菩提好声音｜Bodhi Voice

he pond at dusk is very quiet. Walking alone in the garden, I feel as if I have returned to the mountains.傍晚的放生池很清靜。獨自走在園中，彷彿回到了山裡。Today was my first time walking barefoot this year. Because it had been so long, the pebbles felt sharp against my feet. At first, I wasn't used to it, but gradually, I settled into the rhythm.今天，是今年第一次赤腳走路。可能因為許久不曾赤腳，感覺路上的石子很有些硌腳。起初還不怎麼適應，走著走著就習慣了。Practicing through walking has a long tradition in Buddhism. Meditation and walking meditation (Jingxing) were the two basic activities of the early Sangha.通過步行的方式修行，在佛教中是有傳統的。禪坐和經行，是早期僧團生活的兩項基本內容。In Walking Meditation, one must maintain right mindfulness and clear awareness. It is the union of movement and Zen.經行中，必須保持正知正念，是行與禪的結合。This pattern aligns with the natural laws of body and mind. One cannot always be moving, nor always still. A balance of both helps the body and mind find peace.這很符合身心的自然規律。人不能總是動，也不能總是靜。有動有靜，一張一弛，才有利於身心的安住。The late Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh strongly advocated walking meditation. His style combines Southern and Chinese Zen traditions, tailored for the modern world.當代著名的一行禪師，便力倡以步行方式修行。他的修行方式，是南傳禪法與漢傳禪宗的結合，並摸索出一套適合現代人的風格。The essence of his Walking Meditation is relaxation—complete relaxation of the body and mind.一行禪師的步行禪，要領便是放鬆，全身心地放鬆。In terms of the mind, do not dwell in the past, nor the future, nor in various emotions or thoughts. Simply focus on the current breath and every step you take.在心念上，既不住於過去，也不住於未來。只是專注於當下的呼吸，專注於邁出的每一步。Every moment, from lifting the foot to placing it firmly on the ground, must be clearly perceived without a hint of distraction.從抬腳離地到腳踏實地的過程，都要清清楚楚，沒有絲毫忘失。Modern people are always in a rush, constantly shouting "Efficiency! Efficiency!" Yet, strangely, the higher the efficiency, the busier people seem to become.生活在高度現代化中的人們，從早到晚都在不停地喊著：效率！效率！奇怪的是，效率越高，人們怎麼反而變得越忙呢？In our teachings, "Returning to Nature" is an essential component. Taking a walk in the mountains is not only a requirement for education but also a personal need of my own.研究所的教學中，「回歸自然」也是一項重要內容。帶學生們到山裡走走，不僅是教學的需要，也是我自己的需要。

Every demand we have for the world is cultivated by ourselves and our environment.我們對世界的每一種需求都是自己培養出來的，是環境培養出來的。People today seem to have more and greater demands than in any other era in history.尤其是今天的人，需求似乎比以往任何一個時代更多，更大。On one hand, we are constantly creating demands ourselves; on the other hand, society is manufacturing temptations to trigger those demands.一方面，我們自己在不斷製造需求；另一方面，社會也在製造引發需求的誘惑。Once we are enticed, a demand is born. After being tempted repeatedly, that demand is reinforced until it feels like a necessity.當我們被誘惑之後，需求就產生了；當我們被反覆誘惑之後，需求就被強化為必需了。As demands increase, we must toil to satisfy these escalating needs. This is why modern people generally feel so exhausted.因為需求增多，我們就要為滿足這些不斷加碼的需求而奔波。所以，現代人普遍活得很累。When we have ten demands, we struggle to satisfy ten. When we have a hundred, we struggle for a hundred.當我們有十種需求時，要為滿足十種需求而奔忙；當我們有一百種需求時，就要為滿足一百種需求而奔忙。Our energy is limited, but demands can develop without end. It doesn’t take long before we are mentally and physically drained by the pursuit.我們的精力是有極限的，但需求卻會無止境地發展。不必多久，就會使我們在忙碌和追逐中心力交瘁。Even as life becomes more convenient, we are more tired and more fragile than ever. The more supports we depend on, the more potential factors for insecurity we face.當生活有了更多便利時，我們卻比以往更累，也更脆弱。我們依賴的支撐越多，潛在的不安全因素也就越多。Within every demand lies the fear, anxiety, and pain that come when that demand cannot be met.因為在每一種需求中都伴隨著需求無法滿足時帶來的恐懼、不安和痛苦。Today, people feel extremely inconvenienced without computers or phones. Yet just a decade or two ago, we didn't have these worries or the pain of lacking them.今天的人，離開電腦、手機會覺得格外不便。其實僅僅在十多年前，我們根本不會有這些煩惱。What is true for technology is true for everything else in the world.電腦和手機如此，世間的一切需求莫不如此。Therefore, to manufacture demand is to manufacture potential fear, anxiety, and pain—creating a crisis that could erupt at any moment.所以說，製造需求，就是在製造潛在的恐懼、不安和痛苦，製造隨時可能爆發的危機。

Our current personalities are constantly playing all sorts of tricks. But in this process of playing, are we truly safe?我們現在的人格，一刻不停地玩著各種花樣。但在玩的過程中，是不是就安全了呢？Can we truly eliminate the unease caused by losing touch with our primordial awareness?是不是就能消除迷失本覺帶來的不安呢？We know that computers need constant system patches to fix problems that arise during operation. In fact, once a deluded life system starts running, it develops "vulnerabilities" even more frequently than a computer.我們知道，電腦需要不斷地更新系統補丁，來彌補運行過程中產生的種種問題。其實，迷妄的生命系統一旦運行起來，會比電腦更頻繁地出現漏洞。As long as this life system continues to run, problems will emerge endlessly.所以，只要生命系統還在運行，問題就會層出不窮。While the "Self" puts on its performance, reality is constantly exposing these tricks and revealing the truth of impermanence.因為在自我進行表演的同時，現實正在不斷地戳穿這些把戲，不斷展示無常的真相。We wish for our bodies to be eternal, yet every physical form withers and races toward death. This is a truth we cannot avoid or ignore.我們希望身體永恆，但任何色身都會日漸衰老，都會奔向死亡，這是我們無法迴避、無法視而不見的真相。From the perspective of practice, this is precisely the perfect opportunity to unbind the self.而從修行角度來說，這正是自我鬆綁的良機。What we need to do is not to stop these changes, nor to resist the invasion of impermanence. On the contrary, we simply need to face it all.我們所要做的，不是去阻止這種變化，不是去抵抗無常侵襲。恰恰相反，我們只須正視這一切。Whatever we cling to, we are trapped by. When the object of our attachment changes, the "Self" loses its foundation; it becomes suspended and fragile.我們執著什麼，就會被什麼套住。而它發生變化時，自我就因失去依托基礎而懸空了，脆弱了。If we apply our strength accurately at this moment, we can strike a decisive blow and dismantle the self.如果用力準確，我們就能一擊而中，瓦解自我。But we often fail to understand this. When one thing slips away, we instinctively grasp another as a substitute to mask the truth and comfort this frustrated ego.但我們往往不懂得這一點，當這個東西抓不住時，就本能地去抓另一個作為替補，用來掩飾真相，用來安慰這個受到挫折和驚嚇的自我。Little do we know, everything we can "grasp" is merely a substitute for the self. What a strange game it is—to give up countless opportunities to know ourselves, only to spend lifetimes reinforcing a "Fake I" that is full of holes.殊不知，我們能夠抓住的，都不過是自我的替代品。我們放棄很多認識自已的機會，卻把今生乃至生生世世的時間都用來加固一個破綻百出的假我，這是場多麼奇怪的遊戲啊！

In this materialistic society, our senses are constantly numbed by stimuli and distracted by temptations.在这个物欲横流的社会，我们的感受时时被各种刺激所麻痹，被各种诱惑所分散。We struggle day after day amidst delusions, losing our very ability to perceive suffering.我们终日在妄念中蝇营狗苟，已经失去感知痛苦的能力。But this pain does not vanish simply because we ignore it. In fact, it accumulates within our lives, much like toxins lingering in the body.但这种痛苦并不会因为我们忽略而消失。事实上，它会囤积在生命中，就像滞留体内的毒素。When it finally erupts, it often exceeds our capacity to endure, pushing us straight into despair.当它总爆发时，往往已超出身心的承受力，结果就会将我们一把推入绝望之境。The purpose of understanding suffering is to trigger alertness and treat it in time, rather than being defeated when the illness reaches the marrow.了知痛苦的目的，是为了引起警觉，及时对治，而不是积累到病入膏肓时被它彻底打倒。People today are keen on detoxing their bodies, but our souls need a timely detox even more. The impact of spiritual toxins is more lasting and profound.现在的人热衷于给身体排毒。其实，我们的心灵更需要及时排毒，因为这种毒素的影响更持久，更深层。From the perspective of the Dharma, although life has both joy and pain, all pleasures are accompanied by suffering.从佛法角度来看，人生虽然有苦有乐，但所有快乐都是伴随着痛苦。We find that so-called happiness is often just the result of satisfying a certain craving. Yet the craving itself arises from pain.那些所谓的快乐，无非是由某种渴求得到满足而产生。而渴求本身，却是因为痛苦而起。When we are hungry, we crave food; when we are cold, we crave warmth. Satisfaction brings temporary joy, but this joy is conditional.饥饿时，我们会对饮食产生渴求；寒冷时，我们会对温暖产生渴求。当渴求被满足时，会带来暂时的快乐。但这种快乐是有前提的。If you are forced to eat when full, joy immediately turns into pain. Thus, this happiness has no inherent essence.一旦吃饱还被强迫进食，快乐立刻就转为痛苦了。可见，这种快乐并不具有本质性。Moreover, temporary satisfaction cannot fundamentally eliminate the root of suffering. Our flawed physical forms and minds constantly manufacture pain.这种暂时的满足，更不能从根本上消除痛苦之因。我们这个有漏的身心，会源源不断地制造痛苦。If physical needs are limited, psychological needs can be infinite. The constant demand for more wealth, more fame, and higher status drives us into a relentless race.如果说生理需求还是有限的，那么心理需求却可以是无限的。这种不断加码的需求，驱使着我们疲于奔命，永无宁日。As long as these infinite demands persist, suffering will have no end.如是，痛苦也就没有尽头了。

