Awakening to Reality: The True Enlightenment Practitioners Association (佛教正覺同修會; Zhengjue)

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以下為中文評論，評論之后附上原文：

John Tan 最近讓我注意到一個名為“佛教正覺同修會”（True Enlightenment Practitioners Association）的臺灣佛教團體，該團體由蕭平實 (Xiao Ping Shi) 領導。他提到這個團體已經在新加坡的多個寺廟建立了相當大的影響力。

我以前聽過他們的名字，印象中他們像是“Dark Zen”的華人版。他們似乎對自身圈子以外的佛教教義和法師們極為挑剔和不屑一顧，同時宣揚他們對“Atman doctrine”（我論/神我論）的解讀是佛法的最終理解。諷刺的是，他們似乎沒有意識到自己的觀點更接近于“tirthika”（外道）哲學，而這些哲學在傳統佛教框架內被認為是錯誤的。

經過進一步調查，我確認了我的擔憂是正確的。該團體確實是佛教正覺同修會，由蕭平實領導。更多信息，您可以參考他們的維基百科頁面：Wikipedia。

我非常感謝達照法師 (Venerable Da Zhao) 對該團體以“Atman”（神我）為中心的觀點的批判，這些批判為我們提供了寶貴的洞見，讓我們了解其偏離正統佛教教義之處。

以下是達照法師 (Venerable Da Zhao) 的文章《邪因外道——蕭平實的“造神運動”》的概要：

達照法師的文章對臺灣心靈導師蕭平實及其“佛教正覺同修會”發起了嚴厲而明確的譴責。作者斷言，蕭平實表面上展現出深厚的佛學知識和大量著述，實則傳播著一種“邪因外道”的教義，這與佛教關于緣起和空性的教導從根本上不相容。達照法師認為，這種核心的邪見是驅動一場旨在蕭平實自我神化和欺騙追隨者的“造神運動”的引擎。

核心教義批判：“第一因”邪見

達照法師指出，蕭平實曲解了如“如來藏”（真如）和“阿賴耶識”（第八識）等基本佛教概念，將它們轉變成一個單一的、永恒的、能創造萬物的“第一因”，所有現象都由此衍生。達照法師認為，這反映了非佛教的“常見外道”邪說（例如某些對“僧佉派”(Sāṃkhya)或道教“太極”的解讀，據稱蕭的弟子們明確地將這些與其導師的教義聯系起來），并直接否定了佛教對這類創造者實體的否認。達照法師引用蕭平實及其弟子的著述來證實這一說法，并將蕭平實所謂的“證悟”斥為純粹的“臆想”。任何不符合蕭平實“第一因”理論的佛教教義或法師，都被誣蔑為“偽造”、“錯解”或“未悟”。

“造神運動”

文章細致地勾勒出蕭平實據稱是如何經營個人崇拜的，其特征包括：

* 自我神化：蕭平實將自己描繪成一位獨特覺悟的圣者、一位高級菩薩，其當前的在家身份是“佛所安排”，并且擁有了知過去未來的能力。

* 自我中心：他堅稱只有他的教導和方法才能帶來真正的覺悟，宣稱自己的書籍舉世無雙，從而含蓄地（有時是明確地）貶低整個三藏以及所有其他當代法師。

* 欺騙性陳述：蕭平實雖然使用佛教術語，卻系統性地攻擊并試圖否定其他佛教傳統（尤其是藏傳密宗）、受人尊敬的法師（包括他自己的前任老師圣嚴法師），甚至包括正典經文。

* 利誘與精神控制：追隨者被迅速覺悟的承諾所引誘，然后受到精神控制，導致他們表現出不加批判的忠誠，鸚鵡學舌般重復蕭平實對其他人的譴責，并相信其至高無上、獨一無二的地位。

達照法師將這場運動歸因于蕭平實極度的“自我膨脹”、精心策劃的“圖利”（無論是通過詆毀其他佛教組織來獲取經濟利益，還是為了留名后世），以及對社會性“人心沒落”的利用，這種沒落使人們容易受到簡單化、權威性說辭的影響。

背叛與欺騙伎倆

達照法師指控蕭平實嚴重“忘恩負義”和

“欺師滅祖”，特別是在其對圣嚴法師的譴責上，據稱蕭平實是在圣嚴法師的指導下獲得了初步體驗。達照法師聲稱，這種行為也被傳授給了他的弟子們，他們隨后也開始詆毀自己以前的老師。

此外，蕭平實的影響力被歸因于其“超凡的文字駕馭能力”。據稱，他扭曲佛教術語以適應自己的敘事，從相互矛盾的立場攻擊他人，并使用誤導性語言來宣揚自己著作的優越性。達照法師強調了蕭平實試圖篡奪僧伽（僧團）權威和象征的行徑，例如鼓勵在家弟子稱他為“和尚”（僧侶的稱謂），重新定義“勝義僧”以將自己包含在內，甚至在著作封面上將自己描繪成僧人形象。

毫不妥協的譴責

在整篇文章中，達照法師的語氣充滿了急迫的警示和深切的譴責。蕭平實被描繪成一個竊取佛教內核寶藏的“盜賊”，一個用“邪法”引人入歧途的當代“魔”頭。其行為被描述為“謗法破僧”、“破壞三寶”，并造成了“無法估量的傷害”。作者總結道，蕭平實的邪見及其破壞性個人崇拜活動的證據“確鑿無疑，不容抵賴”，并呼吁蕭平實及其追隨者懺悔，同時呼吁廣大佛教界堅決抵制其教義。

原文：

邪因外道——蕭平實的“造神運動”

發布日期: 2006-01-01 瀏覽量: 13,944 次瀏覽

達　照

俗話說：“人善被人欺，馬善被人騎。”在這個社會轉型的年代里，已顯突出！佛門慈悲，屢屢遭人欺侮，尤更突出！在讀完臺灣蕭平實所著《無相念佛》、《念佛三昧修學次第》、《正法眼藏——護法集》、《生命實相之辨正》、《真假開悟之簡易辨正法》、《禪凈圓融》、《真實如來藏》、《如何契入念佛法門》、《大乘無我觀》、《佛教之危機》、《宗通與說通》、《我與無我》、《狂密與真密》（一到四輯）、《禪門摩尼寶聚》等（公案拈提一到五輯）、《楞伽經詳解》（一到六輯），以及一起出版的《學佛之心態》、《慈悲的心聲》等二三十部書后，感慨良深！起初只看表面的文字敘述、名相解釋，乃至義理參究存在很大的問題，總是覺得很別扭，特別感到作者一股莫名強大的自我表現欲，處處不忘記“自我”，處處為“自我”包裝，與佛法精神實不相符。后來漸漸看到，一切好事都跟作者本人聯系起來，一切壞事都跟現今佛門大德聯系起來，除了作者所說之外，已經沒有任何佛法可學可修，除了作者創辦的正覺同修會之外，根本沒有任何地方是真正的佛教道場，這亦與佛法萬德莊嚴相悖逆。再后來終于看清楚在以佛法名相義理為掩護的背后，深深隱藏著他自己“第一因”的邪因外道見，露出了狡猾的狐貍尾巴，實是佛教致深之傷害！再進一步才完全明白了，這是一次人心沒落的“造神運動”，卻將佛法名相義理竊為他招搖惑世之神壇，豈非佛教之悲哀？遂感慨現今之佛教，外遭法輪功邪教盜竊法輪之標致而橫行霸道，內患第一因外道假借佛法名相義理為掩護而謗法破僧！堂堂佛教，堂堂妙法，堂堂僧寶，廣大莊嚴，為世明燈，竟遭外道邪教凌辱至此，靜夜思之，哀哉可傷！法輪功邪教猶如賊人進入院子，僅僅偷竊了院子里面的擺設（標致），只需家人警覺一呼，便會隱遁而去；第一因外道譬如登堂入室，盜取了保險箱里面的財寶（佛法義理名相），縱然被趕出家門，已然狼藉一片！如之奈何？如之奈何！

現代賊人的手段越來越高明，剽竊越來越深入，傷害也越來越嚴重！致命之處就在于蕭平實之敘述，文字語言基本上都符合佛法之意，不要說初學佛法者難以贗別其真偽，就是久參者也容易被其美妙的文字敘述所誤導，甚至學界還有人說他“頗為精到”，而不知在最為關鍵的根本處卻是外道之行徑。他還處處標榜“正法”，處處提出“法義辨正”。現在，我們從他的論著中，就其“第一因”的外道思想、人心沒落的“造神運動”、欺師滅祖的“忘恩負義”、玩弄文字的“謗法破僧”等要點，來揭示其以“三乘正法”為掩護的外道嘴臉，還我佛教之清白！

一、“第一因”的外道思想

所謂第一因外道，就是主張世界萬物成立之原因乃同屬一因的外道。在《提婆菩薩釋楞伽經中外道小乘涅槃論》中指出了二十種外道，個個都推求宇宙萬物的第一因，并且作出自己的解釋。其中第四韋陀論師、第五伊賒那論師、第九女人眷屬論師、第十二摩陀羅論師、第十四僧佉論師、第十五摩醯首羅論師、第二十安荼論師等，所說雖各有異同，然同屬一因外道之部類。他們都認為一切法的生起有一個“第一因”，總有一個“能生”萬物的本源，萬物都是由一個本源而衍生出來的。如第五外道伊賒那論師的主張：“以無形相而能生諸有命、無命一切萬物，名為涅槃。”（T32，157a）第十四外道僧佉論師之主張：“如實知從自性生，還入自性，能離一切生死得涅槃，如是從自性生一切眾生。是故外道僧佉說自性是常，能生諸法，是涅槃因。”（T32，157c）這就是外道“非因計因”的“第一因”邪見！

與“第一因”生出萬物的邪見相接近的，要算是“一元論”了，這也占印度哲學的許多流派。如吠陀哲學即主張宇宙之本質為梵，個人主體之本質為我，此兩種本質的原理是同為一體的，這就是“梵我一如”。欲表現此一元論之本質內容實非易事，故有實在（有）、精神（知）、至福（歡喜）等說法的產生。然而，此種絕對本質之一元論，卻難以解釋各種現象界之發生，如物質自然界、苦、惡等人世間的種種現象。判定精神原理（神我）與物質原理（自性）對立之二元論，就是為了解決這類問題而應運出現。以上諸論，皆有其自相矛盾之處，都屬于外道之邪見，為佛法所破斥。

于佛法中，無論小乘還是大乘，絕對都沒有這樣的“第一因”或一元論外道之邪見，如《俱舍論》卷六說：“一因生法，決定無有。”（T29，36b）《華嚴經》卷三十說：“彼諸佛子如是知，一切法性常空寂，無有一法能造作，同于諸佛悟無我。”《七佛傳法偈》迦葉佛說：“一切眾生性清凈，從本無生無可滅。”《中論》卷三說：“若眾緣未合，而先有果生者，是事不然，果離因緣故，則名無因果。是故汝說眾緣未合時先有果生者，是事則不然。問曰：因滅變為果者，有何咎？答曰：若因變為果，因即至于果，是則前生因，生已而復生。”（T30，26c）達摩祖師的《少室六門？血脈論》也說：“問曰：若不見性，念佛、誦經、布施、持戒、精進、廣興福利，得成佛否？答曰：不得。又問：因何不得？答曰：有少法可得，是有為法，是因果，是受報，是輪回法，不免生死，何時得成佛道！成佛須是見性，若不見性，因果等語，是外道法。若是佛，不習外道法。佛是無業人，無因果。但有少法可得，盡是謗佛，憑何得成？但有住著一心、一能、一解、一見，佛都不許。佛無持犯，心性本空，亦非垢凈，諸法無修無證，無因無果。”（T48，374a）又說：“佛者，亦名法身，亦名本心。此心無形相、無因果、無筋骨，猶如虛空，取不得，不同質礙，不同外道。”（T48，376a）

總之，在大小乘的各種經論中，決定都沒有“第一因”能生一切法的邪見謬論。因為一切法眾緣和合，如幻如化，從本以來不生不滅，真如法性如來藏與生死煩惱一切法，譬如水之與波，都是全體相即全體相具的，生即全生，滅亦全滅，當處出生，隨處滅盡，離波無水可言，離水無波可得。不能說水為波之第一因，也不能說波是由水“衍生”出來，水與波不能成為能生所生之對立。諸法實相，本來如如；真如實性，也是如如；緣起現象，亦復如如。所謂“諸法如是相、如是性、如是體、如是力、如是作、如是因、如是緣、如是果、如是報、如是本末究竟等。”（T9，5c）如《首楞嚴經》卷第二說：“一切浮塵，諸幻化相，當處出生，隨處滅盡，幻妄稱相，其性真為妙覺明體。如是乃至五陰六入，從十二處至十八界，因緣和合虛妄有生，因緣別離虛妄名滅。殊不能知生滅去來，本如來藏常住妙明，不動周圓妙真如性，性真常中求于去來，迷悟死生了無所得。”（T19，114a）亦如《楞伽經》說：“凡夫無智慧，藏識如巨海，業相猶波浪，依彼譬類通。”又說：“譬如海水變，種種波浪轉；七識亦如是，心俱和合生。”如是佛法不共外道之根本正見，亦即佛法世界觀、人生觀之究竟義理，更為大乘佛教之命根所在！

然而，蕭平實卻把“緣起諸法”與“如來藏阿賴耶識實相”對立起來，譬如把“海水與波浪”對立起來，把緣起諸法當作實相的“衍生物”，把真如實相當作緣起諸法的“生因”，并且認為：如來藏阿賴耶識是宇宙萬物生滅現象的“第一因”，緣起諸法是由如來藏阿賴耶識“衍生”出來的。他說：

“你的真如出生蘊處界以后，再與蘊、處、界配合，就能出生一切法。”　（《大乘無我觀》第39頁）“由于你證得你的自身真如第八識，從這個第八識來觀察祂的清凈自在、遍一切時不斷、能生一切法，而十八界全部由祂所生。”（《我與無我》第39頁）“雖然這個色身不是真正的我，但他也不是跟‘真正的我’完全無關，因為他是由那個‘真正的我’生出來的——你的色身是你的第八識所創造出來的。”（《我與無我》第41頁）“是故世出世間萬法，皆唯八識心王所生，故說萬法唯識。”（《宗通與說通》第216頁）“故云宗通與說通不離八識心王所生一切法；而此一切法歸結于八識心王后，復須歸結于八識之根本——第八識阿賴耶。”（《宗通與說通》第217頁）“十八界外別有自在心為十八界之因”（《宗通與說通》第82頁）“諸法緣起緣滅之因——藏識實相。”（《宗通與說通》第54頁）上述的“出生”、“能生”、“所生”、“生出來”、“所創造”等，在蕭平實看來，都是“能生與所生相對立”的關系，第八識就是“能創造萬物”者，所以就得出了第八識就是“第一因”的謬論。而此處所謂的“因”，就是明確地指“第一因”而言！正如他的得意門人所解說：

道教這個太極的義理，在世間法上是正確的，但是在法界根本的認知上是錯誤的。師兄可以看看蕭老師在封面書衣上寫的文字說明：“太極唯臆想，根本實真識；無明生兩儀，萬法由茲生。無我中有我，我中無有我；涅槃余真識，我無我俱泯。”道教以無極太極為根本，衍生出八卦的學理，對于宇宙萬物的生滅現象所說的理是正確的，但是卻不知第一因——不知如來藏才是真正的根本——不知所謂的無極太極其實就是如來藏；你從蕭老師所寫的偈中，應該可以知道是甚么道理了。修學佛法的人，如果能澈悟第一義諦真實識——如來藏的義理，從此以后，對世間與出世間的法：從世俗諦的解脫道，到第一義諦的佛菩提道，都能貫通，更何況是世間相對存在的道理呢？（《學佛之心態》第22～23頁）

這段話就把蕭平實的“第一因”外道邪見完全透露無遺，無法抵賴！于此，我們已恍然大悟，他聲聲口口“真實如來藏”的用心處，就是尋找到了宇宙萬法的本源，由此本源為第一因而生出一切緣起諸法，這正是上文所述第五外道伊賒那論師的主張：“以無形相而能生諸有命、無命一切萬物。”（T32，157a）并且更加赤裸裸地附和了道教的外道學說。所謂“道教以無極太極為根本”、“如來藏才是真正的根本”、“無極太極其實就是如來藏”，還公然認為：“道教這個太極的義理，在世間法上是正確的”、“道教以無極太極為根本，衍生出八卦的學理，對于宇宙萬物的生滅現象所說的理是正確的。”把佛法對宇宙生滅現象的完美解釋“諸法因緣生，諸法因緣滅”置之不顧，一定要拿出一個“第一因”強加給“如來藏”和“諸法實相”的頭上，竟將佛法的究竟真理任意偷換糟踐！居心何在？如果這么欣賞外道的“太極的義理”和“第一因”的謬論，那就干脆名正言順的去當外道好了，為何卻要將佛法的名相義理說得如此“精到”呢？為何還要標榜自己為佛教的“真善知識”、“三乘正法”呢？然這自有他內在的原因，且待下文舉證！

這一點，就連蕭平實自己也承認是外道的邪見，他說：“遠離外道虛妄建立宇宙第一因邪見。”（《宗通與說通》第32頁）而他自己所有的著作都是剽竊三乘佛法的名相和義理，特別在“如來藏”和“阿賴耶識”上，用心“不可謂不勤”！而對于佛法如來藏和阿賴耶識的正義，卻只是懂得文字的表面含義或者臆想的內涵而已，在一切關于“如來藏”和“阿賴耶識”乃至“實相”等等的敘述上，乍看似乎沒有錯誤（實際上是他玩弄文字游戲的絕招所致，將在下文舉證）。然其本質，則是把真如實相理解成“第一因”的外道邪說，真是“謬以千里”。為何如此？因為他所謂的“親證如來藏”是由“臆想”而來的，如他在《我與無我》的封面書衣上有頌曰：“太極唯臆想，根本實真識；無明生兩儀，萬法由茲生。”其弟子解釋說：“無極太極其實就是如來藏”，太極既然就是如來藏，太極是屬于臆想，那么如來藏也就自然同太極一樣也是屬于臆想而來的了，但他要說“根本實真識”，即“如來藏才是真正的根本”，因此如來藏就成了“第一因”，由此第一因而生出無明兩儀乃至萬法了。再細細看，他說“無明生兩儀，萬法由茲生。”可見這里的“無明”又成為道教所說的“太極”了，因為“道教這個太極的義理，在世間法上是正確的”，然而“無極太極其實就是如來藏”，那么，無明、太極、如來藏，在這里就都成為“能生”萬法的“第一因”了。而其所謂的佛法“第一義諦”、“真如”、“阿賴耶識”等等，都是相似或者等同于如來藏，自然也就都成為“萬法由茲生”的“第一因”了。因此，他在《我與無我》的封面上，直接用外道太極圖來表示我與無我的關系。真是“聞所未聞”！實在荒謬之極！！

如是，蕭平實以大乘正法為掩護而宣傳他自己的“第一因”外道邪見，聲聲誣謗佛教古今大德為“常見外道”，然他自己所述才是真正的“常見外道”，足可見其“賊喊抓賊”之伎倆！何以故？“無明生兩儀，萬法由茲生”是外道學說故，第一因能生萬物非佛法故，第一因就是如來藏非正理故，第一因就是實相非正見故，第一因就是阿賴耶識非唯識理論故，第一因能生緣起諸法非真理故，非佛法第一義諦故，非佛法世俗諦故，非佛法菩提道故，非二乘解脫道故，非佛教世界觀故，非佛教人生觀故，非佛教解脫論故，非佛法現量正量故，“第一因”違背佛法之一切義理故，由此判知蕭平實的“第一因”實乃外道之邪見！

他處處標榜自己“親證如來藏”、“眼見佛性”、“真善知識”，皆是親證到了宇宙萬物之根源的“第一因”，以第一因作為自己的立論根本，卻以如來藏佛性作為第一因的代名詞，這是他自己通過冥思“臆想”而來，完全背離了一切佛經乃至佛法，并且還望文生義地剽竊佛經為其掩護。他的追隨者們所謂之見道，也是自以為“找到了宇宙萬法的第一因——如來藏佛性”而自豪，遂感到超出凡夫而成為圣人菩薩了。雖然明白或者附會了外道的第一因之理，而深感“受用無窮、感恩無盡”，但是對于佛陀之正法卻未曾夢見。因此，以這個“第一因”的外道學說來衡量三藏經典、五乘教法，于其無知不解之處，或者不與“第一因”文字敘述相符之處，或者不能為其“第一因”邪見作掩護之處，就一概被誣謗為“偽造佛經”、“未悟錯悟”！對一切三寶，五乘正法，顯密圣教，進行了公然挑釁，肆意詆毀，才會不信因果，不畏苦報，廣造破法謗僧之惡業。而其自身乃至追隨者們，卻還信誓坦坦，狂言妄語，各各自稱見道、證道、覺菩提道！

倘若蕭平實您還是一個良知未昧的男子漢，就應該老老實實地把自己的“第一因”謬論徹底推翻，帶領徒眾走出破法謗僧的邪路，站出來恭恭敬敬地向十方三世一切三寶懇切懺悔，從此以后不再造作無邊之惡業，不再夭傷大眾之法身慧命，不再惑亂已信未信之廣大佛教信眾，佛法慈悲普渡有緣之人！是所誠盼！！倘若依然無視佛法之正見，而執取外道之邪說，或者以更狡猾的詭辯而襲取佛法名相來作自己“第一因”邪見的擋箭牌，那就非但“一盲引眾盲，相牽入火坑。”亦且“破壞三寶尊，令世長暗冥！”其果報之可怕，在蕭平實您的書中，處處提示警告！處處婆心規勸！處處毛骨悚然！合當自己反省！此處不再贅言。

然而，讓我們感到遺憾的是，蕭平實不會改變他的“第一因”外道立場。何以故？因為他“我見”之見惑沒有斷除，自以為找到了宇宙之本源，證驗了“第一因”之真實存在，漠視了緣起法的因果規律，又剽取了豐富圓滿的佛法修證之名相義理，加上超人的文字游戲之能力，業已形成了自己“獨特”的說教方式，正在逐漸吸引著善良易騙的人們，進行了愚蠢的“造神運動”！所以，他是不會迷途知返的。由于他的實際行動已經嚴重地破壞了佛教的清凈莊嚴，直接影響了正法在世間的弘揚！因此，我們有必要對他的“造神運動”做一次明確的鑒定，以澄清古今大德、五乘正法所蒙受之羞辱，還我佛教三寶之圣潔莊嚴。

二、人心沒落的“造神運動”

“造神運動”是歷史上常見的現象，無論是邪教組織，還是外道出現，都免不了這種人為“造神”的特殊運動。一般而言，人類造神運動都具有五個特征和三個原因。五個特征就是：自我神化、自我中心、明從暗排、誘引蠱惑、精神控制，三個原因就是：自我膨脹、有利可圖、人心沒落。而在看完蕭平實的著作之后，我們很快就發現他完全具備了這樣的五個特征和三個原因。在他瘋狂地攻褻古今大德和五乘正法的情況下，我們不得不對其五個特征和三個原因進行理性的分析，舉證此一造神運動的事實，揭批其破法謗僧的內幕和表相。

1、蕭平實造神運動的五個特征：

第一、自我神化，這是所有造神運動的首要特征，或者鼓吹自己與神靈有直接溝通的本事，或者自命為奉行神靈的旨意，或者標榜自己有超人的能力帶領凡人進入神靈的世界，或者徑直自詡為佛、圣位菩薩、圣人、救世主等。這些特征在蕭平實的著作中表現得非常露骨！他除了處處標榜自己是真悟的“真善知識”、“大乘勝義僧”外，在其各種著作中處處顯示他自己是初地以上的圣位菩薩，還時常自吹能知過去無量世的情況，如他說：“近年往往于定中觀見往昔世之弘法凈行，及無量世前之誤造謗法業而受報等等”（《宗通與說通》第2頁），“看見未來世的我，也是在家時多，出家時少”（《大乘無我觀》第92頁），這種言論到處都是，自詡為“能知過去未來”的圣人，而且還能知“無量世前”的造業受報。就在這“圣位菩薩”和“能知過去未來”兩類自我神化伎倆的籠罩下，他的追隨者們便將其奉為圣人，吹捧他是“往昔二千多年來的出家悟道之身，而今時二世示現在家悟道之身。”（《學佛之心態》第141頁）并且厚顏無恥地說“今生示現在家相，是佛所安排。”（《學佛之心態》第140頁）從而達到了自我神化的目的！類似的說法實在太多，處處可見，我們這里僅作舉證，知其具有明顯“自我神化”之特征。暫且不論他有否如此的“神功”，就其上述“第一因”外道的實際內涵，我執我見根本未破，只是輪回中的一個煩惱眾生，最多也只能算是一個惑亂佛法乃至世間法的外道而已，怎么可以自稱為見道證道的佛教圣人呢？由此亦可證明其純粹是自我神化的大妄語而已，絲毫不足為信。再者，如果“佛所安排”他來到這個世界，那佛不就成為“萬能的上帝”了嗎？這種荒謬的造神伎倆，只要認真注意一下，就會不攻自破的，可惜還有許多人卻仍在上當受騙！

第二、自我中心，所有歷史上的造神運動都是我執未破的凡夫俗子所為，因為我執未除，我愛我貪我所等法纏縛于心，所以就總是以自我為中心。這樣，既不能客觀地理解別人的言論內涵，又鼓吹自己的言論為“唯我獨尊”，有意無意之間，就透露出自己超越了一切古今圣人，乃至諸佛菩薩。這在蕭平實的著作中，也同樣隨處可見！如他說：“諸位今天一定是半信半疑的，不要說一生完成初地的道業，就算最簡單的一個明心開悟就好，諸位也是一定半信半疑的，那么你要如何才能相信不疑呢？只有一個辦法：試著依照我這些書上所講的方法與知見去用功。”（《大乘無我觀》第68頁）又說：“那么這個道理我們在《平實書箋》里面解說了很多，諸位回去的時候不要客氣，每一種書都把它拿一本回去。不要說拿兩本三本不好意思，不會！我們印出來就是要送給大家的；既然今天結了這個法緣，那你就好好把它帶回去啊！那些書籍里所說的法，都是諸位在市面上沒見過的，你走遍了全球也見不到這種書的。”（《大乘無我觀》第112頁）從這兩處引文，可以非常清晰地看出蕭平實自我中心的強烈欲望，只有他的書上所講的方法才能明心開悟，他的那些書籍里所說的法是走遍全球也見不到的，這顯然把全球的所有佛教三藏經典全都一概否定掉了！因為“只有一個辦法”就是他的書上所講的方法，全球也見不到他的書里所說的法了。他在說這句話的時候，還有沒有想到佛教的三藏經典呢？根本沒有。這種誹謗破滅佛教三藏經典的言論，完全是從他自己內心深處透露出來的，在他自己的“第一因”邪見基礎上，他才會這樣理直氣壯地蔑視三藏經典，而把自己的書籍放到了“至高無上”的位置上。他寫的那些書確實是“走遍了全球也見不到”的造神運動的廣告招牌！

第三、明從暗排，“明從”是指所有造神運動的理論背景，表面上他的理論都是有所依據的，“暗排”則指事實上都是借助某種理論當掩護來宣說其個人的思想理論，甚至實際上是排斥表面上所依據的那些理論，比如以“偽科學”、“偽宗教”等幌子，排斥真正的科學和宗教，從而達到自己造神運動的目的。蕭平實也是如此，表面上是“明從佛法”，實際上卻是“暗排佛教”，他以“佛教正覺”、“三乘正法”、“真善知識”乃至一切佛法名相義理為掩護，說得還“頭頭是道”，而實際上卻是在誹謗古今大德、破壞五乘正法，甚至連佛陀、經典都不在他的眼里。在他的各類著作中，可以看出這樣的一種內幕：首先把藏傳佛教的密宗全部破除（詳見《狂密與真密》一到四輯），再把整個佛教的許多古今大德一概否定（所有著作隨處誤會曲解古今大德原意，肆意毀謗，不勝枚舉），再把漢傳大藏經中“密教部”《大日經》、《金剛頂經》等多種佛經毀為偽經（見《狂密與真密》第9～10頁），最后他胡言：“明心開悟只有一個辦法：依照我這些書所講的方法與知見去用功，”就連佛陀也不如他本人，一切佛說經典都沒有他的“那些書籍里所說的法”更為精采，他說：“我們《真實如來藏》寫出來，證實是有如來藏；諸位有機會的話，應該去買那本書來看，那本書非常精采，保證是你前所未讀。”（《大乘無我觀》第71頁）“那些書籍里所說的法，都是諸位在市面上沒見過的，你走遍了全球也見不到這種書的。”（《大乘無我觀》第112頁）所以，表面上是依據三乘正法，暗地里卻是在破壞三寶，排斥一切佛經法寶、五乘正法、住持僧寶。但他卻還要打著“真善知識”、“三乘正法”的旗號，這就是“明從佛法，暗排佛教”的造神運動之特征。

