金 輪 通 訊 第219期,2011年 9/10月 -1- Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter, Issue #219, September/October 2011 ܛ዇఼ੈ! Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter 235 North Avenue 58, Los Angeles, CA 90042 Tel: (323) 258-6668 www.goldwheel.org !ᄂ࿵ܧᘲᄘк͕གྷگˠ..ਠࡶ˯̳ކ ! ៍ҋдඳᖠ! ! 迴光返照觀自在 覺諸有情即薩埵 如如不動心君泰 了了常明主人公 六種神通渾閒事 八方風雨更無驚 卷之則退藏於密 放之則彌六合中 The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra with “Verses Without a Stand” Composed by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Reversing the light to reflect within, contemplating at ease, Avalokiteshvara enlightens all the sentient beings; hence, a Bodhisattva. With a mind that is thus, thus, unmoving, a superior one at peace; With total understanding of the ever‐shining, he is host and master. Six types of psychic powers are nothing unusual; Winds and rains of the eight directions are neither alarming. Rolled up, it is hidden in secrecy; unfolded, it fills the entire world. ώഇ̰ट ! Table of Contents 3!!!̂Ң౤ࢵ່ᚑགྷ୺ᛖ! 2 The Shurangama Sutra ! ! ᚗጪགྷ୺ᛖ! 9 The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutraڱয়̱!!!: ! Major Figures and Events in China 13 !ۏѺѐࢲำˠܕ઼̚!!24 ! During the Past Century ! ! 金 輪 通 訊 第219期,2011年 9/10月 -2- Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter, Issue #219, September/October 2011 The Shurangama Sutra A Simple Explanation by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua (Continued from issue #218) )ତ˯ഇ*! ! The second paramita practiced by Bodhi- ᘲᄘĈдҢି㗗Ă sattvas is keeping moral precepts. This is oneگĞ˟ğ޺Ԧ ķĂԦಶߏĶͤ of the most important aspects of Buddha’sޠ౵ࢦࢋ۞ߏĶԦ teachings. What are precepts? Precepts are -ķǕǕͤೋĂͤҝ˘̷۞ rules of moral conduct to which Buddhist disܧೋ֨ ೋĂԯೋְౌͤҝăઃͤ˞ć֨ ciples must firmly adhere. The precepts can ಶߏĶ࿅ direct you at deterring evil and defendingܧĂ֨౯඾ѣ࿅᏾Ăܧ against mistakes. When you uphold the pre- ᏾ķĄઇ଀̙၆˞Ă఺ಶΨĶܧķć cepts, you are required to restrain yourself ઇ଀၆˞Ă఺ಶΨĶߏķǕǕ˵ from committing bad actions, thus conducting -ಶߏĶኜೋ̙үķĂٙѣ˘̷۞ yourself properly towards practicing whole .ᗼְౌ̙ࢋઇćĶிච؇ҖķĂ some deeds ?