為什麼學佛

學佛的目的非常簡單，讓自己擁有看清事物的本質的智慧，並在此基礎上以佛陀的教導指導日常生活，讓自己免於墮落，或者說最大限度的避苦。

佛陀在經藏里說，只要是人，他就必須面對八種世事變遷「eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain",翻譯過來就是「得到和失去、毀譽和讚譽、責備和讚美、快樂和痛苦」。世事無常，無論你現在過的多麼滋潤無論現在多麼的富有，這八種世事的變遷都要經歷，這是不以人的意志而轉移的定法，當然，還有誰都必須獨自面對的生老病死。如果沒有任何的保護或者指導，我們很容易受到傷害，下面摘抄《增支部》里的一篇經文，翻譯的不好。

17 (7) Protector (1)

「Bhikkhus, live under a protector, not without a protector. One without a protector lives in suffering. There are these ten qualities that serve as a protector， What ten?

比庫們，沒有保護的生活是痛苦的，有10種品質可以把它作為對自己的保護，哪10種呢？（下面依次列出）

(1) 「Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. Since a bhikkhu is virtuous … trains in them, this is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個正直、善良、有道德的比庫，守持好Pātimokkha戒（這是一種針對比庫的戒律），做好事，安好心，即使是很微小的過錯也要看到它所隱藏的危險和過患（千里之提潰於蟻穴）

(2) 「Again, a bhikkhu has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—such teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, investigated mentally, and penetrated well by view. Since a bhikkhu has learned much … and penetrated well by view, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個博學的比庫，把學到的善知識記在心裡，朗誦學到的善知識，不斷的在心裡審視它、理解它。

(3) 「Again, a bhikkhu has good friends, [24] good companions, good comrades. Since a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個擁有良師益友的比庫，擁有好的同伴，好的同志。

(4) 「Again, a bhikkhu is easy to correct and possesses qualities that make him easy to correct; he is patient and receives instruction respectfully. Since a bhikkhu is easy to correct … and receives instruction respectfully, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個有耐心聽別人勸誡，開明的比庫。（不要頑固不化）

(5) 「Again, a bhikkhu is skillful and diligent in attending to the diverse chores that are to be done for his fellow monks; he possesses sound judgment about them in order to carry out and arrange them properly。Since a bhikkhu is skillful and diligent … this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個幹練、勤奮、敏銳能很好為自己的同伴處理日常瑣事的比庫。

(6) 「Again, a bhikkhu loves the Dhamma and is pleasing in his assertions, filled with a lofty joy pertaining to the Dhamma and discipline.1980 Since a bhikkhu loves the Dhamma … this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個喜歡佛法，親近佛法，樂于堅持自己信仰的比庫。

(7) 「Again, a bhikkhu has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and acquiring wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. Since a bhikkhu has aroused energy … not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector. [25]

做一個能努力改掉自己壞習性並培養好習性的堅定、不鬆懈的比庫。

(8) 「Again, a bhikkhu is content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick. Since a bhikkhu is content with any kind of …provisions for the sick, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個對何種衣物、食物、住所、藥物都容易感到滿足的比庫。

(9) 「Again, a bhikkhu is mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and alertness, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. Since a bhikkhu is mindful … and recollects what was done and said long ago, this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.、

做一個專註、警覺、細心的比庫，就算是很久以前做的事、說的話也能記住。

(10) 「Again, a bhikkhu is wise; he possesses the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. Since a bhikkhu is wise … this, too, is a quality that serves as a protector.

做一個擁有智慧的比庫，擁有滅苦的如實觀察萬物生滅的智慧。

學佛其實是對自己的一種保護，為什麼這麼說呢，古人說「人心惟危，道心惟微」，佛陀在《增支部》里也表達過同樣的意思，

「Brahmin, (1) the destruction of life is the near shore, abstention from the destruction of life the far shore. (2)Taking what is not given is the near shore, abstention from taking what is not given the far shore. (3) Sexual misconduct is the near shore, abstention from sexual misconduct the far shore. (4) False speech is the near shore, abstention from false speech the far shore. (5) Divisive speech is the near shore, abstention from divisive speech the far shore. (6) Harsh speech is the near shore, abstention from harsh speech the far shore. (7) Idle chatter is the near shore, abstention from idle chatter the far shore. (8) Longing is the near shore, nonlonging

the far shore. (9) Ill will is the near shore, good will the far shore. (10) Wrong view is the near shore, right view the far shore. The one, brahmin, is the near shore, the other the far shore.」 [253]」

在墮落和自律、自省之間，在善與惡之間，選擇前者要比選擇後者容易的多，如果沒有任何信念或者指導，人總是偏向於墮落。在之前的『經藏中的宇宙』這篇文章里，大家應該可以看到『人以群分，物以類聚』的規律。學佛的一個很大的作用是，它能時時刻刻提醒我們不要被事物的表象所迷惑，要清楚地知道自己當前做為一個人的真實處境，提醒我們要面對的無法迴避的問題，過一種清醒、能導向善趣的生活，做一個有智慧的人。

很喜歡佛陀在經藏里說過的一個比喻。很久以前，在海上航行的船往往會在船上帶上一隻烏鴉，當這條船航行在茫茫大海里長時間找不到靠岸的海島的時候，他們就解開繩子放飛這隻烏鴉，如果烏鴉會飛回到這條船上，那說明方圓很遠的地方都沒有陸地，烏鴉飛了很長時間都找不到歇腳的地方，它不得不重新飛回到這條船上。我覺得我們就像那烏鴉，而佛法就像那條船。為什麼分裂僧團甚至想殺害佛陀的提婆達多會在死前重新皈依佛陀，是因為他也像那隻烏鴉一樣，除了佛法和佛陀，他找不到能歇腳能給他帶來安慰的地方。