2021年8月，桑傑年巴仁波切

供燈具有無量無邊的利益。
在金剛乘中有許多供養，如八供（食水, 洗水, 妙花, 熏香, 明燈, 塗香, 妙食, 天樂），而明燈指的是供燈。因此人們必須了知供燈的利益。許多人認為供燈只是點上幾盞燈，然後供養給佛、法、僧。然而這並不足夠。

The light offering has immense benefits. In Vajrayana, there are [offerings like] ARGHAM, PADYAM, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, GANDHE, NAIVIDYA, SHAPTA, and ALOKE refers to the light offering. Therefore, one must know the significance of the light offerings. Many people assume the light offering to be simply lighting some lamps and offering them to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. However, that is not the end. 

那麼，供燈的意義是什麼呢? 問題是：過去諸佛是如何開悟的?為什麼像我們這樣的人沒有開悟，卻仍然徘徊在無盡的輪回之中?其背後原因究竟為何?在我們每個人的內心深處，有一種叫做「無明」的東西，字面上的意思是「無知」。什麼是「無明」呢? 其真正含義是「證悟俱生智慧」，只是目前我們還沒有認識到這一點。

So, what is the meaning of light offering? The question is, how Buddhas in the past achieved enlightenment? How come beings like us are not enlightened but still wander in this never-ending cyclic existence? What is the story behind it? Deep within each of us, there is something called ‘ignorance’ which literally means ‘not knowing’. What is ‘not known’? That is, not knowing the real meaning. And the real meaning refers to ‘realization of his or her own true nature of mind’. However, we have not yet realized it. 

那麼，是什麼阻礙我們認識到這一點呢? 是由於我們的習氣、想法和情緒，比如慾望、憤怒、嫉妒、傲慢這些習氣。正是由於這些有害的想法和情緒，我們無法認識到自心的真如本性，而諸佛陀由於捨棄了憤怒、仇恨和傲慢而獲得證悟。

So, what hinders us from realizing it? Due to our habitual tendencies, thoughts, and emotions like desire, anger, jealousy, arrogance default to a habitual response. We cannot realize our true nature of mind because of these destructive thoughts and emotions while Buddhas of the past achieved enlightenment by abandoning anger, hatred, and arrogance.  

同樣地，除了去除「無明」之外，沒有其他的方法可以使我們從痛苦中解脫出來，獲得持久的幸福和證悟。我們怎樣才能去除「無明」呢? 我們能通過吹氣來去除「無明」嗎? 念誦咒語能去除「無明」嗎? 我們能通過努力工作而擺脫「無明」嗎? 答案是否定的。要去除「無明」，只有一個辦法，那就是增長智慧。

Similarly, there is no other way to liberate ourselves from suffering, to attain lasting happiness, and to be enlightened apart from getting rid of ignorance. How should we get rid of ignorance? Can we get rid of ignorance by blowing air? Can we get rid of ignorance by chanting mantras? Can we get rid of ignorance by working hard? The answer is no. There is only one way to get rid of ignorance and that is to cultivate wisdom. 

那什麼是智慧呢? 認識到造惡是罪業，要放棄造惡業並且信受奉行。同樣地，要認識到行善是美德，行持善法的必要性，並且歡喜受持，這種熱忱就便是智慧。其實，智慧就體現在認識到善惡的本質。同時認清，除了斷惡行善，並沒有其它方法可以獲得證悟。

So, what is wisdom? To be aware of non-virtues as non-virtues, to recognize the need to abandon non-virtues and being enthusiastic to abandon non-virtues. Similarly, to be aware of virtues as virtues, to recognize the need to cultivate virtues, and to be enthusiastic to cultivate virtues. This sense of enthusiasm is wisdom. In fact, wisdom is being aware of the characteristics of virtues and non-virtues. Also recognizing that there is no way to achieve enlightenment without abandoning non-virtues and cultivating virtues. 

關鍵是要知道善與惡是由我們自己的心念產生的。我們應當正確的覺察並改正我們的心念，也必須拋棄心中的消極情緒，比如執著於自我。為了達到這個目的，一個人需要學習、沈思和禪修，而禪修是最重要的。只有通過禪修，一個人才能最終看到、認識或體悟到我們的真如本性。這就是供燈的目的。

The point is to know that both virtues and non-virtues arise from our own minds. That our mind must be properly guarded and mended. That mind’s negative emotions like clinging to personal self must be abandoned. To that end, one engages in study, contemplation, and meditation and meditation is the most important one. It is through meditation that one ultimately sees, realizes, or discovers our true nature of mind. That is the purpose of light offering. 

例如在黑暗的房間里我們什麼也看不見。然而打開燈，一切都可以無有任何困惑的清楚看到。同樣地，眾生憑借智慧之光，可以對治實有的執著、對自我的執著以及貪戀、憤怒、仇恨、傲慢等情緒。因此，眾生將認識到心靈的原始真如本性，最終會獲得證悟。這就是供燈的目的。

For example, we cannot see anything in a dark room. However, by switching on the light, everything can be seen clearly without any confusion. Similarly, by offering the light of wisdom, sentient beings can pacify the clinging to true existence, grasping at personal self and emotions like attachment, anger, hatred, arrogance, and so forth. As a result, beings will realize the primordial true nature of the mind. Ultimately, beings will become enlightened. This is the purpose of light offering. 

了知這個重要觀點，我們就能從供一盞燈中獲得不可思議的利益。雖然供一盞燈會帶來很多利益，而如果忘失這一點，我們將不會獲得如是多的益處。然而我們必須認識到供燈的目的，以達到它的最大利益。一般來說，我們必須通過理解因由來接近佛教。如果我們不知道真正的因由，只是因為我們的父母一直在這樣做，我們將不會獲得預期的利益。

Know this crucial point and we reap an inconceivable benefit even from a single light offering. Miss this crucial point and we will not reap that much benefit, although merely offering a light certainly brings some benefit. However, we must recognize the purpose of light offering in order to achieve its maximum benefits. Buddhism in general must be approached by understanding the reason. If we are unaware of the actual reason and just follow because our parents have been doing it, we will not achieve the desired benefits.  

供燈體現光明的本性（供燈開啓自性光明）。光明象徵著我們真如本性或俱生智慧。通過點燃智慧或真如覺性之光，我們克服了妄想、愚蠢或困惑。因此我們獲得證悟或見到真理。

The light offering is the nature of light or radiance. Light symbolizes our true nature of mind or wisdom. By igniting the light of wisdom or pure awareness-wisdom, we overcome delusion, stupidity, or confusion. Thereby we achieve enlightenment or see the truth. 

當我們以利益一切眾生的清淨發心去供燈，我們所獲得的利益是我們所供燈數量的成千上萬倍。然而如果我們忘失這一點，只是為了需要做而做，便無法得到不可思議的利益。因此，請仔細考慮!

When we offer light with pure intention and aspiration to benefit all sentient beings, we reap benefits equal to the number of light we offer, which could be tens of thousands. However, if we miss the crucial point and just do it for the sake of doing it, it is impossible to receive the inconceivable benefits. Hence, consider this carefully! 

對於那些想知道在供燈期間應該念誦什麼內容的人，可以在阿彌陀佛儀軌中找到偈頌，這樣在供燈期間至少可以念誦一遍。好的，就是這些。

For those of you who wonder what should be recited during the light offering, certain recitations can be found in Shitro and Amitabha liturgies, which you can recite at least once during the light offering. Okay, that is it!

2021年8月29 日 | 雪樂天滇(Sherab Tenzin)翻譯於邊倩寺

Translated by Sherab Tenzin | Benchen Monastery | August 29, 2021