同性戀是怎麼回事？…..

我覺得其實根據修行者的觀察，或者也是一些經裡面的一些記載，通常這些畸形的性傾向，不正常的性傾向都跟第三戒有關，或者是放縱於自己淫慾。 所以死後，如果那個業成熟是直接投生在地獄，然後沒有什麼嚴重，有時候會投身畜生還是什麼，那麼出來過後，有些時候就會有那種畸形的性傾向之類的。 當然有些時候，太監啊，這是什麼，當然有些不是他們要的啦，但是也有些時候，他自己會出現那種怪傾向這樣，等等。 所以這個也是跟三戒有關系。

如果第三戒守得好，就比較不會有這個問題。 也有我們根據修行者的經驗，有些修行者比較特別，他就是一世男性，一世女性，一世男性，一世女性，這樣變來變去的。 可是問他，你做男性的時候怎麼樣，你做女性的時候怎麼樣，會不會說，這樣子變來變去的話，做男的時候很娘，做女的時候又很像什麼，很像男性。

他說不會啊，他們都不會。

因為他們如果是守清淨戒的人。他很奇怪的，他投身做男性的時候，他就是好好的男性，可能斯文一點點。 他投身做女性的時候，他就是好好的女性，所以說是比較理性一點，比較大丈夫氣概一點，就是這樣而已。 但是如果戒守的不好的，他就很麻煩了，很麻煩。

所以這種情形，如果又有這個傾向，這是一點，然後再加上，如果他有那種放縱情慾，淫慾的那種傾向，或者是情慾的傾向，再加上他可能兩個過去是恩愛的，然後現在剛好不一樣了，投身做同性，那麼慘了，因為他有點放縱性的傾向，他不管，他只要達到他滿足他的心的傾向，他要順著自己的心走，他不會要戰勝他，那麼他就….

反正這個時代人們越來越認同了，他就該選這樣了。 所以有些時候過去可能是夫妻啊，是什麼，也有這種可能。 但是為什麼古時候也不會這麼多呢？就是要看，就是現在的人因為比較允許了，比較放縱了，然後就會這樣子了，所以我只能夠理解的是這樣子了，我相信是這樣了，因為通常比較不尋常的性傾向，都是跟放縱慾望的一些關係，並不是說學佛，這個是天性，天性跟學佛，不是說學佛你的本性就不怪的。

比如說你脾氣不好，你學佛除非你用心改，所以本性是，比如說脾氣不好，脾氣不好就是脾氣不好，可是你可以透過學佛慢慢改，改，改，改，這樣子。 所以這種傾向他要肯改啊，如果他不肯改，不是說他學佛就一定會改得掉，對吧？

有些時候可能也是很奇怪，一種情感的依靠，到某一個時候會不會真的來真的。 有些人，比如說，有些時候我們也是不明白，但我們也不明白，有些時候我們看到以前我的同學，為什麼他們上廁所，一定要兩個人一起上廁所，我們講，可是他們講女生如果很要好的話，是很平常的事，然後我就覺得，哦，就這樣，接受了，沒有什麼東西，他們說可以啦，可是也不一定是同性戀，有些時候，可是男性不會啦，男性很少這樣，可能怕鬼吧，暗的地方怕鬼，要兩個一起上廁所，可能這個時代也比較安全，就是這樣，但是如果真的是有，我們也不明白，就是這樣，如果從輪迴的角度來講，就是基本上有些時候，如果比較守護自己，不要放縱自己的話，不會掉進同性戀的那種問題，就比較不會。

--吉祥尊者

What is homosexuality all about?…..

I think that, based on the observations of meditators and also according to some records in the scriptures, these abnormal sexual orientations, these deviant sexual tendencies, are usually related to the third precept, or to indulgence in one's own sensual desires. So after death, if that kamma matures, one is reborn directly in hell. If it is not so severe, one might be reborn as an animal or something. Then, after emerging from that state, sometimes one may have such abnormal sexual tendencies. Of course, sometimes there are eunuchs and such—some of them certainly did not choose this, but sometimes such strange tendencies manifest on their own, and so on. So this is also related to the third precept.

If the third precept is well observed, one is less likely to have this problem. Also, according to the experience of meditators, some meditators are quite special—they are male in one life, female in the next, male again, female again, changing back and forth like this. But when asked, "When you were male, how was it? When you were female, how was it? Did you feel that with all this changing back and forth, when you were male you were very effeminate, and when you were female you were very masculine?"

They say no, not at all.

Because if they are people who maintain pure precepts, it's quite remarkable: when they are reborn as male, they are proper males, perhaps a bit gentle. When they are reborn as female, they are proper females—perhaps a bit more rational, a bit more spirited, but that's all. But if their precepts are not well kept, it becomes very troublesome, very troublesome.

So in this situation, if one has this tendency, that's one thing. On top of that, if one has a tendency to indulge in lust, or a tendency toward emotional attachment, and combined with the possibility that two people were deeply in love in the past and now happen to be reborn as the same sex—then it's disastrous. Because they have a slightly indulgent tendency, they don't care; as long as they can satisfy their mind's inclination, they will follow their own mind. They won't try to overcome it, so they just…

Anyway, in this era, people increasingly accept this, so they choose this path. So sometimes it's possible that in the past they were husband and wife, or something like that. But why weren't there so many cases in ancient times? One has to see that people nowadays are more permissive, more indulgent, and so it turns out this way. This is the only way I can understand it. I believe this is the case, because usually, unusual sexual tendencies are related to indulging desires. It's not that by learning the Dhamma, one's nature becomes free of strangeness.

For example, if you have a bad temper, unless you make a conscious effort to change it through learning the Dhamma, your nature—a bad temper is a bad temper—but you can gradually change it through learning the Dhamma, bit by bit. So if one is willing to change this tendency, it can change. If one is not willing to change, it does not mean that just by learning the Dhamma one will definitely be able to change it, right?

Sometimes it might also be quite strange—an emotional dependency. At some point, will it become real? Some people, for example—sometimes we also don't understand, we really don't understand. Sometimes I see my former classmates; why do they have to go to the toilet in pairs? We asked, and they said it's very common for close female friends. Then I thought, oh, I see, and accepted it—nothing special. They said it's fine, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are lesbians. Sometimes—but men don't really do this; men rarely do. Maybe they're afraid of ghosts—in dark places, afraid of ghosts—so they go to the toilet together. Maybe it's also safer in this day and age, that's all. But if it really is the case, we also don't understand. That's just how it is. From the perspective of rebirth, basically, if one is more restrained, if one does not indulge oneself, one is less likely to fall into the problem of homosexuality—one is comparatively less likely.

--Ven. Mangala

**Devotee:** I have another question – not criticism, just a question.

**Venerable Mangala:** Yes – I'm just reminding you casually, lest your questions turn into criticism. Questions are fine, very good. Raising this question gives everyone a chance to hear, and your teacher also has the opportunity to analyse this Dhamma for you.

**Devotee:** So here's another question – also naive – why is it that in the Bodhisattva's many lifetimes of practice, he often went forth into renunciation, right? But why is it that in his final life – the life in which he becomes a Buddha – before his enlightenment, he must marry and have children? It seems that all Buddhas have gone through this process – in the life they attain Buddhahood, they definitely marry and have children.

**Venerable Mangala:** I think it's quite reasonable, isn't it? If he hadn't married and had children but instead went forth into homelessness – in this era, people would gossip, wouldn't they? They'd think, "Is there something wrong with him?" People might imagine – "Is he perhaps incapable of having children?" They could think that way. So he must have experienced everything in the human world. "Whatever you want – I have experienced it all. Everything you yearn for, everything you dream of – I have it all. I lack nothing whatsoever. And yet I let go of all this to practise and become a Buddha." That carries a different kind of persuasive power, do you understand? Even my Indian friend once said to me, "Ah, if you were born into a very wealthy family and then you renounced and became a monk, that would be truly admirable." He didn't say, "I'm a lawyer who became a monk." He said, "If you were truly wealthy and then renounced – and then you taught – that would inspire many people's hearts and minds."

