蛇來聽法

　　A Snake Comes to Hear the Dharma

　　佛法傳到西方，它亦不憚遠渡重洋，來美國護法。

　　Now that the Buddhadharma has come to the West,

　　a snake has also crossed the vast ocean and come to America to protect the Dharma.

　　(編按：一九八二年六月二十日星期日晚，萬佛聖城法筵正盛，四衆弟子繞著萬佛殿，齊念「南無阿彌陀佛」。回殿時，赫然發現一條青色花斑小蛇，伏在大殿前門側，蛇長約叁、四尺，形狀細長。大衆中有人睹之，即被嚇得卻步不前。

　　[Editor”s Note: On the evening of Sunday, June 20, 1982, the fourfold assembly of disciples was holding a Dharma celebration at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Everyone was circumambulating the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, reciting in unison, “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” As people were returning to the hall, they suddenly noticed a mottled green snake lying to the side of the front door. The snake was three or four feet long and very thin. Upon seeing it, some of the people in the assembly froze in fear, unable to take a step forward.

　　當時糾察建議把蛇拿走，但上人莞爾微笑說：「不必。所有衆生皆有佛性，此蛇乃來親近叁寶聽法，不應驅之。」

　　The monk who was the prefect at the time suggested that the snake be removed, but the Venerable Master smiled and said, “It not necessary. All living beings have the Buddha-nature. This snake has come to draw near the Triple Jewel and listen to the Dharma, so it should not be driven away.”

　　奇怪的是，此蛇不同于普通的蛇，它伸直躺在地上，雖然有近百人前後來往，它卻毫無怯意，甚爲柔順馴服。上人登法座後，說：「告訴它可以進來聽法。」該蛇立刻聽招呼，隨即從前門爬行到殿內，未曾驚怖任何人。再從大殿左側爬至右側，做繞佛一圈狀，然後靜靜地伏在法座前面，俨如跪在佛前，聆聽說法。)

　　Strangely enough, this was no ordinary snake. It stretched out on the ground, and although there were nearly a hundred people coming and going on all sides, it didn”t show the slightest sign of fear. Rather, it was tame and docile. The Venerable Master ascended to the Dharma-seat, and said, “Tell it to come in and listen to the Dharma.” The snake immediately responded by slithering into the hall from the front door without frightening anyone. Then it slithered from the left side of the hall to the right side, as if circumambulating the Buddha once. Finally, it settled down in front of the Dharma-seat, as if kneeling before the Buddhas with quiet dignity in order to listen attentively to the Dharma. In response to the snake”s appearance, the Master spoke as follows:]

　　「一切衆生皆有佛性，皆堪作佛。」這是佛親口告訴我們的，但因衆生妄想執著，故不能證得如來的智慧德相。從這句「一切衆生皆有佛性」看來，就應該不殺生、不偷盜、不邪淫、不妄語、不飲酒，持這五戒。若殺衆生，則與殺十方諸佛一樣。蓋一切衆生乃是諸佛所示現，但因「一念不覺生叁細」(即業相、現相、轉相)，便愈跑愈遠，所以沈淪苦海，永失真道。這種道理是很淺顯的，可惜被人忽略。

　　All living beings have the Buddha-nature and can become Buddhas. This is what the Buddha personally tells us, but because we have discursive thoughts and attachments, we cannot certify to the Buddha”s wisdom and virtue. In view of the fact that all living beings have the Buddha-nature, we should refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants, and we should uphold the five precepts. If we kill living beings, it”s the same as killing the Buddhas of the ten directions. All living beings are manifestations of the Buddhas; however, since a single unenlightened thought produces the three subtle attributes (the attribute of karma, the attribute of manifestation, and the attribute of turning), the more we run, the farther off we stray, and so we sink and drown in the sea of suffering, losing sight of the truth forever. This is a very simple principle, but unfortunately people have overlooked it.

　　修道人又應作如是觀想：「一切衆生皆是我過去生中父母，未來諸佛。」既是過去生中父母，就應想法子孝順他們，超薦他們，令他們離苦得樂，了生脫死，不再流轉于輪回之中。既然是未來諸佛，在他們還未成佛之前，就應當尊重恭敬他們，如面對十方叁世諸佛無異。若能常做如是觀想，就不會對任何衆生有不恭敬、不禮貌，或惱害衆生。

　　Cultivators of the Way should contemplate in this way: “All living beings have been my parents in former lives, and they will become Buddhas in the future. Since they have been my past parents, I should find ways to be filial to them, save them, and enable them to leave suffering, attain bliss, and end birth and death. Since they will become Buddhas in the future, I should honor and respect them just as I would the Bud…

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