Cultivation - Make the cultivation more effective and increase your energy

2017-08-21 13-23-13  来源:  作者：Ven. Master Renda  点击:次

修行得“力” 提升能级
Make the cultivation more effective and increase your energy

(仁炟长老)
by Ven. Master Renda

　　十法界的区别还在于能量不同。佛经没有能量这个词，但是有“力”的概念，五根五力，还有七菩提分，八圣道分。
The ten dharma realms are differentiated by their energy levels. While the term “energy” is not mentioned in Buddhist Sutra, the concept of “power” exists in Buddhism. For instance: the Five Spiritual Faculties and the Five Strengths, Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and Noble Eightfold Path.

　　《华严经》《楞严经》里面都提到佛的“十力”，力就是能量，不过是名词不同而已。现在的物理学也有作用力、反作用力、吸引力，这都是力。力和能量是互相转化的，包括热能、电能、场能、磁场、引力场，都是能量。 Both Avatamsaka Sutra and Shurangama Sutra mention the “Ten Powers” of Buddha. Although the terminology is different, the term “power” here refers to energy. In current physics, there are action force, reaction force, force of attraction, etc. They all belong to power. The power could be converted to energy, and vice versa. Thermal energy, electrical energy, potential energy, magnetic energy, and gravitational energy are different forms of energy.

　　仁炟理解，人们修行就是修这种能量的。佛陀的能量是最高的，次之是菩萨，再次之是声闻、缘觉。人的能量是多少？如果把能量分为十二个等级的话，人的能量在“一”以上；菩萨的能量是“七”以上；佛的能量是在“九”以上。当然有许多大菩萨，像等觉、妙觉，他们的能量有的也是十二级的。释迦牟尼佛、文殊师利菩萨、普贤王菩萨、观世音菩萨，他们的能量都在“十二”级。等觉、妙觉菩萨本身就是佛，他们发心为了帮助释迦牟尼佛度化众生，倒驾慈航，现菩萨身，做佛的弟子，能量本身就很高。三恶道的众生，能量就很低了，不到“一”，一般的幽冥界众生，可能不到“0.5”。地狱鬼那就更低更低了，更惨了。
To my knowledge, cultivation is a way to raise the energy level. Buddhas have the highest energy level and Bodhisattvas’ energy level comes second, followed by Sravakas’ and Pratyekabuddhayanas’, respectively. How about human? If energy level scales between 0 to 12, with 12 is the highest, then human’s energy level is above 1. Bodhisattva’s energy level is above 7, and Buddha’s energy level is above 9. Many Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, such as Bodhisattva of ‘equal enlightenment’ and Bodhisattva of ‘wonderful enlightenment’, possess energy levels of 12. Sakyamuni Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva have highest energy level. In fact, the Bodhisattva of ‘equal enlightenment’ and Bodhisattva of ‘wonderful enlightenment’ attained buddhahood already. In order to help Sakyamuni Buddha liberating all sentient beings, they returned to the countless world. They appear as bodhisattvas and as Buddha’s disciples. Therefore, they have highest energy level. The sentient beings in the realms of animal, hungry ghost, and hell have very low energy level (less than 1). In general, the energy level of the sentient beings in the realms of hungry ghost and hell are less than 0.5, and the sentient beings in hell realm have far less energy than others.

　　修行的过程，就是提高能量的过程。用这个概念来解释，就跟现在的科学技术挂起钩来了，也便于理解佛教、理解佛经。卫星发射到天上去，要有第一宇宙速度，还有第二宇宙速度、第三宇宙速度。宇宙速度是怎么来的呢？有能量才行。没有能量怎么能有宇宙速度啊？要有克服地球引力的能量，速度才能高。我们修行，要往生西方极乐世界也好，往生兜率陀天内院也好，往生东方净琉璃世界也好，你得具备很大的能量，能量小了走不掉的。地球引力就把你拽住了，还有很多幽冥界众生，冤亲债主，他们会拉你后腿。所以大家要修行要提高能量，同时还要忏悔业障，把这些冤亲债主们给超度了，化敌为友，不让他们再拽自己的后腿，这时我们修行就得“力”了。
The process of cultivation is the process of increasing energy. Using this concept, we could explain cultivation from a scientific point of view. In this way, it might be easier for one to understand Buddhism and Buddhist Mantras. To eject satellite into space, first, second and third cosmic velocity are needed. Where do they come from? They are transformed from energy. To escape from Earth’s gravity, certain among of energy is required. Similarly, no matter you want to go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Inner Court of Tushita or Medicine Buddha Pureland (Vaiduryanirbhasa), you need to gain tremendous energy first. Otherwise, you could not make it. The Earth gravity, the karmic creditors and the sentient beings in hungry ghost and hell realms will drag you down. Therefore, we need to boost our energy, make sincere repentance, liberate our karmic creditors, and turn them into our friends. Then our cultivation will be more effective.

　　人，有好人有坏人。但好人不一定是绝对的好，坏人也不一定是绝对的坏。哪怕是杀人犯，有时候也会有慈悲心，可能一念之差，做了坏事，堕落走上了犯罪的道路。修行，就是改变我们的心灵，使之弃恶扬善，改恶从善。人的好坏不是本性，而是习气，不是与生俱来的，而是后天养成的。当然，这里面还有无始劫以来的毛病习气，积累下来的，但是多数是后天养成的。人之初，性本善。也有性恶论，也有性善论，很多是哲学问题，我们在这里不予讨论。
There are good and bad people. However, the good people might not always be good, and the bad ones might not always be bad. Even murderers might be compassionate under certain circumstances. All their crimes might begin with only one wrong thought. To cultivate, is to purify our mind. Abandon all bad thoughts and be kind. The bad and good is not generated by our self-nature. Although some of them come from our habits accumulated in countless kalpas, majority of them are formed after birth. Three-Character Canon states: “Men at their birth, are naturally good”, while Xunzi proposed “evil human nature”. Those are philosophy questions and beyond the scope of our discussion here.

　　大家发现了自己的毛病习气要生惭愧心，至心忏悔，用心改过。这样，我们就会圆满自己的人格，提高自己的能量。
Once we realized our bad habits and thoughts, we need to repent sincerely. Thus, we could perfect our personality and increase our energy.