众生为什么轮回？（双语开示）

　　领悟佛道，首先就是领悟般若，切入佛道，首先就要从切入实相般若开始。这和学历没关系，和你的地位高低没关系，和你拥有多少荣誉没关系，和你的长相也没有关系，和你是男人还是女人没关系。你要经常的去找到这样的感受。这样我们的心才会清净，才会远离烦恼。这是修行。

　　To comprehend Buddha-Dharma, we need to understand Prajna first; To practice Buddha-Dharma, we need to start with the practice of Prajna mindfulness.It has nothing to do with our academic achievements, social status or the honors we have earned, neither does it have anything to do with our looks or genders. What we need to do is to search for our inner feelings of a still and clear mind, free from all worries and vexations.

　　在这样的前提下，才有可能去领悟般若。如果非常烦恼：“我连坐也坐不住”。那没办法，磕头去。什么时候折腾的没啥兴致了，把以前的那些和自己有关系的烦恼事慢慢的断尽了，这时候心才能清净。

　　Only in this way are we in the right path of Baddha-Dharma practice. Only by doing this can we comprehend what Prajna is. If we are in great vexation and can’t even sit quietly, we may try Kowtows or some other physical ways in front of Buddha statues. After we have tired ourselves out by doing so, we may forget all our worries and vexations. By this time, we may calm ourselves down and keep a clear and still mind.

　　其实，我们很多修行中的加行，都是这些方面的。还有一些，是关于生起信心：从不信到信。有的人开始是不信佛的，后来信了；开始的信是迷信，后来开始追求自己的成就；开始是寻求升官发财、多子多孙、以后的福报等等，后来逐渐的认识改变了，发起信心，自己修行。

　　In fact, many of the preliminary Buddhist practices have the same functions with kowtows while some others are for enhancing confidence in Buddha. Many people didn’t believe in Buddha, but gradually gain more and more confidence in Buddha by doing the preliminary practices; Others may start with superstition, but end with the pursuits of self-enlightenment and self-achievement; Still others may start to believe in Buddha for the achievement in a higher social status, bigger wealth, or a prosperous family and offspring, gradually however, they change their mind and begin to tread the path of Buddha-Dharma practice.

　　所以总体来说，佛法有两个方面：一个方面是发心，一个方面是智慧。所谓发心方面，要发大悲心、发决定成佛的心。有一个自己决定成佛的心，再加上一个大悲心，就会形成一个菩提心。

　　In general, there are two aspects in Buddhism: one is to make Vows and wishes, and the other is to achieve Buddha wisdom. As for making vows and wishes, we should strengthen our minds with infinite compassion and loving-kindness, and make a wish to achieve Buddhahood. The infinite compassion for all sentient beings and the wish to achieve Buddhahood together form the Bodhicitta.

　　那么，我们想成佛，想帮助众生成就佛道，我们自己得先会成。你先走，走一遍看看。你都没走，你怎么能告诉别人怎么走呢？所以我们自己还要去走这个菩萨道。这个道是怎么走呢？般若！

　　As long as we wish to become a Buddha and help all sentient beings to achieve Buddhahood, we ourselves must tread on the right path first. If we ourselves don’t know what the right way is, how can we show others the right way to achieve Buddhahood? Therefore, we ourselves must first accomplish this great mission as a bodhisattva. What is the right Bodhisattva Path? Prajna!

　　所以我们今天这个课程，原打算是从心经开始，但是头两天我觉得有必要先给大家讲：众生为什么轮回了？我们又应该怎样脱离轮回，走向解脱、走向成就？这样也为我们未来的学习铺一下路。

　　Originally, this class was planned to preach the teaching and practice of Heart Sutra, but now I realize the necessity of a preparatory class: how are we attached to Samsara, the cycle of reincarnation, and how can we get out of Samsara. In this way, a solid foundation of basic knowledge can be made for our future study.

