[法語] 死緣無定故應修無常Impermanence

看板Buddhism作者buddhanature (應無所住，而生其心~!)時間8年前 (2016/08/02 13:27)推噓3(3推 0噓 6→)

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死緣無定故應修無常 (English translation: Claire Ang) 真正修行好的人，時時都會憶念死期不定，始終想着「不知我什麼時候死」，有了這種觀念，修行起來會很精進，不會天天聊天、做些無義瑣事。但現在城市裡的人，最缺少的就是無常觀，一直把修持善法拖到明年、後年，甚至退休之後。我就遇到一個50歲的人，他說自己等15年以後再來學院學法，把未來計劃得相當「不錯」。《法句譬喻經》中也有一個這樣的老人：佛陀在舍衛國時，城裡有位年近80的老婆羅門，家財萬貫，生性頑愚吝嗇。他為了給自己建造一棟豪華巨宅，花費大量時間親自監工，指揮工匠。佛陀通過智慧觀察，得知他只有這一天的壽命，然其卻毫不知情，忙忙碌碌於無義之事，特別可憐，於是就親自來到他的面前。佛陀見到他後，問：「你這樣賣力是否疲倦？修建如此豪宅有何用處？」老婆羅門驕傲地說：「這房子前邊是客廳，後邊是我的卧室，東西兩廂供家人、子女、僕人住。夏天可到涼台乘涼，冬天搬回暖房居住，舒適得不得了。」佛陀說：「你的想法不錯，但我有一偈想送給你，你暫且放下工作，坐下來聽聽好嗎？」老婆羅門答言：「我很忙，沒空坐下來聽，過幾天再跟你好好聊吧。你如果有事，可以先簡單說一下。」佛陀說：「你雖然對未來安排得特別好，自己認為自己比較有智慧，但卻不知無常迅速，很快就會離開人間，還在一味不停地忙碌，再沒有比這更愚痴的了。」老婆羅門聽後，說：「你講得確實有道理，但我今天實在太忙，以後再聊吧！」佛陀見他冥頑不化，怎麼勸都無濟於事，也只好由他去了。佛陀離開後不久，老婆羅門親自去上屋頂的大梁，結果大梁突然墜下，當場把他砸死了。現在也有很多老人，像這個老婆羅門一樣，人老心不老，好像自己還能再活幾百年似的，成天對未來做着打算，為子子孫孫計劃安排，這是相當愚痴的行為。所以，每個人要經常思維自己還能活多久，若能如此，就不會特別貪著今生的名聲、財富、感情，甚至為此寧願捨棄生命。如果你無常修得好，一方面自己遭受疾病、痛苦時，有勇敢面對的能力，另一方面，你身邊的親友發生意外時，也不會怨天尤人、尋死覓活。因此，學法不能只留在形象上，必須要想方設法將其融入於心。現在有些宗教過於注重形象，倘若深入其教義，沒有什麼可挖掘的，而我們佛教並非如此，不但理論上講得非常究竟，還要求付諸於實際行動中，讓每個人多多少少有一些感覺，這即是佛教的偉大之處。話說回來，正因為眾生的死緣各種各樣，所以死期無法確定。有些人在母胎中便已死亡；有些人一出生就斷了氣；有些人剛學會爬就已夭折；有些人壯年時離開人世；還有些人在垂暮之年壽終正寢。如佛陀在《因緣品》中云：「有者胎中死，有者落地亡，有僅爬行逝，有跑時夭折，有老有年幼，有些壯年人，相繼而離世。」漢地也有句俗話「黃泉路上無老少」，一個人不管年老還是年少，死亡對他而言都是平等的。可有些年輕人認為：「你看我頭髮還沒白，怎麼會死呢？決定不會。」他自己這麼有把握，可能是獲得了「長壽持明」的果位，很了不起！還有些人生病時，沒有得到及時救治而死；有些人已坐上救護車，卻死在了半路上；有些人久病不愈、卧床不起，在瘦骨嶙峋中死去，並且死不瞑目（我見過很多這樣的病人，想死又死不了，想活又活不成。前段時間有個人給我打電話說：「請您加持我快一點死！我這樣活着，既拖累別人，自己也特別痛苦。」但他業力沒有消盡的話，想死也不是那麼容易的）；也有很多患了「洞特」病（洞特病：患此病者會突然昏倒，需立即放血搶救，否則就有生命危險。）的人，在食物還未吃完、話還未說完、事情還未做完中死去；還有些人自殺身亡（《環球時報》有一篇文章報道：全球每年約有100萬人自殺，其中30%來自中國。據統計，全世界每40秒就有1人自殺身亡；在中國，每2分鐘就有1人自殺身亡，8人自殺未遂。）。當然，凡夫人面對死亡時身不由己，只有隨業力而去，而作為超凡脫俗的聖者，則已達到了生死自在。前不久我講過，我隔壁的那個喇嘛，正在念經時就跏趺坐而圓寂。後來很多道友說，當天空中出現了彩虹。我剛開始不太相信，因為平時對這些不是特別盲從，但看到照片以後，發現彩虹現得非常好，上面的日期也對得上，所以確信他已得到了成就。敦珠法王所造的《藏密佛教史》中，這樣的事例也不乏其數，如貝若扎那傳承中的密宗持明者，有些離開世間時，把披單、念珠掛在柏樹枝上，騰空直接飛往清凈剎土……如此境界超越了世俗想象，一般凡夫人難以企及。總而言之，在這個世界上，死緣非常非常多，不管是吃飯、走路，還是坐車、乘飛機，甚至只是呆在家裡，死亡都會突然降臨。而在以上眾多的死緣中，生緣卻如風中殘燭般微薄。如《寶鬘論》云：「常住死緣中，如狂風中燈。」《大莊嚴論經》（《大莊嚴論經》： 15卷。相傳為印度馬鳴造，鳩摩羅什譯。又作《大莊嚴經論》、《大莊嚴論》、《大莊嚴經》。收於《大正藏》第4冊。主要是搜集佛陀本生，及諸種善惡因緣、譬喻等90章故事，以供求道者參考。）亦云：「命如風中燈，不知滅時節。」佛經中還說「人命在呼吸之間」、「命如水泡」……既然如此，大家就不要天天忙於打扮、賺錢、對未來有許許多多籌劃，畢竟死亡的到來往往讓人措手不及，也許現在它就會突然降臨，誰也無法確定明天會不會轉生為頭上長角的旁生（此處指的應該是一些濕生含生，如頭上長角的小蟲，它們很短的時間即可形成身體，不像氂牛等需要住胎很長時間。）所以，大家應當誠信死期不定、生處不定的道理，並對此長期認認真真去實修。摘自索達吉堪布《前行廣釋》 As our time of death is uncertain, we should therefore be mindful of impermanence A true religious practitioner always reminds himself that death may come any time and that “I am not sure when my time is up”, therefore he is very diligent in his practice at all times. He does not chit chat or do things that are meaningless. People living in the city, however, lack the awareness of impermanence. They tend to delay the practice of dharma or good deeds to next year, or the year after that, or even after their retirement. Dhammapada Analogy tells such a story about an old man: Once the Buddha was