时间：11/07/2026 11/08/2026
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
五百盲人往返逐佛缘
久远前，佛陀居住于舍卫国中的给孤独园，当时附近有一国家名为毗舍离国。此国中有五百名盲人，他们居住在一起，靠着乞讨过日子，常在行乞的时候听人谈论佛陀的事迹，有人说道：「佛陀的诞生，非常奇特殊胜。若能亲身目睹佛陀，纵使身染各种奇怪的疾病，盲聋喑哑，心意狂乱，贫穷忧愁，皆能消除。」
这些盲人听完后，心中燃起希望，大家便共同商议：「我们今日不但贫穷，而且身体残缺，沦落为乞丐，皆是过去累积太多的罪业所致。如果可以见到伟大的佛陀，必定可以解救我们的痛苦。」
五百名盲人便在路旁对路过的人一一哀求，希望有人能慈悲带他们到舍卫国。但是不管他们怎么哀求，路过的人都无动于衷，没有人愿意帮助他们。
五百名盲人于是互相商议：「我们两手空空，希望别人帮忙，似乎不太可能，不如从今天起，每个人都乞讨到一枚钱，凑起来便有五百钱。如此一来，便能雇请一人带我们到舍卫国了。」大家觉得这提议很好，于是更加卖力地乞讨。
经过数日，盲人们如愿的乞得了五百钱，并且找到了一名愿意带他们的人，大家手牵着手跟着此人走，不料此人却在快到摩竭国时，拋下五百名盲人，自己跑掉了。
大家顿时失去了方向，不知身处何处，心中很恐慌，只好互相抓紧彼此的手，摇摇晃晃的前进。五百名盲人不知不觉地走过别人的田地，将刚长出的稻苗踩得乱七八糟，此时正巧有位长者经过，看见这五百人踩坏了大片的稻苗，非常生气，于是拿起棍子打这群乞丐并给予告诫。这群乞丐连忙跪下哀求，并将要前往舍卫国，但途中被人拋弃的事，一五一十的告诉长者。长者一听，起了怜悯之心，于是便雇了一人带领五百名盲人前往舍卫国。
经过千辛万苦，五百名盲人好不容易到了佛陀的住处，但一询问才知佛陀已经前往摩竭国，于是这位使者又带他们到摩竭国。由于他们非常钦仰佛陀，一心只想见到世尊，虽然肉眼看不见，但心中却仿佛已目睹佛陀庄严清净的法相，所以一点都不觉得疲累。到了摩竭国，才又发现佛陀已返回舍卫国了，于是再度启程前往，就这样阴错阳差的来回走了七趟。
此时，世尊于定中见到这五百名盲人善根已成熟，且信心坚固，于是在舍卫国的给孤独园等待他们到来。在使者的带领下，五百名盲人终于来到佛陀的住所，当接近佛陀，受到佛陀身上的光明照耀时，所有人的眼睛忽然间都睁开了，并且恢复视力。
一见到如来就站在自己的眼前，身相威仪具足，五百名乞丐心中感念佛陀的恩泽，欢喜地不可言喻，当下便以最恭敬的心顶礼世尊。
顶礼完毕，五百名乞丐异口同声，请求佛陀为说无上妙法，佛陀说：「善来比丘，须发自落，法衣在身。」并为其说法，五百名乞丐闻法即证得阿罗汉果。
佛陀的侍者阿难见此情景，长跪合掌，向佛陀说：「世尊，这些盲人是何因缘，今日可得恢复视力，重见光明，又得清净的慧眼？可否请世尊为大众解开此疑惑。」说完，佛陀便告诉阿难：「我并非只在今日为这些人除去黑暗，久远无量劫前，我也同样曾为他们除去黑暗。」
「这是很久远劫以前的事，有五百位商人走在大山谷中，山路崎岖险峻，并且十分黑暗。当时这些商人，听闻山中多盗贼，不但害怕财物被夺，又怕会因此丧生，众人心慌意乱，只好跪在地上向日月山河大地一切神明膜拜，不断地啼哭哀求。」
「领队者看到大家如此惊慌恐怖，便安慰大家：『大家不要怕，我可以为你们带来光明！』于是便拿了一匹毯子将自己的两臂缠住，再以酥油浇在上面，点燃后成为火炬，顿时一片光明，如此整整燃烧了七天，而这群商人也因此度过这段黑暗崎岖的山路，顺利到达安全的地方。大家非常欢喜，并且由衷感念领队者的恩情，不断赞叹他的慈悲无量，更心生恭敬。」
佛陀告诉阿难：「我就是当时的领队！过去以来，无论国家领土，乃至身上的血肉，我都能布施给一切众生，所以今日才有此殊胜尊贵的果报。而这五百名商人，正是现今这五百名比丘。过去生，我曾布施生命，令其获得光明；今日成佛，再布施佛法，令他们得开慧眼，了知真理。」
佛陀说完这段因缘，所有在场的人，都深为佛陀累世舍己利他的慈悲心所摄受，有的立刻证得须陀洹，有的证得斯陀含，有的当下成就阿那含及阿罗汉的果位，甚至有的已种下辟支佛善根，或发了无上道意，得度者无量。
Date: 11/07/2026 11/08/2026
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Story of the Five Hundred Blind Men Seeking the Buddha
Long ago, while the Buddha was residing at Jetavana Monastery in Śrāvastī, there was a nearby kingdom called Vaiśālī. In that country lived five hundred blind men. They stayed together and survived by begging for alms. While begging, they often heard people talking about the Buddha. Some would say, “The birth of the Buddha was extraordinarily rare and marvelous. If one is fortunate enough to behold the Buddha in person, then even those suffering from strange illnesses, blindness, deafness, muteness, insanity, poverty, or sorrow can all be freed from their suffering.”
