《靜思晨語。法譬如水》506. 超凡入聖歸本性

Transcend the Mundane, Return to Intrinsic Nature

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學佛要時時用心，我們的念頭若是有一點點偏差，真的就是「失之毫釐，差之千里」。

Always be mindful when learning Buddhism. A small deviation in thinking can truly lead us thousands of miles off-course.

人人雖然都說：「人之初，性本善。」但凡人不斷輪迴在六道當中，不斷受到污染，所以變成善惡無記。你要為善或是行惡，都只在一念心轉而已。無論是造什麼善、或行什麼惡，其實這和個人所造、所行，最終都是個人自受。

Although we all say, "Everyone is born with a good nature." We ordinary beings constantly transmigrate through the Six Realms and become defiled. Then we become good, evil or neutral. Whether we do good or evil depends on a momentary thought. Whatever good or evil we do, we each face the consequences of our actions.

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善惡無記
以業力因緣故不相妨礙
持善法是順全性而起修
造惡業是逆全性而起造
知順逆雖殊唯是心造

Whether good, evil or neutral, karmic forces, causes, and conditions do not interfere with each other. Upholding good Dharma is practicing by following our true nature. Creating evil is going against our nature. The two are different, but both are created by the mind.

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在前文《靜思晨語。法譬如水。因熟緣聚》當中說過，當業報來臨的時候，一旦受報就是「互不相妨礙」。

An earlier part of the repentance text said, "Our retributions do not interfere with others'."

地獄當中罪苦眾生，一人亦滿多人亦滿，無論是有多少人同樣在受苦，每個眾生，同樣都會覺得在地獄中受苦的所有人，最苦的就是「我」。所受的種種的苦，都和旁邊的人都無關，別人無法理解自己受到的苦的難過程度，以業力因緣不相妨礙。

One person fills Hell, as will many. No matter how many people there are in Hell, we feel we are suffering the most. We have nothing to do with those around us. That is correct Karmic causes and conditions do not interfere with those of others.

大家能否瞭解？在每一念當中，當自己在經歷煩惱、壓力種種心靈地獄的時候，「我」所感受到的的煩惱與壓力，就算真的告訴了「你」，「你」也是完全無法理解的。

Can everyone understand this concept? Our own afflictions, pressures, etc., create our own mental hell. "You do not know how exhausted I am! Even if I tell you my afflictions, you cannot understand."

與這個意思相同，每個人個人造業，個人也要獨自授業報，彼此之間不相妨礙，那怕人與人之間，感情是多麼的深厚，無論是彼此互相之間，有多親與有多麼的愛，也都是無法為他分擔的。

That is similar to "we each reap what we sow". We do not interfere with each other. Even those who are close to and love each other cannot shoulder each other's burdens.

所以「持善法是順全性而起修」，一切都只是看我們如何修行。我們若是修善法，聽法了我們要了解，了解後要受持，受持善法就是能夠從內心發起這種天真本性，就是我們真正的本性。

So, practicing goodness is to practice by following our true nature. We can only work on our spiritual practice. If we practice goodness, after we hear Dharma, we want to understand it. Then we will accept and uphold it. The good practices we accept come from the innocent, intrinsic nature in our hearts. This is our true nature.

若是我們聽法之後，能將好的法聽進去，要能夠堅持信受奉行，就是啟發人人內心真如本性。知道善應該要修，知道善我應該要持，所以受持善法，完全是「順全性而起修」。我們的善，完整的善念本性，我們受持善法。

After we listen to Dharma, let us accept these good practices. Let us be firm in our faith and our practice. From our Tathagata Nature deep in our hearts. We know, "This is wholesome, this is what I need to practice. This is good, I need to uphold this." So, if we accept and uphold good practices, we are practicing by following our true nature, our completely good and kind nature.