Where do habits come from? They arise simply from things we do and think repeatedly until they become second nature.习惯从哪里来? 无非就是某件事我们做多了，想多了，以致成为自然。Once a habit is fixed, it develops into a life pattern and becomes our character. Character is the accumulation of habits, which further evolves into our personality and the quality of our life.一旦这种习惯固定下来，就会逐步发展为某种生命模式，成为我们的性格。性格就是习惯的积累，又会逐步发展为我们的生命品质。These habits and character traits, in turn, determine the direction of our destiny. Destiny is not a gift from heaven or a chance encounter; it is set by ourselves and determined by our actions.这些习惯和性格，又决定了命运的不同走向。命运不是上天的赐予，不是偶然的机遇，而是由我们自己所设定。Buddhism calls this factor "Karma." You can think of Karma as a "Life Program."这种决定命运的因素，佛教称之为“业力”。所谓“业”，又可看做我们的生命程序。If we create causes for hell, we are writing a program to enter hell. If we sow seeds of goodness, we are writing a program for a higher realm. To change our destiny, we must start by changing the programs of our mind and actions.造作地狱之因，就是编写进入地狱的程序。种下善因，就是编写进入善道的程序。我们要改变命运，也要从改变心行程序做起。The human mind has two key characteristics: Selection and Creation. This is what makes humans unique.我们的心具有两个特点: 一是选择，二是创造。这也是人之所以为万物之灵的关键所在。While we have the power to create civilization, once a behavior becomes a habit, the mind unconsciously enters a track of inertia. We become controlled by it.但在很多时候，某些行为一旦形成习惯，心就会不知不觉地进入惯性轨道，被其所控。This is the difficulty of spiritual practice. Habits are built over a long time and possess a deep-rooted power—much like gravity holding us to the earth, making it hard to transcend our ordinary state.这正是修行的难度所在。习惯的力量就像地球引力将我们固定在地球一样，使我们难以超越，难以摆脱当下的凡夫状态。I once knew a professor who wanted to study Buddhism just to quit smoking. After thirty years, nicotine had such a strong hold on him that even a doctor's warning of death wasn't enough to stop the struggle.曾经有位教授要学佛，起因却是为了戒烟。烟抽三十年，尼古丁有很强的控制力。医生警告说再抽烟就完蛋，但他依然难以戒掉，身心俱疲。This story shows that once a habit is formed, it exerts immense control. To change, we need more than just determination; we must understand the laws of life’s development. Only then can we effectively plan our future and transform our destiny.这说明习惯一旦形成，对身心都有极大的控制力。除了决心，我们还应了解生命发展的规律，才能切实地规划未来，改变命运。

What is the root of happiness? It lies in a healthy mindset.幸福的根本是什么？就在于良好的心态。External things are always changing—families may dissolve, and wealth may be lost. In today's globalized world, more and more factors influence our destiny, both visible and invisible.外在的一切都会变化，家庭会解体，财富会失去。尤其是今天这个全球化的世界，影响命运发展的因素已经越来越多。The world has become a closely connected whole. We never know when an unexpected event will interfere with our lives. As our lives become "richer," the potential for accidents also increases.因为世界已是联系非常紧密的整体，我们不知道何时会出现什么意外干扰自己的生活。当我们的生活变得越来越丰富之后，潜在的意外也越来越多。I believe that future happiness depends primarily on psychological resilience—maintaining a calm and unshakeable mind amidst the world's shifting winds.我觉得，未来能否获得幸福，关键取决于心理素质。面对世间的风云变幻，始终保持坦然淡定、宠辱不惊的心态。During financial crises, some lose their minds or even their lives, while others remain composed. Why is the impact so different? It depends on how one views wealth and the degree of their attachment to it.为什么在同样的社会变故中，人们所受到的伤害完全不同呢? 就在于能否正确看待财富，在于对财富的执著程度。The harm an environment inflicts on us is directly proportional to how much we care about it. In Buddhism, this "caring" is called "attachment."环境对人构成的伤害，与我们的在乎程度是成正比的。在乎，也就是佛教所说的执著。To someone obsessed with relationships, a breakup is a sharp blade. To someone obsessed with their career, failure is a total catastrophe. But if you hold these gains and losses lightly, no outcome can truly devastate you.对感情特别执著的人，失恋就是伤害他的利刃。对事业特别执著的人，事业失败就是灭顶之灾。如果把这些得失看得很淡，无论结果如何，都不会构成很大的伤害。Happiness can be very simple. If everyone thinks you are happy but you feel miserable, are you happy or miserable? Happiness cannot be quantified.其实，幸福的生活可以很简单。如果大家都觉得这个人很幸福，而他自己却觉得痛苦，那么他是幸福还是痛苦? 可见，幸福无法具体地量化。People often use material things as a guarantee for happiness. In reality, happiness is a personal feeling, because we all live within our own mindsets.人们常常将物质作为幸福的保障，实际上，幸福只是个人的感觉，因为人都是活在自己的心态中。A happy life is a healthy one. If you turn yourself into a tool just to make money, is that life healthy? Many in less developed areas are happier because they know how to enjoy the essence of life.幸福的生活是健康的。如果为了赚钱把自己变成一个工具，这种生活健康吗? 相比之下，他们显然比我们更懂得享受生活。Modernization has turned the world into a monotonous landscape of steel, concrete, and noise, isolating us from nature. In such an impetuous environment, people easily become shortsighted and profit-driven.每一个现代化城市，都是高楼大厦、钢筋水泥和噪音，人为地将人与大自然隔绝。在这样一个浮躁的环境里，人很容易变得急功近利。

Where does stress come from? It often arises from excessive, or even blind, expectations.压力从哪里来？往往来自过高甚至是盲目的期待。When we set a goal that "must" be reached and encounter obstacles, stress is born.当我们设定必须达到某个目标而出现障碍时，压力就随之产生了。Any success is the result of "converging causes and conditions." Among these factors, there are parts we can control and parts we cannot.任何一种成功，都是众缘和合而成，是众多条件共同造就的。其中，有我们可以把握的部分，也有我们无法把握的部分。There is a saying in Buddhism: "Effort in the cause, equanimity in the result." This means we give our best effort in the areas we can control, but as for the final outcome, we let it be rather than forcing it.佛教中有句话，叫做“因上努力，果上随缘”。也就是说，在我们可以把握的部分尽力而为，至于最终结果如何，就顺其自然而不是一味强求。If we can achieve this, stress ceases to exist.倘能做到这一点，就不会构成什么压力了。The success or failure of any event is relative and can be transformed. Feeling stressed over temporary gains or losses is not only unhelpful but brings more negative side effects.任何一件事的成败都是相对的，是可以转化的。如果因为这种暂时得失造成压力，不仅于事无补，还会因此带来更多的负面作用。While this principle sounds simple, it is not easy to practice. For those who have never observed their inner world, it is hard to tame a mind that runs like a wild horse.这个道理虽然说起来简单，但真正做到并不容易。对于从未真正观照过内心的人来说，很难驾驭自己那颗野马般狂奔的心。This is where specific methods are needed. Buddhism is a "science of the mind" with ultimate solutions to life’s confusion, while psychology offers therapeutic tools adapted to modern needs.这就需要一些具体的对治方法。佛法是心性之学，对人生的困惑有着究竟的解决之道，心理学则代表顺应时代需求而产生的治疗手段。Integrating these two fields can lead to profound benefits. Today, mental illness has become one of the most serious hidden dangers in society.这两个领域的结合能够起到相互促进的作用。因为心理疾病业已成为当今社会最为严重的隐患之一。As the saying goes, "Heart disease must be treated by the heart." Only by working from the mind can we eliminate psychological disorders at their root.“心病还须心来医”，惟有从心入手，才能从根本上消除心理疾患。

In times of trouble, we often pray for a savior, hoping for a mysterious force to descend and solve all our miseries.在困境中，我们常祈求救世主出现，希望有一种神秘的力量能降临，解决我们所有的痛苦。But the Buddha told us clearly: "One is one's own refuge; who else could be the refuge?"但佛陀清晰地告诉我们：“自依止，法依止。”除了你自己，谁能做你的归依处呢？

