The Silent Buddha [Generosity]

Once upon a time, there was a very rich man living in Benares, in northern India. When his father died, he inherited even more wealth. He thought, "Why should I use this treasure for myself alone? Let my fellow beings also benefit from these riches."

So he built dining halls at the four gates of the city — North, East, South and West. In these halls he gave food freely to all who wished it. He became famous for his generosity. It also became known that he and his followers were practicers of the Five Training Steps.

In those days, there was a Silent Buddha meditating in the forest near Benares. He was called Buddha because he was enlightened. This means that he no longer experienced himself, the one called 'I' or 'me', as being in any way different from all life living itself. So he was able to experience life as it really is, in every present moment.

Being one with all life, he was filled with compassion and sympathy for the unhappiness of all beings. So he wished to teach and help them to be enlightened just as he was. But the time of our story was a most unfortunate time, a very sad time. It was a time when no one else was able to understand the Truth, and experience life as it really is. And since this Buddha knew this, that was why he was Silent.

While meditating in the forest, the Silent Buddha entered into a very high mental state. His concentration was so great that he remained in one position for seven days and nights, without eating or drinking.

When he returned to the ordinary state, he was in danger of dying from starvation. At the usual time of day, he went to collect alms food at the mansion of the rich man of Benares.

When the rich man had just sat down to have lunch, he saw the Silent Buddha coming with his alms bowl. He rose from his seat respectfully. He told his servant to go and give alms to him.

Meanwhile, Mara, the god of death, had been watching. Mara is the one who is filled with greed for power over all beings. He can only have this power because of the fear of death.

Since a Buddha lives life fully in each moment, he has no desire for future life, and no fear of future death. Therefore, since Mara could have no power over the Silent Buddha, he wished to destroy him. When he saw that he was near death from starvation, he knew that he had a good chance of succeeding.

Before the servant could place the food in the Silent Buddha's alms bowl, Mara caused a deep pit of red hot burning coals to appear between them. It seemed like the entrance to a hell world.

When he saw this, the servant was frightened to death. He ran back to his master. The rich man asked him why he returned without giving the alms food. He replied, "My lord, there is a deep pit full of red hot burning coals just in front of the Silent Buddha."

The rich man thought, "This man must be seeing things!" So he sent another servant with alms food. He also was frightened by the same pit of fiery coals. Several servants were sent, but all returned frightened to death.

Then the master thought, "There is no doubt that Mara, the god of death, must be trying to prevent my wholesome deed of giving alms food to the Silent Buddha. Because wholesome deeds are the beginning of the path to enlightenment, this Mara wishes to stop me at all costs. But he does not understand my confidence in the Silent Buddha and my determination to give."

So he himself took the alms food to the Silent Buddha. He too saw the flames rising from the fiery pit. Then he looked up and saw the terrible god of death, floating above in the sky. He asked, "Who are you.?" Mara replied, I am the god of death!"

"Did you create this pit of fire?" asked the man. "I did," said the god. "Why did you do so?" "To keep you from giving alms food, and in this way to cause the Silent Buddha to die! Also to prevent your wholesome deed from helping you on the path to enlightenment, so you will remain in my power!"

The rich man of Benares said, "Oh Mara, god of death, the evil one, you cannot kill the Silent Buddha, and you cannot prevent my wholesome giving! Let us see whose determination is stronger!"

Then he looked across the raging pit of fire, and said to the calm and gentle Enlightened One, "Oh Silent Buddha, let the light of Truth continue to shine as an example to us. Accept this gift of life!"

So saying, he forgot himself entirely, and in that moment there was no fear of death. As he stepped into the burning pit, he felt himself being lifted up by a beautiful cool lotus blossom. The pollen from this miraculous flower spread into the air, and covered him with the glowing colour of gold. While standing in the heart of the lotus, the Great Being poured the alms food into the bowl of the Silent Buddha. Mara, god of death, was defeated!

In appreciation for this wonderful gift, the Silent Buddha raised his hand in blessing. The rich man bowed in homage, joining his hands above his head. Then the Silent Buddha departed from Benares, and went to the Himalayan forests.

