Wednesday 29 October 2014

什麼都沒有得到

有人問 佛陀:通過修行, 最終得到了什麼?

佛陀答:什麼都沒有得到。

再問: 那您還修行做什麼呢?

佛陀 微笑:不過我可以告訴你我失去的東西。我失去憤怒、憂慮、 悲觀和沮喪、失去焦慮不安、失去了自私自利和貪嗔痴三毒。失去了凡夫俗子的一切無知習氣障礙, 也失去了對老和死亡的恐懼。


求神应先求己

過去,有一位貧窮的人起了一個念頭:「我應當到天神廟去祭拜天神,祈求上天賜我財寶。於是,他告訴弟弟:「你要勤勞地耕作以維持生活,不要讓家裡有所短缺。」說完,他便帶著弟弟到田裡,對弟弟說:「這一區播種胡麻,那一區播種大小麥,那邊播種禾穀及大、小豆。」交代完畢,他便前去天神廟舉辦大齋會,以香華供養、香泥塗地、晝夜禮拜天神,祈求天神賜福,使今生今世財寶豐足。

天神看到哥哥這般虔誠祈求,便思惟:「我看看這個人過去是否曾有布施的功德因緣?若有少許布施功德,我就依其所求而滿其願。」結果,天神卻發現這個人從過去到現在,完全沒有布施因緣,心想:「這個人既無因緣,卻又一直向我祈求,作這麼大的齋會儀式,如果得不到好處,一定會怨我,我該如何是好呢?」於是,天神化身為弟弟來到天神廟,哥哥說:「你不是在播種、耕作嗎?為什麼到這裡來?」化身的弟弟回答:「我也想來求天神、禮拜天神,使天神歡喜,求衣、求食;以天神之力,必然會使田中穀麥豐足,我就不需要那麼辛苦地耕種了。」哥哥責備弟弟:「四海大地,一切處所,哪裡有不播種、不耕耘,就能有收穫的事呢?」化身的弟弟質問其兄:「不播種,也不悉心耕耘、照顧,真的沒辦法生長出果實嗎?」哥哥回答:「實在是如此,不播種,就無法結果!」

天神還復本形,對著哥哥說:「你知道不播種便無法結果;然而,過去以來你從不肯布施,現今哪能求得福報呢?雖然你現在很辛苦,自己斷食來供養我,但是,不僅對自己徒勞無益,也因打擾我而令我生惱。如果你想要現世獲得豐足,能夠擁有財寶、妻子及眷屬,應當要清淨身口、勤修布施。一切皆是業緣所感,天界的天人,也各有其差別,假使福報具足,便威德盛茂;福報較少者,威德薄少。所以,世間一切皆因業力所感。具足十力的佛陀曾開示:『布施得財富,持戒生天上,定慧得解脫』,一切皆有因有果,如果沒有布施的因,如何有福業具足的果,所以要勤修善業,方能成就善果。」 
典故摘自:《大莊嚴論經‧卷第十(五九)

省思



一般人都知道「種善因得善果,種惡因得惡果」、「要怎麼收穫,就怎麼栽!」這些道理淺顯易懂,卻因缺乏正知見,因此顛倒行事,四處求神問天為,冀求別人給予福業之果,殊不知萬事不離因果,神祇也無法悖逆因果。

佛法講:「欲知過去因,今生受者是;欲知來世果,今生作者是。」世間一切事物之成就,必定遵循因果之法則。知因識果,凡事從因上努力,積極修善斷惡,並時時覺察、反觀自心,定能感召光明如意的人生,走向幸福圓滿的康莊大道。 


文章来源: 中台世界    

Tuesday 28 October 2014

這一切都會過去的

很神奇富有哲理的一句話

很久以前,有一個國王想找到一句話,它能讓高興的人聽了難過,難過的人聽了高興 。但他找了很長時間都沒有找到

直到有一天夜裡,他夢見智者對他說了一句話,正是自己想找的 。這句史上最神奇的話就是:這一切都會過去的!

不管是好的還是壞的,沒有一件東西可以永恆不變 。當你失敗、痛苦的時候,你要告訴自己:這一切都會過去的!當你成功、得意忘形的時候,你也要知道:這一切都會過去的!

