English
English version: The three poisonous minds (greed, hatred, and delusion). Doesn't this contradict the meaning of the scriptures? Answer: The scriptures spoken by the Buddha are truthful words. Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas (great Bodhisattvas), when cultivating in the causal stage in the past, made three vows to counter the three poisons: to cut off all evil deeds, therefore constantly upholding the precepts; to counter greed, vowing to cultivate all good deeds, therefore constantly practicing meditation; to counter hatred, vowing to liberate all sentient beings, therefore constantly cultivating wisdom; to counter delusion, by upholding the three pure practices of precepts, meditation, and wisdom, they can transcend those three poisons and attain Buddhahood. The extinction of all evil deeds is called 'cutting off.' The completeness of all good deeds is called 'cultivation.' By being able to cut off evil and cultivate good, then all practices can be accomplished, benefiting both oneself and others, and universally saving sentient beings, which is called 'liberation.' Therefore, know that the precepts and practices cultivated are inseparable from the mind. If one's own mind is pure, then all Buddha lands are completely pure. Therefore, the scriptures say: 'If the mind is defiled, then sentient beings are defiled; if the mind is pure, then sentient beings are pure. If you want to obtain a pure land, you should purify your own mind. As the mind is purified, so the Buddha land is purified.' The three clusters of pure precepts (the precepts of restraining negative actions, the precepts of accumulating good dharmas, and the precepts of benefiting sentient beings) are naturally accomplished. Question: As the scriptures say, the Six Paramitas (six perfections for reaching the other shore), also called the Six Perfections (six perfections for reaching the other shore), namely generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom. Now it is said that the purification of the six senses is called Paramita, how can this be reconciled? Also, what is the meaning of the Six Perfections? Answer: To cultivate the Six Perfections, one should purify the six senses and subdue the six thieves. Being able to relinquish the eye thief and stay away from various forms and objects is called generosity. Being able to restrain the ear thief and not let it indulge in those sound objects is called discipline. Being able to subdue the nose thief and treat all fragrances and odors equally, being free and gentle, is called patience. Being able to control the tongue thief, not being greedy for various flavors, praising, chanting, and speaking the Dharma is called diligence. Being able to subdue the body thief, being still and unmoved by various tactile desires is called concentration. Being able to tame the mind thief, not following ignorance, and constantly cultivating awakened wisdom is called wisdom. The Six Perfections