Be Clear Mirrors for Each Other

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知心會友名善知識
互為淨心明鏡
互照近善友
如沐浴清流
近惡薰穢迷途難返

A friend who knows our heart is a spiritual friend. We purify each other's hearts and clearly reflect one another. Being near good friends is like bathing in a pure stream. Being near evil defiles us; we get lost and it is hard to return.

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「知心會友名善知識；互為淨心明鏡互照。近善友如沐浴清流，近惡薰穢迷途難返。」

"A friend who knows our heart is a spiritual friend. We purify each other's hearts and clearly reflect one another. Being near good friends is like bathing in a pure stream. Being near evil defiles us; we get lost and it is hard to return."

這段文字就是要對大家說，大家的這個良知，人人要自我啟發良知，這良知啟發了，能夠做他人的善知識。

This passage tells us that we need to arouse our own conscience. When we do, we can be spiritual friends for others.

尤其是有時後我們的心若有迷惑，有解不開的事情，我們就能夠找這種知心益友，請他來和我們談話，我們的心事說給他聽；或者是我們自己，應該要去做他人的益友。

Sometimes, when we are confused and there are things we cannot resolve, we can find close benevolent friends and invite them to speak with us. We tell them what is on our minds. We can also be benevolent friends for others, so we need to always develop our wisdom in order to help them.

我們平時就要好好培養我們的智慧，有人若是在那個迷途中，不知道何去何來，我們就能夠即時去輔導他。

If someone is lost and does not know where he is going, we can counsel him right away.

無論是我們輔導人，還是人家輔導我們，這都是良知益友，這稱為「善知識」。那麼有了善知識，我們就「互為淨心」；彼此之間，我們若是心起無明時，那麼他就來輔導我們，把我們心中的無明把它撥開，所以「互為淨心，明鏡互照」。

Whether we counsel others or they counsel us, these are benevolent friends and advisors. They are called spiritual friends. With spiritual friends, we can help purify each other's minds. So, if ignorance arises in our minds, they counsel us and brush aside the ignorance in our minds. Thus we purify and reflect each other's minds.

大家的心都像是一面鏡子，有人讓我們照見了，我們就知道，我們這面鏡子蒙垢了，我們要趕緊擦；或者是我們看到，他的心鏡也蒙垢了，我們趕快告訴他，你的鏡子蒙垢了，趕快擦拭。

Our minds are like mirrors. When we look in someone else's mirror, we can see that our own mirror is dusty. Then we clean it at once. Perhaps we see that their mirrors are dusty, so we tell them, "Your mirror is dusty. Quickly wipe it clean."

所以要能夠做為彼此的明鏡，所以說「心如明鏡台，時時勤拂拭，莫使惹塵埃」意思也是如此。也是我們要常常擦好我們這面心鏡，不要讓我們的心鏡，那樣蒙上很多的污垢，就照不出了我們的真面目。

We are each other's clear mirrors. So, we say the mind is like a clear mirror. Always clean it diligently, do not let dust accumulate. This just means we need to always clean the mirror in our minds. Do not let filth accumulate on it, or it cannot reflect who we really are.

哪怕善知識、好朋友在我們的面前，我們就是聽不進去，看不下去，這就是我們自己的心鏡蒙垢了！所以我們要自己用功，擦心鏡，或者是照別人，或者是自照，所以這需要良師益友！

Then, even if our spiritual friends are in front of us, we will not listen to or see anything. This happens when our mind's mirror is filthy. So, we must work hard and clean our mind's mirror, whether we reflect others or reflect ourselves. This requires good teachers and benevolent friends.

所以我們若近善友，就如沐浴清流，我們若是有好的朋友，就能夠常常淨化我們的身與心.身的行為有錯誤，我們的善友就會提醒我們，讓我們的身行，就是不會去越界犯規。所以善友就像我們在清流中，所以說我們要時時近善友，如沐浴清流，我們就不會被身或者是心，還有機會污染我們。

If we are close to benevolent friends, it is like bathing in a pure stream. If we have good friends, we can always purify our bodies and minds. If we behave mistakenly, our benevolent friends will remind us, so that we will not cross boundaries with our actions. Having good friends is like being in a pure stream. So we must always be close with good friends, like bathing in a pure steam. Then we will have no chance to be defiled in body or mind.