好的人生,是一個過程,而不是一個狀態;它是一個方向,而不是終點

Sunday 26 October 2014

孝心可以消除業障


學佛,如同行走在道路上!道只有一條,你走在路上,一切就明白。沒有走在路上,你學的知識再多還是不明白。比如說學佛沒有進步,首先應該是在孝道上沒有過關。一個人精通了孝道,達到了至誠的境界,其他的道都很容易明白。
   
學佛人一定要盡到孝道這一關,這一關沒有盡道,無論學到什麼本事,以後都要回來補這一功課。你看虛雲老和尚,到了四十多歲時,就發願去三步一拜五台山,是為了盡到孝道。他一出生,母親就死了,十多歲,父親給他兩房妻子,他都不要,執意去出家。連父親去世了,都無法照顧到。

所以虛雲老和尚到了四十多歲,才去拜山,來補這一功課。那弘一大師也是如此。每到母親生日,必定念「地藏經」。他和他母親感情很好。那宣化上人呢,更是如此。他要出家,父母不肯,說等父母去世後去出家。後來父母去世了,他就守墓三年,盡完了孝道。他就去出家了。

沒有盡到孝順之道,就要補這一功課。學佛後,第一要度化的,還是自己的父母和祖先。『父母離塵垢,子道方成就』。父母親恩都沒有報,那報答其他恩意義就不大。許多人念經,都為了超度自己冤親債主而念。感覺這個想法有些自私。應該發起大孝心,為父母而念。這樣子比較好,乃至於把一切眾生都當成是我們自己的父母親來看待。

念經超度,不是說你念了經冤親債主就會走了,業障就會消除。只要心中還是有自私自利在,業障就還在。不孝父母,就是非常大的業障,不尊敬師長,也是業障,不懂得報恩,也是業障。

孝順這一門功課,是一輩子都要學習的。以前民間有一種吃素,就是吃三年素,報答母親恩。這個做法很好。建議大家,應該念三百部「地藏經」,或者念三年「地藏經」報答父母恩。有這個孝心在,天地鬼神都敬重你。紀曉嵐講過真實的故事,有個孝婦,不小心到了一個鬼神廟,那個鬼神都喜歡吃人,但看到她卻不敢動。其他鬼說,你沒有看到,她頭上有幾道光嗎?她是有名的孝婦,善神都護持,我們哪裡敢動。這份孝心,就能消業障。
   
孝心不僅能消業障,而且能增加福報。有個人,家產好幾億,他父母早亡,他就在家裡,雕刻了父母的相,經常禮拜供養感恩。可見孝順的人,善神敬重,福德大,事業就做的發達。李嘉誠也很孝順,他母親生病了,他寧願大事業不做,都去陪他母親。這也是培養福德的方式。
  
人歸到孝時,他的心就和相同,他就容易增長福報,消除災難。孝應該是天性的流露,而不是而後天的造作。人的心應該天性流露出這個孝順,這個人業障比較輕。那無法發起孝順之心,其實是業障重的,應該多念「地藏經」,學習「地藏菩薩」的大孝大願。
By Chiyun Yeh       

Saturday 25 October 2014

The Man Who Spit In Buddha’s Face

The Buddha was sitting under a tree talking to his disciples when a man came and spat in his face. 

He wiped it off, and he asked the man, “What next? What do you want to say next?” The man was a little puzzled because he himself never expected that when you spit on somebody’s face, he will ask, “What next?” He had no such experience in his past. He had insulted people and they had become angry and they had reacted. Or if they were cowards and weaklings, they had smiled, trying to bribe the man. But Buddha was like neither, he was not angry nor in any way offended, nor in any way cowardly. But just matter-of-factly he said, “What next?” There was no reaction on his part.

But Buddha’s disciples became angry, and they reacted. His closest disciple, Ananda, said, “This is too much. We cannot tolerate it. He has to be punished for it, otherwise everybody will start doing things like this!”

Buddha said, “You keep silent. He has not offended me, but you are offending me. He is new, a stranger. He must have heard from people something about me, that this man is an atheist, a dangerous man who is throwing people off their track, a revolutionary, a corrupter. And he may have formed some idea, a notion of me. He has not spit on me, he has spit on his notion. He has spit on his idea of me because he does not know me at all, so how can he spit on me?

