以金剛乘的觀點談供養－敏卓林堪千仁波切官方部落格 ─ 敏林堪千仁波切的達瑪師利語自在秘密宮殿

佛教徒依循大乘與金剛乘觀點的供養方式：1.供養的對境 2.供養的基礎──心 3供養之所依 4.供養的因 5.供養的功德

供養的行為本身並不是重點。以良善的發心進行供養，則供養的行為是微小或是廣大並不重要。

供養的對境─三寶：佛、法、僧，以及一位你曾自其領受佛法教授或是任何關於做個良善個人指導師長。

任何供養的基礎─就是發心或是以良善、純淨的心，具意樂以進行供養。

對我們而言，最寶貴的是身、語、意三門，故可以藉由追隨佛陀的道路，以各種不同的方式幫助眾生來供養自己的身語意 .

供養之後不應有後悔之心。繼續去過日常的生活，不要去回想或想知道會有什麼結果，抑或懷疑供養的對境。知名的印度聖人卡拉達（Kalidas）曾說：「從事善行但不要老想著結果，就只是丟開它。」丟開它意味著不應該持續在心中想著它。

尊貴的敏林堪千仁波切應不丹虔敬信眾之祈請，於2013/11/29飛抵不丹展開數日的弘法行程。 ( Amiitayus Long Life by H.E. Minling Khenchen Rinpoche At Jimenna,Thimphu 2013/12/1 )

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以金剛乘的觀點談供養

總體而言，供養或佈施在所有的宗教中都為人所熟悉，咸被認為是一種修持的方式，同時也被認為是一種良善或是能累積福德的行為。

在每一種宗教中有著許多不同的方式進行供養。然而由於我們正在談論著佛教徒依循大乘與金剛乘觀點的供養方式，

容我分類如下：

1.供養的對境 2.供養的基礎──心

3供養之所依 4.供養的因 5.供養的功德

供養的對境─三寶：佛、法、僧，以及一個你曾自其領受佛法教授或是任何關於做個良善個人指導師長。

任何供養的基礎─就是發心或是以良善、純淨的心，具意樂以進行供養。具意樂進行供養的純淨之心，意味著不是被強迫，或是意圖模仿他人。

供養之所依─應該是自己認為最好及最珍貴者。

供養的因─不是僅僅為了自身的利益。

所有的眾生唯一的願望就是免於痛苦，抑或僅自人類來看：吾人皆欲求更好的生活，成功、無痛苦、舒適的一生，於是所作所為的目的亦是如此。故而此即吾人向三寶供養的理由，藉由供養功德的力量，願所有的眾生自痛苦中解脫，並且滿足其希欲願求。倘若具有如斯發心，不僅自獲其益，同時也能饒益許多眾生，而最終能夠成就對自己最大的利益。如果只是為了個人利益而進行供養，其結果只會侷限於個人，不會增上。如若發心有如虛空般，或是廣大普及於所有有情眾生，那麼供養的功德或利益就會持續令所有有情的希欲願求獲得滿足。

外在的行為是非常令人難以看穿的，因為沒有人能瞭解行為背後的意圖。這背後的意圖可能是純淨的，或為相反。所以沒有必要只看到外在行為就感到驚訝。真正的關鍵在於外在行為背後的意圖或是動機。如果動機是良善的，但外在行為看起來卻是不怎麼好的話，沒什麼好擔心的，也構不成一個問題。在經典中提到許多蘊含純淨動機，但外相看起來卻不怎麼好的例子。

我們要如何了知發心為善或為惡？

沒有人能比自己更能洞悉自心，如果謹慎地返自內省，檢視自己的動機是純淨且正確，或是不帶有個人利益，那麼這就是良善的動機。所以心的狀況只有自己最清楚，如果心的狀況帶給你滿足或是讓你覺得快樂，就是好的動機。在任何儀式或任何你正在進行的個人佛法修持中，動機非常重要。任何供養的基礎，是產生功德或是不符合大乘、金剛乘，端賴於己之動機。倘若動機不正確，無論我們所做的任何行為，其不論大小，並不會有什麼不同，而形成一種浪費。

供養的行為本身並不是重點。以良善的發心進行供養，則供養的行為是微小或是廣大並不重要。供養所依物有兩種，其一是屬於自己所有之物，其二是非己所有之物。如果想進行供養但卻身無長物，則可以美麗的青空、花朵、花香、陽光、旋律動人的歌聲等以進行供養。對我們而言，最寶貴的是身、語、意三門，故可以藉由追隨佛陀的道路，以各種不同的方式幫助眾生來供養自己的身體；語的方面，藉由唸誦祈請文或只是用簡單的方式以告訴他人有益的話語來進行供養。心的方面，對所有有情眾生生起慈悲心也是一種供養。以佛教的用語，五大聚合是可以拿來進行供養的。

