現場1-2 At the Scene1-2

 現場1

 

很多醫師都有宗教信仰，大概是因為醫療現場很多經驗，太多是不能想像的，

如果你是醫生眼看你照顧好的病人要出院，就在辦理出院手續的時候又跌一大跤往生，大概心都涼了！

 

人都該有自己的理念中心，能支撐自己走過很多困難。

 

年輕時候，看陳欽山先生把脈，對脈象的掌握度奇準，再用藥就提高了準確度，

而藥材學又是另一門學問。

 

這經驗讓我在面對佛學的「唯心，唯識論」時很快地做出判斷，

 

我只接受佛法的「因緣所生法」原論當基礎點，徹底遠離「唯」字開頭的學問。

 

所有世間的萬物，包括學問，都不可能是單一性的存在，

用一種學說就涵蓋所有現象，去接受這種理論，對本身的限制及傷害都太大了！

 

像目前台灣中、西醫都普及就是一大福音，西醫的發展也不是中醫能想像的，

把自己推到第一線去看看，很多學問到底能執行到哪裡就一目了然。

 

而要出院的病人沒有辦法出院，還丟了性命，那真的只能用「法眼」去看了！

 

半寄

 

At the Scene1

 

Many physicians hold religious beliefs, likely because the experiences encountered at the medical front line far exceed what ordinary imagination can grasp.

If a doctor watches a patient—one who has been carefully treated and is ready for discharge—suddenly fall during the discharge process and die, the emotional impact is devastating.

 

Every person needs a central guiding philosophy, something strong enough to carry them through repeated difficulties.

 

In my youth, I observed Mr. Chen Qinshan performing pulse diagnosis. His command of pulse patterns was extraordinarily precise, and his use of herbal medicine further enhanced diagnostic accuracy.

The study of medicinal substances is itself a profound discipline.

 

These experiences enabled me to reach a clear conclusion when confronting the Buddhist theories of “Mind-Only” and “Consciousness-Only.”

 

I take as my sole foundation the Buddha’s original principle that “all phenomena arise through causes and conditions,” and I deliberately avoid doctrines built upon any form of “only.”

 

Nothing in the world—including intellectual systems—can exist as a singular, isolated absolutes.

Attempting to explain all phenomena through one theory inevitably imposes severe constraints and causes substantial harm to one’s understanding.

 

The coexistence and widespread practice of both Chinese and Western medicine in Taiwan today is a great blessing.

The advances of Western medicine lie far beyond what traditional Chinese medicine could have envisioned.

 

By stepping onto the front line and observing directly, the practical limits of each discipline become immediately evident.

 

When a patient who should have been discharged butinstead loses their life, such events can only be understood through the “Dharma eye.”

 

Master Banji

 



現場2

 

記得在《指月錄》裡看過一個禪師說：你只要開悟就什麼都懂了，

大概他們的寺廟有人在練習書法，

他就說：連書法也不用練了，到時候都會寫。

 

我看了這説法以後，隨即去拿起毛筆練了幾天，很清楚這說法是騙人的，

證悟是一回事，書法要練得好，也是一番苦工，不是開悟了什麼都會懂！

 

我後來慢慢明白，很多人把佛法塑造成神的權威，在神的權威下必定什麼都懂，什麼都會更是應該的，

 

這已經不是佛法，連佛陀的影子都不見了！

證悟者為覺悟者，所證悟的內容跟生命有關，

很多人不就是為了對生命的茫然而去修行的嗎？

 

包括佛陀都是想知道生命的真相，而去修行。

 

大覺悟者是洞徹（穿）生命真相的修行者，

跟個人有什麼技藝那是兩回事，

但這裡面同樣都是勞心勞力才能成就，

 

這些必須努力才能達成的內容，如果都用「唯心論」強加涵蓋，

那只能活在虛幻世界中。

 

我個人所寫出的故事，收集年代超過35年，

一件件帶著我去認識生命的曲折，

每一個人體，隱藏一個家族基因及個人的因緣果，（因緣果範圍廣大深遠）

 

這都是長期勞心勞力才能知道的，絕對不是證悟了就什麼都懂，

證悟只是一個佛法基礎站穩而已。

半寄

 

At the Scene2

 

I once read in The Record of Pointing at the Moon that a Zen master said,

“Once you awaken, you will understand everything.”

 

At the time, someone in the temple was practicing calligraphy,

and the master said, “There is no need to practice calligraphy—after awakening, you will be able to write.”

 

After reading this, I picked up a brush and practiced for several days.

It soon became obvious that this claim was untrue.

 

Awakening is one thing; skill is another.

To write calligraphy well requires hard work and practice.

Awakening does not mean that a person suddenly knows everything.

 

Later, I came to understand that many people turn Buddhism into a form of divine authority, believing that under such authority, one must naturally know everything and be able to do everything.

 

This is no longer Buddhism.

There is not even a trace of the Buddha left.

