看得破，放得下，随处都是自在的
If you can see through things and put them down, you will be free wherever you are.
 
一瓣香 记录 Transcribed by Yi-ban Syang
 
宣公上人一九九三年四月七日开示于长堤圣寺花园

在今天这个天朗气清，风和日暖的时候，我们在外边野餐，也是很自然的一种享受。所以，一边晒着太阳，一边吃东西，这是大自然的生活里头一部份。

我们每一个人，一切的事情都不要生执着，都能以通权达变，能以明辨是非，有择法眼，这就是我们一种智慧。到处还觉得不自由、不自在，这是一种烦恼。我们在皈依那天就说「众生无边誓愿度」，我们要问一问自己，有没有度众生？若没有度，就要想法子度。

「烦恼无尽誓愿断」，问我们自己脾气断了没有？这无明破了没有？有没有被这个境界所障碍？是不是一切一切的都看不破，放不下，生了烦恼。我们人最要紧的—是没有烦恼。说是啊，「法师你说的错了，有的经上告诉我说烦恼即菩提。」那是烦恼「即」菩提，不是烦恼「是」菩提。你若能改变没有烦恼，就是菩提；你还是有那个烦恼，那还差得火候了，那不是菩提。所以说「烦恼无尽誓愿断」，我们一定要断了它，一定要把烦恼断了，无明破了，破一切的执着，扫一切法，离一切相，这就是菩提。我们不要向远的地方找，那菩提并不是离我们远了，就是反掌之易。这个烦恼和菩提就是反掌之易，你能反过来，就是菩提；反不过来，就是烦恼。「烦恼无尽誓愿断」，问问我们自己断了没有？我们若没断烦恼，就要想法子断；若已经断了，更要断粗惑、细惑、尘沙惑，都把这个三惑断了。无明、粗惑、细惑、尘沙惑都要断了它，这才是修道人的本分。

「法门无量誓愿学」，说佛法的门径，有八万四千种法门，所以说是无量。这无量，我们要誓愿来学习佛法，才能断惑证真，才能早证菩提。

「佛道无上誓愿成」，佛道无上，我们成了没成？法门，我们学了没学？我们要是学了，就要更努力学习多一点；若没学，那就要赶快学。要学习佛法，要勇猛精进、不懈怠。「佛道无上誓愿成」，我们成了没有成？没成，就要想法子修行，要他成佛。

我们一皈依的时候，就发这「四弘誓愿」。我们每一个人，若能本着这四弘誓愿，这很快就会成佛了。你本着四弘誓愿来修行，很快会成佛的。

所以各位啊，修道不要向高的地方求，不要向远的地方求。就在你眼前，你能看得破，放得下，随处都是自在的；你看不破，放不下，到什么地方都不自在。(果相：师父！现在天上有一条龙，龙头就在您身的后头这边。)

啊！Howard，你快去追龙去，哈！(果相：龙头那儿有大珠。)

(编按：此日旧历三月十六日，为上人的正寿。上人在寺外花园与大众一起用斋。当上人讲开示后，果相居士发现原本晴朗无云的天空出现一条极长的巨龙，长龙直跨整片天空，龙尾在西北，龙头朝东南，即上人法座的方向，龙头很清楚，而且吐一彩色珠，十分钟之后，开始渐渐散去。随后又出现一只飞翔的凤，在西方，白色，较小。飞龙在天，有凤来仪，在上人寿诞当日现此瑞相，十方弟子咸称沾了师父的德光，方能逢此殊胜景象。)

Ven. Master Hua's Talk on April 7, 1993 at Long Beach Sagely Monastery

Today, the weather is warm, clear, and breezy, and our picnic outdoors is a way to enjoy Nature. We can enjoy the sun's rays and eat our meal at the same time; this is all part of living in Nature.

