貧人燒粗褐衣喻
貧人燒粗褐衣喻
昔有一人，貧窮困乏。與他客作，得粗褐衣，而被著之。有 人見之，而語之言：“汝種姓端正，貴人之 子，云何著此粗弊衣褐？我今教汝，當使汝得上妙衣服。當 隨我語，終不欺汝。”貧人歡喜，敬從其言。其人即便在前然火，語貧人言：“今可脫汝粗褐衣著於火 中，於此燒處，當使汝得上妙欽服。”貧人即便脫著火中。既燒之後，於此火處求覓欽服，都無所 得。世間之人，亦復如是。從過去身修諸善法，得此人身， 應當保 護，進德修業。乃為外道邪惡妖女之所欺誑：“汝今當信我語，修諸苦行，投岩赴火，舍是身已，當生梵天 ，長受快樂。”便用其語，即舍身命。身死之後，墮於地 獄，備受諸苦。既失人身，空無所獲，如彼貧人，亦復如是 。
有一貧人，要去作客，穿了一件粗布短衣。在路上有人見到 他，對他說道︰你面貌生得很端正，一定是個⋯⋯
醒醒！ 佛陀不希望你成為佛教徒，而是希望你成佛
如印度大師月乘菩薩所說，尊敬佛並不是彎身鞠躬或念些祈請文。尊敬佛的意思是在你內心深處，你擁有對佛的認知。你必須擁有斷除輪回的信心或知識，如何以正確的方向對待法，同時你圓滿地活在你內在的與生俱來的品質中。如果你對這些有所覺知，那你是一個真實的佛法修持者。
我 們大家每天念誦經文，看著佛像，購買和收藏佛像，把它們掛在視窗上，或掛在飯廳和廚房的牆上等等。為了什麼？這不是佛陀博物院。有時它就只是裝飾品，這實 在是不好的。我們應該只是有一尊小佛像，那就夠了，並不一定要一個龐大的。佛像大小並沒什麼不同，我們必須要有知識和智慧才最重要。
一些宗教人士把佛教視為宗教，這是不正確的，佛陀不是這樣想的。佛陀鼓勵我們通過不同的方法獲得圓滿的覺悟。佛陀並不希望你成為佛教徒，而是希望你成佛。佛陀已經見到每一個眾生都是平等的，只是因為障礙和迷惑，我們的功德品質不得展現。
有時你很容易就說：“你是我的根本上師。”但一段時間過後，根本上師和弟子起衝突了，這不好。弟子在背後說了太多，根本上師也說了太多，這是因為他們沒有成為師徒的因緣。只有當你實現或認清心的本性的那一刻，就在那一刻，你才可以稱對方為“根本上師”。這在金剛乘的修持中很重要。
有 時身為佛教行者，你把佛教當成是宗教，像是你尊敬佛陀為上帝一般。你相信你和佛陀之間有一個很大的空間或距離。你老覺得你是一個平凡的人，而諸佛菩薩是高 高在上的聖者。你認為你就只需要得到加持。你享受美食、到處遊蕩、惹是生非，然後你要求加持。這是不正確的，在佛法修持中這是邪見。
你說：“我是佛教徒，是佛法修持者。我相信佛、法、僧。”但你真的認為你是一個真實的佛法修持者嗎？你是以哪一點相信自己？這是很重要的。你在日常生活中是一個佛法修持者嗎？你沒如此考慮就只說你是佛教徒。雖然你以“佛教”作為你的身份，但你遺失了“佛教”的含義。
不要再浪費生命，不要再虛度時光。我們每年都在一樣的水準，一樣的心態，一樣的平凡，從未改變到。我們需要改變和進步。佛陀已經很清楚地教導我們，但是佛陀無法除去我們身心的痛苦，我們必須除去自己的痛苦。我們已經聽聞到這些法教，瞭解如何能夠除去痛苦，是你自己要負責。
你 總是說你沒有智慧，得忙於生意、忙於家庭，諸如此類的藉口，一方面你想要除去痛苦，另一方面又懶惰，你所想所為是不相符合的，我想佛陀都會疲厭。諸佛菩薩 為我們付出了如此之多，所有這一切都是為了我們，而我們如此不認真地禮拜、念佛，甚至想自己是不是在受騙，其實我們是在欺騙自己。
如果你真的能建立起正見的認知，你的困難將相對減少。所有其餘的問題如疾病、精神病和意外的負面情況來到我們身上，這是因為邪見，因為你沒有堅固的正見。如果你有正見，雖然問題和困難也許會來到你身上，但你能應付或處理。它們不能控制你，你可以控制及調整困難和問題。
要 有正行，你必須有正修。要建立正修，你必須有正見。因此正見是：你所看到、聽到、聞到、嘗到、碰到的任何東西，一切都是看起來的顯現及生起。就是如此，沒 有理由。有時東西就只是來了又去。如果我們缺乏這份認知，我們將會有問題。我們過於執著事物，把事物當成是俱生存在的。