　　众生是怎么轮回的？什么原因导致的轮回？轮回的众生，如何从轮回痛苦、烦恼中解脱出来，超越轮回，乃至走向究竟成就？我们自己想解脱，我们自己想成就，我们就要知道我们错在哪儿，我们到底怎么了。这个事情要从我们众生的特点说起。

　　How are the sentient beings attached to Samsara? What’s the reason for Samsara, the cycle of reincarnation? How can the sentient beings be liberated from the cycle of pains and vexations, transcend Samsara and achieve the ultimate Buddha wisdom. As long as we wish to liberate ourselves and achieve ultimate enlightenment, we must, first of all, be clear about what’s wrong with us. To make this point clear, let’s start with the characteristic of the sentient beings.

　　众生有什么特点呢？佛陀称之为无明。无明是众生轮回的根。什么叫无明呢？无明还有几个名字：愚痴、迷失、愚迷。众生因为无明、因为愚、因为迷失了，所以不知道正确的道路，不知道生命正确的状态，不知道如何正确的对待自己、对待别人。并且坚持他认为正确的东西。

　　What characteristic do all sentient beings possess? The Buddha calls it Avidya. Avidya is the root of reincarnation，which can also be called stupidity，confused perplexity or ignorance. Because of Avidya, the sentient beings are at a loss of what the right way is and what the right state of life is. We don’t know how to treat both ourselves and others wisely.

　　凡是迷的人，他都有他的一些想法，否则他没迷。他的这个想法越坚固，就越难于成就，越难于找到那个明，找到正确的生命之路。所以称为迷、称为愚，这叫做无明。详细解释一下无明。无明包括这样两个方面：

　　Some of us are so lost and confused that they stubbornly believe in the knowledge and conceptions they have acquired and are firmly attached to their own thoughts and ideas. As a result, the more they are lost, the more stubborn they become and the harder it is for them to find the right way to achieve ultimate enlightenment. This is the so-called Avidya, which includes two aspects:

　　第一个方面，是对生命的规律不懂。我们自己是一个生命，但是对生命不了解。我们这个生命是按照一个怎样的规律向前走的呢？自己不清楚，不了解生命规律。

　　One aspect of Avidya is the ignorance about the law of life. We ourselves are a kind of life, nevertheless we know so little about life. We have no idea about the law of life and how we progress.

　　那么生命的规律是什么？因果轮回，这是它主要的一个规律。如果我们懂得了这个规律，那么我们就不会把自己推到一个很苦的状态之中。不知道因果规律：行善法，得善果；行恶法，得恶果；

　　What’s the law of life? The law of cause and effect is the main law of life, which means kind deeds lead to happy results while bad deeds result in evil result. If we understand and believe in it, we shall not force ourselves into a miserable state of life.

　　第二点就是，对生命的本性不清楚，这个也包括物质世界。这个宇宙的本性是什么？不清楚。那么宇宙本性是什么呢？本性是空。单纯的对我们生命来说，叫佛性，也叫一真法界、如来藏，都是指的它。一般的从现象界的角度讲，就直接说空，而从我们这个生命的角度来说，称作佛性。

　　The other aspect of Avidya is the ignorance about the nature of life, including the nature of the material universe. What’s the nature of the life and the universe? Sunyata---Emptiness. It has different names in Buddhism: the Buddha nature, the One-True Dharma Realm or Tathagatagarbha; From the angle of the material world, we simply call it emptiness, while from the angle of life, it is called the Buddha nature.

　　我们每个人都有佛性。我们的佛性广大无边，充满整个宇宙。而且，我们每个人的佛性，和佛陀的佛性、和一切十方三世一切诸佛的佛性是一样的，甚至也可以说是无二无别的。这样更准确：无二无别，本来是一，没有二。

　　All sentient beings have the Buddha nature, which is boundless and endless, spreading all over the time and space. What’s more, everyone’s Buddha nature is exactly the same with all past, present and futures Buddhas. There is absolutely no difference, as it is basically one, not two.

　　但是，我们所谓的迷失了，就是对这些东西不懂了。为什么会不懂了呢？源于我们对外部现象界的追求、执着。我们执着于我、法，我执、法执。这个法就是，我们所能想到的、见到的、听到的、说到的，一切的现象都属于法，其实也包括这个我。但是，一般都因为这个我更重要，所以把它单独提出来。

　　However, we are lost and don’t know our Buddha nature any more, simply because of our stubborn delusion and desire for the outside world and because of our persistence in the existent self and our attachment to dharma. Dharma includes all that we can see, hear, feel, think of and speak about. Virtually, Dharma also includes the self, but the self is habitually taken more seriously and importantly, therefore, it is separately listed from the dharma.

