皈依三寶的功德利益

皈依三寶的功德利益，可以說在人生中，所得利益總加起來，也不及皈依三寶的功德之大之多。《佛說希有校量功德經》說：皈依三寶所得的功德之大，若具足四事供養，乃至建七寶塔供養舍利的功德，尚不及皈依三寶所獲得的功德之百分之一。“夫三寶者，千生難遇，萬劫難逢，皈依者，福增無量；禮念者，罪滅河沙。譬如靈丹之妙藥，療百病而蠲除。冥冥黑夜中，三寶為燈燭；滔滔苦海內，三寶為舟航；焰焰火宅中，三寶為雨澤。”  由此可知三寶的功德。

　　沒有皈依三寶，即使拜佛燒香，也只能算是佛教的尊敬者，不能算做佛教徒，如果是佛教徒，第一具備的條件就是皈依三寶。

　　皈依三寶究竟有什麼功德利益呢？總結經典中的功德利益有下列十點：

　　1、找到了宇宙間第一偉大的聖者釋迦牟尼佛作為老師，成為正式的佛弟子。

　　2、經雲：“皈依佛，不墮地獄；皈依法，不墮畜生；皈依僧，不墮餓鬼。”故一旦皈依三寶以後，立刻可以惡道除名，人天有份。

　　3、如頂戴寶冠，身着華服，人身立刻莊嚴；而皈依三寶，則道德、人格、信仰因而提升。

　　4、佛陀指示護法龍天、一切善神，在末法時代，要保護、加被所有皈依的三寶弟子。

　　5、能夠獲得世間大衆的尊敬，並以為模範。

　　6、消災免難，平安吉祥，一切好事，都會成就。

　　7、能積集廣大福德，得大富貴，如為人生前途造了平坦的道路，如苦海茫茫中有了舟航。

　　8、減少煩惱，得遇善人為友，到處都能得方便。

　　9、有受戒的資格。皈依三寶的人可以受持五戒，參加八關齋戒等。

　　10、終有一天，必定得度。即使沒有修行，只要皈依三寶，將來彌勒菩薩龍華三會的時候，也能得度。

文章来源：釋迦牟尼佛（圖片）社團

posted by Angela Ney

Inevitable Death (Sutta Nipata 574 - 581)

Life in the world is unpredictable and uncertain. 

Life is difficult, short and fraught with suffering.

Being born, one has to die; this is the nature of the world. 

With old age there is death; this is the things are.  

When fruit is ripe, it may drop early in the morning. 

In the same way, one who is born may die at any moment.

Just as all pots made by all the potters End in being broken, So it is with the life of all who are born. Neither young nor old, foolish or wise will escape the trap of death.  All move towards death. They are overcome by death.  They pass on to another world. 

A father cannot save his son or a family its members.  Look! With relatives watching, with tears and crying,  Men are carried off one by one, like cattle to the slaughter.

So, death and aging are a natural part of the world. Thus, the wise grieve not, seeing the nature of the world. 

Source : The Gotama Buddha Sasana Network

【｢結緣」與「攀緣」】

在佛教中，建立關係稱為「結緣」；讓他人主動、被動接受世法的幫助，或佛法的接引，建立自利利他的關係，稱為「結善緣」；不涉及私欲的關係是「淨緣」，與眾生建立許多的善緣與淨緣，彼此互助走在學佛修行的路上，稱為「廣結善緣」。

學佛的人若內心或外在遇到障緣，最好的辦法便是廣結善緣，並且多懺悔。

廣結善緣是培福，禮拜懺悔是消業；業力減輕，福緣增加，對於修行就有幫助。

聖嚴法師也提醒，能用平等的慈悲心，與大眾結緣，運用智慧量力而為，施與受都是在結善緣。

「攀緣」通常相對於「隨緣」，原本的意思是，內心跟隨環境的變動，因追逐、執著而造作業與煩惱。

和「結緣」一起說，攀緣是存著自私自利的心與人互動，希望對象滿足自己的要求、為自己帶來好處，內在執著於人我是非、計較得失，對於名利地位不斷追逐。

中秋节快乐 Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

The Meaning 0f Charity

The volition that one wants to give away or offer one’s possession to others in charity is called dana, and the offerings that one makes also denotes dana.

