顏亞日居士講於2024年2月12日萬佛聖城大殿
(無中生有幻化奇，極樂世界最契機)
(Illusional transformations may result in creations from none. The world of ultimate bliss actually offers the best opportunity.)
2023年末，借助學校寒假，我和同修回馬探訪家鄉的親戚佛友，匆匆忙忙的三個星期就過去了，或許是年紀大了，這一生我們這一輩子對世界的變化，真有所感觸，先簡要的寫下感言如下：
At the end of 2023, we made use of school winter break, my wife and I visited our homeland Malaysia to meet relatives and dharma friends. Three weeks just passed briskly. Probably in our senior age, we had seen tremendous world changes in this life and have lots of inner responses to it. First I briefly wrote them out in summary as below:
咱們獨特這一生
獨特時代獨特人
古人從未體驗過
百年未有大變局
We have lived this very unique life,
Being unique people experiencing an unique era.
From all the ancient people and up to the present,
Have not experienced a hundred years of such tremendous changes.
萬丈高樓處處起
轟然瞬間一堆泥
無中生有幻化奇
見證萬般帶不去
Skyscrapers are erected all over,
But in just a brink of eyes they could collapse into a mound of earth.
Though illusional transformations may result in creations from none,
And yet witness all of that cannot bring along at death.
醉生夢死是真諦
懵懂覺醒來不及
明明相聚在一起
一覺醒來千萬里
Life is but a drunken dream, that is the truth,
Yet to awaken from ignorance always is too late.
Clearly we were just getting together,
Yet waking up from a sleep we are thousands of miles apart.
相隔千水萬重山
傳音入密一手機
百年娑婆如夢旅
極樂世界最契機
Although we are distances apart by mountains and seas,
Transmission of secret messages is just a hand phone away.
Living a hundred years in Saha world is just a dream in journey,
The world of ultimate bliss would be our best opportunity.
「咱們獨特這一生，獨特時代獨特人。古人從未體驗過，百年未有大變局。」
We had lived this very unique life,
Being unique people experiencing an unique era.
From all the ancient people and up to the present,
Have not experienced a hundred years of such tremendous changes.
這一百年來，世界的大變局，其速度之快，是歷史從來未有的事實。其中與世界急速的工業化，國與國之互相競爭，物資的量產，第一次世界大戰、第二次世界大戰等有關。各種能源的發展、至電力的發明，電子工業的發展，太空探索等工程，從日常的衣食住行，至戰爭武器，其發展速度與過去人類歷史相比，是古人從未體驗過的。
The tremendous speed of changes within last 100 years has not been witnessed in the history of old generations all along from the ancient time. It was connected with the world rapid industrialization, international competitions, industrial mass production, First World War and Second World War. It brought about the development of energy sources, discovery of electricity, electronics, and space exploration. From everything connected with clothings, foods, houses, transportations to war weapons, the tremendous speed of changes had not been seen in history or experienced by the ancients.
「萬丈高樓處處起，轟然瞬間一堆泥。」往昔建造城牆以防外敵已成過去無所用處了。現代代替的建築屋，處處都是參天的萬丈高樓。即使是鋼骨水泥的萬丈高樓，飛彈一聲巨響依然化為烏有轉為一堆泥。這種破壞力之強大的武器，是古人不可想像的。莫大的城鎮可以一瞬間變成廢墟。
Skyscrapers are erected all over,
But in just a brink of eyes they could collapse into a mound of earth. Building of walls to fence out invaders was long outdated. In replacement are erected tall reinforced concrete skyscrapers. Though strong they are, with the sound of blast of missiles, they immediately turn down to be a mould of earth. These great destructive weapons that could turn a city into a mass of ruins was not in the imagination of the ancients.
「無中生有幻化奇，見證萬般帶不去。」這百年以來，電的發明之一點就完全顛覆了世界面貌。從電報傳達訊息開始，至電子晶管的發明、電子芯片的開發，至手機人手一台，乃至量子通信，至人工智能等，一切如幻化一般的出現，應有盡有⋯可是卻見證了對生老病死，對了生脫死離苦得樂，卻沒有作用⋯照樣看到當人死了，這一切再進步的東西，一件也帶不走。
Though illusional transformations may result in creations from none,
And yet witness all of that cannot bring along at death. Within the last 100 years, the discovery of electricity has overthrown completely the world’s outlook. Imagine from the invention of telegraph communication, to the discovery of transistors, to the development of electronic chips, to the use of cell phones, to the introduction of quantum communication, and artificial intelligence, all those you can see appears almost illusionary. But it has nothing to help with human have to go through from birth to aging, to sickness, to death, nor can it help in leaving suffering to attain bliss.
「醉生夢死是真諦，懵懂覺醒來不及。」正確的說，人生還是如醉生夢死一般，雖然資訊發達了，佛法網上隨時可以見聞，可是沒人會否認，世界上大多數的人，還是疏忽懵懂的過一生，而且時間過得太快了，等到人生的最後一刻，想要覺醒已經來不及。
Life is but a drunken dream, that is the truth, Yet to awaken from ignorance always is too late. Truly speaking, life is just like as short as a drunken dream. Though internet is just at every body’s finger tip, and Buddha Dharma is just a click away, yet most people are negligence about it, and stay put ignorance about life. At the last moment of life, it’s too late to get awaken.