只要你在那個清流中，我們就沒有機會去受污染。所以周圍的環境，周圍的朋友，對我們是多麼重要！所以我們要擇善，我們要能夠選擇善良的人做我們的朋友。

As long as we are in this pure stream, there are no opportunities for defilement. So, our surroundings and or friends are very important to us. Therefore, let us choose goodness. We need to choose good people to be our friends.

假使我們去親近惡友，要怎麼辦呢？要趕緊自省，也就是「見其不善而內自省」，我們若是看到周圍的朋友，有這種不好的行為，就要趕緊自我反省、改過，然後也要勸他改，但若我們要去做他的善知識，我們轉他轉不過來，我們要趕緊遠離，不能一直受惡友來影響我們。

If we get close to evil friends, what should we do? We should self-reflect. If they are not good, we must reflect on ourselves. If we see our friends engage in bad behavior, and we cannot turn them around even when we try to their spiritual friends, we must distance ourselves from them. We cannot let them influence us.

近惡友會有什麼樣的反應呢？那就會「近惡薰穢，迷途難返」。你明明知道他這樣不對，你還一直想著說，看能不能把他度過來，你度他度不過來，反而受他薰習，薰習到一些很不好的習氣。所以對方在迷，我們也被他引入迷途中，那個時候不只是你拉他不回來，你還被他拉過去，那就是「迷途難返」了！

What happens if we are near evil friends? Being near evil defiles us; we clearly know they are wrong. But we continue wondering if we could help transform them. When we cannot, we are influenced by them instead. We absorb some very bad habits. So, they are confused and we are drawn into their confusion. Not only can we not pull them back, we are pulled in. Then we are lost, and it is hard to return.

現在的社會，不就常常有這樣的嗎？若是交上不好的朋友，就很容易被人拉去喝酒吸毒，那就不能自拔了。這就是去親近惡友，薰習一些不好的習慣，變成了我們自己也是不能自拔，那就很可惜了。

Don't we often see this in modern society? If people make bad friends, they are dragged into drinking and taking drugs and cannot extricate themselves. So, if we are around unwholesome friends, we absorb bad habits. Then we cannot extricate ourselves. That is a pity.

「人生難得，佛法難聞」，我們能夠走入這種清流的境界，我們就要好好自愛。要好好珍惜我們周圍的善知識；我們要尊重周圍的善知識，就如我們的一面明鏡，我們才能夠好好顧好我們，人人心中自己的一面明鏡，我們啟發我們的智慧，才能夠延續我們的慧命。所以我們要時時提高警覺！

It is rare to be born human and hear the Dharma. If we enter a place that is like a pure stream, we should have self-respect and cherish the spiritual friends around us. We must respect the spiritual friends around us, as they are like clear mirrors for us. Then we can take care of the clear mirrors in each of our minds. We must develop our wisdom so we can extend our Wisdom-life. Thus, let us always raise our awareness.

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或嗜飲食
無有期度
或食生鱠

We may have been addicted to endless drinking and eating. We may have eaten live creatures.

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我們在《靜思晨語。法譬如水。大愛無貴賤》中說過懺文－－「或嗜飲食，無有期度，或食生鱠。」

Previously in the repentance text we read, "We may have been addicted to endless drinking and eating. We may have eaten live creatures."

這些我們在《靜思晨語。法譬如水。大愛無貴賤》中都已經說過了，我們真的喝酒或者是，反正就是飲食，不應該我們沒有一個期度，沒有限度，所以這樣會損壞身體。

We talked about this yesterday. Whether we are drinking alcohol, or just eating and drinking, if we do not set any limits for ourselves around things we should not do, we will harm our bodies.