Charitable deeds arise depending on one’s volition. Unless one is motivated, one will never give away one’s possession in charity. Therefore, volition is the main force of charity and it also is called dana. Charity done with keen volition can bring great benefit to the donor. The objects of offerings also help in the accomplishment of charitable deeds. If there is no object of offering, no charitable deed can be done. So the objects of offering also denote dana.

In the Buddha’s Teaching, charity (dana), morality (sila), and metal cultivating (bhavana) are of vital importance. Dana is the foundation of all Perfections. It is the Perfection in Dana that all Bodhisattas fulfill prior to other Perfections. Dana also resembles a package of provision for one who roams about the round of rebirths. A person who has performed a great deal of charitable deeds will become a man of great wealth and high station in whatever existence he will be reborn. Even when in his last existence, he realizes Nibbana, he will realize it more comfortably than one who lacks in charitable deeds. One should not neglect dana because one can rely on it not only in the present life but also in future existences. If one performs charitable deeds with a correct attitude in proper and systematic way, one will realize Nibbana and be free from the round of rebirths at the earliest.

The practice of dana had already existed in various forms long before the appearance of the Buddha. In those days, in compliance with the teachings of Brahmanas, the people, expecting better future existences, killed human beings and animals and made sacrificial offerings thinking that their offering was dana. The custom of these sacrificial offerings was widespread at that time. The people killed a hundred goats, a hundred cows, a hundred human beings, etc., to make dreadful sacrificial offerings known as satapadiyittha.

Kings and rich men killed various kinds of animals and made sacrificial offerings in competition with one another. They also believed that their offerings were the most excellent donation.

At the time of the Buddha, he told the people not to make such sacrificial offerings, and explained to them the evil consequences of these offerings. He also gave discourses on charity explaining how to perform charitable deeds in order to gain great wealth as the result of their acts of charity. Since that time, the Brahmanas have abstained from taking others’ lives and finally they are converted into vegetarians.

On expounding discourses on charity, the Buddha told donors not to destroy any life for their offerings, and not to make extravagant donations. He also told donees frequently to receive offerings only as much as they really need. He also said that one should donate only one-fourth of one’s possessions. The Buddha did not want donors to make their donations in an ostentatious manner because extremely lavish donations can cause extreme hardship to the donors.

Especially the Buddha urged people to make charitable deeds that could have everlasting benefits to the Buddha Sasana and also to the whole world. If one performs charitable deeds as a habitual action, and keeps on making such charity as a routine duty, one will enjoy greater benefits. Wise elders of olden days used to make efforts so their descendants would keep on performing these everlasting charities regularly from one generation to another.

After the rich man Anathapindika had passed away, one of his grand-daughters lived in poverty. But she made strenuous effort daily to keep up the traditional practice of performing charitable deeds. She invited one bhikkhu and offered alms-food daily because she could not afford to offer alms-food to many bhikkhus. In order to do so she herself picked up grains left in the field just after harvest, sold the grains, and offered alms-food to a bhikkhu daily. In this way, she was able to maintain the charitable duty of her ancestor in spite of her poverty.

These are many other charitable deeds which can be performed bodily depending on one’s capacity and diligence. Charitable actions such as regular offerings of alms-food, water and lights to the Buddha and the bhikkhus, the setting up of pots of drinking water on wayside stands for travellers to drink, are invaluable habitual charities which can be performed only by those who are endowed with diligence and keen volition.

Myanmars of olden days generously performed everlasting charitable deeds such as planting trees, constructing rest-houses, digging wells and ponds, and building roads and bridges for public use. In planting trees, they planted perennial trees such as coconut, jack-fruit and toddy-palms not for their benefit but for the benefit of later generations. Such charitable deeds will produce good results forever.

The benefits of dana are numerous. If dana is made in a proper way, it can give rise to supreme wholesome kamma associated with three moral roots (Tihetuka ukkattha kusala kamma). The dana, done generously with the comprehension of kamma and its result with keen volition at the three stages of the good deeds, is a good friend for one throughout the long journey in Samsara!

