藥師法門圓滿眾願 林上師敬誦藥師佛十二大願 MP3 開示及校訂：林鈺堂上師 藥師如來十二願文： 第一大願：願我來世得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，自身光明熾然照曜無量無數無邊世界。以三十二大丈夫相八十隨好莊嚴其身，令一切有情如我無異。 第二大願：願我來世得菩提時，身如琉璃內外明徹，淨無瑕穢，光明廣大，功德巍巍。身善安住，焰網莊嚴過於日月。令一切有情如我無異，幽冥眾生悉蒙開曉，隨意所趣作諸事業。 第三大願：願我來世得菩提時，以無量無邊智慧方便，令諸有情皆得無盡所受用物，莫令眾生有所乏少。 第四大願：願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情行邪道者，悉令安住菩提道中。若行聲聞獨覺乘者，皆以大乘而安立之。 第五大願：願我來世得菩提時，若有無量無邊有情，於我法中修行梵行，一切皆令得不缺戒，具三聚戒。設有毀犯，聞我名已，還得清淨，不墮惡趣。 第六大願：願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情，其身下劣，諸根不具，醜陋頑愚，盲聾瘖啞，攣躄背僂，白癩顛狂，種種病苦。聞我名已，一切皆得端正黠慧，諸根完具無諸疾苦。 第七大願：願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情，眾病逼切，無救無歸，無醫無藥，無親無家，貧窮多苦。我之名號一經其耳，眾病悉除，身心安樂，家屬資具悉皆豐足，乃至證得無上菩提。 第八大願：願我來世得菩提時，若有女人，為女百惡之所逼惱，極生厭離，願捨女身。聞我名已，一切皆得轉女成男，具丈夫相，乃至證得無上菩提。 第九大願：願我來世得菩提時，令諸有情出魔罥網，解脫一切外道纏縛。若墮種種惡見稠林，皆當引攝置於正見，漸令脩習諸菩薩行，速證無上正等菩提。 第十大願：願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情王法所錄，繩縛鞭撻，繫閉牢獄或當刑戮，及餘無量災難凌辱，悲愁煎逼，身心受苦。若聞我名，以我福德威神力故，皆得解脫一切憂苦。 第十二大願：願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情貧無衣服，蚊虻寒熱，晝夜逼惱。若聞我名專念受持，如其所好，即得種種上妙衣服，亦得一切寶莊嚴具，華鬘塗香，鼓樂眾伎，隨心所翫皆令滿足。 今天的題目，呵，是〈藥師法門圓滿眾願〉。那，我們今天要講這個題目的原因，是因為明天早上八點鐘，在那個「心意佛院」，我們要舉行一個藥師佛的火供。所謂「藥師佛的火供」呢，是密宗的一個儀式，它也是一個供養。但是，我們平常供佛的時候呢，是把所有的東西排出來，給佛看一看，我們又收下來自己用。那麼，密宗呢，它用火供是——架起柴來，點了火，把所有要給佛的東西，都真的給它燒掉；就表示說很誠意地給佛，不再拿回來；這樣子。那麼，因為明天要供的是藥師佛呢，所以，我們今天就來談藥師佛的願。祂有十二個大願；我們來研究一下祂的大願呢，來體會祂的慈悲啊，體會祂的真正的用心在哪裡。那麼，你若讀祂的願文，你會發現說，我們所有眾生種種的苦呢，祂都有照顧到，呵。所以，我們現在來、來看祂怎麼樣子圓滿我們的願呢，然後，一邊呢，是要學習祂的菩提心囉，呵，看說如果我們要成佛的話，我們要怎麼樣來發菩提心，呵，這樣子。 祂的十二個大願，所謂這個「佛的大願」，都是在他還沒有成佛的時候，他先——要開始修行的時候呢，他就說，喔——我希望修行呢，將來能夠有什麼樣的結果，呵。所以，是在他剛開始要修行的時候，就發的願。那麼，頭一條他怎麼講呢？他說「願我來世得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時」，就是說，願我將來證到成佛的時候——成佛，他叫做「阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」，「阿耨多羅」是無上的意思，「三藐三菩提」是正等正覺呃；沒有再比這個更高的，呵，而且是正確的這個覺悟，呵。將來我們如果達到這個的時候，我希望有什麼結果呢？「自身光明熾然照曜無量無數無邊世界」。就是說，我成佛的時候，我的光明呢，可以照亮無量無數無邊的世界；就是說，我的光明沒有止境的，呵。並且呢，我會有「三十二大丈夫相八十隨好」；這就是說，我們佛經裡，傳統的有說，喔——成了佛，他會怎麼樣的圓滿啊，牙齒怎麼樣啊、身體怎麼樣，有種種的特徵，是超越一般人的。呃，他說，我將來成佛以後，我希望能夠有這樣的相貌出現。可是，你看下面一句話是什麼？「令一切有情如我無異」，這就是重點。平常我們發願，都是說，喔——我希望我多好、我多好、多好。可是呢，你的願只在你自己身上，你只希望你好。但是，他這個佛的願，跟我們不一樣是在哪裡呢？就是他——就馬上說，「令一切有情如我無異」呃。就是說，他這個願不是為他個人發的，他是為所有的眾生發的——希望所有的眾生呢，將來我成佛的時候，他們也都成佛，也都跟我一樣；這就很大的願了，呵。這裡就不只是說我自己修的，我自己多好；而且呢，是要幫助所有的眾生，使他們都跟我一樣地得到這個最好的結果，呵。 所以，這裡就——我們要學到了，所有他成佛的願，都不是為個人的——你有私心的話，你不可能成佛呃。他成佛，所以能夠超越苦惱，能夠得到究竟的安樂，都是因為他根本就——不要說「無我」，至少要「忘我」。就是說，已經不是想自己了，是想到說，所有的有情呢，都一樣，希望離苦得樂，而他要設法照顧到每個有情都有這個結果，呃。所以，這個我們就學到，頭一個，呵，他所希望最好的，是要給每一個有情都有。而且，這個講「有情」，不只是說人囉，就蚊蟲、螞蟻呀，我們看不起的，或者我們害怕的鬼呀，他每一個他都要使他變成這樣子，呵。 那麼，第二個大願，他說「願我來世得菩提時」，這個地方所謂「得菩提」呢，就是前面的「阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」，無上正等正覺；就是將來成佛的時候呢，「身如琉璃內外明徹」，他的身體呢，能夠像琉璃一樣，是透明的。為什麼會有這樣的結果？因為成佛的時候，不再是以這個肉身為他的佛身，他的那個佛的身呃，光明的身呃，所以是——光明是透亮，完全沒有物質的東西了，喔。「淨無瑕穢」，那麼純淨呢，沒有任何瑕疵，沒有任何垢穢。而且「光明廣大，功德巍巍」，不但是光明無有邊限呢，而且，他到成佛的時候，所謂「功德巍巍」，是什麼意思？就是說，他已經救渡無量無數無邊的眾生了，呵。我們佛法所講的「功德」呢，都不是說，哦，我存著一個私心，我做了很多好事，將來我有得到好報，這不是叫「功德」，這只是叫「福德」呃——你個人的福報而已。他所謂「功德」，就是說，他都是為一切眾生做的，為一切眾生想的。那麼，已經幫助了無量無數眾生，隨著各種眾生的程度呢，儘量地導引他到成佛的路上。所以，他「功德巍巍」，就是已經功德非常大，不可限量，呵。「身善安住」，就是他的身體呢，就能夠——所謂「安住」就是說什麼？在輕安裡面、在定裡面，呵。他沒有世間的煩惱，所以，他都是在輕安、在定裡面，呵。「焰網莊嚴過於日月」；「焰網」是什麼？佛身的光明呃，佛身的光明圍著他的身體呢，像一個火焰的網那麼光亮，而且呢，是過於日月，比日月還要明亮，呵。那麼，由於他的光明是這麼地亮呢，「幽冥眾生悉蒙開曉」；這裡的「幽冥眾生」，可以有兩個解釋呃。一個解釋是說，喔，地獄啊、餓鬼啊，這些眾生；另一個解釋是什麼？凡是還沒有看到佛法正覺的路哇，還在這個輪迴裡，昏迷的，在那裡輪轉不休的，這都是幽冥眾生，呵；還沒有看到佛法的正覺的光呃，呵。那麼，要使所有這些還不知道怎麼樣學佛的眾生呢，都得到開曉；所謂「開曉」，就是說，得到開示，能夠了解佛法的可貴，呵。然後「隨意所趣作諸事業」，就是隨著他佛的心意的趣向呢，做怎麼樣的事業呢？救渡眾生的事業。就是說，哦，他看到哪種眾生，需要哪種救渡，他就自然地慈悲起來，說應該怎麼樣來幫助他，他就去幫助他；這樣的意思，呵。 所以，你再看吧，他、他的願望，不只是在說，我將來本身多麼地完美，而且他的重點在於什麼呢？我將來能夠有那個能力去幫助所有的眾生；這個是第二個裡面教我們的重點。所以，我們發菩提願呢，都是要朝著這樣的目標去做。比方說，我們在現在的時代呢，我們看到說，喔——環境的污染很厲害啊、這個地球的暖化啊、大家生活越來越苦啊；可是，文明發展呢，這種情況越快越重，不知道要怎樣解脫啊。那麼，你發菩提願的時候，就可以想到，你說，哦，現在的眾生，有這點、這種苦，我將來成佛呢，我要想辦法幫他們都能夠了解這是共業的結果；每個要從自己做起呀，注意環保哇，使得地球的暖化可以降低啊、什麼，這樣子來幫助眾生，呵。 第三個大願，「願我來世得菩提時，以無量無邊智慧方便，令諸有情皆得無盡所受用物，莫令眾生有所乏少。」哦，這裡是怎麼樣的悲願呢？就是說，前面講的，先是說，哦，我都是希望呢，使得所有的眾生呢，能夠成佛囉，呵。可是呢，實際上，眾生頭一個最大的問題是什麼？哦，經濟上的問題囉、資源短缺囉、生活困苦囉。所以，他的慈悲就注意到這一點。所以，他就說，哦，等到我成了佛，我了解一切的因緣，我知道怎麼樣能改善因緣，造福眾生。那麼，我頭一個目標，要使眾生呢，得到那個民生富裕呀，他希望享用的東西呢，我知道怎麼樣子提供他因緣，使他能夠有；就先幫我們解決一般人認為最切身的這個經濟生活的問題。哦，你看，他也知道說，不是一步就可以使所有的人都去學佛啊，他知道說，他這個在生活苦惱的時候，你不幫他把生活解決的話，他是沒有辦法有那個心可以安定下來，想要說進修佛法。所以，他的悲願就注意到這一點，他先從你的——改善你的生活，這裡來努力，呵。所以，你看，這裡又教導我們說，成佛並不是說，跟實際生活是離開的一個事情。他成了佛以後，他沒有私心吶，他可以看到說，怎麼樣才是對大家都好，提供大家一些指導說，怎麼樣來做呢，大家都可以得利，呵，這樣子。 第四個大願說，「願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情行邪道者，悉令安住菩提道中。若行聲聞獨覺乘者，皆以大乘而安立之。」哦，再來，他是說，眾生有種種情況，有些眾生他的情況是什麼呢？「行邪道者」，他是在做著不好的事情，呵，利己而害他——為了利己而害人呢，呵。做了這些不好的事情呢，那麼，他要怎麼辦呢？他就要開導他，讓他了解說，這樣的結果呢，不但害了別人，終究會害到自己。因為沒有一個人可以不靠別人，就是只顧自己好，呵；你要自己好，一定要顧到別人，大家互相幫助，你才會比人好。這樣子教導他呢，使得他也往菩提道來；菩提道就是說，要顧到大家，要使大家往正覺的路走。而且呢，他再來說，「若行聲聞獨覺乘者」；就是說，有些人呢，他已經知道要做好了，已經知道要學佛了，但是呢，他偏重於修行自己，還沒有想到說，也要身邊的人吶，大家有緣吶，要告訴別人修行的事啊，鼓勵別人修啊，幫助別人修啊。那麼，他就用「大乘而安立之」；就是說，教導他了，你要——心要開，要廣大，要為一切眾生；這樣子，呵。所以，他都是一步、一步來囉，看你需要怎麼樣，針對你的情況，慢慢教導你，呵。 第五個大願說，「願我來世得菩提時，若有無量無邊有情，於我法中修行梵行，一切皆令得不缺戒」。他說，哦，以後要是有人呢，修我的法門——所謂「修我的法門」是什麼？哦，你常常持藥師佛的佛號啊，或者持他的——藥師佛的咒啊、你常常禮拜藥師佛啊、你常常誦他的經啊、抄寫他的經啊，呃，建他的畫像，或者雕像來禮拜啊、給別人禮拜啊，這些都是修「藥師法門」。