契道之钥
林钰堂
一般而言，学佛者在漫长的修途上渐渐就发生停滞、转折或退失的情况，而共修的团体中往往不断发生纷争、冲突或分裂。若能虚心细检，便可查觉根本问题在于发心及行径皆未能纯为菩提，因此无从超越“我执”的牢关。
若能发心纯为菩提，亦即纯粹为求一切众生之究竟圆满觉悟，自然在我执高扬的际会便思循法去执，而能趁机进修，长养智悲。否则，在混浊的世间，长远之后终是难免画地自限与纠葛满途。发心纯为菩提，则不论世事如何变迁，行者的努力都不会白费，都自然转为成熟道行的资粮，因此无有嫌怨、懊悔。发心及行径皆循菩提，则人际关系纯属因缘聚散，而免于计较恩怨、考量功过、牵缠不休的烦恼。学佛者有见于此，真心为究竟利众，即应设法将一切关系皆渐行引导成为佛缘、法侣。
总而言之，菩提发心而行方契解脱大道。这是学佛者普皆熟知的道理，却也是大多难以切实达到的高标。本文虽属老生常谈，却依旧不厌其繁地再度提醒，愿能令真诚学佛者早得其钥，以致登堂入室，见佛成佛。
二○○四年五月十四日
养和斋 于加州
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Key to Matching the Path
Yutang Lin
Generally speaking, Buddhists engaging in practices on the long path to enlightenment would gradually encounter situations of stagnancy, going astray or regress, while within groups of Dharma there would constantly erupt competition, conflict or division. If people could open-mindedly and carefully reflect on such problems, then they would realize that the root of the problems is that their intentions as well as activities were not purely for Bodhi, and hence they could not transcend the cell and pass of self-grasping.
If one's intentions were purely for Bodhi, i.e., purely for the attainment of ultimate and perfect awakening of all sentient beings, then at the juncture of high tides of self-centeredness one would naturally think of how to follow Dharma in getting rid of self-grasping, and use the opportunity for further cultivation of wisdom and compassion. Otherwise, in this complex and full-of-contamination world one would eventually fail to escape from setting self-imposed limitations and running into all sorts of entanglements. With pure intentions for Bodhi, no matter how worldly events would turn and twine, the practitioner's efforts would not be in vain but would naturally become spiritual stocks that would help mature one's Dharma practices; therefore, there will be no complaints and no regrets. As long as intentions and activities are in accordance with Bodhi, relationships become purely a matter of suitable conditions meeting or dispersing, and are free of sorrows arising from accounting of favors and grudges, measuring of merits and faults, and incessant entanglements. Buddhists that have comprehended all these points mentioned above and are sincere in helping sentient beings in the ultimate fashion should try to lead and convert all relationships gradually into Dharma connections and comrades.
In short, only by adopting activities that are born of Bodhi intentions would one match the great path of ultimate liberation. This is a point well known to Buddhists and yet also a high goal that most Buddhists could not actually accomplish. Even though the content of this short essay is a frequent subject of Buddhist teachings and yet I am not bothered by repetitions in reminding Buddhists of this important point once more. May sincere Buddhists obtain this key sooner so that they may climb up and enter the shrine of Buddhas, receive personal instructions, and attain realizations of enlightenment.
Written in Chinese and translated on May 14, 2004
El Cerrito, California
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