 

An awakened person is simply someone who has awakened.

What is realized concerns life itself.

Many people practice because they feel confused about life.

 

Even the Buddha practiced in order to understand the truth of life.

 

A truly awakened person is someone who clearly sees the truth of life.

This has nothing to do with personal talents or skills.

However, both awakening and skills require real effort.

 

If everything that demands effort is forcibly covered by “Mind-Only” doctrines,

one can only end up living in an illusory world.

 

The stories I have written were collected over more than thirty-five years.

Each one led me to better understand the twists and turns of life.

Within every human body lies family genetics and individual causes and effects—

the scope of karmic conditions is vast and far-reaching.

 

All of this can only be understood through long-term effort.

Awakening does not mean knowing everything.

It simply means that one has built a solid foundation in the Dharma.

 

Master Banji

 

求救 A Cry for Help

 求救

 

昨晚半夜有一位陌生的媽媽在求救，

必須說明：

我沒有大菩薩的功力，只能依據因緣果去看事情，

 

對著我喊一喊求救，我就可以把你的事解決是不可能的，

我感應不到。

 

大約3個月前有一個兒子幫她臥床很久，已不太言語的媽媽做功德廻向，

隔了一個月後，

那位媽媽有事，感應中我去看看，

當天我去了兩次台灣北部，感覺好累，

看完以後，我在南禪精舍竟然感應那位媽媽很感動，來感謝我說：

「謝謝你，讓我兒子知道我怎麼了！」

 

我被嚇到全身起雞皮疙瘩，

平生，第一次感應到還活在人間的人，竟然痛苦到像靈魂出竅般來感謝我，

 

但這一切如果不是透過她兒子，太有心意要幫助自己的媽媽，我在想我辦不到。

半寄

A Cry for Help

Late last night, a mother I did not know was crying out for help.
I must first clarify this: I do not possess the spiritual power of a great Bodhisattva.
I can only view matters through the principles of cause and effect.

It is impossible for me to solve someone’s problems simply because they shout for help at me. I cannot sense things that way.

About three months ago, a son dedicated merit on behalf of his mother, who had been bedridden for a long time and was barely able to speak.
A month later, something happened to the mother.
Through intuitive perception, I felt the need to visit her.That day, I traveled to the northern Taiwan twice and felt extremely exhausted.
Later, while I was at NanZen Vihara, I suddenly sensed the mother’s strong emotions. She came to thank me and said: “Thank you for helping my son understand what I was going through.”

I was so shocked that my entire body broke out in goosebumps.
It was the first time in my life that I sensed a living person whose suffering was so severe that it felt as though she had stepped out of her body to thank me. 

But I believe none of this would have been possible without her son’s sincere intention and wholehearted effort to help his own mother.

Master Banji

關於修行1 _2 On Spiritual Practice1 _2

 關於修行1 

沛宏居士問了一些有關於《法句譬喻經·卷第四·愛身品第三十二》

的內容，是佛陀講述一個在家弟子的一生。

 

沛宏大約說了一下內容，

我說：這種問題只有佛陀能解答，

比如說；

勸請一個人出家，目前我個人的看法，如果你沒有辦法教他什麼，你沒有辦法讓他證悟佛法，

事實上，是沒有資格勸請別人放棄一切修行的，

佛陀本身修行已經成就，祂可以看出個人的根器能否教授成功，

所以祂可以勸請他出家修行，

我們一般人其實是不能這樣做的，

勸請別人出家修行，卻沒有辦法教授別人佛法，這也是一種罪過吧！

（當然，自願修行出家者不在此列。）

 

說一個不完整的故事，

我還在找一個居住處的時候，

曾經在山區遇見一位比丘尼，我問她好像很急，到底要去哪裡？

 

她說：要去幫她先生已經出家的比丘送飯，她與前夫同時在不同的道場出家3年後，

前夫比丘在閉關，沒有人可以送飯，她挑起責任，印象中每天有半個小時的山區交通。

 

她爲這事已被懲處過，再被發現，只怕連住處也沒了！

我當時年紀很輕，也害怕修行無所收穫，

只能祝福！

當時，只有一種直覺，兩個人沒小孩，離了婚去出家，如果沒有成功代價太大了！

我們這個旁人能說什麼呢？

而是否每個人內心對生命的茫然，都讓許多人們焦慮。

很慶幸的，我在這個問題上獲得了解決，

等我年紀稍長，完全可以理解那是她們夫妻一家子的事，

他們付出這樣的代價出家，

當然希望及焦急能有所收穫，旁人除了認知規矩外又可以理解什麼？

 

經文雖然都是傳述修行是至高無上的，但是我個人還是想說：

你要做勸請修行出家，這樣的事的時候，必須有能力可以教導跟隨者有所收穫，

不然耽誤學習者一生，這也是一種很無言的苦。

半寄

 

On Spiritual Practice1

 

Pei-Hong raised some questions regarding The Dhammapada with Parables, Volume Four, Chapter on Attachment to the Body.
This text is a discourse by the Buddha that recounts the life of a lay disciple.

