菩提心是慧命根，超出格局為眾生；
視野胸襟廣無際，整體因果難思量。
跋
嘗聞學佛者謂：「修法功德若迴向大眾，豈非粥少僧多，反而失去功效？不如只為自己或特定之少數人迴向，以免勞而無功，並且救一個算一個，才切實際」。甚至有充佛法教師者，戒弟子輩不得為他人祈禱、迴向，理由是初修者自力未充，不堪助人。此類見解皆源於未明佛法根本道理，以致於對正確的修法迴向都不能信受奉行。
修習佛法的根本原理在於破除自我之局限，而開展全法界一體的視野與胸襟。所有善行與修法，若不迴向菩提，亦即與「一切眾生早成佛道」有關的事情，則只屬有限的個業，雖有福德及其因果，難達解脫。若能在修法及行持上皆源於菩提心，皆迴向有關一切眾生之菩提大業，則雖是一點一滴，量力而為，卻皆與全法界之迷悟、昇沉息息相關，而有不可思量的功德。因此，不會有粥少僧多的問題，反而才能獲得佛、菩薩超出世間想像的奇蹟救護。
初修者雖然宿業未消，道力微薄，只要發心純正，又不涉及供施、回報，則依然可以代人祈禱、迴向。因為此舉與其個業因果無關，而是佛陀救苦救難無盡大業的一環。並且修行者培養菩提心，成熟慧命，以及增長道力，全賴平日在一念、一言、一行上，皆注意使之符合菩提發心，而後日積月累，經年不輟，方能漸出私心之局限，而融入法界之開闊、清明。
此外，在迴向菩提大業之後，當然也可為眼前身邊的一些人及事而請佛加被。佛慈無限，從小小苦惱到究竟解脫，無不體貼入微地照拂、引導眾生。
願有緣見聞此篇者，咸皆在日常生活中經常修習「為一切眾生而向一切佛、菩薩祈請加被」。（這是密勒日巴祖師給我的懇切心要開示。）並且將所有善行及修法，皆首先迴向於「一切眾生早成佛道」。
一九九九年十一月十八日
養和齋 於加州
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Dedicating Merits to All Beings
Dedicating Merits to All Beings Yutang Lin
Bodhicitta is the root of wisdom life,
Transcending self to serve sentient beings.
View and mind are boundlessly open,
In oneness causes and consequences are inconceivable.
Comment:
Some Buddhist once said: "If the merits of one's practices are to be dedicated to all beings, would not that become a situation of too little food for a large crowd? Rather just reserve the merits for one's own benefits or dedicate them to only a few people lest the efforts become ineffectual. Furthermore, one could help only so many but not all, hence one should be practical in this matter." There were even people who acted as Dharma teachers that forbade disciples to pray for or dedicate merits to others. The reason given being that, novices as having insufficient spiritual strength are incapable of helping others. These views stemmed from lack of proper understanding of basic Buddhist principles to such an extent that even the correct practice of dedication of merits to all beings could not be adopted.
The fundamental principle of Buddhist practices is to break up the confinement of self so as to expand view and mind to the openness of the whole Dharmadhatu in oneness. The merits accrued from all good deeds and Dharma practices, if not dedicated to Bodhi, i.e., to things related to the noble goal of enabling all sentient beings to soon reach Enlightenment, would belong only to personal karma. As such, even though they would lead to meritorious consequences, they could hardly enable one to reach Enlightenment. If all one's Dharma practices and deeds are rooted in Bodhicitta, and the resulting merits are firstly dedicated to the noble cause of all sentient beings' Enlightenment, then even though the contributions, as much as one could offer, are only drips and drops, they are still inseparable from the Enlightenment of the whole Dharmadhatu. Consequently, the merits become inconceivable. Therefore, there is no such problem as having not enough food for a large crowd. On the contrary, it is precisely due to such compassionate dedication that supernatural intervention from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas could be inspired.
Even though novice practitioners are still with karmic debts and have only little spiritual strength, as long as their motivation is pure and there is no offering or reward involved, then they could pray for and dedicate merits to others. Such deeds are unrelated to their personal karmas but rings in the endless chain of salvation activities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Furthermore, for a practitioner to cultivate Bodhicitta, mature wisdom life, and accumulate spiritual strength, it all depends on paying attention in daily life to each and every thought, word and act so as to be in accordance with Bodhicitta. Only after days, months and years of uninterrupted endeavors in such efforts could a practitioner gradually break away from the confine of self-centeredness, and merge into the openness and clarity of the Dharmadhatu in limitless oneness.
After having dedicated merits toward Bodhi, one certainly may also include beings and matters that are in sight or in mind in the dedication. Buddhas' compassion is boundless; from minor inconveniences in daily life to ultimate liberation of all beings, all are carefully well taken care of and guided by them.
May all those who come across this article practice constantly in daily life: To pray to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for all sentient beings. (This heart-essence teaching of the great Yogi Milarepa was given to me in a dream.) May they always dedicate merits firstly to the Enlightenment of all sentient beings!
Written in Chinese: November 18, 1999
Translated: November 19, 1999
El Cerrito, California
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