問：佛教徒可以養寵物嗎？

答：現代人養寵物，多數抱持著寵物很可愛、可以在身邊陪伴的心態，往往和寵物產生互相倚賴與依戀的感情。

避免產生執著

以佛教的立場，這樣容易對動物產生執著，甚至與牠們相應，因此並不鼓勵飼養寵物；不過，如果已經養了寵物，就要用慈悲心與愛心終生對待，負起照顧牠們一生的責任。

佛教徒進行日常功課時，如果空間允許，也可以帶著寵物做定課，讓牠們接受佛法的熏習，雖然牠們今生身為動物，但有因緣聽聞佛法、接觸三寶，來生就有機會學佛得度。

眾生無邊誓願度

不僅對自己的寵物如此，佛教徒可為一切眾生念誦〈三皈依〉文、念佛號，希望眾生與佛法結緣，種下善根，將來若有機會得遇佛法、遇到善知識，就能夠修學佛法、種下得度因緣，這就是「眾生無邊誓願度」。

本文摘自《學佛新手50問》一書

佛陀 世間四事難長久

以下故事出自於：『法句譬喻經』卷一 無常品之四

昔佛在舍衞國只樹給孤獨園，為諸弟子説法。時有梵志女，年十四五，端正聰辯，父甚憐愛，卒得重病即便喪亡，田有熟麥為野火所燒，梵志得此憂惱愁憒失意恍惚，譬如狂人不能自解。傳聞人説佛為大聖、天人之師，演説經道忘憂除患。於是梵志往到佛所，作禮長跪白佛言：素少子息，唯有一女，愛以忘憂，卒得重病舍我喪亡，天性悼愍，情不自勝。唯願世尊垂神開化，釋我憂結。

佛告梵志：世有四事，不可得久。何謂為四？一者有常必無常，二者富貴必貧賤，三者合會必別離，四者強健必當死。

於是世尊即説偈言：「常者皆盡，高者必墮，合會有離，生者有死。」梵志聞偈心即開解，願作比丘，鬚髮自墮即成比丘，重惟非常得羅漢道。

〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜

釋迦牟尼佛住在祗樹給孤獨園的時候，有一位婆羅門，有個十四、五歲的女兒，生得端正、聰明，又有口才，在一國之中，可説無人可及。她突然身染重病，不久就死了。父母非常疼愛這個獨生女，甚於自己的生命，凡有任何憂愁，見到女兒，心中的憂愁苦惱當下就消散了。面對女兒突然死亡，父親心中的悲痛難以言喻，每天傷心啼哭，不覺竟然瘋了，整日到處亂走。

有天來到佛陀所住的地方，一見到佛陀，當下神智清醒，並向佛陀頂禮。悲傷的父親説：「我沒有兒子，只有這個女兒，愛惜她如手中珠玉，讓我忘掉一切憂愁。可是忽然重病，在我的面前舍我而亡，喚不醒，叫不答，眼睛一閉，身體就冷掉，呼吸就停止。任憑我呼天不應，叫地不靈，心中的鬱悶痛苦無法形容，難以忍耐，唯願世尊解開我的憂愁。」他的聲音哽咽，淚流滿面，令旁邊聞者也不禁為之濕袖。佛陀就跟他開示説，世間有四件事不能永久保存：

第一，有常者必無常

就是説凡是存在的任何事物，不可能永遠不變，繼續保持原貌，它時時刻刻都在變化，本質會慢慢改變，最後就消失。例如我們的身體時時刻刻都在新陳代謝，經過生老病死，最後在這個世間消失;山河大地、地球、宇宙，也時時刻刻都在經歷成住壞空、生住異滅的過程。

第二，富貴者必不久

就是説不管怎樣大富大貴的人，最後也會頹敗下來。俗話説：「富不過三代」，除非代代行善積德，才能保持子子孫孫的榮華富貴。但是我們凡夫都有慳貪的心，有了還要更多，多還要永遠。所以，沒有佈施，富貴就不長久。

第三，會合者必別離

六親眷屬在一起，或是親戚朋友的往來，有一天都會離散，所謂「無不破之家，無不敗之國」。尤其時代不同，孩子長大往往離鄉背景出外謀生，放年邁雙親守着故鄉田園，即使生活在一起，最後也會生離死別。

