为什么我们听经闻法要有难遭难遇之想？

　　佛教能够一代一代保存下来是不容易的，古人教诫我们：莫将经典轻易看。我们现在听经坐在这里，几天下来很累吧？以前古大德去印度取经，穿过河西走廊，越过炎炎沙漠，翻过莽莽雪山，经还没取到，一半人就已经死在路上了。到了印度热带不适应，生热病又死了不少人，剩下的回来又有死在高山峻岭之中的，百人去取经，回来的十个都没有。

　　取经者经历了种种难以想象的苦难，《西游记》就形象地再现了艰难的取经过程。唐僧是真有其人的，祂是唐朝的玄奘法师，当时中国的佛教经典体系还不太完备，玄奘法师就发心去西天印度求取更多的佛法典籍，但是朝廷不许祂出去，最后祂是贞观元年（627年）偷渡出去的。经过无数次的生死磨难，才到达中印度摩揭陀国王舍城的那烂陀寺，从戒贤大师学习，后又历游五印参访善知识，所履一百三十八国，于贞观十九年（645年）返回大唐。唐太宗意识到佛教的伟大，给了玄奘法师很高的待遇，并在长安建立译场，让玄奘法师率众弟子进行规模宏大的佛经翻译工作。

　　所以说经书来之不易，我们能够看到经典，听到讲经是很不容易的，也是往昔里在佛前种植善根福德，因缘成熟之故。所以我们听经闻法要有难遭难遇之想，要发广大的菩提心来听法，来听听玩玩的心叫散乱心，功德很小，发广大心功德会很大，因为观世音菩萨的名号具足无量无边的福德，你遇到如意宝了，只求小的，不知求大的，你不是傻吗？机会不是常有的，襄樊会有几次讲《妙法莲华经》的机会呢？有的人一辈子连《妙法莲华经》的经名都听不到，所以你们要作难遭难遇之想，以这个功德来回向法界一切众生，往生西方才有把握。如果我们不知道祂的殊胜难得，生不起恭敬心，这本身就是一种罪过相、业障相。

Eternal （Lecture on the Guan Yin Bodhisattva Universal Door）（63）

By Master Chuanxi

It is not easy for Buddhism to be passed on to generation after generation. Sages in old times reminded us and taught us that we should never take any sutras for granted. Have we become tired just after listening to the preaching only for a few days? Those great masters who fetched sutras all the way from India had to go through the Gansu Corridor, crossing scorching deserts and climbing snowy mountains. Before they reached India, half of them died from the harsh conditions. Even after the other half who actually made their way to India, due to the tropical climate of the country, many of them could not acclimatise themselves and thus died of fever. Some of the rest died during the journey of returning to China. No more than ten out of one hundred finally made it their way back.

“Journey to the West” is based on the true story of Master Tang Seng, who was also called Master Xuan Zang and vividly reveals the unimaginable difficulties of fetching sutras from India along the way in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Buddhism system of sutras in China was not complete. He was determined to get more Buddhist scriptures from India. However, he was prohibited from leaving the country by the government. He left secretly in AD 627 and finally arrived at Nalanda Monastery in Rajgir of Magadha in Middle India after numerous ordeals. He followed the great Master Jie Xian there and visited many teachers around the five parts of India. He travelled to one hundred and thirty eight countries before he returned to China in AD 645. As Emperor Taizong realised the great value of Buddhism, Master Xuan Zang received highly honourable treatment and a centre of Sutra translation was set up specially for him. Then, Master Xuan Zang and his disciples started the enormous task of the translation.

Therefore, we say that it is not easy to get hold of sutras and it is not easy for us to see sutras and hear the teachings of sutras. It is because of the merit we cultivated in the past in front of Buddha has matured that we can see and hear them. So when we learn Dharma, we should bear in mind that Dharma was very difficult to encounter and we should learn with great Bodhicitta. If we learn Dharma for fun with a distracted mind, we can only gain very little merits. But we could gain numerous merits and benefits with great Bodhicitta.

The name of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva has great power of boundless merits, which is a wish-fulfilling jewel you’ve encountered now. If you only chase after small merits but discard boundless ones, then aren’t you stupid? It is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold an assembly and learn the Lotus Sutra in Xiangfan City. Some people can’t even hear the name of the Lotus Sutra in their lifetime. Therefore we should consider it a rare opportunity and dedicate the merits and virtues that we gain from the learning to all sentient beings in all realms. Only by doing this, can we have the assurance of being reborn into the Pure Land. Otherwise, it would be a sin if we do not respect Dharma. That is where our negative karma comes from.

——摘自《永恒的甘露》传喜法师开示录

爱出者爱返，福往者福来。随喜转载，功德无量。