你如果這樣子修的話呢，「修行梵行」就是淨行，就是我們佛法的——修的是什麼？就是要使我們回到本來的純粹、本來的清淨。不是說我覺得，哦，我比較好，我學佛了，我就驕傲了；哦，我比你優越啊，我是好人，你是壞人吶。這樣子還不懂佛法，佛法是要我們回到本來清淨；就是說，你不用——起心動念的時候，它本來純粹的，要回到那麼純粹的情況去，呵。那麼，你如果修他的法呢，他加被你，怎麼樣呢？令你可以不缺戒。就是說，你不會犯戒，你的行為、你的身語意，都不會有錯誤的地方，呵。「具三聚戒」，就是說，種種會聚集你的功德的、聚集你的福報、聚集你的智慧的、聚集你的慈悲的，種種的戒呢，你都會圓滿；就是說，你會去做很多服務眾生的事情，呵。「設有毀犯」；但是，這——不容易說一下子做圓滿了，人難免有退失的時候，犯錯誤的時候啊。如果有這種時候呢，「聞我名已，還得清淨」，只要能夠聽到他的名字，那麼，怎麼能夠聽到他的名字呢？或者聽到別人唸囉，或者自己唸他的佛號，不就是又聽到他的名字了嗎？那麼就「還得清淨」，因為他的功德呢，就可以替你消掉你的違犯的這個罪障，都可以替你清除，使得你呢，不會因為有過這些過失呢，而將來墮到惡趣。所謂「惡趣」，就是說，生做畜生囉、生做餓鬼啊，或者生——墮入地獄囉；這樣子，呵。 第六個大願，「願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情，其身下劣，諸根不具，醜陋頑愚，盲聾瘖啞，攣躄背僂，白癩顛狂，種種病苦。聞我名已，一切皆得端正黠慧，諸根完具無諸疾苦。」再來是針對我們世間種種的殘疾呀、病苦；他說，如果有人有這些問題囉，呵，那麼，要怎麼辦呢？只要聽到他的名字，就是說你只要常唸他的佛號啊，或者常聽他的佛號啊，那麼呢，你就終究會從這些問題裡面解脫出來，呵；會變成——一切原來殘缺的，也會「端正黠慧」；這個原來殘缺的也會完備，呵，離開所有的病苦。這個大願是，希望眾生能從種種的病苦出來，呵。所以，你要看的話，就知道說，我們有什麼問題，他在發願的時候，已經把我們的問題都想到了；我們人生的生老病死嘛，病是一個很大的問題，喔。 再來呢，他說，我來世得菩提的時候呢，「若諸有情，眾病逼切」；你看，有時候有的人呢，身上很多種病囉，很苦囉，而且「無救無歸」囉，也沒有醫生可以治他，也沒有藥可以治他，也沒有地方可以去休息囉，呵；「無醫無藥，無親無家」，又孤苦伶仃囉，呵。「貧窮多苦」，這麼、在這麼困難的環境裡面了呢，「我之名號一經其耳，眾病悉除，身心安樂，家屬資具悉皆豐足，乃至證得無上菩提。」他希望所有這些種種的苦呢，只要聽到他的名字，得到他的加被呢，這些人都能從苦裡出來；而且呢，本來缺乏的東西，也都——慢慢都會得到。而且，更重要的，他不是滿足於說，只讓你得到一時的這個身體啊、經濟啊，這些的解脫啊；他說，「乃至證得無上菩提」，他還要一步、一步地把你帶到說，你都成佛。這一點是很重要，因為我們人間的事呵，你說不管怎樣照顧你呀，你這個老病死，不管照顧得多好呢，你這個心如果不能開的，你一切沒問題，你還是會——有的，很多問題，心理的問題，喔。你真正要解脫這個——使眾生能夠從輪迴裡面的苦出來的話呢，最重要還是他自己懂得修行，自己懂得心回到本來的清淨，他才能從所有的苦裡面徹底解脫。而且，徹底解脫的人呢，他會能夠有力量幫助別的有情；因為他回到清淨的時候呢，他就可以變成跟一切是一體的。因為他跟一切一體呢，所以他能夠——只要你跟他求，他都可以幫助到你。這就是為什麼我們向佛、菩薩求的時候，常常說會有感應；就是你很誠心的話，他的力量就會達到你，你就會從病苦裡出來，從種種世間無解的問題裡面出來，喔。 那麼，再來一個是說，針對女人囉，因為女人的話，生理上有很多問題呀；然後，傳統的社會裡面，不平等的待遇啊、什麼；生為女人，比較多苦嘛，喔。所以，他就針對這個情況呢，所以，他也看到說，男女希望說都是平等的；他的心是平等地愛護一切眾生，所以他看到哪些眾生有特別的苦，他就又針對他們的苦來提出他的願。他就說，哦，「願我來世得菩提時，若有女人，為女百惡之所逼惱，極生厭離」；她做女人啊，又有月經啊，又要生孩子啊，很多辛苦的地方；呃，她就想說，哎呀，我希望不要再生做女人囉，呃。那麼，聽到他的名字以後呢，將來就有可能呢，不再生為女人，轉女成男囉，呃。「具丈夫相，乃至證得無上菩提。」他還是希望她——不只是一時的解脫，而且是究竟的解脫。那，像這樣的問題，我們現在看到說，哦，孤兒院的小孩啊，被丟哇；呃，還就——往往是因為身體有殘缺，所以被遺棄呀。呃，那麼，我們也可以發一個菩提願囉，說，哦，如果有這一些的孤兒啊，希望他們都能遇到好的人領養他啊，使他能夠有快樂的一生、什麼。然後，「乃至證得無上菩提」，也是希望他們將來能學佛啊，喔，能夠成佛，喔，這樣子。 第九大願，「願我來世得菩提時，令諸有情出魔罥網，解脫一切外道纏縛。若墮種種惡見稠林，皆當引攝置於正見，漸令脩習諸菩薩行，速證無上正等菩提。」他這個意思是說，所謂「被魔纏縛」的呢，就是說，都是做壞事情囉、黑社會啊、做不正當的事啊，呵。那麼，或者是見解上呢，迷信說，喔——不要拜神吶，只要有物資就好啊、什麼，這一類的，呵。他就種種——走錯路囉，見解不對囉，他都要慢慢地開導他，怎麼樣是正確的路啊，而且使他修「菩薩行」，就是使他能夠心開，來關懷一切眾生，幫助他很快地證到佛法；這樣子。 第十大願，「願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情王法所錄，繩縛鞭撻，繫閉牢獄或當刑戮，及餘無量災難凌辱，悲愁煎逼，身心受苦。若聞我名，以我福德威神力故，皆得解脫一切憂苦。」因為人在世間囉，有時候就是會遇到這個法律上的問題呀、被關起來啊、有的被冤枉啊、有的被抓起來啊、什麼，種種這些問題。那麼，他針對這些苦呢，也發了一個願，說，我將來成佛了，我的功德是這麼地大，使得你們呢，有這種苦惱的時候，唸我的佛號啊，你就可以——大的化小，小的化無啊，從這些問題裡面解脫出來，呵。 然後，第十一個大願，「願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情饑渴所惱，為求食故造諸惡業。得聞我名專念受持，我當先以上妙飲食飽足其身，後以法味畢竟安樂而建立之。」他是說，我們人生囉，基本上都是因為——為了衣食啊，為了吃、為了穿，而造種種的業囉，呵。那麼，他經過聽到佛號囉，了解佛的功德囉，受到感化呢，慢慢就，他先讓你呢，有那個世間的衣食豐足了。然後，再來呢，慢慢地教導你佛法，使你徹底地走上正路，呵。 第十二大願，「願我來世得菩提時，若諸有情貧無衣服，蚊虻寒熱，晝夜逼惱。若聞我名專念受持，如其所好，即得種種上妙衣服，亦得一切寶莊嚴具，華鬘塗香，鼓樂眾伎，隨心所翫皆令滿足。」他是說，哦，眾生還一個苦呢，是說，沒有衣服囉、沒有被囉、沒有這些享用的東西囉。那麼，經過修行我的佛法，聽到我的佛號的話呢，慢慢你就可以從這些苦裡面出來。而且呢，不但是從苦出來，而且可以得到豐盛的受用，喔。所以，他的願裡——就是說，都是針對一切眾生的苦惱呢，每一樣都替你想到，每一樣都希望幫你解決；而且呢，隨著你的情況呢，一步、一步地，要把你引導到佛法上來，呵。 那麼，我們這樣瞭解了他的大願呢，就瞭解說為什麼修持他的佛法呢，可以圓滿我們的願。因為我們所有的苦，他已經都先想到了，呵；我們所希望的，他都會幫我們解決。但是，更重要的是，他不是只有希望你一時地得到安樂，他希望你長遠、徹底地得到解脫，所以，他都是要使你成佛，呵。那麼，我們瞭解了他的這個慈悲和大願以後呢，我們自己也要效法他來發心。我們——比方說明天參加火供的話，我們發願就不要只是說，哦，我家裡幾個人，這個好、那個好。我們先要寫一個說，希望一切眾生都好哇，希望一切眾生都成佛啊。有了這樣的願以後，那麼，我們所做的才是變成功德，那麼，功德的力量才是無限的，才能夠藉著說，喔——眼前——有知道說哪些人有什麼苦啊，替他求；或者報紙上看到，有什麼問題囉，喔，替他們求；不要說，要跟我有關係，才替他求。只要是眾生的苦，我們都平等地為他們來求。這樣子的話呢，一方面就容易跟他的願——是互相——喔——吻合的，能夠得到他的加被。而且呢，我們真正要從個人的問題出來呢，還是要靠我們的心囉——能夠大，能夠看得開、想得遠，不再只想自己一點事情，你才會徹底地得到解脫，得到安樂，呃。 那麼，今天講這個，就講到這裡。啊，有什麼問題，歡迎提出來。如果沒有問題呵，因為剛剛有一位居士，他說想要求皈依呵，我現在先做一下皈依。如果要皈依的人，就到前面來，嗯。
吉祥圓滿
二○一一年八月四日 二○一四年十二月廿七日修訂
All Fulfilling Medicine Guru Vows Transcript of a Talk given in Mandarin by Guru Yutang Lin
Translated into English by Guru Yutang Lin The Twelve Original Vows of Tathagata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light Under Imperial Order of Tang Dynasty Translated from Chinese into English by
The first great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may my body be glowingly bright to shine upon immeasurable countless boundless worlds and be adorned with the thirty‑two marks of a great man and the eighty ensuing refined features. I shall render all beings to resemble me without any differences. The second great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may my body be like Lapis Lazuli, transparent throughout and pure without blemish, with extensive brightness and majestic merits, well at ease, and adorned with aureole brighter than sun and moon. Sentient beings in hellish darkness will all be taught the right path. I shall engage in all kinds of salvation activities as my intention moves along. The third great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I employ countless boundless skillful means of wisdom to render all beings in possession of inexhaustible things of comfort and not to let sentient