After hearing these accounts, hope arose in the hearts of the blind men. They discussed the matter together, saying, “Today we are not only poor but also physically disabled, reduced to living as beggars. This must all be the result of the many evil deeds accumulated in our past lives. If only we could see the great Buddha, He would surely be able to relieve our suffering.”
The five hundred blind men then begged every passerby by the roadside, hoping that someone would compassionately lead them to Śrāvastī. However, no matter how earnestly they pleaded, everyone who passed by remained indifferent, and no one was willing to help them.
The blind men then discussed the matter again, saying, “We have nothing at all, so expecting others to help us seems impossible. Instead, beginning today, let each of us beg for one coin. Together we will have five hundred coins. Then we can hire someone to lead us to Śrāvastī.”
Everyone thought this was an excellent idea, and so they begged even more diligently.
After several days, the blind men finally collected the five hundred coins they needed and found a man who was willing to guide them. Holding hands with one another, they followed him on their journey. However, just as they were about to reach the Kingdom of Magadha, the guide abandoned the five hundred blind men and ran away.
The blind men immediately lost all sense of direction and had no idea where they were. Filled with fear, they could only hold tightly onto one another’s hands as they staggered forward. Without realizing it, they wandered into someone else’s rice fields, trampling the newly sprouted rice seedlings into ruin. At that very moment, a wealthy elder happened to pass by. Seeing the great damage done to his fields, he became furious. Picking up a stick, he struck the beggars while scolding them.
The beggars immediately knelt down and begged for mercy. They truthfully explained that they had been on their way to Śrāvastī but had been abandoned by their guide along the journey. After hearing their story, the elder was moved with compassion. He hired another guide to lead the five hundred blind men safely to Śrāvastī.
After enduring countless hardships, the five hundred blind men finally arrived at the place where the Buddha had been staying. However, when they inquired, they learned that the Buddha had already gone to the Kingdom of Magadha. Therefore, their guide led them to Magadha. Because they deeply revered the Buddha and longed with all their hearts to meet the World-Honored One, although their physical eyes could not see, in their hearts it was as though they had already beheld the Buddha’s majestic and pure appearance. Therefore, they did not feel the slightest fatigue.