倘若是造惡業，就是「逆全性而起造」。若順善良本性去修、去持，就是「順全性」；假使不信善惡，不信因果，就是逆了因果，這種造作惡業就是「逆全性」。其實一體兩面，就像鏡子，我們若是看正面，這面鏡子可以照青山和大地，明明朗朗，非常精細正確；假使把鏡子反過來另外一面，就是暗，無法看到前面的境界，這就做逆。

If we create bad karma, we do so against our true nature. If we rely on our kind intrinsic nature to guide our spiritual practice, we are following our nature. If we do not believe in good and evil, or in karmic cause and effect, we will act contrary to these principles. Thus we go against our nature. There are two sides to everything, like a mirror. If we use the front of the mirror, it clearly and accurately reflects the mountains, rivers and landscapes. If we turn the mirror around, it will be dark. We cannot see the world in front of us. That is "going against".

本來本性的「良能」是很光明清朗；而逆就是反面過來，就是那麼無明，所以我們照不到境界，看不清處因果，對於善惡分辨不清，就會造很多的惡，這樣就是「逆全性而起造」。

Our intrinsic nature is so bright and clear. If we go against it, we use the other side, which is ignorance. So, we cannot reflect our conditions and create a lot of evil because we go against our true nature. As for good and evil, one is in accordance, one goes against. They are both related to our nature.

所以說起來，善惡這兩項，差別只是在一個「順」和另一個是「逆」，同樣是那個「性」，但順本性清淨那就是善，如果逆了本性那就是惡。所以我們要知道順逆不同，順就是造善，逆就是造惡，同樣為是一念心所造成的。

However, if we follow our pure nature, we do good. If we go against our nature, we do evil. We need to know the difference between the two. If we follow, we create goodness. If we go against, we create evil. But both are created by the mind, by our thoughts.

這念心，在凡夫叫作「心識」，在聖人叫做「性－－純真的本性」。你逆了純真的本性，就變成了心識，所以同樣是在一念心。這念心回歸本性就是善，這念心離開了本性，反逆過來就變成惡。所以善惡還是回歸在八識田中。除非我們能超凡入聖，我們就是完全清淨的本性了。

For ordinary beings, this is called Mind-consciousness. For saints, it is their nature, their pure, intrinsic nature. If we go against our pure nature, it becomes Mind-consciousness. So this is all about our minds. If our thoughts return to our true nature, they become good. If our thoughts leave our true nature and go against it, they become evil. So good and evil return to our Eighth Consciousness, unless we transcend the ordinary and become a saint. We all have a completely pure nature.

希望大家能多下一些功夫，去體會順逆的性，順者即是持善，逆者即是造惡。善者當然是上天堂。但是能超越善惡，無煩惱、無執著，那時就是回歸我們人人與佛同等的本性，這叫做「超凡」。所以大家要用心。

So I hope everyone can work hard to comprehend following or going against our nature. Those who follow, uphold goodness. Those who go against, create evil. Of course, those who do good, go to Heaven. But if we can transcend goodness, are free of afflictions and attachments, then we will return to our intrinsic nature, which is equal to the Buddha's. This is called transcending the ordinary. So everyone, please be mindful.

這幾天一直都是繞在地獄，地獄大家看不到，要從哪裡去體會呢？其實在人間當中，有很多是我們可以體會到的。

The talks these few days have centered around Hell. People cannot see Hell, so how do we begin to understand it? We can experience many things in this world.

蓮池大師《放生文》中有很多戒殺的故事，這些故事，都是舉在那個時代所發生的事情來證明－－

In Master Lian-Chi's Essay on Liberating Life, he tells many stories from that era as proof that we must refrain from killing.

在山東有這樣的鄉村，有一位專門在殺豬、殺牛，這種的行業的人。

In Shandong, there was a village with a man whose profession was to kill pigs and cows.

他有一天去買了一頭牛，在牽回去的路上，這頭牛知道：「屠夫把我買來，我的生命差不多在這個時候就要了結了。」貪生怕死是所有生靈都一樣的，就算是螞蟻，動一下牠也會跑，所有的物命都是貪生怕死。

One day he bought a cow and led her along the road home. The cow knew, "I have been bought by a butcher. My life is more or less over." Like all living beings, she was afraid of death. When you touch an ant, it will run away. So, all living beings seek life and fear death.

