达摩祖师与梁武帝

PATRIARCH BODHIDHARMA AND EMPEROR WU OF LIANG

 

在这个国家，不一定要仿照中国的规矩，要适宜这个国家的风俗才可以。

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE THAT ALL THE RULES USED IN CHINA ARE APPLICABLE

IN THIS COUNTRY. WE SHOULD ACCORD WITH THE CUSTOMS OF THIS COUNTRY AS WELL.

 

达摩祖师最初从广州到南京去度化梁武帝，梁武帝就问了，说：「我这一辈子造了很多庙，我度了很多和尚出家，也供僧。我这个有什么功德呢？」

 

你要知道，梁武帝这个人，什么都愿意第一的，所以他见到达摩祖师，他不求法，先尽想请达摩祖师来赞叹他一下，来给他戴几个高帽子。所以他恐达摩祖师不知道他造寺、度僧、布施、设斋这个功德，不知道他这些好处，于是乎他就自我介绍，说：「你看我，造了几百处庙，又有这个庙，又有那个庙，所有庙里都住着很多和尚，这些和尚都是我一手成就他们出家的。我又做了多少布施，供养多少僧，你说我这功德怎么样啊？」这个意思就是自我介绍，自己说：「噢！你看我，我这个做皇帝不是和其他皇帝一样的，我这个皇帝是专门做好事的，做功德的，你说我这有什么功德呢？」他这不是想要求法了生死，先要炫示炫示自己的功德。

 

好像某某大护法：「你们看，知道我吗？我是护持佛教最有力量的，我有钱我都供养三宝了。」其实他去玩女人那个钱，比供养三宝多出几千万倍；那个他不讲，他只说他供养三宝了，玩女人的钱也都说是供养三宝了。你说颠倒不颠倒？的确的啊，真事啊！你看哪一个他去花天酒地，他不说他用了多少钱，在庙上用了一块钱：「我去布施了一块钱，你知道吗？」这都是梁武弟的徒弟，我告诉你。他做功德将来都可以做皇帝。

 

达摩祖师听梁武帝这样子自我陶醉，自我这么介绍，自我炫示功德，自我卖广告，自我来说自己有什么什么好处，自己赞叹自己。达摩一听，你看一个圣人怎么会说拍马屁的话？普通人一听皇帝这么讲，就：「啊！你有功德啊，你的功德真大啰！你的功德世界上没有的。」这是一般的人这样子讲。达摩是个祖师，他根本怎么能有阿谀奉承的这种行为呢？所以就说：「没有功德，没有功德。」实无功德，实实在在地没有功德。

 

你不要疑惑这个祖师所说的话。武帝心里不正当，他只知道沽名钓誉，只知道求名。他不知道求正法。「造寺度僧，布施设斋，名为求福」，这都是求福，在福田种福。不可以将这个福就做为功德，就说是功德了。功德在你的法身里边。不是在你这个修福能有功德的。

 

当时达摩祖师本来预备救度梁武帝，但是梁武帝也就因为自视太大，自己看自己太大了，是个皇帝，已经有无量的功德了。他造了很多庙，度了很多僧，又布施了很多钱，又供养三宝，认为是很大的功德，所以菩提达摩想破他这种执着，就说他没有功德。

 

那么说他没有功德不要紧，这梁武帝当时一听这话，就不欢喜了，所以也就不睬达摩，达摩祖师再讲什么法，他也不听了：「我何必要听你讲呢！」因为不听，所以达摩祖师想要救度他，想要对他有一种慈悲心，但是他不接受，也没有法子了。于是乎达摩祖师就走了，走了，过了一个时期，果然梁武帝最后死的时候是饿死的。

 

你们大家想一想，如果他有功德，怎么会饿死？因为没有功德，所以就饿死了。达摩祖师当时就想挽救，不教他饿死，令他能生一种觉悟的心，可惜梁武帝吾我太大了，所以就是达摩祖师也不能救，也救不了他。

 

所以你做善事要把它忘了，不要总想着：「我布施出五百块钱，我布施出一千块钱来帮助人。喔！我功德不小了，我现在功德很大了，我的功德把天都顶破了，几几乎就跑到三十三天的上边去，我的功德有那么大了！」你有这么个心，这就没有智慧啰！这就是愚痴了！这就和梁武帝是一样的了。

 

When Patriarch Bodhidharma first went from Canton Province to Nan Qing to save the Emperor Wu of Liang, the Emperor said to him,“Throughout my entire life I have build many temples, sponsored many left-home people, and have made offerings to the Sangha. How much merit and virtue have I amassed?” 

