é™æ€è¯ Readings For Silent Reflection
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�放自如 得大自在
圣严法师
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承担：人生哪有时间�
圣严法师
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放下：悬崖深谷得�生
圣严法师
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退æ¥åŽŸæ�¥æ˜¯å�‘å‰�
圣严法师
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当���，当放�放
圣严法师
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è‹¦æµ·æ— è¾¹ï¼Œè¯·å�›è‡ªæ¸¡
圣严法师
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幸与�幸，都�是过程
圣严法师
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生命的�义在于燃烧
圣严法师
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境由心生，ç¦�由心é€
圣严法师
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ä¸�å�Œå¢ƒé�‡ä¸çš†æœ‰ä¹�趣
圣严法师
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大å�ƒä¸–ç•Œï¼Œç¦…æœºæ— å¤„ä¸�在
圣严法师
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未曾有一事，ä¸�è¢«æ— å¸¸å�ž
圣严法师
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心如墙�，能�能用
圣严法师
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平常心是幸�之�
圣严法师
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���禅，自�本性清净
圣严法师
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禅定修行的四�境界
圣严法师
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行亦禅，�亦禅
圣严法师
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å¿ƒæ— é‚ªè€…æ–¹èƒ½çœŸæ£å…¥å®š
圣严法师
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自由当有戒律
圣严法师
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Thank you Pure&Cool for the time and effort to post dharma sharings
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13th Chinese Pure Land Patriarch Yin Kuang:
Since time immemorial I have created untold, immeasurable evil karma; if such karma had form, the empty space of the ten directions could not contain it. Thanks to good conditions, I have been reborn in a human body and have, in addition, had the opportunity to hear the Dharma. However, given my evil
karma, I must now recite the Buddha’s name singlemindedly, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. Otherwise, when my breath has ceased, [I am bound to endure the sufferings of hells, hungry ghosts and animality]. After recovering a human body, I would lack intelligence and be deluded, prone to create evil karma, unable to perform good deeds readily. In no time, I would sink deeper
into the evil realms. With my residual bad karma from previous lives still not repaid, I would commit new evil karma, constantly revolving along the Six Paths throughout eons as numerous as motes of dust – hopelessly lost in the immense sea of suffering, not knowing how to reach liberation.
If you have utmost Faith and cultivate earnestly, seeking escape from Birth and Death, then even though you still have not left the evil, deluded world, you will not remain long in the Saha World either. While you may not have reached the Pure Land yet, you will soon be a new guest in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
From now on, when you meet virtuous persons, do your utmost to emulate them; when you encounter an opportunity to practice good deeds, do not hesitate. How can you have the heart to procrastinate, lest the error of one moment lead
to ten thousand lifetimes of regret? Surely those with high aspirations cannot tolerate being “walking corpses,” running aimlessly while alive and simply decaying after death, along with the grass and trees. Redouble your efforts and exert yourself!
Finally, while the key to rebirth in the Pure Land is singlemindedness, you, as a layman, still have your parents and your family. Although you should not unduly seek wealth and honor, you should still fulfill your family obligations –
for to cultivate the Dharma is not to abandon everything. If you could let go of everything and still manage to provide for your parents and family, that would be all to the good. Otherwise, it would be contrary not only to human morality but
also to the Dharma. This is something you should also realize.
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In our practice, we strive to attain:
True sincerity towards others,
Purity of mind within,
Impartiality towards everything we see,
Proper understanding of life and the universe, and
Compassion in helping others in a wise unconditional way.
In attaining these, we will
See through to the truth of impermanence,
Let go of all wandering thoughts and attachments,
Attain freedom of mind and spirit,
Accord with proper conditions to get along with the situation, and
Be mindful of Amitabha Buddha,
follow his teachings, and vow to reach the Western Pure Land
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善导大师：水�二河白�喻
The Parable of the White Path (by Master Shan-tao (613-681) )
Second Patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism
And to all those who wish to be reborn in the Pure Land, I now tell a parable for the sake of those who would practice the True Way, as a protection for their faith and a defense against the danger of heretical views. What is it? It is like a man who desires to travel a hundred thousand 'li' to the West. Suddenly in the midst of his route he sees two rivers. One is a river of fire stretching South. The other is a river of water stretching North. Each of the two rivers is a hundred steps across and unfathomably deep. They stretch without end to the North and South. Right between the fire and water, however, is a white path barely four or five inches wide. Spanning the East and West banks, it is one hundred steps long. The waves of water surge and splash against the path on one side while the flames of fire scorch it on the other. Ceaselessly, the fire and water come and go.
The man is out in the middle of a wasteland and none of his kind are to be seen. A horde of vicious ruffians and wild beasts see him there alone, and vie with one another in rushing to kill him. Fearing death he runs straightway to the West, and then sees these great rivers. Praying, he says to himself: "To the North and South I see no end to these rivers. Between them I see a white path, which is extremely narrow. Although the two banks are not far apart, how am I to traverse from one to the other? Doubtless today I shall surely die. If I seek to turn back, the horde of vicious ruffians and wild beasts will come at me. If I run to the North or South, evil beasts and poisonous vermin will race toward me. If I seek to make my way to the West, I fear that I may fall into these rivers."
