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| 2011/08/04 20:50:04瀏覽201｜回應0｜推薦1 | ||
The Four Bonds
我們生活中，心向外的境界，是不是有所取著？取著，實在是苦不堪言。 In our life, do we attach to external conditions? Having attachments is truly suffering beyond words. 人生只不過是四大假合。天地萬物，我們所接觸到的，哪一樣不是四大假合呢？ Life is a temporary composite of the Four Elements. In this world, things we encounter are all temporary combinations 「地、水、火、風」啊！萬物是如此，我們的身體也同樣是如此。我們還有什麼好執著的呢？其實沒有什麼好執著的，但是偏偏凡夫執著的事情總是有很多。 of earth, water, fire and wind. Everything is like this, our bodies are the same. Then why are we attached? There's no need to be attached. But ordinary people are attached to many things.  或因四縛造一切罪 The Four Bonds may cause all wrongdoings. The Four Bonds: Bond of Greed, Bond of Anger, Bond of Precept, Bond of Egoism. 除了執著四大假合的身體，以及外面的物質，這樣執著、爭鬥不休以外，還有「四縛」——有四樣事情束縛住我們，令我們不得超脫，苦不堪言。 We are attached to this temporary body and external material objects. Besides constant conflicts, there are also the Four Bonds. They prevent us from being liberated, causing us unspeakable suffering. 這「四縛」，第一就是「貪縛」。 This first of the Four Bonds is Bond of Greed. 「縛」就是綁著、綁住了。「縛」不離開四項，第一項就是「貪」。貪好像和我們的人生都不能夠脫離關係！尤其是無明、煩惱。一切的無明、煩惱也都離不開這個貪字。可見得這個貪字，真的是人生受苦的根源。一切受苦的源頭，就是從貪而來。所以，因為這樣的貪縛，令眾生不得解脫。 A Bond is something that binds us. There are four types. The first is greed. Greed is almost inseparable from life. All ignorance and afflictions are likewise inseparable from greed. It is the root of suffering. Because of it, living beings cannot attain liberation. 同樣這個「貪」字，有的人是因為沒有才貪；有的人是貪而無厭足，這念貪永遠填不滿，都沒有滿足的時候，他還是一樣不斷地貪。 Some people are greedy because of deprivation, others are greedy due to endless desires. Such desire can never be satisfied, they never cease being greedy. 我們常常看到有很多人在說：「景氣不好，很難過日子。」其實看看社會上，遊樂場所當中，吃的、玩的地方，生意還是很好。這些玩的地方，大家還是都很有興趣。說是景氣不好，其實，消費的地方還是很多人。 These days, people often say that life is difficult due to the recession. However, eating and entertainment establishments still thrive. People are still interested in fun and games. Despite the economic downturn, these places still attract many people. 不過，以景氣不好為藉口，去犯罪的人也是很多，所招來的是一輩子的遺憾、也是一輩子的污點。這也都是因為一念「貪」！ Worse yet, there are many using the recession as an excuse to commit crimes. They bring upon themselves a lifetime of regret and stigma. It is all because of greed. 有的人遇景氣不好，公司難以經營。事實上也真的倒了很多中小企業；無法經營下去的，確實也有。但是為什麼無法經營下去？難道只是景氣不好，影響就有這麼大嗎？其實影響最大的，就是負債！這些想經營生意的人，多數人都是自己沒有那個力量、沒有那個資源，但是所計畫的，卻是超過了現在手上實際有的資源，也就是超過本錢可以負擔的。所以，既然沒有那麼多的本錢，就去負債、貸款、借錢。無論是向銀行借錢，或者是向民間借款都需要利息，或是向錢莊借錢，那就更不得了了。 Due to the recession, some small and mid-sized companies are forced to close down. But why can't they manage to continue operating? Can the recession impact them that much? Actually, the largest contributing factor is debt. Many who lack the capability or resources plan their budget beyond their assets. Being short on capital, they borrow money from different places. Borrowing from banks or individuals requires interests. Borrowing from loan sharks is even more demanding. 平常時事業在做，賺錢很快的時候，說是為了事業，所以美其名稱為應酬。但是一應酬下去，人就迷失去了。只知道生意好的時候，今天賺了多少的錢，但是卻忘記了這個企業向人借了多少錢？不記得了！又再加上經常應酬，所以很容易就被壞習慣所熏習，喝酒、玩樂、賭博等等…很多很不好的習氣，都是在應酬中，學會很多不好的習氣。結果造成那種殷勤、認真打拼的那念心，慢慢就鬆掉懈怠了。所以，當景氣稍微一不好了，應酬的習氣已經改不掉了，借錢、貸款的利息卻是一定要還，所以這是雙重壓力，最後只好走上宣告破產一途。這也是為了一念貪。 