Truly. So every Buddha must undergo this process – they must marry and have children. It is a natural law of this human world. This is the principle and function that I can think of. Perhaps there are even more profound reasons that I haven't thought of, right?

信徒：還有疑問，不是批評，是疑問

吉祥尊者：對，我是順便提醒你們，怕你們從疑問變批評，疑問是OK, 很好，提出這個問題，給大家有機會聽，你師父也有機會，分析這個法給你們聽

信徒：那還有一個問題，也是幼稚的，就是為什麼，就是菩薩在累世的修行過程，很多都是出離，對不對？可是為什麼在最後一世，他要成佛的那一世，成佛之前，他一定會有結婚生子這件事？這個是好像所有佛，都有經過這個過程，成佛那一世，一定是有結婚生子

吉祥尊者：我覺得也很合理吧，是不是？如果他沒有結婚生子，就跑去出家，是不是？你看這個時代，人家會有閒言閒語，對吧？你是不是有點問題？人家可以想像的喔，是不是沒有生育能力？人家可以這樣想的喔，所以他必須是經歷了人世間一切，你們想要的，我都經歷了，你要的，你夢寐以求的，我都有，我完全不缺什麼，但是我放下這一切去修行，去成佛，他就有另一種說服力，你明白嗎？連我的印度朋友，他就跟我講，哎呀，如果你是誕生在很有錢的家庭，你來出家的話，那真的是很棒，他都不講，我這個律師來出家，如果是你真的是很有錢，你來出家，你來講也好，就會啟發很多人的心性。

真的，所以每一尊佛都一定要經過這個過程，一定是結婚生子，一定是在人間，還有他的自然界的一個規律，你知道嗎？這是我能夠想到的原理的作用，可能我沒想到的更多也說不定，可能他的作用比我跟你分析的更深奧，對不對？

**Devotee:** Venerable Sir, I have a few naive questions. 

**Venerable Mangala:** That's fine. 

**Devotee:** It's about the Venerable Sumedha (the wise one) – he wanted to give away his life so that the Buddha and so many Arahants could walk past. But this matter didn't require him to give away his life; he could have kept his life and stayed to learn the Dhamma. That's one thing – so I feel I don't understand why he had to give away his life for something so trivial. Then, when we read many of the Jātaka stories, the Buddha often gave away his wife and his children. If it were giving away his eyes or some other part of his body, I feel I could accept that. But why is his wife not an object? Why would he give her away? Moreover, whether the wife is willing to become someone else's wife – that's also a problem. So every time, I find it difficult to have simple faith.

**Venerable Mangala:** First, let's talk about his giving away his body. Why did he have to use his own effort? He could have just used his psychic powers to change things. But he felt he should not use that advantage – the advantage of his psychic powers. He felt that one must be diligent, bring forth the effort and austerity, just like everyone else – only then does it enter the mind-continuum (citta-santāna). Within the mind-continuum, if you go through a thousand hardships, the quality produced is stronger, do you understand? If you do it lightly and easily, it's like using psychic powers – or even having a robot do it for you. But the mind-continuum doesn't get that. Our mind is strange: the greater the resistance it meets, the stronger its power becomes, you know? That's why we say that in extremely difficult circumstances, the accumulated wholesome kamma is particularly powerful. Many people miss out; they only want to do wholesome deeds that are comfortable. When hardship comes, when trouble arises, they are unwilling to do it, understand? They don't realize that this is an opportunity – only by completing wholesome actions in hardship does one gain strength.

Moreover, our Bodhisatta possesses skillful means and wisdom (upāya-kosalla-ñāṇa). He fully understands this: he brings forth that sincerity – in the most difficult circumstances, he is willing to endure hardship and then complete the action – that is where the excellence of merit lies, understand? So this is not an ordinary person. The wisdom of a Bodhisatta is not something ordinary people can comprehend. That's why you need to practice insight meditation (vipassanā), to practice dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) – then you will understand how the mind-process (citta-vīthi) operates. In such a situation, when he is able to throw away his entire life – what kind of mind-process is that? If you do it light and easy, the path is easy; if you endure a little, the path appears. What kind of mind-process does it require? It requires the knowledge that only this kind of mind-process can generate great power. This is brought about by his skillful means and wisdom. Without that skillful means and wisdom, of course you cannot understand. But I wouldn't dare say that we have it. However, when we have practiced dependent origination and seen the mind-process, we will know what kind of state produces what kind of mind-process and what kind of power, understand?

So this is his wisdom. If you had this wisdom, you would be a Bodhisatta, you know? You would have received the prediction (of Buddhahood). You don't have it. We are just learning in this direction.

**Devotee:** Isn't that the same principle as practicing asceticism (self-mortification)?

**Venerable Mangala:** Asceticism (tapas) involves a wrong view – the idea that by tormenting oneself, one can exhaust one's kamma. It is tormenting oneself for the sake of eradicating kamma, and it does not develop any great power. I have personally seen in India people burying themselves up to their heads, burying themselves here, with grass growing around them for seven days and nights. They scatter some seeds to prove that they keep their heads above ground. After seven days, grass grows all over – they scatter those grass seeds. That is tormenting oneself, but it does not generate the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (bodhipakkhiya-dhamma). There is no particular growth, understand? That is torment – blind torment. 

Dhutaṅga (austere practices) are different. Dhutaṅga can develop new qualities. So in Buddhism, there is something like asceticism – but it is dhutaṅga. For example, the practice of not lying down – that is a training to develop new qualities through discipline. 

This (self-mortification) is tormenting oneself for the sake of eradicating kamma, not for cultivating any particular quality – just pure torment. Like those who imitate dogs or imitate cows – crawling like cows, barking like dogs – what quality do you develop? None. They think that this can eradicate their kamma, understand? So these are two different concepts. Training is acceptable; blind torment is without wisdom, rooted in wrong view – it is different. The Bodhisatta knows very clearly: "If I do this, my power can be offered up. Even my life can be offered up. What kind of power is that?" It is different from having a robot do it lightly and easily. That's why in the future, we will have robots do office work, and we will have our Dhamma workers develop loving-kindness (mettā) to receive people, to give you some warmth. In the future, our Dhamma workers must train in this. If they don't develop these qualities, they will be eliminated by me. In a few more years, I will buy robots – robots will solve most problems, and we will let the Dhamma workers do the human things – the human contact, you know? So it's different. You cannot think that way.

Some people also say, "What's the use of cultivating psychic powers? You can just take an airplane – that's like psychic powers." This shows they don't understand. Taking an airplane is completely different from being able to fly by yourself. If you can fly by yourself, that shows to what height your mind's quality has reached – able to counteract gravity, able to transcend and produce physical phenomena. That is what kind of mental power! So you must see this point. When those people say, "You don't need to cultivate psychic powers; taking an airplane is enough" – that is not understanding the value of psychic powers. Psychic powers have value – the same applies.

Now, as for wife and children – this is another question that arises only when one does not understand the principle of skillful means and wisdom. So the teacher will now tell you: Do you know what pāramī (perfection) is? What are the pāramīs for becoming a Buddha? Actually, we speak of ten pāramīs, but in fact there are immeasurable pāramīs – all the wholesome qualities. Because the Bodhisatta has not yet attained the noble path (ariya-magga); he has not eradicated the defilements (kilesas). He relies on pāramīs to expel his defilements – using mundane methods to be able to expel defilements. This requires how great a power of Dhamma? An inconceivable power of Dhamma. Relying on the noble path is skillful – once you realize the noble path, defilements are cut off. But the Bodhisatta relies on countless instances of restraint. Because his defilements are not yet cut off, in order to prevent defilements from arising, he must undergo countless trainings and develop them. His training is to achieve the ability that in any kind of impossible situation – no matter how difficult the circumstance – he can arouse any kind of wholesome quality he wishes. Do you understand? The characteristic of pāramī is that in any inconceivable situation, he will not be obstructed. Nothing can obstruct the Bodhisatta from arousing any wholesome quality he wishes to arouse, understand?