所以這隻牛很怕－－「怕我被這個屠夫牽在手裡，我的生命就是將近結束的時候。」所以牠被牽著的時候，牠就不肯接受命運。屠夫盡力去拖，牛就走偏的路、橫的路，直的路不肯走。所以在那個地方一直拉、一直拉，拉到這個人也精疲力盡了，就用打的。

The cow was afraid. "I am afraid that as I'm being led by a butcher, my life is quickly coming to an end." So, the cow refused to move. The butcher used all his might to drag her. The cow moved left and right, but refused to walk forward. So, the man pulled and pulled until he exhausted all his strength. Then, he beat her.

就這樣拉拉扯扯，好不容易經過一戶富有人家，這位先生在門口，看到屠夫在拉這隻牛，很不忍心，想要救牠。這隻牛看到富有人家，牠看到他很有善心，趕緊雙膝就跪了下來，好像在向這個富有人家的先生求救，抬頭看，同時眼淚一直流。

After tugging and pulling for a while, they finally passed the doorway of a rich family. A man stood at the door and saw the butcher pulling this cow. He could not bear it. The cow saw this rich man, and felt he was truly compassionate. So the cow knelt, as if seeking help. She raised her head and shed tears.

這位善心的人士知道這頭牛一定是在求救，所以他就問說這隻牛價值多少錢？屠夫說：「八千圓。」這位先生就說：「八千元，那我跟你買下來好嗎？」屠夫雖然覺得有人出價八千，賣出去可以賺很多，但還是很氣，就說：「這隻牛讓我費了這麼多力才拉到這，這隻牛實在是很蠻橫、這隻牛很頑固、倔將，所以我不想要賣。」但是這位善心人士說：「不然我再加價給你。」再加價上去屠夫他還是說：「我不賣。」硬是要把牛拉起來牽走。

This kind person knew the cow was asking for help. So he asked the butcher, "How much is this cow worth?" He said, "$8000." "Fine, can I buy it from you for $8000?" When the butcher thought about it, he grew angry. Although if he sold the cow for $8000, he stood to make a lot of money, he was really mad. "This cow wasted so much of my strength. This cow is so unreasonable, so stubborn and unyielding." So, he did not want to sell her. But this kind man said, "Then I will pay you more." But the butcher still said, "I won't sell." He still wanted to drag this cow home.

善心人又再繼續加價，但是屠夫就說：「你不必再繼續加價，即使再加萬貫錢給我，我都是不賣。這隻牛很可惡，害我用了很多的力氣，我絕對要親手殺牠、親手要要煮牠。」

The kind man tried to pay him even more. He said, "Do not try to pay more. Even if you pay an additional $10,000, I still will not sell. This cow is detestable. It forced me to waste so much energy. I dragged it until I am exhausted. I am going to kill it and cook it myself."

牛隻聽到這裡，知道就算求救也沒希望了，所以牛也知道：「是死定了。」所以心理也就很氣、很恨，覺得：「你不是為了生計而要殺我，你是因為懷了這麼惡毒的心要殺我！」於是突然就站了起來，跟著屠夫走回到家。

Once the cow heard this, she knew she had no hope. She knew, "I will die for sure." So, she was hateful and angry. "You are not killing me just for the money. You are killing me with an evil, poisonous heart." So, it suddenly stood up and obediently followed the butcher.

回到家之後，屠夫就趕快燒水，用很大口的灶在燒滾水。天一黑就開始殺牛，把牛的肉跺一跺，丟入灶內。火很大，放著給它燒，就跑去睡了。到了天還未亮人就醒了，以為牛肉應該是煮熟了，於是趁著天色還暗暗的，就走到廚房的門口。但才剛把蓋子掀開，忽然整個人就栽進去滾燙的鍋裡。

Once they arrived home, the butcher boiled water. He used a giant pot to heat and boil water. At night when it got dark, he began his butchering. He cut off pieces of flesh and threw them into the pot. The fire blazed brightly. He was very tired, so he went to bed. When he woke up, it was not yet daybreak. He thought the beef should be well-cooked. He started walking while it was still dark. He walked to the doorway and saw the fire blazing. He lifted the lid and looked in, to see if the meat was cooked, and fell completely into the boiling hot pot.

