為何我們生于此？Why Are We Here?

Why Are We Here?

為何我們生于此？

by Ajahn Chah

阿姜 查 禪師

　　這次雨安居我不太有力，身體欠安，所以來山上呼吸點新鮮空氣。人們來拜防，我也無法如往常般接待他們，因聲音沙啞，氣息奄奄。大家現在還能看見這身體坐在這里，也算是種福份，很快就會看不見了。氣將盡，聲將息，它們會如其他所有因緣和合的事物般，隨著其他支撐的元素一起消逝，佛陀稱此為「滅盡衰滅」(khaya vayam)。

This Rains Retreat I don’t have much strength, I’m not well, so I’ve come up to this mountain here to get some fresh air. People come to visit but I can’t really receive them like I used to because my voice is just about had it, my breath is just about gone. You can count it a blessing that there is still this body sitting here for you all to see now. This is a blessing in itself. Soon you won’t see it. The breath will be finished, the voice will be gone. They will fare in accordance with supporting factors, like all compounded things. The Lord Buddha called it khaya vayam, the decline and dissolution of all conditioned phenomena.

　　(根本沒有任何人只有地、水、火、風) 　　它們如何壞滅?想像一塊冰，它原來只是水，將它冷凍後就變成冰，但不久就融化了。取一大塊冰放在太陽下，可以看見它如何消解，身體也差不多是如此。它會逐漸瓦解，不久就只剩下一灘水，這就稱為「滅盡衰滅」。自古以來，它一直如此，當我們出生時，就帶著這壞滅的本質來到世間，無從迴避，從一出生，老、病、死就和我們結伴而來。

How do they decline? Consider a lump of ice. Originally it was simply water…they freeze it and it becomes ice. But it doesn’t take long before it’s melted. Take a big lump of ice, say as big as this tape recorder here, and leave it out in the sun. You can see how it declines, much the same as the body. It will gradually disintegrate. In not many hours or minutes all that’s left is a puddle of water. This is called khaya vayam, the decline and dissolution of all compounded things. It’s been this way for a long time now, ever since the beginning of time. When we are born we bring this inherent nature into the world with us, we can’t avoid it. At birth we bring old age, sickness and death along with us.

　　所以，佛陀要說「滅盡衰滅」。現在，所有坐在講堂里的人，無論比丘、沙彌或在家男女，無一例外，都是一堆會壞滅元素的組合。現在這堆東西就如冰塊一樣堅固，冰塊從水開始，暫時變成冰，然後融化。你們能看見自己身體的這個敗壞過程嗎?看看這身體每天都在老化——頭髪在變老，指甲在變老，每樣東西都在變老。

So this is why the Buddha said khaya vayam, the decline and dissolution of all compounded things. All of us sitting here in this hall now, monks, novices, laymen and laywomen, are without exception “lumps of deterioration.” Right now the lump is hard, just like the lump of ice. It starts out as water, becomes ice for a while and then melts again. Can you see this decline in yourself? Look at this body. It’s aging every day … hair is aging, nails are aging…everything is aging!

　　你們不會一直都像這樣，會嗎?過去的你們要比現在小很多，現在長大與成熟了。從現在起，你們將隨順自然的方式，慢慢衰老。身體就如冰塊一樣衰壞，很快就消失了。 　　一切的身體都是由地、水、火、風四大元素所組成，匪聚後稱之為「人」。我們受它迷惑，說它是男人或女人，為它命名而稱某某先生、女士等，如此一來，更容易相互辨認。但事實上，其中沒有任何「人」，只有地、水、火、風。當它們聚合成形時，我們稱這結果為「人」，但切莫高興得太早，若真的深入觀察它，其中根本沒有任何「人」。

You weren’t like this before, were you? You were probably much smaller than this. Now you’ve grown up and matured. From now on you will decline, following the way of nature. The body declines just like the lump of ice. Soon, just like the lump of ice, it’s all gone. All bodies are composed of the four elements of earth, water, wind and fire. A body is the confluence of earth, water, wind, and fire, which we proceed to call a person. Originally it’s hard to say what you could call it, but now we call it a “person.” We get infatuated with it, saying it’s a male, a female, giving it names, Mr., Mrs., and so on, so that we can identify each other more easily. But actually there isn’t anybody there. There’s earth, water, wind and fire. When they come together in this known form we call the result a “person.” Now don’t get excited over it. If you really look into it there isn’t anyone there.

　　身體堅硬的部分——肉、皮膚、骨頭等，稱為「地界」；身體液體的部分則是「水界」；身體溫暖的機能是「火界」；在身體里流動的氣體則是「風界」。

That which is solid in the body, the flesh, skin, bones and so on, are called the earth element. Those aspects of the body which are liquid are the water element. The faculty of warmth in the body is the fire element, while the winds coursing through the body are the wind element.