不只是損壞身體，還會造了很多的業！尤其是這種「食生鱠」，這樣活活吞食，以很多種殘酷的方式，那樣烹飪這些活生生的生物；或者是活生生的生吞，這比眾生都不如。

Not only do we harm our bodies, we create a lot of karma, especially if we "eat live creatures, devouring them alive". Perhaps we used many cruel methods to cook these living beings. Or perhaps we swallowed them alive. Then we are worse them other sentient beings.

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或噉五辛
薰穢經像排揬淨眾
縱心恣意不知限極

We may have eaten the Five Pungent Roots, or defiled Sutras or statues. We may have disrupted the pure assembly, or freely indulged our whims, knowing no bounds.

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我們現在再來看這段懺文－－「或噉五辛，薰穢經像；排揬淨眾，縱心恣意，不知限極。」

Let's look at the next section. "We may have eaten the Five Pungent Roots, or defiled Sutras or statues. We may have disrupted the pure assembly, or freely indulged our whims, knowing no bounds."

這一段我們先知道五辛。什麼是「五辛」？五辛就是大蒜、大蔥，或者是珠蔥，或者是蘭蔥，或者是圭菜等等…那個「蘭蔥」應該是「小蔥頭」，「珠蔥」就是在那個蔥的種類當中有一種很小顆的，這叫做五辛。

First, let us understand the Five Pungent Roots. What are they? The Five Pungent Roots are garlic, onions, scallions, shallots, chives, etc. Shallots are little onions. Scallions are a kind of onion with a very small base. These are the Five Pungent Roots.

這五辛氣味很重，所以有的在家人說：「買這些東西就是爆香用。」就是因為它的味道很重。

They have very strong odors. Some lay practitioners say they buy them for stir-frying because they have a lot of flavor.

到底它又有什麼作用？我們大家聞起來，覺得說那個味道很重，素食的人聞起來很害怕；而且這個蔥蒜如果在那裡一直剁，覺得會刺激人的眼睛。這叫做「辛」！這些東西實在是聞起來很嚇人，但是葷食的人覺得那很香，所以一直都說：「如果沒有蔥菲菜爆香一下，這些菜好像沒有味道。」有的人會這樣說。

What is the use of strong flavors? When we small it we feel it is overwhelming. Buddhist vegetarians are scared of that smell. And when we peel onions and garlic they irritate our eyes. That is pungency. These things have a truly terrible smell. But people who eat meat find it pleasant. So they always say, "If we do not fry some onions or chives first, then the dishes seem tasteless" Some people will say this.

其實，為什麼這五種我們素食的人不能吃？楞嚴經中就這麼說：「五辛者，熟食發淫，生噉增瞋。」意思就是說，這些東西它裡面的成分，有那種興奮劑。

Why can't Buddhist vegetarians eat these five things? In the Surangama Sutra it is written, "The Five Pungent Roots if eaten cooked elicit lust, if eaten raw increase anger" This means that there are stimulants in these foods.

就像我們從前說要吃「合利他命」，應該可能這是從前很多人、平常的人都拿來吃，說這樣比較提神，或者是會強壯身體。有的人吃這種東西很普遍，吃下去之後，他在說話就有一個味道。那雖然經過再製過的藥丸，這種藥丸，我們吃下去，除了說出話來有味道，其實連大小便，那個味道也是很不好。有時若去公共廁所時，你會聞到一股很不好的味道，那種的味道就是吃這種東西。

In the past people were told to take it Alinamin. Perhaps these people used to take it because they said it made them feel more awake, or that it strengthened their bodies. It was very popular. After they ate it, they emitted an odor when they spoke. Although the tablet had gone through processing, after people ate it, they emitted an odor when they spoke. Even their feces and urine smelled terrible. In public restrooms people could smell this terrible odor. The smell came from taking these tablets.

所以若是這種東西有這些氣味，為什麼還把它製作成為藥物？或是把它當作是一種健康的食品？對外做廣告說沒有病的人也可以吃？那就是因為這分的興奮劑。

Then why did people treat this drug as some kind of health food, to take even when they were healthy? Because it contained stimulants.

