覺林菩薩偈 The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva（中英文字幕 English subtitle）-- 美佛寺性仁法師 Venerable Xingren

為甚麼《地藏經》前面會放《華嚴經·覺林菩薩偈》呢？
Why is "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" of The Avatamsaka Sutra placed in front of The Ksitigarbha Sutra?
2020.09.05 宣講於洛杉磯美佛寺
我們大家在讀誦《地藏菩薩本願經》，在讀誦的過程當中，諸位同修有沒有發現，在《地藏經》的最前面，放有《華嚴經》的《覺林菩薩偈》。經常有同修問我：要不要讀誦這些偈頌？對於我個人來說，我私下認為：要不要讀誦，反而沒有那麼重要。更為重要的是，我們作為一個佛弟子，我們大家在讀《地藏經》之前，我們一定要搞清楚，一定要弄明白，為甚麼要放《華嚴經》的《覺林菩薩偈》在《地藏經》的最前面呢？為甚麼呢？這是出於一種甚麼樣的考量和原因呢？我們大家要搞清楚。在跟諸位同修解釋理由之前，我們大家先來瞭解一下這些偈頌。這些偈頌總共有十個偈頌，每一個偈頌四句，加起來總共是四十句。由於時間的關係，我在這裡跟大家講最為簡單的兩個偈頌。這兩個偈頌也算是最為有名的，也最能夠代表這個十個偈頌的核心內容。這兩個偈頌是這樣的：【心如工畫師，能畫諸世間。五蘊悉從生，無法而不造。】【若人欲了知，三世一切佛；應觀法界性，一切唯心造。】我跟諸位同修簡單解釋一下這兩個偈頌的大意。第一個偈頌：【心如工畫師，能畫諸世間。五蘊悉從生，無法而不造】。我們的心就像一個工畫師一樣，如同一個畫家那樣，能夠畫出十方法界的一切東西。這一切包括世間和出世間的種種東西，我們都可以畫。沒有甚麼法是不能創造的，沒有甚麼東西是我們不能畫的。我們能夠畫出各種六道的世間：天、人、阿修羅、地獄、餓鬼、畜生。這個六凡的法界我們可以畫，我們也可以畫出四聖的法界：佛、菩薩、緣覺、聲聞，我們也可以畫。十法界所有的一切東西，我們都可以畫。我們的五蘊的身心，包括物質世界和精神境界，都是從這個心識造作出來的，都是由我們自己畫出來的。這個是第一個偈頌的大意。第二個偈頌：【若人欲了知，三世一切佛。應觀法界性，一切唯心造】。假使有人想要瞭解三世的一切諸佛，過去的、現在的、未來的，十方三世所有的一切諸佛。那我們應該怎麼樣去瞭解呢？【應觀法界性】。我們應該是去觀察各種法界的體性。為甚麼會有十法界的差別？為甚麼十法界條分，會有四聖法界和六凡法界的差別呢？我跟諸位同修講，十法界不離現前一念心。十法界都離不開我們心性的造作。一切都是由我們的心識所主宰，一切都是由我們的內心所創造出來的。這個是兩個偈頌的大意。《覺林菩薩偈》總共有十個偈頌，四十句。這四十句，非常非常重要。只可惜一般人不重視、不明白這十個偈頌的重要性。所以歷來的祖師大德，他們印經的時候，這是他們為甚麼要把這一《覺林菩薩偈》放在《地藏經》的前面的原因。就是為了要提升大家的思想和觀念。我們先要有這樣的思想，先要有這樣的觀念，要有這麼一個大的格局。因為格局會決定我們一個人的高度；格局會決定我們將來修行的走向。所以當我們把這個格局定下來之後，我們大家再來看《地藏菩薩本願經》，我們才不會走錯路。如果沒有先看《覺林菩薩偈》這一段，有些同修在讀經的過程當中，看到那麼多地獄、那麼多鬼王，他們難免心裡會擔心、會害怕。甚至有些人認為：為人死後，好像沒有任何的希望，就是要下地獄而已。這個是錯誤的看法。當我們看了這個《覺林菩薩偈》這一段，我們知道『萬法唯心造』的道理。這個世界所有的一切，都是我們意識的表達。甚麼叫作『意識的表達』呢？就是由我們身口意三業所決定，就是由我們的內心所主宰。