教育破产道德坏 谁大谁小伦常乖

Education Is Bankrupt, Morality Has Collapsed Human Relationships Are All Out of Order

 

一九九二年十二月三十日宣公上人于国际译经学院开示摘要

Extracted From The Venerable Master Hua's Talk at The International Translation Institute on December 30, 1992

 

寂灭记录 Transcribed by Ji Mye

 

南无萨怛他苏伽多耶阿罗诃帝三藐三菩陀写。(三称)

 

两袖清风谁是我

 

今天我给你们讲这个真理，修道什么都可以不要了。什么都不要，什么都放下，这是很好的。可是，还有的人财也放不下，色也放不下，名也放不下；财就是利呀！这名利放不下，结果修行得很好，一见到这三种东西就垮了，就倒下去了，前功尽废了。啊！有的就死在财上，有的就死在色上，有的就死在名上。你不要财了，不要色了，却要名，处处都把自己这个招牌挂得大大的，恐怕人不知道自己叫什么名字。你们各位要在这个地方注意－凡是出家人贪财的，也靠不住的；贪色的，也靠不住的；贪名的，也靠不住的。这是你们要有择法限，认识这三种。

 

三轮体空你是谁

 

还有，我对你们说，你不要在佛教里造罪业。怎么会在佛教里造罪业呢？好像你看哪一个比丘呀、和尚，很用功修行的，天天念佛，或者天天在那儿诵经，或者天天在那儿持咒，一天到晚都修行，你见来见去的，常见就日久生情，就生了爱心了；生了爱心，就要供养这个法师了，这一供养，一结缘，怎样了啊？这冤孽就种下了。说我供养出家人，这是种善根啊！怎么还冤孽种子种下来呢？因为你以爱心来供养，你爱这个人，你要讨好他，来供养他，结果他本来很修行的，被你一打他这个妄想，怎样？他就不修行啦！因为人心彼此都有电的，方才果真没说吗？就像有阴电、阳电似的。这阴电、阳电，你看不见的，但是在无形中它一接上，那个灯就亮起来，灯亮起来是什么呢？就那个妄想就出来了，就告诉你，这女孩子生得不错，很漂亮的；那个和尚长得也很美的，很可爱的。噢！这一个念头一生出来，怎样啊？就往一起凑了，这一凑，这和尚就倒下去了。或者你单独要请他住茅蓬去，给他造个小庙，他一个人在那儿一住，一定就完了，这就送命了！送命了！去要命去了！所以我头先我不是说那不是一种爱，是一种害，互相伤害的。

 

说是这男女这么样子不对，为什么还那么多人都要结婚，一长得有点知觉了，女的就要找男的对象，男的也要追求一个女的对象。现在大学里头读大学的学生，没有一个对象啊，人家一般同学就都认为你是一个怪物，这风气就这么坏。你若不吃避孕药的，这也是怪物。唉！所以讲到这个地方这真是不可说不可说啦！说不下去了。

 

世风日下道德丧

 

现在世界就是这样子，就是被这个财色把人迷得也不知东南西北了，也不知道天高地厚了，父母也都不顾了，就是一意孤行，你们信不信这个。那么说找对象是不对吗？要有正当的手续。「男子三十而娶，女子二十而嫁。」这是古来圣人定的礼法，不可以早早就有对象，早早有对象这都会受伤了，就好像那小苗没长成，你就叫它来收成，收割，拿回来打粮，都是成稗子的。所以「男女居室，人之大伦；」这是人伦的一个开始。「君子之道，肇端乎夫妇。」夫妇间总要「父母之命，媒妁之言」，不可以自己就去瞎碰，碰完了，一结婚了就吵架，就离婚，离婚完了，啊！又找第二个，又找第三个，好像这种的情形啊！就接接连连不断。

 

