关于崇佛林

Dipamkara Buddha was the buddha of a world cycle long past, who preceded Sakyamuni Buddha, and was also known as “Burning Lamp Buddha” or “Lamp-Lighter Buddha” etc. The Buddha advocates the importance of Wisdom, Loving Kindness and Compassion to liberate distressed sentient beings from sufferings.

According to legends, there was a bright lamp appearing at the time of the birth of Dipamkara Buddha, with lights illuminating from the body, palms folded in Lotus-fold position and surrounded by heavenly music and songs.

As recorded in a Sutra, Dipamkara Buddha lamp serves to brighten the world with wisdom. The occurrence of lamp and brightness at the time of the birth of Dipamkara Buddha was also recorded in another Sutra.

From a buddhism angle, lamp and lights represent “wisdom light” which brighten darkness and displace ignorance. The essence of Dipamkara Buddha’s teaching was centered on the Dharma and the cultivation of the Bodhi mind.

As recorded in another Sutra, the boundless power of one lamp leads to boundless lamps, one Bodhisattva could leads and liberates boundless sentient beings towards Samadhi.

DIPAMKARA BUDDHA’S PREDICTION ON SAKYAMUNI’S BUDDHAHOOD

Through many life cycle, Dipamkara Buddha (also named as the “Burning Lamp Buddha” or “Lamp-Lighter Buddha” etc) earnestly continued his Bodhi practices and realized Buddhahood prior to Sakyamuni Buddha.

As mentioned in the one of Buddhist Sutras, Dipamkara Buddha and Sakyamuni Buddha had various life of master-disciple affinity. Also in the Diamond Sutra, it is stated that during an encounter with Dipamkara Buddha during one of Sakyamuni Buddha’s previous life, Dipamkara Buddha had bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood on Sakyamuni Buddha, which means he gave him a name, saying, “In the future you will become a Buddha, named Sakyamuni.”

Dipamkara Buddha gave Sakyamuni Buddha the prediction of Buddhahood at a time when both of them were bhikus.

1) 燃燈古佛的由來

燃燈古佛，梵名 Dipamkara Buddha 的意譯，音譯為提和竭羅佛，又名普光佛﹑燈光佛﹑定光佛或錠光佛等。傳說燃燈佛降生之時，有一大明燈自然出現，自身亦放大光明照遍剎土，指掌合十，同時，復有諸天音樂歌詠禮贊。佛本行集經記載﹕明照業成，常光無暗，是故彼佛號然燈，常有光明照耀天下。大智度論也記載﹕燃燈佛生時，一切身邊如燈，故名燃燈太子，作佛亦名燃燈。在佛教徒心目中，明燈表佛智慧心光，能照破眾生無明之闇，因此燃燈含有傳佛正法，引發菩提心之義。維摩詰所說經則記載﹕譬如一燈燃百千燈，冥者皆明，明終不盡……夫一菩薩開導百千眾生，令發阿縟多羅三藐三菩提心，於其道意，亦不滅盡。

2）釋迦佛也受過燃燈古佛授記

燃燈佛多生以來，常修供燈福業，精進不退，多次蒙佛授記。於無數劫後得成為佛，號錠光，項中肩上，各有光明，無量眾生，獲其指引，得以濟度。據多部佛教經典(如增壹阿含經)的記載，燃燈佛與釋迦佛嘗試於多生中結師生之誼，釋迦佛也受過燃燈佛的授記。

授記，主要指佛對修行人於未來世證果和成佛的預言。凡得佛授記者，皆已奮發無上菩提之心，道行堅固不退。據知，釋迦牟尼未得燃燈佛授記之前，曾遇寶藏如來和啑如來，不過，這兩位如來都諭示須等燃燈佛於成佛後為之授記。燃燈佛以法炬智光照傳世間，待發菩提心者續佛慧命，傳燈無盡。