好道場難遇

　　It”s Difficult to Encounter a Good Way-place

　　想修行，沒有遇到好道場，也不能修行。

　　If you can”t find a good Way-place, then even if you want to cultivate, you won”t be able to.

　　我們人從無量劫以來，習氣毛病太多了！不知悔改，也不知修行，所以習氣一天比一天增加，智慧一天比一天減少，業障也一天比一天重。因爲這種關系，人若想修行也不容易，想學好也不容易，想出家更不容易，有種種孽緣牽纏不清。在因地時不知不覺造了很多罪業，不怕因果報應，所以到想要修道時，四面八方的障道因緣都發生了。有的是家庭環境不許可，有的是國家環境不許可，有的是個人所行所作發生種種障礙，而不能修行。From limitless eons in the past until now, we have had too many bad habits and faults. We haven”t known how to repent and reform, and how to cultivate, so day by day our bad habits increase, our wisdom decreases, and our karmic offenses grow heavier. As a result, if we want to cultivate, it”s not easy. If we want to learn to be good, it”s also not easy. If we want to leave the home-life, it”s even more difficult. We cannot break free of the various retributions which bind us up. Not fearing the retribution, we unknowingly planted causes that created a lot of offense karma. So now that we want to cultivate, causes and conditions arise from every direction to obstruct our cultivation of the Way. For some, it”s the family situation which prevents them from cultivating. Some are prevented by the national circumstances. In other cases, the inpidual”s behavior has generated all kinds of obstacles, making it impossible for him or her to cultivate.

　　所以真正想修道是難如登天，那麼是不是說這麼多困難就不修了呢？不是的。越難才越要修行，要勉爲其難。若是不從困苦艱難中打筋鬥打出來，始終是破不了業障關，所以才要修忍人所不能忍的功夫，讓人所不能讓，行人所不能行，做人所不能做的事，吃人所不能吃的，受人所不能受的，能如此地日積月累，才能把善功德增多一點，罪孽減少一點，使智能天天增長，業障天天減輕。

　　Therefore, if you truly want to cultivate, it”s as hard as ascending to the heavens. Now, if it”s that difficult, does it mean we shouldn”t cultivate

　　 Not at all. The more difficult it is, the more we have to cultivate. We must overcome the hardship. If we don”t take a flying somersault to escape from our distress and difficulty, then we will never be able to break through our karmic obstructions. So we have to cultivate the ability to endure what others cannot endure, to yield where others cannot yield, to practice what others cannot practice, to do the things that others cannot do, to eat what others cannot eat, and to put up with what others cannot put up with. In that way, over the days and months, we can increase our wholesome merit and virtue a bit, and reduce our offenses and evil deeds a bit. Day by day, our wisdom grows, and our karmic obstacles become lighter. Since we accumulated the karmic obstacles bit by bit in the past, now we have to reduce them bit by bit. It”s like when the weather turns cold, each day is colder than the day before, until winter has arrived. When the cold reaches the utmost point, the weather starts warming up again. But it doesn”t warm up instantly. Each day is warmer than the day before, and gradually the hot weather arrives. The hot weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles have been lessened, and the cold weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles are heavy. These are just analogies.

　　因爲以前的業障是一點一點累積下來的，所以現在也要一點一點地減輕它。就好像天氣寒冷一樣，天氣一天比一天冷，就到了冬天，當天氣冷到極點了，就又開始暖和。但也不是立刻就能暖和起來的，而是一天比一天暖和，漸至熱天。熱時就譬如沒有那麼多業障，冷時就好像業障重，這些都是譬喻。

　　As we are here cultivating, you can investigate Chan, recite the Buddha”s name, or do whatever, as long as you find something to do, so your mind won”t be idle and start having random thoughts. Instead of having random thoughts, you should use the time to recite the Buddha”s name, hold mantras, or recite sutras. Don”t let the time pass in vain. If you allow your mind to casually indulge in random thoughts, you”re just wasting a lot of energy without accomplishing anything.

　　我們在這兒修行，參禅也好，念佛也好，無論你做什麼，總要找點事情做一做，不要令心無事就打妄想。要把打妄想的時間拿來念佛、持咒、誦經，不讓光陰空過。否則令心裏隨便打妄想，浪費很多精神，結果一事無成。人身難得，佛法難聞，佛國難生，善知識難遇，好道場難逢。想修行沒有遇到好道場，也不能修行，所以必須要有好道場。我們現在在萬佛聖城，打禅七有打禅七的地方，念佛有念佛的地方，拜忏有拜忏的地方。你願意做什麼，只要你修行就可以，只要不把光陰空過，能老老實實地用功就可以。…

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