沙彌尼近殊講於2012年7月19日星期四晚　萬佛城大殿  A talk give by Shramanerika Jin Shu on July 19 (Thursday), 2012 at Buddha Hall of CTTB

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諸佛菩薩、宣公上人、各位法師、各位善知識：阿彌陀佛！今天由沙彌尼近殊練習結法緣。如有不如法之處，請諸位慈悲指正。

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Venerable Master, all DMs, and all good wise advisors, Amituofo! Today is Shramanerika Jin Shu’s turn to practice tie Dharma affinities. If I have said something improper, please correct me.

今天是7月19號，還記得嗎，上個月的今天正是華嚴法會的圓滿日，大衆法喜充滿之際，又緊鑼密鼓地籌備接下來的三天大法會？華嚴法會的殊勝相信每一位參與者都能感受到。有人說外面雖然很熱，但當踏進萬佛寶殿華嚴壇場，氣氛就不一樣了，備感一陣清涼，真是不可思議！回想個人生平第一次住道場參加的便是華嚴法會；第一次聽法，法師講的正是《華嚴經 ‧ 離世間品》。當時法師很用心地講解，與會大衆都聽得津津有味，唯獨個人聽得一頭霧水；因爲當時母親剛往生，心情還挺沉重，無法敞開心懷遨遊華藏世界海，所以沒有很特別的經歷。

幾年後的今天，個人已經出家了，對於經教還是不解，對於全新的出家生活，還是懵懵懂懂；因爲不懂得禮節，不懂得相處之道，有時候處處碰壁，甚至碰得焦頭爛額，面對一連串的考試，幾乎都沒法通過。有時不禁問自己，修行的路上怎麼會有那麼多考驗、那麼多境界呢？這是個人的問題嗎？是自己不夠柔軟嗎？太執著、習氣太重、不堪受教、我慢貢高？還是自己太活潑了，沒有忍辱心？我試著迴光返照，是否把「我」越修越大？當這些問題出現時，聽到善財童子五十三參中第九參，參勝熱婆羅門的故事，今天和大家分享，相信大家對這個故事已經很熟悉，請您忍耐一下。

Today is July 19th, just wonder everybody still remember, about a month ago June 19^th, was the completion of Avatamsaka Sutra Recitation Session. While all  participants were filled with dharma bliss, they had to make necessary adjustments or preparations for the three days important Assemblies.

I believed all participants share the same feeling after attending The Avatamsaka Sutra Recitation Session, it’s awesome!  I heard someone said, it was pretty hot outside, however, as long as you step into our Buddha Hall, the atmosphere change and you will feel the bliss. This is really inconceivable.  I recall the very first in my life-time to stay in the monastery, was to attend The Avatamsaka Sutra Recitation Assembly, and the first Dharma talk I had ever listened is also The Avatamsaka Sutra, which is called Leaving the World Chapter. At that time, the sutra was clearly explained by Dharma Master; the assemblies were listening attentively and filled with joy except myself. I was relatively blurred at that time, because my mom had just passed away and I was kind of sad. I can’t really enjoy the bliss and enter into the sutra treasury,  few years later I still have no idea of what the sutra is all about.  Now I have left home, this is a brand new way of living, I am still learning how to be a monastic, but most of the time I was quite blur. Due to lack of practice in propriety and the essence of interaction with people, I constantly bump into many misunderstanding. So I have lots of tests. I almost fail every time, and I asked myself, along the way of cultivation, how could it be so many tests? Is these due to my own problem of being too attach, too heavy mundane habits? Was my character not soft and subtle? Am I too arrogant and not accord with teaching? Or Am I being too active? No patience at all? Or I have wrongly cultivated the ‘Self’? I try to reflect upon myself. As soon as I have these thoughts, I came across with the story of Youth Sudhana. I am going to briefly speak this story, if you have already heard it, please be a little patient and bear with me.