　　因为这两个执着，我们就会时时刻刻看着眼前所遇到的各种法：“它对我有好处还是有坏处？我应该怎么对付他？应该怎么去对治？怎么去做？是要还是排斥？” 这中间就有一个抉择、取舍的过程。这个过程包括什么呢？一个是贪：很重要的，抓取。

　　Because of our attachment to the self and to the dharma, we accept all the dharma （the phenomena） on the basis of the self,“Is it good or bad for me? How shall I deal with him? What shall I do, to accept or to reject?” There is always a choice to make. This process is mainly composed of two things: greediness and ill-will.

　　看到了什么，就要抓取；很新鲜的，要去研究。这就是抓取的心，属于贪。贪的过程，又强化了对我的执着，对于法的执着。贪所造的业是什么业呢？贪所造的业不是善业。什么是善业？利他为善。贪，没有给自己，至少也得给自己的朋友、自己的家、自己的单位等等，这都是贪， 或者是一个抓取的心。它造的业是什么业呀？恶业。

　　Seeing something good, we shall try to grasp; seeing something new, we shall try to study. This is our grasping hear, our greediness, which in turn strengthens our attachment to the self and dharma. What karma does greediness create, positive or negative? Kind karma is based on selflessness and altruism, while greediness is totally based on the self: do everything for me, or at least for my relatives and friends. As a result, greediness creates negative karma.

　　贪不着，或者对自己是一个伤害的东西来了，那么我们就会怎样呢？就会嗔，嗔怒的心就来了，甚至也包括嫉妒。你要得到了，你肯定不嫉妒。什么你都得到的时候，你嫉妒谁呀？光剩别人嫉妒你了！不如意、嫉妒心所造的业，是什么业呢？还是恶业！嗔恨心所造的业，一般至少是心里有恨，甚至行为上有伤害，语言上有伤害：埋怨、牢骚等等，都是恶的。

　　When we don’t get what we try to grasp, or when there is something harmful coming, what’s our response? We shall become ill-willed, either be resentful or jealous, simply because we can’t get what we desire. What’s the result of ill-will? Definitely negative karma, since resentment and jealousy are negative mental activity, leading to more harmful behavior or aggressive speech such as complaints or curses.

　　我们对外界的现象除了贪和嗔，还有什么选择？你只要去动念、动心了，就是贪和嗔两个选择。那么所造的业就是恶业。所以佛陀说南阎浮提众生，起心动念无不是恶、无不是业！众生的心就是这样一个愚迷的心。他们的行为、做事，做一个总结就是：无不是罪，无不是业。所以，最后的结果是什么？堕落、下滑、三途苦、苦果。种下了苦的因，得到了苦的果。

　　Greediness and ill-will are the two main choices when we face the outside world. As long as we have any thoughts or intentions, we face the two choices, either greediness or ill-will, both leading to negative karma. Just as the Buddha said: All the sentient beings in Jambu-dvipa （the world we are living） create negative karma as long as they have any thoughts or intentions. Consequently, we degenerate, fall down to the Three Evil Paths of reincarnation and suffer intensely and endlessly.

　　当你得到苦果时候怎么样？又是不如意，又发现别人都能得到的东西我没有，别人都很顺利就我不顺利，别人坏事儿都少一点儿，我怎么就这么多坏事。苦呀！进一步就更加产生贪心、嗔心，加倍的贪和嗔，在苦上种更大的苦因苦果！然后进一步的贪、嗔，这其实就是简单的十二因缘。浓缩一下：这样一个不断的缘生缘灭，缘生与缘灭。

　　What happens when we taste the bitter fruit of our negative karma? More bitterness and sufferings follow. We may find others are happier, wealthier and more successful, while we suffer more and are more miserable. As a result, our greediness and ill-will will increase and expand, thus planting more bitter fruit. This is the simplified Twelve Nidanas(the twelve-linked causal formula)， performing the constant cycle of cause and effect, the cycle of reincarnation

　　但是它的根源在哪儿呢？根源在于无明，或者说，根源在于我执、法执。这样就造恶因、得恶果，不断的造恶因、不断的得恶果。最后我们就只好成为轮回众生。我们都是怎么活着？在苦果上面，不得已而活着。在这些不得已中，有一些事情我们可以接受。为什么可以接受呢？因为别人都接受了，这个事儿就天经地义了。

　　All these originate from Avidya, our ignorance of the dharma, or in other words, the attachment to the self and the dharma. Because of this attachment, negative karma is created, hence all the miseries and sufferings, which lead us into Samsara, the cycle of reincarnation. We all have to live on negative karma and endure all the miseries and sufferings as soon as we were born into this world. We accept all the miseries and sufferings as they are simply because everyone else takes it for granted that this is what life should be like.

