声闻有四个果位: 初果须沱洹, 二果斯陀含, 三果阿那含, 四果阿罗汉, 祂们是现出家相的, 一听闻到佛的声音就证到果位。 对这种根基的人, 观世音菩萨就现声闻身度他。佛现的也是出家相, 佛证的无余涅槃是最高的果位— — —无上正等正觉。 声闻缘觉证的是有余涅槃, 只破了人我的执著, 证得人无我, 法我的执著还在。
声闻乘修什么法呢? 修 “苦集灭道” 四谛法: 知苦、 断集、 证灭、 修道。 观一切是苦, “苦” 有三苦、 五苦、 八苦; 苦是有因缘的, 这个因缘召感叫 “集”, 集是感召, 苦是逼迫, 如果我们把感召苦的集因灭掉, 就可以彻底地断除这些苦; “灭” 是寂灭, 修行所证的境界; “道” 是修持的方法。 三界如火宅, 出家不但要出俗世的家, 还要出三界六道二十五有的家, 精进修道, 就能证得寂灭涅槃。
“谛” 是真实的意思, 在世俗义上, 凡夫的苦是真实不虚的, 没有一个人能超越这个苦。 所谓 “家家有本难念的经”, 穷人有穷人的苦, 富人有富人的苦, 乞丐有乞丐的苦, 当官的有当官的苦, 尽管表面上看好像不一样, 但给身心带来的烦恼痛苦的感受都是一样的,所以说苦是共同的, 只有通过修持佛法才可以把苦灭掉。 有众生是小乘根器, 观世音菩萨就现声闻身来度他。
By Master Chuanxi
If there are sentient beings who need someone in the body of a shravakayana in order to be saved, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will manifest in the body of a shravakayana to preach Dharma for them.
There are four stages of enlightenment in shravakayana: the primary sotapanna, secondary sakadagamita, tertiary anagamita and quaternary arahatta. They are all present in the form of Sangha. As soon as they hear the voice of the Buddha, they attain fruition. For beings with such capacity, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will manifest Himself in the body of a shravakayana to save them.
The Buddha also manifested in the appearance of a monk. The nirupadhishesha-Nirvana (‘remainderless’ Nirvana) that the Buddha attained is the highest fruition – supreme enlightenment. What the Shravaka and Pratyekabuddha attain is sopadhishesha-Nirvana (incomplete Nirvana), as they only remove their attachment to self and others, but are still attached to Dharma. What is the Dharma practiced in shravakayana? It is the practice of the Four Noble Truths: understanding of suffering, eliminating the origin of suffering, attaining the cessation of suffering and the path of the cessation of suffering. We should observe that the nature of everything is suffering. Suffering has three kinds, five kinds and eight kinds in general. There is the cause of suffering and the cause is named incurrence and gathering. Gathering means the suffering is incurred. Suffering is something incurred by force. If we eliminate the cause which incurs suffering, as a consequence, suffering will be extinct completely. Cessation of suffering is the state that can be achieved through practice. The path means the method of practice. The Three Planes of Existence (ridhatu) are like a burning house. To become a monk and leave the ordinary world is not enough, we should also escape from the home of Three Realms, Six Paths and the Twenty-five States. Everyone can attain the nirupadhishesha-Nirvana through diligent practice.
It is called Truth because, in samvritisatya (the relative truth), the suffering of ordinary beings is real, and no one can transcend suffering. A saying goes: every family has its own difficulty. No matter if one is poor or rich, a beggar or an official, they all have their own suffering. Although their suffering seems different from each other, they have something in common – the bad effects it exerts on their bodies and minds are similar. Only by practicing Dharma can we eliminate suffering. For the sentient beings with Hinayana capacity, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will manifest Himself in the body of a shravakayana to save them.
爱出者爱返，福往者福来。随喜转载，功德无量。