“If you think on it deeply,” Buddha said, “he has spit on his own mind. I am not part of it, and I can see that this poor man must have something else to say because this is a way of saying something. Spitting is a way of saying something. There are moments when you feel that language is impotent: in deep love, in intense anger, in hate, in prayer. There are intense moments when language is impotent. Then you have to do something. When you are angry, intensely angry, you hit the person, you spit on him, you are saying something. I can understand him. He must have something more to say, that’s why I’m asking, “What next?”

The man was even more puzzled! And Buddha said to his disciples, “I am more offended by you because you know me, and you have lived for years with me, and still you react.”
Puzzled, confused, the man returned home. He could not sleep the whole night. When you see a Buddha, it is difficult, impossible to sleep anymore the way you used to sleep before. Again and again he was haunted by the experience. He could not explain it to himself, what had happened. He was trembling all over, sweating and soaking the sheets. He had never come across such a man; the Buddha had shattered his whole mind and his whole pattern, his whole past.

The next morning he went back. He threw himself at Buddha’s feet. Buddha asked him again, “What next? This, too, is a way of saying something that cannot be said in language. When you come and touch my feet, you are saying something that cannot be said ordinarily, for which all words are too narrow; it cannot be contained in them.” Buddha said, “Look, Ananda, this man is again here, he is saying something. This man is a man of deep emotions.”
The man looked at Buddha and said, “Forgive me for what I did yesterday.”

Buddha said, “Forgive? But I am not the same man to whom you did it. The Ganges goes on flowing, it is never the same Ganges again. Every man is a river. The man you spit upon is no longer here. I look just like him, but I am not the same, much has happened in these twenty-four hours! The river has flowed so much. So I cannot forgive you because I have no grudge against you.


“And you also are new. I can see you are not the same man who came yesterday because that man was angry and he spit, whereas you are bowing at my feet, touching my feet. How can you be the same man? You are not the same man, so let us forget about it. Those two people, the man who spit and the man on whom he spit, both are no more. Come closer. Let us talk of something else.”
Source : www.themirrorpost.com  

Friday 24 October 2014

人死后的去向怎么判定?

人当在出生的时候,就已决定了死亡的命运。所以,生的情景未必可喜,死的情景也未必可哀。
  
以佛法来说,若不出离生死,都是可怜悯者!
  
因此,信佛学佛的人,平日所做的佛事,在临命终时最能得力。
  
平日修行有素,命终之后,必可出离生死的凡界,往生佛国的净土。
  
人死之后的去向,有三种力量来决定他的上升或下降:
  
1、随重,随着各自所造的善恶诸业中的最重大者,先去受报。
  
2、随习,随着各自平日最难革除的某种习气,先到同类相引的环境中去投生。
  
3、随念,随着各自临命终时的念头所归,而去受生六道或生佛国净土。
  
由于如此的原因,佛教主张人们应当诸恶莫作、众善奉行,应当革除不良的习气,应当着重平日的心念,乃至念念不忘佛法僧三宝,念念要将自己所作的一切功德作为往生佛国净土的资本和道粮。
  
学佛的工夫,主要是靠平时的修行,归依三宝,受持五戒,供养布施,礼忏诵经,救济贫病,造福社会。
  
假如平时没有进入佛法,临命终时尚有一个补救之道,那就是根据随念往生的道理,劝他一心念佛,劝他万念放下,切切不要怕死,切切不要贪恋家属亲友和产业财物,切切不要心慌意乱,应该一心念佛,念南无阿弥陀佛;若已无力出声念,则在心中默念;他的亲属如果真的爱他,那就不可在他弥留之际放声大哭,那只有使他增加痛苦和下堕的可能;并且要劝大家陪伴念佛,使得临终之人的心念融洽于一片虔敬恳切的念佛声中。若能如此,死后当可往生佛国净土;若其寿数未尽,也能以此念佛功德使他早日康复、福寿增长。
  
人将命终,或坐或卧,侧卧仰卧,均以他自己感到舒适为宜。若已昏迷而尚未断气时,切勿因他有便溺沾身就给他洗澡或擦拭,以免增加他的痛苦嗔恼而影响到死后的去路。命终之后,鼻息虽断,只要尚存一丝暖气,他的神识仍未脱离肉体,故须经过八小时后才可为他浴身更衣。若用火化,最好是在经过二十四小时后。人死之后,若不超凡入圣,一般说来,便成了亡灵