第四，強健者必歸死

不管多麼年輕、強壯的身體，總有死亡的時候;即使再長壽，也終歸一死。人不論誰，從生下來，就被判了不定期的死刑，『死』時刻在他旁邊威脅着。所以人都要在有生之年，及早解決後生大事，則生亦安，死亦安，所謂「朝聞道，夕死可矣!」

佛陀因此説了四句偈：

常者皆盡，高者亦墮，

合會有離，生者必死。

這位婆羅門恭聞佛陀為他開示這些偈語，心便開解，而作比丘，深觀無常，終於證阿羅漢。

釋迦牟尼佛（圖片）社團

posted by 雅筑

佛弟子不評論別人，也不評價自己

很多修學的人，改不了或者經常會不經意就犯的毛病，喜歡對別人下結論，就是評價某人怎麼樣，是好是壞，這都是不好的習氣。人就容易犯毛病，喜歡評論別人。古人講要蓋棺定論，就是說死了，棺材蓋上了，才可以給一個下結論。總之，對人評說，都是不好的。

人多的地方，總是是非多，是非就是因為多口舌，這很不好。第一，自己嘴巴造業；第二，要明白，其實每個人，有自己的因緣和業力。每個人業力不同，成長環境不同，思想不同，面對的困境也是不同，一切都不同。所以，不能隨便評價一個人怎麼樣。

為什麼不要評價一個人，因為你不是他，每個人都有自己的福德因緣，也就是命運。所以，不能以我們的主觀，去評價別人。命運不同，僅此而已。如果你成長在他那樣的環境，也許你也會一樣。比如說你去評價一個當官的，如果你站在那個位置，或者你做的比他還差勁。

古人講，不在其位，不謀其政。這句話，沒有站在對方的位置，是不知道對方的處境的。只有你站到他的位置的時候，才知道對方的處境。佛弟子給人下結論，是個無聊的問題。

祖師大德說，靜坐常思己過，閑談莫論人非。兩人在閑談的時候，不要談及別人的過錯。而且又說，來說是非者，必是是非人。來講是非的人的，自己一定處于是非中。最好的方式就是不要聽是非就好了。

古人講，好人是我們的老師，壞人也是我們的老師。壞人因為做了壞事，受了懲罰，其實也是告訴我們不要做壞事。所以也是我們的老師。

唐朝武則天死後，留下了一個墓碑，是無字碑。武則天顯然很懂得佛家的奧秘，留下個無字碑，給個人去下評論吧。其實，凡夫是沒有資格評價聖人的，因為兩人的格局不同。比如說武則天貴為一代女王，推動了一個時代，創造了一個盛世。她的心量，是凡夫無法理解的。武則天心量能如此廣大，是因為她對《華嚴經》有很深的研究。所以，她根本不在乎評價，尤其是後人對她的評價，她知道自己的使命。

所以，學佛的人，一定不要去評論他人，也不要輕易評價自己。

文章来源 ： 釋迦牟尼佛（圖片）社團

佛教徒名稱的正式稱呼

佛教徒有許多的名稱，名稱大體上分為兩大類。一類是對佛教徒的正式稱呼，如比丘、比丘尼、沙彌、沙彌尼、式叉摩那、優婆賽、優婆夷等。一類是對佛教徒的別稱，如僧、沙門、和尚、阇梨、頭陀。

　　
　　

佛教徒名稱的正式稱呼
　　
　　一、比丘，意思是乞士，稱呼年滿20歲的正式出家的男性佛教信徒。比丘要受“具足戒”，即對正式出家的佛教徒規定的較完整的戒律。
　　
　　二、比丘尼，意思是乞士女，稱呼年滿20歲的正式出家的女性佛教信徒。相傳佛教中最早的比丘尼是釋迦牟尼的姨母。比丘尼要受“具足戒”。
　　
　　三、沙彌，意思是息慈、求寂等，稱呼年齡不滿20歲但已滿14歲的少男出家者。他們雖然還不能受具足戒但也要受許多佛教戒律的約束，—般受持“十戒”。
　　
　　四、沙彌尼，意思是勤策女，稱呼年齡已到14歲但還不到18歲的少女出家者。她們雖然不受“具足戒”的約束，但也有很强的行為規範要遵守。比如，不得于避處自弄身體、不得照鏡子化妝等。
　　
　　五、式叉摩尼，意思是學法女，稱呼年滿18歲但還不滿20歲的沙彌尼，她們專修“四根本戒”和“六法”。之所以要沙彌尼再經兩年的式叉摩那時期才受具足戒，是因為要檢驗女弟子會不會懷孕。
　　
　　六、優婆塞，意思是清信士、近事男，稱呼在家修行的男性佛教信衆。這些信衆雖然沒有出家，但也要對自己的行為按佛教的教義加以約束，遵守“三皈五戒”。
　　
　　七、優婆夷，意思是清信女、近事女，稱呼在家修行的女性佛教信衆。她們與優婆塞同樣，也要對自己的行為按佛教的一定要求加以限制，遵守“三皈五戒”。

