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无明与智慧 Ignorance and Wisdom 1.通达业果 不造恶业 1.Understanding Karmic Retribution, Avoiding Evil Deeds 佛法告诉我们，一切痛苦的根源都来源于烦恼，来源于烦恼所造的种种的业，所以我们才会感到痛苦。烦恼的出现就表明我们缺乏智慧，没有智慧的力量，所以会推动自己的身语意去造作种种的恶业。学佛法就是要来破除无明，要解脱烦恼，这样才不会去造恶业。 The Buddha taught us that all suffering can be traced to the root cause of affliction, which in turn engenders various kinds of karma that cause pain. The arising of affliction reflects our lack of wisdom, without the power of which, we are driven to commit evil deeds of the body, speech, and mind. The study of the Dharma is to rid ourselves of ignorance and set ourselves free from afflictions. Only then can we avoid committing further evil deeds. 烦恼跟智慧是相对的，烦恼时肯定做错事、做坏事、造恶业；智慧时就不会做错事， 不会做坏事， 造的是善业，是清净的业。反过来说，我们的智慧增长一分， 烦恼就减轻一分， 智慧一分一分在增长，烦恼就一分一分在减弱。善跟恶， 烦恼跟智慧，常常是自己和自己作对，自己和自己交战。善良不仅是丑恶的反面， 善良的前提、佛法的前提也意味着、决定着恶的停止。也就是说， 你学了佛法，内心也有了佛法， 就不能去造恶业。如果说我们一边在念经、在念佛、在打坐， 一边又去造恶业，又去做很多的坏事， 就说明我们对佛法的观念了解不清楚， 还是糊里糊涂。所以， 我们先要止恶，然后才能行善，止恶和行善是一体的。 Affliction and wisdom are relative to each other. When afflictions arise, we are certain to make mistakes, do bad things, and thus create bad karma. On the contrary, when we are wise, we avoid making mistakes or committing bad deeds; instead, we commit acts of kindness and create good and pure karma. Another way to illustrate the point is that growth in wisdom leads to the retreat of affliction, inch by inch. The battle of good against evil, or of wisdom against affliction, is often fought within us. Good is not only the opposite of evil, but also the Buddhist premise for stopping evil. In other words, once we have started learning the Dharma and have embraced the Dharma, we cannot continue to commit evil deeds. If we recite the sutras, chant the Buddha’s name, and meditate on one hand, yet commit bad deeds on the other hand, then we have no clear understanding of the meaning of the Dharma. As such, we must stop committing bad deeds immediately and start doing good deeds going forward, as the two acts are closely tied. 很多情况下，我们一边做好事一边也做坏事，这就是对业果了解不清楚、不能通达的表现，不知道什么原因、什么行为会导致什么结果，更不知道这个结果有多重大、结果有多可怕。学佛法就是要帮助我们来建立正见，使我们的所作所为能够给自己和大家带来快乐的结果，带来好的结果。这就是业果的原理、缘起的原理，需要去学习。如果不去学习的话，我们不可能有那种力量，有那种方法，有那种解决问题的答案。 In many cases, we commit both good and bad deeds simultaneously because we do not fully understand karmic retribution and therefore do not understand the causes and consequences of our actions as well as the extensive and terrifying impact of these consequences. The study of the Dharma is to help us develop the right views so that our actions will bring satisfying and beneficial results to others. Such are the principle of karma and the principle of the dependent origination25, which we are required to study. Without learning these principles, we will never have the power and the means to discover the solutions to our problems. 2.上求佛道 下化众生 2. Striving towards Buddhahood to Transform Sentient Beings 我们怎么学呢？就要跟三宝学，跟善知识学。经典里面告诉我们“视师如佛”，就是看到出家的法师，看到能够给我们讲佛法的人，都要把他们当成佛一样。为什么这么说呢？因为佛告诉我们的是佛法，善知识告诉我们的也是佛法，都是一样的。 How should we learn such principles? We should learn from the Three Jewels and from wise teachers. The classic sutras told us that we shall “treat all teachers as Buddhas”; that is, we should respect Dharma masters and anyone who can expound the Dharma to us as Buddhas. Why is there such a saying? It is because the Dharma as told by the Buddha and by our wise teachers is the same. 我们怎么对众生呢？众生叫做“如母有情”。佛经里面讲“一切男子是我父，一切女子是我母”，看世间所有的众生都是自己的父母，看自己的老师犹如佛。这样的一个人，他的道德品质、思想境界是非常高尚的， 他能够把所有的人都当成自己的父母，把所有的老师都当成佛菩萨。这样，他肯定一方面会听话，会照着去做，照着善知识告诉他的佛法去实践；另一方面，对众生来讲，因为都是他的父母，他肯定会真心实意、不计代价、不计报酬，发自内心地去利益他们。用佛法另外一个名词来讲，就是“上求佛道，下化众生”。 How should we regard sentient beings? All sentient beings should be loved as if they are our mothers. The Buddhist sutras stated that, “All men have been my father, and all women have been my mother.” Therefore, we should regard all sentient beings as our parents, and regard all teachers as Buddhas. A person who is able to think this way must have high moral standards and noble ideals. Accordingly, on one hand, this person would certainly display a great deal of obedience and follow the advice of mentors in practicing the Dharma, and on the other hand, this person would regard all sentient beings as parents and treat them with sincerity, regardless of cost or profit to himself or herself, and serve them from the bottom of the heart. If I use a Buddhism term to describe such as a person, it would be that this person “looks up to the Buddha for the path of cultivation and helps transform all sentient beings below.” 我们为什么难以做到呢？我们对经典，对为我们讲佛法的法师不能生起恭敬心，不能生起虔诚的心，甚至不能相信，其原因就是我们内心里面有无明烦恼。我们对和我们相处的人 —— 父母、兄弟姐妹、朋友、同事，彼此不能互相包容，不能坦诚相待，不能以礼相待，不能和睦相处，其原因也是我们内在有问题。内在有问题，有烦恼、无明、所知障……知见有问题，总是害怕、担心我们自己不好的行为会被人家知道，会被人家批评，害怕自己眼前的利益会受损、会失去，等等。也就是说，会在一些鸡毛蒜皮、细枝末节的环节上用心，而不能从更大的利益、更长远的利益去考虑。 Why is it difficult for us to do the same? It is because we have not developed enough respect and devotion for the Buddhist scriptures and for the Dharma masters, and we may even doubt the masters’ explanations as we are burdened with ignorance and afflictions. Similarly, we are driven by our own inner problems that result in us being unable to treat our parents, siblings, friends, and colleagues with tolerance, honesty, and courtesy. These hidden problems include afflictions, ignorance, cognitive obstructions, and misperception, all of which result in us living with the fear of our past deeds coming to light, the fear of being criticized, the fear of personal interests being damaged or lost, etc. In other words, we drown in trivial matters and minutiae, and lose sight of far greater benefits and longer-term interests. 来源：学诚大和尚开示《感悟人生》 |
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