文章来源:中国佛教故事网 作者:圣严法师  

Thursday 23 October 2014

獨臂乞丐

有一乞丐,他的整個右手臂斷了,樣子挺可憐,誰見都會施捨。
有一天,他來到一個農戶人家行乞,女主人叫他先將門前的一堆磚搬到院子後。
乞丐生氣對女主人說:「你明明看到我只有一隻手,卻讓我搬磚頭,這不是存心捉弄人嗎?」
沒想到女主人自己蹲下來,故意用一隻手搬起磚頭,來回走了一趟,然後對乞丐說:「我一隻手能搬,你一隻手為甚麼就不能搬?」
乞丐無言以對,硬著頭皮用他那一隻手慢慢搬,整整做了兩個小時才搬完,累得滿頭大汗。
農婦遞給他一條白毛巾,乞丐擦完臉和脖子後,白毛巾變成黑毛巾;農婦又給他二十元錢,乞丐接過錢連聲道謝。
農婦說:「你不用謝我,這是你用自己的汗水換來的工錢。」
乞丐說:「我永遠不會忘記你,請你把這條毛巾留給我作紀念。」
過了若干年後,這位乞丐穿著一身筆挺的西裝再次來到這家農戶,見到年邁的女主人動情的說:「我從前是乞丐,現在是一家公司的董事長,是你幫助我找回失去的尊嚴,重建生活的信心,如果沒有你,我也許還在四處流浪。」
農婦說:「這是你自己的作為。」
獨臂董事長提出送一幢樓給農婦,農婦婉言謝絕。
董事長對此不解,農婦笑著說:「因為我全家人都有一雙手。」
人要活得有尊嚴,尊重自己、尊嚴我們認識的人,
還要尊重我們不認識的人。
從自己的職業中領略出趣味,生活才有價值;
做自己喜歡的事,雖則賺錢不多,但比起很多有錢卻心靈失落人,更值得敬佩。


Wednesday 22 October 2014

什么是生老病死苦?


发生在身体上最明显的苦,就是生、老、病、死四种苦。

一、 生苦。每个凡人都是从母体中出生的,母亲忍受失去生命的危险和痛苦生下我们,如果不幸,母子都有死亡的可能。从入胎到出生,会受种种不同的苦,在佛经上有详细的记载。

二、 老苦。人没有生而不老的。从秦始皇遍求长生不老的仙丹,到科学进步的今天,即使发明了许多抗衰老的药物,都无法改变人一定会衰老的事实。
      人老了,青春美貌不再,体力开始衰退,慢慢地脑筋也不清楚了,反应愈来愈迟缓。当身体的精气神愈来愈衰弱,对死亡就有了恐惧。人老时最容易生病,年老的痛苦也会随着病痛而来。

三、 病苦。只要四大不调或受外在感染,人就会生病。病魔对人没有分别,从婴儿到老人,不管贫贱还是富贵,只要一生病,就任凭医生和病魔的摆布了。 痛在自己的肉体上,无论多亲的人都不能替代。有句俗话说久病床前无孝子,生病一久,不但病人受苦,旁人也非常辛苦,种种烦恼和人性的丑恶就会出现,非常可怜!

四、 死苦。棺材里装的不一定是老人,人会在任何可能的时期,因为任何可能的因素,以不同的死亡方式结束生命。每个人生命的长短和死亡的状态,会因为业力因果而有所不同,所受到的死亡痛苦也会因此有差别。

      死亡对现世活着的人来说,是无法经历的,因此,死亡的痛苦对活人来说,也是陌生的。当死亡来临,除了肉体上不断变化的痛苦,最严重的是意识上的恐惧和慌乱。


有人不相信轮回,认为佛教用善恶因果和轮回恐吓人。其实,不管是否接受轮回的观念,或是信仰哪个宗教,只要是具有生命的众生,必然要面对。

文章来源 :菩萨在线     责任编辑:彭明  

Tuesday 21 October 2014

How The Buddha Discriminates No One

In Savatthi of India, there was a scavenger named Sunita. As a road-sweeper he received a very small salary which was not enough for him to buy his daily needs. He did not have money enough for him to buy his clothes or medicine.  He slept on the road side, for he did not have a house to sleep in.  He saw other people enjoying themselves but he could not mix with them because people called him an outcaste. Whenever a high caste person went on the road, Sunita had to leave the road completely for them and stand very far off the road because if his shadow fell in the high caste person, he would be scolded and beaten until he bled very badly.  He could not learn anything because he was very poor and had no chance to attend the religious practices. So he lived a most miserable and unhappy poor life.

