比丘尼近南法師講於2025年4月12日萬佛聖城大殿
宣公上人說：懺悔是給犯戒和犯錯的人有改過自新的機會。
The Venerable Master said, “Repentance gives those who have broken precepts or made mistakes a chance to correct themselves and start anew.”
懺悔就是承認自己的錯誤，心感慚愧，並決心改正錯誤。
Repentance is admitting one’s mistakes, feeling ashamed and remorseful, and making a firm resolution to correct those mistakes.
有人可能有這樣的困擾 — 即使我們已經很誠心地懺悔了，但還是會屢懺屢犯。爲何會這樣？因爲當我們懺悔時，我們會承認所犯的錯誤，並在當下決心改過自新，但由於業力和習氣太深重，所以很多時候，不是一次就能懺悔清淨的。所以才會出現這樣的情況：雖然真心懺悔，但行為上還是難以改變。
Some of you have experienced this as well — that even we have sincerely repented, we still fall into the cycle of ‘repenting again and again, yet committing the same mistakes again and again.’ Why does this happen? When we repent, we acknowledge our mistakes and, at that point, resolve to change for the better. But due to our deep-rooted karma and habits, it’s often not possible to become completely purified with just one act of repentance. That is why, even though our repentance is genuine and sincere, it is still very difficult to for us to change our behavior.
上人對於這部分相關的開示：
懺悔之後，要永遠不再犯戒。如果屢懺悔重犯，當做兒戲，那又有何用？不鄭重其事，把懺悔不當一回事，以為在大眾前說一說，罪業就沒有了，這是癡人妄想，事情根本沒那麽簡單。一經過懺悔，就要發誓願：「從前種種譬如昨日死，以後種種譬如今日生。」以後絕不再犯，這樣才能消了罪業。這一點大家要搞清楚。
Here’s a passage from the Venerable Master’s instructional talk on this topic. The Master said, “After repenting, one must never break the precepts again. If you keep repenting yet repeatedly commit the same offenses, treating it like a game, then what is the point? If you don’t treat the matter seriously, and regard repentance as something casual — thinking that just speaking out a few words about your offense in front of others will erase your karmic offenses — that is just a foolish thinking. Things are not that simple. Once you’ve repented, you must vow: ‘All that was of the past has died away like yesterday, and all that is of the future is born anew like today.’ Only by never committing the offense again can our karma truly be eradicated. Everyone must understand this clearly.”
我們爲什麽會想懺悔？就因爲我們自己察覺到自己惡業深重了，所以希望通過懺悔,業障可以減輕，進而得到身心的淨化。確實，如果我們誠心懺悔，身體會比較健康，心理也會比較輕鬆愉快，這是從黑暗走向光明的一種境界。前幾天在用齋的時候，上人在開示裏舉例有人生病，拜了萬佛寳懺以後病都好了。
Why do we want to repent? It’s because we become aware of how heavy our evil karma has become, and we hope that through repentance, our karmic obstacles can be lessened and our body and mind can be purified. Indeed, if we repent sincerely, our physical health can improve, and our mind can feel much happier and more at ease. It’s a state of moving from darkness into brightness. Just a few days ago during lunchtime, VM has said in the tape lecture that some people who were sick recovered after bowing to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Jeweled Repentance.
但其實懺悔除了承認自己所犯的錯誤之外，還要進一步承擔起責任和後果，所以在剛才念的上人的那一段開示裏特別強調了 — 不是說一懺悔完畢，罪業就馬上沒有了，不是那麽簡單的。
But in fact, repentance is not merely admitting one’s mistakes — it also involves taking responsibility and facing the consequences. That is why, in the instructional talk that I have just read from the Venerable Master emphasized that karmic offenses don’t just disappear immediately after we repent. It’s not that simple.
