Friday, September 7, 2012

宗薩仁玻切著。Not For Happiness by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche


http://www.amazon.com/Not-Happiness-So-Called-Preliminary-ebook/dp/B007PTA8WE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333096391&sr=8-2
http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010547506
前行,最適合現代人的修心法門
面對浩瀚廣大的佛法世界,前行修持提供了一個可以在忙碌俗世中自我修行的方便法門,讓有心參佛修持的人,可以依據自身的能力學習到佛法心要,當成日常修行。不管是出家僧眾或在家信眾,都能次第井然地按部就班修習、改變習性、調伏心念,即使不曾接觸過藏傳佛法的人,也能融通領受。本書中,特別指出修持前後的自我心理建設,以及可能經歷的種種挑戰。比如學佛的五種心態與四種態度:
.五種心態:
1.培養面對真諦的意願:我們多數人在必須面對真相時,總是容易變得怨恨,然後從怨恨生出否認。比如明知道死亡是無可置疑且普遍的真諦,我們的慣常反應卻是假裝它不會發生——面對大部分其他難以下嚥、令人不安的真諦,我們也都是用這種態度對待。
2.克服貧困心態:許多人都自覺心靈貧困,這是因為我們不停地欲求舒適與快樂。除非我們克服這種貧困心態,否則我們永遠會花大部分心力去確保更多個人的舒適與快樂,如此一來,要放下任何事情都變得非常困難。
3.對「聖財」要貪婪:為了獲取聖財(包括出離心、慈愛心、虔敬心與悲心),我們要加倍努力,佛法修行者對於他們所領受、研讀、修持的教法數量,永遠不該覺得夠多了,因為佛法之財是唯一值得擁有的財富。
4.與時間賽跑:這種心態對修持十分重要,不要說:「下周我要開始修持。」這多少意味著你有可能不會去做。一旦你理解了佛法修持就是跟你的驕慢與我執作對時,就會即刻開始修行。
5.依自己的能力而修持:我們修持什麼或我們修持多少,基本上取決於我們的能力、工作與家庭的狀況,以及我們有多少時間能用來修持。這些完全都是合理的準則,即使在佛陀時代,他也如此地要求大家。一個人是否一定要成為比丘、比丘尼才能做佛教徒呢?絕非如此!
.四種態度
1.如受傷之鹿的態度:如同一隻受傷的鹿尋找僻靜處療傷一般,找個離群之處,讓自己有時間與空間做修持。
2.如獅子的態度:如獅子一般勇猛,完全不理會任何困境或噩耗,因為它們只會吞噬你、令你分心,以至在未來導致更嚴重的問題。
3.如風的態度:風對自己吹向何處是不加分別的。相同的,不要試圖招引好的狀況,或避開壞的狀況。
4.如瘋子的態度:像瘋子一樣,對任何世間八法不懷偏愛也不憎恨;例如,不在意被讚美也不在乎被批評。
宗薩.蔣揚.欽哲仁波切提到:我們的情緒及習氣如此強大,即使真諦在面前直視著我們,我們也看不見。因此,在開始追求快樂之前,必須先定義什麼是「快樂」真正的意義。如果你「快樂」的概念是要超越世間的喜好與欲望,而不只是名利的追求,那麼佛法也許就是你在尋覓的東西。然而,修持確實是一件令人挫折的事,極可能會傾覆你,讓你停止修持──而這是你必須不計一切代價都要抵擋的誘惑。



Some say the dark age, age of vice, Kaliyuga, is here now, or at least coming soon. Some even fear that at the end of 2012 the world as we know it will end. What determines if an age is dark or golden? What are the symptoms or omens? Earthquakes, violet skies, meteoric activity, these are not the omens of doomsday as we are made to believe. Likewise, cherub's flying, a sound economy, freedom of
information, peaceful times are also not necessarily signs of a golden age. The age of light is said to be when people value empathy and forgiveness, when they have a willingness to see other people's view, and are contented with what they have. When such values are systematically sabotaged, then you can say that the dawn of the doomsday has begun. When we look at a harmless beggar as a pest and envy billionaires who routinely destroy the earth,we are inviting doomsday to come. 

Like Buddha taught, everything is dependant on cause and condition. Dark and golden ages are no exception. They are not predestined, nor are they random or chaotic. Destiny is conditioned, Chief among the causes and conditions is one's own individual self, you can create your destiny. Your choices are your destiny. What and how we are now depends on what and how we have been in the past. What and how we will be in the future depends on what and how we are now. 

Shakyamuni with his lotus feet may approach your doorstep for alms but if we keep on being obsessed with Patek Philipe watches, fame or friends, or six pack abs, then Buddha's truth is an annoyance, an inconvenient truth. 

Even though we may be in midst of Kaliyuga and are subject to endless causes and conditions of the dark age—easily distracted and confined to thinking of our own self preservation, aspiring to reach benchmarks based on materialistic, consumerist values—we can take advantage of it. It is said that during the degenerate times, the compassion of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas ever more stronger. A savvy spiritual person could take advantage of that opportunity. The dark age can be a reminder of the urgency and preciousness of the Buddha, dharma, and sangha.

As beings that are dependant on conditions, we need to search for light, and cultivate the conditions that will brings light. We need constant reminding of the opposite of materialism. For that we need the image of the Buddha, the sound of the dharma, and the structure of the sangha. 

In the past few years, we have lost some of the greatest appearances of the Buddha, such as Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, and Mindroling Trichen Rinpoche and Penor Rinpoche, who were all great reminders. But even though their appearance has dissolved, bear in mind that their compassion does not know the meaning of limitations. 

In the spirit of where there is a demand, there is supply, we should have aspirations and longing for the appearance of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to never to cease, and—to put it in a trendy term—their swift rebirth. But this rebirth should not be limited to a Tibetan child who has been raised in a particular culture or tradition. We can wish for Buddha's rebith in all forms, even as something seemingly insignificant as the breeze, to remind us of the values of love and compassion and tolerance. We must aspire to galvanize myriad manifestations of the Buddha, not just throne-hopping, Rolls Royce-driving tulkus who are a product of nepotism.

DJKHYENTSE. 28/120012