One day, he was sweeping a dirty, dusty and smelly road.  His body was covered with dirt and sweat.  He was wearing only one small piece of cloth.  Suddenly, he saw the Buddha coming along that road with thousands of monks behind him.  Sunita was collecting the swept dirt and rubbish, putting them into baskets, keeping them on his head and carrying them away to throw.  And when he saw the Buddha and thousands of monks coming towards him, his heart was filled with joy and fear.  Finding no place to hide on the road, he put his yoke in a bend of the wall and stood as if stuck to the wall, joining his palms in respect to the Buddha.  The Buddha came near him, stopped and spoke to him in a voice divinely sweet, saying “My dear friend, do you like to leave this job and become a monk?”

Nobody had ever spoken to Sunita like this before.  His heart was with such a great joy and happiness that his eyes were filled with tears.  He could not talk for a moment.  He did not believe his eyes and ears.  He never knew that the Buddha was so kind.  He always had received orders but never a kind word from anybody.  So he said, “O!  Most Venerable Sir, I always have received orders, but never a kind word.  If you accept a dirty, and most miserable scavenger like me, why should I not like to leave this dirty job, Sir?” Standing on the same spot, the Buddha ordained Sunita and took him along with other monks.  Afterwards, no one knew what his caste was and everybody – kings, ministers, commanders in chief all respected him.

The Life Of The Buddha (Part One & Two)   

Rev. Siridhamma   
Source : TheDailyEnlightenment.com   


Monday 20 October 2014

布施不是做買賣

一天,有一位信徒用袋子裝了五十兩黃金,送到寺院給無相禪師,說是要捐助佛堂。無相禪師收下後,就忙著做別的事去了,信徒看了,對此非常不滿。

因為在當時,五十兩黃金是一筆相當大的數目,給平常人用大概能過好幾年,而禪師拿到這筆巨款,竟連一個「謝」字也沒有。

於是這個信徒就緊跟在無相禪師的後面提醒道:「師父!我那袋子裏裝的是五十兩黃金。」

無相禪師漫不經心地應道:「你已經說過了,我也知道了。」

看到無相禪師並沒有停下腳步,信徒提高嗓門道:「喂,師父,我今天捐的是五十兩黃金,可不是小數目呀難道你連個謝字都不肯講嗎?」

禪師剛好走到大雄寶殿佛像前停下:「你怎麼這樣嘮叨呢?你捐錢給佛祖,為什麼要我給你道謝  你布施是在做你自己的功德,如果你要將功德當成是一種買賣,我如果代替佛祖向你道一聲謝謝,那就要請你把謝謝帶回去了, 從此你就與佛祖銀貨兩訖了!你說可不可以呢?」

信徒聽著就立在那裏,再也不敢說了。
布施不是做買賣,如果攜帶了貪圖功利的不淨心理,那就不算真布施。

人不能為了得到回報而布施,那樣就沒有意義,當然也得不到任何福報。

當你發自內心布施於人時,你的布施才會有很大的功德,更有可能得到你意想不到的回報。

布施不在於多少,而是看你是否有真心做好事,是否能切切實實地解決別人的困難。

只要你有心,哪怕只是一句讚美的話都會有莫大的功德。

:言書庭:網路轉載  

Sunday 19 October 2014

抑心不違教法

過去,有一位宰相過世時,兒子年紀還很小;宰相去世後,家中沒有任何收入,所留下的家產很快就花用殆盡。坐吃山空的宰相之子,過著孤苦無依的生活,又沒有人能為他引薦覲見國王,因此生活窮困潦倒。

宰相子日漸長大,頗有其父之風,才智過人,擁有治理民眾、決斷事情的能力,足以擔任輔佐國王的宰相。及至壯年,體型勇猛強健、相貌端正莊嚴,力大無窮且具備種種才藝。他想:「我現在這麼貧窮,能做些什麼事呢?因為父親的名望,我並不適合從事卑賤的工作。雖然擁有種種才藝,但因為沒有福報,所以無法一展所長。我也想找個工作好好過活,但我並非出生在低下的種姓,不能去做那些卑賤的工作,真是令人苦惱啊!」

