《牧牛人金花獻佛》 . 我們為何要佛前供…

《牧牛人金花獻佛》
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我們為何要佛前供花呢？
佛前供花對我們有什麼樣的利益呢？
我來給大家說個佛典中的故事吧！
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湖邊，開滿了美麗的金色花朵，散發出絢麗的光彩。牧牛人看到這幅美麗的景象，心中立即生起一個念頭：「我應該將這些莊嚴的金花去供養佛陀。」於是，牧牛人採了滿滿好幾盆的金花前往精舍。
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不料，還沒走到精舍前，就被奔跑中的牛給撞死了。由於牧牛人這一念鮮花供佛的發心，死後往生忉利天成為了尊貴的天人，每天有瓊漿玉液可品嚐，住的宮殿寬廣莊嚴，殿外四週還開滿了金色鮮花，綻放耀眼的光芒，將整座宮殿映照得光彩奪目。
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一天，牧牛天人利用宿命通，觀見自己前世採花欲供佛，為牛所觝殺，但因一念供佛的心，而享有天人的福報。他想：「只因我一念供佛的心，就有如此的大福報，何況是恆修福德者呢？」
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於是，牧牛天人將宮殿四週的金色花朵都摘了下來，欲圓滿供佛的心願。
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其他的天人看見了，覺得很奇怪，紛紛前來詢問：「你才升為天人，為什麼不好好享受天人的福報，反而在這裡採花呢？」
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牧牛天人回答：「我在人間時，欲以金花供佛，還未完成即往生，但僅僅只是這樣的一顆心，就能感得天人福報，享受無盡的富貴容華，更何況是真正的供養佛呢？所以我現在採花，是為了圓滿供養佛陀的心願，培植未來更多的福德與智慧啊。」
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其他天人聽完牧牛天人的一席話，皆發菩提心，於是共有八萬四千天人一起下至人間，欲一同供養佛陀。沒想到天人們卻遍尋不著佛陀，後來由一位得道的上座比丘，為天人們宣說法要。聽聞佛法後，天人們個個心生法喜，也因福德增長，終於得見佛陀。
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世尊更為眾天人演說清淨妙法，眾位天人當下心開意解，皆證得須陀洹果。原來，牧牛人與其他八萬四千位天人，過去生互為善知識，今日因緣果熟，一同成道。
典故摘自：《眾經撰雜譬喻‧卷上》
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所以，佛法教導我們每天要檢視自己：「已生善念令增長，未生善念令速生；已生惡念令滅除，未生惡念令不生。」心只要一起善念，當下即無惡念，就像火炬能為暗室帶來光明。所以，時時刻刻刻都要提醒自己增長善念。心存善念，善果自來。
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Why do we need to offer flowers to the Buddha?
What are the benefits of offering flowers to the Buddha?
Let me share a story from the Buddhist scriptures.
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Once upon a time, there was a lake that was surrounded by blossoming golden flowers, creating a scenery of beauty and splendor. Faced with this beautiful view, a shepherd was inspired: “Let me offer these magnificent flowers to Buddha.” Hence, he picked baskets of the beautiful golden flowers and started walking towards Buddha’s abode with the offering.
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Unfortunately, the shepherd never made it to the abode. Halfway there, he was trampled to death by a raging bull. But because he had the heart to make the offering to Buddha, after his death, he was reborn to Trayastrimsa as an honored celestial being. He lived in the grandest of palaces and was offered precious nectar as refreshment every day. Outside the halls of his palace, fresh golden flowers grew in abundance, effusing brilliant light and showering the palace in dazzling hues.
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One day, the shepherd was using his special power to view his past life. He realized that his rebirth as a celestial being was purely due to his sincere intention of offering the flowers to Buddha. He was amazed: “I gained this huge karmic reward simply by having the intention to make an offering to Buddha. What kind of karmic rewards would be awarded to the virtuous ones who practice positive karma accumulation over a sustained period of time?”.
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From that day onwards, the shepherd started to pick and collect the beautiful golden flowers every day, hoping to be able to fulfill his wish of making an offering to Buddha.
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Other celestial beings were puzzled by what he was doing, and came to ask him: “You were reborn as a celestial being not that long ago. Why are you working so hard at picking the flowers instead of enjoying the fruits of your karmic reward?”
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To which the shepherd replied: “When I was alive, I wanted to offer the golden flowers to Buddha. But I was killed before I could fulfill that wish. Even then, simply by having that intention, I was awarded the karmic reward of being reborn as a celestial being and am able to enjoy unlimited riches and glory. I am picking all these flowers now so that I can fulfill my wish to actually make the offering to Buddha, from which I will gain even more karmic merits and wisdom for the future.”
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This inspired the other celestial beings to achieve enlightenment. As a result, a total of eighty-four thousand celestial beings came down to earth to make offerings to Buddha. Unfortunately, they were not able to find the Buddha. Instead, they met an accomplished monk who taught them the way of the dharma. From his teachings, the celestial beings discovered dharma joy and accumulated karmic merits. Not long after that, they met the Buddha.
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The Buddha personally gave them teachings about the dharma. All of them were enlightened and attained the Sotapanna state.

The shepherd and the other eighty-four thousand celestial beings were, in actuality, spiritual friends who pursued the dharma together in previous lives. In their current life, the affinities and conditions were ripe and so they were able to attain enlightenment.
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Classical story extracted from the upper scroll of <>
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Buddha Dharma teaches us to practice self-reflection every day: “Continue to cultivate the kind thoughts that have arisen and inspire the kind thoughts that have yet to arise; extinguish evil thoughts that have arisen and eradicate evil thoughts which have yet to arise.” The birth of a kind thought will, at the very moment, eradicate all evil thoughts, just like how a torch will eradicate darkness in a room. Hence we need to constantly remind ourselves to cultivate kind thoughts, which will beget good rewards.
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#佛光、#金花、#佛前供花、#利益、#天人福報、#長壽、#福氣滿滿

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