無私
Cultivating Selflessness
同在一片藍天下的人們，都有維持生存的欲望。但生存的目標卻千差萬別。心靈高尚的人，活著是爲了利益更多的人；平常的凡夫，活著是爲了自己、親友和家人；心胸狹隘的人，卻一味爲了自己的利益而孜孜不倦、廢寢忘食。
The urge to survive is a universal wish of all humans living under the same blue sky. The purpose of surviving, however, varies tremendously from person to person. For someone of high morals, to live means to benefit many other people; for common folks, it is for caring for themselves as well as their circles of family and friends; while for a small-minded person, he cherishes only self-interest and will spare no pain working day and night to achieve it.
即使是博覽群書、智慧超群，即使是滿腹經綸、學富五車，即使是受過無數賢人聖哲的教育，讓他放下自私之心，也難于上青天。無始以來，我們都爲了自身的利益而活著，要放下這難以割舍的習氣，只有以滴水穿石的精神，從點點滴滴開始。
Normally, for anyone to relinquish the selfish mind is a task next to impossible. This applies to people who are well learned, the smartest, the most knowledgeable, or even those who have studied extensively with many sages. From time without beginning, we have been living for our own interest only. This intractable habitual pattern can only be cast off by extreme tenacious effort on our part. That is, we have to start working in bits and pieces and persist onward with a resolve akin to wearing down a rock with drops of water.
《大師在喜馬拉雅山》中講述了這樣一個故事：小喇嘛尊哲與上師在一起修行。每天他們只有一頓午餐可以享用，午餐也成了一天中最快樂的時光。
The collection of Great Masters in the Himalaya Mountains tells a story: Little lama Tsondru practiced with his master. They ate only one meal a day at lunch, so lunchtime became his happiest hour of the day.
一天，上師告訴他：“今天來了一個老和尚，你要將自己的食物讓給他。”
One day, his master told him: “We have an eminent old monk visiting us today; you should offer your own food to him.”
“不行！我也很餓，就算出家人，也不能剝奪我吃飯的權利，我今天只有這一點食物。”
“I can”t do it! I get hungry too. Even if the visitor is a monk, he should not deprive me of my right to eat, and this tiny amount of food is the only meal I have for today.”
“你不會餓死的，應該把食物讓給他！”
“You are not going to die from starving, let him have your food!”
“可是我也很餓！”
“But I am very hungry myself!”
“你必須給！”
“You must!”
就這樣，尊哲心愛的午餐屬于了別人。但從此以後，他卻學會了忘我，無論多麼珍愛的東西，他都能輕而易舉地布施。此時，他才體會到上師讓他舍棄食物的一片苦心。放下自己執愛的東西，可以換來一片無私的天地。
As it turned out, the young lama”s most-relished lunch became an enjoyment for someone else. But from then on, he learned to be unselfish and the practice of offering became an easy task for him, even if it meant giving away his much-cherished belongings. He finally came to see the thoughtfulness of his master in urging him to surrender his food. In giving up the possessions he clung to, he gained entry to the vast arena of selflessness.
釋迦牟尼佛當時在遇到一位只會說“給我”的乞兒時，也是先讓他說“我不要”，種下一顆無私的種子，才將食物布施于他。要清除自私的深厚積習，就要遵從“不以善小而不爲”的古訓，從一分錢、一碗飯、一尺布做起。
Once, Buddha Shakyamuni met a little beggar who only said “I want it, I want it” all the time. The Buddha made the beggar say the words: “I do not want it, I do not want it” repeatedly and then rewarded him with food. In this way, the Buddha planted the seed of generosity in the beggar”s mind. For us, we should follow the old adage of “Do not fail to do any good deeds, no matter how insignificant they may seem.” Starting by letting go of one penny, one bowl of rice, or one yard of fabric, we will eventually be successful in eliminating our deep-rooted habit of selfishness.
壬午年六月十四日
2002年7月23日
14th of June, Year of RenWu
July 23, 2002