时间：02/17/2024 02/18/2024
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：Lucy Zhou
佛法修行
佛灭后的「大师」
佛陀八十岁那年，在竹林村最后的雨季安居期中生病了，患了严重的腹泻。那时，因为当地饥荒，只有尊者阿难随侍在侧。
眼看着佛陀病了，又没有其它人在，尊者阿难既担忧又惶恐，但想到佛陀尚未对比丘们有任何的遗命，应当不会入灭，就宽心了不少。
待佛陀病好转，可以出房走动时，尊者阿难才放了心，并将他的想法告诉了佛陀。
佛陀听了，回答尊者阿难说：
「阿难！我对大家的教导，一向是毫无保留的，大家还期待我指示什么呢？如来从不以自己为领导者的，只有自认为是领导者，才会留下遗命。我已经老了，八十岁的身体，就像一部中古车一样，只有靠不断地维修，才能勉强维持。所以，大家是不能一直想依靠我的，应当依靠自己；依靠法，因为除此以外，就没什么好依靠的了。
怎样才是依靠自己，依靠法呢？那就是应当努力在自己的身体、感受、心念、想法上专注觉察，来止息一切忧愁烦恼。我入灭后，能够这样修行的人，一定能够达到最高的成就，那就是我真正的弟子了。」
之后，佛陀又继续往西北方游化。最后，在末罗国首都波婆城接受铁匠纯陀的菇茸供养，引发更严重的腹泻，勉强走到拘尸城，为一位名叫「须跋」的婆罗门说了八正道，引导他证入阿罗汉后，就在城中娑罗林中的双树间入灭了。临入灭前，告诉尊者阿难说：
「阿难！你们之中，如果有人以为『大师的教导没有了，我们再也没有大师可以依靠了』，阿难，可别这么想啊！我成佛以来所说的经法与戒律，就是你们的大师；你们的依靠。」
佛陀入灭后不久，尊者阿难在摩竭陀国首都王舍城游化，住在城北迦兰陀竹园的竹林精舍。
这天早上，尊者阿难打算入城乞食。
由于时候尚早，尊者阿难就顺道去探访一位名叫「瞿默目揵连」的婆罗门。见面寒暄后，瞿默目揵连就问：
「你们当中，有哪一位比丘的能力，与尊者瞿昙（佛陀）一样的吗？」
尊者阿难回答说：
「没有！因为世尊是法的先觉者、教导者，所有比丘，都是依从佛陀的教导而成就的，就从这一点来说，是没有任何比丘能与世尊等同的。」
此时，奉摩揭陀国阿阇世王之命，在王舍城督导建设，以防御跋耆国来犯的大臣禹舍，也正好来访，就加入了他们的谈话。大臣禹舍对佛陀入灭后，僧团的运作方式也感到好奇，就接过话题，问尊者阿难说：
「你们当中，既然没有一位比丘能和世尊一样，那么，有没有哪位比丘，是沙门瞿昙生前所指定的接班领导人，来成为你们的依靠呢？」
「没有！」尊者阿难回答。
「那么，有没有哪位比丘，是僧团大众推举出来的领导人呢？」
「也没有！」
「如果是这样，那你们如何保持僧团的清净与和合呢？」
于是，尊者阿难就告诉大臣禹舍说：
「我们是『依法不依人』。我们沿着村落游化，在每月十五日集会布萨，大家依法、律，以彼此发问的方式反省检讨。如果有过失犯戒的，就依法、律的规定来处置，所以我们僧团得以维持和合。」
大臣禹舍再问：
「你们当中，有值得恭敬、尊重，让比丘们愿意跟着他学习的吗？」
阿难回答说：
「有的！如果有具足持戒圆满、多闻深入、作善知识、身心远离、乐于禅观、衣食知足、正念成就、精进修行、圣慧明达、漏尽解脱等十种成就的比丘，就是大家恭敬、尊重，乐于跟他学习的对象。」
大臣禹舍当下深表赞叹，并且叙说过去一次自己拜见佛陀的经验，认为佛陀赞叹一切禅修。
尊者阿难不同意大臣禹舍的想法，因而纠正他说，佛陀对没有离贪、瞋、昏沈、掉悔、疑等的禅修，并不赞叹，佛陀经常赞叹的是初禅、第二、第三、第四禅的禅修。
最后，尊者阿难又为瞿默目揵连婆罗门澄清：佛陀、慧解脱与俱解脱阿罗汉三者的解脱，并没有差别，也没有哪一种比哪一种殊胜，然后就在瞿默目揵连婆罗门家中，接受了午斋供养。
Date: 02/17/2024 02/18/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Lucy Zhou
Dharma talk
The Master after the Buddha’s Passing
In the year when the Buddha was eighty years old, during his final rains retreat at Bamboo Village, he fell ill with severe diarrhea. At that time, because the area was suffering from famine, only Venerable Ānanda was attending him.
