..续本文上一页etanaham bhikkhave kammam vadami

　　The intention, monks, is what I maintain to be action.

　　* * *

　　Virtue, as practiced by Buddhists in general, can be summarized into three categories: hina-sila, gocara-sila and anagocara-sila.

　　1. Hina-sila means simply obeying the precepts. For instance, the first precept tells you not to kill, so you hope to gain merit by looking out for the lives of others, not causing them to die. The second precept tells you not to steal, so you hope to get some good out of taking care of the possessions of others, not causing them to disappear. The third precept rules out illicit sex, so you go around looking out for other people”s spouses and children. The fourth precept rules out lying, so you go around looking after other people”s ears by not putting lies in them. The fifth precept rules out alcohol, so you do your part for other people”s liquor bottles by not making them go empty. The same holds true for the other precepts. Practicing virtue in this way is tantamount to being a watchman for other people”s goods. You put yourself on the level of a slave or hired cow-hand. Whether you observe the five or even the eight precepts, this is classed as the lowest level of virtue, or as silabbatupadana, attachment to external forms of goodness.

　　2. Gocara-sila means making sure that the mind occupies itself only with good intentions, such as thinking of ways to act that will be wise and meritorious. Whether your thoughts deal with the past or the future, with visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or ideas, you are careful to keep them in line with wise intentions, not letting them fall into ways that are corrupt or ill-considered.

　　3. Anagocara-sila means keeping the mind in the present, not letting it wander among distracting thoughts. You are mindful and alert, keeping watch over the mind so that it stays exclusively in the present. This is virtue — when virtue reaches a state of normalcy — the sort of virtue worthy of heaven and nibbana.

　　The virtue that is careful not to break the precepts can counter the cruder forms of greed. The virtue that guards the mind”s train of thought, keeping it from traveling in the area of shoddy intentions, can do away with anger and aversion. The virtue that enters into the present — i.e., virtue in a state of normalcy — can do away with delusion. Thus we can say that virtue can do away with the cruder forms of defilement, i.e., certain levels of greed, anger, and delusion.

　　* * *

　　To continue with the service for the lunar sabbath: Now you have the opportunity to hear a sermon. The request for a sermon is as follows:

　　Brahma ca lokadhipati sahampati

　　katañjali andhivaram ayacatha

　　santidha sattapparajakkha-jatika

　　desetu dhammam anukampimam pajam

　　(The Brahma Sahampati, lord of the world,

　　With hands palm-to-palm before his heart

　　[approached the Lord Buddha and] requested a blessing:

　　There are beings here with only a little dust in their eyes.

　　Please teach the Dhamma out of compassion for them.)

　　Now compose your thoughts and keep them fixed on absorbing the nourishment of the Dhamma. Once the sermon is finished, you may proclaim yourself to be a lay adherent of the Buddha, as follows:

　　Aham buddhañca dhammañca sanghañca saranam gato

　　I have gone to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha for refuge.

　　Upasakattam desesim bhikkhu-sanghassa samukkha

　　I have declared my adherence in the presence of the Bhikkhu Sangha.

　　Etam me saranam khemam

　　Etam saranam-uttamam

　　This is my secure refuge,

　　This is my highest refuge

　　Etam saranam-agamma

　　Sabba-dukkha pamuccaye

　　This is the refuge, having gone to which,

　　One is released from all suffering & stress.

　　Yatha-balam careyyaham

　　Samma-sambuddha-sasanam

　　I will follow, as well as I am able

　　The teachings o…

《The Craft of the Heart - The Service for the Lunar Sabbath》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…