人人皆有佛性
文╱美國佛心寺英文研經班學員 傳幸

 

  佛法是如此的簡潔卻又如此深奧。它教導了我許多值得深思的道理,但在過去數年中,對我的人生產生立即性影響的是「眾生皆有佛性」的觀念。不只我自己,我的女兒、同修、父母,以及一切眾生皆有佛性。在內心深處,我們和佛陀擁有全然相同的本質和成佛的潛能。

  在人生旅程中難免會遇見合不來的人,一般人總是直觀地想:「我們就是無法相處」、「我討厭這個人」、「這個人很糟糕」,我們會在這些自己厭惡的人身上貼上種種標籤。在我的生命中也有一個人,曾經帶給我數年地獄般的生活。在那段期間內,我心中存著許多非常負面的想法。每當看到或想到此人,我總是很害怕;當他做出沒有道德的事情時,我感到憤怒;當他回來接近我和家人時,我總是有受到傷害的妄想和恐懼。

  學習佛法,讓我改變面對人生的態度,七周緣慈的練習,以及思惟對方也有佛性的道理,我已經能夠在看到或想到他時產生同理心,並將功德回向給他,祝願他成為一個更好的人,將來能夠體會自心的佛性。我也能夠在他行為不當時更有耐性,並且在他又出現在我們附近時,依然保有心中的平靜和安全感。

  現在的我用嶄新的方式看待人生,這是一種更清明、更容易接受的角度。從過去到現在,其實是我自己將苦惱帶入生活,是我自己無法接受改變,同樣也是我自己才有能力改變自身的未來。人人皆有佛性,這是多麼不可思議的事!當我們能如此思惟時,就能對眾生懷抱多一些仁慈,在看見他人的優點和缺點時,能夠讓對方依自己的方式行事而不妄加評斷。人們或許依舊有著各自的障礙,但是他人的煩惱習氣卻無法再影響我的心境。

(Everybody Has Buddha Nature

  Buddhism, it is so simple, yet so profound. It has taught me a great many things to contemplate on, but the one that has changed my immediate state of life the most in the past few years is, “everybody has Buddha Nature.” Just like me, my daughter, my husband, my mother and father, and my dog. We possess the same essence as the Buddha himself. We are all the same deep inside. We all have the same potential and the same destination...Buddhahood.

  As most of us cross paths at one point or another with other sentient beings we simply do not mesh well sometimes. We take it at face value that “we just don’t get along,” “I hate that person,” “that person is terrible,” and all the other labels we give those of whom we have distaste for. There was a person from my past that made my life hell for years. Many awful thoughts could be associated with this particular individual at one point in time. I had fears when I saw or thought of this person, anger when he acted out of moral character and paranoia when he came around us.

  Through the Buddha’s teachings of the outlook on life, my practice of the seven round compassion contemplation and reflecting on the fact that he too has the Buddha Nature, I have been able to see or think of him and feel empathy, dedicate merits to him in hopes that he becomes a better person and will one day find his Buddha Nature within, have more patience when he acts immorally, feel safe and stable in my mind when he comes around. He is no longer an issue in our life.

  I see life in a new light, a much clearer acceptable picture. All this time, it was me who brought distress to my own life, me who would not accept change, and me who have the potential to change my own future. Everybody has the Buddha Nature. It’s amazing to think about and when this is reflected upon, it gives all sentient beings grace to live their own life through their rights and wrongs with no judgment passed. People will continue to have his or her own burdens, but they no longer have to affect my mind. )




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