2025年1月25日：【慈悲的因果】The Compassionate Law of Cause and Effect
⧉ 今天道场临时有事，需要出国一趟。在机场巧遇一位莲友，却听见他在议论其他道场的是非。
我对他说：「这个事情在这里说过就算了，不要再到处传播，这样对他人道场的名声会有影响。古人有话说：‘宁动千江水，莫动道人心。’」
莲友回应：「师父，您不知道他有多么不好……」
我答道：「这个世间，没有‘一百分’的道场，但也没有‘零分’的道场。道场有不完善的地方是难免的，却也不至于一无是处。每个地方都有各自的因缘。」
莲友接着又说：「可是他还这样、那样……」
我打断道：「我们既不是当事人，也没有神通，更没有足够的智慧去了解当事人的真实处境。他也许是迫于某种无可奈何的原因才那样做。正如古语所言：‘两害相权取其轻’。有时所谓不好的决定，可能已是当下最好的选择了。」
莲友听后依然不平：「师父，可他还说我这里不好……」
我笑着安慰道：「这就更好办了。被人说几句，咱们也不会缺块肉。对方若真有指正之处，感谢他提醒就好。无论如何，‘你还是你’，不会多出什么，也不会少了什么。」
我继续说道：「从某种角度，还得感恩对方。兴许就因为他这一说，我们的业障多少被消了呢。佛弟子经常讲要消业障，被人骂几句可算是最快、最直接的方式了（笑）。」
听到这里，莲友感叹：「唉，他这样做，会有‘因果’的……」
我正色道：「‘因果’可不是用来惩罚别人。佛菩萨示现因果，都是基于慈悲与怜悯，而不是想给谁降罪。若见众生遭受恶报，佛菩萨只会不舍，想尽办法加持和救护，这才是佛法所说的‘慈悲的因果’，与世间那种‘惩罚式的因果’完全不同。」
莲友听后略有所思。
我进一步说道：「别人的对错是其次，重要的是我们通过这个因缘学到了什么？是让心中多了一堆负能量的是非，还是让我们与阿弥陀佛更为亲近？」
莲友惊讶道：「啊？发生这种不愉快的事，怎么还能让我更亲近阿弥陀佛？」
我回答：「当然可以。虽说我们做不到佛菩萨那般慈悲伟大，但至少能借由念佛祝福对方，然后把事情交给阿弥陀佛安排。平时我们不常说要交给阿弥陀佛吗？这等我们凡夫无法看透的事，更应该完全交给阿弥陀佛才对。」
莲友点头：「对，我应该念佛，把这事交给阿弥陀佛。」
我继续说：「古代有些老和尚，无端被诬陷而遭官府抓走。全寺的人在走投无路之际，没有怨天尤人，反而齐心念佛，祈求阿弥陀佛加持。相较之下，我们如今遇到的委屈，又算得了什么？」
莲友惊叹：「啊？和古人比，我这点事儿真是小巫见大巫了！」
我说：「是呀。当我们回归到阿弥陀佛身上，他人的是非对错，还有那么重要吗？」
莲友若有所悟。此时机场广播通知登机，我笑着说：「今天就先讲到这里吧，‘不敬礼，下课’，要去登机了。」
世间是非说不清，对佛有心哪空理？
谣言风吹智者止，念佛入心法自起。
南無阿彌陀佛
≡ 净本法师记录 ≡
English Translation:
【The Compassionate Law of Cause and Effect】
Today, I had to make an impromptu trip abroad to handle some affairs for our centre. While at the airport, I ran into a fellow practitioner and overheard him discussing the rights and wrongs of another temple.
I said to him, “Let’s end this conversation here; please don’t go around spreading it. That would affect the other temple’s reputation. As the ancients said, ‘It’s better to stir a thousand rivers than to disturb other cultivator’s mind.’”
He replied, “Master, you have no idea how bad they really are…”
I responded, “In this world, no temple is 100% perfect, nor is any temple 0% good. It’s inevitable that a place of practice has flaws, but that doesn’t mean it has no merits at all. Each place has its own causes and conditions.”
He went on, “But they do this and that…”
I interrupted him, saying, “We’re not involved directly, nor do we have clairvoyance or enough wisdom to know their true circumstances. Perhaps they did that out of necessity. As the saying goes, ‘Between two evils, choose the lesser one.’ Sometimes what looks like a bad decision might already be the best option under the circumstances.”
Still unsatisfied, he continued, “But, Master, he’s also spoken ill of mine…”
I smiled and reassured him, “That’s even easier to handle. A few negative words aren’t going to make us lose a chunk of flesh. If he’s truly pointing out something we can improve, then we should be grateful for the reminder. In any case, ‘you’re still you’—you won’t gain or lose anything in essence.”
I went on, “From another perspective, we can even be thankful to him. Perhaps, through his criticism, some of our karmic obstacles have been lifted. We Buddhists often talk about eliminating our karmic burdens; sometimes being rebuked is one of the quickest, most direct ways to do that.” (I laughed.)
He sighed, “Alas, if he keeps doing that, there’ll be karmic consequences…”
I spoke firmly, “‘Cause and effect’ isn’t about punishing people. When Buddhas and Bodhisattvas show us cause and effect, it’s out of compassion and empathy, not to condemn anyone. If they see a being suffering retribution, they only feel more determined to help, doing everything they can to offer blessings and protection. This is what Buddhism calls the ‘Compassionate Law of Cause and Effect,’ which is entirely different from the worldly notion of punitive karma.”
Hearing this, he fell silent for a moment.
I continued, “Whether the other person is right or wrong is secondary. The key question is: what do we learn from this? Do we just fill our hearts with negative gossip, or do we become even closer to Amitabha Buddha?”
He was taken aback. “Huh? How could this unpleasant situation possibly bring me closer to Amitabha Buddha?”
I answered, “It certainly can. Although we aren’t as boundlessly compassionate as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, at the very least we can recite the Buddha’s name and dedicate merit to him, entrusting the situation to Amitabha. Don’t we always say we should leave everything to Amitabha? For matters we ordinary beings cannot see clearly, we should all the more entrust them fully to Amitabha.”
He nodded. “Yes, I should recite the Buddha’s name and entrust this matter to Amitabha.”
I continued, “In ancient times, some elder monks were falsely accused and arrested by the emperor. When the monastery had nowhere to turn, they did not complain or blame anyone; instead, they all recited the Buddha’s name in unison, praying for Amitabha’s help. Compared to that, what we are facing now is nothing.”
He exclaimed, “Wow, my problems are truly trivial by comparison!”
I said, “Exactly. Once we return to Amitabha, how significant are others’ rights or wrongs?”
He seemed to understand. At that moment, the boarding announcement sounded. I smiled, “We’ll stop here for today—‘Class dismissed!’ Have to board flight now.”
The world’s rights and wrongs are endless;
If one mind is turned toward the Buddha, who has time to debate them?
Rumors blow like the wind—wise ones remain unmoved;
When the Buddha’s name enters the heart, the Dharma naturally arises.
≡The Diary of Master Jingben≡
⧉ 净土宗 Pure Land Buddhism ⧉
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｜南無阿彌陀佛｜
