Episode 160 — 宇宙的三種現象是什麼

「又本經《德遵普賢品》云：開化顯示真實之際」。《大教緣起品》也是這樣說法，「欲拯群萌，惠以真實之利。《積功累德品》云：住真實慧，勇猛精進，一向專志莊嚴妙土。真實之際者，真如實相之本際。此即本經之所開示者也」。

“And it is stated in this sutra, the Chapter on Following the Moral Conduct of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, ‘The great bodhisattvas teach and clearly demonstrate the ultimate truth.’ It is also stated such in the Chapter on the Arising of the Causal Condition for the Great Teaching, ‘The Buddha saves all sentient beings by means of bestowing upon them the real benefit.’ It is stated in the Chapter on Accumulating Merits, ‘Bhiksu Dhamakara remained focussed on true wisdom. He maintained intrepid and focussed progress in practice, and single-mindedly adorned the fine pure land.’ Ultimate truth is absolute reality (i.e., thusness/the true nature). These are the teachings of this sutra.”

德遵普賢是第二品，是序品，本經的序有三品，這算是證信序，第三品是發起序，大教緣起，發起序。開化，開是開示，化是教化。利根的人聽到佛菩薩的開示他就明白，就起了作用，起了什麼作用？變化氣質。這個變化不是普通的變化，是顯示真實之際。

There are three chapters with preface in this sutra. Following the Moral Conduct of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (i.e., chapter two) is the preface to the confirmation of faith, while chapter three is the preface to the arising of the causal condition for this sutra. People with superior faculties who listen to the buddhas’ and bodhisattvas’ teachings would understand and benefit from them. What benefit would they gain? Their temperament would change. Such a change is not an ordinary one, but is a revelation of the ultimate truth.

真實之際是什麼？就是真如實相，他就了解一切法的真相。這實實在在不是普通人，一般人理解沒有這樣的深度。這一句跟《金剛經》上所說「應無所住而生其心」是同一個境界。真實之際就是真如本性，在哪裡？在一切現象當中。

What is the ultimate truth? It is the absolute reality -- they will understand the reality of all phenomena. They are really not ordinary people because ordinary people do not have such a depth of understanding. This phrase is the same state as what the Diamond Sutra says, “Developing correct mindfulness while the mind does not abide in anywhere.” Ultimate truth is the true nature. Where is the true nature? It is in all phenomena.

能現是自性，自性也是真心，能現。所現是萬物，大經裡面常說「相由心生」，相是現象。今天科學把宇宙的現象分為三大類：物質現象，信息現象（信息是精神，起心動念），第三種自然現象，整個宇宙不外乎這三大類的現象。

Anything that can manifest is the true nature (i.e., the true mind), while all that being manifested are the myriads of phenomena. It is often stated in the Mahayana sutras that all phenomena arise from the mind. Today, science divides the phenomena of the universe into three major categories, namely, physical, information (i.e., mental/thoughts) and natural phenomena. In other words, the whole universe is nothing more than these three categories of phenomena.

佛經也是這樣說法，名詞不一樣，佛經講的阿賴耶的三細相，就是科學所說的這三種現象，第一種業相，業相就是自然現象；第二種轉相，轉相就是信息的現象；第三類叫境界相，境界相就是物質現象。這三種現象，《金剛經》上所說的，「凡所有相皆是虛妄」，這三種現象全是虛妄的。

The same is mentioned in the Buddhist sutras, but the nouns used are different. The three subtle marks of the Alaya mentioned in the Buddhist sutras are these three phenomena mentioned by science. First, the mark of karma is the natural phenomena; second, the mark of transformation refers to the mental phenomena; third, the mark of the objective world is the physical phenomena. All these three phenomena are illusory. As the Diamond Sutra states, “Everything with form is illusory (unreal).”