in Sravasti, there was a Brahman nearing the age of 80. The Brahman was very rich but was stubborn and stingy. He invested a great fortune building a luxury mansion for himself and spent most of his time overseeing the construction, making sure everything was built the way his heart desired. The Buddha, in his profound wisdom, saw that the Brahman has come to his time and has only one more day to live. But the Brahman knew nothing about it and was still busy doing things that are meaningless to life. Mercy for him, the Buddha came to him. The Buddha asked him, “Aren’t you tired working so hard? What is the use of building such a mansion?” The old Brahman said proudly, “The living hall is at the front of the mansion, my bedroom is at the back, the east and west blocks are for my family, children, and servants. There’s a cool veranda for the summer and the rooms are warm enough for the winter. It’s such a comfortable mansion.” “You planned well.” The Buddha said, “I have a verse for you, can you sit down and listen to what I have to say?” The Brahman said, “I am very busy and I don’t have time to sit down and listen. We can talk some other days. You may do it quick, say what you have to say briefly.” The Buddha said, “You have planned out well for your future, thinking that you have great wisdom. You work so hard day in and day out but you have no idea that life is impermanent and that you will pass away soon. You are ignorant.” After listening to the Buddha, the old Brahman said, “You are so right. But I am really very busy today. Let’s talk some other days!” As the Brahman was stubborn and would not listen, the Buddha left. Soon after the Buddha left, the Brahman climbed up to the roof to inspect the beam. But alas, the beam fell and the Brahman was killed on the spot. There are many senior citizens today who are like the old Brahman. They are aged but they don’t feel old. They are always busy planning for the future and for their children and grandchildren, as if they can live for hundreds of years. This is very foolish. We must all wonder how long we can live at all times. If we do that, we will not be especially attached to our fame, wealth, and relationship or even be willing to give up our lives for these. If you are mindful of impermanence, you will have the courage to face illness and sufferings. You will also not harbor grudges or feel despair when your loved ones are taken from you unexpectedly. The practice of Dharma should not be focused on rituals but to be deep-rooted into our hearts. Today, some religions over-emphasized rituals and overlooked their teachings. In Buddhism, not only do we have a complete set of theory, we are taught to put them into practice. All beings have different conditions leading to their deaths and therefore the time of death cannot be calculated. Some died before birth; some died right after birth; some when they start to crawl; some in their prime years; while some others in old age. All the above are