I have been reading some Buddhist teachings from English teachers and found some very wonderful writings. However, I felt that something is missing. After some thoughts, I believe what is missing is a clear idea of what the destination of Buddhism Practice is. In some cases, where the idea of the destination is clear, I felt that it fell short of what it could be.
我讀了些西方人寫的佛教文章，發現部分非常好的作品，不過總覺得缺少什麼的感覺。經過一番思考，我認為他們少了一個非常清楚的修行目的地。雖然有些修行的目的地很清楚，但不夠遠。
If you ask most Buddhists what's the purpose of practicing Buddhism, the standard response would be to be liberated from suffering and from samsara. Some seek to go to the Pure Land promised by Amitābha Buddha, but that just delayed the enlightenment by one lifetime. Some responses might be more secular, like looking for long-term well-being and happiness, or peace of mind.
如果問大多數佛教徒，修行的目的是什麼？標準的回答是從苦和輪迴中找到解脫。有些人會想去阿彌陀佛承諾的西方極樂世界，但這只把「目的地」的解釋推到下一世。有些人的反應可能更世俗，那就是只想要有永恆的幸福，或心平氣和。
The reason that I am bring this up is that your destination is going to affect your path, which is your Practice. And if you are not clear on where your destination is, you will never know if you are going the right way.
提這個問題出來的原因是：您的目的地會影響修行的方向，如果您不明確知道目的地在哪裡，您永遠不會知道走的路對不對。
For example, the Pure Land school's goal is to go to the Pure Land, so their method is simply "fully focused on the name of Amitābha." This is a very difficult task as discussed by Master Ban Ji in previous articles, but the Practice is simple to describe and the destination is clear. Every one can try it, and there are many articles written about how to be fully focused. All that remain is for you to decide if this is the right place for you and can you get there.
例如，淨土宗的目的地是去淨土，所以他們的法門是「一心念阿彌陀佛」。半寄師父有寫過，這是一個非常艱鉅的方法，但這法門可以很簡單描述且目標是很明確的。每個人都可以嘗試，當然也有很多文章來教您如何做到「一心念佛」，您只需要知道自己要不要去淨土，跟走不走得到。
But for other answers, the destination does not seem as clear. For example, liberating from suffering is the reward for getting to the destination, but it is not the destination. Why do I say that? Because it tells me nothing about your quality, about who you are and how you will function in the real world. You could be liberated from all sufferings if you are brain dead, but I am sure none of us wish that. (at least for this lifetime.) You could tell me that once you achieve anattā, you will be liberated. But then you would have to tell me what it means to achieve anattā, because I am sure our definitions differ.
其他回答並不是很明確。例如，「從苦中解脫」是到達目的地的獎勵，但它並不是目的地。 為什麼這樣說？因為我沒有辦法知道「從苦解脫」的人，會變成怎樣的人？他（她）將如何面對現實生活中所有的挑戰、變化？一個腦死的人也是「解脫苦」（最少這一輩子）但沒有人會希望這樣。您也許會說達到「無我」的境界就是終點，但您要能告訴我「無我」是什麼意思？我想我跟您的定義不會一樣。
For the destination to be clear, you need to know exactly the type of person you will be. If the reward is your main concern, then you need to determine if the reward fits the destination. For example, if you said that the person that has reached anattā has unlimited compassion, then you need to explain why a person with only unlimited compassion will be liberated from suffering in the real world. Yes, it is the real world that matters, because we all have to live in this. The other choice, is to go into seclusion and spent all your time in Samadhi. But if you go into seclusion, you will not be practicing your compassion, so what's the point?
一個明確的終點，會讓您知道自己將成為怎樣的人。如果達到終點的獎勵很重要，那麼您需要確定：到了終點，是否真能得到您想要的獎勵？例如，您說達到「無我」的人會有無限的慈悲心，那麼您需要了解：一個只有無限慈悲心的人，如何在現實世界中 「從苦解脫」？這是一個現實的問題，因為一位覺者（不僅只有無限慈悲心的特質），也是在現實生活中「從苦解脫」。或許有人會說，我可以選擇隱居，常常在禪定中；但如此一來，便不會用到無限的慈悲心，那有什麼意義呢？
Where you want to go is your choice, we just want you to understand your destination with better clarity.
要去哪裡是您的選擇，我們只要您對自己的終點很清楚。
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