問：要如何判斷一個老師該有怎麼樣的素質？
答：人們起先認為所有的西藏僧侶都是很有學問的，他們身上所穿的僧袍令許多西方人印象深刻。但其實大部分的僧侶並非是很有學問的。正確的學習有賴於正規的教育，穿著僧袍在西藏只是一種文化上的傳統，並不就意味著達到證悟。佛法修行者需要的是一位完成正規教育的真正具格老師，老師們不一定要是僧侶，他們也可以是博學多聞的在家修行人。為了在學習佛法的路上避免障礙，我們應該依法不依人。我們應該要做到，就算跟隨著一位不完美的老師，仍然有足夠的知識告訴自己如何去行為才是正確的。學生對於佛法的依止是有可能比老師還要如法的。這種情形會發生在當老師雖然正確地給予了一些法教，但他自己卻沒有將它們運用在生活中的時候。特別重要的是，一個值得信賴的老師應該要擁有淵博的學問以及慈悲心。在金剛乘裡，作為一個老師必須實際上先達到證悟才行。雖然在擁有這些特質的老師身上，我們會自然地湧現信心，但是透過學習佛法而生起的信心也是非常重要的。
問：檢驗老師是有可能的嗎？
答：如果你擁有對金剛乘完整的認識，就可以去檢驗你的老師。你可以審視他的教育背景和所接受到傳承，與他有多廣泛地運用這些法教。這就像是在大學裡檢驗一個教授一般。你可以試著找出那個教授在他的領域裡表現得多麼傑出，或問其他學生他的口碑以作參考。我們可以用這樣的方式去檢驗一位老師的知識。然而，只有在你自己實際練習禪修之後，你才有能力判斷老師的實際禪修狀態。總結以上，在一開始就對「法」有比較親密的了解是有必要的。
Kkö-info: How can one judge which qualities a teacher really has?
Rinpoche: People initially thought that all Tibetan monks were very learned.
Their robes impressed many westerners.
But most monks are not very learned.
To learn properly requires formal education. In Tibet, wearing a robe is a cultural tradition.
Anyone who wears a robe is not necessarily enlightened.
Dharma practitioners need real qualified teachers who have completed their education.
They don't necessarily have to be monks; they can be learned lay practitioners.
In order to avoid obstacles when learning the Dharma, one should follow the teachings instead of the teacher.
One should know enough to act correctly even with an imperfect teacher.
It is possible to follow the teachings more closely as a student than the teacher does himself.
This happens when the teacher correctly transmits the contents but does not live according to their meaning.
In particular, a teacher worthy of trust should have great knowledge and compassion.
In the Vajrayana the teacher should actually be enlightened.
Faith can therefore develop in such a teacher who possesses those qualities, but it is also very important to develop faith through study.
Kkö-info: Is it possible to check on one's teacher?
Rinpoche: If you have a thorough knowledge of Vajrayana philosophy, you can check on your teacher. You can look at his education and the transmissions he has received, and to what extent they were practiced.
It is similar to checking a professor at a university.
You can find out how good a professor is in his field; you can ask other students or teachers for references.
In this way one can check on the knowledge of a teacher.
However, the quality of a teacher's meditation can only be judged if you have developed meditation yourself.
And therefore it is necessary for you to first become intimately familiar with the Dharma.