修 行並不是獨自一人在森林裏或偏遠的地方。修行是面對我們的日常生活，面對困難的狀況。我們在日常生活中修持佛法是重要的，這比在山洞裏獨自修行要來得快。 在洞裏，怎麼知道你的修行進展得如何了？你說到目前為止沒有生氣，然後當你遇見不喜歡的人時，你就生氣了。所以那是不實際的。
臨終病人最後悔的……
臨終病人最後悔的……
最近有一篇文章在Facebook 及twitter上頻頻被轉載，Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed (護士告訴你 : 臨終病人最後悔的5件事) ，它的原文是一名叫Bronnie Ware的護士寫的。Bronnie Ware專門照顧那些臨終病人，所以有機會聽到很多人臨終前說出他們一生裡最後悔的事。她作了一個概括，有5件事是大多數人最後悔的。
很 好奇為什麼這麼多人轉載它？也許，因為這是一種你永遠無法提前經歷的事吧！你不會時常面對別人的死亡，你更不怎麼時常有機會聽到一個臨終前的人告訴你他最 後悔的事是什麼。而即便你聽到，你又會覺得自己來日方長。我們似乎永遠無法感同身受；也許，只有我們自己的生命到了盡頭時，我們才會意識到自己究竟錯過了 什麼？最後悔什麼？
1. 我希望當初我有勇氣過自己真正想要的生活，而不是別人希望我過的生活。
這是所有後悔的事中最常聽到的。
心理學上有個理論，較之那些我們做過的事，人們後悔的往往是那些沒做的事。所以當人們在生命盡頭往回看時，往往會發現有好多夢想應該實現，卻沒有實現。你的生活方式、你的工作、你的感情、你的伴侶，其實我們多少人過著的是別人希望你過的生活，而不是自己真正想要的生活——又可能，一直以來你把別人希望你過的生活當作是你想要的生活。
當你疾病纏身時，才發現其實自己應該而且可以放下很多顧慮追求你要的生活，似乎已經晚了一點。
2. 我希望當初我沒有花這麼多精力在工作上。
Ware說這是她照顧過的每一個男病人會說的話。因為工作，他們錯過了關注孩子成長的樂趣，錯過了愛人溫暖的陪伴，這是他們最深的後悔與愧疚。其實對於現在的職業女性來說，這也將成為一個問題。
如果把你的生活變簡單些，你也許會發現自己在做很多你以為你需要做其實不需要你做的事。騰出那些事占的空間，可能你會過得開心一點。
3. 我希望當初我能有勇氣表達我的感受。
太多的人壓抑自己的感受與想法，只是為了「天下太平」，不與別人產生矛盾。漸漸他們就成了中庸之輩，無法成為他們可以成為的自己。其實，有很多疾病與長期壓抑憤怒與消極情緒有關。
也許當你直言不諱，你會得罪某些人。但可能從此以後因為你的中肯，你們不打不相識；又或者翻臉，正好讓你擺脫這種需要你壓抑自己感受才能維持的累人關係。不管哪一種結果，你都是贏家，不是嗎？——不過當然，直言不諱還是有底線的。
4. 我希望當初我能和朋友保持聯繫。
老朋友的好，我們總要到自己有事了的時候才會想到。
多少人因為自己忙碌的生活忽略了朋友忽略了曾經閃亮的友情。很多人臨終前終於放下錢、放下權，卻放不下心中的情感與牽掛。朋友也好，愛人也罷，其實生命最後的日子裡，他們才是我們最深的惦念。
5. 我希望當初我能讓自己活過開心點。
也許有點出乎意料，但這一條也在前5之中。很多人直到生命的最後才發現，「快樂是選擇」。
他們在自己既定習慣和生活方式中太久了，習慣了掩飾，習慣了偽裝，習慣了在人前堆起笑臉。就像五月天的那首歌，「你不是真正的快樂，你的笑只是你給的保護色」。他們以為是生活讓他們不快樂，其實是他們自己讓自己不快樂了。
是只有臨終的時候才會發現，別人怎麼看你又有什麼關係呢？傻也好，怪也罷，能有真心的笑，比什麼都值得！
Bronnie Ware
For many years, I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, and choose honestly. Choose happiness.
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