时间：10/17/2026 10/18/2026
地点：星海禅修中心
主讲：净诚
佛法修行
福增长者出家因缘
佛陀住世时，王舍城中有位长者，名为福增，已年过百岁，齿牙皆衰，老弱无力，家中大小无不嫌弃。长者听说出家功德无量，心生欢喜。出家的利益高于须弥山，比巨海深，也比虚空还广大，为什么呢？由于出家的缘故，未来能够圆成佛道，三世诸佛没有不是因为舍离红尘俗家，出家修行而成就佛道的。
因此福增长者来到佛陀住所，欲求出家；可是，适逢佛陀游化在外，于是便往舍利弗居所，舍利弗见他老迈，难以摄受，拒绝收为弟子。长者遍求五百罗汉，悉被拒绝剃度出家。
福增长者无缘出家，于是在精舍外放声大哭；此时世尊从外回来，以种种教诲令他心开意解，随即告诉目连尊者：「收福增为弟子，让他出家，并为他授戒。」
长者出家后，由于年纪老迈，不能随时做到迎送礼敬上座，许多先出家的年少比丘，就常用言语苛责他自恃年高防慢。他内心常为此感到烦扰，便想投水自溺，了结自己的性命。福增比丘来到岸边，将袈裟脱下披挂于树枝上，长跪向衣发下誓愿：「我今不舍离佛、法、僧，只想舍此身命。我今生披衣出家，修持布施、持戒，精进诵经，希望将来舍身之后，得生富乐之家，而且眷属和顺，不为难我修行善法。常遇三宝，出家修道，得遇大善知识，教示我悟入涅槃之道。」发愿后，便投身水中。目连尊者发现了，立刻以神通力救起，置于岸边，问他投水自溺的原因，福增比丘据实以报。尊者思惟：「此人愚钝、瞠恚若此，如果不以三涂恶报的怖畏摄化他，恐怕无法成就道业。」
当时目连尊者欲乘空而行，便令福增比丘专意执持袈裟一角，渐次游历到大海边。看见一名容貌端正、刚往生的妇人，便有一条虫从口中冒出，钻入鼻孔，又从眼睛出、由耳朵入，尊者见此情景，带着福增比丘离去。
福增比丘请问尊者：「此是何人？」尊者回答：「此是舍卫城中一位大商人的妻子，自恃容貌端正，不修福报、善法，仰仗着夫君的宠爱，损害一切；妇人与夫君相偕到此处，溺水往生，大海不纳妇人尸身，尸体就漂至岸边。妇人虽死，仍爱恋己身，因此转生为此虫，过后将入地狱，受无量苦报。」
尊者与福增比丘次第向前行，看见一名女子在大锅中装满水，用柴薪燃火烧水，接着脱衣进入沸水锅中，以致皮开肉绽，各自分离，身骨因沸腾的水剥离露出，尽暴在外，一遇风吹身形再度复原，女子便自取身肉而食。
福增请问尊者：「此是何人？」尊者回答：「舍卫城中有位优婆塞，崇敬三宝，恭请僧众接受供养，并派遣婢女递送妙膳美食。婢女每到隐蔽之处，就拣选上好佳肴，先行食用。主人察觉到了便询问婢女：『妳有没有窃取食物，私自食用？』婢女回答：『比丘们用完斋饭，将剩余食物给我，我才食用。如果我先行食用，我发誓来世将会自食身肉。』由于这样的因缘，此女先受华报，未来果报将在地狱。」
两人继续前行，看见一座高广七百由旬的骨山，遮蔽了日光，海面因此阴暗黑漆。此时，目连尊者登上山顶，却有大肋骨往来经行。福增请示尊者：「这是什么骨山？」「你想知道的这座骨山，正是你过去的身骨！」福增听了，全身毛骨悚然，冷汗直流，他禀白尊者：「我今听闻和尚所说，极度哀伤，祈愿和尚现为我说本末因缘！」
目连尊者说道：「生死轮回没有边际，善因得善果，恶业受恶报，因缘果报丝毫无差。过去世，此阎浮提有一个聚落，物产丰饶，人民生活富强康乐。当时有位长者名为法增，笃信三宝，好行仁惠，不伤生害命，被人民推举为聚落长官；自此数十年间，聚落安定太平，百姓安居乐业，都是仰赖法增的德行庇荫，人民也敬重法增，如同自己的父亲一般。
那时的法增或许因为闲暇无事，竟开始学习赌博，让恶友得以接近，乘机灌输他偏邪不正的观念，使得法增荒废政事。不久，聚落里恶霸强横，恣意妄为，处理诉讼案件所做的判决与刑罚，有失公允也不恰当。
有一次，吏士忽然呈上诉讼案件实情，适逢法增博奕不胜，无暇仔细阅览，便直接下令处死。过后，询问军吏们：『罪犯如今人在哪里？』军吏回答：『已经处死。』法增听了，立刻昏厥倒地，用水喷洒后才苏醒，流泪地说：『我所亲爱的家人与人民，以及种种珍宝都将留在世间，唯有我一人，独自入地狱！我今日轻率地处死罪犯，简直就是旃陀罗这类的刽子手！』不久长者命终，投生作大海中的摩竭鱼，身形长大七百由旬。」
佛陀曾经开示：「目连！若一切官吏仗着威势，以不正当的手段，剥削人民的财物，乃至杀戮无数，命终多堕为摩竭大鱼，为各类小虫噉食身躯，鱼身溃烂生疮，一百里海水都被鲜血染成红赤色。摩竭大鱼一眠，历时百年，睡醒便张口吸水，水势湍急如同大河。
当时，恰有商队乘船采宝，正值大鱼张口，商队船只犹如飞行般地被吸了过去，在即将被吸入鱼腹之际，商人悲伤地痛哭，同时称念：『南无佛！』鱼听到佛名立刻闭口，不再吸水，水势方止。由于佛的慈悲护佑，商人们才得以活命。摩竭大鱼怕伤及众生性命，忍渴而死，此时夜叉、罗刹及水神等，便争着将鱼身拖拽置于海岸。」
鱼身在日曝雨浇之下，身肉消散只剩骨头，就是眼前的这座骨山。目连尊者对福增比丘说：「当时的法增长者，就是你的前身，因为杀人的缘故，堕入大海成为摩竭鱼。今生你既然重得人身，还不厌离生死；如果就这样投水而死，将来必当堕入地狱，想出离就更加困难了。」
福增比丘看着自己的前身，听闻目连尊者说法，生起怖畏生死之心，次第忆念所薰修的法理，专意思惟观想前身，体解诸法无常之理，厌离生死，最终漏尽烦恼，证阿罗汉果。
目连尊者带着弟子福增比丘结束游行，回到世尊居所，欢喜顶礼如来。
Date: 10/17/2026 10/18/2026
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Jason
Dharma Talk
The Causes and Conditions for Elder Fuzeng’s Renunciation
When the Buddha was in the world, in the city of Rājagṛha there was an elder named Fuzeng, over a hundred years old, with failing teeth, weak and frail, and disliked by all in his household. Hearing that the merit of renunciation was immeasurable, he gave rise to joy. The benefits of leaving home are higher than Mount Sumeru, deeper than the great ocean, and more vast than space. Why is this so? Because through renunciation one may ultimately perfect Buddhahood; all Buddhas of the three times have attained the Way by leaving worldly life and cultivating the path.
