..续本文上一页r," which they thought should begin with being cautious when one is alone. Zeng Zi [a disciple of Confucius] said that when a person is alone, he should act as prudently as if there were ten eyes watching him and ten hands pointing at him. This describes the unique character of a superior person who maintains right thoughts and is proper at all times.

　　君子为什么能做到这样呢？因为他没有妄起我法二执；我法二执，就是众恶的根本。那我法二执又是什么？说穿了，其实就是意念不诚而已；意念不诚，也就是有个自私心和名利心。人如没有自私心，哪里会产生我执？若没有名利心，更有何法执可言？就因为生出这二种根本的执着，于是乎各种勾心斗角的是非争端都跟着衍发了！所以才说，我法二执是众恶的根本。

　　Why is a superior person able to be like this

　　 Because he doesn”t have the two attachments to self and dharmas. The attachments to self and dharn1as are the root of all evil. What are these two attachments

　　 Actually, they are just a result of a lack of sincerity .When one is insincere, one is selfish and seeks after fame and profit. If a person is unselfish, how could he have the attachment to self

　　 If he doesn”t seek fame and profit, what attachment to dharmas could there be

　　 Because of these two fundamental attachments, all manner of fighting, scheming, gossip, and arguments arise. That”s why these two attachments to self and dharmas are the source of all evil.

　　一个人的意念诚不诚，往往流露于举手投足之际。在人前，他或者警觉性高，还会加以掩饰；独处时，就难免松懈而漏了底，明眼人当然看得出来。所以《大学》上才说﹕「诚于中，形于外，故君子必慎其独也。」

　　The degree of a person”s sincerity can be seen in his ordinary gestures. In front of others, he may be very alert and cover up his true thoughts, but when alone he is likely to relax and let his real self show through. Of course an intelligent person can see through his phoniness. Thus the Great Learning says, "When there is sincerity within, it manifests in one”s external appearance; hence the superior person must be cautious when he is alone."

　　那么，君子又为什么要做到这样呢？《大学》上说﹕「富润屋，德润身，心广体胖。」想想看﹕人生在世，富贵寿考，都只如海上浮沤，长久几何？不少生前金玉满堂，却诸善莫作，众恶奉行的人，死后不但遗臭万年，甚至痛失人身，永劫沉沦地狱、饿鬼、畜生三恶道；反之，以道德严身，诸恶莫作，众善奉行者，生前是坦坦荡荡，身后也流芳百世，更有超升三界、永享极乐的。各位都是聪明的，与其享一时之乐，而身后累世挨骂受苦，何不趁此生严持戒律，早修无上道呢？

　　Why does the superior person want to be like this

　　 TheGreat Learning says, "Riches enhance the household, while virtue enhances one”s self, so that one has a broad mind and a healthy body." Think about it: All the riches, honor, and longevity that we enjoy in this world are like mere bubbles in the sea--how long do they last

　　 There are many people who are incredibly rich, but who do no good deeds whatsoever and only indulge in all manner of evil. After they die, not only does their notoriety live on, but they may lose their human body and fall into the three evil paths of the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals forever. Conversely, those who conduct themselves ethically, avoiding all evil and practicing many good deeds, enjoy a smooth and carefree life, leave behind a good name, and are able to transcend the Triple Realm and enjoy eternal happiness. All of you are intelligent people. Compared to the prospect of enjoying momentary pleasure and then enduring scoldings and sufferings for many lifetimes afterwards, wouldn”t it be better to seriously uphold the precepts in this very life and quickly cultivate the unsurpassed Path

　　明朝的大将军戚继光还没做官时，跟一位朋友进京应试。到了京城，肚子饿了，两人就在路边摊子吃饭。吃完，卖饭的不小心，一个铜钱滚落到地上；那位朋友赶紧用脚把铜钱踩住，等卖饭的不注意时，再把钱捡起。他自以为神不知鬼不觉，没想到被一位散步的过路人瞧见了，而那人正是此次考试的监考官。到了考试那天，那位朋友交卷时，监考官就把他的名字暗地记下；结果戚继光考取，他却落了榜。按理，他的文章比戚继光好，应该考取；可是那位监考官却说﹕「卖饭的一个铜钱他都想要，如果让他作了官，他还能不贪污吗？」由此看来，人怎能不诚乎其中，而慎乎其独呢？

　　In the Ming Dynasty, there was a great general named Jiguang Qi. Before he became an official, he went with a friend to the capital to take the civil examination. When they reached the capital they felt rather hungry, so they stopped by a roadside stand to get something to eat. After they had finished their meal, the food vendor accidentally dropped a coin on the ground. Qi” s friend quickly stepped on the coin and then picked it up when the vendor wasn”t looking. He thought no one, not even the ghosts, would know what he”d done, but actually his act had been observed by a passerby who happened to be the examination proctor. On the day of the examination, when Qi”s friend handed in his paper, the proctor silently noted his name. Later it turned out that Jiguang Qi passed the exam, while his friend did not. Actually, Qi” s friend should have passed, for his essay was better than Jiguang Qi”s. But the proctor had said, "He even wanted that food vendor”s one little coin. If we allow him to become an official, how could he not be corrupt”？" Hearing this story, how can we not maintain an inner attitude of sincerity and not be cautious whenever we are alone

《弟子规浅释 Standards for Students 第四章﹕谨 Chapter Four: LEARNING TO BE CAREFUL - 6》全文阅读结束。