2013年美佛會莊嚴寺佛學夏令營主題-人身難得

　　法曜法師

　　佛教的宇宙觀包容萬象。從器世間來看，有在不同層次天界享樂的諸天神、生存于地球各式各樣的人類衆生、形形色色的畜生、毛骨悚然的餓鬼、還有不幸投身在各層地獄中遭受極大苦痛的衆生。

　　身爲人身是佛陀和佛教最關心的議題，其目的無非是勸人向善，或說明宇宙的生命體及業報。如《雜阿含經》卷十五提到人身爲最可貴的觀念。佛世尊告諸比丘：「譬如大地悉成大海，有一盲龜壽無量劫，此盲龜百年一出其頭，恰恰海中有浮木，木中有一孔，漂流海浪，隨風東西。盲龜僅百年一出其頭，當得遇此孔不？」

　　阿難白佛：「不能，世尊！所以者何？此盲龜若至海東，浮木隨風，或至海西，南、北四維圍遶亦爾，不必相得。」

　　佛告阿難：「盲龜浮木，雖複差違，或複相得。愚癡凡夫漂流五趣，暫複人身，甚難于彼。」

　　由此可知人身難得，生命易逝。並且 人身難得今已得，佛法難聞今已聞；此身不向今生度，更向何生度此身。

　　今天我們有幸能身爲人身，也有幸能相聚一起。切莫耗費生命在毫無意義的生涯中，也莫隨意傷害、糟蹋人身，害己害人。

　　Theme of Summer Camp 2013 at Chuang Yen Monastery:

　　It is Extraordinary to be a Human

　　The Buddhist cosmology is intriguingly complicated and vast. According to the Buddhist understanding of the universe, it Comprises of heavenly beings dwelling in different levels of heaven, sentient beings such as different human races, various types of beasts and insects from animal kingdoms, hungry ghosts on this very Earth. In addition, our universe also comprises of other types of existence, for example hell realms, which perhaps sound horrific but yet unfortunate to those who were born there. No matter whatever reason these realms are mentioned, it is beyond doubt that the Buddha regards human as the most important one among them. One of the examples can be found in Samyuktagama, the Buddha once asked the monks, there was a blind turtle in an ocean as vast as the surface of Earth. This blind turtle only swam at the surface of the ocean and extended his head above the surface of ocean once in hundred years. What was the odd that its head happened to go through a hole on a rotten wood plank flowing by

　　 The odd was very minimal. Hence the Buddha told Ananda, his attendant that the ignorant beings who wandered in the five realms of existence, the chance of them being born as a human is very rare. From this simile, we have learned that it is certainly hard to be born as a human and our lives slip by quickly. We not only have to cherish this human body but also take the opportunity to comprehend the Buddhist teaching which is beneficial and true. One ought to strive towards a better life.

　　Today we have such a good opportunity to be born as a human, and also we are lucky to have the chance to meet and learn the dharma together. It might not be wise to loiter and to live a life without meaning.

　　One should not waste the good opportunity being a human and harm oneself and the others.