On Practice XXIII【修行 (二十三) -英文】
忍辱是修行之本,戒律中也以忍辱为守持的第一道。因为忍辱是最大的褔德之源,能行忍的人,褔报最大,能增加定力、消除业障、开启智慧。
Forbearance is the foundation of practice and also the most important of all the precepts because it is the largest source of merits. Those who can cultivate forbearance will enjoy the greatest rewards. Forbearance will help to strengthen skills of concentration, alleviate karmic obstructions, and unfold wisdom.
 
一般人的习性是-----凡事分别是非、曲直、对错、争长论短的,恶心相向,出口如剑,不肯吃亏。而出家人就不同了,出家人要以忍辱为本,慈悲为怀,遇到事情时不分是非曲直,甚至无理的事情,也要以婉转的态度、慈悲的心,学习忍辱吃亏,一切都能包容,这才是出家人的德量。
In general, regular people are unwilling to be taken advantage of or to acknowledge that they are in the wrong. Thus, they constantly argue rights from wrongs, bitterly pointing fingers at others, with their tongue as sharp as razor when making their accusations. We, monastic practitioners, with our practice based on forbearance and compassion, should act differently. Whatever the nature of the circumstances we come across,however unmistakably unreasonable, we should invariably handle them with gentleness and compassion. Try to tolerate everything and practice forbearance against all adverse circumstances. This is the true virtue of monastic practitioners.
 
我们参学,并不是在参别人能给我们厚待好处,而是要从吃别人的亏中去参。如果不肯吃亏,是参不到东西的。所以‘忍’字非常重要,不但要忍一切的劳苦,更要忍一切境缘。譬如别人忌恨我们,我们不但不怪他,还要用一句‘阿弥陀佛’跟他结善缘。只有能忍辱的人,才能开启大智慧。
In the course of seeking supreme teachers to contemplate Chan, we should not be pondering on the favors that the others are able to give us. Rather, try to contemplate through adverse conditions. If we cannot tolerate being taken advantage of, we won’t gain anything from the contemplation. Hence, "forbearance" is of utmost importance. We should endure not only physical hardships but also challenges of all sorts. For example, when others resent us, we should not bear any hard feelings toward them, instead, we should foster good affinity by reciting "Amitabha Buddha". Only those who practice forbearance can expect to have their wisdom fully unfold.
 
出家人的心要‘无瞋’。倘别人对我们越不好,我们越要发慈悲心善待对方,反而对他越好,更要度他,不可像世俗人一般,起瞋心、结怨仇。
The minds of monastic practitioners should be free of anger and resentment. The worse people treat us, the more compassionate we should be in an attempt to deliver them. Do not harbor resentment or make an enemy, as regular secular people would.
 
如果有人故意找麻烦时,我们应该说:‘这是给我们修行磨练的好机会,让我们能进道。’不是别人不好,是自己不好,一切都是我们自己在分别。
If someone finds faults with us, we should remind ourselves: "This is a good chance for us to exercise forbearance and make progress in practice." So, instead of blaming others, we should reflect back on ourselves. Remember, no matter how we feel, our sentiments are nothing but discriminations made by our minds.
 
------Translated from Analects of Master Kuang-chin(编译自《广钦老和尚开示录》)
 
 
 
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