　　比方说：我们每一个人，都有一个身体。有身体本身就是苦。沉不沉呐？每个人一百来斤，你什么时候都要带着。所以大家听课，还要有个座，因为很辛苦。一百来年，带了一百来斤，但是我们发现别人也带着，那这个事儿就得受吧。你没有这儿一百来斤，你还用走路吗？那多么的轻盈呐！轻盈到比那个鹅毛还轻，鹅毛还有分量呢！但我们不行。我们从这儿走到霞浦县城，再想走回来，就有点吃不住了。

　　Take our body for example. Our body is the result of negative karma, since we have to carry it everywhere even though it is heavy and inconvenient. We need a seat, because we easily feel tired to attend the class with a body of over 50 kilos. It may tire us out to walk from the downtown to the monastery. Tiring and inconvenient as it is, we accept it easily for the simple reason that all others are enduring. How light and graceful it would be without our heavy and clumsy body. We would feel lighter than a feather and would be able to fly to anywhere we like.

　　为什么呢？你有恶果在身，身体是属于罪报。但有的人比较一下，觉得我这个身体还是蛮不错的嘛：身高两米二五，长相非常潇洒！比较一下还可以。也有的人每天就要去买各种的化妆品，先把暴露在外面的，把它整的像模像样，自己没有特别的感觉，但是得让别人认为自己挺好。还有穿衣服，不穿衣服其实更舒服一点，但是不行呢，冷！冷怎么办？就得往上穿。这个很麻烦。你出生的时候，穿一次还不行，每天都在穿。这都是属于恶报。

　　We have to endure our clumsy body because of our evil karma. Some may feel rather good about his body---- 2.25 meters tall, cool and handsome; some others try every means to make their body neat and decent by using various kinds of cosmetics in order to feast others’eyes. We need clothes to cover our body day by day, and year by year, no matter how troublesome it is. All these belong to evil karma.[page]

　　还有吃。上次在南禅寺我讲过：你说人干嘛要吃呢？如果天人看人间，就和我们人到厕所里看那个蛆一样！蛆也在厕所里面，辛苦的经营着那一点点儿泥滩，那是它赖以生存的家。我们人也是这样。我们人每天搞一些乱八七糟的东西，粘粘糊糊的，都不知道咋整的。结果从这头儿进去，从那头儿出去。日复一日，年复一年，坚持的还挺好。而且好像这一辈子主要的目的，没有别的，就是为了从这个口儿进去，那个口儿出去，真没干别的！从出生到死亡，你看看你干什么了？把这个事儿干完了，也就完了！

　　Above all, we have to eat. Why should we eat? In the eyes of the celestial beings, we are no difference from the maggots in the stinky mire, who work hard to maintain their home no matter how dirty and stinky it is. As human beings, we are no better by eating and excreting rubbish day in day out. Actually, eating has almost become the only purpose for us. From birth to death, we really haven’t done anything more meaningful and decent. Only when our life is finished do we stopping eating and excreting rubbish.

　　你跑这儿来折腾啥呀？从生下来开始，就往里装，有的人装的还挺好：现在人越整越高档。过去吃苹果，树上摘儿下来蹭一蹭就吃了。现在这个苹果，拿来以后，要这样儿拿，叫什么兰花指！然后还得去皮、去核、加工，否则有菌。

　　What’s the significance of our life? It seems that we were born to enjoy food, nothing else. As a result, we are making the process more and more complicated: In the past, one would pick an apple from the tree, wipe off the dust and eat it as it is right away. Nowadays, however, we may go through many prudent procedures before we can enjoy the same apple. Firstly, we learn to take an apple in a decent and graceful manner. Next, we have to peel it and core it out. After that, we process it in different ways in order to make it degermed and more tasty.