第四、誘引蠱惑，這也是造神運動的一種卑鄙手段，一般都是以長者或救世主的身份自詡，無中生有的毀謗名人、呵斥社會，唯獨自己能夠救世，別人都是為名為利，一切善良智慧光明偉大都是自己的，一切邪惡愚蠢黑暗卑鄙都是別人（特別是同時代的名人）的，這樣就能給社會人心造成傷害和迷茫，然后自己儼然一位濟世救人的長者面貌出現，“用外道法來廣泛的毒害善良易騙的佛弟子們。”（《佛教之危機》第126頁）從而漁翁得利。因此，蕭平實打著“真善知識”、“大乘勝義僧”、“三乘正法”的招牌，攪亂佛教的各種弘法機構、古今大德，乃至佛經法寶，動搖社會人心乃至信仰群眾，如他說：“大乘佛法的實質，能不能夠繼續再延續下去，還要看我們這一代怎么做；因為大陸現在沒有宗門正法，全球都沒有，目前只有臺灣有。可是說一句不客氣的話，全臺灣也只有正覺同修會有，目前確是這個樣子。”（《大乘無我觀》第89頁）這種蠱惑“善良易騙的佛弟子們”之賣狗皮膏藥的廣告辭，自能起到一定的效用，所以他的追隨者們便揶揄其：“可謂當代全球獨一無二‘宗’‘教’俱通之大善知識。”（《宗通與說通》第5頁）遂否定一切佛教的任何形式之弘法事業，并以各種所謂的“見道報告”來迷惑急于求成的“善良易騙的佛弟子們”。好象古今中外、天地之間一切事態都在他的手掌心，什么“全球都沒有”、“獨一無二”這種商業炒作的把戲也全都派上用場了，所以才會這么有“誘惑力”。另外，在《公案拈提》的百則公案中，竟有四十則以上放出了“來正覺同修會，為你開悟”的誘餌，所有的《公案拈提》中，除了宣說或者暗示“第一因”外道邪見之外，就是以“且到正覺講堂來”為機鋒，誘引蠱惑未信已信的廣大信眾，用心之毒令人發指！

第五、精神控制，這是一切造神運動最為無恥和最為危害的一大特征，在前面四種特征的連環圈套運作之下，只要不小心一腳踏入這個魔鬼區域，就難免落入他精心設計的陷阱之中，不知不覺就被其精神控制，欲罷不能！或者為他賣命宣揚不切實際的功德能力，或者為他所教之法、所指見解傾倒執著不近人情，或者無根誹謗古今圣賢不畏報應，種種顛倒錯亂之表現，都是受到了嚴重之精神控制的癥狀。這在蕭平實的書中也已有所表現！如他的得意門人張果圜說：“可謂當代全球獨一無二‘宗’‘教’俱通之大善知識。”（《宗通與說通》第5頁）正德說：“蕭老師今生示現在家相，是佛所安排，為完成護持正法的大業，必須以在家身，才能方便放手去做，出家身便無法做這個工作，所以今生示現在家相。”（《學佛之心態》第140頁）這里的“獨一無二”和“佛所安排”等語，純粹是精神錯亂的信口雌黃，你憑什么就說全球“獨一無二”？憑什么就說是“佛所安排”？這不是睜著眼睛說瞎話嗎？自己過著在家人的五欲生活，卻硬要往自己臉上貼金，反而在佛的臉上抹黑，說是“佛所安排”。佛教歷史上護持正法的基本上都是出家佛弟子，如龍樹、提婆、無著、世親等大菩薩都是出家身，怎么就“出家身便無法做這個工作”了？再說，你一個蕭平實的弟子就知道“佛所安排”這佛陀的“旨意”了？凡此種種無根據的任意胡言，都是由于精神受到了控制之后，失去理智才會說出來的笑話、胡話。特別是在“第一因”這個邪因外道見的惑亂下，他的追隨者們基本上都對古今大德、五乘正法評首論足，乃至胡亂誹謗的，各各都把自己當成了救世的圣人，很無辜、很深情的樣子，他們希望全球所有的佛教弘法機構全部停止關閉，或者全部改為蕭平實的“邪因外道”知見，然后才會有一種“護法”事業的成就感，這簡直是癡人說夢話，胡言亂語！

一般受到蕭平實精神控制的有三類人：第一類是急于求悟之人，第二類是自我中心之人，第三類是善良易騙之人。對于第一類人，蕭平實就是用“第一因”的外道見來籠罩他們的，所以被他印證為“明心”或者“見性”的人，都是有一個共同的感受，那就是：終于找到宇宙萬法的根源了，一切萬法都是由此第一因根源所生出來。然后把自己誤解的阿賴耶識、如來藏等佛法名相和義理作為印證的標準，自鳴得意，各各自稱覺菩提道，“就以圣人自居，那就變成大妄語業，那是地獄罪，那問題就很嚴重了。”（《大乘無我觀》第15頁）這都是由于不懂佛法的體、相、用之關系，不明白圓教實相和華嚴境界，所以才會偏離唯識佛法，落入第一因外道的邪見之中，受到精神控制而不能自拔！這在《公案拈提》各輯、各種“見道報告”中透露出來，所有的心、性、阿賴耶識、如來藏、真如、佛性等，都成了蕭平實“第一因”的代名詞而已，如上述第一節所揭露的那樣。對于第二類人，這是與蕭平實意氣相投的一類人，與其說受到精神控制，不如說狼狽為奸，各取所需，互相吹捧，相互利用，毀謗破壞了他人的佛教弘法事業，他們就會有一種事業的成就感，自我膨脹的欲望得到了暫時的滿足，并且為此努力不懈！這在《狂密與真密》（一到四輯）、《護法集》、《佛教之危機》等書中顯現出來，這也是蕭平實造神運動的內在思路和動力，也是以“佛所安排”為幌子來控制這類人。對于第三類人，蕭平實需要比較純正的佛法名相和義理作為掩護，同時點綴一些“自我神化”的故事，施加一些“別處沒有正法”、“我是真善知識”、“不能毀謗大乘勝義僧”、“若有毀謗就墮無間地獄”的壓力，這是在《無相念佛》、《禪凈圓融》、《大乘無我觀》、《楞伽經詳解》（一到六輯）等書中所作的努力，文字敘述幾乎可以亂真，但所謂的究竟了義卻是第一因外道邪見！這樣可以幫助他完成造神運動的三類人，都得到了相應的安排，所以這些人的精神也就自然會受到了他的控制，應該說是“蕭平實所安排”，而非“佛所安排”！因“第一因”的外道邪見非佛陀正法故！蕭平實的著作都是以“第一因”外道見作為立論根本故！印證弟子見道均是證驗宇宙萬法本源第一因故！盜取佛法名相義理而非佛法實質故！肆意毀破五乘正法而不懂圓教實相故！只是用佛教表相，以及佛法名相、果位名相包裝起來而已！

如是，蕭平實造神運動的五個特征悉已具備，首先神化自我、自我中心、明從佛暗排佛，然后誘引蠱惑、精神控制，是故理應判別其為真正的“造神運動”！然而，“對于平實而言，既不受錢財供養，亦不受眾生之異性身分供養，亦不求名聞，亦不曾寄望于眾生——不曾一念于眾生身上獲得任何世間利益。”（《佛教之危機》第14頁）那么，他為何卻要如此艱辛的進行造神運動呢？這自有臺灣的佛教現狀和社會環境為背景，加上自我意識和社會情緒、人心沒落等因素所引起的，我們從以下三個方面的原因來進行討論。

2、蕭平實造神運動的三個原因：

第一、自我膨脹，一切造神運動的主謀者都是我執我見未破的凡夫俗子，并且特別強烈地關注自己之我執和我見，所以都是自我膨脹的極端表現，這是造神運動的首要原因。倘若不是自我膨脹到了難以容受的地步，還可以通過追名求利的其它世間相對正當的渠道來獲得名譽和榮耀，便無需神化自我的“造神運動”了。因此，一切造神運動都根植于極端自我膨脹的基礎上，都是極為強烈的自我表現欲之體現。在蕭平實的造神運動中，其自我膨脹之意識和表現也是非常明顯的，如他的《禪凈圓融》背后說：“言凈宗諸祖所未曾言，示諸宗祖師所未曾示。……乃前無古人之超勝見地。”《禪門摩尼寶聚》背后說：“悲智雙運，禪味十足，數百年來難得一睹之禪門巨著也。”《禪——悟前與悟后》則說：“本書能使人明自真心、見自本性。遲者七次人天往返，便出三界，速者一生取辦。學人欲求開悟者，不可不讀。”《真實如來藏》則說：“此書是一切哲學家、宗教家、學佛者、及欲升華心智之人必讀之巨著。”等等廣告辭，顯示了自我意識的“前無古人”之超佛越祖心態。又在《宗通與說通》自序等處稱“大乘末法孤子”，強調了：“開悟明心，要如何才能相信不疑呢？只有一個辦法：試著依照我這些書上所講的方法與知見去用功。”（《大乘無我觀》第68頁）又說：“那么這個道理我們在《平實書箋》里面解說了很多，諸位回去的時候不要客氣，每一種書都把它拿一本回去。那些書籍里所說的法，都是諸位在市面上沒見過的，你走遍了全球也見不到這種書的。”（《大乘無我觀》第112頁）“大乘佛法的實質，全球都沒有，只有正覺同修會有。”（《大乘無我觀》第89頁）“我們《真實如來藏》那本書非常精采，保證是你前所未讀。”（《大乘無我觀》第71頁）所以，他說：“我們就應該把《我與無我》這個正理廣為宣揚，要護持正覺同修會，使同修會可以正常的、完整地繼續運作。”（《我與無我》第80頁）除了這些言論上的自我膨脹不可一世之外，更明顯的是他各種著作中破法謗僧的種種刻薄言詞，捕風捉影，攪亂是非，任意曲解，糟踐五乘正法和古今大德，凡此情狀，罄竹難書！這些在“第一因”外道的邪見基礎上，在“造神運動”的事實面前，顯然都是自我膨脹的真實寫照。

第二、有利可圖，造神運動其實就是一種愚弄百姓的欺騙行為，在自我膨脹的基礎上，每一種造神運動的另一原因就是有利可圖，盡管對于可圖之“利”的理解和追求各不相同，但他們絕不是象蕭平實所說的“既不受錢財供養，亦不求名聞，亦不曾寄望于眾生——不曾一念于眾生身上獲得任何世間利益。”相反的，他們就是為了獲得世間的某種利益，才膽大妄為地進行造神運動的。我們先來看看蕭平實所謂的“破邪顯正”，標榜自己為“真善知識”、“三乘正法”、“大乘勝義僧”，以這些為掩護來進行“造神運動”的著眼點何在？

首先，他受到了某種現象的啟發，如他說：“那些外道們公開的、大張旗鼓的爭佛教的正統，說他們才有佛法的證量，言外之意是：臺灣所有佛教道場及所有一切法師居士們都不是真正的佛教。”（《佛教之危機》第69頁）所以他更為大膽地進行了模仿，明白著說：“大乘佛法的實質，全球都沒有，目前只有臺灣有。全臺灣也只有正覺同修會有。”（《大乘無我觀》第89頁）就“這樣公開的、混淆是非，把臺灣佛教界搞得烏煙瘴氣。”（《佛教之危機》第69頁）這兩段話的說話方式之一致性，足見其深邃的世故洞察力，其目的除了“爭佛教的正統”而“把佛教界搞得烏煙瘴氣”之外，更為根本的又是何在呢？

其次，他注意到了臺灣佛教的資源，他說：“法鼓山，由圣嚴法師以法鼓山文教基金會之名義，募集臺幣百二十億元創建之；今年又成立人文教育基金會，欲再吸收臺幣五十億元，專門從事世間法之人文教育事項。圣嚴法師所設之如是二大財團法人，已成為臺灣最巨大之吸金機。”（《佛教之危機》第8頁，加粗字體為蕭平實所注目者）又說：“復觀佛光山、法鼓山、中臺山、慈濟功德會四大山頭，廣聚佛教資源，猶如四臺超級大型之吸金機，吸取超過九成以上之臺灣佛教資源，顯然已經產生嚴重之排擠效應。”（《佛教之危機》第15頁）還蠱惑著說：“由于四大道場之吸取九成以上佛教資源，導致多數小法師不能弘傳正法。”（《佛教之危機》第頁）如此，他看清楚佛教資源之后，于是呼吁佛教信眾：不應供養這些佛教弘法機構和道場，因為把錢財供養給這些道場，就等于作了破壞正法的幫兇，后果都是下地獄；而要供養給真正的道場，才有無量無邊的功德利益，才是護持佛法的善行。然而，“大乘佛法的實質，全球都沒有，目前只有臺灣有。全臺灣也只有正覺同修會有。”（《大乘無我觀》第89頁）所以，就很自然的得出并沒有指明的結論：只能把錢財供養給佛教正覺同修會！否則，都難免會“成就謗法及謗菩薩僧之大惡業”。

這樣，他首先看到正統佛教地位的重要性，然后他也看到了臺灣佛教資源的豐富，所以才會戴著“真善知識”、“三乘正法”的面具出現，先“爭正統”，后“勸供養”，只是掩護手段做得比較隱秘和熟練，甚至連弟子都幫他說“完全不為私心己利，一切所作所為都是為眾生、學人。”如果在蕭平實的心里自我感覺還真的以為是“既不受錢財供養，亦不求名聞，亦不曾寄望于眾生——不曾一念于眾生身上獲得任何世間利益。”那么，他就是完全陷入于“第一因”外道的邪見之中，所以才會對三藏經典、五乘正法進行無情的毀破，利用豐富的佛法修證次第之名相義理，包裝自己那個第一因能生萬物的邪說。不過，從他那么艱辛地進行造神運動的事實來觀察，不管怎么說，“有利可圖”是他這一運動的原始動力，也是鐵證如山無可抵賴的。至于說這個“利”的實際內涵，是不是錢財、名聞等等，如他說：“目的僅是在忠實呈現當時之情景以及內涵，作為未來佛教歷史上之見證。”（《大乘無我觀》第5頁）他的追隨者也說：“蕭老師書中所評論的法，在篇幅比率上，是出家的大法師為多，而且都是當代最有名、最有勢力的大法師，都不評論名聲較小的法師。因為小法師與在家居士的道場小，信眾少，影響力較小。”（《學佛之心態》第104頁）是否為了“名留千古”呢？因此，這個結論則可以由時間來說明一切！

第三、人心沒落，這是一切造神運動的社會環境，現代社會的自我意識和自我中心情況非常嚴重，或者生活和工作的壓力太重，使現代人的精神感到緊張。同時現代社會的經濟發展，物質生活相對富裕之后，也使現代人的精神感到空虛。所以精神引導和心理學乃至宗教接引就顯得特別重要。而當人們對于古老的宗教感到不再新穎和刺激的時候，新興宗教的出現也就是很自然的了。人是萬物之靈，同時人也是最為脆弱的生靈！因為人的情感和靈性都相當的豐富，所以也就很容易自我夸大表現或者自我沉迷墮落！就在這個自我夸大和自我沉迷的人心沒落區域里，“造神運動”者便伺機乘虛而入。因此社會人心的沒落，是造神運動的必要環境。蕭平實的造神運動也具備了這樣的社會環境！他首先看到了“用外道法來廣泛的毒害臺灣善良易騙的佛弟子們；收取臺灣善良的佛弟子們千萬元的鉅金供養。”（《佛教之危機》第126頁）這樣的社會現況，是他著手造神運動的前提和動力！其次，在外道猖獗、新興宗教林立的情況下，各大山頭的法師們都在忙于自己的弘法事業，并未對他們作必要深入的破斥，如他說：“可是印順、昭慧及星云…等四大法師們，卻都個個裝聾作啞、默不吭聲，藉詞不值得辨正，大家一起作濫好人，不肯負起破邪顯正、救護佛子、維護佛教的責任。”（《佛教之危機》第69頁）這樣又在佛教內部找到了他所認為的“弱點”，于是就心中有數地創立起佛教正覺同修會，進行從頭到尾、自始至終、由內到外的造神運動，便有了可乘之機。如此，在臺灣佛教資源很豐富的情況下，佛弟子們既是“善良易騙”，佛教大法師們又是“默不吭聲”，也就給他“以第一因外道全面取代佛教”的野心，提供了滋生的土壤！

佛經上說佛陀入滅兩千年后，佛教就進入了“末法時代”，這個“末法時代”的陰影，也會時常籠罩著許多佛弟子們的心。特別是一些急功近利和自我表現欲極強的現代人，多么喜歡快餐文化的出現！廣告炒作和商業運行，能夠使一個無名小卒一夜之間成為名人圣人，而蕭平實便是利用“全球獨一無二”、“佛所安排”等等權威的口號、而又極其誘惑人的虛狂妄語，來引誘蠱惑善良易騙或者急功近利的社會大眾。而人心沒落急于求成的功利主義，也正是需要有這樣的“佛所安排”來填補內心的空虛。于是能夠一拍即合，并且根本不愿意認真地面對自己進行徹底客觀的審察，因為一旦確認了蕭平實的思想根本就是第一因外道的邪見，根本不是真正的佛法，那就意味著自己并沒有真的開悟，又只能從自我幻覺的“開悟”喜悅中退出，身心還會陷入于另一種不可知的迷茫與沒落！因此這樣的造神運動是虛幻和可恥的行為，其后果必定是可嘆而又可悲的！

社會環境的人心沒落，也是佛教需要依據佛法來進行引導開示的，佛法在現實世間的社會功用便要使煩惱痛苦的眾生能夠離苦得樂。但是，佛教的開示和引導都是扎扎實實的來引領眾生走上覺悟的光明大道，絕對不會利用“造神運動”這種低級的、卑鄙的手段來欺騙百姓！絕對不會說“這是佛所安排”的妄語來哄騙佛弟子，也絕對不會說“走遍全球也沒有”來示意自己的著作高超于一切佛經法寶之上的狂妄顛倒，更絕對不會說“全球也只有我這里才有佛法”的蠱惑言詞！如果蕭平實和他的追隨者們還要聲聲口口說“我們的法都有三藏經典為依據”的話，那真是毫無羞恥的瞎說了！佛在何經說“蕭平實示現在家相是佛所安排”的？佛在何處說“蕭平實的書走遍全球也沒有”的？佛在何時說“蕭平實是全球獨一無二的大善知識”的？佛在何所說“阿賴耶識就是第一因”的？佛在哪里說“第一因能生緣起萬物”的？

綜觀蕭平實的種種言論，從根本到表相，都是在“第一因外道”和“造神運動”相互作用、互為表里之情況下誕生的。他要剽竊佛教的名相義理來破壞世間三寶，他要取代佛教的弘法機構而爭奪佛教資源，他要挑戰佛教的古今大德而創建名留千古，他要惑亂佛教的廣大信眾而制造迷茫恐慌！通過上述蕭平實造神運動的五個特征和三個原因之理性分析，大略可以了知蕭平實在剽竊佛法名相義理而大肆宣揚“第一因”外道見的基礎上，進行了隱秘而又放肆的造神運動；或者說蕭平實為了進行造神運動，而以第一因外道見、豐富圓滿的佛法名相義理、神化自我的虛狂妄語等手段作掩護！總之，正如他在《佛教之危機》所引的：“正覺同修會所傳的法是邪法，是外道法。”（第69￣70頁）我們可以肯定他迄今為止所傳的“法”確實有毒，已如上述。如果我們現在還不肯正式出面破斥平實的法錯誤所在，以救平實“錯誤弘法”的來世因果，真是無慈無悲啊！

正如《首楞嚴經》所說：“爾時天魔候得其便，飛精附人，口說經法。其人殊不覺知魔著，亦言自得無上涅槃。來彼求知善男子處，敷座說法。身著白衣，受比丘禮。誹謗禪律，罵詈徒眾。訐露人事，不避譏嫌。口中常說神通自在。各各自謂成無上道。”造神運動的真正原因，其實還是由于內心不凈，而感召了外魔的入侵，魔膽包天，胡作非為，欺師滅祖，毀破三寶！其實，蕭平實除了上述的“第一因外道見”和“造神運動”等事實外，他的著作和言教之所以能夠籠罩那些善良易騙的佛弟子們，是因為它具有“忘恩負義”的厚黑嘴臉和“玩弄文字”的奇異能力，所以被他教唆出來的弟子們，也就自然而然地學會了忘恩負義和狂妄自大。于此再作進一步的揭示和分析。

三、欺師滅祖的“忘恩負義”

儒家有“一日為師，終身為父”之優良傳統，佛教有“法身父母，恩重山岳”之報恩思想！時值末法，世道人心，江河日下，忘恩負義，甚至恩將仇報，亦是大有人在。蕭平實在瘋狂地譏謗佛門古今大德的同時，還用一些似是而非的文字游戲來任意蹂躪五乘正法，對于佛法在世間的弘揚進行了無情的攪惑毀破。特別卑鄙的是，在他那造神運動之野心、第一因外道之邪見的驅動下，他逐漸走上了欺師滅祖、忘恩負義之危險境地，令人深感惋惜，深感憐憫！或許這也是造神運動的一個組成部分吧，因為他不但自己忘恩負義，而且連他的那些追隨者們也陷入了忘恩負義的深坑，豈不悲哀！而其中有些人竟然還毫無知曉，真是如來所謂可憐憫者啊！這里就簡單地從蕭平實的著作中，舉例來揭示他自作、教他的忘恩負義，乃至欺師滅祖和破壞三寶的事實，以正視聽！

1、自作“忘恩負義”欺師滅祖

首先我們看到了蕭平實自作的“忘恩負義”欺師滅祖，他說：“雖然我是在打坐中破參的，但是我發覺用打坐的方法來參禪求悟，是錯誤的觀念；因為我這一世的師父教給我的觀念和知見都是錯誤的，所以我才會在打坐中參禪求悟；所以在證悟之后，我反而勸大家參禪時不要在打坐里面參。”（《大乘無我觀》第17頁）這里他講述了三個問題：一是“我是在打坐中破參的”，二是“師父教給我的觀念（指：在打坐中參禪求悟）都是錯誤的”，三是“我反而勸大家參禪時不要在打坐里面參。”這三句話有一個背景，那就是他是在他的師父教他打坐的時候，就在打坐當中破參開悟的。那么，“打坐中求悟”是否可行呢？我們知道中國禪堂里面的參禪也叫做“坐禪”，雖然有時候因為個別機緣的不同，祖師們曾經點化過“禪不是坐出來的”，但是佛經上處處都說了“端坐念實相”的功夫，禪門也有“行亦禪，坐亦禪”的傳唱，佛教史上雖不乏于行住坐臥四威儀中見性開悟的，但也有更多的禪和子是在蒲團上打破黑漆桶的，不在方法入手處找根本，卻在威儀表相上做文章，卻是千古未聞之“觀念和知見”，況且釋迦世尊就是端坐在菩提樹下夜睹明星開悟成佛的。我們就不談佛教歷史的事實情況，專就蕭平實上述這段話進行分析，看他到底想說明什么問題，到底能否“打坐中求悟”？

如果按他所說“師父教給我的（打坐中求悟的）觀念都是錯誤的”，那么打坐中就是不能開悟了。可是他又說“我是在打坐中破參的”，這又證明了他師父教他打坐求開悟是可行的，已經有了事實的證據落實在他自己的身上了，又如何可以排除“打坐中可以求悟”的觀念和知見呢？應該說他自己“根本就沒有開悟”或者“根本就不是在打坐中開悟的”才是啊！可是他自己偏偏說自己是“在打坐中破參的”，這樣的事實與理論，顯然是自相矛盾的。但是如果他說的“我是在打坐中破參的”，屬于真實的（起碼蕭平實自己承認是真實破參開悟的），那么，這就已有事實證明“可以在打坐中開悟”的了，既然已經事實上可以證明能在打坐中開悟，卻又為何說“師父教給我的觀念（在打坐中參禪求悟）都是錯誤的”呢？實在是令人費解！這又如何解釋他的矛盾說詞呢？

再者，根據這種說法的邏輯推理，可以得出兩個結論：一是蕭平實沒有開悟，或者是錯誤的以為自己開悟，因為教他打坐中求悟的本身就都是錯誤的；二是他故意跟師父作對，從師父那兒得到了利益，卻反過來恩將仇報，豬八戒倒打一耙。可是這兩個結果其實都不是蕭平實所敢于直接承認的，但他的話已經印在這兒，白紙黑字如何抵賴得掉？他一方面鼓吹自己是“真開悟者”、“真善知識”、“大乘勝義僧”，處處標榜自己“破參出道弘法”，所以決不會翻出自己的老底“第一因外道邪見”，而并沒有開悟，更不具備佛法的正見。另一方面神化自己是“能知過去無量世、未來無量世”的“圣人”，要以自己的身形言論取代佛教三寶，因此任意胡作非為，誹謗誣陷自己的師父，乃至現今佛教的所有大德。

從上述這段話，我們可以想見：一個不會修行的人，來到了師父跟前，師父為他證明皈依佛法僧三寶，為他解說佛法和解答種種疑問，并且在實踐佛法方面，師父還教給他打坐參禪的方法（我們知道他的師父就是圣嚴法師，法師慈悲指導學人禪修，并且所指導之禪修方法也包括很多種），蕭平實這個人就是這樣在他師父的教導下，打坐習禪聽聞師父慈悲的教誨。有一天突發奇想，感到自己開悟了，于是離開了師父的教導，另立山頭占山為王。從此之后，便以自己的外道邪見來衡量其師父，對師父發起了猛烈惡毒的攻褻，誣陷師父“支持邪淫的外道”。從世間法的角度來看，譬如善良窮人的兒子，后來遇上有錢的惡棍，就站到了有錢人的那邊，聲聲口口誣罵自己的親生父母，認賊作父昧盡天良。亦如上了大學之后，就對以前小學老師乃至幼稚園老師刻薄譏諷，甚至無中生有進行侮辱，如此惡劣品行，就是忘恩負義之行徑。更何況他的師父乃是宣揚禪法修證之大德？釋尊過去，舍全身而求半偈。儒家償謂，聞一言而益終生。世間法還講“受人滴水之恩，應當涌泉相報。”蕭平實在第一因外道見的惑亂下，竟然公開指名道姓地誣謗自己的皈依師父（《佛教之危機》第8頁及各書中），其欺師滅祖之忘恩負義，亦是鐵證如山。因此他的追隨者們，也被其染上了此種惡疾！

2、教他“忘恩負義”破壞三寶

由于蕭平實就是這樣“忘恩負義”的，因此在第一因外道見的籠罩下，被他教導出來的那些人，也幾乎個個都是或多或少染上了這個忘恩負義的惡疾，真令人感到非常擔憂，他們還都自以為是“慈悲的心聲”，言語間時而透露出對以前師父、老師們的不滿和藐視，乃至對于自己犯菩薩根本重戒也“不怕”。如說：“為何末學不怕犯菩薩根本重戒呢？（說四種過、自贊毀他及謗三寶戒）只因末學已經現前觀察：五蘊、十八界確實生滅無常、苦、無我、無我所，必定得要有這個不生不滅貫通三世的心——‘如來藏、真我’，才能成就一切法，因果才能成立；而且，在現量上，第八識‘如來’是確實可以親證的。所以不怕犯根本重戒，而敢提筆評論。”（《慈悲的心聲》第38頁）他根本沒有把如來藏、第八識的真義弄明白，就以“宇宙本源第一因”來比對，似是而非的自以為已經“不迷惑、不彷徨”了，病入膏肓而不自知，破壞三寶還有理由，豈不可悲！