What things obstruct people from arousing wholesome qualities? Life, the physical body – "I cherish my eyes." What else do we cherish? Cherish life – fear of death. And then? Wife, children – you cannot let go of these. So the Bodhisatta's training is that there must be nothing that can obstruct him from arousing wholesome qualities. Only then is his pāramī called "unlimited" – his wholesome qualities must be without any limit. Therefore, if there is anything he might cling to, anything he might be unable to let go of, he must be able to let go of it. This makes him without limits. Do you understand this principle?

Thus, wife and children are a person's limit – most people cannot let them go, right? So he must achieve being without limits – he must be able to let go, even to the extent of giving his wife away to others, giving his children away to others. Of course, ordinary people should not try to understand this; this is basically the domain of a Bodhisatta. Only a Bodhisatta has to do this, because he needs to complete his pāramīs – the unlimited wholesome qualities – meaning he must eliminate every weakness. No weakness can block him from cultivating any kind of wholesome quality. So any human weakness, he must overcome. Therefore he is a superman – the Bodhisatta is a superman, understand?

Now, wife and children are things that worldly people cannot do – they still have clinging and concern. But he is able: if you need a wife, he gives you a wife; if you need a child, he gives you a child. Of course, there is a condition – when he gives, he does not harm or sacrifice his wife against her will. But as for that wife – I tell you, that is another story. Not just anyone can be the wife of a Bodhisatta. Those who become the Bodhisatta's wife do so willingly. From the time they receive the prediction (of being the Bodhisatta's wife in that life), their determination is to help the Bodhisatta perfect his pāramīs. She is also one who would give her life for the Bodhisatta. "If it can help you perfect your pāramīs, I can give my life, I can sacrifice – anything. Do as you decide." That is how it is. Only then can one become the Bodhisatta's wife. She is not doing it purely for the sweetness of romantic love – it's not that superficial. It is absolutely not the kind of intimate, affectionate love you imagine. It is for the sake of Dhamma. Because the Bodhisatta needs to perfect his pāramīs – he needs to be able to let go of even the most beautiful woman in the world, the woman who loves him most, the most [devoted] – ultimately, for the sake of cultivating wholesome qualities, for the sake of becoming a Buddha, he lets go. So he cannot casually let go of someone who is unwilling. Those who can become his wife are definitely not ordinary people. They are those who, for your achievement, will say, "I will not obstruct." So you are thinking from the worldly perspective of attachment – "abandoning his wife and children" – what is that? For them – for the Bodhisatta and for Yaśodharā, who are perfecting their pāramīs – what are these things?

The suffering of sentient beings is the most painful thing. Do you understand? For the sake of saving the suffering of sentient beings – no matter what kind of training, I am willing to endure it. Therefore, no matter how hard it is to let go, I must be able to let go. So it's a case of one willing to strike and the other willing to receive – what business is it of yours? Right? The same applies to his children – they are also without resentment or regret. Moreover, this kind of thing only happens in a certain era – an era where the wife is absolutely loyal to her husband, and the child is absolutely loyal to the father. It's not about treating them as property. Furthermore, his reasoning is: "You have no children. In this agricultural era (and these events usually occur in such an agricultural era), you need children because without children, you have no one to support you in your old age. I give you my child to be your child." This has happened in the past – have you heard of it? In the past – carrying on the family line. Right? "In this time of suffering, he says, 'I give you my child to be your child.' You have no wife, you need a wife. You are so suffering. Alright, I give you my wife." For the sake of Dhamma, understand? So he has no limitations – there is nothing left in this world that can limit him. Even if you come at him with a knife and demand his life, he will still steadily cultivate his wholesome qualities; if he intends to give, he will give.

There is a story where he wanted to make an offering to a Paccekabuddha. Māra (the Tempter) – because the Bodhisatta had already promised to make the offering, he had said, "I will offer to the Paccekabuddha," and the Paccekabuddha was waiting for him. But Māra,  created a trench filled with burning coals to block his way. The Bodhisatta paid no heed. "Unless I die – if I die, that's it. But I will not fail to make the offering; I will not dare not cross. Even if I die, I will keep my promise to the Paccekabuddha. I will make the offering to him. He is waiting for me." So without any hesitation, he stepped right into it. "At worst, I die. If I die without completing the offering, that does not violate my vow. But if I avoid death and thus fail to complete the offering, that would mean I have not kept my perfection of truthfulness (sacca-pāramī)."

That is how the Bodhisatta is. So he stepped across. And because his merit was so powerful, as he stepped, lotuses arose – he stepped on the lotuses and crossed over. Of course, at the moment he stepped, he did not know lotuses would appear; he did not know. He was prepared to give his life. This is the ultimate pāramī. For you, this life – how precious it is! These family relationships – how precious, how important! Let me tell you: for the Bodhisatta, only becoming a Buddha is important – everything else does not matter. For the sake of becoming a Buddha, because becoming a Buddha is to help sentient beings, understand?

The hope of sentient beings rests on my becoming a Buddha. So for the sake of helping sentient beings, for the sake of their hope – would I still care about these things? However, if he knows that this person will take his wife and kill her, or take his child and feed him to pigs – that is impossible; he would not give. When he gives, he gives on the condition that the receiver will be responsible. "If you want [the person as your wife/child], I give them. But if later you suddenly harm them – once given, it's yours. If you harm them, that becomes your evil kamma." That's how it works. So when he finally gave away his children – for example, when he gave away Sandara? When he gave his child away, that person – the brahmin (who was actually Devadatta in a past life) – beat his child right in front of him. "Get going! Follow me!" The child cried out, "Father, father!" The Bodhisatta felt a pang of heartache. He was a little pained. But he had already given. For him, once given, it's yours. That is how conditions work. Of course, later he found a way to redeem the child – using a letter or something. He told his child, "I have given you away. But who is your grandfather? The king. You go find your grandfather and ask him to pay money to redeem you." But after giving, the only effect of redemption is that the person who wanted the child gets the money he wants – he loses nothing, right? All possibilities exist. So that's how it is.

Thus, I tell you: The Buddha said in the suttas – do not try to guess or measure those with wisdom higher than yours. Those with high wisdom can understand; those with low wisdom are not capable of understanding higher wisdom. This is true. So if you use your wisdom to try to understand or guess the Bodhisatta, you are looking for trouble. Be careful not to criticize casually. Ordinary people cannot understand what is meant by skillful means and wisdom (upāya-kosalla-ñāṇa). This is why I urge you to practice dependent origination – because the more deeply you see dependent origination and kamma, cause and effect, the more you will gradually develop this kind of skillful means and wisdom, to some degree. Because you will see cause and effect – this cause, this effect; this cause, this effect. The level you see, your perspective, your understanding of time and space – it is different, understand? Alright? Be careful – do not criticize casually. Criticizing a Bodhisatta carries unwholesome kamma. If you don't understand, just say, "This, I don't understand." That is better.

信徒：師父好，我有幾個很幼稚的問題。 沒關係。 就是那個善慧尊者，他要佈施他的生命，讓佛陀跟那麼多的阿羅漢走過去。 可是這件事情不需要佈施生命，他可以留著生命留下來學法。 這是一個，所以我就覺得不懂為什麼這樣小的事情要佈施生命。 然後像我們在讀很多本身故事的時候，就佛陀經常在佈施自己的妻子，佈施自己的兒子。 那如果佈施眼睛，佈施哪裡，我覺得我可以接受。 可是為什麼妻子又不是物品，為什麼要把她佈施出去？而且妻子願不願意變成別人的妻子，這也是個問題。 所以我每次都沒辦法單純地信仰。

吉祥尊者：先講那個他佈施他的身體。 他為什麼他要用他自己的勞力？他用神通就變一下就可以。 他覺得他不要用這個優勢，他自己的優勢，神通的優勢。 他覺得要刻苦，拿出那個精進力刻苦，像大家一樣刻苦，才在心流裡面，心流裡面如果你經過千辛萬苦，那個產生的那個素質比較強，明白嗎？你輕輕鬆鬆做一下，就好像用神通做事一樣，明白嗎？甚至我用機器人給你做就好了。 但是那個心流沒有，我們的心很奇怪，它是越遇到強大的阻力，它的力量越強了，你知道吧？所以為什麼我們講越是艱苦的狀態下，積累的善業特別的有力量，很多人錯過，很多人只要做舒服的善業，辛苦來了，麻煩來的時候不願意做，明白嗎？其實他們不知道那個是機會，就是在艱苦中完成了善才有力量

