On Practice XVII 【修行 (十六) -英文】

行人要‘以戒为师’，也就是修到使人见了你如见佛般生欢喜，自然起敬仰之心。

We practitioners should use the precepts as our mentor and practice diligently to the extent that, when meeting us, people will feel the bliss of meeting a Buddha and will naturally respect and admire us.

 

每个人都有烦恼，但是有烦恼就有生死，应该把握短暂的一生，专心念佛，修行断烦恼，否则生死轮回，六道有份。

Everyone has vexations. Vexations keep us in the cycle of births and deaths. Therefore, we ought to seize the opportunity of this short human life to concentrate on reciting the name of the Buddha and practice diligently to eradicate vexations. Otherwise, we will remain in samsara and perpetually wander among the six divisions of rebirth.

 

不懂念佛意义的人，以为念佛只是可以求长寿而已。其实寿命长，却不断杀生造业，不知道要修行求出离，长寿又有什么用呢？ 还是在六道轮回里面！生死事大，人命无常，若能体悟了生脱死的道理， 就应该把握人身的机会赶快修行，念佛求生净土。

Many who do not understand the significance of reciting the name of the Buddha suppose the only attainment possible through this practice is a long life. However, if instead of practicing to escape samsara, we only create more negative karma by killing and other misconduct, what is the use of a long life? We still remain in the cycle of rebirths, wandering among the six divisions of sentient existence! The matter of escaping the cycle of births and deaths is so crucial, yet life is so impermanent. If we truly comprehend the rationale of why we should escape the cycle of births and deaths, we will, without hesitation, seize the opportunity of this human rebirth to practice reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha so that we can be reborn in the Pure Land.

 

人命无常，一口气不来，人生就完了，赶快勇猛精进！莫放逸、多念佛！这才是眼前最要紧的事！

Life is so impermanent; it can easily end in a breath. Therefore, we should seize every moment to practice diligently. Don't waste any time; keep on reciting the name of the Buddha. This is the most important thing for us here and now! 

 

行、住、坐、卧都要念佛！如果我们定下心来念，便可察觉到我们的心几乎整天都在外头奔驰，攀缘外境，没有观照在‘阿弥陀佛’上。如果不能收摄身心，被外境转走，必然是生死轮回了。

Keep on reciting the name of the Buddha, whether we are moving, staying, sitting, or sleeping! If we observe closely, we will find that most of the time, instead of concentrating on the name of Amitabha Buddha, our minds are easily distracted by external environments and wandering all over the places. If we cannot restrain our minds and allow them to be swayed by circumstances, there is no way we can ever escape samsara.

 

如果你们相信我的话，老实念佛，行、住、坐、卧不离佛号，甚至在梦中都能把持得住，把一句佛号谨记在心，到了这个时候，自然心不贪念，意不颠倒，西方极乐世界自然现前。这是关系生死大事，千万不可掉以轻心。

If you believe me, remember to recite the Buddha's name constantly whether you are walking, staying, sitting, or sleeping. Hold on to it even in your dreams. You can thereby be free of greed and worldly desires and your mind will not be perturbed. When you reach this stage, the Pure Land will naturally come forth before you. Do not take this matter lightly! It pertains to whether you can escape the cycle of births and deaths.

 

在家中应当尽量拜佛、念佛，闲话少说，以求将来脱离苦海，往生西方有份。

When at home, remember to practice prostration and recite the Buddha's name whenever possible. Don’t waste time on gossiping or chattering! We shall aim for being liberated from samsara and reborn in the Pure Land. 

 

妄想来时不要怕，不理它就是。它是它， 我还是‘阿弥陀佛’一直念下去，妄想自然就少了。

Do not be perturbed by erroneous and illusive thoughts; just ignore them when they emerge. If we keep on reciting "Amitabha Buddha", such thoughts will gradually diminish.

 

念佛要发长远心，不可间断，如同小溪的水，不管水流大小，总是潺潺不断流往大海。念佛就像这样，不管念多念少，都要持之有恒， 天天念、一心念，念到阿弥陀佛的大誓愿海里，生西就有望。任何人只要肯念，成佛一半！

We have to be determined and perseverant when reciting the name of the Buddha, like the water of streams, it keeps running until merging into the sea. No matter how many times we recite per day, we have to keep doing it every day and with an undivided mind, until our recitation flows into the sea of the great vows of Amitabha Buddha. And then we can hope to be reborn in the Pure Land. Anyone who is willing to recite the name of the Buddha is half way through attaining the buddhahood. 

 

念佛也不简单，要摄心专念，念得字句分明，清清楚楚。若没有正念，就是散乱心，容易想东想西，变成口念心不念，不能与弥陀愿海相应。所以念佛还要有愿力，才能一心专注，摄心持名。否则妄念纷飞，又怎能把佛号念好呢？

It is by no means easy to practice reciting the name of the Buddha because the recitation has to be done with an undivided mind and each word pronounced distinctly. Without the guidance of right mindfulness, our mind may become scattered and all sorts of unruly ideas may spring up. Under such circumstances, our recitation can easily become a mindless utterance that can never be in accord with the great vows of Amitabha Buddha. Indeed, recitation with an undivided mind requires a strong resolve. Otherwise, how can anyone expect to practice well when his/her mind is overwhelmed by illusive and erroneous thoughts? 

 

念佛修持过程中，会有很多心念上的困扰障碍，就是自己会打妄想，因为心是无常的，随时变来变去，依我们的心念在转， 所以想好好念一句佛号都不简单啊！

There will be immense disturbances and obstacles to our minds while we practice recitation, mostly caused by incessant illusive thoughts. Since our minds are basically unstable and can easily be swayed by our thoughts, it is difficult to recite the name of the Buddha, even just once, with an undivided mind. 

 

每个人无始以来所带来的坏种子很多，若不在修行上下功夫，带业来再带业去，则空来人间走一回。一失人身，万劫难复，生死轮回，何时出期？当赶紧用功修行，万缘放下，将这个色身假壳子看破，悟到我们本来不生不灭的佛性，才能永远自在解脱。

We all have accumulated immeasurable bad seeds in the eons. Without diligent practice, we will only increase our karmic obstructions and live this life in vain. Once losing human rebirth, we might not be able to regain such a good opportunity for practice for eons. In that case, when can we hope to escape the cycle of births and deaths? Knowing the consequences, it will be wise for us to forgo all worldly attachments at once and practice diligently. Only when we realize that our physical body is nothing but a temporary and illusive shell case, and that we all have a Buddha-nature that can neither be born nor be extinguished, will we be able to attain eternal liberation.

 

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