June 24 2018

Jun 24, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

(continued)

Another benchmark for the “foundation of the Buddhist Way” is the “Three (sources of) Meritorious Blessings, as mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra – the worldly blessings, the precept blessings, and the cultivation blessings.  The “worldly blessings” refer to worldly virtuous deeds, which is a prerequisite for obtaining retribution worldly felicity. The worldly virtuous deeds include: “to be filial towards one’s parents, respect and serve our teachers and elders, compassionately refrain from killing, and practice the ten good deeds”.

The precept blessings refer to “taking the three refuges, keeping the various precepts, and refraining from breaking the rules of conduct”; and

The cultivation blessings refer to “awakening aspiration for Enlightenment, believing deeply in the law of causality, chanting the Mahayana sutras, and encouraging people to follow the Buddhist teachings”.

All our three karmas are greed, anger, and delusion, with no regard for others. We are unable to perform the Three Meritorious Deeds, not even one. If we know this point by experience, we will deeply believe that our aptitude (for practicing these virtuous deeds) does not allow us to have the karmic condition to leave (the cycle of reincarnations).

另一種「道基」的標準是《觀無量壽經》所講的「三福」──世間福、戒福、行福。「世間福」指是世間的善事，有了世間的善事才能獲得世間的福報。

世間的善事，就是「孝養父母、奉事師長、慈心不殺、修十善業」；

「戒福」是「受持三皈、具足眾戒、不犯威儀」；

「行福」是「發菩提心、深信因果、讀誦大乘、勸進行者」。

我們三業都是貪瞋癡、自私自利，不要說三福，我們連一福都做不到，如果體會這一點，也會深信自己的根機是一個無有出離之緣的人。

Namo Amitabha!