然後我們的菩薩是有方法善巧智的，他們完全明白這個東西，就是拿出那個誠意，就最艱苦，我願意付出艱苦，然後我就完成，這個才是功德殊勝，明白嗎？所以這個不是一般的人，菩薩的智慧都不是普通人可以理解的，所以這就是為什麼你們要修觀禪，修下緣起，你明白心路過程是怎麼跑的，所以在這種情形之下，當他能夠把整個生命都丟出去，它是一個怎麼樣的心路過程？你如果是輕輕鬆鬆，路就好了，憋一下，路就出來了，它是一個什麼樣的心路過程？它要的是它知道就是這種心路過程才能產生強大的力量，這個是它的方法善巧智帶給它的，你沒有方法善巧智，當然就沒辦法理解咯，但是我不敢說我們有，當我們修過法而緣起，看過心路的人，就知道怎樣的狀態會產生怎麼樣的心路，會產生什麼樣的力量，明白嗎？

所以這個是它的智慧，如果你有這個智慧，你就會做菩薩了，知道嗎？你就會得授記了。你沒有。我們就在往這方面學習。

信徒：那修苦行不也是一樣的道理嗎？

吉祥尊者：苦行它有一個錯誤的錯見，他是以為我折磨自己，我就可以消完我的業，它是為了消業而折磨自己，而且也練不出什麼強大的力量，我在印度親自看過人家把自己埋在淤積，把自己埋到這裡，然後埋到周圍的草，七天七夜，草都長草，他們撒一些種子，證明我晚上有頭爬起來，真的七天後，這裡長滿草，撒那個草種子，它那是折磨自己，但是沒有產生這個37道品，沒有什麼特別的增長，明白嗎？那是折磨，瞎折磨，頭陀又不同，頭陀是可以開發出新的素質，所以我們佛教的像是苦行，但是是頭陀，比如說不倒單那種，那總是它要開發新的素質的一種磨煉。

這個叫做折磨自己，為了消業，也不是為了培養哪一種素質，只是純粹的折磨，像他們那個學狗，學牛，學牛爬學狗，你開發什麼素質？沒有啊，還以為它可以這樣子消業，明白嗎？所以這是兩個不同的概念，磨煉是可以的，瞎折磨是沒有智慧的，是邪見的，這不一樣，它是很清清楚楚知道我這樣子下去，我的力量可以奉獻出來，連生命也奉獻出來，那是什麼樣的力量？你是輕輕鬆鬆，機器人跟我做，這不一樣的，所以未來我們會讓機器人做辦公室的事，然後我們會讓我們的法工培養慈心去接待大家，給你們一點溫暖，未來我們的法工要訓練這個，如果我們法工沒有培養這種素質，以後就被我淘汰了，再過幾年我就要買機器人了，機器人解決大部分的問題，然後讓法工去做人性的事，人的那種接觸，知道嗎？所以這是不一樣的，你不能夠這樣想，也有人說修什麼神通，坐飛機就像神通，這是不知道的，坐飛機跟你人會飛，那是完全不同的力量，你人能夠飛起來，那代表著你的心的素質是到什麼高度，能夠反地心引力，能夠超越產生物理現象，這是何等的心力，所以要看到這一點，所以當那些人說，不需要去修神通，坐飛機就可以了，這個就是不懂神通的價值，神通是有價值的，一樣。

然後呢，妻子，孩子那些，這個又是一個不懂方法善巧中的原理，才會啟發這個問題，那師父現在告訴你，你知道什麼叫波羅蜜嗎？成佛的波羅蜜是什麼？其實講是講十波羅蜜，其實有無量波羅蜜，就是所有的美好的數字，因為菩薩他沒有聖道，他沒有斷煩惱，他要靠波羅蜜把他的煩惱排除，用世俗的方法就能夠把煩惱排除，這個要靠多大的法的力量，不可思議的法的力量，靠聖道是善巧的，一體證聖道煩惱斷除，他這個是要靠無數的剋制，因為他煩惱沒有斷，他要做到不讓煩惱升起，他就要無數的磨練，練出來，他的訓練是要做到任何一種不可能的處境，不管多艱難的處境，我要升起哪一種善法都可以升起，你明白嗎？波羅蜜的特點就是在任何一種不可思議的處境，他都不會被擋住，沒有什麼可以擋菩薩生起，他要升起的任何一種善法，明白嗎？什麼東西阻擋人們升起善法？生命，肉體，我愛惜眼睛，我們還愛惜什麼？愛惜生命，怕死，還有呢？老婆，孩子，你這個你放不下，所以菩薩的訓練就是不能有任何東西阻礙他升起善法，這個波羅蜜才叫做沒有極限，他的善法必須沒有任何極限，所以如果任何他可能執著，可能放不下的東西，他必須都能夠放得下，這個變成他就沒有了極限，明白這道理嗎？所以老婆孩子就是一個人的極限，大家放不掉，是不是？所以他必須做到沒有極限，就必須放得下，連老婆也能夠送給人家，孩子也可以送給人家，當然一般的人不要去理解，這個東西基本上是菩薩的境界，菩薩才要做，因為他要完成波羅蜜，就是沒有極限的善法，就是什麼弱點都要排除，沒有一個弱點可以卡住他培養任何一種善法，所以只要是人的弱點他就必須克服，所以他是超人，菩薩是超人，明白嗎？

好，那老婆孩子是世間的人做不到的事，都還執著牽掛，他能夠你需要老婆，你給老婆，你需要孩子，可以給孩子，當然這個有條件，他在給的時候是你不會去傷害，他不會去犧牲傷害他的妻子，但那個做妻子的，我告訴你，這個就另一個故事了，不是隨便的人做菩薩妻子的，要做菩薩妻子的都是心甘情願的，就是要他們在授記的時候，授記祭會成為菩薩的妻子的時候，他的決心就是要幫助菩薩圓滿波羅蜜，她也是為菩薩捨命的，只要能夠幫你圓滿波羅蜜，我可以捨生命，我可以犧牲，什麼都可以，任你決定，那就是這樣子的，才可能做菩薩的妻子，他本來就不是純粹的為了愛情的甜蜜，而去做菩薩妻子，不會這樣膚淺，絕對不是你們想像中的那種親親我我的愛情，他是一個為了法，因為菩薩他需要圓滿波羅蜜，他需要把世界上最美的女人，最愛他的女人，最什麼的人，到頭來都能夠為了修善法，為了成佛，他放得下，所以他也不能夠隨便放下一個不願意的人，能夠做他菩薩妻子的絕對不是普通人，絕對是那個為了你成就，我不要去，所以你們是從世間的那種貪著來想，拋妻棄子是怎麼怎麼，對他們來說，這些要圓滿波羅蜜的菩薩跟耶輸陀羅，這些算得了什麼？

眾生的苦才是最苦的，你明白嗎？眾生的苦，為了拯救眾生的苦，我怎麼樣的磨練，我都願意承受，所以怎樣不捨的都要能夠捨，所以一個願打一個願挨，關你什麼事？對吧？做他的孩子的也是如此的，無怨無悔，而且這種東西一定是發生在一個時代，就是妻子對丈夫就是絕對的忠心，孩子對爸爸絕對的忠心，也不是財物不財物，而且他的想法是，你沒有孩子，在那個農耕時代，通常都是在那種農耕時代發生的，你需要孩子，因為沒有孩子你都沒有誰來養你養老，我的孩子給你做孩子，現在也有，過去有沒有聽過？過去，傳宗接代，過去，對吧？這個苦時候他就說給你做孩子，你沒有妻子，你需要妻子，你這麼苦，好，我的妻子給你，為了法，明白嗎？所以他就沒有侷限了，就是在這個世界上再也沒有什麼東西可以限制他，你拿刀砍著他，你要我的命，我也會穩穩地修我的善法，我要布施我就會布施。

