法无定法，说无定说

The Dharma Is Not Fixed And There is No Fixed Way To Expound It

 

钟鼎 记录 Transcribed by Jung Ding

 

宣公上人一九九三年四月四日开示于长堤圣寺

 

「一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。」今有众等护法来山请僧说法，上堂。法无定法，说无定说，法尚应舍，何况非法？

 

又说：「若见诸相非相，即见如来。」所谓「诸相非相」者，诸相即是一切相；非相者，不是实有其相，而是虚妄不实的。你能明白这一切相，都是虚妄不实的，你能明白这一切相都是假相，财、色、名、食、睡，这都是或中幻化无常的东西，令人迷醉不能解脱；也就是因为着住到这个假相上了。因为你着住到假相上，就把真的忘了，既然忘了真的，就不自在了。你若能把这个假相看破了，眞相即现前了，眞理也明白了，眞正智慧也有了。你能如此，方能对佛法有大利益，得大利益，得大安乐，能以前无古人，后无来者。所以各位护法居士等，你只要把无明破了，烦恼断了，这时候，实相般若的智慧自能现前。所谓无明，这无明就是糊涂了，就是不明白了，你因为不明白，就做一些个颠倒事；颠倒事，就醉生梦死，在这儿轮回六道里，永远不能出离。

 

所以各位护法居士，好自为之，勇猛向前精进，乃至成佛，花开见佛，悟无生忍，所谓「愿生西方净土中，上品莲华为父母；华开见佛悟无生，不退菩萨为伴侣」。

  Venerable Master Hua's Talk on April 4, 1993 at Long Beach Sagely Monastery

 

"All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, like dew and like lightning. You should contemplate them thus." Today some Dharma Protectors have requested the monk to ascend the Dharma seat to speak the Dharma. The Dharma is not fixed, and there is no fixed way to expound it. Even the Dharma should be renounced; how much the more that which is not Dharma?

 

It is also said, "If one sees all appearances as non-appearances, one sees the Thus Come One." Non-appearances means they are false, not real. You should understand that all appearances are illusory and false. Wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep are illusory, impermanent things that intoxicate people so they cannot be liberated. This is all because they attach to false appearances and forget about the real. Once they forget the real, they are not free and at ease. If you can see through false appearances, the true appearance will manifest. You will then understand the truth and have genuine wisdom. If you can be like this, then you will greatly benefit Buddhism and gain great benefit and joy yourself. And you should be a pioneer who has no peer among those who come before and after you. Therefore, Dharma-protecting laypeople, all you have to do is break through ignorance and cut off afflictions, and the Prajna-wisdom of the True Appearance will come forth of itself. Ignorance means being muddled and unaware, and doing upside-down things. Leading a befuddled life, you transmigrate in the six paths, never able to escape.

 

Dharma-protecting laypeople, do your best and courageously advance towards Buddhahood. When the flower opens, you will see the Buddha and realize the patience of non-birth. The saying goes, "I vow to be born in the western Pure Land, with the nine grades of lotus as parents; when the flower opens, I shall see the Buddha and become enlightened to non-birth, and irreversible Bodhisattvas shall be my companions."