“The Catholic Church in Asia Cares for the Migrants in Taiwan” March 16-19, 2007 - Wencui Center
Welcoming: Kindness and Compassion Towards Foreigners in the Dharma Teaching
Speaker:Most Venerable Hsin Ting,Abbot Emeritus of Fo Guang ShanHis Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, Bishops, distinguished guests, religious leaders, committee members, ladies and gentlemen, good morning to all of you! Today, I am very honored to represent Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of both Fo Guang Shan and Buddha's Light International Association, to provide some suggestions on caring for migrants in Taiwan in accordance with this conference organized by the Catholic Church in Asia. On behalf of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, I would like to thank the organizers for their kind invitation. It is very admirable that the organizer has organized such a meaningful activity, which shows concern to both foreign workers and brides. According to my knowledge, there are many foreigners who are living happily under the care of the government, their employers or family members. However, there are also some who have encountered unfair treatment. Today we shall discuss this topic to draw attention to the relevant issues and to let the world know that Taiwan is a country, which values human rights. I shall now present the perspective of Venerable Master Hsing Yun on “Welcoming: Kindness and Compassion Towards Foreigners in the Dharma Teaching I. The Buddhist Perspective of Morality Buddhism talks about relationships and interactions between parents and children, husband and wife, teachers and students, religious leaders and devotees, relatives and friends, employers and employees etc. Today, we will focus on the interaction between employers and employees. • How should the employer treat the employees? • To allocate work according to the employee's capability. If he does not have the capability required for that particular job, it would be very stressful for him. • To provide sufficient nourishment. • To allocate an appropriate workload and to compensate for overtime worked. • To provide medical care for the employees. • To provide holidays for the employees to rest and relax. • How should the employees treat the employer • Shown up for work on time, don't be tardy. • On a daily basis set goals and strive to achieve them. • Do not steal the employers' property • Commit to working a full day without lazing off • Compliment the employer and nurture mutual respect. Basically, Buddhists believe in cause and effect. We believe that when we are kind to others, we also benefit. In the 1960s, there was a construction worker named Johnson. One day he was busy repairing a road in a small town in Southern Illinois, USA. Suddenly, a police car stopped beside him and a policeman came out from the car and looked very worried. Johnson asked if he could help. The policeman said, “I did not know that this road was under construction. I am rushing to rescue a child who has just swallowed a coin, and it will be too late if I go the other way. What should I do?” “Let's