Still standing on the wonderful lotus, glowing with the color of gold, the generous master taught his followers. He told them that practising the Five Training Steps is necessary to purify the mind. He told them that with such a pure mind, there is great merit in giving alms — indeed it is truly the gift of life!

When he had finished teaching, the fiery pit and the lovely cool lotus completely disappeared.

The moral is: Have no fear when doing wholesome deeds. 

圣严法师：天下有五难

佛言：天下有五难：贫穷布施难、豪贵学道难、制命不死难、得睹佛经难、生值佛世难。

这一章讲天下有五难。

「贫穷布施难」，自己很穷，还要布施，很难。有一则贫女点灯的故事：一个乞丐婆，什么都没有，拿破碗求到半碗油，拿到佛前供养，当所有灯都熄了的时候，却只有她那盏灯还亮著；阿难问佛原因，佛说这盏功德最大，因为自己贫穷仍知道要布施、供养。此生已经贫穷了还不布施，来生会更穷，所以有钱没钱，都应该要布施。至少看到别人布施或别人得到布施，都要生欢喜心。

「豪贵学道难」，有权势地位的人，学佛困难。他们事业忙，身分尊贵，到佛前不愿顶礼三宝，怕人家笑他们迷信，其实是自认为了不起。有些大官在位时，不想也不愿学佛，等到卸任后，没钱没势时，才知道要学佛修行。其实，公门好修行，有钱有势时如能学佛，一句话就能救许多人，影响很多人学佛，这才是行菩萨道。

「制命不死难」，制命是说一定要死，如何救都没有用；也可能是指犯了非死不可的罪，救他很困难。我们应该不要去触犯死罪，而且不要寻死。最近报载有一位太太，自杀五次都遇救未死，到第六次真的自杀成功而死了，或许她有被逼得非寻死不可的原因，但如果能用这种勇气来做自利利人的事，不是很好吗？又为何要寻死呢？

「得睹佛经难」，一般人是不容易看到佛经的，尤其古代印刷术不发达，更是困难。有的人说佛经很深奥，看不懂，虽然他不反对别人读佛经，但自己却不会去读；有的人则是没有机会读佛经。佛经真的难懂吗？其实，通常被人认为难懂的，是梵文音译的名相，但这是可以透过字典查询的。

「生值佛世难」，能出生在有佛时代是非常不容易的。释迦世尊住世八十年，成道后的弘法时间有四十九年，我们这个地球，只有在那四十九年之中出世的人才能见到佛。佛法在世间也有期限，期限一过，世间人就是希望信佛也见不著佛法了。所以我们虽不是生值佛世，但至少还有佛法可听；虽然读起佛经来有一些困难，但只是小难，而非大难。

本文摘自法鼓文化出版「佛陀遺教」 

10 Titles of the Buddha

Source : Extract from Video (Diamond Sutra 金刚经）by 

Venerable Guan Cheng  (International Buddhist Society) 

(观成法师- 国际佛教观音寺)

【｢佛｣ 有十種稱號】

佛教傳統認為「佛」有十個稱號：

·   如來、

·   應供、

·   正遍知、

·   明行足、

·   善逝、

·   世間解、

·   無上調御丈夫（有時分別作無上士及調御丈夫)、

·   天人師、

·   佛、

·     世尊。

Extract from Video (（金刚经） by Venerable Guan Cheng  (International Buddhist Society) 

(观成法师- 国际佛教观音寺)

【《何謂修行》：聖嚴法師】

很多人以為吃素念經、禮佛拜懺、做慈善工作，甚至修神通、修到有未卜先知的能力，或是把身上的氣脈打通了，就叫作修行。  其實，所謂修行，簡單的說，就是修正自己身體、語言、行為的偏差，通過任何方法而達成這個目的，就是修行。 所以，上述如誦經拜懺、吃素禮佛，這些作法的確可以讓我們得到身心的平靜安定，因此，它也是修行的方法之一，但不是修行的目的，這要弄清楚才行。 至於修神通，佛教主張因緣果報，一切的一切皆緣於過去生中的業力牽引，而有現前的受報，未來的出路，也要靠著各自本身的努力才會慢慢好轉，單憑神通是無濟於事的。