所以今天要來探討，除了在佛前拜懺、誠心求懺悔以外，到底還能配合怎樣的其它方法來輔助我們拜懺? 除了懺悔之餘，還能透過這些輔助的方法，真正地去改變我們那些不好的習氣毛病？
So, while repentance is important, today we also want to explore — aside from bowing in repentance before the Buddhas and sincerely asking for forgiveness — what other methods can we use to support and strengthen our practice. Besides repenting, how can we use these additional approaches to truly transform our bad habits and unwholesome tendencies?
所謂習氣，在心理學上把它稱之爲潛意識，也就是我們下意識的行為，我們做的一些動作，或者常説的一些話、一直以來的言談舉止，乃至於我們的思維模式，都已經形成了一種習慣。
What we call ‘habits’ is referred to in psychology as the ‘subconscious’, which is our unconscious behavior. The things we do without thinking, the words we often say, our mannerisms and the way of interacting, or even our patterns of thinking — over time, all of these have formed into habits.
龍樹菩薩《中論》裡有提到「業力本質空性」，但眾生因為「我執」所以才會把業力實體化，導致慣性重複。所以從龍菩薩的這一句話，我們就先要明白，爲什麽我們很容易重犯錯誤，即便是內心有想要改變，就是因爲我們的「我執」太重了。
In Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva’s Middle Way Shastra, it is mentioned that ‘karma is empty in nature.’ However, since sentient beings are attached to the notion of a self, they solidify karma as something real and concrete, which leads to habitual repetition. Therefore, from this single line by Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva, we begin to understand why we tend to repeat our mistakes — even when we sincerely wish to change. It is because our attachment to the self is too strong.
所以，我們必須去除這個「我執」，要是一天不去除，就很難達到真正的懺悔清淨。到底什麽是「我執」呢？「我執」是因為眾生迷惑於五蘊和合的作用，而認為目前的這個「我」可以永遠存在。簡單來講，「我執」就是我們妄想並且很執著於認爲這個我，是一個實實在在、很真實的我。
Hence, we need to eliminate the self-attachment. As long as we do not let go of it, it will be difficult to achieve true and pure repentance. But what exactly is this self-attachment? Self-attachment arises because sentient beings are deluded by the functioning and coming together of the five skandhas, and mistakenly believe that this current ‘self’ can exist forever. That is to say, self-attachment is our deluded and stubborn clinging to the idea that the ‘I’ is a real, solid, and truly existing entity.
但我們要清楚，佛陀已經告訴我們，我們常常以爲的「我」，它其實只是因緣和合、四大組成而已，所以是無常的，隨時因緣散了，四大也要歸回法界，從來就沒有什麽「實體」。
But we must understand that the Buddha has already taught us that the ‘self’ we often believe in is, in fact, nothing more than a temporary coming together of causes and conditions — a combination of the Four Great Elements. It is impermanent. At any point, if the conditions disperse, the Four Elements will return to the Dharma realm. There has never been any true, solid ‘entity’ at all.
我執相很重的人會怎樣？就是事事會以「我」做爲為出發點，把所有的利益都往自己身上攬，壞的則往別人身上推，然後去跟人爭權奪利，甚至互相誹謗、攻擊，這就是因爲以「我」為主體的思考模式。人與人之間，若以「我」為思考模式，就很容易造業。一旦「我執」很重，你再怎樣懺悔，你還是很容易這邊懺悔完畢，那邊又開始過著不安寧的日子，每天跟人起衝突、爭爭吵吵。即便是表面沒有實際的爭吵，內心依舊是不得安寧的，這是騙不了人的。但是，要去掉「我執」真的很不容易，因爲「我執」是我們生死的根本。
What happens to someone with strong self-attachment? They approach everything from the standpoint of the ‘I’ — taking all benefits for themselves while pushing all blame onto others. They fight for power and personal gain, even go so far as to slander or attack others. This is the result of a self-centered mode of thinking. When interactions between people are driven by this ‘I’, it is very easy to create bad karma. Once the self-attachment becomes strong, no matter how much you repent, it is still easy to fall back into the same patterns — you have done the act of repentance, and soon after, you’re again living a life of chaos, getting into conflicts and arguments every day. Even if there’s no actual argument with others, your mind remains unsettled — and that is something we cannot deceive ourselves about. However, letting go of self-attachment is not easy at all, because self-attachment is the very root of birth and death.
