蓮生活佛／文
當釋迦如來在世的時候，在整個恆河流域遊方說法，其說法成功的取得巨大影響。
During Sakyamuni's lifetime, he traveled along the whole Ganges river expounding Dharma, and successfully received great influence.
佛陀有二件事是反當代習慣而行事：
Buddha had 2 matters that were anathema to habitual practices of that era:
一、破四姓階級，主張四姓平等。僧侶、貴族、商人、奴隸的平等。
1. Broke the 4 surname classification (castes), and sanction Equality. Sangha (Brahmans); Aristocrats (Kshatryas); Merchants (Vaisyas); Slaves (Sudras); to be Equal.
二、接受了女子進入僧團，但比丘尼規定比男僧人的戒律更嚴格多倍。
2. Accepting females into the Sangha Assembly, but Bhikkhuni's has many folds more strict disciplines than those of Bhikkhu's.
佛陀由於信眾大增，佛法又殊勝，又反當代習慣而行事，當然激起了對立（其他教派）的嫉妒與敵視，諸多的譭謗及暗算，很多陰謀也因此而設計了出來。
As Buddha's followers increased greatly, and Buddha Dharma being exceptional and supreme, coupled with overthrowing the habitual practices of that era, it naturally drew much jealousy and animosity from opposing sectors, slanders and plots; lots of conspiracies also resulted from these.
佛陀有時保持沉默以對，有時也駁斥了其他教派的理論，這是依靠「般若」佛法的價值，用智慧的價值來戰勝對方。
At times, Buddha would maintain a silent stance and at other he would refute their ideology; all these relied on [Prajna] Buddha Dharma's worthiness, employing Wisdom's worth to triumph over the opponents.
舍利弗、目揵連等大弟子，也同佛陀一樣，用「般若」去與對立教派辯論。
Sariputra, Maudgalyayana, and all senior disciples, did likewise as Buddha, employing [Prajna] to debate with opposing religious sectors.
佛陀不太主張用「神通力」來炫耀佛法，曾經因此而訶責了「長眉尊者」。
Buddha did not widely encourage the use of [Astral Power] to propagate Buddha Dharma, and had vehemently criticised [Pindola] for this matter.
（長眉尊者被佛陀訶責，眾所周知）
(The Pindola story is known to all.)
但，佛陀與諸大弟子，只有在「特殊」的情況之下，才會使用「神通力」，尤其在舍衛城，對付外道六師時，他們曾使用「神通力」。
However, Buddha and all his senior disciples would only use [Astral Power] in [Extraordinary] circumstances, especially at Shravasti when dealing with the 6 groups of Tirthika where they had used [Astral Power].
神通是有意義的時候才用。
Astral Power should be use when there is Meaningful Purpose.
沒有意義的時候不用。
When there is not any meaningful purpose, don't use it.
畢竟「神通力」不是佛法的「究竟」，只是佛法的方便。
[Astral Power] is not the eventual [Ultimate] of Buddha Dharma, it's only Buddha Dharma's convenience only.
如同「提婆達多」學神通，卻入了魔道，反而入地獄受苦。
Just like Devadatta who learned [Astral abilities] but entered Evil Path, and instead fell into Hell to suffer.
據我所知，釋迦如來的「神通力」非同小可，舉之如下：
As per what I know, Sakya Tathagata's [Astral Power] was not small, for example:
一、始成正覺———與四十一位法身大士（無形），講圓滿修多羅的華嚴大法（頓教），這即是大神通力，神祕而不可思議。
1. Finally attained True Realisation --- with 41 Dharmakaya Maha-purisa (no form), expounding Buddhatrata's Flower Adornment Great Dharma (Enlightening Dharma); this just is Great Astral Power, unfathomably mysterious.
二、《本行經》中記載，佛渡恆河，有一船夫不載，求渡船資，世尊見一群雁，從恆河南飛恆河北。說偈：
2. [Buddha-carita-kavya sutra] recorded this: a boat-man refused to ferry Buddha across the Ganges, asking for boat-fare, and at that time World Supreme One sighted a flock of wild geese flying from South to North of Ganges river.
He uttered this verse:
我今應以神通，騰空翱翔猶彼雁。
"I should use Astral power to spread wings and fly like the Wild Geese in the sky."
佛就如此飛過恆河。
Thus Buddha flew across the Ganges River.
而這船夫，從此對「出家人」，不收船資。
From then on, this boat-man did not ask for fare from [Ordained Personnels] any longer.
三、《因果經》記載，佛降伏毒龍，佛是為了度「優樓頻螺迦葉」。
世尊入火光三昧，毒龍出煙，世尊出煙；毒龍出火，世尊出火。
迦葉師徒，見世尊，處火不燒，用降毒龍，便皈依了。
3. Documented in [the Sutra of Karma], Buddha subdued Poisonous dragon, to succour [Kassapa of Uruvela].
World Supreme One entered into Fire Light Samadhi.