文章来源 ： 釋迦牟尼佛（圖片）社團

posted by Angela Ney

Be diligent by contemplating the impermanence of this life

Devotees and children, we go to schools, learn something, and find jobs in our lives. In the meantime, some of us get ill and sometimes even die. Death comes to most of us swiftly and we are not ready to face that unexpected death. This story tells us an incident in which someone got the refuge of the Dhamma before he faced his death unexpectedly.

There was a merchant named Mahādhana at the time of the Gautama Supreme Buddha. He buys a large number of valuable clothing called ‘Kusumbharat’ from City Bārānasi to fill 500 carriages and goes on selling them to different cities. This time, he went to sell his goods to the City Sāvatti. Since it was almost dark by the time he and his carriages reached River Achiravati, he thought to cross the river the next morning. Thus he parked all his carriages on the other side of the river in that evening. At that night a huge rain poured down overflowing the river. It rained seven consecutive days making impossible for him and his carriages to cross the river. Because of this reason, he could not sell all his goods. Then he thought, 

“I came from a long distance. It’s a difficulty to go back with these gods now. I’ll stay here this rainy season and probably the next winter and summer too. I’ll finish my work and sell these goods first, and then I can leave.”

After the rain stopped, merchant Mahādhana came to City Sāvatti and started to sell his goods. On that day, the Supreme Buddha came to the city for collecting alms. When He was walking by that merchant’s place the Supreme Buddha saw merchant Mahādhana and made a smile. The Supreme Buddha does not make smiles unless there is something important. Knowing this fact, Ananda Thero asked the Supreme Buddha,

“Dear Sir, what is the reason for you to smile?”

“Ananda, did you see that merchant Mahādhana?”

“Yes Sir.”

“That merchant doesn’t know when he is going to die. He thinks of living in City Sāvatti this whole year and selling his goods. Ananda, he is going to die in seven more days.”

“Sir, shall I go tell him about this and try to help him?”

“Ananda, go and see if he believes what you would say.”

Ananda Thero then went to merchant Mahādhana collecting alms and asked him,

“Friend, how long are you expecting to live here?”

“Sir, I came from a long distance. It’s difficult for me to go back with all these goods. I am thinking to stay here this whole year and sell all my goods before I leave this city.”

“Devotee, we don’t know what bad things might happen to this life, so isn’t it better to cultivate merits while we live?”

“Oh Sir, are you saying this because I may have to face some crisis?”

“Yes devotee. You only have seven days to live.”

Then merchant Mahādhana started to think,

“These noble Bhikkhus never tell lies. They don’t make others fear or deceive others with lies. This has to be true. If that’s the case, there’s no point for me to continue collecting more money like this. I should observe precepts and donate to collect merits.”

At that evening, he went to Temple Devram and invited the Supreme Buddha and His disciple Sangha for alms at his place. He offered the Supreme Buddha and His disciple Sangha alms for seven days. On the last day, the Supreme Buddha preached,

“Meritorious devotee, a wise person shall do it like this. He would not waste his time thinking that ‘I’ll stay here this amount of time, will do this and that work, and will earn money in this and that way.’ He should also think of the danger that he might face in this life.

The Supreme Buddha then preached this following stanza in a beautiful voice,

‘Idha vassan vasissāmi – idha hēmanta gimhisu
Iti bālō vichintēti – antarāyan na bujjati

I will stay here in the rainy season – and in the winter too
I’ll stay here – this is how an unwise person thinks, without realizing the true danger’

Devotees and children, merchant Mahādhana did realize the meaning of this stanza very well. He started to contemplate that Dhamma and attained the Sōwān state. The Dhamma preaching of the Supreme Buddha brought everyone the wellbeing. The merchant went following the Supreme Buddha to a distance and stopped. He then felt a severe headache. He came back to his place and slept on his bed. It was his last sleep – he died. Then he was born in Thuthisa divine world. He was saved because of the great compassion of the Supreme Buddha! How remarkable the compassion of the Supreme Buddha…!