我們有過甚麼樣的心念、做過甚麼樣的事情，那我們才會到那樣的地方去。十法界，我們將來要去哪一法界，看我們現在內心在想甚麼，我們的身口意在造作甚麼。那決定我們將來要去哪一個法界。當我們瞭解這麼一個道理之後，我們才知道怎麼樣去修正我們的身口意三業，怎麼樣去修行。更重要的是，認識到我們的心識在修行當中的重要性。心識能夠帶動我們的行為，能夠帶動我們的語言。所以我們作為一個佛弟子，我們不要去做那些符合到地獄道裡面的事情，不要去做那些五逆十惡的事情。那我們將來死了之後，自然而然就不會到地獄道裡面去。所以這一個偈頌，《覺林菩薩偈》這一段非常非常重要。為了要加深諸位同修的印象，在這裡，我跟大家講《覺林菩薩偈》的由來。有這麼一個故事：在宋朝的時候，有一位出家法師。這個出家法師的法名叫僧俊，俗姓王。王氏出家之後，他並不守戒律，戒律受持得不是很好，也沒有做過甚麼大的善事。不久之後，他生了一場小病，竟然這一場小病要了他的命。死了之後，過了三天，他竟然奇跡般地甦醒過來，又活過來了。當他醒來的時候，他不停地在哭，不停地向諸佛菩薩求懺悔，不停跟十方大德僧眾求懺悔。到底是怎麼回事呢？原來，他將要死的時候，看到了兩位冥官要來追他。追著追著，來到了一座大城面前。忽然間看到了一位僧人。這個僧人跟他說：『我是地藏菩薩。因為你在沒有出家之前，因為你曾經在京城的時候，描摹過我的畫像，我今天特別來救你。現在我教你一段四句偈頌。這個偈頌如下，你一定要記清楚了。』於是地藏菩薩就跟他說這個四句偈頌的內容：『若人欲了知，三世一切佛。應觀法界性，一切唯心造。』這個地藏菩薩囑咐他，祂說：『你能夠記住這個四句偈頌，如果你能夠把這個偈頌給念熟，這四句可以幫助你關閉地獄之門，打開淨土之道。能夠讓你消滅地獄的罪業，能夠讓你往生極樂淨土。』當地藏菩薩說完這個偈頌，馬上就消失了。於是僧俊和兩位冥官進入到這個城門當中去見閻王爺。當閻王爺見到僧俊法師，就問他：『你在生前曾經做過甚麼善事，做過甚麼功德沒有？』這個僧俊法師回答說：『沒有。但是我有受持一段四句的偈頌。』這個閻魔王就問他：『甚麼偈頌？你現在還記得嗎？』於是僧俊法師就把這個四句偈頌讀出來：『若人欲了知，三世一切佛。應觀法界性，一切唯心造。』沒想到，他還沒有把這個四句給讀完，才讀了前面的兩句：『若人欲了知，三世一切佛』，結果奇怪的事情發生了。地獄道裡面受苦的所有眾生，當他們聽到這兩句的時候，已經一半的眾生得到了超度。閻魔王這個時候非常著急，趕緊跟僧俊法師說：『你別再念了。』於是就立刻放僧俊法師還陽，讓他回到陽世間。這個僧俊法師還陽之後，他最後找出這四句偈的出處，才知道這個偈頌原來是出自《華嚴經》的《夜摩天宮品》，就是現在的《覺林菩薩偈》。因此後人才會將這個偈頌的整段，放在《地藏菩薩本願經》的最前面。所以古人這麼做，是有著深刻的意義的。古人做事，非常地謹慎。他們不是隨便亂放的，是肯定有意義的。因為《覺林菩薩偈》揭示出世出世間一切萬物的秘密。這個偈頌，可以說是整部《華嚴經》的精華所在。可以說是整個佛法的核心所在。我們大家知道，佛法是內法，佛法是心法，佛法的修行，最重要的是在於修心，十法界不離現前的一念之心。當我們一念善，即是佛；一念惡，即是魔。地獄和天堂，只是在一念之隔。佛與魔的差別，只是在一念之間。我們將來要作佛，還是將來要下地獄，都是由我們自己的內心所主宰、所創造。所以作為一個修行人，如果你的念頭和內心開始改變，我跟諸位同修講，那這個世界自然而然會跟著你改變。因為十法界不離現前的一念之心，當你的內心開始改變，你會發現周遭的人物跟世界，也在跟著一起改變。原來我們內心的改變，世界也跟著我們一起改變。這個正是佛法所說的不可思議。所以佛法一直強調：改變世界，改變別人，不如改變我們的內心，不如從我們自己的內心開始改變。只有我們的內心開始改變了，那這個周遭所有的一切，才跟著改變。感恩大家的慈悲，阿彌陀佛！

[@user-uy9ug4ws4i]

