对年轻人的一些肺腑之言

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Words to Youngsters

我也经常会想到年轻时候的自己。十八九岁时，突然开始思考生命的真谛，每天在儒释道文化里废寝忘食地寻找破解的路径；二十岁出头时，背起包裹走出家门，想在浙江的山林幽谷间寻找修行的茅蓬；尤其不能忘怀的，是那一天终于站到师父面前，他老人家面对着这样一个年轻后生时，眼睛里闪现出的欢喜和欣慰。

Many a times, I recalled those days of my younger self. 

At the age of eighteen, nineteen, I started contemplation on the true meaning of life, neglecting meals and sleep in my relentless search for the paths to the answers through Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. 

In my early twenties, I picked up my bag and walked out the door, in search for a tent for my practice within the mountains and valleys of Zhejiang. 

The day I finally stood before Master was especially unforgettable, when his eyes sparkled with the joy and comfort in the face of a younger generation.

Have to Treasure This Blessing 

我们家里包括周围的邻居朋友，都没有人信佛的，所以能走进佛门，我也是靠自己慢慢摸索寻找。像现在很多的年轻人，从小就被家里人带着去朝山拜佛，说得直接一点，这真的是命好。众生得度，很多都是要恶度，吃尽苦了才知道回头。所以已经接触到佛教的年轻人，要珍惜自己得善度的福报。

Nobody in my family, including my surrounding neighbors and friends, were into Buddhism. 

Hence, my journey past the gates of Buddhism came through my own trial and error as I explored and inched along the way. 

As compared to the youngsters now, many of their pilgrimages have been led by their family members when they are at a young age, and to be candid about it; this is indeed an easy life. 

Many of sentient beings’ liberation only took place following their repentance after experiencing extreme sufferings – liberated through negative happenings. Hence, youngsters who have already made contact with Buddhism have to treasure this blessing that allows one to be liberated through such positive mean.

当我们跟着家人走进寺庙时，首先看到的那尊佛像，就是弥勒佛。大肚能容，笑口常开。这对我们年轻人是尤为重要的说法。一个人的仪容仪态特别重要，开朗明亮的面容、喜悦的状态，这是人人都喜欢的。所以要让自己学会微笑。我就发现人只要一笑，没有不漂亮的。脸一板，再好看的人都会冷冰冰的，少了“人气”。特别是对家里的父母长辈，更要温言笑语恭敬承侍。

As we step into the monastery with our family members, Maitreya Buddha is the very first Buddha statue seen with a big tummy of great tolerance and a mouth which smiles often. 

This is a saying that is especially important to our youngsters. 

A person’s grooming & composure is especially important, a bright & cheerful face, a joyful demeanor – these are what everyone loves. Hence, one should learn to put on a smile. 

I realized that as long as one smiles, there is none who is not pretty. 

One looks cold with a long face, lacking “life”, even if one has good looks. Especially toward the elders at home, one should smile and be gentle with one’s words, treating them with respect.

我们要给予他人欢喜的面貌，也要在面对世间种种不如意时能够接受忍耐，不被艰难打倒。

As we put on a joyous front for others, we should exercise tolerance when faced with various issues of life that go against our wishes, not to be stricken down by hardships.

忍是第一大力量，佛陀说：“能行忍者，乃可名为有力大人。”这个娑婆世界，是一个堪忍的世界，不会忍，忍不住，祸事就很容易临头。

Tolerance is the greatest strength. 

As mentioned by the Buddha: “One who exercises tolerance is deemed a great man of strength.” 

This Saha world calls for tolerance. Great disasters easily befall those without tolerance or fail to tolerate.

我师父在说到“忍”时，特意用毛笔写下过四句话：“忍字头上一把刀，遇事不忍祸先遭。若能忍得片时过，事后方知忍为高。”不怨天尤人，不一点就着，能控制自己的情绪，能降服自己的嗔心，这对血气方刚的年轻人而言，是很重要的功课。这方面血的教训实在太多。

As my Master speaks of the part on “tolerance”, he specially wrote these four phases down with his brush: “At the top of the (Chinese) word “tolerance” lies a knife, disaster befalls those who fail to tolerate. 

Should one exercise tolerance till the matter tides over, one will come to realize that tolerance is supreme.” 

Not placing the blame on heaven & others, not being hot-tempered, being able to control one’s emotions, and subduing one’s hatred – these are very important lessons to the young and hot-blooded youngsters. 

There have been too many lessons learnt through bloodshed.