再比如他的追隨者說：“聽李祖原居士講中道實相，他把中道講得非常的玄，那時很多人跟我一樣聽不懂，總覺得他很有學問。”（《佛教之危機》／《見道報告》第273頁）在經過蕭平實的教導之后，他說：“李居士根本不談如來藏，只告訴我們：中道就是覺知心不要落入兩邊，也就是一切非有、非沒有、非常、非不常。然后在字里行間翻攪，讓人越聽越玄。”（《佛教之危機》／《見道報告》第274頁）這種只要“不談如來藏”這個名相，就不能講中道實相的觀點，何曾夢見《法華經》諸法實相的“十如是”妙理？而在自己不懂佛法的時候聽人講法，后來卻反過來說曾經教導他的老師在“翻攪”。說一句淺白的話：真是沒良心啊！而言外之意卻是連自己看佛經也沒有看懂，直到后來看蕭平實的《真實如來藏》，才知道什么是中道實相。等于輕易的就把佛經、老師看作都不如蕭平實及其著作。

君子和而不同，小人同而不和。在蕭平實的教唆下，自以為明心見性的那些追隨者們，幾乎都是針對以前教導過他們的師父、老師反咬一口（詳見各種《見道報告》），依據實際上的第一因外道見，個個都是大言不慚，指鹿為馬！五乘佛法接引眾生方式本來就有無數種，所謂：方便有多門，歸元無二路。十如是的每一如是，皆可契入諸法實相，祖師大德乃至現今佛門法師，亦是各從不同角度隨方指示，解粘去縛。倘若真是蕭平實和他的追隨者們所批評誹謗的那樣，全球也沒有大乘正法，只有他們的正覺同修會有，蕭平實的書是走遍全球也見不到的，連佛經法寶也沒有他寫的書精采。那么，世間的弘法事業不能做，出世間的弘法事業也不能做，這些佛門的各種弘法機構早就應該消滅了。那么，蕭平實和他的追隨者們又拿什么來標榜自己“完全符合三乘正法”？拿什么來作他們“第一因外道見”的擋箭牌呢？如果都按照他們現在的愿望，佛教豈不是在他們正覺同修會還沒有出現的時候，早就已經消滅殆盡了嗎？那種小人得志、過河拆橋的嘴臉，豈不是忘恩負義的全盤寫真？豈不是欺師滅祖的惡毒居心？

每一個人在修習佛法的過程中，哪怕是聽到某位老師說過“諸行無常，是生滅法”這樣半句偈子，也應該感恩無盡，更何況是對自己的皈依師父、學法老師，無根而指名道姓地進行詆毀呢？這些忘恩負義之徒，正在破壞世間三寶，縱然個別人沒有直言謗師，也是懷疑古今大德，都與蕭平實一起造作了忘恩負義“欺師滅祖”之極惡重業，將來果報之可怕，令人感到心驚膽寒！

四、謗法破僧的“玩弄文字”

盡管古人說：“天之道，不爭而善勝，不爭而自來”，然而往往是“謊言說一千遍便成了‘真理’”。蕭平實之所以能夠迷惑那么多人，能夠寫出那么多書，除了他聰明能干、辛勤苦讀、才思敏捷、努力筆耕的客觀情形之外，最根本之處還是因為他具有超人的玩弄文字之能力。他不明白大乘佛法體、相、用三者之關系，亦復不知阿賴耶識、種子、現行之關系，更不懂大乘佛法圓教實相、華嚴境界，所以才會把阿賴耶識當作能生一切緣起諸法的第一因，而把宇宙萬有身心世界都當作自性的衍生物，落入了外道邪見之中。但是，其語言敘述實在美妙，玩弄文字的手段極其高明，所以才能剽竊唯識佛法之名相義理，作為宣揚第一因外道見的掩護材料，更加大膽地進行了“破法謗僧”。于此僅作如下舉證：

他說：“如果原來的妄心意識沒有了——沒有這個能夠了境分別的覺知心——那就應該只剩下“恒而不審”的真心了，真心既然“恒而不審”，那么請問：“佛悟了以后是不是就變成癡呆漢了？”變成“不審”一切境界的心了，跟白癡一樣了！所以問題就很嚴重了。”（《大乘無我觀》第14頁）又說：“這樣參禪而證得“恒而不審”的如來藏，才叫做明心，這樣才能夠經得起小乘、中乘以及大乘佛法的檢點。”（《大乘無我觀》第15頁）

同樣對“恒而不審”的解釋，前者別人所說的真心“恒而不審”就變成癡呆漢了，后者自己所謂的真心“恒而不審”就叫做明心。這種任意曲解、無根誹謗的做法，只是在文字上攪惑的把戲，并無實際的內在區分，因其根本沒有任何心性方面的證悟，有的也只是臆想出來一個“宇宙第一因”，以如來藏等佛法名相作為代名詞而已。當別人說到佛性妙用恒沙、不生不滅時，他就講“佛性一定要用父母所生肉眼看見”，而當說到父母所生之肉眼屬于有相，凡所有相皆是虛妄時，則在“父母所生肉眼”的后面加上了“一念相應慧”，或者標上“其它五根亦然”。而當別人從“用”上來講述或者直示自性時，他就從“體”上來進行毀謗破斥，別人從“體”上來說自性本體時，他卻又要從“用”上進行破斥，然實際上，他自己又沒有真正明白諸法實相之體用關系，這種賣弄文字的伎倆，屢屢使用。所以他的一切所作所為，都落入外道邪見之中，才瘋狂地破壞三寶。

再如，他在《狂密與真密》的各輯中，處處誤稱藏傳密教的雙身法為“欲界法”，欲界法就是世間法，就是外道法。并以此為借口，全盤否定了一切密宗教法，這是他自己以為“抓得最緊”的一條密宗的辮子，根本沒有任何回旋的余地，要將藏傳佛教乃至漢傳密宗經典置于死地。但他自己卻又說：“菩薩如是未斷三界貪嗔煩惱而證菩提，非諸凡愚所知，故名不可思議。”（《宗通與說通》第33頁）這里的“三界貪”就已經指出是“欲界的貪”，在他的口中，欲界法、貪欲法又都成為“不可思議”的了。而對藏傳密教的雙身法，也是非諸凡愚所知，不可思議的法，他卻偏面的將其當作可思議法，誹謗為邪淫法。這種文字游戲，真是翻手為云，覆手為雨，欲加之罪，何患無詞！

更為可笑的是他在有意無意間透露出來的文字游戲，讓人不得不感嘆其手法之高明、膽魄之宏偉、臉皮之厚、心地之黑、唇舌之利，如他說：“那么這個道理我們在《平實書箋》里面解說了很多，諸位回去的時候不要客氣，每一種書都把它拿一本回去。不要說拿兩本三本不好意思，不會！我們印出來就是要送給大家的；既然今天結了這個法緣，那你就好好把它帶回去啊！那些書籍里所說的法，都是諸位在市面上沒見過的，你走遍了全球也見不到這種書的。”（《大乘無我觀》第112頁）這段話真是把他的玩弄文字水平發揮到了極致！我們首先看他的“那些書籍里所說的法，都是諸位在市面上沒見過的，你走遍了全球也見不到這種書的。”這句話的文字表面意思，一點兒也沒有毛病，非常符合語言邏輯，在文字上看，那絕對就是“走遍了全球也見不到這種書的”，因為他寫的書只在這里有，全球別的地方都沒有，不要說是談論佛法義理名相的書了，就算是淫穢的書刊，只要是蕭平實寫的，也一定是“走遍全球都沒有的”，所以文字上看一點問題都沒有。但是他這句話的真正含義就是這個嗎？并不是！他的真正意思是：那些書里面所說的內容，是在全球其它地方都見不到的，也就是超過了全球的任何其它書，唯有他寫的這些書是最好的。當時在場的所有聽眾，肯定也都會順著他的這句話而順理成章地理解為：除了這些書外，全球也沒有能與此相比的書了，當然任何在市面上流通的佛教經典法寶，也就都不如他寫的這些書了。如此一來，就達到了蕭平實說這句話的目的了。這是一種語言誤導法，他自己并沒有直接說出“那些書比全球所有的佛經法寶更好”，但是他卻要讓人就這樣去理解他的意思，那些被他這種迷魂湯灌醉了的追隨者們，就會更加如癡如狂地走上他所設置的陷阱，不能自拔！因為他的真正目的就想徹底破壞佛、法、僧三寶，最終以第一因邪見外道全面取代佛、法、僧三寶。而事實上，他現在已經著手“取代三寶”的罪惡行為。他用自己寫的書和外道邪見來取代一切佛法經典，而他和他的追隨者們聲聲口口妄言“蕭老師所說的法，完全符合三乘佛法”，也只是漂亮的煙霧彈而已，已經在上述文中舉證說明。此處就他玩弄文字游戲，混亂和破壞佛法世間三寶之陰謀事實，“全面取代僧寶”的伎倆，進行簡要的揭露。

他企圖“以白衣身而充當僧寶”之行徑，著實表現得露骨且又愚蠢！

首先，他從兩方面來掩飾自己的白衣身份，從而凸顯出他具備僧寶的“資格”：第一，特別強調了對“勝義僧”的解釋，從理論上認定自己是“大乘勝義僧”。如他說：“宗說俱通之菩薩僧，唯在大乘，二乘所無；本書所述之宗通與說通，亦依大乘法中宗通與說通為準，是故此下不述二乘之宗說二通。”（《宗通與說通》第58頁）并且直接自吹為“在人間，勝義菩薩僧極難可遇，特別是已證道種智之宗通與說通菩薩。”（《宗通與說通》第59頁），這樣就能使那些糊涂的追隨者們誤以為他就是殊勝的“僧寶”，從而完全失去對世間三寶之僧寶的皈依敬仰。《大乘大集地藏十輪經》卷五說：“云何名勝義僧？謂佛世尊、若諸菩薩摩訶薩眾其德尊高于一切法得自在者、若獨勝覺、若阿羅漢、若不還、若一來、若預流，如是七種補特伽羅，勝義僧攝。”（T13，749c）而實際上，蕭平實連第七種預流果都不是，因為他的整個思想理論都是以“第一因”邪見為根本，屬于純粹的常見外道，見惑尚且未破，我執邊見非常嚴重，何以自名勝義僧？顯然是想以“勝義僧”的理論來掩護自己的白衣身份，從而達到用在家五欲之身，取代出家清凈僧寶。第二，鼓吹自己二千年來都是出家悟道的高僧，只是最近這兩世“佛所安排”而以在家白衣身來護持佛法，實際的內涵依然是出家悟道的高僧。如說：“我們應該有智慧來作比較：往昔二千多年來的出家悟道之身，而今時二世示現在家悟道之身；如果與別人往昔二千多年來的出家未悟之身，至今世仍是出家未悟之身，二者互相比較之下，佛弟子究竟應該依止何人？這個道理其實很容易判斷，只是無人提醒，所以大家忽略了這個道理。”（《學佛之心態》第141頁）這樣在毫無根據的前提下，就把自己說成超過現在的僧寶，讓人們不要去依止其他僧寶，如此，唯有依止蕭平實才能算是佛弟子了。此是其以在家白衣之身，取代佛教僧寶的初步策劃，并且已經得到了他那些追隨者們的認可與迷信。

其次，他在稱呼上取代了出家僧寶的“和尚”。和尚是梵語upadhya＾ya，音譯作烏波陀耶、優婆陀訶、郁波第耶夜，意譯為親教師、近誦、依學、依生。乃戒壇三師之一。亦即傳授戒法時，除教授、羯磨阿阇梨（軌范師）二師以外之“親教師”。傳到中國之后，原指懿德高僧，后世用于作為弟子對師父的尊稱，世人則約定俗成地作為對出家男眾的特有稱呼，也就是現在住持三寶的僧寶。蕭平實為了要取代住持三寶的僧寶，就荒唐地將自己稱呼為和尚。如他的追隨者們稱呼他：“主三和尚　蕭導師”（《大乘無我觀》第155頁）、“一心頂禮法身慧命父母上平下實和上”（《禪凈圓融》第133頁）、“一心頂禮法身慧命父母上平下實和尚”（《我與無我》第95頁）等等，這種破壞世俗諦名言安立的做法，以在家白衣身說為出家“和尚”，破壞世俗諦就是破壞勝義諦，破壞世俗諦和勝義諦，就是破壞了整個佛法圣教。正如《中論》卷四說：“諸佛依二諦，為眾生說法：一以世俗諦，二第一義諦。若人不能知，分別于二諦，則于深佛法，不知真實義。”（T30，32c￣33a）如此再聯系上述他的第一因外道邪見和造神運動等等情形，這種伎倆顯然就是混淆視聽、取代僧寶的卑鄙行徑。《維摩詰所說經》云：“始在佛樹力降魔，得甘露滅覺道成；已無心意無受行，而悉摧伏諸外道。三轉法輪于大千，其輪本來常清凈；天人得道此為證，三寶于是現世間。”（T14，537c）經中說明了佛陀在鹿野苑三轉四諦法輪，度五比丘為出家僧寶之后，三寶于是現世間。世間三寶必以佛、法、僧為住持，倘若一個在家白衣第一因常見外道都能稱為和尚僧寶的話，那么佛法也將就此消滅了。觀察蕭平實的所作所為，就是朝著這個方向全面推進的。

再者，我們還可以從另一個方面看出他“取代僧寶”的巨大野心。在蕭平實設計的《宗通與說通》一書之封面，封面上所畫的是正覺講堂之說法處，佛像前的講臺兩邊分別為木魚和大罄，講臺正面寫著“正覺”二字，證明這就是正覺講堂的講臺桌，而在講臺正中的主講位置上，儼然坐著一位身披袈裟、項掛念珠、手舉一指、光頭僧相的大法師，而這個講堂的主講導師就是他自己。可見他不但自吹為勝義菩薩僧，讓那些追隨者們對他以僧寶來恭敬，而且還把自己的世俗白衣在家相畫成了出家僧寶相。說得再清楚一點，就是以他白衣之身來取代僧寶莊嚴之法相。自己不能舍離世俗五欲生活，卻要畫一個出家僧相來象征自己，把自己包裝為大乘勝義僧，從而達到他全面取代佛法僧三寶的造神運動之目的！

他們還狂妄自大地誹謗佛教史上的歷代祖師大德，盲目無根地批評“無情有佛性”之深奧思想，他根本都不懂華嚴境界、圓教實相，更不明白《華嚴經》所說的：“于一塵中塵數佛，各處菩薩眾會中。無盡法界塵亦然，深信諸佛皆充滿。”之深妙義理，這個“塵”字，不是指“根”，也不是指“識”，就是指“塵”。他何有能力評判此等高深之華嚴境界大乘妙理！卻還處處自吹自擂，自稱“真善知識”，自詡“完全符合三乘正法”，自謂“走遍全球也沒有”，自許“全球獨一無二”之“大乘勝義僧”。譬如井蛙以管窺天，誣謗圣賢破壞三寶，拔舌造業自鳴得意，皮厚心黑無過于此。真是：蚍蜉撼大樹，可笑不自量！

綜上所述，從蕭平實的這些著作中，明白地表現出一個“邪因外道”的根本思想立場，在他造神運動的籠罩下，剽竊了佛法的名相義理，卻反過來想要全面取代佛法僧三寶，破壞佛法，惑亂社會，混淆視聽，欺騙眾生。無論是外道邪見、造神運動，還是忘恩負義、謗法破僧，都已經罪據確鑿、鐵證如山，不容抵賴。于此事實面前，提出兩點希望：第一，希望蕭平實以及他的追隨者們，趕緊走出外道邪見之深坑，停止一切破法謗僧之惡行，消毀一切已經出版破法謗僧之書籍，并向十方三寶虔誠懺悔！第二，希望已信未信佛弟子們，以及社會大眾，不可染著蕭平實所有著作中的謗法破僧之惡習，防范第一因外道邪見和造神運動之陷阱，依據佛經祖述五乘正法認真修學，發菩提心，成無上道。阿彌陀佛！

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Labels: Cults, Emptiness, The True Enlightenment Practitioners Association (佛教正覺同修會; Zhengjue), Ven. Da Zhao, Xiao Pingshi (蕭平實) 0 comments | |

邪因外道——萧平实的“造神运动”

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以下为中文评论，评论之后附上原文：

John Tan 最近让我注意到一个名为“佛教正覺同修會”（True Enlightenment Practitioners Association）的台湾佛教团体，该团体由萧平实 (Xiao Ping Shi) 领导。他提到这个团体已经在新加坡的多个寺庙建立了相当大的影响力。

我以前听过他们的名字，印象中他们像是“Dark Zen”的华人版。他们似乎对自身圈子以外的佛教教义和法师们极为挑剔和不屑一顾，同时宣扬他们对“Atman doctrine”（我论/神我论）的解读是佛法的最终理解。讽刺的是，他们似乎没有意识到自己的观点更接近于“tirthika”（外道）哲学，而这些哲学在传统佛教框架内被认为是错误的。

经过进一步调查，我确认了我的担忧是正确的。该团体确实是佛教正覺同修會，由萧平实领导。更多信息，您可以参考他们的维基百科页面：Wikipedia。

我非常感谢达照法师 (Venerable Da Zhao) 对该团体以“Atman”（神我）为中心的观点的批判，这些批判为我们提供了宝贵的洞见，让我们了解其偏离正统佛教教义之处。

以下是达照法师 (Venerable Da Zhao) 的文章《邪因外道——萧平实的“造神运动”》的概要：

达照法师的文章对台湾心灵导师萧平实及其“佛教正覺同修會”发起了严厉而明确的谴责。作者断言，萧平实表面上展现出深厚的佛学知识和大量著述，实则传播着一种“邪因外道”的教义，这与佛教关于缘起和空性的教导从根本上不相容。达照法师认为，这种核心的邪见是驱动一场旨在萧平实自我神化和欺骗追随者的“造神运动”的引擎。

核心教义批判：“第一因”邪见

达照法师指出，萧平实曲解了如“如来藏”（真如）和“阿赖耶识”（第八识）等基本佛教概念，将它们转变成一个单一的、永恒的、能创造万物的“第一因”，所有现象都由此衍生。达照法师认为，这反映了非佛教的“常见外道”邪说（例如某些对“僧佉派”(Sāṃkhya)或道教“太极”的解读，据称萧的弟子们明确地将这些与其导师的教义联系起来），并直接否定了佛教对这类创造者实体的否认。达照法师引用萧平实及其弟子的著述来证实这一说法，并将萧平实所谓的“证悟”斥为纯粹的“臆想”。任何不符合萧平实“第一因”理论的佛教教义或法师，都被诬蔑为“伪造”、“错解”或“未悟”。

“造神运动”

文章细致地勾勒出萧平实据称是如何经营个人崇拜的，其特征包括：

* 自我神化：萧平实将自己描绘成一位独特觉悟的圣者、一位高级菩萨，其当前的在家身份是“佛所安排”，并且拥有了知过去未来的能力。

* 自我中心：他坚称只有他的教导和方法才能带来真正的觉悟，宣称自己的书籍举世无双，从而含蓄地（有时是明确地）贬低整个三藏以及所有其他当代法师。

* 欺骗性陈述：萧平实虽然使用佛教术语，却系统性地攻击并试图否定其他佛教传统（尤其是藏传密宗）、受人尊敬的法师（包括他自己的前任老师圣严法师），甚至包括正典经文。

* 利诱与精神控制：追随者被迅速觉悟的承诺所引诱，然后受到精神控制，导致他们表现出不加批判的忠诚，鹦鹉学舌般重复萧平实对其他人的谴责，并相信其至高无上、独一无二的地位。

达照法师将这场运动归因于萧平实极度的“自我膨胀”、精心策划的“图利”（无论是通过诋毁其他佛教组织来获取经济利益，还是为了留名后世），以及对社会性“人心没落”的利用，这种没落使人们容易受到简单化、权威性说辞的影响。

背叛与欺骗伎俩

达照法师指控萧平实严重“忘恩负义”和

“欺师灭祖”，特别是在其对圣严法师的谴责上，据称萧平实是在圣严法师的指导下获得了初步体验。达照法师声称，这种行为也被传授给了他的弟子们，他们随后也开始诋毁自己以前的老师。

此外，萧平实的影响力被归因于其“超凡的文字驾驭能力”。据称，他扭曲佛教术语以适应自己的叙事，从相互矛盾的立场攻击他人，并使用误导性语言来宣扬自己著作的优越性。达照法师强调了萧平实试图篡夺僧伽（僧团）权威和象征的行径，例如鼓励在家弟子称他为“和尚”（僧侣的称谓），重新定义“胜义僧”以将自己包含在内，甚至在著作封面上将自己描绘成僧人形象。

毫不妥协的谴责

在整篇文章中，达照法师的语气充满了急迫的警示和深切的谴责。萧平实被描绘成一个窃取佛教内核宝藏的“盗贼”，一个用“邪法”引人入歧途的当代“魔”头。其行为被描述为“谤法破僧”、“破坏三宝”，并造成了“无法估量的伤害”。作者总结道，萧平实的邪见及其破坏性个人崇拜活动的证据“确凿无疑，不容抵赖”，并呼吁萧平实及其追随者忏悔，同时呼吁广大佛教界坚决抵制其教义。

原文：

邪因外道——萧平实的“造神运动”
发布日期: 2006-01-01 浏览量: 13,944 次浏览

达　照

俗话说：“人善被人欺，马善被人骑。”在这个社会转型的年代里，已显突出！佛门慈悲，屡屡遭人欺侮，尤更突出！在读完台湾萧平实所著《无相念佛》、《念佛三昧修学次第》、《正法眼藏——护法集》、《生命实相之辨正》、《真假开悟之简易辨正法》、《禅净圆融》、《真实如来藏》、《如何契入念佛法门》、《大乘无我观》、《佛教之危机》、《宗通与说通》、《我与无我》、《狂密与真密》（一到四辑）、《禅门摩尼宝聚》等（公案拈提一到五辑）、《楞伽经详解》（一到六辑），以及一起出版的《学佛之心态》、《慈悲的心声》等二三十部书后，感慨良深！起初只看表面的文字叙述、名相解释，乃至义理参究存在很大的问题，总是觉得很别扭，特别感到作者一股莫名强大的自我表现欲，处处不忘记“自我”，处处为“自我”包装，与佛法精神实不相符。后来渐渐看到，一切好事都跟作者本人联系起来，一切坏事都跟现今佛门大德联系起来，除了作者所说之外，已经没有任何佛法可学可修，除了作者创办的正觉同修会之外，根本没有任何地方是真正的佛教道场，这亦与佛法万德庄严相悖逆。再后来终于看清楚在以佛法名相义理为掩护的背后，深深隐藏着他自己“第一因”的邪因外道见，露出了狡猾的狐狸尾巴，实是佛教致深之伤害！再进一步才完全明白了，这是一次人心没落的“造神运动”，却将佛法名相义理窃为他招摇惑世之神坛，岂非佛教之悲哀？遂感慨现今之佛教，外遭法轮功邪教盗窃法轮之标致而横行霸道，内患第一因外道假借佛法名相义理为掩护而谤法破僧！堂堂佛教，堂堂妙法，堂堂僧宝，广大庄严，为世明灯，竟遭外道邪教凌辱至此，静夜思之，哀哉可伤！法轮功邪教犹如贼人进入院子，仅仅偷窃了院子里面的摆设（标致），只需家人警觉一呼，便会隐遁而去；第一因外道譬如登堂入室，盗取了保险箱里面的财宝（佛法义理名相），纵然被赶出家门，已然狼藉一片！如之奈何？如之奈何！

现代贼人的手段越来越高明，剽窃越来越深入，伤害也越来越严重！致命之处就在于萧平实之叙述，文字语言基本上都符合佛法之意，不要说初学佛法者难以赝别其真伪，就是久参者也容易被其美妙的文字叙述所误导，甚至学界还有人说他“颇为精到”，而不知在最为关键的根本处却是外道之行径。他还处处标榜“正法”，处处提出“法义辨正”。现在，我们从他的论著中，就其“第一因”的外道思想、人心没落的“造神运动”、欺师灭祖的“忘恩负义”、玩弄文字的“谤法破僧”等要点，来揭示其以“三乘正法”为掩护的外道嘴脸，还我佛教之清白！

一、“第一因”的外道思想

所谓第一因外道，就是主张世界万物成立之原因乃同属一因的外道。在《提婆菩萨释楞伽经中外道小乘涅槃论》中指出了二十种外道，个个都推求宇宙万物的第一因，并且作出自己的解释。其中第四韦陀论师、第五伊赊那论师、第九女人眷属论师、第十二摩陀罗论师、第十四僧佉论师、第十五摩醯首罗论师、第二十安荼论师等，所说虽各有异同，然同属一因外道之部类。他们都认为一切法的生起有一个“第一因”，总有一个“能生”万物的本源，万物都是由一个本源而衍生出来的。如第五外道伊赊那论师的主张：“以无形相而能生诸有命、无命一切万物，名为涅槃。”（T32，157a）第十四外道僧佉论师之主张：“如实知从自性生，还入自性，能离一切生死得涅槃，如是从自性生一切众生。是故外道僧佉说自性是常，能生诸法，是涅槃因。”（T32，157c）这就是外道“非因计因”的“第一因”邪见！

与“第一因”生出万物的邪见相接近的，要算是“一元论”了，这也占印度哲学的许多流派。如吠陀哲学即主张宇宙之本质为梵，个人主体之本质为我，此两种本质的原理是同为一体的，这就是“梵我一如”。欲表现此一元论之本质内容实非易事，故有实在（有）、精神（知）、至福（欢喜）等说法的产生。然而，此种绝对本质之一元论，却难以解释各种现象界之发生，如物质自然界、苦、恶等人世间的种种现象。判定精神原理（神我）与物质原理（自性）对立之二元论，就是为了解决这类问题而应运出现。以上诸论，皆有其自相矛盾之处，都属于外道之邪见，为佛法所破斥。

于佛法中，无论小乘还是大乘，绝对都没有这样的“第一因”或一元论外道之邪见，如《俱舍论》卷六说：“一因生法，决定无有。”（T29，36b）《华严经》卷三十说：“彼诸佛子如是知，一切法性常空寂，无有一法能造作，同于诸佛悟无我。”《七佛传法偈》迦叶佛说：“一切众生性清净，从本无生无可灭。”《中论》卷三说：“若众缘未合，而先有果生者，是事不然，果离因缘故，则名无因果。是故汝说众缘未合时先有果生者，是事则不然。问曰：因灭变为果者，有何咎？答曰：若因变为果，因即至于果，是则前生因，生已而复生。”（T30，26c）达摩祖师的《少室六门？血脉论》也说：“问曰：若不见性，念佛、诵经、布施、持戒、精进、广兴福利，得成佛否？答曰：不得。又问：因何不得？答曰：有少法可得，是有为法，是因果，是受报，是轮回法，不免生死，何时得成佛道！成佛须是见性，若不见性，因果等语，是外道法。若是佛，不习外道法。佛是无业人，无因果。但有少法可得，尽是谤佛，凭何得成？但有住着一心、一能、一解、一见，佛都不许。佛无持犯，心性本空，亦非垢净，诸法无修无证，无因无果。”（T48，374a）又说：“佛者，亦名法身，亦名本心。此心无形相、无因果、无筋骨，犹如虚空，取不得，不同质碍，不同外道。”（T48，376a）

总之，在大小乘的各种经论中，决定都没有“第一因”能生一切法的邪见谬论。因为一切法众缘和合，如幻如化，从本以来不生不灭，真如法性如来藏与生死烦恼一切法，譬如水之与波，都是全体相即全体相具的，生即全生，灭亦全灭，当处出生，随处灭尽，离波无水可言，离水无波可得。不能说水为波之第一因，也不能说波是由水“衍生”出来，水与波不能成为能生所生之对立。诸法实相，本来如如；真如实性，也是如如；缘起现象，亦复如如。所谓“诸法如是相、如是性、如是体、如是力、如是作、如是因、如是缘、如是果、如是报、如是本末究竟等。”（T9，5c）如《首楞严经》卷第二说：“一切浮尘，诸幻化相，当处出生，随处灭尽，幻妄称相，其性真为妙觉明体。如是乃至五阴六入，从十二处至十八界，因缘和合虚妄有生，因缘别离虚妄名灭。殊不能知生灭去来，本如来藏常住妙明，不动周圆妙真如性，性真常中求于去来，迷悟死生了无所得。”（T19，114a）亦如《楞伽经》说：“凡夫无智慧，藏识如巨海，业相犹波浪，依彼譬类通。”又说：“譬如海水变，种种波浪转；七识亦如是，心俱和合生。”如是佛法不共外道之根本正见，亦即佛法世界观、人生观之究竟义理，更为大乘佛教之命根所在！

