念念不空过，念念向道上

In thought after thought, do not pass the time in vain.

In thought after thought, go towards the Tao.

 

钟鼎 记录 Transcribed by Jung Ding

 

(编按：宣公上人开示于晚间)

 

南无萨怛他　苏伽多耶　阿啰诃帝　三藐三菩陀写(三称)

 

《金刚经》上所说的：「凡所有相，皆是虚妄，若见诸相非相，即见如来。」凡所有相，一切有形的有相的，这就都叫有为法而成的，皆是虚妄。

 

今天上午所说的「一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。」这也是《金刚经》上所说的四句偈颂，也就是说明白了「凡所有相，皆是虚妄」。「若见诸相非相」，你要是见到相，又知道它是虚妄的，不是一个实有的相，那么就不必那么执着它了。所以说：「若见诸相非相，即见如来。」你能以不执着这个有为法的相，这无为法也会现前了。人在这世界上，你舍不了假，成不了眞；舍不了死，换不了生；若要人不死，须作活死人。你活着要是能够看成自己像死人一样，这就是眞能了解「一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。」

 

我们人都因为没能看得透，又不能放下，就在这个有为法、无为法，有相、无相之中纠缠不清，认不清楚，所以就拖泥带水，在这个轮回六道里头，生死相续。今生姓张，来生又姓李；今生做人，来生又做马、做牛，都不一定的，所以说「脱马腹入驴胎，阎王殿前几度回；方从帝释殿前过，又到阎君锅里来。」我们人在这个头出头没，在这个轮回里头，今天不知明天的事情，今生不知道来生的事情，这么糊糊涂涂地过了一辈子。这一辈子，酸甜苦辣都尝遍了。哦！这苦苦恼恼，争争吵吵，在这个世界这么胡闹，闹来闹去的，也得不到解脱，还是在这个六道轮回里头转来转去。六道轮回是什么呢？有天道，有人道，有阿修罗，这是三善道。有地狱，有饿鬼，有畜生，这三恶道。你若说这人会下地狱，他不怕，等到到地狱里，他才知道这眞是受苦无量的，他不受这果报，你光说他也不信。你说极乐世界怎么好，怎么自在，他也不相信。等到了极乐世界，他才觉得去得太晚了；到地狱里的时候，他觉得去得太早了，这都是身后的一种感应道交。

 

我们人在世界上，多数都是认贼作子，讲假为眞。认这个贼作自己的儿子，像自己家里的珍宝，金银财宝，都会被这个土匪给偷去的。你认假为眞，拿着黄金当黄铜，拿着黄铜当黄金，这是一个最大的损失，可是我们人，他跳不出去这个损失，都在这里头转来转去。我们修佛法的人，要把一切都看透了，看破了，看穿了。所谓「看得破，放得下，你才能得到眞正的自在。。」要不能看破，放不下，你自在什么时候也得不着的，也没有眞正的快乐。所以各位学佛的人要认眞，脚踏实地，念念不空过，念念都向道上走。你能这样子，才是一个眞正学佛的人。

 

 (Ven. Master Hua's lecture in the evening)

 

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

 

The Vajra Sutra says, "All appearances are false. If one sees all appearances as non-appearances, one sees the Thus Come One." All appearances--all things with shape and form--are conditioned dharmas which are false.

 

This morning I said, "All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, like dew and like lightning. You should contemplate them thus." This is another four-line verse in Vajra Sutra which indicates that "all appearances are false." When you see an appearance and know it to be false and unreal, then you won't be so attached to it. Therefore, "If one sees all appearances as non-appearances, he sees the Thus Come One." If you can remain unattached to the appearances of conditioned dharmas, the unconditioned dharma will manifest. Living in the world, if you cannot renounce the false, you will not be able to attain what is true. If you cannot renounce death, then you cannot exhange it for life. If you don't want to die, you have to act like a living dead person! If you can see yourself as a dead person, then you really understand that "All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows, like dew and like lightnings You should contemplate them thus."

 

Since we cannot see through matters, we cannot put them down. Because we cannot put them down, we mix up conditioned dharmas with unconditioned dharmas, and appearances with non-appearances, and cannot differentiate them clearly. Thus we tarry in the six paths, undergoing endless births and deaths. You are called John in this life, and Lee in next life. In this life you are human, but in the next life you may be a horse or cow. So the saying goes, "From a horse's belly you enter a donkey's womb, and make several trips to King Yama's Hall. After passing by Lord Shakra's Palace, you are back in the cauldron of the King Yama." We bob up and down in the sea of birth and death. Today we do not know what will happen tomorrow, and in this life we cannot know the events of the next life. Muddled and confused, we live out our lives. In this life, you have tasted all the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors. Ah! Constantly worried and afflicted, bickering and fighting, you stir up so much trouble in the world that you cannot attain liberation. Instead, you linger in the six paths of rebirth, spinning round and round. What are the six paths of rebirth? The Three Good Paths are: the Path of the Heavens, the Path of Humans, and the Path of Asuras. The Three Evil Paths are: the Path of the Hells, the Path of the Hungry Ghosts and the Path of the Animals. If you tell someone he will fall into the hells, he is not afraid. Only after he gets there does he know that the suffering there is limitless. He has to experience the retribution himself. If you simply tell him he won't believe it. You can tell him how wonderful and carefree it is in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, but he won't believe you either. When he gets there, he will wish he had gone there sooner! On the other hand, when he gets to the hells, he will think he arrived too soon. However, all of this happens after death. Most of us in the world mistake a thief for our own son, and consider the false to be true. If we take a thief as our own son, then the wealth and treasures in our home will be stolen by bandits. Considering the false to be true, you may take gold to be copper, and or copper to be gold. This is the greatest loss in our lives. However, we are not able to escape this loss, so we linger here, turning around and around. We who cultivate the Buddhadharma must see through and penetrate everything. As it is said, "If you can see through things and let go of them, you will attain true freedom." If you fail to see through and let go of everything, you will never be free, nor will you have true happiness. Therefore, all Buddhist disciples, be diligent! Honestly cultivate. In thought after thought, do not pass the time in vain. In thought after thought, go towards the Tao. If you can do this, then you are a real Buddhist disciple.