佛陀八十歲那年，抱病來到末羅國的拘尸那城。佛陀知道自己即將入滅，所以到了城中的沙羅林，就不再前進了，選擇了林中的雙樹間為入滅處。佛陀要求尊者阿難在雙樹間為他鋪床，然後頭朝北，面向西，雙足交疊側臥，仍然保持了正知正念。這時，沙羅樹雖然不是在開花的季節，竟然開滿了花，花朵從樹上掉落下來，紛紛落在佛陀身上。除了沙羅樹的花以外，還有更多的曼陀羅花與栴檀香末，從空中飄下，落在佛陀身上，也飄滿了附近的地面，空中還響起了音樂與歌聲。

生起了這些奇異的景象，佛陀對尊者阿難解釋道：「這是一些棲居在沙羅樹林，篤信佛的夜叉天神，以奇異的花來供養我，但這不是真正的供養如來。」

尊者阿難問：「那怎樣才算是真正的供養如來呢？」 佛陀說：「只有能受持佛法，實踐佛法，隨戒、隨法而行的，才算是真正的供養如來！」 於是，就有這樣的偈頌，將這個情形記錄流傳下來：

「佛在雙樹間,偃臥心不亂。 樹神心清淨，以花散佛上。 阿難白佛言：云何名供養？ 受法而能行，覺華而為供。 紫金華如輪，散佛未為供； 陰界入無我，乃名第一供。」

When the Buddha was eighty, he arrived at Kusinara town, State of Malla with illness. At that time, the Buddha was attacked by a severe sickness with bloody diarrhea, upon arriving the sal-grove in vicinity of Kusinara, he could not continue to walk, thus selected the twin sal-trees to enter nirvana. The Buddha asked Venerable Ananda to prepare for him a bed between these twin sal-trees with his head to the north, facing west, lying on the side, placing one foot on the other, mindfully and with clear awareness. At that time, those twin sal-trees burst forth into an abundance of untimely blossoms, which fell continuously upon the Buddha’s body, in addition to sal-tree flowers, more divine coral-tree flowers and divine sandalwood powder fell from the sky, fell upon the Buddha’s body and sparkling all over the adjacent grounds, divine music and song sounded from the sky in homage to the Buddha.

Toward these extraordinary phenomena, the Buddha explained to Venerable Ananda:

“Ananda! These are the Yaksa Deities dwelling in sal-grove, who have deep faith in the Tathagata and offered me extraordinary flowers, however, this is not the true offering to the Tathagata.” “Then what constitutes true offering to the Tathagata?” Venerable Ananda asked.” “Only those dwell practicing the Dharma properly and perfectly fulfill the Dharma-way are considered true offering to the Tathagata.” Replied the Buddha. A verse recording the events for circulation thus emerged:

“The Buddha lying on the side between the twin sal-tree without disrupting his mind,
Deity of the tree with a pure mind scattered flowers upon the Buddha’s body;
Ananda asked the Buddha what constitutes offerings?
Practicing the Dharma received and offering the flower of awakening constitute offerings.
Scattering the Buddha with pure gold flower as big as a wheel does not constitute offerings,
Achieving No-self in the Skandha, Realm and Sensation constitute supreme offerings.”

一、本則故事取材自《長阿含第二遊行經》、《長部第一六大般涅槃經》

二、佛陀枕右臂，左臂在上，兩腿相疊的側臥姿勢，經中以「獅子臥」稱之，後來也稱這個臥姿為「吉祥臥」。

三、以花供佛，這是現今我們經常看到的作法了，但佛陀說，這不能算是供養佛，對佛陀真正的供養，是佛法的實踐。

四、怎樣才是佛法的實踐？偈頌中的最後一句，明白地指出是「陰、界、入無我」，這是佛法修學上最核心的部分了。「陰、界、入」即五陰（蘊）、六界與六入處，這是佛陀對人的分析。五蘊即是色、受、想、行、識，這是重於心理層面的剖析，六界即是地、水、火、風、空、識，是重於物理性質的剖析，六入處是眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意，是重於生理層面的剖析，總括來說，陰、界、入即是我們身心活動的全部，佛法的修學，是以此為範圍的，而修學的內容，就是「無我」的體證。「無我」即是「我」的否定，這裡說的「我」，是「自性」的意思，印順法師依據龍樹菩薩《中論》〈觀有無品〉的前兩頌，歸納出「自性」的定義是「自有、常有、獨有」（《中觀論頌講記》第二五三頁），而我們所執的自我，「即在此意義上，附入意志的自由性」（《佛法概論》第一五八頁）。「無我」即是說：生命中沒有任何「自有、常有、獨有」的部分，所有的存在，都是因緣條件下的存在，當然也沒有要什麼就有什麼的絕對自由意志。人們「意志的自由性」中，最粗顯的就是「主宰欲」，而在主宰欲的展現中，傷害最大的，莫過於憤怒、發脾氣了。脾氣一發，理智就不見了，傷害性的言詞、行動紛紛出籠，而且往往傷害越大，越覺得痛快。最後，不僅傷害對方，也傷害自己。所以，學佛者對自己發脾氣一事，切莫視為理由充分，理所當然而等閒視之了。

