你與佛有緣嗎 Do You Have a Connection with the Buddha（中英文字幕 English subtitle）-- 美佛寺性仁法師講佛教故事 Ven. Xingren

[@ggsherry1990]

阿彌陀佛 感恩師父開示

[@AmericanBuddhistFellowship]

Fellow practitioners, Buddhism emphasizes "causes and conditions" the most, and "cause and effect" is the core idea of Buddhism. One of the most famous verses in Buddhism says: "All dharmas arise due to conditions and perish due to conditions; my Buddha, the great ascetic, often says this." This verse can be regarded as a summary of Shakyamuni's teaching life. The scriptures and all the thoughts He lectured can be summed up in this verse. From the Buddhist perspective, all dharmas arise and perish because of conditions; arise when conditions are met and perish when conditions are scattered. Now, I will share with you fellow practitioners a story about conditions. After listening to my story, you can judge whether it's with or without conditions. The story goes like this: When Buddha Shakyamuni was alive, a young man asked Him about becoming a monk. In the past, the requirements for becoming a monastic were very high. Unlike now, anyone can become a monastic, those who have broken pieces can all become Buddhist monastics, no it wasn't like that. The requirements were very strict in the past. In the Buddha's era, if you didn't have good roots, blessing, or conditions, or if you did not possess the six faculties, all six faculties, then you would never be able to become a monastic. The young man wanted to become a monk, so the Buddha asked his great Arahant disciples to observe the young man's good roots and blessing to see if the young man could become a monk, had causes and conditions, met the requirements, and could become a Buddhist monk. We know that Arahants have supernatural powers, but their supernatural powers are very limited, and they have to enter Samadhi to know the events within 20,000 kalpas in the past. For things beyond 20,000 kalpas, there's no way for Arahants to know with their supernatural powers. Pratyekabuddhas can know things within 80,000 kalpas, but they still need to pay attention and observe to know. Bodhisattvas' supernatural powers can know things beyond 80,000 kalpas. They don't need to pay special attention, let alone enter Samadhi to be able to observe. Bodhisattvas just need to think about it, then they will know immediately. The Buddha's supernatural powers, comparing with Arahants, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas', are the most complete and ultimate. His supernatural powers have reached the level of perfection, so He knows beings' cause and effect of countless kalpas thoroughly. He knows that all beings' past, present, and future lives, all are seen by His supernatural celestial eyes, and He is omniscient and all-knowing. Let's go back to the story. Through Arahant disciples' observation in Samadhi, they were commiserative and found that this young man didn't have any good causes over twenty thousand kalpas, so the Arahant disciples agreed that this young man could not become a monk. But the Buddha disagreed, he allowed the young man to become a monk and told the Arahant disciples who were there that this young man used to be a woodcutter twenty thousand kalpas ago, chopping wood in the mountains. One day, he happened to encounter a tiger who wanted to eat him. He was frightened and quickly climbed a big tree. He was almost eaten by the tiger, and the tiger almost bit him. The young man randomly called out "Namo Buddha". With this "Namo Buddha" innumerable kalpas ago, he planted a splendid good cause, and met Shakyamuni Buddha after innumerable kalpas. When the Buddha attained enlightenment, the cause and condition of his salvation matured. Cause and effect are really unimaginable, inconceivable, incomprehensible, immeasurable, and beyond what we ordinary beings can picture. So, Buddha Shakyamuni shaved him and let him become a monk. This young disciple quickly attained the achievement of Arahant. I tell you fellow practitioners, the fact that our monastics can leave home in this life also requires various causes and conditions. Without blessing, it is impossible to leave home, and without good roots, it is impossible to leave home either. Even if you are forced to become a monastic, it won't last long. Forcing will result in no happiness. After all, being a monastic is a lifetime thing and can't be forced. Therefore, the fact that we monastics can leave home is all because that we have cultivated Bodhi over many lives. This is so true. So are our lay people here. In this life, if you can learn Buddhism, take refuge in the Triple Jewels, and listen to my lectures now, then I can tell you responsibly: You must have a connection with the Buddha. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to learn Buddhism, listen to preaching, or listen to me telling you stories here, let alone gain Dharma joy and willingness when listening to preaching. Since the causes and conditions are so extraordinary, the faith is hard to arise and it has already been arisen, and the Buddhadharma is hard to meet, now it has been heard, we must cherish this rare connection, cherish this rare opportunity, make a good effort to practice, work hard on our cultivation, and hope that in this life we will attain some achievements. If it really doesn't work, if the causes and conditions don't exist, and we don't have the ability, then it doesn't matter. We get down, hope that when we are dying, we can be reborn in the Western Pureland, and pray we can be blessed by Amida Tathagata to be able to escape reincarnation in the Western Pureland, this is also a good choice. Namaste, Amitabha!