..续本文上一页ains, whether wholesome or unwholesome. What is the characteristic of the contents of one”s mind

　　 This was called dharma. Its nature, its characteristic was called dharma. In Indian languages today, we still hear an echo of this meaning when someone says: "The dharma of fire is to burn." The nature of fire is to burn itself and to burn others. Similarly, we can say that the dharma of ice is to create coolness. This is the nature of ice.

　　这些普遍一致的特性和印度教有什么 关系呢？它们与印度教或基督 教、伊斯蘭教、耆那教或锡克教有什么关系呢？火会烧、冰会冷––––这是一 种自然的普遍性法则。假使火不会燃烧，那么它就不能称为火。假使它是火， 那么它的特性就一定是燃烧––––自燃或助燃。太阳本身的法即是给予光和 热，假使太阳不能给予光和热，那么它就不能称为太阳。月亮本身的法就是 给予一种柔和的、清凉的光，这就是法，就是月亮的本质；假如它没有这些 作用，那么它就不是月亮。

　　What do these universal characteristics have to do with Hinduism

　　 What have they to do with Buddhism, or Christianity, Islam, Jainism or Sikhism

　　 Fire burns; ice cools. This is a universal law of nature. If fire does not burn itself and others, it cannot be fire. If it is fire, then its characteristic must be to burn itself and to burn others. The dharma of the sun is to give light and heat. If it does not give light and heat, it cannot be the sun. The dharma of the moon is to give a soft, cool light. This is the dharma, the nature of the moon. If it does not do that, it is not the moon.

　　这就是当时「法」这个字所使用的情形。假如我内心充满的是不健康的 心态––––好比說，假如我在此刻正产生愤怒、憎恨、惡念或敌意––––那么这些负面心态的本质就是会燃烧。它们将会焚烧我自己。装火的容器是火的第 一个牺牲品；接着火和它的热气开始向四周扩散开來。

　　This was how the word dharma was used in those days. If the contents of my mind are unwholesome—for example, if I am generating anger, hatred, ill will, or animosity at this moment—then the nature of these negativities is to burn. They will burn me. The vessel containing the fire is the fire”s first victim; then this fire and its heat start spreading to the environment around it.

　　同样的道理，当一个人的心中产生了负面的心态，产生负面心态时他就 是第一个受害者。他(她)会变得非常痛苦。假如你正在生气，你如何能期望平静、和谐及快樂呢？这完全违反自然的法则！也就是說违背了「法」–––– 违背了自然的普遍性法则。假如我在自觉或不自觉的情况下将手放在火中， 我的手一定会被烧到。火不会管你这只手是属于自称为印度教徒的、回教 徒、基督徒、耆那教徒、锡克教徒或拜火教徒或是一个印度人、美国人、苏 俄人或是中国人的。没有什么不同、没有差别，不会有所偏坦；法就是法。

　　It is the same when there is negativity in the mind. One who contains this negativity, who generates this negativity, is the first victim. He or she becomes very miserable. How can you expect peace, harmony and happiness, if you are generating anger

　　 This is totally against the law of nature. That means it is totally against Dharma, which is the universal law of nature. If, knowingly or unknowingly, I place my hand in fire, my hand is bound to burn. The fire does not discriminate. It does not notice whether the hand belongs to a person who calls himself or herself a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Sikh or Parsi, or an Indian, American, Russian or Chinese. There is no difference, no discrimination, no partiality; Dharma is Dharma.

　　同样地，当我的心产生纯净的心态时，这些负面心态就会去除了。根据 自然的法则，当我的心纯净时，心中就充满着爱、慈悲、随喜和平等心(慈、悲、喜、舍)。这是纯净的心的本质。这种纯净的心可以属于一个印度教徒 或一个基督徒，或者属于一个印度人的，或是一个巴基斯坦人：完全没有什 么不同。假如这个心是纯净的，它一定有这些特质。而当这个心充满爱、慈 悲、善念和平等心时，再次地，根据普遍性的法则，这个心中所拥有的内容， 有它们自己的特质，它们自己的法；它们所带给我们的，就是安详、和谐和

　　快樂。这个人可以继续用任何名字來称呼他自己，可以继续举行这种仪式或那种仪式，这种宗教典禮或是那种宗教典禮。他可以有这种外貌或是那种外貌，他可以相信这个哲理或是那个哲理。然而法就是法(自然的法则是普遍性的)，不会有所不同。

　　In the same way, when my mind is generating purity, the negativities are eradicated. According to the law of nature, when the mind is pure, it is full of love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. This is the nature of a pure mind. This pure mind may belong to a Hindu or a Christian, or it may belong to an Indian or a Pakistani: it makes no difference at al…

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