善財童子五十三參中第九參，參勝熱婆羅門：「善財童子一心思維善知識的教導，漸向南行，抵達伊沙那聚落。看到勝熱婆羅門，爲求一切的智慧，在修苦行。在勝熱婆羅門的四面都有大火聚集，猶如大山，中間有一座刀山。這時，勝熱婆羅門登上這刀山，投身入大火聚中。這時，善財童子向勝熱婆羅門請法。頂禮、合掌後說：『大聖，我已經先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，可是不知道如何學習菩薩所修習的行門，如何修菩薩道。聽說您善能教化衆生，希望您爲我演說妙法。』」

Youth Sudhana single-mindedly recalled everything his teacher taught him and travelled progressively until he arrived at thevillageofIshana. He saw a Brahman called Victorious Heat was cultivating all sorts of ascetic practices in his search of all wisdom.  What are the ascetic practices that he is cultivating? This Brahman was sitting right in the mist of huge fire; flames were spouting out like huge mountain. More impressive was a gigantic mountain of knives that rose from the fiery blaze. The Brahman climbed to that mountain top and cast himself into the fire. Upon seeing this, Youth Sudhana bowed at Brahman’s feet, put his palms together and said： “Sagely one, I have already brought forth the result of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But I still do not know how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva’s conduct, and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva’s path? I heard that the Sagely one is skilled at guiding and teaching, I wish you would explain this for me.”

聽到善財童子說明來意時，勝熱婆羅門說：「善男子，你現在若能登上這刀山，像我一樣，投身到大火聚中，那麼你便能完全清淨一切諸菩薩的行門。」這是婆羅門給善財童子的一個考驗。各位試想想，若您是善財童子，您會依教奉行嗎？您會起怎樣的念頭呢？看到這裏，個人好像明白了一些。

After hearing what Youth Sudhana requested, and The Brahman said: “Good man, now if you can go up this mountain of knives and throw yourself into the mass of fire, then all your Bodhisattva’s conducts will be purified.”  Now everyone here in this Buddha Hall, can you please imagine if you were Youth Sudhana, will you follow what the Brahman told to do? And what kind of mind-set will arise from your thought? Please think about that.  Well as for myself, my mind has become kind of clear. This is a test that the Brahman give to Youth Sudhana and I realized that everyone including the Sagely one have tests, I am not alone. Ok, now let us take a look at Youth Sudhana.

這是婆羅門給善財童子的考驗。原來每一位修行人，包括聖者都會遇到考驗，不只是凡夫才有考驗。這時善財童子便想，「得人身難，要離開所有的災難很難；若沒有災難更難。要遇到佛是不容易的；要具足諸根，能聽聞佛法，遇到真正的善知識，能隨順法去修行，更加不容易。如果我跳入這個火焰中，我不就不能修道了嗎？……這位勝熱婆羅門，莫非是魔王？是魔的徒衆？詐現一位菩薩善知識的形相，來障礙我修道吧？」當善財童子生出懷疑心，不可思議的境界出現了。

At that time, Youth Sudhana has these thoughts: it is difficult to obtain human body; it is difficult to be apart from all disaster; it is difficult to attend freedom from difficulties, and it is very difficult to obtain pure Dharma, it is very difficult to meet the Buddha, it is very difficult to replete with all faculties, it is very difficult to hear the Buddha’s Dharma, it is very difficult to meet with good people, and it is very difficult to encounter a true good knowing advisor, it is very difficult to practice according to the Dharma.

If I were to leap into this blaze, wouldn’t I lose my body and I would not be able to cultivate the Way. Is this Brahman a demon king? Can he be a servant sent by the demon king, who manifested the appearance of a Bodhisattva’s and good knowing advisor to obstruct my cultivation? While Youth Sudhana was having these doubts and inconceivable states happened.

正當善財童子心懷疑慮時，有一萬位梵天在虛空中出現說：「善男子，千萬不要打這種念頭。這位勝熱婆羅門發大勇猛精進心來度脫一切衆生，他已經得到金剛焰三味的光明，用這個光明來照耀處於幽暗的衆生，去除一切衆生的貪愛、邪見。衆生對生、老、病、死的怖畏。」梵天還對善財童子說：「我們這些梵天衆都有一種邪見，都自稱自己是一位自在者，都只執著於禪定的快樂；可是當我們見到這位婆羅門以五種熱來炙烤他自己的身體這種境界後，我們就不再樂著於禪定，我們都來拜訪這位婆羅門。他爲我們說法，令我們滅除一切的邪知邪見，去除我慢，修習大慈大悲的法門，起廣大心，發菩提意，使我們常常能見到諸佛，常常能聽聞妙法，於一切處心無所礙」。

梵天說完後，又有一萬位天魔，在虛空中，用摩尼寶珠酒洒在勝熱婆羅門的身上，供養他，對善財童子說：「這位婆羅門用五種熱來炙烤他的身體時，現出金剛火焰的光明，這光明把我們的光明都遮蓋了，一切宮殿中的莊嚴具都好像黑幕一樣暗淡無光，我們都不生歡喜執著心。所以，我們帶了一切的眷屬來拜訪婆羅門，婆羅門也爲我們說法，令我們及一切天子及諸天女都得到不退轉的果位」 。

What are the inconceivable states?  Now 10,000 Brahman Gods spoke to him from empty space.  They said:  “Good man, do not have this thought, this Sagely one has obtained the light of Vajra Blaze Samadhi. He has brought forth great vigor to save all living beings. With the blaze of wisdom, he wishes to get rid-off the greed and love, improper views of living beings, and also to cut off all fear of aging and death.”