ٙѣ˘̷рְౌࢋΝઇĄ How many kinds of precepts are there ޺ԦߏĶኜೋ̙үĂிච؇ Laypeople who already took refuge with!!!!! the Triple Jewel – the Buddha, the Dharma, ҖķĄտౣĶԦķѣк͌჌ĉԦ and the Sangha – and wished to make progress -к჌Ă౵ૄώ۞ߏĶ̣ԦķĄ should take the Five Precepts, namely, no killޝѣ -дछˠ˲ߏ࠲ֶˬᚗ۞Ăࢋߏຐ ing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no ly ing, and no intoxicants. After having received the Five Precepts, laypeople can proceed even צࡁտăซՎ۞ྖĂಶࢋ݈ـГ ซ further by taking the Eight Precepts. Another݈ـĂГޢԦ̝̣צԦć̣ ȈԦćȈԦĂ stage surpassing the Eight Precepts is the TenצޢˣԦĂ൒צՎĂ ԆՒᑓԦĂઇ Precepts of a Shramanera (novice). When theצಶߏՒᑓԦ˞Ą Shramanera Precepts are received, those who Ѻ̣Ȉ୧ wish to become fully-ordained, i.e., leaving the˟צ΍छˠĂಶࢋГ ԦĂ఺ߏͧ͸ćͧ͸κѣˬѺα home-life, can take the Two Hundred Fifty Ȉˣ୧ԦĄඳᖠ˵ѣԦĂඳᖠѣ Precepts of a Bhikshu (monk) or the Three Hundred Forty-Eight precepts of a Bhikshuni -ȈࢦαȈˣᅅԦćȈ჌ߏࢦ۞Ă (nun). There are also the Ten Major and Forty ࢦ۞ Eight Minor Bodhisattva Precepts. The firstޝαȈˣ჌ߏᅅ۞ĄȈ჌ߏ -ཋĂҰࡶϚ˞Ăߏ఼̙ᚚॄ۞ć ten are called “major” because one cannot re pent and reform for violation of any of these 金 輪 通 訊 第219期,2011年 9/10月 -3- Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter, Issue #219, September/October 2011 ᅅ۞ཋĂҰࡶϚ˞ĂᔘΞͽ ten. In contrast, violating the minor preceptsֱ֤ Լ࿅ҋາĄ allows the possibility for one to reform and begin anew. -ᙱ಴ When the Buddha almost entered NirܠдҢˢঠႄ۞ॡ࣏Ă!!!! ۰ͽαְኛયĂᄲĈĶҢд͵۞ vana, Venerable Ananda asked him four -ॡ࣏ĂͽҢࠎरĂҢߏԧࣇ۞र questions, one of which was: “When the Bud dha was in the world, he was our master; after Ăኡߏԧࣇ۞ the Buddha enters Nirvana, who will be ourޢćҢˢঠႄ̝ͭ रͭ׸ĉķҢಶӘ෦΁ĈĶԧˢ master?” The Buddha told him, “After I enter ঠႄ̝ޢĂҰࣇͽԦࠎरĄķ఺ Nirvana, you should take the precepts as your master.” He meant to say that those who had ߏӘ෦΍छˠǕǕӘ෦ٙѣ۞ left the home-life, namely, Bhikshus and ͧ͸ăͧ͸κĂࢋĶͽԦࠎरķĄ Bhikshunis should take the precepts as their .ᆃдछˠࡶຐࢋՐԦâؠࢋ master֤ Ш΍छˠֽՐԦ۞Ą଱ԦĂಶߏ Laypeople can receive precepts they ԯԦ଱ගҰ఺࣎ˠĂ఺˘ؠࢋͧ wish to seek only from those who has left the ,Ăώ home-life. When the precepts are transmitted˯ޠ͸̖ਕ଱ԦćдҢ۞Ԧ ߏ̙ࣞͧ͸κ็Ԧ۞ĄٙͽԦ the precept-substance must be bestowed onֽ the recipient and certified by a Bhikshu. Ac- ޠ˵ѣՒᑓԦăͧ͸ԦăඳᖠԦĂ cording to the Buddha’s precepts, Bhikshunis ѣޝк჌Ą cannot transmit precepts. Besides these pre- ! cepts, there are also, as mentioned earlier, the Shramanara precepts, Bhikshu precepts, and .Bodhisattva precepts. There are many kinds צԧࣇˠࡶຐ࣒྽âؠࢋ!!!! ԦćҰࡶਕчҝ୻ஐԦវĂಶည লሬᚗ঴֤ᆃ࡚ᚊǕǕ֏׎Ұ Absolutely essential is the receipt of precepts for