一个人若是生活越享受，凡事以逸待劳，养尊处优惯了，很容易助长贡高我慢的个性。而个人条件越优越，‘自我’意识就越强，如果没有以佛法观念来对治，不知回光返照，学习下心谦让，反省忏悔，那么要破除‘我相’，是很困难的。

If one lives in clover and has been used to it, he may easily become arrogant. Moreover, the more one is gifted, the stronger sense of "self" s/he may have. Without using Buddhadharma as an antidote to reflect on oneself thereby learn to be humble, do more self-examination and repent, it will be very difficult for one to break out of the confinement of the appearance of self.

 

我们既然来到这世间，就必须要生活，而衣、食、住是免不了的。但是只要能吃饱穿暖，基本上过得去就行，不要贪求过份的享受。如果任意挥霍，随心所欲、不知节制，旧业未消反而更造新业，会招引恶果。

Since we are born into this world as human beings, food, clothing, and housing are necessary to sustain our lives, but we have to avoid consuming more than the basics. If we pursue a lavish lifestyle instead of restraining our sensory passions, we not only will be unable to reduce our negative karma, but will add more to it thus generate bitter fruits for ourselves.

 

吃东西时，要想想这些东西是哪里来的？怎样来的？想想自己有没有修？是否堪以纳受？若不怀惭愧心的话，即使只嫌一句‘不好吃’，也是损福。

When eating, ponder gratefully, "Where does the food come from’? Or “how did it get here?" Ask ourselves: "have I practiced diligently to deserve this food?" Without a sense of shame and guilt, even a simple comment such as "the food does not taste good" will cost us some merits.

 

如果出家不能吃苦、舍悭贪，反而讲求吃好，讲求安逸，那又何必出家？这与俗家人又有何异？不要讲求美味，贪口腹之欲，只要能吃得下，能吃得饱就好，这样才能舍除悭贪，开启智慧。

If, instead of enduring hardships and relinquishing our stinginess and greed, we insist on eating well and living comfortably, why bother leaving home and become monks? What differences are there between us and any other laymen? We monastic practitioners should not pay too much attention on the taste of food or the sake of appetite as long as there is sufficient food and it is edible. Only through such practice can we expect to relinquish our stinginess and greed and unfold our wisdom.

 

领厨房的执事，就是在行普贤菩萨的行愿。以前，观音、文殊等诸大菩萨，都是从厨房中苦修行出来的。厨房是最能够培福，也最容易损福报的地方；米泔菜叶不可轻损，不要以为抛弃可以吃的东西没有因果，其实戒神、监斋菩萨可都把这些事记在帐里，若随意糟蹋的话，将来还得出生做鸡、鸭、猪、狗，来吃这些剩菜馊饭。

To work in the kitchen of the monastery is to follow the vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. In fact, many great Bodhisattvas such as Avalokitesvara and Manjusri practiced asceticism through working in the kitchen. Kitchen is a place where we can easily either amass or waste away our merits. Do not casually throw away edible food or leftovers lest we would bear the consequences. As a matter of fact, the precept guardian gods and meal supervising bodhisattvas will record everything on the book. If we waste food carelessly we will suffer from such causes and be reborn as chicken, ducks, pigs, or dogs who will feed on leftovers or spoiled food from human beings.

 

我们出家人寄形天地间，这天地便是我们安身办道处，还要再找什么地方？出家人跋山涉水，到哪里便算哪里。出家人并不是要去找什么样的道场，而是要看看自己有没有愿力! 有愿力的话，林下竹子三两根编一编，搭一搭，也可以安身，也是道场。如果有愿力克服一切环境的障碍，心就能安定。这样，无论在什么地方，皆能安心办道。

Once we leave home for practice, the whole wide world is our home. We should be practicing and preaching Buddha’s teachings wherever we are. So why look for any particular places? Monastics don’t travel all over the world for a specific monastery. Instead, it’s a testament to see whether we have the ability of “resolving and aspiring”. We can make a shabby bamboo shelter in any woods and settle in and start to practice and preach on the Buddha’s teachings. Our mind will be calmed down and focused as long as we have the determination and wish to overcome any obstacles caused by the environment and condition. In such way, we can practice and deliver the sentient beings wherever we are.

 

娑婆世界只是我们客居的地方，一切都是幻化不实的，就像一场戏梦，到头总是空。所以不要贪念娑婆世界的一切，要放下万缘，念佛求生西方。

This Saha world is nothing but our temporary residence. Everything in this world is like a phantasm or a magical delusion, as unreal as things in our dreams or in a drama. Do not mistake this illusion with reality, nor long for anything in this Saha world. Relinquish all connections and attachments, recite the name of the Buddha Amitabha, and vow to be reborn in the Western Pureland.

 

生不带来死不带去。一个人即使生前家财万贯，死后也是‘万般带不去，唯有业随身’。不要再为这些身外之物浪费宝贵时光了，赶紧把握人身，趁早修行才是。

At birth, we bring nothing; at death, we take nothing.  A person, even if he is a mega-millionaire will bring nothing along when he dies. What follows us through all lives is our own karma. So why waste valuable time pursuing external objects? We should grasp the time we have and start practicing as early as possible.

 

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