++

finish translating test0
upload test file
2026-08-12 18:02:13 +08:00 · 2026-08-12 18:01:06 +08:00 · 2026-08-12 17:59:52 +08:00
232 changed files with 4 additions and 74036 deletions
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-# Generated PDF page previews for proofreading
-translate-files/佛教徒的人生态度/proofread/pdf-pages/
-.codegraph/
-.firecrawl/
-.~lock.*
-__pycache__/
-__pypackages__/
-bilingual.dj
-commented.dj
-
-# Binaries — per project convention: don't commit binaries (keep on disk)
-*.docx
-*.pdf
-*.mp4
-*.pptx
-*.xlsx
-*.ods
-*.duckdb
-
-# Generated term-DB outputs and historical data dirs
-references/guide/03 术语库/_output/
-terms-search/
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[submodule "toolkit"]
-	path = toolkit
-	url = https://gitea.mpi.chat/eastwind/translation-toolkit.git
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# MPI Project Conventions
-
-See [toolkit/AGENTS.md](toolkit/AGENTS.md) for the full project conventions.
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+测试
+test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+测试
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+test
@@ -1,753 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Slide transition styles.
- *
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/transitions/}
- */
-type TransitionStyle = 'none' | 'fade' | 'slide' | 'convex' | 'concave' | 'zoom';
-/**
- * Slide transition speeds.
- *
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/transitions/}
- */
-type TransitionSpeed = 'default' | 'fast' | 'slow';
-/**
- * Fragment animation classes.
- *
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/fragments/}
- */
-type FragmentAnimation = 'fade-out' | 'fade-up' | 'fade-down' | 'fade-left' | 'fade-right' | 'fade-in-then-out' | 'fade-in-then-semi-out' | 'grow' | 'shrink' | 'strike' | 'highlight-red' | 'highlight-blue' | 'highlight-green' | 'highlight-current-red' | 'highlight-current-blue' | 'highlight-current-green' | (string & {});
-/**
- * katex - Math Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/revealjs.com/blob/master/src/math.md}
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/plugin/math/katex.js}
- */
-interface KatexConfig {
-    local?: string;
-    version?: string;
-    delimiters?: Array<{
-        left: string;
-        right: string;
-        display: boolean;
-    }>;
-    ignoredTags?: string[];
-}
-/**
- * mathjax2 - Math Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/revealjs.com/blob/master/src/math.md}
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/plugin/math/mathjax2.js}
- */
-interface Mathjax2Config {
-    mathjax?: string;
-    config?: string;
-    tex2jax?: {
-        inlineMath?: any;
-        skipTags?: string[];
-    };
-}
-/**
- * mathjax3 - Math Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/revealjs.com/blob/master/src/math.md}
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/plugin/math/mathjax3.js}
- */
-interface Mathjax3Config {
-    mathjax?: string;
-    tex?: {
-        inlineMath?: any;
-    };
-    options?: {
-        skipHtmlTags: string[];
-    };
-}
-/**
- * mathjax4 - Math Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/revealjs.com/blob/master/src/math.md}
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/plugin/math/mathjax4.js}
- */
-interface Mathjax4Config {
-    mathjax?: string;
-    tex?: {
-        inlineMath?: Array<[string, string]>;
-        displayMath?: Array<[string, string]>;
-        macros?: Record<string, string | [string, number]>;
-    };
-    options?: {
-        skipHtmlTags?: string[];
-    };
-    startup?: {
-        ready?: () => void;
-    };
-    output?: {
-        font?: string;
-        displayOverflow?: string;
-        linebreaks?: {
-            inline?: boolean;
-            width?: string;
-            lineleading?: number;
-            LinebreakVisitor?: unknown;
-        };
-    };
-}
-/**
- * Highlight Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/plugin/highlight/plugin.js}
- */
-interface HighlightConfig {
-    highlightOnLoad?: boolean;
-    escapeHTML?: boolean;
-    beforeHighlight?: (...args: any) => any;
-}
-/**
- * Markdown Plugin configuration
- *
- * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/revealjs.com/blob/master/src/markdown.md}
- * @see {@link https://marked.js.org/using_advanced}
- */
-interface MarkdownConfig {
-    async?: boolean;
-    baseUrl?: string;
-    breaks?: boolean;
-    gfm?: boolean;
-    headerIds?: boolean;
-    headerPrefix?: string;
-    highlight?: (...args: any) => any;
-    langPrefix?: string;
-    mangle?: boolean;
-    pedantic?: boolean;
-    renderer?: object;
-    sanitize?: boolean;
-    sanitizer?: (...args: any) => any;
-    silent?: boolean;
-    smartLists?: boolean;
-    smartypants?: boolean;
-    tokenizer?: object;
-    walkTokens?: (...args: any) => any;
-    xhtml?: boolean;
-    separator?: string;
-    verticalSeparator?: string;
-    notesSeparator?: string;
-    attributes?: string;
-}
-/**
- * Configuration object for reveal.js.
- *
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/config/}
- */
-interface RevealConfig {
-    /**
-     * The "normal" size of the presentation, aspect ratio will be preserved
-     * when the presentation is scaled to fit different resolutions
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/presentation-size/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 960
-     */
-    width?: number | string;
-    /**
-     * The "normal" size of the presentation, aspect ratio will be preserved
-     * when the presentation is scaled to fit different resolutions
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/presentation-size/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 700
-     */
-    height?: number | string;
-    /**
-     * Factor of the display size that should remain empty around the content
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/presentation-size/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 0.04
-     */
-    margin?: number;
-    /**
-     * The smallest possible factor to scale content down by in order to fit
-     * the available viewport.
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/presentation-size/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 0.2
-     */
-    minScale?: number;
-    /**
-     * The largest possible factor to scale content up by in order to cover
-     * the available viewport.
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/presentation-size/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 2.0
-     */
-    maxScale?: number;
-    /**
-     * Display presentation control arrows
-     * - true: Display controls in all views
-     * - false: Hide controls in all views
-     * - 'speaker': Display controls only in the speaker view
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    controls?: boolean | 'speaker' | 'speaker-only';
-    /**
-     * Help the user learn the controls by providing hints, for example by
-     * bouncing the down arrow when they first encounter a vertical slide
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    controlsTutorial?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Determines where controls appear, "edges" or "bottom-right"
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'bottom-right'
-     */
-    controlsLayout?: 'edges' | 'bottom-right';
-    /**
-     * Visibility rule for backwards navigation arrows; "faded", "hidden"
-     * or "visible"
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'faded'
-     */
-    controlsBackArrows?: 'faded' | 'hidden' | 'visible';
-    /**
-     * Display a presentation progress bar
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    progress?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Display the page number of the current slide
-     * - true:    Show slide number
-     * - false:   Hide slide number
-     *
-     * Can optionally be set as a string that specifies the number formatting:
-     * - "h.v":	  Horizontal . vertical slide number (default)
-     * - "h/v":	  Horizontal / vertical slide number
-     * - "c":	  Flattened slide number
-     * - "c/t":	  Flattened slide number / total slides
-     *
-     * Alternatively, you can provide a function that returns the slide
-     * number for the current slide. The function should take in a slide
-     * object and return an array with one string [slideNumber] or
-     * three strings [n1,delimiter,n2]. See #formatSlideNumber().
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    slideNumber?: boolean | 'h.v' | 'h/v' | 'c' | 'c/t' | ((slide: any) => string | [string, string, string]);
-    /**
-     * Can be used to limit the contexts in which the slide number appears
-     * - "all":      Always show the slide number
-     * - "print":    Only when printing to PDF
-     * - "speaker":  Only in the speaker view
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'all'
-     */
-    showSlideNumber?: 'all' | 'print' | 'speaker';
-    /**
-     * Use 1 based indexing for # links to match slide number (default is zero
-     * based)
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    hashOneBasedIndex?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Add the current slide number to the URL hash so that reloading the
-     * page/copying the URL will return you to the same slide
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    hash?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if we should monitor the hash and change slides accordingly
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    respondToHashChanges?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Enable support for jump-to-slide navigation shortcuts
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    jumpToSlide?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Push each slide change to the browser history. Implies `hash: true`
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    history?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Enable keyboard shortcuts for navigation
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    keyboard?: boolean | {
-        [keyCode: number]: string | ((event: KeyboardEvent) => void);
-    };
-    /**
-     * Optional function that blocks keyboard events when returning false
-     *
-     * If you set this to 'focused', we will only capture keyboard events
-     * for embedded decks when they are in focus
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    keyboardCondition?: null | 'focused' | ((event: KeyboardEvent) => boolean);
-    /**
-     * Disables the default reveal.js slide layout (scaling and centering)
-     * so that you can use custom CSS layout
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    disableLayout?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Enable the slide overview mode
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/overview/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    overview?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Vertical centering of slides
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    center?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Enables touch navigation on devices with touch input
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    touch?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Loop the presentation
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    loop?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Change the presentation direction to be RTL
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    rtl?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Changes the behavior of our navigation directions.
-     *
-     * "default"
-     * Left/right arrow keys step between horizontal slides, up/down
-     * arrow keys step between vertical slides. Space key steps through
-     * all slides (both horizontal and vertical).
-     *
-     * "linear"
-     * Removes the up/down arrows. Left/right arrows step through all
-     * slides (both horizontal and vertical).
-     *
-     * "grid"
-     * When this is enabled, stepping left/right from a vertical stack
-     * to an adjacent vertical stack will land you at the same vertical
-     * index.
-     *
-     * Consider a deck with six slides ordered in two vertical stacks:
-     * 1.1    2.1
-     * 1.2    2.2
-     * 1.3    2.3
-     *
-     * If you're on slide 1.3 and navigate right, you will normally move
-     * from 1.3 -> 2.1. If "grid" is used, the same navigation takes you
-     * from 1.3 -> 2.3.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'default'
-     */
-    navigationMode?: 'default' | 'linear' | 'grid';
-    /**
-     * Randomizes the order of slides each time the presentation loads
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    shuffle?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Turns fragments on and off globally
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/fragments/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    fragments?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags whether to include the current fragment in the URL,
-     * so that reloading brings you to the same fragment position
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    fragmentInURL?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if the presentation is running in an embedded mode,
-     * i.e. contained within a limited portion of the screen
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    embedded?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if we should show a help overlay when the question-mark
-     * key is pressed
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    help?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if it should be possible to pause the presentation (blackout)
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    pause?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if speaker notes should be visible to all viewers
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    showNotes?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Flags if slides with data-visibility="hidden" should be kept visible
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    showHiddenSlides?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Global override for autoplaying embedded media (video/audio/iframe)
-     * - null:   Media will only autoplay if data-autoplay is present
-     * - true:   All media will autoplay, regardless of individual setting
-     * - false:  No media will autoplay, regardless of individual setting
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    autoPlayMedia?: null | boolean;
-    /**
-     * Global override for preloading lazy-loaded iframes
-     * - null:   Iframes with data-src AND data-preload will be loaded when within
-     *           the viewDistance, iframes with only data-src will be loaded when visible
-     * - true:   All iframes with data-src will be loaded when within the viewDistance
-     * - false:  All iframes with data-src will be loaded only when visible
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    preloadIframes?: null | boolean;
-    /**
-     * Prevent embedded iframes from automatically focusing on themselves
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    preventIframeAutoFocus?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Can be used to globally disable auto-animation
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/auto-animate/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    autoAnimate?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Optionally provide a custom element matcher that will be
-     * used to dictate which elements we can animate between.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    autoAnimateMatcher?: null | Function;
-    /**
-     * Default settings for our auto-animate transitions, can be
-     * overridden per-slide or per-element via data arguments
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'ease'
-     */
-    autoAnimateEasing?: 'ease' | string;
-    /**
-     * Number of seconds to animate each element.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 1.0
-     */
-    autoAnimateDuration?: number;
-    /**
-     * Should unmatched elements be faded in?
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    autoAnimateUnmatched?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * CSS properties that can be auto-animated. Position & scale
-     * is matched separately so there's no need to include styles
-     * like top/right/bottom/left, width/height or margin.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue ['opacity', 'color', 'background-color', 'padding', 'font-size', 'line-height', 'letter-spacing', 'border-width', 'border-color', 'border-radius', 'outline', 'outline-offset']
-     */
-    autoAnimateStyles?: string[];
-    /**
-     * Controls automatic progression to the next slide
-     * - 0:      Auto-sliding only happens if the data-autoslide HTML attribute
-     *           is present on the current slide or fragment
-     * - 1+:     All slides will progress automatically at the given interval
-     * - false:  No auto-sliding, even if data-autoslide is present
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 0
-     */
-    autoSlide?: number | false;
-    /**
-     * Stop auto-sliding after user input
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    autoSlideStoppable?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Use this method for navigation when auto-sliding (defaults to navigateNext)
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    autoSlideMethod?: null | Function;
-    /**
-     * Specify the average time in seconds that you think you will spend
-     * presenting each slide. This is used to show a pacing timer in the
-     * speaker view
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    defaultTiming?: null;
-    /**
-     * Enable slide navigation via mouse wheel
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    mouseWheel?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Opens links in an iframe preview overlay
-     * Add `data-preview-link` and `data-preview-link="false"` to customize each link
-     * individually
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    previewLinks?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Exposes the reveal.js API through window.postMessage
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    postMessage?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Dispatches all reveal.js events to the parent window through postMessage
-     *
-     * @defaultValue false
-     */
-    postMessageEvents?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Focuses body when page changes visibility to ensure keyboard shortcuts work
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    focusBodyOnPageVisibilityChange?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Transition style
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/transitions/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'slide'
-     */
-    transition?: TransitionStyle;
-    /**
-     * Transition speed
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'default'
-     */
-    transitionSpeed?: TransitionSpeed;
-    /**
-     * Transition style for full page slide backgrounds
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'fade'
-     */
-    backgroundTransition?: TransitionStyle;
-    /**
-     * Parallax background image
-     *
-     * @defaultValue ''
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundImage?: null | string;
-    /**
-     * Parallax background size
-     *
-     * @defaultValue ''
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundSize?: null | string;
-    /**
-     * Parallax background repeat
-     *
-     * @defaultValue ''
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundRepeat?: null | string;
-    /**
-     * Parallax background position
-     *
-     * @defaultValue ''
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundPosition?: null | string;
-    /**
-     * Amount of pixels to move the parallax background per slide step
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundHorizontal?: null | number;
-    /**
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    parallaxBackgroundVertical?: null | number;
-    /**
-     * Can be used to initialize reveal.js in one of the following views:
-     * - print:   Render the presentation so that it can be printed to PDF
-     * - scroll:  Show the presentation as a tall scrollable page with scroll
-     *            triggered animations
-     *
-     * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/scroll-view/}
-     *
-     * @defaultValue null
-     */
-    view?: null | 'print' | 'scroll';
-    /**
-     * Adjusts the height of each slide in the scroll view.
-     * - full:       Each slide is as tall as the viewport
-     * - compact:    Slides are as small as possible, allowing multiple slides
-     *               to be visible in parallel on tall devices
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'full'
-     */
-    scrollLayout?: 'full' | 'compact';
-    /**
-     * Control how scroll snapping works in the scroll view.
-     * - false:   	No snapping, scrolling is continuous
-     * - proximity:  Snap when close to a slide
-     * - mandatory:  Always snap to the closest slide
-     *
-     * Only applies to presentations in scroll view.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'mandatory'
-     */
-    scrollSnap?: false | 'proximity' | 'mandatory';
-    /**
-     * Enables and configures the scroll view progress bar.
-     * - 'auto':    Show the scrollbar while scrolling, hide while idle
-     * - true:      Always show the scrollbar
-     * - false:     Never show the scrollbar
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'auto'
-     */
-    scrollProgress?: 'auto' | boolean;
-    /**
-     * Automatically activate the scroll view when we the viewport falls
-     * below the given width.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 435
-     */
-    scrollActivationWidth?: number;
-    /**
-     * The maximum number of pages a single slide can expand onto when printing
-     * to PDF, unlimited by default
-     *
-     * @defaultValue Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY
-     */
-    pdfMaxPagesPerSlide?: number;
-    /**
-     * Prints each fragment on a separate slide
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    pdfSeparateFragments?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Offset used to reduce the height of content within exported PDF pages.
-     * This exists to account for environment differences based on how you
-     * print to PDF. CLI printing options, like phantomjs and wkpdf, can end
-     * on precisely the total height of the document whereas in-browser
-     * printing has to end one pixel before.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue -1
-     */
-    pdfPageHeightOffset?: number;
-    /**
-     * Number of slides away from the current that are visible
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 3
-     */
-    viewDistance?: number;
-    /**
-     * Number of slides away from the current that are visible on mobile
-     * devices. It is advisable to set this to a lower number than
-     * viewDistance in order to save resources.
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 2
-     */
-    mobileViewDistance?: number;
-    /**
-     * The display mode that will be used to show slides
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 'block'
-     */
-    display?: string;
-    /**
-     * Hide cursor if inactive
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    hideInactiveCursor?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Time before the cursor is hidden (in ms)
-     *
-     * @defaultValue 5000
-     */
-    hideCursorTime?: number;
-    /**
-     * Should we automatically sort and set indices for fragments
-     * at each sync? (See Reveal.sync)
-     *
-     * @defaultValue true
-     */
-    sortFragmentsOnSync?: boolean;
-    /**
-     * Highlight plugin configuration
-     */
-    highlight?: HighlightConfig;
-    /**
-     * Markdown plugin configuration
-     */
-    markdown?: MarkdownConfig;
-    /**
-     * KaTeX math plugin configuration
-     */
-    katex?: KatexConfig;
-    /**
-     * MathJax 2 plugin configuration
-     */
-    mathjax2?: Mathjax2Config;
-    /**
-     * MathJax 3 plugin configuration
-     */
-    mathjax3?: Mathjax3Config;
-    /**
-     * MathJax 4 plugin configuration
-     */
-    mathjax4?: Mathjax4Config;
-    /**
-     * Script dependencies to load
-     *
-     * @defaultValue []
-     */
-    dependencies?: any[];
-    /**
-     * Plugin objects to register and use for this presentation
-     *
-     * @defaultValue []
-     */
-    plugins?: any[];
-}
-/**
- * The default reveal.js config object.
- */
-declare const defaultConfig: RevealConfig;
-export type { RevealConfig, TransitionStyle, TransitionSpeed, FragmentAnimation, KatexConfig, Mathjax2Config, Mathjax3Config, Mathjax4Config, HighlightConfig, MarkdownConfig, };
-export { defaultConfig };
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-import { HLJSApi } from 'highlight.js';
-import { RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-export interface HighlightLine {
-    start?: number;
-    end?: number;
-}
-export interface HighlightLineNumbersOptions {
-    singleLine?: boolean;
-    startFrom?: number;
-}
-export interface HighlightJsApi extends HLJSApi {
-    initLineNumbersOnLoad(options?: HighlightLineNumbersOptions): void;
-    lineNumbersBlock(element: HTMLElement, options?: HighlightLineNumbersOptions): void;
-    lineNumbersValue(code: string, options?: HighlightLineNumbersOptions): string | undefined;
-}
-export interface HighlightScrollState {
-    currentBlock?: HTMLElement;
-    animationFrameID?: number;
-}
-export interface HighlightLineBounds {
-    top: number;
-    bottom: number;
-}
-export type HighlightLineStep = HighlightLine[];
-export interface HighlightPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'highlight';
-    HIGHLIGHT_STEP_DELIMITER: '|';
-    HIGHLIGHT_LINE_DELIMITER: ',';
-    HIGHLIGHT_LINE_RANGE_DELIMITER: '-';
-    hljs: HighlightJsApi;
-    highlightBlock(block: HTMLElement): void;
-    scrollHighlightedLineIntoView(block: HTMLElement, scrollState: HighlightScrollState, skipAnimation?: boolean): void;
-    easeInOutQuart(t: number): number;
-    getHighlightedLineBounds(block: HTMLElement): HighlightLineBounds;
-    highlightLines(block: HTMLElement, linesToHighlight?: string): void;
-    deserializeHighlightSteps(highlightSteps: string): HighlightLineStep[];
-    serializeHighlightSteps(highlightSteps: HighlightLineStep[]): string;
-}
-declare const Highlight: () => HighlightPlugin;
-export default Highlight;
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-/*
-Monokai style - ported by Luigi Maselli - http://grigio.org
-*/
-
-.hljs {
-  display: block;
-  overflow-x: auto;
-  padding: 0.5em;
-  background: #272822;
-  color: #ddd;
-}
-
-.hljs-tag,
-.hljs-keyword,
-.hljs-selector-tag,
-.hljs-literal,
-.hljs-strong,
-.hljs-name {
-  color: #f92672;
-}
-
-.hljs-code {
-  color: #66d9ef;
-}
-
-.hljs-class .hljs-title {
-  color: white;
-}
-
-.hljs-attribute,
-.hljs-symbol,
-.hljs-regexp,
-.hljs-link {
-  color: #bf79db;
-}
-
-.hljs-string,
-.hljs-bullet,
-.hljs-subst,
-.hljs-title,
-.hljs-section,
-.hljs-emphasis,
-.hljs-type,
-.hljs-built_in,
-.hljs-builtin-name,
-.hljs-selector-attr,
-.hljs-selector-pseudo,
-.hljs-addition,
-.hljs-variable,
-.hljs-template-tag,
-.hljs-template-variable {
-  color: #a6e22e;
-}
-
-.hljs-comment,
-.hljs-quote,
-.hljs-deletion,
-.hljs-meta {
-  color: #75715e;
-}
-
-.hljs-keyword,
-.hljs-selector-tag,
-.hljs-literal,
-.hljs-doctag,
-.hljs-title,
-.hljs-section,
-.hljs-type,
-.hljs-selector-id {
-  font-weight: bold;
-}
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-/*
-
-Zenburn style from voldmar.ru (c) Vladimir Epifanov <voldmar@voldmar.ru>
-based on dark.css by Ivan Sagalaev
-
-*/
-
-.hljs {
-  display: block;
-  overflow-x: auto;
-  padding: 0.5em;
-  background: #3f3f3f;
-  color: #dcdcdc;
-}
-
-.hljs-keyword,
-.hljs-selector-tag,
-.hljs-tag {
-  color: #e3ceab;
-}
-
-.hljs-template-tag {
-  color: #dcdcdc;
-}
-
-.hljs-number {
-  color: #8cd0d3;
-}
-
-.hljs-variable,
-.hljs-template-variable,
-.hljs-attribute {
-  color: #efdcbc;
-}
-
-.hljs-literal {
-  color: #efefaf;
-}
-
-.hljs-subst {
-  color: #8f8f8f;
-}
-
-.hljs-title,
-.hljs-name,
-.hljs-selector-id,
-.hljs-selector-class,
-.hljs-section,
-.hljs-type {
-  color: #efef8f;
-}
-
-.hljs-symbol,
-.hljs-bullet,
-.hljs-link {
-  color: #dca3a3;
-}
-
-.hljs-deletion,
-.hljs-string,
-.hljs-built_in,
-.hljs-builtin-name {
-  color: #cc9393;
-}
-
-.hljs-addition,
-.hljs-comment,
-.hljs-quote,
-.hljs-meta {
-  color: #7f9f7f;
-}
-
-.hljs-emphasis {
-  font-style: italic;
-}
-
-.hljs-strong {
-  font-weight: bold;
-}
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import { MarkdownConfig, RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-import { Marked } from 'marked';
-export interface MarkdownSlidifyOptions {
-    separator?: string | null;
-    verticalSeparator?: string | null;
-    notesSeparator?: string;
-    attributes?: string;
-}
-export interface MarkdownOptions extends MarkdownConfig {
-    animateLists?: boolean;
-}
-export interface MarkdownPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'markdown';
-    processSlides(scope: ParentNode): Promise<void[]>;
-    convertSlides(): Promise<void>;
-    slidify(markdown: string, options?: MarkdownSlidifyOptions): string;
-    readonly marked: Marked | null;
-    readonly markdownOptions: MarkdownOptions;
-}
-declare const Markdown: () => MarkdownPlugin;
-export default Markdown;
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import { RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-export interface KaTeXPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'katex';
-}
-export interface MathJax2Plugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'mathjax2';
-}
-export interface MathJax3Plugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'mathjax3';
-}
-export interface MathJax4Plugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'mathjax4';
-}
-export interface MathPlugin extends MathJax2Plugin {
-    KaTeX: () => KaTeXPlugin;
-    MathJax2: () => MathJax2Plugin;
-    MathJax3: () => MathJax3Plugin;
-    MathJax4: () => MathJax4Plugin;
-}
-declare const Math: MathPlugin;
-export default Math;
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-(function(e,t){typeof exports==`object`&&typeof module<`u`?module.exports=t():typeof define==`function`&&define.amd?define([],t):(e=typeof globalThis<`u`?globalThis:e||self,e.RevealMath=t())})(this,function(){var e=()=>{let e,t={version:`latest`,delimiters:[{left:`$$`,right:`$$`,display:!0},{left:`$`,right:`$`,display:!1},{left:`\\(`,right:`\\)`,display:!1},{left:`\\[`,right:`\\]`,display:!0}],ignoredTags:[`script`,`noscript`,`style`,`textarea`,`pre`,`code`]},n=e=>{let t=document.createElement(`link`);t.rel=`stylesheet`,t.href=e,document.head.appendChild(t)},r=e=>new Promise((t,n)=>{let r=document.createElement(`script`);r.type=`text/javascript`,r.onload=t,r.onerror=n,r.src=e,document.head.append(r)});async function i(e){for(let t of e)await r(t)}return{id:`katex`,init:function(r){e=r;let a=e.getConfig().katex||{},o={...t,...a},{local:s,version:c,extensions:l,...u}=o,d=o.local||`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/katex`,f=o.local?``:`@`+o.version,p=d+f+`/dist/katex.min.css`,m=d+f+`/dist/katex.min.js`,h=d+f+`/dist/contrib/mhchem.min.js`,g=d+f+`/dist/contrib/auto-render.min.js`,_=[m];o.extensions&&o.extensions.includes(`mhchem`)&&_.push(h),_.push(g);let v=()=>{renderMathInElement(r.getSlidesElement(),u),e.layout()};n(p),i(_).then(()=>{e.isReady()?v():e.on(`ready`,v.bind(this))})}}},t=()=>{let e,t={messageStyle:`none`,tex2jax:{inlineMath:[[`$`,`$`],[`\\(`,`\\)`]],skipTags:[`script`,`noscript`,`style`,`textarea`,`pre`,`code`]},skipStartupTypeset:!0};function n(e,t){let n=document.querySelector(`head`),r=document.createElement(`script`);r.type=`text/javascript`,r.src=e;let i=()=>{typeof t==`function`&&(t.call(),t=null)};r.onload=i,r.onreadystatechange=()=>{this.readyState===`loaded`&&i()},n.appendChild(r)}return{id:`mathjax2`,init:function(r){e=r;let i=e.getConfig().mathjax2||e.getConfig().math||{},a={...t,...i},o=a.mathjax||`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@2/MathJax.js`,s=a.config||`TeX-AMS_HTML-full`,c=o+`?config=`+s;a.tex2jax={...t.tex2jax,...i.tex2jax},a.mathjax=a.config=null,n(c,function(){MathJax.Hub.Config(a),MathJax.Hub.Queue([`Typeset`,MathJax.Hub,e.getRevealElement()]),MathJax.Hub.Queue(e.layout),e.on(`slidechanged`,function(e){MathJax.Hub.Queue([`Typeset`,MathJax.Hub,e.currentSlide])})})}}};return Plugin=Object.assign(t(),{KaTeX:e,MathJax2:t,MathJax3:()=>{let e,t={tex:{inlineMath:[[`$`,`$`],[`\\(`,`\\)`]]},options:{skipHtmlTags:[`script`,`noscript`,`style`,`textarea`,`pre`,`code`]},startup:{ready:()=>{MathJax.startup.defaultReady(),MathJax.startup.promise.then(()=>{e.layout()})}}};function n(e,t){let n=document.createElement(`script`);n.type=`text/javascript`,n.id=`MathJax-script`,n.src=e,n.async=!0,n.onload=()=>{typeof t==`function`&&(t.call(),t=null)},document.head.appendChild(n)}return{id:`mathjax3`,init:function(r){e=r;let i=e.getConfig().mathjax3||{},a={...t,...i};a.tex={...t.tex,...i.tex},a.options={...t.options,...i.options},a.startup={...t.startup,...i.startup};let o=a.mathjax||`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@3/es5/tex-mml-chtml.js`;a.mathjax=null,window.MathJax=a,n(o,function(){e.addEventListener(`slidechanged`,function(e){MathJax.typeset()})})}}},MathJax4:()=>{let e,t={tex:{inlineMath:[[`$`,`$`],[`\\(`,`\\)`]]},options:{skipHtmlTags:[`script`,`noscript`,`style`,`textarea`,`pre`,`code`]},startup:{ready:()=>{MathJax.startup.defaultReady(),MathJax.startup.promise.then(()=>{e.layout()})}}};function n(e,t){let n=document.createElement(`script`);n.type=`text/javascript`,n.id=`MathJax-script`,n.src=e,n.async=!0,n.onload=()=>{typeof t==`function`&&(t.call(),t=null)},document.head.appendChild(n)}return{id:`mathjax4`,init:function(r){e=r;let i=e.getConfig().mathjax4||{},a={...t,...i};a.tex={...t.tex,...i.tex},a.options={...t.options,...i.options},a.startup={...t.startup,...i.startup};let o=a.mathjax||`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@4/tex-mml-chtml.js`;a.mathjax=null,window.MathJax=a,n(o,function(){MathJax.startup.promise.then(()=>{MathJax.typeset(),e.addEventListener(`slidechanged`,function(e){MathJax.typeset()})})})}}}})});
@@ -1,221 +0,0 @@
-//#region plugin/math/katex.js
-var e = () => {
-	let e, t = {
-		version: "latest",
-		delimiters: [
-			{
-				left: "$$",
-				right: "$$",
-				display: !0
-			},
-			{
-				left: "$",
-				right: "$",
-				display: !1
-			},
-			{
-				left: "\\(",
-				right: "\\)",
-				display: !1
-			},
-			{
-				left: "\\[",
-				right: "\\]",
-				display: !0
-			}
-		],
-		ignoredTags: [
-			"script",
-			"noscript",
-			"style",
-			"textarea",
-			"pre",
-			"code"
-		]
-	}, n = (e) => {
-		let t = document.createElement("link");
-		t.rel = "stylesheet", t.href = e, document.head.appendChild(t);
-	}, r = (e) => new Promise((t, n) => {
-		let r = document.createElement("script");
-		r.type = "text/javascript", r.onload = t, r.onerror = n, r.src = e, document.head.append(r);
-	});
-	async function i(e) {
-		for (let t of e) await r(t);
-	}
-	return {
-		id: "katex",
-		init: function(r) {
-			e = r;
-			let a = e.getConfig().katex || {}, o = {
-				...t,
-				...a
-			}, { local: s, version: c, extensions: l, ...u } = o, d = o.local || "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/katex", f = o.local ? "" : "@" + o.version, p = d + f + "/dist/katex.min.css", m = d + f + "/dist/katex.min.js", h = d + f + "/dist/contrib/mhchem.min.js", g = d + f + "/dist/contrib/auto-render.min.js", _ = [m];
-			o.extensions && o.extensions.includes("mhchem") && _.push(h), _.push(g);
-			let v = () => {
-				renderMathInElement(r.getSlidesElement(), u), e.layout();
-			};
-			n(p), i(_).then(() => {
-				e.isReady() ? v() : e.on("ready", v.bind(this));
-			});
-		}
-	};
-}, t = () => {
-	let e, t = {
-		messageStyle: "none",
-		tex2jax: {
-			inlineMath: [["$", "$"], ["\\(", "\\)"]],
-			skipTags: [
-				"script",
-				"noscript",
-				"style",
-				"textarea",
-				"pre",
-				"code"
-			]
-		},
-		skipStartupTypeset: !0
-	};
-	function n(e, t) {
-		let n = document.querySelector("head"), r = document.createElement("script");
-		r.type = "text/javascript", r.src = e;
-		let i = () => {
-			typeof t == "function" && (t.call(), t = null);
-		};
-		r.onload = i, r.onreadystatechange = () => {
-			this.readyState === "loaded" && i();
-		}, n.appendChild(r);
-	}
-	return {
-		id: "mathjax2",
-		init: function(r) {
-			e = r;
-			let i = e.getConfig().mathjax2 || e.getConfig().math || {}, a = {
-				...t,
-				...i
-			}, o = a.mathjax || "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@2/MathJax.js", s = a.config || "TeX-AMS_HTML-full", c = o + "?config=" + s;
-			a.tex2jax = {
-				...t.tex2jax,
-				...i.tex2jax
-			}, a.mathjax = a.config = null, n(c, function() {
-				MathJax.Hub.Config(a), MathJax.Hub.Queue([
-					"Typeset",
-					MathJax.Hub,
-					e.getRevealElement()
-				]), MathJax.Hub.Queue(e.layout), e.on("slidechanged", function(e) {
-					MathJax.Hub.Queue([
-						"Typeset",
-						MathJax.Hub,
-						e.currentSlide
-					]);
-				});
-			});
-		}
-	};
-}, n = Plugin = Object.assign(t(), {
-	KaTeX: e,
-	MathJax2: t,
-	MathJax3: () => {
-		let e, t = {
-			tex: { inlineMath: [["$", "$"], ["\\(", "\\)"]] },
-			options: { skipHtmlTags: [
-				"script",
-				"noscript",
-				"style",
-				"textarea",
-				"pre",
-				"code"
-			] },
-			startup: { ready: () => {
-				MathJax.startup.defaultReady(), MathJax.startup.promise.then(() => {
-					e.layout();
-				});
-			} }
-		};
-		function n(e, t) {
-			let n = document.createElement("script");
-			n.type = "text/javascript", n.id = "MathJax-script", n.src = e, n.async = !0, n.onload = () => {
-				typeof t == "function" && (t.call(), t = null);
-			}, document.head.appendChild(n);
-		}
-		return {
-			id: "mathjax3",
-			init: function(r) {
-				e = r;
-				let i = e.getConfig().mathjax3 || {}, a = {
-					...t,
-					...i
-				};
-				a.tex = {
-					...t.tex,
-					...i.tex
-				}, a.options = {
-					...t.options,
-					...i.options
-				}, a.startup = {
-					...t.startup,
-					...i.startup
-				};
-				let o = a.mathjax || "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@3/es5/tex-mml-chtml.js";
-				a.mathjax = null, window.MathJax = a, n(o, function() {
-					e.addEventListener("slidechanged", function(e) {
-						MathJax.typeset();
-					});
-				});
-			}
-		};
-	},
-	MathJax4: () => {
-		let e, t = {
-			tex: { inlineMath: [["$", "$"], ["\\(", "\\)"]] },
-			options: { skipHtmlTags: [
-				"script",
-				"noscript",
-				"style",
-				"textarea",
-				"pre",
-				"code"
-			] },
-			startup: { ready: () => {
-				MathJax.startup.defaultReady(), MathJax.startup.promise.then(() => {
-					e.layout();
-				});
-			} }
-		};
-		function n(e, t) {
-			let n = document.createElement("script");
-			n.type = "text/javascript", n.id = "MathJax-script", n.src = e, n.async = !0, n.onload = () => {
-				typeof t == "function" && (t.call(), t = null);
-			}, document.head.appendChild(n);
-		}
-		return {
-			id: "mathjax4",
-			init: function(r) {
-				e = r;
-				let i = e.getConfig().mathjax4 || {}, a = {
-					...t,
-					...i
-				};
-				a.tex = {
-					...t.tex,
-					...i.tex
-				}, a.options = {
-					...t.options,
-					...i.options
-				}, a.startup = {
-					...t.startup,
-					...i.startup
-				};
-				let o = a.mathjax || "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@4/tex-mml-chtml.js";
-				a.mathjax = null, window.MathJax = a, n(o, function() {
-					MathJax.startup.promise.then(() => {
-						MathJax.typeset(), e.addEventListener("slidechanged", function(e) {
-							MathJax.typeset();
-						});
-					});
-				});
-			}
-		};
-	}
-});
-//#endregion
-export { n as default };
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import { RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-export interface NotesPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'notes';
-    open(): void;
-}
-declare const Notes: () => NotesPlugin;
-export default Notes;
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import { RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-export interface SearchPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'search';
-    open(): void;
-    close(): void;
-    toggle(): void;
-}
-declare const Search: () => SearchPlugin;
-export default Search;
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-(function(e,t){typeof exports==`object`&&typeof module<`u`?module.exports=t():typeof define==`function`&&define.amd?define([],t):(e=typeof globalThis<`u`?globalThis:e||self,e.RevealSearch=t())})(this,function(){return()=>{let e,t,n,r,i,a,o;function s(){t=document.createElement(`div`),t.classList.add(`searchbox`),t.style.position=`absolute`,t.style.top=`10px`,t.style.right=`10px`,t.style.zIndex=10,t.innerHTML=`<input type="search" class="searchinput" placeholder="Search..." style="vertical-align: top;"/>
-		</span>`,n=t.querySelector(`.searchinput`),n.style.width=`240px`,n.style.fontSize=`14px`,n.style.padding=`4px 6px`,n.style.color=`#000`,n.style.background=`#fff`,n.style.borderRadius=`2px`,n.style.border=`0`,n.style.outline=`0`,n.style.boxShadow=`0 2px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2)`,n.style[`-webkit-appearance`]=`none`,e.getRevealElement().appendChild(t),n.addEventListener(`keyup`,function(e){switch(e.keyCode){case 13:e.preventDefault(),d(),a=!1;break;default:a=!0}},!1),l()}function c(){t||s(),t.style.display=`inline`,n.focus(),n.select()}function l(){t||s(),t.style.display=`none`,o&&o.remove()}function u(){t||s(),t.style.display===`inline`?l():c()}function d(){if(a){var t=n.value;t===``?(o&&o.remove(),r=null):(o=new f(`slidecontent`),r=o.apply(t),i=0)}r&&(r.length&&r.length<=i&&(i=0),r.length>i&&(e.slide(r[i].h,r[i].v),i++))}function f(t,n){var r=document.getElementById(t)||document.body,i=n||`EM`,a=RegExp(`^(?:`+i+`|SCRIPT|FORM)$`),o=[`#ff6`,`#a0ffff`,`#9f9`,`#f99`,`#f6f`],s=[],c=0,l=``,u=[];this.setRegex=function(e){e=e.trim(),l=RegExp(`(`+e+`)`,`i`)},this.getRegex=function(){return l.toString().replace(/^\/\\b\(|\)\\b\/i$/g,``).replace(/\|/g,` `)},this.hiliteWords=function(t){if(!(t==null||!t)&&l&&!a.test(t.nodeName)){if(t.hasChildNodes())for(var n=0;n<t.childNodes.length;n++)this.hiliteWords(t.childNodes[n]);if(t.nodeType==3){var r,d;if((r=t.nodeValue)&&(d=l.exec(r))){for(var f=t;f!=null&&f.nodeName!=`SECTION`;)f=f.parentNode;for(var p=e.getIndices(f),m=u.length,h=!1,n=0;n<m;n++)u[n].h===p.h&&u[n].v===p.v&&(h=!0);h||u.push(p),s[d[0].toLowerCase()]||(s[d[0].toLowerCase()]=o[c++%o.length]);var g=document.createElement(i);g.appendChild(document.createTextNode(d[0])),g.style.backgroundColor=s[d[0].toLowerCase()],g.style.fontStyle=`inherit`,g.style.color=`#000`;var _=t.splitText(d.index);_.nodeValue=_.nodeValue.substring(d[0].length),t.parentNode.insertBefore(g,_)}}}},this.remove=function(){for(var e=document.getElementsByTagName(i),t;e.length&&(t=e[0]);)t.parentNode.replaceChild(t.firstChild,t)},this.apply=function(e){if(!(e==null||!e))return this.remove(),this.setRegex(e),this.hiliteWords(r),u}}return{id:`search`,init:t=>{e=t,e.registerKeyboardShortcut(`CTRL + Shift + F`,`Search`),document.addEventListener(`keydown`,function(e){e.key==`F`&&(e.ctrlKey||e.metaKey)&&(e.preventDefault(),u())},!1)},open:c,close:l,toggle:u}}});
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-//#endregion
-//#region plugin/search/index.ts
-var e = () => {
-	let e, t, n, r, i, a, o;
-	function s() {
-		t = document.createElement("div"), t.classList.add("searchbox"), t.style.position = "absolute", t.style.top = "10px", t.style.right = "10px", t.style.zIndex = 10, t.innerHTML = "<input type=\"search\" class=\"searchinput\" placeholder=\"Search...\" style=\"vertical-align: top;\"/>\n		</span>", n = t.querySelector(".searchinput"), n.style.width = "240px", n.style.fontSize = "14px", n.style.padding = "4px 6px", n.style.color = "#000", n.style.background = "#fff", n.style.borderRadius = "2px", n.style.border = "0", n.style.outline = "0", n.style.boxShadow = "0 2px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2)", n.style["-webkit-appearance"] = "none", e.getRevealElement().appendChild(t), n.addEventListener("keyup", function(e) {
-			switch (e.keyCode) {
-				case 13:
-					e.preventDefault(), d(), a = !1;
-					break;
-				default: a = !0;
-			}
-		}, !1), l();
-	}
-	function c() {
-		t || s(), t.style.display = "inline", n.focus(), n.select();
-	}
-	function l() {
-		t || s(), t.style.display = "none", o && o.remove();
-	}
-	function u() {
-		t || s(), t.style.display === "inline" ? l() : c();
-	}
-	function d() {
-		if (a) {
-			var t = n.value;
-			t === "" ? (o && o.remove(), r = null) : (o = new f("slidecontent"), r = o.apply(t), i = 0);
-		}
-		r && (r.length && r.length <= i && (i = 0), r.length > i && (e.slide(r[i].h, r[i].v), i++));
-	}
-	function f(t, n) {
-		var r = document.getElementById(t) || document.body, i = n || "EM", a = RegExp("^(?:" + i + "|SCRIPT|FORM)$"), o = [
-			"#ff6",
-			"#a0ffff",
-			"#9f9",
-			"#f99",
-			"#f6f"
-		], s = [], c = 0, l = "", u = [];
-		this.setRegex = function(e) {
-			e = e.trim(), l = RegExp("(" + e + ")", "i");
-		}, this.getRegex = function() {
-			return l.toString().replace(/^\/\\b\(|\)\\b\/i$/g, "").replace(/\|/g, " ");
-		}, this.hiliteWords = function(t) {
-			if (!(t == null || !t) && l && !a.test(t.nodeName)) {
-				if (t.hasChildNodes()) for (var n = 0; n < t.childNodes.length; n++) this.hiliteWords(t.childNodes[n]);
-				if (t.nodeType == 3) {
-					var r, d;
-					if ((r = t.nodeValue) && (d = l.exec(r))) {
-						for (var f = t; f != null && f.nodeName != "SECTION";) f = f.parentNode;
-						for (var p = e.getIndices(f), m = u.length, h = !1, n = 0; n < m; n++) u[n].h === p.h && u[n].v === p.v && (h = !0);
-						h || u.push(p), s[d[0].toLowerCase()] || (s[d[0].toLowerCase()] = o[c++ % o.length]);
-						var g = document.createElement(i);
-						g.appendChild(document.createTextNode(d[0])), g.style.backgroundColor = s[d[0].toLowerCase()], g.style.fontStyle = "inherit", g.style.color = "#000";
-						var _ = t.splitText(d.index);
-						_.nodeValue = _.nodeValue.substring(d[0].length), t.parentNode.insertBefore(g, _);
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		}, this.remove = function() {
-			for (var e = document.getElementsByTagName(i), t; e.length && (t = e[0]);) t.parentNode.replaceChild(t.firstChild, t);
-		}, this.apply = function(e) {
-			if (!(e == null || !e)) return this.remove(), this.setRegex(e), this.hiliteWords(r), u;
-		};
-	}
-	return {
-		id: "search",
-		init: (t) => {
-			e = t, e.registerKeyboardShortcut("CTRL + Shift + F", "Search"), document.addEventListener("keydown", function(e) {
-				e.key == "F" && (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) && (e.preventDefault(), u());
-			}, !1);
-		},
-		open: c,
-		close: l,
-		toggle: u
-	};
-};
-//#endregion
-export { e as default };
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-import { RevealPlugin } from 'reveal.js';
-export interface ZoomPlugin extends RevealPlugin {
-    id: 'zoom';
-}
-declare const Zoom: () => ZoomPlugin;
-export default Zoom;
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-(function(e,t){typeof exports==`object`&&typeof module<`u`?module.exports=t():typeof define==`function`&&define.amd?define([],t):(e=typeof globalThis<`u`?globalThis:e||self,e.RevealZoom=t())})(this,function(){var e={id:`zoom`,init:function(e){e.getRevealElement().addEventListener(`mousedown`,function(t){var r=/Linux/.test(window.navigator.platform)?`ctrl`:`alt`,i=(e.getConfig().zoomKey?e.getConfig().zoomKey:r)+`Key`,a=e.getConfig().zoomLevel?e.getConfig().zoomLevel:2;t[i]&&!e.isOverview()&&(t.preventDefault(),n.to({x:t.clientX,y:t.clientY,scale:a,pan:!1}))})},destroy:()=>{n.reset()}},t=()=>e,n=(function(){var e=1,t=0,r=0,i=-1,a=-1,o=`transform`in document.body.style;o&&(document.body.style.transition=`transform 0.8s ease`),document.addEventListener(`keyup`,function(t){e!==1&&t.keyCode===27&&n.out()}),document.addEventListener(`mousemove`,function(n){e!==1&&(t=n.clientX,r=n.clientY)});function s(t,n){var r=l();if(t.width=t.width||1,t.height=t.height||1,t.x-=(window.innerWidth-t.width*n)/2,t.y-=(window.innerHeight-t.height*n)/2,o)if(n===1)document.body.style.transform=``;else{var i=r.x+`px `+r.y+`px`,a=`translate(`+-t.x+`px,`+-t.y+`px) scale(`+n+`)`;document.body.style.transformOrigin=i,document.body.style.transform=a}else n===1?(document.body.style.position=``,document.body.style.left=``,document.body.style.top=``,document.body.style.width=``,document.body.style.height=``,document.body.style.zoom=``):(document.body.style.position=`relative`,document.body.style.left=-(r.x+t.x)/n+`px`,document.body.style.top=-(r.y+t.y)/n+`px`,document.body.style.width=n*100+`%`,document.body.style.height=n*100+`%`,document.body.style.zoom=n);e=n,document.documentElement.classList&&(e===1?document.documentElement.classList.remove(`zoomed`):document.documentElement.classList.add(`zoomed`))}function c(){var n=.12,i=window.innerWidth*n,a=window.innerHeight*n,o=l();r<a?window.scroll(o.x,o.y-(1-r/a)*(14/e)):r>window.innerHeight-a&&window.scroll(o.x,o.y+(1-(window.innerHeight-r)/a)*(14/e)),t<i?window.scroll(o.x-(1-t/i)*(14/e),o.y):t>window.innerWidth-i&&window.scroll(o.x+(1-(window.innerWidth-t)/i)*(14/e),o.y)}function l(){return{x:window.scrollX===void 0?window.pageXOffset:window.scrollX,y:window.scrollY===void 0?window.pageYOffset:window.scrollY}}return{to:function(t){if(e!==1)n.out();else{if(t.x=t.x||0,t.y=t.y||0,t.element){var r=20,o=t.element.getBoundingClientRect();t.x=o.left-r,t.y=o.top-r,t.width=o.width+r*2,t.height=o.height+r*2}t.width!==void 0&&t.height!==void 0&&(t.scale=Math.max(Math.min(window.innerWidth/t.width,window.innerHeight/t.height),1)),t.scale>1&&(t.x*=t.scale,t.y*=t.scale,s(t,t.scale),t.pan!==!1&&(i=setTimeout(function(){a=setInterval(c,1e3/60)},800)))}},out:function(){clearTimeout(i),clearInterval(a),s({x:0,y:0},1),e=1},magnify:function(e){this.to(e)},reset:function(){this.out()},zoomLevel:function(){return e}}})();return t});
@@ -1,76 +0,0 @@
-//#region plugin/zoom/plugin.js
-var e = {
-	id: "zoom",
-	init: function(e) {
-		e.getRevealElement().addEventListener("mousedown", function(t) {
-			var r = /Linux/.test(window.navigator.platform) ? "ctrl" : "alt", i = (e.getConfig().zoomKey ? e.getConfig().zoomKey : r) + "Key", a = e.getConfig().zoomLevel ? e.getConfig().zoomLevel : 2;
-			t[i] && !e.isOverview() && (t.preventDefault(), n.to({
-				x: t.clientX,
-				y: t.clientY,
-				scale: a,
-				pan: !1
-			}));
-		});
-	},
-	destroy: () => {
-		n.reset();
-	}
-}, t = () => e, n = (function() {
-	var e = 1, t = 0, r = 0, i = -1, a = -1, o = "transform" in document.body.style;
-	o && (document.body.style.transition = "transform 0.8s ease"), document.addEventListener("keyup", function(t) {
-		e !== 1 && t.keyCode === 27 && n.out();
-	}), document.addEventListener("mousemove", function(n) {
-		e !== 1 && (t = n.clientX, r = n.clientY);
-	});
-	function s(t, n) {
-		var r = l();
-		if (t.width = t.width || 1, t.height = t.height || 1, t.x -= (window.innerWidth - t.width * n) / 2, t.y -= (window.innerHeight - t.height * n) / 2, o) if (n === 1) document.body.style.transform = "";
-		else {
-			var i = r.x + "px " + r.y + "px", a = "translate(" + -t.x + "px," + -t.y + "px) scale(" + n + ")";
-			document.body.style.transformOrigin = i, document.body.style.transform = a;
-		}
-		else n === 1 ? (document.body.style.position = "", document.body.style.left = "", document.body.style.top = "", document.body.style.width = "", document.body.style.height = "", document.body.style.zoom = "") : (document.body.style.position = "relative", document.body.style.left = -(r.x + t.x) / n + "px", document.body.style.top = -(r.y + t.y) / n + "px", document.body.style.width = n * 100 + "%", document.body.style.height = n * 100 + "%", document.body.style.zoom = n);
-		e = n, document.documentElement.classList && (e === 1 ? document.documentElement.classList.remove("zoomed") : document.documentElement.classList.add("zoomed"));
-	}
-	function c() {
-		var n = .12, i = window.innerWidth * n, a = window.innerHeight * n, o = l();
-		r < a ? window.scroll(o.x, o.y - (1 - r / a) * (14 / e)) : r > window.innerHeight - a && window.scroll(o.x, o.y + (1 - (window.innerHeight - r) / a) * (14 / e)), t < i ? window.scroll(o.x - (1 - t / i) * (14 / e), o.y) : t > window.innerWidth - i && window.scroll(o.x + (1 - (window.innerWidth - t) / i) * (14 / e), o.y);
-	}
-	function l() {
-		return {
-			x: window.scrollX === void 0 ? window.pageXOffset : window.scrollX,
-			y: window.scrollY === void 0 ? window.pageYOffset : window.scrollY
-		};
-	}
-	return {
-		to: function(t) {
-			if (e !== 1) n.out();
-			else {
-				if (t.x = t.x || 0, t.y = t.y || 0, t.element) {
-					var r = 20, o = t.element.getBoundingClientRect();
-					t.x = o.left - r, t.y = o.top - r, t.width = o.width + r * 2, t.height = o.height + r * 2;
-				}
-				t.width !== void 0 && t.height !== void 0 && (t.scale = Math.max(Math.min(window.innerWidth / t.width, window.innerHeight / t.height), 1)), t.scale > 1 && (t.x *= t.scale, t.y *= t.scale, s(t, t.scale), t.pan !== !1 && (i = setTimeout(function() {
-					a = setInterval(c, 1e3 / 60);
-				}, 800)));
-			}
-		},
-		out: function() {
-			clearTimeout(i), clearInterval(a), s({
-				x: 0,
-				y: 0
-			}, 1), e = 1;
-		},
-		magnify: function(e) {
-			this.to(e);
-		},
-		reset: function() {
-			this.out();
-		},
-		zoomLevel: function() {
-			return e;
-		}
-	};
-})(), r = t;
-//#endregion
-export { r as default };
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-html,body,div,span,applet,object,iframe,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,p,blockquote,pre,a,abbr,acronym,address,big,cite,code,del,dfn,em,img,ins,kbd,q,s,samp,small,strike,strong,sub,sup,tt,var,b,u,i,center,dl,dt,dd,ol,ul,li,fieldset,form,label,legend,table,caption,tbody,tfoot,thead,tr,th,td,article,aside,canvas,details,embed,figure,figcaption,footer,header,hgroup,main,menu,nav,output,ruby,section,summary,time,mark,audio,video{font-size:100%;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;border:0;margin:0;padding:0}article,aside,details,figcaption,figure,footer,header,hgroup,main,menu,nav,section{display:block}
@@ -1,864 +0,0 @@
-import { RevealConfig, TransitionStyle, TransitionSpeed, FragmentAnimation, KatexConfig, Mathjax2Config, Mathjax3Config, Mathjax4Config, HighlightConfig, MarkdownConfig } from './config';
-export type {
-	RevealConfig,
-	TransitionStyle,
-	TransitionSpeed,
-	FragmentAnimation,
-	KatexConfig,
-	Mathjax2Config,
-	Mathjax3Config,
-	Mathjax4Config,
-	HighlightConfig,
-	MarkdownConfig,
-} from './config';
-
-export default Reveal;
-
-// The type definitions in this file are adapted from those
-// originally created by the community on DefinitelyTyped:
-// https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/tree/master/types/reveal.js
-
-/**
- * reveal.js - MIT licensed
- *
- * Copyright (C) 2011-2026 Hakim El Hattab, https://hakim.se
- *
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com}
- * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/js/reveal.js}
- * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/api/}
- */
-declare const Reveal: {
-	new (options?: RevealConfig): RevealApi;
-	new (revealElement: HTMLElement, options?: RevealConfig): RevealApi;
-} & RevealApi;
-
-	/**
-	 * The public reveal.js API
-	 *
-	 * @see {@link https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js/blob/master/js/reveal.js}
-	 */
-	export interface RevealApi {
-		/**
-		 * The reveal.js version
-		 *
-		 * @returns reveal.js version
-		 */
-		VERSION: string;
-
-		/**
-		 * Starts up the presentation.
-		 *
-		 * @param options - RevealOption see {@link Options}
-		 * @returns a promise
-		 */
-		initialize(options?: RevealConfig): Promise<RevealApi>;
-
-		/**
-		 * Applies the configuration settings from the config
-		 * object. May be called multiple times.
-		 *
-		 * @param options - RevealOption see {@link RevealConfig}
-		 */
-		configure(options?: RevealConfig): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Uninitializes reveal.js by undoing changes made to the
-		 * DOM and removing all event listeners.
-		 */
-		destroy(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Syncs the presentation with the current DOM. Useful
-		 * when new slides or control elements are added or when
-		 * the configuration has changed.
-		 */
-		sync(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Updates reveal.js to keep in sync with new slide attributes. For
-		 * example, if you add a new `data-background-image` you can call
-		 * this to have reveal.js render the new background image.
-		 *
-		 * Similar to #sync() but more efficient when you only need to
-		 * refresh a specific slide. Dispatches a `slidesync` event
-		 * when syncing has completed.
-		 *
-		 * @param  slide
-		 * @see {@link sync}
-		 */
-		syncSlide(slide: HTMLElement): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Formats the fragments on the given slide so that they have
-		 * valid indices. Call this if fragments are changed in the DOM
-		 * after reveal.js has already initialized.
-		 *
-		 * @param slide
-		 * @returns a list of the HTML fragments that were synced
-		 */
-		syncFragments(slide: HTMLElement): HTMLElement[];
-
-		/**
-		 * Removes hidden slides (data-visibility="hidden") from the DOM.
-		 * This happens automatically when reveal.js initialized, so only
-		 * call this to remove hidden slides before initialization.
-		 */
-		removeHiddenSlides(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Steps from the current point in the presentation to the
-		 * slide which matches the specified horizontal and vertical
-		 * indices.
-		 *
-		 * @param horizontalIndex - Horizontal index of the target slide
-		 * @param verticalIndex - Vertical index of the target slide
-		 * @param fragmentIndex - Index of a fragment within the target slide to activate
-		 * @param origin - Origin for use in multimaster environments
-		 */
-		slide(
-			horizontalIndex?: number,
-			verticalIndex?: number,
-			fragmentIndex?: number,
-			origin?: number
-		): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate one step to the left
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		left: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate one step to the right
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		right: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate one step up
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		up: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate one step down
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		down: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigates backwards, prioritized in the following order:
-		 * 1) Previous fragment
-		 * 2) Previous vertical slide
-		 * 3) Previous horizontal slide
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		prev: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigates forwards, prioritized in the following order:
-		 * 1) Next fragment
-		 * 2) Next vertical slide
-		 * 3) Next horizontal slide
-		 *
-		 * @param params see {@link NavigateParams}
-		 */
-		next: NavigationFunction;
-
-		// Navigation aliases
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `left` see {@link left}
-		 */
-		navigateLeft: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `right` see {@link right}
-		 */
-		navigateRight: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `up` see {@link up}
-		 */
-		navigateUp: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `down` see {@link down}
-		 */
-		navigateDown: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `prev` see {@link prev}
-		 */
-		navigatePrev: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Alias for `next` see {@link next}
-		 */
-		navigateNext: NavigationFunction;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate to the specified slide fragment.
-		 *
-		 * @param index - The index of the fragment that
-		 * should be shown, -1 means all are invisible
-		 * @param offset - Integer offset to apply to the
-		 * fragment index
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if a change was made in any
-		 * fragments visibility as part of this call
-		 */
-		navigateFragment(index?: number, offset?: number): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate to the previous slide fragment.
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if there was a previous fragment,
-		 * false otherwise
-		 */
-		prevFragment(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Navigate to the next slide fragment.
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if there was a next fragment,
-		 * false otherwise
-		 */
-		nextFragment(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Adds a listener to one of our custom reveal.js events,
-		 * like slidechanged and slidesync.
-		 *
-		 * @param type
-		 * @param listener
-		 * @param useCapture
-		 */
-		on: HTMLElement['addEventListener'];
-
-		/**
-		 * Unsubscribes from a reveal.js event.
-		 *
-		 * @param type
-		 * @param listener
-		 * @param useCapture
-		 */
-		off: HTMLElement['removeEventListener'];
-
-		/**
-		 * Legacy event binding methods left in for backwards compatibility
-		 * Adds a listener to one of our custom reveal.js events,
-		 * like slidechanged and slidesync.
-		 * See: {@link on}
-		 *
-		 * @param type
-		 * @param listener
-		 * @param useCapture
-		 */
-		addEventListener: HTMLElement['addEventListener'];
-
-		/**
-		 * Legacy event binding methods left in for backwards compatibility
-		 * Unsubscribes from a reveal.js event.
-		 * See: {@link off}
-		 *
-		 * @param type
-		 * @param listener
-		 * @param useCapture
-		 */
-		removeEventListener: HTMLElement['removeEventListener'];
-
-		/**
-		 * Applies JavaScript-controlled layout rules to the
-		 * presentation.
-		 */
-		layout(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Randomly shuffles all slides in the deck.
-		 */
-		shuffle(slides?: HTMLElement[]): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Determine what available routes there are for navigation.
-		 *
-		 * @param params - If includeFragments is set, a route will be considered
-		 * available if either a slide OR a fragment is available in the given direction
-		 *
-		 * @returns Available route {left, right, up, down}
-		 */
-		availableRoutes(params?: { includeFragments?: boolean }): {
-			down: boolean;
-			left: boolean;
-			right: boolean;
-			up: boolean;
-		};
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns an object describing the available fragment
-		 * directions.
-		 *
-		 * @returns Available fragments {prev, next}
-		 */
-		availableFragments(): { prev: boolean; next: boolean };
-
-		/**
-		 * Open or close help overlay window.
-		 *
-		 * @param override - Flag which overrides the
-		 * toggle logic and forcibly sets the desired state. True means
-		 * help is open, false means it's closed.
-		 */
-		toggleHelp(override?: boolean): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Toggles the slide overview mode on and off.
-		 *
-		 * @param override - Flag which overrides the
-		 * toggle logic and forcibly sets the desired state. True means
-		 * overview is open, false means it's closed.
-		 */
-		toggleOverview(override?: boolean): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Toggles the paused mode on and off.
-		 *
-		 * @param override - Flag which overrides the
-		 * toggle logic and forcibly sets the desired state.
-		 */
-		togglePause(override?: boolean): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Toggles the auto slide mode on and off.
-		 *
-		 * @param override - Flag which sets the desired state.
-		 * True means autoplay starts, false means it stops.
-		 */
-		toggleAutoSlide(override?: boolean): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if we're currently on the first slide in
-		 * the presentation.
-		 */
-		isFirstSlide(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns Returns true if we're currently on the last slide in
-		 * the presentation. If the last slide is a stack, we only
-		 * consider this the last slide if it's at the end of the
-		 * stack.
-		 */
-		isLastSlide(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if we're on the last slide in the current
-		 * vertical stack.
-		 */
-		isLastVerticalSlide(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if the current or specified slide is vertical
-		 * (nested within another slide).
-		 *
-		 * @param slide - the slide to check orientation of. Defaults to the current slide.
-		 * @return true if the current or specified slide is vertical
-		 */
-		isVerticalSlide(slide?: HTMLElement): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if we are currently in the paused mode.
-		 */
-		isPaused(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if the auto slide mode is currently on.
-		 */
-		isAutoSliding(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if this presentation is running inside of
-		 * the speaker notes window.
-		 */
-		isSpeakerNotes(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns true if the overview is active, false otherwise
-		 */
-		isOverview(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if the presentation is focused
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if the it is focused, false otherwise
-		 */
-		isFocused(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if this reveal.js instance is being used to print a PDF.
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if being used to print a PDF, false otherwise
-		 */
-		isPrintingPDF(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if reveal.js has been loaded and is ready for use
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if reveal.js is ready for use, false otherwise
-		 */
-		isReady(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Called when the given slide is within the configured view
-		 * distance. Shows the slide element and loads any content
-		 * that is set to load lazily (data-src).
-		 *
-		 * @param slide - Slide to show
-		 */
-		loadSlide(slide: HTMLElement, options?: { excludeIframes?: boolean }): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Unloads and hides the given slide. This is called when the
-		 * slide is moved outside of the configured view distance.
-		 *
-		 * @param slide
-		 */
-		unloadSlide(slide: HTMLElement): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Opens a preview window for the target URL.
-		 *
-		 * @param url - url for preview iframe src
-		 */
-		showPreview(url: string): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Closes any currently open overlay.
-		 */
-		hidePreview(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Binds all internal event listeners.
-		 */
-		addEventListeners(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Unbinds all internal event listeners.
-		 */
-		removeEventListeners(): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Dispatches an event of the specified type from the
-		 * reveal DOM element.
-		 */
-		dispatchEvent({
-			target,
-			type,
-			data,
-			bubbles,
-		}: {
-			/** `revealElement` by default */
-			target?: HTMLElement;
-			type: string;
-			data?: unknown;
-			bubbles?: boolean;
-		}): Event;
-
-		/**
-		 * Retrieves the current state of the presentation as
-		 * an object. This state can then be restored at any
-		 * time.
-		 *
-		 * @returns The current state - {indexh, indexv, indexf, paused, overview}
-		 */
-		getState(): RevealState;
-
-		/**
-		 * Restores the presentation to the given state.
-		 *
-		 * @param object - state as generated by getState()
-		 * @see {@link getState} generates the parameter `state`
-		 */
-		setState(object: RevealState): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns a value ranging from 0-1 that represents
-		 * how far into the presentation we have navigated.
-		 *
-		 * @returns a value ranging from 0-1 that represents
-		 * how far into the presentation we have navigated.
-		 */
-		getProgress(): number;
-
-		/**
-		 * Retrieves the h/v location and fragment of the current,
-		 * or specified, slide.
-		 *
-		 * @param slide - if specified, the returned index will
-		 * be for this slide rather than the currently active one
-		 *
-		 * @return h/v location and fragment of the current,
-		 * or specified, slide. {h, v, f}
-		 */
-		getIndices(slide?: HTMLElement): { h: number; v: number; f: number };
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns an array of objects where each object represents the
-		 * attributes on its respective slide.
-		 *
-		 * @returns an array of objects where each object represents the
-		 * attributes on its respective slide.
-		 */
-		getSlidesAttributes(): Record<string, string>[];
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the number of past slides. This can be used as a global
-		 * flattened index for slides.
-		 *
-		 * @param [slide] - The slide we're counting before, defaults to current slide
-		 *
-		 * @returns Past slide count
-		 */
-		getSlidePastCount(slide?: HTMLElement): number;
-
-		/**
-		 * Retrieves the total number of slides in this presentation.
-		 *
-		 * @returns the total number of slides in this presentation.
-		 */
-		getTotalSlides(): number;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the slide element matching the specified index.
-		 *
-		 * @param x - slide index
-		 * @param [y] - slide index
-		 *
-		 * @returns the slide element matching the specified index
-		 */
-		getSlide(x: number, y?: number): HTMLElement | undefined;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the previous slide element, may be null
-		 *
-		 * @returns the previous slide element, may be null
-		 */
-		getPreviousSlide(): HTMLElement | null;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the current slide element
-		 *
-		 * @returns the current slide element
-		 */
-		getCurrentSlide(): HTMLElement;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the background element for the given slide.
-		 * All slides, even the ones with no background properties
-		 * defined, have a background element so as long as the
-		 * index is valid an element will be returned.
-		 *
-		 * @param element A slide
-		 * @returns the background element for the given slide
-		 */
-		getSlideBackground(element: HTMLElement): HTMLElement | undefined;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the background element for the given slide.
-		 * All slides, even the ones with no background properties
-		 * defined, have a background element so as long as the
-		 * index is valid an element will be returned.
-		 *
-		 * @param x - Horizontal background index OR a slide
-		 * HTML element
-		 * @param [y] - Vertical background index
-		 * @returns the background element for the given slide
-		 */
-		getSlideBackground(x: number, y?: number): HTMLElement | undefined;
-
-		/**
-		 * Retrieves the speaker notes from a slide. Notes can be
-		 * defined in two ways:
-		 * 1. As a data-notes attribute on the slide <section>
-		 * 2. As an <aside class="notes"> inside of the slide
-		 *
-		 * @param [slide] - defaults to current slide
-		 * @returns the speaker notes from a slide
-		 */
-		getSlideNotes(slide?: HTMLElement): string | null;
-
-		/**
-		 * Retrieves all slides in this presentation.
-		 *
-		 * @returns all slides in this presentation
-		 */
-		getSlides(): HTMLElement[];
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns a list of all horizontal slides in the deck. Each
-		 * vertical stack is included as one horizontal slide in the
-		 * resulting array.
-		 *
-		 * @returns a list of all horizontal slides in the deck
-		 */
-		getHorizontalSlides(): HTMLElement[];
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns all vertical slides that exist within this deck.
-		 *
-		 * @returns all vertical slides that exist within this deck
-		 */
-		getVerticalSlides(): HTMLElement[];
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns true if there are at least two horizontal slides.
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if there are at least two horizontal slides
-		 */
-		hasHorizontalSlides(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns true if there are at least two vertical slides.
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if there are at least two vertical slides
-		 */
-		hasVerticalSlides(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if the deck has navigated on either axis at least once
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if the deck has navigated on either horizontal axis
-		 * at least once
-		 */
-		hasNavigatedHorizontally(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if the deck has navigated on either axis at least once
-		 *
-		 * @returns true if the deck has navigated on either vertically axis
-		 * at least once
-		 */
-		hasNavigatedVertically(): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Add a custom key binding with optional description to
-		 * be added to the help screen.
-		 *
-		 * @param binding
-		 * @param callback
-		 */
-		addKeyBinding(
-			keyCode: number | { keyCode: number; key: string; description: string },
-			callback: string | ((event: KeyboardEvent) => void)
-		): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Removes the specified custom key binding.
-		 *
-		 * @param keyCode
-		 */
-		removeKeyBinding(keyCode: number): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Programmatically triggers a keyboard event
-		 *
-		 * @param keyCode
-		 */
-		triggerKey(keyCode: number): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Registers a new shortcut to include in the help overlay
-		 *
-		 * @param key
-		 * @param value
-		 */
-		registerKeyboardShortcut(key: string, value: string): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Calculates the computed pixel size of our slides. These
-		 * values are based on the width and height configuration
-		 * options.
-		 *
-		 * @param [presentationWidth=dom.wrapper.offsetWidth]
-		 * @param [presentationHeight=dom.wrapper.offsetHeight]
-		 * @returns the computed pixel size of the slides
-		 */
-		getComputedSlideSize(
-			presentationWidth?: number,
-			presentationHeight?: number
-		): ComputedSlideSize;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the current scale of the presentation content
-		 *
-		 * @returns the current scale of the presentation content
-		 */
-		getScale(): number;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the current configuration object
-		 *
-		 * @returns the current configuration object
-		 */
-		getConfig(): RevealConfig;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns a key:value hash of all query params.
-		 *
-		 * @returns a key:value hash of all query params
-		 */
-		getQueryHash(): Record<string, string>;
-
-		/**
-		 * Return a hash URL that will resolve to the given slide location.
-		 *
-		 * @param slide - the slide to link to
-		 * @returns a hash URL that will resolve to the given slide location
-		 */
-		getSlidePath(slide?: HTMLElement): string;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns reveal.js DOM element
-		 */
-		getRevealElement(): HTMLElement | null;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns reveal.js DOM element
-		 */
-		getSlidesElement(): HTMLElement | null;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns reveal.js DOM element
-		 */
-		getViewportElement(): HTMLElement | null;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns reveal.js DOM element
-		 */
-		getBackgroundsElement(): HTMLDivElement | undefined;
-
-		/**
-		 * Registers a new plugin with this reveal.js instance.
-		 *
-		 * reveal.js waits for all registered plugins to initialize
-		 * before considering itself ready, as long as the plugin
-		 * is registered before calling `Reveal.initialize()`.
-		 *
-		 * @param plugin
-		 */
-		registerPlugin(plugin: RevealPlugin): void;
-
-		/**
-		 * Checks if a specific plugin has been registered.
-		 *
-		 * @param id - unique plugin identifier
-		 * @returns true if a specific plugin has been registered.
-		 */
-		hasPlugin(id: string): boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * Returns the specific plugin instance, if a plugin
-		 * with the given ID has been registered.
-		 *
-		 * @param id - unique plugin identifier
-		 * @returns plugin instance
-		 */
-		getPlugin(id: string): RevealPlugin | undefined;
-
-		/**
-		 * @returns id:plugin hash of all plugins
-		 */
-		getPlugins(): Record<string, RevealPlugin>;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Options for navigation
-	 */
-	export interface NavigateParams {
-		skipFragments?: boolean;
-	}
-
-	export type NavigationFunction = (params?: NavigateParams) => void;
-
-	/**
-	 * Multiplex configuration
-	 *
-	 * @see {@link https://github.com/reveal/multiplex}
-	 */
-	export interface MultiplexConfig {
-		// Obtained from the socket.io server. Gives this (the master) control of the presentation
-		secret: string | null;
-		// Obtained from the socket.io server
-		id: string;
-		// Location of socket.io server
-		url: string;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Reveal Dependency
-	 *
-	 * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/plugins/#dependencies}
-	 */
-	export interface RevealDependency {
-		src: string;
-		async?: boolean;
-		callback?: () => void;
-		condition?: () => boolean;
-	}
-
-	export interface ComputedSlideSize {
-		width: number;
-		height: number;
-		presentationWidth: number;
-		presentationHeight: number;
-	}
-
-	export interface RevealState {
-		indexh: number;
-		indexv: number;
-		indexf: number;
-		paused: boolean;
-		overview: boolean;
-
-		/**
-		 * URL of an iframe being previewed
-		 */
-		previewIframe?: string;
-
-		/**
-		 * URL of an image being previewed
-		 */
-		previewImage?: string;
-
-		/**
-		 * URL of a video being previewed
-		 */
-		previewVideo?: string;
-
-		/**
-		 * Fit mode of the previewed media
-		 */
-		previewFit?: 'none' | 'scale-down' | 'contain' | 'cover';
-	}
-
-	export interface SlideSyncEvent extends Event {
-		slide: HTMLElement;
-	}
-
-	// NOTE: it is possible to extend type definitions depend on the plugin
-	/**
-	 * Reveal Plugin
-	 *
-	 * @see {@link https://revealjs.com/creating-plugins/}
-	 */
-	export interface RevealPlugin {
-		id: string;
-		init?(reveal: RevealApi): void | Promise<void>;
-		destroy?(): void;
-	}
-
-	export type RevealPluginFactory = () => RevealPlugin;
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Converts various color input formats to an {r:0,g:0,b:0} object.
- *
- * @param {string} color The string representation of a color
- * @example
- * colorToRgb('#000');
- * @example
- * colorToRgb('#000000');
- * @example
- * colorToRgb('rgb(0,0,0)');
- * @example
- * colorToRgb('rgba(0,0,0)');
- *
- * @return {{r: number, g: number, b: number, [a]: number}|null}
- */
-export declare const colorToRgb: (color: string) => {
-    r: number;
-    g: number;
-    b: number;
-    a?: undefined;
-} | {
-    r: number;
-    g: number;
-    b: number;
-    a: number;
-} | null;
-/**
- * Calculates brightness on a scale of 0-255.
- *
- * @param {string} color See colorToRgb for supported formats.
- * @see {@link colorToRgb}
- */
-export declare const colorBrightness: (color: string | {
-    r: number;
-    g: number;
-    b: number;
-} | null) => number | null;
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-export declare const SLIDES_SELECTOR = ".slides section";
-export declare const HORIZONTAL_SLIDES_SELECTOR = ".slides>section";
-export declare const VERTICAL_SLIDES_SELECTOR = ".slides>section.present>section";
-export declare const HORIZONTAL_BACKGROUNDS_SELECTOR = ".backgrounds>.slide-background";
-export declare const POST_MESSAGE_METHOD_BLACKLIST: RegExp;
-export declare const FRAGMENT_STYLE_REGEX: RegExp;
-export declare const SLIDE_NUMBER_FORMAT_HORIZONTAL_DOT_VERTICAL = "h.v";
-export declare const SLIDE_NUMBER_FORMAT_HORIZONTAL_SLASH_VERTICAL = "h/v";
-export declare const SLIDE_NUMBER_FORMAT_CURRENT = "c";
-export declare const SLIDE_NUMBER_FORMAT_CURRENT_SLASH_TOTAL = "c/t";
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-export declare const isMobile: boolean;
-export declare const isChrome: boolean;
-export declare const isAndroid: boolean;
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Loads a JavaScript file from the given URL and executes it.
- *
- * @param {string} url Address of the .js file to load
- * @param {function} callback Method to invoke when the script
- * has loaded and executed
- */
-export declare const loadScript: (url: string, callback?: (error?: Error) => void) => void;
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Extend object a with the properties of object b.
- * If there's a conflict, object b takes precedence.
- *
- * @param {object} a
- * @param {object} b
- */
-export declare const extend: (a: Record<string, any>, b: Record<string, any>) => Record<string, any>;
-/**
- * querySelectorAll but returns an Array.
- */
-export declare const queryAll: (el: Element | Document, selector: string) => Element[];
-/**
- * classList.toggle() with cross browser support
- */
-export declare const toggleClass: (el: Element, className: string, value: boolean) => void;
-type DeserializedValue = string | number | boolean | null;
-/**
- * Utility for deserializing a value.
- *
- * @param {*} value
- * @return {*}
- */
-export declare const deserialize: (value: string) => DeserializedValue;
-/**
- * Measures the distance in pixels between point a
- * and point b.
- *
- * @param {object} a point with x/y properties
- * @param {object} b point with x/y properties
- *
- * @return {number}
- */
-export declare const distanceBetween: (a: {
-    x: number;
-    y: number;
-}, b: {
-    x: number;
-    y: number;
-}) => number;
-/**
- * Applies a CSS transform to the target element.
- *
- * @param {HTMLElement} element
- * @param {string} transform
- */
-export declare const transformElement: (element: HTMLElement, transform: string) => void;
-/**
- * Element.matches with IE support.
- *
- * @param {HTMLElement} target The element to match
- * @param {String} selector The CSS selector to match
- * the element against
- *
- * @return {Boolean}
- */
-export declare const matches: (target: any, selector: string) => boolean;
-/**
- * Find the closest parent that matches the given
- * selector.
- *
- * @param {HTMLElement} target The child element
- * @param {String} selector The CSS selector to match
- * the parents against
- *
- * @return {HTMLElement} The matched parent or null
- * if no matching parent was found
- */
-export declare const closest: (target: Element | null, selector: string) => Element | null;
-/**
- * Handling the fullscreen functionality via the fullscreen API
- *
- * @see http://fullscreen.spec.whatwg.org/
- * @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/DOM/Using_fullscreen_mode
- */
-export declare const enterFullscreen: (element?: Element) => void;
-/**
- * Creates an HTML element and returns a reference to it.
- * If the element already exists the existing instance will
- * be returned.
- *
- * @param {HTMLElement} container
- * @param {string} tagname
- * @param {string} classname
- * @param {string} innerHTML
- *
- * @return {HTMLElement}
- */
-export declare const createSingletonNode: (container: Element, tagname: string, classname: string, innerHTML?: string) => Element;
-/**
- * Injects the given CSS styles into the DOM.
- *
- * @param {string} value
- */
-export declare const createStyleSheet: (value: string) => HTMLStyleElement;
-/**
- * Returns a key:value hash of all query params.
- */
-export declare const getQueryHash: () => Record<string, DeserializedValue>;
-/**
- * Returns the remaining height within the parent of the
- * target element.
- *
- * remaining height = [ configured parent height ] - [ current parent height ]
- *
- * @param {HTMLElement} element
- * @param {number} [height]
- */
-export declare const getRemainingHeight: (element: HTMLElement | null, height?: number) => number;
-/**
- * Guess the MIME type for common file formats.
- */
-export declare const getMimeTypeFromFile: (filename?: string) => string | undefined;
-/**
- * Encodes a string for RFC3986-compliant URL format.
- * https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/encodeURI#encoding_for_rfc3986
- *
- * @param {string} url
- */
-export declare const encodeRFC3986URI: (url?: string) => string;
-export {};
@@ -1,129 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html lang="en">
-	<head>
-		<meta charset="utf-8" />
-		<meta
-			name="viewport"
-			content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no"
-		/>
-
-		<title>reveal.js</title>
-
-		<link rel="stylesheet" href="dist/reset.css" />
-		<link rel="stylesheet" href="dist/reveal.css" />
-		<link rel="stylesheet" href="dist/theme/black.css" />
-		<style>
-			@layer six {
-				h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
-					text-transform: unset !important;
-				}
-			}
-		</style>
-
-		<!-- Theme used for syntax highlighted code -->
-		<link rel="stylesheet" href="dist/plugin/highlight/monokai.css" />
-	</head>
-	<body>
-		<div class="reveal">
-			<div class="slides">
-  			<section data-markdown>
-          <textarea data-template>
-# Hermes the Translator
-
---
-
-## Download
-
-https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs
-
---
-
-## Setup API keys
-
-`hermes setup`
-
-I recommend  
-OpenRouter + deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro.
-
---
-
-## Commands
-
- `/steer`
- `/queue`
- `/bg`
-
---
-# Usage
-
---
-## 1/4 Unpack
-
-"Extract strings to translate from X, separated by \n\n."
-
-It can handle both .docx and .pptx.
-
-
-```
-原文 A
-
-原文 B
-
-...
-```
-
---
-## 2/4 Translate
-
-"Put the translation text after each line in X."
-
-```
-原文 A
-Source A
-
-原文 B
-Source B
-
-...
-```
-
---
-## 3/4 Review
-
-"Review the translation pairs in X for potential errors. Use Djot comment for comments."
-
---
-## 4/4 Re-pack
-
-"Replace the text in X with translations in Y."
-
---
-
-# An appeal
-
-Let's all use plain text and Djot!
-
-
-          </textarea>
-        </section>
-			</div>
-		</div>
-
-		<script src="dist/reveal.js"></script>
-		<script src="dist/plugin/notes.js"></script>
-		<script src="dist/plugin/markdown.js"></script>
-		<script src="dist/plugin/highlight.js"></script>
-		<script src="dist/plugin/search.js"></script>
-		<script>
-			// More info about initialization & config:
-			// - https://revealjs.com/initialization/
-			// - https://revealjs.com/config/
-			Reveal.initialize({
-				hash: true,
-
-				// Learn about plugins: https://revealjs.com/plugins/
-				plugins: [RevealMarkdown, RevealHighlight, RevealNotes],
-			});
-		</script>
-	</body>
-</html>
@@ -1,513 +0,0 @@
-# Using omp to Translate Articles
-
-A beginner's guide for the MPI Translation Project.
-
-This guide assumes you have never used omp or an AI coding agent before. We will walk through every step: downloading omp, buying AI credits, connecting a provider, and running your first translation.
-
---
-
-## What this guide will teach you
-
-By the end of this guide you will be able to:
-
- Install omp on your computer.
- Set up an AI model provider with credits.
- Connect that provider to omp.
- Open a translation project and start translating a Chinese article into English.
- Understand the basic workflow from source to approved translation.
-
---
-
-## What you need before you start
-
- A computer running macOS, Linux, or Windows.
- A terminal (on macOS or Linux) or PowerShell / Windows Terminal (on Windows).
- An internet connection.
- A payment method for AI credits: credit card, debit card, or the payment options each provider accepts.
- A copy of the translation project files on your computer.
-
-No programming experience is required. You will mostly be typing plain commands and reading the output.
-
---
-
-## What is omp?
-
-omp ("Oh My Pi") is a terminal-first AI assistant --- a *coding agent* --- that runs on your computer. It reads files, runs commands, edits text, and follows detailed instructions you give it.
-
-For translation work, you use omp to:
-
- Read the Chinese source file.
- Look up Buddhist terms in the project's term database.
- Draft an English translation.
- Review the draft for mistakes and awkward wording.
- Generate side-by-side bilingual files.
-
-You stay in charge. omp drafts and checks; you approve and correct.
-
---
-
-## What is an AI model provider?
-
-omp is the assistant. The *provider* is the AI service that actually thinks and writes. The provider charges you for the compute time used.
-
-For this project we recommend one of these three providers:
-
-| Provider | Best for | Pricing model |
-|---|---|---|
-| OpenCode Go | Low-cost, predictable monthly access to open coding models. | $5 first month, then $10/month. |
-| OpenRouter | Pay-as-you-go access to many models, including Claude and GPT. | Buy credits; no minimum spend. |
-| Kimi Code | Access to Kimi's coding models. | Recharge API credits; starts at $1. |
-
-You only need *one* of these to get started. Pick the one that is easiest to pay for in your region.
-
---
-
-## Step 1: Install omp
-
-### macOS and Linux
-
-Open your terminal and run one of these commands.
-
-**Recommended --- installer script:**
-
-```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/can1357/oh-my-pi/main/scripts/install.sh | sh
-```
-
-**If you use Homebrew:**
-
-```bash
-brew install can1357/tap/omp
-```
-
-**If you already have Bun installed (version 1.3.14 or newer):**
-
-```bash
-bun install -g @oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent
-```
-
-### Windows
-
-Open PowerShell and run:
-
-```powershell
-irm https://omp.sh/install.ps1 | iex
-```
-
-### Verify the installation
-
-Close and reopen your terminal, then run:
-
-```bash
-omp --version
-```
-
-You should see a version number. If you see an error like "command not found," check that your terminal was restarted after installation.
-
-Also run:
-
-```bash
-omp config path
-```
-
-This shows where omp keeps its settings, usually `~/.omp/agent/`. You will use this folder later.
-
---
-
-## Step 2: Get AI access
-
-Choose **one** provider below and follow the steps. You do not need all three.
-
---
-
-### Option A: OpenCode Go
-
-OpenCode Go is a subscription that gives you reliable access to several open coding models for a flat monthly price.
-
-1. Open a browser and go to `https://opencode.ai/auth`.
-2. Create an account with email or a third-party login.
-3. Subscribe to **OpenCode Go**.
-   - The first month costs $5.
-   - After the first month it costs $10/month.
-4. Once you are subscribed, find the API key in your account page.
-5. Copy the key and save it somewhere safe. Treat it like a password.
-
-Models included with OpenCode Go include GLM-5.2, Kimi K2.7 Code, Kimi K2.6, Qwen3.7 Max, DeepSeek V4 Pro, and others. The exact list can change; see `https://opencode.ai/docs/go` for the current models.
-
---
-
-### Option B: OpenRouter
-
-OpenRouter is a gateway that lets you use many different AI models through a single account. You pay only for what you use.
-
-1. Open a browser and go to `https://openrouter.ai/sign-up`.
-2. Create an account with GitHub, Google, MetaMask, or email.
-3. Sign in, then go to `https://openrouter.ai/settings/credits`.
-4. Click **Buy Credits** and choose an amount. There is no minimum spend; $10 is enough to start.
-5. Add a payment method and complete the purchase.
-6. Go to `https://openrouter.ai/keys` and create an API key.
-7. Copy the key and save it somewhere safe. Treat it like a password.
-
-OpenRouter charges a 5.5% platform fee on top of the model's price. You can explore models and prices at `https://openrouter.ai/models`.
-
---
-
-### Option C: Kimi Code
-
-Kimi Code is the coding model from Moonshot AI. You use the Kimi API platform to create an account and recharge credits.
-
-1. Open a browser and go to `https://platform.kimi.ai/`.
-2. Create an account and sign in.
-3. Go to the console or user center.
-4. Recharge your account.
-   - You need at least $1 to start using the API.
-   - When your cumulative recharge reaches $5, you receive a $5 voucher.
-5. Go to the API key section and create a key.
-6. Copy the key and save it somewhere safe. Treat it like a password.
-
-Pricing for each model is listed at `https://platform.kimi.ai/docs/pricing/chat`. For coding, the relevant model is usually **Kimi K2.7 Code**. You are charged per token used.
-
---
-
-## Step 3: Connect your provider to omp
-
-omp reads your provider key from an environment variable or a `.env` file. The easiest way to start is with a `.env` file in your home directory.
-
-### Create the `.env` file
-
-Run this in your terminal to open or create the file:
-
-```bash
-nano ~/.omp/.env
-```
-
-If you prefer a different editor, replace `nano` with `vim`, `code`, or another editor.
-
-Paste the block for the provider you chose:
-
-**OpenCode Go:**
-
-```bash
-OPENCODE_API_KEY=opencode-your-key-here
-```
-
-**OpenRouter:**
-
-```bash
-OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key-here
-```
-
-**Kimi Code:**
-
-```bash
-KIMI_API_KEY=your-kimi-key-here
-```
-
-Replace the placeholder after the `=` with the real API key you copied. Save the file and close the editor.
-
-### Restart your terminal
-
-Close and reopen your terminal so the new `.env` file is read. Then verify that omp launches:
-
-```bash
-omp
-```
-
-You should see the omp welcome screen. Press `Ctrl + C` to exit.
-
-### Test with a simple prompt
-
-Run:
-
-```bash
-omp -p "hello"
-```
-
-If everything is connected, omp will reply with a short greeting. If you see an authentication error, check that your API key is pasted correctly and that the terminal was restarted.
-
---
-
-## Step 4: Open your translation project
-
-omp works inside a project folder. The project folder contains the Chinese source, the English translation, and the rules omp should follow.
-
-In your terminal, move to the project folder. For example:
-
-```bash
-cd ~/documents/mpi/other/omp-translation-guide
-```
-
-Or, if you are working on a specific article:
-
-```bash
-cd ~/documents/mpi/translate-files/<topic>/<article>
-```
-
-Once you are inside the project folder, launch omp:
-
-```bash
-omp
-```
-
-omp will detect the project files and rules. The current folder becomes the project root.
-
---
-
-## Step 5: Translate your first article
-
-Inside an active omp session, you can ask the agent to translate. A typical first prompt looks like this:
-
-```text
-Please translate this article from Chinese to English following the project conventions. Read source.dj, look up key Buddhist terms in the terms database, and produce target.dj.
-```
-
-omp will:
-
-1. Read `source.dj` (the Chinese original).
-2. Look up Buddhist terms in the MPI term database.
-3. Draft `target.dj` (the English translation).
-4. Generate `bilingual.dj` (a side-by-side file) if you ask for it.
-
-You can watch the process in the terminal. Each step is shown as a compact card. Press `Ctrl + O` to expand a card and see the full output.
-
---
-
-## The translation workflow
-
-All translation work in this project follows a fixed state machine. The AI handles the drafting and review stages; humans approve the result.
-
-```mermaid
-stateDiagram-v2
-    [*] --> idle
-    idle --> translating: SOURCE_LOADED
-    idle --> other_reviewing: BILINGUAL_LOADED
-    translating --> bilingual_ready: TRANSLATION_DRAFTED
-    bilingual_ready --> self_reviewing: BILINGUAL_GENERATED
-    self_reviewing --> translating: SELF_REJECTED
-    self_reviewing --> other_reviewing: SELF_APPROVED [peer review required]
-    self_reviewing --> approved: SELF_APPROVED [no peer review]
-    other_reviewing --> translating: PEER_REJECTED
-    other_reviewing --> approved: PEER_APPROVED
-    approved --> typesetting: TYPESET_REQUESTED
-    approved --> done: COMPLETE
-    typesetting --> done: TYPESET_COMPLETE
-    done --> [*]
-```
-
-States:
-
-| State | Meaning | Output artifact |
-|---|---|---|
-| `idle` | Waiting for source or an existing bilingual file. | --- |
-| `translating` | AI drafts the English translation. | `target.dj` |
-| `bilingual_ready` | `bilingual.dj` is generated from source and target. | `bilingual.dj` |
-| `self_reviewing` | AI checks its own draft against the source. | edited `target.dj` |
-| `other_reviewing` | A peer reviews the draft. | `review-comments.dj` |
-| `approved` | Translation accepted. | --- |
-| `typesetting` | Producing PDF or DOCX. | `.pdf` / `.docx` |
-| `done` | Complete. | --- |
-
-For a total beginner, the most important path is:
-
-1. **Prepare the source** --- clean the Chinese and save it as `source.dj`.
-2. **Draft** --- ask omp to create `target.dj`.
-3. **Generate bilingual** --- create `bilingual.dj` to read both languages side by side.
-4. **Self-review** --- ask omp to check its own draft for errors.
-5. **Human review** --- you read the bilingual file and approve or flag issues.
-
---
-
-## Step 6: Prepare the source
-
-The source usually arrives as a Word document or a plain-text file. We clean it and convert it into a Djot file called `source.dj`.
-
-If you have a `.docx` file, run:
-
-```bash
-toolkit/scripts/docx2dj.fish <article>.docx
-```
-
-If you do not have a `.docx` file, you can create `source.dj` by hand in a text editor. Keep the line structure intact: one physical line per logical line, and preserve paragraph breaks.
-
-Before translating, understand the source's genre. Is it a transcript of an oral talk, a book excerpt, a guided meditation script, a Q&A, or a written article? The genre shapes the translation register. If the context is unclear, ask the team before proceeding.
-
---
-
-## Step 7: Draft the translation
-
-Once `source.dj` exists, ask omp to draft the translation. A good prompt is:
-
-```text
-Load the mpi-translation and mpi-terms-search skills. Translate source.dj into English, preserving the line structure, and write target.dj. Look up key Buddhist terms in the MPI terms database before translating.
-```
-
-omp will read the Chinese line by line, check the terms database, and write one English line for every Chinese line.
-
-The terms database is searched with:
-
-```bash
-toolkit/terms-database/search.py <term> [limit]
-```
-
-Source priority is:
-
-1. DoT定稿
-2. 内部特色词
-3. 佛教术语
-4. 经论名
-
-omp also preserves emphasis markers (`*text*`) and soft-line markers (`  ` at the end of a line).
-
---
-
-## Step 8: Generate the bilingual file
-
-Once `source.dj` and `target.dj` exist, generate the side-by-side file:
-
-```bash
-../../toolkit/scripts/gen-bilingual.py source.dj target.dj > bilingual.dj
-```
-
-The bilingual file interleaves source and target lines with a blank line between each pair. Do not edit `bilingual.dj` by hand. Regenerate it whenever `source.dj` or `target.dj` changes.
-
---
-
-## Step 9: Self-review
-
-Ask omp to review its own draft:
-
-```text
-Load the mpi-translation-review skill in self mode. Read source.dj and target.dj fully, check for missing content, terminology consistency, and awkward English, then edit target.dj directly. After editing, regenerate bilingual.dj and verify the line counts match.
-```
-
-The review runs three passes:
-
-1. **Accuracy and completeness** --- missing content, mistranslation, terminology inconsistency, unnecessary additions, number/time/person mismatches.
-2. **Fluency and naturalness** --- calques, register drift, broken collocations, pronoun errors, sentence rhythm.
-3. **Dharma and cultural fitness** --- Buddhist term register, cultural anachronism, tone of the teacher, implicit meaning, formatting fidelity.
-
-After the three passes, it applies an R1--R14 editorial checklist covering spelling, punctuation, capitalization, articles, agreement, tense, voice, prepositions, modifiers, parallelism, redundancy, word choice, sentence openings, flow, and a final read-aloud.
-
-In self mode, omp edits `target.dj` directly and then regenerates `bilingual.dj`. It verifies that `source.dj` and `target.dj` have exactly the same number of lines.
-
---
-
-## Step 10: Human review and peer review
-
-Read `bilingual.dj` carefully. You are checking that the English matches the Chinese, sounds natural, and keeps the right tone.
-
-If you want another person to review, they can ask omp to write a `review-comments.dj` file:
-
-```text
-Load the mpi-translation-review skill in other mode. Read source.dj and target.dj and write review-comments.dj with must-fix issues and optional suggestions. Do not edit target.dj directly.
-```
-
-The peer review follows a deliberation protocol: begin with appreciation, phrase most issues as questions or options, and distinguish "must fix" from "consider."
-
-When the team asks omp to apply the findings, it switches to direct-edit mode, updates `target.dj`, and regenerates `bilingual.dj`.
-
---
-
-## Step 11: Typesetting and publishing
-
-Once the translation is approved, it can be exported.
-
- **DOCX export** using `toolkit/scripts/dj2docx.fish <target.dj>` produces a Word document in `/tmp/`.
- **Bilingual PDF** using the Typst template `translate-files/lib/mpi-bilingual-template.typ` produces a PDF through `toolkit/scripts/compile-typst.fish <typ>`.
-
-Rendered files are written to `/tmp/` and are not committed to the repository.
-
---
-
-## Djot conventions
-
-All translation files are written in Djot. Keep these rules in mind:
-
- Emphasis: use a single asterisk on each side: `*text*`. Never use `**` for bold.
- Comments: wrap notes in `{% ... %}`.
- Dashes: use `---` for an em dash and `--` for an en dash.
- Preserve the source formatting. Do not add or remove emphasis.
- Keep the one-to-one line mapping: one physical target line per physical source line.
- Preserve soft-line markers (`  ` at the end of a line) on both source and target.
- Table of contents: plain bullet lists only, no link targets and no page numbers.
-
---
-
-## Useful omp commands for translation
-
-| Command | What it does |
-|---|---|
-| `omp` | Start an interactive session in the current project. |
-| `omp -p "<prompt>"` | Run a single prompt and exit. |
-| `Ctrl + O` | Expand the selected tool card to see full output. |
-| `Ctrl + C` | Exit omp. |
-| `/skill:<name>` | Load a specific skill manually. |
-| `/model` | Pick a different model from the providers you are signed into. |
-
---
-
-## Useful scripts
-
-| Script | Purpose |
-|---|---|
-| `toolkit/scripts/docx2dj.fish <docx>` | Convert a Word document to Djot. |
-| `toolkit/scripts/split-bilingual.fish <combined.dj>` | Split a combined bilingual file into `source.dj` and `target.dj`. |
-| `toolkit/scripts/dj2docx.fish <target.dj>` | Convert a Djot translation to DOCX in `/tmp/`. |
-| `toolkit/scripts/gen-bilingual.py <source.dj> <target.dj>` | Generate `bilingual.dj` on stdout. |
-| `toolkit/scripts/compile-typst.fish <typ>` | Compile a Typst file to PDF. |
-
-Article-specific scripts are placed in the article directory itself and named with a short hash.
-
---
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-### "omp: command not found"
-
- Restart your terminal after installation.
- Check that the install directory is on your `PATH`. Common locations are `~/.local/bin` and `/usr/local/bin`.
-
-### Authentication error
-
- Double-check that your API key is pasted correctly in `~/.omp/.env`.
- Make sure you restarted your terminal after saving the `.env` file.
- Make sure the key has not expired.
-
-### No response or very slow response
-
- Check your internet connection.
- Check the provider's status page (for example, `https://status.openrouter.ai/`).
- Switch to a different model with `/model` if the current model is overloaded.
-
-### Translation line counts do not match
-
- Run `wc -l source.dj target.dj` to see which file is longer.
- Ask omp to regenerate `target.dj` or `bilingual.dj` from the current source.
- Check that no blank lines were accidentally added or removed.
-
---
-
-## Quick checklist
-
-Before declaring a translation ready for human review, confirm:
-
- [ ] omp is installed and `omp --version` works.
- [ ] An AI provider is connected and `omp -p "hello"` replies.
- [ ] `source.dj` and `target.dj` have the same number of lines.
- [ ] `bilingual.dj` has been regenerated from the latest source and target.
- [ ] Key Buddhist terms have been checked in the MPI terms database.
- [ ] No missing content, truncation, or overtranslation.
- [ ] The English matches the source's genre and register.
- [ ] Emphasis, paragraph breaks, and soft-line markers are preserved.
- [ ] The final English has been read aloud.
-
---
-
-## Next steps
-
- Read the `mpi-translation` skill for the full translation principles.
- Read the `mpi-terms-search` skill for how to query the MPI term database.
- Read the `mpi-translation-review` skill for the three-pass review and R1--R14 checklist.
- Read `AGENTS.md` for the project conventions and file layout.
-
-When you feel comfortable, try translating a short article from start to finish. The best way to learn is by doing.
@@ -1,249 +0,0 @@
-#import "@preview/touying:0.7.4": *
-#import themes.simple: *
-
-#let warm-accent = rgb("#A0522D")
-#let dark-text = rgb("#333333")
-#let soft-bg = rgb("#FDFBF7")
-
-#show: simple-theme.with(
-  aspect-ratio: "16-9",
-  config-colors(
-    primary: warm-accent,
-    secondary: dark-text,
-    tertiary: rgb("#8B7355"),
-    neutral: dark-text,
-    neutral-lightest: soft-bg,
-  ),
-)
-
-#set text(font: "Liberation Sans", size: 22pt, fill: dark-text)
-#set heading(numbering: none)
-
-// Custom title slide so title and subtitle appear together
-#slide[
-  #align(center + horizon)[
-    #text(size: 2em, weight: "bold", fill: dark-text)[
-      How we translate Buddhist articles
-    ]
-    #v(1em)
-    #text(size: 1.2em, fill: dark-text)[
-      From Chinese source to English reader
-    ]
-    #v(0.5em)
-    #text(size: 1em, fill: warm-accent)[
-      with a little help from AI
-    ]
-    #v(2em)
-    #text(size: 0.8em, fill: rgb("#666666"))[
-      MPI Translation Project · omp
-    ]
-  ]
-]
-
-== What is omp?
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-"omp" stands for *Oh My Pi*.
-
-#pause
-
-Think of it as a shared workspace where AI assistants help us with careful, repetitive work.
-
-#pause
-
- We give the AI our rules, our files, and our style guide.
- It follows the same process every time.
- We stay in charge: AI drafts, humans review.
-
-== What we have translated so far
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-Our library holds *14 article projects* on Buddhist and Dharma topics.
-
-#pause
-
-So far, *2 articles* are fully translated:
-
-#pause
-
- *What do we rely on to understand the world?*
- *12-Minute Mindful Ball Guidance*
-
-#pause
-
-More articles are in progress, covering mindfulness, life questions, gratitude, end-of-life care, and Dharma in management.
-
-== Our specialized helpers
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-Inside omp, we keep special guidebooks called *skills*. They teach the AI how to do each task.
-
-#pause
-
-#grid(
-  columns: (1fr, 1fr),
-  gutter: 1.2em,
-  [
-    *Translation skill*
-    
-    How to turn Chinese into English
-  ],
-  [
-    *Terms-search skill*
-    
-    How to look up Buddhist terms in our database
-  ],
-  [
-    *Review skill*
-    
-    How to check and improve drafts
-  ],
-  [
-    *Other helpers*
-    
-    Clean up text, translate slides, convert documents
-  ],
-)
-
-== Step 1: Receiving the article
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-An article usually arrives as a Word document or a plain text file.
-
-#pause
-
-We clean it up and prepare a master Chinese file called `source.dj`.
-
-#pause
-
-This master copy becomes the original that every later step checks against.
-
-== Step 2: First draft
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-The AI reads the Chinese line by line.
-
-#pause
-
-It looks up key Buddhist terms in our database so names and ideas stay consistent.
-
-#pause
-
-Then it writes a first English draft, called `target.dj`, with one English line for every Chinese line.
-
-== Step 3: Self-review
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-A second AI checks the English draft against the original Chinese.
-
-#pause
-
-It looks for:
-
-#pause
-
- missing sentences or paragraphs
- awkward English
- Buddhist terms used differently from before
- anything that changes the meaning
-
-#pause
-
-It edits the English directly, and we check the line counts match.
-
-== Step 4: Human review
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-Now we read the Chinese and English side by side.
-
-#pause
-
-#grid(
-  columns: (1fr, 1fr),
-  gutter: 1em,
-  [
-    #align(center, text(size: 1.2em)[中文原文])
-    
-    #align(center, text(size: 0.8em)[Chinese original])
-  ],
-  [
-    #align(center, text(size: 1.2em)[English])
-    
-    #align(center, text(size: 0.8em)[translation])
-  ],
-)
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-#pause
-
-We approve the draft or flag problems for the AI to fix. This step may repeat several times until the text feels right.
-
-== Step 5: Review by others
-
-#v(0.5em)
-
-When the translation is clean, we send it to volunteers or editors.
-
-#pause
-
-They read it with fresh eyes.
-
-#pause
-
-Once they approve, the article is ready for the next step: typesetting or publishing.
-
-== The whole journey
-
-#v(1em)
-
-#text(size: 1.1em)[
-  1. Receive the article
-  
-  2. Draft the translation
-  
-  3. Self-review
-  
-  4. Human review
-  
-  5. Review by others
-  
-  6. Publish
-]
-
-#v(1em)
-
-#text(size: 0.85em, fill: rgb("#666666"))[
-  AI helps at the first three stages; humans lead the last two.
-]
-
-== Any questions?
-
-#v(2em)
-
-#align(center, text(size: 1.3em)[We would love to hear from you.])
-
-#v(1em)
-
-#align(center, text(size: 0.9em, fill: rgb("#666666"))[
-  Ask about the workflow, the AI, or how you can help review translations.
-])
-
-== Thank you
-
-#v(2.5em)
-
-#align(center, text(size: 1.5em)[Thank you for listening.])
-
-#v(1em)
-
-#align(center, text(size: 0.9em, fill: rgb("#666666"))[
-  MPI Translation Project · omp
-])
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-# MPI — Mindful Peace International
-
-## Directory Map
-
-| Directory | Contents |
-|---|---|
-| `toolkit/skills/` | Hermes Agent skills — loaded via `~/.hermes/config.yaml` `external_dirs`. [Install guide →](toolkit/skills/readme.dj) |
-| `toolkit/terms-database/` | Term database (SQLite) + search CLI (`search.py`). Priority: DoT定稿 > 内部特色词 > 佛教术语 |
-| `translate-files/` | Translation projects: `<topic>/<article>/` with `source.dj`, `target.dj`, `bilingual.dj` |
-| `toolkit/scripts/` | Utility scripts (fish shell): `dj2docx.fish` |
-| `references/` | Reference materials — Typst design notes, Google Docs review journey, formatting guides |
-| `toolkit/` | Git submodule containing skills, scripts, term database, and AGENTS.md |
-| `AGENTS.md` | Stub pointing to `toolkit/AGENTS.md` |
-
-## Translation Stages
-
-A translation project moves through the following stages in order. Each stage
-has a clear output and a clear handoff to the next stage.
-
-| Stage | What happens | Output |
-|---|---|---|
-| **Extract** | The source document is cleaned and converted into a plain-text working file. | `source.dj` |
-| **Translate** | The Chinese source is drafted into English, matching the source line count. | `target.dj` |
-| **Self-review** | The translator reviews the draft for terminology, accuracy, grammar, and flow. | `translation-findings.dj` (optional) |
-| **Other-review** | A peer reviewer examines the draft and records findings for the translator. | `review-comments.dj` |
-| **Polish** | Review findings are applied to the translation, and the bilingual file is regenerated. | updated `target.dj`, `bilingual.dj` |
-| **Verify** | The deterministic check suite runs: line/paragraph/heading parity, emphasis preservation, CJK and Chinese-punctuation leakage, digit fidelity, bilingual freshness. Run before delivering; keep green as a regression suite. | `toolkit/scripts/check-translation.py` output, all PASS |
-| **Human review** | Human translators or editors review the polished text and approve or send it back. | approved `target.dj` |
-| **Typeset** | The approved bilingual content is laid out into a publishable document. | `.pdf` or `.docx` |
-| **Done** | The project is complete. | — |
-
-Reviews can send the project back to an earlier stage: self-review and
-other-review may return to **Translate** if the draft needs to be redrafted,
-or to **Polish** if only minor fixes are needed. Once human reviewers are
-satisfied, the project moves to **Typeset** and then **Done**.
-
-## Translating a batch of books
-
-To translate several books at once, run one omp session per book in its own
-herdr pane with the slow model (`omp --model slow --cwd <book dir>`), review
-all of them in parallel, then send each pane an apply pass and gate the batch
-with `check-translation.py` before packaging a zip. The full recipe, the three
-canonical prompts (translate / review / apply), and the hard-won gotchas live
-in `toolkit/AGENTS.md` → **Workflow C**. Proven on 9 books in a single run
-(2026-08-07): every book passed all 11 checks.
-
-## Links
-
-Study material source repo: https://git.sr.ht/~iacore/jingxin-lessons
-
-Translated books:
-
- https://en.mindfulpeace.org/bookstore
- https://www.aryaread.com/
- https://web.aryaread.com/
-
@@ -1,133 +0,0 @@
-# Google Docs Comment Automation — Journey Log
-
-2026-06-21
-
-## Background
-
-Task: review Chinese→English Buddhist translation manuscripts on Google Docs
-by adding editorial comments (the "Wade" style — anchored suggestions on
-specific text). The reviewer is an AI agent running on Hermes with API access.
-
-## Phase 1: Google Workspace OAuth Setup
-
-Set up OAuth2 for Google Workspace access:
- Created Google Cloud project (932146571366)
- Enabled APIs: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Docs, People
- Created Desktop OAuth client, downloaded client_secret.json
- Completed OAuth PKCE flow → token at ~/.hermes/google_token.json
-
-Success: authenticated with scopes covering all needed services.
-
-## Phase 2: Reading Documents and Comments (Success)
-
-Used the Google Drive API v3 `comments.list` endpoint to fetch comments
-from existing review documents:
-
- Doc 1 (1DTzH7...): 61 人生佛教在当代的弘扬 — 121 comments
- Doc 2 (13S_0u...): 附录 我的判教观 — 151 comments
- Doc 3 (1LxCcX...): 16 觉醒的艺术 — 201 comments
-
-Total: 473 editor comments by Wade, spanning 2026-04-17 to 2026-06-20.
-These comments were well-anchored (kix.XXXXXXXX format) and contained
-actionable editorial suggestions in Chinese.
-
-## Phase 3: Pattern Analysis (Success)
-
-Analyzed all 473 comments to extract systematic review rules. The editor's
-feedback follows clear patterns:
-
-R1  — Active voice + "we" subject
-R2  — Noun → verb conversion
-R3  — Simplify vocabulary
-R4  — Break long sentences
-R5  — Remove unnecessary words
-R6  — Conversational / interview tone
-R7  — No -ly adverbs
-R8  — Concrete over abstract
-R9  — Terminology alignment
-R10 — Missing content detection
-R11 — Source faithfulness
-R12 — Sentence structure clarity
-R13 — Specific word fixes
-R14 — Positive feedback (随喜), naming the translator
-
-Created skill: toolkit/skills/mpi-translation-review-comment/SKILL.md
-
-## Phase 4: Attempting to Create Anchored Comments (Failure)
-
-Task: apply the review rules to a new document
-(1NmJKNavB4IBg56ZRBdS5ux9ObRVlHPnSxVmjjXCyITs — 佛法与企业管理, translator: maple).
-
-### Attempt 1: comments.create without anchor
-
-Result: comments appear as document-level (unanchored). The translator has no
-way to know which text each comment refers to. User rejected this approach:
-"Without anchors, there is no way to know where the translator should edit."
-
-### Attempt 2: kix anchors from Docs API response
-
-Searched the document body via `documents.get` for kix segment IDs.
-Result: the Docs API response does NOT expose kix anchors. Only footer IDs
-(kix.hf0, kix.list) appear. Text segments have no kix identifiers.
-
-### Attempt 3: kix anchors from HTML export
-
-Exported the document as HTML via Drive API `files.export_media`.
-Result: HTML export contains NO kix IDs. Since 2021, Google Docs renders
-content on `<canvas>`, so there are no DOM nodes with kix attributes in
-the exported HTML.
-
-### Attempt 4: Browser-based kix extraction
-
-Tried navigating to the document via browser to extract kix IDs from the
-live page DOM. Result: requires Google sign-in. Agent cannot authenticate
-to Google in a browser session.
-
-### Attempt 5: Line-based anchor format (official docs)
-
-The Drive API docs describe an alternative anchor format using line numbers:
-```json
-{"region": {"kind": "drive#commentRegion", "line": 1, "rev": "head"}}
-```
-Created a test comment with this format. Pending user verification on whether
-it actually anchors in the Google Docs UI.
-
-### Official Position
-
-The Google Drive API documentation states (as of 2025):
-
-> "The anchor is saved and returned when retrieving the comment, however
-> Google Workspace editor apps treat these comments as un-anchored comments."
-
-The kix.* anchor format is Google's internal, undocumented format that has
-never been reverse-engineered. A 2016 thread on the Google Apps Script
-community confirms this has been a known limitation for nearly a decade
-with no resolution.
-
-## Phase 5: Workaround
-
-Created `translate-files/佛法与企业管理/review-comments.dj` — a structured
-file listing each comment with:
- The specific text it should anchor to (quoted)
- The comment content
-
-The translator can manually add these comments in the Google Docs UI by
-selecting the quoted text and inserting each comment.
-
-## Key Findings
-
-1. **Reading comments works perfectly** via Drive API `comments.list`
-2. **Writing anchored comments does NOT work** — the anchor is silently
-   ignored by Google Docs editor apps
-3. **The only reliable way** to add anchored comments to Google Docs is
-   through the browser UI (select text → Insert → Comment), which requires
-   human interaction or a headless browser with Google authentication
-4. **Google Apps Script** might support anchored comments from within
-   the document environment (untested — requires different auth model)
-5. The `translation-review-comment` skill remains useful for `.dj` file
-   review where `patch` can be used instead of comments
-
-## Files Created
-
- toolkit/skills/mpi-translation-review-comment/SKILL.md — systematic review rule checklist
- translate-files/佛法与企业管理/review-comments.dj — manual comment reference
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-Deepseek V4 is fast and cheap
-V4 can hardly find more issues if you ask it to reread.
-
-Minimax M3 holds the most effort, but is less capable than V4
-M3 generally finds more issues if you ask it to reread.
-
-GLM thinks too much before acting.
@@ -1,106 +0,0 @@
-# MPI Bilingual Typst Template — Design Decisions
-
-## Location
-
- Repo / project root: `~/documents/mpi/`
- Template directory (contains `lib/`): `~/documents/mpi/translate-files/`
- Template: `translate-files/lib/mpi-bilingual-template.typ`
- Example usage: `translate-files/从物品整理到心灵整理/mindful-organizing.typ`
-
-## Goal
-
-A single reusable Typst template for bilingual Chinese-English 静心学堂丛书
-publications. Host `.typ` files should contain almost no setup code — only an
-`#import`, a `#show: mpi-bilingual.with(...)` call, and the article content.
-
-## Font choice
-
- **Chinese:** Noto Serif CJK SC (Google Fonts)
- **English:** Noto Serif (Google Fonts), used as a freely available substitute
-  for Times New Roman.
-
-## Page and paragraph formatting
-
-| Setting | Value | Rationale |
-|---|---|---|
-| Paper | A4 | Standard publication size |
-| Margins | 2.5 cm all around | Matches existing documents |
-| Body size | 10.5 pt | 五号 per the formatting guide |
-| Line spacing (`leading`) | 1.5 em | 1.5× line height per the guide |
-| Paragraph spacing | 1.5 em | Equivalent to one blank line between paragraphs |
-| Alignment | justified | Matches the existing `mindful-organizing.typ` look |
-| First-line indent | 2 em | Keeps bilingual paragraphs visually distinct |
-| Heading numbering | none | Headings are written verbatim in the host file |
-| Heading spacing | `above: 2em`, `below: 1.2em` | Clear section breaks without page breaks |
-| Footnotes | 8 pt, left aligned | Per the formatting guide |
-
-## Title page
-
-Titles and subtitles are passed as free Typst content (`title-cn`, `title-en`,
-`subtitle-cn`, `subtitle-en`).
-
-The gap between title and subtitle uses `linebreak()` inside a single paragraph
-so the spacing follows the `line-height: 1.5` rhythm instead of an arbitrary
-`v()` length. A larger `v(1.5em)` separates the Chinese block from the English
-block.
-
-## Table of contents
-
-The TOC shows only English headings with dotted leaders and page numbers.
-Chinese headings are displayed as compact section headers above their English
-counterparts. This mirrors the behavior of the old `helpers.typ` but lives in
-the template.
-
-## Host file contract
-
-A host file should look like this and nothing else:
-
-```typst
-#import "../lib/mpi-bilingual-template.typ": mpi-bilingual
-
-#show: mpi-bilingual.with(
-  title-cn: [中文标题],
-  title-en: [English Title],
-  subtitle-cn: [——副标题],
-  subtitle-en: [—Subtitle],
-)
-
-= 一、章节标题
-= I. Chapter Title
-
-中文段落……
-
-English paragraph …
-```
-
-Compile with the helper script:
-
-```bash
-~/documents/mpi/toolkit/scripts/compile-typst.fish ./从物品整理到心灵整理/mindful-organizing.typ [output.pdf]
-```
-
-Or manually from the template directory (`~/documents/mpi/translate-files/`):
-
-```bash
-cd ~/documents/mpi/translate-files
-typst compile --root . ./从物品整理到心灵整理/mindful-organizing.typ
-```
-
-The `--root .` is required because the import `../lib/...` would otherwise
-escape Typst's sandbox.
-
-## What is intentionally not in the template
-
- No inline helpers like `#speaker` or `#quote-cn` in host files. The template
-  sets global formatting only. Dialogue speakers can be marked with `**Name:**`
-  when truly needed.
- No automatic blue styling for scripture quotes, because reliably detecting
-  quoted classics in plain text requires explicit markup.
- No per-chapter footnote numbering; Typst's default continuous numbering is
-  used.
-
-## References
-
- `references/静心学堂丛书英文统一格式-20260211.pdf` — MPI formatting guide
- `translate-files/从物品整理到心灵整理/mindful-organizing.typ` — example host
-  file and current reference implementation
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-.~lock*#
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 21【《心经》的人生智慧】
-
-Translator: AI (self-review)
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Translation is complete and line counts match (830 source, 830 target). The
-translation follows MPI terminology conventions and preserves the speaker's
-voice—reasoned, measured, with direct address and concrete Dharma imagery.
-No missing content or serious accuracy issues found.
-
-## Terminology Notes
-
-### Confirmed against terms DB
-
-All key terms verified against `toolkit/terms-database/search.py`:
-
- 般若 → prajna
- 般若波罗蜜多 → Prajna Paramita
- 般若波罗蜜多心经 → Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra
- 五蕴 → five aggregates (matches 心经的人生智慧 source-specific entry; "five skandhas" is also attested)
- 空性 → emptiness
- 十二因缘 → Twelve Nidanas (matches 心经的人生智慧 entry)
- 四谛 → Four Noble Truths
- 观自在菩萨 → Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
- 阿耨多罗三藐三菩提 → anuttara-samyak-sambodhi
- 阿赖耶识 → alaya consciousness (matches 心经的人生智慧 entry)
- 缘起性空 → the empty nature of conditioned arising (matches DoT定稿)
-
-### Consistent internal usage
-
- "aggregates" (not "skandhas") used throughout for 蕴
- "conditioned arising" used throughout for 缘起
- "intrinsic nature" used for 自性
- "deluded thoughts" used for 妄想
- "ordinary beings" used for 凡夫 (not "common people" or "unenlightened beings")
- "sentient beings" used for 众生 and 有情
-
-### Terms warranting attention
-
-1. **《大智度论》→ Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha**: This is the scholarly
-   Sanskrit title reconstruction. Alternative English titles include "Great
-   Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom." The first occurrence appends the
-   parenthetical gloss for accessibility.
-
-2. **波罗蜜/波罗蜜多 → Paramita**: Left untranslated as Sanskrit. "Perfection"
-   is the standard English rendering and is used in explanatory contexts
-   ("six perfections"). The Sanskrit is used when quoting sutras or in the
-   title.
-
-3. **Australia Mingyue Buddhist Society**: The venue name follows the Chinese
-   original "澳洲明月居士林". Could alternatively be rendered "Mingyue Buddhist
-   Society in Australia" but the current form matches the source's cadence.
-
-## Readability Observations (no changes needed)
-
- Long doctrinal paragraphs have been split at natural breath points.
- Passive voice is rare; "we" and active constructions predominate.
- Teacher voice preserved: first-person asides ("I believe," "I recall"),
-  rhetorical questions, gentle admonition.
- Poems rendered with attention to rhythm and imagery, not forced rhyme.
- Sutra quotes use standard English Buddhist idiom.
-
-## Format Checks
-
- Djot emphasis: `*text*` (single asterisk) used throughout. No `**` Markdown bold.
- Em dashes: `---` used correctly.
- Backslash-escaped quotes in TOC entries preserved.
- Section anchors `{#...}` match source.
- All source lines have corresponding target lines. No missing or extra content.
@@ -1,220 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings for 21【《心经》的人生智慧】
-
-Reviewer: AI (second-pass review)
-Date: 2026-08-07
-
-## Method
-
-Full read of `source.dj` and `target.dj` (all 831 lines each), sentence-by-sentence
-comparison across five section ranges, plus targeted cross-file terminology and
-format checks. Every finding below was verified against the verbatim source and
-target lines. The two files are content-aligned 1:1 (one paragraph per line);
-no source section or paragraph is missing from the target, and no content was
-added.
-
-Severity definitions: *critical* = doctrinal meaning reversed or corrupted,
-sentence/clause omitted, content invented; *major* = clear mistranslation,
-wrong technical term, or garbled English that misleads a reader; *minor* =
-polish-level wording, consistency, grammar, or formatting.
-
-## Summary
-
- Critical: 0
- Major: 7
- Minor: 20 (incl. 2 formatting notes)
-
-Overall verdict: the translation is complete, fluent, and doctrinally sound.
-Terminology follows the project conventions consistently (prajna, five
-aggregates, conditioned arising, ordinary beings, deluded thoughts, alaya
-consciousness, Twelve Nidanas, `---` em dash). The Twelve Nidanas, Four Noble
-Truths, Eightfold Path, fivefold Dharma body, Six Paramitas, thirty-seven
-factors of awakening, the nine conditions for eye-consciousness, the 38
-six-direction buddha names, and the mantra are all complete and standard. All
-issues found are localized; none affects the argument of the text.
-
-## Critical
-
-None.
-
-## Major
-
-### 1. Garbled bodhisattva etymology; 觉有情 mistranslated
- Lines: source.dj 668, target.dj 668
- Source: 菩提萨埵是梵语，为菩萨的全称。唐译"觉有情”，具有觉悟和令他有情觉悟的内涵。
- Target: "*Bodhisattva* is a Sanskrit word, the full term for a bodhisattva. The Tang translation renders it as 'awakened being,' carrying the meaning of one who is awakened and who causes other sentient beings to awaken."
- Issue: "the full term for a bodhisattva" is circular and meaningless in English (the point is that Chinese 菩萨 is the abbreviation of 菩提萨埵). Separately, 觉有情 is "awakened *sentient* being" — 有情 (sentient beings) is dropped, and the term's second sense (one who awakens sentient beings) depends on it.
- Fix: "*Bodhisattva* is Sanskrit; the Chinese *pusa* is short for the full transliteration *putisaduo*. The Tang gloss renders it as 'awakened sentient being,' carrying the meaning of one who is awakened and who causes other sentient beings to awaken."
-
-### 2. Same abbreviation point garbled again
- Lines: source.dj 792, target.dj 792
- Source: 菩萨，具称菩提萨埵，其中，菩提就是智义、觉义。
- Target: "*Bodhisattva* is the full form of the term, in which *bodhi* means wisdom and awakening."
- Issue: "the full form of the term" is dangling — full form of what? The source says 菩萨 is abbreviated from 菩提萨埵.
- Fix: "*Pusa* (bodhisattva) is short for *putisaduo*, in which *puti* (*bodhi*) means wisdom and awakening."
-
-### 3. 十万亿 misrendered by four orders of magnitude (twice)
- Lines: source.dj 731, target.dj 731
- Source: 供养他方十万亿佛 … 与我们相距十万亿佛土世界
- Target: "to make offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of buddhas in other directions … separated from us by a hundred thousand myriad buddha lands"
- Issue: 十万亿 = 10^13 (ten trillion). "Hundreds of thousands of myriads" ≈ 10^9–10^10. The Amitabha Sutra's stock figure is "ten trillion buddha lands" in standard English renderings.
- Fix: "…to make offerings to ten trillion buddhas in other directions." / "…separated from us by ten trillion buddha lands."
-
-### 4. Fourth-dhyana factor 舍念清净 mistranslated
- Lines: source.dj 218, target.dj 218
- Source: 唯有到四禅舍念清净，无喜无乐，才能平安无事。
- Target: "Only upon reaching the fourth dhyana, where one abandons thought and attains purity---free from both joy and pleasure---can one be truly safe and undisturbed."
- Issue: 舍念清净 (upekṣā-smṛti-pāriśuddhi) is the standard fourth-dhyana formula "purity of equanimity and mindfulness"; 舍 is equanimity, not abandonment, and 念 is mindfulness, not "thought."
- Fix: "Only upon reaching the fourth dhyana, where equanimity and mindfulness are purified and one is free from both joy and pleasure, can one be truly safe and undisturbed."
-
-### 5. Tautological rendering of 集是因，苦是果
- Lines: source.dj 564, target.dj 564
- Source: 集是因，苦是果，由集感苦，是凡夫的杂染因果。
- Target: "the cause of suffering is the cause, suffering is the result."
- Issue: In English this reads as an empty tautology; the Chinese relies on the truth-names 集/苦 carrying technical weight. The English already translates 集 as "the cause of suffering," which collides with the generic word "cause."
- Fix: "the truth of the cause is the cause, the truth of suffering is the result; suffering is summoned by its cause—this is the defiled cause and effect of ordinary beings."
-
-### 6. Abhidharma terms 形色/显色 mistranslated
- Lines: source.dj 233, target.dj 233
- Source: 我们往往是从形状（形色）、颜色（显色）这些色相来认识的。
- Target: "We usually recognize material phenomena through their shape (figurative form) and color (visible form)."
- Issue: 形色 (saṃsthāna-rūpa) is configurational form (shape); "figurative" means metaphorical — the opposite of the intent. 显色 (varṇa-rūpa) is color; "visible form" is wrong since both 形色 and 显色 are visible.
- Fix: "We usually recognize material phenomena through their shape (configurational form) and color (chromatic form)."
-
-### 7. 一瓶一钵 → "a single bowl and a single robe"
- Lines: source.dj 682, target.dj 682
- Source: 禅者隐居山林，面对青山绿水，唯有一瓶一钵，了无牵挂。
- Target: "…have only a single bowl and a single robe, utterly free of attachments."
- Issue: 瓶钵 is the set phrase for a monk's meager possessions: a water pitcher and an alms bowl. "Bowl and robe" （衣钵） is a different set phrase and is not what the source says.
- Fix: "…have only a single pitcher and a single bowl, utterly free of attachments."
-
-## Minor
-
-### 8. 丰富 rendered "profound"
- Lines: source.dj 107, target.dj 107
- Source: 文字最为简练而内容极为丰富的法宝
- Target: "the most concise in wording and the most profound in content"
- Issue: 丰富 = rich/abundant, not profound.
- Fix: "the most concise in wording and the richest in content"
-
-### 9. Xin Qiji allusion garbled
- Lines: source.dj 201, target.dj 201
- Source: 是"为赋新诗强作愁”的想象
- Target: "the kind of imagination that 'forces melancholy to compose a poem'"
- Issue: The allusion is to feigning sorrow for the sake of writing verse; as rendered, melancholy becomes the forced agent of composition.
- Fix: "the kind of imagination that 'feigns sorrow just to compose a new poem.'"
-
-### 10. 无自性 rendered "selfless"
- Lines: source.dj 312, target.dj 312
- Source: 透彻其虚幻、无常、无自性、空的本质
- Target: "see through to its illusory, impermanent, selfless, and empty nature"
- Issue: Elsewhere 无自性 is consistently "without intrinsic nature"; "selfless" renders 无我， a different term.
- Fix: "…its illusory, impermanent, intrinsically natureless, and empty nature" (or "without intrinsic nature").
-
-### 11. Heading vs body for 空相
- Lines: source.dj 322–324, target.dj 322–324 (also TOC line 33)
- Target heading: "1. The Nature of Emptiness"; body: "The 'mark of emptiness' is neither emptiness nor existence…"
- Issue: 空相 is "mark of emptiness" in the body but "The Nature of Emptiness" in the heading and TOC; heading and body should agree.
- Fix: heading "1. The Mark of Emptiness" (and TOC line 33 likewise).
-
-### 12. Eight-winds pair 称讥 mislabeled and reversed
- Lines: source.dj 419, target.dj 419
- Source: 称和讥相对…称是称叹…讥是讥笑
- Target: "Censure (ridicule, as when mocked by others) and praise (commendation…) are a pair."
- Issue: Order reversed vs source; "censure" (formal blame) is a poor label for 讥 (ridicule/mockery). The inline glosses are correct, so meaning survives.
- Fix: "Praise (commendation, as when others extol us) and ridicule (mockery, as when mocked by others) are a pair."
-
-### 13. 世出世间 shifted from realms to persons
- Lines: source.dj 497, target.dj 497
- Source: 遍及有漏无漏、世出世间
- Target: "extends to both defiled and undefiled states, to worldlings and noble ones"
- Issue: 世出世间 = the mundane and the supramundane (states/realms), parallel with 有漏无漏； "worldlings and noble ones" changes the referent.
- Fix: "…extends to both defiled and undefiled, mundane and supramundane states…"
-
-### 14. Missing diacritic
- Lines: target.dj 575
- Target: "with all kinds of cliches"
- Fix: "clichés"
-
-### 15. Alternate names dropped from the ten unwholesome actions
- Lines: source.dj 596, target.dj 596
- Source: 五、离间语，又称两舌…六、粗恶语，又称恶口…七、杂秽语，又称绮语
- Target: "Fifth, divisive speech… Sixth, harsh speech… Seventh, frivolous speech…"
- Issue: The traditional synonyms 两舌/恶口/绮语 are dropped (the glosses themselves are kept). Low impact but a small omission in an enumerated doctrinal list.
- Fix: "Fifth, divisive speech （两舌， 'double tongue'): speech that sows discord. Sixth, harsh speech （恶口， 'evil mouth'): … Seventh, frivolous speech （绮语， 'flowery speech'): …"
-
-### 16. Grammar: number agreement
- Lines: target.dj 634
- Target: "there exist the distinction between ordinary beings and noble ones"
- Fix: "there exist the distinctions between ordinary beings and noble ones" (or "there exists the distinction").
-
-### 17. Four foundations of mindfulness: list order contradicts explanation order
- Lines: source.dj 638, target.dj 638
- Source list: 观心无常、观法无我、观身不净、观受是苦 (and explanations follow that order).
- Target: list normalized to the standard order (body, feelings, mind, phenomena) but the four explanations that follow keep the source order (mind, phenomena, body, feelings).
- Issue: Within one paragraph the list and the explanations are in different orders; a careful reader stumbles.
- Fix: Either keep the source order in the list ("contemplating the mind as impermanent, contemplating phenomena as without self, contemplating the body as impure, and contemplating feelings as suffering"), or reorder the explanations to match the normalized list. The former is more faithful.
-
-### 18. 三增上学 → "three progressive trainings"
- Lines: source.dj 644, target.dj 644
- Target: "Buddhist practice follows the three progressive trainings: the training in higher precepts, the training in higher concentration, and the training in higher wisdom."
- Issue: The standard English term is "the three higher trainings" — which also matches the sentence's own continuation ("training in higher precepts…").
- Fix: "Buddhist practice follows the three higher trainings: …"
-
-### 19. 开矿 rendered literally as "digging open a mine"
- Lines: source.dj 693, target.dj 693
- Source: 一省柴烧，二省开矿 (almost certainly 开圹， "digging a grave pit," in the original verse)
- Target: "It saves on firewood for cremation, / And saves on digging open a mine."
- Issue: As rendered, the poem says a water burial saves on mining — a non sequitur. The point is saving on grave-digging and tomb-building.
- Fix: "It saves on firewood for cremation, / And saves on digging a grave." (Optionally footnote that the source reads 开矿， likely for 开圹.)
-
-### 20. 灭度 awkwardly glossed
- Lines: source.dj 720, target.dj 720
- Source: 涅槃为梵语，意译灭、寂灭、灭度。
- Target: "translated by meaning as extinction, quiescence, or cessation through crossing over."
- Issue: 灭度 is a compound gloss (extinction [of afflictions] and crossing over [birth and death]); "cessation through crossing over" mangles it.
- Fix: "translated by meaning as extinction, quiescent extinction, or extinction-and-crossing-over."
-
-### 21. Dhyāna rendered two ways in adjacent passages
- Lines: target.dj 784 vs 786
- Target: Mahayana-samgraha quote "therefore it is called meditative absorption" （静虑） vs "the perfection of meditative concentration" （禅那波罗蜜）.
- Issue: Both are dhyāna; the flip-flop within one subsection reads as two different attainments.
- Fix: Use "meditative absorption" (or "dhyāna") in both places.
-
-### 22. One synonym dropped from the mantra list
- Lines: source.dj 815, target.dj 815
- Source: 又称神咒、禁咒、密咒、真言
- Target: "It is also called a divine spell, a secret spell, or a true word."
- Issue: 禁咒 dropped; four synonyms reduced to three.
- Fix: "It is also called a divine spell, a binding spell, a secret spell, or a true word （真言， mantra)."
-
-### 23. Inserted subject in the mantra quotation
- Lines: source.dj 822, target.dj 822
- Source: 故说般若波罗蜜多咒，即说咒曰
- Target: "Therefore, he spoke the Prajna Paramita mantra."
- Issue: The Chinese has no subject; the sutra speaker here is Avalokiteshvara, so "he" invites misreading (the Buddha).
- Fix: "Therefore, the Prajna Paramita mantra was proclaimed. The mantra goes:" (or "Therefore it is said:").
-
-### 24. Term splitting in heading: 文字般若
- Lines: target.dj 94 (TOC) and 739 (heading)
- Target: "Studying the Buddha-dharma Must Begin with Words and Prajna"
- Issue: 文字般若 is the compound "prajna of the written word" (used consistently in the body); the heading reads as two separate things, "words" and "prajna."
- Fix: "Studying the Buddha-dharma Must Begin with the Prajna of the Written Word"
-
-### 25. Formatting: literal em dashes
- Lines: target.dj 766
- Issue: Seven literal "—" characters ("a good reputation—to fish…") while the rest of the file uses the djot `---` convention.
- Fix: Replace each "—" with "---".
-
-### 26. Formatting: dropped blank line
- Lines: target.dj 290–315
- Issue: One blank line is missing in this range (content lines sit one line lower than the source from 290 to 314, reconverging at 316). Content is complete and alignment is unaffected; noted only so line-citation tools are aware.
-
-## Non-issues checked (for the record)
-
- Twelve Nidanas: TOC, chain list (451), and all body sections consistent.
- Eightfold Path list complete and standard (609–644).
- 五分法身 and 六度 lists complete and standard (751, 758).
- 十万亿 was the only numeric error found; 八万四千， 二百多字， 三十七， 五十一种， etc. all correct.
- 拳叉石掷 (source 186): verified complete — 拳叉 is one item ("fists"), all four weapons rendered (target 186).
- Mantra transliteration and gloss (822–830) correct.
- Terminology spot-checks: 般若/缘起/五蕴/凡夫/妄想/阿赖耶识/空性/自性 all follow conventions throughout.
@@ -1,830 +0,0 @@
-{#心经的人生智慧}
-# 《心经》的人生智慧
-
------1995年讲于澳洲明月居士林
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、《心经》者何 [2](#一心经者何)](#一心经者何)
-
-[二、人生的大智慧 [3](#二人生的大智慧)](#二人生的大智慧)
-
-[1．认识上的迷惑 [3](#认识上的迷惑)](#认识上的迷惑)
-
-[2．执著欲望带来的痛苦 [4](#执著欲望带来的痛苦)](#执著欲望带来的痛苦)
-
-[三、解脱痛苦的原理 [8](#三解脱痛苦的原理)](#三解脱痛苦的原理)
-
-[1．认识苦，才能解除苦 [9](#认识苦才能解除苦)](#认识苦才能解除苦)
-
-[2．寻找痛苦之源 [10](#寻找痛苦之源)](#寻找痛苦之源)
-
-[四、有空不二 [11](#四有空不二)](#四有空不二)
-
-[1．经典所说的"有” [12](#经典所说的有)](#经典所说的有)
-
-[2．经典所说的"空” [13](#经典所说的空)](#经典所说的空)
-
-[五、诸法真实相 [15](#五诸法真实相)](#五诸法真实相)
-
-[1．空 相 [15](#空-相)](#空-相)
-
-[2．不生不灭 [16](#不生不灭)](#不生不灭)
-
-[3．不垢不净 [17](#不垢不净)](#不垢不净)
-
-[4．不增不减 [19](#不增不减)](#不增不减)
-
-[六、不住世间 [19](#六不住世间)](#六不住世间)
-
-[1．蕴、处、界 [20](#蕴处界)](#蕴处界)
-
-[2．我执的表现 [20](#我执的表现)](#我执的表现)
-
-[3．执著的过患 [22](#执著的过患)](#执著的过患)
-
-[4．怎样才能不住 [24](#怎样才能不住)](#怎样才能不住)
-
-[七、超越生死 [25](#七超越生死)](#七超越生死)
-
-[1．无 明 [25](#无-明)](#无-明)
-
-[2．行 [26](#行)](#行)
-
-[3．识 [26](#识)](#识)
-
-[4．名 色 [27](#名-色)](#名-色)
-
-[5．六 入 [28](#六-入)](#六-入)
-
-[6．触 [28](#触)](#触)
-
-[7．受 [29](#受)](#受)
-
-[8．爱 [29](#爱)](#爱)
-
-[9．取 [30](#取)](#取)
-
-[10．有 [30](#有)](#有)
-
-[11．生 [30](#生)](#生)
-
-[12．老 死 [31](#老-死)](#老-死)
-
-[八、烦恼即菩提 [32](#八烦恼即菩提)](#八烦恼即菩提)
-
-[1．苦 谛 [32](#苦-谛)](#苦-谛)
-
-[2．集 谛 [34](#集-谛)](#集-谛)
-
-[3．灭 谛 [35](#灭-谛)](#灭-谛)
-
-[4．道 谛 [35](#道-谛)](#道-谛)
-
-[九、解脱自在的人生 [38](#九解脱自在的人生)](#九解脱自在的人生)
-
-[1．心无挂碍 [38](#心无挂碍)](#心无挂碍)
-
-[2．生死自在 [40](#生死自在)](#生死自在)
-
-[3．息灭妄想 [41](#息灭妄想)](#息灭妄想)
-
-[十、成佛的唯一途径 [43](#十成佛的唯一途径)](#十成佛的唯一途径)
-
-[1．学佛须从文字般若下手 [44](#学佛须从文字般若下手)](#学佛须从文字般若下手)
-
-[2．声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心 [44](#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心)](#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心)
-
-[3．菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导 [45](#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导)](#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导)
-
-[十一、无上法门 [48](#十一无上法门)](#十一无上法门)
-
-[十二、劝 勉 [49](#十二劝-勉)](#十二劝-勉)
-
-{#一心经者何}
-## 一、《心经》者何
-
-《心经》，具称《般若波罗蜜多心经》，是佛教典籍中文字最为简练而内容极为丰富的法宝。它和《金刚经》一样，千百年来在社会上广泛流传，影响历久不衰。
-
-在佛教中，《心经》属于般若系经典。按天台宗对《般若经》的判摄，称为通教。所谓通者，具通前与通后之义。通前，是说它与阿含教的关系。在阿含经典中，佛陀对存在的现象进行透视，指出其苦、无常、无我的本质。当然也谈到空，但不是很深刻。唯有到了般若经教，才在阿含基础上将空的内涵推向极致。通后，是指《般若》与《华严》《涅槃》《维摩》等经典的关系。
-
-般若经教所揭示的缘起性空，是大乘一切经教建立的理论基石。如实把握般若中观正见，对于闻思经教、指导修行具有重要意义。
-
-通常，经典由序分、正宗分、流通分三部分组成。《心经》却与其他经典不同，仅有正宗分。于是，人们便怀疑《心经》的独立性。关于这个问题，当代佛学权威印顺法师在《般若经讲记》中作了说明。印老认为，玄奘大师所译的《心经》，是从六百卷《大般若经》中单独录出的。《大般若经·学观品》中，就有和《心经》基本相同的文句，是佛陀直接向舍利弗所说。也就是说，《心经》是《大般若经》最为精要的部分，古德为易于受持，特摘出流通。
-
-《心经》在中国有众多译本。在方广锠先生所编的《般若心经译注集成》中，就收集了十八种。其中，在教界流传最广的，是唐代玄奘三藏的译本。至于本经注疏，自古以来更是多达百家，可见其传诵之盛。
-
-{#二人生的大智慧}
-## 二、人生的大智慧
-
-本经全称为《般若波罗蜜多心经》。在佛教典籍中，一部经的题目，往往是全经内容的点睛之处。因此，在学习经典时，首先要了解经题蕴含的深意。
-
-先释般若。般若，是梵语音译。佛教经论的翻译，有音译和义译两种方式。音译多是在特殊情况下使用。玄奘三藏在译经时，就制订了"五不翻”的规则：一、尊重不翻；二、顺古不翻；三、多义不翻；四、秘密不翻；五、此方所无不翻。"般若”既属于第一种类型，以尊重故不翻。同时，汉语中也缺乏与"般若”内涵相应的词汇，即此方所无，故采用音译。
-
-由于般若是梵语音译，我们显然无法从字面上依文解义。那么，般若又具有什么深意呢？古德为了人们理解的方便，有时也将般若释为智慧，但它显然不同于通常所说的世间智慧。因为世间智慧是有限的，有缺陷的，更是夹杂烦恼的，不足以认识宇宙人生的真相。而般若智慧则不然，它是无限、圆满、清净的，能使我们通达宇宙人生的真相，从而彻底解除无明烦恼。
-
-所以，般若对改善生命具有至关重要的作用。缺乏智慧，人们就会产生认识的困扰，并由执著带来痛苦。
-
-{#认识上的迷惑}
-### 1．认识上的迷惑
-
-凡夫因无明所扰，总是陷入各种迷惑状态中，既不能透彻了解自己，也无法真正认识世界。或许有人会说：难道我们连自己都不了解吗？这个问题听来似乎令人费解，事实却是如此。
-
-试问：大家知道"我”是谁吗？这个问题看似简单，有人可能会不假思索地回答："我就是我啊！”其实，这是一个极为深奥的问题。我们以为，"我”就是我。那么，究竟是以身体为"我”，还是以思维为"我”呢？倘若以身体为"我”，身体乃四大假合，四大解体之时，"我”在何处？倘若以思维为"我”，思维乃经验及概念的积累，并无独立的自性可言。足见，这个问题远不是我们以为的那么容易回答。所以，西方哲学有句名言------认识你自己。
-
-"生从何来，死往何去”，也是人生的一大迷惑。记得有位西方哲学家曾对人生作过一番形象的比喻：人生有如过桥，而这座桥的桥头、桥尾、桥下都布满云雾，人们就从一团云雾走向另一团云雾。以佛法角度来看，我们来到这个世界，仅仅是一期生命的开端。当我们死亡时，也只是这期生命的终点，并不意味着它的彻底结束。事实上，生命还会生生不已地延续下去。在漫长的生命洪流中，今生不过是其中的一个短暂片段。因此，我们在着眼于现世生存的同时，更要追寻"生从何来，死往何去”的答案，这也是每个人必须解决的切身问题。
-
-在现实生活中，人人都很关心自己的命运。那么，命运是什么？人生是否存在命运？假如存在命运，又是由哪些因素决定的？由什么力量在推动？对于这些问题，世人的看法往往大相径庭。有人不信命运，认为生命发展没有既定规律可寻；有人深信命运，认为冥冥之中必定存在支配我们的力量。此外，有人认为命运不可改变，有人认为命运可以改变；有人认为支配命运的力量来自神灵，有人认为改造命运的机会取决于自己......那么，命运究竟是怎么回事？
-
-因果报应也是容易引起世人争议的话题。从某些现象来看，世间万物似乎各有因果，如成功来自努力，收获来自播种，所谓"种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆”。但从某些方面看，生活中又存在许多难以解释的现象。比如有人作恶多端，却过得逍遥自在；有人行善积德，却过得穷困潦倒。因而，多数人认可一生论，不相信报应说。而世间各种宗教大多认可因果观。那么，确实存在因果报应吗？
-
-人为什么活着？生存的意义是什么？也是人们经常感到困惑的。生存在这个世间，许多人并不知道活着究竟是为了什么，只是沿着前人约定俗成的习惯，上学、工作、成家、生儿育女、升官发财、享受欲乐直至一命呜呼。一代又一代，人们重复着几乎相同的生活模式，却很少思考这种生活能否实现人生的真正意义。
-
-怎样才能开发生命的最大价值？这就必须知道：人究竟为了什么而活着。
-
-{#执著欲望带来的痛苦}
-### 2．执著欲望带来的痛苦
-
-佛经中，称我们居住的这个世界为欲界，其最大特点，就在一个"欲”字。可以说，这个世界的人都生活在强烈的欲望中。什么是欲？欲，就是生命内在的需求，既有生理方面的，也有心理方面的。这些由身心产生的欲望，又有着千差万别的表现形式。
-
-佛经中，将之简单归纳为"五欲”，分别是色、声、香、味、触。色欲，是眼睛希望看见亮丽的颜色；声欲，是耳朵希望听到悦耳的音声；香欲，是鼻子希望闻到芬芳的气息；味欲，是舌头希望品尝可口的美味；触欲，是身体希望接触舒适的环境。在佛经中，"五欲”有时会另有所指，分别指财、色、名、食、睡。财欲，是对金钱财富的需求；色欲，是对男女情感的需求；名欲，是对名誉地位的需求；食欲，是对饮食的需求；睡欲，是对睡眠的需求。有情的生命，就是在不断追逐五欲的过程中延续。当上述欲望得到满足时，会产生暂时的快乐。因而，通常所说的人生幸福，无非是指欲望的满足。
-
-但欲望又是不稳定的。人类欲望虽与物质条件有关，但具备哪些条件才能满足，并没有具体、统一的标准。从整体来说，往往是随着物质条件的改善而提升，所谓水涨船高。对古人来说，丰衣足食就能知足常乐；而对今天的人来说，衣食无忧已很难使人满足，更难使人因此产生幸福感。随着物质的繁荣，欲望也在随之膨胀，而且是无止境地膨胀，这使人们永远处在无休止的追逐中。
-
-欲望的表现形式，有占有、比较、竞争三大特征。
-
-*【占 有】*
-
-人们被欲望驱使，总想不断占有。当温饱尚未解决时，人们只求吃饱穿暖，有个遮风蔽雨的住处。一旦基本需求得到保障，很快就不会满足，进而追求方便舒适的生活。洗衣服太麻烦，最好有洗衣机代劳；走路太疲劳，最好有私家车代步；工作之余闲得无聊，应该有个电视消遣娱乐；外出旅游固然潇洒，还要有架摄像机随时记录......要求越多，需要添置的东西就越多，为此耗费的钱财也就越多。但钱财不会从天上掉下来，相应的，我们就得为了赚钱，为了满足不断增长的欲望拼命工作，忙碌不休。
-
-有了物质财富之后，人们又会向往名誉地位。总之，别人拥有的，我必须有；别人没有的，我也得有。欲望，常常使我们一生都在不断追逐、占有的循环中度过。一个欲望满足了，新的欲望很快接踵而至。被欲望支配的人，往往忽略自己已经拥有的，忙于追逐尚未属于自己的一切，却很少考量：这些究竟是不是人生的真正需要。有道是"欲壑难填”，一个对财富充满欲望的人，即使有了百万家产，还会继续想着千万、亿万。如果我们永远把目标向前推进，怎么可能有知足的时候？所以即使拥有再多，也很难感到幸福。
-
-*【比 较】*
-
-生活在现实社会，必然会与他人发生关系。于是乎，人们就会相互攀比。你拥有百万，我得拥有千万，比你富有；你坐夏利，我得坐奔驰，比你神气；你吃千元一桌，我得吃万元一顿，比你豪华；你穿新款时装，我得穿国际名牌，比你时髦；你的电脑是386，我得买486，比你先进；你当经理，我得当上董事长，比你官大......
-
-带着比较心态去生活的人，总在期待出人头地，希望从他人羡慕的眼光中感受幸福。但社会日新月异，即使我们不停地跟着跑，也难以长处潮流之先。比如电脑，早些年286都非常先进，难得一见。只不过短短几年，386、486就显得过时了，因为586已闪亮登场。不过就算换了最新型号又如何呢？要不了多久，又会落伍于时代。20年前，谁家如果有一辆自行车，就够他们幸福很长时间了。但自行车普及后，需要拥有摩托车才会感到幸福。摩托车普及后，则需要拥有私家车才会觉得幸福。
-
-社会不断推陈出新，处于比较中的人，虽然总在追求幸福，总在为达到某个目标努力，却难有满足之时。即使暂时处于领先地位，暂时感到满足，也很快就会被新的比较驱使，继续奔忙不休。
-
-*【竞 争】*
-
-以比较的心态生活，必然导致竞争。在家庭中，兄妹间为博得父母宠爱而竞争；在学校内，同学间为成绩高低而竞争；在市场上，同行们为占领市场而竞争；在学术界，学者们为学术地位、作品影响而竞争；在国与国之间，则会因国土、资源而竞争。人类社会难道也要像自然界那样"物竞天择，适者生存”吗？难道相互拼搏乃至你死我活的争斗，才是人与人的相处之道吗？在竞争中，多少人活得疲惫不堪，多少人过得不堪重负。
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-欲望，使人们不断向外攀缘，并在无休止的追逐中迷失自我。佛经中记载了这样一个故事：某日，佛陀静坐后在林中漫步。这时一群年轻人匆匆走来，向佛陀询问，是否看见几个女孩从这边经过？佛陀问其缘由，年轻人说，昨晚他们与这些女子寻欢作乐，清早起来时却发现她们已逃之夭夭，并卷走了他们的全部钱财。佛陀反问说：那么，是寻找女子和钱财重要，还是寻找你们自己更重要呢？
-
-其实，现代人多数和故事中的年轻人同样，总在一味向外追逐，却很少关注自己，更不知道认识自己的重要性。如今，几乎全社会都在疯狂地赚钱，所谓"十亿人民九亿商”。今天的中国，与经济挂钩的书籍特别畅销，和经济相关的科系生源爆满。文化教育尚且如此，何况其他？社会上，各种生财之道五花八门。多少人为了赚钱挖空心思，不择手段。
-
-随着经济发展，又创造了无数消费机会，以此不断刺激人们的欲望。其中比较突出的，是这些年层出不穷的各类娱乐场所，如舞厅、酒吧、夜总会等。人们白天忙于赚钱，晚上纵情享乐，在一刻不停的忙碌中，彻底迷失了方向。更令人担忧的是，经济繁荣了，社会道德却每况愈下。
-
-对欲望的过度追逐，必将导致痛苦的结果。正如《阿毗达磨俱舍论·分别界品》所说："趣求诸欲人，常起于希望，所欲若不遂，恼坏如箭中。”这首偈颂告诉我们：沉溺于欲望的人，总在不断向外追逐，一旦所求不能如愿，就会沮丧失落，有如被利箭射中那样痛苦难当。佛教中，将这种欲望不能满足所造成的痛苦称为求不得苦，与生、老、病、死、爱别离、怨憎会、五蕴炽盛合为"八苦”，是对人生一切痛苦的简要归纳。
-
-《中阿含经·苦阴经》中，也阐明了欲的过患。《经》曰："云何欲患？族姓子者，随其伎术以自存活，或作田业，或行治生，或以学书，或明算术，或知工数，或巧刻印，或作文章，或造手笔，或晓经书，或作勇将，或奉事王。彼寒时则寒，热时则热，饥渴、疲劳，蚊虻所蜇，作如是业，求图钱财。彼族姓子如是方便，作如是行，作如是求，若不得钱财者，便生忧苦、愁戚、懊恼......若得钱财者，彼便爱惜，守护密藏......若有王夺、贼劫、火烧、腐坏、亡失，便生忧苦、愁戚、懊恼。”说明了追求财富和失去财富导致的痛苦。
-
-《经》中又说："众生因欲缘欲，以欲为本故，母共子诤，子共母诤，父子、兄弟、姊妹、亲族展转共诤。彼既如是共斗诤已，母说子恶，子说母恶，父子、兄弟、姐妹、亲族更相说恶，况复他人。”这些因争夺财富而导致的纠纷，从古到今不曾停止。不仅社会上彼此争斗，即使在朝暮相处的家庭中，在血脉相连的亲人间，也时常因财产而造成各种纠纷，或夫妻反目，或父子敌对，或兄弟失和，或亲族离散。究其根源，也是因为占有欲造成的。
-
-《经》中接着说："众生因欲缘欲，以欲为本故，王王共争，梵志梵志共诤，居士居士共诤，民民共诤，国国共诤。彼因斗诤共相憎故，以种种器杖转相加害，或以拳叉石掷，或以杖打刀斫。彼当斗时，或死、或怖，受极重苦。”在我们这个五浊恶世，世人因欲望而彼此争斗，永无休止。商人与商人争，政客与政客争，国家与国家争。当年，德国法西斯席卷欧洲，日本侵略者危害亚洲，使人们在世界大战中遭受无尽痛苦。这一灾难的始作俑者，也是欲望导致的霸权扩张。在武器落后的古代，战争只会造成局部地区的灾难。而在科技高度发达的今天，倘若某些大国无法遏制自身的扩张欲，人类就会面临毁灭性的打击，其后果不堪设想。
-
-如果想要解决由认识困惑和执著欲望带来的痛苦，唯有依靠般若智慧的力量。
-
-本经经名为《般若波罗蜜多心经》，波罗蜜，汉译为度，即超越烦恼和生死瀑流，到达彼岸。但这里所说的彼岸，并非东方琉璃世界，亦非西方极乐世界，恰恰是我们所在的现实人间。如果我们被无明所惑，就是烦恼、痛苦的此岸，彷徨、苦闷的此岸，空虚、不安的此岸。一旦开启般若智慧，正见诸法实相，如法起修，如理而行，就会抵达安乐、祥和的彼岸，解脱、自在的彼岸。而般若正是将我们从此岸度到彼岸的舟楫。
-
-{#三解脱痛苦的原理}
-## 三、解脱痛苦的原理
-
-> 观自在菩萨行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄。
-
-这段经文的大意是：观自在菩萨进入般若深观时，照见五蕴诸法皆空无自性，因而度脱一切痛苦与灾难。印顺法师在《般若经讲记》中，将这段经文称为"标宗”，即标明一经宗旨。可见，理解这段经文是学习本经的关键所在。
-
-佛陀出现于世的根本目的，正是帮助众生解脱痛苦，超越生死。我们学佛修行，也无非是为了离苦得乐。但当我们说到离苦得乐时，总有人不以为然，说什么人生应该有苦有乐，才显得丰富多彩；又说什么苦乐是相对而言的，有苦方能有乐。类似论调，乍听似乎不无道理，然而仔细推敲，却是站不住脚的。如果说人生应该有苦有乐的话，那么我们也应该像迎接快乐一样，欢喜踊跃地对待痛苦。事实上，痛苦来临时，我们会本能地逃避。
-
-正因为如此，人类的一切行为，始终在通过各种方式逃避痛苦，追逐快乐。很少有人刻意追求痛苦，即使有，也不是以追求痛苦为目的，而是将之作为达到某种目的的过程，试图追求另一种快乐。比如自虐，仔细考量的话，往往是因为心灵痛苦过于沉重，才以伤害身体来转移痛苦。从这个角度看，自虐其实是为了缓解心灵痛苦，而非有意制造痛苦。至于那些觉得人生应该有苦有乐才丰富多彩的观点，不过是"理想主义者”的说法，是"为赋新诗强作愁”的想象。一旦痛苦成为现实，就会避之惟恐不及，且想方设法地避苦趋乐了。由此可见，解脱痛苦不仅是佛法所解决的问题，也是世间法需要解决的。
-
-{#认识苦才能解除苦}
-### 1．认识苦，才能解除苦
-
-那么，如何才能解脱人生痛苦？佛法认为，首先要对苦有全面认识。唯有了解苦，方能对症下药。说到苦，大体可分为身苦与心苦两种。所谓身苦，即色身之苦，一般来说，感觉大致相同。比如在严冬酷暑中，人们会被寒冷和炎热折磨；处于病痛或被火烧刀斩时，都会感到疼痛难耐，不堪忍受。至于心苦，则是由内在烦恼引起的，其表现千差万别，因人而异。例如同观一轮明月，有人觉得清凉安宁，有人却会黯然神伤；同游一处风景，有人觉得心旷神怡，有人却会悲从中来。
-
-此外，佛法还将苦分为苦苦、坏苦、行苦三类。
-
-*【苦 苦】*
-
-苦苦，是切实感受到的痛苦，即使佛陀不曾指出，我们也认为是苦的。如出生之苦、衰老之苦、病痛之苦、死亡之苦。此外，还有内因和外境共同造成的痛苦。如亲人天各一方，为爱别离苦；所求不能如愿，为求不得苦；怨家狭路相逢，为怨憎会苦；身心不得平衡，为五蕴炽盛苦。
-
-*【坏 苦】*
-
-与苦苦相反，坏苦是我们以为的快乐感受。或许有人会不解，既然是快乐感受，为何属于苦呢？从佛法智慧看，世间所有的快乐同样是以痛苦为本质。当我们饥饿时，吃饱会觉得快乐，如果不断地吃下去，还会觉得快乐吗？当身体变脏了，洗澡会觉得快乐，如果没完没了地在水中泡着，还会觉得快乐吗？当心情郁闷时，看看电视会觉得快乐，但不分昼夜地看下去，还会觉得快乐吗？由此可见，我们所谓的快乐，只是某种欲望满足后，痛苦暂时得到的缓解，心理暂时出现的平衡。如果吃饭、洗澡在本质上是快乐的，那么无论吃多少、洗多久都应该是快乐的。而且应该越吃越快乐，越洗越快乐。事实不然，只要这种行为超过身体所需，快乐立即会转为痛苦。吃饭如此，洗澡如此，一切因欲望满足而产生的快乐莫不如此。
-
-正因为这种乐受能够变坏，所以，佛法将之称为"坏苦”。同时，乐受与苦受、忧受、喜受一样，是变化无常的。我们贪著乐受和喜受，但这种感受不能恒常拥有，乐受伴随着苦受，喜受伴随着忧受，时时都处在变化之中。在四禅八定的修行中，初禅、二禅、三禅都是因为喜乐感受未除，仍不能避免火水风（火烧初禅、水淹二禅、风吹三禅）之灾难，唯有到四禅舍念清净，无喜无乐，才能平安无事。
-
-*【行 苦】*
-
-行苦，是由迁流变化带来的痛苦。世间一切都是无常变化的，此为自然规律。但世人不明真相，一味追求永恒，希望身体永恒、爱情永恒、家庭永恒、事业永恒、人际关系永恒。却不曾想过，其中哪一样可以永恒不变？只要我们观察就会发现，再美好的事物也不可能天长地久，再健康的身体也不可能坚固不坏。这些本来属于自然规律，但由于我们的需求和无常的事实相违背，因而导致"行苦”。
-
-认识苦，不是为了被动地接受苦，而是为了积极地解脱苦。那么，什么是离苦之道？世人往往将改善外在环境作为解决方法，以为经济繁荣了，物质条件改善了，人类就能由此获得幸福。事实上，在物质条件远远超过古代的今天，社会问题及人类面临的痛苦，并未比任何时代有所缓解，甚至会更多。原因何在？就在于没能抓住问题核心。因为人类痛苦的根源是在心灵，试图通过改善外境来解除痛苦，只是扬汤止沸，无法从根本上解决问题。
-
-{#寻找痛苦之源}
-### 2．寻找痛苦之源
-
-我们想要解脱痛苦，首先要了解有情的痛苦现状，由此寻找痛苦之源。人类的种种痛苦固然和外在环境有关，究其根源，还是生命内在的问题。从佛法的角度看，一切痛苦都来自对"有”（存在）的迷惑和执著。想要除苦，必须对存在具备正确认识。
-
-《心经》曰："观自在菩萨行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空。”正是告诉我们，必须以般若智慧观照五蕴。蕴，为集聚义。五蕴，分别是色蕴、受蕴、想蕴、行蕴、识蕴。
-
-色：是色法的总和，包括过去色、现在色、未来色、粗色、细色等，统称为色。对于物质现象，我们往往是从形状（形色）、颜色（显色）这些色相来认识的。因而，佛法以"色”代指物质。
-
-受：为领纳义，即我们面对顺境或逆境时产生的情绪，包括苦、乐、忧、喜、舍等。
-
-想：为取相义，当我们接触外境时，必然会摄取事物的影像，为之安立名称概念。
-
-行：为造作义，是对事物加以判断并付诸行动。
-
-识：为了别义，是精神领域的统觉作用。
-
-五蕴中，色蕴属于物质现象，而受、想、行、识四蕴则属于精神现象。
-
-五蕴，是佛教对世间一切生灭现象所作的归纳和概括。世人对"有”的一切不能正确认识，在有情生命体上执有实在的我相，在六尘境界中执有实在的法相。此外，更对我、法生起种种颠倒分别及执著，造成人类的烦恼及痛苦。
-
-《心经》的"照见五蕴皆空”，正是为了扭转世人对"有”的错误认识。我们执"有”为实在，这个"有”就成了实在有。然而，世间一切生灭现象并非实有，其本质是空无自性的。这里所说的"空”，并非什么都没有，而是告诉我们，五蕴的"有”，不是我们执著的实在性。所谓"有”，只是假有。而与之相对的"空”，则是对"有”的透视，是帮助我们破除对"有”的错误执著。
-
-倘能照见五蕴皆空，由此而生的烦恼痛苦也就不存在了，从而度脱一切苦厄。
-
-{#四有空不二}
-## 四、有空不二
-
-> 舍利子，色不异空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色；受想行识，亦复如是。
-
-有与空，是哲学中的重要概念，也是佛法讨论的重点。在《心经》中，色、受、想、行、识五蕴，代表有的存在。与之相对的，则是空。在常人的经验中，总以为有与空是截然对立的，认为有不是空，空不是有。或者说，有在空外，空在有外。本经却为我们阐述了有与空的辩证关系，说明有空不二的甚深原理。
-
-要认识有与空的不二，先得说明有。在常人的观念中，有，往往与"实在性”联系在一起。当我们说到有时，便会觉得那是自体有，实在有。人类对事物的实在感根深蒂固，具有普遍和相通性。古人不知梦境不实，一旦做了恶梦，便惊恐万状，以为灾难即将降临，须以祈祷等方式化解。婴孩不知镜中影像是假，见到镜中幻影，往往会乱抓乱笑。我们的认识虽高于古人和婴孩，已知梦境不实，却仍以为外在一切是实实在在的。
-
-科学家对事物的认识更深入一些，但在分析物质现象时，往往执著构成物质的元素是实在的，如原子说、中子说等。哲学家似乎更高一筹，已能透视现象的虚假，却又执著现象背后有永恒不变的本体，如泰勒士的"水”，巴门尼德的"存在”，柏拉图的"理念”。从原始人到现代人，乃至科学家、哲学家，对存在的认识虽有不同深度，但对此产生的实在感是一样的。
-
-人类对有产生的实在感，正是"自性见”的表现。"自性”一词，或译自体，具有实在、恒常之义。从"自性见”出发，我们对"有”的一切，必然会产生实在感。然而，若以般若中观的智慧观察，所谓的"有”，只是缘起有。世间一切"有”的现象，莫不是众缘所生。也就是说，任何一种有为现象的存在，都是由众多条件和合而成，是由条件决定它的存在。
-
-缘起与自性是势不两立的。世人无知，不了解"有”是众缘和合的，才会出现自性见和实在感。如果认识到"有”的缘起性，必能了知其本质为无自性。所谓自性，即认为"有”的现象是自己有、自己成、自己规定；而缘起则正相反，看到"有”的一切为条件有、条件成、条件规定。因此，缘起的"有”不是本来如此，更非恒常、实在的"有”。对"有”产生实在感，是完全错误的。
-
-{#经典所说的有}
-### 1．经典所说的"有”
-
-*《大智度论》*
-
-《大智度论》中，将"有”分为三种：一为相待有，二为假名有，三为法有。
-
-相待有：即相待而有，离开相待对象就无法说明。比如我们认为这个花瓶很大，那是相对小花瓶而言。此外，高是相对低而言，长是相对短而言，美是相对丑而言，善是相对恶而言，慷慨是相对吝啬而言。离开大，小是什么？离开美，丑是什么？因为大小、高低、长短、美丑、善恶都是相待假立，是为相待有。
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-假名有：事物的存在不过是假名安立，随不同因缘安立各自名称。比如我们眼前的用具，人们称之为"桌子”。但这桌子并非本来就有，不过是木头等一堆材料的组合。离开这些材料，桌子是什么？这个以木料制作而成的用具，古人将之称为桌子，它便是桌子了。若当初将之称为椅子，它便是椅子了。所谓的桌子或椅子，不过是由人安立并沿用至今的假名，并不具有实在性。人，同样是一个假名。如果古人将我们这类有情称为猪，而将猪称为人。那么，现在若是不称你为猪，阁下听了恐怕会生气：你竟然瞧不起我，不把我当猪看待，真是岂有此理！可见，桌子或椅子，人或猪，乃至世间一切，都是假名安立，假名而有。
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-法有：世间万物的名称虽是假名安立的，但除名称之外，尚有种种因缘形成的现象。比如桌子，虽然只是一堆材料、条件的组合，但这一现象是存在的，并具有相应的使用功能。所以说，这些缘起现象虽了无自性，但假相宛然。这种因缘法的有，便是法有。
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-*《金刚经》*
-
-在《金刚经》中，佛陀也对有的实质作了精辟总结，那就是经中最为著名的偈颂："一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。”
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-有为，指一切生灭、造作的现象。如梦，即梦境般虚假。梦境不实是众所周知的，梦中人却执以为实，必待醒后方知真相。诸法如梦，虚妄不实，有情却因无明之故，执以为实，待见道后大梦初醒，乃知诸法实相。如幻，则是幻师以幻术变现的种种事物，如马、车、房舍、人物等，虽无客观实物，却真切地出现于眼前，有色可见，有声可闻。有的存在也是如此，虽空无自性，而假相宛然。如泡，指水因含有空气而出现气泡，华而不实，瞬间即逝，以此形容诸法的迁流变化，刹那生灭。如影，指物体在阳光下投射的影子，影由光而现，光线消失，影子随之消失，以此形容诸法但随缘现，缘散即无。"如露亦如电”，同样比喻诸法存在的短暂性。"应作如是观”，提醒我们以这一认识去看待"有”的一切。
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-*《维摩诘经》*
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-在与《心经》《金刚经》同属般若体系的《维摩诘经》中，维摩大士假示疾为大众说"有”的真相："是身如聚沫，不可撮摩；是身如泡，不得久立；是身如炎，从渴爱生；是身如芭蕉，中无有坚；是身如幻，从颠倒起；是身如梦，为虚妄见；是身如影，从业缘现；是身如响，属诸因缘；是身如浮云，须臾变灭；是身如电，念念不住。”这是从色身的生灭变化，说明有为法的无常，从而揭示存在的虚假性。
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-{#经典所说的空}
-### 2．经典所说的"空”
-
-明白了有，再来说明空。我们通常以为，有是存在，空是不存在。如是，有和空彼此对立。既然有，必定不是空；既然空，必定不是有。但以般若中观的智慧观察，空和有是一体的，并非二元对立。所谓空，不必在有之外，也不必待事物毁灭后才是空。佛法所说的有是缘起有，有的当下就是自性空。佛法的特殊之处，就在于依有明空，有空一体。
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-*《大智度论》*
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-《大智度论》中，提出三种认识空的方法：一为分破空，二为观空，三为自性空。
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-分破空：又称析空观，通过对有的分析，由粗而细，由细而微。佛教的有部学者就是用这种方法对五蕴色身加以分析，发现在色身中，所谓的"我”了不可得，从而提出"我空”。但在观察色心现象时，一直分析到物质或精神不可分析的部分，提出"极微说”，认为此极微法实有，形成"我空法有”的思想。分破空的意义在于破除人我执。至于物质现象，倘加以分析，极微也是不能成立的。《唯识二十论》就对极微说进行破斥：只要有体积，就存在东西南北上下六方，就还可以分析，由此认为极微说不能成立。
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-观空：是从观想的层面认识空。瑜伽行者修习止观时，能随观想显现种种境相。修火观成就时，所见之处皆为烈火；修水观成就时，所见之处皆为大水。在生活中，"杯弓蛇影”的典故也说明了同样的道理。某先生误将杯中弓影错认为蛇，以为自己将蛇喝入肚中，结果大病一场，待知道真相后，立刻痊愈如初。观想中的水火及典故中的蛇影虽不存在，但在观想和认识中，仿佛现实般历历在目。正是从观想显现的境界中，唯识行者证悟了外境无实、随心所现之理，即"诸法唯识”。但他们虽能破除外境实有的执著，却落入心有境空，所以这种空还是不究竟的。
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-自性空：世间外道由于不了解诸法的缘起性，在接触事物时，难免出现自性见，以为事物是自己有、自己成、本来如此的。小乘有部虽知缘起之理，但同时也认为诸法本有自性。而以般若中观的观点来看，自性与缘起是不能并存的。《中论·观有无品》说："众缘中有性，是事则不然，性从众缘出，即名为作法．．．．．．性若是作者，云何有此义，性名为无作，不待异法成。”缘起是作法，由众缘所作而成；自性乃无作，自己有、自己成，不待众缘便可成立。因而中观学者认为：缘起必然无自性。此为自性空。
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-*《心经》等*
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-《心经》所说的"色不异空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色”，也是从色法的缘起来说明自性空。色，没有世人执著的自性，乃因缘所生的色法；空，也非世人以为的一无所有的顽空，或人死如灯灭之类的断见，乃不碍缘起的自性空。《中论·观四谛品》说："未曾有一法，不从因缘生，是故一切法，无不是空者。”《十二门论·观因缘门》也说："众缘所生法，是即无自性。”色是缘起的，其本质为无自性、空。因此，《心经》将之概括为：色不异空，色即是空。
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-有人觉得，"色即是空”还好理解，"空即是色”似乎就说不通了。造成这种看法的原因，还是因为把空理解为顽空。中观所说的空，乃自性空，并不否定缘起假相。
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-《中论·观四谛品》说："众因缘生法，我说即是无，亦为是假名，亦是中道义。”说缘起法是无自性空，并不坏缘起的假相，所谓缘起有而自性空，自性空而宛然有。因此，色不异空，空自然也不异色；色即是空，空自然也即是色。原本在世人心中截然对立的有空二法，藉般若中观智慧的观照，得到了统一。
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-空有不二的思想，是为了遣除有见和空见。世人因为不了解有，才会对有的一切生起错误认识，进而执著不舍，导致人生种种烦恼。"色即是空”，正是帮助我们透彻有的本质，透彻其虚幻、无常、无自性、空的本质。倘能具备这一认识，还会为有及有所带来的问题烦恼吗？还会为物所累吗？
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-还有一部分人，虽已看破有的虚幻实质，但因为不了解缘起因果，认为既然一切是虚幻的，终将归于毁灭，生存又有什么价值可言，又有什么意义值得追求呢？从而导致虚无主义的观念，或是因为没有目标而极度苦闷，走上绝路；或是因此放纵身心，为所欲为，走上另一个极端。《心经》所说的"空即是色”，正是为了对治这一邪见。万物虽空无自性，但缘起因果是丝毫不爽的。因为一切善恶行为都会带来相应果报，所以我们必须谨言慎行，断恶修善。
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-{#五诸法真实相}
-## 五、诸法真实相
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-> 舍利子，是诸法空相，不生不灭，不垢不净，不增不减。
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-{#空-相}
-### 1．空 相
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-"是诸法空相。”诸法，指一切法。空相，不是空，更不是有，乃是空所显的真实相。从另一个角度，空相也可称为有相，即有所显的实相。实相可以藉空而显，或依有而显，但本身是非空非有的。
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-{#不生不灭}
-### 2．不生不灭
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-不生不灭，是从事物的生灭、有无而言。要明白不生不灭的深意，先得说明生灭的内涵。生灭是有为法的特征，三法印中的"诸行无常”，正是说明一切有为法的无常变化。对于物质现象的变化，经论中有"生住异灭”四相说：从无到有曰生，生而相续曰住，新陈代谢曰异，离散衰亡曰灭。此外，还有"生异灭”三相说，将四相中的住、异二相合为异相。因为万物在住的阶段也是异的过程，两者是同时的，故住相可以归为异相。无论是四相或三相说，皆可简括为生灭二相。
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-关于生灭，经论中又分为三类：一为一期生灭，二为刹那生灭，三为大期生灭。
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-一期生灭：即有情生命从出生到死亡的过程，也就是我们一期生死所经历的时间。任何人都难免生死，在我们走完这期生命之前，通常会耳闻目睹过亲人、邻居、朋友的死亡，也会在现实生活或新闻报道、影视作品中接触过相关内容。因此，一期生灭对我们来说并不陌生。
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-刹那生灭：指事物在最短时间内产生的生灭变化，比较微妙。刹那是梵语，意为极短的时间，印度人将之作为时间的最小单位，仅一弹指间就有六十刹那。对一般人来说，是感觉不出刹那生灭的。虽然如此，事物仍在刹那中生灭变化，趋向败坏。比如眼前这张桌子，从崭新到败坏是在不知不觉中进行的。如果桌子有片刻不在败坏之中，那么，它的前一刻和下一刻也不应该在败坏。如果每一刻都不在败坏中，那它就永远不会败坏。孔子说"交臂非故”，大意为，在两臂相触的短时间内，这个手已不是过去的那个手了。西方哲学家赫拉克利特所说的"人不能两次踏进同一条河流”，也表达了同样的含义。
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-大期生灭：是从整体的生命历程而言。生命就像一道洪流，从无穷的过去一直延续到无尽的未来，无始无终。在这漫长的生命洪流中，今生只是其中的一片浪花。浪花虽然时起时灭，生命洪流却始终都在延续。这生生不已的生命洪流，便是大期生灭。
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-人们通常将生灭视为实实在在的。说到生，就以为是自生，即自己派生自己，自己规定自己。或是将世间一切视为无因生，即毫无根据的偶然事件。世界为什么会出现人类？是偶然的；我为什么会成为妈妈的儿子？也是偶然的。自生或无因生，都是将生命视为实在、独立的存在。生，是有实物可生，就不同于不生。因而，生与不生形成对立的两端。生，就不是不生；不生，就不是生。这还是自性见的结果。
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-从佛法观点看，世间不存在任何自生或无因生的事物。生灭的规律，是"诸法因缘生，诸法因缘灭”。所谓生，是缘聚而生。比如桌子，是因为具备木头、油漆、铁钉、木工等众多条件，始有桌子的出现。又如这次讲座，是因为明月居士林发心主办，有众多善信前来听课，有应邀讲经的各位法师，有活动场所，具足这些条件，才成就了这次"冬令营”。它的出现取决于众多因缘，所谓缘聚而生。既不是自生，也不是无因生。
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-生是如此，灭又是如何呢？其实，灭也是随缘而灭的。比如前面说到的桌子，一旦油漆失色、铁钉松动、木头腐朽，随着构成桌子的各种因缘败坏，这个名为桌子的器具也将随之消失。我们这次讲座也是如此，七天活动结束后，在座各位和讲课法师将各奔东西，冬令营就不复存在了。这个灭，并不是什么都没有了。你们虽然不在此处，但仍在别处，只是组成这个冬令营的各种因缘散了。由此可见，佛法是以缘散来谈灭。
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-认识到缘聚缘散的道理，我们会发现，所谓的生灭，其实就是不生不灭。从缘聚来看生，离开缘就无法可生；从缘散来看灭，离开缘又无法可灭。就如桌子，倘若离开铁钉、木头、油漆、木工等众多因缘，哪里来的桌子？因此，桌子的生，其实就是不生，因为它只是因缘的聚合，并非具有自性、独立存在的事物。桌子的灭，同样是由于因缘的离散，并非彻底消灭，一无所有。可见，桌子的灭，其实就是不灭，因为离开组成桌子的条件，就无法谈灭。桌子如此，我们的冬令营，乃至世间一切有为法都是如此。
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-与生灭相关的有无，也需要附带说明一下。我们常常以为，有是实在的有，无是实在的无。因而，有者不可无，无者不可有，于是落入有见和无见中。佛法是以生灭谈有无，认为一切法之所以有，所以无，不过是因缘的和合与离散；存在与不存在，不外乎诸法缘生缘灭的现象。从生灭看有无，使我们认识到，生的拥有与灭的消失都不过是一种假相。有，没有绝对、永恒的有；无，也不是实在、彻底的无。因而，我们不必为有而得意，也不必为无而沮丧。
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-{#不垢不净}
-### 3．不垢不净
-
-不垢不净，是从事物性质而言。它所相对的垢净，是随有情好恶而建立的一对概念。通常，我们会将自己喜欢的视为净，将自己讨厌的视为垢。基于垢净这一前提，在每个人的世界中，继续分别好的、坏的，美的、丑的，有价值的、没价值的，有意思的、没意思的，等等。并认为这些都是客观存在、固定不变的。
-
-事实上，垢净并非客观、真实的存在，而是人为赋予、因人而异的。比如服装，有人以简洁为美，有人以华贵为美；有人以亮丽为美，有人以素净为美；有人以庄重为美，有人以怪异为美，形形色色。又如食物，有人嗜辣，有人喜甜；有人口味重，有人爱清淡；有人无肉不欢，有人终身长素，所谓众口难调。再如居住环境，有人喜欢居于闹市，有人愿意归隐乡村；有人注重实用，有人讲究情调；有人迷恋豪华，有人欣赏简约，各有所好。《大智度论》也记载了这样的例子：对于一位女子，情人看了起爱，冤仇看了生嗔，儿女看了起敬，鸟兽望而逃离。为何大家对她的看法如此悬殊？这就说明，垢净并非固定的，只是根据各人需要形成的标准，而且这一标准始终处于变化中。
-
-至于事物本身的价值，也是人为赋予的。比如一只精美的宋代瓷碗，在收藏家、鉴赏家的眼中，是价值巨万的珍贵文物，为之朝思暮想，但求占为己有；而在不谙此道的外行看来，那只是一件可有可无的精致工艺品；至于那些根本不知文物为何的人，很可能将之视为普通用具，与随处可见的瓷碗并无区别。虽是同一个碗，但因人们对它的认识及好恶不同，才有了价值上的巨大差异。
-
-又如馒头与金子，哪种更有价值？或许有人会觉得：这个问题简直问得多余。馒头与金子，难道有可比性吗？答案还需要思考吗？在通常情况下，固然是金子价高难得，但在特殊环境中，情况也可能发生变化。有个故事说：一艘船在海上遇难，其中有贫民也有富翁。当他们跳海逃难时，贫民带了馒头，富翁带了金子。他们在海上漂流很久，饥饿难耐时，富翁想用全部金子和贫民交换馒头，却未能如愿。最后，富翁抱着金子饿死海中，而贫民却靠这些馒头度过了生死难关。在那样的危难时刻，馒头和金子，什么更有价值呢？
-
-因为人们的观念不同，以此为垢，以彼为净。但这些所谓的垢净是因人而异，也是因时而异、因地而异的，没有绝对不变的标准。美与丑、好与坏、有价值与无价值等，也都是如此。在客观世界中，并无绝对的垢，也无绝对的净。因此，垢即不垢，净即不净。从这个意义上说，垢净的实质，就是不垢不净。
-
-{#不增不减}
-### 4．不增不减
-
-不增不减是相对增减而言，是对事物数量的定义。由少到多曰增，由多到少曰减。通常我们会以为，增便是实实在在的增，减便是实实在在的减。比如有人经商发财，名下资产猛增，于是心花怒放。过些时候生意亏损，资产一日少于一日，又为此焦虑伤心。其实，增减并不是固定的。就像大海，每天潮涨潮落。当潮涨时，海水看起来似乎增加了；潮落时，海水看起来似乎减少了。从局部看，海水确实有增有减，但从整个大海而言，又何曾增减呢？又如明月居士林举办这次冬令营，大家从四面八方云集于此。居士林的人员增加了，过几天活动结束，诸位各奔东西，居士林的人员又减少了。从居士林这几天的人数变化看，似乎有增有减，但从整个世界而言，依然还是那些人，并没有什么增减。
-
-时常有人提到这样一个问题：佛教讲轮回，但地球上过去的人口不足几亿，现在却增加到几十亿，这些多出来的人从何而来？之所以会提出这类问题，也是因为孤立地看待增减。佛教所说的轮回，并不局限于人类或地球，而是从十方世界，从一切有情生命来说。人口所以会增加，是因为人类生存环境较为优越，投胎因缘较以往更多。但在地球人类增多的同时，其他类型的生命却在减少，比如野生动物就在逐渐减少乃至灭绝。因此，仅从人类来看，数量虽然有增有减，但从生命总体而言，仍是不增不减的。
-
-从以上例子来看，佛法所讲的增减也离不开因缘。增，是因缘使然；减，同样是因缘使然。离开因缘，是无法谈增减的。既然是随缘而成，那么，客观上便没有独立不变的增减。所以增减只是一种假相。从这个层面看，增减就是不增不减。
-
-对世俗中道来说，不生不灭，是生灭宛然；不垢不净，是垢净宛然；不增不减，是增减宛然。但就真谛而言，不生不灭、不垢不净、不增不减又有另外的深意。生灭、垢净、增减等一切差别皆了不可得，是为非生非灭、非垢非净、非增非减，乃至言语道断，心行处灭。
-
-{#六不住世间}
-## 六、不住世间
-
-> 是故空中无色，无受想行识，无眼耳鼻舌身意，无色声香味触法，无眼界乃至无意识界。
-
-{#蕴处界}
-### 1．蕴、处、界
-
-除前面所说的色、受、想、行、识五蕴外，佛教中，又将眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意称为六根，将色、声、香、味、触、法称为六尘，合称十二处。六根、六尘再加上眼识、耳识、鼻识、舌识、身识、意识，为十八界。蕴、处、界又称三科，是对宇宙人生一切现象所作的不同归纳，我们可以从五蕴看世间，也可以从十二处、十八界看世间。
-
-五蕴已如前释。十二处中，处为生门之义。眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六根，缘色、声、香、味、触、法六尘，是精神活动产生的渠道。由眼根缘色尘生眼识，耳根缘声尘起耳识，鼻根缘香尘生鼻识，舌根缘味尘起舌识，身根缘触尘起身识，意根缘法尘生意识，这是六根缘六尘生六识。此外，根尘识三和生触，又由触引生受、想、思等心所。可见，人类的精神主体及心理活动，皆是由根尘为缘而产生的。
-
-十八界中，界含有层、根基、基础、种族诸义，是将世间万物归为十八大类。六根是从生理世界而言，六尘是从物理世界而言，六识是从心理世界而言。
-
-三科诸法主要揭示了世间的现象差别。作为学佛者，又该如何观照世间呢？《心经》曰："是故空中无色，无受想行识，无眼耳鼻舌身意，无色声香味触法，无眼界乃至无意识界。”这就告诉我们，对于世间一切现象，都要认识到它是空的、无自性的。但我们切莫误以为这里说的无是一无所有，假如这样理解，经文岂不是与现实矛盾？对经中所说的无，我们应该运用前面所说的公式来认识。
-
-如"无眼耳鼻舌身意”，即可演绎为：眼不异空，空不异眼；眼即是空，空即是眼。耳鼻舌身意、色声香味触法亦复如是。一切诸法，都可以作这样的观察。
-
-{#我执的表现}
-### 2．我执的表现
-
-那么，经中说三科诸法为空的意义何在？三科诸法，包含了有情世间及器世间。有情世间者，如五蕴、十二处的六根，十八界的六识。世人对此不能正确认识，于中生起我相，恒审思量，念念执我，并由此而起我痴、我见、我爱、我慢，形成以强烈自我为中心的生命形式。
-
-以自我为中心，执五蕴为我，给有情带来种种烦恼。烦恼，是扰乱内心宁静的因素。一旦被烦恼侵扰，人生就不得安宁，不得自在。众生一切烦恼，多由执我而生。比如对色身的执著，有些人因相貌平平而烦恼，有些人因身宽体胖而烦恼，有些人因身材矮小而烦恼，也有些人因体弱多病而烦恼。又因执我，衣食住行也会带来种种烦恼。比如吃，有些人吃了上顿愁下顿，也有些人吃腻了山珍海味，天天为不知吃什么而烦恼；比如穿，有些人为没有御寒衣物而发愁，也有些人衣服多得穿不完，又为不知选哪件而烦恼。为了一个"我”，就足以让人烦恼、操劳一辈子了。
-
-基本生存解决后，还要为"我”的安全感积累财富。这就使得很多人为之拼命工作，辛苦创业。假如没有特殊技能，找工作就很艰难，需要面对激烈的竞争。即使找到工作，竞争可能更加激烈。如果有幸创办了自己的事业，又终日要为这副沉重的担子耗尽心思。工作原是为了维持生存，更有质量地生活。但现代人往往在工作中消耗一生，没时间也没心情来享受生活，岂非本末倒置。忙了一辈子，好不容易等到退休，却已陷入忙碌的惯性中，反而觉得失落彷徨。
-
-为了使"我”更风光，又会引发名誉问题。佛法将世人最主要的欲望归纳为财、色、名、食、睡五种。可见，人们对名誉的渴望是强烈而普遍的。我们生存在这个世间，不仅要吃、穿、住，还要有相应的社会地位。这一地位不仅取决于职位、事业，更取决于我们的德行和名声。倘若德高望重，名闻四方，就会处处受人尊敬，反之则会遭人唾弃。因此，人人都很看重名誉，为维护名誉而对簿公堂者也大有人在。
-
-作为"我”的存在，思想、认识也是重要组成部分。因为执我，人们往往热衷于"我”的思想，"我”的见解。假如得不到他人理解，就会为此伤心难过。在这个世间，既有因不同宗教信仰导致的争斗，也有因不同政治主张产生的对立；既有因不同学术观点引发的辩论，也有因不同生活方式出现的分歧。我见，使世界出现是非纷争，障碍人与人之间的和谐相处，更使人们局限在原有认识上不能进步，影响对真理的认识。所以说，我见是一切烦恼生起的根源。
-
-众生因执著我相带来的烦恼还有很多，此处不再一一详述。总之，人类一切烦恼皆以执我为根源。正如《菩提道次第略论》所言："由我贪增上，以我爱执持，从无始生死直至于今，生起种种不可欲乐，虽欲作一自利圆满，执自利为主，以行非方便故，虽经无数劫，自他义利皆悉无成。非但不成而已，且纯为苦所逼迫。”众生执我，原本是为了我的幸福，然而事与愿违，反而带来种种烦恼。
-
-{#执著的过患}
-### 3．执著的过患
-
-《心经》所说的"无”，正是对有情生命所作的透视。从佛法观点来看，有情生命不外是五蕴和合的假相，是生理（六根）及心理（六识）的和合。常人执五蕴为我，但以般若智慧来看，不论在五蕴还是十二处中，所谓的我，皆了不可得。我们不可执五蕴为我，更不可执五蕴之外有我。倘若我在五蕴之外，又如何与五蕴建立关系呢？
-
-《金刚经》和《心经》同样，也是以谈空为核心的典籍，其重点在于"无我”。经中说道："若菩萨有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，即非菩萨。”又曰："如我昔为歌利王割截身体，我于尔时无我相、无人相、无众生相、无寿者相，何以故？我于往昔节节支解时，若有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，应生嗔恨。”又曰："以无我、无人、无众生、无寿者，修一切善法，则得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。”又曰："若复有人知一切法无我，得成于忍，此菩萨胜前菩萨所得功德。”这些都说明了无我对修习菩萨道的重要性。
-
-明了"无我”的真相，能使我们超越自我。世人因不满于自我现状，想方设法地试图超越，但所作努力往往难以奏效。问题何在？无非是因为我执在障碍。我们现有的人格是以自我为中心形成的，如果我执不曾动摇，怎么可能改变生命、超越自我呢？就像戴着满身枷锁，却以为从这间屋走入另一间屋即可解脱，可能达成期望吗？要想超越自我，首先必须放弃我执，砸碎束缚我们的枷锁，唯有这样，才是究竟解脱。
-
-与有情世间相对应的，是器世间。这也取决于有情的认识能力，即眼识所见的色相世界，耳识所闻的音声世界，鼻识所嗅的气味世界，舌识所尝的味道世界，身识所感的触觉世界，意识所缘的法尘世界。具足六根、六识者，始有六处世界。倘若不具眼根，就会失去色相世界；不具耳根，就会失去音声世界。
-
-佛法将器世间归纳为以上六处，又称六尘。尘，即尘埃，有染污义。也就是说，六处有染污六识的作用。当六识尚未接触六处境界时，我们心是平静的，也就是俗话所说的"眼不见，心不烦”。一旦接触境界，就会产生相应的情绪波动。见到仇人时，立刻怒火中烧；见到恋人时，转而贪恋爱著；听到批评时，立刻伤心苦恼；听到赞叹时，转而心花怒放。如是，时时都在各种情绪中转来转去，片刻不得安宁。
-
-世人不了解六尘，住著六尘境界，遂为八风所动。所谓八风，即利、衰、毁、誉、称、讥、苦、乐。其中，利和衰相对，毁和誉相对，称和讥相对，苦和乐相对。利是利益，如经商赚钱；衰是损失，如生意亏本；毁是诽谤，如遭人污蔑；誉是名誉，如美名远扬；称是称叹，如受人赞颂；讥是讥笑，如遭人挖苦；苦是逆境，如挫折连连；乐是顺境，如事事如意。八风，是世间最普遍的八种顺逆境界。世人终日为八风所吹，时而苦乐，时而忧喜。又因随境所转，使内心动荡不安。
-
-住著六尘，使我们在意世间的称讥毁誉。名言概念原是约定俗成的假名，是人们在特定文化环境中赋予它的，并非固定不变的实体。比如被人说"了不起”，对于确有成就者，那是称赞；而对一无所长者，这三个字又成了挖苦。同样的概念，可以是褒义，也可以是贬义。那么，它的实际含义究竟是什么呢？
-
-其实，"了不起”只是符号，与事实本身并不是一码事。如果我们被人赞叹"了不起”，可能确实有过人之处，也可能只是别人泛泛的客套，并无实际意义。而从另一个角度来说，假如我们真有能力，即使别人不赞叹，依然是了不起的；假如我们只是沽名钓誉，也不会因为这一声赞叹就变得了不起。然而世人因为执著声尘，总是乐于听到恭维赞叹。一旦遭遇批评逆耳之言，轻则垂头丧气，重则暴跳如雷。如是，内心完全被舆论左右，无法自主。
-
-住著六尘，也使我们在乎得失。世人总是活在得失中，比如经商，不是赚钱就是亏本；又如高考，不是录取便是落榜；再如恋爱，不是喜结良缘就是各奔东西；组成家庭，不是琴瑟和谐就是亲人反目。从常情而言，人们总是爱得而恨失。然而，得失就像一对孪生姐妹，有得之处必有所失，且往往是顾此而失彼的。因为我们的时间、精力有限，投入在这里多一些，自然会忽略其他。有人忙于事业，钱财是有了，闲情却没了；有人忙于娱乐，玩得固然痛快，学业却因此荒废了。此外，有些是先得而后失，如先发财后破产；有些是先失而后得，如越王卧薪尝胆而吞并吴国；也有些是在得失中反复，失即得，得即失，如塞翁失马。
-
-正因为得失相依相存，所以面对任何得失时，我们都不应偏执一端。但这正是世人常见的追求误区。读书时，把全部希望寄托于此；恋爱时，又把所有快乐托付其中；创业时，则将人生终极价值维系此间。如果将人生的一切建立于某个方面，即使在此获得成功，也往往会失去许多其他快乐。倘若不幸失败，则会失去全部精神依托，彷徨无依。反之，如果明了得失的相互关系，得到时不会忘形，因为那只是暂时的；失去时也不会沮丧，因为失去的同时，我们往往会收到命运的另一份礼物。
-
-在今天这个时代，人们的追求可以说比以往任何时代更单纯，以为有钱就能过得快乐幸福。其实，财富只是构成人生幸福的诸多因素之一，更重要的，是我们的身心健康。没有平和的内心、健康的身体，我们就无法享用财富。一个人烦恼时可以逃避环境，但不论有多少财富，也无法逃避内心。带着烦恼，即使走到天涯海角，也会郁郁不乐，无法开怀。
-
-对人生幸福来说，首先决定于内心安乐，其次是身体健康，此外才是财富、地位、事业等身外之物。然而，现代人往往忽略心灵健康的意义，一方面为追求财富用尽心思，一方面又在拥有财富后尽情放纵。总之，内心时常处于不平衡、不健康的状态，幸福自然遥不可及。正因为如此，有钱人虽然越来越多，但真正感觉幸福者却寥寥无几。这也使我想起一个现实中的事例。有人曾参加过一位老总在豪华酒店举行的生日晚宴，有亲朋好友及各界名流、新闻媒体等各方嘉宾前来祝贺，场面无比隆重。晚宴结束，他问主人感觉如何，主人却怀念起十五年前生日时，母亲煮的五个鸡蛋。今天虽然极一时风光，心情却远不如昔日轻松快乐。可见，幸福并非来自外在的奢华，而是来自内心的感受。
-
-{#怎样才能不住}
-### 4．怎样才能不住
-
-住著六尘，给人生带来种种烦恼。我们想要解脱烦恼，必须将般若智慧运用于生活，时时以般若观照六尘，照见六尘皆空，烦恼自然不生。当我们因财富带来烦恼时，就可思维《心经》的公式：财富不异空，空不异财富；财富即是空，空即是财富。以此提醒自己：财富是缘起的，没有固定不变的实质，随缘而聚，随缘而散。财富也是一种存在的假相，是无常无我，如梦幻泡影的。倘能对财富具备这样的认识，还会为财富所累吗？
-
-与此类似的，还有《金刚经》的公式。《经》曰："如来说世界，非世界，是名世界。”"所谓微尘，即非微尘，是名微尘。”我们同样可以将这一公式运用于现实中。当你因丈夫而生起烦恼时，就要想到：所谓丈夫，即非丈夫，是名丈夫。以此提醒自己：夫妻关系并非固定不变的，只是由于某种因缘才结为夫妻，形成丈夫、妻子的相互关系。但这一关系也要受到无常规律的支配，一旦不具足相关因缘，其关系也会随之解体。他现在是你的丈夫，以后也可能成为其他人的丈夫。倘能具备这些认识，缘聚时彼此珍惜，缘散时互道珍重，也就没有为此而起的烦恼了。
-
-世间一切皆可作如是想。比如对待儿女：儿女不异空，空不异儿女，儿女即是空，空即是儿女。或者是：所谓儿女，即非儿女，是名儿女。又如对待友谊：友谊不异空，空不异友谊，友谊即是空，空即是友谊。或者是：所谓友谊，即非友谊，是名友谊。再如对待地位：地位不异空，空不异地位，地位即是空，空即是地位。或者是：所谓地位，即非地位，是名地位。财富、事业、家庭等等，亦复如是。倘能将这些观念落实于心行，世间就没什么可以对我们构成障碍了。
-
-人生一世，无不希望自己能潇洒走一回。什么是潇洒？有人以为一掷千金是潇洒，有人以为一身名牌是潇洒，有人以为豪宅名车是潇洒，也有人以为万众瞩目是潇洒。其实，那些只是一时风光。这种风光所带来的，往往是更大的障碍。在生活中我们可以发现，很多人为保持以往的风光，保持相应的生活水准，不得不终日劳碌，四处奔忙。一旦风光不再，就会痛苦失落。事实上，这种风光并非人生之必需。我觉得，潇洒是建立在超越束缚的基础上。倘能处处以般若智慧观照人生，不为物役，富贵能够自在，清贫同样自在，那才是真正的潇洒。
-
-{#七超越生死}
-## 七、超越生死
-
-> 无无明，亦无无明尽，乃至无老死，亦无老死尽。
-
-人生问题包罗万象，总括起来，不外乎"生死”二字。世人关心生活，其实，生活只是生的一部分。生从何来，死往何去？古往今来，东西方各种哲学、宗教都在努力探讨生的来源及死的归宿。作为人生智慧及生命科学，佛法不仅对有情生死问题有着深入探究，更为我们指出了解决之道。
-
-无明至老死，揭示了有情生命延续的十二个过程，又名十二缘起。内容为：无明缘行，行缘识，识缘名色，名色缘六入，六入缘触，触缘受，受缘爱，爱缘取，取缘有，有缘生，生缘老死。以下将简要介绍其含义，并说明彼此关系。
-
-{#无-明}
-### 1．无 明
-
-佛教以光明代表智慧，无明，就是缺乏了悟生命真相的智慧。因为缺乏智慧，有如身处黑暗，使人充满困惑，看不清自己，也看不清世界。无明又是痛苦产生的根源，在"人生的大智慧”这部分，列举了凡夫认识上的种种困惑。这一切，都是由于众生无始以来的无明所致。
-
-{#行}
-### 2．行
-
-行是行为，主要包括三方面：一是思想行为，如想做好事的善念，或想干坏事的恶念。二是语言行为，指生活中的各种语言，有爱语、真实语、利他语等善的语言，也有两舌、恶口、妄语等不善的语言。三是身体行为，有礼佛、诵经、布施等善行，也有杀生、盗窃、邪淫等恶行。
-
-人由于我执我见，往往对自身行为充满自信，以为凡是自己想的、说的、做的都是合理的。但我们知道这些行为是在什么状态下产生的吗？佛陀告诉我们：无明缘行。对于凡夫来说，一切行为的心理基础不是其他，正是无明。所以这些行为的正确程度，也就可想而知了。更要注意的是，不论是善行或恶行，并不会随着行动结束而结束。换言之，任何一种已经发生的行为，都会转化为种子，成为推动生命延续的潜在力量。比如我们为希望工程捐款，从客观上说，这一善行能使部分失学儿童因此得益；对自身而言，既在长养慈悲等正面心行，也在克服吝啬等负面心理。所以说，身口意行为不仅会形成客观结果，还会对内心产生影响，这是我们必须加以关注的。
-
-{#识}
-### 3．识
-
-识是支撑有情生命的三种主要力量之一，此外是寿和暖。寿，是一期生死的时限；暖，是身体具有的温度。对于生命体而言，三者缺一不可。当寿限到来，识就会离开色身。于是乎，这个会说会动、会唱会跳的身体马上变为冰冷的躯壳，进而腐烂败坏，化为尘土。所以，识是执持有情生命的重要组成部分。人们受世间常见的影响，只看到色身存在，却未看到识的作用，才会有"人死如灯灭”的误解。
-
-须知，我们看到的那个有形色身，只是生命的存在形式。而无形的识，才是生命载体。所以说，死亡仅仅是一期生命形式的结束。离开这一色身后，识还在继续，还将以另一种生命形式出现。
-
-行缘识，是说识在下期生命的结生相续时，需赖"行”的推动。此处，"行”指往昔善恶行为留下的种子，又称业力。这是推动识继续投生的力量，就像火箭推动卫星上天。《瑜伽师地论》对这一过程有详细阐述："彼于尔时，见其父母共行邪行所出精血而起颠倒。起颠倒者，谓见父母为邪行时，不谓父母行此邪行，乃起倒觉，见己自行，见自行已，便起贪爱。若当欲为女，彼即于父便起会贪；若当欲为男，彼即于母起贪亦尔。乃往逼趣，若女于母，欲其远去；若男于父，心亦复尔。生此欲已，或唯见男，或唯见女。如如渐近彼之处所，如是如是，渐渐不见父母余分，唯见男女根门。即于此处，便被拘碍。”人类投生既是由业力推动，也是由淫欲心驱使。足见淫欲在有情生命中的地位。在弗洛依德的精神分析中，有恋母情结及恋父情结之说。从《瑜伽师地论》来看，弗氏之说也有一定道理。有情投生，正是基于情欲之心。男子于母亲起贪爱，女子于父亲起贪爱。
-
-那么，有情受生的当时，所见又是什么情景呢？《瑜伽师地论》对此也有说明："若薄福者，当生下贱家，彼于死时及入胎时，便闻种种纷乱之声，及自妄见入于丛林、竹苇、芦荻等中。若多福者，当生尊贵家，彼于尔时，便自闻有寂静、美妙、可意音声，及自妄见升宫殿等可意相现。”投胎者福报不同，受胎时所见境相亦不相同。
-
-关于生命的构成，唯物者以为是物质派生意识。《瑜伽师地论》则认为，意识也有自身的遗传系统。《论》曰："尔时父母贪爱俱极，最后决定各出一滴浓厚精血，二滴和合，住母胎中，合为一段，犹如熟乳凝结之时。当于此处，一切种子异熟所摄，执受所依阿赖耶识，和合依托。云何和合依托？谓此所出浓厚精血合成一段，与颠倒缘中有俱灭。”生命的物质基础是父母的精卵，其精神基础则是阿赖耶识。正是由父母精卵与阿赖耶识和合一处，才完成这期生命的最初状态。
-
-那么，阿赖耶识与父母精卵又是什么关系呢？《瑜伽师地论》说："又此羯罗蓝色与心、心所安危共同，故名依托，由心、心所依托力故，色不烂坏。色损益故，彼亦损益，是故说彼安危共同。又此羯罗蓝识最初托处，即名肉心，如是识于此处最初托，即从此处最后舍。”阿赖耶识与父母精卵相互依赖，安危与共。当寿限到来，也是由识的离去，宣告此期生命的结束。
-
-{#名-色}
-### 4．名 色
-
-名，即受、想、行、识四蕴；色，即色蕴。我们现在的生命体，不外是名和色的和合。或许有人会问，之前已专门谈过"识”，五蕴中又有"识蕴”，二者岂非重复？须知，前面所言的"识”，是指生命的根本识，即经论所说的"阿赖耶识”或"第八识”。而五蕴中的"识蕴”，则是由根本识派生的前六识。如《解深密经》说："阿陀那识为依止，为建立故，六识身转，谓眼识，耳鼻舌身意识。”此处的阿陀那识，即阿赖耶识异名。由阿赖耶识为根本依止，前六识才能生起活动。
-
-阿赖耶识住胎后，在它的执持下，生命的最初结构发生变化。《瑜伽师地论》说："由一切种子识功能力故，有余微细根及大种和合而生，及余有根同分精血和合抟生，于此时中，说识已住结生相续，即此名为羯罗蓝位。”由根本识投胎，已进入住胎状态。又由根本识的执持，生命开始形成。
-
-{#六-入}
-### 5．六 入
-
-六入，即六根，是有情生命接收外部信息的六个窗口，分别是眼根、耳根、鼻根、舌根、身根、意根。
-
-所谓名色缘六入，是说六入在名色的基础上发展而来。前面讲到有情住胎，生命在最初住胎阶段，身心处于混沌状态。生理上，根身尚未形成；心理上，六识活动尚不明显。但随着时间推移，名色逐渐形成六入。这一过程，《瑜伽师地论》也有描述："此羯罗蓝中，有诸根大种，唯与身根及根所依处大种俱生，即由此身根俱生诸根大种力故，眼等诸根次第当生。又由此身根俱生根所依处大种力故，诸根依处次第当生。由彼诸根及所依处具足生故，名得圆满依止成就。”诸根大种，即地水火风四大。四大为所依止，生起眼等六入，这是色身的形成情况。精神方面，以根本识的种子为依止，根身为缘，六识随缘生起。
-
-{#触}
-### 6．触
-
-触是一种心理状态。在《百法明门论》归纳的五十一种心所中，属于普遍活动的五种心理（五遍行）之一。其活动通善恶无记三性，遍及三界九地，遍及有漏无漏、世出世间，并与八识心王相应，故称普遍活动。
-
-《成唯识论》说："触谓三和分别变异，令心、心所触境为性，受、想、思等所依为业。”十二因缘中，以六入生触。但在《成唯识论》中，却将六入列为生起触的因缘之一，提出三和生触。三和，为根、境、识三种相应。即由六根、六尘、六识的和合，而能生起六触。如眼根、色尘、眼识和合，始能生起眼触。由此可见，六入缘触是以六入为触生起的重要因缘，但并不代表一切。
-
-触，是由根境识和合产生的感觉。作为精神领域最基本的心理之一，触心所又是其他一切心理活动产生的基础。在五遍行中，受、想、思三种重要心理都是在触的前提下生起。十二因缘中的"触缘受”，也是基于这种情况。
-
-{#受}
-### 7．受
-
-受也是一种心理状态。《成唯识论》说："受谓领纳顺、违、俱非境相为性，起爱为业，能起合、离、非二欲故。”受是领纳义。领纳什么？领纳顺适的境界、违损的境界和非顺非违的境界。当我们面对逆境时，会生起苦受、忧受；面对顺境时，又会生起乐受、喜受；而非顺非逆的中庸境，则与舍受相应。受能引发对所缘境的染著，因而对境界就有合、离和非合非离的希求。
-
-{#爱}
-### 8．爱
-
-爱也是一种心理状态，为依恋义。当我们接触顺境时，内心自然感到快乐、欢喜，于是对所缘境生起依恋之情。通常所说的依依不舍、留连忘返，都是爱的表现。人类由于贪著驱使，处处都表现出爱恋情结。爱恋优越的条件，爱恋和谐的家庭，爱恋可口的饭菜等等。在这些爱恋中，又以男女间的相互爱恋最具影响力。
-
-爱是一种占有。不论是爱一件物品，或是爱一个人，一旦产生依恋，就希望属于自己所有。有些人依恋优越的物质环境，觉得生活中有了这些才舒适自在，所以千方百计地创造条件。有些人依恋两情相悦的感觉，于是从恋爱发展到结婚，希望长久占有对方，不再分离。十二因缘中的"爱缘取”，就反映了从恋爱到彼此占有的过程。
-
-爱还是一种牵挂。那些热爱家乡的人，不论走到天涯海角，总会关心家乡的变化。那些热爱事业的人，即使在工作之余，也会时时为事业操心。那些热爱儿女的人，更是被儿女的学习、生活占据了全部精力。
-
-爱更是一种束缚。它就像是胶水，把两个对象牢牢粘住；它又像绳索，一旦捆住就别想逃脱；它还像罗网，使人们在网中彼此纠缠，彼此束缚。所以世人将男女恋爱称为堕入情网，可谓准确而形象。
-
-{#取}
-### 9．取
-
-取是占有。佛法认为，取有欲取、见取、戒禁取、我语取。欲取，是对财、色、名、食、睡五欲境界的占有；见取，是对自己的见解、观念执以为是，执以为真，甚而强加于人；戒禁取，是执取种种非佛教的错误戒律；我语取，是在五蕴法中执我，以为自己就是天下第一。所谓爱缘取，就是执著自己喜爱的对象，并想牢牢地占有它。
-
-{#有}
-### 10．有
-
-有是业有。我们想要得到自己喜爱的人或物，就会采取行动。这行动可能是道德的，也可能是不道德的。不论通过什么方式进行，这些行动都会留下痕迹，成为业种，储存在阿赖耶识中，演变为推动未来生命发展的动力。
-
-{#生}
-### 11．生
-
-生是受生。生命延续包括四个不同时期，即生有、本有、死有、中有。生有，是投生、住胎的刹那；本有，是从投生开始到死亡前，是一期生命的发展过程；死有，是死亡的那一刹；中有，则是从死亡开始，直到投生前的刹那。通常，人们总以为生命将随着死亡彻底结束。其实当一期生命走向死亡，就会进入中阴身，经中形容为"如秤两头，高低同时”。中有身的出现，与本有色身的败坏是同一时间。其生存期限，是随生有的出现而结束，一般为七天或四十九天。
-
-有缘生，是说业力决定我们的投生。佛教认为业有两种，一曰引业，二曰满业。引业是总业，将有情引向六道任何一趣，如投生天道、人道、地狱、饿鬼等，就是由引业决定的。满业，又名别业，决定有情在那一趣的生存状态，如感得男女、贫富、美丑等，都是满业决定的。
-
-《唯识三十论》曰："由诸业习气，二取习气俱，前异熟既尽，复生余异熟。”业习气，即业种子。由于业种的力量，招感有情生死果报。前期业报结束，其他业因随即成熟，继续推动生命投生。如是，业力无尽，生死无穷。
-
-{#老-死}
-### 12．老 死
-
-老死：是衰老和死亡。有情受生之后，必然走向衰老、死亡。
-
-有情生命的延续，就是由这些步骤构成，佛法称为十二因缘，即相互依赖的条件。佛经对它的定义是："此有故彼有，此生故彼生，此无故彼无，此灭故彼灭。”这四句话又可简单归纳为三个字，那就是"此故彼”。彼之所以存在，是因为有此的存在。结合十二因缘来看，有无明存在，故有行的存在；有行的存在，故有识的存在；有生的存在，故有老死的存在。十二因缘中，前支都是后支生起的条件。
-
-此外，古德还将十二因缘分为三世二重说明：以无明、行作为过去因，以识、名色、六入、触、受作为现在果；以爱、取、有作为现在因，以生、老死作为未来果。对此，我们不可机械地理解。比如无明，它虽是过去因，但在众生生死过程中，无论何时何地，无明都是存在的。
-
-佛教又将十二因缘归纳为惑、业、苦三法。惑是迷惑，代表有情生命的现状，以无明、爱、取为惑。业是业行，以行、有为业。苦即苦果，以识、名色、六入、触、受、生、老死为苦果。生命的延续，就是由惑造业，由业感果。在生死苦果中，又继续起惑、造业。如是，尽未来际轮回不息。
-
-从无明尽到老死尽，正是佛陀教导声闻弟子的修行方法。众生随十二因缘的相续，由此有故彼有，在轮回中死而后生，生生不已。如何才能从十二因缘的循环中解脱出来？必须透彻其发展规律，并从还灭门加以观察。前面说过，十二因缘的原理是"此有故彼有，此无故彼无”。比如老死，谁都讨厌，但谁也避免不了。我们为什么有老死？是因为有生。那么，我们当时因何受生，为何投生这个而非那个家庭？是谁在安排这一切？其实，也是往昔业力所决定。业力面前，人人平等，谁也无法享有特权。而当初所以会去造业，又是因为占有欲的驱使，不知有因必然有果。如此，一步步从果推到因，正是十二因缘中还灭门的观法。
-
-依还灭门的观法，明了老死是因为生，生是因为有，乃至行是因为无明。没有生，就不会有老死，乃至没有无明，就不会有行。声闻乘的解脱，正是从还灭门入手修行。由闻思经教而树立正见，通过修习戒定慧三无漏学，开发般若智慧，彻底打破生命的无明状态。无明灭则行灭，行灭则识灭，乃至生灭则老死灭，从而获得人生的大解脱。
-
-有无明，有老死，随无明到老死而流转，这是凡夫境界；认识到无明直至老死的过患，灭尽无明以及老死，这是声闻境界；以般若慧观照无明乃至老死，照见无明乃至老死皆无自性，皆是空性。认识到无明不异空，空不异无明，无明即是空，空即是无明，这是菩萨境界。
-
-怎么理解"无无明亦无无明尽，乃至无老死亦无老死尽”呢？那是告诉我们，没有无明，就没有无明的消失；没有老死，就没有老死的消失。在声闻行者的认识中，觉得有实在的无明，所以才有无明的灭除；有实在的老死，所以才有老死的灭除。而在菩萨的境界中，以般若智慧观照无明乃至老死，皆是无自性空。换言之，无明乃至老死不过是因缘假相，如梦幻泡影。因此，菩萨不是一味厌离生死，而是在生死中通达生死的了不可得，在生死中超越生死。
-
-{#八烦恼即菩提}
-## 八、烦恼即菩提
-
-> 无苦集灭道。
-
-在佛教中，苦、集、灭、道被称为四谛法门。谛，为真实义。四谛，即四种真实不虚的道理。佛陀成道后在鹿野苑初转法轮，就是对乔陈如等五比丘开示四谛法。此后，佛陀说法四十五年，施设种种法门，都没有离开这一纲领。因此，四谛被视为佛法根本，对修行有着极其重要的指导意义。
-
-四谛包含两重因果。其中，苦、集二谛为迷的因果。集是因，苦是果，由集感苦，是凡夫的杂染因果。灭、道二谛为悟的因果。道是因，灭是果，由道证灭，是觉者的清净因果。这也代表了两种不同的人生，一是以情为本的人生，一是以智为本的人生。学佛，正是转迷为悟、转染为净的过程。
-
-佛陀又有大医王之称，因为他所施设的教法可对治有情生命中存在的病态。四谛法门正是佛陀根据良医治病的程序而建立的。良医给人治病时，首先要清楚病人的状况，找出得病的原因，弄清此病通过治疗能恢复到什么程度，才能对症下药。医生所能治疗的，只是人类的身病。而佛陀医治的是众生心病。其治疗程序，就是四谛法门。
-
-{#苦-谛}
-### 1．苦 谛
-
-苦，是有情生命的现状。佛教认为人生是苦，认为有漏皆苦。因为这一点，有人就说学佛是逃避现实，是自讨苦吃。这种看法是片面的。佛陀说人生是苦，正是为了帮助我们正视生命的现实。我们面对的现实是什么？是家庭、财富、地位吗？那些固然也是现实，却只是现实的一部分。其实，人生最大的现实，是生、老、病、死，是无常、因果、苦空。认清这些，才能有效地解决痛苦，改变现实，提升生命品质。那些没有学佛的人，虽然每天都在为眼前的现实忙碌，却不曾发现、也不敢面对生命真正的现实。
-
-比如说病，人们要是得了感冒、发烧之类的小病，多半都能保持镇静，如果得了晚期肝癌等不治之症，就很少有人能坦然面对了。不少病人在没有了解自身病况前，还能谈笑风生，一旦得知真相，就会痛苦不堪，乃至精神崩溃。原本的病情可能还不至于立即丧命，还能存活数年，却因巨大的精神负担，使病人几个月后就一命呜呼。所以医院查出不治之症后，一般都是通知家属，却对病人保密。为什么这样做？就是因为多数病人不敢面对真相。
-
-死就更可怕了。关于死，鲁迅先生曾写过这样一个故事：某家喜得贵子，许多达官贵人、亲朋好友纷纷前来祝贺，有人说孩子将来会当官，有人说孩子将来要发财，有人说孩子有长寿相，这些人因为说了吉利话，得到主人的热情款待。最后来了一位客人，却说孩子将来是要死的，结果被主人大骂一顿，赶出门去。其实，孩子将来能否当官发财，都是未知数。但不论这个孩子多么飞黄腾达，将来必死无疑，所以最后这句才是唯一的大实话。可这样的人生现实，又有几个人愿意接受呢？事实上，人们不仅不愿面对，还以种种套话刻意掩盖，刻意回避。平时相互招呼时，说的总是恭喜发财、健康长寿之类的客套，要是问一句"你什么时候死”，听者必定觉得十分晦气，觉得对方不通人情。
-
-对待烦恼，人们同样采取逃避的方式。现代人喜欢说"换个心情，换个活法”。烦恼来了，就去跳舞、唱歌、喝酒，或者去上网、聊天、旅游。换来换去，却还是换汤不换药。通过各式各样的活动，烦恼虽能得到暂时缓解，但问题并未根治。真正的解决之道，是从问题产生的根源着手，在烦恼生起时，不再借助外物，不再寻求依靠，而是冷静地面对自心，观照烦恼生灭。唯有自身具备相应的免疫力，烦恼才会得到有效对治，否则都是治标而不治本。
-
-佛法教导我们，要正视人生现状，勇敢地面对它，而不是消极回避。苦，正是佛法对人生实质的透视。佛陀为我们阐述了人生的种种苦恼，如前面所说的三苦、八苦、无量诸苦等，不是要我们被动地接受苦，而是在认识人生痛苦的前提下，积极消除痛苦，超越痛苦。
-
-{#集-谛}
-### 2．集 谛
-
-集谛是招感苦果的原因，分为烦恼杂染与业杂染两类。
-
-*【烦恼杂染】*
-
-佛经中，根据烦恼特点而有种种异名：或将烦恼称为缚，即系缚义，能系缚有情于生死中不得出离。或将烦恼称为漏，即漏泄义，有情生命因烦恼故，从六根不断漏泄种种过失。或将烦恼称为瀑流，能令众生漂流三界六道，生生死死，沉沦颠倒。或将烦恼称为取，即执取义，能执取生死之果。或将烦恼称为盖，即覆盖义，能覆盖清净善心。或将烦恼称为垢，即染污义，能染污真性，无所明了。或将烦恼称为轭，这是令牛与牛车不离的颈木，烦恼亦能令众生与生死境界和合不离，长劫受苦。从众多的异名中，也反映了烦恼在生命中扮演的角色。
-
-关于烦恼的种类，经中说有八万四千烦恼。简单归纳，主要有十种，分别是贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑、身见、边见、邪见、见取见、戒禁取见。贪，是对事物的贪求和占有之心。嗔，是对不喜欢的境界生起仇怨、苦恼、损害等情绪。痴，是对宇宙人生真相的无知，从而引发错误的观念与言行。慢，是执著自身长处而轻视他人。疑，是因缺乏智慧而对真理产生怀疑。身见，是执五蕴身为我。边见，是执此身为永恒或断灭的两种片面认识。邪见，是否定因果规律，否定凡圣之别。见取见，是将身见、边见、邪见等执为真理。戒禁取见，是遵守错误戒律，以为能由此解脱。在佛教中，将这十种烦恼称为根本烦恼，是其他烦恼生起的基础。
-
-*【业杂染】*
-
-业，是在烦恼基础上产生的行为，包括身业、口业、意业三种。一切行为的产生，是由意识与思心所相应，对之进行抉择判断后，付诸身口行为，从而构成业力。从伦理性质而言，业可分为善、恶、无记三类。善业不仅能利益自身和他人，也能利益现世和他世，反之则是恶业，无记则是非善非恶的。善恶的定义，须贯穿三世作出判断。此外，因有善恶，果唯无记。如天界乐果或地狱苦果，虽对现世或违或顺，但苦乐果报本身并没有善恶属性。
-
-善恶行为千差万别，最基本的是十善行和十恶行，两者是相对的。在此，首先对十恶行作简单介绍：一、杀生，以恶心断除有情生命；二、不与取，未经允许就将他人物品私自占为己有；三、邪淫，不被法律或社会道德认可的男女关系；四、妄语，欺骗性的语言或肢体语言；五、离间语，又称两舌，即挑拨离间的语言；六、粗恶语，又称恶口，是以恶心伤害他人的语言；七、杂秽语，又称绮语，能诱发他人烦恼的淫词艳曲和污言秽语；八、贪欲，对于他人财富、地位等起非理需求；九、嗔恚，因烦恼而对有情起伤害之心；十、邪见，否定因果存在，否定凡圣之别。与十恶相反的，便是十善行，即不杀生乃至不邪见。
-
-{#灭-谛}
-### 3．灭 谛
-
-灭，为寂灭义，是由彻底止息生命内在的迷惑烦恼，而证悟的涅槃境界。
-
-{#道-谛}
-### 4．道 谛
-
-证悟涅槃不是凭空而有的，需要踏踏实实地修道，这便是道谛的内容。修道方法很多，所谓八万四千法门。其中又以八正道为主，这是修学佛法的常道，也是众生趣向涅槃的不二中道。八正道的内容如下：
-
-*【正 见】*
-
-即如实看待世界，看待人生，是相对于世人的迷妄认识而言。世人因无明所惑，颠倒黑白，指鹿为马。五蕴无我，却执有我；世间无常，却执永恒；事相虚假，却执实在；人生是苦，却执以为乐；不见因果，却道无因无果。具足空性正见，就能破除迷惑，如实通达人生真相。
-
-*【正思维】*
-
-即正确的思考。思考与自身认识有关，一个无知的、对人生充满困惑、执著错误观念的人，不可能有正确的思维。要使我们的思考与真理相应，就必须以正见为基础，这样才能引发正思维。所谓"听闻正法，如理思维”，说的正是这个道理。正思维，又称正志。志，有志向义。正志，就是树立崇高的人生目标，以此引导自己的价值取向和行为方式。
-
-*【正 语】*
-
-是语言的德行，这就必须避免妄语、两舌、恶口、绮语等不良语言方式。我们要说的是真实语，是利他语，是爱语。也就是说，我们所说的话，既要符合事实真相，又要利益大众，还要本着对他人的关心爱护来说。不是对方爱听什么就说什么，也不是将自己要说的强加于人。
-
-*【正 业】*
-
-是行为的德行。业有三种，即身业、口业、意业。我们的身口意三业都要远离十恶行，远离烦恼，远离处处以自我为中心的习气。不仅如此，还要通达无我，勤修戒定慧，广行六度四摄，这才是菩萨应行的正业。
-
-*【正 命】*
-
-是谋生的德行。这里所说的命，指我们选择的职业或生存方式，有正命、邪命之分。所谓邪命，即不正当的谋生手段，如贩毒、赌博、诈骗等违背法律与社会道德的行为。作为学佛者，我们不仅要遵循法律和道德的规范，更要遵守戒律的规范。依戒律来看，凡与杀、盗、淫、妄相关的行业，皆属于邪命范畴。反之，能对自他都有利益的职业，对眼前和将来都有利益的行为，才是正命的生活。
-
-*【正精进】*
-
-每个人都有自己的奋斗目标，为达到这一目标，需要不断努力。由于目标不同，这些努力也有不同性质。有的努力是道德的，能为自他带来利益；有的努力却是错误的，会导致犯罪，导致灾难。在希特勒的《我的奋斗》中，就反映了一个战争狂人企图征服世界的努力过程。但这种努力给世界人民带来了极大苦难，是正精进的反面。佛教反对自害害他的努力，鼓励完善德行的努力。正如"四正勤”所说的那样："未生恶令不生，已生恶令断，未生善令生，已生善令增长。”可见，正精进是以断恶修善为努力方向。
-
-*【正 念】*
-
-修行修什么？从根本上说，就是对观念和心念的修正。人的一切行为都取决于心念，而心念有善恶、迷悟、染净之别，所以世间才有凡圣之别，良莠之分。《六祖坛经》说："前念迷即凡夫，后念悟即佛。”佛与众生看似有着天差地别，但最初的分歧只是在迷和悟的一念之间。俗话说，"放下屠刀，立地成佛”，从恶魔到成佛，也是在内心的这一念。由此可见，把握念头是修学的关键所在。
-
-阿含经典中，佛陀特别提倡六念的修行，即念佛、念法、念僧、念戒、念施、念天，这是修学应该具备的基本理念。念佛，是念佛德行，高山仰止，心向往之；念法，是念法的真实，念空性、涅槃，念断惑证真的方法；念僧，是念贤圣僧的德行和威仪；念戒，是令自身行为符合法律、戒律的规范，由此导向解脱；念施，是外舍财物培植福田，内舍烦恼健全人格；念天，不是倾慕天福，而是忆念天人福德，了知修习善行的重要性。此外，佛经还说到十念，在六念外增加念休息、念数息、念身无常、念死。念休息，是止息妄念，使心念趋于平静；念数息，是专注自己的呼吸，知息粗细、长短、冷热，系心于息，心息相依；念身无常，是时时忆念色身危脆无常，命在旦夕，不再贪著尘世；念死，则是忆念死神随时都在身边，准备乘虚而入，故当勤精进如救头燃。
-
-对于解脱的修行，佛陀又为我们说了四念处，即观心无常、观法无我、观身不净、观受是苦。观心无常，是观照心念的无常变化，调整心态，安住正念，不随恶缘所转。观法无我，是观照一切法缘生缘灭，无我和我所，如实观察，不执以为我。观身不净，是观照我们的色身，虽假沐浴更衣维持表面干净，内在却充满浓血粪便，九孔常流不净，从而不起爱恋。观受是苦，是观照有漏的苦乐等受，其本质皆是痛苦，不可贪著。常修四念处，能对治凡夫于心、受、法、身所起的"常乐我净”四种颠倒。
-
-*【正 定】*
-
-定是心一境性。修定需选择一个善所缘，让心安住于此，止息掉举、昏沉，通过持续、稳定的专注，成就定力。定，有正定与邪定之分。所谓邪定，是贪著定乐，沉溺于此。修定会带来极大的禅悦，但这种禅悦同样不可贪著。《瑜伽菩萨戒》说："若诸菩萨安住菩萨净戒律仪，贪味静虑，于味静虑见为功德，是名有犯，有所违越，是染违犯。”若声闻贪著禅悦，则不能趣向解脱；若菩萨贪著禅味，则不能利他。因此，菩萨戒视贪著禅味为犯戒。此外，为追求神通而修定，也属于邪定。神通是一种能力，需有健全的人格为保障。否则的话，拥有神通就像幼儿玩火，是极其危险的，很可能为其所伤。正因为如此，在佛教修行中，智慧和慈悲远比神通更为重要。忽略德行而一味追求神通，绝对是不可取的。
-
-佛教修行是依三增上学，即戒增上、定增上、慧增上。其次第，是依戒生定，由定发慧。可见，修定是为了开发智慧，而不是以定为目的。唯有开发智慧，始能断除烦恼，解脱生死。因而，引发无漏慧的定才是正定。
-
-八正道是修学佛法的常道，也是趋向解脱的不二中道。佛陀告诉我们："一者心著欲境而不能离，非解脱因；二者不正思维，自苦其身而求出离。”及至世尊入灭，更谆谆告诫阿难"自依止，法依止，不余依止”。也就是说，解脱应该依靠自己的努力，依照佛法的指导。这个法，就是以八正道为核心的种种法门。
-
-四谛法门，佛陀主要是对声闻人所说："此是苦，汝应知；此是集，汝应断；此是灭，汝应证；此是道，汝应修。”概括起来，四谛法门的修行就是"知苦、断集、慕灭、修道”。换言之，在声闻的境界中，是有苦可知，有集可断，有灭可证，有道可修。
-
-而以般若正见观照四谛法，则是另一番风光。《心经》曰："无苦集灭道。”这就告诉我们，若以般若智慧观照，四谛法门也是无自性空，是了不可得的。在此，我们同样可以采用前面的公式：苦不异空，空不异苦；苦即是空，空即是苦。集、灭、道亦复如是。在现象上，四谛法门是转染为净，但从无自性空的本质看，苦集灭道的当下即是空性。在空性中，并没有所谓的染净之别。
-
-从四谛无差别的层面，可以进一步领悟"烦恼即菩提”之理。世间杂染的苦果，如果是永恒且固定不变的，确实令人烦恼。而以般若慧观照，烦恼也是无自性空的。就像烦恼生起时，如果将它执以为我，在乎它，纵容它，很快会沉溺其中，备受折磨。相反，如果能以智慧观照烦恼生起的因缘，及当下这一念，烦恼自然息灭。
-
-{#九解脱自在的人生}
-## 九、解脱自在的人生
-
-> 无智亦无得，以无所得故，菩提萨依般若波罗蜜多故，心无挂碍，无挂碍故，无有恐怖，远离颠倒梦想，究竟涅槃。
-
-有情因为对有的认识不足，总是活在有所得的心态中，对世间一切处处执著。在生活中，我们会执著财富、地位、情感、家庭，会执著生存环境、人际关系，还会执著自己的见解、技能、长处等。由于执著，又对这一切产生强烈的占有欲。需求而无法得到，就给人生带来种种烦恼。
-
-《心经》在短短的二百多字中，从"照见五蕴皆空”到"无苦集灭道”，都是针对凡夫对有的错误认识及执著，揭示存在现象是因缘假相，本质是无自性空的。其目的，就是要我们放下对妄境和妄想的执著，超越能所的二元对立，走出妄心的相续，安住于无所得的空性中。如此，才能像《金刚经》所说的那样，不住色生心，不住声香味触法生心。
-
-{#心无挂碍}
-### 1．心无挂碍
-
-"无智亦无得，以无所得故。”我们认识到妄境空之后，于妄境不起分别，不再执著。那么，这颗能认识的心是否实实在在的呢？其实，心也是缘起的。比如眼识的活动，须依赖眼睛、色尘、光线、空间、种子、俱有依、分别依、染净依、根本依这九个条件。此外，耳识、鼻识等其他一切精神活动同样是缘起的。当我们认识到妄境无自性空，远离妄执，妄心亦不生起，所谓境寂心空，无智无得。当妄心、妄境、妄执息灭后，所显现的，正是明空不二的般若智慧。
-
-"菩提萨埵依般若波罗蜜多故，心无挂碍。”菩提萨埵是梵语，为菩萨的全称。唐译"觉有情”，具有觉悟和令他有情觉悟的内涵。有情以情爱为中心，对世间一切都想占为己有，想使与我有关的一切从属于我，想在我所的无限扩大中实现自我价值。却不知，执著愈多，自我所受的束缚愈甚。而对觉者来说，则能以般若观照人生，无我亦无我所，从而超越世间名利，心无牵挂。
-
-唐朝有位名叫懒残的禅者，修行造诣极高，遐迩闻名。一日，皇上派使者请他进宫。使者到来时，禅师正在山中烤芋头。待使者宣读圣旨后，禅师却充耳不闻。时值隆冬，禅师衣着单薄，冻得清涕直流。使者见状，劝禅师擦去鼻涕。不料禅师说："我没有工夫给俗人揩鼻涕。”因为在禅师的境界中，早已超越这些分别，潇洒自在，无拘无束。他的诗正是这种生活和心境的真实写照：
-
-世事悠悠，不如山丘。青松蔽日，碧涧长流。
-
-山云当幕，夜月为钩。卧藤萝下，块石枕头。
-
-不奉天子，岂羡王侯。生死无虑，更复何忧。
-
-水月无形，我常只宁。万法皆尔，本自无生。
-
-兀然无事坐，春来草自青。
-
-禅者隐居山林，面对青山绿水，唯有一瓶一钵，了无牵挂。对于他们来说，生死都已不成问题，还有什么值得操心，值得牵挂呢？
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-佛世时，跋提王子和两位同参法友在山林参禅打坐。一天，三人情不自禁地高喊："快乐啊！快乐啊！”佛陀听后就问："什么使你们这么快乐呢？”跋提王子说："我当初在王宫时，日夜为事务操劳，常年不得悠闲，还要担心性命安全。虽住在奢华舒适的王宫，吃着山珍海味，穿着绫罗绸缎，更有卫兵时时保卫，但我总感到恐惧不安，吃不香，睡不好。现在出家修行，内心不再有任何负担，每天都在法喜中度过，不论走到哪里，都觉得舒心自在，不禁从内心深处涌出欢呼。”
-
-{#生死自在}
-### 2．生死自在
-
-"无挂碍故，无有恐怖。”有情被执著所缚，拥有什么，就会牵挂什么。若是拥有财富，就害怕别人惦记他的财富；拥有地位，就害怕别人嫉妒他的权位；拥有娇妻，就害怕别人觊觎他的家庭。即使只是穿上一件贵重的新衣，也害怕弄脏了，小心翼翼地不敢乱动。总之，只要执著自己拥有的，就会因为这种执著而害怕失去，终日处于恐怖中。
-
-觉者透彻世间的是非、得失、荣辱，无牵无挂，不再有任何恐怖。即使世人最为恐惧的死亡，禅者同样能从容面对，视死如归。佛教史上，这样的故事比比皆是。如唐朝的德普禅师，临终前将所有门徒召齐，询问大家："我死后你们准备如何行事？”弟子们立刻表示："我们会以丰盛的果物祭拜，以各种挽联追思。”禅师说："可惜我死后看不到这些场面，不如趁现在提前举行仪式，让我开心而后死，岂不更好？”弟子们面面相觑，却又不敢违抗师命，于是布置灵堂，撰写祭文，举行了隆重的祭拜仪式。禅师看得十分开心，对众弟子嘉奖一番，悠然坐化。
-
-性空禅师的离世方式也很奇特。禅师临终前留下一诗："坐脱立亡，不若水葬。一省柴烧，二省开矿。撒手便行，不妨快畅。谁是知音？船子和尚。高风难继百千年，一曲渔歌少人唱。 ”然后，令门人弟子为其造好木盆并扛到江边。在众弟子的欢送下，禅师坐上木盆，吹着横笛随波而去。这个木盆的特别之处，是盆底留有小洞。于是乎，禅师就伴随悠悠笛声，渐渐沉入水中，了无痕迹。与性空禅师同样采取水葬的，还有船子和尚。所以禅师在诗中说："谁是知音，船子和尚。”关于船子和尚，性空禅师还有诗言："船子当年返故乡，没踪迹处妙难量。真风遍寄知音者，铁笛横吹作散场。”
-
-禅师们对死亡尚且如此从容，就更不会介意荣辱了。日本有位白隐禅师，德高望重。他有个开布店的信徒，其女儿和一青年相恋，还未出嫁就怀有身孕。其父怒极，逼问女儿原委。女儿生怕说出真相后男友会被父亲打死，想到父亲平素最敬重白隐禅师，故将责任全部推于禅师。父亲信以为真，不分青红皂白就将禅师痛打一顿。禅师也不加辩解。待孩子出生后，他们便将这个私生子扔给禅师。白隐禅师又像保姆一样，四处乞讨乳汁喂养孩子，受尽辱骂与耻笑，禅师还是不加辩解。多年后，当年远走他乡的孩子生父得知事情经过，就站出来说明了真相。全家人深感愧疚，一起去向禅师道歉。白隐禅师并不觉得受了多少委屈，依然不加辩解，就将孩子还给他们。
-
-{#息灭妄想}
-### 3．息灭妄想
-
-"远离颠倒梦想，究竟涅槃。”颠倒梦想，就是与事实不符的错误想法，更简单的表达，便是"妄想”。妄想一词源于佛教，后在社会上广泛流传，内涵也有了变化。通常，人们会将一些不切实际、难以实现的想法斥为妄想。从佛法角度来看，这些固然是妄想，但即使是切合实际且能够实现的愿望，只要与真理不相应，也属于妄想范畴。
-
-在佛法看来，在证悟诸法实相前，人们都是生活在妄想中。妄想的产生是以无明为根源，欲望为动力，执著为助缘。十二因缘中的无明缘行就说明，一切行为的思想基础是无明，即生命的迷惑。在此状态下出现的想法，都属妄想之列。
-
-人们生存在世间，因欲望驱使，会引发与之相应的种种想法。当我们感到寒冷时，就想找衣服穿；感到饥饿时，就想找东西吃；觉得孤独寂寞，就想结婚成家；觉得闲来无聊，才会热衷娱乐；觉得精神贫乏，才会追求艺术；觉得人生苦短，才会信仰宗教。总之，人类有什么欲望，就会有什么妄想。有什么妄想，世界就会出现什么现象。
-
-此外，执著也是妄想的重要助缘。就像孩子在干柴上玩火，正好刮起一阵大风，火借风势熊熊燃烧，将家中房子烧得一干二净。孩子点火有如无明，干柴、房屋有如欲望，大风有如执著。欲望之火因无明而燃烧，因大风而猛烈。由欲望导致的妄想，也是随执著不断增强。执著有多深，妄想就有多大。
-
-因为关注的内容不同，每个人的妄想又会有不同倾向。比如有些人关注服饰，总在留意各种流行趋势，想着穿什么才得体漂亮，还会为买衣服努力赚钱，因为外在包装而忽略生命的内在。也有些人关注家庭，终日为全家生计奔波，为儿女成长操心，还要调和家庭各个成员的意见分歧。难怪许多信众都反映说，打坐念佛无法专心。如果每天纠缠在这些事务中，带着这些牵挂上座，怎么可能静下心来呢？
-
-此外，关注科学的人，会有科学相关的妄想；关注艺术的人，会有艺术相关的妄想；关注爱情的人，会有爱情相关的妄想；关注权力的人，会有权力相关的妄想；关注生命终极问题的人，会有哲学相关的妄想。在这个世间，每个人都有各自的关注范围，也有自己的妄想倾向。
-
-妄想，使我们生活在无明构建的世界中，无法透彻宇宙人生的真谛。佛教的唯识宗将世界分为三个不同层次：一是遍计所执性，是主观的错觉状态；二是依他起性，是因缘显现的假相；三是圆成实性，是世界的如实相。凡夫由于无明，纠缠于遍计执，无法认识依他起性，证悟圆成实性。所以说，人类无法正确认识世界的关键，就在于认识本身。若以妄心观察世界，就像戴着变色眼镜，所见自然是妄境而非实相。
-
-妄想，又使有情在生命旅途中疲于奔命。在自然界，鸡为一把米而奋斗，蜜蜂为一巢蜜而奋斗。在社会上，学生为升学而用功，商人为经营而拼搏，学者为职称而努力，每个人都在为实现自己的妄想而奋斗。妄想越大，奋斗得就越投入，越艰难。甚至临命终时还不能放下，可谓"天长地久有时尽，妄想绵绵无绝期”。
-
-妄想，还给人们带来种种烦恼。有些人总是沉溺于回忆和期盼中，无法面对现实。有些人总是高估自身能力，常叹怀才不遇。有些人整天想着经营算计，因而吃不香、睡不好。有些人向往奢华生活，却可望而不可即，痛苦不堪。沉溺于妄想，还会使人精神涣散，无所事事。不必说妄想无法达成，即使现有的生活也会受到极大干扰。
-
-由此可见，妄想将导致种种过患。因此，《心经》告诫我们要远离颠倒梦想。当然，远离并非易事。许多人开始打坐时，总感到妄想不绝如缕，所谓树欲静而风不止。更让人苦恼的是，越是克制，妄想越是活动频繁，此起彼伏。怎么办？《心经》阐述的对治之道，是从照见五蕴皆空，到认识一切诸法皆如梦幻泡影，不住色、声、香、味、触、法，无智亦无得，心无挂碍，妄想自然无从生起。正像苍雪禅师所说的那样："南台静坐一炉香，终日凝然万虑忘。不是息心除妄想，都缘无事可思量。”凡夫妄想纷飞，必须通过修观、念佛、诵咒来对治。而对透彻诸法真相的禅者来说，世间并不存在使人执著爱恋的境界，如是，妄想自然不生。
-
-"究竟涅槃。”涅槃为梵语，意译灭、寂灭、灭度。灭，是灭除烦恼，灭除牵挂，灭除恐怖，灭除颠倒妄想，灭除对拥有的执著。只有这样，才能超越生死。涅槃又是宇宙人生的真实相，《中论·观涅槃品》说："涅槃与世间，无有少分别，世间与涅槃，亦无少分别。涅槃之实际，及与世间际，如是二际者，无毫厘差别。”从世间与涅槃的幻相，似乎有生灭与寂灭之分。然而，生死的当下就是毕竟空，就是寂灭涅槃。所以涅槃并没有离开世间，当于世间生死相中证悟。
-
-那么，涅槃也等同于世间相的生灭、有无吗？非也。《中论》说："有尚非涅槃，何况于无耶？涅槃无有有，何处当有无。”也就是说，涅槃是非有非无的，不可以世间相对的有无去认识。论中又说："无得亦无至，不断亦不常，不生亦不灭，是说名涅槃。”进一步说明：涅槃的实质是空性，是烦恼的寂灭状态。不生不灭，非有非无。
-
-{#十成佛的唯一途径}
-## 十、成佛的唯一途径
-
-> 三世诸佛依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
-
-学佛，是为了成佛。不少人觉得这句话很虚玄："我们可能成佛吗？自古以来，究竟哪些人成佛了呢？”《心经》曰："三世诸佛。”所谓三世，即过去世、现在世、未来世。诸，是众多义。也就是说，从过去到现在乃至未来，有无量无边的佛陀。我们熟悉的，有释迦牟尼佛、阿弥陀佛、药师佛等，事实上，已圆满成就的佛陀远远不止这些。许多大乘经论都说到，在十方世界，有恒河沙数诸佛正在说法，正在度化众生。
-
-佛教徒早晚功课中诵念的《阿弥陀经》，就有关于十方佛的记载。经云："其土众生常以清旦，各以衣裓，盛众妙华，供养他方十万亿佛。”经中还介绍了西方极乐世界的情况，说明其国土在娑婆世界以西，与我们相距十万亿佛土世界。经中又举六方佛称赞弥陀净土，所谓"东方亦有阿閦鞞佛、须弥相佛、大须弥佛、须弥光佛、妙音佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛......南方世界，有日月灯佛、名闻光佛、大焰肩佛、须弥灯佛、无量精进佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛......西方世界，有无量寿佛、无量相佛、无量幢佛、大光佛、大明佛、宝相佛、净光佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛......北方世界，有焰肩佛、最胜音佛、难沮佛、日生佛、网明佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛......下方世界，有师子佛、名闻佛、名光佛、达摩佛、法幢佛、持法佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛......上方世界，有梵音佛、宿王佛、香上佛、香光佛、大焰肩佛、杂色宝华严身佛、娑罗树王佛、宝华德佛、见一切义佛、如须弥山佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛”，这也从一个侧面反映了诸佛数量之多。
-
-那么，身为凡夫的我们又该如何成佛呢？经曰："三世诸佛，依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。”这就告诉我们，十方三世诸佛都是依般若成佛的。由此，也可说明般若智慧对于成佛的重要性，它贯穿着有情从学佛到成佛的各个阶段。然而，般若是圣贤的智慧，凡夫如何才能证悟，才能把握呢？佛教中说有三种般若：一为文字般若，二为观照般若，三为实相般若。其中，唯有实相般若才代表般若的实质，文字般若及观照般若都是因为能出生、长养般若之故，才被称为般若。
-
-以下，对般若及成就般若的方法作简要介绍。
-
-{#学佛须从文字般若下手}
-### 1．学佛须从文字般若下手
-
-佛法告诉我们："从闻思修，入解脱门。”或曰："亲近善知识，听闻正法，如理作意，法随法行。”在八正道中，也是以正见、正思维为首。但我们要知道，文字般若并非以文字为般若。世间文字很多，在许多情况下，文字构成的知识不但不能引发般若，恰恰是障碍般若的力量。
-
-因此佛陀特别告诫我们，唯有亲近善知识，我们才能听闻正法，通过如理思维，获得文字般若。在《阿含经》中，佛陀向我们强调了亲近善知识的重要性："我亦由善知识成无上正等正觉，以成道果，度脱众生不可称计，皆悉免生老病死......与善知识共从事者，信根增益，闻、施、慧德皆悉备具。”俗话说，近朱者赤，近墨者黑。亲近善知识所起到的，正是近朱者赤的效果。佛陀这样的大智慧者，尚且是因亲近善士而成就，何况我辈凡夫呢？
-
-正法，即如来教法。世人无明，不能正确认识诸法实相，颠倒黑白，处在无尽的烦恼妄想中，由此覆盖本有的智慧德相。听闻正法，是为了正见宇宙人生，如实了知世间的缘起性、因果性、无常性、苦性、空性，改变无始以来的错误认识，从而息灭妄心。一旦妄心息灭，般若智慧自然显现。
-
-在三种般若中，由文字般若产生观照般若，这是照见诸法实相的修行。《心经》所说的"照见五蕴皆空”，及"色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色”，都是依观照般若而体认的。由观照般若正见诸法实相，才能证悟实相般若，又称一切种智，是非寂非照、远离虚妄的实相。
-
-{#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心}
-### 2．声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心
-
-五分法身，即戒、定、慧、解脱、解脱知见。戒，是成就解脱的行为规范。通常，我们的六根是在情绪支配下活动。凡夫由于我执及贪、嗔、痴三毒的作用，不免造作杀盗淫妄等种种恶行。而戒律具有防非止恶的功能，能调伏身心、规范行为，帮助我们约束六根，净化三业，同时也限制了妄想的泛滥。凡如法持戒者，身心会逐渐单纯，有利于禅修，故云戒能生定。进而，又能由定发慧。凡夫因妄想执著，使般若慧光被遮蔽障覆。若以定力平息妄想，无漏慧便能朗然显现。当智慧被开显，就能彻底解除烦恼，成就解脱。最后，成就解脱知见，包含尽智与无生智。所谓尽智，乃断尽一切烦恼，得入无学位的智慧。所谓无生智，乃证悟无生法忍的智慧。这两种智慧皆于成就解脱后产生，是观照常明、通达无碍的后得智。
-
-为什么五分法身是以慧为核心？因为持戒、修定皆非佛教特有的法门。比如持戒，世间各种宗教都有相应戒律，即使在社会上，各个国家也有类似戒律的法律。至于修定，印度许多外道都有习定之法，中国道家的吐纳法也属于修定的范畴，即使佛教的四禅八定，同样属于世间禅。佛教虽然强调戒、强调定，但并不以持戒为究竟。也就是说，仅仅持戒而不开启智慧，是无法解脱的。在六根本烦恼中，更将外道执著持戒以求解脱的方式列为戒禁取。此外，佛教也不以修定为究竟。在菩萨戒中，甚至将贪著禅味视为犯戒。与其他宗教的不同之处在于，佛教提倡的持戒、修定，都是开发无漏慧的途径，是通过戒和定来成就智慧。由有智慧，始能解脱烦恼，证悟涅槃。
-
-{#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导}
-### 3．菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导
-
-六度，又称六波罗蜜，是修习菩萨道的六种主要法门，分别为布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、般若。古德说："五度如盲，般若如炬。”世人也修习六度中的前五度，但因为缺乏般若指导，所做只是普通的世间善行，不能升华为菩提资粮。以下，分别对六度进行介绍。
-
-*【布 施】*
-
-布施，就是我们平常所说的施舍。《摄大乘论》云："又能破裂悭吝贫穷，及能引得广大财位福德资粮，故名为施。”布施有不同内涵，如财施、法施、无畏施。财施，是以财物帮助他人；法施，是以所学佛法及知识技术帮助他人；无畏施，是以仁爱、慈悲使众生获得安全感。
-
-布施不仅能利益他人，也能使自身获得极大利益。一方面，布施能使我们破除悭吝。凡夫贪著财富，面对需要帮助的人，往往因悭吝而不愿施舍。哪怕是平日几乎用不到的物品，一旦要送出去，又觉得它重要起来。布施，正是克服悭吝的有效方法。另一方面，布施还能广种福田，改变贫穷之因。凡夫目光短浅，以为布施一点，自己就失去一点。殊不知，布施就像农民播种，每一粒种子都会带来丰厚的回报。如果说种田还可能因自然灾害等原因而减产，而耕种福田是毫无风险的，必能获利。发心越广大、越纯粹，收获也就越大。那些在春天舍不得播种的人，秋天能有收获吗？他们若知自己因悭吝而错失良机，必定后悔莫及。不少人一生为贫穷所困，正是因为往昔不愿布施所致，倘若不从现在开始努力改变这一业因，困境将难以改变。就像在贫瘠的土地上，无论怎样努力耕耘，都难有所获。唯有从改良土壤着手，方能从根本上解决问题。所以说，布施既能破除贫穷，也能使自己拥有福报。
-
-对于修习布施法门容易出现的一些问题，我们也要特别注意。有些人布施是为博得美名，以此沽名钓誉；有些人布施是因有愧于人，以此换得心安；有些人布施是为显示富有，以示高人一等；有些人布施是为逃避厄运，以此破财消灾；有些人布施是为受人拥护，以此笼络人心；有些人布施是因争强好胜，以此自我炫耀；有些人布施则为功利使然，以此作为赢利方式。在佛教看来，这些布施都是不如法、不究竟的。虽然也能带来相应利益，却会因发心偏差导致种种不良后果，所谓"因地不真，果遭迂曲”。
-
-所以，布施也要在般若引导下进行。《摩诃般若波罗蜜经》说："菩萨摩诃萨以不住法，住般若波罗蜜中，以无所舍法，应具足檀波罗蜜，施者、受者，及财物不可得。”如法的布施是从慈悲心出发，因应世间需求而修。在布施时不住施相，不认为我是施舍者，对方是受惠者，也不执著自己施舍给他多少财物等。这就是《金刚经》所说的："菩萨于法应无所住行于布施，所谓不住色布施，不住声香味触法布施。须菩提！菩萨应如是布施，不住于相。何以故？若菩萨不住相布施，其福德不可思量。”虽行布施而不住于相，其功德如虚空般广大无边，不可穷尽。
-
-*【持 戒】*
-
-佛教戒律主要有声闻戒、菩萨戒之分。声闻戒侧重止恶，如在家的五戒、八戒，出家的沙弥戒、比丘戒等。菩萨戒则是在此基础上，倡导积极行善，由三聚净戒组成：一为摄律仪戒，止息一切恶行；二为摄善法戒，奉行一切善法；三为饶益有情戒，利益一切众生。正如《摄大乘论》所说："又能息灭恶戒、恶趣，及能取得善趣等持，故名为戒。”
-
-"戒是无上菩提本。”对修行来说，持戒有着重要意义。其一，能息灭恶戒，受持佛陀所制净戒，不会再持民间或外道的种种恶戒；其二，能关闭恶趣门，持戒能止息一切恶行，不再堕落恶趣；其三，能生善趣，持戒能令我们生于人天善道；其四，持戒能获得等持，等持是定，即由戒生定。
-
-从表面看，戒律似乎很重视形式，重视细节，使人们很容易因此著相。但我们要知道，持戒本身并不是目的，而是通过持戒规范行为，调柔身心。如果终日只是执著应作、不应作或犯罪、不犯罪，忘却戒律的根本精神，忘却持戒的究竟意义，反而会被戒律所缚。若能在般若引导下受持戒律，便能避免这一过失。《摩诃般若波罗蜜经》云："罪不罪不可得故，应具足尸罗波罗蜜。”从缘起看，虽有持戒与犯戒的差别，但在空性层面，持犯之相是了不可得的。因此，菩萨既要认真持戒，同时又不可执著持戒之相，这样才能如法持戒，圆满菩萨道的修行。
-
-*【忍 辱】*
-
-《摄大乘论》云："又能灭尽忿怒怨仇，及能善住自他安隐，故名为忍。”忍辱体现了菩萨的涵养，包括耐怨害忍、安受苦忍、谛察法忍三种。耐怨害忍，是忍受怨家仇人的种种无理非难；安受苦忍，是对身体病弱、天气冷热、衣食不具等种种恶劣条件处之泰然；谛察法忍，是认同并接受与自身认识相距悬殊的真理。
-
-忍辱，能使我们消除愤怒。当嗔心种子萌芽时，如果缺乏忍耐，就会心生愤怒。若能心平气和地接纳一切，包括他人的伤害，就不会与人结为怨仇了。因而，忍耐能使我们内心安详，彼此和谐。《摩诃般若波罗蜜经》说："心不动故，应具足羼提波罗蜜。”常人不能忍辱，正是因为心随境所转。怎么才能在面对任何境界时如如不动呢？须以般若智慧观照，照见我法二相了不可得。在《金刚经》中，佛陀回忆他往昔被歌利王割截身体时，之所以能丝毫不起嗔心，正是因为证悟无我。学佛修行，也应以般若观照，了知诸法如幻，不为境动。倘能做到这一点，世间其实并没有什么需要忍耐的。唯有这样，才是圆满的忍辱。
-
-*【精 进】*
-
-《摄大乘论》云："又能远离所有懈怠恶不善法，及能出生无量善法令其增长，故名精进。”精进，就是通常所说的努力，但并非所有努力都属于精进范畴，而是有其特定内涵的：一是止恶，一是行善。只有努力地止恶行善，才是佛教强调的正精进。
-
-精进又包括披甲精进、修善法精进、饶益有情精进三类。披甲精进，以勇士上阵杀敌为喻，形容菩萨在止息恶行、断除烦恼时勇猛不懈；修善法精进，是精进努力地修习一切善法；饶益有情精进，是不间断地利益众生。
-
-精进的意义在于止息恶法，对治懈怠，令善法日日增长。精进也要在般若引导下进行。世人一生中都在为财富、家庭、地位努力奋斗，不可谓不"精进”。有时，甚至"精进”地杀生、偷盗、邪淫、妄语。虽然得到一些眼前利益，却造下无尽罪过。在般若引导下的精进，是以止恶行善为准则。这样的精进，不仅能使我们现生行为如法，心安理得，还能使未来获益无穷。
-
-*【禅 定】*
-
-《摄大乘论》说："又能消除所有散动，及能引得内心安住，故名静虑。”禅定，是与散乱相对的。如同水火，有散乱就不得禅定，成就禅定就能消除散乱。禅定又能使妄念暂时平息，内心寂静。
-
-《摩诃般若波罗蜜经》说："不乱不味故，应具足禅那波罗蜜。”在般若指导下修习禅定，便照见诸法如幻如化。当心不再随境所转，自然如如不动，远离纷乱。此外，世人修禅容易贪著禅悦，若依般若观照，则能不住于相，远离对禅味的贪著。
-
-*【般 若】*
-
-佛，梵语佛陀，汉译觉者、智者。菩萨，具称菩提萨埵，其中，菩提就是智义、觉义。所以成佛并不是虚无缥缈的，而是成就圆满的智慧和慈悲，又名无上菩提。
-
-声闻解脱道的修行中，将成就涅槃的法门称为三十七菩提分。即四念处、四正勤、四如意足、五根、五力、七菩提、八正道。菩提分，即菩提因，也就是说，这三十七种法门是成就菩提之因。
-
-成佛乃智慧的成就，因而，佛经中又以智慧为出生诸佛的父母，《维摩经·佛道品》说："智度菩萨母，方便以为父，一切众导师，无不由是生。”经中将智慧比喻为三世诸佛的母亲，一切诸佛出世，皆依智慧成就。
-
-《大智度论》亦云："诸佛及菩萨，能利益一切，般若为之母，能出生养育。佛为众生父，般若能生佛，是则为一切，众生之祖母。”因为般若能养育诸佛，就好比诸佛之母。如果将佛陀视为众生慈父的话，那么，因为般若能出生诸佛，就称得上是众生的祖母了。
-
-{#十一无上法门}
-## 十一、无上法门
-
-> 故知般若波罗蜜多是大神咒，是大明咒，是无上咒，是无等等咒，能除一切苦，真实不虚。
-
-在此，佛陀将般若法门形容为"大神咒、大明咒、无上咒、无等等咒”，而在《金刚经》中，则称般若法门是"如来为大乘者说，为最上乘者说”。由此可见，这一法门确实殊胜无比。
-
-咒，是难以用语言说明、具有特殊灵力之秘密语，又称神咒、禁咒、密咒、真言，乃祈愿时唱诵的秘密章句，具有为自身祈福、消灾等功效。按印度的传统观念，认为咒语能解决人力所不能及的事。在佛教出现前，古印度就盛行咒语。所以佛陀讲经说法时也常用咒语，尤其是密宗，对咒语尤为重视。
-
-《心经》将般若法门比喻为大神咒，说明般若法门神力无比，能迅速消灭人生烦恼，无往不胜；比喻为大明咒，说明般若为无上智慧光明，能彻底破除世间黑暗，攻无不克；比喻为无上咒，说明般若法门在佛教一切法门中处于至高无上的地位；比喻为无等等咒，说明任何法门都无法与般若法门相提并论，等量齐观。以上种种比喻，足见佛陀对般若法门的推崇。
-
-{#十二劝-勉}
-## 十二、劝 勉
-
-> 故说般若波罗蜜多咒，即说咒曰：揭谛揭谛，波罗揭谛，波罗僧揭谛，菩提萨婆诃。
-
-前面以各种比喻形容般若法门的殊胜，接着用咒语对般若法门加以归纳。
-
-修习般若法门，是由闻思经教，从文字般若进入观照般若，进而成就实相般若。但对某些钝根者来说，是没有能力闻法并思维的。于是，佛陀又提出另一条成就般若的途径，那就是通过专心念诵咒语，至心一境性，而能远离分别，再由得定开启智慧。
-
-通常认为，咒语是没有特定含义的，这是因为我们对咒语缺乏了解。咒语，是梵语音译，如果不懂梵语，自然无法望文生义。若将咒语进行义译，虽无法透彻全部深意，但至少能了知大意。《心经》的咒语，为"揭谛揭谛，波罗揭谛，波罗僧揭谛，菩提萨婆诃”。其中，"揭谛”是去义，"波罗”是到彼岸义，"僧”是众义，"菩提”是觉义，"萨婆诃”是速疾成就义。
-
-因而，其综合含义是：去啊！去啊！到彼岸去啊！大众都去啊！愿正觉速疾成就！
@@ -1,830 +0,0 @@
-{#心经的人生智慧}
-# The Life Wisdom of the Heart Sutra
-
------A talk given at the Australia Mingyue Buddhist Society, 1995
-
-Venerable Master Jiqun
-
-[One. What Is the Heart Sutra? [2](#一心经者何)](#一心经者何)
-
-[Two. The Great Wisdom of Life [3](#二人生的大智慧)](#二人生的大智慧)
-
-[1. Cognitive Confusion [3](#认识上的迷惑)](#认识上的迷惑)
-
-[2. The Suffering Caused by Attachment and Desire [4](#执著欲望带来的痛苦)](#执著欲望带来的痛苦)
-
-[Three. The Principle of Liberation from Suffering [8](#三解脱痛苦的原理)](#三解脱痛苦的原理)
-
-[1. You Must Know Suffering to End It [9](#认识苦才能解除苦)](#认识苦才能解除苦)
-
-[2. Searching for the Source of Suffering [10](#寻找痛苦之源)](#寻找痛苦之源)
-
-[Four. The Non-duality of Existence and Emptiness [11](#四有空不二)](#四有空不二)
-
-[1. \"Existence\" as Taught in the Scriptures [12](#经典所说的有)](#经典所说的有)
-
-[2. \"Emptiness\" as Taught in the Scriptures [13](#经典所说的空)](#经典所说的空)
-
-[Five. The True Nature of All Phenomena [15](#五诸法真实相)](#五诸法真实相)
-
-[1. The Mark of Emptiness [15](#空-相)](#空-相)
-
-[2. Neither Arising Nor Ceasing [16](#不生不灭)](#不生不灭)
-
-[3. Neither Defiled Nor Pure [17](#不垢不净)](#不垢不净)
-
-[4. Neither Increasing Nor Decreasing [19](#不增不减)](#不增不减)
-
-[Six. Not Abiding in the World [19](#六不住世间)](#六不住世间)
-
-[1. The Aggregates, Sense Spheres, and Elements [20](#蕴处界)](#蕴处界)
-
-[2. How Self-attachment Manifests [20](#我执的表现)](#我执的表现)
-
-[3. The Faults of Attachment [22](#执著的过患)](#执著的过患)
-
-[4. How Can We Stop Abiding? [24](#怎样才能不住)](#怎样才能不住)
-
-[Seven. Transcending Birth and Death [25](#七超越生死)](#七超越生死)
-
-[1. Ignorance [25](#无-明)](#无-明)
-
-[2. Volitional Formations [26](#行)](#行)
-
-[3. Consciousness [26](#识)](#识)
-
-[4. Name and Form [27](#名-色)](#名-色)
-
-[5. The Six Sense Bases [28](#六-入)](#六-入)
-
-[6. Contact [28](#触)](#触)
-
-[7. Feeling [29](#受)](#受)
-
-[8. Craving [29](#爱)](#爱)
-
-[9. Clinging [30](#取)](#取)
-
-[10. Becoming [30](#有)](#有)
-
-[11. Birth [30](#生)](#生)
-
-[12. Aging and Death [31](#老-死)](#老-死)
-
-[Eight. Afflictions Are Bodhi [32](#八烦恼即菩提)](#八烦恼即菩提)
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-[1. The Truth of Suffering [32](#苦-谛)](#苦-谛)
-
-[2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering [34](#集-谛)](#集-谛)
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-[3. The Truth of Cessation [35](#灭-谛)](#灭-谛)
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-[4. The Truth of the Path [35](#道-谛)](#道-谛)
-
-[Nine. A Life of Liberation and Freedom [38](#九解脱自在的人生)](#九解脱自在的人生)
-
-[1. The Mind Without Hindrance [38](#心无挂碍)](#心无挂碍)
-
-[2. At Ease with Life and Death [40](#生死自在)](#生死自在)
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-[3. Stilling Deluded Thoughts [41](#息灭妄想)](#息灭妄想)
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-[Ten. The Only Path to Buddhahood [43](#十成佛的唯一途径)](#十成佛的唯一途径)
-
-[1. Studying the Buddha-dharma Must Begin with the Prajna of the Written Word [44](#学佛须从文字般若下手)](#学佛须从文字般若下手)
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-[2. The Fivefold Dharma Body of the Hearer Vehicle Has Wisdom at Its Core [44](#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心)](#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心)
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-[3. The Six Paramitas of the Bodhisattva Path Take Prajna as Their Guide [45](#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导)](#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导)
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-[Eleven. The Supreme Dharma Gate [48](#十一无上法门)](#十一无上法门)
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-[Twelve. Exhortation [49](#十二劝-勉)](#十二劝-勉)
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-{#一心经者何}
-## One. What Is the Heart Sutra?