those who wish to cultivate the ఺࣎ˠਕчԦĂ఺ಶ൘тᚗ঴˘ Way. If you can guard the pure precept- -ѣᆊࣃ۞Ą݈ೀ͇ԧ substance, then you are as valuable as a pre૱ܧᇹĂߏ रಶЯ cious pearl. As I have told you several daysޠކߏᓾ࿅Ă௣ݑ̋྽̙ ago, Vinaya Master Dau Hsuan (“Proclaimer ࠎ޺Ԧ޺଀рĂຏ଀͇ˠֽග΁ of the Way”), who lived on Jhong Nan ਖ਼ֻዳĂග΁ਖ਼ฺЫĄٙͽ఺࣎ Mountain during the Tang Dynasty, held the ԦᇇĂߏ౵ࢋღă౵ࢋღ۞ĄҰ precepts so well that gods made offerings of Ă֤ food to him. The precept virtue is extremelyྖ۞ޠчԦ̙ڍĂтڱጯҢ important. If you study the Buddhadharma but Ұጯ̦ᆃౌрည஬̄д႒ͪǕ fail to uphold the precepts, then the study you .ѣ༹࣎ᒬĂҰ྅˯ have acquired is analogous to a leaky bottle˭غǕ஬̄ ͪĂιಶ႒˞ćҰࡶਕч඾Ԧ And the water you pour still drains through the hole at the bottom of the bottle, for example. ׸ĉ˳҃˳̝Ăಶ൑႒˞Ąԧࣇ But if you abide the precepts at all times, there .ˠ఺࣎֗វĂౌߏѣ႒۞֗វć will be eventually no outflows ఺࣎ѣ႒۞྽நĂԧனд̙ਕ̳ The human body has outflows. In the ฟ၆Ұࣇᓾ۞ĄҰࣇࣹ˘࣎ˠࡶ meantime, I will not discuss publicly the Ăࢋ࣎Ҿ˘࣎ˠ principle of outflow now. Those who want toܝڱຐጯ൑႒۞ -࣎ˠгֽኛયĈĶ఺ިᆃᇹ̄ know more about the dharma-door of non˘ 金 輪 通 訊 第219期,2011年 9/10月 -4- Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter, Issue #219, September/October 2011 ਕ൑႒ĉķ֤ԧಶᓾගҰ᝘Ą outflow may come forward individually and̖ -request from me for answers to your ques ̄ڱЯࠎனд఺׊̳ฟᓾĂ՟ tions in mind such as: “How can I be with- ᓾćҰࣇኡࡶຐࢋ൑႒Ă̙Ӹѣ out outflow?” Then I will tell you. Again, I ॡม۞ॡֽ࣏׶ԧᓾĄ cannot talk about it in public now. But ! anyone who wants to attain non-outflow can come and ask me if you have time. ӻޝߏڱனдԧࣇᓾ఺࣎!!!! -ᔵ൒ӻĂᔘᅮࢋѣӻ Now we are speaking of a very wonڱĂΞߏ۞ -Ą఺࣎Ķӻˠķ derful dharma. The dharma is indeed wonڱˠֽኛ఺࣎ӻ derful; requesting thus requires a wondrous person. And this wondrous person happens ڍЩΨĶڱ෪઀Ă΁۞ٽಶߏ टķĄ΁̂ࡗߏαặѐֽ݈۞Ă to be Yi Xiang Qian. His dharma name is ॡ࣏ҢିᓾૅᔘдᖠᇇූĂ΁ Guo Rong. He came here four or five year֤ ҢିᓾૅጯχӱĂጯ˞˘ੱ ago when the Buddha Lecture Hall wasֽ once located on Sa De street. Since then, ഁ઄˫ֽ˞Ăࢋߏͽ he‘s been coming here intermittently toٸĄனд̄ Ă̂ࡗಶߏ࠻࠻ᑚĂٕ۰ߏኯ learn meditation. It is now summer break݈ ኯ᏿ćᓁ҃֏̝ĂԱ˘ᕇऎሄĄ for some; yet for him, he chooses to return here. If he does not come as he often has in ఺˘аިᆃᇹબĉ΁˯༊˞Ċ the past, he might have instead gone to a ᆃ༊׸ĉࢋጯĮ່ᚑགྷį movie theater, to a gambling place, or to̦˞˯ -༊Ą other entertainment centers. What hap۞ pened to him this time? He got tricked! How so? In his willingness to study the !!!!