时间：08/03/2024 08/04/2024
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：Otto Huang
佛法修行
佛陀的无记回答
有一次，一位名叫郁低迦的外道出家修行者，到王舍城的迦兰陀竹园拜访佛陀。问讯寒暄后，外道郁低迦问：
「瞿昙！世间有边吗？」
「郁低迦！这是无记。」佛陀回答。
「那么，瞿昙！世间无边吗？」
「郁低迦！这也是无记。」
「瞿昙！那，世间是常呢？还是无常？生命的本体是身体呢？还是与身体异离的？真我在死后是存在的呢？还是不存在？」
「郁低迦！这些都是无记。」
「瞿昙！您说这些都是无记，那到底您的主张是什么呢？」
「郁低迦！我以自己正觉的体证宣说，使众生得以和我一样，彻底地脱离忧苦烦恼，尽苦而正觉解脱。」
「瞿昙！那您说说看，世间到底有多少比例的人，是走您所体证的这条路出离解脱的呢？是半数？或是三分之一？」
到此，佛陀就沉默不回答了。纵然外道郁低迦再三追问，佛陀都沉默以应，不予回答。
这时，在旁边的尊者阿难心想：不能让郁低迦这位修行人，错以为他问倒了佛陀，错以为佛陀害怕了答不出来！于是，尊者阿难就接下话题，回答说：
「郁低迦！就让我打个比喻吧：譬如有一位国王，在边境建了一座十分牢固的城堡，为了安全起见，只留有一道城门进出。城门有一位守门人，聪明黠慧，擅长辨认进出的人，能阻挡所有不应当入城的人。守门人知道，城堡的外墙十分坚固，连个缝隙都没有，所有的人、畜，只能从这道门进出，没有第二个进出的可能了。
郁低迦！世尊也是这样，知道所有已经出离的解脱者，不论是过去、现在还是未来，都是走断五盖、修四念处、七觉支这条道路而成就的，至于人数的多少，到底是世间的半数或三分之一，那就不重要了，佛陀是不会在这方面用心的。」
Date: 08/03/2024 08/04/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
Buddha’s Undetermined Answers
Once, a non-Buddhist ascetic named Yudhika visited Buddha at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rajagaha. After greetings, Yudhika asked:
”Gotama! Does the world have an end?”
”Yudhika! That is undetermined,” Buddha replied.
”Then, Gotama! Does the world not have an end?”
”Yudhika! That too is undetermined.”
”Gotama! Then, is the world eternal? Or is it transient? Is the essence of life the body or distinct from the body? Does the true self exist after death or not?”
”Yudhika! All these are undetermined.”
”Gotama! You say these are undetermined, so what exactly is your doctrine?”
”Yudhika! I teach based on my own direct enlightenment to help beings fully liberate themselves from suffering, sorrow, and distress to attain enlightenment and ultimate liberation.”
”Gotama! Then tell me, what proportion of people in the world follow your demonstrated path to liberation? Is it half, or perhaps one-third?”
At this point, Buddha remained silent. Despite Yudhika’s persistent questioning, Buddha maintained his silence and did not respond.
At that moment, Ananda, who was nearby, thought: “It must not be assumed that Yudhika has confounded Buddha or that Buddha is afraid to answer.” So Ananda took up the conversation:
”Yudhika! Let me give you an analogy: Imagine a king built a very strong fortress at the border, for safety, leaving only one gate for entry and exit. The gatekeeper is wise and clever, adept at recognizing who should enter or leave, and stops all those who should not enter.
The gatekeeper knows that the fortress walls are extremely solid, without a single crack, and all people and animals can only enter or exit through this gate, there being no other possibility.
Similarly, the Exalted One knows that all those who have achieved liberation, whether in the past, present, or future, have done so by following the path of abandoning the five hindrances, practicing the four foundations of mindfulness, and developing the seven factors of enlightenment.
As for the exact proportion of people, whether it’s half or one-third of the world, that is not significant, and Buddha does not concern himself with these details.”