到了天亮的時候，太太想說。「這個人出去這麼久怎麼都沒回來？已經經過很多個小時了！」出去到廚房看的時候，發現先生整個人，一半以上都已經煮在裡面了，身體已經煮得和牛肉一般爛熟了。

At dawn, his wife wondered, "Why has he been gone for so long?" After many hours, she went out and saw the big pot. More than half her husband's body was in the pot. His body was as well-cooked as the beef.

這個故事我們應該可以作為警惕，現生有沒有報？這個故事就是現生受報。要多去瞭解和自我警惕，多去反省自己，警惕自己，所以我們才要慚愧、懺悔。我們要知道小罪累積就會變成大罪，輕業累積就會變成重業，那怕平時是一點點的惡也不可以做，或是開口動舌也要很注意。都要順我們的本性，是佛性、是善的；不要逆本性，身、口、意造作種種惡業。

Let us treat this story as a warning. Will we face retribution in this life? This is an example of present-life retribution. After we see this, we should understand. We should be aware, self-reflective and vigilant. Then we will have a sense of remorse and repent. Know that small transgressions accumulate and become greater transgressions. Small karma accumulates and becomes tremendous. So, we can never commit even the slightest act of evil. We must be very careful even when we open our mouths to speak. This is following our intrinsic nature. Our intrinsic nature is the Buddha-nature. Do not go against your intrinsic nature and create negative karma with body, speech and mind.

所以之前在《靜思晨語。法譬如水。因熟緣聚》才說，我們要「稽顙慚愧懺悔」。

As we said earlier, let us "deeply prostrate and repent in remorse".

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次復懺悔
刀山劍樹地獄 身首脫落罪報

Next we also repent, which means we must repeatedly repent, the Mountains and Forests of Knives Hell, where our heads are cut off as retribution.

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懺悔
鑊湯爐炭地獄 燒煮罪報
懺悔
鐵床銅柱地獄 焦然罪報

Repent the Hell of Molten Iron Cauldrons and Charcoal Stoves, where we are cooked as retribution. Repent the Hell of the Iron Bed and Bronze Columns, where we are burnt as retribution.

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接下來說－－「次復懺悔，刀山、劍樹地獄，身首脫落罪報；懺悔，鑊湯、爐炭地獄，燒煮罪報；懺悔，鐵床、銅柱地獄，焦然罪報。」

Now we talk about, "Next we also repent, which means we must repeatedly repent, the Mountains and Forests of Knives Hell, where our heads are cut off as retribution." We also, "repent the Hell of Molten Iron Cauldrons and Charcoal Stoves, where we are cooked as retribution". Also, we "repent the Hell of the Iron Bed and Bronze Columns, where we are burnt as retribution."

這些文字都很簡單，我們應該要知道－－這種刀山，在前一段文字過去也說過了，有七重的鐵網、有七重的刀林，真的都是刀山劍樹，刀鋒是向上插的，一重又一重，這真的就是刀山劍樹的地獄。一但是造了罪，受了業，你就是想要從旁邊逃去，也有重重鐵牆；想要從上逃，也是重重鐵網；想要從下逃，則是重重的刀山劍樹。

Aren't these words very simple? We all know about these mountains of knives. An earlier passage already mentioned seven layers of iron nets, seven layers of forests of knives. This is truly "Mountains and Forests of Knives". The knives are pointed upwards. There are layers and layers of them in the Mountains and Forests of Knives Hell. If we committed wrongdoings, we face this karma. If we want to escape through the side, there are many iron walls. If we want to escape from above, there are layers of iron nets. If we want to escape from below, there are mountains and forests of knives.

