踏破千重山 Conquest thousands of mountains

踏破千重山 Conquest thousands of mountains

 

天台宗的祖師智者大師，有一次在深山入定，看見他自己的父母圍繞他的雙腿，還一直哭泣喊叫他救他們，他鐵了心不受干擾，才能專心入定，後來他自己說：「他看到的不是他的父母，是魔幻的力量變化成他父母的形態來干擾他。」

Conquest thousands of mountains

The founder of Tian-tai Sect, the Wise Master, once meditated in the mountains and saw his parents crying for his help near his lap. He steeled himself not to be disrupted and then was able to concentrate on meditation. He himself mentioned later that what he saw wasn’t his parents but some demonic power in the shape of his parents so as to disrupt him.a

 

大乘佛法有一本經-楞嚴經，裡面記載著魔的力量，魔其實就是精魅與鬼怪類，楞嚴經被國際研究佛學者研判是偽造的佛經，但依據我自己的修學經驗，楞嚴經應該是後代修學者共同的實修經驗，佛法的修行是一種人性的萃練，屬於無形的世界，比方說：「我有修行，這個有修行依據什麼立場來講？佛陀在世時建立了從善根到四果的層級，大乘佛法建立了三法印去堅固佛法的中心，但修學過程裡所面臨的障礙愈傳愈少，留下經典，印證體系，卻少了現在的建築法，讓面臨障礙的修學者求助無門，如果有一天在修學者心裡出現五至六個自己父母樣子的人，一直說你(妳)得救他(她)們甚至是哭泣高聲叫喊的，修學者面臨這麼嚴酷的考驗，將如何應對？」

A Mahayana Buddhist Scripture, Shurangama Sutra and Mantra, mentions demon’s power. Demons are actually kinds of elf, evil spirit, ghosts and monsters. Shurangama Sutra and Mantra is considered fake Buddhist Scripture by international Buddhist scholars. But according to my personal practice experience, it should be the common practical experiences of the following practitioners. Buddhist practice is a kind of refinement in human nature and it belongs to invisible worlds. So, what are the criteria for a practitioner’s Practice achievements? Buddha established levels of Practice achievements from virtuous root to Four Stages of Enlightenment when he was alive. Mahayana Buddhism established Three Universal Truths to consolidate Buddhism philosophy. However, less and less description of obstacles during Practice is handed down. Though Buddhist classics and verification system are handed down, the lack of nowadays’ construction approach leaves a practitioner helpless when facing obstacles. If five to six people of his parents’ images appear on a practitioner’s mind and keep crying for his help, how can he copy with this when facing such a harsh test?

 

修行是一種內心成份的提升，看似平靜的現象裡，翻湧著千絲萬縷，修學者必定得有智慧與定力去判別佛與魔，像是說自己的父母總不會不清楚吧？！一個有高級化妝術的人化成自己的父母來糾纏，如果無法辨認，可能的結果是被拖著不要想往前，反之！修學者仗著智慧與定力過關時，則功力大增反而可以報答自己的父母。

Buddhist practice is about elevation in one’s inner quality. There are thousands of elements in a seemingly stilly phenomenon. Practitioners need to have enough wisdom and concentration to distinguish Buddha from devils. Don’t we know our own parents well enough?! When a person with excellent makeup skills disguised as our parents, we may be entrapped and can't keep moving forward if we don't distinguish it right away. On the contrary, when we pass the test with our wisdom and concentration, we will develop greater ability and can repay our parents.

 

回到前面說的我有修行這件事，有修行最初的條件是自己安定下來，禪宗講的安心，人最麻煩的不就是自己嗎？！有沒有解決掉自己，自己心裡邊一清二楚用不著問別人，如果別人說我有修行，我自己卻不知道，肯定不對。

Let’s talk more about the topic of one’s Buddhist practice achievements. The first requirement for Practice achievements is that a practitioner can make himself calm down, just as the settlement of the mind in Zen Buddhism. Isn’t human’s biggest trouble from himself? One shall know clearly whether he has settled himself or not and he doesn’t have to ask for others’ opinions. Likewise, it is definitely wrong when a practitioner who is considered of great practice achievement isn’t clear of his own (practice achievement).

 

像現實生活一樣，修學必得脫離迷幻藥（精魅），魔術（心理問題），不當的引力(鬼怪)，，，，，擺脫愈多愈上層樓，過一關穩一步，結結實實在心裡，這些才是覺者的過程。

半寄

The same as in a real life, a practitioner must shake off hallucinogen (elf and evil spirit), magic tricks (mental problems), improper dragging forces (ghosts and monsters), and so on. The more he shakes off, the more he progresses. He becomes more confident and stable as he breaks through one barrier after another. All these are steps of becoming an enlightened person.

   Master Ban Ji
   Translated by Grace Tsai
   Proofread by Sophiea Kuo