所以佛陀的智慧，他就是禁制素食的修行者，他對修行者，他們方便托缽，什麼都能夠吃，但是五辛就不能吃，因為它會使人的心會起著興奮；這種興奮就會發出淫的念，這個身體它就會有淫的念頭，我們控制不住，所以就說「熟食發淫」。

In the Buddha's wisdom, He set restrictions on what practitioners ate. When practitioners begged for alms, they could eat anything for the sake of convenience except the Five Pungent Roots, because they contained mental stimulants. When people are stimulated, lust will arise.

那「生噉增瞋」呢？我們若是生吃，會讓我們脾氣很不好，常常都要發脾氣。因為他會讓人感到很興奮；一但開始興奮，看到什麼事情不順眼，很快就會發作起來。

Then they will have lustful thoughts and will be uncontrollable. So, if eaten cooked, they elicit lust, eaten raw, they increase anger. If we eat these things raw, we will have a very bad temper. We will lose our temper often, because we are excited. With stimulation, if anything displeases us, we lose our tempers.

所以熟食生噉都是不好，這就是五辛對我們人的身體、心理，都是影響很大，所以佛陀禁止我們食噉五辛，就是－－蒜、韭菜、蕗藠（ 註：或稱為「薤」，薙頭、小蒜、薙白頭、野蒜、野韭等… ）、蔥葱、興渠等等…有五種東西。所以我們不要吃。

So, we cannot consume them in cooked or raw form. These are the Five Pungent Roots. They have a big influence on our bodies and minds. So, the Buddha forbade us to eat them, they include garlic, chives, and so on. So, we cannot eat them.

所以我們素食，有的人說：「那也是青菜，也是種的？為什麼不能吃，多這些東西來少，味道很香。」但是對素食的人來說，那是一種味道很重的，和人說話也不清淨；你說話時，魅魍魎都會很害怕，這些我們就不要去吃它。

We are vegetarian, so some people say, "Those are vegetables; they are grown, so why can't you eat them? If we stir-fry with them, it will smell good." But to vegetarians, these flavors are very strong. And when we speak with others, our breath will be unclean; even ghosts and demons will be scared. So, we do not eat them.

所以要講經，我們也要淨口業，所以你要誦經，也有「淨口業真言」；然而真真正正要淨口，就是不要吃那種。吃下去，那種氣出來有味道的東西。所以這五種都是有味道，所以它有這個興奮成分， 所以我們人控制不住我們的心，所以容易在行為上犯過。

When we teach the Sutras, our speech must be pure. So, when we recite the Sutras, we need the "mantra for purifying verbal karma". To truly have a clean mouth, we must not eat those things. If we do, the air we emit would stink. These five things have strong odors. They also include stimulants so we cannot control our minds and easily make mistakes in behavior.

對於入寺院要注意的行為，幾天前已經說過了，入寺院中「薰穢經像」，就是脾氣不好，或者是很魯莽。所以在經像前，不但不能提起恭敬尊重的心，還再污穢了經像。

We have already talked about our behavior in monasteries. We may have defiled Sutras and statues with bad tempers and by being reckless. So, not only are we disrespectful in front of Sutras and statues, we actually defile them.

或者是在經像面前常常點香、燭，產生了很多煙，把這些東西都薰得黑黑的、很髒，都不會想要去整理，這也不對。佛前我們要常常保持乾淨。有的人不只是不會把它清理乾淨，還再把它「薰穢」，很髒。

If we light incense and candles before them, all the smoke will blacken these objects. Not cleaning them up when they are dirty is also wrong. We must maintain cleanliness before the Buddha. Some people will not only avoid cleaning, they "defile it" and make it dirty.