所以有時候他要供養辟支佛的時候，那個魔，因為他已經承諾了要供養彼此佛，我答應了要供養，辟支佛等他的時候，但是那個魔，天魔，造一個溝，裡面全是火炭，給你過不去，他不管；除非我死，我死了就算了，但是我不會不供養，不會不敢過去，即使死，我也會遵守我對辟支佛的承諾，我要供養他，他等我了，直接毫不猶豫地就踩過去，大不了我死，死我沒有完成供養，那不是我誓言，但是我為了活命而沒有完成供養，那是我沒有守真實波羅蜜了。

對菩薩就是這樣子，所以他就踩過去，當然一踩過去，因為他的功德太強了，踩過去，生出蓮花，踩在蓮花上，踩過去，當然他踩的時候不知道會生蓮花，他不知道，他就是捨生命，這個是究竟菠蘿蜜，對你們來說，這生命，這多可貴，這個家庭關係多可貴，多重要，我跟你講，對菩薩來講，只有成佛是重要的，其他都沒關係，為了成佛，因為成佛就是助眾生，明白嗎？

眾生的希望就在我成佛，那我為了助眾生，為了眾生的希望，還在乎這些嗎？但是如果他知道，這個人要拿妻子去殺，拿了孩子去餵豬，這孩子就不可能，他不可能會給，他給的時候是認為，你會負責，你要就給，但是給了過後，突然間你傷害，給就給了，就是你的了，你傷害是你的罪過了，這樣，明白嗎？所以當他最後是給孩子的時候，在給sandara的時候，他把孩子給出去的時候，那個人，那個波羅蜜，其實提婆達多一打他的孩子，就在他面前打孩子。‘幹，你跟著我走！’

孩子哭哭爸爸爸爸這樣，他就心疼，他有點心疼，但是他已經給了，對他來講就是，給了就是你的了，因緣就是這樣子，當然後來他想辦法，去贖回，用一張，他就跟他的孩子講，我把你給出去了，但是呢，你的爺爺是誰？是國王，你要去找你那個爺爺，然後呢，請他出錢，把你贖回去，這樣子，但是給了，贖回去只有一個作用是什麼？就是那個人要孩子，他得到他要的錢，他什麼都沒有，對吧？

什麼都會有，所以是這樣子的，所以我跟你說，佛陀在經裡面講，不要去猜度，智慧比你高的人，智慧高的可以知道，智慧低的人，智慧低的人是沒有能力理解更高智慧的，這是真實的，所以你要去用你的智慧去理解，去猜菩薩，你就是去找麻煩，小心不要隨便批評。這是你不能，一般的人沒辦法理解，什麼叫做方法善巧智，所以我叫你們修緣起，就是這個原因，緣起因果看得越透徹，你就慢慢，這種方法善巧智，或多或少也在培養起來，因為你就看到因果，這個因，這個果，這個因，這個果，你看到的層面，你的格局，你的時空是不一樣的，明白嗎？好不好？小心一點，不要隨便批評，批評菩薩有惡業的，不懂的就不懂，不懂的就講，這個東西我不懂，這樣比較好

吉祥禪風集–幫助別人要先幫助自己

《法句經•166偈》：『不管利益他人的事有多重大，也不可疏忽自己的究竟目的，更要下決心完成。』

自己的究竟目的是指聖道，聖果，涅槃，即解脫。如果自己沒有這個力量，就很難帶領別人解脫。自度和度他是沒有矛盾的。如果自己沒有站得穩，我們怎麽扶別人，越是想要幫助別人解脫，就越要先幫助自己解脫，這個世界上很多時候都是瞎子帶著瞎子走路，一個有正見的智者非常珍貴，他不會給別人帶錯路，他有證量可以真正的度化他人，這種真正的慈悲可以化為修行人的動力。

幫助別人，也是幫助自己。比如當我們以布施幫助別人時，我們也是在幫助自己累積最殊勝的波羅蜜。助人和助己沒有矛盾，但是要保持一個平衡，懂得怎麽正確的幫助。

如果我們要教育別人，那麽要看我們對教育的內容是否真正掌握，可以給別人帶來正面的效果。如果自己不懂，那就是盲引盲，搞不好百般努力，卻教育了一大堆錯見和邪見。

吉祥尊者

Auspicious Zen Collection – To Help Others, First Help Yourself

Dhammapada, Verse 166: "No matter how significant it is to benefit others, one must not neglect their ultimate purpose and must resolve to fulfill it."

One's ultimate purpose refers to the holy path, holy fruit, and nibanna—i.e., liberation. Without this strength, it is challenging to guide others toward liberation. Self-liberation and aiding others are not contradictory. If we cannot stand firm ourselves, how can we support others? The more we wish to help others find liberation, the more we must first help ourselves. Often, in this world, the blind lead the blind. A wise person with right view is invaluable; they will not mislead others. Their realization allows them to truly guide others, and this genuine compassion becomes the motivation for practitioners.

Helping others is also helping oneself. For instance, when we help others through generosity, we are also accumulating the excellent form of paramitas for ourselves. Assisting others and oneself are not in conflict, but it is essential to maintain balance and know how to help correctly.

If we aim to educate others, we must ensure we truly grasp the content of that education and can bring about positive effects. If we are ignorant, it becomes blind leading the blind; despite best efforts, we may end up spreading wrong views and misunderstandings.

—Venerable Managala

"How to Face Fear?"

Question: Venerable, how can we strengthen our hearts to resist greed and fear?

Venerable Mangala: Meditation, making wishes, and supporting others can strengthen the heart. From my own experience, I find that when I lead and train others, my own merit helps.

....

When others need comfort, you comfort them; when they need encouragement, you encourage them; when others are practicing, you support them; when others are strong, you rejoice with them. Then, diligently practice meditation yourself. Focus on training your own heart.

Be willing to accept various tests and trials without avoidance. When challenges arise and you don’t evade them, your heart will grow stronger.

For example, I have a story about when I was drown. I was impacted deeply; just thinking of water made me afraid. I thought I couldn’t survive. I faced five days of fear, and then more when thinking about water again. I had to confront this myself, and as a result, my heart became stronger. Once I faced it, the weak state of my heart immediately disappeared.

Later, when I encountered the mountains, I jumped back in, swam out, and returned; I eliminated my fear, and that weak inclination followed away.

People talk about ghosts and graveyards, and I deliberately confront them; thus, my heart grows stronger. Previously, at Sam Poh Mountain in Malacca, I discussed Dhamma with elders until midnight. Afterward, I walked back in the dark, especially in that somber atmosphere. I would intentionally slow down, feeling a slight discomfort, a shadowy fear. I refused to accept it; I looked left and right, thinking, "If it comes, let it come!" That kind of mindset made me unafraid.

In graveyards, if I have fear, I won’t be afraid; I’ll sleep on a grave and overcome that fear. I haven’t done that for a while, and I can’t say I wouldn’t be afraid now. Sometimes, even if you are brave, if beings want to instill fear in you, they can project fearful energy onto your head, making you shiver. But if you become awaken, there are ways to overcome it, such as becoming empty. To become empty means to make your heart like emptiness, so it cannot grasp your heart. It can influence your body with that chilling energy; however, when the heart is empty, it cannot grasp your heart. It can affect your body, making it feel cold, but your heart remains unaffected.

So, face life’s challenges without evasion. There is another kind of courage—the courage to escape. Avoidance is also a form of courage. Facing something is one kind of courage, while avoidance is another.

Those who are used to facing challenges sometimes have a strong sense of self or conciet : "I am not afraid of you, I dare!" But sometimes, why engage in a fight if it’s unnecessary? They say I lack courage, but I am not afraid of their words. This is another form of courage, the courage of non-self. This is a higher level of courage, stronger.

That strength is often not visible to others. It appears as if one is avoiding, but in fact, it takes courage. You say I escape, I escape; you say I do not escape, I also escape. You say I am brave; I escape; you say I am weak; I also escape. No matter what you say, I decide not to engage in this battle; that is true courage—the courage to overcome conceit. This strength is greater, another level of courage.

It may look like the first level where everyone escapes; but this escape is a brave one. You overcome your pride and vanity; there’s no need to prove anything to anyone. There’s nothing to prove; I just need to achieve my goals, and that is powerful.

