The Buddha who refused to use his supernatural powers to preach!
Once, the Buddha came to Magadha and lived in a mango orchard on the outskirts of Nalanda. On this day, a layman named "Jiang Jian" came to the mango orchard to visit the Buddha. After bowing to the Buddha, he suggested to the Buddha: "World Honored One! Nalanda is a prosperous and wealthy city with a large population. If the World Honored One can ask a monk to show his magical powers in front of the public, then we, the people of Nalanda City, will , I will definitely respect the Lord even more."
The Buddha replied: "Stand firm! I never teach monks to show magical powers to any lay people. I only teach them to stay away from the noise and meditate on the Dharma quietly. If they have achieved something, just know it. If they have made mistakes, they should be responsible for it." Report it, repent and change.¡±
However, this layman named Jian Jian still repeatedly asked the Buddha to show his magical powers to the people in order to win more people to believe in the Buddha, so that the Buddha and his disciples could promote Buddhism in this populous city and benefit more. people. The Buddha repeatedly refused and explained why he was unwilling to use his supernatural powers to promote Buddhism.
The Buddha said: "Stand firm! I can teach you with three personal experiences: one is the supernatural power of the divine foot, the other is the supernatural power of other minds, and the third is the magical power of teachings. What is the magical power of the divine foot? The magical power of the divine foot is the ability to transform into many incarnations. , can become invisible, pass through walls, enter the ground, walk on water, fly in the air, emerge from fireworks, reach Brahma, etc. Extraordinary abilities. However, if a person who believes in the Dharma and takes refuge in the Three Jewels tells another friend who does not believe: ¡°So rare and amazing! I have seen a bhikkhu who can manifest immeasurable magical powers. He can reach Brahma directly. Such great power and mighty virtue! "The unbelieving friend may reply: "Yes! There is indeed such a clear spell that can give people supernatural powers. It was by relying on such a clear mantra that the bhikkhu manifested immeasurable supernatural powers. "
Like this, not only does it fail to achieve the purpose of promoting Dharma, but it becomes a slander! Therefore, based on my observation, I am well aware of the lack of changes in magical power, so I don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t pay attention to it, and refuse to display magical power for such a purpose. What is his psychic power? It is the extraordinary ability to know what others are thinking without being told. Similarly, if a person who believes in the Dharma and takes refuge in the Three Jewels tells another friend who does not believe in it: "It's so rare and miraculous! I have seen a bhikkhu show his spiritual power and know what other people are thinking. It's really a great power. What a mighty virtue!" The unbelieving friend might reply: "Yes! There is indeed such a mantra that can allow people to have supernatural powers. That bhikkhu relied on such a mantra to know what was in other people's hearts. What are you thinking about?" In this way, the purpose is not achieved, but it becomes a slander!
Therefore, based on my observation, I know that there is a lack of changes in magical powers, so I don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t pay attention to it, and refuse to display magical powers for such a purpose. For this reason, I do not teach the bhikkhus to manifest magical changes, but only teach them to meditate on the Dharma quietly. They point out their own faults but do not reveal their own achievements. This is the magical power of my bhikkhu disciples and the magical power of their minds. What is the power of teaching? For example, give this instruction to a bhikkhu: "You should think this way, not that way; your thoughts should be this way, not that way; you should abandon these and live there." When you preach to him like this, the content is pure and the meaning is pure. It can make people practice perfectly. After listening to such instructions and teachings, the elders and lay people will truly have a correct understanding of Buddhism. Only then will they be able to inspire their confidence in the true Dharma, and then be willing to become a monk and practice school to achieve the liberation of the three enlightenments. This is what I, the monks, want to do. Teach magical powers. "
The five roots gather together for good!
When the Buddha was promoting the teachings of Jishu in the Solitude Garden in Savatthi State, one day, the Buddha told the bhikkhus: "I am now explaining to everyone what a good gathering is. You should think carefully about it." The bhikkhus replied: "In this way, World Honored One!" Received teachings from Buddha.
The World-Honored One taught: "What is good gathering? It is the five roots. That is, the root of faith, the root of progress, the root of mindfulness, the root of concentration, and the root of wisdom. Believe deeply in the truth of the Buddha's Dharma, practice it diligently, and be mindful and unforgettable because of your diligence, and then you can achieve concentration. Dispersion; insight arises due to concentration, so you can understand the truth as it really is. If you practice based on these five roots, you can subdue your troubles and enter the holy path. Monks, if any monk practices these five roots, he can achieve the first fruition. Tuopanna, if the saint of the first stage of fruition obtains the Dharma of no reversal, he will definitely attain nirvana and freedom from birth and death in the future; if he continues to work according to these five sense organs, he will be able to realize the second stage of the saintly state. Reborn in the human world or in heaven, you will be able to put an end to all the suffering of life and death and achieve nirvana; if you continue to work on these five roots, you will be able to achieve the three fruits of Anagami. The saints of these three fruits will eventually be reborn in the pure realm of form. Heaven, you will achieve nirvana there and will not return to the desire world to be reborn. If you continue to work on these five roots, you will be able to eliminate all troubles and achieve the four fruits of Arhat. The saints of these four fruits will bear witness with their bodies, And he said to himself: Life and death have ended, the holy life has been established, and the work has been done, and there will be no more conception. Know it as it is."