beings be in want of anything. The fourth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I settle well all those who practice the heterodox ways onto the Bodhi path and establish securely those who practice Sravakayana or Pratyeka-Buddha-yana in Mahayana. The fifth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may the countless boundless sentient beings who would cultivate pure conducts in accordance with my teachings all attain no breach of silas and fulfill the three cumulative silas. If they fail to comply or violate silas, upon hearing my name, they will regain purity and not fall into bad realms. The sixth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are physically inferior with incomplete senses, and are suffering from being ugly, retarded, blind, deaf, mute, victim of convulsion, crippled, humpbacked, leprous, lunatic, or sick with various diseases, upon hearing my name, all attain proper features, become smart, with all senses wholesome, and without any illness. The seventh great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are tormented by diseases, with neither help nor refuge, neither medical treatment nor medication, neither relatives nor family, and in poverty with much hardship, upon hearing my name, become free from diseases, attain peace and joy of body and mind, have abundance of family and possessions, and even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment. The eighth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those women who are tormented by hundreds of sufferings of the female sex and are extremely weary to the extent of wishing to give up their female bodies, upon hearing my name, all transform into men with proper male features, and even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment. The ninth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I let all sentient beings escape the nets of evils and become free from entanglements of heterodox ways. If they are trapped in all sorts of dense forest of perversive views, I shall induce and introduce them to right views, gradually lead them to practice the Bodhisattva ways, and help them soon attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment. The tenth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are condemned by royal laws to be bound by ropes, lashed by whips, enchained in prisons, or executed, and are tormented by numerous other disasters and insults so that they are afflicted by sorrow and anguish, and are suffering in both body and mind, upon hearing my name, through the majestic supernatural power of my merits and virtue, all become free from all sorrows and sufferings. The eleventh great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are tormented by hunger and thirst, and in order to obtain food have committed all sorts of evil karma, have the opportunity to hear my name and continue to repeat my name whole-heartedly. I shall first satisfy their physical needs with most wondrous foods and drinks, and afterwards provide them with the flavors of Dharma so as to establish them in ultimate peace and joy. The twelfth great vow: In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are poor without clothing, tormented day and night by mosquitoes, wasps, cold and heat, and upon hearing my name continue to repeat it whole-heartedly, obtain all sorts of most wondrous clothes according to their preferences, and also obtain all kinds of jewel ornaments, floral garlands, perfumes, drums, music, and dancers; whatever their hearts desire will all be satisfied.
Today′s topic is ″All Fulfilling Medicine Guru Vows″. The reason for talking on this topic is because tomorrow morning at 8 o′clock we will perform a fire puja in honor of Medicine Guru Buddha at the Xin Yi Dharma Center. A fire puja in honor of Medicine Guru Buddha is a Buddhist Tantric ritual; it is also a kind of making offerings to the Buddha. However, ordinarily, when we make offerings to Buddha, we display the offering items in front of Buddha, and then we gather them for our own uses. But in a Buddhist Tantric fire puja a pile of firewood is set up, and during the ritual performance, all offerings are burned to ashes so as to demonstrate the sincerity in making offering to Buddha, without retracting them. Since we will make offerings to Medicine Guru Buddha tomorrow, hence today we talk about the Great Vows of Medicine Guru Buddha. He developed 12 Great Vows at the beginning of his endeavors on the enlightenment path, and as we study his Great Vows, we will come to appreciate his compassion and his real intentions. As you read the texts of his vows, you will discover that, all various kinds of suffering of sentient beings are taken into his considerations. Hence, let us find out now how he intends to fulfill our wishes, and, on the other hand, let us learn from his Bodhi