On Practice VI 【修行 (六) -英文】

我们出家，是身心都要出家，真正发出离心，不要与世俗过分攀缘。譬如俗家父母亲人来探望，我们应与之谈论佛法，以佛法接引、度化他们，不可流于俗情，否则爱别离苦的情执不断，俗心便不能除，以致僧不僧、俗不俗，成为障道因缘。

When leaving home for practice, both our body and mind should "leave". In other words, genuine renunciation means we ought to have as little secular entanglement as possible. In case our parents or relatives come for a visit, discuss with them only Buddha dharma so as to convert and deliver them. Do not indulge in the sentiment of parting from loved ones. Otherwise, we will be a monastic practitioner in name only. And such attachment will surely become a great impediment to our practice and to our attainment of total liberation.

 

这世间，什么都要看破，不但财不能贪，名也不能贪，娑婆世界没有一样东西是可留恋的。我们出家人更要舍下世俗的一切，粗衣淡饭苦行，身做常住的事，利益大众，心要寄托在道业上，才能妄念不起，业障自消，心无挂碍。能够这样安份地一天过一天，就是老实修行。

Relinquish all aspirations to secular gains! Not only must we part with our greed for wealth, but likewise with our hankering after fame. In fact, there is nothing in this world with which we should be reluctant to part. We monastic practitioners should go even further: consuming only plain food and clothing, devoting ourselves to our tasks in the monastery for the benefit of all beings, and keeping our minds solely on practice. Only through such ascetic practice can we eradicate our karmic obstructions and free our minds of illusive ideas as well as other disturbances. If we live our lives, day in day out, in this manner, we are truly treading the path of practice.

 

菩萨的度化众生是没有色相的，都是在默默之中，自自然然的感化。至于众生能不能受到菩萨的度化，就端看众生能否真实信愿皈依。因为菩萨有慈悲度众生的（因），而众生要有受度化的（缘），（因缘和合），这就是所谓的（感应道交）。就像观世音菩萨，每日端坐佛殿，无所为，却以大慈大悲，摄受了无数信心祈求的众生，由信而入佛法大海。

Do not anticipate any specific form through which bodhisattivas deliver sentient beings. The process (of deliverance) often occurs quietly and naturally. Whether sentient beings can be delivered depends on the degree of their faith, resolution, and willingness to take refuge in the bodhisattvas. While the compassion of bodhisattvas to deliver is the primary cause, deliverance cannot take place without the secondary cause, i.e. the vow and dedication of those who wish to be delivered. In other words, only when the two causes correspond will deliverance be possible. Take Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuanyin) for example. Sitting high up on the altar, the Bodhisattvaappears to be motionless. However her compassion and mercifulness have been providing relief to many who prayed for help and, in response to their faith, guiding them through the practice of the Dharma.

 

修道人不谈佛法，而谈俗事，这非出家人的本分。把在家的俗事----分别、计较、竞争拿来出家用，拿到佛门来论是论非，俗气未断，怎谈得上修行？

Instead of chattering on worldly matters, we monastic practitioners ought to discuss only about the Dharma. Otherwise, how can there be any "practice" to speak of if we carry on the discriminating, calculating, and competitive demeanor and gossip like lay people do?

 

一般做父母的，总是希望子女长大成人以后有一番作为----读大学、攻博士、赚大钱、吃好、穿好、住好，对儿女企望得很深切。可是等到做儿女真的有所成就，却常见他们抛弃父母不顾，这时做父母的，希望就落空了。但很多人仍然不能就此觉悟，甚至到最后一口气快断时，还想着：（我的儿子，我的孙子！） 哀哀怨怨地挂碍着儿孙。由于这种爱情爱别不能放下，六道轮回之苦也就逃不了。所以说做父母的人，对儿女的这种期待、执着、挂碍，就是生死轮回的根源。

Most parents wish for their children to grow up to have a bright future: college education, doctoral degree, wealth and success, etc. Unfortunately, many turn their backs on their parents after attaining success. But these parents, failing to realize its futility, continue to place their hope on their children. For many, their concern of, hence attachment to, their children and grandchildren would never cease, not even to the moment of their last breath. They do not realize that such deep affection will confine them to the six divisions of rebirth. Their expectations, attachments, and concerns are the very cause of their lingering in samsara, hence the sources of their perpetual misery.

 

（贪爱世间一枝草，就要再来轮回）一枝草代表娑婆世界的一个事物。贪着娑婆世界的事物，就要再来娑婆轮回。一枝草也表示一个念头，只要有念头，就不能超出三界。所以即使所贪着的事物，所动的念头，只是一枝草那么轻贱、微不足道，都会使我们再来轮回。

Buddhists believe that "Craving for just a blade of grass, and it will guarantee our remaining in samsara." A blade of grass stands for an object of this world, and desire of which will result in our rebirth into it. A blade of grass also represents a thought, possession of which will prevent us from transcending the three realms of sentient existence. Even if the object we desire or the thought we have is as trivial as a blade of grass, it is nevertheless powerful enough to confine us in the cycle of birth and death.

 

做人要惜福，不可糟弃任何可吃可用的东西，要以智慧、耐心，将损坏的东西做适当的处理，这样来用心培福修功德，才是修福、慧。

Regard everything we come across as a blessed reward and conserve it mindfully. Do not squander anything edible or useful; rather, use our wit and patience in handling things broken or worn. Put our mind into it, then we will set out into the dual practice of gaining both merit and wisdom.

 

（未成佛要先结人缘）----我们修行人要（广结善缘），方便帮助别人，凡事忍让不计较。再坏的人，甚至一只小动物，也要以欢喜心与牠结缘。没有人缘，或是相见人不欢喜，皆是前世没有和人结善缘所致。所以广结善缘，将来才会有福报，才能人见人欢喜，也才有度化众生的善因缘。

"Before attaining buddhahood, be sure to foster good karmic affinity with people." As practitioners, we ought to help others the best we can, be patient and not calculating, joyfully foster good affinity with all beings--even with an evil person or an animal. If, unfortunately, we sense that people don't really like us or feel unpleasant seeing us, it is because we did not foster good affinity with them in previous lives. Therefore, be sure to foster good relations with everyone so that we may later enjoy blessed rewards and favorable affinities. By then, we will have the good karmic conditions necessary to deliver other sentient beings.

 

你看弥勒佛、布袋和尚、他的肚量有多大、多慈悲！如果一个人没有肚量，吃不了一点点亏，受不住别人的一两句话，就是没有修行！

How magnanimous and merciful Maitreya Buddha and Putai Hoshang (Cloth-bag Monk) are! If we cannot emulate them, i.e. we would take no losses, not tolerate any criticism, then we have not attained any level in our practice!

 

一个修行的人，如果不精进修持，不为常住、众人效力，不修福德，不修戒、定、慧，则龙天护法必定远去，自然业障现前，使身心不能安定自在，致滋生种种事端。相反的，如果守本分，精进用功，则善神戒神、天龙八部来相护持，自然心得清净、安祥自在，才能真正安心办道。

If a practitioner does not practice diligently, does not work for the benefit of others, does not accumulate virtues, does not keep his precepts, practice meditation, or foster the growth of wisdom, then the dragon kings and devassafe-guarding the Dharma will not watch over him. He will then be under the full sway of his karmic obstructions and all sorts of problem will arise. On the other hand, if he keeps himself well and practices attentively, all devas will come to his protection. With the mind pure and free, he will then be able to practice without distraction.

 

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