從愛心出發

問:請問師父，佛法有句話說：「放下屠刀，立地成佛」，那為什麼釋迦牟尼佛經過三大阿僧祇劫的修行才成佛，這其中是否是有混淆的地方？

答:這是因為佛菩薩講的話我們不大懂。放下屠刀不一定能成佛，如果我們沒有找到佛的話，就算我們放下一百把屠刀都沒有用！連那些沒有拿屠刀的人都不能成佛，何況放下屠刀的人呢？這句話真正的意思是這樣：如果我們遇到在世明師，我們後悔並放下屠刀，明師替我們洗業障，任何的罪惡都被他洗乾淨了，這樣我們才能成佛。因為佛在心，所以才那麼簡單成佛。如果我們不認識這個「在心佛」的話，就算我們修百千萬劫也不能成佛，何況三個阿僧祇劫！這個還太少了。所以要了解：遇到明師，任何罪惡都可以消除，馬上成佛；沒有遇到明師，修阿僧祇劫都沒用！釋迦牟尼佛有可能三個阿僧祇劫都沒有遇到明師，所以才不能成佛。

問:沒有印心就不能解脫成佛嗎？

答:解脫是可以，成佛很難。沒有印心的人，比較不知道走哪一條路，不知道什麼果位是佛果，不知道每天怎麼培養自己的佛性、怎麼開自己的智慧。假如你遇到一位明師，你沒有跟他印心，不過你喜歡他，你的內心崇拜他、跟他溝通，這樣也會解脫，這樣算是默默印心。公開印心就是正式跟他學，然後才能成佛。或是你的親戚朋友有印心，你也會得到解脫的果報，不過這也是看個人業障。

問:科學家發明一些東西造福人類，這樣算不算慈悲？這和宗教家所說的慈悲心一樣嗎？科學真的能照顧人類嗎？

答:科學只能照顧物質方面而已。不過我們還是需要科學家，因為不是每個人相信宗教以後，都會認真修行，也不是每個宗教團體都有教人家怎麼修行。多數宗教團體只教人家理論而已，比如說：你應該做好人，有天堂、有地獄等等，他們沒有教人家怎麼去天堂、怎麼避免地獄的方法。

所以還是需要科學，因為科學是照顧世界的物質方面，很多人還抓住這個娑婆世界很緊，很喜歡物質的方面，即使有一些人有修行，但還沒有得道，他們還需要這些讓生活舒服的科學工具，所以還是需要科學。不過科學家如果沒有為了愛心而做的話，也不算跟宗教一樣，有時候科學家發明什麼東西，是因為好奇，因為他們自己喜歡做，不一定為了要照顧人類。所以有的科學家用自己的聰明能力，發明很多不好的東西。宗教就不一樣，宗教從頭到尾都是為了讓眾生舒服，為了慈悲博愛才做的，所以兩者不大一樣。

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M: This is because we don’t understand the words of the Buddha. One cannot become a Buddha for sure just by laying down the butcher’s knife. If we have not found the Buddha, then even putting down a hundred knives would not be of any use. Even people who have never held a butcher’s knife cannot become Buddhas, much less those who have been slaughterers. The real meaning of this statement is: If we have found a living Enlightened Master, and repented and laid down the butcher’s knife, then the Enlightened Master will cleanse us of all karma and sins, and only then can we become a Buddha. We can become a Buddha so easily because we all have Buddha Nature within. Before we recognize this Buddha Nature within, we can never become a Buddha even if we practice for innumerable eons, not to say merely three eons! That is much too soon. Therefore, we should realize that, having found the Enlightened Master, all our sins can be erased and we can become a Buddha immediately. Without finding the Enlightened Master, practicing for eons is futile! It is possible that Sakyamuni Buddha failed to find an Enlightened Master during those three eons, which was why He did not attain Buddhahood.

Q: Is it impossible to be liberated and attain Buddhahood if we do not receive initiation?

M: Liberation might be possible, but attaining Buddhahood is very difficult. People who are not initiated usually don’t know which path to take, don’t know what Buddhahood is, don’t know how to cultivate their Buddha Nature each day and open their wisdom. Suppose you have met an Enlightened Master but did not receive initiation from Him. If you just admire Him, revere Him in your heart and communicate with Him within, you will also get liberation in this way. This is also reckoned as a kind of informal initiation. Receiving the formal initiation means following Him to learn, and then you will become a Buddha. Or, if your relatives or friends have been initiated, then you will also have liberation as a result. However, it also depends on the karma of each person.

Q: Can it be regarded as a kind of compassion when scientists invent something that benefits humans? Is this the same compassion that religious people talk about? Can science really take care of humans?

M: Science can only take care of the material aspects. Nevertheless, we need scientists, because not everyone practices seriously after believing in a religion, and not every religious group teaches people how to practice spiritually. Most religious groups only teach the doctrines, such as you ought to be a good person, and Heaven and hell do exist, etc. They do not teach people how to go to Heaven and how to avoid hell.

Therefore, science is necessary, because it takes care of the material aspects of this world. Many people continue to cling tightly to this secular world and love material things. Other people who pursue spiritual practice but have not yet attained the ultimate Truth still need scientific tools for the well-being of sentient beings. Therefore, science is still necessary. However, if scientists are not doing their job out of love, then we cannot say they are similar to religious people. Sometimes, scientists invent something out of curiosity or because they love to do it, not necessarily to benefit humans. That is why some scientists use their intellectual powers to invent many undesirable things. Religious people are different; right from the start, they do things out of compassion and universal love for the well-being of sentient beings. Therefore, the two are not quite the same. >>

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/news/173/

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/173/