三寶修持中英對照(四)
中文 : 郭明義
英文翻譯 : Lily Zhang
生命回歸正軌 make our lives back to the right track
這個修持,佛法稱之為『經行』,什麼是經行呢?易經乾卦曰:「日月經行於天」宇宙星球的運行都有一定的軌道,脫離軌道就會毀滅,成為流星、隕石。循著一定的軌道行走叫經行,所有日月星辰都有他一定的軌道,地球也有一定的軌道,如果偏離軌道的話,就會造成很大的災害。
The walking practice in Buddhism is called Jing Xing.
What is Jing Xing?
The rotation of all planets in the universe is very precise. Any trivial derailing will cause their ruin, making them meteors or aerolites.
The sun, the moon and all planets have their certain orbits, and so does our earth. Once they derail from the orbits, it will cause a great damage.
曾經恐龍統治地球長達一億數千萬年,卻在六千五百萬年前神秘地集體滅亡。因為一顆直徑約10公里的小行星以9萬公里時速與地球相撞,撞擊點在今天墨西哥的猶加敦州。撞擊引起了小行星大爆炸,讓地球偏離軌道,但地球的引力磁場,讓地球很快的又回到原位。回到一定的軌道上才能正常運行,春夏秋冬生生不息。但是雖然地球回歸軌道,恐龍也已全部滅種了。所以我們要知道脫軌的毀滅性是很可怕的。
Dinosaurs had lived on earth for more than one hundred million years; however, they disappeared mysteriously sixty-five million years ago. Scientists say that it was caused by a minor planet colliding with the earth at a high speed of ninety thousand kilometers per hour. It collided with the earth in Mexico , and caused its own explosion. This made the whole earth derail from its track for a short time. But the magnetic field pulled the earth back again. Even though the earth had returned to its track, the dinosaurs had been extinct.
我們行走在世間也有一定的軌道,並不是有一條線或路,我們要照著走,而是行為有一定的軌則,如果脫軌也是會毀滅,什麼是行為的軌則?「正念」。如果我們做一切事時,都心存正念,就是一種經行,如日月一樣。
This is the same with our lives. We need to live in a certain track to follow or to behave. It is not a visible track or road for us to follow. It is the rule of our behaviors: righteous thoughts. If we keep righteous thoughts in mind when doing everything, it’s the same as planets’ rotation on their tracks.
我們人也有無形的軌道推動我們運轉,偏離軌道的話,生命裡面很多的這個智慧、能力、快樂、美德,都死光了,只要我們回歸正軌,慢慢的這個生機又恢復過來了,就像地球偏離時生物全部消滅,回歸正軌後又開始蘊育新的生命。
This invisible orbit pushes us to do everything smoothly and righteously. If we don’t follow this rule, all the wisdom, ability, happiness, and virtues will disappear. As long as we return to the right track, all the positive elements in life will recover. It’s just like the fact that all living beings were ruined when the earth derailed from its track but after it returned to its right track, the new creatures appear.
經行,能讓我們生命回歸正軌,現代人的生命狀態多半都是脫軌失序的,修行第一步要讓我們重回正軌。如何不脫軌?就是要守護正念。如何守護正念?用真經來取代我們的妄念。因為我們是聖凡兼修,無法像出家人一樣常打坐念佛,我們每天都有工作要做,所以我們一步一字念真經,是一種生活中工作中的修持法。
This walking practice can pull our lives back to the right track. Many modern people’s lives are full of disorder. The first step of practice is to lead us back to the right track. How can we achieve it? Just to preserve our righteous thoughts. How can we preserve the righteous thoughts? We can recite the Five Word Sutra to replace our illusory thoughts. Since we can’t do the practice for a long time like Buddhist monks or nuns, the simple practice for us is to recite the Five Word Sutra when walking, eating or even working. This is the best way for us to combine practice with work.
如果我們偏離正念的軌道,就像地球脫離軌道,一切都將滅亡。
我們生命中有許多美好的特質,如我們與生俱來的美德,美好的情緒,快樂的心情,智慧…在我們生命脫軌失序時,這些都會消失。但當我們重新回到正軌時,這些美好的特質又會重回我們的生命。但是如果我們常處脫軌的狀態中,就活不下去了。就像脫軌的行星終將毀滅一樣。並不是說我們會死亡,而是我們會漸漸失去光明,失去生機、活力甚至不斷的墮落沉淪。
There are many wonderful features in our lives, like good virtues, positive emotions, happiness and wisdom, etc. These inherent good features will disappear when we live a disorderly life. But they will return to us when we go back to our righteous thoughts or right track. However, we will live in a dangerous state if we are often under the state of derailing. Just like a derailing planet, it is sure to ruin. We will lose our brightness, energy, and all those wonderful features. Finally, it can lead to our falling from virtue.
