因果究竟是什麼
超越因果
張尚德
從佛法的消極面來看，一切存在為無明。無明就是罪業。
存在必須有種種條件，主要條件為因，次要條件為緣。緣起緣滅、緣滅又緣起，因因果果、果果又因因，十方如此、如此，循環無已。
對眾生來說，因果就是在無盡煩惱牽牽扯扯的你我他中、和在你我他的無盡煩惱中牽牽扯扯。
人類社會一直亂個不停，名堂很多。何者為是？那樣為非？各說各話，莫衷一是。例如用盡心思搞個法律。其實到現在為止，法律究竟是什麼？法律的完整性與終極意義究竟在哪裡？以及法律究竟能不能夠救全人類？這些問題，到現在都還說不清楚。只有孔子說：
「齊之以刑，民免而無恥；齊之以禮，有恥且格。」
究實說來，宇宙的存在，早已有其鐵律，這個鐵律是什麼？
答：
一切的存在，無一不成住壞空。
佛法所說的「成住壞空」，是對宇宙鐵律的一種禮貌性說法。
一切的存在，在「成住壞」以後，實際上是死亡。
因果也者，俗諦也，是在死亡中演化的。
釋迦牟尼佛告訴我們，要：
超越俗諦的因果。
如何超越？
祂說：
要無我、無法。
一切存在本來成住壞空，不必多說，所以無法。
無我也者，那就麻煩了。
必須在善法中，絕對無私的做盡好事，不如此便不能無我。
問題：
學佛、學佛，幾人能超越因果？幾人真能無我無法啊？
所以要觀死。觀死有成，方知什麼是生、什麼是死？就能體會到莊子說的「生生死死、死死生生、方生方死、方死方生」，如此才能超越因果、超越生死，這樣便能：
無有恐怖、遠離顛倒夢想。
結論：
門雖然只一個，卻是分兩邊。一邊是俗諦，在六道輪迴中搞生死；另一邊是真諦，在常寂光中常樂我淨。
說死也沒用，在乎你究竟怎麼辦？
二零一三年十二月一日
於台灣達摩書院
What is causality ultimately？
and
How to transcend causality？
Chang ShangTe
From the passive and negative viewpoint of Dharma, all existences live for Avidyā (Maya). Avidyāis is the same as Karma.
All existences are composed of a variety of conditions. The main conditions are called original and primitive causes whereas the secondary conditions are subsidiary causes. Causes and effects rise and disappear. Everything is in such a way of circulation everywhere.
For ordinary and secular people, Causality is embedded in their endless worries while their endless worries are embedded in Causality. Nothing else but on word:
Maya.
Blind impulse of power
and
Infinitive desires.
The human society in history and at present, is in chaos all the time and it always creates many new ideas with ignorance. Which is correct? Who is wrong? There is no fixed and correct agreement in the knowledge of human beings. For example, people worked hard to establish a legal system. In fact, up to now, what is the law of legal system? What is its integrity and ultimate meaning? Does it help to save all human-beings? These questions still remain unsolved. Only Confucius said:
"If the people be led by laws of legal systems, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good."
In truth, the Universe has its golden rule. What is this golden rule?
Answer:
All existences have their growth, maturity, decay and emptiness eventually.
The process of growth, maturity, decay and emptiness in Buddhism, is a polite expression for cosmic rules.
Actually:
For all existences, following the process of growth, maturity and decay, it is death.
Once anything exists, it is going to the fate of dying.
Causality in secular sense will certaintly be in the process of death.
Shakya Muni Buddha told us:
“Men must transcend Causality of secular world. “
“How to transcend it? “
He said:
“To be beyond Self and Dharmas. “
All existences will end eventually and such is beyond Dharmas in nature. It goes without saying.
It is more difficult to be beyond Self.
One must be in goodness absolutely and act on it unselfishly. Otherwise, one cannot achieve selflessness.
The serious question is:
If you study Buddhism, you must know how to transcend Causality. But one question is: how many of you can achieve this? Who can really transcend Self and Dharmas?
The important way of transcendence of self and Dharmas is that one should keep the idea of death in mind all the time. Then we know the meaning of life and death. In this way, we will understand Chuang-tzu’s saying:
"living and dying, dying and living. When something has just been born, it has just died; when something has just died, it has just been born".
Thus, we can transcend causality, life and death. Finally we can:
Have no fear, and no illusionary dreams.
Conclusion:
One door has two sides. One side is the circulation of life and death in secular world, the other side is the permanent brightness in eternal Nirvana.
It does not matter what you say. But It only matters what your ultimate and noble way of life is.
December 1, 2013
Dharma Academy
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