供養之後不應有後悔之心。倘若如此，會有火燒功德林的結果，於是無法利益任何人，包括自己。

一旦進行供養之後，就別再放在心上，繼續去過日常的生活，不要去回想或想知道會有什麼結果，抑或懷疑供養的對境。例如向一位師長供養之後，就對這位師長縈繞著一堆問題，像是：我所供養的人是否是一位好的師長等？如此不僅會損耗你的供養也會讓你的人格有所缺失。知名的印度聖人卡拉達（Kalidas）曾說：「從事善行但不要老想著結果，就只是丟開它。」丟開它意味著不應該持續在心中想著它。

不論從事任何善行，不管是小或大，都應該迴向所有的有情眾生。有許多迴向文可以唸誦來幫助去除對供養的執著。願眾生具足樂及樂因。願眾生離苦及苦因。願眾生安住平等捨。

簡短的迴向文可以參考如下：願以此功德，令眾生希欲願滿足。

─ 敏林堪千仁波切

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In general, Offering or giving alms is very well known in all religions and also considered to be a spiritual way which has been a flourishing and also considered as a good or meritorious action.

In each religion there are many and diverse ways of making an offering. But now since we are talking about Buddhist way of offering in Mahayana andVajrayana point of view.

If I may just categorize it:

1.Place for offering.

2.Base or the foundation for offering which is the mind.

3.The object

4.The reason for offering

5.Merit.

The place of offering- The three Jewels- Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Ones Master from whom one has received teachings or any instruction for being a good human being.

The base or the foundation to any offerings is the motivation or the willingness to offer with good and pure mind.

Pure mind for willingness to offer is not by forced or imitating others.

The object for offering – should be the best and things that are precious to oneself.

The reason for offering- should not be for ones own benefit. All sentient beings have only one wish to be free from this suffering, or if we think about just the human beings- everyone want a good life, prosperity, no suffering, a comfortable one so does oneself. So this is the reason that we make offering to the Three Jewels that by the power of this merit may all sentient beings be free from this suffering and attain according to their wishes

If one has this kind of motivation, it not only benefits oneself but also many beings which ultimately benefits oneself.

If the offering is made to benefit self then it is limited to self which does not multiply more. If ones motivation is vast as the sky or vast as where all sentient beings so does ones merit or benefit continues till the attainment of the wishes of sentient beings.

The Action- is very deceiving, cannot trust because other then oneself no one knows the intention behind the action. It can be pure or maybe not. So there is no reason to be surprised by action. What matters is the intention or motivation behind the action

If the motivation is good but the action does not look good- is nothing to worry about. It is not a problem. There are many examples mentioned in Sutra regarding bad action with pure motivation

How do we know the motivation is good or bad

No one can see one’s mind other then oneself. If you really check your mind carefully and see that your motivation is pure and correct, or without self interest then this is a good motivation. So, this state of mind is only known to oneself. And this state of mind satisfies you or you feel happy about it is a good motivation

In any ritual or any personal dharma practices you do, this kind of motivation is very important.

The bases of any offering, merit or not according to Mahayana or Vajrayana depends upon one’s motivation

If the motivation is not correct then whatever actions we do, whether big or small does not make anydifference . It would be a waste. Action of offering is not important.

If with good motivation- offerings whether small or vast does not matter

There are two ways of objects- one that belongs to oneself and one that does not belong to oneself. So if one wish to offer but does not have anything- he or she can offer the blue beautiful sky, the flowers, the good smell of flowers, the sunshine, the beautiful melodious song etc, also the most precious to us is our Body, Speech and Mind. One can offer one’s body by following the path of Buddha, helping all beings in different ways , the speech- by saying prayers or just simple action of speech is saying something good to others and mind – having compassion to all sentient beings is also an offering. In Buddhist term the 5 aggregates one can offer.

After one has made the offerings one should never regret. If one does then this burns all the merit one has accumulated due to the offerings, this does not benefit anyone not even to oneself

Once you have offered, just forget about it and move on with your normal life. One should not ponder or wonder how the effect would be, or doubt about the place where you offered, if the offering was made to a Master- wondering and inquiring about the Master, did I offer to good master or not? etc. It not only demerit ones offering but also losses ones character too

Once the famous Indian Saint Kalidas said- Do good action and not think about the result. Just throw it away. Throw it away means that one should not keep on thinking about it.

No matter whatever good action one does, whether small or big one should always dedicate it to all sentient beings

There are many dedication prayers that one can say as this will help you let go of your attachment to the offering.

May all sentient beings enjoy happiness and the causes of happiness

May they be free from suffering and the causes ofsuffering

May they dwell in the great equanimity that is free from attachment and aversion.

A simple dedication prayer would be

By the power of this merit may all sentient beings wishes be fulfilled.

─Minling Khenchen Rinpoche

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