When businesses are making money fast, for the sake of promotion and generating interest, it is easy to get carried away. When business is good, they only remember how much they have made, forgetting how much they have borrowed. Also, it's very easy to pick up habits from excessive socializing. Bad habits like drinking, indulging and gambling are picked up from networking and entertaining. Meanwhile, their motivation & diligence slacken. When the economy hits a downturn, their socializing habits cannot change. Required to pay loan interests, they are forced to declare bankruptcy. This is also because of greed.  貪是無明的源頭 Greed is the source of ignorance, the origin of afflictions. It leads to self-confinement and a descent into the abyss of desires. 所以我常常有一句話說：「有小一貪小九、有中一貪中九。有一缺九。」 I often like to use an analogy: "having one, we lack nine. Having a little, one wants more." 做小生意的，如果賺到一千塊錢，就會想多賺九千來湊成一萬；如果賺到一萬的人，就會想要再賺到九萬來湊成十萬；賺到十萬了以後，就會想要再賺到九十萬…這樣不斷一直貪下去。小貪小、大貪大！所以為了貪字，實在是苦不堪言，一輩子勞勞碌碌很辛苦。 For small businesses, if they earn 1,000, they want 9,000 more to make it 10,000. With 10,000, they want 90,000 more. With 100,000, they want 90,000 more. Like this, they continue down the road of greed, always wanting more. Because of greed people continue to toil and suffer in life. 有一位已經是委員、榮董和慈誠隊身份的（甲），隨著另外一位已經受證為委員的慈誠隊（乙）回來。回來了之後（甲）就說：「我今天又再帶著這位師兄（乙）一起回來了。」我說：「怎麼說？你很少回來嗎？」他（甲）說：「有幾十年了。」又是委員、又是榮譽董事，結果卻相隔了幾十年才回來。 A Faith Corps member came with a commissioner who is also an Honorary Board Member. The Faith Corps member said, "I brought him back today!" I said, "Is that so? Does he not come back often?" For decades, he has been a commissioner and an Honorary Board Member. 然後，這位慈誠隊（乙）說：「其實我是他（甲）帶進來的。」我說：「你帶進來的人現在這麼精進，你為什麼離得那麼遠？」他（甲）就說：「師父，我就像是你說的一樣，有一缺九。生意愈做愈大，愈大就愈忙，愈忙就會愈走愈遠去了。所以常常台灣、大陸兩邊跑來跑去，被事業綁住了。」其實，憑他現在所擁有的，就算都不工作，他的生活照這樣過，再三輩子也吃不完。但是他覺得：「現在正賺錢，不知道人生有多少時間可以賺錢？不知道，所以要趕快多賺一些。」 The Faith Corps member said, "Actually, he introduced me to Tzu Chi" I said, "The person you mentored is so diligent now, why have your drifted so far away?" He answered, "Master, I'm just like you've described: having one, I lack nine." "The bigger my business, the busier I became and the farther I drifted away (from Tzu Chi). I often travel between Taiwan and China. I am bound by my business." Indeed, he is bound by his career. Even if he stopped working now, his money would last him more than three lifetimes. Yet he feels that he should make money now, not knowing how much time he has left. 我就問他：「那你有煩惱嗎？」他（甲）說：「有啊！做事業哪有不煩惱的？」我說：「你看看這位師兄。」他（甲）說：「是啊，我看他（乙），實在覺得他就是我的典範。所以他（乙）帶我回來，我就回來了。我看他（乙）這麼多年來都很快樂，沒有煩惱。對人生很有貢獻、很付出。」 I asked him, "Do you have any afflictions?" "There are always afflictions in doing business. I said, "Look at your Dharma Brother" He answered, "Yes, he is truly my role model. He brought me back, so I came with him. Over the years, he's been very happy and has no afflictions. He has also contributed much to society."  不執著於貪 Lack of attachment to desires will liberate the mind, and life will become peaceful, at ease. 是啊，這就是放得下的時候。同樣是現在這個時候的人生，一個是心靈解脫了。雖然為社會付出，他（乙）非常的忙碌，全心在志業上付出，真的是很忙碌，但是他很歡喜自在，沒有什麼煩惱可以壓迫他的心靈，多輕安啊！所以這只是一個心態。 Indeed, this is knowing when to let go. They are at similar crossroads of their lives. One is spiritually liberated, although he is very busy contributing to society. He is committed to our missions and busy every day. But he is joyful and at ease, without stress from afflictions, so at ease! This is all about our mentality. 什麼時候才能真正解脫？不能夠抱著這樣的心態——「要我修行啊？等我的責任輕了一點才來修行就好了。那樣就能夠求得來生解脫。」其實，解脫是在現在，不是在來生。我們這一世就已經很多事情都由不得自己了，要知道「萬般帶不去，唯有業隨身！」