不是人坏，而是习气。每个人都有习气，只是深浅不同，所以难免做错事。但只要有向道之心，就应宽容包涵，能原谅就原谅，不要把他当作坏人看。

People may have bad habits, but they are not necessarily evil. Everyone is under the influence of varying degrees of habitual tendencies hence wrongdoing is inevitable. As long as the wrongdoer is willing to follow the Buddha’s teachings, be as tolerant and forgiving as possible. There is no need to regard him/her as evil.

 

甲者有吐痰的习气，常常到处吐痰，恰恰碰到乙者很多疑。有一天甲者在乙者前吐痰，乙者疑心甲者瞧不起他，结果两人起了冲突。丙者知道两人的习气前来和解，从此两个人都改过，一个不再吐痰，一个不再疑心。

A little story: A had a habit of spitting all over the place and B tended to be suspicious. One day A spit in front of B. B was skeptical A did it because he looked down upon him and started a brawl. C knew about their personalities and came to mediate. Both realized they had been wrong and were determined to change. In the end, A stopped spitting and B overcame his suspiciousness.

 

有的人常常出言就论人长短，但不是他故意要这样说，而是他自己并不知道那就是‘说是非’，像这种习惯性的言行举止，就是无始所带来的习气使然。

Some people are in the habit of talking about others whenever they open their mouth. They do not do it intentionally because they do not know they are indeed "gossiping". This kind of habitual pattern is the result of continual repetition through the eons.

 

有两个人，一个美，一个丑。丑的知道自己丑，就想效颦而浓妆艳抹，岂知却越涂越丑，倒不如自然的好。

Another story: There were two people. One was beautiful and the other was ugly. The latter knew her deficiency. She tried to imitate the former and patch up with heavy make-up. The result was quite the opposite to what she wished. She might as well accept the fact and let it be.

 

就像先治家再治国的道理，我们修行人一定要先断除自己的习气，去掉无明烦恼坏种子，才有德行去统理大众，感化众生。

We cannot expect someone to govern a nation well if he cannot even handle his own family affairs. We practitioners should get rid of our negative habitual patterns as well as all the bad seeds of vexation of ignorance first and then will we be able to nurture virtues and meritorious qualities to lead the assembly and touch and convert the other beings.

 

只会看别人的过失，却不知审查自己的缺点，是我们最大的无明习气。

The worst of our habitual tendencies caused by ignorance is that we only see the mistakes of others, but seldom reflect on the shortcomings of our own.

 

依赖在父母身边的人，往往缺乏历练而幼稚软弱，反而离开父母的宠溺，在外奋斗的人，比较能炼成大丈夫气魄。就像溺在母猴怀里的小猴，有时常会被母猴抱得活活闷死，而那些独立跳跃在山林的小猴，却能活得很好。修行也是这样，要在最困苦、最不好的环境中修；而越是能修忍辱，就越有境界磨炼，反而越是修行的逆增上缘。

Due to a lack of trials through hardships, those growing up under protective parents are most likely to become immature and weak in character. On the other hand, those who have to fight for living tend to be more courageous and capable. For example, the little monkeys held closely by their mothers might be smothered while those who live independently in the jungles survive well. This is also true in our practice: the best conditions for practice are adverse conditions. That's why those who are most proficient in forbearance usually have experienced numerous circumstances that require their utmost tolerance. Therefore, adverse conditions should be regarded as challenging components aiding our practice.

 

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