對人則「排揬淨眾」，因為那個心靜不下來，也不知道什麼是叫做「善知識」；自己無法做人的善知識，還排除別的善知識，這種的心態，就是很容易在人與人之間，無法合群和眾。那不只是不能夠合群和眾，還是「排揬淨眾」。

Then they "disrupt the pure assembly. Because they cannot calm their minds, and do not know about spiritual friends, they cannot be others' spiritual friends and even push away other spiritual friends. This type of mindset will easily create discord between people within the community. Not only can they not be part of the community, they even disrupt the pure assembly.

那「縱心恣意」，就是放縱我們的心，因為他很興奮，所以心靜不下來，他就縱意為所欲為。這種的「縱心恣意」，就是抱持著「怎樣，我歡喜，有什麼不可以呢？」這樣的心態。

We may have freely indulged our whims. We let our minds loose. Because people are excited, their minds cannot calm down, and they will do whatever they desire. They freely indulged their whims. "So what? As long as I'm happy, why can't I do this?"

這種「縱心恣意」，這種的為所欲為，完全不知道我們應該規戒在那裡，所以他就「不知限極」。

This is freely indulging our whims, doing whatever we want. We know no rules or precepts. So we know no bounds.

我們常常都說，我們要守戒守規則啦，這就是我們做人的道理，做人，我們有做人的規矩，我們有做人的人倫。所以他對人倫規矩都把它超越過去，所以就是「不知限極」，就是對於所應該要有一個限制的規則，他都完全不遵守。

We often say, obeying precepts and rules is part of being a person. There are rules for being a good person. There are morals. If we cross moral boundaries, we know no bounds. We do not obey any rules that establish limits.

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疏遠善人
狎近惡友如是等罪
今悉懺悔

We estranged ourselves from good people, became too familiar with evil friends. For these and other transgressions, today we completely repent.

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所以呢－－「疏遠善人，狎近惡友。如是等罪，今悉懺悔。」

"We estranged ourselves from good people, became too familiar with evil friends. For these and other transgressions, today we completely repent."

那這種「疏遠善人」，好的人我們偏偏和他疏遠；那對於惡、壞的人，我們反而偏偏選擇接近這類的惡人，不守善規這種的人，我們一直和他接近，自然我們自己就一直受他影響。

If we estrange ourselves from good people, we perversely distance ourselves from good people. We deliberately befriend bad individuals, those who do not follow rules. If we befriend them, we will be influenced by them.

所以剛才對大家說過，我們要結交的朋友，就是『淨眾』－－清淨的、身與心清淨的人，是智慧良知的朋友－－，我們應該要很珍惜，多親近。所以「知心會友名善知識」，這麼多的善知識，說起來，我們每天都要很珍惜任何一個人；因為這些人能夠互為淨心，明鏡互照。

So as I just said, the friends we make must be pure. Those pure in body and mind, with wisdom and conscience are friends we should treasure and keep close. A friend who knows our heart is a spiritual friend. We have so many spiritual friends, so we need to treasure each person every day, because they can help us purify each other's hearts and clearly reflect one another.

因為我們彼此之間，互相能夠彼此鼓勵，彼此鞭策，錯誤的趕快告訴我們；我們若是懈怠，他就趕快提醒我們，那像是這些全都是很好的朋友。所以近善友如沐浴清流，善友就如同我們的清流一般，常常能夠洗滌心靈的無明垢穢。

We can encourage and urge each other on. They promptly tell us of our mistakes. If we are lax, they will warm us. People like this are very good friends. Being near good friends is like washing ourselves in a pure stream; we can always wash ignorance and filth from our minds.

所以你若是近惡友，就是薰穢迷途，我們就難能返回了！

If we befriend evil friends, we will become lost and have a hard time finding our way back.

各位，學佛，我們時時珍惜這個好的環境，珍惜好我們周圍人與人之間，都是我們的良師益友；所以我們若能夠珍惜，我們才自己的心能夠清淨。所以我們要時時淨心，時時互相互為益友，所以要時時多用心。

Everyone, as we learn Buddhism we must always cherish this great environment and all the relationships around us; they are our good teachers and benevolent friends. If we can cherish them, we can purify our minds. Let us always purify our minds, and be benevolent friends to each other. So please always be mindful.