問33：尊者，年紀大小會造成修行上的差別嗎？

Q33: Venerable Sir, does age make a difference in one』s practice?

Yes, there is some differences between the old and the young. In order to reach to a certain level of insight knowledge, one man, for example, at the age of twenty or thirty, may take about a month, and another in his sixties or seventies has to take two or three months. It is because the young are physically healthier, mentally active, and less worried than the old. Of course, the older they get, the sicklier they become. The old have weaker memory and understanding, and stronger commitments and worries. As for a monk, it would be great if he would practice soon after his ordination. Because as a newly ordained monk, he is still young and has strong faith in the practice, and his moral conduct is also still flawless. So, in my opinion, however important his study is, a monk should practice soon after his ordination, for three months at least. There were some monks who unfortunately passed away before they could practice. What a pity!—

是，老年人和年輕人有些差別。例如，為了達到某一階觀智，一個二、三十歲的人可能需一個月，而另一個六、七十歲的人可能需要兩、三個月。因為年輕人和老人比，身體更健康、內心更有活力、更少擔憂。顯然，人越老病越多。老人記憶力和理解力都較差些，有更多的擔當和擔憂。對一個出家人來說，出家後立即禪修最好。新受戒的出家人，仍然年輕且對修行有強力的信心，他的戒行也完好無缺。所以，我的意見是，學習不管多麼重要，一個出家人受戒後應該儘快禪修，至少修三個月。有些出家人沒能禪修就不幸去世，多麼可悲！––

開佛知見，示佛知見，使悟佛知見，入佛知見也。