　　
很多人梵唄唱得很好，誦經持咒都很熟練，這樣固然很好，但這只是修行的入門工夫。  所謂：「誦經不如解經，解經不如行經。」 經典教導我們修行的方法，知道方法、熟悉方法，還要一步一步確實的去做，才能得到修行的利益；如果在日常生活、工作之間，還是跟以前一樣，動不動就怨天尤人、牢騷滿腹，那表示吃素誦 經只做了表面工夫，對於修正自己的習氣、行為和觀念都沒有絲毫的益處。
　　
我們要轉變行為和觀念，就是把貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑這些毛病改正過來。 與人相處的時候，除了要用慈悲心、包容、寬恕別人的錯誤；同時，還要發揮自己的聰明才智，將成果奉獻給眾人，隨時隨地能運用理性和智慧，解決各種煩惱。所以，一個修行深厚的人，非但對自己有利益，他的行為舉止也一定能嘉惠他人。

所以，修行就是徹底改奱自己的習氣，讓自己作一個有理性，有智慧的人，改奱自已面對環境的心態，那麽在惡劣的環境都可以泰然處之，這樣不但可以讓自已身心安樂，也可从幫助身邊的人，開發內在智慧，得到身心安樂，這就是修行。

佛說無量壽經。全長版

Eight Winds (Venerable Master Hsing Yun)

An explanatory comment about the eight winds in modern era by Venerable Master Hsing Yun

Translator by Yinfang Huang

The eight winds mean the eight conditions that we encounter in our daily life including praise, ridicule, defamation, eulogy, gain, loss, suffering and joy, which are called "winds" because they could influence our emotions. Without realizing our original mind and living in the swing of the storm of delusions, how could it be possible to liberate the body and mind and be free?

Most worldly people usually push themselves into the suffering in the hell of rāksasī-dvīpa instantly with their mind being agitated like being stormed by hurricane or shook by earthquake for just a single eyesight, a facial expression or a gesture of others. For example, how many people pace about in an agitated state of mind for the ups and downs of the stocks? How many people feel extremely suffering for the promotion or degradation of their positions? Had you won the lottery or gotten promoted right now, will your mind be still or not? I am afraid that the so called "the eight winds cannot move me" in the past are now much more than eight in modern era: the wind of sea, the wind of the mountain, the wind of others' words, the wind of influence, and the wind of groundless rumors and baseless accident.....there are indeed too many winds that can fan our afflictions in this world!

The great scholar Su Shi from the Song Dynasty (1036-1101), also known as Su Dongpo was an avid student of Buddhist teachings. He was quick-witted and humorous; as a Zen Buddhism follower he was very serious and self-disciplined. He often discussed buddhism with his good friend, Zen Master Foyin. The two lived across the river from one another. One day, Su Dongpo felt inspired and wrote the following poem:

I bow my head to the heaven within heaven

Hairline rays illuminating the universe

The eight winds cannot move me

Sitting still upon the purple golden lotus

The “eight winds” in the poem referred to praise, ridicule, honor, disgrace, gain, loss, pleasure and misery – interpersonal forces of the material world that drive and influence the hearts of men. Su Dongpo was saying that he has attained a higher level of spirituality, where these forces no longer affect him.

Impressed by himself, Su Dongpo sent a servant to hand-carry this poem to Foyin. He was sure that his friend would be equally impressed. When Foyin read the poem, he immediately saw that it was both a tribute to the Buddha and a declaration of spiritual refinement. Smiling, the Zen Master wrote “fart” on the manuscript and had it returned to Su Dongpo.

Su Dongpo was expecting compliments and a seal of approval. When he saw “fart” written on the manuscript, he was shocked . He burst into anger: “How dare he insult me like this? Why that lousy old monk! He’s got a lot of explaining to do!”