所以「君子之道，肇端乎夫妇」举案齐眉，相敬如宾。你生出的孩子也一定是好孩子；如果你夫妇天天打架，生出孩子一定是问题儿童，甚至于有了小孩子就离婚了，令这个小孩子或者没有父亲，或者没有母亲，都变成问题儿童了。这「去人伦，无父子」，把这伦常都乖舛了，道德沦亡了，这是一个世风日下，走下坡了。

 

有的人说呀！今天令我听得大失所望，什么原因呢？我是来听佛法，怎讲这些不干净的事情？这是真正的佛法，你要把人伦尽好了，然后才可以成佛。没有一个不忠、不孝、不仁、不义的人，可以成佛的。所以你们各位「君子务本，本立而道生。孝悌也者，其为人之本欤！」所以现在的人还都不知觉，还是在那儿向外驰求。没有人真正想要修行的，连出家的和尚都尽打淫欲的妄想，你说这个是 terrible！

 

不上供不该吃饭

 

你们今天下来问我上去和你们一起吃饭，我说我没有资格吃你们这儿的饭，因为我没有上供呀！他们几个来上供，这是勉强的，根本他们也不想来上供，到吃饭的时候，就抢着来吃。是不是这样子？不是呀？那是我冤枉你们了。伪山老人一日不作一日不食。我一天没上供，一天不吃饭，这是很平常的事。你们照样的办-不上供的人，都应该不吃饭的。

 

所以今天我一看女界在那上供，你们都和我在那儿坐着，眼光光地望着我，我不知道望着我会不会饱呢？当出家人的，连供都不上，你们干什么的？今天为什么不来上供，是因为我耽误了你们了，是不是？因为我在这儿，上供的时候，你们眼光光望着我，这也等于上供了吗？唉！这真是的，我莫名其糊涂。Okay！

Na Mwo Sa Dan Two Su Chye Dwo Ye E La He Di San Myau San Pu Two Sye.　(3x)

 

Poor and Unburdened, Who Am I?

 

Today I'm telling you this true principle, which is that in cultivating the Tao, one can relinquish everything. If you do not want anything, and you put everything down, this is very good. However, there are still some people who can neither put down wealth, nor sex, nor fame. Wealth is just profit! They cannot let go of fame and profit, so their cultivation is going fine, but then as soon as they see these three things, they collapse. They fall over. All their previous effort is wasted. Ah! Some die over wealth, some die over sex, and some die over fame. If you no longer want wealth and no longer want sex, then you want fame! Everywhere you hang out this really big sign, afraid that people will not know your name. All of you should pay attention to this point. Any left-home person who is greedy for wealth is not reliable. One who is greedy for sex is also unreliable. One who is greedy for fame is also unreliable. This means that you must have the Dharma-selecting Eye to recognize these three types of people.

 

The Three Wheels Emptied, Who Are You?

 

Also, I say to you, do not create offense karma within Buddhism. How would you create offense karma within Buddhism? For instance, you see a Bhikshu, a monk who is cultivating really hard, reciting the Buddha's name day after day, or maybe he's reciting the Sutras everyday, or upholding mantras everyday. He's cultivating from morning to night, and you're always watching him, so that over time your feelings grow, and you become fond of him. Once that happens, you will want to make offerings to this Dharma Master. But as soon as you make offerings and create affinities, what happens? This spiteful retribution is sowed. You say, "I make offerings to left-home people in order to plant good roots! How is it that the seeds of spiteful retribution have been sowed instead?" It's because you are making offerings out of affection. You are fond of this person, and you want to please him so you make offerings to him. Consequently, although he was cultivating very hard, as soon as you have this false thought about him, what happens? He doesn't cultivate anymore! Because there is electricity which runs between people. Didn't Gwo Jen just mention this? It is just like negative electricity and positive electricity. You cannot see this negative and positive electricity, but once they are invisibly connected, the lamp will light up. What does the lighting up of the lamp represent? The emergence of that false thought, which tells you that this girl is quite good-looking, very pretty, and that monk is also very handsome and attractive. Ah, as soon as this thought arises, what happens? They start to draw near each other. When they come together, this monk is ruined. Perhaps you want to invite him to live alone in a hut, and you build a small temple for him. If he lives there by himself, it will certainly be all over for him. This is just sending him to his death! This is asking for his life! That's why I first said that this is not a kind of love, but rather a kind of harm. It is mutually harmful.