　　在巴蓬寺有具看來既非男也非女的身體，它是具骷髏，掛在大會堂中。看著它，你不會有男人或女人的感覺。人們彼此詢問那是男人或女人，而所能做的只是茫然地面面相覷。它只足具骷髏，所有的皮、肉都消失了。

At Wat Ba Pong we have a body which is neither male or female. It’s the skeleton hanging in the main hall. Looking at it you don’t get the feeling that it’s a man or a woman. People ask each other whether it’s a man or a woman and all they can do is look blankly at each other. It’s only a skeleton, all the skin and flesh are gone.

　　(人們從不曾真正看過自己) 　　人們對這些事都很無知。有些人來到巴蓬寺，走進大會堂，看見骷髏立刻奪門而出!他們不忍卒睹，害怕骷髏。我想這些人以前一定未看過自己，他們應該反省骷髏的珍貴價值。要到寺院來必須乘車或走路，若沒有骨頭，怎麼辦得到?他們能走路嗎?但坐車來到巴蓬寺，走進大會堂，看見骷髏卻奪門而出!他們從未看過這東西，其實他們生來就有一副，卻從未看過它。

People are ignorant of these things. Some go to Wat Ba Pong, into the main hall, see the skeletons…and then come running right out again! They can’t bear to look. They’re afraid, afraid of the skeletons. I figure these people have never seen themselves before. Afraid of the skeletons… they don’t reflect on the great value of a skeleton. To get to the monastery they had to ride in a car or walk… if they didn’t have bones how would they be? Would they be able to walk about like that? But they ride their cars to Wat Ba Pong, go into the main hall, see the skeletons and run straight back out again! They’ve never seen such a thing before. They’re born with it and yet they’ve never seen it.

　　現在有機會看見，真的非常幸運。即使老人看見也會受到驚嚇，這究竟是怎麼一回事?這表示他們對自己完全陌生，不曾真的認識自己，也許回家後會失眠三、四天……不過，他們仍和一副骷髏睡在一起!無倫穿衣、吃飯或做任何事都在一起，但他們卻害怕它。

It’s very fortunate that they have a chance to see it now. Even older people see the skeletons and get scared… What’s all the fuss about? This shows that they’re not at all in touch with themselves, they don’t really know themselves. Maybe they go home and still can’t sleep for three or four days… and yet they’re sleeping with a skeleton! They get dressed with it, eat food with it, do everything with it… and yet they’re scared of it.

　　人們如此疏于接觸自己，真是可憐!他們總是向外看，看樹、看人、看外界事物，說：「這個是大的」、「那個是小的」、「這是短的」、「那是長的」。他們如此急于看其他東西，但從不曾看過自己。老實說，人們真的很可憐，他們沒有皈依處。

This shows how out of touch people are with themselves. How pitiful! They’re always looking outwards, at trees, at other people, at external objects, saying “this one is big,” “that’s small,” “that’s short,” “that’s long.” They’re so busy looking at other things they never see themselves. To be honest, people are really pitiful. They have no refuge.

　　在受戒儀式中，戒子必須學習五項基本的禪修主題：頭髮、體毛、指甲、牙齒、皮膚。①有些學生和受過教育者在儀式中聽到這部分時會暗自竊笑：「到底阿姜想教我們什麼呢?竟然教導一生下就有的頭髮，他無須教這些，他們早就知道了。為何要教導我們早已知道的事呢?」

In the ordination ceremonies the ordinees must learn the five basic meditation themes: kesa, head hair; loma, body hair; nakha, nails; danta, teeth; taco, skin. Some of the students and educated people snigger to themselves when they hear this part of the ordination ceremony…“What’s the Ajahn trying to teach us here? Teaching us about hair when we’ve had it for ages. He doesn’t have to teach us about this, we know it already. Why bother teaching us something we already know?”

　　愚人就是如此，自以為早就看過頭髮了。我告訴他們，當我說「看頭髮」時，意思是如實地看見它，如實地看見體毛、指甲、牙齒與皮膚。

Dim people are like this, they think they can see the hair already. I tell them that when I say to “see the hair” I mean to see it as it really is. See body hair as it really is, see nails, teeth and skin as they really are.

　　這才是我所謂的「看」——不是表面上的看，而是如實地看。若能看見它們的實相，就不會迷失于事物之中。頭髮、指甲、牙齒、皮膚的實相是什麼?它們漂亮嗎?乾淨嗎?有任何真實的實體嗎?是穩固的嗎?不!它們什麼都不是。它們既不漂亮，也無實體，但我們想像它們有。

That’s what I call “seeing” – not seeing in a superficial way, but seeing in accordance with the truth. We wouldn’t be so sunk up to the ears in things if we could see things as they really are. Hair, nails, teeth, skin … what are they really like? Are they pretty? Are they clean? Do they have any real substance? Are they stable? No… there’s nothing to them. They’re not pretty but we imagine them to be so. They’re not substantial but we imagine them to be so.