intentions as to how to develop our Bodhi intentions so that we may become fully enlightened. He has 12 Great Vows; the so-called ″Great Vows″ of a Buddha were developed before he attained Buddhahood. At the beginning of his quest for full enlightenment, he pledged that, in the future, certain attainments will be realized as the consequence of his spiritual practices. Hence, these vows were developed from the very beginning. Now, what did he pledge as his first vow? He said, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″, that means when he attains Buddhahood—the enlightenment which is complete and unsurpassable, what is the result he looks forward to? ″May my body be glowingly bright to shine upon immeasurable countless boundless worlds″, that means the brightness of his Buddhahood will shine and enlighten all worlds without limitation. Furthermore, he will ″be adorned with the thirty‑two marks of a great man and the eighty ensuing refined features″, that means all the supreme and refined features of a Buddha as described in Buddhist Sutras will surface on his body. And yet, see what he pledged next? ″I shall render all beings to resemble me without any differences″; this is the key point. Usually when we have a wish, it is all about self-interests, and all these wishes are self-centered. And yet, the vows of this Buddha, how are they different from ours? The difference lies in that, he immediately said, ″I shall render all beings to resemble me without any differences″. In other words, this vow was not pledged for himself but for all sentient beings. He wished that, all sentient beings will become Buddhas at the time of his attainment of Buddhahood; thus, it is a Great Vow. The spiritual practices adopted are not just for self-interests but for helping all sentient beings to attain the perfect enlightenment. Therefore, here we need to learn that all his vows for Buddhahood are not for personal gains; if you sustain personal intentions, you cannot attain full enlightenment. His enlightenment can transcend suffering and attain ultimate peace and joy, all because he is utterly, if not selfless, at least has forgotten about ′self′. In other words, it is no longer about oneself but about all sentient beings who are basically the same, wishing to escape from suffering and attain happiness, and he intends to endeavor toward being able to help all beings to reach such results. Thus, first of all, we have learned that the best he wishes for is for all beings to share the same. Note that the sentient beings mentioned here are not just confined to people but include mosquitoes, ants, usually too tiny to worth our attention, and ghosts that we are scared of; all these beings are within his compassionate cares. In his second vow he pledged, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may my body be like Lapis Lazuli, transparent throughout″, that means a body as transparent as Lapis Lazuli; why will there be such a result? It is because upon attainment of Buddhahood one no longer regards the physical body as his Buddha-body, and the Buddha-body is a body of brilliance, and hence it is transparent without physical materials. ″And pure without blemish″, it will be so pure that it has neither flaw nor tarnish. And ″with extensive brightness and majestic merits″, that means not only his brilliance is boundless and limitless, and, upon attainment of Buddhahood, his merits are majestic—having helped immeasurable countless boundless numbers of sentient beings proceed toward enlightenment. In Dharma, ″merits″ refer not to deeds accumulated with a personal intention to do much good in order to reap good rewards in the future; such deeds are called ″rewarding virtues″ because it will only yield rewards for oneself. In Dharma, ″merits″ refer to deeds performed solely with all beings in mind and for benefiting all sentient beings. Thus, ″having helped immeasurable countless boundless numbers of sentient beings attain enlightenment″ means that, according to each sentient being′s aptitude and propensity he did his utmost to guide them onto the enlightenment path, and thus, his merits are already immeasurable. Also, ″well at ease″ means he abides in meditative tranquility; ″and adorned with aureole brighter than sun and moon″ means Buddha-body is wrapped in brightness like a net of flames, and its degree of brightness surpasses that of sun or moon. With such brilliance ″sentient beings in hellish darkness will all be taught the right path″. The ″sentient beings in hellish darkness″ mentioned here could refer to two kinds of beings. One kind is beings in hells and hungry ghosts, while the other kind is beings who have not recognize the enlightenment path and hence still trapped in transmigration within Samsara—they remain in darkness without the guiding light of Dharma. And ″will