看见那些陷阱了吗？从欲望的幻象中觉醒Do You See the Traps? Waking Up from the Illusions of Desire

Everyone has different talents and fields where they excel effortlessly.每个人都有不同的天赋，有自己学起来容易上手的专业。We often see that even with the same effort, results can vary greatly. Is this unfairness from heaven? No, it is simply because the starting points of life are different.在学习中付出同样努力，未必会有同样成果。是上天不公吗？不是，只是因为生命起点不同。But what exactly is talent? It is often thought to be genetic, but many possess talents unrelated to their parents. From a Buddhist perspective, life has two systems: the physical system given by parents, and the spiritual system accumulated from past lives.天赋又是什么？通常以为是遗传，但很多天赋与父母无关。从佛教角度看，生命有两套系统：物质系统由父母给予，而精神系统则来自过去生的积累。This spiritual accumulation becomes the starting point for our next cycle. Furthermore, the root of rebirth (Samsara) lies within our own minds.精神系统将成为下一轮生命的起跑点。而且，轮回的根源就在我们的心。The Six Realms—Heaven, Human, Asura, Hell, Hungry Ghost, and Animal—represent different states of our inner world.六道生生不息地流转，这六种生命形态，也代表了我们内心的不同状态。For example, the "Hungry Ghost" realm is the extreme development of greed. An insatiable person, driven by infinite craving, manifests the state of a hungry ghost.比如饿鬼，是贪心发展的极致。一个贪得无厌、永无满足的人，生命呈现的就是饿鬼状态。The "Animal" realm represents a state of ignorance, where life remains at the level of basic instincts—eating and reproducing, with no higher aspiration.畜生，是愚痴无知的状态。除饮食男女外别无所求，这种生活与动物又有什么区别？The "Asura" realm symbolizes hatred and narrow-mindedness, characterized by a passion for conflict and struggle.阿修罗，是嗔恨狭隘的象征。当斗争的心态被固定后，生命就会进入阿修罗的状态。Our future destination depends on our current thoughts and actions. Our present form comes from past accumulation; our future development comes from what we gather in this life.生命的未来在哪里？答案就在我们当下的心行。现在的形态来自过去生的积累，未来的发展来自今生的积累。Buddhism emphasizes the effort of the "present moment." This is the key that connects past and future; it is the lever with which we change our destiny.佛教非常注重当下的努力，这是衔接过去和未来的关键，是我们改变命运的着力点。If we don't know where we come from, life has no roots. If we don't know where we are going, life has no sense of destination. This lack of roots and destination is why modern people feel so insecure.不了解生从何来，生命是没有根的；不了解死往何去，生命是没有归宿感的。这也是现代人缺乏安全感的根源。True security is not found in accumulating wealth or buying insurance—those are fragile and easily shattered. True security lies within our current state of mind. When we can master the present, we can master our future and the direction of our lives.真正的安全感不在财富或保险中，而是在我们此刻的心行。我们能够把握当下，就能把握未来。当我们有能力把握这一切时，便不再有恐慌。

In the vast universe, the Earth is in constant motion. As the saying goes, "Sitting still, one travels eighty thousand miles a day."茫茫宇宙中，地球时刻都在不停运动,所谓“坐地日行八万里”。Living on this planet, where do we come from, and where are we headed? If we cannot find the answer, can we truly live with a sense of peace?居住在地球上的我们，来自何方，又去向何方？如果找不到答案，我们能活得踏实吗？Of course, many may not ponder this, or they are too busy to think, or they use various means to divert themselves from this unsolvable mystery. But regardless of whether we think about it, this is a reality every individual must eventually face.当然，不少人未必会想这个问题，或者事情太多而没时间去想。但不论我们想不想，这是每个人最终需要面对的现实。In the long river of history, our lives are so brief; in the immense space of the cosmos, our existence is so tiny.在历史长河中，我们的一生是如此短暂；在浩淼太空中，我们的生命又是如此渺小。If we view life solely through the lens of materialism, it is hard to see its ultimate meaning. No matter the brilliance or the effort, everything eventually tends toward destruction and returns to dust.如果从唯物论的角度看待生命现象，实在看不出生命的终极意义。最终都是趋于毁灭，都是化为尘土。But we need not be pessimistic. The Dharma tells us: beyond the limited dimension, life has an infinite dimension.但我们不必因此悲观，佛法告诉我们：在有限的层面之外，生命还有其无限的层面。Life is both tiny and infinite; both fleeting and eternal; both fragile and robust. If we can penetrate the essence of the mind, we will realize that every limited "now" is, in fact, infinite.生命既是渺小的，也是无限的；既是短暂的，也是永恒的。倘能透彻心的本质，就会了解，每个有限的当下都是无限。Exploring birth and death inevitably involves the cycle of rebirth (Samsara). To most, life begins with the first cry of birth. But from the perspective of rebirth, this life is merely one chapter in the long scroll of existence.探讨有情的生死，必然涉及生命的轮回。从轮回的眼光来看，今生只是生命长卷中的一个章节。Before this life, there was an unfathomable past; after it, an endless future. While modern minds may find this hard to accept, many phenomena—such as the mysterious connections between people—become crystal clear when viewed through the lens of rebirth.在它之前，有着无穷的过去；在它之后，又有着无尽的未来。若从轮回角度来看，某些科学难以解释的现象就会豁然开朗。For instance, do we believe in "Karma" or "Destined Connections" (Yuanfen) between people? Why do we feel like old friends with a stranger at first sight, yet remain indifferent to someone we see every day?比如,我们是否相信人和人之间存在缘分？有些人,我们会一见如故；有些人，天天见面也会视同陌路。原因何在？Many call it "Fate," but few ask where fate comes from. If we believe in rebirth, these connections are no longer mysterious.很多人会说：这是缘分。但很少有人进一步思考：缘分又从何而来?Our relationships did not begin in this lifetime; they carry imprints from many past lives. When we meet again, these imprints awaken, driving us to continue the dramas of love and hate from long ago.因为人与人之间的关系并非始于今生，还有许多前生带来的烙印。当彼此再度相遇，这种烙印就复苏了，并驱使我们将往昔的爱恨情仇继续演绎下去。

What exactly is happiness? My definition is this: happiness is an unstable feeling.幸福究竟是什么呢？我的定义是：幸福只是一种不稳定的感觉。This unstable feeling is related to material conditions, but more importantly, it lies in our mindset and how we define our needs. Without a healthy mind, happiness remains an unreachable mirage. Thus, happiness is not just material; it is spiritual.这种不稳定的感觉，固然和物质条件有一定关系，但更重要的，是在于自身心态，在于我们对自身需求的定位。所以说，幸福不仅是唯物的，更是唯心的。From a Buddhist perspective, "Life is suffering." Many misunderstand this, labeling Buddhism as pessimistic. In our experience, life is a mix of joy and sorrow. So why did the Buddha conclude this?从佛教观点来看，人生是苦。许多人对这一定义不理解，并以此推断，佛教必是消极悲观的。因为在我们的感觉中，并非一味的苦，而是苦乐参半。Buddhism categorizes feelings into five types: suffering, happiness, worry, joy, and equanimity. While we instinctively seek pleasure and avoid pain, has five thousand years of human civilization truly solved our suffering? We have abundance, but do our afflictions vanish?佛教将感觉分为五种：苦、乐、忧、喜、舍。虽然本能让我们趋乐避苦，但五千年文明帮助我们摆脱痛苦了吗？我们有了丰裕的生活，但烦恼就此消失了吗？When Buddhism says life is suffering, it is an essential judgment: Suffering is the essence of life, while happiness is merely a relief from that suffering.佛教所说的人生是苦，是透过现象所作的本质判断——苦是人生本质，而快乐只是对痛苦的一种缓解。In reality, no happiness possesses an absolute, unchanging essence. Can we find a joy that remains a joy no matter when or for how long we experience it?现实中，没有哪种快乐是具有本质性的。我们能找到这样一种绝对、不变的快乐吗？In truth, every kind of happiness corresponds to a certain type of pain. When we are tortured by hunger, eating becomes a joy. When we are pained by longing, meeting a loved one becomes a joy. When we are exhausted by insomnia, falling asleep becomes a joy.事实上，任何一种快乐都有某种痛苦与之对应。当我们被饥渴之苦折磨时，吃饭会成为快乐；当我们被思念之苦缠绕时，亲人相见会成为快乐；当我们夜不成寐时，安然入睡会成为快乐。If you remove the premises of hunger or insomnia, do eating and sleeping remain joys? If you are forced to eat when full or sleep when awake, these same acts turn into suffering.如果去掉饥渴、失眠这些前提，吃饭和睡觉会成为快乐吗？当我们不想吃却不得不吃，不想睡却不得不睡的时候，同样的事立刻就转为痛苦了。Only when we need to eat or sleep and suffer from the lack of them, do we feel joy through the relief of that pain. In this sense, the amount of happiness we feel is exactly proportional to the amount of suffering being relieved.只有当我们需要吃饭、睡觉并为之所苦时，才会因为这种痛苦得到缓解而产生快乐。从这个层面来说，痛苦有多少，由缓解痛苦所带来的快乐就有多少。