宰相子又思惟:「因為業力的牽引,讓我如此地窮困,即使有父母的尊貴家業,卻苦無施展運用之處。低賤的工作很容易找到,但我卻不能去做。既然如此,我乾脆去當個盜賊,反正私下偷偷地做,別人也不會知道。只要作些表面功夫,在腰上繫上二個箭筒,再佩把刀劍,看起來既威武又莊重,就像獅子兒般,勇敢而無所畏懼。」

宰相子決定當盜賊後,又思惟:「如果去偷一般百姓的家,會讓他們貧窮無依,於心不忍。國王擁有無數珍寶,少一點無關緊要,還是到王宮去偷東西吧!」於是,他便前往王宮,進到國王養息的地方。國王發覺盜賊闖入,靜默不敢出聲。宰相子偷了國王的衣服和瓔珞後,先放在國王的床頭旁。當時床頭旁有一盆水,旁邊堆積了一些灰塵。宰相子又飢又渴,以為灰塵是麨粉,便以水和著喝了起來。當他喝完了後,才發現那是灰塵,恍然大悟:「灰塵都可以吃了,何況其他東西?肚子餓了,大不了吃草果腹,又何必當賊呢?這種敗壞道德的事,家父是絕不會去做的。」

於是,宰相子便將原本要偷的財物放下,空手返回家中。國王發現盜賊竟然什麼都沒偷就離開,覺得驚奇,命人找到宰相之子,詢問他:「你冒著生命的危險入宮偷竊,偷到東西了,為何又放回原處,空手而回呢?」

宰相子回答:「大王!小民當時覺得飢渴,誤喝了灰塵水來止飢渴,卻也因此而滅除了盜心。因為在吃了灰塵水後,知道要止息飢渴並不困難,對於自己偷盜的行為感到十分慚愧懺悔,因此發願不再造作惡業。大王!小民並非庶民百姓,而是前宰相的兒子,因為家道中落,才潛入宮中作違法的事。從今日起,我即使喝灰塵水、吃草來果腹,也不會去當違背良心的盜賊。我的父母教導我禮義、家訓,我寧願餓死,也不違背父母的教誨。」

國王聽了宰相子誠心的懺悔後,認為宰相子雖有過錯但知悔改,歡喜讚歎:「貧窮會磨鍊一個人的意志、耐力和慚愧心,無羞恥心的惡人,會為了追求物欲而造作種種惡業。你能夠以慚愧心約束自己,轉化自己的貪念,讓自己不違家法,不致誤入歧途。這是賢者的作為,也承襲了你父親的良善品德,以教禮、道德規範自己,而不被追求物欲的愚癡心所惑。我已經親見你的行為,不需要再花時間去觀察了。你是一個意志堅定,勇健又有智慧的人,而且心地真誠、善良,今日所見實屬難得,我決定讓你擔任宰相,相信你一定能成就比父親更偉大的功業!」 
典故摘自:《大莊嚴論經卷第六(三五)》  

省思


佛法提到有二種健兒:一者自不作惡,二者作已能悔。由此可知,「人非聖賢,孰能無過,過而能改,善莫大焉」。犯錯之後,能坦然面對自己的過錯,勇於改過向善,且誓不再犯,重新出發,就是真正的有力、有勇之人。

由於堅固的執著、習氣,身、口、意三業極易隨順習氣而有所違犯。除了藉由持戒來防非止惡,還要透過反省、檢討,省察自己的身、口、意有沒有過失?有沒有不圓滿的地方?有,馬上改過、修正。如是不僅能改變積習,還能收攝身心、沉澱妄想。在不斷的反省、檢討中,煩惱習氣愈來愈淡化,這念心愈來愈能作主,就是在向上提升,定能成就一切功德與事業。 
  

Saturday 18 October 2014

心量广大,周遍法界

若取窄的针孔,穿针线会费时费力,甚至穿不进去;反之,宽的针孔不仅容易穿针引线,甚至还有多余的空间可穿第二条线。

  针孔仿佛是人的心量,心量窄小的人,不容易包容他人,横结恶缘也障碍了自己;针孔宽,如宽厚者,心胸似大海宽广无量,看见他人的习气、过失,能慈悲包容,并随喜赞叹他人的优点及善行。

  心量的大小,也决定看待事物的角度。心宽时,周遍法界;心窄时,狭不容针。勉励自己能像海一般,有容乃大,常起慈心,利益他人。

文/见萦法师 图╱传智  
中台世界网  

Friday 17 October 2014

What is the purpose of making offerings to the Buddha?