Therefore, Elder Fuzeng went to the Buddha’s residence seeking ordination. However, as the Buddha was away teaching, he went instead to Śāriputra’s dwelling. Seeing his old age, Śāriputra found him difficult to accept and refused him. The elder sought out five hundred arhats, yet all declined to ordain him.
Having no conditions for ordination, the elder wept loudly outside the monastery. At that time, the World-Honored One returned and, through various teachings, opened his mind to understanding. He then instructed Venerable Maudgalyāyana, “Accept Fuzeng as a disciple, let him go forth, and confer the precepts upon him.”
After ordaining, due to his old age, he could not properly perform acts of respect such as greeting senior monks. Many younger monks reproached him, accusing him of arrogance due to age. Troubled in mind, he intended to drown himself. At the riverbank, he hung his robe on a branch and vowed, “I do not abandon the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; I only wish to abandon this body. In this life I have gone forth, practiced generosity and precepts, and recited sutras diligently. May I, in future lives, be born in a wealthy and harmonious family, encounter the Three Jewels, go forth again, meet good teachers, and realize nirvāṇa.” After making this vow, he threw himself into the water. Maudgalyāyana saw this, rescued him with supernatural power, and questioned him. Reflecting, he thought that only fear of lower realms could guide him.
He then took the monk through the air to the seashore. They saw a beautiful woman recently deceased, from whose mouth a worm emerged, entering the nose, exiting the eyes, and entering the ears.
Fuzeng asked, and the venerable replied that she had been a merchant’s wife who relied on beauty, committed wrongdoing, drowned, and due to attachment was reborn as such a worm, destined for hell.
They proceeded and saw a woman entering boiling water, her body torn apart and restored repeatedly, feeding on her own flesh.
Fuzeng asked again, and the venerable explained that she had been a servant who stole offerings and made a false vow, resulting in such retribution.
They continued and saw a vast mountain of bones. The venerable revealed it was Fuzeng’s former body from a past life as a great fish due to killing karma.
The venerable explained the law of karma and recounted his past as a virtuous elder who later fell into wrongdoing, unjustly executed others, and was reborn as a massive sea creature.
The Buddha had also taught that corrupt officials fall into such states, suffering immense torment.
Hearing this, Fuzeng developed fear of saṃsāra, contemplated impermanence, abandoned attachment, and ultimately attained arhatship.
Maudgalyāyana then returned with him to the Buddha, and they joyfully paid homage.