澳洲,是文明度很高的國家,每年國民吃掉的憂鬱症藥物達到美金二十億。
歐盟對歐洲青少年做的調查,青少年第一願望是∣自殺。
Australia is a highly civilized country. Every year they have to offer two billion US dollars for healing melancholic patients. On the other hand, European Union has done a survey on teenagers and their first wish is to commit suicide.
為什麼有那麼多人憂鬱症、精神病甚至自殺?因為我們的靈魂受不了生命的脫軌失序而驚懼不安甚至想逃走。但靈魂黏附在肉體上無法逃走,於是開始逃避或自閉,發展成精神疾病,嚴重則走向自殘。即使我們用泯滅良心、麻木不仁來讓自己不會發瘋,也逃避不了來生可能連人身都保不住,墮入地獄、餓鬼、畜生道。所以我們修行要讓自己的本性不能脫軌。
Why are there so many people suffering from melancholy, mental diseases, or even trying to commit suicide? It’s because our souls will try to escape from body when encountering disorder, uneasiness, or panic. But our souls cannot leave the body; therefore, they start to escape or ground themselves and this results in mental diseases. What are worse, people may mistreat themselves or commit suicide. Even if we can protect ourselves from being mad by living an insensitive life, we still may go to hell or the realms of hungry spirits or animals in the next life. So, in order to protect our original nature from derailing, we need to practice continuously.
正念是軌道 -
Righteous thoughts are our orbits
經行,讓我們脫軌失序的人生,藉著彌勒佛的願力,重新回到生生不息的正軌。
Walking with reciting can turn our disorderly life back into the creative orderly track. This can be achieved by the great vows of Maitriya Buddha.
所謂正軌不只是走路而已,你的行為,你的一舉一動,說話、做事、走路、工作…都是在動,在這些動作中都要有正念,不要起邪念、惡念,如果我們做一切事的時候,都有正念的話,這就是經行,就行走在正確的軌道上。
The right track in life does not only refer to walking. All your actions, including talking, doing things, walking or working can be performed with righteous thoughts. If we have righteous thoughts instead of evil thoughts when doing everything, it is Jing Xing. It means we are living in the right way.
就像星球,用一個磁力線,引導它的運行,我們用正念領導我們的行為。
磁力線有一個磁場中心,像地球,它是繞著太陽轉,以太陽為中心,這樣繞著轉,我們念力線呢!也有一個念力磁場的中心點,那是什麼?就是正念。
This is like a planet. It is led to rotate by a magnetic line. We can lead all our behaviors or actions with righteous thoughts.
Magnetic lines have its center. Like the earth surrounds the sun and rotate. It is centered by the sun. So do our minds. They also have a center: righteous thoughts.
我們要界定什麼是正念?範圍太廣大了,忠孝仁愛信義…都是正念,我們如何抓住這麼多信念?所以佛菩薩教我們最簡單的方法∣念佛。忠孝節義都是從佛出來的、從聖人出來的, 所以我們常常念佛,常常存佛念,常存佛念,與佛心心相印,自然存正念,且萬德皆具足,因為佛是萬德具足的,所以念佛是最簡單的回歸正軌。
How can we define “righteous thoughts?” They contain numerous meanings, including loyalty, filial piety, kindheartedness, love, trustworthiness, and righteous behaviors, and so on. How can we preserve so many virtues? That’s why Buddha and bodhisattvas teach us the simplest way, reciting Buddha’s names. Buddha and sages possess and realize all these virtues. Therefore, it will be very natural for us to have the virtues like Buddha when we have the habit of reciting their names.
Reciting Buddha’s names connects us with Buddha and bodhisattvas. This makes our minds almost the same as Buddha’s minds. Therefore, we will naturally tend to help sentient beings like Buddha. And we will learn the great virtues of Buddha and bodhisattvas. So, reciting Buddha’s names is the easiest way to return to the right track.