　　(身體就是禪修的主題) 　　人們確實迷戀頭髮、指甲、牙齒、皮膚這些東西，佛陀以身體的這些部分作為禪修的主題，教導我們要覺知它們。

Hair, nails, teeth, skin… people are really hooked on these things. The Buddha established these things as the basic themes for meditation, he taught us to know these things.

　　身體是短暫、不圓滿與無主的，既非「我」，也非「我的」。我們一生下來就被騙了，它們其實是污穢的。假設一星期不洗澡，還會有人敢靠近我們嗎?我們聞起來臭死了!當許多人一起辛勤工作，都汗如雨下時，那味道是很可怕的。回家用香皂和清水刷洗身體後，香皂的香氣取代了它，味道就比較好聞了。擦香皂似乎會讓身體變香，但事實上，它的臭味仍然存在，只是暫時被壓抑住而已。當香皂味消失後，身體的味道就回來了。

They are Transient, Imperfect and Ownerless; they are not “me” or “them.” We are born with and deluded by these things, but really they are foul. Suppose we didn’t bathe for a week, could we bear to be close to each other? We’d really smell bad. When people sweat a lot, such as when a lot of people are working hard together, the smell is awful. We go back home and rub ourselves down with soap and water and the smell abates somewhat, the fragrance of the soap replaces it. Rubbing soap on the body may make it seem fragrant, but actually the bad smell of the body is still there, temporarily suppressed. When the smell of the soap is gone the smell of the body comes back again.

　　(真正皈依處即在自己的心) 　　現在，我們普遍認為身體是漂亮、可愛、長壽而強壯，且永不衰老、生病或死亡。我們受到身體的迷惑，因此忽略真實的皈依處——心，就在自己身體里面。 　　我們現在坐在這講堂里，或許很大，但不可能是真實的皈依處。我們可能認為講堂是我們的，但它不是，鴿子、壁虎和蜥蜴也在此尋求庇護，我們和其他生物一起住在這里，這只是個暫時的棲身之所，我們遲早得離開它。人們將這些棲身之所，誤認為真實的皈依處。

Now we tend to think these bodies are pretty, delightful, long lasting and strong. We tend to think that we will never age, get sick or die. We are charmed and fooled by the body, and so we are ignorant of the true refuge within ourselves. The true place of refuge is the mind. The mind is our true refuge. This hall here may be pretty big but it can’t be a true refuge. Pigeons take shelter here, geckos take shelter here, lizards take shelter here…We may think the hall belongs to us but it doesn’t. We live here together with everything else. This is only a temporary shelter, soon we must leave it. People take these shelters for refuge.

　　因此，佛陀說尋找你的皈依處，意思是尋找你的真心。這顆心非常重要，人們通常都不注意重要的事物，反而花時間在不重要的事物上。例如當整理家務時，他們會彎下身來擦地板、清洗碗盤等，但從不曾注意過自己的心。這顆心可能發臭了，他們可能很生氣，板著一張臭臉在洗盤子。他們未看到自己的心不太乾淨，這就是我所說的「把暫時的棲身之所當成皈依處」。他們美化房子和住家，但從未想到要美化自己的心；他們沒有檢視痛苦。

So the Buddha said to find your refuge. That means to find your real heart. This heart is very important. People don’t usually look at important things, they spend most of their time looking at unimportant things. For example, when they do the house cleaning they may be bent on cleaning up the house, washing the dishes and so on, but they fail to notice their own hearts. Their heart may be rotten, they may be feeling angry, washing the dishes with a sour expression on their face. That their own hearts are not very clean they fail to see. This is what I call “taking a temporary shelter for a refuge.” They beautify house and home but they don’t think of beautifying their own hearts. They don’t examine suffering. The heart is the important thing.

　　佛陀教導我們，在自己的內心尋找皈依處——「當自皈依」。還有誰能成為你的皈依處呢?你可能想依賴其他的事物，但它們是不可靠的；只有當你真正在心里找到皈依時，才能真正依賴其他的事物。

The Buddha taught to find a refuge within your own heart: Attahi attano natho – “Make yourself a refuge unto yourself.” Who else can be your refuge? The true refuge is the heart, nothing else. You may try to depend on other things but they aren’t a sure thing. You can only really depend on other things if you already have a refuge within yourself. You must have your own refuge first before you can depend on anything else, be it a teacher, family, friends or relatives.

