二利

　　Two Benefits

　　作爲凡夫，盡心盡力利他的最好方法就是修慈悲菩提心。如果能在相續中生起菩提心，並且不失壞，則不會墮叁惡趣，即使業障深重，不幸墮入，時間也短如彈指。

　　For an ordinary person, the best and heartiest way to benefit others is the practice on bodhichitta of love and compassion. Once bodhichitta is generated and maintained in the heart, a rebirth in the three lower realms will be prevented. Even if the person inevitably falls into the lower realms because of past evil karma, its duration will be as short as it takes to snap the fingers.

　　一位居士曾問仲敦巴：“若不舍離菩提心，是直接或間接利益衆生的因嗎？”仲敦巴回答說：“這是利益衆生最好的因。若不舍離菩提心，則不會墮叁惡趣，並成爲不退轉者。若因前世業力深厚等特殊原因而轉生惡趣，也會因一刹那憶念菩提心的威力立即得以解脫，獲得人天善趣果位。”

　　A layperson once asked Dromtonpa: “Is the aspiration to uphold bodhichitta the direct or indirect cause to benefit beings

　　” Dromtonpa answered: “It is the best cause to benefit beings. One who embraces bodhichitta will not fall into the lower realms and will become a non-returner on the spiritual path. Even if specific heavy karma leads rebirth into the lower realms, one can still be liberated at the instant of recalling bodhichitta, the power of which will propel one to the higher realms of human and god.”

　　某些自诩爲大乘佛子的人，雖然在表面上做了一些利益衆生的事，實際上只是爲了自己不墮叁惡趣，或僅僅考慮自己的成就。雖然他在修法之前也發所謂的菩提心，最後也將善根回向菩提，但主要的原因是因爲他害怕如果不發菩提心，就不能成爲大乘法；如果不回向，一旦生起嗔心，善根就會失壞，自己的功德就浪費了。這樣自己就不能成佛，就不能消除痛苦。這樣的發心，只是表面上的大乘法，實際與聲緣無異。

　　Many self-proclaimed practitioners of Mahayana may have performed outwardly activities of benefiting beings. But in fact they do so only to prevent themselves from taking rebirth in lower realms or merely to ensure their own achievement. At the beginning of a meditation session, he may go through the motions of arousing bodhichitta, but the driving force is the fear of being disqualified from Mahayana practice if arousing bodhichitta is missed. At the end of the session, he will also dedicate the merit to enlightenment, but it is only for securing his own merit, knowing that undedicated merit is destroyed by a single burst of anger. He only worries about wasting his good deeds or failing Buddhahood and the inevitable, endless sufferings. Practice done in this way is only a superficial Mahayana practice; it is no different from that of the Sravaka or Prakyabuddha.

　　我們不能妄圖利用菩提心來達到個人的目的，這樣做的結果只能適得其反。無始以來，我們就是因爲考慮自己太多，才會生生世世流轉輪回。而諸佛菩薩卻將個人得失棄置于不顧，反而獲得了佛菩薩的果位。由此可見，所謂的二利是相輔相成的，僅僅考慮自利，不但不能利他，連自利也是癡心妄想。

　　We should not vainly attempt to usurp bodhichitta for personal gain; the result will definitely be just the opposite. It is exactly our excessive concern for ourselves that has caused us to cycle in samsara from time without beginning. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, on the other hand, have never thought about themselves, yet they attain the level of enlightenment. This proves that the so-called two benefits enhance each other; with selfish desires, not only is one unable to help others, but also one is hopeless to fulfill self-interest.

　　所以，在做任何善事之前，我們都應該扪心自問，自己發的究竟是什麼樣的菩提心？是否能做到問心無愧？自己相續中是否真正具有菩薩戒？

　　Therefore, before we perform any virtuous deed, do a little soul searching to check: what kind of bodhichitta are we trying to generate

　　 Are we able to maintain a clear conscience

　　 Do we really uphold the Bodhisattva”s Vow in our mind

　　2nd of July, Year of RenWu

　　August 10, 2002

　　壬午年七月初二　　

　　2002年8月10日