擲筊Tossing Divination Blocks (Jiaobei)

擲筊

大約二十年前，一位我認識的老師打算購買一間新房，並邀請我一起去看屋。

抵達現場後，我有了一次不同尋常的經驗。那是我第一次感覺到有一位神明——一種肉眼無法看見的存在——也在現場觀看這間房子。

在台灣，公廟相當普遍，人們在做重大決定時，例如購屋，常會向神明請示。他們會使用一種傳統方式，稱為「擲筊」，來詢問神明的意見。這是台灣文化中既特殊又常見的一部分。

然而，實際感受到神明彷彿就在現場看屋，對我而言還是第一次。

看完房子後，我建議那位老師把身上所有的現金湊一湊，先交給工地主任作為訂金。我認為神明對這間房子是認可的，因此很可能很快就會有其他人來購買。

那對夫妻最後只湊出了新台幣一萬元。由於當時已經是下班時間，工地主任只簡單寫了一張收據交給他們，並打算等到星期一再討論細節並匯付剩餘款項。

之後我得知，就在我們離開大約一小時後，真的有另一位買家出現，並且多出價新台幣二十五萬元。

所幸工地主任信守承諾，並未因訂金金額過小而取消原先的約定。

雖然我從小就知道這項民俗，但也正是透過這次親身經驗，我才開始理解擲筊可能具有的效果。

這依然是一件令人感到有趣的現象。

法眼所看得見的「神明」本質上是一種地區性質的集體意識，
由公廟的信仰信徒，所集成的力量，
這種力量，也可以辦出事情來，
但是辦理善或惡事，就由地區居民智慧的程度去決定了！

發掘這種集體意識，可以對照佛法的意識去做修行上的對比，
因為可以看見了，所以想在意識層面做出佛法的理解，也加快了速度。

半寄

Tossing Divination Blocks (Jiaobei)

 

About twenty years ago, a teacher I knew intended to purchase a new house and invited me to visit the property.

 

Upon arriving, I had an unusual experience. For the first time, I felt that a deity—something invisible to normal sight—was also there, looking at the house.

 

In Taiwan, public temples are widespread, and it is a common practice for people to consult deities when making important decisions, such as buying a house. They use a traditional method called tossing divination blocks to seek the deity’s advice. This is a special and common part of Taiwanese culture.

 

However, witnessing what I felt to be a deity’s presence at the house itself was a first for me.

 

After viewing the house, I advised the teacher to gather whatever money they had and provide it to the site manager as a deposit. I believed the deity approved of the house, so someone else might come to buy it soon.

 

The couple managed to gather only NT$10,000. Since it was after work hours, only the site manager remained at the site, and no further procedures could be done.

After giving him the money, the site manager gave them a simple receipt. They planned to discuss the details and pay the rest on Monday.

 

Subsequently, I learned that about one hour after our departure, another buyer came and offered NT$250,000 more.

 

Thankfully, the site manager kept his promise and did not cancel the deal even though the deposit was small.

 

Although I had known about this tradition since I was young, it was only through this personal experience that I started to understand the potential effectiveness of jiaobei.

 

It remains a fascinating phenomenon.

The “deities” seen the Dharma Eye are, in essence, a regional collective consciousness.

They are formed by the combined belief and energy of local temple worshippers.

 

This collective power can influence events.

Whether it brings good or harmful results depends on the wisdom of the local people.

 

Observing this collective consciousness allows practitioners to compare it with Buddhist teachings on consciousness.

 

Because it can be seen directly, understanding Buddhist ideas about consciousness becomes easier and faster.

 

Master Banji

 

五四運動The May Fourth Movement

 讀者們好！

五四運動

我已經寫完我個人對佛法的研究。

今天討論的趙元任先生對中國漢字的影響，（請讀者自己去找影集）
重播了五四運動那時候大家都在討論的中國問題，
雖然這個話題已經很遠了！
但如果重提這個話題，我還是想問；為什麼當時的知識分子，投入那麼多研究，卻沒有人敢把內心的話講出來？

我如果不是去讀其他國家的資料，實在很難相信整個當時的中國知識分子對自己的研究，竟然又縮回去，用其他話語去掩蓋研究的事實，
至少他們對佛學是這樣對待的！

五四運動時，每一個人都在問中國怎麼了？
把罪怪到文字，把罪怪到醬缸上面？
但不願意清楚說出來的研究事實，要算什麼？

我不是學者，不想指責這些，但這些問題的清楚，對我個人有著極大的影響。
提供參考！

上面這些大方向的看法，我也都寫過了，讀者們慢慢去細讀。

半寄

The May Fourth Movement

 

Hello, readers,

 

I have finished writing my personal research on Buddhism.

 

Today, I would like to discuss the influence of Yuen Ren Chao on Chinese characters (readers may consult relevant materials independently). It recalls the broader debates on China that emerged during the May Fourth Movement.

 

Although this topic feels distant today, I still want to ask: why did the intellectuals of that time, despite extensive research, refrain from expressing their genuine conclusions?

 

If I had not read materials from other countries, I would find it hard to believe that Chinese intellectuals of that era would retreat from their own findings and instead cover them up with different narratives. At least, this is how they treated Buddhist studies.

 

During the May Fourth Movement, everyone was asking: what had gone wrong with China? Some blamed the written language, others blamed cultural traditions. But if the conclusions of research are not clearly stated, what value do they really have?

 

I am not a scholar, and I do not intend to criticize. However, achieving clarity on these issues has had a profound personal impact on me.

 

I offer these reflections for your consideration.

 

The broader perspectives mentioned above have already been discussed in my previous writings; readers are encouraged to examine them in detail.

 

Master Banji

清楚明白Clarity and Understanding

 清楚明白

前台灣高雄市文獻會主委退休的洪招祥居士，
有一次很驕傲的跟我說：有人請他講佛學讀書會，他說不行，他對佛法不了解，
他有在南禪讀書會上課，是我在讀書會上的教學，讓他知道他不可以講那些佛法。

（他說：如果沒有上我的課，他大概會跟別人一樣，認為自己會講佛學了！）

以他是文獻會主委退休的資歷，講佛學對他而言並不是什麼困難的事，

但因為是我在教學中的指出，他很清楚佛法裡面有實證的範圍意思，不是他可以講的。

有這句話就夠了！
我只要求，沒辦法修入佛法，至少也要清楚明白，
這是對佛法最基本的尊重態度。
半寄

 

Clarity and Understanding

 

Mr. Hong Zhaoxiang, a retired director of the Kaohsiung Historical Society, once told me proudly:

 

He had been invited to speak at a Buddhist study group, but he declined, saying he did not truly understand the Dharma.

 

Having attended the NanZen study club, he said my teaching helped him realize that he was not in a position to speak on Buddhism.

 

(He said that without my class, he would have assumed he could already speak on Buddhism, just like everyone else.)

 

Given his background, giving such a talk would not have been difficult.

 

However, through my instruction, he came to understand that Buddhism involves domains of direct realization—things that cannot be explained casually.

 

That alone is sufficient.

 

My only request is this: even if one cannot enter into true practice, one should at least have clarity.

 

This is the most basic respect for the Dharma.

 

Master Banji