"The so-called good gathering refers to the five roots. Why are the five roots called good gathering? The root means the ability to grow, because these five roots?The birth of all good dharma and the accumulation of immeasurable good dharma are the most wonderful and winning dharma among all dharma. If you cannot cultivate the five roots, you will not be able to achieve the two-vehicle fruition status of Sotapanna, Stragama, Anagami, Arahant, and Pratyekabuddha, or even achieve the Buddhahood of supreme enlightenment. If you can cultivate the five roots, you can gradually realize the four fruits and the three vehicles of liberation. Monks! We should work hard to cultivate the faculties of faith, progress, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. "
After listening to the Buddha¡¯s teachings, the monks happily followed them.
Another day, the Buddha told the bhikkhus: "I am now explaining to everyone what unwholesome gatherings are. You should think about it carefully." The bhikkhus replied: "Yes, World Honored One!" and listened to the World Honored One's teachings and practiced accordingly.
The World-Honored One taught: "What is the accumulation of unwholesome things? They are the five hindrances. What are the five hindrances? They are the hindrance of greed, anger, sleep, regret and doubt. They include attachment to the pleasures of the five desires in the world, and when things go wrong. In the state of one's own will, the heart becomes angry, or the body is heavy and sleepy, or the body and mind are restless and restless, worrying and regretting what has been done. Not only can it not distinguish between right and wrong, but it also has doubts about the truth and cannot understand. These five All kinds of troubles will block the original mind. Why are the five hindrances called the accumulation of unwholesome things? Monks should know that these five kinds of troubles cover the original pure mind and hinder meditation. More unwholesome dharmas will arise from these five hindrances, which will happen in the future. In the three evil realms of fallen animals, hungry ghosts, and hell realms, they suffer immeasurable suffering and cannot escape from it. Monks, you should diligently seek expediency to eliminate the hindrance of greed, anger, sleep, regret, and doubt. .¡±
After listening to the Buddha¡¯s teachings, the monks happily followed them.
King Ajatasaratu killed his father and usurped the throne
When the Buddha was still alive, he led his disciples to practice. One of his disciples was Devadatta, who was a lay cousin of the Buddha. After Devadatta learned Buddhism, instead of narrowing his desires, he intensified them and became disrespectful towards the Buddha. He even betrayed the Buddha's teachings and incited his disciples in the Sangha, leading five hundred monks to rebel against Buddhism; This is due to desire. At the same time, he incited King Ajatasavat to betray his family ties, and told him: "You will be the new king, and I will be the new Buddha." King Ajatasaratu was incited by him, so he imprisoned his father in prison. Cut off food and drinking water.
King Ajatasaratu's father, King Bimbasara, respected the Buddha very much when he was in charge of the country. He deeply realized that the Buddha's teachings were very good. The Buddha repeatedly emphasized that the emotions and love of all living beings are impermanent, and desires will change. Destroy the relationship between people. Although the Buddha said so, he had never personally experienced any suffering in the world, so he had doubts about it and believed that the most trustworthy thing in the world was family love.
It wasn¡¯t until his son King Ajatasavat betrayed him that he deeply realized that the Buddha was truly a great wise man who tolerated the world! It also gives a thorough understanding of human nature and family affection - it turns out that human nature is covered by this desire, and it turns out that family affection is no match for sexual love!
Therefore, he was very sad and distressed. He suffered from hunger and cold in prison. When he recalled that when he was in power, he did not feel that there was any suffering in the world at all. It was not until he, as the leader of a country, suffered from hunger, cold and hardship that he deeply understood the pain. Come on, could this be cause and effect? Although the country still exists, it is suffering due to the betrayal of one son
Everyone has a love for themselves, and this love for self usually extends to their loved ones, but is this family relationship very strong? not necessarily! Family ties are easily overturned by personal material desires. King Ajatasavatu is an example.
Is this an obstacle? What hinders him? want! This is being hindered by desire. His father was already so old. If King Ajatasavat could keep his roots peacefully, he could inherit the throne after his father's death. However, he could not bear the long wait and was anxious to become a king and gain fame and fortune, so he kept his father in confinement. King Ajatasaratu's reckless and unethical behavior created karma, and as a result he fell into hell in this life.
The same goes for Devadatta. His bright nature was obscured and obstructed, and he committed heavy karma¡ªkilling Buddhas, harming Buddhas, and rebelling against Buddhas. Originally, he could have achieved enlightenment and wisdom, but because of this desire, he had the obstacle of this sin.
Feeling grateful without showing any signs of it
Although King Bimbisara believed in Buddhism, he did not realize it personally and did not know the suffering of human nature. It was only after he experienced it personally that he truly realized the depth and breadth of the Buddha's wisdom.
Devadatta and King Ajatasavat can represent people's pure Buddha nature being obscured by desires, which casts a shadow and shakes their faith. Because their faith is shaken, they create serious sins. Not only do they fail to achieve Buddhahood, but they also create The reason for going to hell.
Therefore, are the obstacles of sinful karma self-created or man-made? Is the inability to achieve Taoism an obstacle to oneself or others? In short, all Taoist karma is self-generated obstacles, and all sinful karma is also self-created. Therefore, we must take the Buddha's mind as our own mind. If we can always take the Buddha's mind as our own mind, then we will see all living beings in the world as Buddhas. If we use the Buddha's mind to tolerate all sentient beings, we will not complain about others and treat things without regard for others. ; If you don¡¯t have any resentment, you will always be happy and at ease, and you will always be happy.?Be diligent and not be hindered by external circumstances. (To be continued.)