所以，我們除了拜懺以外，還需要其它的方法或者法門來協助我們的懺悔和修行。哪些方法？
Therefore, in addition to practicing repentance through bowing, we also need other methods or Dharma doors to support our repentance and cultivation. What are some of these supporting practices?
除了拜懺，我們還要多念佛、多打坐，然後盡量少聊天、少説話。因爲要去我執，首先就得時刻提起正念。除了拜懺以外的時間，盡可能保持住我們的正念。一般來講，如果我們很愛講話，就會越講越興奮，越聊心越散亂，頭腦就會迷糊。但是，如果我們利用這些多出來的時間，不管是在休息還是在做其它的事情，我們都可以一直默默地在心裏面念佛，這樣，嘴巴安靜了，内心也會逐漸平靜。如果身心都達到平靜的時候，還會想要去作怪嗎？會想要去造惡業嗎？會想要去招惹身邊的人嗎？不要說招惹，就算別人説什麽、做什麽，我們都專心得已經不會發現了，或者說，可能還是看到了、聽到了，但也沒有心思去理會這麽多了。
I believe that aside from bowing repentance, we should also recite the Buddha’s name more often, sit in meditation more regularly, and try to talk less and engage lesser in casual conversation. In order to gradually let go of our self-attachment, we must first maintain proper mindfulness at all times. That means, outside of our formal repentance sessions, we should try our best to keep our awareness sharp. If we like to chat a lot, the more we talk, the more excited we become — and the more scattered our minds get. Eventually, our thoughts become fuzzy and unclear. But if we use that time to quietly recite the Buddha’s name in our minds, whether during rest time or while doing other works, then as we go silent, internally we gradually become peaceful and calm as well. Just think about it: when both body and mind have reached a state of peace, would you still have the urge to stir up trouble? Would you still wish to create evil karma? Would you feel like provoking the people around you? Not only would you not want to — even if others said or did something toward you, you’d be so focused that you might not even notice it. Or perhaps you’d still hear and see it, but you wouldn’t feel the need to respond or get involved.
關於打坐的部分，要提到的一點。因爲很多時候我們單單只靠意志力去控制自己，但假如意志力不是很强的話，我們如果還要做反芻性思考的話，那是會造成自我耗損的，這樣會很容易身心疲憊。「反芻性思考」就是對過去發生的事情的反思，通常伴隨著負面的情緒，例如悲傷、罪惡感、憤怒等。
As for the practice of meditation, one key point worth mentioning is this: many times, we rely solely on willpower to control ourselves. But if our willpower is not strong enough, and we continue to engage in rumination — that is, repetitive, looping thoughts — it can actually lead to a draining of the self. This kind of mental habit will lead us into a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. Rumination refers to the repetitive reviewing of our past events, often accompanied by negative emotions such as sadness, guilt, or anger.
但如果我們打坐，其實是可以幫助我們將注意力從「自我監控」轉移到最初步的「呼吸」上，這樣，慢慢地，我們就不是習慣性地去靠第六意識的强行控制，而是很多事情是透過我們開啓的智慧去看透很多事情的本質，然後自然而然去放下，因爲打坐久了是可以開智慧的。能做到這樣，我們的懺悔才算是真懺悔。
However, if we begin to sit in meditation, it can actually help shift our attention away from constant self-monitoring and redirect it to something very basic, like just focusing on our breath. Gradually, we stop relying so much on the forceful control of the sixth consciousness. Instead, we start to see the true nature of all phenomena through the wisdom that naturally arises, as sitting in meditation will increase our wisdom in a long run. And from that clarity, letting go becomes something that happens naturally, not something we have to force. Only when we can reach this state can our repentance be considered true repentance.
