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大悲為根 菩提為因 - 第235集
“Great compassion is their root; bodhi is their seed.”
「大悲為根，菩提為因，方便為究竟」，這是《毘盧遮那經》上講的。「蓋明必有究竟方便度生之法，方是如來果覺之究竟。故十念必生之究竟方便，實由於彌陀究竟成就之最極方便處，正是本經中如來定慧究暢無極處」。
It is stated in the Maha Vairocana bhisambodhi-sutra, “Great compassion is their root, bodhi (i.e., enlightenment) is their seed, and expedience are their ultimate way.” The annotation states, “It can be understood that there must be an ultimate expedient way to help sentient beings, and this is the ultimate enlightenment of the Thus Come One. Hence, the ultimate expedient way of ‘attaining rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name one to ten times’ is attributed to the utmost expedience accomplished by Amitabha Buddha. This is exactly the limitless meditative concentration and wisdom of the Thus Come One mentioned in this sutra.”
這一段先引用密宗的經典，這個三句非常重要。佛為什麼要度眾生？而且眾生很難度，你去幫助他，他還要毀謗你，甚至他要陷害你，他不感謝你。他迷惑，顛倒行事，不知道事實真相。可是佛憐憫他，這就是大悲是根，同體大悲。
The phrases in this paragraph, which are quoted from the Esoteric sutra, are supremely important. Why do buddhas want to help sentient beings? Moreover, it is extremely difficult to help sentient beings because instead of thanking you, they will slander and even frame you when you go and help them. Being deluded and ignorant of the reality, they act contrary to virtues, yet buddhas are merciful to them. This is called ‘great compassion is their root’ (their great compassion is based on the awareness that sentient beings and them are one entity).
你跟他講，他不接受，他不能相信，他還說你欺騙他。菩提為因，菩提是覺悟，就是自性本具的智慧，智慧照了非常清楚。方便是究竟，沒有究竟的方便幫不上忙。這個究竟方便阿彌陀佛獨有，一切諸佛如來都缺這個法門。一切諸佛需不需要開這個法門？不需要，彌陀佛開這個法門就夠了。
Sentient beings cannot accept and believe what you tell them and say that you are deceiving them. ‘Bodhi is their seed’ --- bodhi, which is enlightenment, is the wisdom innate to the true nature. With wisdom, one can see everything very clearly. “Expedience is their ultimate way” --- without ultimate expedience, we cannot help sentient beings. Amitabha Buddha is unique in this regard because all buddhas lack this Dharma method. Do all buddhas need to start this method? No, they need not do so, because it is enough for Amitabha Buddha to have started it.
所以一切諸佛如來都勸他這個世界裡面六道罪業深重的凡夫，勸他們念阿彌陀佛求生極樂世界。彌陀的究竟方便，馬上轉變成一切諸佛如來成為他自己的究竟方便。佛沒有分別，沒有分別你我，你有的我沒有，我有的你沒有，佛沒有。佛的境界裡頭，你有的就是我的，我有的就是你的，沒有爭論。
That’s why all buddhas have been urging ordinary beings of the Six Realms (in their worlds), who are burdened with heavy karmic misdeeds, to chant Amitabha Buddha’s name and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Hence, the ultimate expedience of Amitabha Buddha has instantly become all buddhas’ own ultimate expedience. All buddhas do not have the discrimination that we have, so they have no debate over what they and others have or not have. In their state, what you have is mine and what I have is yours.
阿彌陀佛在那裡辦學校，一切諸佛幫助他招生，把十方世界苦難眾生統統都送到西方極樂世界。所以西方極樂世界每一天去往生的人不知道有多少。我們這個地球上去的人不多，可是十方世界去的人就太多太多了。這是說明十念必生究竟到極處，沒有比這個更究竟的了。
While Amitabha Buddha runs a school in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, all buddhas help him enrol students by sending all the suffering beings in the worlds of the ten directions to his Land. That’s why there are uncountable sentient beings who are reborn in that Land every day. There are not many people on our earth who are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, but there are too many people in the worlds of the ten directions who are reborn in that Land. Evidently, ‘attaining rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name one to ten times’ is the best method; no method is more expedient than it.