緣份

　　Karmic Connections

　　一位廈門的居士今天來看望我，一見到我就殷殷地說：“上師啊！您一定要加持我，我的解脫就全靠您老人家了！”

　　A lay practitioner from Xiamen paid me a visit today. Upon seeing me, he pleaded earnestly: “Dear Lama! You have to grant me your blessings. My liberation is totally dependent on you, my venerable master!”

　　時常，我會聽到類似的話語。且不論我一介凡夫是否具此能力，即使是真正的具德上師或佛陀親自現前，也不可能如同扔石子一樣地將你我扔到極樂世界。如果以佛陀的大悲心即能將你我度化，娑婆世界的無邊衆生早已應該度盡，輪回痛苦早已應該消失，何至于等到現在？

　　This kind of pleading is often made to me. Irrespective of my ability to do so as an ordinary being, even a fully accomplished master or the Buddha appearing in person is not a catapult that can shoot us up to the level of Pure Land. Were it the case, the Buddha, with his immense compassion, would have liberated all of us already. No one would have been left behind in this Saha world, and samsaric sufferings should have all been eliminated. But why are we all still here

　　如果自己不精進，解脫是絕無希望的。《毗奈耶經》雲：“吾爲汝說解脫法，解脫依己當精進。”

　　Without expending any effort on our part, there is absolutely no hope for our own liberation.

　　The Sutra of the Discipline (Vinaya Sutra) says, “I have already shown you the way to liberation, but your liberation depends on you, so exert effort.”

　　可見解脫與否，完全掌握在自己手裏。如今，我們這些前世無量佛未能度化的、業障深重的惡世衆生，值遇了恩德勝佛的根本上師，聞受了解脫的無上法門，應當珍惜這難得的暇滿人生，並猛厲修持正法。

　　It is clear that we ourselves hold the key to our liberation. Inconceivable numbers of Buddhas have already come, but their compassion has not been enough to save us and we are completely in the clutches of our negative actions. Now that we have met our root guru whose kindness to us surpasses that of the Buddhas and who has taught us the supreme way of liberation, we should cherish this precious opportunity and practice the Dharma with unrelenting resolve.

　　如果不以強烈的信心與精進修持，如同倒扣的水器不能顯現月影一般，自己也不會與法相應，叁寶的加持也不可能得到。

　　A water container turned upside down will reflect no moon image. Likewise, a practice devoid of diligent effort and intense devotion will make no connection with the Dharma or the blessings of the Three Jewels.

　　《華嚴經》雲：“如月縱出升，非器不顯現，佛陀大悲月，亦不照無緣。”

　　As it says in The Avatamsaka Sutra:

　　High up in the sky the moon is shining

　　Yet no reflections appear in unsuitable vessels.

　　The moonbeam of Buddha”s great compassion, likewise,

　　Will not reach those lacking karmic connections.

　　如果緣分不具足，佛陀也無能爲力，精進修持才是最好的緣分。

　　Without the coming together of favorable conditions, even the Buddha is powerless to exert any effect. The best way to gather favorable conditions, as it turns out, is none other than to practice the Dharma assiduously.

　　壬午年六月初二　　

　　2002年7月12日 　

　　2nd of June, Year of RenWu

　　July 12, 2002