而關於念佛的部分，如果我們可以把「隨時隨地都在念佛」的這種行爲養成一個習慣；或者一有時間就趕快打坐的這樣一個習慣，那麽，久而久之，這些好的習慣是可以取代我們之前那些不好的習氣毛病的。在醫學裏面，有科學佐證：大腦中負責習慣養成的部分要形成新的習慣，大約需要66天的持續強化，也就是說，如果你要擁有新的習慣，比如你想要養成一個新的好習慣 — 你希望以後每天晚上睡覺前，都可以打坐一個小時，那麽，你至少必須要持續66天做到這件事情。如果成功做到了，以後你就不需要強迫自己，因爲66天以後，這個慣性的動作養成了，這就算是成功了。
Regarding the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name — if we can cultivate the habit of constantly reciting the Buddha’s name throughout the day, or develop the habit of sitting in meditation whenever we have free time, then over time, these wholesome habits begin to replace our previous bad habits and karmic patterns. There is scientific evidence supporting that the part of the brain responsible for habit formation — requires around 66 days of consistent reinforcement to establish a new habit. In other words, if you want to adopt a new positive habit — for example, sitting in meditation for an hour every night before bed — then you need to stick with it for at least 66 consecutive days. If you can successfully achieve that, the behavior will become your second nature. You won’t have to force yourself anymore; it will become automatic. That is when you know the habit has truly taken root.
所以，我們改變習氣毛病，也是從那些很小的習氣開始改變，如果能連續66天不重犯，成功的機會就大了。所以我們可以設目標 — 66天改一個習慣，然後66天後檢查，如果感覺有點弱，再多一個66天，用這種重新塑造身體的肌肉記憶，久而久之，就真的改過來了。
So, when it comes to changing our bad habits, we should start with the small ones — the tiny habits. If we can go 66 days without falling back into the old unwholesome habit, the chances of truly changing it become much greater. That is why we can set goals: aim to transform one bad habit in 66 days, and then check in with ourselves after the 66 days. If we feel that the change is not solid yet, we can reinforce it with another 66 days. By reshaping our body’s muscle memory in this way, gradually and steadily, real transformation becomes possible.
智者大師説過，修懺悔法門須要具足十法，這裏供大家參考，這十種法是：
1）嚴淨道場 2）淨身 3）三業供養 4）奉請三寶
5）讚歎三寶 6）禮佛 7）懺悔 8）行道旋繞
9）誦經和 10）坐禪實相正觀
Great Master Zhi Zhe once said that in practicing the Dharma of repentance, one must fulfill ten essential methods. For your reference, here are the ten:
- Purifying the place of practice 2. Cleansing the body
3. Offering with the three karmas (body, speech, and mind) 4. Inviting the Triple Jewels
5. Praising the Triple Jewels 6. Bowing to the Buddhas
7. Repenting 8. Walking meditation in circumambulation
9. Reciting sutras 10. Sitting in meditation and contemplating the true reality
其實,我們參加一個萬佛寳懺下來，包括做早、晚課，幾乎這10項我們都做到了。而今天我只是想强調一些可以提供現代人比較忙碌的生活中更可能去實現的方法，那就是多念佛、勤打坐，然後少説話、時時刻刻保持正念。
In fact, when we participate in a full session of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Jeweled Repentance, including the morning and evening ceremonies, we are actually practicing almost all of these ten methods. But today, I just want to emphasize on a few approaches that are perhaps more accessible and sustainable for people who lead a busy, modern lives, that is reciting the Buddha’s name frequently, meditating diligently, speaking less, and maintaining proper mindfulness at all times.
祝大家精進拜懺，早日得到身心清淨，法喜充滿。
Here I am wishing everyone diligently bow in repentance, and may you soon attain purity in body and mind, and always be filled with Dharma joy.