see if I could help you to go through this way”, said Johnson as he created a pathway with sand. The policeman thanked him and carefully drove the car over the temporary path. The policeman arrived on time and helped the child to dislodge the coin from his throat. He also consoled the horrified mother. When the mother thanked him, he said, “You should thank the road worker who created the path for me. Otherwise, I would not have arrived in time save your child.” When Johnson went home that day, he told his wife about what had happened that afternoon. And his wife yelled, “Oh! It's you who helped the policeman and our child!” Johnson realized that by helping others, he had in turn helped his own child. He remembered the saying, “When you have done a good deed, it will return to you when you need it.” As such, Buddhists believe in being good to all beings. At Fo Guang Shan as initiated by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, we practiced this by think good thoughts, do good deeds and speak good words. II. The Buddhist Perspective of Compassion Buddhism emphasizes the spirit of compassion. It is similar to the concept of benevolence in the Chinese culture and the universal love of Christianity. Based on this concept, Buddhists embrace all people. According to Buddhism, compassion is a natural sentiment, which arises from empathy and sympathy. It can be illustrated with the following two aspects: • Dependent origination. The existence of everything in the universe is interdependent. This leads to the perspective of non-self, mutual support, gratitude and the root cause of “compassion”. As the saying goes, “No man is an island”. One cannot live without society and family. Since birth, we rely on our family, society and country for food, clothing, accommodation, transportation, education, career, safety, and benefits. Without these supports, we could hardly survive. Hence, through society, all beings are inter-connected and they have contributed to our growth and development in one way or another. As we are so closely related to one another, we should treat all beings like our parents and siblings and repay their kindness. Therefore, the spirit of compassion arises due to the understanding of equality and coexistence, and the Bodhisattva aspires to provide happiness and to eliminate the suffering of all beings. • Equality From the above we realize the following: we are all dependent on one another from our birth as well as throughout our continued existence. In you there is a reflection of me, and in me there is a reflection of you. Conditions give rise to things, and conditions extinguish things. All things, in their essence, are equally interdependent. If we can comprehend the conditional interdependence of all things then we will be able to understand the equality, which underlies all apparent differences, we will be able to find unity among contradictions. It is a fundamental Buddhist principle that we should respect and treat one another equally, regardless of nationality, race, social class, gender or age. 2500 years ago, the Buddha said, “When rivers