Full of indignation, he rushed out of his house and ordered a boat to ferry him to the other shore as quickly as possible. He wanted to find Foyin and demand an apology. However, Foyin’s door was closed. On the door was a piece of paper, for Su Dongpo. The paper had following two lines:

The eight winds cannot move me

One fart blows me across the river

This stopped Su Dongpo cold. Foyin had anticipated this hot-headed visit. Su Dongpo’s anger suddenly drained away as he understood his friend’s meaning. If he really was a man of spiritual refinement, completely unaffected by the eight winds, then how could he be so easily provoked?

With a few strokes of the pen and minimal effort, Foyin showed that Su Dongpo was in fact not as spiritually advanced as he claimed to be. Ashamed but wiser, Su Dongpo departed quietly.

It is inevitable to encounter everything that may go as or against our wishes in life, and sometimes we are disgraced, sometimes we are praised. Therefore, I propose the philosophy "half-half" of life: where there is sunlight in half of the day, there will certainly be dark night in the other half; where there is temperate spring in which all flowers blossom, there will be the advent of harsh cold winter.

Once upon a time, Hanshan asked Shide: " how should I do if someone disgrace me, bully me, insult me, belittle me, denigrate me, hate me and cheat me?", Shide replied: "what you can do is only to tolerate him, let him be, avoid him, endure him, respect him and ignore him, see what he can do with you years later?" To tolerate and endure him is to cultivate the magnanimity of the mind; to avoid him and let him be is the wondrous tip to lessen disputes; to respect and ignore him is to respect your opponent and make you grow stronger. It's like the basketball game: it is impossible to hold a game without your opponent.

To live in this world, it is inevitable for us to face the challenges of honor, disgrace, gain and loss. We may feel honored when we are doing well; however, there is no need to worry about personal gains and losses or negate yourself when you are dejected. Because the world is impermanent, and the honor, disgrace, gain and loss are all temporary. With too much concern for the honor, disgrace, gain and loss we will be restrained by them. Therefore, we have to learn "

When the wind has passed through a grove of bamboo, the rattle of the stalks dies away.  After the wild geese are gone their reflection in the deep pool disappears". We will be exactly the free and comfortable person that the eight winds cannot move when there are no vicious defamation that can hurt or destroy us and no disgrace or honor that can move us.

Q & A about the Eight Winds:

Q: How can we not be moved by the outside environment in our daily life?

A: In Buddhism we often say "absolutely immovable", and there is Acala or the Immovable One among the sacred statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas of Buddhism. In addition, the name of Kṣitigarbha ( the Earth Store) who is well known to everyone means "be peaceful, tolerant and immovable as the huge earth; meditate as tranquilly and be still as profoundly as the secret store". As long as we can be of no rush nor presumptuous actions, that's exactly the wondrous tip of settling down and getting on with one's pursuit.

Here are four of my personal opinions:

1)  The body will be safe and sound as long as you can keep immovable towards both joy and anger:

You will have an easy time if you can keep immovable constantly towards various kinds of states such as joy, anger, sorrow and happiness. I am neither necessarily good when someone praises me nor necessarily bad when someone disgraces me. Those who can keep immovable towards both disgrace and praise are indeed able to see through life; and those who won't show any emotions in joy or anger are indeed well cultured.

2) The dharma realm will be so vast as long as you can keep immovable towards both good and bad:

No one would never encounter good or bad states and even good or bad people in life. Never grumble when you are taken advantage of nor brag about when you give someone a favor; keep immovable no matter whether you are in rich or poverty and you will be able to show high ideals by simple living; keep peaceful and calm in the fickleness of the world and you will be able to lead a quiet life. You will never be hindered by the state whether it is good or bad and you will be able to roam freely in the vast dharma realm.

3) Be immovable towards gain and loss and you will be able to free your mind:

Sometimes we gain and sometimes we lose in our life. For example, we will feel joyous when the stock value you buy goes up and on the other hand feel dejected when it goes down. Between the gain and loss, we have to realize that where there is gain, there will be loss, and therefore we won't fear when we lose because it will go up again sometime in the future. As long as you can keep immovable towards both gain and loss, your mind won't get unsettled and you will certainly be free and easy.