然而，萧平实却把“缘起诸法”与“如来藏阿赖耶识实相”对立起来，譬如把“海水与波浪”对立起来，把缘起诸法当作实相的“衍生物”，把真如实相当作缘起诸法的“生因”，并且认为：如来藏阿赖耶识是宇宙万物生灭现象的“第一因”，缘起诸法是由如来藏阿赖耶识“衍生”出来的。他说：

“你的真如出生蕴处界以后，再与蕴、处、界配合，就能出生一切法。”　（《大乘无我观》第39页）“由于你证得你的自身真如第八识，从这个第八识来观察祂的清净自在、遍一切时不断、能生一切法，而十八界全部由祂所生。”（《我与无我》第39页）“虽然这个色身不是真正的我，但他也不是跟‘真正的我’完全无关，因为他是由那个‘真正的我’生出来的——你的色身是你的第八识所创造出来的。”（《我与无我》第41页）“是故世出世间万法，皆唯八识心王所生，故说万法唯识。”（《宗通与说通》第216页）“故云宗通与说通不离八识心王所生一切法；而此一切法归结于八识心王后，复须归结于八识之根本——第八识阿赖耶。”（《宗通与说通》第217页）“十八界外别有自在心为十八界之因”（《宗通与说通》第82页）“诸法缘起缘灭之因——藏识实相。”（《宗通与说通》第54页）上述的“出生”、“能生”、“所生”、“生出来”、“所创造”等，在萧平实看来，都是“能生与所生相对立”的关系，第八识就是“能创造万物”者，所以就得出了第八识就是“第一因”的谬论。而此处所谓的“因”，就是明确地指“第一因”而言！正如他的得意门人所解说：

道教这个太极的义理，在世间法上是正确的，但是在法界根本的认知上是错误的。师兄可以看看萧老师在封面书衣上写的文字说明：“太极唯臆想，根本实真识；无明生两仪，万法由兹生。无我中有我，我中无有我；涅槃余真识，我无我俱泯。”道教以无极太极为根本，衍生出八卦的学理，对于宇宙万物的生灭现象所说的理是正确的，但是却不知第一因——不知如来藏才是真正的根本——不知所谓的无极太极其实就是如来藏；你从萧老师所写的偈中，应该可以知道是甚么道理了。修学佛法的人，如果能澈悟第一义谛真实识——如来藏的义理，从此以后，对世间与出世间的法：从世俗谛的解脱道，到第一义谛的佛菩提道，都能贯通，更何况是世间相对存在的道理呢？（《学佛之心态》第22～23页）

这段话就把萧平实的“第一因”外道邪见完全透露无遗，无法抵赖！于此，我们已恍然大悟，他声声口口“真实如来藏”的用心处，就是寻找到了宇宙万法的本源，由此本源为第一因而生出一切缘起诸法，这正是上文所述第五外道伊赊那论师的主张：“以无形相而能生诸有命、无命一切万物。”（T32，157a）并且更加赤裸裸地附和了道教的外道学说。所谓“道教以无极太极为根本”、“如来藏才是真正的根本”、“无极太极其实就是如来藏”，还公然认为：“道教这个太极的义理，在世间法上是正确的”、“道教以无极太极为根本，衍生出八卦的学理，对于宇宙万物的生灭现象所说的理是正确的。”把佛法对宇宙生灭现象的完美解释“诸法因缘生，诸法因缘灭”置之不顾，一定要拿出一个“第一因”强加给“如来藏”和“诸法实相”的头上，竟将佛法的究竟真理任意偷换糟践！居心何在？如果这么欣赏外道的“太极的义理”和“第一因”的谬论，那就干脆名正言顺的去当外道好了，为何却要将佛法的名相义理说得如此“精到”呢？为何还要标榜自己为佛教的“真善知识”、“三乘正法”呢？然这自有他内在的原因，且待下文举证！

这一点，就连萧平实自己也承认是外道的邪见，他说：“远离外道虚妄建立宇宙第一因邪见。”（《宗通与说通》第32页）而他自己所有的著作都是剽窃三乘佛法的名相和义理，特别在“如来藏”和“阿赖耶识”上，用心“不可谓不勤”！而对于佛法如来藏和阿赖耶识的正义，却只是懂得文字的表面含义或者臆想的内涵而已，在一切关于“如来藏”和“阿赖耶识”乃至“实相”等等的叙述上，乍看似乎没有错误（实际上是他玩弄文字游戏的绝招所致，将在下文举证）。然其本质，则是把真如实相理解成“第一因”的外道邪说，真是“谬以千里”。为何如此？因为他所谓的“亲证如来藏”是由“臆想”而来的，如他在《我与无我》的封面书衣上有颂曰：“太极唯臆想，根本实真识；无明生两仪，万法由兹生。”其弟子解释说：“无极太极其实就是如来藏”，太极既然就是如来藏，太极是属于臆想，那么如来藏也就自然同太极一样也是属于臆想而来的了，但他要说“根本实真识”，即“如来藏才是真正的根本”，因此如来藏就成了“第一因”，由此第一因而生出无明两仪乃至万法了。再细细看，他说“无明生两仪，万法由兹生。”可见这里的“无明”又成为道教所说的“太极”了，因为“道教这个太极的义理，在世间法上是正确的”，然而“无极太极其实就是如来藏”，那么，无明、太极、如来藏，在这里就都成为“能生”万法的“第一因”了。而其所谓的佛法“第一义谛”、“真如”、“阿赖耶识”等等，都是相似或者等同于如来藏，自然也就都成为“万法由兹生”的“第一因”了。因此，他在《我与无我》的封面上，直接用外道太极图来表示我与无我的关系。真是“闻所未闻”！实在荒谬之极！！

如是，萧平实以大乘正法为掩护而宣传他自己的“第一因”外道邪见，声声诬谤佛教古今大德为“常见外道”，然他自己所述才是真正的“常见外道”，足可见其“贼喊抓贼”之伎俩！何以故？“无明生两仪，万法由兹生”是外道学说故，第一因能生万物非佛法故，第一因就是如来藏非正理故，第一因就是实相非正见故，第一因就是阿赖耶识非唯识理论故，第一因能生缘起诸法非真理故，非佛法第一义谛故，非佛法世俗谛故，非佛法菩提道故，非二乘解脱道故，非佛教世界观故，非佛教人生观故，非佛教解脱论故，非佛法现量正量故，“第一因”违背佛法之一切义理故，由此判知萧平实的“第一因”实乃外道之邪见！

他处处标榜自己“亲证如来藏”、“眼见佛性”、“真善知识”，皆是亲证到了宇宙万物之根源的“第一因”，以第一因作为自己的立论根本，却以如来藏佛性作为第一因的代名词，这是他自己通过冥思“臆想”而来，完全背离了一切佛经乃至佛法，并且还望文生义地剽窃佛经为其掩护。他的追随者们所谓之见道，也是自以为“找到了宇宙万法的第一因——如来藏佛性”而自豪，遂感到超出凡夫而成为圣人菩萨了。虽然明白或者附会了外道的第一因之理，而深感“受用无穷、感恩无尽”，但是对于佛陀之正法却未曾梦见。因此，以这个“第一因”的外道学说来衡量三藏经典、五乘教法，于其无知不解之处，或者不与“第一因”文字叙述相符之处，或者不能为其“第一因”邪见作掩护之处，就一概被诬谤为“伪造佛经”、“未悟错悟”！对一切三宝，五乘正法，显密圣教，进行了公然挑衅，肆意诋毁，才会不信因果，不畏苦报，广造破法谤僧之恶业。而其自身乃至追随者们，却还信誓坦坦，狂言妄语，各各自称见道、证道、觉菩提道！

倘若萧平实您还是一个良知未昧的男子汉，就应该老老实实地把自己的“第一因”谬论彻底推翻，带领徒众走出破法谤僧的邪路，站出来恭恭敬敬地向十方三世一切三宝恳切忏悔，从此以后不再造作无边之恶业，不再夭伤大众之法身慧命，不再惑乱已信未信之广大佛教信众，佛法慈悲普渡有缘之人！是所诚盼！！倘若依然无视佛法之正见，而执取外道之邪说，或者以更狡猾的诡辩而袭取佛法名相来作自己“第一因”邪见的挡箭牌，那就非但“一盲引众盲，相牵入火坑。”亦且“破坏三宝尊，令世长暗冥！”其果报之可怕，在萧平实您的书中，处处提示警告！处处婆心规劝！处处毛骨悚然！合当自己反省！此处不再赘言。

然而，让我们感到遗憾的是，萧平实不会改变他的“第一因”外道立场。何以故？因为他“我见”之见惑没有断除，自以为找到了宇宙之本源，证验了“第一因”之真实存在，漠视了缘起法的因果规律，又剽取了丰富圆满的佛法修证之名相义理，加上超人的文字游戏之能力，业已形成了自己“独特”的说教方式，正在逐渐吸引着善良易骗的人们，进行了愚蠢的“造神运动”！所以，他是不会迷途知返的。由于他的实际行动已经严重地破坏了佛教的清净庄严，直接影响了正法在世间的弘扬！因此，我们有必要对他的“造神运动”做一次明确的鉴定，以澄清古今大德、五乘正法所蒙受之羞辱，还我佛教三宝之圣洁庄严。

二、人心没落的“造神运动”

“造神运动”是历史上常见的现象，无论是邪教组织，还是外道出现，都免不了这种人为“造神”的特殊运动。一般而言，人类造神运动都具有五个特征和三个原因。五个特征就是：自我神化、自我中心、明从暗排、诱引蛊惑、精神控制，三个原因就是：自我膨胀、有利可图、人心没落。而在看完萧平实的著作之后，我们很快就发现他完全具备了这样的五个特征和三个原因。在他疯狂地攻亵古今大德和五乘正法的情况下，我们不得不对其五个特征和三个原因进行理性的分析，举证此一造神运动的事实，揭批其破法谤僧的内幕和表相。

1、萧平实造神运动的五个特征：

第一、自我神化，这是所有造神运动的首要特征，或者鼓吹自己与神灵有直接沟通的本事，或者自命为奉行神灵的旨意，或者标榜自己有超人的能力带领凡人进入神灵的世界，或者径直自诩为佛、圣位菩萨、圣人、救世主等。这些特征在萧平实的著作中表现得非常露骨！他除了处处标榜自己是真悟的“真善知识”、“大乘胜义僧”外，在其各种著作中处处显示他自己是初地以上的圣位菩萨，还时常自吹能知过去无量世的情况，如他说：“近年往往于定中观见往昔世之弘法净行，及无量世前之误造谤法业而受报等等”（《宗通与说通》第2页），“看见未来世的我，也是在家时多，出家时少”（《大乘无我观》第92页），这种言论到处都是，自诩为“能知过去未来”的圣人，而且还能知“无量世前”的造业受报。就在这“圣位菩萨”和“能知过去未来”两类自我神化伎俩的笼罩下，他的追随者们便将其奉为圣人，吹捧他是“往昔二千多年来的出家悟道之身，而今时二世示现在家悟道之身。”（《学佛之心态》第141页）并且厚颜无耻地说“今生示现在家相，是佛所安排。”（《学佛之心态》第140页）从而达到了自我神化的目的！类似的说法实在太多，处处可见，我们这里仅作举证，知其具有明显“自我神化”之特征。暂且不论他有否如此的“神功”，就其上述“第一因”外道的实际内涵，我执我见根本未破，只是轮回中的一个烦恼众生，最多也只能算是一个惑乱佛法乃至世间法的外道而已，怎么可以自称为见道证道的佛教圣人呢？由此亦可证明其纯粹是自我神化的大妄语而已，丝毫不足为信。再者，如果“佛所安排”他来到这个世界，那佛不就成为“万能的上帝”了吗？这种荒谬的造神伎俩，只要认真注意一下，就会不攻自破的，可惜还有许多人却仍在上当受骗！

第二、自我中心，所有历史上的造神运动都是我执未破的凡夫俗子所为，因为我执未除，我爱我贪我所等法缠缚于心，所以就总是以自我为中心。这样，既不能客观地理解别人的言论内涵，又鼓吹自己的言论为“唯我独尊”，有意无意之间，就透露出自己超越了一切古今圣人，乃至诸佛菩萨。这在萧平实的著作中，也同样随处可见！如他说：“诸位今天一定是半信半疑的，不要说一生完成初地的道业，就算最简单的一个明心开悟就好，诸位也是一定半信半疑的，那么你要如何才能相信不疑呢？只有一个办法：试着依照我这些书上所讲的方法与知见去用功。”（《大乘无我观》第68页）又说：“那么这个道理我们在《平实书笺》里面解说了很多，诸位回去的时候不要客气，每一种书都把它拿一本回去。不要说拿两本三本不好意思，不会！我们印出来就是要送给大家的；既然今天结了这个法缘，那你就好好把它带回去啊！那些书籍里所说的法，都是诸位在市面上没见过的，你走遍了全球也见不到这种书的。”（《大乘无我观》第112页）从这两处引文，可以非常清晰地看出萧平实自我中心的强烈欲望，只有他的书上所讲的方法才能明心开悟，他的那些书籍里所说的法是走遍全球也见不到的，这显然把全球的所有佛教三藏经典全都一概否定掉了！因为“只有一个办法”就是他的书上所讲的方法，全球也见不到他的书里所说的法了。他在说这句话的时候，还有没有想到佛教的三藏经典呢？根本没有。这种诽谤破灭佛教三藏经典的言论，完全是从他自己内心深处透露出来的，在他自己的“第一因”邪见基础上，他才会这样理直气壮地蔑视三藏经典，而把自己的书籍放到了“至高无上”的位置上。他写的那些书确实是“走遍了全球也见不到”的造神运动的广告招牌！

第三、明从暗排，“明从”是指所有造神运动的理论背景，表面上他的理论都是有所依据的，“暗排”则指事实上都是借助某种理论当掩护来宣说其个人的思想理论，甚至实际上是排斥表面上所依据的那些理论，比如以“伪科学”、“伪宗教”等幌子，排斥真正的科学和宗教，从而达到自己造神运动的目的。萧平实也是如此，表面上是“明从佛法”，实际上却是“暗排佛教”，他以“佛教正觉”、“三乘正法”、“真善知识”乃至一切佛法名相义理为掩护，说得还“头头是道”，而实际上却是在诽谤古今大德、破坏五乘正法，甚至连佛陀、经典都不在他的眼里。在他的各类著作中，可以看出这样的一种内幕：首先把藏传佛教的密宗全部破除（详见《狂密与真密》一到四辑），再把整个佛教的许多古今大德一概否定（所有著作随处误会曲解古今大德原意，肆意毁谤，不胜枚举），再把汉传大藏经中“密教部”《大日经》、《金刚顶经》等多种佛经毁为伪经（见《狂密与真密》第9～10页），最后他胡言：“明心开悟只有一个办法：依照我这些书所讲的方法与知见去用功，”就连佛陀也不如他本人，一切佛说经典都没有他的“那些书籍里所说的法”更为精采，他说：“我们《真实如来藏》写出来，证实是有如来藏；诸位有机会的话，应该去买那本书来看，那本书非常精采，保证是你前所未读。”（《大乘无我观》第71页）“那些书籍里所说的法，都是诸位在市面上没见过的，你走遍了全球也见不到这种书的。”（《大乘无我观》第112页）所以，表面上是依据三乘正法，暗地里却是在破坏三宝，排斥一切佛经法宝、五乘正法、住持僧宝。但他却还要打着“真善知识”、“三乘正法”的旗号，这就是“明从佛法，暗排佛教”的造神运动之特征。

第四、诱引蛊惑，这也是造神运动的一种卑鄙手段，一般都是以长者或救世主的身份自诩，无中生有的毁谤名人、呵斥社会，唯独自己能够救世，别人都是为名为利，一切善良智慧光明伟大都是自己的，一切邪恶愚蠢黑暗卑鄙都是别人（特别是同时代的名人）的，这样就能给社会人心造成伤害和迷茫，然后自己俨然一位济世救人的长者面貌出现，“用外道法来广泛的毒害善良易骗的佛弟子们。”（《佛教之危机》第126页）从而渔翁得利。因此，萧平实打着“真善知识”、“大乘胜义僧”、“三乘正法”的招牌，搅乱佛教的各种弘法机构、古今大德，乃至佛经法宝，动摇社会人心乃至信仰群众，如他说：“大乘佛法的实质，能不能够继续再延续下去，还要看我们这一代怎么做；因为大陆现在没有宗门正法，全球都没有，目前只有台湾有。可是说一句不客气的话，全台湾也只有正觉同修会有，目前确是这个样子。”（《大乘无我观》第89页）这种蛊惑“善良易骗的佛弟子们”之卖狗皮膏药的广告辞，自能起到一定的效用，所以他的追随者们便揶揄其：“可谓当代全球独一无二‘宗’‘教’俱通之大善知识。”（《宗通与说通》第5页）遂否定一切佛教的任何形式之弘法事业，并以各种所谓的“见道报告”来迷惑急于求成的“善良易骗的佛弟子们”。好象古今中外、天地之间一切事态都在他的手掌心，什么“全球都没有”、“独一无二”这种商业炒作的把戏也全都派上用场了，所以才会这么有“诱惑力”。另外，在《公案拈提》的百则公案中，竟有四十则以上放出了“来正觉同修会，为你开悟”的诱饵，所有的《公案拈提》中，除了宣说或者暗示“第一因”外道邪见之外，就是以“且到正觉讲堂来”为机锋，诱引蛊惑未信已信的广大信众，用心之毒令人发指！

第五、精神控制，这是一切造神运动最为无耻和最为危害的一大特征，在前面四种特征的连环圈套运作之下，只要不小心一脚踏入这个魔鬼区域，就难免落入他精心设计的陷阱之中，不知不觉就被其精神控制，欲罢不能！或者为他卖命宣扬不切实际的功德能力，或者为他所教之法、所指见解倾倒执著不近人情，或者无根诽谤古今圣贤不畏报应，种种颠倒错乱之表现，都是受到了严重之精神控制的症状。这在萧平实的书中也已有所表现！如他的得意门人张果圜说：“可谓当代全球独一无二‘宗’‘教’俱通之大善知识。”（《宗通与说通》第5页）正德说：“萧老师今生示现在家相，是佛所安排，为完成护持正法的大业，必须以在家身，才能方便放手去做，出家身便无法做这个工作，所以今生示现在家相。”（《学佛之心态》第140页）这里的“独一无二”和“佛所安排”等语，纯粹是精神错乱的信口雌黄，你凭什么就说全球“独一无二”？凭什么就说是“佛所安排”？这不是睁着眼睛说瞎话吗？自己过着在家人的五欲生活，却硬要往自己脸上贴金，反而在佛的脸上抹黑，说是“佛所安排”。佛教历史上护持正法的基本上都是出家佛弟子，如龙树、提婆、无著、世亲等大菩萨都是出家身，怎么就“出家身便无法做这个工作”了？再说，你一个萧平实的弟子就知道“佛所安排”这佛陀的“旨意”了？凡此种种无根据的任意胡言，都是由于精神受到了控制之后，失去理智才会说出来的笑话、胡话。特别是在“第一因”这个邪因外道见的惑乱下，他的追随者们基本上都对古今大德、五乘正法评首论足，乃至胡乱诽谤的，各各都把自己当成了救世的圣人，很无辜、很深情的样子，他们希望全球所有的佛教弘法机构全部停止关闭，或者全部改为萧平实的“邪因外道”知见，然后才会有一种“护法”事业的成就感，这简直是痴人说梦话，胡言乱语！

一般受到萧平实精神控制的有三类人：第一类是急于求悟之人，第二类是自我中心之人，第三类是善良易骗之人。对于第一类人，萧平实就是用“第一因”的外道见来笼罩他们的，所以被他印证为“明心”或者“见性”的人，都是有一个共同的感受，那就是：终于找到宇宙万法的根源了，一切万法都是由此第一因根源所生出来。然后把自己误解的阿赖耶识、如来藏等佛法名相和义理作为印证的标准，自鸣得意，各各自称觉菩提道，“就以圣人自居，那就变成大妄语业，那是地狱罪，那问题就很严重了。”（《大乘无我观》第15页）这都是由于不懂佛法的体、相、用之关系，不明白圆教实相和华严境界，所以才会偏离唯识佛法，落入第一因外道的邪见之中，受到精神控制而不能自拔！这在《公案拈提》各辑、各种“见道报告”中透露出来，所有的心、性、阿赖耶识、如来藏、真如、佛性等，都成了萧平实“第一因”的代名词而已，如上述第一节所揭露的那样。对于第二类人，这是与萧平实意气相投的一类人，与其说受到精神控制，不如说狼狈为奸，各取所需，互相吹捧，相互利用，毁谤破坏了他人的佛教弘法事业，他们就会有一种事业的成就感，自我膨胀的欲望得到了暂时的满足，并且为此努力不懈！这在《狂密与真密》（一到四辑）、《护法集》、《佛教之危机》等书中显现出来，这也是萧平实造神运动的内在思路和动力，也是以“佛所安排”为幌子来控制这类人。对于第三类人，萧平实需要比较纯正的佛法名相和义理作为掩护，同时点缀一些“自我神化”的故事，施加一些“别处没有正法”、“我是真善知识”、“不能毁谤大乘胜义僧”、“若有毁谤就堕无间地狱”的压力，这是在《无相念佛》、《禅净圆融》、《大乘无我观》、《楞伽经详解》（一到六辑）等书中所作的努力，文字叙述几乎可以乱真，但所谓的究竟了义却是第一因外道邪见！这样可以帮助他完成造神运动的三类人，都得到了相应的安排，所以这些人的精神也就自然会受到了他的控制，应该说是“萧平实所安排”，而非“佛所安排”！因“第一因”的外道邪见非佛陀正法故！萧平实的著作都是以“第一因”外道见作为立论根本故！印证弟子见道均是证验宇宙万法本源第一因故！盗取佛法名相义理而非佛法实质故！肆意毁破五乘正法而不懂圆教实相故！只是用佛教表相，以及佛法名相、果位名相包装起来而已！

如是，萧平实造神运动的五个特征悉已具备，首先神化自我、自我中心、明从佛暗排佛，然后诱引蛊惑、精神控制，是故理应判别其为真正的“造神运动”！然而，“对于平实而言，既不受钱财供养，亦不受众生之异性身分供养，亦不求名闻，亦不曾寄望于众生——不曾一念于众生身上获得任何世间利益。”（《佛教之危机》第14页）那么，他为何却要如此艰辛的进行造神运动呢？这自有台湾的佛教现状和社会环境为背景，加上自我意识和社会情绪、人心没落等因素所引起的，我们从以下三个方面的原因来进行讨论。

2、萧平实造神运动的三个原因：

第一、自我膨胀，一切造神运动的主谋者都是我执我见未破的凡夫俗子，并且特别强烈地关注自己之我执和我见，所以都是自我膨胀的极端表现，这是造神运动的首要原因。倘若不是自我膨胀到了难以容受的地步，还可以通过追名求利的其它世间相对正当的渠道来获得名誉和荣耀，便无需神化自我的“造神运动”了。因此，一切造神运动都根植于极端自我膨胀的基础上，都是极为强烈的自我表现欲之体现。在萧平实的造神运动中，其自我膨胀之意识和表现也是非常明显的，如他的《禅净圆融》背后说：“言净宗诸祖所未曾言，示诸宗祖师所未曾示。……乃前无古人之超胜见地。”《禅门摩尼宝聚》背后说：“悲智双运，禅味十足，数百年来难得一睹之禅门巨著也。”《禅——悟前与悟后》则说：“本书能使人明自真心、见自本性。迟者七次人天往返，便出三界，速者一生取办。学人欲求开悟者，不可不读。”《真实如来藏》则说：“此书是一切哲学家、宗教家、学佛者、及欲升华心智之人必读之巨著。”等等广告辞，显示了自我意识的“前无古人”之超佛越祖心态。又在《宗通与说通》自序等处称“大乘末法孤子”，强调了：“开悟明心，要如何才能相信不疑呢？只有一个办法：试着依照我这些书上所讲的方法与知见去用功。”（《大乘无我观》第68页）又说：“那么这个道理我们在《平实书笺》里面解说了很多，诸位回去的时候不要客气，每一种书都把它拿一本回去。那些书籍里所说的法，都是诸位在市面上没见过的，你走遍了全球也见不到这种书的。”（《大乘无我观》第112页）“大乘佛法的实质，全球都没有，只有正觉同修会有。”（《大乘无我观》第89页）“我们《真实如来藏》那本书非常精采，保证是你前所未读。”（《大乘无我观》第71页）所以，他说：“我们就应该把《我与无我》这个正理广为宣扬，要护持正觉同修会，使同修会可以正常的、完整地继续运作。”（《我与无我》第80页）除了这些言论上的自我膨胀不可一世之外，更明显的是他各种著作中破法谤僧的种种刻薄言词，捕风捉影，搅乱是非，任意曲解，糟践五乘正法和古今大德，凡此情状，罄竹难书！这些在“第一因”外道的邪见基础上，在“造神运动”的事实面前，显然都是自我膨胀的真实写照。

第二、有利可图，造神运动其实就是一种愚弄百姓的欺骗行为，在自我膨胀的基础上，每一种造神运动的另一原因就是有利可图，尽管对于可图之“利”的理解和追求各不相同，但他们绝不是象萧平实所说的“既不受钱财供养，亦不求名闻，亦不曾寄望于众生——不曾一念于众生身上获得任何世间利益。”相反的，他们就是为了获得世间的某种利益，才胆大妄为地进行造神运动的。我们先来看看萧平实所谓的“破邪显正”，标榜自己为“真善知识”、“三乘正法”、“大乘胜义僧”，以这些为掩护来进行“造神运动”的着眼点何在？

首先，他受到了某种现象的启发，如他说：“那些外道们公开的、大张旗鼓的争佛教的正统，说他们才有佛法的证量，言外之意是：台湾所有佛教道场及所有一切法师居士们都不是真正的佛教。”（《佛教之危机》第69页）所以他更为大胆地进行了模仿，明白着说：“大乘佛法的实质，全球都没有，目前只有台湾有。全台湾也只有正觉同修会有。”（《大乘无我观》第89页）就“这样公开的、混淆是非，把台湾佛教界搞得乌烟瘴气。”（《佛教之危机》第69页）这两段话的说话方式之一致性，足见其深邃的世故洞察力，其目的除了“争佛教的正统”而“把佛教界搞得乌烟瘴气”之外，更为根本的又是何在呢？

其次，他注意到了台湾佛教的资源，他说：“法鼓山，由圣严法师以法鼓山文教基金会之名义，募集台币百二十亿元创建之；今年又成立人文教育基金会，欲再吸收台币五十亿元，专门从事世间法之人文教育事项。圣严法师所设之如是二大财团法人，已成为台湾最巨大之吸金机。”（《佛教之危机》第8页，加粗字体为萧平实所注目者）又说：“复观佛光山、法鼓山、中台山、慈济功德会四大山头，广聚佛教资源，犹如四台超级大型之吸金机，吸取超过九成以上之台湾佛教资源，显然已经产生严重之排挤效应。”（《佛教之危机》第15页）还蛊惑着说：“由于四大道场之吸取九成以上佛教资源，导致多数小法师不能弘传正法。”（《佛教之危机》第页）如此，他看清楚佛教资源之后，于是呼吁佛教信众：不应供养这些佛教弘法机构和道场，因为把钱财供养给这些道场，就等于作了破坏正法的帮凶，后果都是下地狱；而要供养给真正的道场，才有无量无边的功德利益，才是护持佛法的善行。然而，“大乘佛法的实质，全球都没有，目前只有台湾有。全台湾也只有正觉同修会有。”（《大乘无我观》第89页）所以，就很自然的得出并没有指明的结论：只能把钱财供养给佛教正觉同修会！否则，都难免会“成就谤法及谤菩萨僧之大恶业”。

这样，他首先看到正统佛教地位的重要性，然后他也看到了台湾佛教资源的丰富，所以才会戴着“真善知识”、“三乘正法”的面具出现，先“争正统”，后“劝供养”，只是掩护手段做得比较隐秘和熟练，甚至连弟子都帮他说“完全不为私心己利，一切所作所为都是为众生、学人。”如果在萧平实的心里自我感觉还真的以为是“既不受钱财供养，亦不求名闻，亦不曾寄望于众生——不曾一念于众生身上获得任何世间利益。”那么，他就是完全陷入于“第一因”外道的邪见之中，所以才会对三藏经典、五乘正法进行无情的毁破，利用丰富的佛法修证次第之名相义理，包装自己那个第一因能生万物的邪说。不过，从他那么艰辛地进行造神运动的事实来观察，不管怎么说，“有利可图”是他这一运动的原始动力，也是铁证如山无可抵赖的。至于说这个“利”的实际内涵，是不是钱财、名闻等等，如他说：“目的仅是在忠实呈现当时之情景以及内涵，作为未来佛教历史上之见证。”（《大乘无我观》第5页）他的追随者也说：“萧老师书中所评论的法，在篇幅比率上，是出家的大法师为多，而且都是当代最有名、最有势力的大法师，都不评论名声较小的法师。因为小法师与在家居士的道场小，信众少，影响力较小。”（《学佛之心态》第104页）是否为了“名留千古”呢？因此，这个结论则可以由时间来说明一切！

