时间：06/01/2024 06/02/2024
地点：星海禅修中心
主讲：Otto Huang
佛法修行
以欲爱断欲爱
有一次，尊者阿难住在拘睒弥城东南的瞿师罗园，有一位婆罗门来园里问他说：
「阿难道友！你以什么目的，要跟在沙门瞿昙的门下修学呢？」
「婆罗门！是为了断欲的缘故。」
「阿难道友！断欲，有方法吗？」
「婆罗门！是有方法的。」
「阿难道友！什么方法呢？」
「婆罗门！比丘以欲求、精勤、摄心、观照之坚定意志努力修行禅定，并且以修得的禅定力为基础，开发超越常人的神通，可以依此为断欲的方法。」
「阿难道友！照你这样说，岂不是陷入了无止境的循环吗？修学的欲求也是欲，这岂不是想以欲求来断欲爱，这样的说法没道理！」
「婆罗门！让我来问你，请你照实回答。
你认为如何？婆罗门！在来这里之前，你是不是先有来这里的欲求？但到了这里以后，这种欲求就不需要而消失了，不是吗？」
「是的，道友！」
「在来这里之前，你所激起想来这里的精勤，到了这里以后，这种精勤就不需要而消失了，不是吗？」
「是的，道友！」
「在来这里之前，你起了决定来这里的心念，到了这里以后，这种心念就不需要而消失了，不是吗？」
「是的，道友！」
「在来这里之前，你所做要不要来这里的观照，到了这里以后，这种观照就不需要而消失了，不是吗？」
「是的，道友！」
「这道理是完全相同的，婆罗门！一位成就阿罗汉的比丘，他的烦恼已经完全扫除了，清净圣洁的人生已经确立，应该作的都做了，他卸下了烦恼的重担，达成了自己的目标，全然地摧毁了轮回而生的束缚，而在最后的正觉中解脱了，此时，他先前想要成就阿罗汉的欲求消失了，先前所激起要成就阿罗汉的精勤消失了，先前决心要成就阿罗汉的心念消失了，先前所做要成就阿罗汉的观照，也消失了。
婆罗门！你说这样会陷入无止境的循环吗？」
「阿难道友！这样的情况当然是有止境的，不是无止境的。
真是太伟大了，阿难道友！从今日起，请为我终生的皈依作见证。」
另一次，尊者阿难住在拘睒弥城东南的瞿师罗园，有一位爱慕尊者阿难的比丘尼，对尊者阿难有裸露身体的性暗示，尊者阿难立即转身避开，以示拒绝。
尊者阿难实时的断然拒绝，使得比丘尼感到惭愧而向他忏悔。尊者阿难因而对她说：
「姊妹！我们的身体依赖着食物、爱欲、我慢的支持，但要断除食物的依赖，还得靠食物，断除爱欲的依赖，还得靠爱欲，断除我慢的依赖，还得靠我慢。姊妹！我们的身体从男女的性行为而来，但世尊教导我们，必须断绝任何会导致男女性行为的桥梁。
姊妹！怎样是依着食物来断除对食物的依赖？当在进食的时候，要这样思惟：进食不是为了享乐，不是为了解瘾，也不是为了身材的丰满迷人、窈窕美丽，而是单纯地为了维持身体，为了活命，为了治疗饥渴之病，为了能达清净圣洁人生的修行之缘故，就像运货的人，以油酯润滑车子，只是为了运货；
皮肤病的患者涂药，只是为了治病，而不是为了享乐、解瘾、好看与吸引人，所以，在先前的饥饿感消失后，不要再贪佞地制造出想吃的感觉，而导致吃得过饱，应当要自我警觉地保持着不盲目、健康地生活，待日后清净圣洁的修行成就，不必再生死流转时，就断除了对食物的依赖了，这就是依食断食。
姊妹！怎样是依着爱欲来断除爱欲？当听到某位尊者，或某位尊者的弟子断除了所有的烦恼，成就解脱后，心生向往，爱乐于趣向解脱的修学，因而日后修学成就，断除所有的烦恼而解脱，这就是依爱断爱。
姊妹！怎样是依着我慢来断除我慢？当听到某位尊者，或某位尊者的弟子断除了所有的烦恼，成就解脱后，心想：那位尊者可以成就解脱，为什么我不能！因而激发趣向解脱的修学，日后终于修学成就，断除所有的烦恼而解脱，这就是依慢断慢。」
听了尊者阿难的这番教说，这位比丘尼远尘离垢，得法眼净，起身顶礼尊者阿难之足，对尊者阿难忏悔说：
「大德！现在，我对自己刚才的愚痴、不入流的举动，真诚地表白忏悔，请求尊者阿难的原谅。」
尊者阿难见证了她的忏悔，并勉励她应当防护自己的行为，遵守佛陀所制定的戒律。
Date: 06/01/2024 06/02/2024
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
To Cut off Desire with Desire
Once, the venerable Ananda was staying southeast of the city of Shravasti in the garden of Kusinara. A Brahmin came to the garden and asked him:
”Ananda, for what purpose do you follow the monk Gautama to study and practice?”
