The Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment are a set of fundamental teachings of Buddhism in the form of a list. The list’s seeming simplicity belies the fact that it is in fact a kind of road map to enlightenment for anyone who follows it with diligence and sincerity. The Thirty-seven Aids comprise seven practices conducive to awakening. Each of the seven practices is itself a set of elements, which add up to the total of thirty-seven: (1) The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, (2) The Four Proper Exertions, (3) The Four Steps to Magical Powers, (4) The Five Roots, (5) The Five Powers, (6) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and (7) The Noble Eightfold Path. Master Sheng Yen’s down-to-earth teachings take the reader on a progression through each of the practices—many of which are familiar to all major schools of Buddhism—illustrating how they relate to the reader’s own practice on the path toward enlightenment.
法鼓山之美II The Beauty of Dharma Drum Mountain 法華之美‧溪流之美 The Beauty of the Lotus Bell and Streams 一進入法鼓山世界佛教教育園區,便能感受到人間淨土的力量。每一處都充滿悠然禪味,每一步都讓人感到安心自在,可以靜觀天地 萬物的蓬勃生機,體驗清淨心靈,這便是最自然的境教陶冶。 Enter the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education, where you can feel the power of a pure land on earth. Where every inch of ground is infused with the flavor of Chan, and every step brings peace and ease. Contemplate the vitality of nature, and experience a purity of soul, in the most natural environment for personal learning and cultivation. 1.法華之美 The Beauty of the Lotus Bell 矗立在法鼓山的法華鐘,是整部《法華經》的縮影,融合了古今名家的書法和繪畫藝術,堪稱傳統工藝與現代科技的完美結合,古樸莊重,不僅是法鼓山的鎮山之寶,也是世界級的藝術創作作品。 Situated on Dharma Drum Mountain, the Lotus Bell, cast with the entire text of the Lotus Sutra, features calligraphy and painting by prominent artists in a perfect marriage of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. Simple and dignified, it is a treasure of Dharma Drum Mountain and a world-class work of art. 2.溪流之美 Beauty of the Streams 法鼓山園區有法印溪和曹源溪雙溪環抱,匯流成龍溪,淙淙溪水,終年不竭。法鼓山不但以護岸工程保護山林野溪,並巧用溪流沖刷而下的石塊布置園區,形成渾然天成美景。無論是聽溪、觀瀑、賞 水、經行、禪坐,都是體驗生活禪味的絕佳場景。 The Dharma Drum Mountain complex is surrounded by the sound of Fayin Stream and Caoyuan Stream, which converge to form Dragon Stream. Dharma Drum Mountain has preserved the forest and streams with a river-bank protection project, and used stones washed down by the streams to create a beautifully natural and scenic landscape. Whether listening to the stream, watching the waterfalls, admiring the water, or sitting in meditation on a rock, the complex is an ideal environment to experience Chan in daily life.
To my knowledge there are no anthologies of Ch’an poetry in Chinese, Japanese or English which describe in detail the method of practice and the experience of Ch’an Furthermore, there are few prose sources in English dealing with the same topics On the other hand, there are numerous books in English that relate the episodes of the kung-ans(koans)The prevailing view that comes from reading these stories is that the practice of Ch’an is methodless, and since there is no way to describe the experience of Ch’an, it is suggested that we just go ahead and practice by studying the kung-ans The purpose of these poems is different in that they specifically show you how to practice, what attitudes to cultivate and what pitfalls to beware of Finally, they attempt to describe the ineffable experience of Ch’an itself These poems flow directly from the minds of the enlightened Ch’an masters; we get a glimpse into their experience at the time of, and after their enlightenment In contrast, in reading a kung-an we get an objective story of what happened and we don’t really know what was in their minds. It is my hope that this collection of poems will give those who are interested in the practice a new way of looking at Ch’an and a more balanced view of the scope of Ch’an literature The present selection is offered to make this tradition available to Western readers who may otherwise not be aware of their existence.