道場聖刊      經典寶藏

2.  Why Do We Need to acquire the message of Tao?

『道』究竟是什麼？竟然可以讓孔子贊嘆說：「朝聞道，夕死可矣！」，也就是說：「能透徹宇宙間萬事萬物的道理，能無為而無所不為，見到自己的佛，返復自然，即使人生如曇 花一現，也了無遺憾」。

What exactly is Tao? It let Master Confucious praised and marvelled, “If one learned about Tao in the morning, would have no regret even if one passed away in the evening.' In other words, if one understands the truth of all things and beings in the Universe; can handle all things naturally, just follow the Buddha nature within. In that case, one has no regrets even if short-lived as the flower Epiphyllum.

老子說：「大道無形，生育天地；大道無情，運行日月;大道無名， 長養萬物。」。因此我們得知，『道』就是無極的真理，就是天地造化的根源，就是萬物生生不息的總元素。『道』在儒家稱之為「天命」，佛家謂之「金剛」、「如是」，道家稱之「谷神」、「性」、「物」、「精」等，稱呼祂的名字雖然很多，但指的都是這個生化一切萬物的源頭。

     Lao-tze said, 'The Great Tao is formless and created Heaven and Earth; the Great Tao is not sentimental, it runs the sun and moon; the Great Tao has no a name, yet it nurtures all things. Thus, the Great Tao is the eternal  truth; it is the source for the creation of Heaven and Earth；it is the constituent element of all the everlasting beings. In Confucianism, Tao is called the 'Heavenly Mandate’. In Buddhism, it is described as the 'Golden Diamond' as in Diamond Sutra, ‘such-ness’. The Taoists call it 'Spirit of the Valley ', 'nature’, 'matter' or 'essence' etc. Although it is named by many names, they all refer to the origin of all things.

『道』的作用，在人與萬物之間都可以體察明白。

The function of Tao between human and all things can be clearly understood.

道賦予人的身上曰「性」，人初生，父精母血陰陽交媾一點受胎之時，即是得此「道」而為人之「性」，人若沒有此「道」在身上為「性」，就無法生存，換句話說，人有生命就是因為有「道」，有「天理元素」在人的身上，所以說：「性在人在，性去人亡」。因為此元素本身具備了五行之氣，所以人的身體髮膚、肌肉筋骨、五臟腸肚、耳目口鼻手足、神經六感便可以一一化育出來。我們再細觀大自然的種種，山嶽、河海、霓虹、花草、樹木，都充滿了無限變化的奧妙，即使再怎樣精巧的工匠，也無法創造出具有生命的東西，這個就是道的作用。因此我們可以知道，道的功用是至神至靈、非比尋常，是無以替代的。

When ‘Tao’ is bestowed on a man, it becomes ‘Nature’ in the man. During copulation, a father's sperm (Yang) meets mother's blood (Yin), join in ‘One’, the embryo. It is the essence of ‘Tao’, or the ‘Nature’ in the new born life. The ‘Tao’ is the ‘Nature’ in the foetus.  Without this Tao bestowed on human, he will not survive. In other words, a man is able to live because of this Tao or the <element of Heaven> inside. Therefore, we say, “With nature man lives. Without nature man dies.” Because of this element, man himself is equipped with the <qi> in the five  elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Hence, man's body, hair and skin, muscles, flesh and bones; internal organs, belly, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hands and feet including the nerves and sixth sense are produced. Let us take a good look at the natural world: the hills, rivers, oceans, rainbow, flowers and grass, plants and trees are all filled with the infinite subtleties of changes. Even the finest craftsmen are unable to create such living things. These are the function of Tao. Thus, we should be aware that the function of Tao is the utmost sacred and holy, unique and irreplaceable. 

這樣說來，每個人的身上就已經有道的存在了，為什麼我們還要來求道呢？

In that case, since Tao exists in each and everyone of us, why do we still need to acquire the message of Tao?

九蓮聖經云：「自性本道，求道則失道對待，非重新求得之道。」

According to the Sutra of Nine Lotus, “Our nature is Tao. But we lost it because our mind became judgemental knowledge of good and evil, and we had to be awakened and realize it again. We did not get a new ‘Tao’ at all.”  