Thereupon he is seized with an inexpressible terror. He thinks to himself: "Turn back now and I die. Stay and I die. Go forward and I die. Since death must be faced in any case, I would rather follow this path before me and go ahead. With this path I can surely make it across." Just as he thinks this, he hears someone from the east bank call out and encourage him: "Friend, just follow this path resolutely and there will be no danger of death. To stay here is to die." And on the west bank. there is someone calling out, "Come straight ahead, single-mindedly and with fixed purpose. I can protect you. Never fear falling into the fire or water!"
At the urging of the one and the calling of the other, the man straightens himself up in body and mind and resolves without any lingering doubts or hesitations. Hardly has he gone a step or two when from the east bank the horde of vicious ruffians calls out to him: "Friend, come back! That way is perilous and you will never get across. Without a doubt you are bound to die. None of us means to harm you." Though he hears them calling, the man still does not look back but single-mindedly and straightway proceeds on the path. In no time he is at the west bank, far from all troubles forever. He is greeted by his good friend and there is no end of joy.
Commentary
That is the parable and this is the meaning of it: what we speak of as the "east bank" is comparable to this world, a house in flames. What we speak of as the "west bank" is symbolic of the precious land of highest bliss. The ruffians, wild beasts, and seeming friends are comparable to the Six Sense Organs, Six Consciousnesses, Six Dusts, Five Components, and Four Elements [that constitute the "self"].
The lonely wasteland is the following of bad companions and not meeting with those who are truly good and wise. The two rivers of fire and water are comparable to human greed and affection, like water, and anger and hatred, like fire. The white path in the center, four or five inches wide, is comparable to the pure aspiration for rebirth in the Pure Land which arises in the midst of the passions of greed and anger. Greed and anger are powerful, and thus are likened to fire and water; the good mind is infinitesimal, and thus is likened to a white path [of a few inches in width].
The waves inundating the path are comparable to the constant arising of affectionate thoughts in the mind which stain and pollute the good mind. And the flames which scorch the path are comparable to thoughts of anger and hatred which burn up the treasures of dharma and virtue.
The man proceeding on the path toward the West is comparable to one who directs all of his actions and practices toward the West[ern Paradise]. The hearing of voices from the East bank encouraging and exhorting him to pursue the path straight to the West, is like Shakyamuni Buddha, who has already disappeared from the sight of men but whose teachings may still be pursued and are therefore likened to "voices." The calling out of the ruffians after he has taken a few steps is comparable to those of different teachings and practices and of evil views who wantonly spread their ideas to lead people astray and create disturbances, thus falling themselves into sin and losing their way.
To speak of someone calling from the West bank is comparable to the vow of Amitabha. Reaching the West bank, being greeted by the good friend and rejoicing there, is comparable to all those beings sunk long in the sea of birth and death, floundering and caught in their own delusions, without any means of deliverance, who accept Shakyamuni's testament directing them to the West and Amitabha's compassionate call, and obeying trustfully the will of the two Buddhas while paying no heed to the rivers of fire and water, with devout concentration mount the road of Amitabha's promised power and when life is o'er attain the other Land, where they meet the Buddha and know unending bliss.
translated by Bro. Shen Shi'an
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The first of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva's Ten Great Vows is Respect. We practice it by purifying our actions, speech, and thoughts. Without purifying these, even if you bow to the Buddha ten thousand times, it is still not considered true respect.
Venerable Master Chin Kung
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Master Shandao said:
Sentient beings who recite Amitabha’s name can immediately clear the offenses of many kalpas. When they die, Amitabha and the sacred assembly will appear naturally to welcome them. This cannot be impeded by any negative karma. Therefore [recitation] is known as an augmentative cause.
“Reciters enjoy peace and security in the present life” means that they often turn bad luck into good fortune and peril into safety; they also transform major adversity into minor difficulty, while small troubles vanish into nothingness. Reciters are relatively capable of weathering unfavorable conditions and achieving positive outcomes under various circumstances.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha” is the crystallization of all merit and virtue. It is also the manifestation of Amitabha’s body, as the name and the body are a single entity. So if we recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” Amitabha will respond and appear, positioning himself at all times above our heads as well as in our minds and bodies. Thus Amitabha Buddha is with us every moment as we go here and there, as we stand up and lie down.
During our previous lives, we accumulated an enormous karmic burden. How big is it? As vast as there is space in the universe! That is why the sutras say that if the karmic obstructions of sentient beings were to take form, the entire cosmos and all the Dharma realms would not be big enough to accommodate them.
In those lives we’ve also had countless enemies and creditors. They always want to exact their payback, but they would not be in the same domain as we if they fell into the hell or animal realms. In that case, the circumstances would not exist for them to take revenge. If they are in the same realm, however, they will retaliate against us when conditions are ripe.
If someone does good frequently and accumulates merit, or is filial or righteous, his or her foes and creditors would not be able to approach easily. Otherwise, especially if the person fails to recite Amitabha Buddha’s name, the adversaries will show up to collect their debts.
Not only are enemies and creditors unable to get near an Amitabha-reciter, a reciter can save them as well. That is because Amitabha Buddha dwells above the head of a reciter, who then emits Amitabha’s light from his mind. The light can dissolve the vindictiveness of the enemies and creditors, soften their stubborn minds and pacify their spiteful hearts. If their roots of righteousness should ripen, the occasion could even cause them to be reborn in the Land of Bliss.