all be taught the right path″ means to show them the significance and essences of Dharma so they will appreciate its importance and begin practicing Dharma. Then, ″I shall engage in all kinds of salvation activities as my intention moves along″, that means, according to the aptitude and propensity of a being encountered, Buddha will naturally develop the intention to provide suitable guidance and put it into deeds. Therefore, we can observe further that, his vow is not just aiming at his own perfection in the future but emphasizes on having the ability to help all sentient beings; this is the key point taught to us in the second vow. Hence, when we develop Bodhi aspirations, we need to aspire toward such goals. For example, in our time we all see matters like, severe pollution of our environments, global warming, and more and more hardships in life, and yet as civilization develops, all such matters become more prominent without a solution in sight. Thus, when you develop your own Bodhi vows, you could think of, since sentients beings in this time have these kinds of suffering, when in the future I shall attain full enlightenment, I will contrive to help them realize that all such sufferings are causal consequences of public karma, and hence each one need to begin improving the situations through personal activities that are friendly to environments and reducing global warming, etc., and thus help sentient beings in this way. In the third great vow he pledged, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I employ countless boundless skillful means of wisdom to render all beings in possession of inexhaustible things of comfort and not to let sentient beings be in want of anything″. What kind of compassionate vow is this? At the beginning, the vows are stating that he wishes to enable all sentient beings to attain full enlightenment. Nevertheless, what is the first and foremost problem sentient beings are facing? Problems of lack or shortage of resources, hardships in surviving. Hence, his compassion takes note of this. Therefore, he said, ″when I shall attain full enlightenment, I will comprehend the causal relations among all matters, and hence I will know how to improve the causal conditions to benefit sentient beings″. And then, ″my first goal is to substantiate sentient beings′ livelihood; whatever to their desires, I will know how to provide the causal conditions so they may fulfill their desires″; thus, the most pressing, to common people, problem of livelihood will be tackled first through his endeavors to help. Here, we notice that he also realizes that, not all people can begin to learn Dharma at once; he realizes that, when people are under the pressure of livelihood, unless problems of livelihood have been helped to resolve, people cannot be carefree enough to pay attention to learning Dharma. His compassionate vows notice this point, and hence he begins his endeavors from improving livelihood of sentient beings. Thus, we are taught here that, attaining enlightenment is not a matter apart from real life. After he attained enlightenment, he is not confined by self-centered self-interests, and hence he can comprehend what would be good for all and offer guidance on how to do things so all will be benefitted. The fourth great vow states, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I settle well all those who practice the heterodox ways onto the Bodhi path and establish securely those who practice Sravakayana or Pratyeka-Buddha-yana in Mahayana″. Next, he pledged that, since sentient beings are in various conditions, and some are in the condition of practicing the deviating-from-enlightenment ways—they are engaging in unsound matters which benefit self-interests but causing harm to others; now that they have committed such deeds, then, what will he do? He will offer advice to help them comprehend that the consequences of such deeds will not only harm others but also, eventually, harm oneself. Since no one can be totally independent on others and just take care of oneself only, therefore, to benefit oneself one must take others into considerations—only through mutual cooperation can one gain benefits. Through such kind of guidance, the sentient beings in such condition will move toward the Bodhi path, while ″the Bodhi path″ here refers to the path toward the right and full enlightenment. Furthermore, he pledged that, ″those who practice Sravakayana or Pratyeka-Buddha-yana″, meaning people who already know to do good and to practice Dharma, and yet, however, they emphasize on cultivating themselves, and have not thought of helping others around them by conveying matters related to the quest toward enlightenment, or encouraging others to adopt Dharma practices, or helping others to embark on Dharma practices, he will ″establish these people securely in Mahayana.