至誠頂禮🙏🙏🙏 三界唯心 萬法唯識 心生一切法生 心滅一切法滅 感恩師父🙏🙏🙏 阿彌陀佛🙏🙏🙏

[@user-boy13579]

感謝法師說法清晰明白，施主無私分享！阿彌陀佛！

[@user-bc5gy2io1p]

南無阿彌陀佛

[@MrWesttown]

感恩法師，阿彌陀佛

[@AmericanBuddhistFellowship]

Therefore, as Buddhist disciples, we do not do things conforming to going into the realm of hell, and do not do things that are evil. Then after we die in the future, naturally we will not go to the realm of hell. So, this verse of "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" is very important. In order to deepen our fellow practitioners' impression, here, I will tell you the origin of "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva". There is such a story: In the Song Dynasty, there was a monk. The monk's Dharma name was Seng Jun, and his surname before becoming a monk was Wang. After Wang became a monk, he did not abide by his precepts, did not follow the precepts very well, and did not do any significant good deeds. Before long, he fell ill with a minor illness, of which he actually died. Three days after he had died, he miraculously woke up and resurrected. When he woke up, he kept crying, kept repenting to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, kept repenting to virtuous monastics in all places. What was going on? It turned out that when he was about to die, he saw the two dark officials from underworld coming to chase him. When they chased him, they came to a big city. All of a sudden he saw a monk. The monk said to him, "I am Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Because before you became a monk, you had traced my portrait when you were in the capital city, I am here particularly to rescue you. Now I am going to teach you a four-sentence verse. You must memorize it." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva then told him the content of the four sentences of the verses, "If one wants to fully understand all Buddhas at all times, one should observe the nature of Dharmic realms, and everything is just from the heart." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva told him and said, "If you can memorize this verse, if you can recite the verses fluently, these four sentences can close the door of hell and open the gateway of Pure Land for you. It will eliminate the negative karma that makes you suffer in hell, and it will allow you to be reborn into the Pure Land of the West." After Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had said this verse, he immediately disappeared. Then Seng Jun and two dark officials entered this city to meet the king of hell. When the king of hell saw Venerable Seng Jun, he asked, "Had you done any good deeds when you were alive?". Venerable Seng Jun replied, "No. But I do uphold a four-sentence verse." The king of hell asked him, "What verse? Do you still remember it now?" Then Venerable Seng Jun recited the four-sentence verse, "If one wants to fully understand all Buddhas at all times, one should observe the nature of Dharmic realms, and everything is just from the heart." Unexpectedly, before finishing these four sentences, when he just finished the first two sentences, "If one wants to fully understand all Buddhas at all times", strange things happened. When sentient beings suffering in the realm of hell heard these two sentences, half of them were already released. The king of hell was very anxious at that time, and quickly said to Venerable Seng Jun, "Don't read it anymore." Then he immediately sent Master Seng Jun back to the world of human beings. After Venerable Seng Jun had resurrected, he finally located the source of the verse, it was originally from "The Chapter of Yama Heaven" of The Avatamsaka Sutra, which is now "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva". Therefore, later, people placed this section of verses in front of The Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. That ancients did this was very meaningful. Ancients did things very cautiously. They did not carelessly or randomly place things, there must have been reason. Because "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" reveals the secret of everything in both mundane and transcendental worlds, it can be considered the essence of the entire Avatamsaka Sutra. It can be said to be the core of the entire Buddha's Dharma. As we all know, Buddhism is an inner Dharma, which focuses on the heart and the mind. The most important part in the Buddhist practice is to cultivate the mind. The ten Dharmic realms are inseparable from the present thought. When we have a thought of purity, we are Buddhas; when we have a thought of impurity, we are demons. Hell and heaven are just a thought away from each other. The difference between Buddhas and demons is only a thought. Whether we will be Buddhas or go to hell in the future is determined and caused by our hearts. So, as practitioners, if your thoughts and hearts begin to change, I tell you fellow practitioners that the world will naturally change along with you. Since the ten Dharmic realms are inseparable from the present thought, when your heart begins to change, you will find the people and the world around you are changing too. It turns out that the change of our hearts makes the world change with us. This is exactly the incredibleness in Buddhism. Buddhism emphasizes that rather than changing the world or changing others, we should change our hearts, we should start with changing our inner minds. Only when our hearts begin to change, will everything around us change accordingly. Thank you for your mercy, Amitabha!