諸位菩薩大德， 吾於2007年跟隨第十七世噶瑪巴聽列泰耶多傑和夏瑪巴在菩提迦葉出家，2008年成立菩提道台中中心，其宗旨在推廣佛行事業，傳布佛法，實踐菩薩行，淨化人心，祕密莊嚴人間淨土。 於2012年在台灣法界電視臺弘揚噶舉傳承與菩提心等佛法大意。2013年兩位法王指派吾兼任花蓮寺院法務，自2014年將定期辦理紐聶〈十一面千手觀音斷食法)，白度母等閉關法會。 今錄製光碟，流通結緣。願諸高僧大德不吝賜教! 當今我們遭遇如此殊勝之教法，皆不願勝教衰微。今祈請大德齊心協力，共濟未來。 Google部落格http://bodhipath07.blogspot.com/ (菩提道台中中心)
2010年12月27日 星期一
2010年12月21日 星期二
學習去看(Learning to see)--1
問：對於西方的修行者而言，什麼是重要的？
答：修習佛法最重要的是要為了你們自己修習。親近佛法可以有很多不同的方式。比如說，若一位忙於事業與家庭的俗世中人欲做一些簡單的日常練習，那對於佛法有一些初步的認識就夠了。但是如果你想要廣泛而深入地修行，對於佛陀的教法則得相當熟悉才行。一旦你真正認真地研讀、分析佛陀的法教之後，必須試著將學習到的智識與實際禪修連結在一起，這些知識才得以轉化而成為真實的經驗。佛法是一片廣大而富饒的知識領域，而不僅只是宗教和信仰。正確而適當地學習佛法是會花上一段長時間的。
問：很多人沒有時間進行密集的研究及長時間的閉關修行。在日常生活中，人們要如何達到最好的學習與實修效果？
答：若以研究來說，必須先對「中觀」、「灌頂」的內涵與重要性有一個基礎的認識。若談到實際禪修，盡可能地大量練習絕對錯不了。從以前到現在一直都還有很多成功的行者並沒有進行長期閉關，但仍舊可以透過在家禪修而成就。一開始盡可能地吸收基礎的法教將有助於日後正確的實修。在西方世界，由於老年生活比較安全而有保障，如果能這樣子來著手，你們將得以在那時有更多深入修行的機會，如此所打下的基礎將會延續到下一輩子。
問：為了獲得知識，我們需要依止一位能讓我們生起信心的老師，這樣的信心要如何培養？
答：信心來自於知識。如果你對這條道路沒有足夠的了解，你便不可能擁有真實的信心。信心意味著對道路的了解，並對自己所擁有的知識生起信心。如果你密集地學習，信心會自然地湧現。舉例來說，盲人會需要有一個他能夠完全信賴的嚮導，如果你情願去當那個盲人，你就永遠會需要一個嚮導，但若你不想當那個盲人，你就應該學習「如何去看」。慢慢地你才能打開你的雙眼，嘗試著信任你眼前浮現的道路，並試著走在那條道路上。需要一個老師並非意味著你們的關係必須像盲人與導盲犬一般─你完全地依賴他。
問：您舉這個例子真正想說明的意思是什麼呢？
答：我在描述一種人，在他們在接觸佛法之後，會變成激進的極端主義者或追星族。他們穿著印有「嗡瑪尼貝美哄」咒語的T恤滿街跑，到處交際。如果可以的話，他們恨不得能夠鑽進上師的皮膚。他們甚至試著去模仿他們上師的聲音與言行舉止。在佛教而言，平常心的態度是很重要的。
在西藏我們有一句話說：「一流的生意人修習佛法會成為一流的修行者」。生意人擁有務實的頭腦與清晰的思路，這同時是做為一個修行人所必須擁有的。
問：那應當如何依止老師？
答：應該尊敬，並對老師心存感恩。一旦跟隨了一位老師就要堅持。同時你也要小心，不要在接受了一些深奧的法教之後就把老師丟在一旁，這會帶來負面的結果。就好像你新學了一種語言之後，不會就對老師粗魯無禮、漠不關心，事實上，你虧欠你的老師很多。
Kkö-info: What is important to Dharma practitioners in the West?
Rinpoche: In order to practice Buddhism it is most important to learn for yourself.
There are different ways of approaching the Dharma.
If a worldly person who is busy with his profession or family, wants a simple daily practice, then a limited understanding of Buddhism is sufficient.
But if you want to get into it with some depth and to practice extensively, then you should become quite familiar with the teachings.
Once you have seriously studied, and analyzed Buddha's teachings, you must connect what you have learned with meditation so that it becomes a real experience.
Buddhism is a vast and rich field of knowledge. It is not just a religion or a belief. Therefore, it takes a long time to learn the Dharma properly.
Kkö-info: Many people don't have the time for intensive studies or long retreat. How can people best study and practice in normal daily life?
Rinpoche: Concerning study, one should gain a basic knowledge of the Madhyamaka, and about the empowerments and their significance.
Concerning meditation, it is always good to practice as much as possible.
There were and still are successful practitioners who meditate at home, without going into long retreat.
First learn as much as you can about the basic Dharma in order to be able to meditate properly.
If you proceed in this way, especially in the West where people tend to be more secure in your old age, you could have the opportunity to practice intensively later on in life, because you will have created the basis for it over your lifetime.
Kkö-info: In order to gain knowledge we need teachers we can have faith in. How does this faith develop?
Rinpoche: Faith comes from knowledge. If you have no knowledge of the path, it is impossible to have real faith.
Faith means knowing the way, having faith in your own knowledge.
If you study intensively, faith appears spontaneously.
For example, a blind person needs a guide whom he must trust completely. If you prefer to be blind you will always need a guide. But if you do not want to be blind, you should learn to see. Gradually you can open your eyes and learn to trust your way of seeing and walking along the path. To need a teacher does not mean that you have to hang onto him like a blind person to his seeing-eye dog.
