时间：08/09/2025 08/10/2025
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
佛为长者说四种施
昔日，在舍卫国有一富可敌国的婆罗门长者，名叫蓝达。为了彰显自己的名声，连续五年，不惜竭尽家财，以外道祈福之法，设大斋会，广行布施，供养五千多位婆罗门无数珍贵的宝物、医药及饮食衣具。接受供养的婆罗门在这五年里，亦为长者祭祀诸天、山岳与星宿等地只神灵，以持咒作法，希望为长者祈求无量之福。
到了圆满五年大供养的最后一天，蓝达长者更行广大布施，除了以金银打造的精致食器盛满金粟、银粟外，更准备了七宝服饰、鹿皮大衣、牛马羊车、奴婢及日常所需物品，共八万四千件供养大众。庄严无比的会场，令与会的鬼神、国王、大臣、梵志、贵族等，无不欢欣喜悦。
此时，佛陀正在精舍为天人说法，见到如此情景，喟然叹言：「蓝达真是可怜的愚痴者！布施这么多珍贵的财物，却只能得到微薄的福报。若不立即教示，将永离胜妙法门，无法得到真实的利益。」于是世尊特地前去度化蓝达长者，并以神通力从地涌出，放大光明，普照与会大众。
蓝达长者及大众立即至诚顶礼佛陀。世尊见众人皆有恭敬之心，于是为大众说偈：
「月千反祠，终身不彻，不如须臾，
一心念法、一念造福，胜彼终身。
虽终百岁，奉事火神，不如须臾，
供养三尊，一供养福，胜彼百年。」
佛陀说：「布施有四种层次，就像农地有肥沃贫瘠之别，收成自然就会不同：一者、施多得福少，也就是愚痴之人花费大量钱财，却以杀生的方式祭祀鬼神，并且还喝酒跳舞，不仅无法增长福报，亦没有智慧。二者、施少得福少，即是以悭贪恶心，布施给心外求道的修行者。
由于二者都是愚痴之人，所以没有福报。三者、施少得福多，就是以善心供养精进、有德行的修道者。布施虽少，福报却很大。四者、施多得福多，是指觉悟到世间无常的贤者，以清净心布施钱财建造塔寺，供养三宝衣食、卧具、医药等。这种清净圆满的布施，具足无上福德，如五河流入大海，生生世世长流不断。」
此时，蓝达长者及与会大众闻佛开示，皆大法喜。诸天人神心开意解，即证须陀洹果，五千多位婆罗门发心随佛出家修行，与道相应。蓝达长者全家亦受持五戒，发愿勤修正法，广积福德。国王及众臣也欢喜地受持三皈依，明了佛法真理。
昔日，有位国王为毒蛇所咬，命在旦夕，于是他请来全国各地最好的医生，为他治疗毒伤。医生们都说，只有让毒蛇再吸出毒气才能治好国王的病，于是他们施展各种咒术，让咬伤国王的毒蛇来到王宫。
医生们抓到这条毒蛇后，堆起柴火，威胁地说：「只要你将国王身上的毒吸出，我们就让你活命，否则就把你丢进火堆里。」毒蛇暗自寻思：「我既已吐出毒液，就没有再吸回来的道理？我死也办不到。」打定主意后，毒蛇便迅速钻入火堆里。当时的毒蛇就是今日的舍利弗尊者，从过去到现在，舍利弗生生世世都是意志坚定，无法轻易动摇。
Date: 08/09/2025 08/10/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Buddha Explains the Four Types of Giving to a Wealthy Elder
Long ago, in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, there lived a wealthy Brāhmin elder named Landa, whose riches rivaled those of kings. Wishing to spread his name far and wide, he spared no expense over the course of five consecutive years, exhausting his family fortune to hold grand sacrificial feasts using non-Buddhist rites to seek blessings.
During these years, he generously distributed precious treasures, medicine, food, clothing, and daily necessities to over five thousand Brāhmins.
In return, these Brāhmins performed countless rituals and chants on his behalf, offering sacrifices to deities of the heavens, mountains, constellations, and other local spirits in hopes of securing boundless blessings for the elder.
On the final day of the five-year offering, Landa held an even more magnificent feast. Using utensils made of gold and silver filled with golden and silver grains, he also prepared garments made of seven precious substances, deer-skin robes, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, servants, and 84,000 other kinds of offerings to present to the attendees.
The ceremony was so majestic that it delighted all who were present, including spirits, kings, ministers, Brāhmins, and nobles.
At that time, the Buddha was preaching the Dharma to celestial beings at the Jetavana Grove. Observing these events, the Buddha sighed and said, “Landa is truly a pitiable and foolish man. Though he gives away such precious wealth, he will receive only meager blessings in return.
If he is not immediately instructed, he will forever lose the opportunity to enter the supreme and wondrous Dharma, unable to gain true benefit.”
Thus, the World-Honored One manifested a divine power, emerging from the earth in radiant light, illuminating the entire assembly.
Landa and the crowd immediately bowed down in utmost reverence to the Buddha. Seeing their respectful hearts, the Buddha recited this verse for all to hear:
“Though one worships a thousand moons or makes lifelong offerings,
They cannot compare to a single moment
Of mindful reflection on the Dharma
Or one pure act of merit—far surpassing a lifetime of rites.
Though one serves the fire gods for a hundred years,
They cannot compare to a brief moment
Of offering to the Triple Gem—
That single act surpasses a century’s worth of service.”
The Buddha continued: “There are four kinds of giving, just as farmland varies in fertility, resulting in different harvests:
Giving much but receiving little – This is done by the foolish who spend vast sums but perform sacrifices through killing beings and revel in drinking and dancing. Such acts yield neither wisdom nor merit.
Giving little and receiving little – This is when people give with miserly and impure minds to ascetics who seek truth outside the proper path. Because both giver and recipient lack wisdom, no great merit arises.
Giving little and receiving much – This is when one offers small gifts with a pure and kind heart to diligent and virtuous cultivators. Though little is given, great blessings result.
Giving much and receiving much – This is when a wise person, having awakened to the impermanence of the world, gives generously with a pure heart—building stupas and monasteries, and offering the Triple Gem robes, food, bedding, and medicine.
This pure and perfect giving brings supreme and boundless blessings, like five rivers merging into the ocean, flowing unceasingly through countless lifetimes.”
Upon hearing this teaching, Landa and the assembly were filled with great joy in the Dharma. Many celestial beings and spirits awakened to the truth and attained the fruit of Stream-entry (Sotāpanna). Over five thousand Brāhmins renounced worldly life, became monastics, and entered the path of practice.
Landa and his entire family took the Five Precepts and vowed to diligently uphold the true Dharma and accumulate vast merit. The king and his ministers also joyfully took refuge in the Triple Gem, and clearly understood the truth of the Buddha’s teaching.
