兩面警戒

林鈺堂上師敬編

簡繁轉換 - 繁體

即使深明佛理,真摯修行,行者也是有時會為無明習氣所籠罩,而起煩惱,在身語意上顯現愚癡。因此撰此短文,提醒行者,若能時常在兩方面提高警覺,存心戒備,或可免於一時的迷失。

一面是「去執」。一開始比較、計較,便是陷於執著心中一偏之見的編織見網,接著便會煩惱不休,引起愚迷的行止。行者宜保持警醒,一察覺自己在比較、計較,就要放掉,不再繼續。

一面是「開闊」。修行應基於菩提心,而菩提心的要旨是在為一切眾生謀求徹底解脫以及圓滿開悟。行者應了解,修行者的身語意上一切行止,都要能經得起面對一切眾生、面對任何眾生而無愧的考驗。若非如斯的真心與大心,又何從自渡渡他?因此,行者宜常自己反省,眼前的行止是否能安心公開於一切眾生之前。這樣開廣的心態可以免除數不盡的基於私心的自尋煩惱以及愚迷行為。

希望這樣兩面的警戒,可以幫助許多行者減免一時的迷失與過犯。

 

二○一七年十二月七日
養和齋    於加州

 

Alert on Two Fronts

Yutang Lin

 

Even though well-versed in Buddhist teachings and sincere in engaging in Dharma practices, a practitioner may at times become engulfed in habitual tendencies that are rooted in ignorance, and then propelled by sorrows into displaying foolish behaviors in body, speech and mind. Therefore, I compose this short essay to remind practitioners that, if one could stay alert on two fronts to avoid possible mistakes, then one might be able to be spared such temporary loss of enlightened directions.

One front is ″renouncing grasping″. As soon as one starts making comparisons and complaining, that means one is already trapped in knitting a net of views that are none other than personal prejudices rooted in grasping to partial vantage point. And then sorrows will grow rampant and lead to ignorant and deluded behaviors. A Dharma practitioner should stay alert, and as soon as one becomes aware that one is making comparisons and complaining, one should renounce it immediately without continuing down that way.

Another front is ″opening up″. Dharma practices are rooted in Bodhicitta, while the essence of Bodhicitta is in seeking ultimate emancipation and perfect awakening for all sentient beings. A Dharma practitioner should comprehend that, all behaviors of body, speech and mind of a practitioner need to be such that they could withstand facing all sentient beings together or any sentient being individually without causing a feeling of shame. If it is not so genuine and great a mind, how could it carry one and others over the ocean of samsara? Therefore, a Dharma practitioner had better reflect on himself often to see if his current behaviors could be revealed to all beings without feeling unease. Such open and expansive attitude can spare one countless ignorant and deluded behaviors and self-incurred sorrows that are rooted in selfish grasping.

May such alert on two fronts help many Dharma practitioners to be spared temporary loss of enlightened directions and free from errors committed out of ignorance and delusion!

 

Written in Chinese and translated into English on December 7, 2017
El Cerrito, California

 

 

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