普遍的見地

林鈺堂

簡繁轉換 - 繁體

 

學佛者習慣於從個人的觀點來發心,因此所發菩提行願往往不離「我」要出脫輪迴、「我」要往生淨土、「我」要成佛渡眾,的範圍。但是,佛法的根本教示,直指一切皆「無我」;那麼,一般的菩提行願豈非離於正道?

一般人會發心學佛,往往是由於體會了世間多苦,而尋求解脫之道;因此,從自己的離苦得樂來發心,是難免的。然而,佛法的教示源於觀察世間一切有情的輪轉生死諸相,從而指出普遍的糾纏或開解的因緣層次;所以,其教示是普及一切有情的真理,而其見地則超出任何一偏之見。

了解了這個道理,我們在發菩提行願時,最好能涵蓋、普及一切眾生。然而,超出任何一偏之見的見地,卻不是理論上了解就能證入的;只有專心投入佛法的修持,才有可能慢慢趨入。雖然如此,在修途中,我們可以時常提醒自己,不要為自己的見解所局限,而要從普及一切有情的觀點來觀察;這樣一來,就有希望可能早些從見解的束縛裡開解出來。

 

二○一八年十一月三日
養和齋    於加州

 

Universal Vantage

Yutang Lin

 

Buddhist practitioners are used to develop their aspirations from personal point of views, and hence the Bodhi Vows they formulate are often within the category of wishes such as ″I″ wish to escape from transmigration in Samsara, ″I″ wish to gain rebirth in Pureland, and ″I″ wish to attain Full Enlightenment so as to be able to enlighten all sentient beings. However, the fundamental teaching in Buddhism is that all are without ″self″; then, aren′t those ordinary Bodhi Vows deviated from the correct path?

Usually, people aspire to walk on the Bodhi path only after they have realized that there is much suffering in the world, and hence they seek to find a path toward liberation. Thus, it is inevitable that one′s aspirations stem from personal escape from suffering and personal attainment of happiness. Nevertheless, Dharma teachings have their sources in observation on phenomena of all sentient beings′ transmigration in Samsara, and thereby point out the orders and sequences of causal connections of universal entanglements or disentanglements. Therefore, Dharma teachings are universal truths that apply to all sentient beings, and their vantage is beyond any partial and limited views.

Once we comprehended this fundamental character of Dharma teachings, when we develop our Bodhi Vows, we had better have them cover and reach all sentient beings. However, the vantage that is beyond any partial and limited views cannot be attained by merely grasping the idea in theory; only through wholehearted devotion in Dharma practices will its attainment be gradually realized. Nevertheless, during the course of our Dharma practices, we may constantly remind ourselves, not to be confined and limited by our own views and comprehension but to observe from the vantage that is reaching all sentient beings. Thus, it will become hopeful that we may sooner emerge from the bondage of views and comprehensions.

 

Written in Chinese and translated into English on November 3, 2018
El Cerrito, California

 

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