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Short Teaching on Gyab Shi( Four Hundred Offerings) and 4 Maras
四百供与四魔的短开示
大家好，今天我们做这个法会最主要的目的是因为现在大家都知道世界上有很多很多的烦恼和问题，特别是疫情，给很多人障碍。比如说生意上，学习上和工作上，也给很大的压力。所以我们希望做这个法会能消除这个疫情病和传染病所带来的障碍。
Greetings to everyone, as everyone is aware, the main purpose of today’s ritual is that there are many destructive emotions and issues arising from the pandemic which brings about obstacles and problems. For instance, much stress is faced by businesses, students and employers. Thus, I wish that by performing this ritual, we could allay obstacles brought about thru the pandemic.
那今天这个法会的名字是Gyabshi. Gyabshi 是四百供的意思。灯一百供，食子一百供，替身品一百供，察察一百供。这个 Gyabshi是谁传下来的呢？是释迦牟尼佛传下来的。是怎么传下来的呢？因为以前有一位天人的王，就叫梵天。他病得非常严重。他到了死亡的时间，所以天人们问释迦牟尼有没有什么办法。释迦牟尼也亲自知道他死亡的时间已经到了。然后，为了救他的命，那释迦牟尼佛为了他传了Gyabshi的法会。
The name of today’s ritual is Gyabshi. Gyabshi means four hundred offerings. We would be offering a hundred sets of lamps, a hundred set of tormas, a hundred sets of effigies(dough), and a hundred sets of Tsa Tsas. So, whom taught this ritual? The ritual was taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. And how did it begin? In the past there was a king of heavenly beings named Brahma. He was extremely ill and has reached the point of death. Therefore, the heavenly beings enquired Shakyamuni Buddha if there are any solutions? Buddha has anticipated that his time of death is near. Thus, to save his life, Shakyamuni Buddha performed the ritual of Gyabshi.
然后他病治愈了，也逃脱死亡，活了下来。不只是逃脱死亡，他也因为这个法会脱离了四魔。第一是刚刚前面提到的死魔。魔的意思是，大家都知道，魔鬼的魔，魔鬼的魔呢会害众生的。所以这四个魔都害我们的。
He was healed thereafter and managed to escape death, thus able to live on. Not only did he escape death, he eradicated the 4 maras(demons). The first mara is the Lord of death as mentioned earlier. Maras are demons, and we are all aware that demons brings us harm. Therefore the 4 maras inflicts harm on us.
那死魔怎么害我们呢？有死就有生。生在哪里呢，生在这个轮回里面。轮回的本性是痛苦来的。如果我们生在六道轮回哪个地方都一定会受苦。如果没有死，就不会生。没有生就没有痛苦。所以呢，这个死魔给我们很大的痛苦。那怎么样消灭死魔呢？死呢是业造出来的。业是烦恼造出来的。烦恼是无明造出来的。所以我们一定要消除这个无明。那无明的对质是什么呢？无明的对质是智慧来的。智慧的来源闻思佛法和修行佛法，才会得到这个智慧。
So how does the lord of death cause us harm? With death brings birth, which is birth within cyclic existence. The nature of cyclic existence is filled will sufferings. No matter where we take rebirth in the 6 realms of existence, we would definitely experience suffering. If there is no death, there would not be rebirth, and without birth, there would be no suffering. Thus, the lord of death brings about great sufferings. How do we eradicate the lord of death? Death is the result of karma. And karma is the result of disruptive emotions. Disruptive emotions arise from ignorance. Therefore, we ought to eradicate ignorance. So, what could eradicate ignorance? Ignorance could be eradicated thru wisdom and wisdom can only be realized or developed thru the study, contemplation, and practice of Buddha dharma.
第二是烦恼魔。烦恼有三个；贪，噌，痴。这三个；贪，噌，痴， 都是魔来的。为什么呢? 因为他们一直在害我们。那怎么样害我们呢？其实看起来帮你的人就是害你的。其实看起来害你的人是帮你的。我给你们举一个例子。害你的人才是帮你的人。为什么呢？如果没有害你的人，我们没有机会真正修忍辱。所以在修忍辱上面是真正帮你的人。
The second mara/demon is destructive emotions. There are three sorts of disruptive emotions, namely greed, hatred and ignorance. And the three, greed, hatred and ignorance are maras. Why so? As we are always afflicted by them. And how do they inflict harm on us? In reality, those whom help you are in fact causing you harm, and those harming us, are in fact rendering help to us. I give you an example. Those whom harm you are in fact people who help you. Why? If no one causes you harm, we will not have the opportunity to practice patience. Thus, the person whom gives you the opportunity to practice patience is someone who helps you.
看起来帮你的人才会害你。比如说我们身为一个和尚，自己的供养钱送给自己的家人买车，买地，买房子。看起来是帮家人，其实是害家人让他们都堕入地狱。为什么呢？因为执着的缘故，你来帮忙家人，所以让贪魔得逞。其实和尚们不可以把自己的东西或钱财给在家人。因为和尚所有的东西和寺院的钱财都是人家辛辛苦苦赚钱来供养的。因为佛陀在律藏里提到这个是造很大的恶业。每个人都喜欢贪，其实贪是害我们的。对不起，我一开始讲佛法，就有很多想要分享。可能这有点长，但是希望这些能真正的帮到你们。
Those who seemingly help you is in fact hurting you. For instance, as an ordained monk, if you were to give offerings from others to your family to purchase vehicles, land, and houses. It may seem that you are helping them, but you are in fact causing them to fall into the hell realms. Why so? As one helps them due to attachment, and when helping one’s family thru attachment, we allow the demon of greed to take control. In fact, ordained monks are not supposed to give their possessions to their families as what the monks or monastery possess, are hard earned offerings by others. And even Buddha pointed out in the Vinayas that this is action is a grave misdeed. Thus, as we are inclined to greed, it harms us. I apologise that whenever I share about the dharma, I have so much to talk about. It may be long, but I hope that this understanding could truly help all of you.