 

Now you should realize the Emperor Wu was a person who wanted to be first in everything. That’s why when he met Patriarch Bodhidharma, he didn’t seek the Dharma. He first wanted to hear a few words of praise from the Patriarch. He wanted to be given a tall hat to wear. Concerned that the Patriarch might not have known about all the good things he had done, like his building of temples, sponsoring of Sangha, and his vegetarian offerings, the Emperor introduced himself: “Let me tell you about myself.  I’ve constructed over a hundred temples-such-and-such temple, so-and-so monastery. Each monastery is filled with left-home people. It was I who sponsored those monks. I’ve also done a tremendous number of good deeds and made ample offerings to the Sangha.  How much merit and virtue would you say I have?” The point of introducing himself was to make it clear:“Ha! You see! I am an emperor unlike any other emperor! I am a magnanimous and beneficent emperor! I specialize in doing meritorious and virtuous deeds. Tell me, how much virtue would you say I've got?”  It didn’t occur to him to ask for the method to end birth and death.  He had to first show off his own merit and virtue.

 

He was like certain strong supporters who say:“Do you know who I am?  I am Buddhism’s most powerful Dharma protector.  I offer my money to the Triple Jewel.” Actually the money he spends enjoying women surpasses the amount he offers to the Triple Jewel by several tens of millions.

 

 Really something, huh?  He never mentions how much he spends on his nightlife, but when he gives a dollar to the temple, he makes a big deal of it.“Do you know I offered a dollar?” I’m telling you, he’s a disciple of the Emperor Wu of Liang. Any of you who create merit and virtue may end up as emperors.

 

When Patriarch Bodhidharma heard Emperor Wu of Liang being so infatuated with himself, giving himself a royal introduction, showing off his virtue, advertising his merits, listing all his good points and in general praising himself, he just listened.  How could a sage possibly say flattering things?  An ordinary person, upon hearing the emperor talk like that would say things like:“Ah! You are certainly virtuous!  What tremendous merit you have! There’s nothing like it in the world!”  That’s what most people would say. But Bodhidharma was a patriarch. How could he possible bow and scrape?  And so he replied,“None. You don’t have any merit and virtue.” Actually he didn’t have any merit and virtue. In fact he didn’t have any merit and virtue.

 

You shouldn’t be skeptical about the patriarch’s answer. Emperor Wu’s mind was not proper.His biggest concern was fishing for a name and hooking himself a reputation. He was only interested in fame, he wasn’t interested in seeking the Proper Dharma.“Building temples, sponsoring Sangha, and making vegetarian offerings is defined as seeking blessings.”  All those belong to the category of seeking blessings; of planting blessings in the field of blessings.Blessings are not the same as merit and virtue. Merit and virtue are found within your Dharma body.Cultivating blessings does not amass merit and virtue.

 

Originally Patriarch Bodhidharma wanted to save Emperor Wu of Liang.  But the emperor’s ego was too inflated-his view of self was horrendous. He thought his position of emperor automatically endowed him with infinite merit and virtue.He thought that his deeds of building temples, sponsoring Sangha, donating a lot of money, and making offerings to the Triple Jewel gave him even greater merit and virtue.  Hoping to break through the emperor’s attachment to that, Patriarch Bodhidharma said he didn’t have any merit and virtue at all.  

 

Well, saying that he didn’t have any merit and virtue wasn’t such a big deal, but when the emperor heard that he was furious. After that, the emperor refused to acknowledge the patriarch.  No matter what Dharma the patriarch spoke, the emperor refused to listen.“Why should I have to listen to you!” was his attitude. ince the emperor wouldn’t listen, then even though Patriarch Bodhidharma wanted to be compassionate and rescue him, his efforts were to no avail. Since the emperor was not receptive, the patriarch decided to leave. He left him, and in the end Emperor Wu of Liang died of starvation. 

 

Think about it. If he really had merit and virtue, how could he have starved to death?  It was just because he didn't have merit and virtue that he died of starvation.  Patriarch Bodhidharma had wanted to turn the tide and keep him from starving.  He wanted to wake him up. Too bad the emperor was so arrogant that the patriarch had no way to save him!

 

And so, do good deeds and forget about them. We shouldn't always be thinking,“Wow! I donated $500. I also gave $1000 to help others! I’ve got a lot of merit and virtue. It’s higher than the heavens!” Thoughts like that lack wisdom. That’s to be no smarter than the Emperor Wu of Liang.