There are many methods to train your heart. The best method is through precepts, stillness, and wisdom; and providing a sense of security to others. Observing the Five Precepts already offers a sense of security. Adding other aspects, like reliability in various areas, further provides security. Those who offer security to others will have a strong, peaceful heart.

《怎樣面對恐懼？》

请问尊者，如何让心强起来以便能抵挡内心的贪欲和恐惧？

吉祥尊者： 禪修，發願，做一下護持人家、把心強起來的功德。

我自己的經驗，發現到，當我在領導別人、訓練他們的心的時候，自己的功德就幫到。

….

別人需要安慰你就安慰，別人需要鼓勵你就鼓勵，別人修行你就護持他，別人心很強你隨喜；然後自己也很用心地打坐。自己的因素就自己用心訓練自己

然後願意接受總總的考驗和磨練，不逃避。

考驗來的時候你不逃避，你的心就會強

比如說我淹水的故事吧。那時受到那個打擊，想到水就怕，想到水就怕；結果我想我活不下去了。想到水，五天恐懼就夠了；再想到水，又五天恐懼；我要自己給自己去面對。結果心就強起來。我一面對，心弱的狀態馬上消除了。

之後我同樣遇到馬當山，我就跳回去，游去又遊回來；我就去掉我的恐懼心，那個弱的因緣就緊隨離去了。

人家說鬼鬼鬼，說墳場，我就故意去面對；然後心就強起來。

以前在馬六甲三寶山，我就在那裡跟長輩討論佛法，討論完十二點。完後，我就走夜路回去，那個陰沉沉的，特別是那個陰沉沉的氣氛。我就故意慢一點。我就有一點點不爽，陰陰的那種感覺，也是屬於恐懼吧。就是一點點的。我就不容忍，看一下左邊，看一下右邊，‘來了，就來吧！’就是那種心。‘來吧’那以後就不再怕。

不然就在墳場上，你恐懼我不怕，我就帶著恐懼睡著墳墓上，就做到不會怕了。我很久沒有這樣做了，我不敢說現在做不會怕。因為有些時候即使你很勇敢，如果那些眾生要讓你怕，他可以在你身上灌一些恐懼的能量，他可以放一些陰森森寒寒的能量，灌去你頭上，所以有時候你也會抖一抖。但是你醒覺的話，還是有方法克服，就是化空。化空就是把自己變成好像虛空，那個心像虛空一樣，他就抓不住你的心。可以影響到你的身體，就是陰森森的那種寒冷的能量；但是那個心化空的時候，他就是沒辦法抓得住你的心。他可以弄到你的身體，陰森森的身體，讓你的身體發寒。但是你的心不受影響，可以做到這一點。

所以就是用這種方法面對囖，生命的考驗不逃避。

通過有另一種勇氣，就是逃避的勇氣。逃避也是另一種勇氣。面對是一種勇氣，逃避也是另一種勇氣。

習慣面對的人，有時候那個我慢心很強：‘我不怕你，我敢！’ 但有時候不需要打的仗，我為什麼要打？

他說我沒有勇氣，我不怕。這是另一種勇氣，無我的勇氣。這是更高層次的勇氣，更強。那種強是別人看不出來的。看起來好像在逃避，但其實有勇氣。你講我逃，我也逃；你講我不逃，我也逃。你講我勇敢，我也逃；你講我軟弱我也逃。不管你說什麼，我覺得這個仗我不要打，我就逃；這個是真正的勇氣，戰勝自己我慢心的勇氣。這種強是更強，另一種層次的勇氣。

它好像第一個層次一樣，人家逃避你也逃避；但這個逃避是勇敢地逃。你戰勝了自己的慢心，虛榮心，不需要證明給什麼人看；什麼都不要證明，我只要達到目的就好，這個力量很強

所以就是種種的方法可以訓練到自己的心

最好的方法就是戒定慧，給人家安全感；守五戒就已經給人安全感了，那麼再加上其他的方面，信用啊，各方面，給人家安全感；給人家安全感的人，他自己心就會有力量，安然的力量

【克服不善心】

很多人不知道：

傷心，是一種惡業，不善業；

恐懼，是一種惡業，不善業；

無知，也是一種惡業，不善業。

但是，有些人認為：

「我傷心，又沒有干擾到別人，為什麼說是『惡業』呢？」

「我恐懼，是我無奈的，不是我要的，為什麼說是『惡業』？」

「無知？本來就無知了，也不是我選擇的！怎麼是『惡業』？」

現在我們要了解，

當我們說『善業』跟『惡業』的時候，

我們不是說：

「這是誰訂下來的？

誰決定的？

或該不該？」

不是這個問題。

我們講的是自然的現象，從自然法則裡面，這種狀態的心所帶來的果報是好的還是不好的？

是樂的還是苦的？

如果我們從這方面來了解，它是自然界的規則。

它不是說：

「誰要的？」

或者說：

「該不該？」

也不是說：

「你干擾到別人沒有？」

不是的！

它是一種自然界的因緣，一種現象，也不是佛陀所創造的，也不是誰所製造的。

就像圓的東西會滾動；四方的、格子狀的東西它就不會滾動，這樣的，所以不是誰去創造它。

好，回過來我們去看它，因為它是一種自然的現象，因為傷心的心是一種低能量的、很黯淡的心，這種黯淡的心它帶來的果報，留下來的能量，心在一生一滅之中留下來的一種潛質，一種能量，我們叫作『業』。

這種『業』帶來的果報是不好的。

黯淡的心帶來的果報是不好的！

恐懼也是一樣，不是你要還是你不要；當然每個人的恐懼都是情不自禁的，都是無奈的。

但是，它還是『惡業』，因為那是一種黯淡的心、顫抖的心、沒力的心，所以它也是一種『惡業』，帶來的是不安，沒有安全感。

然後，無知也是一樣，無知就像沒有燈，一片黑暗，沒有光明，看不懂。

你一個人眼睛矇著，走到懸崖邊，然後呢摔了下去。

你不能夠說：「那不是我要的結果！」地心引力也不會跟你問說：「這是你要的還是不要的結果？」

總之，違背了地心引力，沒看清楚路，摔下去就是粉身碎骨。

自然界的法則也是一樣，因果也是一樣，你不懂自然界的規則，你違背了就沒有果報了嗎？

有的。

違背了自然界的規則，因果法則裡面造下了惡，那就要受惡報。

所以，生命裡面沒有藉口，我們不能說：「我們不懂。」我們就是要懂。

我們不能說：「我們不能。」我們就是要能。

生命是一個艱苦的磨練和訓練，

只有當我們努力的去戰勝自己，

去培養善的力量、

正面的力量、

光明的力量，

去培養我們的智慧，去『懂』！

那我們才會活得很好。

如果我們放逸，

我們懶惰，

我們不想去『懂』，

那我們就會永遠受苦。

讓我們首先認清這些是苦因，傷心、恐懼、無明是苦因，然後讓我們努力的去學習(培育心的定力)，然後一步一步的去克服(斷盡煩惱)這些生命裡面的苦因。

吉祥尊者

(古晉Red FM電台《淨覺之音》弘法系列‧弟子依錄音內容打字‧未經尊者審閱張貼‧僅供內部法友參考) 

今天讓我們來談談『隨喜與妒忌』。

什麼是『隨喜』？當別人做了好事；別人有美德；別人活出成功；別人活得幸福，我們讚嘆說：「太好了！」「善哉！」「做得好！」我們的心是隨著別人的順境、美好而歡喜。

什麼是『妒忌』呢？它是怎麼樣的一種心理狀態呢？不願意看到別人成功；不願意看到別人幸福；不願意看到別人擁有財富；不願意看到別人的日子比自己好過，那就是『妒忌』了！其實，『妒忌』是蠻難受的。他本來是沒事，一個人可以活得好好的，但是只因為別人活得好而感到難受，這實在是一種最沒有智慧，也最傷害自己的種心理狀態。原本什麼事都沒有，只因為別人成功，只因為別人好，你就難受了，這個就是『妒忌』。