第三、人心没落，这是一切造神运动的社会环境，现代社会的自我意识和自我中心情况非常严重，或者生活和工作的压力太重，使现代人的精神感到紧张。同时现代社会的经济发展，物质生活相对富裕之后，也使现代人的精神感到空虚。所以精神引导和心理学乃至宗教接引就显得特别重要。而当人们对于古老的宗教感到不再新颖和刺激的时候，新兴宗教的出现也就是很自然的了。人是万物之灵，同时人也是最为脆弱的生灵！因为人的情感和灵性都相当的丰富，所以也就很容易自我夸大表现或者自我沉迷堕落！就在这个自我夸大和自我沉迷的人心没落区域里，“造神运动”者便伺机乘虚而入。因此社会人心的没落，是造神运动的必要环境。萧平实的造神运动也具备了这样的社会环境！他首先看到了“用外道法来广泛的毒害台湾善良易骗的佛弟子们；收取台湾善良的佛弟子们千万元的钜金供养。”（《佛教之危机》第126页）这样的社会现况，是他着手造神运动的前提和动力！其次，在外道猖獗、新兴宗教林立的情况下，各大山头的法师们都在忙于自己的弘法事业，并未对他们作必要深入的破斥，如他说：“可是印顺、昭慧及星云…等四大法师们，却都个个装聋作哑、默不吭声，藉词不值得辨正，大家一起作滥好人，不肯负起破邪显正、救护佛子、维护佛教的责任。”（《佛教之危机》第69页）这样又在佛教内部找到了他所认为的“弱点”，于是就心中有数地创立起佛教正觉同修会，进行从头到尾、自始至终、由内到外的造神运动，便有了可乘之机。如此，在台湾佛教资源很丰富的情况下，佛弟子们既是“善良易骗”，佛教大法师们又是“默不吭声”，也就给他“以第一因外道全面取代佛教”的野心，提供了滋生的土壤！

佛经上说佛陀入灭两千年后，佛教就进入了“末法时代”，这个“末法时代”的阴影，也会时常笼罩着许多佛弟子们的心。特别是一些急功近利和自我表现欲极强的现代人，多么喜欢快餐文化的出现！广告炒作和商业运行，能够使一个无名小卒一夜之间成为名人圣人，而萧平实便是利用“全球独一无二”、“佛所安排”等等权威的口号、而又极其诱惑人的虚狂妄语，来引诱蛊惑善良易骗或者急功近利的社会大众。而人心没落急于求成的功利主义，也正是需要有这样的“佛所安排”来填补内心的空虚。于是能够一拍即合，并且根本不愿意认真地面对自己进行彻底客观的审察，因为一旦确认了萧平实的思想根本就是第一因外道的邪见，根本不是真正的佛法，那就意味着自己并没有真的开悟，又只能从自我幻觉的“开悟”喜悦中退出，身心还会陷入于另一种不可知的迷茫与没落！因此这样的造神运动是虚幻和可耻的行为，其后果必定是可叹而又可悲的！

社会环境的人心没落，也是佛教需要依据佛法来进行引导开示的，佛法在现实世间的社会功用便要使烦恼痛苦的众生能够离苦得乐。但是，佛教的开示和引导都是扎扎实实的来引领众生走上觉悟的光明大道，绝对不会利用“造神运动”这种低级的、卑鄙的手段来欺骗百姓！绝对不会说“这是佛所安排”的妄语来哄骗佛弟子，也绝对不会说“走遍全球也没有”来示意自己的著作高超于一切佛经法宝之上的狂妄颠倒，更绝对不会说“全球也只有我这里才有佛法”的蛊惑言词！如果萧平实和他的追随者们还要声声口口说“我们的法都有三藏经典为依据”的话，那真是毫无羞耻的瞎说了！佛在何经说“萧平实示现在家相是佛所安排”的？佛在何处说“萧平实的书走遍全球也没有”的？佛在何时说“萧平实是全球独一无二的大善知识”的？佛在何所说“阿赖耶识就是第一因”的？佛在哪里说“第一因能生缘起万物”的？

综观萧平实的种种言论，从根本到表相，都是在“第一因外道”和“造神运动”相互作用、互为表里之情况下诞生的。他要剽窃佛教的名相义理来破坏世间三宝，他要取代佛教的弘法机构而争夺佛教资源，他要挑战佛教的古今大德而创建名留千古，他要惑乱佛教的广大信众而制造迷茫恐慌！通过上述萧平实造神运动的五个特征和三个原因之理性分析，大略可以了知萧平实在剽窃佛法名相义理而大肆宣扬“第一因”外道见的基础上，进行了隐秘而又放肆的造神运动；或者说萧平实为了进行造神运动，而以第一因外道见、丰富圆满的佛法名相义理、神化自我的虚狂妄语等手段作掩护！总之，正如他在《佛教之危机》所引的：“正觉同修会所传的法是邪法，是外道法。”（第69￣70页）我们可以肯定他迄今为止所传的“法”确实有毒，已如上述。如果我们现在还不肯正式出面破斥平实的法错误所在，以救平实“错误弘法”的来世因果，真是无慈无悲啊！

正如《首楞严经》所说：“尔时天魔候得其便，飞精附人，口说经法。其人殊不觉知魔著，亦言自得无上涅槃。来彼求知善男子处，敷座说法。身著白衣，受比丘礼。诽谤禅律，骂詈徒众。讦露人事，不避讥嫌。口中常说神通自在。各各自谓成无上道。”造神运动的真正原因，其实还是由于内心不净，而感召了外魔的入侵，魔胆包天，胡作非为，欺师灭祖，毁破三宝！其实，萧平实除了上述的“第一因外道见”和“造神运动”等事实外，他的著作和言教之所以能够笼罩那些善良易骗的佛弟子们，是因为它具有“忘恩负义”的厚黑嘴脸和“玩弄文字”的奇异能力，所以被他教唆出来的弟子们，也就自然而然地学会了忘恩负义和狂妄自大。于此再作进一步的揭示和分析。

三、欺师灭祖的“忘恩负义”

儒家有“一日为师，终身为父”之优良传统，佛教有“法身父母，恩重山岳”之报恩思想！时值末法，世道人心，江河日下，忘恩负义，甚至恩将仇报，亦是大有人在。萧平实在疯狂地讥谤佛门古今大德的同时，还用一些似是而非的文字游戏来任意蹂躏五乘正法，对于佛法在世间的弘扬进行了无情的搅惑毁破。特别卑鄙的是，在他那造神运动之野心、第一因外道之邪见的驱动下，他逐渐走上了欺师灭祖、忘恩负义之危险境地，令人深感惋惜，深感怜悯！或许这也是造神运动的一个组成部分吧，因为他不但自己忘恩负义，而且连他的那些追随者们也陷入了忘恩负义的深坑，岂不悲哀！而其中有些人竟然还毫无知晓，真是如来所谓可怜悯者啊！这里就简单地从萧平实的著作中，举例来揭示他自作、教他的忘恩负义，乃至欺师灭祖和破坏三宝的事实，以正视听！

1、自作“忘恩负义”欺师灭祖

首先我们看到了萧平实自作的“忘恩负义”欺师灭祖，他说：“虽然我是在打坐中破参的，但是我发觉用打坐的方法来参禅求悟，是错误的观念；因为我这一世的师父教给我的观念和知见都是错误的，所以我才会在打坐中参禅求悟；所以在证悟之后，我反而劝大家参禅时不要在打坐里面参。”（《大乘无我观》第17页）这里他讲述了三个问题：一是“我是在打坐中破参的”，二是“师父教给我的观念（指：在打坐中参禅求悟）都是错误的”，三是“我反而劝大家参禅时不要在打坐里面参。”这三句话有一个背景，那就是他是在他的师父教他打坐的时候，就在打坐当中破参开悟的。那么，“打坐中求悟”是否可行呢？我们知道中国禅堂里面的参禅也叫做“坐禅”，虽然有时候因为个别机缘的不同，祖师们曾经点化过“禅不是坐出来的”，但是佛经上处处都说了“端坐念实相”的功夫，禅门也有“行亦禅，坐亦禅”的传唱，佛教史上虽不乏于行住坐卧四威仪中见性开悟的，但也有更多的禅和子是在蒲团上打破黑漆桶的，不在方法入手处找根本，却在威仪表相上做文章，却是千古未闻之“观念和知见”，况且释迦世尊就是端坐在菩提树下夜睹明星开悟成佛的。我们就不谈佛教历史的事实情况，专就萧平实上述这段话进行分析，看他到底想说明什么问题，到底能否“打坐中求悟”？

如果按他所说“师父教给我的（打坐中求悟的）观念都是错误的”，那么打坐中就是不能开悟了。可是他又说“我是在打坐中破参的”，这又证明了他师父教他打坐求开悟是可行的，已经有了事实的证据落实在他自己的身上了，又如何可以排除“打坐中可以求悟”的观念和知见呢？应该说他自己“根本就没有开悟”或者“根本就不是在打坐中开悟的”才是啊！可是他自己偏偏说自己是“在打坐中破参的”，这样的事实与理论，显然是自相矛盾的。但是如果他说的“我是在打坐中破参的”，属于真实的（起码萧平实自己承认是真实破参开悟的），那么，这就已有事实证明“可以在打坐中开悟”的了，既然已经事实上可以证明能在打坐中开悟，却又为何说“师父教给我的观念（在打坐中参禅求悟）都是错误的”呢？实在是令人费解！这又如何解释他的矛盾说词呢？

再者，根据这种说法的逻辑推理，可以得出两个结论：一是萧平实没有开悟，或者是错误的以为自己开悟，因为教他打坐中求悟的本身就都是错误的；二是他故意跟师父作对，从师父那儿得到了利益，却反过来恩将仇报，猪八戒倒打一耙。可是这两个结果其实都不是萧平实所敢于直接承认的，但他的话已经印在这儿，白纸黑字如何抵赖得掉？他一方面鼓吹自己是“真开悟者”、“真善知识”、“大乘胜义僧”，处处标榜自己“破参出道弘法”，所以决不会翻出自己的老底“第一因外道邪见”，而并没有开悟，更不具备佛法的正见。另一方面神化自己是“能知过去无量世、未来无量世”的“圣人”，要以自己的身形言论取代佛教三宝，因此任意胡作非为，诽谤诬陷自己的师父，乃至现今佛教的所有大德。

从上述这段话，我们可以想见：一个不会修行的人，来到了师父跟前，师父为他证明皈依佛法僧三宝，为他解说佛法和解答种种疑问，并且在实践佛法方面，师父还教给他打坐参禅的方法（我们知道他的师父就是圣严法师，法师慈悲指导学人禅修，并且所指导之禅修方法也包括很多种），萧平实这个人就是这样在他师父的教导下，打坐习禅听闻师父慈悲的教诲。有一天突发奇想，感到自己开悟了，于是离开了师父的教导，另立山头占山为王。从此之后，便以自己的外道邪见来衡量其师父，对师父发起了猛烈恶毒的攻亵，诬陷师父“支持邪淫的外道”。从世间法的角度来看，譬如善良穷人的儿子，后来遇上有钱的恶棍，就站到了有钱人的那边，声声口口诬骂自己的亲生父母，认贼作父昧尽天良。亦如上了大学之后，就对以前小学老师乃至幼稚园老师刻薄讥讽，甚至无中生有进行侮辱，如此恶劣品行，就是忘恩负义之行径。更何况他的师父乃是宣扬禅法修证之大德？释尊过去，舍全身而求半偈。儒家偿谓，闻一言而益终生。世间法还讲“受人滴水之恩，应当涌泉相报。”萧平实在第一因外道见的惑乱下，竟然公开指名道姓地诬谤自己的皈依师父（《佛教之危机》第8页及各书中），其欺师灭祖之忘恩负义，亦是铁证如山。因此他的追随者们，也被其染上了此种恶疾！

2、教他“忘恩负义”破坏三宝

由于萧平实就是这样“忘恩负义”的，因此在第一因外道见的笼罩下，被他教导出来的那些人，也几乎个个都是或多或少染上了这个忘恩负义的恶疾，真令人感到非常担忧，他们还都自以为是“慈悲的心声”，言语间时而透露出对以前师父、老师们的不满和藐视，乃至对于自己犯菩萨根本重戒也“不怕”。如说：“为何末学不怕犯菩萨根本重戒呢？（说四种过、自赞毁他及谤三宝戒）只因末学已经现前观察：五蕴、十八界确实生灭无常、苦、无我、无我所，必定得要有这个不生不灭贯通三世的心——‘如来藏、真我’，才能成就一切法，因果才能成立；而且，在现量上，第八识‘如来’是确实可以亲证的。所以不怕犯根本重戒，而敢提笔评论。”（《慈悲的心声》第38页）他根本没有把如来藏、第八识的真义弄明白，就以“宇宙本源第一因”来比对，似是而非的自以为已经“不迷惑、不彷徨”了，病入膏肓而不自知，破坏三宝还有理由，岂不可悲！

再比如他的追随者说：“听李祖原居士讲中道实相，他把中道讲得非常的玄，那时很多人跟我一样听不懂，总觉得他很有学问。”（《佛教之危机》／《见道报告》第273页）在经过萧平实的教导之后，他说：“李居士根本不谈如来藏，只告诉我们：中道就是觉知心不要落入两边，也就是一切非有、非没有、非常、非不常。然后在字里行间翻搅，让人越听越玄。”（《佛教之危机》／《见道报告》第274页）这种只要“不谈如来藏”这个名相，就不能讲中道实相的观点，何曾梦见《法华经》诸法实相的“十如是”妙理？而在自己不懂佛法的时候听人讲法，后来却反过来说曾经教导他的老师在“翻搅”。说一句浅白的话：真是没良心啊！而言外之意却是连自己看佛经也没有看懂，直到后来看萧平实的《真实如来藏》，才知道什么是中道实相。等于轻易的就把佛经、老师看作都不如萧平实及其著作。

君子和而不同，小人同而不和。在萧平实的教唆下，自以为明心见性的那些追随者们，几乎都是针对以前教导过他们的师父、老师反咬一口（详见各种《见道报告》），依据实际上的第一因外道见，个个都是大言不惭，指鹿为马！五乘佛法接引众生方式本来就有无数种，所谓：方便有多门，归元无二路。十如是的每一如是，皆可契入诸法实相，祖师大德乃至现今佛门法师，亦是各从不同角度随方指示，解粘去缚。倘若真是萧平实和他的追随者们所批评诽谤的那样，全球也没有大乘正法，只有他们的正觉同修会有，萧平实的书是走遍全球也见不到的，连佛经法宝也没有他写的书精采。那么，世间的弘法事业不能做，出世间的弘法事业也不能做，这些佛门的各种弘法机构早就应该消灭了。那么，萧平实和他的追随者们又拿什么来标榜自己“完全符合三乘正法”？拿什么来作他们“第一因外道见”的挡箭牌呢？如果都按照他们现在的愿望，佛教岂不是在他们正觉同修会还没有出现的时候，早就已经消灭殆尽了吗？那种小人得志、过河拆桥的嘴脸，岂不是忘恩负义的全盘写真？岂不是欺师灭祖的恶毒居心？

每一个人在修习佛法的过程中，哪怕是听到某位老师说过“诸行无常，是生灭法”这样半句偈子，也应该感恩无尽，更何况是对自己的皈依师父、学法老师，无根而指名道姓地进行诋毁呢？这些忘恩负义之徒，正在破坏世间三宝，纵然个别人没有直言谤师，也是怀疑古今大德，都与萧平实一起造作了忘恩负义“欺师灭祖”之极恶重业，将来果报之可怕，令人感到心惊胆寒！

四、谤法破僧的“玩弄文字”

尽管古人说：“天之道，不争而善胜，不争而自来”，然而往往是“谎言说一千遍便成了‘真理’”。萧平实之所以能够迷惑那么多人，能够写出那么多书，除了他聪明能干、辛勤苦读、才思敏捷、努力笔耕的客观情形之外，最根本之处还是因为他具有超人的玩弄文字之能力。他不明白大乘佛法体、相、用三者之关系，亦复不知阿赖耶识、种子、现行之关系，更不懂大乘佛法圆教实相、华严境界，所以才会把阿赖耶识当作能生一切缘起诸法的第一因，而把宇宙万有身心世界都当作自性的衍生物，落入了外道邪见之中。但是，其语言叙述实在美妙，玩弄文字的手段极其高明，所以才能剽窃唯识佛法之名相义理，作为宣扬第一因外道见的掩护材料，更加大胆地进行了“破法谤僧”。于此仅作如下举证：

他说：“如果原来的妄心意识没有了——没有这个能够了境分别的觉知心——那就应该只剩下“恒而不审”的真心了，真心既然“恒而不审”，那么请问：“佛悟了以后是不是就变成痴呆汉了？”变成“不审”一切境界的心了，跟白痴一样了！所以问题就很严重了。”（《大乘无我观》第14页）又说：“这样参禅而证得“恒而不审”的如来藏，才叫做明心，这样才能够经得起小乘、中乘以及大乘佛法的检点。”（《大乘无我观》第15页）

同样对“恒而不审”的解释，前者别人所说的真心“恒而不审”就变成痴呆汉了，后者自己所谓的真心“恒而不审”就叫做明心。这种任意曲解、无根诽谤的做法，只是在文字上搅惑的把戏，并无实际的内在区分，因其根本没有任何心性方面的证悟，有的也只是臆想出来一个“宇宙第一因”，以如来藏等佛法名相作为代名词而已。当别人说到佛性妙用恒沙、不生不灭时，他就讲“佛性一定要用父母所生肉眼看见”，而当说到父母所生之肉眼属于有相，凡所有相皆是虚妄时，则在“父母所生肉眼”的后面加上了“一念相应慧”，或者标上“其它五根亦然”。而当别人从“用”上来讲述或者直示自性时，他就从“体”上来进行毁谤破斥，别人从“体”上来说自性本体时，他却又要从“用”上进行破斥，然实际上，他自己又没有真正明白诸法实相之体用关系，这种卖弄文字的伎俩，屡屡使用。所以他的一切所作所为，都落入外道邪见之中，才疯狂地破坏三宝。

再如，他在《狂密与真密》的各辑中，处处误称藏传密教的双身法为“欲界法”，欲界法就是世间法，就是外道法。并以此为借口，全盘否定了一切密宗教法，这是他自己以为“抓得最紧”的一条密宗的辫子，根本没有任何回旋的余地，要将藏传佛教乃至汉传密宗经典置于死地。但他自己却又说：“菩萨如是未断三界贪嗔烦恼而证菩提，非诸凡愚所知，故名不可思议。”（《宗通与说通》第33页）这里的“三界贪”就已经指出是“欲界的贪”，在他的口中，欲界法、贪欲法又都成为“不可思议”的了。而对藏传密教的双身法，也是非诸凡愚所知，不可思议的法，他却偏面的将其当作可思议法，诽谤为邪淫法。这种文字游戏，真是翻手为云，覆手为雨，欲加之罪，何患无词！

更为可笑的是他在有意无意间透露出来的文字游戏，让人不得不感叹其手法之高明、胆魄之宏伟、脸皮之厚、心地之黑、唇舌之利，如他说：“那么这个道理我们在《平实书笺》里面解说了很多，诸位回去的时候不要客气，每一种书都把它拿一本回去。不要说拿两本三本不好意思，不会！我们印出来就是要送给大家的；既然今天结了这个法缘，那你就好好把它带回去啊！那些书籍里所说的法，都是诸位在市面上没见过的，你走遍了全球也见不到这种书的。”（《大乘无我观》第112页）这段话真是把他的玩弄文字水平发挥到了极致！我们首先看他的“那些书籍里所说的法，都是诸位在市面上没见过的，你走遍了全球也见不到这种书的。”这句话的文字表面意思，一点儿也没有毛病，非常符合语言逻辑，在文字上看，那绝对就是“走遍了全球也见不到这种书的”，因为他写的书只在这里有，全球别的地方都没有，不要说是谈论佛法义理名相的书了，就算是淫秽的书刊，只要是萧平实写的，也一定是“走遍全球都没有的”，所以文字上看一点问题都没有。但是他这句话的真正含义就是这个吗？并不是！他的真正意思是：那些书里面所说的内容，是在全球其它地方都见不到的，也就是超过了全球的任何其它书，唯有他写的这些书是最好的。当时在场的所有听众，肯定也都会顺着他的这句话而顺理成章地理解为：除了这些书外，全球也没有能与此相比的书了，当然任何在市面上流通的佛教经典法宝，也就都不如他写的这些书了。如此一来，就达到了萧平实说这句话的目的了。这是一种语言误导法，他自己并没有直接说出“那些书比全球所有的佛经法宝更好”，但是他却要让人就这样去理解他的意思，那些被他这种迷魂汤灌醉了的追随者们，就会更加如痴如狂地走上他所设置的陷阱，不能自拔！因为他的真正目的就想彻底破坏佛、法、僧三宝，最终以第一因邪见外道全面取代佛、法、僧三宝。而事实上，他现在已经着手“取代三宝”的罪恶行为。他用自己写的书和外道邪见来取代一切佛法经典，而他和他的追随者们声声口口妄言“萧老师所说的法，完全符合三乘佛法”，也只是漂亮的烟雾弹而已，已经在上述文中举证说明。此处就他玩弄文字游戏，混乱和破坏佛法世间三宝之阴谋事实，“全面取代僧宝”的伎俩，进行简要的揭露。

他企图“以白衣身而充当僧宝”之行径，着实表现得露骨且又愚蠢！

首先，他从两方面来掩饰自己的白衣身份，从而凸显出他具备僧宝的“资格”：第一，特别强调了对“胜义僧”的解释，从理论上认定自己是“大乘胜义僧”。如他说：“宗说俱通之菩萨僧，唯在大乘，二乘所无；本书所述之宗通与说通，亦依大乘法中宗通与说通为准，是故此下不述二乘之宗说二通。”（《宗通与说通》第58页）并且直接自吹为“在人间，胜义菩萨僧极难可遇，特别是已证道种智之宗通与说通菩萨。”（《宗通与说通》第59页），这样就能使那些糊涂的追随者们误以为他就是殊胜的“僧宝”，从而完全失去对世间三宝之僧宝的皈依敬仰。《大乘大集地藏十轮经》卷五说：“云何名胜义僧？谓佛世尊、若诸菩萨摩诃萨众其德尊高于一切法得自在者、若独胜觉、若阿罗汉、若不还、若一来、若预流，如是七种补特伽罗，胜义僧摄。”（T13，749c）而实际上，萧平实连第七种预流果都不是，因为他的整个思想理论都是以“第一因”邪见为根本，属于纯粹的常见外道，见惑尚且未破，我执边见非常严重，何以自名胜义僧？显然是想以“胜义僧”的理论来掩护自己的白衣身份，从而达到用在家五欲之身，取代出家清净僧宝。第二，鼓吹自己二千年来都是出家悟道的高僧，只是最近这两世“佛所安排”而以在家白衣身来护持佛法，实际的内涵依然是出家悟道的高僧。如说：“我们应该有智慧来作比较：往昔二千多年来的出家悟道之身，而今时二世示现在家悟道之身；如果与别人往昔二千多年来的出家未悟之身，至今世仍是出家未悟之身，二者互相比较之下，佛弟子究竟应该依止何人？这个道理其实很容易判断，只是无人提醒，所以大家忽略了这个道理。”（《学佛之心态》第141页）这样在毫无根据的前提下，就把自己说成超过现在的僧宝，让人们不要去依止其他僧宝，如此，唯有依止萧平实才能算是佛弟子了。此是其以在家白衣之身，取代佛教僧宝的初步策划，并且已经得到了他那些追随者们的认可与迷信。

其次，他在称呼上取代了出家僧宝的“和尚”。和尚是梵语upadhya＾ya，音译作乌波陀耶、优婆陀诃、郁波第耶夜，意译为亲教师、近诵、依学、依生。乃戒坛三师之一。亦即传授戒法时，除教授、羯磨阿阇梨（轨范师）二师以外之“亲教师”。传到中国之后，原指懿德高僧，后世用于作为弟子对师父的尊称，世人则约定俗成地作为对出家男众的特有称呼，也就是现在住持三宝的僧宝。萧平实为了要取代住持三宝的僧宝，就荒唐地将自己称呼为和尚。如他的追随者们称呼他：“主三和尚　萧导师”（《大乘无我观》第155页）、“一心顶礼法身慧命父母上平下实和上”（《禅净圆融》第133页）、“一心顶礼法身慧命父母上平下实和尚”（《我与无我》第95页）等等，这种破坏世俗谛名言安立的做法，以在家白衣身说为出家“和尚”，破坏世俗谛就是破坏胜义谛，破坏世俗谛和胜义谛，就是破坏了整个佛法圣教。正如《中论》卷四说：“诸佛依二谛，为众生说法：一以世俗谛，二第一义谛。若人不能知，分别于二谛，则于深佛法，不知真实义。”（T30，32c￣33a）如此再联系上述他的第一因外道邪见和造神运动等等情形，这种伎俩显然就是混淆视听、取代僧宝的卑鄙行径。《维摩诘所说经》云：“始在佛树力降魔，得甘露灭觉道成；已无心意无受行，而悉摧伏诸外道。三转法轮于大千，其轮本来常清净；天人得道此为证，三宝于是现世间。”（T14，537c）经中说明了佛陀在鹿野苑三转四谛法轮，度五比丘为出家僧宝之后，三宝于是现世间。世间三宝必以佛、法、僧为住持，倘若一个在家白衣第一因常见外道都能称为和尚僧宝的话，那么佛法也将就此消灭了。观察萧平实的所作所为，就是朝着这个方向全面推进的。

再者，我们还可以从另一个方面看出他“取代僧宝”的巨大野心。在萧平实设计的《宗通与说通》一书之封面，封面上所画的是正觉讲堂之说法处，佛像前的讲台两边分别为木鱼和大罄，讲台正面写着“正觉”二字，证明这就是正觉讲堂的讲台桌，而在讲台正中的主讲位置上，俨然坐着一位身披袈裟、项挂念珠、手举一指、光头僧相的大法师，而这个讲堂的主讲导师就是他自己。可见他不但自吹为胜义菩萨僧，让那些追随者们对他以僧宝来恭敬，而且还把自己的世俗白衣在家相画成了出家僧宝相。说得再清楚一点，就是以他白衣之身来取代僧宝庄严之法相。自己不能舍离世俗五欲生活，却要画一个出家僧相来象征自己，把自己包装为大乘胜义僧，从而达到他全面取代佛法僧三宝的造神运动之目的！

他们还狂妄自大地诽谤佛教史上的历代祖师大德，盲目无根地批评“无情有佛性”之深奥思想，他根本都不懂华严境界、圆教实相，更不明白《华严经》所说的：“于一尘中尘数佛，各处菩萨众会中。无尽法界尘亦然，深信诸佛皆充满。”之深妙义理，这个“尘”字，不是指“根”，也不是指“识”，就是指“尘”。他何有能力评判此等高深之华严境界大乘妙理！却还处处自吹自擂，自称“真善知识”，自诩“完全符合三乘正法”，自谓“走遍全球也没有”，自许“全球独一无二”之“大乘胜义僧”。譬如井蛙以管窥天，诬谤圣贤破坏三宝，拔舌造业自鸣得意，皮厚心黑无过于此。真是：蚍蜉撼大树，可笑不自量！

综上所述，从萧平实的这些著作中，明白地表现出一个“邪因外道”的根本思想立场，在他造神运动的笼罩下，剽窃了佛法的名相义理，却反过来想要全面取代佛法僧三宝，破坏佛法，惑乱社会，混淆视听，欺骗众生。无论是外道邪见、造神运动，还是忘恩负义、谤法破僧，都已经罪据确凿、铁证如山，不容抵赖。于此事实面前，提出两点希望：第一，希望萧平实以及他的追随者们，赶紧走出外道邪见之深坑，停止一切破法谤僧之恶行，消毁一切已经出版破法谤僧之书籍，并向十方三宝虔诚忏悔！第二，希望已信未信佛弟子们，以及社会大众，不可染着萧平实所有著作中的谤法破僧之恶习，防范第一因外道邪见和造神运动之陷阱，依据佛经祖述五乘正法认真修学，发菩提心，成无上道。阿弥陀佛！

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Labels: Cults, Emptiness, The True Enlightenment Practitioners Association (佛教正覺同修會; Zhengjue), Ven. Da Zhao, Xiao Pingshi (蕭平實) 0 comments | |

Heretical First Cause Doctrine—Xiao Pingshi's "Personality Cult Movement"

Soh

John Tan recently brought to my attention a Taiwanese Buddhist group known as the 佛教正覺同修會 (True Enlightenment Practitioners Association), led by 萧平实 (Xiao Ping Shi). He mentioned that this group has established a significant presence in various temples across Singapore.