　　(我是誰？我為何出生？) 　　因此，你們所有的人，無論在家與出家，今天來到這里，請仔細思考這個教導。反問自己：「我是誰?我為何在這里?我為何出生?」有些人並不知道。他們想要快樂，但痛苦卻從不曾停止，無論貧富、老少都同樣痛苦。一切都是苦。為什麼?因為他們沒有智慧，窮人因貧困而不快樂，富人則因擁有太多而不快樂。

So all of you, both laypeople and homeless ones who have come to visit today, please consider this teaching. Ask yourselves, “Who am I? Why am I here?” Ask yourselves, “Why was I born?” Some people don’t know. They want to be happy but the suffering never stops. Rich or poor, young or old, they suffer just the same. It’s all suffering. And why? Because they have no wisdom. The poor are unhappy because they don’t have enough, and the rich are unhappy because they have too much to look after.

　　當我還是個年輕沙彌時，曾說過一個譬喻，是關于擁有財富與僕人的快樂——男僕與女僕各一百名，大象、乳牛與水牛各一百頭，任何東西都是一百件。這在家人真的非常享受這一切，但你能想像照顧各一百頭水牛、乳牛與各一百個男、女僕人的情形嗎?你能想像必須照顧這一切嗎?

In the past, as a young novice, I gave a Dhamma discourse. I talked about the happiness of wealth and possessions, having servants and so on… A hundred male servants, a hundred female servants, a hundred elephants, a hundred cows, a hundred buffaloes…a hundred of everything! The laypeople really lapped it up. But can you imagine looking after a hundred buffaloes? Or a hundred cows, a hundred male and female servants…can you imagine having to look after all of that? Would that be fun?

　　人們未考慮到事情的這一面，他們只想擁有上百的乳牛、水牛、僕人……。但我說五十頭水牛可能就太多了，光為那些畜生綁上繩子就不得了了!但人們從未想到這點，只想到獲得的快樂，而未想到涉入其中的麻煩。

People don’t consider this side of things. They have the desire to possess…to have the cows, the buffaloes, the servants… hundreds of them. But I say fifty buffaloes would be too much. Just twining the rope for all those brutes would be too much already! But people don’t consider this, they only think of the pleasure of acquiring. They don’t consider the trouble involved.

　　(想要是苦想不要也是苦) 　　若沒有智慧，身邊的每樣事物都會成為痛苦的根源；若有智慧，這些事物則會帶領我們脫離痛苦。眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意……你知道，眼睛不一定是好東西，當心情不好時，只是看到別人就能讓你生氣和失眠。你也可能在談戀愛，若得不到想要的，愛情也是一種苦。因為貪欲，所以愛與恨都是痛苦。

If we don’t have wisdom everything round us will be a source of suffering. If we are wise these things will lead us out of suffering. Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind…Eyes aren’t necessarily good things, you know. If you are in a bad mood just seeing other people can make you angry and make you lose sleep. Or you can fall in love with others. Love is suffering, too, if you don’t get what you want. Love and hate are both suffering, because of desire.

　　想要是苦，想不要也是苦，想要的東西即使得到後，仍然是苦，因為會害怕失去。一切是苦，你應如何和它相處呢?你可能有棟大豪宅，但若心不好，它就永遠無法如你所願。

Wanting is suffering, wanting not to have is suffering. Wanting to acquire things… even if you get them it’s still suffering because you’re afraid you’ll lose them. There’s only suffering. How are you going to live with that? You may have a large, luxurious house, but if your heart isn’t good it never really works out as you expected.

　　你應看看自己。我們為何出生?這一生真的有得到什麼東西嗎?人們在鄉下從小就開始種田，當長到十七、八歲時，便匆匆忙忙地結婚，唯恐沒有足夠的時間賺錢。他們從年輕時就開始工作，以為會變得有錢，直到七十、八十甚至九十歲都還在種田。我問他們：「你從出生就一直工作到現在，如今差不多要走了，你能帶走什麼呢?」除了「我不知道」之外，他們不曉得還能說些什麼。

Therefore, you should all take a look at yourselves. Why were we born? Do we ever really attain anything in this life? In the countryside here people start planting rice right from childhood. When they reach seventeen or eighteen they rush off and get married, afraid they won’t have enough time to make their fortunes. They start working from an early age thinking they’ll get rich that way. They plant rice until they’re seventy or eighty or even ninety years old. I ask them. “From the day you were born you’ve been working. Now it’s almost time to go, what are you going to take with you?” They don’t know what to say.

