时间：09/12/2026 09/13/2026
地点：星河禅修中心
主讲：黄云全
佛法修行
舍离与布施
在王舍城内，有一位非常富有的长者，这位长者的历代祖先都十分乐善好施，但是，传到第八代时，行善的工作却完全停顿下来，因为第八代的主人认为，自己的产业为什么要不断地去布施？家财应该要不断地累积下来才对，为什么要不断地消耗掉呢？他一直都想不通。
他执着于自己的想法，认为现在有一万贯的家财，可以累积为两万、三万、五万，甚至更多。所以，他打定了主意，将祖先留下来的一间大斋堂烧掉，这个斋堂有很大的厨房、食堂，原本是供贫困者用餐的地方，每隔三天即发动很多人来煮食粥饭，供应城内贫困的人，这是他的祖先代代传下来的布施方法。
第八代主人认为这太浪费了，因此，他就一把火烧掉了斋堂，决心不再行善布施，除此之外，还一毛不拔，三餐都吃腌制的食物，连一滴油都舍不得拿出来用。他对自己都这么严苛，可以想象，他对妻女、佣人更是十分刻薄。
有一天，他在路上看到一个人，穿得很破，手中拿着已酸掉的酒，坐在石头上喝着酸酒，自得其乐。当他走过时，闻到一股酸酒的味道，突然觉得十分羡慕，心想：如果有一口酸酒喝，一定非常过瘾。但是，他又一想：如果在家中喝酒，酒味被别人闻到，每个人都想来喝一杯，那家里的酒很快就会消耗完了。所以，他就忍着不喝。这种忍馋的心态，比没想到喝酒时还要苦上好几倍。
过去他都没有想到酒窖里有酒，日子也是一天天地过了。现在他想起了地窖里的酒，越走肚子越饿，越觉得口渴，一直想：如果有一杯酒下肚，一定可以精神百倍，体力大增。他愈想身体愈无力，也愈无精神，好不容易回到家，一进房里整个人就倒下了，无力、饥饿、口渴，只求一杯酒喝下——这种心态使他仿佛得了重病一样。他太太看到他的模样吓了一跳，以为他病得很严重，急忙唤他，这第八代主人却有气无力地说：“现在我很想喝一杯酒！”
太太说：“这很简单啊！我们家的酒非常多！”
他赶紧摇手说：“不、不，我不能在家里喝，如果在家中喝酒，酒味一出，别人闻到会去酒窖偷酒，那些酒就会消耗掉，所以我不能在家里喝酒。”
太太说：“要不然到阁楼上喝也可以。”
他又说：“那也不行，我还是到离家远一点的树林里去喝，你用密封的瓶子去取一瓶，然后帮我做一些菜，千万要记得盖好，不要让任何油味、菜味、酒味跑出来，然后送到树林里让我享用。”太太觉得很无奈，但也只好照着他的话做了。
这第八代主人走到离家有一段距离的树林里，四处看看确定毫无人影，才叫太太将酒菜摆在树林里，独自一人饱餐了一顿既油腻又丰盛的酒菜，他吃得十分安心，因为他觉得没有被人闻到香味。
此时，有一位天人乘机化成那位主人，外形跟他简直一模一样，从大门直入，向守门及每位佣人露出慈祥的笑容。他对管家说：“我今天想打开大门，开粮仓、酒库，将大半的财物做一个大布施。”
管家和家丁们听了都非常惊讶、面面相觑。他看到夫人也告诉她：“我今天要做大布施。”太太也十分惊讶，心想：可能是丈夫喝酒后，柔和了他的心，所以才会想到要布施。太太非常高兴，急忙取出钥匙，让管家、佣人打开粮仓、酒库、财库，又听丈夫的话，叫人敲着鼓，至城内宣布某某长者今日要大布施。
自从他承继家业后，已经很长的一段日子，不曾有贫困的人跨进他们家大门，好不容易今天要开大门、行大布施。因此，全城的贫困人家都来得十分踊跃，他们很快地把酒库的酒一坛一坛搬出来分发，一会儿就送完了；粮仓的米也是一包一包的布施出去；还有金银财宝也同样做大布施。
贫困的人拿到东西都欢天喜地的回去了，经过树林时，阵阵人声喧哗——有人说：「感恩长者大发慈悲，今天我所得的东西，让我一辈子都不用愁了。」又有人说：「对啊！长者自他的祖先以来都非常的慈悲，难怪他的家园会如此富有。」有人说：「原本以为这第八代的长者是一毛不拔的人，他祖先所累积的德被他给败掉了，今天却出乎意料之外，能够开大仓、做大布施，他的善念原来是要累积在一起才布施出来……。」那一群群的人都不停地赞叹第八代的长者。
当时他喝得醉醺醺，可是听到那么多人一个接一个走过时都在赞叹他，这时他忽然惊醒了，急忙跑回家，一看——竟然门户大开，空米袋都聚集在门口，酒桶也散落满地，尚未收拾。他气得破口大骂，质问道：「是谁出的主意，为什么要做大布施？」大家看到另一位主人回来，都怔在那儿，非常莫名其妙。主人不断地叫骂，进到房内，猛然看到一位和他长得一模一样的人坐在主位，他大声说：「你为什么进入我家？为什么将我的财物布施出去？」
坐在屋里的长者故意对他说：「你是谁？这个家本来就是我的啊！」悭贪的主人气急败坏地说：「谁说的？这家产是我的，叫我太太出来问就知道到底谁是她的丈夫！」
太太走出来一看，为何两个人长得一模一样？但是屋内这一位是这么的柔和、慈悲、懂得施舍，让大家欢欢喜喜的，她就指着屋内的这位说：「当然这位才是我的丈夫。」
看到太太不承认他，于是又叫管家来，对他说：「我每天请你做帐，与你接触，你认清楚谁才是你的主人。」
管家就说：「当然是原本坐在屋内这位才是我的主人，他的祖先都非常仁慈，这位长者才像他的祖先，所以他才是我的老板。」
长者又急着问仆人：「你们说，到底是哪一位才是你们的主人？」
此时，所有的仆人也一致认为大开酒宴，让他们吃一顿饱、又喝了酒的这位和善的长者才是他们心目中的主人。
这第八代主人顿时觉得万念俱灰：竟然自己的太太、管家、奴仆都不认我！这时他想：能做主的只有国王，所以急忙跑到王宫向国王投诉。国王认为这是一件不可思议的事，即派人去请另一位长者来，天人化成的长者来到国王的面前，即说：「第八代的主人是他，不是我；不过，他的祖先非常有善心，长年来都在国内帮助国王照顾贫困的人，但是，他们的子孙不懂得祖先传下来的德意，守住财物，不肯善加利用，违背祖先的本意；我觉得这是不正确的，所以我代替他的祖先来教训他。希望他能继承祖先的德业，爱护国内的人民。」
第八代的长者听了十分惭愧，领会到：人生确实没有所有权，没有永久属于自己的东西，以往一直与人结恶缘，因此碰到困难的时候，没有人肯认我，这样守着万贯的家财又有何用呢？他如梦初醒，知道应该利用自己现有的一切，好好的布施与人结一分善缘。于是向国王发誓：「今后我要好好做一位真正护国、助民的好长者。」
佛陀说：「尽管他的祖先已替他播下许多的福因，他本身如果不会造福缘，果报也是不堪设想啊！」
Date: 09/12/2026 09/13/2026
Location: Star River Meditation Center
Teacher: Yunquan Huang
Dharma Talk
Renunciation and Generosity
In the city of Rājagṛha, there lived a very wealthy elder. For generations, his ancestors had practiced generosity and charity. However, when the family wealth passed down to the eighth generation, all such good deeds came to a halt.
The eighth-generation master thought to himself:“Why should I keep giving away my wealth? Shouldn’t it be accumulated and increased instead of being constantly spent?”
Clinging to this view, he resolved to expand his fortune—from ten thousand coins to twenty thousand, thirty thousand, even more. Determined to stop all charity, he burned down the great alms hall left by his ancestors—a place with kitchens and dining areas where the poor were fed every three days. This had been the family’s tradition for generations.
