法施

Giving Dharma

法布施即是为其他众生讲经说法，如果发心纯正，则其功德很大。《人非人冬波请问经》云：“佛白阿难曰：‘法布施可灭烦恼，财布施得身体坚固。欲灭烦恼之人行法布施，具息灭贪、嗔、痴，增上智慧等三十二功德。’”时常为人讲经说法，是大布施。甚至对一两个人宣讲一偈，功德也不可思议。《弥勒请问经》云：“佛告弥勒：‘若人以七宝遍满恒河沙数三千大千世界，供养十方诸如来，又若人以慈悲心宣讲一偈，前者之功德不及后者千百万分之一。’”可见法布施利益之深远。

Giving Dharma means helping others on the spiritual path by explaining the Dharma, transmitting the texts, and so forth. If done with pure intention, it is extremely meritorious, as it says in The Sutra Requested by Kiṃnara Tongpor: “The Buddha told Ananda, ‘By giving Dharma, one pacifies afflictive emotion; by offering material goods, one begets strong physique. Those who aspire to subdue their negative emotions should practice giving Dharma; an act that confers 32 good qualities—conquering lust, animosity, and ignorance; gaining wisdom, and so on.’”

To explain Dharma to others often is an act of great generosity. Even explaining a single verse to one or two persons will generate inconceivable merit. The Sutra Requested by Maitreya says: “The Buddha said to Maitreya, ‘Suppose someone had filled as many world systems as there are grains of sand in the Ganges with seven precious jewels and offered them as a gift to the Tathagatas of 10 directions; and suppose someone else with a compassionate heart had elucidated but one Dharma stanza to others. Then the heap of merit begotten by the former does not approach a billionth part of that of the latter.’” It is obvious, then, that giving Dharma creates immense benefit.

在汉地，宣说佛法成了法师的专利，其他人都碍口识羞，仿佛宣说佛法也成了丢人现眼的事，真是荣耻不分的邪见。《无垢称经》云：“佛告梵天曰：‘此法门中宣说一偈，乃大布施。’”《般若八千颂》云：“无论善男子、善女人，令人阅读、忆念、受持，功德不可思议。”且不论为人宣讲佛法，即使劝说别人翻阅经书，其功德也不可衡量。

In Han China, expounding the Dharma has become the exclusive domain of Dharma teachers; others tend to feel embarrassed and keep their mouths shut, as if teaching the Dharma would make a spectacle of themselves. This is a wrong view that fails to distinguish honor from disgrace. As the Sutra of Stainless Praise puts it: “The Buddha told the Brahma: ‘To take from my teachings but one stanza and illuminate it to others is a great giving.’” In Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines (Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sutra) the Buddha says: “Suppose a son or daughter of a spiritual heritage had caused others to read Dharma discourse, bear it in mind, or practice it, it would on the strength of that act beget a great heap of merit, immeasurable and incalculable.” Explaining the Dharma to others or not, even advising others to read or browse the scriptures alone will also incur immeasurable merit.

世间的孝敬，以身语奉养父母为先；释迦佛子，则以成道利生为无上之报恩。为人宣讲佛法，度脱六道有情，使其永出苦难，即可报答无始以来生生世世无量父母生养教化之洪恩。

Worldly tradition deems serving devotedly one’s own parents with body and speech the foremost filial piety. The Buddha, on the other hand, performed the supreme piety to his parents by attaining enlightenment and benefiting beings. Therefore, we should also strive to spread the Dharma such that all beings in the six realms are freed from suffering once and for all. In this way we can repay the vast kindness of our innumerable parents of our countless past lives for giving us life and raising us.

为了普天下的有情，承担起续佛慧命的重担，是我们不可推卸的责任。

In order to benefit beings of limitless worlds, let’s shoulder the task of propagating the Dharma wisdom; it is a responsibility none of us should shirk.

壬午年六月初一　　
2002年7月11日 　

1st of June, Year of RenWu
July 11, 2002