The Cultivation of Bodhi—II
實相念佛的特殊性，需要累積特殊資糧條件，及完善修行方法。修實相念佛的五種資糧，與修空觀同義的實相念佛，如果沒有相應的資糧和條件，普通人是無法修入的。
那麼應該具備什麼資糧與條件，才可以修持呢？概況約有五種：
- 親近通達空性的善知識，如果沒有合格的善知識，靠自己是無法通達深奧的空觀思想，而不了解空性，是無法修持實相念佛的。
- 聽聞空性正見的經論，跟隨善知識聽聞闡釋空性正見的經論，一般是以佛陀授記之龍樹論師為代表的中觀經論。
- 縝密思考所聞道理，由於空性正理的深邃及抽象性，單靠聽聞尚無法完全了悟，因此必須依據教義和邏輯運行、深入的思考。
- 勤修集資淨障法門，佛教認為，對於高深的空性道理，如果沒有足夠的福慧資糧，無法正確理解。因此集資淨障，也是通過空性必不可少的方法。
- 祈求善知識及三寶加持，三寶具有無限的威力，如果能虔誠祈請，會獲得加持。
如將這五種資糧歸納起來，就是兩點，先要具備通達空性正見的思想和累積福慧資糧的互補互輔。但最核心的關鍵，還是要先通達緣起性空的道理，方能在具體修行中實相念佛。
所謂緣起，就是說世間上沒有獨立存在的東西，也沒有常住不變的東西，一切都是因緣和合所生起。
所謂性空，就是說因緣和合所生起的假有，本性是空的，如果自性不空，則是假有。
緣起性空是宇宙人生的真理，世間上的森羅萬象，山河大地、花草樹木，乃至微塵沙礫等，都是因緣和合而生，也都將隨著因緣分散而滅。
因此，我們眼睛所看到的一切現象∼有，都是緣起而有。因為緣起所生，它的本性都是∼空。因此，學佛之人，所聞所修：
經論∼是聽聞空性正見的經論。
道理∼是縝密思考所聞道理。
善知識∼是親近通達空性的善知識。
資糧道∼是勤修淨障法門為資糧。
三寶∼是祈求善知識及三寶加持。
有了五種資糧的輔助，修持實相念佛時，就能夠比較容易到達目的地。
資料來源：心靈甘露(四)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平。
The Cultivation of Bodhi—II
What’s special about the real form mindfulness of Buddhas is that it takes the accumulation of specific sambharas (capitals) and complete ways of cultivation. When it comes to the real form mindfulness of Buddhas, ordinary people may fail to cultivate and enter it if without corresponding sambharas and conditions.
The required sambharas and conditions for such a cultivation include:
- A spiritual practitioner should stay close to virtuous friends who can penetrate the nature of emptiness. If without qualified virtuous friends, he won’t be able to penetrate the profound ideas of emptiness. He cannot cultivate the real form mindfulness of Buddhas if he does not understand the nature of emptiness.
- A spiritual practitioner should hear the discourse on emptiness and right views which is generally based on the medium view of Nāgārjuna’s Talk on Teachers bestowed by the Buddha.
- A spiritual practitioner should carefully think about the principles he hears of. Because the right principles of emptiness are profound and abstract, one may not completely realize by hearing only. He has to think about them deeply according to doctrines and logic.
- A spiritual practitioner should diligently cultivate the dharma approaches of accumulating sambharas and purifying obstacles. Buddhism holds that without sufficient sambharas of blessings and wisdom, one cannot correctly understand the deep principles of emptiness. Therefore, accumulating sambharas and purifying obstacles are inevitable methods to realize emptiness.
- A spiritual practitioner should implore virtuous friends and the Three Treasures that are extremely powerful to reinforce. If he can sincerely do so, he will definitely get the reinforcement.
In conclusion, a spiritual practitioner should be equipped with the concept of penetrating emptiness and right views as well as the sambharas of blessings and wisdom. But the core thing is to penetrate the reasons of affinity arising and the emptiness of the nature so that he can do the real form mindfulness of Buddhas in his concrete cultivation.
The arising of affinities means that nothing can exist independently and nothing can remain unchanged forever in this world. Everything comes into being by the matching of affinities.
The emptiness of nature means that the false existence coming from the matching of affinities is empty in nature. If the self-nature of something is not empty, then it is false existence.
The arising of affinities and the emptiness of nature are the truths in the universe. All phenomena in this world, including mountains, rivers, earth, flowers, weeds, trees, and even dusts and sands, are formed by the matching of affinities and will be extinct with the separation of affinities.
Hence, all the existences we see come into being with the arising of affinities. Their nature is empty because they are formed by the arising of affinities. So, what a Buddhist practitioner should hear and cultivate is:
- Discourses on emptiness and right views
- Principles that need careful thinking
- Virtuous friends that may help stay close to and penetrate into emptiness
- Sambharas that may help cultivate the approach of cleansing hindrances
- Three Treasures with which as well as virtuous friends one may implore reinforcement
It will be easier to reach the destination with the assistance of the five Sambharas in the cultivation of the real form mindfulness of Buddhas.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. IV), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.