Sept 23

Sep 23, 2017
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Being a person who is aware of himself as an iniquitous ordinary being subject to endless rebirth, what does he feel when he is trying to achieve the precepts that he has already known couldn’t be achieved? In modern China, Master Hong Yi is famous of observing the Vinaya (rules or codes of conducts). He understands the Vinaya very well and carefully introspects himself. He said he was not a bhiksu (a monk who has taken the full precepts) not even qualified for the Five Precepts, and at best just an upāsaka (a lay follower) with higher marks. His status is just like that, let alone ours. As a result (or In this respect), we need an alternative approach in regard of monastics’ three categories of dignified manners (deeds, words and thoughts), correction of evil doings and revert to good deeds, moral cultivation, and self-discipline in relation to virtue integrity.  To us, the tenets and traditions of our school show the methods and contents of our disciplines.

一個自覺是罪惡生死凡夫的人，當他要去做自覺已經是做不到的行持時，心情會是怎麼樣呢？近代持戒最有名的就是弘一大師，弘一大師了解戒律、深入戒律，同時自我反省也很細膩，所以他說他不是比丘，甚至連五戒也不夠格，只是多分的優婆塞而已。他已是這樣了，何況我們？既然這樣，對於出家人的三業威儀，還有改過行善、修身養性、砥礪德行的，必需要有另外的方法。以我們法門來說，砥礪的方法內容就是我們的「宗風」。

Namo Amitabha!