of you know my state, do you?" he asked. "No, Shifu." The Master sat down and gave us a talk. He said, "I'm basically the same as all of you, except for one little difference. From morning to night, I recite the Buddha's name without a break. The only difference is that, I know exactly how many times I've recited it. You know that I'm constantly reciting mantras. But I'm different from all of you because I don't recite a mantra, then have a false thought, then recite another mantra. I know exactly how many times I have recited the Great Compassion Mantra and the Shurangama Mantra. You all know that I constantly recite Sutras in my mind all day long. And I know exactly which chapter, section, and sentence I am on. How do you suppose I can be reciting the Buddha's name, mantras, and Sutras all at the same time? Don't you think I'm tired? Ah, what a pity!" We were speechless, wondering, "What is the state of being of the Master? How can he recite the Buddha's name, mantras, and Sutras all at the same time? Is it possible for the mind to do that?"

"Investigate! Look into it!" the Master hollered. "This is your inherent ability. It is the science of your own nature. Can you use it? Who is working at it?" Maybe you young scientists ought to try it out. Why spend your time in the laboratory using those chemical products and costly experimental apparatus when you haven't even understood the science of your own selves? Don't you feel that you are seeking Dharma outside the mind? Everyone, please investigate the science of your own natures. Amitofo!

End

宇宙萬物皆說法——誰了解?
All the myriad creatures in the universe are speaking the Dharma.
Who understands them?
虛空一體露禪機——汝要參。
The single substance of space reveals the functions of Chan.
You should investigate that.

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