慈音雜誌電子報

【The First Step to be a Buddha 成佛的第一步】
The three turns of the law-wheel of the four noble truths when the Buddha preached in the Deer Park-the “misery,aggregation, extinction of pain and reincarnation, and practice the way to realease Samsara.”
三轉四聖諦法輪「苦、集、滅、道」

1.Indicative, i.e. postulation and definition of the four noble truths- “The misery or pain is compelled, the aggregation is causative,
the extinction if provable, and the way is practicable.”
2.Hortative, i.e. the suffering should be diagnosed, the aggregation should be discontinued, the extinction should be proved, and the way should be cultivated.”
3.Evidential, i.e. I have overcome the suffering, I have ceased the aggregation, I have proved the extinction, and I have practiced the way.”
一、示轉，指示「此是苦，逼迫性；此是集，招感性；此是滅，可證性；此是道，可修性。」
二、勸轉，勸示「此是苦， 汝應知； 此是集， 汝應斷； 此是滅， 汝應證； 此是道， 汝應修。」
三、證轉， 證示「此是苦， 我已知； 此是集，我已斷；此是滅，我已證；此是道，我已修。」
My interpretation of “misery, aggregation, extinction and
the way”:
Now, we bear our misery.
In the past, we gathered all the malign causes.In the future, we have to practice the bitter fruits of life and death.Now, we have to practice Tao, for the benign causes. Buddha spent 45 years (some said 49 years) in this world. He preached in some 300 assemblies, preached Agama for twelve years preached Maha-vaipulya Sutra for eight years, preached Prajna Sutra for twenty two years, preached Pundarika Sutra and Mahaparinirvana Sutra for eight years, with the preaching of these holy texts, he enlightened many lives.
In ordinary times, the Buddha taught all the people without any differences. In addition, he was skillful in observing the appropriate chances to teach and demonstrated the Way with convenient means. With upper, middle, and lower means, he taught all the followers, who had no difference in nationality, race, wealth, caste, religion, identity, status, etc.
He also enlightened the leaders in different sects to believe in
Buddhism. The disciples he had enlightened included kings, officials, princes etc. and moved them to become monks and nuns. In addition, he also taught the prostitute, the barber,the scavenger, the dung carrier to believe in Buddhism. He even preached Buddhism to the dumbest person and the serial killer, who eventually believed in Buddhism. With kindness, the Buddha convinced the people, with Buddhism, he led the people, with wisdom, he taught the people. Throughout his life,the Buddha enlightened and converted many people.
「現在」我們所受的「苦」乃承受，「過去」我們所「集」造的惡因；「未來」我們要「滅」生死之苦果，「現在」我們要修「道」之善因。
佛陀住世，一生說法四十五年（有記載四十九年），講經三百餘會， 宣說《阿含經》十二年、《方等經》八年、《般若經》二十二年、《法華經》和《涅槃經》共八年，度化無量眾生。　　
佛陀平日教化弟子，有教而無類，善於觀機逗教，權巧方便，分別以上中下智法度化之，所教化的對象，則不分國家、種族、貧富、貴賤、宗教、身分、地位等，度化外道的領袖舍利弗、目犍連、迦葉皈信佛教。佛陀度化的弟子有各國國王、大臣， 諸王子出家， 也度化身分低微的蓮花色妓女、摩登伽女、理髮匠優波離及擔糞的尼提。教化最愚笨的周利槃陀伽及殺人魔鴦崛摩羅，悟道證果。佛陀的弘化是以慈攝眾，以法領眾，以智教眾，佛陀一生弘化、度眾無數。(下期待續)