Every one of us should take care not to get attached to anything. If we can expediently adapt to the situation at hand, clearly discriminate between right and wrong, and have Dharma-selecting Vision, then we have a kind of wisdom. If we just feel restricted and uncomfortable wherever we go, then we have afflictions. On the day that we took refuge, we said, "Living beings are limitless; I vow to cross them over." We should ask ourselves if we have crossed over any living beings. If not, then we should think of a way to cross them over.

"Afflictions are inexhaustible; I vow to cut them off." We should ask ourselves whether we have cut off our temper, and whether we have smashed through ignorance. Have we broken through the obstruction of states? Is it the case that we cannot see through anything, that we cannot put anything down, and that we get afflicted about everything? The most important thing for people is to not get afflicted. Someone says, "Dharma Master, you're wrong. The Sutras tell us that afflictions are just Bodhi." The meaning there is that in principle, afflictions are Bodhi, not that afflictions literally "are" Bodhi. If you can become so that you have no afflictions, then that's Bodhi. If you still have afflictions, then you have not reached the point where it becomes Bodhi. Therefore we say, "Afflictions are inexhaustible; I vow to cut them off." We definitely must cut off afflictions, smash through ignorance, break all attachments, sweep away all dharmas, and leave all appearances--just that is Bodhi. We need not search afar, for Bodhi is not far from us. It is as easy as turning your palm over. Turning afflictions into Bodhi is as easy as flipping your hand. If you can flip it, then it's Bodhi. If you cannot, then it's afflictions. We should ask ourselves if we have cut off afflictions. If not, then we have to think of a way to cut them off. If we have already cut them off, then we still have to cut off coarse delusion, subtle delusion, and delusion like dust and sand. We have to put an end to these three kinds of delusion. The cultivator's task is to cut off ignorance, coarse delusion, subtle delusion, and delusion like dust and sand.

"Dharma-doors are immeasurable; I vow to learn them." This is talking about the gates and paths into the Buddhadharma. There are eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors, so they are called immeasurable. Since they are immeasurable, we must vow to investigate the Buddhadharma--only then will we be able to put an end to delusion, attain the truth, and quickly realize Bodhi.

"The Buddha-path is unsurpassed; I vow to realize it." Have we realized the unsurpassed Buddha-path? Have we learned any Dharma-doors? If we have, we should work harder and learn more. If we haven't learned any, we should hurry up and learn. If you want to study Buddhism, you have to be brave and vigorous, without laziness. "The Buddha-path is unsurpassed; I vow to realize it." Have we realized it? If not, we should find a way to cultivate so that we can realize Buddhahood.

When we take refuge, we have to make the Four Vast Vows. If we can all base ourselves on the Four Vast Vows, we will soon realize Buddhahood. If you cultivate according to the Four Vast Vows, you will quickly become a Buddha.

Therefore, when we cultivate the Tao, we should not seek in lofty or faraway places. If you can see through and put down what is right before your eyes, you will be free and at ease wherever you are. But if you cannot see through things and put them down, then you will not be free no matter where you go. (Gwo Syang: Shr Fu! There's a dragon in the sky. The dragon's head is right behind you.) Oh! Howard, hurry and go chase after the dragon! Ha! (Gwo Syang: There's a big pearl by the dragon's head.)

(Editor's Note: This was the 16th of the third lunar month, the birthday of the Venerable Master. The Venerable Master had lunch with the assembly in the garden of the monastery. After the Venerable Master had finished giving a talk, Upasika Gwo Syang discovered that in the originally cloudless sky, a gigantic dragon had appeared, stretching across the whole sky. The dragon's tail was in the northwest, and the head faced the southeast, in the direction of the Venerable Master's Dharma-seat. The dragon head was very clearly discernible, and there was also a colored pearl in front of its mouth. After ten minutes, it began to fade away. Then a slightly smaller, white flying phoenix appeared to the west. Seeing these auspicious omens of the flying dragon and phoenix appear in the sky on the Venerable Master's birthday, the disciples who had come from all directions received the benefit of the Master's virtue. )