罪業一旦做了，無論從哪裡都逃不出去，只在那邊受苦、受刑而已。在刀山劍樹的地獄當中，「身首」經常脫落，不是只死一次，死了又再次再來一次，這種層層疊疊，不斷地經歷這種身首分離、復合的罪報。

If we created these transgressions and karma and receive this retribution, we cannot escape in any direction. We can only endure the pain and torture. In the Mountains and Forests of Knives Hell, our heads will be repeatedly separated from our bodies. We do not just die once. After the head falls, it reattaches. Then it falls again. This happens repeatedly. So, the head separates from the body, then reattaches, then separates, then reattaches. This is the retribution.

除了刀山劍樹地獄以外，還有「懺悔，鑊湯爐炭地獄，燒煮罪報。」這種鑊湯爐炭地獄的罪報，這也不是煮一次而已，煮爛了還會恢復，恢復之後又煮。那種重重次次，除了身體上的痛苦，心靈的驚惶，也是無法計算的反覆不斷地受報。

Besides the Mountains and Forests of Knives Hell, we must also repent "the Hell of Molten Iron Cauldrons and Charcoal Stoves, where we are cooked as retribution". The retribution of being cooked in the Hell of Molten Iron Cauldrons and Charcoal Stoves does not happen only once. We will be cooked, then revived, then cooked again. That repetition, besides inflicting physical pain, creates mental anxiety and fright. This repeats a countless number of times. It is constant retribution.

接著還要「懺悔，鐵床銅柱地獄，焦然罪報。」人睡在燒得很紅的鐵床上，你們想那是多麼的辛苦，就像活魚的讓人放到鍋裡煎，比那種感覺還要痛苦。這種鐵床，在地藏經中說的地獄，「一人亦滿、多人亦滿」，種種的痛苦充滿地獄，無論地獄有多滿，痛苦就有多大。

Then we "repent the Hells of the Iron Bed and Bronze Columns". People lay on an iron bed heated to a fiery red. Think about how painful that hell must be. It is like a live fish, dropped into a pan to be fried. This hell is more painful. In the Earth Treasury Sutra it says that this bed is full, whether there is one person in it or many. This means that this kind of suffering pervades the entire Hell Realm. The larger the Hell, the more intense the pain.

所以這種「一人亦滿、多人亦滿」的鐵床地獄，還有不只是躺著而已，還有紅銅柱燒紅了，讓要他去抱柱子，抱這種燒紅鐵柱的這種地獄。想想，那一但抱上去就黏住了，整個血肉都沾粘在上面，焦爛掉了，這種的地獄是不是很痛苦呢？

Thus one person can fill it, and so can many. People do not just lie down in the Hell of the Iron Bed. People are also forced to wrap themselves around bronze pillars that are heated to a burning red. Think about it. Once they hug it they are stuck. Their flesh will be burnt to a crisp. Isn't this Hell full of suffering?

在人間，我們若是知道有這麼多地獄、歷歷、很簡單我們看到的，知道都很明顯，歷歷分明都在地獄中受苦。而這種種業報，還不用真的到地獄去，在人間已經都可以看到。

If we look, we can see that there are many Hells in this world. They are easy to see; they are obvious. We can distinctly and clearly see these Hells. We do not need to go to the Hell Realm; we can experience them in this world.

到底是怎麼來的呢？就只是在「順性」我們就能夠「修善」，免去地獄的苦難，就不必接觸到地獄，接近佛法、接近聖賢，這是「順全性而起修」；假使造惡業，那就是「逆全性而起造」。這雖然善惡有種種不同，但地獄、天堂之間受報懸殊，只在一念心而已，唯是心造。

Where do they come from? If we only follow our nature, we can practice goodness and avoid the suffering in Hell. We can draw near to the Buddha-Dharma and be like sages and saints, if we practice by following our nature. If we create bad karma, we are going against our nature. Although good and evil are different, and Hell and Heaven are far from each other, they are determined by a thought; they are only created by our minds.

所以各位，學佛真的要好好自我警惕，相信因果，就可以少造惡業。所以請大家要時時多用心。

So everyone, when we learn Buddhism, we must truly always be vigilant. If we believe in cause and effect, we create less bad karma. Everyone, please always be mindful.