，等到來生迷迷茫茫，帶著現在這一生的業往生而去，到底我們會依報到哪裡去呢？那是不能夠預知的。 When can we be truly liberated? Spiritual Practice is not waiting until our burden becomes lighter, or seeking liberation in the next life. Liberation is to be attained here and now, not in the next life. Our life is out of our control. The only thing that we can take with us is karma. Our next life is obscure and based on the karma we create in this life. Where will our karma take us? 「依報」就是我們出生的地方在哪裡？說不定在非洲！說不定在盧安達！說不定在衣索比亞！說不定在…等等很多邊地的地方。現在世間上，還有很多地方的生活方式還是相當原始的生活。 Karma determines where we will be born. We may be born in Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia, or some other desolate places. Right now there are many places where people still live primitively . 我們慈濟走到國際上，無論是多麼繁華的都市、國家富有之處，我們都去過。因為我們有很多的慈濟人，分佈在國際間，邊地、貧窮困苦、災難頻傳，無論是天災，或者是人禍戰爭，那些地方，我們都去過了。 Tzu Chi is active internationally. We have been to countries that are wealthy and well-endowed. There are many Tzu Chi members around the world. We have also been to impoverished places, plagued by disasters. We have been to places with natural and manmade catastrophes. 每一回出去賑災回來之後，大家都會說：「感恩啊！出去了之後，我們才知道原來我們是非常的有福，台灣很好！」「原來社會祥和，和平的日子，是多麼的幸福。」 Each time volunteers return from relief trips, they are grateful, knowing how fortunate they are to live in Taiwan. Living in a peaceful and harmonious society is truly a blessing. 慈濟人去過亞塞拜然、走過車臣，慈濟人也去過阿富汗、衣索比亞，這些都是戰爭之後的災難！看到那種戰爭，造成的家破人亡，那種損壞的景象令人觸目驚心。 We have been to Azerbaijan, Chechnya, Afghanistan and Ethiopia, where people suffered from the aftermath of war. Wars have destroyed families and lives. The severity of damage is shocking. 世間上，最令人擔心的，就是這種人禍的發生。所以少數人的心念一動，多數的人就受盡災難。想想，在我們人世間，有很多讓我們不能安心的事情，在這種繁華的都市、科學發達、生活富有、事事方便，就好像生活在天堂一般。 Such manmade disasters are most worrisome. The decisions made by a few result in the suffering of multitudes. Reflecting on human life, there are many disturbing occurrences. In the technologically advanced metropolis, we lve with abundance. Everything is convenient, like living in heaven. 不知道在這樣如同天堂的生活中，其實隱藏的未知的危機。所以佛陀叮囑我們說：「在天堂生活的天人，若是天福享盡，即刻就會墮入三途。」因為在天堂是憑著他的天福在享受，所以當天福享盡了之後，福盡，業就現，一樣要墮落！這也是一種危機！ Yet even in this heaven-like setting, there are hidden dangers. The Buddha taught us that when heavenly beings exhaust their blessings, they immediately fall into the Three Evil Paths. Using up their blessings in enjoyment, once karma arises, they will fall. This is also a type of danger. 所以佛陀告訴我們：「修福不要修在天堂的福，我們應該要福慧雙修！」我們要修那種——「將來會往生到哪裡去，我們都可以清楚明白知道」這樣的智慧。 Thus, the Buddha told us to not cultivate heavenly blessings. We need to cultivate both blessings and wisdom to the point that we have the wisdom to know. 所以，「依報」到底會在哪裡？我們若是連這輩子的明天是否可以解脫都不知道了，怎麼可能會知道在下一世當中，我們能不能夠解脫？實在很渺茫啊！ Where we will be born in our next life. In this life, we can't even predict how tomorrow will be. So the possibility of knowing if we can be liberated in the next life is even more bleak. 我們除了去像天堂一般繁華的國家之外，我們也去過生活貧窮困難之處。甚至在印尼一個離島，在這個小島嶼上的一個山區裡面，印尼的慈濟人要用直昇機才能夠把食物送到那裡去。一到那個地方，所看到的每一個人都是赤身裸體，因為他們沒有文明，都還是很原始的生活方式。每個一人，無論是男男女女都是裸體，看到他們的生活方式，看了都覺得很不忍心。 We've been to prosperous countries that are like the heavens. We've also been to places with extreme poverty, such as one place in the mountains of a small desolate Indonesian island. The Indonesian Tzu Chi volunteers delivered food there by helicopters. They discovered that the locals do not wear clothes. They are not civilized and still live a primitive lifestyle. Each person, regardless of gender, is completely naked . Seeing how they live, one feels much sympathy. 