Seeing that the Buddha was ill and that there was no one else present, Venerable Ānanda felt both worried and anxious. Yet he also thought that since the Buddha had not yet given any final instructions to the bhikkhus, he surely would not pass away at that time, and this eased his mind somewhat.
When the Buddha’s condition improved and he was able to leave his room and walk about, Venerable Ānanda finally felt reassured and told the Buddha of his earlier thoughts.
After hearing this, the Buddha replied to Venerable Ānanda:
“Ānanda, my teaching to everyone has always been given without reservation. What more do people still expect me to instruct? The Tathāgata has never regarded himself as a leader. Only one who thinks of himself as a leader would leave behind a final testament. I am now old—this body of eighty years is like an old cart, which can only be kept going with constant repairs. Therefore, you should not always think of relying on me. You should rely on yourselves; rely on the Dharma. Apart from this, there is nothing else to rely upon.
And how does one rely on oneself and rely on the Dharma? It is by diligently focusing awareness on one’s own body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena, in order to bring all sorrow and affliction to cessation. After my passing, whoever can practice in this way will certainly attain the highest accomplishment. Such a person is truly my disciple.”
After this, the Buddha continued his journey northwest. Eventually, in Pāvā, the capital of the Malla country, he accepted an offering of mushrooms from Cunda, the son of a blacksmith. This caused an even more severe bout of diarrhea. He then made his way with difficulty to Kusinārā. There, after teaching the Noble Eightfold Path to a brahmin named Subhadda and guiding him to the realization of arahantship, the Buddha entered final nirvāṇa between the twin sāla trees in the sāla grove of the city.
Just before his passing, he said to Venerable Ānanda:
“Ānanda, if any of you should think, ‘The Master’s teaching is gone; we no longer have a master to rely upon,’ you should not think in this way. The discourses and the discipline that I have taught since my awakening are your Master; they are your refuge.”
Not long after the Buddha’s passing, Venerable Ānanda was traveling in the capital of Magadha, Rājagaha, and staying at the Bamboo Grove Monastery in the Kalandaka Bamboo Park to the north of the city.
One morning, Venerable Ānanda was preparing to enter the city for alms. As it was still early, he stopped on the way to visit a brahmin named Moggallāna. After exchanging greetings, Moggallāna asked him:
“Among you, is there any bhikkhu whose abilities are equal to those of Venerable Gotama (the Buddha)?”
Venerable Ānanda replied:
“No. The Blessed One was the pioneer and teacher of the Dharma. All bhikkhus attained their accomplishments by following the Buddha’s teaching. In this respect alone, no bhikkhu can be equal to the Blessed One.”
At that time, a minister named Vassakāra, who had been appointed by King Ajātasattu of Magadha to oversee fortifications in Rājagaha against a possible invasion from the Vajjian confederacy, happened to arrive and joined their conversation. Curious about how the Saṅgha functioned after the Buddha’s passing, Minister Vassakāra continued the discussion and asked Venerable Ānanda:
“Since none of you is equal to the Blessed One, was there any bhikkhu whom the ascetic Gotama designated during his lifetime as his successor and leader, to be your refuge?”
“No,” Venerable Ānanda replied.
“Then was there any bhikkhu chosen by the Saṅgha as a whole to be its leader?”
“There was not.”
“If that is so, how do you maintain the purity and harmony of the Saṅgha?”
Venerable Ānanda then explained to Minister Vassakāra:
“We rely on the Dharma, not on a person. We travel among the villages, and on the fifteenth day of each month we assemble to observe the Uposatha. In accordance with the Dharma and the discipline, we examine and reflect on ourselves by questioning one another. If anyone has committed an offense or violated a rule, it is dealt with according to the Dharma and the discipline. In this way, our Saṅgha maintains harmony.”
Minister Vassakāra then asked:
“Among you, is there anyone worthy of reverence and respect, whom the bhikkhus are willing to follow and learn from?”
Ānanda replied:
“Yes. If there is a bhikkhu who possesses ten qualities—perfect observance of the precepts, extensive learning and deep understanding, the ability to be a good spiritual friend, physical and mental seclusion, delight in meditation, contentment with clothing and food, accomplishment in mindfulness, diligent effort, clear and noble wisdom, and liberation through the destruction of the taints—such a bhikkhu is one whom everyone reveres, respects, and gladly follows to learn.”
Minister Vassakāra immediately expressed deep admiration and then recounted a past experience of his own visit to the Buddha, saying that he believed the Buddha praised all forms of meditation.
Venerable Ānanda did not agree with this interpretation and corrected him, explaining that the Buddha did not praise meditation that had not abandoned greed, hatred, dullness, restlessness and remorse, or doubt. What the Buddha consistently praised were the meditations of the first jhāna, the second jhāna, the third jhāna, and the fourth jhāna.
Finally, Venerable Ānanda further clarified for the brahmin Moggallāna that there is no difference in liberation between the Buddha, wisdom-liberated arahants, and arahants liberated in both ways, nor is one kind superior to another. After this, Venerable Ānanda accepted the midday meal offered at the house of the brahmin Moggallāna.
