Many people have the misconception that they have heard the Buddha-dharma after having made prostrations or having read books on Buddhism. However, the question is: what kind of books have they read, and what kind of Buddhist teachings have they listened to? You must understand this logic.
许多人以为自己磕磕头，看了一点书就是闻到了佛法。请问你看的是什么样的书？闻到的是什么样的法？要明白其中的道理。
As I have often said, when Shakyamuni Buddha was preaching his doctrines in India, he would let his disciples knock on every door whilst carrying their alms bowls to ask for alms, thus nurturing their Buddha nature.
我经常给大家讲，释迦牟尼佛在印度传法的时候，经常把那些弟子带在身边，让每位学佛的人拿一个钵，就是一个碗，让他们去敲每家的门托钵乞食，培养佛心。
There are two rationales behind this. Firstly, it is to allow laypeople to cultivate their compassion by practising the act of giving. When they heard a knock on the door, they would say: “Oh! The monks are here. Amitabha!” By offering alms to the monks, they cultivate generosity.
原理是：第一，让在家的人能布施，发慈悲心。一敲门，哦！和尚来了，阿弥陀佛，把东西给和尚，这叫培养布施心。
Secondly, during the Buddha’s time, many of the monks were wealthy merchants or members of royal families. Having been awakened to the truth spoken by the Buddha, they decided to shave their heads, wear the saffron robes and be ordained as monks. Asking for alms helps them to nurture compassion and let go of their ego and their arrogance. The Buddha wanted them to feel like ordinary men equal to all sentient beings.
第二，做和尚的人很多都是皇宫贵族、商人。想通了把头一剃穿上袈裟，佛祖就是在培养他们的慈悲心，让他们放下自我，放下他们的傲慢心，要让他们感觉到自己就是一个普通人，和众生一样是平等的。
But, nowadays, have you ever seen a monk from any monastery asking for alms in the street? We do not necessarily have to follow whatever is said by a senior monk, or emulate whatever is practised by an experienced practitioner. In fact, cultivation is all about finding one’s true self and Buddha nature.
现在你们还能看到哪个庙里的和尚一起在马路上托钵乞食？不要认为过去某一位老法师是这么讲的，某一位老修行是这样修的，所以，我们就一定要照着他们的路走，其实修行是要找到真正的自我本性和佛性。
Spiritual practice in the present day requires certain adaptations. We must understand that what needs to be changed is the approach to learning and the spreading of the Dharma. However, the Buddha-dharma itself does not change with the passage of time; rather, cultivation should be done sincerely and conscientiously.
现在的修心要有所改变，要知道改的不是佛法而是方法，人间修为要用心来修。
In this Age of Dharma Decline, we need to study the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, whose aim is to save people. Only by saving people can we gain true wisdom and strength.
在末法时期要学大乘佛法——救人。在救人的时候你才能得到真正的智慧，才会得到真正的力量。
In this world of turmoil, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will manifest herself in various forms in her mission to save sentient beings. This is what I have been doing right here. It is my goal to get everyone to recite Buddhist scriptures, and help every family to live a better life. It is my task to propagate the Dharma and benefit sentient beings of all kinds.
在末法时期，观世音菩萨会化成各种各样的人身来救大家，现在师父也是这样，让每个人都念经，使每个家庭都转好，救人弘法利生。
发表于 2021-9-7 11:05:14
