On Practice VIII 【修行 (八) -英文】

今生能得富贵，是过去生中布施而得之福报。而此生在享受福报时，如果没有无常的磨难，种种的挫折来历练，会很容易沉迷其中，不知醒悟，不知求出世解脱之道。等福报享尽时，便随所造作的其他业缘，再受永无休止的轮回了。

The reason that some people are affluent and prestigious is because they have accumulated a great deal of virtues through generous giving in previous lives. However, there is a catch taking pleasure from such rewards. Without realizing the sufferings of impermanence and all sorts of frustration, people may easily revel and not be aware of what they really need, let alone search for the means to escape the prison of samsara. When the time comes that they have used up all their rewards, they will be driven by other karmic forces and continue to roam in the eternal cycle of rebirths.

 

修行要利他，因为利益别人就是利益自己，这样才能使我们脱出人我的限囿，远离执着我相、一切颠倒梦想、贪、瞋、痴等。而那些（我相）所引起的种种烦恼，也才能渐渐得到解脱，自性中的无量三昧自然开显。也惟有如此，一切以利他为前提，一切以度脱众生苦厄为本怀，则自身得无事，心胸渐宽广。

Keep reminding ourselves that we are practicing for the benefit of all beings, and this will in turn bring us immeasurable rewards. Only by doing in this way can we transcend the captivity of discrimination between the self and the others, and keep away from attachments to the appearance of the self, the inverted dreams, as well as greed, anger, and ignorance, etc. We can also gradually be free of the vexations caused by the attachment to the appearance of the self, and the infinite samadhi of our true nature will then unfold. Therefore, the premise of our practice should always be for the benefit of the others, for the deliverance of all beings. Only then can we have less on our plate and be more broad-minded.

 

出家修行不要怕逆恶的环境，修行就是要修这些（坏的、恶的、不能适应、不得自在）的境。因为这些逆因缘，会启发我们的智慧，成就我们的忍辱行，使我们愈来愈无挂碍。而当我们的智慧开启到某一程度时，就能折服那一个程度的烦恼，所以懂得修行的人，是不害怕逆境的。

We monastic practitioners ought not to have fear of adverse circumstances, for it is exactly those "baffled, confounded, unfitting, and uncomfortable" conditions that we practice to tackle. These adverse courses will help, along our way of practice, to unfold our wisdom, enhance our tolerance, and gradually free us from all fetters. And as our wisdom develops to a certain level, we would naturally overcome vexations of that level. Therefore, those who really know the meaning of practice never feel apprehensive about adverse circumstances.

 

修苦行是从各种执事中去磨练，在工作中要能吃苦、能忍耐。一次、两次之后，就不觉得苦，这就是业障渐渐在消除。若是越修越觉得痛苦烦躁，那就是业障在翻绞。就像佛菩萨已从苦行中磨得业障尽除，没有苦恼的感受，做什么事都很自在，而不觉得在做什么，也不觉得自己在度众生。

Ascetic practice means to train our minds through our daily chores. In carrying out our tasks, we should learn to bear hardships and extend the level of our tolerance. After a while, we may find the tasks less unbearable, indicating the waning of our karmic obstructions. On the other hand, if we feel growing pain and impatience, we are under the full swing of our karmic obstructions. As we know, buddhas and bodhisattvas, with all their karmic obstructions eradicated through ascetic practice, are free of vexations and pain. They have attained perfect freedom hence having no sense that they are "doing something" or "delivering sentient beings".

 

太阳对万物一视同仁，普照一切，好人也照，恶人也照。我们就是要像这样：别人的好坏，是他个人的事，我们自己却一定要心存平等慈悲，如果因为对方不好，我们就和他计较，那我们自己也就半斤八两了。

The sun does not discriminate: it shines on virtuous people as well as on immoral ones. This is how we should treat others. The morality of others is their concern only; we ought to treat everyone with similar compassion and kindness. If we discriminate against some people because they are immoral, then we are not that much different from them.

 

我们在做事时，不要认为是在为佛菩萨做事，或是为师父做，实际上是在为消自己的业障而做。（在我这里没有什么给你们学的，只是叫你们扫扫地，做些苦行而已。）不过扫地也不是一件简单的事，如果扫不好，扫得起烦恼，无明业障反而缠上来。所以不仅要扫得好，还要能高高兴兴的扫，扫得三障无明烦恼清净，扫得智慧开朗，法喜充满，才是真扫地。修行就是从这些日常生活当中用功夫、断烦恼、了生死。

When carrying out our daily tasks about the temple, do not feel that we are doing it for the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, or the Master. In fact, we are doing it solely for the reduction of our own karmic obstructions. As I often tell you "There isn't much to learn from me; all I do is asking you to sweep the floor and do other laborious chores." However, do not think floor sweeping is an easy matter. If not doing it right, you may feel vexed and come under the sway of your delusive karma. Therefore, not only should you sweep the floor clean, but also do it gladly: feel that you are at the same time sweeping away all delusive vexations, all obstructions of arrogance, envy, and ignorance, and all dusts clouding your wisdom, and while doing this, fill your mind with dharmic joy. Were you able to do so, you can claim that you truly know how to sweep the floor. Practice, then, means mindfully carrying out daily tasks and, through which, eliminating all vexations so as to break out of the cycle of birth and death.

 

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