-
-The *Heart Sutra*, whose full title is the *Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra*, is a Dharma treasure that is at once the most concise in wording and the richest in content among all Buddhist texts. Like the *Diamond Sutra*, it has circulated widely throughout society for over a thousand years, its influence enduring without decline.
-
-Within Buddhism, the *Heart Sutra* belongs to the Prajna (Perfection of Wisdom) class of scriptures. According to the Tiantai school's classification of the Prajna sutras, it is designated as the Shared Teaching. The term "shared" means it connects both backward and forward. Connecting backward refers to its relationship with the Agama teachings. In the Agama scriptures, the Buddha examined the phenomena of existence, pointing out their nature of suffering, impermanence, and non-self. He also spoke of emptiness, but not in great depth. It was only with the Prajna teachings that the meaning of emptiness was taken to its ultimate conclusion, building on the Agama foundation. Connecting forward refers to the relationship between the Prajna scriptures and texts such as the *Avatamsaka*, *Nirvana*, and *Vimalakirti* sutras.
-
-The empty nature of conditioned arising revealed by the Prajna teachings is the theoretical cornerstone upon which all Mahayana scriptures and teachings are built. To grasp the correct view of the Prajna Middle Way accurately is of vital importance for studying the teachings through hearing and reflection, and for guiding one's practice.
-
-Ordinarily, scriptures consist of three parts: the introduction, the main discourse, and the dissemination section. The *Heart Sutra*, however, differs from other scriptures in having only the main discourse. This has led some to question its completeness as an independent text. On this matter, the contemporary authority on Buddhist studies, Venerable Yinshun, provided an explanation in his *Lectures on the Prajna Sutras*. Ven. Yinshun held that the *Heart Sutra* translated by Master Xuanzang was extracted independently from the six-hundred-volume *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra*. In the chapter "Learning and Contemplation" of the *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra*, there is a passage essentially identical to the *Heart Sutra*, spoken directly by the Buddha to Shariputra. In other words, the *Heart Sutra* is the very essence of the *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra*, which the ancient masters excerpted for easier recitation and dissemination.
-
-The *Heart Sutra* has many Chinese translations. The *Collection of Translations and Commentaries on the Prajna Heart Sutra*, compiled by Mr. Fang Guangchang, contains eighteen versions. Among these, the most widely circulated in Buddhist circles is the translation by the Tripitaka Master Xuanzang of the Tang dynasty. As for commentaries on this sutra, there have been as many as a hundred since ancient times, which attests to the extent of its recitation and study.
-
-{#二人生的大智慧}
-## Two. The Great Wisdom of Life
-
-The full title of this sutra is the *Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra*. In Buddhist texts, the title of a scripture often captures the essence of its entire content. Therefore, when studying a scripture, we must first understand the profound meaning embedded in its title.
-
-Let us first explain *prajna*. Prajna is a transliteration of Sanskrit. In translating Buddhist scriptures and treatises, two approaches are used: transliteration by sound and translation by meaning. Transliteration is usually reserved for special circumstances. When translating scriptures, Tripitaka Master Xuanzang established the rule of "five kinds of non-translation": first, terms not translated out of reverence; second, terms not translated to follow established convention; third, terms not translated due to multiple meanings; fourth, terms not translated because of their esoteric nature; fifth, terms not translated because no equivalent exists in the Chinese language. "Prajna" falls under the first category---it is not translated out of reverence. At the same time, Chinese lacks a word that corresponds to the full meaning of prajna, which makes it a case of the fifth category as well. Hence, transliteration is used.
-
-Since prajna is a transliteration of Sanskrit, we obviously cannot interpret it literally from the characters. So what profound meaning does prajna carry? For the convenience of understanding, ancient masters sometimes rendered prajna as "wisdom," but it is clearly different from what we ordinarily call worldly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is limited, flawed, and further tainted by afflictions; it is incapable of knowing the true nature of the universe and human life. Prajna wisdom, by contrast, is boundless, perfect, and pure. It enables us to thoroughly comprehend the true nature of the universe and human life, and thereby to completely eradicate the afflictions born of ignorance.
-
-Thus, prajna plays a pivotal role in transforming our lives. Without wisdom, people fall into cognitive confusion, and their attachments bring them suffering.
-
-{#认识上的迷惑}
-### 1. Cognitive Confusion
-
-Ordinary beings, troubled by ignorance, are constantly caught in various states of confusion. They can neither thoroughly understand themselves nor truly know the world. Some might say: surely we understand ourselves, do we not? This question may sound perplexing, yet it is precisely the case.
-
-Let me ask: does anyone know who "I" am? The question seems simple, and someone might answer without a second thought: "I am me, of course!" In truth, this is an extraordinarily profound question. We believe that "I" am me. But then, is the body "me," or is the mind "me"? If the body is "me," the body is merely a provisional combination of the four great elements. When the four elements disperse, where is "me"? If the mind is "me," the mind is simply an accumulation of experiences and concepts, with no independent intrinsic nature to speak of. Clearly, this question is far from as easy to answer as we might assume. Hence, Western philosophy has a famous saying---know thyself.
-
-"Where does life come from, and where does death lead?" is another great puzzle of human existence. I recall a Western philosopher once offering a vivid metaphor for life: life is like crossing a bridge, and the bridge's entrance, its far end, and the space beneath are all shrouded in clouds and mist; people pass from one bank of clouds to another. From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, our arrival in this world is merely the beginning of one phase of life. When we die, that is only the conclusion of this phase; it does not mean life ends entirely. In fact, life continues on and on, birth after birth. In the vast, long river of life, this present life is but a fleeting segment. Therefore, while we attend to our present existence, we must also seek the answer to "where does life come from, and where does death lead?" This is a personal question that everyone must resolve.
-
-In our daily lives, everyone cares deeply about their own destiny. So what is destiny? Does destiny exist in human life? If it does, what factors determine it? What force drives it? Views on these questions vary widely. Some do not believe in destiny, holding that the course of life follows no predetermined pattern. Others firmly believe in destiny, convinced that some unseen force governs us. Moreover, some think destiny cannot be changed, while others believe it can. Some believe the force governing destiny comes from gods and spirits; others hold that the opportunity to reshape destiny rests in our own hands... So what, after all, is destiny?
-
-The law of cause and effect, or karmic retribution, is another topic that easily stirs controversy. From certain angles, everything in the world seems to have its own causes and effects: success comes from effort, harvest follows sowing, as the saying goes, "plant melons and you get melons; plant beans and you get beans." Yet from other angles, life presents many phenomena that are hard to explain. For instance, some who do all manner of evil live carefree and untroubled, while some who do good and accumulate virtue live in poverty and destitution. As a result, most people accept a one-life view and do not believe in karmic retribution. But most of the world's religions do accept the principle of cause and effect. So, does karmic retribution truly exist?
-
-Why do people live? What is the meaning of existence? These are questions that also frequently trouble people. Living in this world, many do not know what they are actually living for. They merely follow conventions set by those who came before: go to school, work, marry, have children, seek promotion and wealth, indulge in sensual pleasures, until the day they breathe their last. Generation after generation, people repeat a nearly identical life pattern, yet seldom reflect on whether such a life can fulfill the true meaning of human existence.
-
-How can we unlock the greatest value of life? To answer this, we must know: what, ultimately, do people live for?
-
-{#执著欲望带来的痛苦}
-### 2. The Suffering Caused by Attachment and Desire
-
-The Buddhist scriptures describe the world we inhabit as the Realm of Desire. Its defining characteristic is found in a single word: desire. It can be said that everyone in this world lives amid intense desires. What is desire? Desire is the inner need of life, both physiological and psychological. These desires, arising from body and mind, manifest in countless varied forms.
-
-In the scriptures, desires are briefly summarized as the "five desires": form, sound, scent, taste, and touch. The desire for form means the eyes wish to see attractive colors. The desire for sound means the ears wish to hear pleasant tones. The desire for scent means the nose wishes to smell fragrant aromas. The desire for taste means the tongue wishes to savor delicious flavors. The desire for touch means the body wishes to be in comfortable surroundings. In the Buddhist scriptures, "five desires" sometimes has another reference: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. The desire for wealth is the craving for money and riches. The desire for sex is the craving for romantic attachment. The desire for fame is the craving for reputation and status. The desire for food is the craving for eating and drinking. The desire for sleep is the craving for rest. Sentient beings perpetuate their lives in the unceasing pursuit of these five desires. When these desires are satisfied, temporary happiness arises. Therefore, what we ordinarily call happiness in life is nothing more than the satisfaction of desires.
-
-But desires are unstable. Although human desires are linked to material conditions, there is no concrete, universal standard for what conditions will satisfy them. In general, desires tend to rise as material conditions improve---the tide lifts all boats. For the ancients, ample food and warm clothing sufficed for contentment and happiness. For people today, having enough to eat and wear hardly satisfies them, much less generates a sense of happiness. As material prosperity grows, desires swell along with it---and they swell without limit, keeping people forever caught in endless pursuit.
-
-In their expression, desires show three major characteristics: possessiveness, comparison, and competition.
-
-*[Possessiveness]*
-
-Driven by desire, people perpetually seek to possess more. Before basic needs of food and warmth are met, people only ask for enough to eat, wear, and a shelter from wind and rain. But once these basic needs are secured, they soon grow dissatisfied and begin to pursue a more convenient and comfortable life. Washing clothes is too much trouble---better to have a washing machine. Walking is too tiring---better to have a private car. Spare time after work is boring---there should be a television for entertainment. Traveling is enjoyable, but even better to have a camcorder to record everything... The more demands we have, the more things we need to acquire, and the more money we spend. But money does not fall from the sky. Accordingly, to earn money and to satisfy our ever-growing desires, we must work relentlessly, toiling without pause.
-
-Once material wealth is secured, people yearn for fame and status. In short, whatever others have, I must have; what others do not have, I must also have. Desire often makes us spend our entire lives in a cycle of constant pursuit and possession. One desire fulfilled, a new one quickly follows. Those ruled by desire often overlook what they already have and rush to chase what does not yet belong to them, rarely pausing to consider: are these things truly what life needs? There is a saying: "Desire is a pit that can never be filled." A person consumed by desire for wealth, even with a million in assets, will continue to fixate on ten million, a hundred million. If we forever push our targets forward, how can we ever know contentment? So even with great abundance, it is difficult to feel happy.
-
-*[Comparison]*
-
-Living in society, we inevitably relate to others. And so people constantly compare themselves with one another. You have a million, I must have ten million to be richer than you. You drive a modest car, I must drive a luxury car to outshine you. You dine at a thousand-yuan table, I must dine at a ten-thousand-yuan banquet to surpass you. You wear the latest fashion, I must wear international name brands to be more stylish. Your computer is a 386, I must buy a 486 to be more advanced. You are a manager, I must become the chairman to outrank you...
-
-Those who live with a comparing mindset are always hoping to outdo others and feel happiness through the envy in others' eyes. But society changes with each passing day. Even if we run without rest, we can hardly stay ahead of every trend. Take computers: in earlier years, a 286 was cutting-edge and rarely seen. Yet in just a few short years, the 386 and 486 became obsolete, as the 586 made its dazzling debut. But even if we upgrade to the latest model, so what? Before long, it too will lag behind the times. Twenty years ago, a family with a bicycle could be happy for a long time. Once bicycles became common, people needed motorcycles to feel happy. Once motorcycles became common, people needed private cars to feel happy.
-
-Society endlessly churns out the new to replace the old. People caught in comparison, though always pursuing happiness and striving to reach some goal, rarely know contentment. Even when temporarily ahead and temporarily satisfied, they are soon driven by new comparisons to rush on without rest.
-
-*[Competition]*
-
-A life lived through comparison inevitably leads to competition. In families, siblings compete for their parents' favor. In schools, classmates compete for grades. In the marketplace, businesses compete for market share. In academia, scholars compete for academic standing and the impact of their work. Between nations, competition arises over territory and resources. Must human society, like the natural world, follow the rule of "natural selection, survival of the fittest"? Must mutual struggle, even life-and-death combat, be the way people relate to one another? In this competition, how many people live in utter exhaustion, how many stagger under unbearable burdens?
-
-Desire drives people to ceaselessly reach outward, losing themselves in endless pursuit. A story recorded in the Buddhist scriptures tells of this: one day, after sitting in meditation, the Buddha was walking in the forest when a group of youths hurried by and asked him whether he had seen several young women pass this way. The Buddha asked them what had happened. The youths said that the night before, they had been reveling with these women, but when they woke in the morning, the women had fled, making off with all their money. The Buddha countered: so, which is more important---searching for those women and your money, or searching for yourselves?
-
-In truth, most modern people are like the youths in this story: forever chasing outward, seldom attending to themselves, let alone recognizing the importance of knowing oneself. Today, nearly the whole of society is frantically pursuing money---as the saying goes, "nine out of ten people are in business." In China today, books with economic themes sell exceptionally well, and enrollment in economics-related programs is bursting at the seams. If even education and culture have come to this, what of everything else? In society, ways to make money sprout in endless variety. How many people rack their brains and stop at nothing to get rich?
-
-As the economy develops, countless consumption opportunities are created to constantly stoke people's desires. What stands out most is the proliferation of entertainment venues in recent years: dance halls, bars, nightclubs, and the like. During the day, people rush to make money; at night, they indulge in pleasure. In this nonstop bustle, they lose their direction entirely. Even more worrying is that while the economy prospers, social morality continues to decline.
-
-Excessive pursuit of desire inevitably leads to painful results. As the *Abhidharmakosha*, chapter "Analysis of the Elements," states: "Those who run after desires always give rise to hope. When what they desire goes unfulfilled, the torment strikes like an arrow." This verse tells us: those sunk in desire are always chasing outward. When their pursuits fail, they sink into frustration and despair, as painfully as if pierced by a sharp arrow. In Buddhism, the suffering caused by unfulfilled desire is called the suffering of not getting what one wants. Together with birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, meeting with those we hate, and the raging of the five aggregates, these form the "eight sufferings," a concise summary of all suffering in human life.
-
-The *Madhyama Agama*, in the *Suffering Aggregate Sutra*, also elucidates the faults of desire. The sutra states: "What is the fault of desire? A son of a good family, relying on his skills to make a living, may engage in farming, or trade, or study, or master arithmetic, or learn crafts, or skillfully carve seals, or compose writings, or manufacture writing brushes, or understand the scriptures, or serve as a brave general, or attend upon the king. He suffers cold when it is cold, heat when it is hot, and endures hunger, thirst, fatigue, and stings from mosquitoes and gadflies, undertaking such work in pursuit of wealth. If, despite such effort, such conduct, such pursuit, he fails to obtain wealth, he gives rise to sorrow, distress, grief, and vexation... If he does obtain wealth, he becomes attached to it, guards and hides it... If it is taken by the king, stolen by thieves, destroyed by fire, rotted away, or lost, he gives rise to sorrow, distress, grief, and vexation." This illustrates the suffering caused by both the pursuit and the loss of wealth.
-
-The same sutra continues: "Because sentient beings take desire as their basis and follow desire, mother quarrels with son, son quarrels with mother, and father and son, brothers, sisters, relatives all quarrel with one another in turn. After they have thus quarreled and fought, the mother speaks ill of the son, the son speaks ill of the mother, and father and son, brothers, sisters, and relatives speak ill of one another---how much more so with others?" These disputes caused by the scramble for wealth have never ceased from ancient times to the present. Such conflicts occur not only in society at large but even within families that share daily life, among relatives bound by blood. Disputes over property lead to estrangement between husband and wife, enmity between father and son, broken fraternal bonds, or scattered clans. At root, this too is caused by the desire to possess.
-
-The sutra goes on: "Because sentient beings take desire as their basis and follow desire, king contends with king, brahmin contends with brahmin, householder contends with householder, commoner contends with commoner, and nation contends with nation. Having thus contended against one another and come to harbor mutual hatred, they harm one another with various kinds of weapons---striking with fists, throwing stones, or beating with staves and slashing with swords. In such conflict, some die, some live in terror, and they experience extreme suffering." In this defiled world of the five corruptions, people fight one another out of desire, endlessly. Merchant fights merchant, politician fights politician, nation fights nation. In times past, German fascists swept across Europe, and Japanese invaders ravaged Asia, inflicting boundless suffering through world war. The instigating force behind this catastrophe was also the expansionist drive born of desire. In ancient times, when weapons were primitive, war caused only localized devastation. But today, with highly advanced technology, if certain major powers cannot restrain their expansionist desires, humanity will face the threat of catastrophic destruction---the consequences are too dreadful to contemplate.
-
-If we wish to resolve the suffering caused by cognitive confusion and attachment to desire, we must rely on the power of prajna wisdom.
-
-The title of this sutra is the *Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra*. *Paramita* is translated into Chinese as "crossing over"---that is, to transcend the torrent of afflictions and birth and death, and to reach the other shore. But the "other shore" spoken of here is neither the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World nor the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is none other than this very human world where we live. If we are deluded by ignorance, we stand on this shore of affliction and suffering, this shore of anxiety and anguish, this shore of emptiness and unease. But once we activate prajna wisdom, seeing correctly the true nature of all phenomena, practicing accordingly and acting in accord with principle, we will arrive at the other shore of peace and serenity, the other shore of liberation and freedom. And prajna is precisely the vessel that ferries us from this shore to the other.
-
-{#三解脱痛苦的原理}
-## Three. The Principle of Liberation from Suffering
-
-> When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the five aggregates and saw they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.
-
-The gist of this passage is: when Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara entered the profound contemplation of Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the five aggregates and all phenomena and saw that they are empty, without intrinsic nature, and thereby transcended all suffering and adversity. In his *Lectures on the Prajna Sutras*, Venerable Yinshun called this passage the "statement of purpose"---it announces the central theme of the entire sutra. Clearly, understanding this passage holds the key to studying this scripture.
-
-The fundamental purpose of the Buddha's appearance in the world was precisely to help sentient beings liberate themselves from suffering and transcend birth and death. When we study Buddhism and practice, it is likewise simply to part from suffering and attain happiness. Yet when we speak of parting from suffering and attaining happiness, some always object, saying that life ought to have both suffering and happiness to be rich and colorful, or that suffering and happiness are relative---without suffering, there can be no happiness. Such arguments may sound plausible at first hearing, but upon closer examination they do not hold water. If life truly ought to have suffering as well as happiness, then we should welcome suffering with the same joy and enthusiasm with which we welcome happiness. In reality, when suffering arrives, we instinctively flee from it.
-
-It is precisely for this reason that all human behavior, from beginning to end, seeks to escape suffering and pursue happiness through every possible means. Few people deliberately seek out suffering. Even when they do, it is not suffering itself they seek; rather, they use it as a means to an end, attempting to pursue a different kind of happiness. Take self-harm, for example: on closer inspection, it is usually because the suffering in the mind has become so unbearably heavy that a person harms the body to divert it. From this perspective, self-harm is actually an attempt to relieve mental suffering, not a deliberate creation of it. As for the view that life should have both suffering and happiness to be rich and colorful, this is merely the talk of "idealists," the kind of imagination that "feigns sorrow just to compose a new poem." Once suffering becomes real, people will flee from it as fast as possible, doing everything they can to escape suffering and chase pleasure. From this we can see that liberation from suffering is not only a problem solved by the Buddhadharma; it is also a problem that worldly methods must address.
-
-{#认识苦才能解除苦}
-### 1. You Must Know Suffering to End It
-
-So how can we liberate ourselves from the suffering of human existence? The Buddhadharma holds that first we must have a comprehensive understanding of suffering. Only by understanding suffering can we prescribe the right remedy. Speaking of suffering, it can broadly be divided into physical suffering and mental suffering. Physical suffering refers to the suffering of the physical body; generally, people experience it in much the same way. For example, in the bitter cold of winter or the scorching heat of summer, people are tormented by cold and heat. When we are ill or burned by fire or cut by a blade, we all feel unbearable pain. Mental suffering, on the other hand, arises from inner afflictions, and its manifestations vary widely from person to person. For instance, looking at the same bright moon, one person may feel cool tranquility, while another sinks into melancholy. Visiting the same scenic spot, one person may feel relaxed and joyful, while another is overcome by sadness.
-
-Furthermore, the Buddhadharma classifies suffering into three types: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the suffering of conditioned existence.
-
-*[The Suffering of Suffering]*
-
-The suffering of suffering is pain that we actually experience. Even if the Buddha had never pointed it out, we would recognize it as suffering. Examples include the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of illness, and the suffering of death. In addition, there is suffering caused by the interaction of internal and external conditions: separation from loved ones is the suffering of being parted from those we love; failure to obtain what we seek is the suffering of not getting what we want; being forced into the company of enemies is the suffering of meeting those we hate; and the inability of body and mind to find balance is the suffering of the raging five aggregates.
-
-*[The Suffering of Change]*
-
-In contrast to the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change refers to what we take to be pleasant experiences. Some may wonder: if they are pleasant experiences, why are they classified as suffering? From the perspective of Buddhist wisdom, all worldly happiness is fundamentally suffering in essence. When we are hungry, eating our fill feels good---but if we kept eating without stopping, would it still feel good? When our body is dirty, bathing feels good---but if we soaked endlessly in water, would it still feel good? When we are feeling low, watching television feels good---but if we watched nonstop day and night, would it still feel good? From this we can see that what we call happiness is merely the temporary relief of suffering and the temporary restoration of psychological balance after a certain desire has been satisfied. If eating and bathing were intrinsically pleasurable, then no matter how much we ate or how long we bathed, it should always be pleasant---indeed, it should get more and more pleasant. The facts tell us otherwise: as soon as the activity exceeds what the body needs, the pleasure immediately turns to suffering. This is true of eating, of bathing, and of every happiness that arises from the satisfaction of desire.
-
-It is precisely because such pleasant feelings can turn bad that the Buddhadharma calls them the "suffering of change." At the same time, pleasant feelings, like painful feelings, mental distress, and mental joy, are impermanent and ever-changing. We cling to pleasant and joyful feelings, but these feelings cannot be possessed permanently. Pleasant feelings are accompanied by painful ones; joyful feelings are accompanied by distress. They are in constant flux. In the practice of the four dhyanas and eight concentrations, the first, second, and third dhyanas all still retain feelings of joy and pleasure and thus cannot escape the calamities of fire, water, and wind (fire burns the first dhyana, water floods the second, wind blows through the third). Only upon reaching the fourth dhyana, where equanimity and mindfulness are purified and one is free from both joy and pleasure---can one be truly safe and undisturbed.
-
-*[The Suffering of Conditioned Existence]*
-
-The suffering of conditioned existence is the suffering brought about by continual flux and change. Everything in the world is impermanent and ever-changing---this is a law of nature. But worldly people, ignorant of this truth, single-mindedly pursue permanence: they hope for a body that lasts forever, love that lasts forever, a family that lasts forever, a career that lasts forever, relationships that last forever. Yet they never stop to consider: which of these can truly remain forever unchanged? If we simply observe, we will discover that even the most beautiful things cannot endure forever, and even the healthiest body cannot remain forever indestructible. These are natural laws. But because our desires run counter to the fact of impermanence, the "suffering of conditioned existence" arises.
-
-Understanding suffering is not about passively accepting it; it is about actively liberating ourselves from it. So what is the path away from suffering? Worldly people usually see improving external conditions as the solution. They believe that if the economy prospers and material conditions improve, humanity will thereby attain happiness. In fact, in an age where material conditions far surpass those of antiquity, social problems and the suffering people face have not lessened compared to any previous era---they may even have increased. Why is this? Because they have failed to grasp the crux of the problem. The root of human suffering lies in the mind. Trying to eliminate suffering by improving external conditions is like trying to stop a pot from boiling by skimming the surface---it can never solve the problem at its root.
-
-{#寻找痛苦之源}
-### 2. Searching for the Source of Suffering
-
-If we wish to liberate ourselves from suffering, we must first understand the current state of suffering among sentient beings and then trace it back to its source. Although the many kinds of human suffering are certainly related to the external environment, when we trace them to their root, the problem lies within life itself. From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, all suffering comes from confusion about and attachment to "existence" (bhava). If we want to eliminate suffering, we must develop a correct understanding of existence.
-
-The *Heart Sutra* states: "When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the five aggregates and saw they are all empty." This tells us that we must use prajna wisdom to contemplate the five aggregates. *Aggregate* means a collection or accumulation. The five aggregates are the form aggregate, the feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the volitional formations aggregate, and the consciousness aggregate.
-
-Form: the totality of all material phenomena, including past form, present form, future form, coarse form, subtle form, and so on, collectively referred to as form. We usually recognize material phenomena through their shape (configurational form) and color (chromatic form). Hence, the Buddhadharma uses "form" to refer to matter.
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-Feeling: the function of receiving and experiencing. It is the emotion that arises when we face favorable or unfavorable conditions, including pain, pleasure, distress, joy, and equanimity.
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-Perception: the function of apprehending characteristics. When we encounter external objects, we inevitably capture their images and assign names and concepts to them.
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-Volitional formations: the function of constructing and acting. It is the process of making judgments about things and putting them into action.
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-Consciousness: the function of discrimination. It is the synthesizing awareness within the sphere of mental activity.
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-Among the five aggregates, the form aggregate belongs to material phenomena, while the four aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness belong to mental phenomena.
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-The five aggregates are the Buddha's summary of all arising-and-ceasing phenomena in the world. Worldly people cannot correctly understand everything that "exists." They cling to a substantial self within the sentient being's life-form, and they cling to substantial phenomena within the realm of the six sense objects. Moreover, they give rise to all manner of inverted discriminations and attachments concerning self and phenomena, which create the afflictions and suffering of human existence.
-
-The *Heart Sutra*'s phrase "illuminated the five aggregates and saw they are all empty" is precisely meant to overturn worldly people's mistaken understanding of "existence." We cling to "existence" as substantial, and so this "existence" becomes a substantial existence. However, all arising-and-ceasing phenomena in the world are not truly existent; their essence is empty, without intrinsic nature. The "emptiness" spoken of here does not mean nothing at all. Rather, it tells us that the "existence" of the five aggregates is not the substantial reality we cling to. What we call "existence" is merely provisional existence. Its counterpart, "emptiness," is then a thorough seeing-through of "existence," something that helps us break free from our mistaken attachment to "existence."
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-If we can illuminate the five aggregates and see they are empty, the afflictions and suffering that arise from them will likewise cease to exist---and we will thereby cross beyond all suffering and difficulty.
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-{#四有空不二}
-## Four. The Non-duality of Existence and Emptiness
-
-> Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. Feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are also like this.
-
-Existence and emptiness are important concepts in philosophy and also a central topic in Buddhist discourse. In the *Heart Sutra*, the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness represent existing things. Their counterpart is emptiness. In ordinary experience, people always assume that existence and emptiness are diametrically opposed---they think that existence is not emptiness and emptiness is not existence. Or they may say that existence lies outside emptiness and emptiness lies outside existence. This sutra, however, sets forth the dialectical relationship between existence and emptiness, explaining the profound principle of their non-duality.
-
-To understand the non-duality of existence and emptiness, we must first clarify what existence means. In ordinary thinking, existence is often associated with "substantial reality." When we speak of existence, we tend to feel it means something that exists in and of itself, something substantial. Humanity's sense of the substantial reality of things is deeply ingrained, universal, and shared. The ancients did not know that dreams are unreal; when they had a nightmare, they were terrified, believing that disaster was imminent and had to be averted through prayers and such. Infants do not know that reflections in a mirror are illusory; upon seeing an image in the mirror, they will often grab at it and laugh. Our understanding may be more advanced than that of the ancients or of infants, and we may know that dreams are unreal, yet we still believe that everything in the external world is solidly substantial.
-
-Scientists have a somewhat deeper understanding of things, but when they analyze material phenomena, they tend to cling to the idea that the elements that constitute matter are substantial---as seen in atomic theory, neutron theory, and the like. Philosophers seem to have gone a step further; they can see through the illusoriness of phenomena, yet they cling to the notion of an eternal, unchanging substance behind the phenomena, such as Thales's "water," Parmenides's "Being," or Plato's "Ideas." From primitive people to modern people, and even to scientists and philosophers, although there are different depths of understanding, the sense of substantial reality that they attribute to existence is the same.
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-The sense of substantial reality that human beings impute to existence is precisely an expression of the "view of intrinsic nature" (*svabhava-drishti*). The term "intrinsic nature," sometimes translated as self-essence, carries the meaning of something substantial and eternal. Proceeding from the view of intrinsic nature, we inevitably impute a sense of substantial reality to everything that "exists." However, if we observe with the wisdom of Prajna and the Middle Way, what is called "existence" is merely conditioned existence. All phenomena that "exist" in the world are without exception produced by a confluence of conditions. That is to say, the existence of any conditioned phenomenon is formed by the combination of numerous conditions; it is those conditions that determine its existence.
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-Conditioned arising and intrinsic nature are irreconcilable. It is only because worldly people are ignorant and do not understand that "existence" is the coming together of multiple conditions that the view of intrinsic nature and the sense of substantial reality arise. If we recognize the conditioned nature of "existence," we will surely understand that its essence is without intrinsic nature. By "intrinsic nature" is meant the idea that existing phenomena exist on their own, are formed on their own, and are defined on their own. Conditioned arising, by contrast, sees everything that "exists" as existing through conditions, formed through conditions, and defined through conditions. Therefore, conditioned "existence" is not something that has always been so, much less something eternal or substantially existent. To impute a sense of substantial reality to "existence" is entirely mistaken.
-
-{#经典所说的有}
-### 1. "Existence" as Taught in the Scriptures
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-*The Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha*
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-The *Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha* (*Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom*) classifies "existence" into three kinds: first, existence by mutual dependence; second, existence by conventional designation; third, existence as phenomena.
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-Existence by mutual dependence: this means existing in relation to something else---it cannot be explained apart from that which it depends on. For example, we think this vase is large, but that is only in relation to a smaller vase. Similarly, tall exists only in relation to short, long in relation to short, beautiful in relation to ugly, good in relation to evil, generosity in relation to stinginess. Apart from largeness, what is smallness? Apart from beauty, what is ugliness? Because large and small, high and low, long and short, beautiful and ugly, good and evil are all dependently posited, this is called existence by mutual dependence.
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-Existence by conventional designation: the existence of things is nothing more than a conventional designation, with names assigned according to various causes and conditions. For example, take the utensil before us that people call a "table." But this table does not exist inherently; it is merely a combination of a pile of materials such as wood. Apart from these materials, what is a table? This utensil made of wood was called a "table" by the ancients, and so it became a table. Had it been called a "chair" from the outset, it would be a chair. What we call a table or a chair is simply a conventional designation established by people and used ever since; it has no substantial reality. A "person" is likewise a conventional designation. If the ancients had called sentient beings of our kind "pigs" and called pigs "people," then now, if someone failed to address you as a pig, you would probably be angry: you look down on me and refuse to treat me as a pig---how outrageous! Thus we see that tables or chairs, people or pigs, and indeed everything in the world, are merely conventionally designated; they exist only as conventional designations.
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-Existence as phenomena: although the names of all things in the world are established through conventional designation, there are, apart from mere names, phenomena formed by various causes and conditions. Take a table: though it is only a combination of a pile of materials and conditions, this phenomenon does exist and has corresponding practical functions. Therefore, while these conditioned phenomena are utterly without intrinsic nature, their apparent forms are vividly present. This kind of existence---the existence of conditioned phenomena---is called existence as phenomena.
-
-*The Diamond Sutra*
-
-In the *Diamond Sutra*, the Buddha also gives a concise and penetrating summary of the true nature of existence, in what is the most celebrated verse in the entire sutra: "All conditioned phenomena / Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow / Like dew and like a flash of lightning / Thus should we contemplate them."
-
-"Conditioned" refers to all phenomena that arise and cease, that are fabricated. "Like a dream" means as illusory as a dream. Everyone knows that dreams are unreal, yet the dreamer clings to them as real and only recognizes the truth after waking. All phenomena are like dreams---false and insubstantial---yet sentient beings, due to ignorance, cling to them as real. Only after seeing the Path, when they wake from the great dream, do they realize the true nature of all phenomena. "Like an illusion" refers to the various things conjured up by a magician through magical arts---horses, carriages, houses, people, and so on. Though there are no objective, material objects, they vividly appear before the eyes, visible to sight and audible to hearing. The existence of things is just like this: although empty and without intrinsic nature, their apparent forms are vividly present. "Like a bubble" refers to the bubbles that appear when water contains air---showy but insubstantial, vanishing in an instant. This describes the continual flux and change of all phenomena, their momentary arising and ceasing. "Like a shadow" refers to the shadow cast by an object in sunlight. The shadow appears because of light; when the light disappears, the shadow disappears with it. This describes how all phenomena manifest only when conditions converge and vanish when the conditions disperse. "Like dew and like a flash of lightning" similarly illustrate the brevity of phenomenal existence. "Thus should we contemplate them" reminds us to view everything that "exists" with this understanding.
-
-*The Vimalakirti Sutra*
-
-In the *Vimalakirti Sutra*, which belongs to the same Prajna system as the *Heart Sutra* and *Diamond Sutra*, the great layman Vimalakirti, feigning illness, expounds the truth of "existence" to the assembly: "This body is like a cluster of foam, ungraspable; this body is like a bubble, unable to endure; this body is like a mirage, born of thirst and desire; this body is like a plantain tree, hollow within; this body is like an illusion, arising from perverted views; this body is like a dream, seen through false perception; this body is like a shadow, manifesting through karmic conditions; this body is like an echo, dependent on causes and conditions; this body is like a drifting cloud, shifting and vanishing in an instant; this body is like lightning, not lasting even a single thought-moment." Using the arising and ceasing, the change and transformation of the physical body, this passage illustrates the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena, thereby revealing the illusory nature of existence.
-
-{#经典所说的空}
-### 2. "Emptiness" as Taught in the Scriptures
-
-Having clarified existence, let us now explain emptiness. We ordinarily think that existence means being present and emptiness means being absent. In this view, existence and emptiness are mutually opposed. If something exists, it surely cannot be empty; if it is empty, it surely cannot exist. But when observed with the wisdom of Prajna and the Middle Way, emptiness and existence are one, not a dualistic opposition. What is called emptiness does not have to be outside of existence, nor does a thing have to be destroyed before it can be called empty. The "existence" spoken of in the Buddhadharma is conditioned existence: at the very moment something exists, its intrinsic nature is empty. What is distinctive about the Buddhadharma is that it clarifies emptiness through existence---existence and emptiness are one.
-
-*The Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha*
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-The *Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha* presents three methods for understanding emptiness: first, emptiness through analytical deconstruction; second, emptiness through contemplation; third, emptiness of intrinsic nature.
-
-Emptiness through analytical deconstruction: also called the analytical contemplation of emptiness. Through analyzing "existence," one moves from coarse to fine, from fine to subtle. The Sarvastivada scholars of Buddhism used this method to analyze the physical body of the five aggregates, discovering that the so-called "self" within the physical body is utterly ungraspable, and thereby proposed "the emptiness of self." But in observing material and mental phenomena, they analyzed all the way down to the supposedly indivisible components of matter or mind and proposed the "theory of ultimate particles," regarding such ultimate particles as substantially existent, thus forming the view of "the emptiness of self but the existence of phenomena." The significance of emptiness through analytical deconstruction lies in breaking attachment to a personal self. As for material phenomena, however, if we subject them to analysis, even ultimate particles cannot be established. The *Treatise in Twenty Verses on Consciousness-Only* refutes the theory of ultimate particles: as long as something has spatial extension, it occupies the six directions of east, west, south, north, up, and down, and can therefore still be analyzed. From this, it concludes that the theory of ultimate particles cannot stand.
-
-Emptiness through contemplation: this is understanding emptiness at the level of meditative visualization. When a yogi practices calm abiding and insight meditation, various images can manifest in accordance with their contemplation. When one has mastered the practice of fire contemplation, everything one sees becomes blazing flames; when one has mastered the practice of water contemplation, everything one sees becomes vast waters. In everyday life, the story of "mistaking the reflection of a bow in a cup for a snake" illustrates the same principle. A certain gentleman mistook the reflection of a bow in his cup for a snake, believed he had swallowed a snake, and fell gravely ill as a result. When he later learned the truth, he recovered instantly. The fire and water in contemplation, and the snake reflection in the story, do not actually exist, yet within the contemplation and perception, they appear as vividly as reality. It is precisely from these images that manifest through contemplation that practitioners of the Consciousness-Only school realize the principle that external objects have no substantial reality and manifest only in accordance with the mind---that is, "all phenomena are consciousness-only." However, although they can break attachment to the substantial reality of external objects, they fall into the view that mind exists while objects are empty. So this understanding of emptiness is still not ultimate.
-
-Emptiness of intrinsic nature: because non-Buddhist paths do not understand the conditioned nature of all phenomena, when they encounter things, the view of intrinsic nature inevitably arises, leading them to believe that things exist on their own, are formed on their own, and have always been so. The Sarvastivada of the Hinayana, though aware of the principle of conditioned arising, simultaneously holds that phenomena inherently possess intrinsic nature. But from the perspective of Prajna and the Middle Way, intrinsic nature and conditioned arising cannot coexist. The *Mulamadhyamakakarika*, chapter "Examination of Existence and Non-existence," states: "If intrinsic nature existed among the multiple conditions, that would be impossible. An intrinsic nature produced from multiple conditions would be a fabricated thing... If intrinsic nature were something fabricated, how could this make sense? Intrinsic nature is called unfabricated---it does not depend on other phenomena to be established." Conditioned arising is fabricated, produced by the workings of multiple conditions. Intrinsic nature is unfabricated: it exists on its own, is formed on its own, and can be established without depending on multiple conditions. Thus, Madhyamaka scholars hold that whatever is dependently arisen necessarily lacks intrinsic nature. This is emptiness of intrinsic nature.
-
-*The Heart Sutra and Others*
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-The *Heart Sutra*'s statement "form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form" also uses the conditioned arising of form to explain emptiness of intrinsic nature. Form does not possess the intrinsic nature that worldly people cling to; it is form produced by causes and conditions. Emptiness is also not the nothingness of a barren void that worldly people imagine, nor the annihilationist view that a person is like a lamp extinguished at death. It is the emptiness of intrinsic nature that does not obstruct conditioned arising. The *Mulamadhyamakakarika*, chapter "Examination of the Four Noble Truths," states: "There is never any phenomenon that does not arise from causes and conditions. Therefore, there is no phenomenon that is not empty." The *Treatise on the Twelve Gates*, chapter "Examination of Causes and Conditions," also says: "Phenomena produced by multiple conditions are without intrinsic nature." Form is dependently arisen; its essence is without intrinsic nature, empty. Hence, the *Heart Sutra* sums this up as: form is not different from emptiness; form itself is emptiness.
-
-Some find "form itself is emptiness" understandable enough but feel that "emptiness itself is form" does not seem to make sense. This is because they still interpret emptiness as a barren void. The emptiness spoken of in the Middle Way is emptiness of intrinsic nature, which does not negate the apparent forms of conditioned existence.
-
-The *Mulamadhyamakakarika*, chapter "Examination of the Four Noble Truths," says: "Whatever is dependently arisen---I declare that to be emptiness. That is also a conventional designation. This itself is the Middle Way." To say that conditioned phenomena are empty of intrinsic nature does not destroy the apparent forms of conditioned existence. Hence, conditioned existence is apparent while intrinsic nature is empty; intrinsic nature is empty while things appear vividly present. Therefore, form is not different from emptiness; naturally, emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; naturally, emptiness itself is form. The two notions of existence and emptiness, wholly opposed in the minds of worldly people, are thus unified through the illumination of the wisdom of Prajna and the Middle Way.
-
-The teaching of the non-duality of emptiness and existence aims to dispel the views of existence and the views of emptiness. Because worldly people do not understand existence, they give rise to mistaken notions about everything that exists and then cling to them, leading to all manner of afflictions in life. "Form itself is emptiness" is precisely meant to help us see through to the essence of existence---to see through to its illusory, impermanent, and empty nature, devoid of intrinsic nature. If we can possess this understanding, will we still be troubled by existence and the problems it brings? Will we still be burdened by things?
-
-Then there are those who, having seen through the illusory substance of existence, fail to understand conditioned causation. They reason that since everything is illusory and will ultimately return to destruction, what value is there in living, what meaning is worth pursuing? This leads either to nihilistic attitudes, or to extreme anguish for lack of purpose---even to the point of ending one's life---or to unrestrained indulgence, doing whatever one pleases, running to the opposite extreme. The *Heart Sutra*'s statement "emptiness itself is form" is precisely meant to counteract this wrong view. Although all phenomena are empty of intrinsic nature, conditioned causation operates without the slightest error. Because every good or bad action brings corresponding results, we must be careful in word and deed, refraining from evil and cultivating the good.
-
-{#五诸法真实相}
-## Five. The True Nature of All Phenomena
-
-> Shariputra, all phenomena are marked by emptiness: they neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, and neither increase nor decrease.
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-{#空-相}
-### 1. The Mark of Emptiness
-
-"All phenomena are marked by emptiness." "All phenomena" refers to all dharmas without exception. The "mark of emptiness" is neither emptiness nor existence; it is the true nature revealed by emptiness. From another angle, the mark of emptiness could also be called the mark of existence, that is, the true nature revealed by existence. True nature can be revealed through emptiness or through existence, but it is itself neither emptiness nor existence.
-
-{#不生不灭}
-### 2. Neither Arising Nor Ceasing
-
-"Neither arising nor ceasing" is spoken in reference to the arising and ceasing, and existence and non-existence, of things. To grasp the profound meaning of "neither arising nor ceasing," we must first explain what arising and ceasing mean. Arising and ceasing are the characteristics of conditioned phenomena. The seal of "all conditioned things are impermanent" among the Three Dharma Seals describes precisely the ceaseless change of all conditioned phenomena. Regarding the changes of material phenomena, the scriptures and treatises present the doctrine of four phases: "arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing." Coming into being from non-being is called arising; continuing after arising is called abiding; metabolic transformation is called changing; disintegration and decay are called ceasing. There is also the doctrine of three phases: "arising, changing, and ceasing," which merges the abiding and changing phases into the single phase of changing. This is because during the abiding phase, the process of changing is already underway; the two are simultaneous, so the abiding phase can be subsumed under changing. Whether in the four-phase or three-phase scheme, all can be reduced to the two phases of arising and ceasing.
-
-Arising and ceasing are further classified in the scriptures and treatises into three types: first, arising and ceasing over a single lifetime; second, moment-to-moment arising and ceasing; third, arising and ceasing over a great eon.
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-Arising and ceasing over a single lifetime: the process of a sentient being's life from birth to death, that is, the span of our single lifetime. No one can escape birth and death. Before we complete this lifetime ourselves, we have usually witnessed or heard of the deaths of relatives, neighbors, and friends, and encountered related material in daily life, news reports, or films and literature. Therefore, arising and ceasing over a single lifetime is not unfamiliar to us.
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-Moment-to-moment arising and ceasing: the arising and ceasing that occurs in things over the briefest intervals of time. This is more subtle. *Kshana* is a Sanskrit word meaning an extremely short period of time. Indians regarded it as the smallest unit of time: a single snap of the fingers contains sixty kshanas. For most people, moment-to-moment arising and ceasing is imperceptible. Nonetheless, things are arising and ceasing moment by moment, tending toward decay. Take the table before us: from brand-new to worn-out, the process proceeds imperceptibly. If the table were not in the process of decay even for a single moment, then it should not be in decay the moment before or the moment after. And if it were not in decay during any moment, it would never decay. Confucius said, "Between the crossing of two arms, it is already not the same"---meaning that in the brief instant of our arms crossing, this hand is no longer the hand it was a moment ago. The Western philosopher Heraclitus said, "You cannot step twice into the same river," conveying the same meaning.
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-Arising and ceasing over a great eon: this is spoken from the perspective of the entire life continuum. Life is like a mighty torrent, flowing from the infinite past and continuing into the boundless future, without beginning or end. In this vast and long torrent of life, the present life is but one of its splashes. Though the splashes rise and fall, the torrent of life continues without interruption. This ceaselessly continuing torrent of life is what is meant by arising and ceasing over a great eon.
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-People ordinarily regard arising and ceasing as solidly real. When they speak of arising, they think of self-arising---that is, something producing and defining itself. Or they regard everything in the world as arising without a cause---that is, as a totally baseless, random event. Why did human beings appear in the world? By chance. Why did I become my mother's child? Also by chance. Whether self-arising or uncaused arising, both treat life as a substantial, independent entity. If arising means something actual and substantial coming into being, then it is different from non-arising. Thus, arising and non-arising become two opposing poles. Arising is not non-arising; non-arising is not arising. This, again, is the result of the view of intrinsic nature.
-
-From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, there is nothing in the world that arises from itself or without a cause. The law of arising and ceasing is: "All phenomena arise from causes and conditions; all phenomena cease due to causes and conditions." What we call arising is arising through the convergence of conditions. Take a table: it is only because many conditions come together---wood, paint, nails, a carpenter, and so on---that a table comes into being. Take this lecture series: it is only because the Mingyue Buddhist Society resolved to host it, because many devoted practitioners came to attend, because the Dharma teachers accepted the invitation to lecture, and because a venue was provided---only when all these conditions were present did this "winter retreat" come to be. Its emergence depends on numerous causes and conditions; it is what we call arising through the convergence of conditions. It is neither self-arising nor uncaused arising.
-
-That is how arising works. What about ceasing? Ceasing, in fact, also occurs through the dispersion of conditions. Take the table mentioned earlier: once the paint fades, the nails loosen, and the wood rots---as the various conditions that constitute the table deteriorate, this utensil called a table will also disappear. The same is true of this lecture series: after the seven-day program ends, all of you here and the Dharma teachers will go your separate ways, and the winter retreat will cease to exist. This ceasing does not mean that everything becomes nothing. Although you are no longer here, you are elsewhere; it is simply that the various conditions that made up this winter retreat have dispersed. From this we can see that the Buddhadharma speaks of ceasing in terms of the dispersion of conditions.
-
-When we understand the principle of the convergence and dispersion of conditions, we will discover that what we call arising and ceasing is in fact neither arising nor ceasing. Looking at arising through the convergence of conditions: apart from conditions, nothing can arise. Looking at ceasing through the dispersion of conditions: apart from conditions, nothing can cease. Take a table: apart from the many conditions of nails, wood, paint, carpenter, and so forth, where is there a table? Thus, the arising of a table is in fact non-arising, because it is merely the coming together of conditions; it is not a self-existent, independently existing thing. The ceasing of a table is likewise due to the dispersion of conditions; it is not total annihilation into nothingness. Clearly, the ceasing of a table is in fact non-ceasing, because apart from the conditions that make up the table, we cannot speak of its ceasing. This is true of a table, of our winter retreat, and indeed of all conditioned phenomena throughout the world.
-
-In connection with arising and ceasing, we should also briefly address the related concepts of existence and non-existence. We often think that existence is solid existence and non-existence is solid non-existence. Hence, what exists cannot be non-existent, and what is non-existent cannot exist, and so we fall into the view of existence and the view of non-existence. The Buddhadharma speaks of existence and non-existence in terms of arising and ceasing. It holds that the reason all phenomena either exist or do not exist is simply the convergence and dispersion of causes and conditions; presence and absence are nothing more than the phenomena of things arising and ceasing through conditions. Viewing existence and non-existence through the lens of arising and ceasing, we realize that both the possession that comes with arising and the disappearance that comes with ceasing are merely apparent forms. Existence is not absolute, eternal existence; non-existence is not real, final non-existence. Hence, we need not be elated by what we have, nor need we be dejected by what we lack.
-
-{#不垢不净}
-### 3. Neither Defiled Nor Pure
-
-"Neither defiled nor pure" is spoken in reference to the nature of things. Its counterpart concepts---defilement and purity---are a pair of notions established according to the likes and dislikes of sentient beings. Ordinarily, we regard what we like as pure and what we dislike as defiled. On the basis of this presupposition of defilement and purity, in each person's world, we go on to discriminate good from bad, beautiful from ugly, valuable from worthless, meaningful from meaningless, and so on. And we believe that these distinctions are objectively existent, fixed, and unchanging.
-
-In fact, defilement and purity are not objective, real existents; they are artificially imputed and vary from person to person. Take clothing: some find simplicity beautiful, others find opulence beautiful; some find bright colors beautiful, others find plain elegance beautiful; some find solemnity beautiful, others find eccentricity beautiful---an endless variety. Take food: some love spicy food, others prefer sweet; some like strong flavors, others favor lightness; some cannot enjoy a meal without meat, others maintain a lifelong vegetarian diet---so the saying goes, "tastes differ." Take living environments: some enjoy living downtown, others prefer retreating to the countryside; some value functionality, others emphasize ambiance; some are infatuated with luxury, others appreciate simplicity---each to their own. The *Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha* records the following example: towards a certain woman, a lover gives rise to desire, an enemy gives rise to hatred, her children give rise to respect, and birds and beasts flee at the sight of her. Why do their views of her differ so vastly? This tells us that defilement and purity are not fixed; they are standards formed according to each person's needs, and these standards are themselves in constant flux.
-
-As for the value of things themselves, that, too, is artificially imputed. Take an exquisite porcelain bowl from the Song dynasty. In the eyes of a collector or connoisseur, it is an immensely precious cultural artifact worth a fortune, an object of obsessive longing they yearn to possess. In the eyes of a layperson unversed in such matters, it is merely a refined craft object of no particular importance. And to someone who has no idea what a cultural relic is, it may well be regarded as an ordinary utensil, no different from any bowl seen anywhere. Though it is the same bowl, people's differing knowledge and preferences create an enormous difference in its perceived value.
-
-Or consider steamed buns and gold: which is more valuable? Some might think: what a superfluous question. Is there any basis for comparison between steamed buns and gold? Does the answer even require thought? Under normal circumstances, gold is indeed more expensive and harder to come by. But in special conditions, the situation can change. There is a story: a ship encountered disaster at sea, with both a poor man and a rich man aboard. When they jumped overboard to escape, the poor man took steamed buns with him, and the rich man took gold. They drifted at sea for a long time. When hunger became unbearable, the rich man tried to trade all his gold for the poor man's steamed buns, but his offer was refused. In the end, the rich man died of hunger at sea, clutching his gold, while the poor man survived the life-and-death crisis thanks to those steamed buns. In such a perilous moment, which was more valuable---the steamed buns or the gold?
-
-Because people's views differ, what one person regards as defiled another regards as pure. But these so-called defilement and purity vary from person to person, from time to time, and from place to place. There is no absolute, unchanging standard. The same holds for beauty and ugliness, good and bad, value and worthlessness. In the objective world, there is no absolute defilement and no absolute purity. Therefore, the defiled is not essentially defiled, and the pure is not essentially pure. In this sense, the essential nature of defilement and purity is "neither defiled nor pure."
-
-{#不增不减}
-### 4. Neither Increasing Nor Decreasing
-
-"Neither increasing nor decreasing" is spoken in contradistinction to increase and decrease; it defines things in terms of quantity. Going from less to more is increase; going from more to less is decrease. We ordinarily assume that increase is a real, solid increase and decrease is a real, solid decrease. For example, when someone succeeds in business and their assets multiply, their heart soars with delight. Later, when losses pile up and assets shrink day by day, they grow anxious and distressed. In fact, increase and decrease are not fixed. Consider the ocean, with its daily rising and falling tides. At high tide, the seawater seems to have increased; at low tide, it seems to have decreased. From a local perspective, the seawater does indeed increase and decrease. But from the perspective of the entire ocean, has anything ever increased or decreased? Or consider this winter retreat at the Mingyue Buddhist Society: everyone has gathered here from all directions. The number of people at the Society has increased. A few days from now, when the program ends and everyone goes their separate ways, the number will decrease. Looking at the numbers at the Society over these few days, there seems to be an increase and then a decrease. But from the perspective of the whole world, the same people are still there---nothing has increased or decreased.
-
-People sometimes raise this question: Buddhism teaches rebirth, but Earth's population used to be less than a billion and has now increased to several billion. Where did all these extra people come from? Such questions arise precisely because people look at increase and decrease in isolation. The rebirth taught in Buddhism is not limited to human beings or to the Earth; it speaks from the perspective of the worlds in all ten directions, from the perspective of all sentient life. The population increases because the human realm's living conditions are relatively favorable and there are more causes and conditions for rebirth there. But while the human population on Earth is increasing, other types of life are decreasing---wild animals, for instance, are gradually dwindling and even going extinct. Therefore, looking at humans alone, the numbers may increase or decrease. But from the perspective of the totality of life, it remains neither increasing nor decreasing.
-
-From these examples we see that the increase and decrease spoken of in the Buddhadharma also cannot be separated from causes and conditions. Increase occurs through causes and conditions; decrease likewise occurs through causes and conditions. Apart from conditions, we cannot speak of increase or decrease. And since they arise through conditions, objectively there is no independent, unchanging increase or decrease. So increase and decrease are merely apparent forms. From this perspective, increase and decrease are "neither increasing nor decreasing."
-
-Regarding the conventional Middle Way: "neither arising nor ceasing" means that arising and ceasing are vividly present; "neither defiled nor pure" means that defilement and purity are vividly present; "neither increasing nor decreasing" means that increase and decrease are vividly present. But from the perspective of ultimate truth, "neither arising nor ceasing," "neither defiled nor pure," and "neither increasing nor decreasing" carry yet another, deeper meaning. All distinctions---arising and ceasing, defilement and purity, increase and decrease---are utterly ungraspable. This is non-arising and non-ceasing, non-defilement and non-purity, non-increase and non-decrease---to the point where words fail and the workings of the mind come to rest.
-
-{#六不住世间}
-## Six. Not Abiding in the World
-
-> Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, scent, taste, touch, or phenomena; no realm of the eye, up to and including no realm of mental consciousness.
-
-{#蕴处界}
-### 1. The Aggregates, Sense Spheres, and Elements
-
-In addition to the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness discussed above, Buddhism also designates the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind as the six sense faculties, and form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and phenomena as the six sense objects. Together these are called the twelve sense spheres. The six faculties and six objects, together with eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and mental consciousness, form the eighteen elements. The aggregates, sense spheres, and elements---also known as the three categories---are different ways of summarizing all phenomena in the universe and human life. We can view the world through the five aggregates, or through the twelve sense spheres and the eighteen elements.
-
-The five aggregates were explained earlier. Of the twelve sense spheres, "sphere" means a gateway or birthplace. The six faculties---eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind---together with the six objects---form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and phenomena---are the channels through which mental activity is produced. The eye faculty, in conjunction with form objects, produces eye consciousness; the ear faculty, with sound objects, gives rise to ear consciousness; the nose faculty, with scent objects, produces nose consciousness; the tongue faculty, with taste objects, gives rise to tongue consciousness; the body faculty, with touch objects, produces body consciousness; the mind faculty, with mental objects, produces mental consciousness. This is how the six faculties, in conjunction with the six objects, give rise to the six consciousnesses. Furthermore, the convergence of faculty, object, and consciousness produces contact, and from contact arise the mental factors of feeling, perception, volition, and so on. Clearly, the sentient being's mental subject and all psychological activities arise with the faculties and objects as their conditions.
-
-Among the eighteen elements, "element" carries the meanings of stratum, foundation, basis, and lineage. They classify all phenomena in the world into eighteen broad categories. The six faculties pertain to the physiological world, the six objects to the physical world, and the six consciousnesses to the psychological world.
-
-The phenomena categorized in these three groupings primarily reveal the phenomenal differences in the world. As students of Buddhism, how should we contemplate the world? The *Heart Sutra* states: "Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, scent, taste, touch, or phenomena; no realm of the eye, up to and including no realm of mental consciousness." This tells us that with regard to all worldly phenomena, we must recognize them as empty, without intrinsic nature. But we must not mistakenly think that the "no" spoken of here means nothing whatsoever. If we understood it that way, would the sutra not contradict reality? In understanding the "no" in the sutra, we should apply the formula explained earlier.
-
-For example, "no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind" can be expanded to: the eye is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from the eye; the eye itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is the eye. The same applies to ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, and to form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and phenomena. All phenomena can be observed in this way.
-
-{#我执的表现}
-### 2. How Self-attachment Manifests
-
-So what is the purpose of the sutra's statement that the phenomena of the three categories are all empty? The three categories encompass both the world of sentient beings and the physical environment. The world of sentient beings includes the five aggregates, the six faculties of the twelve sense spheres, and the six consciousnesses of the eighteen elements. Worldly people cannot correctly understand these, and so they give rise to the notion of a self within them. They ceaselessly examine and deliberate, clinging to a self in every thought. From this arise self-delusion, self-view, self-love, and self-conceit, forming a mode of life centered on a strong sense of self.
-
-This self-centeredness, this clinging to the five aggregates as a self, brings sentient beings all manner of afflictions. Afflictions are factors that disturb the mind's tranquility. Once invaded by afflictions, life can never be peaceful or free. Most of the afflictions of sentient beings arise from clinging to a self. Take attachment to the physical body: some are troubled by plain looks; some are troubled by a stout or heavy build; some are troubled by a short stature; some are troubled by a weak and sickly constitution. Because of clinging to a self, even basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation give rise to all kinds of afflictions. Regarding food, some worry about where their next meal will come from, while others have grown tired of rare delicacies and worry day after day about what to eat. Regarding clothing, some are distressed at lacking warm clothes, while others have more clothes than they can wear and agonize over which outfit to choose. For the sake of one "self," a whole lifetime can be spent in worry and toil.
-
-Once basic survival is secured, people then accumulate wealth for the "self's" sense of security. This drives many to work relentlessly and laboriously build careers. Without special skills, finding a job is difficult, requiring one to face fierce competition. Even after finding work, the competition may grow even more intense. If one is fortunate enough to start one's own business, one spends every waking moment exhausting one's mind over this heavy burden. Work is originally meant to sustain life and to live with more quality. Yet modern people often consume their entire lives in work, leaving neither time nor spirit to enjoy life. Is this not putting the cart before the horse? After a lifetime of busyness, when retirement finally arrives, people have fallen so deeply into the habit of rushing that they instead feel lost and adrift.
-
-To make the "self" more impressive, the issue of reputation then comes into play. The Buddhadharma sums up the foremost desires of worldly people as five: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. From this we can see that the longing for fame is intense and universal. Living in this world, we need not only food, clothing, and shelter but also a certain social standing. This standing depends not only on position and career but even more on our virtue and reputation. If we are virtuous and esteemed, our good name known far and wide, we will be respected wherever we go. Conversely, we will be scorned and rejected. Hence, everyone takes reputation very seriously, and it is not uncommon for people to go to court to protect their good name.
-
-As part of the existence of "self," thoughts and views are also an important component. By clinging to a self, people tend to be fervently attached to "my" thoughts and "my" views. If they are not understood by others, they feel hurt and distressed. In this world, there are conflicts born of different religious beliefs as well as oppositions born of different political convictions; there are debates stirred by different academic viewpoints as well as divisions arising from different lifestyles. The view of self creates disputes of right and wrong in the world, obstructs harmonious coexistence among people, and, worse still, traps people within their existing views so that they cannot advance, impairing their understanding of the truth. Therefore, the view of self is the root from which all afflictions arise.
-
-Sentient beings have many more afflictions born of clinging to the notion of self, which we will not enumerate here one by one. In short, all human afflictions have clinging to self as their root. As the *Lamrim Düdön* (*Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment*) states: "Driven by the force of self-cherishing and held fast by self-love, from beginningless birth and death until now, we have brought forth every kind of undesirable experience. Though we wish to accomplish even a single self-serving fulfillment, by taking self-interest as our guide and employing mistaken methods, we have, over countless eons, failed to accomplish any benefit for ourselves or others. Not only have we failed---we have been purely oppressed by suffering." Sentient beings cling to a self in the hope of achieving happiness for themselves, yet the result is the opposite: it brings all manner of afflictions.
-
-{#执著的过患}
-### 3. The Faults of Attachment
-
-The "no" spoken of in the *Heart Sutra* is precisely a penetrating analysis of sentient life. From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, sentient life is nothing other than a provisional appearance formed by the combination of the five aggregates; it is the coming together of the physiological (the six faculties) and the psychological (the six consciousnesses). Ordinary people cling to the five aggregates as a self, but when observed with prajna wisdom, the so-called self cannot be found anywhere---neither within the five aggregates nor within the twelve sense spheres. We must not cling to the five aggregates as a self, nor must we cling to a self existing outside the five aggregates. If the self were outside the five aggregates, how could it relate to them?
-
-The *Diamond Sutra*, like the *Heart Sutra*, is a text centered on the teaching of emptiness, and its emphasis lies on "no-self." The sutra states: "If a bodhisattva has a notion of self, a notion of a person, a notion of sentient beings, or a notion of a life span, he is not a bodhisattva." It also says: "When King Kalinga dismembered my body in the past, at that time I had no notion of self, no notion of a person, no notion of sentient beings, no notion of a life span. Why? If, when my body was being dismembered joint by joint, I had a notion of self, a notion of a person, a notion of sentient beings, or a notion of a life span, I would have given rise to anger and hatred." It further says: "One who cultivates all wholesome dharmas free from the notions of self, person, sentient beings, and life span will attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi." And again: "If someone knows that all dharmas are without self and achieves the perfection of patience, this bodhisattva surpasses the merit attained by the previous bodhisattvas." All these passages illustrate the vital importance of no-self in cultivating the bodhisattva path.
-
-Understanding the truth of "no-self" enables us to transcend the self. Dissatisfied with their present condition, worldly people try every possible means to transcend it, yet their efforts rarely succeed. Where does the problem lie? In nothing other than the obstruction of self-attachment. Our present personality has been shaped around a self-centered core. If self-attachment has not been shaken, how can we possibly change our lives and transcend the self? It is like wearing chains and shackles from head to toe, yet thinking that moving from one room to another will bring liberation. Can that expectation ever be met? To transcend the self, we must first abandon self-attachment and smash the chains that bind us. Only this is ultimate liberation.
-
-Corresponding to the world of sentient beings is the physical environment. This, too, depends on the sentient being's capacity for cognition: the world of form seen by eye consciousness, the world of sound heard by ear consciousness, the world of scent smelled by nose consciousness, the world of taste tasted by tongue consciousness, the world of touch felt by body consciousness, and the world of mental objects cognized by mental consciousness. Only those endowed with the six faculties and six consciousnesses can experience these six worlds. Without the eye faculty, one loses the world of form; without the ear faculty, one loses the world of sound.
-
-The Buddhadharma summarizes the physical environment under the above six categories, also called the six sense objects (*dusts*). "Dust" means defilement. In other words, the six objects have the function of defiling the six consciousnesses. Before the six consciousnesses make contact with the six objects, the mind is calm---as the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind." But once contact with objects occurs, corresponding emotional fluctuations arise. At the sight of an enemy, anger flares up instantly. At the sight of a lover, desire and attachment arise. Upon hearing criticism, we feel hurt and distressed. Upon hearing praise, our hearts blossom with joy. In this way, we are constantly tossed among various emotions, without a moment's peace.
-
-Because worldly people do not understand the six sense objects, they abide in and cling to them, and so they are stirred by the eight winds. The eight winds are gain and loss, disgrace and honor, praise and ridicule, suffering and happiness. Gain (profit, as in earning money in business) and loss (as in a business loss) are a pair. Disgrace (slander, as when falsely accused) and honor (reputation, as when one's good name spreads far) are a pair. Praise (commendation, as when others extol us) and ridicule (mockery, as when mocked by others) are a pair. Suffering (adversity, as in repeated setbacks) and happiness (favorable circumstances, as when everything goes well) are a pair. The eight winds are the eight most common favorable and adverse situations in the world. Worldly people are blown day and night by the eight winds, now suffering, now happy, now distressed, now joyful. And because they are led by external conditions, their minds are never at peace.
-
-Abiding in the six sense objects makes us sensitive to the world's praise and blame, honor and disgrace. Names and concepts are originally conventional designations established by common usage, assigned in specific cultural contexts; they are not fixed, substantial entities. Take being called "remarkable": for someone who truly has accomplishments, this is praise; for someone with no accomplishments whatsoever, the same word becomes mockery. The same concept can be commendatory or derogatory. So what, then, is its actual meaning?
-
-In truth, "remarkable" is just a symbol; it is not the same thing as the facts themselves. If we are praised as "remarkable," we may indeed have exceptional qualities, or it may just be a casual nicety with no real significance. And from another angle, if we truly have the ability, we remain remarkable even if no one praises us. If we are merely seeking fame through deception, we will not become remarkable just because someone utters that word. Yet because worldly people cling to the object of sound, they are always glad to hear flattery and praise. When they encounter criticism or an unpleasant word, they either droop in dejection at the mildest case or fly into a rage at the worst. Thus, the mind is completely at the mercy of public opinion, unable to govern itself.
-
-Abiding in the six sense objects also makes us preoccupied with gain and loss. Worldly people live perpetually amid gain and loss: in business, one either makes money or loses it; in college entrance exams, one is either admitted or rejected; in love, one either forms a happy union or parts ways; in family life, one either enjoys harmony or falls out with one's loved ones. By ordinary sentiment, people love gain and hate loss. Yet gain and loss are like twin sisters: wherever there is gain, loss is sure to follow, and we often attend to one at the expense of the other. Our time and energy are limited; the more we invest here, the more we will naturally neglect elsewhere. Some throw themselves into their career: they gain wealth, but lose leisure and ease. Some throw themselves into entertainment: they have a great time, but their studies fall by the wayside. Moreover, some gain first and lose later, like those who make a fortune only to go bankrupt; some lose first and gain later, like the King of Yue who slept on brushwood and tasted gall before annexing the Kingdom of Wu; and some oscillate between gain and loss, where losing is gaining and gaining is losing, as in the story of the old man at the frontier who lost his horse.
-
-Precisely because gain and loss are mutually dependent, we should not cling one-sidedly to either when facing any gain or loss. Yet this is precisely the common pitfall of worldly pursuits. During our student years, we pin all our hopes on academic success. When in love, we entrust all our happiness to the relationship. When building a career, we vest the ultimate value of life in it. If we build our entire life on one single dimension, even if we succeed there, we will often lose many other sources of happiness. And if we unfortunately fail, we will lose our entire spiritual anchor and be adrift and forlorn. Conversely, if we understand the mutual relationship between gain and loss, we will not lose our heads when we gain, for it is only temporary; nor will we be dejected when we lose, for in losing, we often receive another gift from fate.
-
-In this present age, people's pursuit is perhaps more one-dimensional than in any past era: they think that having money equals living happily. In fact, wealth is only one of many factors that constitute human happiness. Far more important is the health of our body and mind. Without a peaceful mind and a healthy body, we cannot enjoy wealth. When troubled, a person can flee the environment, but no amount of wealth can help one escape the mind. Carrying afflictions along, even if we travel to the ends of the earth, we will remain gloomy and unable to open our hearts.
-
-For happiness in life, what matters first is inner peace; next is physical health; only after these come externals such as wealth, status, and career. Yet modern people often overlook the importance of mental health. On the one hand, they exhaust themselves in the pursuit of wealth; on the other, once they have it, they indulge without restraint. In short, the mind is frequently in an unbalanced and unhealthy state, and so happiness remains far out of reach. This is precisely why, though the rich are ever more numerous, those who truly feel happy are few and far between. This brings to mind a real-life example. Someone once attended a wealthy CEO's birthday banquet held at a luxury hotel. Relatives, friends, celebrities from all circles, the media---guests from every quarter came to offer congratulations. The occasion was extraordinarily grand. After the banquet ended, he asked the host how he felt. The host replied that he missed the five eggs his mother had boiled for him on his birthday fifteen years ago. Though today's event was a magnificent spectacle, his state of mind was far less joyful and carefree than in those days. Clearly, happiness does not come from external luxury; it comes from inner feeling.
-
-{#怎样才能不住}
-### 4. How Can We Stop Abiding?
-
-Abiding in and clinging to the six sense objects brings all kinds of afflictions to human life. If we wish to liberate ourselves from afflictions, we must apply prajna wisdom in our daily lives, constantly contemplating the six sense objects with prajna, illuminating the truth that the six objects are all empty. When this is done, afflictions will naturally cease to arise. When wealth brings us affliction, we can reflect on the *Heart Sutra*'s formula: wealth is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from wealth; wealth itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is wealth. Use this to remind yourself: wealth is dependently arisen; it has no fixed, unchanging substance. It comes together when conditions converge, and disperses when conditions scatter. Wealth is also an apparent form of existence, impermanent and selfless, like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow. If we can see wealth in this way, will we still be burdened by it?
-
-Similar to this is the *Diamond Sutra*'s formula. The sutra states: "What the Tathagata calls a world is not a world; therefore it is called a world." "What are called particles of dust are not particles of dust; therefore they are called particles of dust." We can likewise apply this formula to reality. When your husband gives rise to affliction in you, think: what is called a husband is not a husband; therefore he is called a husband. Use this to remind yourself: the marital relationship is not fixed and unchanging. It is only because of certain causes and conditions that you became husband and wife, forming the mutual relationship of husband and wife. But this relationship, too, is subject to the law of impermanence. Once the relevant conditions are no longer present, the relationship will dissolve accordingly. He is your husband now, but in the future he could become someone else's husband. If you can hold this understanding, then when conditions converge, cherish each other; when conditions disperse, wish each other well. In this way, no affliction will arise over it.
-
-You can reflect on everything in the world in this way. Take children, for example: children are not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from children; children themselves are emptiness, emptiness itself is children. Or: what are called children are not children; therefore they are called children. Take friendship: friendship is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from friendship; friendship itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is friendship. Or: what is called friendship is not friendship; therefore it is called friendship. Take status: status is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from status; status itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is status. Or: what is called status is not status; therefore it is called status. The same applies to wealth, career, family, and everything else. If you can internalize these perspectives in your mind and practice, nothing in the world can become an obstacle to you.
-
-In this life, everyone hopes to live with a certain grace and ease. What is grace and ease? Some think it means spending lavishly, some think it means wearing brand names, some think it means owning a luxury home and car, and some think it means being the center of attention. In truth, those are merely fleeting glamour. What that glamour brings is often a still greater burden. In life, we can observe that many people, in order to maintain their past glamour and their corresponding standard of living, must toil ceaselessly and rush about endlessly. Once the glamour fades, they suffer anguish and loss. In fact, such glamour is not a necessity of life. I believe that true grace and ease rest on transcending bondage. If we can observe life everywhere with prajna wisdom, not enslaved by things, then we can be at ease in wealth and equally at ease in poverty. That is genuine grace and ease.
-
-{#七超越生死}
-## Seven. Transcending Birth and Death
-
-> No ignorance, and no end of ignorance, up to no aging and death, and no end of aging and death.
-
-The questions of human life are all-encompassing, but in summary they boil down to the two words "birth" and "death." Worldly people care about living, yet living is in fact only part of birth. Where does birth come from, and where does death lead? From ancient times to the present, philosophies and religions East and West have diligently explored the origin of birth and the destination of death. As both a wisdom of human life and a science of life, the Buddhadharma not only investigates the questions of the birth and death of sentient beings in depth but also shows us the way to resolve them.
-
-From ignorance to aging and death---these reveal the twelve links in the continuum of sentient life, also known as the Twelve Nidanas. Their content is: ignorance conditions volitional formations; volitional formations condition consciousness; consciousness conditions name and form; name and form condition the six sense bases; the six sense bases condition contact; contact conditions feeling; feeling conditions craving; craving conditions clinging; clinging conditions becoming; becoming conditions birth; birth conditions aging and death. Below, I will briefly introduce their meanings and explain their mutual relationships.
-
-{#无-明}
-### 1. Ignorance
-
-In Buddhism, light represents wisdom. Ignorance, then, is the lack of wisdom that comprehends the truth of life. Lacking wisdom, one is as though in darkness, filled with confusion, unable to see oneself clearly and unable to see the world clearly. Ignorance is also the root from which suffering arises. In the section "The Great Wisdom of Life," I listed the various kinds of confusion in the cognition of ordinary beings. All of this is due to the ignorance that sentient beings have carried since time without beginning.
-
-{#行}
-### 2. Volitional Formations
-
-Volitional formations are actions, primarily including three types. First, mental actions: wholesome thoughts, such as wanting to do good deeds, or unwholesome thoughts, such as wanting to do evil deeds. Second, verbal actions: the various kinds of speech in daily life---there is kind speech, truthful speech, speech that benefits others, and other wholesome speech, as well as divisive speech, harsh speech, false speech, and other unwholesome speech. Third, bodily actions: wholesome actions such as prostrating to the Buddha, reciting sutras, and giving, as well as unwholesome actions such as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
-
-Because of self-attachment and self-view, people often have great confidence in their own actions, believing that whatever they think, say, and do is reasonable. But do we know the state of mind in which these actions are produced? The Buddha tells us: ignorance conditions volitional formations. For ordinary beings, the mental basis of all actions is none other than ignorance. So the degree of correctness of these actions can well be imagined. More importantly, note that whether an action is wholesome or unwholesome, it does not end when the action itself ends. In other words, any action that has already taken place is transformed into seeds, becoming a latent force that propels the continuation of life. For example, if we donate to a Project Hope education fund, objectively, this good deed benefits some children who would otherwise have dropped out of school. For ourselves, it both nourishes positive mental states such as compassion and overcomes negative mental states such as stinginess. Thus we see that actions of body, speech, and mind not only produce objective results but also exert an influence on the mind. This is something we must pay close attention to.
-
-{#识}
-### 3. Consciousness
-
-Consciousness is one of the three main forces that sustain sentient life; the other two are the life span and bodily warmth. The life span is the duration of a single lifetime. Warmth is the temperature the body possesses. For a living being, none of the three can be missing. When the life span comes to an end, consciousness departs from the physical body. Thereupon, the body that could speak and move, sing and dance, instantly turns into a cold shell, then decomposes, decays, and turns to dust. Thus, consciousness is a vital component that upholds sentient life. Influenced by the worldly view of a single life, people see only the existence of the physical body and fail to see the function of consciousness, leading to the mistaken belief that "when a person dies, it is like a lamp extinguished."
-
-We must understand that the tangible physical body we see is only the form that life takes. The intangible consciousness is the true carrier of life. Therefore, death is merely the ending of one life form. After departing from this physical body, consciousness continues on and will appear again in another life form.
-
-"Volitional formations condition consciousness" means that consciousness, when linking to the next life, relies on the impetus of volitional formations. Here, "volitional formations" refers to the seeds left by past wholesome and unwholesome actions, also known as karmic force. This is the force that propels consciousness to continue taking rebirth, just as a rocket propels a satellite into space. The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra* describes this process in detail: "At that time, seeing the seminal fluids emitted by the father and mother engaged in the sexual act, the being experiences inverted perception. By inverted perception is meant that when seeing the father and mother engaged in this act, the being does not perceive them as doing so, but instead has the inverted perception that it is engaging in the act itself. Seeing itself engaged in this way, it gives rise to craving and attachment. If it is to become a female, it gives rise to desire for the father. If it is to become a male, it likewise gives rise to desire for the mother. It then presses toward them. If a female, it wishes the mother to go far away; if a male, the mind acts in the same way toward the father. Having given rise to such desire, it then sees only the male or only the female. As it gradually draws near to that place, it gradually ceases to see the other parts of the parents' bodies and sees only the male and female organ. At this point, it is held fast and obstructed." Human rebirth is propelled by karmic force and also driven by the mind of lust. This shows how significant a place sexual desire occupies in the life of sentient beings. In Freud's psychoanalysis, there is the theory of the Oedipus complex and the Electra complex. From the perspective of the *Yogacarabhumi Shastra*, Freud's theory is not without some basis. The rebirth of sentient beings is indeed rooted in the mind of lust: a male develops desire for the mother, a female for the father.
-
-So what does the sentient being see at the very moment of conception? The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra* also explains this: "Those of meager merit who are to be born into a lowly family will, at the time of death and upon entering the womb, hear all sorts of chaotic sounds and falsely perceive themselves entering into a thicket of trees, bamboo, reeds, and rushes. Those of abundant merit who are to be born into an honorable family will, at that time, hear peaceful, sublime, and pleasing sounds and falsely perceive themselves ascending a palace and other delightful images." Depending on the merit of the one entering the womb, the images perceived at conception will likewise differ.
-
-Regarding the constitution of life, materialists hold that consciousness is an epiphenomenon of matter. The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra*, however, holds that consciousness has its own system of transmission. The treatise states: "At that time, the father and mother, both overcome with desire, each emits a drop of thick seminal fluid. The two drops merge and settle in the mother's womb, forming a single mass like coagulated milk. At this point, the alaya consciousness, which is the support of all seeds and the basis of karmic maturation, unites with and depends on it. What is meant by 'unites with and depends on'? It means that the thick seminal fluids emitted by both, merged into a single mass, cease to exist together with the consciousness in the intermediate state that has entered under inverted perception." The material basis of life is the seminal fluids of the parents; its mental basis is the alaya consciousness. It is precisely the union of the parents' seminal fluids with the alaya consciousness that constitutes the initial state of this life.
-
-So what is the relationship between the alaya consciousness and the parents' seminal fluids? The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra* says: "Furthermore, this kalala (the embryo in its first stage) shares a common safety and danger with the mind and its mental factors; hence it is said to depend on them. Because of the supporting power of the mind and mental factors, the material body does not decay or deteriorate. Conversely, when the material body suffers harm or benefit, the mind and mental factors also suffer harm or benefit. Therefore, it is said that they share a common safety and danger. Moreover, the place where this kalala consciousness first takes hold is called the fleshy heart. So it is that consciousness first takes hold here and last relinquishes it here." The alaya consciousness and the parents' seminal fluids are mutually dependent and share a common destiny. When the life span comes to an end, it is again the departure of consciousness that declares the close of this life.
-
-{#名-色}
-### 4. Name and Form
-
-"Name" refers to the four aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. "Form" refers to the form aggregate. Our present life-form is nothing other than the combination of name and form. Some may ask: we have already discussed "consciousness" separately, and the five aggregates also include a "consciousness aggregate." Are these not redundant? We should note that the "consciousness" mentioned earlier refers to the fundamental consciousness of life, what the scriptures and treatises call the "alaya consciousness" or the "eighth consciousness." The "consciousness aggregate" among the five aggregates, on the other hand, refers to the first six consciousnesses that derive from the fundamental consciousness. As the *Samdhinirmocana Sutra* states: "Depending on and relying on the adana consciousness, the six consciousness bodies operate: eye consciousness, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mental consciousness." The adana consciousness mentioned here is another name for the alaya consciousness. It is only by relying on the alaya consciousness as their fundamental basis that the first six consciousnesses can arise and function.
-
-After the alaya consciousness enters the womb, under its sustaining power, the initial structure of life undergoes transformation. The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra* explains: "By the functional power of the consciousness that holds all seeds, further subtle faculties and elements arise in combination, and additional elemental seminal fluids sharing the same faculty-type coalesce into a mass. At this stage, the consciousness is said to have settled in, linking one life to the next. This is called the kalala stage." With the fundamental consciousness having entered the womb, the state of gestation has begun. And sustained by the fundamental consciousness, life begins to take form.
-
-{#六-入}
-### 5. The Six Sense Bases
-
-The six sense bases, or six faculties, are the six gateways through which sentient life receives information from the outside world. They are the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, body faculty, and mind faculty.
-
-"Name and form condition the six sense bases" means that the six sense bases develop on the foundation of name and form. As mentioned earlier, when a sentient being enters the womb, during the earliest stage of gestation, body and mind are in a state of undifferentiation. Physiologically, the faculties and body have not yet formed; psychologically, the activities of the six consciousnesses are not yet apparent. But as time passes, name and form gradually develop into the six sense bases. The *Yogacarabhumi Shastra* describes this process as follows: "Within this kalala, the great elements of the various faculties arise together only with the body faculty and the great elements of the body faculty's physical basis. By the power of these great elements of the various faculties that arise together with the body faculty, the eye and the other faculties will successively be born. And by the power of the great elements of the physical bases that arise together with the body faculty, the physical bases of the various faculties will successively be born. When these faculties and their physical bases have fully developed, it is called the attainment of the complete physical basis." The great elements of the faculties are the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. Relying on the four great elements as their basis, the six sense bases---the eye and so on---come into being. This describes the formation of the physical body. On the mental side, relying on the seeds of the fundamental consciousness as the basis and the faculties and body as conditions, the six consciousnesses arise as conditions permit.
-
-{#触}
-### 6. Contact
-
-Contact is a mental state. Among the fifty-one mental factors summarized in the *Mahayana Shatadharma Prakashamukha Shastra*, it is one of the five universally active mental factors (the five omnipresent mental factors). Its activity spans all three moral qualities---wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral---pervades the three realms and nine planes, extends to both defiled and undefiled, mundane and supramundane states, and corresponds with all eight consciousnesses, hence it is called a universally active mental factor.
-
-The *Cheng Weishi Lun* (*Treatise on the Establishment of the Doctrine of Consciousness-Only*) states: "Contact refers to the differentiation and transformation that occurs when the three---faculty, object, and consciousness---converge. Its nature is to bring the mind and mental factors into contact with objects. Its function is to serve as the basis for feeling, perception, volition, and so forth." In the Twelve Nidanas, the six sense bases give rise to contact. But in the *Cheng Weishi Lun*, the six sense bases are listed as only one of the conditions for the arising of contact, and the doctrine of the convergence of three factors giving rise to contact is put forward. The three are the correspondence of faculty, object, and consciousness. That is, it is through the convergence of the six faculties, six objects, and six consciousnesses that the six contacts can arise. For example, only through the convergence of the eye faculty, form object, and eye consciousness can eye contact arise. From this we see that "the six sense bases condition contact" means that the six sense bases are important conditions for the arising of contact, but they do not represent the whole picture.
-
-Contact is the sensation produced by the convergence of faculty, object, and consciousness. As one of the most fundamental mental factors in the mental realm, the mental factor of contact is also the basis upon which all other mental activities arise. Among the five omnipresent mental factors, the three important factors of feeling, perception, and volition all arise on the precondition of contact. The relationship "contact conditions feeling" in the Twelve Nidanas is also based on this situation.
-
-{#受}
-### 7. Feeling
-
-Feeling is also a mental state. The *Cheng Weishi Lun* states: "Feeling's nature is to receive and experience favorable, adverse, and neutral objects. Its function is to give rise to desire, by producing the wish for union with, separation from, or neutrality toward objects." Feeling is the function of receiving and experiencing. Receiving what? Receiving favorable objects, adverse objects, and objects that are neither favorable nor adverse. When facing adverse conditions, we give rise to painful feelings and mental distress. When facing favorable conditions, we give rise to pleasant feelings and mental joy. Conditions that are neither adverse nor favorable correspond to neutral feeling. Feeling can give rise to attachment to the object perceived, and thus we develop the wish to cling to, separate from, or remain neutral toward objects.
-
-{#爱}
-### 8. Craving
-
-Craving is also a mental state; it means attachment and yearning. When we encounter favorable conditions, the mind naturally feels happy and joyful, and so we give rise to a sense of attachment to the object. What we ordinarily mean by being unable to tear oneself away, or being so enchanted as to forget to return, are all expressions of craving. Driven by desire, human beings show a complex of craving in every context: craving for superior conditions, craving for a harmonious family, craving for delicious food, and so on. Among all these forms of craving, the mutual craving between men and women is the most influential.
-
-Craving is a kind of possessiveness. Whether it is craving for an object or for a person, once attachment arises, the wish to own it, to make it belong to oneself, follows. Some are attached to a superior material environment, feeling that life is comfortable and pleasant only when these things are present, so they leave no stone unturned to create the necessary conditions. Some are attached to the feeling of mutual affection and so proceed from romance to marriage, hoping to possess the other person permanently and never be parted. The link "craving conditions clinging" in the Twelve Nidanas reflects this process from emotional attachment to mutual possession.
-
-Craving is also a kind of anxious concern. Those who love their hometown will, no matter how far they travel, always care about how things are changing back home. Those who love their career will, even in their spare time, be constantly preoccupied with work. Those who love their children will have their entire energy consumed by their children's studies and daily lives.
-
-Craving is moreover a form of bondage. It is like glue, fastening two objects firmly together; it is like a rope---once tied, struggling to escape is futile; it is like a net, in which people become entangled and bound to one another. Hence, worldly people call falling in love "falling into a love net"---a description that is at once accurate and vivid.
-
-{#取}
-### 9. Clinging
-
-Clinging is possessiveness. The Buddhadharma distinguishes four kinds of clinging: clinging to desire, clinging to views, clinging to rites and rituals, and clinging to a self. Clinging to desire is the possessive grasping at the five objects of desire: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. Clinging to views is stubbornly holding one's own opinions and notions to be true and correct, even to the point of imposing them on others. Clinging to rites and rituals is grasping at various non-Buddhist, erroneous precepts and practices. Clinging to a self is clinging to a self within the phenomena of the five aggregates, believing oneself to be the greatest under heaven. "Craving conditions clinging" means that we cling to the objects we are fond of and wish to hold on to them firmly.
-
-{#有}
-### 10. Becoming
-
-Becoming is karmic existence. When we want to obtain the person or thing we desire, we take action. This action may be moral or immoral. No matter how it is carried out, the action leaves traces that become karmic seeds, stored in the alaya consciousness, and evolve into the driving force that propels the development of future lives.
-
-{#生}
-### 11. Birth
-
-Birth is taking rebirth. The continuum of life includes four distinct periods: birth-existence, the present-existence, death-existence, and the intermediate-existence. Birth-existence is the moment of entering the womb and conception. The present-existence is the developmental process of a single lifetime, from conception until death. Death-existence is the moment of dying. The intermediate-existence is the period from death until the moment before the next rebirth. Usually, people assume that life comes to a complete end with death. But in fact, when one life draws toward death, one enters the intermediate state body. The scriptures describe this as "like the two ends of a balance beam rising and falling simultaneously." The appearance of the intermediate state body and the decay of the present physical body occur at the same time. The duration of the intermediate state body ends with the arising of birth-existence, generally lasting seven days or up to forty-nine days.
-
-"Becoming conditions birth" means that karmic force determines our rebirth. Buddhism recognizes two kinds of karma: one is the directing karma, the other is the completing karma. Directing karma is the overall karma that draws a sentient being toward any of the six realms, such as rebirth in the heavenly realm, human realm, hell realm, or hungry ghost realm---it is directing karma that determines this. Completing karma, also called particular karma, determines the sentient being's specific conditions within that realm, such as being born male or female, rich or poor, beautiful or ugly---all these are determined by completing karma.
-
-The *Treatise in Thirty Verses on Consciousness-Only* states: "Through the latent forces of various karmas and the latent forces of the two kinds of grasping, when the previous karmic maturation has been exhausted, another karmic maturation arises in turn." Karmic forces are karmic seeds. Through the power of karmic seeds, the fruits of sentient beings' birth and death are summoned. When the effects of the previous karma have been exhausted, other karmic causes successively ripen and continue to propel life into rebirth. Thus, karmic force is inexhaustible, and birth and death are endless.
-
-{#老-死}
-### 12. Aging and Death
-
-Aging and death: the process of growing old and dying. After a sentient being takes rebirth, aging and death are inevitable.
-
-The continuum of sentient life is composed of these steps, which the Buddhadharma calls the Twelve Nidanas---twelve mutually dependent conditions. The Buddhist scriptures define them as: "When this exists, that exists. When this arises, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not exist. When this ceases, that ceases." These four sentences can be condensed into three words: "this therefore that." That exists because this exists. In relation to the Twelve Nidanas: because ignorance exists, volitional formations exist; because volitional formations exist, consciousness exists; because birth exists, aging and death exist. In the Twelve Nidanas, every preceding link is the condition for the arising of the link that follows.
-
-Moreover, the ancient masters also presented the Twelve Nidanas as a twofold explanation spanning three lifetimes. Ignorance and volitional formations are taken as causes of the past. Consciousness, name and form, the six sense bases, contact, and feeling are taken as effects of the present. Craving, clinging, and becoming are taken as causes of the present. Birth, and aging and death are taken as effects of the future. We should not understand this in a mechanical way. Take ignorance, for example: although it is a cause of the past, in the process of sentient beings' birth and death, ignorance is present at all times and in all places.
-
-Buddhism also summarizes the Twelve Nidanas under the three categories of delusion, karma, and suffering. Delusion is confusion and represents the condition of sentient life; ignorance, craving, and clinging are classified as delusion. Karma refers to karmic actions; volitional formations and becoming are classified as karma. Suffering refers to the fruits of suffering; consciousness, name and form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, birth, and aging and death are classified as the fruits of suffering. The continuation of life is that delusion creates karma, and karma brings forth the fruits of suffering. Amid the fruits of suffering in birth and death, we continue to give rise to delusion and create karma. In this way, the cycle of rebirth continues without end into the future.
-
-From the end of ignorance up to the end of aging and death---this is precisely the method of practice the Buddha taught to his hearer disciples. Sentient beings, following the successive links of the Twelve Nidanas and based on the principle "when this exists, that exists," die and are reborn, birth after ceaseless birth, within the cycle of rebirth. How can we free ourselves from the cycle of the Twelve Nidanas? We must thoroughly understand the laws of its unfolding and observe it through the door of cessation. As mentioned earlier, the principle of the Twelve Nidanas is "when this exists, that exists; when this does not exist, that does not exist." Take aging and death: everyone detests them, yet no one can escape them. Why do we have aging and death? Because we have birth. So why were we born in that life, and why were we born into this family rather than that one? Who is arranging all of this? In truth, it is determined by the karmic forces of past lives. Before karma, all are equal---no one enjoys special privileges. And the reason we created karma in the first place was that we were driven by the urge to possess, not knowing that every cause inevitably brings an effect. In this way, step by step, tracing from effect back to cause, we arrive at the method of contemplation through the door of cessation within the Twelve Nidanas.
-
-According to the contemplation through the door of cessation: aging and death exist because of birth; birth exists because of becoming---all the way to volitional formations, which exist because of ignorance. Without birth, there would be no aging and death; without ignorance, there would be no volitional formations. The liberation of the Hearer Vehicle is pursued precisely through the door of cessation. By listening to and reflecting on the teachings, one establishes correct views. By cultivating the three undefiled studies of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, one develops prajna wisdom and thoroughly shatters the state of ignorance in life. When ignorance ceases, volitional formations cease; when volitional formations cease, consciousness ceases---until when birth ceases, aging and death cease. Thereby, one attains the great liberation of life.
-
-To have ignorance, to have aging and death, to flow along the sequence from ignorance to aging and death---this is the realm of ordinary beings. To recognize the faults from ignorance through aging and death, and to extinguish ignorance as well as aging and death---this is the realm of hearers. To observe ignorance through aging and death with the illumination of prajna wisdom, to see that ignorance through aging and death are all without intrinsic nature, all of the nature of emptiness---to realize that ignorance is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from ignorance; ignorance itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is ignorance---this is the realm of bodhisattvas.
-
-How should we understand "no ignorance, and no end of ignorance, up to no aging and death, and no end of aging and death"? It tells us: without ignorance, there is no cessation of ignorance; without aging and death, there is no cessation of aging and death. In the understanding of hearer practitioners, there is a real ignorance, so there is the extinguishing of ignorance; there is real aging and death, so there is the extinguishing of aging and death. But in the realm of bodhisattvas, observing ignorance through aging and death with prajna wisdom, all are seen as empty of intrinsic nature. In other words, ignorance through aging and death are nothing but apparent forms arising from causes and conditions, like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. Therefore, bodhisattvas do not merely detest and flee from birth and death; rather, within birth and death, they thoroughly comprehend the ungraspability of birth and death. Within birth and death, they transcend birth and death.
-
-{#八烦恼即菩提}
-## Eight. Afflictions Are Bodhi
-
-> No suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering, or path.
-
-In Buddhism, suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path are called the Four Noble Truths. "Truth" means that which is true and not false. The Four Truths are four principles that are genuinely true. After his enlightenment, the Buddha first turned the Dharma wheel at Deer Park by expounding the Four Truths to the five bhikshus led by Kaundinya. Thereafter, the Buddha taught the Dharma for forty-five years, establishing various Dharma gates, none of which departed from this framework. For this reason, the Four Truths are considered the foundation of the Buddhadharma and are of utmost guiding significance for practice.
-
-The Four Truths comprise two sets of cause and effect. The truths of suffering and its cause constitute the cause and effect of delusion: the truth of the cause is the cause, the truth of suffering is the result. The arising of suffering from its cause is the defiled cause and effect of ordinary beings. The truths of cessation and the path constitute the cause and effect of awakening: the path is the cause, cessation is the result. Attaining cessation through the path is the pure cause and effect of enlightened ones. This also represents two different ways of living: one is a life grounded in emotion, the other is a life grounded in wisdom. Studying Buddhism is precisely the process of turning from delusion to awakening, from defilement to purity.
-
-The Buddha is also honored as the Great Physician, because the teachings he established can remedy the illnesses present in the life of sentient beings. The Four Truths were established by the Buddha precisely according to the procedure a skilled physician follows in treating an illness. When a skilled physician treats a patient, he first needs to clearly understand the patient's condition, identify the cause of the illness, and ascertain what degree of recovery the treatment can achieve before prescribing the appropriate medicine. What physicians can treat is only the physical illnesses of humanity. But the Buddha heals the mental illnesses of sentient beings. His treatment procedure is precisely the Four Noble Truths.
-
-{#苦-谛}
-### 1. The Truth of Suffering
-
-Suffering is the actual condition of sentient life. Buddhism holds that human life is suffering and that all contaminated phenomena are suffering. Because of this, some say that studying Buddhism is escaping reality, that it is looking for trouble. Such a view is one-sided. When the Buddha said that human life is suffering, it was precisely to help us face life's reality squarely. What reality do we face? Is it our family, wealth, and status? Those are certainly part of reality, but only part. In fact, the greatest reality of human existence is birth, aging, sickness, and death; impermanence, cause and effect, suffering, and emptiness. Only by clearly recognizing these can we effectively resolve suffering, transform reality, and elevate the quality of life. Those who have not studied Buddhism, though busying themselves every day with immediate realities, have never discovered---nor dare they face---the true reality of life.
-
-Take illness as an example. If people come down with a minor cold or fever, most can remain calm. But if they are diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer or another terminal illness, very few can face it with equanimity. Many patients, before learning about their condition, can still chat and laugh cheerfully. But once they learn the truth, they are plunged into unbearable anguish, even to the point of mental collapse. Their original illness might not yet have been immediately life-threatening and could have allowed them several more years of life. Yet the enormous psychological burden causes some patients to die within a few months. This is why, when a hospital discovers a terminal illness, they usually notify the family but keep it secret from the patient. Why? Because most patients dare not face the truth.
-
-Death is even more terrifying. Regarding death, Mr. Lu Xun once wrote a story: a certain family was blessed with a son, and many dignitaries, relatives, and friends came to offer congratulations. Some said the child would become a government official; some said he would become rich; some said he had the features of longevity. These people, having spoken auspicious words, were warmly entertained by the host. Finally, a guest arrived and said that the child would eventually die, and was roundly cursed and driven out. In truth, whether the child would become an official or wealthy was all unknown. But no matter how brilliantly the child might succeed in life, death was inevitable. So that final remark was the only honest truth. Yet how many people are willing to accept this reality of life? In fact, people not only refuse to face it; they go out of their way with all kinds of clichés to deliberately cover it up and evade it. In everyday greetings, what we always hear are polite formulas like "wishing you prosperity" and "may you enjoy good health and long life." If someone were to ask, "when will you die?" the listener would undoubtedly find it extremely inauspicious and think the person utterly tactless.
-
-When it comes to afflictions, people likewise resort to escape. Modern people like to say, "change your mood, change your way of living." When afflictions come, they go dancing, sing, drink, or go online, chat, travel. They change this and change that, yet it is merely a change of form without a change of substance. Through all kinds of activities, afflictions may find temporary relief, but the root problem is never cured. The true solution is to start from the source where the problem arises. When afflictions surface, instead of relying on external things or looking for support, calmly face your own mind and observe the arising and ceasing of the afflictions. Only when we ourselves possess the corresponding immunity can afflictions be effectively countered. Otherwise, we treat only the symptoms, never the root.
-
-The Buddhadharma teaches us to squarely face the reality of human existence, to confront it courageously rather than passively avoid it. Suffering is precisely the Buddhadharma's penetrating insight into the true nature of human life. The Buddha expounded for us the many kinds of suffering---the three sufferings, the eight sufferings, immeasurable sufferings, and so on. The purpose is not that we passively accept suffering, but that, on the premise of recognizing the suffering of human existence, we actively eliminate suffering and transcend it.
-
-{#集-谛}
-### 2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering
-
-The truth of the cause refers to the causes that summon the fruits of suffering, divided into two categories: the defilement of afflictions and the defilement of karma.
-
-*[The Defilement of Afflictions]*
-
-In the Buddhist scriptures, according to their characteristics, afflictions are given various names. Sometimes they are called bonds, meaning something that ties---they bind sentient beings within birth and death so that they cannot escape. Sometimes they are called outflows, meaning leakage---because of afflictions, sentient beings continuously leak all kinds of faults through the six faculties. Sometimes they are called torrents---they can sweep sentient beings adrift through the three realms and six paths, life after life, sinking and toppling. Sometimes they are called clinging---they cling to the fruits of birth and death. Sometimes they are called veils---they cover the pure and wholesome mind. Sometimes they are called defilements---they defile the true nature so that nothing is clearly understood. Sometimes they are called yokes---like the yoke that keeps an ox inseparable from the cart, afflictions keep sentient beings inseparable from the realms of birth and death, causing them to suffer for long eons. From these many names, we can see the role that afflictions play in our lives.
-
-Regarding the types of afflictions, the scriptures speak of eighty-four thousand. Summarized briefly, there are ten principal ones: greed, hatred, ignorance, conceit, doubt, the view of a self, extreme views, wrong views, clinging to views as supreme, and clinging to rites and rituals as supreme. Greed is the mind of craving for and wanting to possess things. Hatred is the emotion of enmity, distress, and the wish to harm that arises toward disagreeable objects. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge about the truth of the universe and human life, which leads to erroneous notions, words, and deeds. Conceit is looking down on others while clinging to one's own strong points. Doubt is being skeptical about the truth due to a lack of wisdom. The view of a self is clinging to the five aggregates as a self. Extreme views are the two one-sided views that the self is eternal or that it is annihilated at death. Wrong views are denying the law of cause and effect or denying the distinction between ordinary beings and noble ones. Clinging to views as supreme is regarding the view of a self, extreme views, wrong views, and so on as the truth. Clinging to rites and rituals as supreme is observing erroneous precepts and practices in the belief that they can bring liberation. In Buddhism, these ten are called the root afflictions and are the basis from which all other afflictions arise.
-
-*[The Defilement of Karma]*
-
-Karma refers to the actions produced on the basis of afflictions, including bodily karma, verbal karma, and mental karma. All actions arise when consciousness, working in conjunction with the mental factor of volition, makes a decision and judgment, which is then carried out as bodily or verbal action, thereby forming karmic force. In terms of ethical quality, karma can be classified into three kinds: wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral. Wholesome karma not only benefits oneself and others in this life but also benefits oneself and others in future lives; unwholesome karma is the opposite. Neutral karma is neither wholesome nor unwholesome. The definitions of good and evil must be judged across the three periods of time. Furthermore, while causes may be wholesome or unwholesome, the fruits of karma are always neutral. For example, the blissful fruits of the heavenly realm or the painful fruits of the hell realm, although they may be favorable or adverse in the present life, do not themselves possess a moral quality of good or evil.
-
-Wholesome and unwholesome actions take countless forms, but the most fundamental are the ten wholesome actions and the ten unwholesome actions, which are opposed to one another. Here, let us briefly introduce the ten unwholesome actions. First, killing: intentionally ending the life of sentient beings. Second, taking what is not given: appropriating for oneself the belongings of others without permission. Third, sexual misconduct: relationships between men and women not sanctioned by law or social morality. Fourth, false speech: deceptive speech or body language. Fifth, divisive speech (also called double-tongue): speech that sows discord. Sixth, harsh speech (also called evil mouth): speech that hurts others with ill intent. Seventh, frivolous speech (also called flowery speech): lewd songs, indecent words, and vulgar expressions that can provoke afflictions in others. Eighth, covetousness: unreasonable craving for others' wealth, status, and so forth. Ninth, ill will: the intention to harm sentient beings arising from affliction. Tenth, wrong views: denying the existence of cause and effect or the distinction between ordinary beings and noble ones. The ten wholesome actions are the opposites of these ten: refraining from killing up to refraining from wrong views.
-
-{#灭-谛}
-### 3. The Truth of Cessation
-
-Cessation means quiescence. It is the state of nirvana realized through thoroughly stilling the confusion and afflictions within life.
-
-{#道-谛}
-### 4. The Truth of the Path
-
-The realization of nirvana does not come out of thin air; it requires solid, step-by-step cultivation of the path. This is the content of the truth of the path. There are many methods of cultivation---the so-called eighty-four thousand Dharma gates. Among them, the Noble Eightfold Path holds a central place. It is the constant path of Buddhist practice and the non-dual Middle Way by which sentient beings advance toward nirvana. The contents of the Noble Eightfold Path are as follows.
-
-*[Right View]*
-
-Right view is seeing the world and human life as they truly are, in contrast to the deluded perceptions of worldly people. Worldly people, deluded by ignorance, mistake black for white and call a deer a horse. The five aggregates are without self, yet they cling to a self. The world is impermanent, yet they cling to permanence. All phenomena are illusory, yet they cling to their reality. Human life is suffering, yet they cling to it as happiness. They fail to see cause and effect and claim there is no cause and no effect. Endowed with the right view of emptiness, one can break through confusion and thoroughly understand the truth of human life.
-
-*[Right Thought]*
-
-Right thought is correct reflection. How one thinks is related to one's understanding. A person who is ignorant, whose life is full of confusion, and who clings to erroneous views cannot have right thought. For our thinking to accord with the truth, it must be founded on right view---only then can right thought be aroused. This is exactly what is meant by "listening to the correct Dharma and reflecting on it in accordance with principle." Right thought is also called right intention. Intention carries the meaning of direction. Right intention means establishing a noble aim in life and using it to guide one's values and conduct.
-
-*[Right Speech]*
-
-Right speech is ethical speech. This requires avoiding unwholesome forms of speech such as false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech. What we should speak is truthful speech, speech that benefits others, and kind speech. That is to say, the words we speak must accord with the truth of the matter, must benefit others, and must be spoken out of care and loving-kindness toward the listener. It is not a matter of saying whatever the other person wants to hear, nor of imposing on others whatever we want to say.
-
-*[Right Action]*
-
-Right action is ethical conduct. There are three kinds of karma: bodily, verbal, and mental. Our threefold karma of body, speech, and mind should avoid the ten unwholesome actions, avoid afflictions, and avoid the habit of being self-centered in everything. Moreover, we should thoroughly comprehend non-self, diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and broadly practice the Six Paramitas and the Four Means of Embracing---only this is the right action that bodhisattvas should carry out.
-
-*[Right Livelihood]*
-
-Right livelihood is the ethical way of earning a living. The "livelihood" spoken of here refers to the profession or means of survival we choose. There are right and wrong forms of livelihood. Wrong livelihood refers to improper means of making a living, such as drug trafficking, gambling, fraud, and other activities that violate the law and social morality. As Buddhist practitioners, we must not only follow legal and moral norms but also observe the standards of the precepts. From the perspective of the precepts, all occupations related to killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech fall within the scope of wrong livelihood. Conversely, occupations that benefit both self and others, conduct that benefits both present and future---this is right livelihood.
-
-*[Right Effort]*
-
-Everyone has their own goals to strive for, and reaching those goals requires sustained effort. Depending on the goal, the nature of that effort also differs. Some efforts are ethical and can bring benefit to self and others. Some efforts, however, are mistaken and can lead to crime and disaster. In Hitler's *Mein Kampf*, we see the record of a madman's effort to conquer the world. But that effort brought immense suffering to the people of the world and is the antithesis of right effort. Buddhism opposes efforts that harm oneself and others and encourages efforts that perfect virtue. As the "Four Right Efforts" state: "Prevent unwholesome states that have not yet arisen from arising; abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen; give rise to wholesome states that have not yet arisen; and cause wholesome states that have already arisen to increase." Clearly, right effort is directed toward ceasing evil and cultivating good.
-
-*[Right Mindfulness]*
-
-What is cultivated in practice? Fundamentally, it is the correction of our views and thoughts. All human actions are determined by our thoughts. Thoughts can be wholesome or unwholesome, deluded or awakened, defiled or pure. This is why, in the world, there exist the distinctions between ordinary beings and noble ones, between the good and the bad. The *Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch* says: "The thought before is deluded---that is the ordinary being. The thought after is awakened---that is the Buddha." The Buddha and sentient beings may seem worlds apart, but their initial divergence lies only in the single thought of delusion or awakening. As the common saying goes, "lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot." The journey from demon to Buddhahood also lies in this one thought of the mind. From this we can see that grasping our thoughts is the key to Buddhist practice.
-
-In the Agama scriptures, the Buddha particularly advocated the practice of the six recollections: recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Dharma, recollection of the Sangha, recollection of the precepts, recollection of generosity, and recollection of the devas. These are the fundamental perspectives that practitioners should cultivate. Recollection of the Buddha is recollecting the Buddha's virtues---looking up to him with deep admiration and aspiring toward his example. Recollection of the Dharma is recollecting the truth of the Dharma, recollecting emptiness and nirvana, and recollecting the methods for severing delusion and realizing the truth. Recollection of the Sangha is recollecting the virtue and dignified conduct of the noble Sangha. Recollection of the precepts is bringing one's conduct into accord with the standards of the law and precepts, thereby guiding oneself toward liberation. Recollection of generosity is outwardly giving wealth and goods to cultivate the field of merit, and inwardly relinquishing afflictions to perfect one's character. Recollection of the devas is not yearning for heavenly blessings, but recollecting the merit and virtue of devas and recognizing the importance of cultivating wholesome actions. Beyond these six, the scriptures also speak of ten recollections, adding: recollection of rest, recollection of the breath, recollection of the body's impermanence, and recollection of death. Recollection of rest is stilling deluded thoughts and bringing the mind to a state of tranquility. Recollection of the breath is focusing attention on one's breathing, knowing whether the breath is coarse or fine, long or short, cool or warm, tethering the mind to the breath so that mind and breath become interdependent. Recollection of the body's impermanence is constantly recalling that the physical body is fragile and impermanent, that life hangs by a thread, and thus no longer clinging to worldly things. Recollection of death is recalling that the god of death is ever at our side, ready to strike at any opening; we must therefore practice with diligence, as if our hair were on fire.
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-For the practice of liberation, the Buddha also gave us the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplating the mind as impermanent, contemplating phenomena as without self, contemplating the body as impure, and contemplating feelings as suffering. Contemplating the mind as impermanent is observing the ceaseless change of thoughts, adjusting one's mental state, abiding in right mindfulness, and not being carried away by unwholesome conditions. Contemplating phenomena as without self is observing that all phenomena arise and cease through conditions, without self or anything belonging to a self, and observing them as they truly are without clinging to them as self. Contemplating the body as impure is observing that our physical body, though maintained in outward cleanliness through bathing and changing clothes, is inwardly filled with pus, blood, and waste, with impurities constantly flowing from its nine orifices, and thus not giving rise to attachment. Contemplating feelings as suffering is observing that all defiled feelings, whether painful or pleasant, are suffering in essence and not to be clung to. By constantly practicing the four foundations of mindfulness, one can counteract the four kinds of inverted views that ordinary beings hold: seeing what is impermanent as permanent, what is suffering as happiness, what is impure as pure, and what is without self as self.
-
-*[Right Concentration]*
-
-Concentration is one-pointedness of mind. To cultivate concentration, one must choose a wholesome object of meditation and settle the mind upon it, putting a stop to restlessness and drowsiness. Through sustained and stable attention, one develops the power of concentration. Concentration can be right or wrong. Wrong concentration means greedily clinging to the bliss of concentration and sinking into it. The practice of concentration brings tremendous meditative joy, but this joy, too, must not be clung to. The *Yogacara Bodhisattva Precepts* states: "If a bodhisattva abiding in the pure precepts of a bodhisattva takes greedy pleasure in meditative absorption and sees the enjoyment of meditative absorption as a virtue, this constitutes an infraction, a transgression---it is a defiled transgression." If hearers become greedily attached to meditative joy, they cannot advance toward liberation. If bodhisattvas become greedily attached to the flavor of concentration, they cannot benefit others. Therefore, the bodhisattva precepts regard greedy attachment to meditative bliss as a transgression. Furthermore, cultivating concentration for the sake of attaining supernatural powers also falls under wrong concentration. Supernatural powers are abilities that require a sound character as their safeguard. Otherwise, possessing supernatural powers is like a child playing with fire---extremely dangerous, for the child is likely to be burned. For this very reason, in Buddhist practice, wisdom and compassion are far more important than supernatural powers. To neglect virtue while single-mindedly pursuing supernatural powers is absolutely inadvisable.
-
-Buddhist practice follows the three higher trainings: the training in higher precepts, the training in higher concentration, and the training in higher wisdom. Their sequence is: precepts give rise to concentration, and concentration gives rise to wisdom. From this we see that cultivating concentration is for the purpose of developing wisdom, not for its own sake. Only by developing wisdom can we cut off afflictions and liberate ourselves from birth and death. Hence, only the concentration that gives rise to undefiled wisdom is right concentration.
-
-The Noble Eightfold Path is the constant path of Buddhist practice and the non-dual Middle Way that leads toward liberation. The Buddha told us: "On the one hand, people's minds cling to objects of desire and cannot leave them---this is not a cause of liberation. On the other hand, they engage in wrong reflection and torment their bodies in seeking liberation." And when the World-honored One was about to enter nirvana, he earnestly admonished Ananda: "Rely on yourself; rely on the Dharma; rely on nothing else." That is to say, liberation should be achieved through one's own effort, following the guidance of the Buddhadharma. And this Dharma is precisely the many Dharma gates centered on the Noble Eightfold Path.
-
-The Four Noble Truths were mainly taught by the Buddha to the hearers: "This is suffering---you should know it. This is the cause of suffering---you should abandon it. This is the cessation of suffering---you should realize it. This is the path---you should cultivate it." Summed up, the practice of the Four Noble Truths is "know suffering, abandon its cause, yearn for cessation, and cultivate the path." In other words, in the realm of the hearers, there is suffering to be known, a cause to be abandoned, a cessation to be realized, and a path to be cultivated.
-
-But when the Four Noble Truths are observed with the right view of prajna, the landscape is entirely different. The *Heart Sutra* states: "No suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering, or path." This tells us that when observed with prajna wisdom, the Four Noble Truths, too, are empty of intrinsic nature---utterly ungraspable. Here, we can likewise apply the earlier formula: suffering is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from suffering; suffering itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is suffering. The same applies to the cause of suffering, cessation, and the path. On the phenomenal level, the Four Noble Truths transform defilement into purity. But seen from the essential nature of emptiness without intrinsic nature, suffering, its cause, cessation, and the path are, in this very moment, of the nature of emptiness. Within emptiness, there is no so-called distinction between defilement and purity.
-
-From the level where the Four Truths are without distinction, we can further realize the principle that "afflictions are bodhi." If the defiled fruits of suffering in the world were eternal and fixed, they would indeed be troubling. But when observed with prajna wisdom, afflictions, too, are empty of intrinsic nature. Suppose, when an affliction arises, we cling to it as the self, take it seriously, and indulge it---very soon we will drown in it and be tormented. On the other hand, if we can use wisdom to contemplate the causes and conditions of the affliction's arising and this very thought of the present moment, the affliction will naturally cease.
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-{#九解脱自在的人生}
-## Nine. A Life of Liberation and Freedom
-
-> No wisdom and no attainment, with nothing to be attained. Because of Prajna Paramita, the bodhisattva's mind is without hindrance. Without hindrance, there is no fear. Far from all inverted views and deluded thoughts, ultimately nirvana.
-
-Because sentient beings do not understand "existence" well enough, they always live with a mentality of having something to attain, clinging everywhere to all that is in the world. In our lives, we cling to wealth, status, emotions, and family; we cling to our living environment and interpersonal relationships; we also cling to our own views, skills, strengths, and so on. Because of this clinging, we develop an intense possessiveness toward all these things. When our needs cannot be satisfied, our lives are filled with all kinds of afflictions.
-
-In its short span of just over two hundred characters, the *Heart Sutra*---from "illuminated the five aggregates and saw they are all empty" to "no suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering, or path"---is entirely directed at ordinary beings' mistaken understanding of and attachment to existence. It reveals that existing phenomena are provisional forms arising from causes and conditions, whose essence is empty of intrinsic nature. The purpose is none other than to have us let go of our attachment to deluded objects and deluded thoughts, transcend the dualistic opposition of subject and object, step out of the continuity of the deluded mind, and dwell peacefully in the emptiness of non-attainment. Only then can we, as the *Diamond Sutra* says, give rise to a mind that does not abide in form, that does not abide in sound, scent, taste, touch, or mental objects.
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-{#心无挂碍}
-### 1. The Mind Without Hindrance
-
-"No wisdom and no attainment, with nothing to be attained." Once we realize that deluded objects are empty, we no longer discriminate among them and no longer cling to them. But is this mind that knows and recognizes something substantially real? In fact, the mind, too, is dependently arisen. Take the activity of eye consciousness: it depends on nine conditions---the eye, form objects, light, space, seeds, the simultaneous support, the discriminating support, the defiled-or-pure support, and the fundamental support. Similarly, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, and all other mental activities are likewise dependently arisen. When we recognize that deluded objects are empty of intrinsic nature and distance ourselves from deluded attachment, the deluded mind also ceases to arise. This is what is meant by "when objects are quiescent, the mind is empty; no wisdom, no attainment." When the deluded mind, deluded objects, and deluded attachment have all ceased, what manifests is precisely the prajna wisdom of non-dual luminosity and emptiness.
-
-"Because of Prajna Paramita, the bodhisattva's mind is without hindrance." *Bodhisattva* is Sanskrit; the Chinese *pusa* is short for the full transliteration *putisaduo*. The Tang gloss renders it as "awakened sentient being," carrying the meaning of one who is awakened and who causes other sentient beings to awaken. Sentient beings are centered on emotion and attachment. Toward everything in the world, they wish to take possession; they want everything related to them to be subordinated to them; they wish to realize their self-worth through the limitless expansion of "mine." Little do they realize that the more they cling, the more they bind themselves. For awakened ones, however, they observe human life with prajna. There is no self and nothing belonging to a self. Thus, they transcend worldly fame and gain, and their minds are without anxious concern.
-
-During the Tang dynasty, there was a Chan practitioner named Lancan whose cultivation was exceedingly profound and whose renown spread far and wide. One day, the emperor sent an envoy to invite him to the palace. When the envoy arrived, the Chan master was roasting taros in the mountains. After the envoy read out the imperial decree, the master acted as if he had not heard a word. It was the dead of winter, and the master, thinly clad, had cold mucus running from his nose. Seeing this, the envoy urged the master to wipe his nose. Unexpectedly, the master replied, "I have no time to wipe a layman's snot." For in the Chan master's realm, he had long transcended such distinctions and was utterly at ease, free and unconstrained. His poems are a true portrait of this life and inner state:
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-The affairs of the world drag on and on, / No match for the hills and peaks. / Green pines that block the sun, / Azure streams ever flowing. /
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-Mountain clouds as my curtain, / The night moon as my hook. / Lying beneath vines and creepers, / A slab of rock for a pillow. /
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-I do not bow before the Son of Heaven, / Why would I envy lords and kings? / Life and death give me no worry, / What else is there to fear? /
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-The moon in the water has no form, / I am forever at peace. / All things are just so, / Originally unborn. /
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-Idly I sit with nothing to do, / When spring comes, the grass greens of itself.
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-Chan practitioners who dwell in mountain forests, facing green hills and clear waters, have only a single pitcher and a single bowl, utterly free of attachments. For them, even birth and death have ceased to be a problem. What else could possibly trouble them or give them cause for worry?
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-During the Buddha's lifetime, Prince Bhadrika and two fellow practitioners were sitting in meditation in a mountain forest. One day, the three could not help calling out, "What joy! What joy!" When the Buddha heard this, he asked, "What makes you so joyful?" Prince Bhadrika replied, "When I was in the palace, I toiled day and night over affairs of state, never knowing leisure throughout the year, and I constantly feared for my life. Though I lived in a luxurious and comfortable palace, dining on rare delicacies, clothed in fine silk and brocade, and guarded at all times by soldiers, I always felt a sense of fear and unease---I could not eat with relish or sleep with peace. Now that I have left home to practice, my mind no longer carries any burden. Every day passes in the joy of Dharma. Wherever I go, I feel relaxed and free, and from deep within my heart, a cry of joy wells up unbidden."
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-{#生死自在}
-### 2. At Ease with Life and Death
-
-"Without hindrance, there is no fear." Sentient beings are bound by attachment. Whatever they possess, they worry about. If they possess wealth, they fear others will have designs on their wealth. If they possess status, they fear others will envy their position. If they possess a beautiful wife, they fear others will covet their family. Even just wearing an expensive new garment, they are afraid of getting it dirty and move about timidly, not daring to act freely. In short, as long as they cling to what they own, they will fear losing it because of that clinging, and their days will be spent in terror.
-
-The awakened one sees through the rights and wrongs, gains and losses, honor and disgrace of the world. Without clinging, without worry, there is no longer any fear. Even death, which worldly people dread the most, Chan practitioners can face with perfect composure, regarding it as a homecoming. In the history of Buddhism, such stories abound. Take the Tang dynasty Chan master Depu. Before he passed away, he gathered all his disciples and asked them, "How do you plan to handle things after I die?" The disciples immediately responded, "We will present abundant offerings of fruit and prepare various funeral couplets to honor your memory." The master said, "Unfortunately, I won't be able to see those scenes after I die. Why not hold the ceremony ahead of time while I'm still here, so I can enjoy it, and then die? Wouldn't that be better?" The disciples looked at each other in bewilderment but dared not disobey their teacher's instruction. So they set up the mourning hall, wrote the funeral eulogies, and held a grand memorial ceremony. The master watched with great delight, commended his disciples, and then, sitting in meditation, serenely passed away.
-
-The manner in which Chan master Xingkong departed was also extraordinary. Before his death, the master left a poem: "Better than sitting or standing to die / Is a water burial for me. / It saves on firewood for cremation, / And saves on digging a grave. / Letting go, I simply go, / How swift, how joyful and free. / Who is the one who knows my song? / Old Boatman Monk, only he. / This noble spirit, hard to match through a thousand years--- / Few can sing this fishermen's melody." Then he instructed his disciples to build a wooden tub and carry it to the riverside. Amid the farewells of his disciples, the master climbed into the tub, played his flute, and drifted away with the current. The tub's unique feature was a small hole in its bottom. And so, accompanied by the drifting notes of his flute, the master gradually sank into the water, leaving not a trace. Boatman Monk likewise chose a water burial, as did Master Xingkong. Hence the line in the master's poem: "Who knows my song? Old Boatman Monk." Regarding Boatman Monk, Master Xingkong also wrote: "When the old boatman returned to his native land that year, / The wonder of that traceless place is beyond all measure. / This true spirit I send to all who know my song, / As a finale, the iron flute plays across the water."
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-Given that Chan masters could face even death with such composure, how much less would they be troubled by honor and disgrace? In Japan, there was a Chan master named Hakuin, renowned for his lofty virtue. Among his followers was a cloth merchant. The merchant's daughter fell in love with a young man and became pregnant before marriage. Her father was enraged and pressed his daughter to reveal the truth. Fearing that if she told the truth her lover would be killed by her father, and knowing that her father held Master Hakuin in the highest respect, she shifted all the blame onto the master. The father believed her and, without distinguishing right from wrong, beat the master severely. The master offered no defense. When the child was born, they dumped the illegitimate baby on Master Hakuin. The master, like a nursemaid, went begging everywhere for milk to feed the child, enduring endless insults and mockery, yet still offered no defense. Years later, the child's biological father, who had fled far away, learned what had happened and came forward to reveal the truth. The whole family, overcome with shame, went together to apologize to the master. Master Hakuin, feeling he had suffered no particular wrong, still offered no defense and simply returned the child to them.
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-{#息灭妄想}
-### 3. Stilling Deluded Thoughts
-
-"Far from all inverted views and deluded thoughts, ultimately nirvana." Inverted views and deluded thoughts are mistaken ideas that do not correspond to reality. A simpler term is "deluded thoughts." The term "deluded thoughts" originated in Buddhism and later spread widely in society, where its meaning shifted somewhat. Usually, people dismiss unrealistic, hard-to-achieve ideas as deluded thoughts. From the standpoint of the Buddhadharma, these are indeed deluded thoughts. But even ideas that are realistic and achievable, so long as they do not accord with the truth, fall within the scope of deluded thoughts.
-
-In the view of the Buddhadharma, before realizing the true nature of all phenomena, people live entirely within deluded thoughts. The arising of deluded thoughts has ignorance as its root, desire as its driving force, and attachment as its contributing condition. The link "ignorance conditions volitional formations" in the Twelve Nidanas illustrates that the mental basis of all actions is ignorance---the confusion of life. Any thought that arises in such a state belongs to the category of deluded thoughts.
-
-Living in the world, people are driven by desire, which stirs up all kinds of corresponding thoughts. When we feel cold, we think of finding clothes to wear. When we feel hungry, we think of finding food to eat. When we feel lonely, we think of getting married and starting a family. When we feel idle and bored, we take an interest in entertainment. When we feel spiritually impoverished, we pursue the arts. When we feel life is painfully short, we turn to religion. In short, whatever desires human beings have, they will have corresponding deluded thoughts. And whatever deluded thoughts they have, corresponding phenomena will appear in their world.
-
-In addition, attachment is a major contributory condition for deluded thoughts. It is like a child playing with fire on dry firewood, when a strong wind suddenly blows up, and the fire, fanned by the wind, blazes fiercely and burns the family's house to the ground. The child lighting the fire is like ignorance; the dry firewood and house are like desire; the strong wind is like attachment. The fire of desire burns because of ignorance and rages fiercely because of the wind. The deluded thoughts generated by desire likewise intensify as attachment grows stronger. The deeper the attachment, the greater the deluded thoughts.
-
-Because people focus on different things, each person's deluded thoughts take on different tendencies. For instance, some people focus on clothing and are always keeping an eye on fashion trends, thinking about what to wear to look decent and attractive. They also work hard to earn money to buy clothes, neglecting the inner life in favor of outer packaging. Others focus on family, rushing about day after day to provide for the household, worrying about their children's growth, and managing disagreements among family members. No wonder many practitioners report that they cannot concentrate during sitting meditation or Buddha-name recitation. If we are tangled up in these affairs day after day, if we carry these attachments with us onto the meditation seat, how can we possibly settle the mind?
-
-Moreover, those who focus on science will have science-related deluded thoughts. Those who focus on art will have art-related deluded thoughts. Those who focus on love will have love-related deluded thoughts. Those who focus on power will have power-related deluded thoughts. Those who focus on the ultimate questions of life will have philosophy-related deluded thoughts. In this world, everyone has their own sphere of attention and their own tendency toward deluded thoughts.
-
-Deluded thoughts cause us to live in a world constructed by ignorance, unable to see through to the true meaning of the universe and human life. The Consciousness-Only school of Buddhism divides the world into three different levels: first, the nature of universal conceptualization, the state of subjective illusion; second, the nature of dependence on others, the provisional forms that appear through causes and conditions; third, the nature of ultimate reality, the world as it truly is. Due to ignorance, ordinary beings are entangled in the nature of universal conceptualization and cannot recognize the nature of dependence on others, much less realize the nature of ultimate reality. Thus, the key reason humans cannot correctly understand the world lies in cognition itself. If we observe the world with a deluded mind, it is like wearing colored glasses: what we see is naturally a deluded realm, not reality.
-
-Moreover, deluded thoughts drive sentient beings to exhaust themselves on the journey of life. In nature, the chicken struggles for a handful of grain, the bee struggles for a nest of honey. In society, students work hard for admission to better schools, businesspeople fight to run their enterprises, scholars strive for academic titles---everyone is struggling to realize their own deluded thoughts. The bigger the deluded thoughts, the more intensely and arduously they struggle. Some cannot even let go at the moment of death---truly, "the heavens may one day end and the earth expire, but deluded thoughts stretch on without cease."
-
-Deluded thoughts also bring people all manner of afflictions. Some are forever sunk in memories and expectations, unable to face the present. Some constantly overestimate their abilities and lament that their talents go unrecognized. Some spend all day scheming and calculating and therefore cannot eat or sleep well. Some yearn for a life of luxury, but it is beyond their reach, leaving them in misery. Sinking into deluded thoughts also makes people mentally scattered and idle. Even if the deluded thoughts can never be realized, the present life still suffers enormous disruption.
-
-Thus we see that deluded thoughts lead to every kind of fault. Therefore, the *Heart Sutra* exhorts us to be far from all inverted views and deluded thoughts. But keeping far from them is no easy task. When many people first begin sitting meditation, they constantly feel deluded thoughts streaming on endlessly, as the saying goes, "the tree wants to be still but the wind will not stop." What is even more distressing is that the more we try to suppress them, the more actively deluded thoughts surge up, one wave after another. What is to be done? The remedy set forth in the *Heart Sutra* ranges from illuminating the five aggregates and seeing they are all empty, to recognizing that all phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, to not abiding in form, sound, scent, taste, touch, or mental objects, to no wisdom and no attainment, to the mind without hindrance---and deluded thoughts will naturally have nowhere to arise. It is just as Chan master Cangxue said: "Sitting quietly on the southern terrace, a single stick of incense burning, / All day in stillness, ten thousand cares forgotten. / It is not that I halt the mind to rid myself of deluded thoughts--- / It is simply that there is nothing left worth pondering." For ordinary beings whose deluded thoughts fly wildly about, it is necessary to counteract them through meditative contemplation, Buddha-name recitation, and mantra recitation. But for Chan practitioners who see through the truth of all phenomena, there are simply no objects in the world to cling to or become attached to. Thus, deluded thoughts naturally do not arise.
-
-"Ultimately nirvana." *Nirvana* is a Sanskrit word, translated by meaning as extinction, quiescent extinction, or extinction-and-crossing-over. Extinction means extinguishing afflictions, extinguishing anxious concern, extinguishing fear, extinguishing inverted views and deluded thoughts, and extinguishing attachment to what one possesses. Only in this way can one transcend birth and death. Nirvana is also the true nature of the universe and human life. The *Mulamadhyamakakarika*, chapter "Examination of Nirvana," states: "Between nirvana and the world, there is not the slightest difference. Between the world and nirvana, there is not the slightest difference. The ultimate limit of nirvana and the ultimate limit of the world---between these two limits, there is not a hair's breadth of difference." Judging from the superficial appearances of the world and nirvana, there seem to be distinctions between arising and ceasing on the one hand and quiescent extinction on the other. However, this very moment of birth and death is itself ultimate emptiness; it is itself quiescent nirvana. Therefore, nirvana has not departed from the world; it should be realized right within the appearances of birth and death in the world.
-
-So is nirvana, then, the same as the arising and ceasing, existence and non-existence, of worldly appearances? No. The *Mulamadhyamakakarika* states: "Even existence is not nirvana, how much less non-existence? In nirvana, there is no existence; where could there be non-existence?" That is to say, nirvana is neither existence nor non-existence; it cannot be known through the relative categories of worldly existence and non-existence. The treatise further says: "No attainment and no arrival; neither annihilated nor eternal; neither arising nor ceasing---this is what is called nirvana." This further clarifies that the substance of nirvana is emptiness, the state wherein afflictions have been quelled. Neither arising nor ceasing, neither existent nor non-existent.
-
-{#十成佛的唯一途径}
-## Ten. The Only Path to Buddhahood
-
-> All buddhas of the three times, relying on Prajna Paramita, attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
-
-To study Buddhism is to attain Buddhahood. Many people find this statement vague and mysterious: "Can we really become buddhas? Since ancient times, who exactly has become a buddha?" The *Heart Sutra* states: "All buddhas of the three times." The three times refer to the past, the present, and the future. "All" means many. That is to say, from the past to the present and into the future, there are countless, boundless buddhas. We are familiar with Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Medicine Master Buddha, and the like, but in reality, the buddhas who have reached perfect enlightenment are far more than these. Many Mahayana sutras and treatises speak of buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in all ten directions, presently teaching the Dharma and liberating sentient beings.
-
-The *Amitabha Sutra*, recited by Buddhists in their daily morning and evening liturgy, records the buddhas of the ten directions. The sutra states: "The sentient beings of that land, always in the clear morning, each take robes and fill them with a multitude of wondrous flowers to make offerings to ten trillion buddhas in other directions." The sutra also describes the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, explaining that its realm lies to the west of our Saha world, separated from us by ten trillion buddha lands. The sutra goes on to list the buddhas of the six directions who praise Amitabha's Pure Land: "In the eastern direction, there are also Akshobhya Buddha, Sumeru Form Buddha, Great Sumeru Buddha, Sumeru Light Buddha, and Wondrous Sound Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges... In the southern direction, there are Sun Moon Lamp Buddha, Renowned Light Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Sumeru Lamp Buddha, and Immeasurable Vigor Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges... In the western direction, there are Immeasurable Life Buddha, Immeasurable Form Buddha, Immeasurable Banner Buddha, Great Light Buddha, Great Brightness Buddha, Jewel Form Buddha, and Pure Light Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges... In the northern direction, there are Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Supreme Sound Buddha, Hard to Obstruct Buddha, Sun-Born Buddha, and Net Brightness Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges... In the lower direction, there are Lion Buddha, Renowned Buddha, Renowned Light Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Banner Buddha, and Dharma Upholding Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges... In the upper direction, there are Brahma Sound Buddha, Constellation King Buddha, Supreme Fragrance Buddha, Fragrant Light Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Varied Jewel Flower Adornment Buddha, Sala Tree King Buddha, Jewel Flower Virtue Buddha, the Buddha Who Sees All Meanings, and Thus Like Mount Sumeru Buddha, and buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges." This also reflects, from one perspective, just how numerous the buddhas are.
-
-So how do we, as ordinary beings, attain Buddhahood? The sutra states: "All buddhas of the three times, relying on Prajna Paramita, attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi." This tells us that all buddhas of the ten directions and three times attain Buddhahood through prajna. From this, we can also see the essential role of prajna wisdom in attaining Buddhahood: it runs through every stage of a sentient being's journey from studying Buddhism to becoming a buddha. Yet prajna is the wisdom of noble ones. How can ordinary beings realize it, how can they grasp it? Buddhism speaks of three kinds of prajna: first, prajna of the written word; second, prajna of contemplative illumination; third, prajna of true reality. Among these, only prajna of true reality represents the essence of prajna. The prajna of the written word and prajna of contemplative illumination are called prajna only because they can give birth to and nurture prajna.
-
-Below, I will briefly introduce prajna and the methods for attaining it.
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-{#学佛须从文字般若下手}
-### 1. Studying the Buddha-dharma Must Begin with the Prajna of the Written Word
-
-The Buddhadharma tells us: "Through listening, reflecting, and practicing, enter the gate of liberation." Or: "Draw near to good spiritual friends, listen to the correct Dharma, reflect on it in accordance with principle, and practice the Dharma in conformity with the Dharma." In the Noble Eightfold Path, too, right view and right thought are placed first. But we must understand that the prajna of the written word does not mean taking the words themselves as prajna. There is a great deal of worldly writing, and in many cases, the knowledge formed by words not only fails to arouse prajna but is precisely what obstructs it.
-
-Therefore, the Buddha particularly cautioned us: only by drawing near to good spiritual friends can we listen to the correct Dharma and, through reflection in accordance with principle, attain the prajna of the written word. In the Agama scriptures, the Buddha emphasized the importance of drawing near to good spiritual friends: "I, too, attained supreme, perfect enlightenment through relying on good spiritual friends. Having attained the fruits of the Path, I liberated countless, immeasurable sentient beings, freeing them all from birth, aging, sickness, and death... Those who associate with good spiritual friends will see their faculty of faith increase, and they will become fully endowed with the virtues of listening, generosity, and wisdom." As the saying goes, one who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. Drawing near to good spiritual friends produces precisely this staying-near-vermillion effect. If even a being of such great wisdom as the Buddha attained accomplishment by drawing near to good spiritual guides, how much more so ordinary beings like us?
-
-The correct Dharma is the Tathagata's teachings. Because worldly people are ignorant, they cannot correctly recognize the true nature of all phenomena. They mistake black for white and are caught in endless afflictions and deluded thoughts, which obscure the innate wisdom and virtue within them. Listening to the correct Dharma enables us to see the universe and human life correctly, to know as they truly are the conditioned-arising nature, the causal nature, the impermanent nature, the suffering nature, and the empty nature of the world, and to transform the mistaken views accumulated since time without beginning, thereby stilling the deluded mind. Once the deluded mind is stilled, prajna wisdom naturally manifests.
-
-Of the three kinds of prajna, the prajna of the written word gives rise to the prajna of contemplative illumination---this is the practice of illuminating the true nature of all phenomena. The *Heart Sutra*'s phrases "illuminated the five aggregates and saw they are all empty" and "form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form" are all realized through the prajna of contemplative illumination. It is by correctly perceiving the true nature of all phenomena through the prajna of contemplative illumination that one can realize the prajna of true reality---also called the wisdom of all modes, the true nature that is neither quiescent nor illuminating, far removed from all delusion.
-
-{#声闻乘的五分法身以慧为核心}
-### 2. The Fivefold Dharma Body of the Hearer Vehicle Has Wisdom at Its Core
-
-The fivefold Dharma body consists of precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. Precepts are the behavioral standards that bring about liberation. Ordinarily, our six faculties operate under the sway of emotions. Ordinary beings, through the force of self-attachment and the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance, cannot help but commit various evil deeds such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech. The precepts have the function of guarding against wrong and putting a stop to evil; they can tame the body and mind, regulate behavior, help us restrain the six faculties, purify the threefold karma, and at the same time limit the proliferation of deluded thoughts. For those who observe the precepts in accordance with the Dharma, body and mind will gradually grow simpler, which is beneficial for meditative cultivation. Hence it is said that precepts can give rise to concentration. And further, concentration can give rise to wisdom. For ordinary beings, the light of prajna wisdom is covered and obstructed by deluded thoughts and attachments. If one uses the power of concentration to still deluded thoughts, undefiled wisdom will brightly manifest. When wisdom is uncovered, one can thoroughly eliminate afflictions and accomplish liberation. Finally, one accomplishes the knowledge and vision of liberation, which includes the wisdom of exhaustion and the wisdom of non-arising. The wisdom of exhaustion is the wisdom of having exhausted all afflictions and entered the stage beyond learning. The wisdom of non-arising is the wisdom that realizes the patient endurance of the non-arising of phenomena. Both kinds of wisdom arise after liberation has been accomplished; they are the subsequently attained wisdom of constant, unobstructed illumination.
-
-Why does the fivefold Dharma body have wisdom at its core? Because observing precepts and cultivating concentration are not uniquely Buddhist practices. Take the observance of precepts: various religions in the world all have corresponding precepts, and even in secular society, each nation has laws that are analogous to precepts. As for cultivating concentration, many non-Buddhist paths in India have methods for practicing concentration, and the breathing techniques of Chinese Daoism also fall within the scope of concentration practice. Even the four dhyanas and eight concentrations of Buddhism are likewise mundane meditative states. Though Buddhism emphasizes precepts and concentration, it does not regard the mere observance of precepts as the ultimate. That is to say, merely observing precepts without activating wisdom cannot lead to liberation. Among the six root afflictions, the clinging of non-Buddhist paths to the observance of precepts as a means of liberation is classified as clinging to rites and rituals. Furthermore, Buddhism does not take the cultivation of concentration as the ultimate, either. In the bodhisattva precepts, even greedy clinging to the flavor of meditative absorption is regarded as a transgression. What sets Buddhism apart from other religions is that the observance of precepts and the cultivation of concentration it advocates are both pathways for developing undefiled wisdom. It is through precepts and concentration that wisdom is attained. And only with wisdom can one liberate oneself from afflictions and realize nirvana.
-
-{#菩萨道的六度法门以般若为导}
-### 3. The Six Paramitas of the Bodhisattva Path Take Prajna as Their Guide
-
-The Six Paramitas, also known as the six perfections, are the six principal Dharma gates for cultivating the bodhisattva path. They are: generosity, precepts, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna. The ancient masters said: "The five perfections are like the blind; prajna is like a torch." Worldly people also practice the first five of the Six Paramitas, but lacking the guidance of prajna, what they do are merely ordinary worldly good deeds and cannot be elevated to the status of provisions for awakening. Below, I will introduce the Six Paramitas one by one.
-
-*[Generosity]*
-
-Generosity is what we ordinarily call giving. The *Mahayana-samgraha* states: "It can break through miserliness and poverty and can attract the provisions of vast wealth, status, and merit; therefore it is called generosity." Generosity encompasses various dimensions, such as giving material goods, giving the Dharma, and giving fearlessness. Giving material goods means helping others with material possessions. Giving the Dharma means helping others with the Buddhadharma one has learned and with knowledge and skills. Giving fearlessness means giving sentient beings a sense of safety and security through loving-kindness and compassion.
-
-Generosity not only benefits others but also brings immense benefit to oneself. On the one hand, generosity enables us to break through miserliness. Ordinary beings are greedy for wealth and, when faced with those in need, are often unwilling to give because of their stinginess. Even items that are barely ever used suddenly seem important the moment they are about to be given away. Generosity is precisely an effective method for overcoming miserliness. On the other hand, generosity also allows us to broadly plant the field of merit and transform the causes of poverty. Ordinary beings are short-sighted, thinking that when they give a little, they lose a little. Little do they know that generosity is like a farmer sowing seeds: every seed will bring a bountiful return. If farming the land may sometimes yield less due to natural disasters and other causes, farming the field of merit is entirely risk-free and is certain to bring reward. The broader and purer one's aspiration, the greater the harvest. Can those who are reluctant to sow seeds in spring hope for a harvest in autumn? If they knew they had missed a golden opportunity because of their stinginess, they would surely be filled with regret. Many who suffer poverty all their lives do so precisely because they were unwilling to practice generosity in past lives. If they do not begin to change this karmic cause now, their plight will be hard to alter. It is like trying to farm barren land: no matter how hard you work, it is difficult to yield much. Only by improving the soil can the problem be fundamentally solved. Therefore, generosity can both break through poverty and bring blessings.
-
-We should also pay special attention to some problems that are prone to arise in the practice of generosity. Some people give in order to gain a good reputation---to fish for fame and compliments. Some people give because they feel indebted to someone---to ease their conscience. Some people give to show off their wealth---to appear superior. Some people give to ward off misfortune---to avert disaster through financial loss. Some people give to win support---to curry favor. Some people give out of competitiveness---to show off. Some people give out of utilitarianism---as a way to make a profit. From the Buddhist perspective, all such giving is not in accord with the Dharma and is not ultimate. Although it may bring corresponding benefits, the mistaken motivation will lead to various undesirable consequences. As it is said, "if the causal ground is not genuine, the result will be distorted."
-
-Thus, generosity, too, must be practiced under the guidance of prajna. The *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra* states: "The bodhisattva-mahasattva, dwelling in Prajna Paramita through the method of non-abiding, should fulfill the perfection of generosity through the method of nothing to be given---the giver, the recipient, and the gift are all ungraspable." Giving in accordance with the Dharma arises from a mind of compassion and is practiced in response to the needs of the world. At the time of giving, one does not abide in the mark of giving, does not regard oneself as the giver, the other as the recipient, or cling to how much one has given. This is exactly what the *Diamond Sutra* says: "A bodhisattva should practice giving without abiding in anything---that is, giving without abiding in form, without abiding in sound, scent, taste, touch, or mental objects. Subhuti! A bodhisattva should practice giving in this way, without abiding in any mark. Why? If a bodhisattva gives without abiding in any mark, his merit is inconceivable and immeasurable." To practice generosity without abiding in any mark---its merit is as vast and boundless as empty space, inexhaustible.
-
-*[Precepts]*
-
-Buddhist precepts are mainly divided into hearer precepts and bodhisattva precepts. Hearer precepts emphasize the cessation of evil, such as the five precepts and eight precepts for laypeople, and the novice precepts and fully ordained monk precepts for monastics. Bodhisattva precepts, building on this foundation, advocate actively doing good and are composed of the three groups of pure precepts. First, the precepts of restraint: putting a stop to all evil actions. Second, the precepts of embracing wholesome dharmas: practicing all wholesome dharmas. Third, the precepts of benefiting sentient beings: bringing benefit to all sentient beings. As the *Mahayana-samgraha* states: "It can extinguish evil precepts and evil destinies, and can obtain good destinies and meditative stability; therefore it is called precepts."
-
-"Precepts are the root of the unsurpassed awakening." For practice, observing the precepts holds profound significance. First, it can extinguish evil precepts: by receiving and upholding the pure precepts established by the Buddha, one will no longer adhere to the various evil precepts of folk religions or non-Buddhist paths. Second, it can close the door to the evil destinies: observing the precepts can stop all evil actions so that one no longer falls into the evil destinies. Third, it can give rise to good destinies: observing the precepts can bring us birth in the good paths of humans and devas. Fourth, observing the precepts can bring about meditative stability: stability is concentration, that is, precepts give rise to concentration.
-
-On the surface, the precepts may seem to place great emphasis on form and detail, making it easy for people to become attached to appearances. But we must understand that observing the precepts is not an end in itself; the purpose is to regulate conduct and tame body and mind through the precepts. If we spend our days merely obsessing over what should be done and what should not, or what constitutes an offense and what does not, forgetting the fundamental spirit of the precepts and the ultimate meaning of upholding them, we will instead be bound by the precepts. If we can uphold the precepts under the guidance of prajna, we can avoid this error. The *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra* states: "Because offense and non-offense are both ungraspable, one should fulfill the perfection of precepts." From the perspective of conditioned arising, although there is a distinction between observing and transgressing the precepts, on the level of emptiness, the marks of observing and transgressing are utterly ungraspable. Therefore, a bodhisattva must earnestly observe the precepts while simultaneously not clinging to the marks of doing so. Only in this way can one observe the precepts in accord with the Dharma and perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.
-
-*[Patience]*
-
-The *Mahayana-samgraha* states: "It can completely extinguish anger, resentment, and enmity, and it can well establish well-being for oneself and others; therefore it is called patience." Patience embodies the bodhisattva's inner cultivation and includes three kinds: the patience of enduring the harm of enemies, the patience of accepting suffering, and the patience of discerning the Dharma. The patience of enduring the harm of enemies means bearing the various unreasonable attacks and accusations of enemies and adversaries. The patience of accepting suffering means remaining composed under all kinds of adverse conditions such as physical illness and weakness, extreme cold or heat, lack of food and clothing, and so on. The patience of discerning the Dharma means recognizing and accepting truths that differ greatly from one's own views.
-
-Patience enables us to dispel anger. When the seeds of hatred sprout, if we lack patience, anger will arise. But if we can calmly accept everything, including the harm done by others, we will not make enemies of anyone. Thus, patience brings inner peace and mutual harmony. The *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra* states: "Because the mind is unmoved, one should fulfill the perfection of patience." Ordinary people cannot practice patience precisely because their minds are stirred by external conditions. How can we remain unmoved in the face of any situation? We must observe with prajna wisdom, illuminating the truth that the dual marks of self and phenomena are utterly ungraspable. In the *Diamond Sutra*, the Buddha recalled that when his body was dismembered by King Kalinga in the past, the reason he was able to give rise to not even the slightest anger was precisely because he had realized non-self. In studying the Buddha-dharma and practicing, we too should observe with prajna, knowing that all phenomena are like illusions, and remain unmoved by conditions. If we can achieve this, there is actually nothing in the world that needs to be endured. Only this is perfect patience.
-
-*[Diligence]*
-
-The *Mahayana-samgraha* states: "It can distance one from all indolence and evil, unwholesome dharmas, and can give rise to immeasurable wholesome dharmas and cause them to increase; therefore it is called diligence." Diligence is what we ordinarily call effort. But not all effort falls within the scope of diligence; diligence has a specific content: first, stopping evil, and second, doing good. Only the effort to stop evil and do good is the right diligence emphasized in Buddhism.
-
-Diligence further includes three types: armor-like diligence, diligence in cultivating wholesome dharmas, and diligence in benefiting sentient beings. Armor-like diligence uses the metaphor of a warrior going into battle to describe the bodhisattva's courageous, unflagging effort in putting a stop to evil actions and cutting off afflictions. Diligence in cultivating wholesome dharmas is the diligent, vigorous cultivation of all wholesome dharmas. Diligence in benefiting sentient beings is benefitting sentient beings without interruption.
-
-The significance of diligence lies in stopping unwholesome dharmas, countering indolence, and causing wholesome dharmas to grow day by day. Diligence, too, must proceed under the guidance of prajna. Throughout their lives, worldly people strive for wealth, family, and status---this cannot be considered anything but "diligence." Sometimes they are even "diligent" in killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech. Although they gain some immediate benefits, they create boundless transgressions. Diligence guided by prajna takes stopping evil and doing good as its standard. Such diligence not only ensures that our conduct in this life accords with the Dharma, giving us peace of mind, but also brings endless benefit in the future.
-
-*[Meditative Concentration]*
-
-The *Mahayana-samgraha* states: "It can eliminate all distraction and restlessness and can lead the mind to inner stability; therefore it is called meditative concentration." Meditative concentration is the opposite of scatteredness. Like water and fire, where there is scatteredness, there can be no meditative concentration; once meditative concentration is achieved, scatteredness is eliminated. Meditative concentration also temporarily stills deluded thoughts, bringing inner tranquility.
-
-The *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra* states: "Because one is not scattered and does not cling to the flavor of meditation, one should fulfill the perfection of meditative concentration." When one cultivates meditative concentration under the guidance of prajna, one illuminates all phenomena as illusory and magical. When the mind no longer follows the turns of external conditions, it naturally remains unmoved, far from all turmoil. In addition, worldly people who practice meditation are prone to cling greedily to the joy of meditation. If we observe with prajna, we can avoid abiding in any mark and keep far from clinging to the flavor of meditation.
-
-*[Prajna]*
-
-*Buddha* is a Sanskrit word, translated into Chinese as the Awakened One or the Wise One. *Pusa* (bodhisattva) is short for *putisaduo*, in which *puti* (*bodhi*) means wisdom and awakening. So attaining Buddhahood is not something vague or ethereal; it is the perfection of consummate wisdom and compassion. It is also called unsurpassed, perfect awakening.
-
-In the practice of the hearer path of liberation, the Dharma gates that lead to the attainment of nirvana are collectively called the thirty-seven factors of awakening. They are: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. "Factors of awakening" means causes of awakening. That is to say, these thirty-seven Dharma gates are the causes that lead to awakening.
-
-Buddhahood is the fruition of wisdom. Hence, the Buddhist scriptures also describe wisdom as the mother that gives birth to all buddhas. The *Vimalakirti Sutra*, chapter "The Buddha Path," states: "The perfection of wisdom is the bodhisattva's mother; skillful means is the father. All the guides of beings without exception are born from these." The sutra compares wisdom to the mother of the buddhas of the three times: the appearance of all buddhas in the world is accomplished through wisdom.
-
-The *Mahaprajnaparamita Upadesha* likewise says: "All buddhas and bodhisattvas who can benefit all beings---prajna is their mother, able to give them birth and nurture them. The Buddha is the father of sentient beings; prajna can give birth to the Buddha. Thus, prajna is the grandmother of all sentient beings." Because prajna can nurture all buddhas, it is just like the mother of the buddhas. If we regard the Buddha as the loving father of sentient beings, then since prajna can give birth to the Buddha, it can well be called the grandmother of sentient beings.
-
-{#十一无上法门}
-## Eleven. The Supreme Dharma Gate
-
-> Therefore, know that Prajna Paramita is the great divine mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the unequaled mantra. It can remove all suffering. It is true, not false.
-
-Here, the Buddha describes the Prajna Dharma gate as "the great divine mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the unequaled mantra." In the *Diamond Sutra*, he calls the Prajna Dharma gate "taught by the Tathagata for those of the Great Vehicle, taught for those of the Supreme Vehicle." From this we can see that this Dharma gate is indeed supremely wondrous and rare.
-
-A mantra is a secret formula, difficult to explain in ordinary language and possessing special spiritual power. It is also called a divine spell, a binding spell, a secret spell, or a true word. It is a secret formula chanted during prayers, with the power to bring blessings, avert calamities, and so on. According to traditional Indian belief, mantras can accomplish what is beyond human power. Before the emergence of Buddhism, mantras were already prevalent in ancient India. Therefore, when the Buddha taught the Dharma, he also frequently employed mantras. This is especially so in the Esoteric school, which places particular emphasis on mantras.
-
-The *Heart Sutra* compares the Prajna Dharma gate to a great divine mantra, illustrating that the power of the Prajna Dharma gate is matchless, able to swiftly eliminate the afflictions of human life, invincible in all circumstances. It compares it to a great bright mantra, illustrating that prajna is the supreme light of wisdom, able to thoroughly dispel the darkness of the world, conquering all before it. It compares it to a supreme mantra, illustrating that the Prajna Dharma gate occupies the highest, most exalted position among all Buddhist Dharma gates. It compares it to an unequaled mantra, illustrating that no Dharma gate can be mentioned in the same breath or placed on the same level as the Prajna Dharma gate. From these various comparisons, we can see how highly the Buddha esteemed the Prajna Dharma gate.
-
-{#十二劝-勉}
-## Twelve. Exhortation
-
-> Therefore, the Prajna Paramita mantra was proclaimed. The mantra goes: Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.
-
-Having described the sublime nature of the Prajna Dharma gate through various comparisons, the text now uses a mantra to summarize it.
-
-The cultivation of the Prajna Dharma gate proceeds from listening to and reflecting on the teachings, moving from the prajna of the written word into the prajna of contemplative illumination, and thereby realizing the prajna of true reality. But for those of dull faculties, there may be no capacity to listen to the Dharma and reflect on it. So the Buddha offered another path to the attainment of prajna: through single-minded recitation of the mantra, reaching one-pointedness of mind, one can distance oneself from discrimination, and then, through attaining concentration, activate wisdom.
-
-It is commonly thought that mantras have no specific meaning, but this is because we lack understanding of mantras. Mantras are transliterations of Sanskrit, and if we do not know Sanskrit, we naturally cannot interpret them literally. If we translate mantras by meaning, though we may not penetrate their full depth, we can at least grasp the general sense. The mantra of the *Heart Sutra* is: "Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha." Among these words, *gate* means "go"; *para* means "to the other shore"; *sam* means "all, together"; *bodhi* means "awakening"; and *svaha* means "swift accomplishment."
-
-Thus, the combined meaning is: Go, go, go to the other shore, all go to the other shore together! May perfect awakening be swiftly accomplished!
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions — 55【大道大商——佛教与企业文化】
-
-## Terminology consistency notes
-
-### Terms confirmed from DB
- 三不朽 → Three Imperishables (DoT/成语俗语: "the Three Imperishables — to establish one's merit, virtue, and teachings"). Used consistently.
- 人天乘 → Human and Deva Vehicle (DoT定稿). Used consistently.
- 菩萨乘 → Bodhisattva Vehicle (DoT定稿). Used consistently.
- 六波罗蜜 → six pāramitās (nti_buddhist_terminology). Used consistently.
- 五戒十善 → Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Deeds (佛教术语). Used consistently.
- 慈悲喜舍 → kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity (DoT定稿). Used consistently.
- 三级修学 → Three-Stage Practice (DoT定稿: "Three-Stage Practice"). Used consistently.
- 直指人心，见性成佛 → "pointing directly at the mind, seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha" (偈颂经文名言). Used consistently.
- 三轮体空 → threefold emptiness: giver, receiver, gift are empty (佛教术语: "the three aspects of giving are empty"). Used consistently.
- 同愿同行 → Shared Vows, Shared Path (内部特色词). Used consistently.
- 见利思义 → "to see profit and remember righteousness" (nti_zh_en). Used consistently.
-
-### Terms NOT in DB — translator decisions
- **大道大商** → "The Great Way, The Great Merchant". Based on MPI's own rendering "Great Path & Great Business" in MPI组织架构 but adapted for this panel's specific usage. The panel uses 大商 to mean "great merchant" (the entrepreneur as noble figure), aligning with 大道 (the Great Way/Dao).
- **信愿行** → "faith, vow, and practice". Standard Buddhist rendering; not in terms DB.
- **法财侣地** → "the four conditions of Dharma, resources, companions, and place". Not in DB. Classical Daoist/Buddhist cultivation term.
- **元亨利贞** → kept as pinyin *yuan heng li zhen* with in-text explanation. DB has "one, two, three, four" (nti_zh_en) which is clearly incorrect for the I Ching context. The speaker glosses each character in his own words anyway.
- **舍财，舍法，舍无畏** → "giving wealth, giving the Dharma, giving fearlessness". Following the three kinds of giving (财施、法施、无畏施) in Buddhist tradition. 舍法 here is 法施 (Dharma giving), distinct from 舍法 (abandoning Dharma).
- **上妙下湛老和尚** → "the late Elder Miaozhan". 上X下Y is the traditional honorific format for monastic names; rendered as Elder + dharma name.
- **济群** → "Benefiting the Multitude" (Li Jinyou's wordplay on the name). Translated literally to preserve the semantic play.
- **贤雄** → *xianxiong* — "worthy hero". Li Jinyou's coinage for President Xi, a neologism paralleling Gandhi's "Mahatma" (圣雄). Kept in pinyin with glossed meaning.
-
-### Register and voice decisions
- The source is an oral panel transcript. Translation maintains the spoken register throughout: contractions, direct address ("we," "you"), rhetorical questions kept as questions, first-person teacher asides kept in first person.
- Cao Dewang's colloquial, blunt, occasionally rambling style preserved deliberately — he is a self-made industrialist speaking off the cuff.
- Yang Zhao's more structured, measured delivery preserved with shorter sentences and clear logic chains.
- Li Jinyou's reflective, wordplay-heavy, slightly philosophical style preserved with in-text pinyin glosses for his Chinese character deconstruction.
- Yang Jinlin's role as provocateur/moderator preserved with his characteristic banter and self-deprecation.
- Venerable Jiqun's measured authority: calm, reasoned, unaffected, never preachy.
-
-### Punctuation / formatting
- Em dashes (---) used throughout per djot convention
- Djot comments ({#...#}) for section anchors preserved exactly as in source
- Chinese-style quotation marks converted to English double quotes where they indicate speech/titles
- No Markdown ** bold — all emphasis uses *single asterisks* per djot convention
-
-### Minor issues noted (not severe enough to re-edit now)
- Line-level soft breaks (trailing `  `): source.dj has none; target.dj likewise has none. Correct for docx extraction.
- One rendering choice worth flagging: "富翁" rendered as "billionaire" (line 139 in target) rather than the more generic "tycoon" or "magnate." The word in the Chinese context at that time typically meant anyone very wealthy, not necessarily a USD billionaire. Kept as "billionaire" since the context (Forbes list discussion) implies the multi-billion dollar tier.
@@ -1,110 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings --- 55【大道大商——佛教与企业文化】
-
-Scope: source.dj vs target.dj, full read (378 lines each, line-aligned 1:1).
-Completeness: every source paragraph is present in target.dj; no omissions found.
-Terminology: DB-confirmed terms (Three Imperishables, Human and Deva Vehicle, Bodhisattva Vehicle, six pāramitās, Five Precepts, four immeasurables, Three-Stage Practice, threefold emptiness, Shared Vows Shared Path) are used consistently per edit-suggestions.dj.
-The findings below are the exceptions.
-
-## Critical
-
-### C1. Stray duplicated TOC line embedded in body text
- Location: target.dj line 28 (between Yang Jinlin's welcome paragraph and "Regardless of our wealth...").
- Problem: source.dj line 28 is a blank line, but target.dj contains a spurious copy of the TOC entry: `[IV. Audience Interaction: Finding Solutions [21](#四观众互动解决问题)](#四观众互动解决问题)`. It will render as a nonsensical paragraph in the middle of the moderator's opening remarks. This is an addition with no basis in the source.
- Fix: delete target.dj line 28 entirely (restore the blank line).
-
-### C2. Broken TOC anchor for Section IV
- Location: target.dj line 14.
- Problem: the TOC link points to `(#四大观众互动解决问题)`, but the actual section anchor at line 289 is `{#四观众互动解决问题}`. The link is dead. Note that the stray duplicate (C1) uses the correct anchor --- the real TOC entry was likely mangled during a copy.
- Fix: change line 14 to `[IV. Audience Interaction: Finding Solutions [21](#四观众互动解决问题)](#四观众互动解决问题)`.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. Criteria misattributed to Venerable Jiqun
- Location: target.dj line 89.
- Source: 济群法师作为出家人，他定了那么多标准，您觉得难吗？
- Target: "Venerable Jiqun, as a monastic, you have set so many criteria --- do you find them hard to meet?"
- Problem: the "six criteria" were set by Yang Zhao (career success + life success, immediately prior). 他 refers to Yang Zhao, not Jiqun. The translation attributes the criteria to Jiqun, reversing who is being asked to measure himself against them.
- Fix: "Venerable Jiqun, as a monastic --- Mr. Yang has set all these criteria --- do you find them hard to live up to?"
-
-### M2. "闽人多阉" mistranslated
- Location: target.dj line 294.
- Source: 东汉时有人说"闽人多阉”，但今天大贤大德都出现了
- Target: "In the Eastern Han, someone said that 'the people of Min are mostly mean-spirited' --- but today, great worthies and virtuous ones have all emerged."
- Problem: 阉 means "eunuch / castrated", not "mean-spirited". The moderator's joke is that an ancient slur claimed Min (Fujian) people were mostly eunuchs, yet today the region produces great worthies. "Mean-spirited" replaces the slur with a different, unrelated insult and destroys the joke's setup.
- Fix: "In the Eastern Han, someone said that 'the people of Min are mostly eunuchs' --- yet today, great worthies and virtuous ones have all emerged from there."
-
-### M3. Inconsistent rendering of the Buddhist vehicles
- Location: target.dj line 300.
- Source: 佛教有分层次，如人天乘、声闻、缘觉，还有菩萨乘。
- Target: "there is the Human and Deva Vehicle, the śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and also the Bodhisattva Vehicle."
- Problem: mixes two conventions (English for 人天乘 and 菩萨乘, Sanskrit for 声闻 and 缘觉) and drops "Vehicle" for the two middle terms, so the list no longer reads as four parallel "levels". DB-confirmed renderings exist for 人天乘 and 菩萨乘; the middle two should match that pattern.
- Fix: "there is the Human and Deva Vehicle, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and also the Bodhisattva Vehicle."
-
-## Minor
-
-### m1. Same idiom, two renderings
- Location: target.dj line 63 vs line 243.
- Problem: 一样的米养百样的人 / 一样米百样人 is rendered "the same rice can feed a hundred kinds of people" (line 63) and "The same rice feeds a hundred kinds of people" (line 243).
- Fix: standardize to one form, e.g. "the same rice feeds a hundred kinds of people" in both places.
-
-### m2. Muddled payroll logic
- Location: target.dj line 137.
- Source: 比如养不好福耀玻璃厂一两万的工人，因为你总得开支。
- Target: "if you can't sustain the ten or twenty thousand workers at Fuyao Glass, you still have to make payroll."
- Problem: source logic is "you must seek profit because you must always meet expenses" --- the translation reads as if payroll follows failure to sustain the workers.
- Fix: "for instance, you cannot support the ten or twenty thousand workers at Fuyao Glass unless you can always meet the payroll."
-
-### m3. Awkward rendering of 不负其言
- Location: target.dj line 142.
- Source: 在其位，谋其职；在其位，不负其言。
- Target: "When you take a seat, you must fulfill its duties; in that position, do not betray the words that come with it."
- Problem: "the words that come with it" is unclear; the phrase means living up to the trust/speech that comes with the position.
- Fix: "when you hold a position, fulfill its duties; when you hold a position, live up to the trust it carries."
-
-### m4. "社会行为" rendered as "social construct"
- Location: target.dj line 160.
- Source: 所以人们往往会觉得：道德是一种社会行为，和自身没有太大关系。
- Target: "morality is a social construct, not really connected to the self."
- Problem: "social construct" imports a technical claim the speaker is not making; 社会行为 here is "a matter of social behavior / an affair of society".
- Fix: "morality is a social affair, not really connected to oneself."
-
-### m5. "善之长" flattened
- Location: target.dj line 119.
- Source: 元是善之长
- Target: "Yuan is the primordial goodness"
- Problem: 善之长 is "the chief/head of all virtues" (from the Wenyan commentary on the Yijing); "primordial goodness" shifts the sense.
- Fix: "Yuan is the chief of all virtues --- whatever we do, we must begin with a wholesome and good intention."
-
-### m6. 生命共同体 vs official phrase
- Location: target.dj line 287.
- Source: 构建人类生命共同体
- Target: "building a shared future for humanity"
- Problem: the speaker said 生命共同体 ("a community of life"); the translation silently upgrades it to the standard official rendering of 命运共同体. Defensible, but it is an unmarked substitution.
- Fix: either keep and note, or render literally: "building a community of shared life for humanity."
-
-### m7. "本家" wordplay lost
- Location: target.dj line 81.
- Source: 本家，您怎么看？
- Target: "Brother, what is your take?"
- Problem: 本家 is a pun on the shared surname Yang (Yang Jinlin addressing Yang Zhao); "Brother" loses it.
- Fix: "My fellow Yang --- what is your take?"
-
-### m8. "智慧健康" phrasing
- Location: target.dj line 125.
- Source: 第一，身体要健康；第二，心理要健康；第三，智慧要健康。
- Target: "First, physical health. Second, mental health. Third, wisdom health."
- Problem: "wisdom health" is not idiomatic English; the triad works better with parallel "health of" phrasing.
- Fix: "First, health of body. Second, health of mind. Third, health of wisdom."
-
-### m9. "careers are vast"
- Location: target.dj line 20.
- Source: 很多人拥有财富却不幸福，事业广大却不知意义何在。
- Target: "many whose careers are vast have no idea what meaning their work holds."
- Problem: "careers are vast" is unidiomatic; 事业 here is one's enterprise/undertaking.
- Fix: "many whose enterprises are vast have no idea what meaning their work holds."
-
-## Notes (no change required)
-
- 富翁 → "billionaire" (line 69): flagged in edit-suggestions.dj as a deliberate, context-justified choice; agree it stands given the Forbes discussion.
- 上妙下湛老和尚 → "the late Elder Miaozhan" (line 125): "late" is an addition not in the source, but factually correct (Miaozhan of Nanputuo died in 1995) and helpful to readers; acceptable.
- 三宝-style terms, 开示 ("teaching"), 烦恼 ("affliction"), 福报 ("blessing"), 居士 ("lay practitioner") are all handled consistently throughout.
