way to enlightenment 2

Diamond Sutra – Way to Enlightenment – 金刚经 – 成佛之路

The highest truth and the way to it is revealed in this chapter.  If we adopt an open mind and examine carefully what being said,  we can see that what the Buddha suggests here – cultivate selflessly all good virtues – is no different from the core message of the founders of all other world’s great religions.   Only that the Buddha describes more explicitly the structure and potential pitfall of the self in the process.  That’s why, even though in the beginning different spiritual paths might look different, as we proceed, we start to see that teachings from the all great teachers merge, support each other, and point towards the same truth.  While lower truth is limiting and controlling, higher truth is all encompassing and liberating.

When the destination is reached, of course, the definition of “good virtue” too will become redundant and is not to be attached.

For those who has followed the pathway of nothingness or negation, it is helpful to be reminded that highest enlightenment is to be brought about through selfless good virtue, not selfless no virtue!

For our mutual reminder and encouragement.

* * *

净心行善分第二十三

A PURE MIND DOES WHOLESOME DEEDS, TWENTY-THREE

复次,须菩提!

是法平等,无有高下,是名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提;

“Furthermore, Subhuti,

this Dharma is universal and impartial; therefore it is called Supreme Enlightenment.”

以无我、无人、无众生、无寿者,修一切善法,则(即)得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提!所言善法者,如来说非善法,是名善法。

“The practice of all good virtues (Dharmas), free from attachment to an ego, a personality, a being and a life, will result in the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment.”

“Subhuti, the so-called good virtues (Dharmas), the Tathagata says, are not good, but are (expediently) called good virtues.”佛陀将最高的真理和修行的方法,在这一章中都平白的和我们分享了。 如果我们持开明的态度,去仔细研究一下这一章,我们就可以看到,佛陀在这里的建议 – 无私的培养一切美德 – 与世界上所有主流宗教的创始人所提倡的信息并无不同。只是,佛陀的教导中,说明多了一点关于我们自我的结构,和他潜在的缺陷而已。 这就是为什么,即使在开始时不同的宗教看起来非常不同,但随着我们慢慢成长,我们开始看到,所有伟大的老师的教导慢慢融合,相互支持,并指向同一个真理。 我们看到,最高真理是无所不容的,较低的道理则不然。

当然,当我们达到目的地的时候, “美德”的定义也将变成多余,因为没有了一个自我去执着于一些既定的“美德” (留意:不是没有美德, 而是借用老子的话,德可德非长德!)。

对于那些谁一直或者是曾经遵循过虚无或否定路途的同学,这章佛陀给我们的提示是,要修成正果,我们要无私的美德,不要无私的无德!

共勉之。

* * *

净心行善分第二十三

复次,须菩提!

是法平等,无有高下,是名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提;

以无我、无人、无众生、无寿者,修一切善法,则(即)得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提!所言善法者,如来说非善法,是名善法。


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