布施与回向 at 3:28 AM
布施与回向 海涛 辑
Generosity and Dedication of Merits
Compiled by Ven. Hai Tao
◎布施
◎Generosity (Giving)
1.布施的方法——供给于恶人，欲益反招损；如人饲猛兽，无不伤害者。《大乘理趣六波罗蜜多经》
1. The don’ts of giving: Just as the people who raise violent beasts would certainly be bitten one day, so by giving to evil-doers, one would invite only demerits rather than merits.( The Mahayana Sutra of the Six Paramitas)《大乘理趣六波罗蜜多经》
2.布施贤者的功德：在佛经里，将布施比喻成为农夫耕田，好的田地能获得丰收，同样的，多布施给贤德之人，能为大众创造更多的福利，为自己增添更多的福德。
2. The merits of giving to the sages: In Sutras, the practice of giving is compared to a farmer cultivating a field. Just as a good field can yield a good harvest, so if one practices giving toward the wise and virtuous people often, he will bring the public more welfare and will accumulate for himself more fortune.
3.布施对象的种类——佛教将布施的物件分成三种：
一、悲田：即对于困苦之人，我们应该量力而为，悲悯济助。
二、恩田：即对于父母师长，我们必须知恩、感恩、报恩。
三、敬田：即对于佛法僧三宝恭敬供养，能得无量福德。
3. In Buddhism, the recipients of giving are put into three categories:
(1) The Field of Compassion—that is, people in a plight, who we should take pity on and aid if we could afford to.
(2) The Field of Gratitude—that is, parents, teachers and elders, whose kindness we must keep in mind and seek to repay with gratitude.
(3) The Field of Reverence—that is, the Triple Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, by respectfully making offerings to which we are repaid with boundless fortune and merits.
4.贪人多积聚，得不生厌足，无明颠倒心，常念侵损他，现在多怨憎，舍身堕恶道。是故有智者，应当念知足。《大萨遮尼揵子经》
4. A greedy person is never satisfied with what he has grasped. Misled by his own ignorance, he is frequently covetous of another person’s property. As a result, the greedy one invites much resentment this lifetime and would afterwards suffer a degenerate rebirth into the lower realms. Therefore, wise are the contented ones. (The Great Saccaka Nigantha Sutra)《大萨遮尼揵子经》
5.《摄大乘论》云：“悭惜是多财障。”不悭，为无贪之一分，是心不贪著，能随人所需，一切给予。
5. As The Great Mahayana Treatise (Mahayanasamgraha《摄大乘论》) stated, “Stinginess is an obstacle to wealth.” Not being stingy is a fraction of not being covetous. A person who is not covetous is ready to give what is needed.
6.惜财不布施，藏举恐人知，舍身空手去，饿鬼中受苦，饥渴寒热等，忧悲常煎煮。智者不积聚，为破悭贪故。《萨遮尼揵子经偈》
6. Hoard and not give, wary must one be of his wealth secret, concealed or flaunted.Once dies bare-handed, in the ghost realm,In hunger, thirst, cold and heat,Sorrow and worry suffer one will.Hence the Wise one does not hoard,To break greed he does hope.
(Verses from The Great Saccaka Nigantha Sutra)
《萨遮尼揵子经偈》
7.施如芥子，获报如山。《摩诃迦叶度贫母经》
7. Tiny as a mustard seed the giving is, high as a mountain the reward will be.
(The Sutra of Mahakashyapa Liberating his Poor Mother)《摩诃迦叶度贫母经》
8.若有施主，施于病人，及看病者，斯则名为满足大施。
《大般涅槃经》
8. The giver who donates to the patients and the caregivers is practicing fulfilling great giving. (The Sutra of Maha Parinirvana)《大般涅槃经》
9.尔时慧命须菩提白佛言：“云何菩萨布施不生忧心？”佛言：“作是念：‘此非阿耨多罗三藐三菩提道。’”
问：“云何菩萨布施之后心不悔？”佛言：“慈悲力故。”《摩诃般若波罗蜜经．发趣品》
9. At that time, Subhuti asked the Buddha, “Why won’t the Bodhisattvas have apprehension about practicing giving?” “They keep in mind that giving is not a way to the Perfect Complete Enlightenment,” the Buddha replied. “Why won’t the Bodhisattvas regret after giving?” asked Subhuti. “Because they have loving-kindness and compassion,” answered the Buddha.
(发趣品Chapter on Motivation, Maha Prajnaparamita Sutra)
◎回向的意义
◎The Meaning of the Dedication of Merits
1.《华严经疏》列举有十种回向：
1. Ten types of Dedication listed in the Exegesis on the Avatamsaka Sutra:
一、回自向他：将自己所修的功德，回向饶益一切众生。
(1) From self to others: Dedicate one’s accumulated merits to all sentient beings
二、回少向多：以芥子般少许的功德，发广大欢喜心，回向法界一切众生，普获利益。
(2) From minimum to multitude: With joy and a broad mind, one dedicates merits minute as a mustard seed to all sentient beings in hope that all could be benefited.
