时间：01/10/2026 01/11/2026
地点：星海禅修中心
主讲：净诚
佛法修行
月氏国王与三智者
久远以前，月氏国国王栴檀罽尼吒结交了三位智慧的贤者，第一位是马鸣菩萨，第二位是摩吒罗大臣，第三位是遮罗迦医生。国王对这三人非常礼遇，他们常随国王左右，时时提供充满智慧的建议。
一天，马鸣菩萨向国王说：「如果国王能依照我的话如法修行，来世必逢善缘，永离厄难。」摩吒罗大臣也对国王说：「如果国王采纳我的密策，并且守口如瓶，您将战无不胜，普天之人都会前来归顺。」
遮罗迦医生则说道：「国王，如果您能听从我的建议，这一生不但不会遭遇横死，并可随心所欲享用各种美食，身心调适，无所忧虑。」
国王先听从遮罗迦医生的话，果然身心康泰，无有任何病苦。接着，他采纳了摩吒罗大臣的密策，开始扩展国土。月氏国军队所向无敌，四海之内，三方咸定，只剩东方尚未降伏。于是国王整饬兵马，继续东征，先派遣胡人及大象为先锋，自己率军紧随其后。
当军队来到葱岭，度过了种种险峻的关卡，所乘的象、马却不肯再往前走。国王什为讶异，拍拍马背说：「我过去骑着你南征北讨，如今只剩东方未定，为何你现在不肯再往前走了呢？」这时，摩吒罗大臣对国王说：「微臣先前已经奏明，不能向外透露任何消息，但是国王您却泄露了密策，如今可以说是性命岌岌可危。」
国王自知死期不远，心里非常恐慌，尤其一路南征北伐，杀害众多人命，必定会尝受恶果。刹那间，对于自己过去的作为生起大惭愧心、大忏悔心。于是，国王终于听从了马鸣菩萨的教导，清净持戒、勤修塔寺、广建僧房，并且供养僧众，修种种功德，精进不已。
朝中大臣见到国王如此显著的改变，不禁质疑：「国王连年挥军，杀戮于战场之上，如今虽然广修福德，但逝者已矣，又能对过去的错误产生什么弥补与帮助？」国王为解除大众的疑惑，便请大臣煮一大锅沸水，七日七夜柴火不断，持续沸腾，最后将一只指环丢进锅中，令大臣赤手捡取。
诸大臣纷纷表示无法取得这个指环，宁愿以其他罪名就死。国王问：「难道真的没有办法取回这只指环吗？」大臣们说：「必须先把锅下的薪火灭了，再往锅中注入大量冷水，降低温度，才能不伤人手，捡回指环。」
国王说：「我先前为了扩张国土广造恶业，就好比七日七夜柴薪不断的锅中滚水。现在马鸣菩萨教导我至诚忏悔过去的罪业，就像抽掉锅下的柴薪，使之熄灭；又教导我持戒、精进、广修供养，增长福德，就像在滚水中注入大量的冷水，如此一来，滚水自然会渐渐清凉。所以，现在修善断恶，来世可免堕落三涂，得人天果报。」群臣听了，个个心开意解，纷纷赞叹马鸣菩萨的智慧。
Date: 01/10/2026 01/11/2026
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Jason
Dharma Talk
The King of the Yuezhi and the Three Sages
Long ago, the king of the Yuezhi kingdom, Candana-Kanita, formed close associations with three wise and virtuous figures. The first was Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa, the second was the minister Mātara, and the third was the physician Caraka. The king treated these three with the utmost respect; they frequently remained at his side and constantly offered counsel imbued with wisdom.
One day, Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa addressed the king, saying: “If Your Majesty practices in accordance with my instructions and accords with the Dharma, in future lives you will surely encounter wholesome conditions and be forever free from calamities.”
The minister Mātara also spoke to the king: “If Your Majesty adopts my secret strategy and keeps it strictly confidential, you will be invincible in battle, and all under heaven will come to submit to you.”
The physician Caraka then said: “Your Majesty, if you follow my advice, not only will you avoid an untimely death in this very life, but you will also be able to enjoy all manner of fine foods at will, with body and mind in balance and free from worry.”
The king first followed the physician Caraka’s advice, and indeed his body and mind became healthy and at ease, free from any illness or suffering.
Next, he adopted the secret strategy of Minister Mātara and began to expand his territory. The armies of the Yuezhi were invincible; within the four seas, three directions were fully pacified, leaving only the eastern region unconquered.
The king therefore reorganized his forces and continued his eastern campaign, first dispatching Hu troops and war elephants as the vanguard, while he personally led the main army behind them.
When the army reached the Congling Mountains and had passed through many perilous mountain passes, the elephants and horses they rode refused to advance any further. The king was greatly astonished. Patting his horse on the back, he said, “In the past I rode you as I campaigned north and south.
Now only the eastern lands remain unsettled—why do you refuse to go forward?” At this moment, Minister Mātara said to the king, “Your servant previously made it clear that the secret must not be disclosed to others. Yet Your Majesty has revealed the strategy. Now, it may be said that your life hangs by a thread.”
Realizing that his death was near, the king was seized with great fear. He reflected that throughout his many campaigns he had taken countless lives and would surely have to bear the bitter consequences. In an instant, a profound sense of shame and deep remorse arose concerning his past actions.
Thereupon, the king finally heeded the teachings of Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa: he observed the precepts with purity, diligently built stupas and temples, extensively constructed monastic dwellings, made offerings to the Sangha, cultivated all kinds of meritorious deeds, and practiced with unremitting vigor.
When the court ministers saw such a marked transformation in the king, they could not help but question it, saying: “The king has waged war year after year, slaughtering countless beings on the battlefield. Although he now widely cultivates merit, the dead are already gone—how can this possibly remedy or compensate for past wrongs?”
In order to dispel their doubts, the king ordered the ministers to boil a large cauldron of water, keeping it at a rolling boil with firewood continuously supplied for seven days and seven nights. At the end of this time, he cast a ring into the cauldron and commanded the ministers to retrieve it with their bare hands.
All the ministers declared that it was impossible to take out the ring and that they would rather die under some other charge. The king asked, “Is there truly no way to retrieve this ring?” The ministers replied, “One must first extinguish the fire beneath the cauldron, then pour in a great quantity of cold water to lower the temperature. Only then can the ring be retrieved without injuring one’s hand.”
The king said, “In the past, in order to expand my territory, I created extensive evil karma—this is like the cauldron of boiling water fueled by firewood without interruption for seven days and seven nights.
Now Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa has taught me to repent sincerely of my past offenses; this is like removing the firewood from beneath the cauldron and allowing the flames to die out. He has also taught me to observe the precepts, to practice diligently, and to cultivate generosity and offerings so as to increase merit—this is like pouring a great amount of cold water into the boiling cauldron.
In this way, the boiling water will naturally and gradually cool. Therefore, by cultivating good and abandoning evil now, one may avoid falling into the three lower realms in future lives and instead obtain the fruits of rebirth among humans and devas.”
Upon hearing this, all the ministers were awakened and convinced. They unanimously praised the wisdom of Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa.
