时间：01/31/2026 02/01/2026
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
猕猴之喻醒悟退道沙门
昔日，佛陀在王舍城郊区的灵鹫山精舍里，为天、人、龙、鬼等众生宣说微妙法义。当时，有一人舍去了家宅、妻儿，来到精舍求见佛陀，希望能于佛陀座下出家修行。佛陀慈悲应允后，为其剃度，并且教他于树下禅修静坐，思惟佛法义理。比丘领受佛陀的教诲后，遂前往离精舍有百里之远的深山中精进用功。
就这样，比丘独坐树下修道三年，因不见任何成就，不禁起了怀疑与退悔：「我舍弃了家宅、妻儿，不就是想要成道吗？但三年了，看来是毫无所成，再这样下去，简直是浪费时间和生命。我倒不如回家和妻儿团圆，再享天伦之乐。」想毕，便准备下山回家。
此时，佛陀以神通力观察，得知此人应可得道，只因一时愚昧而想放弃解脱之路。于是，佛陀化成一位寻常沙门，并以神足通来到比丘修行的山中。果然，一到该地，只见比丘行色匆匆地往山下走，沙门即向前问道：「对不起，我恰巧从这路过，见您所来方向，请问您可是从山中而来？这边刚好有一平坦草地，不如我们坐着休息一下，也可藉此因缘向您请法。」
比丘点头答应，两人坐下之后，比丘感叹道：「不瞒您说，三年前我一心求道，舍离了家宅、妻儿，来到这深山修行，但几年过去却一事无成。所以我想与其在这吃苦、浪费生命，倒不如趁早回家与妻儿重温天伦之乐，然后再做打算！」两人在谈话之际，发现有一只老猕猴竟然离开树林，在平地生活。沙门问比丘：「这老猕猴真是奇特，为何会出现在这儿呢？这附近并无大树可供它栖止、休息，为何它乐意这样做呢？」比丘回答：「我很早以前就注意到这只猕猴了，根据我在山中的观察，它选择在这儿生活有两个原因：第一、因为妻子眷属众多，就算日夜辛苦奔波，所得饮食仍不得饱足众口。第二、为求饮食，每天都要上下攀爬树木，不仅脚底容易磨破受伤，也难有片刻空闲。所以老猕猴选择离群索居，住在这个地方。」
两人才刚讲完这番话，却发现老猕猴竟然又爬回林中的树上。沙门问：「你看到了吗？这只老猕猴又回到树上，和同伴一起生活了。」比丘回答：「这只老猕猴实在太愚痴了！既然能远离喧嚣，又不用再为三餐奔波劳苦，为何还要舍弃这样自在的生活，回去自找烦恼呢？」沙门听了比丘的话，便说：「其实您与这只老猕猴又有何差别？当初您也是因为两个原因而舍家修行：一是妻子、家庭犹如牢狱一般，令人不得自由；二是儿子眷属如同枷锁，为其奔波，难有喘息之时。所以您出家求道，就是为了了断生死轮回之苦，但今日您却想要舍道归家，犹如将枷锁再套回身上，走入牢狱之中。所以贪恋不舍的情执，将会带您走向地狱之路。」沙门说毕，即还现佛陀丈六金身，光明普照，大地震动，飞鸟走兽皆循光来到佛前，忏悔过往的罪业。于是佛陀为大众说了一首偈语：
「如树根深固，虽截犹复生；爱意不尽除，
辄当还受苦。猕猴如离树，得脱复趣树；
众人亦如是，出狱复入狱。贪意为常流，
习与憍慢井；思想猗淫欲，自覆无所见。
一切意流衍，爱结如葛藤；唯慧分别见，
能断意根源。夫从爱润泽，思想为滋蔓；
爱欲深无底，老死是用增。」
比丘见到佛陀的光明瑞相，又听到佛陀所说的偈语，不禁惭愧汗颜。于是，比丘恭敬地顶礼忏悔，不再起诸恶念、妄想，并且一心思惟佛陀教法，当下即证得阿罗汉果。诸天人众亦听闻佛陀说法欢喜不已，所以散花供佛，同声赞叹佛陀无量功德！
Date: 01/31/2026 02/01/2026
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Parable of the Monkey: Awakening a Renunciant Who Intended to Abandon the Path
In the past, the Buddha was staying at the Vulture Peak Monastery on the outskirts of Rājagṛha, expounding subtle and wondrous Dharma teachings for devas, humans, nāgas, ghosts, and other beings. At that time, a man renounced his home, wife, and children and came to the monastery to seek an audience with the Buddha, hoping to go forth and practice under the Buddha’s guidance.