4) The Buddha's land will reveal itself as long as you can keep immovable towards both praise and disgrace:  Keep immovable no matter whether people praise or disgrace you, and that is exactly the state in which none of the so called eight winds: "praise, ridicule, defamation, eulogy, gain, loss, suffering and joy" can move you, and you will be able to "sit still upon the golden purple lotus". That is the display of truly peaceful Buddha's Pure Land.

Buddha made the vow under the bodhi tree that He would not move until He got enlightened, and finally He got enlightened by sitting still to observe the stars six years later; Bodhidharma faced the wall in Shaolin temple for nine years, and Huiko admired His high ideals, cut off his arm to show his seriousness in seeking dharma, hence the Chan school was founded.

In Chinese we say "to bear hardship with equanimity and remain unmoved".   You can realize the subtlety of the immovability by practice in person.

八風 (星雲大師現代詮釋 )

「八風」是指我們在生活上所遇到的稱、譏、毀、譽、利、衰、苦、樂等八種境界，能影響我們的情緒，所以稱為「風」。……不識本心，活在「妄想狂風」的飄搖中，身心何能解脫、自在？

世間上的人，經常為了別人的一個眼神、一個表情、一個手勢，或者為了一個空間、一點利益，稍不合己意，內心就颳起了颱風、激起了地震，瞬間把自己推進羅剎鬼國受苦。例如：多少人在股票的漲跌之間團團轉，多少人在官職的升降中痛苦不已；就是現在你意外中獎了、升官了，試問自己：我的心動不動呢？過去所謂「八風吹不動」，到了現代，恐怕已經不止八風，海風、山風、口風、權風、空穴來風、平地起風波……人間能吹動我們煩惱的風，真是太多了。

宋朝蘇東坡在江北瓜州地方任職時，與江南金山寺只有一江之隔，他常和金山寺的住持佛印禪師談禪論道。有一天自覺修持有得，就撰寫了一首詩，派遣書僮過江，送給佛印禪師印證，詩云：「稽首天中天，毫光照大千；八風吹不動，端坐紫金蓮。」意思是說，我頂禮偉大的佛陀，蒙受佛光的普照，現在，我的心已不再受外在的八風所牽動了，好比佛陀端坐在蓮花座上一樣。

佛印禪師看完後，一語不發，只批了兩個字──「放屁」，就叫書僮帶回。蘇東坡一看，氣得七孔生煙，連忙叫書僮備船。船到金山寺時，看到佛印禪師正站在岸邊笑著迎接他，蘇東坡氣得衝上前理論：「禪師！我的詩偈，哪裡不對？你怎麼可以開口就罵人呢？」佛印禪師大笑說：「你不是八風吹不動了嗎？怎麼我一句『放屁』就把你打過江來了呢？」

人生在世，難免有好有壞，有毀有譽，所以，我提出「一半一半」的人生哲學。一半有白天的光明，也必有一半黑夜的存在；有百花開放溫馴的春天，也會有酷寒嚴冬的來臨。

有一次寒山問拾得說：「如果有人穢我、欺我、辱我、輕我、賤我、惡我、騙我，應該怎麼辦呢？」拾得回答說：「那麼只有忍他、由他、避他、耐他、敬他、不要理他，過幾年你且看他如何？」忍他，耐他是培養心量；避他、由他，是減去紛爭的妙方；敬他、不理他，則是尊敬你的對手，讓自己更茁壯、強大。就像打籃球，在球場上，若沒有敵手，球賽也無法舉行。

人活在這個世間上，必定要面對榮辱得失的考驗，得意時會感到榮耀，但是失意時也不用患得患失、自我否定。因為世間無常，榮辱得失只是一時的，對於榮辱太過計較，就會受到榮辱所牽制；對於得失太過計較，就會被得失所桎梏。因此，我們應該要學習「風來疏竹，風過而竹不留聲；雁渡寒潭，雁去而潭不留影。」當毒箭惡語傷毀不了我們，毀譽榮辱動搖不了我們時，就是「八風吹不動」的自在逍遙人了。