"On the path of humanity and heaven, cultivating blessings comes first." Whether our lives are smooth or not depends largely on our respective "blessings" (Fubao).“人天路上，修福为先。”我们的生活顺利与否，在很大程度上取决于各自的福报。Blessings are like soil. In fertile soil, whatever you plant easily yields a harvest; but on barren land, the same effort will not bring the same reward.福报就像土壤。如果是肥沃的土壤，无论种什么都容易获得丰收；而在贫瘠的土地上，同样的付出却不会有同样的收获。Why are some people successful in everything? It’s not a special favor from heaven or a stroke of fate; it is the "Field of Blessings" they planted in the past.为什么有些人事事如意？这并不是上天的格外恩赐，也不是命运的特别垂青，而是他们往昔种下的福田使然。Harvest comes from sowing. If we want blessings in our lives, we must plant them widely based on a deep belief in cause and effect.收获是由播种而来，我们想要在人生中拥有福报，就要在深信因果的前提下广种福田。There are three types of "Fields of Blessings." The first is the Field of Gratitude (En Tian). We must repay everyone who has shown us kindness with a grateful heart.福田有三。首先是恩田，对有恩于我们的一切，都要怀着感恩的心去报答。This includes the kindness of parents, teachers, our country, and all sentient beings. Parents give us life and raise us; they are the supreme cause of blessings in the three realms.包括父母恩、师长恩、国土恩和众生恩。父有慈恩，母有悲恩，他们不仅给予我们生命，并将我们养育成人，为三界中最胜之福因。We must also remember the kindness of our country for providing safety and welfare, and the kindness of all beings. Life is interconnected. We should be grateful not only to humans but also to the nature that nurtures us.国土恩也是我们要铭记在心的。再就是众生恩，世间生活是缘起的。我们不仅要对人类怀有感恩之心，对哺育我们的自然也要心怀感恩。A grateful person feels joy when the sun rises and delight when birds sing. Otherwise, one ignores these gifts and forgets to cherish and protect them.一个心怀感恩的人，看到太阳升起时才会有感激的心情；听到鸟儿鸣叫时才会有欣喜的感受。The second is the Field of Compassion (Bei Tian). This means helping those in need out of a compassionate heart.其次是悲田，就是从慈悲心出发，尽自己所能帮助千千万万需要帮助的人。In the Bodhisattva path, benefiting others and benefiting oneself are one. When we help others, the love and effort we give sow seeds of goodness. This not only benefits others but also refines our own morality and elevates our character.在菩萨道的修行中，利他与自利是一体的。当我们帮助他人的时候，所付出的爱心和努力，就播下了善的种子。这不仅能使他人获得利益，同时也能使我们完善自己的道德。The third is the Field of Reverence (Jing Tian), which means respecting those worthy of respect, primarily the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.第三是敬田，就是恭敬一切应当恭敬的人，这里主要是指佛、法、僧三宝。With the Buddha as our role model, the Dharma as our guide, and the Sangha as our refuge, we find a true path to liberation. With every ounce of sincerity, we receive an ounce of benefit from the Dharma.因为有佛陀作为榜样，有佛法作为指南，有僧团作为依怙。有一分虔诚，就能获得一分佛法的受益。

Our minds possess various mental factors, each containing two opposing sides.我们的心灵有种种心所，每一种心所都包含着相对的两个方面。Wisdom is opposed to ignorance, diligence to laziness, greed to detachment, and hatred to compassion.智慧和愚痴相对，精进和懈怠相对，贪婪和淡泊相对，嗔恨和慈悲相对。In life, we constantly face these contradictions.在生活中，我们时常都面对着这样的矛盾。The Dharma asks us to let go of desire, yet emotionally we long to pursue it. It asks us to be compassionate, yet we struggle to overcome anger when things go against our will.佛法要求我们放弃对五欲的贪著，可从感情上来说，我们又的确想去追求；要求我们对众生慈悲，可遇到违背意愿的人事，又实在难以克服嗔恨。Our various mental factors are like different "channels" that we enter, often unconsciously.我们的种种心所，又像是一个个频道，使我们往往在不知不觉中进入某种状态。When we tune into the "Greed Channel," we see only what we want to possess, becoming blind to everything else.当我们进入贪的状态时，眼前就只看见自己想要得到的东西，其他的一切我们都视而不见了。When we tune into the "Anger Channel," we are consumed by uncontrollable fire, with no room for anything else.当我们进入嗔恨的状态时，心中就只剩下按捺不住的怒火，其他的一切我们都无暇顾及了。Often, we neither understand nor can we govern our own psychological states. When afflictions strike, our entire being is immediately engulfed.通常，我们对自己的心理状态总是不能很好地了解，更无法驾驭。当烦恼袭来时，我们的整个身心立即就陷入其中。As the saying goes, "Illness comes like a collapsing mountain." Affliction is a disease of the heart—often far more damaging and harder to cure than physical ailments.俗话说，“病来如山倒”，烦恼就是我们的心病，在很多时候，它远比身病的危害更大，更难以痊愈。Many have studied Buddhism for decades but still live by their old habits. We often hear people say, "I understand the principles, but I just can't do it."有的人学佛几十年了，生活习惯还是依然故我。常常听到有人说：“道理我都懂，可就是做不到。”Why is this? Because "three feet of ice is not formed by a single day's cold." Our habits and afflictions have been nurtured over countless lifetimes.为什么会有这样的现象呢？因为“冰冻三尺非一日之寒”，我们的烦恼习气是无始以来养成的。Their power is immense; given the right conditions, they swiftly occupy our hearts. Meanwhile, our strength of goodness and reason is often insufficient to withstand the full-scale assault of greed, anger, and ignorance.它的力量非常强大，只要遇到合适的缘，就会迅速占领我们的内心。而善与理智的力量却远远不够，难以抵挡贪、嗔、痴的全面进攻。

We may lose our wealth, but we will not lose our wisdom.我们可能会失去财富，但不会失去智慧。We may lose our health, but we will not lose our compassion; we may lose our families, but we will not lose our love; we may lose our careers, but we will not lose our faith.我们可能会失去健康，但不会失去慈悲；我们可能会失去家庭，但不会失去爱心；我们可能会失去事业，但不会失去信仰。If wisdom, compassion, love, and faith are lost, it is only because we failed to cherish them and chose to give up, falling into self-degradation.如果智慧、慈悲、爱心和信仰也会失去的话，那只是由于我们不加珍惜而选择了放弃，选择了自甘堕落。Today, old values have been overturned, but new ones have not arrived as expected.在今天，旧的价值观被推翻了，新的价值观却没有如期而至。In a commercialized society, greed has expanded to unprecedented levels: the craving for luxury, wealth, power, and vanity. We are so desperate for these that we rush to achieve them at any cost.随着社会商业化的进程，人们的贪欲空前地膨胀起来：对奢侈品、财富、权力和虚荣的需要……这些需要是如此迫切。As the saying goes, "Greed blinds the heart." When our eyes see only money, not only does professional ethics vanish, but even basic human morality disappears.俗话说，“财迷心窍”，当我们的眼中只剩下金钱的时候，不仅职业道德不见了，甚至伦理道德也不见了。Why is modern society so obsessed with material accumulation? Because in our inner world, there is no clear goal to guide us, no noble ideal to drive us, and no firm faith to support us.为什么今天的人对财富的积累如此贪婪？就是因为在我们的内心世界中，没有明确的目标在指引，没有崇高的理想在驱动，没有坚定的信仰在支撑。To pursue material wealth, we have ignored spiritual wealth, even sacrificing it. When our spiritual world becomes a wasteland, can material goods ever fill that void?为了追求物质财富，我们不仅忽略了精神财富，甚至以丧失精神财富为代价。当我们的精神世界成为一片废墟之时，物质能否填补其间的空白？Losing material wealth only affects life temporarily; but losing spiritual wealth affects our entire life and even harms future generations.失去物质财富，只会使生活受到暂时的影响；而一旦失去精神财富，不仅会影响到我们一生，更会殃及后代。It is not hard to imagine: what kind of education will spiritually empty parents give their children? What kind of influence will a self-serving elder have on the youth?不难想象，一个精神空虚的父母会给子女什么样的教育？一个见利忘义的长者会给后代什么样的影响？Therefore, we must cultivate compassion and love deep within our hearts, and nurture inner faith and wisdom.所以，我们要培养心灵深处的慈悲和爱心，培养生命内在的信仰与智慧。For our lives, these are the most important riches—the eternal spring from which we can always draw benefit.对于人生来说，这才是最重要的财富，才是永远可以从中得到受益的源泉。