　　其实怎么吃也都是这么回事：从这头儿装进去，然后从那头儿就出去了。装了一辈子，一点也没装住。最后，连自己身体都一块儿出去了！这都属于果报、苦报！

　　No matter how complicated the process has become, it is still the same that we put it in and excrete it out day in day out, with nothing left. Gone with it is our body at the end of our life. This is the karma, the negative karma we create.

　　但是我们很多人还很傲慢呢：我吃那东西，你们吃这东西！其实，这就是无明。三、五十年前，任何一个面食，你要能吃到油炸的，哎呀，你太令人羡慕了，很高档了！现在说油炸的是最差的，垃圾食品！

　　Some people are so arrogant simply because they can eat better food: Look, this is what I eat! Mine is undoubtedly better than yours! This is Avidya, ignorance. Decades of years ago, it was so admirable to be able to eat fried food, but now fried food is regarded as junk food, rubbish!

　　也不知道到底咋儿回事，反正就是莫名其妙的无明、无明心。反正别人的东西就是不好。这都属于无明，也是因为贪嗔痴，当然还有慢。我方才讲的就是一种慢心：我的东西就是好的，我有权力说我的好，你们就不好！至于哪个好，还不一定谁先死呢！

　　This is due to unreasonable and inexplicable ignorance, Avidya, all deriving from our greediness, resentfulness, delusion and arrogance. Which is better and healthier? Who knows! We can never be sure who die earlier despite the different food we eat.

　　这里讲的就是：我们众生为什么轮回。因为这个原因、这个行为，导致了苦。面对苦，又因为无明进一步造苦因，受苦果。在苦因苦果上，还因为无明，再进一步造苦因，再受苦果。所以，我们这个生命每时每刻都在一个苦果的平台上，重新造的因。

　　The reason for us to be attached to Samsara is that our ill-will and harmful behavior result in misery and suffering. When facing all these sufferings, we become more greedy and resentful, thus planting more bitter seeds which will surely bear bitter fruit. This endless cycle is based on Avidya, our ignorance about the law of life. Every minute, we are standing on a platform of bitter fruit, and at the same time planting new bitter seeds, waiting for more bitter fruit.

　　比如，我们今天有同样一个果报，来这里坐着听课。但是我们在这儿坐着的时候，以一个什么样的态度来听？是不是如理如法？你听课的时候在想什么？你是不是真的想从中搞明白一些生命的道理？真正有一个谦卑的心、学习的心、求知的心，想搞明白、搞懂、领悟的心？

　　Take today’s class for example. We attend the same class because of our common former karma, but our different attitude and mental state will make the result a big difference. Are you attending the class attentively with a modest and serious attitude? What’s in your mind when you are listening? Do you really want to understand the true meaning of life?

　　很多地方也有很多这样的人：他听课的时候，是一个审判官：“我来看看这个法师讲的行不行”！这就是另外一种态度。这样不同的态度，面对我们这个相同果报。果相同了----我们现在这儿学佛，都需要在这儿坐着，都需要在这儿听，这几个小时不能动。这都是果，我们果是平等了，几乎是一样。当然，我们位置不一样，前后距离还不一样。你选择的，这是因缘。但是大致是一样的果。可是，我们当下种的因还是有差别的：

　　Many people act as a judge when coming to the class. He’s simply interested in finding faults with the teacher: Is the teacher right? Is the lecture in accordance with his understanding? This kind of attitude makes the result completely different. The common and equal result for all of us is that we are attending the same class today and we must listen for hours. However, we are also creating different karma hereby.