mentioned in the Nidaanavagga sutra. There is a Chinese verse which speaks of the same thing “death visits all ages”. In the face of death, everyone is equal, young or old. Young people may think that, “Well, look at my hair, they are still black and shiny, how could I meet death? Impossible!” Well, you must have attained the “longevity attainment” to be so sure! Some died before they received prompt treatment; some died on their road to the hospital; some are bedridden and died emaciated or even with their eyes opened. (The writer of this article: I have seen many patients like this. They are struggling living and are merely waiting for their time. Some time ago, a patient called me asking me to bless him so that he can die faster! He said he is enduring great suffering and has become a burden to his family. It ’s his karma that he will not die now and his time has not come yet. There is a disease called “Dong Te” where the patient will faint out unexpectedly any time and die unless they are resuscitated immediately. These people may die while eating or before they finish their sentence or the job at hand. There are also people who kill themselves. According to Global Times, 1 million people committed suicide each year in the world. Of these, 30% happened in China. According to statistics, there is 1 suicidal death in every 40 seconds; and in China, there are 1 suicidal death and 8 attempted suicide in every 2 minutes.) Lay people cannot decide their own death. Their death is decided by their karma. The saints, however, can decide their death. The Lama living beside the writer passed away while chanting in sitting position. Disciples said that they saw rainbow in the sky at the time of the Lama’s passing away. In short, there are many ways leading to one’s death in the world. Death might come unexpectedly while we are eating, walking, driving, flying, or even simply staying at home. Living is like a candle in the wind, weak and flimsy. Many sutras described living and death as, “We are living in different conditions leading to death, like a candle in strong winds,” “ Life is like a candle in the wind, about to be blown out at any time,” “ life is the time when you breathe,” “life is like a water bubble”… In that case, we should not put our emphasis on dressing up, earning lots of money, and devising plans for the future in our everyday life. Death often comes by surprise and if it comes now, we can’t be sure that we will not be reborn as animals or bugs tomorrow. Do contemplate on the fact that time of death is not known and life is uncertain and do put Dharma into practice seriously. Excerpted from 前行廣釋 by Khenpo Sodargye -- 佛言：龍王。當知菩薩有一法。能斷一切諸惡道苦。何等為一。謂於晝夜常念思惟觀察善法。令諸善法念念增長。不容毫分不善間雜。是即能令諸惡永斷。善法圓滿。常得親近諸佛菩薩及餘聖眾。 -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc), 來自: 114.39.229.183 ※ 文章網址: https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/Buddhism/M.1470115644.A.350.html

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