With 

Self-Control

能驾驭自我，抵抗诱惑的能力就大大增强了。

在这个互联网时代，手机、电脑等科技产品正在植入式地进入我们的生活。

尤其对年轻人，吃喝玩乐，一键解决，想要摆脱，很难。

但这种便捷的背后呢？表面上，是你在看手机，你在玩电脑，其实细想一下，当你关机睡觉后，电脑真的被关掉了吗？

它已经深入到了你的生命里，你的意识中。

你在刚刚的游戏里“杀人”时，

电脑也在同时对你展开吞噬。

With self-control, the strength to resist temptations amplifies. 

In this era of the internet, mobile phones, computers and technological products etc. are an integral part of our lives. 

Especially to youngsters who eat, drink and make merry, this is a one-stop button that is hard to break away from. 

Yet, what lies beneath such convenience? While it looks like you are looking at the mobile phone and playing computer games on the surface, actually, if one gives some thought to it, does the computer really get switched off when you off it and go to bed? It has entrenched into your life and your consciousness. 

As you “killed” in the games earlier on, the computer had devoured you at the same time.

但它是无情的，它没有慈悲喜舍，也就是说，你正在和一个没有情感没有情怀的物件相互交融。这是很可怕的。

所以不修行，随随处处都是陷阱，时时刻刻你都可能是某个无情物的奴隶。

However, it (the computer) is void of emotions; it has no loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy or equanimity.

In other words, you are mingling with an item that is without emotions & feelings. This is very terrifying.

Hence, booby-traps are everywhere when one does not practice; there is a possibility for you to be enslaved by a particular emotionless item anytime. 

想想这也正是娑婆世界的奥妙啊，就是逼着你修行！正念分明，智慧具足，心不散漫，意不颠倒，能在这个人世间自由自在，游刃有余。就像你当初掌握了游戏规矩后，在游戏中驾轻就熟应付自如一样。

Come to think of it, it is precisely the arcane of the Saha world that compels you to practice. 

Distinct Samyaksmrti (the right mindfulness), complete wisdom, un-scattered thoughts and upright intentions – these (qualities) allow for one to be carefree and at ease in this world. 

Just like when you master the rules of the computer game, you are able to maneuver about in the game with ease. 

青年时期，这是修行最好的时候。身体好，挂碍少，容易证得无我的智慧。佛教里的目犍连尊者、舍利弗尊者都是在很年轻时就证得了阿罗汉果。

The best time to practice is the period when one is young. 

With a healthy body and lesser things to worry about, it is easy to attain the wisdom of Anatman. 

In Buddhism, both the Great Maudgalyayana and the Great Śāriputra attained arhat when they were at a very young age.

佛法不坏世间法，佛法不会破坏世间程序。同时，佛法不离世间觉，增长了智慧之后，你在人世间会少走很多弯路，做起事情来也会事半功倍。因为站在佛法的高度来看人间的现象，你很容易就能贯通和转化。

Dharma does not disrupt the ways of life; dharma does not disrupt the course of life.

Even so, awakening is attained through the ways of life. 

As wisdom builds up, you minimize the chances of walking down the wrong paths in this world, bringing about greater efficiency when handling matters. 

Because, looking at the mortal world through the culmination of dharma, you comprehend and transform with ease.

佛教生活是很丰富的，有庄严肃穆，也有轻松愉悦。近几年来，学佛年轻化，学佛艺术化，学佛生活化，正越来越成为一种趋势。年轻人走进佛门，学习佛法，对自己的空闲时间是一种充实，对自己的精神空间也是一种提升。

The life in Buddhism is very rich, there is solemnity, there is also relaxed times.

During these years, the trend of Buddhism practice is getting younger, more artful and more in tuned to life. 

As youngsters step into the gates of Buddhism, practicing dharma, it is a form of enrichment to one’s free time and an elevation of one’s spiritual space.

苟日新，日日新，又日新。学佛后，戒恶修善，开发智慧，心越来越清明，每一天你面对的都会是新的自己。这样，等到你有一天终于也告别“年轻”的时候，你的年龄将变成你生命的庄严——越老越慈祥，越老越有力量。

If one can improve in a day, one should improve every day, and out-do such improvements. 

Ceasing all vile deeds, cultivating all good deeds and invoke the wisdom after one starts to learn Buddha Dharma, the heart will get clearer, and you will face a brand new you every day. 

This way, when the day comes for you to bid adieu to your “youth”, your life shall be graced by your age - becoming kinder and stronger as you age.