mean transportation. The Six Paramitas are like boats and rafts, which can transport sentient beings to the other shore, so they are called the Six Perfections. Question: The scriptures say that Shakyamuni Tathagata (the fundamental teacher Shakyamuni Buddha), when he was a Bodhisattva, once drank three dou and six sheng of milk porridge before attaining Buddhahood. Previously, because of drinking milk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。后证佛果。岂唯观心得解脱乎。答。诚知所言无虚妄也。必因食乳。然始成佛。言食乳者有二种。佛所食者。不是世间不净之乳。乃是真如清净法乳也。三斗者。即三聚净戒。六升者。即六波罗蜜。成佛道时。由食如是清净法乳。方证佛果。若言如来食于世间和合不净之牛膻腥乳者。岂不谤误之甚乎。真如者。自是金刚不坏。无漏法身。永离世间一切诸苦。岂须如是不净之乳。以充饥渴。如经所说。其牛不在高原。不在下湿。不食谷麦糠麸。不与特牛同群。其牛身作紫磨金色。言此牛者。毗卢舍那佛也。以大慈悲。怜愍一切。故于清净法体中。出如是三聚净戒六波罗蜜微妙法乳。育一切求解脱者。如是真净之牛。清净之乳。非但如来饮之成道。一切众生若能饮者。皆得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。 问。经中所说。佛令众生修造伽蓝。铸写形像。烧香散花。燃长明灯。昼夜六时。绕塔行道。持斋礼拜。种种功德。皆成佛道。若唯观心。总摄诸行。说如是事。应虚妄也。答。佛所说经。有无量方便。以一切众生钝根狭劣。不悟甚深之义。所以假有为喻无为。若复不修内行。唯只外求。希望获福。无有是处。言伽蓝者。西国语。此土翻为清净地也。若永除三毒。常净六根。身心湛然。内外清净。是名修造伽蓝。铸写形像 现代汉语译本：之后可以证得佛果，难道仅仅是观察心性才能得到解脱吗？回答说：诚然知道你所说的话没有虚妄之处，必定要依靠食用乳汁，然后才能成佛。所说的食用乳汁有两种，佛所食用的，不是世间不干净的乳汁，而是真如清净的法乳。三斗，就是指三聚净戒；六升，就是指六波罗蜜（Paramita，意为到达彼岸）。成佛道的时候，由于食用这样的清净法乳，才能证得佛果。如果说如来食用世间混合不干净的牛的腥膻乳汁，岂不是诽谤误导得太厉害了吗？真如（Tathata）本身就是金刚不坏、没有缺陷的法身，永远脱离世间一切痛苦，哪里需要这样不干净的乳汁来充饥解渴呢？如同经书所说，那牛不在高原，不在低湿之地，不吃谷物麦麸，不与普通的牛同群，那牛的身体呈现紫磨金色。所说的这牛，就是毗卢舍那佛（Vairocana，意为光明遍照），以大慈悲之心，怜悯一切众生，所以在清净的法体中，流出像三聚净戒、六波罗蜜这样微妙的法乳，哺育一切寻求解脱的人。像这样真净的牛，清净的乳汁，不仅仅是如来饮用它而成就佛道，一切众生如果能够饮用它，都能得到阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi，意为无上正等正觉）。 提问：经书中所说，佛让众生修建伽蓝（Samgharama，意为僧院），铸造描绘佛像，烧香散花，点燃长明灯，白天黑夜六个时辰，绕塔行走，持斋礼拜，种种功德，都能成就佛道。如果仅仅是观心，总摄一切修行，那么说这些事，就应该是虚妄的吧？回答说：佛所说的经书，有无量的方便法门，因为一切众生根器迟钝、心胸狭隘，不能领悟甚深的意义，所以用假借有为法来比喻无为法。如果又不修习内在的修行，只在外面追求，希望获得福报，是没有这样的道理的。所说的伽蓝，是西方的语言，在我们的国土翻译为清净地。如果永远去除贪嗔痴三毒，经常清净六根，身心澄澈，内外清净，这就叫做修建伽蓝；铸造描绘佛像。
English
English version: Afterwards, one can attain Buddhahood. Is it only through observing the mind that one can achieve liberation? The answer is: Indeed, I know that what you say is not false. One must rely on consuming milk to become a Buddha. There are two types of consuming milk. What the Buddha consumes is not the impure milk of the world, but the pure Dharma milk of True Suchness (Tathata). 'Three斗 (dou)' refers to the Threefold Pure Precepts (Trisamvara); 'six升 (sheng)' refers to the Six Paramitas (Paramita, meaning 'to the other shore'). When attaining Buddhahood, it is by consuming such pure Dharma milk that one can realize Buddhahood. If one says that the Tathagata consumes the mixed, impure, and smelly milk of worldly cows, wouldn't that be a grave slander and misguidance? True Suchness (Tathata) itself is the indestructible, flawless Dharma body, eternally free from all suffering in the world. How could it need such impure milk to satisfy hunger and thirst? As the scriptures say, the cow is not on high ground, nor in low, damp places; it does not eat grains, wheat, or bran; it does not mingle with ordinary bulls; its body is the color of purple-gold. This