功德

　　Meritorious Activities

　　一提起功德，無論是否信佛，只要心地善良之人都喜歡做。比如到寺院供香、頂禮，在佛堂供水果、鮮花，爲寺院捐款、供養大德、修建希望小學、爲貧困山區捐物……

　　People with good hearts enjoy doing meritorious acts, regardless of their belief in Buddhism. For instance, they like to burn incense and prostrate in front of the deities at temples, present fresh flowers and fruits in the shrine room, donate funds to monasteries, offer to eminent monks, build “Hope Elementary Schools”, collect goods for poor mountain villagers, and so on.

　　包括一些做了壞事的人，爲了不使自己的良心受到譴責，也會做一些功德以彌補罪過。

　　Those who have committed non-virtues will also do some good deeds, in order to feel less conscience-stricken and perhaps to make up for their misdeeds.

　　據說一些地方的寺廟，在大年叁十晚上，居然人滿爲患，燒香磕頭的人絡繹不絕。公安局、消防車隨時在爲可能發生的火災或擁擠不堪的人群作防範。進門的隊伍綿延了幾條街，門票一漲再漲，仍阻止不了蜂擁而至的人流。

　　The eve of Chinese Lunar New is usually a time when folks pack local temples to offer incense and prostrations. Police and fire trucks have their watchful eyes on possible fire alarms and overcrowded conditions. People come in a continuous stream and many have to wait in long lines over several blocks. Even the skyrocketing admission fees do not discourage the arriving throngs.

　　在隨喜之余，也令我想到《聖大涅槃經》中的經文：“若人有生年，以無量七寶，臥具及神馐，供養一切佛，不及一刹那，爲衆發願心，功德無有量。”一切功德之中，發菩提心的功德是最大的。哪怕在一刹那間生起願菩提心，功德也是很大的，生起行菩提心的利益就更是無法衡量。

　　Rejoicing in this, I recall a passage from Mahaparinirvana Sutra: “The merit of offering to all the Buddhas in one”s life seven precious substances, beds, and food is great. However, it can”t be compared with the immeasurable merit of generating bodhichitta for all beings just for an instant. ” Of all the virtues, the one having the greatest merit is arousing bodhichitta. To generate bodhichitta of intention even just momentarily is great virtue. The benefits of generating bodhichitta of application are even innumerable.

　　《勝月女經》雲：“僅思利他心，利益尚無量，何況行利益？”

　　The Sutra of the Maiden Excellent Moon says: “If the merit of hoping to help others knows no bounds, what need is there to speak of the actual deeds of helping others

　　”

　　因此，作爲修行人不應求形象上的相似功德。哪怕每天一次，在床上靜下來發起殊勝菩提心，其功德也是無量的。

　　Therefore, a practitioner should not seek only superficial semblance of merit. Instead, cultivate the supreme bodhichitta. Doing it even just once a day, in bed when settling down, a boundless store of merit is amassed.

　　壬午年二月初二　　

　　2002年3月16日

　　2nd of February, Year of RenWu

　　March 16, 2002