Not only did he abandon generosity, but he also became extremely stingy. He ate only pickled food, unwilling even to use a drop of oil. If he treated himself so harshly, one can imagine how he treated his wife, daughters, and servants—with great severity and coldness.
One day, he saw a poor man by the roadside, wearing tattered clothes, happily drinking sour wine. The smell of the wine reached him, and he suddenly felt envious:“How satisfying it would be to have a sip of that wine!”
But then he thought:“If I drink wine at home, others will smell it and come asking for some. My wine will soon be gone.”So he suppressed his desire.
Yet this suppression only increased his suffering. The more he thought about the wine stored in his cellar, the thirstier and weaker he became. By the time he reached home, he collapsed, exhausted, craving just a single cup of wine.
His wife, alarmed, asked what was wrong. He weakly replied,“I just want a cup of wine”
His wife said,“That’s easy—we have plenty at home!”
But he refused:“No! If I drink at home, others will smell it and take the wine.”
After much hesitation, he insisted on going to a distant forest to drink alone. His wife prepared wine and food, sealing them tightly so no scent would escape, and brought them to him. There, alone in the forest, he finally enjoyed a rich and satisfying meal, feeling secure that no one would know.
At that very moment, a heavenly being transformed into his exact likeness and entered his house. Smiling kindly at everyone, he told the steward:
“Today I will open the granaries, wine cellars, and treasury, and make a great offering.”
The household was astonished. Even his wife thought:“Perhaps after drinking wine, his heart has softened.”
With joy, she handed over the keys. Drums were beaten throughout the city to announce the great charity. The poor came in great numbers, and soon the wine, grain, gold, and treasures were all distributed.
The recipients left rejoicing, praising the elder’s generosity. Their voices reached the forest, where the real master, half-drunk, suddenly awoke to the sound of praise. Shocked, he rushed home—only to find his house emptied and his wealth gone.
Furious, he demanded:“Who dared to give away my wealth?”
Entering the house, he saw another “himself” seated inside. They argued, each claiming to be the true master. When his wife, steward, and servants were asked, all chose the kind and generous “elder” as their true master.
Despair overwhelmed the real master. With no one recognizing him, he went to the king for judgment.
Before the king, the heavenly being revealed the truth:“The eighth-generation master is indeed this man. But his ancestors were compassionate and helped the poor for generations. He has abandoned their virtue and clings only to wealth. I came on their behalf to awaken him. May he now uphold their legacy and care for the people.”
Hearing this, the elder was filled with shame. He realized:“In life, nothing truly belongs to us forever. Because I formed bad relations with others, no one stands by me in hardship. What use is all this wealth?”
Awakening as if from a dream, he vowed before the king:“From now on, I will be a true benefactor—supporting the nation and helping the people.”
The Buddha concluded:“Though his ancestors planted many seeds of merit, if one does not cultivate virtue oneself, the results cannot be sustained.”
This teaching reveals: wealth without generosity becomes a burden, while giving transforms both one’s destiny and one’s heart.