Kkö-info: What do you really mean by this example?
Rinpoche: I am talking about people who when they meet the Dharma become extremists and turn into groupies.
They run around in tee shirts printed with OM MANI PEME HUNG mantras.
They would love to slip into the skin of their teacher. They even try to sound like their teacher, to imitate him in a certain way.
In Buddhism a natural human understanding is important.
In Tibet there is a saying for this, "A first class businessman when learning the Dharma will also be a first class practitioner." A businessman possesses practical understanding and clear thinking so necessary for Buddhist practice.
Kkö-info: How should one follow one's teacher?
Rinpoche: You should respect and feel gratitude towards your teacher. If you do follow a teacher you should be persistent.
You should also be careful that when you have gathered profound knowledge you don't leave your teacher behind.
This would bring negative results. For example, after you've learned a language, you would not be rude to your teacher and not say hello to him anymore. You actually owe a lot to that person.
答：修習佛法最重要的是要為了你們自己修習。親近佛法可以有很多不同的方式。比如說，若一位忙於事業與家庭的俗世中人欲做一些簡單的日常練習，那對於佛法有一些初步的認識就夠了。但是如果你想要廣泛而深入地修行，對於佛陀的教法則得相當熟悉才行。一旦你真正認真地研讀、分析佛陀的法教之後，必須試著將學習到的智識與實際禪修連結在一起，這些知識才得以轉化而成為真實的經驗。佛法是一片廣大而富饒的知識領域，而不僅只是宗教和信仰。正確而適當地學習佛法是會花上一段長時間的。
問：很多人沒有時間進行密集的研究及長時間的閉關修行。在日常生活中，人們要如何達到最好的學習與實修效果？
答：若以研究來說，必須先對「中觀」、「灌頂」的內涵與重要性有一個基礎的認識。若談到實際禪修，盡可能地大量練習絕對錯不了。從以前到現在一直都還有很多成功的行者並沒有進行長期閉關，但仍舊可以透過在家禪修而成就。一開始盡可能地吸收基礎的法教將有助於日後正確的實修。在西方世界，由於老年生活比較安全而有保障，如果能這樣子來著手，你們將得以在那時有更多深入修行的機會，如此所打下的基礎將會延續到下一輩子。
問：為了獲得知識，我們需要依止一位能讓我們生起信心的老師，這樣的信心要如何培養？
答：信心來自於知識。如果你對這條道路沒有足夠的了解，你便不可能擁有真實的信心。信心意味著對道路的了解，並對自己所擁有的知識生起信心。如果你密集地學習，信心會自然地湧現。舉例來說，盲人會需要有一個他能夠完全信賴的嚮導，如果你情願去當那個盲人，你就永遠會需要一個嚮導，但若你不想當那個盲人，你就應該學習「如何去看」。慢慢地你才能打開你的雙眼，嘗試著信任你眼前浮現的道路，並試著走在那條道路上。需要一個老師並非意味著你們的關係必須像盲人與導盲犬一般─你完全地依賴他。
問：您舉這個例子真正想說明的意思是什麼呢？
答：我在描述一種人，在他們在接觸佛法之後，會變成激進的極端主義者或追星族。他們穿著印有「嗡瑪尼貝美哄」咒語的T恤滿街跑，到處交際。如果可以的話，他們恨不得能夠鑽進上師的皮膚。他們甚至試著去模仿他們上師的聲音與言行舉止。在佛教而言，平常心的態度是很重要的。
在西藏我們有一句話說：「一流的生意人修習佛法會成為一流的修行者」。生意人擁有務實的頭腦與清晰的思路，這同時是做為一個修行人所必須擁有的。
問：那應當如何依止老師？
答：應該尊敬，並對老師心存感恩。一旦跟隨了一位老師就要堅持。同時你也要小心，不要在接受了一些深奧的法教之後就把老師丟在一旁，這會帶來負面的結果。就好像你新學了一種語言之後，不會就對老師粗魯無禮、漠不關心，事實上，你虧欠你的老師很多。
Kkö-info: What is important to Dharma practitioners in the West?
Rinpoche: In order to practice Buddhism it is most important to learn for yourself.
There are different ways of approaching the Dharma.
If a worldly person who is busy with his profession or family, wants a simple daily practice, then a limited understanding of Buddhism is sufficient.
But if you want to get into it with some depth and to practice extensively, then you should become quite familiar with the teachings.
