從愛心出發

以前有一個故事，有一位富翁有兩個男孩，兩個都是同樣富有、同樣聰明，都是出生在富有的家庭，也是一起在富裕的環境中成長。有一天，弟弟想去外面體驗其他的生活，所以他告訴他爸爸，他要去外面學習生活的體驗。

他到外面去以後，嘗受過很多困難，日子也過得很艱辛，但是他也學習到很多道理，所以他越來越聰明，越來越有智慧，也越能幹，知道很多情況，也發現自己的潛在能力。以前他都不曉得自己具有這些能力，因為在家時很富有，凡事都有奴隸、工人、佣人服侍，一點也不需要自己動手，他要什麼有什麼，所以他不曉得自己有什麼能力。去外面體驗生活以後，他才發現，原來自己具有這麼多不可思議的能力、不可思議的天才，他越來越高興、越來越明白，他具有那麼多力量。

但是在他明白這個道理以前，他也碰到很多困難，最後他遭遇到最艱難的情況：他病重、沒有錢，又沒有人照顧，也沒有家住，什麼都沒有，別人對他又不好。那個時候他很想家，所以他想，不可以再這樣下去，我一定要回家。在家中，我生活得很好，為什麼我要去外面，變成乞丐的樣子？那個時候他很想家、想回去，想跟家人溝通。回去以後，他爸爸很高興，非常歡迎他，馬上拿最好的衣服給他穿，最好的東西給他吃，送他最好的禮物，開盛大的宴會歡迎他回來。

那個時候，大兒子問他的爸爸：「那我呢？你怎麼沒有替我開宴會？你怎麼沒有特別給我什麼好東西？我到現在始終對你很真誠，我沒有離開過你啊！我天天侍奉你、跟你接近，你卻沒有給我什麼。」他爸爸告訴他，我的東西都是你們的。

現在他們兩兄弟的情況和以前完全一樣，弟弟並沒有失掉什麼，還是跟以前一樣富有，但是比哥哥多出什麼好處呢？你們曉得嗎？多出生活體驗，多出聰明智慧、多出能幹的能力、多出對自我的覺悟，他比以往更加了解自己，是不是？

可是做哥哥的，就像一位被寵壞的兒子一樣，雖然生活過得很舒適，但是只有舒服的生活而已，沒有用。他跟他弟弟一樣富有，但是缺少弟弟所具有的智慧，弟弟現在明白很多事情，對自我體認更多，更了解自己，也更獨立，但是哥哥什麼事都不曉得。

佛本來是佛沒有錯，但是應該做眾生以後才可以曉得，不當過眾生不曉得；沒有當過眾生，雖然也是佛，但是沒有什麼用。所以我們應該來娑婆世界學東西，學做人，學習困難痛苦的情況，以後才知道「快樂」是什麼？學習「無常」的情況，以後才知道「永恆」是什麼？學習這個「無明」的世界，以後才可以知道「智慧」是什麼？

在你們還沒有學習「完全」以前，雖然也是佛，但還是「無明佛」，慢慢地會變成「開悟佛」，成真正的佛，跟以前完全一樣。本來我們什麼都已經有了，不是等到開悟的時候才有，只是我們自己還不曉得而已。

開悟前和開悟後一樣，以前有那麼多力量，開悟以後，還是一樣有那麼多力量，只是以前不知道自己有那麼多力量，現在知道了。所以釋迦牟尼佛說：「煩惱是菩提」、「眾生是佛」。祂不會說謊，今天師父把這個意思解釋給你們聽，為什麼佛是眾生？為什麼佛要跑到這個世界做眾生，要受那麼多痛苦？

事實上，痛苦也不是痛苦，而是我們在學習東西，這就像我們去學校學習一樣，不論上小學、中學、大學，都不是那麼簡單，但是學好各種課程以後，我們會變得比較聰明，長大以後，會有自己的地位，具有獨立性，所以應該學，不學不行，不學不能知道自己都有哪些能力。

如果說所有眾生都具有佛性，本來已經是佛，那怎麼可以說女眾不能成佛？這是胡說，成佛就是成佛，沒有什麼分別。所以我告訴你們好幾次，外道、內道都是道，好、壞都是佛，沒有好也沒有壞，但這是最高的境界，在我們還沒有達到這個境界以前，我們必須學習，還應該做好事，不可以說，因為好跟壞一樣，所以就不要學，反正我已經是佛了，我不需要修行。不可以這樣想！

我們本來是佛，但是還要修行，因為我們還不真正了解自己是佛。師父這樣講，你們相信，因為你們相信師父，但是你們自己還不是真正認識自己，所以應該修行，不然我們會有很多痛苦。還不認識自己的時候，別人稍微罵一點就會痛心，人家恨我們，我們也會恨他，因為還不認識所有眾生都是佛，還達不到這個平等心，還做不到不分別心。所以應該修行，修到什麼時侯，我們的心不動，看所有眾生，就如同看自己一樣，這樣才算是真正了解自己。 

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/news/172/

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Once upon a time, there was a rich man and his two sons who were equally rich and intelligent. They were born into the same rich family and grew up in the same wealthy environment. One day, the younger brother had the urge to experience a different life, so he told his father that he would like to venture outside to gain new life experiences.