″ In other words, he will guide them to open their mind expansively to all sentient beings. Therefore, he remains step-by-step, in light of your situations and needs, in guiding beings gradually toward enlightenment. The fifth great vow states, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may the countless boundless sentient beings who would cultivate pure conducts in accordance with my teachings all attain no breach of silas″, that means he pledged that, in the future if there are sentient beings who cultivate pure conducts in accordance with his teachings—what is ″cultivating pure conducts in accordance with his teachings″ here? For example, regularly repeat Medicine Guru Buddha′s holy epithet, repeat his Heart Mantra, making prostrations toward his holy images or statues, recite or copy his Sutra, have his holy images or statues made for people to make prostrations to, etc., all these are cultivating pure conducts in accordance with his teachings. If one practices in this way—″cultivating pure conducts″ means to practice Dharma, then what does one cultivate? The goal is for one to return to the natural state of being originally pure and tranquil. It does not mean that one is to consider oneself as superior and proud of having learned Dharma—I am better, I am a good person, and you are bad. This demonstrates that the person has not comprehended the essence of Dharma. Dharma is to guide us to return to our original purity, that means one does not need to add judgments to experiences—experiences as they are, are originally pure, free from artificial labelling; and one strives to return to such purity. And then, if one practices Dharma in accordance with his teachings, he will bless one—in what way? He will render one free from lapses in silas observation; that means, one will not commit errors breaking the rules governing proper conducts in body, mind and speech. Further, ″and fulfill the three cumulative silas″, that means, one will fulfill all sorts of silas regarding the accumulation of merits, wisdom and compassion. In other words, one will engage in many Dharma activities serving sentient beings. ″If they fail to comply or violate silas″, since it would be difficult for one to observe silas perfectly at once—one could hardly avoid regresses and making mistakes, then what to do? ″Upon hearing my name, they will regain purity and not fall into bad realms″; one simply need to hear the Buddha′s holy epithet—how could one hear the Buddha′s holy epithet? Either from others′ recitation or while one is repeating this holy epithet, then one can hear it. Then, one ″will regain purity″, this is because his boundless merits are capable of compensating and extinguishing the karmic hindrances born of one′s misdeeds and render one free from falling into bad realms. The so-called ″bad realms″ here refers to the realms of animals, hungry ghosts and hells. The sixth great vow, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are physically inferior with incomplete senses, and are suffering from being ugly, retarded, blind, deaf, mute, victim of convulsion, crippled, humpbacked, leprous, lunatic, or sick with various diseases, upon hearing my name, all attain proper features, become smart, with all senses wholesome, and without any illness″. This one is aiming at all sorts of disabilities and suffering in illnesses. He pledged that if anyone is facing such problems, then, what to do? Upon hearing his holy epithet, i.e., one only need to repeat his holy epithet regularly or listening to recitation of his holy epithet, then one will eventually become free from these problems—one will become free from all sorts of disabilities and suffering in illnesses that one originally had. This great vow aspires toward freedom from disabilities and sickness for all sentient beings. Thus, if one looks into it, one can see that, whatever problems people are facing, while developing his great vows he had already taken them into considerations; among the main aspects of life—birth, aging, sickness and death, sickness is a serious problem. Next (the seventh great vow), he pledged that, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment, may those sentient beings who are tormented by diseases″—sometimes someone is inflicted with many kinds of illnesses and in much torment, and furthermore, ″with neither help nor refuge″—no physician can cure him, no medication can cure him, and no place for him to be cared for, ″neither medical treatment nor medication, neither relatives nor family″—all alone, ″and in poverty with much hardship″—already trapped in such desperate situation, ″upon hearing my name, become free from diseases, attain peace and joy of body and mind, have abundance of family and possessions, and even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″. He wished that