In just a few short years, we have become accustomed to "disposable consumption."仅仅是几年的时间，我们甚至习惯了一次性消费。Our ancestors might have used only a few pairs of chopsticks in a lifetime, but the prevalence of disposable ones has increased our consumption hundreds or even thousands of times over.过去的人，一生也许都用不了几双筷子，但一次性筷子的推广，使我们的消耗超出了祖先的几百甚至几千倍。We may have the financial power to support this habit, but do we have the natural resources to sustain it?是的，我们已经有了支持这种消费的财力，但我们是否也有支持这种消费的资源呢？Disposable plastic bags, meal boxes, cups, and hotel toiletries... Life has gained a bit of convenience, but the Earth has gained an unbearable burden of waste.还有那些一次性的塑料袋、饭盒、杯子……生活固然是多了点便利，但地球却多了难以承载的垃圾。It is said that on satellite photos, this "white pollution" is now as conspicuous as the Great Wall. If this is a product of modern civilization, it can only be called the shame of civilization.据说，在卫星照片上，这样的白色垃圾已经和长城一样醒目了。如果这也是现代文明的产物，那么只能是文明的耻辱。Our obsession with fashion leads us to discard clothing simply because it is "out of style." Even durable electronics are replaced at an alarming speed.生活观念的改变还表现在对时尚潮流的追逐。流行时装使服装仅仅因为款式过时就被舍弃。即使是耐用的电子产品，同样在以惊人的速度更新换代。"Out with the old, in with the new" has become the slogan of modern consumers. Is it only the businesses to blame? In fact, our consumption habits dictate their investment choices.“旧的不去，新的不来”，已然成了现代人的消费口号。需要指责的只是商家吗？事实上，我们的消费观也在决定着商家的投资取向。Buddhism teaches that every action requires both a cause and a condition. Market trends are merely external conditions; the key factor is ourselves.佛法认为，任何行为都需要有因和缘的推动。所谓的市场导向其实只是一种外缘，但关键因素还是取决于我们自己。If we understood the value of "cherishing blessings" (Xi Fu) and were not so driven by the desire for the new, the demand on resources and the creation of waste would drastically decrease.如果我们懂得惜福，如果我们不是那样喜新厌旧，市场的需求就不会那么大，对资源的消耗就不会那么快。If we define ourselves as "natural beings," our basic needs are few. But if we define ourselves as "modern trendsetters," our desires and our consumption of nature will be endless.如果我们将自己定位为一个自然人，基本的衣食住行所需无多。但如果我们将自己定位为一个现代人，我们的需求就会永无止境。Technology has advanced and productivity has increased, but our lives have not become easier. On the contrary, we feel exhausted under the pressure of competition. We have not only exhausted ourselves, but also the nature that nurtures us.科技发展了，生产力提高了，但我们的生活并没有因此而变得轻松。正相反，现代人普遍都感觉活得很累。我们不仅累了自己，更累了哺育我们的自然。

Our perspectives directly determine our values, which in turn shape our behaviors and lifestyles.观念直接决定了我们的价值取向，也直接影响着我们的行为和生活方式。Survival is inseparable from essential material conditions, but how should we pursue profit? From the perspective of the Dharma, immediate interests and long-term interests are one; personal interests and social interests are also one.生存离不开必要的物质条件，但我们应当怎样追求利益呢？从佛法观点来看，现实利益和长远利益是一体的，自身利益和社会利益也是一体的。Regrettably, people today rarely realize this. This is closely linked to the prevalence of materialism.遗憾的是，现在的人很少能意识到这一点。这与唯物主义的盛行是分不开的。If one believes that life is merely a hundred-year fragment ending in total extinction, their goals naturally cannot be long-term, and immediate profit becomes paramount.既然人生是断灭的，至多也不过百年而已，所谓的人生目标自然不可能更长远，眼前的利益也自然高于一切。This shortsightedness leads people to seek any shortcut to wealth, without considering the consequences of these short-term actions.这种急功近利的思想，使得人们寻找一切可能致富的捷径，丝毫不考虑这些短期行为将带来什么样的后果。While rural areas achieved wealth through rapid industrialization, we must ask: how much farmland was occupied? How many rivers were polluted? Experts predict that if current trends continue, China may have no tillable land left in 200 years.在农民们富起来的同时，被占用的耕地有多少？被污染的河流有多少？据有关专家预测，按照现有发展趋势，中国200年后就将无地可耕。If rural wealth came at the cost of land, what is the price of urban prosperity? To satisfy our expanding material desires, how many resources have been pointlessly consumed?如果说农村致富是以丧失土地为代价，那么，都市繁荣又是以什么换取的呢？为了满足我们日益膨胀的物欲，多少资源被无谓地消耗了？Take packaging as an example: how many forests are devoured each year just for wrapping materials? How much waste is generated?仅以包装为例，每年用于包装的材料要吞噬多少森林？要制造多少垃圾？We turn useful resources into useless garbage simply to stimulate consumer desire. Have we considered that promoting consumption is, in fact, encouraging waste—the wasting of our dwindling natural resources!我们将有用的资源变成无用的垃圾，仅仅是为了刺激一下人们的消费欲。我们是否想过，带动消费的同时，就是在鼓励我们浪费——浪费所剩无多的自然资源！Under the rules of a market economy, success is measured by creating opportunities for sales and prosperity by driving consumption.在市场经济的准则下，企业的成功在于能否制造商机，商业的繁荣在于能否带动消费。All this has fundamentally changed our habits. Frugality was a virtue advocated by our ancestors for millennia, but today, we have easily discarded this tradition.这一切，使我们的生活习惯发生了彻底变化。节俭是祖先们千百年来倡导的美德，但在今天，我们轻易地丢弃了这个传统。

In traditional Confucian philosophy, righteousness and profit were often pitted against each other.在传统的儒家哲学中，往往将义和利对立起来。Many felt that talking about money was vulgar. Yet, in reality, profit is so practical and charming that few can truly resist its allure.大多数人都耻于言利，似乎金钱就是庸俗的代名词。但利益是如此地实际而富有魅力，使人很难抵挡它的诱惑。Western humanism affirms the rationality of pursuing profit, suggesting that as long as it doesn't harm others, it is moral.而西方人本思想则肯定了追求利益的合理性。只要在不伤害他人的前提下，对利益的追求就是道德的。Buddhism defines "goodness" or morality through the lens of long-term benefit.佛教所说的善，也就是道德的内涵，同样是结合利益来说明的。As stated in the Cheng Weishi Lun: "That which benefits both this life and future lives is called 'Good'."《成唯识论》曰：“能为此世、他世顺益，故名为善。”A truly good action benefits the self in the present and future, and simultaneously benefits society. Conversely, seeking personal gain at the expense of others or the law may seem profitable now, but fundamentally, it is self-destructive.就自身而言，善行能惠及未来生命；就自他双方而言，善行能利益社会大众。相反，如果只顾个人利益而不管他人死活，从究竟意义而言，这与利益是根本对立的。There is a verse in Buddhism: "Goodness is like a pine tree, evil is like a flower. At first, the pine may not look as bright. But once the frost hits, the pine remains while the flower is gone."佛教中有一首偈：“善似青松恶似花，看看眼前不如它，有朝一日遭霜打，只见青松不见花。”Wisdom allows us to see that illegal or immoral profits are fleeting. For those living in the world, our actions must align with both legal standards and moral precepts.真正有智慧的人不会为非法利益动心。通过非法行为得到的利益只是暂时的。Whether in business or personal conduct, reputation is your brand—it is your most valuable intangible asset.无论经商还是为人，信誉就是品牌，就是无形的资产。Reputation comes from moral conduct. In the fierce battlefield of business, only those with integrity maintain long-term vitality.信誉从哪里来？就是从道德行为而来。在激烈的商战中，能够保持持久生命力的，都是那些拥有良好信誉的企业。Therefore, wealth and morality are not contradictory. If morality is the principle we follow, then profit is the natural fruit born from that moral behavior.追求财富和道德并不是矛盾的。如果说道德是准则，那么利益就是道德行为带来的果实和收获。

Many people know that Buddhism emphasizes causality, or Karma. But our understanding of it is often limited to external events.很多人都知道，佛教强调因果。但我们所以为的因果，往往局限于现象，局限于具体事件。In fact, our consciousness also follows the laws of cause and effect—what I call "The Causality of the Mind." This process happens every moment of our lives, even if we fail to notice it.事实上，意识活动也离不开因果，我称之为“心灵因果”。在每个人的生活中，这种因果时时都在发生，只是我们未加关注而已。When we repeatedly nurture a certain thought, its power grows. Over time, it becomes a dominant psychological factor, solidifying into habits, personality, and even our core character.当我们不断重复某种想法时，会使其力量不断增强，久而久之，成为重要的心理因素，进而固定为习惯、性格乃至人格特征。Because we lack self-observation, this repetition is often passive—we are unconsciously driven by habit.因为我们对内心缺乏观照。所以，这种重复往往是被动的，是不自觉地被串习推动。We feel happy when we see someone we like, and angry when we see someone we dislike. But we rarely ask: Why do these emotions arise? Are they healthy? Do they trap the mind in attachment or conflict?我们看到喜欢的人，不由自主就高兴了；看到讨厌的人，不由自主就起了嗔心。但从来不去想一想，为什么会产生这些情绪？这些情绪是否健康？Without observation, these emotions replicate themselves automatically, much like a self-replicating virus in a computer, until they become uncontrollable.如果不加观察，这些情绪就会随串习自动复制，就像电脑中善于自动复制的病毒那样，最后发展到难以控制的程度。For instance, some become so consumed by love that the loss of a partner leads to total emotional collapse. Why? Because they projected all their mental energy into that one relationship, creating an overwhelmingly powerful emotion as their only support.有些人相恋后，一旦失去对方，会情绪失控到自寻短见。原因何在？就是因为他把所有心灵能量都投射到恋爱中，从而制造出力量无限之大的情绪。Buddhism teaches that the mind is impermanent and has no inherent self. This very nature means the mind can be transformed.佛法认为，心是无常、无我的。这一特征，决定了我们可以对心进行改造。If someone excludes you and you have a strong tendency toward anger, you won’t just be upset in the moment—you’ll get angrier afterward. Your ego will search for more "reasons" to be mad, adding fuel to the fire.在生活中遭人排挤，若嗔心较重，不但当时会生气，事后还会越来越气。因为这种得到重视的嗔心会继续搜索出种种“值得”生气的理由，为怒火不断添加燃料。However, if you possess the light of wisdom when facing adversity, the fire of anger will not be lit. Even if it is lit, a little bit of awareness can prevent you from adding more fuel.如果在逆境现前时保有智慧观照，怒火就不会被点燃。如果在怒火点燃后还有一点观照，就不会继续火上加油。Therefore, while being mindful of our words and deeds, we must focus on cultivating wise observation. This is the only way to stop the repetition and strengthening of negative psychology.因此，我们在谨言慎行的同时，应着重培养智慧观照，这样才会避免负面心理的重复和增强。