然后噌怎么样害我们呢？噌的意思就是生气的意思。如果我们生气的话，那我们所累计的福德会被消灭。那生气时，自己也不开心，人家也不开心。生气时害自己，害他人。比如说，一些人有很大的权力，如果生气时，按了一枚按钮，就会夺取很多人的生命。所以噌恨心伤害自己，也伤害他人。
So how does hatred harm us? Hatred is in fact anger. And when we are angry, all merits we accrue would be destroyed instantaneously. And when we are in the state of anger, we cause ourselves and others to be unhappy as well. Anger harms oneself and others. Take for example a person who as massive power, if he were to be angry, just a press of a button could take the lives of many people. Therefore, hatred harms oneself and others.
那痴怎么害我们呢？因为我们不了解的缘故，该做的善事不做，不该做的恶业都经常做。所以贪噌痴给我们很大的痛苦。所以贪噌痴就是魔来的。同样的，想要彻底对质烦恼，我们还是要闻思佛法，修行佛法。
So how does ignorance inflict harm upon us? Due to lack of understanding, we do not perform positive deeds which we should be doing and constantly perform negative deeds which we are not suppose to commit. Thus, greed, hatred and ignorance bring about massive sufferings, and they are thus demons/maras. Similarly, to completely eradicate these destructive emotions, we still ought to study, contemplate and practice the Buddha dharma.
第三是蕴魔。蕴魔就是色蕴。最简单来说色蕴是我们自己的肉身或者自己的身体。我们的肉身害自己，也害别人。所以呢自己的身体就叫魔。那自己的肉身怎么样害我们呢？有这个身体，才会为了维持这个身体，造很多恶业。比如说，为了养育自己的身体，吃了肉，害了他人的生命。在冬天为了保护自己的身体和保暖，穿动物皮做的毛衣。为了打扮身体，用很多润肤霜， 有些润肤霜跟动物的生命有关系。所以为了维持这个身体造很多恶业。如果没有这个身体就不会造这些恶业。所以我们的肉身害我们的，所以肉身就是欲魔。那这个身体是怎么样在来世消灭或不在生呢？肉身的来源就是烦恼。烦恼的来源就是无明。无明的对质也是智慧。为了增长智慧，我们还是要闻思佛法，修行佛法。除了这以外，没有其他的方法。
The third mara is the mara of aggregates. Mara of aggregates is form, rupa skandha. In simplified terms, the mara of aggregates is represented by our physical body or flesh. Our physical body causes harm upon us and to others. Therefore, one’s body is a demon/mara. So how does one’s physical body inflict harm upon us? With this physical body, to sustain one’s body, we committed a lot of negative deeds. For instance, to nourish our bodies, we eat meat, taking the lives of others. In winter, to protect our bodies and keep our bodies warm, we wear the coats made from skins of animals. To beautify the body, we use a lot of cream, and certain creams are made from animal parts. Thus, we have always been committing negative karma with this physical body. If we do not possess this body, we will not commit negative karma and inflict harm on ourselves in the process. Thus, the physical body is the mara of aggregates. So how should we not be bounded by a physical body of flesh in our next lives? The cause of a physical body is thru destructive emotions. And the cause of destructive emotions is ignorance. To counteract ignorance, we need wisdom and the only way to increase of wisdom is thru the study, contemplation and practice of Buddha dharma.
第四是天子魔。天子魔是欲界里所有天人。那这些欲界的天人有很大的嫉妒心。如果他们看到做善事的人，会马上害他们。以前释迦牟尼佛快要证悟的时候，他们给他障碍。
The fourth mara is the mara of sons of gods ( Devaputra). Devaputras are the heavenly beings or gods in the desire realms. These desire realm gods has huge jealousy and upon encountering people who are performing virtuous deeds, they would inflict immediate harm. Even in the past in Buddha’s time where he was about to gain awakening, they gave him obstacles.
所以刚刚前面提到的四个魔是今天法会所要消除的。所以四百供的法会，第一一百供的察察能让我们消灭烦恼魔。一百供陀玛消灭天子魔。一百供灯消灭蕴魔。一百供替身品消灭死魔。如果我们做四百供的法会的话，我们可能会脱离四魔。但是看自己的缘。如果没有能力消灭四魔，但是今天做了这个法会，能帮助到身心上的障碍，和各种各样的障碍。
The four maras mentioned earlier are the maras which we hope to eradicate today. During the four hundred offerings, the first hundred tsa tsa eradicates the mara of destructive emotions. The next hundred tormas eradicates mara of sons of gods(Devaputra). The next hundred lamps eradicate mara of aggregates. And the final hundred effigy (dough) eradicates mara of death. By offering these four hundred offerings, one could liberate oneself from the four maras. However it depends on one’s karma. Yet, even if the four maras cannot be eradicated, the ritual performed today could assist us in removing obstacles from one’s mind and other different sorts of obstacles.
但是我们为了这辈子的一些障碍和困扰，比如说病的困扰，只做这些法会是不够的。为了彻底消除障碍的话，我们要消除无明。消除无明的唯一方法是闻思佛法，修行佛法。所以我要用这个机会来鼓励你们开始闻思佛法，修行佛法。
However, for all the obstacles and issues one may face in one’s life, for instance issues with ill health, just performing these rituals would not suffice. To completely eradicate obstacles, we ought to eradicate ignorance. And the sole method in eradicating ignorance requires us to study, contemplate and meditate the Buddha dharma. Thus, I am using this opportunity to encourage all of you to begin the study, contemplation and practice of Buddhadharma.
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