When they reached Magadha, however, they learned that the Buddha had already returned to Śrāvastī. Thus they once again set out on the journey. In this way, through repeated misunderstandings, they traveled back and forth seven times.
At that time, while absorbed in meditation, the World-Honored One perceived that the wholesome roots of these five hundred blind men had fully matured and that their faith was unwavering. Therefore, He remained at Jetavana Monastery in Śrāvastī, waiting for their arrival.
Under the guidance of their escort, the five hundred blind men finally reached the Buddha’s residence. As they approached the Buddha and were illuminated by the radiance emanating from His body, all of their eyes suddenly opened, and their eyesight was completely restored.
When they saw the Thus Come One standing before them, perfect in appearance and noble in bearing, the five hundred beggars were overwhelmed with gratitude for the Buddha’s compassion. Their joy was beyond words, and they immediately bowed with the deepest reverence before the World-Honored One.
After paying homage, the five hundred beggars spoke with one voice, requesting that the Buddha teach them the unsurpassed and wondrous Dharma. The Buddha said, “Come, bhikkhus.” Immediately, their hair and beards fell away naturally, monastic robes appeared upon their bodies, and the Buddha expounded the Dharma to them. Upon hearing the teaching, all five hundred beggars attained the fruit of Arhatship.
Seeing this extraordinary event, the Buddha’s attendant, Venerable Ānanda, knelt with palms joined and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, through what causes and conditions were these blind men able today to recover their eyesight, see the light once again, and also attain the pure Eye of Wisdom? May the World-Honored One kindly resolve this doubt for the assembly.”
After Ānanda had spoken, the Buddha said to him, “It is not only today that I have removed the darkness from these people. Countless immeasurable kalpas ago, I likewise dispelled their darkness.”
”This occurred in an age long, long ago. There were five hundred merchants traveling through a great mountain valley. The mountain path was rugged, steep, and exceedingly dark. The merchants had heard that many bandits lurked in the mountains. They feared not only that their wealth would be stolen but also that they themselves would lose their lives. Terrified and confused, they knelt upon the ground, worshipping the sun, the moon, the mountains, the rivers, the earth, and every deity they could think of, weeping and praying without ceasing.”
”The leader of the caravan saw how frightened everyone was and comforted them, saying, ‘Do not be afraid. I can bring you light!’
”He then wrapped a blanket tightly around both of his arms, poured clarified butter over it, and set it ablaze, turning his own arms into living torches. Immediately, brilliant light illuminated the darkness. The flames burned continuously for seven full days, enabling the merchants to pass safely through the dark and dangerous mountain path and finally arrive at a place of safety. Everyone was overjoyed and sincerely grateful to their leader. They constantly praised his boundless compassion and developed deep reverence for him.”
The Buddha then said to Ānanda, “I was that leader. Throughout countless lifetimes, I have been willing to give away everything for the benefit of sentient beings, whether kingdoms, lands, or even my own flesh and blood. It is because of those acts of giving that I have attained such supreme and noble rewards today. Those five hundred merchants are the very same five hundred bhikkhus before you now. In that past life, I gave my own life so that they could obtain physical light. Today, having attained Buddhahood, I bestow upon them the light of the Dharma, enabling them to open the Eye of Wisdom and realize the truth.”
After the Buddha finished explaining these causes and conditions, everyone present was deeply moved by His boundless compassion and His countless lifetimes of selfless sacrifice for the benefit of others. Some immediately attained the fruit of Stream-entry (Sotāpanna), some attained the fruit of Once-returner (Sakadāgāmin), some immediately attained the fruit of Non-returner (Anāgāmin) or Arhatship, while others planted the wholesome roots for becoming Pratyekabuddhas or gave rise to the unsurpassed aspiration for enlightenment. The number of those who attained liberation was beyond measure.