@@ -1,378 +0,0 @@
-{#大道大商佛教与企业文化}
-# 大道大商------佛教与企业文化
-
------2015年第四届世界佛教论坛分论坛对话
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、什么是成功 [2](#一什么是成功)](#一什么是成功)
-
-[二、道德与利益 [9](#二道德与利益)](#二道德与利益)
-
-[三、企业家的慈善观 [13](#三企业家的慈善观)](#三企业家的慈善观)
-
-[四、观众互动，解决问题 [21](#四观众互动解决问题)](#四观众互动解决问题)
-
-主持：杨锦麟先生
-
-嘉宾：济群法师、曹德旺先生、杨钊先生、李金友先生等
-
-这是一个以商业为主流的时代，物质文明高度发达，财富积累业已成为成功与否的通行标准。可是，很多人拥有财富却不幸福，事业广大却不知意义何在。此外，社会道德的缺失，生态环境的恶化，人际关系的冷漠，无不让人触目惊心。问题究竟出在哪里？我想，关键是社会的评价标准出了问题。
-
-所幸的是，许多有识之士已意识到这个问题，并在佛法智慧的指导下经营企业，为企业在当今社会的健康发展积累了丰富经验。因此，继承东方优良传统，重建企业文化，是当今社会刻不容缓的事。"佛教与企业文化论坛”将从佛法的角度，围绕幸福、成功、利益和慈善等话题，与企业家共同探讨，以期重建成功标准，探索幸福之路。
-
-{#一什么是成功}
-## 一、什么是成功
-
-杨锦麟：第四届世界佛教论坛的新媒体论坛"大道大商”由我主持。这是论坛给我的服务机会，也是重要而殊胜的分享时刻。今天的主题很有吸引力，相信会引起很多共鸣。首先欢迎嘉宾上场，有请济群法师、曹德旺先生、杨钊先生、李金友先生。
-
-不论财富的高低，学问的深浅，我们都是为了一个共同目标而来，就是探讨佛教与经营企业的关系。我们的立足点有四个：一、什么是成功；二、财富和利益的关系；三、一个成功的企业家要有什么样的慈善观；四、什么是我们要追求的幸福。
-
-今天邀请的四位讲者，有高僧大德，有成功的企业家，同时也是在家修行的居士。他们对今天的话题会有不同分享。
-
-改革开放三十多年来，我们已经成为世界第二大经济体，拥有了全世界最多的外汇储备。与此同时，财富成为社会上衡量一个人成功与否的标准。
-
-这些耳熟能详的标准，是不是真理？是不是合理？可以看到，我们为发展付出的代价，是环境恶化，世风日下，人与人之间缺乏信任。我们这个论坛苦口婆心地向世人传递什么信息？或者说，佛法能不能为这个困扰的世界，提供一个新的评判标准？有请济群法师给大家开示。
-
-济群法师：能和几位身为企业家的大德居士共同探讨当今社会发展中的一些重要问题，因缘殊胜。我们先说说什么是成功。
-
-为什么要讨论这个话题？因为我们如何看待成功，如何追求成功，是社会发展的一个风向标。对"成功”的定义，其实代表着价值观的问题。我们觉得什么对人生有价值，那么得到它就意味着成功，反之亦然。
-
-在物质文明空前强盛的今天，人们说到成功时，往往以财富多少为尺度。而为人熟知的福布斯排行榜之类，更让这一标准变得具体可见。在各种媒体上，从世界首富到中国首富，从某省到某市乃至某县某村的首富频频出现，并不断更新交迭，成为一场全民热追并津津乐道的连续剧。
-
-当整个社会都以拥有金钱作为成功标志时，自然会把"利润最大化”放在首位。这样的价值观又令人们的贪欲变本加厉，甚至到了一叶蔽目的地步，为牟利不择手段。由此带来的道德滑坡、生态恶化、触犯法律等种种问题，我想大家已经有目共睹。更可怕的是，诚信遭遇了前所未有的危机------我们不知道该信什么，也不敢信什么。
-
-由此可见，如果对成功的认识有问题，将成为社会发展的一大隐患。所以，重新认识成功的价值，定义成功的内涵，已成为当务之急，也是未来中国健康发展的关键。这不仅关系到每个人的切身利益，也关系到整个社会的安定和谐。
-
-千百年来，国人的价值观主要来自中国传统文化。比如儒家讲到的"三不朽”，就曾是影响无数人的主流价值观。"太上立德”，是以成就道德和圣贤品质为最高目标；"其次立功”，即建功立业，造福一方；"其次立言”，即以著述影响社会，教化民众。与之相应的，还有"修身、齐家、治国、平天下”。首先从完善自身道德开始，其次是处理好家庭关系，然后治理国家，造福社会，令天下和平安乐。
-
-正是在这种价值观的影响下，古人才会将"为天地立心，为生民立命，为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平”作为人生目标。与其说这是一种高尚的精神追求，不如说这是他们对成功的解读和实践。
-
-而从佛教角度来说，价值观的建立，是基于对生命的认识。生命的价值到底在哪里？就在于成就智慧，成就慈悲。智慧的成就，是通过学习经教，开启生命内在的觉性，从而断除迷惑烦恼，使自己成为觉悟者，侧重自利。慈悲的成就，是由己及人，将此深心奉尘刹，以众生而非自我为中心，侧重利他。由此可见，佛教所认为的成功，不仅是个人的成就，更是大众的利益。甚至可以说，自利是为了利他，自觉也是为了最终觉他，所以才有"为利有情愿成佛”之说。
-
-这种对成功的定义，离不开对生命真相的认识。只有在这样的认识基础上，我们才有可能从一个高度来看待成功，而不是局限于眼前得失。
-
-杨锦麟：谢谢济群法师的开示。其他三位嘉宾都是著名的企业家，也是虔诚向佛的护法居士。他们不是官二代，也不是富二代，都是白手起家，靠自己的努力，一步一步走上各自的成功巅峰，至今还在继续为社会创造价值。杨钊先生，给我们谈谈您对成功的感受。
-
-杨钊：作为一个企业家，我对成功的看法，分为上半场和下半场。上半场，是事业的成功；下半场，是人生的成功。事业成功的标准，只需要有名有利、有社会地位即可。那么人生成功的标准是什么呢？就是身体健康，家庭幸福，以及你活得开不开心。
-
-现在社会上有个误区，认为事业成功就等于人生的成功。但很多人会发现，某人好像很成功，但并不是我的榜样。为什么？他虽然很有钱，很有名，但家庭不幸福，活得不开心。可见，事业不等于人生，事业的成功也不等于人生的成功。因此，除了追求事业成功外，下半场要追求人生的成功。
-
-杨锦麟：上半场，下半场，听起来像在踢足球。曹先生，您同意这样的踢法吗？
-
-曹德旺：我相信他们讲得都对，但讨论成功是一个大话题。我的观点是，一样的米养百样的人。天下各行各业，评价谁成功？我认为，应该来评价众生的成功。什么是众生的成功？能遵守法律法规，有一副硬朗的身体，还有一个圆满的家庭，再加上自由自在地活着------这就是成功。
-
-刚才济群法师讲到中国人的浮躁，提到福布斯排行榜，当然不是针对我的。我也是福布斯上榜的老演员了，他们经常把我拿去上榜。我也曾经为此事和他们讨论过，问他们为什么如此关注中国这些人？他们说，中国在改革开放，每年GDP高速增长，引起整个西方社会的关注。一是关注它怎么做出来的，真的还是假的；二是关注自己有没有机会参与其中；三是关注自己有机会的时候，到中国应该去找谁。所以，排行榜其实是起到一个提供信息的作用，而这个榜本身是虚的。
-
-为什么呢？它做的是虚拟经济的中间一环。所谓虚拟经济，就是说你拿钱去投资，不管是投资实体还是买了股票、期货，进入投资就虚了。或许一个变故，或许一个什么，马上让你的财产一夜间没有了。你想要做事的话，就实实在在地把钱存在银行不动，这是实的，一动就虚了。在投资第一线上的，往往是虚的。不少上过富豪榜的，最后也落得很狼狈。因此，不应该说他浮躁，只能说我们对这方面的认识不够，对这些人群的评价有待提高。
-
-最近有人说，某人变成富翁了，其实他的企业负债比私人资产大几倍。所以福布斯本身是虚的，是搞游戏的，也是配合国家改革开放宣传需要做的东西，千万别认真对待这件事。
-
-杨锦麟：曹先生给了我们另一个角度。马来西亚的李金友先生是我多年的好朋友，来谈谈您对成功的解读。
-
-李金友：我觉得，成功对我来说永远是一个过程，很难下一个定义。我很同意杨先生说的上半场和下半场。我们要把一件事做成功很容易，可要追求人生的成功，就是大学问。我觉得，如果一个人要成功的话，必须具备几个特质。首先要自信，其次要用功，第三要用心，能虚心学习。我觉得自己很幸运，40岁开始学佛，本师释迦牟尼佛的大智大慧，是我们永远学习不完的。
-
-今天我们来到这里，可以亲近济群法师这样的大善知识，还有杨居士、曹居士，都是值得学习的。我觉得，虚心学习是一个过程，但一定要有"日久见功”的过程。这一点，对现在的年轻人尤其重要。
-
-杨锦麟：这几位讲者让我觉得，自己实在是一个很不成功的人。我60岁还在创业，没有上半场，也没有下半场。上半场打完球的人，才能施施然地去说人生、健康、快乐。没有一定物质基础，空谈或奢谈成功是没有意义的。
-
-但济群法师也给我们一个提示。在西方物质标准和东方精神标准的冲撞之下，有时给众生带来很多烦恼，我就是最烦恼的一个。所以我今天来，不是来当主持，而是来这里吸收一些智慧。
-
-我们讲到成功，说老实话，现在真的是以财富论江湖。曹先生给大家点破了，不要信财富榜，那是宣传用的，但真有很多人都往里跳。图虚名，图虚利，这是当今社会一个弊端。因为虚，再加上信仰缺失，才会出现那么多乱象。
-
-为什么要举办这样的佛教论坛？出家人为什么要如此苦口婆心？那么，利益至上的观点，无论在上半场还是下半场，究竟对还是不对？本家，您怎么看？
-
-杨钊：刚才说，财富可以分两部分，第一叫物质财富，第二叫精神财富。我们现在有一个误区，以为拥有物质财富就拥有一切。我在香港见过很多大企业家，但钱不是什么都能买的。健康不是钱财可以买到的，家庭幸福不是钱财可以买到的，活得开不开心也不是钱财可以买到的。
-
-因此，人生的成功需要精神财富。不要搞错了，要对症下药。如果既拥有物质财富，如金钱、名誉、社会地位，又有精神财富，人生才能成功。只有名利和社会地位，只能算事业成功，不能算人生成功。所以，事业成功是三个标准，财、名和地位。人生成功需要加另外三个，就是身体健康、家庭幸福及活得开心。
-
-杨锦麟：说老实话，今天在座的能做到这六个标准的，不一定很多。不然的话，为什么我们的论坛都有站着的听众，可见大家是来求药方的。众生平等，但在参悟人生的过程中，不一定是平等的。这个平等是相对的。济群法师作为出家人，他定了那么多标准，您觉得难吗？
-
-济群法师：我觉得，杨居士所说的确实是现实，很多企业家的追求会有这么两个层面。但我觉得，如果把事业的成功和做人的成功分开，还是容易出问题的。
-
-如果我们脱离做人的目标，单纯追求事业成功，那么在做事业的过程中，就可能把事业作为一切。为了做事业，身体累垮了，家庭不和谐了，甚至心态也做坏了，这种现象比比皆是。所以我觉得，追求事业的成功，应该建立在做人的基础上。
-
-这不是说，所有追求事业的人都会出现这些问题。如果一个人本身就有道德底线和处世原则，即使没有刻意追求做人的成功，也会带着应有的素养去做事业，能够正确取舍，有所为而有所不为。反之，如果不具备相关素养，当他片面追求企业成功时，就容易胡作非为，导致各种问题。
-
-杨锦麟：上半场拼命挣钱，挣够了才发现，哎呀我做人不成功，开始回馈社会。这是一种赎罪的心态，还是纠正的心态？曹先生，请您继续给大家开示。
-
-曹德旺：说到这里，我可以很自豪地说，企业家们可以向我学习。我的成功是把复杂的问题简单化。我把《四书五经》《大藏经》等等，都归为教育，这是因不是果。教育有千万条，我再给它理成三条，叫"信、愿、行”。
-
-我从开始创业到今天都是这样。我不仅在中国声望高，在美国、欧洲的声望比中国更高，他们非常尊重我。什么原因呢？我和他们做生意的时候，就学会尊重人家。我坚定地相信法律的尊严；相信人言的可畏；相信我的成功需要众多客户支持，需要员工为我流血流汗、赤胆忠心地工作；我坚定地相信人间充满真善美；同时也相信要小心走好每一步，要与暗箭来往。
-
-我通过自己的努力学习，规避各种风险。现在大家都觉得生意难做，但我们今年比去年还是有高速的增长。由此得出的经验是什么？把复杂的问题简单化，首先要信。
-
-第二，我的胸怀很开阔。我发愿为中国人做一片玻璃。这片玻璃能代表国家水平，在国际上和大家交流，展示中国人的智慧，展示改革开放的成功。我现在生产全球的汽车玻璃，客气一点讲，是第二大企业，因为宝马、奔驰、奥迪、大众、通用、本田都是我的客户。
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-真正想成功，要从小开始。人生每一天、每一分钟发生的每件事，都是人生大厦的一块砖。码每一块砖的时候都要想好，可不可以码上去？因为码歪的话，以后就拆不下来。你现在可以说，我只盖这么高，没问题。但如果码得好，将来能盖一百层的时候，也不会因为这个地方的砖码错了而倒塌。
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-如果人生有段不光彩的历史，到了一定高度以后，压力一大，这个地方就承受不了，所谓高处不胜寒。比如会有人说，某某以前犯过什么，骗过什么。这下完蛋，你就得滚下来。我认为，赚多少钱之类都容易。但一辈子让人家没办法指责你，还是比较难的一件事。就像毛泽东主席讲的，一个人做一件好事容易，难的是一辈子做好事。
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-这一点，我希望企业家们自勉。其实这也和信有关------要把个人的信修清楚。成功了，信佛祖给我这个福报；不成功，我信命，命中注定我要走这一步；还要相信来世，我这一世做完以后，下一世再来。
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-杨锦麟：豁达。活得丰厚，才有这样的悟。马来西亚曾成功举行过APEC会议，也成功举行过10＋3，都是李金友先生和他的集团具体操办。一个企业家能为国家举办这样的活动，应该也算得上成功吧。您对曹先生的说法有什么解读？曹先生给我的感受是，真诚和善良会有回报的。即便这一世还没有达到，不要紧，这是命，我还有下辈子。很通透的一种人生感悟，您怎么看？
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-李金友：曹先生说企业家可以学他，他讲这个话不是自大，而是觉得他有很好的正能量，可以提供给年轻人。这也是我刚刚说的，成功要有自信。
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-我们今天谈"成功”这个课题，真心说，办企业不能不谈赚钱。我的感触是，商人一定要创造利益。你不能创造利益的话，就不叫商人。但我觉得更重要的是"见利思义”，所谓"君子爱财，取之有道”。取得利益没有错，就像曹先生把沙子做成玻璃，然后做出汽车挡风玻璃，这叫君子利物以义。《易经》说："利者，义之和也。”我觉得，只要在创造事业过程中有一种分享的心态，不但可以把技术成就和大家分享；创造财富之后，你的财富又可以和大家分享。这也符合学佛者的行为规范。曹先生所讲的，我相信他在人生中真正履行了。
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-刚才主持人说到，我在马来西亚承办会议。我不但办了很大的会议，还帮助过很多社会文化活动。我很喜欢"元亨利贞”四个字，我念"元亨利贞”，就当做念"阿弥陀佛”。元是善之长，我们做什么事情，都要有良好的善念；亨是智慧，我们在这里讨论就是亨。如此，"利物足以和义”。这些，在曹先生刚刚讲的时候，我都看到了。
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-杨锦麟：论坛和对话渐入佳境。这个话题是由杨钊先生引起的，您将成功做了上半场和下半场的剖析，并给了标准定量------杨氏标准法。但我们可以发现，三位讲者对这个话题的看法和角度是不一样的。我想，不妨求同存异。
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-杨钊先生，我知道您还有很多见解想和大家分享。您刚才那个快乐观，搞得我很沮丧，都怀疑自己还有没有存活下去、继续打拼的意义。在您发言之前，我想请终南山律宗祖庭净业寺的本如法师现场呼应一下。这是一个人人受益的论坛，就应该人人参与。
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-本如法师：谢谢在座各位，还有杨锦麟老师给我讲话的机会。我在接受大家智慧的同时，也在思考，身为出家人的最大成功是什么？我想的是：让地藏菩萨早日成佛！我师父上妙下湛老和尚曾经告诉我：人生要把握三个健康。第一，身体要健康；第二，心理要健康；第三，智慧要健康。拥有这些，人生绝对精彩，而且能让地藏王菩萨成佛，让一切众生成佛，这是我们每个学佛者的大道大商。
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-{#二道德与利益}
-## 二、道德与利益
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-杨锦麟：杨钊先生，我让本如法师给您一个引子，我觉得您应该继续探讨下去。
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-杨钊：刚才说到道德问题。从道德的角度，怎么看待财富？不同人有不同的看法。儒家的看法是"己所不欲，勿施于人”，也就是说，要易地而处，从他人的立场和观点去考虑，也叫同理心。大家用同一个道理，站在共同的立场看待问题，达成"己所不欲，勿施于人”的共识。
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-佛教徒也有道德标准。作为一个佛教徒，我持五戒十善，行六波罗蜜，学习慈悲喜舍四无量心，这是我做人及做事的标准。
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-杨锦麟：两个月前，我去了北极点，同船的李银河老师和我谈到人生观：第一是利他，第二是利己，第三是在利他过程中稍微利己，在利己过程中稍微利他。这也是人的三种活法。我听了以后，觉得自己白活了60岁：究竟在利他还是利己，还是在互相之间？搞不清自己活着为了什么。
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-谈到利的问题，商人、企业家如果不图利，就没办法普度众生。比如养不好福耀玻璃厂一两万的工人，因为你总得开支。关键是立足点在利他还是利己，有没有这么绝对，曹先生？
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-曹德旺：我认为从财富来说，多少钱都不值得去羡慕，或者一定要追求，但没有绝对不行。我以前很穷，一包烟都买不起的时候，看到一分钱也很激动。但现在有钱以后，我认为那个没用，够花就行，因为它会变。现在各国政府都在推动宽松货币政策，一不小心，抽屉里的钱马上就不断贬值。又如炒股，或者会亏，或者暴发，这都是很现实的问题。只有一点不能变，就是个人综合素质的提升。这是最大的财富。
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-儒家有句话，"不求金玉重重贵，但愿子孙个个贤”。留给孩子的，应该是智慧和能力。只要你有水平，有名望，有信誉，还有健康的身体，就是最大的财富。利益是五花八门的，今天把我请来坐在中间，你们在下面，这也给我很大的利益，因为大家都想坐在这里。古人讲"义利兼顾”，你坐上去，在其位，谋其职；在其位，不负其言。
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-刚才讲到，在中国没有把商人和企业家进行区分。就像洋人说中国没有哲学，但中国人说，"不对，我有哲学”。比如"江畔何人初见月，江月何年初照人”，南怀瑾说这就是哲学，怎么没有哲学？
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-为什么洋人说中国没有企业家呢？是怎么定义的呢？因为在西方工业化进程中，给予企业家很高的荣誉。认为企业家首先要有勇气，敢于承担责任，敢于挑战极限，挑战未来，挑战世界，挑战天下。你做到了，就是你的胆识。如果这次大众造假成立的话，将召回1300多万辆汽车。人家说有180亿美金，不敢想象，对不对？所以，首先要有勇气来担当这个事。
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-小商小贩是以养家糊口为目的赚点小钱，但作为真正的企业家来说，必须有担当精神，他的抱负和一般做生意也有区别。企业家是在统一的标准下竞争，包括质量标准、会计标准、行为标准等等。他是通过自己的努力，不断改进生产设备，提高产品质量和工作效率，同时降低成本。
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-谁在担心这些东西呢？人民在担心，社会在担心，国家在担心。因此，企业家的抱负应该是------国家因为你的存在而强大，社会因为你的存在而进步，人民因为你的存在而富足。
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-同时，因为你的努力，大家都在这个标准上去奋斗------这就是企业家和商人的区别。我们向西方学习，最早是向苏联学习，后来又向美国学习。美国教给我们的，是自己正在实验的"去工业化”，搞虚拟经济。因此，我们学的全是虚拟经济。股市现在开放了一大堆三板、四板、创业板，我问他们，你是想做好企业，是为了做产品还是卖股票？目的是什么？------问题就在这儿。你们说这些人不良，其实不要批评他，存在的都是有道理的。我们开放后向国外学习，学的就是这些东西，你说怎么办？
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-杨锦麟：大商有那么多发言，大道也应该出来说几句。佛教和企业文化，已经慢慢找到一条路径，至少是思考的路径。无论是财富观，无论是利己利他，请济群法师给我们一些开示。
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-济群法师：我们讲到财富、道德、义利之辩，需要反省什么呢？为什么现在整个社会缺乏道德观念？我们不能光去指责这些现象，还需要去寻找，这些现象的原因到底在哪里？
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-社会之所以有这样一种现象，和我们的传统及现行教育有一定关系。比如在儒家的"义利之辩”中，多少有点把义和利对立起来。认为一个人讲道德，就不应该讲利益。反之，如果讲利益，似乎就是不重视道德的表现。
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-此外，中国传统道德是建立在宗法制的基础上。也就是说，道德更多是家族的需要，社会的需要，而把个人需要摆在后面。所以人们往往会觉得：道德是一种社会行为，和自身没有太大关系。一旦家族和社会的制约力没有那么大的时候，道德就随之淡出了。有段时间，甚至出现了"道德多少钱一斤”的公然挑衅。这背后的潜台词就是：如果你不能制约我，凭什么让我循规蹈矩，按你的规则做？
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-而在唯物论教育的影响下，道德的建立基础就更薄弱了。有句话叫做"彻底的唯物主义者是无所畏惧的”，不畏惧什么？就是不畏惧因果报应。如果一个人只在乎立时可见的眼前利弊，没有更长远的眼光，遵循道德就变得非常空洞了。所以，我们需要找到道德沦丧的根源，只有这样，才能提出有效的解决方法。
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-我觉得，遵循道德离不开智慧。如果没有智慧，道德要求是非常机械的，无非是让你做什么，不做什么。这就涉及到一个问题：我凭什么要这么做？很多时候，实践道德看起来是吃亏的行为，是需要付出和忍让的。既然吃亏，为什么要做？以前的人可能会碍于礼法或社会舆论，不得不那么做。但在崇尚个性解放的今天，人们可能根本不在乎礼法，不在乎舆论，为什么还要遵守道德？
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-这就需要认识到道德对生命自身的价值。佛陀通过证悟告诉我们，生命是无尽的积累。我们现有的生命状态，来自曾经的行为、语言、思想，又称身口意三业。正是它们，构成了形形色色的生命状态。善的业行会构成良性生命积累，造就健康的心态、人格、生命品质。反过来说，不善的业行会构成不良生命积累，使生命趋于堕落。
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-可见，我们在实践道德的过程中，自身首先是最大的受益者，其次才能让他人受益。反之，自己也会成为不道德行为的受害者，进而让他人受到损害。如果大家能具备这样一种认识，就会自觉地遵守道德。因为这么做不是为了谁，而是为了对自己的生命负责，对自己的未来负责。没有哪个人不希望自己有美好的未来，不希望自己有良好的心态、高尚的人格。
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-如果我们能从这个高度来认识道德的价值，那么，道德必将成为人人愿意实践的自觉行为，就像我们愿意为了优质生活而努力工作一样。
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-从社会来看，遵循道德不仅对个人有利，同时也在利益他人，至少是不伤害他人。就这个意义而言，法律就是最低限度的道德。当我们都能遵守法律的时候，社会安全就有保障。再如佛教的戒律，哪怕是最基本的五戒，如不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒。只要做到这些，就能在自我约束的同时，让他人获得安全感。试想，一个没有伤害、没有偷盗、没有背叛、没有欺骗的社会，是多么令人向往。
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-此外，佛教还有更高尚的道德，那就是佛菩萨的道德------无我利他，大慈大悲。因为把众生看得比自己更重要，所以随时准备帮助众生，令他们离苦得乐。能够实践这样一种道德的时候，将给多少人带来安乐，带来希望。
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-在座几位大德居士，本身也是这样的实践者。他们在佛法信念的指导下去做企业，去待人处世，这也是他们能够成功的一个重要原因。所以，不要把道德和利益截然分开。
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-{#三企业家的慈善观}
-## 三、企业家的慈善观
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-杨锦麟：道德不是空泛，而是实在的。在座的三位企业家，在不同的人生阶段，尤其是现在，都在做一个努力的践行者，舍财，舍法，舍无畏。杨先生，您一定有很多利他利己的想法和我们分享，还有自己在慈善方面的身体力行。
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-杨钊：刚才说到对财富的看法，或者说人生目的。做人应该怎么做？做事应该怎么做？路在何方？路在脚下。
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-首先我们要吃饭。怎么吃饭？你必须守法，不能去抢，这是最低标准。第二要有良心的标准，这是更高层次了。要问问自己，内心有没有愧：对顾客有没有愧？对家庭有没有愧？对社会有没有愧？对国家有没有愧？对人类有没有愧？
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-每天睡觉的时候，发现自己今天能问心无愧，我就睡得很好。反之，发现自己有一两件事做得不好，比如因为太认真、太急躁了，今天又脾气不好，怎么做呢？就要忏悔：杨钊，你明天要继续努力。
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-"吾日三省吾身。”一个人必须反思，自我检讨。通过反思、检讨和总结，你就可以不断进步。
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-杨锦麟：金友兄，你也分享一下。
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-李金友：我今年60岁了，算老人。我40岁的时候，中国还刚刚改革开放。我的很多养分来自台湾。台湾曾颁给我"海外青年创业奖”，这是我第一次得创业奖。得奖之后，很多人称我企业家。其实，我被"企业家”这个名称困扰了很多年。因为我觉得"家”是很严肃的称号，比如会画画的不一定能成画家，会弹琴的不一定能成钢琴家。
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-所以，我那时就在马来西亚办了一个青年创业协会，觉得这样可以帮助社会，帮助年轻人。我办这个会的用意很简单，因为一个人创业的话，至少可以制造就业机会。尤其像曹先生这样做了大事业，可以创造很多就业机会。
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-事业是要慢慢发展的，不是今天注册公司，明天就能发财。可现在很多人急功近利，这是一个普遍的社会问题。所以我觉得，现在的年轻人要老老实实地先做一个"生意人”。
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-说到"生意人”这三个字。我查了"生”，《大学》说，"生财有大道，生之者众，食之者寡，为之者疾，用之者舒，则财恒足矣。”老子的《道德经》也说，"生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居；夫唯弗居，是以不去。”所以我们做企业的，要有生产力、创造力。
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-而"意”就更不得了。我们经营企业，意念一定要正，这可以从儒释道三家吸收很多养分。《金刚经》常说"于意云何”，你的意念是什么？比如你制造婴儿产品，要给婴儿吃喝的，怎么可以制造出意念不好的东西？你今天办一个企业赚钱，怎么可以赚钱之后贻害社会？再如今天的很多环保问题，就是意念出了问题。
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-第三是"人”，最为重要。"人”的一撇一捺就是真和正，我们要做人该做的事情。怎么做人？刚才我们也谈到，这是很大的学问，要孝悌忠信。我们想想，如果你在家庭中不孝顺父母，不友爱兄弟，吵吵闹闹，就算在外面事业怎么发达，人生还是会出问题的。为什么儒家把孝悌忠信看得那么重要？因为这关系到我们怎么做人。
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-刚才曹先生说"企业家”不同于商人，我深有同感。我觉得，"生意人”这三个字，其实也包含其中。别人称你"企业家”，你就要反省：我是不是"家”？
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-我在马来西亚出生，100块钱起家。可是我比较贪一点，要我的家庭，尤其是我的孩子，做富贵的人。为什么要做富贵的人？儒家说，"不义而富且贵，于我如浮云”。可见，孔老夫子并没有叫你不要富贵，而是告诫你不要取不义之财。
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-我们学佛，或是学儒学道，如果穷得稀里哗啦，民不聊生，那还怎么学？其实，学佛学儒都有助于我们成为富贵的人。如果你学得少，财富少一点；学得中等，财富会多一点；学得高深，你的财富最多。
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-所以，我觉得要鼓励现在的年轻人做富贵人。但这有三个条件：富而好学，富而好礼，富而好善。至于贵，刚才说到"己所不欲，勿施于人”，还有"己欲达而达人”。每个人一生都会碰到很多贵人。有时爸爸妈妈是我们的贵人，有时老师是我们的贵人，给我们指导和提拔。当你成功后，也要做别人的贵人，所谓"贵己贵人”。
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-做"生意人、富贵人”，还要有"道德”。"德”者，得也，和得到的"得”同音------有道才能得。你要很多财富，要很多客户，要很多这个那个，都要建立在道德基础上。好像盖屋子要做好地基，把道德实践好，你就能"得”了。可问题就来了：什么是道？
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-杨锦麟：谢谢金友兄的分享，今天的话题真是很有意义。我们在佛教论坛，用专门的时间来研讨生意人、富贵人。富而好学，富而好礼，富而好善。这个富就是物质基础，所好即精神财富。我想请在座的道源法师也分享一下。
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-道源法师：谢谢杨老师，也谢谢大家给我一个发言的机会。我从幸福的角度作一些分享。我出家以前，有一份很好的工作，很好的收入，我很满足，觉得很幸福。跟随师父慧通老和尚出家后，在茅棚修行，老和尚不让我们用手机，甚至连电都不让用，我觉得也很幸福。
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-后来老和尚以83岁的高龄，发愿修复禅宗祖庭"杨岐普通寺”的时候，他来和我谈，要我去全面负责。我对老和尚说：我要想做方丈，当初就不来找您出家了。老和尚说：你要发心，当你成就一个道场，照顾大家用功的时候，你会发现，其实你也很幸福。然后我就到杨岐普通寺负责寺院建设。现在四十多位法师在那儿修持，我觉得自己很幸福。
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-这可能就是从自我的幸福到利他的幸福。佛门有句话叫"杨岐灯盏明千古”，说到这里，我得感谢杨钊先生。在和杨钊先生交往过程中，寺院成立了"心灯帮扶计划”。杨钊先生说，我们先点亮自己的心灯，再去帮助需要帮助的人。现在，寺院所在地萍乡市，只要符合条件的孤儿，杨钊先生都会提供资金，由寺院出面对他们进行帮扶，已有近千人受到帮助。帮扶这些孩子和老人的过程中，他们说，感谢师父，几十年没有人这样帮助我们。所以，在帮助他们的过程中我也很幸福。但利他的幸福要建立在物质基础上，如果没有杨先生的支持，我也没办法帮助别人。
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-杨锦麟：今天这里是贵人相聚，谈到了另外的话题。现在各种慈善团体林立，成功的企业家对慈善也有更多关注。在座的曹德旺先生、杨钊先生、李金友先生，几十年来舍财舍法，身体力行，这些让我们很感恩。从某种角度，可以说做慈善蔚然成风。但有时，做慈善也给我们带来烦恼。很多人做了好事，却招来各种谤议，自己很纠结，不开心，为什么会出现这个现象？济群法师，这是我们的动机不纯，还是整个社会对慈善的理解有误？
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-济群法师：在做慈善方面，几位大德居士都有很多经验。在贫富差距日益悬殊的今天，慈善可以在一定程度上调节贫富冲突，对社会的健康发展非常重要。但确实有不少人，做慈善做得比较纠结，这是为什么呢？
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-我曾在复旦大学举办的"让爱心更有力量”慈善论坛作过讲座，听众都是各地的慈善工作者和爱心人士。之所以举办这个论坛，就是因为不少人在做慈善过程中遭遇了各种困境。这也促使我对这个现象做了一些思考。
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-我觉得，其中主要涉及两个问题：一、什么是慈善？比如说，单纯的捐献行为能不能叫慈善？因为捐献背后会有各种情况，可能是出于爱心，可能是迫于舆论压力，也可能有其他动机。如果把捐献等同于慈善，忽略捐献的动机，其实是有问题的。因为慈善的前提必须是爱心和慈悲心，只有立足于爱和慈悲基础上的行为，才能称为慈善。从这个意义上说，慈善也可以称为"慈悲的道德”。
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-我们可以看到，佛教、基督教都有慈善的传统，热心公益事业。这些行为的指导，就是佛教倡导的慈悲，基督教宣扬的博爱。如果以这些思想为立足点，才有可能成就真正的慈善行为。如果把慈悲去掉，把博爱去掉，我们就可能带着世俗的想法或期待去帮助别人。一旦这份期待得不到回应，事实上，你就会很烦恼，很痛苦。
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-说到这里，又涉及另一个问题：慈善的核心价值是什么？有时我们可能想着，通过做慈善让自己平安顺利，得到社会的尊重和认可。当然，这些想法是合理的，但并不是慈善的核心价值。
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-慈善的核心价值，首先是内在慈悲心的成长，以及人格的提升。一个做慈善的人，应该越来越包容，越来越有爱心。现在这个社会，人与人之间往往是无感的，有一种疏离和冷漠。更可怕的是，还充斥着莫名的戾气。而在做慈善的过程中，随着慈悲心的增长，不仅能消除冷漠、隔阂、嗔恨，还能传递慈悲，化解戾气。这才是慈善对自身的意义所在。至于外在的认可、赞扬、尊重，是自然而至的，只是慈善的副产品而已。
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-杨锦麟：今天的话题已进入更多的核心。曹先生是我母校厦门大学非常了不得的捐赠者，那也是大爱。还有杨钊先生、李金友先生，都做了那么多功德，在华人社会有自己的一席之地。在新的历史时期，整个国家在实现文化复兴，愿景是美好的，但路在脚下------每一步怎么走？
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-在弘扬佛法过程中，在每个企业家身体力行的过程中，怎么定义成功？一样米百样人，每个人的解读角度不同时，我们怎么有一个比较客观的财富观，怎么做一个生意人，做一个富贵人？
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-至少，我们要维持一个人或群体、社会的尊严。没有尊严，我们怎么去舍财、舍法、舍无畏？没有慈悲心，我们怎么可能有正确的幸福观？
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-谈到慈善，曹德旺先生、杨钊先生、李金友先生都做慈善，他们很开心，不纠结，但分分厘厘都算得清楚，因为这样才能施得其法。在每个人的人生过程中，我们不去谈最艰难的时刻，那已经过去。我们谈最开心的那一刻，究竟是对财富的分享，幸福的分享，家庭快乐的分享，还是慈善事业中的分享？最开心的那一刻是什么？
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-杨钊先生帮助了近千个孤儿，那么多孩子叫你什么呢，叫杨爸爸？
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-杨钊：我有几个开心的标准。第一，知足可以常乐。所谓足，就是按你自己的标准，自己吃穿不愁，家庭生计无忧，又有足够的财富帮助别人。比如助养一千个孤儿，如果你发现，哎呀，我养了这些孩子今年，养不了他们明年，这就容易有烦恼。但你有足够的财富，一千没问题，一万也没问题，你说多开心？因此，开心的首要是知足常乐。
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-第二是助人为乐。帮助别人这件事，你去感受一下，会发现真的很快乐。
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-第三是自得其乐。你不要为了让别人快乐，结果苦了自己。自己怎么快乐？要能自得其乐。你喝一杯茶，可以很快乐；看看电视，可以很快乐；去商店买东西，也可以很快乐。
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-能具足知足常乐、助人为乐、自得其乐这三点，人生就会开心快乐。
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-杨锦麟：曹先生，看样子你有自己的解读。
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-曹德旺：讨论慈善的话题，我可以和大家分享一些。我的财富怎么来的呢？我以前拉板车的时候，马路边捡了草帽，把它戴头上，莫名其妙地发了财。因此我捐了一半出来，快70亿了，在中国，我捐款最多。
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-中国人做慈善，肯定是比洋人高明，时间也更长。你看儒家学说还有道家，都提到做慈善。那么佛门比他们高明在哪里？佛门提出，心怀慈悲，众生平等。刚才济群法师说，首先必须培养自己的悲悯之心，有慈悲才有慈善，是这样形成的。所以做慈善的目的很清楚------坚定地培养自己善良的信念、强大的内心力量------我们做的目的是这个。
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-众生平等，不仅是你我他，而是卵生、胎生、湿生全部平等，包括三山五岳都在我们的保护范围。所以，各行各业都不要瞎起劲，哪里开个洞，哪里挖条沟。山川都是有生命的，应该要保护。把大自然破坏了，把我们的生存环境破坏了，还做什么慈善？
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-所以我对做慈善的理解，首先是谦虚、诚实、遵纪守法。无论做企业还是办工厂，都不要造成环境污染，否则要弄得多少人倾家荡产去治病啊。
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-心怀慈悲，众生平等，那是非常科学的。中国做慈善的历史悠久，不仅时间早一些，动机和目的也非常清楚。为什么我们现在输给欧美发达国家？因为我捐款就碰到过，要交所得税。我就查了一下美国怎么做，发现美国在二战结束时，大概七八十年前，才开始有关于慈善的立法。在这之前，政府也反对，百姓也骂，说这些都是假的。现在中国也碰到慈善的转型，因为经济发展到一定程度，需要面对另一个问题，不单纯是过去儒家的慈善。
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-前面是哲学方面的认识，后面是政府要用鼓励的手段，鼓励这些富豪把钱交出来，参与社会调节。历史上有段时间，把有钱人抓起来，地也拿来分，这样就会有麻烦。
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-作为企业家还要认识到，要和国家一道发展。因为你发财不是全靠自己的本事，而是国家在转型过程中，扫过去刚好扫到你了。如果不是这样，你还是过去的你，要看到这层关系。现在发达国家用倒逼的方式，让富豪参与慈善。所谓倒逼，就是征遗产税、所得税、利息税，你看要不要交出来？
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-我们做慈善是为什么？是为了促进和推动社会稳定。因此，我们应该检讨，这么大的国家如何求同存异？我讲话很认真的，批评的时候也喜欢一套一套。但我们做的时候应该去了解，这些政策到底是什么？中国人现在很急躁，没弄清楚之前，就在网上发表文章，显示自己的水平。结果我们一看，牛头不对马嘴，讲的和客观事实差了很多。
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-李金友：我20岁的时候就赚到第一桶金。在马来西亚的华人，当你有钱的时候都有人来敲门，叫你做慈善，主要是办华文教育。马来西亚今天有1200所华文小学，还有中学、大学在传承中华文化，这些就和我们先前办慈善有关。
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-年轻时，我看到《菜根谭》的一句话："为恶而畏人知，恶中犹有善路；为善而急人知，善处即是恶根。”所以我做慈善的时候一直奉行这句话，要低调。有时我们做了慈善，人家要署你的名，你说不留名，好像显得很清高，但也会有纠结。
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-40岁学佛后，六波罗蜜的第一条是布施。怎么布施？佛法的最高境界是三轮体空，就是施者、受者、所施物皆不可得。做到这样的话，可以让你豁达，免除纠结。
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-我来这个论坛，对"同愿同行，交流互鉴”是有些期待的。我觉得，整个中国的和平崛起，中华文化的继承复兴，领导者很重要。这是我个人的看法，不是在捧谁。印度这个国家以前很苦难，但出了一个甘地，大家称他"圣雄”。在我心目中，中国的习主席称得上是贤雄。十天前，我出席了中国的"减贫与发展论坛”，让我感觉豁然开朗：我们现在讲做慈善，倒不如来提怎样真正地扶贫减贫。
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-我相信，中国现在做慈善有很多纠结，但不要去管它，就选择一个简单的来做。中国现在还有六千万的赤贫，按联合国的标准，是每天只有一块半美金。我们是不是来帮忙做这样的扶贫和减贫？做一家就一家，做十家才多少钱？可这不是单单给钱的问题。他之所以会这么赤贫，有历史问题，也有大环境的问题。习主席的讲话中说，我做主席花精力最大的，就是做扶贫减贫的工作。我觉得，这需要大家同愿同行。本师释迦牟尼佛最大的悲愿，就是不愿众生苦，要众生离苦得乐。
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-慈善的课题，尤其是扶贫减贫，一定要政府主导，然后由我们这些企业家、文教团体共同护持。此外，宗教的力量也非常大。但大家要清楚，就算美国这么富有的国家，还是有赤贫的人口。这就需要通过佛法来探讨------人生为什么这样苦？
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-中国现在碰到这么好的时机，出了一个贤雄，花最大精力在做扶贫减贫。所以我想和大家分享一下，扶贫减贫不仅是出钱而已，还要亲自下去。我们讲交流互鉴，如果一个富贵人家的孩子，在家娇生惯养，向爸爸要求买手机买汽车，让他去和穷孩子互鉴一下。那么，这个孩子很快可以得到教育。而且我相信，我们来这里参加论坛，可以汇聚众人的力量，因为六千万是个很大的数字。
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-我很早就来中国了，那时是1987年，马来西亚国民还不能来。我跟一位副首相来，和中国的副总理有过交流。我那时很年轻，30岁，才知道中国之前真有穷到饿死的，听着都流眼泪。今天很多年轻人已经忘记了这事，可这是事实。所以，我们特别需要"同愿同行，交流互鉴”，在扶贫减贫这方面，跟着政府做点实事。我非常喜欢"构建人类生命共同体”这句话，就像佛家说的"众生平等”。
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-{#四观众互动解决问题}
-## 四、观众互动，解决问题
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-杨锦麟：今天这个论坛第一次讲到政治，而且评价来自马来西亚的华人，让论坛多了一分殊胜。现在我们把话题拉回来，从在座几位嘉宾的分享中，我发现有几个共同特质，一是谦和，一是敬畏，还有是平常心。
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-在座几位都是闽粤的。东汉时有人说"闽人多阉”，但今天大贤大德都出现了，这也是中华民族难得的盛世。我们要放眼天下，所以还是要有互动，让今天在座的朋友、修行者来共同关注这个话题。
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-观众：今天的主题是佛教与企业文化。我想问的是，如何把佛教的文化和精神落实到企业文化中？因为我们公司有60％是佛教徒，对这一点我很关注。我想请济群法师和曹德旺先生回答。
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-济群法师：在座几位大德居士都是佛化企业的践行者，从某种意义上说，他们来回答这个问题，应该比我更有说服力。刚才曹居士提出他做企业的信念，事实上也是践行佛法的过程------把佛法智慧落实到内心，变成自己的信念，然后再带着这样一份信念去做企业。进一步，让更多员工也能拥有这样的信念，拥有这样的道德准则。我想，具体应该由几位企业家来谈。
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-曹德旺：佛教有分层次，如人天乘、声闻、缘觉，还有菩萨乘。作为做企业的人，当我们仅处在人天乘的阶段，也就这样的水平，千万不要认为自己是菩萨了。如果这样认为以后，又呼唤来一些人，结果会怎样？就好像你走过寺院，看到人家在那儿跪拜------今天是佛祖生日，仅仅这个水平而已，根本还谈不上用佛法理论来做企业。
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-佛法讲什么呢？就是教你怎么做人。真正要成佛，必须经过六度，从布施到最后的般若。般若又分不同层次，一是有相般若，带相的，能够讲出名字的智慧，用现在最简单的话来说，就是"上知天文，下通地理”。你能有这个水平，做企业家就没问题了，是不是？不要说用佛法的道理来做------难！因为你没有这个水平。我自己也没有这个水平，我都快退休了，还没有修到这个水平。
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-那要怎么办？不能只是道听途说、人云亦云地讲两句。这样的问题，首先给自己的定位要准确。我看过一篇文章，写金庸笔下的人物"石破天”。石破天是傻瓜，草莽英雄，没什么思想，但有一个特点，对天下所有人都相信，认为所有人都是对他好的，没有人害他，其实他后面都是准备打他的明枪暗箭。就这样一个人，他后来成功了，成为江湖的一把手。
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-我认为，金庸写的就是正信。作为企业家，最简单的办法------信！信法律的尊严，信道德的存在，信客户是最值得尊重的上帝，信员工是你的左右手，你说对不对？如果用佛法来治理的话，佛门提倡持戒，要戒掉贪嗔痴慢疑。我认为儒家也是这样的，只是提法不一样，是仁义礼智信。
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-所以，信非常关键。对一个人来说，如果你对谁都不信，肯定死。有人担心，信了给人家骗怎么办？其实，骗也是你错，不是他错。因为起码你自己不自信，而且内心不强大，不够水平，才会被骗。国际上评价企业家不良记录的时候，吸毒、赌钱、逾期不还都算不良记录，最后一条是什么？有没有被骗。连被骗也算不良记录，这也是在信的范围内。
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-杨锦麟：被骗不是施，记住。踊跃发言非常好，来，提问题，不要发表见解。
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-陈星桥：我是中国佛教协会《法音》编辑部的。我在佛教界几十年了，佛教的商业化，是被老百姓包括信徒非常诟病的，我们身在其中也能感受到。灵山公司应该说在国内运作得比较好，虽然是商业团队，但有宗教信仰，有文化底蕴。可国内想学它的，90％都学得很失败。当然，它是企业可以这么做，如果寺院这么运作的话，恐怕会把佛教扭曲掉。我想请济群法师就佛教的商业化谈一谈，怎么在促进佛教文化良性发展的同时，避免商业对佛教神圣性资源的损害。现在，国内好多名山大寺被商业集团绑架了。杨居士在佛教界做了很多事，应该很了解，我也想请你对这个问题作一些分享。
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-济群法师：首先要明确，这和今天的"佛教与企业文化”不是一个话题。当然，商业化确实是当今佛教面临的重要问题。包括最近的少林寺风波，也和这种商业化有关。
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-佛法是人生的大智慧，对国人的心灵建设，包括世界观、人生观、价值观的建设非常重要。但在今天，各种风波带来的负面影响，正使这个品牌不断被贬值。它所带来的，不仅是佛教的损失，还是整个社会的损失。
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-如果民众没有这样一种智慧作为心灵建设的源泉，那么，人生的出路在哪里？社会的出路在哪里？国家的出路在哪里？我觉得，这种智慧正是复兴中华民族、实现中国梦的关键所在。
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-作为佛教来说，还是要正本清源，回归到它的基本职能，那就是修行和弘法。教界之所以有这么多问题，正是因为修行上不去，且弘法教化的功能不足。这一方面有教界自身的原因，另一方面也有社会环境对佛教的影响。所以，佛教界要以加强自身建设为根本，同时，希望社会对佛法智慧的意义有充分认识，进而给予正向、积极的推动。至少不要在不了解真相的情况下妄议是非，甚至大造口业。这样，才能保障佛教的健康发展。
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-杨锦麟：济群法师讲得很委婉，很含蓄，但说实话，大家也听得明白，这是所有出家和在家修行者要面对的。佛教东传而来，在我们这块古老的土地上，经过了多少次起起伏伏，我们都有责任去面对它。
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-杨钊：关于这个问题，首先，我所护持的寺院都是赢的，因为我无所求。不论是帮助企业还是寺院，我布施过的，从没想过要回报一块钱。因为我是无所求的心，所以就不存在亏本的问题。
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-第二，不是任何人来，我都会布施的。我一定要看，这个寺院是不是具备那个缘。所以有人说，为什么你一会儿全力支持，一会儿一点都不管呢？我真的是这样。
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-我的标准，第一是有没有具备发心的人才。我的发心就为社会，如果你出来承担，也要真的发心为社会。第二是有没有智慧。如果只有发心没有智慧，也是不行的。第三是有没有缘。虽然很有心，也很有智慧，但他没福气，人家也是不买账的。第四是看那个地方，主要就是看有没有场。如果"法财侣地”四缘具足，我就会放在每年的资助规划里，而且全力支持。我们共同去做，一定是成功的。我对于企业和佛教的关系，是这样处理的。
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-杨锦麟：这个很超脱。因为他无求，很难得。在座还有哪一位朋友提问？
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-观众：今天的论坛大德云集，非常殊胜。我们作为合作方也觉得非常荣幸。我这里想问马来西亚的李先生，这场论坛中提到一个实际落实的问题，也就是说，把"同愿同行”的论坛主题和"大道大商”有一个具体结合，再发出为中国减贫，尤其是减赤贫的呼吁，这个非常有价值。同时我联想到，赤贫的家庭中，一定面临失教的问题，又与文化传承、佛法弘扬，以及未来下一代、下下一代的培养有关。请问李先生，在这方面，您对于自己今天的呼吁，有哪些比较具体的可操作的构想？在这里传播出去，应该会有更多的人响应。
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-杨锦麟：金友兄，我觉得你可以把它具体化，因为腾讯的公益基金钱很多，你提好的话，它能够加入。
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-李金友：我们做好事的话，必须要有人力、财力、物力。有些事情，其实危机也是机会。我昨天和济群法师见面时提到，在经商方面，尤其是这二三十年以来，中国都在学西方，这无可厚非。可我觉得，我们要有自己的东西。西方人提economy，等于是做企业。可中华文化的"经济”这两个字，我曾在前面加一个"以”，后面加一个"之”，即"国泰民安，以经济之”。经是什么经？佛经。
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-比如我们谈到，很多问题都是人心出了问题，所以佛教有《心经》。经也是道路的意思，就像车有车的道路，"经”就是我们人生的路。那么"济”呢，法师的名字叫"济群”。我们学到了，有了这个经，解决了自己的很多问题，接着就要去"济”，去帮助群众。
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-我觉得在社会中，医院、学校、道场这三个领域，虽然可以创造利益，但见利要思义，不可以见利忘义。这个义是什么？就是用你产生的利益去救助贫苦大众。西方有很好的制度，做出法律规范，学校可以收费，但不能盈利。如果收费有盈余的话，可以用来提升老师的素质，提升学校的设备，但从来没有个人可以从中盈利。这些，我觉得可以借鉴西方。
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-我们现在要扶贫，我觉得在中国，钱是没有问题，问题是心和方法。现在中国有个很危险的习惯，每次朋友请吃饭，人离开了，80％的东西还没吃完。马来西亚也有很多富有的人，这在我们的传统里是不能接受的。但在中国的大江南北，这种现象比比皆是。怎么改变或调节这个情况？比如我们吃饭时，你消费3000块，会自动捐30块，就可以帮助一个穷困者。
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-我60岁了，想找一批志同道合的朋友。我们训练年轻人，帮他去做生意。他做了生意后，本金要还回来。然后我们再用这个本金去帮助第二个年轻人。另外，你的公司还要给我20％的利润，我就用这20％来周转。这是我个人想做的，回应你这个问题。
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-杨锦麟：扶贫是世界性的问题，减贫也是世界性的问题。这是我们论坛之后，另一个思考的话题。在座还有哪位要提问的？
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-观众：感恩各位师长大德，我主要想问济群法师一个问题。据我的观察，现在的中国，很多学佛居士对佛教的认知，还处在迷信的阶段，甚至说邪信也不为过，正知正信是极少数。我一直在思考，得出了一个粗浅的结论。人有三观------世界观、人生观、价值观，很多中国人的三观是混乱的，所以在信仰上也是混乱的。比如他可能根本不承认轮回因果，但又在学佛，这是矛盾的。请法师开示，怎样指引这些居士走向正信之路？
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-济群法师：随着社会的发展，民众越来越关注精神、心灵方面的问题，对佛法有需求的人也日益增多。目前，佛教界在弘法上总体还是显得不足。另一方面，佛法博大精深，学起来确实很难，没有引导的话，多数人往往会无所适从。所以，我也一直在探索，如何让大家有效地学佛。
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-首先要有次第。就像我们读书，是从小学到中学、大学，逐步深入。中国的禅宗讲究顿悟，要"直指人心，见性成佛”，但除非你是上根利智，多数人都需要次第前行。
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-此外还要有方法。现在学佛存在两种情况，一是偏于理论，学了很多道理，但用不起来。二是盲修瞎炼，虽然每天念经念咒，但没有见地作为指导，不懂得怎么用心，只是机械地做各种事，流于表面。这就涉及知和行的结合。如何把佛法智慧变成自己的认识，以此建立我们的人生观、世界观、价值观，再用这些观念去修行，去指导生活，待人接物，需要有一系列具体的落实方法。
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-我目前形成了一套"三级修学”课程，大家可以通过我们的网站来了解。按这套课程来学，一步步往前走，次第会比较清晰。如果有目标，有方向，有方法，有氛围，学佛就变得比较容易。
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-杨锦麟：时间关系，再有最后一位提问。
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-观众：非常感恩这次"大道大商”的论坛，今天这个主题非常好。我有两个问题：第一，何为大道，道是否有大小？第二，我想请教曹德旺先生，从他的角度来定义，何为大商，商是否有大小可论？
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-曹德旺：道没有大小之分。孔子问老子，什么叫道？老子答复他，道在地球没形成之前就已经有了。不论大道小道，它是一种无形的东西，是无处不在的。商也没有分大小，但企业有分大小。我也是小企业出身的，你现在比我年轻的时候还派头。
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-中国人写东西喜欢押韵，所以有"大道大什么”。其实，道是没分大小的。作为道，是非常神圣的，是不可侵犯的，任何人都不能颠覆。
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-济群法师：我接着曹居士的话补充一句，道是没有大小的，但因为这个世间有很多小道，包括小道消息，所以才假名为"大道”。
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-杨锦麟：今天谈的是"大道”，以及大道之下的佛法弘扬，也谈到每个企业家对成功、财富、利益、慈善、幸福的看法。虽然这只是一个开头，但能开一个头，我觉得就很了不起。在论坛即将进入尾声时，请每位讲者对今天的发言，用一句话作一个小结。
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-杨钊：作为企业家，路在何方？路在脚下。
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-李金友：做一个简单的生意人。
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-曹德旺：人生真谛是"信愿行”。
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-济群法师：希望我们通过继承传统文化，包括佛教文化、儒家文化，对成功、幸福、利益、慈善等人生问题有重新的认识，重新的定位，为中国社会的未来发展提供一种智慧引导。
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-（本文根据现场录音整理)
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-{#The Great Way, The Great Merchant --- Buddhism and Corporate Culture}
-# The Great Way, The Great Merchant --- Buddhism and Corporate Culture
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--- A sub-forum dialogue at the Fourth World Buddhist Forum, 2015
-
-Venerable Jiqun
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-[I. What Is Success? [2](#一什么是成功)](#一什么是成功)
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-[II. Morality and Profit [9](#二道德与利益)](#二道德与利益)
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-[III. The Entrepreneur's View of Charity [13](#三企业家的慈善观)](#三企业家的慈善观)
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-[IV. Audience Interaction: Finding Solutions [21](#四观众互动解决问题)](#四观众互动解决问题)
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-Moderator: Mr. Yang Jinlin
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-Panelists: Venerable Jiqun, Mr. Cao Dewang, Mr. Yang Zhao, Mr. Li Jinyou, and others
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-We live in an era dominated by commerce. Material civilization is highly developed, and wealth has become the universal yardstick for success. Yet many who possess wealth are far from happy, and many whose enterprises are vast have no idea what meaning their work holds. Besides this, the decline of social morality, the deterioration of the environment, and the growing coldness in human relationships are all deeply alarming. Where exactly does the problem lie? I believe the crux of the matter is that society's criteria for judging success have gone wrong.
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-Fortunately, many people of insight have already recognized this issue and, guided by the wisdom of the Buddhadharma, are running their enterprises in ways that have accumulated rich experience for how business can develop healthily in today's society. That is why inheriting the finest traditions of the East and rebuilding corporate culture is a matter of urgent priority. This "Buddhism and Corporate Culture Forum" will, from the perspective of the Buddhadharma, explore topics such as happiness, success, profit, and charity together with entrepreneurs, in the hope of redefining the standards of success and discovering a path to true happiness.
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-{#一什么是成功}
-## I. What Is Success?
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-Yang Jinlin: The New Media Forum "The Great Way, The Great Merchant" of the Fourth World Buddhist Forum is under my moderation. This is a service opportunity the forum has offered me, and also a remarkable and auspicious moment to share. Today's theme is highly compelling, and I am sure it will resonate with many. First, let me welcome our panelists to the stage --- Venerable Jiqun, Mr. Cao Dewang, Mr. Yang Zhao, and Mr. Li Jinyou.
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-Regardless of our wealth or our learning, we are all gathered here for a common purpose: to explore the relationship between Buddhism and running a business. We have four starting points: first, what is success? Second, the relationship between wealth and profit. Third, what kind of view on charity should a successful entrepreneur hold? And fourth, what is the happiness we are really seeking?
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-The four speakers invited today include an eminent monk and respected teacher, and successful entrepreneurs who are also practicing lay Buddhists. They will each share their own perspectives on today's topic.
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-Over the past thirty-plus years of reform and opening up, China has become the world's second-largest economy and now holds the largest foreign exchange reserves on the planet. At the same time, wealth has become the standard by which society judges whether a person is successful or not.
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-Are these familiar and well-worn standards true? Are they reasonable? We can all see the price we have paid for development: environmental degradation, moral decline, and a loss of trust between people. What message is this forum, with all its earnest effort, trying to convey to the world? Or to put it another way, can the Buddhadharma offer this troubled world a new standard of judgment? Let me invite Venerable Jiqun to share his teaching with us.
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-Venerable Jiqun: It is a truly auspicious occasion to explore some of the important issues in our society's development together with these great lay practitioners, who are themselves entrepreneurs. Let us begin with the question of what success is.
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-Why do we need to discuss this topic? Because how we view success and how we pursue it serves as a weathervane for the direction of social development. Our definition of "success" is, in essence, a question of values. Whatever we feel is valuable in life --- obtaining it means success, and the reverse is equally true.
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-In this era of unprecedented material abundance, when people speak of success, they tend to measure it by the size of one's wealth. Widely known rankings like the Forbes list have made this standard concrete and visible. Across all kinds of media, we see frequent roll calls --- the wealthiest person in the world, in China, in a province, a city, even a county or a village --- continually updated and replaced, turning into a nationwide drama that people eagerly follow and never tire of discussing.
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-When the entire society treats the accumulation of money as the hallmark of success, then naturally "maximizing profit" becomes the highest priority. Such values only intensify people's greed, even to the point where they can see nothing else and will stop at nothing to make a profit. The resulting problems --- moral decline, ecological devastation, violations of the law --- are, I believe, already plain for all to see. Even more alarming is that trust itself is facing an unprecedented crisis --- we no longer know what to believe, nor do we dare to believe anything at all.
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-From this we can see that a misguided conception of success will become a great hidden danger for society's development. Therefore, re-examining the value of success and redefining what success really means has become an urgent priority, and is also the key to China's healthy future development. This concerns not only each individual's own well-being, but also the stability and harmony of society as a whole.
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-For thousands of years, the values of the Chinese people have been shaped primarily by traditional Chinese culture. Take, for example, the "Three Imperishables" spoken of in Confucianism, which was once the mainstream value system that influenced countless people. "The highest is to establish virtue" --- making the cultivation of moral character and sage-like qualities the supreme goal. "Next is to establish merit" --- achieving great deeds and bringing benefit to the wider world. "Next is to establish teachings" --- influencing society and educating the people through one's writings. In parallel with this, there is also the ideal of "cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to all under heaven." It begins with perfecting one's own moral character, then managing family relationships well, then governing the state to benefit society and bring peace and well-being to the world.
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-It was under the influence of precisely these values that the ancients took as their life's aim "to establish the heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to carry forward the lost learning of past sages, and to bring peace to all ages to come." This is not so much a lofty spiritual aspiration as it is their interpretation of success and their way of living it out.
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-From the Buddhist perspective, the establishment of values is grounded in an understanding of life itself. Where does the value of life truly lie? It lies in the attainment of wisdom and the attainment of compassion. The attainment of wisdom comes through studying the scriptures and teachings, awakening the inner enlightenment inherent in our lives, thereby cutting through confusion and affliction to become an awakened being --- this emphasizes benefiting oneself. The attainment of compassion comes through extending oneself to others, dedicating this profound heart to every realm of existence, taking all beings rather than the self as the center --- this emphasizes benefiting others. From this we can see that the success Buddhism affirms is not only personal accomplishment but, even more, the benefit of all beings. One could even say that benefiting oneself is for the sake of benefiting others, and awakening oneself is ultimately for the sake of awakening others. Hence the saying, "For the benefit of all beings, I vow to attain Buddhahood."
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-Such a definition of success cannot be separated from an understanding of the true nature of life. Only on the basis of such understanding can we view success from a higher vantage point, rather than being confined to immediate gains and losses.
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-Yang Jinlin: Thank you, Venerable Jiqun, for your teaching. The other three panelists are all prominent entrepreneurs and also devout Dharma-protecting lay Buddhists. They are neither children of officials nor children of the wealthy --- they all started from nothing, relying on their own hard work to climb step by step to their respective pinnacles of success, and they continue to create value for society to this day. Mr. Yang Zhao, please share with us your thoughts on success.
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-Yang Zhao: As an entrepreneur, I see success as having a first half and a second half. The first half is success in career; the second half is success in life. The standard for career success is simply to have fame, fortune, and social standing. So what then is the standard for a successful life? It is good health, a happy family, and whether you live with joy in your heart.
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-There is a misconception in our society today --- that career success equals life success. But many people find that while someone may appear to be successful, that person is not really a role model for them. Why is that? Because although they may have money and fame, their family is not happy and they do not live with joy. Clearly, career does not equal life, nor does career success equal life success. Therefore, beyond pursuing career success, we need to pursue life success in the second half.
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-Yang Jinlin: First half, second half --- it sounds a bit like playing football. Mr. Cao, do you agree with this way of playing?
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-Cao Dewang: I believe what they have said is all correct, but discussing success is a big topic. My view is: the same rice feeds a hundred kinds of people. With every trade and profession under heaven, who gets to judge who is successful? I think we should evaluate the success of ordinary living beings. What does it mean for ordinary beings to be successful? To abide by the law, to have a strong and healthy body, to have a harmonious family, and to live in freedom --- that is success.
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-Just now Venerable Jiqun spoke of the impatience and restlessness in Chinese society and mentioned the Forbes list --- he certainly was not singling me out. I am also a seasoned actor on the Forbes stage; they keep putting me on that list. I once discussed this with them, asking why they pay so much attention to these individuals in China. They said that with China's reform and opening up and its high GDP growth year after year, the whole Western world has taken notice. First, they want to know how it is being done, and whether it is real or fake. Second, they want to know if there is an opportunity for them to take part. Third, they want to know who to look up if they do get that opportunity. So the list actually serves as a source of information --- the list itself is hollow.
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-Why do I say that? Because it deals with one link in the chain of the virtual economy. What we call the virtual economy is this: you take money to invest, whether in real assets or in stocks and futures. Once your money goes into an investment, it becomes insubstantial. A sudden change, some unforeseen event, and your assets could vanish overnight. If you want to get things done, you keep your money sitting solidly in the bank, untouched --- that is real. Move it, and it turns insubstantial. Those on the front lines of investment are usually in this insubstantial state. Quite a few who once made the rich list ended up in a sorry state in the end. So we should not say they were merely restless; rather, our own understanding in this area is not deep enough, and the way we assess these people needs improvement.
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-The other day someone was saying that so-and-so had become a billionaire, but in fact his company's debts were several times his personal assets. So the Forbes list itself is insubstantial --- it's playing games. It is also something created to serve the needs of the country's reform and opening-up narrative. By no means should we take it too seriously.
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-Yang Jinlin: Mr. Cao has given us a different angle. Mr. Li Jinyou from Malaysia has been a good friend of mine for many years. Please share your understanding of success.
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-Li Jinyou: To me, success is always a process --- it is very hard to pin down a definition. I quite agree with Mr. Yang's first-half and second-half analogy. Succeeding in a specific task is easy; pursuing success in life, however, is profound learning. I feel that if a person wants to be successful, they need to possess several qualities. First, self-confidence. Second, diligence. Third, a devoted heart and a willingness to learn with humility. I consider myself very fortunate --- I began studying Buddhism at forty. The great wisdom of our original teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, is something we can never finish learning.
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-Coming here today, I have the opportunity to draw close to a great spiritual friend like Venerable Jiqun, and to be with lay practitioners like Mr. Yang and Mr. Cao --- they are all well worth learning from. I feel that humble learning is a process, but it must involve the process of "seeing results over time." This point is especially important for young people today.
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-Yang Jinlin: These speakers make me feel that I am truly not a successful person at all. At sixty, I am still starting a business --- I have had no first half and no second half. Only those who have finished playing the first half can leisurely speak of life, health, and happiness. Without a certain material foundation, empty talk or extravagant talk about success is meaningless.
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-But Venerable Jiqun has also given us a hint. Under the clash between Western material standards and Eastern spiritual standards, ordinary beings sometimes suffer a great deal of affliction --- and I am one of the most afflicted. So I am not here today to be a moderator; I have come to absorb some wisdom.
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-When we speak of success, to be honest, today it really is wealth that determines your standing in the world. Mr. Cao has exposed it for everyone: don't believe in those wealth rankings --- they are for propaganda purposes. Yet so many people are still jumping right in. Chasing hollow fame and hollow profit --- that is a malady of our society today. Because of this hollowness, compounded by a loss of faith, we see so much chaos unfolding.
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-Why do we hold Buddhist forums like this? Why must monastics speak with such earnest effort? So then, is the view that profit is supreme --- whether in the first half or the second half --- ultimately right or wrong? My fellow Yang --- what is your take?
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-Yang Zhao: As I just mentioned, wealth can be divided into two kinds: the first is material wealth, and the second is spiritual wealth. We now have a misunderstanding, thinking that possessing material wealth means possessing everything. I have met many major entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, but money cannot buy everything. Good health cannot be bought with money; a happy family cannot be bought with money; whether you live with joy in your heart cannot be bought with money either.
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-Therefore, a successful life requires spiritual wealth. We must not get this wrong; we need to target the right remedy. It is only when we possess both material wealth --- such as money, reputation, and social standing --- and spiritual wealth that life can be truly successful. With only fame, fortune, and social status, you can claim career success, but not life success. So career success is measured by three criteria: wealth, reputation, and status. Life success requires three more: good health, a happy family, and living with joy in your heart.
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-Yang Jinlin: To be honest, not many among us here today can meet all six of these criteria. Otherwise, why would our forum have people standing in the aisles? Clearly, everyone has come seeking a prescription. All beings are equal, but in the process of awakening to life, they are not necessarily equal. This equality is relative. Venerable Jiqun, as a monastic --- Mr. Yang has set all these criteria --- do you find them hard to live up to?
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-Venerable Jiqun: I think what lay practitioner Yang has described is indeed the reality --- many entrepreneurs pursue things on these two levels. But I feel that if we separate career success from the success of being a good person, problems can easily arise.
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-If we lose sight of the goal of being a good person and pursue career success in isolation, then in the course of doing business, we may treat the enterprise as everything. To build the business, our health collapses, our family becomes discordant, and even our state of mind is damaged. Such phenomena are everywhere. So I believe that the pursuit of career success should be founded upon the art of being a good person.
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-This is not to say that everyone who pursues a career will encounter these problems. If a person already possesses moral boundaries and principles for conducting themselves, even without consciously seeking to succeed as a person, they will bring that inherent character to their career and make the right choices --- knowing what to do and what not to do. Conversely, if they lack such qualities, when they pursue business success one-sidedly, they are likely to act recklessly and bring about all kinds of problems.
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-Yang Jinlin: In the first half, you earn money like mad; only when you've earned enough do you realize --- ah, I haven't succeeded as a person --- and start giving back to society. Is this a mindset of atonement, or a mindset of correction? Mr. Cao, please continue to enlighten us.
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-Cao Dewang: Speaking of this, I can say with some pride that entrepreneurs can learn from me. My approach to success is to simplify complex problems. I classify the *Four Books and Five Classics*, the *Tripitaka*, and all such texts as education --- they are the cause, not the result. There are thousands of ways of education, and I boil them down to three principles: faith, vow, and practice.
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-This is how I have been since I started my business, right up to today. I not only enjoy a high reputation in China, but my reputation in America and Europe is even higher than in China --- they respect me deeply. What is the reason? When I do business with them, I have learned to respect them. I firmly believe in the dignity of the law. I believe in the power of public opinion. I believe that my success requires the support of many customers, and that it requires my employees to shed blood and sweat for me, working with absolute loyalty. I firmly believe that the world is full of truth, goodness, and beauty. At the same time, I also believe in taking every step with care, knowing that hidden arrows may come my way.
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-Through my own diligent learning, I have avoided all kinds of risks. Everyone nowadays finds business difficult, but our growth this year is still much faster than last year's. What is the lesson from this? Simplify complex problems. And first of all, you must have faith.
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-Second, my heart is very broad and open. I made a vow to produce a sheet of glass for the Chinese people --- glass that can represent the nation's standard, engage with the world on the international stage, and showcase the wisdom of the Chinese people and the success of reform and opening up. Today I produce automotive glass for the global market, and to put it modestly, we are the second-largest enterprise. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, General Motors, and Honda are all my customers.
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-If you truly want to succeed, you have to start from the very beginning. Every single event that happens in every day and every minute of your life is a brick in the edifice of your life. When you lay each brick, you must think carefully: can this brick be laid here? Because if it is laid crooked, you won't be able to pull it out later. You might say, I only plan to build this high, so it's fine. But if you lay the bricks well, and later you are able to build a hundred stories, the building will not collapse because some brick was placed wrong.
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-If there is a disgraceful chapter in your life, then when you reach a certain height and the pressure grows, that spot won't be able to bear the weight. As the saying goes, "It is lonely at the top." People might say, so-and-so once committed such-and-such a misdeed, once cheated in this or that way. Then it's all over --- you have to tumble back down. In my view, making money and such is easy. But to go through life without giving anyone grounds to point a finger at you --- that is truly difficult. Just as Chairman Mao Zedong said, it is easy for a person to do one good deed; what is hard is to do good deeds for a lifetime.
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-On this point, I hope entrepreneurs will encourage themselves. And this, too, is connected to faith --- you must clarify your own faith. If you succeed, trust that the Buddha has given you this blessing. If you do not succeed, trust in your destiny --- that this is the path fate has destined you to take. And believe in future lives: after I finish this life, I will come back in the next.
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-Yang Jinlin: Magnanimous. Only someone who has lived richly can arrive at such insight. Malaysia has successfully hosted the APEC summit and also the 10+3 meetings --- and Mr. Li Jinyou and his group were the ones who actually organized them. For an entrepreneur to host such events on behalf of his country must surely count as a form of success. What is your take on Mr. Cao's remarks? My impression from Mr. Cao is that sincerity and goodness bring their own reward. Even if it hasn't fully arrived in this lifetime, never mind --- that's fate; I still have another life ahead. A very thorough kind of life insight. What do you think?
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-Li Jinyou: When Mr. Cao said that entrepreneurs can learn from him, he was not being arrogant --- he simply feels that he has genuine positive energy to offer young people. And this is also what I mentioned earlier: success requires self-confidence.
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-We are here today discussing the topic of "success," and speaking honestly, when you run a business, you cannot avoid talking about making money. My feeling is that a businessperson absolutely must create profit. If you cannot create profit, then you cannot really be called a businessperson. But what I think is even more important is "to see profit and remember righteousness" --- what is meant by "the noble person loves wealth but obtains it by the proper way." There is nothing wrong with obtaining profit. It is like Mr. Cao turning sand into glass and then making automobile windshields --- that is called "the noble person benefits things through righteousness." The *Book of Changes* says, "Profit is the harmony of righteousness." I feel that so long as you bring a spirit of sharing into the process of creating your enterprise, you can share not only your technical achievements but also, once wealth is created, share that wealth with others. This also accords with the code of conduct for those who study Buddhism. What Mr. Cao has described is, I believe, something he has genuinely practiced in his life.
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-The moderator mentioned just now that I have organized conferences in Malaysia. I have not only organized major conferences but have also supported many social and cultural activities. I am very fond of the four characters *yuan heng li zhen* --- when I recite "yuan heng li zhen," it is for me like reciting "Amitabha." *Yuan* is the chief of all virtues --- whatever we do, we must begin with a wholesome and good intention. *Heng* is wisdom --- our discussion here today is itself *heng*. Thus, "benefiting things is sufficient to harmonize with righteousness." I could see all of these qualities in what Mr. Cao just shared.
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-Yang Jinlin: Our forum and dialogue are entering a richer phase. This topic was sparked by Mr. Yang Zhao, who analyzed success in terms of a first half and a second half and even provided quantified criteria --- what we might call the Yang Standard. But as we can see, the three speakers hold differing views and perspectives on this topic. I think it is best that we seek common ground while reserving differences.
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-Mr. Yang Zhao, I know you still have many insights to share with everyone. Your view on happiness just now left me rather dejected, to the point of doubting whether I still have any meaningful reason to stay alive and keep striving. Before you speak, I would like to invite Venerable Benru, from the founding temple of the Vinaya school at Jingye Monastery on Mount Zhongnan, to offer an on-the-spot response. This is a forum that benefits everyone, so everyone should take part.
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-Venerable Benru: Thank you, everyone, and thank you, Mr. Yang Jinlin, for giving me the chance to speak. As I receive wisdom from all of you, I am also reflecting: what is the greatest success for someone who has renounced the household life? My thought is this: to help Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva attain Buddhahood as soon as possible! My teacher, the late Elder Miaozhan, once told me: in life, we must take hold of three kinds of health. First, health of body. Second, health of mind. Third, health of wisdom. If you possess these, your life will be absolutely brilliant, and you will be able to help Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva become a Buddha, to help all beings become Buddhas. This is the Great Way and the Great Merchant for every one of us who studies the Buddha's path.
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-{#二道德与利益}
-## II. Morality and Profit
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-Yang Jinlin: Mr. Yang Zhao, I asked Venerable Benru to give you a lead-in --- I think you should continue to explore this further.
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-Yang Zhao: We were just speaking about the issue of morality. From the perspective of morality, how should we view wealth? Different people have different views. The Confucian view is, "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire." In other words, put yourself in others' shoes and consider things from their standpoint --- this is also called empathy. When everyone uses the same principle and shares a common standpoint to view issues, we arrive at the consensus of "do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."
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-Buddhists also have moral standards. As a Buddhist, I observe the Five Precepts and practice the Ten Wholesome Deeds, I cultivate the six pāramitās, and I learn the four immeasurable minds of kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. These are my standards for being a person and for doing things.
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-Yang Jinlin: Two months ago, I went to the North Pole. On the same ship, Professor Li Yinhe discussed with me her philosophy of life: first, to benefit others; second, to benefit oneself; third, to benefit oneself slightly in the course of benefiting others, and to benefit others slightly in the course of benefiting oneself. These are three ways of living. After hearing this, I felt I had lived sixty years in vain. Am I benefiting others, benefiting myself, or somewhere in between? I can't figure out what I've been living for.
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-When we come to the question of profit --- if businesspeople and entrepreneurs do not seek profit, there will be no way to liberate all beings. For example, you cannot support the ten or twenty thousand workers at Fuyao Glass unless you can always meet the payroll. The crux is whether your footing is in benefiting others or benefiting oneself. Is it really that absolute, Mr. Cao?
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-Cao Dewang: In my view, when it comes to wealth, no amount of money is worth envying or chasing after as a must-have, but you absolutely cannot do without it either. I used to be very poor. When I couldn't even afford a pack of cigarettes, the sight of a single cent would get me excited. But now that I have money, I think it is not that useful --- having enough to get by is sufficient, because it changes. Governments everywhere are now promoting loose monetary policy. A moment of carelessness, and the money in your drawer starts devaluing nonstop. Or take stock trading --- you might lose, or you might strike it rich. These are very real issues. There is only one thing that cannot change: the enhancement of your overall personal quality. That is the greatest wealth.
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-As the Confucians say, "Do not pray for piles of gold and jade, but rather that your children and grandchildren may each be worthy." What you should leave to your children is wisdom and capability. So long as you have competence, reputation, trustworthiness, and a healthy body, that is the greatest wealth. Profit takes countless forms. Today, having me invited to sit here in the center with you all seated below --- that also brings me great profit, because everyone would like to sit in this spot. The ancients spoke of "attending to both righteousness and profit." When you hold a position, fulfill its duties; when you hold a position, live up to the trust it carries.
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-I mentioned earlier that in China, no distinction is made between businesspeople and entrepreneurs. It is like when Westerners say that China has no philosophy, but Chinese people reply, "No, we do have philosophy." Take the verse, "By the riverbank, who first saw the moon? And the river moon, what year first shone on humankind?" Nan Huaijin says this is philosophy --- how can you say there is no philosophy?
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-So why do Westerners say that China has no entrepreneurs? How do they define the term? It is because in the course of Western industrialization, the title of entrepreneur was accorded great honor. It was held that an entrepreneur must first have courage, must dare to shoulder responsibility, to challenge limits, to challenge the future, to challenge the world, to challenge all under heaven. When you have done so, that is your boldness and vision. If the Volkswagen emissions fraud is confirmed, they will have to recall over thirteen million vehicles. People say it will cost eighteen billion US dollars --- it is almost unimaginable, isn't it? So, first and foremost, an entrepreneur must have the courage to take responsibility for things.
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-Small traders and peddlers earn a bit of money for the purpose of feeding their families, but a true entrepreneur must possess a spirit of taking responsibility. Their aspirations are also different from those of an ordinary businessperson. Entrepreneurs compete under uniform standards --- quality standards, accounting standards, standards of conduct, and so on. Through their own hard work, they continuously improve their production equipment, raise product quality and work efficiency, and at the same time reduce costs.
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-Who is worried about these things? The people are worried, society is worried, the nation is worried. Therefore, the aspiration of an entrepreneur should be this --- that the nation becomes stronger because you exist, that society advances because you exist, and that the people become prosperous because you exist.
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-At the same time, because of your efforts, everyone strives toward these standards --- that is the difference between an entrepreneur and a mere businessperson. When we learned from the West, we first learned from the Soviet Union and later from the United States. But what America taught us was its own ongoing experiment --- "deindustrialization" and the development of the virtual economy. So what we ended up studying was all about the virtual economy. The stock market has now opened a whole slew of third boards, fourth boards, and startup boards. I ask them: do you want to run a good enterprise? Are you doing it to make products or to sell stock? What is your real purpose? Therein lies the problem. You may say these people are unscrupulous, but we should not criticize them --- whatever exists has its reasons. After opening up, we learned from abroad, and this is what we were taught. What can you do?
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-Yang Jinlin: The great merchants have spoken at length --- now the Great Way should also say a few words. Buddhism and corporate culture have gradually begun to find a path, or at least a path of reflection. Whether it is about our view of wealth or about benefiting ourselves versus benefiting others, let us invite Venerable Jiqun to offer his teaching.
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-Venerable Jiqun: When we speak of wealth, morality, and the debate between righteousness and profit, what do we need to reflect on? Why does our whole society now lack moral awareness? We cannot simply point fingers at these phenomena; we also need to inquire into their root causes.
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-The emergence of such phenomena in society is connected, to some degree, with our traditions and our current educational system. For instance, in the Confucian "righteousness-profit debate," righteousness and profit have been placed somewhat in opposition. It is held that if a person speaks of morality, they should not speak of profit. Conversely, if they speak of profit, it seems to show that they do not value morality.
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-Furthermore, traditional Chinese morality was built on the foundation of the patriarchal clan system. That is to say, morality was primarily a requirement of the family, a requirement of society, with personal needs placed behind. So people often feel that morality is a social affair, not really connected to oneself. Once the binding force of the family and society weakens, morality fades away accordingly. At one point, we even heard the brazen taunt, "How much is morality a pound?" The subtext behind this is: if you cannot constrain me, why should I abide by the rules and follow your standards?
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-Under the influence of materialist education, moreover, the foundation for establishing morality has become even more fragile. There is a saying: "A thoroughgoing materialist fears nothing." What is it that they do not fear? They do not fear karmic cause and effect. If a person only cares about immediate, visible gains and losses, without any longer-range perspective, then abiding by morality becomes utterly hollow. So we need to find the root cause of moral decay. Only then can we propose effective solutions.
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-In my view, abiding by morality cannot be separated from wisdom. Without wisdom, moral requirements are purely mechanical --- nothing more than telling you what to do and what not to do. And this raises the question: why should I do this? Very often, practicing morality looks like accepting a loss --- it requires giving, forbearance, and yielding. If it means losing out, why do it? In the past, people might have felt compelled by rites, social expectations, or public opinion. But in an age that celebrates individual liberation, when people may not care at all about rites or public opinion, why should they still uphold morality?
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-This brings us to the need to recognize the value of morality for life itself. The Buddha, through his enlightenment, told us that life is an endless accumulation. Our present state of existence comes from our past actions, speech, and thoughts --- known as the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. It is these very things that constitute the diverse forms our lives take. Wholesome karma builds a wholesome life accumulation, shaping a healthy state of mind, character, and quality of life. Conversely, unwholesome karma builds a detrimental life accumulation, leading life toward degeneration.
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-It is clear, then, that in the course of practicing morality, we ourselves are the primary beneficiaries; only secondarily do we enable others to benefit. Conversely, we ourselves also become the victims of immoral conduct, and in turn cause harm to others. If everyone could embrace this understanding, they would abide by morality of their own accord. Because doing so is not for anyone else --- it is to take responsibility for one's own life, for one's own future. There is not a single person who does not wish for a bright future, for a wholesome state of mind, for a noble character.
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-If we can recognize the value of morality from such a vantage point, then morality will surely become a conscious practice that everyone is willing to undertake, just as we are willing to work hard for a better quality of life.
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-From a societal perspective, abiding by morality not only benefits the individual but also benefits others --- or at the very least, does not harm others. In this sense, the law is morality at its most basic level. When we all abide by the law, public safety is assured. Consider, too, the precepts of Buddhism. Even the most fundamental Five Precepts --- not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants --- as long as we observe these, we restrain ourselves while at the same time giving others a sense of safety. Just imagine: a society without harm, without theft, without betrayal, without deception --- how deeply desirable that would be.
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-Beyond this, Buddhism also has an even loftier morality, which is the morality of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas --- selfless benefiting of others, great kindness and great compassion. Because they regard all beings as more important than themselves, they are ready at any moment to help beings leave suffering behind and attain happiness. When such a morality is put into practice, how many people can be brought peace and hope.
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-The great lay practitioners seated here today are themselves practitioners of this very kind. Guided by the conviction of the Buddhadharma, they run their businesses and engage with the world --- and this is also a key reason why they have been able to succeed. So let us not drive a hard wedge between morality and profit.
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-{#三企业家的慈善观}
-## III. The Entrepreneur's View of Charity
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-Yang Jinlin: Morality is not abstract; it is concrete and real. The three entrepreneurs seated here, each at a different stage of life, especially at the present stage, are all striving to put it into practice: giving wealth, giving the Dharma, giving fearlessness. Mr. Yang, you must have many thoughts on benefiting others and benefiting yourself to share with us, as well as your own hands-on experience in charity.
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-Yang Zhao: We were talking just now about how to view wealth, or one could say, the purpose of life. How should we be as people? How should we do things? Where is the road? The road is beneath your feet.
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-First, we need to feed ourselves. How do we do that? You must abide by the law --- you cannot simply take by force. That's the minimum standard. Second, you need a standard of conscience, which is a higher level. You have to ask yourself: in your heart, do you have anything to be ashamed of? Toward your customers, toward your family, toward society, toward the nation, toward humanity --- is there any shame?
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-When I go to sleep at night and realize that today I can face my conscience without regret, I sleep very well. Conversely, if I find one or two things I did poorly --- perhaps because I was too serious and too impatient, or had a bad temper today --- what do I do? I must repent and confess: Yang Zhao, tomorrow you must keep working at it.
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-"Each day I examine myself on three counts." A person must reflect and self-examine. Through reflection, self-examination, and review, you can keep making progress.
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-Yang Jinlin: Brother Jinyou, please share as well.
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-Li Jinyou: I am sixty years old this year --- I count as an old man now. When I was forty, China had only just begun its reform and opening up. Much of what nourished me came from Taiwan. Taiwan once awarded me the "Overseas Youth Entrepreneurship Award" --- that was the first entrepreneurship award I ever received. After receiving it, many people called me an entrepreneur. In truth, the title "entrepreneur" troubled me for many years. Because I feel that the word *jia* --- meaning "master" or "expert" --- is a very serious designation. Someone who can paint a little does not necessarily become a painter; someone who can play the piano does not necessarily become a pianist.
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-That is why, back then, I set up a Youth Entrepreneurship Association in Malaysia, thinking it could help society, help young people. My intention in founding this association was simple: when a person starts a business, they can at least create jobs. Especially when someone like Mr. Cao builds such a major enterprise, they can create a great many jobs.
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-A career must develop gradually --- it is not that you register a company today and strike it rich tomorrow. Yet nowadays, many people are desperate for quick success, and this is a widespread social problem. So I feel that young people today should first honestly and earnestly become a good *businessperson*.
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-Speaking of these three characters --- *sheng-yi-ren*, "businessperson" --- I have looked into the character *sheng* (生). The *Great Learning* says, "There is a great way to generate wealth: let the producers be many and the consumers few, let those who work be diligent and those who spend be frugal --- then wealth will always be sufficient." Laozi's *Dao De Jing* also says, "Generate without possessing, act without depending, achieve without claiming credit. It is because one does not claim credit that the achievement endures." So as we do business, we must have productive and creative power.
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-And as for *yi* (意), "intention" --- this is even more weighty. In running a business, our intention must be upright, and we can draw abundant nourishment from the three traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. The *Diamond Sutra* often asks, "What is your intention?" What is your intention? For instance, if you manufacture baby products, things that babies eat and drink, how can you possibly produce something with a bad intention? If you start a business to make money today, how can you, having earned that money, end up harming society? Take the many environmental problems we face today --- they come from intentions gone wrong.
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-Third is the character *ren* (人), "person" --- this is the most important of all. The two strokes that make up the character *ren* (人) --- one falling left, one falling right --- stand for truth and integrity. We must do what it is fitting for a person to do. How to be a person? We touched on this earlier --- it is a profound subject of learning. One must practice filial piety, brotherly respect, loyalty, and trustworthiness. Think about it: if you are not filial to your parents at home, not loving toward your siblings, always bickering and quarreling, then no matter how much your career prospers on the outside, your life will still run into trouble. Why does Confucianism place such importance on filial piety, brotherly respect, loyalty, and trustworthiness? Because these bear directly on how we conduct ourselves as human beings.
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-Earlier, Mr. Cao said that an "entrepreneur" is not the same as a businessperson, and I deeply share this sentiment. I feel that the three characters *sheng-yi-ren* actually encompass this distinction too. When others call you an "entrepreneur," you should reflect: am I truly worthy of that *jia*?
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-I was born in Malaysia and started with one hundred dollars. But I am a little greedier, I suppose --- I want my family, especially my children, to become people who are both wealthy and noble. Why pursue wealth and nobility? The Confucians say, "Riches and honors acquired by unrighteous means are to me as passing clouds." Clearly, Confucius did not tell you not to be wealthy and noble --- he merely warned you not to take ill-gotten gains.
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-When we study Buddhism, or study Confucianism and Daoism, if we end up wretchedly poor and barely scraping by, how can we even practice? In fact, studying Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism all help us become wealthy and noble people. If you study little, your wealth will be modest; if you study at a middling level, your wealth will be greater; if you study at a profound level, your wealth will be the greatest of all.
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-So I believe we should encourage young people today to become wealthy and noble persons. But this requires three conditions: be wealthy and fond of learning, be wealthy and fond of propriety, and be wealthy and fond of goodness. As for nobility, we spoke just now of "not imposing on others what you yourself do not desire," and also of "wishing to establish others when you wish to establish yourself." Everyone encounters benefactors --- *guiren*, "noble people" --- in life. Sometimes our parents are our benefactors; sometimes our teachers are our benefactors, giving us guidance and a helping hand. Once you are successful, you should also become a benefactor to others --- what is called "nobling yourself and nobling others."
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-To be a "businessperson" and a "wealthy and noble person," you must also have *de* (德), "virtue." The character *de* is connected to *de* (得), "to obtain" --- they share the same sound. Only when you have the Way can you obtain. If you want abundant wealth, many customers, and so many other things, all of them must be built on the foundation of virtue. It is like building a house --- you must first lay a solid foundation. When you have practiced virtue well, then you can "obtain." But then the question arises: what is the Way?
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-Yang Jinlin: Thank you, Brother Jinyou, for sharing. Today's topics are truly so meaningful. Here we are at a Buddhist forum, devoting dedicated time to discussing businesspeople and wealthy and noble persons. Be wealthy and fond of learning, wealthy and fond of propriety, wealthy and fond of goodness. This "wealth" is the material foundation; what we are fond of is spiritual wealth. I would like to invite Venerable Daoyuan, who is with us, to share as well.
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-Venerable Daoyuan: Thank you, Mr. Yang, and thank you all for giving me a chance to speak. Let me share from the perspective of happiness. Before I became a monastic, I had a very good job with a very good income. I was content and felt very happy. After I followed my teacher, Elder Monk Huitong, into monastic life and practiced in a thatched hermitage, the old master would not let us use mobile phones, and even electricity was not allowed. I was equally happy.
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-Later, when the old master, at the age of eighty-three, made a vow to restore the Chan ancestral temple Yangqi Putong Monastery, he came to speak with me and asked me to take full responsibility. I told the old master: if I had wanted to become an abbot, I would not have come to you to seek ordination in the first place. The old master said: you must arouse the aspiration. When you help establish a place of practice and look after everyone in their cultivation, you will discover that you are actually very happy as well. So I went to Yangqi Putong Monastery to oversee the temple's construction. Now, over forty monks practice there, and I feel very happy.
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-This is probably the movement from a happiness centered on oneself to a happiness of benefiting others. There is a saying in Buddhism: "The lamp of Yangqi shines bright for a thousand ages." And speaking of this, I must express my gratitude to Mr. Yang Zhao. In the course of my interactions with Mr. Yang Zhao, the monastery established the "Heart Lamp Assistance Plan." Mr. Yang Zhao said: let us first light the lamp in our own hearts, and then go help those in need. Now, in Pingxiang City where the monastery is located, as long as orphans meet the criteria, Mr. Yang Zhao provides the funding and the monastery takes the lead in giving them support --- close to a thousand people have already been helped. In the process of assisting these children and elderly people, they say, "Thank you, Venerable. For decades, no one has helped us like this." So, in the process of helping them, I am also very happy. But the happiness of benefiting others must be built on a material foundation. Without Mr. Yang's support, I would have no way to help others.
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-Yang Jinlin: Here today, benefactors are gathered in one room, and we have moved into yet another topic. Charitable organizations of every kind now abound, and successful entrepreneurs are paying more and more attention to charity. Mr. Cao Dewang, Mr. Yang Zhao, and Mr. Li Jinyou seated here have for decades given wealth, given the Dharma, and practiced what they teach --- we are deeply grateful. From a certain angle, one could say that engaging in charity has become a powerful trend. But sometimes, doing charity also brings us affliction. Many people do good deeds, only to attract all kinds of slander and criticism. They end up conflicted and unhappy. Why does this happen? Venerable Jiqun, is it because our motivation is impure, or is it that society as a whole misunderstands what charity is about?
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-Venerable Jiqun: On the subject of charity, these great lay practitioners all have abundant experience. In a time when the gap between rich and poor grows ever wider, charity can to some extent ease the tensions between them, and it is critically important for the healthy development of society. Yet it is true that many people find charity a source of inner conflict. Why is this so?
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-I once gave a talk at the "Making Love More Powerful" charity forum held at Fudan University, where the audience consisted of charity workers and compassionate individuals from all over. The forum was convened precisely because so many people had encountered various difficulties in their charitable work. This, too, prompted me to reflect on the phenomenon.
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-I believe there are two main questions involved. First, what is charity? For example, can an act of pure donation be called charity? Behind any donation there can be all kinds of circumstances: it may come from love, it may come from the pressure of public opinion, or it may have other motivations. If we equate donation with charity and ignore the motivation behind it, there is actually a problem. For the very premise of charity must be love and compassion. Only actions grounded in love and compassion can be called charity. In this sense, charity can also be called "the morality of compassion."
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-We can see that both Buddhism and Christianity have a tradition of charity and are dedicated to public welfare. What guides these actions is the compassion championed by Buddhism and the universal love proclaimed by Christianity. Only when such thinking is the foundation can genuine charitable action be realized. If we remove compassion and remove universal love, we may then bring worldly calculations or expectations into the act of helping others. And once those expectations are not met, you will, in truth, be quite afflicted and miserable.
-
-This takes us to another question: what is the core value of charity? Sometimes we may think that through charity we can bring ourselves peace and smooth sailing, and gain society's respect and recognition. Of course, such thoughts are reasonable, but they are not the core value of charity.
-
-The core value of charity is, first of all, the inner growth of compassion and the elevation of one's character. A person who engages in charity should become increasingly inclusive and increasingly loving. In our society today, people are often emotionally numb to one another --- there is a sense of estrangement and indifference. Even more alarming is an atmosphere of inexplicable hostility. In the course of doing charity, as our compassion grows, we can not only dissolve indifference, distance, and resentment, but also transmit compassion and dispel this hostility. This is the meaning that charity holds for the self. As for external recognition, praise, and respect --- these arrive naturally, and are merely a by-product of charity.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Today's discussion has reached more and more of the core. Mr. Cao is an extraordinarily generous benefactor to my alma mater, Xiamen University --- that, too, is great love. And Mr. Yang Zhao and Mr. Li Jinyou, both having done so much merit, have each secured their own place within Chinese communities around the world. In this new historical period, our whole nation is realizing a cultural renaissance. The vision is beautiful, but the road lies beneath our feet --- how do we take each step?
-
-In the course of spreading the Buddhadharma, and in the hands-on practice of each entrepreneur here, how do we define success? The same rice feeds a hundred kinds of people. When each person interprets it from a different angle, how do we arrive at a relatively objective view of wealth? How do we be a businessperson, how do we be a wealthy and noble person?
-
-At the very least, we must preserve the dignity of an individual, a community, or a society. Without dignity, how can we give wealth, give the Dharma, give fearlessness? Without compassion, how can we have a correct view of happiness?
-
-Speaking of charity, Mr. Cao Dewang, Mr. Yang Zhao, and Mr. Li Jinyou all engage in charity and they do so happily, without any inner conflict --- but they also account for every cent, because only then can their giving be properly directed. In each person's life journey, let us not talk about the hardest moments --- those are already past. Let us talk about the happiest moment. Is it the sharing of wealth, the sharing of happiness, the sharing of family joy, or the sharing that comes from charitable work? What is your happiest moment?
-
-Mr. Yang Zhao, you have helped nearly a thousand orphans. All those children --- what do they call you? Papa Yang?
-
-Yang Zhao: I have a few standards for happiness. First, contentment brings happiness. What is meant by *contentment*? It is by your own measure: you have enough to eat and wear and no worries about your family's livelihood, plus sufficient wealth to help others. For example, if you support a thousand orphans, but then you realize, oh no, I can support them this year but not next year --- that easily brings affliction. But if you have enough wealth that a thousand is fine and ten thousand is also fine, how happy is that? Therefore, the foremost thing for happiness is contentment.
-
-Second, helping others brings happiness. When you help others, try experiencing it --- you will discover that it truly brings joy.
-
-Third, finding joy within yourself. Don't end up making yourself miserable in the effort to bring joy to others. How can you be happy yourself? You must be able to find joy within. Savor a cup of tea --- you can be very happy. Watch a bit of television --- you can be very happy. Go shopping --- you can also be very happy.
-
-When you can fully embody these three --- contentment bringing happiness, helping others bringing happiness, and finding joy within yourself --- then your life will be full of happiness and joy.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Mr. Cao, it seems you have your own interpretation.
-
-Cao Dewang: On the subject of charity, I can share a bit. How did my wealth come about? Back when I pulled a cart for a living, I picked up a straw hat by the roadside and put it on my head. After that, inexplicably, I started making money. So I have donated half of it --- closing in on seven billion yuan. In China, I have donated the most.
-
-When it comes to charity, Chinese people are certainly wiser than Westerners, and our history of it is longer. Look at Confucian teachings and also Daoism --- they both address charity. So what makes Buddhism superior in this regard? Buddhism teaches that we must cherish compassion and that all beings are equal. As Venerable Jiqun just said, first we must cultivate our own heart of compassion and empathy. Only with compassion is there charity --- that is how it is formed. So the purpose of doing charity is very clear: to firmly cultivate our own conviction of goodness and our inner strength. This is what we are doing it for.
-
-All beings are equal --- not only you, me, and others, but those born from eggs, those born from wombs, those born from moisture are all equal. Even the mountains and rivers are within the scope of our protection. So people in every trade and profession should not be recklessly busy --- digging a hole here, gouging a trench there. Mountains and rivers all have life; they ought to be protected. If we destroy nature and ruin our own living environment, what charity is even left to do?
-
-So my understanding of charity is, first, humility, honesty, and abiding by the law. Whether you run a business or a factory, do not cause environmental pollution. Otherwise, how many families will be ruined and bankrupted trying to pay for medical treatment.
-
-Cherishing compassion and the equality of all beings --- that is profoundly scientific. China has a long history of charity; not only did we start earlier, but our motivations and purposes were also very clear. So why do we now fall behind the developed nations of Europe and America? Well, when I made donations, I encountered income tax on them. So I looked into how America handles this. I found that around the end of the Second World War, maybe seventy or eighty years ago, they only just started to legislate on charity. Before that, the government opposed it, and ordinary people cursed it, saying it was all fake. Now China is also facing a transformation in charity, because the economy has developed to a certain stage and must confront a different set of issues, not simply the charity of the old Confucian model.
-
-The preceding part concerns philosophical understanding; what comes after is that the government should use incentives to encourage wealthy people to contribute their money and participate in social regulation. There was a period in history when the rich were rounded up and their land was seized and redistributed --- and that kind of thing brings trouble.
-
-As entrepreneurs, we must also recognize that we need to develop together with the nation. Because your fortune is not entirely the result of your own ability; rather, in the course of the nation's transformation, the broom happened to sweep your way. If it were not for this, you would still be the same you as before. We must see this relationship. Nowadays, developed countries use coercive measures to push the wealthy into charity. By coercive, I mean levying inheritance tax, income tax, and interest tax --- do you think they'll hand it over or not?
-
-Why do we engage in charity? It is to promote and advance social stability. Therefore, we should reflect: in such a great nation, how do we seek common ground while reserving differences? I take my words very seriously, and when I criticize, I can be quite systematic about it. But when we act, we should try to understand: what exactly are these policies? Chinese people nowadays are very impatient; before they have figured things out clearly, they post articles online to show off their intellect. Then when we look at them, they are completely off the mark --- what they say is far removed from the objective facts.
-
-Li Jinyou: I earned my first bucket of gold when I was twenty. Among Chinese Malaysians, whenever you have money, people come knocking at your door asking you to do charity, mainly to support Chinese-language education. Today, Malaysia has over 1,200 Chinese primary schools, plus secondary schools and universities that carry on Chinese culture --- this is directly linked to the charity work we did in those early days.
-
-When I was young, I read a line in the *Caigentan*: "One who does evil yet fears being found out still has a path to goodness within the evil. One who does good yet is eager for others to know --- at the root of that good lies evil." So I have always followed this maxim in my charity work: keep a low profile. Sometimes, when we have done charitable work, people want to put your name on it. If you say, no need to leave my name, it can seem like you are putting on a show of purity, but it can also create inner conflict.
-
-After I began studying Buddhism at forty, the first of the six pāramitās is dāna, giving. How to practice giving? The highest state in the Buddhadharma is the threefold emptiness: the giver, the receiver, and the gift are all empty and ungraspable. If you can achieve this, it allows you to be magnanimous and free of inner conflict.
-
-I came to this forum with some expectations regarding "Shared Vows, Shared Path, Mutual Exchange, Mutual Learning." I feel that for the peaceful rise of China and the inheritance and revival of Chinese culture, leadership is critical. This is my personal view, not an attempt to flatter anyone. India was once a deeply troubled country, but then a Gandhi emerged, whom people call "Mahatma." In my mind, China's President Xi qualifies as a *xianxiong* --- a "worthy hero." Ten days ago, I attended China's Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development, and it gave me a sudden clarity: rather than talking about doing charity, we might better discuss how to genuinely help the poor and reduce poverty.
-
-I believe that while there is indeed much inner conflict around charity in China today, we should not get caught up in it --- just choose one simple thing and do it. China still has sixty million people in absolute poverty. By the UN standard, that means living on just one and a half US dollars a day. Can we help with such poverty alleviation and reduction? Take on one family at a time. How much would it cost to help ten families? Yet this is not simply a matter of giving money. Why someone is so abjectly poor involves historical factors and larger environmental conditions. In President Xi's speech, he said: what I have devoted the most energy to as president is the work of poverty alleviation and reduction. I feel this needs everyone's shared vows and shared path. Our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha's greatest compassionate vow was not to leave beings in suffering but to help all beings leave suffering behind and attain happiness.
-
-The subject of charity, especially poverty alleviation and reduction, must be led by the government and then jointly supported by us entrepreneurs and cultural and educational organizations. Moreover, the power of religion is also immense. But we must all be clear: even in a country as wealthy as America, there is still a population in absolute poverty. This calls for us to explore through the Buddhadharma --- why is life so full of suffering?
-
-China now has such a precious opportunity, with a "worthy hero" emerging and devoting the greatest energy to poverty alleviation and reduction. So I would like to share with everyone: reducing poverty is not just about giving money; it also requires going down there in person. We talk about mutual exchange and mutual learning. If a child from a wealthy family, pampered and spoiled at home, demanding a new phone or a new car from their father, could be brought to exchange and learn from a poor child, that child would quickly receive an education. Moreover, I believe that our coming together at this forum can gather the strength of many people, because sixty million is an enormous number.
-
-I came to China very early, back in 1987, at a time when Malaysian citizens still could not come. I came with a deputy prime minister and had exchanges with China's deputy premier. I was very young then, just thirty. It was then that I learned that people in China had truly starved to death --- it brought me to tears just hearing it. Today many young people have already forgotten this, but it is a fact. That is why we particularly need "Shared Vows, Shared Path, Mutual Exchange, Mutual Learning," doing real work alongside the government in poverty alleviation and reduction. I am very fond of the phrase "building a community of shared life for humanity" --- it is just like what Buddhism says: "all beings are equal."
-
-{#四观众互动解决问题}
-## IV. Audience Interaction: Finding Solutions
-
-Yang Jinlin: For the first time today, this forum has touched upon politics, and the appraisal comes from a Chinese Malaysian --- an added blessing for our forum. Now let us draw the conversation back. In the sharing of our panelists, I have noticed several shared qualities: humility, reverence, and an ordinary mind at peace.
-
-The panelists seated here are all from Fujian or Guangdong. In the Eastern Han, someone said that "the people of Min are mostly eunuchs" --- yet today, great worthies and virtuous ones have all emerged from there. This, too, is a rare flourishing era for the Chinese nation. We must look out upon the whole world, so let us have some interaction. Let us invite our friends here today, practitioners and seekers alike, to engage together with this topic.
-
-Audience member: Today's theme is Buddhism and Corporate Culture. My question is: how can we integrate Buddhist culture and spirit into corporate culture? Since sixty percent of our company are Buddhists, I am very concerned about this point. I would like to ask Venerable Jiqun and Mr. Cao Dewang to respond.
-
-Venerable Jiqun: The great lay practitioners seated here are all practitioners of Dharma-inspired enterprises. In a sense, they are in a more convincing position than I am to answer this question. Just now, lay practitioner Cao articulated the convictions that guide his business --- this is, in fact, his process of practicing the Buddhadharma: bringing the Dharma's wisdom into his own heart, turning it into his own conviction, and then conducting his enterprise with that conviction. Going a step further, he enables more of his employees to embrace such conviction and such moral standards. I think the details are best addressed by the entrepreneurs themselves.
-
-Cao Dewang: Buddhism has different levels --- there is the Human and Deva Vehicle, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and also the Bodhisattva Vehicle. As people who run businesses, when we are still only at the stage of the Human and Deva Vehicle --- just at that level --- we must never imagine that we are bodhisattvas. If you think you are, and then you summon a group of people, what will happen? It is like when you pass by a temple and see people kneeling and bowing there --- ah, today is the Buddha's birthday. At this level only, you really can't yet speak of using the Buddhadharma's principles to run a business.
-
-What does the Buddhadharma teach? It teaches you how to be a human being. If you truly want to become a Buddha, you must go through the six pāramitās, from dāna all the way to prajñā. Prajñā is further divided into different levels. One is prajñā with form --- wisdom that is accompanied by appearances, wisdom that can be named. To put it in the simplest modern terms, it means "understanding the movements of the heavens above and the patterns of the earth below." If you can reach that level, then being an entrepreneur is no problem, right? Don't say you are going to use the principles of the Buddhadharma to do business --- that's hard! Because you don't have that level. I myself don't have that level either. I'm almost retired and still haven't cultivated to that level.
-
-So what should we do? We can't just repeat a few phrases we've picked up here and there, echoing what others say. On such matters, first you must accurately gauge where you stand. I once read an article about Jin Yong's character "Shi Potian." Shi Potian is a simpleton, a rough-and-ready hero with no great philosophy, but he has one trait: he trusts everyone under heaven completely, believing that everyone means him well, that no one means him harm --- though in reality, behind his back, hidden arrows and open blades are all poised to strike him. And yet this very person succeeded in the end and became the top man in the martial world.
-
-I believe what Jin Yong wrote about is right faith. For an entrepreneur, the simplest approach is --- faith! Have faith in the dignity of the law; have faith that morality exists; have faith that your customers are the most worthy of respect, like gods; have faith that your employees are your right and left hands. Is that not right? If you try to govern things through the Buddhadharma, the Buddhist tradition advocates upholding precepts --- you must give up greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, and doubt. I think Confucianism says the same, just in different terms: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness.
-
-So, faith is absolutely critical. For any person, if you trust no one, you are surely finished. Some worry: what if I have faith and get cheated? Actually, being cheated is your fault, not theirs. Because at the very least, you lack self-confidence, and your inner heart is not strong enough, not adequate in level --- that is why you get cheated. In international assessments of an entrepreneur's adverse record, drug use, gambling, and overdue debt all count as adverse records. And what is the very last item? Whether you have been cheated. Even being cheated counts as an adverse record --- and this, too, falls within the scope of faith.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Being cheated is not the same as giving --- remember that. Enthusiastic questions are excellent. Go ahead and ask a question, no need to present your own views.
-
-Chen Xingqiao: I am from the editorial department of *The Voice of Dharma* at the Buddhist Association of China. I have been in Buddhist circles for several decades. The commercialization of Buddhism is something that ordinary people, including devotees, deeply criticize, and we on the inside feel it acutely. Lingshan Company is, one might say, relatively well-run domestically. Although it is a commercial team, it has religious faith and cultural depth. Yet of those in China who try to imitate it, ninety percent fail badly. Of course, it is acceptable for a company to operate in this way, but if a monastery were run on such a model, I am afraid Buddhism would be distorted. I would like to ask Venerable Jiqun to speak about the commercialization of Buddhism: how can we promote the healthy development of Buddhist culture while at the same time preventing commercial interests from damaging Buddhism's sacred resources? Nowadays, many famous mountains and great temples in China have been taken hostage by commercial conglomerates. Lay practitioner Yang has done a great deal in Buddhist circles and should understand this well. I would also like to invite you to share your thoughts on this issue.
-
-Venerable Jiqun: First, we must be clear that this is not the same topic as "Buddhism and Corporate Culture," which is our theme today. That said, commercialization is indeed a major issue that Buddhism faces at present. Even the recent controversy surrounding Shaolin Temple is connected to this kind of commercialization.
-
-The Buddhadharma is the great wisdom of life. It is of the utmost importance for the spiritual development of the Chinese people, including the shaping of their worldview, outlook on life, and values. Yet today, the negative impact brought about by all kinds of controversies is continually devaluing this brand. The cost is not only a loss to Buddhism, but a loss to the whole of society.
-
-If the people lack such wisdom as a source for their spiritual development, then where is the way forward for human life? Where is the way forward for society? Where is the way forward for the nation? I believe that this very wisdom is the key to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and to realizing the Chinese Dream.
-
-As for Buddhism itself, it must return to the root and clarify its source, going back to its fundamental function, which is spiritual cultivation and propagating the Dharma. The reason there are so many problems in the Buddhist world is precisely that cultivation has declined and the function of teaching and spreading the Dharma is insufficient. On the one hand, there are reasons within the Buddhist community itself; on the other hand, the broader social environment exerts its influence. Therefore, the Buddhist community should take strengthening its own inner construction as the foundation. At the same time, I hope that society can fully recognize the significance of the wisdom of the Buddhadharma and, on that basis, provide positive and constructive support. At the very least, people should not recklessly debate right and wrong without understanding the true situation, or even worse, create severe verbal karma. Only in this way can the healthy development of Buddhism be safeguarded.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Venerable Jiqun has spoken with great tact and subtlety, but to be honest, everyone here can also understand what he means. This is something that all monastics and lay practitioners must face. Since Buddhism was transmitted eastward to this ancient land of ours, it has passed through rise and fall time and again. We all bear a responsibility to face this.
-
-Yang Zhao: On this issue, first of all, every monastery I have supported has come out ahead, because I ask for nothing in return. Whether helping a business or helping a monastery, I have never expected a single yuan back from what I have given. Because my heart is one that asks for nothing, the question of loss simply does not arise.
-
-Second, I do not give to just anyone who comes. I must be certain that the monastery has the right conditions. So people sometimes ask: why do you give your full support one moment and seem completely indifferent the next? It is genuinely like that with me.
-
-My criteria are: first, are there people who have aroused the right aspiration? My own aspiration is to serve society. If you step forward to take responsibility, you must also truly aspire to serve society. Second, do they have wisdom? If there is aspiration but no wisdom, it still won't work. Third, do the conditions exist? Someone may have great aspiration and great wisdom, but without the blessings of good fortune, others will simply not buy in. Fourth, I look at the place --- mainly whether there is a suitable venue. If the four conditions of Dharma, resources, companions, and place are all present, I will include it in my annual support plan and give it my full backing. When we work on it together, it will surely succeed. This is how I approach the relationship between business and Buddhism.
-
-Yang Jinlin: That is truly transcendent --- because he asks for nothing. Very rare. Do we have any more questions from the audience?
-
-Audience member: Today's forum is graced by a great assembly of worthies, which is truly auspicious. As a co-organizer, we feel deeply honored. I would like to ask Mr. Li from Malaysia about something. This forum has touched on the question of practical implementation --- that is, how to concretely combine the forum's theme of "Shared Vows, Shared Path" with "The Great Way, The Great Merchant" and issue a call to reduce poverty, especially absolute poverty, in China. This is profoundly valuable. At the same time, it occurs to me that families in absolute poverty must also face the problem of losing access to education, which is connected to cultural transmission, the spread of the Buddhadharma, and the nurturing of the next generation and the one after that. Mr. Li, could you share any concrete, actionable ideas you might have for the call you have just issued? If shared here, I am sure more people will respond.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Brother Jinyou, I think you can make it concrete. Tencent's charitable foundation has a great deal of money; if you make a good proposal, they might well join in.
-
-Li Jinyou: When we do good deeds, we must have the people, the resources, and the materials. In some matters, crisis is also opportunity. When I met with Venerable Jiqun yesterday, I mentioned that in commerce, especially over these past twenty to thirty years, China has been learning from the West --- and that is understandable. But I feel we need something of our own. Westerners speak of "economy," which amounts to doing business. Yet in Chinese culture, the term *jingji* --- "economy" --- is something I have sometimes prefixed with *yi* and suffixed with *zhi*, making the phrase "For the nation to prosper and the people to be at peace, *yi jing ji zhi*." Which *jing*? The Buddhist scriptures --- *fojing*.
-
-For instance, as we have discussed, so many problems come from the human heart gone wrong, and so Buddhism has the *Heart Sutra*. *Jing* also means a path or a road --- just as a vehicle has its road, *jing* is the road of our life. And what about *ji*? The Venerable's name is Jiqun --- "Benefiting the Multitude." When we have learned and, through this *jing*, resolved many of our own problems, the next step is to *ji* --- to go forth and benefit the multitudes.
-
-I feel that in society, the three domains of hospitals, schools, and places of practice --- although they can generate profit --- require that we remember righteousness at the sight of profit and never forget righteousness for the sake of profit. What is this righteousness? It is using the profit you generate to relieve the suffering of the poor and the masses. The West has good systems, with legal regulations: schools may charge fees but may not operate for profit. If there is a surplus from fees, it can be used to raise the quality of teachers and improve school facilities, but no individual may ever profit from it personally. These are things I think we can learn from the West.
-
-Now we want to reduce poverty. In China, I feel that money is not the problem; the problem lies in the heart and the method. There is a very dangerous habit in China today. Every time friends invite me to dinner, when people leave, eighty percent of the food is still uneaten. In Malaysia, there are also many wealthy people, but this is unacceptable in our tradition. Yet all across China, this phenomenon is everywhere. How can we change or adjust this situation? For example, when we dine, for every three thousand yuan you spend, an automatic donation of thirty yuan could help someone in poverty.
-
-I am sixty years old now and I want to find a group of like-minded friends. We train young people, help them start a business. Once they start that business, they must repay the principal. Then we use that same principal to help a second young person. Beyond that, the company must also give me twenty percent of its profits, and I will use that twenty percent to keep the cycle turning. This is what I personally wish to do, in response to your question.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Poverty alleviation is a worldwide problem; poverty reduction is also a worldwide problem. This is another topic for reflection after our forum. Do we have any more questions from the audience?
-
-Audience member: Gratitude to all the teachers and great worthies. My main question is for Venerable Jiqun. From what I have observed, in China today, many lay Buddhist practitioners' understanding of Buddhism is still at the stage of superstition. It might not even be an overstatement to call it misguided faith. Correct knowledge and correct faith are in the extreme minority. I have been reflecting on this and arrived at a rough conclusion. Human beings have three views --- worldview, outlook on life, and values. Many Chinese people's three views are in disarray, and so their faith is also in disarray. For instance, they may not even acknowledge the existence of rebirth and karmic cause and effect, yet they still study Buddhism. This is self-contradictory. Venerable, could you offer guidance on how to steer such lay practitioners toward the path of correct faith?
-
-Venerable Jiqun: As society develops, people are paying ever more attention to questions of the spirit and the mind, and the number of those who feel a need for the Buddhadharma is growing day by day. At present, the Buddhist community as a whole still falls short in terms of teaching and spreading the Dharma. On the other hand, the Buddhadharma is vast and profound, and it is indeed very difficult to study. Without proper guidance, most people will simply be at a loss as to where to start. This is why I, too, have been exploring how to help people study the Buddhadharma effectively.
-
-First, there must be a graded, step-by-step path. Just as in our secular education, we progress from elementary school to middle school to university, going deeper stage by stage. Chinese Chan Buddhism emphasizes sudden awakening --- "pointing directly at the mind, seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha." But unless you are a person of supreme faculties and sharp wisdom, most people need to progress step by step.
-
-Beyond this, there must also be a method. There are two common problems in Buddhist study today. One is a bias toward theory: people study a great many principles but cannot put them into practice. The other is blind practice: although people chant sutras and recite mantras every day, they have no insight as a guide and do not know how to apply the mind. They merely go through the motions mechanically, staying at the surface. This touches on the integration of knowing and doing. How to transform the wisdom of the Buddhadharma into our own understanding, and through that understanding establish our outlook on life, worldview, and values, and then use these views to cultivate, to guide our daily life, and to engage with people and situations --- all this requires a concrete series of practical methods.
-
-I have now developed a "Three-Stage Practice" program. Everyone is welcome to learn more about it through our website. By following this program step by step, progressing one step at a time, the graded stages will be relatively clear. If you have a goal, a direction, a method, and a supportive environment, studying the Buddhadharma becomes much easier.
-
-Yang Jinlin: Given the time, we will take one last question.
-
-Audience member: I am truly grateful for this "Great Way, Great Merchant" forum. Today's theme is wonderful. I have two questions. First, what is the Great Way, and can the Way be said to be great or small? Second, I would like to ask Mr. Cao Dewang: from his perspective, what defines a Great Merchant, and can merchants be spoken of as great or small?
-
-Cao Dewang: The Way has no great or small. Confucius asked Laozi, "What is the Way?" Laozi replied: the Way existed before the earth was formed. Whether it is called the Great Way or the Small Way, it is something formless, something that pervades everywhere. Merchants, too, cannot be divided into great and small, but businesses can be. I myself started from a small enterprise; right now, you are far more impressive than I was at your age.
-
-The Chinese have a fondness for rhyming in writing, which is why we have phrases like "the great Way, the great something-or-other." In truth, the Way cannot be differentiated by great or small. The Way is something supremely sacred, inviolable, and no one can overturn it.
-
-Venerable Jiqun: To add a line to what lay practitioner Cao has said: the Way has no great or small, but because in this world there are many small paths --- including what we call "small-path gossip" --- it is provisionally named "the Great Way."
-
-Yang Jinlin: Today we have discussed the "Great Way" and the spread of the Buddhadharma under that Great Way. We have also touched upon each entrepreneur's views on success, wealth, profit, charity, and happiness. Though this is only a beginning, simply being able to make a beginning is, I feel, something quite remarkable. As our forum draws toward its close, may I ask each speaker to summarize today's remarks in a single sentence.
-
-Yang Zhao: As an entrepreneur, where is the road? The road is beneath your feet.
-
-Li Jinyou: Be a simple businessperson.
-
-Cao Dewang: The true meaning of life is "faith, vow, practice."
-
-Venerable Jiqun: I hope that by inheriting our traditional culture --- including Buddhist culture and Confucian culture --- we can arrive at a new understanding and a new positioning on the questions of life: success, happiness, profit, charity, and so on, and thereby offer a kind of wise guidance for the future development of Chinese society.
-
-(Transcribed from the live recording)
@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 70【佛法要领】
-
-Translator: model (self)
-Reviewer: model (self)
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Translation is complete and accurate. One proper-name fix applied during review. No
-terminology inconsistencies found. Diacritics and Sanskrit terms used consistently
-throughout.
-
-## Changes Made
-
-1. **戒幢佛学研究所** — "Jiechuo Buddhist Studies Institute" corrected to "Jiechuang
-   Buddhist Studies Institute" per official English name at jcedu.org. (line 673)
-
-## Terminology Notes
-
-Key terms used consistently per MPI terms database (DoT定稿 and 佛教术语 sources):
-
-| Chinese | English | Source |
-|---------|---------|--------|
-| 出离心 | renunciation | 佛教术语 |
-| 菩提心 | bodhicitta | standard convention |
-| 空性见 | the view of emptiness | 佛教术语/DoT定稿 |
-| 道次第 | the Stages of the Path / Lamrim | standard convention |
-| 三主要道 | Three Principal Aspects of the Path | standard convention |
-| 皈依 | refuge / taking refuge | standard convention |
-| 发心 | aspiration | standard convention |
-| 止观 | śamatha-vipaśyanā | standard convention |
-| 暇满人身 | precious human life (of leisure and endowment) | contextual |
-| 惑业苦 | delusion, karma, and suffering | DoT定稿 |
-| 我执 | self-grasping / self-clinging | consistent throughout |
-| 缘起 | dependent origination | standard convention |
-| 性空 | emptiness of self-nature | standard convention |
-
-## Deliberate Choices
-
- **Renunciation** rather than "disillusionment" for 出离心 — "renunciation" is the
-  standard English Dharma term and matches the intended meaning of active letting-go
-  rather than passive disappointment.
-
- **Precious human life** for 暇满人身 — contextual expansion of "leisure and
-  endowment" when the text describes the conditions; the fuller meaning is
-  preserved in context.
-
- **Three Principal Aspects of the Path** (capitalized, italicized for the text
-  title) — standard rendering in English Buddhist literature for Tsongkhapa's text.
-
- Verse translations preserve the single-line-per-verse structure matching the
-  source, using em dashes for caesura within verses.
-
- Chinese Buddhist school names kept in standard romanization (Huayan, Tiantai,
-  Chan) rather than translated descriptively.
-
-## Items for External Review
-
- Sanskrit diacritics used throughout (saṃsāra, śamatha-vipaśyanā, Śrāvaka, etc.).
-  Verify against project diacritics convention at
-  `../mpi-translation/references/diacritics-convention.md`.
-
- "Jiechuang Buddhist Studies Institute" — confirm this romanization is the
-  project's preferred rendering for 戒幢佛学研究所.
@@ -1,168 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings for 70【佛法要领】
-
-Reviewer: model (self)
-Date: 2026-08-07
-Scope: full read of source.dj and target.dj; spot-verified all long paragraph tails for
-omissions. Reference: edit-suggestions.dj (2026-08-06, prior pass; findings below are
-net-new).
-
-## Summary
-
-Completeness is excellent: every source paragraph, verse, and anecdote is present and
-in order (verified 1:1 line alignment and tails of all long paragraphs). Register and
-fluency are consistently good. No meaning-reversing mistranslations and no omissions
-were found. The findings below are one wrong Sanskrit gloss, one logical slip, one
-repeated grammar error in the root verse, and a set of small terminology / fluency
-polish items.
-
-## Critical
-
-None.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. Wrong Sanskrit gloss for 三有 (three existences)
-
-Location: §2.4, target line 257 — "Why are the three realms called the three
-existences (*triloka*)?"
-
-三有 = trīṇi bhavāni / *tribhava* (the three states of existence); *triloka* = 三界
-(the three realms). The gloss contradicts the next sentence, which correctly glosses
-有 as *bhava*. The error is translator-added (the source gives no Sanskrit), so it
-injects a factual mistake into the commentary.
-
-Fix: change "the three existences (*triloka*)" to "the three existences
-(*tribhava*)", or drop the parenthetical and keep only the (*bhava*) gloss in the
-following sentence.
-
-### M2. Tautological sentence loses the 相对/究竟/胜义 distinction
-
-Location: §4 intro, target line 423 — "Bodhicitta is of two types: one is relative,
-the other ultimate. ... Ultimate bodhicitta, on the other hand, can only be revealed
-after realizing emptiness, and is also known as ultimate bodhicitta."
-
-Source: 菩提心有两种，一种是相对的，一种是究竟的。…是相对的菩提心。而究竟的菩提心…又称胜义菩提心。
-The final clause names a *different* term (胜义菩提心) as a synonym; the translation
-repeats "ultimate bodhicitta", producing a tautology and losing the
-世俗/胜义 (conventional/ultimate) pair — a distinction the text itself relies on in
-§5.1, where 世俗菩提心 is rendered "conventional bodhicitta".
-
-Fix: "Bodhicitta is of two types: relative and ultimate. Arousing the wish 'I want to
-become a buddha, I want to benefit all living beings' is relative bodhicitta.
-Ultimate bodhicitta, which can only be revealed after realizing emptiness, is also
-known as absolute bodhicitta (*pāramārthika-bodhicitta*)." Optionally align §5.1's
-"conventional bodhicitta" with a parenthetical: "relative (conventional)
-bodhicitta".
-
-### M3. Broken possessive in the root verse, repeated four times
-
-Location: target lines 157, 303, 313, 327 — "Because craving for existence'
-pleasures binds all beings..."
-
-"existence' pleasures" is not a valid English possessive. It appears in the root
-verse block in the Prologue, at the opening of §3, at the opening of §3.1, and in the
-§3.1 commentary quote — i.e. in the most-read lines of the book.
-
-Fix (all four occurrences): "Because craving for the pleasures of existence binds all
-beings, first you must seek renunciation." (Source: 由欲有乐缚众生，故先寻求出离心。)
-
-## Minor
-
-### Accuracy / terminology
-
-1. **"life's brevity" for 寿无常** — target lines 159, 305, 351 and commentary line
-   357. 寿无常 is the *impermanence* of life (lifespan), not merely its brevity; the
-   following commentary on death's certainty/uncertainty depends on the
-   impermanence sense. Fix: "life's impermanence" (verse: "This precious human life
-   so hard to find, and life's impermanence---...").
-
-2. **"a child of the Mahayana" for 大乘佛子** — target line 431. 佛子 = child of the
-   Buddha; the translation drops 佛. Fix: "Only when you have aroused bodhicitta are
-   you a Mahayana child of the Buddha; otherwise, you belong to the Hinayana."
-
-3. **"an awakened being" for 觉有情** — target line 429. The folk etymology the
-   author invokes is "awakened *sentient* being" (bodhi + sattva). Fix: "A
-   bodhisattva is also called an awakened sentient being."
-
-4. **"Prajñāpāramitā Madhyamaka view of emptiness" for 般若中观的空性见** — target
-   line 649 (end of §5.2). 般若 here is prajñā (the three prajñās were just
-   discussed); inflating it to Prajñāpāramitā over-specifies. Fix: "the
-   prajñā–Madhyamaka view of emptiness".
-
-5. **"Our great teacher, the Buddha" for 我佛大沙门** — target line 559 (§5.1).
-   Drops 大沙门 (great śramaṇa). Fix: "Our Buddha, the great Śramaṇa, always taught
-   in this way."
-
-6. **"Buddhism calls our living body the five aggregates"** — target line 277
-   (§2.4). 生命体 is the whole psycho-physical being; "living body" obscures that
-   four of the five aggregates are mental (which the next sentences explain). Fix:
-   "Buddhism calls our mind-body continuum the five aggregates." Also "the present
-   living body" later in the same paragraph → "the present mind-body".
-
-7. **"the three higher realms" for 三善道** — target line 129 (§1.3). Standard
-   rendering is "the three fortunate realms" (or "happy realms"). "Higher" is
-   intelligible but nonstandard. Fix: "the results of the three fortunate realms".
-
-8. **"self-liberated solitary" for 自了汉** — target line 439 (§4). Coinage is
-   unclear; 自了汉 = one concerned only with their own liberation. Fix: "such a
-   person becomes one who seeks only their own liberation".
-
-9. **"Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment" for 《菩提道灯论》** — target line 213
-   (§2.2). The standard English title of Atiśa's *Bodhipathapradīpa* is *A Lamp for
-   the Path to Awakening*. Using "Awakening" also avoids overloading "Enlightenment"
-   (already used in the *Stages of the Path* titles). Fix: "his *Lamp for the Path
-   to Awakening*".
-
-10. **Sutra-title diacritics inconsistent** — "*Platform Sutra of the Sixth
-    Patriarch*" (lines 87, 91) and "(Lotus Sutra)" (line 99) lack the diacritic used
-    everywhere else (*Diamond Sūtra*, *Heart Sūtra*, *Lotus Sūtra* at lines 439, 451,
-    453, *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*). Fix: *Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch* and "(Lotus
-    Sūtra)".
-
-### Fluency / register
-
-11. **"arise from causes and their results without exception"** — verse rendering of
-    从因生果皆不虚 (target lines 171, 529, 535 area). Reads as if things "arise from
-    causes and results"; 不虚 = unfailing. Fix: "arise from causes as results,
-    unfailingly" (cf. the commentary's own cleaner phrasing "all arise from causes
-    and produce results. This is genuinely true.").
-
-12. **"the low-level repetition of life"** — target line 331 (§3.1), for
-    生命的低级重复. "Low-level" suggests technical/low-priority in English. Fix: "a
-    base, mechanical repetition of life" or "life's dreary repetition".
-
-13. **"a capacity for non-adhesion"** — target line 385 (§3.3), for 不粘著的能力.
-    "Non-adhesion" is a physical-materials term. Fix: "a capacity for
-    non-attachment" (keeps parallel with the surrounding "does not stick" imagery,
-    which works well).
-
-14. **"The trouble is precisely that we cannot die."** — target line 567 (§5.1).
-    Intended: death offers no escape from karma (麻烦就在于死不了). As written it
-    reads as a complaint about immortality. Fix: "The trouble is precisely that we
-    cannot simply die and be done with it."
-
-15. **"The theme lecture for this Bodhi Meditation Retreat has chosen..."** —
-    target line 51 (opening paragraph). A lecture cannot "choose"; the speaker
-    chooses. Fix: "For the keynote lecture of this Bodhi Meditation Retreat, I have
-    chosen Master Tsongkhapa's *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*."
-
-16. **"day and night the wish for liberation never leaves your mind"** — verse
-    (lines 161, 307, 369), for 昼夜唯求解脱心. Slight drift: the verse is about
-    *seeking only* liberation day and night, not about the wish merely persisting.
-    Fix: "and day and night you long for liberation alone".
-
-## Notes (no action needed)
-
- Terminology is otherwise consistent throughout: 出离心 = renunciation, 菩提心 =
-  bodhicitta, 空性见 = the view of emptiness, 我执/法执 = self-grasping /
-  dharma-grasping, 缘起 = dependent origination, 止观 = śamatha-vipaśyanā, 暇满人身 =
-  precious human life (with "leisure and endowment" given at first explanation),
-  三苦 = suffering of suffering / of change / pervasive suffering of conditioning
-  (standard rendering).
- 小乘 = Hinayana is used consistently and matches the unapologetic 小乘 of the
-  source; retained as-is.
- Section renumbering (### 解脱道和菩萨道 → ### 1.2., etc.) and ToC conversion to a
-  flat bullet list are clean and consistent.
- edit-suggestions.dj (2026-08-06) remains accurate: "Jiechuang Buddhist Studies
-  Institute" (line 673) is in place; none of its open items conflict with the
-  findings above.
@@ -1,675 +0,0 @@
-{.unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-# 佛法要领
-
------《三主要道颂》讲记
-
-济群法师
-
-[佛法要领 [1](#佛法要领)](#佛法要领)
-
-[一、前言 [2](#一前言)](#一前言)
-
-[1. 抓住共同的核心 [2](#抓住共同的核心)](#抓住共同的核心)
-
-[2. 解脱道和菩萨道 [2](#解脱道和菩萨道)](#解脱道和菩萨道)
-
-[3. 修学五大要素 [5](#修学五大要素)](#修学五大要素)
-
-[二、序论 [8](#二序论)](#二序论)
-
-[1. 修学三主要道的意义 [9](#修学三主要道的意义)](#修学三主要道的意义)
-
-[2. 礼敬传承上师 [11](#礼敬传承上师)](#礼敬传承上师)
-
-[3. 造论目的 [12](#造论目的)](#造论目的)
-
-[4. 策励听闻 [14](#策励听闻)](#策励听闻)
-
-[三、出离心 [17](#三出离心)](#三出离心)
-
-[1. 出离心的重要性 [18](#出离心的重要性)](#出离心的重要性)
-
-[2. 如何修习出离心 [20](#如何修习出离心)](#如何修习出离心)
-
-[3. 出离心生起的标准 [23](#出离心生起的标准)](#出离心生起的标准)
-
-[四、菩提心 [25](#四菩提心)](#四菩提心)
-
-[1. 菩提心的重要性 [27](#菩提心的重要性)](#菩提心的重要性)
-
-[2. 如何发起菩提心 [28](#如何发起菩提心)](#如何发起菩提心)
-
-[五、空性见 [33](#五空性见)](#五空性见)
-
-[1. 空性见的重要性 [34](#空性见的重要性)](#空性见的重要性)
-
-[2. 正见生起的标准 [38](#正见生起的标准)](#正见生起的标准)
-
-[六、结束分 [42](#六结束分)](#六结束分)
-
-这次菩提静修营的主题讲座，选择了宗喀巴大师的《三主要道颂》。宗大师关于修道次第的著作有三部：早年先写了《菩提道次第广论》，然后在此基础上，提取其中纲要，撰写《菩提道次第略论》，这也是我近年来的弘法重点。我们现在学习的《三主要道颂》，是宗大师晚年的著作，阐述了《道次第》中三项最重要的内容。通过这些学习，可以帮助我们在最短时间内，了解佛法修学的精髓。
-
-为什么我这几年特别重视《道次第》的弘扬？主要原因在于以下几个方面。
-
-{#一前言 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 一、前言
-
-{#抓住共同的核心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-### 1. 抓住共同的核心
-
-我们知道佛法博大精深，目前流传的有三大语系，即汉语系、藏语系和巴利语系。汉语系佛教的传播，以中国汉地为主，包括日本、朝鲜等地。藏语系佛教的传播，以中国藏区为主，并流传在不丹等地，目前在欧美国家也有较大影响。巴利语系佛教，又称南传佛教，流传在缅甸、泰国、斯里兰卡等。
-
-在三大语系的佛教中，还有众多宗派。仅汉语系就有八个宗派，除了大家熟悉的净土宗、禅宗，还有唯识宗、三论宗、天台宗、华严宗、律宗、密宗。面对这么多宗派和法门，很多人在信仰选择上产生很大的困难。尤其在今天这个浮躁的社会，每个人都有混乱的内心，有很多的需求。究竟如何选择正确的信仰？
-
-这就需要了解，在众多的经论、法门、宗派中，有没有共同的核心？如果我们了解其中核心，今后不论学习什么法门，会发现万变不离其宗，在修学上就不容易产生混乱。否则会学得很矛盾，感觉不同经论说的是不同内容。它们之间究竟有什么关系？往往搞不清楚。
-
-佛教在弘扬过程中，有两个主导思想，一是契理，一是契机。契理，是契合佛法真理，没有变味，没有偏离；契机，则是佛教在传播过程中，需要适合不同文化和众生的根机，建立不同的表现方式。当我们没有了解核心时，面对太多的说法，太多的表现方式，难免产生混乱，无所适从。所以，了解佛法的共同核心，对今天的学人特别重要。
-
-### 解脱道和菩萨道
-
-佛法虽然有很多经论、法门、宗派，但无非是为众生提供两条路，那就是解脱道和菩萨道。南传佛教的教义，是偏向解脱道的修行；汉传佛教、藏传佛教的教义，则偏向菩萨道的修行。
-
-什么叫解脱道？什么叫菩萨道？
-
-解脱道，是走向解脱的道路，这是学佛的核心目标。佛法有声闻乘、菩萨乘，但核心目标都是解脱。我们为什么要学佛？就是因为有解脱的愿望。佛法所说的解脱，从本质上，就是解除生命内在的迷惑，即看不清自己、看不清世界的状态。这种迷惑会不断地制造烦恼，制造痛苦，制造生死，制造轮回。
-
-明白这个道理，就能认识到解脱的重要性。就像我们在社会上，因为繁杂的工作和生活把心搞得很乱，希望来寺院静静心。静心的意义是什么？就是希望摆脱内在的浮躁和烦恼。其实，这也是解脱的一种表现。应该说，每个人多少会有这样的需求。当我们累的时候，烦恼的时候，迷茫的时候，困惑的时候，都会想到解脱。但因为找不到究竟解脱的智慧，更多是采取逃避的方式。
-
-佛教所说的解脱，不只是改变生活环境，更重要的是解脱内在的迷惑和烦恼------这才是解脱的真正意义。解脱道修行所做的，就是引导我们完成生命的解脱。
-
-我们想解脱，首先要具备解脱的愿望，也就是发心。有了愿望，还要知道究竟解脱什么？明白了解脱对象，则要进一步了解，解脱的能力是什么？那么，我们的生命中是否具备解脱能力？如果不具备，解脱是没有希望的；如果具备，又该如何开启内在的解脱能力？在解脱道修行中，戒、定、慧是三个常规项目，正是帮助我们获得解脱的能力，解脱的智慧。
-
-此外还有菩萨道，即大乘佛法的修行，是以成佛为目标。成佛究竟成就什么？佛，又称觉者；成佛，是成就无上菩提。无上，即最高；菩提，即觉悟和智慧。所以，无上菩提就是最高的觉悟，最高的智慧，是生命究竟的觉醒。
-
-佛和众生的最大差别在哪里？就在迷与悟之间，在觉与不觉之间。关于这一点，《六祖坛经》说得非常直接："前念迷即是众生，后念悟即是佛。”迷，就是不觉。当心陷入不觉的状态，你就是众生；当心彻底觉悟，也就成佛了。
-
-那么，觉悟究竟是"觉”什么？我们有没有觉悟的力量？如果没有觉悟的力量，我们又何以觉悟？这是非常关键的。佛陀当年在菩提树下发现：一切众生皆有如来智慧德相，只因执著妄想不能证得。告诉我们，每个生命都具有潜在的佛性。成佛的修行，就是去开启这个佛性。《涅槃经》说，佛性就像贫女的宝藏，力士的额珠。一个贫穷的女孩，其实拥有宝藏；一个受伤的力士，其实额头嵌着宝珠。遗憾的是，他们都不知道。
-
-所以《六祖坛经》开头就提出："菩提自性，本来清净，但用此心，直了成佛。”什么叫菩提自性？就是佛性，觉悟本性。每个生命都具备这种觉性，它本来就是清净的，你只要去体认它，熟悉它，运用它，就能走出迷惑，走向解脱。
-
-迷与悟的差别在哪里？迷，是迷失了觉悟本体，陷入我执、法执、贪嗔痴，形成我们现在的迷惑系统。悟，是体认到觉悟本体，体认到成佛潜质，这是走向无上菩提的开始。所以成佛绝不是一句空话，而是有基础的。这个基础就是我们的觉性。
-
-发菩提心，行菩萨道，就是以无上菩提为目标，不断开发觉性的过程。我们不仅要自己觉悟，还要带领一切众生觉悟，这样才能把觉性圆满开显出来。所以在菩萨道修行中，要自觉觉他，自利利他，不是自己觉悟就可以了。所以菩萨道又称为大乘。
-
-乘就是车，小乘是一辆小车，大乘是一辆大车。如果你只想着自己解脱，就是小乘；如果你希望帮助众生共同解脱，就是大乘。这是佛教最主要的两条道路。不论有多少宗派，都不外乎是解脱道或菩萨道。学会从这个角度看问题，就能化繁为简。
-
-每个宗派都代表一个修行体系，有不同的修行方法。从汉传八宗来说，每一宗都有自身依据的经典。如华严宗是立足于《华严经》建立的修学体系；天台宗是立足于《法华经》建立的修学体系；三论宗是立足于《般若经》，及龙树、提婆菩萨所造的《中论》《百论》《十二门论》建立的修学体系；唯识宗是立足于《解深密经》，及《瑜伽师地论》《显扬圣教论》等论典建立的修学体系。
-
-不同的体系，为修行提供了不同的角度和方法。实质上，不外乎解脱道或菩萨道。
-
-### 修学五大要素
-
-除了根本的依据经论，每个宗派还有许多释论和注疏。对今天的人，要继承天台、华严、唯识等传统宗派，即使把一部论读下来，难度都很大。除了文字的隔阂，还有深邃难解的义理。可能学了很长时间，还是云里雾里的。这种情况下，如果我们能对各宗派有纲领性的认识，学起来就会容易很多。
-
-在对佛法的多年思考过程中，我发现，每个宗派的核心不外乎是五大要素：一是皈依，二是发心，三是戒律，四是正见，五是止观。不论解脱道还是菩萨道，都是如此。
-
-首先是皈依，对佛法僧三宝，包括带领我们走向解脱的修学体系生起信心。相信通过对佛法的学习，对某个宗派的学习，必将带领我们走向解脱，圆满无上菩提。这个信心是学佛的基础。
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-如果我们不相信，或是对它的认识不足，信心不足，结果将使佛法在内心没有分量，没有地位。那么，佛法势必不能对我们的生命产生影响。我们虽然不断学一些佛法，但真正影响并左右我们的，还是固有的错误观念，还是原有的不良串习。最后，佛法只能成为生活中的点缀；或者说，在生活中增加一点佛教色彩。我们的人格和生命品质，还是以自我形成的错误观念和不良心态为主。这是许多人学佛都存在的问题。
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-真正对三宝生起信心，就意味着生命重心的改变。改变自我中心，转而以三宝为中心。如果以自我为中心，必将发展出贪嗔痴，带着我们走向轮回；只有以三宝为中心，才会调整人生方向，引导我们走向解脱，走向菩提。
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-生命的道路很多。就像社会上有工、商、政、文各行各业那样，六道轮回也是代表六条路。每一条都是心行发展的结果，是源于我们的观念、选择、行为而形成的生命道路。目前，我们在不断造作轮回的业。如果皈依三宝，就会重新建立人生目标。这是学佛的起点，由此，才能真正接受佛法。
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-其次是发心，即发展什么样的心。事实上，生命就是由各种心理组成的。可以说，人都是活在自己的内心世界。其中，有贪心、嗔恨、我慢，嫉妒、焦虑......我们根据自己的想法、情绪建立不同的需求，追求不同的生活。这些心理将使我们发展出不同的心态和人格，造就不同的生命处境。
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-发心就意味着，选择并发展一种什么样的心。如果你希望自己有健康的人格，就必须发展善心，发展正向心理。成佛是智慧、慈悲的成就。我们想要成佛，就要开发智慧，长养慈悲，才能具足佛菩萨那样高尚的生命品质。如果顺着现有的凡夫心，就会发展贪嗔痴，造就凡夫人格。
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-我们每天在选择外在的世界，选择不同的生活，却忽略了对内心的选择。对每个人来说，影响最大、最持久的，其实是这些心理力量。佛教所说的发心就是告诉我们，如何选择并发展健康的心理，最终成就完善的人格。如果说皈依是信仰的基础，那么发心就是修行的根本。因为真正的修行就是善用其心。
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-此外，戒律也很重要，这是迈向解脱的心路规则。我们知道，驾驶汽车时要遵守交通规则。如果不按人行道、机动车道的规则走，就可能撞车，甚至撞人。在我们生命中，有很多三恶道的串习，有地狱的嗔恨种子，有畜生的愚痴本性，也有饿鬼的贪婪。如果张扬这些恶道之因，来生很可能堕落到畜生道，乃至饿鬼和地狱。如何才能成就三善道的果报，未来继续做人或生天？就必须遵守相关戒律。
-
-同样，我们走上解脱道，要遵循解脱道的心路规则，即别解脱戒；要走上菩萨道，则要遵循菩萨道的心路规则，即菩萨戒。其实戒律就是一种心路规则。比如别解脱戒，主要是阻止不善行为；而菩萨戒不仅要阻止恶行，还要通过制度化的方式张扬善行，张扬利益众生的行为。因为很多人并没有做善事的习惯，没有"我要利益一切众生”的习惯。通过受持菩萨戒，可以使我们培养菩萨的串习。所以说，戒律在修行中绝不是可有可无的。
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-我们总觉得戒律太约束了，不喜欢戒律。为什么会这样？就像对守法的公民来说，不论法律怎么规定，他都不会觉得是约束，但喜欢犯罪的人就会讨厌法律。作为佛弟子，如果我们真正想要走在解脱道、菩萨道上，就会发现，戒律帮助我们戒除的不只是行为，还有内心的不良串习。这种表面的约束，其实是真正的爱护。
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-众生真的很可怜，面对内心的混乱情绪和不良需求，很多时候是不能自主的。就像人们有了酗酒或赌博等习惯后，是不愿意也没能力改变的。因为这种习惯代表无明制造的强大力量。戒律就是通过对行为的约束，帮助我们避免不良需要，进而阻止串习的发展。这对修行和生活都很重要。
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-前面所说的皈依、发心、戒律，是修学佛法的共同基础。开始学佛时，我们不一定要选择某个宗派，而要打基础。我们讲《三主要道颂》，包括推广《菩提道次第略论》，都是修行的基础建设。有了基础之后，可以进一步选择宗派深入修学。
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-每个宗派给我们提供的主要有两方面，一是正见，一是止观。比如佛法讲的因果、无常、无我、缘起性空、诸法唯识，及一切众生皆有佛性等，都属于正见的内容，也就是如实见，是引导我们看清生命和世界真相的智慧。平常人都以眼见为实，却不知道，自己是戴着有色眼镜在看世界。我们看到的，是被自己这个迷惑系统，被错误观念和情绪处理过的。佛法认为，这种对生命自身及世界的错误认识，是产生烦恼和痛苦的根源。
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-如何才能去除烦恼和痛苦？佛法告诉我们，要建立正确认识。
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-正确认识不外乎两方面。一是对生命真相的认识。比如我们每天都在说"我”，在关注自己，但我们想过没有，我是谁？究竟什么代表着我？二是对世界真相的认识。我们往往会根据自己的加工，把无常的现象当成永恒的，把痛苦的事物当成快乐的。只有认清这些，我们才能摆脱迷惑的状态。
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-佛法告诉我们，正确观念会发展出智慧，错误观念会发展出烦恼。只有建立正确认识，才能让自己变得智慧而健康。佛法提供的正见，就是帮助我们从不同角度了解生命和世界的真相。当然，学习经教得到的认识，多半是知识性的。如何把这些知识转化成正念，转化成自身的能力？关键是靠止观。
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-所以任何宗派的修行，不论解脱道还是菩萨道，都不外乎皈依、发心、戒律、正见、止观五大要素。我们想一想，能不能在此之外找到别的修行内容？宗大师在《三主要道颂》中归纳的出离心、菩提心、空性见，同样没有超出五大要素，只是更为精简。其中，出离心和菩提心属于发心的内容，空性见则包含正见和止观。因为正见有世间和出世间两种，出世间正见是离不开止观的。
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-学习《三主要道颂》，可以帮助我们快速掌握佛法要领，建议大家将这些偈颂背下来。
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-{#二序论 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 二、序论
-
-我们先以虔诚心诵读一遍：
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-> 敬礼诸至尊上师！
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-佛陀至言心要义，是诸菩萨所赞道，欲求解脱之大道，我今随力而宣说。
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-于三有乐不贪著，为暇满义而精进，志依佛陀所喜道，具法缘者净意听。
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-无出离心无息灭，希求有海乐方法，由欲有乐缚众生，故先寻求出离心。
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-暇满难得寿无常，修习能除此生欲，业果不虚轮回苦，思惟能除后世欲。
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-修已于轮回盛事，不生刹那之希望，昼夜唯求解脱心，起时是生出离心。
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-出离若无菩提心，所持则亦不能成，无上菩提乐因故，智者应发菩提心。
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-常被四瀑流所冲，难止业绳紧密系，投入我执铁网孔，无明大暗所蒙蔽。
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-无边有海生又生，常被三苦所迫害，已成如此诸母等，情状思已发大心。
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-不具通达实际慧，虽修出离善菩提，不能断除有根故，应勤通达缘起法。
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-见世出世一切法，从因生果皆不虚，所执之境本无者，彼入佛陀所喜道。
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-现相缘起不虚妄，性空离许之见二，何时见为相违者，尚未通达佛密意。
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-一旦同时不轮番，已见缘起不虚妄，若证灭尽诸境执，尔时观察见圆满。
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-又由现相除有边，及由性空除无边，了知性空现因果，不为边执见所夺。
-
-如此三主道扼要，汝能如实通达时，当依静处起精进，为究竟事速修持。
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-正式讲述三主要道的内容前，有两个偈颂，主要说明作者为什么要造此论，以及修学佛法对生命的重要性，勉励我们按论中内容精进修学。下面，围绕论文开始解释。
-
-### 修学三主要道的意义
-
-"《三主要道颂》。”三主要道，指出离心、菩提心、空性见。颂，是一种文体。印度人造论时，有时会先以长行阐述，再以偈颂总结；有时会先造偈颂，再通过长行解读。所以，颂是佛教常见的文体。
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-"宗喀巴大师造。”宗大师是藏传佛教格鲁派的创始人，其思想主要传承自阿底峡尊者创立的噶当派，特点是重视次第、重视基础、重视戒律。那么，宗大师为什么要造《道次第》的相关论典？主要是因为，藏传佛教在当时出现了不重次第和基础的现象。
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-现在的汉传佛教同样存在这些问题。很多人喜欢禅宗，觉得直指人心、见性成佛特别痛快，也不必有很多讲究。但我们要知道，禅宗对学人根器是有要求的，是接引上根利智的人。什么叫上根利智？就是你的心灵尘垢很薄，菩提自性会不时显现出来。就像云层很薄的时候，阳光很容易照射出来。如果云层很厚，阳光是透不出来的。
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-我们也是一样，虽然具足如来智慧德相，但无明在内心制造了深厚的执著和烦恼。我们要认识觉悟本体，必须突破迷惑的云层。根机利的人就是云层薄，根机钝的人就是云层厚。如果自身根机不够，又喜欢禅宗，其实是修不上去的。最后往往会变成口头禅，或是坐在那里打妄想，打瞌睡。
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-我们会在迷惑系统中说一些觉悟的话，其实这个觉悟和你毫无关系。虽然在说的时候，内心有种很痛快的感觉，觉得说起来很舒服。但真正遇到境界时，你的无明、烦恼、贪嗔痴，一点都不比别人少。
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-学习《道次第》，可以为未来修习禅宗或其他法门架一个梯子，帮助我们从钝根变成利根。其实人的根机不是固定不变的。这一生根机很好，不是说你天生就根机好，而是代表过去生修行的积累。虽然现在根机好，如果不用心维护，而是不断地制造贪嗔痴烦恼，利根也会变成钝根。就像一把刀，每天拼命地砍竹子，砍石头，砍各种东西，却从来不磨，一定会变钝的。佛法讲无常，就是告诉我们，利根不防护会变成钝根，钝根不断努力也可以成为利根。
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-包括受菩萨戒，同样存在不重视次第造成的严重弊端。我们要成为菩萨行者，首先要受菩提心戒，发起崇高的利他主义愿望------即"我要成佛，我要利益一切众生”的愿望。当菩提心修到一定程度，才有资格真正受持菩萨戒。没有这种愿望的话，即使受了菩萨戒，也只是表面上取得一个资格。
-
-菩萨最大的特点就是慈悲。如果没有发起菩提心，也不懂得修习慈悲，算什么菩萨？唯识教法讲到，想成为菩萨，必须具有菩萨种性，乐于帮助别人。我们有时说某人"很有菩萨心肠”，其实就是赞叹他的慈悲，这种人要成为菩萨相对容易。反过来说，有些人很自私，拔一毛以利天下而不为。这种人就缺乏菩萨种性，如果想成为菩萨，虽不是绝对不行，但难度很大，必须加倍努力。
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-我们之所以弘扬《道次第》，就是看到大家在修学过程中，对基础和次第重视不够。汉传佛教中的禅宗、天台、华严、唯识、三论等，也有很多高明的观法，却因为没有基础和次第，使这些观法修不起来。
-
-总之，宗大师为什么写《道次第》乃至《三主要道颂》，正是我们今天为什么要弘扬它的意义所在。可以说，弘扬这一教法代表着整个教界的需要。
-
-### 礼敬传承上师
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-> 敬礼诸至尊上师！
-
-按印度的传统，论主造论前要礼敬这个传承的上师们。宗大师造《道次第》的思想渊源，主要是继承深观和广行两大传统。深观代表空宗的传统，从文殊菩萨而来。在佛教中,文殊菩萨象征大智慧，又称"大智文殊师利菩萨”。此外还有龙树、提婆等祖师，他们根据《般若经》的思想写了很多论典，帮助我们去认识：我们看到的一切缘起现象都是空的，没有固定不变的特质。这种无自性空的思想，是对一切现象的深刻透视，是认识事物真相的智慧。所谓真相，佛法中也叫实相，即真实的面目。相关内容包含在"空性见”的部分。在《略论》和《广论》中，主要属于止观中"观”的部分。
-
-此外还有广行，即广大的菩萨行。作为菩萨行者，要发起崇高的愿望。崇高到什么程度？就是"我要利益一切众生，要帮助一切众生解除轮回的痛苦，解除生命的迷惑和烦恼”。然后根据这种愿望，做种种利益众生的行为。广行的思想主要来自瑜伽唯识的经典。看过钱文忠讲《大唐西域记》的人会知道，当年玄奘大师到印度取经，主要是想学习《瑜伽师地论》。此论由弥勒菩萨所造，共一百卷，是广行体系的核心典籍。其中的《菩萨地》，就是如何学做菩萨的内容，丰富而全面，是我们修学菩萨行的重要指南。
-
-在宗大师的思想体系中，对他影响最大的，还有阿底峡尊者和《菩提道灯论》。论中建构了作为完整修学必须具备的要素及次第。尊者非常重视皈依和菩提心，重视佛法基础。因为他长期在藏地宣讲皈依，被称为"皈依喇嘛”。很多佛教徒可能觉得，皈依谁不懂，还要你讲？这是因为我们对皈依的认识很肤浅。事实上，整个佛法修学都离不开三宝，离不开皈依的内涵。这是大有深意的。此外，针对人们不重视业果的现象，阿底峡尊者曾专门宣讲业果；针对不重视菩提心的现象，尊者又大力提倡菩提心。这些都在宗大师建构的修学体系中得到了继承。
-
-因为有这些传承，我们现在学习的《道次第》和《三主要道颂》，特点也是重视基础，重视次第，重视菩提心。了解到这个法来源清净，能帮助我们对法建立信心，更好地理解并接受法。接着解释偈颂。
-
-### 造论目的
-
-佛陀至言心要义，是诸菩萨所赞道，欲求解脱之大道，我今随力而宣说。
-
-这个偈颂说明，宗大师造论的目的，是帮助我们快速掌握佛法心要。
-
-《菩提道次第略论》讲到"本论的殊胜”这一部分时，总结了四个特点。其中第三点讲到，《略论》及相关论典，可以使我们快速掌握佛陀说法的密意。所谓密意，即佛法的精髓和心要。而《三主要道》是道次第系统中最核心的论著，是精髓的精髓。
-
-"佛陀至言心要义。”至言，即佛陀教法的精髓。这个精髓和心要是什么？
-
-很多人看到佛教有这么多经论，而基督教只有一本《圣经》，伊斯兰教只有一本《古兰经》，就觉得，佛教是不是也能有这样一部经典？佛法这么多理论，核心是什么？每部经论都有很多名相和思想，对不是长期修学的人，学了之后往往无所适从，更谈不上融会贯通。要将佛法融会贯通，不仅要对义理有研究，更要有实证体验。否则只能成为学者，研究来研究去，比较来比较去，最终还是各不相干。
-
-宗大师在本论告诉我们的心要，就是三主要道：出离心、菩提心、空性见。
-
-把出离心和空性见结合起来，是解脱道的重要内容。出离心是一种愿望，还需要把它转化成出离的能力。这个能力就是空性见，也是佛法修行的核心。持戒修定，都是为了成就空性见，由此才能成就解脱和解脱知见。
-
-把菩提心和空性见结合起来，则是大乘佛法的两大核心。成佛成就什么？正是圆满佛陀那样的大智慧和大慈悲。其中，空性见是帮助我们成就智慧。而通过菩提心的修行，生起"我要利益众生，帮助众生走向解脱”的愿望，并落实到崇高的利他主义行为，可以成就大慈大悲的品质。不仅如此，在利益众生的过程中，我执会被弱化，也有利于开启智慧。
-
-虽然佛教有众多法门，汇归到核心，无非是修智慧，修慈悲。只有成就智慧，我们才有能力解除生命内在的迷惑烦恼，更好地利益众生。否则，我们靠什么帮助别人？如果没有成就智慧，成就解脱，不过是"泥菩萨过河，自身难保”。可见佛经虽然很多，核心不外乎出离心、菩提心、空性见。而五大要素中的皈依和戒律，则是修行的基础，最终都要落实到解脱道和菩萨道的实践中。
-
-我们必须深信，三主要道确实是佛法的心要。就像打仗必须攻克的碉堡那样，修行的所有努力都是为此服务的。如果不懂得这一点，虽然做了很多，可能各行其是，无法汇归到修行之路。或者你很着相地做着，就可能在做的过程中发展出凡夫心，偏离学佛的目标。
-
-我们要做好任何一件事，必须知道它的重心、目标和方法。出离心、菩提心、空性见不仅是《三主要道颂》的内容，是《道次第》的重心，也是整个佛法修行的重心、目标和方法。
-
-但如果我们的学习停留在书本上，把它作为知识来掌握，那是没用的。我们学习三主要道，需要在心相续中成就出离心，成就菩提心，成就空性慧，这才是最重要的。就像三宝，有外在的三宝，还有内在的三宝。开始学佛时，我们需要依赖外在三宝，但这只是帮助我们认识和开启内在三宝的方便，最终的重点，是每个人的心。
-
-"是诸菩萨所赞道。”我们要认识到，三主要道确实是佛法的精髓。这个修学的重心和次第，是十方诸佛菩萨赞叹的。诸佛菩萨的修行，也要围绕出离心、菩提心和空性见。当年，佛陀就是看到生老病死，看到世间荣华富贵的虚幻，才出家修行的。这是出离的过程。在修行过程中，他看到芸芸众生在轮回中受苦，于是发愿，不仅要自己解脱，还要帮助一切众生解脱。这是从出离心到菩提心的升华。然后在菩提树下禅坐，夜睹明星，明心见性。这是空性见的圆满成就。所以说，这是一条修学的核心之道，也是快速之道，是诸佛菩萨赞叹的道路。
-
-"欲求解脱之大道。”如果想走出生命的迷惑，走向解脱，走向无上菩提，三主要道就是一条常规大路。佛教也提倡方便，相当于小路。但所有小路都要汇归这个核心，否则就会偏离目标。在佛法弘扬过程中，有些宗派曾出现偏差，就是因为对这些重心认识不足。抓住三主要道，在修学上就不会偏离。
-
-"我今随力而宣说。”这是宗大师的自谦：我现在根据自己的能力，和你们说一说，佛法的核心内容是什么。
-
-以上介绍了学习《三主要道》的意义，可以帮助我们快速掌握佛法精髓。
-
-### 策励听闻
-
-于三有乐不贪著，为暇满义而精进，志依佛陀所喜道，具法缘者净意听。
-
-这个偈颂是宗大师策励我们，要用现有的暇满人身做最有意义的事，那就是修学佛法，修学三主要道。
-
-"于三有乐不贪著。”三有，即欲界、色界、无色界。三有乐，即三界的快乐。三界为什么叫三有？有，就是有漏，有缺陷。为什么有缺陷？因为三界众生的快乐，都是建立在迷惑和烦恼的基础上。其中，有欲望的快乐和禅定的快乐。欲界众生主要追求欲望的快乐，比如家庭、财富、地位、饮食男女及舒适环境带来的快乐。我们贪著三界的快乐，追求并沉溺其中，满足于享受财富，享受权力，享受感情，享受家庭，不再有更高的追求。但从佛法角度来看，这种快乐是不究竟的。
-
-首先，这种快乐对我们只有短暂的意义，没有永久的意义。其次，享受这种快乐是有副作用的。因为这种快乐依赖特定环境而产生，但世间无常，一切都会变化。如果我们执著这种快乐，一旦环境变化，就是痛苦到来的时候。所以，依赖世间任何一种快乐，势必会给自己带来痛苦。第三，过分在乎这种快乐，需要把所有时间用于追求快乐。有人执著财富带来的快乐，就要每天追求财富；有人执著地位带来的快乐，就要为地位不停奔忙；有人执著感情、家庭带来的快乐，一生一世都要经营这份感情、这个家庭。
-
-虽然财富、地位、感情、家庭对人生也有价值，但价值非常短暂。欲界众生正是因为贪著三有乐，沉溺在对财富、地位、感情、家庭，乃至吃喝玩乐的追求中，所以一直轮回三界，无法走出这个泥潭。当我们认识到三有乐是短暂而不究竟的，甚至在本质上是痛苦的，就不能贪著于此，而要走出轮回，生命才会有更高的追求，更远大的目标。
-
-"为暇满义而精进。”暇满，指暇满人身，即有能力、有时间听闻佛法的人身。首先是有能力，你的心智没问题，认识没问题，身体和感官也没问题。除了能力之外，还要有时间。如果每天忙于生计，没有时间，也不行。这是暇满人身必须具备的两个基本条件。
-
-这种人身究竟蕴含多大的价值？这似乎是一个哲学问题，其实是一个现实问题。为什么这么说？因为每个人都有价值观。我们每天做什么不做什么，要什么不要什么，整个生活都是建立在选择中。这个选择背后的标准是什么？就是你觉得重要还是不重要。你觉得重要的，就会选择去做；觉得不重要的，就不会选择去做。所谓重要就是有价值，不重要就是没价值。
-
-不可否认，生活中的一切也有价值。我们渴了喝水，这口水是有价值的；饿了吃饭，这顿饭是有价值的。但这些价值非常短暂，如果执著于此，甚至会带来负面作用。比如用不健康的手段追求享乐，追求财富和地位，将给生命带来无尽的麻烦和困扰。
-
-如果以现实中的一切作为人生价值，我们会发现，在死亡面前，所有这些都显得苍白无力，因为什么都带不走。那么，人活着的意义和价值究竟是什么？学佛就是帮助我们认识到，我们现在的身份，尤其是有能力、有时间听闻佛法的人身，就是无价之宝，可以实现生命的最大价值。每个生命都蕴含成佛的潜质，都具备佛性。暇满人身的意义，就是帮助我们开启内在佛性，解除生命的迷惑、烦恼和痛苦，成就解脱自在的人生，进而帮助千千万万的人成就解脱自在的人生。我们想一想，世上有什么价值比这更大？
-
-当我们意识到暇满人身蕴含的巨大价值后，就应该为实现这种价值而努力精进。世人为了一点眼前利益都能起早摸黑，如果我们认识到人身的价值，还不肯努力，还执著于小小的世间利益，是不是太愚痴，太没有眼光了？这是宗大师对我们的策励。
-
-"志依佛陀所喜道。”志依，就是要立志。我们已经认识到人身的价值，同时认识到三有乐是有漏的，不究竟的，就应该立志，遵从佛陀为我们指示的解脱道、菩萨道，努力精进。而解脱道、菩萨道的核心，就是三主要道。依此修行，能引导我们快速走上修行道路。
-
-"具法缘者净意听。”具法缘者，即具足法缘。大家能来此听闻佛法，说明和这个法是有缘的。既然已经和法有缘，怎样才能更好地接受佛法？必须有正确的态度和方法。
-
-佛教把我们的生命体叫作五蕴。所谓蕴，即各种元素聚在一起，包括物质和精神两部分。物质部分是色蕴，精神部分是受蕴、想蕴、行蕴、识蕴，由各种心理活动组成。佛教认为，生死轮回的第一要素就是无明。所以生命也是一个产品，是无明制造的产品。我们在不了解自己的情况下，形成了现有的生命体。我们现在执以为的这个"我”，并不是真正的"我”，只是因为不了解自己而制造的替代品，是有漏的，不完善的。
-
-人最大的问题是什么？就是不了解自己。因为不了解，就会产生错误观念，产生种种烦恼，从而不断地制造痛苦。可以说，生命就是一台不断制造痛苦的机器。学佛所做的，就是用佛法改造这个生命产品。
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-但问题在于，我们如何才能接受到纯正的佛法？凡夫最大的特点，是对自己和世界形成了一套认识模式。我们接受的东西，通常会被现有的认知模式改造过。就像一个人戴着有色眼镜，不论看到什么，都被这个眼镜改造过，不是原原本本的。在接受佛法的过程中，一样会出现这种问题，使我们接受不到原原本本的佛法。
-
-如何才能避免这种过失，接受纯正的佛法？必须在闻法时避免三种过失。《道次第》中，这是作为道前基础的内容。
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-第一是覆器。就像一个杯子，必须杯口向上才能装水。如果把杯子倒扣过来，水能不能装进去？如果大家在听法时心不在焉，或是打瞌睡，或是思想开小差，法就不能进入你的内心。
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-第二是垢器。如果这个杯子已经放了很多油盐酱醋，再往里倒水。倒进去的水，还有没有水的味道？肯定变成油盐酱醋的味道了。同样，如果带着成见接受佛法，我们所接受的，也将被错误的观念和情绪改造过，不是纯正的法。
-
-第三是漏器。如果杯子有裂缝，虽然我们往里倒水，可倒的同时也在不停地漏，最后就剩不下什么了。大家听闻佛法后，如果不进一步思考，听过的法就不能在混乱的内心扎根，转化成自己的认识和观念。只有通过如理思惟，佛法才能内化成我们的观念、心态和人格。
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-佛菩萨既是法的实践者，也是法的化身。我们接受了佛法，也要通过思考和禅修，把法内化成自己的观念乃至人格，从凡夫逐渐改造为圣贤。这是生命的重大改造，必须靠法来完成。而前提是让法原原本本地进入内心，否则，后面的一切都谈不上了。
-
-学法有两种情况，一种是接受法之后，用来认识并改造自己的生命；另一种情况，只是把所学的法当作知识，对自己的观念、心态并没有太多改变。那么，法也可能成为我慢的增上缘。我们觉得自己懂了法，比别人要高一等。本来，法是用来改造人格的缺陷，但因为你不能正确使用，反而觉得有了法之后，这个自我比别人优越。这样的话，法就会被我执所利用，成为它存在的养分。
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-总之，我们认识到人身价值后，要立志于解脱道和菩萨道的修行，同时还要以正确的态度听闻并接受佛法。
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-{#三出离心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 三、出离心
-
-接着进入正宗分，第一部分是出离心，共三个偈颂。
-
-无出离心无息灭，希求有海乐方法，由欲有乐缚众生，故先寻求出离心。
-
-暇满难得寿无常，修习能除此生欲，业果不虚轮回苦，思惟能除后世欲。
-
-修已于轮回盛事，不生刹那之希望，昼夜唯求解脱心，起时是生出离心。
-
-《道次第》中，出离心属于中士道的内容。中士道所做的有两方面，一是发起出离心，二是成就解脱的能力，否则也是不能出离的。出离心的相关内容，就是我们现在介绍的这部分，而成就解脱能力将在空性见的部分介绍。
-
-### 出离心的重要性
-
-无出离心无息灭，希求有海乐方法，由欲有乐缚众生，故先寻求出离心。
-
-为什么在解脱道的修行中，首先要发起出离心？
-
-"无出离心无息灭。”无出离心，就是没有出离心，或发不起出离心。什么叫出离心？就是"我要出离轮回，我要解除生命内在迷惑和烦恼”的愿望。很多人可能觉得，出离心是出家人的事，和在家居士没什么关系。那我们问问自己：想不想出离烦恼？如果想出离烦恼，想解除生命的迷惑，就必须有出离心。我觉得，出离迷惑和烦恼是学佛人共同的问题，而不只是出家人的问题，对在家居士同样重要。
-
-如果没有出离心，就"无息灭”。没办法息灭什么？下一句告诉我们------
-
-"希求有海乐方法。”有海，即欲界、色界、无色界三界大海。其中有种种快乐，比如吃喝的快乐，家庭的快乐，感情的快乐，地位的快乐，财富的快乐，居住环境的快乐，享受好车好房的快乐。所有这些都属于轮回的快乐。我们想一想，自己是不是每天在追求这种快乐？乃至世间所有人，都以追求这些快乐作为人生目标。我们读书、工作、赚钱、成家，一切的努力，无非是为了生存，为了过好日子，为了吃得好，穿得好，住得好，为了拥有家庭和事业，出人头地。
-
-因为我们在乎轮回中的快乐，就会用所有时间拼命追求。如果没有出离心，就无法平息这种需求。只有深刻意识到轮回中的快乐是短暂的，其本质是痛苦的，才会真正生起出离心。此外，我们还要找到更究竟的快乐，更有价值的生命内涵，这点非常重要。否则的话，何以放弃眼前的快乐？
-
-那么，轮回中有没有快乐？佛教告诉我们，不是没有，只是这种快乐非常短暂，而且有负面作用，会带来无尽的麻烦。我们想想，是不是这样？唯有看透三有乐的本质，看透轮回本质是痛苦的，才能平息对这种快乐的追逐，发起出离心。
-
-"由欲有乐缚众生。”欲有乐，即轮回的快乐。每个人都会被不同东西绑住，有人被儿女绑住，有人被家庭绑住，有人被地位绑住，有人被事业绑住，有人被感情绑住。我们在乎家庭的快乐，会被家庭绑住；在乎事业的快乐，会被事业绑住......我们问问自己：为什么内心总有很多牵挂？总有很多担心？总有很多患得患失？谁绑住了你？谁让你这样？其实，就是执著绑住了你。
-
-当我们在执著过程中，由执著和需求产生的力量，会使你不断追逐所执著的对象。在追求过程中，这种执著和需求就在增加。当执著和需求增加的同时，又使你继续追求。在追求过程中，执著和需求又进一步增加......这个过程，就是轮回的原理。
-
-其实，轮回就是一个重复，是生命的低级重复。我们总在自己制造的需求中不断重复：赌博的人每天想着赌博，玩游戏的人每天想着玩游戏，搞艺术的人每天想着怎么创作，赚钱的人每天想着怎么赚钱，追求权力的人每天想着怎么追求权力......每个人都在自己的感觉中跳不出来。因为这种执著，当环境变化时，就会产生痛苦和烦恼，被欲有乐所缚。
-
-"故先寻求出离心。”只有意识到欲有乐在本质上是痛苦的，我们才能真正发起出离心。佛教讲的解脱，就是帮助我们从需求和执著中跳出来。
-
-在座的都是在家居士，听到出离心的时候，有人可能觉得恐惧：是不是要出家？其实，不出家一样可以发出离心。当我们看透轮回本质后，用平常心生活，用慈悲心做事，一样可以在世俗生活，但不会带来无谓的痛苦。因为所有痛苦和执著都是在乎的表现。我们有一分的执著和在乎，当环境变化时，就会带来一分伤害；有十分的执著和在乎，当环境变化时，就会带来十分的伤害。
-
-如果我们有出离心，对现实的生活和需求有明确认识，那么虽然过着世俗生活，但知道一切都是因缘所生，就能以超然的心态面对身边一切顺缘和逆缘。即使做很多事，内心也不会执著。当内心对外境没有执著时，外境的变化就不会对我们造成伤害。
-
-总之，出离心是帮助我们出离生命内在的迷惑和烦恼。我们学习佛法智慧后，迷惑将越来越少；能以佛法智慧看问题，烦恼会越来越少。生活中，我们要面对家庭、事业等种种问题。每个问题能对你产生什么影响，关键在于你怎么看待。如果我们用错误观念看问题，就会不断产生烦恼；如果用佛法智慧看问题，任何问题都不会带来烦恼，当下就是解脱。所以，智慧的观念非常重要。
-
-### 如何修习出离心
-
-暇满难得寿无常，修习能除此生欲，业果不虚轮回苦，思惟能除后世欲。
-
-我们要出离什么？主要有两方面：一是对现世的贪著和希求，二是对来世的贪著和希求。不论哪一种，都会把我们导向轮回。修习出离心，就要摆脱这两种贪著和希求。
-
-"暇满难得寿无常。”首先要思惟，暇满人身是很难得到的。因为未来生命会以什么形式出现，完全取决于自身业力。在无尽的生命延续过程中，我们曾造下许许多多三恶道的业。如果这些业力成熟，必定堕落。而我们所修习的、感得人身的善业却不多。所以佛经说，得到人身的众生非常少，没有得到人身的众生非常多。
-
-佛陀曾经问侍者阿难：你看是我指甲里的土多，还是大地的土多？阿难说：当然是大地的土多。佛陀告诉他：得到人身的众生，就像指甲里的土那么少；没有得到人身的众生，就像大地的土那么多。可见，得到人的身份多么不容易。
-
-我们现在已经得到可以学佛的身份，应该好好利用，完成生命改造。如果只是为了生存，为了过好日子，为了享受欲望，其实动物也会。从暇满难得的角度说，我们不应该沉溺于眼前的享乐，用整个生命追求欲望带来的快乐，而应该追求更高的生命意义。
-
-"寿无常”，是说明这个宝贵人身很容易失去。不论我们的生命，还是眼前的快乐，很可能转瞬即逝。现在经常听到身边有人说，这人得癌症了，那人得癌症了......当我们身体健康时，会觉得现实的一切很热闹，很坚实。事实上，这个生命非常脆弱。所以《道次第》提供了三种角度，告诉我们应该如何正视死亡。
-
-首先要认识到：死是一定的。平常人不愿接受这个事实，总以为死和自己没什么关系。为什么很多人面对死亡时措手不及？就因为他一直觉得，死是别人的事，和自己没关系，至少是以后的事，根本没有做好准备。所以，我们必须正视这个现实------死是一定的，没有哪个人会不死。再过五十年、一百年，我们统统要到别的地方报到。
-
-其次，什么时候死是不一定的。尤其在今天，除了天灾人祸，还有食品安全、各种流行病之类，制造死亡的因素太多了。我看高速路上车开得那么快，一不小心就可能开到别的世界去了。所以我们不要以为自己能活到八九十岁，真是不一定的。
-
-第三，当我们要死亡时，现在努力追求、经营的这些事业、感情、家庭、人际关系等，没有一样可以带走。
-
-"修习能除此生欲。”当我们用死亡审视人生价值后，会发觉现在所做的这一切，都是苍白无力的。既然我们得到的快乐这么脆弱，为什么还想牢牢地抓住它？有没有哪样东西你抓得住？你能抓住感情吗？能抓住青春吗？能抓住地位吗？......既然抓不住，我们就不必贪著了，否则只会自讨苦吃，只会给自己制造烦恼。我们不应该追求那些抓不到的，而应该追求人生的究竟价值，那就是开发成佛的潜质。通过这些思惟，就可以消除对现世乐的需求和贪著。
-
-"业果不虚轮回苦。”其他宗教往往认为，是上帝等造物主决定了我们的命运。而接受唯物论的人，只相信现世的努力。但佛教对世界的理解是四个字------因缘因果。因缘就是各种条件，包括主要条件和次要条件。当条件具备了，就会产生结果。
-
-在人生因果中，核心是我们的起心动念，也就是因。佛教把它分为善、恶、无记（不善不恶）三类。这些念头还会通过三个渠道表现出来。在思想上，叫作意业；把它说出来，比如你要骂人或赞叹别人，叫作语业；表现在身体行为上，就是身业。
-
-我们的起心动念和行为，都会在内心播下种子，所以佛教把心叫作心田。当这些种子产生作用后，力量又会得到强化，所以心念是发展的。比如贪心，如果你不断起贪，贪的念头就会越来越大。此外，有的人爱生气，不断生气，嗔心的力量会越来越大；有的人很有爱心，经常对别人生起爱心，慈悲的力量会越来越大......每个心念都是有力量的，而且会不断增长。久而久之，它会成为我们的心态、性格，并最终成为人格。因为这样的心态乃至人格，又会感召我们的生活氛围，乃至生存环境。这个过程，很多人应该经历过。
-
-社会上也在使用业的概念，比如农业、工业、商业等。人们从事各行各业的工作，往往会形成相应的人格。比如商人会有商人的人格，农民会有农民的人格，军人会有军人的人格，艺术家会有艺术家的人格......这些人格的形成和成长，正是业的积累。不同行为会产生不同业力，最终成就不同的生命结果。这些业果是真实不虚的。
-
-我们过去对业的认识，更多是从外在因果来理解。因为我们看不到过去，也看不到来世，所以会不相信业力。事实上，业力还可以从我们这一生去理解，可以从心路发展和人格形成去理解，这叫心灵因果，也叫当下因果。从这个角度，对业就更容易接受。
-
-因为业会形成不同的心态和人格，所以我们对每个起心动念要特别谨慎。在无尽轮回中，我们曾造过很多恶业，这些恶业终会将我们导向三恶道。只要没有出离轮回，即便现在过得再好，享受再优越的环境，都是暂时的，都不应该贪著，因为轮回的本质是痛苦的。
-
-从另一个角度说，是不是我们享受优越的环境，就能过得快乐？其实不然。外境只是产生快乐的助缘，能不能带来快乐，还和我们的需求有关。只有当我们产生需要，得到时才会快乐。如果不需要，即使得到，也是没感觉的。我想这一点大家都有体会。
-
-快乐还有一个硬条件，就是没有烦恼，没有心事，这样才容易快乐。反过来说，如果你心事重重，烦恼很多，不论得到什么，或是有什么样的外境，都是快乐不起来的。想一想，是不是这样？因为每个生命内在都有迷惑，有烦恼，所以只要还在轮回中，我们都不能得到究竟意义上的快乐。
-
-"思惟能除后世欲。”通过以上思惟，可以帮助我们舍弃对后世的贪著。那么，如果我们不追求快乐，是不是会一天到晚过着苦苦恼恼的日子？是不是人生就不需要快乐了？并不是这样。佛法是要我们舍弃轮回中不究竟的快乐，舍弃有强烈负面作用的快乐，建立究竟、解脱的快乐。
-
-我们现在的快乐建立在惑和业的基础上，而惑业是不断制造痛苦的机器。所谓的快乐，只是在改变外境过程中，痛苦被暂时缓解而产生的。佛法让我们追求的，是立足于解脱和智慧的快乐。因为生命既是制造痛苦的源泉，也是制造快乐的源泉。当我们找到快乐的源泉，就会源源不断地产生快乐。就像佛菩萨那样，时时安住于快乐中，因为他们已经找到制造快乐的源泉。
-
-而我们现在的快乐源自无明，从本质上就是痛苦的。如果追求这种快乐，就意味着，我们同时在制造痛苦。佛教让我们放弃迷惑系统的快乐，不是要拒绝快乐，而是希望我们追求究竟的快乐。
-
-### 出离心生起的标准
-
-修已于轮回盛事，不生刹那之希望，昼夜唯求解脱心，起时是生出离心。
-
-出离心怎样才算生起？通过以上思惟，你已能对轮回中的盛事没有期待。比如当官、发财、爱情，所有这些世间认为最好的东西，你都生不起丝毫期待，一心只想解脱，只想出离迷惑和烦恼，只想得到解脱的快乐。这就意味着，你的出离心已经生起。
-
-快乐有两种，一是轮回的快乐，是短暂而有副作用的，非常麻烦；一是解脱的快乐，是究竟而没有副作用的，是一劳永逸的。一旦得到解脱的快乐，就能永远享受，没有尽头。通过这样的比较，你们觉得哪种快乐好？
-
-所以说，出离心不仅是出家修行的重要基础，对在家居士同样重要。有句话叫"以出世之心做入世之事”，大家应该很熟悉。我们如何才能生活在世间，不为五欲六尘所染，像莲花一样出淤泥而不染？如何才能不陷入迷惑和烦恼？需要有超然的心态。
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-出离心就是帮助我们培养超然的心态。面对同样的世俗生活，为什么有人陷得很深，有人陷得较浅，有人根本陷不进去？关键不在于环境，而是在我们的心。如果内心对感情、财富、地位等有一份强烈的执著和需求，百分之百要陷进去。
-
-那么，怎样才能去除这份执著和需求？就要深刻意识到，轮回本质是痛苦的。如果有一份超然的心态，带着慈悲和利他心，一样可以做很多世间的事，一样可以享受五欲六尘，但我们不会被伤害。反之，当心陷入五欲六尘时，就会成为这份执著和需求的奴隶，根本不能自已。你只是听从内心的执著和需求，做或不做，都是身不由己的。
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-出离心，是帮助我们培养一份不粘著的能力。虽然在做很多事，但心不会粘上去，从而保有超然、自由的心态。世间很多人都被某种需求所控制，有人被赌博的需求控制，有人被吸毒的需求控制，而更多的人则被对感情、财富的需求控制。为什么被控？不是说财富会控制你，而是你对财富的执著，在内心形成了强大的需求，是这些需求控制了你，使你的心粘到财富上。当你的心粘上去，就会被财富，或是感情、家庭、权力等左右。
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-只有不粘上去，才谈得上超脱，谈得上以出世之心做入世之事。否则，我们永远都是执著、需求和烦恼的奴隶，永远在为无明打工，为内心的欲望打工，无法自主。这就是凡夫的生命现状。
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-我们想成为生命的主人，必须认识内心的自主力量。禅宗要我们寻找------你的主人是谁？你不要把妄想当作主人，也不要把情绪当作主人。如果把妄想和情绪当作主人，就是"认贼为子”。这些不良情绪和错误想法，将不断给我们制造烦恼，制造痛苦，制造生死，制造轮回......这种生命是没有尽头的，轮回也是没有尽头的。
-
-所以，我们一定要认识到出离心的意义。出离，就是出离轮回，出离内在的迷惑和烦恼。
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-{#四菩提心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 四、菩提心
-
-其次是菩提心，共有三个偈颂。
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-出离若无菩提心，所持则亦不能成，无上菩提乐因故，智者应发菩提心。
-
-常被四瀑流所冲，难止业绳紧密系，投入我执铁网孔，无明大暗所蒙蔽。
-
-无边有海生又生，常被三苦所迫害，已成如此诸母等，情状思已发大心。
-
-在佛法修行中，出离心是解脱道的基础，菩提心是菩萨道的基础。什么叫菩提心？就是觉悟的心。完整地说，菩提心是一种觉悟而利他的心。
-
-《瑜伽师地论》说，菩提心就是一种希求，是"我要成就无上菩提，成就最高觉悟，进而帮助一切众生解除痛苦”的愿望。这个愿望包含两方面。从自己来说，要成就圆满的觉悟；从众生来说，要像佛陀那样，带领一切众生走向觉悟，而不仅仅是为了自己。所以菩提心首先是崇高的愿望，又称愿菩提心。
-
-菩提心有两种，一种是相对的，一种是究竟的。发起"我要成佛，要利益一切众生”的愿望，是相对的菩提心。而究竟的菩提心，需要证悟空性后才能开显，又称胜义菩提心。
-
-那么，菩提心和前面所说的出离心有什么关系？如果只是想着自己解除迷惑痛苦，就是出离心，是小乘的发心。而大乘的菩提心不仅自己要出离，同时要看到芸芸众生在轮回中受苦受累，发愿带领一切众生出离轮回，走向解脱。所以，菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满，是把解脱对象从自己延伸到一切众生。
-
-我们现在的生命处于迷惑和轮回中，因为看不清自己，所以不断地制造痛苦，制造烦恼，制造生死。菩萨看到迷惑的过患，同时发现，每个生命内在还有觉悟潜力，决心开发这种潜力。这是发菩提心的开始，也是生命觉醒的开始，菩萨道修行的开始。
-
-菩萨又叫觉有情，一方面是自己觉悟，一方面是帮助众生觉悟。当这种觉悟没有圆满时，就是菩萨。当这种觉悟达到圆满，就成佛了。汉传佛教属于大乘，修行的两大内涵就是菩提心和空性见，可见菩提心的重要性。
-
-《金刚经》说，三乘圣贤皆以无为法而有差别。从证悟空性来说，三乘圣贤是相通的。大乘和小乘的区别，关键在于有没有菩提心。只有发起菩提心，你才是大乘佛子，反之则是小乘。如果我们要走上菩萨道，一定要发起菩提心，并通过受戒来确认这一誓言。
-
-在汉传佛教的传统中，只有菩萨戒，不讲菩提心戒。因为不重视菩提心，很多人虽然受了菩萨戒，却不具有利益众生的愿望和慈悲情怀，不能继承和发扬大乘积极利他的精神，也就不能成为合格的菩萨行者。
-
-其实每个人多少会有悲悯之心，如何扩大这念悲心？就要通过发菩提心，经常想着"我要帮助他人解除痛苦”。在忆念过程中，使慈悲心得到增长。你的心量有多大，慈悲心就能发展得多大。当我们真正愿意帮助一切众生，并能对一切众生心生慈悲，就是佛菩萨的大慈大悲。反之，如果还有一个众生不是你慈悲的对象，就说明慈悲心的修行还没有圆满。所以，菩提心可以使有限的慈悲变成无限的大慈大悲。
-
-从修行结果说，声闻人只修智慧，只是成就解脱的智慧。而佛菩萨不仅成就解脱的智慧，同时成就无限的慈悲，圆满悲智两大品质。
-
-《法华经》说，凡夫的生命现状就像正在燃烧的火宅，欲望、烦恼、需求熊熊燃烧，所谓五蕴炽盛。学佛，就要从这个火宅中逃出来。有人可能只想着自己逃，"观三界如火宅，视生死如冤家”，那是小乘的发心，就会成为自了汉。有人想着这里还有很多亲人，不能光自己逃，还要带领一切众生逃出火宅，那才是菩萨的发心。
-
-有了出离心之后，还要有菩提心。否则，对在家居士来说会很麻烦。你想出离，对世间的一切不感兴趣，工作也不肯干，家庭很容易出问题。所以要发菩提心，要利益一切众生。在家庭中，把我们的父母、兄弟、姐妹当作菩提眷属，当作需要帮助的对象；在工作上，尽职尽责，善待身边人，把狭隘、执著的爱，转变为无私、宽容、没有占有的大爱。如果你能用这种大爱对待家人，乃至身边更多的人，那么在完成世俗责任的同时，就是在践行菩萨道。
-
-不论修习解脱道还是菩萨道，不是一定要出家。当然出家的修行条件会更好，但每个人还要看自己的因缘。很多菩萨也是以在家身份出现的，所以居士一样可以行菩萨道。如何才能身在红尘而解脱自在？必须有出世的超然。否则就会陷入泥潭，难以自拔。那就是泥菩萨过河，而不是真菩萨了。你们想当泥菩萨，还是当真菩萨？
-
-### 菩提心的重要性
-
-出离若无菩提心，所持则亦不能成，无上菩提乐因故，智者应发菩提心。
-
-在菩萨道修行中，菩提心是贯穿始终的、最基础也最根本的发心。
-
-"出离若无菩提心。”作为菩萨道修行来说，如果不发菩提心，仅仅发出离心，是不够的。佛陀最初曾开示声闻教法，以证阿罗汉果为修行目标。但后来在《法华经》又说："十方国土中，唯有一乘法，无二亦无三，除佛方便说。”告诉我们：过去讲的人天乘、声闻乘、缘觉乘教法，只是成佛修行中的化城，是暂时休息的地方，而究竟目标是成佛。换言之，十方世界只有一条路，那就是菩萨道，成佛道。
-
-《法华经》还说："诸佛世尊以一大事因缘出现于世。”佛陀为什么要出现在这个世间？就是要完成最重要的事------开示众生悟入佛的知见。也就是说，要引导众生体悟佛陀具备的智慧，带领一切众生成佛。这才是佛陀出世的本怀。
-
-"所持则亦不能成。”如果我们不发菩提心，只发出离心，只想着个人解脱，修行是不会圆满成就的。
-
-"无上菩提乐因故。”菩提心是无上菩提的因，是究竟快乐的因。有人说学佛不讲利益，其实不然。《金刚经》常说，读诵受持本经能得到多少功德。这也是一种利益，而且是无量无边的利益。可以说，成佛就是最大利益。
-
-《道次第》说，佛法的引导分为眼前利益和究竟利益。我们通过学习佛法，修习善行，可以获得人天果报，这是眼前利益；进一步，还能带领我们走向解脱，成就无上菩提，这是究竟利益，是永恒的快乐。这种利益、快乐从哪里来？不是来自财富、地位，而是来自内在的觉醒的心。找到这个源头，就能得到究竟的利益和快乐。而我们现在追求的，都是暂时的利乐。要算一算，追求什么才划得来。
-
-"智者应发菩提心。”认识到菩提心对生命的重要性之后，有智慧的人应该发展菩提心，而不是发展贪心、嗔恨、我慢、嫉妒。否则，将制造无穷无尽的麻烦。
-
-### 如何发起菩提心
-
-常被四瀑流所冲，难止业绳紧密系，投入我执铁网孔，无明大暗所蒙蔽。
-
-无边有海生又生，常被三苦所迫害，已成如此诸母等，情状思已发大心。
-
-如何发起菩提心？共有两个偈颂，主要是基于对生命痛苦现状的思考。我们和众生一样，解脱之前，都在无明制造的迷惑、烦恼、痛苦中轮回。发起菩提心，首先要去感受这份痛苦，将心比心，认识到无量众生都处在这种状态。当我们对生命现状有清晰的认识，才会真正意识到菩提心的价值。
-
-那么，凡夫的生命现状究竟是怎么回事？
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-"常被四瀑流所冲。”众生时时刻刻被四种瀑流冲击。大家都看过瀑布，它有什么特点？一是相续性，流动时相续不断；二是力量强大，瀑布从高处冲下时，所有的鱼和草木立刻被冲下去了，根本抵挡不住。佛经中，常用瀑布形容心的相续，西方哲学也有类似说法，用流水比喻意识的活动。
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-佛法认为，心是缘起的，不是永恒不变的，并以四个字来形容它的特点------相似相续。相似，即前面和后面的心是相似的；相续，即前面引导后面，后面推动前面。在我们的内心，常被四种瀑流冲击。这四种瀑流是什么？
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-一是"欲”的瀑流，主要有五种：财，是对财的需求；色，是对性的需求；名，是对名声的需求；食，是对饮食的需求；睡，是对睡眠的需求。此外，还有感官产生的五种需求：眼睛希望看到好看的颜色，耳朵希望听到好听的声音，鼻子希望闻到好闻的气味，嘴巴希望吃到好吃的，身体希望接触舒适的环境。这些需求是持续不断的，所以人每天都在寻找自己需要的各种东西。
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-二是"有”的瀑流，包括贪著和烦恼。对喜欢的对象，我们会生起贪著，并由此带来烦恼。我们总是带着这份贪著和烦恼去接触每件事，面对每个问题。这种贪著和烦恼有着强大的力量。贪著家庭，会形成和家庭有关的烦恼；贪著事业，会形成和事业有关的烦恼；贪著感情，会形成和感情有关的烦恼。当我们面对这些外境，贪著和烦恼会本能地被引发。然后带着这份贪著和烦恼面对家庭、事业......在面对过程中，贪著和烦恼继续增加。如此，循环往复，力量巨大。人在自己制造的这些力量中，是很难走出来的。
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-三是"见”的瀑流，主要指我们的错误认识和观念。在成长过程中，我们不知不觉接受了很多观念。其中，有些是父母给的，有些是学校给的，有些是社会潮流给的，多数都没经过自己的理性审视。由此形成的价值观，往往是错误的。当我们带着这些价值观观察世界，思考问题，久而久之，就会形成强大的力量，左右我们的选择，甚至左右我们的人生。
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-四是"无明”的瀑流。在我们的生命中，除了菩提自性，还有强大的蒙昧力量，使我们看不清自己，看不清世界。
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-凡夫都是活在这四种力量中，身不由己。想一想，这是不是我们的现状？不相信都不行，确实是这四种力量在主导着我们，决定着我们的方向。
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-"难止业绳紧密系。”业就是行为。伴随这四种瀑流，我们会产生各种善或不善的行为。这些行为决定了你是什么。印度婆罗门教将人分为婆罗门、剎帝利、吠舍、首陀罗四种姓，即四个等级。现代社会则有白领、蓝领、金领之分，有打工者和老板的分别。总之，会根据血统、种族、地位等外在条件区分人的贵贱。但佛教是以行为加以区分，你的行为高尚，就是高尚的人；你的行为低劣，就是低劣的人。
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-因为行为会产生心态，形成性格，进而造就生命品质。所以佛教说，业决定一切------你的行为决定了你是什么。
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-在六道中，有动物道，包括水里游的、天上飞的，还有饿鬼、地狱、天、人等。这些生命形态都是业力决定的。而人道中的美丑、寿夭、贫富等，也和业力有关。此外，社会上工农商学兵各行各业，也会因为业的差别，形成不同的人格，造就不同的生命品质。
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-业使我们成就某种生命形态，形成某个身份，拥有某些特殊能力，同时也带来某种局限。比如鱼只能生活在水中，没办法生活在陆地；人既不能生活在水里，也无法不借助器械就飞起来；男众要受自身业力的局限，女众也受到自身业力的局限。再如我们的眼睛、耳朵等，提供了视觉、听觉的作用。但因为业力的关系，决定了我们能看到什么，看不见什么；能听到什么，听不见什么。
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-虽然生命形态对我们有影响，但我们是可以超越它的。因为每个有限生命的背后都是无限。佛教说，有限和无限是统一的。为什么我们的生命会被某种形式局限，无法跳出来？关键在于我执和法执。
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-我们对每种身份，以及看到的每个问题、每件事，都会有观念性的认定。比如我们把身份当作"我”，把身体当作"我”，把很多想法当作"我”，这是我们对自己的认定。我们看到世间每个东西，会认为它就是什么------比如这就是桌子，这就是佛像，这就是房子，都是非常真实的。有了这个认定，接着又会觉得它好或不好，有价值或没价值。我们会对它作审美的认定，作价值的认定。很多认定都和文化有关，和我们自身的需求有关。
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-我们又会执著自己的认定，认为它就是这么回事。想一想，是不是这样？因为这种认定和执著，就把我们和这个对象牢牢绑住。被绑住的原因不是其他，正是你对它的认定，以及由这种认定发展的执著。
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-"投入我执铁网孔。”你本来可以不被绑住，但因为你对它的认定、需求和执著，使自己被牢牢绑住。最后觉得你的身体就是你，你的想法就是你，进而认为你的孩子就是你，你的太太就是你，你的事业就是你......错误认定就像铁网一样，把你和这些对象牢牢绑住。如果你不作这种错误认定，不进一步产生执著，其实没什么能绑住你。任何东西之所以能绑住你，都是因为自己的错误认定和执著，以及由此建立的需求。所以说，本来没什么能绑住你，是你把自己绑住了。
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-"无明大暗所蒙蔽。"为什么会出现这种现象？就是因为无明，使我们看不清自己，看不清世间真相，所以才会产生错误认定，并由执著形成需求，然后被需求左右，跟着这个需求跑。这一切的根源，都是因为看不清。
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-以上这四句话很关键。我们的整个生命状态，乃至一切众生的生命状态，都是被这四种瀑流左右。业力的作用，我执的作用，根源都在于无明。因为无明，所以有我执；因为我执，所以产生业力。看到这种状态，想一想，众生可怜不可怜？
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-"无边有海生又生。”有海，即三界的生死苦海。在这里，我们一生又一生地受生，生生不已，所谓业力无尽，生死无穷。因为无明，就会产生我执，形成贪嗔痴；因为贪嗔痴，就会造业；因为造业，就会导致生死和轮回。在轮回中，我们还是看不清，还是随着四种瀑流拼命往前冲。在瀑流中，继续执著、造业、轮回，继续看不清楚......
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-佛教中，把这个过程叫作惑业苦。因为迷惑而造业，由此招感轮回的痛苦。在痛苦中，我们还是继续迷惑。这种迷惑正是每个人当下的现状。我们看不清自己，看不清生命从哪里来，未来到哪里去。因为迷惑，所以在烦恼和生死轮回中，度过了一生又一生。每一生都要经历悲欢离合，生离死别。来的时候欢喜一通，走的时候痛哭一通，不知经历了多少次。正如佛经所说，在生生不已的轮回中，我们曾经流过的血比四大海的水还多，曾经留下的骨头比喜玛拉雅山更高。
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-"常被三苦所迫害。”在这样的轮回中，我们时常被三种痛苦所迫害，即苦苦、坏苦、行苦。苦苦，是每个人都能感到的痛苦，如生病的痛苦，衰老的痛苦，死亡的痛苦，亲爱的人不能在一起的痛苦，冤家路窄、低头不见抬头见的痛苦，拼命追求却得不到的痛苦，还有身心种种躁动带来的痛苦。
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-坏苦，是我们认为的快乐，如爱情的快乐，家庭的快乐，赚钱的快乐，但只要你在乎它之后，很快会变成痛苦。想一想，是不是这样？我们在乎的所有快乐，你越在乎它，当它变化时，给你带来的伤害就越大。这种伤害和在乎程度是成正比的。
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-行苦，是无常变化带来的痛苦。无常为什么会成为痛苦？是因为我们希望一切永恒。有了这样的执著，外境的变化才会引发痛苦。
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-众生不断被这三种痛苦迫害。那么，这些痛苦从哪里来？并不是别人加给我们的，归根到底，还是自己造成的，是四种瀑流造成的，是我执造成的，是贪嗔痴烦恼造成的。
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-"已成如此诸母等，情状思已发大心。”我们想到生命的现状，有没有感到自己正处于这种状态？有没有为自己的生命担心？我们不仅要为自己担心，还要为无量众生担心。只要不是觉悟的圣者，生命都处于这种现状。而在无尽轮回中，这些众生都曾和我们有过父母、兄弟、姐妹的关系，我们忍心看着他们受苦而不管吗？
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-关起门来发菩提心还比较容易，但真正面对实际的众生，并不容易做到。因为发菩提心和人的自私本性不吻合。有人可能会说，帮助众生对我有什么好处？在我们内心，觉得众生和自己并没有什么关系。更何况，很多众生可能是你不喜欢的。这个自私本性，就是我执为中心的人格。其特点就是为我服务，为我的生存，为我过好日子服务。
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-那么，利他究竟和我们有什么关系？对解脱有没有帮助？佛法告诉我们，利他的修行，不仅对众生有帮助，自己也是最大的受益者。为什么这么说？在真心利益别人的过程中，可以有效地弱化我执。我们为什么不能解脱？不能开发出生命内在的觉悟本体？就是因为，现有人格是以我执为中心形成的。
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-如何走出这个迷乱系统？首先要弱化我执，一心想着利益众生，没有任何私心。只要还有私心，所谓的利他行最终还是为我执服务的。就像有人做慈善，只是为了让自己显得更高尚，那就还是在为迷乱的系统打工，在为我执打工。而利他不仅可以弱化我执，开显生命内在的觉性，同时可以在利益众生的过程中，使慈悲心得以成长。
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-我们认识到轮回的过患，认识到如母有情在六道中的处境，同时认识到发菩提心对改善自己和他人生命的重要性之后，一定会发起菩提心。如果不开发生命内在的觉悟，我们发展的必然是凡夫心，是贪嗔痴，就无法走出迷乱状态。那么，生命是没有出路的，痛苦和轮回是没有尽头的。
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-如果我们对以上思惟有真切认识，一定会毫不迟疑地选择发菩提心。
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-我们这次安排了受菩提心戒。当我们发起愿心，还要通过宣誓，对这个选择加以确认。这就意味着我们正式走上了菩萨道。菩提心戒非常殊胜，汉传佛教独此一家，希望大家积极参加。当然，前提是你对这个选择有明确认识，而不是稀里糊涂地凑热闹。
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-{#五空性见 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 五、空性见
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-第三部分是"空性见”，帮助我们从凡夫改变为圣贤，共五个偈颂。
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-不具通达实际慧，虽修出离善菩提，不能断除有根故，应勤通达缘起法。
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-见世出世一切法，从因生果皆不虚，所执之境本无者，彼入佛陀所喜道。
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-现相缘起不虚妄，性空离许之见二，何时见为相违者，尚未通达佛密意。
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-一旦同时不轮番，已见缘起不虚妄，若证灭尽诸境执，尔时观察见圆满。
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-又由现相除有边，及由性空除无边，了知性空现因果，不为边执见所夺。
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-前面讲的出离心、菩提心，是一种愿望，相对而言，是从世俗谛角度说的。佛法分二谛，有世俗谛，胜义谛。世俗谛是建立在世俗心的基础上，离不开我们的心意识，离不开迷妄的生命系统，是凡夫认识的境界；而胜义谛是代表空性、真理的层面，是圣贤认识的境界。
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-### 空性见的重要性
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-不具通达实际慧，虽修出离善菩提，不能断除有根故，应勤通达缘起法。
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-见世出世一切法，从因生果皆不虚，所执之境本无者，彼入佛陀所喜道。
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-"不具通达实际慧。”什么叫实际？佛教中，也叫实相，也叫空性，也叫真如，也叫本来面目。用世间的话说，是事物的真相。
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-首先要知道，我们现在的认识是不符合事物真相的。我们对世界的认识模式，是由迷惑系统，以我执为中心建立起来的。当我们带着这套错误模式看世界，就像一个人戴着有色眼镜，你看到的世界，早已被有色眼镜处理过。你以为看到的是真实的，其实是带着个人色彩的。
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-最要命的是，我们不知道这些认识是错误的，从而执著于此，引发很多烦恼，很多痛苦。在烦恼和痛苦中，我们继续带着错误认识面对问题，进一步产生烦恼，产生痛苦。如何才能改变这种现状？就要具备认识生命真相的智慧。谁能告诉我们这种智慧？只有佛菩萨。因为佛菩萨成就了大智慧，所以能看到凡夫生命的迷惑，同时也看到世界真相。如果我们具备认识真相的智慧，具备正确观念，就能走出迷惑的系统。
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-"虽修出离善菩提。”如果不具备通达实际的智慧，虽然也修出离心，也修菩提心，但只是一种美好的愿望，只是世俗菩提心。当然这种菩提心也有用，但不能彻底解除轮回根源，解除生命的迷惑状态。
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-"不能断除有根故。”什么叫有根？有是三有，有根就是产生轮回的基础，即无明、迷惑、烦恼。靠什么断除轮回之根？一定要靠空性智慧。所以禅宗讲"明心见性”，只有这样，我们才能究竟解除迷惑的根源。
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-"应勤通达缘起法。”空性慧有两个层面，一是闻思所得，即世间的层面；二是现量体证，即出世间的层面。在世间层面，也能帮助我们逐步解除烦恼，但究竟解决，一定要出世间的空性慧。怎样才能具备空性智慧？必须努力通达缘起法，学会以缘起的眼光看世界，看待一切现象。
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-"缘起”代表佛法对世界的认识。佛教不认为世界是神造的，也不认为世界是偶然的。前面说过，佛教对世界的认识就四个字------因缘因果。"诸法因缘生，诸法因缘灭，我佛大沙门，常作如是说。”一切的存在，都是因缘显现。各种条件（因缘）和合，事物就产生了；条件败坏，事物就消失了。所以叫缘生缘灭，缘聚缘散。
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-就像这个桌子、房子、花朵，乃至一切事物，都是众多因缘的和合。除了因缘外，它是没有自性的。什么叫自性？比如这朵花，有没有不依赖条件、能自己存在的花？我们再想一想，世上有没有哪个东西，是离开条件可以自己存在的？没有。一切都是因缘所生，一切的存在都是因缘假相。我们说这个东西叫桌子，其实桌子只是假名而已。它是不是一定要叫桌子？其实不一定。桌子、房子乃至一切事物，同样是一些假名。但人们安立假名后，会执著这个东西就叫桌子，执著桌子的真实性，以为它是独立存在的，不依赖条件的。进而还会认为它好或不好，很有价值或没有价值。所有这些定义，其实是人们加上去的。在客观上说，这些事物只是一堆因缘的假相，条件的假相。
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-佛法告诉我们缘起的智慧，关键是告诉我们------一切事物的自性是空的。什么叫自性？就是不依赖条件而能永恒存在的。比如不依赖条件永恒存在的花朵，不依赖条件永恒存在的桌子，不依赖条件永恒存在的房子......这些有没有？都是没有的。但在我们的观念中，总觉得有这样一个东西。我们不懂得从缘起观察，往往喜欢孤立地看问题，并把自己的价值观投射上去，以为它一定就是如此。不如此的话，我们就会不高兴。这是凡夫的特点。学佛，要学会从缘起的正见看世界。
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-"见世出世一切法。”世间法是有漏的，出世间法是无漏的；凡夫的境界是有漏的，佛菩萨的境界，圣贤的境界，才是无漏的。
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-"从因生果皆不虚。”不论凡夫的生命现象，还是圣贤的生命现象，都离不开因果规律。佛教讲的四谛法门，即苦、集、灭、道，其中包含两重因果。苦和集代表流转的因果，灭和道代表解脱的因果。如果你想解脱，就要遵循解脱的因果，从八正道的正见、正思维，到正念、正定，最终抵达解脱。所以，不管世间法还是出世间法，都是从因生果，这是真实不虚的。
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-有人看到佛法说四大皆空，以为什么都可以不在乎。如果你这么认为，就是一种断见，是最可怕的。佛法说："宁起我见如须弥山，不起空见如毛发许。”也就是说，宁可我见很重，甚至比须弥山还重，也不能有微小的断灭见。因为持断见者不相信因果，对一切无所畏惧，做人没有底线，那是很可怕的。
-
-现在执断见的人很多，因为我们深受"人死如灯灭”的唯物论影响，觉得死了什么都没有，就会无所畏惧。现代人唯利是图，没有道德底线，没有做人准则，都和没有因果观念和敬畏心有关。所以说，这种断见不管是对个体生命的成长，还是对整个社会的安定，都有负面作用，非常可怕。
-
-佛法认为，世界遵循缘起和因果的规律。《道次第》讲到业的四个总则------业决定之理，业不作不得，业作已不失，业增长广大。告诉我们：所造的业必定感果，没造的业不会感果，造过的业不会丢失，而且业是会发展的。有道是，"假使百千劫，所作业不亡，因缘会遇时，果报还自受。”你在内心播下一颗业种，即使经历百千万劫，这颗种子还在。一旦条件成熟，受报的时间就到了，所谓"不是不报，时间没到。时间到了，一定受报”。
-
-我们不要以为死了什么都一笔勾销，没这么简单。如果什么都没了，那还好办，麻烦就在于死不了。这种烦恼的折磨，这种轮回的苦，地狱的苦，让你求生不得，求死不能。你想死也不行，没那么便宜。
-
-"所执之境本无者。”因果一定是有的，但你在因果现象上设定的这些执著是没有的。关于这个道理，佛法有个生动的比喻。就像我们晚上看到一条绳子，因为光线不好，把绳子当作是蛇，觉得很恐怖，被吓出一身病。客观上，绳子有没有？有；蛇有没有？没有。但在我们的认识中，却有蛇，而没有绳子。
-
-"所执之境”是指我们的错误认定，告诉我们，你把绳子当作蛇，但你所认定的实实在在的、会咬人的蛇，客观上根本不存在。就像我们现在的认识，觉得身体是我，思想是我，以及什么是我；觉得这个桌子非常真实，很有价值或没价值，好看或不好看......所有这一切，并不是桌子本身的，在客观上是没有的，而是我们加上去的。
-
-为什么要去掉错误认定？因为这些认定使我们和某个东西绑在一起，不断地被它左右，进而发展出烦恼；因为错误认定，使我们不断地产生痛苦，不断地经历轮回。我们必须认识到，这些设定是错误的，是没有的，才能放下执著。否则的话，我们会以为它就是好的，就是有价值的，就是我需要的，得到这个东西就如何如何......从而活在种种设定的感觉中。只有认识到所执之境其实并没有，如实地看待它，才能解除对这些现象的执著和需求，从中超脱出来。
-
-只要有执著，你就被绑住了。所以是你拿一根绳子把自己绑在桌子上，而不是谁把你绑住了。我们不断制造一些绳子，一会儿把自己绑在车上，一会儿把自己绑在房子上，一会儿把自己绑在某人身上。然后越绑越多，越搞越大，最终动弹不得。想想看，我们是不是每天都在做这样的事？看清生命真相后，我们会发现，凡夫真是很愚痴，不是一般的。
-
-"彼入佛陀所喜道。”当你真正认识到一切法都是因缘所生，因果不虚，同时认识到自己在因缘因果上所做的设定是没有的，就能获得正确认识，获得空性智慧。这是佛陀引导我们证悟解脱的智慧，是帮助我们斩断绳索的一把利剑，也是走出轮回的一扇大门。如果没有这把利剑，不打开这扇门，我们就不可能断除烦恼，超越轮回。
-
-### 正见生起的标准
-
-下面的偈颂是说明正见生起的标准，帮助我们认识空和有的关系。
-
-现相缘起不虚妄，性空离许之见二，何时见为相违者，尚未通达佛密意。
-
-一旦同时不轮番，已见缘起不虚妄，若证灭尽诸境执，尔时观察见圆满。
-
-对空和有，我们已有自己的认识。比如我们认为这个桌子是有的，什么都没有就是空的。当我们说有的时候，很容易把它想成永恒的，真实不变的；当我们说空的时候，会觉得它是一无所有的。在我们的观念中，空和有是对立的，不能并存。有就不是空，空就不是有，充满常见和断见。这种无明制造的错误知见，会给我们制造痛苦，制造轮回。那么，宗大师为我们开示的中观正见是怎样的？
-
-"现相缘起不虚妄。”什么叫缘起？就是因缘和合而生的现象，这是真实不虚的，不是没有的。我们一定要认识到，因果是有的。但它是什么程度上的有？关键就在这里。我们一说到"有”，就觉得它是真实的，固定的，永恒的。而佛法说到"有”，往往还会加个字，那就是"假”。这个有是一种假有，是一种因缘假相，不是真实不变的有。在这个有里面，除了条件的组合，找不到固定不变的自性。
-
-在古代，人们以为物质可以分到最小的、不可分割的原子之类，印度称为"极微”，然后由这个元素构成整个大千世界。但从佛法的角度看，并没有这样一个不可分割的实体。早期的唯识论师就批判这一思想，质问说：如果有不可分割的实体，那么请问，这个极微有没有形状？因为作为物质实体的存在，必然会有形状。如果有形状，一定还有六个面，那就还可以再分。而中观所说的无自性空，同样否定这个不可分割的实体。认为任何事物都是条件的组合，找不到不依赖条件存在的实体。现代的量子力学通过对物质世界的分析，提出波粒二相性，也从另一个角度证明了佛法的观点，即没有不可以分割的实体。
-
-总之，从物质世界到我们的心理现象，都没有固定不变、不依赖条件的自性。我们虽然看到缘起的不虚妄，看到它是有的，但要清楚，这种有是因缘和合的假有，并不是真实的。
-
-"性空离许之见二。”我们平时理解的空，是什么都没有的空，是单空、偏空、顽空。佛教讲的空，是自性空。因为一切现象都是缘起的，没有自性，没有不依赖条件存在的特质，所以才说它是空的。即《心经》所说的"色不异空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色”。
-
-"色不异空，空不异色”告诉我们，物质现象的存在和自性空，不是两个东西，而是就一个问题所作的不同说明。比如这张桌子，既是色，也是空。进一步，"色即是空，空即是色”。因为色是缘起的，无自性的，所以当下就是空的。这样一种无自性空，并不妨碍缘起显现。缘起的当下就是空，空的当下就是缘起。缘起性空，性空缘起，同时说明一个事物，丝毫不会冲突。
-
-读过《金刚经》就知道，经中有个著名的公式------所谓，即非，是名。比如我们说这个桌子：所谓桌子，即非桌子，是名桌子。
-
-所谓桌子，说明这个桌子是因缘和合的；即非桌子，说明桌子的存在，是由众多非桌子的元素组成；是名桌子，是说我们在众多非桌子的元素上，安立一个假名，把它称为桌子。桌子本身其实是空的，是依赖条件而存在，不是以自己的方式存在。我们要探讨桌子的本质是什么，其实离开条件是找不到的，因为它无非是一堆假相而已。所以说，桌子的本质是空的。
-
-那是不是就没有桌子？也不对。桌子的现象是有的，而且我们还给它安立一个"桌子”的假名。但这个现象是一堆条件组合的假相，其本质是空的，无自性的。如果我们认识到桌子是空的，没有自性的，只是条件的假相，就是中道的认识，就是般若正观。
-
-我们还要学会运用般若正观，观察生活中的每件事、每个人。你的财富：所谓财富，即非财富，是名财富；你的家庭：所谓家庭，即非家庭，是名家庭。或者是：家庭不异空，空不异家庭；家庭即是空，空即是家庭。经常这样观察，就能摆脱对财富和家庭的错误认定，由此建立的执著、烦恼也将随之瓦解。
-
-佛教讲到三种般若，从文字般若到观照般若，从观照般若到实相般若。学习佛法，就是要获得佛法智慧，将此转化成自己的观念，以此观察世界，处理每个问题。
-
-"何时见为相违者，尚未通达佛密意。”如果你什么时候认为，缘起和性空是对立、冲突的，是两码事------有就是有，空就是空，有的就不是空，空的就不是有，那说明你还不懂得佛法正见，还没有领会佛陀为我们开示的中观正见。
-
-"一旦同时不轮番。”如果有了智慧，当你面对外境，在看到有的同时，也能看到它是空的，无自性的；看到空的同时，也能看到假相宛然。这种关于有和空的观察，才是"同时不轮番”。而不是先观察有，再观察空；或者先观察空，再观察有，那是轮番。
-
-这正是《心经》所说的"色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色，受想行识亦复如是”。此外，经中所说的"无眼耳鼻舌身意，无色声香味触法，无眼界乃至无意识界，无无明亦无无明尽，乃至无老死亦无老死尽”，也是引导我们观察五蕴、十二处、十八界的当体即空。进一步，观察生死轮回是空的。一切的一切，在看到缘起有的当下，认识到它的本质是空的。但在认识空的同时，又能了解因缘假相的显现。这种空有不二，就是不轮番。
-
-"已见缘起不虚妄。”不虚妄，即缘起的一切都是因果宛然，不是没有。但平常人看到缘起的时候，就会陷入遍计所执。唯识的三分法，是"遍计所执，依他起，圆成实”。依他起指缘起的一切现象，遍计所执则是我们对缘起现象产生的错误认识。通过三分法，可以把我们对现象的错误认识和现象本身分开。
-
-在凡夫的观念中，早已习惯把它合在一起。比如我们看到什么，觉得这东西很值钱，其实这是你附加上去的设定，和东西本身没有本质的联系。包括你觉得它美或丑，也是你对它做的设定。这些设定是你接受某种文化后，结合自身需要产生的。其实你觉得它如何如何，不等于它本身就如何如何。这两点一定要分开。但平常人往往以为，这个东西如何，它就是如何。当我们有了这个认识，就会产生执著，以及贪心、嗔心等各种情绪和烦恼。唯识提出遍计所执，就是告诉我们，错误认识必然伴随着执著，两者是分不开的。
-
-怎样才能在面对外境时，只看到缘起现象，而不引发对它的执著和需求？必须进入观照的层面，进入空性慧的层面。那么在面对任何问题时，内心就像镜子那样，能把一切原原本本地呈现出来，但不带入判断和执著，既不会加点什么，也不会少点什么。
-
-而我们通常的认识，是在镜子上涂层颜色，再通过这层颜色来看事物。那么你看到的，都是通过这层颜色反映出来的。所以我们处理每个问题时，都会带着长期以来所形成的错误观念和不良情绪。这就是凡夫的状态，我想很多人都有体会。
-
-"若证灭尽诸境执。”修行，就是把这层颜色去掉，不再戴着有色眼镜，不让心陷入错误观念和不良情绪，而是进入空性慧的层面。那么你看到的一切，都是原原本本的，是如实的显现，同时也没有任何执著。
-
-"尔时观察见圆满。”这时你的见才是圆满的，才能真正看到缘起，看到存在的一切只是因缘假相，其本质是没有自性的。而无自性的当下，又不妨碍它的因缘显现。具备了中观正见，我们会看得很清楚。
-
-"又由现相除有边。”当我们具备正见，就能摆脱边见。龙树菩萨在《中论》有首偈颂："不生亦不灭，不常亦不断，不来亦不去，不一亦不异。能说是因缘，善灭诸戏论，我稽首礼佛，诸说中第一。”生灭、常断、来去、一异，都是边见。而《心经》的"不垢不净，不增不减，不生不灭”，也是在帮助我们破除垢净、增减、生灭的边见。
-
-当我们说生的时候，会认为有自性的生，却忽略了因缘。比如孩子的出生，好像就这么由父母造出来了，当他死了就是没了。事实上，任何事物的产生和消失都是缘聚缘散，是众多因缘的作用。离开因缘，并没有什么生出来，也谈不上什么消失了。具备这个中观正见，就能在看到缘起的同时，认识到这种有只是因缘假相，从而去除有边，去除常见。
-
-"及由性空除无边。”当我们认识空的时候，要了解到这是一种性空，并不是什么都没有，只是无自性。这种空并不妨碍缘起的有。所以在讲到空的时候，要去除无边，也就是单空、偏空、顽空、断见。
-
-"了知性空现因果。”当我们体认到一切都是无自性的，是空的，在这个层面，因果和缘起是宛然存在的，就不会否定缘起因果。也就是说，空和有是可以并存的。
-
-"不为边执见所夺。”只有具备中观正见，我们才不会被边见，以及对边见的执著左右。
-
-首先是在闻思的层面，树立中观正见；然后通过止观禅修，通过观照般若，把闻思正见转化为出世间的中观正见，证悟实相般若。正见是了知事物真相的智慧，为八正道之首，可以解除生命中的迷惑和烦恼。因为轮回是以无明为根，只有智慧才能彻底断除无明，所以在解脱路上，正见是最核心的。
-
-学习《三主要道》，为我们提供了重要的正见------般若中观的空性见。
-
-{#六结束分 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 六、结束分
-
-如此三主道扼要，汝能如实通达时，当依静处起精进，为究竟事速修持。
-
-最后是宗大师对我们的策励：既然已经了解到佛法精髓，就应该好好地思考并修证，完成生命的解脱。
-
-"如此三主道扼要。”以上所说的出离心、菩提心和空性见，是论主宗大师对修行所做的扼要介绍。比如空性见，仅用五个偈颂说明。真正展开说的话，龙树菩萨的《中论》《十二门论》及提婆菩萨的《百论》，三部很大的论典，主要都在介绍空性见。六百卷《大般若经》的重点，也在引导我们建立空性见。我这几年常讲的《心经》，同样是帮助我们建立中观正见，包括如何运用正见来禅修。大家可以听一听，有助于深入修学。
-
-"汝能如实通达时，当依静处起思惟。”当我们如实通达三主要道的内容，能正确理解并接受其中所说的法义后，就应该找一个安静的地方，精进地思惟、禅修，把闻思正见落实到心行。
-
-"为究竟事速修持。”什么是究竟事？就是成佛，成就无上菩提。这是人生最重要也最有意义的事。
-
-大家有因缘来听《三主要道》，是宿世的善根福德因缘。我们学了《道次第》，学了《三主要道》，就意味着，已经认识到佛法核心。各地来参加静修营的学员，如果有心进一步学佛，可以组织起来共修。目前我们在上海、苏州等地开了"道次第班”，主要是听我给戒幢佛学研究所学生讲的《略论》光盘，共114讲，内容比这完整得多。我们还有一本《道次第之道》，是如何修学《道次第》的纲要性说明。要想进一步走上菩提道，应该好好学一学。
-
-以我的修学经验，这是帮助大家走上解脱道、菩萨道最快速而有效的方法。如果大家真正用心，我们会进一步提供帮助。
@@ -1,675 +0,0 @@
-{.unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-# The Essentials of the Buddhadharma
-
------A Commentary on *The Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*
-
-Master Jiqun
-
- The Essentials of the Buddhadharma
-
- 1. Introduction
-
- 1.1. Finding the Common Core
-
- 1.2. The Path of Liberation and the Bodhisattva Path
-
- 1.3. The Five Essential Elements of Practice
-
- 2. Prologue
-
- 2.1. The Significance of Studying the Three Principal Aspects of the Path
-
- 2.2. Homage to the Lineage Masters
-
- 2.3. The Purpose of Composing This Treatise
-
- 2.4. An Exhortation to Listen Well
-
- 3. Renunciation
-
- 3.1. The Importance of Renunciation
-
- 3.2. How to Cultivate Renunciation
-
- 3.3. The Measure of Having Generated Renunciation
-
- 4. Bodhicitta
-
- 4.1. The Importance of Bodhicitta
-
- 4.2. How to Arouse Bodhicitta
-
- 5. The View of Emptiness
-
- 5.1. The Importance of the View of Emptiness
-
- 5.2. The Measure of Having Generated Right View
-
- 6. Concluding Section
-
-For the keynote lecture of this Bodhi Meditation Retreat, I have chosen Master Tsongkhapa's *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*. Master Tsongkhapa wrote three works on the stages of the path to enlightenment. In his early years, he first composed the *Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment*. Then, on this foundation, he extracted the essential outline to write the *Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment*, which has also been the focus of my Dharma teaching in recent years. The text we are now studying, the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*, is a work from Master Tsongkhapa's later years. It sets forth the three most important elements from the *Stages of the Path*. Through this study, we can come to understand the essence of Buddhist practice in the shortest possible time.
-
-Why have I placed special emphasis on promoting the *Stages of the Path* in recent years? The main reasons are as follows.
-
-{#一前言 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 1. Introduction
-
-{#抓住共同的核心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-### 1.1. Finding the Common Core
-
-We know that the Buddhadharma is vast and profound. At present, there are three major language traditions in circulation: the Chinese tradition, the Tibetan tradition, and the Pali tradition. The Chinese Buddhist tradition spread mainly throughout Han China, including Japan, Korea, and other regions. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition spread primarily in Tibetan areas of China and also in Bhutan and other places; at present it also has considerable influence in Europe and America. The Pali tradition, also known as Theravada Buddhism, is practiced in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere.
-
-Within these three major language traditions, there are also many schools. In the Chinese tradition alone there are eight major schools. Besides the well-known Pure Land school and Chan school, there are also the Consciousness-Only school, the Three Treatise school, the Tiantai school, the Huayan school, the Vinaya school, and the Esoteric school. Faced with so many schools and approaches to practice, many people find it very difficult to choose what to believe in. This is especially true in today's restless society, where each person has a confused mind and many, many wants. How exactly should we choose the right faith?
-
-This requires us to understand: among all these sutras, treatises, approaches, and schools, is there a common core? If we understand this core, then no matter what approach we study in the future, we will find that all variations remain true to the core, and our practice will not easily become confused. Otherwise, we will study in contradiction, feeling that different sutras and treatises are saying different things. What relationship do they actually have with one another? Most people simply cannot figure this out.
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-As Buddhism has been transmitted, two guiding principles have been at work. One is according with the truth; the other is according with the capacity of beings. According with the truth means staying aligned with the truth of the Buddhadharma, without distortion or deviation. According with capacity means that as Buddhism spreads, it needs to suit different cultures and the varying dispositions of living beings, establishing different modes of expression. When we have not yet understood the core, we face too many formulations, too many modes of expression, and it is hard to avoid confusion and uncertainty. That is why understanding the common core of the Buddhadharma is especially important for students today.
-
-### 1.2. The Path of Liberation and the Bodhisattva Path
-
-Although the Buddhadharma has many sutras, treatises, approaches, and schools, it ultimately provides living beings with just two roads: the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path. The doctrines of Theravada Buddhism incline toward the practice of the path of liberation. The doctrines of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism incline toward the practice of the bodhisattva path.
-
-What is the path of liberation? What is the bodhisattva path?
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-The path of liberation is the road that leads to liberation. This is the core goal of Buddhist practice. The Buddhadharma includes the Śrāvakayāna and the Bodhisattvayāna, but the core goal of both is liberation. Why do we study Buddhism? It is precisely because we have the wish for liberation. The liberation that the Buddhadharma speaks of is, in its essential nature, the removal of the inner confusion of our lives---the state of not seeing ourselves clearly, not seeing the world clearly. This confusion ceaselessly produces afflictions, produces suffering, produces birth and death, produces saṃsāra.
-
-Once we understand this principle, we can recognize the importance of liberation. It is like when we are living in society: our minds become very unsettled because of complicated work and life, and we wish to visit a monastery to calm the mind. What is the meaning of calming the mind? It is the wish to be free of inner restlessness and affliction. In truth, this is also a manifestation of liberation. We can say that everyone has this need to some extent. When we are tired, when we are troubled, when we are lost, when we are perplexed, we all think about liberation. But because we cannot find the wisdom for ultimate liberation, we more often resort to escape.
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-The liberation that Buddhism speaks of is not merely about changing our living environment. More importantly, it is about freeing ourselves from inner confusion and affliction---*this* is the true meaning of liberation. What the practice of the path of liberation does is guide us to accomplish the liberation of our lives.
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-If we wish to be liberated, we must first possess the wish for liberation---that is, aspiration. Once we have this wish, we must also know: what exactly are we liberating ourselves from? Once we are clear about the object of liberation, we must then go a step further and understand: what is the capacity for liberation? Do our lives actually possess the capacity for liberation? If we do not, then liberation is hopeless. If we do, then how do we unlock this inner capacity for liberation? In the practice of the path of liberation, discipline, concentration, and wisdom are three standard elements; it is precisely these that help us gain the capacity for liberation and the wisdom of liberation.
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-In addition, there is the bodhisattva path, the practice of the Mahayana Buddhadharma, whose goal is buddhahood. What exactly does buddhahood accomplish? A buddha is also called an awakened one. Attaining buddhahood means accomplishing unsurpassed bodhi. *Unsurpassed* means the highest; *bodhi* means awakening and wisdom. Thus, unsurpassed bodhi is the highest awakening, the highest wisdom---the ultimate awakening of life.
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-What is the greatest difference between a buddha and a living being? It lies right between delusion and awakening, between being awake and not being awake. On this point, the *Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch* states very directly: "One moment of delusion---you are a living being; the next moment of awakening---you are a buddha." Delusion means not being awake. When the mind falls into a state of unawareness, you are a living being. When the mind is thoroughly awakened, you have become a buddha.
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-So what exactly does awakening "awaken" to? Do we have the power to awaken? If we had no power to awaken, how could we ever awaken? This is absolutely crucial. Beneath the Bodhi tree, the Buddha discovered: all living beings fully possess the wisdom and virtue of the Tathāgata; it is only because of clinging and deluded thoughts that they cannot realize it. He told us that every life possesses the latent potential for buddhahood---buddha-nature. The practice of attaining buddhahood is precisely the process of unlocking this buddha-nature. The *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* says that buddha-nature is like the hidden treasure of a poor girl, or the jewel in a strongman's forehead. A poor girl actually possesses a hidden treasure; a wounded strongman actually has a jewel embedded in his forehead. The tragedy is that neither of them knows it.
-
-That is why the *Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch* begins by stating: "The self-nature of Bodhi is originally clear and pure. Simply use that mind, and you will straightaway accomplish buddhahood." What is the self-nature of Bodhi? It is buddha-nature, the awakened nature. Every life possesses this awakened nature. It is originally pure. You need only to recognize it, become familiar with it, and apply it, and you will be able to walk out of delusion and advance toward liberation.
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-What is the difference between delusion and awakening? Delusion is losing touch with the awakened essence, falling into self-grasping, dharma-grasping, and greed, hatred, and ignorance, forming the deluded system we are now in. Awakening is recognizing the awakened essence, recognizing the potential for buddhahood. This is the beginning of walking toward unsurpassed bodhi. So attaining buddhahood is by no means empty talk---it has a foundation. That foundation is our awakened nature.
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-Arousing bodhicitta and practicing the bodhisattva path is the process of taking unsurpassed bodhi as our goal and continuously unfolding our awakened nature. We must not only awaken ourselves, but also lead all living beings to awakening. Only in this way can we fully reveal our awakened nature. Therefore, in the practice of the bodhisattva path, we must awaken ourselves and awaken others, benefit ourselves and benefit others. It is not enough to awaken just ourselves. This is why the bodhisattva path is also called the Mahayana.
-
-*Yana* means vehicle. The Hinayana is a small vehicle; the Mahayana is a great vehicle. If you think only of liberating yourself, that is the Hinayana. If you wish to help all living beings achieve liberation together, that is the Mahayana. These are the two main roads in Buddhism. No matter how many schools there are, none goes beyond the path of liberation or the bodhisattva path. Once you learn to see things from this angle, you can reduce complexity to simplicity.
-
-Each school represents a system of practice, with different methods of cultivation. Among the eight schools of Chinese Buddhism, each has its own foundational scriptures. For example, the Huayan school is a system of practice built on the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*. The Tiantai school is a system of practice built on the *Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra* (Lotus Sūtra). The Three Treatise school is a system built on the *Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras*, along with the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā*, the *Śataśāstra*, and the *Dvādaśanikāyaśāstra* composed by the bodhisattvas Nāgārjuna and Āryadeva. The Consciousness-Only school is a system built on the *Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra*, as well as treatises such as the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra* and the *Prakaraṇāryavāca Śāstra*.
-
-Different systems provide different angles and methods for practice. In their essential nature, none goes beyond the path of liberation or the bodhisattva path.
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-### 1.3. The Five Essential Elements of Practice
-
-Beyond the foundational sutras and treatises, each school also has many commentaries and sub-commentaries. For people today, to carry on traditional schools like Tiantai, Huayan, or Consciousness-Only---even just reading through a single treatise is enormously difficult. Apart from the barrier of classical language, there is also the profound and abstruse doctrine. You may study for a very long time and still feel as if you are lost in clouds and mist. Under these circumstances, if we can gain a clear outline of what each school is about, study will become much easier.
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-In the course of many years reflecting on the Buddhadharma, I have found that the core of every school boils down to five essential elements: first, refuge; second, aspiration; third, precepts; fourth, right view; and fifth, śamatha-vipaśyanā. Whether it is the path of liberation or the bodhisattva path, this holds true.
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-First is refuge, generating faith in the Three Jewels---the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha---including the system of practice that leads us toward liberation. To believe that through studying the Buddhadharma, through studying a particular school, we will surely be led toward liberation and the perfection of unsurpassed bodhi. This faith is the foundation of Buddhist practice.
-
-If we lack faith, or if our understanding and confidence are insufficient, the result will be that the Buddhadharma carries no weight or standing in our minds. In that case, the Buddhadharma will inevitably fail to influence our lives. Though we may keep studying bits of the Dharma, what truly influences and drives us remains our ingrained mistaken views, remains our old unwholesome habitual tendencies. In the end, the Buddhadharma becomes no more than an embellishment in our lives---or, put differently, it adds a touch of Buddhist color to our lives. Our character and the quality of our life are still dominated by the mistaken views and unwholesome mental states formed by our sense of self. This is a problem that exists for many who study Buddhism.
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-To truly generate faith in the Three Jewels means to change the center of gravity of our lives. To shift away from self-centeredness and instead take the Three Jewels as our center. If we take the self as our center, we will invariably develop greed, hatred, and ignorance, which carry us into saṃsāra. Only by taking the Three Jewels as our center can we adjust the direction of our life and be guided toward liberation, toward bodhi.
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-There are many roads in life. Just as society has all kinds of professions---industry, commerce, politics, culture---the six realms of saṃsāra also represent six roads. Each road is the result of the development of our mental processes; it is a life path formed by our views, choices, and actions. At present, we are constantly creating the karma of saṃsāra. If we take refuge in the Three Jewels, we can then re-establish the goal of our life. This is the starting point of Buddhist practice. Only from this point can we truly receive the Buddhadharma.
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-Second is aspiration---that is, what kind of mind we choose to develop. In truth, our life is composed of various mental factors. We can say that everyone lives within their own inner world. Within this world, there is greed, anger, arrogance, jealousy, anxiety... Based on our thoughts and emotions, we establish different needs and pursue different kinds of lives. These mental factors cause us to develop different mental states and personalities, creating different life circumstances.
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-Aspiration means choosing and developing a particular kind of mind. If you wish to have a healthy character, you must develop a wholesome mind, develop positive mental states. Buddhahood is the perfection of wisdom and compassion. If we wish to become a buddha, we must unfold wisdom and nurture compassion, only then can we be fully endowed with the noble quality of life that buddhas and bodhisattvas possess. If we go along with our present ordinary mind, we will develop greed, hatred, and ignorance, and produce an ordinary person's character.
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-Every day, we choose things in the outer world and choose different ways of living, yet we neglect the choices within our own minds. For each of us, what exerts the greatest and most lasting influence is actually these mental forces. What Buddhism calls aspiration is precisely telling us how to choose and develop a healthy mind, ultimately bringing a perfected character to fulfillment. If refuge is the foundation of faith, then aspiration is the root of practice. Because genuine practice is nothing other than using the mind skillfully.
