修持仁愛與慈悲

首先尊貴的法王傳授了觀音菩薩修行法門的口傳儀軌。觀音菩薩修行法門就是為了他人的福祉而修持仁愛與慈悲。

Firstly His Holiness gave the Chenrezig oral tranmission. The Chenrezig practice is related to love and compassion for the welfare of others.

對仁愛與慈悲的修持，主要與內心的精神態度有關。那些無益于他人的行為，並不是愛與慈悲的修持。

The practice of love and compassion is primarily related to the mental attitude that comes from one』s heart. To do things that have no benefit for others is not the practice of love and compassion.

對于一個初學者，一個像我們這樣的普通人，往往很難理解修持愛與慈悲的真諦。同時，要依賴其他人我們才能夠修持愛與慈悲，這是必經之路。

For beginners, ordinary people like us, it is difficult to understand the true practice of love and compassion. Also, it is compulsory that we depend on others in order to practice love and compassion.

假如我們道出的是充滿愛與慈悲的言語，我們就可以從這些言語中得到愛與慈悲的力量。

Therefore, if we recite words that are charged with love and compassion then we gain the power of love and compassion derived from these words.

根據人們的經驗，我們知道言語有一種力量，能夠給我們帶來強烈影響。例如一些批評性或是無禮的言語就會對我們產生沖擊，帶來精神上的困擾和負面的情緒。因此，言語是有力量的，假如我們深知那些正面言語的意義並使用它，這會是給我們帶來力量和美好體驗的特別之道。

From one』s own experience, we know that words have a power and an impact on us. For example, critical and offensive words have an impact on us. They create mental disturbance and negative emotions. Thus, words have power. If we recite positive words of power while thinking of their meaning this can empower us in a very special way and give us a good experience.

在這個世界上有很多種宗教，某一些宗教的神祉有著實體的形象，但總的來說所有的宗教在他們的教授里都會提到某類形式或外相。

In this world there are many religions. Some have a physical image of their god but in the totality of all religious teachings they all have some kind of shape or form.

學習佛法有三種方法——聞、思、修。為了學習佛法，我們可以投入全部的時間去學習所有的知識，但是挑選出什麼是最重要的，並通過這些要點淨化我們的生命，或許是一個更實際的方法，這一點很關鍵。

There are three methods for studying Buddhism – listening, contemplating and meditating on the teachings. We could devote all our time to learn all that there is to learn about Buddhism but it might be more practical to pick what』s important and let this clarify one』s life. This is very important.

通常，每一個個體都是獨特的，有著獨特的需求，與其他任何人都不一樣。當今的世界需要創造一個正面的、平和的、非暴力的社會，這樣才能夠利益有情，我們需要依靠各種方法來實現這個理想。

In general, every individual is unique with unique needs, which are different for everyone. These days the world needs to create a society that is positive, peaceful, non-violent and that benefits others. We need to rely on many methods to achieve this.

從佛教徒的觀點來看，我們需要發展一顆願意利他的心，而且有很多方法能夠幫助生起此願心。在各種指引和方法中，觀音菩薩修行法門中大悲心的修持，所帶來的加持力就是其中之一，就像今天各位所領受到的。

From the Buddhist point of view, we need to develop a mind which wishes to benefit others and there are many methods to do this. Among these instructions and methods is the blessing of the great compassion practice of Chenrezig – like the one you received today.

我所說的並不是新的內容，對于那些經常來這里的人也許已經了解，但對于第一次來的人，我要說若能夠發展出仁愛慈悲的殊勝思想，那將是很好的。

What I』ve said is not new, as those who regularly come know, but for those who have come for the first, it is good to develop the special thoughts of love and compassion.

為了生起菩提心以利他，我們必須跟循七個步驟。第一步是要認知到我們母親的極大慈愛所具有的功德。在我自己的生命里，我很明白對我的母親應該抱有的正確態度。不過當母親和子女之間的關系出現問題，那些人們也許就不能夠了解我的意思。

In order to develop Bodhichitta for the benefit of others then we must progress through seven steps. The first of these is to recognize the quality of our mother』s great kindness. In my own life, I understand having this proper attitude towards my own mother. When the relationship between the mother and child is troublesome then these people may not understand what I mean.

所謂“所有眾生都是母親”的概念是什麼呢？那就是當眾生擁有一種慈悲的感覺，那是母親才會有的情感。每一個眾生都曾經在此時或彼時做過我們的母親，當然他們也同樣曾經做過我們的父親，所以每一個人都曾經影響過你以及每一個人。一個人要了解和接受這樣的信念，他需要相信在此生之前，曾經有過很多過去生。我們之所以能夠獲得此生以及過去的每一生，都是因為有父親和母親的緣故。然而即使是看上去一模一樣的雙胞胎，他們也會有著不一樣的思維構成。

What is the correct concept of knowing all as being one』s mother? It is when all sentient beings have the feeling of compassion which is like that of a mothers. Every sentient being has been our mother at some time or another. They also must have been our fathers too and so everyone has affected you and everyone else too. To know and accept this belief one needs to believe in having had lives which have preceded this present life. We have gained entry into this and each and every other life, via the vehicle of having had a mother and a father. Yet even identical twins who look exactly alike have different intellectual make-ups.

