Why Do We Need to Endure Suffering

　　爲什麼要受苦呢？

　　Why do we need to undergo pain and suffering when we cultivate

　　 If you do not break through the pain barrier, you will not be able to get out of the cycle of birth and death. Imagine Shakyamuni Buddha in his initial cultivation sitting in the Snow Mountains (Himalayas) for six years and eating only one sesame seed and one grain of wheat a day. Wasn”t this suffering

　　 He sat for six years. Do you think his legs or back didn”t ache

　　 He experienced the same kinds of pain and suffering, but he managed to break through them and become a Buddha. Suppose we want to become Buddhas or emulate the Patriarchs. If, without bearing any suffering, we expect to easily attain enlightenment and become Buddhas, then our cultivation and roots of virtue must be deeper and greater than those of the Buddha. Shakyamuni Buddha “cultivated blessings and wisdom for three great asamkhyeya kalpas and perfected his hallmarks and subsidiary characteristics for an additional hundred kalpas.” The Buddha had to sit for six years in the Snow Mountains (Himalayas) and sat under the Bodhi tree for 49 days. Upon seeing a bright star at night, he attained enlightenment and became a Buddha. Just take a look at our own foundation. It is definitely shallow compared to the Buddha. Our good roots and virtue certainly cannot compare to those of the Buddha. Therefore, if we cannot even suffer a little pain, it would be a fantasy to think we can attain enlightenment.

　　爲什麼我們要受苦、修道要受痛呢？因爲你打不破痛苦的關，跳不出去輪循環。你想釋迦牟尼佛當初修道，都在雪山坐了六年，一天只吃一麻一麥，那不痛苦嗎？他坐了六年，他的腿不痛嗎？腰不痛嗎？一樣痛；但是他把這種痛苦打破了，所以成了佛。我們想成佛、想學祖師，要是一點痛苦也不受，容容易易就開了悟、就成了佛，那我們真是比佛的根基都深厚了、德行都大了。釋迦牟尼佛「叁祇修福慧，百劫種相好」；尚且要在雪山六年，菩提樹下坐了四十九天不起于座，然後夜睹明星悟道，正式證得佛的果位。我們算一算自己的根基，一定不會有佛的深厚；我們的善根德行都不能跟佛比，我們一點苦都不能受，那真是妄想來開悟。