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-Furthermore, precepts are also very important. They are the rules of the mental path that lead toward liberation. We know that when we drive a car, we must follow the traffic rules. If we do not follow the rules for pedestrian lanes and motor vehicle lanes, we may crash into other cars or even hit people. Within our lives, there are many habitual tendencies connected with the three lower realms. There are the seeds of anger and hatred that lead to the hell realm, the ignorant nature that leads to the animal realm, and the greed that leads to the hungry ghost realm. If we give free rein to these causes of the lower realms, in a future life we are very likely to fall into the animal realm, or even the hungry ghost and hell realms. How can we bring about the results of the three fortunate realms and continue to be born as a human or in a heaven in the future? We must observe the relevant precepts.
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-In the same way, when we step onto the path of liberation, we must follow the rules of the mental path for liberation---that is, the prātimokṣa precepts. When we step onto the bodhisattva path, we must follow the rules of the mental path for the bodhisattva path---that is, the bodhisattva precepts. In truth, precepts are precisely this kind of mental-path rules. For example, the prātimokṣa precepts mainly serve to prevent unwholesome actions. The bodhisattva precepts not only prevent unwholesome actions, but also, through an institutionalized approach, actively promote wholesome actions and actions that benefit living beings. This is because many people do not have the habit of doing good deeds, nor the habit of thinking, "I want to benefit all living beings." By receiving and upholding the bodhisattva precepts, we can cultivate the habitual tendencies of a bodhisattva. So we can see that precepts are by no means optional in practice.
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-We always feel that precepts are too constraining, that we do not like precepts. Why is this? It is like this: for a law-abiding citizen, no matter what the law stipulates, they will never feel constrained by it. But someone who likes to commit crimes will detest the law. As disciples of the Buddha, if we truly wish to walk the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path, we will discover that precepts help us abstain from not only unwholesome actions, but also the unwholesome habitual tendencies within our minds. This seeming form of constraint is actually a form of genuine care.
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-Living beings are truly pitiable. Faced with the chaotic emotions and unwholesome desires within, they often cannot be their own masters. It is like someone who has developed the habit of alcoholism or gambling: they are unwilling and unable to change. This is because such habits represent the powerful force created by ignorance. Precepts, by way of restraining our behavior, help us steer clear of unwholesome needs and thereby halt the growth of these habitual tendencies. This is very important for both practice and life.
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-The refuge, aspiration, and precepts described above are the common foundation for studying and practicing the Buddhadharma. When we begin studying Buddhism, we do not necessarily need to choose a particular school right away. We need to build the foundation. When I teach the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path* and promote the *Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment*, these are all part of building the foundation for practice. Once the foundation is in place, we can then go a step further and choose a school for deeper study.
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-What each school provides us mainly falls into two aspects: right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā. For example, the Buddhadharma's teachings on cause and effect, impermanence, selflessness, the emptiness of dependent origination, the consciousness-only nature of all phenomena, and that all living beings possess buddha-nature---all of these belong to the content of right view. That is to say, they are the view that sees things as they truly are, the wisdom that guides us to see clearly the truth of life and the world. Ordinary people all take what they see with their own eyes as real, not knowing that they are looking at the world through tinted lenses. What we see has already been processed by this deluded system of ours, processed by mistaken views and emotions. The Buddhadharma holds that this mistaken understanding of life itself and of the world is the very root that produces afflictions and suffering.
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-How can we eliminate afflictions and suffering? The Buddhadharma tells us to establish correct understanding.
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-Correct understanding comprises no more than two aspects. One is understanding the truth of life. For example, every day we say "I" and pay attention to ourselves, but have we ever asked: who am I? What exactly represents me? The second is understanding the truth of the world. We tend to process things through our own filters, treating impermanent phenomena as permanent and painful things as pleasurable. Only when we clearly recognize these can we break free from the state of delusion.
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-The Buddhadharma tells us that correct views will develop into wisdom, while mistaken views will develop into afflictions. Only by establishing correct understanding can we make ourselves wise and healthy. The right view that the Buddhadharma provides helps us understand the truth of life and the world from different angles. Of course, the understanding we gain from studying the teachings is largely conceptual. How can we transform this conceptual knowledge into right mindfulness, into our own capacity? The key lies in śamatha-vipaśyanā.
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-And so, in the practice of any school---whether the path of liberation or the bodhisattva path---it never goes beyond these five essential elements: refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā. Let us consider: can we find any other content of practice beyond these five? The renunciation, bodhicitta, and view of emptiness that Master Tsongkhapa distilled in the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path* likewise do not go beyond these five elements---they simply present them in a more condensed form. Among them, renunciation and bodhicitta belong to the element of aspiration, while the view of emptiness encompasses both right view and śamatha-vipaśyanā. This is because right view exists at both the worldly and supramundane levels, and supramundane right view is inseparable from śamatha-vipaśyanā.
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-Studying the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path* can help us quickly grasp the essentials of the Buddhadharma. I recommend that everyone memorize these verses.
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-{#二序论 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 2. Prologue
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-First, let us recite them together with a sincere heart:
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-> Homage to all the venerable supreme masters!
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-The essential meaning of all the Buddha's words, the path praised by all the noble bodhisattvas, the great way sought by those who wish for liberation---to the best of my ability I shall now explain it.
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-Those not attached to the pleasures of the three realms, who strive to fulfill the purpose of this precious human life, who resolve to follow the path that delights the Buddha: you who have the Dharma connection, listen with a pure mind.
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-Without renunciation, there is no way to still the longing for the pleasures of the ocean of existence. Because craving for the pleasures of existence binds all beings, first you must seek renunciation.
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-This precious human life so hard to find, and life's impermanence---by meditating on these, you can remove attachment to this life. The unfailing nature of karma, and the suffering of saṃsāra---by contemplating these, you can remove attachment to future lives.
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-When, through such practice, you no longer feel even for a moment any hope for the glories of saṃsāra, and day and night you long for liberation alone---when this arises, you have generated renunciation.
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-If renunciation lacks bodhicitta, it cannot become the cause of the bliss of unsurpassed bodhi. Therefore, the wise arouse bodhicitta.
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-Swept along by the four great torrents, bound tight by the hard-to-stop ropes of karma, trapped in the iron-mesh net of self-grasping, shrouded in the great darkness of ignorance---
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-In the boundless ocean of existence, born again and again, ceaselessly tormented by the three kinds of suffering---seeing that all mother beings are in this condition, reflect on this, and arouse the supreme mind.
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-Without the wisdom that realizes the way things truly are, even though you have cultivated renunciation and bodhicitta, you cannot cut the root of existence. Therefore, strive to understand dependent origination.
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-Whoever sees that all things, worldly and beyond the world, arise from causes as results, unfailingly, and that the objects of clinging are utterly without basis---they have entered the path that delights the Buddha.
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-As long as you see the two---the unfailing appearance of dependent origination, and emptiness free from all assertions---as separate and contradictory, you have not yet realized the Buddha's intent.
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-When, at last, these two realizations arise at once, without alternation, and merely seeing dependent origination as unfailing brings the certitude that destroys all grasping to objects---at that time, your analysis of the view is complete.
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-Moreover, appearance dispels the extreme of existence, and emptiness dispels the extreme of non-existence. When you know how emptiness manifests as cause and effect, you will not be carried away by views that cling to extremes.
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-Once you have truly realized the essential points of these Three Principal Aspects of the Path, rely on solitude and apply yourself with diligence---quickly accomplish the ultimate goal.
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-Before explaining the content of the Three Principal Aspects in earnest, there are two verses that mainly explain why the author composed this treatise and the importance of practicing the Buddhadharma for our lives, encouraging us to practice diligently in accordance with its content. Now, let us begin unpacking the treatise.
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-### 2.1. The Significance of Studying the Three Principal Aspects of the Path
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-"*The Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*." The Three Principal Aspects refer to renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. A *song* (*ge*) is a verse form. When Indian masters composed treatises, they would sometimes first present the content in prose and then summarize it in verse; at other times, they would first compose the verses and then interpret them through prose. Thus, the verse form is a common literary genre in Buddhism.
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-"Composed by Master Tsongkhapa." Master Tsongkhapa was the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. His thought primarily inherits from the Kadam school founded by the Venerable Atisha, and its characteristics are emphasis on stages, emphasis on foundation, and emphasis on precepts. So why did Master Tsongkhapa compose treatises related to the *Stages of the Path*? The main reason was that at the time, Tibetan Buddhism was showing a trend of neglecting stages and foundation.
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-Present-day Chinese Buddhism likewise has these problems. Many people are fond of the Chan school. They feel that pointing directly at the mind and seeing one's nature to become a buddha is particularly direct and exhilarating, and that there is no need for much formality. But we must understand that Chan sets requirements on the capacity of the student; it is meant to receive those of the sharpest faculties and highest wisdom. What does "sharpest faculties and highest wisdom" mean? It means that the dust on your mind is very thin, and the self-nature of Bodhi can manifest from time to time. This is like when the clouds are very thin: sunlight can easily shine through. If the cloud cover is thick, the sunlight cannot break through.
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-We are the same. Although we fully possess the wisdom and virtue of the Tathāgata, our ignorance has created thick layers of clinging and affliction within our minds. If we wish to recognize the awakened essence, we must break through the cloud cover of delusion. People with sharp faculties are those whose cloud cover is thin; people with dull faculties are those whose cloud cover is thick. If our own faculties are insufficient and yet we are still drawn to Chan, we will actually not be able to make progress in practice. In the end, it tends to turn into mere lip-service Chan, or just sitting there lost in deluded thoughts or dozing off.
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-We will end up speaking awakened words from within a deluded system, when in truth this awakening has nothing to do with us at all. Although at the moment of speaking, we may feel a certain thrill inside and find it quite satisfying to say these things, when we actually confront life situations, our ignorance, our afflictions, our greed, hatred, and ignorance are not one bit less than anyone else's.
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-Studying the *Stages of the Path* can build a ladder for our future practice of Chan or other approaches, helping us transform from dull faculties to sharp ones. In fact, a person's faculties are not fixed and unchanging. If your faculties are sharp in this life, it is not that you were *born* with sharp faculties, but rather that they represent the accumulated practice of past lives. Even if your faculties are sharp now, if you do not take care to maintain them but instead ceaselessly produce the afflictions of greed, hatred, and ignorance, your sharp faculties will become dull. It is like a knife: if every day you hack away at bamboo, hack away at stones, hack away at all kinds of things, but never sharpen it, it will surely become dull. When the Buddhadharma speaks of impermanence, it is telling us that sharp faculties, if not protected, can become dull, and dull faculties, through continuous effort, can also become sharp.
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-This includes receiving the bodhisattva precepts. Here too, there are serious problems that arise from neglecting the stages. To become a bodhisattva practitioner, we must first receive the bodhicitta precepts, arousing the noble wish of altruism---that is, the wish that "I want to become a buddha, I want to benefit all living beings." Only when bodhicitta has been cultivated to a certain degree are we truly qualified to receive and uphold the bodhisattva precepts. Without this wish, even if we receive the bodhisattva precepts, it is merely gaining a qualification on the surface.
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-The greatest hallmark of a bodhisattva is compassion. If you have not aroused bodhicitta and do not know how to cultivate compassion, what kind of bodhisattva are you? The Consciousness-Only teachings explain that to become a bodhisattva, one must possess the bodhisattva disposition---a delight in helping others. We sometimes say of someone, "They really have the heart of a bodhisattva." This is actually praising their compassion. For such a person, becoming a bodhisattva is relatively easy. Conversely, some people are very selfish, unwilling to pull out even a single hair to benefit the world. Such people lack the bodhisattva disposition. If they wish to become a bodhisattva, it is not absolutely impossible, but it is very difficult and they must redouble their efforts.
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-The reason we promote the *Stages of the Path* is precisely because we see that in the course of study and practice, people pay insufficient attention to the foundation and the stages. In Chinese Buddhism, the Chan, Tiantai, Huayan, Consciousness-Only, and Three Treatise schools also have many brilliant methods of contemplation, but because the foundation and stages are lacking, people cannot actually put these contemplations into practice.
-
-In short, the reason Master Tsongkhapa wrote the *Stages of the Path* and ultimately the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path* is precisely the reason we should promote this teaching today. We can say that promoting this teaching represents the need of the entire Buddhist community.
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-### 2.2. Homage to the Lineage Masters
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-> Homage to all the venerable supreme masters!
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-According to Indian tradition, before composing a treatise, the author should pay homage to the masters of the lineage. The intellectual sources of Master Tsongkhapa's *Stages of the Path* mainly inherit two great traditions: the profound view and the vast conduct. The profound view represents the tradition of the Emptiness school, which comes from Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva. In Buddhism, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva symbolizes great wisdom, and is also known as "Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom." In addition, there are the patriarchs Nāgārjuna and Āryadeva, who, based on the thought of the *Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras*, wrote many treatises to help us understand: all dependently arisen phenomena that we see are empty, without any fixed and unchanging essence. This thought of emptiness of self-nature is a profound penetration of all phenomena; it is the wisdom that recognizes the truth of things. This truth is also called reality in the Buddhadharma---that is, the true face. The relevant content is included in the section on "the view of emptiness." In the *Middle-Length Treatise* and the *Great Treatise*, it mainly belongs to the "insight" portion of śamatha-vipaśyanā.
-
-In addition, there is the vast conduct---that is, the vast practices of a bodhisattva. As a bodhisattva practitioner, one must arouse a noble wish. How noble? It is the wish that "I want to benefit all living beings, I want to help all living beings be free from the suffering of saṃsāra, free from the confusion and afflictions of life." Then, based on this wish, one performs all kinds of actions that benefit living beings. The thought of the vast conduct mainly comes from the Yogācāra and Consciousness-Only scriptures. Those who have watched Qian Wenzhong's talks on the *Great Tang Records on the Western Regions* will know that when Master Xuanzang journeyed to India to obtain scriptures, what he primarily wished to study was the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*. This treatise, composed by Maitreya Bodhisattva, comprises one hundred fascicles and is the core text of the vast conduct system. Its "Bodhisattva Grounds" section, which is all about how to learn to be a bodhisattva, is rich and comprehensive, and serves as an important guide for our practice of the bodhisattva path.
-
-Within Master Tsongkhapa's system of thought, another major influence was the Venerable Atisha and his *Lamp for the Path to Awakening*. That treatise lays out the essential elements and stages that a complete course of practice must possess. The Venerable Atisha placed great emphasis on refuge and bodhicitta, and on the foundations of the Buddhadharma. Because he taught refuge in Tibet over a long period, he became known as the "Refuge Lama." Many Buddhists may think: who doesn't understand refuge? Why would you need to teach it? This is because our understanding of refuge is very superficial. In truth, the entire practice of the Buddhadharma is inseparable from the Three Jewels, inseparable from the meaning of refuge. There is profound significance here. Furthermore, in response to the tendency to disregard karma and its effects, the Venerable Atisha once devoted special attention to teaching karma and its effects. In response to the tendency to disregard bodhicitta, the Venerable Atisha also vigorously promoted bodhicitta. All of these elements were inherited in the system of practice that Master Tsongkhapa constructed.
-
-Because of these lineages, the *Stages of the Path* and the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path* that we are now studying are likewise characterized by emphasis on foundation, emphasis on stages, and emphasis on bodhicitta. Understanding that this teaching comes from a pure lineage can help us build faith in the teaching and better understand and accept it. Now let us continue unpacking the verses.
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-### 2.3. The Purpose of Composing This Treatise
-
-The essential meaning of all the Buddha's words, the path praised by all the noble bodhisattvas, the great way sought by those who wish for liberation---to the best of my ability I shall now explain it.
-
-This verse tells us that Master Tsongkhapa's purpose in composing this treatise was to help us quickly grasp the heart essence of the Buddhadharma.
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-In the *Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment*, when discussing "the special qualities of this treatise," four characteristics are summarized. The third point states that this treatise and related works can help us quickly grasp the profound intent of the Buddha's teachings. What is meant by profound intent? It is the quintessence and heart essence of the Buddhadharma. And the *Three Principal Aspects of the Path* is the most essential treatise within the Stages of the Path system---the essence of the essence.
-
-"The essential meaning of all the Buddha's words." The Buddha's words---what is their quintessence, their heart essence?
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-Many people, seeing that Buddhism has so many sutras and treatises, while Christianity has only one Bible and Islam only one Quran, wonder: can Buddhism also have a single definitive scripture? With so many theories in the Buddhadharma, what is the core? Every sutra and treatise has many terms and concepts; for someone who has not practiced over a long period, after studying them, one often ends up not knowing where to turn, let alone being able to integrate them thoroughly. To thoroughly integrate the Buddhadharma requires not only scholarship in the doctrine but also genuine experiential realization. Otherwise, one can only become a scholar---researching and comparing, but in the end, everything still remains disconnected from everything else.
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-The heart essence that Master Tsongkhapa reveals to us in this treatise is precisely the Three Principal Aspects of the Path: renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness.
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-Combining renunciation with the view of emptiness forms the essential content of the path of liberation. Renunciation is a wish, but it still needs to be transformed into the capacity for renunciation. That capacity is the view of emptiness, which is also the core of Buddhist practice. Upholding precepts and cultivating concentration are all for the sake of realizing the view of emptiness, and it is through this that liberation and the knowledge of liberation are accomplished.
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-Combining bodhicitta with the view of emptiness constitutes the two great cores of the Mahayana Buddhadharma. What does attaining buddhahood accomplish? Precisely the great wisdom and great compassion that are perfected in a buddha. Among these, the view of emptiness helps us accomplish wisdom. And through the cultivation of bodhicitta---generating the wish "I want to benefit living beings, to help living beings advance toward liberation," and putting it into practice through noble altruistic action---we can bring to fulfillment the quality of great loving-kindness and great compassion. Moreover, in the process of benefiting living beings, self-grasping is weakened, which is also conducive to unlocking wisdom.
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-Although Buddhism has many approaches to practice, when brought back to the core, it is none other than cultivating wisdom and cultivating compassion. Only by accomplishing wisdom do we have the capacity to remove the confusion and afflictions within our lives and to better benefit living beings. Otherwise, what can we rely on to help others? If we have not accomplished wisdom, if we have not accomplished liberation, we are no better than "a clay bodhisattva crossing a river---hardly able to save itself." Thus it is clear that although the Buddhist scriptures are numerous, the core goes no further than renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. The refuge and precepts within the five essential elements are the foundations of practice, and must ultimately be carried into practice along the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path.
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-We must deeply believe that the Three Principal Aspects are indeed the heart essence of the Buddhadharma. Just as, in war, there are crucial fortifications that must be taken, all our efforts in practice serve this purpose. If we do not understand this point, even though we may do many things, they might each go their own way and never converge on the path of practice. Or, if you do them while grasping at appearances, you may, in the very process of doing them, develop an ordinary mind and deviate from the goal of Buddhist practice.
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-To do anything well, we must know its center of gravity, its goal, and its method. Renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness are not only the content of the *Song of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path*, and the center of gravity of the *Stages of the Path*---they are also the center of gravity, the goal, and the method of the entire practice of the Buddhadharma.
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-But if our study remains on the pages of a book and we merely grasp it as knowledge, it is useless. In studying the Three Principal Aspects, we need to bring renunciation, bodhicitta, and the wisdom of emptiness to fulfillment in our mental continuum. This is what matters most. It is just like the Three Jewels: there are the outer Three Jewels, and there are also the inner Three Jewels. When we first begin studying Buddhism, we need to rely on the outer Three Jewels. But this is only an expedient means to help us recognize and unlock the inner Three Jewels. The ultimate focus is each person's own mind.
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-"This is the path praised by all the noble bodhisattvas." We must recognize that the Three Principal Aspects are indeed the essence of the Buddhadharma. This center of gravity and these stages of practice are praised by all buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions. The practice of all buddhas and bodhisattvas must also center around renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. In his time, it was after seeing birth, aging, sickness, and death, and after seeing the illusory nature of worldly glory, wealth, and status, that the Buddha left home to practice. This was the process of renunciation. In the course of his practice, he saw the myriad living beings suffering in saṃsāra, and so he made the vow not only to liberate himself but also to help all living beings attain liberation. This was the sublimation from renunciation to bodhicitta. Then, seated in meditation beneath the Bodhi tree, he saw the morning star and awakened to his true nature. This was the perfect realization of the view of emptiness. Thus we can see: this is a core path of practice, and also a swift path---a path praised by all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-"The great way sought by those who wish for liberation." If you wish to walk out of life's confusion, to advance toward liberation, to advance toward unsurpassed bodhi, the Three Principal Aspects are a regular, main road. Buddhism also encourages expedient means, which are like side roads. But all side roads must eventually converge on this core; otherwise, they will deviate from the goal. In the course of Buddhism's transmission, some schools have at times gone astray precisely because they did not sufficiently recognize these centers of gravity. If we firmly grasp the Three Principal Aspects, we will not deviate in our practice.
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-"To the best of my ability I shall now explain it." This is Master Tsongkhapa's humility: based on my present capacity, I will share with you what the core content of the Buddhadharma is.
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-The above introduces the significance of studying the *Three Principal Aspects of the Path*---it can help us quickly grasp the essence of the Buddhadharma.
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-### 2.4. An Exhortation to Listen Well
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-Those not attached to the pleasures of the three realms, who strive to fulfill the purpose of this precious human life, who resolve to follow the path that delights the Buddha: you who have the Dharma connection, listen with a pure mind.
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-This verse is Master Tsongkhapa exhorting us to use this present precious human life of leisure and endowment to do the most meaningful thing---that is, to study and practice the Buddhadharma, to study and practice the Three Principal Aspects of the Path.
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-"Those not attached to the pleasures of the three realms." The three realms are the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. The pleasures of the three realms are the pleasures within these three realms. Why are the three realms called the three existences (*tribhava*)? *Existence* (*bhava*) means contaminated, flawed. Why are they flawed? Because the pleasures of beings in the three realms are all built on the foundation of confusion and affliction. Among them, there are the pleasures of desire and the pleasures of meditative concentration. Beings in the desire realm mainly pursue the pleasures of desire, such as the pleasures that family, wealth, status, food and sex, and comfortable surroundings bring. We cling to the pleasures of the three realms, chasing after them and indulging in them, content to enjoy wealth, enjoy power, enjoy relationships, enjoy family, with no higher aspiration. But from the perspective of the Buddhadharma, such pleasures are not ultimate.
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-First, these pleasures have only temporary meaning for us, not lasting meaning. Second, enjoying these pleasures comes with side effects. This is because such pleasures depend on specific conditions to arise, but everything in the world is impermanent; everything changes. If we cling to these pleasures, the moment the conditions change is the moment suffering arrives. Therefore, to depend on any worldly pleasure is to guarantee suffering for oneself. Third, excessive concern for these pleasures means devoting all one's time to pursuing them. If someone clings to the pleasures that wealth brings, they must pursue wealth every day. If someone clings to the pleasures that status brings, they must constantly busy themselves for status. If someone clings to the pleasures that relationships and family bring, they must spend their entire life managing that relationship, that family.
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-Although wealth, status, relationships, and family do have some value in life, that value is very brief. It is precisely because beings in the desire realm cling to the pleasures of the three realms and indulge in the pursuit of wealth, status, relationships, family, and even eating, drinking, and entertainment, that they keep cycling through the three realms, unable to climb out of this quagmire. When we recognize that the pleasures of the three realms are temporary and not ultimate---and are even, in their essential nature, suffering---we can refrain from clinging to them. Only by walking out of saṃsāra can our lives have a higher aspiration and a more far-reaching goal.
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-"Who strive to fulfill the purpose of this precious human life." Precious human life refers to a human life of leisure and endowment---that is, a human life with the capacity and the time to hear the Buddhadharma. First, there must be capacity: your mind is sound, your understanding is sound, and your body and senses are sound. Beyond capacity, there must also be time. If you are busy making a living every day and have no time, that will not work either. These are the two basic conditions a precious human life must fulfill.
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-Just how much value does such a human life contain? This may seem like a philosophical question, but it is actually a very practical one. Why do I say this? Because everyone has values. What we do and do not do each day, what we want and do not want---our entire life is built on choices. What is the standard behind these choices? It is what you regard as important or unimportant. Whatever you deem important, you will choose to do. Whatever you deem unimportant, you will not choose to do. What is important means it has value; what is unimportant means it lacks value.
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-There is no denying that everything in life also has value. When we are thirsty, we drink water, and that mouthful of water has value. When we are hungry, we eat, and that meal has value. But these values are very transient. If we cling to them, they may even bring negative effects. For example, using unhealthy means to pursue pleasure, wealth, and status will bring endless trouble and distress to our lives.
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-If we take everything in our present reality as the value of human life, we will find that in the face of death, all of it becomes pale and powerless, because we cannot take anything with us. So what, then, is the meaning and value of being alive? Studying Buddhism helps us recognize that the identity we now have---especially a human life with the capacity and time to hear the Buddhadharma---is a priceless treasure that can realize the greatest value of life. Every life contains the latent potential for buddhahood; every life possesses buddha-nature. The meaning of this precious human life is precisely to help us unlock our inner buddha-nature, to free ourselves from life's confusion, afflictions, and suffering, to accomplish a life of liberation and ease, and then to help countless thousands of others accomplish the same. Let us think: is there any value in the world greater than this?
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-Once we recognize the immense value contained in this precious human life, we should strive with diligence to realize that value. People in the world will rise early and work late into the night for a little immediate gain. If we have recognized the value of this human life and still refuse to exert ourselves, still cling to trivial worldly benefits, are we not terribly foolish, terribly short-sighted? This is Master Tsongkhapa's exhortation to us.
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-"Who resolve to follow the path that delights the Buddha." To resolve means to set one's determination. We have already recognized the value of human life, and at the same time recognized that the pleasures of the three realms are contaminated and not ultimate. We should therefore resolve to follow the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path that the Buddha has pointed out for us, and practice with diligence. And the core of the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path is precisely the Three Principal Aspects. Practicing in accordance with them can swiftly guide us onto the path of practice.
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-"You who have the Dharma connection, listen with a pure mind." Those who have the Dharma connection are those endowed with a connection to the Dharma. That everyone has been able to come here and hear the Buddhadharma shows that you all have a connection with this teaching. Since you already have this connection, how can you best receive the Buddhadharma? You must have the right attitude and approach.
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-Buddhism calls our mind-body continuum the five aggregates. *Aggregate* means various elements gathered together, comprising both material and mental components. The material component is the form aggregate. The mental components are the feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the mental formations aggregate, and the consciousness aggregate, composed of various mental activities. Buddhism holds that the primary factor in the cycle of birth and death is ignorance. So our life is also a product---a product manufactured by ignorance. Without understanding ourselves, we have formed the present mind-body. This "I" that we now cling to as ourselves is not the real "I." It is merely a substitute we have created because we do not understand ourselves. It is contaminated and imperfect.
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-What is the greatest problem for human beings? It is not understanding ourselves. Because we do not understand, we produce mistaken views and all kinds of afflictions, thereby ceaselessly manufacturing suffering. We could say that life is a machine that endlessly produces suffering. What Buddhist practice does is use the Buddhadharma to remake this life product.
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-But here lies the difficulty: how can we receive the pure, unadulterated Buddhadharma? The greatest characteristic of ordinary beings is that they have formed a particular cognitive model of themselves and the world. Whatever we receive is usually processed and altered by this existing model. It is like a person wearing tinted glasses: whatever they see is altered by the glasses---it is not seen as it really is. In the process of receiving the Buddhadharma, the same problem can arise, preventing us from receiving the Buddhadharma as it really is.
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-How can we avoid this fault and receive the pure Buddhadharma? When listening to the Dharma, we must avoid three faults. In the *Stages of the Path*, this is covered as part of the preliminary foundation.
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-The first fault is the overturned vessel. Think of a cup: the cup must be facing upward to hold water. If the cup is turned upside down, can it hold water? If, while listening to the Dharma, your mind is elsewhere, or you are dozing off, or your thoughts are wandering, the Dharma cannot enter your mind.
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-The second fault is the soiled vessel. Suppose the cup already contains a good deal of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, and you then pour water into it. Does the water you pour in still taste like water? It will surely take on the taste of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. In the same way, if we receive the Buddhadharma while holding preconceived ideas, what we receive will likewise be processed by mistaken views and emotions---it will not be the pure Dharma.
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-The third fault is the leaky vessel. If the cup has a crack, then even as we pour water in, it is also continuously leaking out, and in the end nothing much remains. After everyone listens to the Buddhadharma, if you do not go on to reflect deeply on it, the teachings you have heard will not take root in your scattered mind or be transformed into your own understanding and views. Only through proper reflection can the Buddhadharma be internalized into our views, our mental states, and our character.
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-Buddhas and bodhisattvas are both practitioners of the Dharma and embodiments of the Dharma. Having received the Buddhadharma, we too must, through reflection and meditation, internalize the Dharma into our own views and even our character, gradually transforming ourselves from ordinary beings into sages. This is a profound transformation of life, and it must be accomplished through the Dharma. The prerequisite, however, is to let the Dharma enter our minds as it truly is. Otherwise, everything that follows is out of the question.
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-There are two ways of studying the Dharma. One is to receive the Dharma and then use it to understand and transform our own lives. The other is to treat the Dharma we study merely as knowledge, with very little change to our views and mental states. In that case, the Dharma may itself become a condition that reinforces our pride. We may feel that because we understand the Dharma, we are a cut above others. The Dharma was originally meant to remedy the flaws in our character, but because we cannot use it correctly, we instead feel that, having the Dharma, this self of ours is superior to others. In that case, the Dharma will be co-opted by self-grasping and become nourishment to sustain it.
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-In summary, once we have recognized the value of this human life, we must set our determination on practicing the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path. At the same time, we must hear and receive the Buddhadharma with the right attitude.
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-{#三出离心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 3. Renunciation
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-Next we enter the main body of the text. The first section is on renunciation, comprising three verses.
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-Without renunciation, there is no way to still the longing for the pleasures of the ocean of existence. Because craving for the pleasures of existence binds all beings, first you must seek renunciation.
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-This precious human life so hard to find, and life's impermanence---by meditating on these, you can remove attachment to this life. The unfailing nature of karma, and the suffering of saṃsāra---by contemplating these, you can remove attachment to future lives.
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-When, through such practice, you no longer feel even for a moment any hope for the glories of saṃsāra, and day and night you long for liberation alone---when this arises, you have generated renunciation.
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-In the *Stages of the Path*, renunciation belongs to the content of the intermediate-level practitioner. What the intermediate-level practitioner works on has two aspects. One is generating renunciation; the other is accomplishing the capacity for liberation---otherwise, one still cannot become free. The content related to renunciation is what we are now introducing, while the content for accomplishing the capacity for liberation will be introduced in the section on the view of emptiness.
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-### 3.1. The Importance of Renunciation
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-Without renunciation, there is no way to still the longing for the pleasures of the ocean of existence. Because craving for the pleasures of existence binds all beings, first you must seek renunciation.
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-Why, in the practice of the path of liberation, must we first generate renunciation?
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-"Without renunciation, there is no way to still..." Without renunciation means lacking renunciation or being unable to arouse it. What is renunciation? It is the wish that "I want to leave saṃsāra behind; I want to be free from the inner confusion and afflictions of my life." Many people may think that renunciation is for monastics and has little to do with lay practitioners. Let us then ask ourselves: do we want to be free from afflictions? If we want to be free from afflictions, if we want to free ourselves from life's confusion, then we must have renunciation. I believe that freedom from confusion and affliction is a shared concern for all who study Buddhism, not just for monastics. It is equally important for lay practitioners.
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-Without renunciation, "there is no way to still." Still *what*? The next line tells us:
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-"...the longing for the pleasures of the ocean of existence." The ocean of existence means the great ocean of the three realms: the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. Within these realms there are all kinds of pleasures: the pleasures of eating and drinking, the pleasures of family, the pleasures of relationships, the pleasures of status, the pleasures of wealth, the pleasures of one's living environment, the pleasures of enjoying fine cars and fine homes. All of these belong to the pleasures of saṃsāra. Let us consider: do we not pursue these pleasures every day? Indeed, everyone in the world takes the pursuit of such pleasures as the goal of life. We study, work, earn money, start families---all our efforts are ultimately for survival, for living a good life, for eating well, dressing well, living well, for having a family and a career, for getting ahead.
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-Because we care about the pleasures within saṃsāra, we spend all our time desperately chasing them. Without renunciation, there is no way to calm this craving. Only by deeply realizing that the pleasures within saṃsāra are fleeting and that their essential nature is suffering can we truly give rise to renunciation. Beyond this, we must also find a more ultimate form of happiness and a more meaningful dimension of life---this point is extremely important. Otherwise, what reason would we have to give up the pleasures right in front of us?
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-So, are there pleasures within saṃsāra? The Buddhadharma tells us that there are, but such pleasures are very brief and come with negative side effects, bringing endless trouble. Let us think: is this not the case? Only by seeing through the nature of the pleasures of the three realms and seeing that the very nature of saṃsāra is suffering can we cease chasing after such pleasures and arouse renunciation.
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-"Because craving for the pleasures of existence binds all beings." The pleasures of existence are the pleasures of saṃsāra. Every person is bound by different things. Some are bound by their children, some by family, some by status, some by career, some by relationships. If we care about the pleasures of family, we will be bound by family. If we care about the pleasures of career, we will be bound by career... Let us ask ourselves: why is it that our minds are always full of concerns, always full of worries, always wavering between gain and loss? Who bound you? Who put you in this state? In truth, it is clinging that has bound you.
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-As we cling, the force generated by this clinging and craving drives us to ceaselessly chase the object of our clinging. In the process of chasing, this clinging and craving increase. While they increase, they in turn drive us to chase further. In the process of chasing, clinging and craving increase even more... This process is the very mechanism of saṃsāra.
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-In truth, saṃsāra is simply repetition---life's dreary repetition. We keep repeating within the cravings we ourselves have created: gamblers think about gambling every day, gamers think about gaming every day, artists think about how to create every day, money-makers think about how to make money every day, those who seek power think about how to pursue power every day... Everyone is trapped within their own sensations, unable to jump out. Because of this clinging, when circumstances change, suffering and affliction arise---we are bound by the pleasures of existence.
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-"First you must seek renunciation." Only when we realize that the pleasures of existence are, in their essential nature, suffering can we truly arouse renunciation. The liberation that Buddhism speaks of is precisely helping us jump out of craving and clinging.
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-Everyone here is a lay practitioner. When you hear the word "renunciation," some of you may feel afraid: does this mean I have to become a monastic? Actually, you can arouse renunciation without leaving the household life. Once we see through the nature of saṃsāra, we can live in the world with an ordinary mind and act with a compassionate heart. We can still live a worldly life without bringing needless suffering upon ourselves. Because all suffering and clinging are manifestations of caring too much. Whatever degree of clinging and concern we have, when conditions change, we will suffer to that same degree. If we have ten parts of clinging and concern, when conditions change, we will suffer ten parts of harm.
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-If we have renunciation, if we clearly understand the realities and needs of our present life, then although we live a worldly life, knowing that everything arises from causes and conditions, we can face all favorable and adverse circumstances with a detached attitude. Even if we do many things, our minds will not cling to them. When the mind does not cling to outer objects, changes in outer conditions cannot harm us.
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-In short, renunciation helps us leave behind the inner confusion and afflictions of our lives. After studying the wisdom of the Buddhadharma, our confusion will gradually diminish. When we can view problems through the wisdom of the Dharma, our afflictions will grow fewer. In life, we must face all sorts of issues---family, career, and so on. What impact each issue has on you depends crucially on how you view it. If we view problems through mistaken views, we will ceaselessly produce afflictions. If we view them through the wisdom of the Buddhadharma, no problem will bring affliction---in that very moment, there is liberation. Therefore, wise views are extremely important.
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-### 3.2. How to Cultivate Renunciation
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-This precious human life so hard to find, and life's impermanence---by meditating on these, you can remove attachment to this life. The unfailing nature of karma, and the suffering of saṃsāra---by contemplating these, you can remove attachment to future lives.
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-What exactly should we renounce? There are two main aspects. One is the attachment and craving for this present life. The other is the attachment and craving for future lives. Either one will steer us into saṃsāra. To cultivate renunciation, we must free ourselves from both kinds of attachment and craving.
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-"This precious human life so hard to find, and life's impermanence." First, we must contemplate how difficult it is to obtain a precious human life. This is because the form our future life takes depends entirely on our own karma. Over the course of endless continuity of life, we have created a great many causes leading to the three lower realms. If such karma ripens, we will certainly fall. Yet the wholesome karma we have cultivated that leads to a human life is quite scarce. This is why the sutras say that living beings who obtain a human life are extremely few, while those who do not are extremely many.
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-The Buddha once asked his attendant Ānanda: "Which do you think is greater---the amount of soil on my fingernail, or the amount of soil on the entire earth?" Ānanda replied, "Of course, the soil of the earth is far greater." The Buddha told him: "Living beings who obtain a human life are like the soil on my fingernail. Living beings who do not obtain a human life are like the soil on the entire earth." From this we can see how very difficult it is to obtain a human identity.
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-We have now obtained this identity that allows us to study Buddhism. We should make good use of it to accomplish the transformation of our lives. If we live only for survival, for living a good life, for indulging our desires---animals can do that too. From the perspective of how rare and precious this human life is, we should not wallow in the pleasures right before our eyes, spending our entire lives chasing the pleasures that desires bring. We should pursue a higher meaning of life.
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-"Life's impermanence" tells us that this precious human life is very easily lost. Whether our life itself or the happiness in front of us, both can vanish in the blink of an eye. These days we often hear people around us saying, so-and-so has cancer, so-and-so has cancer... When we are healthy, we feel that everything in the present is so lively, so solid. In truth, this life is extremely fragile. This is why the *Stages of the Path* offers three angles to tell us how we should face death squarely.
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-First, we must recognize: death is certain. Ordinary people are unwilling to accept this fact; they always feel that death has nothing to do with them. Why are so many people caught off guard when death comes? It is because they have always thought that death is other people's business and has nothing to do with themselves---or at least that it is something in the distant future. They have not prepared at all. So we must face this reality squarely: death is certain; there is no one who will not die. In another fifty or a hundred years, every one of us will have to report to some other place.
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-Second, *when* death will come is uncertain. Especially today, beyond natural and man-made disasters, there are also food safety issues, all kinds of epidemics, and so on---there are far too many factors that can cause death. When I see cars speeding along the highway, I think: one moment of carelessness and you could be driving off into another world. So we should not assume we will live to eighty or ninety. It is truly uncertain.
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-Third, when the moment of death arrives, all the things we now strive for and manage---our career, our relationships, our family, our social connections---not a single one can be taken with us.
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-"By meditating on these, you can remove attachment to this life." After examining the value of life through the lens of death, we will realize that everything we are now doing is weak and powerless. Since the happiness we obtain is so fragile, why do we still want to hold on to it so tightly? Is there anything you can actually hold on to? Can you hold on to your relationships? Can you hold on to your youth? Can you hold on to your status?... Since you cannot hold on to them, we need not cling to them. Otherwise, we are only asking for trouble, only creating afflictions for ourselves. We should not pursue things we cannot grasp. We should pursue the ultimate value of life---that is, unfolding the potential for buddhahood. Through these contemplations, we can eliminate our craving and attachment to the pleasures of this present life.
-
-"The unfailing nature of karma, and the suffering of saṃsāra." Other religions often hold that a creator, such as God, determines our destiny. And those who accept materialism believe only in the efforts of this present life. But Buddhism's understanding of the world comes down to four words: causes and conditions, cause and effect. Causes and conditions are the various factors involved, including primary and secondary conditions. When conditions are in place, a result is produced.
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-In the cause and effect of human life, the core is the thoughts that arise in our minds---that is, the causes. Buddhism classifies these into three types: wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral. These thoughts further manifest through three channels. In the realm of thought, they are called mental karma. When expressed in speech---for instance, scolding someone or praising someone---they are called verbal karma. When expressed through bodily action, they are called bodily karma.
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-Every thought that arises and every action we take plants a seed in our mind. That is why Buddhism calls the mind "the mind-field." When these seeds produce an effect, their power is further strengthened. Thus, mental states are developmental. Take greed, for example: if you keep giving rise to greed, the momentum of greed will grow stronger and stronger. In the same way, some people are prone to anger, and if they keep getting angry, the force of anger grows stronger and stronger. Some people are very loving, and if they continuously generate love toward others, the force of compassion grows stronger and stronger... Every mental state has its power, and it will keep growing. Over time, it becomes our mental disposition, our character, and eventually our personality. Because of this disposition and personality, it then draws forth the atmosphere of our lives, and even our living environment. Many people have probably gone through this process themselves.
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-Society also uses the concept of karma, as in agriculture, industry, commerce, and so on. When people engage in work in various professions, they tend to develop corresponding personalities. A businessperson will have the personality of a businessperson; a farmer, the personality of a farmer; a soldier, the personality of a soldier; an artist, the personality of an artist... The formation and development of these personalities is precisely the accumulation of karma. Different actions produce different karmic forces, ultimately bringing about different results in our lives. These karmic results are genuinely real.
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-Our past understanding of karma has mostly been framed in terms of external cause and effect. Because we cannot see the past, nor can we see future lives, we tend not to believe in karmic force. In truth, karma can also be understood within this very life---understood through the development of our mental path and the formation of our character. This is called mental cause and effect, or present-moment cause and effect. From this angle, karma is much easier to accept.
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-Because karma can form different mental dispositions and personalities, we must be especially careful with every thought that arises. Over the course of endless saṃsāra, we have created a great deal of unwholesome karma, and this unwholesome karma will ultimately steer us toward the three lower realms. As long as we have not left saṃsāra, even if our present life is quite good and we enjoy excellent conditions, it is all temporary. We should not cling to it, because the nature of saṃsāra is suffering.
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-From another angle: is it true that as long as we enjoy favorable conditions, we will be happy? Not necessarily. External conditions are only supporting factors for the arising of happiness. Whether they bring happiness also depends on our needs. Only when a need arises within us do we feel happy upon obtaining what we need. If we have no need, then even if we obtain something, we feel nothing. I think everyone has experienced this.
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-Happiness also has a hard prerequisite: being free of afflictions, free of things weighing on the mind. Only then can we easily be happy. Conversely, if your mind is weighed down with worries and your afflictions are many, no matter what you obtain or what your external circumstances are, you simply cannot be happy. Think about it: isn't this so? Because every life has inner confusion and afflictions, as long as we remain in saṃsāra, none of us can ever attain happiness in the ultimate sense.
-
-"By contemplating these, you can remove attachment to future lives." Through the above contemplations, we can help ourselves abandon attachment to future lives. So, if we do not pursue happiness, does that mean we will spend our days in misery? Does it mean that life no longer needs happiness? Not at all. What the Buddhadharma wants us to abandon is the non-ultimate happiness within saṃsāra---the happiness that carries intensely negative side effects. It wants us to establish an ultimate happiness, the happiness of liberation.
-
-The happiness we have now is built on the foundation of delusion and karma, and delusion and karma are machines that perpetually manufacture suffering. What we call happiness is merely what arises when suffering is temporarily alleviated in the process of changing external conditions. The happiness that the Buddhadharma wants us to pursue is a happiness grounded in liberation and wisdom. This is because life is both a source of suffering and a source of happiness. When we find the source of happiness, happiness will flow forth continuously. It is just like the buddhas and bodhisattvas, who abide in happiness at all times because they have found the source that produces it.
-
-The happiness we have now, by contrast, originates from ignorance and is essentially suffering. If we pursue this kind of happiness, it means we are simultaneously manufacturing suffering. When Buddhism asks us to abandon the happiness of the deluded system, it is not asking us to reject happiness. It is hoping that we will pursue ultimate happiness.
-
-### 3.3. The Measure of Having Generated Renunciation
-
-When, through such practice, you no longer feel even for a moment any hope for the glories of saṃsāra, and day and night you long for liberation alone---when this arises, you have generated renunciation.
-
-When can renunciation be said to have arisen? When, through the above contemplations, you have reached the point where you no longer feel any anticipation for the glories of saṃsāra. For example, high office, riches, romance---all these things that the world regards as the very best---you no longer feel even the slightest expectation toward them. Your single-minded wish is for liberation; your only wish is to leave behind confusion and affliction; you desire only the happiness of liberation. When this is the case, your renunciation has arisen.
-
-There are two kinds of happiness. One is the happiness of saṃsāra, which is fleeting, comes with side effects, and is extremely troublesome. The other is the happiness of liberation, which is ultimate, without side effects, and brings lasting peace. Once you attain the happiness of liberation, you can abide in it forever---it has no end. After comparing the two, which kind of happiness do you think is better?
-
-Thus we can see that renunciation is not only an important foundation for monastic practice; it is equally important for lay practitioners. There is a well-known saying: "Engage in worldly affairs with a mind that transcends the world." How can we live in the world without being defiled by the five desires and the six sense objects, like a lotus flower that rises from the mud yet remains unstained? How can we avoid falling into confusion and affliction? We need a mind of detachment.
-
-Renunciation is precisely what helps us cultivate this detached state of mind. Faced with the same worldly life, why do some people sink deeply, some sink only a little, and some do not sink at all? The key is not the environment, but our own mind. If, within your mind, there is a strong clinging and craving for relationships, wealth, status, and the like, you are one hundred percent bound to sink.
-
-So, how can we eliminate this clinging and craving? We must deeply realize that the nature of saṃsāra is suffering. With a detached state of mind and a heart of compassion and altruism, we can still do many worldly things; we can still enjoy the five desires and the six sense objects, but without being harmed by them. Conversely, when the mind sinks into the five desires and the six sense objects, you become a slave to that clinging and craving---you can no longer be your own master. You are merely obeying the clinging and craving within you; whether you act or refrain, you are not in control.
-
-Renunciation helps us cultivate a capacity for non-attachment. Even as we do many things, our minds do not stick to them, and we can thus maintain a detached and free state of mind. In the world, many people are controlled by some kind of craving. Some are controlled by the craving to gamble, some by the craving for drugs, and even more people are controlled by cravings for relationships or wealth. Why are they controlled? It is not that wealth controls you. Rather, it is your clinging to wealth that has formed a powerful craving within your mind. It is this craving that controls you, causing your mind to stick to wealth. Once your mind sticks, you will be driven by wealth---or by relationships, family, power, and so on.
-
-Only when you do not stick can you speak of transcendence, of "engaging in worldly affairs with a mind that transcends the world." Otherwise, we will forever be slaves to our clinging, craving, and afflictions---forever working for ignorance, working for our inner desires, unable to be our own masters. This is the reality of an ordinary person's life.
-
-If we wish to become the master of our own life, we must recognize the autonomous power within our mind. Chan asks us to look---who is your master? Do not take deluded thoughts as your master. Do not take emotions as your master. If you take deluded thoughts and emotions as your master, you are "mistaking a thief for your own child." These unwholesome emotions and mistaken thoughts will ceaselessly manufacture afflictions for us, manufacture suffering, manufacture birth and death, manufacture saṃsāra... This kind of life has no end, and saṃsāra has no end.
-
-Therefore, we must surely recognize the meaning of renunciation. To renounce is to leave saṃsāra behind, to leave behind the inner confusion and afflictions.
-
-{#四菩提心 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 4. Bodhicitta
-
-Next is bodhicitta, comprising three verses.
-
-If renunciation lacks bodhicitta, it cannot become the cause of the bliss of unsurpassed bodhi. Therefore, the wise arouse bodhicitta.
-
-Swept along by the four great torrents, bound tight by the hard-to-stop ropes of karma, trapped in the iron-mesh net of self-grasping, shrouded in the great darkness of ignorance---
-
-In the boundless ocean of existence, born again and again, ceaselessly tormented by the three kinds of suffering---seeing that all mother beings are in this condition, reflect on this, and arouse the supreme mind.
-
-In Buddhist practice, renunciation is the foundation of the path of liberation, while bodhicitta is the foundation of the bodhisattva path. What is bodhicitta? It is the mind of awakening. More fully, bodhicitta is a mind that is awakened and committed to the welfare of others.
-
-The *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra* says that bodhicitta is a kind of aspiration---the wish that "I want to accomplish unsurpassed bodhi, to accomplish the highest awakening, and thereby help all living beings be free from suffering." This wish includes two aspects. For oneself, it is to accomplish perfect awakening. For living beings, it is to be like the Buddha, leading all living beings toward awakening, not merely for one's own sake. Therefore, bodhicitta is first and foremost a noble wish, also called aspiring bodhicitta.
-
-Bodhicitta is of two types: one is relative, the other ultimate. To arouse the wish "I want to become a buddha, I want to benefit all living beings" is relative (conventional) bodhicitta. Ultimate bodhicitta, which can only be revealed after realizing emptiness, is also known as absolute bodhicitta (*pāramārthika-bodhicitta*).
-
-Then what is the relationship between bodhicitta and the renunciation discussed earlier? If you only think of freeing yourself from confusion and suffering, that is renunciation---the aspiration of the Hinayana. But the bodhicitta of the Mahayana not only wants to leave saṃsāra oneself, but also, seeing the myriad living beings suffering and struggling in saṃsāra, makes the vow to lead all living beings out of saṃsāra and toward liberation. Therefore, bodhicitta is the extension and fulfillment of renunciation---it is extending the object of liberation from oneself to all living beings.
-
-Our present lives are mired in delusion and saṃsāra. Because we cannot see ourselves clearly, we ceaselessly manufacture suffering, manufacture afflictions, manufacture birth and death. The bodhisattva sees the faults of delusion and, at the same time, discovers that within every life there is also the latent power of awakening, and resolves to unfold this power. This is the beginning of arousing bodhicitta, the beginning of life's awakening, and the beginning of bodhisattva practice.
-
-A bodhisattva is also called an awakened sentient being. On one hand, the bodhisattva awakens themselves; on the other, they help living beings awaken. As long as this awakening is not yet perfect, they are a bodhisattva. When this awakening reaches perfection, they become a buddha. Chinese Buddhism belongs to the Mahayana, and the two great pillars of its practice are bodhicitta and the view of emptiness. From this we can see the importance of bodhicitta.
-
-The *Diamond Sūtra* says that all sages of the three vehicles are distinguished by the unconditioned Dharma. From the standpoint of realizing emptiness, the sages of the three vehicles share a common ground. The crucial difference between Mahayana and Hinayana lies in whether or not one has bodhicitta. Only when you have aroused bodhicitta are you a Mahayana child of the Buddha; otherwise, you belong to the Hinayana. If we wish to walk the bodhisattva path, we must certainly arouse bodhicitta, and confirm this commitment through receiving the precepts.
-
-In the tradition of Chinese Buddhism, there are only the bodhisattva precepts, but no separate bodhicitta precepts. Because bodhicitta is not emphasized, many people, even after receiving the bodhisattva precepts, lack the wish to benefit living beings and a compassionate heart. They cannot carry on and develop the Mahayana spirit of active altruism, and thus cannot become qualified bodhisattva practitioners.
-
-In truth, everyone has a measure of sympathy and compassion. How do we expand this seed of compassion? By arousing bodhicitta---by constantly thinking, "I want to help others be free from suffering." In the process of sustaining this thought, compassion grows. Whatever the scope of your heart, to that extent your compassion can develop. When we are truly willing to help all living beings and can feel compassion for all living beings, that is the great loving-kindness and great compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Conversely, if there is even one living being who falls outside the scope of your compassion, it shows that your cultivation of compassion has not yet reached perfection. Thus, bodhicitta can transform finite compassion into infinite great loving-kindness and great compassion.
-
-In terms of the results of practice, the śrāvakas cultivate only wisdom; they accomplish only the wisdom of liberation. The buddhas and bodhisattvas, by contrast, not only accomplish the wisdom of liberation but also accomplish infinite compassion, bringing to perfection the twin qualities of compassion and wisdom.
-
-The *Lotus Sūtra* says that the living condition of ordinary beings is like a burning house. Desires, afflictions, and cravings are blazing fiercely---this is what is meant by the raging blaze of the five aggregates. To study Buddhism is to escape from this burning house. Some may only think of escaping themselves---"seeing the three realms as a burning house and viewing birth and death as enemies." That is the aspiration of the Hinayana, and such a person becomes one who seeks only their own liberation. Others, seeing that there are many relatives still inside, know they cannot just escape alone. They must also lead all living beings to escape the burning house. That is the aspiration of a bodhisattva.
-
-After giving rise to renunciation, we must also have bodhicitta. Otherwise, for lay practitioners, things can become very awkward. Once you wish to renounce, you lose interest in everything worldly. You are unwilling to work, and problems easily arise in the family. That is why we must arouse bodhicitta and wish to benefit all living beings. Within the family, regard your parents, siblings, and relatives as bodhi companions, as people who need your help. At work, fulfill your duties conscientiously and treat those around you well. Transform narrow, clinging love into selfless, tolerant, non-possessive great love. If you can treat your family---and even more people around you---with this kind of great love, then while fulfilling your worldly responsibilities, you are simultaneously walking the bodhisattva path.
-
-Whether we practice the path of liberation or the bodhisattva path, it is not necessary to become a monastic. Of course, the conditions for practice are better in the monastic life, but each person must still look at their own causes and conditions. Many bodhisattvas also appear in the guise of householders, so lay practitioners can equally walk the bodhisattva path. How can we remain liberated and at ease while living in the red dust of the world? We must have a sense of transcendence beyond the world. Otherwise, we will sink into the quagmire and find it hard to pull ourselves out. Then we are nothing but a clay bodhisattva crossing a river---not a real bodhisattva at all. Do you want to be a clay bodhisattva, or a real one?
-
-### 4.1. The Importance of Bodhicitta
-
-If renunciation lacks bodhicitta, it cannot become the cause of the bliss of unsurpassed bodhi. Therefore, the wise arouse bodhicitta.
-
-In the practice of the bodhisattva path, bodhicitta is the aspiration that runs through from beginning to end---the most foundational, the most fundamental aspiration.
-
-"If renunciation lacks bodhicitta." For the practice of the bodhisattva path, if you do not arouse bodhicitta but merely give rise to renunciation, it is not enough. The Buddha initially taught the Śrāvaka teachings, whose goal of practice was to attain the fruit of an arhat. But later, in the *Lotus Sūtra*, he also said: "In the lands of the ten directions, there is only the Dharma of the One Vehicle. There are not two, nor three, except when the Buddha teaches them as expedient means." This tells us: the past teachings of the human and celestial vehicles, the Śrāvakayāna, and the Pratyekabuddhayāna are merely conjured cities along the path of buddhahood---temporary resting places. The ultimate goal is buddhahood. In other words, throughout the worlds of the ten directions, there is only one road---the bodhisattva path, the path to buddhahood.
-
-The *Lotus Sūtra* also says: "All buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world for one great cause." Why did the Buddha appear in this world? It was to accomplish the most important matter---to open the way for living beings to awaken to the Buddha's knowledge and vision. That is to say, to guide living beings to realize the wisdom that the Buddha possesses, and to lead all living beings to buddhahood. This is the true, original intent behind the Buddha's appearance in the world.
-
-"If renunciation lacks bodhicitta, it cannot become the cause..." If we do not arouse bodhicitta but only give rise to renunciation, only thinking of our own liberation, our practice will never reach perfect fulfillment.
-
-"...of the bliss of unsurpassed bodhi." Bodhicitta is the cause of unsurpassed bodhi, the cause of ultimate bliss. Some people say that studying Buddhism is not about seeking benefit. This is not entirely true. The *Diamond Sūtra* often speaks of how much merit one gains by reading, reciting, and upholding this sutra. This is also a kind of benefit---and an immeasurable, boundless benefit at that. We can say that buddhahood is the greatest benefit of all.
-
-The *Stages of the Path* says that the guidance of the Buddhadharma is divided into immediate benefit and ultimate benefit. By studying the Buddhadharma and cultivating wholesome actions, we can attain the fruits of the human and celestial realms---this is immediate benefit. Going further, it can lead us toward liberation and the accomplishment of unsurpassed bodhi---this is ultimate benefit, everlasting happiness. Where does this benefit, this happiness, come from? Not from wealth or status, but from the awakened mind within. Once we find this wellspring, we gain ultimate benefit and happiness. What we are now pursuing, by contrast, are all temporary pleasures and benefits. We should calculate which pursuit is truly worthwhile.
-
-"Therefore, the wise arouse bodhicitta." Having recognized the importance of bodhicitta for our lives, people of wisdom should develop bodhicitta, rather than developing greed, anger, arrogance, and jealousy. Otherwise, we will manufacture endless, boundless trouble for ourselves.
-
-### 4.2. How to Arouse Bodhicitta
-
-Swept along by the four great torrents, bound tight by the hard-to-stop ropes of karma, trapped in the iron-mesh net of self-grasping, shrouded in the great darkness of ignorance---
-
-In the boundless ocean of existence, born again and again, ceaselessly tormented by the three kinds of suffering---seeing that all mother beings are in this condition, reflect on this, and arouse the supreme mind.
-
-How do we arouse bodhicitta? These two verses are mainly based on reflecting upon the painful reality of our present life. Before liberation, we and all living beings alike are cycling through the confusion, afflictions, and suffering created by ignorance. To arouse bodhicitta, we must first feel this suffering for ourselves, then extend that feeling to others, recognizing that innumerable living beings are all in this same state. Only when we clearly see the reality of our present life can we truly appreciate the value of bodhicitta.
-
-So, what exactly is the condition of an ordinary person's life?
-
-"Swept along by the four great torrents." Living beings are at every moment swept along by four great torrents. Everyone has seen a waterfall. What are its characteristics? One is continuity: when it flows, it flows without interruption. The other is tremendous force: when a waterfall cascades from a height, all the fish and vegetation are instantly swept away---there is simply no resisting it. In the Buddhist scriptures, the waterfall is often used as a metaphor for the continuity of mind. Western philosophy also has a similar expression, using flowing water to describe the activity of consciousness.
-
-The Buddhadharma holds that the mind is dependently arisen and not eternally fixed. Four words describe its characteristics: similar and continuous. *Similar* means that the mind of the preceding moment and the mind of the following moment are alike. *Continuous* means that the preceding moment guides the following moment, and the following moment pushes forward from the preceding. Within our minds, we are ceaselessly swept along by four great torrents. What are these four torrents?
-
-The first is the torrent of *desire*, which mainly takes five forms: wealth---the desire for wealth; sex---the desire for sexual pleasure; fame---the desire for reputation; food---the desire for food and drink; and sleep---the desire for sleep. In addition, there are the five desires arising from the senses: the eyes wish to see beautiful forms, the ears wish to hear pleasant sounds, the nose wishes to smell pleasant fragrances, the mouth wishes to taste good food, and the body wishes to be in contact with comfortable surroundings. These desires are continuous and unceasing. This is why people spend every day seeking all kinds of things they need.
-
-The second is the torrent of *existence*, which includes clinging and afflictions. Toward objects we like, we give rise to clinging, and this in turn brings afflictions. We are always bringing this clinging and these afflictions with us as we encounter every matter, face every problem. This clinging and these afflictions have tremendous force. If we cling to family, afflictions related to family will form. If we cling to career, afflictions related to career will form. If we cling to relationships, afflictions related to relationships will form. When we face these external circumstances, clinging and afflictions are instinctively triggered. Then we face our family, our career... with this clinging and these afflictions. In the very process of facing them, the clinging and afflictions increase further. And so it goes, cycling back and forth, with enormous force. Trapped in these forces of our own making, it is very hard to get out.
-
-The third is the torrent of *views*, which mainly refers to our mistaken understandings and ideas. In the process of growing up, we have unconsciously absorbed many ideas. Some came from our parents, some from school, some from social trends, and most were never subjected to our own rational scrutiny. The values thus formed are often mistaken. When we observe the world and think about problems through the lens of these values, over time, a powerful force develops that drives our choices and even drives our lives.
-
-The fourth is the torrent of *ignorance*. Within our lives, besides the self-nature of Bodhi, there is also a powerful force of benightedness, which prevents us from seeing ourselves clearly and from seeing the world clearly.
-
-Ordinary beings all live under the sway of these four forces, unable to be their own masters. Think about it: is this not our condition? We cannot deny it---these four forces are indeed what dominate us and determine our direction.
-
-"Bound tight by the hard-to-stop ropes of karma." Karma means action. In the company of these four torrents, we produce all kinds of wholesome and unwholesome actions. These actions determine what you are. The Brahmanical religion of India divided people into four castes---Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras---that is, four hierarchical ranks. In modern society, there are distinctions between white-collar, blue-collar, and gold-collar workers, distinctions between employees and bosses. In short, people are classified as noble or base based on external conditions such as lineage, race, and social status. But Buddhism classifies people by their actions. If your actions are noble, you are a noble person. If your actions are base, you are a base person.
-
-Because actions produce mental states, form character, and in turn create the quality of our lives. This is why Buddhism says that karma determines everything---your actions determine what you are.
-
-Within the six realms of existence, there is the animal realm, including creatures that swim in the water and fly in the sky, and also the realms of hungry ghosts, hell beings, celestial beings, and humans. All these forms of life are determined by karmic force. And within the human realm, beauty and ugliness, long life and early death, wealth and poverty are all related to karma as well. Furthermore, the various professions in society---workers, farmers, merchants, scholars, soldiers---also produce different personalities and different qualities of life because of karmic differences.
-
-Karma causes us to take on a certain form of life, to take on a certain identity, to possess certain special abilities, while also bringing with it certain limitations. Fish, for example, can only live in water and cannot survive on land. Humans can neither live in water nor fly without the aid of machines. Men are constrained by their own karmic limitations, and women are constrained by theirs. Again, our eyes and ears provide the functions of seeing and hearing, but because of karmic conditions, what we can and cannot see, what we can and cannot hear, are all determined.
-
-Although our form of life does affect us, we can transcend it. This is because behind every finite life lies the infinite. Buddhism says that the finite and the infinite are one. Why is it that our lives become trapped within a particular form and cannot break free? The key lies in self-grasping and dharma-grasping.
-
-We form conceptual fixations about every identity we hold and about every problem we see, every matter we encounter. For example, we take our identity as "me," take our body as "me," take many thoughts as "me"---these are our fixations about ourselves. When we see things in the world, we assume that they simply *are* what they are---for instance, this is a table, this is a Buddha statue, this is a house---all very real. Once this fixation is in place, we then feel that it is good or bad, valuable or worthless. We form aesthetic judgments about it; we form value judgments about it. Many of these judgments are tied to culture, tied to our own needs.
-
-Then we cling to our own judgments, convinced that things truly are just as we judge them. Think about it: isn't this how it is? Because of this fixation and clinging, we become firmly bound to the object. The reason we are bound is nothing other than our own fixation on the object and the clinging that develops from that fixation.
-
-"Trapped in the iron-mesh net of self-grasping." You could have remained unbound, but because of your fixations, your cravings, and your clinging, you have firmly bound yourself. In the end, you come to feel that your body is you, that your thoughts are you. Extending further, you then think that your child is you, that your spouse is you, that your career is you... These mistaken fixations are like an iron net, firmly binding you to these objects. If you did not form these mistaken fixations and did not go on to produce clinging, then in truth nothing could bind you. The reason anything can bind you is always your own mistaken fixations and clinging, and the cravings built upon them. And so we can say: originally, nothing could bind you. You have bound yourself.
-
-"Shrouded in the great darkness of ignorance." Why does this phenomenon occur? It is precisely because of ignorance, which prevents us from seeing ourselves clearly and from seeing the truth of the world. That is why we produce mistaken fixations, and through clinging, form cravings. Then we are driven by these cravings and run after them. The root of all of this is simply not seeing clearly.
-
-These four lines above are absolutely crucial. The entire state of our lives---indeed, the state of life of all living beings---is governed by these four torrents. The function of karma and the function of self-grasping both have their root in ignorance. Because of ignorance, there is self-grasping. Because of self-grasping, karma is produced. Seeing this state of affairs, let us think: are living beings pitiable or not?
-
-"In the boundless ocean of existence, born again and again." The ocean of existence is the ocean of birth and death in the three realms. Here, we are born life after life after life, with no end to birth. As it is said: karmic force is inexhaustible, and birth and death are without end. Because of ignorance, self-grasping arises, giving rise to greed, hatred, and ignorance. Because of greed, hatred, and ignorance, karma is created. Because karma is created, birth, death, and saṃsāra follow. Within saṃsāra, we still cannot see clearly; we still rush headlong with the four torrents. Amid these torrents, we continue to cling, create karma, and cycle through saṃsāra, still unable to see clearly...
-
-In Buddhism, this process is called delusion, karma, and suffering. Because of delusion, we create karma, which draws forth the suffering of saṃsāra. In the midst of suffering, we continue to be deluded. This delusion is precisely the present condition of every one of us. We cannot see ourselves clearly; we cannot see where life comes from or where it will go in the future. Because of delusion, we pass one life after another in affliction and in the cycle of birth and death. In each life, we go through the joys and sorrows of meeting and parting, of coming together and separating. When we arrive, there is a burst of joy; when we depart, a burst of weeping---who knows how many times we have been through this. As the sutras say: in this endless cycle of birth and death, the blood we have shed exceeds the waters of the four great oceans, and the bones we have left behind tower higher than the Himalayas.
-
-"Ceaselessly tormented by the three kinds of suffering." In this saṃsāra, we are at every moment tormented by three kinds of suffering: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the pervasive suffering of conditioning. The suffering of suffering is the pain that everyone can feel: the suffering of illness, the suffering of aging, the suffering of death, the suffering of being separated from those we love, the suffering of meeting those we detest---"enemies on a narrow road, seeing each other no matter how you try to avoid it"---the suffering of desperately pursuing something yet never obtaining it, and the suffering brought about by the various restless agitations of body and mind.
-
-The suffering of change is what we regard as happiness: the happiness of romance, the happiness of family, the happiness of making money. But once you become attached to it, it quickly turns into suffering. Think about it: isn't this so? All the happiness we cherish---the more you cherish it, the greater the harm it brings when it changes. The degree of harm is directly proportional to the degree of attachment.
-
-The pervasive suffering of conditioning is the suffering brought about by impermanence and change. Why does impermanence become suffering? It is because we wish for everything to be eternal. With such clinging in place, changes in outer conditions then trigger suffering.
-
-Living beings are constantly tormented by these three kinds of suffering. Now, where do these sufferings come from? They are not imposed on us by others. In the final analysis, they are created by ourselves---created by the four torrents, created by self-grasping, created by the afflictions of greed, hatred, and ignorance.
-
-"Seeing that all mother beings are in this condition, reflect on this, and arouse the supreme mind." As we reflect on the condition of our lives, do we realize that we ourselves are in this state? Do we feel concern for our own lives? We must not only be concerned for ourselves, but also for the innumerable living beings. As long as they are not awakened sages, all lives are in this condition. And in this endless saṃsāra, all these living beings have at one time or another been our parents, our brothers, our sisters. Can we bear to watch them suffer and do nothing?
-
-It is relatively easy to arouse bodhicitta behind closed doors, but when we actually face real living beings, it is not so easy. This is because arousing bodhicitta runs counter to our selfish human nature. Some might say: what good does helping living beings do for me? Deep inside, we feel that living beings have nothing to do with us. What is more, many of them may be people we do not even like. This selfish nature is precisely the personality centered on self-grasping. Its hallmark is serving me---serving my survival, serving my comfortable life.
-
-So what does altruism actually have to do with us? Does it help with liberation? The Buddhadharma tells us that the practice of benefiting others not only helps living beings---we ourselves are its greatest beneficiaries. Why do I say this? In the process of sincerely benefiting others, we can effectively weaken self-grasping. Why are we unable to attain liberation? Why are we unable to bring forth the awakened essence within our lives? It is precisely because our present personality is formed around the core of self-grasping.
-
-How do we walk out of this deluded system? First, we must weaken self-grasping. Single-mindedly wish to benefit living beings, without a trace of selfishness. As long as any selfishness remains, what is called altruistic practice ultimately still serves self-grasping. It is like someone who does charity work only to make themselves appear more noble---they are still working for the deluded system, still working for self-grasping. Altruism, on the other hand, can not only weaken self-grasping and reveal the inner awakened nature of life, but also, in the process of benefiting living beings, allow compassion to grow.
-
-Once we recognize the faults of saṃsāra, recognize the situation of mother sentient beings in the six realms, and at the same time recognize the vital importance of arousing bodhicitta for improving both our own lives and the lives of others, we will certainly arouse bodhicitta. If we do not unfold the inner awakening of our lives, what we develop will invariably be the ordinary mind, will be greed, hatred, and ignorance, and we will never be able to walk out of this deluded state. In that case, our lives will have no way out; suffering and saṃsāra will have no end.
-
-If our reflection on these points is genuine and thorough, we will choose to arouse bodhicitta without the slightest hesitation.
-
-In this retreat, we have arranged a ceremony for receiving the bodhicitta precepts. When we have aroused the aspiring mind, we must also confirm this choice through a formal commitment. This means that we have officially stepped onto the bodhisattva path. The bodhicitta precepts are extremely rare and precious. Chinese Buddhism is uniquely endowed with them, and I hope everyone will actively take part. Of course, the prerequisite is that you have a clear understanding of this choice, rather than simply joining in for the excitement without knowing what it is about.
-
-{#五空性见 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 5. The View of Emptiness
-
-The third section is "the view of emptiness," which helps us transform from ordinary beings into sages. It comprises five verses.
-
-Without the wisdom that realizes the way things truly are, even though you have cultivated renunciation and bodhicitta, you cannot cut the root of existence. Therefore, strive to understand dependent origination.
-
-Whoever sees that all things, worldly and beyond the world, arise from causes as results, unfailingly, and that the objects of clinging are utterly without basis---they have entered the path that delights the Buddha.
-
-As long as you see the two---the unfailing appearance of dependent origination, and emptiness free from all assertions---as separate and contradictory, you have not yet realized the Buddha's intent.
-
-When, at last, these two realizations arise at once, without alternation, and merely seeing dependent origination as unfailing brings the certitude that destroys all grasping to objects---at that time, your analysis of the view is complete.
-
-Moreover, appearance dispels the extreme of existence, and emptiness dispels the extreme of non-existence. When you know how emptiness manifests as cause and effect, you will not be carried away by views that cling to extremes.
-
-The renunciation and bodhicitta discussed earlier are aspirations. Relatively speaking, they are addressed from the perspective of conventional truth. The Buddhadharma distinguishes two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. Conventional truth is established on the basis of the conventional mind; it is inseparable from our mind and consciousness, inseparable from the deluded system of our lives; it is the realm of ordinary beings' understanding. Ultimate truth represents the level of emptiness, the level of truth; it is the realm of sages' understanding.
-
-### 5.1. The Importance of the View of Emptiness
-
-Without the wisdom that realizes the way things truly are, even though you have cultivated renunciation and bodhicitta, you cannot cut the root of existence. Therefore, strive to understand dependent origination.
-
-Whoever sees that all things, worldly and beyond the world, arise from causes as results, unfailingly, and that the objects of clinging are utterly without basis---they have entered the path that delights the Buddha.
-
-"Without the wisdom that realizes the way things truly are." What is meant by "the way things truly are"? In Buddhism, it is also called reality, also called emptiness, also called suchness, also called the original face. In worldly terms, it is the truth of things.
-
-First, we must understand that our present understanding does not accord with the truth of things. Our cognitive model of the world is built up by the deluded system, centered on self-grasping. When we look at the world through this mistaken model, it is like a person wearing tinted glasses: the world you see has long since been filtered through the glasses. You think you are seeing the real thing, but in truth it is colored by your own biases.
-
-What is most fatal is that we do not know how mistaken this understanding is. We cling to it, and it gives rise to a great deal of affliction, a great deal of suffering. Amid this affliction and suffering, we continue to face problems with this mistaken understanding, producing still more affliction, still more suffering. How can we change this state of affairs? We must possess the wisdom that recognizes the truth of life. Who can tell us about this wisdom? Only the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Because the buddhas and bodhisattvas have accomplished great wisdom, they can see the delusion in the lives of ordinary beings and, at the same time, see the truth of the world. If we possess the wisdom that recognizes the truth, if we possess correct views, we can walk out of the deluded system.
-
-"Even though you have cultivated renunciation and bodhicitta..." If we lack the wisdom that realizes the way things truly are, even though we may cultivate renunciation and cultivate bodhicitta, they remain merely a beautiful wish---they remain conventional bodhicitta. Of course, this kind of bodhicitta is still useful. But it cannot completely cut off the root of saṃsāra or free us from the deluded state of our lives.
-
-"...you cannot cut the root of existence." What is meant by the root of existence? *Existence* refers to the three realms of existence. The root of existence is the basis that produces saṃsāra---namely, ignorance, delusion, and afflictions. What can cut off the root of saṃsāra? It must be the wisdom of emptiness. This is why Chan speaks of "illuminating the mind and seeing one's nature." Only in this way can we fundamentally cut off the root of delusion.
-
-"Therefore, strive to understand dependent origination." The wisdom of emptiness has two levels. One is what is gained through hearing and reflection---the worldly level. The other is direct realization---the supramundane level. At the worldly level, it can also help us gradually eliminate afflictions. But for a complete resolution, the supramundane wisdom of emptiness is essential. How can we become equipped with the wisdom of emptiness? We must diligently work to understand dependent origination, learning to look at the world and view all phenomena through the lens of dependent origination.
-
-"Dependent origination" represents the Buddhadharma's understanding of the world. Buddhism does not hold that the world was created by a god, nor that the world is a product of chance. As mentioned earlier, Buddhism's understanding of the world comes down to four words: causes and conditions, cause and effect. "All phenomena arise from causes and conditions; all phenomena cease when causes and conditions cease. Our Buddha, the great Śramaṇa, always taught in this way." Everything that exists is a manifestation of causes and conditions. When various conditions (causes and conditions) come together, things arise. When conditions deteriorate, things disappear. This is why we speak of arising and ceasing through conditions, gathering and dispersing through conditions.
-
-Just like this table, this house, this flower---indeed, all things---they are all assemblies of many causes and conditions. Apart from causes and conditions, they have no self-nature. What is self-nature? Take this flower, for instance: is there a flower that can exist on its own, without depending on conditions? Let us think further: is there anything in this world that can exist on its own, apart from conditions? No. Everything is born from causes and conditions; all existence is merely an illusory appearance of causes and conditions. We call this thing a "table," but in truth, "table" is simply an imputed name. Must it necessarily be called a table? Not really. Table, house---all things---are likewise just imputed names. But after people assign these names, they cling to this thing as being a table, cling to the real existence of the table, taking it as independently existing, not dependent on conditions. They then go further and deem it good or bad, very valuable or worthless. All these definitions are in fact added by people. Objectively speaking, these things are simply a heap of illusory appearances of causes and conditions, illusory appearances of conditions.
-
-What the Buddhadharma's wisdom of dependent origination tells us---and this is the key point---is that the self-nature of all things is empty. What is self-nature? It is that which can exist eternally without depending on conditions. For instance, a flower that exists eternally independent of conditions, a table that exists eternally independent of conditions, a house that exists eternally independent of conditions... Do any of these exist? None of them do. Yet, in our conceptual framework, we always feel that such a thing exists. We do not know how to observe things from the standpoint of dependent origination; we tend to look at problems in isolation and project our own values onto them, taking it for granted that things must be just as we see them. If they are not, we become unhappy. This is the hallmark of an ordinary being. To study Buddhism, we must learn to look at the world through the right view of dependent origination.
-
-"Whoever sees that all things, worldly and beyond the world..." Worldly phenomena are contaminated; phenomena beyond the world are uncontaminated. The realm of ordinary beings is contaminated. The realm of buddhas and bodhisattvas, the realm of sages, is uncontaminated.
-
-"...arise from causes as results, unfailingly." Whether it is the life phenomena of ordinary beings or the life phenomena of sages, none is separate from the law of cause and effect. The teaching of the Four Noble Truths that Buddhism expounds---suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path---contains two sets of cause and effect. Suffering and its cause represent the cause and effect of saṃsāric existence. Cessation and the path represent the cause and effect of liberation. If you wish to be liberated, you must follow the cause and effect of liberation---from right view and right intention of the Noble Eightfold Path to right mindfulness and right concentration, ultimately arriving at liberation. Therefore, whether worldly or supramundane phenomena, all arise from causes and produce results. This is genuinely true.
-
-Some people, having heard the Buddhadharma speak of the emptiness of the four great elements, think that they can be indifferent to everything. If you think this way, that is a view of annihilation---the most dangerous of all. The Buddhadharma says: "Better to have a view of self as vast as Mount Sumeru than to arouse a view of emptiness as fine as a single hair." That is to say, it would be better to have an extremely weighty view of self---even vaster than Mount Sumeru---than to have even the slightest annihilatory view. This is because those who hold the view of annihilation do not believe in cause and effect; they fear nothing and have no moral bottom line. That is truly terrifying.
-
-Nowadays, many people hold the view of annihilation. This is because we are deeply influenced by the materialist notion that "a person dies like a lamp going out." They feel that after death there is nothing at all, and so they fear nothing. Modern people pursue nothing but profit, lacking any moral bottom line or code of conduct. All of this is connected to the absence of belief in cause and effect and the absence of a sense of awe. Thus we can say that the view of annihilation has a negative impact on both the growth of an individual's life and the stability of society as a whole. It is extremely dangerous.
-
-The Buddhadharma holds that the world operates according to the laws of dependent origination and cause and effect. The *Stages of the Path* speaks of four general principles of karma: karma is definite; karma does not bring results for actions not performed; karma once performed does not dissipate; and karma expands and grows. This tells us: the karma we create will certainly bring its result; karma we have not created will not bring a result; karma we have created will not be lost; and karma is developmental. As the saying goes, "Even after a hundred thousand eons, the karma one has created does not perish. When the causes and conditions converge, one must bear the result oneself." When you plant a karmic seed in your mind, even if a hundred thousand eons pass, that seed is still there. Once the conditions ripen, the time has come to experience the result. As it is said, "It is not that there is no retribution---the time has simply not yet come. When the time comes, retribution is certain."
-
-We should not think that when we die, everything is wiped clean. It is not that simple. If everything simply ended, that would be easy to deal with. The trouble is precisely that we cannot simply die and be done with it. This torment of affliction, this suffering of saṃsāra, this suffering of the hell realms---they make you unable to bear living, yet unable to die. Even if you wanted to die, it would not be so easy.
-
-"And that the objects of clinging are utterly without basis." Cause and effect certainly exist, but the clinging we impose upon the phenomena of cause and effect does not. The Buddhadharma has a vivid analogy for this principle. It is like seeing a rope at night when the light is poor. You mistake the rope for a snake, feel very frightened, and are scared into illness. Objectively speaking, does the rope exist? Yes. Does the snake exist? No. But in our understanding, there is a snake, and no rope.
-
-"The objects of clinging" refers to our mistaken fixations. It tells us: you mistake the rope for a snake, but the solid, real snake that bites---the snake you believe in---objectively does not exist at all. It is just like our present understanding: we feel that the body is me, that thoughts are me, and that this or that is me. We feel that this table is very real, very valuable or not valuable, good-looking or not good-looking... None of this belongs to the table itself. Objectively, it does not exist; we have added it on.
-
-Why must we eliminate these mistaken fixations? Because these fixations bind us to things, ceaselessly driving us this way and that, and then developing into afflictions. Because of mistaken fixations, we ceaselessly produce suffering and endlessly cycle through saṃsāra. We must recognize that these imputations are mistaken and do not actually exist. Only then can we let go of clinging. Otherwise, we will believe that something is good, that it has value, that we need it, and that obtaining it will make everything wonderful... Thus we live within the feelings produced by all kinds of imputations. Only by recognizing that the objects of clinging do not actually exist and by seeing them as they truly are can we be free from clinging and craving toward these phenomena and transcend them.
-
-As long as there is clinging, you are bound. So it is you yourself who take a rope and tie yourself to the table. No one else binds you. We keep manufacturing ropes, one moment tying ourselves to a car, the next moment tying ourselves to a house, the next moment tying ourselves to some person. Then we tie more and more, the tangle grows bigger and bigger, and eventually we cannot move at all. Think about it: aren't we doing this every day? Once we see the truth of life clearly, we will realize that ordinary beings are truly foolish---and not just a little.
-
-"They have entered the path that delights the Buddha." When you truly realize that all phenomena arise from causes and conditions and that cause and effect are not false, and at the same time recognize that the imputations you impose on cause and effect and dependent origination are non-existent, you can then gain correct understanding and the wisdom of emptiness. This is the wisdom by which the Buddha guides us to realize and attain liberation---a sharp sword to help us cut our bonds, and a great gate for walking out of saṃsāra. Without this sharp sword, without opening this gate, we can never cut off our afflictions or transcend saṃsāra.
-
-### 5.2. The Measure of Having Generated Right View
-
-The following verses explain the measure of having generated right view, helping us understand the relationship between emptiness and existence.
-
-As long as you see the two---the unfailing appearance of dependent origination, and emptiness free from all assertions---as separate and contradictory, you have not yet realized the Buddha's intent.
-
-When, at last, these two realizations arise at once, without alternation, and merely seeing dependent origination as unfailing brings the certitude that destroys all grasping to objects---at that time, your analysis of the view is complete.
-
-We already have our own understanding of emptiness and existence. For example, we think this table exists, and that nothingness is emptiness. When we speak of existence, we easily imagine it as eternal, truly unchanging. When we speak of emptiness, we tend to think of it as total nothingness. In our conceptual framework, emptiness and existence are opposites---they cannot coexist. If something exists, it cannot be empty; if it is empty, it cannot exist. Our minds are filled with views of permanence and views of annihilation. These mistaken views manufactured by ignorance bring us suffering; they bring us saṃsāra. So what is the Madhyamaka right view that Master Tsongkhapa reveals to us?
-
-"The unfailing appearance of dependent origination." What is dependent origination? It is the phenomenon that arises from the coming together of causes and conditions. This is genuinely true, not non-existent. We must certainly recognize that cause and effect exist. But in what sense do they exist? This is the crucial point. Whenever we speak of "existence," we immediately think of it as real, fixed, and eternal. But when the Buddhadharma speaks of "existence," it often adds one more word: "illusory." This existence is an illusory existence, an illusory appearance of causes and conditions---not a truly unchanging existence. Within this existence, apart from the combination of conditions, no fixed and unchanging self-nature can be found.
-
-In ancient times, people believed that matter could be divided down to the smallest indivisible unit---something like atoms, called "subtle particles" (*paramāṇu*) in India---and that these particles constituted the entire universe. But from the perspective of the Buddhadharma, there is no such indivisible entity. Early Consciousness-Only masters criticized this idea, questioning: if there is an indivisible entity, then does this subtle particle have shape? Because as a material entity, it must have shape. If it has shape, it must also have six faces, which means it can be further divided. The Madhyamaka teaching of emptiness of self-nature likewise refutes this indivisible entity, holding that any given thing is a combination of conditions, and that no entity existing independently of conditions can be found. Modern quantum mechanics, through its analysis of the material world, proposes wave-particle duality, which from another angle also confirms the Buddhadharma's view---that there is no entity that cannot be further divided.
-
-In summary, from the material world to our mental phenomena, nothing has a fixed, unchanging self-nature that is independent of conditions. Although we see that dependent origination is not false---we see that it exists---we must be clear that this existence is an illusory existence of compounded causes and conditions; it is not truly real.
-
-"Emptiness free from all assertions---these two..." The emptiness we ordinarily understand is the emptiness of nothing at all---a one-sided emptiness, a skewed emptiness, a blank emptiness. The emptiness that Buddhism speaks of is the emptiness of self-nature. Because all phenomena are dependently arisen, without self-nature, without any essential quality that exists independently of conditions, they are therefore said to be empty. This is what the *Heart Sūtra* means by "form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form."
-
-"Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form" tells us that the existence of material phenomena and the emptiness of self-nature are not two different things, but two different descriptions of the same matter. For example, this table is both form and emptiness. Going further: "Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form." Because form is dependently arisen and without self-nature, right here and now it is empty. This emptiness of self-nature does not hinder the appearance of dependent origination. The very moment of dependent origination is itself empty; the very moment of emptiness is itself dependent origination. The emptiness of dependent origination, and the dependent origination of emptiness, simultaneously describe the same thing---there is not the slightest conflict.
-
-Anyone who has read the *Diamond Sūtra* knows the famous formula within it: "What is called X is not X; therefore it is called X." For example, take this table: what is called a table is not a table; therefore it is called a table.
-
-"What is called a table" tells us that this table is a coming together of causes and conditions. "Is not a table" tells us that the existence of the table is composed of many elements that are not tables. "Therefore it is called a table" tells us that we impute a name---"table"---onto these many non-table elements. The table itself is actually empty; it exists dependent on conditions, not in its own right. If we try to investigate the essence of a table, apart from conditions, we simply cannot find it, because it is nothing but a heap of illusory appearances. So we can say that the essence of a table is empty.
-
-Does this mean there is no table? That is not right either. The phenomenon of a table does exist, and we have also assigned it the imputed name "table." But this phenomenon is an illusory appearance assembled from conditions, and its essence is empty, without self-nature. If we recognize that the table is empty, without self-nature---that it is merely an illusory appearance of conditions---this is the understanding of the Middle Way; this is the right contemplation of prajñā.
-
-We must also learn to apply the right contemplation of prajñā to observe every matter and every person in our lives. Your wealth: what is called wealth is not wealth; therefore it is called wealth. Your family: what is called family is not family; therefore it is called family. Or alternatively: family is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from family. Family itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is family. By observing in this way regularly, we can free ourselves from the mistaken fixations about wealth and family, and the clinging and afflictions built upon them will then dissolve accordingly.
-
-Buddhism speaks of three kinds of prajñā: from prajñā of the written word to prajñā of contemplation, and from prajñā of contemplation to prajñā of reality. To study the Buddhadharma is to gain the wisdom of the Buddhadharma, to transform it into our own views, and through it to observe the world and handle every matter.
-
-"As long as you see the two as separate and contradictory, you have not yet realized the Buddha's intent." If at any point you think that dependent origination and emptiness are opposites, in conflict, two separate matters---existence is simply existence, emptiness is simply emptiness, what exists is not empty and what is empty does not exist---then it means you have not yet understood the right view of the Buddhadharma, and have not yet grasped the Madhyamaka right view that the Buddha reveals to us.
-
-"When, at last, these two realizations arise at once, without alternation." Once you have wisdom, when you face external objects, at the same time as you see existence, you can also see that it is empty, without self-nature. At the same time as you see emptiness, you can also see the clear presence of illusory appearances. This kind of observation of existence and emptiness is what is meant by "arising at once, without alternation." It is not first observing existence and then observing emptiness, or first observing emptiness and then observing existence---that would be alternating.
-
-This is precisely what the *Heart Sūtra* says: "Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. The same is true of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness." In addition, the sutra says: "No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or phenomena; no realm of sight and so forth up to no realm of consciousness. No ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, up to no old age and death and also no ending of old age and death." This too guides us to observe that the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen realms are empty in their very substance. Going further, we observe that birth and death, saṃsāra, are empty. Everything---at the very moment we see the existence of dependent origination, we recognize that its essence is empty. Yet while recognizing its emptiness, we can also understand the manifestation of illusory appearances of causes and conditions. This non-duality of emptiness and existence is what is meant by "without alternation."
-
-"Merely seeing dependent origination as unfailing." Unfailing means that everything of dependent origination is clearly a matter of cause and effect---it is not non-existent. But when ordinary people see dependent origination, they fall into the imagined nature. The Consciousness-Only school's threefold division of reality is "the imagined nature, the dependent nature, and the perfected nature." The dependent nature refers to all dependently arisen phenomena. The imagined nature is the mistaken understanding we produce about these dependently arisen phenomena. Through this threefold division, we can separate our mistaken understanding of phenomena from the phenomena themselves.
-
-In the conceptual framework of ordinary beings, we have long been accustomed to conflating the two. For example, when we see something, we feel that it is very valuable. But in truth, this is an imputation you have added, without any essential connection to the thing itself. Likewise, when you feel something is beautiful or ugly, that too is an imputation you have made about it. These imputations arise after you absorb a certain culture and combine it with your own needs. In fact, what you feel about something is not equivalent to what it is in itself. These two must absolutely be separated. But ordinary people tend to think: however this thing seems to me, that is how it is. Once we have this kind of understanding, we produce clinging, along with various emotions and afflictions such as greed and anger. The Consciousness-Only school's concept of the imagined nature tells us that mistaken understanding is invariably accompanied by clinging; the two are inseparable.
-
-How can we, when facing external objects, see only dependently arisen phenomena without triggering clinging and craving toward them? We must enter the level of contemplation, the level of the wisdom of emptiness. Then, when facing any problem, the mind is like a mirror, presenting everything just as it is without bringing judgment and clinging into play---neither adding anything nor subtracting anything.
-
-Our usual understanding, by contrast, is like coating the mirror with a layer of color and then viewing things through this layer of color. What you see, then, is all reflected through this layer of color. And so, whenever we deal with any issue, we always bring with us the mistaken views and unwholesome emotions that have formed over a long time. This is the condition of an ordinary being---I think many people have experienced this for themselves.
-
-"Brings the certitude that destroys all grasping to objects." Practice is about removing this layer of color---no longer wearing tinted glasses, no longer letting the mind fall into mistaken views and unwholesome emotions, but instead entering the level of the wisdom of emptiness. Then everything you see is exactly as it is---presented as it truly is---and at the same time, there is no clinging whatsoever.
-
-"At that time, your analysis of the view is complete." At this point, your view is complete. Only then can you truly see dependent origination---see that all existence is merely illusory appearances of causes and conditions, and that its essence is without self-nature. And while it is without self-nature, right here and now, this does not hinder its manifestation through causes and conditions. With the Madhyamaka right view in place, we will see very clearly.
-
-"Moreover, appearance dispels the extreme of existence." Once we possess right view, we can free ourselves from extreme views. In Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva's *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā*, there is a verse: "Neither arising nor ceasing, neither permanent nor annihilated, neither coming nor going, neither identical nor different. To him who taught this dependent origination, the perfect queller of all conceptual constructs, I bow my head in homage---the foremost of all teachers." Arising and ceasing, permanence and annihilation, coming and going, identity and difference---these are all extreme views. And the *Heart Sūtra*'s "neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither arising nor ceasing" likewise helps us break through the extreme views of defilement and purity, increase and decrease, arising and ceasing.
-
-When we speak of arising, we tend to think of it as having self-nature, overlooking causes and conditions. For example, the birth of a child---it seems as though the parents just produced it, and when the child dies, it is simply gone. In truth, the arising and ceasing of any phenomenon are simply the gathering and dispersing of conditions, the functioning of many causes and conditions. Apart from causes and conditions, nothing is born, and nothing can be said to have disappeared. With this Madhyamaka right view, we can, while seeing dependent origination, recognize that this existence is merely an illusory appearance of causes and conditions, thereby dispelling the extreme of existence, dispelling the view of permanence.
-
-"And emptiness dispels the extreme of non-existence." When we understand emptiness, we must realize that this is the emptiness of self-nature---not that there is nothing at all, but simply that there is no self-nature. This emptiness does not hinder the existence of dependent origination. Therefore, when we speak of emptiness, we must dispel the extreme of non-existence---that is, the one-sided emptiness, skewed emptiness, blank emptiness, and the view of annihilation.
-
-"When you know how emptiness manifests as cause and effect." When we realize that everything is without self-nature and is empty, at this level, cause, effect, and dependent origination are clearly present, and we will not negate dependent origination and cause and effect. That is to say, emptiness and existence can coexist.
-
-"You will not be carried away by views that cling to extremes." Only with the Madhyamaka right view in place can we avoid being driven by extreme views and the clinging to extreme views.
-
-First, establish the Madhyamaka right view at the level of hearing and reflection. Then, through the meditative practice of śamatha-vipaśyanā, through the prajñā of contemplation, transform the right view of hearing and reflection into the supramundane Madhyamaka right view, realizing the prajñā of reality. Right view is the wisdom that knows the truth of things. As the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, it can free us from the confusion and afflictions within our lives. Because saṃsāra has ignorance as its root, only wisdom can completely cut off ignorance. Therefore, on the path to liberation, right view is the very core.
-
-Studying the *Three Principal Aspects of the Path* provides us with an important right view---the prajñā-Madhyamaka view of emptiness.
-
-{#六结束分 .unnumbered}
-{.unnumbered}
-## 6. Concluding Section
-
-Once you have truly realized the essential points of these Three Principal Aspects of the Path, rely on solitude and apply yourself with diligence---quickly accomplish the ultimate goal.
-
-In conclusion, this is Master Tsongkhapa's exhortation to us: now that you have understood the essence of the Buddhadharma, you should earnestly reflect upon it, practice it, and realize it, to accomplish the liberation of your life.
-
-"Once you have truly realized the essential points of these Three Principal Aspects of the Path." The renunciation, bodhicitta, and view of emptiness described above are the author's---Master Tsongkhapa's---summary introduction to practice. The view of emptiness, for instance, is explained in just five verses. If we were to fully elaborate, the three great treatises---Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva's *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā* and *Dvādaśanikāyaśāstra*, and Āryadeva Bodhisattva's *Śataśāstra*---are mainly devoted to introducing the view of emptiness. The six hundred fascicles of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra* also focus on guiding us to establish the view of emptiness. The *Heart Sūtra*, which I have been teaching often these past few years, likewise helps us establish the Madhyamaka right view, including how to apply right view in meditation. You may wish to listen to those teachings; they will help you deepen your practice.
-
-"Once you have truly realized... rely on solitude and apply your diligence in reflection." Once we have truly and thoroughly understood the content of the Three Principal Aspects, and can correctly grasp and accept the Dharma principles set forth within them, we should then find a quiet place and diligently engage in reflection and meditation, bringing the right view of hearing and reflection into our mental practice.
-
-"Quickly accomplish the ultimate goal." What is the ultimate goal? It is buddhahood---the accomplishment of unsurpassed bodhi. This is the most important and most meaningful undertaking in life.
-
-That everyone here has the causes and conditions to listen to the *Three Principal Aspects of the Path* is due to your roots of goodness, merit, and karmic connections from past lives. Having studied the *Stages of the Path* and the *Three Principal Aspects of the Path*, we can say that we have now recognized the core of the Buddhadharma. For those of you who have come from various places to attend this meditation retreat, if you have the resolve to study Buddhism further, you can organize groups to practice together. At present, we have started "Stages of the Path classes" in Shanghai, Suzhou, and other places. These mainly involve listening to the 114-lecture CD series of the *Middle-Length Treatise* that I recorded for the students of the Jiechuang Buddhist Studies Institute; the content is far more complete than what we have covered here. We also have a book called *The Way of the Stages of the Path*, which gives an outline of how to practice the *Stages of the Path*. If you wish to go further along the bodhi path, you should study it well.
-
-Based on my own experience in study and practice, this is the fastest and most effective method to help everyone walk the path of liberation and the bodhisattva path. If you all apply yourselves sincerely, we will provide further support.
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions — 75【如何建立信仰】 (How to Establish Faith)
-
-Translator: agent (self-review mode)
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Self-review complete. Three categories of fixes applied to target.dj. No remaining accuracy or fluency issues flagged.
-
-## Applied Fixes
-
-### 1. DoT定稿 terminology alignment
-
-| Term | Before | After | Source |
-|------|--------|-------|--------|
-| 三级修学 | three-level practice system/model/program | Three-Stage Practice | DoT定稿 |
-| 同喜班 | Joyful Fellowship class | Collective Joy Course | DoT定稿 |
-| 同修班 | Cultivation Fellowship class | Collective Practice Course | DoT定稿 |
-| 同德班 | Virtue Fellowship class | Collective Virtue Course | DoT定稿 |
-| 人生佛教 | Buddhism for daily life | Buddhism for Human Life | 佛教术语 |
-
-All occurrences globally replaced; verified no orphan patterns remain.
-
-### 2. Terminology decisions carried forward from first draft (no fix needed)
-
-| Chinese | English rendering | Rationale |
-|---------|------------------|-----------|
-| 皈依体 | refuge essence | Not in terms DB; coined consistently |
-| 三级修学 → Three-Stage Practice | Kept lower-case "practice" in running text | Follows DoT定稿 casing |
-| 自性三宝 | intrinsic Three Jewels | Standard Buddhist idiom |
-| 集资净障 | accumulate merit and purify obstacles | Standard; avoids "gather provisions" which is too literal |
-| 现行熏种子 | current actions perfume seeds | Yogācāra standard |
-
-### 3. Style/voice notes (no fix needed)
-
- Speaker's 语气 preserved: first-person "I often say" patterns, rhetorical questions, reasoning connectives (so it is clear, thus, in sum)
- TOC: plain bullet list, anchors as plain placeholders `{#}` per convention
- Single `*` for Djot emphasis, no `**`
- Line count verified: 445 source = 445 target
-
-## Open Considerations
-
-None. Translation ready for peer review or typesetting.
@@ -1,140 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings — 75【如何建立信仰】 (How to Establish Faith)
-
-Reviewer: agent (peer review of target.dj vs source.dj)
-Date: 2026-08-07
-
-Note: edit-suggestions.dj (2026-08-06) declares "no remaining accuracy or fluency issues" — that file is stale. The items below were found in a full side-by-side re-read of all 445 lines.
-
-## Summary
-
- Completeness: full. All 33 headings and every source paragraph are present, line-aligned 1:1 (239 non-blank lines each side). No omissions, no untranslated passages.
- Terminology: broadly consistent and well-chosen (Three-Stage Practice, Collective Joy/Practice/Virtue Courses, refuge essence, analytical/placement meditation, śamatha-vipaśyanā, bodhicitta). A few drift points noted below.
- Two major accuracy errors, both in quoted doctrinal content; the rest are minor.
-
-## Critical
-
-None found.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. 发愿 mistranslated as "dedication of merit"; 回向 as "transference of merit" — the vow is lost
-
- Location: target.dj line 302 (§ IV.2 Practicing the Three Refuges, first paragraph).
- Source: 包含发心、忏悔、供养、观察修、安住修、发愿、回向等一系列内容。
- Current: "...which includes a complete sequence of generating aspiration, repentance, offerings, analytical meditation, placement meditation, dedication of merit, and transference of merit."
- Problem: 发愿 (making vows) and 回向 (dedication of merit) are two distinct liturgical items, but the translation renders both as merit-transference terms ("dedication of merit" / "transference of merit" are synonyms). 发愿 disappears entirely, and the list appears to contain a redundancy the source does not have.
- Fix: "...placement meditation, making vows, and dedication of merit." (发愿 = making vows; 回向 = dedication of merit.)
-
-### M2. The definition of 信 from the 百法明门论 is mistranslated
-
- Location: target.dj line 162 (§ II.3, 正觉的佛教).
- Source: 其定义是"于实德能深忍乐欲，心净为信"。
- Current: "...defined as 'deeply bearing in mind the real, the virtuous, and the capable with joyful aspiration — faith is purity of mind.'"
- Problem: 深忍 is profound acceptance/conviction in the truth of the object (the first of the three aspects of śraddhā: conviction 忍, aspiration 欲, purity 净), not "bearing in mind." This is a verbatim doctrinal definition the speaker uses to derive his three criteria; getting it wrong distorts the technical meaning.
- Fix: "...defined as 'profound conviction and joyful aspiration toward the real, the virtuous, and the capable — purity of mind is faith.'"
-
-## Minor
-
-### m1. Line 271 — refuge vow gloss adds "Worthy One" and misreads 为我所尊
-
- Source: 皈依佛，如来至尊等正觉为我所尊…
- Current: "the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One is my honored teacher"
- "Worthy One" (arhat) does not appear in the source and does not parse 至尊等正觉 (supreme and perfectly awakened); 为我所尊 is "is the one I venerate / hold as supreme," not "my honored teacher."
- Fix: "I go for refuge to the Buddha — the Tathāgata, supreme and perfectly awakened, is the one I venerate; I shall never go for refuge to misguided teachers or unorthodox paths."
-
-### m2. Line 286 — 住持三宝 rendered "manifest Three Jewels"
-
- 住持三宝 is a fixed term: the "abiding" (or "presiding/sustaining") Three Jewels — Buddha images, scriptures, and the monastic Sangha that keep the Dharma present in the world. "Manifest" is non-standard and loses the sense of 住世 ("abiding in the world") that the very next clause explains (正法住世).
- Fix: "As the abiding Three Jewels, the Sangha jewel is the symbol of the true Dharma's presence in the world…"
-
-### m3. Line 306 — "the Tang monk Xuanzang" conflates the fictional pilgrim with the historical monk
-
- Source: 就像《西游记》中，唐僧取经要经过九九八十一难.
- The *Journey to the West* character is Tang Sanzang/Tripitaka. Since Xuanzang the historical pilgrim appears in his own right at line 164 ("Xuanzang's ten-thousand-mile westward journey"), using "Xuanzang" for the novel's 唐僧 invites confusion.
- Fix: "…where the monk Tang Sanzang (Tripitaka) had to pass through eighty-one ordeals…"
-
-### m4. Lines 188 and 426 — 心相续 rendered inconsistently ("mental continuum" / "mindstream")
-
- Line 188 uses both within one sentence pair ("their mental continuum" … "enter our mindstream"); line 367 uses "mental continuum"; line 426 uses "mindstream."
- Fix: standardize on "mental continuum" (or "mindstream") throughout.
-
-### m5. Line 204 — song title 《老无所依》 rendered "No Country for Old Men"
-
- The literal rendering collides with the well-known McCarthy novel / Coen brothers film title, which will mislead English readers into thinking a Western work is being quoted.
- Fix: "There is a song called 'Nothing to Rely On in Old Age' (老无所依)…" or add a clarifying gloss.
-
-### m6. Line 211 — 中国好人 rendered "Model Chinese Citizens"
-
- 中国好人 refers to the official "Good People of China" commendation ("China Good Person" list); "Model Chinese Citizens" invents a different program.
- Fix: "…so was Lei Feng, and the 'Good People of China' selected every year."
-
-### m7. Line 108 — the generational-轮回 joke drops 成家立业
-
- Source: 陪着儿女再经历一番从成家立业到过好一点的轮回.
- Current: "accompanying them through their own cycle from building a career to living a bit better" — omits the marrying/forming-a-family half of 成家立业, weakening the parallel with the parents' cycle described just before ("getting married and building a career").
- Fix: "…their own cycle from marrying and building a career to living a bit better…"
-
-### m8. Line 103 — "long and widely mischaracterized" adds "widely"
-
- Source: 这更是一个被长期误读的观点 ("a viewpoint that has long been misread"). The translation adds "widely," which the source does not claim.
- Fix: "…a tool for the ruling class to control the people — a view that has long been misread."
-
-### m9. Line 176 (heading) and throughout — 前行 rendered "Prerequisites"
-
- In refuge/practice contexts 前行/正行 is the standard pair "preliminaries / main practice." "Prerequisites" is intelligible but off-register for the genre, and line 178 then has to say "the prerequisites and the main practice fall short," which reads oddly.
- Fix: heading "The Preliminaries and Main Practice of Taking Refuge"; adjust line 176/178 accordingly ("the preliminaries have been inadequately prepared").
-
-### m10. Line 144 — 相似相续 rendered "similar-yet-continuing"
-
- "Similar-yet-continuing" is calque-awkward. 相似相续 (saṃtati of resemblance, neither identical nor different) is usually rendered "a continuity of resemblance" or "continuous succession without identity."
- Fix: "But Buddhism sees life as a continuity of resemblance — neither permanent nor annihilated…"
-
-### m11. Line 317 — 成效 rendered "benchmarks"
-
- Source: 次第就是流程，做好一件事的先后顺序是什么，每个阶段的成效是什么 ("what results each stage yields"). "Benchmarks" shifts from observed results to preset standards.
- Fix: "The sequence is the process — the order of steps for doing something well, and the results to be expected at each stage."
-
-### m12. Lines 282 and 367 — 五欲六尘 rendered "the five objects and six dusts"
-
- "Six dusts" is a calque unfamiliar outside Buddhist-studies circles; the text is a general-audience Dharma talk.
- Fix: "the five sensual pleasures and six sense objects" (or add a one-time gloss).
-
-### m13. Line 348 — 《瑜伽菩萨戒品》 rendered "*Yogācāra Bodhisattva Precepts*"
-
- The text is the Bodhisattva Precepts chapter (戒品) of the *Yogācārabhūmi*; the current rendering reads like a standalone work.
- Fix: "…the *Bodhicaryāvatāra* and the Bodhisattva Precepts chapter of the *Yogācārabhūmi*…"
-
-### m14. Lines 348 and 436 — 三士道 rendered "the three types of practitioners"
-
- In the Lamrim context invoked here (道前基础， 下中上三士道), the established English is "the three scopes" or "persons of the three capacities." "Three types of practitioners" is comprehensible but non-standard and blurs 三士 (the persons) with 道 (the path).
- Fix: "…including the preliminary foundation and the paths of the three scopes (persons of small, middling, and great capacity)…"; at line 436: "…are also called the three scopes, representing three levels of Buddhist practice."
-
-### m15. Line 404 — pronoun slips from first person to "you" mid-anecdote
-
- Current: "Influenced by my family, I began studying Buddhism… this sense of 'soundness' was only because *you* accepted this education from the start — a default-mode approval…"
- The Chinese 你 is generic, but inside a first-person narrative the shift reads as an error.
- Fix: "…was only because I had accepted this education from the start — a default-mode approval that was never, in fact, very deeply felt."
-
-### m16. Line 373 — explanation of 串 in 串习 is awkward
-
- Current: "The Chinese character for 'habit-string' is telling: it is a string of beads strung together…"
- "Habit-string" is not an English word; "a string of beads" adds 珠子, which is not in the source (一串串连起来).
- Fix: "The character chuàn in chuànxí (habitual pattern) is telling: it depicts things strung together, one after another — thought after thought in continuous succession, like an unbroken thread."
-
-### m17. Line 255 — mixed metaphor for 熏: "perfume" vs "impregnate"
-
- 现行熏种子 is "current actions perfume seeds," but later in the same paragraph 熏下了种子 becomes "actions in turn impregnate new seeds." The Yogācāra "perfuming" metaphor should be kept uniform.
- Fix: "…on the other hand, actions in turn perfume new seeds."
-
-### m18. Line 135 — 讨伐 rendered "crusades"
-
- 对异教徒的多次讨伐 is "repeated campaigns/expeditions against infidels." "Crusades" narrows it to the specific medieval Crusades; the speaker means religious persecution generally.
- Fix: "…has sparked repeated persecutions of non-believers throughout history."
-
-## Verified as correct (no action needed)
-
- Completeness and alignment: 445/445 lines, 33/33 headings, all subsections (1)–(5), (1)–(3) present in order; no dropped sentences detected in any paragraph.
- DoT定稿 terminology from edit-suggestions.dj (Three-Stage Practice, Collective Joy/Practice/Virtue Courses, Buddhism for Human Life) is applied consistently.
- Scripture titles consistent: *Diamond Sutra* (246, 350, 361), *Heart Sutra* (350, 361), *A Handbook for Refuge Practice* (51, 195, 293, 346), *The Liturgy for Group Refuge Practice* (47, 302), *Mahāyāna-śatadharma-prakāśa-mukha-śāstra* (162, 348), Bodhicaryāvatāra, Madhyānta-vibhāga, Triṃśikā, Platform Sutra.
- Twelve links of dependent origination (148), Three Dharma Seals (144), eight benefits of refuge (195), the eight steps and three types of meditation (359–381), the six sufferings list (432) — all accurate and complete.
- Idioms generally well domesticated: "shooting a pearl at a sparrow" (明珠弹雀, 166), "gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well" (坐井观天, 436), "rubber check" (空头支票, 365), "angels in white / engineers of the soul" (225).
@@ -1,445 +0,0 @@
-# 如何建立信仰
-
------2016年讲于第十三届菩提静修营
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、人类需要宗教信仰吗？ [2](#一人类需要宗教信仰吗)](#一人类需要宗教信仰吗)
-
-[1．宗教信仰解决什么 [3](#宗教信仰解决什么)](#宗教信仰解决什么)
-
-[2．对宗教信仰的误读 [5](#对宗教信仰的误读)](#对宗教信仰的误读)
-
-[二、为什么信仰佛教 [6](#二为什么信仰佛教)](#二为什么信仰佛教)
-
-[1．世间的"信仰” [6](#世间的信仰)](#世间的信仰)
-
-[2．从多神到一神 [7](#从多神到一神)](#从多神到一神)
-
-[3．正觉的佛教 [8](#正觉的佛教)](#正觉的佛教)
-
-[三、佛教信仰的建立 [10](#三佛教信仰的建立)](#三佛教信仰的建立)
-
-[1．皈依的前行和正行 [10](#皈依的前行和正行)](#皈依的前行和正行)
-
-[2．皈依的作用 [11](#皈依的作用)](#皈依的作用)
-
-[四、信仰的防护 [15](#四信仰的防护)](#四信仰的防护)
-
-[1．守护皈依体 [16](#守护皈依体)](#守护皈依体)
-
-[2．修习三皈依 [18](#修习三皈依)](#修习三皈依)
-
-[五、信仰的增长 [18](#五信仰的增长)](#五信仰的增长)
-
-[1．有次第的修学 [19](#有次第的修学)](#有次第的修学)
-
-[2．有效的修学 [21](#有效的修学)](#有效的修学)
-
-[六、信仰的提升 [23](#六信仰的提升)](#六信仰的提升)
-
-[1．提升的基础 [24](#提升的基础)](#提升的基础)
-
-[2．提升的方法 [26](#提升的方法)](#提升的方法)
-
-[七、结束语 [27](#七结束语)](#七结束语)
-
-如何建立信仰，是弘法中经常涉及的主题。早在2000年，我曾参加有关访谈，后整理为《当代宗教信仰问题的思考》。自2004年以来，我又多次围绕"皈依”举办讲座，后整理为《皈依修学手册》。与此同时，还编写了《皈依共修仪轨》，并在各地推广，希望为佛弟子们营造常规的宗教生活，以此强化信仰，增进道心。从宣讲法义到倡导共修，是将信仰建设从理论落地为实践的过程。可以说，这是我修学、弘法中的一次转折，也是其后一系列思考，包括架构三级修学的基础。
-
-为什么汉传佛教在宋元之后日渐衰落？关键就在于，缺乏一套简明而行之有效的大众化修学体系。宗派越来越庞杂，理论越来越繁复，与此对应的，则是明眼师长越来越少，学人根机越来越钝。如何解决这一困境？必须从基础建设抓起。
-
-佛教虽然有八万四千法门，但究其核心，离不开皈依、发心、戒律、正见、止观五大要素。其中，皈依是佛法的根本，发心是修学的根本，戒律是僧团的根本，正见和止观是解脱的根本。对皈依的正确认识，如法的皈依仪式，及皈依后的次第修学，不仅是我们走入佛门的前提，也是佛教健康传播的保障。所以，凡是准备皈依，或皈依后不知如何开始的修学者，建议学一学《皈依修学手册》。其中，从皈依之因到认识三宝，从如何皈依到皈依的正行，从皈依的学处到利益，最后是如何修习皈依，应该是汉传佛教中对"皈依”讲解最为详尽的一本书。
-
-没有皈依为基础，修学是难以为继的。万丈高楼平地起。就像盖一栋高楼，必须从地基开始。楼越高，地基就越重要，否则将埋下坍塌的隐患。在我们倡导的三级修学模式中，也把认识皈依作为重要的修学内容，把皈依共修作为日常定课。因为皈依不是一次仪式就完成的，而是贯穿着整个成佛的修行。从这个意义上说，任何法门都离不开念佛、念法、念僧。
-
-除了皈依，我还专门讲过《佛教徒的信仰》，对佛教是有神还是无神、佛教徒到底应该信什么、不信什么等问题作了厘清。为什么现在继续围绕"信仰”这一主题开讲呢？最近，我应邀在"中国佛教讲经交流会”担任评委。本次交流会的主题之一，是根据一部经典，探讨佛教徒应该"如何建立信仰”，不少参讲法师选择了这个内容。
-
-作为交流会的评委，需要对这些讲解加以点评。我就此提出一个思路，从"人类是否需要信仰”切入，到如何建立、防护、提升这一信仰。我觉得，这些问题特别值得思考。否则，我们在选择信仰的过程中，往往迷茫困惑，患得患失；有了信仰之后，依然心无所住，游移不定。正因为如此，虽然信佛者逐年增多，社会对佛法的需求也日益增长，却没有改变整个教界信仰淡化的趋势。也就是说，这些皈依和修学总体上是有数量而无质量的。
-
-怎样才能扭转这一状况？就要从选择信仰开始，每一步，都让学人知其然而知其所以然------知道该怎么做，也知道为什么这么做。只有经过思考，才能让信仰真正扎根心田。以下，我就从这个思路和大家分享。
-
-{#一人类需要宗教信仰吗}
-## 一、人类需要宗教信仰吗？
-
-之所以提出这个问题，是因为不少人觉得宗教信仰可有可无，并非人生之必须。在我们过去的印象中，宗教往往是遭遇挫折时的支撑，老来无事后的寄托，孤独无依者的慰藉......总之，是弱者才需要的。近年来，随着各路显贵的追捧，信佛（包括戴念珠）又成了一种时尚标签，一项特殊消费，甚至被调侃为"新四大俗”。这两种极端所体现的傲慢与偏见，都和人们对信仰的认知不足有关。
-
-这就必须了解宗教信仰的内涵，知道它究竟要解决什么，又能给我们带来什么。由此才能确定：自己是真的需要信仰，还是盲目跟风而已。
-
-{#宗教信仰解决什么}
-###### 1．宗教信仰解决什么
-
-社会上各行各业都有不同的解决领域，比如农业是解决吃饭问题，商业是解决交易问题，工业则涉及衣食住行等方方面面，本身又包含多种行业。那么，宗教信仰是解决什么的呢？
-
-人类的问题虽然形形色色，但归纳起来无非两类：一是生存层面的，二是精神层面的。对于生存问题，我们可以通过努力工作或科学技术等手段来解决，并在满足基本生存后，不断提高生活质量。至于精神问题，固然可以在艺术、哲学等领域找到寄托，但上升到人类永恒的困惑，必然要涉及宗教信仰。
-
-从三千年前古希腊哲人提出的"认识你自己”，到婆罗门教的"梵我一如”，到画家高更在19世纪末创作的"我们从哪里来？我们是什么？我们往哪里去”，无不代表着人类千百年来对生命真相的探寻。对于这幅西方美术史上的名作，画家认为："其意义远远超过所有以前的作品，我再也画不出更好的、有同样价值的画了。在我临终以前，我已把自己的全部精力都投入这幅画中。”这是高更的终极追问，也是我们每个人必须面对的。
-
-生从何来，死往何去？我们不知道生命的起源------在父母未生前，这个"我”就不存在吗？也不知道未来的归宿------在死亡到来后，这个"我”又将去向何方？我们生活在这个世界，不论富甲天下还是一贫如洗，不论位高权重还是身处底层，最终都会随着死亡归零。除了外在的一切，生命就全然终结了吗？它的归宿究竟在哪里？当年，贵为王子的佛陀，正是因为看到老病死之苦，才发现青春、美貌、荣华富贵的虚幻。当老病死降临时，没有什么可以依赖，可以帮得上忙。
-
-除了生和死，人为什么活着？生命的意义是什么？我们每天工作、持家，在满足生存的同时，也在推动科技发展，改善物质生活。虽然这些都能给生活带来方便和暂时的满足，但从究竟意义来说，一切都会成为过去。如果把人生意义建立在物质文明的基础上，当物质文明毁于一旦，它们所承载的意义，是否会因无处安放而随之消失？或者说，一切的意义终将指向没有意义？
-
-说到活着的意义，离不开对自我的认识。每个人都关注自己，在乎自己，但究竟什么代表着"我”？当科学飞速发展，人们能够上天入海、不断拓新视野之际，反而越来越找不到自己了。我们能从太空回望地球，却无法在当下看清自己，看清生命真相。
-
-此外，世界的本质是什么？由什么力量主导？遵循什么规律运转？所有这些问题，哲学家在思索，但莫衷一是；科学家在探寻，但不断修正和更新答案，尚无定论。或许有人会觉得，这些都是形而上的问题，和现实生活关系不大，也不是我们需要关心的。事实上，我们怎么认识自己，认识生命，认识世界，直接关系到我们会建立什么样的人生观、世界观和价值观，关系到我们怎么看待和处理各种对境，也关系到我们会有什么样的生命品质。
-
-生活中，面对同样的问题，人们会有不同的认识和处理方法。比如遭遇挫折，有人说"塞翁失马，焉知非福”，安然接纳；有人说"失败是成功之母”，再接再厉；也有人愤慨"为什么上天如此不公”，怨气冲天；更有人以为"都是命，做什么都没用”，从此一蹶不振。为什么会这样？就取决于各自的人生观、世界观和价值观。
-
-怎么看待问题，决定了这些问题会对我们产生什么影响，而不是通常认为的，仅仅取决于外境。所以说，三观并不是形而上的概念，而是关系到生活的方方面面。包括人生道路的选择，也包括衣食住行的品质。
-
-虽然我们时时都在运用三观，但这恰恰是现行教育中最为缺乏的。为什么很多人没有道德底线，缺乏做人准则？为什么内心充满焦躁和戾气？原因固然很多，但究其根源，也在于三观混乱，在于对终极问题的模糊。不知道"我是谁”，就不会有正确的人生观，而是"今朝有酒今朝醉”，只顾眼前，不管未来；不知道"活着的意义”，就不会有正确的价值观，而是"人不为己天诛地灭”，只想自己，不管他人；不知道"世界的真相”，就不会有正确的世界观，而是"我死后哪管他洪水滔天”，只看局部，不管整体。
-
-可见，从确立三观到为人处世，乃至整个社会的道德建设，都是由生命终极问题派生的。这种对终极问题的探索，为我们带来了"生命的全局观”。只有站在这个高度，才知道孰轻孰重，知道如何选择。因为你看到的不只是眼前，还有过去和未来；你看到的不只是自己，还有和你息息相关的众生及山河大地。否则的话，我们的所见所思往往局限于眼前，结果必然是目光短浅，顾此失彼。
-
-我经常说，佛教对世界和人类的作用是普世性的。因为生命固然有个体差异，但只要你不愿像动物那样活着，都将面对同样的困惑，同样的终极问题。佛教的普世价值就在于，通过对心性的了悟，从根本上解除生命的迷惑，这是任何学科无法做到的。从这个意义而言，每个人都需要佛法，否则就找不到生命的出路。
-
-而在现实层面，包括如何看待财富、环保、幸福、成功、道德等问题，佛法都可以提供智慧的思考。这些指导并非就事论事的简单规则，而是立足于心性改造，针对不同根机和需求设置的。比如佛教的财富观，对人天乘、声闻乘和菩萨乘学人提出了不同要求。既能让人根据现有根机做起来，不至因为起点太高而无从入手；又让人看到未来的提升空间在哪里，不会始终停留在目前的水准。这种指导是善巧、圆融而慈悲的，不仅对我们的现在和未来都有利益，对个人和众生也都有利益。
-
-总之，信仰首先是解决人类的永恒困惑，其次是解决世间的现实问题。只要你希望找到生命真相，就离不开宗教信仰。或许有人会说，我不觉得自己有什么困惑，也不需要知道什么真相。事实上，那只是你的麻木或刻意屏蔽。因为这些问题是生而有之的，就像死亡，不论你正视还是回避，它都会到来。只有做好准备，才能在生命转换的关头坦然面对，把握时机。同样，这些人生问题始终存在，而且会生生世世地存在。终有一天，你需要通过信仰来寻找答案。
-
-{#对宗教信仰的误读}
-###### 2．对宗教信仰的误读
-
-既然宗教信仰如此重要，为什么在中国社会，很多人觉得它是可有可无的？主要有以下几方面的原因。
-
-首先，是出于对宗教的误解。比如认为宗教是迷信，是人类无法认识自然时的想象，这是将各种原始崇拜、神话传说和佛教混为一谈。或者认为宗教是精神鸦片，是统治阶层控制民众的手段，这更是一个被长期误读的观点。遗憾的是，因为先入为主的印象，这两种误解在很大程度上障碍了人们对宗教信仰的认识。
-
-其次，是因为宗教在发展过程中形成的陈规陋习。就佛教而言，来世化、鬼神化等倾向，以及由于信众素质下降带来的迷信化、肤浅化，加上某些文艺作品的误读，使得人们对佛教及其现实意义存在种种误解，以为佛教只是为亡者、鬼神服务的，或是失意者走投无路时的避难所，与现实生活并无关联。
-
-第三，是因为崇尚物质或为生活所累，尚未产生信仰需求。人类生活离不开物质滋养，但也容易为其所缚。当年，庄子就有"今世俗之君子，多危身弃生以殉物”的评价，2000多年过去，物质诱惑多了岂止千万倍？现在整个社会都在以消费为乐，以消费为导向，在这样的大环境下，信仰自然会被淡化甚至遗忘。对很多人来说，生活无非是成家立业，多赚一点，过好一点；然后生儿育女，陪着儿女再经历一番从成家立业到过好一点的轮回，人生似乎就差不多了。而从社会的价值取向来看，也不鼓励我们去思考人生意义，只是催着你多赚钱，快成功。过去时代推崇的是智慧、道德，景仰的是哲人、圣贤，而现代社会推崇的是财富、娱乐，追逐的是富豪、明星。因为这些关注不被鼓励，也使很多人觉得信仰是可有可无的。
-
-事实上，生命终极问题对每个人都一样，区别只是在于你是否意识到。这些问题不会因为我们的忽视而消失，也不会因为我们的回避得以解决，更没有任何学科可以告诉我们答案。一旦认识到这些问题的重要性，就必须在宗教信仰中寻找答案。关于这一点，下面会详细解说。
-
-我在弘法中也发现，如果对方对人生没有深入思考，那么他闻法时不过听听而已。虽然也会有启发，也觉得有道理，但终究隔了一层。用现在的话说，就是没有"走心”，不会引起发自内心的共鸣。只有真正关注到终极问题，并将之视为生命的头等大事，才会知道佛法智慧的价值究竟有多大。就像一块稀世宝石，在不识货、不需要的人眼里，不过是块石头而已。虽然也有用处，但只是作为石头的用处，根本不能发挥其应有价值。
-
-{#二为什么信仰佛教}
-## 二、为什么信仰佛教
-
-人生有各种信仰。除了宗教，古人崇拜英雄，视为匡扶正义的救星；哲学家信奉理性，认为"我思故我在”；科学家相信实证，觉得科学才是发现真理的唯一途径。此外，儒家倡导的大同社会，西方思想家提出的乌托邦，包括共产主义理想等，在广义上都属于信仰的范畴。而在当今社会，人们崇尚的往往是金钱，是权力，是享乐。从某种意义而言，这些也是"信仰”。因为信仰就是对某种主张、主义、宗教或某人的极度信任和尊敬，是在自己认知领域中最有力量也最可托付的。那么，我们为什么要选择佛教作为信仰？为什么要选择三宝作为依怙？先来看看其他那些信仰。
-
-{#世间的信仰}
-###### 1．世间的"信仰”
-
-我们知道，金钱和权力固然能带来种种享乐，但也会带来更多的麻烦和痛苦，这一点生活中已有太多实例，不必多说。那么，哲学和科学又是如何呢？西方哲学重视理性，事实上，哲学本身就起源于理性思维对原始宗教、神话幻想的取代。但哲学家们也发现，理性会受到个人经验和知识体系的束缚，是一种"横看成岭侧成峰”式的解读，有不同程度的片面性和局限性。科学家相信实证，但所有科学发现都是向外的，且不断被更新，被推翻。虽然更新的速度越来越快，但面对浩瀚无垠的宇宙，不论有多少发现，依然走不出"生也有涯而知也无涯”的困境。
-
-世界有两个层面，即有限性和无限性。我们用有限的能力，只能解决有限的问题，比如生存问题、生活品质，乃至发展科学、创作艺术、推进人类文明等等。但面对无限，面对人类永恒的困惑，是无法用有限能力去解决的。金钱和权力不能回答"我是谁”，哲学不能解读"生从何来，死往何去”，科学不能告诉我们"活着的意义是什么”。所以说，世间任何"信仰”都是无法替代宗教的。
-
-{#从多神到一神}
-###### 2．从多神到一神
-
-说到宗教，从原始的自然崇拜、万物有灵论到至今还在不断涌现的各种新兴宗教，可谓不计其数。人类最初的信仰，是对日月星辰、风雨雷电等自然力、自然物的崇拜。这一方面是因为不了解自然，一方面是因为生活极度依赖自然，从而对此产生强烈的敬畏心，认为天地万物乃至自然现象都是由神灵分别管辖的，如风神、雨神、雷神等。一旦触怒神灵，就会受到各种惩罚。这种信仰往往和所处地域有很大关系，比如生活在海边或山中的居民，崇拜对象显然不同。就像一方水土养一方人那样，是由地理环境决定的。
-
-随着人类文明的进程，开始出现以古希腊奥林波斯众神谱系为代表的多神教。此外，印度的多数宗教，包括中国的道家等，也属于多神教。多神教相信有众多神灵的存在，只是他们的地位、神通、能力各不相同。相对人类而言，这些神灵虽然拥有超凡的力量，但还是有喜怒哀乐，甚至会争风吃醋。尤其是古希腊诸神，不仅有人形和人性，甚至有人类社会关系的折射，演绎了种种天上人间的传奇故事。在和人类的关系中，人们会祈求神灵帮助，但并没有视之为绝对的主宰者。或者说，神灵只是人类生活的协助者而非统治者。
-
-而一神教的出现，逐渐取代了原始的多神教，成为信徒最多、影响最大、传播地域最广的宗教。一神教认为宇宙中只有唯一的、至高无上的神，如基督教的耶和华、伊斯兰教的真主安拉。这个神创造宇宙万物，决定吉凶祸福。他是无所不在、无所不能、无所不知的精神实体，信徒只能通过祈祷，祈求主的恩赐，并由无保留的服从得到救赎。比如对于基督徒来说，只要相信，所有问题都可以在造物主那里得到解决。世界由上帝创造，不需要探究真相；人类是上帝子民，不需要审察"我是谁”；命运归上帝掌控，由他决定你是上升天堂还是堕落地狱，不需要追寻"生从何来，死往何去”。总之，只要无条件地信奉上帝，就能得到赦免，到天堂与主同在。
-
-上帝不仅是万能的，同时还具有博爱精神。但我们来看看，这个博爱是怎样的呢？上帝爱人类，却把同样有生命、且贪生畏死的动物赐给人作为食物；上帝还曾让洪水肆虐，除了诺亚方舟中的幸存者，无数生命毁于一旦；上帝爱他的信徒，却不爱异教徒，并由这种思想引发了历史上对异教徒的多次讨伐。
-
-在佛教看来，多神教的神灵属于天道众生。虽然福报很大，但并没有断除贪嗔痴，依然会在六道中轮回。此外，佛教的缘起论否定了对主宰神的崇拜，认为万物都是因缘和合而成，其中并没有能够造物并左右一切的主宰神。那么，佛教是怎样的呢？
-
-{#正觉的佛教}
-###### 3．正觉的佛教
-
-佛教起源于2500年前的古印度，正是婆罗门教盛行的时期。所以，佛教很多思想是针对婆罗门教的教义加以辨析。婆罗门教提出"梵我一如”的观点，认为"梵”代表宇宙的大我，每个生命内在还有个体的小我（阿特曼），且和宇宙大我是一体的。这个"我”是轮回的主体，一旦迷失自我，就会背叛宇宙之大我。所以，修行的最高境界是体认梵我一如，由此解脱轮回。
-
-但佛教认为，生命是相似相续、不常不断的，由业力决定各自的生命形态和穷通祸福，其中并没有一个常恒不变的自我。佛教的三法印，为"诸行无常，诸法无我，涅槃寂静”。其中，"诸法无我”正是佛教区别于其他一切宗教和哲学的根本所在。但我们要知道，"无我”的关键在于破除我执，否定对自己的错误认定，并不是说你不存在，也不是否定这个生命现象。如果执著有"我”，就会陷入我执，制造烦恼，成为轮回而非解脱之因。因为这一根本思想的差异，佛教在业果、轮回原理及如何解脱等方面，也不同于婆罗门教。
-
-此外，佛教认为世界的形成和发展是由因缘决定的，缘聚而生，缘散则灭，其中并没有谁在决定这一切。从这个意义上说，佛教是属于"无神论”。但这个"无神”不同于唯物主义，并不否认神灵这一生命形态的存在。佛教认为，神属于六道中的天道众生，而不是创造并主宰世界的至高权威。
-
-这个"无我”和"无神”，并不是佛陀为了反对什么而提出的，也不是出自玄想或神启，而是他以智慧亲证的。佛陀在菩提树下成道时，由修习禅定开启智慧，发现生命是由无明、行、识、名色、六入、触、受、爱、取、有、生、老死十二因缘构成。通过顺观缘起，了知轮回的因果；通过逆观缘起，了知解脱的因果；通过顺逆观缘起，彻底了知诸法实相。因为一切是缘起的，就没有作为主体的"我”，也没有创造并决定一切的"梵”或"主宰神”。所以说，佛陀不是真理的创造者，而是发现者；不是万能的救赎者，而是引领者，为我们指明止恶行善的方向，转迷为悟的途径。
-
-真正的解脱，必须靠我们自己修行。这是佛教的另一个重要特色------倡导自力而非他力。虽然佛教也强调佛菩萨的加持，强调善知识的作用，但这一切只是修行助缘。佛菩萨的加持，必须通过学人的信心和接纳才能相应；善知识的作用，必须通过学人的依止和修行才能产生。也就是说，外在力量需要经过自身转化方可，否则是不能直接产生作用的。不是说，佛陀可以亲自为你消除业障，让你得生人天。
-
-佛陀意为觉者，不仅自己觉悟，还能引导众生走向觉悟，觉行圆满。作为佛弟子，我们选择佛法僧三宝为信仰对象之后，又该如何修行才能成为真正的佛子，而不是一味求求拜拜，把佛陀当作"保护神”？其中的关键，就是理性思维。所以，闻思修、八正道、四法行等修学常道，都是以理性思维为核心。在闻思修中，只有通过思维的落实，才能理解并接纳所闻法义，进而落实于修行。八正道中，正见离不开正思维，没有正见引导，就不可能有正语、正业、正命，也无法通过正精进，建立正念、正定。在四法行中，亲近善知识是为了听闻正法，然后要通过如理作意，才能法随法行，走上修行道路。
-
-这些都告诉我们理性的重要。但佛教不会片面推崇理性，同时提醒我们，"知之一字，众祸之根”。因为理性是双刃剑，如果思考不如法，就会建立错误观念，形成不良行为。事实上，人类所有的问题、麻烦、痛苦都来自于此。所以要善用理性，而不是胡思乱想。总之，佛教不是让人一味地信，也不是把所有问题往佛陀那里一推了之，而是让我们深入思考，通过思考来选择并确定。
-
-但前面也说过，我们无法用有限的理性去认识无限。仅仅通过思维，是不能直达世界本质的。那么，如何才能超越有限？听起来似乎很难，其实就在迷和悟的一念之间。因为心本来是无限的，所谓"心包太虚，量周沙界”。只是被无明束缚，使得我们只能看到眼前的这一点，结果与虚空有了天渊之别。所以，我们要把向外驰骋的心收回，向内寻找。因为它就在那里，是现成的，越是外求，越是去道远矣。
-
-如何寻找？一方面是通过禅修获得定力，让心安住下来，妄念平息下来；一方面是以智慧观照，让觉性光明显现出来。一旦开启本自具足的智慧，心就和虚空是一体的，就能成为佛陀那样的觉者。也就是说，我们都可以完成生命的自救，而不是坐等神的救赎。
-
-所以，佛教是"正觉”的信仰。佛陀成就的"阿耨多罗三藐三菩提”，又称无上正等正觉，是最为究竟而圆满的觉醒。这种觉醒不只是佛陀才能成就的，事实上，一切众生都具有觉性，都可以走上觉醒之路，解决人类永恒的困惑，了知生命和世界的真相。心的本质就是宇宙的本质，因为证悟这一智慧，佛陀才被称为"正遍知”。所谓遍知，即横遍十方，竖穷三际，无所不知。而且这种遍知是可以亲证的，不是听来的。总之，只要你希望解决人生的终极问题，就应该选择佛教。
-
-《大乘百法明门论》还告诉我们，信仰的"信”属于一种心理，其定义是"于实德能深忍乐欲，心净为信”，这也说明了我们应该选择什么样的信仰对象。首先，这个对象真实存在，不是想象、虚构出来的。其次，具备圆满的智慧，足以解决人生一切困惑，能告诉我们自我、生死、世界的真相，并有能力引导我们修行。第三，具备圆满的道德，已经彻底摆脱贪嗔痴，并对众生具有无缘大慈，同体大悲。如果以这样的标准来衡量，可以说，只有佛陀才能达到。这也是我们选择佛教信仰的重要前提。
-
-正因为佛法能解决生命的终极问题，才会有佛陀在因地为半偈舍身，有二祖慧可的断臂求法，有玄奘三藏的万里西行，有历代祖师大德的为法忘躯。相对这种究竟的意义，眼前利益甚至生命，就算不了什么了。想一想，如果不知道"我是谁”，不知道活着为什么，那我们和动物还有什么区别？一样的饮食男女，一样的生老病死，一样的身不由己。虽然生命形态有差别，但本质上都是在随业流转而已。而学佛能让我们看清生命真相，开始以愿力引导人生，从被动轮回转为主动掌舵。
-
-当我们选择佛教作为信仰时，是否认识到这种意义？事实上，信仰能对我们产生多少作用，是取决于我们对它的诉求，也取决于我们对它的认识。如果你对信仰的需求不高，只是为了找个精神寄托，那么很多信仰都能满足，未必需要佛教；如果你对佛教的认识不深，那就只能获得很少一部分的作用，可谓明珠弹雀。总之，对信仰的诉求不仅决定了选择，也决定了信仰的高度。
-
-{#三佛教信仰的建立}
-## 三、佛教信仰的建立
-
-我们已经知道信仰要解决什么问题，并且知道佛法是最究竟、圆满的。那么，如何在内心建立这一信仰？就像我们知道某个软件好用，能给工作带来极大便利，但即使我们得到这个软件，只要没有安装到电脑并运行，是不能发挥作用的。我们知道，安装软件有一套既定规则。同样，建立佛教信仰也有相应的程序，首先是皈依仪式。
-
-{#皈依的前行和正行}
-###### 1．皈依的前行和正行
-
-不少人虽然皈依过，却稀里糊涂的，不了解皈依的真正意义是什么，也不清楚选择佛教信仰意味着什么，对人生有多大作用。可以说，前行就准备不足，没有为"皈依”营造良好的心理基础。那么正行又如何呢？在不少皈依仪式中，虽然法会现场堪称隆重，但传授者往往没有讲述皈依要领，没有提醒皈依者在哪些环节必须听清传授者的引领，生起至诚皈依之心，进而在十方三宝的见证下庄严宣誓。
-
-须知，发心决定了皈依体的品位，而宣誓直接决定了我们能否得到皈依体。如果前行和正行都没有达标，那么，这种皈依就像安装软件时的无效操作。自己以为完成了，其实并没有真正安装进去，没有得到皈依体，自然也是不能产生作用的。
-
-皈依的关键，是确认以佛法僧三宝作为究竟依止，并通过如法的仪式，完成我要"皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧”的宣誓。这样一种认知和表态，才是皈依过程中最重要的。其他的一切，包括梵呗、悦众、现场布置之类，只是起到营造氛围的作用，帮助我们生起虔诚心、恭敬心、清净心，使软件顺利安装。这个安装就是获得皈依体，将成为未来修学的动力，推动我们走向解脱。
-
-生活中也有各种宣誓，只有当你发自内心地这么确认，并表达出来的时候，它才会有力量。如果只是随随便便地一说，它会在你内心产生约束力和推动力吗？古人推崇"一诺千金”的诚意，而皈依是全身心的托付，是对生命方向的选择，这一誓言的价值，又何止千金？
-
-对皈依的内涵有多少认识，就意味着我们能对三宝建立什么样的信仰。如果这个认识很肤浅，相应的，这种信仰也是不坚定的，若有若无的。有些人只是看到别人皈依，就稀里糊涂地皈依了。既不知道三宝是什么，也不知道皈依、学佛对人生意味着什么。当然，这也算结下一个善缘，但如果不通过进一步的学习来巩固它，这个善缘很快会边缘化。
-
-如法的仪式意味着我们能否得到皈依体，同时也意味着全新的人生起点。从个人来说，这是从迷惑走向觉醒的开端；从佛法传播来说，这是正式成为传承并弘扬觉醒文化的一分子。从此刻开始，我们加入了从佛陀到历代祖师共同组成的团队，成为灯灯相续的一盏灯，意义何其重大。
-
-但这个意义对每个人是不同的。我们的认识和发心达到什么程度，皈依对我们的意义才能达到什么程度。遗憾的是，很多人虽然已经皈依，但因为认识不足，皈依不如法，除了得到一个法名和皈依证之外，并没有让佛法在相续中产生多大作用。事实上，如果不能让佛法进入我们的心相续，法名和皈依证也是形同虚设的，说明不了什么问题。
-
-那么，皈依究竟能为我们带来什么？
-
-{#皈依的作用}
-###### 2．皈依的作用
-
-关于皈依的利益，《皈依修学手册》中说到八点，分别是入佛子数、诸戒之本、减灭诸障、集广大福、不堕恶趣、人与非人不能为灾、随愿皆成、速得成佛，侧重从信仰层面进行总结。而从现实人生来说，皈依可以让我们找到人生归宿，建立精神追求，实现人生意义，成为有德之人，培养慈悲大爱。
-
-{#找到人生归宿}
-###### （1）找到人生归宿
-
-如果没有佛教信仰，人生就会立足于物质层面，以家庭、事业、感情为归宿；或立足于文化艺术，以构思、创作、欣赏为乐事。但要知道，所有这些和我们只是暂时的关系。当今生走到终点，又将去向何方？依然是随业流转。感情再好，你也得独自上路；事业再大，你也是两手空空；艺术成就再辉煌，你也带不走什么。忙了一辈子，最后都不知道要去哪里。
-
-唯有修学佛法，才能看清生命的真正意义，确立终极目标，了解途中会经过哪些站点，从而止恶行善，让愿力取代业力，生生增上，直至解脱。如果发起菩提心，还可以乘愿再来，在十方世界广泛利益众生。
-
-我经常说，如果没有佛法，生命真是有很大的问题。这是因为，如果对心性没有认识，生命将没有深度；如果对轮回没有认识，生命将没有长度。可以想象，一个既没有长度也没有深度的生命，能安身立命，成为我们的归宿吗？很多人害怕老之将至，死之将至，就是因为过得浑浑噩噩。忙来忙去，却发现自己曾经拥有的一切都在离去，啥也抓不住。既不知道用什么告慰此生，更不知道以什么面对未来。有首歌叫《老无所依》，其实真正可怕的，是心无所依，是心的漂泊和无处安住。
-
-一个找到生命归宿的人，不论在人生哪个阶段，也不论遭遇什么，都不会迷失方向，都知道应该为实现最终目标做些什么。换言之，他所走的每一步都是踏实、明确、向前的。
-
-{#建立精神追求}
-###### （2）建立精神追求
-
-总有人说，学什么佛，做个好人就行了。我会问他：好人的标准是什么？佛陀是好人，耶稣是好人，孔子也是好人，还有雷锋及每年都在评选的"中国好人”等等，你想成为什么样的好人？又能成为什么样的好人？事实上，成为好人离不开对人性的认识。否则，所谓的"好人”往往只是一个感性而模糊的印象。可能是性格调柔，可能是助人为乐，可能是品行端正，也可能只是遵纪守法而已。在世风日下的今天，我们甚至已经把遵守做人的基本准则理解为"好人”了。
-
-中国古人向往成贤成圣，而学佛的最终目标，是像佛菩萨那样，圆满大慈悲和大智慧。怎么做到这一点？佛法为我们提供了丰富的理论指导和修行途径。依此建立精神追求，能引导我们有次第地成就人天乘、解脱道和菩萨道的修行品质，生生世世地从中受益。可以说，这才是究竟意义上的精神追求，因为它所改变的是生命品质。而通常所说的精神追求，往往是指知识、艺术或道德层面的，并不究竟。单纯的知识或艺术不能改变一个人的品行，更不必说生命品质。而世间道德也往往是有局限的，对这些人的道德，可能对那些人就不道德；对人类的道德，可能对动物就不道德。只有建立在佛法基础上的道德追求，才是对自己和他人、现在和未来都有利益的。
-
-{#实现人生意义}
-###### （3）实现人生意义
-
-人生是什么？对多数人来说，无非是生存、赚钱、成家立业。但所有这些都是暂时的，其意义也是有限的。再多的钱，再高的地位，再多的风光，能拥有多少年？无常到来的时候，什么都带不走。即使像古代帝王那样，建立豪华墓室，陪葬无量珍宝，又带走了什么呢？机关算尽，不过是一场空。
-
-唯有站在佛法的高度，才能看到生命的无限性，看到今生背后的轮回，看到浪花下面的大海。当我们知道生命不是以死亡为终点，而是有着生生不已的未来；知道在漫漫轮回路上，得生为人的机会转瞬即逝；知道自己虽然带不走有形的什么，却会带走善恶行为形成的业力，就不会那么短视，那么急功近利了。如果生命只是短短的几十年，如果死亡会带走当下拥有的一切，那么人生真的没有多少意义。只有看到今生和未来的关系，才能对生命做好长远规划，找到究竟意义。
-
-{#成为有德之人}
-###### （4）成为有德之人
-
-说到道德，我们往往觉得是社会的需要，属于公共行为。当外界对你有某个约束时才需要遵守，很少将之和个体生命发生连接。所以，当整个社会开始提倡个性解放，外界和舆论对人的约束越来越弱时，道德也被一并丢弃了，甚至出现"道德多少钱一斤”的调侃，出现"我为什么要遵守道德”的反问。于是乎，各种底线被不断突破。仅仅几十年，连曾经那么神圣的医疗、教育行业都变得唯利是图，白衣天使何在？灵魂工程师何在？
-
-在一派乱象中，每个人都深受其害。因为我们不知道什么是可以放心吃的食品，什么是没被造假的用品，也不知道自己住的楼是不是豆腐渣工程。我们总是在指责不良商家，慨叹人心不古，事实上，所有这一切正是共业所招感的，是源自我们对道德的践踏。
-
-道德不仅是外在约束，也是对生命自身的滋养。当我们在践行道德的过程中，自己首先是最大的受益者。佛法的因果观告诉我们，善有乐报，恶有苦报。道德行为一方面能给他人带去利益，一方面能于自身建立良性积累，令生命增上。反之，则是建立不良积累，令生命堕落。如果我们希望自己有良好的心态，健全的人格，美好的未来，就必须遵循道德。对于明了因果的佛弟子来说，遵循道德必然是自发的行为。即使社会对他没有任何约束，他也清楚地知道，一切言行乃至起心动念，只要发生就会形成力量。当他自觉遵守道德时，即使这一行为尚未带来什么外在结果，但当下就会在内心形成正向力量，使人变得慈悲、调柔、包容。当一个人具备这样的品质，必然是喜悦而安宁的。
-
-这是生命自身的"奖励机制”，是不求自来的回报。当人感受到其中的利益，还有什么理由不遵循道德吗？除了佛教，世界有些地区依基督教建立道德规范，有些地区依伊斯兰教建立道德规范。如果没有信仰，仅仅靠什么"主义”管理大众，或是靠理性互相约束，不仅难以落实，还会滋生一些口是心非的伪君子。因为他们不知道这是在让自己受益，还以为是做给别人看的，才有各种作秀甚至作弊的行为。所以说，只有建立在信仰基础上的道德，才能让人自觉遵守。因为这是出于自己的需要，而不是外在的、他人的要求。
-
-{#建立慈悲大爱}
-###### （5）建立慈悲大爱
-
-近年来，各种捐款、助学等善行日益普及，值得随喜。那么，是不是所有的捐助行为都具有慈善精神呢？或者说，这种行为在让他人得到帮助的同时，能否让自己的心灵得到提升？这就需要考量捐助的动机。其中，固然有真诚希望帮助他人的，但也有一时兴起才做好事的，有出于某种原因甚至舆论压力捐助的，还有在利益社会的同时伤害他人的。
-
-什么是慈善的精神？主要包括两方面。一方面是不伤害他人，即孔子所说的"己所不欲，勿施于人”；另一方面是利益他人，给予他人需要的帮助。这种精神的建立，离不开宗教信仰和传统文化。比如基督教提倡博爱，儒家提倡仁爱，佛教提倡慈悲。当你发自内心地接受这个信仰和文化传承，才愿意去利益大众。
-
-否则，人都是自私的，干嘛要想着别人？别人和我有什么关系？现代社会的教育背景，以及居住和消费方式的改变，尤其是虚拟世界的介入，让人和人的关系日渐疏远。当衣食和生活所需都是由快递送到家门时，我们很容易忽略，这背后有很多人的辛勤付出；也很容易忘记，我们的生活其实离不开众生。在这样的大环境下，我们怎么认识自己和他人的关系，为什么要舍己为人，为什么要对众生付出？
-
-佛法告诉我们，我执是衰损之门，利他是功德之本。人类的所有烦恼都来自我执，如果处处想着自己，他人全都成了潜在的敌人，似乎随时会欺骗你、侵犯你的利益。这样的话，只会让你处处树敌，患得患失。且不说生命品质会受到什么影响，人生还有快乐可言吗？
-
-反之，一个处处为他人着想的人，就没机会为自己烦恼了。因为他本来就要利益他人，还有什么可以被欺骗、被侵犯的呢？或许有人会说，不是很多人因为做善事受到误解而苦恼吗？之所以出现这些情况，还是因为其中有"我”。比如希望得到社会认可，或是希望受助者能知恩图报，或是希望找到高人一等的道德优越感，或者仅仅是希望所做善事能按自己的计划来进行。但只要有期待，就会有期待不能如愿的失落。如果没有这些期待，做就是了，没什么值得烦恼的。
-
-佛教所说的利他是"无我利他”，这也是最究竟、最圆满的利他。需要明确的是，这个"无我”说的是不为自己考虑，但并不否定因此得到的回报。在做的过程中，你的慈悲在增长，爱心在增长，这就是最好的回报。《金刚经》也说，如果菩萨不住相布施，其福德不可思议。至于其他的一切，只是慈善行为的副产品而已。
-
-总之，建立信仰对每个人意义重大。尤其是佛教信仰，不仅可以解决生命归宿、人生意义等永恒问题，还能使我们成为有德行、有爱心的人，这是让自己从当下到尽未来际都能从中受益的。
-
-{#四信仰的防护}
-## 四、信仰的防护
-
-皈依三宝只是走入佛门的开始，关键是让这种信仰成为生命的主导力量，不断引领我们。而不是进门后就停步不前，或是走着走着找不到方向，甚至又退到门外。有句话大家都很熟悉："学佛一年，佛在眼前；学佛两年，佛在大殿；学佛三年，佛在西天。”为什么会出现这种现象？为什么我们皈依了，心还是漂泊无助的，不觉得生命有了归宿？就是在皈依后没有对信仰加以防护。久而久之，这种信仰就会因为缺乏支持变得若有若无了。就像播下的种子，如果没有进一步呵护，就会逐渐枯萎乃至死亡。
-
-如何加以防护？这就必须了解生命的运作原理。关于此，佛教的唯识学阐述得最为详尽。唯识学把心理现象归纳为八识，其中，第八阿赖耶识又译为藏识，就像生命的储藏室，保存着无始以来的生命信息。我们身口意的所有行为，包括每天做过的事，说过的话，动过的念头，在发生后，当下就会在内心形成力量，又称"种子”。这个过程就是"现行熏种子”。然后，种子又会在遇到外缘时，从潜意识进入意识层面，进而产生活动，也就是"种子生现行”。种子和行为是相互影响的，一方面，种子引发了行为；另一方面，行为又熏下了种子。
-
-这些种子代表心灵世界的各种力量，虽然形形色色，但无非是杂染和清净两类。佛法认为，生命是缘起的，由众多因缘构成它的存在，进而产生活动，决定生命的延续方向。在这些因缘中，种子最为关键。杂染种子会构成轮回的相续，而清净种子将导向觉醒和解脱。
-
-学习佛法就是在内心播下清净种子。无始以来，我们已经播下了很多杂染种子。这些种子早已在生命中当家做主，成为主导力量，让我们越来越习惯贪，越来越容易嗔，越来越被愚痴所控。我们对目前这种生命相续是否满意？通过学佛可以看到，这种生命状态是没有出路的，将给自己带来无尽的痛苦和麻烦。
-
-如何才能改变现状？这就必须接受智慧文化，培植觉醒种子。虽然我们已经认识到这么做的重要性，但在目前，清净种子的力量还是微不足道的。我们要做的，就是把这些种子当作重点来培养。就像在杂草丛生的田里种植花朵，首先要清除杂草、改良土壤，然后播种、浇水、施肥。当然，杂草不是那么容易清除干净的。所以在我们有能力区分杂草和花苗时，就要把现有资源尽量用在需要培植的对象上，不再为杂草提供养分。当这些花朵逐渐生长起来，杂草就没有空间了。皈依后对心行的防护，也是同样的道理。
-
-{#守护皈依体}
-###### 1．守护皈依体
-
-对于皈依弟子，佛陀制定了一系列学处，告诉我们，什么是应该做的，什么是不能做的，从而使皈依体得到强化，包括遮止学处、奉行学处和共同学处。
-
-{#遮止学处}
-###### （1）遮止学处
-
-首先是遮止学处。我们已经皈依了佛法僧三宝，就不能再皈依其他宗教的教主、典籍和神职人员。这就是皈依仪式中宣誓的："皈依佛，如来至尊等正觉为我所尊，终不皈依邪魔外道；皈依法，三藏十二部典籍为我所尊，终不皈依外道典籍；皈依僧，清净僧团为我所尊，终不皈依外道邪众。”
-
-需要注意的是，遮止不是让我们去反对什么，也不是去批评什么。事实上，对于其他正当、健康的传统宗教，我们都应该表示尊重，因为他们也有自己的教化因缘，也在劝人为善。但作为佛弟子，我们要知道自己的重点在哪里。因为不同宗教代表不同的人生方向，如果让它们在内心具有同等地位，在面临选择时，又该何去何从？所以，遮止就是不以其他宗教为依止，只以佛法僧三宝作为心灵归宿，以走向觉醒作为修行目标。通过对三宝的忆念和效仿，成就佛菩萨那样的智慧和慈悲。
-
-{#奉行学处}
-###### （2）奉行学处
-
-其次是奉行学处，即敬佛、敬法、敬僧。我们通过对佛像的礼敬，见贤思齐，忆念佛菩萨的大慈悲、大智慧、大解脱、大自在。这几个词听起来耳熟能详，但感觉挺平淡、挺抽象的，没什么打动人心的力量。那是因为我们对这些品质还没有多少切身认识，只是当作概念来听，而且是与己无关的概念。这种感觉就像咫尺天涯，就在你眼前，总是听说，总是看到，但又隔得那么远。
-
-如果你正在这条路上努力，就能认识到这些品质的分量，并对这样的人格产生无限向往。就像你在学习某个专业，会对这个领域的顶尖专家高山仰止；或者你在从事某项运动，会对这个项目的世界冠军心向往之。但对于其他人，尤其是对这个专业没有多少了解和兴趣的人来说，很难产生和你同样的仰慕。从这个意义上说，你对这些品质有多少向往，也意味着你对三宝的内涵有多少认识，意味着你对学佛有多少好乐之心。
-
-敬佛，是在内心建立榜样，以此作为学习目标，并发愿成为佛菩萨那样的人。从佛法观点来看，我们都具备和佛菩萨无二无别的潜质，都可以成为他们那样的觉悟者。所以敬佛不只是礼佛、燃香、供水，更重要的，是对佛陀的伟大人格无限尊敬，见贤思齐。当我们有这样的认识时，三宝在我们心目中的分量就会超过一切。有句话叫作"榜样的力量是无穷的”，想一想，我们在世间付出最多努力的，不论学习还是事业，挣钱还是求名，哪一样不是因为看到榜样，并且被这个榜样所吸引，所激励？如果我们发自内心地向往佛陀品质，以此为唯一榜样，还会被世俗的五欲六尘干扰吗？还会在学佛路上三心二意吗？
-
-敬法，就是以佛法作为修行乃至生活的指南。法的重要性在哪里？很多时候，我们也会看一些法宝，但就是看看而已；也觉得佛法智慧圆满，但就是说说而已。那是因为我们还没有意识到法对人生的重要意义。如果我们看清自己是轮回中的重病患者，确定法是唯一能够救治的特效药，而不是可有可无的饮料或保健品，就会对法生起迫切的渴求之心。如果我们在上下求索的人生路中，深入思考过生命永恒的困惑，且通过各种宗教、文化、哲学都无法解决，最后在佛法中发现了答案，就会对法生起强烈的皈依之心。
-
-敬僧，就是对贤圣僧所代表的寂静、超然和解脱生起向往。作为住持三宝，僧宝是正法住世的象征，也是续佛慧命的主力，所以被称为人天导师。没有僧宝的住持和弘扬，就没有佛教在世间的流传。当我们认识到佛和法对人生的意义，认识到僧宝对修学佛法的作用之后，就会对僧宝，尤其是贤圣僧、善知识生起皈依之心。
-
-总之，敬佛、敬法、敬僧不仅是形式上的礼敬供养，不仅是燃一炷香，供几个果，而是要真正认识到它的分量，发自内心地恭敬。不是三宝需要我们恭敬，而是我们需要通过这种恭敬，使佛陀的人格和佛法的真理在内心扎根，成为主导生命的力量。
-
-{#共同学处}
-###### （3）共同学处
-
-除了遮止学处和奉行学处，还有共同学处。包括随念三宝功德、随念三宝大恩、随念大悲、凡事启白三宝、对皈依体守护不舍等。具体内容在《皈依修学手册》中有详细介绍。
-
-前面说过，"榜样的力量是无穷的”。之所以有力量，就在于它会不断地召唤我们，激励我们向这个目标靠拢。生活中我们应该有这样的经验：当我们崇拜某人并发愿成为他那样的人，会成为很强的动力。那么，为什么我们总觉得佛菩萨这个榜样有点遥不可及？或者说，无法形成直接的动力？主要是因为我们对三宝的功德还不清晰，对如何成就这样的功德也不清晰。因为不清晰，就无法转换成发自内心的真切向往。
-
-所以我们要充分认识到三宝的功德，以及对改造生命的重要性。这个思考过程就是观察修。通过反复观修，逐渐建立对三宝的信心，并安住在这种信心中，不断强化，是为安住修。由此可见，遵守遮止学处、奉行学处、共同学处的过程，就是在引导我们完成信仰建立的观察修和安住修。
-
-{#修习三皈依}
-###### 2．修习三皈依
-
-为了强化三宝在心中的地位，我们还需要将修习皈依形成定课。为此，我特别编写了《皈依共修仪轨》，包含发心、忏悔、供养、观察修、安住修、发愿、回向等一系列内容。就像我们在田里播下种子，要经常松土、浇水、施肥，使其得到滋养。否则的话，种子就会因为缺乏营养而不能发芽，乃至逐渐枯萎。
-
-信仰的建立同样存在这个问题。很多人皈依之后，不懂得如何防护，除了多个皈依证，和皈依前几乎没什么差别。如果没有认识到三宝内涵，没有得到皈依体，没有将三宝作为究竟依止，将成就三宝品质作为修行目标，这个皈依证又能证明什么呢？就像一张过期作废的入场券，除了能证明你参加过那次法会，并没有多少意义。
-
-所以，皈依后还要每天修习，在得到三宝加持的同时，通过定时定量的巩固，让内心趋于稳定。在今天这个时代，资讯泛滥，诱惑重重，人心也格外躁动。这种躁动的心灵，就像信号不稳定的接收站，是无法和三宝功德相应的。通过修习定课，可以让心安住，进而消除妄念，起到集资净障的作用。集资就是积累菩提资粮，净障就是净化修行障碍。就像《西游记》中，唐僧取经要经过九九八十一难，修行同样是不断克服障碍的过程。事实上，所有外魔都是我们内心的显现。而这个心同时也具足自性三宝，关键在于我们开启了哪个频道。
-
-对于信仰的防护来说，一方面要遵守学处，一方面要修习皈依。禅宗有"长养圣胎”之说，是指见道之后还要养道。其实皈依也是一样，即使发心正确、仪式如法，确实得到了皈依体，也只是走出了第一步。接下来，还要不断地呵护、滋养，才能使之成长壮大，最终成为内心的主导力量。
-
-{#五信仰的增长}
-## 五、信仰的增长
-
-我们虽然已经皈依，已经学佛，但有没有真正走在菩提道上？在修学过程中，迷惑、烦恼有没有减少？同时，智慧、慈悲、信心有没有增加？这是考量我们到底学得对不对，有没有效果的重要方式。
-
-说到有没有走在菩提道上，有人可能会感觉茫然：到底什么是菩提道？这条道路究竟应该怎么走？起点在哪里，终点在哪里，途中会经过多少站点？我觉得，学好佛法有三个重点，一是目标明确，二是方法正确，三是次第清晰。不仅学佛如此，要做好世间任何一件事，都离不开这三个方面。
-
-目标就是结果，做这件事到底能达成什么结果，终点在哪里？方法就是手段，用哪些手段达到这个结果？次第就是流程，做好一件事的先后顺序是什么，每个阶段的成效是什么？我们都知道学佛最终是要成佛，但又觉得那是无量劫以后的事，似乎当下就没什么可见的结果了。其实不然，虽然成佛的目标比较遥远，但对于有效的修学来说，每个阶段乃至每一天都会有相应的进展，从而不断接近终点。
-
-{#有次第的修学}
-###### 1．有次第的修学
-
-在三级修学模式建立之初，我们曾提出"四个一”，即一个目标，就是解脱；一张地图，就是修学次第；一位导师，就是引领修学的善知识；一群伙伴，就是一起修学的同参道友。这些都是学好佛法不可或缺的因素。其中，前三点属于有效引导，第四点在于营造良好氛围。
-
-正确的修行方法，是信仰增长的基础和动力。很多学员参加三级修学后，仅仅半年、一年，甚至几个月，生命就会发生很大改变。迷惑烦恼减少了，智慧慈悲增加了。这不是奇迹，也不是广告，而是在很多人身上实实在在发生的。只要真正用心修学，有端正的态度，有效的方法，必然产生变化。当你切身感受到自身的改变，感受到这种改变的利益，对佛法自然就有信心了。不少人刚参加修学时，觉得八年课程实在太长了，没信心坚持下来。但学了一段时间，觉得这是尽未来际要做的事，八年根本算不了什么。
-
-为什么会这样？因为人们愿意为某件事花多少时间，是取决于他对这件事的重视程度。当他不了解学佛对人生的重大意义，会觉得要做的事还多，哪有那么多时间学这个，又不能得文凭、涨工资。所以在他的人生排序中，学佛是在末后几位的，只有工作、生活安排到位后，才有兴趣参与一下。另一种情况，就是遇到什么世间法不能解决的事，也可能临时把三宝的排名拉到前面，烧香拜佛，吃素放生，很是精进一阵。但事过境迁，又让学佛的排名回到原点了。说到底，还是认识不到学佛的意义。
-
-一旦认识到修学的价值，会觉得这不仅值得今生尽形寿去做，也值得尽未来际去做。什么算是认识到修学的价值？我们看世间那些科学家、文学家、艺术家，或是有某项爱好的人，往往为了自己的事业或兴趣废寝忘食，衣带渐宽终不悔。我们对学佛有没有这种精神？愿不愿意这样投入？如果做不到，就说明认识还没有到位，目标还不那么坚定。因为你连世间的努力程度都没有，更谈不上难行能行，难忍能忍了。
-
-{#常见误区}
-###### （1）常见误区
-
-明确了目标，还需要方法正确、次第修学。在当今教界，除了求求拜拜、把佛教等同于民间信仰的普通信众，即使那些有心学佛者，也因为缺乏引导，学得杂乱无章。有人好高骛远，喜读大经大论，谈玄说妙，感觉良好；也有人东学西学，法门接触很多，道场参访不少，但效果如何呢？如果本身学习能力不够，就只会看些浮光掠影，片言只语；即使学习能力很强，也往往只是学了些法义名相。看起来见多识广，做起来一无是处。事实上，佛法的真正价值在于树立正见，进而在生活中加以运用，调整心态，重塑生命品质。如果不能起到这个作用，无论读了多少经论，不过是个知解宗徒而已，和世间的读书、做学问有什么区别呢？
-
-此外，汉传佛教属于大乘，但对菩提心教法普遍不够重视，未能很好地彰显积极利他的菩萨道精神。很多人虽然热衷于受菩萨戒，却不重视菩提心，不重视慈悲利他的精神，结果成了有名无实的"菩萨”。须知，菩萨道修学是有次第的，必须从发起愿菩提心开始，然后落实到行菩提心，最后升华到胜义菩提心。如果不能有步骤地一一落实，发菩提心很可能会成为说法，甚至是调侃。
-
-另一个误区就是尚简，总期待"直指人心，见性成佛”。但顿悟不仅要有明眼师长指点，就学人自身而言，也得是上根利智，尘垢极薄，才能于某个关键时刻，在善知识指点下见性。如果根机不够，又想讨巧省力，不重视教理基础，学禅就容易流于口头禅。说起来很痛快，其实只是在迷惑系统说一些貌似"觉悟”的话。除了愉悦自己，也是在欺骗自己。
-
-{#对治方法}
-###### （2）对治方法
-
-佛教有很多宗派，不同宗派就代表不同的修学体系，有不同的指导思想。就像通向同一终点的不同路线，每条路有不同的路况，不同的前行方法。山路有山路的走法，水路有水路的走法，陆路有陆路的走法。如果把这些混淆起来，就像背着船去爬山，不仅没有用处，反而平添累赘。所以太多的人越学越没感觉，最后就麻木了，甚至热衷于名闻利养。其实这也很正常，如果不能于法受益，不能走在解脱路上，自然会回到轮回道，去追名逐利。
-
-不少人学佛之前一大堆人生问题，学佛后人生问题没解决，反而增加了一大堆学佛的问题。这是我在弘法过程中经常遇到的。有些人来见我的时候，东一个问题，西一个问题，好像也在思考怎么学佛，其实完全没有章法。即使回答了这些问题，除了让他增加一点知识，了解一个说法，并没有多少实际用处。对于这类情况，现在我只用一招回复：进入三级修学，所有问题就不是问题了。
-
-三级修学包括同喜班、同修班、同德班三个阶段，是我根据多年弘法经验，在实践中逐步摸索、不断调整而来。同喜班主要从人生佛教入手，消除对佛教的误解；然后学习《走近佛陀，认识佛法》和《皈依修学手册》等课程，了解佛陀的出家和修学经历，从而确定对三宝的信仰。这个阶段为时一年，是"以人生佛教为基础，以信仰建设为中心”。
-
-接着是为时四年半的同修班，"以修学次第为基础，以菩提心的修行为中心”。前者主要引导我们认识修学理路和菩提路上的各个站点，包括道前基础和下、中、上三士道。首先是端正闻法态度，了解善知识和暇满人身的重要性，明确以三宝为归宿，然后围绕出离心、菩提心、空性见安立修学内容。每一部分都有修学重点、落实方法和检验标准，有次第地完成菩萨道的心理引导。掌握修学次第之后，再通过《入菩萨行论》和《瑜伽菩萨戒品》的学习，知道如何发菩提心，行菩萨行，真正走上菩萨道。所有这一切，重点围绕心行改变而施设。但心是复杂而微妙的，不仅会欺骗他人，还会自我欺骗。为了更清晰地认识心行运作规律和转变原理，这个阶段还特别增加了《百法明门论》的课程。
-
-同德班的修学为时三年，"以空性见为基础，以止观禅修为中心”。通过对《辩中边论》《唯识三十论》《心经》《金刚经》《六祖坛经》等经典的学习，或根据唯识理论建立空性见，或根据般若思想建立空性见，或根据禅宗见地建立空性见，并在相关经论的引导下完成空性禅修。
-
-总之，每一部分的修学都次第清晰，逐渐深入。如果没有次第，要不就总拿着小学课本，读上十年还是小学水平；要不就直接从大学课本开始，起点太高，无从着手。通过有次第的学习，就会看到自己一步步的成长，使信心不断提升。在此过程中，我们一定能感受到迷惑和烦恼在减少，慈悲和觉醒的力量在增强。所以说，修学不是要多少年之后才知道效果的，也不是死后才知道的。有次第的修学，每个阶段的效果如何，自己应该非常清楚。因为我们不仅知道怎么做，也知道该做多少量，达到什么标准。
-
-{#有效的修学}
-###### 2．有效的修学
-
-除了次第，有效的修学非常重要。因为无效的修学会不断制造问题，是永远解决不完的。而有效的修学，在次第深入的过程中，自己就具备了解决问题的能力。就像一个好的制度，本身就能自我完善，自我优化。否则，永远都在解决问题，同时又在制造问题，没完没了。
-
-经常有人会说：不就是"无常”吗？不就是"缘起”吗？我已经学过了，知道了，能不能讲深一点的？那么，学过是什么概念？学过是目的吗？学到什么程度才算完成？这里有一个标准问题。很多人之所以修学不力，用不起来，就是因为停留在概念上，停留在一知半解、似是而非的程度。为了避免大家在修学中出现这种情况，我们形成了一套有效的修学机制。
-
-首先要自修，对当期法义至少学习三遍以上。古人说，"书读百遍，其义自见”。世间的书尚且如此，对于蕴含着宇宙人生大智慧的佛法，更要反复阅读、深入理解了。比如《金刚经》五千余言，每个字都不难懂，普通文化水平就可以应付，但你知道它所表达的内涵吗？还有《心经》，短短两百多个字中，空、无、不就占了几十个，看起来似乎特别简单，但其中蕴含着深奥的般若智慧。怎么掌握这些法义，学到什么程度才可以？有很大的学问。
-
-所以自修不仅遍数要够，还要有一套方法，那就是"八步骤三种禅修”。这是告诉我们，究竟要按照哪些步骤来学，每个阶段的检验标准是什么，怎么和现实人生联系起来，改变原有的观念和心态。学佛是成就佛菩萨的品质，这些学习不是停留在概念上，不是了解道理就够了。比如学习因果，是帮助我们从缘起的角度看世界；学习无常，是让无常成为自己的人生观和世界观，不再执著世间有恒常的我，或是有恒常的物。
-
-如果这种学习仅仅停留在对名相的了解，那只是增加了一些佛法知识而已。这就是很多人说"道理我都懂，就是用不起来”的原因所在。因为这种所谓的"懂”，只是肤浅的知道。道理还在书本上，你只是看到了，但没有成为自己的。面对外境时，依然在固有频道中，用固有观念在处理。即使你想用佛法来处理，也会发现，自己只是拿到了一张空头支票，是没法兑现的。只有通过思考，尤其是结合现实人生的思考，才能把书上的法义变成自己的认识，变成可以用来支配、使用的财富。
-
-包括对出离心、菩提心的学习，按照我们原有的学习习惯，只要找点书看一看，就会知道这些名相是什么意思，也能给别人讲得头头是道。问题是，这样就能在心相续中产生作用吗？学习出离心，不只是知道出离心的概念，而是要在内心生起出离心，真正对世间的五欲六尘了无牵挂。因为出离不是出离环境，而是对贪欲、执著的出离。菩提心也是同样。怎么把菩提心发起来？必须从愿菩提心开始，在内心发起"我要利益一切众生”的崇高愿望，进而把这种愿望作为尽未来际的奋斗目标。有了愿望之后，还要在现实生活中，通过各种方式利益他人，帮助众生离苦得乐，走向觉醒，这就是行菩提心。但愿菩提心和行菩提心都属于世俗菩提心，最后还要通过空性见使菩提心得到提升，成为胜义菩提心。
-
-在三级修学中，我们从接受一个道理，到真正变成自己的心行，分为八个步骤。其中，第一和第二步是学习法义，属于最基础的部分；第三步是结合问题来思考，完整、准确、透彻地理解法义。我们对佛法的理解包含两个层面，一是理论上的理解，二是事实上的理解。比如无常，佛经告诉我们，世间一切是无常变化的。但关于无常的认识，要回到现实中去观察、思考，才能加以确认。佛法说"诸行无常”，我们就要去检验，在这个有为、有漏、缘起的世间，有没有什么不是无常的？如果能找出一样不是无常的，那这个说法就有问题，不要轻易接受。如果对现实全面观察之后，发现万物确实是无常的，就要在内心确立这个认识（第四步）。就像前面所说的皈依三宝。佛法阐明了"为什么皈依、如何皈依”等相关法义，但我们还需要通过自己的思考来接受，才能在内心建立对三宝的信仰，这是观念的禅修。
-
-当我们通过修学建立起关于缘起、无常、无我的认识，还要运用这种认识。所以，第五和第六步是从佛法角度重新观察世界，思考人生，处理问题，从而改变固有观念，建立正确认识。进一步，从错误观念制造的不良心态中走出来，在佛法智慧指导下，建立一种良性、积极、正向的心态，并安住其中，完成心态的禅修。
-
-最后是第七和第八步，建立正确心态后，它能马上成为生命中的主导力量吗？其实是做不到的，因为错误心态形成的串习非常强大。"串”字很有意思，是一串串连起来的，念念相续，不绝如缕。不论心态还是行为，如果不断重复，就会在内心成为惯性。这种惯性是有吸附性的，一旦形成，在出现相关心行时，哪怕只有一点点，也很容易被吸附其中。一方面，你会不由自主地进入并启动惯性轨道；另一方面，你也同时在强化这个惯性，让它的吸附力变得越来越大。
-
-三级修学提倡观察修和安住修，就是让我们通过不断审视，重复已经建立的正确观念。因为错误观念还会顺着惯性不时产生作用，影响甚至主导我们。这就需要不断调整，让自己有更长时间安住于正见，强化正向心态。
-
-修行，就是"摆脱错误、重复正确”的过程。事实上，在世间做好任何一件事，都离不开这八个字。我们之所以学不好，做不好，往往是因为错误习惯在干扰，使我们产生偏差。你看那些体育健将，就那么几个动作，看起来似乎没什么了不起。事实上，他要反复训练，经过千万遍甚至更多的重复，才能做到极致。身体的训练如此，心的训练也是如此。
-
-为什么"摆脱错误，重复正确”能在生命中产生作用？因为它的理论基础就是缘起法。缘起，说明世间一切存在没有固定不变的特质。每个当下都有无限的可能性，都是可以改变的。了解缘起的特质和规律，就能通过有效的方法，改变错误习惯，建立正确心行。这个过程可以通过训练来完成，但不是一味蛮干，而是像训练身体一样，需要方法和技巧。
-
-通过八步骤三种禅修，可以达到"理解、接受、运用”的效果。其中，理解是基础，接受是关键，运用是检验。做到这一切的前提，是正确的态度模式，即"真诚、认真、老实”，不自以为是，不耍小聪明，而是把自己当作轮回中的重病患者，以真切希求康复的心，来接受法的治疗。只有这样，才能达到"观念、心态、生命品质”的改变。当我们遵循这个次第，每一步就能走得实实在在。就像从苏州到北京，每个站点都非常清晰。总之，从心行的突破，到信仰的增长，都离不开次第，离不开有效的方法。
-
-{#六信仰的提升}
-## 六、信仰的提升
-
-佛法是究竟圆满的，但每个佛教徒的信仰程度是参差不齐的。隋唐时期，汉传佛教的发展达到鼎盛，其中一个主要原因，就是当时有很多社会精英学佛乃至出家。有高素质的信众基础，才会有高素质的僧众队伍，才有能力来传承并弘扬佛法这样博大精深的智慧。这才是真正的续佛慧命，而不是毁佛慧命。
-
-佛教自宋元以来一路衰落，根源就在于修学上不去。这一方面是因为宗派的见地太高或入手太难，另一方面，也是因为修学者的素质整体下降。道在人弘，这个人，不仅指弘化一方的高僧大德，也包括每个佛教徒。因为社会大众接触更多的，往往是自己身边的佛教徒。他们的言行举止和道德品质，很可能成为大众对佛教的第一印象。所以说，如果佛教徒的信仰素质得不到提升，就会给佛法弘扬带来负面而非正面的影响，同时使信众层次每况愈下。
-
-从教界现状来看，虽然一些寺院在开展弘法活动，各大商学院也在开设佛教课程，已有越来越多高素质的年轻人走入佛门，但相对整个信众阶层来说，所占比例还是微乎其微的。可以说，佛教目前的信众素质，和这一智慧承载的内涵有着天壤之别。那么，如何才能改变现状，使大众的信仰得到提升？主要包括基础和方法两个方面。有基础，提升才成为可能；有方法，提升才能落到实处。
-
-{#提升的基础}
-###### 1．提升的基础
-
-说到基础，又取决于两个方面，一是信仰对象的高度，二是我们自身的人生诉求。
-
-{#信仰对象}
-###### （1）信仰对象
-
-信仰能否得到提升，首先取决于信仰对象的高度。如果这栋楼只有三层，你再怎么努力，也只能走到三层，提升空间很有限。如果这栋楼高不见顶，那么只要你有能力，有方法，提升空间将不可限量。所以说，选择什么样的信仰对象非常重要。就像你信财神之类，除了上个供，求求拜拜，想着怎么取悦于他，还能做些什么呢？你信是这样，别人信也是这样；信一年是这样，信上几十年还是这样。
-
-而对佛法的信仰，从迷信到智信，从初信到深信，从信仰到实践，从入门的皈依三宝，到最终于自身成就三宝那样的品质，信仰程度会随着修行不断加深。很多时候，我们越学，越觉得佛法广大无边。随着你眼界的提高，佛法也在不断展现其浩瀚、无限、高不见顶的那一面。因为佛陀所揭示的是心的本质，宇宙的本质，不仅如此，他还阐明了万法的差别。可以说，世间没有一种智慧可与之比拟。或许有人会觉得，这只是佛教徒的自诩。那么，我们不妨通过对其他宗教，或哲学、科学等各领域的了解，在探索过程中进行对比，加以确认。
-
-在今天这个互联网普及的时代，虽然铺天盖地的资讯带来了很多干扰，但也为我们提供了开阔的视野。关于这一点，我自己就深有体会。我是受到家庭影响，从小就学佛、出家，此后一直在佛学院成长。虽然一直觉得佛法说得很好，但这种好，只是因为你从开始就接受这种教育，属于默认模式下的好，其实并没有太深的感触。直到走上弘法道路，和社会各界人士有了接触，对不同学科有所了解之后，我才越来越体认到，佛法真是究竟圆满的大智慧。
-
-所以我觉得，虽然信仰本身强调专一性，但要全面提升信仰，可以把眼界放宽一点。当然，有些人本身已在社会上受过很多教育，是在有对比的情况下选择了佛教，就可以深入经藏，不必到处涉猎，浪费时间了。此外，也不要在信仰之初过多接触其他宗教或学科。因为对比和选择都是需要一定能力的，如果信仰尚未稳固，还不知道佛法究竟说的是什么，就容易被一些似是而非的知见带跑。
-
-{#人生诉求}
-###### （2）人生诉求
-
-此外，我们的人生诉求也会决定信仰的高度。如果人生诉求仅限于饮食男女，升官发财，那么对信仰的诉求也必然围绕这些内容，不过是把佛菩萨当作保护神，求求拜拜而已。这样的信佛，和信财神、信土地爷有什么区别呢？所以说，只有提升人生诉求，才有可能提升信仰。
-
-那么，如何才能提升人生诉求？一是通过对人生的深入思考。比如人为什么要活着？生命的起源是什么，归宿是什么？如果活着只是为了生存和繁衍后代，那和动物有什么区别？作为万物之灵，我们的生命怎样才能得到提升？什么才是生而为人的不共追求？
-
-当我们超越日常生活，从更高的角度来审视，就会发现，如果找不到人生的价值，活着实在没有多少意义，不过是在日复一日的重复中轮回。活着是为了吃饭，吃饭是为了活着；或者，活着是为了工作，工作是为了活着；又或者，活着是为了享乐，享乐是为了活着。总之，是封闭的、没有出口也毫无希望的重复。我称之为生命的低级重复，因为这是动物性的重复。如果我们不想在这样的闭环中虚度一生，就要寻找人生的最高价值，并朝着这个方向努力。
-
-二是通过对各种文化的学习。因为每个人都是有局限的，很多时候，我们不觉得有什么问题，只是因为还没有开始思考，或是这些思考没有深度，尚未构成问题。也只有发现问题，才能解决问题，所以禅宗有"大疑大悟、小疑小悟、不疑不悟”之说。通过对哲学、科学或其他宗教的了解，一方面可以从不同角度启发我们对终极问题的思考，一方面可以在广泛的了解中，让我们了解到佛法的高度。
-
-比如佛法告诉我们要找到生命的意义，如果你没有切身体会，可能听起来觉得轻飘飘的，甚至有些老生常谈。一旦你了解到世上有那么多艺术家、哲学家和各行各业的成功人士，就是因为找不到人生意义，在功成名就时走上了绝路，才会发现这不是简单的一句话，而是生命中最重要的问题。他们被这个问题所困，不是因为不够聪明，而是在某个领域走到顶端后，发现自己依然找不到答案。我们现在之所以没有被困，不是因为找到了答案，而是没有意识到其重要性。一旦开始思考这些问题，才会知道佛法有多么重要。因为，答案尽在此中。
-
-{#提升的方法}
-###### 2．提升的方法
-
-不少人信佛，是从追求现世平安开始的。这固然无可厚非，但如果始终停留在这个层面，就像守着自家宝藏却终日乞讨，未免可惜。那么，怎么使这一信仰得到提升？
-
-皈依，意味着我们选择了佛教作为信仰。我们对这一选择有多少认识？对信仰对象有多少了解？正如前面所说，如果认识不到三宝的内涵，认识不到皈依对人生的意义，只是由于种种因缘皈依了，可以说，还没有真正走入佛门。即使前行和正行都很如法，也不是皈依后就一劳永逸了。因为信仰也是缘起法，需要不断滋养和强化，否则就会在心行中逐渐被边缘化，虽有若无。这就需要通过修学来深化。作为佛教徒，应该怎样提升自己的信仰？
-
-佛教修行的次第，包括人天乘、解脱道和菩萨道。这也是信仰提升的次第。
-
-首先，依缘起因果的认识，建立人天乘的信仰。虽然我们现在拥有人身，得遇佛法，但轮回路险，稍有不慎就会造业堕落。人天乘的修行，既重视当下的现实人生，还要认识到暇满人身的重大意义，通过念死无常、念三恶道苦，真正对三宝生起信心。我们现有的人身不过短短几十年，死亡来临时，除了三宝，没什么是可以依靠的。亲人可以陪你一起走吗？权力和财富可以让你往生善道吗？万一堕落恶道，将长劫受苦。所以，我们不仅要现世平安，还要让未来保有这种福报。这不是为了享乐，而是为了得到可以继续修行的身份。所以我们在至诚皈依的基础上，还要受持五戒，止恶行善，不断积累资粮。
-
-其次，认识到轮回的本质是苦，建立解脱道的信仰。虽然我们现在得到了人身，但只要内心还有迷惑烦恼，再多的享乐，再优越的物质生活，也解决不了这个痛苦。而且，轮转六道是不能自主的。在生生世世的轮回中，我们造下无量恶业，不知何时就会成熟。即使有幸得生善道，也是朝不保夕的。佛典告诉我们，轮回的总苦有生、老、病、死、爱别离、怨憎会、求不得、五蕴炽盛八种；此外，还有无有决定、不知满足、数数舍身、数数受生、数数高下、无伴之过六种。这些都是轮回中如影随形的苦，是无法摆脱的。看清这一点，我们就要发起出离心，不再贪恋轮回盛事。通过修习戒定慧，彻底断除贪嗔痴三毒。事实上，解脱才是佛教一切法门的核心，人天乘只是作为接引众生的前行和方便，为进一步修行打下良好的基础。
-
-第三，认识到菩提心的殊胜，通过广行六度，建立大乘菩萨道的信仰。我们虽然找到了生命的解脱之道，但要看到普天之下芸芸众生仍深陷于迷惑烦恼之中，受苦受难。由此认识到，仅仅追求个人解脱是不究竟的，进而发起殊胜的菩提心，以追求无上菩提为目标，以帮助一切众生走向觉醒为己任。
-
-人天乘、声闻乘、菩萨乘又称三士道，代表佛法修行的三个层次。就如一栋三层楼房，人天乘是第一层，声闻乘是第二层，菩萨乘是第三层。在修学道路上，有人停留在人天乘，有人选择声闻乘，也有人会进入菩萨乘。如何突破信仰的局限，在信仰实践中不断提升？首先要有开阔的视野，而不是坐井观天；其次要提升信仰的诉求，而不是得少为足。当我们真正了解缘起因果的智慧，解脱道的殊胜，菩萨道的圆满，信仰自然会逐步提升。
-
-{#七结束语}
-## 七、结束语
-
-以上，根据当今社会和佛教界的信仰现状，从六个方面探讨了"如何建立信仰”的话题。首先，针对认为宗教信仰可有可无的误解，从信仰解决什么问题入手，分析信仰的独特性和不可取代性；其次，针对世间信仰和宗教信仰的差别，以及佛教和其他宗教的不同，说明为什么要信仰佛教；第三，针对有些人已经信佛，却未能使佛法在生命中发挥作用，揭示将信仰落实于心行的途径；第四，针对信仰淡化的现象，指出应该如何防护信仰，使之在内心生根发芽；第五，针对某些人信佛多年，却看不到自身进步，也不知道如何进步的痛点，阐明使信仰有效增长的修学方法；最后，因为信仰对象及个人诉求的局限，使许多人的信仰停留在初级阶段，由此开显提升信仰的要领。六个问题层层递进，由浅入深，沿着这一思路，相信大家对信仰的选择和实践会有清晰的认识。
-
-这是一个物欲横流的时代，也是一个特别需要佛法的时代。随着物质神话的逐渐破灭，越来越多的人开始关注心灵，寻找信仰。有道是，佛法难闻，善知识难遇。在今天，接触佛法似乎变得很容易了，但如果没有善知识引导，这种接触能带来什么呢？就像混乱的市场一样，宗教信仰也存在各种乱象，借佛敛财者有之，假冒伪劣者有之，以盲导盲者有之，似是而非者有之。所有这些，为我们选择信仰和修学佛法增加了无数干扰项。而且这种干扰正随着资讯的快速传播而发酵，变得前所未有的庞杂。
-
-在这样的大环境下，正确认识信仰显得尤为重要，这是我们走上觉醒之道的基础，也是未来顺利前行的保障。希望本文对大家有所启发。
@@ -1,445 +0,0 @@
-# How to Establish Faith
-
------A talk given at the 13th Bodhi Retreat, 2016
-
-Master Jiqun
-
-[I. Do Humans Need Religious Faith?](#)
-
-[1. What Does Religious Faith Solve?](#)
-
-[2. Misconceptions About Religious Faith](#)
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-[II. Why Take Buddhism as Faith](#)
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-[1. Secular "Faith"](#)
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-[2. From Polytheism to Monotheism](#)
-
-[3. Buddhism: the Faith of Right Awakening](#)
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-[III. Establishing Buddhist Faith](#)
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-[1. The Preliminaries and Main Practice of Taking Refuge](#)
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-[2. The Benefits of Taking Refuge](#)
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-[IV. Protecting Faith](#)
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-[1. Guarding the Refuge Essence](#)
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-[2. Practicing the Three Refuges](#)
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-[V. Growing Faith](#)
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-[1. Graduated Practice](#)
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-[2. Effective Practice](#)
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-[VI. Elevating Faith](#)
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-[1. The Foundation for Elevation](#)
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-[2. The Methods for Elevation](#)
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-[VII. Conclusion](#)
-
-How to establish faith is a topic I return to often in my Dharma teaching. As early as 2000, I participated in a related interview, later compiled as *Reflections on Religious Faith in the Contemporary World*. Since 2004, I have given many talks on "taking refuge," later compiled as *A Handbook for Refuge Practice*. Around the same time, I compiled *The Liturgy for Group Refuge Practice* and promoted it in various places, hoping to create a regular religious life for Buddhist disciples and thereby strengthen their faith and deepen their spiritual resolve. Moving from teaching the Dharma to promoting group practice marks a shift from theory to practice in building faith. I would say this has been a turning point in my own practice and teaching, as well as the basis for a series of reflections that followed — including the framework of the Three-Stage Practice.
-
-Why has Chinese Buddhism steadily declined since the Song and Yuan dynasties? The key reason is the lack of a concise, practical, and broadly accessible practice system. Schools of thought became increasingly complex, doctrines ever more elaborate — yet, at the same time, teachers of true insight grew fewer and practitioners' capacities weaker. How to resolve this dilemma? We must start by strengthening the foundations.
-
-Although Buddhism offers eighty-four thousand Dharma doors, at its core, none can be separated from five essentials: refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā. Among these, refuge is the root of the Buddhadharma; aspiration is the root of practice; precepts are the root of the Sangha; right view and śamatha-vipaśyanā are the roots of liberation. A correct understanding of refuge, a properly conducted refuge ceremony, and graduated practice after taking refuge — these are not merely the threshold for entering the Buddha's path but also the foundation for Buddhism's healthy transmission. Therefore, whether you are preparing to take refuge, or have taken refuge but don't know how to begin practicing, I recommend studying *A Handbook for Refuge Practice*. From the causes of refuge to understanding the Three Jewels, from how to take refuge to its main practices, from the precepts of refuge to its benefits, and finally to how to cultivate refuge — it is probably the most thorough book on "taking refuge" in all of Chinese Buddhism.
-
-Without refuge as a foundation, practice cannot sustain itself. A ten-thousand-foot tower rises from level ground. Just as constructing a tall building must begin with the foundation — the taller the building, the more crucial the foundation, or it will harbor the hidden danger of collapse — so too, in the Three-Stage Practice we advocate, understanding refuge is a vital part of practice, and group refuge practice is a daily commitment. Refuge is not concluded in a single ceremony; it runs through the entire journey of practice toward buddhahood. In this sense, no Dharma door can be separated from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha.
-
-Beyond refuge, I have also given a dedicated talk, *A Buddhist's Faith*, which clarified questions such as whether Buddhism is theistic or non-theistic, and what Buddhists should and should not believe. Why return to the theme of "faith" now? Recently, I was invited to serve as a judge for the "Chinese Buddhist Sutra Lecture Competition." One of the themes was to explore, based on a sutra, how Buddhists should "establish faith" — and many participating monastics chose this topic.
-
-As a judge, I was asked to offer commentary on these lectures. I proposed a framework, starting from "Do humans need faith?" and proceeding to how to establish, protect, and elevate that faith. I feel these are questions well worth reflecting on. Otherwise, as we choose a faith, we often drift in confusion, plagued by indecision; and even after we have found faith, our minds lack a stable anchor, still wavering and uncertain. This is precisely why, even as the number of Buddhists grows year by year and society's need for the Dharma steadily increases, the overall trend of diminishing faith within the Buddhist community has not reversed. That is to say, these refuge ceremonies and practice efforts, taken as a whole, have quantity but lack quality.
-
-How can we turn this around? We must start from the very choice of faith. At every step, we help the practitioner know both *what* to do and *why* to do it — to understand the reasoning behind the action. Only through reflection can faith truly take root in the heart. With this framework in mind, I would like to share these reflections with you.
-
-{#}
-## I. Do Humans Need Religious Faith?
-
-I raise this question because many people consider religious faith optional, not a necessity of life. Our past impressions often cast religion as a crutch in times of setback, a pastime for the elderly with nothing left to do, a comfort for the lonely and forsaken — in short, something needed only by the weak. In recent years, with prominent figures and celebrities taking it up, embracing Buddhism (including wearing prayer beads) has become a fashion label, a form of elite consumption — even mocked as one of "the four new clichés." The arrogance and prejudice reflected in these two extremes both stem from a shallow understanding of faith.
-
-To clarify this, we must grasp what religious faith actually entails — what questions it seeks to answer, and what it can truly offer us. Only then can we determine: do we genuinely need faith, or are we merely following a trend?
-
-{#}
-###### 1. What Does Religious Faith Solve?
-
-Every sector of society addresses its own domain: agriculture solves the problem of food; commerce solves the problem of trade; industry covers every aspect of clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, and itself encompasses many sub-fields. So what does religious faith solve?
-
-Human problems are many and varied, but when distilled, they fall into two categories: those of survival, and those of the spirit. Survival problems can be addressed through hard work, science, technology, and so on; once basic survival is secured, we can continue raising the quality of life. Spiritual problems, it is true, can find some outlet in art and philosophy — but when we ascend to humanity's perennial questions, religious faith inevitably comes into play.
-
-From the ancient Greek philosopher's injunction "Know thyself" three thousand years ago, to the Brahmanic ideal of "the unity of Brahman and Ātman," to Gauguin's late-19th-century masterpiece titled *Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?* — all express humanity's millennia-long quest to fathom the truth of life. Of this celebrated painting in the Western canon, the artist wrote: "Its meaning far surpasses that of all my previous works; I can never paint a better or equally valuable picture. Before my death, I poured all my remaining energy into this canvas." This was Gauguin's ultimate inquiry — and it is an inquiry each of us must eventually face.
-
-Where do we come from at birth, and where do we go at death? We do not know the origin of life — before our parents gave birth to us, did this "self" not exist? Neither do we know our final destination — after death arrives, where will this "self" go? We live in this world, and whether we are the wealthiest tycoon or utterly destitute, whether we hold the highest office or occupy the lowest rung, in the end, death brings everything to zero. Beyond all external trappings, does life simply terminate completely? Where, ultimately, does it go? In his own time, the prince who would become the Buddha, precisely because he witnessed the sufferings of aging, sickness, and death, came to see the illusory nature of youth, beauty, glory, and wealth. When aging, sickness, and death descend, nothing can be relied upon, nothing can help.
-
-Beyond birth and death: why do we live? What is the meaning of life? Every day, we work and take care of our families — while satisfying survival needs, we also advance technology and improve material life. Although all this brings convenience and temporary satisfaction, from an ultimate perspective, everything passes. If we build life's meaning on the foundation of material civilization, then when that civilization collapses, will the meaning it carries likewise disappear, left homeless? Or is it that all meaning ultimately points to meaninglessness?
-
-To speak of life's meaning, we cannot avoid the question of self-knowledge. We all care about ourselves, are all invested in ourselves — but what, exactly, does "self" refer to? As science races forward, as humanity can now travel into space and plumb the ocean depths, expanding the frontiers of knowledge, we find it harder and harder to locate ourselves. We can look back at Earth from space, yet we cannot see ourselves clearly in the present moment, cannot perceive the truth of life.
-
-Furthermore, what is the fundamental nature of the world? What force governs it? By what laws does it operate? Philosophers ponder these questions but have reached no consensus; scientists probe them, but their answers are constantly revised and updated, never settled. Some may feel these are metaphysical questions with little bearing on daily life, not worth our attention. In truth, *how* we understand ourselves, life, and the world directly shapes what kind of outlook on life, worldview, and value system we develop — it shapes how we perceive and handle every situation we encounter, and it shapes the quality of our very being.
-
-In life, faced with the same situation, different people will have different understandings and responses. For example, when misfortune strikes, some say, "A loss may turn out to be a gain," and accept it peacefully; some say, "Failure is the mother of success," and redouble their efforts; others fume, "Why is heaven so unfair?" and seethe with resentment; still others think, "It's all fate — nothing helps," and never recover. Why such differences? It all depends on each person's outlook on life, worldview, and value system.
-
-How we see a problem determines the impact that problem has on us, rather than — as we usually assume — it being determined solely by external conditions. Thus, our worldview, outlook on life, and values are not abstract metaphysical concepts; they touch every dimension of our lives, from the paths we choose in life to the quality of our daily food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.
-
-Although we rely on our worldview, outlook, and values at every moment, these are precisely what modern education most sorely lacks. Why do so many people lack a moral bottom line, or any principles for being a decent human being? Why are inner restlessness and hostility so widespread? The reasons are many, but at root, they lie in disordered values and confusion about life's ultimate questions. Not knowing "who I am," one cannot have a proper outlook on life — it becomes "live for today, drink while you can," caring only about the present with no thought for the future. Not knowing "the meaning of life," one cannot have proper values — it becomes "every man for himself, the devil take the hindmost," thinking only of oneself with no regard for others. Not knowing "the truth of the world," one cannot have a proper worldview — it becomes "after I die, let the flood come," seeing only the local picture and ignoring the whole.
-
-So it is clear: from establishing our worldview and values to how we conduct ourselves, and even the entire moral fabric of society — all derive from the ultimate questions of life. This exploration of the ultimate gives us the "big picture of life." Only when we stand at this height can we know what is truly important, what is secondary, and how to choose. For what you see is not just the present moment, but also the past and the future; what you see is not just yourself, but also the living beings and the mountains, rivers, and great earth intimately connected with you. Otherwise, what we perceive and ponder remains confined to the immediate — and the result is inevitably shortsightedness, grasping at one thing only to lose another.
-
-I often say that what Buddhism offers the world and humanity is universal. For although individual lives differ, so long as you are unwilling to live like an animal, you will face the same confusion, the same ultimate questions. The universal value of Buddhism lies precisely in this: through insight into the nature of mind, it resolves life's fundamental confusion at the root. No other discipline can do this. In this sense, everyone needs the Buddhadharma — otherwise, there is no finding the path out of life's predicament.
-
-On the practical level — including how to view wealth, environmental protection, happiness, success, and morality — the Buddhadharma offers wise perspectives. Its guidance is not a set of simple, issue-by-issue rules, but rests on the transformation of the mind, tailored to different capacities and needs. Take the Buddhist view of wealth: it sets different standards for practitioners of the Human and Deva Vehicle, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle. This allows people to begin practicing according to their present capacity, without being daunted by a starting point set too high; it also lets them see the room for growth ahead, so they never plateau at their current level. This kind of guidance is skillful, inclusive, and compassionate — beneficial not only for our present and future, but also for ourselves and all living beings.
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-To summarize: faith, first of all, resolves humanity's perennial questions; second, it addresses the practical issues of our worldly lives. As long as you wish to uncover the truth of life, you cannot do without religious faith. Someone might say, "I don't feel any particular confusion, and I don't need to know any truth." In fact, that only means you are numb or have deliberately blocked it out. These questions arise with life itself — just like death: whether you face it or avoid it, it will come. Only by preparing in advance can you meet the threshold of life's transition with composure and seize the opportunity. Likewise, these life questions are present all along, and will remain so life after life. Eventually, you will need faith to find the answers.
-
-{#}
-###### 2. Misconceptions About Religious Faith
-
-If religious faith is so important, why do so many in Chinese society consider it optional? There are several main reasons.
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-First, misconceptions about religion itself. Some equate religion with superstition — a product of human imagination from a time when nature could not be understood. This conflates various forms of primitive worship and mythology with Buddhism. Others regard religion as the opiate of the masses, a tool for the ruling class to control the people — a view that has long been misread. Regrettably, because these are deeply ingrained first impressions, such misunderstandings have greatly obstructed people's ability to truly understand religious faith.
-
-Second, the accumulated ossified customs that developed in religion over its long history. In the case of Buddhism, tendencies toward otherworldliness, superstition about ghosts and spirits, and — as the caliber of the faithful declined — superstition and superficiality, compounded by misrepresentations in literature and the arts, have led to all kinds of misunderstandings about Buddhism and its practical relevance. Many assume Buddhism exists only to serve the dead and departed, or that it is merely a shelter for the dejected who have hit rock bottom — with no bearing on real life.
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-Third, people are either fixated on material things or consumed by the struggle to survive, and have not yet generated a genuine need for faith. Human life cannot do without material nourishment, but it is also easily enslaved by it. Over two thousand years ago, Zhuangzi already remarked that "the gentlemen of today's vulgar world mostly endanger their bodies and abandon life in pursuit of material things." More than two millennia later, have material temptations not multiplied a thousandfold or more? Today, the entire society takes consumerism as its pleasure and its guide. In such an environment, faith is naturally diminished, even forgotten. For many, life is simply about getting married and building a career — earning a bit more, living a bit better — then having and raising children, accompanying them through their own cycle from marrying and building a career to living a bit better, and that seems to wrap it up. Society's value orientation does not encourage us to reflect on the meaning of life; it only urges us to earn more, to succeed faster. Past eras revered wisdom and virtue, and held up philosophers and sages as models; modern society worships wealth and entertainment, and chases after tycoons and celebrities. When such inquiry is discouraged, it is no wonder many feel faith is optional.
-
-In truth, the ultimate questions of life are the same for everyone — the only difference is whether you are aware of them. These questions do not vanish because we ignore them, nor are they resolved because we avoid them, and no field of study can provide the answers. Once we recognize how important they are, we must seek answers within religious faith. I will elaborate on this point below.
-
-In my Dharma teaching, I have also noticed that if someone has not reflected deeply on life, then when they listen to the Dharma, they merely listen. They may feel inspired, they may find it makes sense — but there remains a layer of distance. In contemporary terms, it does not "land in the heart"; it stirs no deep resonance from within. Only when one genuinely attends to the ultimate questions and regards them as the single most important matter of life can one recognize just how great the value of Dharma wisdom truly is. It is like a rare jewel: in the eyes of someone who does not recognize its worth and has no need of it, it is merely a stone. It may have *some* use, but only as a stone — its true value can never be brought to light.
-
-{#}
-## II. Why Take Buddhism as Faith
-
-People hold many kinds of faith. Beyond religion, the ancients worshipped heroes as saviors who upheld justice; philosophers placed their faith in reason, believing "I think, therefore I am"; scientists trust empirical proof, regarding science as the sole path to truth. Furthermore, the Confucian ideal of the Great Harmony, the utopias envisioned by Western thinkers, the ideal of communism — in a broad sense, all belong to the domain of faith. In today's society, what people typically revere are money, power, and pleasure. In a certain sense, these are "faiths" as well. For faith means extreme trust in and respect for a particular proposition, ideology, religion, or person — it is what feels most powerful and most worthy of commitment within one's cognitive world. So why should we choose Buddhism as our faith? Why should we take the Three Jewels as our ultimate support? Let us first examine these other "faiths."
-
-{#}
-###### 1. Secular "Faith"
-
-We know that while money and power can certainly bring various pleasures, they also bring more trouble and pain — life is full of examples of this, so I need not elaborate. But what about philosophy and science? Western philosophy places great weight on reason, and indeed, philosophy itself originated from rational thought replacing primitive religion and mythology. Yet philosophers themselves have discovered that reason is constrained by personal experience and the framework of one's knowledge — it is a reading "seen as ridges from one side and peaks from another," carrying varying degrees of one-sidedness and limitation. Scientists trust empirical proof, but all scientific discoveries are outwardly directed and are constantly updated, even overturned. Though the pace of updating accelerates, when confronted with the boundless universe, no matter how many discoveries are made, we still cannot escape the predicament that "life has limits, but knowledge has none."
-
-The world has two dimensions: the finite and the infinite. With our finite capacity, we can only solve finite problems — such as issues of survival, quality of life, even advancing science, creating art, propelling human civilization, and so on. But when we face the infinite — when we face humanity's perennial questions — finite capacity cannot resolve them. Money and power cannot answer "Who am I?" Philosophy cannot decode "Where do we come from, where do we go?" Science cannot tell us "What is the meaning of life?" Thus, no secular "faith" can ever substitute for religion.
-
-{#}
-###### 2. From Polytheism to Monotheism
-
-Speaking of religion — from primitive nature worship and animism, to the countless new religious movements still emerging today, the varieties are too numerous to count. Humanity's earliest faith was worship of natural forces and objects — the sun, moon, and stars; wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. This arose partly from ignorance of nature, and partly from deep dependence on nature for survival, which gave rise to intense awe. People believed that all things in heaven and earth, even natural phenomena, were governed by separate deities — a wind god, a rain god, a thunder god, and so on. Once a deity was offended, various punishments would follow. Such faith was often closely tied to geography: people living by the sea and those living in the mountains had clearly different objects of worship. Just as the land shapes its people, faith was shaped by the physical environment.
-
-With the advance of civilization, polytheistic religions emerged, represented by the pantheon of Olympian gods in ancient Greece. Moreover, most Indian religions, including Chinese Daoism, are also polytheistic. Polytheism believes in the existence of many deities, differing in rank, supernatural power, and ability. Relative to humans, though these deities possess extraordinary powers, they still experience joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, and may even vie in jealousy. The Greek gods in particular not only take human form and disposition but even mirror human social relations, producing a rich lore of legends spanning heaven and earth. In their relations with humans, people would pray to the deities for help but never regarded them as absolute masters. Rather, the deities were more helpers than rulers in human life.
-
-The emergence of monotheism gradually replaced the primitive polytheistic religions, becoming the faith with the most followers, the greatest influence, and the widest geographical spread. Monotheism holds that the universe has only one supreme god — such as Jehovah in Christianity or Allah in Islam. This god created the universe and all things, and determines fortune and misfortune. He is an omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient spiritual entity. Believers can only pray for the Lord's grace and attain salvation through unreserved obedience. For Christians, for example, as long as you believe, all problems can be resolved by the Creator. The world was created by God — there is no need to inquire into truth; humans are God's children — there is no need to ask "Who am I?"; one's fate is in God's hands — he decides whether you ascend to heaven or fall to hell, so there is no need to ask "Where do we come from, where do we go?" In short, so long as you believe in God unconditionally, you receive forgiveness and dwell with the Lord in heaven.
-
-God is not only omnipotent but also possesses a spirit of universal love. But let us examine: what does this universal love look like? God loves humanity, yet he offers animals — who also cherish life and fear death — as food for humans. God once unleashed a flood that, apart from the survivors on Noah's Ark, destroyed countless lives in a single stroke. God loves his followers, but not the heathens — and this very idea has sparked repeated persecutions of non-believers throughout history.
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-From a Buddhist perspective, the deities of polytheism belong to the heavenly realm among the six destinies of sentient beings. Although they enjoy immense blessings, they have not yet eradicated greed, aversion, and delusion, and will still cycle through saṃsāra. Furthermore, Buddhism's teaching of dependent origination rejects the worship of a creator god: all phenomena arise from the convergence of causes and conditions, and there is no sovereign deity who creates the universe and determines all things. So what, then, is Buddhism?
-
-{#}
-###### 3. Buddhism: the Faith of Right Awakening
-
-Buddhism originated in ancient India around 2,500 years ago, during the flourishing of Brahmanism. Thus, many Buddhist ideas are framed as critical responses to Brahmanic doctrines. Brahmanism propounds the unity of Brahman and Ātman: "Brahman" represents the cosmic great self, while within each living being there is an individual lesser self (Ātman) — and the two are ultimately one. This "self" is the subject of rebirth; once one loses sight of the true self, one betrays the cosmic great self. The supreme state of practice, therefore, is to realize the unity of Brahman and Ātman, thereby attaining liberation from saṃsāra.
-
-But Buddhism sees life as a continuity of resemblance, neither permanent nor annihilated — each being's life form, fortunes, and misfortunes are determined by karma, and there is no permanent, unchanging self within. The Three Dharma Seals of Buddhism are: "All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvāṇa is perfect peace." Among these, "all phenomena are without self" is the very foundation that distinguishes Buddhism from every other religion and philosophy. But we must understand that the essential point of "no-self" is to break attachment to self — to negate the mistaken identification with a self — not to say that you do not exist, nor to negate this life-form itself. Clinging to a "self" only traps one in self-attachment, creating afflictions and fueling saṃsāra rather than liberation. Due to this fundamental doctrinal difference, Buddhism differs from Brahmanism in its understanding of karma, results, the principles of rebirth, and the path to liberation.
-
-Furthermore, Buddhism holds that the formation and development of the world are determined by causes and conditions: when conditions converge, phenomena arise; when conditions disperse, they cease. There is no being who decides all this. In this sense, Buddhism is "non-theistic." But this "non-theism" is not the same as materialism — it does not deny the existence of deities as a life form. Buddhism recognizes that gods belong to the heavenly realm among the six destinies, rather than being a supreme authority that creates and governs the world.
-
-This "no-self" and "non-theism" were not put forward by the Buddha to oppose anything, nor did they arise from speculation or divine revelation — they were realized firsthand through his wisdom. When the Buddha attained awakening beneath the Bodhi tree, he activated wisdom through meditative concentration and discovered that life is constituted by twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death. By observing dependent origination in forward sequence, he thoroughly understood the causality of saṃsāra; by observing it in reverse sequence, he thoroughly understood the causality of liberation; by observing it in both forward and reverse sequence, he thoroughly understood the true nature of all phenomena. Because everything arises through dependent origination, there is no "self" that serves as the subject, nor any "Brahman" or "creator god" that creates and determines all things. Thus, the Buddha is not the creator of truth, but its discoverer; not an omnipotent savior, but a guide who points us in the direction of ceasing wrong and doing good, and shows the path from delusion to awakening.
-
-True liberation must be achieved through our own practice. This is another vital hallmark of Buddhism — it advocates self-power, not other-power. Although Buddhism also emphasizes the blessings of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and the role of spiritual teachers, all these are merely supportive conditions along the path. The blessings of the buddhas and bodhisattvas can only connect with us through the practitioner's faith and receptivity; the role of a spiritual teacher can only take effect through the practitioner's reliance and practice. That is to say, external forces must be transformed through one's own efforts; they cannot produce a direct effect on their own. It is not that the Buddha can personally eliminate your karmic obstructions and secure you a rebirth in the human or heavenly realms.
-
-The Buddha means "the Awakened One" — one who has not only awakened himself but can also guide sentient beings toward awakening, perfect in both wisdom and conduct. As Buddhist disciples, after we choose the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha — the Three Jewels — as the objects of our faith, how should we practice to become genuine children of the Buddha, rather than endless supplicants treating the Buddha as a "protective deity"? The crux of the matter is reasoned reflection. Thus, the standard pathways of practice — study, reflection, and practice; the Noble Eightfold Path; the four practices — all place reasoned reflection at the center. In the process of study, reflection, and practice, only through reflection can we understand and accept the Dharma we have heard, and then put it into practice. In the Noble Eightfold Path, right view cannot be separated from right thought; without the guidance of right view, there can be no right speech, right action, or right livelihood, nor can we establish right mindfulness and right concentration through right effort. Among the four practices, we draw near to spiritual teachers in order to hear the true Dharma; then, through wise contemplation, we follow the Dharma in our practice and step onto the path.
-
-All this tells us the importance of reason. Yet Buddhism does not promote reason one-sidedly; it also reminds us that "knowledge itself is the root of all calamities." Reason is a double-edged sword: if our thinking is not in accord with the Dharma, we will construct mistaken views and develop unwholesome conduct. Indeed, all of humanity's problems, troubles, and sufferings stem from this. So we must use reason skillfully, not indulge in aimless speculation. In sum, Buddhism does not ask us to believe blindly, nor to dump all our problems at the Buddha's feet — it asks us to think deeply, to make our choice and confirm it through reflection.
-
-Yet as I said earlier, we cannot use finite reason to grasp the infinite. Mere reasoning cannot directly reach the fundamental nature of the world. How, then, can we transcend the finite? It sounds exceedingly difficult, but the truth is, it lies in a single thought — between delusion and awakening. For the mind is originally boundless, as the saying goes: "The mind encompasses the vast emptiness of space; its measure fills worlds as numerous as grains of sand." It is only bound by ignorance, so that we can perceive only the little bit right before us — the result, a gulf as wide as heaven from earth. Therefore, we must draw back the mind that chases outward and search inward. Because it is right there, already present — the more we seek outside, the farther we drift from the Way.
-
-How do we search? On one hand, through meditative concentration we develop stability, so the mind settles and discursive thought subsides. On the other hand, through the illumination of wisdom, the light of our awakened nature reveals itself. Once the inherent, intrinsic wisdom is activated, the mind and the vast emptiness of space are one — and we can become awakened ones like the Buddha. In other words, we are all capable of completing our own spiritual rescue, rather than sitting passively and waiting for a god's salvation.
-
-Thus, Buddhism is the faith of *right awakening*. The Buddha's attainment — *anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi*, unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening — is the most ultimate and consummate form of awakening. This awakening is not something only the Buddha can achieve; in truth, all sentient beings possess the awakened nature and can embark on the path of awakening, resolving humanity's perennial questions and comprehending the truth of life and the world. The essence of mind is the essence of the universe — because he realized this wisdom, the Buddha is called "the All-Knowing One." "All-knowing" means spanning the ten directions horizontally and pervading past, present, and future vertically — knowing everything. And this all-knowing can be personally verified, not merely heard about. In a word, so long as you wish to resolve the ultimate questions of life, you should choose Buddhism.
-
-The *Mahāyāna-śatadharma-prakāśa-mukha-śāstra* further tells us that the "faith" of belief belongs to a mental factor, defined as "profound conviction and joyful aspiration toward the real, the virtuous, and the capable — purity of mind is faith." This also tells us what kind of object we should choose for our faith. First, the object is genuinely existent — not imagined or fabricated. Second, it possesses perfect wisdom — sufficient to resolve every human confusion, capable of revealing the truth about self, birth and death, and the world, and with the ability to guide our practice. Third, it possesses perfect virtue — having thoroughly eradicated greed, aversion, and delusion, and embodying unconditional great kindness and great compassion that regards all beings as one with itself. Measured by these criteria, it can be said that only the Buddha meets them. This is the vital premise for choosing Buddhism as our faith.
-
-It is precisely because the Buddhadharma can resolve the ultimate questions of life that we see the Buddha, in a past life, sacrificing his body for half a verse; the Second Patriarch Huike cutting off his arm to seek the Dharma; Xuanzang's ten-thousand-mile westward journey; and generation after generation of patriarchs and great masters giving their very lives for the Dharma. Compared with this ultimate meaning, immediate gain and even life itself count for little. Think about it: if we do not know "who I am," if we do not know why we live, what difference remains between us and animals? The same eating and mating, the same birth, aging, sickness, and death, the same lack of freedom. Though our life forms may differ, in essence we are all merely drifting along with karma. Studying the Dharma allows us to perceive the truth of life and begin steering our lives with the power of aspiration — transforming from passive transmigration to active navigation.
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-When we choose Buddhism as our faith, do we recognize this meaning? In truth, how much effect faith has on us depends on what we demand of it, and also on how deeply we understand it. If your need for faith is modest, merely seeking some spiritual comfort, many faiths can meet that — not necessarily Buddhism. If your understanding of Buddhism is shallow, you will only harvest a fraction of its power — what the saying calls "shooting a pearl at a sparrow." In sum, what you ask of faith determines not only what you choose, but also how high your faith can reach.
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-{#}
-## III. Establishing Buddhist Faith
-
-We now know what questions faith seeks to resolve, and we know that the Buddhadharma is the most ultimate and complete answer. So how do we establish this faith within our hearts? It is like knowing that a certain software works wonders and can greatly ease our workload — but even if we get hold of the software, as long as we don't install and run it on the computer, it can't produce any effect. We know that installing software follows established procedures. Likewise, establishing Buddhist faith involves a corresponding process — first and foremost, the refuge ceremony.
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-{#}
-###### 1. The Preliminaries and Main Practice of Taking Refuge
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-Many people have taken refuge, yet remain utterly unclear about what it truly means, what choosing Buddhism as their faith entails, or how profoundly it can affect their lives. We can say the preliminaries have been inadequately prepared — a solid psychological foundation for "going for refuge" was never laid. And what about the main practice? In many refuge ceremonies, though the event itself may be quite grand, the officiant often does not explain the key points of the ceremony or remind those taking refuge which moments require them to listen closely to the officiant's guidance, to generate a sincere heart of refuge, and then to make their solemn vows before the witness of the Three Jewels of the ten directions.
-
-We must understand that the quality of one's aspiration determines the caliber of the refuge essence one receives, and the vow directly determines whether we receive it at all. If both the preliminaries and the main practice fall short, such a refuge ceremony is like a failed software installation. One may think it's been completed, but in fact it was never truly installed — no refuge essence was obtained, and naturally, it produces no effect.
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-The crux of taking refuge is confirming the Three Jewels — Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha — as one's ultimate support, and through a proper ceremony completing the vow: "I go for refuge to the Buddha, I go for refuge to the Dharma, I go for refuge to the Sangha." This recognition and declaration are the most crucial part of the refuge process. Everything else — the chanting, the assisting monastics, the arrangement of the venue — only serves to create the right atmosphere, helping us bring forth devotion, reverence, and purity of mind so that the "software" installs smoothly. This installation is the obtaining of the refuge essence, which will become the driving force of future practice, propelling us toward liberation.
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-In life, we also make various kinds of vows and declarations. Only when you make such a declaration from the heart and express it outwardly does it carry power. If you casually toss off a few words, will they produce any binding or motivating force within you? The ancients prized the sincerity of "a promise worth a thousand in gold" — but taking refuge is an entrustment of one's entire being, a choice of life's direction. The value of this vow is far greater than a thousand in gold.
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-How much we understand the meaning of refuge determines what kind of faith we can establish in the Three Jewels. If that understanding is shallow, the corresponding faith will be shaky — barely there, as if it were not. Some people take refuge simply because they see others doing it, drifting into it without clarity. They neither know what the Three Jewels are, nor what taking refuge and studying the Dharma mean for life. Of course, this still creates a karmic connection, but if one does not solidify it through further study, that connection will soon be marginalized.
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-A properly conducted ceremony determines not only whether we obtain the refuge essence, but also marks an entirely new starting point in life. For the individual, this is the threshold from delusion toward awakening; for the propagation of the Buddha's teaching, this is the moment one formally becomes a participant in transmitting and promoting the culture of awakening. From this moment onward, we join the team formed by the Buddha and the patriarchs across the ages, becoming one lamp in an unbroken chain — what a momentous significance this holds.
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-Yet this significance is different for everyone. The depth of meaning refuge has for us can only reach as far as our understanding and aspiration allow. Regrettably, many who have taken refuge — because their understanding is insufficient and the ceremony was not conducted properly — gain little more than a Dharma name and a refuge certificate, without the Buddhadharma truly making a difference in their mental continuum. In truth, if we cannot let the Dharma enter our mental continuum, the Dharma name and certificate are merely nominal — they prove nothing.
-
-So what, then, can taking refuge actually bring us?
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-{#}
-###### 2. The Benefits of Taking Refuge
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-Regarding the benefits of refuge, *A Handbook for Refuge Practice* lists eight: entering the ranks of Buddhist disciples, being the foundation of all precepts, reducing and eliminating obstacles, accumulating vast merit, not falling into the lower destinies, freedom from harm by humans and non-humans, fulfillment of all aspirations, and swiftly attaining buddhahood — emphasizing the rewards from the perspective of faith. And from the perspective of everyday life, taking refuge enables us to find a spiritual home, establish a spiritual pursuit, realize life's meaning, become a person of virtue, and cultivate compassionate love.
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-{#}
-###### (1) Finding a Spiritual Home
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-Without Buddhist faith, our lives rest on a material foundation, taking family, career, and relationships as our home; or they rest on culture and the arts, taking creativity, craft, and appreciation as our joy. But we must realize that all these are only temporarily connected to us. When this life reaches its end, where will we go? We will still be drifting with karma. No matter how close the bonds, you must take that road alone; no matter how great the career, you leave with empty hands; no matter how brilliant the artistic achievement, you carry nothing away. After a lifetime of frantic activity, in the end we don't even know where we are heading.
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-Only by practicing the Buddhadharma can we discern the true meaning of life, establish an ultimate goal, understand what way stations lie along the road, and thereby cease wrong and do good, letting the power of aspiration replace the force of karma, progressing upward life after life until liberation. If we arouse bodhicitta, we can even return by the power of our vows to benefit sentient beings extensively throughout the worlds of the ten directions.
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-I often say: without the Buddhadharma, life truly has a profound problem. Because if we have no insight into the nature of mind, life will have no depth; if we have no understanding of rebirth, life will have no span. Just imagine: a life with neither depth nor span — can it be a true home, a place where we can settle our body and mind? Many people fear the approach of old age, the approach of death, precisely because they have lived in a fog. Busy, busy, busy — only to find that everything they once possessed is falling away, nothing they can hold on to. They don't know what might comfort them at the end of this life, still less how to face what comes after. There is a song called "Nothing to Rely On in Old Age" — but what's truly terrifying is a heart with no country, a mind adrift with nowhere to settle.
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-A person who has found a spiritual home, no matter what stage of life they are in or what they encounter, will never lose direction — they will always know what to do to move toward the ultimate goal. In other words, every step they take is steady, clear, and forward-moving.
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-{#}
-###### (2) Establishing a Spiritual Pursuit
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-People often say: "Why study the Buddha's path? Just be a decent person — that's enough." I ask them: what is the standard for a decent person? The Buddha was decent; Jesus was decent; Confucius was decent; so was Lei Feng, and the "Good People of China" selected every year. What kind of decent person do you want to be? And what kind can you actually become? In fact, becoming a decent person cannot be separated from an understanding of human nature. Without it, the so-called "decent person" is often just a vague, impressionistic notion. Maybe it means a mild temperament, maybe helping others, maybe upright conduct — or maybe simply nothing more than abiding by the law. In these morally degraded times, we have even come to understand "decent person" as someone who merely follows the basic rules of being human.
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-The ancients in China aspired to become sages and worthies, while the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice is to perfect great compassion and great wisdom like the buddhas and bodhisattvas. How can this be accomplished? The Buddhadharma provides us with abundant theoretical guidance and practical pathways. Establishing a spiritual pursuit on this basis can lead us, step by step, to fulfill the qualities of practice in the Human and Deva Vehicle, the path of liberation, and the Bodhisattva path — benefiting life after life. This is a spiritual pursuit in its ultimate sense, because what it transforms is the quality of our very being. By contrast, what we usually mean by "spiritual pursuit" is often limited to knowledge, art, or morality — none of these is ultimate. Knowledge or art alone cannot change a person's character, let alone the quality of their being. And worldly morality is limited as well: what is moral toward one group of people may be immoral toward another; what is moral by human standards may be immoral toward animals. Only a moral pursuit founded on the Buddhadharma benefits both self and others, both now and the future.