　　咱们是不是有的人一边听一边想：“我家电饭锅是不是还没拔呢？他能不能把钥匙拿走了？”这也种因，将来也有果。就是这样因果因果，生命就用这种因果循环的过程，组成了我们生命的链儿。这种生命的链儿前无始后无终。这就像时间一样，时间无始无终；也像空间一样没有边际。所以我们这个生命也就这样，永远的这么轮回着。所以我们常说“从无始劫以来，我们就这样受着种种的苦，轮回到了今天”。

　　Someone here may still be worrying about such trifles: Did I turn off the electric cooker? Has he forgot the keys? Even such subtle things also create karma which one has to bear afterwards. Our life chain is formed in this karma of cause and effect retribution without a start nor an end. Just like the endless time and boundless space, we have been recycling in Samsara life after life. Therefore, we often say “We have been suffering in Samsara from beginningless time till today”

　　那么我们的生命有没有结束那一天呢？生命没有结束，但是生命也时时在结束。因为，方才讲了，它是一个因果的循环。那么这种苦可不可以断掉呢？苦是可以断掉的！这就要学习佛法，能够断掉苦的办法，就是佛法。

　　In spite of this, will our life end someday? To put it in an accurate way, we should say that our life will never end but it also ends every minute, because it has been attached to Samsara. Is there a way for us to abjure the miseries and sufferings? The answer is positive and definite and the only way to do this is to learn Buddha-Dharma.

　　所以我们学佛要干什么呢？就是要了解生命。要了我们知道了苦是这样来的，透过它我们就可以研究，我们怎么样让他不苦。根源在哪儿？无明，根源在无明，我们就解决无明。真正的去思考、真正的搞懂这种因果的关系。（因果和轮回是紧密联结在一起的。）

　　The purpose for us to learn and practice Buddha-Dharma is to learn about the law of life, to become clear where all the miseries and sufferings come from, and how we can stop all these negative Karma. Now we know all sufferings originate from Avidya, our ignorance of the law of life, consequently we should solve the problem of Avidya. In order to do this, we need seriously ponder on and know clearly about the karma, the relationship of cause and effect since karma is closely related to Samsara.

　　这里强调一下：我们每一个人心灵的状态什么样，就决定了你的快乐指数如何。心灵心胸广大、光明、坦荡，更广大的心，愿意去帮助更多的人，这样的人活着就快乐，就会有尊重，就会有福报。反过来，心胸狭隘、纠结、自私、烦恼，我们的生命就会越来越黯淡。特别是在这个过程中，就造各种冲突，各种恶业，去加剧自己的烦恼。这个就特别的苦！那么，关键的时候，他就会到下一个层次去活着。

　　Most importantly, our happiness index depends completely on our state of mind. A kind, generous, bright, optimistic and altruistic heart brings about more happiness, respect and good fortune. On the other hand, a selfish, narrow-minded, troubled heart results in a dark and unhappy life, which in turn creates a negative Karma and strengthens one’s vexation and sufferings. When the present life ends, he will fall down to a lower form of life.

　　人间的人也是这样，包括官位、职称等也是这样。当然，如果是很公平的话，那你有多大能力，就应该有什么样的地位（而事实并不总是如此）。

　　It’s exactly the same law with social status and professional ranks and titles, etc.。 We always take it for granted that we should enjoy different social status according to our capabilities, however, the reality is not always so.

　　我们是不是做人，也是因为我们这个心胸、心量的不同，也就是内心世界光明的程度不一样。所以，我们就会从这个六道中，得到不同的选择：心胸越狭窄、越纠结，这些问题越严重，他的位置就越低。这些问题小一点，他就相对高一点。就这样轮回的。尤其是在这一期生命结束的时候，决定你去哪儿，就看你心性、心灵的状态，也叫做觉悟的程度。再一个就是本性，一切事物，包括生命的本性，我们是不是掌握了？因为不掌握，所以我们就苦。我们要去掌握它！

　　Different states of mind also decide whether one will be a human. One’s life form in the six realms of karma depends on one’s state of mind. The more generous and bright one’s heart is, the higher his life form is, vice versa. At the most critical moment when one’s present life ends, one’s state of mind will decide where he goes. The state of mind is the degree of one’s enlightenment. Another major factor is whether we have clearly understood the nature of life. We suffer if we haven’t. Rationally, we should try to understand it and master it.