八風提問

問：生活中，如何做到心不為外境所動呢？

答：佛門裡面常講「如如不動」，佛菩薩聖像裡也有「不動明王」、或「不動尊」，而人人所知的地藏菩薩，就是「安忍不動，猶如大地；靜慮深密，猶如秘藏」的意思。我們能做到身心都不急促，不妄動，就是安身立命的妙方。

這裡有四點意見：

第一、喜怒不動身安泰：

每天二六時中，面對喜怒哀樂的境界，都不為所動，我就能身心安泰，日子也就很好過。因為，你講我好，我未必好；你講我壞，我也未必壞，能夠如此「毀譽不動於心」，可謂參透人生；能夠做到「喜怒不形於色」，則是修養到家了。

第二、好壞不動法界寬：

人生在世，好的境界、壞的境界，不會沒有遇到的。甚至好人、壞人，也都會讓我們碰上。吃虧時，我不動之於口；施人之恩時，也不必發之於言；乃至面對貧賤不動於心，我就能淡泊明志；面對炎涼不激於氣，我則能寧靜致遠。無論好壞，都不會為這境界所障礙，那麼，這法界就能任我遨遊。

第三、得失不動心自在：

生活之中，有時候會有所得，有時候也有所失。比方投資股票，看到漲停板，心生歡喜；遇到跌停板，傷心失意。在這得失之間，如果能夠體會到得了一定會失，失了也不必怕，還會有再起來的時候。 能得失不動，一顆心就不會七上八下，自能自在灑脫。

第四、稱毀不動佛國現：

人家稱讚我、毀謗我，我都能不動心，所謂「利、衰、毀、譽、稱、譏、苦、樂」，真正「八風吹不動」時，我才能「端坐紫金蓮」。到了這個時候，那真是安詳的佛國淨土。

佛陀在印度菩提樹下發願，若不開悟，誓不起動，六年不動，終於睹星悟道；菩提達摩在嵩山少林寺面壁九年，長坐不動，慧可仰慕高風，斷臂求法，而開後來禪宗一脈。

所謂「安之若素，不為所動」，這不動之妙，若親身實踐，可以會得。

（摘自星雲大師《星雲法語》）

文／星雲大師

【功德的力量：自舫法師】

佛陀在世時，座下有一位眼睛失明的比丘。

有一天，他在縫衣服時，因為眼睛看不而針線脫落。 比丘大聲說：「有誰要修福德的，請來幫我穿針線！」

這時佛陀剛好走到他的屋前，佛告訴比丘：「我是修福德的人，我來幫你穿針線！」

眼盲比丘聽出是佛陀的聲音，急忙起立披上袈裟，向佛頂禮，稟白佛陀：「佛陀！您的功德已經圓滿，為何還說要修福德呢？」

佛陀答說：「雖然，我的功德已經圓滿，但我深知功德的恩、功德的果報和功德的力量。 也是由於修習種種功德，我才會在一切眾生中最為殊勝。因此，我很重視修習功德。」

佛陀讚歎功德後，又為比丘說法。比丘聽法後得法眼淨。

其實，佛陀的功德已經圓滿，只是為了教化弟子而示現的。佛陀對弟子說：「我尚且都要修諸功德，你們怎麼能不修諸功德呢！」

白話自《大智度論》卷十

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety

The following is an extract of Bhaya Bherava Sutta of Majjhima Nikaya describing how the Buddha, before his Enlightenment, overcame fear and anxiety and immersed himself in the peace of the jungle.

Once when Buddha was living at Savatthi, the bhramin Janussoni came to talk with him.  He asked the Buddha:  “When people ordain as monks, do they take you as their leader and example?”

“Yes,”  the Buddha replied, “that is so.”

“But living in the jungle all by yourself is very difficult.  Most people would go mad if they don’t have strong concentration.”

“Yes,”  the Buddha replied,  “that is so.  Before my Enlightenment, when I was still a spiritual seeker, I also worried that the deep jungle would drive me mad if I couldn’t develop my concentration.  But when I thought about it, I realized:  When spiritual seekers that have not yet perfected their practice of virtue go into the jungle, they are full of fear and anxiety.  But I have perfected my virtue.  When I realized this, the jungle was a place of peace for me.