『妒忌』會帶來怎麼樣的一種果報呢？佛陀在經典裡清楚的說：「一個有妒忌心的人，他是不會有太大的影響力的。相反的，如果一個人他不『妒忌』，他會希望別人好，這樣的人會有影響力。」因為一個心懷『妒忌』的人會令人害怕的，當你知道你的成功給他知道了，或者是你在他面前成功了，其實你會感覺到壓力，你知道：他不希望看到你成功，他希望你倒下。這樣的話，你還會跟他合作嗎？你還會以他為領袖嗎？不能。你不能夠比他強，你也不能夠好好的發揮自己。

相反的，如果一個人他真的不『妒忌』別人，他是『隨喜』你的成就，那麼你就可以在他面前盡情地發揮實力，你可以表現得很好。你不怕他會因為你表現好而『妒忌』你，或者是找機會把你扳倒。當我們知道別人不會『妒忌』我們，我們在他面前會感到安然，也放心地發揮自己，因為每一個人都希望能發揮自己的。如果你跟隨一個人，跟在他身邊卻不能夠發揮自己的話，遲或早你都會遠離他的，所以自然的他就不會發揮什麼影響力。

所以同樣的一件事，你去『妒忌』別人，你就造下不善業；你去『隨喜』了別人，你就累積了功德。何樂而不為呢？而且，這種『隨喜』功德其實是蠻容易累積的，只因為別人好，我們只要在內心裡面讚嘆和隨喜就有功德的，這種東西如果是對於那些會觀心的人，自己懂得看自己的心，他是知道它是怎麼去起作用。

當我們看到別人好，我們心裡歡喜的時候，其實是我們的心裡留下了那個美好的心影。我們跟那個好境界、好的狀態，我們會相應。當我們的心跟好的境界、好的狀態相應的時候呢，其實你會發現到：「你更容易成就那個好」你只要隨喜別人，過一陣子，那種好、那種力量、那種美德、那種光明和陽光的心態，很快的就會變成你自己的。

佛陀他教法，的確是看眾生的根基，但都是導向涅槃

今天我們教法，也是仿效佛陀的方法。

即使在法域，我們也是看根基教法

比如說，有些人，我們就教入出息念，

有些人，我教慈心

有些人，他看骨頭，然後修白遍

最近有一個，現在也在法域。他入出息念修不了，但他修骨頭修得了，看骨頭，然後就修到白遍

白遍修了之後，所有的十遍修完之後，他又倒回來，修這個入出息念。一修就自動進入初禪，二禪，三禪，四禪。

所以是看根性。但我明白你的意思

南傳佛教，我們不叫小乘。他們說我們小乘，那是他們的業，不是我們的業。

我是發菩薩願的

但是我們的方法是照給你光，你要怎麼選，你根據自己的選擇。我們不教你選，我們不替你選。生命是你的。

我們只是講：成佛是這樣子。講了之後，你要發什麼願，那是你的事。你發成佛之願，你自然會走那個路，一定會，你要為它付出，你有那個方法

當然後來，佛教走進不同的派系。藏傳，走進北傳，這是跟他們的背景有關的。南傳上座部佛教，他們就要求保守。佛陀的經文，必須來自佛陀；佛教的經文，必須來自佛陀。但是他們來說，因為我們不知道後來的人會發生什麼事，加些什麼東西。

但其他派系，他們可以容許，譬如去到海底跟海龍王要經，對嗎？你說海龍王給你的是佛經，我們也不能講什麼吧。

所以在南傳就是沒有這種事。南傳就是從第一次經典結集，第二次經典結集傳下來。是什麼就是什麼，不能隨便加進去。這是南傳的態度。就是這樣

所以，如果你有從山洞裡面拿出經，哪裡拿出經。

自然，那個法就會演變。對不對是另一回事，我不講。

對不對不由我去批判，我只說南傳，我不講別人

但我只能夠講，在南傳，沒有這種做法。在別的派系，可以有這種作法：山洞裡面拿這個經文，古時候啊，什麼時候啊。

我們就是，釋迦牟尼佛留下來什麼，就是什麼，沒有加的。而且我們也覺得足夠。夠成佛。夠成獨覺佛，夠你成阿羅漢

因為我們覺得上座部佛教，巴利三藏，已經足夠讓你達到任何一個層次：成佛，成獨覺佛，成阿羅漢。

我就覺得，既然都夠了。都有整條路的修法了，三條路的修法都有了。幹嘛要去加？加了你會不會越走越遠，就這樣子

至於他們加了是怎樣子，我不評論，我只講上座部是不加的東西，是怎樣就是怎樣。至於各種各樣的說法，我覺得最簡單就是驗證。因為是法，就能夠驗證。因為佛陀教的法，他本來就是一門科學。就像牛頓講的物理學，對吧？

到現在為止，有人在爭論說，牛頓不是看蘋果掉下來，而是看梨子掉下來。對於我們來說那就不重要了對嗎？我就不會爭，這是蘋果，榴蓮，山竹，不重要。重要是地心引力有沒有？有，我就去檢驗這個地心引力。真的有，那就好了。

所以我們的著重在於，我不去爭那些無法驗證的東西。我注重那些業果法則，緣起法則，無常，苦，無我，緣起法，三世輪迴。

有沒有？有就去驗證啊！

這些世世代代都可以驗證，為什麼我們不花點心思去驗證，讓自然界的真相，給我知道法是什麼？佛陀有教我們驗證的方法啊，為什麼我們停留在信仰呢？明明那就是一門科學。我們竟然為了一個信仰，是我們這些後代的人沒有活出佛陀的指示，才會把佛教停留在信仰。當我們停留在信仰，就會有問題。

你講你的，我講我的，雞同鴨講。你否定我我否定你。誰也沒法證明誰是對的，明白嗎？

但是如果我們走驗證的路，根本就不需要爭。我們一起來修，一起來觀，一起來看，如實知見，對嗎？

就看吧。

最簡單第一件事，就是搞定有沒有輪迴

第二，搞定有沒有因果

這兩個如果修緣起法，就搞定了

當你體證了緣起法則的時候，你達到度疑清淨。度疑清淨，你度了十六種疑。五種過去，六種現在，五種未來。這十六種疑，就是對輪迴的懷疑，對因果的懷疑。沒有了，你不再相信輪迴，不再相信因果。你是知道輪迴，知道因果

過去我在某地方的沙灘走著，有一個印度人跑來走我，叫我過去，他在拜神。

我就過去那邊看看。

看了之後，他也希望我拜啦。當然我就跟他講。我們拜什麼都要明白。你跟我講你的神拜什麼。我不是講不恭敬，我只是想知道他教些什麼。我不能夠在不理解的情況底下，去禮拜這個。我們佛教裡面，要明白，我們拜是什麼。

就好像我們拜佛，我們都知道佛像是我們造的啊

因為我知道佛陀是什麼，佛像在代表什麼

我們其實是拜佛陀的法。我們每一次拜下去，是拜那個法，導向那個圓滿的智慧，慈悲，那個美德。真的，假如有一個異教徒走來拿刀劈了佛像，我也不會去殺他。我也不去恨他，因為恨他我就違背佛陀的教法了。我只能說這個人可憐，很可憐，就這樣

所以我就跟大家講，我們沒辦法了。我們佛教徒一定是明明白白的，我們不是信仰。好像是否有一個靈魂在輪迴？這個是很深的課題，不能在短短的時間跟大家解答。我們佛教不講reincarnation, 那是一個無我，但又有生命的輪轉。那是一個很奧秘的東西。你有修緣起，你就會明白，這裡頭沒有矛盾。無我與輪迴沒有矛盾。有些學者他們有矛盾，是因為他們是用思想，但這個不是用想，這個是用體證的。當然要明白它指的是什麼，它指的是人死了之後有沒有下一個生命。我就跟他講：I don’t believe 

他看著我，很納悶，有一個和尚不相信輪迴。我就說，我不相信天上有星星，月亮，太陽，你相信天上有星星，月亮，太陽嗎？對嗎？

假如我這樣子問你們，你相信天上的太陽嗎？你就會覺得師父很奇怪。這個東西我每天看到從東方升起，西方降落；為什麼叫我相信呢？對嗎？

你不能回答我相信。對嗎？一樣。我不相信輪迴。對我來講，輪迴的存在，就跟天上有星星月亮一樣的肯定。

所以當我們確定佛陀的教法，通過我們實修，我們那些爭論：大乘，小乘，藏傳，北傳。那些東西不需要去爭。

所以我的弟子裡面也有北傳的弟子。剛剛三個月。什麼法，什麼的，沒有問題的，我們一起來驗證。

不要浪費時間去你對我對，就來驗證吧！如實知見。

真的，我傳法那麼久，沒有看過我和任何一派去爭論。

不爭！

有啦，有討論法

在尼泊爾，在中國，我有一個法的辯論。後來辯辯辯，到後來他也不行。但是我們的辯論是友好的，是很友好的。辯辯辯，辯下去，他沒法跟你辯。他們是專業辯論的啊。 因為他們是在他們的世界裡面啊，他們沒有真正的懂南傳

他們只是覺得那是小乘，他們根本不會踏進來。

看看又何妨，對嗎？

…….