 

After Pei-Hong briefly summarized the story, I responded::
Questions of this kind can only truly be answered by the Buddha himself.

Take the matter of encouraging someone to leave the household life and ordain.
My current view is that unless you are capable of teaching that person something genuine—unless you can guide them toward realization of the Dharma—you are, in fact, unqualified to persuade them to abandon everything in order to practice.

The Buddha had already perfected his cultivation.
He could discern whether a person possessed the appropriate faculties and conditions for success.
For this reason, he could rightfully encourage certain people to renounce worldly life and enter the path.

But ordinary people cannot presume to do the same.
To urge another to ordain while being unable to transmit the Dharma—
would this not also amount to a kind of karmic fault?
(This does not, of course, apply to those who freely and voluntarily choose ordination.)

 

Allow me to share an incomplete story.

When I was still searching for a place to live, I once encountered a bhikṣuṇī in a mountainous region.
She appeared hurried, so I asked where she was going.

She explained that she was delivering food to her husband, now a bhikṣu in retreat.
After both she and her former husband had ordained—at different monasteries—for three years, he entered seclusion. With no one else to bring him meals, she assumed the responsibility. Each day required about half an hour of travel through the mountains.

 

She had already been punished for this once.
If discovered again, she feared she might even lose her place to stay.

At the time, I was quite young and also fearful that my own practice might yield no results.
All I could do was offer silent blessings.

One thought arose instinctively:
they had no children, divorced, and renounced worldly life—
if their practice failed, the price paid would be immense.
What could an observer possibly say?

Perhaps it is precisely this uncertainty about life itself
that leaves so many people restless and anxious.

Later in life, I was fortunate to find my own answer to this question.
As I grew older, I came to understand fully that this was a matter belonging solely to their family.
Having paid such a price to ordain,
it was only natural that they hoped—and anxiously wished—for results.
Beyond understanding the formal rules, what more could outsiders truly comprehend?

 

Although the scriptures repeatedly proclaim spiritual practice to be supreme, I still wish to add this personal reflection:
When you encourage someone to ordain and take up spiritual practice,

you must have the ability to teach in a way that allows your followers to gain real benefit.

Otherwise, delaying or wasting a learner’s entire lifetime

is itself a silent and profound form of suffering.

Master Banji

 

 

關於修行2

沛宏最主要的問題，想問那個在家居士沒有出家，後來佛陀說他變笨了，

導致於他「摩訶盧」（Mahālu）已沒辦法證果了？

沛宏說：不出家會讓福報喪失嗎？

 

我說一般男、女在家要養家活口，

當然會讓福報喪失，（蔡醫師聽了大點頭），

而出家眾沒有辦法修證也一樣在耗損福報，

所以現在的寺廟大部分都是勸善布施，

植自己的福。

 

活著的意義，不管是誰一樣都是有著耗損、有修補、有植福，也不可能是單方向的前進，

修行除了腦袋要靈活，聽得懂佛陀在講的佛法哲理，還要具備福報才能進入那個世界，根本上就是不容易的事，

 

等年老，頭腦鈍了，福報耗光，再談修行其實也沒有意義，

這經文應該是實質的紀錄，

 

佛陀大概是感於修行人才的不能造就吧！

 

個人認為短期出家去先做理解，其實是一個比較好的方法，

沛宏也在南傳的道場，接受過短期出家修行訓練。

 

半寄

 

On Spiritual Practice 2

 

Pei-Hong’s central concern was this:
the lay follower did not ordain, and later the Buddha stated that he had become intellectually dull, to the extent that “Mahālu” was no longer capable of attaining any fruit of realization.

Pei-Hong therefore asked whether remaining a layperson leads to the loss of merit.

 

I said that ordinary lay men and women have to make a living and support a family,
and this naturally uses up merit.
(When Dr. Tsai heard this, he nodded repeatedly in agreement.)

In the same way, monastics who fail to cultivate and realize the path are also steadily consuming their merit.

This is why contemporary temples largely emphasize moral conduct, charity, and donations— encouraging people to cultivate merit for themselves.

The meaning of life is the same for everyone:
there is always loss, repair, and the planting of blessings.
Life never moves forward in only one direction.

Practice requires not only a clear and flexible mind that can understand the Buddha’s teachings, but also enough merit to even step into that world.
Basically, this is not easy at all.

 

When one grows old, the mind becomes dull and merit is exhausted;
to speak of cultivation at that point is, in fact, meaningless.

This sutra should be seen as a factual record of such reality.

Perhaps the Buddha spoke in this way out of regret that a person with potential for practice could no longer be nurtured.

 

From my personal perspective, temporary ordination as a means of gaining understanding is a more appropriate method.
 Pei-Hong himself has also received short-term ordination training

at a Theravāda Buddhist center.

 

Master Banji