时间：10/26/2024 10/27/2024
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：Otto Huang
佛法修行
企图找寻世界边缘的赤马仙
有一次，佛陀到憍萨罗国的首都舍卫城游化，住在城南郊外的祇树给孤独园。
在一个天还未亮的清晨，给孤独园来了一位名叫「赤马」的天子，想要拜访佛陀。赤马天子展现着绝妙的容色，身体还泛出柔和的亮光，照亮了整个给孤独园。天子先向佛陀礼拜问讯，然后向佛陀提了一个问题：
「世尊！到底我们能不能跨过这个世界的边界，到另一个不生、不老、不死的地方去？」
「不能跨越这个世界的边界，到达一个不生、不老、不死的境地。」佛陀明确地回答。
听到了佛陀这样的回答，赤马天子十分折服地赞叹说：
「太神奇了，世尊！世尊这样的回答。为什么我会觉得神奇呢？因为我回忆起过去生时，曾经是一位名叫赤马的外道仙人（修行人）。那时的赤马仙，练就一身了得的神足神通，能够快速地腾空飞行。有多快呢？就像一位熟练的弓箭手，在他射出的箭通过树影宽距离的短暂时间中，赤马仙就能从东海跨过西海。那时的赤马仙心想：以我这样了得的神通能力，应当可以飞到这个世界的边缘。不仅心想，赤马仙还真的付诸了行动，除了吃东西、少少的睡眠时间、大小便之外，每天不停地展现神通，快速地往这个世界的边缘腾空奔去。就这样不停地飞了百余年，还是到不了这个世界的边缘，就死在路途中了。真是稀有啊！世尊作了这样的回答。」
佛陀接着告诉赤马天子说：
「现在，我就以我们七尺的身躯，来告诉你什么是世界，世界是怎么形成的，怎么止息的，以及止息的方法。
赤马天子！什么是世间呢？世间就是染着的五类聚集（五受阴）。哪五类呢？是带有爱染的物质类、情感类、思考想象类、意志类，以及辨识了别类。
什么是世间形成的根本因素呢？是爱染；包括表现于现在与未来，对自我、以及自以为我所拥有的各种形式的爱。
什么是世间的止息呢？对各种形式爱染的断除、舍离、灭尽、无欲、息没，就是世间的止息。
世间止息的方法呢？是八正道：正见、正思惟、正语、正业、正命、正精进、正念、正定。
赤马！应当了知世间苦迫的真相，断除世间所有的忧苦；应当了知形成世间的真正根源并断除它；应当了知世间的寂灭并体证它；应当了知世间寂灭之道，修学这世间寂灭之道。赤马！如果能够这样，才是真正的跨越了世间的边缘，渡过了世间的爱染。」
Date: 10/26/2024 10/27/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
The Ascetic ChimaWho Attempted to Find the Edge of the World
Once, the Buddha went on a journey to the capital city of Shravasti in the kingdom of Kosala and stayed at the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park, located on the southern outskirts of the city.
One early morning before dawn, a deity named Chima came to visit the Buddha. Chima displayed an exquisite appearance, with a gentle glow emanating from his body, illuminating the entire grove. The deity first bowed to the Buddha and then asked him a question:
”World-Honored One! Can we cross the boundaries of this world to reach a place where there is no birth, no aging, and no death?”
”You cannot cross the boundaries of this world to reach a state of no birth, no aging, and no death,” the Buddha replied clearly.
Upon hearing this response from the Buddha, Chima was greatly impressed and exclaimed:
”It’s so amazing, World-Honored One! Such an answer from you. Why do I find it amazing? Because I recall that in a past life, I was an ascetic named Chima.
At that time, the ascetic Chima had attained incredible divine powers, enabling him to fly swiftly through the air. How fast was he? Just like a skilled archer whose arrow, passing through the shadow of a tree, covers a great distance in a brief moment, Chima could cross from the East Sea to the West Sea.
At that time, the ascetic Chimathought: with my extraordinary divine powers, I should be able to fly to the edge of this world. Not only did he think it, but Chima also put it into action. Except for eating, a little sleep, and relieving himself, he continuously displayed his divine powers, swiftly flying towards the edge of this world.
He flew tirelessly for over a hundred years but still could not reach the edge of this world and died on the way. Truly rare it is! The World-Honored One has given such an answer.”
The Buddha then told Chima:
”Now, let me use our seven-foot body to tell you what the world is, how it is formed, how it ceases, and the way to its cessation.
Chima, what is the world? The world is the accumulation of five aggregates tainted by attachment. Which five aggregates? They are the aggregates of form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, all tainted by attachment.
What is the fundamental factor in the formation of the world? It is attachment; it includes the manifestation in the present and future, the attachment to self, and all forms of possessiveness regarding self.
What is the cessation of the world? It is the elimination, abandonment, cessation, and dispassion towards all forms of attachment, which is the cessation of the world.
What is the method to cease the world? It is the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Chima! You should understand the truth of the suffering in the world and eliminate all the sorrows of the world; you should understand the true root cause of the formation of the world and eliminate it; you should understand the cessation of the world and realize it; you should understand the path to the cessation of the world and practice it. Chima! Only by doing so can one truly cross the boundaries of the world and transcend the attachments of the world.”
