时间：08/22/2026 08/23/2026
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
石蜜商人修道因缘
从前，有一个叫作私诃叠的小国，此国出产多种珍宝，但唯独缺乏石蜜。当时，有位商人运了五百多车的石蜜，预备到这里来贩售，以获取较高的利润。这一天，他来到王宫附近，等待国王的出现。
日子一天天过去了，一个月下来，竟然都没有机会见到国王。商人愈想愈不服气，喃喃自语：「国王是人，我也是人，为什么见国王一面会如此困难？国王的福报难道比一般人大吗？」商人开始思惟着：「要怎样才能获得大福报呢？以前曾听过供养三宝是最大的福田……」──经过一番考虑，他决定将所有的石蜜供养三宝。不久之后，他出家修行，成了一位精进用功的比丘，很快地就证得罗汉果位。
在此期间，曾有天人前来礼敬、赞欢比丘，比丘借机问天人：「天人们都在天上做什么呢？」天人回答：「天上有三处是天人享乐的地方。另有一处为道德园，在此处的天人经常谈论佛法，或是谈论各地圣者的修行之道。其中有三个修行者的事迹，至今仍为我们所津津乐道。」接着，天人说了几段故事……
过去，在波罗奈国有一位修行人，他发愿天天经行(在一个定点往来旋绕)，直到契入无为法为止，否则绝不卧息，经过三年日夜不断地用功行走，他终于契悟了无为之理。另外，有一位住在罗阅祇国的修行人，他以草铺在地上为座，发愿若不得道就不起座，当夜晚昏昏欲睡时，他便拿着锥子刺自己的大腿，让自己可以清醒用功，长久下来腿上都长了疮，就这样持续一年后，他证道了。
在拘睒尼国还有一个修行人，他住在山石险峻、人烟稀少之处用功。魔王波旬看到他这么精进，便化作一头水牛在其面前鸣叫，并试图要冲撞他。修行人克服了心中的畏惧，说道：「在这偏远地带，根本不可能有牛会出现，你一定是魔王所变现的。」魔王于是现出原形，对修行人说：「这三界都归我掌管，若有人精进用功而出离三界，那么我的子民就会减少，所以我要阻止你继续用功。」此时修行人心生一计，说：「我出家修行以来，最大的愿望便是能见到佛陀的庄严相好，但是佛陀已入涅盘，我恐怕难有机会再见到，听说魔王您可变现佛身，若能满足此一心愿，我就不必再用功了！」魔王听了很高兴，立刻变现出佛陀的形相，当修行人见到这幻化的佛相时，竟然证道了。魔王知道自己上当后，马上就消失了。
听完天人的叙述后，比丘心有所感的说：「这三位修行者，都明白了无常苦空的道理，所以对色身毫不眷恋，甚至能以有限的生命，换取无限的法身慧命，精进求道的决心，的确值得赞叹，而这也证明佛陀所说之法真实不虚！」天人还对比丘赞赏道：「由于你精进用功，最后也契入了真如法性，看来，这将成为我们下一次谈论的好事。」说完便作礼而去。
原本贩卖石蜜的商人成为比丘，进而精勤得道的消息，不久即传入了王宫。国王听说后，不但亲自前往礼拜，还请比丘在国内推行佛法，广传三宝的殊胜功德。
Date: 08/22/2026 08/23/2026
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Stone Honey Merchant’s Path to Enlightenment
Long ago, there was a small kingdom called Sihadie. The country produced many kinds of precious treasures, but it lacked one thing—rock honey (stone honey). At that time, a merchant loaded more than five hundred carts of stone honey, intending to sell them there and earn a handsome profit.
One day, he arrived near the royal palace and waited for an opportunity to meet the king.
Day after day passed. After an entire month, he still had not been granted an audience with the king.
The merchant became increasingly dissatisfied and muttered to himself:
“The king is a human being, and I am also a human being. Why is it so difficult even to see him once? Is the king’s merit truly greater than that of ordinary people?”
He began reflecting:
“How does one acquire such great merit? I once heard that making offerings to the Three Jewels is the greatest field of merit…”
After careful consideration, he resolved to offer all of his stone honey to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Not long afterward, he renounced the household life and became a monk. Practicing diligently and earnestly, he soon attained the fruit of Arhatship.
During this period, heavenly beings often came to pay their respects and praise him.
Taking the opportunity, the bhikkhu asked them:
“What do the heavenly beings usually do in the heavens?”
They replied:
“There are three heavenly gardens where devas enjoy celestial pleasures. There is also another place called the Garden of Virtue, where heavenly beings frequently discuss the Buddha’s teachings and the spiritual practices of noble sages throughout the world. Even today, we often speak of the stories of three remarkable practitioners.”
The heavenly beings then recounted several stories.
In the past, in the Kingdom of Benares, there lived a practitioner who vowed to perform walking meditation continuously until realizing the unconditioned Dharma. Otherwise, he would never lie down to rest. After practicing day and night without interruption for three years, he finally awakened to the truth of the Unconditioned.
There was also a practitioner living in the Kingdom of Rājagṛha. He spread grass upon the ground as his seat and vowed not to rise until he attained enlightenment. Whenever drowsiness overcame him at night, he would pierce his thigh with an awl to remain awake. Over time, painful sores developed on his legs. After maintaining this practice for an entire year, he attained realization.
In the Kingdom of Kauśāmbī, another practitioner lived alone in a rugged, isolated mountain region.
Seeing his extraordinary diligence, Māra, the Evil One, transformed himself into a water buffalo. Roaring loudly, he attempted to frighten the practitioner by charging toward him.
The practitioner calmly reflected:
“In such a remote place, no buffalo could possibly appear. You must be Māra in disguise.”
Māra then revealed his true form and said:
“The Three Realms are under my control. Whenever someone practices diligently and escapes from them, I lose one of my subjects. Therefore, I have come to stop your cultivation.”
The practitioner then devised a skillful means and replied:
“Since leaving home, my greatest wish has been to behold the Buddha’s magnificent appearance. But the Buddha has already entered Nirvana, so I fear I shall never see Him. I have heard that you possess the power to manifest the Buddha’s form. If you can fulfill this one wish, I shall no longer continue my practice.”
Delighted, Māra immediately transformed himself into the appearance of the Buddha.
Yet the very moment the practitioner beheld this manifested Buddha, he attained enlightenment.
Realizing that he had been outwitted, Māra vanished immediately.
After hearing these accounts, the bhikkhu reflected:
“These three practitioners all understood the truths of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. Therefore, they did not cling to their physical bodies. They willingly exchanged their finite human lives for the limitless wisdom-life of the Dharma. Their determination to seek the Way is truly worthy of admiration. This also proves beyond doubt that everything the Buddha taught is true.”
The heavenly beings then praised the bhikkhu:
“Because of your own diligent cultivation, you too have realized the True Suchness of the Dharma. It seems that your story will become one of the inspiring examples we discuss the next time we gather.”
After saying this, the heavenly beings respectfully bowed and departed.
Before long, news spread to the royal palace that the former stone honey merchant had become a bhikkhu and attained enlightenment through diligent practice.
When the king heard this, he personally went to pay homage to him and respectfully invited the bhikkhu to promote the Buddha’s teachings throughout the kingdom, widely proclaiming the supreme virtues of the Three Jewels.