I had encountered their name before and had the impression that they resemble a Chinese counterpart to the Dark Zen movement. They appear to be highly critical and dismissive of Buddhist teachings and masters outside their own circle, while promoting their interpretation of the Atman doctrine as the definitive understanding of Buddhadharma. Ironically, they seem unaware that their views align more closely with tirthika (non-Buddhist) philosophies, which are considered erroneous within traditional Buddhist frameworks.

Upon further investigation, I confirmed that my concerns were valid. The group in question is indeed the 佛教正覺同修會, led by 萧平实. For more information, you can refer to their Wikipedia page: Wikipedia.

I appreciate Venerable Da Zhao's critiques of this group's Atman-centric views, as they provide valuable insights into the deviations from orthodox Buddhist teachings.

Here is a synopsis of Venerable Da Zhao's article, "Heretical First Cause Doctrine—Xiao Pingshi's 'Personality Cult Movement'":

Venerable Da Zhao's article launches a scathing and unequivocal condemnation of Taiwanese spiritual teacher Xiao Pingshi and his True Enlightenment Practitioners Association. The author asserts that Xiao Pingshi, beneath a facade of profound Buddhist knowledge and extensive writings, propagates a "Heretical First Cause Doctrine," which is fundamentally incompatible with Buddhist teachings on dependent origination and emptiness. This core heresy, Venerable Da Zhao argues, is the engine driving a "Personality Cult Movement" designed for Xiao's self-aggrandizement and the deception of followers.

Core Doctrinal Critique: The "First Cause" Heresy

Venerable Da Zhao contends that Xiao misinterprets foundational Buddhist concepts like the Tathāgatagarbha (True Suchness) and Ālayavijñāna (Eighth Consciousness), transforming them into a singular, permanent, and creative "First Cause" from which all phenomena are derived. This, according to Venerable Da Zhao, mirrors non-Buddhist eternalistic heresies (like certain interpretations of Sāṃkhya or Taoist Taiji, which Xiao's disciples allegedly explicitly link to his teachings) and directly contradicts Buddhism's denial of such a creator entity. Venerable Da Zhao provides quotes from Xiao's works and his disciples to substantiate this claim, dismissing Xiao's supposed "realization" as mere "speculation" (yixiang). Any Buddhist doctrine or master that doesn't align with Xiao's "First Cause" is slandered as "forged," "misunderstood," or "unawakened."

The "Personality Cult Movement"

The article meticulously outlines how Xiao Pingshi allegedly cultivates a personality cult, characterized by:

* Self-Deification: Xiao portrays himself as a uniquely awakened sage, a high-level Bodhisattva, whose current lay manifestation was "arranged by the Buddha" and who possesses knowledge of past and future lives.

* Self-Centeredness: He insists that only his teachings and methods lead to true awakening, claiming his books are globally unparalleled, thereby implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) denigrating the entire Buddhist Tripiṭaka and all other contemporary masters.

* Deceptive Presentation: While using Buddhist terminology, Xiao systematically attacks and attempts to invalidate other Buddhist traditions (especially Tibetan Tantra), respected masters (including his own former teacher, Master Sheng Yen), and even canonical sutras.

* Enticement and Mental Control: Followers are lured with promises of rapid awakening and then subjected to mental control, leading them to exhibit uncritical devotion, parrot Xiao's denunciations of others, and believe in his supreme, unique status.

Venerable Da Zhao attributes this movement to Xiao's extreme "self-inflation," a calculated "pursuit of profit" (whether financial, by discrediting other Buddhist organizations, or for lasting fame), and the exploitation of a societal "decline of the human spirit" that makes people vulnerable to simplistic, authoritative claims.

Betrayal and Deception Tactics

Venerable Da Zhao accuses Xiao Pingshi of gross "ingratitude" and "betraying teachers and ancestors," particularly in his denunciation of Master Sheng Yen, under whose guidance Xiao allegedly had his initial experiences. This behavior, Venerable Da Zhao claims, is taught to his disciples, who then disparage their own former teachers.

Furthermore, Xiao's influence is attributed to a "superhuman ability for linguistic manipulation." He allegedly twists Buddhist terms to fit his narrative, attacks others from contradictory standpoints, and uses misleading language to assert the superiority of his own works. Venerable Da Zhao highlights Xiao's attempts to usurp the authority and symbols of the Sangha (monastic community) by encouraging lay followers to call him "Heshang" (a monastic title), redefining "Noble Sangha" to include himself, and even depicting himself in monastic attire.

Unyielding Condemnation

Throughout the article, Venerable Da Zhao's tone is one of urgent alarm and profound condemnation. Xiao Pingshi is portrayed as a "thief" stealing the inner treasures of Buddhism, a modern-day māra figure leading people astray with "evil dharma." His actions are described as "slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha," "destroying the Three Jewels," and causing "immeasurable harm." The author concludes that the evidence for Xiao's heresies and destructive cult activities is "conclusive and irrefutable," and calls for Xiao and his followers to repent and for the wider Buddhist community to unequivocally reject his teachings.

English translation of Venerable Da Zhao's article will be provided first, followed by the Chinese original:

Heretical First Cause Doctrine—Xiao Pingshi's "Personality Cult Movement"

Publication Date: 2006-01-01 Views: 13,944 Views

Da Zhao

As the saying goes: "Good people are bullied, just as good horses are ridden." In this era of societal transformation, this has become particularly prominent! The compassion of Buddhism is repeatedly insulted, which is even more striking! After reading the two or three dozen books authored by Taiwan's Xiao Pingshi, including Formless Nianfo, The Cultivation Stages of Nianfo Samādhi, The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye—A Collection of Dharma Protection, An Analysis of the True Reality of Life, A Simple Method for Differentiating True and False Awakening, The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, The True Tathāgatagarbha, How to Enter the Nianfo Dharma Gate, The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, The Crisis of Buddhism, Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, Self and Non-Self, Crazy Tantra and True Tantra (Volumes 1-4), The Mani Jewel Collection of the Chan School (Gongan Commentaries Volumes 1-5), Detailed Explanation of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (Volumes 1-6), as well as the concurrently published The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, The Voice of Compassion, etc., I am filled with deep emotion! Initially, just looking at the surface narrative, the explanation of terms, and even the doctrinal investigation revealed significant problems. I always felt it was very awkward, especially sensing the author's inexplicable, strong desire for self-expression, never forgetting the "self" anywhere, packaging the "self" everywhere, which is truly incompatible with the spirit of the Buddhadharma. Later, I gradually saw that all good things were linked to the author himself, and all bad things were linked to the great contemporary Buddhist masters. Apart from what the author said, there was no Buddhadharma left to learn or practice; apart from the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association founded by the author, there was essentially no place that was a genuine Buddhist practice center. This also contradicts the myriad virtues and solemnity of the Buddhadharma. Later still, I finally saw clearly that behind the cover of Buddhist terminology and doctrine lay deeply hidden his own heretical view of a "First Cause," revealing his cunning fox's tail—truly causing profound harm to Buddhism! Taking a step further, I fully understood that this was a "personality cult movement" stemming from the decline of the human spirit, yet it stole Buddhist terminology and doctrine to serve as his divine altar for deceiving the world. Is this not a tragedy for Buddhism? Thus, I lament contemporary Buddhism: externally, it suffers the Falun Gong cult stealing the emblem of the Dharma wheel and running rampant; internally, it suffers the heretical doctrine of the First Cause, using Buddhist terminology and doctrine as a cover to slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha! The magnificent Buddhism, the magnificent wondrous Dharma, the magnificent Sangha jewel, vast and solemn, a beacon for the world, has been subjected to such humiliation by heretics and cults. Thinking of this in the quiet night, alas, how sorrowful! The Falun Gong cult is like a thief entering the courtyard, merely stealing the decorations (emblems); a single alert cry from the family would make them flee. The heretical doctrine of the First Cause, however, is like entering the main hall and stealing the treasures from the safe (Buddhist doctrines and terminology); even if driven out of the house, the place is already left in shambles! What can be done? What can be done!

The methods of modern thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated, their plagiarism more insidious, and the harm more severe! The fatal point lies in Xiao Pingshi's narratives: the language basically conforms to the meaning of the Buddhadharma. Not only is it difficult for beginners in Buddhism to distinguish its authenticity, but even long-time practitioners can easily be misled by his beautifully crafted descriptions. There are even some in academic circles who say he is "quite insightful," unaware that at the most critical, fundamental point, it is the conduct of a heretic. He also flaunts "True Dharma" everywhere and proposes "Dharma meaning analysis" everywhere. Now, from his works, we will expose his heretical facade masked by the "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles" by focusing on key points such as his "First Cause" heretical thought, the "personality cult movement" arising from the decline of the human spirit, his "ingratitude" in betraying teachers and ancestors, and his "slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha" through linguistic manipulation, thereby restoring the purity of our Buddhism!

I. The Heretical Thought of the "First Cause"

The so-called heretics of the First Cause are those who advocate that the cause for the establishment of all things in the world belongs to a single cause. In the Deva Bodhisattva's Treatise Explaining the Nirvāṇa Theories of Non-Buddhists and Hīnayāna within the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, twenty types of non-Buddhists are pointed out, each seeking the first cause of the universe and all things, offering their own explanations. Among them, the fourth, the Vedic theorists; the fifth, the Īśāna theorists; the ninth, the Female Kin theorists; the twelfth, the Mādhara theorists; the fourteenth, the Sāṃkhya theorists; the fifteenth, the Maheśvara theorists; and the twentieth, the Aṇḍa theorists, although differing in their specifics, all belong to the category of First Cause heretics. They all believe that the arising of all dharmas has a "First Cause," that there is always a source that "can produce" all things, and that all things are derived from one source. For example, the assertion of the fifth heretic, the Īśāna theorist: "That which is formless yet can produce all animate and inanimate things is called nirvāṇa." (T32, 157a) The assertion of the fourteenth heretic, the Sāṃkhya theorist: "Truly knowing that [all] arises from Prakṛti and returns to Prakṛti enables liberation from all birth and death and attainment of nirvāṇa. Thus, from Prakṛti arise all sentient beings. Therefore, the heretical Sāṃkhya teaches that Prakṛti is permanent, can produce all dharmas, and is the cause of nirvāṇa." (T32, 157c) This is the heretical erroneous view of "mistaking a non-cause for a cause"—the "First Cause"!

Closely related to the erroneous view that a "First Cause" produces all things is "monism," which also constitutes many schools of Indian philosophy. For example, Vedic philosophy asserts that the essence of the universe is Brahman, and the essence of the individual subject is Ātman; these two essential principles are identical—this is "Brahman and Ātman are one" (brahma-ātmaikya). Expressing the essential content of this monism is not easy, hence the emergence of concepts like reality (sat), consciousness (cit), and bliss (ānanda). However, this kind of absolute essential monism struggles to explain the occurrence of various phenomenal realms, such as the material natural world, suffering, evil, and various phenomena of human existence. Dualism, which posits a distinction between the spiritual principle (Purusha/Self) and the material principle (Prakṛti/Nature), emerged to address such issues. All the above theories have their internal contradictions, belong to heretical erroneous views, and are refuted by the Buddhadharma.

Within the Buddhadharma, whether Hīnayāna or Mahāyāna, there is absolutely no such heretical erroneous view of a "First Cause" or monism. As the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya, Volume 6 states: "It is definitively untrue that dharmas arise from a single cause." (T29, 36b) The Avataṃsaka Sūtra, Volume 30 says: "Those children of the Buddha thus know that the nature of all dharmas is eternally empty and quiescent; not a single dharma can create anything; they are identical to all Buddhas in realizing non-self." The Gāthā on the Transmission of the Dharma by the Seven Buddhas, attributed to Kāśyapa Buddha, says: "The nature of all sentient beings is pure; from the beginning, it is unborn and indestructible." The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Volume 3 states: "If the effect were to arise before the conditions converged, this would be incorrect. An effect separate from causes and conditions would be called causeless. Therefore, your assertion that the effect arises before the conditions converge is incorrect. Question: What fault is there if the cause ceases and transforms into the effect? Answer: If the cause transforms into the effect, the cause reaches the effect. Then the cause that arose previously, having arisen, arises again." (T30, 26c) Patriarch Bodhidharma's Six Gates of Shaoshi: Treatise on the Bloodline also says: "Question: If one does not see the nature, can one attain Buddhahood by reciting the Buddha's name, chanting sutras, practicing generosity, upholding precepts, being diligent, and widely performing meritorious deeds? Answer: No. Question: Why not? Answer: If there is the slightest dharma that can be attained, it is conditioned dharma (saṃskṛta-dharma), it is cause and effect, it involves receiving retribution, it is the dharma of saṃsāra, and one cannot escape birth and death. How can one attain the path to Buddhahood! Attaining Buddhahood requires seeing the nature. If one does not see the nature, talk of cause and effect, etc., is the dharma of heretics. If one is a Buddha, one does not practice the dharma of heretics. A Buddha is a person of no karma, no cause and effect. If there is the slightest dharma that can be attained, it is all slandering the Buddha. How could one attain it? If there is any attachment to one mind, one capacity, one understanding, one view, the Buddha does not permit it at all. The Buddha has no upholding or violating [precepts]; the mind-nature is fundamentally empty, neither defiled nor pure. All dharmas are uncultivated and unverified, without cause or effect." (T48, 374a) It also says: "Buddha is also called Dharmakāya, also called the fundamental mind. This mind has no form or characteristic, no cause or effect, no muscles or bones; it is like empty space, ungraspable, unlike obstructing matter, unlike heretics." (T48, 376a)

In summary, in the various sutras and treatises of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, there is definitively no erroneous theory of a "First Cause" that can produce all dharmas. Because all dharmas arise from the convergence of myriad conditions, like illusions, like transformations; from the beginning, they are unborn and unceasing. True Suchness (tathatā), the nature of Dharma (dharmatā), the Tathāgatagarbha, and all dharmas of birth-and-death and afflictions (kleśa) are like water and waves—they are entirely mutually identical and entirely mutually inclusive. Arising is total arising, ceasing is total ceasing. They arise right where they are and cease wherever they are. Apart from waves, no water can be spoken of; apart from water, no waves can be found. One cannot say that water is the first cause of waves, nor can one say that waves are "derived" from water. Water and waves cannot form a dichotomy of producer and produced. The true reality (tathātā) of all dharmas is originally Thusness (tathā); the true nature of Thusness is also Thusness; the phenomena of dependent origination are also Thusness. As it is said: "All dharmas have such characteristics, such nature, such essence, such power, such function, such causes, such conditions, such effects, such retribution, such beginning-and-end ultimately equal." (T9, 5c) As the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Volume 2 says: "All fleeting dust, all illusory forms, arise right where they are and cease wherever they are. Illusion and delusion are called characteristics (lakṣaṇa); their nature is truly the wondrously awakened luminous essence (myo-jaku-myō-tai). So it is, down to the five aggregates (skandha), the six sense bases (āyatana), from the twelve sense fields (āyatana) to the eighteen realms (dhātu). Through the convergence of causes and conditions, they falsely seem to arise; through the separation of causes and conditions, they are falsely named as ceasing. Fundamentally unable to know that arising, ceasing, going, and coming are originally the Tathāgatagarbha, the eternally abiding wondrous clarity (myō-myō), unmoving, pervasive, and complete wondrous true nature of Thusness (myō-shin-nyo-shō). Within the true eternal nature (shō-shin-jō-chū), seeking for going, coming, delusion, awakening, death, and birth yields absolutely nothing." (T19, 114a) Likewise, the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: "Ordinary beings lack wisdom; the Storehouse Consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) is like a great ocean; karmic characteristics (karma-lakṣaṇa) are like waves; understanding proceeds by analogy based on this." It also says: "Just as the ocean water transforms, giving rise to various waves; so too the seven consciousnesses, arising together in conjunction with the mind (manas)." Such is the fundamental correct view of Buddhadharma, incompatible with non-Buddhist views, the ultimate meaning of the Buddhist worldview and view of life, and indeed the very lifeblood of Mahāyāna Buddhism!

However, Xiao Pingshi sets up "dependently arisen dharmas" (pratītyasamutpanna-dharma) in opposition to the "true reality of the Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna," akin to setting "ocean water and waves" in opposition. He treats dependently arisen dharmas as "derivatives" of the true reality, and the true nature of Thusness (tathatā) as the "generative cause" of dependently arisen dharmas. He believes: The Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna is the "First Cause" of the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe and all things, and dependently arisen dharmas are "derived" from the Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna. He says:

"After your True Suchness gives rise to the aggregates (skandha), sense fields (āyatana), and realms (dhātu), it then cooperates with the aggregates, sense fields, and realms to give rise to all dharmas." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 39)

"Because you realize your own True Suchness, the Eighth Consciousness, and from this Eighth Consciousness observe Its purity and freedom, Its continuity throughout all time, Its ability to give rise to all dharmas, and that the eighteen realms are entirely produced by It." (Self and Non-Self, p. 39)

"Although this physical body is not the true 'I', it is not completely unrelated to the 'true I', because it is produced by that 'true I'—your physical body is created by your Eighth Consciousness." (Self and Non-Self, p. 41)

"Therefore, all worldly and transmundane dharmas arise solely from the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings, citta-rāja); hence it is said, 'All dharmas are consciousness-only'." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 216)

"Thus it is said, Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition are not separate from all dharmas produced by the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings); and after these dharmas are resolved back into the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings), they must further be resolved back into the root of the eight consciousnesses—the Eighth Consciousness, Ālaya." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 217)

"Apart from the eighteen realms, there is a separate self-existent mind which is the cause of the eighteen realms." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 82)

"The cause of the dependent origination and dependent cessation of all dharmas—the true reality of the Storehouse Consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 54)

In Xiao Pingshi's view, the terms "give rise to" (chusheng), "able to give rise to" (neng sheng), "produced by" (suo sheng), "produced" (sheng chulai), "created by" (suo chuangzao), etc., all denote a relationship of "producer and produced in opposition." The Eighth Consciousness is the "creator of all things," thus leading to the absurd conclusion that the Eighth Consciousness is the "First Cause." And the "cause" mentioned here explicitly refers to the "First Cause"! Just as his favored disciple explains:

The Taoist principle of Taiji (太極) is correct in terms of worldly dharmas, but incorrect in the cognition of the fundamental reality of the Dharma realm. Fellow practitioners can look at the text description written by Teacher Xiao on the book cover: "Taiji is mere speculation, the root is truly the True Consciousness; Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities (liangyi), all dharmas arise from this. Within non-self, there is a self; within the self, there is no self; Nirvāṇa leaves only the True Consciousness, self and non-self are both eliminated." Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji (無極太極, Limitless Ultimate) as the root, deriving the theory of the eight trigrams (bagua). The principle it describes regarding the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe is correct, but it does not know the First Cause—it does not know that the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root—it does not know that the so-called Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha. From the verse written by Teacher Xiao, you should be able to understand the reasoning. If a practitioner of Buddhadharma can thoroughly awaken to the principle of the ultimate truth's (paramārtha-satya) True Consciousness—the Tathāgatagarbha—then henceforth, regarding worldly and transmundane dharmas: from the liberation path (vimokṣa-mārga) of conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) to the Buddha-Bodhi path (buddha-bodhi-mārga) of ultimate truth, one can thoroughly penetrate them, let alone the relative principles of existence in the world. (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, pp. 22-23)

This passage completely reveals Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause" heretical erroneous view, leaving no room for denial! At this point, we suddenly realize that his constant invocation of the "True Tathāgatagarbha" aims precisely at having found the origin of the universe and all dharmas. From this origin as the First Cause arise all dependently arisen dharmas. This is exactly the assertion of the fifth heretic, the Īśāna theorist, mentioned earlier: "That which is formless yet can produce all animate and inanimate things." (T32, 157a) Furthermore, it blatantly echoes the heretical doctrines of Taoism. The claims that "Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji as the root," "the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root," and "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha," and even openly stating: "The Taoist principle of Taiji is correct in terms of worldly dharmas," and "Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji as the root, deriving the theory of the eight trigrams; the principle it describes regarding the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe is correct." This completely disregards the perfect explanation of the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe in Buddhadharma—"All dharmas arise from causes and conditions, all dharmas cease through causes and conditions" (ye dharma hetuprabhava...)—insisting instead on imposing a "First Cause" onto the "Tathāgatagarbha" and the "true reality of dharmas," arbitrarily replacing and trampling upon the ultimate truth of Buddhadharma! What is his intention? If he admires the heretical "principle of Taiji" and the fallacy of the "First Cause" so much, why not simply become a declared heretic? Why must he articulate Buddhist terminology and doctrine so "insightfully"? Why still brand himself as a Buddhist "True Good Knowing Advisor" (satkalyāṇamitra), representing the "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles"? There are intrinsic reasons for this, which will be evidenced later!

Even Xiao Pingshi himself admits this is a heretical erroneous view, stating: "Distance oneself from the heretical erroneous view of falsely establishing a First Cause of the universe." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 32) Yet, all his own writings plagiarize the terminology and doctrines of the Three Vehicles of Buddhadharma, focusing particularly on the "Tathāgatagarbha" and "Ālayavijñāna," where his effort "cannot be said to be lacking"! However, concerning the correct meaning of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna in Buddhadharma, he only understands the superficial meaning of the words or their imagined connotations. In all descriptions concerning "Tathāgatagarbha," "Ālayavijñāna," "true reality," etc., at first glance, they seem error-free (in reality, this is due to his mastery of linguistic games, as will be demonstrated below). Yet, their essence is the heretical doctrine of understanding True Suchness and true reality as a "First Cause," truly "missing the mark by a thousand miles." Why is this so? Because his so-called "personal realization of the Tathāgatagarbha" comes from "speculation" (yixiang), as stated in the verse on the cover of his Self and Non-Self: "Taiji is mere speculation, the root is truly the True Consciousness; Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this." His disciple explains: "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha." Since Taiji is the Tathāgatagarbha, and Taiji belongs to speculation, then the Tathāgatagarbha naturally, like Taiji, also comes from speculation. But he insists, "the root is truly the True Consciousness," meaning "the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root." Therefore, the Tathāgatagarbha becomes the "First Cause," and from this First Cause arise ignorance (avidyā), the two polarities (liangyi, perhaps yin and yang or subject-object duality), and subsequently all dharmas. Looking closely again, he says, "Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this." Here, "ignorance" becomes the Taoist "Taiji," because "the Taoist principle of Taiji is correct in terms of worldly dharmas," yet "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha." Thus, ignorance, Taiji, and Tathāgatagarbha all become the "First Cause" that "can give rise to" all dharmas. And his so-called Buddhist "ultimate truth" (paramārtha-satya), "True Suchness" (tathatā), "Ālayavijñāna," etc., are all similar or equivalent to the Tathāgatagarbha, naturally all becoming the "First Cause" from which "all dharmas arise." Therefore, on the cover of Self and Non-Self, he directly uses the heretical Taiji diagram to represent the relationship between self and non-self. Truly "unheard of"! Absolutely absurd to the extreme!!

Thus, Xiao Pingshi uses the Mahāyāna True Dharma as a cover to propagate his own "First Cause" heretical erroneous view, repeatedly slandering ancient and modern Buddhist masters as "eternalistic heretics" (śāśvata-vāda), while his own statements represent true "eternalistic heresy." This clearly demonstrates his tactic of "the thief crying 'stop thief'!" Why? Because "Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this" is a heretical doctrine; because a First Cause producing all things is not Buddhadharma; because the First Cause being the Tathāgatagarbha is not the correct principle; because the First Cause being the true reality is not the correct view; because the First Cause being the Ālayavijñāna is not the theory of Consciousness-Only (Vijñapti-mātratā); because a First Cause producing dependently arisen dharmas is not the truth; because it is not the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya) of Buddhadharma; because it is not the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) of Buddhadharma; because it is not the Bodhi path of Buddhadharma; because it is not the liberation path of the Two Vehicles; because it is not the Buddhist worldview; because it is not the Buddhist view of life; because it is not the Buddhist theory of liberation; because it is not the direct perception (pratyakṣa) or valid cognition (pramāṇa) of Buddhadharma; because the "First Cause" contradicts all principles of Buddhadharma. Based on this, it is judged that Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause" is indeed a heretical erroneous view!

He constantly boasts of his "personal realization of the Tathāgatagarbha," "seeing the Buddha-nature with his own eyes," being a "True Good Knowing Advisor," all signifying that he has personally realized the "First Cause," the root source of the universe and all things. He establishes his arguments based on this First Cause, yet uses terms like Tathāgatagarbha and Buddha-nature as synonyms for the First Cause. This originates from his own contemplative "speculation," completely deviating from all Buddhist sutras and the Buddhadharma itself, while still plagiarizing Buddhist scriptures by interpreting them out of context to serve as his cover. The so-called seeing the path (darśana-mārga) of his followers also stems from their pride in believing they have "found the First Cause of the universe and all dharmas—the Tathāgatagarbha/Buddha-nature," consequently feeling they have transcended ordinary beings and become sages or bodhisattvas. Although they understand or conform to the heretical principle of the First Cause, feeling "boundless benefit and endless gratitude," they have never even dreamed of the Buddha's true Dharma. Therefore, using this heretical doctrine of the "First Cause" to measure the Tripiṭaka and the teachings of the Five Vehicles, wherever they are ignorant or fail to comprehend, or where the texts do not conform to the literal narrative of the "First Cause," or cannot serve as a cover for his "First Cause" erroneous view, they are uniformly slandered as "forged Buddhist sutras" or "unawakened or mistakenly awakened"! He openly provokes and maliciously slanders all aspects of the Three Jewels, the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and the sacred teachings of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, thus showing no belief in cause and effect, no fear of painful retribution, and widely creating the evil karma of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha. Yet he himself and his followers remain confidently boastful and delusional, each claiming to have seen the path, realized the path, and awakened to the Bodhi path!

If you, Xiao Pingshi, are still a man whose conscience is not entirely lost, you should honestly and completely overturn your "First Cause" fallacy, lead your disciples out of the erroneous path of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha, stand up and respectfully and earnestly repent to the Three Jewels of the ten directions and three times. Henceforth, cease creating boundless evil karma, cease harming the Dharma-body and wisdom-life of the masses, cease confusing the vast Buddhist faithful, whether already believing or not. The Buddhadharma is compassionate and universally liberates those with affinity! This is sincerely hoped for!! If, however, you continue to ignore the correct view of the Buddhadharma and cling to heretical erroneous doctrines, or use even more cunning sophistry to usurp Buddhist terminology as a shield for your "First Cause" erroneous view, then not only will it be a case of "one blind person leading many blind people, pulling each other into the fiery pit," but also "destroying the venerable Three Jewels, plunging the world into prolonged darkness!" The terrifying nature of the consequences is hinted at, warned against, advised against with heartfelt pleas, and described chillingly throughout your own books, Xiao Pingshi! You ought to reflect on this yourself! Further elaboration here is unnecessary.

However, what saddens us is that Xiao Pingshi will likely not change his stance on the "First Cause" heresy. Why? Because his view-delusion (dṛṣṭi-moha) of "self-view" (ātma-dṛṣṭi) has not been severed. He believes he has found the origin of the universe, verified the real existence of the "First Cause," disregarded the law of cause and effect in dependent origination, plagiarized the rich and perfect terminology and doctrines of Buddhist cultivation and realization, and coupled this with superhuman linguistic gaming skills. He has already formed his own "unique" style of preaching, gradually attracting kind-hearted and easily deceived people, engaging in a foolish "personality cult movement"! Therefore, he is unlikely to realize his error and return. Since his actual actions have severely damaged the purity and solemnity of Buddhism, directly impacting the propagation of the True Dharma in the world, it is necessary for us to make a clear assessment of his "personality cult movement" to clarify the insults suffered by ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and restore the sacred purity and solemnity of our Buddhist Three Jewels.

