樹 Trees

〖樹〗

我們可以從樹學習到佛法。一棵樹的誕生是有原因的，它順著自然界的原則成長，直到它成長、含苞、開花然後結果。當下樹正對我們演說著真理，可是我們卻不能了解。我們所見的都只是花和果實的呈現，卻不會將它帶入心中然後加以思惟。因此，我們並不知道樹在對我們說法。我們只會吃結出的果實，卻沒有思惟：甜、酸和咸，都只是果實的本質，這就是佛法。接下來，樹葉老了、萎了，從樹上謝落下來，我們見到的只是樹葉的散落；我們只會踩過它們、掃除它們，從不會徹底的觀照它們，所以都不知道自然正教導著我們。過些時候，新的葉芽又長出來了，我們也見著了，但並沒有進一步地思惟。這不是透過內在反觀所知的真理。

如果我們可以將它們引領到內心來觀照，我們會忽然了解，樹的誕生與我們自己誕生的道理其實沒有什麼差別。我們身體的出生與存在是依靠某些條件，它們是地、水、火、風。身體每一個部份都會依循它的本性而改變，這和樹沒有什麼差別——頭髮、指甲、牙齒和皮膚都在改變。如果我們了解事物的本然，那麼我們也將了解自己。

Trees

We can learn Dhamma from trees. A tree is born due to a cause and it, grows following the course of nature until it buds, flowers and bears fruit. Right here the tree is discoursing Dhamma to us, but we don’t understand this. We’re unable to bring it within and contemplate, so we don’t know that the tree is teaching us without investigating: sweet, sour or bitter, it’s the nature of the fruit. And this is Dhamma, the teaching of the fruit. Then the leaves grow old. They wither, die and fall from the tree. All we see is that the leaves have fallen down. We don’t know that nature is teaching us. Later on, the new leaves sprout, and we merely see that, without taking it further. This is not the truth that is known through internal reflection. If we can bring all this inward and investigate it, we will see that the birth of a tree and our own birth are no different. This body of ours is born and exists, dependent on conditions, on the elements of earth, water, wind and fire. Every part of the body changes according to its nature. It’s no different from the tree. Hair, nails, teeth and skin, all change. If we know the things of nature, then we will know ourselves.