We make offerings not because the Buddha needs them - the Buddha is an enlightened being, He certainly does not need an incense stick to be happy!

Nor do we make offerings to win the Buddha's favour.  The Buddha developed universal loving-kindness and compassion long ago and won't be swayed by flattery and bribery the way we ordinary beings are.

We make offerings to create positive energy and develop good qualities such as giving with a respectful attitude and gratitude.

Moreover, the offerings remind us of certain teachings of the Buddha.

Offering of Light (Lamp/Candle)
• Light symbolizes wisdom.
• Light drives away darkness.
• Similarly, the light of wisdom dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Offering of Incense
• When incense is lit, its fragrance spreads.
• Incense symbolizes the fragrance of pure moral conduct.
• This reminds us to cultivate good conduct.

Offering of Water
• Water symbolizes purity, clarity and calmness.
• This reminds us to practise the Buddha's teachings, so as to cleanse our minds, which are full of desire, ill-will and ignorance, and to attain the state of purity.

Offering of Fruits
• Fruit symbolizes the ultimate fruit of Enlightenment which is our goal.
• Fruit also reminds us that all actions will have their effect.

Offering of Flowers
• The freshness, fragrance and beauty of flowers are impermanent.
• Fresh and beautiful flowers will soon become withered, scentless and discoloured.
• This reminds us of the Buddha's teaching that all things are impermanent.
• We should value what we have now and live in the present.

The Lotus
• The most common flower seen in Buddhist shrines, or on the base of statues, are lotuses, as they represent the potential or actuality of Enlightenment.

• The lotus grows out of the mud and blossoms above the water surface, yet it is not dirtied by the mud from which it grows.

• The Buddha is likened to the lotus. Like a lotus that rises out of a muddy pond, the Buddha rose above the defilements and sufferings of life.

• We are right now surrounded by defilements and sufferings, just as the lotus seed is surrounded by dirt, mud and filth. We should rise above our defilements and sufferings, just like the lotus flower arising above the muddy water.

• This serves to remind us of our own potential Buddhahood. We may have defilements today, but we all have the potential of growing out of defilements and achieving wisdom like the Buddha.


Source & Share from Buddhanet.net    

Thursday 16 October 2014

放下你心中的包袱

人生路漫漫,背负在肩上的担子已经很沉重了,何苦还要往心头挂个人,挂个事,步履蹒跚。放下你心中的包袱,天蓝蓝水清清,让轻风载送你盈盈一笑!
  
不要在心里苦闷不堪,人和人之间的爱恨埋怨与指责,就像是一锅越搅越糊的粥,真正能解决问题的方法,是改变自己。不是变得卑微去迎合迁就别人,这样只会让矛盾滚雪球。是强大内心,增长智慧,学会把问题转化。
  
比如说怨恨,因为对方亏欠了自己,所以怨恨。因为自己曾经付出了,曾经期待了,而你却辜负了我,我愤怒无比。就像农夫养大了一条蛇,蛇反咬他一口后逃跑了,农夫受伤了,很生气。这时农夫要怎么做呢,用后半生的时间去寻找这条蛇报复?试想农夫最后杀了蛇,他前半生的付出还是不会改变,而且因为要去找蛇,他的庄稼荒废了,当别人有收成的时候,他只好饿着肚子望着贫瘠的土地难过。
  
如果不期待,就不会有失望。如果付出是无私的,就不会结生负面情绪。人做的每件事,甚至是说出的话,都有一个反弹的磁场,就像你用手去搅拌湖水,波纹随即荡漾开,到了对岸又反弹回来,最终轻轻拍打在你的手上。
  
不要担心付出没有收获。生意做不成时,可以收获人缘,爱情谈不成了,可以收获人生觉悟,创业失败了就累积经验,不要总是对刚踏出脚的那一步路耿耿于怀,就算是活到了70岁,后面也还有没走完的路,还有没看过的好风景。学着转化,特别是负面情绪,不一定要化悲愤作力量那么慷慨,把它看轻一点,看淡一点,变成你脚下的一朵小野花,也只是角落里的一处小风景。