II. The "Personality Cult Movement" Stemming from the Decline of the Human Spirit

"Personality cult movements" are common phenomena in history. Whether it's a cult organization or the emergence of a heretical path, this specific type of man-made "god-making" is unavoidable. Generally, human personality cult movements possess five characteristics and three causes. The five characteristics are: self-deification, self-centeredness, apparent compliance with hidden opposition, enticement and bewitchment, and mental control. The three causes are: self-inflation, pursuit of profit, and the decline of the human spirit. After reading Xiao Pingshi's works, we quickly discover that he fully embodies these five characteristics and three causes. Given his frantic attacks and blasphemy against ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, we must rationally analyze these five characteristics and three causes, present evidence of this personality cult movement, and expose the hidden and overt aspects of his slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha.

1. Five Characteristics of Xiao Pingshi's Personality Cult Movement:

First, Self-Deification: This is the primary characteristic of all personality cult movements. Either they claim direct communication with deities, declare themselves executors of divine will, boast of superhuman abilities to lead mortals into the divine realm, or directly proclaim themselves Buddhas, sage-level Bodhisattvas, saints, saviors, etc. These features are blatantly evident in Xiao Pingshi's works! Besides constantly branding himself as a truly awakened "True Good Knowing Advisor" and a "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member" (mahāyāna-ārya-saṅgha), his various writings consistently portray him as a Bodhisattva on the first ground (bhūmi) or higher. He often boasts of knowing countless past lives, saying, for instance: "In recent years, often in meditative concentration (samādhi), I have seen the pure practices of propagating the Dharma in past lives, as well as the erroneous creation of karma by slandering the Dharma countless eons ago and receiving retribution, etc." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 2), and "seeing my future lives, also mostly as a householder, rarely as a monastic" (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 92). Such statements are ubiquitous, presenting himself as a sage "able to know the past and future," even knowing the karma creation and retribution from "countless eons ago." Under the guise of these two self-deifying tactics—being a "sage-level Bodhisattva" and "knowing past and future"—his followers come to revere him as a saint, praising him as "the awakened monastic body from the past two thousand-plus years, now manifesting in this second life as an awakened householder body." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 141) They shamelessly claim, "His manifestation in lay form in this life was arranged by the Buddha." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 140) Thus, the goal of self-deification is achieved! Similar claims are too numerous to count, visible everywhere. We cite these merely as evidence of his clear "self-deification" characteristic. Setting aside whether he possesses such "divine powers," given the actual substance of his aforementioned "First Cause" heresy, where attachment to self (ātma-grāha) and self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) are fundamentally unbroken, he is merely an afflicted sentient being in saṃsāra, at best considered a heretic confusing both Buddhadharma and worldly dharma. How can he call himself a Buddhist sage who has seen the path and realized the path? This also proves his claims are purely self-deifying great delusions (mahā-mṛṣā-vāda), utterly unworthy of belief. Furthermore, if his coming into this world was "arranged by the Buddha," wouldn't the Buddha become an "omnipotent God"? This absurd deification tactic crumbles under scrutiny, yet sadly, many people are still deceived!

Second, Self-Centeredness: All personality cult movements in history are perpetrated by ordinary people whose self-attachment (ātma-grāha) is unbroken. Because self-attachment is not eliminated, self-love, self-craving, attachment to possessions (ātma-māna, ātma-tṛṣṇā, mamakāra), etc., bind the mind, leading invariably to self-centeredness. This prevents objective understanding of others' statements and promotes one's own assertions as "supreme and unique," intentionally or unintentionally implying transcendence over all past and present sages, even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is also ubiquitously seen in Xiao Pingshi's writings! For example, he says: "You all must be half-believing and half-doubting today. Let alone completing the path of the first ground in one lifetime, even just the simplest mind-awakening (mingxin kaiwu), you must all be half-believing and half-doubting. So how can you believe without doubt? There is only one way: try to practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 68) He also says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters. When you go back, don't be polite, take one copy of each book. Don't feel embarrassed about taking two or three copies, no! We printed them to give to everyone; since we have formed this Dharma connection today, just take them back properly! The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) From these two quotes, Xiao Pingshi's intense desire for self-centeredness is crystal clear: only the methods in his books lead to mind-awakening, and the Dharma in his books is globally unique. This obviously negates the entire Buddhist Tripiṭaka worldwide! Because "there is only one way"—the methods in his books—and the Dharma in his books cannot be found anywhere else globally. When he said this, did he even consider the Buddhist Tripiṭaka? Not at all. Such statements slandering and destroying the Buddhist Tripiṭaka emanate entirely from the depths of his own mind. Based on his own "First Cause" erroneous view, he feels justified in scorning the Tripiṭaka and elevating his own books to a "supreme" position. The books he wrote are indeed "globally unseen" advertising billboards for his personality cult movement!

Third, Apparent Compliance with Hidden Opposition (明从暗排 - ming cong an pai): "Apparent compliance" refers to the theoretical background of all personality cult movements; ostensibly, their theories have some basis. "Hidden opposition" means that, in reality, they leverage certain theories as cover to propagate their personal ideas, even actively rejecting the theories they ostensibly follow. For example, using banners like "pseudo-science" or "pseudo-religion" to reject genuine science and religion, thereby achieving their goal of a personality cult movement. Xiao Pingshi operates similarly: ostensibly "complying with Buddhadharma," but actually "covertly opposing Buddhism." He uses shields like "Buddhist True Enlightenment," "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," "True Good Knowing Advisor," and all manner of Buddhist terminology and doctrine, speaking quite plausibly ("head follows head, path follows path"). In reality, however, he slanders ancient and modern masters, destroys the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and disregards even the Buddha and the sutras. From his various works, a hidden agenda emerges: first, completely demolish Tibetan Buddhist Tantra (see Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, Volumes 1-4); second, negate wholesale many ancient and modern Buddhist masters (all his works misinterpret and distort the original meanings of ancient and modern masters, indulging in rampant slander, too numerous to list); third, destroy numerous Buddhist sutras in the "Esoteric Section" of the Chinese Tripitaka, such as the Mahāvairocana Sūtra and Vajraśekhara Sūtra, branding them as counterfeit (see Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, pp. 9-10); finally, he nonsensically claims: "There is only one way for mind-awakening: practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." Even the Buddha is inferior to him, and all sutras spoken by the Buddha lack the brilliance of "the Dharma spoken in those books of mine." He says: "We wrote The True Tathāgatagarbha, proving the existence of the Tathāgatagarbha; if you have the chance, you should buy and read that book. That book is extremely brilliant, guaranteed to be something you have never read before." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 71) "The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) Therefore, while ostensibly based on the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles, he covertly destroys the Three Jewels, rejecting all Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and the Sangha upholders (Sangha Jewel). Yet he still flies the flag of "True Good Knowing Advisor" and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles." This exemplifies the "apparent compliance with Buddhadharma, hidden opposition to Buddhism" characteristic of a personality cult movement.

Fourth, Enticement and Bewitchment: This is another despicable tactic of personality cult movements. Typically, the leader poses as an elder or savior, fabricating slanders against famous people, criticizing society, positioning only themselves as capable of salvation while portraying others (especially contemporary famous figures) as driven by fame and profit. All goodness, wisdom, light, and greatness belong to them; all evil, stupidity, darkness, and baseness belong to others. This harms and confuses the public mind, after which the leader emerges with the facade of a world-saving elder, "using heretical methods to widely poison the kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 126), thereby profiting like the fisherman. Thus, Xiao Pingshi, under the banner of "True Good Knowing Advisor," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," disrupts various Buddhist Dharma propagation institutions, attacks ancient and modern masters, even Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), shaking society's and believers' faith. He claims: "Whether the substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma can continue depends on what our generation does; because mainland China currently has no true Chan Dharma, the whole world doesn't, only Taiwan has it now. But to speak frankly, in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it. This is indeed the current situation." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) This kind of snake-oil salesman pitch, bewitching the "kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples," naturally has some effect. Consequently, his followers praise him extravagantly: "He can be called the contemporary world's unique Great Good Knowing Advisor who is proficient in both the 'Essential Doctrine' ('宗', zong) and 'Exposition' ('教', jiao)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 5) This negates all forms of Buddhist Dharma propagation activities and uses various so-called "Path-Seeing Reports" (jiandao baogao) to confuse the "kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples" eager for quick results. It seems as if all affairs under heaven, past and present, are in the palm of his hand. Commercial hype tactics like "globally none," "unique" are all employed, hence the "allure." Furthermore, in the hundred cases of his Gongan Commentaries, over forty dangle the bait "Come to the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, I will awaken you." In all the Gongan Commentaries, besides expounding or hinting at the "First Cause" heretical view, the pivotal phrase used to entice and bewitch the vast numbers of believers, both existing and potential, is "Come, then, to the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall" (qie dao zhengjue jiangtang lai). The malicious intent is outrageous!

Fifth, Mental Control: This is the most shameless and harmful characteristic of all personality cult movements. Under the interlocking traps of the previous four characteristics, carelessly stepping into this demonic territory makes it difficult to avoid falling into his meticulously designed snare. One becomes unknowingly subjected to his mental control, unable to stop! Either one works slavishly for him, propagating unrealistic merits and abilities; or one becomes irrationally devoted to and fixated on the dharma he teaches and the views he points out; or one groundlessly slanders ancient and modern sages without fear of retribution. Various manifestations of derangement and confusion are symptoms of severe mental control. This is also evident in Xiao Pingshi's books! For example, his favored disciple Zhang Guoyuan says: "He can be called the contemporary world's unique Great Good Knowing Advisor who is proficient in both the 'Essential Doctrine' and 'Exposition'." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 5) Zheng De says: "Teacher Xiao's manifestation in lay form in this life was arranged by the Buddha. To accomplish the great task of protecting the True Dharma, it was necessary to use a lay body to conveniently work freely; a monastic body could not do this work, hence the manifestation in lay form this life." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 140) Phrases like "unique" and "arranged by the Buddha" are purely nonsensical ramblings indicative of mental derangement. On what basis do you claim "unique" in the world? On what basis "arranged by the Buddha"? Isn't this telling blatant lies? Living the five desires (pañca-kāma) of a householder, yet trying to gild one's own image while smearing the Buddha's face by claiming it was "arranged by the Buddha." Historically, protectors of the True Dharma in Buddhism were primarily monastic disciples, like Nāgārjuna, Deva, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu—all great Bodhisattvas in monastic form. How could it be that "a monastic body could not do this work"? Moreover, how would you, a disciple of Xiao Pingshi, know this "decree" of the Buddha, that it was "arranged by the Buddha"? All such groundless, arbitrary nonsense reveals the loss of reason under mental control, resulting in laughable, foolish talk. Especially under the confusion of the "First Cause" heretical view, his followers almost universally critique and even randomly slander ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, each regarding themselves as world-saving sages, appearing very innocent and deeply emotional. They hope all Buddhist propagation institutions worldwide will shut down or convert entirely to Xiao Pingshi's "heretical First Cause" views, only then feeling a sense of accomplishment in their "Dharma protection" work. This is simply daydreaming and nonsensical talk!

Generally, three types of people fall under Xiao Pingshi's mental control: first, those eager for quick awakening; second, those who are self-centered; third, those who are kind-hearted and easily deceived. For the first type, Xiao Pingshi uses the heretical view of the "First Cause" to envelop them. Thus, those certified by him as having achieved "mind-awakening" (mingxin) or "seeing the nature" (jianxing) share a common feeling: finally, the root source of the universe and all dharmas has been found; all dharmas arise from this First Cause root. They then use their misunderstood Buddhist terms and doctrines like Ālayavijñāna and Tathāgatagarbha as standards for certification, feeling self-satisfied, each proclaiming awakening to the Bodhi path, "considering themselves sages, which becomes the karma of great delusion (mahā-mṛṣā-vāda), a hellish offense, making the problem very serious." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 15) This is all due to not understanding the relationship between essence (tǐ), characteristics (xiàng), and function (yòng) in Buddhadharma, not comprehending the true reality of the Perfect Teaching (yuanjiao) and the Avataṃsaka realm (huayan jingjie). Consequently, they deviate from Vijñapti-mātratā Buddhadharma, fall into the heretical view of the First Cause, become mentally controlled, and cannot extricate themselves! This is revealed in the various volumes of Gongan Commentaries and various "Path-Seeing Reports." All references to mind, nature, Ālayavijñāna, Tathāgatagarbha, True Suchness, Buddha-nature, etc., become mere synonyms for Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause," as exposed in the first section above. For the second type, these are people congenial to Xiao Pingshi. Rather than being mentally controlled, it's more like colluding together, each getting what they need, mutually flattering and exploiting each other. By slandering and destroying others' Buddhist propagation efforts, they gain a sense of accomplishment, temporarily satisfying their inflated egos, and work tirelessly towards this end! This is apparent in books like Crazy Tantra and True Tantra (Volumes 1-4), A Collection of Dharma Protection, and The Crisis of Buddhism. This also forms the internal motivation and driving force of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, using the pretext of being "arranged by the Buddha" to control this group. For the third type, Xiao Pingshi needs relatively pure Buddhist terminology and doctrine as cover, sprinkled with some "self-deification" stories, and applying pressure with claims like "there is no True Dharma elsewhere," "I am the True Good Knowing Advisor," "one cannot slander a Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," "slander leads to falling into Avīci hell." This is the effort made in books like Formless Nianfo, The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, and Detailed Explanation of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (Volumes 1-6). The narrative language is almost indistinguishable from genuine Dharma, but the so-called ultimate, definitive meaning is the heretical First Cause view! In this way, the three types of people who can help him complete his personality cult movement are appropriately managed. Thus, their minds naturally fall under his control—it should be said, "arranged by Xiao Pingshi," not "arranged by the Buddha"! Because the "First Cause" heretical view is not the Buddha's True Dharma! Because Xiao Pingshi's writings are fundamentally based on the "First Cause" heretical view! Because certifying disciples' path-seeing is based on verifying the First Cause, the origin of the universe and all dharmas! Because he steals Buddhist terminology and doctrine but not the substance of Buddhadharma! Because he recklessly destroys the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles without understanding the true reality of the Perfect Teaching! He merely uses the superficial appearance of Buddhism, along with Buddhist terminology and fruition-state nomenclature, as packaging!

Thus, the five characteristics of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement are all present: first, self-deification, self-centeredness, apparent compliance with Buddhadharma while covertly opposing it; then, enticement, bewitchment, and mental control. Therefore, it should be judged as a genuine "personality cult movement"! However, "For Pingshi, he neither accepts monetary offerings, nor offerings of companions of the opposite sex from sentient beings, nor seeks fame, nor has ever hoped for anything from sentient beings—never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 14) Why, then, does he undertake such arduous efforts to conduct this personality cult movement? This certainly stems from the background of Taiwan's Buddhist situation and social environment, combined with factors like self-consciousness, social sentiments, and the decline of the human spirit. We will discuss this based on the following three causes.

2. Three Causes of Xiao Pingshi's Personality Cult Movement:

First, Self-Inflation: The instigators of all personality cult movements are ordinary people whose self-attachment (ātma-grāha) and self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) remain unbroken, and who focus intensely on their own self-attachment and self-view. Thus, these movements are extreme manifestations of self-inflation, the primary cause of personality cults. If self-inflation were not intolerably severe, fame and glory could be sought through other relatively legitimate worldly channels, rendering the self-deifying "personality cult movement" unnecessary. Therefore, all personality cult movements are rooted in extreme self-inflation and are expressions of an exceedingly strong desire for self-display. In Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, his self-inflated consciousness and behavior are also very evident. For instance, the back cover of his The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land states: "Speaking what the Pure Land Patriarchs never spoke, revealing what the Patriarchs of various schools never revealed... a transcendent view unseen by predecessors." The back cover of The Mani Jewel Collection of the Chan School claims: "A union of compassion and wisdom, full of Chan flavor, a monumental Chan work rarely seen in centuries." Chan—Before and After Awakening asserts: "This book enables people to realize their own true mind, see their own fundamental nature. The slow will exit the three realms after seven rebirths in heaven or human realms; the swift will accomplish it in one lifetime. Practitioners seeking awakening must read this." The True Tathāgatagarbha proclaims: "This book is a magnum opus that all philosophers, religious figures, Buddhists, and those wishing to sublimate their minds must read." Such advertising slogans reveal a self-perception surpassing Buddhas and Patriarchs, "unseen by predecessors." Furthermore, in the preface of Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, etc., he calls himself the "lone child of Mahāyāna in the Dharma-Ending Age," emphasizing: "For awakening the mind, how can one believe without doubt? There is only one way: try to practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 68) He also says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters... The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists; only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) "Our book The True Tathāgatagarbha is extremely brilliant, guaranteed to be something you have never read before." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 71) Therefore, he says: "We should widely propagate the correct principle of Self and Non-Self, protect the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, so that the Association can continue to operate normally and completely." (Self and Non-Self, p. 80) Besides these statements of unparalleled self-inflation, even more evident are the various harsh words slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha found in his works—grasping at shadows, stirring up trouble, arbitrarily misinterpreting, and trampling on the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles and ancient and modern masters. Such instances are too numerous to record! Given the foundation of the "First Cause" heretical view and the reality of the "personality cult movement," these are clearly true reflections of self-inflation.

Second, Pursuit of Profit (有利可图 - you li ke tu, lit. 'there is profit to be sought'): Personality cult movements are essentially deceptive acts that fool the populace. Built on self-inflation, another cause for every personality cult movement is the potential for profit. Although the understanding and pursuit of "profit" vary, they are certainly not as Xiao Pingshi claims: "neither accepts monetary offerings... nor seeks fame... never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings." On the contrary, it is precisely to obtain some form of worldly benefit that they dare to engage in personality cult movements so audaciously. Let's first examine Xiao Pingshi's so-called "refuting heterodoxy and revealing orthodoxy" (po xie xian zheng), branding himself as the "True Good Knowing Advisor," "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." What is the focus of using these as cover for his "personality cult movement"?

Firstly, he was inspired by certain phenomena, as he says: "Those heretics openly and brazenly contend for Buddhist orthodoxy, claiming only they possess the realization power of Buddhadharma, implying that all Buddhist practice centers and all Dharma masters and laypeople in Taiwan are not genuinely Buddhist." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) Thus, he imitated them even more boldly, stating clearly: "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists, currently only Taiwan has it. And in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) In this way, he "openly confuses right and wrong, making a mess of the Taiwan Buddhist community." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) The consistency in the manner of speaking in these two passages reveals his profound worldly shrewdness. Besides "contending for Buddhist orthodoxy" and "making a mess of the Buddhist community," what is the more fundamental aim?

Secondly, he noticed the resources within Taiwanese Buddhism, stating: "Dharma Drum Mountain, founded by Master Sheng Yen under the name of Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural and Educational Foundation, raised NT$12 billion; this year, the Humanities and Education Foundation was established, seeking to absorb another NT$5 billion, specifically for worldly dharma humanities education matters. These two major foundations established by Master Sheng Yen have become Taiwan's largest money-absorbing machines." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 8, bold emphasis by Xiao Pingshi) He also says: "Furthermore, observing the four major mountains—Fo Guang Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, Chung Tai Shan, Tzu Chi Foundation—extensively gathering Buddhist resources, like four super-large money-absorbing machines, absorbing over ninety percent of Taiwan's Buddhist resources, has clearly produced a severe crowding-out effect." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 15) He also incites: "Due to the four major practice centers absorbing over ninety percent of Buddhist resources, most minor Dharma masters cannot propagate the True Dharma." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. ?) Thus, after seeing the Buddhist resources, he appeals to Buddhist followers: one should not make offerings to these Buddhist propagation institutions and practice centers, because donating money to them is tantamount to being an accomplice in destroying the True Dharma, with consequences leading to hell. Offerings should be made to genuine practice centers to gain immeasurable merit and benefit, which is the virtuous act of supporting the Buddhadharma. However, "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists, currently only Taiwan has it. And in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) Therefore, the unstated conclusion naturally emerges: one can only donate money to the Buddhist True Enlightenment Practitioners Association! Otherwise, one will inevitably "accomplish the great evil karma of slandering the Dharma and slandering Bodhisattva Sangha members."

Thus, he first recognized the importance of orthodox Buddhist status, then saw the abundance of Taiwanese Buddhist resources. This is why he emerged wearing the mask of "True Good Knowing Advisor" and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," first "contending for orthodoxy," then "exhorting offerings." His cover tactics are merely more covert and skilled, even his disciples help him claim he acts "entirely without selfish motives, everything done is for sentient beings and practitioners." If Xiao Pingshi genuinely feels in his heart that he "neither accepts monetary offerings... nor seeks fame... never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings," then he is completely trapped in the heretical view of the "First Cause." That is why he ruthlessly destroys the Tripiṭaka and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, using the rich terminology and doctrine of the gradual stages of Buddhist cultivation and realization to package his own heretical theory of a First Cause producing all things. However, observing the fact of his arduous personality cult movement, it is undeniable and ironclad evidence that "pursuit of profit" is the original driving force behind this movement. As for the actual content of this "profit"—whether it is money, fame, etc.—as he says: "The purpose is merely to faithfully present the situation and content of that time, serving as a witness for future Buddhist history." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 5) His followers also say: "The Dharma commented on in Teacher Xiao's books, in terms of page proportion, mostly concerns monastic Great Dharma Masters, and all are the most famous and powerful Great Dharma Masters of the time; he never comments on less famous masters. Because the practice centers of minor masters and lay practitioners are small, their followers few, their influence smaller." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 104) Is it for "leaving a name for posterity"? Therefore, this conclusion can be left for time to reveal everything!

Third, Decline of the Human Spirit (人心没落 - ren xin mo luo): This provides the social environment for all personality cult movements. Modern society suffers from severe self-consciousness and self-centeredness. Alternatively, the heavy pressures of life and work cause mental tension in modern people. Concurrently, economic development and relative material affluence in modern society also lead to spiritual emptiness. Thus, spiritual guidance, psychology, and religious outreach become particularly important. When people find ancient religions no longer novel or stimulating, the emergence of new religious movements is natural. Humans are the crown of creation, yet also the most fragile of beings! Because human emotions and spirituality are so rich, it is easy to fall into self-aggrandizement or self-indulgent decline! It is in this zone of decline—self-aggrandizement and self-indulgence—that the instigators of "personality cult movements" seize the opportunity to infiltrate. Therefore, the decline of the social spirit is a necessary environment for personality cult movements. Xiao Pingshi's movement also benefits from such a social environment! He first observed the situation where some were "using heretical methods to widely poison Taiwan's kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples; collecting tens of millions in donations from Taiwan's kind-hearted Buddhist disciples." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 126) This social reality was the prerequisite and motivation for launching his personality cult movement! Secondly, amidst rampant heresies and numerous new religious movements, the Dharma masters of major established centers were busy with their own propagation efforts and did not engage in necessary, in-depth refutations. As he says: "But Yin Shun, Chao Hui, and Hsing Yun... the four great Dharma masters, all played deaf and dumb, remained silent, using the excuse that it wasn't worth debating, all acting as 'goody-goodies,' unwilling to take responsibility for refuting heterodoxy, revealing orthodoxy, rescuing Buddhist disciples, and safeguarding Buddhism." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) Thus, he found what he perceived as a "weakness" within Buddhism itself. With this understanding, he established the Buddhist True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, initiating a personality cult movement from top to bottom, beginning to end, inside and out, seizing the opportunity. Consequently, given Taiwan's abundant Buddhist resources, the fact that Buddhist disciples are "kind-hearted and easily deceived," and the Buddhist Great Dharma Masters are "silent," provided fertile ground for his ambition to "comprehensively replace Buddhism with the First Cause heresy"!

The Buddhist sutras state that two thousand years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Buddhism enters the "Dharma-Ending Age" (mofa shidai). The shadow of this "Dharma-Ending Age" often looms over the minds of many Buddhist disciples. Especially for some modern individuals eager for quick results and possessing strong self-expressive desires, how they welcome the emergence of fast-food culture! Advertising hype and commercial operations can turn an unknown person into a celebrity or saint overnight. Xiao Pingshi utilizes authoritative yet extremely enticing, baseless, and delusional slogans like "globally unique," "arranged by the Buddha," etc., to lure and bewitch the kind-hearted, easily deceived, or expediently-minded public. And the utilitarianism born from the decline of the human spirit, eager for quick success, precisely needs such an "arrangement by the Buddha" to fill the inner void. Thus, they hit it off instantly, fundamentally unwilling to seriously and objectively examine themselves. Because once they confirm that Xiao Pingshi's thought is fundamentally the heretical view of the First Cause, not true Buddhadharma, it means they are not truly awakened, and they would have to withdraw from the self-deluding joy of "awakening," potentially plunging mind and body into another unknown state of confusion and decline! Therefore, such a personality cult movement is an illusory and shameful act, its consequences inevitably lamentable and tragic!

The decline of the human spirit in the social environment also requires guidance and exposition based on Buddhadharma. The social function of Buddhadharma in the real world is to enable suffering beings to leave suffering and attain happiness. However, Buddhist exposition and guidance lead sentient beings onto the bright path of awakening in a solid, practical manner, absolutely never resorting to base and despicable means like "personality cult movements" to deceive the populace! They absolutely would not tell falsehoods like "this was arranged by the Buddha" to fool Buddhist disciples, nor would they make wildly arrogant and inverted claims like "you could travel the globe and never find [such books]" to imply their writings surpass all Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), and certainly never use deceptive words like "globally, only here is there Buddhadharma"! If Xiao Pingshi and his followers still insist repeatedly that "our Dharma is entirely based on the Tripiṭaka," that is truly shameless nonsense! In which sutra did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi's manifestation in lay form was arranged by the Buddha"? Where did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi's books cannot be found by traveling the globe"? When did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi is the globally unique Great Good Knowing Advisor"? In what place did the Buddha say, "Ālayavijñāna is the First Cause"? Where did the Buddha say, "The First Cause can give rise to the myriad things of dependent origination"?

Observing Xiao Pingshi's various statements, from root to surface, they are all born from the interplay and mutual reinforcement of the "First Cause Heresy" and the "Personality Cult Movement." He wants to plagiarize Buddhist terminology and doctrine to destroy the worldly Three Jewels; he wants to replace Buddhist propagation institutions to contend for Buddhist resources; he wants to challenge ancient and modern Buddhist masters to establish a name for posterity; he wants to confuse the vast Buddhist faithful to create bewilderment and panic! Through the above rational analysis of the five characteristics and three causes of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, one can roughly understand how Xiao Pingshi, having plagiarized Buddhist terminology and doctrine, vigorously promotes the "First Cause" heretical view as a foundation for a covert yet rampant personality cult movement. Alternatively, one could say that to carry out his personality cult movement, Xiao Pingshi uses the First Cause heretical view, rich and perfect Buddhist terminology and doctrine, and self-deifying delusional boasts as cover! In short, as quoted in his The Crisis of Buddhism: "The Dharma transmitted by the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association is evil dharma, it is heretical dharma." (pp. 69-70) We can affirm that the "Dharma" he has transmitted thus far is indeed toxic, as demonstrated above. If we are still unwilling to formally step forward now to refute the errors in Pingshi's Dharma, to save Pingshi from the future life consequences of his "erroneous Dharma propagation," we are truly lacking compassion!

As the Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: "At that time, the celestial māra, awaiting his opportunity, sends his essence to attach to a person, who then speaks the sutra-dharma from his mouth. The person is utterly unaware of the demonic possession, and also claims to have attained supreme nirvāṇa. Coming to the place of the good man seeking knowledge, he sets up a seat and preaches the Dharma. Wearing white robes, he receives bows from bhikṣus. He slanders Chan and Vinaya, curses the disciples, exposes personal matters, avoiding neither ridicule nor suspicion. His mouth constantly speaks of supernatural powers and freedom. Each claims to have achieved the unsurpassed path." The real cause of personality cult movements is actually due to inner impurity, attracting the invasion of external māras. With demonic courage filling the heavens, they act recklessly, betraying teachers and ancestors, destroying the Three Jewels! In fact, besides the aforementioned facts of the "First Cause Heresy" and the "Personality Cult Movement," the reason Xiao Pingshi's writings and teachings can envelop those kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples is because he possesses a thick-skinned face of "ingratitude" (wang'en fuyi) and an extraordinary ability for "linguistic manipulation" (wannong wenzi). Thus, the disciples instigated by him naturally learn ingratitude and arrogance. Here, we further reveal and analyze this.