　　關于這部分，我們有則諺語：「別沿途停下來采草莓，在你曉得以前，暮色早已降臨。」他們進退兩難，只能以一句「我不知道」來搪塞，坐在草莓園中狼吞虎嚥：「我不知道，我不知道……」

All they can say is, “Beats me!” We have a saying in these parts, “Don’t tarry picking berries along the way … before you know it, night falls.” Just because of this “Beats me!” They’re neither here nor there, content with just a “beats me”… sitting among the branches of the berry tree, gorging themselves with berries… “Beats me, beats me…”

　　(看不見未來的痛苦以為永遠不會發生) 　　當年輕時你認為單身不太好，覺得有點寂寞，所以去找個伴陪你一起生活。兩個人在一起後又有摩擦!單身太寂寥，和別人一起生活又有摩擦。

When you’re still young you think that being single is not so good, you feel a bit lonely. So you find a partner to live with. Put two together and there’s friction! Living alone is too quiet, but living with others there’s friction.

　　當孩子年幼時，父母親心想：「等他們長大後，我們的日子就會好過一點。」他們養育三個、四個或五個小孩，認為孩子長大後，負擔將會減輕。但當孩子長大後，負擔卻變得更重。就如有一大一小兩塊木頭，你丟掉小的拿起大的，認為會輕一點，但當然不是如此。當孩子年幼時，他們不太會煩你，頂多一團飯或一根香蕉就好了。當他們長大時，想要一輛摩托車或汽車!好了，你愛小孩，無法拒絕他們，所以設法滿足他們。

When children are small the parents think, “When they get bigger we’ll be better off.” They raise their children, three, four, or five of them, thinking that when the children are grown up their burden will be lighter. But when the children grow up they get even heavier. Like two pieces of wood, one big and one small. You throw away the small one and take the bigger one, thinking it will be lighter, but of course it’s not. When children are small they don’t bother you very much, just a ball of rice and a banana now and then. When they grow up they want a motorcycle or a car! Well, you love your children, you can’t refuse. So you try to give them what they want.

　　問題來了，有時父母親會為此而爭吵：「不要給他買車，我們沒有那麼多錢!」但由于你愛小孩，所以便想辦法借錢，也許還得省吃儉用，才能為孩子買東西呢!接著又有教育的問題：「等他們完成學業後，一切就沒問題了。」但學無止境，他們何時才會結束?只有佛學才有完成之時，其他的學科都只是繞著圈圈打轉，到頭來可真令人頭痛。若家里有四、五個小孩，父母親會天天吵個不停。

Problems…Sometimes the parents get into arguments over it…“Don’t go and buy him a car, we haven’t got enough money!” But when you love your children you’ve got to borrow the money from somewhere. Maybe the parents even have to go without to get the things their children want. Then there’s education. “When they’ve finished their studies, we’ll be right.” There’s no end to the studying! What are they going to finish? Only in the science of Buddhism is there a point of completion, all the other sciences just go round in circles. In the end it’s real headache. If there’s a house with four or five children in it the parents argue every day.

　　我們看不見未來等在前面的痛苦，以為它永遠不會發生，當發生時，我們才看見它。那種身體與生俱來的痛苦，是很難預見的。

The suffering that is waiting in the future we fail to see, we think it will never happen. When it happens, then we know. that kind of suffering, the suffering inherent in our bodies, is hard to foresee.

　　我童年在牧牛時，會拿木炭擦牙齒，以使它們潔白，回家看鏡子，它們是如此美好又潔白，我被自己的骨頭給愚弄了。當我五、六十歲時，牙齒開始松動，掉落時非常疼痛，尤其當吃飯時真的很痛，嘴巴好像被踢到一樣，只得去找牙醫通通拔掉。現在我使用假牙，真牙帶給我許多麻煩，我不得不把它們全部拔掉，一次十六顆。牙醫不願一次拔十六顆牙，但我對他說：「請把它們全部拔掉，一切後果我自行負責。」所以他一次就全部拔掉。但那真的是很魯莽，拔掉牙齒後，我有兩、三天完全無法進食。

When I was a child minding the buffaloes I’d take charcoal and rub it on my teeth to make them white. I’d go back home and look in the mirror and see them so nice and white…I was getting fooled by my own bones, that’s all. When I reached fifty or sixty my teeth started to get loose. When the teeth start falling out it hurts so much, when you eat it feels as if you’ve been kicked in the mouth. It really hurts. I’ve been through this one already. So I just got the dentist to take them all out. Now I’ve got false teeth. My real teeth were giving me so much trouble I just had them all taken out, sixteen in one go. The dentist was reluctant to take out sixteen teeth at once, but I said to him, “Just take them out, I’ll take the consequences.” So he took them all out at once. Some were still good, too, at least five of them. Took them all out. But it was really touch and go. After having them out I couldn’t eat any food for two or three days.

　　(身體並不值得信賴) 　　小時候牧牛時，我認為磨亮牙齒是件很棒的事。我喜歡我的牙齒，認為它們很好。但最後它們還是得離開，那疼痛幾乎要了我的命。經年累月都被牙痛折磨，有時上、下牙齦還會同時腫起來呢!