run into the sea, they lose their separate names; when the four castes enter into Buddhism, they lose all distinctions among them.” Because of this inherent equality in Buddhism, Buddhists are able to respect all people. After the Buddha became enlightened, his first words were, “All sentient beings have Buddha nature!” Sentient beings have different forms, abilities and conditions due to their karmic effects. Beneath these apparent differences, however, the essential nature of all sentient beings is the same. We should look upon the sufferings of others with the greatest concern and compassion, and we should embrace the ideals of equality and respect whenever we encounter differences between others and ourselves. III. The Buddhist Perspective on Buddha-nature
1.Compassion and Tolerance in Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion, which respects and accommodates all beings, because the Buddha said, “Everyone has the Buddha nature and can become a Buddha”. Therefore, we shall respect and accommodate all beings. For example, Chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra contains the story of “Bodhisattva Never Disparaging”. The “Bodhisattva Never Disparaging” would say to anyone that, "I deeply respect all of you and dare not disparage you. Why? You are all practicing the Bodhisattva Path and shall attain Buddhahood." When people heard that, they jeered, cursed and reviled him, but the “Bodhisattva Never Disparaging” bore all this with patience and continued to say the same to all people. Therefore He was given the name of “Bodhisattva Never Disparaging”. 2. Ordinary people can become saint and sages • Even though Devadatta was harsh on Buddha and hurt Him in numerous lives, the Buddha continued to treat Devadatta as his spiritual friend (kalyanamitra). In the Lotus Sutra , the Buddha said, “I was able to become fully endowed with the six paramitas, perfected the virtues of kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, the thirty-two features, the eighty characteristics….... attained supreme enlightenment and save living beings as a result of Devadatta being my spiritual friend (kalyanamitra)….." • The Buddha converted Angulimala with wisdom and compassion. Angulimala studied under an evil teacher and was ordered to kill 1,000 people and collect their fingers in order to complete the religious practice. After much mental struggle, he started to kill and wore a garland of the fingers to keep track of the number. Therefore he was known as Angulimala (finger garland) and became the terror of the country. Knowing this, the Buddha approached him. When Angulimala saw the Buddha, he set out after the Buddha with his knife raised. But the Buddha kept moving ahead of him. Angulimala just could not catch up with him. Finally, he cried out, "O Bhikkhu, stop, stop!" And the Enlightened One replied, "I have stopped. It is you who have not stopped." Angulimala did not catch the significance of these words, so he asked, "O Bhikkhu! Why do you say that you have stopped while I have not?" The Buddha replied, "I say that I have stopped because I have given up killing all beings. I have given up ill-treating all beings, and have established myself in universal love, patience, and knowledge through reflection. But you have not given up killing or ill-treating others and you are not yet established in universal love and patience. Hence, you are the one who has not stopped." On hearing these words, Angulimala was awakened and repented his evil deeds and joined the monastic order to cultivate the Dharma. 