时间：02/24/2024 02/25/2024
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：Lucy Zhou
佛法修行
佛陀普渡众生了吗
有一次，佛陀在摩揭陀国那烂陀地方游化，住在那罗村一位卖衣人家的芒果园中。
当地有一位村长，因为他家世袭以锻造刀子为生，家族就以「刀师」为姓。
这天，这位刀师村长去见他的老师尼干子，尼干子对他说：
「你会不会以一种两难的诡辩术，论败沙门瞿昙，让他哑口无言？」
「老师！有什么两难的诡辩术，可以论败沙门瞿昙，让他哑口无言？」
「你先问沙门瞿昙，看他是不是要普渡众生，让一切众生得利益安乐，也赞叹能让一切众生得利益安乐的人。
如果他回答『不』，那就嘲笑他跟平凡的愚夫没什么不同。
如果他回答『是』，那就质疑他，为何只对一些人说法，不对一切众生说法。
这样的两难诡辩术，就可以论败沙门瞿昙，让他哑口无言。」
刀师村长受了尼干子的怂恿，就到芒果园见佛陀，想用尼干子所教的那一套来问难佛陀。
刀师村长说：
「瞿昙！你不是要普渡众生，让一切众生得利益安乐，也赞叹能让一切众生得利益安乐的吗？」
「村长！长久以来，如来一向是慈悲利益一切众生，让一切众生得利益安乐，也常常赞叹能让一切众生得利益安乐的人。」
「瞿昙！如果这样，那为何如来不对众生一视同仁地说法，只对某些人详尽地说法，而对其他人却不详尽地说法呢？」
「村长！让我来问你，请你照实回答。
譬如，有人拥有三块田，第一块很肥沃，第二块中等，第三块很贫瘠又带有盐分，村长！你说田主人会先选哪块田播种？」
「那当然是选最肥沃的那块先播种耕作啰，瞿昙！」
「然后呢？村长！」
「然后再选中等的那块，瞿昙！」
「最后呢？村长！」
「最后剩下来的种子，才考虑去播种最贫瘠的那块，或者根本就放弃那块最贫瘠的不播种，将剩下来的种子拿去喂牛。」
「为何要这样做呢？」
「这样才不会浪费种子，将来的收成也会比较好啊！」
「村长！我也是这样。那些倾生命的全部投入，跟随我出家修学的比丘、比丘尼们，就像是那最肥沃的田地，所以，我乐意常常为他们说全然纯正的善法，同时也以我一生清净修行的身教，展现出来教化他们。为什么我会这样全心全力地教导他们呢？因为他们听了我的教说后，会以我的教说为安住处，为依靠的岛屿，为保护，为庇荫，为皈依，他们能常常这样地自我反省，自我勉励：
『世尊教导我的，我都要忆持实践，使自己能得到利益安乐。』
村长！而我的在家弟子：优婆塞、优婆夷们，就像那块中等的田地，我也乐意常常为他们说纯正的善法，展现我清净修行的身教，而他们也会依循我的教导，努力修学，使自己能得到利益安乐。
村长！那些像尼干子之辈的外道异学，就像那块含盐分的贫瘠田地，我也乐意为他们说纯正的善法，展现我清净修行的身教，他们能听进去多少，就算多少，即使只听进去一句法，也能享有一句法的利益安乐。」
「好奇特喔，世尊！用这么善巧的三种田作譬喻解说。」
「村长！让我再打个比方：譬如有三个水瓶，第一个水瓶完好无缺，也没有漏水裂缝，第二个水瓶外观完好，但有漏水裂缝，第三个水瓶不仅有漏水裂缝，还有缺损，村长！你想人们会先使用哪个水瓶来装水？」
「瞿昙！当然是先用那个完好无缺，也不会漏水的水瓶了。」
「然后呢？」
「瞿昙！然后再用那个外观无缺陷，但有裂缝的水瓶。」
「如果两个瓶子都已经装满了，还有剩余的水，怎么办？」
「那只好拿那个有缺损的破瓶子来装了，或许还能短暂储存，作小小的用途，也或许根本不使用它，将剩余的水拿来洗碗盘。」
「村长！那完好无缺，也没有裂缝的水瓶，就像我比丘、比丘尼出家弟子们，那稍有裂缝的水瓶，就像我优婆塞、优婆夷在家弟子们，而那破损的瓶子，就像尼干子之辈的外道异学。」
佛陀轻易地就连举两个贴切的例子，论破了尼干子自以为万无一失的两难论，听得刀师村长大为恐怖，毛骨悚然，赶快顶礼佛足，忏悔说：
「世尊！我是那么地愚痴，不辨是非，竟然在世尊面前胡言妄语。」
Date: 02/24/2024 02/25/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Lucy Zhou
Dharma talk
Did the Buddha Save All Beings Without Distinction?
