勸勉
Advice and Encouragement
修行的人不僅要時常觀自己的內心，方便之時也要度化有緣之人，如自己的家人、朋友及同事，令其皈依、學佛甚至出家學道。很多人也曾嘗試過，但因一兩次的努力，效果並不明顯，便“知難而退”。其實，這也是菩提心尚未真正融入自己相續的原因。
As practitioners, besides paying attention to our own minds constantly, we should also lead others to embrace the Dharma at the proper time. For instance, we can encourage our family members, friends, and colleagues to take refuge and study Buddhism, or even to enter a monastic life. Many people have tried to do so but gave up the “difficult task” when seeing no results after one or two attempts. In fact, this is also the reason that we fail to truly merge bodhichitta with our minds.
釋迦牟尼佛在因地時轉世爲精進力比丘，爲勸勉吉祥寶王子棄惡行善、皈依佛門，用了84000年(那時衆生壽命很長)。其間，他時常坐在王子院子門口的階梯上，受盡了衆人的無端攻擊，嘗夠了王子的傲慢無理。爲度化衆生，孜孜不倦、锲而不舍，終于感動了王子，使之對佛法生起了強烈信心，並皈依佛門。
When Buddha Shakyamuni was Bhikkhu the Power of Diligence in a previous life, it took him 84,000 years (at a time when beings had long life spans) to advise Prince Auspicious Treasure to abandon evil, adopt good, and take refuge in Buddhism. During that period, the Bhikkhu often sat on the steps of the Prince”s garden gate, endured unjustified public insults and learned much about the Prince”s arrogance and insolence. But for the sake of benefiting beings, he persisted assiduously and never gave up. Eventually the Prince was deeply touched and he embraced Buddhism with strong faith.
《經莊嚴論》雲：“佛子依勝勤，成熟諸衆生，爲生一善心，千萬劫不厭。”無垢光尊者也說：“應當發心乃至僅有一個有情未從輪回中解脫之前，願爲度之而生生世世住于輪回，日日夜夜無有厭倦地精進。縱然是百俱胝劫中令一個衆生相續中生起一刹那的善心，也應當以最大的勇氣盡力而爲。” 作爲追隨佛陀足迹，擔當如來家業的大乘佛子，我們應該如此而行。
The Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras says: “With matchless diligence, the Bodhisattva ripens sentient beings; to kindle merely one altruistic thought in them, the Bodhisattva strives for eons.” The Omniscient Longchenpa also says: “Even if there is merely one being left behind in samsara, be willing to stay in samsara life after life and strive day and night tirelessly to bring that being to liberation. For the sake of kindling one moment”s virtuous thought in one sentient being, be willing to work on it with utmost courage, even for hundreds of thousands of eons.” As followers of Buddha”s footsteps, and as the Mahayana heirs to carry on the Tathagata”s activities, let us do as instructed.
能夠調服一個衆生令其生起菩提心，功德也是極爲可觀的。《中觀四百論》雲：“若有建寶塔，高與世間等，調服使發心，說福勝于彼。”
The merit of causing bodhichitta to arise in one being”s mind is tremendous. The Four Hundred Verses of Madhyamaka says: “Comparing the merit of building stupas as high as the world with the merit of causing bodhichitta to arise in one being”s mind, the latter is far superior.”
說著容易做著難，這裏就有幾個剛強難化的醫生，我天天給他們宣講佛法，至今卻一個皈依的也沒有，真令人慚愧。
Well, it”s easier said than done. I have right before me a few doctors who are quite unreceptive. Despite my daily preaching to them the Buddhadharma, none of them has taken refuge yet. How embarrassing!
壬午年二月初五
2002年3月19日
5th of February, Year of RenWu
March 19, 2002