學佛的整體性 林鈺堂 簡繁轉換 - 繁體
學佛不只是懂得佛法的道理，還需要加以領會成自己的心得，並且應用於修法及生活中。這樣全身心在生活中的融通，才是真正的學佛以達證悟，以渡如母的一切有情。這就是此篇題目所謂的「學佛的整體性」。 一般學佛者難免積習深重，因而在學佛的過程中，往往忽略了佛法的中心教示：無常、無我、去執、利他，甚至處處顯露以自我為主的言行。難怪有「學佛日久，離道日遠」的評語。 本篇將略為點出一些常見的失誤，以供認真修行者做為自檢的借鏡；作者並無指責他人之意圖。 一、不重師示 二、爭寵排他 三、孤芳自賞 四、冷熱兩面 希望經過上述的提醒，能助認真修行的人，多多注意基本的佛示：無常、無我、去執、利他，而得以從「我執」的積習中醒悟脫出，進而得以真正嚐到佛法的真實利益。
二○一六年七月廿九日
Totality of Dharma Practices Yutang Lin
Practicing Dharma is not merely comprehending Dharma theories, one needs to absorb the teachings into one’s own central views, and then apply them in Dharma practices and into daily life activities. Thus harmonizing one’s body and mind whole-heartedly in life constitutes genuine Dharma practices aiming at attainment of Enlightenment and salvation of all mother-like sentient beings. This is the meaning of the title of this work.
Dharma practitioners in general could hardly avoid the heavy burden of accumulated habitual tendencies, and hence during the course of their Dharma practices they often overlook the central teachings of Dharma: impermanence, non-self, no grasping, and altruism, and they even exhibit self-centered behaviors in many ways. No wonder there is criticism on this, that goes as saying: The longer one practices Dharma, the further away one deviates from the enlightenment path.
In this essay some frequently observed mistakes will be pointed out, so as to provide a mirror for serious practitioners to reflect on themselves; the author has no intention to criticize anyone.
1.
Paying No Heed to
Teacher’s Words
Even
though having taken refuge in a Dharma teacher, one still decide on one’s
actions based on personal judgments. Even on matters related to the Dharma, one
still sets the standards according to one’s comprehension. This kind of
attitude cannot receive the fruits born of long-term practitioner’s accumulated
experiences, but can easily sever the causal connections with Dharma teachers.
Without humbling oneself first, how could one realize ″non-self″?
2. Competing for
Attention and Blocking Others
Of
course it is correct to recognize the importance of revering, attending, and
making offerings to Dharma teachers; however, under the spell of the habit of
self-esteem, one eagerly pushes oneself forward for attention and favors, and
even tries to block others, thus one is enhancing grasping to one’s ″self″ and
embarking on the opposite direction to enlightenment. Others are also among the
mother-like sentient beings that a Dharma practitioner would like to help
attain full enlightenment; If one stands up against them, how could one then
render oneself being escaped from Samsara and attained emancipation? Not to
mention attaining Buddhahood.
3. Indulging in
Self-esteem
It is
certainly proper for a Dharma practitioner to stay far away from worldly
engagements and live in solitude to concentrate on Dharma practices, so that
one may sooner attain realization of attainments and then be able to benefit
sentient beings on an extensive scale. However, during the course of one’s
Dharma practices participation in Dharma activities that could benefit others
is also very important and should not be ignored. This is because such
activities could help one develop genuine Bodhicitta, instead of mere verbal
expressions, and help one accumulate stocks of merits; and these are also
important causal conditions that will help attainment of full enlightenment.
If, after long years of engaging in Dharma practices, one becomes prone to
staying alone by oneself and displaying an aloof attitude toward others, and
gradually showing lack of respect for one’s teachers and displeasure in joining
others, then one has deviated into the tip of an ox horn!
4.
Cold and Warm
Faces
Among
a Dharma group of fellow practitioners, to those whom one considers as
important and beneficial one is very friendly and warm, while to the rest one
shows a cold face and haggle over minute matters—any slight violation sensed
will be treated as enemy invasion. How could the Great Compassion which is
universally fair to all sentient beings be cultivated in this way? If one could
not open one’s mind equally to a few that is right here in front of one, how
could one have Compassion to embrace all sentient beings?
May reminders cited above help serious Dharma practitioners to reflect more often over the key points of Dharma teachings: impermanence, non-self, no grasping, and altruism, and thereby help awaken them from their habitual tendencies of ″grasping to self″! Only then will they be able to taste the genuine fruits of practicing Dharma.
Written in Chinese and translated into English on July 29, 2016
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