The Buddha compassionately consented, ordained him, and instructed him to meditate and sit in quiet contemplation beneath a tree, reflecting on the principles of the Dharma. After receiving the Buddha’s instruction, the bhikṣu went to a remote mountain forest a hundred li away from the monastery and diligently practiced there.
Thus, the bhikṣu sat alone beneath a tree cultivating the path for three years. Because he saw no attainment, doubts and regret arose in his mind: “Did I not renounce my home, wife, and children precisely in order to attain the Way? Yet three years have passed, and it seems I have achieved nothing at all.
If this continues, it is simply a waste of time and life. I might as well return home, reunite with my wife and children, and enjoy family happiness again.” Having thought this through, he prepared to descend the mountain and return home.
At that moment, the Buddha, through his supernormal powers, observed that this person was capable of attaining the path, but was temporarily deluded and about to abandon the road to liberation. Therefore, the Buddha transformed himself into an ordinary śramaṇa and, using his miraculous power of swift travel, came to the mountain where the bhikṣu was practicing.
Sure enough, upon arriving, he saw the bhikṣu hastily walking down the mountain. The śramaṇa stepped forward and asked, “Excuse me, I happened to pass by this way and saw the direction from which you came. May I ask whether you are coming from the mountains? There happens to be a flat grassy area nearby—why don’t we sit and rest for a while? We could also take this opportunity for me to ask you about the Dharma.”
The bhikṣu nodded in agreement. After the two sat down, the bhikṣu sighed and said, “To be honest with you, three years ago I single-mindedly sought the Way, renounced my home, wife, and children, and came to this deep mountain to cultivate.
But after all these years, I have accomplished nothing. So I think that rather than enduring hardship here and wasting my life, I might as well return home early, reunite with my wife and children, and enjoy family happiness again, and then make plans later.”
As they were conversing, they noticed an old monkey that had left the forest and was living on the flat ground. The śramaṇa asked the bhikṣu, “This old monkey is quite unusual. Why would it appear here? There are no large trees nearby for it to perch and rest in.
Why would it choose to live this way?” The bhikṣu replied, “I noticed this monkey long ago. Based on my observations in the mountains, it chose to live here for two reasons.
First, it had many wives and dependents, and even with constant toil day and night, the food it obtained was still insufficient to feed them all. Second, in order to obtain food, it had to climb up and down trees every day, which easily injured its feet and left it little time to rest. Therefore, the old monkey chose to leave the group and live alone in this place.”
They had just finished speaking when they saw the old monkey climb back into the trees in the forest. The śramaṇa asked, “Do you see that? The old monkey has returned to the trees and is living together with its companions again.” The bhikṣu replied, “This old monkey is truly foolish!
Since it was able to stay away from noise and disturbance and no longer had to toil for its daily food, why would it abandon such a free and easy life and return to seek trouble for itself?” Hearing this, the śramaṇa said, “In fact, how are you any different from this old monkey?
At the beginning, you too renounced your home for two reasons: first, because wife and family are like a prison, depriving one of freedom; second, because children and relatives are like shackles—one toils for them and scarcely has a moment’s rest.
You renounced the household life to seek the Way precisely to put an end to the suffering of birth and death. Yet today you wish to abandon the path and return home, just like putting the shackles back onto yourself and walking back into prison. Thus, clinging attachment and emotional fixation will lead you down the road to hell.”
After saying this, the śramaṇa revealed his true form as the Buddha, manifesting his golden body sixteen cubits tall. Brilliant light shone everywhere, the great earth trembled, and birds and beasts all followed the light to come before the Buddha, repenting of their past misdeeds. Then the Buddha spoke a verse for the assembly:
“As with a tree whose roots are deep and firm,
Though cut, it grows again;
If craving is not entirely removed,
One will inevitably suffer again.
Like a monkey leaving a tree,
Escaping, yet returning to it again;
So too are people,
Leaving prison only to enter it once more.
Craving flows on constantly,
Habitual, bound with arrogance;
Thoughts cling to lust,
Covering oneself, seeing nothing.
All mental currents spread forth,
Love’s bonds are like creeping vines;
Only wisdom’s discerning vision
Can cut off the root of mind.
From love comes moistening,
Thoughts grow and spread;
Desire is deep and bottomless,
Increasing aging and death.”
When the bhikṣu saw the Buddha’s radiant signs and heard the verses spoken by the Buddha, he felt deeply ashamed and embarrassed. He respectfully bowed and repented, no longer giving rise to evil thoughts or deluded imaginings.
With single-minded contemplation of the Buddha’s teachings, he immediately attained the fruit of Arhatship. Devas and humans who heard the Buddha’s teaching were also filled with joy, scattering flowers in offering to the Buddha and praising with one voice the Buddha’s immeasurable merit.