若是到了冬天要怎麼辦呢？我忍不住好奇的詢問他們。回來的人就報告說：「他們那裡差不多都是如同夏天一般的天氣，若是冷的話，頂多只像是我們這邊秋天的氣候一般。」我說：「就算是秋天，到了晚上也是會冷啊！那要怎麼辦？」他說：「他們都是打獵，飲食生活都是從動物的身上取得。他們吃動物的肉，用動物的油保暖，在全身上下塗抹厚厚一層動物的油，然後以沙土撲在身上，讓沙土和著油塗在身上，塗得厚厚的這樣來禦寒。」 "What do they do in the winter? " I asked curiously. The volunteers replied, "They have long summers. Winter there is equivalent to our autumn." " Autumn nights can be chilly, what do they do?" He said, "They are all hunters. They eat the animals' flesh, apply a thick coat of animal fat on their bodies and roll in the sand to make a thick layer of sand and fat to fight off the cold. 各位，我們聽了覺得很不可思議，這是不是幾千年前的人生？不是，千真萬確，這些人現在和我們同樣生活、呼吸在這個時間、這個空間的人生。 Everyone, this may sound unfathomable to us. It is like living thousands of years in the past. But this is real. These people are occupying the same space and breathing the same air as you and I. 你們想，現在生在那邊的人，在他們過世之後，往生會不會同樣生在那個地方？可能不一定。那我們目前生在台灣的人，有沒有可能來生同樣又生在台灣呢？也不一定！到了我們身後的那個時候，我們現在這個人生結束之後，要到哪裡去，都是受到業力所牽引，由不得自己。所以我們都是被縛住。 Think about it, when they die, will they be reborn in the same place? Not necessarily. And those of us in Taiwan, will we be born here again? Not necessarily. After this is, there is still karmic force, which is beyond our control. So in this sense, we are all bound. 現在這個時候，我們如果沒有好好把握，讓內心的貪念生起，無論是貪情、貪色情、貪男女感情，或是貪吃，或吃貪穿、貪住等等…那怕是這麼小的、生活所必需的，我們若是過份貪著，也是一樣被縛住。何況生意、事業等等…一切都是因為一個貪。 We need to make good use of this very moment. Otherwise, a single thought of greed, whether desire for sexual or romantic affection, food, clothing, housing, etc. , even if it's a small indulgence or daily necessity that becomes excessive, it will still bind us, to say nothing of how business or career binds us. They are all "greed".  人生因貪而苦不堪言 Desires make one's life unspeakably miserable. After attaining that realization, one should seize the moment and practice diligently. One who is unbound by desire can be liberated. 各位，修行一開始的目的，就是想要如何能夠得到解脫？無論是在家、出家，要如何得到解脫？不是「等到責任都沒有了，我才想要來修行，這樣來生就能夠解脫。」這是不可能的！我們現在知道了，就要及時改變。在這一生，現在知道的時候，我們若是不能夠及時把煩惱放下，我們現在就是滿心的煩惱、由不得自己。若是這樣我們想要求得來生的解脫，那是絕對不可能的事情。 Everyone, we practice to become liberated. Whether we are monastic or not, to gain liberation, we can't wait till our responsibilities lessen before we practice. We can't wait to seek liberation in the next life. That's impossible. Now we know, we should seize the moment. If we cannot quell our afflictions in this life, we will be burdened by them and live beyond our control. Then liberation in our next life will be absolutely impossible. 所以，我們應該要從現在這個時候就開始訓練好，無論是面對現在的日常生活，接觸到的人我是非，乃至於一切物質等等…我們都能夠適量、剛好足夠就好、生活可以過就好，其他的，我們凡事都要能夠放得下。如此一來，才不會被貪給縛住。若是被貪欲給束縛了，實在是苦不堪言。 So we must mind ourselves in living among people, with worldly affairs. We should use material objects in moderation, have just enough to get by. We need to let go of everything else, so as not to be bound by greed. The Bond of Greed is truly suffering beyond words. 要知道「縛」總共有四縛，我們現在才只講到了第一個「貪縛」！所以「貪」會縛住我們的身心，實在是會令我們在三途六道、四生中，都由不得自己。 There are Four Bonds, We've only discussed one-greed. Greed can bind our body and mind to the 3 Evil Paths, 6 Destinies and 4 Forms of Birth. This is beyond our control. 所以，大家趁著現在觀念很清楚、心靈都還很明朗的時候，要好好多用心！ So while we are still clear, we should always be mindful! |
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| ( 知識學習｜隨堂筆記 ) |