三、回小向大：将自觉的小乘之心，回向趣于大乘的自利利人。
(3) From Smaller to Greater Vehicle (Mahayana): Transfer from the narrow self-awakening mind to the Mahayana mind which aims at the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
四、回因向果：将因中所修的一切善根，回向成就一切菩提佛果，令一切众生同证菩提佛果。
(4) From cultivation of causes to the fruition oh Buddhahood: Dedicate every virtuous root developed at the stage of cultivation to the fruition Buddhahood of all sentient beings.
五、回劣向胜：菩萨能够随喜凡夫乃至二乘人所修的劣福，并且使他回问殊胜的无上菩提。
(5) From the inferior to the supreme: The Bodhisattvas are not only able to rejoice at the inferior fortune cultivated by the mundane people and the two vehicles of the Pratyekabuddhas and the Sravaka, but they also inspire them to dedicate their fortune to the Supreme, Perfect and Complete Enlightenment.
六、回此向证；一切善根回向永离痛苦的此岸，而到涅槃清净的彼岸。
(6) From transmigration to nirvana: Dedicate all good roots to a permanent departure from this suffering shore of transmigration and to reach the other shore of nirvana.
七、回事向理：将所修的事相功德，回向于不生不灭的真如理体。
(7) From phenomena to noumenon (inner truth): Dedicate the cumulative merits to the penetration of the Absolute Reality, which neither arises nor vanishes.
八、回差别行向圆融行：从千差万别的现象界，回向圆融无碍的平等法性。
(8) From discrimination to perfect fusion: Transfer from the various and differing phenomenal world to the Absolute Reality, which is equal, complete and without hindrance.
九、回世间向出世：所有世间善法都能随顺回向出世间法，心常回向出世之道，成熟教化一切众生。
(9) From the mundane to the supra-mundane: Dedicate all the worldly good deeds to the supra-mundane practice, in accordance with Buddha’s teachings. Constantly channel one’s mind into the supra-mundane path, and, meanwhile, ripen the capacities of all sentient beings and guide them to it.
十、回顺理事行向理所成事：从宇宙万有如如不动的理法界，回向本体与现象“相即相人”的理事无百法界。
(10) From Activities and Conducts according to the Truth TO Activities Accomplishes by Truth Itself: arising from the immovable state of Dharma Realm (of Truth), merits are dedicated to the “inter-being: state between the Substance and all phenomena.
◎The Merits of Dedication:
◎回向的功德：
1.修持回向，不但自身的功德不会减少，并且能利益更多人，甚至可广及法界一切众生，可谓自他两利，怨亲平等。
1. Not only one’s merits won’t be reduced, but through dedication, one could also bring benefits to many people, even to all sentient beings of the phenomenal world. Therefore, dedication is an act that benefits both the self and the other and is also an equal treatment of both friends and foes.
2.菩萨摩诃萨有不可思议大愿充满法界，普能救护一切众生，所谓：修学去、来、现在一切佛回向。《大方广佛华严经》
2. The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas have an inconceivable great vow that encompasses the whole phenomenal world and that extensively saves and protects all sentient beings. What is the vow? It is to practice the dedication that is also practiced by all the past, future and present Buddhas. (The Avatamsaka Sutra)《大方广佛华严经》
3.彼不杀、不盗、不邪淫则是菩萨修慈身行；不妄语、两舌、恶口、不绮语则是菩萨修慈口行；不贪、不恚、不邪见则是菩萨修慈意行。修慈身、口、意则是菩萨等念众生。
3. By not killing, not stealing and not committing sexual misconduct, the Bodhisattva is practicing the physical loving-kindness. By not lying and avoiding divisive, abusive and frivolous speech, the Bodhisattva is practicing the verbal loving-kindness,;and by not coveting, not resenting and abandoning wrong views, the mental loving-kindness. Through the practice of the loving-kindness of body, speech and mind, the Bodhisattva is bearing the sentient beings in mind equally.
4.菩萨摩诃萨于过去、未来、今现在诸佛所修慈身行，修慈口行，修慈意行，及于过去、当来、今现在一切众生所修慈身行，修慈口行，修慈意行，所有功德果报，悉与一切众生，共回向阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
4. The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas practice the physical, verbal and mental loving-kindness toward the past, future and present Buddhas as well as the past, future and present sentient beings. They then dedicate all the merits and karmic results to all sentient beings in hope that all could achieve the Supreme, Perfect and Complete Enlightenment.
5.菩萨作如是回向者，是为菩萨少修善本，获大果报；多作功德，福报无量。是菩萨成就无量功德时，持是功德回向无量智慧，又共一切众生尽回向阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。《佛说甚深大回向经》
5. By practicing dedication like this, the Bodhisattva is reaping great karmic results by sowing few good seeds. If he can cultivate more merits, his fortune will be boundless. When he has accomplished infinite merits, he then dedicates the merits to infinite wisdom and to the Supreme, Perfect and Complete Enlightenment with all sentient beings.
(Buddha Speaks on the Profound and Deep Meanings of Great Dedication)《佛说甚深大回向经》