無論如何，我們不要想派系，我們要來驗證。本來就是科學。佛教不是哲學，佛教是科學。善惡都是科學，都是根據自然界法則，佛陀說那是善；自然界的法則，佛陀說那是惡。不是佛陀擅自把他講是善，還是惡。是科學。所以今天這個時代，讓我們佛教回歸佛陀的教法，回歸他原來的地位，就是科學。

這是我們要把那個科學傳揚出去，就是去教大家去做驗證

這個驗證的方法，就叫做禪：止禪跟觀禪

---吉祥尊者

小時候我很喜歡這句話：嫉惡如仇

哎呦，其實是很愚蠢的。以前覺得：誰不好！誰不好！

後來遇到佛法，接觸到阿比達摩過後就覺得是很可怕的事情

嫉惡如仇真的一點智慧也沒有

人家是惡就惡啦嘛，你去嫉惡如仇，你不就跟他一樣惡？

---吉祥尊者

8：42-8：59

https://www.facebook.com/DhammaEarthPenang/videos/1946883382401767/?__tn__=%2CO-R

問：請問尊者，如何像您那樣有智慧呢？

吉祥尊者：哎呦，我不是很有智慧啊，只是學佛陀而已啦。

其中一個原因是，我不容易去妒忌人家。

我常常看到別人好，有智慧，我很容易隨喜。

一隨喜那個人，我就會吸收他的優點

我就覺得妒忌的人很笨。你明明隨喜很快就可以得到好處

別人成功，你sadhu 就可以喇嘛，是不是。

…

我就覺得，不要去妒忌人家，要隨喜。

當看到別人有美德，有力量，我都很隨喜的。

就算別人很醜，很不好。但我看到他有某一個地方值得我去學習的，我就去學習。

我不會說：這樣差的人，怎麼會這樣這樣。

他差差差，但只要他成功，他一定有一個成功的因素。就了解人們成功的因素，那個品質。不是要隨喜他的醜陋，而是隨喜他的品質。那就學他的東西

所以我就覺得我是很好學，喜歡學人家。而且傾向於別人生命裡面有的成功，成就

我小小就開始讀名人傳記。看到人家有做對，有成功，就很好

<2：02

https://www.facebook.com/DhammaEarthPenang/videos/1946883382401767/?__tn__=%2CO-R

"Is There No Problem with Lust Between Couples?"

I have a fellow practitioner I used to practice with. He looked into past lives and found that he had once fallen into hell. What was the reason for his descent into hell?

When he recalled that past life, at the moment of death, he couldn't help but think of his wife. Even as he was dying, he was still focused on that, desiring sexual activity, and he experienced an extremely intense desire—not an ordinary one, but a very strong one.

It is his wife! mind you, he was not someone involved in sexual misconduct; it was a lawful relationship, okay according to the Five Precepts.

However, with such a strong desire, he fell into hell. Afterward, he was reborn as an animal and then returned to the human realm.

What am I trying to convey? Even if it's legitimate lust, if it arises at the moment of your death, it can still lead to suffering realms.

it is legitimate lust , a lawful marriage. If, at the moment of death, you are thinking about that, you could also fall into the realms of sufferings, or else into the animal realm, or even hell. These two realms are most likely. It is simply lust! not unlawful lust!

So, if you understand this, you'll know that if you want yourlife to be secure, you must overcome these causes of suffering.

--- Venerable Mangala

23-2-2024

《夫妻之間的淫欲沒有問題嗎？》

我有一個以前一起修的同修，他看看看過去世，他有一世掉落地獄。掉入地獄的原因是什麼？

他在他看回以前的一世，他在臨終的時候，好想不想，他想起他的妻子。要死了，還是想著那回事，還想性行為，而且起了很強很強的慾望，不是一般的強，非常強的慾望。

妻子哦，不是邪淫哦。合法哦，在五戒裡面Ok哦。

但是就帶著那麼強的慾望，掉入地獄。之後當了畜生，再回來。

我要講的是什麼？就算是正淫，假如在你臨終的時候出現，都是下苦界。

正淫哦，是合法夫妻。假如在臨終的時候想著那回事，也是會下苦界，不然就是畜生界，不然就是地獄道。這兩界最有可能----淫，其實不是邪淫，是淫。

所以你這樣子了解的話，你會知道，假如我希望我的生命有保障，這些苦因我要克服

---吉祥尊者

23-2-2024

信徒：師父好 ， 我專心修了止禪許多個月， 有半年了。 但修安般念依然見不到光與禪相， 請問應該怎樣改善與提升？謝謝🙇

吉祥尊者：自己要找原因啊，就憑有沒有正精進，然後能不能正精進，就是說你努力，然後有沒有連貫性，比如說你從這一支香到下一支香，今天到明天，明天到後天。有連貫性跟沒有連貫性差非常遠的，有時候像煮水一樣，煮水煮一下越冷了就煮一下，冷了它可以煮很久，煮上十年20年都煮不滾的，所以你要看，你要看到底。我覺得如果你是在家自己修，可能就是連貫性的問題啊，可能去學校看看手機，就是看電視，有人找你負責問題啊，然後呢，這個就有點不容易，這個修禪像那個科學研究一樣要有連續性啊

​

​有一些在家都夠修的，通常他都改變他的生活方式，通常都改變了生活方式，嗯，讓自己的心能夠保持那個連續性。只有非常少數的人就是超級波羅蜜的啊，可以，像我們這邊有有這樣的，一天坐兩份鐘，還能夠維持禪定那種，但是他也是在之前比較時間比較空餘的時候就修上去了，所以有了那個禪定自在，所以不容易，嗯，不容易。

​

​

​基本原則就是看你的效率，然後你連續性是不是等下修上去了，又掉下來修上去了，等下又再從頭開始，然後沒有那個經驗的記憶不夠啊，然後有哪裡讓你漏洞。就是可能有些脾氣不好的，就生氣呀，焦慮呀，然後你這裏進步，這裏修一下，等下那邊又緊張又焦慮又或者是健康又不好，所以這種種的問題都會拉倒。至少自己找漏洞，一定有，一定有，找一下就知道了，嗯，這正精進，它不只是要你要努力做對，你還要有那個持續性才能夠一天跟著一天。不然你修半年就不是半年，它沒有產生那個連續性的效果，那半年它就不是半年，它是很多很多的半天一天。

​

​ 信徒：明白。 的確，我每次都坐得不久，大概30分鐘。 分開許多次。

請教一下時間分配應該怎樣做？

​

​吉祥尊者：盡量爭取一次坐至少一個半小時，嗯，然後呢，能多幾次就多幾次吧。

信徒：師父好， 我聽說修安般念， 呼吸的顏色會隨著定力的增長而變白變亮。

我昨天修了七個小時， 心已經非常平靜， 為什麼顏色仍然沒有改善？謝謝

吉祥尊者：一定是五力裡面少了某一些， 你去注意一下， 信力，精進力，念力， 定力， 慧力。可能慧力少了一些。慧力就是說， 你對目標要很清楚， 了了分明。

​

通常也沒有說修幾次就怎麼改變的，不是這樣的。通常呢修行也要修一段日子，但是你可以檢查一下，如果你的心對你的目標有持續的覺知，應該是會進步的，再努力。