people with all such various kinds of suffering, upon hearing his holy epithet and thereby received his blessing, will be liberated from all suffering; furthermore, whatever they were lacking earlier will gradually all come into their possession. Besides, the most important point is that he is not satisfied with temporarily freeing people from physical and economical sufferings; he pledged, ″and even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″—he intended to guide each one, step by step, on the enlightenment path until all become Buddha. This is a very important point because all matters in worldly life, no matter how well one is taken care of in aging, sickness till death, if one′s mind is not open, then even when there are no other problems, one will still have many problems of mind. In order for one to become free from all sufferings in Samsara, the most important point, key point, is for one to engage in Dharma practices and thereby gradually return to original purity, only then can one ultimately and thoroughly become free from all sufferings. Furthermore, one who is thoroughly liberated will have the ability to help other sentient beings because, once returned to original purity, one will become in oneness with all. Since such a one is in oneness with all, hence, he is capable of rendering help with whatever you plead to him; this is why, when we supplicate to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, often there are inspirational results. That is, when one is very sincere in one′s faith and supplicate earnestly, their powers will reach one, and then one will become free from suffering in illness, from suffering in all sorts of worldly problems that have no solutions. Then, the next one (the eighth great vow) is aiming at females because females have many physiological problems, and in many traditional societies, females are treated with inequality; thus, with a female body, one suffers more. Hence, taking this situation into consideration, he noticed that both males and females wish for equality—his mind cares for all sentient beings equally, and hence, seeing special suffering of certain kind of sentient beings, he pledged vows aiming at alleviating their suffering. Hence, he pledged, ″in the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those women who are tormented by hundreds of sufferings of the female sex and are extremely weary to the extent of wishing to give up their female bodies″—with a female body, one has menstrual periods, may go through child-birth, has many hardships, and hence she raises the wish not to be born as a female in future lives, and then, upon hearing his holy epithet, in the future she will not be reborn as a female but only as a male with all masculine features. And ″even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″, he wished to help her, not just obtain liberation from her suffering temporarily, but attain ultimate liberation. Similarly, nowadays, when we observe babies or toddlers being forsaken due to disability or illness or other matters, we can also develop a Bodhi vow as saying, if there are abandoned kids, then may they all soon encounter good people to adopt them, and subsequently enjoy a happy life, etc., and then, ″even up to all attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″—also wishing them to embark on the enlightenment path and eventually attain full enlightenment. The ninth great vow, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may I let all sentient beings escape the nets of evils and become free from entanglements of heterodox ways. If they are trapped in all sorts of dense forest of perversive views, I shall induce and introduce them to right views, gradually lead them to practice the Bodhisattva ways, and help them soon attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment″. Here, ″the nets of evils″ and ″entanglements of heterodox ways″ refer to engaging in activities harmful to others, such as gang and illegitimate dealings. Or they are holding views deviated from the enlightenment path, such as no need to pay respect to gods but only need to gain material well-being, then they will make mistakes in many ways due to incorrect views, and yet he still will gradually advise and guide these people onto the correct paths, and lead them to practice the Bodhisattva ways—that means to enable them to open their minds to care for all sentient beings equally, and thus help them to attain soon the full enlightenment. The tenth great vow, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are condemned by royal laws to be bound by ropes, lashed by whips, enchained in prisons, or executed, and are tormented by numerous other disasters and insults so that they are afflicted by sorrow and anguish, and are suffering in both body and mind, upon hearing my name, through