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-{#}
-###### (3) Realizing Life's Meaning
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-What is life? For most people, it is nothing more than survival, earning money, building a career and a family. Yet all of these are temporary, and their meaning is limited. No matter how much money, how high a station, how much fanfare — how many years can we hold on to any of it? When impermanence arrives, we can carry nothing with us. Even if, like the emperors of old, we build lavish tombs and fill them with countless treasures — what do they take with them? All their scheming, and it comes to nothing.
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-Only by standing at the height of the Buddhadharma can we see the boundlessness of life — see the saṃsāra behind this one lifetime, see the vast ocean beneath this one wave. When we realize that life does not end at death, but holds a boundless future of birth after birth; that on this long journey through saṃsāra, the chance to be born human is fleeting; that although we cannot carry anything tangible with us, we do carry the karma formed by our good and bad deeds — we will no longer be so shortsighted, so impatient for quick results. If life were merely a few decades, and death erased everything we now possess, then life truly would not hold much meaning at all. Only by seeing the connection between this life and the future can we make a truly long-term plan for life and discover its ultimate meaning.
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-{#}
-###### (4) Becoming a Person of Virtue
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-When we speak of morality, we tend to think of it as a social requirement, a matter of public conduct — something you need to observe only when external constraints bear upon you. We rarely connect it to our individual existence. So when society at large began to champion the liberation of the individual, and the restraints of public opinion and external norms grew weaker, morality was discarded along with them. This has even led to mockery — "How much does a pound of morals go for these days?" — and to the defiant question: "Why should I follow any moral code?" Consequently, bottom lines are breached again and again. In just a few decades, even the once-sacred fields of medicine and education have become fixated on nothing but profit. Where have the angels in white gone? Where are the engineers of the soul?
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-In the midst of this chaos, everyone suffers. We don't know what food is safe to eat, what products aren't counterfeit, whether the building we live in is shoddy construction. We are always condemning unscrupulous merchants and lamenting the decline of moral standards — yet in truth, all of this is the ripening of collective karma, born from our collective trampling of morality.
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-Morality is not only an external constraint; it is also nourishment for life itself. When we practice morality, we ourselves are the foremost beneficiaries. The Buddhist view of cause and effect tells us: good actions bring joyful results, bad actions bring painful results. Moral conduct, on the one hand, benefits others; on the other hand, it builds positive accumulations within us, elevating our lives. Conversely, immoral conduct builds negative accumulations, degrading our lives. If we wish to have a healthy state of mind, a sound character, and a bright future, we must follow the moral path. For a Buddhist disciple who clearly understands cause and effect, following a moral path is spontaneous behavior. Even with no external constraints whatsoever, he knows clearly: every word and deed, even every thought — once it arises, it generates a force. When he consciously abides by morality, even before any external result appears, this act immediately generates a positive inner power that makes a person more compassionate, gentle, and accommodating. When someone embodies these qualities, they are inevitably joyful and at peace.
-
-This is life's own "reward mechanism" — a return that comes without being sought. When people taste the benefit, what reason remains not to follow morality? Beyond Buddhism, some parts of the world establish their moral norms through Christianity, others through Islam. Without faith, if we rely merely on some "ism" to manage the masses or on mutual restraint through reason, not only is it hard to implement, but it will also breed a crop of duplicitous hypocrites. Because they don't realize this is for their own benefit, they think they are just putting on a show for others — hence all the posturing and even cheating. So we can say: only morality built on a faith foundation can be followed consciously. For it springs from one's own need, not from external demands or the demands of others.
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-{#}
-###### (5) Cultivating Compassionate Love
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-In recent years, charitable acts like donations and educational sponsorships have become increasingly common — something we can rejoice in. But does every act of giving embody the spirit of true charity? Or to put it another way: while such acts help others, do they also elevate the giver's own heart? This requires us to examine the motivation behind the giving. Some give from a sincere wish to help others, but some give on a momentary impulse; some give for certain reasons or even under public pressure; and some give in ways that benefit society yet harm others at the same time.
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-What is the spirit of charity? It mainly encompasses two aspects. One is not harming others — what Confucius described as "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire." The other is benefiting others — giving them the help they need. The cultivation of this spirit cannot be separated from religious faith and traditional culture: Christianity advocates universal love, Confucianism promotes benevolent love, and Buddhism teaches compassion. Only when you accept this faith and cultural inheritance from the heart will you be willing to serve the welfare of all.
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-Otherwise, human beings are naturally self-centered. Why should we think of others? What do they have to do with us? Modern educational culture, along with changes in how we live and consume — especially the intrusion of the virtual world — are steadily distancing people from one another. When food and daily necessities are all delivered to our doorstep by courier, it is easy to forget the countless people whose diligent work stands behind it all; it is easy to forget that our lives are in fact inseparable from all living beings. In such an environment, how do we understand the relationship between ourselves and others? Why should we set aside our own interests for others? Why give of ourselves to sentient beings?
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-The Buddhadharma tells us: self-attachment is the door to decline; benefiting others is the root of merit. All human afflictions arise from self-attachment. If you are always thinking of yourself, others all become potential enemies — as if at any moment they might deceive you or encroach on your interests. In this way, you only make enemies everywhere and live in a state of perpetual anxiety about gains and losses. Not to mention the effect on your quality of life — is there even any happiness left to speak of?
-
-Conversely, a person who always thinks of benefiting others has no opportunity to be troubled on their own account. Since they already intend to serve others, what is there to be deceived or encroached upon? Someone may ask: don't many people who do good deeds agonize over being misunderstood? Such situations occur precisely because there is still a "self" involved. For example, hoping for social recognition, or hoping the recipients will show gratitude, or hoping to find a sense of moral superiority, or merely hoping that the good deed goes exactly as planned. But wherever there is expectation, there is the disappointment of that expectation going unmet. Without these expectations — just do it; there is nothing worth agonizing over.
-
-The benefiting of others taught in Buddhism is "selfless beneficence," the most ultimate and complete form of altruism. What needs clarifying is that this "selfless" means not calculating for oneself, but it does not negate the rewards that follow. In the very process, your compassion is growing, your love is growing — this is the finest reward. The *Diamond Sutra* also says that if a bodhisattva gives without attachment to appearances, their merit is inconceivable. As for other outcomes, they are merely by-products of the charitable act.
-
-In sum, establishing faith is profoundly meaningful for every person. This is especially true of Buddhist faith, which can not only resolve the eternal questions of life's purpose and meaning, but also make us people of virtue and love — something that benefits us from this present moment through the farthest reaches of time to come.
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-{#}
-## IV. Protecting Faith
-
-Going for refuge to the Three Jewels is only the first step in entering the Buddha's gate. The crucial thing is to let this faith become the guiding force in our life, continuously leading us forward. Not to stop right inside the gate and go no further, or to lose our direction partway through, or even to step back outside. There is a well-known saying: "Study the Dharma one year, the Buddha is right before your eyes; two years, the Buddha is in the temple hall; three years, the Buddha is in the Western Paradise." Why does this happen? Why is it that even after we have taken refuge, our hearts still drift helplessly, not feeling that we have found a home? It is because after taking refuge, we have not guarded our faith. Over time, lacking support, this faith becomes barely perceptible — there yet not there. Like a seed that has been sown: without further care, it gradually withers and may even die.
-
-How do we protect it? To begin, we must understand how the mind works. On this subject, the Yogācāra school of Buddhism provides the most detailed account. Yogācāra classifies mental phenomena into eight consciousnesses. Among them, the eighth — the ālaya consciousness, also rendered as the "store consciousness" — is like life's storage chamber, preserving all the information of our existence from beginningless time. Every action of body, speech, and mind — everything we do, say, and think each day — the moment it occurs, it generates a force in the mind, called a "seed." This process is described as "current actions perfume seeds." Then, when these seeds encounter external conditions, they rise from the subconscious into the conscious mind and produce activity — this is "seeds producing current actions." Seeds and actions influence each other: on one hand, seeds trigger actions; on the other hand, actions in turn perfume new seeds.
-
-These seeds represent the various forces within our mental world. Though infinitely diverse, they boil down to two types: defiled and pure. Buddhism holds that the mind arises through dependent origination; it is constituted by a multitude of causes and conditions, which give rise to its activities and determine the direction life continues in. Among these causes and conditions, seeds are the most critical. Defiled seeds perpetuate the continuity of saṃsāra, while pure seeds lead toward awakening and liberation.
-
-Studying the Buddhadharma is precisely sowing pure seeds in the mind. From beginningless time, we have already sown countless defiled seeds. These seeds have long since taken charge and become the dominant force, making us more and more accustomed to greed, more and more prone to aversion, more and more governed by delusion. Are we satisfied with this current continuum of life? Through studying the Buddha's teaching, we can see that this state of being is a dead end — it will bring us endless suffering and trouble.
-
-How can we change the situation? We must embrace the culture of wisdom and cultivate seeds of awakening. Although we have recognized the importance of doing so, at present, the power of the pure seeds is still negligible. What we must do is focus our energies on nurturing these seeds. It is like planting flowers in a field overgrown with weeds: first clear the weeds and improve the soil, then sow, water, and fertilize. Of course, weeds are not so easy to get rid of entirely. So while we are still learning to distinguish weeds from flower sprouts, we should channel all available resources into what we want to cultivate, and stop feeding the weeds. When these flowers gradually grow and spread, the weeds will have no room to thrive. Protecting the mind after taking refuge follows the same principle.
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-{#}
-###### 1. Guarding the Refuge Essence
-
-For disciples who have taken refuge, the Buddha established a series of precepts, telling us what should be done and what must not be done, so that the refuge essence can be strengthened. These include the precepts of abstention, the precepts of practice, and the general precepts.
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-{#}
-###### (1) The Precepts of Abstention
-
-First are the precepts of abstention. Having taken refuge in the Three Jewels — Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha — we must no longer take refuge in the founders, scriptures, or clergy of other religions. This is what we vowed during the refuge ceremony: "I go for refuge to the Buddha — the Tathāgata, supreme and perfectly awakened, is the one I venerate; I shall never go for refuge to misguided teachers or unorthodox paths. I go for refuge to the Dharma — the Three Baskets and the twelve divisions of the canon are my honored teaching; I shall never go for refuge to the scriptures of other paths. I go for refuge to the Sangha — the pure monastic community is my honored community; I shall never go for refuge to misguided groups or unorthodox assemblies."
-
-It is important to note that abstention does not mean opposing or criticizing others. In fact, we should respect all proper, wholesome traditional religions, because they, too, have their own karmic conditions for teaching and transformation, and they, too, exhort people to do good. But as Buddhist disciples, we must know where our own focus lies. Different religions represent different directions for life. If we grant them equal standing in our hearts, when we face a choice, which way would we turn? Abstention, then, means not taking other religions as our ultimate support — taking only the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as our spiritual home, and regarding the journey toward awakening as our goal of practice. Through recollecting and emulating the Three Jewels, we fulfill the wisdom and compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-{#}
-###### (2) The Precepts of Practice
-
-Second are the precepts of practice: revering the Buddha, revering the Dharma, and revering the Sangha. By paying homage to Buddha images, we emulate the worthy and aspire to equal them, recollecting the buddhas' and bodhisattvas' great compassion, great wisdom, great liberation, and great freedom. These phrases sound familiar to us all, but we may also find them bland and abstract, devoid of any moving power. That is because we have little firsthand recognition of these qualities; we only hear them as concepts, and as concepts unrelated to ourselves. The feeling is like being close yet worlds apart — right before your eyes, always heard about, always seen, yet so very distant.
-
-If you are making a genuine effort along this path, you will come to know the true weight of these qualities and feel boundless admiration for such a character. It is like studying a certain field and holding the top experts in that field in the highest esteem; or practicing a sport and looking up to the world champion with heartfelt admiration. For others, however — particularly those who have little knowledge of or interest in that field — it is hard to feel the same reverence you do. In this sense, how much yearning you hold for these qualities reflects how much you understand the meaning of the Three Jewels and how much joyful aspiration you bring to the practice.
-
-Revering the Buddha is establishing a model in the heart, taking it as the goal of our practice, and vowing to become like the buddhas and bodhisattvas. From the Buddhist perspective, we all possess the same inherent potential as the buddhas and bodhisattvas; we can all become awakened ones just like them. So revering the Buddha is not just about bowing to statues, burning incense, or offering water — more crucially, it is about boundless admiration for the Buddha's noble character, emulating the worthy and aspiring to equal them. When we have this recognition, the Three Jewels will outweigh everything else in our hearts. There is a saying: "The power of a role model is boundless." Think about it — in the worldly endeavors we invest the most effort in, whether study or career, earning money or seeking fame, which one is not driven by seeing a role model and being drawn and inspired by that model? If from the depths of our heart we yearn for the qualities of the Buddha and take him as our sole model, could the five sensual pleasures and six sense objects still distract us? Would we still waver on the Buddhist path?
-
-Revering the Dharma means taking the Buddhadharma as the compass for our practice and for our very lives. Why is the Dharma so important? Often, we may read some Dharma texts — but only casually. We may agree that Dharma wisdom is complete and perfect — but only in words. That is because we have not yet realized the Dharma's vital significance for life. If we see ourselves as gravely ill patients caught in saṃsāra and confirm that the Dharma is the one and only effective remedy — not a casual beverage or health supplement — we will then develop an urgent thirst for the Dharma. If, in our lifelong search, we have deeply reflected on the perennial questions of human existence, and have found that no religion, culture, or philosophy can resolve them, only to discover the answers within the Buddhadharma, we will then develop a powerful heart of refuge in the Dharma.
-
-Revering the Sangha means aspiring toward the tranquility, transcendence, and liberation embodied by the noble Sangha. As the abiding Three Jewels, the Sangha jewel is the symbol of the true Dharma's presence in the world and the principal force in perpetuating the Buddha's wisdom — hence it is called the teacher of humans and gods. Without the Sangha jewel's presence and propagation, Buddhism would have no transmission in the world. Once we recognize what the Buddha and the Dharma mean for life, and the role the Sangha jewel plays in Dharma practice, we will naturally develop a heart of refuge in the Sangha, particularly in the noble Sangha and spiritual teachers.
-
-In sum, revering the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is not merely a matter of formal homage and offerings — not just lighting a stick of incense or offering a few fruits. It means truly recognizing their weight and showing reverence from the depths of the heart. It is not that the Three Jewels need our reverence, but that *we* need this reverence so that the noble character of the Buddha and the truth of the Buddhadharma can take root in our hearts and become the guiding force in our lives.
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-{#}
-###### (3) The General Precepts
-
-In addition to the precepts of abstention and practice, there are also the general precepts. These include continually recollecting the qualities of the Three Jewels, continually recollecting the great kindness of the Three Jewels, continually recollecting great compassion, referring all matters to the Three Jewels, and never abandoning the refuge essence. The details can be found in *A Handbook for Refuge Practice*.
-
-As I said earlier: "The power of a role model is boundless." The reason it has power is that it ceaselessly calls to us and spurs us to draw near to this goal. We should all have some experience of this in life: when we admire someone and resolve to become like them, this becomes a powerful drive. So why do we always feel that the model of the buddhas and bodhisattvas is somehow remote and unreachable? Or why can we not convert this into a direct, motivating force? Primarily because we are not yet clear about the qualities of the Three Jewels, nor about how to actualize such qualities ourselves. Without this clarity, they cannot translate into an authentic, heartfelt yearning.
-
-Therefore, we must fully recognize the qualities of the Three Jewels and their vital importance for transforming our lives. This process of reflection is analytical meditation. Through repeated analytical meditation, we gradually build confidence in the Three Jewels, and then settle and abide in that confidence, continually strengthening it — this is placement meditation. From this, we can see that the process of observing the precepts of abstention, the precepts of practice, and the general precepts is precisely what guides us through the analytical meditation and placement meditation that establish our faith.
-
-{#}
-###### 2. Practicing the Three Refuges
-
-To strengthen the place of the Three Jewels in the heart, we also need to establish a daily practice of refuge cultivation. For this purpose, I compiled *The Liturgy for Group Refuge Practice*, which includes a complete sequence of generating aspiration, repentance, offerings, analytical meditation, placement meditation, making vows, and dedication of merit. It is like the seeds we sow in a field — we must regularly loosen the soil, water, and fertilize them, so they receive nourishment. Otherwise, the seeds will be unable to germinate due to lack of nutrients, and may even wither away.
-
-This same problem arises in the establishment of faith. After taking refuge, many people don't know how to protect it, and apart from an additional refuge certificate, there is hardly any difference from before. If we have not understood the meaning of the Three Jewels, have not received the refuge essence, have not taken the Three Jewels as our ultimate support and the fulfillment of the Three Jewels' qualities as the goal of our practice — what, then, can that refuge certificate prove? Like an expired, invalid admission ticket, it proves nothing beyond showing that you attended that particular ceremony.
-
-Therefore, after taking refuge, we must practice daily. While receiving the blessings of the Three Jewels, the regular, measured reinforcement helps the mind move toward stability. In today's world, with its flood of information, its myriad temptations, the human mind is especially restless. Such a restless mind is like a receiving station with an unstable signal — it simply cannot resonate with the qualities of the Three Jewels. Through cultivating the daily practice, we can settle the mind, quiet discursive thought, and thereby accumulate merit and purify obstacles. Accumulating merit means gathering the provisions for the bodhi path; purifying obstacles means clearing the obstructions on the path of practice. It is like the *Journey to the West*, where the monk Tang Sanzang (Tripitaka) had to pass through eighty-one ordeals to obtain the scriptures — practice is likewise a continuous process of overcoming obstacles. In truth, all outer demons are manifestations of our own mind. Yet this same mind is also endowed with the intrinsic Three Jewels — the key is which channel we tune in to.
-
-For protecting faith, we must, on the one hand, observe the precepts and, on the other hand, cultivate the practice of refuge. The Chan school speaks of "nourishing the sacred embryo," meaning that after seeing the Way, one must still nurture it. The same holds true for refuge. Even if the aspiration was correct, the ceremony proper, and the refuge essence genuinely received, this is still only the first step. Going forward, we must continue to care for it and nourish it, so that it can grow and flourish, and ultimately become the dominant force in our hearts.
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-{#}
-## V. Growing Faith
-
-We may have taken refuge and started practicing — but are we truly walking the bodhi path? In the course of practice, have our confusion and afflictions diminished? At the same time, have our wisdom, compassion, and confidence grown? These are vital measures for evaluating whether we are practicing correctly and whether our practice is bearing fruit.
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-When we ask whether we are walking the bodhi path, some may feel at a loss: what exactly is the bodhi path? How should one walk this path? Where is the starting point, where is the destination, and how many way stations lie along the journey? I believe that to learn the Buddhadharma well, three things are essential: a clear goal, correct methods, and a graduated sequence. This is true not only of Buddhist practice — any endeavor in this world, to be done well, cannot be separated from these three elements.
-
-The goal is the result — what outcome this undertaking can actually achieve, where the endpoint lies. The method is the means — what approaches to use to reach that outcome. The sequence is the process — the order of steps for doing something well, and the results to be expected at each stage. We all know that the ultimate aim of Buddhist practice is to attain buddhahood, yet we also feel that this lies countless eons away, as if nothing visible can be achieved right now. In fact, this is not the case. Although the goal of buddhahood is distant, in effective practice, each stage — even each day — brings corresponding progress, steadily bringing us closer to the destination.
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-{#}
-###### 1. Graduated Practice
-
-When the Three-Stage Practice was first established, we proposed "four ones": one goal — liberation; one map — the stages of the path; one teacher — a spiritual guide who leads our practice; one group of companions — fellow practitioners on the same path. These are all indispensable elements for learning the Buddhadharma well. Of these, the first three constitute effective guidance, while the fourth creates a supportive environment.
-
-A correct method of practice is the foundation and engine of faith's growth. Many participants in the Three-Stage Practice have seen profound changes after just half a year, one year, or even a few months. Confusion and afflictions diminish; wisdom and compassion increase. This is neither miracle nor advertisement — it genuinely happens to many people. As long as you practice with sincere dedication, with the right attitude and effective methods, change is inevitable. When you personally experience your own transformation and taste its benefits, you naturally develop confidence in the Buddhadharma. Many people, when they first join the program, feel that the eight-year curriculum is far too long and lack the confidence to persevere. After practicing for a while, however, they come to feel that this is something to pursue for all time to come — eight years suddenly seems like nothing at all.
-
-Why is this? Because how much time a person is willing to invest in something depends on how much they value it. When they don't yet understand the profound significance of Buddhist practice for their lives, they feel there are still so many things to do — where would they find the time for this, which can't earn them a diploma or a raise? In their life priorities, Buddhist practice sits at the bottom. Only after work and daily life are fully arranged might they have some interest in joining in. In another scenario, when some worldly problem proves insoluble, they may temporarily raise the Three Jewels to the top of the list — burning incense, paying homage, going vegetarian, releasing lives, practicing quite diligently for a while. But once the crisis passes, the ranking returns to where it was. Ultimately, the issue is that they still don't recognize the meaning of Buddhist practice.
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-Once we genuinely recognize the value of practice, we come to feel that it is worth pursuing not just for this entire life, but for all lives to come. What does it mean to truly recognize its value? Consider how, in the secular world, scientists, writers, artists, or people with a deep passion will often lose themselves in their work or interest — forgetting food and sleep, their clothes growing loose, yet never regretting it. Do we bring this same spirit to our Buddhist practice? Are we willing to invest ourselves this deeply? If we cannot, it shows our recognition is not yet complete, our goal not yet firm. We have not even matched the effort people give to worldly pursuits — let alone being able to practice what is hard to practice and endure what is hard to endure.
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-{#}
-###### (1) Common Pitfalls
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-Once the goal is clear, we still need correct methods and graduated practice. In the Buddhist community today, aside from ordinary devotees who only supplicate and revere, equating Buddhism with folk religion, even those who earnestly wish to learn the Buddha's path often study in utter disorder, for lack of guidance. Some aim too high, delighting in weighty sutras and treatises, discoursing on the profound and wondrous, feeling quite pleased with themselves. Others dabble everywhere, sampling many Dharma doors and visiting many centers — but what is the result? If their learning capacity is limited, they only skim the surface, catching scattered words and phrases. Even if their learning capacity is strong, they often only pick up the terminology and concepts. They may appear broadly knowledgeable, yet prove utterly useless in practice. In truth, the real value of the Buddhadharma is to establish right view, and then apply it in daily life to adjust our mindset and reshape the quality of our being. If it cannot serve this function, no matter how many sutras and treatises one has read, one is merely an intellectual disciple — what difference is there from worldly reading and scholarship?
-
-Moreover, Chinese Buddhism belongs to the Mahāyāna tradition, yet the teaching of bodhicitta is generally taken too lightly, failing to properly manifest the active, altruistic spirit of the Bodhisattva path. Many people eagerly receive the bodhisattva precepts, yet neglect bodhicitta and the compassionate spirit of benefiting others — the result being bodhisattvas in name only. We must understand that Bodhisattva-path practice follows a sequence: it must begin by arousing aspiring bodhicitta, then progress to engaged bodhicitta, and finally be sublimated into ultimate bodhicitta. Without a step-by-step process of realization, arousing bodhicitta may easily become empty talk — even mockery.
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-Another pitfall is the penchant for simplicity, the constant expectation of "pointing directly at the human mind and seeing one's nature to attain buddhahood." Yet sudden awakening not only requires a master of clear insight to guide, but on the practitioner's side, one must be of the highest capacity with extremely subtle defilements to be able, at a crucial moment, to see one's nature under a spiritual teacher's guidance. If the capacity is insufficient yet one seeks shortcuts and shortcuts alone, neglecting the doctrinal foundation, Chan practice easily degenerates into wordplay. It sounds very impressive when spoken aloud, but in reality, one is merely voicing seemingly "awakened" words from within the deluded system. Besides entertaining oneself, one is also deceiving oneself.
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-{#}
-###### (2) Remedies
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-Buddhism has many schools, and different schools represent different practice systems with different guiding principles. They are like different routes leading to the same destination: each route has different terrain and requires different methods of travel. A mountain path has its own way to be traveled; a water route has its own way; a land route has its own way. If you mix them up — like carrying a boat on your back to climb a mountain — not only is it useless, it adds a cumbersome burden. This is why so many people find that the more they study, the less they feel; in the end, they grow numb, or even develop a taste for fame and gain. This is quite normal, actually: if one cannot benefit from the Dharma and cannot walk the path of liberation, one naturally reverts to the paths of saṃsāra, chasing fame and profit.
-
-Many people come to the Dharma with a heap of life problems, and after studying, not only do the life problems remain unsolved, but they have added a whole new heap of "Dharma-study problems." This is something I frequently encounter in my teaching. When some people come to see me, they fire off one question, then another, seemingly reflecting on how to practice — but in truth, there is no coherence whatsoever. Even if I answer these questions, besides adding a little knowledge or providing an explanation, there is not much practical benefit. For such cases, I now have only one reply: enter the Three-Stage Practice, and all these problems will cease to be problems.
-
-The Three-Stage Practice consists of three stages: the Collective Joy Course, the Collective Practice Course, and the Collective Virtue Course. It is the result of years of teaching experience, gradually developed and refined through practice. The Collective Joy Course starts mainly from the perspective of Buddhism for Human Life, clearing away misconceptions about Buddhism; then, through courses such as *Approaching the Buddha, Understanding the Dharma* and *A Handbook for Refuge Practice*, it guides students to understand the Buddha's renunciation and path of practice, thereby establishing faith in the Three Jewels. This one-year stage is "founded on Buddhism for Human Life, centered on building faith."
-
-Next is the four-and-a-half-year Collective Practice Course, "founded on the graduated path, centered on the practice of bodhicitta." The former mainly guides us to understand the framework of the path and the various stations along the bodhi path — including the preliminary foundation, and the paths of the three scopes (persons of small, middling, and great capacity). It begins with cultivating the proper attitude for listening to the Dharma, understanding the importance of spiritual teachers and the precious human existence, and clearly establishing the Three Jewels as our home. Then it arranges the study and practice content around renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. Each section has its own focal points of practice, methods of implementation, and standards of verification — systematically completing the psychological guidance of the Bodhisattva path. After mastering the stages of the path, through the study of the *Bodhicaryāvatāra* and the Bodhisattva Precepts chapter of the *Yogācārabhūmi*, students learn how to arouse bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva path, truly stepping onto the path. All of this is designed around the transformation of the mind. Yet the mind is complex and subtle — it can deceive not only others but also itself. To more clearly understand the mechanisms of mental functioning and the principles of transformation, this stage also includes the study of the *Mahāyāna-śatadharma-prakāśa-mukha-śāstra*.
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-The Collective Virtue Course lasts three years, "founded on the view of emptiness, centered on śamatha-vipaśyanā meditation." Through studying texts such as the *Madhyānta-vibhāga*, the *Triṃśikā*, the *Heart Sutra*, the *Diamond Sutra*, and the *Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch*, students establish the view of emptiness according to the Yogācāra system, the Prajñāpāramitā system, or the Chan perspective, and complete emptiness meditation under the guidance of the relevant sutras and treatises.
-
-In sum, every stage of the practice is clearly sequenced and progressively deepened. Without this sequence, one either keeps using the elementary textbook, spending ten years and still at the elementary level, or jumps straight to the university textbook — the starting point too high, with no way to begin. Through graduated study, we can see our own growth step by step, allowing faith to steadily deepen. Along the way, we will definitely feel confusion and afflictions diminishing and the power of compassion and awakening growing stronger. Practice, then, is not something whose results are known only after many years, or only after death. With graduated practice, the practitioner should be very clear about the results at each stage. Because we not only know what to do, but also know how much to do and what standard to reach.
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-{#}
-###### 2. Effective Practice
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-Beyond graduation, effective practice is crucial. Ineffective practice ceaselessly generates problems that are never fully resolved. Effective practice, in its graduated deepening, endows us with the very capacity to solve problems. It is like a good system — capable of self-improvement, self-optimization. Otherwise, you are forever solving problems while simultaneously creating new ones, with no end in sight.
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-People often say: "Isn't it just 'impermanence'? Isn't it just 'dependent origination'? I've already studied that, I already know it — can we learn something deeper?" Now, what does it mean to have "studied" something? Is studying the goal? How far must one study for it to be considered complete? This is a question of standards. The reason many people's practice is weak and they cannot apply the Dharma is precisely because they remain stuck at the conceptual level, at the level of half-knowing, superficial, and ambiguous understanding. To prevent this in students' practice, we have developed an effective practice mechanism.
-
-First is self-study: engage with the current period's Dharma teachings at least three times or more. The ancients said, "Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning reveals itself." If this is true even of worldly books, how much more so for the Buddhadharma, which embodies the great wisdom of the universe and human life — it must be read and contemplated repeatedly for deep understanding. Take the *Diamond Sutra*, for example: over five thousand words, none of which are difficult — an ordinary level of literacy is enough. But do you know the meaning it conveys? Or the *Heart Sutra*: of its brief two hundred-plus characters, "emptiness," "no," and "not" alone account for several dozen — it seems especially simple, yet it contains the profound wisdom of prajñā. How do we master these Dharma teachings? How far must we go before we can consider it done? This is a matter of great learning.
-
-So self-study requires not only enough repetitions but also a methodology — that is the "eight steps and three types of meditation." This tells us exactly which steps to follow in study, what the verification standard is for each stage, and how to connect the teachings with real life to change our original views and states of mind. Buddhist practice is about fulfilling the qualities of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Such learning does not stay at the conceptual level; it is not enough merely to understand the principles. For example, studying cause and effect helps us see the world from the perspective of dependent origination; studying impermanence is to make impermanence our own outlook on life and worldview, no longer clinging to a permanent self or permanent objects in the world.
-
-If our learning remains at the level of knowing the terms and concepts, we have merely added some Buddhist knowledge. This is precisely why so many people say, "I understand the principles, I just can't apply them." Because this so-called "understanding" is only superficial knowing. The principles are still in the book; you have merely seen them, but they have not become your own. When you face situations, you still operate in your habitual channel, processing things with your old habits of mind. Even if you want to use the Buddhadharma, you find you are only holding a rubber check — one that cannot be cashed. Only through reflection, especially reflection combined with real-life experience, can we turn the Dharma teachings in books into our own understanding, into wealth we can actually use and deploy.
-
-The same is true for the study of renunciation and bodhicitta. According to our old study habits, we only need to look up a few books and we will know what these terms mean — we can even explain them eloquently to others. The question is: can this produce any effect in our mental continuum? Studying renunciation is not merely knowing the concept of renunciation; it is generating renunciation in the heart — truly being free of attachment to the five sensual pleasures and six sense objects. For renunciation is not renouncing the environment; it is renouncing craving and clinging. The same holds for bodhicitta. How do we bring forth bodhicitta? We must begin with aspiring bodhicitta — generating from the heart the noble wish, "I will benefit all sentient beings," and then making this wish the mission of all our future lives. After the wish is there, we must also, in the midst of real life, benefit others through all kinds of means, helping sentient beings leave suffering, attain happiness, and move toward awakening — this is engaged bodhicitta. Yet both aspiring bodhicitta and engaged bodhicitta belong to conventional bodhicitta. Finally, through the view of emptiness, bodhicitta must be elevated to become ultimate bodhicitta.
-
-In the Three-Stage Practice, the process from accepting a principle to genuinely transforming it into our own mental state is divided into eight steps. Among them, the first and second steps involve studying the Dharma teachings — the most foundational part. The third step is to reflect by connecting the teachings with questions, so as to understand the Dharma fully, accurately, and thoroughly. Our understanding of the Buddhadharma has two dimensions: one is theoretical understanding, the other is factual understanding. For instance, regarding impermanence, the sutras tell us that everything in the world is impermanent and ever-changing. But this understanding of impermanence must be brought back to reality for observation and reflection before it is truly confirmed. The Dharma says, "All conditioned phenomena are impermanent" — then we must go and test this: in this conditioned, contaminated, dependently arisen world, is there anything that is *not* impermanent? If you can find one thing that is not, then this teaching has a problem — don't accept it lightly. If, after a thorough observation of reality, you find that all things are indeed impermanent, then you must firmly establish this understanding in your mind (the fourth step). It is just like going for refuge to the Three Jewels, as we discussed earlier. The Buddhadharma clarifies the teachings of "why to take refuge, how to take refuge," and so on — but we must still accept them through our own reflection before we can establish faith in the Three Jewels within our hearts. This is the meditation on view.
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-When through practice we have established an understanding of dependent origination, impermanence, and no-self, we must also apply this understanding. Thus, the fifth and sixth steps are about re-examining the world, reflecting on life, and handling problems from the Dharma perspective, thereby changing our habitual views and establishing correct understanding. Going further, we step out of the negative mental states created by mistaken views, and under the guidance of Dharma wisdom, establish a wholesome, positive, constructive state of mind and abide in it — completing the meditation on mind.
-
-Finally, the seventh and eighth steps: after establishing a correct state of mind, can it immediately become the dominant force in our lives? In truth, it cannot — because the habitual patterns formed by mistaken mental states are extremely powerful. The character chuàn in chuànxí (habitual pattern) is telling: it depicts things strung together, one after another — thought after thought in continuous succession, like an unbroken thread. Whether mind or conduct, if continuously repeated, it becomes ingrained as mental habit. This habit is adhesive: once it forms, whenever a related mental state appears, even just a sliver of it, the mind is easily sucked in. On the one hand, you find yourself drawn involuntarily into the groove of habit and it starts up on its own; on the other hand, you are simultaneously reinforcing this very habit, making its adhesive pull ever stronger.
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-The Three-Stage Practice advocates analytical meditation and placement meditation precisely so that, through repeated examination, we can reaffirm the correct views we have already established. For our mistaken views will still, from time to time, exert their influence through the force of habit, even becoming dominant. This requires us to make continuous adjustments, allowing ourselves to abide for longer and longer periods in right view, strengthening our positive mental states.
-
-Practice is a process of "breaking free from error and repeating what is correct." In truth, to do anything in this world well, one cannot do without these eight words. The reason we fail to learn or do well is often because erroneous habits interfere and throw us off course. Look at top athletes — they have only a few movements, and nothing about them seems particularly remarkable. Yet in fact, they must train relentlessly, repeating them millions of times or more, before reaching the pinnacle. The training of the body is like this; the training of the mind is no different.
-
-Why can "breaking free from error and repeating what is correct" actually produce an effect in our lives? Because its theoretical foundation is precisely the teaching of dependent origination. Dependent origination tells us that nothing in this world has a fixed, unchanging nature. In every present moment, there are infinite possibilities — everything can change. By understanding the characteristics and laws of dependent origination, we can, through effective methods, change our erroneous habits and establish correct states of mind. This process can be achieved through training, but not through blind effort — just like physical training, it requires methods and skill.
-
-Through the eight steps and three types of meditation, we can achieve the effect of "understanding, acceptance, and application." Among these, understanding is the foundation, acceptance is the key, and application is the verification. The prerequisite for achieving all this is the correct attitude: "sincerity, earnestness, and honesty" — not being self-righteous, not playing clever tricks, but regarding oneself as a gravely ill patient caught in saṃsāra, and with a genuine, urgent desire for recovery, receiving the treatment of the Dharma. Only in this way can we bring about change in "view, mental state, and the quality of life." When we follow this sequence, every step can be taken on solid ground. It is like traveling from Suzhou to Beijing — every station along the way is clearly marked. In sum, from breakthroughs of mind to the growth of faith, everything depends on a graduated sequence and effective methods.
-
-{#}
-## VI. Elevating Faith
-
-The Buddhadharma is ultimate and complete, yet the depth of faith among Buddhists is uneven. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Chinese Buddhism reached its zenith. One major reason was that many of society's finest minds studied Buddhism and even became monastics at that time. Only with a base of high-caliber followers can there be a high-caliber monastic community, capable of transmitting and propagating a wisdom as vast and profound as the Buddhadharma. This is what it truly means to "perpetuate the Buddha's wisdom-life" — rather than destroying it.
-
-The steady decline of Buddhism since the Song and Yuan dynasties fundamentally stems from the inability to advance in practice. On the one hand, this is because the views of the various schools were set too high or too difficult to begin; on the other hand, it is because the caliber of practitioners generally declined. The Way relies on people to propagate it — and "people" here refers not only to the great masters who teach across the land, but also to every individual Buddhist. For the public more often encounters the Buddhists around them. Their words, deeds, and moral character can easily become the public's first impression of Buddhism. Thus, if the quality of Buddhists' faith does not improve, it will exert a negative rather than positive influence on the propagation of the Buddhadharma, even as it makes the caliber of the faithful steadily deteriorate.
-
-Looking at the present state of the Buddhist community, although some monasteries are carrying out Dharma-teaching activities, and major business schools are offering Buddhist courses, with more and more high-caliber young people entering the Buddha's gate, their number relative to the entire body of the faithful is still minuscule. It can be said that the present caliber of the Buddhist faithful is worlds apart from the content this wisdom tradition carries. So how can we change this situation and elevate the faith of the general public? This mainly involves two dimensions: foundation and method. With a foundation, elevation becomes possible; with methods, elevation can be truly realized.
-
-{#}
-###### 1. The Foundation for Elevation
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-Speaking of foundation, it depends on two factors: one is the height of the object of faith, and the other is our own life aspirations.
-
-{#}
-###### (1) The Object of Faith
-
-Whether faith can be elevated depends first on the height of the object of faith. If a building has only three stories, no matter how hard you try, you can only reach the third floor — the room for elevation is very limited. If the building soars beyond sight, then as long as you have the ability and methods, the room for elevation is limitless. Thus, the choice of faith's object is extremely important. Take believing in a wealth deity, for example — besides making offerings, supplicating, and thinking of how to curry favor, what else can you do? Whether you believe like this or someone else does, it is the same; whether you have believed for one year or several decades, it is still the same.
-
-With faith in the Buddhadharma, however, from blind faith to wise faith, from initial faith to deep faith, from faith to practice, from the entry point of taking refuge in the Three Jewels to the final actualization of those very qualities within oneself — the depth of faith continually deepens with practice. Often, the more we study, the more we feel the vast, boundless nature of the Buddhadharma. As your vision rises, the Buddhadharma continually unfolds its vast, limitless side, soaring beyond sight. For what the Buddha reveals is the essence of mind, the essence of the universe — and beyond that, he also clarifies the distinctions among all phenomena. There is no wisdom in the world that can compare. Some may feel this is merely the self-praise of Buddhists. If so, let us, through understanding other religions, philosophies, sciences, and other fields, make comparisons along the journey and confirm it for ourselves.
-
-In today's age of internet accessibility, although the deluge of information brings many distractions, it also gives us a broad field of vision. I have experienced this myself. Influenced by my family, I began studying Buddhism and became a monastic at a young age, and thereafter grew up entirely within Buddhist academies. Though I always felt the Buddhadharma spoke soundly, this sense of "soundness" was only because I had accepted this education from the start — a default-mode approval that was never, in fact, very deeply felt. It was only after I embarked on the path of Dharma teaching, interacting with people from all walks of life and gaining understanding of different disciplines, that I came to recognize more and more: the Buddhadharma is truly the ultimate, perfect, and complete great wisdom.
-
-Therefore, I feel that although faith itself emphasizes single-minded devotion, in order to elevate faith comprehensively, we can broaden our perspective somewhat. Of course, some people have already received considerable education in society and chose Buddhism after comparison — they can dive deeply into the sutras and treatises without spending time on scattered explorations. Furthermore, it is best not to engage too much with other religions or disciplines in the early stages of faith. Comparison and selection require a certain capacity; if one's faith is not yet stable, and one still does not really know what the Buddhadharma is about, it is easy to be led astray by seemingly plausible views.
-
-{#}
-###### (2) Life Aspirations
-
-Additionally, our life aspirations determine the height of our faith. If our life aspirations are limited to food and sex, promotion and wealth, then our spiritual aspirations will inevitably revolve around these very things — simply treating the buddhas and bodhisattvas as protective deities, praying and supplicating. What difference is there, then, between believing in the Buddha and believing in the god of wealth or the local earth deity? So we must elevate our life aspirations before we can elevate our faith.
-
-How, then, can we elevate our life aspirations? First, through deep reflection on life. For example: why do we live? What is the origin of life, and what is its ultimate destination? If living is only about survival and procreation, what distinguishes us from animals? As the most spiritually endowed of all beings, how can our lives be elevated? What is the unique pursuit worthy of a human birth?
-
-When we transcend the concerns of daily living and examine life from a higher vantage point, we will discover that if we cannot find life's value, living truly holds little meaning — it is merely a repetition that goes in circles day after day. Living to eat, eating to live. Or living to work, working to live. Or living to seek pleasure, seeking pleasure to live. In every case, it is a closed loop without exit or hope — I call it low-level repetition, because it is an animalistic repetition. If we do not wish to waste this one life within such a closed loop, we must search for the highest value of human life and strive in that direction.
-
-Second, through the study of various cultures. Every individual is limited. Often, we do not feel there is any problem simply because we have not yet begun to think, or our thinking lacks depth and has yet to become a real question. And it is only by discovering problems that we can resolve them — which is why Chan says, "Great doubt, great awakening; small doubt, small awakening; no doubt, no awakening." Through understanding philosophy, science, or other religions, we can, on the one hand, stimulate our thinking about the ultimate questions from different angles; and on the other hand, through broad exposure, come to recognize the heights of the Buddhadharma.
-
-For example, the Buddhadharma tells us to find the meaning of life. If you have no firsthand experience of this, it may sound weightless to your ears, even like a cliché. But once you learn that in this world, so many artists, philosophers, and successful people from every field — precisely because they could not find life's meaning — chose to end their lives at the height of their achievements, you will realize that this is not a trivial phrase but the most vital question of human existence. They were trapped by this question not because they weren't intelligent enough, but because, after reaching the pinnacle of their field, they still could not find the answer. The reason we are not similarly trapped is not that we have found the answer, but that we have not yet recognized how critical the question is. Only once we begin to reflect on these questions will we know just how important the Buddhadharma is — for the answers are all found within it.
-
-{#}
-###### 2. The Methods for Elevation
-
-Many people begin believing in the Buddha out of a wish for safety and well-being in this life. There is nothing wrong with this, but if one stays forever at this level, it is like guarding one's family treasure yet spending each day as a beggar — truly a loss. So how can this faith be elevated?
-
-Going for refuge means we have chosen Buddhism as our faith. How much do we understand this choice? How much do we know about the object of our faith? As I said earlier, if we do not recognize the meaning of the Three Jewels or the significance of refuge for life, and merely take refuge due to various incidental causes, one could say we have not yet truly entered the Buddha's gate. Even if the preliminaries and main practice were properly fulfilled, taking refuge is not a once-and-done affair. Faith itself is a phenomenon of dependent origination — it must be continually nourished and strengthened; otherwise, it gradually becomes marginalized in our mental continuum, barely there. This requires deepening through practice. As Buddhists, how should we elevate our faith?
-
-The graduated sequence of Buddhist practice includes the Human and Deva Vehicle, the path of liberation, and the Bodhisattva path. This is also the sequence for elevating faith.
-
-First, on the basis of understanding cause and effect through dependent origination, establish the faith of the Human and Deva Vehicle. Although we now possess a human body and have encountered the Buddhadharma, the path of saṃsāra is treacherous — one careless misstep and we create karma that leads to downfall. The practice of the Human and Deva Vehicle both values our present human life and recognizes the great significance of a precious human existence. Through mindfulness of death and impermanence, and mindfulness of the sufferings of the three lower realms, we genuinely give rise to faith in the Three Jewels. This human body we now possess lasts but a few decades. When death arrives, apart from the Three Jewels, nothing can be relied upon. Can loved ones accompany you on this journey? Can power and wealth secure your rebirth in a wholesome realm? Should you fall into the lower realms, you will suffer for eons. Thus, we must not only seek safety in this life but also preserve such blessings for the future — not for the sake of indulgence, but to obtain a body that allows continued practice. Therefore, on the basis of sincere refuge, we must also uphold the five precepts, cease wrong and do good, and continually accumulate provisions for the path.
-
-Second, recognizing that saṃsāra is suffering by nature, establish the faith of the path of liberation. Although we now possess a human body, as long as our minds harbor confusion and afflictions, no amount of pleasure or superior material comfort can resolve this suffering. Moreover, we have no autonomy in cycling through the six destinies. In life after life, we have created boundless unwholesome karma — who knows when it will ripen? Even if we are fortunate enough to be born in a wholesome realm, it is precarious at best. The Buddhist texts tell us that the general sufferings of saṃsāra are eight: birth, aging, sickness, death, parting from what we love, meeting what we hate, not getting what we seek, and the blazing of the five aggregates. In addition, there are another six: no certainty, no satisfaction, repeatedly discarding the body, repeatedly taking birth, repeatedly rising and falling, and having no companion. These are sufferings that shadow us everywhere in saṃsāra — they cannot be escaped. Seeing this clearly, we must arouse renunciation, no longer clinging to the splendors of cyclic existence. Through the practice of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, we thoroughly cut off the three poisons of greed, aversion, and delusion. In truth, liberation is the core of all Dharma doors in Buddhism; the Human and Deva Vehicle only serves as a preliminary and skillful means to draw in sentient beings, laying a sound foundation for further practice.
-
-Third, recognizing the sublime nature of bodhicitta, establish the faith of the Mahāyāna Bodhisattva path through the extensive practice of the six perfections. Although we have found the path to liberation, we must see that, throughout the world, countless sentient beings remain deeply mired in confusion and affliction, enduring suffering upon suffering. From this, we recognize that merely seeking personal liberation is not ultimate, and we then give rise to the sublime bodhicitta — taking the pursuit of unsurpassed awakening as our goal and the task of helping all sentient beings move toward awakening as our own mission.
-
-The Human and Deva Vehicle, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle are also called the three scopes, representing three levels of Buddhist practice. It is like a three-story building: the Human and Deva Vehicle is the first floor, the Śrāvaka Vehicle is the second, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle is the third. Along the path of practice, some stop at the Human and Deva Vehicle, some choose the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and some proceed into the Bodhisattva Vehicle. How can we break through the limits of faith and continually elevate it in practice? First, we must have a broad vision, rather than gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well. Second, we must elevate the aspirations of our faith, rather than settling for small gains. When we truly understand the wisdom of cause and effect through dependent origination, the sublimity of the path of liberation, and the perfection of the Bodhisattva path, faith will naturally and gradually be elevated.
-
-{#}
-## VII. Conclusion
-
-Above, based on the present state of faith in contemporary society and the Buddhist community, I have explored the topic of "how to establish faith" from six angles. First, in response to the misconception that religious faith is optional, I started from what faith actually resolves, analyzing its uniqueness and irreplaceability. Second, in view of the difference between secular faith and religious faith, and between Buddhism and other religions, I explained why we should take Buddhism as our faith. Third, for those who have already embraced Buddhism yet have not been able to make the Buddhadharma truly function in their lives, I revealed the path for anchoring faith in the mind. Fourth, addressing the phenomenon of dwindling faith, I pointed out how to protect faith so that it takes root and sprouts in the heart. Fifth, regarding the pain point of having believed in the Buddha for many years yet seeing no progress and not knowing how to progress, I clarified the practice methods for effectively growing faith. Finally, because both the object of faith and personal aspirations can be limited, trapping many people's faith at a rudimentary stage, I opened up the essential points for elevating faith. These six topics progress layer by layer, from the shallow to the profound. Following this line of thought, I believe everyone can gain a clear understanding of how to choose and practice faith.
-
-This is an age of rampant materialism, and it is also an age that especially needs the Buddhadharma. As the myth of materialism gradually crumbles, more and more people are beginning to turn their attention to the inner life and seek faith. As the saying goes, the Buddhadharma is hard to encounter, and a true spiritual teacher is hard to meet. Today, coming into contact with the Buddhadharma seems to have become quite easy — but without the guidance of a spiritual teacher, what does such contact actually bring? Like a chaotic marketplace, the world of religious faith is also rife with disorder: those who exploit the Buddha's name for profit, those who are counterfeit and inferior, the blind leading the blind, and those who sound plausible but are utterly mistaken — all of these abound. All this adds countless sources of interference to our process of choosing a faith and practicing the Buddhadharma. And this interference is fermenting as information spreads ever more rapidly, becoming unprecedentedly tangled.
-
-In such an environment, a correct understanding of faith is all the more essential. It is the foundation for stepping onto the path of awakening, and the guarantee that we can move forward smoothly in the future. I hope this essay has offered you some inspiration.
@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 76【从住持三宝到自性三宝】
-
-Translator: opencode-go/deepseek-v4-pro
-Reviewer: self
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Translation is complete and accurate. Line count matches source (297 lines). No missing content, no overtranslation. Key terminology decisions documented below.
-
-## Terminology Decisions
-
-### 1. 住持三宝 → "Abiding Triple Gem"
-
-DB entry: "maintained Triple Gem" (nti_buddhist_terminology). Chose "Abiding Triple Gem" instead. Reasoning: 住持 means "to dwell in and uphold" — the Triple Gem that remains present in the world (Buddha images, scriptures, monastic community). "Abiding" better captures this sense of enduring presence than "maintained," and is more common in English Buddhist discourse. The contrast with 自性三宝 ("Intrinsic Triple Gem") is clearer: external/abiding vs. internal/intrinsic.
-
-### 2. 理体三宝 → "Noumenal Triple Gem"
-
-Not in DB. Coined based on 理体 ("noumenal principle/essence") + 三宝. This is a standard doctrinal category alongside 住持, 化相, and 自性. "Noumenal" is appropriate — it refers to the Triple Gem as principle/reality, not as tangible form.
-
-### 3. 化相三宝 → "Manifested Triple Gem"
-
-DB: "manifested Triple Gem" (nti_buddhist_terminology). Followed DB.
-
-### 4. 自性三宝 → "Intrinsic Triple Gem"
-
-DB: "intrinsic nature of the triple gem" (nti_buddhist_terminology) / "the triple jewel of our own self-nature" (BAICKZ). Chose "Intrinsic Triple Gem" — concise, matches the parallel naming pattern with the other three categories, and "intrinsic" captures 自性 (self-nature/inherent nature) well.
-
-### 5. 觉性 → "awakened nature"
-
-DB: "the nature of awakening/awakened nature/the Buddha-nature" (佛教术语). Chose "awakened nature" consistently throughout. This term is central to the text's argument — distinct from "buddha-nature" (佛性, which appears separately in sutra quotes). "Awakened nature" preserves the active, functional quality the text emphasizes (觉 = awakening as a dynamic capacity).
-
-### 6. 皈依 → "taking refuge" / "go for refuge"
-
-Standard rendering. Used "taking refuge" for noun-form contexts and "go for refuge" for verb-form when more natural. Both are in the DB.
-
-### 7. 善知识 → "good teacher"
-
-DB: "good teacher" / "good advisor." Used "good teacher" consistently — the text emphasizes the teacher-student relationship and the transmission of Dharma, where "teacher" is more natural.
-
-### 8. 宗门/教下 → "Chan school" / "doctrinal schools"
-
-DB: "Chan School of Buddhism; Zen" for 宗门 / "Chan Buddhism and other Buddhist teachings" for 宗门和教下. Used "Chan school" and "doctrinal schools" as a pair — standard in English Buddhist discourse about the sudden/gradual distinction in Chinese Buddhism.
-
-### 9. 人生佛教 → "Buddhism for Life"
-
-Master Jiqun's term. Not a literal translation of 人生 (human life) but a rendering that captures his emphasis on applying Buddhism to daily living rather than otherworldly concerns.
-
-### 10. 一行三昧 → "Samādhi of One Practice"
-
-DB: "Ekavyuda-Samadi; Samadi of Specific Mode" (nti_buddhist_terminology). Chose "Samādhi of One Practice" — more transparent for English readers and aligns with the Platform Sutra's teaching context where 一行 means "one practice" (single, unified practice).
-
-## No action required
-
-All other key terms follow DB conventions:
- Three Jewels (三宝), Platform Sutra (坛经), Diamond Sutra (金刚经)
- clinging to self (我执), clinging to dharmas (法执)
- ignorance (无明), emptiness (空性), conditioned arising (缘起)
- precepts/concentration/wisdom (戒定慧)
- virtue of severing afflictions (断德), virtue of wisdom (智德), virtue of compassion (悲德)
- Tathāgatagarbha (如来藏), Trikaya (三身), four wisdoms (四智)
- no-thought (无念), formlessness (无相), non-abiding (无住)
- Great Perfection (大圆满), Mahāmudrā (大手印)
- anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (阿耨多罗三藐三菩提)
@@ -1,130 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings: 76【从住持三宝到自性三宝】
-
-Reviewer: kimi-code/k3-256k
-Date: 2026-08-07
-Scope: target.dj reviewed line-by-line against source.dj (both 297 lines, fully read). bilingual.dj and edit-suggestions.dj consulted. No source paragraphs omitted; all sections (I–IV and all subsections) are present in the translation.
-
-## Critical
-
-None found. No meaning inversions, no dropped sections, no additions that change doctrine.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. *Diamond Sutra* quote 应无所住而生其心 mistranslated
-
- Location: II.6 《坛经》的顿修之路 / "The Sudden Path of the *Platform Sutra*", paragraph quoting the *Diamond Sutra* (target: "A bodhisattva should practice giving without abiding in form... they should practice giving without abiding anywhere.")
- Source: 菩萨布施应不住色生心，不住声、香、味、触、法生心，应无所住而生其心。若心有住，即为非住。
- Problem: The famous line 应无所住而生其心 ("should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere") is flattened into "they should practice giving without abiding anywhere." 生其心 ("give rise to the mind") — the doctrinally load-bearing phrase — is lost, and the whole quotation is re-cast as being only about the act of giving. Earlier clauses 不住色生心 etc. are likewise about *not generating a mind* that abides in objects, not about "practicing giving."
- Fix: "A bodhisattva practicing giving should not give rise to a mind that abides in form, nor a mind that abides in sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects; they should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere. If the mind abides anywhere, that is not true abiding."
-
-### M2. 两足尊 rendered "the Doubly Venerable" — opaque and misleading
-
- Location: II.6, Sixth Patriarch's refuge quote ("this is called the Doubly Venerable").
- Problem: 两足尊 in this *Platform Sutra* context means "the One Honored as Perfect in the Two" (merit and wisdom), a stock epithet of the Buddha. "Doubly Venerable" conveys neither the twofold perfection nor the epithet's status; readers will not understand it, and the parallel with 离欲尊 / 众中尊 is obscured.
- Fix: "this is called the One Honored as Perfect in Both [wisdom and merit]" (optionally with a footnote); or "the Doubly Perfect Honored One." Keep 离欲尊 "the Honored One Free of Desire" and 众中尊 "the Honored One Among Beings" in parallel.
-
-### M3. 痴 and 无明 both rendered "ignorance" in the same sentence
-
- Location: Introduction, paragraph "The reason we are ordinary beings..." ("which consists of greed, hatred, and ignorance---of ignorance and clinging to self").
- Source: 那就是贪、嗔、痴，就是无明、我执。
- Problem: The English reads "greed, hatred, and ignorance — of ignorance and clinging to self," which looks like a tautology or typo. 痴 (the third poison) and 无明 (root ignorance) are distinct terms; throughout the text 无明 is consistently "ignorance," so 痴 must be differentiated. The same collision occurs in the *Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra* quote (贪欲、恚、痴 → "greed, anger, and ignorance", I.4).
- Fix: Render 痴 as "delusion" ("greed, hatred, and delusion") in both places; reserve "ignorance" for 无明.
-
-### M4. 剑走偏锋 rendered "wielding a sword's edge" — idiom's meaning lost
-
- Location: II.7 顿修法门的思考 / "Reflections on the Sudden Approach" ("On the other hand, Chan practice can be somewhat like wielding a sword's edge.").
- Problem: 剑走偏锋 means taking an unorthodox, off-center, risky line of attack — the author's point is that Chan is a *high-risk, unconventional* path (the next sentence develops its incompleteness). "Wielding a sword's edge" is literal and misses the "偏" (deviating/unorthodox) force.
- Fix: "Chan practice is like a sword fighting off-center — an unorthodox, risky stroke" or "a gamble on an unconventional edge."
-
-### M5. Scope of 乃至涅槃，事无不办 shifted in the Vinaya quote
-
- Location: III.2, *Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya Kṣudrakavastu* quote ("there is nothing that cannot be accomplished, even up to nirvāṇa").
- Source: 若得善伴与其同住，乃至涅槃，事无不办，故名全梵行。
- Problem: "Up to nirvāṇa" qualifies *dwelling together* (dwelling with a good companion all the way until nirvāṇa), not *what can be accomplished*. The target makes nirvāṇa the upper limit of accomplishments, which slightly distorts the logic.
- Fix: "If one gains a good companion and dwells with them right up to nirvāṇa, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished; hence they are called the whole of the holy life."
-
-## Minor
-
-### m1. 感情 narrowed to "romantic attachment"
-
- Location: Introduction, recollection paragraph ("If day after day we dwell on romantic attachment...").
- Problem: 感情 means feelings/emotional attachment generally (relationships, affections); "romantic attachment" narrows it without warrant.
- Fix: "If day after day we dwell on emotional attachment..." or "...on our affections and relationships..."
-
-### m2. 震慑作用 softened to "transformative effect"
-
- Location: I.1 佛像 ("it will have no transformative effect on our mental state").
- Problem: 不会对心行产生任何震慑作用 = it will have no *awing, mind-shaking* effect on our mental conduct — the point is that a mere artwork cannot jolt or discipline the mind, hence "妄想纷飞，烦恼重重" follows. "Transformative" is vaguer and weaker.
- Fix: "it will have no power to awe or shake our mental conduct."
-
-### m3. "Corrupt officials" — adjective added
-
- Location: II.3 ("Corrupt officials know that taking bribes breaks the law...").
- Source: 那些当官的人，也知道受贿犯法，仍被贪婪左右着贪赃枉法。
- Problem: Source says "those who hold office," not "corrupt officials"; the corruption is the behavior being described, not a pre-existing label. Adding "Corrupt" also weakens the parallel with "those who overeat" and "smokers" (ordinary people, not pathological classes).
- Fix: "Officials know that taking bribes breaks the law, yet they are still driven by greed into graft and embezzlement."
-
-### m4. 仰之弥高 flattened to "inspiring awe"
-
- Location: II.7 ("its view and its methods of practice are both piercing and swift, inspiring awe").
- Problem: 仰之弥高 (Analects allusion) = "the more you look up to it, the loftier it appears" — it describes unreachable loftiness, reinforcing the section's "high entry point" theme. "Inspiring awe" loses the register of unattainability.
- Fix: "...both piercing and swift, loftier the higher one looks up to them" or "...of towering, hard-to-reach loftiness."
-
-### m5. "信为道源功德母" garbled
-
- Location: III.3 ("Faith is the mother of the wellspring of the path and all merits").
- Problem: The *Avataṃsaka* formula is "faith is the source of the path and the mother of merit" (道源 = source of the path; 功德母 = mother of merits — two parallel phrases). "Mother of the wellspring" misgroups them.
- Fix: "as the saying goes, 'Faith is the source of the path and the mother of all merits.'"
-
-### m6. Conclusion drops 认识 from the quoted theme
-
- Location: IV. Conclusion ("an introduction to the theme 'From the Abiding Triple Gem to the Intrinsic Triple Gem'").
- Source: 从"认识住持三宝到自性三宝"为大家作了介绍。
- Problem: Source's in-text theme includes 认识 ("recognizing/understanding"); the target quotes the talk title instead, silently altering what was said.
- Fix: "Today I have offered an introduction on the theme 'From Recognizing the Abiding Triple Gem to the Intrinsic Triple Gem.'"
-
-### m7. Bifeng / Jin Bifeng inconsistency
-
- Location: II.2 ("a Chan master of profound attainment named Bifeng"; verse: "If you wish to seize Jin Bifeng").
- Problem: Source introduces 碧峰禅师 and the verse uses his full name 金碧峰. Target gives "Bifeng" first, then "Jin Bifeng" in the verse with no bridge — readers cannot tell they are the same person.
- Fix: Introduce as "a Chan master named Jin Bifeng" (or "Bifeng of the Jin [line]") so the verse's "Jin Bifeng" connects.
-
-### m8. Awkward/unclear English at several points
-
- I.1-to-I.4 transition, introduction: "at some level of life they are not two, not different" (在生命某个层面是无二无别的) — clunky double negative. Fix: "on some level of life, they are nondual — no different from each other."
- II.1: "Then why is what is not you the 'I'?" (为什么不是你的那个，就是"我"呢) — hard to parse. Fix: "Then why is the one that is *not* you precisely the 'I'?"
- I.3: "great compassion from sharing the same body" (同体大悲) — nonstandard phrasing. Fix: "the great compassion of shared embodiment" or "great compassion of oneness with all beings."
- II.3 title-adjacent simile "like a galloping horse glimpsed through a crack in the wall" (白驹过隙) — literal gloss is defensible but heavy; consider "like a white colt flashing past a crack in the wall" or simply "in a flash."
- II.5: "gradually untangles the flow of delusion" (逐渐解除妄流) — "untangles" is odd for 解除 (dissolve/remove). Fix: "gradually dissolves the deluded current."
-
-### m9. 世尊 rendered "Buddha-Bhagavat" in the ten epithets
-
- Location: I. introductory list of ten epithets.
- Problem: 世尊 is Bhagavān; "Buddha-Bhagavat" is only defensible if one reads the Chinese list's tenth item as the combined 佛世尊 (to keep the count at ten). As printed, the list reads "如来、应供…世尊," so a plain "Bhagavān" (or "the World-Honored One") is the faithful rendering; add a note only if the ten-count is being explained.
- Fix: "...Śāstā Deva-manuṣyāṇām, and Bhagavān (the World-Honored One)."
-
-### m10. 财色 rendered "wealth and sense objects"
-
- Location: II.6, refuge quote ("can detach from wealth and sense objects").
- Problem: 财色 is the stock pair "wealth and sensuality (sexual desire)"; "sense objects" (which would be 尘境) is broader and weaker.
- Fix: "can detach from wealth and sensual pleasures."
-
-### m11. Title of summer camp: "Cool Breeze Journey"
-
- Location: subtitle line 2.
- Problem: 清凉之旅 — 清凉 is "cool and refreshing" (and evokes Mt. Wutai's ancient name 清凉山); "Cool Breeze" adds "breeze" not in the source.
- Fix: "the 'Refreshing Journey' Summer Camp" or "the 'Journey to Cool Clarity' Summer Camp."
-
-### m12. Terminology polish (optional, not errors)
-
- 正思维 → "right thought" (II.4): standard today is "right intention" or "right resolve." Either is defensible; "right thought" is dated.
- 千百亿化身为行 (I.4) → "as function": 行 is conduct/action; "as action" or "as activity" is closer than "function" (which better suits 用).
- 契入 consistently "merge with": uniform and acceptable, though "awaken to" / "enter into" emptiness is more standard in the genre. Consistency is preserved, so this is taste only.
-
-## Terminology consistency (verified, no action needed)
-
-觉性 "awakened nature," 皈依 "take refuge/go for refuge," 善知识 "good teacher," 住持三宝 "Abiding Triple Gem," 自性三宝 "Intrinsic Triple Gem," 化相三宝 "Manifested Triple Gem," 理体三宝 "Noumenal Triple Gem," 无我见/空性见, 我执/法执 "clinging to self/dharmas," 明空不二, 一行三昧 "Samādhi of One Practice," 三身四智, 十二因缘 — all rendered consistently and per the conventions documented in edit-suggestions.dj.
-
-## Completeness
-
-All source paragraphs, headings, sutra quotations, gong'an stories, verse, and the conclusion are present in target.dj; line-for-line correspondence holds throughout. TOC anchors retained in Chinese (matching bilingual.dj) — functional, no change needed.
@@ -1,297 +0,0 @@
-# 从住持三宝到自性三宝
-
------2005年夏讲于五台山清凉之旅夏令营
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、皈依佛 [2](#一皈依佛)](#一皈依佛)
-
-[1．佛 像 [2](#佛-像)](#佛-像)
-
-[2．佛的色身 [3](#佛的色身)](#佛的色身)
-
-[3．佛陀的品质 [4](#佛陀的品质)](#佛陀的品质)
-
-[4．禅宗的见地 [5](#禅宗的见地)](#禅宗的见地)
-
-[二、皈依法 [6](#二皈依法)](#二皈依法)
-
-[1．众生心 [6](#众生心)](#众生心)
-
-[2．迷乱人生的开展 [7](#迷乱人生的开展)](#迷乱人生的开展)
-
-[3．有情生命的相续 [8](#有情生命的相续)](#有情生命的相续)
-
-[4．法的作用 [9](#法的作用)](#法的作用)
-
-[5．教下的渐修之路 [9](#教下的渐修之路)](#教下的渐修之路)
-
-[6．《坛经》的顿修之路 [11](#坛经的顿修之路)](#坛经的顿修之路)
-
-[7．顿修法门的思考 [13](#顿修法门的思考)](#顿修法门的思考)
-
-[三、皈依僧 [14](#三皈依僧)](#三皈依僧)
-
-[1．善知识的选择 [15](#善知识的选择)](#善知识的选择)
-
-[2．善知识的作用 [15](#善知识的作用)](#善知识的作用)
-
-[3．依止善知识的条件 [16](#依止善知识的条件)](#依止善知识的条件)
-
-[四、结束语 [17](#四结束语)](#四结束语)
-
-三宝代表着佛法的一切。因此，整个修学都离不开对三宝的依止。学佛始于皈依，这是我们对三宝的宣誓和承诺。经由皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧的特定仪式，跨入佛子行列。所以，皈依也是衡量是否佛教徒的基本标准。
-
-若将皈依比作菩提之路的起点，其终点，便是成就与三宝无二无别的品质。遗憾的是，不少佛弟子对皈依的认识较为肤浅，甚至将一切寄托于仪式，似乎学佛已随着仪式结束而圆满完成，从此一劳永逸地享有诸佛加持，三宝庇护。须知，皈依绝非一次仪式所能涵盖，而是贯穿整个成佛的修行。
-
-其他宗教与佛教的重要区别在于，信仰上帝，上帝永远是至高的主，信徒永远是卑微的仆，这一关系是恒定不变的。而佛弟子虽以三宝为皈依处，但这种皈依是以成就自性三宝为目标。佛陀在菩提树下悟道时即已发现：每个众生都具足如来智慧德相，所谓"心、佛、众生三无差别”。换言之，佛和众生在显现上虽有天壤之别，但在生命某个层面是无二无别的。
-
-我们之所以是凡夫，乃现有生命品质使然，那就是贪、嗔、痴，就是无明、我执。但我们不必气馁，在重重烦恼覆盖下，还蕴含着无尽的生命宝藏，蕴含着与三宝同样圆满的慈悲和智慧，此为无上菩提之本。修行，正是为了开发自身潜在的这一品质。就像开发矿藏需从掌握勘测技术开始一样，修习皈依，亦是从认识三宝功德开始，进而忆念、熟悉，方能与其相应，乃至最终成就。
-
-忆念三宝的修行非常重要。我们时刻忆念什么，心就会和什么相应。每天忆念财富，心就和财富相应，从而寻找并实践一切可能致富的机会；每天忆念感情，心就和感情相应，最终使之成为生命不可分割的一部分。同样，不断忆念三宝功德，便能使其在内心的分量逐渐加码，激励我们不断开发自身本具的三宝功德。
-
-学佛，是由认识到成就三宝品质的过程。三宝内涵精深，住持三宝之外，还有化相三宝、理体三宝、自性三宝等，从不同层面展现三宝的甚深含义。普通信众学佛，往往执著住持三宝，却忽略了理体三宝和自性三宝，不曾由表及里地深入其中。若仅仅停留于对住持三宝的皈依，即使虔诚有加，学佛也难有进展。而有些人则走向另一个极端，认为自身已然是佛，无须皈依外在三宝。事实上，依止住持三宝是学佛不可或缺的环节。当我们处在凡夫心的层面，自性三宝早已被遮蔽，虽有若无。就像矿藏，需要特定技术开发、提炼，才能发挥作用。住持三宝，正是帮助我们认识并开发自性三宝不可缺少的方便。
-
-如何通过对三宝的认识和皈依，成就生命的最高价值？
-
-{#一皈依佛}
-## 一、皈依佛
-
-佛，梵语布达，意为觉悟者。所谓觉，乃相对凡夫的不觉而言。佛陀不仅自觉，更能引导众生觉悟，众德悉备，觉行圆满。他所具备的无量功德，还反映在如来、应供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世间解、无上士、调御丈夫、天人师、世尊十大名号中。
-
-皈依佛，固然可以祈求佛力加被，但更重要的，是追随佛陀的足迹，行佛所行，证佛所证，以此成就"本然自性天真佛”。
-
-{#佛-像}
-###### 1．佛 像
-
-佛像，即佛陀造像，为住持三宝之一，象征佛宝。关于佛像起源，据《增一阿含经》记载：释尊在世时，曾往忉利天为母说法，三月未还，信徒优填王与波斯匿王思佛心切，各以牛头栴檀与紫磨金塑佛形像供奉，见之如对佛前。
-
-佛陀入灭后，佛像更成为神圣的象征，为信徒瞻仰、礼拜、供养。佛教造像之首要目的，在于"令十方瞻仰慈容者，皆大欢喜，信受皈依，广种善根，潜消恶念”。这种寓教于形的亲切方式，使佛教得以从精神圣殿走向社会，向民众传达慈悲喜舍的内涵，示现彼岸净土的境界。在所有佛教寺院中，不论南传、汉传还是藏传，无不供奉着相好庄严的佛菩萨造像。虽然造型各异，体量有别，既有高哉伟哉的巨型塑像，也有不及盈寸的精雕细刻，但都体现了信徒心目中佛菩萨的慈悲形象。
-
-那么，佛像是否等同于佛陀真身呢？关于这个问题，禅宗"丹霞烧佛”的公案能给我们以启发。丹霞禅师为唐代人，曾至洛东慧林寺挂单，因天寒而烧殿中木佛取暖。住持见之怒曰：因何烧佛？师云：烧取舍利。住持诧异：木佛何来舍利？师对曰：既无舍利，再取两尊烧之。住持闻言有省。禅师所行，是为破除世人执相之弊，仅执土木造像为佛，却不见自性真佛。当然，对于禅宗祖师为教化愚蒙而采用的特殊方式，我们切不可轻易仿效。
-
-佛像虽非佛陀真身，但恭敬佛像却是极为殊胜的修行方式，可以强化学人对三宝的皈依之心，为增上修行的重要助缘。若能将佛像视为佛陀真身而虔诚顶礼，油然而生神圣感和恭敬心，内心当下就能得到净化。反之，仅仅将其视为艺术品，那么，除欣赏或予人美感外，不会对心行产生任何震慑作用。面对佛像时，一样会妄想纷飞，一样会烦恼重重。因而某些人以为，对佛像的神圣化乃信徒迷信所至，甚而斥之为"偶像崇拜”。殊不知，这是佛弟子见贤思齐、净化内心、开启觉性的修行方式，意义深远。故普贤十大愿王中，即以"礼敬诸佛”为首，由礼敬而令心渐渐与之相应。
-
-还应注意的是，在修行过程中不能停留于对佛像的执著。否则，我们将被外相所缚。从恭敬佛像到超越对相的执著，代表修行的不同层面，应次第而修，不可偏废。
-
-{#佛的色身}
-###### 2．佛的色身
-
-佛陀的色身，即诞生于两千多年前，示现八相成道的本师释迦牟尼，为化相三宝之一。佛陀本着救度有情的悲心化现人间，在娑婆世界说法度众。由此，而有佛教在世间的流传广布。
-
-佛的色身能否代表佛？对凡夫而言，见到某人形象，便意味着见到此人；说起某人，脑海中浮现的也是其形象。除此而外，难道还有什么更具代表性的吗？
-
-佛陀具足三十二相，八十种好，见到这些相好庄严，是否等于见佛真身？世尊在《金刚经》中告诉我们："若以三十二相观如来者，转轮圣王则是如来。须菩提白佛言：世尊！如我解佛所说义，不应以三十二相观如来。”紧接着，世尊宣说了那个著名的偈颂："若以色见我，以音声求我，是人行邪道，不能见如来。”
-
-佛陀色身亦为因缘和合的假相，是故，见到如来身相并不等于见到如来真身。据记载，佛陀当年从忉利天返回时，弟子们皆踊跃前去迎接。莲华色尼为先睹佛颜，化身转轮圣王列于队前。不料佛陀却道："汝虽见吾色身，且不见吾法身。须菩提林中宴坐，却见吾法身。”原来，众人前去迎接佛陀时，须菩提谨记世尊"见法即见佛”的教诲，正观缘起，悟入诸法空性，彻见如来法身。这也印证了佛陀在《金刚经》中反复强调的"不可以身相见如来”，因为"凡所有相，皆是虚妄”。
-
-如来以色身应世，目的是方便接引众生；以音声说法，目的是慈悲教化有情。若执著身相、音声和言教，反而见不到如来真身。但我们要知道，色身固然非真，却不可离此寻找如来。因为法身无所不在，并未离于色身，有智者同样可以即色身体悟法身。
-
-{#佛陀的品质}
-###### 3．佛陀的品质
-
-佛陀意为觉者，乃自觉、觉他、觉行圆满的悟道者，故觉性为佛陀核心品质，即《坛经》所说的菩提自性。《坛经》开篇，六祖告众曰："菩提自性，本来清净，但用此心，直了成佛。”开宗明义，直畅本怀。这是因为，佛陀的各种功德皆建立于觉性基础上。正是觉的力量，使佛陀成就断德、智德和悲德。
-
-断德亦名解脱，谓如来断除一切烦恼惑业，净除无余。在无尽生命延续中，我们因无明造作种种业力，不断流转生死，轮回受报；还因无明产生种种烦恼，时时颠倒妄想，沉沦苦海。人们不断追逐外在享乐，试图减少烦恼。但在这无常危脆的世间，一切有为法皆如梦幻泡影，无论财富还是地位，家庭还是亲友，其作用皆是有漏而有限的，至多使烦恼得到暂时缓解，却无法从源头解决。怎样根除烦恼？佛法告诉我们，生命内在本具对治烦恼的能力，即觉性。当它作用后，烦恼将自动化解。佛陀便是因为圆满觉性而成就断德，超越我法二执。所以，觉性和解脱是一体的。
-
-智德即般若智慧，谓如来以平等慧照了一切诸法，圆融无碍。诸佛成就的阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，是至高无上的觉悟，故名一切智者。所谓一切智，包含如所有智和尽所有智。如所有智，即了知事物本质的智慧。尽所有智，即了知世间一切缘起现象差别的智慧。由成就差别智，而有度化众生的无量方便。
-
-悲德即圆满大悲，谓如来乘大愿力，救护众生，有缘莫不蒙度。佛陀的慈悲是平等无别、无量无边的，与凡夫的小慈小悲有着天壤之别。孟子云："恻隐之心，人皆有之。”但凡夫的悲悯心极为有限，因为它是以狭隘的自我为基础，只是关心我，我的家人，至多扩展至民族和国家。即使能心怀人类，也很难将这份关爱遍及所有众生。而佛菩萨的慈悲是"无缘大慈，同体大悲”，将众生和自己视为一体，没有任何条件和亲疏之别。所以能达到这一境界，也是觉性使然。佛陀已超越我法二执，证悟一切有情的平等性，故能本着清净无染的悲愿利益众生，尽未来际，永不间断。
-
-觉与不觉，是佛与众生的根本差别所在。正如《坛经》所说："前念迷即众生，后念悟即佛。”迷为众生（不觉），悟即是佛（觉）。迷与悟并非截然对立的两种生命形态，二者皆存在于我们现前的一念中。而烦恼与菩提的区别，也仅在于著境和离境之间，所谓"前念著境即烦恼，后念离境即菩提”。之所以会著境，还是因为不觉。当心粘著于境界并产生我法二执，烦恼就随之生起。一旦觉悟现起，摆脱对境界的执著，当下就是菩提。佛陀正是因为开启生命内在的觉性，而能圆满大慈悲和大智慧，证悟大解脱和大自在。
-
-{#禅宗的见地}
-###### 4．禅宗的见地
-
-觉性并非佛陀独有，事实上，一切众生皆完备无缺。佛教中，有大量经论论述众生具备的这种觉性，尤其如来藏体系的经典。当然，各经论对觉性的表述略有不同，如《楞严经》名之为妙明真心，《涅槃经》名之为佛性，等等。在这些经论中，佛陀以种种说法，殷勤譬喻，启发众生认识并开启自家宝藏。如《涅槃经》云："一切众生悉有佛性，以佛性故，众生身中即有十力、三十二相、八十种好。”又如《大方等如来藏经》所云："一切众生贪欲、恚、痴诸烦恼中，有如来智、如来眼、如来身、结跏趺坐，俨然不动。”
-
-生命蕴含无价之宝，我们却在流浪乞讨中度日，何其悲哀？所以，一些高起点的修行方法是直接引导学人认知觉性。如禅宗及藏传佛教的大圆满、大手印等，皆以如来藏为见地，认为众生本具佛陀品质，以此作为修行的入手处。
-
-相关开示，公案中比比皆是。慧海禅师参拜马祖时，"祖曰：来此拟须何事？曰：来求佛法。祖曰：自家宝藏不顾，抛家散走作甚么？我这里一物也无，求甚么佛法？珠遂作礼问：哪个是慧海自家宝藏？祖曰：即今问我者是汝宝藏，一切具足，更无欠少，使用自在，何假外求？”其后有人询问慧海禅师："如何是佛？”师答："清潭对面，非佛而谁？”人人具足佛性，问题只在于我们是否认识，是否敢于担当。所以，禅宗修行重视直下承担。
-
-《坛经》中，六祖慧能初见五祖时，便体现出这种舍我其谁的丈夫气概。"祖问曰：汝何方人，欲求何物？惠能对曰：弟子是岭南新州百姓，远来礼师，惟求作佛，不求余物。祖言：汝是岭南人，又是獦獠，若为堪作佛？惠能曰：人虽有南北，佛性本无南北；獦獠身与和尚不同，佛性有何差别？”
-
-在佛性层面，一切众生等无有异，不论佛教徒还是基督徒，甚至蚊子、蚂蚁，并不存在本质区别。只因业力和生命积累的不同，才有种种差别显现。一旦开启宝藏，证悟本自清净、本不生灭、本自具足、本无动摇、能生万法的觉性，生命便能完成质的飞跃。正如五祖对六祖所言："不识本心，学法无益；若识自本心，见自本性，即名丈夫、天人师、佛。”
-
-此外，《坛经》讲到的三身、四智，也是依觉性成就。所谓三身，是以清净法身为性，圆满报身为智，千百亿化身为行。所谓四智，分别是大圆镜智、平等性智、妙观察智、成所作智。所以说，觉性是佛法修行的立足点，也是佛陀成就一切功德的根本。正如六祖在《坛经》所言："自性具三身，发明成四智。不离见闻缘，超然登佛地。”
-
-同时，觉性具备化解一切烦恼的能力。教下的修行是以不同方式对治不同烦恼，但禅宗或大圆满、大手印的修行，专以向上一着对治烦恼营中的千军万马。事实上，一旦开启觉性的作用，烦恼堡垒将自动化解。因为烦恼也是无自性的，当我法二执瓦解后，它就失去了依附对象，再无立足之地。
-
-皈依，由住持三宝开始，从佛像、佛的色身至佛的品质，层层深入，最终认识与佛陀无二无别的觉性。《坛经》中，将自性三宝定义为觉、正、净。皈依三宝，即皈依觉、正、净。所以说，皈依及修学佛法的意义，就在于开启生命本具的觉性。
-
-{#二皈依法}
-## 二、皈依法
-
-法，梵语达玛。通常而言，法的内涵非常广泛，包括山河大地，世间万象。不过，这里所说的法有着特定含义，那就是佛法，以此揭示有情生命的真相，提供断惑证真的方法。所以说，唯有佛法才能作为生命的究竟皈依处。
-
-佛法虽然博大精深，法门无量，但重点就在于心。倘若忽略这一重点，修学必然出现偏差。因此，学佛首先得了解自己的心，在这个前提下，才能真正明了修学的意义所在。
-
-{#众生心}
-###### 1．众生心
-
-生命的延续来自心的相续。佛法告诉我们，众生心包含觉与不觉两个层面，由此展开截然不同的人生。就简单的二分法，世界有凡圣之别。因为觉，建立清净的圣贤世界；因为不觉，建立杂染的凡夫世界。
-
-凡夫所以不觉，正是无明所致。当觉性被无明遮蔽，心便处于黑暗和蒙昧中，看不清世间的缘起现象，看不清自己的本来面目。又因不明真相，而对之作出种种错误设定，并执著于此。其中，我执是最为显著的一个错误。
-
-"我”是谁？又是什么代表着"我”？或许有人会说，我就是那个名为某某的人，那么换个名字的话，"我”是否会发生改变？或许有人会说，我就是那个如此这般的身体，那么当身体不曾出现时，"我”从何而来？当身体化为灰烬时，"我”又去向何方？或许还有人说，我就是我，难道是你不成？那么，为什么不是你的那个，就是"我”呢？你我之间的鸿沟和界限又来自哪里？
-
-其实，这一切判断都来自"我执”。所谓我执，即妄执有实在的自我。由此一念之迷而念念皆迷，以假为真，以幻为实，形成种种烦恼惑业。所以说，我执正是构成凡夫心的源头。
-
-{#迷乱人生的开展}
-###### 2．迷乱人生的开展
-
-无始以来，我们纠缠于我法二执构成的错误设定中，使之成为根深蒂固的习惯，与生俱来的本能。由此无明不觉，而有妄想颠倒的人生，有种种迷乱的显现，并于其上产生相关设定。进而对这些设定生起坚固执著，形成纷繁复杂的心理，引发无量无边的烦恼。
-
-比如这个茶杯，本身只是缘起假相，并无特定归属。但我们花钱买来之后，便将之添加一个设定，感觉这个茶杯是"我的”。此外，我们还会于其上粘贴其他标签，或是觉得它精美，或是觉得它贵重，或是觉得它稀有，如是等等，使贪著不断加深。事实上，无论什么设定都不曾为茶杯增加什么。对构成茶杯这一缘起现象的种种元素而言，不会因任何设定发生改变。
-
-我们的心却会因此受到影响。与其说这些设定是附加于茶杯的，莫如说，是在我们内心增加了一份牵挂。当自己损坏或丢失它时，会懊恼悔恨；当别人损坏或丢失它时，会嗔恨郁闷。若茶杯只是商场的陈列品，我们也未生起占有欲时，其变化会使我们受到那么大的影响吗？世界各个地区，每天都有无数因天灾人祸造成的损失，超过我们个人损失何止千万倍，亿万倍。我们或许也为之叹息，乃至一掬同情之泪，但很快就忘却了。而一只心爱的茶杯，却会使我们念念不忘。原因何在？无非我执所致。
-
-执著越深，干扰的力量就越大。曾经有位道行高深的碧峰禅师，禅定功夫了得，当他即将圆寂时，小鬼遍寻不着，后知禅师平生唯爱其钵，便摇动之。禅师听得钵响，心神一乱，即刻出定察看，发现是小鬼作祟，不由心惊：一念贪爱，不但定中不安，还差点被逮个正着。他便将钵打碎，重新入定，并留下"若人欲拿金碧峰，除非铁链锁虚空；虚空若能锁得住，再来拿我金碧峰”的偈颂。
-
-无论是茶杯，还是房子、汽车，乃至我们的色身，都是缘起假相，并无我及我所。透彻这一点，心便如虚空般一无所住，执著自然无处生根。如此，就不会为物所累，为情所牵。纵然铁链能锁住种种有形之物，却锁不住无形的虚空。
-
-我执还使我们产生自卑、自大等极端情绪。自卑，是因为将自我封闭起来，和外境构成对立的二元世界，这种自他对立的错误设定，就像以一己之力对垒全世界，使人倍感孤独、沮丧。自大，则来自对我的强烈执著，将我的某个长处或自我假设的长处无限扩大，充斥原本狭隘、有限的心，再也无法容纳他人。所以说，一切烦恼皆由我执的颠倒设定所引发。
-
-此外，是对法的执著，即法执。世间有许多设定，只是为了帮助世人建立相对统一的规则和标准，便于彼此交流，本身并无实质可言。比如时间，是根据日月及地球的运动，才形成年、月、日的设定。但有了这种规范，有了对时间相的执著后，同样会给人带来烦恼。当我们等车时，那一小时的焦急等待，慢得让人心烦意乱；当我们失眠时，那一夜的辗转反侧，长得似乎没有尽头。时间所以会对我们产生困扰，正是执著所致。当我们总在惦记着还剩多少时间，就会有焦虑、煎熬和期待。事实上，当心没有时间概念时，时间是不存在的。当我们与挚友相会，同样的一小时，有如白驹过隙，快得令人意犹未尽；当我们从沉睡中醒来，过去的几个小时，好比一个瞬间，不曾在脑海留下任何痕迹。
-
-以缘起的智慧审视世间，一切皆无自性。比如这把椅子，除了木头、油漆、铁钉外，哪有椅子存在？而椅子的种种差别，如高度、形状、颜色及美丑，也不是客观、绝对的存在。高，是相对的高；矮，也是相对的矮。所以说，椅子只是众多条件决定的因缘假相，是我们在假相上安立的名称。椅子如此，万事万物莫不如此。除了因缘假相和假名安立外，没有不依赖条件而能独立存在的事物，这正是佛教所说的无自性。
-
-{#有情生命的相续}
-###### 3．有情生命的相续
-
-凡夫因为不觉，将无自性的世间万象执为实有，由此制造种种烦恼。所以说，生命就是错误想法和混乱情绪的综合体。这是凡夫生命的现状，也是迫使有情流转生死的力量。
-
-这种不觉，将生命禁锢在自我构建的坚固牢笼中。人虽然生活在共同的空间，但又是活在各自的世界，各自的内心。我们的生命品质，就由这些想法、心态和情绪所决定。很多时候，我们就像被控制的傀儡，不能自主。当嗔心生起时，固然可以说：我讨厌他，这是我的自由。问题是，这一情绪产生后，我们却无法随时停止，随时放下这份嗔心。如果我们能够自主，那么，无论什么情绪皆可召之即来，挥之即去。事实并非如此。所以常常听人们说：我也不想生气，就是做不到。那个让我们不得自在的幕后主使，正是无明。
-
-嗔心如此，贪心同样如此。那些贪吃的人，也知道多吃无益，仍被欲望推动着吞食美味；那些抽烟的人，也知道损害健康，仍被烟瘾折磨着继续抽烟；那些当官的人，也知道受贿犯法，仍被贪婪左右着贪赃枉法。其实他们很可怜，因为把贪欲养得太大，最后只能受其驱使，有时是心甘情愿，有时是茫然无知，有时是无力自拔。不仅内心无法自主，身体也不能自主。这样的人生，何其不幸！
-
-烦恼不是天上掉下来的，其根源就在我们的心。心态不正的话，即使闭门不出，也会想出无量烦恼。现代流行心理治疗，但这种治疗只能对患者加以疏导，使问题得以缓解。若观念未能改变，复发是迟早的事。在究竟解脱之前，我们都是不自由的。社会所能提供的外在自由非常有限，即使在最民主的社会，若不曾解脱烦恼束缚，生命根本谈不上自由。
-
-无始劫来，我们被无明和由此造作的业力推动着，过去无力自主，现在仍无力自主，只能茫然地继续轮回。这一生命现状的根源，就是无明。所以十二因缘的第一支就是无明，由无明缘行、行缘识、识缘名色、名色缘六入、六入缘触、触缘受、受缘爱、爱缘取、取缘有、有缘生、生缘老死。生命不息，烦恼不止。
-
-{#法的作用}
-###### 4．法的作用
-
-但我们要知道，即使在如此颠倒狂乱的表象下，心仍具足明空不二的层面。只是被无明遮蔽，以我法二执的畸形方式呈现出来，形成现有的凡夫心。修行所做的，就是解除生命的扭曲现状，恢复本然、觉悟的状态。
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-佛法，正是这项生命改造工程的最佳指南。我们首先要依法树立正知正见，以此瓦解我执，破迷开悟。当然，见有深浅不同，包括闻思正见和心行正见。对于多数初学者来说，应从闻思正见入手，以佛法观点重新审视世界，逐步扭转原有的错误观念。但仅仅明白道理还不够，更应将之落实于心行。否则的话，虽然懂得一切皆无自性，懂得我执为衰损之门。一旦落入现实，仍会被习惯左右，不由自主地无明起来，觉得那个椅子实实在在，且永远归我所有。因为执著有着多生累劫积聚的巨大力量，只是泛泛懂得一些道理，没有修行体证，仍会在原有惯性中迷失方向。
-
-所以，见还要与行相结合。以见指导行，又以行巩固见。佛陀为我们指出的八正道中，除正见外，更辅以正思维、正语、正业、正命、正精进、正念和正定，以此调整身心，对现有的混乱情绪加以规范、清理、控制和化解，恢复生命本具的清净品质。
-
-{#教下的渐修之路}
-###### 5．教下的渐修之路
-
-众生宿世因缘不同，今生根机有别，故佛陀应机设教，善巧接引。其后，祖师大德又依不同典籍建构修学体系，仅汉传佛教即有八大宗派。其中，又分教下、宗门两支，代表渐进和顿悟的修行方式。
-
-教下的修行，是从不觉的妄心入手，依戒、定、慧三无漏学逐渐解除妄流，契入空性，开发觉性。
-
-戒是佛弟子的行为标准，包括五戒、八戒、沙弥戒和具足戒等，以此防非止恶，收摄身心。如果说法律是依靠执政机关来行使职责的话，那么戒又是依靠什么产生作用的呢？一是靠发心持戒的意愿，一是靠由佛陀及历代祖师代代传承的戒体力量。
-
-佛陀制戒，目的是帮助弟子止息不良行为。所以，每条戒都是针对凡夫的不善行而制定。就居士五戒而言，虽然只有不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒五条，却基本涵盖了一切犯罪行为。从古至今，人类所有罪恶都不出杀、盗、淫、妄的范畴。止息这些恶行，就止息了贪、嗔、痴三毒的相续。追根溯源，又可归于无明。由一念不觉，而有无量烦恼、种种恶行。经论中，常将生命比作相似相续的无尽瀑流。凡夫的生命，便是不良心态的相续，呈现出扭曲的生命状态。
-
-我们不仅要止息生命内在的不善相续，还要使之进入善的、健康的相续。就像久病的患者，积极治疗的同时，还应强身健体，唯有增强自身免疫力，才能抵御疾病的再次袭击。在菩萨戒中，除摄律仪戒外，还包括摄善法戒和饶益有情戒。在止恶的前提下，进一步修习善行、利益大众，启动生命的正面力量，为得定发慧营造如法的心灵环境。
-
-定即止心一处，安住于善所缘。我们的心由无数混乱情绪和错误想法构成，飘忽不定，随境而转。看到悦意的就起贪心，看到讨厌的则起嗔心。这些贪嗔之心，就像神出鬼没的敌人，常在尚未发觉时，就将我们捕获。无力反击者，只有供其驱使。
-
-定的修行，是帮助我们将心止于善所缘境。其中，包括有所止和无所止。有所止，是在修定过程中将心安住于某个对象。虽然任何对象都可使心安住，但在佛法修行中，修定为发慧的前导，故应选择相应的善所缘境，既不会引发负面情绪，又有助智慧开启。比如念佛，佛号就是对象；数息观，呼吸就是对象。当这种正面力量逐渐壮大之后，心会长时间安住在佛号或呼吸上。相应的，其他情绪构成的干扰将越来越小。就像同样力量的一拳，落在婴儿身上足以致命，落在巨人身上却轻如鸿毛。所以说，定能使我们的内心如如不动，不被外境所转。
-
-无所止，即没有止的对象，直接安住于心的本质。更准确地说，就是心无所住。禅宗和大圆满的修行都采用此法，详细内容将在"《坛经》的顿修之路”中继续介绍。或许有人会说，既有如此直截了当的妙法，何苦舍近求远，历经三大阿僧祇劫的渐次修行？须知，对一般人而言，无所止的修行，好比蚊子叮铁牛，了无下嘴处。若无明眼师长指点迷津，蹉跎时光还算幸运，只怕堕于狂禅乃至着魔，后果不堪设想。莫如老老实实、稳扎稳打地前进，是谓"慢慢修来快快到，低处修来高处到”。
-
-不论有所止还是无所止，都是为了帮助我们从生命的迷乱相续中超脱出来。通过训练，使内心初步稳定，转变以往随波逐流、向烦恼妥协的被动状态。此为开启觉性的必要前提。
-
-修定的意义是引发般若智慧。那么，定能否直接产生智慧呢？答案是否定的。修习四禅八定的外道甚多，却不能因此解脱。可见，由定发慧并非自然过渡。尤其是有所止的定，若始终安住于所缘对象，是无法契入空性、通达真理的。必须摆脱能执和所执，待迥脱根尘、能所双亡时，般若智慧才会朗然显现。定的作用，是帮助我们将混乱的相续平息下来，就像波澜不起的静止水面，才能明晰地照见万物。所以，定是发慧的基本条件，慧却不是修定的必然结果。
-
-此外，还须具备两个前提。其一，由闻思经教树立正见。佛教中，关于正见的理论极为丰富，尤其是汉传佛教，唯识、中观、天台、华严各宗皆有深厚的理论体系，皓首穷经亦难尽知。但我们无须产生畏难情绪，事实上，对修行来说，掌握一种相应的正见便足矣。或依无常见，或依无我见，或依唯识的中道见，或依中观的空性见，都能帮助我们解除我法二执，契入空性。这部分内容，正是佛法不共世间外道的殊胜所在。
-
-其二，有善知识指导，引领我们契入心的本质。心灵世界异常复杂，好比厚达千万页的书，而我们寻找的只是其中一页。学习经教，正是帮助我们了解这一页的内容、特征和寻找方法。若不具备相关知识，即使每天把书翻个不停，即使侥幸翻到所需之处，又如何辨别并确认？这就需要善知识印证。最重要的是，依止善知识能帮助我们调整方向，避免歧途。心灵世界非常奇妙，常常是，你想象空性是什么，它就会变现相应的境界来诱惑你，试图把你抓住。面对修行途中变幻莫测的风云，善知识就如识途老马，能将我们带上正确路线。
-
-{#坛经的顿修之路}
-###### 6．《坛经》的顿修之路
-
-与教下的渐次修行不同，禅宗是立足于觉性来体证，引导学人直接契入空性，是顿修顿悟之道。在此，依《坛经》简要介绍禅宗的用心方法。
-
-学佛首先要皈依。《坛经》的皈依，直接从自性三宝入手，以佛为觉义、法为正义、僧为净义。关于自性三宝的修习与成就，六祖告诫弟子："自心皈依觉，邪迷不生，少欲知足，能离财色，名两足尊。自心皈依正，念念无邪见，以无邪见故，即无人我、贡高、贪爱、执著，名离欲尊。自心皈依净，一切尘劳、爱欲境界，自性皆不染著，名众中尊。”依觉性建立自性三宝并安住于此，时时保持不迷、不邪、不染，则能成就自性三宝。
-
-关于戒定慧的修习，《坛经》亦与教下不同。在六祖的开示中，定慧是一体的，并无分别。六祖说："我此法门，以定慧为本。大众勿迷，言定慧别。定慧一体，不是二。定是慧体，慧是定用。即慧之时定在慧，即定之时慧在定。若识此义，即是定慧等学。”依觉性的不同功用安立定慧，定慧自然是不二的。倘能安住于觉性，则如如不动，不受外境干扰，所谓以定为慧体。声闻乘所修的定，对环境要求较高；而禅宗所修的定，于行住坐卧中念念不离觉性，无论座上座下，皆能知分别而离分别，不随外境左右。
-
-觉性本是不动、不乱的，却非木石般一无所知。相反，觉性具有遍知的作用。所以，诸佛菩萨不必起心动念即知法界一切，因为他们的心与万物同在且安住不动，故能朗照一切，更无遗余。而凡夫心处于染污的意识状态中，有对象，有局限，当执著某一特定境界时，就一叶蔽目，不知其余了。
-
-此外，《坛经》还以无念、无相、无住为三大用心要领："我此法门，从上以来，先立无念为宗，无相为体，无住为本。无相者，于相而离相；无念者，于念而无念；无住者，人之本性，于世间善恶好丑，乃至冤之与亲、言语触刺欺争之时，并将为空，不思酬害，念念之中，不思前境。若前念、今念、后念，念念相续不断，名为系缚。于诸法上，念念不住，即无缚也。此是以无住为本。”
-
-关于无相为体，六祖的开示是："外离一切相，名为无相。能离于相，即法体清净，此是以无相为体。”心的体没有任何相状。椅子是有相的，房子是有相的，我们的心却如虚空般无形无相。平日，我们总在诉说各种心情：或云开心，或云心痛，或云心想，等等。但心究竟是什么？当我们返观自照，无法找到丝毫踪迹。所谓觅心了不可得。
-
-无念为宗的念，即念头，也是心的造作。《坛经》云："于诸境上心不染，曰无念。于自念上常离诸境，不于境上生心。若只百物不思，念尽除却，一念绝即死，别处受生，是为大错。”无念，表面看似乎是排除起心动念，心不造作。事实上，禅宗修行并不排除起心动念，更不会追求单纯的无思无念的境界。它是念而无念，在起心动念的当下，明明白白，却不陷入其中。换言之，通过念契入无念的心体，安住于无念又不妨起心动念。
-
-无住为本的住，即执著、住相。尽管搬柴运水，行住坐卧，心却不能粘于境界。所以禅师的吃饭睡觉，与我们的吃饭睡觉有本质区别。凡夫已习惯住相，起心动念必会抓住某个对象，陷入其中。禅师却能于日用中保有观照，所谓"三餐吃饭，不曾咬一粒米”。这不是说，他吃得什么味道都没有，那就与木石、痴汉无异了。许多人误解禅宗的不分别，以为是一概不知。事实并非如此，无住的关键，乃知分别而不执著。虽知好知坏，知冷知暖，却无丝毫染著，更不会将好恶情绪带动起来。了了分明，一无所染。无住的修行也是《金刚经》一再强调的。经云："菩萨布施应不住色生心，不住声、香、味、触、法生心，应无所住而生其心。若心有住，即为非住。”做任何事，乃至修利他行，皆不应有所执著，这就必须启动觉性的作用，否则是很难做到不住的。
-
-《坛经》中，六祖还为我们开示了一行三昧的修行。何为一行三昧？即时时保持直心、平常心。《坛经》云："一行三昧者，于一切处，行、住、坐、卧，常行一直心是也。《净名经》云：直心是道场，直心是净土。莫心行谄曲，口但说直，口说一行三昧，不行直心；但行直心，于一切法勿有执著。迷人著法相，执一行三昧。直言常坐不动，妄不起心，即是一行三昧。作此解者，即同无情，却是障道因缘。”何谓直心？是让心从惯常的扭曲状态中解放出来。何谓平常心？并非平日那颗动荡不安的心。若将之妄作平常心，无疑自欺欺人。平常心，是指本然的、没有任何造作的心。
-
-由此可见，宗门和教下所以会有顿渐之别，关键在于见地和修行方法不同。教下的修行是从妄心入手，通过戒定慧逐渐瓦解凡夫心，契入空性。宗门则直接立足于觉性，由认识并开发觉性，圆满无上佛果。在契入觉性的方法上，宗门和教下有直入和渐修的不同，故历来将宗门称为顿修之道。
-
-{#顿修法门的思考}
-###### 7．顿修法门的思考
-
-禅宗的入手处极高，一旦契入，直接简明，效果显著。正因为起点过高，故对行人根机及师长要求也不同寻常。在历经"一花开五叶”的极度昌盛后，禅门法将凋零，逐渐式微。在今天看来，未免有些高处不胜寒的寂寥。那么，问题何在？
-
-禅宗标识不立文字，教外别传，这点常被后人作为不学经教的挡箭牌。事实上，若没有正见为择法眼，在认识觉性的问题上可能会很模糊，甚至将那些被意识包装、改造过的我法二执当作觉性。心的功能极其强大，你想象觉性是什么，它就会化现相应的境界诱惑你，使你进入自我制造的心理状态中。其实，那些和空性了不相干。唯有具足正见，才能准确辨别修行过程中出现的各种境界，不为所惑。
-
-隋唐时期，禅宗之所以不特别重视经教、强调闻思，有自身的时代背景。一则，当时教理发达，学人普遍程度较高，对修行来说，知见已然够用，无须再下太大功夫，可将精力集中于证法上。二则，当时大德辈出，学人即使在见上弱一点，有善知识在一旁耳提面命，修行也不至出现太大偏差。
-
-但对今人而言，若无善知识引导，又缺乏正见，在禅堂坐着修什么？究竟会走向哪里？就我看到及了解的情况，实在不容乐观。因为内心世界太复杂了，说是处处陷阱也不为过。若无明师把手指点，最好选择更稳妥、安全的修行方式，以免蹉跎时光，甚至着魔发狂。
-
-此外，还应重视基础建设。唐宋之后，禅宗每况愈下，衍生种种狂禅、野狐禅、文字禅、口头禅，甚至成为文人附庸风雅的玄谈素材。一代圣教沦落至此，令人不忍。在多年修学中，我深深意识到，佛法修行有一些绕不开的共同基础。除了前面所说的闻思正见外，还有皈依、发心和戒律。若想绕开这些寻找捷径，只能是南辕北辙，越走越远。
-
-尤其是禅宗这种高层次的修行，更需奠定基础。否则，心行必定无法相应。对今天的很多人来说，见性似乎天边云彩，遥不可及。事实上，见性未必那么神秘，那么艰难。因为见性所见的那个层面，是我们本自具足的，如果方法正确，在现有心行上是可以触及的。当然，这需要因缘具足，有相应的基础和积累，不是随便说一下即可见道的。
-
-另一方面，禅宗修行有如剑走偏锋。如《坛经》，见地及修行手段皆凌厉迅捷，仰之弥高。但作为菩提道的修行，并不是完整的建构。作为大乘行者，除见性外，还须发菩提心、行菩萨道，以此成就大悲，圆满佛陀具备的悲、智二德。
-
-由此可见，学禅、修禅皆离不开经教，离不开悲智双运的大乘发心，离不开佛法的基础建设，否则很可能出偏或成空中楼阁。我个人在修学中，也是将教下和宗门结合起来。其实，教本服务于宗，宗也离不开教。当年，达摩祖师东来，以四卷《楞伽》印心。至四祖、五祖后，逐渐将重点转至《金刚经》。除此而外，禅门更有多达百卷的《禅宗全集》，比教下各宗有过之而无不及。所以说，禅宗虽标识不立文字，但祖师们仍很重视经教对修学的指导作用，所谓"藉教悟宗”。这一传统，值得今天的学人认真思考，继承光大。
-
-{#三皈依僧}
-## 三、皈依僧
-
-僧，梵语僧伽，包括凡夫僧和贤圣僧。僧宝不仅是人天导师，更是担当如来家业的栋梁，是正法久住的象征。没有僧团，也就没有佛法在世间的流传。
-
-皈依僧，是以贤圣僧具备的品质为究竟皈依处，那就是无漏慧和解脱德。但在事相上，这种皈依也离不开凡夫僧。比如我们发心皈依，若无因缘得遇圣贤，是否一等再等，不惜错失今生呢？须知，我们皈依的是十方三世一切僧宝，而不是某个僧人、某位师父。不仅如此，还要以佛、法、僧作为完整的皈依对象，不可稍有偏废。
-
-当然，皈依一切僧宝，并不等于亲近所有出家人。现实中的僧众，往往良莠不齐。对于修学者而言，必须有选择地亲近善知识。不论《阿含经》，还是大乘经典，都再再强调善知识的重要性。所以皈依僧的重点，是选择具德善知识，以之作为修行依止。
-
-{#善知识的选择}
-###### 1．善知识的选择
-
-善知识，为具足正见、德才兼备，能引导众生断恶修善、趣向佛道的良师益友，又称善友、胜友。《华严经》中，著名的"善财童子五十三参”，即为依止善知识的典范。那么，又该如何寻找善知识？经论中为我们提供了很多标准。
-
-在宗喀巴大师总结的择师十条件中，标准为：调伏，与戒相应者；寂静，与定相应者；惑除，与慧相应、伏断烦恼者；德增，戒定慧具，不缺不减者；有勇，益他无畏倦者；经富，有多闻者；觉真，有实义者；善说，不颠倒者；悲深，无希求者；离退，于一切时恭敬说者。
-
-具足这些功德，方可作为众生依止。但在今天这个末法时代，很难值遇十德善知识，即使有幸遇到，也往往因这样那样的障碍无法常随左右。而修学又不能没有善知识引领，所以在因缘不足的情况下，不妨先依止具有少分功德的善知识。在此，和大家简单谈三点，这是善知识必须具备的基本条件。换言之，是作为善知识的底线。若这几点尚未具足，千万要谨慎对待，不可盲目依止。
-
-这三个基本条件，分别是持戒清净、具足正见和有慈悲心。其中，又以具足正见最为关键，此为修行核心，亦是佛法与其他宗教的不共所在。正如佛陀于《圆觉经》所言："末世众生将发大心，求善知识，欲修行者，当求一切正知见人，心不住相，不著声闻缘觉境界，虽现尘劳，心恒清净，示有诸过，赞叹梵行，不令众生入不律仪。求如是人，即得成就阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。”由此可见，正见为根本中的根本。倘若见地不正，只能以盲导盲，遑论解脱？
-
-{#善知识的作用}
-###### 2．善知识的作用
-
-在大小乘经论中，佛陀时常赞叹善知识的重要性。《根本说一切有部毗奈耶杂事》记载："阿难陀言：诸修行者由善友力方能成办。得善友故，远离恶友，以是义故，方知善友是半梵行。佛言：阿难陀，勿作是言，善知识者是半梵行。何以故？善知识者是全梵行，由此便能离恶知识，不造诸恶，常修众善，纯一清白，具足圆满梵行之相。由是因缘，若得善伴与其同住，乃至涅槃，事无不办，故名全梵行。”告诉我们：由亲近善知识，而能远离恶友，不再造作恶行，时时修习善行。所以说，依止善知识意义重大，为全梵行，是圆满一切修行的保障。
-
-《坛经》中，也多处标明善知识的作用："菩提般若之智，世人本自有之，只缘心迷，不能自悟，须假大善知识，示导见性。”又道："若自不悟，须觅大善知识，解最上乘法者，直示正路。是善知识有大因缘，所谓化导令得见性，一切善法因善知识能发起故。三世诸佛、十二部经，在人性中本自具有，不能自悟，须求善知识指示方见。”虽然世人本具菩提之智，却身陷迷梦，无法认识本心。唯有真正见性的善知识，才能引导我们开显最上乘法，直入自性。唯有了知修行途中所有激流暗礁的明眼人，才能帮助我们避开重重陷阱，顺利前进。若他自己尚且在黑暗中摸来摸去，虽也能从不同层面给我们以帮助，却不能解决根本问题。因而《坛经》所说的善知识，必须是见性的明眼人，才能指示我们契入本心。
-
-翻开禅宗历史，千里寻师、舍身求法的记载比比皆是，并留下许多禅林用语，沿用至今。如"云水”"行脚”，皆指觅师求道的出家人，为求访明师而跋涉山川，参访各地。宗门公案中，更屡屡出现善知识观机逗教、因人说法的生动故事。在祖师座下，往往只须三言两语，即令求法者契入本心。除此而外，更有各种超越常规的特殊手段，如临济喝、云门饼、赵州茶、德山棒等，皆为宗师点拨弟子的善巧。当然我们也要知道，公案只记载了开悟的高潮部分，学人所以能言下开悟，彻见本心，还离不开之前的积累。这种内因和外缘的结合，才碰撞出豁然开朗的刹那，切不可生搬硬套，盲目效仿。
-
-{#依止善知识的条件}
-###### 3．依止善知识的条件
-
-选择善知识，固然需要相应的标准。而作为学法者来说，成为具格弟子，同样要达到一定要求。否则，即使有缘得遇善知识，也所获无多，甚至因不懂依止而造作恶业。
-
-如果说，具足戒行、正见和慈悲是作为善知识的底线，那么，印顺法师在《成佛之道》中总结的"观德莫观失，随顺莫违逆”，则可视为依止善知识的底线。尤其"观德莫观失”，是对学人信心的重要考核。凡夫心是染污的，由此染污的凡夫心，所见难免出现偏差，乃至根本颠倒。所以，一旦通过观察抉择确定依止师后，切勿再以凡夫心妄加分别。
-
-凡夫处处由我出发，执著于我的认识、我的想法、我的见解。若不放下这些障碍，所学佛法往往被自我加工而变质。对善知识的依止，更要放下"我”的好恶情见。否则的话，善知识的严格，会被我们当作苛刻；善知识的慈悲，会被我们视为放任。常常是，我们在心中预设了关于善知识的各种想象，一旦现实与之不符，便立刻依我见而非佛法作出判断，产生怀疑乃至退转。
-
-曾经有人依止某禅师学法。一日，禅师不小心坐到针上，便"哎呦”一声跳将起来。学人信心顿失，认定禅师尚未开悟，否则怎会对一根针作出如此反应呢？禅师知其弃师而去，叹道：这个可怜虫，要知道，不仅是我，连针和这声"唉呦”都不是真实存在的啊。这个故事生动而发人深省，作为初学者，想必也会遭遇和那位学人同样的怀疑。问题是，我们如何对待这一切，如何不让这份怀疑演变为冲动和错误？
-
-佛法虽然强调智慧，突出自力，但同样离不开信心这一重要助缘，所谓"信为道源功德母”。越高的法门，信心越发重要。如果对善知识缺乏信心，就不能承担大法。佛法甚深微妙，但又极其平常。真正见性未必是我们想象的那么神奇，不是见到就会放光动地。刚见到时，它往往是很平常的，这就需要以信来接受。然后在师长指导下逐渐熟悉心性，逐渐开发心的威力。若未曾对善知识生起信心，本身就不是合格的法器，又如何盛载清净的甘露法雨？
-
-皈依僧宝虽是以整个僧团为对象，但从修行而言，还应落实到对善知识的依止。当我们选择并确定善知识后，必须对之生起清净无染的信心。唯有这样，才能在善知识的指导下认识本来，找到开启觉性的入处。最终，成就觉而不迷、正而不邪、净而不染的生命品质。
-
-{#四结束语}
-## 四、结束语
-
-今天，从"认识住持三宝到自性三宝”为大家作了介绍。皈依三宝的最终目的，是为了成就自性三宝，但这离不开外在的住持三宝。本次夏令营主题是"《坛经》与人生佛教”，为此，我重新学习了《坛经》，将这样一些想法贡献给大家，希望对各位修学有所启发。
@@ -1,297 +0,0 @@
-# From the Abiding Triple Gem to the Intrinsic Triple Gem
-
------A talk given at the Wutai Mountain "Refreshing Journey" Summer Camp, summer 2005
-
-Master Jiqun
-
-[I. Taking Refuge in the Buddha [2](#一皈依佛)](#一皈依佛)
-
-[1. Buddha Images [2](#佛-像)](#佛-像)
-
-[2. The Buddha's Physical Body [3](#佛的色身)](#佛的色身)
-
-[3. The Qualities of the Buddha [4](#佛陀的品质)](#佛陀的品质)
-
-[4. The Chan Perspective [5](#禅宗的见地)](#禅宗的见地)
-
-[II. Taking Refuge in the Dharma [6](#二皈依法)](#二皈依法)
-
-[1. The Mind of Sentient Beings [6](#众生心)](#众生心)
-
-[2. The Unfolding of a Deluded Life [7](#迷乱人生的开展)](#迷乱人生的开展)
-
-[3. The Continuity of Sentient Life [8](#有情生命的相续)](#有情生命的相续)
-
-[4. The Function of the Dharma [9](#法的作用)](#法的作用)
-
-[5. The Gradual Path of the Doctrinal Schools [9](#教下的渐修之路)](#教下的渐修之路)
-
-[6. The Sudden Path of the *Platform Sutra* [11](#坛经的顿修之路)](#坛经的顿修之路)
-
-[7. Reflections on the Sudden Approach [13](#顿修法门的思考)](#顿修法门的思考)
-
-[III. Taking Refuge in the Sangha [14](#三皈依僧)](#三皈依僧)
-
-[1. Choosing a Good Teacher [15](#善知识的选择)](#善知识的选择)
-
-[2. The Role of a Good Teacher [15](#善知识的作用)](#善知识的作用)
-
-[3. Conditions for Relying on a Good Teacher [16](#依止善知识的条件)](#依止善知识的条件)
-
-[IV. Conclusion [17](#四结束语)](#四结束语)
-
-The Three Jewels embody the entirety of the Buddhadharma. The whole course of study and practice is thus inseparable from taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Learning Buddhism begins with going for refuge---this is our declaration and commitment to the Three Jewels. Only through the specific ceremony of taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha do we formally enter the ranks of Buddhist disciples. Going for refuge is therefore the basic criterion for determining whether one is a Buddhist.
-
-If taking refuge marks the starting point of the bodhi path, its endpoint is the realization of qualities no different from those of the Three Jewels themselves. Regrettably, many Buddhists understand taking refuge rather superficially, some even placing their entire faith in the ceremony alone, as if their Buddhist practice were complete the moment the ritual ended---as if from then on they could forever enjoy the blessings of all buddhas and the protection of the Three Jewels. We must understand that taking refuge can never be covered by a single ceremony; it is a practice that spans the entire journey to buddhahood.
-
-An important distinction between other religions and Buddhism is this: in faiths centered on God, God is forever the supreme master and the believer forever the humble servant---this relationship is fixed and unchanging. For Buddhist disciples, though the Three Jewels are our refuge, the aim of taking refuge is to realize the Intrinsic Triple Gem within. When the Buddha awakened beneath the bodhi tree, he discovered that every sentient being fully possesses the wisdom and virtue of the Tathāgata. As it is said, "Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings---there is no difference among the three." In other words, though buddhas and ordinary beings appear worlds apart, on some level of life they are nondual---no different from each other.
-
-The reason we are ordinary beings is our present quality of life, which consists of greed, hatred, and delusion---of ignorance and clinging to self. But we need not lose heart. Beneath layer upon layer of afflictions lies an inexhaustible inner treasure, containing compassion and wisdom as perfect as those of the Three Jewels---the very foundation of unsurpassed bodhi. Spiritual practice is precisely about uncovering this latent quality. Just as mining requires mastering survey techniques, practicing refuge begins with recognizing the merits of the Three Jewels, then recalling and familiarizing ourselves with them until we can connect with them and ultimately realize them.
-
-The practice of recollecting the Three Jewels is profoundly important. Whatever we constantly recollect, the mind aligns with. If day after day we dwell on wealth, the mind aligns with wealth and we seek and seize every chance to get rich. If day after day we dwell on emotional attachment, the mind aligns with attachment, until it becomes an inseparable part of our life. In the same way, by continually recollecting the merits of the Three Jewels, their weight in our mind grows steadily, spurring us to draw out the merits of the Three Jewels inherent in our own nature.
-
-Learning Buddhism is a process of moving from recognizing to realizing the qualities of the Three Jewels. The Three Jewels are profound in meaning. Beyond the Abiding Triple Gem, there is also the Manifested Triple Gem, the Noumenal Triple Gem, the Intrinsic Triple Gem, and so on---each revealing the deeper meanings of the Three Jewels from a different dimension. Ordinary Buddhists tend to fixate on the Abiding Triple Gem while overlooking the Noumenal Triple Gem and the Intrinsic Triple Gem, never penetrating from the surface to the depths. If we stop at taking refuge only in the Abiding Triple Gem, no matter how devoted we are, our practice will scarcely progress. Yet some veer to the opposite extreme, claiming they are already buddhas and need not take refuge in the external Three Jewels. In truth, relying on the Abiding Triple Gem is an indispensable part of Buddhist practice. As long as our mind remains at the ordinary level, the Intrinsic Triple Gem is already obscured---it is present yet as good as absent. Like a mineral deposit, it requires specific techniques to be extracted and refined before it becomes useful. The Abiding Triple Gem is precisely the indispensable means that helps us recognize and draw out the Intrinsic Triple Gem.
-
-How can we realize life's highest value through understanding and taking refuge in the Three Jewels?
-
-{#一皈依佛}
-## I. Taking Refuge in the Buddha
-
-Buddha, from the Sanskrit *buddha*, means "the awakened one." This awakening is spoken of in contrast to the non-awakening of ordinary beings. The Buddha not only awakened himself; he was also able to guide sentient beings to awakening, fully endowed with every virtue and perfect in enlightened conduct. The boundless merits he embodies are also reflected in his ten epithets: Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, Vidyācaraṇa-saṃpanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣa-damya-sārathi, Śāstā Deva-manuṣyāṇām, and Bhagavān (the World-Honored One).
-
-Taking refuge in the Buddha may involve seeking the blessings of the Buddha's power, but more importantly it means following in the Buddha's footsteps, practicing what the Buddha practiced, and realizing what the Buddha realized---thereby achieving the "inherent, natural Buddha of our original nature."
-
-{#佛-像}
-###### 1. Buddha Images
-
-Buddha images, depictions of the Buddha, are one form of the Abiding Triple Gem, representing the Jewel of the Buddha. As for the origin of Buddha images, the *Ekottarikāgama Sūtra* records that while the World-Honored One was away in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven teaching the Dharma to his mother for three months, his devotees King Udayana and King Prasenajit, longing to see the Buddha, each sculpted an image---one from ox-head sandalwood, the other from purple-gold---and made offerings before it as if in the Buddha's very presence.
-
-After the Buddha entered *parinirvāṇa*, Buddha images became sacred symbols, reverently gazed upon, bowed to, and offered to by the faithful. The primary purpose of Buddhist imagery is "that all who gaze upon his compassionate countenance from the ten directions may experience great joy, faithfully accept the refuge, broadly plant roots of goodness, and subtly dissolve unwholesome thoughts." This warm approach of teaching through form allowed Buddhism to step from its spiritual sanctuary into society, conveying to people the meaning of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and revealing the realm of the Pure Land on the other shore. In every Buddhist monastery---whether Theravāda, Chinese Mahāyāna, or Tibetan---you will find sublime and majestic images of buddhas and bodhisattvas. Their styles and sizes vary: some are towering colossal statues, others exquisite carvings smaller than an inch. Yet all embody the compassionate image of the buddhas and bodhisattvas as held in the hearts of the faithful.
-
-So, are Buddha images equivalent to the Buddha's true body? On this question, the Chan story of "Danxia Burning the Buddha" offers insight. Master Danxia, who lived during the Tang dynasty, once stayed at Huilin Monastery east of Luoyang. Feeling cold, he took a wooden Buddha image from the hall and burned it for warmth. The abbot, furious, demanded: "Why are you burning the Buddha?" The master replied: "I am burning it to obtain relics." The abbot was baffled: "How can a wooden Buddha yield relics?" The master answered: "If there are no relics, then bring two more and I will burn them too." Hearing this, the abbot had an insight. The master acted as he did to break people's attachment to form---their fixation on clay and wood statues as the Buddha while failing to see the true Buddha of their own nature. Of course, we must not casually imitate the extraordinary methods Chan patriarchs used to teach the stubbornly deluded.
-
-Though Buddha images are not the Buddha's true body, venerating them with reverence is an exceptionally profound practice---it strengthens a practitioner's refuge in the Three Jewels and serves as a vital supporting condition for progress in cultivation. If we can regard a Buddha image as the Buddha's true body and bow to it with sincere devotion, a sense of sacredness and reverence will spontaneously arise, and the mind will be purified in that very moment. If, on the other hand, we view it as nothing more than art, then beyond appreciating or deriving aesthetic pleasure from it, it will have no power to awe or shake our mental conduct. In front of a Buddha image, our mind will wander just as wildly and our afflictions will be just as heavy. Some people therefore dismiss the sacralization of Buddha images as a product of blind faith, even condemning it as "idolatry." They fail to see that it is a practice by which Buddhist disciples emulate the worthy, purify their minds, and awaken their own nature---a practice of profound significance. That is why, among Samantabhadra's Ten Great Vows, "Pay homage to all buddhas" comes first: through homage, the mind gradually comes into accord.
-
-It should also be noted that we must not stop at attachment to Buddha images in our practice. Otherwise, we will be bound by external forms. Moving from revering Buddha images to transcending attachment to forms represents different stages of practice---they should be cultivated in sequence, and neither is to be neglected.
-
-{#佛的色身}
-###### 2. The Buddha's Physical Body
-
-The Buddha's physical body refers to our original teacher Śākyamuni, born over two thousand years ago, who manifested the eight phases of a buddha's path to awakening. It is one aspect of the Manifested Triple Gem. Out of compassion to deliver sentient beings, the Buddha manifested in the human realm, teaching the Dharma and transforming beings in this Sahā world. From this, Buddhism spread and flourished throughout the world.
-
-Can the Buddha's physical body represent the Buddha? For ordinary beings, seeing someone's form is seeing the person; when speaking of someone, the image that comes to mind is their form. Is there anything more representative than that?
-
-The Buddha is endowed with the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent signs. Does seeing these marks and signs of excellence amount to seeing the Buddha's true body? The World-Honored One tells us in the *Diamond Sutra*: "If one were to see the Tathāgata through his thirty-two marks, then a wheel-turning sage king would be the Tathāgata." Subhūti replied: "World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of your teaching, one should not see the Tathāgata through his thirty-two marks." The World-Honored One then spoke the celebrated verse: "Those who see me in form, who seek me through sound, walk a mistaken path and cannot see the Tathāgata."
-
-The Buddha's physical body is also a provisional appearance born of causes and conditions. Therefore, seeing the Tathāgata's physical marks does not equal seeing his true body. It is recorded that when the Buddha was returning from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, his disciples all eagerly went to receive him. The nun Utpalavarṇā, wanting to be the first to behold the Buddha, transformed herself into a wheel-turning sage king and placed herself at the head of the procession. Unexpectedly, the Buddha said: "Though you see my physical body, you do not see my Dharma body. Subhūti, sitting quietly in the forest, sees my Dharma body." It turned out that while the others went to greet the Buddha, Subhūti had kept the World-Honored One's instruction "to see the Dharma is to see the Buddha" firmly in mind. Through proper contemplation of conditioned arising, he penetrated the emptiness of all dharmas and directly perceived the Tathāgata's Dharma body. This also confirms what the Buddha repeatedly emphasized in the *Diamond Sutra*---that one "cannot see the Tathāgata through his physical marks," because "all marks are illusory."
-
-The Tathāgata appears in the world in a physical body as a skillful means to guide sentient beings; he teaches with voice and speech out of compassion to instruct them. If we cling to physical marks, sounds, or verbal teachings, we will instead fail to see the Tathāgata's true body. Yet we should also know that while the physical body is not the true body, we cannot seek the Tathāgata apart from it. For the Dharma body pervades everywhere and is not separate from the physical body. The wise can realize the Dharma body right within the physical body.
-
-{#佛陀的品质}
-###### 3. The Qualities of the Buddha
-
-The Buddha means the awakened one---one who has perfected self-awakening, the awakening of others, and awakened conduct. The core quality of the Buddha is therefore his awakened nature, what the *Platform Sutra* calls the self-nature of bodhi. The *Platform Sutra* opens with the Sixth Patriarch announcing to the assembly: "The self-nature of bodhi is originally pure. Simply use that mind, and you will directly accomplish buddhahood." This opening statement sets the theme and directly expresses the heart of the matter. All the various merits the Buddha possesses are built upon the foundation of awakened nature. It is the power of awakening that enabled the Buddha to realize the virtue of severing afflictions, the virtue of wisdom, and the virtue of compassion.
-
-The virtue of severing afflictions is also called liberation---the Tathāgata has cut off all afflictions and karmic obstructions, purifying them without remainder. In the endless continuity of life, ignorance drives us to create all manner of karma; we ceaselessly wander through birth and death, cycling through rebirth and its consequences. Ignorance also gives rise to countless afflictions; moment after moment we fall into inverted delusions and sink into the sea of suffering. People endlessly chase external pleasures, trying to mitigate their distress. But in this impermanent and fragile world, all conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. Whether wealth or status, family or friends, their effect is tainted and limited---at most they temporarily ease our afflictions, but they can never address the root cause. How then can we eradicate afflictions? The Buddhadharma tells us that within life itself lies a capacity to counteract afflictions: the awakened nature. Once it comes into play, afflictions dissolve on their own. It was through perfecting his awakened nature that the Buddha achieved the virtue of severing afflictions and transcended the twofold clinging to self and dharmas. Awakened nature and liberation are therefore inseparable.
-
-The virtue of wisdom is *prajñā* wisdom---the Tathāgata, with impartial wisdom, illuminates all dharmas completely and without obstruction. The *anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi* attained by all buddhas is the supreme, unsurpassed awakening, which is why they are called those who know all. "All-knowledge" includes knowledge of the way things are and knowledge of all that exists. Knowledge of the way things are means the wisdom that perceives the essential nature of things. Knowledge of all that exists means the wisdom that perceives every differentiated phenomenon of conditioned arising throughout the world. From attaining differentiated knowledge come the infinite skillful means for liberating sentient beings.
-
-The virtue of compassion is perfect great compassion---the Tathāgata, riding on the power of great vows, rescues and protects sentient beings; none with a karmic connection fails to be delivered. The Buddha's compassion is impartial, boundless, and immeasurable, worlds apart from the limited kindness of ordinary beings. Mencius said, "A sense of commiseration is common to all human beings." But the compassion of ordinary beings is extremely limited because it rests on a narrow sense of self. It cares only about oneself and one's family, extending at most to one's ethnic group and nation. Even those who can embrace all of humanity find it difficult to extend such care to all sentient beings. The compassion of buddhas and bodhisattvas, by contrast, is "great compassion without conditions, great compassion of shared embodiment." They regard all beings as one with themselves, without conditions or distinctions of closeness and distance. That they can reach this state is also the work of awakened nature. The Buddha has transcended the twofold clinging to self and dharmas and realized the fundamental equality of all sentient beings. He can therefore benefit beings with pure, undefiled compassion, now and forever, without interruption.
-
-Awakened or not---this is the fundamental difference between buddhas and sentient beings. As the *Platform Sutra* says: "One thought of delusion and you are an ordinary being; the next thought of awakening and you are a buddha." Delusion makes an ordinary being (non-awakening); awakening makes a buddha (awakening). Delusion and awakening are not two diametrically opposed forms of life---both exist right in our present moment of thought. The difference between affliction and bodhi, too, is simply whether the mind clings to or detaches from objects. As it is said, "One thought clinging to objects is affliction; the next thought detached from objects is bodhi." Why do we cling to objects? Again, because of non-awakening. When the mind attaches to an object and generates the twofold clinging to self and dharmas, afflictions arise. The moment awakening surfaces and we free ourselves from clinging to objects, that very moment is bodhi. It was by opening the awakened nature within that the Buddha perfected great compassion and great wisdom, realizing great liberation and great freedom.
-
-{#禅宗的见地}
-###### 4. The Chan Perspective
-
-Awakened nature is not unique to the Buddha. In truth, every sentient being possesses it completely. In Buddhism, a great many sutras and śāstras discuss this awakened nature inherent in all beings, especially the texts of the Tathāgatagarbha tradition. Different texts describe it in slightly different terms: the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* calls it the wondrous, luminous true mind; the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* calls it buddha-nature, and so forth. In these scriptures, the Buddha explains it in many ways, with earnest analogies, to awaken beings to recognize and uncover their own inner treasure. The *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* states: "All sentient beings possess buddha-nature. Because of this buddha-nature, sentient beings already have the ten powers, the thirty-two marks, and the eighty excellent signs within them." The *Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra* similarly says: "Amid the afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion in all sentient beings, there sits the Tathāgata's wisdom, the Tathāgata's eyes, the Tathāgata's body, in full lotus posture, majestic and unmoving."
-
-Life holds a priceless treasure within, yet we live as wandering beggars---how tragic. This is why some high-entry-point practice methods directly guide practitioners to recognize awakened nature. The Chan school, as well as the Great Perfection and Mahāmudrā of Tibetan Buddhism, all take the Tathāgatagarbha as their view, recognizing that sentient beings inherently possess the qualities of buddhahood, and use this as the starting point of practice.
-
-Teachings on this abound in the Chan records. When Chan Master Huihai visited Mazu, "Mazu asked: 'What have you come here for?' He replied: 'I have come seeking the Buddhadharma.' Mazu said: 'You ignore the treasure in your own house and run off wandering---what for? There is not a single thing here---what Buddhadharma are you looking for?' Huihai bowed and asked: 'What is Huihai's own treasure?' Mazu replied: 'The very one asking me this question right now is your treasure. It is perfectly complete, lacking nothing, free and at ease---what need is there to seek it outside?'" Later, someone asked Master Huihai: "What is the Buddha?" The master replied: "Right across the clear pond---who is that if not the Buddha?" Everyone is fully endowed with buddha-nature. The only question is whether we recognize it and dare to own it. That is why Chan practice places great weight on directly taking it up.
-
-In the *Platform Sutra*, when the Sixth Patriarch Huineng first met the Fifth Patriarch, he displayed this heroic spirit: "The Fifth Patriarch asked: 'Where are you from, and what do you seek?' Huineng answered: 'Your disciple is a commoner from Xinzhou in Lingnan. I have come a long way to pay respects to you, seeking only to become a buddha, nothing else.' The Fifth Patriarch said: 'You are a man of Lingnan, and a barbarian at that---how can you become a buddha?' Huineng replied: 'People may be northerners or southerners, but buddha-nature has no north or south. The body of a barbarian may differ from yours, Your Reverence, but what difference is there in buddha-nature?'"
-
-At the level of buddha-nature, all sentient beings are identical, without essential difference---whether Buddhist or Christian, even mosquitoes and ants. It is only because of differences in karma and accumulated life experience that all manner of distinctions appear. The moment we uncover this treasure and realize the awakened nature---originally pure, originally unborn and undying, originally complete in itself, originally unshakable, yet able to give rise to all dharmas---life undergoes a qualitative leap. As the Fifth Patriarch told the Sixth: "If one does not know the original mind, studying the Dharma is of no benefit. But if one knows the original mind and sees the original nature, then one is called a great hero, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha."
-
-Furthermore, the three bodies and four wisdoms discussed in the *Platform Sutra* are also attained through awakened nature. The three bodies are: the pure Dharma body as essence, the perfect reward body as wisdom, and the billions of transformation bodies as action. The four wisdoms are the great perfect mirror wisdom, the wisdom of equality, the wondrous observing wisdom, and the wisdom of accomplishing all actions. Awakened nature is thus the foothold of all Buddhist practice, and the very root from which the Buddha achieves all merits. As the Sixth Patriarch says in the *Platform Sutra*: "The self-nature contains the three bodies; when revealed, they become the four wisdoms. Without leaving the conditions of seeing and hearing, one ascends directly to the buddha ground."
-
-At the same time, awakened nature has the capacity to dissolve every affliction. While the doctrinal schools use various methods to counter different afflictions, the practice of Chan, the Great Perfection, and Mahāmudrā focuses on one supreme stroke that routs the multitudes encamped within the fortress of afflictions. In fact, once awakened nature comes into play, the citadel of afflictions collapses on its own. Afflictions have no intrinsic nature, so when the twofold clinging to self and dharmas disintegrates, they lose their objects of attachment and have no ground left to stand on.
-
-Taking refuge begins with the Abiding Triple Gem, moving from Buddha images to the Buddha's physical body to the Buddha's qualities, going deeper layer by layer until we finally recognize the awakened nature that is no different from the Buddha's. In the *Platform Sutra*, the Intrinsic Triple Gem is defined as awakening, correctness, and purity. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is thus taking refuge in awakening, correctness, and purity. The meaning of taking refuge and of studying and practicing the Buddhadharma is therefore none other than opening the awakened nature inherent in our own lives.
-
-{#二皈依法}
-## II. Taking Refuge in the Dharma
-
-*Dharma*, from the Sanskrit *dharma*, generally has a very broad range of meanings, encompassing all phenomena from mountains and rivers to the myriad things of the world. Here, however, it carries a specific meaning: the Buddhadharma---the teachings that reveal the truth of sentient life and provide the methods for cutting off delusion and realizing truth. Only the Buddhadharma, therefore, can serve as the ultimate refuge for life.
-
-Though the Buddhadharma is vast and profound, with countless Dharma gates, its focus lies squarely on the mind. If we overlook this focus, our study and practice will inevitably go astray. So to learn Buddhism, we must first understand our own mind. Only with this in place can we truly grasp the meaning of our practice.
-
-{#众生心}
-###### 1. The Mind of Sentient Beings
-
-The continuity of life comes from the continuity of mind. The Buddhadharma tells us that the mind of sentient beings contains two levels: the awakened and the non-awakened. From these two, entirely different lives unfold. In the simplest binary division, the world is divided into the sacred and the ordinary. From awakening arises the pure world of sages; from non-awakening arises the defiled world of ordinary beings.
-
-Why are ordinary beings not awakened? It is precisely because of ignorance. When awakened nature is obscured by ignorance, the mind dwells in darkness and delusion, unable to see clearly the conditioned phenomena of the world or its own original face. Because the truth is not seen, the mind imposes all kinds of mistaken constructs upon reality and clings to them. Among these, clinging to self is the most conspicuous error.
-
-Who is this "I"? What represents the "I"? Some might say, "I am the person named so-and-so." But if you changed your name, would the "I" change? Some might say, "I am this particular body." But before this body came into being, where did the "I" come from? When the body returns to ashes, where does the "I" go? Some might say, "I am me---what else could I be, you?" Then why is the one that is not you precisely the "I"? Where do the chasm and the boundary between you and me come from?
-
-In truth, all these judgments arise from clinging to self. Clinging to self means the deluded attachment to a substantially existent self. From one thought of delusion arise thought after thought of delusion, taking the false as true and the illusory as real, generating the entire mass of afflictions and karmic obstructions. Clinging to self is therefore the very source that constitutes the ordinary mind.
-
-{#迷乱人生的开展}
-###### 2. The Unfolding of a Deluded Life
-
-Since time without beginning, we have been entangled in the mistaken constructs of the twofold clinging to self and dharmas. It has become a deep-rooted habit, an inborn instinct. Because of this ignorance and non-awakening, a life of deluded thoughts and inverted views unfolds, with all manner of confused projections, upon which further constructs are layered. We then develop fixed attachments to these constructs, giving rise to immensely complex mental states and triggering countless, boundless afflictions.
-
-Take this teacup, for instance. It is itself merely a provisional appearance born of causes and conditions, without any fixed ownership. But after we spend money to buy it, we add a construct to it, feeling that this teacup is "mine." Beyond that, we attach still more labels to it: perhaps we find it exquisite, or precious, or rare, and so on, deepening our grasping attachment. In truth, none of these constructs adds anything to the teacup. The various elements that constitute the conditioned appearance of this teacup do not change in the slightest because of any construct.
-
-Our mind, however, is affected by them. Rather than saying these constructs are attached to the teacup, it would be more accurate to say they add an extra point of clinging within our own minds. When we damage or lose the teacup, we feel remorse and regret; when someone else damages or loses it, we feel anger and resentment. If the teacup were merely an item on a store shelf and we had never developed a sense of attachment to it, would its changes affect us as strongly? Every day, in every part of the world, losses caused by natural disasters and human tragedies occur on a scale millions or billions of times greater than our personal losses. We might sigh for them, even shed a tear of sympathy, but we soon forget. A favorite teacup, however, can stay on our minds for a long time. Why? It is nothing other than our clinging to self.
-
-The deeper the attachment, the stronger its disruptive force. There was once a Chan master of profound attainment named Jin Bifeng, whose skill in meditation was remarkable. When he was about to pass away, the ghostly minions could not find him anywhere. Then they learned that the master's only remaining attachment was his alms bowl, so they rattled it. Hearing the bowl ring, the master's mind was momentarily disturbed, and he immediately came out of meditation to check---only to find it was the minions' doing. Startled, he realized that a single thought of craving had not only unsettled his meditation but nearly cost him his freedom. He smashed the bowl, re-entered meditation, and left this verse: "If you wish to seize Jin Bifeng, try locking the empty sky with iron chains. When you can lock the empty sky with chains, then come and seize Jin Bifeng."
-
-Whether a teacup, a house, a car, or even our own physical body---all are provisional appearances born of conditions, without any "I" or "mine." When we see through this, the mind becomes like empty space, abiding nowhere, and attachment finds no place to take root. Then we are not burdened by things or entangled by emotions. Iron chains can indeed lock up all kinds of tangible objects, but they cannot lock the intangible empty sky.
-
-Clinging to self also produces extreme emotions such as inferiority and arrogance. Inferiority arises because we close off the self, creating a dualistic world of self opposed to the external---this mistaken construct of self-versus-other is like pitting oneself alone against the entire world, an intensely lonely and disheartening feeling. Arrogance, on the other hand, comes from strong fixation on the self, inflating some real or imagined strength of ours until it fills our already narrow and limited mind, leaving no room for others. All afflictions are therefore triggered by the inverted constructs of clinging to self.
-
-Beyond this there is also clinging to dharmas. Many of the constructs in the world were created simply to establish relatively uniform rules and standards for human interaction. They have no substance in themselves. Time, for example, is a construct based on the movements of the sun, the moon, and the earth, giving us the divisions of years, months, and days. But once this framework is fixed, once we cling to the concept of time, it too can bring us suffering. When we wait for a bus, that one hour of anxious waiting drags on, maddeningly slow. When we lie awake at night, that successive tossing and turning stretches out seemingly without end. The reason time disturbs us is precisely our clinging to it. When we keep fretting about how much time is left, anxiety, agony, and expectancy arise. In truth, when the mind has no concept of time, time does not exist. When we reunite with a dear friend, that same one hour races past like a white colt flashing past a crack in the wall, over before we have had our fill. And when we awaken from deep sleep, the several hours that have passed feel like a single instant, leaving no trace in our consciousness.
-
-When we examine the world with the wisdom of conditioned arising, nothing has intrinsic nature. Take this chair, for example: apart from wood, paint, and nails, where is the chair? The various distinctions of the chair---its height, shape, color, beauty, or ugliness---are likewise not objective, absolute existences. Tall is tall only in relation to short; short is short only in relation to tall. The chair, then, is nothing more than a provisional appearance arising from many conditions, a name we have affixed to this appearance. And this is true not only of the chair but of all things. Beyond provisional appearances born of causes and conditions and the conventional names we assign them, there is nothing that exists independently without depending on conditions. This is precisely what Buddhism means by no intrinsic nature.
-
-{#有情生命的相续}
-###### 3. The Continuity of Sentient Life
-
-Because of non-awakening, ordinary beings cling to the phenomena of the world---which lack intrinsic nature---as substantially real, thereby producing every kind of affliction. Life, we can say, is a composite of mistaken thoughts and turbulent emotions. This is the actual condition of ordinary life, and it is the force that drives sentient beings through birth and death.
-
-This non-awakening confines life within the solid cage built by the self. Though people live in a shared external space, each lives in a personal, private inner world. The quality of our life is determined by these thoughts, mental states, and emotions. Much of the time, we are like puppets on strings, unable to be our own masters. When anger arises, we might say: "I hate him---it's my freedom to do so." The problem is that once this emotion arises, we cannot put it aside at will, cannot stop it whenever we wish. If we truly had autonomy, we could summon any emotion at will and dismiss it at will. But this is not the case. That is why we so often hear people say: "I don't want to be angry either, but I just can't help it." The hidden hand that denies us freedom is none other than ignorance.
-
-What is true of anger is equally true of greed. Those who overeat know that eating too much does no good, yet they are still driven by desire to swallow down delicacies. Smokers know the harm to their health, yet they are still tormented by addiction and keep smoking. Officials know that taking bribes breaks the law, yet they are still driven by greed into graft and embezzlement. They are, in truth, pitiable. They have fed their cravings until the appetites grew too large, and now they can only be driven by them---sometimes willingly, sometimes in a daze, sometimes powerless to pull free. Not only can they not control their mind; they cannot control their body either. What a miserable life!
-
-Afflictions do not fall out of the sky; their root is right in our mind. If our mental state is unsound, endless afflictions can arise even if we shut ourselves indoors. Psychotherapy is popular these days, but it can only guide patients so as to ease their symptoms. Unless their view changes, relapse is only a matter of time. Until we achieve ultimate liberation, none of us is truly free. The external freedoms that society can provide are extremely limited. Even in the most democratic society, unless we are liberated from the bonds of affliction, life cannot be called free in any meaningful sense.
-
-Since time without beginning, ignorance and the karma it generates have been propelling us forward. Powerless to be in charge in the past, still powerless in the present, we can only drift on through saṃsāra in confusion. The root cause of this existential condition is ignorance. This is why the first of the twelve links of dependent origination is ignorance: from ignorance arise volitional formations; from formations, consciousness; from consciousness, name-and-form; from name-and-form, the six sense bases; from the six sense bases, contact; from contact, feeling; from feeling, craving; from craving, clinging; from clinging, becoming; from becoming, birth; and from birth come aging and death. Life goes on without end, and afflictions never cease.
-
-{#法的作用}
-###### 4. The Function of the Dharma
-
-We should know, however, that even beneath this surface level of utter inversion and frantic chaos, the mind still possesses a level of luminous emptiness---nondual awareness. It is only that this level has been obscured by ignorance and manifests in the distorted form of the twofold clinging to self and dharmas, producing the present ordinary mind. What spiritual practice does is to remedy this distorted condition of life and restore the original, awakened state.
-
-The Buddhadharma is the best guide for this life-transformation project. We must first use the Dharma to establish right understanding and right view, thereby dismantling clinging to self and breaking through delusion to awakening. View, of course, has different depths, encompassing the right view derived from hearing and contemplating the teachings and the right view realized through mental practice. For most beginners, we should start with the right view of hearing and contemplation---re-examining the world from the perspective of the Buddhadharma and gradually reversing our erroneous views. But merely understanding the principle is not enough; it must be embodied in our mental practice. Otherwise, even if we understand that all things lack intrinsic nature, even if we understand that clinging to self is the gate of ruin, whenever we encounter real situations, we are still swept along by habit. Despite ourselves, ignorance arises, and we feel that chair over there is solidly real and eternally ours. The force of clinging accumulated over many lifetimes is tremendous. A superficial grasp of theory without practice and realization will lose its way amid old inertia.
-
-View, then, must be integrated with practice. Let view guide practice, and let practice consolidate view. Among the Noble Eightfold Path the Buddha laid out for us, right view is supplemented by right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration---a comprehensive framework for adjusting body and mind, regulating, clearing, controlling, and dissolving our present chaotic emotional patterns, and restoring life's inherent quality of purity.
-
-{#教下的渐修之路}
-###### 5. The Gradual Path of the Doctrinal Schools
-
-Sentient beings differ in their karmic causes and conditions from past lives and in the capacities they have in this life. The Buddha therefore taught in accordance with their dispositions, skillfully guiding each. Afterwards, patriarchs and great masters constructed systems of study and practice based on different texts. Chinese Buddhism alone has eight major schools, which are further divided into the doctrinal schools and the Chan school, representing the approaches of gradual cultivation and sudden awakening, respectively.
-
-The practice of the doctrinal schools begins with the non-awakened deluded mind. Through the three undefiled studies of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, one gradually dissolves the deluded current, merges with emptiness, and opens awakened nature.
-
-Precepts are the behavioral standards for Buddhist disciples, including the five precepts, the eight precepts, the novice precepts, and the full ordination precepts---rules for warding off wrong and stopping evil and for restraining body and mind. If we say that law relies on the state's governing apparatus to enforce its duties, then on what do the precepts rely for their effectiveness? One factor is the willpower of the person who resolves to uphold them; the other is the power of the essence of the precepts passed down from the Buddha through successive generations of patriarchs.
-
-The Buddha established the precepts to help his disciples cease unwholesome conduct. Each precept was therefore formulated to address a specific unwholesome pattern of ordinary beings. Take the five precepts for lay followers: though there are only five---not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants---they essentially cover the full range of criminal behavior. Throughout human history, all evil has fallen within the scope of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying. Ceasing these misdeeds is also ceasing the continuity of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Tracing back to the source, all can be attributed to ignorance. One thought of non-awakening gives rise to countless afflictions and all manner of unwholesome deeds. In the sutras and śāstras, life is often compared to an endless waterfall of similarity-in-continuity. The life of ordinary beings is precisely the continuity of unwholesome mental states, presenting a distorted condition of existence.
-
-We should not only halt the unwholesome continuity within life but also channel it into a wholesome and healthy continuity. This is like a patient with a chronic illness: while actively receiving treatment, one must also strengthen the body. Only by building up the immune system can one fend off the next attack. In the bodhisattva precepts, besides the precepts of restraint, there are also the precepts of embracing wholesome dharmas and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings. On the basis of ceasing evil, we further cultivate good deeds and benefit others, activating the positive forces of life and creating a Dharma-accordant mental environment for attaining concentration and generating wisdom.
-
-Concentration means settling the mind on one point and abiding on a wholesome object. Our mind is made up of countless turbulent emotions and mistaken thoughts---erratic, unstable, shifting with every situation. When we encounter something pleasant, greed arises; when we encounter something disagreeable, anger arises. These minds of greed and anger are like enemies that appear and vanish without a trace, often capturing us before we even realize it. Those who cannot fight back can only be driven by them.
-
-The practice of concentration helps us settle the mind on a wholesome meditative object. There are two kinds: concentration with an object and concentration without an object. Having an object means resting the mind on a specific object during meditation practice. Though any object can serve as a resting place for the mind, in Buddhist practice concentration is the precursor to generating wisdom, so we should choose a wholesome object---one that will not trigger negative emotions and that also supports the opening of wisdom. For instance, in buddha-name recitation, the buddha's name is the object; in mindfulness of breathing, the breath is the object. As this positive force gradually grows, the mind can abide on the buddha's name or the breath for extended periods. Correspondingly, the distractions caused by other emotions grow weaker and weaker. It is like a punch of the same force: landing on an infant it could be fatal; landing on a giant it is light as a feather. In this way, concentration enables our mind to remain unmoving, undisturbed by external conditions.
-
-Concentration without an object means there is no object to abide upon---one directly abides in the essential nature of mind. More precisely, it means the mind abides nowhere. Both Chan and the Great Perfection employ this method; the details will be discussed in the section "The Sudden Path of the *Platform Sutra*." Some might ask: if such a direct and wonderful Dharma exists, why take the long way around through gradual practice spanning three great *asaṃkhyeya* kalpas? We should understand that for most people, practicing concentration without an object is like a mosquito trying to bite an iron ox---there is no place to sink its teeth. Without an insightful teacher to point out the proper route, wasting time would be the best outcome. Far more dangerous is falling into wild Chan or even demonic states, with consequences too dire to contemplate. It is better to advance with steady, sure steps---as the saying goes, "practice slowly and you will arrive quickly; practice from the low ground and you will reach the heights."
-
-Whether with or without an object, both approaches aim to help us transcend the deluded continuity of life. Through training, we bring a degree of stability to the mind, transforming the passive state of drifting with the currents and yielding to afflictions. This is an essential prerequisite for opening awakened nature.
-
-The purpose of cultivating concentration is to give rise to *prajñā* wisdom. But can concentration directly produce wisdom? The answer is no. Many non-Buddhist practitioners cultivate the four *dhyānas* and eight concentrations, yet this alone does not bring liberation. It is clear, then, that the emergence of wisdom from concentration is not an automatic transition. This is especially true of concentration with an object: if the mind remains fixed on the meditative object, one cannot merge with emptiness or penetrate the truth. Only when both the grasping subject and the grasped object fall away, when sense faculties and sense objects both drop off and subject and object vanish together, does *prajñā* wisdom brilliantly manifest. The function of concentration is to help calm our turbulent continuity---just as only a still body of water, without ripples, can reflect everything clearly. Concentration is therefore the basic condition for the arising of wisdom, but wisdom is not the inevitable result of cultivating concentration.
-
-In addition, two further conditions are needed. First, the right view established through hearing and contemplating the teachings. Buddhism contains an immense wealth of theory concerning right view. Chinese Buddhism, in particular, has the profound doctrinal systems of the Consciousness-Only, Madhyamaka, Tiantai, and Huayan schools---enough to exhaust a lifetime of study without reaching the end. But we need not be daunted. For practice, it is enough to master one corresponding form of right view. Whether based on the view of impermanence, the view of no-self, the Middle Way view of the Consciousness-Only school, or the emptiness view of Madhyamaka---each can help us dissolve the twofold clinging to self and dharmas and merge with emptiness. This is the very aspect that makes the Buddhadharma distinct from and superior to non-Buddhist paths.
-
-Second, we need the guidance of a good teacher to lead us into the essential nature of mind. The mental world is extraordinarily complex, like a book of millions of pages, and we are looking for just one of them. Studying the teachings helps us understand the content of this page, its characteristics, and the method for finding it. Without this knowledge, even if we flip through the book all day and even chance upon the right page, how could we identify and confirm it? This is where the confirmation of a good teacher is essential. Most importantly, relying on a good teacher helps us correct our course and avoid wrong turns. The mental world is deeply mysterious. Often, when you imagine what emptiness is like, it will conjure a corresponding state to seduce you, trying to capture you. Facing the unpredictable conditions along the path, a good teacher is like an old horse who knows the way, able to lead us onto the right track.
-
-{#坛经的顿修之路}
-###### 6. The Sudden Path of the *Platform Sutra*
-
-Unlike the gradual practice of the doctrinal schools, Chan is a path of sudden cultivation and sudden awakening, grounded directly in awakened nature and guiding the practitioner to merge with emptiness. Here I will briefly introduce the Chan method of mind practice based on the *Platform Sutra*.
-
-Learning Buddhism begins with taking refuge. The *Platform Sutra*'s approach to refuge starts directly from the Intrinsic Triple Gem: the Buddha as the meaning of awakening, the Dharma as the meaning of correctness, and the Sangha as the meaning of purity. Regarding the cultivation and realization of the Intrinsic Triple Gem, the Sixth Patriarch instructed his disciples: "When the mind takes refuge in awakening, deviant delusions do not arise. You have few desires, know contentment, and can detach from wealth and sensual pleasures---this is called the One Honored as Perfect in Both Merit and Wisdom. When the mind takes refuge in correctness, thought after thought is free of wrong views. Because there are no wrong views, there is no sense of self and other, no arrogance, no craving, no clinging---this is called the Honored One Free of Desires. When the mind takes refuge in purity, the self-nature is not defiled by any mental defilements or objects of craving---this is called the Honored One Among All Beings." Base the Intrinsic Triple Gem on awakened nature, abide in it, and at all times remain free of delusion, free of deviance, and free of defilement---then the Intrinsic Triple Gem will be realized.
-
-Regarding the cultivation of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, the *Platform Sutra* also differs from the doctrinal schools. In the Sixth Patriarch's teaching, concentration and wisdom are a single whole, not two separate things. The Sixth Patriarch said: "In my Dharma gate, concentration and wisdom are the foundation. Everyone, do not be deluded into saying that concentration and wisdom are separate. Concentration and wisdom are one essence, not two. Concentration is the essence of wisdom; wisdom is the function of concentration. When wisdom is present, concentration is within wisdom; when concentration is present, wisdom is within concentration. If you understand this principle, then concentration and wisdom are studied equally." Concentration and wisdom are established based on the different functions of awakened nature, so naturally they are nondual. If we can abide in awakened nature, the mind is unmoving, undisturbed by external conditions---this is what is meant by concentration as the essence of wisdom. The concentration cultivated in the Śrāvaka vehicle requires a relatively controlled environment; the concentration of Chan, by contrast, never departs from awakened nature in walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Whether in formal meditation or daily activities, one knows distinctions yet remains detached from them, undisturbed by outer circumstances.
-
-Awakened nature is intrinsically unmoving and undisturbed, yet it is not insentient like wood or stone. On the contrary, awakened nature has the function of all-pervasive awareness. This is why buddhas and bodhisattvas know everything in the Dharma realm without needing to stir a thought---their minds are present with all things yet abidingly still, so they can illuminate everything clearly, with nothing left out. The ordinary mind, by contrast, dwells in a defiled state of consciousness, with objects and limits. When it clings to one particular state, a single leaf before the eye blocks out everything else.
-
-In addition, the *Platform Sutra* sets forth three essential guidelines for mind practice: no-thought, formlessness, and non-abiding. "In my Dharma gate, from the beginning, the central principle has been no-thought, the essence has been formlessness, and the foundation has been non-abiding. Formlessness means to be amid forms yet detached from forms. No-thought means to be amid thoughts yet free of thoughts. Non-abiding is the original nature of human beings: amid the world's good and evil, beauty and ugliness, even amid enemies and kin, and in the face of words that offend, provoke, deceive, or contend, treat it all as empty and do not contemplate retaliation or harm. In thought after thought, do not dwell on past events. If past thought, present thought, and future thought continue thought after thought without cease, this is called bondage. Amid all dharmas, if thought after thought does not dwell, then there is no bondage. This is taking non-abiding as the foundation."
-
-Regarding formlessness as the essence, the Sixth Patriarch taught: "To be outwardly detached from all forms is called formlessness. When one is able to be detached from forms, the essence of the Dharma is pure. This is taking formlessness as the essence." The essence of mind has no form whatever. A chair has form, a house has form, but our mind is formless like empty space. In daily life, we often describe various feelings of the mind---we say our heart is happy, our heart aches, our heart is thinking, and so on. But what exactly is the mind? When we turn inward and look, we cannot find a single trace. As the saying goes, searching for the mind, we find it utterly ungraspable.
-
-The "thought" in no-thought refers to mental constructs, the mind's fabrications. The *Platform Sutra* says: "Not to be defiled by any object is called no-thought. To always detach from objects within one's own thoughts, not to generate thoughts in response to objects---this is no-thought. But if one simply stops thinking of anything and eliminates all thoughts, then the moment thought ceases, one dies and is reborn elsewhere. This is a grave mistake." On the surface, no-thought might seem to mean eliminating mental activity entirely, so the mind ceases to fabricate. In fact, Chan practice does not eliminate mental activity, still less does it pursue a mere state of no thinking, no thought. It is thinking yet not thinking---right at the moment of mental activity, one is clearly aware, yet without getting caught up in it. In other words, by way of thought one merges with the essence of mind that is free of thought, abiding in no-thought yet without obstructing mental activity.
-
-The "abiding" in non-abiding as the foundation means attachment, dwelling on form. Even while carrying firewood and drawing water, walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, the mind must not cling to any object. That is why a Chan master's way of eating and sleeping is essentially different from ours. Ordinary beings are habituated to dwelling on form---whenever a thought arises, it inevitably latches onto some object and gets entangled in it. A Chan master, however, can maintain clear awareness in all daily activities. As the saying goes, "Eating three meals a day without ever biting a single grain of rice." This does not mean he tastes nothing---that would make him no different from wood, stone, or an imbecile. Many people misunderstand the Chan teaching of non-discrimination, thinking it means not knowing anything at all. This is not the case. The key to non-abiding is to know distinctions without clinging---though one knows good and bad, cold and warm, there is not the slightest defilement, nor is one swept along by feelings of like and dislike. Clear awareness, without the least defilement. The practice of non-abiding is also emphasized repeatedly in the *Diamond Sutra*, which says: "A bodhisattva practicing giving should not give rise to a mind that abides in form, nor one that abides in sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects; they should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere. If the mind abides anywhere, that is not true abiding." Whatever we do, even altruistic practice, we should not cling to anything. This requires activating the function of awakened nature; otherwise, it is extremely difficult to avoid abiding.
-
-In the *Platform Sutra*, the Sixth Patriarch also taught the practice of the Samādhi of One Practice. What is the Samādhi of One Practice? It is to at all times maintain a straightforward mind and an ordinary mind. The *Platform Sutra* says: "The Samādhi of One Practice means, in every place, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, always practicing with a straightforward mind. The *Vimalakīrti Sūtra* says: 'The straightforward mind is the seat of enlightenment; the straightforward mind is the Pure Land.' Do not be crooked in mind and conduct while merely speaking of being straightforward. Do not speak of the Samādhi of One Practice with your mouth while failing to practice the straightforward mind. Simply practice the straightforward mind and be without attachment to any dharma. Deluded people cling to the form of dharmas and fixate on the Samādhi of One Practice. They declare that merely sitting still without moving and suppressing thoughts from arising is the Samādhi of One Practice. Those who interpret it this way are the same as insentient beings and create obstacles to the path." What is the straightforward mind? It is freeing the mind from its habitual state of distortion. And what is the ordinary mind? It is not the restless, unsettled mind we ordinarily have. To mistake that for the ordinary mind is sheer self-deception. The ordinary mind is the original mind, free of any contrivance.
-
-From this, we can see that the difference between sudden and gradual approaches in the Chan school and doctrinal schools lies fundamentally in their different views and methods of practice. The doctrinal schools start from the deluded mind, gradually dismantling the ordinary mind through precepts, concentration, and wisdom until they merge with emptiness. The Chan school, by contrast, is directly grounded in awakened nature, starting from recognizing and developing awakened nature to perfect the supreme fruit of buddhahood. In how they merge with awakened nature, the Chan school takes a direct approach while the doctrinal schools follow gradual cultivation---hence the Chan school has always been called the path of sudden cultivation.
-
-{#顿修法门的思考}
-###### 7. Reflections on the Sudden Approach
-
-The Chan school's entry point is extremely high. But once you break through, it is direct and simple, with remarkable results. Precisely because the starting point is so lofty, it demands an extraordinary caliber in both practitioner and teacher. After the Chan school reached its glorious zenith---described as "one flower blooming into five petals"---its great masters dwindled and the tradition gradually declined. Today, it carries an air of lonely sublimity---too high, too cold. What, then, is the problem?
-
-Chan identifies itself as "a special transmission outside the teachings, not dependent on words and letters." This has often been used as an excuse by later generations to bypass scriptural study. In truth, without right view as the discerning eye that chooses the Dharma, one's understanding of awakened nature can be quite vague---one may even mistake the twofold clinging to self and dharmas, dressed up and refashioned by the conscious mind, for awakened nature. The mind's capacities are remarkably powerful. Whatever you imagine awakened nature to be, the mind will conjure a corresponding state to seduce you, drawing you into a self-generated mental condition that has nothing whatsoever to do with emptiness. Only with right view firmly in place can one accurately discern the various states that arise during practice and remain undeceived.
-
-That the Chan school in the Sui and Tang dynasties did not particularly emphasize scriptural study and hearing-and-contemplation had its historical reasons. First, doctrinal study was highly developed at the time, and practitioners generally had a strong foundation. Their understanding and view were already sufficient for practice; they could devote their energy to realization rather than further study. Second, great masters abounded. Even if a practitioner's view was somewhat weak, with a good teacher at their side offering constant guidance, their practice was unlikely to go seriously astray.
-
-But for people today, without a good teacher's guidance and without right view, what exactly are they cultivating as they sit in the meditation hall? And where exactly are they heading? From what I have seen and learned, the situation is hardly encouraging. The inner world is far too complex---it is no exaggeration to say pitfalls lie everywhere. Without an insightful teacher to point the way, it is best to choose a more stable and secure mode of practice, lest we squander our time or even descend into demonic states and madness.
-
-Furthermore, we must emphasize building a solid foundation. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, Chan has steadily declined, giving rise to all manner of deviations---wild Chan, wild-fox Chan, literary Chan, lip-service Chan---and even becoming material for literati to indulge in empty, elegant chatter. It is heartbreaking to see a noble teaching reduced to this. Through many years of study and practice, I have deeply realized that there are certain common foundations in Buddhist practice that cannot be bypassed. In addition to the right view of hearing and contemplation mentioned earlier, there are also taking refuge, generating aspiration, and observing precepts. Trying to circumvent these in search of a shortcut will only lead us further and further in the wrong direction.
-
-For a high-level practice like Chan, laying this foundation is all the more necessary. Otherwise, one's mind practice will simply not connect. To many people today, seeing the nature seems as distant as clouds on the horizon---utterly out of reach. In fact, seeing the nature may not be as mysterious or as difficult as it seems. The dimension seen in seeing the nature is already innately complete within us. With the right method, it can be touched at the level of our present mind practice. Of course, this requires the convergence of causes and conditions, the right foundation and accumulation---it is not something one can casually talk one's way into.
-
-On the other hand, Chan practice is like a swordstroke struck off-center---an unorthodox, risky approach. Take the *Platform Sutra*, for instance: its view and its methods of practice are both piercing and swift, loftier the higher one looks up to them. Yet, as a structure for the bodhi path, it is not a complete framework. As Mahāyāna practitioners, in addition to seeing the nature, we must also generate the bodhi mind and walk the bodhisattva path, thereby perfecting great compassion and completing the twin virtues of compassion and wisdom that a buddha embodies.
-
-From this we can see that studying Chan and practicing Chan cannot be separated from scriptural study, from the Mahāyāna aspiration that unites compassion and wisdom, or from the foundational building blocks of the Buddhadharma. Otherwise, the practice can easily go astray or become a castle in the air. In my own study and practice, I also integrate the doctrinal schools and the Chan school. In fact, the teachings exist to serve the essential purpose, and the essential purpose cannot be separated from the teachings. In past times, when Bodhidharma came from the West, he used the four-fascicle *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra* to seal the mind. From the Fourth and Fifth Patriarchs onward, the focus gradually shifted to the *Diamond Sutra*. Beyond this, the Chan school has produced a *Complete Collection of Chan Texts* totaling over a hundred volumes---hardly less, and perhaps even more, than the doctrinal schools. So although Chan identifies itself as not dependent on words and letters, the patriarchs still placed great importance on the guiding role of scriptural study in practice, as expressed in the phrase "borrowing the teachings to awaken to the essence." This tradition is something today's practitioners would do well to reflect on carefully and carry forward.
-
-{#三皈依僧}
-## III. Taking Refuge in the Sangha
-
-*Saṅgha*, from the Sanskrit *saṃgha*, includes both ordinary monastics and noble sages of the Sangha. The Jewel of the Sangha is not only a teacher of gods and humans but also the pillar that upholds the Tathāgata's legacy and a symbol of the true Dharma's enduring presence. Without the Sangha, there would be no transmission of the Buddhadharma in the world.
-
-Taking refuge in the Sangha means taking the qualities embodied by the noble Sangha as the ultimate refuge---namely, undefiled wisdom and the virtue of liberation. Yet on the level of concrete forms, this refuge cannot be separated from ordinary monastics. If, for instance, we resolve to take refuge but lack the conditions to meet a sage, should we wait and wait, at the cost of missing this very life? We must understand that we take refuge in the Jewel of the Sangha throughout the ten directions and three times, not in a particular monk or a particular teacher. Moreover, we must take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as a complete whole, without slighting any of the three.
-
-Of course, taking refuge in the entire Sangha does not mean we should draw close to every monastic. Monastics in the real world are of varying quality. Practitioners should selectively draw close to good teachers. Both the *Āgama Sūtras* and the Mahāyāna scriptures repeatedly stress the importance of good teachers. The key point of taking refuge in the Sangha, therefore, is to choose a virtuous teacher and rely on that teacher for one's practice.
-
-{#善知识的选择}
-###### 1. Choosing a Good Teacher
-
-A good teacher is one endowed with right view, excelling in both virtue and ability, who can guide sentient beings to abandon evil and cultivate goodness, leading them toward the Buddha path. Such a person is also called a good friend or a noble friend. The famous account of "Sudhana's Fifty-Three Visits" in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* is the classic model of relying on good teachers. How, then, should we go about finding a good teacher? The sutras and śāstras provide many criteria.
-
-Among the ten qualifications summarized by Master Tsongkhapa for choosing a teacher are the following: tamed---one who accords with the precepts; pacified---one who accords with concentration; afflictions eliminated---one who accords with wisdom and has subdued and severed afflictions; virtue enhanced---one fully endowed with precepts, concentration, and wisdom, lacking nothing; courageous---one tireless and fearless in benefiting others; learned in scripture---one of wide learning; awakened to truth---one with genuine realization; eloquent in teaching---one who does not distort the Dharma; deeply compassionate---one with no ulterior motives; never retreating---one who teaches with respect at all times.
-
-A person endowed with these merits is fit to serve as a refuge for beings. But in this degenerate age, it is difficult to encounter a teacher possessing all ten qualities. Even if we are fortunate enough to meet one, various obstacles often prevent us from staying constantly by their side. And yet our practice cannot proceed without a good teacher's guidance. So, when conditions are insufficient, we may begin by relying on a teacher who possesses only a portion of these merits. Here, I will briefly discuss three points---the essential minimum that any good teacher must have. In other words, these are the baseline qualifications. If even these are not met, one must exercise extreme caution and never follow such a teacher blindly.
-
-These three essential conditions are: purity in upholding precepts, right view, and a compassionate heart. Among them, right view is the most crucial. It is the core of practice and the very feature that distinguishes the Buddhadharma from other religions. As the Buddha says in the *Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment*: "In the final age, those sentient beings who aspire to the great resolve, who seek good teachers and wish to engage in practice, should seek out those with right knowledge and right view, whose minds do not abide in any mark, who do not cling to the states of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Though they may manifest worldly defilements, their minds are ever pure. They reveal their faults while extolling pure conduct, and they do not allow sentient beings to fall into improper conduct. Seek such a person and you will attain *anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi*." This shows that right view is the root of all roots. If one's view is not correct, one can only lead the blind while blind oneself---how could one possibly speak of liberation?
-
-{#善知识的作用}
-###### 2. The Role of a Good Teacher
-
-In both the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna sutras and śāstras, the Buddha frequently extols the importance of good teachers. The *Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya Kṣudrakavastu* records: "Ānanda said: 'Through the power of good friends, practitioners can accomplish their practice. By gaining good friends, one distances oneself from bad friends. For this reason, we can know that good friends constitute half of the holy life.' The Buddha replied: 'Ānanda, do not say such a thing---that good teachers constitute half of the holy life. Why? Good teachers are the whole of the holy life. Through them, one can leave unwholesome companions behind, refrain from all evil, constantly cultivate all good, and become purely and wholly spotless, fully perfect in the holy life. For this reason, if one gains a good companion and dwells together with them right up to nirvāṇa, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Therefore they are called the whole of the holy life.'" This tells us that by drawing close to good teachers, we can distance ourselves from harmful companions, cease creating unwholesome deeds, and at all times cultivate wholesome deeds. Relying on a good teacher is therefore enormously significant---it is the whole of the holy life, the guarantee that all aspects of practice will be fulfilled.
-
-The *Platform Sutra* also highlights the role of good teachers in many places: "The wisdom of *prajñā*-bodhi is innately possessed by people in the world. It is only because their minds are deluded that they cannot awaken by themselves. They must rely on a great good teacher to show them the path and guide them to see their nature." And again: "If you cannot awaken on your own, you must seek out a great good teacher, one who understands the supreme Dharma, who can directly point out the right path. Such a good teacher has great causes and conditions---that is, instructing and guiding so that one may see the nature. All wholesome dharmas arise only through the agency of good teachers. The buddhas of the three times and the twelve divisions of scripture are all inherently present within human nature, but if one cannot awaken by oneself, one must seek a good teacher to point them out." Although people innately possess bodhi-wisdom, they are caught in delusion and cannot recognize their original mind. Only a good teacher who has truly seen the nature can guide us to unveil the supreme Dharma and enter directly into our self-nature. Only one with clear eyes who knows every rapid and hidden reef along the path can help us avoid the countless pitfalls and move forward smoothly. If the teacher himself is still groping in the dark, though he may help us in various ways, he cannot resolve the fundamental problem. The good teacher spoken of in the *Platform Sutra* must therefore be one with clear eyes who has seen the nature---only such a person can point us to the entry into our original mind.
-
-Looking through Chan history, records of traveling thousands of miles in search of a teacher, of sacrificing body and life for the Dharma, are everywhere. They have also left us many terms still used today, such as "cloud and water" and "journeying on foot," both referring to monastics who roam far and wide, crossing mountains and rivers, visiting every region in quest of an enlightened master. Chan records are full of lively stories of good teachers discerning capacities, adapting their teaching, and speaking the Dharma according to the individual. In the presence of such patriarchs, often a few simple words were enough to bring the seeker to the original mind. Beyond this, there were all manner of extraordinary methods that transcended normal conventions---the shout of Linji, the cakes of Yunmen, the tea of Zhaozhou, the staff of Deshan---all skillful means by which the great masters awakened their disciples. At the same time, we must also understand that the records capture only the climax of awakening. The fact that a practitioner could break through to see the original mind upon hearing a few words was inseparable from the accumulation that preceded it. Only the meeting of this inner cause with the outer condition produced that sudden moment of brilliant clarity. We must never mechanically copy these stories or blindly imitate them.
-
-{#依止善知识的条件}
-###### 3. Conditions for Relying on a Good Teacher
-
-Choosing a good teacher requires corresponding criteria. And for the student of the Dharma, becoming a qualified disciple also requires meeting certain conditions. Otherwise, even if one has the karmic fortune to encounter a good teacher, one will gain very little, or may even create unwholesome karma through failing to understand what it means to rely on the teacher properly.
-
-If upholding precepts, right view, and compassion constitute the baseline for a good teacher, then the maxim summarized by Master Yinshun in *The Path to Buddhahood*---"Observe virtues, not faults; follow and comply, do not resist"---can be taken as the baseline for relying on a good teacher. "Observe virtues, not faults" in particular is a profound test of the student's faith. The ordinary mind is defiled, and what a defiled mind sees is bound to deviate, even to be fundamentally inverted. Therefore, once you have determined your teacher through careful observation and selection, you must never engage in further discrimination with your ordinary mind.
-
-Ordinary beings always start from "I," clinging to "my" understanding, "my" thoughts, "my" views. If these obstacles are not laid down, the Buddhadharma we learn will often be processed and distorted by the self. Relying on a good teacher requires laying down our personal likes and dislikes even more thoroughly. Otherwise, the teacher's strictness will be taken for harshness; the teacher's compassion will be seen as indulgence. Often, we have preset notions of what a good teacher should be. The moment reality fails to match these notions, we instantly judge---based on our own views, not the Dharma---and doubt sets in, perhaps even leading to retreat.
-
-There was once a student who relied on a Chan master for instruction. One day the master accidentally sat on a needle and cried "ouch!" as he sprang to his feet. The student immediately lost all faith, convinced that the master had not yet awakened---for how could an awakened person react to a needle like that? The master, knowing the student had abandoned him, sighed: "That pitiful soul. He should understand that not only I, but even the needle and that 'ouch' are not truly existent." This story vividly illustrates the point and is worth deep reflection. As beginners, we are likely to encounter the same kind of doubt that student did. The question is how we handle it, and how we prevent that doubt from turning into impulsive mistakes.
-
-Although Buddhism emphasizes wisdom and highlights self-power, it cannot do without the important supporting condition of faith---as the saying goes, "Faith is the source of the path and the mother of all merits." The higher the Dharma gate, the more crucial faith becomes. Without faith in one's good teacher, one cannot undertake the great Dharma. The Buddhadharma is profoundly deep and subtle, yet utterly ordinary. True seeing of the nature is not necessarily as wondrous as we imagine; it is not that upon seeing it, one radiates light and shakes the earth. At the moment of first seeing, it is often very plain. This is where faith is needed to accept it. Then, under the teacher's guidance, we gradually become familiar with the nature of mind and progressively develop its potency. If one has never generated faith in a good teacher, one is not even a fit vessel---how then could one receive the pure, sweet rain of the Dharma?
-
-Although taking refuge in the Jewel of the Sangha is directed toward the entire Sangha community, for our actual practice it must be concretized in reliance on a good teacher. Once we have chosen and confirmed our teacher, we must generate pure and undefiled faith in them. Only in this way can we, under their guidance, recognize our original nature and find the entry point for opening awakened nature, ultimately achieving a quality of life that is awakened without delusion, correct without deviance, and pure without defilement.
-
-{#四结束语}
-## IV. Conclusion
-
-Today, I have offered an introduction on the theme "From Recognizing the Abiding Triple Gem to the Intrinsic Triple Gem." The ultimate purpose of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is to realize the Intrinsic Triple Gem, but this cannot be separated from the external Abiding Triple Gem. The theme of this summer camp is "The *Platform Sutra* and Buddhism for Life," and for this purpose, I have restudied the *Platform Sutra* and shared some of my thoughts with all of you. I hope they will be of help and inspiration in your study and practice.
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 77【出家与解脱】
-
-Translator: opencode-go/deepseek-v4-pro
-Reviewer: self
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Translation is accurate and readable. One minor terminology consistency fix applied. No structural or major content issues found. The three-pass review identified no missing content, mistranslation, or serious fluency problems.
-
-## Applied Fixes
-
-1. **Terminology consistency: 红尘** (line 163). "red dust of the world" → "that worldly dust" to match the earlier rendering of 红尘 as "worldly dust" in the same sentence. The metaphor is preserved; the rendering is now consistent.
-
-## Terminology Notes
-
-Key term decisions checked against the terms DB:
-
- 出家 → "renunciation" / "leaving home" — varies by context, consistent throughout
- 解脱 → "liberation" — consistent
- 出离心 → "renunciation" — matches 佛教术语 source
- 菩提心 → "bodhicitta" — standard convention
- 空性 → "emptiness"
- 五蕴 → "five aggregates"
- 轮回 → "samsara"
- 正见 → "right view"
- 戒定慧 → "precepts, concentration, and wisdom"
- 声闻乘 → "Śrāvakayāna"
- 菩萨乘 → "Bodhisattva vehicle"
- 凡夫心 → "ordinary mind" — consistent throughout
-
-## Considerations
-
- The translation uses a formal-but-warm register appropriate for a Dharma talk by Master Jiqun to a monastic audience. Rhetorical questions and first-person asides are preserved.
- Sanskrit terms (śramaṇa, saṅgha, bodhicitta, dhutaṅga, etc.) are used where appropriate with English glosses on first occurrence.
- The three sufferings (苦苦、坏苦、行苦) include parenthetical Sanskrit for precision, suitable for this audience.
- The "shaven-headed layperson" rendering of 光头俗汉 is deliberately colloquial to match the source's pointedness.
@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings for 77【出家与解脱】
-
-Reviewer: kimi-code/k3-256k
-Date: 2026-08-07
-Scope: full read of source.dj vs target.dj (both 232 lines, 1:1 section correspondence). Prior edit-suggestions.dj consulted; its single applied fix (红尘 consistency) is valid and present.
-
-## Summary Assessment
-
-No critical errors. Translation is complete (every source section and paragraph covered), generally accurate, and fluent. The systematic issues are: (a) one Vinaya term error, (b) one systematic terminology conflation (惑业), and (c) a handful of single-word drifts and clunky renderings. Details below.
-
-## Major
-
-1. **腐烂药 mistranslated as "discarded medicine"**
-   - Location: Part Four, §1 "A Life of Simplicity", paragraph on the four reliances (四依).
-   - Source: 即常乞食、树下坐、粪扫衣、腐烂药，又称头陀行.
-   - Target: "always begging for food, dwelling at the foot of a tree, wearing rag-robes, and using discarded medicine".
-   - Problem: 腐烂药 = medicine made from decomposed matter (the fourth nissaya, pūtimutta-bhesajja, traditionally fermented cow urine). "Discarded medicine" says thrown-away medicine — wrong substance, wrong rationale.
-   - Fix: "using medicine made from decomposed matter" (optionally gloss "(pūtimutta-bhesajja)"), consistent with the translator's Sanskrit-gloss convention.
-
-2. **惑业 systematically rendered "karmic delusion"**
-   - Locations: Part Two §4 ("the basis for this is the karmic delusion within our minds"); Part Three §2 ("all the happiness in samsara is built on karmic delusion"); Part Five ("a life built on karmic delusion").
-   - Problem: 惑业 is two things — 惑 (afflictive delusion) and 业 (karma) — the delusion that generates karma and the karma it generates. "Karmic delusion" collapses them into one modifier-head phrase. Worse, the same translator renders 惑业苦 in Part Five as "delusion, karma, and suffering", so the reader meets 惑业 as one compound and 惑业苦 as a three-item list — internally inconsistent.
-   - Fix: render all three occurrences as "delusion and karma", matching the 惑业苦 rendering.
-
-3. **Ambiguous "the basis for this" (Part Two, §4 "Leaving the Home of the Three Realms")**
-   - Source: 出离三界，就是要出离轮回，其基础就是我们内心的惑业.
-   - Target: "To leave the three realms is to leave samsara, and the basis for this is the karmic delusion within our minds."
-   - Problem: "the basis for this" naturally reads as "the basis for leaving samsara". The source means the *basis of samsara itself* — what keeps us bound is our inner delusion and karma. The next sentence confirms this ("the key is to leave behind the very source that produces samsara"). Risk of inverted meaning.
-   - Fix: "To leave the three realms is to leave samsara, and the foundation of samsara is the delusion and karma within our own minds."
-
-## Minor
-
-4. **苦苦 gloss drifted** (Part Three, §2, three-sufferings paragraph).
-   Source: 苦苦，即由内而外的痛苦. Target: "pain that is manifestly painful". The source gloss is "pain both internal and external". Fix: "pain experienced both inwardly and outwardly".
-
-5. **惭愧 → "humility"** (Part Three, §1, list of positive mental patterns: 慈悲、惭愧、善良 → "compassion, humility, and kindness"). 惭愧 (hrī–apatrapya) is moral shame/dread of blame, not humility. Fix: "compassion, integrity and a sense of shame, and kindness" or "conscience".
-
-6. **发心 / 正思惟 collision on "right intention"** (Part Three headings and Part Five final paragraph). 发心 → "Setting Your Intention" / "Setting the Right Intention"; 八正道的第二 (正思惟) → "right intention (reflection)". Two distinct concepts share one English term. Also "Your" in the heading is the only second-person heading in the text. Fix: render 发心 as "aspiration" — "The Importance of Generating the Aspiration", "Generating the Right Aspiration" — and keep "right intention" for the path factor.
-
-7. **人格 → inconsistent** ("character" vs "personality"). Part Three §1: 心态→"mental dispositions", 性格→"character", 人格→"personality"; two paragraphs later 成就怎样的人格 → "what kind of character we will form". Fix: use "personality" in the second occurrence to preserve the 心态→性格→人格 progression.
-
-8. **极权制 softened to "centralized power"** (Part Four, §2). Source: 方丈已开始出现极权制的倾向 — a deliberately strong word ("totalitarian"). Fix: "abbots have begun to show a drift toward totalitarian-style control".
-
-9. **自寻短见 weakened to "contemplate suicide"** (Part Three, §1). Source: 要去自虐，要去自寻短见 — attempted action, not ideation. Fix: "resort to self-harm or even try to take their own lives".
-
-10. **心存侥幸 → "take a chance"** (Part Three, §1). Source: 心存侥幸 = counting on getting away with it. "Take a chance" suggests voluntary risk. Fix: "we harbor the hope of getting away with it and think it does not matter".
-
-11. **标准的俗人 → "standard laypeople"** (Part Four, §2, closing paragraph). Unidiomatic. Fix: "we are still thoroughly ordinary laypeople".
-
-12. **僧宝 → "jewel of the saṅgha"** (Part Four intro). Inverts the established compound; 僧宝 is the Sangha Jewel (third of the Three Jewels). Fix: "a pure and dignified saṅgha jewel, consistent within and without".
-
-13. **"inwardly-and-outwardly consistent"** (same sentence, 表里如一). Awkward hyphen-chain. Fix folded into #12 above.
-
-14. **维那 double gloss "karmadāna (vaiyāpṛtya)"** (Part Four, §2). Two different Sanskrit etyma given for one office is confusing; 维那 conventionally transliterates karmadāna. Fix: "the karmadāna (rector)". Keep sthavira/vihārasvāmin glosses as-is.
-
-15. **产品改造 metaphor flattened** (Part Four intro). Source: 需要经历一个产品改造的过程 — the "product" image deliberately echoes 无明制造的一个产品 from Part Two §2. Target: "a process of transformation". Fix: "we need to undergo a process of being remade like a product".
-
-16. **正顺解脱之本 rendered clunkily** (Part Four intro). "the precepts are the very foundation that accords with and leads to liberation. 'Accords with and leads to' means that they serve liberation" — the quoted gloss-of-a-gloss is stilted. Fix: "the precepts are the foundation for rightly following the path to liberation. 'Rightly following' means the precepts serve liberation..."
-
-17. **Tautological sentence in Part Five final paragraph**: "The reflection in 'hearing, reflection, and cultivation' is reflection". Source: 闻思修的思是思维 — the point is that all four traditional frameworks name the same faculty. Fix: "The si in hearing–reflection–cultivation (闻思修) is precisely this reflection" or "the 'reflection' of hearing, reflection, and cultivation refers to exactly this".
-
-18. **三有 → "three realms" collides with 三界 → "three realms"** (Part Six final sentence, 智不住三有). Distinct source terms rendered identically. Fix: "with wisdom, one does not abide in the three realms of existence; with compassion, one does not abide in nirvāṇa" — or "the triple existence" for 三有.
-
-19. **Śrāvakayāna vs "Bodhisattva vehicle" inconsistency** (Part Six). One vehicle Sanskritized, the other translated. Fix: "the Śrāvakayāna and the Bodhisattvayāna" or "the śrāvaka vehicle and the bodhisattva vehicle".
-
-20. **心路规则 → "mental traffic rules"** (Part Four intro). The source coins "rules of the mind-path"; "traffic" adds imagery not in the source and reads oddly. Fix: "the rules of the road that keep us traveling safely toward liberation" (keeps the metaphor, drops the coinage mismatch).
-
-## Notes (non-errors)
-
- Added Sanskrit glosses absent from the source (gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa in Part One §1; prātimokṣa; the three duḥkhatās; naiḥsargika-pāyantika) match the convention declared in edit-suggestions.dj ("Sanskrit terms used where appropriate with English glosses on first occurrence"). Acceptable; flagged only so the convention is applied knowingly.
- 四依 item 日食一麻一麦 → "one sesame seed and one grain of wheat" — 麻 as "sesame" follows common English renderings; "hemp seed" is the alternative. Not an error.
- Terminology otherwise consistent and well-chosen throughout: 凡夫心 → "ordinary mind", 串习 → "habitual patterns", 增上缘 → "contributory condition", 止观 → "śamatha-vipaśyanā", 观照 → contextually varied ("clear awareness", "clear inner observation") without confusion.
- Completeness: all six parts, all fifteen subsections, and every paragraph of the introduction and closing are present and in order. No omissions or additions of content detected (only the sanctioned glosses above).
@@ -1,232 +0,0 @@
-# 出家与解脱
-
------2009年讲于温州佛教协会
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、出家制度的由来 [2](#一出家制度的由来)](#一出家制度的由来)
-
-[1．出家的起源 [2](#出家的起源)](#出家的起源)
-
-[2．佛陀的出家 [2](#佛陀的出家)](#佛陀的出家)
-
-[二、出家的内涵 [3](#二出家的内涵)](#二出家的内涵)
-
-[1．出世俗家 [4](#出世俗家)](#出世俗家)
-
-[2．出五蕴家 [4](#出五蕴家)](#出五蕴家)
-
-[3．出烦恼家 [5](#出烦恼家)](#出烦恼家)
-
-[4．出三界家 [5](#出三界家)](#出三界家)
-
-[5．轮回与解脱 [6](#轮回与解脱)](#轮回与解脱)
-
-[三、发出离心------迈向解脱的根本 [7](#三发出离心迈向解脱的根本)](#三发出离心迈向解脱的根本)
-
-[1．发心的重要性 [7](#发心的重要性)](#发心的重要性)
-
-[2．正确的发心 [9](#正确的发心)](#正确的发心)
-
-[四、律仪生活------迈向解脱的基础 [11](#四律仪生活迈向解脱的基础)](#四律仪生活迈向解脱的基础)
-
-[1．简朴的生活 [12](#简朴的生活)](#简朴的生活)
-
-[2．民主的管理 [13](#民主的管理)](#民主的管理)
-
-[五、空性正见------迈向解脱的关键 [15](#五空性正见迈向解脱的关键)](#五空性正见迈向解脱的关键)
-
-[六、结束语 [16](#六结束语)](#六结束语)
-
-这次和大家探讨的，是关于"出家与解脱”的问题。在座的多数都已出家，那么，这样一种生活对我们究竟意味着什么？
-
-我想，多数人出家时，也是为了解脱，为了证道，为了实现人生的究竟意义。但从教界目前的情况来看，出家后还能继续保有这份初心的并不多。更多的人，仅仅是将出家当做一种生活方式，逐渐淡忘了解脱的目标。换言之，只是过着一种独身、素食、僧装的生活，只是在形态上与世人有所区别。除此而外，每天依然忙于一些现实需要，比如衣食住行、待人接物。更有甚者，也会热衷于争名夺利，热衷于结党营私。
-
-这样的出家，不过是出一家而入一家，不过是貌似出家的光头俗汉。身为出家人，我们必须了解这一身份的意义究竟在哪里，知道出家究竟是为了什么，究竟该做些什么。唯其如此，才能赋予这一身份应有的内涵。
-
-{#一出家制度的由来}
-## 一、出家制度的由来
-
-{#出家的起源}
-#### 1．出家的起源
-
-中国传统文化比较重视现世，以"修身、齐家、治国、平天下”为实现人生价值的通途。倘生不逢时，才会退隐江湖、独善其身，但这不过是退而求其次的权宜之计，并非理想选择，和出家修道、追求解脱是有着本质区别的。而西方哲学关注对世界本原的探讨，如世界第一因为何、宇宙怎样生成等问题。惟有在印度的宗教哲学中，才对生死、轮回、解脱予以特别关注，并衍生出离家舍俗的修行传统。
-
-印度最早的宗教是婆罗门教，其信徒一生会经历四个时期。一是青少年阶段的梵行期，从8岁开始依止师长，以十余年时间学习《吠陀》等典籍；二是家住期，成家立业，传宗接代，完成世间责任；三是林栖期，隐居山林，专心修行，进入宗教生活；四是遁世期，舍俗出家，游行四方，完成出世间的追求。所以，出家并非佛教所特有，而是源自印度的文化传统，是通于内外道的。当时印度的很多外道都有出家制度，统称沙门，其特征主要是放弃家庭、减少物欲和坚持苦行，多以乞食为生。这些方式有不少被佛教僧团所沿用，如游行、托钵、雨安居等。
-
-{#佛陀的出家}
-#### 2．佛陀的出家
-
-佛陀出家前是一位王子，在宫廷享受着锦衣玉食、不知人间疾苦的生活。但在一次出门游行中，却发现和宫中完全不同的世间百态。他看到人们因衰老而形容枯槁，步履蹒跚；看到人们因患病而备受折磨，奄奄一息；看到人们因亲人死亡而阴阳两隔，悲痛欲绝。不仅如此，他还看到有情为生存互相残杀、弱肉强食的残酷现实。他看到农夫在烈日下辛苦劳作，挥汗如雨；看到老牛在田地间埋头耕作，遭受鞭打；看到虫儿被犁铧翻起，顷刻殒命。仅仅为了得到谋生的食粮，就有多少生命在忍受痛苦，甚至丧生。这一切，让生性仁慈的王子哀痛不已，并深切体会到荣华富贵的短暂和虚幻。
-
-正当他对人生感到迷茫，不知何去何从时，遇到一位出家沙门。从他的身上，佛陀看到了生命的希望所在，看到了息灭痛苦、超越生死的希望所在------那就是修行，就是解脱。
-
-在这样的心路历程下，佛陀选择了出家。这是对他以往生活的彻底告别，他放弃了王位，放弃了家庭，放弃了世人梦寐以求的奢华享受，甚至将随身衣物让车夫带回，剃除须发，托钵游行，开始一无所有的修道生涯。所以，出家就意味着对世俗占有的放弃，也意味着对一切执著的放弃。
-
-佛陀出家后，遍访当时印度的种种修道者，历经6年苦行，种种磨难，最终在菩提树下明心见性。成道后，经大梵天王祈请，说法49年，度化无量众生。其间，许多人追随佛陀出家修道，形成了规模庞大的僧团。他们遵循佛陀教诲，三衣一钵，云游四方，用他们对法的实践和证悟，传播灭苦和解脱之道。
-
-作为今天的出家人，有必要去了解，佛陀当年是过着怎样的出家生活，追随佛陀修道的弟子们又是过着怎样的出家生活。通过经典对佛陀生平和僧团生活的记载，我们可以了解到，佛陀和弟子们所做的虽然很多，但归纳起来，无非是内修和外弘。对内，是精进道业，断惑证真；对外，是化世导俗，利益人天。事实上，这也是每个出家人的本分。印度的先贤是这样，中国的古德也是这样。
-
-{#二出家的内涵}
-## 二、出家的内涵
-
-出家，不仅意味着外在形象的改变，意味着生活方式的改变，意味着离开家庭进入僧团，更关键的，是出五蕴的家，出烦恼的家，出三界的家。这需要我们尽形寿，乃至尽未来际地努力。
-
-{#出世俗家}
-#### 1．出世俗家
-
-所谓世俗，就是世间的家庭和感情。作为僧人，似乎已经放弃了家庭生活，以及与之相关的世俗情爱。但很多时候，我们来到寺院之后，很快会把道场变成家庭的替代。我们对这个新家所形成的执著和贪嗔痴，可能一点都不比经营世俗之家来得少。如果这样的话，出家的意义又在哪里？
-
-我们要知道，出家的真正目的并不在于舍弃家庭，而是舍弃由此形成的执著和凡夫心，这才是构成家庭的基础所在。这种执著是建立在彼此的贪恋和占有之上，进而形成人我是非之心，形成亲疏好恶之别。我们放弃对世俗的占有，放弃对亲人的贪恋，但若将同样的占有和贪恋转移到寺院，结果，仍会在这个新的目标上发展出一大堆凡夫心，不会有任何本质的改变。
-
-{#出五蕴家}
-#### 2．出五蕴家
-
-所谓五蕴，是指我们的生命体，包括物质和精神两部分。佛法认为，五蕴只是生命延续过程中的一个工具，其中并没有所谓的"我”，也不能代表真正的"我”。出五蕴的家，就是让我们从对五蕴的执著中脱身而出，而不是像我们现在这样，将五蕴设定为"我”，再用这个设定来捆绑自己。高兴的时候，觉得是"我”在高兴；生气的时候，又觉得是"我”在生气。时时刻刻，都被这个"我”搅得内心动荡，坐立不安。
-
-《阿含经》有个概念叫做舍担，担就是担子，是要我们舍弃执著五蕴带来的种种负担。《老子》也告诉我们："吾有大患者，为吾有身，吾若无身，吾有何患？”从我们出生的那一刻起，就开始为这个身体提供服务，忙它的吃，忙它的喝，还要为它的各种情绪和需求奔波，何其辛苦。我们之所以心甘情愿地这么做，是因为在我们的感觉中，这个身体就代表着"我”，这些情绪就代表着"我”，都是我们与生俱来、不可分割的部分。既然如此，自然是别无选择，别无退路的了。我们从来想不到，这些其实也可以放下，可以舍弃的。
-
-佛法告诉我们，这个五蕴并不是所谓的"我”，而是在生命延续过程中，由无明制造的一个产品。一旦放下担子，舍弃累赘，生命并不会有所欠缺。正相反，它会因为松绑而自在，因为放下而解脱。具备这个认识后，我们就不必对它的需求一味盲从，亦步亦趋了，就能断除由此产生的种种烦恼。
-
-{#出烦恼家}
-#### 3．出烦恼家
-
-或者有人会说，烦恼是我们避之唯恐不及的，难道还有人愚蠢到以烦恼为家吗？事实确实如此。现实中，很多人都活得烦烦恼恼，无法自拔，这就是以烦恼为家。因为我们对生命的内在缺乏观照，所以在每个烦恼生起时，很快就会陷入其中。进而对它产生认同，把这些烦恼当做是"我”，就像我们平时说的------我很烦，我很恨，我很痛苦，等等。
-
-当这些问题和"我”捆绑在一起时，就会被放大，被强化。于是乎，杀伤力也将成倍增长。修行所做的，一方面，是在烦恼生起时加以观照；另一方面，则是以持戒远离烦恼，以修定止息烦恼，以智慧降伏烦恼。最终，将这个由烦恼构建的堡垒彻底摧毁。
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-{#出三界家}
-#### 4．出三界家
-
-三界，为欲界、色界、无色界，仍在轮回之内。出离三界，就是要出离轮回，其基础就是我们内心的惑业。所以，出离轮回不是出离外在的什么，关键在于出离制造轮回的根源。现在人对轮回接受起来有一定困难，因为涉及到前生、后世，和我们现前接受的教育存在冲突，也和我们的认识能力存在距离。甚至，不一定所有的出家人都相信轮回，相信因果。事实上，轮回并没有那么遥不可及，而是发生在每个当下。从我们目前的生活状况，就可以认识轮回。
-
-每个人都有各自的追求和需要。这种追求和需要是不断重复的，就像沉迷于游戏的孩子，因为内心培养了对游戏的需要，所以时时心系于此。而在玩的过程中，对游戏的需要又会增加。这个过程，正是轮回的缩影。它的起点是我们内心的需要，而终点则是这种需要所追逐的目标。其实，这个目标并没有离开起点。当我们满足它的同时，内心的需要又在增加，使终点再一次成为起点。如此周而复始，轮转不休。
-
-{#轮回与解脱}
-#### 5．轮回与解脱
-
-社会上各行各业的人同样存在这些问题。办企业的人，每天想着他的企业，这就驱使他每天忙于企业事务。在工作过程中，执著又随之增加，进一步驱使他为之奔忙。事实上，管理寺院也是如此。如果我们每天只是想着怎样把寺院管好，而不是将做事和修行结合起来，不是以自觉觉他的正确心态来做，同样会在做事过程中增加执著，同样会陷入轮回状态。
-
-解脱，意味着任何事物都不会对你形成干扰。倘能如此，哪怕和众生同在轮回，做着同样的事，一样可以超然物外，一样可以用无我、无住、无所得的心去做。否则，我们就会落入这样那样的心理陷阱，它的终点就是轮回------而且是没完没了的轮回。所以，我们要从制造轮回的贪著中走出，这正是轮回的根源所在。我们贪著什么，就会制造与之相关的轮回。贪著名，就会制造与名有关的轮回；贪著利，就会制造与利有关的轮回。只要内心还有贪著，还有需求，就会被这种贪著和需求所控制，就会在它们的牵引下落入轮回之轨。
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-出家是一种和解脱相应的生活方式，关键在于，我们必须过着如法如律的出家生活。惟有这样，才能使出家成为解脱的增上缘。如果是以世俗心在僧团生活，那么，这种出家和解脱是了不相干的。作为出家人，尤其要认识到解脱的重要性。否则的话，就不可能成为合格的僧人。因为内修尚未过关，自身问题尚未解决，自然更谈不上外弘，谈不上利生了。
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-{#三发出离心迈向解脱的根本}
-## 三、发出离心------迈向解脱的根本
-
-迈向解脱，需要强大的解脱意愿为动力，这种意愿就是出离心。虽然出离心这个概念大家很熟悉，但究竟对此有多少认识？是否真正意识到出离心的重要性？其实，很多人对这个问题是非常模糊的，这正是我们修行无法得力的障碍。
-
-{#发心的重要性}
-#### 1．发心的重要性
-
-在修行过程中，发心极其重要。所谓发心，用通俗的话说，就是你要发展一种什么心理。我们的内心由各种心理组成，其中，有贪心、嗔心、我慢、嫉妒等负面心行，也有慈悲、惭愧、善良等正面心行。
-
-我们每天活在哪里？其实，并不在我们所以为的现实中，而是在这个无形无相而又变幻莫测的内心世界。比如，我喜欢谁或讨厌谁，我做什么或不做什么，是谁在主宰这一切？正是内心抉择的结果。为什么你会喜欢某人？是贪爱的心理使然；为什么你想得到什么？是占有的心理使然。不仅如此，我们的一切行为，都来自与之相应的心理。
-
-在每天的早晚功课中，都会念到："若人欲了知，三世一切佛，应观法界性，一切唯心造。”这一偈颂出自《华严经》，告诉我们：心的运作最终会发展出十法界。其中，包括四圣和六凡，前者为佛、菩萨、声闻、缘觉，后者为天、人、阿修罗、地狱、饿鬼、畜生。所有这些生命形态，乃至其间的种种差别，并不是天生如此，而是根源于我们不同的心行。成佛取决于它，堕落同样取决于它。
-
-我们为什么能成佛？是因为众生本具成佛潜质，也就是潜在的觉悟本体，又称佛性。但同时，生命还有着无始无明，有着与生俱来的我执和烦恼，如果不加以阻止，便会将我们导向恶道。
-
-左右生命走向的，正是那些绵绵不绝而又刹那变化的心念。每个心念的生起，都会在内心留下痕迹，并通过不断重复积累成习惯。而习惯会成为心态，进而发展为性格，最终固定为人格。你有什么心态，有什么人格，就会营造什么样的生命环境。所以说，每个心念的发展都代表着一条生命道路，顺着这个方向，最终会发展出一个世界。
-
-遗憾的是，人们往往只关注外在结果，而忽略了内在因果。我们干了错事，如果当下看不到报应，就会心存侥幸，就会觉得无所谓，明天可以继续再干，这是非常短视的。因为阿赖耶识早已经忠实地、事无巨细地记录了这些信息。当我们在重复过程中，这一行为在内心形成的力量就会随之强化。可以想见，如果阿赖耶识存储的都是不良信息，生命将呈现怎样的面貌，走向怎样的结果。
-
-社会上，很多人为了做事不择手段，最后把心做坏了。这种情况在教界同样存在，因为不懂得心行运作规律，做事时不能善用其心，虽然事情做成了，但已误入凡夫心的轨道，或执著于地位，或执著于事业，或执著于名闻利养。如此，人我是非也就在所难免了。
-
-须知，凡事都有两种结果，一是外在结果，一是心灵结果。相比之下，后者远比前者更为重要。因为外在结果是暂时的，而心灵结果是长久的，并能长时间地影响生命走向。我们不要以为坏事做了就会过去，事实上，它都会在内心形成心理力量。这是一种不健康的负面信息，从心理学的角度来说，就是导致心理疾病的成因。
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-佛教认为，善行能招感快乐的结果，而恶行会招感痛苦的果报。这种快乐和痛苦不仅是外在的，同时也是内在的。当一念慈悲生起时，内心是开放而柔和的；而当一念嗔心生起时，内心是扭曲而动荡的。这些结果，是我们当下就能感受得到，体会得到的。
-
-如果心行力量强大，还会导致生理反应，影响色身健康。有些被烦恼折磨的人，甚至痛苦到要去自虐，要去自寻短见，为什么？就是因为他们的内心已无法承受这些烦恼，所以需要身体共同负担，或以毁灭身体的方式进行对抗。可见，这种力量是多么惊人啊。那么，这些力量从哪里来？事实上，也是我们自己不断纵容起来，发展起来的。
-
-所以，发心不仅意味着你要发展一种什么心理，还意味着你将成就怎样的人格，感得怎样的命运。这个问题实在太重要了，也正是从这个角度来说，发心是修行的根本所在。根，就是因------因地不真，果招迂曲。若是因种得不对，比如以贪心、私心想要成佛，那是绝对无法成就的。
-
-有什么样的心，就会导致相应的生命结果。这个发心包含最初的动机，也包含做事过程中每个当下的用心。有时，我们的确是本着高尚的利他之心开始做事，但在做的过程中，却逐渐偏离方向，进入凡夫心的轨道，这是非常普遍的。因为凡夫心代表着我们无始以来的固有习惯，如果不是时时警惕，刻意扭转，很容易落入业已形成的惯性之中。
-
-{#正确的发心}
-#### 2．正确的发心
-
-佛法告诉我们，正确发心有二，一是出离心，一是菩提心。
-
-所谓出离心，就是我要出离轮回的愿望。前面说过，我们不仅要出世俗家，更要出五蕴家、出烦恼家、出三界家。从这个意义上说，出离心就是帮助我们实践出家的真正内涵。我们需要问问自己，有没有生起这种强烈的愿望------我要出世俗家！我要出五蕴家！我要出烦恼家！我要出三界家！如果没有这些愿望，是不可能完成解脱修行的。
-
-那么，我们为什么要出离？为什么要离开家庭，进入僧团？因为世俗生活的最大特点就是充满占有，这种占有会成为凡夫心的增上缘，成为轮回的增上缘。轮回是什么？其根源，就是我们内心的贪嗔痴；其支撑，就是我们贪著的世俗生活。我们对感情、地位、自我等等一切的贪著，正是轮回得以建立的支撑点。同样，我们对寺院的贪著，对现有身份的贪著，也会成为轮回的支撑------这是我们需要特别注意的。
-
-我们出世俗的家，目的就是去除这些支撑。如果去除一些之后，又增加了另一些，轮回依然不会停止，依然会按部就班地继续。或许有人会说：我们为什么要出离轮回？其中不是也有很多乐事吗？且不说天道之乐，即使从人间来说，也是有家庭和睦的快乐，有事业成功的喜悦。佛法告诉我们，从感觉来说，人生并不是纯然一味的苦。除苦受以外，还有乐受，有不苦不乐的舍受。但我们要知道，这些快乐并不是本质性的，只是表面现象而已。
-
-所以，佛教是以三苦来对应这些感受。我们通常所认为的苦，佛教称之为苦苦，即由内而外的痛苦；通常所认为的乐，佛教称之为坏苦，虽然当下使人感到快乐，但这种乐是暂时的，一旦乐相变坏，便会导致痛苦；至于不苦不乐，佛教称之为行苦，一切有为法迁流变化，无刹那安住，其结局依然是苦而非乐。
-
-可见，轮回中并没有本质的快乐。所谓本质，就是无论何时享受，无论享受多久都是快乐的。世间找得到这样的快乐吗？显然没有。更何况，轮回中的所有快乐都是建立在惑业之上，都和我们的渴求有关。一旦对此产生依赖，所谓的快乐就会转化为痛苦之因，问题也就源源不断了。比如近年出现的手机依赖症、电子邮件依赖症、网络依赖症等，无一不是人类一手制造的。为什么这些给我们带来便利的工具会引发疾病？就是过度的依赖使然。依赖得越深，由此导致的病情也就越重。
-
-反之，如果减少对世间的渴求和贪著，本身就是解脱的开始。就像绳索，因为在乎，就会使之越收越紧。而当我们把执著松开之后，虽然过去的一些串习还在，但已不再会制造串习，更不会认同这些串习了。
-
-修行的关键，就在于看清轮回过患。只有看透之后，才能发起真切的出离之心。人们都说，出家人是看破红尘，放下万缘。我们扪心自问：到底看破了没有？放下了没有？有没有在对红尘看破、放下之后，执著起另一种贴着佛教标签的法尘？
-
-作为大乘佛子，我们在发起出离心之后，还要进一步发起菩提心。不少人会把出离心和菩提心对立起来，以为它们分别代表了出世和入世两个方向，是不可兼容的。事实上，出离心和菩提心有着共同的目标，那就是解脱。区别只是在于，出离心侧重于个人解脱，而菩提心则是将这种解脱愿望扩大开去，发愿带领一切众生走向解脱。所以说，出离心是菩提心的基础，而菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满。
-
-{#四律仪生活迈向解脱的基础}
-## 四、律仪生活------迈向解脱的基础
-
-佛陀告诉我们：戒是正顺解脱之本。所谓正顺，就是为解脱服务的，是保障我们安全行进在解脱之道的心路规则。
-
-戒又名别解脱，也就是说，每持一条戒，就不会陷入相应串习中去，就能从这种串习形成的束缚中解脱出来。我们持不杀生戒，就不会落入杀生的串习；持不偷盗戒，就不会落入偷盗的串习；遵循俭朴的生活，就不会落入对物质的贪著。所以，戒的真正作用就是阻止串习，而不只是一些外在约束。所有不善行的根源，无非是贪，是嗔，是痴。我们以戒律规范行为，就是要阻止贪嗔痴的相续，进而阻止轮回的相续。
-
-这种力量，来自戒体的作用。所谓戒体，就是如法受戒后，在内心形成的防非止恶的自制力。具备这种自制力，当我们面对外缘时，就会提醒自己：此应作，此不应作。每一次提醒，每一次实践，戒体的力量都将随之壮大，最终成就如法的僧格，使我们脱胎换骨，从一个充满世俗气息的在家人改造为清净庄严、表里如一的僧宝。
-
-我们没有出家之前，都是在家人，都是在世俗生活中成长起来的。我们现在要成为合格僧人，成为人天师表，需要经历一个产品改造的过程。改造的途径，就是戒定慧。由持戒，成就如法威仪的外在形象；由定慧，成就超然出尘的内在气质，这也是出家人区别于在家人的根本所在。具备这一品质，在面对五欲六尘时，才会保有定力，才不会陷入其中。如果世人在乎的东西我们也在乎，世人追求的东西我们也追求，那和在家人有什么区别？
-
-那么，戒律又是通过哪些方面来与解脱相应的呢？
-
-{#简朴的生活}
-#### 1．简朴的生活
-
-印度早期的沙门多以乞食为生并崇尚苦行。他们认为欲望是令人不得解脱的根源，惟有以苦行进行对治，才能斩断欲望之根。他们选择的苦行多半是折磨色身------或在烈日下曝晒，或在河水中浸泡，或像牛和狗那样生活，等等，以为这样就能将欲望驱出体外。佛陀出家后，也曾经历六年苦行，日食一麻一麦，最后身体羸弱，形同枯木。但他发现，这种修道方式并不究竟，并不能将人导向解脱。所以放弃了那些无益苦行，接受牧女供养的乳糜，待身体恢复后，在菩提树下入定七日，终成正觉。
-
-那么，佛教是否就不提倡苦行了呢？其实不然。佛陀所反对的，只是想当然的、没有意义的自苦其身。与此同时，始终提倡简朴而少欲知足的生活方式，认为这样才有助于解脱。僧团成立之初，佛陀命弟子按四依生活，即常乞食、树下坐、粪扫衣、腐烂药，又称头陀行。但这种清苦生活毕竟不是多数人有毅力坚持的，所以又制定三衣，允许出家人接受施主供养的衣服。其后再开许百一物，同意弟子们拥有一些生活用品，但每种只能有一样。也就是说，任何物品都是拿来使用而不是积蓄的，以此避免对物质的贪著。
-
-此外，佛陀还规定出家后不要定居一处。佛世时，僧人除三个月安居外，其它时间都在云游四方，居无定所。弘一法师对这点就实践得很好，先后住过很多地方。为什么要经常更换住处呢？也是因为长期居留某地后，很容易对住处产生贪著，并且会因定居发展出很多人际关系。这种贪著和人际关系，又会引发种种凡夫心。
-
-或许有人觉得，这些规定和我们隔着遥远的时空，未必适合此时、此地的僧团。但我们要知道，毗尼虽然是因缘所显，有它特定的地域特征和时代背景，但所有规范都是佛陀根据人性的弱点而设定。所以，我们应该从这些戒规去理解佛陀的苦心，理解条文背后的精神。凡夫不能解脱的主要原因，就是贪著。而贪著和拥有相关，拥有得越多，由此建立的贪著也就越多。而每一种贪著，都会成为障碍解脱的阻力，成为捆绑我们的绳索。
-
-佛世时，僧团也会接受居士供养的田地、精舍等财物，作为团体可以很富有，但具体到每个出家人，依然是简朴而清贫的。戒律中，对很多生活细节都有明确规定，如三衣和百一物等。除此以外的多余衣物，就属于长物，可于规定时限（七日、十日、一月）保存，之后便应舍给他人，否则就犯舍堕。
-
-因为出家人是以追求解脱为目标，以传播真理为使命。如果也去贪著物欲、经营生活，显然是一种堕落------是从追求真理堕落到追求现实，从追求解脱堕落到追求轮回。我们要记住，每种拥有都可能成为贪著，成为潜在的解脱障碍。有个公案说，金碧峰禅师修行功夫很深，但因为特别在乎自己的钵，在定中仍放心不下，险些被小鬼抓到。他察觉后，立刻将钵摔得粉碎，从此了却牵挂，无迹可寻。律典中，也有很多类似记载，有些比丘因为担心死后衣服被人拿走，结果投胎变成蛇虫鬼魅来守护生前所用物品，何其颠倒，何其可怜。
-
-从另一方面来看，我们拥有越多，就需要在生活上耗费越多时间，相应的，用于修行的时间也就随之减少。为了让弟子们排除干扰，一心修道，佛陀特别针对出家人的衣、食、住及人际关系，建立了一套和解脱相应的制度，那就是戒律。所以，戒律并不是常人所以为的束缚，恰恰相反，它是代表了一种清净庄严的生活方式，是对修行者全方位的保护。
-
-{#民主的管理}
-#### 2．民主的管理
-
-佛陀入灭时，没有把僧团交付给某个弟子，而是建立了一套民主议会制。在印度传统的僧团中，虽以上座、维那、寺主三纲为核心管理层，但僧团大事都是由僧众共同表决，根据大众意见做出决定。这种僧事僧断的管理体制，是建立在佛教特有的哲学思想上，也是对无我、平等的具体实践。
-
-佛教传入中国后，逐渐偏向人治，强调方丈的权威性。但在以往的传统丛林中，方丈负责的主要是领众修行和道德教化，具体事务则由监院和班首组成的行政系统执行，彼此能够分担并相互监督。发展至今，方丈已开始出现极权制的倾向。在一个寺院中，经常事无巨细都要方丈拍板定夺。这样的话，无论对个人修行还是僧团发展都已形成一定弊端。有些人一生都在管庙，几十年下来，不知不觉中就会对此形成串习，把人生价值安置在这些角色之上，把修行目标建立在这些地位之上。到最后，不管事就不适应了，甚至会因此产生失落感，就像社会上的退休综合症那样，严重干扰内心的平衡和平静。
-
-因为角色很容易成为凡夫心的支撑点------认定我是方丈，我是法师------然后把这些身份执以为我，不断加以关注，加以重视，最后形成贪著，走到哪里都会有牵挂，都会放不下。本来，参与管理也是发菩提心、自利利他的修行功课，但若定位不准，反而会使这个身份成为解脱的巨大障碍。从另一个角度来说，对某个身份的认定和执著，也容易使之成为追逐目标，从而引发纷争，引发贪嗔之心。事实上，这样的情况在当今教界屡见不鲜。其结果，就是把修行变成修"我”，把道场染污为名利场。所以，出家人不宜长期固定于某个身份或职位，而要定期轮换，一方面可以减少对身份的执著，另一方面，则能保障定期静修的时间。
-
-我们发心解脱，就必须配合与之相应的生活。否则，可能每天都在制造贪著------对身份的贪著，对地位的贪著，对住处的贪著，对人际关系的贪著。所有这些贪著，正是凡夫不得解脱的根源所在。
-
-所以，我们必须领会佛陀制戒的精神，依律建立一种如法的生活，清净的生活。如果我们没有被戒定慧改造过，不论出家多少年，也不论在教界是什么身份，其实还是标准的俗人。因为你的内在仍是凡夫心，你的生命品质还是依然故我。虽然显现的是出家形象，参与的是佛教事业，那只能说明在你的生活增加了一点佛教色彩，或者说，增加了一点佛教的包装。除此以外，还有什么呢？
-
-{#五空性正见迈向解脱的关键}
-## 五、空性正见------迈向解脱的关键
-
-解脱的核心，就是正见和止观。其中，又以正见为眼目，为指引，为调整心行的标准。其作用是帮助我们看清，轮回是怎样制造出来，又该怎样予以解除。进而，通过止观将正见落实到心行，成为解脱力量。
-
-当年，佛陀在菩提树下悟到，轮回的根本就是无明。所谓无明，就是不明了，首先看不清自己，然后看不清世界。因为看不清，就开始对自己产生错误设定，此为我执；然后对世界产生错误设定，此为法执。因为我法二执，众生就开始起惑造业，流转生死，这就是惑业苦的过程。
-
-无明中的众生，会根据自己的需要去寻找，去追逐。今天需要什么，就觉得什么是最重要的，是必须占为己有的。就像孩子需要游戏，成人需要名利，其实都是迷妄心理在产生作用，是虚幻而荒谬的。但我们因为看不清，就会跟着它跑，在追求过程中，我们也会得到少许快乐。这种快乐让我们恋恋不舍，就像尝到一口甜头之后没了，然后心心念念地想着，想着有机会再尝一口。就这样，被惑业牵引着疲于奔命。惟有认识到这点甜头所包裹的痛苦本质，我们才不会被轮回制造的种种假象所迷惑，才不会对此怀有期待。
-
-其实，轮回并非佛教特有的思想，而是印度各宗教共同关心的问题，只是在怎样轮回、怎样解脱等方面存在分歧。他们或以生天为解脱，或以四禅八定为解脱。佛陀在求法过程中，也参访过印度最负盛名的一些外道，修习四禅、四空定等，但他发现这些都不是究竟的解脱之道。最终，佛陀通过对缘起的观察，认识到众生本具如来智慧德相，也就是自我解脱的能力。所以说，解脱并不是让生命进入另一个时空，不是死亡后才能抵达的境界，一旦开启生命内在的觉悟本体，当下就是解脱。
-
-佛陀告诉我们：轮回的真相就是苦、空、无常、无我，所谓有漏皆苦。也就是说，建立在惑业基础上的生命，不论在什么状态下都是痛苦的、无常的、变化不定的。这个轮回中建立起来的自我，其实不是你，只是无明的产物。生命就在这样一堆混乱情绪和错误想法中延续，其中并没有什么主宰力量。如果我们把现前的人格当做是"我”，就是禅宗所说的认贼为子。所以，禅宗要我们参"本来面目”，是要超越当下的念头去证得，而不是从现有人格去寻找。惟有突破这个迷妄的系统，才能拨云见日，彻见本来。
-
-当我们认识到这些道理后，首先，可以不再有意地制造轮回；其次，不再认同以往建立的错误观念；第三，不再跟着错误观念培养的串习走。这几点说起来似乎很简单，但要做到并不容易，因为无始以来建立的串习和错误观念早已成为我们的主人。这就需要通过正见和禅修，使生命内在的观照力产生作用，从而将心从扭曲状态调整出来。
-
-在这个过程中，思维非常重要。闻思修的思是思维，八正道的第二是思维，四法行的如理作意是思维，《道次第》所说的观察修也是运用思维来修行。当然，这些都是依佛法正见所作的如理思维，而非通常的胡思乱想。只有这样，才能使正见得到确定，进而由文字般若进入观照般若，乃至实相般若。
-
-{#六结束语}
-## 六、结束语
-
-作为出家人来说，不仅要以成就解脱为目标，还担负着住持佛法、化世导俗、利益众生的责任。怎样才能完成这些使命？真正的利益，就是传播解脱经验。这不仅是众生的需要，也是自身修行的重要助缘。当我们一心想着利益众生时，我执就会随之弱化。所以，利他行也是和解脱相应的。
-
-佛法有声闻乘和菩萨乘之分。从声闻乘的修行来说，要求出家人少事少业。而从菩萨道的修行来说，则要求我们多事多业，凡是利益众生的事都要努力去做。但我们要知道，如果没有超然的心态，多事多业往往会使人陷入事务，甚至一头栽入惯性轨道，将原有的凡夫心调动起来，这是需要特别加以警惕的。或许有人会说，既然如此，还是少事少业来得稳妥，何必自找麻烦？但我们要知道，作为菩萨道行者，这种自修自了的定位是有违大乘精神的。所以需要将两者结合起来，一方面，具有出世情怀，培养解脱能力；一方面，具有慈悲精神，长养利他能力。像佛陀那样，智不住三有，悲不住涅槃。因为智慧，所以超越轮回，解脱自在；因为慈悲，所以积极入世，度化众生。
@@ -1,232 +0,0 @@
-# Renunciation and Liberation
-
------A talk given at the Wenzhou Buddhist Association in 2009
-
-By Master Jiqun
-
- Part One: The Origin of the Monastic System
-
-- 1. The Origin of Renunciation
-
-- 2. The Buddha's Renunciation
-
- Part Two: The Meaning of Leaving Home
-
-- 1. Leaving the Secular Home
-
-- 2. Leaving the Home of the Five Aggregates
-
-- 3. Leaving the Home of Afflictions
-
-- 4. Leaving the Home of the Three Realms
-
-- 5. Samsara and Liberation
-
- Part Three: Generating Renunciation---the Foundation for Liberation
-
-- 1. The Importance of Generating the Aspiration
-
-- 2. Generating the Right Aspiration
-
- Part Four: A Life of Discipline---the Groundwork for Liberation
-
-- 1. A Life of Simplicity
-
-- 2. Democratic Management
-
- Part Five: Right View of Emptiness---the Key to Liberation
-
- Part Six: Closing Words
-
-Today I would like to explore with you the question of "renunciation and liberation." Most of you here have already left home to become monastics. So what does this way of life really mean for us?
-
-I believe that when most people renounced the home life, they did so for the sake of liberation, for realizing the Way, for fulfilling the ultimate meaning of human life. Yet looking at the current state of the Buddhist community, very few continue to hold this original resolve after ordination. More often, people simply treat the renounced life as a lifestyle, gradually forgetting the goal of liberation. In other words, they merely live a life of celibacy, vegetarianism, and monastic robes, differing from laypeople only in outward appearance. Beyond that, they stay busy each day with practical concerns---food, clothing, shelter, transportation, social niceties. Some go even further, eagerly chasing fame and gain, eagerly forming cliques for personal advantage.
