【生活】供佛齋僧殊勝行 Great merit from offering Buddhas and monastics | 性仁法師開示

『盂蘭盆會』又叫供僧法會，因為這個法會的性質是以供僧為核心的。這一法會的來源，出自於《佛說盂蘭盆經》。每年農曆的七月十五這一天，正是『佛歡喜日』、『僧自恣日』。在這一天當中，舉行隆重盛大的供佛齋僧儀式。藉此供佛齋僧的功德力，可以為現世的父母祈求健康長壽、身心自在、六時吉祥。也可以為過去的父母，他們如果在三惡道當中，通過供佛齋僧的功德力，讓他們速速脫離三惡道之苦。

據《佛說盂蘭盆經》的記載：『盂蘭盆』是梵語來的，『盂蘭』的意思是倒懸、倒掛的意思。形容三惡道眾生受苦的一種情形，整天被倒掛著，倒掛金鐘，苦不堪言。『盆』的意思是救器，拯救的儀器和用具。所以『盂蘭盆』的意思就是：用來救度倒懸、痛苦眾生的器物。引申出來的意思就是：用盆子裝滿百味五果，各種美食的佳餚，供養諸佛菩薩，以及十方大德僧眾。然後達到拯救三惡道眾生的苦難，讓他們脫離三惡道之苦，這麼一個目的。為甚麼目犍連尊者供養十方大德僧眾的功德，就可以達到讓他的母親出離鬼道的痛苦呢？大家有沒有想過？為甚麼他的供養功德如此之大？這個在《盂蘭盆經》裡面解釋得非常清楚。那是因為諸佛菩薩，來自於十方大德僧眾。

換句話說，諸佛菩薩就是在十方大德僧眾之中。當我們供養十方大德僧眾，那我們就是等於供養十方的諸佛菩薩。雖說我們現在是處於末法時代，魚龍混雜，難免良莠不齊，假和尚很多，職業的和尚也不少，混吃的就更多了。但我跟諸位同修講，大修行人、大成就人、大菩薩，他們都是在十方眾僧當中，他們權現比丘。所以供養的功德就很大。唐朝的皇帝唐太宗，曾經問玄奘大師，他問道：『我想供僧，但聽說許多僧人沒有修行，我當如何供養？』大家猜玄奘大師是如何回答的？玄奘大師回答說：『昆山有玉，但是混雜泥沙；麗水產金，豈能沒有瓦礫？土木雕成的羅漢，敬奉就能培福；銅鐵鑄成的佛像，毀壞則會造罪；泥龍雖不能降雨，但祈雨必須祈禱泥龍；凡僧雖不能降福，但修福必須恭敬凡僧。』唐太宗聽了玄奘大師的一番開示，恍然大悟。從此之後他見到所有的出家法師，都會尊重恭敬。即使見到小沙彌，也會如同見佛一般。印度的阿育王，他對於佛教的護持和發展，貢獻很大。

在印度的歷史上，可以說是無人能夠出其右05.56。他對出家法師都極其地恭敬，每每看到出家法師，都會至誠頂禮膜拜。有這麼一次，他跟大臣們出去巡遊。在巡遊的途中，遇到一個小沙彌。這個阿育王，他很想向這個小沙彌禮拜。可是一想到自己是一個堂堂的帝王，又有眾多的大臣跟隨著，在眾人面前如果向一位小沙彌頂禮膜拜，這個有失他的尊嚴，有失他的威嚴。於是他就把小沙彌請到一個沒有人的地方，向他禮拜。禮拜之後便囑咐這個小沙彌說：『請你不要向別人說，今天我阿育王向你頂禮這麼一件事情。』這個時候，小沙彌看到路邊有一個小瓶子，就以他的那種神通力，將自己變進小瓶子裡面。過了一會兒，又變現出來。

進進出出，非常地自如。然後小沙彌也拉著阿育王的手說：『請大王也不要向別人說，我小沙彌能從小瓶子進出自如的事。』這個阿育王當下看得目瞪口呆，恍然大悟。即使是小沙彌，也是不可輕視的。沙彌雖小，如果他精進用功辦道，那也可以成就佛道。從此之後，他對於出家人，對所有的出家法師，都一一以最高的禮節，不敢怠慢之心。我們現在的很多的居士，喜歡說出家人的壞話，或者只看出家人的毛病。我跟諸位同修講，這個對你自己損失很大，對你自己傷害很大，會耽誤你自己的法身慧命的。這個是極度愚蠢和愚癡的一種行為。作為一個在家居士，諸位同修，無論我們有多大的成就，我們做多大的善事，不管你今生的職位有多高，名望有多重，我們作為一個在家居士，我們見到出家人，乃至一個持戒不清淨的出家人，我們都要恭敬，不要毀謗出家法師，更不要看不起穿袈裟的法師。縱然有些法師持戒不清淨，但光是這一身的袈裟，就值得我們大家頂禮膜拜。

因為袈裟是代表解脫的形象，袈裟是三世諸佛的傳承。出家法師雖然不是真羅漢，但他們也搭如來三頂衣。凡是剃髮、染衣、出家的法師，所有的出家法師，都值得我們每一位在家居士去尊重、去供養。《地藏十輪經》上說：如果在末法時代，眾生都看不到佛了，突然間有一個瘋子，發瘋了，把他的頭髮剃掉，穿起我們出家人的衣服，在街道上走一圈，大家說這個人的功德大不大？佛陀說：『此人功德不可思議。』為甚麼？因為這個人雖然是瘋子，但是他的形象是一個解脫者的形象，所代表的是一個出家人的形象，所表現出來的是一個解脫輪迴的這麼一個形象。這麼一位瘋子，功德都如此大，更何況一位在菩提道上修行的出家法師。講到這裡，所有的出家法師，不管修行如何，不管持戒是否清淨，凡是今生能夠出家的，都值得我們所有的佛弟子去尊重、去供養。感恩所有的諸位同修，阿彌陀佛！

