慧能禅师的影片

偶然在土豆发现了好久以前一部有关慧能禅师的电影 。自我删除了神通的部分，这
部电影还是值得一看而从中学习。

“不执着对错，就能得到清净心。”这是在影片中由慧能禅师所说的禅宗心法。

我的看法也如此。佛家常说放下执着才能自在。问题在于人无法认知对与错。那什
么是对错。我自觉对错根本没有规范。都在于“心”。南传佛教觉得不该在音乐中
取乐。汉传却广泛的支持。没对错，分别在于看法与动机。我自觉只要用纯心看待，
用佛法担动机，那我不绝的会错到哪。

反而自认佛法了解透彻的信徒一直做比较，一直在自我的烦恼中无法自拔。他先执
着与自我修行，在执着分别对错。那这种充满执着的心，何时能自在？

“心法在众生，众生是心法”的境界。 佛陀所讲的人人皆有佛性。那竟然人人有佛
性，那自然都有心法值得学习。那不分别于出身，富裕贫贱，学历，宗教还有慧根。

Expedient Means

As from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/buddha.html#teaching

.. and he guides his brother, Nanda, to arahantship

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time Ven. Nanda — the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt — told a large number of monks, "I don't enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life."

Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he told the Blessed One: "Lord, Ven. Nanda — the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt — has told a large number of monks, 'I don't enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.'"

Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, "Come, monk. In my name, call Nanda, saying, 'The Teacher calls you, my friend.'"

"As you say, lord," the monk answered and, having gone to Ven. Nanda, on arrival he said, "The Teacher calls you, my friend."

"As you say, my friend," Ven. Nanda replied. Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, "Is it true, Nanda, that you have told a large number of monks, 'I don't enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.'?"

"Yes, lord."

"But why, Nanda, don't you enjoy leading the holy life?"

"Lord, as I was leaving home, a Sakyan girl — the envy of the countryside — glanced up at me, with her hair half-combed, and said, 'Hurry back, master.' Recollecting that, I don't enjoy leading the holy life. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life."

Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm — as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm — the Blessed One disappeared from Jeta's Grove and reappeared among the devas of the Tavatimsa Heaven. Now at that time about 500 dove-footed nymphs had come to wait upon Sakka, the ruler of the devas. And the Blessed One said to Ven. Nanda, "Nanda, do you see those 500 dove-footed nymphs?"

"Yes, lord."

"What do you think, Nanda: Which is lovelier, better looking, more charming — the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, or these 500 dove-footed nymphs?"

"Lord, compared to these 500 dove-footed nymphs, the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, is like a cauterized monkey with its ears and nose cut off. She doesn't count. She's not even a small fraction. There's no comparison. The 500 dove-footed nymphs are lovelier, better looking, more charming."

"Then take joy, Nanda. Take joy! I am your guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."

"If the Blessed One is my guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs, I will enjoy leading the holy life under the Blessed One."

Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm — as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm — the Blessed One disappeared from among the devas of the Tavatimsa Heaven and reappeared in Jeta's Grove. The monks heard, "They say that Ven. Nanda — the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt — is leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. They say that the Blessed One is his guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."

Then the monks who were friends of Ven. Nanda went around addressing him as they would a hired hand and a dealer: "Our friend Nanda, they say, is a hired hand. Our friend Nanda, they say, is a dealer. He's leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. The Blessed One is his guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."

Then Ven. Nanda — humiliated, ashamed, and disgusted that the monks who were his friends were addressing him as they would a hired hand and a dealer — went to dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute. He in no long time entered and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now. He knew: "Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world." And thus Ven. Nanda became another one of the arahants.

— Ud 3.2

My comments:

Buddha at first shows the reality of impermanence to Ven. Nanda by showing him to the Nymphs. Our moments opinion and perception holds true first only to the present moment and also to us. There is nothing fix and absolute. Buddha instead of preaching to him (as he has resolved to abandon his practise.), he showed him the truth. What we see as absolute now is undergoing fleeting changes. Thus inclining to everchange things are way to suffering.

Next Buddha promised Ven. Nanda to give him the 500 Nymphs. These allow Ven. Nanda to reflect upon thyself his foolish wants. Sometimes advicing or preaching might fall to deaf ears....rather...show them the truth.

In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha also used expedient means to show disciples into the right path. When some one stays in his house and never ventures out. The house is his truth. Only by using ways to get him out of his little comfort zone....he sees hope, he vows and thus leads to salvation.

Passions

Because of not having, man starts longing to have.
After having, man delights in pleasure.
Experiencing pleasure, man thirst for more pleasure.
More pleasures leads to more desire and thus
illusions and suffering follows.

Man having known this,
continues to seek pleasure.
For he knows he's the slave of his desire.

Passion burns like fire,
the more you feeds the more it burns.
Ignoring the dangers of passion,
Man drowns in passion.

Without restraint and a trained mind,
the master becomes slaves.
How pathetic is this body.