修行就是要扫心地

An Eternal Now SG

From my master， “有很多人，学问很好，把佛教的道理搬来写论文，写文章，写来写去，结果把释迦牟尼佛所讲的三藏十二部经典都推翻了，连自己的信心都没有了佛教是讲信解行证，因为他自己没有修行，没有证到，只是看书本写文章，写来写去，就没有信心了。”

“你不要认为只有大学教授，或学问好的人，才可以学佛，就是一个很笨

很愚痴的人，更好学佛，因为有很多聪明的人，他聪明反而被聪明误，

他知道很多，理解很多，反而变成所知障，变成知解无明。”

http://www.humanbliss.com.sg/article_f.asp?id=C159

修行就是要扫心地

圣开导师

▲请示师父，弟子道理上知道，为什么实行起来那么困难？

学佛修行，要知道很容易，师父一讲，你就知道了，佛经一看，你

们也就知道了，但是要你去做到的话，就很困难了。为什么？一个人，

因为有我，就有我所，还有我知、我见，本来自己做了一大堆的坏事，

还是不承认。别人要欺骗我们很不容易，可是人啊，常常总是被这个自

我欺骗，还不知道。人啊，多生累劫带下来的不良习气，不容易改变，

所以说，一定要修行，慢慢的修。假使认为今天我读了几本书，道理我

懂了，认为我就是一个菩萨，那就不对。

有很多人，学问很好，把佛教的道理搬来写论文，写文章，写来写

去，结果把释迦牟尼佛所讲的三藏十二部经典都推翻了，连自己的信

心都没有了。佛教是讲信解行证，因为他自己没有修行，没有证到，只

是看书本写文章，写来写去，就没有信心了。所以我们要知道，学佛跟

佛学是两回事，我们要真正的学佛修行，学佛解脱，学佛成佛，我们不

可以把佛教里面的道理，当作学问，翻来覆去，毫无用处。我们要相信

自己，要有信心学佛，只要我们依照佛讲的话，身体力行，就能够证果。

你不要认为只有大学教授，或学问好的人，才可以学佛，就是一个很笨

很愚痴的人，更好学佛，因为有很多聪明的人，他聪明反而被聪明误，

他知道很多，理解很多，反而变成所知障，变成知解无明。假如我们一

个没有学问的人，只要照佛陀的话去做，每一个人都可以成佛。

我讲一个故事给你们听。在佛陀时代，有兄弟两人一起出家，弟弟

很笨，而且他的记性不好，但是佛陀非常关心他。教他念经、念咒，他

也做不来，今天教他的，明天他又忘记了。佛陀就采用随机示教，因为

他什么都不会，天天只有扫地，佛陀就问他：“你手里拿这个是什么东

西啊？”他说：“这是个扫帚。”佛陀问他：“扫帚两个字你会不会忘记

啊？”他说不会。佛陀说：“那你天天念扫帚就好了。”他就天天念扫帚，

扫帚……。后来佛陀又把扫帚改成“除垢”让他念，他天天念，念到后来，

他因为扫地，证到扫地是要扫我心地，就证了阿罗汉。

讲到这里，我们来扫地好吗？大家一起来唱《扫地歌》。

（唱《扫地歌》：

扫地扫地，扫我心地，

扫尽虚空，不留余地，

从里至外，自他两利，

扫地扫地，扫我心地。）

这个扫地歌，非常好唱，要训练家里小孩子扫地，最好是教他们一

面扫地，一面唱扫地歌。本来这次师父从美国回来，有一位美国小姐说：

“我要跟师父回到你们中国去，人们一看到我是高鼻子，蓝眼睛的，一

定会出我的洋相。”我说没有关系，如果有人要你出来演讲，你就讲：

我不会讲中国话，但是我可以唱一首美国的扫地歌。因此她就把扫地

歌用英文翻译，唱了两遍，她唱得非常好，这首扫地歌，将来很快就可

能传播到全球。我们希望全世界都知道这个扫地歌是中国人做的，不

要以为是外国人做的。

希望大家常常唱扫地歌，常常扫心地，因为佛教徒修行就是要扫

心地，这是人乘佛教最需要提倡的事情。__

Amitayus48 SG

Indeed! In chapter 4 of the Shurangama sutra, it stated that Kshudrapanthaka was deficient in memory and lack of innate intelligence. While memorising the second part of a verse from Tathagata, he forgotten the first portion. Buddha pitied his dullness and taught him a way, and he attained perfect penetration.

TehJarVu SG

heehee 有意思

An Eternal Now SG

Translation:

Question: I would like to ask Master why it is easy to understand principles, but putting them into action is hard?

Answer:
With regards to Buddhist cultivation, it may be easy to understand the principles and when the teacher explains concepts, you can comprehend them too. Understanding the sutras is also not hard. However, the difficulty lies in putting the teachings into practice.

Why? Because of the “I, me, mine” concepts and view.