Before, as a young child minding the buffaloes, I used to think that polishing the teeth was a great thing to do. I loved my teeth, I thought they were good things. But in the end they had to go. The pain almost killed me. I suffered from toothache for months, years. Sometimes both my gums were swollen at once.

　　你們將來可能有機會親身經驗這件事，若你的牙齒還不錯，每天刷牙以保持光亮、潔白，小心!它們日後可能會開你一個大玩笑。

Some of you may get a chance to experience this for yourselves someday. If your teeth are still good and you’re brushing them everyday to keep them nice and white…watch out! They may start playing tricks with you later on.

　　現在，我只是讓你們知道這些事，關于這痛苦是從我們的身體里生起的，身體里並無任何東西值得信賴。當年輕時它還不錯，但年老時它就會開始不靈光，每樣東西都開始搖搖欲墜。一切因緣皆隨順自然法則而行，無論我們哭或笑、處于痛苦或險阻中、生或死，對它們而言都沒有差別，沒有任何知識或科學可改變這自然法則。你也許可找個牙醫看牙，但即使他能醫治，它們終究會走上自然的道路。最後，連牙醫也會有相同的困擾，一切事物終歸毀壞。

Now I’m just letting you know about these things…the suffering that arises from within, that arises within our own bodies. There’s nothing within the body you can depend on. It’s not too bad when you’re still young, but as you get older things begin to break down. Everything begins to fall apart. Conditions go their natural way. Whether we laugh or cry over them they just go on their way. It makes no difference how we live or die, makes no difference to them. And there’s no knowledge or science which can prevent this natural course of things. You may get a dentist to look at your teeth, but even if he can fix them they still eventually go their natural way. Eventually even the dentist has the same trouble. Everything falls apart in the end.

　　(趁年輕有力時修行莫等待年老) 　　趁著還有些活力，我們應該深思這些事，應趁年輕時修行。若你想作功德，趕緊起身力行，莫留待老年。大多數人想等年老時才上寺院修行，不論男女都說同樣的話：「我想等年老時再說。」我不知他們為何那麼說，一個老人還能有多少活力?讓他們和年輕人賽跑，看看有何差別。留待老年才修行，猶如他們永遠不會死一樣。當他們到五、六十歲時，「嗨，婆婆!讓我們去寺院吧!」「親愛的，你去吧!我的耳朵已經不靈光了。」

These are things which we should contemplate while we still have some vigor, we should practice while we’re young. If you want to make merit then hurry up and do so, don’t just leave it up to the oldies. Most people just wait until they get old before they will go to a monastery and try to practice Dhamma. Women and men say the same thing…“Wait till I get old first.” I don’t know why they say that, does an old person have much vigor? Let them try racing with a young person and see what the difference is. Why do they leave it till they get old? Just like they’re never going to die. When they get to fifty or sixty years old or more…“Hey, Grandma! Let’s go to the monastery!” “You go ahead, my ears aren’t so good any more.”

　　你們了解我的意思嗎?當她的耳朵還好時，她聽些什麼呢?「我不知道!」只管采草莓，最後耳朵不靈了才去寺院。那是沒有希望的，她在聽開示，但對內容卻毫無頭緒。人們一直等到無能為力時，才想到要修行佛法。

You see what I mean? When her ears were good what was she listening to? “Beats me!” … just dallying with the berries. Finally when her ears are gone she goes to the temple. It’s hopeless. She listens to the sermon but she hasn’t got a clue what they’re saying. People wait till they’re all used up before they’ll think of practicing the Dhamma.

　　這些事是你們應該去觀察的，它們是我們的繼承物，會變得愈來愈沈重，成為每個人的負擔。過去我的腳強壯耐跑，現在只是走路就很吃力：以前腳帶著我，現在我得帶著它們。小時候我看到老人從座位上站起來時會發出呻吟，即使到了這地步，他們仍未學到教訓。坐下時，他們「哎喲!」站起來，他們也「哎喲!」一直都這樣「哎喲!」但他們不知是什麼讓自己如此呻吟。

Today’s talk may be useful for those of you who can understand it. These are things which you should begin to observe, they are our inheritance. They will gradually get heavier and heavier, a burden for each of us to bear. In the past my legs were strong, I could run. Now just walking around they feel heavy. Before, my legs carried me. Now, I have to carry them. When I was a child I’d see old people getting up from their seat…“Oh!” Getting up they groan, “Oh!” There’s always this “Oh!” But they don’t know what it is that makes them groan like that.