Once you have seriously studied, and analyzed Buddha's teachings, you must connect what you have learned with meditation so that it becomes a real experience.
Buddhism is a vast and rich field of knowledge. It is not just a religion or a belief. Therefore, it takes a long time to learn the Dharma properly.
Kkö-info: Many people don't have the time for intensive studies or long retreat. How can people best study and practice in normal daily life?
Rinpoche: Concerning study, one should gain a basic knowledge of the Madhyamaka, and about the empowerments and their significance.
Concerning meditation, it is always good to practice as much as possible.
There were and still are successful practitioners who meditate at home, without going into long retreat.
First learn as much as you can about the basic Dharma in order to be able to meditate properly.
If you proceed in this way, especially in the West where people tend to be more secure in your old age, you could have the opportunity to practice intensively later on in life, because you will have created the basis for it over your lifetime.
Kkö-info: In order to gain knowledge we need teachers we can have faith in. How does this faith develop?
Rinpoche: Faith comes from knowledge. If you have no knowledge of the path, it is impossible to have real faith.
Faith means knowing the way, having faith in your own knowledge.
If you study intensively, faith appears spontaneously.
For example, a blind person needs a guide whom he must trust completely. If you prefer to be blind you will always need a guide. But if you do not want to be blind, you should learn to see. Gradually you can open your eyes and learn to trust your way of seeing and walking along the path. To need a teacher does not mean that you have to hang onto him like a blind person to his seeing-eye dog.
Kkö-info: What do you really mean by this example?
Rinpoche: I am talking about people who when they meet the Dharma become extremists and turn into groupies.
They run around in tee shirts printed with OM MANI PEME HUNG mantras.
They would love to slip into the skin of their teacher. They even try to sound like their teacher, to imitate him in a certain way.
In Buddhism a natural human understanding is important.
In Tibet there is a saying for this, "A first class businessman when learning the Dharma will also be a first class practitioner." A businessman possesses practical understanding and clear thinking so necessary for Buddhist practice.
Kkö-info: How should one follow one's teacher?
Rinpoche: You should respect and feel gratitude towards your teacher. If you do follow a teacher you should be persistent.
You should also be careful that when you have gathered profound knowledge you don't leave your teacher behind.
This would bring negative results. For example, after you've learned a language, you would not be rude to your teacher and not say hello to him anymore. You actually owe a lot to that person.
2010年12月2日 星期四
40.《因果看不見？》40. "Cause and Effect: Can we see them?”
有一次，我去看一位癌症末期的患者，他的妻子告訴我，他昏睡很久了，醫生說他隨時都會走。我幫他皈依，唸三十五佛懺罪文，他忽然清楚了起來，我趁機開導他說：「人生無常，苦空無我，……要對阿彌陀佛生起信心，發願求生極樂，云云。」第二天他便安然離去。我又「送他一程」！以前看過佛教往生淨土的傳記，說了往生者生前從未接觸佛法，但在更遠的過去種下的因緣臨終前成熟了，他也一樣，這是他的福報，不應只是巧合。
Once, I went to see a terminally-ill cancer patient. His wife told me that he slept for a long time; the doctor said he would die at any time. I helped him to take refuge in the Three Jewels and read the text of Thirty-five Buddhas. His mind suddenly cleared up, I took the opportunity to give him some guidance and said: "Life is impermanent, full of suffering, empty in nature, one must give rise to confidence to Amitabha Buddha, vow to take rebirth in the Pure Land, and so on." The next day he passed away peacefully. I "give him his last ride!" [so to speak]. I read before about the Buddhists' account on taking rebirth in the Pure Land which described that even though the deceased never have any contact with Buddha's teachings, but one may plant the karmic seed in the distant past and the seed finally matured before one's death [in the current life time]; he [the old man] too, this is his meritorious reward, not just a coincidence.
Once, I went to see a terminally-ill cancer patient. His wife told me that he slept for a long time; the doctor said he would die at any time. I helped him to take refuge in the Three Jewels and read the text of Thirty-five Buddhas. His mind suddenly cleared up, I took the opportunity to give him some guidance and said: "Life is impermanent, full of suffering, empty in nature, one must give rise to confidence to Amitabha Buddha, vow to take rebirth in the Pure Land, and so on." The next day he passed away peacefully. I "give him his last ride!" [so to speak]. I read before about the Buddhists' account on taking rebirth in the Pure Land which described that even though the deceased never have any contact with Buddha's teachings, but one may plant the karmic seed in the distant past and the seed finally matured before one's death [in the current life time]; he [the old man] too, this is his meritorious reward, not just a coincidence.
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