我們要習慣在很多動作裡面,機械式的動作裡面,把這個念真經融化進去,其中最機械的動作就是走路。因此我們今天以一歩一字念真經的方式來修持經行。養成習慣以後,你所有的動作都會融化到這個真經裡面去,切菜、拖地、洗碗…的時候,規律動作裡面,都把真經融化進去,事情做起來得心應手,一點都不費力,好像地球如果走在磁力線上的話,那就不費力啦!我們同樣的,我們走在這個念力線上,正念佛力線上的時候,一點都不費力,覺得很輕鬆自在。
The point of walking practice is to get used to reciting Buddha’s names in many mechanical actions. Among them, walking is the most mechanical one.
Once we are used to practicing while walking, we will get used to practicing in all the other actions, such as chopping, mopping, or washing. If we can recite Buddha’s names while doing daily housework, it will save a lot of energy and every thing can go very smoothly. Just as the earth rotates in the magnetic line, it’s very natural and effortless. When we do everything with righteous thoughts, it will be effortless as well.
有一位坤道說:「真經,是最厲害的清潔劑,只要一邊念真經一邊刷鍋子,不銹鋼鍋好容易就刷得亮晶晶都不必用清潔劑。但不唸的時候,要好用力,還要加好多刷粉才刷得乾淨。」
One Tao member said, “The Five Word Sutra is the best cleaner. As long as I remember to recite it while washing the pot, it will turn out to be shining. However, if I forget to recite it, I should spend much more time and effort finishing the job.”
這個修持對坤道很有幫助,尤其是做家事的時候,特別要把真經融化進去,許多婦女在做家事的時候,心中想著太多是非、太多雜念,不滿、怨恨、忌妒…剁菜的時候,一邊剁,心中一邊罵:「剁給你死…」然後終日心中充滿情緒垃圾,久而久之成為怨婦、三姑六婆、夜叉…被過多的憤怒、不滿、怨懟…淹沒,而失去原本的純潔善良美麗。
This practice is especially helpful for females. When they are doing housework, it is very useful to recite Buddha’s names in the meanwhile. Doing housework is a tiring job. If a woman always carries negative emotions while doing housework, like complaints, jealousy, or hatred, she will be so unhappy that she is sure to become an ugly old witch or a gossip or a yaksha.
很多女孩結婚前像天使一樣純真、善良、美麗,結婚後卻變成巫婆,生氣、吵架、埋怨…。到年老時更糟,心中充滿深深的怨恨。因為在無聊繁亂的家事中,心陷入太多情緒、是非恩怨、妄想。一張受苦的臉也許還楚楚動人,有令人疼惜、憐愛的氣質,但一張怨恨不滿的臉,只叫人看了厭惡,想趕快遠離。
A girl is usually as pure, kind, and beautiful as an angel before marriage. After getting married, she probably becomes a very mean woman, easy to get angry, quarrel, or complain. When she gets to the old age, it becomes worse, for her heart is filled with hatred, illusion, or other negative emotions. Everyone will feel pity for a suffering woman, but no one will feel sorry for a woman with hatred or resentfulness.
對一個女人而言,沒有比失去天使的面孔更悲哀的事。如果沒有失去內心的純潔善良,即使老了,一樣老得很自然很美,如果沒有美麗的內心,花多少錢去整容,只整出一個老妖怪而已。所以坤道們要把握做家事的時間修行,不要任自己掉到負面情緒的沼澤而出不來。
For a lady, nothing is sadder than losing an angel face. If a lady keeps her purity and kindness, she will be very natural and beautiful even at the old age. If she does not have a good heart, no matter how much money she uses for the plastic surgery, she is sure to become an old witch. That’s why females should grab every minute to do religious practice while doing housework. It can prevent them from negative emotions.
自古以來大修行者,一定要經過廚房這一關,叫「廚房之道」,廚房裡面有道的,像五祖弘忍就說六祖:「這獦獠,根器大利啊!」他說這個人啊!雖然說是南方的野蠻人啊!但是根器大利,稱讚完,下一句是什麼你們知道嗎?「著槽廠去」,就是送到廚房去,送到廚房去鍛鍊去,因為在廚房裡面鍛鍊就是經行,就讓你走上正念的軌道,找到你的念力線出來。
In ancient time, many great masters had to work in the kitchen before they achieved Buddhahood. There is Tao in the kitchen. It’s because the mechanic work in the kitchen provides a good chance to recite Buddha’s names. For example, our Fifth Patriarch of Zen has said Sixth Patriarch is very talented in practicing. But he should be trained in the kitchen and then can achieve Buddhahood. Training in the kitchen is also kind of walking practice. It makes you get into the right track and thus be able to do everything with righteous thoughts.修正後
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