Based on the story of merchant Mahādhana in Magga Vagga – Dhammapadaya (20.14)
Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero

【護持身命如油缽】佛典故事

過去，佛陀與比丘們在鹿野苑中修行。一天，佛陀問比丘：「世間美女是否能吸引群眾聚集圍觀？」比丘們回答：「是的，世尊。」佛陀再問：「如果世間美女又會種種歌舞伎樂，是不是會吸引更多人觀賞呢？」比丘們肯定地回答：「是。」

接著，佛陀又說：「有一位喜歡欲樂、厭惡痛苦及死亡的男子，有人告訴他說：『你要捧著裝滿油的缽，從圍繞著美女、歌舞伎樂的群眾中穿越而過，我會派一名劊子手跟在你身後，如果你不小心掉落一滴油，他會馬上取你性命。』這個怕死的人會不繫念手上的油缽，不恐懼身後的劊子手，流連於美色及歌舞嗎？」比丘們回答：「不會的。這個怕死的人因畏懼身後的劊子手，想到油若落下一滴，頭就會被砍下，所以會一心一意顧好手中的油缽，於充斥美色、歌舞的人群中緩緩而過，根本不敢多看一眼。」

佛陀聽到比丘們這麼回答，便慈悲地開示大眾：「修行人護念法身慧命，就是要這樣戒慎恐懼。不要去貪戀外在虛妄不實的美色、音聲等塵境，應當收攝身心，身口意三業謹慎而不放逸。」佛陀教導比丘們依四念處觀來修行，一心一意思惟「觀身不淨、觀受是苦、觀心無常、觀法無我」，以正智、正念調伏貪愛、憂懼，煩惱自然斷除，不再受生死輪迴之苦。最後以一偈來勸勉諸位比丘：

　　「專心正念，護持油缽，
　　　自心隨護，未曾至方，
　　　甚難得過，勝妙微細，
　　　諸佛所說，言教利劍。
　　　當一其心，專精護持，
　　　非彼凡人，放逸之事，
　　　能入如是，不放逸教。」

比丘們聽完佛陀的開示，個個興起信樂歡喜之心，依著教誨，落實修行。 

典故摘自《雜阿含經‧卷二十四》

《省思》

一般人被眼前五光十色、絢爛的泡影所迷惑，以為追求享樂，生命才多彩多姿；然而，從出生以來，每天都在老去，如同身後站著一位無形的劊子手，「是日已過，命已隨減，如少水魚，斯有何樂？」佛陀如實觀察真理，提醒修行人看清世間欲樂的虛妄，不再迷惘追求，並且，如同捧油般謹慎身口意，一心繫念善法、正念，長養無窮盡的法身慧命，創造生命永恆的價值。

※※念佛的朋友可以把「油缽當成念佛」後頭跟著的《劊子手當成無常》而世間美女與歌舞伎樂當成『六道輪迴』！
貪愛這世間享受而忘記護著油缽（念佛）的話，後頭的劊子手（無常）就會要您的命！※※

Largest Buddha statues in the world (top 10)

(1) Spring Temple Buddha, China – Height 120m, 420 feet

(2) Lay Kyun Setkyar, Myanmar – Height 116m, 381 feet

(3) Ushiku Daibutsu, Japan – Height 110m, 360 feet

(4) Great Buddha of Thailand – Height 92m, 302 feet

(5) Ling Shan Buddha Statue, China – Height 88m, 289 feet

(6) Leshan Giant Buddha Statue, China – Height 71m, 233 feet

(7) Wat Buraphaphiram Buddha, Thailand – Height 59.2m, 194 feet

(8) Bamiyan Buddha Statue, Afghanistan – Height 55m, 180 feet

(9) Aluthgama Buddha Statue, Sri Lanka – Height 48m, 160 feet

(10) Phuket Big Buddha, Thailand – Height 45m, 148 feet