The same is true for speech, thought and livelihood.  For one imperfect in these things, the jungle is a place of fear and anxiety.  For one perfect in these things, it is a place of peace.

When spiritual seekers are full of lust, hate, laziness, anxiety or doubt, the jungle is a place of fear and anxiety.  But I am free of lust, hate, laziness, anxiety and doubt.

When spiritual seekers praise themselves and criticize others, when they are easily frightened, when they constantly desire honor and fame, the jungle is a place of fear and anxiety.  But I do not praise myself and criticize others.  I am free from fear.  I am not easily frightened.  And I do not desire honor and fame.

When spiritual seekers lack energy, are unmindful, do not practice deep meditation, and lack wisdom, the jungle is a place of fear and anxiety.  But I am energetic, ever mindful, practice deep meditation, and have wisdom.”

【修福報的十種方法】

第一、孝親；

第二、戒邪淫 ；

第三、素食；

第四、持戒；

第五、常懷恭敬心；

第六、唸佛、拜佛 ；

第七、支持慈善、正知正見網站；

第八、常發善願、常常回向；

第九、忍辱；

第十、時時懺悔。

传喜法师法语

惜福

明朝嘉靖时期有一位出名的宰相，名叫严嵩，其子严世蕃也是高官，因而父子二人同恶相济，结党营私，总揽朝政，残害忠良，把国家搞的乌烟瘴气，国不成国。

　　仗着自己位高权重、富可敌国，他们的生活十分奢侈、浪费。严世蕃要吐痰，只要咳嗽一声，就在四周围绕的丫鬟们，仰起脸张开嘴巴来接他所吐的痰。严嵩在故乡的公馆里，门客家人更是不计其数，每天从他家的厨房内的阴沟里流出的鱼肉白米多得吓人。用“朱门酒肉臭，路有冻死骨”来形容，一点不夸张。

　　恰好严公馆附近有座庙，庙里有个老和尚，每天他都率领小和尚到阴沟里把白米捞起来，然后洗净晒干，日子久了，竟推得满满一屋子。

　　后来严嵩的奸情败露，嘉靖皇帝把严嵩撤职，严世蕃从牢杀头，财产充公，严嵩老来便无的依靠了。由于在位时作恶多端，不得人心，所以，失势后也没有人同情他、可怜他。

　还好，庙里的老和尚以慈悲为怀，收留了他。他在庙里吃了好多天以后，有一天很难为情地对老和尚说，“我很对不起你，当我势力正大的时候，却不知道有你这么一个好邻居，从来没有在你庙里积过一点德;现在穷了，反而来消耗你，我真惭愧啊。”

　　老和尚安慰道：“相爷不必难过，你现在吃的不是我的，而是相爷你自己的，而且就是吃上十年八年，也吃不完的。”

　　严嵩听到这话，觉得很惊讶：“呀！吃我的，这话从何说起?”

　　老和尚从容地说：“你不信，我带你去看。”

　　于是老和尚领着严嵩仓房里，指着一大堆米，对严嵩说：“这都是你相府阴沟里流出来的米，我把它捞上来，淘洗干净再晒干的。”

　　老严嵩看到这事实，听了老和尚的话，唯有把泪往肚子里流，什么也说不出——这，就是不懂得惜福的后果呀。

　　这个故事告诉我们：懂福、惜福才会有福，人世间，没有灾殃祸患就是福，无奈很多人身在福中不知福。在我们的日常生活中，铺张浪费就是不惜福的表现，不管是在政府机关食堂、集团公司食堂、还是学生食堂、大小酒店饭馆，丢饭、剩饭的现象非常严重，君不知当今世界上还有多少人挣扎在饥饿钱上，有多少在面临着被饿死的困境，然而我们却把“粒粒皆辛苦”的饭菜倒到垃圾筒，一粒米里有七位神仙，不可以浪费哦，请大家惜福吧。

文章来源： 佛陀的追随者网