【聖經舊約創世記2:16：「 耶和華神吩咐他說、園中各樣樹上的果子、你可以隨意喫。」創世記2:17：「只是分別善惡樹上的果子、你不可喫、因為你喫的日子必定死。」】

 (此段聖經經文，原中文版没有，由奕德附加，給基督教信徒作参考。)

As stated in the book of Genesis of the Holy Bible, Gen 2:16, “And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; “  Gen 2:17, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."}

(以上是由奕德附加的英譯部份。)

人之初，所得之先天一理即是『道』，此一理形於玄關之處。道的先天一理散為萬殊，胎兒於母腹中孕育，十月造化成熟，呱然一聲落地，臍帶剪斷，先天炁收，後天陰陽二氣由口鼻而入。「性」既然由上天所賦予，當然也就具備了上帝的特質，所以初生嬰兒縱使帶著累劫習性，但其還是良善的，餓的時候就哭嚎，不舒服即哭鬧，此乃是本然天性不思善不思惡的作用，也就是儒家所講的「性心身一貫」，道家所說的「大道流行」，一切如此之自然，沒有造作妄想之心。

At birth, the inner essence of man in his natural state “One”, is named “Tao”, which is developed at the Mistic Portal. The innate quality “One” of Tao disseminated into many different entities. It takes ten months for the fetus in mother's womb to get fully developed physically. With a cry, a new-born baby is born. When the umbilical cord was cut off the baby, the innate energy retreats and the postnatal energy of Yin and Yang gets in through the mouth and nose. The new born baby pertains the original nature and cries when he is hungry and throws a tantrum when he is uncomfortable. This is his innate tendency which is natural, free from the judgemental thoughts of good and evil. It is what the Confucian school refers to; one's nature, mind and body are consistently harmonious accordingly. Taoist school is; “the prevalence of the Great Tao.” Everything is natural, neither pretentious nor delusional.

但後來智識漸開，人心用事，甘食悅色，六根六塵交引而妄起識念分別，受氣稟所拘、物慾所蔽，逐漸迷昧了本來純真善良的天性，將原本無邪的心放之、失之，忘卻了赤子之心，從此生生死死，不知生從何來、死從何去。

However, with the advance of knowledge, man gradually follows the judgemental mind, succumbing to temptations of good taste and appearance. As the six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, sense) tempted by and attached to the six causes of impurities (color, sound, smell, taste, touch, thoughts). By following their desires, constrained by their greediness, they would gradually get lost from their original nature, let go their conscience and get lost. Henceforth, we lost our pure innocent heart when we were born.  We will go through the suffering of life and death, unaware of where we originally came from, and where to return upon death. 

祖師在九蓮聖經也明確開示了人為什麼會輪迴生死：「生死事大，人皆不知生來死去之道，昧失本真，輪轉不停，只因不知二種根源，故有輪轉。一則無始自然清淨本源，二則生死輪迴相續種子。」

In the Classics of Nine Lotus, the Patriarch clearly reveals why man fell in reincarnation, “Life and death is a major issue; yet man are unaware of the two types of sources; One is the natural and tranquil source with no beginning.  Two  is the seeds of continuous reincarnation.”

所以道在我們身上，我們本來就是佛，我們的心流露出來的行為應該都是純善無惡的，上古時候人人有道，率性自然，但六萬年來，我們忘卻本心，以氣質人心做事，而淪落四生六道之中，轉了又轉，所以今天來求道的目的，就是要回復上古時那個良善，那個自然清淨的本然面目，以天理良心做事。

Therefore, we have to realize that Tao is within us, we ourselves are originally Buddha. Whatever actions originated from our mind were all innocently pure, free of evil. In the distant past, everyone lived in Tao, just follow the original nature naturally. However, ever since sixty thousand years ago, we forgot our original nature. Now, as we follow our temperament and polluted mind, fell into four ways of birth and six domains of samsara, revolving time and again. Therefore, the purpose of acquiring the message of Tao today is to return to the original pure nature, live according to the truth and conscience. 

然而要找回那顆萬善之心，豈是這般容易？所幸現今上天慈悲，大開普度，我們得以在一代祖師門下，讓明師以真理引導我們，讓我們明白自性的根源，讓我們明白道德良知，明理去做，不再造生死業，不會再受四生六道輪迴果報，一心清淨，百年之後可以回到上天老母娘那裡，這就是我們要求道的原因。

However, to recover that ultimate good mind is not easy! Fortunately, the Universal Salvation has been opened to the world as the Tao descended to household level. Under the guidance of the present Patriarch with the Truth, let us understand the origin of our true selves, our morality and conscience. Thus, we will live according to the Truth, neither be bonded by life and death, nor be subjected to the four ways of birth and six domains of samsara. With a clear and serene mind, after one's lifetime, one can then return to our Heavenly Mother in Heaven. Indeed, this is the reason why we have to acquire the message of Tao.