　　那么如何去掌握它呢？我们为什么这么久没有掌握它？我们大家现在分析一下，我们平常人认识这个世界，包括认识别人，靠什么来认识呀？靠眼睛、耳朵、鼻子、舌头，还有身体、触觉，即眼耳鼻舌身。还有什么呢？我们对外界再没有什么了。这个意识心是自己内在的东西了。我们去感受外在，去认识外界事物，就这么五个方面。而我们最依赖的是什么？第一个就是眼睛。所以有句话叫做“眼见为实，耳听为虚”。

　　How can we master the nature of life? Why haven’t we master it for kalpas. Let’s make an analysis about it: We perceive and understand the outside world on the basis of our five senses, eye, ear, tongue, nose and body, nothing else. Our consciousness belongs to the inner world. What we mostly rely on is the eye, just as the saying goes “Seeing is believing”。

　　但是我们这个眼睛有多么可靠呢？我们的眼睛，只不过是光的反射，是纯粹的一种物理的东西，物理学讲的一种结构。很简单，就是光反射过来，刺激一下神经，然后你有一个反应。用这么粗陋的一个设备，你想把这个世界真的看懂是很难的。其实还有一个很重要的现象，就是我们眼睛真正看到的东西，我们反而觉得以为是没有看见。我们没看见的东西却以为是看见了。

　　The key point is how reliable our eyes are. Scientifically speaking, our eyes are nothing more than a physical structure which reflects light. Our nervous system responds when light functions on our eyes. With such a course and simple equipment, it’s quite beyond us to accurately understand this world. Another important factor is that we often commit such blunders: When we genuinely see something, we feel that we see nothing. Vise versa.

　　我们想一下：我们的眼睛真正看到的是什么？空气是真正的看到了，而且看穿了。没看到的东西，我们以为是看到了。比方说这个墙，你看到了没有。我们都会说“我看到墙了”。其实我们真没有一个人能看到墙。我们只见到了墙和空气之间的界面。透过空气，看到了这个界面。真正的在里边，这是一层漆。这个漆的里边你都看不到，只看到一个界面。你如果能看到这个墙，是不是这个墙里装的什么你就知道了？那墙里面，如果藏一个金佛，还藏得住不？藏不住了！

　　Let’s think about this: What do our eyes really see? We see air and we see through it, but we don’t think we really see it. On the other hand, everyone thinks that we see the wall, but in fact we don’t really see the wall. What we see is only the interface of the wall and the air. We see the interface through air but we can’t see the inside. If we could see the inside of the wall, we would know what is inside the wall. If a gold Buddha statue was hidden inside, it would have been taken away.

　　以前在土地革命时期，很多有钱人把墙抠个洞，把黄金、珠宝都装到里面去，然后外面封上，贴上墙纸，人家就不知道了。如果我们要是能看到墙，那墙里面有黄金你就看到了，有珠宝你也看到了。所以我们其实是看不到墙的。我们看到的只是空气和墙这么一个界面。而我们按照推理、按照生活的经验确定：我们看到的这个地方是墙。这都是判断。就好像我们现在这些菩萨、罗汉下面这个墙，如果没有真正去碰过它的人，就这样看。你说它到底是纸做的，还是塑料做的呢？或者，真的是石头的吗？

　　In the 1950s, many rich people dug holes in the wall and hid all their valuables inside and sealed it with wallpaper. If we could see the inside of the wall, we would see all the treasures. From this fact we should know that we see nothing more than the interface of the wall and the air. However, our knowledge, life experience and reasoning logics tell us that we see the wall. This is a judgment instead of the truth. We don’t even know what materials the wall is made of. Is it made of plastics, paper or stone? We have no idea.

　　所以说。我们这个眼睛看事物是很容易被迷惑的。眼睛不可靠。因为眼睛的不可靠，耳朵、鼻子也同样是这个道理。所以我们看待这个事物，所能见到的都是一些表面的现象。这种表面的现象，让我们执着了，我们就没有办法去看见事物的本性。所以我们就每天被现象所迷。物质长什么样儿，是被眼睛给迷失了；声音的本质，我们听不到。我们听到的是一个波，我们还是被迷失了；触觉也是一样，软硬和它的本性不一样。我们看不到、感觉不到它的本性。

　　From the above, we know that our eyes are easily mistaken. Our eyes are unreliable, so are our other organs like the nose or the ear. When we see things, we only see the superficial facts, which make us confused. As a result, we are unable to understand the nature of everything. Our eyes make us confused, so we can’t see the nature of things; our ears are limited, as a result, we can only hear the sound wave instead of the real nature of the sound. It’s the same with our feeling sense, by which we can only feel the softness or hardness instead of the nature of things.