曾經有過一些的真實例子，人們可以像看到照片一樣地認出他們的前世，或是可以想起曾經在母親的子宮中的情形，所以我們對于前世的存在不用感到懷疑。

There are instances of people who recognize their past lives like a photocopy or remember being in their mother』s womb. So we shouldn』t doubt about the existence of former lives.

總的來說，去記住我們的前生或者回憶起每一生是很難的，因為輪迴是無始的，只要去思維每一個眾生都曾經做過他人的母親就行了。

In general, it is difficult to remember our former lives or to recall each one because they are beginningless. Think about each individual being taking their turns in being the mother to one another!

如果你只看當前的情形，很明顯不是每一個眾生都是我們目前的父母，只有兩個人是我們的父母。但是，對于父母的分類有很多種。例如，我們的父母給了我們一個身體，所以就有了生父母，接著我們會有指引的父母——例如我們的上師。

If you look at your present day situation then it』s obvious that not every sentient beings is our present day mother and father. We only have two, but there are various ways to classify parents. For example, there are our parents who gave us our bodies, then there are the parents who provide for us and then there are the parents who guide us – such as our teachers.

因此，由于相互的依賴，這個世界上的每一個眾生都曾經身為我們的父母。我們依賴每一個人，需要和所有人合作，這是一個非常宏觀又相關的觀念。

Therefore, due to interdependence, all beings in this world have been and are our parents. We depend on everyone in totality and need the cooperation of all. This view is very big and inter- connected.

既然曾大大受益于眾多相識或不相識的眾生，我們應該在他們的利益和仁慈中得到啟發。而對于我們的父母，光是受其啟發是不足夠的，這就意味著我們不但要認取是他們把我們帶到這個世上的事實，我們還必須感恩于他們在撫養我們的過程中所付出的努力。現在的小孩子們對這一點認識得並不足夠。

Since we derive a lot of benefit from so many known and unknown individuals in this world, we should be aware of their benefit and kindness. This includes our own parents but this is not enough. We must also be grateful for their efforts in bringing us up. This doesn』t mean just recognizing the fact that we are here because of them. These days children don』t recognize this enough.

為了加強對父母應有的感恩之情，有很多不同的辦法。例如，我們應該照顧好我們珍貴的人身，因為那是父母送給我們的無價之寶，這是我們對父母之愛作出的承諾。他們希望我們能夠快樂，因此父母是我們的第一個、也是最好的朋友。有時候父母因為養育了太多的小孩而發現很難付起這樣的責任，當代的很多父母都會走家庭計劃的捷徑。當我們被帶到這個世上，如果父母只是丟下我們獨自一人，我們可能根本不能生存，我們的父母一次又一次的為我們而犧牲，所以我們應該深愛我們的父母。

There are different ways of highlighting the gratitude we should have towards our parents. For example, we should take care of our precious body which is the priceless gift for our parents. It is pledged to us out of their love. They want you to be happy. Our parents, thus, are our first and best friends. Sometimes parents have too many children and find it difficult to meet this responsibility. These days many parents use the short cut of family planning. Having been brought into this world, if they just left us on our own then we might not survive. Our parents have died for us over and over again. So we should love our parents.

讓我們稍微轉換一下話題，如果我們真的是在討論如何利益他人，那麼為什麼我們會經常受到他人的傷害和困擾呢？我們應該憎恨那些傷害我們的人嗎？如果我們需要依賴他們而得到利益，就像他們也依賴我們一樣，當我們受到傷害時，是否應該希望反過來傷害他們呢？什麼樣的態度能帶來最大的利益？是憤恨還是仁愛？如果我們愛他人，其結果就是我們將會快樂。所以發展對他人的愛與慈悲才是更好的選擇。

Just changing the subject slightly, if we are really talking about benefiting others then how is it that we often receive harmful and disturbing causes from others? Should we hate those who harm us? If we all depend on others for our benefit, just as they depend on us- if we receive harm from them, should we wish to harm them in return? Which attitude benefits most anger or loving-kindness? If we love others, then the consequence is that we will be happy. So it is better to develop love and compassion for others.

我們現在說的是我們所有父母仁愛的總集，以及如何自覺地生起這樣的思想。雖然有時候，父母對子女不是十分的好，或者子女對父母不是十分好，這給父母或子女帶來了各種問題。隨後，父母們發現很難再去愛他們的子女。如果這樣的情形一代一代地繼續下去，那麼很可能，愛將會在即將到來的世代里消耗殆盡。愛是需要彼此交互作用的。

We are talking about the collective kindness of all our parents and consciously creating this thought. Sometimes however, parents are not very kind to their children nor children very kind to their parents. This causes all kinds of trouble for the parents and/or the children. Subsequently, the parents find it difficult to love their children . If this continues from generation to generation then it may come that love is almost extinct in coming generations. Love needs to be reciprocal.