-
-To leave home in this way is merely to leave one home only to enter another---it is to be a shaven-headed layperson in monastic guise. As monastics, we must understand what this identity truly means, know why we left home in the first place, and what we are really supposed to do. Only then can we give this identity the substance it deserves.
-
-{#一出家制度的由来}
-## Part One: The Origin of the Monastic System
-
-{#出家的起源}
-#### 1. The Origin of Renunciation
-
-Traditional Chinese culture places considerable emphasis on this present life, taking "cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to all under heaven" as the path to realizing life's value. Only when born into unfavorable times would one retreat from society and attend to one's own virtue---but this was merely a fallback strategy, not an ideal choice; it is fundamentally different from renouncing the home life to practice the Way and pursue liberation. Western philosophy, meanwhile, concerns itself with investigating the origin of the world---questions such as what the first cause is, and how the universe came into being. It is only in Indian religious philosophy that particular attention is given to birth and death, samsara, and liberation, giving rise to a tradition of leaving family and worldly life behind to engage in spiritual practice.
-
-The earliest religion in India was Brahmanism, whose followers passed through four stages of life. The first is the brahmacarya stage in youth, beginning at age eight when one studies under a teacher and spends over ten years learning the Vedas and other texts. The second is the gṛhastha or householder stage, when one establishes a family and career, carries on the family line, and fulfills worldly responsibilities. The third is the vānaprastha or forest-dweller stage, when one retreats to the mountains and forests to devote oneself to spiritual practice and enter a religious life. The fourth is the sannyāsa or renunciant stage, when one renounces worldly attachments, leaves home, wanders in all directions, and pursues the supramundane goal. Thus, the renounced life is not unique to Buddhism but stems from India's cultural tradition and is common to both Buddhist and non-Buddhist paths. At the time, many non-Buddhist schools in India had systems of renunciation, collectively known as śramaṇa, whose main characteristics were abandoning family life, reducing material desires, and persevering in ascetic practice, mostly living by begging for alms. Many of these practices were later adopted by the Buddhist saṅgha, such as wandering, alms-round, and the rains retreat.
-
-{#佛陀的出家}
-#### 2. The Buddha's Renunciation
-
-Before he renounced the home life, the Buddha was a prince who enjoyed a life of luxury in the palace, sheltered from the sufferings of the world. But on a journey outside the palace one day, he discovered a world utterly different from what he had known within it. He saw people withered and decrepit with age, hobbling along unsteadily; he saw people tormented by illness, drawing their last breaths; he saw people torn apart from loved ones by death, overcome with grief. And not only that---he also saw the cruel reality of sentient beings killing one another for survival, the strong preying on the weak. He saw farmers toiling under the scorching sun, drenched in sweat; he saw old oxen ploughing the fields with heads down, suffering the lash; he saw insects overturned by the ploughshare, dying in an instant. Just to obtain the food needed to survive, how many living beings endured suffering or even lost their lives. All this caused the kind-hearted prince deep sorrow, and he keenly felt the brevity and illusoriness of wealth and rank.
-
-Just when he felt lost about life and did not know which way to turn, he met a wandering śramaṇa. In that person the Buddha saw hope for life, saw the hope of extinguishing suffering and transcending birth and death---and that hope was spiritual practice, was liberation.
-
-It was through this inner journey that the Buddha chose to leave home. It meant a complete break from his former life. He gave up his throne, gave up his family, gave up the lavish pleasures that ordinary people could only dream of. He even sent his garments and belongings back with his charioteer, shaved his head and beard, and wandered with an alms bowl, embarking on a path of practice with nothing to his name. Thus, leaving home means giving up worldly possessions, and it means giving up all attachments.
-
-After the Buddha left home, he sought out the various spiritual practitioners of India at the time, undergoing six years of asceticism and countless hardships, until he finally realized his true nature beneath the bodhi tree. After his awakening, at the request of Brahmā, he taught the Dharma for forty-nine years, liberating countless beings. During that time, many people followed the Buddha, leaving home to practice the Way, forming a vast saṅgha. Following the Buddha's teachings, with three robes and one bowl, they wandered in all directions, and through their practice and realization of the Dharma, they spread the path to the cessation of suffering and liberation.
-
-As monastics today, we need to understand what kind of renounced life the Buddha actually led, and what kind of renounced life his disciples who followed him in practice led. Through the classical accounts of the Buddha's life and the saṅgha's way of life, we can see that although the Buddha and his disciples did many things, these can be summed up as inner cultivation and outward teaching. Internally, they diligently advanced on the path, severing delusion and realizing truth; externally, they transformed the world and guided society, benefiting humans and devas alike. In truth, this is also the fundamental duty of every monastic. The sages of India did this, and so did the great masters of China.
-
-{#二出家的内涵}
-## Part Two: The Meaning of Leaving Home
-
-To leave home does not only mean a change in outer appearance, a change in lifestyle, or leaving one's family to enter the saṅgha. More crucially, it means leaving the home of the five aggregates, leaving the home of afflictions, and leaving the home of the three realms. This requires our effort for the rest of this life, and indeed for all lives to come.
-
-{#出世俗家}
-#### 1. Leaving the Secular Home
-
-What we mean by "secular" here is worldly family and emotional bonds. As monastics, we seem to have already given up family life and the worldly love and attachment that go with it. Yet quite often, after arriving at a monastery, we quickly turn the practice center into a substitute family. The attachment and the greed, hatred, and ignorance we develop toward this new "home" may be no less than what we would have built up running a secular household. If so, then what is the point of leaving home?
-
-We need to understand that the true purpose of leaving home is not to abandon the family itself, but to abandon the attachment and the ordinary state of mind that grow out of it---this is what truly constitutes the foundation of family. Such attachment is built on mutual craving and possessiveness, which in turn create the mind that draws lines between self and other, right and wrong, closeness and distance, liking and disliking. We give up worldly possessions and our emotional clinging to family members, but if we transfer that very same possessiveness and clinging to the monastery, then we will simply develop a whole new set of ordinary mental patterns around this new object, with no essential change whatsoever.
-
-{#出五蕴家}
-#### 2. Leaving the Home of the Five Aggregates
-
-The "five aggregates" refer to our psychophysical being, encompassing both the material and mental dimensions. The Buddhadharma holds that the five aggregates are merely an instrument in the continuity of life; there is no so-called "self" within them, nor can they represent the true "self." Leaving the home of the five aggregates means freeing ourselves from attachment to these aggregates, rather than what we do now---identifying the five aggregates as "I" and then using that very identification to bind ourselves. When we are happy, we think it is "I" who am happy; when we are angry, we think it is "I" who am angry. At every moment, we are stirred up and unsettled by this "I."
-
-The *Agama Sutras* contain the concept of "laying down the burden"---the burden being the load of suffering created by our attachment to the five aggregates. Laozi also told us, "The reason I have great trouble is that I have a body. Were I without a body, what trouble would I have?" From the moment we are born, we begin serving this body---busy feeding it, busy giving it drink, running around to satisfy its every emotion and craving. How exhausting. The reason we are so willing to do this is that in our perception, this body represents "me," these emotions represent "me"---they feel like inseparable, inborn parts of who we are. Given that, it seems we have no choice, no way out. It never occurs to us that these things can actually be set aside, can be relinquished.
-
-The Buddhadharma tells us that the five aggregates are not the so-called "self" but rather a product fabricated by ignorance in the course of life's continuity. Once we lay down the burden and cast off this deadweight, life will not be diminished. On the contrary, it will be at ease because the bonds have been loosened, and liberated because the load has been released. With this understanding, we no longer need to blindly obey its every demand and follow its every impulse, and we can cut off the various afflictions that arise from this.
-
-{#出烦恼家}
-#### 3. Leaving the Home of Afflictions
-
-Some might say: we avoid afflictions as desperately as we can---could anyone be so foolish as to make their home in affliction? Yet this is exactly what happens. In reality, many people live in a state of constant affliction and turmoil, unable to free themselves---and this is precisely making a home in affliction. Because we lack clear awareness of the inner dimension of life, whenever an affliction arises we quickly become immersed in it. We then identify with it, treating the affliction as "me"---just as we say in everyday speech: "I am so annoyed," "I am so angry," "I am in so much pain," and so on.
-
-When these problems are bundled together with "I," they are magnified and intensified. Their destructive power increases exponentially. What spiritual practice does is, on the one hand, bring clear awareness to afflictions as they arise; and on the other, keep them at bay by upholding precepts, calm them by cultivating concentration, and subdue them with wisdom. In the end, it completely destroys the citadel built out of affliction.
-
-{#出三界家}
-#### 4. Leaving the Home of the Three Realms
-
-The three realms---the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm---still lie within samsara. To leave the three realms is to leave samsara, and the foundation of samsara is the delusion and karma within our own minds. Thus, leaving samsara is not about leaving something external; the key is to leave behind the very source that produces samsara. People today have some difficulty accepting the idea of samsara, since it involves past and future lives, which conflicts with the education they have received and lies beyond the reach of their cognitive faculties. Indeed, it may even be that not every monastic believes in samsara or in cause and effect. In truth, samsara is not as remote as it seems---it unfolds in every present moment. We can recognize it by observing our present circumstances.
-
-Everyone has their own pursuits and needs. These pursuits and needs repeat endlessly, like a child addicted to games who, having cultivated a need for gaming in his mind, is constantly preoccupied with it. And the more he plays, the more his need for the game grows. This process is samsara in microcosm. Its starting point is a need within our minds, and its end point is the object that need chases after. But in fact, this end point has never left the starting point. Even as we satisfy the need, it grows again within us, so that the end point once again becomes a starting point. On and on it cycles, turning without cease.
-
-{#轮回与解脱}
-#### 5. Samsara and Liberation
-
-The same dynamic applies to people in every walk of life. A business owner thinks about his business every day, and this drives him to stay busy with business affairs every day. In the course of his work, attachment grows, which in turn drives him to work even harder. In fact, managing a monastery is no different. If each day we only think about how to run the monastery well, without integrating our work with spiritual practice, without approaching it with the right attitude of awakening oneself and awakening others, then our attachments will likewise increase in the course of our work, and we will likewise fall into the state of samsara.
-
-Liberation means that nothing can disturb you. If you can reach this state, then even if you remain in samsara alongside sentient beings, doing the very same things, you can still transcend the mundane world and still do everything with a mind that is selfless, non-abiding, and free of grasping. Otherwise, we fall into one mental trap after another, and their destination is samsara---endless samsara. So we must step out of the craving that manufactures samsara, for this is the very root of samsara. Whatever we crave, we manufacture a samsara related to it. Crave fame, and we manufacture a samsara of fame; crave gain, and we manufacture a samsara of gain. So long as there is craving and need in the mind, we will be controlled by that craving and need, and pulled by them onto the tracks of samsara.
-
-The renounced life is a way of living aligned with liberation. The key is that we must live it in accordance with the Dharma and the Vinaya. Only then can the renounced life become a contributory condition for liberation. If we live in the saṅgha with an ordinary, worldly mind, then this kind of renunciation has absolutely nothing to do with liberation. As monastics, we especially need to recognize the importance of liberation. Otherwise, we cannot become qualified monastics. For if our inner cultivation has not yet passed muster and our own problems remain unsolved, then there is naturally no question of outward teaching or benefiting others.
-
-{#三发出离心迈向解脱的根本}
-## Part Three: Generating Renunciation---the Foundation for Liberation
-
-Taking the path to liberation requires a powerful aspiration for liberation as our driving force, and that aspiration is renunciation. Though the concept of renunciation is familiar to everyone, how much do we really understand it? Do we truly recognize its importance? In fact, many people are quite hazy about this issue, and this is precisely the obstacle that prevents our practice from gaining traction.
-
-{#发心的重要性}
-#### 1. The Importance of Generating the Aspiration
-
-Generating an aspiration is of paramount importance in the course of practice. To generate an aspiration, in plain terms, means choosing what kind of mental state you want to develop. Our minds are composed of various mental states: among them, negative mental patterns such as greed, hatred, pride, and jealousy, as well as positive mental patterns such as compassion, a sense of conscience and shame, and kindness.
-
-Where do we live each day? Not, in fact, in the reality we imagine, but in this formless, invisible, and ever-shifting inner world. For example, whom do I like or dislike? What do I do or not do? Who is directing all of this? It is, in fact, the mind making its choices. Why do you like someone? It is the mental pattern of craving at work. Why do you want something? It is the mental pattern of possessiveness at work. And not only that---all of our actions arise from the mental patterns that correspond to them.
-
-In the daily morning and evening recitations, we always chant: "If one wishes to fully know all the buddhas of the three times, one should contemplate the nature of the Dharma realm: everything is created by the mind alone." This verse comes from the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, and it tells us that the workings of the mind ultimately give rise to the ten dharma realms. These comprise the four noble realms and the six ordinary realms: the former include buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas; the latter include devas, humans, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. All these life forms, and all their manifold distinctions, are not simply given by nature but are rooted in our different mental patterns. Awakening to buddhahood depends on it, and so does falling into lower states.
-
-Why can we awaken to buddhahood? Because all sentient beings possess the innate potential for buddhahood---the latent essence of awakening, also called buddha-nature. At the same time, however, life is also characterized by beginningless ignorance, by innate self-grasping and afflictions that, if left unchecked, will steer us toward the unwholesome paths.
-
-What directs the course of life is precisely those ceaseless, moment-by-moment thoughts. Every thought that arises leaves a trace in the mind, and through constant repetition these traces accumulate into habits. Habits become mental dispositions, which in turn develop into character, and character eventually solidifies into personality. The kind of mental disposition and personality you have determines the kind of life environment you will create. Thus, every mental impulse represents a life path, and following that direction will eventually give rise to an entire world.
-
-Regrettably, people tend to focus only on outer outcomes and overlook inner causes and effects. When we do something wrong, if we do not see immediate retribution, we harbor the hope of getting away with it and think it does not matter---we can do it again tomorrow. This is profoundly shortsighted. For the ālaya consciousness has faithfully recorded every detail of this information. As we repeat the act, the force it has built up in the mind grows stronger. We can well imagine: if what the ālaya consciousness stores is nothing but unwholesome information, what will the face of our life be, and what destination will it head toward?
-
-In society, many people stop at nothing to get things done, and in the process they ruin their own minds. The same happens in the Buddhist community. Because we do not understand how mental patterns operate, we fail to make wise use of the mind in our activities. Though we may accomplish the task, we have already strayed onto the track of the ordinary mind---attached to status, or to our undertakings, or to fame, recognition, and material gain. And when this happens, interpersonal conflict is unavoidable.
-
-We must realize that everything we do has two kinds of results: an outer result and a mental result. And the latter is far more important than the former. For the outer result is temporary, while the mental result is lasting and can shape the course of life for a long time. Do not assume that a misdeed simply passes once it is done. In fact, it forms a mental force within the mind. This is an unhealthy, negative kind of information, which from a psychological standpoint is the cause of mental illness.
-
-Buddhism holds that wholesome actions attract happy results, while unwholesome actions attract painful results. This happiness and pain are not only outer but inner as well. When a thought of compassion arises, the mind is open and gentle; when a thought of hatred arises, the mind is distorted and turbulent. These results are something we can feel and experience right here and now.
-
-If the power of a mental pattern is strong enough, it will cause physiological reactions and affect the health of the physical body. Some people tormented by afflictions suffer so much they even resort to self-harm or try to take their own lives. Why? Because their minds can no longer bear these afflictions, so they need the body to share the burden or to combat it by destroying the body. See, then, how astonishing this power can be. Where does such power come from? In fact, we ourselves continually indulge and grow it.
-
-So the aspiration we generate not only determines what mental state we develop but also determines what kind of personality we will form and what kind of destiny we will attract. This question is simply too important. And it is from this perspective that generating the right aspiration is the very foundation of practice. The root is the cause---if the causal ground is not true, the fruit will be distorted. If the seed is wrongly planted---if, for instance, we try to become a buddha out of greed or selfish motives---then there is absolutely no way to succeed.
-
-Whatever kind of mind we have will lead to a corresponding life result. This aspiration encompasses the initial motivation and also the attitude we bring to each present moment in the course of our work. Sometimes we genuinely begin an endeavor with a noble spirit of benefiting others, but as the work goes on, we gradually drift off course and stray into the track of the ordinary mind. This is extremely common. For the ordinary mind represents our primordial ingrained habits; unless we are constantly vigilant and make a deliberate effort to reverse course, we easily fall into the momentum already built up.
-
-{#正确的发心}
-#### 2. Generating the Right Aspiration
-
-The Buddhadharma tells us that there are two kinds of right aspiration: renunciation and bodhicitta.
-
-What we call renunciation is the aspiration to leave samsara. As we said earlier, we must not only leave the secular home but also leave the home of the five aggregates, the home of afflictions, and the home of the three realms. In this sense, renunciation is what helps us actualize the true meaning of leaving home. We need to ask ourselves: have we generated this powerful aspiration---I want to leave the secular home! I want to leave the home of the five aggregates! I want to leave the home of afflictions! I want to leave the home of the three realms! Without these aspirations, it is impossible to complete the practice of liberation.
-
-So why should we leave home? Why leave our families and enter the saṅgha? Because the most distinctive feature of secular life is that it is saturated with possessiveness. This possessiveness becomes a contributory condition for the ordinary mind and a contributory condition for samsara. What is samsara? Its root is the greed, hatred, and ignorance in our minds; its supports are the secular life to which we cling. Our clinging to relationships, status, self, and everything else---these are exactly the supports on which samsara is built. And by the same token, our clinging to the monastery and to our present identity can also become supports for samsara---this is something we need to be particularly watchful about.
-
-The purpose of leaving the secular home is precisely to remove these supports. If, after removing some, we add others in their place, samsara still will not stop but will proceed on its course as before. Some might ask: why must we leave samsara? Are there not many pleasures in it as well? Setting aside the bliss of the heavenly realms, even in the human world there is the joy of family harmony and the delight of professional success. The Buddhadharma tells us that in terms of sensation, human life is not pure, unadulterated suffering. Besides painful feelings, there are also pleasant feelings and neutral feelings that are neither painful nor pleasant. But we must recognize that these pleasures are not essential in nature---they are only surface appearances.
-
-This is why Buddhism maps these feelings onto three kinds of suffering. What we normally think of as suffering, Buddhism calls "suffering of suffering" (*duḥkha-duḥkhatā*)---pain experienced both inwardly and outwardly. What we normally think of as pleasure, Buddhism calls "suffering of change" (*vipariṇāma-duḥkhatā*)---though it brings happiness for the moment, this happiness is temporary, and as soon as the pleasant condition changes, it leads to suffering. As for what is neither painful nor pleasant, Buddhism calls it "suffering of conditionality" (*saṃskāra-duḥkhatā*): all conditioned phenomena flow and change, without a single moment of stability, and their final outcome is still suffering, not happiness.
-
-So we can see that there is no essential happiness in samsara. By "essential," I mean happiness that remains happiness whenever and for however long we enjoy it. Can we find such happiness anywhere in the world? Obviously not. What is more, all the happiness in samsara is built on delusion and karma and tied to our craving. Once we become dependent on it, this so-called happiness turns into a cause of suffering, and the problems multiply endlessly. Consider the conditions that have emerged in recent years---mobile phone dependency, email dependency, internet dependency---every one of them a human creation. Why would these tools that bring us such convenience give rise to illnesses? It is precisely because of excessive dependency. The deeper the dependency, the more severe the resulting condition.
-
-Conversely, if we reduce our craving and clinging to the world, that itself is the beginning of liberation. It is like a rope---the more we care, the tighter it pulls. But when we loosen our grasp, even though some past habitual patterns remain, we no longer generate new ones, and we no longer identify with them.
-
-The key to practice lies in clearly seeing the faults of samsara. Only when we see through them thoroughly can we give rise to a genuine aspiration for renunciation. People say that monastics have seen through the worldly dust and let go of all ties. Let us look into our own hearts: have we truly seen through? Have we truly let go? And after seeing through and letting go of that worldly dust, have we then grabbed hold of yet another kind of dust, this time bearing a Buddhist label?
-
-As followers of the Mahayana path, after we generate renunciation we must go further and generate bodhicitta. Many people set renunciation and bodhicitta in opposition, assuming that they represent two incompatible directions---world-transcending and world-engaging. In truth, renunciation and bodhicitta share the same goal: liberation. The only difference is that renunciation emphasizes personal liberation, while bodhicitta extends this aspiration for liberation outward, vowing to lead all sentient beings to liberation. Thus, renunciation is the foundation of bodhicitta, and bodhicitta is the extension and fulfillment of renunciation.
-
-{#四律仪生活迈向解脱的基础}
-## Part Four: A Life of Discipline---the Groundwork for Liberation
-
-The Buddha told us: the precepts are the foundation for rightly following the path to liberation. "Rightly following" means that the precepts serve liberation; they are the rules of the road that keep us traveling safely toward liberation.
-
-The precepts are also called "individual liberation" (*prātimokṣa*), meaning that every precept we uphold keeps us from falling into a corresponding habitual pattern, and thereby liberates us from the bondage that pattern creates. When we uphold the precept against killing, we do not fall into the habit of killing; when we uphold the precept against stealing, we do not fall into the habit of stealing; when we follow a life of simplicity, we do not fall into material craving. Thus, the true function of the precepts is to block habitual patterns, not merely to impose external restrictions. The roots of all unwholesome actions are none other than greed, hatred, and ignorance. By regulating our conduct with the precepts, we aim to stop the continuity of greed, hatred, and ignorance, and thereby stop the continuity of samsara.
-
-This power comes from the effect of the precept essence. What is the precept essence? It is the inner self-restraining force that guards against wrongdoing and averts evil, formed in the mind upon proper reception of the precepts. Endowed with this self-restraining force, when we encounter external conditions we will remind ourselves: this is to be done, this is not to be done. With each reminder and each act of practice, the power of the precept essence grows, eventually shaping a monastic character that accords with the Dharma, transforming us completely from a layperson steeped in worldly habits into a pure and dignified saṅgha jewel, consistent within and without.
-
-Before we left home, we were all laypeople who grew up in secular life. Now, to become qualified monastics, teachers and models for humans and devas, we need to undergo a process of being remade like a product. The means of transformation are precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Through upholding the precepts, we cultivate the outer image of proper Dharma conduct; through concentration and wisdom, we cultivate an inner bearing that is transcendent and free of worldly taint. This is the fundamental distinction between monastics and laypeople. Once we possess this quality, we will maintain composure in the face of the five desires and six sense-objects and will not be drawn into them. If we care about the same things laypeople care about, and pursue the same things laypeople pursue, then what separates us from them?
-
-So in what ways do the precepts align with liberation?
-
-{#简朴的生活}
-#### 1. A Life of Simplicity
-
-The early śramaṇas of India mostly lived by begging for alms and esteemed asceticism. They believed that desire is the root cause that prevents liberation, and that only by counteracting it with asceticism can one cut the root of desire. The ascetic practices they chose mostly involved tormenting the physical body---baking under the blazing sun, soaking in river water, living like cows or dogs, and so on---thinking that in this way they could drive desire out of the body. After the Buddha renounced the home life, he too underwent six years of asceticism, eating only one sesame seed and one grain of wheat a day, until his body grew emaciated, like a withered tree. But he discovered that this approach to practice was not ultimate and could not lead a person to liberation. So he abandoned those fruitless ascetic practices, accepted the milk gruel offered by the cowherd girl, and after his body recovered, sat in meditation beneath the bodhi tree for seven days, finally attaining perfect awakening.
-
-Does this mean Buddhism does not advocate asceticism? Not at all. What the Buddha opposed was merely the arbitrary, meaningless tormenting of oneself. At the same time, he consistently advocated a simple way of life marked by few desires and contentment, believing this to be conducive to liberation. When the saṅgha was first established, the Buddha directed his disciples to live according to the four reliances---always begging for food, dwelling at the foot of a tree, wearing rag-robes, and using medicine made from decomposed matter---a practice also known as the dhutaṅga. However, such an austere life was more than most could sustain through sheer determination. So the Buddha then instituted the three robes, allowing monastics to accept garments offered by lay donors. Later, he further allowed "one of each article," permitting disciples to possess certain daily necessities, but only one of each kind. That is to say, every item was for use, not for accumulation, so as to avoid attachment to material things.
-
-In addition, the Buddha stipulated that monastics should not settle permanently in one place after leaving home. During the Buddha's time, apart from the three-month rains retreat, monastics spent the rest of the year wandering freely in all directions, with no fixed abode. Master Hongyi exemplified this well, having lived in many different places over the course of his life. Why should we change our dwelling frequently? It is because once we stay in a particular place for a long time, we easily become attached to it, and settling down also gives rise to a web of interpersonal relationships. This attachment and these relationships, in turn, stir up all kinds of ordinary mental states.
-
-Some might feel that these rules are separated from us by a vast distance of time and space and may not suit the saṅgha of this place and this era. But we must understand that although the Vinaya manifests in response to causes and conditions and is shaped by specific regional features and historical contexts, every rule was established by the Buddha in light of human weaknesses. Therefore, we ought to look through these precepts and grasp the Buddha's painstaking intention, to understand the spirit behind the articles. The main reason ordinary beings fail to attain liberation is attachment. And attachment is tied to possession---the more we possess, the more attachments we build. Each attachment becomes an obstruction to liberation, a rope that binds us.
-
-During the Buddha's time, the saṅgha would also accept offerings of land, vihāras, and other assets from lay followers. As a community, it could be quite wealthy, but when it came to each individual monastic, the life remained simple and frugal. The Vinaya contains clear provisions on many details of daily life, such as the three robes and the one-of-each rule. Any extra belongings beyond that were considered excess articles, which could be kept for a specified period (seven days, ten days, or one month) and then had to be given away; otherwise, one would commit a forfeiture offense (*naiḥsargika-pāyantika*).
-
-For monastics take liberation as their goal and the transmission of truth as their mission. If they too become attached to material desires and preoccupied with managing their lives, that is clearly a fall---a fall from pursuing truth to pursuing worldly concerns, from pursuing liberation to pursuing samsara. We must remember: every possession can become an attachment, a latent obstacle to liberation. There is a famous Chan story about Master Jin Bifeng, a meditator of profound attainment who was nevertheless so attached to his alms bowl that even in deep concentration he could not let it go, and nearly got caught by the ghostly minions. Once he realized this, he immediately smashed the bowl to pieces, and from then on, he was free of all entanglements and left no trace. The Vinaya texts contain many similar accounts: some bhikṣus, fearing that their clothes would be taken after death, were reborn as snakes, worms, or spirits to guard the belongings they had used in life. How deluded, how pitiable.
-
-From another angle, the more we possess, the more time we must spend on everyday living, and correspondingly, the less time remains for practice. To help his disciples shut out distractions and devote themselves single-mindedly to the path, the Buddha established an entire system aligned with liberation that covers monastics' clothing, food, shelter, and interpersonal relations. That system is the Vinaya. Thus, the precepts are not the shackles that ordinary people take them to be. Quite the opposite---they represent a pure and dignified way of living, an all-around protection for the practitioner.
-
-{#民主的管理}
-#### 2. Democratic Management
-
-When the Buddha entered parinirvāṇa, he did not entrust the saṅgha to any individual disciple but instead established a system of democratic assembly. In the traditional Indian saṅgha, although the three key offices of elder (*sthavira*), rector (*karmadāna*), and temple director (*vihārasvāmin*) formed the core administrative layer, all major saṅgha decisions were made by common vote of the assembled monastics, based on the collective opinion. This system of saṅgha affairs decided by the saṅgha itself is grounded in the unique philosophical thought of Buddhism and is a concrete practice of selflessness and equality.
-
-After Buddhism was transmitted to China, it gradually shifted toward rule by individuals and emphasized the authority of the abbot. Yet in the traditional Chinese monastery, the abbot's primary responsibility was to lead the community in practice and provide moral and spiritual guidance; the actual administrative duties were carried out by an executive system composed of the prior and the senior seat, creating a structure of shared responsibility and mutual oversight. In more recent times, however, abbots have begun to show a drift toward totalitarian-style control. In many monasteries, even the smallest matters must be decided by the abbot personally. This has given rise to certain drawbacks both for individual practice and for the saṅgha's development. Some people spend their entire lives managing temples. Over decades, they unconsciously develop ingrained habits around this, pinning their life's value on these roles and building their cultivation goals on these positions. In the end, they feel uncomfortable when not in charge and may even feel a sense of loss, much like the retirement syndrome seen in society at large, which seriously disturbs their inner balance and calm.
-
-For a role can very easily become a support for the ordinary mind---"I am the abbot," "I am the Dharma teacher"---and then we cling to these identities as self, constantly reinforcing and attending to them, until attachment solidifies. Wherever we go, we carry these concerns with us and cannot let them go. Originally, participating in management is itself a practice of giving rise to bodhicitta, a task of benefiting oneself and others. But if our orientation is off, this very identity can become a huge obstacle to liberation. From another angle, identifying with and clinging to a particular status easily makes that status an object of pursuit, which then sparks contention and arouses greed and hatred. And indeed, such situations are anything but rare in today's Buddhist world. The result is that practice becomes the cultivation of "self," and the practice center is defiled into a marketplace of fame and gain. For this reason, monastics should not remain permanently in a particular identity or position but should rotate periodically. This can, on the one hand, lessen attachment to identity, and on the other, guarantee regular periods of quiet retreat.
-
-Since we resolve to seek liberation, we must match this resolve with a way of life that supports it. Otherwise, we may find ourselves manufacturing attachments every single day---attachment to identity, attachment to status, attachment to dwelling, attachment to relationships. And all these attachments are precisely the root cause that keeps ordinary beings from liberation.
-
-Thus, we must grasp the spirit behind the Buddha's establishment of the precepts and, relying on the Vinaya, build a way of life that accords with the Dharma and is pure. If we have not been reformed by precepts, concentration, and wisdom, then no matter how many years we have been ordained or what position we hold in the Buddhist community, we are still, essentially, thoroughly ordinary laypeople. For inwardly, our mind is still the ordinary mind; the quality of our life remains unchanged. We may wear the outer appearance of a monastic and take part in Buddhist undertakings, but all this only shows that our life has been tinted with a touch of Buddhism---or, perhaps, wrapped in a layer of Buddhist packaging. Beyond that, what else is there?
-
-{#五空性正见迈向解脱的关键}
-## Part Five: Right View of Emptiness---the Key to Liberation
-
-The core of liberation is right view and śamatha-vipaśyanā. Among them, right view serves as the eyes, the guide, and the standard for adjusting our mental patterns. Its function is to help us see clearly how samsara is manufactured, and how it can be dismantled. Then, through śamatha-vipaśyanā, we actualize right view in our mental patterns until it becomes a force of liberation.
-
-Long ago, the Buddha realized beneath the bodhi tree that the root of samsara is ignorance. What is ignorance? It is not knowing clearly---first, not seeing oneself clearly, and then not seeing the world clearly. Because of not seeing clearly, we begin to form mistaken assumptions about ourselves: this is self-grasping. Then we form mistaken assumptions about the world: this is grasping at phenomena. Because of these two forms of grasping, sentient beings give rise to delusion, create karma, and transmigrate through birth and death---this is the process of delusion, karma, and suffering.
-
-Living in ignorance, sentient beings seek and pursue according to their desires. Whatever they feel they need today, they consider the most important thing and feel they must possess it. It is like children who need games, or adults who need fame and gain---in truth, these are all the workings of a deluded mind, illusory and absurd. But because we do not see clearly, we chase after them. In the course of pursuit, we may get a small taste of pleasure. This pleasure makes us cling and linger---like getting one taste of sweetness and then, once it is gone, constantly thinking about it, waiting for another chance to taste it. And so, pulled along by delusion and karma, we exhaust ourselves in the chase. Only when we recognize the bitter essence wrapped in that little pleasure will we no longer be deceived by the illusions that samsara creates and no longer hold expectations of them.
-
-In fact, samsara is not a concept unique to Buddhism but a concern shared by all Indian religions. They differ only on how samsara operates and how liberation is to be achieved. Some took rebirth in heaven as liberation, others took the four dhyānas and eight concentrations as liberation. In his own quest for the Dharma, the Buddha visited the most renowned non-Buddhist teachers of India and practiced the four dhyānas and the four formless concentrations. But he discovered that none of these were the ultimate path to liberation. At last, through his observation of dependent origination, the Buddha realized that sentient beings innately possess the wisdom and virtue of the tathāgatas---that is, the capacity for self-liberation. So liberation is not about sending life into another dimension of time and space, nor is it a state reached only after death. The moment we unlock the essence of awakening within, liberation is right here.
-
-The Buddha told us: the truth of samsara is suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and selflessness---all contaminated phenomena are suffering. In other words, a life built on delusion and karma, in whatever state it may be, is always marked by suffering, impermanence, and ceaseless change. The self constructed within this samsara is not actually you; it is only a product of ignorance. Life continues amid a chaotic jumble of emotions and mistaken notions, without any real ruling force. If we take our present personality to be "me," that is what the Chan school calls "mistaking the thief for one's own child." That is why Chan asks us to investigate our "original face"---we must transcend our present thoughts to realize it, rather than searching for it within our existing personality. Only by breaking through this deluded system can we clear away the clouds and see our original nature in full.
-
-Once we truly understand these truths, we can first of all stop intentionally creating samsara; second, stop identifying with the mistaken ideas we have built up in the past; and third, stop following the habitual patterns those mistaken ideas have cultivated. These points may sound simple, but putting them into practice is no easy task, because the habitual patterns and mistaken ideas built up since beginningless time have long since become our masters. We need to employ right view and meditative practice so that the power of clear inner observation can come into play, thereby adjusting the mind from its distorted state.
-
-In this process, reflection is crucial. The middle member of "hearing, reflection, and cultivation" is precisely this reflection; the second factor of the Noble Eightfold Path is right intention (reflection); the "wise attention" in the four Dharma practices is reflection; the analytical meditation taught in the *Lamrim* is also a practice of reflection. Of course, all of this refers to reflection carried out in accordance with the right view of the Buddhadharma---wise reflection, not the ordinary kind of wandering thought. Only in this way can right view be firmly established, allowing us to progress from wisdom through words, to wisdom through contemplation, and finally to the wisdom of ultimate reality.
-
-{#六结束语}
-## Part Six: Closing Words
-
-As monastics, we must not only take the attainment of liberation as our goal but also shoulder the responsibility of upholding the Buddhadharma, transforming the world, guiding society, and benefiting sentient beings. How are we to fulfill these tasks? The true benefit lies in transmitting the experience of liberation. This is not only what sentient beings need; it is also a crucial support for our own practice. When we wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to benefiting sentient beings, our self-grasping naturally weakens. Thus, the practice of benefiting others is also aligned with liberation.
-
-The Buddhadharma distinguishes between the Śrāvakayāna and the Bodhisattvayāna. From the standpoint of Śrāvakayāna practice, monastics are enjoined to minimize involvements and undertakings. From the standpoint of the bodhisattva path, however, we are enjoined to embrace many involvements and undertakings, striving to do everything that benefits sentient beings. Yet we must be aware that without a transcendent state of mind, many involvements and undertakings can easily entangle us in worldly affairs and even send us plunging headlong into the track of habit, stirring up the ordinary mind that lies within. This requires special vigilance. Some might say: in that case, isn't it safer to minimize involvements and undertakings? Why go looking for trouble? But we should know that for a practitioner of the bodhisattva path, an orientation of merely cultivating and liberating oneself runs counter to the Mahayana spirit. Therefore, we need to integrate both: on the one hand, maintain a world-transcending spirit and cultivate the capacity for liberation; on the other, embody the spirit of compassion and nurture the ability to benefit others. Like the Buddha, with wisdom, one does not abide in the three realms of existence; with compassion, one does not abide in nirvāṇa. Because of wisdom, one transcends samsara and dwells in liberation and ease; because of compassion, one actively engages the world and liberates sentient beings.
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 78 *Understanding Bodhicitta*
-
-Translator: AI (self-review)
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Self-review complete. No must-fix issues found. The translation preserves the
-source's 537-line structure, terminology is consistent with the MPI terms
-database, and the speaker's voice (语气) is maintained throughout. Below are
-notes on deliberate terminology choices and minor observations.
-
-## Terminology Decisions
-
-### Core terms (consistent with terms DB)
-
-| Chinese | English | Source |
-|---------|---------|--------|
-| 菩提心 | bodhicitta | Standard Buddhist term |
-| 凡夫心 | ordinary mind | 佛教术语 |
-| 出离心 | renunciation | 佛教术语 |
-| 空性见 | view of emptiness | 佛教术语 |
-| 我执 | self-grasping | DoT preliminary |
-| 胜义菩提心 | ultimate bodhicitta | 佛教术语, DoT定稿 |
-| 正见 | right view | BAICKZ |
-
-### Contextual renderings
-
- **发心**: Rendered as "aspiration" for general contexts, "generate bodhicitta"
-  when explicitly referring to 发菩提心. This contextual split is necessary
-  because the Chinese term shifts meaning between general aspiration and the
-  specific generation of bodhicitta.
- **法执**: Rendered as "dharma-grasping" parallel to "self-grasping" for 我执,
-  maintaining the symmetrical terminology of Yogācāra.
- **六度四摄**: "Six perfections and four means of gathering" — follows
-  established project convention.
- **愿菩提心 / 行菩提心**: "Aspiring bodhicitta" / "Engaging bodhicitta" —
-  standard renderings from Śāntideva's *Bodhicaryāvatāra* tradition.
-
-### Sanskrit diacritics
-
-Applied consistently: Māra, Śāriputra, Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, Śāntideva, Atiśa,
-Tsongkhapa, Mañjuśrī, Kṣitigarbha, Avalokiteśvara, Samantabhadra, Amitābha,
-Bhaiṣajyaguru, Maitreya, Subhūti, Śākyamuni, Milarepa, Dharmamati, Śakra,
-Dharmākara, Lokeśvararāja, Siṃhavikrīḍitapūrṇavikāsatathāgata, *Yogācārabhūmi*,
-*Bodhicaryāvatāra*, *Avatamsaka*, *Lamrim*, *Madhyānta-vibhāga*, etc.
-
-### Style notes
-
- **Speaker's voice**: Venerable Jiqun's 语气 is preserved — first-person
-  asides ("I find...", "I believe..."), rhetorical questions kept as questions,
-  reasoning connectives ("Therefore", "Thus", "In fact"), concrete everyday
-  analogies unvarnished, gentle admonition without scolding tone.
- **Hinayana**: Used where the source uses 小乘 in pedagogical contrast.
-  Consider whether "Śrāvakayāna" would be more appropriate for future editions
-  — this is a deliberate choice to mirror the source's register rather than
-  impose modern academic convention.
- **Tripiṭaka**: Sanskrit term kept for 三藏十二部.
- **Humanistic Buddhism**: Used for 人生佛教 per established convention (cf.
-  Master Taixu's "Buddhism for Human Life").
-
-## No corrections needed
-
-Three-pass review (accuracy, fluency, Dharma fitness) and R1–R14 editorial
-polish complete. No missing content, no calques, no terminology drift, no
-formatting issues found. Line counts verified: source 537 = target 537.
@@ -1,170 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings for 78 *Understanding Bodhicitta*
-
-Reviewer: independent translation review (source.dj vs target.dj)
-Date: 2026-08-07
-
-Method: full line-by-line comparison of all 537 source/target line pairs
-(blank-line alignment verified 1:1; all 19 blockquote headings match; every
-paragraph spot-read against the source, including all truncated long lines).
-
-Overall verdict: the translation is complete (no missing sections, no added
-material), doctrinally sound, and fluent. No critical errors. Two major
-accuracy defects and one omission need fixing; the rest are consistency and
-polish items. Note: edit-suggestions.dj (2026-08-06) reports "no must-fix
-issues" — this review found two must-fix items it missed (Major 1 and 2).
-
-## Critical
-
-None found. No doctrinal inversions, no dropped passages, no fabricated
-content. All scripture quotes checked against their Chinese sources render
-correctly (e.g. *Avatamsaka* "忘失菩提心…是為魔業", *Diamond Sutra*
-Subhūti passage, *Lamrim* common/uncommon cause, 受持菩提心 vow text).
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. 阿蘭那 rendered as "forest dwelling" (wrong word, internally incoherent)
-
-Location: target.dj line 407 (§VII.5, Diamond Sutra Subhūti quote): "…the
-World-Honored One would not say that Subhūti is one who delights in forest
-dwelling. It is because Subhūti truly has nothing practiced that he is called
-one who delights in forest dwelling."
-
-Problem: 阿蘭那 is *araṇa* ("non-contention"), not *araṇya* ("forest"). The
-same quote explicitly says two sentences earlier that Subhūti attained "the
-samādhi of non-contention" (無諍三昧) — so "forest dwelling" is both a
-mistranslation and contradicts the passage's own logic (the sutra glosses
-阿蘭那 precisely as freedom from conflict, "實無所行").
-
-Fix: "…the World-Honored One would not call Subhūti one who delights in
-dwelling free of contention. Because Subhūti truly dwells nowhere / practices
-nothing, he is called one who delights in dwelling free of contention." (Cf.
-Red Pine: "foremost in the practice of no-contention.")
-
-### M2. Factor-of-ten errors in the eon-count chain of the first analogy
-
-Location: target.dj line 169 (§IV.1, 初發心功德品 analogy).
-
-Problem: the chain is correct up to 百億劫 ("ten billion eons", ✓), then
-inflates by 10×:
- 千億劫 → "a trillion eons" — should be "a hundred billion eons" (千億 = 10¹¹).
- 百千億劫 → "a hundred trillion eons" — should be "ten trillion eons" (10¹³).
- 那由他億劫 → "nayutas of billions of eons" — 億 here is a hundred million
-  (10⁸), as the translator correctly rendered two clauses earlier ("a hundred
-  million eons"); should be "a hundred million nayutas of eons".
- 百千那由他億劫 → "a hundred thousand nayutas of billions of eons" — same
-  correction ("a hundred thousand nayutas of hundred-millions", or better:
-  keep "nayuta" and the Chinese-style multiplier).
-
-Fix: re-render the whole chain with one consistent numeral convention (億 =
-hundred million everywhere), e.g. "…for ten billion eons … a hundred billion
-eons … ten trillion eons … a hundred million nayutas of eons … a hundred
-thousand nayutas of hundred-millions of eons …"
-
-### M3. Omission: "每次三遍" dropped from the refuge-recitation instruction
-
-Location: target.dj line 249 (§V.1): "we should recite day and night, three
-times each session".
-
-Problem: source 應晝夜各念誦「…」三次，每次三遍 = recite three times (each day
-and each night), three repetitions each time. The "three repetitions per
-recitation" detail is lost, changing the practice instruction.
-
-Fix: "we should recite day and night, three times each, three repetitions
-each time: '…'"
-
-## Minor
-
-### Terminology / consistency
-
-1. 我法二執: rendered "the two attachments—to self and to phenomena" at line
-   37 but "the two graspings of self and phenomena" in six other places
-   (lines 101, 103, 301, 371, 437, 439). Unify to "two graspings" (matches
-   我執 "self-grasping" used throughout).
-
-2. 優波尼沙陀 (line 173): transliterated "Upaniṣad / upaniṣadth /
-   upaniṣadfold" — collides with the Upaniṣads and coins awkward forms.
-   Fix: "one upaniṣad part … an upaniṣad-fold … Upaniṣad is a Sanskrit
-   numeral, the largest unit of quantity" — or use "upaniṣat" and gloss "a
-   large numerical unit (not the Upaniṣads)".
-
-3. 億 rendered inconsistently: "hundred million" (line 169) vs "koṭi" (lines
-   233, 235, 357). At line 233, 二百一十億諸佛刹土 → "two hundred and ten
-   koṭis of buddha-lands" assumes 億 = koṭi (10⁷); the same passage is often
-   rendered 21 billion (億 = 10⁸). Either is defensible, but pick one
-   convention and apply it everywhere; add a translator's note for 233.
-
-4. 《略論》 (line 271) rendered as "the *Lamrim*", indistinguishable from
-   《道次第》(the 廣論) cited at lines 11, 203, 205, 399, 447, 451. Fix:
-   "the *Abbreviated Lamrim*" (or *Lamrim Chungba*).
-
-5. 正性離生 (line 219) → "definitive separation" loses 生 (birth).
-   Fix: "the stage of definitive deliverance [from rebirth]" or "definitive
-   freedom from birth".
-
-6. 覺有情 gloss (line 375): "The term 'bodhisattva' comes from the Sanskrit
-   *bodhisattva*, meaning awakened being." Redundant (English term =
-   Sanskrit term) and 有情 is dropped. Fix: 'The term "bodhisattva" comes
-   from the Sanskrit *bodhisattva*, "awakened sentient being" — one who is
-   awakened and awakens others.'
-
-7. 支那內學院 (line 63) → "Chinese Inner Studies Institute". Conventional
-   English name: "China Institute of Inner Learning". Fix to the attested
-   name.
-
-8. 《顯揚聖教論》 (line 213) given as *Ārya-śāsana-prakaraṇa-śāstra*. The
-   standard reconstruction is *Āryavācāprakaraṇa-śāstra* (Sakuma). Verify
-   against the project's Sanskrit title list and correct.
-
-9. 《大乘本生心地觀經》 (line 373) → "*Mahāyāna Sutra on the Contemplation
-   of the Mind-Ground*" drops 本生. Fix: "…Contemplation of the Originally
-   Arisen Mind-Ground" or keep short title and note the full title once.
-
-10. 攝受最勝 (line 259) → "supremacy of inclusion". Awkward; the item means
-    being sustained/gathered by non-conceptual wisdom. Fix: "supremacy of
-    being sustained" or "supremacy of embrace (by non-conceptual wisdom)".
-
-11. 因地: "causal ground" (5×) vs "causal stage" (line 413). Unify;
-    "causal stage" reads more naturally in English (e.g. "in his causal
-    stage, Amitābha was the monk Dharmākara").
-
-12. "buddha-name recitation" (line 47) vs "Buddha-name recitation"
-    (line 131): capitalization inconsistent; unify.
-
-### Fluency
-
-13. Line 311: "Just as it takes two pieces of wood rubbed together
-    continuously to produce the spark of compassion and wisdom." — sentence
-    fragment (a "just as" clause with no main clause). Fix: "It is like
-    drilling wood to make fire: two sticks must be rubbed together
-    continuously before the spark of compassion and wisdom can be struck."
-
-14. Line 61: "believing the treasury of Buddhist art holds rich treasures" —
-    treasury/treasures redundancy (source: 佛教藝術殿堂中有豐富的寶藏).
-    Fix: "believing the halls of Buddhist art hold rich treasures".
-
-15. Line 13: "only the Chan and Pure Land schools maintained the widest
-    influence" — "only … widest" jars. Fix: "only the Chan and Pure Land
-    schools retained wide influence" or "…exerted the widest influence".
-
-## Completeness
-
-Verified complete: 537/537 line alignment, all ten sections (intro through
-§X Q&A) and all 19 subsection headings present in matching order; every
-paragraph accounted for with no additions or deletions beyond M3 above. The
-Q&A section's eleven exchanges are all present and correctly attributed
-(學員/法師 → Student/Venerable).
-
-## Terminology (positive confirmation — no action needed)
-
-Consistent, standard renderings throughout: 發心 aspiration; 菩提心
-bodhicitta; 凡夫心 ordinary mind; 出離心 renunciation; 空性見 view of
-emptiness; 我執 self-grasping; 遍計所執 imagined nature; 願/行/勝義菩提心
-aspiring/engaging/ultimate bodhicitta; 七因果 sevenfold cause and effect;
-增上意樂 extraordinary attitude; 自他相換 exchanging self and other; 三輪體空
-threefold purity; 無緣大慈、同體大悲 unconditional great compassion and
-shared-essence compassion; 趣寂聲聞 śrāvaka fixed on tranquillity; 國王/船夫/
-牧人式發心 king-like/boatman-like/shepherd-like aspiration; 五種性 five
-lineages; 十二種最勝 twelve supremacies; 四弘誓願 four great vows; 十大願王
-ten great vow kings. Sanskrit names all correct (Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra,
-Dharmamati, Dharmākara, Lokeśvararāja, Gaganagañja, etc.). The 三十六萬億一十
-一萬九千五百 Amitābha count (line 419) is computed correctly.
@@ -1,537 +0,0 @@
-认识菩提心
-
------2003 年九月讲于戒幢佛学研究所
-
-2003年9月，济群法师在戒幢佛学研究所为学员们开讲《认识菩提心》系列讲座。在为时一周的讲座中，法师从"普通人的发心”开始，层层深入，详尽阐述了如何正确发心、菩提心的殊胜、菩提心的发起因缘和菩提心的特征等问题。法师立足于华严的见地，结合唯识、中观的思想，及历代大德对菩提心教法的开示，并根据自身的修学体验，对菩提心教法作了全面总结和诠释，使一向被人们当作口号的菩提心教法，得以从理论走向实践。
-
-"发心”这两个字，想必大家都很熟悉。我们经常会听到一些长辈要求我们发心，许多同辈之间彼此也会用发心来相互鼓励。但细究起来，有几个人能真正认识到其中的意义？又有几个人能将"发心”发得到位、发得准确、发得有水平？事实上是很少的。因而在很多情况下，发心似乎已经成了一句空洞的口号。
-
-在大乘佛教的重要经典中，几乎都有关于发菩提心的教诫。《华严经》云："忘失菩提心，修诸善根，是为魔业。”这句经文被省庵大师引用于《劝发菩提心文》，在汉传佛教界广为流传，发人深省。离开菩提心，在修行上的所有努力，都将成为生死之因。《大般若经》云："云何菩萨摩诃萨普为利乐诸有情故乘于大乘？满慈子言：舍利子！若菩萨摩诃萨修行般若波罗蜜多时，以一切智智相应作意，大悲为首，用无所得而为方便。”一切智智相应作意，即菩提心。印顺法师在《学佛三要》中引用了这段经文，并提出大乘佛教的三大要领：菩提心、大悲心、空性见，充分说明了菩提心在菩萨道修行中的重要性。
-
-《道次第》中，将修学佛法的要领归纳为三主要道，即出离心、菩提心、空性见。我觉得这一归纳非常精辟，发出离心不仅是为了个人解脱，更是作为菩提心生起的基础。因为大乘佛教是立足于菩提心，成佛就是菩提心的圆满成就，所以空性见也是为菩提心服务的。从菩提心的发起到成就，离不开空性见的引导。如果没有空性见，凡夫心尚且难以摆脱，何况无上菩提的成就？
-
-汉传佛教属于大乘，但在中国的弘扬过程中，并没有很好地实践大乘精神。汉传各宗祖师在立宗设教时，虽然都有关于菩提心的专门论述，却未能引起后人的重视。唐宋以降，唯禅宗和净宗影响最为广泛。而禅宗和净宗的修行人，往往充满浓厚的出世色彩。修禅的无非是了脱生死，念佛的一心往生西方，也还是了脱生死。问题还在于，他们基本是以个人解脱为主。如果仅仅为了个人解脱而修行，显然不是大乘的发心。
-
-为什么充满积极利世思想的大乘佛教，来到中国后演变为浓厚的出世色彩呢？根源就在于忽略了菩提心，在修行上不知不觉偏向以个人解脱为主。
-
-大乘和小乘的区别在哪里？很多人往往会从教理上区别，似乎学习大乘教理就是菩萨行者，学习小乘教理则是声闻行者。其实并非如此，区别大小乘的关键是在于发心，和对发心的实践。如果我们发菩提心受持五戒，那么五戒就是大乘的五戒，是菩萨行的组成部分。如果只为个人解脱而发出离心，即使学习至圆至顿的《华严》，也算不上合格的大乘弟子。
-
-在当前的佛教界，许多人对发菩提心的内涵缺乏了解。不知道怎样才是真正的发心？怎样将心发到位？发心到位之后又应该做些什么？如何使发心持续稳定地发展？对于这一系列问题，多数人不甚了了，菩提心自然也就无从发起。
-
-要解决这些问题，我们先从普通人的发心谈起。
-
-一、普通人的发心
-
-这里所说的普通人，指社会上那些没有学佛的人，他们不自觉中也在发心。因为他们每天都会有无数想法：想锦衣玉食，想财源滚滚，想仕途畅通；更有甚者，还想着坑蒙拐骗，损人利己。事实上，每种想法都不是凭空而有的，皆有各自的心理基础。这个基础或是贪心，或是嗔心，或是我慢、嫉妒，乃至邪知邪见。这一心理基础，又会引发相应的行为。
-
-> 1．凡夫心的形成
-
-每个行为在完成过程中，一方面会成就客观上的事实，比如为谋利去开公司，经过几十年努力成就一番事业。而在另一方面，这一行为更成就了我们的凡夫心。如果开公司的心理基础是贪心，那么在经营过程中，对公司的贪著之心也会随之增长，最后这个公司就成为生命的重要组成部分。
-
-社会上不少青年为了恋爱寻死觅活，他们并不是开始就严重到这一地步，不可能一见面就再也无法分开。也是经历了相恋的过程，使彼此的贪著之心越来越重，以至发展到无与伦比的程度，觉得失去对方就失去了整个精神支柱。
-
-凡夫心正是这样不断滋养起来的。用唯识法义来理解，就是"种子生现行，现行熏种子”。这两句话虽然简单，但已将心行运作的规律揭露无遗。"种子生现行”是重复的过程，当然这不是简单的重复。因为心念的重复是变化的，会介入自身的经验和想法，最后形成贪心、嗔心、我慢、嫉妒等各种心行。尤其在现代社会，世风日下，人心不古，做事业要面临很多考验，甚至可以说是处处陷阱，往往使人不自觉地被各种诱惑所转。最后事业虽然成就了，内心世界却被染污得面目全非。
-
-从这个意义上理解，发心就是通过外在的想法和行为，最终引发并成就自身的某种心理。所以说，我们每做一件事，不仅要考量客观结果，更要考量它究竟成就了怎样的心。事业是短暂的，而凡夫心的作用不仅会左右我们的今生，更会影响到未来。
-
-世人以凡夫心为基础，产生种种想法及行为，因而成就了凡夫品质。所谓凡夫品质，从根本来说，就是我法二执及贪嗔痴烦恼。当然，每个人的执著有不同取向，从而展现出各自不同的性格特征。凡夫心的力量强弱，取决于我们对它的培养。习惯贪的人时刻都在张扬自己的贪心，习惯嗔恨的人时刻都在张扬自己的嗔心，这些现象我们很容易在生活中观察到。如果不反省并制止，贪心和嗔心随时都会寻找目标，采取行动。久而久之，使贪心和嗔心变得无比强大。
-
-心灵是在重复中成长的，每重复一次就壮大一次。所以，我们必须对自己的一言一行乃至起心动念加以审视，及时调整。
-
-> 2．良好心行的培养
-
-每一种技能的获得，也要通过不断重复。比如我们学打球，必须反复练习才能形成正确的姿势。有些动作看似简单，但要学得规范并不容易。即使学会了，还需要经过相当时间的巩固。因为我们在此之前往往已形成某种习惯性的姿势，稍有松懈，马上会恢复到原有习惯中。只有在特别用心时，才会做出准确的姿势。
-
-事实上，行为习惯也代表着心灵习惯，两者是统一的。但从心灵到行为的落实，确实需要通过训练。这种训练可能要百次、千次、万次，随时将自己的观念和行为调整到正确状态，然后不断重复。当这种重复在心行上稳定之后，就是定。事实上，定并没有那么神秘，稳定地延续下去就是定。当正确的身心行为稳定之后，就会发挥出强大的能量。不然，它的力量是很微弱的。
-
-正念同样需要训练。所以，念佛必须时刻忆念"阿弥陀佛”的名号，将一句名号周而复始地重复、重复、再重复。那么，重复的关键在哪里？就是有正见为指导。否则的话，重复训练会将一些错误的观念和行为固定下来，成为难以改变的不良习惯。
-
-正见能指导我们调整身心，帮助我们作出判断：这个状态应该舍弃，那个状态应该舍弃。通过不断舍弃，将心行调整得不偏不倚。正见还告诉我们：在这一状态中，应以怎样的态度去对待，否则又会落入怎样的状态，等等。这正说明了经教的重要性，因为经教可以帮助我们树立正见。但学习经教必须找到立足点，这个立足点是在我们的心行。所以学法的重点是心，而不是书本。
-
-正确的发心非常重要。凡夫的发心基础是错误的，最终训练出来的就是凡夫心，是贪心、嗔恨；而不是觉悟的心，不是慈心和悲心。反过来说，如果我们能以训练凡夫心的功夫，用于训练佛菩萨品质，训练觉悟的心，也会很快成就的，可能所用的力气还不需要百分之一。关键在于，我们不懂得什么是觉悟的心，更不懂得怎样训练。如果找对方法，觉悟并非遥不可及。翻开古德传记，不少人是经善知识点化，言下顿悟。这也从一个侧面说明，开悟并非不可企及的事。佛陀在世时，很多弟子闻佛说法后，当下得法眼净，证悟圣道圣果。如果很难的话，不可能当下成就。所以修行应该有简单的一面，关键在于找到正确的方法和入手处。
-
-二、学佛人在发心中的误区
-
-普通人因为从凡夫心出发，所以成就了凡夫心。那么学佛者的发心是否就正确呢？其实也不尽然。很多学佛者的发心，并没有摆脱原有的心行习惯，也不属于正确的发心。
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-> 1．基于某种贪著而发心
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-学佛者的发心往往存在两种误区。一是从开始就不对，是带着某种贪著学佛。深究起来，可能百分之九十的人都是以此为起点。
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-有些人是被寺院庄严的环境所感染，走入寺院后觉得非常安详，因此前来学佛，觉得住在寺院享享清福就是人生的至高境界，其实他只是贪著方外之地的氛围。有些人是被清净的梵呗和僧人的念诵打动，学佛后天天跟着唱念，以为这就是最好的修行，其实他只是贪著于梵呗和音声。也有些人喜欢佛教高深的哲理，觉得研究佛学很有思想深度；还有些人欣赏佛教辉煌的艺术，觉得佛教艺术殿堂中有丰富的宝藏，等等。若是缘于对某种外境的贪著而发心学佛，那么在学的过程中，贪著往往也会随之增长。
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-如果把佛教当作学术来研究，到最后写文章、出成果就成为目的了。一旦有了成果、出了专著、评了职称之后，会觉得学佛的任务已彻底完成，人生的问题已完全解决。还有很多人把佛教当作纯粹的哲学来思考，对哲理的兴趣远远高于解决人生问题，这一类也大有人在。民国年间支那内学院的学者们，基本就落入哲学式的研究，而不是基于对生命的关怀。甚至还有些人是奔着佛教的利益而来，把寺院当作谋生场所，更是错误的发心。
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-仔细分析起来，绝大部分人都是由类似的因缘走入佛门。真正感悟到人生无常，为寻找生命出路，为了生脱死，为成佛作祖，为利益一切有情而学佛的，实在是少之又少。如果发心后继续缘于对外在现象的贪执，没能在目标上有更高的提升，最后成就的很可能是贪著之心、我法二执。这是发心中的第一种误区现象。
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-当然，从贪著入门并非绝对不可。《维摩经》曰："先以欲钩牵，后令入佛智。”也就是说，先以某种方便使人对佛法产生兴趣，然后逐步引导。比如澳洲的一些道场，便免费为大家提供素食。很多人开始到寺院，并不是对佛教有兴趣，而是奔着免费素菜来的。但他们到寺院的次数多了，渐渐对佛教产生感情，然后听听讲座，读读佛教书籍，认识也会有所提高，最终转入正确的发心。所以说，如果不是停留在贪著上，而能通过闻思经教来树立正见，并以正见为指导，"勤修戒定慧，息灭贪嗔痴”。那么，尽管是从贪著开始，最终却能放弃贪著，同样可以成就解脱。
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-> 2．发心过程中误入凡夫心
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-第二种误区现象，是从正确的发心开始，的确是为追求解脱或成就佛道而学佛。但这种发心能否持续下去？能否保持永久的纯正性？
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-我们知道，发心只是开始，只是一念的力量。这个刚刚生起的正念像婴儿一样，力量非常微弱。相反，凡夫心的力量却非常强大，因为它源于无始以来的生命洪流，其力量往往比我们以为的更强大。只有当我们发起强烈的出离心和菩提心时，凡夫心才会暂时退避一下。就像猫出现时，老鼠就知趣地躲进洞里。
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-但心不会总是处在这样的状态，尤其是当我们做事的时候，比如住持道场、管理寺院，免不了要应酬复杂的人际关系；到各地弘法、开设讲座，也免不了和各种类型的信徒打交道。在这样的过程中，我们往往会忘记当初的发心，甚至将事业的成就当作修行目的。事实上，我们发出离心或菩提心做事，最终所要成就的正果是解脱，是无上菩提，事业只是其中的副产品。
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-遗憾的是，多数人在做事过程中不知不觉地忽略了初心，背离了最初的目的。尤其在事业有了一定规模之后，我们甚至也会像世俗人那样，希望这项事业越做越大，希望这项事业超过别人，忘了修行人应以怎样的心态来做事。于是乎，所有的凡夫心都回来了。随着事业的发展，对事业的贪著也成正比地增长。事业开展得越大，对事业的贪著之心就越强。虽然从事的是佛教事业，但和从事世俗事业的心行运作规律是一样的。
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-无论对佛教事业的贪著，还是对世俗财富的贪著，两种贪的本质并没有什么区别。当然，弘扬佛法或护持道场能利益很多人，它所成就的福德，和贪著世间名利的果报截然不同。但我们必须认识到，两者在主观上成就的贪著之心没有丝毫不同。就像在我们的眼中，无论放上金子还是沙子都同样有害。
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-很多做事的人，包括护法、弘法乃至修行的人，因为在知见上没有过关，不能正确认识做事应有的心态，所以在发心过程中不自觉地落入了凡夫心。这种情况在教界比较普遍，虽然客观上成就了一番佛教事业，但也在主观上成就了典型的凡夫心。事业发展到相当规模之后，甚至形成了山头主义、本位主义、宗派观念。其实，这些都是我执的表现。因为我执也随着事业一起成长，到最后和修行完全是两码事了。表面看起来事业很辉煌，弘法的影响非常大，但我执和贪著之心也在与日俱增。
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-明白这个道理极其重要，百分之九十五以上的人可能都没注意到这一点，所以接二连三地栽了进去。我也是因为近期思考菩提心的问题，才发现了这个道理。虽然道理很简单，但意义非常重大。尤其是对同学们来说，现在开始把握还来得及。如果我们能发起猛利的菩提心，调整好自身心行，在做事过程中就不会被事业所转。
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-或许有人会说，既然做事会做出那么多问题来，还不如事不关己，高高挂起。但这样就不能利益一切众生，也不可能成就佛道。我们知道，菩提心的修行是非常积极的。如果不做事，菩提心根本无法调动起来，佛菩萨具备的品质根本无法成就。所以，必须通过修利他行来积累成佛资粮。关键在于，要以正确的发心来做事，并始终保持这份发心。只有这样，我们才能在利益众生的同时，于自身成就佛菩萨一般的品质。
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-我们应该感到幸运，能在学佛初期就了解到发心的误区。当然，仅仅了解还远远不够。如果不掌握用心要领并付诸实践，即使知道也是白搭，因为凡夫心的力量太大了。所以，我们必须结合佛法中上乘的用心方法，对心行训练下一番苦功，否则，明白了道理也无济于事。
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-自我诡计多端，它会寻找各种借口来调动凡夫心。我们的内心世界有无数频道，有时我们明明打开的是这个频道，却会被另一个信号更强的频道抢占。我们平时打开电视时也会遇到类似的现象。自我不仅信号强大，而且随时都在伺机而动。在我们的内心深处，每种心所都像心灵的一个频道，有的力量比较弱，有的力量比较强。哪种心所的力量最强，就会当仁不让地主宰我们。其中最危险的是我执，因为它是无始以来形成的。所以修行最大的敌人就是我执，一旦彻底摧毁我执，其他烦恼就迎刃而解了。
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-如何在发心过程中避免落入凡夫心，是修行非常重要的环节，发心要领亦在其中。仔细分析起来，我们的内心世界十分复杂，即使在行善时，也很难保证是纯粹的利他之心。当然，利他心应该是有的，同时我执也肯定会有，乃至贪心、是非心都很难避免。我们会分别应该利益哪些人，不该利益哪些人等等，其中有很多界限。可见，我们即使在行善时，凡夫心同样会随之启动。若不引起警惕的话，凡夫心往往会逐渐占据主要地位，并最终取代当初的利他心，那我们成就的只能是凡夫心。只有发起纯粹的利他心，才有可能成就佛菩萨的慈悲品质。
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-《金刚经》和《普贤行愿品》告诉我们，真正的发心应该具备觉悟、利他和无限、无所得的特征。我们必须以此为标准，时时检查并调整自己的心行。首先要认识到发心的误区，才能准确地发起菩提心，进而掌握修行要领。佛法虽然有不同体系，如大乘有唯识、华严、法华、涅槃、中观般若等，但找到其中的核心就会发现，所有经论是在不同层面为我们提供帮助。唯识关于心理的分析，以及心灵运作规律的阐述，对我们认识发心帮助很大。佛法的究竟处是殊途同归的，契入和修证的方法虽然不同，但归结到根本是相通的。
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-三、如何正确发心
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-三藏十二部典籍都是围绕心性展开，是在帮助我们解读心性。如果我们不了解自己的心灵，不了解心灵的种种误区，势必无法正确发心。
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-佛教虽然也关心世界，但关心世界的最终目的，还是为了解决心性问题。因为我们的许多烦恼，都是因为对世界的错误认识而引起。世界和我们的心，究竟是一还是二？在一般人的眼中，心是心，世界是世界，二者似乎没有太大关系。因为我们认为心与世界为二，从而使心落入二元对立的执著中。
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-修行中有两个最大的敌人，即能执和所执。关于能所二执，唯识宗为我们阐述得非常清楚：遍计所执是生命从无限落入有限的开始，当我们超越遍计所执时，就能从缘起现象的当下契入空性。真理的世界因为这种执著，就成了凡夫的世界。如果我们认识到"一切唯心造”的道理，就可以从这样的认知中契入空性。因为一切现象都是心的显现，和心是一体的。这是学习唯识必须了解的基本理念。
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-古往今来，各种宗教层出不穷，佛陀在世时就有九十六种外道。为什么其他宗教不能开大智慧、契入空性呢？原因就在于认识上的错误，因为他们把不是真理、不是空性的东西当作诸法的真实相，是不同程度地停留在我法二执中，执著于某一种我，或某一种法，所见到的并不是事物本来面目。
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-对心性的正确认识，于修行来说至关重要。只有了解到这一层面，我们才能明确知道发心应该从哪里开始。正确的发心主要有两种，即出离心、菩提心。
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-> 1．出离心
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-什么是出离心？很多人发心出家时，迫切地想从家中离开，迫切到一天都等不及了，那一刻的心态就是出离心。世间的家庭离异，双方迫不及待地想要分手，一心盼着越快解决越好；再或者，我们在某地呆得厌倦了，不想再看一眼，多呆一天都是折磨，那种迫切希望分手或离开的心，也是出离心。至于出到哪里，当然是另一回事，这里只是说明希求出离的心态。
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-我们不妨反省一下，自己学佛、出家、追求解脱，是否时刻保持着这份出离心？很多人刚出家时可能会有，但时间长了，出家逐渐演变为另一种生活方式，不过是换个地方过日子。这并不奇怪，从心理学上说，人有一种习惯性的麻木。对于某种状态熟悉了，就会逐渐失去感觉。
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-我们平常看到死人，尤其是身边的亲人去世，马上会提起对死亡的警觉。但那些殡仪馆的工作人员，把尸体扔到电炉里，可能和烧老虎灶差不多。这种事一般人多半不敢做，把一个曾经活生生的人推进去化成灰烬，的确是很难下手的事。但他们每天都要面对那么多冰冷僵硬的尸体，对死亡不再有任何恐惧和警觉。再比如，每个病人都对自己的病情看得很重，但医生每天要治疗一批批病人，病人认为再重要的病，在医生眼中也不过是千万患者中的一例，不会引起和病人同样的重视。这些都属于习惯性麻木。
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-出家对很多人来说也是一样。出家时间长了，很容易把寺院当作过日子的环境，只想着营造一个把日子过好的氛围。所以佛陀告诫比丘们，要时常忆念生命在呼吸间，一息不来就是来生。这样才会对死亡保持警觉，不再贪恋安逸的生活。
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-如果我们真正意识到无常是那么迫切，意识到无常就在眼前，还敢散乱、妄想、追名逐利吗？还有时间去忙这些身外事吗？我们就会自觉地"如救头燃”般精进，保持对修行的紧迫感，不敢有丝毫松懈。如果我们的心时时处于一级戒备状态，修行就很容易相应。
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-发起出离心，是出家修行的基础。那么，究竟是要出离什么呢？就是对生死的出离，对世间的出离，对五欲六尘的出离。真正的出离包括两个方面：一是外在的出离，一是内在的出离。外在的就是五欲六尘，内在的就是对五欲六尘的贪著及由贪著引起的凡夫心。所以我们要出离的不仅是环境，更是自身的凡夫心。事实上，出离环境的目的，正是为了出离对环境的贪著及由此引起的凡夫心。我们只有摆脱凡夫心，才能契入空性，解脱烦恼。
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-出离凡夫心，首先不能对世间有丝毫贪著，这是关键所在。阿含教法告诉我们，在认识上应以观苦为第一要领。苦是佛教出世解脱的基础，观人生是苦，进而认识无常、空、无我，是发起出离心的几个基本认知。
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-而在行为上，则应依戒、定、慧修行。我们无始以来养成了贪嗔痴等种种串习，每种烦恼串习都在设法主宰我们。我们必须通过戒的力量阻止它，不让烦恼有可乘之机。所谓定，即通过某个所缘将心安住其上，比如修数息观、不净观，将心安住于数息或观想不净，使妄想不再活动。然后再修习无常观、无我观，引发无漏智慧，将烦恼、执著彻底铲除。
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-所以说，发起出离心之后必须懂得怎么保持，并使它的力量不断壮大，直至最终成就。否则的话，即使发起出离心，不久也会被凡夫心取而代之。当我们发起猛利的出离心时，凡夫心会暂时避一避。但只要我们稍稍松懈，它立刻会卷土重来。我深深体会到，修行必须像勇士般精进，否则很难有重大突破。当然，用心上的勇猛并不是非常强烈的作意。虽然开始时需要作意，但更主要的是指不松懈。如果长时间地过分用力，不但容易疲倦，还会落入作意的误区中。所以关键是懂得怎么用心，否则用错了力，勇猛精进也会出问题的，所谓欲速则不达。
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-发起出离心的最终目标是解脱生死。在现代社会，修行确实比过去困难，因为整个社会的诱惑太多，出家人的事务也太多。对于多数人来说，开始修行时很容易受到环境的影响，所以对环境的要求非常严格。过去的出家人多半隐逸于山林，过着纯粹的修行生活，除了需要极少一点资养色身的衣食外，主要精力都用于证道。相比之下，我们今天的修行环境很严峻，修习解脱道的难度要大得多。
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-所以，今天的修行可能要采用一些比较猛利的方法。换句话说，就是时间短、见效快，立马就能截断众流。在佛法修行中，确实有这样的方法，可以让我们在较短时间内上路。而且在上路之后，立刻使我们保持在无念、无住、无所得的状态中。在今天，我们有必要寻找这些用心的方便，修行才更有把握。如果像古人那样，必须坐上十年、二十年才有些起色，现代人是很难修起来的。因为没有单纯的氛围，我们在修行中取得的一点点进步，往往还抵不上外境造成的伤害。
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-尽管不少人每天会拿出两小时或更多时间来念佛、诵经、禅修，但其余十几个小时往往还是在念贪嗔痴。我们用作意培养起来的正念还非常弱，根本抵挡不住无始以来的串习。这就是很多人虽然也在修行，但烦恼习气依然如故的原因。
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-如果修行是建立在凡夫心的层面，出现这些现象再正常不过。因为我们现在培养起来的正念是建立在意识层面的，想以此抵挡无始以来的烦恼妄念，力量如此悬殊，怎么可能取胜呢？就像婴儿和壮汉搏斗一般，结果是不言而喻的。认识到这个心行规律，我们就很容易理解，为什么很多人的修行无法达到预期效果。
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-> 2．菩提心
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-出离心只是修行的基础，进而还要发起菩提心。出离心的发展有两种情况：一是强烈的个人出离，只追求涅槃解脱，属于趣寂声闻；一是从出离心开始，然后回小向大，发起菩提心。出离心是对世间贪著的出离，正是菩提心建立的基础。而菩提心具有的无住、无所得的特征，与出离心是相应的。两者的区别在于能否推己及人，由个人解脱而发愿利益众生，共证菩提。
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-菩提心具备两个内涵：一是广泛利益众生，一是追求无上佛果。两者是否存在先后顺序？在发心过程中，我们究竟以利益众生为先，还是以成佛为先？是为了成佛才去度众生，还是为了度众生才成佛呢？在这个问题上有一些不同的观点。
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-对大多数学佛者来说，可能首先想到的是"我要成佛”，然后为了成就佛果去利益众生。也就是说，度众生是为了"我”的成佛。但菩萨在利益众生的过程中，不应将自己视为众生的恩人，而要将众生视为自己的恩人。这是因为，唯有利他才能使我们成就慈悲品质和菩提资粮。《普贤行愿品》告诉我们："一切众生而为树根，诸佛菩萨而为华果，以大悲水饶益众生，则能成就诸佛菩萨智慧华果。”明确指出了佛菩萨和众生的关系，以众生作为成就慈悲的增上缘。
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-即使我们具备佛菩萨一样的生命品质，这颗种子也要通过利益众生才能成熟，而且是纯粹的利他。只有发心达到这个份上，才能圆满内在的慈悲品质。如果其中还夹杂着凡夫心，只能成为调动慈悲的前奏，甚至可能"差之毫厘，失之千里”。同时，我们还必须将发心积累到一定的量，才能使菩提心完全启动。这个训练可能要通过百次、千次、万次，乃至千万次的重复。我们要每天这么想、这么做，通过不断的心灵模拟和训练来强化它。一旦发心的质和量都具足了，我们就和佛菩萨无二无别了。
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-但如果我们始终本着这样一种心态，只是将度众生作为成佛的方便，慈悲心是很难圆满的。因为我们的目标在于"我要成佛”，有这个"我”在，很难保证在度化众生时是纯粹的利他心，甚而还会有利用众生之嫌。
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-所以我觉得这种观点有利有弊。有利的方面在于，当我们度化众生时，可以明确知道自己为什么要利益众生：因为"我要成佛”就必须利他。而弊端则在于，未能真正对众生生起"无缘大慈、同体大悲”，只是像生病必须吃药一样，将利他当作成佛的途径和手段。如果停留在这种心态，慈悲心的纯度肯定会受到不同程度的影响。
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-另一种观点则是"为利有情愿成佛”，也就是说，修行不是以成佛为目的，只是为了更好地度化众生。就像同学们来到研究所进修，目的不是为了取得一个文凭，而是为了将来更好地弘法利生，荷担如来家务。如果我们一切都是为了众生，丝毫没有夹杂其他成分，更容易达到佛菩萨的发心标准。当我们这样发心时，佛菩萨品质已在生命中产生作用，当下就在某个层面和佛菩萨无二无别。这就是《华严经》所说的"初发心即成正觉”，换句话说，修行初始和最终结果在本质上并没有区别。
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-在《华严经·初发心功德品》中，对于菩萨的初发心功德有详细阐述。由此我们可以了解到，发心发到位时，功德之大简直超乎想象。这是因为------菩提心就是成佛之心！
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-那么，如何发起菩提心？或许有人会觉得很抽象，事实上，它有很多具体的操作方法。发菩提心的内涵是什么？就是我要度众生、我要成佛。这种"我要成佛”的心理，其实和"我要吃饭”是一样的，只是所缘对象不同。当然，其中还有程度和纯度的差别。比如"我要吃饭”，有可吃可不吃、很想吃和非吃不可之分。在某种意义上说，"我要成佛”的意愿也与此相似。
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-问题在于，我们想吃饭时会很着急，想成佛时却没有那么迫切。因为日常生活中的发心和"我要成佛”的发心，毕竟还有区别。我们想吃饭的话，马上就可以吃。但想要成佛的话，怎么才能成就呢？似乎无从入手。为什么会出现这样的情况？是因为我们不能真正认识到成佛的意义。所以，我们发心时还要有一个所缘境，也就是佛果功德。《华严经》等经论中，有大量经文说明佛果的功德。只有当我们认识到佛果功德的殊胜，认识到人生的意义在于成就佛果，才有可能发起强烈的菩提心。
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-在我看来，整个大乘经典阐述的修行方式，从菩萨的愿力到菩萨戒，及大乘华严、般若的见地，所有这一切都是围绕菩提心的成就而展开。只有通过发菩提愿、持菩萨戒、行菩萨道，才能使菩提心发芽、开花并最终结果。所以说，菩提心既是修行的着力点，也是最终所要成就的结果。如果不发菩提心，我们的修行就无法找到立足点。
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-四、菩提心的殊胜
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-我们已经了解到，学佛的正确发心是发菩提心。但在佛教界，不少人仅仅将发心作为口号，却不曾付诸行动。原因何在？我想，应该是对菩提心的重要性缺乏认识。
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-就我个人而言，过去对菩提心的认识也很肤浅。虽然时常会提到发心，可也和很多人一样，并没有真正落实到行动中。自从接触《华严经·初发心功德品》后，深为菩提心的力量所震撼。回顾多年所学，并进一步翻阅大乘经论，才真切意识到发菩提心的意义所在。
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-> 1．菩提心的殊胜
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-和许多大乘经典一样，《初发心功德品》亦以校量的方式来阐述发心功德。经中运用了十一个比喻，分别为：利乐众生喻、速疾步刹喻、知劫成坏喻、善知胜解喻、善知诸根喻、善知欲乐喻、善知方便喻、善知他心喻、善知业相喻、善知烦恼喻、供佛及生喻。
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-本品主讲者为法慧菩萨，当机者为天帝释。经文开篇，天帝释即向法慧菩萨询问：菩萨初发心功德究竟多大？法慧菩萨首先以利乐众生喻说明，经文大意为：假使有人以一切乐具（能为众生带来利益安乐的物质资生用品），供养十方世界中多达十阿僧祇的众生，历经百劫；然后教化他们修习十善道，以此法供养历经千劫；然后教化他们修习四禅，长达百千劫；然后教导他们修习四无量心，长达亿劫；然后指导他们修习四无色定，长达百亿劫；然后指导他们依解脱道修行，令得须陀洹果，长达千亿劫；然后又指导他们修行，令得斯陀含果，长达百千亿劫；然后指导他们安住阿那含果的修行，长达那由他亿劫；然后指导他们阿罗汉果位的修行，长达百千那由他亿劫；然后又教化他们成就辟支佛道的修行。
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-法慧菩萨以一系列比喻说明后，反问天帝释：佛子！你看此人功德有多大？天帝释答言：此人功德实非凡人可以想象，唯有佛陀才能知晓。
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-法慧菩萨接着说：此人功德虽不可思议，但比之于菩萨初发心功德，却不及百分之一、千分之一、百千分之一乃至优波尼沙陀分之一。换言之，菩萨初发心功德超过以上功德的百倍、千倍、百千倍、优波尼沙陀倍。优波尼沙陀是梵语的数量单位，为最大的数量词。
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-接着，法慧菩萨又连续演说十个比喻，层层递进，以此校量菩萨初发心的功德。在这十个比喻中，后后功德胜于前前。故每一喻皆以"且置此喻”作为开端，舍置前前，更举后后，以此标举菩萨初发心功德之殊胜难思，至高无上。
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-了解到初发心的殊胜功德，我们在心向往之的同时，或许会产生一丝疑惑：菩萨初发心为何具有如此功德？究竟与凡夫、二乘人的发心有何不同？针对这一疑问，法慧菩萨进一步作出说明：天帝释！一切诸佛初发心时，不仅以一切资生用具供养十方世界中一切众生；也不仅教化众生修习五戒、十善，修习四禅、四无量心、四无色定，并帮助他们获得须陀洹果、斯陀含果、阿那含果、阿罗汉果、辟支佛道。初发心菩萨并不以此为满足，更在此基础上，发心令如来种性不断并传播到所有世界，发心度化一切众生成就佛道。
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-从中我们可以看出，菩萨初发心与凡夫、二乘人发心的根本区别，在于前者是以无限之心行广大善行，而后者却是有限的。此处所说的有限包含两个方面：一是数量有限，尽管"十方十阿僧祇”这个数字已大得难以想象，但毕竟还是有限的；二是成就有限，无论以资生用具令众生获得安乐，还是指导他们成就声闻四果乃至辟支佛道，皆是有限有上的果位，非为无限无上的佛果。
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-从有限的发心出发，度化有限的众生，成就有限的果位，最终成就的功德必然是有限的。再多的有限相加，不过是更多、更大的有限，绝不能和无限相比。而菩萨初之发心，是以无限的众生为利益对象，以无上的佛果为成就目标。
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-或许有人会感到不解：众生如微尘般数不胜数，诸佛菩萨可能度尽吗？久远劫来，已有无量诸佛成就佛道，若诸佛皆须度化一切众生后方证菩提，为何还有无数众生沉溺于生死轮回之中？众生并未度尽，而诸佛已然成就，此又作何理解？
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-我们要知道，菩萨发心度化一切众生成就佛道，并不意味着要等众生全体成佛之后，功德才能圆满。若是如此，恐怕无人能成就佛道。因为众生是无限的，而佛菩萨之出世度众生，还需因缘具足。唯有众生自身的善根福德因缘成就了，佛菩萨才有能力度化他，否则也是枉然。
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-如果菩萨发心度脱一切众生，并在修行中逐渐成就这一发心，那么，当他能对一切众生生起无限、平等的慈悲时，也就圆满了诸佛具有的心行和品质，当下便与佛无二无别了。反之，若在其心目中还有一个众生被厌弃，菩萨就不能圆成无上佛果，因为他的慈悲心还不彻底。
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-在教界广为流传的《普贤行愿品》，正是普贤菩萨为我们成就诸佛无量功德所提供的修行捷径。其核心内容为普贤十大愿王：一者礼敬诸佛，二者称赞如来，三者广修供养，四者忏悔业障，五者随喜功德，六者请转法轮，七者请佛住世，八者常随佛学，九者恒顺众生，十者普皆回向。以上内容似乎也很平常，多数佛教徒都不会感到陌生，却历来被尊为"愿王”，原因何在？
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-《行愿品》出自《华严经》，其修行立足于华严境界之上。这一点，主要表现在每一愿的开端和总结。如"礼敬诸佛”，其始为"所有尽法界、虚空界，十方三世一切佛刹极微尘数诸佛世尊，我以普贤行愿力故，深心信解，如对目前”，其终为"虚空界尽，我礼乃尽；以虚空界不可尽故，我此礼敬无有穷尽。如是乃至众生界尽，众生业尽，众生烦恼尽，我礼乃尽；而众生界乃至烦恼无有尽故，我此礼敬无有穷尽。念念相续，无有间断；身语意业，无有疲厌”。
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-"礼敬诸佛”，似乎多数学佛者都会。但一般人从狭隘的凡夫心出发，礼敬的内涵亦很狭隘。而在普贤菩萨的广大行愿中，是以尽法界、虚空界、十方三世一切诸佛作为礼敬对象，并且不是礼敬一天、一年乃至一生，而是尽未来际永不间断。纵使海枯石烂，虚空界尽，亦恒常依普贤行愿修持礼敬法门。
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-其余九愿的境界，皆亦如是。从中我们可以了解到，普贤行愿之所以被尊为愿王，关键就在于它立足于无限，以无限之心行无限善行。礼敬诸佛是以一切诸佛为所缘，度化众生同样是以一切众生为所缘，并且都是尽未来际。在对象上是无限的，没有任何一个众生被排除在外；在时间上也是无限的，既没有停息之时，也没有结束之日。
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-依《华严》的见地发心、修行，是以无限为起点，而"无限”二字，正是菩萨初发心功德不可思议的关键所在。依有限的发心，即使做再多的利生事业，成就终归是有限的。若欲成就佛果的无量功德，必须建立于无限的发心之上。我们知道，任何数字乘以无穷大之后，结果必然是无穷大。同样的道理，以无限之心修持善行，所行虽然有限，所获乃是无限。所以，若初发心菩萨以无限之心行利生事业，便能于念念中成就无限功德，圆成佛道资粮。
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-> 2．菩提心是入大乘门
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-如何区分大乘与小乘？很多人都以为，修学大乘经典便是大乘行者，修学小乘经典便是小乘行者，却极少从自身的发心来考量。汉传佛教为大乘，因而，中国佛教徒多以大乘行者自居，似乎这一身份是理所当然的。
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-何为大乘？宗喀巴大师在《道次第》中说："佛说有波罗蜜多乘及密乘二种，除彼更无余大乘矣。然此二由何门而入耶？唯菩提心是。此于身心何时生起，虽其他之任何功德未生，是亦住入大乘。”这里，以菩提心作为衡量是否大乘的标准。唯有发起菩提心，方为大乘行者。反之，即使证得空性，成就种种功德，也只是自度的声闻行者。
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-菩提心和空性慧为佛法修行的两大内涵，如鸟之双翼，缺一不可。《道次第》云："如是无上菩提心者，是佛苗因中如种子之不共因，通达空性之慧者，如水粪等，是三种菩提之共因也。”明确告诉我们：空性慧乃成佛之共因，菩提心则为成佛之不共因。所谓共因者，即三乘圣者皆依空性慧而成就，为三乘修行之母。所谓不共因，是因为三乘之中，唯有菩萨道修行才必须具备菩提心。换言之，发起菩提心之后才是真正的佛子，是合格的大乘行者。
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-但在汉传佛教的传统中，似乎更重视空性慧。教下行者通过数十年的修学，主要是为了获得正见，并依此修习止观，证悟空性。宗下更重视见性，以此作为根本目标，似乎见性便可囊括修行的一切。或许是因为对空性慧的特别偏重，所以，虽有不少大乘经教都强调六度四摄的菩萨行，但并未引起四众弟子的普遍重视，将之落实于真修实履的更不多见。
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-菩萨行是菩提心的具体实践。事实上，因为忽略了大乘佛教建立的基础------菩提心，相当一部分人的行持早已落入小乘乃至人天乘。既没有慈悲众生的济世情怀，更没有舍我其谁的担当精神。他们也许从未思考过：作为一个大乘行者，究竟应当成就怎样的品质？这一流弊，使得很多人的修行更接近于超然出世的解脱道，而非积极利生的菩萨道。
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-五、菩提心的种类
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-菩提心是成就佛道之心，是利益一切众生之心。佛果的无上菩提，正是菩提心的圆满成就。关于菩提心的种类差别，大乘经论中有不同的归纳。
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-《入菩萨行论》中，分为愿菩提心和行菩提心。论云："略摄菩提心，当知有二种：愿求菩提心，趣行菩提心。如人尽了知，欲行正行别，如是智者知，二心次第别。”
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-在《显扬圣教论》和《瑜伽师地论》中，分为世俗发心和证法性发心（胜义菩提心）。《显扬圣教论》云："此受发心复有二种：一、世俗发心，二、证法性发心。”
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-《瑜伽师地论·摄抉择分》则开为十种，其中，主要有世俗菩提心和胜义菩提心之分："谓世俗受发心，得法性发心；不决定发心，决定发心；不清净发心，清净发心；劣发心，强盛发心；未成果发心，已成果发心。世俗受发心者，谓诸菩萨未入菩萨正性离生所有发心。得法性发心者，谓诸菩萨已入菩萨正性离生。”
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-综合起来，大致可归纳为愿菩提心、行菩提心和胜义菩提心。
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-> 1．愿菩提心
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-所谓愿菩提心，是关于菩提心的愿力。学佛首先要发愿，也就是通常所说的立志。"志当存高远”，志向越高，成就也就越大。发菩提心不是空洞的口号，怎样才能体现我们的菩提心？最基本的表现方式就是发愿。
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-《瑜伽师地论·菩萨地·发心品》说："菩萨最初发心于诸菩萨所有正愿，是初正愿普能摄受其余正愿，是故发心以初正愿为其自性。又诸菩萨起正愿心求菩提时，发如是心，说如是言：愿我决定当证无上正等菩提，能作有情一切义利，毕竟安处究竟涅槃，及以如来广大智中。如是发心定自希求无上菩提，及求能作有情义利，是故发心以定希求为其行相。又诸菩萨缘大菩提，及缘有情一切义利，发心希求，非无所缘，是故发心以大菩提及诸有情一切义利为所缘境。”
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-这段经文包括了发心的自性、行相、所缘。自性指菩萨最初发起的正愿，即"愿我决定当证无上正等菩提，能作有情一切义利，毕竟安处究竟涅槃”。这是以希求无上菩提及利益一切众生的愿力，为菩提心的自体。愿菩提心代表菩萨修行的开始，也是修习菩提心的初级阶段。
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-愿菩提心是一种愿望，其心行特征，是以希求为行相，以利益一切有情及无上菩提为所缘。希求是极为普通的心行，我们每天都生活在种种希求中：希求可口的饭菜，希求豪华的住宅，希求舒适的环境等等，然后会为了满足种种希求而努力奋斗。佛法修行也是从希求开始，所不同的是，我们现在希求的不是金钱地位、衣服饮食，而是无上菩提及利益一切众生。区别只是在于希求内容，是由希望个人得益转而希望利益大众。这种不同的希求，决定了截然相反的两种人生方向------一是解脱成佛，一是继续轮回。因为菩提心是以无上菩提及利益一切众生为所缘，当我们缘这两点希求付诸行动时，便踏上了成佛之道。
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-所以，发心之后的首要问题便是发愿，将菩提心转化为精进不退的愿力。十方三世诸佛的成就，正是我们修行的最佳榜样：阿弥陀佛在因地名法藏比丘，因亲近世自在王佛听闻佛法而发无上菩提之心，希望成就庄严的佛国净土，以此利益众生。乃向世自在王佛请教。世自在王佛为法藏比丘演示二百一十亿诸佛刹土，使其了解这些国土中天人之善恶，国土之粗妙。法藏比丘观看之后，以五劫思维，方形成极乐世界的蓝图及四十八愿的构想。于是，法藏比丘于世自在王佛前发四十八大愿，由此而有西方极乐世界及阿弥陀佛的成就。
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-菩萨道修行有大悲、大智、大愿、大行四大内涵，代表人物分别是大悲观音菩萨、大智文殊菩萨、大愿地藏菩萨和大行普贤菩萨。《地藏菩萨本愿经》记载："地藏菩萨摩诃萨于过去久远不可说不可说劫前，身为大长者子。时世有佛号曰师子奋迅具足万行如来，时长者子见佛相好，千福庄严，因问彼佛：作何行愿而得此相？时师子奋迅具足万行如来告长者子：欲证此身，当须久远度脱一切受苦众生。文殊师利，时长者子因发愿言：我今尽未来际不可计劫，为是罪苦六道众生广设方便，尽令解脱，而我自身方成佛道。”恶道众生无量无边、难以穷尽，地藏菩萨却毫无畏惧，勇于担当，甘愿将他们度尽之后方证菩提。这是何等令人震撼、令人感佩的愿力。因地藏菩萨于师子奋迅如来前发如此大愿，历经百千万亿那由他劫，仍以菩萨的身份出现，广度众生。
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-此外，我们熟悉的东方药师琉璃光如来、观音菩萨、文殊菩萨、普贤菩萨，皆于因地发起广大誓愿。这些愿力有着共同的特点，那就是利益一切众生。对于凡夫来说，总是为个人利益奔忙：我要成就什么，我要得到什么。但佛菩萨的愿力是以利他为核心，每一愿皆从利益众生出发。不论阿弥陀佛的四十八愿，还是药师如来的十二大愿，普贤菩萨的十大愿王，无一例外。
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-我们经常念诵的四弘誓愿，则是对菩萨愿力的高度概括，可以说是菩萨行者的通愿。"众生无边誓愿度，烦恼无尽誓愿断，法门无量誓愿学，佛道无上誓愿成。”对于无量无边的众生，我们要发愿救度；对于无始以来的烦恼，我们要决心断除；对于诸佛开显的法门，我们要精进修学；对于至高无上的佛果，我们要努力成就。所有这些愿望，都属于愿菩提心。这是何等广大的悲心和宏愿。
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-或许有人会觉得，那是诸佛菩萨的境界，我等凡夫如何能望其项背？我们要知道，诸佛初发心时亦未成就，也和我们一样身为凡夫。他们发愿之后，也并未立即成为佛菩萨，而是历经长劫修行，难行能行，方圆证菩提。他们若不曾迈出最初一步，如何能成就无上菩提？如果我们迟迟不迈出这一步，也将永远停留于凡夫的身份。
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-学佛，归根到底是学佛所行。诸佛菩萨的修行始于发愿，我们亦当如是效仿，将希求无上菩提和利益众生作为人生目标。能否真切地生起这种殊胜希求，取决于我们的认识程度。倘若我们对此只有泛泛的认识，自然无法发起恳切殷重之心。唯有深深意识到这是生命的唯一出路，才能生起强烈的希求。
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-但发愿仅仅是修行的开始，如果发起后不再忆念它、巩固它，这一念心可能很快就会淡化甚至消失。因为发愿只是在生命中播下一颗菩提种子。与无尽生死中形成的凡夫心相比，它的力量实在微不足道。如何令这颗种子的力量壮大？大乘经论中关于菩提心的修法值得我们借鉴。
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-发菩提心，是修行的头等大事。因此，发心后应以庄严的受持仪轨和誓言，将这份愿心确定下来。行者在阿阇黎耶前右膝著地，合掌而发其心念云："阿阇黎耶存念，我某甲于此生及余生，施性、戒性、修性，所有善根，自作教作，见作随喜。以彼善根，如昔诸如来、应、正等觉及住大地诸大菩萨，于其无上正等菩提如何发心，我某甲亦从今时乃至菩提，于其中间，于无上正等广大菩提而为发心。诸未度有情为令得度，诸未解脱为令解脱，诸未出苦为令出苦，诸未遍入涅槃为令遍入涅槃。”如是三说。
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-受持菩提心之后，为令已发愿心恒不退转，应昼夜各念诵"诸佛正法贤圣僧，直至菩提永皈依，我以所修诸善根，为利有情愿成佛”三次，每次三遍。通过受持和念诵的反复熏习，菩提心将在生命中熏下坚固的种子。受持者越虔诚，受持气氛越庄严，所熏种子的力量就会越强大。心行是需要因缘滋润的，时刻执我，会使我执念念增长。同样的道理，不断忆念菩提心的殊胜，就是不断为我们播下的种子浇水，会使愿心的力量与日俱增。
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-我们必须明确，发菩提心的行相是希求，所缘是无上菩提及利益一切众生。若以财色名食睡为希求、为所缘时，便落入了凡夫心；若我们只想利益少数众生或自己的亲人时，也与菩提心差之甚远了。所以我们应时时告诫自己，以希求无上菩提和利益一切众生为人生唯一目标。
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-> 2．行菩提心
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-所谓行菩提心，是将誓愿转化为行为。当我们有了利他的愿望，需要将此落实到行为上。整个菩萨道修行都属于行菩提心的范畴，内容主要是六度四摄。六度为布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、般若。经论中亦有十度之说，即在六度之外加上方便度、愿度、力度、智度。四摄为布施、爱语、利行、同事。
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-从名称看，菩萨行似乎并没有多少奇特之处。从人天乘到解脱道的修行中，都有这些内容。那么菩萨道的六度四摄，其不共之处又在哪里呢？关于这个问题，《辩中边论·无上乘品》提出了十二种最胜，以显示大乘行者所修六度的殊胜。
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-十二种最胜的内容是：菩萨修习六度，终不欣乐一切世间荣华富贵，志向广大（广大最胜）；以无数劫的时间修习（长时最胜）；普为利乐一切有情（依处最胜）；回向无上正等菩提（无尽最胜）；认识到自他平等（无间最胜）；于一切有情所修善法深生随喜（无难最胜）；以虚空藏等三摩地为依（自在最胜）；无分别智之所摄受（摄受最胜）；在胜解行地上品忍中发起（发起最胜）；在极喜地中成就胜义菩提心，发起无漏行（至得最胜）；第八地（等流最胜）乃至佛地（究竟最胜）。
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-关于菩萨道修行，在唯识宗的本论《瑜伽师地论·菩萨地》中，通过施品、戒品、忍品、精进品、静虑品、慧品、摄事品，对六度四摄的修行差别作了广泛而细致的阐述。其中的"戒品”，即大家所熟悉的"瑜伽菩萨戒”，由玄奘三藏单独译出，在佛教界广泛流传。
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-瑜伽菩萨戒的内容，包括摄律仪戒、摄善法戒、饶益有情戒三部分。摄律仪戒，是菩萨所受的七众别解脱律仪，偏向于止恶，止一切恶，无恶不止。摄善法戒，谓身口意所作善法及闻思修三慧，着重于修善，修一切善，无善不修。饶益有情戒，指菩萨修习的一切利他行，如慈悲喜舍四无量心等。
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-瑜伽菩萨戒的完整内容为四重四十三轻，是根据六度四摄，以及利他中容易产生的障碍制定规则，保证利他行的稳定性和持续性。也就是说，不仅将止恶作为准则，也将行善以戒律条文固定下来，让行者知道"我必须为利益众生做些什么，又该怎样去做”。否则的话，凡夫心会有种种懈怠的借口。尤其在利他和个人利益暂时出现冲突时，我执会本能地对利他产生抗拒，这就需要一些强制性的规则，使自己无法回避。
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-其中，依障布施度建立的有七条，依障持戒度建立的有七条，依障忍辱度建立的有四条，依障精进度建立的有三条，依障静虑度建立的有三条，依障慧度建立的有八条，依障四摄建立的有十一条。如果说六度比较偏向自利的圆满，那么四摄更偏向利他的修行------以布施饶益有情，以爱语开导其心，以利行帮助他人，以同事感化众生。相对自利来说，利他还特别需要注意与人交往的善巧，必须以对方乐于接受的方式给予帮助，否则就不能达到预期效果，甚至会适得其反，使对方产生抵触情绪。我们若依此检验自己的心态和行为，就能将菩萨行落实在日常生活中，而不仅仅停留在口号上。
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-特别要注意的是，六度修行中，般若度是根本所在，所谓"五度如盲，般若如导”。如果不依般若慧断除凡夫心，所修布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定很可能是世间善行，最终成就的，也只是人天小果，有漏之因。唯有在般若的指导下，布施等善行才能成为佛道资粮。因此，在修习六度的过程中，空性正见是不可或缺的。
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-般若与方便，为菩萨道的重要组成部分。正如《略论》所说："方便与慧，随学一分，不能成佛。”《大日经》亦云："彼一切种智，是从大悲之根本生，是从菩提心之因生，是以方便而到究竟。”佛果具有悲和智两种品质。佛陀成就的大慈大悲，是以菩提心为因，通过布施等利他方便而成就。如果不发菩提心，即使像声闻行者那样成就空性慧，也只能使个人解脱，不能圆满无上菩提。
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-行菩提心的修习，是建立在愿菩提心的基础上。依愿心而有菩萨行，并通过六度四摄使愿心得到增长。我们最初发起的菩提心，只是世俗菩提心，力量还很微弱。如果这颗菩提种子不能得到呵护和养育，或许很快干枯。唯有全心全意地照料它，及时补充养分，为它创造良好的成长空间，种子才能成长为参天大树。所以我们发菩提心之后，还要受持菩萨戒。这些广大的菩萨行，正是菩提心的最佳养料。
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-除了瑜伽菩萨戒，在中国的弘扬主要还有梵网菩萨戒，出自《梵网经·菩萨心地戒品》，戒相有十重四十八轻。这两种是通出家和在家的。此外还有出自《优婆塞戒经·受戒品》的在家菩萨戒，戒相有六重二十八轻。
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-> 3．胜义菩提心
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-虽然我们发愿利益众生并付诸行动，但对凡夫来说，这些愿行仍是不究竟的。因为它们是建立在世俗心的基础上，是有漏而有限的，也是充满不平等的，故称世俗菩提心。如何将有限的愿心转化为无限的慈悲？需要以空性慧提纯并拓展，将发心过程中掺入的杂质逐步剔除。唯有通达空性，我们才能真正体悟到自己和众生本是一体，才能对众生生起佛菩萨那样的无缘大慈、同体大悲。所以，胜义菩提心须证悟空性后才能发起，换言之，是初地菩萨才能做到的。
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-六、菩提心的发起因缘
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-如何才能发起菩提心？菩提心之根本为利他。但这个"他”，并非我们心目中特定的"他”，亦非我们喜爱的亲人朋友，而是一切众生。利益一切众生，绝非易事。若是关起门来，在内心想象着利益一切众生，相对还比较容易。因为其中没有具体的众生，不会涉及那些我们讨厌的人。但现实中的众生形形色色，其中可能有相当一部分是我们不喜欢乃至痛恨的，是平时避之尤恐不及的。但佛法告诉我们，应该对一切有情生起平等心，即使是我们的冤家仇人，即使他们曾经一而再、再而三地损恼我们，都要毫无芥蒂地平等相待。不仅如此，还要进一步对他们生起感恩之心，感恩他们成就我们的修行。对于大多数人来说，的确困难重重。
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-几乎每个人都有自己特别关爱和在乎的人，比如父母眼中的孩子，青年眼中的恋人。为什么不能将这份关爱和在乎遍及一切众生？根源就在于我们的心。在我们现有的境界中，尚未具备关爱一切众生的心。在我们心灵中产生主导作用的，通常都是情绪，而情绪又充满好恶和不平等。在这样一种心态下，可能做到冤亲平等吗？可能对众生一视同仁吗？即使表面能做一点，往往也非常勉强。
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-以平等觉悟之心利他，对心行的要求极高。但佛菩萨的品质正是这样培养的，没有第二条路可以选择。面对这样的困难和内心冲突，首先可以通过观想，以相应的方便善巧来克服局限，启动内心平等利他等正面力量。在我们的生命内在，本来具足佛菩萨一样的心，具足佛菩萨一样的无限大悲，关键是唤醒这种沉睡已久的心行，使之发挥作用。
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-菩提心也是缘起的，正如省庵大师在《劝发菩提心文》中所说："此菩提心为诸善中王，必有因缘乃得发起。”菩提心乃一切善法中境界最高、能量最大的心行，其成就也最为圆满。但这种善法并非凭空而有，同样依赖于各种因缘的和合。关于菩提心的发起，通常有以下几种途径。
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-> 1．七因果
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-《修心七要》中，阿底峡尊者为我们讲述了七因果的修法，从知母、念恩、报恩、修慈、修悲、增上意乐进入菩提心。其中，知母、念恩、报恩是菩提心发起的前奏，而修慈、修悲属于菩提心的内涵。
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-所谓知母，是将一切众生视为自己的生身母亲。众生无始以来都曾是我们的骨肉至亲，或为父母尊长，或为兄弟姐妹。正如《梵网经》所说："一切男子是我父，一切女人是我母。”此外，很多佛教经典都曾论及这种关系。但对现代人来说，"知母”能否使人生起报恩心很值得怀疑。相当一部分人，对今生的母亲都不愿孝顺奉事，更何况过去的父母？也许有人觉得，把一切众生当作儿女，效果也许会更好，因为绝大多数人对儿女都关怀备至，疼爱有加。佛经中也有类似的教导，言菩萨应将一切众生当作独生子般看待。但此处为何强调"知母”呢？因为后面还涉及"念恩”"报恩”。人们对儿女的喜爱是本能的，是出于天性，但我们不可能对一切众生同样生起天性的喜爱，所以还是要"知母”。将众生视为母亲，是菩提心修法的开始，也是关键。
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-所谓念恩，是忆念母亲对我们的养育之恩。从十月怀胎开始，不仅给予我们色身、哺育我们成长，更在整个成长过程中悉心照料，付出难以计数的辛劳和关爱。我们在如是观想时，应当经常诵一诵《父母恩重难报经》，其中详细阐述了父母的恩情。
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-父母恩重如山，我们又怎能知恩不报呢？不仅要对今生的父母生起报恩心，也要对生生世世的父母生起报恩心，还要对一切如母有情生起报恩心。无始以来，所有众生都曾做过我们至亲的父母，不仅包括人类，也包括所有一切不同生命形态的有情。
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-然后是修慈，慈即与乐之心。认识到父母对我们的恩情，就应尽力报答，使他们获得快乐和幸福，也使一切众生获得快乐和幸福。唯有对一切众生心怀感恩，慈心才能普及。修慈也是有善巧的，可以先从自己的亲人、从自己喜欢的人开始修，逐渐过渡到关系中等乃至漠不相干的，最后是冤家仇人，如是逐渐推广至一切有情。按这个次第修习，可以一步步拓展我们的心量，在利他的同时改善自身心态。当我们心中能容纳更多众生时，狭隘的自我也在随之瓦解。我们的心，正是由于我法二执而落入局限，变得狭隘而渺小。若能对一切有情生起慈心，就能挣脱二执束缚，回归无限。
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-修悲，是拔除一切众生的痛苦。苦有三苦及八苦之分，前者为苦苦、行苦、坏苦，后者为生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、爱别离苦、怨憎会苦、求不得苦、五阴盛苦。从佛法观点来看，一切众生皆沉溺于苦海，即使暂享一时之乐，亦是长劫苦因。所以我们要生起悲心，发愿将其从痛苦中拯救出来。同时还要积极住持并弘扬佛法，如果没有佛法智慧的照耀，世间将变得暗无天日。这种"不忍众生苦，不忍圣教衰”之心，也正是我们上求佛道、下化众生的动力。
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-那么，怎样才能对众生产生不忍之心？面对众生的痛苦，我们时常熟视无睹，表现出事不关己的冷漠姿态。若是看到自己讨厌的人遭受痛苦，甚至还可能幸灾乐祸。这些都是修习慈悲过程中容易出现的问题。有时，别人来求法或求助，我们可能脱口而出就是"没有时间”。为什么我们更习惯拒绝而不是为他人提供帮助？正是因为我们对众生的痛苦不能感同身受。甚至还会给自己找到冠冕堂皇的借口："我现在正忙着更重要的事。”
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-我执非常狡猾，当我们不想慈悲众生时，它会找到各种开脱的理由，使我们心安理得地原谅自己的错误，轻易获得心理平衡。事实上，有多少理由并不重要。重要的是，理由背后的动机是否为了利他？如果不是，再多的理由也不过是自欺欺人而已，只能将我们已有的错误变得更坚固，更隐蔽，更难以改正。由凡夫心转入佛菩萨那样的大慈大悲，不仅要以柔软心对待众生，深入体察其痛苦；更要以坚毅心对待自己，决不以任何理由姑息自我的诡计。
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-修习慈悲心，一方面是在座上观想。按藏传佛教的要求，必须每日三次修习菩提心仪轨。修习仪轨和观想的目的，都是为了长养这一心行。我们每观想一次，慈悲的力量就在思维中得到一次强化。在佛教修行中，可以用观想力来转换心念，因为修行所成就的并非客观结果。如果我们要办所学校，那么客观上的一所学校就是目标所在。但修行成果主要体现于内在转换，其关键在于心行运作。
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-每天不断观想，是转换心行的必要过程。依唯识原理而言，就是"种子生现行，现行熏种子”的过程。假如我们刚在座上修习了慈悲观，再看到一个原本讨厌的人，也不容易产生强烈的厌恶。即使没能很好地控制心念，事后也比较容易意识到这一错误，因此感到惭愧。所以，座上修和座下实践是相辅相成的两方面。在座上修习菩提心仪轨的同时，还应在生活中不断运用和调整。正如钻木取火那样，需要两块木头持续摩擦，才能碰撞出慈悲和智慧的火花。
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-学佛的最高成就，正是菩提心的圆满，慈悲的圆满。如果说只修一法就能使我们成佛，那一定非慈悲莫属。正如《华严经》所说："虚空尚可量，菩提心难知，所以不可量，大慈无量故。”或许有人会问，佛果不是悲和智的成就吗？为何只修慈悲也能成就？这是因为，圆满的慈悲必然包含了智慧。若是没有空性慧，慈悲就无法达至究竟的圆满，无法摆脱杂染的凡夫心，只是有漏有限的世间善行。长期以来，对菩提心的弘扬往往侧重于利他，未曾强调智慧和慈悲的关系。事实上，修习慈悲同样离不开般若智慧的指导。倘若有悲无智，难免好心办坏事。所以，我们应当同时长养自身的慈悲和智慧，不可有丝毫偏废。
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-有了慈悲之后，应进一步生起增上意乐，即强烈的利他心。这是发起菩提心的引导力量，也是发起菩提心的殊胜因缘。
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-> 2．自他相换
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-除了"修心七要”，寂天菩萨的"自他相换”也是修习菩提心的重要教授。从理论上说，自他相换非常具有说服力。凡夫的特点是什么？正是爱执自我，舍弃众生，处处替自己着想，对他人漠不关心。我执源于无明，是与生俱来的力量，并在无尽生命延续中不断得到滋养。所以这种执著几乎贯穿一切心行，是构成凡夫人格的基本力量。
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-尽管在生命的某个层面，我们与佛菩萨是无二无别的，但目前的确还是凡夫，原因何在？正是无明和我执所致。一旦解决这两点，我们就不再是凡夫了。所有的烦恼和恶业也源于此，我执处处替自己包装，维护自身利益，想方设法地逃避一切于己不利之事。杀盗淫妄，哪一样不是因为我的贪、我的嗔、我的痴？我们纠缠于贪嗔痴，无非是为了寻求快乐，绝不是为了制造痛苦，但最终却给自己带来无尽苦果。所以说，我执乃一切衰损之门。
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-那么，我们建构并执著的"我”究竟是什么？当我们说到所执时，首先会涉及能执，也就是意识行为。但意识执著的这一切，不论是思维部分，还是身体部分，皆虚幻无常，无法找到固定的实质。生命的立足点何在？我们的安身立命处何在？我们执著的财富、家庭、事业都是暂时的，处于动荡变化中。生命真正的立足点，一定不是意识所执著的，以"我”或"非我”皆不足以概括。可以肯定的是，意识设定的一切自我，绝对是错误的。可是这种错误设定，无始以来却成为一切痛苦之源。我们设定了一个不稳定的对象，但作为自我来说，却要竭力维护这个不稳定。将不稳定当作稳定来维护，又是何其辛苦？可叹的是，我们始终都纠缠在这场毫无意义的奋斗中，几乎无人例外。学佛的首要目的，便是摧毁我执，阿罗汉正是因为超越我执，方能证悟涅槃，断除烦恼。
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-自他相换的修行，虽是从凡夫心着手，但必须具备一个认识前提，那就是真切意识到"我执乃一切衰损之门，利他为一切功德之本”。这两句话极为重要，诸佛菩萨之所以能解脱生死，成就无量功德，正是因为所思所行皆从利他出发。
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-利他似乎很平常，不少人都在做利他之事，包括许多没学佛的人。但利他究竟达到什么程度？如果以一百分来衡量利他的纯度，诸佛的纯度是一百，而凡夫的纯度至多只有几十乃至几分，此外还杂夹着贪心、我执、我慢等种种烦恼。作为凡夫来说，即使在利他时，生起的慈悲往往还比不上其中夹杂的我执，或是对功德的贪著。
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-最单纯的利他，才是最彻底的慈悲。其标准有二，一是达到三轮体空，一是以一切众生为对象。要做到这两点，必须深刻认识到执我的过患。我执不仅力量强大，且善于伪装。无论我们做什么，哪怕最自私的事，往往也能找到体面的借口，这正是我执的厉害之处。我们不妨反省一下，然后再观察一下他人，会发现人们无论做什么都能找到理由。做好事有理由，做坏事也有理由；有说得出口的理由，还有说不出口的理由；有应付他人的理由，有安慰自己的理由。所以，我们要善于揭穿自我的真面目。事实上，揭穿自我的把戏和阴谋，就像揭开自己见不得人的伤疤，痛苦是必然的。但我们别无选择，必须果断下手，否则仍会一如既往地被我执指使，一如既往地流转生死。
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-利他不仅能成就慈悲，还能打破我执。如果我执很强烈，一定无法纯粹地利他。当我们发心利他时，首先反对的一定是我执，制造障碍的同样是我执。这也从反面证明，利他是摧毁我执的有力武器。
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-充分认识到执我过患和利他功德后，就有资格修习自他相换了。将爱著自己、保护自己、处处设法利益自己的心，转而去利益众生；将舍弃众生、对众生漠不关心、事不关己高高挂起的心，转而用在自己身上。这就是自他相换的运作方式。如果我们能对有情生起自利那样的利乐之心，菩提心的种子就开始萌芽了。进一步，是对所有众生平等相待，没有丝毫亲疏之别，使利他心普及于一切。自他相换的修行，是引发菩提心的殊胜方便。只要我们踏踏实实地做，将逐步成就佛菩萨那样的无缘大慈，同体大悲。
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-> 3．十种因缘
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-汉传佛教中关于菩提心的教授，流传最广的，当推省庵大师的《劝发菩提心文》。其中谈到菩提心的八相，即邪正、真伪、大小、偏圆。我们初发心时，很难立刻到位，这就需要时时审视，这一发心究竟是邪是正，是真是伪，是大是小，是偏是圆？每一种都有相应标准，使我们可以逐一对照，看看自己存在哪些问题，及时调整。
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-在《劝发菩提心文》中，省庵大师就如何发起菩提心，总结了十种因缘。如果我们时常思维这些内容，会觉得发菩提心是人生的唯一选择，除此而外，再没什么比之更有意义。十种因缘分别是：念佛重恩、念父母恩、念师长恩、念施主恩、念众生恩、念生死苦、尊重己灵、忏悔业障、求生净土、令正法得久住。
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-首先是念佛重恩。因为有佛陀宣说法要，才有佛法在世间的流传，众生才因此找到解脱之路。佛陀以大慈大悲之心，在45年中苦口婆心地说法度众，我们如何才能报答这无比的恩情？必须发菩提心，"将此身心奉尘刹，是则名为报佛恩”。如果仅仅自了，是不足以报恩的。当然，前提是我们必须认识到佛陀之恩究竟有多深。这一认识又是基于对自身生命的强烈关注。若是我们没有将见道及了脱生死当作一回事，就无法体会佛陀对我们的恩德，认识佛法对人生的意义。若是我们在人生旅程中上下求索，遍学世间所有哲学、宗教后仍未觅得解脱之道，最后因佛法而找到出路。对于这样的人来说，才能真切体会佛陀之深恩。现代人闻法很容易，甚至坐在家里，也能通过录音、录像听闻法师说法，不易生起希有难得之心。事实上，闻法态度会直接影响到对法的受用。我们对法越珍视，受益会越大，反之亦然。
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-其次是念父母恩。养育之恩，无以为报。只有发起菩提心，才是对父母最好的报答。地藏菩萨在因地修行时，其母因邪知邪见，不信三宝，结果堕落恶道。地藏菩萨为救母发起大愿，但他发愿的当下，不仅使其母从地狱生到天上，也使当天处于无间地狱的所有众生皆上生天道。可见发起菩提心之后，不仅能报答现世父母的恩情，还能报答多生累劫父母的恩德。否则的话，自己尚且没有出路，又如何能报答父母深恩。
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-第三是念师长恩。在我们的成长过程中，因为有世间的师长，我们才能了解各种学问和道德；因为有出世的师长，我们才能听闻佛法，明了解脱途径。藏地对上师极其重视，确有其深意。上师不仅为我们传授正法，还能指导我们将法运用于修行实践。十方诸佛固然重要，但如果没有上师为桥梁，我们也无法成为佛弟子，无法于佛生信，于法起修并受益。有证量的上师，本身就是佛法僧的象征。通过对上师的恭敬，还能帮助我们摧毁我执，从恭敬中得到法的真实受用。如何才能报答师长之恩？也必须发菩提心，绍隆佛种。师长将修行之道传授给我们，我们唯有认真继承并弘扬，以此利益众生，才是如法的报答。
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-第四是念施主恩。现代人谋生不易，整日为生计奔忙。活着是为了生存，生存是为了活着。作为出家人，我们不必为生存操劳，可以过着追求真理、追求解脱的生活，真是天大的福报。所以不论生活条件如何，都应该对三宝和社会大众充满感恩。如何报答十方信施为我们创造的修学条件？还是要发菩提心，精进修学，弘法利生。唯有这样，才有福报消受十方信施。
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-第五是念众生恩。一切众生无始以来都曾和我们互为父母兄妹，都曾有恩于我们。但在生死流转中，他们或堕于地狱道，或沉沦饿鬼道，或辗转畜生道，即使有幸投身善趣，亦不能永久享乐，一旦福报享尽，必然堕落。如果我们只想着个人解脱，一走了之，于心何忍？想到众生对我们的恩情，想到众生的痛苦，我们唯有发起菩提心，以救度一切如母众生为己任，上报四重恩，下济三涂苦。如此，才能回馈社会，回馈众生。
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-第六是念生死苦。在无尽生死中，我们什么都曾经历过，下过地狱，当过畜生，即使生而为人，也未必活得快乐。在过去的生命旅程中，我们可能像很多人那样，不曾听闻佛法，过得庸庸碌碌，迷茫困惑。我们一天又一天地蹉跎岁月，一生又一生地浪费时光。在生命洪流中，我们能把握的只有当下这一念，只有当下这个时刻，甚至明天都无法把握。我们能保证明天还继续活着吗？过去已然过去，我们无法把握；未来不曾到来，我们也无法把握。如何利用当下这一身份改善生命？唯一可做的还是发菩提心。当然，也可以发出离心。但只发出离心的话，就不能利益一切众生，终非圆满的发心。
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-第七是尊重己灵。我们或许不曾想到，自己和诸佛菩萨、历代祖师本是无二无别的。在我们的心性中，和他们有着相同的层面。但他们已经成佛作祖，我们还在轮回中流转。我们本具无价珍宝，如今却以乞讨为生，如何对得起自家宝藏？基于对这一生命品质的重视，我们也应该发起菩提心。否则，永远无法将此珍宝开发出来，只能任其湮没。当然，声闻人也开发，但不能完整开发。唯有发起菩提心的诸佛菩萨，才能彻底开发这一宝藏，圆满发挥其所有功用。
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-第八是忏悔业障。忏悔的方式很多，最佳方式当推发菩提心。发菩提心之后，左右我们生命的便是菩提心而不是业障。我们知道，业是推动生命流转的力量。我们现在的身份，便是一期业力形成的结果。所谓命运，也与业力息息相关，由引业、满业构成生命的总报和别报，有一定规律可循。但命运又是可以改变的，一旦发起菩提心，命运将依循菩提心的轨道发展，不再随着业力设定的方向漂流。因为菩提心乃诸善中王，其力量之猛，不可抵挡。发起菩提心，就已把握命运之舵。所以真正发起菩提心之后，不必再有任何顾忌，因为菩提心的力量能摧毁一切。全宇宙的力量有多大？而菩提心能将全宇宙的力量集于一念，还有什么可以阻挡它？所以说，忏悔的最佳方式也是发菩提心。
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-第九是求生净土。净土行人以念佛求生极乐，事实上，往生净土的最佳方法还是发菩提心。依菩提心修行，临命终时，菩提愿王能在一念间将我们推到西方净土，成等正觉，然后根据自身意愿前往十方世界说法度众。正如《普贤行愿品》所言："又复是人临命终时......唯此愿王，不相舍离，于一切时，引导其前。一刹那中，即得往生极乐世界。到已即见阿弥陀佛、文殊师利菩萨、普贤菩萨、观自在菩萨、弥勒菩萨等。此诸菩萨色相端严，功德具足，所共围绕。其人自见生莲华中，蒙佛授记。得授记已，经于无数百千万亿那由他劫，普于十方不可说不可说世界，以智慧力，随众生心而为利益。不久当坐菩提道场，降伏魔军，成等正觉，转妙法轮，能令佛刹极微尘数世界众生发菩提心，随其根性，教化成熟，乃至尽于未来劫海，广能利益一切众生。”
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-第十是令正法得久住。住持佛法，根本还是在于发菩提心。发心之后，我们的力量就取之不尽、用之不竭了。如果依凡夫心行做事，难免三心二意。今天想着度化众生，明天又想还是自己闭关修行。这是出家人最容易出现的心态，这一刻是进，下一刻又想退。为什么世人认为出家人消极？因为我们进退都能找到依据。佛法博大精深，似乎怎么做都有确凿的理由。之所以这样，只是在不同修行阶段的侧重点不同罢了。如果我们发起菩提心，就应以能否利益众生作为衡量标准。
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-经常思考这十大理由，可为发菩提心打下坚实的基础。当我们全面审视生命之后，会看到发菩提心是唯一有意义的选择。如果不是基于对生命的终极关怀，人生似乎可以有很多选择，可以这么发展，还可以那么发展。但这些选择都不是最究竟的，只有暂时的利益。为了一点眼前利益浪费暇满人身，这个代价太昂贵了，我们付得起吗？只怕想后悔时就来不及了。唯有发起菩提心，生命才能找到出路，才能从轮回中彻底解脱出来。不仅使自己解脱，同时使一切众生获得解脱。
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-七、菩提心的特征
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-凡夫的心灵世界中，每种心行皆有不同特征：贪心有贪心的特征，嗔心有嗔心的特征，慢心有慢心的特征。那么，菩提心的特征又是怎样的呢？《华严经》告诉我们："发菩提心者，所谓发大悲心，普救一切众生故；发大慈心，等佑一切世间故；发安乐心，令一切众生灭诸苦故；发饶益心，令一切众生离恶法故；发哀愍心，有怖畏者，咸守护故；发无碍心，舍离一切诸障碍故；发广大心，一切法界咸遍满故；发无边心，等虚空界无不往故；发宽博心，悉见一切诸如来故；发清净心，于三世法，智无违故；发智慧心，普入一切智慧海故。”
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-此外，许多大乘经论皆从不同角度对菩提心的内涵加以阐述，内容极为丰富。根据我个人的修学心得，主要可归纳为以下几点。若能把握这些要领，发心决不会出现方向性的偏差。
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-> 1．觉 悟
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-凡夫心之特点为不觉，又称无明。因无明所惑，导致我法二执及贪嗔痴三毒，由此造作轮回之业，所以十二缘起的第一支即为无明。凡夫因无明而念念不觉，我执生起时，因不觉而陷入我执的泥沼中；贪心生起时，因不觉而陷入贪心的捆绑中；嗔心生起时，因不觉而陷入嗔心的怒火中。不断执著贪嗔痴及所缘影像，越陷越深，结果是长劫流转。
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-菩提心则代表了觉悟的力量。正如《大乘本生心地观经》所言："自觉悟心能发菩提，此觉悟心即菩提心，无有二相。”凡夫和圣贤的区别，关键就在于迷和悟的一念间，"前念迷即凡，后念悟即佛；前念著境即烦恼，后念离境即菩提。”发起菩提心，标志着有情生命的觉醒。这一觉醒驱散了无明长夜，照破了生死迷梦。菩提心的修行中，必须以觉悟为本，于念念中保持觉醒，观五欲六尘为梦幻泡影，对贪嗔痴及凡夫心的显现了了分明，不随其转。故《大集经》云："云何名为发菩提心？了知贪性则名发心，若复了知嗔痴悭妒阴入诸界，无明行识名色六入，乃至生老病死大苦，是名发心。”可见，了知贪嗔痴的真相，也是发菩提心的重要内涵。
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-身为菩萨，不仅了知我执是一切过患之本，更了知利他乃成就功德之源。"菩萨”之称，源自梵语菩提萨埵，意为觉有情。所以菩萨在自觉的同时，更以觉他为己任，以大慈、大悲、大喜、大舍之四无量心济度众生，共同迈向觉行圆满的境地。
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-> 2．无我利他
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-凡夫心是执"我”的。生活中，人们最常想到的正是自己。一生都在为我的衣食住行、名利地位、事业财富而拼搏。然而，世间的一切烦恼痛苦、是非纷争也无不因"我”而起。
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-无我，是佛法不共世间和外道的核心思想，佛教中列为三法印之一。无论声闻乘还是菩萨道的修行，都建立在无我的基础上。声闻行者因了知无我而成就解脱，菩萨行者因通达无我而能全然利他。在发菩提心、行菩萨道的过程中，最大的障碍便是我执。因为凡夫心的特点是处处为"我”着想，这一习气根深蒂固。当我们发心利益一切众生时，必然面临和自我利益的尖锐冲突。唯有铲除前进路上的障碍，我们才能在菩提大道勇往直前。那么，如何解除这一障碍？佛法告诉我们，我执乃无明所致，因不了解生命真相，或执著色身为我，或执著各种想法为我，或执著财产事业为我。若以般若智慧观照，便能明了诸法皆因缘和合之假相，无常亦无我。
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-彻见"我”的虚幻不实，执我也就毫无意义，自他之间的鸿沟亦将不复存在。通达无我，才能彻底地利他；通过利他的修行，又能不断瓦解我执。《金刚经》特别强调将无我见落实于修行中："菩萨发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，当生如是心，我应灭度一切众生，令入无余涅槃界。如是灭度一切众生已，而无一众生实灭度者。何以故？须菩提，若菩萨有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，则非菩萨。何以故？须菩提，实无有法，名为菩萨发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者。”类似的经文在经中多处出现，谆谆告诫发菩提心的行者，在修习菩萨道过程中，须以空性慧了知"无我相、无人相、无众生相、无寿者相”，如此，才能成为合格的菩萨。
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-> 3．无 限
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-凡夫心是有限的。其中的所有心理活动，皆来自生命延续中某些经验的积累，亦有其特定对象。贪心有贪心的所缘，嗔心有嗔心的所缘，慢心有慢心的所缘，这些所缘必然是有限的。人们只会对喜乐之境生起贪著，不可能贪著一切；只会对不如意的对境生起嗔心，不可能嗔恨一切。
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-菩提心则不同，其所缘是无限的。发起菩提心，是以十方一切众生为对象，以利益一切众生为使命。这一点，是许多大乘经典都谈到的。《华严经》云："菩萨不为教化调伏一众生故发菩提心，不为教化调伏百众生故发菩提心，乃至不为教化调伏不可说不可说转众生故发菩提心......是故，善男子！严净一切世界尽，我愿乃尽；拔一切众生烦恼习气尽，我愿乃满。”这是何等宏大深广的愿力。
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-《金刚经》中，佛陀亦就发心问题如是开示："菩萨摩诃萨，应如是降伏其心，所有一切众生之类，若卵生，若胎生，若湿生，若化生；若有色，若无色；若有想，若无想，若非有想非无想，我皆令入无余涅槃而灭度之。”同样告诉我们，菩萨应以救度一切众生为所缘，不论其身处何道，也不论其生命形态如何，都是菩萨全力救度的对象，无一例外。
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-《胜天王般若波罗蜜经》中，则有这样一段对话："世尊，云何发菩提心？佛言：大王，如生大悲。世尊，云何生大悲？佛言：不舍一切众生。”佛菩萨之心量，因为不舍众生而宽广无限。在我们所熟悉的《普贤行愿品》的十大愿王中，不论礼敬诸佛还是恒顺众生，每一愿皆以尽虚空、遍法界、十方三世一切诸佛，或尽法界、虚空界、十方刹海所有众生为所缘，充分体现了菩提心的广大和无限。
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-> 4．平 等
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-凡夫心是不平等的。因为凡夫有我执及我所执，注定不能平等对待一切。因为有我，就有自他之分；有我所，就有亲疏之别。身为凡夫，总是执我而弃他，而在人与人的关系中，更是充满好恶取舍，因而导致世界的种种不平等现象。
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-菩萨的修行，要从不平等的凡夫心中摆脱出来。发起菩提心之后，一方面要通过闻思经教认识到一切法的平等，认识到一切众生的平等；一方面要在观修和实践中，对有情生起真实的平等心。对于菩萨行者而言，倘若还有丝毫好恶亲疏的分别，就不能成为合格的菩萨。正如宗大师在《道次第》中所指出的："若不先断除对于一类有情起贪，及对一类有情起嗔之分类而修平等心者，则任随生起慈悲，仍有类别。”所以，平等舍心也是菩萨行者必须修习的重要内容。
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-菩萨的慈悲，乃无缘大慈，同体大悲。无缘，即没有任何附加条件；同体，即没有自他和好恶亲疏之别。这样的慈悲是建立在自他平等的基础上。《普贤行愿品》告诉我们："以于众生心平等故，则能成就圆满大悲。”因为对一切众生平等无别，所以成就圆满大悲。事实上，不仅菩萨行者应保持平等，佛陀也是这样为我们作出了榜样。《佛说海意菩萨所问净印法门经》中，与会菩萨如此赞叹道："了知平等菩提心，世尊常行平等法。”世尊所行，正说明了修习平等心的意义所在。
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-> 5．无相、无所得
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-凡夫心是著相的。因为凡夫充满自性见，对身心世界的一切都生起实在感，执著有实在的美丑、垢净，有实在的我和我所，所以做任何事都带着有所得之心。若是立足于有相、有所得的凡夫心，无论怎样努力，最后成就的仍是凡夫心。
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-而菩提心是无相的。首先，"菩萨应离一切相发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心”，发心即是无相。其次，在行菩萨道过程中亦不能住相。正如《金刚经》所说："（布施时）应不住色生心，不住声香味触法生心，应生无所住心。”在这段经文中，佛陀告诫我们：布施时不可住布施相，不可执著有能施的我、所受的他及所施之物。唯有三轮体空，才能圆满布施波罗蜜，成为菩萨道的资粮。否则，与人天善行何异？布施如此，六度万行莫不如此。第三，菩萨修习一切法门时，不仅不能住相，更不能生有所得之心。这正是《金刚经》强调的，"实无有法名阿罗汉。世尊，若阿罗汉作是念，我得阿罗汉道，则为著我、人、众生、寿者。世尊，佛说我得无诤三昧，人中最为第一，是第一离欲阿罗汉。我不作是念，我是离欲阿罗汉。世尊，我若作是念，我得阿罗汉道，世尊则不说须菩提是乐阿兰那行者。以须菩提实无所行，而名须菩提是乐阿兰那行。”无论住相或有所得，都是凡夫心的表现。唯有通达无相、无所得，才能成就胜义菩提心，圆成无上佛果。
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-菩提心的实践，由愿菩提心落实于行菩提心。无论发愿还是行持，都应依菩提心的特征来检讨，检查这一心行是觉还是不觉？是有我还是无我？是利己还是利他？是平等还是分别？是有限还是无限？是住相还是离相？是有所得还是无所得？菩提心的实践过程，正是不断调整心行的过程。如果发心是不觉、有我、利己、分别、有限、住相、有所得，那就说明我们还是地道的凡夫。反之，如果我们的发心具足觉悟、无我、利他、平等、无限、无住、无所得的特点，才是合格的菩提心，是与诸佛菩萨不二的心行。
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-八、菩提心的实践典范
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-论及菩提心的实践典范，首推诸佛菩萨。我们读诵《药师琉璃光如来本愿功德经》《无量寿经》《地藏菩萨本愿功德经》等大乘经典时，不应仅仅关注佛菩萨可以为我们做些什么，更应看到佛菩萨是如何成就的。他们在因地的实践和法门，正是我们修学的最佳榜样。佛菩萨有各自的愿力和行门，或是从大悲入手，或是从智慧入手，为我们展现了不同的修行道路。
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-如果感觉自己和文殊菩萨比较有缘，可以选择文殊法门修学，像文殊菩萨那样，深入经藏，智慧如海；感觉自己和地藏菩萨比较有缘，可以选择地藏法门修学，像地藏菩萨那样，地狱不空，誓不成佛。如果以观音菩萨作为修学榜样，就应以观音菩萨的愿力作为自己的愿力，以观音菩萨的行持作为自己的行为标准，像菩萨那样寻声救苦，千处有求千处应，万人称念万人灵。如果以阿弥陀佛作为修学榜样，就应以阿弥陀佛的四十八愿作为修行理念，时刻牢记自己的目标是成就清净国土，利益无边众生。
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-我们甚至可以观想自己是观音菩萨或阿弥陀佛的化身，确立了这样的身份，更能策励我们以佛菩萨之大愿为己任，发心求正觉，忘己济群生。学佛者固然应当谦和低调，但这种勇于承担的精神极其重要。否则的话，甘居凡夫阶位，只知向佛祈求，不知行佛所行，如何能于自身成就佛菩萨品质？当我们将自己定位为佛菩萨的化身后，还应心行上不断向他们靠拢，最终觉行圆满，与观音菩萨或阿弥陀佛无二无别。
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-事实上，观音菩萨和阿弥陀佛在因地也是这样成就的。不仅他们是这样成就的，诸佛菩萨都是这样成就的。释迦牟尼佛之前还有很多释迦牟尼佛，阿弥陀佛之前也有很多阿弥陀佛，所谓"南无西方极乐世界三十六万亿一十一万九千五百同名同号阿弥陀佛”。他们最初修行时，也是寻找一位古佛作为学习典范。观音菩萨是向观音古佛学习，然后修习大悲法门而成就。佛菩萨是这么做的，我们也完全可以这么做。直接从某位佛菩萨的愿力和行门着手，观想自己就是观音菩萨或阿弥陀佛的化身，会得到极大的加持，比单纯依靠一己之力修行更容易契入。
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-在藏地，时常听说某位祖师是观音菩萨化身，某位祖师是文殊菩萨化身。事实上，将某位佛菩萨作为本尊修行，最后所成就的，正是这位佛菩萨具备的品行。从这个角度看，那些说法并非没有根据，不必视为神话。当然，不排除其中有附会和渲染的成分。本尊的修行并不神秘，我们完全可以将其中的方法运用于修习菩提心中。
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-我平时住在南普陀后山，那里是观音菩萨的道场。我在禅坐时，就将整个五老峰观想为观音菩萨的坛场，将自己观想为菩萨的化身，具备菩萨那样的大慈大悲，然后将这种悲心散发到十方世界，希望所有众生都因无尽的慈悲而离苦得乐。当我们作这样的观想时，和菩萨的心行是相应的。当然，我们还达不到观音菩萨那种纯度和强度，质量还有待进一步提高。但通过不断的修习和强化，就能在心行上逐渐接近。久而久之，不仅能在座上观修时对有情生起无限悲心，也能渐渐落实到生活中。到那时，我们就是观音菩萨名副其实的化身了。
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-我们可以将大乘经典中重要的佛菩萨及相关法门都找出来。有关观音菩萨的内容，整理成"观音菩萨与观音法门”；有关地藏菩萨的内容，整理成"地藏菩萨与地藏法门”。这需要做两方面的工作，一是了解这位菩萨在因地上如何修行，二是这一法门具有哪些特征。这样，不仅对自身修学大有裨益，也能为发心修学菩萨行的同道提供学习方便。在大乘经论中，不是缺乏修行方法，而是我们不曾注意到，不曾找到契入的途径。
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-《华严经》云："心、佛及众生，是三无差别。”在法性的层面，我们和佛菩萨并无本质的不同。相反，我们和佛菩萨具有相同的本质。当我们在观想中将自身与佛菩萨融为一体，在心行上产生作用的，恰恰就是佛菩萨的品质。通过这种观想，通过对佛菩萨行为的仿效，我们才能启动生命内在与佛菩萨无二无别的高贵品质。否则，修行还是落于凡夫心上，无法实现本质的超越。
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-尽管我们与佛菩萨有着本质上的相同，但内心还是觉得佛菩萨遥遥不可企及。原因在于，在我们生命中产生主导作用的始终是凡夫心，最终成就的也只能是凡夫心。如果我们能依佛菩萨的愿力修行，心行就会逐步向其靠拢。在修行之初，这种愿心仍属于世俗菩提心，而非胜义菩提心。但我们不必气馁，如果世俗菩提心能调到位的话，就像透过玻璃看到的虚空，虽然和实际的虚空隔了一层，却已经接近了。只要坚持不懈地努力，终有一天会将这面玻璃砸得粉碎，将自己融入空性的海洋中。
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-我觉得，如果仔细研究大乘所有菩萨的行门，完全可以将其整理为具体的修行指导，且具有很强的操作性，能引领我们按部就班地修起来。事实上，从行门入手比从理上入手更有力量。佛教徒中，有相当一部分人修得很冷漠，其中多数都是从理上入手，过分沉浸于理论中，对现实漠不关心。如果我们从菩提心入手，以佛菩萨的行门为起点，再通过见来调整心行，修学将非常积极。我们会主动地弘法利生，自觉地担当菩萨事业，而不仅仅是以"少事少业少希望住”自足。
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-九、结 语
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-菩提心的内容介绍到此，只是从整体上为大家概括了发心纲领。其实，每部大乘经典都可作为菩提心的教材，可立足于菩提心来诠释。无论《华严经》《金刚经》还是《大智度论》《瑜珈师地论》，皆有完整的发心方法，代表不同的发心层次。
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-我们有幸听闻佛法，找到解脱烦恼的方法，实为多生累劫的福报。无始以来，我法二执始终在伤害我们。如果不能在修行上有所突破，烦恼会尽未来际地困扰我们，这是学佛需要解决的根本问题。与生命内在的改善相比，外在的一切微不足道，多一些知识或是多一个文凭，有如梦幻泡影。即使像国王那样坐拥天下，也不过是几十年的荣华富贵，短暂而虚幻。在无尽的生命洪流中，修行才是我们唯一的出路。只有沿着佛陀指示的解脱之路走下去，我们才能找到光明，从生死大梦中醒来。
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-发起菩提心，是对自我的巨大挑战，这也是发心过程中面临的巨大困难。但只要将菩提心发到位，一切烦恼便不在话下。因为烦恼无非是因我法二执而起，而菩提心正是摧毁二执的最佳利器。在佛法中，通常采用不同的方法来对治不同的烦恼，但最高的修行法门，仅仅一招就将一切搞定，所谓以不变应万变。菩提心教法，正是功力无可匹敌的一招。只要运用起来，所有问题皆可迎刃而解。
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-我真切地期望，菩提心这一殊胜教法能广为传播，使菩提心的种子遍洒中华大地。当然，仅仅有热情还不够，以菩提心教法打前阵的同时，还须以上乘的用心方法深入引导。正如佛典所言："菩萨摩诃萨复有二种正行坚固菩提心。何等为二？一者正念菩提行，二者修行禅定，断诸烦恼行。”般若和方便，一为母，一为父，两者缺一不可。成佛是悲和智的成就，具体而言，正是菩提心和空性见的成就。若是从这两方面入手，成就一批真正的修行人，汉传佛教的面貌必有全新改观。
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-十、问  答
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-学员：发菩提心是否必须以出离心为基础？
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-法师：出离心和菩提心属于两种不同层面的发心。大乘经论中主要以菩提心为主，较少涉及出离心。而在《阿含》等声闻经论中，则以出离心为要，几乎不谈菩提心。将出离心和菩提心联系起来，主要体现在宗喀巴大师建构的《道次第》中。
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-早期的声闻行者可分两类：一是趣寂声闻，一是回小向大声闻。前者发出离心，且一发到底，直接证悟阿罗汉果，不更进求佛道。他们出离三界之心极其强烈，别无他求，因此佛陀演说《法华经》时有五千声闻退席，这类就属于趣寂声闻。还有一类声闻，接触声闻教法后又有机会学习大乘，最终回小向大，由出离心转向菩提心。
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-民国年间，太虚大师对法尊法师翻译的《道次第》极为赞叹，因为这条路确实稳当。宗大师以出离心、菩提心、空性见建构的三主要道，纠正了学人修行中极易出现的流弊。以出离心为基础，既帮助我们摆脱凡夫心，又能引发真实无伪的菩提心，具有重要意义。尽管许多大乘经论中并未强调这一次第，直接由发菩提心入手，但解脱轮回之苦，始终是修行的重要前提。
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-若是出离心仅指出离轮回及对三界的执著，这一内涵已囊括在菩提心内。菩提心具备无相、无住、无所得的特点，自然不著五欲六尘。所以说，菩提心本身就含摄出离心的部分内涵。根机特别好的人可以直接从菩提心入手，这也是大乘经教往往只谈发菩提心却没有强调出离心的原因。只是对一般人而言，菩提心不容易立刻发起来，更不容易发到位。若知见不清，发心过程中极易与凡夫心混淆，根本不清楚自己发的究竟是什么心，甚至将人天乘的善心当作菩提心。如果以出离心为基础，菩提心的纯度会更有保障。
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-我们还要注意的是，发心固然可以遵循从出离心至菩提心的常规道路，但发起出离心并证悟空性后，未必能成就大慈大悲，未必能导向菩提心，否则就没有声闻乘和菩萨乘之分了。汉传佛教中，禅宗行者也好，净土行者也好，虽然学的是大乘佛教，诵的是大乘经典，但往往只发了出离心，将个人了生脱死当作一切，反而忘却了菩提心。发起菩提心，必须通过相应的观察和思维，将慈悲引发出来。也就是说，它并非任运就能生起，还需要因缘的成就，正如修禅定未必能开智慧一样。在一般人的印象中，似乎得定之后智慧将一触即发，事实非如此。否则，外道如何将四禅八定作为最终目标、究竟涅槃呢？"由定生慧”只是说明，得定是发慧的条件之一，还需修习无常观、缘起观、无我观等，才能引发无漏智慧。
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-学员：若无出离心为基础而直接发菩提心，能否断烦恼、了生死？人生佛教与菩提心的关系如何？
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-法师：发起菩提心，连佛果都能成就，难道不能断烦恼吗？所有的修行法门中，以菩提心的功德和力量为最。关于这一点，《华严经》弥勒菩萨赞叹菩提心的颂文中阐述得极为详尽。
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-现在所提倡的人生佛教，如能赋予菩提心和空性见的内涵，就能直接抵达佛果，真正贯彻太虚大师所说的"人成即佛成”。但从目前来看，人生佛教的弘扬确实存在肤浅化的倾向，有必要对其内涵加以深化。道在人弘，人生佛教的旗帜固然契机，关键还在于怎样弘扬，赋予其什么见地和高度。
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-学员：发心是否也有顿渐之分？是否可能直接由胜义菩提心契入？
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-法师：法门的顿渐，是由知见高低决定的。《华严》的"初发心即成正觉”，一超直入如来地，可谓圆顿之极，至高无上。而禅宗和大圆满的教法也告诉我们，即使在凡夫心的层面，觉悟心也是可以触及的。因为烦恼是无自性的，体会到这一点，每个念头生起的当下即可解脱。如同蛇，自己就能将反复缠绕所成的结解开，毋须再借他力。不过，这些教法对根机的要求很高，一般人未必修得起来。相比之下，唯识教法是从妄心层面入手，比较容易把握。但依唯识教理修行，发心就是发心，结果就是结果，三大阿僧祇劫慢慢走来，很难相信现生可以见道，可以了生死。所以唯识学人在修行上往往容易松懈，民国年间许多学唯识的后来多学成哲学，这一流弊影响至今。
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-修行的常道，是从愿菩提心、行菩提心进至胜义菩提心。大家可以先从这一常规路线入手，积累一些资粮，才有机缘和能力修习直接契入的教法。
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-学员：在发菩提心的过程中，最大的障碍是什么？
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-法师：发心过程中，最大的敌人正是"我执”。我执无比狡诈，会利用所学的一切知识甚至佛法来干扰我们的心，其理由往往冠冕堂皇，让人无法拒绝。所以，我们必须明确认识到：自己究竟要成就什么？这点非常重要。我们的发心决定了最终的成就，但涉及具体事务时，往往很难分清究竟是哪种心在起作用。比如我们住持道场、弘法利生，看来似乎都是在发菩提心，或许我们自己也以为是在大转法轮，广度众生，以为和佛菩萨相差无几。可真正的心行基础是什么呢？仔细分析的话，可能是贪著，也可能是我执，这样的现象比比皆是。到后来，事业做得越大，对事业的贪著也越深。如果这样，最后成就的必然是我执，是地道的凡夫心。
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-学员：我们应当首先利益众生，还是成就后再利益众生？自利和利他是否有先后次第？
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-法师：在菩提心教法中，有三种不同的发心方式，即国王式、船夫式和牧人式。
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-首先是国王式的发心，认为自己得成为国王，才有能力广济群生。这种发心侧重以自利为先，修行到相当程度后再开始利他。当然，目标始终是"为利有情愿成佛”，而不是为了个人成就。藏传佛教中的米拉日巴尊者，即属于这类发心。其次是船夫式的发心，和乘客同舟共济，同时修行，同登彼岸。历代许多大德都是在自我修行的同时，积极弘法利生。第三是牧人式的发心，先要把牛羊赶回家。地藏菩萨就是其中的典型，其愿力为"众生度尽方证菩提，地狱不空誓不成佛”，只考虑众生，完全没有考虑自己。
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-关于这几种发心方式，每个人可以根据自己的情况去选择。有些人适合做国王，有些人愿意做船夫，也有些人希望做牧人。不论选择什么方式，共同前提和发心基础必须是利他。也就是说，在发心过程中不可有任何夹杂。若是有丝毫的杂染或自利色彩，必然无法破除我执，圆成菩提。
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-学员：藏传佛教中谈到，发菩提心者不可以舍弃任何众生，但又特别强调应远离破戒者，如何解决这一矛盾？
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-法师：在修学过程中，需要亲近善知识，远离恶知识。孔子亦云：无友不如己者。也就是说，应与胜过自己的朋友交游，才能见贤思齐。这一教授对初学者尤其重要。因为初学者往往善恶不辨，易受环境影响，所以对环境的要求必须严格，于增进学业和完善人格皆有益处。
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-但学有所成之后，就要以一切众生为度化对象，此时便无善知识及恶知识之分了。地藏菩萨发愿前往地狱，一定不是去那里亲近善知识的。从菩萨道修行来说，发起菩提心后，一方面要亲近善知识，一方面要慈悲利他，不可舍弃任何众生。当我们说到不舍众生时，关键是在于心行。只要对每个众生平等无别，慈悲便是圆满的。
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-所以这两个教授并不矛盾。佛法是针对众生的不同根机而施设，在不同修行阶段，要求也有所不同。
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-学员：如何才能圆满自己的发心？必须将众生度尽吗？佛果功德要达到什么标准？
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-法师：成就无上菩提，固然是以一切众生为度化对象，但并非将众生度尽才能成佛，因为度众生也是因缘法，不是你想度就能度的。佛果功德的积累，也不在于达到怎样的量才能圆满。在一般人的理解中，总以为菩萨三大阿僧祇劫的修行，必须积累多少福德，度化多少众生才合格。就像在社会上，获得博士学位、教授资格需要多少成果那样。但成佛并非事相上的成就，亦非外在功德的成就，若是执著功德相，就无法圆成佛果。
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-当我们说到度化一切众生时，别忘了自己也是众生。当然，关键不在于度了自己还是他人，而在于我们的发心是否缘法界一切众生。当我们修行时，不在于修利己行还是利他行，也不在于修止观还是修布施，关键看这一行为的发心是什么，所缘是什么？这才是根本所在。若是发心圆满，所修一切善行，包括自己的修证功德，都是成佛的资粮。
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-理解这个道理就会发现，不论国王式的发心，还是船夫、牧人式的发心，本质上并没有区别。即使暂时将重点放在自我修证，发心也是为了利他而非自己。比如禅修属于自利还是利他？若是因为厌弃世间、逃避责任打坐，对众生缺乏悲心，仅以自了为足，当然不是利他行。反之，若是为了更好地度化众生修行，同样是打坐，就属于利他行的范畴了。可见，关键取决于发心，而不是行为本身。在修行的各个阶段，我们可以有不同侧重，但发心必须圆满，这点极为重要。
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-过去，修行者更重视的是止息恶行，而菩提心教法还要求我们积极地成就善法，饶益有情，圆满慈悲。在这个时代，特别需要普及菩提心教法。发起广大愿心之后，力量会源源不断。
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-学员：发心之初还比较猛利，但往往不能坚持，应该如何解决？
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-法师：发心的困难，正在于发得准确，发得长久。这和"做一件好事容易，难的是一辈子做好事”同理。心行的力量源于积累，发一次只有一次的力量，况且这一次还未必发得纯粹。菩提心教法，正是要帮助大家持续、准确地发心，并通过见地、实践逐步巩固这一发心。其中，见是用于调整心行，实践则使菩提心落到实处，在心行产生稳定、持续的作用。如此，使菩提心的力量日渐增长。
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-学员：如何实践菩提心呢？
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-法师：菩提心的实践，包括观想和利他行两个方面。通过观想，使自己时刻心系众生，行住坐卧皆不忘利他。这种用心方法，在《华严经·净行品》中有很多具体指导。吃饭时，希望天下众生都能衣食无忧；健康快乐时，希望天下众生同样健康快乐；遭遇挫折时，希望自己承受的一切，能使天下众生远离挫折。时时这样观想，带着这样的心做每件事，菩提心一定会迅速增长。
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-当我们有机会利他时，应将对方视为成就菩提心的善因缘，心怀感恩，并在做的过程中不忘初心，念念为利益众生而做。在成就菩提心之前，这么做确实有些难度，但只要我们有信心，并坚持不懈地练习，这一心行就能得到巩固。久而久之，菩提心就能任运生起。
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-学员：菩提心与正见的关系如何？
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-法师：发起菩提心之后，见就有了用武之地。无论是中观见或唯识见，都能指导我们调整心行，将附着于菩提心的杂质一一剔除。强调菩提心的重要性，决非否定教理的作用。但必须明确的是，不可将谈空说有作为修学目的。
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-在学佛过程中，正见极为重要。知见不正，修行必然无法提高。禅宗很重视见的作用，所谓"只贵子见地，不贵子行履”。这个见不仅是闻思的见，更是心行的见。如果见地没有到位，即使每日精进苦修，修了些什么呢？反之，见地正了，搬柴运水、语静动默皆为无上妙行。所以说，见和菩提心是一体不二的。见需要着力点，才能发挥其功用。发起菩提心，见就找到了着力点。
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-学员：如何看待五种性？如果一个人注定是无种性，能否发菩提心？
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-法师：唯识宗将种性归纳为声闻、缘觉、菩萨、无种性和不定种性五种。按唯识的说法，种性决定了将来的成就。若是不具备菩萨种性，成佛必定无望。若是具备菩萨种性，生命起点就高于声闻。
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-众生虽然是平等的，但无始以来的积累，确实造就了生命起点的不同。有些人善根深厚；有些人障深慧浅；有些人生来具有菩萨倾向，热心公益；也有些人天性冷淡，对社会漠不关心。但从缘起看世间，我们不该将这些差别理解为固定不变的。所以我比较倾向一切众生皆可发菩提心，皆可培养为菩萨种性，但因为起点不同，难易程度会有区别。对那些乐于助人、充满悲心的人来说，菩提心和其天性相应，发起来相对容易。而对那些性情冷漠、孤僻的人来说，发心的难度自然大得多。但只要努力并且方向正确，最终都能有所成就。
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-学员：应当如何抉择利他行？比如吃不完的饼干，应该喂鱼还是和乞丐结缘？有人说，喂鱼不会造业。但也有人倾向于布施乞丐，因为人身难得，比鱼离成佛更近。
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-法师：从菩提心教法来说，把人救度完之后才开始对鱼慈悲，本身就是不对的。如果这样的话，菩提心永远无法圆满。众生是帮助不尽、救度不完的，何时才有成就的一天？所以关键不在于度化的客观结果，而在于对每个众生都充满慈悲，决不舍弃其中任何一位。不论对动物还是人，都要具有平等无别的悲心，这样的心行才是圆满的。若心中还有高低之分，最后成就的只能是不平等的凡夫心。佛菩萨的慈悲是一味平等的，对人是百分之百，对鱼也是百分之百。发心决定了最后的成就，这点必须牢记在心。
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-当然，利他还要有智慧。像这样的情况，究竟谁更需要？怎样分配更合理？有了智慧，自然知道如何抉择。恒顺众生，并非众生需要什么就给什么，更不是顺着众生的欲望和贪嗔痴行事，必须考虑对众生是否真正有益，以此作为取舍标准。所以在菩提心的实践中，首先是发心纯正，然后再以智慧抉择。
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-学员：请问学习中观和发菩提心的关系？
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-法师：空性见，是菩提心的重要组成部分。菩提心所具有的无相、无我、无所得等特征，皆属于空性见的范畴。若是没有这些认识，菩提心必然发不到位，也无法圆满。因为菩提心不是说法，还需要到现实中检验。为什么我们觉得菩提心发不起来？为什么对众生有抵触？就是因为把自己和众生看得实实在在，所以就有对立，有分别。如果认识到万法都是无相、无我、无所得的，便能接纳一切众生。既然自他是一体的，生起利他的菩提心就不是难事了。
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-三藏十二部典籍和一切修行法门都可汇归于菩提心，并在修学菩提心的过程中找到位置。所以说，菩提心是佛法的核心，可以统摄大乘一切法门。
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-学员：菩提心应如何落到实处？
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-法师：我们现在的心行虽然是凡夫心，但即使在这个层面，若有上乘的用心方法，也是可以触及本觉的。首先，必须找到心行的立足点。凡夫心的立足点是分别、执著、有限，这就需要调整，向平等、无相、无限靠拢。当然，做起来确实有一定难度，因为凡夫心的力量很大。但不要预存菩萨道很难、成佛很难的心态，这种畏难情绪是发心的极大障碍。
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-事实上，每种心行力量都是培养起来的。聚沙能够成塔，是因为点滴的积累；愚公能够移山，是因为不懈的努力。其中还有个关键，必须真切认识到菩提心的重要性，认识到这是学佛的唯一出路。否则，不要说救度众生，自顾尚且不暇。基于对自身生命的负责及对众生的慈悲，我们别无选择，唯有全力以赴地做。成就菩提心的先例很多，恒河沙数诸佛是这么走过来的，历代祖师大德也是这么走过来的。
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-Understanding Bodhicitta
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------A lecture series delivered in September 2003 at the Jiechuang Buddhist Research Institute
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-In September 2003, Venerable Jiqun delivered a lecture series titled *Understanding Bodhicitta* to students at the Jiechuang Buddhist Research Institute. Over the course of a week, the Venerable started from "the aspirations of ordinary people" and progressed layer by layer, giving a detailed exposition of how to generate bodhicitta correctly, the extraordinary nature of bodhicitta, the causes and conditions for its arising, and its characteristics. Drawing on the view of the Huayan school, integrating Yogācāra and Madhyamaka thought, and referencing the teachings on bodhicitta passed down by great masters through the ages, as well as his own practice experience, the Venerable offered a comprehensive summary and interpretation of the bodhicitta teachings---transforming them from mere slogans into a path that moves from theory to practice.
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-The two characters *faxin* (aspiration) are surely familiar to us all. We often hear elders urging us to generate aspiration, and many of us encourage each other with the same phrase. But if we look closely, how many people truly grasp its meaning? And how many can generate aspiration properly, accurately, and to a high standard? In fact, very few can. Thus, in many cases, "aspiration" seems to have become an empty slogan.
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-Nearly all the important Mahayana scriptures contain instructions on generating bodhicitta. The *Avatamsaka Sutra* states, "To forget bodhicitta while cultivating wholesome roots---this is the work of Māra." This passage was cited by Master Xing'an in his *Exhortation to Generate Bodhicitta*, and it has been widely circulated in Chinese Buddhism, deeply thought-provoking. Without bodhicitta, all our efforts in practice become causes for samsara. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sutra* says, "How does a bodhisattva-mahāsattva ride the Great Vehicle for the benefit and happiness of all sentient beings? Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra replied: Śāriputra! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates the perfection of wisdom, he does so with a mind oriented toward omniscience, with great compassion as the foremost, using non-attainment as skillful means." The mind oriented toward omniscience is bodhicitta. Venerable Yinshun cited this passage in *The Three Essentials of Buddhist Study* and proposed the three key principles of Mahayana Buddhism: bodhicitta, great compassion, and the view of emptiness, fully demonstrating bodhicitta's importance in the bodhisattva path.
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-In the *Lamrim*, the essentials of Dharma practice are summarized as the three principal paths: renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. I find this summary incisive. Generating renunciation is not only for personal liberation; it also serves as the foundation for bodhicitta to arise. Because Mahayana Buddhism is grounded in bodhicitta, and buddhahood is the perfect fulfillment of bodhicitta, the view of emptiness also serves bodhicitta. From the arising of bodhicitta to its fulfillment, the guidance of the view of emptiness is indispensable. Without the view of emptiness, it is difficult even to free ourselves from the ordinary mind, let alone achieve unsurpassed enlightenment.
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-Chinese Buddhism belongs to the Mahayana, yet in the course of its dissemination in China, it has not fully embodied the Mahayana spirit. Although the patriarchs of the various Chinese schools all left specialized discussions on bodhicitta when founding their traditions, these failed to draw the attention of later generations. After the Tang and Song dynasties, only the Chan and Pure Land schools retained wide influence. Yet practitioners of Chan and Pure Land often display a strong world-renouncing tone. Chan practitioners seek nothing more than liberation from birth and death, and Pure Land practitioners aspire to rebirth in the Western Paradise---also liberation from birth and death. The problem, moreover, is that they are essentially focused on personal liberation. To practice solely for personal liberation is clearly not the Mahayana aspiration.
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-Why did Mahayana Buddhism, so full of the spirit of active engagement with the world, evolve into such a pronounced world-renouncing tone after coming to China? The root cause lies in the neglect of bodhicitta---in practice, people unconsciously drifted toward personal liberation as the main focus.
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-What distinguishes the Mahayana from the Hinayana? Many people tend to differentiate them doctrinally, as if studying Mahayana teachings makes one a bodhisattva practitioner while studying Hinayana teachings makes one a śrāvaka practitioner. This is not the case. The key distinction between Mahayana and Hinayana lies in one's aspiration and the practice of that aspiration. If we generate bodhicitta and uphold the five precepts, then those five precepts are the five precepts of the Mahayana, an integral part of the bodhisattva path. If we generate renunciation only for personal liberation, then even if we study the most perfect and sudden teaching of the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, we still do not qualify as true Mahayana disciples.
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-In today's Buddhist community, many people lack understanding of what generating bodhicitta truly entails. They do not know what genuine aspiration is, how to generate it properly, what to do after generating it properly, or how to sustain and steadily develop it. Most remain unclear about this entire range of questions, and naturally, bodhicitta can never arise.
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-To resolve these issues, let us begin with the aspirations of ordinary people.
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-I. The Aspirations of Ordinary People
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-The "ordinary people" I refer to here are those in society who have not studied the Buddhadharma. Even without realizing it, they too are generating aspirations. Every day they have countless thoughts: they want fine clothes and rich food, wealth flowing in endlessly, and a smooth political career. Even worse, some think of cheating, swindling, and profiting at others' expense. In fact, none of these thoughts arise out of nowhere; each has its own psychological basis. That basis may be greed, hatred, arrogance, jealousy, or even wrong views and perverse knowledge. This psychological basis then gives rise to corresponding actions.
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-> 1. The Formation of the Ordinary Mind
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-Every action, in the process of being carried out, produces an objective result on the one hand---starting a company to make money, building a successful enterprise through decades of effort. On the other hand, that action also shapes our ordinary mind. If the psychological basis for starting the company was greed, then during the course of running it, attachment to the company will increase accordingly, and in the end, the company becomes a significant part of our life.
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-In society, many young people become frantic over romantic relationships, even to the point of threatening suicide. They did not reach this extreme from the very start---it is not as if they became inseparable the moment they met. It is through the process of being in love that mutual attachment grows deeper and deeper, until it reaches an incomparable intensity, until they feel that losing the other person means losing their entire emotional foundation.
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-This is precisely how the ordinary mind is continually nourished. Understood through Yogācāra principles, this is "seeds giving rise to manifest activity, manifest activity perfuming seeds." These two phrases, though simple, fully reveal the dynamics of mental functioning. "Seeds giving rise to manifest activity" is a process of repetition---but not simple repetition. The repetition of mental states changes over time, incorporating personal experience and thought, ultimately forming various mental patterns such as greed, hatred, arrogance, and jealousy. Especially in modern society, where moral standards are in decline and hearts stray from the old ways, running a business means facing many tests---one might even say traps everywhere---so that people are unconsciously carried away by various temptations. In the end, though the enterprise may succeed, the inner world is defiled beyond recognition.
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-Understood in this sense, aspiration means that through our external thoughts and actions, we ultimately give rise to and solidify a certain psychological state. Therefore, whenever we do something, we must consider not only the objective outcome but also what kind of mind it is shaping. A business is short-lived, but the force of the ordinary mind affects not only this life but also the future.
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-Worldly people, taking the ordinary mind as their foundation, produce all kinds of thoughts and actions, thereby shaping ordinary qualities. What are ordinary qualities? Fundamentally, they are the two graspings of self and phenomena, and the afflictions of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Of course, each person's attachments have different orientations, giving rise to different personality traits. The strength of the ordinary mind depends on how much we cultivate it. Someone habitually greedy is constantly reinforcing their greed; someone habitually hateful is constantly reinforcing their hatred. We can easily observe these phenomena in daily life. If we do not reflect and put a stop to it, greed and hatred will seek out targets at every moment and act. Over time, they become overwhelmingly powerful.
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-The mind grows through repetition; each repetition strengthens it. Therefore, we must examine our every word and deed, even every thought that arises, and make timely adjustments.
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-> 2. Cultivating Wholesome Mental Patterns
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-Acquiring any skill also requires constant repetition. Take learning a sport, for example: we must practice repeatedly to form the correct posture. Some movements may appear simple, but it is not easy to learn them correctly. Even after learning them, we still need considerable time for consolidation. This is because we have usually already formed certain habitual postures; the moment we relax, we immediately revert to our old habits. Only when we are especially mindful do we assume the correct posture.
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-In fact, behavioral habits reflect mental habits---the two are one. But bringing mental patterns into concrete behavior does require training. This training may take hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of repetitions, always adjusting our views and behavior to the correct state, then repeating it. When this repetition stabilizes in the mind, that is concentration. In fact, concentration is nothing mysterious---stable continuity is concentration. Once correct physical and mental behavior becomes stable, it unleashes tremendous energy. Otherwise, its power is very weak.
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-Mindfulness likewise requires training. This is why in Buddha-name recitation, we must constantly recollect the name of Amitābha Buddha, repeating the name over and over, again and again. So what is the key to repetition? Having right view as our guide. Otherwise, repetitive training may solidify mistaken views and behaviors into stubborn bad habits.
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-Right view guides us in adjusting body and mind, helping us determine: this state should be abandoned, that state should be abandoned. Through constant relinquishment, we adjust the mind until it is balanced, leaning neither to one side nor the other. Right view also tells us: with what attitude should we approach this state, and into what state might we fall otherwise, and so on. This is precisely why scriptural study matters---because the teachings help us establish right view. But in studying the teachings, we must find our footing, and that footing is in our own minds. Therefore, the focus of Dharma study is the mind, not the books.
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-Correct aspiration is vitally important. The foundation of an ordinary person's aspiration is mistaken, so what gets trained in the end is the ordinary mind---greed, hatred---not the awakened mind, not loving-kindness and compassion. Conversely, if we could apply the same energy we use to train the ordinary mind to training the qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas, to training the awakened mind, we would achieve results very quickly---perhaps using less than one percent of the effort. The key issue is that we do not understand what the awakened mind is, still less how to train it. If we find the right method, awakening is not remote. Looking through the biographies of past masters, many attained sudden awakening with a single pointer from a virtuous teacher. This illustrates from one angle that awakening is not something unattainable. While the Buddha was alive, many disciples, upon hearing his teachings, gained the pure Dharma eye and realized the noble path and its fruits there and then. If it were so difficult, instantaneous attainment would be impossible. So practice must have a simple side---the key lies in finding the right method and the right starting point.
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-II. Pitfalls in Practitioners' Aspiration
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-Because ordinary people act from the ordinary mind, they cultivate the ordinary mind. So, is the aspiration of Buddhist practitioners necessarily correct? Not entirely. Many practitioners' aspiration has not broken free from their ingrained mental habits, nor does it count as correct aspiration.
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-> 1. Aspiration Based on Some Form of Attachment
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-There are two common pitfalls in practitioners' aspiration. The first is being wrong from the start---coming to the Dharma with some form of attachment. If we delve into this, perhaps ninety percent of people begin from this starting point.
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-Some people are drawn by the serene atmosphere of a monastery. After entering the monastery, they feel very peaceful, so they come to study Buddhism, imagining that living in the monastery and enjoying a leisurely life is the ultimate human ideal. In fact, they are merely attached to the ambiance of a place beyond the world. Some are moved by the pure chanting and the monks' recitations; after taking up Buddhism, they chant along every day, believing this to be the best practice, when actually they are merely attached to the chanting and the sound. Some enjoy Buddhism's profound philosophy, feeling that Buddhist studies give intellectual depth. Still others admire Buddhism's splendid art, believing the halls of Buddhist art hold rich treasures---and so on. If we come to Buddhism through attachment to some external object, then in the course of practice, that attachment will often increase as well.
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-If we treat Buddhism merely as an academic subject to research, then ultimately writing papers and producing results becomes the goal. Once we have achievements, monographs, and academic titles, we may feel that the task of studying Buddhism is completely finished and life's problems entirely resolved. There are also many who treat Buddhism as pure philosophy to contemplate, whose interest in philosophical theory far exceeds their concern for resolving life's problems. The scholars of the China Institute of Inner Learning during the Republican era largely fell into philosophical research rather than being grounded in care for life itself. Some people even come to Buddhism seeking material benefits, treating the monastery as a place to make a living---an even more mistaken aspiration.
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-When we analyze carefully, the vast majority of people enter the Buddha's gate through causes and conditions like these. Those who truly awaken to the impermanence of life, who seek a way out for their existence, who seek liberation from birth and death, who aspire to become buddhas and patriarchs, who study Buddhism to benefit all sentient beings---these are exceedingly rare. If, after generating some aspiration, we continue to fixate on external phenomena without elevating our aim, what we ultimately cultivate is likely attachment and the two kinds of grasping---to self and phenomena. This is the first common pitfall in aspiration.
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-Of course, entering through attachment is not absolutely impermissible. The *Vimalakīrti Sutra* says, "First entice them with desire, then guide them into the Buddha's wisdom." That is, first use some skillful means to spark an interest in the Dharma, then gradually lead the person forward. For example, some centers in Australia offer free vegetarian meals. Many people initially come to the monastery not from an interest in Buddhism but for the free food. But as they visit more often, they gradually develop an affinity for Buddhism; then they listen to a few talks, read some Buddhist books, and their understanding deepens, eventually arriving at correct aspiration. So if we do not remain stuck in attachment but can establish right view through listening and reflecting on the teachings, and with right view as our guide, "diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and extinguish greed, hatred, and ignorance"---then even if we began from attachment, we can ultimately let go of that attachment and still achieve liberation.
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-> 2. Falling into the Ordinary Mind in the Course of Practice
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-The second pitfall begins with correct aspiration---the person genuinely studies Buddhism to pursue liberation or attain buddhahood. But can this aspiration be sustained? Can it maintain its purity forever?
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-We know that aspiration is only a beginning, merely the power of a single thought. This newly arisen right thought is like an infant, its strength very feeble. By contrast, the power of the ordinary mind is immense, because it originates in the beginningless torrent of existence, and its force is often stronger than we imagine. Only when we generate intense renunciation and bodhicitta does the ordinary mind temporarily retreat. Just as when a cat appears, the mouse tactfully hides in its hole.
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-But the mind does not always remain in such a state, especially when we are engaged in activities---managing a practice center, administering a monastery, which inevitably involves navigating complex social relationships; traveling to various places to teach the Dharma, giving lectures, which inevitably involves dealing with all kinds of followers. In these processes, we often forget our original aspiration, even treating the achievements of our work as the goal of practice. In fact, when we act from renunciation or bodhicitta, the ultimate fruit we aim to accomplish is liberation, unsurpassed enlightenment---the work itself is merely a byproduct.
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-Regrettably, most people, in the course of working, unconsciously neglect their original intention and deviate from their initial purpose. Especially once the work reaches a certain scale, we may even be like worldly people, wanting the enterprise to grow bigger and bigger, wanting it to surpass others, forgetting the mindset with which a practitioner should approach their work. And so, all the ordinary mind returns. As the work expands, attachment to it grows in direct proportion. The larger the enterprise becomes, the stronger the clinging to it grows. Although what we are engaged in is Buddhist work, the dynamics of mental functioning are the same as in any worldly undertaking.
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-Whether it is attachment to Buddhist work or attachment to worldly wealth, there is no essential difference between the two kinds of greed. Of course, propagating the Dharma or supporting a center benefits many people, and the merit thus created is utterly different in its karmic results from attachment to worldly fame and gain. But we must recognize that in terms of the attachment they produce in the mind, the two are not the slightest bit different. Just as in our eyes, whether gold dust or sand is placed there, both are equally harmful.
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-Many people engaged in activities---supporting the Dharma, teaching the Dharma, even practicing---do not truly understand what mindset they should bring to their work, so in the process of aspiration they unconsciously fall into the ordinary mind. This situation is quite common in Buddhist circles: while objectively accomplishing Buddhist work, subjectively they also develop a classic ordinary mind. Once the work reaches a substantial scale, it may even give rise to factionalism, departmentalism, and sectarian views. In truth, these are all manifestations of self-grasping. Because self-grasping grows alongside the work, and in the end it has nothing to do with genuine practice. On the surface, the work looks brilliant, with vast influence in spreading the Dharma, but self-grasping and attachment are increasing day by day.
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-Understanding this principle is extremely important. Over ninety-five percent of people may never have noticed this point, which is why so many have fallen into the trap one after another. I myself only discovered this principle recently, while reflecting on the question of bodhicitta. Though the principle is simple, its significance is immense. For you students in particular, it is not too late to grasp this now. If we can generate intense bodhicitta and properly adjust our mental patterns, we will not be carried away by our work in the course of doing it.
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-Some might say: since doing things causes so many problems, wouldn't it be better to remain detached and keep a safe distance? But then we could not benefit all sentient beings, nor could we attain buddhahood. We know that bodhicitta practice is profoundly active. If we do nothing, bodhicitta can never be mobilized, and the qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas can never be developed. Therefore, we must cultivate altruistic action to accumulate the provisions for buddhahood. The key is to engage in work with correct aspiration and to sustain that aspiration throughout. Only in this way can we benefit sentient beings while at the same time developing buddha- and bodhisattva-like qualities within ourselves.
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-We should consider ourselves fortunate to learn about these pitfalls in aspiration early in our Buddhist study. Of course, merely knowing is far from enough. If we do not grasp the essentials of working with the mind and put them into practice, even knowing will be useless, because the power of the ordinary mind is simply too great. We must therefore combine the profound methods of mind-training from the Buddhadharma and apply ourselves diligently to mental cultivation. Otherwise, understanding the principle won't help.
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-The self is wily and full of tricks. It will seek out all kinds of excuses to mobilize the ordinary mind. Our inner world has countless channels. Sometimes we clearly switch on one channel, only to have a channel with a stronger signal seize control. We encounter similar phenomena when watching television. The self not only has a powerful signal but is always watching for an opportunity to act. Deep within us, each mental factor is like a channel of the mind---some weaker, some stronger. Whichever mental factor is strongest will assert itself and dominate us. The most dangerous of these is self-grasping, for it has been formed since beginningless time. Therefore, the greatest enemy in practice is self-grasping; once we thoroughly destroy self-grasping, all other afflictions will be resolved with ease.
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-How to avoid falling into the ordinary mind during the process of generating aspiration---this is an extremely crucial aspect of practice, and the essentials of aspiration lie within it. On close analysis, our inner world is highly complex. Even when doing good, it is difficult to guarantee a pure altruistic intention. Of course, altruism should be present, but self-grasping is certainly there too, and greed and judgmental attitudes are hard to avoid. We make distinctions about whom we should benefit and whom we should not, drawing many boundaries. So we can see that even when doing good, the ordinary mind starts up right alongside. If we are not vigilant, the ordinary mind will gradually take the dominant position and ultimately replace the original altruistic intention, and then what we cultivate can only be the ordinary mind. Only by generating a purely altruistic intention can we possibly develop the compassionate qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-The *Diamond Sutra* and the *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra* tell us that genuine aspiration should possess the characteristics of awakening, altruism, boundlessness, and non-attainment. We must use these as our standard, constantly examining and adjusting our mental patterns. First we need to recognize the pitfalls in aspiration; only then can we accurately generate bodhicitta and further grasp the essentials of practice. Although the Buddhadharma has different systems---in the Mahayana, for instance, there are Yogācāra, Huayan, the Lotus, Nirvāṇa, and Madhyamaka-Prajñā---when we find their core, we discover that all scriptures and treatises are helping us on different levels. Yogācāra's analysis of the mind and its exposition of the dynamics of mental functioning are of great help in understanding aspiration. The ultimate truth of the Buddhadharma is reached by different paths that converge at the same destination; though the methods of entry and realization differ, they are interconnected at the root.
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-III. How to Generate Correct Aspiration
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-The entire Tripiṭaka, all twelve divisions of the canon, revolve around the nature of mind, helping us understand it. If we do not understand our own mind, and do not understand its many pitfalls, we will inevitably be unable to generate correct aspiration.
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-Although Buddhism also cares about the world, the ultimate purpose of this concern is still to resolve the problem of mind. Many of our afflictions arise from mistaken understanding of the world. Are the world and our mind one or two? In most people's view, mind is mind and the world is the world---the two seem to have little to do with each other. Because we regard mind and world as two, the mind falls into dualistic grasping.
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-In practice, there are two greatest enemies: the grasper and the grasped. Yogācāra explains the two graspings very clearly for us: the imagined nature is the point at which life falls from boundlessness into limitation. When we transcend the imagined nature, we can, right in the midst of dependently arisen phenomena, realize emptiness. It is because of this grasping that the world of truth becomes the world of ordinary beings. If we realize the principle that "everything is created by the mind alone," we can, through this understanding, realize emptiness---because all phenomena are manifestations of mind and are one with the mind. This is a fundamental principle we must understand when studying Yogācāra.
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-Throughout history, religions have emerged one after another. Even during the Buddha's lifetime, there were ninety-six kinds of non-Buddhist paths. Why can these other religions not open great wisdom and realize emptiness? The reason lies in cognitive error: they take what is not truth, not emptiness, as the true nature of all phenomena. They remain, to varying degrees, within the two graspings of self and phenomena, attached to some notion of self or some notion of phenomena, and what they see is not the original face of things.
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-A correct understanding of the nature of mind is vitally important for practice. Only when we reach this level of understanding can we clearly know where aspiration should begin. Correct aspiration consists primarily of two kinds: renunciation and bodhicitta.
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-> 1. Renunciation
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-What is renunciation? When many people resolve to leave the household life, they urgently want to depart from home---so urgently they cannot wait a single day. That state of mind at that moment is renunciation. When a worldly marriage dissolves and both parties are desperate to part, intent on resolving it as quickly as possible; or when we have grown weary of staying somewhere and don't want to see it for another moment, where staying an extra day feels like torment---that intense desire to separate or leave is also renunciation. As to where one goes after leaving, that is another matter; here we are merely describing the mental state of longing for release.
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-Let us reflect: when we study Buddhism, leave home, and pursue liberation, do we always maintain this attitude of renunciation? Many people may have it right after leaving home, but as time passes, the monastic life gradually turns into just another lifestyle, merely a change of setting for daily living. This is not surprising. Psychologically speaking, human beings have a tendency toward habitual numbness. Once we become familiar with a certain state, we gradually lose our sensitivity to it.
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-When we normally see a dead person, especially a close relative who has passed away, we are immediately alerted to the reality of death. But for mortuary workers, putting a body into the cremator is probably little different from tending a furnace. Most people would scarcely dare to do such work---to push someone once alive into the flames and reduce them to ashes is truly a difficult act. Yet these workers face so many cold, stiff bodies every day that they no longer feel any fear or alertness toward death. Similarly, every patient takes their own illness very seriously, but a doctor treats batch after batch of patients every day. No matter how serious a patient considers their illness, in the doctor's eyes it is merely one case among thousands and does not elicit the same level of concern. These are all examples of habitual numbness.
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-The same applies to leaving the household life for many people. After a long time, it is easy to regard the monastery simply as an environment for daily living, concerned only with creating a comfortable atmosphere for getting through the days. That is why the Buddha exhorted monks to constantly recollect that life is but a breath, that if the next breath does not come, it is already the next life. Only thus can we remain alert to death and no longer cling to an easy, comfortable life.
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-If we truly realize how urgent impermanence is, that it is right before our eyes, would we still dare to be scattered, indulge in fantasies, or chase after fame and gain? Would we have time to busy ourselves with external matters? We would then spontaneously practice with the same urgency "as if our head were on fire," maintaining a sense of pressing need in our practice, not daring to relax in the slightest. If our mind is constantly in a state of high alert, it is very easy to connect with the practice.
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-Generating renunciation is the foundation of monastic practice. So what exactly are we renouncing? We renounce samsara, the world, the five desires and six sense objects. True renunciation includes two dimensions: external renunciation and internal renunciation. The external aspect means the five desires and six sense objects; the internal aspect means our attachment to those objects and the ordinary mind that arises from that attachment. Therefore, what we need to renounce is not only the environment but even more so our own ordinary mind. In fact, the purpose of renouncing the environment is precisely to renounce our attachment to it and the ordinary mind that attachment generates. Only by freeing ourselves from the ordinary mind can we realize emptiness and be liberated from afflictions.
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-To renounce the ordinary mind, we must first not have the slightest attachment to the world---this is the key. The Āgama teachings tell us that contemplation of suffering should be the foremost principle in our understanding. Suffering is the foundation for Buddhist world-transcending liberation. Contemplating life as suffering, and then realizing impermanence, emptiness, and selflessness---these are the fundamental insights that give rise to renunciation.
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-In terms of conduct, we should practice according to precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Since beginningless time, we have developed numerous habitual tendencies---greed, hatred, ignorance, and so on. Each afflictive tendency seeks to dominate us. We must use the power of precepts to block them, denying the afflictions any opportunity. Concentration means anchoring the mind on a chosen object---for example, practicing breath-counting meditation or contemplation of impurity, settling the mind on the breath or the visualization of impurity so that discursive thoughts cease their activity. Then we cultivate contemplation of impermanence and selflessness to bring forth flawless wisdom, thoroughly uprooting afflictions and attachments.
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-Thus, after generating renunciation, we must know how to sustain it and continuously strengthen it until final attainment. Otherwise, even if we generate renunciation, it will soon be replaced by the ordinary mind. When we generate intense renunciation, the ordinary mind temporarily retreats. But the moment we relax slightly, it immediately surges back. I have deeply realized that practice must be as vigorous as a warrior's effort; otherwise, making a significant breakthrough is very difficult. That said, the courage in working with the mind does not mean applying extremely forceful attention. Although some deliberate attention is needed at the start, the more important point is to never relax. If we push too hard for extended periods, we not only become exhausted but also fall into the trap of forced attention. So the key is knowing how to work with the mind; otherwise, even vigorous effort will go wrong---as the saying goes, haste makes waste.
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-The ultimate goal of generating renunciation is liberation from birth and death. In modern society, practice is indeed more difficult than in the past, because society offers far too many temptations, and monastics have far too many tasks to attend to. For most people, the early stages of practice are easily affected by the environment, so the demands on the environment must be very strict. Monastics of the past mostly withdrew to the mountains and forests, living a pure life of practice. Beyond the absolute minimum of food and clothing to sustain the body, they devoted their main energy to realizing the path. By comparison, our practice environment today is far harsher, and cultivating the path of liberation is much more difficult.
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-For this reason, practice today may require some more intense methods. In other words, methods that take less time but show results quickly, able to cut off the torrent on the spot. Such methods do indeed exist in the Buddhadharma, enabling us to get on the path in a relatively short time. And once on the path, they immediately allow us to abide in a state free from conceptualization, free from fixation, and free from attainment. Today, we must seek out such skillful means for working with the mind; only then can practice be more assured. If we have to sit for ten or twenty years before seeing some progress, as the ancients did, it is very hard for modern people to practice in that way. Without a pure and supportive environment, the small progress we make in practice often cannot withstand the harm caused by external conditions.
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-Though many people set aside two or more hours each day for Buddha-name recitation, sutra recitation, or meditation, for the remaining dozen or so hours they are still immersed in thoughts of greed, hatred, and ignorance. The mindfulness we cultivate through deliberate attention is still very weak and cannot possibly withstand our beginningless habitual tendencies. This is why, though many people are practicing, their afflictive habits remain exactly as they were.
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-If our practice is built on the level of the ordinary mind, it is completely normal for such phenomena to occur. Because the mindfulness we are now cultivating is established on the conscious level. To use this to resist the afflictive delusions accumulated since beginningless time---with such unequal strength, how could we possibly win? It is like an infant wrestling a strongman; the outcome is self-evident. Recognizing this law of mental functioning, we can easily understand why so many people's practice fails to achieve the expected results.
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-> 2. Bodhicitta
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-Renunciation is only the foundation of practice; we must go further and generate bodhicitta. Renunciation can develop in two directions. One is intense personal renunciation, seeking only nirvāṇic liberation; this belongs to the śrāvaka fixed on tranquillity. The other begins with renunciation and then turns from the small toward the great, generating bodhicitta. Renunciation is the abandonment of worldly attachment, and it is precisely the foundation on which bodhicitta is built. Bodhicitta's features---non-abiding and non-attainment---are aligned with renunciation. The difference between the two lies in whether we can extend what we feel for ourselves to others, making the aspiration to benefit all beings and realize enlightenment together, based on our own wish for liberation.
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-Bodhicitta has two aspects: broadly benefiting sentient beings, and seeking unsurpassed buddhahood. Is there a sequential order between these two? In the process of aspiration, do we prioritize benefiting sentient beings, or attaining buddhahood? Do we liberate beings in order to become a buddha, or do we become a buddha in order to liberate beings? There are different views on this question.
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-For most Buddhist practitioners, what probably comes to mind first is "I want to become a buddha," and then, in order to attain buddhahood, to benefit sentient beings. In other words, liberating beings serves "my" attainment of buddhahood. But in the process of benefiting sentient beings, a bodhisattva should not regard themselves as benefactors to beings; rather, they should see beings as benefactors to themselves. This is because only altruistic action enables us to develop the quality of compassion and the provisions for enlightenment. The *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra* tells us: "All sentient beings are the roots, and all buddhas and bodhisattvas are the flowers and fruits. By benefiting sentient beings with the water of great compassion, we can bring forth the flowers and fruits of buddhas' and bodhisattvas' wisdom." This clearly points out the relationship between buddhas, bodhisattvas, and sentient beings---sentient beings serve as the enhancing condition for developing compassion.
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-Even if we possess the life qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas, this seed can only mature through benefiting sentient beings, and through purely altruistic action. Only when our aspiration reaches this level can we perfect the inner quality of compassion. If it is still mixed with the ordinary mind, it can only serve as a prelude to mobilizing compassion and may even "miss by a hair's breadth and go astray by a thousand miles." At the same time, we must accumulate our aspiration to a certain degree before bodhicitta can be fully activated. This training may require hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, or even millions of repetitions. We must think this way and act this way every day, strengthening it through constant mental simulation and training. Once both the quality and the quantity of our aspiration are sufficient, we will be no different from the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-But if we perpetually maintain this attitude---treating the liberation of beings merely as an expedient for our own attainment of buddhahood---compassion is very difficult to perfect. Because our goal is "I want to become a buddha," and as long as there is this "I," it is hard to guarantee a purely altruistic intention when liberating beings; there may even be suspicion of using beings for our own ends.
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-Therefore, I think this view has both strengths and weaknesses. The strength is that when we liberate beings, we clearly know why we should benefit them: because "I want to become a buddha," I must act altruistically. The weakness is that we have not genuinely generated unconditional great compassion and the compassion of shared essence toward beings. It is merely like taking medicine because we are sick---treating altruistic action as a means to attain buddhahood. If we remain at this level, the purity of our compassion will inevitably be compromised to varying degrees.
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-Another view is "for the sake of benefiting beings, may I attain buddhahood." That is to say, practice is not aimed at becoming a buddha but only at better liberating sentient beings. It is like you students coming to the institute for further study: the purpose is not to obtain a diploma but to better teach the Dharma and benefit beings in the future, to shoulder the work of the Tathāgata. If we do everything for the sake of sentient beings, without the slightest admixture of other motives, it is easier to reach the standard of buddhas' and bodhisattvas' aspiration. When we generate aspiration in this way, the qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas are already taking effect in our life, and right here and now, on some level, we are no different from the buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is what the *Avatamsaka Sutra* means by "the initial generation of bodhicitta is itself perfect enlightenment." In other words, the beginning of practice and the ultimate result are not essentially different.
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-The *Avatamsaka Sutra*'s chapter on the merit of the initial generation of bodhicitta contains a detailed exposition of this. From it, we can understand that when aspiration is generated properly, its merit is truly beyond imagination. This is because bodhicitta is none other than the mind of buddhahood!
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-So, how do we generate bodhicitta? Some might find it very abstract, but in fact, there are many concrete methods. What is the content of generating bodhicitta? It is "I want to liberate sentient beings, I want to become a buddha." This mental state of "I want to become a buddha" is actually the same in kind as "I want to eat"---only the object is different. Of course, there are also differences in degree and purity. For example, "I want to eat" can range from optional to urgent to absolutely imperative. In a certain sense, the intention "I want to become a buddha" is similar.
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-The problem is that when we want to eat, we feel urgent about it; when we want to become a buddha, we feel no such urgency. This is because the aspirations of daily life and the aspiration "I want to become a buddha" are, after all, different. If we want to eat, we can eat immediately. But if we want to become a buddha, how can we achieve that? There seems to be no starting point. Why does this happen? Because we do not truly recognize the meaning of becoming a buddha. Therefore, when generating aspiration, we also need a focal object---namely, the qualities of the Buddha's attainment. The *Avatamsaka Sutra* and other scriptures and treatises contain extensive passages describing the qualities of buddhahood. Only when we recognize the extraordinary value of the Buddha's attainment and understand that the meaning of human life lies in attaining buddhahood can we possibly generate intense bodhicitta.
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-In my view, the practice methods expounded throughout the Mahayana canon---from the bodhisattvas' vows to the bodhisattva precepts, and the views of Huayan and Prajñā---all revolve around the fulfillment of bodhicitta. Only by making bodhisattva vows, upholding bodhisattva precepts, and walking the bodhisattva path can bodhicitta sprout, blossom, and eventually bear fruit. Thus, bodhicitta is both the point of application in practice and the result we ultimately aim to achieve. If we do not generate bodhicitta, our practice cannot find its footing.
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-IV. The Extraordinary Nature of Bodhicitta
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-We have now understood that the correct aspiration in Buddhist practice is generating bodhicitta. Yet in Buddhist circles, many people treat aspiration merely as a slogan without putting it into action. Why is that? I think it must be from a lack of understanding of bodhicitta's importance.
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-As for myself, in the past my understanding of bodhicitta was also quite superficial. Although I often mentioned aspiration, I was like many others in not truly implementing it in practice. Only after encountering the *Avatamsaka Sutra*'s chapter on the merit of the initial generation of bodhicitta was I deeply shaken by its power. Looking back over what I had studied for many years and delving further into the Mahayana scriptures and treatises, I came to truly appreciate the significance of generating bodhicitta.
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-> 1. The Extraordinary Merit of Bodhicitta
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-Like many Mahayana scriptures, the chapter on the merit of the initial generation of bodhicitta uses the method of comparative measurement to expound the merit of generating bodhicitta. The sutra employs eleven analogies: benefiting and gladdening beings, traversing universes with speed, knowing the formation and destruction of eons, knowing diverse inclinations, knowing diverse faculties, knowing diverse desires, knowing skillful means, knowing others' minds, knowing karmic appearances, knowing afflictions, and making offerings to buddhas in every lifetime.
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-The main speaker in this chapter is Bodhisattva Dharmamati, and the interlocutor is Śakra, Lord of Gods. At the chapter's opening, Śakra asks Bodhisattva Dharmamati: How great is the merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta? Dharmamati first explains with the analogy of benefiting and gladdening beings. The meaning of the passage is roughly: Suppose there were a person who, with all pleasurable provisions (material goods that bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings), made offerings to as many beings as there are in the worlds of the ten directions, up to ten asaṃkhyeyas in number, for a hundred eons; then taught them to cultivate the ten wholesome paths, continuing this Dharma offering for a thousand eons; then taught them to cultivate the four dhyānas for a hundred thousand eons; then taught them to cultivate the four immeasurables for a hundred million eons; then guided them in cultivating the four formless absorptions for ten billion eons; then guided them in practicing the path of liberation, enabling them to attain the fruit of stream-entry, for a hundred billion eons; then guided them in practice enabling them to attain the fruit of once-return, for ten trillion eons; then guided them in abiding in the practice of the non-returner's fruit, for a hundred million nayutas of eons; then guided them in the practice of the arhat's fruition, for a hundred thousand nayutas of hundred-millions of eons; and then taught them to accomplish the path of the pratyekabuddha.
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-After this series of analogies, Dharmamati asked Śakra in reply: Son of the Buddha! How great do you think this person's merit is? Śakra answered: This person's merit is truly beyond the imagination of ordinary beings; only a buddha could know it.
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-Dharmamati continued: Although this person's merit is inconceivable, compared with the merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta, it does not reach one hundredth, one thousandth, one hundred thousandth, or even one upaniṣat part. In other words, the merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta surpasses the above merit a hundredfold, a thousandfold, a hundred thousandfold, and an upaniṣat-fold. Upaniṣat is a Sanskrit numeral, the largest unit of quantity.
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-Dharmamati then proceeded to present ten more analogies in succession, each advancing further than the last, all comparatively measuring the merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta. In these ten analogies, each subsequent merit surpasses the previous one. Thus, each analogy begins with "Setting aside this analogy," letting go of the former to raise the latter, so as to highlight the extraordinary, inconceivable, and unsurpassed merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta.
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-Having learned of the extraordinary merit of the initial generation of bodhicitta, we may feel admiration yet also a touch of doubt: Why does a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta possess such immense merit? What is it that truly distinguishes it from the aspirations of ordinary beings and those of the two vehicles? In response, Dharmamati further explains: Śakra! When all buddhas first generated bodhicitta, they not only made offerings of all provisions to all beings in the worlds of the ten directions; not only taught beings to cultivate the five precepts and ten wholesome paths, the four dhyānas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions, helping them attain the fruits of stream-entry, once-return, non-return, arhatship, and the pratyekabuddha path. Bodhisattvas at the initial generation of bodhicitta are not satisfied with this; on this foundation, they further aspire to ensure the lineage of the Tathāgatas never ceases and spreads to all worlds, and they aspire to liberate all sentient beings and guide them to accomplish the Buddha path.
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-From this we can see the fundamental difference between the initial generation of bodhicitta by bodhisattvas and the aspirations of ordinary beings and the two vehicles: the former engages in vast wholesome deeds with a boundless mind, while the latter is limited. The limitations here involve two aspects. First, the quantity is limited---although the number "ten directions and ten asaṃkhyeyas" is already unimaginably vast, it is, after all, finite. Second, the attainment is limited---whether providing beings with provisions for happiness or guiding them to achieve the four fruits of the śrāvaka or even the pratyekabuddha path, these are all finite, limited fruitions, not the limitless, unsurpassed fruit of buddhahood.
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-Starting from a limited aspiration, liberating a limited number of beings, and achieving a limited fruition---the merit ultimately accomplished can only be limited. No matter how many finite quantities we add together, the result is only a larger, greater finite quantity; it can never compare with the infinite. By contrast, a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta takes limitless sentient beings as the object of benefit and the unsurpassed fruit of buddhahood as the goal of attainment.
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-Some may wonder: Sentient beings are countless as particles of dust---can the buddhas and bodhisattvas ever liberate them all? Throughout vast eons, countless buddhas have already attained buddhahood. If every buddha must liberate all sentient beings before realizing enlightenment, why are there still countless beings drowning in the cycle of birth and death? Beings have not all been liberated, yet buddhas have already attained enlightenment---how is this to be understood?
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-We must understand that when a bodhisattva aspires to liberate all sentient beings and guide them to accomplish the Buddha path, this does not mean their merit can only be perfected after every last being has become a buddha. If that were the case, probably no one could ever attain buddhahood. Since beings are limitless, and buddhas' and bodhisattvas' appearance in the world to liberate beings requires the convergence of causes and conditions, only when beings' own roots of virtue, merits, and karmic conditions are ripe can the buddhas and bodhisattvas successfully liberate them. Otherwise, even their efforts would be in vain.
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-If a bodhisattva aspires to liberate all sentient beings and gradually fulfills this aspiration through practice, then when they can generate boundless, impartial compassion toward all beings, they have also perfected the mental patterns and qualities possessed by all buddhas, and at that very moment they are no different from the buddhas. Conversely, if in their mind there remains even a single being they reject, the bodhisattva cannot perfect unsurpassed buddhahood, because their compassion is not yet complete.
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-The *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra*, widely circulated in Buddhist circles, is precisely the shortcut to practice that Bodhisattva Samantabhadra has provided us for accomplishing the boundless merit of all buddhas. Its core content is the ten great vows of Samantabhadra: first, to pay homage to all buddhas; second, to praise the Tathāgatas; third, to make abundant offerings; fourth, to repent karmic obstacles; fifth, to rejoice in others' merit; sixth, to request the turning of the Dharma wheel; seventh, to request the buddhas to remain in the world; eighth, to constantly follow the Buddha's teachings; ninth, to accord with all sentient beings; tenth, to dedicate all merit universally. These may seem quite ordinary and are familiar to most Buddhists, yet they have always been honored as the "king of vows." Why is this?
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-The *Practices and Vows* comes from the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, and its practice is grounded in the Huayan vision. This is shown mainly in the opening and closing statements of each vow. Take "paying homage to all buddhas": it begins, "Throughout the entire Dharma-realm, the realm of empty space, all buddha-lands in the ten directions and three times, as numerous as the finest particles of dust---relying on the power of Samantabhadra's practice and vows, with deep faith and understanding, I behold them as if they were before my very eyes." It concludes, "Only when the realm of empty space is exhausted will my homage be exhausted; but because the realm of empty space is inexhaustible, my homage shall have no end. So too, only when the realm of sentient beings is exhausted, the karma of sentient beings is exhausted, and the afflictions of sentient beings are exhausted will my homage be exhausted; but because the realm of sentient beings, and even their afflictions, are inexhaustible, my homage shall have no end. Thought after thought in continuous succession, without interruption, in action of body, speech, and mind, without weariness."
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-"Paying homage to all buddhas"---it seems most Buddhists can do this. But when ordinary people do it from a narrow ordinary mind, the content of their homage is also narrow. In Samantabhadra's vast practice and vows, however, the object of homage is all buddhas throughout the entire Dharma-realm, the realm of empty space, in the ten directions and three times. And it is not homage for a day, a year, or even a lifetime, but endlessly into the future, without interruption. Even if oceans dry up and rocks crumble, even if the realm of empty space is exhausted, this practice of homage will continue eternally in accordance with Samantabhadra's practice and vows.
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-The scope of the other nine vows is exactly the same. From this we can understand why Samantabhadra's practice and vows are honored as the king of vows: the key lies in their grounding in boundlessness---engaging in boundless wholesome deeds with a boundless mind. Paying homage to all buddhas takes all buddhas as its object; liberating sentient beings likewise takes all sentient beings as its object---and both extend into the endless future. The object is boundless, with not a single being excluded; the time is also boundless, with neither a moment of rest nor a day of conclusion.
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-To generate aspiration and practice based on the Huayan view is to take boundlessness as the starting point. And the word "boundlessness" is precisely the key to understanding why the merit of a bodhisattva's initial generation of bodhicitta is inconceivable. Based on a limited aspiration, no matter how many deeds benefiting beings we perform, the result will ultimately be limited. If we wish to accomplish the boundless merit of buddhahood, it must be built on a boundless aspiration. We know that any number multiplied by infinity must result in infinity. By the same principle, when we cultivate wholesome deeds with a boundless mind, though the deeds themselves are finite, what we obtain is infinite. Therefore, if a bodhisattva at the initial generation of bodhicitta performs deeds benefiting beings with a boundless mind, they can accomplish boundless merit in every moment, perfecting the provisions for the Buddha path.
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-> 2. Bodhicitta Is the Gateway to the Mahayana
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-How do we distinguish the Mahayana from the Hinayana? Many people think that those who study Mahayana scriptures are Mahayana practitioners and those who study Hinayana scriptures are Hinayana practitioners, rarely considering the matter from the standpoint of their own aspiration. Chinese Buddhism is Mahayana, and therefore Chinese Buddhists mostly identify as Mahayana practitioners, as if this identity were a matter of course.
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-What is the Mahayana? In the *Lamrim*, Master Tsongkhapa states: "The Buddha taught the Pāramitāyāna and the Mantrayāna; apart from these two, there is no other Mahayana. Through what gate does one enter these two? It is bodhicitta alone. The moment this arises in one's body and mind, even if no other qualities have arisen, one is established in the Mahayana." Here, bodhicitta is the criterion for determining whether one is truly Mahayana. Only when one has generated bodhicitta is one a Mahayana practitioner. Conversely, even if one realizes emptiness and attains various qualities, one is still a śrāvaka practitioner who can only liberate oneself.
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-Bodhicitta and the wisdom of emptiness are the two great pillars of Buddhist practice, like the two wings of a bird, neither dispensable. The *Lamrim* states: "This unsurpassed bodhicitta is the uncommon cause, like the seed, among the causes of buddhahood. The wisdom that realizes emptiness is the common cause of the three kinds of enlightenment, like water and fertilizer." This tells us clearly: the wisdom of emptiness is the common cause of buddhahood, while bodhicitta is the uncommon cause. A common cause means that all sages of the three vehicles attain realization through the wisdom of emptiness---it is the mother of the three vehicles' practice. An uncommon cause means that among the three vehicles, only bodhisattva path practice absolutely requires bodhicitta. In other words, only after generating bodhicitta is one a true child of the Buddha, a qualified Mahayana practitioner.
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-However, in the tradition of Chinese Buddhism, there seems to be greater emphasis on the wisdom of emptiness. Doctrinal school practitioners spend decades of study mainly to gain right view and, based on it, practice calm abiding and insight to realize emptiness. The Chan school places even more emphasis on seeing the nature, regarding this as the fundamental goal, as though seeing the nature encompasses the entirety of practice. Perhaps because of this special emphasis on the wisdom of emptiness, the bodhisattva path of the six perfections and four means of gathering---though emphasized in many Mahayana scriptures---has not drawn widespread attention among the fourfold assembly, and even fewer have put it into genuine practice.
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-The bodhisattva path is the concrete practice of bodhicitta. In fact, because the foundation on which Mahayana Buddhism is built---bodhicitta---has been neglected, a considerable number of people's practice has already fallen into the Hinayana or even the human and heavenly vehicles. They have neither the compassionate spirit of benefiting the world nor the sense of mission that says, "Who else but me?" Perhaps they have never reflected: As a Mahayana practitioner, what qualities should I truly develop? This widespread problem has caused many people's practice to resemble the transcendent, world-renouncing path of liberation more than the active, altruistic bodhisattva path.
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-V. Types of Bodhicitta
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-Bodhicitta is the aspiration to attain buddhahood and the mind that seeks to benefit all sentient beings. The unsurpassed enlightenment of buddhahood is precisely the perfect fulfillment of bodhicitta. The various Mahayana scriptures and treatises classify bodhicitta in different ways.
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-The *Bodhicaryāvatāra* divides it into aspiring bodhicitta and engaging bodhicitta. The text says: "In brief, bodhicitta should be understood as having two kinds: the aspiring mind for enlightenment and the mind that sets forth toward enlightenment. Just as one knows the difference between wanting to go and actually going, so the wise should understand the sequential distinction between these two."
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-In the *Āryavācāprakaraṇa-śāstra* and the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*, bodhicitta is divided into conventional aspiration and aspiration that realizes the Dharma-nature (ultimate bodhicitta). The former text states: "This reception and generation of bodhicitta has two kinds: first, conventional generation of bodhicitta; second, generation of bodhicitta through realizing the Dharma-nature."
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-The *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*'s *Viniścaya-saṃgrahaṇī* section enumerates ten kinds, primarily distinguishing between conventional bodhicitta and ultimate bodhicitta: "Conventional reception and generation of bodhicitta, realization of the Dharma-nature as generation of bodhicitta; indeterminate generation, determinate generation; impure generation, pure generation; inferior generation, vigorous generation; unattained-result generation, attained-result generation. Conventional reception and generation of bodhicitta refers to the aspiration of bodhisattvas who have not yet entered the noble bodhisattva's stage of definitive deliverance from birth. Realization of the Dharma-nature as generation of bodhicitta refers to the aspiration of bodhisattvas who have already entered the noble bodhisattva's stage of definitive deliverance from birth."
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-Consolidating these, we can broadly classify bodhicitta into aspiring bodhicitta, engaging bodhicitta, and ultimate bodhicitta.
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-> 1. Aspiring Bodhicitta
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-Aspiring bodhicitta is the power of vows regarding bodhicitta. In Buddhist study, we must first make vows, which is what is usually called setting one's resolve. "Set your aspiration high." The higher the aspiration, the greater the achievement. Generating bodhicitta is not an empty slogan. How can we embody our bodhicitta? The most basic expression is making vows.
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-The *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*'s *Bodhisattva-bhūmi* chapter on generating bodhicitta says: "The initial generation of bodhicitta by bodhisattvas, with regard to all the correct vows of bodhisattvas---this initial correct vow universally encompasses and embraces all other correct vows. Therefore, the generation of bodhicitta has the initial correct vow as its essential nature. Moreover, when bodhisattvas arouse the mind of correct vows and seek enlightenment, they generate such a mind and speak such words: 'May I definitively realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be able to bring about all that is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings, and ultimately establish them in final nirvāṇa and in the vast wisdom of the Tathāgatas.' Such generation of bodhicitta is defined by seeking unsurpassed enlightenment for oneself and seeking to accomplish what is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings. Therefore, the generation of bodhicitta has definite seeking as its mode of operation. Further, bodhisattvas take great enlightenment and all that is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings as their objects, generating aspiration and seeking; it is not objectless. Therefore, the generation of bodhicitta takes great enlightenment and all that is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings as its focal objects."
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-This passage covers the essential nature, mode of operation, and objects of bodhicitta. The essential nature refers to the initial correct vow made by the bodhisattva, namely "May I definitively realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be able to bring about all that is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings, and ultimately establish them in final nirvāṇa." This aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment and benefit all sentient beings is the essential substance of bodhicitta. Aspiring bodhicitta represents the beginning of bodhisattva practice and is the initial stage of cultivating bodhicitta.
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-Aspiring bodhicitta is a wish. Its mental characteristic is that it takes seeking as its mode of operation, and it takes benefiting all sentient beings and unsurpassed enlightenment as its objects. Seeking is an extremely common mental activity. Every day we live amid all sorts of seeking: seeking delicious food, a luxurious house, a comfortable environment, and so on. Then we work hard to fulfill these various wishes. Buddhist practice also begins with seeking. The difference is that what we now seek is not money and status, clothes and food, but unsurpassed enlightenment and benefiting all sentient beings. The only difference lies in the content of our seeking---from hoping for personal gain, we turn toward hoping to benefit all. This different kind of seeking determines two utterly opposite life directions: one is liberation and buddhahood, the other is continuing samsara. Because bodhicitta takes unsurpassed enlightenment and benefiting all sentient beings as its objects, when we seek these two things and put them into action, we step onto the path to buddhahood.
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-Therefore, the primary issue after generating bodhicitta is making vows---transforming bodhicitta into a power of resolve that advances tirelessly. The attainment of all buddhas throughout the ten directions and three times is precisely the best model for our practice. Amitābha Buddha, in his causal stage, was the monk Dharmākara. Because he drew near to Lokeśvararāja Buddha and heard the Dharma, he generated the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment, hoping to create a magnificent buddha-land to benefit sentient beings. He then consulted Lokeśvararāja Buddha, who displayed for him twenty-one billion buddha-lands, enabling him to understand the good and evil of the gods and humans in those lands and the coarseness or excellence of those lands. After observing them, Dharmākara spent five eons in contemplation before forming the blueprint for the Land of Ultimate Bliss and the design of the forty-eight vows. Thereupon, Dharmākara made his forty-eight great vows in the presence of Lokeśvararāja Buddha, and thus came into being the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the attainment of Amitābha Buddha.
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-The bodhisattva path has four great pillars: great compassion, great wisdom, great vows, and great action. Their representative figures are, respectively, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva of Great Vows, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva of Great Action. The *Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva* records: "Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva, incalculable eons ago, beyond reckoning, was the son of a great elder. At that time, a buddha appeared in the world named Siṃhavikrīḍitapūrṇavikāsatathāgata. The elder's son, seeing the buddha's magnificent marks, adorned with a thousand blessings, asked that buddha: What practice and vows must one undertake to attain such marks? That buddha replied: To attain this body, one must for a long time deliver and liberate all suffering sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, the elder's son thereupon made this vow: From now until the end of future time, throughout incalculable eons, for the sake of beings suffering for their transgressions in the six realms, I will widely devise skillful means and liberate them all; only then will I myself attain the Buddha path." The beings in the evil destinies are immeasurable and inexhaustible, yet Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was utterly fearless, boldly taking responsibility, willing to liberate them all before realizing enlightenment. What a deeply moving and admirable power of vows this is. Because Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva made such a great vow in the presence of Siṃhavikrīḍita Tathāgata, he has passed through hundreds of thousands of myriads of hundred-millions of nayutas of eons and still appears in the form of a bodhisattva, extensively liberating sentient beings.
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-Moreover, the familiar figures of Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Medicine Master Tathāgata of the East, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva all made vast vows during their causal stages. These vows share a common feature: benefiting all sentient beings. For ordinary people, life is always about pursuing personal interests---what I want to achieve, what I want to obtain. But the power of the buddhas' and bodhisattvas' vows centers on altruism; every vow starts from benefiting sentient beings. Whether Amitābha Buddha's forty-eight vows, Bhaiṣajyaguru Tathāgata's twelve great vows, or Samantabhadra's ten great vows---there is not a single exception.
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-The four great vows we often recite are a high-level summation of the bodhisattvas' power of vows and can be said to be the universal vows of bodhisattva practitioners. "Sentient beings are boundless, I vow to liberate them all; afflictions are endless, I vow to cut them all off; Dharma gates are countless, I vow to study them all; the Buddha path is unsurpassed, I vow to achieve it." For the boundless multitudes of sentient beings, we vow to deliver them; for the afflictions accumulated since beginningless time, we resolve to eliminate them; for the Dharma gates revealed by all buddhas, we commit to diligent study; for the unsurpassed fruit of buddhahood, we strive to attain it. All these aspirations belong to aspiring bodhicitta. What vast compassion and majestic vows these are.
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-Some may think: that is the realm of the buddhas and bodhisattvas---how could ordinary beings like us ever aspire to such heights? We should know that when the buddhas first generated bodhicitta, they too had not yet attained it; they were ordinary beings just like us. After making their vows, they did not instantly become buddhas and bodhisattvas either; rather, they practiced through long eons, doing what is difficult to do, traveling what is difficult to travel, and only then did they perfect enlightenment. If they had never taken that first step, how could they have achieved unsurpassed enlightenment? And if we keep delaying that first step, we too will forever remain in the position of ordinary beings.
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-Studying Buddhism, ultimately, is studying what the Buddha did. The practice of all buddhas and bodhisattvas began with making vows, and we should follow their example, taking the seeking of unsurpassed enlightenment and the benefiting of sentient beings as our life's purpose. Whether we can earnestly give rise to this extraordinary aspiration depends on the depth of our understanding. If our understanding is only superficial, we will naturally be unable to generate a sincere and earnest mind. Only when we deeply realize that this is the one and only way out for life can we generate intense seeking.
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-But making vows is only the beginning of practice. If after generating them we no longer recollect or consolidate them, this single thought of aspiration may soon weaken or even disappear. This is because making vows merely plants a seed of bodhicitta in our life. Compared with the ordinary mind formed through endless births and deaths, its power is utterly negligible. How can we make this seed grow strong? The methods for cultivating bodhicitta found in the Mahayana scriptures and treatises are well worth our study.
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-Generating bodhicitta is the foremost matter in practice. Therefore, after generating aspiration, we should confirm it through a solemn ceremony of reception with vows, formalizing this aspirational intention. The practitioner, kneeling on the right knee before the ācārya with palms joined, generates this thought and speaks: "Ācārya, please bear witness. I, [name], in this life and in future lives, with all roots of virtue of generosity, discipline, and cultivation, whether done by myself, caused to be done by others, or rejoiced in when seen done by others---with these roots of virtue, just as all past Tathāgatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and the great bodhisattvas dwelling on the stages generated bodhicitta for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, so too do I, [name], from now until enlightenment, generate bodhicitta for unsurpassed, vast, perfect enlightenment. For all beings not yet liberated, may they be liberated; for all not yet freed, may they be freed; for all not yet emerged from suffering, may they emerge; for all not yet fully entered nirvāṇa, may they fully enter nirvāṇa." This is spoken three times.
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-After receiving bodhicitta, to ensure the vow once generated never retreats, we should recite day and night, three times each, three repetitions each time: "In the Buddha, Dharma, and Noble Sangha, I take refuge until enlightenment. By the merits of my practice, may I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all." Through the repeated cultivation of receiving and reciting, bodhicitta will implant firm seeds in our life. The more devout the recipient and the more solemn the atmosphere of reception, the stronger the seeds thus implanted. Mental patterns need conditions to nourish them. Constant grasping at self causes self-grasping to grow thought by thought. By the same principle, constantly recollecting the extraordinary nature of bodhicitta is like watering the seeds we have planted, causing the power of aspiration to grow day by day.
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-We must be clear: the mode of generating bodhicitta is seeking, and its objects are unsurpassed enlightenment and benefiting all sentient beings. If we take wealth, beauty, fame, food, or sleep as our seeking and our objects, we fall into the ordinary mind. If we only want to benefit a few beings or our own family and friends, we are also far removed from bodhicitta. Therefore, we must constantly remind ourselves to take the seeking of unsurpassed enlightenment and benefiting all sentient beings as the sole purpose of life.
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-> 2. Engaging Bodhicitta
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-Engaging bodhicitta means transforming vows into action. Once we have the aspiration to benefit others, we need to implement it in conduct. The entire bodhisattva path falls within the scope of engaging bodhicitta, its main content being the six perfections and the four means of gathering. The six perfections are generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. Some scriptures also speak of ten perfections, adding skillful means, vows, power, and knowledge to the six. The four means of gathering are generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, and sharing the work.
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-Judging by their names, the bodhisattva practices do not seem particularly unusual. These same elements appear in the human and heavenly vehicles and in the path of liberation. So what makes the six perfections and four means of gathering on the bodhisattva path distinctive? On this question, the *Madhyānta-vibhāga*'s chapter on the unsurpassed vehicle proposes twelve kinds of supremacy to demonstrate the extraordinary nature of the six perfections as practiced by Mahayana practitioners.
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-The twelve supremacies are: Bodhisattvas cultivating the six perfections never take delight in worldly glory, wealth, or honor; their aspiration is vast (supremacy of vastness). They cultivate them over countless eons (supremacy of duration). They do so for the universal benefit and happiness of all sentient beings (supremacy of basis). They dedicate them to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment (supremacy of inexhaustibility). They realize the equality of self and other (supremacy of uninterruptedness). Toward all the wholesome practices of all sentient beings, they deeply rejoice (supremacy of ease). They rely on the Gagana-gañja and other samādhis (supremacy of mastery). They are embraced by non-conceptual wisdom (supremacy of being sustained). They are initiated at the stage of superior patience on the path of conviction (supremacy of initiation). At the stage of great joy, ultimate bodhicitta is realized and flawless practice is initiated (supremacy of attainment). At the eighth stage (supremacy of outflow) and up to the stage of buddhahood (supremacy of culmination).
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-Regarding bodhisattva path practice, the foundational text of the Yogācāra school, the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*'s *Bodhisattva-bhūmi*, elaborates extensively and meticulously on the differences in cultivating the six perfections and four means of gathering through the chapters on generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, wisdom, and the means of gathering. Among these, the "chapter on discipline" is the well-known *Yogācāra Bodhisattva Precepts*, separately translated by Xuanzang and widely circulated in Buddhist circles.
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-The *Yogācāra Bodhisattva Precepts* consists of three parts: the precepts of restraint, the precepts of cultivating wholesome dharmas, and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings. The precepts of restraint are the individual liberation precepts for the seven assemblies received by bodhisattvas, emphasizing the cessation of evil---stopping all evil, with no evil not stopped. The precepts of cultivating wholesome dharmas refer to wholesome dharmas of body, speech, and mind, as well as the three wisdoms of listening, reflection, and cultivation, focusing on cultivating goodness---cultivating all goodness, with no goodness not cultivated. The precepts of benefiting sentient beings refer to all altruistic practices of bodhisattvas, such as the four immeasurables of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
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-The complete content of the *Yogācāra Bodhisattva Precepts* comprises four root precepts and forty-three secondary precepts. These rules are formulated based on the six perfections and four means of gathering, as well as the obstacles likely to arise in benefiting others, to ensure the stability and continuity of altruistic practice. That is to say, not only are precepts established for stopping evil, but doing good is also codified as precept rules, so that practitioners know "what I must do for the benefit of sentient beings, and how I should do it." Otherwise, the ordinary mind will find countless excuses for laziness. Especially when altruism temporarily conflicts with personal interests, self-grasping will instinctively resist benefiting others. This requires some binding rules that leave no room for avoidance.
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-Among these, seven rules are established based on obstacles to the perfection of generosity, seven for obstacles to discipline, four for obstacles to patience, three for obstacles to diligence, three for obstacles to meditation, eight for obstacles to wisdom, and eleven for obstacles to the four means of gathering. If the six perfections lean more toward the perfection of self-benefit, the four means of gathering lean more toward the practice of benefiting others---benefiting sentient beings through generosity, guiding their minds through kind speech, helping them through beneficial action, and influencing them through shared endeavor. Compared with self-benefit, benefiting others requires special attention to skillful interaction with people; we must offer help in ways the other person is willing to accept. Otherwise, we will not achieve the desired effect and may even make things worse, provoking resistance. If we examine our own attitudes and conduct against these standards, we can implement the bodhisattva path in daily life, not just in slogans.
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-It is especially important to note that among the six perfections, the perfection of wisdom is the root: "The other five perfections are blind; prajñā is their guide." If we do not rely on the wisdom of prajñā to cut off the ordinary mind, the generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, and meditation we cultivate may merely be worldly wholesome deeds, and what we ultimately achieve may only be the lesser fruits of the human and heavenly realms---causes with outflows. Only under the guidance of prajñā can generosity and other wholesome deeds become provisions for the Buddha path. Therefore, the correct view of emptiness is indispensable in the process of cultivating the six perfections.
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-Prajñā and skillful means are vital components of the bodhisattva path. As the *Abbreviated Lamrim* says: "If one practices only one of skillful means and wisdom, one cannot attain buddhahood." The *Mahāvairocana Sutra* also states: "That omniscience arises from the root of great compassion, arises from the cause of bodhicitta, and reaches culmination through skillful means." Buddhahood possesses the two qualities of compassion and wisdom. The great loving-kindness and great compassion attained by the Buddha have bodhicitta as their cause and are achieved through altruistic skillful means such as generosity. If bodhicitta is not generated, even if one realizes the wisdom of emptiness like a śrāvaka practitioner, this can only bring personal liberation and cannot perfect unsurpassed enlightenment.
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-The practice of engaging bodhicitta is built on the foundation of aspiring bodhicitta. The bodhisattva path follows from the aspiring mind, and through the six perfections and four means of gathering, the aspiring mind is strengthened. The bodhicitta we initially generate is only conventional bodhicitta, and its power is still very weak. If this bodhi seed does not receive care and nourishment, it may soon wither. Only by tending it wholeheartedly, timely replenishing its nutrients, and creating a healthy space for it to grow can the seed grow into a towering tree. Therefore, after generating bodhicitta, we must also receive the bodhisattva precepts. These vast bodhisattva practices are the very best nourishment for bodhicitta.
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-In addition to the *Yogācāra Bodhisattva Precepts*, another set mainly upheld in China is the *Brahmā's Net Bodhisattva Precepts*, from the *Brahmā's Net Sutra*'s chapter on the bodhisattva mind-ground precepts, which has ten root and forty-eight secondary precepts. Both of these apply to both monastics and lay practitioners. There is also the lay bodhisattva precepts from the *Upāsaka Precepts Sutra*'s chapter on receiving precepts, with six root and twenty-eight secondary precepts.
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-> 3. Ultimate Bodhicitta
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-Although we vow to benefit sentient beings and put it into action, for ordinary beings, these vows and actions are still not ultimate. This is because they are built on a conventional mental foundation---they are conditioned, limited, and full of inequality. Hence, they are called conventional bodhicitta. How can we transform this limited aspiring mind into boundless compassion? It requires purification and expansion through the wisdom of emptiness, gradually removing the impurities that have become mixed in during the process of aspiration. Only by thoroughly realizing emptiness can we truly awaken to the fact that we and all sentient beings are fundamentally one, and only then can we give rise to the unconditional great compassion and shared-essence compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Therefore, ultimate bodhicitta can only arise after realizing emptiness---in other words, it is something only first-stage bodhisattvas can achieve.