We may make a tonne of mistakes but fail to admit our failings. And while it may be hard for others to deceive us, we are often deceived by this very Illusion of a Self.

We have accumulated defilements and karmic tendencies from eons of past lives. Therefore we need to gradually cultivate to purify our minds. Do not be mistaken that just because we have read a few books, it means we have conquered our bad habits or apprehended all there is to know

There are many highly educated people who examine the teachings of the Buddha and write long theses and articles based on them. They end up disproving the Buddha’s teachings and in so doing, lose faith in them. However, in Buddhism, you must first start off with faith and live out the teachings by practice.

Those people lose faith because they are only preoccupied with reading about the teachings of the Buddha, writing articles, penning this thought and that opinion, but have neglected to cultivate themselves based on the teachings. They have not realized for themselves what the Buddha taught.

Hence, we need to be mindful that practicing Buddhism and studying it are two separate matters. If we wish to cultivate as the Buddha did, be liberated as he was and attain Buddhahood, we should not take Buddhist teachings as mere knowledge. We should not take Buddhist teachings and examine it inside and out to no avail. Instead, we must have faith that so long as we actively put the teachings of the Buddha into practice, we will ultimately be able to enjoy the fruits of cultivation (just as the Buddha did).

Do not think that only university professors or well educated people can cultivate the Buddhist way. In fact, a dull and ignorant person may be in a better person to cultivate. Why? Because many intelligent people are stumbled by their own intelligence and wide net of knowledge. They may be knowledgeable, but they lack wisdom to illuminate their understanding of the subject matter. Conversely, even one who is dull and poorly educated can reach Buddhahood, as long as he closely follows the teachings of the Buddha.

Let me tell you a story. During the Buddha’s time, there were two brothers who entered the monks’ order. The younger of the two was dull and his memory was very poor. Nevertheless, the Buddha was very concerned about him.

This young monk was unable to cope with sutra and mantra recitations. Whatever he was taught would be forgotten by the next day. Hence, the Buddha decided to teach him as the situation allowed.

Since this young monk couldn’t do anything well other than sweep the floor every day, the Buddha asked him, “What is this you have in your hand? ”

The monk answered, “This is a broom stick.”

Whereupon the Buddha asked in return, “So, will you forget the words ‘broom stick’?” The young monk assured the Buddha that he wouldn’t.

Hence, the Buddha instructed the young monk to keep repeating the words ‘broom stick’ as a recitation, and that’s just what he did. Every day he chanted the words, “broom stick, broom stick, broom stick…”

Later on, the Buddha switched the recitation from ‘broom stick’ to ‘rid dust’.

In the end this young monk, through sweeping the floor and chanting these words, managed to purify his mind to such an extent that he achieved arhatship. While sweeping the floor he was also sweeping his mind clean.

realization SG

There are these four persons found in the world. What four?

1) one with little learning who does not profit from his learning,

2) one of little learning who does profit from his learning,

3) one of great learning who does not profit from his learning,

4) and one of great learning who does profit from his learning.

And how does one with little learning not profit from his learning. In this case, a person has little learning in the discourses, he knows neither the letter nor the spirit, and he does not live in accordance with the Dhamma.

And how does one with little learning profit from his learning? In this case, a person has little learning in the discourses, but of what he knows, he understands both the letter and the spirit, and he lives in accordance with it.

How does one with great learning not profit from his learning? In this case, a person is widely learned in the discourses, but he understands neither the letter nor the spirit, and does not live in accordance with the Dhamma.

And finally, how does one with great learning profit from his learning? Here, a person is widely learned in the discourses, he understands both the letter and the spirit, and he lives in accordance with the Dhamma.

Anguttara Nikaya II.5

sinweiy SG

ya, MCK said, we are to 学佛 learn like the Buddha, rather than do 佛学.

Dawnfirstlight SG

Yeah, recently I read a Venerable's facebook. He said he used to discuss this subject with other Venerables. The Venerables agree that they should emphasize 修行就是要扫心地 to their disciples more often. As there are more and more beginners Buddhists. Thus, he sees a need to emphasize this phrase.

I notice many new Buddhists have mistaken that 修行就是做善事. It is not wrong to do charity work but Buddhist practicing is more than just doing charity work and donations.

An Eternal Now SG

Yes, indeed. I am often reminded of this:

Whoever is attached to a result for this life, is not a Dharma person. The purpose of Dharma is liberation, not feeling better in this life.

The purpose of Dharma is not the cultivation of mundane compassion, and so on.

The purpose of Dharma is to control afflictions, then overcome them, and finally, to attain a state of total omniscience and freedom.

~ Loppon Namdrol

Alfred Cai SG

ya, MCK said, we are to 学佛 learn like the Buddha, rather than do 佛学.

ya, in order to do that, it is essential to have insight on true nature. So that the 扫 is correct, otherwise, the sweeping is continued to gather dusts and become 佛学 means intellectual.