修行與人事_Dharma Practice and Human Affairs

修行不限人事外，遊刃有餘施點撥；
千秋志業務解脫，眼前雲煙豈掛懷？

跋

佛法的修行目的在於解脫輪迴諸苦，進而證入本來純粹且無限之一體。為達此鵠的，修行者遵循無執、不著相、開闊、慈悲等原則以實踐於生活中，因此得以漸漸由盲目的糾纏中脫出。

除了極少數遺世獨立的修行者以外，對一般學佛者而言，修行的範圍自然包括了人事的歷鍊。既是以修行為志業，則在涉及人事時修行者還是要遵循佛法的原則及教誡來處理，因之得以藉人事的歷鍊而獲得覺道上的砥礪之益、進步之功。真正基於修行及弘法的考量，自然也可在人事中有立場及舉措。

披著修行的名義，卻在人事中打混，或基於人事的考量及利害，而沾染、擺佈有關修行的事業或團體，是世間常見的病態。真誠的修行者自然會避開這些墮落的因緣。

人事大抵皆是一時幻化，而修行攸關所有有情離苦證覺的無盡大業。因此，一般而言，真正志向修行者大多視人事為無足計較而遠離之。即使事關極多生靈，偶有涉及，也以限於法務之範圍為宜，以免牽纏不清，不能救渡，反招拖累。

初修者往往正見尚未融通，而向道之定力又不充足，因此宜於隔離人事，謝絕塵擾。久修者縱然已有能力處塵不染，但因目的在究竟解脫，而不是一時浮沈，所以涉及人事也是略施點化而已，不宜滯留。

近來有佛友問及政治與宗教，而其見解似為兩者不可交涉。此與真正道理不合，因就修行與人事之關聯，略申己見，以助釐清真理。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　二○○三年五月十五日
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　養和齋　　　　於加州

Dharma Practice and Human Affairs

Dharma Practice and Human Affairs　Yutang Lin

Dharma practice is not limited to outside human affairs;
Mature and skillful practitioners give guidance at times.
In view of the pursuit of perfect liberation for all beings,
How could one be bothered by transient smoke or cloud?

Comment:

The goal of Buddhist practices is for the practitioners to become liberated from suffering of transmigration within the six realms, and to realize the originally pure and limitless oneness of all. In order to attain this goal practitioners follow the principles of No Grasping, No Attachment to Forms, Open-mindedness, Compassion, etc. in their daily activities, and thereby gradually experience disengagement from blind entanglements.

With the exception of extremely few practitioners who remain in complete solitude beyond the reach of other human beings, to most followers of the Buddhist path the sphere of their Dharma practices naturally encompasses experiences in human affairs. Since Dharma practice is their chosen devotion, in handling human affairs they need to follow Buddhist principles and rules of conduct in order to obtain the benefits of training and to make progress on the path. Out of genuine concerns and considerations for Dharma practice and propagation naturally they may also hold certain positions and adopt certain activities in human affairs.

Walking under the name of Dharma practice and yet deeply involved in human affairs, or based on worldly considerations and motivations to engage in or manipulate Dharma activities or organizations, such unhealthy practices are often seen in the world. A sincere practitioner would naturally stay away from such causes of downfall.

Human affairs are mostly transient and illusive, while Dharma practice is connected to the endless salvation of all sentient beings from suffering to enlightenment. Therefore, in general, practitioners that are sincerely dedicated to the eternal quest would regard human affairs as too insignificant to get involved with. Even for matters that would affect many beings, they would just get involved temporarily and stay only within the sphere of Dharma activities so that there could be no endless entanglements, lest, instead of saving others, they would be pulled into ruins.

For novices their right views are often not fully comprehended and their determination to be dedicated to the Dharma may not be sufficiently well-developed, therefore, it is advisable for them to stay away from human affairs and to decline worldly bothers. As to seasoned practitioners, even though they are capable of staying in mud without getting dusty, since their goal is the ultimate liberation for all but not a transient up or down on the societal scale, they would at most give some guidance to human affairs, but not to linger therein.

Recently some Buddhist inquired about politics and religion, and that person's view seemed to regard the two spheres as incommunicable. This is far from sound reasoning. Hence, I offered briefly my view on the relation between Dharma practice and human affairs above to help clarify the matter.

Written in Chinese on May 15, 2003
Translated on May 16, 2003
El Cerrito, California

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