3. The Buddhist Perspective on Bodhi mind The Buddha said in the Diamond Sutra that a Bodhisattva should cultivate the Bodhi Mind, which means to attain Buddhahood and to guide all beings to become Buddhas. The Sutra reads, “All living beings -- whether born from eggs, womb, moisture, or spontaneously; whether with form or without form; whether perception or without perception; or neither with perception nor without perception, we must lead all these beings to the ultimate nirvana so that they can be liberated.” The great love of the Bodhisattva is purified by wisdom with no differentiation of religions or race. He would help all suffering beings and guide them to cease suffering with the Dharma. Wisdom means knowing that men, societies, and countries are inter-related in the past and present time. From air, climate, minerals to internet, we are all interconnected. Therefore, we should respect and love each other. We should help those who suffer with all of our ability. For example, venerables from both Fo Guang Shan and Thailand have shown the spirit of the Bodhisattva as they build orphanages and take care of HIV patients in places like Malawi and Tanzania. Conclusion From the Buddhist perspective of morality, compassion, Buddha nature and cause and effect, Buddhists must respect all of mankind, love them and provide assistance when necessary. Therefore, this is the Buddhists' attitude towards foreigners. Thank you very much! 亞洲天主教會關懷在台灣之移民國際研討會 2007 年 3 月 17 日 主講者： 心定和尚 主題： 談佛教教義有關對外藉人士的歡迎、善待與同情 梵諦岡教廷馬諦尼樞機主教、各位主教、各位貴賓、各位宗教領袖、諸位委員、各位女士、各位先生，大家早安： 今天能夠參加亞洲天主教會關懷在台灣移民國際研討會。深感榮幸我謹代表 星雲大師─佛光山開山以及國際佛光會的倡辦人，來這裡發表一些意見。請各位指教。 在此，先代表星雲大師感謝主辦單位的邀請，同時對於主辦單位，這次主辦這類活動，關心外籍人士，特別是勞工移民或者是外藉新娘（配偶）等。令人敬佩，據我所知，有不少人，來台灣的外籍人士在政府的關心、或雇主、或者家屬們的慈愛照顧之下，也有過得很快樂的，而且也賺了不少錢。當然其中也有受到一些不公平的待遇。 我們今天來針對這些問題提出看法，希望有關的單位能夠注意到這一個層次，讓世界上的人知道台灣是重視人權的一個國家地區。 今天我依 星雲大師所訂的講題：「談佛教教義有關對外藉人士的歡迎、善待與同情」。 第一：從佛教的倫理裡來談一談如何歡迎及善待外籍人士 佛教講到倫理的部分，包括父母如何對帶子女，子女應如何敬順父母，丈夫如何對待妻子，妻子怎麼樣對待丈夫；師長與弟子（學生）如何互相對待；宗教人士與信徒如何互相對待；親戚朋友如何互相對待，老闆主管與員工部屬如何互相對待等，現在只談主管與員工互相對待的倫理。 • 老闆（主管）應如何對待員工 • 依其能力，分配他的工作，有些工作，如果員工沒有那份能力，主管一定要他做，他會很痛苦。 • 給予足夠的飲食，如果又要馬兒跑得快，又要馬兒不吃草是不可以的。 • 給予適當的工作量，累了就應該讓他休息，超出工作的時間，一定要合理的補賞。 • 員工生病應該給予醫療照顧。 • 要有假日，不能長期工作而沒有休息寬鬆的自由時間。 • 員工如何對待老闆（主管） • 不可以遲到、古時候是要比老闆早起床。 • 每天的工作要規劃、計劃，依序完成。 • 不可以偷竊老闆的金錢財物。 • 按照時間作務，不可偷懶。 • 對老闆主人要常讚美。 如果老闆與員工都能互守倫理，勞資?方，一定和諧相處。 基本上，佛教是講因果的，我們待人好，人也會待我們好，甚至你幫助人，切反而受益的 自己，例如 1960 年代末期，美國伊利諾州南部的一個小鎮上，修路工人約翰生上正在忙著，突然有一輛警車停下，一名警官下車來，很焦急地說一聲 ﹕「糟了！」約翰生於是從推土機走下來，問那警官有什?急事？ 「我不知道這兒在修路，我趕著去救一名把硬幣吞到喉裏的孩子。我要是繞道，可能來不及救他了，這該怎?辦呢？ 」 「我來試試看，能不能為你開出一條便道，只要你小心開過去，也許可以趕上救這孩子。」 約翰生邊說邊上了推土機的駕駛台，用力推下一方黃土，然後立即調頭回來再推下另一方黃土，一條簡單的便道修好了。那警官連聲說：「多謝！」小心翼翼地把車子開過去，上了路，飛馳而去。 