好道场难遇

　　It”s Difficult to Encounter a Good Way-place

　　想修行，没有遇到好道场，也不能修行。

　　If you can”t find a good Way-place, then even if you want to cultivate, you won”t be able to.

　　我们人从无量劫以来，习气毛病太多了！不知悔改，也不知修行，所以习气一天比一天增加，智慧一天比一天减少，业障也一天比一天重。因为这种关系，人若想修行也不容易，想学好也不容易，想出家更不容易，有种种孽缘牵缠不清。在因地时不知不觉造了很多罪业，不怕因果报应，所以到想要修道时，四面八方的障道因缘都发生了。有的是家庭环境不许可，有的是国家环境不许可，有的是个人所行所作发生种种障碍，而不能修行。From limitless eons in the past until now, we have had too many bad habits and faults. We haven”t known how to repent and reform, and how to cultivate, so day by day our bad habits increase, our wisdom decreases, and our karmic offenses grow heavier. As a result, if we want to cultivate, it”s not easy. If we want to learn to be good, it”s also not easy. If we want to leave the home-life, it”s even more difficult. We cannot break free of the various retributions which bind us up. Not fearing the retribution, we unknowingly planted causes that created a lot of offense karma. So now that we want to cultivate, causes and conditions arise from every direction to obstruct our cultivation of the Way. For some, it”s the family situation which prevents them from cultivating. Some are prevented by the national circumstances. In other cases, the inpidual”s behavior has generated all kinds of obstacles, making it impossible for him or her to cultivate.

　　所以真正想修道是难如登天，那么是不是说这么多困难就不修了呢？不是的。越难才越要修行，要勉为其难。若是不从困苦艰难中打筋斗打出来，始终是破不了业障关，所以才要修忍人所不能忍的功夫，让人所不能让，行人所不能行，做人所不能做的事，吃人所不能吃的，受人所不能受的，能如此地日积月累，才能把善功德增多一点，罪孽减少一点，使智能天天增长，业障天天减轻。

　　Therefore, if you truly want to cultivate, it”s as hard as ascending to the heavens. Now, if it”s that difficult, does it mean we shouldn”t cultivate

　　 Not at all. The more difficult it is, the more we have to cultivate. We must overcome the hardship. If we don”t take a flying somersault to escape from our distress and difficulty, then we will never be able to break through our karmic obstructions. So we have to cultivate the ability to endure what others cannot endure, to yield where others cannot yield, to practice what others cannot practice, to do the things that others cannot do, to eat what others cannot eat, and to put up with what others cannot put up with. In that way, over the days and months, we can increase our wholesome merit and virtue a bit, and reduce our offenses and evil deeds a bit. Day by day, our wisdom grows, and our karmic obstacles become lighter. Since we accumulated the karmic obstacles bit by bit in the past, now we have to reduce them bit by bit. It”s like when the weather turns cold, each day is colder than the day before, until winter has arrived. When the cold reaches the utmost point, the weather starts warming up again. But it doesn”t warm up instantly. Each day is warmer than the day before, and gradually the hot weather arrives. The hot weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles have been lessened, and the cold weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles are heavy. These are just analogies.

　　因为以前的业障是一点一点累积下来的，所以现在也要一点一点地减轻它。就好像天气寒冷一样，天气一天比一天冷，就到了冬天，当天气冷到极点了，就又开始暖和。但也不是立刻就能暖和起来的，而是一天比一天暖和，渐至热天。热时就譬如没有那么多业障，冷时就好像业障重，这些都是譬喻。

　　As we are here cultivating, you can investigate Chan, recite the Buddha”s name, or do whatever, as long as you find something to do, so your mind won”t be idle and start having random thoughts. Instead of having random thoughts, you should use the time to recite the Buddha”s name, hold mantras, or recite sutras. Don”t let the time pass in vain. If you allow your mind to casually indulge in random thoughts, you”re just wasting a lot of energy without accomplishing anything.

　　我们在这儿修行，参禅也好，念佛也好，无论你做什么，总要找点事情做一做，不要令心无事就打妄想。要把打妄想的时间拿来念佛、持咒、诵经，不让光阴空过。否则令心里随便打妄想，浪费很多精神，结果一事无成。人身难得，佛法难闻，佛国难生，善知识难遇，好道场难逢。想修行没有遇到好道场，也不能修行，所以必须要有好道场。我们现在在万佛圣城，打禅七有打禅七的地方，念佛有念佛的地方，拜忏有拜忏的地方。你愿意做什么，只要你修行就可以，只要不把光阴空过，能老老实实地用功就可以。…

《好道场难遇 Its Difficult to Encounter a Good Way-place》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…