In the world outside, he encountered many predicaments and lived through great difficulties, but he had also learned a lot of truths. Therefore, he became more intelligent, wiser and more capable. He knew how to handle many different situations and discovered his own potentials. Previously, he was not aware he had these abilities because he was living in a wealthy family and attended to by slaves, laborers and servants in everything. He could get anything he wanted without having to lift a finger. Therefore, he did not know what kind of abilities he had. Only after venturing outside to experience life, did he discover that he possessed so many incredible abilities and talents. He became happier and happier,realizing more and more  that he had such great power.

Nevertheless, before realizing this truth, he ran into many hardships. Finally, the gravest situation befell him: he was left seriously ill, penniless, had no one to take care of him, had no home, nothing and was treated badly.  At that moment, he really missed home. He thought: “I cannot carry on like this; I must go home. I can live comfortably at home, so why must I go outside and live like a beggar?” At that time, he longed to go home and contacted his family. When he finally came home, his father was extremely delighted and welcomed him warmly. He immediately gave his son the best clothes, food and the best gifts. A grand banquet was held to welcome him home.

At that time, the elder son asked his father: “What about me? You have never held a banquet for me or given me anything special! Why? I have been faithful to you all this time and I have never left you! I attended to you every day and stayed close to you, yet you never gave me anything.” His father then told him: “All the things that I have belong to you brothers.”

Now, the circumstances of the two brothers were exactly the same as before. The younger brother didn’t lose anything; he was still as wealthy as before. However, he had gained something that his elder brother had not. Do you have any idea what? He had gained more life experiences, more intelligence, more wisdom, more capabilities and more self-realizations. Thus he understood himself better than before. Is that right?

On the other hand, the elder brother was like a spoiled son. He enjoyed a comfortable life, but that was all he had; nothing really useful. He had the same wealth as his younger brother had, without the wisdom. Now his younger brother understood many things, had a better realization and understanding of himself, and became more independent. Yet, the elder brother had none of these.

It is true that a Buddha is originally a Buddha, but we can only realize this after we have gone through the stage of a sentient being. Otherwise, we do not know that we are Buddha. Without going through the stage of a sentient being, even though we are still Buddha, we are useless. Therefore, we have to come to this deluding world to study, to learn how to be a human being, how to overcome difficult and painful situations, and eventually understand what “happiness” is. We have to learn about “ephemeral” situations in order to realize what “eternity” is. We have to learn about the “ignorance” of this world before we can understand what “wisdom” is.

Before you have completed your learning, although you are still a Buddha, you are an “ignorant Buddha.” Slowly you will become an “enlightened Buddha,” a true Buddha, exactly the same as we originally are. We already had everything in the first place; we don’t have to wait until we are enlightened to have it. It is just that we are not aware of what we have.

There is no difference between before enlightenment and after enlightenment. We still have the same power after enlightenment as before, except that we did not know we had such power before. Now you understand.  That was why Sakyamuni Buddha said: “Vexation is Wisdom,” and “Sentient beings are Buddhas.” He was not lying. Today I am explaining to you what He meant: Why Buddhas are sentient beings, and why Buddhas have to come to this world to become sentient beings and endure great sufferings?

The truth is sufferings are not really sufferings; we are merely learning, just like learning in school. Whether we go to elementary school, secondary school or university, all of them are challenging. However, after we have learned the various subjects, we will become more intelligent. After growing up, we will earn our own place and become independent. Therefore, we must learn. Otherwise, we will not be aware of what abilities we have.

If all sentient beings have the Buddha Nature and are originally Buddhas, then why do people say women cannot achieve Buddhahood? This is nonsense! Attaining Buddhahood is attaining Buddhahood; there is no difference. That is why I have told you many times that both heretical paths and orthodox paths are spiritual paths, and good beings and bad beings are Buddhas. There is no good, or bad. But that’s speaking from the point of view of the highest level. Before we reach this level, we must learn and we still need to do good deeds. We cannot say: “Since good or bad is the same, there is no need to learn. Since I am already a Buddha, I don’t need to practice.” We must not embrace such ideas!

It is true we are originally Buddhas, but we still need to practice spiritually because we have not yet truly realized that we are the Buddhas. When I tell you all this, you believe, because you believe in me. However, you still have not truly known this for yourself, so you must practice spiritually. Otherwise, you will have a lot of suffering. Before knowing ourselves, we feel very hurt when people reproach us however lightly; we hate whoever hates us, because we still have not realized that all sentient beings are Buddhas. We have yet to reach the level where we treat all beings equally and without discrimination. That is why we should pursue spiritual practice until our hearts become still and we see all sentient beings as ourselves. At that time, we can say we have truly realized ourselves.

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/172/st_36.html