The modern world is a society overflowing with material desires.现代的世界，是一个物欲横流的社会。Almost everyone is ruled by intense cravings, elevating the improvement of material life to an unprecedented height.几乎每个人都被强烈的欲望所主宰，将物质生活的改善提升到前所未有的高度。It’s true that advanced technology makes our world change daily, and economic development makes our lives convenient. But have we ever wondered: how much of a price are we paying for all this?诚然，科技的发达使我们的世界日新月异；经济的发展使我们的生活方便舒适……可是，我们是否想过，我们在享有这一切的同时，又付出了多少代价？The relentless pursuit of material wealth forces us to spend nearly all our time making money. We have easily discarded the ethics of "contentment brings happiness" to embrace mammonism with pride.一味追求物欲，使我们把几乎所有的时间都用来赚钱。我们轻易地丢弃了几千年来奉行的知足常乐的伦理道德，开始理直气壮地拜金。What are we using to exchange for all this? Beyond our labor and skills, we must pay the price of time—and to give one’s time is to give one’s life.我们又是在用什么换取这一切？除了我们的劳动、技术及谋生手段，我们更需要付出时间的代价，而付出时间即意味着付出生命。In the explosion of desire, we have utterly lost ourselves. We consume our entire existence accumulating fame, power, and wealth, leaving no time to reflect on our inner world.在欲望的爆发中，我们已经彻底迷失了自己，把全部生命都耗费在名声、权力和金钱的积聚上，甚至无法抽出时间来反省自己的心灵世界。This lifestyle also strips humanity of inner peace. Greed creates delusions that gnaw at our defenseless hearts like demons.一味追求物欲的生活，也使得人类失去了内心的宁静。贪婪制造出的妄想，正魔鬼般啃噬着我们毫无防备的心灵。Furthermore, the obsession with material gain is the root of conflict. Within families, societies, and even between nations, the clash of interests leads to endless strife.一味追求物欲，是引发争斗的根源。在家庭中，在社会上，在国际中，因为利益的冲突，导致了无休止的争斗。Finally, it is the prime culprit in destroying our planet. In just a century, humanity has attempted to conquer nature on an unprecedented scale, nearly exhausting the wealth Earth took billions of years to create.一味追求物欲，还是破坏地球环境的罪魁。在短短的百年内，人类对自然资源盲目、过量的开采，使得地球财富几乎耗尽了一半。We give our time, and we give our lives. Is this result truly what we hoped for?我们付出时间，付出生命，希望得到的就是这个结果吗？

What truly influences the direction of our lives is the power of our thoughts.真正能够影响生命走向的，就是心念的力量。The Buddha taught the practice of contemplating death to help sentient beings diminish their attachments. When these attachments are gradually cleared, delusions lose the very soil they need to grow.佛陀教导的念死法门，就是为了令众生减少执著。当这种执著被逐渐清除，妄念就会失去继续生长的土壤。No matter how large a tree is, it cannot survive without soil and its root system. If we want a tree to disappear completely, merely cutting off its branches and leaves is not enough; we must uproot it or remove the soil it relies upon.无论多大的树，都是离不开泥土，离不开根系的。我们想让这棵树从此消失，仅仅砍去枝干树叶还不彻底，必须连根拔起，或挖去它所依附的土壤。The "soil" of delusion is our attachment to the world. In our ordinary perception, we feel that the world is permanent and that life is pure pleasure; thus, we cling to it and refuse to let go.妄念的土壤，就是我们对世间的执著。在我们的感觉中，世间是常的，人生是乐的，于是就会执著不舍。But through wisdom, the Buddha saw the true nature of the world: it is impermanent and filled with suffering. If we can internalize this realization, delusions lose their soil and can no longer function.但佛陀以智慧彻见的世间真相，却是无常而痛苦的。倘能具备这一认识，妄念就失去了生长土壤，更无法产生作用。Conversely, if we cannot let go of these attachments, it is impossible to calm our delusions—as the saying goes, "the tree seeks stillness, but the wind will not cease." This is because attachment is like watering and fertilizing the delusion, allowing it to grow rapidly.反之，如果我们放不下这种执著，就不可能平息妄念，所谓树欲静而风不止。因为执著就是在给妄念浇水，给妄想培土，使妄想迅速生长。Therefore, to eliminate delusion, we must truly recognize the suffering of Samsara (the cycle of rebirth). This reflection is not something to be done lightly; it must be practiced year after year, month after month, and day after day.所以说，想要消除妄念，惟有真正认识到轮回之苦。这种思考，不是轻描淡写地想一想，而是年年想，月月想，天天想。The first thing to do upon waking each day is to remind yourself: Samsara is suffering, and human life is impermanent. Through constant reminders, we strengthen this mental state until it becomes an unshakable conviction.每天醒来的第一件事，就是提醒自己：轮回是苦，人命无常。在反复不断的提醒中强化心行，直到这一认识成为我们确定无疑的观念。This contemplation of impermanence and suffering is an essential foundation for any spiritual practice. Just as land must be leveled and weeds cleared before sowing seeds, mindfulness requires a healthy inner environment to flourish.这种对无常和苦的思维，是修习任何法门的重要前行。就像播种前需要平整土地、清理杂草，庄稼才会有良好的生长空间。同样，正念也需要在良好的心灵环境中才能生长。

How can we fundamentally resolve the cause of suffering? We must let go of our attachments to the world.怎样才能从根本上解决痛苦之因？就必须放下对世间的执著。However, these attachments are "sticky." They cannot be dropped just because we wish them to be. We need specific contemplation and practice to resolve them.但这些执著是有粘性的，不是说放下就能放下，需要通过相应的思维和观修来解决。"Contemplating death and impermanence" is an effective tool to help us counteract these attachments.念死无常，就是帮助我们对治执著的有效手段。Although life flows on incessantly, our current physical form lasts for only a few short decades.生命虽然生生不息，但我们现有的这期色身，不过是短短的几十年。No matter how grand your career or how happy your family, in the end, we must all depart empty-handed.不管事业做得多大，家庭多么美满，最终都要两手空空地撒手归去。Death is a certainty, yet the time of death is uncertain. Buddhist scriptures say that life exists only in the space of a single breath.死是一定的，死亡时间却是不定的。佛经说，生命就在呼吸之间。No matter how strong or noble a person may be, if the next breath does not come, the turn of a moment marks the next life.无论再强健的人，再高贵的人，只要一口气不来，转息就是来生。In the devastating earthquakes we have witnessed, tens of thousands of lives and cities built over centuries were destroyed in an instant.在不久前的汶川大地震中，几万人的生命，几十乃至几百年建设的城市，顷刻毁于一旦。Life is impermanent and precarious. No matter how much we care for or linger upon this world, once the breath ceases, all these things are separated from us by the veil of death, having nothing more to do with us.所以，生命是无常的，朝不保夕的，不管我们对世间有多少牵挂，多少留恋，一息不存，所有这些就和我们阴阳两隔，了无干系。When death arrives, what use are our careers, money, children, or family? No amount of wealth can negotiate with death, and not even those dearest to us can take our place.当死亡来临时，我们的事业、金钱，乃至儿女、家庭，哪一样可以帮得上忙？再多的钱不能交易，再亲的人不能替代。