　　所以，这就是为什么迷失，所以我们现在要挖掘，挖掘我们本来的能力，去感受生命和大千世界的本性。如何去感受呢？就是观照，就是般若。所以我们这次要学的就是这个般若，要研究、探讨的就是这个般若。这个般若一旦搞懂了，那么生命的本性就搞懂了，就可以直接见到这个规律。规律比较好掌握。当见到本性之后，这个规律就扎扎实实了。

　　This is why we are lost. What we need to do is to trace back our original capability, that is our Buddha nature, through which we can perceive accurately what the nature of our life and the world is. The only right way to find our Buddha nature is to practice Prajna. The purpose of class is to study Prajna. Once we understand Prajna, we shall perceive the nature of life and we shall master the law of life firmly and doubtlessly.

　　没见到本性的时候，我们说：这个规律是因果的、是轮回的，你要硬去记，然后还去分析有没有道理。当你领会了空性智慧的时候，你再回头看因果，明明朗朗，这是生命的本质与规律。我们要解决它，就要真正的认识般若、掌握般若。般若本身就是解决空性问题的。

　　Before we see our Buddha nature, we say the law of life is the law of cause and effect and all sentient beings are in endless Samsara, but all this is our knowledge, our logic analysis or reasoning. After we understand Prajna, we see clearly the law of life and we know exactly what the nature of life is. The key to do this is to understand and master Prajna, which is the only way to find our Buddha nature, which is also called Sunyata, emptiness.

　　所以，心经不是讲嘛“观自在菩萨，行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄”。这个般若就度一切苦厄。有了般若，这些问题就通通可以解决了！所以，佛陀在这个心经中讲”三世诸佛，依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提”， 成佛。包括菩提萨埵，菩萨。菩萨“依般若波罗蜜多故”，成菩萨，入涅槃。

　　Just as the Heart Sutra says “When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he became enlightened that the five skandhas are all empty, thereby he transcended all suffering and miseries.” Prajna can help us transcend all suffering and miseries, and it can solve all problems. That’s why the Heart Sutra also says, “All past, present and future Buddhas attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through reliance on prajna paramita.” That means all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas attain Buddhahood through Prajna.

　　金刚经上也讲的很明白。佛陀说“一切诸佛，及诸佛阿耨多罗三藐三菩提法，皆从此经出”。什么经啊？般若经。也就是般若这个法。经是什么呀？经就是给我们这个法嘛！般若这个法，是成佛的唯一之道。佛陀在这个方面，强调的非常非常多。在金刚经里面，可能至少有二十处在强调这个般若法，对于一个人成就的重要。想成佛，这是唯一之路。心经也在这样的确定：“以无所得故，菩提萨埵，依般若波罗蜜多故，心无挂碍，无挂碍故，无有恐怖，远离颠倒梦想，究竟涅槃”。而佛是以无所得故，依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

　　The Diamond Sutra also makes it clear that “All Buddhas and the way to attain Anuttara-samyaksamboddhi, supreme enlightenment, come from this sutra” What Sutra? Prajna Sutra, the way to practice prajna, which is the only way to attain Buddhahood. Buddha Sakyamuni, our great teacher, emphasized this repeatedly in different sutras. The Diamond Sutra stressed at least twenty times the importance of Prajna for attaining Buddhahood. The Heart Sutra confirms it by saying “Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva is unimpeded in his mind through reliance on prajna paramita. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind, thus attaining Nirvana ultimately!”

　　还有很多经说，般若法是一切诸佛之母。包括《大智度论》，也专门对这个问题做过解析。什么意思？就是你想做佛，得通过这个母亲。这个母亲是谁？佛的母亲是谁？般若！所以我们今天开始的这个班，就是要从研究般若入手，解决我们成就佛道的问题！

　　Many other sutras, including Maha Prajna Paramita, also make it clear that Prajna is the mother of all Buddhas. If we wish to attain Buddhahood, we need to practice Prajna. Our class begins with the study of Prajna, whereby helping us find the right path to attain Buddhahood.

译者：若水隆丹

Translated by Diana Zhang

原标题：众生为什么轮回（久晃法师双语开示系列）

文章转自微信公众号：久晃讲般若