 

I say that it's wrong for men and women to be like this, but why are there are still so many people who want to get married? As soon as they grow to the point that they have a little bit of awareness, girls want to find boyfriends, and boys want to pursue girlfriends. In the colleges now, if a college student doesn't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, all the other students think that person is a freak. The trend is that bad. If you don't use contraceptives, you're also considered a freak. At this point, it really becomes ineffable and inexpressible! I cannot bear to continue talking about it.

 

The Morality of the World Is Declining Everyday

 

This is just how it is in the world now. Money and sex have confused people to the point that they can no longer tell east, west, south and north. Nor do they know the loftiness of the heavens and the greatness of the earth. They no longer care about their parents, and are self-opinionated. Do you believe this? You ask, "Is it wrong to find a mate?" You have to follow the proper procedures. "Men marry at thirty, and maidens at twenty." These are the rules of propriety fixed by the sages of old. You cannot find a mate too early. If you have a mate when you're still very young, it will be harmful to you. It's just like harvesting and cutting the young sprouts before they have a chance to grow and ripen. When you take them back to thresh, they are ruined and unusable. Thus, "When a man and his wife dwell together, this is the greatest of moral obligations." This is the beginning of moral duty, "The way of a gentleman begins with the relationship of husband and wife." In seeking a spouse, one must respect one's parents' arrangements and the matchmaker's words. One cannot blindly search for a mate, and just get married, then have an argument and get divorced. And after the divorce, one looks for a second mate, and then a third one. This kind of situation continues on and on, without cease.

 

"The way of a gentleman begins with the relationship of husband and wife." If you are mutually kind and respectful, treating one another like guests, then your offspring will also surely be good children. If you and your spouse quarrel everyday, then your children will surely be problem kids. If you get divorced even after you have children, so that these children become fatherless or motherless, they will all turn into problem kids."As morality declines, there is no longer a father and son relationship." The human relationships are all out of course, and morality is lost. The morality of the world is declining everyday, going downhill.

 

Some people say, "Today I have been greatly disappointed in coming to listen. For what reason? I came to hear the Buddhadharma. Why are we talking about these filthy matters?" This is the true Buddhadharma, you must fulfill your moral obligations as people, and only then can you become a Buddha. There is no person who is dishonest, unfilial, inhumane, and unrighteous, and yet can become a Buddha. So, all of you, "A gentleman tends to the root, once the root is established, the Tao arises. Are not filiality and brotherhood the root of humanity?" People nowadays are still not aware, and are still there seeking externally. Nobody really wants to cultivate, even monks who have left home still keep having false thoughts of lust. Wouldn't you say this is terrible!

 

If You Do Not Do the Meal Offering, You Should Not Eat

 

Today you asked me to go upstairs to eat together with all of you, and I said I didn't have the right to eat your food here, because I didn't take part in the Meal Offering Ceremony! The few people who did take part in the Meal Offering did so reluctantly, but actually they don't want to do it either. Then when it's time to eat, they fight to come eat. Isn't that how it is? No? Well, then I have falsely accused you. If the Old Man of Mount Wei didn't work for a day, then he wouldn't eat that day. If I do not do the Meal Offering one day, then I will not eat that day. This is something very ordinary. You all should follow this, and those who do not perform the Meal Offering should not eat.

 

So today I saw that the women were performing the Meal Offering, and you all were sitting there with me, staring at me. I do not know if you can get full by staring at me. As left-home people, if you do not even perform the Meal Offering, just what are you all up to? Why didn't you come do the Meal Offering today? Is it because I held you up? Because I was here, when it was time to do the Meal Offering, you all just stared at me, and thought that was equivalent to performing the Meal Offering, right? Ah! This is really too much- I cannot tell you how confused you are. Okay!