「明明相聚在一起，一覺醒來千萬里。」不久前明明親人朋友大家還歡暢相聚一堂，可是，飛機起飛，只一覺醒來的時間，已經穿過了太平洋，即相隔重洋千萬里了。
Clearly we were just getting together, yet waking up from a sleep we were thousands of miles apart. Not long ago, clearly relatives and friends were happily getting together. Then, with airplane took off, and within the time of waking up from a sleep, already it was across the Pacific Ocean, and we were thousands of miles apart.
「相隔千水萬重山，傳音入密一手機。」以前年輕時，只有武俠小說裏讀到，才有高人與高人之間有傳音入密這種神功，外人完全聽不到他們說些什麼。現在所有的人，都是武俠小說中的高人了，只要人手一機，千萬里外，也可瞬間傳達消息。
Although we are distances apart by mountains and seas,
Transmission of secret messages is just a hand phone away. In my younger days, I was fond of novels of martial arts. Very often in the stories, there were highly skilled martial artists able to communicate secretly by transmitting voices to each other that nobody else can hear. Yeah, now you don’t have to imagine any more, you don’t have to have those imaginary arts, what you need is just a cellphone in your hand. You can do that even your friends are thousands of miles away.
「百年娑婆如夢旅，極樂世界最契機。」因此面對百年這一切的變化，面對這一瞬間猶如夢境之旅，人生比較實在的，還是信願念佛，作往生極樂世界的準備，阿彌陀佛是最契機，讓你我了脫生死，離苦得樂。
Living a hundred years in Saha world is just a dream in journey, the world of Ultimate Bliss would be our best opportunity. Thus facing with this life journey of changes for about 100 years is as short as a dream. Thus it is more realistic to have a faith and vow made in reciting the Buddha’s name, preparing to rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Amitabha Buddha provide the best opportunity to end birth and death sufferings, and to attain ultimate bliss.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
都說念佛要功夫成片，一心不亂，才有把握。我所了解的功夫成片，一心不亂，有三種解釋。
It’s said that it is necessary to be skillful in reciting the Buddha’s name that you are up to in a one mindfulness, then you can be for sure reborn in the Pure land. My understandings have three aspects.
1）最好的成就是：念「南無阿彌陀佛」念到只有這一個心念，沒有雜念的干擾。
The best accomplishment is your recitation can reach the state of single mindfulness when reciting “Namo Amituofo” without any distracting thoughts.
2）第二種瞭解，是專一修行念佛法門、一門深入，專一信與願，日常所做的各種功課功德，都迴向自己往生阿彌陀佛淨土，也慈悲迴向眾生得往生淨土，這個心不雜亂。
My second understanding is your cultivation is to be single-minded on a single dharma door of faith and vow. You transfer your merits and virtues of your daily cultivations to be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land without distraction, and as well as compassionately transfer this merits and virtues to all living beings.
3）專一信願念佛，一心不亂，也是對治人心善變的毛病。比如說，有人今天認為往生西方極樂世界好，就念阿彌陀佛，明天認為往生東方琉璃世界好，就念消災延壽藥師佛，以後又覺得往生南方好，又覺得北方好，又覺得上方好，又覺得下方好，這樣多心的念來念去，最後到了自己往生的那一刻，不知自己要往生那一方。
To focus single mindedness without distraction is a way to counter your changing mind. For example, some people think that Western Pure Land is good and start to recite Amitabha Buddha’s name. The next day, he thought Eastern Lapis Lazuli Land is also good, he then recite the name of Medicine Master Buddha, later he thought that Southern Buddha Land is also good, and then Northern Buddha Land is good too, and then the Buddha Land above, and then the Buddha Land below is good, and keep changing his mind. At the time he passes away, he faces the dilemma of which direction to choose.
實在是佛佛平等對待眾生，都會成就眾生的信願。諸佛都不會爭搶弟子往生他那一方，而是成就眾生所發的往生信願。只要信願堅定就可以了。
In reality, all Buddhas treat all living beings equally and will fulfill whichever faiths and vows they made. All Buddhas will not fight for disciples to be reborn in their lands. Instead, they will help to fulfill whichever vow you made. You just need to be firm in your faith and vow.
因此你如果信願念阿彌陀佛，你還是可以多做功德，恭敬供養禮拜十方諸佛，十方諸佛都會歡喜成就完成你的信願，如《佛說阿彌陀經》所講。
Therefore, if you have faith and vow in reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name, you can still do myriads of merits and virtues in respecting, offering, and bowing to Buddhas of the ten directions. Buddhas of the ten directions will definitely help to fulfill your faith and vow, just as mentioned in the Buddha speaks of Amitabha Buddha Sutra.
因此一心不亂信願念阿彌陀佛，是預備自己往生那一刻，自己的信願不亂，阿彌陀佛來接引時，即隨阿彌陀佛往生淨土。
Therefore, single-mindedness in faith and vow in reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name is to prepare yourself at the moment of rebirth. Your faith and vow will be undisturbed, and at the moment Amitabha Buddha comes to take you, you will follow him to be reborn in the Pure Land.