III. The "Ingratitude" of Betraying Teachers and Ancestors

Confucianism has the excellent tradition of "One day a teacher, a father for life." Buddhism has the thought of repaying kindness: "Parents of the Dharma-body, kindness heavier than mountains"! In this Dharma-Ending Age, the ways of the world and the human heart decline day by day. Ingratitude, even repaying kindness with malice, is common. While frantically ridiculing and slandering ancient and modern Buddhist masters, Xiao Pingshi also uses specious linguistic games to arbitrarily trample on the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, ruthlessly disrupting and destroying the propagation of Buddhadharma in the world. Particularly despicable is how, driven by the ambition of his personality cult movement and the erroneous view of the First Cause heresy, he gradually descended into the dangerous territory of betraying teachers and ancestors, showing ingratitude. This is deeply regrettable and pitiable! Perhaps this is also a component of the personality cult movement, as not only does he himself display ingratitude, but his followers also fall into the deep pit of ingratitude. Is this not tragic! And some among them are completely unaware, truly among those the Tathāgata called pitiable! Here, we simply provide examples from Xiao Pingshi's writings to expose the facts of his own ingratitude, his teaching of ingratitude, and even his betrayal of teachers and ancestors and destruction of the Three Jewels, to set the record straight!

1. His Own "Ingratitude" in Betraying Teachers and Ancestors

First, we see Xiao Pingshi's own "ingratitude" in betraying teachers and ancestors. He says: "Although I broke through (po can, achieved initial awakening) during seated meditation (dazuo), I realized that using the method of seated meditation to investigate Chan (can chan) and seek awakening is an erroneous concept; because the concepts and views my master in this life taught me were all erroneous, that's why I investigated Chan and sought awakening during seated meditation; so after realizing awakening, I instead advise everyone not to investigate Chan during seated meditation." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 17) Here he relates three points: first, "I broke through during seated meditation"; second, "The concepts my master taught me (referring to investigating Chan and seeking awakening during seated meditation) were all erroneous"; third, "I instead advise everyone not to investigate Chan during seated meditation." The background to these three sentences is that he achieved his breakthrough awakening while his master was teaching him seated meditation, specifically during that seated meditation. So, is "seeking awakening during seated meditation" feasible? We know that investigating Chan in Chinese Chan halls is also called "seated Chan" (zuochan). Although sometimes, due to differing individual circumstances, patriarchs have pointed out that "Chan is not achieved by sitting," the sutras repeatedly mention the practice of "sitting upright and contemplating true reality" (duan zuo nian shi xiang). The Chan school also chants "Walking is Chan, sitting is Chan" (xing yi chan, zuo yi chan). While Buddhist history is replete with examples of seeing the nature and awakening during the four postures of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, many more Chan practitioners broke through the 'dark lacquer bucket' (ignorance) on the meditation cushion. To focus on the outward posture instead of the fundamental entry point of the method is an unheard-of "concept and view." Moreover, Śākyamuni Buddha himself attained awakening under the Bodhi tree, seeing the morning star while sitting upright. Let's not even discuss the facts of Buddhist history, but analyze just Xiao Pingshi's statement above. What is he trying to say? Can one "seek awakening during seated meditation" or not?

If, as he claims, "The concepts my master taught me (about seeking awakening in seated meditation) were all erroneous," then one cannot attain awakening during seated meditation. Yet he also says, "I broke through during seated meditation." This proves that his master teaching him to seek awakening through seated meditation was feasible, with factual evidence embodied in himself. How then can he dismiss the concept and view that "one can seek awakening during seated meditation"? Shouldn't he say he "fundamentally did not awaken" or "fundamentally did not awaken during seated meditation"? Yet he insists he "broke through during seated meditation." This fact and theory are clearly self-contradictory. However, if his statement "I broke through during seated meditation" is true (at least Xiao Pingshi himself admits it was a true breakthrough awakening), then this fact already proves that "one can awaken during seated meditation." Since it is factually proven that awakening can occur during seated meditation, why then say "The concepts my master taught me... were all erroneous"? It is truly baffling! How can his contradictory statements be explained?

Furthermore, logical inference from this statement leads to two conclusions: one, Xiao Pingshi did not awaken, or mistakenly believed he awakened, because the very teaching of seeking awakening in seated meditation was erroneous; two, he deliberately opposes his master, receiving benefits from him but then repaying kindness with malice, like Zhu Bajie attacking his own master. Yet, Xiao Pingshi would not dare directly admit either of these outcomes. But his words are printed here, black on white, how can he deny them? On the one hand, he promotes himself as a "truly awakened one," "True Good Knowing Advisor," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," constantly flaunting his "breakthrough and emergence to propagate the Dharma," so he certainly won't reveal his underlying "First Cause heretical erroneous view" and lack of awakening, nor his lack of the correct view of Buddhadharma. On the other hand, he deifies himself as a "sage" "able to know countless past and future lives," intending to replace the Buddhist Three Jewels with his own persona and words. Therefore, he acts arbitrarily and recklessly, slandering and framing his own master, and indeed all contemporary great Buddhist masters.

From the passage above, we can imagine: a person unskilled in practice comes to a master. The master certifies his refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), explains the Buddhadharma, answers various questions, and in terms of practice, the master teaches him the method of seated meditation and Chan investigation (we know his master was Master Sheng Yen; the master compassionately guides students in Chan practice, including various methods). This person, Xiao Pingshi, thus practiced seated Chan meditation under his master's guidance, listening to his compassionate teachings. One day, struck by a sudden fancy, he felt he was awakened. He then left his master's guidance, established his own sect, and claimed territory. From then on, he measured his master by his own heretical erroneous views, launching fierce and venomous attacks and blasphemies against his master, framing him for "supporting licentious heretics." From a worldly perspective, this is like the son of kind poor parents who later meets a wealthy scoundrel, sides with the wealthy, and then constantly curses his own biological parents, acknowledging a thief as his father, devoid of conscience. It is also like someone who, after entering university, harshly mocks and even groundlessly insults their former primary school or even kindergarten teachers. Such vile conduct is the behavior of ingratitude. How much more so when his master is a great master propagating Chan practice and realization? In the past, Śākyamuni gave his whole body for half a verse. Confucianism values hearing a single word that benefits for a lifetime. Even worldly ethics speaks of "Repaying a drop of kindness with a gushing spring." Xiao Pingshi, confused by the First Cause heretical view, openly names and slanders his own refuge master (in The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 8 and various books). His ingratitude in betraying his teacher and ancestors is also ironclad evidence. Consequently, his followers have also been infected with this malignant disease!

2. Teaching Others "Ingratitude" and Destroying the Three Jewels

Because Xiao Pingshi himself is thus "ungrateful," under the sway of the First Cause heretical view, those taught by him have almost all become more or less infected with this malignant disease of ingratitude. This is deeply worrying. They still consider themselves to be voicing "The Voice of Compassion," while their words occasionally reveal dissatisfaction and contempt for their former masters and teachers, even claiming "not to fear" violating fundamental Bodhisattva precepts. For example: "Why does this student not fear committing fundamental Bodhisattva precepts? (Referring to the precepts against speaking of the four types of faults, praising oneself and disparaging others, and slandering the Three Jewels) Simply because this student has directly observed: the five aggregates (skandha), the eighteen realms (dhātu) are indeed impermanent, suffering, non-self, non-mine. There must be this unborn, undying mind that penetrates the three times—the 'Tathāgatagarbha, True Self'—to accomplish all dharmas, for cause and effect to be established; moreover, in direct perception (pratyakṣa), the Eighth Consciousness 'Tathāgata' can indeed be personally realized. Therefore, I do not fear committing fundamental precepts and dare to take up the pen to comment." (The Voice of Compassion, p. 38) He fundamentally misunderstands the true meaning of Tathāgatagarbha and the Eighth Consciousness, comparing them to the "First Cause, the origin of the universe," speciously believing he is "no longer confused, no longer hesitant," yet terminally ill without knowing it. He even finds justification for destroying the Three Jewels. How lamentable!

Another example: one of his followers says, "Listening to layman Li Zuyuan speak on the Middle Way True Reality (madhyama-pratipad-tattva), he made the Middle Way sound extremely profound. At that time, many, like me, couldn't understand, always feeling he was very learned." (The Crisis of Buddhism / Path-Seeing Report, p. 273) After being taught by Xiao Pingshi, he says: "Layman Li fundamentally doesn't talk about the Tathāgatagarbha, only telling us: the Middle Way means the knowing mind (juezhi xin) should not fall into the two extremes, meaning everything is non-existent, non-non-existent, non-permanent, non-impermanent. Then he churns around within the words, making people more confused the more they listen." (The Crisis of Buddhism / Path-Seeing Report, p. 274) This viewpoint—that one cannot speak of the Middle Way True Reality without mentioning the term "Tathāgatagarbha"—has never even dreamed of the wondrous principle of the "Ten Suchnesses" (daśa-tathātā) regarding the true reality of all dharmas in the Lotus Sūtra! And to listen to someone teach the Dharma when one doesn't understand it oneself, only to later turn around and say the teacher who once instructed him was "churning around" words. To put it bluntly: truly lacking conscience! The implication is that even reading Buddhist sutras himself didn't lead to understanding, until he later read Xiao Pingshi's The True Tathāgatagarbha, only then knowing what the Middle Way True Reality is. This amounts to casually regarding Buddhist sutras and teachers as inferior to Xiao Pingshi and his writings.

A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity; a petty person seeks uniformity but not harmony. Under Xiao Pingshi's instigation, those followers who believe themselves to have achieved mind-awakening and seen the nature almost universally turn against the masters and teachers who previously guided them (see various Path-Seeing Reports). Based on the actual First Cause heretical view, each speaks boastfully, calling black white! The Five Vehicles of Buddhadharma have countless ways to guide sentient beings; as it is said: There are many gates of skillful means (upāya), but the return to the origin is a single path. Each of the Ten Suchnesses can be an entry point to the true reality of all dharmas. Patriarchs, great masters, and contemporary Dharma masters also point the way from different angles according to circumstances, untying bonds. If it were truly as Xiao Pingshi and his followers criticize and slander—that globally there is no Mahāyāna True Dharma, only their True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it, that Xiao Pingshi's books are globally unique, even Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel) are not as brilliant as his writings—then worldly Dharma propagation cannot be done, and transmundane Dharma propagation also cannot be done; these various Buddhist propagation institutions should have been eliminated long ago. In that case, what would Xiao Pingshi and his followers use to brand themselves as "completely conforming to the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles"? What shield would they use for their "First Cause heretical view"? If everything proceeded according to their current wishes, wouldn't Buddhism have been extinguished long before their True Enlightenment Practitioners Association even appeared? Isn't the face of a petty person who achieves success and then kicks away the ladder a perfect portrait of ingratitude? Isn't it the malicious intent of betraying teachers and ancestors?

For every person on the path of Buddhist practice, even hearing half a verse like "All conditioned things are impermanent; this is the law of arising and ceasing" (anityāḥ sarvasaṃskārā utpādavyayadharmiṇaḥ) from a teacher should evoke endless gratitude. How much more so towards one's own refuge master and Dharma teachers? To groundlessly name and slander them? These ungrateful disciples are destroying the worldly Three Jewels. Even if some individuals do not directly slander their teachers, they doubt ancient and modern masters, joining Xiao Pingshi in creating the extremely evil karma of ingratitude and "betraying teachers and ancestors." The terrifying nature of the future retribution makes one's heart pound with fear!

IV. "Linguistic Manipulation" that Slanders the Dharma and Divides the Sangha

Although the ancients said, "The Way of Heaven does not contend, yet excels in winning; does not strive, yet naturally arrives," it is often the case that "a lie told a thousand times becomes 'truth'." The reason Xiao Pingshi can confuse so many people and write so many books, besides his intelligence, capability, diligent study, quick wit, and dedicated writing efforts, fundamentally stems from his superhuman ability for linguistic manipulation. He does not understand the relationship between essence (tǐ), characteristics (xiàng), and function (yòng) in Mahāyāna Buddhadharma, nor does he know the relationship between Ālayavijñāna, seeds (bīja), and manifestation (pravṛtti). He understands even less the true reality of the Perfect Teaching (yuanjiao) and the Avataṃsaka realm (huayan jingjie) in Mahāyāna Buddhadharma. That is why he treats the Ālayavijñāna as the First Cause capable of producing all dependently arisen dharmas, viewing the entire universe, body, mind, and world as derivatives of the self-nature (svabhāva), thus falling into heretical erroneous views. However, his narrative language is truly beautiful, and his skill in manipulating words is extremely high. This allows him to plagiarize the terminology and doctrine of Vijñapti-mātratā Buddhadharma as cover material for propagating his First Cause heretical view, enabling him to more boldly engage in "slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha." Here are just a few examples:

He says: "If the original deluded mind, the consciousness, were gone—without this knowing mind (juezhi xin) capable of cognizing objects and discriminating—then only the 'constant yet unscrutinizing' (heng er bu shen) true mind should remain. Since the true mind is 'constant yet unscrutinizing,' then may I ask: 'After the Buddha awakened, did he become an idiot?' Become a mind that 'does not scrutinize' any object, just like a moron! So the problem becomes very serious." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 14) He also says: "Investigating Chan like this and realizing the 'constant yet unscrutinizing' Tathāgatagarbha is called mind-awakening (mingxin). Only this can withstand the scrutiny of Hīnayāna, Madhyama-yāna, and Mahāyāna Buddhadharma." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 15)

The same explanation of "constant yet unscrutinizing": when others speak of the true mind being "constant yet unscrutinizing," it becomes idiocy; when he speaks of his own so-called true mind being "constant yet unscrutinizing," it is called mind-awakening. This practice of arbitrary distortion and groundless slander is merely a trick of textual manipulation, lacking any real internal distinction, because he has fundamentally no realization regarding the nature of mind. What he has is merely a speculated "First Cause of the universe," using Buddhist terms like Tathāgatagarbha as synonyms. When others speak of the Buddha-nature's wondrous functions, countless as the sands of the Ganges, unborn and undying, he insists that "the Buddha-nature must be seen with the physical eyes born from parents." Yet when the physical eyes born from parents are described as having characteristics (lakṣaṇa), and 'all that has characteristics is illusory' (sarva-lakṣaṇa-vaimalyā?), he adds "wisdom that corresponds in a single thought" (yi nian xiangying hui) after "physical eyes born from parents," or notes "the other five sense organs are also thus." When others speak from the perspective of "function" (yòng) or directly point to the self-nature, he attacks from the perspective of "essence" (tǐ). When others speak of the essence of self-nature from the perspective of "essence," he attacks from the perspective of "function." Yet, in reality, he himself does not truly understand the essence-function relationship of the true reality of dharmas. This tactic of showing off linguistic skill is used repeatedly. Therefore, all his actions fall into heretical erroneous views, leading him to frantically destroy the Three Jewels.

Another example: in the various volumes of Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, he repeatedly mislabels Tibetan Tantric practices involving sexual union (shuangshen fa, lit. 'dual body method') as "desire realm dharma" (kāmadhātu-dharma). Desire realm dharma is worldly dharma, thus heretical dharma. Using this as a pretext, he completely negates all Tantric teachings. This is the 'Achilles' heel' of Tantra that he believes he has grasped most firmly, leaving absolutely no room for maneuver, intending to deal a fatal blow to Tibetan Buddhism and even Chinese Esoteric Buddhist sutras. Yet, he himself says: "Bodhisattvas thus realize Bodhi without having severed the afflictions of greed and hatred in the three realms; this is unknown to ordinary fools, hence it is called inconceivable (acintya)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 33) Here, the "greed of the three realms" clearly points to "desire realm greed." In his own words, desire realm dharma and dharma of desire (rāga-dharma) now become "inconceivable." Yet, regarding the Tibetan Tantric union practices, which are also unknown to ordinary fools and are inconceivable dharma, he one-sidedly treats them as conceivable dharma, slandering them as licentious dharma (xieyin fa). This linguistic game truly turns clouds into rain with a flip of the hand—if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext!

Even more laughable is the linguistic manipulation revealed intentionally or unintentionally, making one marvel at his skill, audacity, thick skin, black heart, and sharp tongue. As he says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters... When you go back, don't be polite, take one copy of each book... The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) This passage truly pushes his linguistic manipulation skills to the extreme! Let's first look at "The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." The surface meaning of this sentence is flawless, perfectly logical linguistically. Textually, it's absolutely true that "you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these," because the books he wrote are only available here, nowhere else in the world. This applies not just to books discussing Buddhist doctrine and terminology, but even if they were pornographic books written by Xiao Pingshi, they would certainly be "globally unavailable." So, textually, there's no problem. But is this the real meaning of his sentence? No! His real meaning is: the content discussed in those books cannot be found anywhere else in the world, meaning they surpass any other book globally; only the books he wrote are the best. All listeners present at that time would certainly follow his words and logically conclude: apart from these books, no comparable books exist globally. Naturally, any Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel) circulating on the market are inferior to the books he wrote. Thus, Xiao Pingshi achieves the purpose of his statement. This is a method of linguistic misdirection. He doesn't directly say "those books are better than all Buddhist sutras and Dharma Jewels globally," but he intends for people to understand his meaning this way. Those followers intoxicated by his 'bewitching soup' will then fall even more deliriously into the trap he has set, unable to extricate themselves! Because his true aim is to thoroughly destroy the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), ultimately replacing them entirely with his First Cause heretical view. And in fact, he has already begun the criminal act of "replacing the Three Jewels." He uses his own books and heretical views to replace all Buddhist scriptures (Dharma Jewel), while he and his followers repeatedly claim, "The Dharma Teacher Xiao speaks completely conforms to the Three Vehicle Buddhadharma," which is merely a beautiful smokescreen, as evidenced above. Here, concerning his linguistic games, his conspiracy to confuse and destroy the worldly Three Jewels of Buddhadharma, and his tactic of "comprehensively replacing the Sangha Jewel," a brief exposure is made.

His attempt "to act as the Sangha Jewel while in a lay body" (baiyi shen, lit. 'white-robed body') is indeed blatant and foolish!

First, he uses two approaches to conceal his lay status, thereby highlighting his "qualification" for the Sangha Jewel:

He particularly emphasizes the explanation of "Noble Sangha" (shengyi seng / ārya-saṅgha), theoretically asserting himself as a "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." He says: "Bodhisattva Sangha members proficient in both essential doctrine (zong) and exposition (shuo) exist only in Mahāyāna, not in the Two Vehicles; the mastery of essential doctrine and exposition discussed in this book is also based on the standard of Mahāyāna mastery of essential doctrine and exposition, hence the Two Vehicles' mastery of essential doctrine and exposition are not discussed below." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 58) He directly boasts: "In the human world, Noble Bodhisattva Sangha members are extremely rare, especially Bodhisattvas who have realized the wisdom of path-aspects (mārga-ākāra-jñāna) through mastery of essential doctrine and exposition." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 59) This misleads those confused followers into thinking he is the supreme "Sangha Jewel," thereby completely losing their reverence and refuge in the worldly Sangha Jewel of the Three Jewels. The Mahāmahāsamnipāta Kṣitigarbha Daśacakra Sūtra, Volume 5 states: "Who are called Noble Sangha? They are the Buddha World-Honored One; or the assembly of Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas whose virtues are venerable and supreme over all dharmas, having attained mastery; or Pratyekabuddhas; or Arhats; or Non-returners (anāgāmin); or Once-returners (sakṛdāgāmin); or Stream-enterers (srota-āpanna). These seven types of individuals (pudgala) are included in the Noble Sangha." (T13, 749c) In reality, Xiao Pingshi is not even the seventh type, a Stream-enterer, because his entire ideology is rooted in the "First Cause" erroneous view, belonging purely to eternalistic heresy (śāśvata-vāda). His view-delusion (dṛṣṭi-moha) is unbroken, and his self-attachment (ātma-grāha) and biased views (antagrāha-dṛṣṭi) are extremely severe. How can he call himself a Noble Sangha member? Clearly, he wants to use the theory of the "Noble Sangha" to cover his lay status, thereby achieving the goal of replacing the pure monastic Sangha Jewel with his desire-realm lay body.
He boasts that for two thousand years he was an awakened high monk in monastic form, and only in the last two lives was he "arranged by the Buddha" to uphold the Buddhadharma in a lay white-robed body, while his actual substance remains that of an awakened high monk. As stated: "We should have the wisdom to compare: the awakened monastic body of the past two thousand-plus years, versus the awakened lay body manifested in these two current lives; if compared with others' unawakened monastic bodies for the past two thousand-plus years, who remain unawakened monastics in this life, which person should Buddhist disciples ultimately rely on? This reasoning is actually easy to judge, but no one points it out, so everyone overlooks this principle." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 141) Thus, under this groundless premise, he portrays himself as superior to the current Sangha Jewel, telling people not to take refuge in other Sangha members. Consequently, only by taking refuge in Xiao Pingshi can one be considered a Buddhist disciple. This is his initial plan to replace the Buddhist Sangha Jewel with his lay white-robed body, which has already gained the approval and superstitious belief of his followers.

Secondly, he usurps the title "Heshang" (和尚, upādhyāya) reserved for monastic Sangha members. Heshang is from the Sanskrit upādhyāya, transliterated as Wubotuoye, Youpotuohe, Yubodiye, meaning personal teacher (qin jiao shi), near reciter (jin song), relying-on master (yi xue), source of learning (yi sheng). It is one of the three masters of the ordination platform, specifically the "personal teacher" besides the instructing (karmācārya) and procedural (ācārya) masters during precept transmission. After transmission to China, it originally referred to highly virtuous monks, later used by disciples as a respectful address for their master, and conventionally became a specific term for male monastics by society—the current upholding Sangha Jewel of the Three Jewels. To replace the upholding Sangha Jewel, Xiao Pingshi absurdly refers to himself as Heshang. For instance, his followers address him: "Presiding Triple Master (zhu san heshang) Teacher Xiao" (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 155), "Wholeheartedly bow in reverence to the parents of my Dharma-body and wisdom-life, the Venerable Master (heshang) Pingshi" (The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, p. 133), "Wholeheartedly bow in reverence to the parents of my Dharma-body and wisdom-life, the Venerable Master (heshang) Pingshi" (Self and Non-Self, p. 95), etc. This act of destroying the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) of linguistic convention—calling a lay white-robed person a monastic "Heshang"—destroys conventional truth, which in turn destroys ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya). Destroying both conventional and ultimate truth destroys the entire holy teaching of Buddhadharma. As the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Volume 4 states: "The Buddhas rely on two truths to teach the Dharma for sentient beings: one is conventional truth, the second is ultimate truth. If a person cannot know the distinction between the two truths, then regarding the profound Buddhadharma, they do not know the true meaning." (T30, 32c-33a) Connecting this with his aforementioned First Cause heretical view and personality cult movement, etc., this tactic is clearly a despicable act of confusing the public and replacing the Sangha Jewel. The Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra states: "First, under the Buddha tree, he powerfully subdued māras, attained the nectar of cessation, and realized the path of awakening; already without mind-intentions, without reception or action, yet completely vanquishing all heretics. Turning the Dharma wheel three times in the great chiliocosm, its wheel originally ever pure; gods and humans attained the path, this serves as proof; the Three Jewels thus appeared in the world." (T14, 537c) The sutra explains that after the Buddha turned the wheel of the Four Noble Truths three times in the Deer Park, ordaining the five bhikṣus as the monastic Sangha Jewel, the Three Jewels then appeared in the world. The worldly Three Jewels must be upheld by the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. If a layperson,¹ a white-robed eternalistic heretic adhering to the First Cause, can be called Heshang, a Sangha Jewel, then the Buddhadharma will perish. Observing Xiao Pingshi's actions, he is comprehensively pushing in this direction.

Furthermore, we can see his immense ambition to "replace the Sangha Jewel" from another aspect. On the cover designed by Xiao Pingshi for his book Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, the illustration depicts the speaking place in the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall. On either side of the lectern in front of the Buddha statue are a wooden fish and a large chime bowl. The front of the lectern bears the characters "正覺" (Zheng Jue, True Enlightenment), confirming it as the lectern of the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall. And in the main speaker's position at the center of the lectern sits, imposingly, a Great Dharma Master wearing a kāṣāya robe, a necklace of beads, holding up one finger, with a shaved head—the image of a monk. Yet, the main teacher of this lecture hall is himself. It is evident that he not only boasts of being a Noble Bodhisattva Sangha member, letting his followers revere him as the Sangha Jewel, but also depicts his own worldly, lay, white-robed form as a monastic Sangha Jewel form. To put it more clearly, he uses his lay body to replace the solemn Dharma image of the Sangha Jewel. Unable to renounce worldly life and the five desires himself, he draws a monastic image to symbolize himself, packaging himself as a Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member, thereby achieving the aim of his personality cult movement: the complete replacement of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha Jewels!

They also arrogantly slander the successive patriarchs and great masters in Buddhist history, blindly and groundlessly criticizing profound ideas like "insentient beings possess Buddha-nature." He fundamentally misunderstands the Avataṃsaka realm and the true reality of the Perfect Teaching, let alone comprehending the profound meaning stated in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra: "Within a single dust mote, Buddhas numerous as dust motes, each dwelling amidst assemblies of Bodhisattvas. So it is for the dust motes of the inexhaustible Dharma realm; deeply believe all are filled with Buddhas." This word "dust" (chen) refers neither to "sense faculty" (gen) nor "consciousness" (shi); it refers precisely to "dust." What capacity does he have to judge such profound Mahāyāna wondrous principles of the Avataṃsaka realm! Yet he still constantly boasts and praises himself, calling himself a "True Good Knowing Advisor," claiming to "completely conform to the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," asserting his work is "globally unavailable," and proclaiming himself the "globally unique" "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." Like a frog in a well looking at the sky through a pipe, he slanders sages and worthies, destroys the Three Jewels, creates karma that warrants having his tongue pulled out, yet feels self-satisfied. None surpasses him in thick skin and black heart. Truly: An ant trying to shake a great tree, laughably overestimates itself! (pi fu han da shu, ke xiao bu zi liang!)

In summary, from these writings of Xiao Pingshi, the fundamental ideological stance of a "Heretical First Cause Doctrine" is clearly revealed. Under the shroud of his personality cult movement, he plagiarizes Buddhist terminology and doctrine, yet turns around seeking to completely replace the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, destroy the Buddhadharma, confuse society, mislead the public, and deceive sentient beings. Whether it's the heretical view, the personality cult movement, the ingratitude, or the slandering of the Dharma and dividing of the Sangha, the criminal evidence is conclusive, the proof irrefutable like iron mountains, allowing no denial. Faced with these facts, two hopes are expressed: First, it is hoped that Xiao Pingshi and his followers quickly emerge from the deep pit of heretical erroneous views, cease all actions that slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha, destroy all published books that slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha, and sincerely repent to the Three Jewels of the ten directions! Second, it is hoped that Buddhist disciples, whether already believing or not, as well as the general public, avoid contamination by the evil habits of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha found in all of Xiao Pingshi's writings, guard against the traps of the First Cause heretical view and the personality cult movement, diligently study and practice according to the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles based on the sutras and patriarchal traditions, generate the Bodhi-mind (bodhicitta), and attain the unsurpassed path (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi). Amitābha!

——-

以下为中文评论，评论之后附上原文：

经过进一步调查，我确认了我的担忧是正确的。该团体确实是佛教正覺同修會，由萧平实领导。更多信息，您可以参考他们的维基百科页面：Wikipedia。

以下是达照法师 (Venerable Da Zhao) 的文章《邪因外道——萧平实的“造神运动”》的概要：

核心教义批判：“第一因”邪见

“造神运动”

文章细致地勾勒出萧平实据称是如何经营个人崇拜的，其特征包括：

* 自我神化：萧平实将自己描绘成一位独特觉悟的圣者、一位高级菩萨，其当前的在家身份是“佛所安排”，并且拥有了知过去未来的能力。

背叛与欺骗伎俩

达照法师指控萧平实严重“忘恩负义”和

毫不妥协的谴责

原文：

Labels: Cults, Emptiness, The True Enlightenment Practitioners Association (佛教正覺同修會; Zhengjue), Ven. Da Zhao, Xiao Pingshi (蕭平實) 0 comments | |

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