We can escape our environment, but can we flee from our own hearts?我们可以逃避环境，但能逃离我们的心么？Can we escape this heart that we have ignored for so long—this heart we are often unwilling to face or confront?能逃避这被我们忽略已久，甚至从来不愿正视、不愿面对的心么？A hundred years from now, where will our careers and families be? Where will all the possessions we hold in this world be?百年后，我们的事业、家庭在哪里？我们在世间拥有的一切在哪里？Not to mention these, even the physical body that has never left us for a second will vanish into dust, leaving no trace.不必说这些，即使与我们须臾不曾分离的色身，也将灰飞烟灭，不知所踪。But life is not limited to this single existence; death only signifies the disappearance of this current physical form.但生命不仅是这一生，死亡也只意味着此期色身的消失。We leave this world, yet we cannot leave the endless cycle of the Six Realms, nor the "Three Realms" that burn like a house on fire.我们离开这个世界，却离不开轮回不息的六道，离不开炽般火宅般的三界。Where are we headed? Before attaining liberation from birth and death, the torrent of life will continue to flow.何去何从？在出离生死之前，生命的洪流仍将延续。The various karmic forces created by the mind will forever follow and influence us, even unto the end of time.心所造作的种种业力，仍将永远跟随并影响着我们。乃至尽未来际。It is like a universal bankbook—its scope covers the past, present, and future, and its validity is infinite. Only liberation can cancel it.就像一张通存通兑的存折,它的使用范围是过去、现在、未来，而它的有效期则是无限，唯有解脱才能将它注销。Therefore, the kind of heart we cultivate is what holds permanent significance for us.所以说，拥有什么样的心，对我们才具有永久的意义。In this life, we do many things. In the process, we achieve not only an external career but also shape our inner heart.这一生，我们会做很多事。在做事过程中，我们不仅成就了外在的事业，同时也成就了我们的心。Every action yields two results: one external and one internal.每做一件事，都会得到两种结果：一是外在的，一是内在的。For example, in founding a company, creating a famous brand and generating profits are external results.比如开办公司，打造名牌产品及获取经济利润是外在结果。But the experience gained through mindful participation and the mental habits formed in the process are the internal results.工作过程中用心参与，所得到的工作经验及由此形成各种心行习惯，则是内在结果。In today’s profit-driven society, people often resort to any means to make money, unintentionally cultivating greed, anger, and other unwholesome states of mind.在今天这个急功近利的社会，人们为了赚钱可以不择手段，结果引发贪心、嗔心等种种不善心行，并不断地将之培养壮大。In the end, while the career may succeed, the inner heart becomes unsightly.最后，事业虽然成就了，内心却变得不堪入目。We must realize that career success is fleeting. When we leave this world, even the most brilliant career must be left behind.我们要知道，事业的成就是短暂的。当我们离开这个世界时，再辉煌的事业也不得不放下。But the seeds of good and evil sown in the heart and the mental habits we have accumulated cannot be discarded, even if we wish to.但心中留下的善恶种子，积累的心行习惯，即使我们想放也无法放弃。They are like the shadow beneath the sun—impossible to shake off.就像阳光下甩不掉的影子。

If we fail to reflect and continue to live purely by our whims, we are undoubtedly accelerating our own demise.如果我们还不能反省，而是继续随心所欲地生活，无疑是在加速自己的灭亡。At the dawn of the industrial age, humanity cheered for the rolling wheels of history. But if we knew we had boarded a train racing toward the end of days, would we still demand it go faster and faster?工业时代到来之时，人类为滚滚向前的历史车轮而欢呼，如果我们知道自己搭上的只是奔向末日的列车，还会要求它快一些、再快一些吗？Nature provides more than the material means for survival; it nourishes our souls with its tranquility and peace.大自然不仅为我们提供了赖以生存的物质，更以它的宁静祥和滋润着我们的心灵。Is there any beauty in the world richer than that displayed by nature? Is there any enjoyment more refreshing than that which nature brings?世上还有什么比大自然所展现的美更加丰富吗？还有什么比大自然所带来的享受更令人心旷神怡吗？Regrettably, modern people seem to have ignored the very existence of nature. Every day, our minds are filled only with money, careers, complex relationships, and the clamor of sensory stimulation.遗憾的是，现代人似乎已经忽略了自然的存在。我们每天想的只是金钱、事业，想到的只是复杂的人际关系，喧闹的声色刺激。We find no leisure to admire the pastoral scenery, and no mood to feel the fragrance of flowers or the songs of birds.我们没有闲暇去欣赏田园风光，没有心情去感受鸟语花香。Electricity keeps our cities brightly lit all night, yet it dims the pure radiance of the moon.电力使城市彻夜灯火通明，却使皎洁的月光变得暗淡。We struggle to understand the ancients' deep attachment to the bright moon, and we no longer feel grateful for the coolness it brings.我们已很难理解古人对于明月的眷恋，也不再对它带来的清凉心怀感恩。When poetry and grace quietly slip away from our lives, what is left to nourish our increasingly restless hearts?当诗情画意从生活中悄悄溜走时，我们越来越浮躁的心又靠什么去滋润呢？Step out from these structures of concrete and steel into the countryside. Relax your body and mind in the embrace of nature.从钢筋水泥的建筑中走向郊外吧，在自然的怀抱中放松身心。Feel the solace brought by a gentle breeze and the fragrance arising from the soil.体会一下清风带来的慰藉，泥土带来的芬芳。Only when we truly learn to enjoy nature will we sincerely appreciate its gifts and cherish every blade of grass and every tree.只有当我们真正懂得享受自然的时候，才会由衷感激它的给予，才会珍惜它的一草一木。We will not pollute the rivers, for they are the lifeblood of nature. We will not destroy the vegetation, for it is the hair of nature. Nor will we plunder the minerals, for they are the very bones of nature.而不是去污染江河，那是自然的血脉；不是去破坏植被，那是自然的毛发；也不是去掠夺矿藏，那是自然的骨骼。If nature belongs equally to everyone, then it belongs not only to us today but also to our descendants. We are its inheritors, but we are by no means its only ones.如果说自然对每个人都是平等的，那么它不仅属于今天的我们，也属于我们的后代。我们是继承者，但决不是唯一的继承者。

Humanity is in a constant state of pursuit, yet we often forget to feel gratitude for what we already possess.人类总是不停地追逐，却不懂得对已经拥有的一切心怀感恩。Having clear vision is a form of wealth, for to those who are blind, the vibrant world of color simply does not exist.我们能拥有明亮的眼睛就是财富，因为对于那些盲人来说，绚丽多姿的彩色世界是不存在的。Having clear hearing is also wealth, for to those who are deaf, the world of beautiful sounds does not exist. We should be grateful to our parents for giving us a healthy body; in this aspect alone, how wealthy and fortunate we are!我们能拥有清晰的听觉也是财富，因为对于那些聋人来说，悦耳动听的音声世界是不存在的。所以，我们要感恩父母给予我们健全的色身，仅仅在这一点上，我们是多么富有和幸运呵！Similarly, we must be grateful for the gifts of nature.同样，我们要感恩大自然的馈赠。Imagine if one day the sun no longer rose; the Earth would fall into darkness. Imagine if the rivers ceased to flow; the world would turn to ruins. Imagine if the air no longer filled the heavens and earth; life would become suffocating.假如有一天，太阳不再如期而至，地球就会陷入黑暗；假如有一天，江河不再提供水源，人间就会成为废墟；假如有一天，空气不再充盈天地，世界就会令人窒息。We enjoy the sunshine and the air without paying a single cent. We have become so accustomed to these gifts that we have become blind to them.我们享受着阳光和空气，却不必为此付出任何费用。我们已经习惯了这样的享受，习惯到熟视无睹的地步。There is an old saying: "A drop of water given in need shall be returned with a bursting spring." What we receive from nature is far more than a mere drop.滴水之恩，尚要涌泉相报，我们从自然中得到的，又岂止是滴水之恩？If we have the right to enjoy nature, we also have the duty to protect it—not just to preserve it for our use, but to express a heart of gratitude.如果说我们有享受自然的权利，那么，我们同样有保护自然的义务。不仅是为了使用自然而珍惜它，更是为了表达一份感恩的心。The Buddha taught that the world undergoes a cycle of formation, existence, decay, and emptiness. Astronomers also tell us that the Earth will one day face destruction.佛陀告诉我们，世界会经历成住坏空的过程；天文学家也告诉我们，地球会有毁灭的一天。While that day may still be far off, our actions can either accelerate or decelerate the pace of that destruction.这一天的到来还非常遥远，其最终结果也不是人类所能左右的，但我们的行为却能加快或减缓它毁灭的速度。Today, armed with modern technology, humanity’s destructive power far exceeds that of the past. Our ancestors hunted and logged, but their impact was negligible compared to the vastness of nature.尤其在今天，被现代科技武装起来的人类，破坏力已远远超过了从前。在人类生活的早期，祖先们也砍伐过森林，也捕杀过动物，但这些行为所造成的后果，尚不足给世界带来毁灭性的灾难。Perhaps it is nature’s tolerance that has indulged humanity into its current state of ingratitude. But nature will not remain silent forever. In fact, the frequent natural disasters we see today are the repeated alarms it is sounding for mankind.或许正是自然的宽容，将人类纵容到今天这种忘恩负义的地步。但自然不会永远沉默，事实上，频频发生的自然灾难，正是它向人类发出的一次又一次警报。

On the stage of life, everyone is deeply immersed in playing their own roles.在人生舞台上，每个人都投入地扮演着自己的角色。At first, we are the children of our parents; later, we become the parents of our children.起先，是父母的孩子；后来，又成为孩子的父母。Simultaneously, we take on diverse professional and social identities.与此同时，还担纲着形形色色的职业身分、社会身分。In truth, in this endless soap opera, we have an inexhaustible array of characters to play.事实上，在这场无休止的连续剧中，我们有着演不完的角色。Even when the current role reaches its end, we leave the stage only for a brief moment before returning with a new face.即使眼前这个角色命终，不过下场片刻，又会换上另一副面目登台。In this play, most people are such "dedicated" actors that they get too deep into character—completely drowning in their roles, believing this to be the entirety of life.戏中，多数都是敬业的演员，以至入戏太深，完全沉溺在角色中，以为这是人生全部。Consequently, we are so busy that we forget to ask: "Who am I?" Or rather, we never stop to consider: What exists beyond these roles?于是乎，忙得想不起“我是谁”。或者说，根本不曾想过，角色以外的那个是什么。Often, we hear a voice within giving us orders. But once we are "in character," we forget to look back and see where that voice actually comes from.常常，我们会听到一个声音在向自己发号施令，但一入戏，就忘了回头看一看，这声音究竟来自哪里。In fact, that voice belongs to a hidden director—one who constantly instructs us on how to perform our roles.其实，那正是一个隐形的导演，一个不断指使我们如何演绎角色的导演。The name of this director is "The Mind."这个导演的名字，就是“心”。