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-VI. The Causes and Conditions for Generating Bodhicitta
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-How can we generate bodhicitta? The root of bodhicitta is altruism. But this "other" is not a specific "other" in our minds, nor our beloved family and friends, but all sentient beings. Benefiting all sentient beings is no easy matter. If we shut the door and imagine benefiting all beings inwardly, that is relatively easy---because there are no concrete beings involved, none of those people we dislike. But in reality, sentient beings come in all shapes and forms, and a fair number of them may be people we dislike or even resent, the very people we normally try to avoid. Yet the Buddhadharma tells us that we should give rise to a mind of equality toward all sentient beings. Even if they are our enemies, even if they have repeatedly harmed and vexed us, we must treat them equally, without the slightest grudge. And not only that---we must further generate gratitude toward them, thanking them for helping us perfect our practice. For most people, this is truly an enormous challenge.
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-Almost everyone has people they especially cherish and care about---children in their parents' eyes, lovers in young people's eyes. Why can't we extend this care and concern to all sentient beings? The root lies in our mind. In our current state, we have not yet developed a mind that cares for all beings. What plays the dominant role in our mind is usually emotion, and emotion is full of preferences and inequalities. With such a mindset, can we truly treat enemies and loved ones equally? Can we regard all beings with an equal eye? Even if we can manage a little on the surface, it is often very forced.
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-Benefiting others with a mind of impartial awakening sets an extremely high bar for our mental patterns. Yet it is precisely through this that the qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas are cultivated---there is no second path. Faced with such difficulties and inner conflicts, we can first use visualization and the corresponding skillful means to overcome our limitations and activate the positive inner forces such as impartial altruism. Within our life, we are fundamentally endowed with the same mind as the buddhas and bodhisattvas, endowed with the same boundless compassion. The key is to awaken this long-dormant mind and allow it to take effect.
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-Bodhicitta is also dependently arisen. As Master Xing'an said in his *Exhortation to Generate Bodhicitta*: "This bodhicitta is the king of all wholesome dharmas. It must have its causes and conditions in order to arise." Bodhicitta is the mental state with the highest level and greatest energy among all wholesome dharmas, and its fulfillment is the most perfect. But such wholesome dharma does not emerge out of thin air; it depends on the convergence of various causes and conditions. The generation of bodhicitta usually follows these paths.
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-> 1. The Sevenfold Cause and Effect
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-In the *Seven Points of Mind Training*, Atiśa taught the sevenfold cause-and-effect method, progressing from recognizing all beings as our mothers, recollecting their kindness, repaying their kindness, cultivating loving-kindness, cultivating compassion, and generating the extraordinary attitude to entering bodhicitta. Among these, recognizing all beings as our mothers, recollecting their kindness, and repaying their kindness are the prelude to generating bodhicitta, while cultivating loving-kindness and compassion belong to the content of bodhicitta.
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-"Recognizing all beings as our mothers" means seeing all sentient beings as our own birth mothers. Throughout beginningless time, all beings have at some point been our flesh-and-blood relatives---parents, elders, older or younger siblings. As the *Brahmā's Net Sutra* says: "All men have been my fathers; all women have been my mothers." Many other Buddhist scriptures also discuss this relationship. But for modern people, whether "recognizing mothers" can actually arouse the mind of repaying kindness is highly questionable. A considerable number of people are unwilling even to honor and serve their present-life mothers, let alone mothers from past lives. Some might think that treating all beings as our own children would work better, since the overwhelming majority of people care deeply and lovingly for their children. There are indeed similar teachings in the sutras, saying that bodhisattvas should regard all beings as their only children. But why emphasize "recognizing mothers" here? Because what follows involves "recollecting kindness" and "repaying kindness." People's love for their children is instinctive, born of nature, but we cannot generate the same natural love for all sentient beings. Hence, we must still "recognize mothers." Seeing all beings as mothers is the start of the bodhicitta cultivation method and also its key.
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-"Recollecting kindness" means remembering the nurturing kindness our mothers have shown us. Starting from the ten months of pregnancy, they not only gave us this physical body and nourished our growth but also cared for us meticulously throughout the entire process of growing up, investing untold labor and love. When we contemplate in this way, we should frequently recite the *Sutra on the Profound Kindness of Parents*, which elaborates in detail on parental kindness.
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-The kindness of parents is as weighty as a mountain---how could we know of this kindness and not repay it? We must give rise to the mind of repaying kindness not only toward our present-life parents but also toward the parents of all our lives, and further toward all mother-like sentient beings. Since beginningless time, all sentient beings have at some point been our most intimate parents---not only human beings but all sentient beings in every life form.
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-Next is cultivating loving-kindness---the wish to give happiness. Having recognized the kindness of our parents, we should do our utmost to repay it, bringing them joy and well-being, and bringing joy and well-being to all sentient beings as well. Only when we feel gratitude toward all beings can loving-kindness become universal. Cultivating loving-kindness also requires skillful means: we can begin with our own family members and people we like, gradually extending to those toward whom we feel neutral or indifferent, and finally to our enemies and adversaries. Step by step in this sequence, we can progressively expand our heart's capacity, improving our own mental state even as we benefit others. When our heart can accommodate more and more beings, the narrow self dissolves accordingly. Our mind falls into limitation precisely because of the two graspings of self and phenomena; it becomes narrow and petty. If we can give rise to loving-kindness toward all sentient beings, we can break free from the bonds of these two graspings and return to boundlessness.
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-Cultivating compassion means removing the suffering of all sentient beings. Suffering can be classified into three kinds or eight kinds. The former are the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the all-pervasive suffering of conditioning. The latter are the suffering of birth, aging, illness, death, separation from what we love, meeting what we hate, not getting what we seek, and the suffering of the five aggregates. From the Buddhist perspective, all sentient beings are drowning in the ocean of suffering. Even those who temporarily enjoy some happiness are still sowing the causes of future eons of suffering. Therefore, we must give rise to compassion and vow to rescue them from pain. At the same time, we must actively uphold and propagate the Buddhadharma, for without the illumination of the Buddha's wisdom, the world would sink into utter darkness. This feeling of "unable to bear the suffering of sentient beings, unable to bear the decline of the noble teaching" is precisely the driving force behind our seeking the Buddha path above and transforming sentient beings below.
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-So, how can we give rise to this feeling of being unable to bear the suffering of sentient beings? Faced with the suffering of others, we often turn a blind eye, displaying an indifference that says, "This has nothing to do with me." If we see someone we dislike suffering, we might even gloat. These are all common problems in the process of cultivating compassion. Sometimes, when people come seeking the Dharma or asking for help, we might blurt out without thinking, "I don't have time." Why are we more accustomed to refusing than offering help? Precisely because we cannot feel the suffering of sentient beings as our own. We may even find ourselves a high-sounding excuse: "I'm busy with more important matters right now."
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-Self-grasping is extremely cunning. When we don't want to be compassionate toward sentient beings, it will find all sorts of justifications, allowing us to forgive our own faults with a clear conscience and easily regain psychological equilibrium. In fact, how many justifications we have is not what matters. What matters is: is the motive behind those justifications altruistic? If not, then no amount of justification is anything more than self-deception, merely making our existing faults more entrenched, more concealed, and harder to correct. To transform from the ordinary mind into the great loving-kindness and great compassion of buddhas and bodhisattvas, we must not only treat sentient beings with a tender heart and deeply feel their suffering, but also face ourselves with a resolute heart, never indulging the self's tricks for any reason.
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-Cultivating loving-kindness and compassion involves visualization on the one hand. According to Tibetan Buddhist requirements, one must practice the bodhicitta ritual three times a day. The purpose of both ritual practice and visualization is to nurture this mental pattern. Each time we visualize, the power of compassion is strengthened once in our thinking. In Buddhist practice, the power of visualization can be used to transform mental states, because what practice accomplishes is not an objective result. If we were building a school, then an objective building would be the goal. But the fruit of practice is primarily an inner transformation, and its key lies in the dynamics of mental functioning.
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-Daily visualization is a necessary process for transforming mental patterns. In Yogācāra terms, it is the process of "seeds giving rise to manifest activity, manifest activity perfuming seeds." If we have just practiced loving-kindness and compassion meditation on the cushion, then when we see a person we normally dislike, we are less likely to feel strong aversion. Even if we fail to control our thoughts well, we are more likely to recognize the mistake afterward and feel ashamed. Thus, cushion practice and off-cushion application are complementary aspects. While practicing the bodhicitta ritual in seated meditation, we must also constantly apply and adjust it in daily life. It is like drilling wood to make fire: two sticks must be rubbed together continuously before the spark of compassion and wisdom can be struck.
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-The highest attainment in Buddhist study is none other than the perfection of bodhicitta, the perfection of compassion. If we could achieve buddhahood by cultivating just one practice, it would surely be compassion. As the *Avatamsaka Sutra* says: "Even empty space can be measured, but bodhicitta is beyond knowing---and the reason it cannot be measured is that great compassion is immeasurable." Some might ask: Isn't buddhahood the attainment of both compassion and wisdom? Why would cultivating compassion alone suffice? This is because perfect compassion necessarily includes wisdom. Without the wisdom of emptiness, compassion cannot reach ultimate perfection, cannot free itself from the defiled ordinary mind, and remains merely a conditioned, limited worldly good deed. For a long time, the propagation of bodhicitta has tended to emphasize altruism without stressing the relationship between wisdom and compassion. In fact, cultivating compassion likewise depends on the guidance of prajñā wisdom. If there is compassion without wisdom, good intentions can easily lead to bad outcomes. Therefore, we should simultaneously nurture both compassion and wisdom, without neglecting either.
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-Once compassion is present, we should further generate the extraordinary attitude---that is, an intense altruistic intention. This is the guiding force that leads to the generation of bodhicitta and a special condition for its arising.
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-> 2. Exchanging Self and Other
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-In addition to the seven points of mind training, Śāntideva's "exchanging self and other" is another important teaching for cultivating bodhicitta. Theoretically, exchanging self and other is highly convincing. What characterizes ordinary beings? Precisely the cherishing of self and the discarding of sentient beings---always thinking of oneself, indifferent toward others. Self-grasping originates from ignorance. It is an innate force, continually nourished throughout the endless continuity of lives. Hence, this grasping pervades almost every mental activity and is the fundamental force shaping the ordinary personality.
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-Although on some level of life we are no different from the buddhas and bodhisattvas, at present we are still ordinary beings. Why? Precisely because of ignorance and self-grasping. Once these two are resolved, we will no longer be ordinary beings. All afflictions and unwholesome karma also stem from this. Self-grasping is constantly packaging itself, protecting its own interests, and finding every way to avoid anything unfavorable to itself. Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying---which of these is not due to my greed, my hatred, my ignorance? We are entangled in greed, hatred, and ignorance, yet we do so only to seek happiness, never intending to create suffering. But in the end, it brings us endless bitter results. Thus, it is said that self-grasping is the door to all decline and ruin.
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-So what exactly is this "self" that we construct and grasp? When we speak of what is grasped, we first must consider the grasper, that is, conscious activity. But everything consciousness grasps---whether the mental or the physical aspect---is illusory and impermanent; no fixed substance can be found. Where is the foothold of life? Where is our place of true security? The wealth, family, and career we cling to are all temporary, in a state of flux and change. The true foothold of life is surely not what consciousness grasps; it cannot be fully captured by either "self" or "non-self." What is certain is that the self constructed by consciousness is absolutely mistaken. Yet this mistaken construction has, since beginningless time, become the source of all suffering. We have set up an unstable object as our basis, but as the self, we must try with all our might to protect this instability. To protect instability as if it were stable---how exhausting that is. Lamentably, we have always been caught up in this meaningless struggle, almost without exception. The primary purpose of studying Buddhism is to destroy self-grasping. It is precisely because they transcended self-grasping that the arhats were able to realize nirvāṇa and cut off afflictions.
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-The practice of exchanging self and other, though it begins from the ordinary mind, requires one cognitive prerequisite: a genuine recognition that "self-grasping is the door to all decline and ruin, and altruism is the root of all merit." These two statements are extremely important. The reason the buddhas and bodhisattvas have been able to liberate themselves from birth and death and accomplish boundless merit is precisely that all their thoughts and actions proceed from altruism.
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-Altruism may seem quite ordinary---many people engage in altruistic acts, including many who have not studied Buddhism. But to what degree is their altruism pure? If we measure altruistic purity on a hundred-point scale, the buddhas' purity is one hundred, while the purity of ordinary beings is at most several dozen or even just a few points, mixed in with greed, self-grasping, arrogance, and other afflictions. As ordinary beings, even when we act altruistically, the compassion we generate is often outweighed by the self-grasping or attachment to merit mixed in.
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-The purest altruism is the most thorough compassion. Its standard is twofold: realizing the threefold purity, and taking all sentient beings as its object. To achieve these two, we must deeply recognize the faults of self-grasping. Self-grasping is not only powerful; it is also skilled at disguise. No matter what we do, even the most selfish thing, we can usually find a respectable excuse. That is precisely what makes self-grasping so formidable. Let us look inward, and then observe others: we will find that people can always find reasons for whatever they do. There are reasons for doing good and reasons for doing bad; reasons we can speak aloud and reasons we cannot; reasons for answering others and reasons for comforting ourselves. Therefore, we must become skilled at unmasking the true face of the self. In truth, exposing the self's tricks and schemes is like uncovering one's own unsightly scars---pain is inevitable. But we have no other choice; we must act decisively. Otherwise, we will continue, as always, to be directed by self-grasping and continue, as always, to wander through birth and death.
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-Altruism not only develops compassion but also breaks down self-grasping. If self-grasping is strong, we certainly cannot be purely altruistic. When we resolve to benefit others, the first to oppose us will surely be self-grasping, and the one creating obstacles will likewise be self-grasping. This also proves, from the other side, that altruism is a powerful weapon for destroying self-grasping.
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-Once we have fully recognized the faults of self-grasping and the merit of altruism, we are qualified to practice exchanging self and other. Take the mind that cherishes the self, protects the self, and seeks every way to benefit the self, and turn it toward benefiting sentient beings. Take the mind that discards sentient beings, remains indifferent to them, and keeps a safe distance, and turn it toward oneself. This is how exchanging self and other works. If we can develop the same kind of loving-kindness toward sentient beings that we normally reserve for ourselves, the seed of bodhicitta begins to sprout. Further, we treat all sentient beings equally, without the slightest distinction between close and distant, so that altruism extends to all. The practice of exchanging self and other is a special skillful means for giving rise to bodhicitta. As long as we do it earnestly, step by step, we will gradually achieve the unconditional great compassion and shared-essence compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-> 3. The Ten Causes and Conditions
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-Among the teachings on bodhicitta in Chinese Buddhism, the most widely circulated is undoubtedly Master Xing'an's *Exhortation to Generate Bodhicitta*. In it, he discusses the eight aspects of bodhicitta: deviant and correct, genuine and false, great and small, partial and perfect. When we first generate aspiration, it is difficult to get it completely right. This requires constant examination: Is this aspiration deviant or correct? Genuine or false? Great or small? Partial or perfect? Each has its corresponding criteria, enabling us to check ourselves point by point, see where our problems lie, and make timely adjustments.
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-In his *Exhortation to Generate Bodhicitta*, Master Xing'an summarizes ten causes and conditions for generating bodhicitta. If we frequently contemplate these points, we will feel that generating bodhicitta is the only choice in life; apart from it, nothing is more meaningful. The ten causes and conditions are: recollecting the Buddha's profound kindness, recollecting parents' kindness, recollecting teachers' kindness, recollecting benefactors' kindness, recollecting the kindness of sentient beings, recollecting the suffering of birth and death, honoring one's own spiritual nature, repenting karmic obstacles, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land, and ensuring the Dharma endures for long.
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-First is recollecting the Buddha's profound kindness. Because the Buddha proclaimed the essential Dharma, the Buddhadharma has been transmitted in the world, and sentient beings have thus found the path to liberation. With his great loving-kindness and great compassion, the Buddha earnestly taught the Dharma and liberated beings for forty-five years. How can we repay such incomparable kindness? We must generate bodhicitta: "Offering this body and mind to the lands as numerous as dust particles---this is called repaying the Buddha's kindness." Merely liberating ourselves is insufficient to repay it. Of course, the prerequisite is that we must recognize how profound the Buddha's kindness truly is. This recognition, in turn, is based on an intense concern for our own life. If we do not take seeing the path and liberating ourselves from birth and death seriously, we cannot appreciate the Buddha's kindness to us or recognize the Buddhadharma's significance for life. But if, in the course of our life's journey, we have searched high and low, studied all worldly philosophies and religions without finding the path to liberation, and finally found the way out through the Buddhadharma---for such a person, the Buddha's profound kindness can be deeply felt. Modern people have easy access to the Dharma; we can even sit at home and listen to Dharma masters' teachings through recordings and videos. This makes it difficult to develop a sense of rarity and preciousness. In fact, our attitude toward hearing the Dharma directly affects how much we benefit from it. The more we treasure the Dharma, the greater the benefit, and vice versa.
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-Second is recollecting parents' kindness. The kindness of nurturing is beyond repayment. Only by generating bodhicitta can we best repay our parents. When Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was cultivating in his causal stage, his mother, due to wrong views and lack of faith in the Three Jewels, fell into the evil destinies. To save his mother, Kṣitigarbha made great vows. But the very moment he made those vows, not only was his mother born from hell into the heavens, but all the beings in the Avīci Hell that day were also born into the heavenly realms. This shows that after generating bodhicitta, we can repay not only the kindness of our present-life parents but also the kindness of parents from countless past lives. Otherwise, if we ourselves have no way out, how can we repay our parents' profound kindness?
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-Third is recollecting teachers' kindness. In our process of growing up, it is thanks to worldly teachers that we come to understand various fields of knowledge and moral principles; it is thanks to world-transcending teachers that we can hear the Buddhadharma and understand the path to liberation. The Tibetan tradition's great emphasis on the guru truly has deep significance. The guru not only transmits the authentic Dharma to us but also guides us in applying it to practice. The buddhas of the ten directions are indeed important, but without the guru as a bridge, we could not become Buddhist disciples, could not develop faith in the Buddha, or begin practicing the Dharma and benefiting from it. A realized guru is himself or herself a symbol of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Through reverence for the guru, we can also help destroy self-grasping and receive the true benefit of the Dharma from that reverence. How can we repay the kindness of our teachers? We must also generate bodhicitta and perpetuate the lineage of the Buddha. Our teachers have transmitted the path of practice to us; the only proper repayment is for us to earnestly carry it on, propagate it, and thereby benefit sentient beings.
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-Fourth is recollecting benefactors' kindness. Making a living in modern times is not easy; people toil all day for their livelihood. They live to survive, and survive to live. As monastics, we do not need to struggle for survival; we can lead a life devoted to seeking truth and liberation---this is truly an immense blessing. Therefore, no matter what our living conditions are like, we should be full of gratitude toward the Three Jewels and the wider society. How can we repay the support of the faithful donors who have created these conditions for our study and practice? Again, by generating bodhicitta, practicing diligently, and spreading the Dharma to benefit beings. Only in this way do we have the merit to properly receive the offerings of the faithful.
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-Fifth is recollecting the kindness of sentient beings. Since beginningless time, all sentient beings have at some point been our parents and siblings, and all have shown us kindness. But in the wandering of birth and death, some have fallen into the hell realms, some are immersed in the realm of hungry ghosts, some are circling through the animal realm. Even those fortunate enough to be born in happy destinies cannot enjoy happiness forever; once their blessings are exhausted, they are bound to fall. If we think only of our own liberation and simply leave them behind, how could we bear it in our hearts? Thinking of sentient beings' kindness to us, thinking of their suffering, we have no choice but to generate bodhicitta, taking the deliverance of all mother-like sentient beings as our personal mission---repaying the four great kindnesses above and relieving the sufferings of the three lower realms below. Only thus can we give back to society and to all sentient beings.
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-Sixth is recollecting the suffering of birth and death. Through endless births and deaths, we have experienced everything---fallen into the hells, been animals. Even when born human, we have not necessarily lived happily. In the journey of our past lives, we were probably like many people who never heard the Buddhadharma, living mediocre, confused, and perplexed lives. Day after day, we squander our time; life after life, we waste our existence. In the torrent of life, the only thing we can grasp is this present thought, this present moment. We cannot even be sure about tomorrow. Can we guarantee that we will still be alive tomorrow? The past is already gone, beyond our grasp; the future has not yet arrived, also beyond our grasp. How can we use this present identity to improve our life? The only thing we can do is still to generate bodhicitta. Of course, we could also generate renunciation. But if we only generate renunciation, we cannot benefit all sentient beings, and it is ultimately not the perfect aspiration.
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-Seventh is honoring one's own spiritual nature. We may never have imagined that we and all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and patriarchs through the ages are fundamentally no different. In our own mind-nature, we share the same dimension as they do. Yet they have already become buddhas and patriarchs while we are still wandering in samsara. We are born with a priceless treasure within, yet we live as beggars. How can we face our own inner riches? Out of respect for this life quality, we should also generate bodhicitta. Otherwise, we can never unearth this treasure; it can only lie buried. Of course, śrāvakas also uncover it, but not completely. Only the buddhas and bodhisattvas who have generated bodhicitta can thoroughly uncover this treasure and bring all its functions to full perfection.
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-Eighth is repenting karmic obstacles. There are many ways to repent, but the best is generating bodhicitta. Once bodhicitta is generated, what governs our life is bodhicitta, not karmic obstacles. We know that karma is the force propelling the continuity of life. Our present identity is the result of one phase of karma. What we call destiny is also intimately related to karma. The guiding karma and completing karma constitute the general and specific results of life and follow certain laws. But destiny can also be changed. The moment bodhicitta is generated, our destiny will unfold along the trajectory of bodhicitta, no longer drifting along the course set by karmic forces. This is because bodhicitta is the king of all wholesome dharmas; its power is fierce and unstoppable. Having generated bodhicitta, we have already taken hold of the rudder of destiny. Therefore, once bodhicitta is truly generated, there is no need for any further worry, because the power of bodhicitta can destroy everything. How great is the power of the entire universe? Yet bodhicitta can concentrate the power of the whole universe into a single thought. What could possibly obstruct it? Thus, the best way to repent is also generating bodhicitta.
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-Ninth is seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. Pure Land practitioners recite the Buddha's name seeking rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. In fact, the best method for rebirth in the Pure Land is also generating bodhicitta. When we practice based on bodhicitta, at the moment of death, the king of bodhicitta vows can, in a single thought, propel us to the Western Pure Land, where we will attain perfect enlightenment and then, according to our own wishes, travel to worlds in the ten directions to teach the Dharma and liberate beings. As the *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra* states: "Further, when this person is on the verge of death... only this king of vows does not abandon them; at all times, it guides them forward. In a single instant, they attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon arrival, they see Amitābha Buddha, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, and others. These bodhisattvas, with their majestic forms and perfect merits, surround them. The person sees themselves born from a lotus flower and receives the Buddha's prediction of enlightenment. After receiving the prediction, over countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of hundred-millions of nayutas of eons, throughout untold worlds in the ten directions, they employ the power of wisdom and, according to the minds of sentient beings, bring them benefit. Before long, they will sit at the seat of enlightenment, subdue the armies of Māra, attain perfect enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and enable beings as numerous as the finest particles of dust in buddha-lands to generate bodhicitta, teaching and maturing them according to their faculties, and for eons as vast as oceans in the future, they will broadly benefit all sentient beings."
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-Tenth is ensuring the Dharma endures for long. Upholding the Buddhadharma fundamentally depends on generating bodhicitta. After generating bodhicitta, our strength becomes inexhaustible. If we work from the ordinary mind, we are inevitably of two minds. Today we think of liberating sentient beings; tomorrow we think it is better to retreat and practice in seclusion. This is the mental state monastics are most prone to: one moment advancing, the next wanting to retreat. Why do worldly people consider monastics passive? Because we can find scriptural support for both advancing and retreating. The Buddhadharma is vast and profound; there seems to be solid justification for almost any course of action. The reason for this is simply that different stages of practice have different emphases. If we have generated bodhicitta, we should take whether or not we can benefit sentient beings as our measure.
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-Frequently contemplating these ten reasons can lay a solid foundation for generating bodhicitta. When we comprehensively examine life, we will see that generating bodhicitta is the only meaningful choice. Were it not grounded in the ultimate concern for life, it would seem that life offers many choices---we could develop in this direction or in that one. But none of these choices is ultimate; they bring only temporary benefit. To waste a precious human life, so rare and endowed with leisure and opportunity, for a little immediate gain---the price is far too high. Can we afford it? We may not be able to when we want to turn back. Only by generating bodhicitta can life find its true direction and be thoroughly liberated from samsara---not only liberating ourselves but also bringing liberation to all sentient beings.
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-VII. The Characteristics of Bodhicitta
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-In the mental world of ordinary beings, each kind of mental activity has its own characteristics: greed has the characteristics of greed, hatred has the characteristics of hatred, arrogance has the characteristics of arrogance. So what are the characteristics of bodhicitta? The *Avatamsaka Sutra* tells us: "To generate bodhicitta means to generate the mind of great compassion, to universally rescue all sentient beings; to generate the mind of great loving-kindness, to equally protect all worlds; to generate the mind of peace and joy, to cause all sentient beings to extinguish their sufferings; to generate the mind of benefiting, to cause all sentient beings to depart from unwholesome dharmas; to generate the mind of empathy, to protect all those who are fearful; to generate the mind without obstruction, to abandon all hindrances; to generate the vast mind, to pervade the entire Dharma-realm; to generate the boundless mind, reaching wherever empty space reaches; to generate the capacious mind, to behold all Tathāgatas; to generate the pure mind, with wisdom unhindered regarding the dharmas of the three times; to generate the mind of wisdom, to universally enter all oceans of wisdom."
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-In addition, many Mahayana scriptures and treatises elaborate on the content of bodhicitta from different angles, and the material is extremely rich. Based on my own study and practice, I have summarized several key points below. If we can grasp these essentials, our aspiration will never go astray in direction.
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-> 1. Awakening
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-The characteristic of the ordinary mind is non-awakening, also called ignorance. Deluded by ignorance, we fall into the two graspings of self and phenomena and the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance, thereby creating the karma of samsara. That is why the first link of the twelvefold dependent origination is ignorance. Ordinary beings, due to ignorance, are unawakened in every thought. When self-grasping arises, because of non-awakening, we sink into the mire of self-grasping. When greed arises, because of non-awakening, we sink into the bondage of greed. When hatred arises, because of non-awakening, we sink into the flames of hatred. Continuously grasping at greed, hatred, ignorance, and their perceived images, we sink deeper and deeper, with the result that we wander through long eons.
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-Bodhicitta, by contrast, represents the power of awakening. As the *Mahāyāna Sutra on the Contemplation of the Originally Arisen Mind-Ground* states: "The mind of self-awakening can generate bodhi; this awakening mind is bodhicitta; the two are not different." The distinction between ordinary beings and sages hinges on the single thought of delusion or awakening: "The preceding thought deluded is the ordinary being; the succeeding thought awakened is the buddha. The preceding thought attached to objects is affliction; the succeeding thought free of objects is bodhi." The generation of bodhicitta marks the awakening of sentient life. This awakening dispels the long night of ignorance and illuminates the dream of birth and death. In bodhicitta practice, we must take awakening as fundamental, maintaining wakefulness in every thought, seeing the five desires and six sense objects as illusory dreams and bubbles, and clearly recognizing the manifestations of greed, hatred, ignorance, and the ordinary mind without being carried away by them. Thus, the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sutra* says: "What is called generating bodhicitta? Clearly knowing the nature of greed is called generating bodhicitta. Moreover, clearly knowing hatred, ignorance, miserliness, jealousy, the aggregates, sense bases, and realms; ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases; and even birth, aging, sickness, death, and great suffering---this is called generating bodhicitta." We can see that clearly knowing the truth of greed, hatred, and ignorance is also an important aspect of generating bodhicitta.
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-As a bodhisattva, one not only clearly knows that self-grasping is the root of all faults but also clearly knows that altruism is the source of all merit. The term "bodhisattva" comes from the Sanskrit *bodhisattva*, "awakened sentient being". Therefore, while awakening themselves, bodhisattvas take awakening others as their mission, liberating sentient beings through the four immeasurables---loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity---and moving together toward the state of perfect awakening and action.
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-> 2. Selflessness and Altruism
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-The ordinary mind grasps at "self." In daily life, what people think of most often is precisely themselves. Their whole lives are spent struggling for their own clothing, food, shelter, and transportation; for fame, profit, status; for career and wealth. Yet all the afflictions, suffering, conflicts, and disputes in the world also arise from nothing other than this "self."
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-Selflessness is the core teaching that distinguishes Buddhism from worldly and non-Buddhist paths; in Buddhism, it is listed as one of the three Dharma seals. Whether in the śrāvaka path or the bodhisattva path, practice is built on the foundation of selflessness. Śrāvaka practitioners achieve liberation by knowing selflessness; bodhisattva practitioners can be completely altruistic by thoroughly realizing selflessness. In the process of generating bodhicitta and walking the bodhisattva path, the greatest obstacle is self-grasping. This is because the ordinary mind habitually thinks of "me" in everything---a deeply ingrained tendency. When we resolve to benefit all sentient beings, we inevitably face sharp conflicts with self-interest. Only by removing the obstacles on the road ahead can we advance boldly on the great path of bodhi. So how do we remove this obstacle? The Buddhadharma tells us that self-grasping is caused by ignorance---because we do not understand the truth of life, we either cling to the physical body as the self, or cling to various ideas as the self, or cling to property and career as the self. If we illuminate with the wisdom of prajñā, we can clearly see that all phenomena are illusory appearances produced by the convergence of causes and conditions, impermanent and selfless.
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-Once we thoroughly see the illusory and insubstantial nature of the "self," grasping at it becomes meaningless, and the chasm between self and other will vanish. Only by thoroughly realizing selflessness can we be completely altruistic; and through the practice of altruism, we can continue to dismantle self-grasping. The *Diamond Sutra* particularly emphasizes applying the insight of selflessness in practice: "A bodhisattva who generates the mind of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment should give rise to this thought: I must liberate all sentient beings, causing them to enter the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder. Yet having thus liberated all sentient beings, not a single sentient being has truly been liberated. Why? Subhūti, if a bodhisattva clings to the notion of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, they are not a bodhisattva. Why? Subhūti, there is in fact no dharma called 'generating the mind of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.'" Similar passages appear repeatedly throughout the sutra, earnestly instructing practitioners who have generated bodhicitta that in the process of cultivating the bodhisattva path, they must use the wisdom of emptiness to know that there is "no notion of self, no notion of person, no notion of sentient being, no notion of life span"---only thus can they become qualified bodhisattvas.
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-> 3. Boundlessness
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-The ordinary mind is limited. All its mental activities come from the accumulation of certain experiences in the continuity of life, and they have specific objects. Greed has the objects of greed, hatred has the objects of hatred, arrogance has the objects of arrogance---and these objects are necessarily limited. People only develop attachment toward pleasant and delightful circumstances; they cannot be attached to everything. They only develop hatred toward disagreeable conditions; they cannot hate everything.
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-Bodhicitta is different: its objects are boundless. Generating bodhicitta takes all sentient beings in the ten directions as its object and benefiting all sentient beings as its mission. This point is mentioned in many Mahayana scriptures. The *Avatamsaka Sutra* states: "A bodhisattva does not generate bodhicitta merely to teach and tame a single sentient being, nor to teach and tame a hundred sentient beings, nor even to teach and tame an inexpressibly inexpressible number of sentient beings... Therefore, O son of good family, only when all worlds are purified will my vows be fulfilled; only when the afflictive habits of all sentient beings are uprooted will my vows be complete." What vast and profound power of vows this is.
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-In the *Diamond Sutra*, the Buddha likewise gave this teaching on generating aspiration: "A bodhisattva-mahāsattva should thus subdue the mind: all the various kinds of sentient beings, whether egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, or transformation-born; whether with form or without form; whether with thought or without thought, or neither with nor without thought---I shall cause them all to enter the nirvāṇa without remainder and liberate them." This similarly tells us that bodhisattvas should take the deliverance of all sentient beings as their object. Regardless of which realm they are in or what life form they take, all are the objects of the bodhisattva's full effort to deliver, without exception.
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-In the *Devarāja-pravara-prajñāpāramitā Sutra*, there is this dialogue: "World-Honored One, how does one generate bodhicitta? The Buddha said: Great king, by giving rise to great compassion. World-Honored One, how does one give rise to great compassion? The Buddha said: By not abandoning any sentient being." The heart of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, because they do not abandon any sentient being, is vast and boundless. In the familiar ten great vows of the *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra*, whether paying homage to all buddhas or according with all sentient beings, every vow takes as its object all buddhas throughout the entire Dharma-realm, the realm of empty space, the ten directions and three times, or all sentient beings throughout the entire Dharma-realm, the realm of empty space, the oceans of worlds in the ten directions---fully embodying the vastness and boundlessness of bodhicitta.
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-> 4. Equality
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-The ordinary mind is unequal. Because ordinary beings have self-grasping and grasping-at-mine, they are destined to be unable to treat all equally. Because there is a self, there is the division between self and other; because there is "mine," there is the distinction between close and distant. As ordinary beings, we always cling to self and discard others, and in our relationships with people, we are full of likes, dislikes, preferences, and rejections---thus giving rise to all kinds of inequality in the world.
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-The practice of bodhisattvas requires breaking free from this unequal ordinary mind. After generating bodhicitta, on the one hand, we must recognize through listening and reflecting on the teachings that all dharmas are equal and all sentient beings are equal. On the other hand, we must, through meditative cultivation and actual practice, give rise to a genuine mind of equality toward all sentient beings. For a bodhisattva practitioner, if there remains even the slightest discrimination between those we like and dislike, close and distant, we cannot be qualified bodhisattvas. As Master Tsongkhapa points out in the *Lamrim*: "If one does not first eliminate the categorization of attachment to one kind of sentient being and aversion to another and cultivate equanimity, then however one may generate compassion, it will still have categories." Therefore, the equanimity of impartiality is also an essential practice for bodhisattva practitioners.
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-The compassion of bodhisattvas is unconditional great compassion and shared-essence great compassion. Unconditional means without any added conditions; shared essence means without distinction between self and other, liked and disliked, close and distant. Such compassion is built on the equality of self and other. The *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra* tells us: "Because the mind is equal toward all sentient beings, one can achieve perfect great compassion." Because of impartial equality toward all sentient beings, perfect great compassion is achieved. In fact, it is not only bodhisattva practitioners who should maintain equality---the Buddha himself set this example for us. In the *Sāgaramati-paripṛcchā Sutra*, the assembled bodhisattvas praised him thus: "Knowing the bodhicitta of equality, the World-Honored One constantly practices the Dharma of equality." The World-Honored One's conduct precisely illustrates the significance of cultivating the mind of equality.
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-> 5. Signlessness and Non-Attainment
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-The ordinary mind clings to signs. Because ordinary beings are full of the view of intrinsic nature, they experience everything in the world of body and mind as substantially real, clinging to real notions of beautiful and ugly, pure and impure, real self and real mine. Hence, whatever they do is done with a mind seeking attainment. If we stand on the ground of the ordinary mind---which is attached to signs and attainment---then no matter how hard we try, what we ultimately develop is still the ordinary mind.
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-Bodhicitta, by contrast, is signless. First, "a bodhisattva should generate the mind of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment free from all signs"---the generation itself is signless. Second, in the process of walking the bodhisattva path, we must also not dwell on signs. As the *Diamond Sutra* says: "(When giving) one should not give rise to a mind that dwells on form, nor on sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects; one should give rise to a mind that dwells nowhere." In this passage, the Buddha instructs us: when giving, do not dwell on the sign of giving; do not cling to the notion of a giver who gives, a recipient who receives, or a gift that is given. Only with the threefold purity can the perfection of generosity be fulfilled and become provision for the bodhisattva path. Otherwise, how would it differ from the wholesome deeds of humans and gods? This applies to generosity, and the same holds for all six perfections and myriad practices. Third, when bodhisattvas cultivate all Dharma gates, they must not only avoid dwelling on signs but must also not give rise to a mind of attainment. This is what the *Diamond Sutra* emphasizes: "There is in fact no dharma called arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat should think, 'I have attained the path of the arhat,' that would be clinging to self, person, sentient being, and life span. World-Honored One, the Buddha has said that I have attained the samādhi of non-contention and am foremost among humans, the foremost arhat free from desire. Yet I do not think, 'I am an arhat free from desire.' World-Honored One, if I were to think, 'I have attained the path of the arhat,' the World-Honored One would not call Subhūti one who delights in dwelling free of contention. Because Subhūti truly has nothing that he practices, he is called one who delights in dwelling free of contention." Whether dwelling on signs or on attainment, both are expressions of the ordinary mind. Only by thoroughly realizing signlessness and non-attainment can we achieve ultimate bodhicitta and perfect unsurpassed buddhahood.
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-The practice of bodhicitta moves from aspiring bodhicitta into engaging bodhicitta. Whether in making vows or in actual practice, we should examine ourselves against the characteristics of bodhicitta, checking: Is this mental state awakened or not? Is it selfless or self-centered? Is it self-serving or altruistic? Is it equal or discriminatory? Is it limited or boundless? Is it dwelling on signs or free from signs? Is it seeking attainment or free from attainment? The process of bodhicitta practice is precisely the process of continually adjusting our mental patterns. If our aspiration is unawakened, self-centered, self-serving, discriminatory, limited, sign-dwelling, and attainment-seeking, then it shows we are still thoroughgoing ordinary beings. Conversely, if our aspiration is endowed with the characteristics of awakening, selflessness, altruism, equality, boundlessness, non-dwelling, and non-attainment, then it is qualified bodhicitta, a mental state no different from that of all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-VIII. Models for the Practice of Bodhicitta
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-When we speak of models for the practice of bodhicitta, the buddhas and bodhisattvas come first. When we read Mahayana scriptures such as the *Sutra of the Merits of the Fundamental Vows of the Medicine Master Tathāgata of Lapis Lazuli Radiance*, the *Sutra of Immeasurable Life*, and the *Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva*, we should not merely focus on what the buddhas and bodhisattvas can do for us. We should also see how they themselves attained realization. Their practices and Dharma gates during their causal stages are the best models for our own study and practice. Each buddha and bodhisattva has their own power of vows and approach to practice, some starting from great compassion, some from wisdom, displaying different paths of cultivation for us.
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-If we feel a particular affinity with Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, we can choose Mañjuśrī's Dharma gate and study it, delving into the treasury of sutras until wisdom is as vast as the ocean, just as Mañjuśrī did. If we feel a particular affinity with Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, we can choose Kṣitigarbha's Dharma gate and study it, vowing not to become a buddha until the hells are empty, just as Kṣitigarbha did. If we take Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva as our model for study, we should take Avalokiteśvara's vows as our own vows and Avalokiteśvara's conduct as our own standard of behavior, responding to the cries of the suffering, answering whenever called upon, as the bodhisattva does. If we take Amitābha Buddha as our model, we should take Amitābha's forty-eight vows as our guiding principles for practice, always remembering that our goal is to create a pure land and benefit boundless sentient beings.
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-We can even visualize ourselves as emanations of Avalokiteśvara or Amitābha Buddha. Establishing this identity can further inspire us to take the great vows of the buddhas and bodhisattvas as our personal mission, generating bodhicitta to seek true awakening and forgetting the self to benefit all beings. Buddhist practitioners should certainly be humble and modest, but this spirit of courageous commitment is extremely important. Otherwise, if we are content to remain at the level of ordinary beings, only knowing to beseech the buddhas without knowing to walk the buddhas' path, how can we ever develop the qualities of buddhas and bodhisattvas within ourselves? After we position ourselves as emanations of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, we must also continually draw closer to them in our mental patterns, until ultimately our awakening and action are perfect and we are no different from Avalokiteśvara or Amitābha.
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-In fact, this is exactly how Avalokiteśvara and Amitābha attained realization during their causal stages. And not only they---all buddhas and bodhisattvas attained realization this way. Before Śākyamuni Buddha, there were many other Śākyamuni Buddhas; before Amitābha, there were many other Amitābha Buddhas, as expressed in the phrase, "Homage to the thirty-six trillion, one hundred nineteen thousand five hundred Amitābha Buddhas of the same name in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss." When they first began their practice, they too sought an ancient buddha as their model. Avalokiteśvara studied under the ancient Avalokiteśvara Buddha and then cultivated the Dharma gate of great compassion to achieve realization. Since the buddhas and bodhisattvas did it this way, we can also do exactly the same. To directly start from a particular buddha's or bodhisattva's power of vows and approach to practice, visualizing ourselves as emanations of Avalokiteśvara or Amitābha, will bring tremendous blessings and make it much easier to connect than relying solely on our own effort.
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-In Tibet, we often hear that a certain master is an emanation of Avalokiteśvara, or that another master is an emanation of Mañjuśrī. In fact, when we take a particular buddha or bodhisattva as our yidam and practice accordingly, what we ultimately realize are precisely the qualities of that buddha or bodhisattva. Seen from this angle, such statements are not without basis and need not be treated as myth. Of course, this is not to deny that some accounts involve embellishment or exaggeration. Yidam practice is not mysterious; we can perfectly well apply its methods to the cultivation of bodhicitta.
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-I normally live on the rear mountain of Nanputuo Monastery, which is a sanctuary of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. During my meditation, I visualize the entire Wulao Peak as Avalokiteśvara's maṇḍala and myself as an emanation of the bodhisattva, endowed with the same great loving-kindness and great compassion, and then I radiate this compassion throughout the worlds of the ten directions, wishing that all sentient beings, through this boundless compassion, may leave suffering and attain happiness. When we visualize in this way, our mental state resonates with the bodhisattva's. Of course, we have not yet reached the purity and intensity of Avalokiteśvara; the quality still needs further improvement. But through continuous practice and reinforcement, we can gradually draw closer in our mental patterns. Over time, not only can we generate boundless compassion toward sentient beings during seated meditation, but we can also gradually bring it into daily life. At that point, we will truly be emanations of Avalokiteśvara in both name and substance.
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-We can compile the important buddhas and bodhisattvas and their related Dharma gates from the Mahayana scriptures. Material about Avalokiteśvara can be organized as "Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva and the Avalokiteśvara Dharma Gate"; material about Kṣitigarbha can be organized as "Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Kṣitigarbha Dharma Gate." This requires work in two areas: first, understanding how this bodhisattva practiced during their causal stage; second, understanding the distinctive features of this Dharma gate. In this way, it will not only greatly benefit our own study and practice but also provide learning resources for fellow practitioners who aspire to cultivate the bodhisattva path. The Mahayana sutras and treatises are not lacking in practice methods; it is just that we have not paid attention to them or found the right way to connect with them.
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-The *Avatamsaka Sutra* states: "Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings---among these three there is no difference." On the level of Dharma-nature, we and the buddhas and bodhisattvas are not essentially different. On the contrary, we share the same essence. When we merge ourselves with the buddhas and bodhisattvas in visualization, what takes effect in our mental patterns is precisely the qualities of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Through this visualization, through emulating the conduct of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, we can activate the noble qualities within our life that are no different from theirs. Otherwise, our practice will remain at the level of the ordinary mind and cannot achieve an essential transcendence.
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-Although we are essentially the same as the buddhas and bodhisattvas, we still feel in our hearts that they are far beyond our reach. The reason is that what has always played the dominant role in our life is the ordinary mind, and what we ultimately develop can only be the ordinary mind. If we can practice according to the power of the buddhas' and bodhisattvas' vows, our mental patterns will gradually draw closer to theirs. In the early stages of practice, this aspiring mind still belongs to conventional bodhicitta, not ultimate bodhicitta. But we need not be discouraged. If conventional bodhicitta can be properly tuned, it is like the open sky seen through a pane of glass---though separated from the actual sky by one layer, it is already close. As long as we persevere unremittingly, the day will come when that pane of glass is smashed to pieces and we merge into the ocean of emptiness.
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-I believe that if we carefully study the practice approaches of all Mahayana bodhisattvas, we can fully organize them into concrete practice guidelines with strong applicability, leading us step by step along the path. In fact, beginning from the approach to practice is more powerful than beginning from theory. Among Buddhists, a fair number practice in a very detached manner, and most of these are people who start from theory, overly immersed in doctrinal study and indifferent to the real world. If we start from bodhicitta, taking the buddhas' and bodhisattvas' practice approaches as our starting point, and then use view to adjust our mental patterns, our study and practice will be very active. We will proactively spread the Dharma and benefit beings, voluntarily shouldering the work of the bodhisattvas rather than being content with "few activities, few undertakings, and few expectations."
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-IX. Conclusion
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-The foregoing introduction to bodhicitta has given you only a broad outline of the essentials of generating aspiration. In truth, every Mahayana scripture can serve as a textbook for bodhicitta and can be interpreted from the perspective of bodhicitta. Whether the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, the *Diamond Sutra*, or the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Śāstra* and the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*, all contain complete methods for generating aspiration, representing different levels of aspiration.
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-That we are fortunate enough to hear the Buddhadharma and find the method for liberating ourselves from afflictions is truly the fruit of blessings accumulated over many lifetimes. Since beginningless time, the two graspings of self and phenomena have been continually harming us. If we cannot make a breakthrough in practice, afflictions will trouble us endlessly into the future---this is the fundamental problem that Buddhist study must solve. Compared with the inner transformation of life, everything external is trivial. A little more knowledge or an extra diploma is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow. Even to be a king with dominion over the entire world is only a few decades of glory and splendor, brief and illusory. In the boundless torrent of life, practice is our only way out. Only by walking the path of liberation pointed out by the Buddha can we find the light and awaken from the great dream of birth and death.
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-Generating bodhicitta is an enormous challenge to the self, and this is also the great difficulty we face in the process of aspiration. But as long as bodhicitta is generated properly, all afflictions become inconsequential. For afflictions arise from nothing other than the two graspings of self and phenomena, and bodhicitta is the best weapon for destroying these two graspings. In the Buddhadharma, different methods are usually employed to counter different afflictions. But the highest Dharma gate can resolve everything in a single move, dealing with the ever-changing by remaining constant. The bodhicitta teaching is precisely that one move of matchless power. Once applied, all problems are solved with ease.
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-I sincerely hope that this extraordinary teaching of bodhicitta will spread far and wide, so that the seeds of bodhicitta may be sown across the land of China. Of course, enthusiasm alone is not enough. While bodhicitta teachings lead the way, they must also be accompanied by profound methods of working with the mind as deeper guidance. As the scriptures say: "Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas also have two kinds of correct practice to solidify bodhicitta. What are the two? First, correctly recollecting bodhi practice; second, cultivating meditative concentration to cut off all afflictions." Prajñā and skillful means---one is the mother, the other the father; neither can be missing. Buddhahood is the fulfillment of compassion and wisdom. Specifically, it is the fulfillment of bodhicitta and the view of emptiness. If we work from both these directions and help produce a generation of genuine practitioners, the face of Chinese Buddhism will surely be transformed.
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-X. Questions and Answers
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-Student: Must the generation of bodhicitta be based on renunciation?
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-Venerable: Renunciation and bodhicitta belong to two different levels of aspiration. The Mahayana scriptures and treatises mainly focus on bodhicitta and rarely touch on renunciation. In the śrāvaka scriptures such as the Āgamas, renunciation is central, and bodhicitta is scarcely discussed. The linking of renunciation and bodhicitta is primarily found in the *Lamrim* as constructed by Master Tsongkhapa.
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-Early śrāvaka practitioners can be divided into two types: those fixed on tranquillity and those who turn from the small toward the great. The former generate renunciation and follow it all the way, directly realizing the fruit of arhatship without seeking further for the Buddha path. Their determination to leave the three realms is extremely intense; they seek nothing else. That is why, when the Buddha taught the *Lotus Sutra*, five thousand śrāvakas withdrew from the assembly---these belonged to the type fixed on tranquillity. The other type, after encountering the śrāvaka teachings, later had the opportunity to study the Mahayana and ultimately turned from the small toward the great, shifting from renunciation to bodhicitta.
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-During the Republican era, Master Taixu highly praised the *Lamrim* translated by Master Fazun, for this path is truly secure. The three principal paths constructed by Master Tsongkhapa---renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness---corrected the widespread flaws that easily appear in practitioners' cultivation. Using renunciation as the foundation not only helps us break free from the ordinary mind but also gives rise to genuine, uncontrived bodhicitta---this is of great significance. Although many Mahayana scriptures do not emphasize this sequence and directly start from generating bodhicitta, liberation from the suffering of samsara is always the important prerequisite for practice.
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-If renunciation refers only to leaving samsara and attachment to the three realms, this content is already encompassed within bodhicitta. Bodhicitta possesses the characteristics of signlessness, non-dwelling, and non-attainment and is naturally free from attachment to the five desires and six sense objects. Thus, bodhicitta itself already includes part of what renunciation entails. Those with especially keen faculties can directly start from bodhicitta---this is also why the Mahayana scriptures often only discuss generating bodhicitta without emphasizing renunciation. It is just that for most people, bodhicitta is not easy to generate immediately, still less to generate properly. If our understanding is not clear, it is very easy in the course of aspiration to confuse bodhicitta with the ordinary mind, not even knowing what kind of mind we are actually generating, perhaps even mistaking the wholesome mind of the human and heavenly vehicles for bodhicitta. If renunciation is used as the foundation, the purity of bodhicitta is better assured.
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-We should also note that although aspiration can follow the conventional path from renunciation to bodhicitta, generating renunciation and realizing emptiness does not necessarily lead to the perfection of great loving-kindness and great compassion, nor does it necessarily lead to bodhicitta---otherwise, there would be no distinction between the śrāvaka vehicle and the bodhisattva vehicle. In Chinese Buddhism, whether Chan practitioners or Pure Land practitioners, although they study Mahayana Buddhism and recite Mahayana scriptures, they often only generate renunciation, treating personal liberation from birth and death as the entirety of practice while forgetting bodhicitta. Generating bodhicitta requires bringing forth compassion through corresponding observation and reflection. That is to say, it does not arise spontaneously; it still requires the convergence of causes and conditions, just as cultivating meditative concentration does not necessarily give rise to wisdom. In most people's impression, it seems that once concentration is attained, wisdom will burst forth immediately. This is not the case. Otherwise, why would non-Buddhist paths take the four dhyānas and eight concentrations as their ultimate goal, their final nirvāṇa? "From concentration arises wisdom" merely indicates that attaining concentration is one of the conditions for giving rise to wisdom; one must also cultivate the contemplation of impermanence, dependent origination, and selflessness to bring forth flawless wisdom.
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-Student: If bodhicitta is generated directly without renunciation as a foundation, can it cut off afflictions and bring liberation from birth and death? What is the relationship between Humanistic Buddhism and bodhicitta?
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-Venerable: If bodhicitta is generated, even the fruit of buddhahood can be achieved---how could it fail to cut off afflictions? Among all Dharma gates of practice, the merit and power of bodhicitta are supreme. On this point, the *Avatamsaka Sutra*'s verses in which Maitreya Bodhisattva praises bodhicitta contain an extremely detailed exposition.
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-As for the Humanistic Buddhism now being promoted, if it can be endowed with the content of bodhicitta and the view of emptiness, it can directly reach the fruit of buddhahood and truly realize what Master Taixu meant by "the perfection of the person is the perfection of buddhahood." But from the present situation, the propagation of Humanistic Buddhism does show a tendency toward superficiality, and there is a need to deepen its content. The path is upheld by people; the banner of Humanistic Buddhism is indeed timely. The key lies in how it is promoted and what view and depth are given to it.
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-Student: Are there also distinctions of sudden and gradual in generating bodhicitta? Is it possible to directly enter through ultimate bodhicitta?
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-Venerable: Whether a Dharma gate is sudden or gradual is determined by the level of one's view. The Huayan teaching that "the initial generation of bodhicitta is itself perfect enlightenment"---leaping directly into the Tathāgata's stage in a single bound---can be called the ultimate in perfect suddenness, unsurpassed. The teachings of Chan and Dzogchen also tell us that even on the level of the ordinary mind, the awakened mind can be touched. Because afflictions are without intrinsic nature, once we realize this, every thought can be liberated the moment it arises. It is like a snake that can untie its own coiled knots without needing any external help. However, these teachings require very high faculties; most people may not be able to practice them. By comparison, the Yogācāra teachings start from the level of the deluded mind and are easier to grasp. But when practicing according to Yogācāra doctrine, aspiration is just aspiration and the result is just the result---three great asaṃkhyeya eons slowly pass, and it is hard to believe that one can see the path and be liberated from birth and death in this very life. Therefore, Yogācāra students often tend to slacken in their practice. During the Republican era, many students of Yogācāra eventually turned it into philosophy, and the influence of this tendency persists to this day.
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-The normal path of practice proceeds from aspiring bodhicitta and engaging bodhicitta to ultimate bodhicitta. We can all begin from this conventional route, accumulating some provisions, and only then will we have the conditions and capacity to practice the teachings of direct entry.
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-Student: In the process of generating bodhicitta, what is the greatest obstacle?
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-Venerable: In the process of generating aspiration, the greatest enemy is precisely self-grasping. Self-grasping is utterly cunning; it will use all the knowledge we have learned, even the Buddhadharma itself, to disturb our mind, and its reasons are often high-sounding, making them hard to refuse. Therefore, we must clearly recognize: What do I truly want to achieve? This point is extremely important. Our aspiration determines our final attainment, but when it comes to specific tasks, it is often very difficult to tell which kind of mind is actually operating. For example, when we manage a practice center or teach the Dharma to benefit beings, on the surface it all seems to be bodhicitta at work. Perhaps we ourselves believe we are turning the great Dharma wheel and broadly liberating sentient beings, thinking we are not far from the buddhas and bodhisattvas. But what is the real mental basis? If we analyze carefully, it may be attachment, or it may be self-grasping. Such phenomena are everywhere. In the end, the larger the enterprise, the deeper the attachment to it. If this is the case, what we ultimately develop will inevitably be self-grasping and the thoroughgoing ordinary mind.
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-Student: Should we first benefit sentient beings, or should we first attain realization and then benefit them? Is there a sequential order between self-benefit and benefiting others?
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-Venerable: In the bodhicitta teachings, there are three different modes of generating aspiration: the king-like, the boatman-like, and the shepherd-like.
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-The first is the king-like aspiration, believing that one must first become a king before having the capacity to broadly aid the multitudes. This mode emphasizes self-benefit first, beginning altruistic activity only after reaching a considerable level of practice. Of course, the goal is always "for the sake of benefiting beings, may I attain buddhahood," not personal achievement. In Tibetan Buddhism, Milarepa exemplified this mode of aspiration. The second is the boatman-like aspiration: sharing the boat with passengers, practicing simultaneously, and reaching the other shore together. Many great masters throughout history actively spread the Dharma and benefited beings while simultaneously engaging in their own practice. The third is the shepherd-like aspiration: first drive the sheep and cattle home. Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is the classic example of this, with his vow: "Only when all beings are liberated will I realize bodhi; until hell is empty, I vow not to become a buddha"---thinking only of sentient beings, not of himself at all.
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-Regarding these modes of aspiration, each person can choose according to their own situation. Some are suited to being a king, some prefer to be a boatman, and some wish to be a shepherd. Whichever mode is chosen, the common prerequisite and the foundation of aspiration must be altruism. That is to say, there must be no admixture whatsoever in the process of generating aspiration. If there is even the slightest defilement or tinge of self-interest, one will inevitably be unable to destroy self-grasping and perfect bodhi.
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-Student: Tibetan Buddhism teaches that one who has generated bodhicitta must not abandon any sentient being, yet it also particularly emphasizes keeping a distance from those who have broken their precepts. How should we resolve this contradiction?
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-Venerable: In the process of study and practice, we need to draw near to virtuous teachers and keep a distance from harmful companions. Confucius also said: Do not befriend those who are not your equals. That is, associate with friends who surpass you, so that you may learn from their example. This instruction is especially important for beginners. Because beginners often cannot distinguish good from bad and are easily influenced by their environment, the requirements for their environment must be strict---this benefits both academic progress and the perfection of character.
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-However, after reaching a certain level of attainment, one must take all sentient beings as the objects of deliverance. At that point, there is no longer any distinction between virtuous teachers and harmful companions. When Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed to go to the hells, he certainly did not go there to draw near to virtuous teachers. From the perspective of bodhisattva path practice, after generating bodhicitta, on the one hand, we should draw near to virtuous teachers; on the other, we should compassionately benefit others and not abandon any sentient being. When we speak of not abandoning sentient beings, the key lies in our mental state. As long as we are equal and impartial toward every sentient being, our compassion is perfect.
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-Thus, these two teachings are not contradictory. The Buddhadharma is adapted to the different faculties of sentient beings, and at different stages of practice, the requirements also differ.
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-Student: How can we perfect our aspiration? Must we liberate all sentient beings? What standard of merit must the fruit of buddhahood reach?
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-Venerable: To achieve unsurpassed bodhi, one certainly takes all sentient beings as the objects of deliverance. But this does not mean one must liberate all beings before becoming a buddha, because liberating beings is also a matter of causes and conditions---it is not something you can do just because you want to. Nor does the accumulation of the merits of buddhahood depend on reaching a certain quantity. In the common understanding, people tend to think that a bodhisattva's practice throughout three great asaṃkhyeya eons requires accumulating a certain amount of merit and liberating a certain number of beings to qualify---just as in society, earning a doctoral degree or professorship requires a certain number of achievements. But buddhahood is not an achievement on the phenomenal level, nor the attainment of external merit. If one clings to the mark of merit, one cannot perfect the fruit of buddhahood.
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-When we speak of liberating all sentient beings, we should not forget that we ourselves are also sentient beings. Of course, the key is not whether we have liberated ourselves or others, but whether our aspiration takes all sentient beings throughout the Dharma-realm as its object. When we practice, the key is not whether we are engaged in self-benefiting or other-benefiting practices, nor whether we are practicing calm abiding and insight or generosity---the key is: What is the aspiration behind this action? What is its object? This is the fundamental point. If our aspiration is perfect, all wholesome deeds we cultivate, including our own merit of practice and realization, are provisions for buddhahood.
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-Once we understand this principle, we will see that whether it is the king-like, boatman-like, or shepherd-like aspiration, there is essentially no difference. Even if we temporarily focus on self-cultivation and realization, our aspiration is still for the sake of benefiting others, not for ourselves. For example, is meditation self-benefiting or other-benefiting? If one meditates out of aversion to the world and avoidance of responsibility, lacking compassion for sentient beings and content merely with self-liberation, this is certainly not altruistic practice. Conversely, if one practices in order to better liberate sentient beings, then even the same act of meditation falls within the scope of altruistic practice. Clearly, the key lies in aspiration, not in the action itself. At different stages of practice, we may have different emphases, but our aspiration must be perfect---this point is extremely important.
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-In the past, practitioners placed greater emphasis on stopping unwholesome conduct. The bodhicitta teachings further require us to actively accomplish wholesome dharmas, benefit sentient beings, and perfect compassion. In this age, there is a special need to widely propagate the bodhicitta teachings. Once a vast aspirational mind has been generated, strength will flow forth continuously.
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-Student: At the beginning, the aspiration can be quite intense, but I often fail to sustain it. How should I deal with this?
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-Venerable: The difficulty of generating aspiration lies precisely in generating it accurately and sustaining it over the long term. This is the same principle as "doing one good deed is easy; what is difficult is doing good deeds for a lifetime." The power of mental patterns comes from accumulation. Generating aspiration once only has the power of one time, and that one time may not even be pure. The bodhicitta teachings are precisely meant to help us generate aspiration continuously and accurately, and to gradually consolidate it through view and practice. Among these, view is used to adjust our mental patterns, while practice brings bodhicitta into concrete reality, producing stable and sustained effects on the mind. In this way, the power of bodhicitta grows day by day.
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-Student: How should we put bodhicitta into practice?
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-Venerable: The practice of bodhicitta includes two aspects: visualization and altruistic action. Through visualization, we keep our mind constantly connected to sentient beings, never forgetting to benefit others whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. There are many concrete instructions for this way of working with the mind in the *Avatamsaka Sutra*'s chapter on pure conduct. When eating, we wish that all beings in the world may have ample food and clothing. When healthy and happy, we wish that all beings may likewise be healthy and happy. When encountering setbacks, we hope that whatever we endure may spare all beings from similar setbacks. By continuously visualizing in this way and bringing this mind to everything we do, bodhicitta will certainly grow rapidly.
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-When we have the opportunity to benefit others, we should see the other person as an auspicious condition for perfecting bodhicitta, feel grateful, and in the process never forget our original intention, acting thought after thought for the benefit of sentient beings. Before bodhicitta is perfected, this is indeed somewhat difficult. But as long as we have faith and practice perseveringly, this mental pattern can be consolidated. Over time, bodhicitta will arise spontaneously.
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-Student: What is the relationship between bodhicitta and right view?
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-Venerable: Once bodhicitta is generated, view finds its field of action. Whether Madhyamaka view or Yogācāra view, both can guide us in adjusting our mental patterns, removing the impurities that adhere to bodhicitta one by one. Emphasizing the importance of bodhicitta is by no means a denial of the role of doctrinal study. But what must be clear is that discoursing on emptiness and existence should not be taken as the purpose of study and practice.
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-In the process of Buddhist study, right view is extremely important. If one's view is not correct, practice cannot possibly advance. The Chan school places great value on the role of view, as expressed in the saying: "What matters is your view, not your conduct." This view is not merely the view of listening and reflection but, more importantly, the view of mental realization. If one's view has not reached the proper level, even if one practices diligently every day, what exactly is one practicing? Conversely, when view is correct, carrying firewood and drawing water, speech and silence, movement and stillness---all are unsurpassed wondrous practice. Thus, view and bodhicitta are non-dual. View needs a point of application to exert its function. When bodhicitta is generated, view finds its point of application.
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-Student: How should we regard the five lineages? If a person is destined to be without lineage, can they still generate bodhicitta?
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-Venerable: The Yogācāra school classifies lineages into five: śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, without lineage, and indeterminate. According to Yogācāra, the lineage determines future attainment. If one lacks the bodhisattva lineage, buddhahood is certainly hopeless. If one possesses the bodhisattva lineage, one's life starts from a higher point than that of the śrāvakas.
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-Although sentient beings are equal, the accumulations since beginningless time have indeed created differences in life's starting points. Some have deep roots of virtue; some have heavy obstacles and shallow wisdom; some are born with bodhisattva tendencies, enthusiastic about public welfare; others are naturally indifferent, unconcerned with society. But viewing the world through dependent origination, we should not understand these differences as fixed and unchanging. Therefore, I tend toward the view that all sentient beings can generate bodhicitta and all can be cultivated into the bodhisattva lineage. However, due to different starting points, the degree of difficulty will vary. For those who are eager to help others and full of compassion, bodhicitta aligns with their natural disposition and is relatively easy to generate. For those with cold and withdrawn temperaments, the difficulty of generating bodhicitta is naturally much greater. But as long as they make the effort with the right direction, they can ultimately achieve results.
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-Student: How should we decide between different altruistic actions? For example, if I have leftover cookies, should I feed them to fish or give them to a beggar? Some say that feeding fish does not create karma, while others lean toward giving to the beggar because a human birth is precious and closer to buddhahood than a fish.
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-Venerable: From the standpoint of the bodhicitta teachings, to say that we should first finish delivering human beings and only then begin to feel compassion for fish is itself incorrect. If that were the case, bodhicitta could never be perfected. Sentient beings are inexhaustible in number---when would we ever finish? Therefore, the key does not lie in the objective outcome of deliverance but in being full of compassion for every sentient being, never abandoning any one of them. Whether toward animals or humans, we must have the equally impartial mind of compassion---only such a mental state is perfect. If there is still a sense of higher and lower in the mind, what we ultimately develop can only be the unequal ordinary mind. The compassion of buddhas and bodhisattvas is uniformly equal: toward humans, it is one hundred percent; toward fish, it is also one hundred percent. Aspiration determines the final attainment---this point must be firmly kept in mind.
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-Of course, altruism also requires wisdom. In such a situation, who truly has the greater need? How can we distribute more reasonably? With wisdom, we will naturally know how to decide. According with sentient beings does not mean giving them whatever they want, still less following their desires, greed, hatred, and ignorance. We must consider whether it truly benefits them and use this as the criterion for choice. Therefore, in the practice of bodhicitta, first make the aspiration pure, and then decide with wisdom.
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-Student: What is the relationship between studying Madhyamaka and generating bodhicitta?
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-Venerable: The view of emptiness is an integral part of bodhicitta. The characteristics of bodhicitta---signlessness, selflessness, non-attainment, and so on---all belong to the scope of the view of emptiness. Without this understanding, bodhicitta can never be generated properly, nor can it be perfected. For bodhicitta is not a matter of words; it must be tested in reality. Why do we find it difficult to generate bodhicitta? Why do we feel resistance toward sentient beings? It is precisely because we perceive ourselves and sentient beings as solidly real, which creates opposition and discrimination. If we realize that all phenomena are signless, selfless, and unattainable, we can accept all sentient beings. Since self and other are one, generating altruistic bodhicitta is no longer a difficult matter.
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-The entire Tripiṭaka, all twelve divisions of the canon, and all Dharma gates of practice can be subsumed under bodhicitta and find their place in the process of cultivating bodhicitta. Thus, bodhicitta is the core of the Buddhadharma and can encompass all Mahayana Dharma gates.
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-Student: How should bodhicitta be brought into concrete reality?
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-Venerable: Although our current mental state is the ordinary mind, even at this level, if we have profound methods for working with the mind, we can still touch fundamental awakening. First, we must find the footing for our mental patterns. The footing of the ordinary mind is discrimination, grasping, and limitation. This needs to be adjusted, moving closer toward equality, signlessness, and boundlessness. Of course, doing this is indeed somewhat difficult, because the power of the ordinary mind is great. But do not let the mindset that "the bodhisattva path is hard, buddhahood is hard" take root---such fear of difficulty is a huge obstacle to generating aspiration.
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-In fact, every kind of mental power is built up through cultivation. Sand can be piled into a pagoda because of the accumulation of tiny grains. The Foolish Old Man could move mountains because of unremitting effort. One more key point: we must genuinely recognize the importance of bodhicitta, recognizing that it is the only way out in Buddhist study. Otherwise, let alone liberating sentient beings, we can barely take care of ourselves. Out of responsibility for our own life and compassion for sentient beings, we have no other choice but to give it our all. There are countless precedents for the perfection of bodhicitta. The buddhas as numerous as the Ganges' sands walked this path, and the great masters and patriarchs through the ages walked this path too.
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-# Edit Suggestions — 79【菩提心的修行】
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-## Summary
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-Translation complete and self-reviewed. Line count matches source. Major structural issues (block quote line counts) resolved via merge script + two manual corrections.
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-| Chinese | English | Notes |
-|---|---|---|
-| 菩提心 | bodhicitta | Standard. "aspiring bodhicitta" for 愿菩提心, "engaging bodhicitta" for 行菩提心 |
-| 出离心 | renunciation | Consistent throughout. 27 occurrences |
-| 空性 / 空性见 / 空性慧 | emptiness / view of emptiness / wisdom of emptiness | Clear distinction maintained |
-| 七支供 | Seven-Limbed Practice | Follows terms DB precedent |
-| 皈依 | refuge | Standard |
-| 菩萨戒 | bodhisattva precepts | Standard |
-| 菩萨行 | bodhisattva practice / bodhisattva conduct | Both used where appropriate; "bodhisattva practice" preferred |
-| 二乘 | the two vehicles | Used when general; śrāvaka/pratyekabuddha when specific |
-| 声闻 | śrāvaka | With diacritics, consistent |
-| 缘觉 / 辟支佛 | pratyekabuddha | With diacritics |
-| 六度 | six pāramitās | Standard |
-| 无我 | selflessness | "no-self" avoided except in quoted context |
-| 无自性 | absence of inherent existence | Chose over "lack of self-nature" for precision |
-| 自他相换 | exchanging self and others | Follows DB |
-| 三聚净戒 | the three pure precepts | Standard |
-| 止观 | śamatha-vipaśyanā | On first use; "calm abiding and special insight" also used |
-| 般若 | prajñā / wisdom | prajñā for the Sanskrit term, wisdom in general contexts |
-
-## Structural corrections applied
-
-1. **Block quote lines**: Verses in source use couplets (two half-lines per `>` line). Target initially used one half-line per `>` line, adding 108 extra lines. Merged via script to match source structure.
-
-2. **Liturgy section headers**: `(VII)` and `(IX)` headers share `>` lines with adjacent verse endings in source (same line). Manually corrected after script merge.
-
-3. **`**` bold markers**: 8 sub-headings had `**...**` (Markdown bold). Changed to plain text to match source (source has no emphasis on these headings).
-
-## Remaining observations (non-blocking)
-
- **Sanskrit diacritics**: `śrāvaka`, `śamatha`, `vipaśyanā`, `prajñā` use diacritics; `samsara`, `nirvana`, `bodhicitta`, `bodhisattva` do not. Consistent with MPI conventions. `Pāramitā` used once on introduction, then `pāramitās` thereafter.
- **Sutra quote ellipses**: Source uses `......` for elided scripture; target uses `...`. Acceptable.
- **TOC anchor links**: Contain Chinese characters (e.g. `(#为什么要发菩提心)`) — these are djot internal anchors, must match source.
- **No diacritics on Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra**: These are proper names found in the reference material. Used consistently.
-
-## Source context
-
- Genre: Dharma talk / transcribed oral teaching (book form)
- Speaker: Master Jìqún (济群法师)
- Date: 2007, Second Bodhi Meditation Retreat
- Register: Measured authority, calm and composed. "We" for shared human condition; "you" for direct address. Rhetorical questions preserved. Everyday analogies kept concrete.
@@ -1,116 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings — 79【菩提心的修行】(The Practice of Bodhicitta)
-
-Review of `target.dj` against `source.dj`. Both files are 913 lines, line-aligned 1:1; line numbers below are identical in both files. All quotes verified against the current files.
-
-Scope: full text, sections I–X plus introduction and TOC.
-
-**Overall verdict:** The translation is accurate, complete, and fluent. No critical errors: no contradicted meanings, no omissions, no unwarranted additions. Every source section, verse, and canonical quotation is covered. Terminology is consistent and standard throughout (bodhicitta, aspiring/engaging bodhicitta, refuge, śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, Seven-Limbed Practice, six pāramitās, three pure precepts, śamatha-vipaśyanā, absence of inherent existence). Findings below: 5 major, 24 minor.
-
-## Critical
-
-None.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. 殊胜 consistently rendered "distinction" — mis-shades a doctrinal term
-
- **Lines:** 15 (TOC), 147 (heading), 171, 658, 660
- **Source:** 大乘皈依的殊胜 / 忆念菩提心的殊胜
- **Target:** "The Distinction of Mahayana Refuge" / "recollecting the distinction of bodhicitta"
- **Problem:** 殊胜 means "supreme excellence, surpassing quality," and both passages argue the *superiority* of the Mahayana refuge and the *exceptional benefits* of bodhicitta. "Distinction" primarily reads as "distinguishing feature/difference," so section II.1's heading suggests the chapter is about how Mahayana refuge differs rather than why it is supreme. The rendering is internally consistent, so the drift recurs at every occurrence.
- **Fix:** Use "supreme excellence" or "preeminence": "The Supreme Excellence of Mahayana Refuge" (147, TOC 15); "Only by recognizing the supreme excellence of Mahayana refuge..." (171); "by recollecting the supreme excellence of bodhicitta" (658); "First, we need to keep recollecting the supreme excellence of bodhicitta" (660).
-
-### M2. Tsongkhapa's lamrim texts cited under two unrelated-looking English names
-
- **Lines:** 91, 757, 763 (《道次第》 → "the *Stages of the Path*") vs. 116, 120, 127 (《略论》 → "the *Lamrim*")
- **Source:** 《道次第》云 / 《略论》云
- **Problem:** 《道次第》 (i.e., the 广论 tradition) and 《略论》 (the *Abridged Stages of the Path*) are companion works by Tsongkhapa; the author's own gloss at 127 has the *Lamrim* quoting the *Ratnagotravibhaga*. An English reader cannot tell whether "Stages of the Path" and "Lamrim" are the same text, two texts, or a text and a genre — and "Lamrim" is simply Tibetan for "stages of the path," making the pair actively confusing.
- **Fix:** Disambiguate once and stay consistent, e.g. render 《道次第》 as "the *Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path* (*Lamrim Chenmo*)" at first use (91) and 《略论》 as "the *Abridged Stages of the Path* (*Lamrim*)" at first use (116), then short forms thereafter.
-
-### M3. 慈/悲 distinction erased in 无缘大慈、同体大悲
-
- **Lines:** 415, 757
- **Source:** 长养佛菩萨那样的无缘大慈，同体大悲 / 成就无缘大慈、同体大悲的品质
- **Target:** "nurture the unconditioned great compassion and the great compassion that sees all beings as one"
- **Problem:** The fixed pair 大慈 (mahā-maitrī, great loving-kindness) / 大悲 (mahā-karuṇā, great compassion) is rendered "great compassion" twice, erasing the loving-kindness/compassion distinction the source deliberately makes.
- **Fix:** "nurture the unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion that sees all beings as one" (415); "the quality of unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion that sees all beings as one" (757).
-
-### M4. Garbled clause in the Yogācārabhūmi quotation (eleven aspects of benefiting beings)
-
- **Line:** 731
- **Source:** 随顺世间事务言说，呼召去来，谈论庆慰，随时往赴，从受饮食
- **Target:** "in accord with worldly affairs and conversation, calling out and coming, in discussion, congratulations, and consolation, go to them as the occasion requires, and accept from them such things as food and drink"
- **Problem:** 呼召去来 means "answering when summoned, going and coming [to visit]"; "calling out and coming" misreads it, and the string of participial phrases makes the sentence's grammar collapse.
- **Fix:** "...in accord with worldly affairs and conversation, respond when summoned, come and go to visit, engage in discussion, congratulation, and consolation, go to them as the occasion requires, and accept from them such things as food and drink."
-
-### M5. 般若 rendered "ultimate intelligence" — breaks document-wide consistency
-
- **Line:** 871
- **Source:** 般若，是彻见一切诸法实相的究竟智慧
- **Target:** "Wisdom (prajñā) is the ultimate intelligence that directly sees the true nature of all phenomena."
- **Problem:** 般若 is rendered "wisdom" everywhere else in the document (768, 873, 875, 877, and passim); "intelligence" is nonstandard for prajñā and breaks the term's consistency in its own definition paragraph.
- **Fix:** "Wisdom (prajñā) is the ultimate wisdom that thoroughly sees the true nature of all phenomena."
-
-## Minor
-
-### Accuracy / terminology
-
-1. **Line 549** — 我以所修诸善根，为利有情愿成佛 → "Through the merit I cultivate through these practices, may I attain buddhahood for the sake of all beings." Double "through"; "through these practices" is an insertion; 善根 = roots of virtue. Fix: "With all the roots of virtue I have cultivated, for the benefit of sentient beings, may I attain buddhahood."
-
-2. **Line 635** — 百千万劫化阎浮 → "for a hundred thousand eons, he transforms the Jambu continent." 百千万劫 idiom = countless eons; "a hundred thousand" drops 万 and shrinks the scale. Fix: "for countless eons, he transforms the Jambu continent."
-
-3. **Line 729** — 已作未作一切善根 → "whether already performed, currently performed, or yet to be performed." 已作未作 is a binary (done / not yet done); "currently performed" is an addition. Fix: "whether already performed or not yet performed."
-
-4. **Line 737** — 此为正顺解脱之本，亦为无上菩提之本 → "this is the basis of genuine liberation and of unsurpassed bodhi." 正顺 ("rightly according with") is dropped; "genuine" inserts an idea absent from the source. Fix: "this is the root that rightly accords with liberation, and also the root of unsurpassed bodhi."
-
-5. **Line 769** — 主要指布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、般若六度，又称六波罗蜜 → "mainly refers to the six pāramitās of generosity..., also known as the six pāramitās." Because 六度 is already rendered "six pāramitās," the gloss "also known as the six pāramitās" becomes circular. Fix: "mainly refers to the six perfections of generosity..., also known as the six pāramitās."
-
-6. **Line 776** — 很多人生来具有菩萨心肠 → "some people are born with a bodhisattva heart." 很多 = many. Fix: "many people are born with a bodhisattva heart."
-
-7. **Lines 772–775 vs. 813, 847, 857** — 意乐 rendered "attitude" (inside the Abhidharmasamuccaya quotation, defensible as a technical term), but "joyful eagerness" (813, 857) vs. "eagerness" (847) in the colloquial usage. Fix: use one form for the colloquial sense, e.g. "eagerness" at 813, 847, and 857 alike.
-
-8. **Line 782** — 上求下化 → "seeking the higher and guiding the lower." Opaque calque of 上求菩提、下化众生. Fix: "seeking enlightenment above and guiding sentient beings below."
-
-9. **Line 882** — 现有的心行就充满着爱憎 → "our current mental activity is filled with partiality and attachment." 爱憎 = favoritism and aversion; the aversion half is lost and "attachment" is interpretive. Fix: "filled with favoritism and aversion."
-
-10. **Line 893** — 我们为什么要自寻烦恼 → "why do we deliberately bring suffering upon ourselves." "Deliberately" is an addition; 自寻烦恼 = needlessly courting trouble. Fix: "why would we needlessly court such trouble, injuring our body and mind?"
-
-### Fluency / register
-
-11. **Line 105** — 使内心成为充满污垢的垃圾场 → "turning the mind into a garbage heap coated in filth." "Coated" sits oddly with a heap. Fix: "a garbage heap filled with filth."
-
-12. **Line 191** — 支为肢体……如果把菩提心修法比作主干，七支供就是作为支撑的重点 → "If we compare the bodhicitta practice to the trunk, the Seven-Limbed Practice serves as the supporting branches." The source's metaphor is bodily (支 = limbs, 主干 = the body's trunk/main part); "branches" switches to a tree. Fix: "the Seven-Limbed Practice constitutes its vital supports."
-
-13. **Line 352** — typo: "...growing number by the day..." should be "...growing **numb** by the day..." (日渐麻木).
-
-14. **Lines 362 vs. 364, 366** — 死王/死神 rendered "the Lord of Death" (362) but "the god of death" (364, 366). Fix: use "the Lord of Death" (or "King of Death") in all three spots.
-
-15. **Line 441** — 从心里装着自己，装着个别人，到百十人，再到千万人 → "from holding only ourselves, or a few individuals, to a hundred, to thousands." 千万人 ≈ ten million; the escalation is understated. Fix: "to a hundred or so, and then to tens of thousands, even millions."
-
-16. **Line 466** — 我们现有的情绪和想法更非与生俱来 → "Our present emotions and ideas are even less something inborn." Unidiomatic calque. Fix: "are even more clearly not inborn."
-
-17. **Line 658** — 可以通过三个方面修习 → "We can practice through three dimensions." Fix: "in three aspects." Same line: 将修习菩提心作为每日定课 → "a daily commitment" loses the fixed-liturgy sense of 定课. Fix: "a fixed daily practice."
-
-18. **Line 662** — 每天昼夜三次修习菩提心仪轨 → "practice the bodhicitta liturgy three times every day and night." Awkward. Fix: "three times a day, day and night" or simply "three times a day."
-
-19. **Line 664** — 看看我们究竟能不能言行一致 → "can we truly walk our talk?" Colloquial idiom out of register for this measured Dharma-talk voice. Fix: "whether our words and deeds truly match."
-
-20. **Line 710** — 包括发毒誓 → "Taking a deadly oath is also a form of 'receiving precepts'." 毒誓 = a vicious/curse-laden oath; "deadly" misreads the modifier. Fix: "Swearing a vicious oath is also a form of 'receiving precepts'."
-
-21. **Line 733** — 八戒增加三条：一是…；二是…；三是… → "add three more on top of the five: not wearing flower garlands or perfumes, not singing or dancing or watching entertainments, not sitting on high or wide beds, and not eating at improper times." The source's three enumerated items are flattened into four clauses, obscuring the structure. Fix: "(1) not wearing flower garlands or anointing the body with perfume, not singing, dancing, or playing music, and not attending performances; (2) not sitting on high or wide beds; (3) not eating at improper times."
-
-22. **Line 751** — 此《修次中编》所说也 → "This is stated in the *Middle-Length Stages of Meditation*." 《修次中编》 is the middle volume of Kamalaśīla's *Bhāvanākrama*; "Middle-Length" misleadingly suggests a medium-sized text. Fix: "the middle section of the *Stages of Meditation* (*Bhāvanākrama*)."
-
-23. **Line 761** — 佛陀是福智两足尊，具备圆满的福德和智慧 → "The Buddha is the honored one replete with both merit and wisdom, possessing perfect merit and perfect wisdom." Merit and wisdom stated twice in one sentence. Fix: "The Buddha, the honored one replete in both, is endowed with perfect merit and perfect wisdom."
-
-24. **Line 797** — 法布施才是对他们最究竟的帮助 → "the giving of Dharma is what helps them most ultimately." "Most ultimately" is unidiomatic. Fix: "the giving of Dharma is the most fundamental help of all." Same paragraph: 851 — 甚至很辛苦 → "even to the point of exhaustion" overstates 辛苦. Fix: "even very hard at it."
-
-### Style observation (no line fix required)
-
- 打开心量 → "open the scope of the mind" (175, 193, 281, 553, and passim) is a consistent but slightly wooden calque; "expand the mind" or "open the heart" would read more naturally. Consistent as-is, so optional.
- 集资净障 → "accumulating merit and purifying obstacles" is used consistently; some traditions prefer "obscurations" for 障. Consistent as-is, so optional.
- edit-suggestions.dj's note "no diacritics on Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī" is stale: the target uses diacritics throughout (165, 205, etc.). No action needed in target.dj.
-
-## Completeness check
-
-All ten sections and all 39 subsections of the source are present in the target, in order, including the full TOC, the introductory material on the three faults and six perceptions, every verse quotation of the *Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra*, the *Mahayana-sutralamkara* refuge chapter excerpt, the *Lamrim* passages, the *Bodhicaryāvatāra* citations, the conferral liturgy (sections I–X within it), the Avalokiteśvara praise, the *Yogācārabhūmi* and *Abhidharmasamuccaya* quotations, the Jātaka references, and the conclusion. Source and target are line-aligned at 913 lines each; no paragraph was dropped, merged, or added.
@@ -1,913 +0,0 @@
-菩提心的修行
-
------2007年讲于第二届菩提静修营
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、菩提心的重要性 [3](#一菩提心的重要性)](#一菩提心的重要性)
-
-[1．为什么要发菩提心 [3](#为什么要发菩提心)](#为什么要发菩提心)
-
-[2．大乘人的标帜 [5](#大乘人的标帜)](#大乘人的标帜)
-
-[3．成佛的不共因 [5](#成佛的不共因)](#成佛的不共因)
-
-[二、菩提心与皈依 [7](#二菩提心与皈依)](#二菩提心与皈依)
-
-[1．大乘皈依的殊胜 [7](#大乘皈依的殊胜)](#大乘皈依的殊胜)
-
-[2．由发心完成皈依修行 [9](#由发心完成皈依修行)](#由发心完成皈依修行)
-
-[三、菩提心与七支供 [9](#三菩提心与七支供)](#三菩提心与七支供)
-
-[1．礼敬支 [11](#礼敬支)](#礼敬支)
-
-[2．供养支 [14](#供养支)](#供养支)
-
-[3．忏悔支 [15](#忏悔支)](#忏悔支)
-
-[4．随喜支 [16](#随喜支)](#随喜支)
-
-[5．请转法轮支 [17](#请转法轮支)](#请转法轮支)
-
-[6．请佛住世支 [18](#请佛住世支)](#请佛住世支)
-
-[7．回向支 [18](#回向支)](#回向支)
-
-[四、菩提心与出离心 [20](#四菩提心与出离心)](#四菩提心与出离心)
-
-[1．解脱为本，出离心为先 [20](#解脱为本出离心为先)](#解脱为本出离心为先)
-
-[2．菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满 [25](#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满)](#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满)
-
-[五、发起愿菩提心 [25](#五发起愿菩提心)](#五发起愿菩提心)
-
-[1．七因果 [26](#七因果)](#七因果)
-
-[2．自他相换 [30](#自他相换)](#自他相换)
-
-[六、受持愿菩提心 [35](#六受持愿菩提心)](#六受持愿菩提心)
-
-[1．传统依据 [36](#传统依据)](#传统依据)
-
-[2．正授仪轨 [37](#正授仪轨)](#正授仪轨)
-
-[3．守护菩提心 [41](#守护菩提心)](#守护菩提心)
-
-[七、受菩萨戒 [42](#七受菩萨戒)](#七受菩萨戒)
-
-[1．受者条件 [43](#受者条件)](#受者条件)
-
-[2．戒师选择 [44](#戒师选择)](#戒师选择)
-
-[3．正授仪轨 [45](#正授仪轨-1)](#正授仪轨-1)
-
-[4．三聚净戒 [47](#三聚净戒)](#三聚净戒)
-
-[八、行菩萨行 [50](#八行菩萨行)](#八行菩萨行)
-
-[1．菩萨行的内容 [50](#菩萨行的内容)](#菩萨行的内容)
-
-[2．菩萨行的特征 [52](#菩萨行的特征)](#菩萨行的特征)
-
-[3．菩萨行的修习 [53](#菩萨行的修习)](#菩萨行的修习)
-
-[九、菩萨行与空性见 [62](#九菩萨行与空性见)](#九菩萨行与空性见)
-
-[1．无 我 [62](#无-我)](#无-我)
-
-[2．无自性 [63](#无自性)](#无自性)
-
-[十、结 语 [64](#十结-语)](#十结-语)
-
-在菩萨道修行中，菩提心是贯穿始终的。
-
-发起菩提心，不仅是走上菩萨道的开始，也是成为菩萨行者的标志。整个大乘的修行，虽然法门众多，宗派纷呈，但都是围绕修学菩提心、实践菩萨行两大内容展开。其中，又以菩提心为重中之重。因为菩萨行是建立在菩提心的基础上，是菩提心的具体落实，故佛典也称之为"行菩提心”。
-
-在此，将围绕菩提心的修行，分别从菩提心的重要性、菩提心与皈依、菩提心与七支供、菩提心与出离心、发起愿菩提心、受持愿菩提心、受菩萨戒、行菩萨行、菩萨行与空性见九个方面介绍。
-
-在听闻菩提心教法之前，首先要端正闻法态度，使自己成为合格的法器。什么才是正确的闻法态度？古德总结为"离三种过”和"依六种想”。
-
-所谓"离三种过”，即远离三种有过失的闻法态度。《道次第》云："若器口下覆，或器虽仰而内不洁，或内虽洁而下有罅，纵天降雨，必不能受。或虽受得，为染所污，不堪饮用。或虽不染，漏而弗住。”这段论文中，分别以覆器、垢器和漏器，比喻学人闻法时不用心、带有成见及闻后不思维三种情况。
-
-所谓覆器，即器口倒覆，纵使天降甘霖也无法盛载其中。同样，内心尚未对法开放时，法水也不能进入心田。哪怕听得再多，心中依然空空如也，无所受益。所谓垢器，即器内已是五味杂陈，即使注入清水也会变得苦辣酸甜，不复本味。同样，每个人在接受佛法前，已形成自身的固有观念。在闻法过程中，应将现有成见通通放下，以清净无染之心接受佛法，就像我们喝水前会洗净杯子那样。如此，才能感受本然的法味，而不是被固有观念改造过的、杂染变质的佛法。所谓漏器，即器皿开裂破损，哪怕不断加水也会很快漏失。同样，如果闻法后不再如理思维，依教奉行，也如漏器一般，不能使所闻法义长存心田。学法的过程，是将佛法正见转变为自身观念的过程。这就需要在闻法后进一步思维，通过反复不断的思维来强化，来巩固，使法义在我们的心相续中生根发芽。
-
-依六种想，则是闻法过程中应当具备的六种观想。首先，是把自己视为病者。说到病者，我们比较容易想到身体疾病。其实，身病只是暂时的，更长久的是心灵疾病。无始以来，我们始终在轮回中流转，生死不息，烦恼不止，皆因种种心病所致。所以人生最大的疾病不是其他，正是无明制造的迷惑和烦恼。我们要认识到这些疾病的过患，本着治病的态度闻法，把法师当作医生想，把佛法当作药物想，把修行当作治疗想，把如来当作正士想，对正法生起久住想。只有对法生起殷重心，难得想，才能使之成为改造生命的有效疗法。否则，往往只是把佛法当作一种学理或玄谈，学得再多，也不过是在生活中增加一些佛法的点缀，在言行上增加一些佛法的包装，于安身立命全无干系。
-
-所以，希望大家本着正确的闻法心态学习菩提心教法。这样才能纳法于心，依法调整心行，完成生命品质的改善。
-
-{#一菩提心的重要性}
-## 一、菩提心的重要性
-
-{#为什么要发菩提心}
-### 1．为什么要发菩提心
-
-回答这一问题，必须明了学佛的重点在哪里。佛法是心地法门，整个学佛过程，正是从认识到改变心行的过程。
-
-我们的心好比土地，每个起心动念则是播下的种子。在生命延续过程中，我们有过许多想法，也做过许多事情，这些所思所行很快会成为过去，但内心留下的种子却将在未来继续作用，影响生命的发展轨迹。其中有善的种子，也有恶的种子；有烦恼种子，也有解脱种子。当善的种子萌芽时，当我们生起爱心、慈悲时，当下就是安乐的，周围的人也能感受到这份安乐。反之，当恶的种子作用时，当我们生起贪心、嗔心、嫉妒心时，当下就是痛苦的。一旦将这些贪嗔之心表现出来，周围的人也会受到伤害。
-
-正是这种心的相续，决定了生命的现状及走向。为什么我们内心充满烦恼，充满痛苦？就因为其中有太多不良种子。这些种子又会不断制造心灵垃圾，使内心成为充满污垢的垃圾场。如此，痛苦就在所难免，沉沦也在所难免。所以说，烦恼乃至轮回都不是外在的，而是来自我们内心，是心在操纵这一切，也是心在决定这一切。如果我们想远离痛苦，就要从因上断除。
-
-学佛是耕耘心田的过程。当年，佛陀曾到农庄托钵，有位正在耕种的婆罗门质问道："我们努力耕种才有收获，你们为何不去劳作？”佛陀回答说："长者，我也是耕耘的农夫！”婆罗门不解："我从未见过沙门在田间劳作，何出此言？”佛陀向他解释说："信心为种子，苦行为时雨，智慧为时轭，惭愧心为辕，正念自守护，是则善御者。如是耕田者，不还受诸有。”（《杂阿含经》卷四）轭和辕，是驾驭牲口的工具。诸有，为众生果报，有因有果故谓之有，包括三有、四有、七有、九有、二十五有等，总称诸有。如果我们以对三宝的信心为种子，以修行灌溉心田，以智慧和惭愧驾驭心行，以正念作为守护，才是善巧的耕耘者。这样的耕耘者，将不再招感轮回苦果。
-
-以信心为种子，代表我们对信仰的选择，是以三宝作为人生的究竟归宿。然后，还须通过观察修和安住修，使种子在内心扎根。否则，佛法对我们只是一种学理，一种说法。生活中可以看到，不少人虽然也自称为佛教徒，也常常敬香礼佛，可佛法对他们的心行却丝毫没有影响，他们的所作所为依然不超出固有的观念和串习。这种学佛是不会产生效果的。就像农夫，如果不在田间播种，不去努力耕耘，即使天天到地里走一圈，看一遍，甚至夜以继日地守在那里，可能有收获吗？菩提心的修行也是同样。如果不发起菩提心，不在内心播洒菩提种子，未来怎么会结出菩提之果？
-
-{#大乘人的标帜}
-### 2．大乘人的标帜
-
-如果说皈依是成为佛弟子的标帜，那么，发菩提心就是成为大乘人的标帜。《略论》云："何为入大乘之门耶？此中佛说有波罗密多乘及密乘二种，除彼更无余大乘矣。然此二由何门而入耶？唯此菩提心是。此于身心何时生起，虽其他之任何功德未生，是亦住入大乘。”
-
-这段论文明确告诉我们：一旦发起菩提心，即使尚未具备其他功德，也已跻身大乘之列，堪为菩萨行者。接着，论中又进一步说明："若何时与菩提心舍离，则纵有能达空性等功德，亦是堕入声闻等地，退失大乘。此众多大乘教之所说，理亦成也。是故大乘者，以菩提心之有无而作进退。”
-
-正因为菩提心是大乘人的标帜，所以一旦舍离菩提心，即使已经通达空性，也将退为声闻学人。可见，大乘的评判标准是以有无菩提心来决定。论中还引《入菩萨行论》为证："此心生起，无间即成佛子。”此处所说的"佛子”，特指菩萨行者。因为他们不像声闻那样以自了为足，而是行佛所行，像佛陀那样自利利他，自觉觉他，是佛陀的真正继承者。
-
-可见，菩提心不仅是步入大乘的门径，也是简别于二乘的不共标准。
-
-{#成佛的不共因}
-### 3．成佛的不共因
-
-成佛并不是成就外在的什么，不是职称，不是地位，不是荣誉，而是内在的生命品质。这一品质包括智慧和慈悲两大内涵，由空性见成就智慧，成就解脱；由菩萨行成就慈悲，成就福德。其中，解脱是三乘共有的目标，无论声闻、缘觉还是菩萨，都要具备解脱能力，而慈悲则是大乘特有的行门。当然，这不是说声闻就不修慈悲。事实上，声闻行者同样修习慈悲喜舍四无量心，同样随缘弘法，利益大众。区别在于，他们并不以圆满慈悲作为必修法门，作为究竟目标。从另一个角度说，如果没有菩提心为前提，这种慈悲修行也是缺乏力度，缺乏担当的。
-
-关于这个问题，《略论》以比喻作了说明："如以水、粪、暖及地等，若与谷种合者，则为谷苗之因。若与麦豆等种合者，则亦为彼苗之因。故水、粪、暖等是共同之因。青稞种者，随与何种缘合，亦不能为谷等苗之因，是青稞苗之不共因。以彼所摄持之水等，亦当为青稞苗之因也。如是无上菩提心者，是佛苗因中如种子之不共因。通达空性之慧者，如水、粪等，是三种菩提之共因也。”
-
-就像耕作需要种子、阳光、雨水、肥料和土地。其中，种子是作物生长的不共因，由麦种生长麦子，稻种生长稻子，其果实由种子包含的特性所决定。而其他条件则是一切作物生长所必需，属于共因。对修行来说，空性慧就像阳光、雨水、土地那样，是三乘修行的共因。而菩提心的作用相当于种子，是成佛的不共因。唯有发菩提心，修利他行，才能成就佛菩萨那样圆满的生命品质，此外别无他途。
-
-接着，《略论》又引经论为证："《宝性论》云：胜解胜乘为种子，慧者为生佛法母。此言于大乘起胜解者，如父之种子。通达无我慧者，则如母。譬之父为藏人，则不生汉胡等子。父为子姓，此因决定。于藏母身，则能生种种子，是乃共同因也。”
-
-孩子虽由父母共同生育，但以父亲为决定血统的不共因。对修行者来说，如果能对大乘具足胜解，其作用有如父亲，而通达空性的作用则如母亲。有空性慧之母，故能成就解脱；有大乘菩提心之父，方能成就佛果。
-
-以上两个比喻，形象说明了菩提心和空性慧对于修行的不同作用。没有菩提心作为种子，就不能成为大乘行者；没有空性慧作为解脱共因，也不能结出无上菩提的殊胜果实。
-
-{#二菩提心与皈依}
-## 二、菩提心与皈依
-
-皈依，代表我们对三宝的信赖，也代表我们选择三宝作为人生的究竟归宿。这是学佛的基础，也是发起菩提心的基础。
-
-{#大乘皈依的殊胜}
-### 1．大乘皈依的殊胜
-
-通常所说的皈依，是声闻乘的皈依，我们这里特指大乘皈依。《大乘庄严经论·皈依品》中，特别介绍了大乘皈依的殊胜，论云：
-
-> 一切皈依三宝中，应知大乘皈依最为第一。何以故？由四种大义自性胜故。何者四义？一者一切遍义，二者勇猛义，三者得果义，四者不及义......大乘皈依者有四种一切遍。一者众生一切遍，欲度一切众生故。二者乘一切遍，善解三乘故。三者智一切遍，通达二无我故。四者寂灭一切遍，生死涅槃体是一味，过恶功德不分别故......
->
-> 大乘皈依有三种胜勇猛。一愿胜勇猛，皈依佛时，求大菩提，多生欢喜，知胜功德故。二者行胜勇猛，起修行时，不退不屈，难行行故。三者果胜勇猛，至成佛时，与一切诸佛平等觉故......
->
-> 菩萨善生有四义。一者种子胜，以菩提心为种子故。二者生母胜，以般若波罗蜜为生母故。三者胎藏胜，以福智二聚住持为胎藏故。四者乳母胜，以大悲长养为乳母故......
->
-> 大乘皈依者，所有善根由四因故，一切声闻、辟支佛所不能及。一者大体，二者大义，三者无边，四者无尽。问："此云何？”答："大体者，谓世间善根已得，超过二乘故。大义者，谓出世善根，二乘出世但自利故。无边者，谓成熟善根，能成熟无边众生故。无尽者，谓神通善根，至无余涅槃亦无尽故......”
->
-> 皈依差别有六种，一自性、二因、三果、四业、五相应、六品类。希望为自性，至心求佛体故。大悲为因，为一切众生故。种智为果，得无上菩提故。不退为业，行利他难行行，不退不屈故。三出为相应，具足三乘出离行故。二得为品类，世俗得，法性得，粗细差别故。
-
-这段论文从不同角度，详细介绍了大乘皈依胜于二乘的特殊之处。想要了解更多内容，可参看无著菩萨所造的《大乘庄严经论·皈依品》全文。在此，我先给大家简单归纳几点，这是大乘皈依区别于声闻乘皈依的主要特征，也是我们需要掌握的关键所在。
-
-其一，皈依者必须具备大乘种性。关于此，我们可能会心存疑问：自己究竟有没有具备大乘种性？要回答这个问题，只须审视一下，看看自己能否发起无伪的菩提心，发起真实的利他愿望。
-
-其二，皈依对象是大乘三宝。其中，佛宝为十方三世一切诸佛，法宝为大乘经典，僧宝为观音、文殊、普贤等诸大菩萨及现前的大乘僧团。
-
-其三，时间更为长久。声闻乘皈依的有效期是尽形寿，大乘皈依不仅局限于今生，而是尽未来际直至成佛，正如皈敬颂所说："诸佛正法贤圣僧，直至菩提永皈依。”
-
-其四，发心更为广大。声闻乘皈依主要是为了断除烦恼，解脱生死，而大乘皈依不以个人解脱为足，还以帮助一切众生解脱为目标。
-
-只有认识到大乘皈依的殊胜，才能对大乘佛法生起真切皈依之心，这正是愿菩提心的所依。
-
-{#由发心完成皈依修行}
-### 2．由发心完成皈依修行
-
-皈依后还需要不断修习皈依，强化三宝在内心的分量，巩固对菩提心教法的信心，使之落实于心行并产生作用。在印度和西藏的传统中，都有关于皈依的修行，我也编写过"皈依共修仪轨”，内容包括大乘的发心、忏悔、七支供、念诵皈依、发四无量心等。
-
-皈依不只是学佛的开始，事实上，它贯穿整个成佛的修行。从究竟意义上看，皈依者和皈依对象在本质上是一体的。开始时，二者确实存在差别，而且是巨大的差别，但这种差别不是永远存在。修习皈依的目的，乃至佛法一切修行的目的，是开发众生本具的自性三宝，使自己和皈依对象融为一体，最终成就三宝具足的一切功德。
-
-这一过程离不开皈依和菩提心的修行。没有皈依作为前提，菩提心的修行就没有依托基础；没有菩提心作为实践，皈依将永远停留于形式。唯有对三宝功德心向往之，并以佛菩萨的愿力作为自身愿力，以佛菩萨的所行作为自身行为，才能成就与佛菩萨无二无别的高尚品质。
-
-{#三菩提心与七支供}
-## 三、菩提心与七支供
-
-七支供根据普贤菩萨的十大愿王建立，具有集资净障的作用，能为发起菩提心营造良好的心灵环境。十大愿王的具体内容，分别是礼敬诸佛、称赞如来、广修供养、忏悔业障、随喜功德、请转法轮、请佛住世、常随佛学、恒顺众生、普皆回向。这些修行似乎都很平常，为什么会被尊为"愿王”呢？原因就在于，这些愿望的所缘对象是无限的，是遍及一切的。
-
-我们都有这样那样的愿望，但常人的愿望非常局限，想到的无非是个别人、个别事。而普贤菩萨的愿力是以尽法界、虚空界一切众生为所缘对象，不断强化这种愿望，可以帮助我们打开心量。当心停留于眼前的人和事，是狭隘而有限的。唯有以无限的时空为所缘，才能进入心的无限层面。
-
-同时，《普贤行愿品》还可以帮助我们迅速积累成佛资粮。用现在的话来说，《行愿品》是集资净障的第一生产力。所以，藏传佛教也特别提倡本品，将之作为一切法门的重要前行。事实上，《行愿品》的意义不仅在于前行，其本身也是殊胜的正行。因为这一法门建立在华严见地之上，至顿至圆，我称为"菩提心的无上观修，佛陀品质的临摹方法”。依普贤大愿观修，就是对佛菩萨心行的模拟，使我们在模拟和比照中向佛菩萨逐渐靠拢。
-
-七支供的内容，主要是将十大愿王归纳为七支。支为肢体，是身体的重要组成部分。如果把菩提心修法比作主干，七支供就是作为支撑的重点。在《入菩萨行论》中，"集资净障”这部分内容也是通过七支供的修行来完成。
-
-修习菩提心，必须对一切众生心生慈悲，视如己出。怎样才能做到这一点？前提是把一切众生装到心中。我们问问自己：内心到底能装几个人？如果只是装着自己，或者只是装着个别人，是绝对无法和菩提心相应的。这就必须打开心量，这种打开不是简单的量的增加，而是把自我的界限完全撤除，像虚空容纳万物那样，容纳尽虚空、遍法界的无量众生。如果还有一个众生是我们排斥的，是我们不愿利益的，就说明这种慈悲尚未圆满。
-
-以下，简单介绍一下七支供的修行。相关内容，我在《普贤行愿品的观修原理》一书中有较为详细的解说，可以作为参考。
-
-{#礼敬支}
-### 1．礼敬支
-
-礼敬，即礼拜恭敬。佛法从恭敬中得，如果对三宝缺乏敬意，法就不可能在我们身上产生作用。修习礼敬的方式很多，如拜佛、供灯、燃香、献花等。那么，应该以什么方法礼佛，才能迅速与诸佛相应，成就无量福德呢？
-
-现代人非常讲究效率，其实修行也不例外。或许有人会问：佛教不是强调不著相吗？要知道，不著相不等于不讲效率。正确的修行态度，是既讲效率，又不著于讲效率的相。如果以为不讲效率就是不执著，稀里糊涂就是不执著，不但成就无望，甚至可能会堕落恶道。因为轮回路险，不进则退。如果不抓紧现有的暇满人身修行，谁也无法保证未来去向何方，何时还有机会继续修行。所以，学佛同样需要讲究方式方法。方法到位，才能事半功倍，生生增上。
-
-礼敬支共四个偈颂，第一颂为三门总礼。三门，即身口意三业，对礼敬作总的阐述。偈颂为：
-
-> 所有十方世界中，三世一切人狮子。
->
-> 我以清净身语意，一切遍礼尽无余。
-
-我们礼佛，通常会选择一位佛菩萨，或礼拜释迦佛，或礼拜阿弥陀佛，或礼拜观音菩萨。在《普贤行愿品》中，却不以一佛二佛为礼敬对象，而是以十方三世一切诸佛为所缘，一一礼拜，无有遗余。更重要的是，以清净身语意三业而行礼拜。这就需要忆念佛菩萨功德，激发见贤思齐的至诚之心，从而远离散乱和妄想。从心里想着拜佛，到合掌、礼拜、起身，整个过程保持明晰的观想，全身心投入对佛菩萨的礼敬之中。当我们以这种所缘和方法礼佛时，每一拜，都是向一切诸佛奉献无上的敬意，奉献清净的供养。
-
-其次是身礼。偈颂为：
-
-> 普贤行愿威神力，普现一切如来前。
->
-> 一身复现刹尘身，一一遍礼刹尘佛。
-
-身体是有限的，礼拜也是有限的，如何才能完成无限的礼敬？这就必须借助观想完成。所谓观想，就是运用想象力，这是佛法修行的重要助缘。因为心是无限的，想象也是无限的，只有开发无限的层面，才能使建立在这一心行之上的有限行为转变为无限。在观想时，一方面可以参考《行愿品》长行的内容，一方面要祈求普贤菩萨加持，通过对普贤愿力的信解来完成观修。
-
-首先观想自己化现无量无边的身体，观想宇宙中有多如微尘的诸佛菩萨，每位佛菩萨前都有一个我在礼拜。佛菩萨的存在是无限的，我的存在也是无限的。进一步，观想每个我又在同时礼拜尽虚空、遍法界的无量诸佛。当我们这样观想时，每一拜都能成就无量功德，使我们迅速培福，广积资粮。否则，以凡夫有限的修行，永远不能成就佛菩萨那样的无限功德。因为无限必须以无限而非有限为因。再多的有限加在一起，都是有限的，只不过是更大的有限而已。唯有在无限的心行层面，才能圆满无量福德。
-
-第三为意礼。偈颂为：
-
-> 于一尘中尘数佛，各处菩萨众会中。
->
-> 无尽法界尘亦然，深信诸佛皆充满。
-
-首先观想每一微尘中皆有无量诸佛，每位佛陀身边还有菩萨海会围绕。其次，观想法界有无尽微尘，所以宇宙的任何一个空间都有诸佛菩萨存在，重重无尽，数不胜数。
-
-生命存在的当下就是无限。因为它的本质是空性，没有任何界限，没有自他之别，一切分别都是人为的设定。比如这是中国，那是外国；这是敌人，那是朋友；这是喜欢，那是讨厌。所有这些概念都来自众生的执著，是由执著形成的分别和对立。由此，又会导致各种冲突，如人与人的冲突，人与自然的冲突，人与动物的冲突。一旦撤除这些错误设定，生命就是无限的，和一切众生不分彼此，和诸佛菩萨心心相印。
-
-所以当我们观想无限时，并不是另外开拓一个无限，只是通过观想，撤除妄心建立的有限设定，使心回复本然的状态，回复本具的无限内涵。
-
-第四为语礼。偈颂为：
-
-> 各以一切音声海，普出无尽妙言辞。
->
-> 尽于未来一切劫，赞佛甚深功德海。
-
-接着，通过观想完成语言的赞颂。我们可以观想宇宙中有无限的我，每个我都在齐声赞叹十方诸佛的功德。我们可以把自己观想为宇宙的播音员，当我们礼赞佛陀时，整个天地都能接收到这些音声，整个宇宙都在回荡着这些赞颂。我们还可将听到的一切声响都观想为念佛、念法、念僧之音，观想为赞叹三宝无尽功德的音声，使身心融入其中，礼佛不尽，赞佛不绝。
-
-{#供养支}
-### 2．供养支
-
-供养代表我们对佛菩萨的恭敬。虽然恭敬主要发自内心，但也需要通过相应的行为来体现。供养就是强化恭敬心的重要方式，应以上妙物品而行供养。其中，包括有上供养和无上供养。所谓有上，即有限之意，尚未达到极致。所谓无上，即无与伦比，没有任何方式能超乎其上。
-
-首先是有上供养。偈颂为：
-
-> 以诸最胜妙华鬘，伎乐涂香及伞盖。
->
-> 如是最胜庄严具，我以供养诸如来。
->
-> 最胜衣服最胜香，末香烧香与灯烛，
->
-> 一一皆如妙高聚，我悉供养诸如来。
-
-有上供养，是以最好的花鬘、伎乐、涂香、伞盖、衣服、末香、烧香、灯烛等种种供品供养十方如来，且数量众多，有如须弥。如何才能得到这么多供品？就需要通过观想。一方面，观想山河大地、宇宙万有都转化为供佛的奇珍妙品；一方面，观想所供物品无量无边，遍满法界，以如此众多而胜妙的物品供养如来。
-
-其次是无上供养，这是相对有上供养而言。偈颂为：
-
-> 我以广大胜解心，深信一切三世佛，
->
-> 悉以普贤行愿力，普遍供养诸如来。
-
-胜解，是深信不疑的信解。我们以广大胜解之心，深信尽虚空、遍法界十方三世一切诸佛的存在，并以普贤菩萨的无限愿力，将有限供品转化为无限，以此供养诸佛。
-
-我们的心量有多大，供养就有多大，福报也就有多大。佛菩萨为什么能成就无量功德？因为他们的心是以虚空和法界为平台，没有任何界限，也没有任何阻碍。这就使依托于此的每个行为，都像融入汪洋的水滴一样，由一滴水成为大海水。
-
-{#忏悔支}
-### 3．忏悔支
-
-在无尽轮回中，我们始终流转生死，被烦恼逼迫，正是由往昔业力所致。这些业力就像我们编写的生命程序，当它运行时，会产生某种结果。有些是进入恶道的程序，有些是进入善道的程序。我们想要改变命运，就要改变程序的内部结构和运行方式。忏悔的作用，正是摧毁业力依托的基础。偈颂为：
-
-> 往昔所造诸恶业，皆由无始贪嗔痴，
->
-> 从身语意之所生，一切我今皆忏悔。
-
-我们要观想尽虚空、遍法界的诸佛菩萨，在他们面前发起真诚忏悔之心，对以往所造种种罪业一一追悔，包括有意为之的恶行，也包括无意造作的业力。更重要的是，发誓从今以后永不再造。任何业力的形成都是有基础的，通过忏悔，就能摧毁业力依托的土壤，使之无法成熟，无法继续感果。因为所有业力都来自对我和法的执著，而忏悔就意味着对这种执著的否定。如果执著已不存在，依附于此的业力自然也就无从生根，不复存在了，所谓皮之不存，毛将焉附。
-
-就像法会前需要清扫场地那样，我们迎接菩提心的到来，也要忏悔业障，清理内心尘垢，为菩提种子营造良好的心灵环境。
-
-{#随喜支}
-### 4．随喜支
-
-随喜是对他人所修善行表示真诚的欢喜，由衷的赞叹。当我们这样做的时候，内心会随之打开，善的种子也会随之增长。偈颂为：
-
-> 十方一切诸众生，二乘有学及无学，
->
-> 一切如来与菩萨，所有功德皆随喜。
-
-对十方世界一切众生，声闻、缘觉二乘，乃至诸佛菩萨的所有功德，我们要生起随喜之心，时时保持。我们的时间、精力、能力很有限，即使再努力，一辈子所修善行也未必能有多少。而成佛需要无量福德为资粮，仅凭一己之力，显然是无法完成的。那么，我们就无法成佛了吗？就无法完成这个远大目标了吗？显然不是，这就需要借助一些手段，而随喜正是迅速积累资粮的特殊途径。如果我们能以广大无限的发心随喜一切善行，所获功德将与行善者同等，有时甚至会超过对方。因为善行招感的果报并不完全取决于行为本身，在很大程度上，是取决于不同的用心。当我们以无限之心随喜一切善行时，就如分身亿万，时时处处地广行善法，耕耘福田。
-
-此外，随喜还能克服嫉妒、排他等不良习惯，与众生广结善缘。这是建立良好人际关系的重要助缘，也是修习平等心的大好时机。当我们随喜平日漠不相关的众生时，就在化解对他们的冷漠与隔阂；当我们随喜平日存在矛盾的众生时，就在化解对他们的嗔恨与嫌隙。只要随喜心足够真诚，足够强大，就能逐步转化原有的不良情绪，令心量随之打开。
-
-{#请转法轮支}
-### 5．请转法轮支
-
-虽然法是法尔如是的，不论是否有佛出世说法，都不会有增有减，随之变化。但对众生来说，并没有能力认识这种真理，更无法依此修行，成就佛果。这就需要佛菩萨的引领，需要他们宣说法要，使众生因闻法而破迷开悟，走向解脱。所以，祈请佛菩萨乃至善知识说法，不仅是自身修学的需要，也是利益大众的需要。偈颂为：
-
-> 十方所有世间灯，最初成就菩提者，
->
-> 我今一切皆劝请，转于无上妙法轮。
-
-世间灯，指诸佛菩萨，包括一切具足正见的善知识。众生长处无明黑暗，唯有在佛菩萨的引导下，才能从黑暗走向光明，从迷惑走向觉悟。我们观想宇宙中有无量佛陀，然后观想自己化身无数，来到诸佛世尊前。每一位佛陀面前，都有一个我在祈请。每一个我，又同时在祈请法界一切诸佛，祈请他们悲悯众生，法轮常转，使佛法在世间流传广布，利益人天。在座下，则应时时祈请善知识为众开示，同时要大力护持那些宣说正法的善知识。护持的方式有很多，我们可以组织讲座，邀请大德说法；可以助印经书，普及正知正见，这些都是请转法轮的重要方式。因为弘法需要众缘和合，成就相关助缘，在说法者和闻法者之间架设桥梁，也是在以实际行动请转法轮。
-
-{#请佛住世支}
-### 6．请佛住世支
-
-十方诸佛化缘将近，即将示现涅槃时，为令众生获得长久的利益安乐，我们要以至诚之心，请求诸佛长久住世，接引众生。偈颂为：
-
-> 诸佛若欲示涅槃，我悉至诚而劝请，
->
-> 唯愿久住刹尘劫，利乐一切诸众生。
-
-佛陀看到化缘将尽，即将入般涅槃。此时，我们要真诚劝请，唯愿佛菩萨长久住世。因为这样，佛法才能在世间薪火相传。关于请佛住世的修行，我们可以观想宇宙中有无量诸佛显现，然后观想每尊佛陀前都有一个我在祈愿，恳请他们莫入涅槃。在座下，则以诵经、念佛、供灯、放生等种种方式，殷勤劝请一切善知识住世说法，度化众生。
-
-{#回向支}
-### 7．回向支
-
-最后，我们要把以上所修的礼敬诸佛、供养如来、忏悔业障、随喜功德、请转法轮、请佛住世等功德回向法界众生。偈颂为：
-
-> 所有礼赞供养福，请佛住世转法轮，
->
-> 随喜忏悔诸善根，回向众生及佛道。
->
-> 乃至虚空世界尽，众生及业烦恼尽，
->
-> 如是四法广无边，愿今回向亦如是。
-
-以上六支所修善根为证悟菩提之因，我们将之回向众生，并以猛利意乐为之祝福，愿他们早日成就佛道。这份回向是永久性的，尽未来际有效，所谓虚空界尽、众生界尽、众生业尽、众生烦恼尽，我愿无尽。事实上，虚空是无法穷尽的，众生和众生的业力、烦恼也是无法穷尽的。为什么说有尽？只是用来反衬这份愿力的广大。即使无尽的虚空会有尽头，无尽的业力会有尽头，但我们发起的愿力和回向都源源不断，无穷无尽。也就是说，这一愿力比虚空更长久，比世界更长久，比无量无边的众生更长久，这正是普贤大愿被尊为愿王的关键所在。因为这一愿力的所缘对象是无限，时间跨度是永远。
-
-七支供的内容又可归纳为三方面。一是集资，为礼敬、供养、随喜、请法、请佛住世五支；二是净障，即忏悔支；三是令功德增长广大，永不退失，即回向支。心是功德增长的土壤，唯有在无限的心田，才能圆满成佛需要的无限资粮。如果心量狭隘，就像一块小小的田地，即使修得再勤奋，再努力，收获的果实也极其有限。学习《行愿品》，就要把菩萨的无限愿力落实到自身心行，想普贤菩萨所想，行普贤菩萨所行，以此作为人生的终极目标。那样的话，我们当下就能和普贤菩萨相应，和十方诸佛相应。
-
-对于以上偈颂，我们应当了解其中内涵，如理思维，以至诚恳切之心缓缓念诵。
-
-{#四菩提心与出离心}
-## 四、菩提心与出离心
-
-学佛因缘各异，所求各异，但正确发心唯有出离心和菩提心两种。声闻行者发出离心成就解脱，大乘行者发菩提心成就佛果，此外皆非正途。那么，两种发心是否具有内在联系？或者说，大乘行者是否也需要发出离心？
-
-{#解脱为本出离心为先}
-### 1．解脱为本，出离心为先
-
-在《道次第》中，宗大师将大乘佛法的纲领总结为三主要道，即出离心、菩提心、空性见，明确指出：出离心为菩提心生起的前提。论云："夫以惑业所制，流转世间，为众苦所逼者，自利犹且未能，况云利他者哉。此乃一切衰损之门，菩萨较诸小乘尤应厌离而灭除之。”
-
-如果自身不具备出离、解脱的能力，惑业未除，自利尚且不能，怎么可能利益他人，利益无量众生？所以菩萨同样需要生起出离心，而且要比声闻更强烈。没有真切意识到轮回之苦，没有迫切的出离愿望，所谓的菩提心终究会流于口号，发得肤浅而不真切。如果自己耽于现状，无心出离，却说什么"发愿带领一切众生走向解脱”，难道不是一句自欺欺人的空话吗？
-
-论中，宗大师接着告诉我们："若于生死意求出离已，见诸有情是自亲眷，为利彼等而发菩提心者。”只有在希求个人解脱的基础上，才能进一步希望带领众生共同出离。解脱是佛法的根本，可以说，学佛就是为了寻求解脱，修行就是为了成就解脱。因此，出离心是一切修行的共同基础。但对菩萨道行者来说，仅仅个人解脱是不够的，还要推己及人，看到众生在轮回中饱受苦难，将这份出离心延伸到一切众生，引导他们共同解脱。从这个意义上说，菩提心正是出离心的延伸和圆满。换言之，两条道路的起点是相同的，不同的只是终点。
-
-怎样才能带领众生走向解脱？仅有一腔热情显然是不够的。严格地说，必须具备解脱的经验和能力。最起码，也应了知解脱原理。否则，何以为众生向导？如果自己是不辨方向的盲人，却要引领大众走上一条布满荆棘、岔路、障碍的陌生山道，不过是匹夫之勇，是于人于己皆无利益的愚痴行为，决非佛陀所提倡的。所以在修习菩提心之前，首先要发起出离心，修习解脱行。
-
-所谓出离，就是愿离娑婆。它的心行标准，是对轮回的盛事不再有任何期盼，任何留恋。但在物质空前丰富的今天，人们已经制造太多麻醉身心的诱惑，使心耽于其中，难以自拔。所以现代人虽然觉得很累，在压力中不堪重负，但多半不会觉得太苦。因为随时都有新的刺激来转移痛苦，随时都有物欲带来短暂满足淡化痛苦，使我们在貌似快乐的幻影中疲于奔命，在种种物欲的刺激下日渐麻木。其结果，就是逐步丧失对痛苦的感受能力。
-
-或许有人会觉得：我们为什么要"自讨苦吃”？为什么要去感受那些人人避之唯恐不及的痛苦？须知，这种感受正是生命的保护机制。就像我们需要定时体检，才能及早发现疾病，把握治疗时机。同样，唯有保持对痛苦的省察，才能找到痛苦之源，及时对治。否则，到病入膏肓时，一切都为时晚矣。
-
-怎样才能使我们从麻木中苏醒？这就需要时时念死无常，念轮回苦。因为死亡是生命无法回避的结局，而轮回则是凡夫无法脱离的轨道。正视这一现实，我们才会知道，什么才是对生命真正有价值的，什么才是人生的当务之急。
-
-（1）念死无常
-
-人们往往下意识地回避死亡，不愿想起，更不愿提起，似乎这样就能把死亡抛在脑后。事实上，我们逃得了吗？那个与生俱来的死亡，究竟在哪里等着我们？在《道次第》中，为我们提供了三个思考角度。
-
-第一，思维死王必来，任何人不能阻挡。从古至今，不论国王还是乞丐，也不论强者还是弱者，谁能逃脱这一结局？不必说过去的人，就是眼前这些鲜活的生命，这些会说会动、似乎有着无限能量的生命，不需要百年，也会到其他世界报到。在此期间，寿量无增而日减。如果把出生比作人生的起点，从来到世界的刹那起，我们时刻都在走向死亡这个终点。每度过一天，每增加一岁，都在向终点靠拢。换言之，剩余时间也随之减少，正如《法句经》所说的那样："是日已过，命亦随减。如少水鱼，斯有何乐？”
-
-第二，思维死期无定。当我们健康活着的时候，总以为生命会很强健，很长久。其实，人命不过是在呼吸间，一口气不来，转息就是来生。在这个世界上，我们每一次呼吸时，都有人停止了呼吸；我们每一次心跳时，都有人停止了心跳。其中有寿尽而终者，也有许多夭折和横死者。即使我们现在年轻健康，似乎有漫长的人生可以享受，但谁也无法保证明天会发生什么，下一刻会发生什么。事实上，死神随时都在我们身边等候，随时都可能不请自来。
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-第三，思维死时除佛法外余皆无益。当死亡到来，我们现在执著的家庭、地位、财富，哪一样可以产生作用？我们可以因为家庭和睦就不死吗？可以因为财力雄厚就不死吗？可以因为身居高位就不死吗？事实上，世间没有任何东西可以拿来与死神做交易。不仅如此，这一切反而会使我们生起诸般不舍，带来更多痛苦。对于大部分人来说，拥有的越多，执著也就越多，而这种拥有和执著又将成为临终前的障碍。一方面是对曾经拥有的留恋，一方面是对失去一切的恐惧，但死神不会因为我们留恋或恐惧就网开一面。更糟糕的是，在这样的留恋和恐惧中，往往会使人失去提起正念的最后机会。结果，在万般无奈中随业流转。
-
-时时从以上三个角度忆念死亡，就会认识到世间的无常虚幻，从而减少贪著，发心出离。所以说，念死是发起出离心的重要助缘。
-
-（2）念轮回苦
-
-有情在六道生生不息地流转，头出头没，无法自主，充满种种苦痛。佛典中，主要概括为八苦和六苦。倘能透彻轮回本质，我们就不会被它显现的华丽假相所迷惑。所以，轮回苦也是需要反复思维的。
-
-八苦，为生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、爱别离苦、求不得苦、怨憎会苦、五蕴炽盛苦。首先，是对生老病死无法自主。自从我们随业投生世间的那天开始，就日复一日地为这个身体忙碌着，饿了张罗吃，冷了张罗穿。不想老，却老之将至；不想病，却疾病缠身；不想死，却不得不死。哪一样不是事与愿违？哪一样是我们愿意看到的结果？除了身体负担外，相爱的人天各一方（爱别离），讨厌的人冤家路窄（怨憎会），希求的一切无法得到（求不得），这些苦楚，都是我们曾经经历、正在经历和将要经历的。即使我们与世隔绝，内心一样可以制造烦恼，即五蕴炽盛苦。为什么人们满足生存所需之外，仍在不停地忙着？其原因，就是因为内心的欲望太多，垃圾太多，情绪太多，使身心处在不由自主的躁动中。
-
-除了八苦以外，《亲友书》还将轮回苦总结为六点。
-
-其一，为无有决定。在轮回中，我们时而生天享乐，时而堕落地狱，什么业力成熟了，就随什么业力投生，无法选择，而又无可奈何。
-
-其二，为不知满足。众生在无明怂恿下，不断制造需求。尤其在今天，很多需求已被纵容得失去节制。为了满足更多的需求，人们越发忙碌，也越发盲目，早已看不清这些需求的实质。为之付出最多精力的，往往不是生活所需，而是在社会唆使下产生的追求。换言之，我们消耗生命换来的，只是一些可有可无的东西。仔细想想，这是多么难以对等的交易啊。
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-其三和其四，为数数舍身、数数受生。我们害怕死亡，却不断经受生离死别，不断在死亡和受生中辗转。不想死的时候，由不得自己；不想去的地方，同样由不得自己。不必说投生，即使现前选择的职业，接触的环境，也往往是我们无力决定的。
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-其五，为数数高下，即地位忽高忽低，变化不定。在这种动荡和变化中，痛苦在所难免。
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-其六，为无伴之过。人们都害怕孤独，所以要成家，要寻求感情慰藉。但当我们要离开这个世界时，从来都是一个人独自上路。即使血脉相连的亲人，也无法携手同行。当然，如果彼此业缘深厚，未来还会继续相遇。但在一定时期，必定是孑然一身，无人相伴的。
-
-思维死亡无常和轮回过患，不是为了让我们陷入沮丧和痛苦中，而是为了提醒我们：现前一切都是不可靠的。否则就会处于习惯性的麻木中，以为可以这样永远过下去。一旦环境变化，痛苦就随之而来。生活中时常可以看到，有些人事业做得热火朝天，突然查出不治之症，于是手忙脚乱，不知所措。因为我们一生都在为眼前诸事忙碌，却从来没有为必然到来的死亡做过任何准备，没有为生命的归宿做过任何安排。我们要知道，现前拥有的人身，才是改变命运的唯一机会。如果不能发挥这一身份蕴含的价值，不能将难得易失的人身用于修行，一旦死亡到来，就会继续流转，悔之晚矣。
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-{#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满}
-### 2．菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满
-
-作为菩萨行者，在生起出离心的基础上，还要进一步发起菩提心，将希求解脱之心从个人扩大到一切众生。所以说，不论我们发的是出离心还是菩提心，都以成就解脱为目标，这是根本也是唯一的目标。并不是说，在解脱之外还有什么更高、更究竟的解脱。
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-两者的区别，只是在于所缘对象。出离心定位于个人解脱，而菩提心定位于一切众生，发愿和众生共同解脱。佛教认为，在究竟层面上，"心、佛、众生三无差别”。也就是说，个人与众生是一体的，只是因为我执的错误设定，才产生了自他分别，造成了彼此对立。一旦放下这种错误设定，利他就会成为自觉而非违心的选择，成为主动而非被动的行为。
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-从这个意义上说，菩提心就是出离心的延伸和圆满。仅仅发起出离心，只能成就个人解脱。唯有与众生共同出离，才能成就佛陀那样悲智圆满的品质。
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-{#五发起愿菩提心}
-## 五、发起愿菩提心
-
-愿菩提心，就是"我要帮助一切众生出离轮回”的愿望。对凡夫来说，这一愿望并不容易生起。可以说，我们从来不曾有过这样的愿望。当然，这不是说我们从未帮助过他人。事实上，几乎所有人都有过不同程度的利他行为，或主动，或被动，区别只是在于所缘对象的多少。但不论我们愿意帮助的范围有多广，都无法遍及一切，因为凡夫的心行基础就是有限的，充满不平等的。
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-当我们面对众生时，会有自他的分别，国家的分别，种族的分别，敌友的分别。我们会喜欢其中的一部分，也会讨厌另一部分，而对更多的人则会视若无睹，没有感觉。在这样的心行基础上，菩提心是难以生起的。就像播种需要良田一样，我们也要营造与菩提种子相应的心灵环境，才能使之生根发芽，逐渐成熟。在佛典中，对菩提心的发起提供了两条思路，一是七因果，二是自他相换。
-
-{#七因果}
-### 1．七因果
-
-七因果的修法，出自阿底峡尊者的《菩提道炬论》。所谓七因果，即发起菩提心的七个环节，分别是知母、念恩、报恩、修慈、修悲、增上意乐、发菩提心。这些步骤有着层层递进的因果关系，引导我们对众生生起平等悦意之心。所谓悦意，即通常所说的好感。发菩提心的最大阻碍是什么？就是觉得这个众生和我没有关系。众生是众生，我是我，他的痛苦乃至死活都与我无关。而对那些没有好感的人，我们非但没有利他之心，甚至会把自己的快乐建立在别人的痛苦之上，在他们遭遇困难时幸灾乐祸，拍手称快。这是何等颠倒的行为！七因果的修行，是引导我们重新认识与众生的关系。建立关系之后，才能逐步产生好感，进而对他们的痛苦感同身受。关于七因果的修习，可以从四个步骤进行。
-
-> 第一步，思维舍，对一切众生生起平等之心。
-
-凡夫因为好恶取舍，总是处于不平等的状态，即使心生慈悲，也是局部的，有选择的。而菩提心是平等无别的，这就必须放下现有的好恶之心。因为这种好恶来自内心的迷乱感觉，是由种种业缘所决定。从轮回的眼光看，往昔的六亲眷属，早已成为陌路；现前的亲人朋友，也不过是由因缘际会走到一起。一旦缘分散尽，还会各奔东西，没有什么固定不变的实质。此外，某些好恶会和心情有关，心情舒畅时看谁都顺眼，心情郁闷时看谁都别扭。某些好恶又和利益有关，因为共同的利益，我们会对某些人产生好感，一旦关系改变，感觉也会随之变化。
-
-认识到好恶之心的虚幻，我们就不应该执著于此，为之欺骗，为之左右。这种思维不仅要在座上修习，更要在座下运用。当我们以平等心看待一切众生时，才能对治由好恶引起的贪嗔之心，长养佛菩萨那样的无缘大慈，同体大悲。
-
-> 第二步，思维一切有情如母，培养对众生的好感。
-
-七因果的修行，首先要将众生视为生身母亲。其实儒家也有类似的思想，所谓"四海之内皆兄弟”。但现代人受唯物论影响，不易接受这一观念，觉得母亲只是唯一的那个，不可更改，不可替代，怎么可能与千千万万的众生有关呢？但从佛法观点来看，人与人的关系不仅在于今生，更来自无尽的轮回。我觉得，六道就像一个巨大无比的搅拌机，而我们是充斥其中的小小沙砾，在轮转不休的颠簸中，忽而聚合，忽而分离。所以这种关系决不是一条家谱式的直线，而是错综复杂的，充满无限的可能性，包括骨肉至亲的可能性。如果能以这一心态看待众生，见到所有人，乃至所有生命，都不会因为与己无关而心生隔阂。
-
-形成这一观念后，还需要不断巩固。一方面，每天有一定时间在座上观想，使之形成定解；一方面，在生活中不断运用，见到一切众生时都提醒自己：这就是我在轮回中失散已久的亲人，现在终于相逢，我要尽己所能地帮助他们，使他们离苦得乐。当然，以我们目前的心行，将众生视为母亲确实存在困难，可能会觉得很勉强，需要努力说服自己。但这不是问题，因为所有观念都是逐步培养起来的。关键在于，认可这一观念并反复强化。
-
-> 第三步，对如母有情生起念恩和报恩之心。
-
-认识到众生都曾是我们的母亲，进而，还要思维母亲的恩德。现代社会不重视孝道教育，使很多人不知念恩，从未想过母亲究竟为我们付出多少。须知，没有母亲十月怀胎，辛勤哺育，我们就不可能来到这个世界，更不可能长大成人。从这个角度来说，我们今天拥有的一切都离不开母亲，哪怕以全部作为回报，也难与母亲的生养之恩对等。
-
-此外，还可以从另一个角度观想众生恩德。因为我们不是孤立地生活在这个世界，需要父母养育，需要老师教导，长大成人后，依然离不开社会大众的给予。否则，我们就要自己种田，自己织布，自己制造生活所需。仅仅是每天的衣食住行，我们就得到了众生多少帮助，多少付出啊。所以说，每个众生都是对我们有恩的人，需要我们用感恩心回报。
-
-现代人比较注重"自我”的感受，而从佛法来看，这个"自我”无非是一场彻头彻尾的超级骗局。在这种感受的误导下，人们很容易将自己和世界对立起来，甚至将每个人视为潜在的敌人，导致孤独、自闭、抑郁等心理疾病。如果换个角度，想着每个人都有恩于你，整个世界都在为你服务，那么看到任何人都不会觉得陌生。
-
-所以我们要经常提醒自己，让心时时安住于感恩中。一旦这种感觉模糊，还要通过观察修来强化：思维众生对我们的恩情，思维到感恩心生起，并安住其中。在此过程中，观察修和安住修要轮番进行。通过观察修调动感恩心，然后以安住修将之固定下来，持续不断。开始修习期间，这种感觉不可能长时间安住，它会逐渐模糊，逐渐边缘化，逐渐被其他心行取而代之，这就需要再次调动。在反复的调动和固定中，心行才会逐步稳定，最后达到任运自如的程度。
-
-当我们在座上生起感恩心之后，还要将这一心行延伸到座下，在实践中不断运用，使之得到巩固和增长。从现象来看，我们是活在同一个世界。事实上，我们又是活在各自的世界。因为观念、心态不同，观察角度不同，所以我们眼中的世界是各不相同的。倘能时时心怀感恩，就会活在感恩的世界，喜悦的世界。
-
-> 第四步，思维如母有情于轮回受苦而心生慈悲。
-
-慈是与乐，悲是拔苦。生起慈悲心，离不开念恩和报恩的观修。为什么我们对众生的痛苦漠不关心？多半是觉得他们与己无关。如果是父母至亲在受苦，我们还忍心视而不见吗？还忍心不闻不问吗？所以，对这种关系的思考非常重要。我们要思维如母有情正在轮回中受苦，其中有身体的痛苦，有心灵的痛苦，也有身心的双重煎熬。在重重无尽的痛苦中，他们都在避苦求乐。事实上，这是一切生物的本能，也是人类文明的动力。但因为人们对自身的认识不足，所以这种解决往往只能起到暂时的缓解作用，难以真正奏效。佛法所说的与乐和拔苦，不仅要给予众生暂时的安乐，更要给予他们究竟的利益；不仅要解除众生眼前的痛苦，更要解除造成这种痛苦的源头。
-
-我们不仅要在座上思维众生的痛苦，还要到座下去观察，去医院，去孤儿院，去贫民窟，去农贸市场，去无数众生受苦的地方，直到对众生之苦有切身感受，并将悲心激发出来，发愿以利益众生为使命。当慈悲达到这个程度，才算进入菩提心。如果只是偶尔看到什么现象同情一下，叹息一下，转眼就丢到脑后，那离菩提心还有很大的距离。因为菩提心是"我要解救众生、利益众生”的高尚意愿，并将这种意愿作为今生不可推卸的责任。声闻人也修慈悲喜舍，也在弘法度众，为什么他们发的不是菩提心？原因就是缺乏这份担当，这份舍我其谁的勇猛。
-
-其实，每个人都有或多或少的悲悯心，但我们的悲心是狭隘的，是随关系亲疏、个人好恶而有分别和等级的。但在佛菩萨的境界中，没有一个众生是他们不愿利益的，也没有一个众生不是他们慈悲的对象。宇宙有多大，法界有多大，佛菩萨的慈悲就有多大。这样的慈悲是建立在空性基础上，所以遍一切时，一切处。怎样才能达到这样的境界？需要不断打开心量，从心里装着自己，装着个别人，到百十人，再到千万人；从装进喜欢的人，到没关系的人，再到讨厌的人；从装进人类，再到所有动物，最终是一切有情。
-
-这种扩大，同时也在撤除我执的狭隘设定。世间所有界限都是人为的，正是这些设定，将可以容纳虚空的心分割成有限的狭小空间。有了设定，还会进一步带来对立，制造冲突乃至战争。世间所有的矛盾，都是这种自我设定的结果。修行所做的，就是将这些设定一一撤除，恢复心的本来，恢复心的无限。所以历代祖师都把《行愿品》作为修习菩提心的前行，因为其中讲述的观修原理是以虚空为参照，以法界为所缘。由此，可以直接模拟佛菩萨的心行特征。
-
-慈悲和菩提心是相辅相成的，正如《普贤行愿品》所说的那样："诸佛如来以大悲心而为体故，因于众生而起大悲，因于大悲生菩提心，因菩提心成等正觉。”什么是佛菩萨的体？什么是佛菩萨的生命品质？正是无限的、遍及一切众生的大悲。在这个基础上，才能进一步生起菩提心。从另一方面来说，菩提心又能使悲悯心无限扩大，最终成就佛菩萨那样的圆满大悲。
-
-{#自他相换}
-### 2．自他相换
-
-自他相换的修法，出自寂天菩萨的《入菩萨行论》，是将爱著自己的心转向众生，将舍弃众生的心转向自我。在发菩提心、修利他行的过程中，最大的阻碍不是其他，正是那个根深蒂固而又有着种种诡计的我执。自他相换，恰是直接对治我执的殊胜法门。
-
-我们有一点小小病痛时都觉得难以忍受，如临大敌，对众生的死活却置之度外。因为我们只在乎自己，只觉得自己重要。这种自我的重要感，就是我执。当这颗心被自我占据全部空间时，对众生自然是关闭的，无法相应的。那样的话，怎么可能体会他们的感受？怎么可能与之同甘共苦？而菩提心的修行是要利益一切众生，这就必须摧毁我执，将众生纳入心中，切身感受他们的喜怒哀乐，感受他们的真正需求。关于自他相换的修行，也可以从四个步骤进行。
-
-> 第一步，思维自他平等，化解彼此分别。
-
-这是修习七因果的前提。如果有强烈的自他对立之心，便无法修习平等的慈悲。我们首先要认识到，所谓的自和他只是人为设定，是我们附加的标签。在本质上，我们和一切众生都是平等的，无分别的。具备这一心行基础，才有可能修习广大的慈悲。
-
-> 第二步，思维我执的种种过患，从而对治串习。
-
-众生时时都在关注自己，在乎自己，但这种感觉对我们究竟意味着什么？我们的心因为这种在乎宁静了吗？生活因为这种在乎幸福了吗？我们只在乎自己，同样的，别人也只在乎他的感觉。如果每个人都执著于自我，那么，感觉和感觉就会出现冲突，造成对立。
-
-所以说，我执是一切烦恼的根源。因为我喜欢，所以要占有；因为我讨厌，所以要抗拒，这就使我们总是徘徊在爱嗔和由此带来的痛苦中。同时，我执还会造成我慢等种种习气，总觉得自己胜人一筹，摆出高高在上、盛气凌人的姿态。这样的人，人们肯定不愿与之交往，不利于建立和谐的人际关系。此外，我执还会导致不择手段的行为，为了维护个人利益，不惜损害他人，造作恶行。可以说，我执是世间一切不良行为乃至犯罪的根源。
-
-可能有人会说：如果我不爱自己，不在乎自己，怎么过日子呢？事实上，没有我执，并不影响你吃饭，不影响你走路，也不影响你和别人交往，一切仍可正常进行，但生活会因此变得简单，变得健康。相反，一旦加上"自我”这个烙印，所有事情都会变得复杂而扭曲，让我们患得患失，总怕这个"我”吃了亏，上了当。
-
-那么，我们所爱的这个"自我”，这个让我们处心积虑为之效力的"自我”究竟是什么呢？其实多数人并不了解。从佛法角度观察，我们现有的生命体是由五蕴和合而成，包括物质部分的色蕴和精神部分的受蕴、想蕴、行蕴、识蕴。其中，色身是由父母给予的遗传基因加上饮食滋养而成。但从识去投胎的刹那开始，我们就把这些物质当作"我”，执著不舍。我们现有的情绪和想法更非与生俱来，而是在成长过程中不断积累的。所有这些原材料，哪一样属于"我”，哪一样具有固定不变的特质？
-
-生命相当于一个系统。我们总以为，系统中所有的表现都代表"我”。当我们生气时，就觉得是"我”在生气。既然是不容侵犯的"我”在生气，大有必要让这个气生得更强烈些，更持久些，更引人瞩目些。当我们想要得到什么，也不考虑这种愿望是否健康，是否有益，只要是"我”想得到，就应该得到。得到之后，又想着进一步超过别人，却不考虑这种要求是否现实，是否有益。我们的很多不良情绪，就像心灵肿瘤一样。当身体出现肿瘤时，我们会想方设法地寻医问药，积极治疗。但心灵产生肿瘤时，我们往往熟视无睹，似乎那是与生俱来的一部分，是合理而自然的存在。很多时候，我们还在为这个肿瘤提供养料，使之不断发展，不断壮大。
-
-佛法所说的无我，是帮助我们摆脱对"我”的错误执著。如果能以般若智慧观照，就会发现，五蕴不过是因缘和合的一个工具，可以用它来工作，也可以用它来修道，用它来服务众生，用它来成就世出世间一切功德。为了更好地使用这个工具，就要及时排除系统出现的一切故障，包括身体的，也包括心理的，才能使之发挥最佳性能。但很多人因为使用不当，反而沦为工具的奴隶，被"自我”的种种迷乱感觉左右。修习无我，首先要把这个系统当作客体看待。当念头现起时，不是一头扎入其中，而是将之作为观察对象，就像你在看一本书，看一场电影，对起心动念都能了了分明，却不陷入其中。那样的人生，就会因放下而超然，因无住而自在。所以说，没有我执一样可以生活，而且可以过得更好。
-
-> 第三步，思维爱他的利益，生起爱他之心。
-
-或许有人会说：我凭什么要爱别人？凭什么要发菩提心？发心对我有什么好处？这也是很多人不愿利他的主要障碍。对于凡夫来说，利益是作出判断和选择的重要参照。带来利益的事，不必提出要求，自然有人趋之若鹜；不能带来利益的事，即使再三动员，也很难有人自觉完成。这就需要通过观修来认识，爱护众生究竟能为我们带来什么利益。一旦了解这些，爱他就会成为我们的主动选择。就像那些投资者，为什么会心甘情愿，甚至争先恐后地付出？正是他们已经了解到，唯有暂时的付出，才能带来丰厚的回报。那么，爱他究竟有哪些利益呢？
-
-如果我们爱护众生，就不会造作杀生、偷盗等种种恶业，避免由此带来的不良后果。如果我们爱护众生，就会修习布施、忍辱等种种善行，招感未来的快乐果报。如果我们爱护众生，也能得到众生的回报和帮助，建立良好的人际关系。如果我们爱护众生，对他人的成就由衷随喜，而不是引发嫉妒、嗔恨等不良心态，就能时时欢喜，时时自在。如果我们真正把爱他和利他落实到心行，慈悲就能与日俱增，最终成就佛菩萨那样的品质。这是世间最大也最究竟的利益。
-
-认识到关爱众生的意义后，还要让心长久地安住其中，并将这种状态带入生活。因为利他不是口号，不是说一说、想一想就能完成的，必须落实到行动中，才能使众生由此得益。同时，使我们通过利他善行来巩固慈心，长养悲愿。
-
-> 第四步，思维自他相换的利益，修习自他相换。
-
-所谓自他相换，就是将我们现在珍爱和舍弃的对象加以转换。通常，人们总以爱著、在乎对待自己，以冷漠、舍弃对待众生。菩提心的修行，要将这份爱著自己的心，转而爱护一切众生；将舍弃众生的心，转而舍弃自我的重要感。换言之，就是把心目中自己的地位和众生对调。
-
-当然，这种交换并不容易进行。因为我们都有保护自己的本能，一旦触及这种保护机制，我执会制造无数阻碍，有直接的抗拒，有间接的推脱，甚至有种种冠冕堂皇的理由，让我们心安理得地继续守卫"自我”的领土。怎样才能对治？同样需要从观念调整，需要思考我执的过患，利他的好处。
-
-《道次第》告诉我们："我执是一切衰损之门，利他是一切功德之本。”世间一切罪恶、痛苦和烦恼，都是源于自私，源于对自我的错误执著；而一切利益、功德和快乐，都是源于利他，源于对众生的无私帮助。生活中我们可以发现，越是在乎自己的人，越是活得不开心。因为他们永远觉得自己在吃亏，觉得自己受了损失，觉得自己占的便宜还不够多。在这样的思维怪圈中，怎么可能快乐起来？反之，佛菩萨为什么能成就无量功德？正是因为他们心中没有自己，唯有众生。有句话叫作"心底无私天地宽”，当我们放下"自我”的时候，并不会因此失去什么，而是会拥有整个世界。
-
-认识到我执过患和利他功德之后，我们难道还想继续烦恼吗？难道不想成就佛菩萨那样的无量功德吗？这就必须调整心行。一方面，将在乎对象锁定为一切众生，而不是那个被宠爱已久的"自我”。因为那种在乎只会为烦恼提供更多滋养，使之更坚实，更顽固。另一方面，则是将对众生的冷漠转向自己。这不是说，我们不再关心自己的身心健康，而是不再理会"自我”的种种诡计和要求，不让它有可乘之机，不让它有发展壮大的食粮。久而久之，这个得不到养分的"自我”就会逐渐萎缩，不再有兴风作浪的能量。
-
-自他相换的修行，是从正反两方面来摧毁我执。因为我执和利他是两个此消彼长的对手。当我执强盛时，很难提起利他之心。反之，当我们全身心地利他时，我执就没什么出场机会了。所以在印度和西藏的修行中，很重视自他相换。除了座上观修外，我们更要在座下付诸实践。把这个五蕴色身当作难得易失的利他工具，用来广行六度，利益有情。
-
-{#六受持愿菩提心}
-## 六、受持愿菩提心
-
-当我们通过七因果和自他相换的思维发起愿菩提心后，为了巩固这一愿心，必须对十方诸佛及六道一切众生宣誓，也就是受菩提心戒。这不仅是一场仪式，更是对诸佛的庄严承诺，对众生的庄严承诺。当我们作出这份承诺后，就没有理由寻找借口了。否则，凡夫心的最大特点是善于寻找借口。只要不想干的事，只要和"自我”相违的事，总是能找到很多理由。宣誓的作用，一方面是强化愿心，一方面是杜绝退缩的后路。
-
-汉传佛教是大乘，很多人以受菩萨戒为荣。但我们问问自己：是不是已经发起菩提心？是不是正在修习慈悲？如果既没发心也不曾修习慈悲，算什么菩萨？连泥菩萨都算不上。在受菩萨戒时，戒师会问："你是菩萨吗？发菩提心了没有？”如果回答是否定的，是没资格受菩萨戒的。
-
-{#传统依据}
-### 1．传统依据
-
-菩萨的真正内涵，就是慈悲和智慧。所以在印度和西藏的传统中，都有关于传授菩提心戒的记载。通过受持愿菩提心，把"我要利益一切众生，我要帮助一切众生解脱轮回”的愿望确立为生命目标。
-
-《瑜伽师地论·发心品》云："又诸菩萨起正愿心求菩提时，发如是心，说如是言：愿我决定当证无上正等菩提，能作有情一切义利，毕竟安处究竟涅槃及以如来广大智中。”菩萨要发菩提心时，必须这样宣誓：希望将来证悟无上正等菩提，时时安住于如来的广大智慧，以此利益一切众生。
-
-《显扬圣教论》也告诉我们："世俗发心者，谓如有一随智者前恭敬而住，起增上意，发誓愿言：长老忆念（或言圣者忆念，或言邬波拕耶），我如是名，从今日始发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，为欲饶益诸有情故。从今已往，凡我所修布施、持戒、忍辱、正勤、静虑及慧，一切皆为证得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提故。”
-
-世俗发心，即愿菩提心。发心时，须请求一位具格菩萨作为证明，以至诚心发愿："我某某人，从今天开始，为利益众生发起阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。从此之后，凡是我所修习的六度等一切善行，都是为了成就无上佛果。”因为只有成就佛果，我们才有更大的能力来帮助众生，利益有情，所谓"为利有情愿成佛”。
-
-在冈波巴大师的《解脱庄严宝》和宗喀巴大师的《道次第》中，都有传授菩提心戒的内容。根据这些经典，我也编写了《菩提心戒受持仪轨》，包括请师、唱赞、戒师开示、请圣、大乘皈依、七支供、正授菩提心等内容。在发心之前，首先要称念大乘皈依，然后以七支供打开心量，为发起菩提心营造良好的心灵氛围。在正式宣誓后，还要发四弘誓愿，这是菩萨道修行的总愿。接着唱诵观音赞，称念观音圣号。因为观音菩萨是慈悲的象征，所以念观音菩萨就是念大悲心。这种称念不仅是将观音菩萨作为礼敬对象，更是将之作为学习榜样，通过忆念而见贤思齐，于自身成就观音菩萨那样的大慈大悲。最后，发心者为速成佛道，利益一切众生而至诚回向。
-
-{#正授仪轨}
-### 2．正授仪轨
-
-准备：于佛堂或大殿，打扫整洁，洒以旃檀等胜妙香水，供奉佛、菩萨圣像及《般若经》等圣典，陈设香花灯果等供品，尽其丰饶。善知识所坐之位，亦以香花庄严陈设，次请圣众。弟子沐浴着鲜洁衣，恭敬合掌，于十方三宝前至诚生信。
-
-> （一）请师
-
-发心者至和尚前，为求愿菩提心而长跪合掌曰：
-
-> 昔诸如来、应、正等觉，及入大地诸大菩萨，最初于无上正等菩提如何发心。弟子某某今亦如是，请阿遮黎耶证明，我今亦于无上正等菩提而发心。（三请）
->
-> （二）唱香赞
->
-> 炉香乍爇，法界蒙熏，诸佛海会悉遥闻，随处结祥云，诚意方殷，诸佛现全身。
->
-> 南无香云盖菩萨摩诃萨。（三称）
->
-> （三）戒师开示
-
-开示菩提心教法及受持愿菩提心的意义。
-
-> （四）请圣
-
-和尚领发心者念，至诚迎请十方三宝慈光摄受：
-
-> 香花迎！香花请！弟子某某一心奉请：尽虚空遍法界十方三世一切诸佛。
->
-> 香花迎！香花请！弟子某某一心奉请：尽虚空遍法界十方三世一切尊法。
->
-> 香花迎！香花请！弟子某某一心奉请：尽虚空遍法界十方三世一切贤圣僧。（三说三拜）
->
-> （五）大乘皈依
-
-发心者忆念轮回苦，忆念三宝功德，生起至诚皈依之心。和尚领发心者念诵：
-
-> 诸佛正法贤圣僧，直至菩提永皈依，
->
-> 我以所修诸善根，为利有情愿成佛。（三说三拜）
->
-> （六）修七支供
-
-发心者修七支供，集资净障，打开心量，为发菩提心营造良好的心灵环境。和尚领发心者至诚念诵：
-
-> 所有十方世界中，三世一切人狮子，
->
-> 我以清净身语意，一切遍礼尽无余。
->
-> 普贤行愿威神力，普现一切如来前，
->
-> 一身复现刹尘身，一一遍礼刹尘佛。
->
-> 于一尘中尘数佛，各处菩萨众会中，
->
-> 无尽法界尘亦然，深信诸佛皆充满。
->
-> 各以一切音声海，普出无尽妙言辞，
->
-> 尽于未来一切劫，赞佛甚深功德海。
->
-> 以诸最胜妙华鬘，伎乐涂香及伞盖，
->
-> 如是最胜庄严具，我以供养诸如来。
->
-> 最胜衣服最胜香，末香烧香与灯烛，
->
-> 一一皆如妙高聚，我悉供养诸如来。
->
-> 我以广大胜解心，深信一切三世佛，
->
-> 悉以普贤行愿力，普遍供养诸如来。
->
-> 我昔所造诸恶业，皆由无始贪嗔痴，
->
-> 从身语意之所生，一切我今皆忏悔。
->
-> 十方一切诸众生，二乘有学及无学，
->
-> 一切如来与菩萨，所有功德皆随喜。
->
-> 十方所有世间灯，最初成就菩提者，
->
-> 我今一切皆劝请，转于无上妙法轮。
->
-> 诸佛若欲示涅槃，我悉至诚而劝请，
->
-> 唯愿久住刹尘劫，利乐一切诸众生。
->
-> 所有礼赞供养福，请佛住世转法轮，
->
-> 随喜忏悔诸善根，回向众生及佛道。
->
-> 乃至虚空世界尽，众生及业烦恼尽，
->
-> 如是四法广无边，愿今回向亦如是。
->
-> （七）正授愿菩提心
-
-发心者思维如母有情在六道轮回中受苦受难，生起极大慈悲之心。和尚领发心者于十方诸佛菩萨及阿遮黎前宣誓：
-
-> 唯愿十方诸佛菩萨存念，阿遮黎耶存念：弟子某某，于此生及余生，施性、戒性、修性，所有善根，自作教作，见作随喜，以彼善根，如昔诸如来、应、正等觉，及住大地诸大菩萨，于其无上正等菩提如何发心。弟子某某，亦从今时乃至菩提，于其中间，于无上正等广大菩提而为发心。诸未度有情为令得度，诸未解脱为令解脱，诸未出苦为令出苦，诸未遍入涅槃为令遍入涅槃。（三说）
->
-> （八）发愿
-
-发心者为利益一切众生成就佛道，至诚发愿：
-
-> 众生无边誓愿度，烦恼无尽誓愿断，
->
-> 法门无量誓愿学，佛道无上誓愿成。（三说）
->
-> （九）唱观音赞
-
-唱观音赞偈，称念观音圣号，忆念观音菩萨功德，即是忆念大悲心。
-
-> 菩萨号圆通，降生七宝林中。
->
-> 千手千眼妙真容，端坐普陀宫。
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-> 杨柳枝头甘露洒，普滋法界薰蒙。
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-> 千层浪头显神通，光降道场中。
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-> 观音菩萨妙难酬，清净庄严累劫修。
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-> 三十二应周尘刹，百千万劫化阎浮。
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-> 瓶中甘露常遍洒，手内杨柳不计秋。
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-> 千处祈求千处现，苦海常作度人舟。
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-> 南无普陀山琉璃世界大慈大悲观世音菩萨，
->
-> 南无观世音菩萨......
->
-> （十）回向
-
-发心者为速成佛道，利益一切众生，至诚回向：
-
-> 发心功德殊胜行，无边胜福皆回向，
->
-> 普愿沉溺诸有情，速往无量光佛刹。
->
-> 十方三世一切佛，一切菩萨摩诃萨，摩诃般若波罗蜜。
-
-{#守护菩提心}
-### 3．守护菩提心
-
-受持愿菩提心后，如何守护这一发心，使之稳定增长？可以通过三个方面修习。一是忆念菩提心的殊胜，在思想上深化；二是将修习菩提心作为每日定课，在心行上加强；三是将这一愿望落实在利他善行中，在行为上巩固。
-
-首先，需要不断忆念菩提心的殊胜。关于此，有两品经文应该经常读诵，一是《瑜伽师地论·发心品》，二是《华严经·入法界品》中弥勒菩萨关于菩提心的赞歌。这些经文可以帮助我们认识到，菩提心究竟有多大的利益和威德。通过口诵心念，随文入观，强化对发菩提心的意乐和希求。
-
-其次，每天昼夜三次修习菩提心仪轨。修习仪轨的意义在于提醒自己：我的愿望是什么？生命的目标是什么？因为凡夫心是动荡而混乱的，如果不随时提醒，刚刚发起的一念愿心很快就会淡忘，就会模糊。所以需要通过每天修习来滋养这一菩提幼苗，使之茁壮成长，成为内心的主导力量。只有这样，人生才不会陷入迷乱，才不会被外界诱惑干扰。如因特殊情况无暇修习完整仪轨时，至少要念诵"诸佛正法贤圣僧，直至菩提永皈依，我以闻思修功德，为利有情愿成佛”三遍。总之，这一修习应当持之以恒，才能达到改善心行的效果。
-
-此外，还要和座下的修行相结合。因为菩提心是以利益众生为目标，需要通过六度四摄来贯彻，而不是作为口号那样说一说，喊一喊。通过具体的利他善行，既可以使发心得到强化，也可以作为检验标准，看看我们究竟能不能言行一致，是不是将利他愿望落到实处。
-
-{#七受菩萨戒}
-## 七、受菩萨戒
-
-菩萨行，也称行菩提心。对佛法修行来说，固然是以调心为重点，但也离不开相应的行为。一方面，发心是行为的指导；另一方面，行为也是对发心的落实，两者是相辅相成的。而众生直接从中受益的，主要还是菩萨的利他行。所以在发菩提心之后，需要进一步行菩萨行，使发心得到巩固，成为主导人生走向的力量。
-
-菩萨戒，正是将利他行规范化、法律化的条文，包括摄律仪戒、摄善法戒、饶益有情戒三部分。其中，摄律仪戒相当于声闻的别解脱戒，重点在于止恶。而摄善法戒和饶益有情戒为菩萨戒独有，重点在于行善。当善行以戒律形式出现时，对菩萨行者来说，就不再是可做可不做的选择，而是必须遵守的行为准则，这就使菩萨行变得具体而有章可循。
-
-关于菩萨戒的内容，汉传佛教主要有三大体系。一是依《梵网经·菩萨心地品》建立，为梵网菩萨戒，流传最广；一是依《优婆塞戒经》建立，为在家菩萨戒；一是依《瑜伽师地论·菩萨地》建立，为瑜伽菩萨戒，也是我们介绍的重点。
-
-《瑜伽师地论》是唯识宗的根本论典，由弥勒菩萨所造，共一百卷。论中广说三乘修行的境行果，《菩萨地》正是其中之一。弥勒菩萨为娑婆世界下一任佛陀，他根据这个世界众生的根机，从佛陀教法中，将适合我们修学的菩萨行整理出来。而梵网菩萨戒则是卢舍那佛在千华台上为释迦佛及诸大菩萨所说，是大菩萨的境界。相对而言，瑜伽菩萨戒可以说是为娑婆众生量身定做的。当年，太虚大师曾大力提倡。我因为长期从事唯识教学，也感觉瑜伽菩萨戒开遮善巧，具有很强的可行性。
-
-那么，求受菩萨戒需要具备哪些条件，履行哪些仪式？
-
-{#受者条件}
-### 1．受者条件
-
-求受菩萨戒的学人，应该具备三项条件。
-
-首先，要学习瑜伽菩萨戒，了解其中的开遮持犯，衡量自己是否有能力实践。如果觉得目前还做不到，也没有想去做的愿望，就不必急于求戒。因为受持菩萨戒是为了修习菩萨道，这是一种自觉行为，不是为了完成任务，更不是显示自己多有修行。如果觉得受了菩萨戒就胜人一筹，只是为了取得炫耀的资格，就是颠倒而非正确的发心了。
-
-其次，具备别解脱戒的基础。受菩提心戒，只要皈依三宝即可。但求受瑜伽菩萨戒，至少需要具备五戒的基础。对于菩萨来说，如果不杀、不盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒都做不到，算是什么菩萨呢？怎么可能利益众生呢？
-
-第三，已经发起菩提心，做好相应的心理准备。授菩萨戒时，戒师会问戒子："你是菩萨吗？是否已发起菩提心？”这是纳受菩萨戒戒体的关键。遗憾的是，现在这番问答往往流于形式，并没有多少实际意义。当我们回答"是”的时候，并没有想过，这个回答包含着多少责任和担当，也很少考虑，我们要为这个承诺做些什么。如果回答是经过深思熟虑的，就不可能出现那么多不知菩提心为何，也不修习慈悲的"菩萨”。须知，菩萨最大的特征就是慈悲，而且是由修习菩提心成就的无缘大慈，同体大悲。正如前面所说的那样，菩提心才是进入大乘的门径，是大乘人的标帜，是区别二乘的不共所在。
-
-具备这些条件，就有资格求受菩萨戒了。
-
-{#戒师选择}
-### 2．戒师选择
-
-戒和尚是我们受戒的证人，也是菩萨戒体的传承者。所以，戒和尚必须具备相应的德行和条件，才有资格为信众传授菩萨戒。关于戒和尚的选择，《瑜伽师地论·菩萨地》告诉我们：
-
-> "又诸菩萨不从一切唯聪慧者求受菩萨所受净戒。无净信者，不应从受，谓于如是所受净戒初无信解，不能趣入，不善思维。有悭贪者，悭贪弊者，有大欲者，无喜足者，不应从受。毁净戒者，于诸学处无恭敬者，于戒律仪有慢缓者，不应从受。有忿恨者，多不忍者，于他违犯不堪耐者，不应从受。有懒惰者，有懈怠者，多分耽著，日夜睡乐，倚乐卧乐，好合徒侣乐喜谈者，不应从受。心散乱者，下至不能构牛乳顷善心一缘住修习者，不应从受。有暗昧者，愚痴类者，极劣心者，诽谤菩萨素怛缆藏及菩萨藏摩怛履迦者，不应从受。”
-
-这段经文为我们简别了哪些人没资格传授菩萨戒，比如无净信者、悭贪者、有大欲者、无喜足者、毁净戒者、有忿恨者、多不忍者、有懒惰者、有懈怠者、心散乱者等等。反过来，则是戒和尚应该具备的德行，如净信、不悭贪、无贪欲、持净戒、不忿恨等。
-
-师长是学人走上菩提路的向导和保障，如果不是合格的向导，就可能把弟子引入歧途，或在途中弃之不顾。所以声闻戒非常重视对戒师的资格考查，如果戒师不具备相应条件，而戒子知道其中内情的话，就会影响戒子得戒。菩萨戒也是同样，必须选择受过菩萨戒并能遵循相关规范的如法戒师。唯有合格的菩萨，才能使戒子得到十方三宝的加持，纳受菩萨戒戒体。
-
-{#正授仪轨-1}
-### 3．正授仪轨
-
-菩萨戒的传授仪轨主要包括四部分。
-
-第一是请师。作为戒子，应当迫切希望成为菩萨，同时对戒师具足信心。只有这样，才能如愿获得菩萨戒体。如果我们对受戒缺乏意乐，对戒师缺乏恭敬，即使受了菩萨戒，也不过是种点善根，未必会有什么感觉，未必会在心相续中形成力量。凡不是我们迫切想要得到的，就不会在内心扎根。声闻戒也特别强调，受戒时必须有殷重心，方能得到无作戒体。所谓殷重心，即真切、虔诚之心。
-
-受戒是在完成生命中最崇高的宣誓，由此获得有作和无作两种戒体。有作的戒体，是在受戒当下获得的，由身口意三业造作而成。而当这个行为过去后，会在内心形成"此应作，此不应作”的力量，为无作戒体。无作戒体虽然没有形相，不可见闻，却有着强大且相续的心理力量。就像曾经的海誓山盟，虽然已经过去，但它留下的记忆会深深镌刻在心中，继续产生影响。包括发毒誓，也是一种"受戒”，佛教称为恶律仪。
-
-别解脱戒和菩萨戒都属于善律仪，能在内心形成防非止恶的力量。这种力量的形成，来自虔诚乞戒的心，来自如法的戒师和羯磨，所谓具缘成受。更重要的是，戒子应当发广大心，缘一切境界而受。因为受戒不是普通的誓言，不是针对某个人或某些人的承诺，而是对法界一切众生的宣誓，对十方三世一切诸佛的宣誓。当我们受不杀生戒时，是对十方三宝和法界众生庄严承诺：从今以后，我将尊重一切生命，再也不伤害任何有情。如果我们以这样的所缘来宣誓，不仅会在自身积累正面力量，还会和每个众生产生良性互动，从每个众生身上招感一份功德。正因为如此，受戒才具有无量功德。因为它是在帮助我们确立止恶行善的人生道路，帮助我们改善与法界众生和整个世界的关系。这种意义不仅来自仪式本身，更来自内心对戒的希求。所以，受戒时必须以虔诚心请师。
-
-第二是条件审查，就是前面所说的三个受者条件。
-
-第三是宣誓正授戒法。此时戒师会问："你是菩萨吗？发菩提心了吗？”求戒者应该回答："我是菩萨，已经发起菩提心。”当然，仅仅这么回答还不够，关键是内心确实生起成为菩萨的意愿，确实发心以自利利他为使命。如果只是停留于说法，并没有相应意乐，也是无法得戒的。然后就是正式宣誓，内容为三聚净戒，即摄律仪戒、摄善法戒，饶益有情戒。通过宣誓向法界一切有情表明：从今以后，我将以这些戒条作为自己的行为规范。此不应作，当努力戒绝；此应作，当励力而行。
-
-第四是戒师祈请十方三宝加持、作证，证明我们已迈入菩萨行列。当我们真正发心成为菩萨时，心就会和十方诸佛相应。因为我们已是承担如来家业的佛子，已经担负和诸佛菩萨同样的责任和使命。
-
-这是受菩萨戒过程中需要了解的要点。
-
-{#三聚净戒}
-### 4．三聚净戒
-
-关于三聚净戒的内容，《瑜伽师地论·戒品》云：
-
-> 律仪戒者，谓诸菩萨所受七众别解脱律仪，即是比丘戒、比丘尼戒、正学戒、勤策男戒、勤策女戒、近事男戒、近事女戒。如是七种，依止在家、出家二分，如应当知，是名菩萨律仪戒。
->
-> 摄善法戒者，谓诸菩萨受律仪戒后，所有一切为大菩提，由身语意积集诸善，总说名为摄善法戒。此复云何？谓诸菩萨依戒住戒，于闻、于思、于修止观、于乐独处精勤修学。如是，时时于诸尊长精勤修习合掌、起迎、问讯、礼拜、恭敬之业，即于尊长勤修敬事。于疾病者，悲悯殷重，瞻侍供给。于诸妙说施以善哉，于有功德补特伽罗真诚赞美。于十方界一切有情一切福业，以胜意乐起净信心，发言随喜。于他所作一切违犯，思择安忍。以身语意已作未作一切善根，回向无上正等菩提，时时发起种种正愿，以一切种上妙供具供佛法僧。于诸善品恒常勇猛，精进修习，于身语意住不放逸。于诸学处，正念正知。正行防守，密护根门。于食知量，初夜后夜常修觉悟。亲近善士，依止善友。于自愆犯，审谛了知，深见过失。既审了知，深见过已，其未犯者，专意护持。其已犯者，于佛菩萨同法者所至心发露，如法悔除。如是等类，所有引摄、护持、增长诸善法戒，是名菩萨摄善法戒。
->
-> 云何菩萨饶益有情戒？当知此戒略有十一相。何等十一？谓诸菩萨于诸有情能引义利彼彼事业，与作助伴。于诸有情随所生起疾病等苦，瞻侍病等亦作助伴。又诸菩萨依世出世种种义利，能为有情说诸法要。先方便说，先如理说，后令获得彼彼义利。又诸菩萨于先有恩诸有情所善守知恩，随其所应，现前酬报。又诸菩萨于堕种种狮子、虎狼、鬼魅、王贼、水火等畏诸有情类皆能救护，令离如是诸怖畏处。又诸菩萨于诸丧失财宝、亲属诸有情类善为开解，令离愁忧。又诸菩萨于有匮乏资生众具诸有情类，施与一切资生众具。又诸菩萨随顺道理正与依止，如法御众。又诸菩萨随顺世间事务言说，呼召去来，谈论庆慰，随时往赴，从他受取饮食等事。以要言之，远离一切能引无义违意现行，于所余事心皆随转。又诸菩萨若隐若露，显示所有真实功德，令诸有情欢言进学。又诸菩萨于有过者，内怀亲昵，利益安乐，增上意乐调伏、诃责、治罚、驱摈，为欲令其出不善处，安置善处。又诸菩萨以神通力方便示现那落迦等诸趣等相，令诸有情厌离不善，方便引令入佛圣教，欢喜信乐，生希有心，勤修正行。
-
-任何一种戒都有相应的戒相，如五戒为不杀、不盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒五项。八戒则是在五戒基础上增加三条：一是不着香华鬘，不香涂身，不歌舞倡伎，不往观听；二是不坐高广大床；三是不非时食。此外，还有沙弥十戒、比丘二百五十戒、比丘尼三百四十八戒。菩萨戒的戒相，有梵网戒的十重四十八轻，瑜伽戒四重四十三轻，优婆塞戒的六重二十八轻。虽然具体戒相存在差别，但都是由三聚净戒组成。
-
-第一是摄律仪戒，即七众别解脱戒，包括在家的五戒、八戒，出家的沙弥戒、比丘戒、比丘尼戒等。其特点是偏向止恶，帮助我们止息一切不善行为，又称止持，即以止为持。通过"此不应作”达到持戒目的，进而止息内心的不善相续。
-
-第二是摄善法戒，包括发菩提心到圆成佛果过程中所应修习的一切善行，主要为布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、般若六度。布施，即以自己的财物或能力与大众分享，包括财施、法施和无畏施三种，或以财物救济贫苦，或以正法导人向善，或为众生驱除恐惧。持戒，即依佛陀制定的行为规范收摄身心，此为正顺解脱之本，亦为无上菩提之本，能够出生一切善法。忍辱，即忍受种种违缘而不起嗔恚，其特点为不忿怒、不抱怨、不怀恶。精进，即勇猛修习善法，断除恶法，心心相续，不自放逸。禅定，包括思维修和安住修，思维所对之境，并定止一境而离散动。般若，是将众生由生死此岸度往涅槃彼岸的无上智慧。唯有在般若智慧的指引下，前五度才能成为佛果资粮，否则，所修布施与人天善法并无本质区别。
-
-第三是饶益有情戒，即利益众生的行为，是菩萨摄受众生的方便法门，主要内容为布施、爱语、利行、同事四摄。四摄同样以布施为首，这是与众生广结善缘的捷径。当他人愿意靠近你、接受你的时候，心才会向你打开，你才能进一步导之以正法。爱语，是随众生根性而善言以对。因为忠言往往是逆耳的，这就需要辅以善巧方便，使众生乐于接受你所说的真实语、利他语。利行，是通过身体、语言、思想三方面的善行利益众生，使人心生欢喜而亲近佛法。同事，是根据众生的接受程度，以他们喜闻乐见的方式为之示现，使他们在不知不觉中于佛法受益，这是"润物细无声”式的教化方式。
-
-我们想要成为菩萨行者，就要真正发起利益大众的心，自觉遵循菩萨应有的行为规范。在止恶的基础上，广行六度，四摄化他。
-
-{#八行菩萨行}
-## 八、行菩萨行
-
-{#菩萨行的内容}
-### 1．菩萨行的内容
-
-成佛不是成就外在的什么，而是慈悲和智慧两大品质。所以，宗大师在《道次第》中特别强调：
-
-> 方便与慧，随学一分，不能成佛。故须转入修成佛之方便，然彼亦须一不错之方便。途径若错，任几许努力，果仍不生，如欲取乳而掣其角也。又虽认为不错，若支分不全，亦费力无果。譬同种子水土等，若随一不具，苗即不生。此《修次中编》所说也。
->
-> 若尔，何为全而不错之因缘耶？《大日经》云："彼一切种智者，是从大悲之根本生，是从菩提心之因生，是以方便而到究竟。”此中悲者，如前已说。菩提心者，世俗、胜义二菩提心。方便者，施等皆圆满也。
-
-世间任何成就都离不开方法，成佛也是同样，否则再多的努力也是徒劳。关于此，宗大师有一个非常生动的比喻：就像挤牛奶，应该在牛的乳房去挤，如果在牛角用力，无论费了多少功夫，花了多少时间，也不可能有收获。佛法是心地法门，这就需要了解心行的运作规律，辅以正确方法，才能达到四两拨千斤的效果。否则，非但达不到预期目的，甚至有可能走火入魔，这种情况比比皆是。因为心是非常微妙的，就像充满岔路和陷阱的迷宫，稍有不慎就会误入歧途，把幻影当作境界，把迷妄当作究竟。
-
-所以《道次第》特别告诉我们：修行有两个关键，一是方法正确，二是内容完整。成佛究竟成就什么？一是成就解脱，获得出离生死、解脱轮回的能力，这就需要以空性慧为因。二是成就慈悲，成就无缘大慈、同体大悲的品质，这就需要以菩提心为因。
-
-怎样才能成就空性慧？有人开始修行就强调无分别，并将分别等同于颠倒执著，其实这是不对的。在学佛之初，首先就要学会分别，当然是正确而非错误的分别。否则的话，以什么来调整心态，纠正偏差呢？作为凡夫来说，我们现前的心行状态是建立于无明之上，和空性并不相应。如果不以分别作出取舍和调整，是不可能在这种颠倒状态下见道的。所以学佛的常规途径就是亲近善知识、听闻正法，由此而能如理作意，法随法行。八正道特别强调正思维的作用，在契入空性前，这种思维是贯穿始终的。直到心行接近空性时，才需要进入无分别。因为分别只是调整心行的方法，无分别智才是契入空性、现证实相的力量。但这种无分别不是凭空而有的，必须以分别为前提，以正思维为前提。如果开始就想不分别，那就是古德呵斥的笼统、颟顸，是盲修瞎炼。
-
-在修习解脱的同时，还要成就慈悲。佛陀是福智两足尊，具备圆满的福德和智慧。这种福德的成就，来自佛陀多生累劫的修行。本生故事记载，佛陀在因地时，以各种身份广行利他事业，甚至数数舍身，最终圆满福德资粮。人天路上，修福为先，没有福报，在世间将寸步难行。修行同样离不开福报，否则，即使有心学佛，也往往会有各种障碍。或是要为生存奔波，没有时间；或是病魔缠身，没有精力；或是天生愚痴，没有能力，等等。除了自身条件外，还要有缘听闻正法，有缘得到善知识的引导，这些都需要福报。在那些邪教信徒中，不少人也是一心向道，力求解脱，但由于缺乏福德因缘，结果误入歧途，断送法身慧命。
-
-《道次第》中，宗大师特别批评了不重闻思和轻视修福两种错误观点，认为这是修行误区，不能将学人导向无上菩提。在成佛路上，方便与慧有如车之两轮，必须齐头并进方可，所谓"方便与慧，任缺其一，不得成佛”。
-
-{#菩萨行的特征}
-### 2．菩萨行的特征
-
-此处所说的菩萨行，主要指布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、般若六度，又称六波罗蜜。波罗蜜为梵语音译，意为到彼岸。也就是说，六度是帮助我们抵达成佛彼岸的六种行为。其实，这些内容在人天乘或声闻乘也有涉及，但他们所修的布施、持戒只是人天善法，只能导向解脱，无法成为佛果资粮，故不可称为波罗蜜。
-
-那么，菩萨所修六度有什么不共之处呢？《大乘阿毗达磨杂集论》告诉我们：
-
-> 云何施波罗蜜多相？谓诸菩萨安住菩萨法性，菩提心为依止，以悲导心，舍一切时所有身语意业。如是由种性故、愿故、意乐故、事故、自体故，显施波罗蜜多相。种性者，谓菩萨法性。愿者，谓菩提心。意乐者，谓悲导心。事者，谓舍诸所有。自体者，谓身语意业。
-
-也就是说，菩萨所修的六度，一一都要贯穿种性、愿、意乐、事、自体等相。
-
-一是种性，即具备菩萨种性，有乐于助人的禀赋。菩萨之所以能广行六度，利益大众，正是建立在这一种性的基础上。生活中可以看到，很多人生来具有菩萨心肠，当别人遭遇困难时，就会主动扶贫济困，施以援手，根本不需要多加考虑。反之，有些人虽然学佛后觉得应该帮助他人，但真正要做的时候总是非常勉强，需要特别努力地说服自己。这就是由不同种性造成的，或者说，是由不同生命起点造成的。
-
-二是愿，即以菩提心为依止。菩萨所修布施等六度，都是以菩提心为因，本着"我要利益一切众生，要帮助一切众生解除痛苦”的愿望而修习。如果为了获取个人名闻利养帮助他人，即使在客观上能使对方得到利益，但并不属于菩萨行。
-
-三是意乐，即以悲导心。菩萨修习六度，纯粹是出于对众生的悲悯。而世人的善行往往是有杂质的，比如布施，或是要显示财富，或是要夸耀品行，或是干了坏事心怀歉疚等等，很少是纯粹的悲心使然。所以，虽然有很多人在布施，在利他，但离真正的菩萨行还是有距离的。
-
-四是事，即舍诸所有，为利他甘愿舍弃一切，包括宝贵的生命。或许有人会心存疑惑：佛陀不是总告诫我们人身难得，当倍加珍惜吗？为什么又赞叹舍诸所有，甚至献出生命呢？这么说是有前提的，必须是为了利他而舍，为了成就菩萨行而舍，绝非一时的鲁莽或冲动，而是经过抉择后的正确取舍。即使具备这个前提，也要量力而行。对已证悟生死自在的大菩萨来说，舍身如弃敝履，毫不足惜。但对尚未达到这一境界的初发心菩萨来说，还需要利用色身精进修学，上求下化，不可轻易舍弃。
-
-五是自体，即身语意业，菩萨所修的利他善行包含身语意三业，或是以行动帮助他人，使对方从中获益；或是以爱语称赞他人，使对方心生欢喜。这样的言行，都要出自真诚的利他愿望。
-
-具备以上特征，我们所做的一切才属于菩萨行。否则，即使修习施等六度，往往还是停留于人天善行，无法上升为佛果资粮。
-
-{#菩萨行的修习}
-### 3．菩萨行的修习
-
-从广义上说，一切从菩提心出发，并能给众生带来利益、安乐的行为都是菩萨行。但从修学角度来说，主要围绕布施、持戒、忍辱，精进、禅定、般若六度进行。
-
-（1）布施的修习
-
-布施有三。一是财布施，其中又有内财和外财之分。外财即物质财富，这也是社会大众最熟悉的布施方式。内财则是以自己的劳动，甚至色身所有来帮助众生，如无偿献血、骨髓捐赠和器官捐赠等。
-
-二是法布施，即以佛法开导众生，帮助他们了悟生命真相。众生最大的问题就是无明烦恼，就是生死轮回。所以，法布施才是对他们最究竟的帮助。《金刚经》中，反复以校量功德说明了这一原理。因为财富解决的问题是暂时的，而法布施能从根本上解决生命的核心问题，使众生获得自新、自救、自力更生的能力，其作用是长久的。作为佛弟子，能参与法布施，是迅速积累功德法财的捷径。从世间法来说，教导众生获得技术技能，具足谋生能力，也属于法布施的范畴。
-
-三是无畏施，即给予众生安全感，为之消除恐惧。如佛法提倡的五戒，在规范自身行为的同时，就能起到无畏施的效果。如果我们不杀生，他人就不必担心被你欺凌伤害；如果我们不偷盗，他人就不必担心被你巧取豪夺；如果我们不邪淫，他人就不必担心家人和你一起时被骗失身；如果我们不妄语，他人就不必担心被你的花言巧语所蒙蔽；如果我们不饮酒，他人就不必担心你失去理智。一个严持五戒的佛子，大家和你在一起是很有安全感的。当然，无畏施不仅指这些，还包括对众生积极主动的救助。当众生遇到恐惧或危难时，菩萨行者决不能见死不救，而要尽力帮助他们从中解脱出来。这也是菩萨和声闻的区别所在，声闻戒的重点在于止恶，不要求必须行善，做了固然是好，不做也不会触犯戒律。而菩萨戒则是止恶与行善并进，如果在众生需要帮助时逃避责任，就是严重的犯戒行为，需要加以对治。
-
-对凡夫来说，布施的障碍主要在于我执。凡是我们得到的东西，总会贴上自我的标签，执著于此，不愿舍弃，所以真正有布施习惯的人并不多。事实上，我们贪著的这些又给自己带来了什么？因为贪著，总是要严密守护，唯恐失去，整日提心吊胆。一旦有所损失，就悔恼万分，追悔莫及。且不说财富随时可能转换主人，即便我们在有生之年能牢牢抓住，临终时也得两手空空而去。如何让财富对生命具有长远意义？布施是最好的途径。
-
-布施的利益主要表现为四点。
-
-第一，克服悭贪吝啬。财富变化之所以会给我们带来伤害，根源就是内心的贪著受到冲击。否则，一切变化都不过是世间常态，是一些抽象的数字变化。所以在布施财物的同时，也会将执著和烦恼一同舍弃，何乐而不为？
-
-第二，布施能使眼前利益转为长远利益。一个人即使拥有千万乃至亿万的家财，可实际的生活所需能有多少？有再多房子，不过睡一张床；有再多汽车，不过占一个座。既然我们能享用的如此有限，为什么不将眼前利益转变为长远利益？生活中，每个人的福报相差很大，这不是由于上天不公，而是来自往昔的不同积累。今生勤于播种，未来自然会继续收获，继续受益。
-
-第三，布施能使福德资粮迅速增长。对修行来说，福德和智慧都不可或缺，所谓"修慧不修福，罗汉托空钵；修福不修慧，大象挂璎珞”。如果不积累福德，即使证悟阿罗汉果，也会缺乏道粮。更何况，菩萨还要广行利他事业，这都需要相应的福报来成就。
-
-第四，布施能成就慈悲的修行。我们本着悲心修习布施等六度，在行善过程中，悲心又能得到增长，得到强化。这种行为和发心是互相增上的，如果说悲心是出生善行的种子，那么，善行就是滋养悲心的甘露。
-
-反之，不愿布施会使贪著和由此带来的烦恼继续增长。我们对财富、情感的执著有多少，由此带来的伤害就有多少。所以我们要不断思维布施给人生带来的利益，思维不修布施的过患，令心安住于布施的意乐中。同时，在座下随力随分地实践，或以财富救济贫困，或以技能教人谋生，或以微笑给人信心，或以语言予人慰藉。总之，只要我们有布施之心，不论经济条件如何，都有机会帮助他人，都有能力做一个对社会大众有用的人。
-
-（2）持戒的修习
-
-菩萨戒包括摄律仪戒、摄善法戒和饶益有情戒。相关内容前面已有介绍，此处不再重复。对于持戒的修习来说，真正的重点，是认识到持戒的利益和毁戒的过患。具备这一认知，持戒才会成为我们主动的选择，而不是视为约束。在不少人心目中，持戒无非是以很多条条框框来限制自己，无异自讨苦吃，甚至认为这是对人性的扭曲，和当今社会提倡的个性解放、民主自由背道而驰。是不是这样呢？
-
-我们知道，再民主的社会都需要法律作为保障。如果国家没有法律，似乎大家都能充分享受自由。但那样的话，人类的劣根性就没有任何约束，谁都可以杀人，可以偷盗，可以抢劫，如果说那样的社会是"自由”的，不如说是人人自危、处处恐怖的，相信没人想要那样的"自由”。所以说，制定法律的目的不是为了约束，而是通过对行为的规范来保障大众安全。
-
-持戒的作用也是同样。它能使我们止息恶行，止息生命的不良相续，从而净化身心，摆脱烦恼。凡夫都处在贪嗔痴的状态中，表面来看，似乎我想吃就吃，想花钱就花钱，想干什么就干什么，其实早已被欲望支配，被烦恼操纵，是不能自主的。从另一方面来说，外界诱惑之所以会构成影响，正是因为我们内心有某种力量与之相应。如果没有这些力量在蠢蠢欲动，任何诱惑都是无法生效的。所以，真正的自由不是外在的。即使环境再宽松，只要我们内心还有烦恼，依然会被束缚，依然是不自由的。
-
-作为社会的一分子，我们需要自律。儒家提倡的"非礼勿视，非礼勿听，非礼勿言，非礼勿动”，也是为了帮助人们培养自制力。这种自制力源于对自身的尊重和爱护，是希望自己向圣贤看齐。当我们受持戒律后，开始也很难做到。此时戒体的力量还很弱，需要通过不断持戒来强化。久而久之，就会从开始的刻意自制转变为修养，转变为人格。外在诱惑和内在烦恼的影响就会越来越小，无须刻意持戒，也能如法如律。
-
-持戒不仅能使我们止息不良串习，更能长养慈悲。如摄善法戒和饶益有情戒，就是将六度四摄等善法通过法律条文固定下来，以此倡导善行，使慈悲种子得以增长。当我们真正认识到持戒的意义，认识到毁戒的过患，就会以欢喜心受持戒律。总之，戒律是保障我们安全行进在菩提路上的心路规则，也是帮助我们获得身心健康的行为矫正器。
-
-（3）忍辱的修习
-
-忍辱，能灭尽忿怒怨仇，令自他安隐，包括耐冤害忍、安受苦忍和谛察法忍三种。耐冤害忍，是忍耐冤家仇敌的伤害。安受苦忍，是忍耐艰苦的环境，如饮食粗陋、环境恶劣及修行过程中的各种考验。谛察法忍，是对无常、无我等与日常观念相距甚远的真理安然认可，信解真实，心无妄动。
-
-对世人来说，忍也是一大障碍。俗话所说的"士可杀不可辱”及"君子报仇，十年不晚”之类，从佛法角度看，是完全错误的。所以不可辱，所以要报仇，无非是因为这个"我”受到了打击，受到了伤害。如果认识到"我”不过是假名安立，是虚幻的，哪里还有什么侮辱需要忍耐，有什么仇恨需要报复？当然，忍也要有智慧。如果一味硬忍，很容易因此造成心理疾病。真正的忍，是"忍无可忍”。就像虚空包容一切，大地承载一切，它们不觉得要排斥什么，所以也不需要忍耐什么。
-
-《瑜伽师地论》论及忍辱时，让我们作五种观想。
-
-一是宿生亲善想。想到众生曾和我们互为亲人，既然是对于亲人，我们还有必要计较吗？
-
-二是随顺唯法想。生命只是五蕴的聚合体，是一大堆混乱情绪加上错误想法，其中并不存在你我之分。人人都像烦恼波涛中的落水者，浪打向哪里，就身不由己地冲向哪里。所以当他人对自己怀恨或加害时，我们要知道，这种嗔恨其实不能代表对方，只是烦恼的波涛在作怪，使双方都成为这种情绪的受害者。这样观察的话，就能于对方心生同情，而不是因为自己受害而生气，而委屈。当我们把其中的"你”"我”抽掉，如实观照一切时，就没什么非气不可的理由了。
-
-三是无常想。生命是无常的，不论谁是谁非，终归都要死亡。你计较也是无常，不计较也是无常，何必为此费心，为此苦恼呢？
-
-四是苦想。在这个娑婆世界，我们被种种痛苦逼迫，包括环境带来的痛苦，色身带来的痛苦，烦恼交织的痛苦。正因为大家都在痛苦中，更应该互相体谅，互相扶持。一个状态良好、心理健康的人，是不会处处与人为难的。只有心怀怨恨，才会像随时就要喷发的火山那样，一触即发。如果我们和他计较，也将被巨大的愤怒烧灼，被蔓延的怒火点燃，结果只能是苦上加苦。
-
-五是摄受想。作为发起菩提心的菩萨道行者，已发愿将一切众生作为救度对象，所以除了那些对他们有利的事，别的都不应该再做。
-
-当我们面对逆境时，如果能从这几方面思考，就会发现，并没有什么值得生气的事。佛法所说的忍辱，不是生气后再去忍耐，而是当下就以智慧观照它、超越它。当内在的愤怒被解除后，外在的敌人也就随之消失了。为什么会有敌人？正是因为我们内心有怨恨。只要解除怨恨，自然就不存在什么敌人。那样，不仅我们自己安然自在，周围的人也会感受到这种祥和的气息。否则就会以怨报怨，使世界充满仇恨和暴戾之气，导致流血、冲突乃至战争。正像佛陀所说的那样，唯有慈悲才能止息怨恨，化敌为友，而怨恨只能使矛盾不断升级。
-
-此外，我们还要克服修行过程中的种种考验。闻法会懈怠，禅修会昏沉，拜佛会劳累，念佛会疲倦，其中有身体的障碍，也有心理的障碍，不少人因此退却了。但我们要想到，世人为了生存尚且要起早摸黑，奔波劳碌，其间还难免造作恶业。我们现在为了追求真理，追求解脱，如果不付出一点代价，能有收获吗？尤其在初修阶段，特别需要忍耐，需要和不良串习斗争。但这些努力将使我们拥有全新的人生，是非常值得的。有了这些认识后，就会对忍辱生起意乐，以正确的观照面对怨家，面对逆境，面对修行中的种种考验。
-
-（4）精进的修习
-
-精进，是远离懈怠等不善行，出生无量善法并令其增长，包括披甲精进、摄善法精进、饶益有情精进三种。披甲精进，就像勇士上阵要身披铠甲，才能深入敌阵，所向披靡。《四十二章经》说：修行如一人与万人战。我们想在内心树立佛法正念，但需要面对无始以来的串习，面对重重无尽的诱惑，如果没有精进，很难从串习和诱惑中脱身而出。摄善法精进，是在修习六度过程中付出的努力。饶益有情精进，就是坚持不懈地做利益众生的善行。
-
-凡夫总是在惰性中。这种惰性不是说什么都不做，而是堕入一种不良习性。比如有些人喜欢吃，会到处寻觅美食；有些人喜欢玩，会到处游山玩水；有些人喜欢赚钱，会想方设法地四处赚钱；有些人喜欢赌博，会不顾一切地流连赌场。虽然看起来很忙碌，甚至很辛苦，但都属于惰性，因为他们只是在不良习性的驱使下无法脱身。这种习性就像地球引力一样，具有强大的力量。人为什么难以进入太空？就是被地球引力牢牢抓住，否则就可以在十方世界自在遨游。人为什么会被不良习性抓住？就是生命内在的惰性使然。我们要战胜惰性，一方面需要勇猛，另一方面，需要相应的善巧。如果没有善巧，我们想爬到屋顶都很困难。但如果有善巧，有方法，甚至可以登上月球，漫步太空。
-
-学佛，正是帮助我们掌握摆脱惰性的方法。然后还需要不断精进，使所学方法产生作用。精进所做的，就是止恶和行善。一方面，对已经生起的不善行为立即制止，对尚未产生的不良串习刻意防范。另一方面，对已经修习的善行继续努力，对尚未生起的善行积极启动。这就是三十七道品中"四正勤”的内容：已生恶令断，未生恶令不生；未生善令生起，已生善令增长。由此可见，精进是有特定内涵的，不是所有努力都能称为精进。唯有对止恶修善所做的努力，才是佛教提倡的精进。
-
-进一步，我们还要认识到懈怠的过患。正是因为对改造生命的懈怠，才使我们流转六道。如果不能改变这种现状，生命将沦陷于此，如老象溺泥，不能自拔。而精进则是奋发向上的力量，使我们摆脱惰性，走向解脱。认识到精进功德和懈怠过患，就要让心安住在精进的意乐中，在座下努力修布施、持戒、忍辱、禅定和般若。
-
-（5）禅定的修习
-
-禅定的修行也有三品。一是关于现法乐住的禅定，通过禅修令身心轻安。二是通过禅修引发自身的解脱能力。三是帮助我们更好地利益众生，属于饶益有情静虑。
-
-凡夫的心总在散乱和掉举间摇摆，用现在的话说，就是躁动不安。在我们的心灵舞台，各种情绪和想法不停地跳动，此起彼伏，使得我们无法看清自己的心。就像一潭浑浊的水，因为淤泥重重，根本不知道水底有些什么。当我们希望专心思考时，又有各种不请自来的念头在干扰，使心不能稳定，无法生起观照。
-
-禅修是帮助我们把心安住在善所缘，使妄念逐步平息，这样我们才有能力看清自己的心。否则，那颗永不安分的心就会向外攀缘，即使独处一室，第六意识也会不断将内心的各种种子翻腾起来，制造混乱。所以说，禅定可以帮助我们获得持续、稳定的心力，再进一步修观，开显无漏智慧。就像因沉淀而变得清澈的水，可以映照万物，纤毫毕现。
-
-修习禅定，首先要了解禅定的功德及散乱的过患，然后选择善所缘为业处，通过不断修习，使心获得专注和稳定，这是成就正念、开发空慧不可缺少的基础。
-
-（6）般若的修习
-
-般若，是彻见一切诸法实相的究竟智慧，也包括三种。一是通达空性的智慧，为无我慧。二是通达俗谛的智慧，掌握医学、工艺等世间所需的知识和技能。三是利益众生的智慧，即摄受众生的方便。对于佛法修学来说，智慧至关重要。正是因为缺乏智慧，众生才时时处于无明状态，产生我执等迷乱感觉。
-
-生命本身是具有觉醒能力的。佛是觉者之意，代表生命的觉醒。般若慧的作用，一方面是帮助我们破除无明，清除心灵垃圾，一方面是引导我们正确修习菩萨行。如果没有智慧引导，我们所修的布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定就会失去方向，只能成为普通的世间善行。唯有在般若的引导下，五度才能得到升华，成为佛果资粮。
-
-般若的修习，同样要了解到般若的功德及无明的过患，通过闻思经教树立正见，然后将正见转化成观照力，由观照般若的力量，最终成就实相般若。
-
-修习六度，可以不断消除凡夫心的杂染力量，通过布施对治贪著，通过持戒对治放逸，通过忍辱对治嗔恨，通过精进对治懈怠，通过禅定对治散乱，通过智慧对治无明，使智慧和慈悲逐渐圆满。
-
-{#九菩萨行与空性见}
-## 九、菩萨行与空性见
-
-作为凡夫，我们所修的菩萨行是建立在无明和我执之上，是有限而有漏的。我们希望平等利益众生，却很难真正做到，因为现有的心行就充满着爱憎，充满着不平等。唯有到初地菩萨，证悟平等无别的空性后，才能平等对待众生。具备这一见地基础，所发的菩提心才是胜义菩提心，所修的菩萨行才是无漏圣贤行。
-
-那么，我们又该通过什么样的修行来证悟空性？这里主要给大家提供两点，一是关于无我的认知，二是关于无自性的认知。
-
-{#无-我}
-### 1．无 我
-
-从佛法观点来看，所谓的"我”，只是五蕴假合而成。无论现前这个色身，还是种种的观念想法，并非天生存在，而是来自生命延续过程中的积累。我们的身体，是由父母的遗传基因和后天饮食滋养而成；我们的观念，则是在成长过程中，通过学校、家庭、社会的影响和个人思考积累而成。其中，哪有什么固定不变的"我”？只要看看我们的身体，从出生到现在，有哪一天不在变化中？又有哪个时刻不在新陈代谢中？再看看我们的想法，从少年到现在，又经历了多少转折，多少追寻和否定？即使能将儿时的理想坚持一生，也必然经过了充实，经过了调整。
-
-所以说，我们的身体、想法和情绪只是客体，是我们在特定时期使用的一项工具，而非我们以为的自我。观照的作用，是帮助我们对这个客体加以检修，这也是生命本身具备的自检能力。通常，我们总是习惯向外攀缘，总是在观察外在世界，却从不懂得将目光收回来，看看这个会说、会动、会高兴、会痛苦的究竟是什么？究竟和我们在乎的那个"自我”有什么关系？如果能将色身和起心动念当作客体来观察，就不会被所谓的"自我”干扰，陷入由此而来的种种问题。
-
-世间所有的痛苦，都是因为贴上"自我”这个标签造成的。比如这张桌子，本来不会影响到我们的心。一旦贴上"我”的标签，它的变化立刻就显得不同了。坏了，让"我”觉得烦恼；丢了，让"我”觉得可惜。重视程度越高，由此带来的影响就越大。包括我的家庭、我的孩子、我的房子、我的事业、我的地位，世间的一切，凡是贴上"我”的标签，立刻就变得举足轻重，不同一般，立刻就会粘在我们的心头，放不下，甩不掉。更要命的是，烦恼也随之而生。世间每天都有无数家庭破裂，但只有"我”的家庭破裂，才会让人觉得撕心裂肺；世间每天都有很多企业倒闭，但只有"我”的企业解体，才会让人觉得难以承受。问题是，这种烦恼能够挽救家庭的破裂吗？能够阻止企业的倒闭吗？如果不能，我们为什么要自寻烦恼，使身心受到伤害呢？
-
-学佛所做的，就是帮助我们撤除"自我”的标签。每个情绪生起时，只是客观地看待它：此刻正感到开心，此刻正感到气愤，此刻正在嫉妒，此刻正在忧愁，等等。只要不贴上"我”的标签，这种情绪是不会有多少力量的。它们可以来来去去，但只是一些稍作停留的过客，不会构成多少干扰，更不会强行掌控局面。认识无我的作用就在于此，当内在的观照力生起并产生作用后，当下就是解脱，当下就是自在。
-
-{#无自性}
-### 2．无自性
-
-其次，无自性的智慧也很重要。每种烦恼和情绪都有相应的所缘境，或是因为家人引起，或是因为事业引起，或是因为某件事引起，或是因为某个人引起。为什么这件事或这个人会让你产生烦恼？关键就在于，我们执著于对某件事或某个人的设定。当这种设定和现实发生冲突，或是和我们的另一些妄想发生冲突时，烦恼就产生了。
-
-生活中，常常可以听到这样的抱怨："为什么他会如此对待我？”"为什么我的努力没有结果？”"为什么不幸总是降临到我身上？”虽然抱怨的内容各不相同，但接着会有一个共同的表达，那就是------"我真的想不通”。为什么想不通？因为他们并没有真正地寻找原因，寻找这个"为什么”，而是建构一个自己觉得"应该怎样”的设定，然后埋头扎入思维的死胡同中，碰壁也就在所难免了。
-
-如何解除烦恼？必须改变原有的设定。《心经》和《金刚经》所说的一切法无自性空，就是在帮助我们认识法的真相，帮助我们消除对世界的错误看法。当我们认识到一切都是因缘假相，是梦幻泡影，认识到过去的所有看法都是一厢情愿，并非世界真实，烦恼自然就无从生起了。所以会有烦恼，原因就在于，我们觉得世界是实实在在的，觉得那些人和事是实实在在的，觉得我们以为的正确和错误是实实在在的，觉得我们设定的"应该怎样”的结局是实实在在的。
-
-空性的修行，一方面是帮助我们破除我执，一方面是指导我们如实观照世界。我们生活在同一个世界，但又生活在各自的世界，有的在喜悦中，有的在痛苦中。区别就在于我们如何看待世界，感受世界。所以佛法特别强调正见的作用，而一切法无自性正是最根本的正见。认识到这一点，我们就拥有了看待世界的慧眼，打开了走出轮回的大门。
-
-{#十结-语}
-## 十、结 语
-
-以上，主要从三部分介绍了菩提心的修行。一是关于菩提心修行的基本认知，讲述了菩提心的重要性、菩提心与皈依、菩提心与七支供、菩提心与出离心四个问题；二是如何发起菩提心，包括发起愿菩提心、受持愿菩提心、受菩萨戒三个问题；三是菩提心的实践和升华，包括行菩萨行、菩萨行与空性见两个问题。
-
-对于发心修学大乘的佛子来说，菩提心是贯穿始终的。因为菩萨道修行就是以发菩提心为起点，以圆满菩提心为终点。关于这个核心，我们既要多闻熏习，如理思维，更要在座下不断实践，将菩提心的修行真正落到实处，成为表里如一的菩萨行者。
@@ -1,913 +0,0 @@
-The Practice of Bodhicitta
-
------A 2007 talk at the Second Bodhi Meditation Retreat
-
-Master Jìqún
-
-[I. The Importance of Bodhicitta [3](#一菩提心的重要性)](#一菩提心的重要性)
-
-[1. Why Arouse Bodhicitta [3](#为什么要发菩提心)](#为什么要发菩提心)
-
-[2. The Mark of a Mahayana Practitioner [5](#大乘人的标帜)](#大乘人的标帜)
-
-[3. The Uncommon Cause of Buddhahood [5](#成佛的不共因)](#成佛的不共因)
-
-[II. Bodhicitta and Refuge [7](#二菩提心与皈依)](#二菩提心与皈依)
-
-[1. The Supreme Excellence of Mahayana Refuge [7](#大乘皈依的殊胜)](#大乘皈依的殊胜)
-
-[2. Perfecting Refuge Practice through Bodhicitta [9](#由发心完成皈依修行)](#由发心完成皈依修行)
-
-[III. Bodhicitta and the Seven-Limbed Practice [9](#三菩提心与七支供)](#三菩提心与七支供)
-
-[1. The Limb of Homage [11](#礼敬支)](#礼敬支)
-
-[2. The Limb of Offering [14](#供养支)](#供养支)
-
-[3. The Limb of Confession [15](#忏悔支)](#忏悔支)
-
-[4. The Limb of Rejoicing [16](#随喜支)](#随喜支)
-
-[5. The Limb of Requesting the Turning of the Dharma Wheel [17](#请转法轮支)](#请转法轮支)
-
-[6. The Limb of Beseeching the Buddhas to Remain [18](#请佛住世支)](#请佛住世支)
-
-[7. The Limb of Dedication [18](#回向支)](#回向支)
-
-[IV. Bodhicitta and Renunciation [20](#四菩提心与出离心)](#四菩提心与出离心)
-
-[1. Liberation as Foundation, Renunciation as First Step [20](#解脱为本出离心为先)](#解脱为本出离心为先)
-
-[2. Bodhicitta as the Extension and Perfection of Renunciation [25](#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满)](#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满)
-
-[V. Generating Aspiring Bodhicitta [25](#五发起愿菩提心)](#五发起愿菩提心)
-
-[1. The Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect [26](#七因果)](#七因果)
-
-[2. Exchanging Self and Others [30](#自他相换)](#自他相换)
-
-[VI. Upholding Aspiring Bodhicitta [35](#六受持愿菩提心)](#六受持愿菩提心)
-
-[1. Traditional Basis [36](#传统依据)](#传统依据)
-
-[2. The Conferral Rite [37](#正授仪轨)](#正授仪轨)
-
-[3. Safeguarding Bodhicitta [41](#守护菩提心)](#守护菩提心)
-
-[VII. Receiving the Bodhisattva Precepts [42](#七受菩萨戒)](#七受菩萨戒)
-
-[1. Qualifications of the Recipient [43](#受者条件)](#受者条件)
-
-[2. Choosing the Preceptor [44](#戒师选择)](#戒师选择)
-
-[3. The Conferral Rite [45](#正授仪轨-1)](#正授仪轨-1)
-
-[4. The Three Pure Precepts [47](#三聚净戒)](#三聚净戒)
-
-[VIII. Engaging in Bodhisattva Practice [50](#八行菩萨行)](#八行菩萨行)
-
-[1. The Content of Bodhisattva Practice [50](#菩萨行的内容)](#菩萨行的内容)
-
-[2. The Distinctive Features of Bodhisattva Practice [52](#菩萨行的特征)](#菩萨行的特征)
-
-[3. Cultivating the Bodhisattva Practices [53](#菩萨行的修习)](#菩萨行的修习)
-
-[IX. Bodhisattva Practice and the View of Emptiness [62](#九菩萨行与空性见)](#九菩萨行与空性见)
-
-[1. Selflessness [62](#无-我)](#无-我)
-
-[2. Absence of Inherent Existence [63](#无自性)](#无自性)
-
-[X. Conclusion [64](#十结-语)](#十结-语)
-
-In the practice of the bodhisattva path, bodhicitta runs through from beginning to end.
-
-Arousing bodhicitta is not only the start of entering the bodhisattva path---it is also the mark of becoming a bodhisattva practitioner. The entire Mahayana path encompasses a great many Dharma gates and diverse schools, but all of them revolve around two major themes: studying and cultivating bodhicitta, and putting bodhisattva practice into action. Among the two, bodhicitta is the more essential. For bodhisattva practice is built upon the foundation of bodhicitta and is its concrete expression, which is why the scriptures also call it "engaging bodhicitta."
-
-Here, we will explore the practice of bodhicitta through nine topics: the importance of bodhicitta, bodhicitta and refuge, bodhicitta and the Seven-Limbed Practice, bodhicitta and renunciation, generating aspiring bodhicitta, upholding aspiring bodhicitta, receiving the bodhisattva precepts, engaging in bodhisattva practice, and bodhisattva practice and the view of emptiness.
-
-Before listening to the teachings on bodhicitta, we must first adopt the right attitude toward hearing the Dharma, so that we become fit vessels. What, then, is the right attitude? The ancient masters summarized it as "abandoning the three faults" and "relying on the six perceptions."
-
-"Abandoning the three faults" means staying clear of three flawed ways of listening to the Dharma. The *Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path* (*Lamrim Chenmo*) says: "If a vessel is turned upside down, or if, though right-side up, it is dirty inside, or if, though clean inside, it has a crack at the bottom, then even if the heavens pour down rain, the water cannot be received. Or even if received, it is defiled and undrinkable. Or even if undefiled, it leaks away and does not stay." In this passage, an overturned vessel, a dirty vessel, and a leaking vessel serve as metaphors for a student who, when hearing the Dharma, does not pay attention, brings preconceived notions, or does not reflect after hearing.
-
-An overturned vessel is one turned upside down---not even heaven's sweet dew can enter it. Likewise, when the mind has not opened to the Dharma, the Dharma water cannot reach the heart. No matter how much one hears, the mind remains empty, gaining nothing. A dirty vessel is one already filled with a mix of flavors---even clear water poured in becomes bitter, spicy, sour, or sweet, losing its original taste. Likewise, before receiving the Buddhadharma, each of us has already formed our own fixed ideas. In the process of hearing the Dharma, we should let go of all our existing preconceptions and receive the Dharma with a pure, undefiled mind---just as we wash a cup before drinking from it. Only then can we taste the natural flavor of the Dharma, rather than a corrupted version altered by our fixed ideas. A leaking vessel is one cracked or damaged---no matter how much water is added, it quickly drains away. Likewise, if after hearing the Dharma we do not reflect on it properly and practice accordingly, we are like a leaking vessel, unable to keep the meaning of the Dharma lasting in our hearts. The process of studying the Dharma is one of turning right views into our own views. This requires further reflection after hearing, reinforcing and consolidating through repeated contemplation, so that the Dharma's meaning takes root and sprouts in our mental continuum.
-
-Relying on the six perceptions means holding six perceptions during the process of hearing the Dharma. First, perceive yourself as a patient. When we speak of illness, we tend to think of physical disease. In truth, physical illness is only temporary; mental illness lasts far longer. Since time without beginning, we have been wandering in samsara, with birth and death unending and afflictions ceaseless---all caused by various sicknesses of the mind. So the greatest disease in life is none other than the confusion and affliction produced by ignorance. We must recognize the faults of these diseases and hear the Dharma with the attitude of seeking treatment---perceiving the teacher as a doctor, the Dharma as medicine, practice as treatment, the Tathagata as a true sage, and generating the wish for the true Dharma to long endure. Only by regarding the Dharma with reverence and a sense of its rarity can we make it an effective therapy for transforming our life. Otherwise, we tend to treat the Dharma merely as a doctrine or abstract discussion. However much we study, it becomes at most a decorative touch in our lives or a wrapping for our words and actions, with no bearing on the true substance of living.
-
-So I hope everyone will study the bodhicitta teachings with the right attitude toward hearing the Dharma. Only then can we take the Dharma into our hearts, adjust our mental states in accord with it, and bring about an improvement in the quality of our lives.
-
-{#一菩提心的重要性}
-## I. The Importance of Bodhicitta
-
-{#为什么要发菩提心}
-### 1. Why Arouse Bodhicitta
-
-To answer this question, we must first understand where the emphasis of Buddhist practice lies. The Buddhadharma is a teaching of the mind. The entire process of Buddhist practice is precisely a process of recognizing and then transforming our mental states.
-
-Our mind is like a field, and every thought that arises is a seed planted in it. In the course of our lives, we have had many thoughts and done many things. These thoughts and actions quickly pass, but the seeds left in the mind continue to function in the future, shaping the trajectory of our lives. Among them are wholesome seeds and unwholesome seeds, seeds of affliction and seeds of liberation. When wholesome seeds sprout, when we give rise to love and compassion, that very moment is peaceful and joyful, and those around us can feel this peace and joy too. Conversely, when unwholesome seeds are at work, when we give rise to greed, anger, or jealousy, that very moment is painful. And once such greed and anger are expressed outwardly, those around us suffer harm as well.
-
-It is this continuity of mind that determines our present state and the direction of our lives. Why are our hearts filled with affliction and suffering? Because there are far too many harmful seeds within. These seeds keep producing mental rubbish, turning the mind into a garbage heap filled with filth. And so suffering becomes inevitable, and sinking into samsara becomes inevitable. Thus, afflictions and even samsara are not external---they come from our own minds. It is the mind that manipulates all this, and it is the mind that decides all this. If we want to be free from suffering, we must cut it off at its cause.
-
-Buddhist practice is a process of cultivating the field of the mind. Once, when the Buddha went to a farming village for alms, a brahmin who was plowing challenged him: "We work hard at farming before we can harvest. Why do you not work?" The Buddha replied, "Good sir, I too am a farmer who tills the soil!" The brahmin was baffled: "I have never seen a recluse working in the fields. What do you mean?" The Buddha explained: "Faith is the seed, austerity the timely rain, wisdom my yoke, conscience the shaft, mindfulness my guard---such is a good charioteer. One who farms in this way will not undergo further existence." (*Samyuktagama*, fascicle 4) The yoke and shaft are tools for driving draft animals. "Existence" refers to the karmic results of sentient beings---there being causes and effects, they are called existences, including the three existences, four existences, seven existences, nine existences, twenty-five existences, and so on, collectively referred to as "existences." If we take faith in the Three Jewels as our seed, irrigate the mind through practice, guide our mental states with wisdom and conscience, and guard ourselves with right mindfulness, then we are skillful cultivators. Such cultivators will no longer bring forth the bitter fruits of samsara.
-
-Taking faith as the seed represents our choice of spiritual path, taking the Three Jewels as the ultimate refuge in life. Then, we must let this seed take root in our minds through analytical meditation and stabilizing meditation. Otherwise, the Buddhadharma remains for us merely a set of theories, a way of talking. In life, we can see many people who call themselves Buddhists and regularly offer incense and prostrations to the Buddha, yet the Dharma has not the slightest influence on their mental states. Their conduct still never goes beyond their old views and habitual tendencies. This kind of Buddhist practice yields no result. It is like a farmer who never sows seeds in the field and never works the soil---even if he walks around the field every day, looks it over, and even stays there day and night, could he ever harvest anything? The practice of bodhicitta is the same. If we do not arouse bodhicitta and do not plant the seeds of bodhi in our hearts, how could we ever bear the fruit of bodhi in the future?
-
-{#大乘人的标帜}
-### 2. The Mark of a Mahayana Practitioner
-
-If taking refuge is the mark of becoming a disciple of the Buddha, then arousing bodhicitta is the mark of becoming a Mahayana practitioner. The *Abridged Stages of the Path* (*Lamrim*) states: "What is the gate for entering the Mahayana? The Buddha taught that there are the Perfection Vehicle and the Mantra Vehicle, and apart from these there is no other Mahayana. Yet through what gate does one enter these two? Only bodhicitta. When this is born in one's body and mind, even if one has not yet developed any other qualities, one is already abiding in the Mahayana."
-
-This passage tells us clearly: once we arouse bodhicitta, even if we have not yet developed other qualities, we have already ranked ourselves among the Mahayana and are worthy of being called bodhisattva practitioners. The text further explains: "If at any time one parts from bodhicitta, then even if one has attained such qualities as realizing emptiness, one falls back to the level of a śrāvaka and loses the Mahayana. This is taught in many Mahayana scriptures, and reason also establishes it. Therefore, one's standing in the Mahayana is determined by the presence or absence of bodhicitta."
-
-Precisely because bodhicitta is the mark of a Mahayana practitioner, once one abandons bodhicitta, even if one has realized emptiness, one will fall back to being a śrāvaka practitioner. Thus, the criterion for the Mahayana is whether one has bodhicitta or not. The *Abridged Stages of the Path* also cites the *Bodhicaryāvatāra* as evidence: "The moment this mind arises, one instantly becomes a child of the Buddha." Here, "child of the Buddha" refers specifically to bodhisattva practitioners. Unlike the śrāvakas, who are content with liberating themselves alone, bodhisattvas do what the Buddha did---benefiting both self and others, awakening both self and others. They are the true heirs of the Buddha.
-
-Thus, bodhicitta is not only the gateway into the Mahayana, but also the distinctive criterion that sets the Mahayana apart from the two vehicles.
-
-{#成佛的不共因}
-### 3. The Uncommon Cause of Buddhahood
-
-Buddhahood is not about attaining something external---not a title, not a position, not an honor---but rather an inner quality of life. This quality encompasses two great dimensions: wisdom and compassion. Wisdom is accomplished through the view of emptiness, bringing about liberation; compassion is accomplished through bodhisattva practice, bringing about merit. Among these, liberation is a goal shared by all three vehicles. Whether śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, or bodhisattva, all must possess the capacity for liberation. Compassion, on the other hand, is a path unique to the Mahayana. This is not to say, of course, that śrāvakas do not cultivate compassion. In fact, śrāvaka practitioners likewise cultivate the four immeasurables---loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity---and likewise teach the Dharma according to conditions, benefiting living beings. The difference is that they do not take perfecting compassion as an indispensable practice or as an ultimate goal. From another angle, without bodhicitta as its foundation, such compassion practice also lacks strength and commitment.
-
-On this question, the *Abridged Stages of the Path* explains with an analogy: "Suppose water, manure, warmth, and earth are combined with a grain seed---they then become the cause of a grain sprout. If combined with a wheat or bean seed, they become the cause of those sprouts. Hence water, manure, warmth, and so on are common causes. A highland barley seed, regardless of what conditions it combines with, can never become the cause of a grain sprout---it is the uncommon cause of a barley sprout. Yet the water and other factors sustained by it will also serve as causes of the barley sprout. Likewise, unsurpassed bodhicitta is the uncommon cause, like the seed, among the causes of a buddha-sprout. The wisdom that realizes emptiness, like water and manure, is a common cause of the three kinds of awakening."
-
-Just as farming requires seeds, sunlight, rain, fertilizer, and soil. Among these, the seed is the uncommon cause of the crop's growth---from a wheat seed grows wheat, from a rice seed grows rice; the fruit is determined by the qualities contained in the seed. The other conditions are necessary for all crops and belong to common causes. For spiritual practice, the wisdom of emptiness is like sunlight, rain, and soil---a common cause for practice in all three vehicles. But bodhicitta functions as the seed---the uncommon cause of buddhahood. Only by arousing bodhicitta and practicing altruism can we attain the perfect life quality of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. There is no other path.
-
-The *Abridged Stages of the Path* further cites scripture as proof: "The *Ratnagotravibhaga* says: Conviction in the supreme vehicle is the seed; wisdom is the mother that gives birth to the Buddha qualities. This means that one with conviction in the Mahayana is like the father, the seed. The wisdom that realizes selflessness is like the mother. For example, if the father is a Tibetan, the child will not be Chinese or Mongolian. The father determines the child's lineage---this cause is decisive. But within a Tibetan mother's womb, children of various kinds can be born, which is a common cause."
-
-A child is born from the union of father and mother, but the father is the uncommon cause that determines lineage. For a practitioner, if one has full conviction in the Mahayana, this functions like the father, while realizing emptiness functions like the mother. With the mother of wisdom that realizes emptiness, one accomplishes liberation; with the father of Mahayana bodhicitta, one accomplishes buddhahood.
-
-These two analogies vividly illustrate the different roles of bodhicitta and the wisdom of emptiness in spiritual practice. Without bodhicitta as the seed, one cannot become a Mahayana practitioner; without the wisdom of emptiness as the common cause of liberation, one cannot bear the extraordinary fruit of unsurpassed bodhi.
-
-{#二菩提心与皈依}
-## II. Bodhicitta and Refuge
-
-Refuge represents our trust in the Three Jewels and our choice to take them as the ultimate refuge in life. This is the foundation of Buddhist practice and the foundation for arousing bodhicitta.
-
-{#大乘皈依的殊胜}
-### 1. The Supreme Excellence of Mahayana Refuge
-
-The refuge usually spoken of is the refuge of the Śrāvaka Vehicle. Here, we specifically refer to Mahayana refuge. The "Chapter on Refuge" in the *Mahayana-sutralamkara* particularly introduces the supreme excellence of Mahayana refuge. The text says:
-
-> Among all forms of refuge in the Three Jewels, know that Mahayana refuge is supreme. Why? Because it is superior by nature in four great respects. What are these four? First, the meaning of all-pervasiveness; second, the meaning of courage; third, the meaning of attaining the fruit; fourth, the meaning of being beyond compare... Mahayana refuge possesses four kinds of all-pervasiveness. First, all-pervasiveness with regard to sentient beings, because one wishes to liberate all sentient beings. Second, all-pervasiveness with regard to vehicles, because one thoroughly understands the three vehicles. Third, all-pervasiveness with regard to wisdom, because one fully realizes the two kinds of selflessness. Fourth, all-pervasiveness with regard to quiescence, because samsara and nirvana are of one taste, and one does not discriminate between faults and virtues...
->
-> Mahayana refuge has three kinds of superior courage. First, superior courage of aspiration: when taking refuge in the Buddha, one seeks great bodhi and gives rise to abundant joy, knowing the excellent qualities. Second, superior courage of practice: when engaging in practice, one does not retreat or yield, and undertakes what is difficult to do. Third, superior courage of the fruit: upon attaining buddhahood, one awakens equally with all buddhas...
->
-> The excellent birth of a bodhisattva has four meanings. First, superiority of seed, because bodhicitta is the seed. Second, superiority of birth mother, because prajñāpāramitā is the birth mother. Third, superiority of the womb, because the two accumulations of merit and wisdom sustain it as the womb. Fourth, superiority of the nursemaid, because great compassion nurtures it as a nursemaid...
->
-> For one who has taken Mahayana refuge, all roots of virtue, for four reasons, are beyond the reach of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. First, great substance; second, great meaning; third, boundlessness; fourth, inexhaustibility. Question: "What do these mean?" Answer: "Great substance means that worldly roots of virtue already attained surpass those of the two vehicles. Great meaning means that supramundane roots of virtue---the supramundane attainment of the two vehicles is merely for self-benefit. Boundlessness means roots of virtue that ripen sentient beings, capable of ripening boundless sentient beings. Inexhaustibility means roots of virtue associated with supranormal powers, which are not exhausted even upon reaching nirvana without remainder..."
->
-> Refuge is differentiated in six respects: one, nature; two, cause; three, fruit; four, function; five, correspondence; six, category. Aspiration is its nature, because one seeks the essence of buddhahood with utmost sincerity. Great compassion is its cause, because it is for the sake of all sentient beings. Omniscient wisdom is its fruit, because one attains unsurpassed bodhi. Never retreating is its function, because one practices what is difficult for the benefit of others without retreating or yielding. The three forms of transcendence are its correspondence, because one is endowed with the paths of transcendence of the three vehicles. The two attainments are its categories---the conventional attainment and the attainment of the Dharma nature---differing in subtle and coarse.
-
-This passage introduces in detail, from different angles, the special features by which Mahayana refuge surpasses that of the two vehicles. For a fuller treatment, one may consult the complete "Chapter on Refuge" in the *Mahayana-sutralamkara*, composed by Bodhisattva Asanga. Here, let me briefly summarize a few key points---the main characteristics that distinguish Mahayana refuge from Śrāvaka Vehicle refuge, and the essentials we need to grasp.