cow is Vairocana Buddha (Vairocana, meaning 'light shining everywhere'), who, with great compassion, pities all beings. Therefore, from the pure Dharma body, he emanates such subtle Dharma milk of the Threefold Pure Precepts and the Six Paramitas, nurturing all those who seek liberation. Such a truly pure cow and pure milk are not only consumed by the Tathagata to attain Buddhahood, but all beings who can consume it can attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, meaning 'unsurpassed, complete enlightenment'). Question: The scriptures say that the Buddha instructs beings to build Samgharama (Samgharama, meaning 'monastery'), cast and depict images, burn incense, scatter flowers, light eternal lamps, circumambulate stupas day and night at six times, observe fasts, and perform prostrations. All these merits can lead to Buddhahood. If it is only through observing the mind, encompassing all practices, then saying these things should be false, right? The answer is: The scriptures spoken by the Buddha have countless expedient means because all beings have dull faculties and narrow minds, unable to comprehend the profound meaning. Therefore, they use the conditioned to illustrate the unconditioned. If one does not cultivate inner practice and only seeks externally, hoping to gain blessings, there is no such principle. 'Samgharama' is a Western term, translated in our land as 'pure land'. If one permanently eliminates the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, constantly purifies the six senses, and the body and mind are clear and pure, both internally and externally, this is called building a Samgharama; casting and depicting images. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
者。即是一切众生求佛道也。所谓修诸觉行。彷像如来真容妙相。岂是铸写金铜之所作乎。是故求解脱者。以身为炉。以法为火。以智慧为巧匠。以三聚净戒六波罗蜜以为模楑。镕炼身中真如佛性。遍入一切戒律模中。如教奉行。一无漏缺。自然成就真容之像。所谓究竟常住微妙色身。不是有为败坏之法。若人求道。不解如是铸写真容。凭何辄言功德。又烧香者。亦非世间有相之香。乃是无为正法之香也。薰诸臭秽无明恶业。悉令消灭。正法香者。其有五种。一者戒香。所谓能断诸恶。能修诸善。二者定香。所谓深信大乘。心无退转。三者慧香。所谓常于身心。内自观察。四者解脱香。所谓能断一切无明结缚。五者解脱知见香。所谓观照常明。通达无碍。如是五种香。名为最上之香。世间无比。佛在世日。令诸弟子。以智慧火。烧如是无价宝香。供养十方诸佛。今时众生不解如来真实之义。唯将外火。烧于世间沉檀。薰陆质碍之香。希望福报。云何可得乎。又散花者。义亦如是。所谓演说正法。诸功德花。饶益有情。散沾一切。于真如性。普施庄严。此功德花。佛所称赞。究竟常住。无凋落期。若复有人。散如是花。获福无量。若言如来令众生。剪截缯彩。伤损草木。以为散花。无有是处。所以者何。持净戒者。于诸 现代汉语译本： 这，就是一切众生求佛道的方法。所谓修习各种觉悟的德行，模仿如来真实的容貌和微妙的相好，难道是用铸造金铜的方法可以做到的吗？所以，求解脱的人，以自身为熔炉，以佛法为火焰，以智慧为巧匠，以三聚净戒（摄律仪戒、摄善法戒、饶益有情戒）和六波罗蜜（布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、智慧）为模具，熔炼身中的真如佛性，遍入一切戒律的模具中，如教奉行，没有一丝遗漏和缺失，自然成就真实的容貌之像，这就是究竟常住的微妙色身，不是有为造作会败坏的法。如果有人求道，不理解这样铸造容貌的方法，凭什么轻易地说自己有功德呢？ 再说烧香，也不是世间有形有相的香，而是无为的正法之香。用它来熏除各种臭秽的无明和恶业，使它们全部消灭。正法之香，有五种：一是戒香，就是能够断除各种恶行，能够修习各种善行；二是定香，就是深信大乘佛法，内心没有退转；三是慧香，就是常常在身心中，向内自我观察；四是解脱香，就是能够断除一切无明的结缚；五是解脱知见香，就是观照常明，通达无碍。这五种香，称为最上之香，世间没有可以相比的。佛在世的时候，让弟子们用智慧之火，焚烧这样无价的宝香，供养十方诸佛。现在的人不理解如来真实的意义，只用外在的火，焚烧世间的沉香、檀香、薰陆香这些有形质的香，希望得到福报，怎么可能得到呢？ 再说散花，意义也是如此。就是演说正法，各种功德之花，饶益有情众生，散布沾溉一切，在真如自性中，普遍地布施庄严。这种功德之花，是佛所称赞的，究竟常住，没有凋谢的时候。如果有人散布这样的花，获得的福报是无量的。如果说如来让众生，剪裁彩色的丝绸，伤害草木，来作为散花，是没有这样的道理的。为什么呢？因为持守清净戒律的人，对于各种