The Brahma God further told Youth Sudhana, “Good man, we Brahma Gods are over- attached to deviant / improper views, we think we are really free and comfortable, and we are pretty arrogant. Upon seeing the Brahman Victorious Heat undergoes such vigorous and bitter practices for the sake of living beings, we lost the joy or bliss derived from Samadhis. So all of us come to where the Brahman was, and the Brahman spoke Dharma for us ,the Brahman was able to lead all of us to dispel improper views and arrogance, to dwell in great kindness and to practice great compassion, to bring forth vast mind and great resolve, so that in places our minds are unobstructed.

After the Brahma God, there were 10,000 Demon Kings from empty space. Throw heavenly mani gems upon the Brahman and told Youth Sudhana:  “Good man, when this Brahman subjected his body to the five fires, the light from that blaze over-shadowed the objects of adornment in all our palaces, our demon light disappear, it became a mass of ink, dull and black. Thus we are no longer attached to our palaces and fine enjoyment. The Demon further said : “We and our retinues come to where the Brahman was, the Brahman spoke Dharma for us and caused we and measureless Gods and Goddesses attain non-retreat  from the result for unsurpassed proper and equal enlightenment.”

Besides the Brahman Gods and Heaven Demon Kings, there are lots of Dharma protectors such as 10,000 Kings of Heaven of Ease and Comfort, 10,000 Kings of Heaven of Lease from Transformation; 10,000 Tushita Heaven Kings; 10,000 Gods of Heaven of the Thirty Three; 10,000 Dragon Kings, 10,000 Gandharva Kings, 10,000 Asura Kings, 10,000 Garuda Kings, 10,000 Kinnara Kings, and measureless Gods from desire realm appeared in empty space and spoke to Youth Sudhana.

除了以上說的梵天衆、諸天衆外，在虛空中還有一萬位大自在天王，一萬位化樂天王、一萬位兜率天王、一萬位三十三天天王、龍王、夜叉王、乾闥婆王、阿修羅王、迦樓羅王、緊那羅王和無量欲界諸天，都出現在空中，爲他作證明。本來善財童子生出懷疑心，以爲這位婆羅門是大魔王來障礙他修行，可是當他聽了諸天護法證明之後，頓時生起慚愧、懺悔心，祈求婆羅門的原諒。於是他便依教奉行，隨順善知識的教導，去除一切不應存有的懷疑與恐懼之心，證得能安住其心，不爲境界所轉。

Initially, Youth Sudhana gave rise to doubts, he thought that the Brahman was a transformation body of Demon King to trick him, however, after hearing the Gods and the Dharma Protectors certification; Youth Sudhana realized his initial perception was wrong, he felt remorse and repents. Youth Sudhana prays that the Brahman Victorious Heat will accept his repent and reform of unwholesome attitude,  then he accords with what the good knowing advisors teaching.

At that time, the Brahman told Youth Sudhana : “If there were Bodhisattvas who accord with good knowing advisors teaching, then towards all, there will have no doubt or fear,  their minds will not moved by any states.”

我到底明白了什麼呢？善財童子往昔修諸善根、供養諸佛，當他一思維不好的念頭起來時，便感得諸天護法來幫他、指正他，讓他不走錯路。我們現在所遇到的種種境界，皆是往昔因地不真，現生受報。個人常常提醒自己，要深信困果，要常常想起上人的開示：「一切是考驗，看爾怎麼辦？對境若不識，須再從頭煉。」。 阿彌陀佛。

Just now I said I have kind of a little bit clear of something, what have I understood from the story?

Youth Sudhana had already cultivated all good roots and making offerings to all Buddhas. He had gained measureless blessings and virtues. So long as he gives rise to any unwholesome mind, there were lots of Gods and Dharma protectors will guide him along the Way. We, myself especially, due to my seeds was not properly planted in causal ground. Now I am receiving my retribution , thus I have to always remind myself, to deeply believe in cause and effect, always to think of what the master’s saying: “ Everything is a test to see what you will do,

If you do not recognized the state, you have to restart all over again.”

This is the Dharma talk for today.  Amituofo!