˘ਠˠ᝘֍Ķ˯༊ķĂ఺͕ Shurangama Sutra. 㗗ౌ୲˞ĂᄲĈĶબĂ఺а̙଀ People would usually freeze over the ˞˞Ă˯˞఺࣎༊Ċķࠎ̦ᆃ˯ notion of ‘getting tricked’. Someone may ķߏ˘࣎ say, “Oh no! I got tricked!” Why did he getົڱ༊׸ĉ఺࣎Ķ່ᚑ -tricked? This Shurangama Dharma As ڱĂ˵ߏ˘࣎౵ᙱ۞ົڱ౵ࡴ۞ .୎ม˝ᕇ sembly is the most bitter dharma assemblyזĂϤѝ੓̱ᕇᛗĂົ It is also the most difficult dharma assem- ጯ७㗗˵՟ѣ఺ bly. Its schedule consisting of daily sessionsזᛗĄҰᄲĂ఺ ᆃк۞ኝ඀ĊΞߏԧࣇனдߏ that begin at 6:00 a.m. and conclude at 9:00 Ķࢋ˞ϠѪķ۞ጯ७Ăԧࣇனд p.m. is much more rigorous than regular school‘s. Nevertheless, it is a school that ߏĶҖྋ࠹ᑕķ۞ጯ७ĂࢋҖྋ aims to end birth and death. It is a school ࠹ᑕĄ that concentrates on practice and under- standing. ٙͽᓾĮ່ᚑགྷįĂ఺ಶߏ From the study of the Shurangama!!!! ĶྋķćԧࣇӱᒪĂ఺ಶߏĶҖķĄ Sutra we derive understanding; from inves- ࢋྋҖ֭ซĂ఺̖Ψཙኼ၁г੔ tigating dhyana we set our practice. By Җ၁ኹ֤ᆃΝઇâᕇ˵̙੺܎ combining practice and understanding, we practically set a firm footing in cultivation, âᕇ˵̙ਕᙾҋ̎۞Ą఺̙ impregnable to oversight or deceit. This is۞ ਕᙾˠĂҰࡶᙾˠĂಶߏᙾҋ̎Ą something you cannot cheat on others. If னдԧᄲҰ˯༊˞Ăϒߏ̙˯ you cheat on others, you are cheating your- self. What I said earlier about your being 金 輪 通 訊 第219期,2011年 9/10月 -5- Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery Newsletter, Issue #219, September/October 2011 ༊Ă఺ߏࢋྋՙҰϠѪ۞યᗟĂ tricked is the fact that you were ૟ֽ֤ߏҰ౵̂۞˘࣎ӀৈĂٙ not tricked at all. This will help solve your problem on issues -ͽ˘ؠࢋྋҖ֭ซ۞Ą! about birth and death. In the fu ture, it will be to your greatest -ᓾ੓఺ĶྋҖ֭ซķĂԧᓝ benefit. Therefore you must si multaneously advance in both .࣎ͧಔĄ̦ᆃͧಔ׸ĉѣ˘࣎ understanding and practice˘ ˘ˠ׶˘࣎ឨ̄Ă׌࣎ˠҝд۠ кˠ˵ֽᑒ΁ࣇ The following example willޝ੓Ăᔘѣ׎΁ help illustrate the importance of кˠҝд఺ഏٗ̄㗗 exercising understanding alongޝѓĂ۞ -with practice. In a family com ەᙝĄѣ˘͇Ă׎΁۞ˠౌ΍Ν ˞Ă̙ߏΝˬᘸξҢିᓾૅጯ pound lived a blind man and a Į່ᚑགྷįĂߏઇ̦ᆃΝ˞׸ĉ crippled man. There were also several other people living with ,ҘĂ them and assisting them. One dayڌࡗٕ۰Ν౑౦Ăٕ۰෴̂ -۰ΝČČĂᓁ҃֏̝Ă఺࣎͵ everyone had gone out to go fishٕ ม˯̦ᆃְଐ΁ࣇౌࢋΝઇ˘ ing, or shopping or attend other activities that most people usually ઇĂಶ౺˭఺˘࣎ឨ̄ă˘࣎ሺ enjoy doing, leaving the blind man ̄дछ㗗˞ĄҰᄲĂಶ఺ᆃμĂ and the crippled man at the com- ఺มٗ̄ಶ඾ͫ˞ĊҰᄲިᆃ pound.