　　即使到了這時候，人們仍不了解身體的禍害，永遠不知何時會和它分離。這樣的痛苦，純粹是因緣隨順自然法則所造成，人們稱它為關節炎、風濕病、痛風等，醫師開藥方，但永遠無法完全治瘛。最後它還是會毀壞，連醫師也是如此!這是因緣隨順自然的軌道而行，這是它們的法則，它們的本質。

Even when it gets to this extent people don’t see the bane of the body. You never know when you’re going to be parted from it. what’s causing all the pain is simply conditions going about their natural way. People call it arthritis, rheumatism, gout and so on, the doctor prescribes medicines, but it never completely heals. In the end it falls apart, even the doctor! This is conditions faring along their natural course. This is their way, their nature.

　　現在，請看這個!若你早點看見它，就會好過一點，一如看見毒蛇在前方的路上，便可避開而不被咬到；若未看見牠，就可能會一腳踩上去。

Now take a look at this. If you see it in advance you’ll be better off, like seeing a poisonous snake on the path ahead of you. If you see it there you can get out of its way and not get bitten. If you don’t see it you may keep on walking and step on it. And then it bites.

　　痛苦生起時，人們往往不知所措，應如何處置它呢?他們想要避開痛苦，想要解脫：但當它生起時，卻不知如何對待它。他們就如此渾渾噩噩地活著，直到衰老、生病……然後死亡。

If suffering arises people don’t know what to do. Where to go to treat it? They want to avoid suffering, they want to be free of it but they don’t know how to treat it when it arises. And they live on like this until they get old…and sick…and die…

　　從前，據說在人生重病時，最親的人應在其耳邊輕聲地念「Bud-dho、Bud-dho」，此時念佛對他而言有什麼用?念佛對一個朝不保夕的人而言有何利益?為何不趁年輕力壯時學習念佛呢?如今在氣息奄奄時，你上前對她說：「媽媽!Bud-dho、Bud-dho!」為何要浪費自己的時間呢?你只會令她感到困惑，不如讓她平靜地去吧!

In olden times it was said that if someone was mortally ill one of the next of kin should whisper “Bud-dho, Bud-dho” in their ear. What are they going to do with Buddho? what good is Buddho going to be for them when they’re almost on the funeral pyre? Why didn’t they learn Buddho when they were young and healthy? Now with the breaths coming fitfully you go up and say, “Mother…Buddho, Buddho!” Why waste your time? You’ll only confuse her, let her go peacefully.

People don’t know how to solve problems within their own hearts, they don’t have a refuge. They get angry easily and have a lot of desires. Why is this? Because they have no refuge.

　　(有了「家眷」就只能待在限制區) 　　當人們新婚時，夫妻相處融洽，但年過半百後，卻無法相互了解。無論太太說什麼，先生都難以忍受，而無論先生怎麼說，太太也都充耳不聞。彼此形同陌路。

When people are newly married they can get on together all right, but after age fifty or so they can’t understand each other. Whatever the wife says the husband finds intolerable. Whatever the husband says the wife won’t listen. They turn their backs on each other.

　　我是持平地說，因為我不曾結婚。我為何不曾組過家庭呢?只要看「家眷」(household)②這個字，就可知道它是怎麼一回事。什麼是「家眷」呢?「眷」就是種「約束」(hold)，若有人拿繩子將坐在這里的我們捆綁起來，你作何感想?那就叫做「被約束」(being held)，范圍受到限制。男人住在其限制范圍內，女人亦然。

　　「家眷」此字頗為沈重，不要小看它，它是個真正的殺手。「眷愛」或「約束」是個痛苦的象徵。你哪里也去不了，只能待在限制的范圍里。

When I read this word “household” … this is a heavy one. This word is no trifling matter, it’s a real killer. The word “hold” is a symbol of suffering. You can’t go anywhere, you’ve got to stay within your circle of confinement.

　　我們再看看「家」(house)這個字，它是指「鬧哄哄的地方」。你們烤過辣椒嗎?整間屋子都很嗆人，薰得人眼派直流。「家眷」這個字就透露了煩惱的訊息，它不值得投入生命，因為它我才能出家，並堅持不還俗。

Now I’m just talking because I’ve never had a family before. Why haven’t I had a family? Just looking at this word “household” [1] I knew what it was all about. What is a “household”? This is a “hold”: If somebody were to get some rope and tie us up while we were sitting here, what would that be like? That’s called “being held.” Whatever that’s like, “being held” is like that. There is a circle of confinement. The man lives within his circle of confinement, and the woman lives within her circle of confinement.

　　「家眷，是令人恐懼的，它會困住你，讓你無法脫身。你必須操心孩子、金錢與其他各種問題，到死都爭吵不休。但你能去哪里?你被綁住了，無論它有多痛苦，你哪兒也去不了，淚流不盡，若無家的束縛，也許就可不再流淚，除此之外別無他法。

Now we come to the word “house.” This means “that which hassles.” Have you ever toasted chilies? The whole house chokes and sneezes. This word “household” spells confusion, it’s not worth the trouble. Because of this word I was able to ordain and not disrobe. “Household” is frightening. You’re stuck and can’t go anywhere. Problems with the children, with money and all the rest. But where can you go? You’re tied down. There are sons and daughters, arguments in profusion until your dying day, and there’s nowhere else to go to no matter how much suffering it is. The tears pour out and they keep pouring. The tears will never be finished with his “household,” you know. If there’s no household you might be able to finish with the tears but not otherwise.

