四力

Four Powers

我们知道藏传佛教无论格鲁派还是宁玛派等其他教派，忏悔时都依四对治力。修习汉传佛教的有些人却以为这是藏地修法，没有必要采用，这种见解实为井蛙之见。

It is well known that in Gelugpa, Nyingmapa, or other schools of Tibetan Buddhism, every purification practice relies on the four powers of antidote. Some Han Buddhist practitioners, however, consider it a mere Tibetan tradition and hence neglect it. Such a viewpoint misses the big picture.

其实，这也是藏传佛教将佛经窍诀灵活应用于修法的具体体现。四对治力在《大藏经》的经论中多有记载。如《宣说四法经》云：“弥勒，菩萨若具四法，则能压制所造所积之一切 罪。何为四法？厌患对治力、现行对治力、返回对治力、所依对治力。厌患对治力即若行不善业则多生悔心；现行对治力即虽作不善业但也极为精勤行善；返回对治力即真实受戒后获得不再就犯之戒；所依对治力即皈依佛、法、僧三宝与不舍菩提心。”

In fact, this practice epitomizes how Tibetan Buddhism aptly applies Buddha’s pith instructions. In the Chinese Buddhist canon Tripitaka, there are many accounts of the four powers in sutras and shastras. For instance, the Sutra Teaching the Four Dharmas says: “Maitreya, if a Bodhisattva possesses these four Dharmas, all the evil deeds which have been performed and accumulated will be overcome. What are these four? They are: the power of regret, the power of action, the power of resolution, and the power of support. As for the power of regret, if we have done negative actions, we repent them strongly. As for the power of action, it is the remediation of our evil deeds; we strive to do wholesome actions. As for the power of resolution, we make genuine vows never to repeat the same evil deeds again. As for the power of support, we go for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and always uphold bodhichitta.”

不仅仅是四对治力，包括金刚萨埵心咒，也不是藏传佛教特有的忏悔咒，在《三猛厉调服经》中对此也有详细记载。

Thus the four powers of antidote are not exclusively found in Tibetan Buddhism. Moreover, the recitation of the Vajrasattva mantra has been described in detail in the Sutra of Three Wrathful Ways of Taming as well.

现在的众生往往只知道造作恶业，具足智慧而厉行忏悔的人却微乎其微。《弥勒狮吼请问经》云：“愚人造恶业，不知忏悔罪，智者忏悔罪，不与业同住。”

People these days are committing non-virtues all the time and hardly anyone bothers to repent sincerely with wisdom. The Sutra of the Great Lion’s Roar Requested by Maitreya says: “The fool commits evil karmas and knows not to confess faults. The wise person purifies faults and dissociates from negative karmas.”

所以不论是藏传佛教还是汉传佛教，若依四对治力忏悔，即能遣除无量罪障。如果因前世习气难以更改，不能完全断除杀生、妄语等恶习，但如果能每天诚心念诵金刚萨埵心咒，也会有不可思议功德。

Therefore, either Tibetan Buddhism or Han Buddhism contains the practice of confession with four antidotes that, if followed properly, will purify innumerable non-virtues. However, someone with recalcitrant habits from past lives may find it difficult to renounce completely bad tendencies such as taking lives or telling lies. In this case, by reciting sincerely the Vajrasattva mantra every day, one can still accrue incredible merits.

但愿人们在散乱之余，不要忘了忏悔。

I hope people will not forget the purification practice besides tending to other distractive activities!

壬午年二月初十　　
2002年3月24日

10th of February, Year of RenWu
March 24, 2002