片面的执着会让人变得狭隘,不知道海阔天空的世界一直就在身边,某个人,某次经历,堵在心头的某一事,只是浮在面上的一个水泡,轻装上路,去经历真正的大海。既然活着,就要收获丰盛的人生,而不是,堵在哪个路口,蹲下来郁郁而终。



文章来源:菩萨在线  

Tuesday 14 October 2014

「欲望」帶來的只有苦而沒有樂

有一次,佛陀在憍薩羅國首都舍衛城遊化,住在城南的祇樹給孤獨園。 
尊者阿難在一次禪思中體悟到:世間人的慾望是很少能滿足的,也很少有人帶著對慾望的厭患之心而去世。能知足,能對慾望厭患而去世的人,那是太難得了。
    
  傍晚,尊者阿難結束禪修後,就去禮見佛陀,將他在禪思中的體悟,向佛陀報告。
  
  佛陀告訴尊者阿難說:
  是啊!是啊!正是這樣。
阿難!過去,有一位名叫 '頂生的聰明轉輪王,他擁有大軍,也擁有輪寶、象寶、馬寶、珠寶、玉女寶、大臣寶、將軍寶等七寶,又有著上千位勇猛的兒子,自在地統治著一大片延伸到大海的廣大領土,而且懂得以王政而不以武力酷罰治國,百姓生活得十分富裕安樂。

  阿難!過了很久,有一天,頂生王心想:我目前擁有閻浮洲這片廣大的領土,人民眾多而且富裕,也有七寶與千子,我還想要整個王宮有積到膝蓋的寶物財富。
  
  當頂生王擁有整座王宮積到膝蓋的寶物後,過了很久,有一天,他又想要統領西方另一片叫瞿陀尼洲的富裕地方。

  當頂生王統領了西方瞿陀尼洲後,過了很久,有一天,他又想要統領東方另一片叫弗婆鞞陀提洲的富裕地方。
  
  當頂生王統領了東方弗婆鞞陀提洲後,過了很久,有一天,他又想要統領北方另一片叫鬱單曰洲的富裕地方。
  
  當頂生王統領了北方另一片叫鬱單曰洲的地方後,過了很久,有一天,他又想:傳說天界有一個叫三十三天的地方,現在,我已統領了人間的四大洲,我想要到三十三天去看看。
  
  頂生王以神通力到了三十三天,見識到那裡殊勝的環境。隨後,頂生王進入了三十三天的集會堂。三十三天的領袖'帝釋天',尊重他是一位有威德的轉輪王,連忙起來禮讓他半座,讓頂生王坐在他的旁邊。此時,頂生王的外貌,除了眼睛之外,變得和天帝釋完全一樣。
 
  過了很久,頂生王心想:我有七寶、千子、寶物,統治著人間的四大洲,現在來到三十三天,又得到帝釋天的半座,而且,除了眼睛外,我的外貌也和天帝釋一樣殊勝,我何不將帝釋天趕走,奪取另外的半座,這樣一來,我就成了天上人間自由自在的統治者了。
  
  阿難!當頂生王這樣想時,不知不覺地掉回原來人間的閻浮洲,失去了上三十三天的神通力,而且還得了重病。
 
  臨死前,有大臣來問:
  '大王!如果有人來問我,頂生王臨終時交代了些什麼,我該怎麼回答?'
  
  '你應該這樣答:頂生王得到了閻浮洲,還感到不滿足而去世;有了七寶,還感到不滿足而去世;有了千子,還感到不滿足而去世;有了大量的寶物,還感到不滿足而去世;得到了瞿陀尼洲,還感到不滿足而去世;得到了弗婆鞞陀提洲,還感到不滿足而去世;得到了鬱單曰洲,還感到不滿足而去世;能見識到諸天集會,還感到不滿足而去世;頂生王具足五欲享樂,還感到不滿足而去世。如果有人問,你就這樣回答好了。'”
 
  接著,佛陀說:
 
  即使珍寶如雨般地下,慾望仍然無法滿足;欲帶來的只有苦而沒有樂,有智慧者當如是知。即使得到無量的黃金,猶如大雪山一般高,也不能一一得到滿足,有智慧者當如是想。即使有天的殊勝五欲,也不以這五欲為樂。這樣斷貪不著欲的人,是圓滿覺者的弟子。


來源:《佛說頂生王故事經》