　　(誰說受夠了那只是在騙自己) 　　仔細深思這一切，若你還不了解，也許未來會了解。有人已學過它而到達某種程度，有人則已快解脫束縛。「我應留下來或該離開呢?」巴蓬寺大約有七、八十間茅篷，當快住滿時，我告訴執事比丘留下幾間空房，以保留給一些和配偶吵架的人。結果不出所料，沒多久就有位女士拎著皮箱前來。「隆波，我受夠了這世界。」「唉!別那麼說，沒那麼嚴重啦!」然後丈夫也來說他受不了了。待在寺院兩、三天後，他們的厭世感就消失了。

Consider this matter. If you haven’t come across it yet you may later on. Some people have experienced it already to a certain extent. Some are already at the end of their tether…“Will I stay or will I go?” At Wat Ba Pong there are about seventy or eighty huts (kuti). when they’re almost full I tell the monk in charge to keep a few empty, just in case somebody has an argument with their spouse…Sure enough, in no long time a lady will arrive with her bags…“I’m fed up with the world, Luang Por.” “Whoa! Don’t say that. Those words are really heavy.” Then the husband comes and says he’s fed up too. After two or three days in the monastery their world-weariness disappears.

　　他們說受夠了，那只是在騙自己。 　　他們前往茅篷獨自靜坐，不久後便開始心想：「老婆何時會來請我回家?」他們並非真的知道問題出在何處，厭世感跑到哪里去了?在某些事情上一遇到挫折就到寺院來。在家里任何事都看不順眼：丈夫不對，妻子不對。但經過三天安靜的思考後，「嗯!老婆才是對的，是我錯了。」「老公是對的，我不該這麼難過。」他們換邊站了。 　　事情就是如此，所以我看淡世間，我已知道它的前因後果，因此選擇比丘的生活。

They say they’re fed up but they’re just fooling themselves. When they go off to a kuti and sit in the quiet by themselves, after a while the thoughts come…“When’s the wife going to come and ask me to go home?” They don’t really know what’s going on. What is this “world-weariness” of theirs? They get upset over something and come running to the monastery. At home everything looked wrong…the husband was wrong, the wife was wrong…after three days’ quiet thinking…“Hmmm, the wife was right after all, it was I who was wrong.” “Hubby was right, I shouldn’t have got so upset.” They change sides. This is how it is, that’s why I don’t take the world too seriously. I know its ins and outs already, that’s why I’ve chosen to live as a monk.

　　這是你們的家庭作業。無論你們是務農或在城里工作，好好地思考我說的話。問你自己：「我為何出生?我能帶走什麼?」反覆地問自己。若確實地做就會變得有智慧，否則便會繼續無知。若現在無法完全了解，也許不久後就能了解。「哦!那就是隆波所說的意思，我以前一直無法了解。」

I would like to present today’s talk to all of you for homework. Whether you’re in the fields or working in the city, take these words and consider them… “Why was I born? What can I take with me?” Ask yourselves over and over. If you ask yourself these questions often you’ll become wise. If you don’t reflect on these things you will remain ignorant. Listening to today’s talk, you may get some understanding, if not now, then maybe when you get home. Perhaps this evening. When you’re listening to the talk everything is subdued, but maybe things are waiting for you in the car. When you get in the car it may get in with you. When you get home it may all become clear…“Oh, that’s what Luang Por meant. I couldn’t see it before.”

　　我想今天這樣就夠了。若講太久，這把老骨頭會太累了!

I think that’s enough for today. If I talk too long this old body gets tired.

　　[注釋] 　　①這是「身念處」十四種禪修法之一，是將身體分成三十二部分作為禪修的主題，前五項即是頭髮、體毛、指甲、牙齒、皮膚。修持時以厭惡作意正念于身體各部分的不淨，是止業處；若以四界(地、水、火、風)觀照，是觀業處。修習此法能去除對五蘊的執著而獲得解脫，是佛教特有的修行方式。參見《清淨道論》第八與第十一。 　　②這是個泰語的文字游戲。泰文的家庭是khrop khrua，字面上意指「灶房」或「火窟」。英譯本是選擇一個相對應的字來表示，而非依泰文直譯。

Notes:

[1] There is a play on words in the Thai language here based on the word for family – Krorp krua – which literally means “kitchen-frame” or “roasting circle.” In the English translation we have opted for a corresponding English word rather than attempt a literal translation of the Thai.