[@gratefulhsu9115]

〈覺林菩薩偈〉 華嚴第四會 夜摩天宮 無量菩薩來集 說偈讚佛 爾時覺林菩薩 承佛威力 遍觀十方 而說頌言 譬如工畫師 分布諸彩色 虛妄取異相 大種無差別 大種中無色 色中無大種 亦不離大種 而有色可得 心中無彩畫 彩畫中無心 然不離於心 有彩畫可得 彼心恆不住 無量難思議 示現一切色 各各不相知 譬如工畫師 不能知自心 而由心故畫 諸法性如是 心如工畫師 能畫諸世間 五蘊悉從生 無法而不造 如心佛亦爾 如佛眾生然 應知佛與心 體性皆無盡 若人知心行 普造諸世間 是人則見佛 了佛真實性 心不住於身 身亦不住心 而能作佛事 自在未曾有 若人欲了知 三世一切佛 應觀法界性 一切唯心造

[@AmericanBuddhistFellowship]

When you are reciting The Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, have you found out that in front of The Ksitigarbha Sutra, there is "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" of The Avatamsaka Sutra. I am often asked by fellow practitioners if these verses should be read. I personally think whether to read it or not is not very important. The important part is, as Buddhist disciples, before we read The Ksitigarbha Sutra, we must know, we must understand why "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" of The Avatamsaka Sutra is placed in front of The Ksitigarbha Sutra. Why? For what consideration or for what reason? We need to know. Before explaining the reason to our fellow practitioners, let us first understand these verses. There is a total of ten verses of them, and each verse has four sentences, making a total of forty sentences. Due to time constraints, I am going to explain the two simplest verses, yet the most famous two which can best represent the core content of these ten verses. These two verses are: "The heart is like a painter who can draw the world. The five aggregates are from it, and there is no dharma it cannot create." "If one wants to fully understand all Buddhas at all times, one should observe the nature of Dharmic realms, and everything is just from the heart." Let me briefly explain to you the main idea of these two verses. The first verse says, "The heart is like a painter who can draw the world. The five aggregates are from it, and there is no dharma it cannot create." The heart is like a painter who can draw everything in Dharmic realms in all places, including all things in both mundane and transcendental worlds, we can draw all of them. There is nothing that cannot be created, and there is nothing that we cannot draw. We can draw the worlds of the six realms: heaven, human, demon-god, hell, hungry ghost, and animal. We can draw the six ordinary Dharmic realms, and we can also draw the four holy Dharmic realms: Buddha, Bodhisattva, Pratyekabuddha, and Savaka, and we can also draw them. We can draw everything in the Ten Dharmic realms. Our bodies and hearts from five aggregates, including both physical and spiritual worlds that are both created by our hearts and minds, both drawn by ourselves. This is the main idea of the first verse. The second verse say, "If one wants to fully understand all Buddhas at all times, one should observe the nature of Dharmic realms, and everything is just from the heart." Suppose someone wants to understand all Buddhas at all times, all past, current, and future Buddhas in all places and at all times. Then how can we understand? "one should observe the nature of Dharmic realms". We should observe the characters and the nature of all Dharmic realms. Why are there ten different realms? Why are the ten Dharmic realms distinguished into the four holy and the six ordinary realms? I tell you fellow practitioners that the ten Dharmic realms are inseparable from the present thought. The ten Dharmic realms are inseparable from the creation of your heart. Everything is controlled by your mind, and everything is created by your heart. This is the main idea of the two verses. "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" has ten verses and forty sentences. These forty sentences are very, very important. It is bad that most people neither value nor understand the importance of these ten verses. Therefore, when Patriarchs and great virtuous monastics in the past printed sutras, this was why they put "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" in front of The Ksitigarbha Sutra. It was to improve people's thoughts and ideas. We must first have this kind of thoughts and ideas; we must have such a big vision. Because your vision determines your altitude, your vision determines where your practice goes. Therefore, after your vision has been determined, when reading The Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, you do not go wrong. If you had not read "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva" first, when reading the sutra and seeing so many hells and ghost kings, some fellow practitioners would inevitably be worried and afraid. Some people even think that as human beings, after death, there seems to be no hope other than going to hell. This is wrong. When we read "The Verses of Juelin Bodhisattva", we understand the truth of "all dharma is created by the mind". Everything in this world is an expression of our mind. What is the "expression of mind"? It is to be determined by the three karmas of body, mouth, and mind, it is to be dominated by our heart. The kind of mind we have had and the certain things we have done determine the place we will go to. Which Dharma realm of the ten we will go to in the future depends on what we are thinking in our hearts and what our body, mouth and mind are doing. That determines which Dharmic realm we will go to in the future. After understanding this, we know how to correct our three karmas of body, mouth. and mind, and how to practice. More importantly, we realize the importance of our minds in practice. Mind can drive our behavior, can drive our language.