略說本生經(A Brief Explanation of the Jātaka Tales)

開始之前先請各位記住

只有不斷生滅的名色

輪迴並非斷滅也非靈魂不死

本生經是佛陀為了說明確有輪迴而特地講述

但每一生每一生都不能說是佛陀

嚴謹的說法是，佛陀是過去生的繼承人

也就是業的繼承者

之所以能記得過去僅僅只是想蘊的作用

如果不能憶起的話，不管是哪一世對當世都沒有任何意義

即使憶起了，那也已經過去，對當世也不重要

這也是為什麼不管出世法還是入世法都只強調當下

因為在不斷不斷的生滅下

真正重要的只有當下的那一瞬間

過了那一瞬間其實已經是不同人

筆者用現實案例來類比

一位七十歲的老人患有失智症

他每天的記憶都會重置

只能記起六十九歲以前的事

對這位老人而言

他六十九歲以前都是我

七十歲以後每天都不是我

所謂的我僅僅只是因為記憶的連續

而讓我們誤以為有個我

這也是為什麼佛陀強調無我

不管是身也好、心也好都是不斷的變化

這個無我並不是去把人格抹除，消滅自我

而是基於佛陀觀察到的事實

不應該將非恆常的身、心視為我

這比較像是應該用第三人稱視角去看待

而不是用第一人稱視角去看待

然後還不能將全知者視角視為是我

希望透過這樣的說明

能讓各位對佛陀所描述的世界觀更加理解

願各位幸福無煩惱

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Before we begin, please remember:

There are only the ever-changing nāma-rūpa (mind and matter). Saṃsāra (the cycle of birth and death) is neither annihilation nor the immortality of the soul.

The Jātaka Tales were specifically narrated by the Buddha to illustrate the reality of saṃsāra. However, each life in the stories cannot be said to be the Buddha. More precisely, the Buddha is the successor of past lives, inheriting their kamma (actions).

The ability to remember past lives is merely a function of the saṅna (memory). If one cannot recall them, it makes no difference to the present life. Even if one can recall, it has already passed and holds no importance for the present. This is why both the worldly and transcendental teachings emphasize the present moment.

Because in the continuous cycle of birth and death, the only thing truly important is the present moment. After that moment passes, it is essentially a different person.

I will use a real-life example to illustrate:

A seventy-year-old man suffers from dementia. His memory resets daily, and he can only remember events up to the age of sixty-nine.

For this man, everything up to sixty-nine years old is 'me.' After seventy, every day is not 'me.' The so-called 'I' is merely a continuity of memory, leading us to mistakenly believe there is an enduring self.

This is why the Buddha emphasized anattā (non-self). Both body and mind are constantly changing. This non-self is not about erasing personality or annihilating the self but is based on the fact observed by the Buddha: one should not regard the impermanent body and mind as 'I.'

It is more like viewing oneself from a third-person perspective rather than a first-person perspective, and not considering the omniscient perspective as 'I.'

I hope this explanation helps everyone better understand the worldview described by the Buddha.

May everyone be happy and free from suffering.

略說四聖諦(Brief Discussion on the Four Noble Truths)

內容主要以經典記載跟高僧大德口述為主

四聖諦指的是苦、集、滅、道

這是佛陀唯一的教導-苦的止息

苦跟集互為因果，滅跟道互為因果

苦其實不用太多的解釋，大多數人都能懂

需要特別指出的是，不是只有醜惡境界會造成苦

美麗境界同樣也會造成苦

體驗過美好後就會擔心失去

沒有體驗過就會想要去體驗，然後得不到就會苦

這也是佛陀認為只需用平常心去看待各種境界的理由

因為都是苦，只是苦多苦少的問題

能做的，就只是知道這是苦

苦是集的果，也會變成集的因

舉幾個日常生活例子說明

明天要考試了，但是平常沒準備，也沒臨時抱佛腳

結果考不及格，在班上被同學笑，回家後被父母痛罵一頓

因為有了這樣不愉快的經驗，更覺得念書不舒服

開始只想要打電動，出去玩，用各種方式逃避

從上面的例子可以看到

遇到苦如果不是去正視它、面對它

之後只會更苦

去面對以後，知道怎麼去斷造成苦的原因後

也實際去執行斷了苦的原因

同類型的苦就不苦了

滅跟道呢 ??

上面用世間法來說明苦跟集

滅跟道也是同樣的原理

三十七道品最終導向苦的止息

是出世間的執行方法

不管是在家還是出家

只要願意踏踏實實的執行

最終必然能抵達苦的止息

願各位幸福無煩惱

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The content is primarily based on canonical texts and the teachings of revered monks.

The Four Noble Truths refer to dukkha (suffering), samudaya (origin), nirodha (cessation), and magga (path). This is the Buddha's sole teaching - the cessation of suffering. Dukkha and samudaya are interdependent causes and effects, as are nirodha and magga.

Dukkha doesn't need much explanation; most people understand it. It's important to note that it's not just unpleasant experiences that cause suffering. Pleasant experiences can also lead to suffering. After experiencing something good, there's the worry of losing it. If one hasn't experienced it, there's the desire to do so, and not achieving it causes suffering.

This is why the Buddha advocated viewing all experiences with equanimity. Because all are forms of suffering, it's just a matter of degree. What we can do is recognize that this is dukkha.

Dukkha is the result of samudaya and can become the cause of more samudaya. Let's look at a few everyday examples:

There's an exam tomorrow, but you haven't prepared and don't cram at the last minute. As a result, you fail, are ridiculed by classmates, and scolded by your parents at home. Having had this unpleasant experience, you find studying even more uncomfortable and start avoiding it by playing video games, going out, and finding other ways to escape.

From the above example, we can see that if you don't face and address dukkha, it will only worsen. By facing it, understanding how to eliminate its causes, and actually eliminating them, similar forms of dukkha will no longer trouble you.

What about nirodha and magga?

The explanation of dukkha and samudaya using worldly terms applies similarly to nirodha and magga. The Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment ultimately lead to the cessation of suffering. This is the method of practice for transcending the world. Whether a layperson or a monk, as long as one is willing to practice diligently, one will inevitably reach the cessation of suffering.

May everyone be happy and free from suffering.