Poisonous dragon emited smoke, World Supreme One emited smoke; poisonous dragon emitted fire, World Supreme One emitted fire.
Kassapa and his disciples, upon seeing that the World Supreme One did not get burned by the fire's touch, but on the other hand used it to subdue poisonous dragon, they took refuge then.
四、《普曜經》記載，世尊至尼連禪河，佛以神通，斷水令住，使水分開，而行其中。於是度五百人。
4. [Lalitavistara Sutra] documented, World Supreme One arrived at Nairanjanadi (a river), employing Astral ability, broke the water and order it to stay, thus the river's water parted, and could walk on the river bed. These resulted in succouring 500 people.
五、《寶藏經》記載，佛度難陀，難陀不捨夫人之美，佛以神通帶入天中，見天女之美，又帶入地獄，謂天福享盡，則入地獄，難陀見之，才出家。
5. [Precious Collection Sutra / Miscellaneous Jewels Sutra] (classified under the Agama) documented, when Buddha succoured Sundarananda. Sundarananda was reluctant to part with the beauty of his wife.
Buddha employing astral ability brought him to Heaven and let him see the beauties of the Heaven realm, then journeyed into Hell, explaining when Heavenly merits had been used up, Sundarananda would enter Hell.
Upon seeing these, Sundarananda then became ordained.
六、《月光童子經》記載，「申日長者」用毒飯害佛陀，佛放威光，令其心服，並化六師，及九十六種外道，放大光明，火坑成水池，出大蓮花，毒飯變無毒。度多人皈依。
6. [Moonlight Kumara Sutra] documented, Senior Shen-ri used poisonous rice in attempt to harm Buddha, Buddha emitted the dominating light, to convince him, and also transformed the 6 masters and 96 categories of Thirtikas; emitting great brightness that the fire pits became water ponds, big lotus appeared, and poisonous rice became not poisonous. This succoured many to take refuge.
七、《賢愚因緣經》記載，六師與佛比試神通。
佛只伸臂，以手按座，有五大神王摧滅六師之座，金剛密跡，以金剛杵出火，擊六師頭，六師徒眾，求哀懺悔。
[Wise & ignorant relationship sutra / Sutra on The Wise and The Foolish] documented, the 6 groups of Thirtikas competed with Buddha in Astral Power. Buddha only extended his arm, using his hand to press down on his seat and consequently the seats of the 6 groups were disintegrated by 5 big Divine Kings; the Vajras of Secret Trace using Dorje to emit fire, hit the 6 groups' heads, resulting in all teachers and disciples begging for forgiveness in repentance.
八、《寶藏經》記載，佛在拘彌國，有輔相婆羅門，持劍殺佛，佛現神通隱去，飛住虛空，輔相婆羅門，棄劍皈依。
8. [Precious collection sutra / Miscellaneous Jewels Sutra] documented, when Buddha was in Kosambi, a Brahman had helps from people to wield sword to kill Buddha, Buddha exhibited Astral Power by becoming invisible and flying into the Universal Void; those who helped the Brahman threw away their swords and took refuge.
………。
釋迦如來，在諸經典中，為度眾、降伏外道等，示現有意義的神通，不可勝數。
所以神通只為度眾用，降伏外道用，若非如此，不可隨便用也。
Sakya Tathagata, as documented in many sutras, exhibited countless times with use of meaningful astral powers to succour all beings, to subdue Thirtikas & etc.
Therefore astral power is used for the sake of all beings, to subdue Thirtikas, if not for these, one cannot any how use it.
至於，無意義的神通，不可使用，免得使世人迷惑神通，誤入邪徑。
As to Meaningless astral power, one cannot use, this is to prevent causing worldly people from being confused and deluded by astral power, hence mistakenly entering evil pathways.
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The Ganges (
/ˈɡændʒiːz/ gan-jeez), also Ganga (
Hindi: गंगा;
Bengali: গঙ্গা ;
Sanskrit: गङ्गा) (Hindustani pronunciation:
[ˈɡəŋɡaː] gung-ga), is a
trans-boundary river of
Asia which flows through India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western
Himalayas in the Indian
state of
Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the
Gangetic Plain of
North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the
Bay of Bengal. It is the third largest river by
discharge.
The Ganges is the most sacred river to
Hindus.
[4] It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.
[5] It is worshipped as the goddess
Ganga in
Hinduism.
[6] It has also been important historically, with many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as
Pataliputra,
[7] Kannauj,
[7] Kara,
Kashi,
Allahabad,
Murshidabad,
Munger,
Baharampur,
Kampilya, and
Kolkata) located on its banks.
The Ganges was ranked as the fifth most polluted river of the world in 2007.
[8] Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered
Ganges river dolphin.
[8] The
Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far,
[9][10][11] due to corruption, lack of technical expertise,
[12] poor environmental planning,
[13] and lack of support from religious
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I hope you all can enjoy it and learn from it.
Those who are in 6th level and above of Boddhisattvahood, naturally have Astral power.