-
-First, the one who takes refuge must possess Mahayana disposition. This may raise a question in our minds: do we actually possess Mahayana disposition? To answer this, we need only examine ourselves to see whether we can give rise to uncontrived bodhicitta, to a genuine wish to benefit others.
-
-Second, the objects of refuge are the Three Jewels of the Mahayana. Here, the Buddha Jewel is all buddhas of the ten directions and three times; the Dharma Jewel is the Mahayana scriptures; the Sangha Jewel is the great bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, and Samantabhadra, as well as the present Mahayana monastic community.
-
-Third, the duration is far longer. The Śrāvaka Vehicle refuge is valid for the duration of one's present life; Mahayana refuge is not confined to this life alone but extends into all future lives until buddhahood is attained, just as the refuge verse says: "In the Buddha, Dharma, and supreme assembly, I take refuge until I reach bodhi."
-
-Fourth, the motivation is far vaster. Śrāvaka Vehicle refuge is mainly for eliminating affliction and liberating from birth and death, whereas Mahayana refuge does not stop at personal liberation but takes the liberation of all sentient beings as its goal.
-
-Only by recognizing the supreme excellence of Mahayana refuge can we give rise to genuine refuge in the Mahayana Dharma. This is precisely the basis of aspiring bodhicitta.
-
-{#由发心完成皈依修行}
-### 2. Perfecting Refuge Practice through Bodhicitta
-
-After taking refuge, we need to keep practicing it---strengthening the presence of the Three Jewels in our minds, consolidating our confidence in the bodhicitta teachings, and allowing them to take effect in our mental states. In both the Indian and Tibetan traditions, there are practices centered on refuge. I have also compiled a "Refuge Group Practice Liturgy," which includes Mahayana aspiration, confession, the Seven-Limbed Practice, chanting the refuge formula, giving rise to the four immeasurables, and so on.
-
-Refuge is not merely the beginning of Buddhist practice. In fact, it runs through the entire path to buddhahood. From the ultimate perspective, the one who takes refuge and the objects of refuge are fundamentally one. At the start, a difference does exist---an enormous difference---but this difference is not permanent. The purpose of cultivating refuge, and indeed the purpose of all Dharma practice, is to uncover the innate Three Jewels that all beings possess, to merge oneself with the objects of refuge, and ultimately to accomplish all the qualities that the Three Jewels embody.
-
-This process cannot be separated from the practice of refuge and bodhicitta. Without refuge as a prerequisite, the practice of bodhicitta has no foundation on which to rest; without bodhicitta as its practical expression, refuge will forever remain a formality. Only by aspiring to the qualities of the Three Jewels, by taking the vows of the buddhas and bodhisattvas as our own vows, and by taking the conduct of the buddhas and bodhisattvas as our own conduct, can we accomplish the noble qualities that are indistinguishable from those of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-{#三菩提心与七支供}
-## III. Bodhicitta and the Seven-Limbed Practice
-
-The Seven-Limbed Practice is based on Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's Ten Great Vows. It has the function of accumulating merit and purifying obstacles, creating a wholesome mental environment for arousing bodhicitta. The specific content of the Ten Great Vows is: paying homage to all buddhas, praising the Tathagatas, making abundant offerings, confessing karmic obstacles, rejoicing in merit, requesting the turning of the Dharma wheel, beseeching the buddhas to remain in the world, constantly following the Buddha's teachings, according with all sentient beings, and dedicating all merit universally. These practices may seem quite ordinary---why, then, are they honored as "vow kings"? The reason is that the objects of these vows are limitless, all-pervasive.
-
-We all have various wishes, but ordinary people's wishes are very confined---they think of no more than a few specific people, a few specific matters. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's vows, by contrast, take all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm and the realm of space as their objects. Continuously strengthening such vows can help us open the scope of the mind. When the mind dwells on the people and things right in front of us, it is narrow and limited. Only by taking limitless time and space as our object can we access the limitless dimension of the mind.
-
-At the same time, "The Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva" can also help us swiftly accumulate the provisions for buddhahood. To use a modern phrase, this text is the primary productive force for accumulating merit and purifying obstacles. This is why Tibetan Buddhism also especially esteems this chapter, treating it as an important preliminary for all Dharma gates. In fact, the significance of "The Practices and Vows" is not limited to being a preliminary---it is itself an extraordinary main practice. For this Dharma gate is built upon the Huayan view, which is utterly sudden and perfectly complete. I call it "the supreme contemplative practice of bodhicitta, a method of copying the qualities of buddhahood." Contemplating and practicing according to Samantabhadra's great vows is precisely a simulation of the mental activity of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, allowing us, through simulation and comparison, to gradually draw closer to them.
-
-The content of the Seven-Limbed Practice essentially condenses the Ten Great Vows into seven limbs. A limb is a body part, an essential component of the body. If we compare the bodhicitta practice to the trunk, the Seven-Limbed Practice constitutes its vital supports. In the *Bodhicaryāvatāra*, the section on "accumulating merit and purifying obstacles" is also accomplished through the Seven-Limbed Practice.
-
-To cultivate bodhicitta, we must feel compassion toward all sentient beings and care for them as our own. How can we achieve this? The prerequisite is to take all sentient beings into our hearts. Let us ask ourselves: how many people can our hearts truly hold? If our hearts hold only ourselves, or only a select few, we can never connect with bodhicitta. We must open the scope of the mind---and this opening is not a mere quantitative increase, but the complete dismantling of the boundaries of self. Like space containing all things, we must contain the infinite sentient beings that fill all of space and pervade the entire Dharma realm. If there is still a single being we reject, a single being we are unwilling to benefit, it shows that this compassion has yet to reach perfection.
-
-Below, I will briefly introduce the Seven-Limbed Practice. I have offered a more detailed explanation in my book *The Contemplative Principles of Samantabhadra's Practices and Vows*, which you may consult.
-
-{#礼敬支}
-### 1. The Limb of Homage
-
-Homage means prostrating with reverence. The Dharma is attained through reverence. If we lack reverence for the Three Jewels, the Dharma cannot take effect in us. There are many ways to practice homage, such as prostrating to the Buddha, offering lamps, burning incense, and presenting flowers. So what method of paying homage to the Buddha allows us to swiftly connect with all buddhas and accomplish boundless merit?
-
-Modern people place great emphasis on efficiency, and spiritual practice is no exception. Someone might ask: doesn't Buddhism stress not clinging to appearances? We should understand that not clinging to appearances is not the same as disregarding efficiency. The correct attitude toward practice is to value efficiency without clinging to the appearance of valuing efficiency. If we think that ignoring efficiency is non-attachment, that muddling through is non-attachment, then not only will we have no hope of attainment, we might even fall into the lower realms. For the paths of samsara are perilous---if you do not advance, you fall back. If we do not seize our present human life of leisure and opportunity to practice, no one can guarantee where we will head in the future or when we will have another chance to continue. So Buddhist practice likewise requires attention to method. When the method is right, we get twice the result with half the effort, advancing life after life.
-
-The Limb of Homage has four verses in total. The first verse is the general homage of the three gates. The three gates refer to the three actions of body, speech, and mind, giving an overall account of homage. The verse goes:
-
-> In all the worlds of the ten directions, All lions among humans of the three times,
->
-> With pure body, speech, and mind I pay homage, To every one, without exception.
-
-When we pay homage to the Buddha, we usually choose a particular buddha or bodhisattva---prostrating to Śākyamuni Buddha, or to Amitābha Buddha, or to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. But in "The Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra," the objects of homage are not limited to one buddha or two. Rather, one takes all buddhas of the ten directions and three times as the object, prostrating to each and every one without omission. More importantly, one performs the homage with the three actions of body, speech, and mind in purity. This requires recollecting the qualities of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, arousing the sincere wish to emulate them, and thereby freeing oneself from distraction and discursive thought. From the initial thought of prostrating to the Buddha, to joining the palms, bowing down, and rising again, the entire process is sustained by clear visualization, wholeheartedly devoted to paying homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas. When we prostrate in this way, with this object and method, every prostration is an offering of supreme reverence to all buddhas, an offering of pure tribute.
-
-Next is homage of the body. The verse goes:
-
-> Through the majestic power of Samantabhadra's practices and vows, I appear before every tathagata,
->
-> And in body after body, numerous as the atoms of the land, I pay homage to every buddha, numerous as the atoms of the land.
-
-The body is limited, and prostration is limited. How, then, can we accomplish limitless homage? This must be done through visualization. Visualization is the use of the imaginative faculty, an important support in Dharma practice. For the mind is limitless, and imagination is also limitless. Only by opening up this limitless dimension can we transform the limited action built upon this mental activity into something limitless. When visualizing, on the one hand we can refer to the prose section of "The Practices and Vows"; on the other hand, we should pray for Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's blessings, carrying out the visualization through conviction in Samantabhadra's power of vows.
-
-First, visualize yourself manifesting infinite, boundless bodies. Visualize that in the universe there are buddhas and bodhisattvas as numerous as motes of dust, and before each buddha or bodhisattva there is a self prostrating. The existence of the buddhas and bodhisattvas is limitless, and my existence is also limitless. Further, visualize that each self is simultaneously prostrating to the countless buddhas filling all of space and pervading the entire Dharma realm. When we visualize in this way, every prostration accomplishes boundless merit, enabling us to swiftly cultivate blessings and amass provisions. Otherwise, with the limited practice of ordinary beings, we could never accomplish the limitless merit of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. For the limitless must take the limitless---not the limited---as its cause. No matter how many finite things you add together, they remain finite; they are merely a larger finite. Only on the level of limitless mental activity can boundless merit be perfected.
-
-The third is homage of the mind. The verse goes:
-
-> In a single atom, buddhas numerous as atoms, Each seated amid an assembly of bodhisattvas---
->
-> So it is throughout the endless Dharma realm, And I have deep faith that they all fill it.
-
-First, visualize that within every mote of dust there are countless buddhas, each surrounded by an oceanic assembly of bodhisattvas. Second, visualize that the Dharma realm contains endless motes of dust, so that in any region of the universe there exist buddhas and bodhisattvas---layer upon layer, end upon end, beyond counting.
-
-At this very moment, life is limitless. For its essence is emptiness, free of any boundaries, free of the distinction between self and other. All distinctions are artificial constructs. For instance, this is China, that is a foreign country; this is an enemy, that is a friend; this is liked, that is disliked. All these concepts come from the attachments of sentient beings---they are distinctions and oppositions formed by attachment. From this, various conflicts then arise: conflicts between people, conflicts between humans and nature, conflicts between humans and animals. Once we remove these mistaken constructs, life is limitless, indivisible from all sentient beings, and intimately connected with all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-So when we visualize the limitless, we are not creating a separate limitlessness. We are simply using visualization to dismantle the limited constructs erected by the deluded mind, allowing the mind to return to its original state, return to the limitless content it inherently possesses.
-
-The fourth is homage of speech. The verse goes:
-
-> With oceans of every sound, I send forth endless wondrous words,
->
-> And for all eons of the future, I praise the buddhas' vast ocean of virtues.
-
-Next, we accomplish verbal praise through visualization. We can visualize that in the universe there are infinite selves, each in unison praising the virtues of all buddhas of the ten directions. We can visualize ourselves as the broadcasters of the universe---when we praise the Buddha, the whole of heaven and earth receives these sounds, and the entire universe reverberates with this praise. We can also visualize every sound we hear as the sound of recollecting the Buddha, recollecting the Dharma, and recollecting the Sangha, as the sound of praising the Three Jewels' endless virtues, thus merging body and mind into this practice, paying homage without cease and praising the Buddha without end.
-
-{#供养支}
-### 2. The Limb of Offering
-
-Offerings represent our reverence toward the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Although reverence mainly arises from the heart, it still needs to be expressed through corresponding actions. Offering is an important way of strengthening our reverent attitude. We should make offerings of the finest articles. Offerings include limited offerings and unsurpassed offerings. "Limited" means bounded, not yet reaching the ultimate. "Unsurpassed" means beyond compare, nothing surpassing it.
-
-First, limited offerings. The verses go:
-
-> With the finest wondrous flower garlands, Music, perfumed ointments, and parasols,
->
-> With the finest adornments of all, I make offerings to all the tathagatas.
->
-> The finest garments, the finest fragrances, Powdered incense, burning incense, lamps, and candles,
->
-> Each heaped as high as wondrous Sumeru, I offer them all to the tathagatas.
-
-Limited offerings means offering the best flower garlands, music, perfumed ointments, parasols, garments, powdered incense, burning incense, lamps, candles, and all manner of offerings to the tathagatas of the ten directions, in quantities so vast they are like Mount Sumeru. How can we obtain so many offerings? Through visualization. On the one hand, visualize that the mountains, rivers, earth, and all things in the universe transform into wondrous treasures for offering to the Buddha. On the other hand, visualize the offerings as boundless and infinite, pervading the entire Dharma realm, and with these numerous and excellent articles, make offerings to the tathagatas.
-
-Next, unsurpassed offerings. These are so called in contrast to limited offerings. The verse goes:
-
-> With a mind of vast and deep conviction, I have faith in all buddhas of the three times,
->
-> And through the power of Samantabhadra's practices and vows, I make universal offerings to all the tathagatas.
-
-"Deep conviction" is belief that is utterly certain. With a mind of vast, deep conviction, we have faith in the existence of all buddhas of the ten directions and three times throughout space and the entire Dharma realm, and through the limitless power of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's vows, we transform limited offerings into limitless ones, thereby making offerings to all buddhas.
-
-As vast as the scope of our mind, so vast are our offerings, and so vast the merit we reap. Why can the buddhas and bodhisattvas accomplish boundless merit? Because their minds take space and the Dharma realm as their platform---free of all boundaries and all obstructions. This makes every action based upon this platform like a drop of water merging into the vast ocean, from a single drop becoming the water of the great sea.
-
-{#忏悔支}
-### 3. The Limb of Confession
-
-In the endless cycle of samsara, we have been endlessly wandering through birth and death, driven by affliction---all caused by the force of past karma. These karmic forces are like life programs we have written. When they run, they produce certain results. Some are programs that lead to the lower realms; some are programs that lead to the higher realms. If we want to change our destiny, we need to change the internal structure and operating patterns of the program. The function of confession is precisely to destroy the basis on which karmic force rests. The verse goes:
-
-> All the negative actions I have committed in the past, Born of beginningless greed, anger, and ignorance,
->
-> And produced through body, speech, and mind--- I now confess each and every one.
-
-We should visualize all buddhas and bodhisattvas filling space and pervading the Dharma realm, and before them generate a sincere mind of confession, repenting each and every misdeed we have committed in the past---including evil acts done intentionally, and also karmic forces created unintentionally. More importantly, we must vow never to commit them again. Every karmic force has a basis for its formation. Through confession, we can destroy the soil on which karma depends, so that it cannot ripen or continue to bring results. For all karmic force comes from attachment to self and phenomena, and confession means negating such attachment. If attachment no longer exists, the karmic force dependent on it naturally loses its root and ceases to be---as the saying goes, when the skin is gone, what can the fur cling to?
-
-Just as we need to sweep the ground before a Dharma assembly, so too, in welcoming the arrival of bodhicitta, we must confess our karmic obstacles, cleanse the dust from our hearts, and create a wholesome mental environment for the seed of bodhi.
-
-{#随喜支}
-### 4. The Limb of Rejoicing
-
-Rejoicing is expressing sincere delight and heartfelt admiration at the virtuous deeds cultivated by others. When we do this, our hearts open in response, and the seeds of virtue within us grow accordingly. The verse goes:
-
-> For all beings in the ten directions, The learners and those beyond learning of the two vehicles,
->
-> For all tathagatas and bodhisattvas, I rejoice in every one of their merits.
-
-Toward all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions, toward the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas of the two vehicles, and even toward the merits of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, we must generate a mind of rejoicing and sustain it at all times. Our time, energy, and capacity are very limited. Even if we try our hardest, the virtuous deeds we can cultivate in one lifetime may not amount to much. Yet buddhahood requires boundless merit as its provisions, which can obviously never be completed by one's own efforts alone. So, then, can we never attain buddhahood? Can we never accomplish this far-reaching goal? Clearly the answer is no. This calls for certain skillful means, and rejoicing happens to be a special path for swiftly accumulating provisions. If we can rejoice in all virtuous deeds with a mind that is vast and limitless, the merit we gain will equal that of the person who performed them, and sometimes even surpass it. For the karmic results drawn forth by a virtuous deed do not depend solely on the action itself; to a great extent, they depend on the different underlying intentions. When we rejoice in all virtuous deeds with a limitless mind, it is as though we multiply ourselves a billionfold, widely practicing virtue in every place and at every moment, cultivating the field of merit.
-
-Furthermore, rejoicing can also overcome such harmful habits as jealousy and exclusion, and help us form vast wholesome connections with sentient beings. It is an important support for building positive relationships and an excellent opportunity to cultivate equanimity. When we rejoice in beings we normally feel indifferent toward, we are dissolving our coldness and distance from them. When we rejoice in beings with whom we have conflicts, we are dissolving our anger and estrangement toward them. As long as the mind of rejoicing is sincere enough and strong enough, it can gradually transform our existing negative emotions, opening the scope of the mind accordingly.
-
-{#请转法轮支}
-### 5. The Limb of Requesting the Turning of the Dharma Wheel
-
-Although the Dharma is naturally as it is---regardless of whether a buddha appears in the world to teach it, it neither increases nor decreases, nor undergoes change---sentient beings do not have the capacity to recognize this truth, still less to practice accordingly and accomplish buddhahood. For this, we need the guidance of the buddhas and bodhisattvas; we need them to proclaim the essential Dharma, so that sentient beings, through hearing the Dharma, can dispel delusion, awaken, and proceed toward liberation. Therefore, requesting the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and even spiritual teachers to teach the Dharma is not only a necessity for our own study but also a necessity for benefiting the wider community. The verse goes:
-
-> All lamps of the world in the ten directions, Those who first attained bodhi,
->
-> I now request and beseech them all, To turn the unsurpassed, wondrous Dharma wheel.
-
-"Lamps of the world" refers to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, including all spiritual teachers endowed with right view. Sentient beings have long dwelled in the darkness of ignorance; only under the guidance of the buddhas and bodhisattvas can we walk from darkness toward light, from confusion toward awakening. We visualize that there are countless buddhas in the universe, then visualize ourselves manifesting in countless forms, arriving before each world-honored one. Before every buddha there is a self making this request. And every self is simultaneously beseeching all buddhas of the Dharma realm, praying that they have compassion for sentient beings and keep the Dharma wheel ever turning, so that the Buddhadharma spreads far and wide in the world, benefiting humans and gods. In our post-meditation practice, we should at all times request spiritual teachers to give teachings, and vigorously support those teachers who proclaim the true Dharma. There are many ways to offer such support. We can organize lectures and invite eminent masters to teach; we can sponsor the printing of scriptures and spread right understanding and right views. All of these are important forms of requesting the turning of the Dharma wheel. For spreading the Dharma requires the convergence of many conditions. By contributing to the necessary supporting conditions---by building bridges between the speaker of the Dharma and the listeners---we are also requesting the turning of the Dharma wheel through concrete action.
-
-{#请佛住世支}
-### 6. The Limb of Beseeching the Buddhas to Remain
-
-When the buddhas of the ten directions approach the end of their teaching mission and are about to manifest nirvana, we should, for the lasting benefit and happiness of sentient beings, beseech them with utmost sincerity to remain long in the world and continue guiding beings. The verse goes:
-
-> When buddhas wish to manifest nirvana, I beseech them all with utmost sincerity,
->
-> Praying that they remain for eons numerous as atoms of the land, To bring benefit and joy to every sentient being.
-
-The Buddha sees that his teaching mission is drawing to an end and is about to enter parinirvana. At this moment, we should earnestly entreat him, praying that the buddhas and bodhisattvas long abide in the world. For only thus can the Buddhadharma be passed from generation to generation like a torch. In the practice of beseeching the buddhas to remain, we can visualize that countless buddhas appear throughout the universe, then visualize a self before each buddha praying sincerely that they not enter nirvana. In our post-meditation practice, we can earnestly beseech all spiritual teachers to remain in the world and teach the Dharma, liberating sentient beings, through such means as sutra recitation, buddha-name recitation, lamp offerings, and life release.
-
-{#回向支}
-### 7. The Limb of Dedication
-
-Finally, we dedicate all the merit we have cultivated through the preceding practices---paying homage to all buddhas, making offerings to the tathagatas, confessing karmic obstacles, rejoicing in merit, requesting the turning of the Dharma wheel, and beseeching the buddhas to remain---to all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm. The verses go:
-
-> All the merit of homage, praise, and offering, Beseeching the buddhas to remain and turn the Dharma wheel,
->
-> Rejoicing and confession, all my roots of virtue--- I dedicate to sentient beings and the buddha path.
->
-> And until the worlds of space are exhausted, Until sentient beings, their karma, and their afflictions are exhausted,
->
-> Just as these four are vast and boundless, So now may my dedication be.
-
-The roots of virtue cultivated through the above six limbs are the causes for realizing bodhi. We dedicate them to sentient beings and, with intense aspiration, send them our blessing that they may soon accomplish the buddha path. This dedication is permanent, valid for all future time---as long as the realm of space is not exhausted, as long as the realm of sentient beings is not exhausted, as long as the karma of sentient beings is not exhausted, as long as the afflictions of sentient beings are not exhausted, my vows are never exhausted. In fact, space can never be exhausted, nor can sentient beings or their karma and afflictions. Why then speak of their being exhausted? It is only to highlight just how vast these vows are. Even if endless space were to come to an end, even if endless karma were to come to an end, the vows and dedication we have aroused still flow unceasingly, endlessly. That is to say, this vow is longer lasting than space, longer lasting than the world, longer lasting than the limitless, boundless multitude of sentient beings. This is precisely the key reason that Samantabhadra's great vows are honored as the king of vows: the objects of this aspiration are limitless, and its temporal span is eternal.
-
-The content of the Seven-Limbed Practice can be further summarized in three aspects. First, accumulating merit: the five limbs of homage, offering, rejoicing, requesting the Dharma, and beseeching the buddhas to remain. Second, purifying obstacles: the limb of confession. Third, causing merit to grow vast and never diminish: the limb of dedication. The mind is the soil in which merit grows. Only in the limitless field of the mind can we perfect the boundless provisions needed for buddhahood. If the mind is narrow, it is like a tiny plot of land---however diligently and strenuously we cultivate it, the harvested fruit will be extremely limited. In studying "The Practices and Vows," we must translate the bodhisattva's boundless power of vows into our own mental activity, thinking as Samantabhadra Bodhisattva thinks and acting as Samantabhadra Bodhisattva acts, making this the ultimate goal of our lives. In that way, at this very moment we can connect with Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and with all buddhas of the ten directions.
-
-With regard to the above verses, we should understand their meaning, reflect on them properly, and recite them slowly with utmost sincerity and earnestness.
-
-{#四菩提心与出离心}
-## IV. Bodhicitta and Renunciation
-
-People come to Buddhist practice for different reasons and with different aims. But the only correct motivations are renunciation and bodhicitta. Śrāvaka practitioners arouse renunciation and accomplish liberation; Mahayana practitioners arouse bodhicitta and accomplish buddhahood. Any other motivation is not the right path. So, do these two kinds of motivation have an inner connection? In other words, do Mahayana practitioners also need to generate renunciation?
-
-{#解脱为本出离心为先}
-### 1. Liberation as Foundation, Renunciation as First Step
-
-In the *Stages of the Path*, Je Tsongkhapa distills the Mahayana Dharma's essential framework into the three principal aspects of the path: renunciation, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. He explicitly states that renunciation is the prerequisite for the arising of bodhicitta. The text says: "Those who are controlled by delusion and karma and wander in cyclic existence, oppressed by manifold sufferings---they cannot even accomplish their own welfare, let alone the welfare of others. This is the door to all decline and loss. Bodhisattvas should feel even stronger revulsion toward this and eradicate it than the followers of the lesser vehicle do."
-
-If we ourselves lack the capacity for renunciation and liberation, if our delusion and karma remain unresolved, then we cannot even benefit ourselves---how could we possibly benefit others, benefit limitless sentient beings? So bodhisattvas likewise need to generate renunciation, and even more strongly than śrāvakas. Without a genuine awareness of the suffering of samsara, without an urgent wish to be free of it, so-called bodhicitta will ultimately be reduced to a slogan, shallow and insincere. If we are content with our present situation and have no wish to leave it behind, yet we say that we "vow to lead all sentient beings to liberation"---isn't that an empty falsehood, deceiving both ourselves and others?
-
-In the same text, Je Tsongkhapa goes on to tell us: "Only after one has sought to emerge from cyclic existence can one, seeing that sentient beings are one's own relatives, arouse bodhicitta for their sake." Only on the basis of seeking personal liberation can we go further and aspire to lead all sentient beings to liberation together. Liberation is the very foundation of the Buddhadharma. We could say that Buddhist practice exists to seek liberation, and spiritual cultivation exists to accomplish liberation. Thus, renunciation forms the common foundation for all practices. But for practitioners of the bodhisattva path, personal liberation alone is not enough. We must extend this to others, seeing all sentient beings suffering in samsara and extending this renunciation to every one of them, guiding them to liberation together. In this sense, bodhicitta is precisely the extension and perfection of renunciation. In other words, the two paths share the same starting point; only the endpoint differs.
-
-How can we lead sentient beings to liberation? Passion alone is clearly not enough. Strictly speaking, we must have the experience and capacity for liberation. At the very least, we must understand the principles of liberation. Otherwise, how can we serve as a guide for sentient beings? If we ourselves are blind people who cannot tell directions, yet we want to lead the masses along a rugged mountain path full of thorns, forks, and obstacles, that is merely foolhardy courage---a foolish act that benefits neither ourselves nor others, and it is certainly not what the Buddha advocated. Therefore, before cultivating bodhicitta, we must first arouse renunciation and practice the path to liberation.
-
-So what is renunciation? It is the wish to leave samsara behind. Its standard as a mental state is to no longer harbor any expectation of or attachment to the splendors of cyclic existence. But in this age of unprecedented material abundance, people have created far too many temptations that numb body and mind, causing the mind to indulge in them and become unable to free itself. So although modern people feel very tired, crushed under unbearable pressure, they mostly do not feel that life is too painful. For there is always some new stimulus to deflect the pain, always some fleeting satisfaction from material desire to dilute it, driving us to exhaust ourselves chasing phantom joys, growing numb by the day through the stimulation of various cravings. The result is a progressive loss of our capacity to even feel suffering.
-
-Some may wonder: why should we "seek out suffering"? Why should we feel what everyone tries so hard to avoid? We must understand that this sensitivity is actually a protective mechanism for life. Just as we need regular health check-ups to detect illness early and seize the moment for treatment, so too we must maintain awareness of suffering in order to locate its source and address it in time. Otherwise, once the disease has reached a critical stage, everything will be too late.
-
-How can we awaken from this numbness? We need to contemplate death and impermanence constantly, and contemplate the suffering of samsara. For death is an outcome that life cannot escape, and samsara is the track from which ordinary beings cannot break free. Only by facing this reality squarely can we know what is of true value to our lives and what is the most urgent task before us.
-
-(1) Contemplating Death and Impermanence
-
-People tend to unconsciously avoid the topic of death, unwilling to think about it, still less to speak of it, as though this could somehow leave death behind. But in truth, can we escape it? Where exactly does that death we were born with lie in wait for us? The *Stages of the Path* gives us three angles from which to contemplate this.
-
-First, contemplate that the Lord of Death will surely come and no one can stop him. From ancient times to the present, whether king or beggar, whether strong or weak, who has escaped this ending? There is no need to speak of those in the past---even these lively people before our eyes, these lives that speak and move and seem to possess boundless energy, within at most a hundred years will report to another world. During this time, our lifespan never increases; it only decreases day by day. If we compare birth to the starting point of life, then from the very moment we arrived in this world, we have been walking at every instant toward death, the final destination. With each passing day, with each added year, we draw closer to that endpoint. In other words, the time remaining likewise dwindles, just as the *Dhammapada* says: "This day is already past; life diminishes with it. Like fish in dwindling water---what joy is there in this?"
-
-Second, contemplate that the time of death is uncertain. When we are healthy and alive, we always assume that life will remain strong and enduring. In truth, human life is no more than an in-breath and an out-breath---if the breath does not come, the turning of one breath is the next life. In this world, every time we take a breath, someone has stopped breathing; every time our heart beats, someone's heart has stopped beating. Among them are those who have lived out their natural span, but also many who die young or meet sudden, violent deaths. Even if we are young and healthy now, seemingly with a long life ahead to enjoy, no one can guarantee what will happen tomorrow, or even in the next moment. In fact, the Lord of Death is waiting at our side at all times, ready to arrive uninvited.
-
-Third, contemplate that at the time of death, nothing but the Dharma is of any help. When death arrives, which of the things we now cling to---family, status, wealth---can do anything? Can a harmonious family prevent us from dying? Can abundant resources prevent us from dying? Can a high position prevent us from dying? In fact, there is nothing in this world that we can trade with the Lord of Death. Worse still, all of these things will instead make us feel all kinds of reluctance, bringing even more suffering. For most people, the more they own, the more they cling to. And this ownership and attachment become obstacles at the moment of death. On one side, there is the nostalgia for what was once possessed; on the other, the terror of losing everything. But the Lord of Death will not grant us any leniency just because we are nostalgic or afraid. Even worse, such nostalgia and fear often rob us of our final chance to summon right mindfulness. The result: with no other choice, we drift helplessly along with our karma.
-
-By constantly recollecting death from these three angles, we will recognize the impermanent, illusory nature of the world, and thereby reduce our cravings and arouse the wish to be free. Thus, contemplating death is a crucial support for giving rise to renunciation.
-
-(2) Contemplating the Suffering of Samsara
-
-Sentient beings circulate endlessly among the six realms of existence, bobbing up and down without autonomy, filled with every kind of suffering. The Buddhist texts mainly summarize this as the eight sufferings and the six sufferings. If we can thoroughly penetrate the nature of samsara, we will not be fooled by the glamorous illusions it puts on display. So we need to reflect repeatedly upon the suffering of samsara.
-
-The eight sufferings are: the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of being separated from what we love, the suffering of not getting what we seek, the suffering of encountering what we hate, and the suffering of the blazing five aggregates. First of all, we have no control over birth, aging, illness, and death. From the very day we were cast into this world by karma, we have busied ourselves day after day for the sake of this body---finding food when hungry, finding clothes when cold. We do not want to grow old, yet old age draws near; we do not want to fall ill, yet illness besets us; we do not want to die, yet we have no choice. Which of these is not the opposite of what we wish? Which is an outcome we would gladly see? Beyond the burdens of the body, there are also the pain of being separated across vast distances from those we love (separation from the beloved), the pain of narrow encounters with those we detest (meeting the hated), and the pain of being unable to obtain all that we seek (not getting what we want). These sufferings are ones we have all experienced, are experiencing, and will continue to experience. Even if we isolate ourselves from the world, our minds can still manufacture affliction on their own---this is the suffering of the blazing five aggregates. Why do people, beyond meeting their basic survival needs, keep busying themselves without pause? The reason is that there are too many desires, too much mental rubbish, too many emotions within, keeping body and mind in constant, uncontrollable turmoil.
-
-Beyond the eight sufferings, the *Suhrllekha* also summarizes the suffering of samsara in six points.
-
-First, there is no certainty. In samsara, sometimes we are reborn in the heavens enjoying bliss, and sometimes we plunge into the hell realms. Whatever karma ripens, we follow that karma into rebirth---we cannot choose, and yet we are helpless.
-
-Second, there is no knowing satisfaction. Spurred by ignorance, sentient beings keep generating new demands. Especially today, many desires have been indulged beyond all restraint. In order to satisfy ever more wants, people grow ever busier and ever more blind, having long lost sight of what these desires really are. The things they pour the most energy into are often not what life actually needs, but pursuits drummed up by society's prodding. In other words, what we trade away our lives for are merely things we could do perfectly well without. Think about it carefully---what a terribly unequal transaction this is.
-
-Third and fourth, we repeatedly abandon our bodies and repeatedly take rebirth. We fear death, yet we continually go through the anguish of parting from loved ones at death, and ceaselessly shuttle between dying and being reborn. When we don't want to die, we have no say; where we don't want to go, we likewise have no say. Not to mention rebirth---even the career we choose right now or the environment we come into contact with is often beyond our power to decide.
-
-Fifth, we are repeatedly high and low---our status rises and falls unpredictably, in constant flux. Amid such turbulence and change, suffering is unavoidable.
-
-Sixth, we journey alone. People all fear loneliness, which is why they form families and seek emotional solace. But when we must leave this world, we invariably set out alone. Even blood relatives cannot walk hand in hand with us. Of course, if deep karmic connections bind us, we may meet again in the future. But for a certain stretch of time, we will certainly be solitary, with no one at our side.
-
-Contemplating death and impermanence, and the faults of samsara, is not meant to plunge us into despair or suffering. It is meant to remind us: nothing before us is reliable. Otherwise, we remain in habitual numbness, assuming that we can go on like this forever. Once circumstances change, suffering follows immediately. In everyday life, we often see people whose careers are booming suddenly diagnosed with an incurable illness. They become flustered, at a loss. That is because we spend our whole lives busy with the matters right in front of us, but never make any preparation for the death that is certain to come, never make any arrangement for life's final destination. We must realize that the human life we now possess is the only chance we have to change our destiny. If we fail to put to use the value that this identity holds, if we fail to use this human life---so hard to obtain and so easy to lose---for spiritual practice, then once death arrives, we will continue to wander in samsara, and it will be too late for regret.
-
-{#菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满}
-### 2. Bodhicitta as the Extension and Perfection of Renunciation
-
-As practitioners of the bodhisattva path, on the basis of having generated renunciation, we must go further and arouse bodhicitta, expanding the mind that seeks liberation from just ourselves to include all sentient beings. Thus, whether we arouse renunciation or bodhicitta, the goal is to accomplish liberation---this is the fundamental and only goal. It is not as though there is some liberation that is higher or more ultimate beyond this liberation.
-
-The difference between the two lies solely in their objects. Renunciation is oriented toward personal liberation, while bodhicitta is oriented toward all sentient beings, vowing to achieve liberation together with them. Buddhism holds that, at the ultimate level, "mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are without distinction." That is to say, the individual and all sentient beings are one. Only through the mistaken construct of self-attachment have we created the division of self and other and set them in opposition. Once we let go of this mistaken construct, benefiting others becomes a conscious rather than a reluctant choice, an active rather than a passive act.
-
-In this sense, bodhicitta is the extension and perfection of renunciation. Merely arousing renunciation can only accomplish personal liberation. Only by leaving samsara together with all sentient beings can we accomplish the quality of perfect wisdom and compassion that the Buddha embodies.
-
-{#五发起愿菩提心}
-## V. Generating Aspiring Bodhicitta
-
-Aspiring bodhicitta is the wish to "help all sentient beings leave samsara." For ordinary beings, this wish does not arise easily. We could say that we have never truly had such a wish before. Of course, this does not mean we have never helped others. In fact, nearly everyone has performed altruistic acts to varying degrees, whether actively or passively---the difference lies only in how many beings are included. Yet no matter how wide the range of beings we are willing to help, we can never extend it to all, because the mental foundation of ordinary beings is inherently limited and pervaded by inequality.
-
-When we face sentient beings, we make distinctions between self and other, between nations, between races, between friend and foe. We will like some, dislike others, and be completely indifferent to most, staying unaware of their existence. On such a mental foundation, bodhicitta is hard to bring forth. Just as sowing seeds requires a fertile field, we also need to create a mental environment suitable for the seed of bodhi, so that it can take root, sprout, and gradually ripen. The Buddhist texts provide two lines of approach for generating bodhicitta: the Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect, and exchanging self and others.
-
-{#七因果}
-### 1. The Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect
-
-The Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect practice comes from Master Atiśa's *Bodhipathapradīpa*. The "seven points" are seven links in the process of generating bodhicitta: recognizing all beings as having been our mothers, recollecting their kindness, repaying their kindness, cultivating loving-kindness, cultivating compassion, generating the extraordinary attitude, and arousing bodhicitta. These steps form a progressively unfolding causal chain, guiding us to give rise to an impartial mind of affectionate regard toward all sentient beings. "Affectionate regard" is what we usually call a sense of goodwill. What is the greatest obstacle to arousing bodhicitta? It is the feeling that those sentient beings have nothing to do with me. Sentient beings are sentient beings, I am I; their suffering and even their life and death are none of my concern. And toward those we do not feel goodwill for, not only do we lack the wish to benefit them, we may even build our own happiness on their suffering, gloating and clapping our hands when they encounter hardship. What utterly misguided behavior this is! The Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect practice guides us to recognize anew our relationship with all sentient beings. Once we establish that connection, we can gradually develop goodwill, and eventually feel their suffering as our own. The practice of the Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect can be carried out through four steps.
-
-> Step one: contemplate equanimity, generating a mind of impartiality toward all sentient beings.
-
-Because of their likes and dislikes, ordinary beings are perpetually in a state of inequality. Even when compassion arises, it is partial and selective. But bodhicitta is impartial and non-discriminating, so we must let go of our existing preferences and aversions. For these preferences and aversions arise from the mind's confused sensations and are determined by various karmic conditions. From the perspective of samsara, the close relatives of past lives have long since become strangers; the family and friends of this present life have merely come together through a convergence of causes and conditions. Once those conditions disperse, we will each go our separate ways---there is nothing fixed or substantial here. In addition, certain likes and dislikes are connected to our moods: when we feel happy, everyone looks agreeable; when we are down, everyone seems annoying. Other likes and dislikes are connected to interests: shared interests may give rise to goodwill toward certain people, but once the relationship changes, the feeling changes with it.
-
-Recognizing that our preferences and aversions are illusory, we should not cling to them, be deceived by them, or be swayed by them. This contemplation should be practiced not only on the meditation seat but also applied off the seat. When we regard all sentient beings with impartiality, we can counteract the greed and anger that arise from personal likes and dislikes, and nurture the unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion that sees all beings as one that characterize the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-> Step two: contemplate all sentient beings as having been our mothers, cultivating goodwill toward them.
-
-The Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect practice begins by viewing all sentient beings as our own mothers. In fact, Confucianism has a similar idea: "Within the four seas, all are brothers." But people today, influenced by materialism, find this notion hard to accept. They feel that a mother is one unique person, non-interchangeable and non-substitutable---how could she be related to countless millions of sentient beings? From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, however, relationships between people are not limited to this present life; they extend across endless cycles of samsara. I sometimes think of the six realms as an enormous blender, and we are the tiny grains of sand tossed within it, in the ceaseless churning of endless rebirth, coming together now and separating now. So these relationships are by no means a single linear genealogy---they are intricate and complex, full of infinite possibilities, including the possibility of being flesh-and-blood family. If we can regard sentient beings with this mindset, then when we meet anyone---indeed, any living being---we will not feel estranged just because they seem to have nothing to do with us.
-
-Once we have formed this view, we need to keep consolidating it. On the one hand, we should spend some time each day visualizing on the meditation seat until it becomes a settled conviction. On the other hand, we should apply it continuously in daily life. Whenever we meet any sentient being, we remind ourselves: here is a family member I lost long ago in the vastness of samsara, and now at last we have met again. I will do all I can to help them leave suffering and find happiness. Of course, given our current mental state, it is genuinely difficult to view all sentient beings as our mothers. It may feel forced, requiring great effort to convince ourselves. But this is not a problem, because all views are cultivated step by step. The key is to accept this view and reinforce it repeatedly.
-
-> Step three: toward these mother-like sentient beings, generate the mind of recollecting kindness and repaying kindness.
-
-Once we recognize that all sentient beings have been our mothers, we must further contemplate a mother's kindness. Modern society does not emphasize filial education, so many people have no idea of recollecting kindness and have never considered just how much their mother has given them. Consider: without our mother's ten months of pregnancy and painstaking nurturing, we could never have come into this world, still less grown to adulthood. From this perspective, everything we have today is inseparable from our mother. Even if we offered our whole being in return, it could scarcely match the kindness of giving us life and raising us.
-
-In addition, we can contemplate the kindness of sentient beings from another angle. For we do not live in isolation in this world. We need our parents to raise us, teachers to instruct us, and even after reaching adulthood, we remain dependent on what the wider community provides. Otherwise, we would have to grow our own food, weave our own cloth, and manufacture everything needed for daily life. Just for the basic needs of clothing, food, shelter, and transport each day, how much help, how much sacrifice, have we received from sentient beings? So every sentient being is someone to whom we owe gratitude, someone we should repay with a grateful heart.
-
-Modern people pay a great deal of attention to the feeling of "self." But from the perspective of the Buddhadharma, this "self" is nothing but a colossal, thoroughly fabricated scam. Misled by this feeling, people easily set themselves against the world and even regard every person as a potential enemy, leading to loneliness, withdrawal, depression, and other psychological disorders. If we shift our perspective and consider that everyone has shown us kindness, that the whole world is serving us, then no one we meet will feel like a stranger.
-
-So we should frequently remind ourselves to rest the mind steadily in gratitude. Whenever this feeling grows dim, we must reinforce it through analytical meditation: contemplate the kindness that sentient beings have shown us---contemplate until the mind of gratitude arises, then rest in it. In this process, analytical meditation and stabilizing meditation should alternate. Use analytical meditation to evoke gratitude, then use stabilizing meditation to hold it steady and sustain it. In the early stages of practice, this feeling cannot be sustained for long; it will gradually fade, move to the periphery, and be displaced by other mental states. That calls for evoking it again. Through repeated evocation and stabilization, the mental state will gradually become steady and ultimately reach a level of spontaneous ease.
-
-Once we have aroused gratitude on the meditation seat, we must extend this mental state into our post-meditation practice, continuously applying it in daily life so that it becomes consolidated and grows. From the perspective of phenomena, we all live in the same world. But in fact, we each live in our own separate worlds. Because our views and mental states differ, because our angles of observation differ, the world we each see is different. If we can keep a sense of gratitude in our hearts at all times, we will dwell in a world of gratitude, a world of joy.
-
-> Step four: contemplate how mother-like sentient beings are suffering in samsara, and generate compassion.
-
-Loving-kindness is the wish to give happiness; compassion is the wish to remove suffering. The arising of loving-kindness and compassion is inseparable from the contemplations of recollecting kindness and repaying kindness. Why are we so indifferent to the suffering of sentient beings? Most of the time, it is because we feel they have nothing to do with us. If our own parents and dearest ones were suffering, could we bear to turn a blind eye? Could we bear not to ask or care? So reflecting on this relationship is extremely important. We must contemplate that mother-like sentient beings are suffering in samsara---suffering of the body, suffering of the mind, and the double torment of body and mind. Amid layer upon layer of endless suffering, they are all trying to avoid pain and seek happiness. This is in fact the instinct of all living things and the driving force of human civilization. But because people's self-understanding is insufficient, such solutions usually offer only temporary relief and rarely achieve real effectiveness. The giving of happiness and removal of suffering spoken of in the Buddhadharma aims not only to give sentient beings temporary well-being, but to give them ultimate benefit; not only to relieve the suffering before their eyes, but to eliminate the very source that produces that suffering.
-
-We should not only contemplate the suffering of sentient beings on the meditation seat, but go out and observe it off the seat as well: go to hospitals, to orphanages, to slums, to food markets, to all the places where countless beings are suffering. Do this until we personally feel the suffering of sentient beings and our compassion is aroused, until we vow to take benefiting sentient beings as our mission. Only when compassion reaches this degree can we be said to have entered bodhicitta. If we merely feel a flicker of sympathy when we chance to see something, then sigh and forget it the moment we turn away, there is still a great distance to bodhicitta. For bodhicitta is the noble aspiration to "liberate all sentient beings and benefit all sentient beings," and the commitment to treat this aspiration as a non-negotiable responsibility in this life. Śrāvakas also cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; they also teach the Dharma and liberate beings. Why, then, is their aspiration not called bodhicitta? Precisely because they lack this sense of commitment, this courage of "who, if not me?"
-
-In truth, everyone has some measure of compassion. But our compassion is narrow---it is differentiated and ranked according to the closeness of our relationships and our personal likes and dislikes. In the state of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, however, there is no sentient being they are unwilling to benefit, and no sentient being who is not an object of their compassion. As vast as the universe is, as vast as the Dharma realm is, so vast is the compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Such compassion is founded on emptiness, which is why it pervades all times and all places. How can we reach such a state? We need to keep opening the scope of the mind, from holding only ourselves, or a few individuals, to a hundred or so, and then to tens of thousands, even millions; from including those we like, to those we feel indifferent toward, to those we dislike; from including humans, to including all animals, and ultimately all sentient beings.
-
-This expansion is also, at the same time, the dismantling of the narrow constructs of self-attachment. All boundaries in the world are artificial. It is precisely these constructs that carve the mind---which could hold the whole of space---into narrow, confined rooms. And once constructs are in place, they further lead to opposition, conflict, and even war. All conflicts in this world are the result of such self-created constructs. What spiritual practice does is dismantle these constructs one by one, restoring the mind to its original state, restoring the mind to its limitlessness. This is why the great masters of every generation have taken "The Practices and Vows" as a preliminary for cultivating bodhicitta: the contemplative principles it sets forth use space as the reference and the Dharma realm as the object. In this way, we can directly simulate the characteristic mental activity of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-Compassion and bodhicitta are mutually reinforcing, just as "The Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva" says: "All tathagatas take great compassion as their essence. It is because of sentient beings that great compassion arises; it is because of great compassion that bodhicitta arises; and it is because of bodhicitta that one attains perfect awakening." What is the essence of the buddhas and bodhisattvas? What is the life quality of the buddhas and bodhisattvas? It is precisely great compassion, limitless and encompassing all sentient beings. On this basis, bodhicitta can arise further. And from another angle, bodhicitta can in turn infinitely expand compassion, ultimately bringing about the perfect great compassion of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-{#自他相换}
-### 2. Exchanging Self and Others
-
-The practice of exchanging self and others comes from Bodhisattva Śāntideva's *Bodhicaryāvatāra*. It is the practice of turning the mind that cherishes oneself toward all sentient beings, and turning the mind that disregards sentient beings toward oneself. In the process of arousing bodhicitta and practicing the path of benefiting others, the greatest obstacle is none other than that deep-rooted, endlessly cunning self-attachment. Exchanging self and others happens to be a particularly powerful Dharma gate that directly counteracts self-attachment.
-
-When we suffer even a minor ache or pain, we find it nearly unbearable and treat it as a major crisis, yet we remain indifferent to the life and death of sentient beings. Because we care only about ourselves, and feel that only we are important. This sense of self-importance is self-attachment. When the heart is entirely occupied by the self, it naturally remains closed to sentient beings, unable to connect with them. In that case, how can we possibly feel what they feel? How can we share their joys and sorrows? Yet the practice of bodhicitta calls for benefiting all sentient beings, which means we must destroy self-attachment and take sentient beings into our hearts, intimately experiencing their happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy, and feeling their true needs. The practice of exchanging self and others can also be carried out through four steps.
-
-> Step one: contemplate the equality of self and others, dissolving the distinction between them.
-
-This is the prerequisite for practicing the Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect. If we maintain a strong sense of opposition between self and other, we will be unable to cultivate impartial compassion. We must first recognize that so-called self and other are merely artificial constructs, labels we have added. Essentially, we and all sentient beings are equal and without distinction. Only with this mental foundation can we possibly cultivate vast compassion.
-
-> Step two: contemplate the many faults of self-attachment, thereby counteracting this ingrained tendency.
-
-Sentient beings are perpetually concerned with themselves, caring about themselves. But what does this feeling actually mean for us? Has this self-concern brought peace to our minds? Has it brought happiness to our lives? We care only about ourselves, and likewise, others care only about their own feelings. If everyone clings to the self, then feelings clash with feelings, creating opposition.
-
-Thus, self-attachment is the root of all affliction. Because I like, I want to possess; because I dislike, I want to resist. This keeps us perpetually oscillating between craving and aversion, and the suffering they bring. At the same time, self-attachment also gives rise to such tendencies as pride: always feeling superior to others, putting on airs of superiority and arrogance. Naturally, people are unwilling to associate with such a person, making it hard to build harmonious relationships. Further, self-attachment leads to unscrupulous behavior---to protect personal interests, one will not hesitate to harm others and commit wrongdoings. We can say that self-attachment is the root of every harmful act in this world, and even of crime.
-
-Someone may protest: "If I don't love myself, don't care about myself, how can I go about living?" The truth is, without self-attachment, it does not stop you from eating, from walking, or from interacting with others. Everything can still proceed normally. But life becomes simpler and healthier because of it. On the other hand, once the stamp of "self" is added, everything becomes complicated and distorted, making us worry about gains and losses, constantly afraid that this "I" is being shortchanged or taken advantage of.
-
-Well then, what exactly is this "self" that we love, this "self" for which we scheme and labor with such intensity? Most people actually have no idea. Observed through the lens of the Buddhadharma, our present life-form is a composite of the five aggregates: the aggregate of form, which is the material component, and the aggregates of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, which are the mental components. The physical body is formed from the genetic endowment of our parents combined with the nourishment of food and drink. But from the very instant consciousness enters the womb, we take these material elements to be "I" and cling to them relentlessly. Our present emotions and ideas are even more clearly not inborn; they are accumulated throughout the process of growing up. Among all these raw materials, which one can be said to belong to "me"? Which one has a fixed, unchanging nature?
-
-Life is akin to a system. We always assume that everything expressed by that system represents "me." When we get angry, we think it is "I" who is angry. And since it is the inviolable "I" who is angry, it seems quite necessary to let this anger burn stronger, last longer, and draw more attention. When we want to obtain something, we do not consider whether the desire is healthy or beneficial; as long as "I" want it, I should get it. Once we get it, we then think of surpassing others, without considering whether such demands are realistic or beneficial. Many of our negative emotions are like tumors of the mind. When a physical tumor appears, we try every means to consult doctors, seek medicine, and actively pursue treatment. But when a tumor grows in the mind, we often look at it as though seeing nothing at all---as if it were an inborn part of us, a reasonable and natural presence. Too often, we even supply nourishment to this tumor, allowing it to keep growing and swelling.
-
-The selflessness taught in the Buddhadharma helps us break free from the mistaken attachment to "I." When we can observe with the wisdom of prajñā, we discover that the five aggregates are merely a tool formed through the convergence of causes and conditions. We can use it to work, to cultivate the path, to serve sentient beings, and to accomplish every merit of both the mundane and supramundane worlds. To make better use of this tool, we need to promptly eliminate all malfunctions that appear in the system---physical as well as psychological---so that it can perform at its best. Yet many people, through misuse, end up becoming slaves to the tool, swayed by the various confused sensations of the "self." To practice selflessness, we must first view this system as an object. When thoughts arise, instead of plunging headlong into them, we take them as objects of observation, just as we observe a book we are reading or a film we are watching. Every thought that arises is clearly known, yet we do not get caught up in it. A life lived this way becomes transcendent through letting go, free through non-abiding. So we can live perfectly well without self-attachment---and indeed, we can live far better.
-
-> Step three: contemplate the benefits of loving others, giving rise to the mind that cherishes others.
-
-Some may ask: "Why should I love others? Why should I arouse bodhicitta? What benefit does arousing it bring me?" This is in fact a major obstacle that keeps many people from wanting to benefit others. For ordinary beings, benefit is an important reference for making judgments and choices. When something brings benefit, people flock to it even without being asked; when something does not, it is hard to get anyone to do it willingly, no matter how much you urge. So we need contemplative practice to realize just what benefits cherishing sentient beings can actually bring us. Once we understand this, loving others becomes our active choice. Think of investors---why are they willing, even eager, to put money in? Precisely because they understand that only a temporary outlay can bring a rich return. So what exactly are the benefits of loving others?
-
-If we cherish sentient beings, we will not commit such negative acts as killing and stealing, and we will avoid the harmful consequences these bring. If we cherish sentient beings, we will practice such virtues as generosity and patience, drawing forth the happy results of the future. If we cherish sentient beings, we will also receive their goodwill and help in return, building positive relationships. If we cherish sentient beings, we will sincerely rejoice in others' achievements instead of triggering jealousy, resentment, and other unhealthy states, and thus we will be joyful and at ease at all times. If we truly implement cherishing and benefiting others in our mental activity, compassion will increase day by day, ultimately bringing to perfection the qualities of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is the greatest and most ultimate benefit in the world.
-
-Once we recognize the significance of caring for sentient beings, we must let the mind rest in this state for extended periods, and bring this state into our daily lives. For benefiting others is not a slogan---it cannot be accomplished merely by talking or thinking about it. It must be put into action, so that sentient beings can actually benefit from it. At the same time, through altruistic deeds, we consolidate our loving-kindness and nurture our compassionate aspirations.
-
-> Step four: contemplate the benefits of exchanging self and others, and practice exchanging self and others.
-
-Exchanging self and others means swapping the objects we now cherish and disregard. Ordinarily, people treat themselves with cherishing and concern, and treat sentient beings with indifference and neglect. The practice of bodhicitta is to turn this mind that cherishes oneself toward cherishing all sentient beings, and to turn the mind that disregards sentient beings toward letting go of one's own sense of importance. In other words, we switch the positions we give to ourselves and to sentient beings in our hearts.
-
-Of course, this exchange is not easy to carry out. We all have an instinct for self-protection. The moment this protective mechanism is touched, self-attachment will manufacture countless obstacles---direct resistance, indirect excuses, and even all manner of high-sounding justifications that let us continue guarding the territory of "self" with a clear conscience. How can we counteract this? Again, we need to begin by adjusting our views, by reflecting on the faults of self-attachment and the benefits of altruism.
-
-The *Stages of the Path* tells us: "Self-attachment is the door to all decline and loss; benefiting others is the root of all merits." All the evil, suffering, and affliction in the world arise from selfishness, from the mistaken attachment to self. And all the benefit, merit, and joy arise from benefiting others, from unconditionally helping sentient beings. In life, we can observe that the more people care about themselves, the less happy they are. For they always feel they are getting the short end of the stick, always feel they have suffered losses, always feel they haven't grabbed enough advantage. Caught in this warped cycle of thinking, how could they ever be happy? Conversely, why can the buddhas and bodhisattvas accomplish boundless merit? Precisely because they have no self in their hearts---only sentient beings. As the saying goes, "A heart without selfishness is as wide as heaven and earth." When we let go of the "self," we do not lose anything; instead, we gain the whole world.
-
-Having recognized the faults of self-attachment and the merits of altruism, do we still want to continue in affliction? Do we not wish to accomplish the boundless merit of the buddhas and bodhisattvas? This calls for adjusting our mental activity. On the one hand, shift the object of our cherishing to all sentient beings, rather than that long-pampered "self." For such cherishing merely provides more nourishment for affliction, making it stronger and more stubborn. On the other hand, turn the indifference we once directed at sentient beings toward ourselves. This does not mean we stop caring for our physical and mental health, but that we no longer indulge the "self's" various schemes and demands, giving it no opportunities to exploit and no food with which to grow and swell. Over time, this "self," starved of sustenance, will gradually wither, losing the energy to stir up trouble.
-
-The practice of exchanging self and others destroys self-attachment from both sides. For self-attachment and altruism are opponents in a zero-sum game: as one rises, the other falls. When self-attachment is strong, it is very difficult to summon the mind of altruism. Conversely, when we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to benefiting others, self-attachment has few chances to appear on stage. This is why both Indian and Tibetan traditions place great emphasis on exchanging self and others. Beyond seated meditation, we must put it into practice off the seat as well. Regard this body of the five aggregates as an altruistic tool---rare to obtain and easy to lose---and use it to widely practice the six pāramitās and benefit all beings.
-
-{#六受持愿菩提心}
-## VI. Upholding Aspiring Bodhicitta
-
-After we arouse aspiring bodhicitta through contemplation of the Seven-Point Cause-and-Effect and exchanging self and others, in order to consolidate this aspiration, we must take a vow before all buddhas of the ten directions and all sentient beings of the six realms---that is, we receive the bodhicitta precepts. This is not merely a ceremony; it is a solemn commitment before all buddhas and a solemn commitment before all sentient beings. Once we have made this commitment, we have no grounds for finding excuses. Otherwise, the greatest trait of the ordinary mind is being clever at finding excuses. Whenever there is something we do not feel like doing, whenever something conflicts with the "self," we can always come up with plenty of reasons. The function of taking the vow is, on the one hand, to strengthen the aspiration, and on the other, to cut off the escape route of retreat.
-
-Chinese Buddhism is Mahayana, and many people consider it an honor to receive the bodhisattva precepts. But let us ask ourselves: have we actually aroused bodhicitta? Are we actually cultivating compassion? If we have neither aroused bodhicitta nor cultivated compassion, what sort of bodhisattva are we? We are not even a clay bodhisattva. When receiving the bodhisattva precepts, the preceptor will ask: "Are you a bodhisattva? Have you aroused bodhicitta?" If our answer is no, we are not qualified to receive the bodhisattva precepts.
-
-{#传统依据}
-### 1. Traditional Basis
-
-The true meaning of being a bodhisattva lies in compassion and wisdom. This is why both the Indian and Tibetan traditions contain records of conferring the bodhicitta precepts. By upholding aspiring bodhicitta, we establish the wish "to benefit all sentient beings" and "to help all sentient beings gain liberation from samsara" as the goal of our lives.
-
-The *Yogacarabhumi*, "Chapter on Generating the Aspiration," says: "Moreover, when bodhisattvas generate the correct aspirational mind and seek bodhi, they give rise to such a mind and speak such words: 'May I definitely realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and may I accomplish all that is meaningful and beneficial for sentient beings, ultimately establishing them securely in final nirvana and in the vast wisdom of the tathagatas.'" When bodhisattvas wish to arouse bodhicitta, they must make this vow: may I in the future realize unsurpassed perfect bodhi, always abide in the vast wisdom of the tathagatas, and thereby benefit all sentient beings.
-
-The *Prakaranaryavaca-sastra* also tells us: "Conventional generation of the aspiration: a certain person, standing respectfully before a wise one, gives rise to a superior intention and makes this vow: 'Venerable one, please bear witness (or: Noble one, please bear witness; or: Upadhyaya), I, so-and-so, from this day forth arouse the mind for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, wishing to benefit all sentient beings. Henceforth, whatever generosity, ethical discipline, patience, right effort, meditative concentration, and wisdom I cultivate shall all be for the realization of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.'"
-
-Conventional generation of the aspiration refers to aspiring bodhicitta. When generating the aspiration, one must request a qualified bodhisattva to serve as witness and, with utmost sincerity, make this vow: "I, so-and-so, from this day forward, for the sake of benefiting sentient beings, arouse the mind for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. From now on, all virtuous practices I cultivate---generosity and the other pāramitās---are for the accomplishment of unsurpassed buddhahood." For only by attaining buddhahood can we have greater capacity to help sentient beings and benefit all living creatures---as the verse says, "For the sake of benefiting beings, I vow to attain buddhahood."
-
-Both Gampopa's *Jewel Ornament of Liberation* and Je Tsongkhapa's *Stages of the Path* contain sections on conferring the bodhicitta precepts. Based on these texts, I have also compiled a *Liturgy for Receiving and Upholding the Bodhicitta Precepts*, which includes requesting the preceptor, chanting praises, the preceptor's instructions, inviting the noble assembly, Mahayana refuge, the Seven-Limbed Practice, and the formal conferral of bodhicitta. Before generating the aspiration, one first recites the Mahayana refuge, then uses the Seven-Limbed Practice to open the scope of the mind and create a wholesome mental atmosphere for arousing bodhicitta. After the formal vow, one further makes the Four Great Vows, the universal vows of the bodhisattva path. Next, one chants the praise to Avalokiteśvara and recites Avalokiteśvara's name. Since Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva is the embodiment of compassion, reciting Avalokiteśvara's name is reciting the mind of great compassion. This recitation is not merely taking Avalokiteśvara as an object of reverence, but taking him as a model to learn from. Through recollection, we emulate him and accomplish within ourselves the same great loving-kindness and great compassion as Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Finally, the practitioner, for the swift accomplishment of the buddha path and the benefit of all sentient beings, makes a sincere dedication.
-
-{#正授仪轨}
-### 2. The Conferral Rite
-
-Preparation: In a buddha hall or main hall, clean and sweep thoroughly. Sprinkle with the finest perfumed water, such as sandalwood. Display sacred images of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, as well as sacred texts such as the *Prajñāpāramitā Sutras*. Arrange offerings of incense, flowers, lamps, and fruit in abundance. The seat of the teacher should also be beautifully arranged with flowers and incense. Then invite the noble assembly. Disciples should bathe and wear clean, fresh clothing, join their palms in reverence, and generate sincere faith before the Three Jewels of the ten directions.
-
-> (I) Requesting the Preceptor
-
-The aspirant approaches the preceptor and, seeking aspiring bodhicitta, kneels with palms joined and says:
-
-> Just as the tathagatas, arhats, and perfectly awakened ones of the past, and all great bodhisattvas who have entered the stages, first aroused the mind for unsurpassed, perfect bodhi, so now I, disciple so-and-so, request the acarya to bear witness: I too now arouse the mind for unsurpassed, perfect bodhi. (Three times)
->
-> (II) Chanting the Incense Praise
->
-> As the censer's incense begins to burn, the Dharma realm is suffused with its fragrance. The oceanic assemblies of buddhas all sense it from afar. Everywhere auspicious clouds gather. With utmost sincerity, the buddhas manifest their full presence.
->
-> Homage to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, Cloud of Fragrant Incense. (Three times)
->
-> (III) The Preceptor's Instructions
-
-The preceptor gives teachings on the bodhicitta doctrine and the significance of upholding aspiring bodhicitta.
-
-> (IV) Inviting the Noble Assembly
-
-The preceptor leads the aspirant in reciting, sincerely inviting the Three Jewels of the ten directions to extend their compassionate light:
-
-> With incense and flowers we welcome! With incense and flowers we invite! Disciple so-and-so single-mindedly invokes: all buddhas of the ten directions and three times, filling space and pervading the Dharma realm.
->
-> With incense and flowers we welcome! With incense and flowers we invite! Disciple so-and-so single-mindedly invokes: all sacred Dharma of the ten directions and three times, filling space and pervading the Dharma realm.
->
-> With incense and flowers we welcome! With incense and flowers we invite! Disciple so-and-so single-mindedly invokes: all noble sangha of the ten directions and three times, filling space and pervading the Dharma realm. (Recite three times, with three prostrations)
->
-> (V) Mahayana Refuge
-
-The aspirant recollects the suffering of samsara, recollects the virtues of the Three Jewels, and generates a mind of sincere refuge. The preceptor leads the aspirant in reciting:
-
-> In the Buddha, Dharma, and supreme assembly, I take refuge until I reach bodhi.
->
-> With all the roots of virtue I have cultivated, for the benefit of sentient beings, may I attain buddhahood. (Recite three times, with three prostrations)
->
-> (VI) Practicing the Seven-Limbed Practice
-
-The aspirant practices the Seven-Limbed Practice to accumulate merit, purify obstacles, open the scope of the mind, and create a wholesome mental environment for arousing bodhicitta. The preceptor leads the aspirant in sincere recitation:
-
-> In all the worlds of the ten directions, All lions among humans of the three times,
->
-> With pure body, speech, and mind I pay homage, To every one, without exception.
->
-> Through the majestic power of Samantabhadra's practices and vows, I appear before every tathagata,
->
-> And in body after body, numerous as the atoms of the land, I pay homage to every buddha, numerous as the atoms of the land.
->
-> In a single atom, buddhas numerous as atoms, Each seated amid an assembly of bodhisattvas---
->
-> So it is throughout the endless Dharma realm, And I have deep faith that they all fill it.
->
-> With oceans of every sound, I send forth endless wondrous words,
->
-> And for all eons of the future, I praise the buddhas' vast ocean of virtues.
->
-> With the finest wondrous flower garlands, Music, perfumed ointments, and parasols,
->
-> With the finest adornments of all, I make offerings to all the tathagatas.
->
-> The finest garments, the finest fragrances, Powdered incense, burning incense, lamps, and candles,
->
-> Each heaped as high as wondrous Sumeru, I offer them all to the tathagatas.
->
-> With a mind of vast and deep conviction, I have faith in all buddhas of the three times,
->
-> And through the power of Samantabhadra's practices and vows,
->
-> I make universal offerings to all the tathagatas. All the negative actions I have committed in the past,
->
-> Born of beginningless greed, anger, and ignorance, And produced through body, speech, and mind---
->
-> I now confess each and every one. For all beings in the ten directions,
->
-> The learners and those beyond learning of the two vehicles, For all tathagatas and bodhisattvas,
->
-> I rejoice in every one of their merits. All lamps of the world in the ten directions,
->
-> Those who first attained bodhi, I now request and beseech them all,
->
-> To turn the unsurpassed, wondrous Dharma wheel. When buddhas wish to manifest nirvana,
->
-> I beseech them all with utmost sincerity, Praying that they remain for eons numerous as atoms of the land,
->
-> To bring benefit and joy to every sentient being. All the merit of homage, praise, and offering,
->
-> Beseeching the buddhas to remain and turn the Dharma wheel, Rejoicing and confession, all my roots of virtue---
->
-> I dedicate to sentient beings and the buddha path. And until the worlds of space are exhausted,
->
-> Until sentient beings, their karma, and their afflictions are exhausted, Just as these four are vast and boundless,
->
-> So now may my dedication be. (VII) The Formal Conferral of Aspiring Bodhicitta
-
-The aspirant contemplates how mother-like sentient beings are suffering in the six realms of samsara, and generates a mind of immense compassion. The preceptor leads the aspirant in making this vow before all buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the acarya:
-
-> May all buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions bear witness. May the acarya bear witness: I, disciple so-and-so, in this life and in future lives, whatever roots of virtue---whether of generosity, ethical discipline, or meditative cultivation---whether done by myself, caused others to do, or rejoiced in seeing others do, with these roots of virtue, just as the tathagatas, arhats, and perfectly awakened ones of the past, and all great bodhisattvas abiding on the stages, aroused the mind for unsurpassed, perfect bodhi, so now I, disciple so-and-so, from this moment until I reach bodhi, arouse the mind for unsurpassed, vast, and perfect bodhi. May those not yet liberated be liberated, may those not yet freed be freed, may those not yet relieved of suffering be relieved, may those not yet fully entered into nirvana fully enter nirvana. (Three times)
->
-> (VIII) Making Vows
-
-The aspirant, for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings and accomplishing the buddha path, makes sincere vows:
-
-> Sentient beings are boundless---I vow to liberate them all. Afflictions are endless---I vow to cut them all off.
->
-> Dharma gates are immeasurable---I vow to learn them all. The buddha path is unsurpassed---I vow to accomplish it. (Three times)
->
-> (IX) Chanting the Praise to Avalokiteśvara
-
-Chant the praise verses to Avalokiteśvara and recite his name. To recollect the virtues of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva is to recollect the mind of great compassion.
-
-> The bodhisattva, titled Universal Penetration, was born within a forest of seven gems.
->
-> His wondrous true form with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes sits serenely in his Putuo palace.
->
-> From the tip of his willow branch, sweet dew sprinkles, moistening all beings throughout the Dharma realm.
->
-> On crests of a thousand waves, his spiritual powers shine forth, radiating light upon this Dharma assembly.
->
-> Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, wondrous beyond expression, pure and majestic through eons of practice.
->
-> In thirty-two response-bodies, he pervades worlds numerous as atoms; for countless eons, he transforms the Jambu continent.
->
-> The sweet dew in his vase ever pours forth; the willow in his hand knows not the passing years.
->
-> Wherever a thousand voices pray, a thousand responses appear; on the sea of suffering, he is ever the boat that ferries us across.
->
-> Homage to the greatly compassionate and greatly merciful Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva of the Lapis Lazuli World on Mount Putuo,
->
-> Homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva...
->
-> (X) Dedication
-
-The aspirant, for the swift accomplishment of the buddha path and the benefit of all sentient beings, makes a sincere dedication:
-
-> The merit of generating bodhicitta, an extraordinary practice---all its boundless, excellent blessings I dedicate,
->
-> With the universal wish that all drowning beings swiftly reach the land of the Buddha of Infinite Light.
->
-> All buddhas of the ten directions and three times, all bodhisattva mahasattvas, maha-prajñā-pāramitā.
-
-{#守护菩提心}
-### 3. Safeguarding Bodhicitta
-
-After receiving and upholding aspiring bodhicitta, how do we safeguard this aspiration so that it remains steady and grows? We can practice in three aspects. First, by recollecting the supreme excellence of bodhicitta, deepening it in our understanding. Second, by making the practice of bodhicitta a fixed daily practice, strengthening it in our mental activity. Third, by putting this aspiration into action through altruistic deeds, consolidating it in our conduct.
-
-First, we need to keep recollecting the supreme excellence of bodhicitta. In this regard, two scriptural passages should be read often. One is the "Chapter on Generating the Aspiration" in the *Yogacarabhumi*; the other is Maitreya Bodhisattva's hymn to bodhicitta in the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, "Chapter on Entering the Dharma Realm." These texts can help us recognize just how vast the benefits and majestic power of bodhicitta actually are. By reciting them aloud, taking the meaning to heart, and contemplating in accord with the text, we strengthen our joyful eagerness for and aspiration toward arousing bodhicitta.
-
-Second, practice the bodhicitta liturgy three times a day. The significance of practicing the liturgy is to remind ourselves: what is my aspiration? What is the goal of my life? The ordinary mind is turbulent and chaotic. Without regular reminders, the aspiration we have just brought forth will quickly fade and blur. So we need to nourish this tender seedling of bodhi through daily practice, allowing it to grow strong and become the dominant force within. Only then will our lives not slide into confusion or be disrupted by external temptations. If special circumstances leave no time for the full liturgy, we should at least recite three times: "In the Buddha, Dharma, and supreme assembly, I take refuge until I reach bodhi. Through the merit of hearing, contemplation, and meditation, may I attain buddhahood for the sake of all beings." In short, this practice should be sustained without interruption to achieve the effect of transforming our mental states.
-
-Furthermore, we must integrate this practice with post-meditation conduct. Because bodhicitta takes benefiting sentient beings as its goal, it must be carried out through the six pāramitās and the four means of gathering. It is not something we merely talk about or shout as a slogan. Through concrete altruistic deeds, we not only strengthen the aspiration but also create a standard for checking: do our words and deeds truly match? Are we putting our altruistic wishes into practice?
-
-{#七受菩萨戒}
-## VII. Receiving the Bodhisattva Precepts
-
-Bodhisattva practice is also called engaging bodhicitta. For Dharma practice, though the emphasis is indeed on taming the mind, corresponding conduct is equally indispensable. On the one hand, the aspiration guides our conduct; on the other, conduct gives concrete expression to the aspiration. The two are mutually reinforcing. And what sentient beings directly benefit from is, in the main, the bodhisattva's altruistic practice. So after arousing bodhicitta, we need to go further and engage in bodhisattva practice, so that the aspiration is consolidated and becomes a force that guides the direction of our lives.
-
-The bodhisattva precepts are precisely the regulations that codify altruistic conduct into standardized rules. They consist of three parts: the precepts of restraining misconduct, the precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas, and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings. Among these, the precepts of restraining misconduct correspond to the pratimokṣa precepts of the śrāvaka, with the emphasis on refraining from wrongdoing. The precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings, by contrast, are unique to the bodhisattva precepts, with the emphasis on cultivating virtue. When virtuous conduct takes the form of precepts, it is no longer optional for a bodhisattva practitioner---it becomes a code of conduct that must be followed. This makes bodhisattva practice concrete and gives it a clear structure to follow.
-
-Regarding the content of the bodhisattva precepts, Chinese Buddhism mainly has three systems. One is based on the "Chapter on the Bodhisattva Mind-Ground" of the *Brahmajala Sutra*---the Brahmajala bodhisattva precepts, which are the most widely practiced. Another is based on the *Upasaka Precepts Sutra*---the bodhisattva precepts for lay practitioners. The third is based on the "Bodhisattva Stages" of the *Yogacarabhumi*---the Yogacara bodhisattva precepts, which will be our focus here.
-
-The *Yogacarabhumi* is the foundational treatise of the Mind-Only school, composed by Maitreya Bodhisattva, comprising one hundred fascicles. The treatise extensively explains the objects, paths, and fruits of the three vehicles, and the "Bodhisattva Stages" is one section among them. Maitreya Bodhisattva is the next buddha of this Saha world. Taking into account the faculties of the beings in this world, he distilled from the Buddha's teachings a form of bodhisattva practice suited to our cultivation. The Brahmajala bodhisattva precepts, on the other hand, were spoken by the Buddha Rocana on the thousand-petaled lotus platform to Śākyamuni Buddha and the great bodhisattvas, representing the state of the great bodhisattvas. In comparison, the Yogacara bodhisattva precepts can be said to have been tailor-made for sentient beings of this Saha world. In his time, Master Taixu strongly advocated them. Having long been engaged in teaching Mind-Only studies, I too feel that the Yogacara bodhisattva precepts offer skillful flexibility in what is permitted and prohibited, and are highly practicable.
-
-So what conditions must one fulfill to receive the bodhisattva precepts, and what ceremonies are involved?
-
-{#受者条件}
-### 1. Qualifications of the Recipient
-
-Practitioners who wish to receive the bodhisattva precepts should meet three conditions.
-
-First, they should study the Yogacara bodhisattva precepts, understand what is permitted, what is prohibited, what constitutes a transgression, and what does not, and assess whether they have the capacity to put them into practice. If they feel they cannot yet do so, and have no desire to attempt it, there is no need to rush into receiving them. For receiving and upholding the bodhisattva precepts is meant for cultivating the bodhisattva path. This is a conscious choice, not a task to be completed, and certainly not a display of one's level of practice. If someone thinks that receiving the bodhisattva precepts makes them superior to others, and seeks them only for the sake of showing off, that is a distorted and incorrect motivation.
-
-Second, they should have the foundation of the pratimokṣa precepts. Receiving the bodhicitta precepts only requires having taken refuge in the Three Jewels. But to receive the Yogacara bodhisattva precepts, one needs at least the foundation of the five precepts. For a bodhisattva, if one cannot even observe the precepts against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants, what kind of bodhisattva is that? How could one possibly benefit sentient beings?
-
-Third, they should have already aroused bodhicitta and made the corresponding mental preparation. During the bodhisattva precept ceremony, the preceptor will ask the candidate: "Are you a bodhisattva? Have you already aroused bodhicitta?" This is the key to receiving the essence of the bodhisattva precepts. Regrettably, nowadays this exchange often becomes a mere formality with little real meaning. When we answer "yes," we have not considered how much responsibility and commitment this answer carries, nor have we given much thought to what we need to do to fulfill this commitment. If the answer were made after deep reflection, there would not be so many "bodhisattvas" who have no idea what bodhicitta is and do not cultivate compassion. Let us be clear: the greatest characteristic of a bodhisattva is compassion---and what is more, unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion that sees all beings as one, accomplished through the cultivation of bodhicitta. As stated earlier, bodhicitta is the gateway into the Mahayana, the mark of a Mahayana practitioner, and the distinctive feature that sets the Mahayana apart from the two vehicles.
-
-With these conditions met, one is qualified to request the bodhisattva precepts.
-
-{#戒师选择}
-### 2. Choosing the Preceptor
-
-The preceptor is our witness in receiving the precepts and the one who transmits the essence of the bodhisattva precepts. Therefore, the preceptor must possess the corresponding virtue and qualifications to be entitled to confer the bodhisattva precepts upon the faithful. Regarding the choice of preceptor, the "Bodhisattva Stages" of the *Yogacarabhumi* tells us:
-
-> "Furthermore, bodhisattvas should not seek to receive the pure bodhisattva precepts from just anyone who is merely intelligent. They should not receive them from those who lack pure faith---meaning those who, with regard to these pure precepts, have no conviction from the start, cannot enter into them, and do not reflect well. They should not receive them from those who are miserly, from those whose miserliness is a serious flaw, from those with great desires, or from those without contentment. They should not receive them from those who have violated the pure precepts, from those who have no respect for the rules of training, or from those who are lax and negligent regarding the precepts. They should not receive them from those who harbor resentment, from those who are largely impatient, or from those who cannot tolerate others' transgressions. They should not receive them from those who are indolent, from those who are lazy, who indulge excessively in sleeping for enjoyment, leaning for enjoyment, and lying down for enjoyment, who enjoy gathering with companions and take delight in idle chatter. They should not receive them from those whose minds are distracted, who cannot settle their minds single-pointedly on a virtuous object even for the time it takes to milk a cow. They should not receive them from those who are dull, from those of the foolish class, from those with extremely inferior minds, or from those who slander the bodhisattva sutra-pitaka and the bodhisattva abhidharma."
-
-This passage identifies those who are not qualified to confer the bodhisattva precepts: for example, those without pure faith, those who are miserly, those with great desires, those without contentment, those who have violated the pure precepts, those who harbor resentment, those who are largely impatient, those who are indolent, those who are lazy, those whose minds are distracted, and so forth. Conversely, these are the qualities the preceptor should possess: pure faith, non-miserliness, freedom from craving, upholding the pure precepts, freedom from resentment, and so on.
-
-The teacher is the guide and safeguard for a disciple embarking on the bodhi path. An unqualified guide may lead disciples astray or abandon them along the way. This is why the śrāvaka precepts place great emphasis on examining the preceptor's qualifications. If the preceptor does not meet the required conditions, and the candidate is aware of this, it will affect the candidate's reception of the precepts. The same holds for the bodhisattva precepts: one must choose a proper preceptor who has received the bodhisattva precepts and can follow the relevant norms. Only a qualified bodhisattva can enable the candidate to receive the blessings of the Three Jewels of the ten directions and take in the essence of the bodhisattva precepts.
-
-{#正授仪轨-1}
-### 3. The Conferral Rite
-
-The rite for conferring the bodhisattva precepts mainly consists of four parts.
-
-First, requesting the preceptor. As candidates, we should fervently wish to become bodhisattvas and at the same time have full trust in the preceptor. Only thus can we receive the essence of the bodhisattva precepts as we wish. If we lack eagerness to receive the precepts and lack respect for the preceptor, then even if we receive the bodhisattva precepts, it will be at best a case of planting some roots of virtue---we may not feel much, nor will the precepts form a force within our mental continuum. Anything we do not genuinely and urgently wish to obtain will not take root in our hearts. The śrāvaka precepts also particularly stress that at the time of receiving the precepts, one must have a sincere and earnest mind in order to obtain the formless essence of the precepts. By "sincere and earnest mind" is meant a genuine and reverent state of mind.
-
-Receiving the precepts is making the most noble vow of one's life, through which one obtains both the formed and the formless essence of the precepts. The formed essence is obtained at the very moment of receiving, created through the three actions of body, speech, and mind. And when this act has passed, it leaves in the mind a force of "this should be done, this should not be done"---the formless essence of the precepts. Although the formless essence has no shape or form and cannot be seen or heard, it is a powerful and continuous psychological force. It is like a solemn vow once sworn---though the moment has passed, the memory it leaves is deeply engraved in the heart and continues to exert influence. Swearing a vicious oath is also a form of "receiving precepts," which Buddhism calls a negative vow.
-
-Both the pratimokṣa precepts and the bodhisattva precepts belong to positive vows; they can form a force within the mind that guards against error and prevents wrongdoing. The formation of this force comes from the sincere mind that seeks the precepts, from a proper preceptor and proper karmavacana---the convergence of conditions needed to complete the reception. Even more importantly, the candidate should generate a vast mind and receive the precepts taking all phenomena as their object. For receiving the precepts is not an ordinary pledge, not a commitment toward certain specific people. It is a vow made to all sentient beings of the Dharma realm, a vow made to all buddhas of the ten directions and three times. When we receive the precept against killing, we are making a solemn pledge before the Three Jewels of the ten directions and all sentient beings of the Dharma realm: from now on, I will respect all life and never again harm any living being. If we make this vow taking this as our object, not only will we build up positive forces within ourselves, but we will also create a wholesome interaction with every sentient being, drawing forth a share of merit from each and every one. It is precisely for this reason that receiving the precepts carries such boundless merit. For it helps us firmly establish a life path of abandoning wrong and cultivating good, and helps us improve our relationship with all sentient beings of the Dharma realm and with the entire world. This significance comes not only from the rite itself, but even more from the heart's aspiration for the precepts. Therefore, when receiving the precepts, we must request the preceptor with a reverent mind.
-
-Second, examining the conditions: the three recipient qualifications described above.
-
-Third, making the vow and formally receiving the precepts. At this point, the preceptor will ask: "Are you a bodhisattva? Have you aroused bodhicitta?" The candidate should answer: "I am a bodhisattva; I have already aroused bodhicitta." Of course, this answer alone is not enough. The key is that one has genuinely given rise in one's heart to the will to become a bodhisattva and has genuinely aroused the commitment to benefiting both self and others. If one merely goes through the words without the corresponding joyful eagerness, one still cannot receive the precepts. Then comes the formal vow, whose content is the three pure precepts: the precepts of restraining misconduct, the precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas, and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings. Through this vow, we declare to all sentient beings of the Dharma realm: from now on, I will take these precepts as my code of conduct. What should not be done, I will diligently refrain from; what should be done, I will vigorously carry out.
-
-Fourth, the preceptor prays to the Three Jewels of the ten directions for their blessings and their witness, confirming that we have now entered the ranks of the bodhisattvas. When we truly arouse the aspiration to become a bodhisattva, our minds will connect with all buddhas of the ten directions. For we have then become children of the Buddha who carry on the Tathagata's legacy; we have taken on the same responsibility and mission as the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-These are the key points to understand in the process of receiving the bodhisattva precepts.
-
-{#三聚净戒}
-### 4. The Three Pure Precepts
-
-As for the content of the three pure precepts, the "Chapter on Precepts" of the *Yogacarabhumi* says:
-
-> The precepts of ethical discipline are the various pratimokṣa precepts received by the seven classes of bodhisattva disciples---namely, the precepts of the bhikṣu, the precepts of the bhikṣuṇī, the precepts of the female probationer, the precepts of the male novice, the precepts of the female novice, the precepts of the male lay devotee, and the precepts of the female lay devotee. These seven kinds are based, as appropriate, on the householder and renunciant divisions; they are called the bodhisattva precepts of ethical discipline.
->
-> The precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas: after the bodhisattvas have received the precepts of ethical discipline, all the virtuous actions of body, speech, and mind they accumulate for the sake of great bodhi are collectively called the precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas. What, further, do these consist of? The bodhisattvas, relying on the precepts and abiding by the precepts, diligently apply themselves to hearing, to contemplation, to the practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā, and to delighting in solitude. In this way, from time to time, toward their venerable teachers, they diligently practice the actions of joining the palms, rising, greeting, prostrating, and reverence---that is, they diligently cultivate respectful service toward their teachers. Toward those who are ill, with compassionate concern, they look after them, attend to them, and provide for them. Toward excellent expositions, they express their approval with words of praise. Toward persons possessed of virtuous qualities, they offer sincere commendation. Toward all meritorious activities of all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions, with a superior intention they give rise to pure faith and, voicing their delight, rejoice. Toward all transgressions committed by others, they reflect and patiently endure. All roots of virtue, whether already performed or not yet performed through body, speech, and mind, they dedicate to unsurpassed, perfect bodhi. From time to time, they generate various pure aspirations, and with every kind of excellent offering, they make offerings to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. With regard to all objects of virtue, they are ever courageous and diligent in their cultivation. In their actions of body, speech, and mind, they abide in non-negligence. With regard to all rules of training, they have right mindfulness and clear awareness. Through right conduct they guard themselves, closely protecting the doors of the senses. They know moderation in food, and in the first and last watches of the night they ever cultivate wakefulness. They draw near to virtuous persons and rely on spiritual friends. Their own transgressions, they examine and clearly know, deeply seeing their faults. Having examined, clearly known, and deeply seen their faults, those not yet committed, they single-mindedly guard against; those already committed, before the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and fellow practitioners, they confess from the heart and properly repent and remedy. All such precepts that draw in, protect, and increase virtuous dharmas are called the bodhisattva precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas.
->
-> What are the bodhisattva precepts of benefiting sentient beings? Know that these precepts comprise, in brief, eleven aspects. What are the eleven? The bodhisattvas, with regard to the various undertakings that can bring benefit to sentient beings, serve as their helpers and companions. When sentient beings develop the sufferings of illness and so forth, they also serve as their helpers and companions in attending to and caring for them. Further, the bodhisattvas, based on various kinds of mundane and supramundane benefit, are able to teach the essential Dharma to sentient beings---first teaching them skillfully, first teaching them properly, and then enabling them to obtain those various benefits. Further, the bodhisattvas, toward sentient beings who have previously shown them kindness, well preserve their awareness of that kindness and, as appropriate, directly repay them. Further, the bodhisattvas, toward all sentient beings beset by the various terrors of lions, tigers, wolves, demons, kings, bandits, fire, and water, are able to rescue and protect them, freeing them from such fearful situations. Further, the bodhisattvas, toward sentient beings who have lost their wealth, possessions, or relatives, skillfully console and guide them, freeing them from grief and sorrow. Further, the bodhisattvas, toward sentient beings who lack the requisites for living, give all such requisites. Further, the bodhisattvas, in accord with right principles, properly provide support and, in accord with the Dharma, guide the community. Further, the bodhisattvas, in accord with worldly affairs and conversation, respond when summoned, come and go to visit, engage in discussion, congratulation, and consolation, go to them as the occasion requires, and accept from them such things as food and drink. In sum, they avoid all behavior that would lead to what is meaningless and contrary to their wishes, and their minds accord with all other matters. Further, the bodhisattvas, whether concealed or revealed, display all their true virtues, so that sentient beings rejoice and advance in learning. Further, the bodhisattvas, toward those who have faults, with inner affection and tender concern for their benefit and happiness, with a superior intention, discipline, reprove, punish, or expel them, in order to remove them from unwholesome situations and establish them in wholesome ones. Further, the bodhisattvas, through the power of supranormal abilities, skillfully manifest the appearances of the hell realms and other states of existence, so that sentient beings become weary of unwholesomeness and are skillfully led to enter the Buddha's noble teaching, giving rise to joyful faith and a sense of wonder, and diligently practicing the right path.
-
-Every set of precepts has its corresponding precept characteristics. The five precepts, for instance, are: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants. The eight precepts add three more on top of the five: (1) not wearing flower garlands or anointing the body with perfume, not singing, dancing, or playing music, and not attending performances; (2) not sitting on high or wide beds; (3) not eating at improper times. In addition, there are the ten precepts of the novice monk, the 250 precepts of the bhikṣu, and the 348 precepts of the bhikṣuṇī. The characteristics of the bodhisattva precepts consist of the ten major and forty-eight minor precepts of the Brahmajala system, the four major and forty-three minor precepts of the Yogacara system, and the six major and twenty-eight minor precepts of the Upasaka system. Although their specific characteristics differ, they are all composed of the three pure precepts.
-
-The first is the precepts of restraining misconduct: the pratimokṣa precepts of the seven classes, including the five precepts and eight precepts for laypeople, and the novice precepts, bhikṣu precepts, bhikṣuṇī precepts, and so on for renunciants. Their distinctive feature is their emphasis on refraining from wrongdoing, helping us put a stop to all unwholesome conduct. They are also called "restraining precepts"---precepts observed through restraint. Through "this should not be done," one fulfills the precepts and further halts the unwholesome mental continuum.
-
-The second is the precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas: all the virtuous practices that should be cultivated in the process from generating bodhicitta to perfecting buddhahood, consisting mainly of the six pāramitās of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom. Generosity is sharing one's wealth or abilities with the wider community; it includes the giving of material things, the giving of Dharma, and the giving of fearlessness---using material goods to relieve poverty, using the true Dharma to guide people toward goodness, or dispelling fear for sentient beings. Ethical discipline is restraining body and mind in accordance with the code of conduct laid down by the Buddha; this is the root that rightly accords with liberation, and also the root of unsurpassed bodhi, capable of giving birth to all virtuous dharmas. Patience is enduring various adverse conditions without giving rise to anger; its characteristics are non-anger, non-complaint, and non-resentment. Diligence is vigorously cultivating virtuous dharmas and cutting off unwholesome dharmas, with mind after mind in continuity, never lax. Meditative concentration includes both analytical meditation and stabilizing meditation---contemplating the object of focus and settling single-pointedly upon it, free from distraction. Wisdom is the unsurpassed wisdom that ferries sentient beings from the shore of birth and death to the shore of nirvana. Only under the guidance of the wisdom of prajñā can the preceding five pāramitās become provisions for buddhahood; otherwise, the generosity one practices is not essentially different from the virtuous deeds of the human and heavenly vehicles.
-
-The third is the precepts of benefiting sentient beings: conduct that benefits sentient beings, the skillful means by which bodhisattvas gather and guide sentient beings. Its main content is the four means of gathering: generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, and working together with others. These four likewise take generosity as their first member, for it is the shortcut to forming vast wholesome connections with sentient beings. When others are willing to draw near you and accept you, their hearts will open to you, and only then can you further guide them with the true Dharma. Kind speech means speaking good words adapted to the dispositions of sentient beings. Since honest advice is often hard on the ears, this requires the support of skillful means, so that sentient beings can gladly accept the truthful and beneficial words you speak. Beneficial action means benefiting sentient beings through the three good actions of body, speech, and mind, causing them to feel joy and draw near to the Buddhadharma. Working together means adapting to the level of acceptance of sentient beings and manifesting in ways they find congenial and pleasing, so that they benefit from the Buddhadharma without even realizing it---this is a teaching method that "moistens things silently, without a sound."
-
-To become a bodhisattva practitioner, we must genuinely give rise to the aspiration to benefit the wider community and consciously abide by the code of conduct proper to a bodhisattva. On the foundation of refraining from wrongdoing, we widely practice the six pāramitās and, through the four means of gathering, guide and transform sentient beings.
-
-{#八行菩萨行}
-## VIII. Engaging in Bodhisattva Practice
-
-{#菩萨行的内容}
-### 1. The Content of Bodhisattva Practice
-
-Buddhahood is not about attaining something external, but about the two great qualities of compassion and wisdom. For this reason, Je Tsongkhapa stresses in the *Stages of the Path*:
-
-> If one studies only one aspect---either method or wisdom---one cannot attain buddhahood. Therefore, one must turn to the practice of the methods for accomplishing buddhahood. Yet this, too, requires methods that are free of error. If the path is mistaken, then however much effort one makes, the result will still not arise, like trying to draw milk by tugging at the cow's horn. And even if the path is judged correct, if its components are incomplete, one will also labor without result. It is like seeds, water, soil, and so on: if any one of them is missing, the sprout will not appear. This is stated in the middle section of the *Stages of Meditation* (*Bhāvanākrama*).
->
-> Well then, what are the complete and error-free causes and conditions? The *Mahavairocana Sutra* states: "The knowledge of all modes arises from great compassion as its root; it arises from bodhicitta as its cause; and it is brought to consummation through skillful means." Here, compassion is as previously explained. Bodhicitta refers to both conventional and ultimate bodhicitta. Skillful means refers to the full perfection of generosity and the other pāramitās.
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-Any worldly achievement is inseparable from method, and buddhahood is no different. Without proper method, however much effort one makes is in vain. On this point, Je Tsongkhapa offers a very vivid analogy: it is like milking a cow---you should milk at the udder. If you apply force at the horn, regardless of how much effort you expend or how much time you spend, you will get nothing. The Buddhadharma is a teaching of the mind, so we need to understand the operating principles of mental states and accompany that understanding with correct methods. Only then can we achieve an effect where a small force moves a great weight. Otherwise, not only will we fail to reach the expected goal, we may even fall into demonic deviation, as happens all too often. For the mind is extremely subtle---like a labyrinth filled with forks and traps, where the slightest carelessness can lead one astray, mistaking illusions for attainments and delusions for the ultimate.
-
-This is why the *Stages of the Path* makes a point of telling us: spiritual practice has two key requirements---correct method and complete content. What exactly does buddhahood accomplish? First, it accomplishes liberation, gaining the capacity to transcend birth and death and break free from samsara. This requires the wisdom of emptiness as its cause. Second, it accomplishes compassion, the quality of unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion that sees all beings as one. This requires bodhicitta as its cause.
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-How can we accomplish the wisdom of emptiness? Some people, from the very start of their practice, emphasize non-discrimination and equate discrimination with inverted attachment. But this is wrong. At the beginning of Buddhist practice, the first thing to learn is precisely how to discriminate---of course, correctly, not erroneously. Otherwise, by what means would we adjust our mental state and correct our deviations? As ordinary beings, our present mental activity is built upon ignorance and does not correspond to emptiness. If we do not use discrimination to make choices and adjustments, it is impossible to realize the path in such an inverted state. Thus, the standard approach in Buddhist practice is to draw near to spiritual teachers and listen to the true Dharma, through which one can engage in proper attention and practice the Dharma accordingly. The Noble Eightfold Path particularly emphasizes the role of right thought. Before one merges with emptiness, this kind of thought runs through from beginning to end. Only when one's mental state approaches emptiness is it necessary to enter non-discrimination. For discrimination is only a method for adjusting mental activity; non-discriminating wisdom is what merges with emptiness and directly realizes the true nature. Yet this non-discrimination does not appear out of thin air; it must take discrimination as its prerequisite, take right thought as its prerequisite. If one tries to be non-discriminating from the very start, that is what the ancient masters criticized as vague and muddled---blind practice.
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-While cultivating liberation, we must also accomplish compassion. The Buddha, the honored one replete in both, is endowed with perfect merit and perfect wisdom. This merit was accomplished through the Buddha's practice over countless lifetimes. The Jataka tales recount how the Buddha, while on the causal ground, took on every kind of identity to widely carry out altruistic deeds, even giving away his life time and again, ultimately perfecting the provisions of merit. On the path of humans and gods, cultivating merit comes first. Without merit, one can hardly take a step in this world. Spiritual practice likewise cannot be separated from merit. Otherwise, even if one has the heart to practice the Buddha's teachings, all kinds of obstacles will keep appearing. One may be too busy making a living, with no time; or plagued by illness, with no energy; or naturally dull, with no capacity---and so on. Beyond one's own conditions, one also needs the karmic conditions to hear the true Dharma and to receive the guidance of a spiritual teacher. All of this requires merit. Among the followers of heretical teachings, many are single-mindedly devoted to the path and strive hard for liberation, but due to a lack of meritorious conditions, they end up going astray, destroying their Dharma body and wisdom life.
-
-In the *Stages of the Path*, Je Tsongkhapa especially criticizes two mistaken views: neglecting learning and reflection on the one hand, and despising the cultivation of merit on the other. He identifies these as pitfalls in practice that cannot guide the student to unsurpassed bodhi. On the path to buddhahood, method and wisdom are like the two wheels of a cart---they must advance side by side. As the saying goes, "If either method or wisdom is lacking, buddhahood cannot be attained."
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-{#菩萨行的特征}
-### 2. The Distinctive Features of Bodhisattva Practice
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-The bodhisattva practice discussed here mainly refers to the six perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, also known as the six pāramitās. *Pāramitā* is a Sanskrit term meaning "reaching the other shore." That is to say, the six pāramitās are six kinds of conduct that help us reach the other shore of buddhahood. In fact, these elements are also touched upon in the human-and-heavenly vehicle and the Śrāvaka Vehicle. But the generosity and ethical discipline they practice are merely virtuous deeds at the human and heavenly level; they can at most lead to liberation but cannot become the provisions for buddhahood. Hence they cannot be called pāramitās.
-
-So what is distinctive about the six pāramitās as practiced by bodhisattvas? The *Mahayana-abhidharma-samuccaya* tells us:
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-> What are the characteristics of the perfection of generosity? The bodhisattvas, abiding in the bodhisattva Dharma nature, take bodhicitta as their foundation, use compassion to guide their minds, and relinquish all actions of body, speech, and mind at all times. Thus, through disposition, aspiration, attitude, object, and intrinsic nature, the characteristics of the perfection of generosity are displayed. Disposition means the bodhisattva Dharma nature. Aspiration means bodhicitta. Attitude means a mind guided by compassion. Object means relinquishing all possessions. Intrinsic nature means the actions of body, speech, and mind.
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-That is, each of the six pāramitās practiced by a bodhisattva must embody the dimensions of disposition, aspiration, attitude, object, and intrinsic nature.
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-The first is disposition: possessing the bodhisattva disposition, a natural inclination to take joy in helping others. The reason bodhisattvas can widely practice the six pāramitās and benefit the wider community is precisely that this disposition provides the foundation. In everyday life, we can see that many people are born with a bodhisattva heart. When others encounter hardship, they take the initiative to aid the poor and needy, to lend a helping hand, without needing to think twice. Others, by contrast, may feel after learning the Dharma that they ought to help, but when it comes time to actually do so, they always find it very forced and must make a special effort to persuade themselves. This is caused by differences in disposition, or we could say, differences in the starting point of their lives.
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-The second is aspiration: taking bodhicitta as one's foundation. The generosity and other pāramitās practiced by bodhisattvas all take bodhicitta as their cause and are cultivated out of the wish that "I want to benefit all sentient beings, I want to help all sentient beings be free of suffering." If one helps others in order to gain personal fame, offerings, or advantage, then even if the other party objectively benefits, this does not count as bodhisattva practice.
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-The third is attitude: a mind guided by compassion. When bodhisattvas practice the six pāramitās, they do so purely out of compassion for sentient beings. The virtuous deeds of ordinary people, by contrast, are often mixed with impurities. Take generosity: one may wish to display wealth, to boast about one's character, or to assuage a guilty conscience after doing something wrong. Rarely is it purely motivated by compassion. So although many people practice generosity and benefit others, there is still a gap between this and genuine bodhisattva practice.
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-The fourth is object: giving up all that one possesses, willingly relinquishing everything for the sake of benefiting others, including one's precious life. Some may wonder: doesn't the Buddha always warn us that human life is rare and should be doubly treasured? Why, then, does he also praise relinquishing everything, even offering up one's life? This is said with a precondition: one must give up these things for the sake of benefiting others, for the sake of accomplishing bodhisattva practice. It is never a matter of momentary recklessness or impulse, but a correct choice made after careful deliberation. Even with this precondition in place, one must still act within one's capacity. For a great bodhisattva who has realized mastery over life and death, giving up the body is like discarding a worn-out sandal---not worth a second thought. But for a bodhisattva at the initial stage of aspiration who has not yet reached this level, it is still necessary to use the physical body to diligently practice and study, seeking enlightenment above and guiding sentient beings below. It must not be carelessly abandoned.
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-The fifth is intrinsic nature: the actions of body, speech, and mind. The altruistic virtuous deeds practiced by a bodhisattva encompass all three actions of body, speech, and mind. One can help others through physical action so that they derive benefit, or through kind speech that praises others so that their hearts fill with joy. Such words and deeds must spring from a genuine wish to benefit others.
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-Only when these features are present does everything we do belong to bodhisattva practice. Otherwise, even if we practice generosity and the other pāramitās, the practice often remains at the level of human and heavenly virtuous deeds, unable to be elevated into provisions for buddhahood.
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-{#菩萨行的修习}
-### 3. Cultivating the Bodhisattva Practices
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-In a broad sense, all conduct that springs from bodhicitta and can bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings is bodhisattva practice. But from the perspective of actual cultivation, it centers primarily on the six pāramitās: generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom.
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-(1) The Practice of Generosity
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-Generosity is of three kinds. The first is the giving of material things, which in turn can be divided into giving of external goods and giving of internal goods. External goods are material wealth---the form of giving most familiar to society at large. Internal goods are one's labor, and even the physical body, offered to help sentient beings, such as donating blood, bone marrow, or organs.
-
-The second is the giving of Dharma: guiding sentient beings with the Buddhadharma and helping them awaken to the truth of life. The greatest problems of sentient beings are the affliction of ignorance and the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, the giving of Dharma is the most fundamental help of all. The *Diamond Sutra* repeatedly explains this principle through comparisons of merit. For the problems that wealth solves are temporary, whereas the giving of Dharma can fundamentally resolve the core problems of life, enabling sentient beings to gain the capacity for self-renewal, self-rescue, and self-reliance. Its effect is lasting. As disciples of the Buddha, to take part in the giving of Dharma is a shortcut for swiftly accumulating the Dharma-wealth of merit. From the perspective of worldly teachings, teaching sentient beings to acquire technical skills and the means of livelihood also falls within the scope of the giving of Dharma.
-
-The third is the giving of fearlessness: offering sentient beings a sense of security and dispelling their fear. For example, the five precepts advocated by the Buddhadharma, even as they regulate one's own conduct, produce the effect of giving fearlessness. If we do not kill, others need not fear being bullied or harmed by you. If we do not steal, others need not fear being robbed by you. If we do not engage in sexual misconduct, others need not fear that their family members will be deceived and violated when with you. If we do not lie, others need not fear being duped by your sweet talk. If we do not take intoxicants, others need not fear that you will lose your reason. When people are with a Buddhist disciple who strictly observes the five precepts, they feel a strong sense of safety. Of course, the giving of fearlessness is not limited to these. It also includes proactively rescuing sentient beings. When sentient beings encounter fear or danger, a bodhisattva practitioner absolutely must not stand by and do nothing; instead, they must do their utmost to help them break free. This is also one difference between bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. The śrāvaka precepts emphasize refraining from wrongdoing and do not require that one must do good; doing good is fine, but not doing so does not violate the precepts. The bodhisattva precepts, by contrast, advance both in refraining from wrongdoing and in cultivating good. If one shirks one's responsibility when sentient beings are in need of help, that is a serious breach of the precepts, which must be remedied.
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-For ordinary beings, the main obstacle to generosity lies in self-attachment. We invariably affix the label of "self" to whatever we acquire, clinging to it, unwilling to part with it. This is why truly generous people are rare. And yet, what has this clinging brought us? Because of clinging, we must always guard our possessions closely, in constant fear of losing them, on tenterhooks day and night. The moment we suffer a loss, we are filled with regret and remorse, wishing we could turn back time. Never mind that wealth can change hands at any moment---even if we manage to grip it tightly all our lives, we shall still leave this world empty-handed at the end. How, then, can we make our wealth meaningful for the long span of life? Generosity is the best path.
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-The benefits of generosity express themselves in four main ways.
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-First, it overcomes stinginess and miserliness. The reason changes in wealth can hurt us is, at root, that the mind's attachment is under assault. Otherwise, all changes are simply the normal state of the world, just variations in abstract numbers. So at the same time as we give away material things, we also let go of attachment and affliction. Why not gladly do so?
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-Second, generosity can turn short-term gain into long-term benefit. Even if a person has millions or even billions in assets, how much is actually needed for daily living? However many houses you own, you can only sleep in one bed; however many cars, you can only occupy one seat. Since we can enjoy so little, why not transform short-term gain into long-term benefit? In life, people's fortune varies greatly---not because heaven is unfair, but because of the different accumulations of the past. If we are diligent in planting seeds in this life, the future will naturally continue to bring harvest upon harvest, benefit upon benefit.
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-Third, generosity allows the provisions of merit to grow swiftly. For spiritual practice, both merit and wisdom are indispensable. As the saying goes, "If you cultivate wisdom without merit, even an arhat must beg with an empty bowl; if you cultivate merit without wisdom, it is like an elephant adorned with jewels." Without accumulating merit, even if you realize the fruit of an arhat, you will still lack the provisions for the path. All the more so for a bodhisattva, who must widely carry out the work of benefiting others---this, too, requires corresponding merit to accomplish.
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-Fourth, generosity perfects the practice of compassion. We practice the six pāramitās, beginning with generosity, out of compassion. In the process of doing good, compassion in turn grows and strengthens. Action and aspiration are mutually reinforcing. If compassion is the seed that gives birth to virtuous deeds, then virtuous deeds are the sweet dew that nourishes compassion.
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-Conversely, unwillingness to practice generosity causes attachment and the afflictions it brings to keep growing. The more we cling to wealth and emotions, the greater the harm that follows. So we must constantly reflect on the benefits that generosity brings to our lives and the faults of not cultivating it, and rest the mind steadily in the eagerness to be generous. At the same time, off the meditation seat, we should practice according to our capacity: using wealth to relieve poverty, using skills to teach others a livelihood, using a smile to give others confidence, or using words to bring others solace. In short, as long as we have the heart of generosity, regardless of our financial circumstances, we always have the opportunity to help others and to be useful members of society.
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-(2) The Practice of Ethical Discipline
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-The bodhisattva precepts include the precepts of restraining misconduct, the precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas, and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings. These have been introduced above and need not be repeated here. For the practice of ethical discipline, the real key is to recognize the benefits of upholding the precepts and the faults of breaking them. With this recognition, upholding the precepts becomes a conscious choice rather than something we see as a constraint. In the minds of many people, the precepts are just a bunch of rules and regulations that restrict you---nothing more than making life hard for yourself. Some even regard them as a distortion of human nature, running counter to the individual liberation, democracy, and freedom championed by modern society. Is any of this true?
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-We know that even the most democratic society needs law as its safeguard. If a nation had no laws, it might seem that everyone could fully enjoy freedom. But in that case, there would be no restraints on humanity's baser instincts. Anyone could kill, steal, or rob. If such a society were called "free," it would be more accurate to say that everyone lives in terror, with danger lurking everywhere. I doubt anyone wants that kind of "freedom." So the purpose of establishing laws is not to restrain, but to safeguard the security of the public by regulating conduct.
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-The function of ethical discipline is the same. It enables us to put a stop to unwholesome actions, to halt the unwholesome continuum of our lives, and thereby purify body and mind and free ourselves from affliction. Ordinary beings are mired in greed, anger, and ignorance. On the surface, it appears that we can eat whatever we want, spend money however we like, and do as we please. But in truth, we have long since been ruled by desire and manipulated by affliction---we are not in control. From another angle, the reason external temptations can influence us is precisely that there is some force within our minds that resonates with them. If these forces were not stirring within, no temptation could take effect. So genuine freedom is not external. However loose the environment, as long as affliction remains in our hearts, we are still bound and unfree.
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-As members of society, we need self-discipline. The Confucian teaching "Do not look at what is contrary to propriety; do not listen to what is contrary to propriety; do not speak what is contrary to propriety; do not act in a way contrary to propriety" is also meant to help people develop self-restraint. Such self-restraint comes from respect and care for oneself, from the wish to model oneself after the sages and worthies. When we first undertake to uphold the precepts, it can be quite difficult. At that stage, the force of the precept essence is still weak and needs to be strengthened through continuous observance. Over time, the initial deliberate self-restraint will transform into self-cultivation, into character. The influence of external temptations and inner afflictions will become smaller and smaller, until we can abide by the Dharma and the precepts even without deliberately trying.
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-Ethical discipline not only stops harmful habitual tendencies but also nurtures compassion. The precepts of embracing virtuous dharmas and benefiting sentient beings, for instance, codify virtuous practices such as the six pāramitās and the four means of gathering into formal rules, thereby advocating good conduct and allowing the seeds of compassion to grow. When we truly recognize the meaning of ethical discipline and the faults of breaking it, we will uphold the precepts with a joyful heart. In sum, the precepts are the mental traffic rules that safeguard our safe progress along the bodhi path, and also the behavioral corrector that helps us attain physical and mental health.
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-(3) The Practice of Patience
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-Patience can completely extinguish anger, resentment, and enmity, bringing peace to oneself and others. It includes three kinds: the patience of enduring harm from enemies, the patience of enduring suffering, and the patience of comprehending the Dharma. The patience of enduring harm from enemies is bearing the injuries inflicted by foes. The patience of enduring suffering is bearing harsh conditions, such as coarse food and drink, difficult environments, and the various tests encountered in the course of practice. The patience of comprehending the Dharma is calmly accepting such truths as impermanence and selflessness, which are so far removed from ordinary ways of thinking, placing trust in and understanding what is real, with the mind free of deluded agitation.
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-For ordinary people, patience is also a major hurdle. Common sayings such as "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated" or "A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years" are, from the standpoint of the Buddhadharma, completely mistaken. The reason we feel we cannot be humiliated, the reason we seek revenge, is simply that this "I" has been attacked, has been hurt. If we realized that "I" is merely a provisional designation, illusory and unreal, where would there be any humiliation requiring patience, any hatred requiring revenge? Of course, patience also requires wisdom. If we merely force ourselves to endure, it is easy to develop psychological problems as a result. True patience is "enduring when there is nothing to endure." It is like space containing all things, like the earth sustaining all things---they do not feel any need to reject anything, so they do not need to endure anything either.
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-In its treatment of patience, the *Yogacarabhumi* asks us to cultivate five contemplations.
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-The first is the contemplation of past-life kinship. Reflect that sentient beings have at one time been close relatives of ours. Given that they were our kin, is there really any need to hold a grudge?
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-The second is the contemplation of mere phenomena. Life is simply a composite of the five aggregates---a great mass of chaotic emotions coupled with mistaken ideas, within which there is no distinction between you and me. Everyone is like a person fallen into the waves of affliction: wherever the waves sweep them, they are carried along helplessly. So when others harbor hatred toward us or try to harm us, we should know that such anger does not actually represent that person---it is simply the waves of affliction causing mischief, making both sides victims of this emotion. Seeing it this way, we can feel sympathy for the other rather than anger or self-pity at being harmed. When we remove the labels "you" and "I" and observe everything as it truly is, there is no longer any compelling reason to be angry.
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-The third is the contemplation of impermanence. Life is impermanent. Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, ultimately everyone must die. Whether you hold a grudge or not, everything is impermanent. Why waste your energy on this, why torment yourself over it?
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-The fourth is the contemplation of suffering. In this Saha world, we are beset by all manner of suffering---suffering brought by the environment, suffering brought by the physical body, suffering woven through with affliction. Precisely because we are all in pain, we should be all the more understanding and supportive of one another. A person who is in a good state and psychologically healthy will not go around making trouble for everyone. Only those whose hearts are filled with resentment are like volcanoes ready to erupt at the slightest trigger. If we hold a grudge against such a person, we too will be scorched by immense anger, ignited by the spreading flames. The result can only be suffering on top of suffering.
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-The fifth is the contemplation of gathering and guiding. As practitioners of the bodhisattva path who have aroused bodhicitta, we have already vowed to take all sentient beings as the objects of our liberation. So except for actions that benefit them, we should do nothing else.
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-When we face adversity, if we can reflect from these angles, we will find that there is truly nothing worth getting angry about. The patience taught in the Buddhadharma is not about getting angry first and then bearing it; it is about using wisdom right at that moment to observe it and transcend it. When the anger within is dissolved, the enemy without disappears along with it. Why do we have enemies? Precisely because we harbor resentment within. Once the resentment is dissolved, naturally there are no enemies. Then, not only are we ourselves at peace and at ease, but those around us can also feel this harmonious atmosphere. Otherwise, we repay resentment with resentment, filling the world with hatred and violence, leading to bloodshed, conflict, and even war. As the Buddha said, only compassion can quell hatred and turn enemies into friends; hatred can only keep escalating the conflict.
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-In addition, we must also overcome the various tests that arise in the course of practice. When listening to the Dharma, we may become indolent; in meditation, we may grow dull; in prostrating to the Buddha, we may tire; in reciting the Buddha's name, we may flag. These include physical obstacles and psychological obstacles, and many people retreat because of them. But we should reflect that even worldly people, just to make a living, must rise early and toil late, rushing about and wearing themselves out---and in the process, they can hardly avoid creating negative karma. Now we are seeking the truth, seeking liberation. If we are unwilling to pay any price, how can we possibly reap any reward? Especially in the early stages of practice, we especially need patience, and we must struggle against harmful habitual tendencies. But these efforts will bring us a completely new life---they are well worth it. With this understanding, we will develop an eagerness for patience, and face enemies, adversity, and the various tests of practice with correct observation.
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-(4) The Practice of Diligence
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-Diligence is staying clear of indolence and other unwholesome conduct, bringing forth immeasurable virtuous dharmas and causing them to increase. It consists of three types: the diligence of armor, the diligence of embracing virtuous dharmas, and the diligence of benefiting sentient beings. The diligence of armor is like a warrior going into battle wearing armor, only then able to penetrate the enemy lines and sweep all before him. The *Sutra of Forty-Two Sections* says: spiritual practice is like one person fighting against ten thousand. We want to establish right Dharma mindfulness in our minds, but we must face the ingrained habits accumulated since beginningless time, and face layer upon layer of endless temptations. Without diligence, it is extremely difficult to break free from these ingrained habits and temptations. The diligence of embracing virtuous dharmas is the effort put forth in the course of practicing the six pāramitās. The diligence of benefiting sentient beings is the unwavering practice of good deeds that benefit sentient beings.
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-Ordinary beings are always stuck in inertia. This inertia does not mean doing nothing at all; it means falling into unwholesome habits. Some people love to eat and go everywhere hunting for fine food. Some love to play and travel everywhere. Some love to make money and try every possible way to earn more. Some love to gamble and haunt the casinos regardless of the cost. Though they look very busy, even very hard at it, it is all inertia, because they are merely driven by unwholesome habits and unable to free themselves. Such habits are like the earth's gravity---they possess tremendous force. Why is it so hard for humans to go into outer space? It is because the earth's gravity holds us tightly; otherwise we could roam freely through the worlds of the ten directions. Why are people caught by unwholesome habits? It is precisely because of the inertia inherent in life. To overcome inertia, on the one hand we need courage, and on the other, we need corresponding skill. Without skill, even climbing onto a rooftop is very difficult. But with skill, with method, we can even reach the moon and walk in space.
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-Buddhist practice is precisely what helps us master the methods for breaking free from inertia. Then we must persevere with diligence, so that the methods we have learned produce their effect. What diligence does is to stop wrongdoing and to do good. On the one hand, immediately put a stop to unwholesome conduct that has already arisen, and deliberately guard against harmful tendencies that have yet to arise. On the other hand, continue the effort with virtuous practices already cultivated, and actively initiate virtuous practices that have not yet arisen. This is precisely the content of the "four right efforts" among the thirty-seven factors of awakening: put an end to unwholesome states that have already arisen, prevent unwholesome states that have not yet arisen; give rise to wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and increase wholesome states that have already arisen. From this we can see that diligence has a specific meaning. Not all effort can be called diligence. Only effort directed toward stopping wrongdoing and cultivating virtue is the diligence advocated by Buddhism.
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-Going further, we must also recognize the faults of indolence. It is precisely because of indolence in transforming our lives that we have wandered through the six realms. If we cannot change this situation, life will sink into this mire, like an old elephant stuck in the mud, unable to pull itself free. Diligence, by contrast, is an uplifting force that allows us to break free from inertia and move toward liberation. Having recognized the merits of diligence and the faults of indolence, we must rest the mind steadily in the eagerness for diligence, and off the meditation seat diligently practice generosity, ethical discipline, patience, meditative concentration, and wisdom.
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-(5) The Practice of Meditative Concentration
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-The practice of meditative concentration also has three levels. The first is concentration that brings pleasant abiding in the present life---through meditation, one experiences physical and mental ease. The second is concentration that elicits one's own capacity for liberation. The third is concentration that helps us better benefit sentient beings, which belongs to the mental stillness for benefiting sentient beings.
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-The ordinary mind constantly swings between distraction and restlessness---in modern terms, it is in a state of agitation. On the stage of our mind, every kind of emotion and thought leaps about ceaselessly, rising and falling, so that we cannot see our mind clearly. It is like a pool of muddy water: with so much silt at the bottom, we have no idea what lies beneath. When we try to focus our thoughts, all sorts of uninvited notions come to interfere, making the mind unstable and unable to sustain clear observation.
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-Meditation helps us settle the mind on a virtuous object, gradually calming discursive thoughts, so that we gain the capacity to see our own mind clearly. Otherwise, that perpetually restless mind will keep grasping at external objects. Even when alone in a room, the sixth consciousness will keep churning up the various seeds within, creating chaos. So meditative concentration can help us develop sustained, stable mental power, upon which we can further cultivate insight and uncover undefiled wisdom. It is like water that becomes clear through settling---it can then reflect all things, down to the finest detail.
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-To practice meditative concentration, we must first understand the merits of concentration and the faults of distraction. Then we choose a virtuous object as our meditation subject and, through continuous practice, enable the mind to gain focus and stability. This is an indispensable foundation for achieving right mindfulness and developing the wisdom of emptiness.
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-(6) The Practice of Wisdom
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-Wisdom (prajñā) is the ultimate wisdom that thoroughly sees the true nature of all phenomena. It also includes three kinds. The first is the wisdom that realizes emptiness, the wisdom of selflessness. The second is the wisdom that comprehends conventional truth, mastering such worldly knowledge and skills as medicine and crafts. The third is the wisdom that benefits sentient beings, the skillful means for gathering and guiding them. For the study and practice of the Buddhadharma, wisdom is of critical importance. Precisely because they lack wisdom, sentient beings are perpetually in a state of ignorance, giving rise to self-attachment and other confused sensations.
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-Life itself possesses the capacity for awakening. *Buddha* means "the awakened one," representing the awakening of life. The function of the wisdom of prajñā is, on the one hand, to help us break through ignorance and clear away the rubbish of the mind, and on the other, to guide us in the correct practice of the bodhisattva path. Without the guidance of wisdom, the generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, and meditative concentration we cultivate will lose their direction and remain nothing more than ordinary worldly good deeds. Only under the guidance of prajñā can the five pāramitās be elevated and become provisions for buddhahood.
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-In the practice of wisdom, we must likewise understand the merits of wisdom and the faults of ignorance. Through hearing and contemplating the teachings, we establish right view; then we transform right view into the power of observation. Through the power of observing prajñā, we ultimately realize the prajñā of true nature.
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-Through cultivating the six pāramitās, we can steadily clear away the defiled forces of the ordinary mind. Generosity counteracts attachment; ethical discipline counteracts laxness; patience counteracts anger; diligence counteracts indolence; meditative concentration counteracts distraction; and wisdom counteracts ignorance---allowing wisdom and compassion to gradually reach perfection.
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-{#九菩萨行与空性见}
-## IX. Bodhisattva Practice and the View of Emptiness
-
-As ordinary beings, the bodhisattva practice we engage in is built upon ignorance and self-attachment---it is limited and tainted. We wish to benefit all sentient beings impartially, but this is very difficult to achieve in practice, because our current mental activity is filled with favoritism and aversion, filled with inequality. Only upon reaching the first-stage bodhisattva and realizing the undifferentiated emptiness can we treat all sentient beings equally. With this basis of view, the bodhicitta we arouse is ultimate bodhicitta, and the bodhisattva practice we engage in is the undefiled practice of noble beings.
-
-So through what kind of practice can we realize emptiness? Here, I will mainly offer two points: first, the understanding of selflessness; second, the understanding of the absence of inherent existence.
-
-{#无-我}
-### 1. Selflessness
-
-From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, the so-called "I" is merely a provisional composite of the five aggregates. Neither this present physical body nor the various ideas and notions are inherently existent; they are accumulations formed over the course of life's continuation. Our body is a product of our parents' genetic inheritance and the nourishment of postnatal food and drink. Our ideas are accumulated through the influence of school, family, and society, and through our own reflections, as we grow. Where in all this is there any fixed, unchanging "I"? Just look at our body: from birth to the present, has there been a single day when it was not changing? A single moment when it was not undergoing metabolic renewal? And look at our ideas: from youth to the present, how many turns have they taken, how many quests and denials have they undergone? Even if we managed to hold on to our childhood dreams for a lifetime, they could only have done so through enrichment and adjustment.
-
-So our body, ideas, and emotions are merely objects---tools we employ during a particular period---not the self we imagine them to be. The function of observation is to help us inspect and maintain these objects, which is also an innate capacity for self-examination that life possesses. Ordinarily, we are in the habit of grasping outward, forever observing the external world, but we never know to turn our gaze back and look at what it is that speaks, moves, feels happy, and suffers. What relationship does it actually bear to that "self" we care so much about? If we can observe the physical body and the arising thoughts as objects, we will no longer be disturbed by the so-called "self" and fall prey to all the problems it creates.
-
-All the suffering in this world is caused by affixing the label of "self" to things. Take this table, for example. By itself, it would not affect our minds at all. But once the label "mine" is stuck onto it, its changes suddenly feel entirely different. If it breaks, "I" feel upset; if it is lost, "I" feel regret. The greater the attachment, the greater the impact. The same applies to my family, my children, my house, my career, my status. Everything in this world, once branded with the label "mine," instantly becomes weighty and special, instantly sticks to our hearts---hard to put down, impossible to shake off. And worse, affliction follows right behind. Every day, countless families break apart, but only when *my* family breaks apart does it feel gut-wrenching. Every day, many businesses go under, but only when *my* business collapses does it feel unbearable. The question is: can this affliction save the family from breaking apart? Can it stop the business from going under? If not, why would we needlessly court such trouble, injuring our body and mind?
-
-What Buddhist practice does is help us peel off the label of "self." When each emotion arises, simply observe it objectively: right now I am feeling happy, right now I am feeling angry, right now I am jealous, right now I am sad, and so on. As long as we do not stick the label of "I" onto it, the emotion holds little power. They can come and go, but they are merely passing visitors, staying only briefly. They will not cause much disturbance, much less forcibly take control of the situation. This is the function of understanding selflessness. Once the inner power of observation arises and takes effect, that very moment is liberation, that very moment is freedom.
-
-{#无自性}
-### 2. Absence of Inherent Existence
-
-Second, the wisdom of the absence of inherent existence is also very important. Every affliction and emotion has a corresponding object: something caused by family, something caused by career, something caused by a certain event, or something caused by a certain person. Why does this event or this person give rise to affliction in you? The key lies in our attachment to a fixed notion about that event or that person. When this fixed notion clashes with reality---or with some other deluded idea of ours---affliction arises.
-
-In everyday life, we often hear complaints like: "Why did he treat me this way?" "Why did my efforts yield nothing?" "Why does misfortune always fall on me?" Though the content of these complaints varies, they share a common expression, which is: "I just can't figure it out." Why can't they figure it out? Because they are not truly searching for the reason, not truly seeking the "why." Instead, they construct a fixed idea of how things "should be" and then plunge headlong into a mental dead end. Hitting a wall is then unavoidable.
-
-How can we dispel affliction? We must change our fixed notions. The *Heart Sutra* and the *Diamond Sutra* both speak of all phenomena being empty of inherent existence. This is meant to help us recognize the truth of phenomena and eliminate our mistaken views of the world. When we realize that everything is a provisional appearance woven by causes and conditions, like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; when we realize that all our past views were merely wishful thinking rather than reflections of reality, affliction will naturally have no ground from which to arise. The reason affliction arises is that we take the world to be solid and real, take those people and events to be solid and real, take our own notions of right and wrong to be solid and real, and take the outcomes that we insist "should be" to be solid and real.
-
-The practice of emptiness, on the one hand, helps us break through self-attachment, and on the other, guides us in observing the world as it truly is. We live in the same world, yet we each live in our own separate worlds---some in joy, some in pain. The difference lies in how we view the world and how we experience it. This is why the Buddhadharma places such special emphasis on the function of right view, and why the absence of inherent existence in all phenomena is the most fundamental right view of all. Once we recognize this, we possess the wisdom eye for viewing the world and have opened the door that leads out of samsara.
-
-{#十结-语}
-## X. Conclusion
-
-Above, I have introduced the practice of bodhicitta in three main parts. The first is the basic understanding of bodhicitta practice, covering four topics: the importance of bodhicitta, bodhicitta and refuge, bodhicitta and the Seven-Limbed Practice, and bodhicitta and renunciation. The second is how to arouse bodhicitta, covering three topics: generating aspiring bodhicitta, upholding aspiring bodhicitta, and receiving the bodhisattva precepts. The third is the practical implementation and elevation of bodhicitta, covering two topics: engaging in bodhisattva practice, and bodhisattva practice and the view of emptiness.
-
-For disciples of the Buddha who aspire to study and practice the Mahayana, bodhicitta runs through from beginning to end. For the practice of the bodhisattva path begins with arousing bodhicitta and ends with perfecting bodhicitta. With regard to this core, we must not only hear and study it widely and reflect on it properly, but even more importantly, practice it continuously off the meditation seat, so that the practice of bodhicitta is truly put into effect and we become bodhisattva practitioners who are genuine inside and out.
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-# Edit Suggestions for 净土法门与五大要素
-
-Translator: AI
-Reviewer: AI (self-review)
-Date: 2026-08-06
-
-## Summary
-
-Translation is accurate and natural, with consistent terminology and good preservation of the speaker's voice. Two terminology issues found during self-review.
-
-## Terminology Issues
-
-### 1. Five essential elements enumeration — use noun forms
-
-**Location:** Line 62 (target.dj), source line 62
-
-**Source:** "皈依、发心、戒律、正见、止观"
-**Current:** "taking refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā"
-**Suggested:** "refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā"
-
-**Reason:** Per the practice element list rule in mpi-translation skill: when translating lists of named practice components, render each as a noun phrase, not a gerund. "Refuge" not "taking refuge." The heading "Taking Refuge" is correct as a section title; only the enumeration in the element list needs the noun form.
-
-**Applied:** Yes — changed target line 62.
-
-### 2. "pessimistic" → "disengaged" for 消极
-
-**Location:** Line 100 (target.dj), source line 100
-
-**Source:** "大众觉得佛教是消极的，对社会没什么用处"
-**Current:** "the public to perceive Buddhism as pessimistic and of no use to society"
-**Suggested:** "the public to perceive Buddhism as disengaged and of no use to society"
-
-**Reason:** 消极 in this context means "passive," "withdrawn," or "disengaged from worldly affairs" — not "pessimistic," which carries a specific philosophical connotation (pessimism vs. optimism) not present in the source. The sentence pairs 消极 with "of no use to society," so "disengaged" captures the intended meaning: a religion seen as withdrawing from rather than engaging with social concerns.
-
-**Applied:** Yes — changed target line 100.
-
-## Notes
-
- "self-centered streak" for 自了成分 is a deliberate choice: 自了 literally means "self-liberation focused," but "self-centered streak" better conveys the pejorative tone and flows more naturally in English. Not changed.
- "taking refuge" as section heading and in body text is correct; only the element-list enumeration needed the noun form.
@@ -1,323 +0,0 @@
-# Review Findings for 净土法门与五大要素
-
-Reviewer: AI
-Date: 2026-08-07
-Scope: Full review of target.dj against source.dj (accuracy, terminology, fluency, completeness)
-
-## Summary
-
-The translation is accurate, complete, and fluent throughout, with a consistent
-terminology system (自我 grasping → "self-grasping", 凡夫心 → "ordinary mind", 觉性
-→ "awakened nature", 串习 → "habitual patterns", 信愿行 → "faith, aspiration, and
-practice", 三资粮 → "three provisions"). No source paragraph is omitted; no critical
-mistranslations were found. Two major issues (both terminology) and a set of minor
-issues are listed below.
-
-Both items from edit-suggestions.dj were verified as applied: line 62 uses noun
-forms ("refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā") and line
-100 uses "disengaged" for 消极. No stale items.
-
-## Critical
-
-None.
-
-## Major
-
-### M1. 加行位 rendered "stage of earnest effort" — nonstandard term
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 58, source line 58
-
-**Source:** "所以教下的修行是从加行位、资粮位、见道位、修道位，直至究竟位。"
-**Current:** "the path goes from the stage of earnest effort and the stage of
-accumulation, through the stage of seeing and the stage of cultivation, all the way
-to the ultimate stage"
-
-**Issue:** 加行位 is the standard second of the five paths (pañcamārga), rendered
-in English as the "path/stage of preparation" (or "application"). "Earnest effort"
-is not a recognized rendering and will not be identified by readers of Buddhist
-literature. Note also that the source lists 加行位 before 资粮位, reversing the
-canonical order (资粮 accumulation → 加行 preparation); the translation mirrors the
-source order, which is the correct editorial choice, but the term itself must be
-standard.
-
-**Fix:** Change "the stage of earnest effort and the stage of accumulation" to
-"the stage of preparation and the stage of accumulation". Optionally add a
-translator's note flagging that the source order differs from the canonical five-path
-sequence.
-
-### M2. 惑业 mistranslated and inconsistent — karma dropped at line 84
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 84 (also lines 88, 90, 161 for the inconsistency)
-
-**Source:** "就是深刻意识到轮回和惑业的过患" (line 84); elsewhere "以惑业为基础的
-人生" (line 86), "解除惑业" (line 161)
-
-**Current:** line 84: "the perils of samsara and the afflictions born of delusion";
-lines 86/88 and 161: "deluded karma"
-
-**Issue:** 惑业 is a technical compound — 惑 (affliction/delusion) + 业 (karma), the
-two factors that drive samsara. Line 84's "the afflictions born of delusion" drops
-业 entirely and reframes the compound as a single concept, while other passages
-render it as the single noun phrase "deluded karma". The same term should not be
-split two ways, and karma must not disappear from the sentence.
-
-**Fix:** Render consistently as "delusion and karma" or "afflictions and karma".
-Line 84: "the perils of samsara, with its afflictions and karma". Line 86: "a life
-based on affliction and karma". Line 161: "dissolve affliction and karma".
-
-## Minor
-
-### m1. 万亿 understated as "millions and billions"
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 46, source line 46
-
-**Source:** "然后是百千次，万亿次......"
-**Current:** "then hundreds and thousands of times, then millions and billions of
-times..."
-
-**Issue:** 万亿 = 10^12, i.e. trillions; "millions and billions" understates the
-escalation.
-
-**Fix:** "then hundreds and thousands of times, then trillions of times..."
-
-### m2. 发心 ("Aspiration") collides with 愿 ("aspiration")
-
-**Location:** target.dj lines 11 (TOC), 80 (heading), 82; collision with lines 90,
-94, 96 (愿 rendered "aspiration")
-
-**Issue:** The section title 发心 is rendered "Aspiration", while 愿 (as in 信愿行,
-愿离娑婆) is also rendered "aspiration". In line 94 both senses appear in adjacent
-sentences ("Aspiration is setting the mind..."), and a reader cannot tell 发心 from
-愿. The body text manages the distinction, but the heading invites confusion.
-
-**Fix:** Consider heading III as "Setting the Intention" or "Arousing the Mind"
-(keeping "aspiration" for 愿). If "Aspiration" is retained, no change is strictly
-required — the surrounding text disambiguates.
-
-### m3. 万德洪名 rendered "greatly virtuous name"
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 151, source line 151
-
-**Source:** "不知道弥陀乃万德洪名"
-**Current:** "without knowing that Amitābha is the greatly virtuous name"
-
-**Issue:** 万德洪名 is a stock Pure Land epithet — "the august/great name of myriad
-virtues". "Greatly virtuous name" is weak and reads as generic praise.
-
-**Fix:** "without knowing that Amitābha is the great name of myriad virtues"
-
-### m4. 同圆种智 rendered "share the same perfect wisdom"
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 116, source line 116
-
-**Source:** "就和十方诸佛同圆种智了"
-**Current:** "you share the same perfect wisdom as all the Buddhas of the ten
-directions"
-
-**Issue:** 种智 (一切种智, sarvajñāna) is specifically omniscience/all-knowing
-wisdom, the Buddha's distinctive knowledge. "Perfect wisdom" flattens this and
-risks confusion with prajñā.
-
-**Fix:** "you equally perfect omniscience with all the Buddhas of the ten
-directions" or "you share the same all-knowing wisdom as the Buddhas of the ten
-directions".
-
-### m5. 西天 rendered "Western Paradise" — wrong connotation
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 67, source line 67
-
-**Source:** "学佛三年，佛在西天"
-**Current:** "Practice three years --- the Buddha is off in the Western Paradise."
-
-**Issue:** Here 西天 means the distant western heavens (India), i.e. the Buddha
-receding ever farther away as faith fades. "Western Paradise" evokes the Pure Land
-of Ultimate Bliss, a specific and unintended referent in a talk about Pure Land
-practice.
-
-**Fix:** "Practice three years --- the Buddha is far off in the west."
-
-### m6. 光头俗汉 loses the pejorative
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 29, source line 29
-
-**Source:** "出家人不过是剃发染衣的光头俗汉"
-**Current:** "they remain merely bald-headed laypeople in dyed robes"
-
-**Issue:** 俗汉 ("worldly fellow") is derogatory; "laypeople" is neutral and
-softens the rebuke. The point is that untransformed monastics are worldlings in
-disguise.
-
-**Fix:** "they remain nothing more than shaven-headed worldlings in dyed robes"
-
-### m7. 相似的利他 rendered "apparent altruism" — ambiguous
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 102, source line 102
-
-**Source:** "必须是真正而非相似的利他。所谓相似的利他，就是……"
-**Current:** "genuine and not merely apparent... What I call apparent altruism..."
-
-**Issue:** 相似 here is the technical sense of "semblance/seeming" (as in 相似般若).
-"Apparent" in English defaults to "obvious", nearly reversing the meaning.
-
-**Fix:** "genuine and not merely seeming... What I call seeming altruism..." (or
-"a semblance of altruism").
-
-### m8. 心路规则 rendered "rules of the mental road" — awkward
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 123, source line 123
-
-**Source:** "戒律是修行过程中的心路规则"
-**Current:** "The precepts are the rules of the mental road in the course of
-practice."
-
-**Issue:** "Rules of the mental road" is not idiomatic; the road-trip metaphor
-("行驶在三善道") works better if introduced naturally.
-
-**Fix:** "The precepts are the rules of the road for the mind in the course of
-practice."
-
-### m9. 三善道 rendered "three wholesome realms"
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 123, source line 123
-
-**Source:** "保护我们安全行驶在三善道"
-**Current:** "protect us as we travel safely along the path of the three wholesome
-realms"
-
-**Issue:** 三善道 (gods, asuras, humans) is standardly "the three fortunate
-rebirths/destinies". "Wholesome realms" blurs the rebirth-destination sense; the
-parallel 三恶道 is elsewhere "the three lower realms" (lines 132, 141), which is
-fine — but the pair should match.
-
-**Fix:** "the three fortunate destinies" (and optionally align 三恶道 as "the three
-unfortunate destinies", though "lower realms" is acceptable).
-
-### m10. 救度 rendered "help" — too weak
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 173, source line 173
-
-**Source:** "怎么救度他们？"
-**Current:** "How can we help them?"
-
-**Issue:** 救度 is soteriological — to save/deliver beings. "Help" loses the
-deliverance sense.
-
-**Fix:** "How can we bring them to the Dharma?" or "How can we deliver them?"
-
-### m11. 缘起 rendered inconsistently
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 132 ("the empty nature of conditioned arising") vs
-line 187 ("dependently arisen"); also "causes and conditions" at lines 44, 181
-
-**Issue:** 缘起 shifts between "conditioned arising" and "dependent arising" within
-one text. Both are standard, but one should be chosen.
-
-**Fix:** Prefer "dependent arising"/"dependently arisen" throughout: line 132
-"contemplating that dependent arising is empty by nature".
-
-### m12. 见道位/修道位 mix "path" and "stage" in one sentence
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 58, source line 58
-
-**Current:** "realizing awakened nature through the path of seeing... During the
-path of cultivation... through the stage of seeing and the stage of cultivation"
-
-**Issue:** The same 位 is "path" in one clause and "stage" in the next.
-
-**Fix:** Use "stage" (or "path") uniformly within the passage.
-
-### m13. 横超 rendered inconsistently
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 75 ("lead us directly beyond the three realms") vs
-line 151 ("the shortcut directly transcending the three realms")
-
-**Issue:** 横超三界 is a technical Pure Land expression (transverse/direct
-transcendence of the three realms, vs. vertical exit through gradual attainment).
-Two different renderings obscure that the same term is in play.
-
-**Fix:** Unify, e.g. "lead us straight out of the three realms" / "the shortcut
-straight out of the three realms", or keep "transcend the three realms directly" in
-both places.
-
-### m14. 在选择过程中 rendered "In the process of searching"
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 73, source line 73
-
-**Source:** "我们在选择过程中发现，唯有三宝才能让人走向解脱"
-**Current:** "In the process of searching, we discover that only the Three Jewels
-can lead us to liberation."
-
-**Issue:** 选择 = choosing, not searching; the passage is about weighing options
-(wealth, status), not seeking.
-
-**Fix:** "In the process of choosing, we discover..."
-
-### m15. Unmarked addition of Avataṃsaka attribution
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 108, source line 108
-
-**Source:** "我们知道，《行愿品》是关于菩提心教法的重要典籍"
-**Current:** "the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*'s 'Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra' is a
-classic text..."
-
-**Issue:** The attribution is factually correct (《普贤行愿品》 is the final chapter
-of the Avataṃsaka), but it is an addition to the source. Given that the chapter
-title is used bare later, a one-time gloss is helpful — but it should be marked as
-a translator's clarification or trimmed.
-
-**Fix:** Either "the 'Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra' (of the *Avataṃsaka
-Sūtra*)" as an explicit gloss, or drop the attribution.
-
-### m16. 心、佛、众生三无差别 paraphrased
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 50, source line 50
-
-**Source:** "正是在这个层面上说，心、佛、众生三无差别"
-**Current:** "It is at this level that we say mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are
-not three separate things."
-
-**Issue:** "Not three separate things" suggests ontological merging; the formula
-means there is no difference among the three. The standard rendering is well known.
-
-**Fix:** "It is at this level that we say there is no difference among mind,
-Buddha, and sentient beings."
-
-### m17. Yogācārabhūmi quote: "for oneself" is interpretive
-
-**Location:** target.dj line 96, source line 96
-
-**Source:** "如是发心定自希求无上菩提，及求能作有情义利"
-**Current:** "Such an aspiration is determined to seek unsurpassed bodhi for
-oneself, and to seek the welfare of sentient beings."
-
-**Issue:** 定自希求 is "certainly aspires" (定自 as an adverbial modifier), not
-"seeks for oneself". The current reading is defensible as a contrast with
-有情义利 but introduces a self/other split the grammar does not require.
-
-**Fix:** "Such an aspirant surely seeks unsurpassed bodhi, and seeks to accomplish
-the welfare of sentient beings."
-
-## Completeness
-
-Verified complete. All source sections are present in target.dj: title, dateline,
-table of contents (all seven entries with matching anchors), opening remarks, the
-six numbered sections, closing summary, all ten Q&A exchanges, and Master Da'an's
-concluding remarks. Line alignment is 1:1 (195/195); no paragraph, quotation, or
-list item was omitted, and no unmarked additions beyond m15 were found.
-
-## Terminology Consistency (positive findings)
-
-The following are rendered consistently and to standard; no action needed:
-
- 我执 → "self-grasping"; 法执 → "grasping at phenomena"
- 觉性 → "awakened nature"; 菩提心 → "bodhicitta" (愿菩提心 → "aspirational
-  bodhicitta", 世俗/胜义 → "conventional/ultimate")
- 串习 → "habitual patterns"; 相应 → "resonate/resonance"
- 信愿行 → "faith, aspiration, and practice"; 三资粮 → "three provisions"
- 出离心 → "renunciation"; 娑婆 → "Sahā world"; 极乐 → "Ultimate Bliss"
- 善知识 → "virtuous teacher"; 四众弟子 → "fourfold assembly"
- 戒定慧 → "precepts, concentration, and wisdom"; 正见 → "right view"
- 前行/正行 → "preparatory practice/main practice"; 他力 → "other-power"
- Quoted scriptures (*Platform Sutra*, *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*,
-  *Lamrim*, "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra") are titled consistently and
-  quotations are faithful.
@@ -1,195 +0,0 @@
-净土法门与五大要素
-
------2009年夏讲于庐山东林寺
-
-济群法师
-
-[一、学佛的重心 [2](#一学佛的重心)](#一学佛的重心)
-
-[二、皈 依 [5](#二皈-依)](#二皈-依)
-
-[三、发 心 [7](#三发-心)](#三发-心)
-
-[四、戒 律 [11](#四戒-律)](#四戒-律)
-
-[五、正 见 [12](#五正-见)](#五正-见)
-
-[六、止 观 [13](#六止-观)](#六止-观)
-
-[讲座问答 [13](#讲座问答)](#讲座问答)
-
-尊敬的大安法师、各位法师和居士，早上好！
-
-我一直想来朝拜净土祖庭东林寺，也通过各种渠道看到大安法师在轰轰烈烈地开展弘法事业，深深随喜。这次有缘前来，觉得名不虚传。佛法在世间的流传，所有寺院乃至出家人都是有责任的，所谓道在人弘，非道弘人。自古以来，寺院的职能无非是两方面：一是内修，成就四众弟子修行；二是外弘，面向社会大众弘扬佛法。只有每座道场都能立足于内修外弘的定位做好本分事，佛教才能健康发展，正法才能久住世间。东林寺在这两方面都做得很好，值得赞叹。
-
-这几天寺院正在开展弘法辅导员培训班，我觉得很有意义。弘扬佛法不该只是少部分人的事，而是每一位佛子的责任所在。过去，我们仅仅指望高僧弘法，在家居士觉得，弘法是出家人的事；出家人觉得，弘法是高僧大德的事。问题是，高僧大德能有几个？当他们不堪重负，就没人弘法了。可见这种观念是有问题的。所以我提倡的是"弘扬佛法，人人有责”------每个佛教徒都有责任弘扬佛法，都应该尽到自己的力量。当然这并不是说每个人都要讲经说法，但可以根据自己的能力，以所知所学和大家分享，或是护持讲经、助印等弘法活动。只有让四众弟子意识到自身责任，积极参与到弘法队伍中，佛教才有希望。
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-当今教界最缺的是什么？很多富丽堂皇的寺院修起来了，但只是作为礼佛敬香的场所，甚至参观旅游的景点，却没有内修外弘的功能。大众来到这里，除了满足朝拜的需要，不过是参观建筑和造像，并没有因此对佛教有更多了解，更谈不上从中受益。为什么会这样？正是缺乏法的引导。
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-法，才是寺院的根本所在。内修，修的是法；外弘，弘的也是法。如果没有法的内涵，寺院不过是徒有其表的建筑，不能成为真正的道场；如果没有被戒定慧改造过，出家人不过是剃发染衣的光头俗汉，不能成为合格的僧宝；如果不能闻法、学法、依法修行，在家居士也不过是名义上的佛教徒，甚至会流于迷信。东林寺举办这样的活动，让更多佛子接受培训，提高弘法能力，意义重大。讲净土宗不是我的擅长，大安法师才是专家。在此，主要就我多年修学的心得和大家分享。
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-{#一学佛的重心}
-## 一、学佛的重心
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-今天是一个网络时代，资讯空前发达，人心也空前混乱，以混乱的心面对混乱的资讯，势必带来选择上的混乱。学佛同样存在这个问题。现在我们有机会接触到各种法门和经论，但如果没有足够的见地作出判断，就会四处涉猎，莫衷一是。这正是很多人学佛多年依然不得要领的症结所在。
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-修行的关键是具足正见，善用其心。有了这两个前提，我们的闻思、实修、做事才能成为真正的修行，否则就可能流于形式。学教的容易夸夸其谈，用不起来；实修的容易盲修瞎炼，偏离方向；做事的容易被境所转，忘失初心。忙来忙去，自以为很精进，结果却和解脱毫不相干，何其可惜！
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-我们要明确学佛的重心在哪里，本立方可道生。这个重心又有内外之分。
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-外在的重心是以三宝为依托，以此引导我们走出混乱的心行轨道。否则，多半会跟着感觉走。这个感觉是什么？无非是我执，是贪嗔痴，跟着这样的感觉，生命是没有出路的。所以我们要至诚皈依三宝，从唯我独尊转向以三宝为尊。对于修学净土法门来说，就是以阿弥陀佛为依止，由净念相继，而与弥陀心心相印。这种转换代表真正学佛的开始，也意味着生命轨道的改变。以自我为中心，将在六道随业流转，无尽轮回；只有以三宝为中心，才能走向解脱，成就菩提。
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-内在的重心就是我们自己。也就是说，所有修学都是帮助我们解决自身问题。三藏十二部典籍、八万四千法门都是为认识和改造自己服务的。当然，这和上面所说的以自我为中心完全不同，前者是随顺现有的凡夫心，而后者是开发自身本具的觉性，这才是生命的真正宝藏。
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-我们每天会有很多想法，包括工作、学习、家庭等等。这些念头是缘起的，代表无尽生命的积累。问题是，它们往往是由贪嗔痴驱动，在不知不觉中形成的。贪的时候，不由自主就贪了，没想过这么做对不对，也没想过是否还有其他选择，只是惯性使然。可以说，贪嗔痴早已成为凡夫的本能，如果不加改变，我们的所思所想必然是在随顺贪嗔痴，强化贪嗔痴。
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-修行，就是要消除妄念，建立正念。念佛之所以天天念，时时念，就是为了串习正念。我们选择弥陀名号为所缘，然后安住于此，念念相续。念一声佛，有关阿弥陀佛的正念就得到一次重复和强化，然后是百千次，万亿次......在不断忆念的过程中，这个念头就会日益壮大。相应的，其他妄念就会失去现行机会，从而不断弱化。
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-但仅仅念还不够，关键是全身心地念，以对弥陀的至诚归投之心在念，以离娑婆、生净土的愿心在念。我们的心力越强，投入的心灵能量越大，念头得到的滋养就越多，成长也越快。如果只是有口无心地念着，虽然口中在发声，手上也在拨着念珠，内心依然妄念纷飞，其实是没什么力量的。所以我们在念佛过程中，一定要深刻意识到其中的重要性，用心忆念，才能形成强大的正念，成为心灵世界的主导。如果正念没有力量，主导我们的依然会是妄念，是贪嗔痴。
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-凡夫多半活在妄心的世界，颠倒梦想，念念无明。但佛法告诉我们，在妄心背后还有真心，那就是觉性，是成佛潜质。这两种心正是凡圣不同生命品质的基础。在常人看来，凡夫和圣者有着天壤之别，可在禅宗见地上，不过是一念之差，所谓"前念迷即众生，后念悟即是佛”。迷失觉性，即是众生；体认觉性，当下就是佛。当然，这个佛和圆满悲智功德的十方诸佛是有差别的，但从体认到的觉性来说是一样的，差别在于是否圆满。正是在这个层面上说，心、佛、众生三无差别。
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-《坛经》还告诉我们，"前念著境即烦恼，后念离境即菩提。”我们为什么著境？因为妄心是有粘性的，而且将一大堆错误想法和混乱情绪当作是"我”，发展出现有的凡夫心。当这样的心遇到境，自然会粘著其上，起贪起嗔。事实上，这个"我”只是无明的产物，是幻有的。这就使得我们必须四处寻找支撑，不断地证明它，强化它，痛苦、生死和轮回由此而来。
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-而在觉性层面，没有任何需要，也没有随之而来的恐惧、孤独乃至一切烦恼。因为觉性本身有无住的特点，就像镜子，虽能照见山河大地，但物来影现，物去影灭，没有任何染著，是为离境。这也就是《楞严经》所说的"觉明虚静犹如晴空，无复粗重前尘影事，观诸世间大地河山如镜鉴明”。
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-净土宗的"即心念佛，即心是佛”，正是依觉性而建立。在这个见地上，佛和众生有相同的本质，所以念佛的心当下就是佛。但要知道，这绝不是凡夫的妄心。我们通过学佛了解自己，看到现有人格是无明的产物，目的就是为了瓦解它，进而体认隐藏在凡夫心背后的觉性------这正是解脱的力量。
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-佛法所说的明心见性，就是由见道体认觉性。但这并不是结束，还要在修道过程中不断运用觉性，瓦解串习。所以教下的修行是从加行位、资粮位、见道位、修道位，直至究竟位。当凡夫心彻底瓦解，智慧究竟圆满，才能最终成就佛果。对于净土法门的修行来说，就是"花开见佛悟无生”。和其他法门的主要区别在于，净土法门偏向他力。虽说惑业尚未断尽，但可借助弥陀愿力的接引，带业往生西方，在清净的环境中继续修行，不必担心在轮回中退转。这是净土法门的殊胜所在。
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-但我们还要知道，走出轮回的关键不在于时空，而是解除内心的迷惑烦恼，解除对自己和世界的错误认定。这才是轮回的真正根源。事实上，心既能制造生死和痛苦，也具备自我解脱的能力。我们要去了解这种能力，找到打开它的钥匙。三藏十二部典籍，南传、藏传、汉传三大语系，净土、禅宗、天台等八大宗派、种种法门，都是佛陀针对不同根机者施设的方便善巧。
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-但对个人修行来说，重要的并不是知道各个法门的差异，而是了解其中的共同核心。现在很多人之所以修不上去，正是忽略基础导致的。根据多年修学，我发现不同法门虽各有侧重，但都离不开"皈依、发心、戒律、正见、止观”五大要素。抓住这些纲领，也就抓住了修行根本。反之，忽略其中任何一点，修行必然是不完整的。其中，前三点是一切宗派的共同基础，后两项则是不同宗派的特色所在。
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-{#二皈-依}
-## 二、皈 依
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-学佛首先要皈依，这是区别佛教徒和非佛教徒的关键。现在教界普遍存在信仰淡化的问题，换言之，就是信仰在内心没有足够的地位和分量，无法镇住凡夫心。刚开始，我们觉得自己在信佛，渐渐地，还是像以往一样信钞票，信地位，信感情，信孩子，信人际关系，信有权就是一切。为什么会这样？就是因为我们对信仰对象缺乏认识，对三宝和修行找不到感觉。当信仰不能成为内心主导，自然会被边缘化，出现"学佛一年，佛在眼前；学佛两年，佛在大殿；学佛三年，佛在西天”的现象。如果不加调整，佛菩萨就会渐行渐远，远在天边。
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-所以我从2004年开始就把弘扬皈依作为重点，在《皈依修学手册》中详细阐述了"皈依三宝在修学佛法中的地位、皈依之因和皈依的选择、认识三宝、如何皈依、皈依的正行、皈依的学处、皈依的利益、皈依的修习”等问题，希望帮助大家深化对三宝的认识，真正了解为什么要皈依，怎样才能如法皈依。此外，还编写《皈依修习仪轨》，推广皈依共修，希望大家把忆念三宝作为日常定课，通过反复修习，强化三宝在心目中的分量。
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-信仰阿弥陀佛，修习净土法门，同样要建立在皈依三宝的基础上。我们在十方诸佛中选择阿弥陀佛为归宿，是皈依佛；依止净土法门修行，是皈依法；选择净宗历代祖师大德为师长和修学楷模，是皈依僧。可以说，皈依代表人生最重要的选择。
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-当我们意识到内心的困惑、生死的痛苦、轮回的过患，怎样才能解脱？财富可以让人解脱吗？地位可以让人解脱吗？我们在选择过程中发现，唯有三宝才能让人走向解脱。虽然这是我们自己的选择，是出于精神的需要，但除了信仰之外，人生还有感情、权力、人际关系等种种需要，要让信仰在内心占据主导地位，并非易事。在此过程中，必须不断深化对三宝功德的认识，不断修习皈依。否则的话，这一信仰就会因为得不到强化而被逐渐弱化。
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-对于净土学人来说，修习皈依的重点，就是认识到阿弥陀佛的大愿，西方极乐世界的殊胜，认识到念佛可以引领我们横超三界，出离轮回。具备这些认识，才能全身心地投入。如果认识不到其中分量，心很容易被现实的需要带走。所以我们要强化三宝在心目中的地位，至诚皈依阿弥陀佛，不断思维念佛对人生的重要性。如果不做这样的观察修，要把这句"阿弥陀佛”念好，是很不容易的。
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-净土法门的三资粮为信、愿、行。首先就要有信。信什么？凭什么去信？如果对这些问题缺乏认识，就是迷信、盲信，是没有力量的。确实有些人信根极利，听到善知识怎么说，就能生起深信切愿，一门深入地照做，并不需要懂得多少道理。但对多数受过现代教育的人来说，如果没有理性思考，很难真正生起信心。更何况，仅仅生起是不够的，还要进一步强化，让信心成长壮大，就像参天大树那样，才能在充满串习、妄念的动荡内心安住。所以说，皈依是我们走出轮回的起点，也是往生净土的保障。
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-{#三发-心}
-## 三、发 心
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-发心并不是学佛的专利，事实上，我们每天都在发心，只不过发的是贪嗔痴，最终成就的是凡夫人格。现在我们深刻意识到这种人格的过患，就要从发心开始调整，将凡夫心转变为出离心和菩提心。
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-所谓出离心，就是深刻意识到轮回和惑业的过患，发愿摆脱这种状态。对今天的人来说，逃避痛苦的方法似乎比以往任何时代更多。虽说我们活得并不轻松，压力重重，却很善于通过各种方式逃避，甚至沉溺在虚拟世界中，不愿面对现实。事实上，逃避是不解决任何问题的，虚拟世界更不是久留之地，只要内心还有烦恼，就会不断地制造问题，制造痛苦。
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-我们不断改善环境，目的就是缓解痛苦，可同时也带来了新的问题。比如我们需要汽车代步，赚钱买了车，暂时开心一下，但和汽车有关的麻烦也会随之而来。在以惑业为基础的人生中，不可能有本质的快乐，有的只是对痛苦的暂时缓解。所谓本质的快乐，就是无论什么时候享受，也无论享受多长时间，它都是快乐的，不会减少，更不会乐极生悲。只有涅槃才是那样的快乐，而以惑业为基础的快乐，都不具备有这些特点。
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-我们唯有深刻意识到轮回本质是痛苦的，才能对轮回盛事不再有任何期盼，真切地生起出离心。否则的话，今天觉得诸事不顺，赶快到寺院念佛修行，似乎什么都可以放下；一旦顺境来了，又义无反顾地投入红尘中，照样什么都放不下。那不是出离心，只是暂时的厌离和逃避。
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-事实上，出离心是一种智慧、积极、勇敢的选择，是认清生命真相后，以慧剑斩断对世间名利、事业、感情的执著。进而以大丈夫的气概精进修行，忍人所不能忍，行人所不能行。只有这样，解脱才有希望，往生才有把握。因为你对世间种种已不再贪恋，也就不会为其左右，为其干扰。念佛往生必须有信、愿、行，这个愿就是"愿离娑婆，愿生净土”。如果没有强烈的出离愿望，对世间尚存贪恋，怎么能往生净土？
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-只有作出明确选择------西方极乐世界就是我的归宿，只有那里是唯一的家，除此以外，不想去任何地方。同时深信阿弥陀佛慈悲接引的大愿，加上一心念佛、积极利他的修行资粮，必定往生。关键是很多人信不纯、愿不够、行不足，虽然表面看起来每天都在念佛，但内心还是有很多牵挂，觉得福报还没享够，在面临诱惑时就会被其他选择所吸引，在生死关头就会被轮回盛事挂碍，怎么可能往生？
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-所以信和愿非常重要。其中，信是皈依，选择自己的依止和归宿；愿是发心，生起真切的出离轮回之心。而菩提心是出离心的延伸和圆满，把"我要出离轮回”的愿望延伸到一切众生身上。不仅自己出离，还要推己及人，不忍众生在轮回中受苦，发愿带领他们共同解脱。这种广泛利他的行为就是菩萨行，不仅能成就慈悲，还能成就智慧。这正是佛菩萨所成就的两大品质。菩萨又叫觉有情，就是令有情觉悟。如果仅仅想着自己出离，只能成就解脱，是声闻乘而非菩萨道的修行。
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-作为一种崇高的利他主义愿望，菩提心的特点在于希求，即《瑜伽师地论》所说的"如是发心定自希求无上菩提，及求能作有情义利，是故发心以定希求为其行相”。从希求的角度来说，这和"我要买房子，要买汽车”的用心方式是同样的，区别只是在于愿望的内容。常人的希求是出于欲望，属于众生的本能，而菩提心的希求是为了利他，是"我要利益一切众生，帮助众生解除轮回痛苦”的愿心。
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-这就带来一个问题：为什么要利他？众生和我有什么关系？现实生活中，我们对很多众生是没感觉，甚至不喜欢的，怎么说服自己去利益他们？这是发菩提心的难点所在，必须从观念和心态来调整。省庵大师的《劝发菩提心文》中，讲到发菩提心的十个理由。当我们通过反复思维，认识到这些理由是正确的，这么做是有意义的，才能由衷地发起菩提心。宗喀巴大师的《道次第》中，则是通过七因果和自他相换，阐述了为什么要发菩提心和怎样发心的方法。当我们接受这些认识，也就接受了这种选择。
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-我们通常觉得，发菩提心只是一种利他行，和慈悲有关，和个人解脱没有必然的关系，所以老实念佛就够了，为什么要帮助别人，做种种利他行，不是浪费时间吗？这就使得很多学佛人在行为上有浓厚的自了成分，也使大众觉得佛教是消极的，对社会没什么用处。原因就在于，我们对利他的认识严重不足。
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-事实上，利他不仅能长养慈悲，和解脱也关系密切。我们现有的人格，乃至烦恼、生死、轮回，都是以我执为基础的。有些人虽然在念佛，但没有正确发心，一心只是为了自己，所以碰到一点不如意的事，和自己抵触的事，还是会生起种种烦恼，根源正是在于我执。如果每天总想着自己，就会使我执不断得到强化。而利他的修行恰恰可以弱化我执，把对自己的关注转向众生，多想众生一分，相应的，就会少想自己一分。但这么做的前提，必须是真正而非相似的利他。所谓相似的利他，就是通过利他善行，使我执变得更高尚。用社会上的话来说，就是作秀式的善行。如果这样的话，利他将成为增长我执的另一种方式。
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-发菩提心必须是纯粹的利他，不论动机还是行为，完全以利益众生为目的，没有丝毫为了自己。当一个人处处为自己打算时，才会患得患失，烦恼重重。反之，当一个人全心全意地想他人所想，做他人需要的事，其实是没时间为自己烦恼的。这么做的过程中，我执自然会被弱化，从而在根本上扫除解脱的障碍。
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-从另一个角度来说，我们虽然有悲悯心，但非常狭隘。在修利他行的过程中，时时想着利益一切众生，心量就会不断打开，慈悲也会得到增长，所以菩提心和修习慈悲是相辅相成的。
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-我们知道，《行愿品》是关于菩提心教法的重要典籍，也是净土五经之一。经中告诉我们："诸佛如来以大悲心而为体故，因于众生而起大悲，因于大悲生菩提心，因菩提心成等正觉。”以慈悲为前提，才能生起菩提心，而菩提心又能进一步成就慈悲心。圆满的慈悲是平等、无限的，这离不开智慧。所以从修行上说，利他有两方面的意义：一是利益众生，成就慈悲；一是开启智慧，导向解脱。因为有菩提心，才能使智慧和慈悲不断增长，最终圆满佛菩萨那样的大智慧和大慈悲。
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-如果我们以菩提心修净土法门，可以成为往生的重要资粮，并在往生后由此愿心引导，在十方世界度化众生。正如《行愿品》所说的那样，当人临命终时，"唯此愿王不相舍离，于一切时引导其前。一刹那中即得往生极乐世界，到已即见阿弥陀佛......其人自见生莲华中，蒙佛授记；得授记已，经于无数百千万亿那由他劫，普于十方不可说不可说世界，以智慧力随众生心而为利益。不久当坐菩提道场，降伏魔军，成等正觉，转妙法轮。能令佛刹极微尘数世界众生发菩提心，随其根性，教化成熟，乃至尽于未来劫海，广能利益一切众生。”
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-为什么《行愿品》被称为"十大愿王”？因为其中的每个愿力都是以十方三世诸佛，以尽虚空、遍法界的众生为所缘。虽然不少人把《行愿品》作为早晚功课，但重点只是念诵，却不了解其中蕴含着殊胜的修行方法。我在1996年就讲过《行愿品》，后整理成《学佛者的信念》，其后又多次宣讲《普贤行愿品的观修原理》。之所以重视这部经典，因为其中阐述的修行原理，不仅可以作为修习其他法门的前行，本身也是正行，是普贤菩萨成佛的法门。
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-从前行的角度，《行愿品》的观修可以使我们快速集资净障，是成佛的第一生产力。以《行愿品》的方法念一句"阿弥陀佛”，或是修任何善行，念和行的当下就是一切。就像任何数字乘以无限，结果都是无限的。同时，《行愿品》也是至高的正行，是建立在华严见地的基础上。《华严经》历来被称为经中之王，它的修行就是导归普贤行愿。我在讲述《普贤行愿品的观修原理》时，将其中的修行方法总结为------菩提心的无上观修，佛陀品质的临摹方法。我们知道练书法要临摹字帖，如果按《行愿品》的引导去观修，去念佛，就是在用自己的心临摹佛陀品质，进而调整到佛菩萨那样的心。
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-为什么我们可以把心调整到佛菩萨那样的频道？因为在生命的某个层面，众生和佛菩萨是无二无别的。只是我们因无明而迷失，落入自我制造的陷阱，才成了凡夫。在临摹过程中，就是逐步撤除自我的设定和局限。当这些障碍被彻底铲除，证悟无我、无相、无限的心，就和十方诸佛同圆种智了。如果我们内心不具有成佛潜质，是成不了佛的。正因为众生本具如来智慧德相，才能通过修行成就。
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-菩提心有世俗菩提心和胜义菩提心之分。前面所说的愿菩提心，只是世俗菩提心，而胜义菩提心则是我们内在觉醒的心。这才是究竟的，是生命内在的无价之宝，也是一切众生本自具足的。作为佛弟子，不论修习什么法门，最终都是为了认识觉醒的心，成就解脱乃至无上菩提。
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-{#四戒-律}
-## 四、戒 律
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-戒律是修行过程中的心路规则，作用是帮助我们止息轮回串习，保护我们安全行驶在三善道，行驶在解脱道和菩萨道。它的首要原则是"诸恶莫作”，而恶的基础是贪嗔痴。这是生命内在的强大串习，如果不刻意防范，很容易为其左右。只有不陷入串习，我们才有力量安住正念，修习正定，开启内在觉性。
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-戒具有防非止恶的力量，如果我们受戒时发心正确，仪式如法，就能因此获得戒体，在内心建立自制力和防范系统。但这不是受了就一劳永逸的，还要通过不断持戒和忆念戒的功德来强化，需要把戒律落实到身口意，落实到修行和生活的方方面面，最终使持戒成为我们的修养。这样才能抵挡无始以来的不良串习，使身心乃至人格清净无染。
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-如果不以戒律为规范，我们的所思、所言、所行往往是充满贪嗔痴的。在这样的心行基础上，能和阿弥陀佛的愿力相应吗？如果不能相应，所谓的念，不过是有口无心的形式而已，无法成为往生资粮。所以对于念佛法门来说，戒律也是不可或缺的基础。
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-{#五正-见}
-## 五、正 见
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-从念佛来说，除了净土法门特有的见地，我们还要重视各宗共同的正见。如念轮回苦、三恶道苦，可以帮助我们真切地发起出离心，断除贪嗔痴，也就是四谛法门说的，由知苦而能断集、慕灭、修道。可以说，念苦正是修行的动力所在。无常无我是告诉我们，从外在世界到内在身心都是刹那生灭、朝不保夕的。只有认识妄心背后的觉性，才能亲见生命的本来面目。缘起性空则是帮助我们认识到，无明构建的轮回只是梦境，是因缘假相，并不真实，也就是祖师所说的"梦里明明有六趣，觉后空空无大千”。我们觉得这个世界很热闹，很可爱，所以才不想出离。如果看清它在本质上是荒谬而不真实的，也就没必要执著不舍了。
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-我们修念佛法门，必须深刻认识到轮回本质是痛苦的，认识到阿弥陀佛的万德庄严，认识到西方净土的无比殊胜。具足这些正见，才能全身心投入，让这句佛号念得得力，念得相应。我们的见地越高，念佛时和阿弥陀佛的相应程度就越高，往生的可能性就越高，往生后的品位也越高。如果带着凡夫心在念，既没有见地，也没有出离心和菩提心，不过是在念一些音节而已，自己都没有入心，还能和弥陀心心相印吗？
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-{#六止-观}
-## 六、止 观
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-凡夫心是很不安静的，即使没有面对其他人和事的时候，念头也会此起彼伏。这就需要通过制心一处的训练，让心系念于善所缘。一旦跑开，就再拉回来；再跑开，就再拉回来。通过反复训练，逐步平息躁动，培养持续、稳定的专注。当我们体认到这种安静后，无论面对什么，都是如如不动的，不会随境左右。
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-以大家熟悉的念佛来说，把心安住在佛号上就是止。在这个基础上，每一声佛号才能真正念得相应，念得有力。而观是一种观照力，在念佛过程中了了分明。如何让念佛和止观修行相结合？首先要有前行，思维暇满义大，念死无常，念三恶道苦，并且深刻认识到阿弥陀佛和西方净土的殊胜，生起"愿离娑婆，愿生极乐”的强烈愿心。然后通过修止，专心念佛，让这一正念逐渐强大，相续不断，成为生命的主导力量。最后通过观禅，观照念佛的心本空，念佛的心即是佛，也就是祖师所说的"即心念佛，即心是佛”。如此念佛，就能念念与佛相应，是至高无上的修行。
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-以上，围绕修学重点和五大要素，给大家介绍了我的修学思考。我觉得，这五大要素对念佛法门也很有借鉴意义。今天的因缘非常殊胜，希望我的心得能对大家有所启发。
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-## 讲座问答
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-问：禅宗的闻思修，和净土法门的信愿行有何关系？
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-答：闻思修主要是教下的内容，并不是禅宗特别提倡的。当然禅宗也讲藉教悟宗，以闻思经教辅助修行，但不是重点。教下所说的闻思修，闻是亲近善知识，听闻正法；思是如理思维；修是按如理思维建立的正见修习某个法门，并在正见指导下生活。
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-净土法门的信愿行，同样离不开闻思修的基础。否则我们连阿弥陀佛和净土法门都不知道，信什么？即使听说了一点，但不知道弥陀乃万德洪名，净土法门乃横超三界的捷径，还是难以生起信心。即使知道了弥陀功德和念佛殊胜，但不通过思维来理解、接受，不通过修行来验证，信心依然是不坚定的。所以说，闻思修是建立信愿行不可或缺的基础。离开这个基础说信愿行，往往是空洞的。
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-问：无明和执著有什么不同？根本无明、枝末无明和我法二执是什么关系？
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-答：无明是执著的基础。我们之所以执著，正是因为无明。当然无明的表现方式有很多，贪嗔痴、八万四千烦恼都是无明的结果，执著是其中一项重要内容。
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-根本无明也叫无始无明，是与生俱来的，枝末无明则是由根本无明派生的。至于我法二执，其实也是无明的表现。在《道次第》中，甚至把我执和无明说成一体的两面，由无明而有我执，有法执。因为我们看不清自己，所以才会对自己产生错误认定，为我执；对世界产生错误认定，为法执。如果我们看得清自己和世界，对一切洞然明白，就不再有错误认定，也不再有我法二执了。
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-问：出离心和菩提心是什么关系？
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-答：从愿望本身来说，出离心和菩提心是一致的，都是要出离轮回，但所缘对象有宽窄不同。出离心只是"我要出离”的愿望，而菩提心不仅是自己出离，还要带领一切众生出离。从心行基础来说，二者也是一致的。真正的出离心是空性慧的作用，而菩提心的基础也是空性慧。如果没有空性慧，仅仅建立于世俗心的愿望，是无法究竟出离并解除惑业的。从世俗层面上说，出离心和菩提心都是愿望；从究竟本质上说，二者都是空性慧，都是觉悟。佛教所说的觉悟，不仅有诸佛菩萨成就的无上菩提，还有声闻菩提、缘觉菩提。
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-问：当代佛教的发展方向如何，是趋向人间佛教还是山林佛教？
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-答：佛教的发展不能单纯走向人间，也不能都走入山林，否则谁来弘扬佛法？这么多芸芸众生怎么办？从另一个角度说，如果没有社会大众的土壤，也就失去佛陀设教的本意，佛教将无以生存。而在走向人间的同时，也离不开山林的静修。
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-静修可以直面自己，做事可以历境炼心。东林寺的闭关中心就很好，我们定期到这里来修一修，再到红尘中滚一滚，这两方面对修行都有必要。做事是修习菩提心的过程，可以通过利他来瓦解串习，同时考察自己：正念有没有力量？贪嗔痴还强不强？如果有任何一件事可以影响我们，就说明内心还有相应的烦恼在作用，正是修行的入手处。否则的话，这个世界没有任何境界会影响我们。
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-问：末法时期为什么要提倡净土法门？为什么众生的根机最适合净宗，而不是禅宗、密宗？
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-答：佛法弘扬应该是多元的。当然，净土法门在中国有广泛的信众群体，需要像东林寺这么好的道场来弘扬，但其他宗派同样重要。佛陀之所以施设八万四千法门，就是因为众生有各种根机。尤其在今天这个多元的社会，各个宗派都有存在价值。如果净宗道场把净土宗弘扬好，禅宗道场把禅宗弘扬好，唯识宗道场把唯识宗弘扬好，就是众生之福。因为众生的根机不同，需要不同法门来引导和摄受，佛教才能全面、健康地发展。所以，我并不提倡只弘扬一个宗派。任何道场能如理如法地弘扬某个宗派，都值得随喜赞叹。
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-问：很多学佛人只求眼前福报，觉得净土或佛是看不见的，怎么救度他们？
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-答：确实有些学佛者只求眼前福报，这需要有针对性地引导。从现代人所受的教育来说，直接和他们说轮回，说西方极乐世界，接受起来会有困难，甚至觉得这是迷信。在这种情况下，我们可以多向他们介绍人间佛教------你想不想这一生过得好？过得开心？佛教是人生的大智慧，可以引导我们解除烦恼，使当下的生活更幸福。当他们愿意接受佛法后，可以再进一步讲出离心、菩提心、西方净土等高深的道理。
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-佛陀说法时，也常常"先说端正法，再说正法要”。众生想要福报，就说怎么拥有福报。当他们有了福报之后，感觉光有福报还不行，再来说佛法，就容易接受了。就像很多人没钱时以为有钱就有一切，结果有钱后发现还是痛苦，就会寻找新的解决办法。现在的国学热、佛学热就说明了这一点。因为很多人已不满足于现前福报，开始思考"幸福是什么”，思考"我是谁”"活着为什么”。当他们开始追问这些问题，再来介绍佛法，就是顺其所思、予其所需、投其所好，效果自然不同。
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-问：如何将佛法落实到生活中？
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-答：一方面，要让佛法智慧真正变成你的观念。对于佛法所说的暇满人身、无常无我、因缘因果，我们在听闻后，还要通过深入思维来理解。当我们认识到佛法所说的就是世间真理，才能心悦诚服地接纳，成为自己的观念。这样的话，佛法自然能落实到生活中。很多人虽然在学佛法，知道不少道理，但面对问题时，运用的还是固有观念，"佛法是佛法，我还是我”。之所以有这种知行脱节的情况，其实就在于没有真正的"知”，没有把概念转变成观念。
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-另一方面，要根据佛陀所说建立如法、健康的生活规范。依戒定慧、八正道的指导，受持戒律，正命生活；同时每天有一定时间来禅修或念佛，保持智慧观照。做到这些的话，佛法一定能走入生活。
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-问：对父母的执著太深，如何才能看淡？
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-答：执著是凡夫的串习，尤其是对父母，关系最为密切，执著也最为坚固。如何解决这个问题？一方面是从轮回的眼光，认识到我们和父母的关系也是缘起的，同时认识到，执著这种关系不能给双方带来任何好处，只有引导父母学佛，把世俗关系转为清净的法缘，才是最好的报恩。另一方面，要把感情的重点转移到信仰上，从以自我为中心转向以三宝为中心，可以弱化对世间感情的执著。我们修净土法门，就要对阿弥陀佛、极乐世界建立依赖。
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-当然也要注意方式方法。有些人学佛后，就不管家庭、不做事业，最后反而给自己带来诸多违缘。作为在家居士来说，我们要完成世俗责任，做父母的当好父母，做子女的当好子女，也就是印光大师所说的敦伦尽分。在和家人相处的过程中，既是在完成责任，也可以修习菩提心。我们要慈悲一切众生，首先应该从父母、兄弟姐妹开始。如果对身边亲人都不慈悲，怎么慈悲众生？当然，这不是用人间情爱，而是用慈悲大爱，先从至亲开始，然后扩充到更多的人。只要带着菩提心去做，这些努力同样会成为往生净土的资粮，和修行并不对立。
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-## 大安法师结束语
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-大家听了济群法师的开示，相信会受到很大的教育。本人也受益良多，感觉法师真是把高深的佛法，用大家都能理解的现代语言阐释得非常到位。对于净土行人来说，通途的持戒、菩提心、正见和念佛法门有什么关系，法师也讲得很好，让人想到蕅益大师所说的，净土法门"横与一切法门浑同，竖与一切法门迥异”。有时我们更强调迥异的一面，而忘记浑同的一面。实际上，浑同的部分是基础。不是说你念佛了，仰靠他力了，大乘通途的菩萨道就可以置之不理。在念佛过程中，我们要重视通途的科目菩提道的基础，而在往生这一点上全凭他力。这样修净土法门才会比较圆融。
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-济群法师所讲的佛教多元化发展的观点也很好。八万四千法门，是面对种种不同根机的众生而施设。每个道场都有各自的修学定位，可以发挥特有风格，让大乘八宗都能开花结果，利益众生。站在东林寺的定位，我们专修专弘净土法门，但对禅宗、律宗和教下的道场，我们要随喜赞叹。具有这样的认知和胸怀，才能共持法运。希望大家听闻之后深入思维，落实在行动中。
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-The Pure Land Method and the Five Essential Elements
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------A talk given at Donglin Temple on Mount Lu, summer 2009
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-Venerable Master Jiqun
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-[I. The Focus of Buddhist Practice [2](#一学佛的重心)](#一学佛的重心)
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-[II. Taking Refuge [5](#二皈-依)](#二皈-依)
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-[III. Aspiration [7](#三发-心)](#三发-心)
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-[IV. Precepts [11](#四戒-律)](#四戒-律)
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-[V. Right View [12](#五正-见)](#五正-见)
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-[VI. Śamatha-Vipaśyanā [13](#六止-观)](#六止-观)
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-[Q&A Session [13](#讲座问答)](#讲座问答)
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-Venerable Master Da'an, Dharma masters, and lay practitioners, good morning!
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-I have long wished to pay homage at Donglin Temple, the ancestral seat of the Pure Land tradition. I have also followed, through various channels, how Master Da'an has been vigorously carrying out the work of spreading the Dharma, and I deeply rejoice in this. Now that this karmic connection has brought me here, I can say the temple fully lives up to its reputation. In this world, every monastery and every monastic bears a responsibility for the transmission of the Buddha Dharma. As the saying goes, the path is propagated by people, not people by the path. From ancient times, monasteries have served two functions: inward cultivation, supporting the practice of the fourfold assembly, and outward propagation, bringing the Dharma to society at large. Only when every practice center grounds itself in this dual role of inner cultivation and outer propagation, and does its proper work, can Buddhism develop in a healthy way and the true Dharma endure in the world. Donglin Temple has done well on both fronts and deserves our admiration.
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-In recent days the temple has been holding a training workshop for Dharma propagation instructors, which I find very meaningful. Spreading the Buddha Dharma should not be the work of a small minority --- it is the responsibility of every Buddhist disciple. In the past, we pinned our hopes solely on eminent monks to propagate the Dharma. Lay practitioners felt that propagation was the monastics' job; monastics felt that propagation was the job of eminent monks and great masters. The problem is, how many eminent monks and great masters are there? When they are overburdened, no one is left to propagate the Dharma. Clearly, this mindset is flawed. That is why I advocate: "To spread the Buddha Dharma, everyone has a part to play" --- every Buddhist has a responsibility to propagate the Dharma and should contribute what they can. This does not mean everyone must give lectures on sutras. You can share what you have learned and understood according to your ability, or support propagation activities by assisting with Dharma talks, sponsoring sutra printing, and so on. Only when the fourfold assembly recognizes its own responsibility and takes an active part in the propagation effort can Buddhism have a future.
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-What is most lacking in today's Buddhist world? Many magnificent temples have been built, yet they serve merely as places to offer incense and pay homage to the Buddha, or even as tourist attractions, without the functions of inner cultivation and outer propagation. When people come here, apart from satisfying their need to worship, they do little more than admire the architecture and statues. They do not gain a deeper understanding of Buddhism, let alone real benefit. Why is this? Precisely because of a lack of guidance through the Dharma.
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-The Dharma is the very foundation of a monastery. Inner cultivation means cultivating the Dharma; outer propagation means propagating the Dharma. Without the substance of the Dharma, a monastery is nothing more than an impressive building and cannot become a genuine place of practice. If the monastics have not been transformed by precepts, concentration, and wisdom, they remain nothing more than shaven-headed worldlings in dyed robes, not qualified members of the Sangha jewel. And if lay practitioners cannot hear, study, and practice the Dharma, they remain Buddhists in name only, and may even drift into superstition. That Donglin Temple is holding events like this --- enabling more disciples to receive training and strengthen their capacity to spread the Dharma --- is enormously significant. Teaching the Pure Land school is not my specialty; Master Da'an is the expert. Here, I will mainly share insights I have gathered from my own years of study and practice.
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-{#一学佛的重心}
-## I. The Focus of Buddhist Practice
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-We live in an internet age, with an unprecedented flood of information and unprecedented turmoil in people's minds. When a confused mind confronts confused information, confusion in our choices is inevitable. The same problem applies to Buddhist practice. Nowadays we have access to all kinds of Dharma methods, sutras, and treatises. But without sufficient insight to make sound judgments, we end up dabbling everywhere, unable to settle on anything. This is precisely why many people practice for years yet never grasp the essentials.
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-The key to practice is to have right view firmly in place and to use the mind skillfully. With these two prerequisites, our hearing and contemplation, our actual practice, and our service work can all become genuine practice. Otherwise, they easily become empty formalities. Those who focus on doctrinal study tend to become eloquent talkers who cannot put anything to use; those who focus on practice tend to grope in the dark and veer off course; those who focus on service tend to be swayed by circumstances and lose sight of their original intention. Busy, busy, busy --- they think they are being highly diligent, but in the end none of it has anything to do with liberation. What a pity!
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-We need to be clear about where the focus of Buddhist practice lies. Once the root is established, the path can unfold. This focus has an outer and an inner dimension.
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-The outer focus is to rely on the Three Jewels, using them to guide us out of our confused mental tracks. Otherwise, we will mostly just follow our impulses. And what are these impulses? Nothing other than self-grasping, greed, hatred, and ignorance. Following such impulses, life has no way out. So we must take refuge in the Three Jewels with wholehearted sincerity, turning from self-centeredness to centering on the Three Jewels. For those who practice the Pure Land method, this means taking Amitābha Buddha as your refuge. Through a continuous stream of pure mindfulness, your mind resonates with Amitābha's mind. This shift marks the true beginning of Buddhist practice and a change in the course of your life. Centered on the self, you drift through the six realms driven by karma, in endless samsara. Only by centering on the Three Jewels can you walk the path to liberation and awaken to bodhi.
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-The inner focus is ourselves. That is to say, all study and practice are meant to help us resolve our own problems. The entire Tripitaka --- the twelve divisions of the canon --- and the eighty-four thousand Dharma methods all serve to help us understand and transform ourselves. This is, of course, entirely different from the self-centeredness mentioned above. The former goes along with our existing ordinary mind; the latter is about unlocking the awakened nature inherent within us --- the true treasure of life.
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-Every day we have countless thoughts --- about work, study, family, and so on. These thoughts arise from causes and conditions; they represent the accumulated deposits of countless lives. The trouble is, they are mostly driven by greed, hatred, and ignorance, and take shape before we even know it. When greed arises, we are swept along by it automatically. We never pause to ask whether this is right or whether there might be another choice --- it is sheer force of habit. You could say that greed, hatred, and ignorance have long become an ordinary being's instinct. If we make no effort to change, everything we think and feel will necessarily follow along with greed, hatred, and ignorance, reinforcing them all the more.
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-Practice means eliminating deluded thoughts and establishing right mindfulness. The reason we recite the Buddha's name day after day, moment after moment, is to cultivate right mindfulness through repetition. We choose the name of Amitābha as our object, rest our mind there, and sustain the mindfulness moment after moment. Each time you recite the Buddha's name, the right mindfulness associated with Amitābha Buddha is repeated and strengthened once, then hundreds and thousands of times, then trillions of times... Through this continual recollection, this thought will grow stronger and stronger. Correspondingly, other deluded thoughts will lose their chance to surface and gradually weaken.
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-But recitation alone is not enough. The key is to recite with your whole being --- with a heart of genuine refuge in Amitābha, with an aspiration to leave the Sahā world and be born in the Pure Land. The stronger the force of your mind, the greater the spiritual energy you invest, the more nourishment your thought receives, and the faster it grows. If you merely recite with your lips while your mind wanders --- mouthing the words, fingering the beads, yet inwardly aflutter with deluded thoughts --- there is actually very little power in it. So in the course of reciting the Buddha's name, we must deeply recognize its importance and recollect with full attention. Only then can we build a powerful right mindfulness that becomes the guiding force of our inner world. If right mindfulness lacks strength, what guides us will still be deluded thoughts, greed, hatred, and ignorance.
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-Ordinary beings mostly live in the world of the deluded mind --- upside-down views and illusory thoughts, each thought steeped in ignorance. Yet the Buddha Dharma tells us that behind the deluded mind there is the true mind: awakened nature, the potential for Buddhahood. These two kinds of mind form the basis of the different qualities of life between ordinary beings and sages. From an ordinary perspective, ordinary beings and sages are worlds apart. Yet from the standpoint of Chan insight, they are but a single thought apart. As it is said, "The previous thought, deluded, is the ordinary being; the subsequent thought, awakened, is the Buddha." Lose touch with your awakened nature, and you are an ordinary being. Realize your awakened nature, and right then and there, you are a Buddha. Of course, this Buddha differs from the Buddhas of the ten directions who have perfected their compassion, wisdom, and merit. But the awakened nature that is realized is the same; the difference lies only in whether it is fully perfected. It is at this level that we say there is no difference among mind, Buddha, and sentient beings.
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-The *Platform Sutra* also tells us: "The previous thought clinging to objects is affliction; the subsequent thought released from objects is bodhi." Why do we cling to objects? Because the deluded mind is sticky. Moreover, it takes a great heap of mistaken ideas and turbulent emotions to be the "self," developing into what we call the ordinary mind. When such a mind encounters an object, it naturally sticks to it, giving rise to greed or aversion. In truth, this "self" is nothing but a product of ignorance --- it is illusory. Because of it, we must constantly search for support, continually proving it and reinforcing it. And from this arise suffering, birth and death, and samsara.
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-But at the level of awakened nature, there is no need and none of the fear, loneliness, or any affliction that comes in its wake. Awakened nature has the quality of non-abiding --- like a mirror that clearly reflects mountains and rivers, yet when an object appears, its reflection arises, and when the object departs, the reflection vanishes, leaving no trace of clinging. This is what it means to be released from objects. It is as the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* describes: "The awakened luminosity, empty and still, is like the clear sky, free of the coarse shadows of past sense-objects. Observing all the lands, rivers, and mountains of the world, it is as a bright mirror reflecting forms."
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-The Pure Land principle that "it is the mind that recites the Buddha's name, and this very mind is the Buddha" is established precisely on the basis of awakened nature. From this perspective, the Buddha and sentient beings share the same essential nature. Therefore, the mind that recites the Buddha's name, right in that very moment, is the Buddha. But we must be clear: this is by no means the ordinary deluded mind. We study the Buddha Dharma to understand ourselves, to see that our present personality is a product of ignorance. The purpose is to dismantle it and then realize the awakened nature hidden behind the ordinary mind --- and this is precisely the power of liberation.
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-What the Buddha Dharma calls "illuminating the mind and seeing one's nature" means realizing awakened nature through the stage of seeing. But this is not the end. During the stage of cultivation, we must continue to apply awakened nature and dismantle our habitual patterns. Thus, in the teachings of the scriptural schools, the path goes from the stage of preparation and the stage of accumulation, through the stage of seeing and the stage of cultivation, all the way to the ultimate stage. Only when the ordinary mind is thoroughly dismantled and wisdom is fully perfected can one finally attain Buddhahood. For a practitioner of the Pure Land method, this is expressed as "when the lotus blooms, seeing the Buddha and awakening to the unborn." The main difference from other methods is that the Pure Land method relies more on other-power. Although our afflictions and karma have not yet been fully eradicated, through the receptive power of Amitābha's vows we can be reborn in the Western Pure Land with our karmic residue, continuing our practice in a pure environment without fear of backsliding in samsara. This is the special excellence of the Pure Land method.
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-Nevertheless, we must also understand that the key to leaving samsara behind is not a matter of time and space. It is about dissolving the confusion and afflictions within our minds, dissolving our mistaken identification of ourselves and the world. That is the real root of samsara. In fact, the mind not only creates birth and death and suffering --- it also possesses the capacity for self-liberation. We need to come to know this capacity and find the key to unlocking it. The Tripitaka and its twelve divisions, the three great traditions of Theravāda, Tibetan, and Chinese Buddhism, the eight major schools --- Pure Land, Chan, Tiantai, and so on --- and all the various Dharma methods: these are all skillful means that the Buddha established for people of different capacities.
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-But for an individual's practice, what matters most is not knowing the differences between the various methods, but understanding the common core they all share. The reason many people today cannot make progress in practice is precisely that they neglect the foundations. Based on my years of study and practice, I have found that although different methods each have their own emphasis, none can be separated from five essential elements: refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view, and śamatha-vipaśyanā. Grasp these guiding principles, and you have grasped the root of practice. Neglect any one of them, and your practice is bound to be incomplete. Of these five, the first three form the common foundation of all schools, while the latter two represent the distinctive features of each school.
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-{#二皈-依}
-## II. Taking Refuge
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-The first step in Buddhist practice is taking refuge, and this is what distinguishes a Buddhist from a non-Buddhist. Today's Buddhist world is afflicted by a widespread weakening of faith. In other words, faith does not hold enough weight or standing in people's hearts to keep the ordinary mind in check. At first, we feel that we are practicing Buddhism. But gradually, just as before, we find ourselves putting our faith in money, status, relationships, children, social connections, the idea that power is everything. Why does this happen? Because we lack understanding of the object of our faith; we cannot find a felt connection to the Three Jewels and to practice. When faith cannot become the guiding force within, it is naturally pushed to the margins. This is what lies behind the saying: "Practice Buddhism one year --- the Buddha is right before your eyes. Practice two years --- the Buddha is in the shrine hall. Practice three years --- the Buddha is far off in the west." Unless we make adjustments, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas will drift further and further away, until they are beyond the farthest horizon.
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-That is why, since 2004, I have made teaching the subject of taking refuge a priority. In my *Handbook for the Study and Practice of Taking Refuge*, I have elaborated in detail on topics such as the place of taking refuge in the Three Jewels within the study and practice of the Buddha Dharma, the causes for taking refuge and how to make the right choice, understanding the Three Jewels, how to take refuge properly, the correct practice of refuge, the precepts related to refuge, the benefits of taking refuge, and the cultivation of refuge. My hope is to help everyone deepen their understanding of the Three Jewels and truly grasp why we take refuge and how to do so in accordance with the Dharma. In addition, I have compiled the *Liturgy for the Cultivation of Taking Refuge* and promoted communal refuge practice. I hope that everyone will make recollection of the Three Jewels a daily commitment, strengthening their presence in your heart through repeated practice.
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-Faith in Amitābha Buddha and practice of the Pure Land method must likewise be built on the foundation of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. When we choose Amitābha Buddha from among all the Buddhas of the ten directions as our ultimate destination, this is taking refuge in the Buddha. When we rely on the Pure Land method for our practice, this is taking refuge in the Dharma. When we take the Pure Land patriarchs and great masters of successive generations as our teachers and models of practice, this is taking refuge in the Sangha. It can be said that taking refuge represents the most important choice in life.
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-When we become aware of the confusion in our minds, the suffering of birth and death, and the perils of samsara, how can we gain liberation? Can wealth liberate us? Can status liberate us? In the process of choosing, we discover that only the Three Jewels can lead us to liberation. Although this is our own choice, born of our spiritual need, faith is not the only need in life --- there are also relationships, power, social connections, and so many other needs. Making faith the dominant force in our hearts is no easy task. In this process, we must continually deepen our recognition of the qualities of the Three Jewels and continually practice taking refuge. Otherwise, without reinforcement, this faith will gradually weaken.
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-For a Pure Land practitioner, the key point in cultivating refuge is to recognize the great vows of Amitābha Buddha and the extraordinary excellence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, to recognize that reciting the Buddha's name can lead us straight out of the three realms and out of samsara. Only with this recognition can we devote ourselves wholeheartedly. If you cannot feel its weight, your heart will easily be carried away by the demands of daily life. So we must strengthen the place of the Three Jewels in our hearts, take refuge in Amitābha Buddha with the utmost sincerity, and continually reflect on the vital importance of reciting the Buddha's name for our lives. Without this kind of analytical meditation, reciting "Amitābha Buddha" with real depth is far from easy.
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-The three provisions of the Pure Land method are faith, aspiration, and practice. Faith comes first. Faith in what? And on what basis do we believe? If we lack clarity on these questions, our faith is blind and superstitious --- it has no power. There are indeed people whose faculty of faith is exceptionally sharp. When they hear what a virtuous teacher says, they can give rise to deep faith and earnest aspiration, wholeheartedly follow through, and have no need to grasp many principles. But for the majority of people who have received a modern education, it is very difficult to bring forth genuine faith without rational reflection. What is more, simply giving rise to faith is not enough --- you must further reinforce it, letting it grow and become sturdy, like a great towering tree, so that it can abide securely in a mind constantly agitated by habitual patterns and deluded thoughts. Thus, taking refuge is both our starting point for leaving samsara and our assurance of rebirth in the Pure Land.
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-{#三发-心}
-## III. Aspiration
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-Aspiration is not the exclusive domain of Buddhist practice. In fact, we are setting an aspiration every day --- except that what we set is greed, hatred, and ignorance, and what we ultimately produce is an ordinary person's personality. Now that we have deeply realized the flaws of such a personality, we must begin adjusting from the point of aspiration, transforming the ordinary mind into renunciation and bodhicitta.
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-What is renunciation? It is to deeply recognize the perils of samsara, with its afflictions and karma, and to resolve to break free from this state. For people today, there seem to be more ways to escape suffering than ever before. Although life is hardly easy, and pressures weigh on us from all sides, we are quite skilled at evading them in various ways --- even to the point of losing ourselves in virtual worlds and refusing to face reality. Yet the truth is, avoidance solves nothing, and virtual worlds are no place to dwell for long. As long as the mind still harbors afflictions, it will keep generating problems and producing suffering.
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-We keep improving our environment with the aim of relieving suffering, yet this also brings new problems in its wake. For example, we need a car to get around. We earn money, buy a car, and feel happy for a while --- but the troubles that come with the car soon follow. In a life based on affliction and karma, there can be no essential happiness, only a temporary relief from suffering. By essential happiness, I mean a happiness that is joyful whenever and however long you enjoy it, never diminishing, and never turning into sorrow at the peak of joy. Only nirvana is that kind of happiness. The happiness that rests on affliction and karma does not possess these qualities.
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-Only when we deeply realize that the very nature of samsara is suffering can we stop harboring any expectations about its splendors and genuinely give rise to renunciation. Otherwise, when things are not going our way, we rush to the temple to recite the Buddha's name and practice, seeming to put everything down. But once favorable circumstances return, we plunge right back into worldly life with no hesitation, clinging to everything just as before. That is not renunciation --- it is only a temporary aversion and escape.
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-In truth, renunciation is a wise, proactive, and courageous choice. It means, after seeing the truth of life clearly, taking the sword of wisdom to cut through attachment to worldly fame, fortune, career, and relationships. Then, with the resolve of a great hero, you practice with vigor, enduring what others cannot endure and doing what others cannot do. Only in this way is there hope for liberation and assurance of rebirth in the Pure Land. Since you no longer crave anything in the world, nothing can sway or disturb you. Rebirth in the Pure Land through reciting the Buddha's name requires faith, aspiration, and practice. The aspiration here is the "aspiration to leave the Sahā world and be born in the Pure Land." Without a strong wish to leave, if you still harbor craving for the world, how can you be reborn in the Pure Land?
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-Only when you make a clear choice --- the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is my destination, that alone is my true home, and I have no wish to go anywhere else --- coupled with deep faith in the receptive power of Amitābha Buddha's compassionate vows, and sustained by the provisions of single-minded recitation and active benefitting of others, can you be sure of rebirth. The problem is that many people's faith is impure, their aspiration insufficient, and their practice inadequate. On the surface they seem to recite the Buddha's name every day, but inwardly they still have many attachments, feeling they have not yet enjoyed enough blessings. When temptation comes, they are drawn to other options. At the critical moment of life and death, they are obstructed by the splendors of samsara. How could they possibly be reborn in the Pure Land?
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-Thus, faith and aspiration are profoundly important. Faith is taking refuge --- it is choosing your support and destination. Aspiration is setting the mind --- it is bringing forth a genuine wish to leave samsara. And bodhicitta is the extension and perfection of renunciation, taking the wish "I want to leave samsara" and extending it to all sentient beings. Not only do you yourself leave, but you extend the wish to others, unable to bear the thought of sentient beings suffering in samsara, resolving to lead them all to liberation together. This broad practice of benefitting others is the bodhisattva path. It not only perfects compassion but also perfects wisdom. These are precisely the two great qualities perfected by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. A bodhisattva is also called an "awakening being" --- one who brings sentient beings to awakening. If you only think of your own liberation, you can only attain the liberation of a hearer; that is the Śrāvakayāna, not the bodhisattva path.
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-As a noble wish of altruism, the defining characteristic of bodhicitta is its quality of aspiration, as described in the *Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra*: "Such an aspirant surely seeks unsurpassed bodhi, and seeks to accomplish the welfare of sentient beings. Therefore, the defining characteristic of this aspiration is this determined seeking." From the standpoint of aspiration, it is the same mental process as "I want to buy a house" or "I want to buy a car"; the only difference lies in the content of the wish. The aspiration of ordinary people arises from desire and is instinctive to sentient beings. The aspiration of bodhicitta is for the benefit of others --- it is the wish that "I will benefit all sentient beings and help them all find release from the suffering of samsara."
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-This raises a question: Why benefit others? What do sentient beings have to do with me? In real life, we feel no connection to many beings and may even dislike them. How do we persuade ourselves to benefit them? This is the difficult point in bringing forth bodhicitta. It must be approached by adjusting our views and mental attitudes. In Master Xing'an's *Essay Exhorting the Arousal of Bodhicitta*, ten reasons for arousing bodhicitta are given. When we reflect on them repeatedly and come to see that these reasons are correct and that this undertaking is meaningful, we can bring forth bodhicitta from the heart. In Master Tsongkhapa's *Lamrim*, the methods of the seven causes and effects and exchanging self and others are used to explain why we should arouse bodhicitta and how to do so. When we accept these perspectives, we accept this choice.
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-We often think that arousing bodhicitta is merely a practice of benefiting others, related to compassion but not essentially connected to personal liberation. So isn't it enough simply to recite the Buddha's name sincerely? Why help others or do all kinds of altruistic deeds --- isn't that just a waste of time? This kind of thinking has given many Buddhist practitioners a strong self-centered streak and also led the public to perceive Buddhism as disengaged and of no use to society. The root cause is our serious underestimation of the value of benefiting others.
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-In fact, benefiting others not only nourishes compassion but is also closely connected to liberation. Our present personality --- and indeed our afflictions, birth and death, and samsara --- are all based on self-grasping. Some people recite the Buddha's name but without a correct aspiration, directed entirely toward their own concerns. So whenever they encounter something disagreeable or contrary to their wishes, all kinds of afflictions still arise. The root is precisely self-grasping. If every day you are only thinking of yourself, self-grasping will be continuously reinforced. But the practice of benefiting others can actually weaken self-grasping: you shift your attention from yourself to sentient beings. The more you think of others, the less you think of yourself. However, this only works if your altruism is genuine and not merely seeming. What I call seeming altruism is when you use good deeds to make your self-grasping more refined --- what people in society call "performative" good deeds. If that is what you do, benefiting others will just become another way to strengthen self-grasping.
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-Bodhicitta must be pure altruism. Whether in motivation or in action, its sole purpose is to benefit sentient beings, without the slightest concern for oneself. When a person is always calculating their own interests, they are plagued by anxiety over gains and losses and burdened with afflictions. But when a person wholeheartedly considers what others need and does what serves them, they actually have no time to be troubled for themselves. In the process, self-grasping naturally weakens, thereby removing the fundamental obstacle to liberation.
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-Looked at from another angle, although we do possess compassion, it is very narrow. In the course of practicing altruism, when we continually hold the intention to benefit all sentient beings, the heart gradually opens, and compassion grows. Thus, bodhicitta and the cultivation of compassion are mutually reinforcing.
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-As we know, the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" (of the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*) is a classic text on the teaching of bodhicitta and is also one of the five Pure Land sutras. The text tells us: "All buddhas, the Tathāgatas, have great compassion as their essence. Because of sentient beings, they give rise to great compassion; because of great compassion, they give rise to bodhicitta; because of bodhicitta, they attain perfect awakening." Only with compassion as the foundation can bodhicitta arise, and bodhicitta in turn further perfects compassion. Perfect compassion is impartial and boundless, and this is inseparable from wisdom. So from the standpoint of practice, benefiting others has two meanings: one is benefiting sentient beings and perfecting compassion, and the other is opening up wisdom and moving toward liberation. It is through bodhicitta that wisdom and compassion can continually grow, until at last you attain the great wisdom and great compassion of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
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-If we practice the Pure Land method with bodhicitta, it becomes an important provision for rebirth in the Pure Land. After rebirth, guided by this vow, we can liberate sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. As the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" says, when a person approaches the end of life, "only this king of vows does not abandon them --- at all times it guides them forward. In a single instant they attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and upon arrival they see Amitābha Buddha... They see themselves born within a lotus flower and receive the Buddha's prophecy of enlightenment. Having received the prophecy, over countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of nayutas of eons, throughout inexpressibly inexpressible worlds in the ten directions, they employ the power of wisdom to benefit sentient beings according to their minds. Before long, they will sit upon the bodhi seat, subdue the army of Māra, attain perfect awakening, and turn the wondrous Dharma wheel. They will cause sentient beings in worlds as numerous as the finest dust particles in a buddha-land to bring forth bodhicitta, and according to their capacities, teach and bring them to maturity, until the end of the ocean of future eons, broadly benefitting all sentient beings."
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-Why is the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" called the "King of the Ten Great Vows"? Because each of these vows takes as its object all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, and all sentient beings throughout the entirety of space and the dharma realm. Although many people recite this chapter as part of their morning and evening practice, the emphasis is merely on recitation, without understanding that it contains an extraordinary method of practice. I gave teachings on this chapter back in 1996, later compiled as *A Buddhist Practitioner's Faith*, and have since lectured on it several more times as *The Contemplation Principles of Samantabhadra's Vows*. The reason I value this scripture so highly is that the practice principles it sets forth can serve not only as a preparatory practice for other methods but are themselves the main practice --- the method by which Samantabhadra Bodhisattva attained Buddhahood.
-
-From the standpoint of preparatory practice, the contemplations set forth in the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" allow us to swiftly accumulate merit and purify obstacles. They are the primary productive force for attaining Buddhahood. When you recite "Amitābha Buddha" once, or perform any wholesome deed, using the method from this chapter, that single recitation or deed is, in that very moment, everything. It is like multiplying any number by infinity --- the result is infinite. At the same time, the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" is also the supreme main practice, grounded in the insight of the Avataṃsaka. The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* has long been called the king of sutras, and its practice culminates in Samantabhadra's vows and conduct. When I taught *The Contemplation Principles of Samantabhadra's Vows*, I summarized its practice method as: "the unsurpassed contemplation of bodhicitta, the method for copying the qualities of the Buddha." We know that in practicing calligraphy, you copy a model. If you follow the guidance of the "Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra" in your contemplation and recitation, you are using your own mind to copy the qualities of the Buddha, gradually tuning it to the frequency of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
-
-Why can we tune our minds to the frequency of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas? Because at a certain level of life, sentient beings and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas are no different. It is only because we are lost in ignorance and have fallen into traps of our own making that we have become ordinary beings. The process of copying is precisely the gradual dismantling of the self's constructs and limitations. When these obstacles are completely cleared away and you realize the mind that is selfless, formless, and boundless, you equally perfect omniscience with all the Buddhas of the ten directions. If we did not possess the potential for Buddhahood within, we could never attain it. It is precisely because sentient beings inherently possess the wisdom and virtue of the Tathāgata that they can accomplish Buddhahood through practice.
-
-Bodhicitta is divided into conventional bodhicitta and ultimate bodhicitta. The aspirational bodhicitta discussed above is only conventional bodhicitta. Ultimate bodhicitta is the awakened mind within us. That is the final reality, the priceless treasure within life, and it is what all sentient beings inherently possess. As disciples of the Buddha, no matter what method we practice, the ultimate goal is to recognize the awakened mind and attain liberation and even unsurpassed bodhi.
-
-{#四戒-律}
-## IV. Precepts
-
-The precepts are the rules of the road for the mind in the course of practice. Their function is to help us stop the habitual momentum of samsara and protect us as we travel safely along the path of the three fortunate destinies, the path of liberation, and the bodhisattva path. Their first principle is "do no evil," and the basis of evil is greed, hatred, and ignorance. These are powerful inner habitual forces. If we do not deliberately guard against them, we can easily be swept along by them. Only by not falling into our habitual patterns do we have the strength to rest in right mindfulness, cultivate right concentration, and open up our inner awakened nature.
-
-The precepts possess the power to guard against wrongdoing and stop evil. If our motivation when receiving the precepts is correct and the ceremony is properly conducted, we can thereby obtain the essence of the precepts, establishing within ourselves a system of self-restraint and protection. But receiving the precepts is not a once-and-for-all matter. We must also continually uphold them and recollect their merits to reinforce them. The precepts need to be implemented in body, speech, and mind, and applied to every aspect of practice and daily life, until observing the precepts eventually becomes part of our character. Only then can we withstand the unwholesome habitual patterns accumulated since time without beginning and purify our body, mind, and personality.
-
-If we do not take the precepts as our standard, our thoughts, words, and actions will largely be saturated with greed, hatred, and ignorance. On such a mental basis, can we really resonate with the power of Amitābha Buddha's vows? If we cannot, then the so-called recitation is nothing more than a formality of mouthing words without the mind's engagement --- it cannot become a provision for rebirth in the Pure Land. Thus, for the method of reciting the Buddha's name, precepts are also an indispensable foundation.
-
-{#五正-见}
-## V. Right View
-
-In terms of reciting the Buddha's name, aside from the distinctive views of the Pure Land method, we must also pay attention to the right view common to all schools. For instance, contemplating the suffering of samsara and the suffering of the three lower realms can help us genuinely give rise to renunciation and cut off greed, hatred, and ignorance. This is what the teaching of the Four Noble Truths conveys: by knowing suffering, one can cut off its causes, aspire to its cessation, and cultivate the path. It can be said that contemplating suffering is the very engine of practice. Contemplating impermanence and no-self tells us that everything from the outer world to our inner body and mind is arising and ceasing moment by moment, impossible to hold onto for even a single day. Only by recognizing the awakened nature behind the deluded mind can we directly see the original face of life. And contemplating that dependent arising is empty by nature helps us recognize that the samsara constructed by ignorance is merely a dream --- an illusory appearance produced by causes and conditions, not truly real. This is what the patriarchs meant by: "In the dream, clearly there are the six destinies; upon awakening, vast emptiness --- not a single world." We find this world so bustling and lovable that we do not want to leave it. Once we see that it is fundamentally absurd and unreal, there is no need to cling to it any longer.
-
-In practicing the method of reciting the Buddha's name, we must deeply recognize that samsara is suffering by nature, recognize the majestic perfection of Amitābha Buddha's myriad virtues, and recognize the incomparable excellence of the Western Pure Land. Only when we are fully equipped with these right views can we invest ourselves wholeheartedly, so that our recitation of the Buddha's name becomes powerful and resonant. The higher our insight, the deeper our resonance with Amitābha Buddha as we recite, the greater our likelihood of rebirth in the Pure Land, and the higher our grade of rebirth. If we recite with an ordinary mind, lacking both insight and the minds of renunciation and bodhicitta, we are merely pronouncing some syllables. If the recitation does not even enter our own hearts, how can it resonate with Amitābha's mind?
-
-{#六止-观}
-## VI. Śamatha-Vipaśyanā
-
-The ordinary mind is never truly quiet. Even when not confronted with people or events, thoughts rise and fall one after another. This requires the training of focusing the mind on a single point, keeping it fixed on a wholesome object. Whenever the mind wanders off, bring it back. When it wanders off again, bring it back again. Through repeated training, we gradually calm the restlessness and cultivate sustained, stable concentration. Once we experience this stillness, no matter what we face, we remain unmoving, undisturbed by circumstances.
-
-Take the familiar practice of reciting the Buddha's name. Resting the mind on the Buddha's name is śamatha. On this foundation, each recitation can truly resonate and carry power. Vipaśyanā is the power of clear observation --- it means being lucidly aware throughout the recitation. How do we combine reciting the Buddha's name with the practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā? First, there must be a preparatory stage: contemplate the great significance of a precious human life, contemplate death and impermanence, contemplate the suffering of the three lower realms, and deeply recognize the extraordinary excellence of Amitābha Buddha and the Western Pure Land, giving rise to the powerful aspiration to "leave the Sahā world and be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss." Then, through cultivating śamatha, recite the Buddha's name with single-minded focus, allowing this right mindfulness to grow stronger day by day, continuing unbroken, until it becomes the dominant force in your life. Finally, through the practice of vipaśyanā, observe that the mind that recites the Buddha's name is intrinsically empty, and that the mind that recites the Buddha's name is itself the Buddha. This is what the patriarchs meant by "it is the mind that recites the Buddha's name, and this very mind is the Buddha." To recite in this way is to resonate with the Buddha in every thought --- it is the supreme practice.
-
-Above, I have shared my reflections on practice, organized around the focus of practice and the five essential elements. I believe these five elements are also highly relevant to the method of reciting the Buddha's name. Today's karmic conditions have been most extraordinary, and I hope my insights may offer you some inspiration.
-
-## Q&A Session
-
-Q: What is the relationship between hearing, contemplating, and practicing in the Chan tradition on the one hand, and faith, aspiration, and practice in the Pure Land method on the other?
-
-A: Hearing, contemplating, and practicing mainly belong to the content of the scriptural schools. They are not something the Chan tradition particularly emphasizes. Of course, Chan also speaks of relying on the teachings to awaken to the source, using hearing and contemplation of the scriptures to support practice, but this is not the main focus. In the scriptural schools, "hearing" means drawing near to virtuous teachers and listening to the true Dharma; "contemplating" means reflecting on it in accordance with principle; "practicing" means cultivating a particular method based on the right view established through reflection, and living under the guidance of that right view.
-
-Faith, aspiration, and practice in the Pure Land method likewise cannot be separated from the foundation of hearing, contemplating, and practicing. Otherwise, if you do not even know of Amitābha Buddha or the Pure Land method, what would you have faith in? Even if you have heard a little, without knowing that Amitābha is the great name of myriad virtues and that the Pure Land method is the shortcut straight out of the three realms, it is still difficult to bring forth faith. And even if you know of Amitābha's merits and the excellence of reciting the Buddha's name, faith will not be firm unless you understand and accept it through reflection and verify it through practice. Thus, hearing, contemplating, and practicing are the indispensable foundation for establishing faith, aspiration, and practice. Apart from this foundation, talk of faith, aspiration, and practice is often hollow.
-
-Q: What is the difference between ignorance and attachment? What is the relationship between fundamental ignorance, derivative ignorance, and the two forms of attachment to self and phenomena?
-
-A: Ignorance is the basis of attachment. The reason we are attached is precisely because of ignorance. Of course, ignorance manifests in many ways --- greed, hatred, ignorance, and the eighty-four thousand afflictions are all products of ignorance. Attachment is one of their most important expressions.
-
-Fundamental ignorance is also called beginningless ignorance. It is innate. Derivative ignorance is that which arises from fundamental ignorance. As for the two forms of attachment to self and phenomena, they are also manifestations of ignorance. In the *Lamrim*, self-grasping and ignorance are even described as two sides of the same coin: from ignorance comes self-grasping and grasping at phenomena. Because we cannot see ourselves clearly, we form mistaken identifications about ourselves --- that is self-grasping; and mistaken identifications about the world --- that is grasping at phenomena. If we could see ourselves and the world clearly, understanding everything with penetrating clarity, there would be no more mistaken identifications, and no more self-grasping or grasping at phenomena.
-
-Q: What is the relationship between renunciation and bodhicitta?
-
-A: In terms of the wish itself, renunciation and bodhicitta are the same --- both are the wish to leave samsara. But they differ in the scope of their object. Renunciation is simply the wish "I want to leave," while bodhicitta not only seeks one's own liberation but also the liberation of all sentient beings. In terms of their mental basis, the two are also the same. True renunciation is a function of the wisdom of emptiness, and bodhicitta likewise rests on the wisdom of emptiness. Without the wisdom of emptiness, a wish that rests only on the ordinary mind cannot bring about ultimate liberation or dissolve affliction and karma. At the conventional level, both renunciation and bodhicitta are wishes. At the ultimate level, both are the wisdom of emptiness, both are awakening. The awakening spoken of in Buddhism includes not only the unsurpassed bodhi attained by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, but also the bodhi of the hearers and the bodhi of the solitary realizers.
-
-Q: What direction should the development of contemporary Buddhism take --- toward Humanistic Buddhism or toward mountain-hermitage Buddhism?
-
-A: The development of Buddhism cannot go exclusively toward engagement in the world, nor can it all retreat into the mountain forests. If the latter, then who would propagate the Dharma? What would become of the vast numbers of sentient beings? Looked at from another angle, without the soil of the broader society, the Buddha's original intention in establishing the teachings would be lost, and Buddhism could not survive. At the same time, going out into the world cannot be separated from quiet mountain cultivation.
-
-Seclusion in stillness allows you to face yourself directly; active service allows you to test and refine your mind through actual encounters. Donglin Temple's retreat center is excellent. We can come here for a period of retreat practice, then roll back into the worldly dust for a while. Both dimensions are necessary for practice. Engaging in service work is a process of cultivating bodhicitta --- you can use benefiting others to dismantle your habitual patterns and at the same time examine yourself: Does my right mindfulness have any real strength? Are greed, hatred, and ignorance still strong? If there is anything at all that can disturb us, it shows that the corresponding affliction is still at work within --- and that is precisely where practice should begin. Otherwise, nothing in this world could ever disturb us.
-
-Q: Why is the Pure Land method promoted in the Dharma-ending age? Why are the capacities of sentient beings most suited to the Pure Land school rather than the Chan or Vajrayana schools?
-
-A: The propagation of the Buddha Dharma should be pluralistic. Of course, the Pure Land method has a vast following in China and needs fine practice centers like Donglin Temple to propagate it. But the other schools are equally important. The reason the Buddha established the eighty-four thousand Dharma methods is precisely that sentient beings have different capacities. In today's pluralistic society, every school has its value. If Pure Land centers propagate the Pure Land school well, Chan centers propagate the Chan school well, and Yogācāra centers propagate the Yogācāra school well, that is a blessing for all sentient beings. Because sentient beings have different capacities, they need different methods to guide and gather them in. Only in this way can Buddhism develop comprehensively and healthily. That is why I do not advocate promoting only one school. Any practice center that propagates a particular school correctly and in accordance with the Dharma deserves our rejoicing and admiration.
-
-Q: Many Buddhist practitioners seek only worldly blessings and think that the Pure Land or the Buddha is invisible. How can we bring them to the Dharma?
-
-A: It is true that some Buddhist practitioners seek only worldly blessings. This requires targeted guidance. Given the kind of education modern people receive, if you talk to them directly about samsara or the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, they will find it hard to accept and may even regard it as superstition. Under these circumstances, we can introduce them to Humanistic Buddhism first --- Do you want to live well in this life? To be happy? Buddhism is the great wisdom of life. It can guide us to dispel our afflictions and make our present life happier. Once they are willing to accept the Buddha Dharma, we can then go further and introduce the deeper teachings on renunciation, bodhicitta, and the Western Pure Land.
-
-When the Buddha taught, he would often "first speak of the path of upright conduct, then speak of the essentials of the true Dharma." If sentient beings want blessings, tell them how to attain blessings. Once they have blessings and realize that blessings alone are not enough, it becomes easier for them to accept the Dharma. It is like people who, when poor, think that money is everything, only to find after becoming wealthy that they are still suffering, and then begin searching for new solutions. The current wave of interest in traditional Chinese culture and Buddhist studies illustrates this point. Many people are no longer satisfied with worldly blessings and have begun to ask, "What is happiness?" "Who am I?" "What is the point of living?" When they start asking these questions, to then introduce the Buddha Dharma is to follow their line of thought, give them what they need, and appeal to what they seek. The effect will naturally be different.
-
-Q: How do we bring the Buddha Dharma into our daily lives?
-
-A: On the one hand, you must let the wisdom of the Dharma truly become your own view. As for the Dharma teachings on the precious human life, impermanence and no-self, and causes, conditions, and effects --- after hearing them, we still need to reflect on them deeply before we can understand them. Only when we recognize that what the Dharma says is the truth of the world can we accept it wholeheartedly and make it our own view. In that case, the Dharma will naturally enter your life. Many people study the Buddha Dharma and know quite a few principles, but when they face actual problems, they still fall back on their old ingrained views --- "The Dharma is the Dharma; I am still me." This gap between knowing and doing comes from not having truly "known" --- from not having transformed concepts into views.
-
-On the other hand, you should establish a healthy lifestyle in accordance with the Buddha's teachings. Under the guidance of the precepts, concentration, and wisdom and the Noble Eightfold Path, receive and uphold the precepts and earn a right livelihood. At the same time, set aside time every day for meditation or reciting the Buddha's name, and maintain the clear illumination of wisdom. If you can do all this, the Buddha Dharma will surely enter your life.
-
-Q: My attachment to my parents is too deep --- how can I learn to hold it lightly?
-
-A: Attachment is the habitual pattern of ordinary beings. Attachment to parents, in particular, is the closest bond and the most tenacious. How to resolve this? On the one hand, from the perspective of samsara, we recognize that our relationship with our parents is also dependently arisen. At the same time, we recognize that clinging to this relationship does no good for either side. Only by guiding our parents toward the Buddha Dharma and transforming this worldly bond into a pure Dharma connection is the truest way to repay their kindness. On the other hand, shift the emphasis of your affection onto your faith. Turn from self-centeredness to centering on the Three Jewels --- this can weaken attachment to worldly relationships. In practicing the Pure Land method, we should establish our reliance on Amitābha Buddha and the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
-
-Of course, we must also be mindful of the approach. Some people, after taking up Buddhist practice, neglect their family and career, and in the end bring many obstacles upon themselves. As lay practitioners, we need to fulfill our worldly responsibilities. As parents, be good parents; as children, be good children. This is what Master Yinguang meant by "fulfilling your roles and doing your part." In the course of being with family, we are both meeting our responsibilities and cultivating bodhicitta. If we are to have compassion for all sentient beings, we should begin with our parents and siblings. If we have no compassion for our own immediate family, how can we have compassion for all beings? Of course, this is not the love of human attachment but the great love of compassion --- begin with those closest to you, then extend it to more and more people. As long as you do this with bodhicitta, these efforts will also become provisions for rebirth in the Pure Land. They are not in conflict with practice.
-
-## Concluding Remarks by Master Da'an
-
-I believe that everyone who has listened to Venerable Master Jiqun's teaching has received great benefit. I myself have benefited enormously. It truly seems to me that the Master has expressed the profound Buddha Dharma with extraordinary precision, using modern language that everyone can understand. For Pure Land practitioners, he has also clearly explained how the common-path practices of upholding precepts, bodhicitta, and right view relate to the method of reciting the Buddha's name. It calls to mind what Master Ouyi said: the Pure Land method "horizontally shares the same ground with all Dharma methods, yet vertically stands apart from all Dharma methods." Sometimes we emphasize the "standing apart" dimension while forgetting the "sharing the same ground" dimension. In truth, the shared ground is the foundation. It is not the case that just because you recite the Buddha's name and rely on other-power, you can set aside the bodhisattva path of the common Mahayana. In the process of reciting the Buddha's name, we must value the common-path curriculum --- the foundation of the bodhi path --- while at the crucial point of rebirth, we rely entirely on other-power. Only in this way will our practice of the Pure Land method be balanced and integrated.
-
-Venerable Master Jiqun's perspective on the pluralistic development of Buddhism is also excellent. The eighty-four thousand Dharma methods were established to meet the diverse capacities of sentient beings. Every practice center has its own orientation in practice and can develop its own distinctive style, allowing all eight Mahayana schools to bloom and bear fruit for the benefit of sentient beings. From the standpoint of Donglin Temple's orientation, we focus exclusively on practicing and propagating the Pure Land method. But toward Chan, Vinaya, and scriptural-school centers, we should offer our rejoicing and admiration. Only with this understanding and this breadth of heart can we jointly uphold the course of the Dharma. I hope that after hearing these teachings, everyone will reflect on them deeply and put them into action.
@@ -1,145 +0,0 @@
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Author	SHA1	Message	Date
iacore	59f39fa521	++	2026-08-12 18:02:13 +08:00
iacore	2c5422f9db	finish translating test0	2026-08-12 18:01:06 +08:00
iacore	7e310a8d36	upload test file	2026-08-12 17:59:52 +08:00
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