”Brahmin, it is for the purpose of cutting off desire.”
”Ananda, is there a method to cut off desire?”
”Brahmin, there is a method.”
”Ananda, what is the method?”
”Brahmin, a monk with the determination of desire, diligence, concentration, and observation, strives to practice meditation. Based on the power of meditation achieved, one can develop supernatural abilities that surpass ordinary people, and this can be a method to cut off desire.”
”Ananda, according to what you said, doesn’t that fall into an endless cycle? The desire for study is also a desire; isn’t it illogical to use desire to cut off desire?”
”Brahmin, let me ask you, please answer truthfully.
What do you think? Brahmin, before coming here, did you not first have the desire to come here? But after you arrived here, that desire disappeared, didn’t it?”
”Yes, friend!”
”Before coming here, the diligence you aroused to come here, after you arrived, that diligence disappeared, didn’t it?”
”Yes, friend!”
”Before coming here, you had the thought to come here, and after you arrived, that thought disappeared, didn’t it?”
”Yes, friend!”
”Before coming here, the observation you made whether to come here or not, after you arrived, that observation disappeared, didn’t it?”
”Yes, friend!”
”The principle is exactly the same, Brahmin! For a monk who has attained arahantship, his afflictions have been completely eradicated, a pure and holy life has been established, all that should be done has been done, he has laid down the burden of afflictions, achieved his goal, completely destroyed the bonds that lead to rebirth, and has been liberated in the ultimate enlightenment.
At this time, his previous desire to achieve arahantship disappeared, the previous diligence to achieve arahantship disappeared, the previous determination to achieve arahantship disappeared, and the previous observation to achieve arahantship also disappeared.
Brahmin, do you say this leads to an endless cycle?”
”Ananda, of course, this situation has an end; it is not endless.
Truly great, Ananda! From today onwards, please bear witness to my lifelong refuge.”
Another time, the venerable Ananda was staying southeast of the city of Shravasti in the garden of Kusinara. A Bhikkhuni, who was infatuated with venerable Ananda, made a sexual suggestion to him by exposing her body. Venerable Ananda immediately turned away to show his refusal.
Venerable Ananda’s immediate and categorical refusal made the Bhikkhuni feel ashamed and she confessed to him. Venerable Ananda then said to her:
”Sister, our bodies depend on food, desire, and conceit, but to cut off the dependence on food, one still relies on food, to cut off the dependence on desire, one still relies on desire, to cut off the dependence on conceit, one still relies on conceit. Sister, our bodies come from the sexual intercourse of men and women, but the Buddha teaches us that we must cut off any bridge that could lead to sexual intercourse between men and women.
Sister, what does it mean to cut off the dependence on food by relying on food? When eating, one should contemplate like this: eating is not for pleasure, not for addiction, nor for being plump and charming, but simply to maintain the body, to survive, to treat the disease of hunger and thirst, to be able to practice for the sake of a pure and holy life, just like a cargo carrier who lubricates the cart with grease, only to carry goods; a patient with skin disease applies medicine, only to treat the disease, not for pleasure, addiction, or attractiveness, so after the previous feeling of hunger disappears, one should not greedily create a desire to eat, leading to overeating, one should remain self-alert to maintain a healthy life without blindness, and when the practice of a pure and holy life is achieved in the future, there is no need to cycle through birth and death, then the dependence on food is realized.This is how dependency on food is eliminated by using food itself.
Sister, how can one eliminate desire through desire? When one hears that a venerable one or a disciple of a venerable one has eradicated all afflictions and attained liberation, and one aspires, taking joy in the pursuit of liberation in study, and thereby in the future, through study, eradicates all afflictions and attains liberation, this is how desire is eradicated through desire.
Sister, how can one eliminate conceit through conceit? When one hears that a venerable one or a disciple of a venerable one has eradicated all afflictions and attained liberation, and one thinks: If that venerable one can achieve liberation, why can’t I? This then stimulates the pursuit of study for liberation, and eventually, through study, one eradicates all afflictions and attains liberation, this is how conceit is eradicated through conceit.”
Having heard the teachings of the venerable Ananda, the bhikkhuni left behind her worldly defilements, attained the purity of the Dhamma eye, rose to pay her respects to the feet of the venerable Ananda, and confessed to him saying:
”Venerable sir, now, I sincerely confess and repent for my foolish and inappropriate behavior just now, and I ask for your forgiveness.”
Venerable Ananda witnessed her confession and encouraged her to guard her behavior and abide by the precepts set by the Buddha.
