Dharma Master Cheng Yen was born in 1937 in a small town in Taichung County, Taiwan. When she was twenty-three years old, she left home to become a Buddhist nun, and was instructed by her mentor, Venerable Master Yin Shun, to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” In 1966, she founded a charity, which later turned into the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, to “help the poor and educate the rich”—to give material aid to the needy and inspire love and humanity in both givers and recipients.

 

In recent years, Master Cheng Yen’s contributions have been increasingly recognized by the global community. In 2011, she was recognized with the Roosevelt Institute’s FDR Distinguished Public Service Award and was named to the 2011 TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. In 2014, she was presented with Rotary International’s Award of Honor in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to world peace.

Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters covers the essence of the Buddhist teachings. For beginning spiritual practitioners, this sutra is truly the best entry point to the profound Buddha-Dharma.

 

The first chapter of the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters clearly illustrates the sequence we should follow in our spiritual practice. The second and third chapters are mainly written for those who are ordained as monastics, while the fourth chapter and the chapters thereafter are guidelines for spiritual practice for people in general. In simple and plain words, the Buddha used vivid metaphors to patiently and repeatedly teach practitioners at different levels of cultivation. He wanted to show people how to reflect on themselves and how to practice the renunciation of evil and cultivation of goodness to bring out their life’s full potential. He laid out a bright path that leads directly toward a state of purity. With these teachings, people can follow the right path and reach a pure state of peace and joy.

 

Master Cheng Yen’s detailed explanations and apt interpretations have further closed the gap between this sutra and people living in our current time. We hope that those who read this sutra can inspire and encourage each other to walk the path. In doing so, they can share Dharma-joy and obtain the benefits of the Dharma together.

證嚴上人於一九三七年，出生於臺灣臺中清水。上人服膺上印下順導師「為佛教、為眾生」之慈示奉持不懈。一九六六年創辦佛教克難慈濟功德會，自此展開「濟貧教富」的工作。慈濟世界在法師慈悲呵護下，數十年來，一步一步地堅實茁壯；發展為慈善、醫療、教育、人文四大志業，以及國際賑災、環境保護、社區志工、骨髓捐贈八大腳印，透過親手拔除眾生的苦痛，以善與大愛膚慰人間。

 

近年來，證嚴上人的貢獻獲得國際間一致推崇；於2011年獲美國羅斯福基金會頒贈「傑出公共服務獎」， 並被時代雜誌列為2011年全球百大最具影響力人物。2014年獲頒國際扶輪社「最高榮譽獎」，肯定證嚴上人對於人道主義精神與世界和平的貢獻。

《四十二章經》涵蓋了佛法中的主要精髓，對於初學者而言，是進入浩瀚佛法的一個最佳入門。

 

首章清楚說明修行的次第，二、三章主要針對出家眾而言，四章以後便普及於一般人的修行方針。而樸實淺白的文字，佛陀生動的譬喻，反覆不同層面的諄諄教誨，都在教導我們如何觀照自心，進而付諸行為如何去惡修善，發揮自己生命的良能，並且明白指示一條直趨光明、清淨的道路，讓大眾循正路而行，以達清淨安樂的境界。

 

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