On Practice IV 【修行 (四) -英文】

修行修到有智慧时，头脑自然很清晰灵敏，无论碰到什么事，都能做得圆满无碍。所以要度化众生，必须自己先自度，才不会误导众生，同时别人也会欢喜接受。

Once we have obtained wisdom through practice, our mind will become clear and keen, we will be able to complete all our tasks satisfactorily and without obstacles. Therefore, to deliver other beings, we must first liberate ourselves lest we would lead them astray. Then, people will more readily accept our teaching.

 

修行要有恒常心，非一蹴即成，若没有下点工夫，以念佛来除妄念，要想开悟证果是没有那么容易的！要从日常生活中去行持，信、愿、行，一句佛号执持下去，自然会明心见性。

Practice requires perseverance; there is no short cut for any instant enlightenment. Without chanting the name of Buddha continuously thereby to impede the arising of discursive thoughts, how can we hope for any attainment? But if we, in our daily life, exercise the faith and vows, practice what we believe and keep on intoning the name of the Buddha, one day, we will naturally attain enlightenment and the Buddha-nature immanent in all beings.

 

修行人不管到哪里都要保持平常心，都能无挂无碍，清净自在，而修行就是要修这一点（自在）。

Come what may: the mind of a practitioner ought to remain calm, unfettered, and unobstructed. The purpose of our practice is to find the true self, the independent existence.

 

修行要靠自己去行，才会有真实的领悟，所谓:（如人饮水，冷暖自知。）要自己去行，才会有真功夫。

In order to make progress in comprehending the true Dharma, we must practice in person. Just as what an old Chinese saying goes, "He who drank it knows whether the water was cold or warm". Practice, then we will attain the true skills.

 

好的学起来，坏的搁一边，自己心里明白就好，借境修忍辱。因为修行不论是与非，有理与无理，是要看你碰到境时有没有烦恼。

Emulate the good and ignore the bad. Keep the sense of right and wrong to ourselves. Unpleasant circumstances are propitious for the practice of forbearance. Practice is not about judging who is right or wrong or who makes more sense. Rather, the strength of practice will keep you remain undisturbed under challenge.

 

若你已将地扫干净，师长却说你没扫干净，这时你若辩解，就是在论是非、争对错，还没有脱俗。如果你能接受说：（好！我再把它扫干净！）这就是修行。

It may come to pass that the senior blames you for not having swept the floor clean. If we argue with him, we are debating right and wrong, which means we are no different than any other lay person. If, however, we accept the reproach, answering, "Fine, I shall sweep it clean," we have set out into practice.

 

依（忍辱）修行才是根本，依此去做，到哪里都能感化人，因为修忍辱能生德行，能度瞋恚，故人见生欢喜，自然能摄化众生。

"Forbearance" is the fundamental to practice. If we forbear with others, we will be able to reform people wherever we go because forbearance brings forth moral conduct and forestalls resentment. As people enjoy our company, we will quite naturally attract them toward practice.

 

要修忍辱！（忍）是我们修行的根本，如果不能忍，则徒具出家人的外表，所以不要以为自己做的都是对的。（我见）不除，无法修忍辱。

Practice forbearance! This is the root and foundation of our practice. If we lack forbearance, we are monastic practitioners in name only. Therefore, do not presume that we are right in whatever we do. If the misconception about the self is not eliminated, it is impossible to practice forbearance.  

 

修行是向内修学，不是向外追求，要内心自然法喜，而不是外面环境好才生欢喜。所以要观照自己的心，不要让这个（心猿意马）去攀缘外面的环境；要修到（我没有怎么样），才是老实修行。

Practice means looking inward and gain awareness of our own mind, not going after matters of the outward world. Instead of tying our happiness solely on agreeable circumstances, our mind should naturally fill with dharmic joy from practice. Guard ourselves against capriciousness and indecision lest our mind should come under the sway of external conditions. If we can abstain from attachment to the form and sense of "the physical self", we are honestly treading the path of practice.

 

修行要修到慈悲相，眼神让人看起来很和蔼慈悲，这样才能吸引众生来信佛、学佛修行。

In our practice, strive to personify loving kindness and compassion. This must radiate from the expression in our eyes and let people sense that here, indeed, is a kind, compassionate person. Only then will we be able to summon people toward faith in the Buddha, learning and practicing Buddha dharma.

 

如果有一个人修成就了，那么其他人也会得到福荫，而且人人都会起勇猛心向他学习。所以，既然每个人都想修行，有缘聚在一起共修，就应该彼此互相提携勉励；否则是非、嫉妒、愚痴心起，不但会扰乱众人的（道心），自己也不能安定修行。

If someone is enlightened, many others will benefit from it because they will be inspired to follow his/her example and practice vigorously. Since all of us wish to practice and karmic affinity has brought us together, we ought to help and encourage each other along the way. If, however, we allow sentiment of judgment, jealousy, and delusion to flourish, it will not only affect our companions' resolution but also impede our own tranquility in practice.

 

修行要修智慧，但也要修福。常存慈悲心，尽量方便帮助别人的困难，布施接济，与人广结善缘，福、慧双修。

Practice aims at unfolding wisdom, but we ought to cultivate virtues as well. Be forever merciful and compassionate, try our best to help those in need and foster good karmic affinity with others. This, then, is the dual practice toward gaining both virtues and wisdom. 

 

------Translated from Analects of Master Kuang-chin（编译自《广钦老和尚开示录》）