做一个听话的好弟子 ｜Being an Obedient Disciple
佛陀时代，有一位周利槃陀伽，非常愚笨，学东西即学即忘。随哥哥出家后，三个月的时间连一个最简单的偈子都记不住。当他觉得自己会被僧团赶走而在祇树给孤独园外独自伤心时，佛陀发现了他。
了解了事情的缘由后，佛陀问他：“你真的很笨吗？”“我真的很笨。”知道自己笨，也算一种智慧吧。佛陀就告诉他：“笨不要紧，你能听话吗？”“我能听话！”能听话就有救，佛陀就指导他：“从今天起你就扫地吧，一边扫地一边念诵‘扫帚’两个字。”
但仅仅“扫帚”二字周利槃陀伽也是记了“扫”忘了“帚”，记了“帚”忘了“扫”。好在“听话”的承诺一直激励着他勤勉不辍。这样日复一日，有一天当他一边念着“扫帚”一边思维时，恍然间大彻大悟，证得了阿罗汉果。
周利槃陀伽证阿罗汉果，不是因为“扫帚”两个字，而是因为这是佛说的话。周利槃陀伽对佛的话深信不疑，这就是以信心而得度。
Chudapanthaka attained Arhatship not because of the two words "sweep" and "broom", but because they were the Buddha's words, Chudapanthaka’s unwavering faith in the Buddha's words led to his enlightenment--this is liberation through faith.
谛闲老法师有一个徒弟，原本是他同乡，做木匠的。找到他来求出家时年纪已经大了，又没有文化，学经教、修苦行都不适合。谛闲老法师就给他找了个小茅蓬，问他：“让你念佛你能听话吗？”徒弟回答：“能听话。”
一句佛号，足不出户，就这样三年过去。有一天，护持的老居士跑来跟法师说：“您让我护持的那位师父站在房里一动不动了。”谛闲老法师前去一看，徒弟立在床前，脸朝窗外，手持念珠，往生了。老法师连声赞叹：好样的、好样的，真是修行人的楷模！了生脱死以种种瑞相为往生作证明！
这种“听话”，其实是对师父的一种信心，也是一种与佛陀的配合。师徒间相互配合，从简单的听话到复杂的领悟，心与心渐渐相印，谛闲老法师的弟子在心的相印中看见了阿弥陀佛。
This kind of "obedience" is actually a form of faith in one's Master, as well as a way of aligning oneself with the Buddha. Master and disciple cooperate with each other, progressing from simple obedience to complex realization. Gradually their minds become attuned, and in this kind of “resonance”, Master Dixian's disciple saw Amitabha Buddha.
虚云老和尚的弟子日辩法师，本是为讨生计在寺后柴房做事的杂工，他大字不识，但踏实本分。随着住的日子一长，对三宝有了感恩之心，于是皈依在虚老门下。他听不懂师父讲经，但始终牢记师父的嘱咐——“一心念佛”，所以不管干活与否，那一句佛号他一刻都没有掉下。日辩法师还有一点很特别，在寺院除了师父虚云老和尚，他不与任何人交谈，被众人称为“聋子”。
弟子的行持师父看在眼里，弟子的火候师父也心知肚明。正是这位“聋子”，有一天被师父叫到跟前，告诉他可以外出参学了。这样过了几年，当日辩法师得知师父要到昆明重修华亭寺时，又马上赶回师父身边，顶礼磕头：“师父，您要修新道场，弟子没有别的本事，但可以背砖、背石头，可以干体力活。”
想善知识所想，为善知识所为，事事与善知识相应，这其实就是佛法的精髓，是修行最大的秘密。
To think as the wise teacher concerns, to do as the wise teacher acts, to accord with the wise teacher in all matters - this is in fact the essence of the Dharma and the greatest secret of cultivation.
最终，寺庙修好了，海会塔建好了，日辩法师也功德圆满了——预知时至，拜别师父，在海会塔下出三昧真火显瑞西归。
虚云老和尚见到徒弟显现这样的瑞相，点头感叹：“但知念一句阿弥陀佛，只要像他这样精勤不懈，一句也足以成就！倘若自恃聪明，心念纷歧，纵念万卷经，又有何用？”
学佛就需要这样，带三分呆，最后心似寒灰枯木。你可能觉得奇怪，不是说学佛是为了开智慧吗，为什么要学呆呢？因为开智慧不是让你变得斤斤计较、寸步不让，变得争强好胜、贪小投机，而是让你显发内在的佛性智慧。有了智慧，一切由“我”而起的纷乱也就迎刃而解了。
Practicing Buddhism requires being a bit foolish, until finally reaching a state where the mind becomes like cold ashes or withered wood. You may wonder - isn't the purpose of studying Buddhism to develop wisdom? Why should one learn to be foolish? Because the true wisdom isn’t about becoming calculating, unyielding, competitive or opportunistic. Rather, it is about manifesting the innate wisdom of one's Buddha-nature. With this wisdom, all the disturbances arising from the "ego" can be readily resolved.
临命终时要做到一心不乱是很不容易的，这要求我们活着时做人就要简洁、磊落、秉忠实、肯吃亏。上面说到的“心似寒灰枯木”，就是指一切分别念都消歇下来，如来本性现前，生命实相呈现。以这样的功德力，临命终时，自然心不颠倒，意不散乱。这就是净土，身语意都清清净净，坦坦荡荡。
Maintaining single-minded concentration at the moment of death is extremely difficult. This requires us to live simply, openly, honestly and selflessly. The aforementioned state of "mind like cold ashes and withered wood" refers to the cessation of all discriminating thoughts, the manifestation of one's inherent Buddha-nature, and the emergence of the true reality of life. With the power of such virtue, one's mind will naturally remain undistorted and undisturbed at the time of death. This is the Pure Land, where body, speech and mind are utterly pure and at ease.
英语翻译：智航
