善念 Virtuous Thoughts

"Virtuous Thoughts" [Note] can constantly be found in every Buddhist books and teachings. I like to discuss this a bit.

「善念」這兩個字常常出現在佛教書籍和教誨裡。 我們討論看看。

Every Buddhist schools talk about "thoughts". I think many schools talked about be "mindful" of the rise and fall of your thoughts. Don't they ever wonder where it came from? They talk about letting your mind be empty of thoughts, so that you can experience Śūnyatā. If they don't know where the thoughts came from, how would they know they are completely empty of thoughts. They would only know they are no longer able to observe any thoughts, because they have trained their mind not to see them.

每個佛教宗派都談到「念頭」，大部分都要您去「觀」「念頭」的生滅。 但不知道他們有沒有想過它是從哪裡來的呢？ 他們要您的腦海裡沒有「念頭」，來體會「空」。 但如果不知道「念頭」來自何處，怎麼會知道完全沒有「念頭」。 只能知道觀察不到「念頭」，因為他們訓練頭腦不去看。

However, mindfulness of your thought is a good practice for people, because when a thought is raised and observed, you will get a chance to evaluate it before it becomes real. You are given a chance to accept and reject that thought, before "Yuan" is created.

但是，留心您的思想也不錯。 因為當一個想法發生，您會得到一個機會去評估它。 一個機會在緣起之前去接受或拒絕這個想法。

People came to this world equally, only differ in the accumulated Karma. This difference in Karma is reflected in their birth, their family and their encounters in their lives. But everyone is given a new chance in life to improve themselves and to become a great man.

人是平等的來到這個世間，僅差在各人所累積的因果報應。 這些因果報應可以從一個人的出生，家庭和生活經驗查覺。 但是每個人都有機會在生活中提高自己，成為大人相。

Life, is a test of human nature. People are tested every day with every encounter in their lives. Every choices that they made either increase their "good karma" or "bad karma." The problem is that it is hard to read the results, because some results reflect immediate actions, but others are caused by a long forgotten past. But a person only need to look at their encounters and surroundings, to know where they are on their karmic balance sheet. The acts of the past are only useful as a tool for reflection, for learning. It is the acts of this instant that counts.

生命，是人性的考驗。 每一件事都是一個測試。 在每一個測試，每一個選擇，一個人可以增加自 己的「善業」或「惡業」。 問題是，「果」很難了解。 因為有些「果」馬上發生，而有些是被人遺忘的「業」所造成。 一個人只需要看看自己的遭遇和周圍，就知道自己的「業報」的資產負債表。 忘記的「業」不是很重要，唯一有用的是用過去的行為作為自我反省的工具。 「當下」的行為是最重要的。

On the surface, an act either can be labeled virtuous or not on the surface. But while that act has its own karmic results, it is more important for people to understand the thoughts behind the act. A virtuous act can manifest from an un-virtuous thought, while an un-virtuous act can came from a virtuous thought.

表面上，一個行為可以分為「善行」或「惡行」。 雖然行為有其自身的「果」，更重要的是行為後面的「念頭」。 一件「善行」可以從「惡念」而生，一個「惡行」也可以來自「善念」。

Thoughts came from our human nature. Virtuous thoughts are the result of the matured human emotions, while un-virtuous thoughts are the results of weaknesses. Doing a virtuous act because of an un-virtuous thought will only reinforce the weakness. Why? Because virtuous acts are often applauded by the society, if un-virtuous thoughts are rewarded, would the weakness not be reinforced?

「念頭」來自於「人性」。 「善念」是成熟​​的情緒的果。 「惡念」來自於我們的弱點。 因為「惡念」來做「善行」只會加強的 一個人的弱點。 為什麼呢？ 因為「善行」會受到社會的歡迎。 如果「惡念」有獎勵，弱點不會更弱嗎？

For example, people love to do charity works. Everyone knows that doing charity works can bring them good karma. There is nothing wrong with this, because we all have to work for good karma, just like we all have to go to work to make money. But for some people, there are additional reasons deep within them, maybe its a need for "love and attention", "companionship" or "prestige". On the surface, it doesn't look like such a bad thing, but if this need represents a weakness, usually greed, "for love", "for attention" or "for flattery", than it needs to be discovered and eliminated. It requires self-reflection to do so. People know. They just don't want to see it.

例如，大家都喜歡做慈善工作。 大家都知道，做慈善工作，能夠為他們帶來好人緣跟「福報」。 這樣想沒有錯，因為我們都需要努力來得「福報」，就像我們都為了錢去工作。 但對某些人來說，還有其他原因，深在其中，也許他渴望「愛」，「伴」或「名譽」。 表面上看起來還好，但如果這個渴望是一個弱點，通常是貪，「貪愛」，「貪關注」或「貪奉承」，那這個弱點也需要被發現和消除。 一個 人需要自我反省來發現這種弱點。 大家自己心裡都有數，只不想看。

Here, virtuous and un-virtuous acts are what the recipient of the act or some member of society might think of as virtuous or un-virtuous. For example, when you punished a child for misdeeds, the child might think you have performed an un-virtuous act because the child does not understand why. Some people might think your punishment does not fit the misdeed, therefore un-virtuous. If you don't punish a child for misdeeds, other people might think you are un-virtuous for not educating your child. Another example is that a solider, in order to protect his people, might have do a lot of un-virtuous acts.

這裡，「善行」和「惡行」是某些社會或受者所認定的「善」與「惡」。 例如，懲罰一個小孩，小孩會認為您做了「惡行」，因為他不明白為什麼要被懲罰。　某些人會認為您懲罰不適當，所以也認定您做的是「惡行」。　如果不懲罰，某些人會認為這也是「惡行」，因為他們覺得您沒有在教小孩。　另一個例子， 一個軍人，為了保護家人，也許需要做很多「公認」的「惡行」。

Like school, the tests of life are not consists of just quiz. There are occasional major tests. These tests are easy to detect, because they are dramatic. You will know when they occur because of the emotional highs and lows. The result of this test could be a turning point. The biggest test of your life is when you have a need to perform an un-virtuous act for a virtuous reason. Because this is when all of your human characters are tested it. Can you sacrifice something dear to you (and not just your life) to do the right thing?

就像學校，生命的考驗不只是平常考而已。 有偶爾的重大考驗。 這些重大考驗很容易察覺，因為它們有聲有色。 你會知道它們來了，因為情感會有很大的起伏。 這個考驗可能是一個轉點。 您的人生最大的考驗是，當您需要為了「善念」來做一件「惡行」，因為所有的「人性」都會受到考驗。 能為了「善念」來犧牲自己所渴望的嗎 (不一定是生命。)？

But life is lenient, because even if you get it wrong, you given more chances to get it right. But to have a chance to get it right next time, you need to keep asking yourself "Why?", constantly self-reflect. Otherwise, the next time will be the same as this time, and you will only accumulate further negative karmic debt with no way out.

但是生命是寬容的，因為即使您這一次作錯，您還會有其他的機會。 但是，如果您想要在下一次做對的選擇，您需要不斷地問自己「為什麼？」，不斷地在平常考時自我反省。 否則，下一次將會有一樣的錯誤。 這樣下去，您只會一直累積「惡業」而沒有出路。

The simplest way to practice Buddhism is to simply constantly keep virtuous thoughts, constantly reflect on your actions and be the best person that you can be.

所以，最簡單的修行是不斷的保持善念，不斷的反思自己的行為，和好好做人。

[Note] 善念 Virtuous Thoughts are sometimes translated as "Skillful Thoughts" in English. But I think virtuous is better. Sometimes, "Thoughts" are translated as "Intentions."