主講

性仁法師

宣講於洛杉磯美佛寺

2020年08月30日

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An Ullambana ceremony is also called an Offering Sangha ceremony, because the nature of this ceremony is to support monastics. The ceremony sourced from The Ullambana Sutra by The Buddha. Lunar July 15th in every year is Buddha's Day and Pavarana Day. On this day, grand ceremonies to offer Buddhas and monastics are held. With the merits from offering Buddhas and monastics, we may pray for our present parents for good health and longevity, physical and mental well-being, and auspiciousness all the time. We can also pray for our parents in the past lives. If they are in the three evil realms, with the merit from offering Buddhas and monastics, they can quickly leave the suffering of the three evil realms. According to The Ullambana Sutra by The Buddha, "Ullambana Basin" comes from Sanskrit, and "Ullambana" means hanging upside down. It describes a situation how beings suffer in the three evil realms. They are hung upside down all day long, like bells, and the suffering is unspeakable. "Basin" means rescuing equipment and utensils. Therefore, the meaning of "Ullambana Basin" is an object used to rescue beings hanging upside down from suffering.

The extended meaning is to fill a basin with hundreds of kinds of food and fruits, a variety of delicacies, to offer Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as well as virtuous monastics in all places, to achieve the goal of rescuing beings from the three evil realms and freeing them from the suffering of the three evil realms. Why could Venerable Maudgalyayana use the merit from offering virtuous monastics in all places to rescue his mother from the suffering of the ghosts realm? Have you ever thought about it? Why was his merit from offering so great? This is explained very clearly in The Ullambana Sutra. Because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are from virtuous monastics. In other words, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are among virtuous monastics. Our offering virtuous monastics in all places is equivalent to offering Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in all places.

Although we are now in the age of the Degenerate Dharma, good and bad people are mixed up, and it is inevitable that some are good and some are bad. There are many fake monastics and many part-time monastics, and there are even more who just come for food. But I tell you fellow practitioners that great practitioners, great achievers, and great bodhisattvas are all among virtuous monastics, and they show up as monastics. So the merit from offering is great. Emperor Taizong of Tang, one of emperors of the Tang Dynasty, once asked Master Xuanzang, and he asked, "I want to make offerings to monastics, but I heard that many monastics did not cultivate, how should I make offerings?" Guess how Master Xuanzang answered? Master Xuanzang replied, "Mountain Kun has jade, but it is mixed with sand; River Li produces gold, how can it not be mixed with rubble? Worshiping soil or wooden Arahants can cultivate blessings; destroying bronze or iron Buddha statues causes negative karma; although mud dragons cannot rain, people must pray to them for rain; ordinary monastics cannot bless, people must respect them for blessings."

After listening to Master Xuanzang's lecture, Emperor Taizong of Tang immediately was awaken. Since then, he respected all monastics, even treated a little novice monastic like a Buddha. King Asoka of India, contributed and supported a lot to the development of Buddhism. In Indian history, no one can beat him in terms of contribution. He was extremely respectful to monastics, and he would worship sincerely whenever he saw a monastic. Once, he went on a patrol with his ministers. On the patrol, he met a little novice monk. King Asoka wanted to worship the little novice. But when he thought that he was a majestic emperor, and there were many ministers following him, if he worshiped a little novice in front of everyone, this would hurt his dignity and majesty. So he invited the little novice to a place where there was no one else and worshiped him. After worshiping, he asked the little novice, he said, "Please do not tell others that I, Asoka, worshiped you today." At that time, the little novice saw a small bottle by the road, and with his supernatural power, he made himself into the small bottle. After a while, he came out again. He went in and out, very freely.

Then the little novice also took Asoka's hand and said, "Please do not tell others that I, a little novice, can get in and out of the bottle freely." This King Asoka was stunned at the moment and suddenly realized that even a little novice should not be underestimated. Although a novice monk is young, if he is diligent in practicing on the Bodhi path, he can also achieve Buddhahood. From then on, for monastics, for all monastics, he treated with the highest etiquette and never neglected. Many of our lay people now like to speak bad things about monastics, or only look at the problems of monastics. I tell you fellow practitioners that this is a huge loss to yourself, it hurts you a lot, and it delays the development of your own Dharma body and wisdom. This is an extremely stupid and foolish behavior. As lay people, fellow practitioners, no matter how great the achievements we have made, how great the good deeds we have done, no matter how high our positions in this life are, how great our reputation is, as lay people, when we meet a monastic, even a monastic who does not abide by precepts well, we still must respect. Do not slander monastics, let alone look down on monastics in robes.

Even though some monastics do not abide by their precepts well, the robes they wear alone are worthy of our worship. Because robes represent liberation, robes are the inheritance of Buddhas at all times. Although the monastics are not true Arahants, they too wear the three kinds of Tathagata's robes. All monastics who shave their hair and dye their clothes, all monastics, are worthy of respect and support by every lay person. The Sutra of Ten Wheels of Ksitigarbha says: In the age of the Degenerate Dharma, nobody sees Buddhas. If a lunatic who all of a sudden goes crazy, shaves his hair, puts on monastics' clothes, and walks on the street, is this person's merit great? The Buddha said, "This person has incredible merit." Why? Because although this person is a lunatic, his appearance is of a liberated person, he manifests a monk, and what he shows is an image of liberating from the reincarnation. Such a lunatic can have such great merit, not to mention a monastic who practices on the Bodhi path. Now we have learned that, all monastics, no matter how well they practice or abide by their percepts, as long as they can become monastics in this life, they are worthy of all our Buddhist disciples' respect and support. Namaste, Amitabha!