the majestic supernatural power of my merits and virtue, all become free from all sorrows and sufferings″. As people live in worldly life, sometimes some would encounter legal problems, and consequently become locked in ceil, some would be wrongly accused, some would be arrested, etc., all sorts of situations. Aiming at this kind of suffering, he also developed a great vow, pledging that, when he will attain full enlightenment, his merits will be so inconceivably overwhelming so that all people in this kind of suffering, simply through hearing his holy epithet, will be free from such suffering—serious matters turn into minor affairs, and minor affairs turn into no matter. Next, the eleventh great vow, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are tormented by hunger and thirst and have committed all sorts of evil karma in order to obtain food, have the opportunity to hear my name and continue to repeat my name whole-heartedly. I shall first satisfy their physical needs with most wondrous foods and drinks, and afterwards provide them with the flavors of Dharma so as to establish them in ultimate peace and joy″. He realized that in life, basically people engage in all sorts of activities to sustain livelihood. Hence, he pledged that, through hearing his holy epithet, people will come to comprehend the blessing power of his merits and become converted by such grace, and he will gradually, first satisfy people with abundant sustenance, and then teach Dharma, step by step, suitable to each one, and ultimately send them onto the right path toward enlightenment. The twelfth great vow, ″In the future when I shall attain unsurpassable complete Enlightenment may those sentient beings who are poor without clothing, tormented day and night by mosquitoes, wasps, cold and heat, and upon hearing my name continue to repeat it whole-heartedly, obtain all sorts of most wondrous clothes according to their preferences, and also obtain all kinds of jewel ornaments, floral garlands, perfumes, drums, music, and dancers; whatever their hearts desire will all be satisfied″. Here, he pledged that, since people have additional suffering in lacking clothing, bedding, and other comforts in life, hence, through repetition of his holy epithet whole-heartedly, gradually people will emerge from such sufferings. Besides, not just free from suffering but also enjoy comforts in abundance. Thus, we see that all his vows are aiming at alleviating all sorts of suffering for all beings, and then, depending on each one′s aptitude and propensity, lead each one, step by step, to engaging in Dharma practices. Now, having comprehended the significance of his great vows, we understand why engaging in practicing his teachings will fully satisfy our wishes because all our sufferings have already been taken into his considerations. Whatever we wish for, he will help us to realize it. And yet, the more important point is that he not only wishes us to attain temporary happiness but also wishes us to attain ultimate and lasting liberation from all sufferings; in other words, all his endeavors are for our full enlightenment! Now that we have comprehended his great compassion and great vows, we should also follow his example to develop our Bodhi aspirations. For example, when we participate in the fire puja to Medicine Guru Buddha tomorrow, we should dedicate merits not only toward the well-being of personal relatives and friends but also, first of all, toward the well-being of all sentient beings and the eventual full enlightenment of all beings. Only after we have developed such an all-encompassing great Bodhi wish, whatever we put into deeds will yield merits in the Dharma sense, and only then will the power of such merits become unbounded. Thus, we can dedicate the merits to pacification of sufferings for individuals whose predicaments we happen to know, regardless of personal relationships or acquaintance. As soon as we learn of sentient beings in suffering, we pray equally to Buddha for their salvation through Buddha′s blessings. If we practice in this way, on the one hand, our wish will readily match his great vows, and thus invoke his blessings; and, on the other hand, in order for one to become genuinely free from personal problems, it depends on one′s mind can become open, tolerant and all-encompassing, no longer grasping to personal matters, and only then can one attain ultimate liberation and peace. Now, I will end my talk on this topic here. If you have questions, you are welcome to bring them up. If no questions, since earlier there is one Upasaka here who would like to take refuge, I will conduct refuge ceremony now. People seeking refuge, please come forward to the front now. Auspicious Completion
Chinese transcript completed on August 4, 2011
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