警官及時趕到目的地，安撫了驚惶失措的母親，便趕緊在孩子的背猛地拍一下，卡在他喉嚨裡的硬幣應聲噴了出來，還在地板上打了幾個轉。驚魂甫定的媽媽向警官連聲道謝。 「你應該去謝謝開推土機的先生，如果他不為我開路，我也趕不及來救你的孩子。」說罷，警官告辭了。 約翰生下班回去，興致勃勃地對太太講述中午在工地發生的事情。他的妻子聽了，大聲叫道﹕「天哪！原來是你幫助那位警官，及時救了我們的孩子！」 故事結束了，約翰生才明白幫助別人救人，倒救了自己的孩子！他記起了一句箴言﹕「有時候你做了好事，到頭來當你需要救助時，當真會發生奇蹟。」 所以說佛教是主張善待一切人的，星雲大師說，存好心、做好事、說好話！ 第二：從慈悲的根源來談歡迎與善待外籍人士 怎麼樣子來善待外藉人士，同情外藉人士，歡迎外藉人士。在這裡說明佛教慈悲的根源，就可以很清楚的知道佛教是歡迎所有的人，所以慈悲是佛教的根本。也可以說與中國文化的仁愛，基督文化的博愛是相同的。 依佛法說慈悲是契合事理流露的，從共同意識而泛起的同情。這可從兩方面說： • 從緣起相的相關性說世間的一切－－物質、心識、生命，都不是獨立的，是相依相成的緣起法。再依託種種因緣和合而成為現實的存在中，表現為各體的、獨立的活動這猶如結成的網結 網結一樣，實在是關係的存在。關係的存在，看來雖營為個體與獨立的活動，其實受著關係的決定，離了關係是不能存在的。世間的一切，本來如此；眾生，人類，也同樣的如此。所以從這樣的緣起事實，而成為人生觀，即是無我的人生觀，互助的人生觀，知恩報恩的人生觀，也就是慈悲為本的人生觀。單依現生來說，人是不能離社會而生存的。除了家庭的共同關係不說，衣食住藥，都由農工的生產原料，加工製造，由商賈的轉運供給；知識與技能的學習，學問與事業的成功，都靠著師友的助成。社會秩序的維持，公共事業的推行，安內攘外，一切都靠著政府的政治與軍事。如沒有這些因緣的和合，我們一天、一刻也難以安樂的生存。擴大來看，另一國家，另一民族，到這個時代，更證明了思想與經濟的息息相關。甚至非人類的眾生，對於我們的生存利樂，也有著直接或間接的關係。人與人間，眾生間，是這樣的密切相關，自然會生起或多或少的同情。同情，依於共同意識，即覺得彼此間有一種關係，有一種共同；由此而有親愛的關切，生起與樂或拔苦的慈悲心行。這是現實人間所易於了解的。如從生死的三世流轉來說，一切眾生，從無始以來，都與自己有著非常密切的關係，過著共同而密切的生活，都是我的父母，我的兄弟姊妹，我的夫婦兒女。一切眾生，對我都有恩德－「父母恩」「眾生恩」「國家（王）恩」，「三寶恩」。所以從菩薩的心境看來，一切眾生，都「如父如母，如兄如弟，如姊如妹，和樂相向」。在佛的心境中，「等視眾生如羅?羅」（佛之子）。這種共同意識，不是狹隘的家庭，國族，人類；更不是同一職業，同一階層，同一區域，同一學校，同一理想，同一宗教，或同一敵人。而是從自他的展轉關係，而達到一切眾生的共同意識，因而發生利樂一切眾生（慈），救濟一切眾生（悲）的報恩心行。慈悲（仁、愛），為道德的根源，為道德的最高準繩，似乎神秘，而實是人心的映現緣起法則而流露的關切的同情。 .從緣起性的平等性來說 再從緣起性的平等性來說：緣起法是重重關係，無限的差別。這些差別的現象，都不是獨立的、實體的存在。所以從緣起法而深入到底裡，即通達一切法的無自性，而體現平等一如的法性。這一味平等的法性，不是神，不是屬此屬彼，是一一緣起法的本性。從這法性一如去了達緣起法時，不再單是相依相成的關切，而是進一步的無二無別的平等。大乘法說：眾生與佛平等，一切眾生都有成佛的可能性，這都從這法性平等的現觀中得來。在這平等一如的心境中，當然發生「同體大悲」。有眾生在苦迫中，有眾生迷妄而還沒有成佛，這等於自己的苦迫，自身的功德不圓滿。大乘法中，慈悲利濟眾生的心行，盡未來際而不已，即由於此。一切眾生，特別是人類，不但由於緣起相的相依共存而引發共同意識的仁慈，而且每每是無意識地，直覺得對於眾生，對於人類的苦樂共同感。無論對自，無論對他，都有傾向於平等，傾向於和同，有著同一根源的直感與渴仰。慈悲，不是超人的、分外的，只是人心契當於事理真相的自然的流露。（節錄自學佛三要） 從這兩點說明，慈悲的根源，就知道佛教是對待一切眾生，不只是平等，而且是善待與同情的。 第三：從人人皆有佛性來說明，佛教是善待所有外藉人士 佛教是尊重一切眾生，愛護一切眾生的宗教。因為佛陀說人人皆有佛性，人人皆當成佛。 第一項是人人皆當成佛，從佛教的慈悲寬容，所以對所有的人，都要尊重包容。 例如法華經常不輕菩薩品第二十記載， 有一菩薩比丘，名「常不輕」，因為他見到任何人都禮拜讚歎，他說：「我深敬汝等，不敢輕慢，為什麼？因為您們都行菩薩道，將來都會成佛。」或說：「我不敢輕於汝等，汝等皆當作佛。」 眾人之中，有人生瞋恚心，惡口罵詈說：「這沒有智慧的比丘，從那裡來的？嘴巴常說：『我不輕汝等，而為我等授記。當得作佛。』 我們不需要這種虛妄的授記。」一年又一年，常不輕菩薩比丘，常被罵詈，不生瞋恚，仍然常說：「汝當作佛。」講這種話時，就會有人拿棍子打他，或拿石頭、瓦片打他，他雖一面避開，但仍然大聲說：「我不敢輕於汝等，汝等皆當作佛。」因為這樣，所以眾人就稱他為「常不輕」。 第二項是凡夫皆能成聖賢。 （一） 提婆達多不論是今生對佛陀的傷害或過去世中，對佛陀的苛求，佛陀仍然稱提婆達多是他的善知識。法華經中，佛陀說：「由提婆達多善知識故，令我具足六波羅蜜，慈悲喜捨，三十二相 ……成等正覺，廣度眾生，皆因提婆達多善知識故…。」 （二）佛陀以勇敢、智慧與慈悲，度化鴦掘摩。鴦掘摩受邪師教授，殺百人取其指做指 鬘 ，可成道業，因此鴦掘摩於十字街口狂殺無辜百姓，直到九十九人，無人敢走近此街道。 佛獲悉此事，即刻前往。鴦掘摩 一見沙門，即刻追殺，然盡其力狂奔亦追趕不到佛陀，就大聲喝斥沙門停止下來，佛陀說：「我早停止，而你不止。」鴦掘摩說：「你正飛行，云何說已止？佛說：「我定力成就，智慧成就，已息貪瞋癡，心早已止，汝心愚痴，狂殺不止。」鴦掘摩心即醒悟，棄劍于地，稽首世尊，願出家為沙門，佛陀慈悲，引導回祇園精舍，使其落髮，現比丘相，一心修道。 第四：從修菩提心說，佛教是歡迎與善待外籍人士的 金剛經中佛陀說：菩薩的心要安住在菩提心上，所謂菩提心，是要度一切眾生成佛，自己也要成佛，經文說：「所有一切眾生之類 ? 若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生；若有色，若無色；若有想，若無想，若非有想非無想，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。」 菩薩的情，是以智慧淨化了的，所以沒有地域、種族的分別，只要有痛苦的眾生，他都要一一去解救，令他離苦得樂，所謂智慧，就是知道人與人之間，從過去到現在，從一人到多人，從一家到一社會，從一社會到一國家，從一國家到全世界，每天都彼此有關係的，空氣物質，氣候農產品、礦物、網路、網站，全球都有連帶關係的，一定要彼此尊重愛護，有痛苦的，能力所及，就應該去救護，例如：佛光山的法師、泰國的比丘、在馬拉威、坦薩尼亞等非洲國家，建孤兒院，專門撫育一些愛滋病父母死後留下的小孩。泰國玉佛寺的比丘，細心照顧愛滋病患者，還有寺院照顧愛滋病父母留下的小孩。
結論 從佛教的倫理觀、慈悲觀、佛性觀、因果觀，等等的理論說明佛教對所有的人都應當尊重，愛護並且給予保護與幫助，這也是我們佛教對於外籍人士的態度。 謝謝大家 |