On one occasion, the Buddha was traveling in the Nāḷandā region of the Kingdom of Magadha and was staying in the mango grove of a cloth merchant’s household in the village of Nālaka.
In that area there was a village headman whose family had, for generations, made a living by forging knives, and so the family bore the surname “Knife-maker.”
One day, this Knife-maker village headman went to see his teacher, Nigaṇṭha. Nigaṇṭha said to him:
“Can you use a dilemma-based sophistry to defeat the ascetic Gotama and leave him speechless?”
“Teacher, what kind of dilemma sophistry could defeat the ascetic Gotama and render him speechless?”
“You should first ask the ascetic Gotama whether he aims to liberate all beings, bringing benefit and happiness to all, and whether he praises those who bring benefit and happiness to all beings.
If he answers ‘no,’ then mock him for being no different from an ordinary foolish person.
If he answers ‘yes,’ then question him as to why he teaches the Dharma in detail only to some people and not to all beings.
With such a dilemma sophistry, you can defeat the ascetic Gotama and leave him speechless.”
Urged on by Nigaṇṭha, the Knife-maker village headman went to the mango grove to see the Buddha, intending to challenge him with the scheme he had been taught.
The village headman said:
“Gotama, do you not aim to liberate all beings, bringing benefit and happiness to all, and do you not praise those who bring benefit and happiness to all beings?”
“Village headman, for a long time the Tathāgata has always been compassionate toward all beings, seeking to benefit them and bring them happiness, and has often praised those who bring benefit and happiness to all beings.”
“Gotama, if that is so, then why does the Tathāgata not teach the Dharma equally to all beings, explaining it in detail to some, but not in detail to others?”
“Village headman, let me ask you something. Please answer truthfully.
Suppose someone owns three fields. The first is very fertile, the second is of average quality, and the third is barren and saline. Village headman, which field do you think the owner would choose first for sowing seeds?”
“Of course, he would choose the most fertile field first to sow and cultivate, Gotama.”
“And then what, village headman?”
“Then he would choose the field of average quality, Gotama.”
“And finally, village headman?”
“Finally, he would consider using the remaining seeds on the most barren field, or he might simply abandon that barren field and not sow it at all, using the remaining seeds instead to feed the cattle.”
“And why would he do that?”
“So that the seeds are not wasted, and the future harvest will be better.”
“Village headman, I am the same.
Those bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs who devote their entire lives and follow me in going forth and training are like the most fertile field. Therefore, I gladly and often teach them the wholly pure and wholesome Dharma, and I also instruct them by the example of my own lifelong pure practice. Why do I teach them with such wholehearted effort? Because after hearing my teaching, they take it as their dwelling place, as an island of refuge, as protection and shelter. They constantly reflect on and encourage themselves, thinking:
‘ What the Blessed One has taught me, I must remember and put into practice, so that I may gain benefit and happiness.’
Village headman, my lay disciples—the male and female householders—are like the field of average quality. I also gladly teach them the pure and wholesome Dharma and demonstrate my pure practice by example. They follow my teaching and diligently train, so that they too may gain benefit and happiness.
Village headman, those followers of other paths, such as Nigaṇṭha and his like, are like the barren, saline field. I also gladly teach them the pure and wholesome Dharma and demonstrate my pure practice by example. However much they are able to take in, that is how much they receive. Even if they take in only a single sentence of the Dharma, they still gain the benefit and happiness of that single sentence.”
“How remarkable, Blessed One—such a skillful explanation using the simile of the three fields!”
“Village headman, let me give you another simile.
Suppose there are three water jars. The first is intact and without any cracks or leaks; the second appears intact but has cracks and leaks; the third not only has cracks and leaks but is also damaged. Village headman, which jar do you think people would use first to hold water?”
“Gotama, of course they would first use the jar that is intact and does not leak.”
“And then?”
“Gotama, then they would use the jar that appears intact but has cracks.”
“If both jars are already full and there is still water left, what then?”
“Then they would have to use the damaged jar, perhaps to store water briefly for some small use, or they might not use it at all and instead use the remaining water to wash dishes.”
“Village headman, the intact jar without cracks is like my ordained disciples—the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. The jar with cracks is like my lay disciples, the male and female householders. And the damaged jar is like followers of other paths, such as Nigaṇṭha and his kind.”
With these two apt similes, the Buddha easily refuted Nigaṇṭha’s supposedly foolproof dilemma. Hearing this, the Knife-maker village headman was struck with fear and awe, his hair standing on end. He quickly bowed at the Buddha’s feet and confessed:
“Blessed One, I was utterly foolish and unable to discern right from wrong, and I spoke reckless words in the presence of the Blessed One.”