五、我們常常可以聽到這樣的說法：佛法有八萬四千法門（修學方法），有無限的善巧。又說，一切善法皆是佛法。佛法的修學方法，固然會因為適應人們的不同個性傾向，而必須廣開法門。然而，煩惱的止息，生命的解脫，卻是學佛共同的目標，即使釋迦牟尼佛也是煩惱止息的解脫者。而止息煩惱與解脫的關鍵，就在於無我的實踐，所以，嚴格來說，不管您選擇了哪一種修學方法，修出離心也好，修慈悲行也好，乃至於日常生活的觀照覺察、打坐、參禪、念佛、修密……一定要能將修學的內容，與無我連線對焦，才算是真正進入了佛法的修學，也才算是對佛陀的禮敬與供養。

1. This story was derived from Dirghagarma 2nd Sutra, Digha Nikaya 16th Mahaparinibbana Sutra.

2. The posture of the Buddha resting his head on the right arm, putting left arm on top of the body, putting one foot on the other and lying on the side was described in the sutra as “Lion-posture”, later also described as Auspicious-posture”

3. We offer the Buddha with flowers nowadays, however, the Buddha said that it did not constitute offerings, the true offerings to the Buddha is practicing the Dharma.

4. How to practice the Dharma? The last sentence in the verse clearly pointed out that “Skanda, Realm, Sensation, No-self” are the core position for practicing the Dharma. “Skanda, Realm, Sensation” means the Five Skandas, Six Realms and Six-fold sphere of sense contact, these are Buddha’s analyses on human. The Five Skandas are Form, Sensation, Perception, Volition and Consciousness; its focus are concentrated on analyzing the level of psychology, the Six Realms are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Emptiness, and Consciousness, which emphasize on analysis of physical characteristics; the Six-fold sphere of sense contact are Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body and Mind which emphasize on analysis the level of physiology. In sum, Skanda, Realm, and Sensation are the total activities of our mind and body, which are regarded as the boundary for Dharma practicing; and the substance of practicing is to verify “No-self” from these activities. “No-self” is negating “Self”; the “Self” here means “Self -nature”. In accordance with the first two verses in Nagarjuna’s “The Chapter of Investigating the existence and Non-existence”, “The Madmyamika Doctrine”, Venerable Yin Shun induced that the definition of Self-nature is “Self-existence, Permanent-existence and Unique-existence” (Lectures on the Verses of Madmyakika Doctrine, p.253), and our attachment of the Self “Is based upon such meaning adding unrestricted free-will” (Introduction to Buddha Dharma p.158). No-self means that in our life, there is none-whatsoever “Self-existence, Permanent-existence and Unique-existence”. All existence is based upon the existence of causes and conditions; of course, there is no absolute free will. Among people’s “unrestricted free will”, the most prominent is the Desire of Domination”; in the display of desire of domination the most damaging elements are anger and temperament. With arising of temperament, reasoning is disappeared, damaging words and actions emerge, the horrible fact is that the greater the damage caused, generates the greater gratification for the individual. Finally, it not only hurts others, it hurts oneself as well. Therefore, a Buddhist should be careful when getting angry, it should not be taking lightly and take it for granted even though one has plenty of grounds for anger.

5. We often heard such saying that there are eighty-four thousand Dharma-gates (methods for practicing) in Buddha Dharma, there are endless skillfully guidance to teach sentient beings in accordance to their capabilities. There is also saying that all virtuous Dharma is Buddha Dharma. It goes without saying that the dharma-gate must be widely open in order to suit various characteristics in studying the Dharma. However, cessation of vexation and liberation of life are the common aims of the Buddhists. Even Sakyamuni Buddha is a vexation liberator. The key to vexation cessation and liberation is practicing No-self. Hence, strictly speaking, regardless whatever method for your practicing--whether practicing renunciation, practicing compassion, practicing investigation and awareness in the day-to-day life; practicing meditation, practicing meditative concentration, reciting Buddha’s name…--must focus the practicing upon No-self; thus become truly entering into studying the Buddha Dharma, and constitutes paying homage and offerings to the Buddha.