From a Buddhist perspective, the "Self" is the greatest misconception of sentient beings. 从佛教角度来说，“自我”正是有情最大的误解。It is a false construct arising from our ignorance of the true nature of life. Neither our body nor our emotions possess a permanent, unchanging essence; therefore, they cannot represent a so-called "Self."是我们因为不了解生命真相而产生的错误设定。无论身体还是情绪，都不具有永恒不变的内涵，都不能代表所谓的“我”。Thus, Buddhism introduces the profound concept of "Non-Self" (Anatta). This is Buddha’s greatest contribution to humanity.所以，佛教提出“无我”的思想。这也是佛陀对众生最大的贡献。Many may find this confusing or even frightening: If there is "No Self," then what is this being that speaks and moves right now? Where will it vanish?或许不少人会觉得费解，甚至对此感到恐惧：如果“无我”，那现在这个会说会动的又是什么？又会消失何方？In truth, what "Non-Self" negates is only the illusion we superimpose upon the "Self," not the existence of phenomena themselves.其实，“无我”所否定的，只是加诸于“我”的错觉，而非现象本身。There is a famous Koan in Zen: "What was your original face before a single thought arose?"禅宗有个话头是：“一念未生前本来面目是什么？”We live every day in an unending stream of thoughts and mental activities. But what is the state of our life before these thoughts arise?我们每天都在不绝如缕的思绪中，在一念接一念的意识活动中。当这些念头尚未生起之前，生命是一种什么状态？Tracing back even further: In what state did "I" exist before coming into this world? This leads to another vital Zen Koan: "What was your original face before your parents gave birth to you?"再往前追朔：来到这个世界前，“我”又是以什么状态存在？所谓“父母未生前本来面目是什么”，这也是禅宗另一个重要的话头。Zen practice uses this inquiry to sweep away the layers of delusion that obscure the heart and to dismantle our existing false constructs.禅宗的修行，正是通过这样一种追寻，将遮蔽内心的妄执层层扫荡，将现有的错误设定逐步瓦解。"Know thyself"—this is the fundamental concern of the Dharma and the highest maxim of Western philosophy.认识自己——这是佛法关注的根本问题，也是西方哲学的最高名言。Only by seeing through to the truth of life can we grasp the helm of our journey and become the true masters of our existence.惟有透彻生命真相，我们才能把握前进之舵，成为生命的真正主人。Otherwise, we remain slaves to our bodies or emotions, toiling endlessly for their sustenance and exhausting our lives for their whims. Even more tragic is that many not only labor in vain but also create negative karma, causing continued wandering and suffering in the future.否则，只能是这个色身或情绪的奴隶，为他的衣食奔忙不休，为他的喜怒耗尽生命。更悲哀的是，很多人不仅劳而无功，还会由此造作恶业，使未来继续沉沦，继续受苦。

In life, some spend their entire existence chasing love, while others are driven by hatred.生活中，有人一生追寻爱情，也有人一生被仇恨驱使。In reality, many emotions are merely malignant tumors of the heart—unhealthy developments of life. Though they grow within us, they are not a part of our "True Self."其实，很多情绪只是内心的恶性肿瘤，只是生命的不良发展。虽然生长在我们心中，却并不属于“我”的一部分。If we can observe with wisdom and recognize that these emotions are but floating shadows in the mind, we will not plunge headlong into them, nor become puppets manipulated by them.倘能以智慧进行观照，认清这些情绪不过是内心漂浮的影像，就不会一头栽入其中，成为被操纵的傀儡。This requires a deep self-examination to realize the harm that "Self-attachment" (Ego) brings to our lives. In fact, all afflictions arise from this attachment to the Self.这就需要对自我进行审视，认清“我执”给生命带来的危害。事实上，一切烦恼皆因“我执”而起。The moment we label something as "mine," it gains the power to hurt us. It makes us love, makes us hate, and keeps us yearning or restless, unable to find peace.任何一种东西，只要贴上自我的标签，对我们就会具有杀伤力，就会让人爱，让人恨，让人朝思暮想，寝食难安。Once we remove that label of "Self," its changes no longer affect us.一旦将自我的标签去除，它的变化就不会对我们产生什么影响了。Every day, earth-shaking events occur in this world, yet barely one in ten thousand truly stirs our hearts. Often, we may sigh in passing, but we quickly move on. Why? Because we haven't connected ourselves to those events—we haven't developed "Self-attachment" toward them.在这个世间，每天要发生很多惊天动地的事，但真正使我们为之心动的未必有万千分之一。很多时候，我们只是随之感慨一下，就迅速抛在脑后。为什么？就是因为我们没有将自己和那些事切实联系起来，没有对此产生“我执”。"Self-attachment" is also the root of all conflicts and disputes. It is the reason we clash with others and struggle to find harmony.“我执”还是世间一切是非纷争的根源，是我们和他人相互抵触、难以和谐的原因所在。In daily life, a person with an overly strong sense of self—someone who is always self-centered—will inevitably struggle with relationships.生活中，一个人自我意识过强，处处以“我”为中心的人，必定不会有融洽的人际关系。Conversely, those who diminish the ego and care for others are not only welcomed by many but also live with ease and joy.反之，那些淡化自我、处处为他人着想的人，不仅深受大众欢迎，自己也能安乐自在。They don't have to fear that "their" interests will be harmed or "their" pride will be wounded. By distancing ourselves from this troublesome "Self," we distance ourselves from the afflictions that follow it like a shadow.因为他们不必害怕“我”的利益受损，担心“我”的自尊受挫。远离这个处处作祟的“我”，也就远离了那些与“我”形影相随的烦恼。

Life is filled with many unsolved mysteries.生命有很多不解之谜。Since time immemorial, humanity has never ceased to ask: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?古往今来，人们不停地追问着：我是谁？我从哪里来？我到哪里去？These are the eternal perplexities of the human race, the ultimate questions that none of us can escape. We ask them because what we care about most, and focus on most, is this "Self." Our entire lives are essentially built around this "ego-center."这是人类永恒的困惑，也是每个人无法逃避的终极问题。因为我们最在乎、最关注的就是这个“我”。我们的整个生活，基本都是以自我为中心而建立。But have we ever wondered: What truly represents "me"? Is it merely this physical body? Is it just this "Five Skandhas" vessel—this form before us that speaks, moves, cries, and laughs?但我们是否想过：究竟什么代表着我？仅仅是这个身体吗？仅仅是眼前这个会说会动、会哭会笑的五蕴身吗？The reason people fear death is that they mistake this body for the Self, believing that the decay of the body signifies the total destruction of "me."人们之所以害怕死亡，原因就是将这个身体当做是我，以为身体败坏就意味着“我”的毁灭。In truth, the physical form is but a fleeting fragment in the continuous stream of life—a constantly changing vessel that does not represent the True Self.其实，色身只是生命延续过程中的一个朝不保夕的片断，一种不断改变的形式，并不能代表真正的“我”。Philosophically, "Self" implies the essence of life—something eternal and indivisible. Yet the body is merely a composite of various elements, in a state of constant metabolism and perpetual change from moment to moment.从哲学定义来说，“我”代表着生命的本质，是永恒且不可分割的。但身体只是由众多元素构成，刹那刹那处于新陈代谢中，处于发展变化中。In today’s era of advanced medicine, many "parts" of the body can be replaced or even substituted with artificial ones. Within such a system, where can we find a solitary, unchanging "Self"? When we understand this principle, we become less obsessed with the body and less fearful of death.而在今天这个医学发达的时代，身体的很多零件还可以更换组装，甚至使用人工替代品，其中哪有什么独存、不变的“我”呢？如果了解其中原理，我们对身体就不会那么在乎，对死亡就不会那么恐惧了。Beyond the body, our sense of "Self" manifests in two other ways: our concepts and our mindsets.身体而外，“我”的存在还体现于两方面：一是观念，一是心态。We live in a shared world, yet simultaneously, we inhabit private worlds of our own—living within our own emotions. Often, we are swayed by these joys and sorrows, losing our inner autonomy.我们生活在共同的世界，但同时又活在自己的世界，活在自己的情绪中。很多时候，还会被这些喜怒哀乐左右着，无法自主。Why are we dominated by them? Because we mistake these emotions for who we are. We say, "I like this," or "I hate that."我们为什么会被其主宰？原因就是把这些情绪误以为是“我”——“我喜欢，我讨厌”。Consequently, we become attached. We pour our mental energy into these feelings, reinforcing them until we eventually surrender our inner sovereignty, allowing certain emotions to govern our lives for a long, long time.于是就会在乎，就会执著，进而不断将心灵能量投射其中，不断强化这些情绪。最终将主权拱手相让，使某些情绪长时间地影响我们。