修福的訓練 About the training for good karma

修福的訓練 About the training for good karma

佛學的教法一向傾向人必須去修福，按照現代語來說就是，賺自己要花的錢，只是這種錢是肉眼看不見的。

About the training for good karma

Buddhism teachings preach people to work for good karma. In modern words, it is like to make the fortune they will spend. It is just this kind of fortune is invisible.

 

人們會認為看不見的錢很重要，不見得是迷信，舉例說，有些人一個小感冒就可能要了命，有些人感染個十次也無所謂，當然你可以說那是優生學的問題，但我要說的是生命裡面的許許多多，跟你，我擦身而過的禍、福，正無聲無息在影響我們對生命的感覺，禍、帶來了恐懼，福帶來了喜悅，肉體與精神交織出人生。

It may not be a superstition to think the invisible fortune is important. For example, some may die of a common cold, while others still survive having bad colds for ten times. You may say it’s about eugenics. But what I intend to express is: lots and lots of the misfortune and fortune brushing by in our life are unnoticeably influencing the way how we perceive out lives. Misfortune, bringing fear, and fortune, bringing happiness, are interweaving our life both physically and mentally.

 

無形的情緒，有形的遭遇，掌控人們的生活，誰都想讓自己有好的際遇，過上好日子，對福的想法升了起來，前面神秘經驗已經說過，神的賜予不可能，談談用修持的方法好了。

Invisible emotions and visible encounters take charge of people’s life. Since everyone wants to have good fortunes and to live happily, the idea of good karma emerges. As mentioned in “about mysterious experience” before, it’s impossible to get it simply from god’s blessings. Let’s discuss how to get it by Practice.

 

做善事去修福已經是普遍的認同，但修了福以後能不能像存款一樣被保存著，才值得探討。

我想有行善記錄的人們，在遇上生活的瓶頸(或困難)時，都會有一個共同想法，我做了那麼多的善事，怎麼還會這樣，麻煩小的時候，抱怨一下，麻煩大的時候，情緒便會排山倒海的來，認為付出沒有回報，試想一下，圍繞一個人身邊的需求有多少? 身體要健康，事業要順利，小孩要優秀，家庭要美滿、、、，林林總總疊起來也高的嚇人，哪我們有做了疊起來高的嚇人的福嗎?  大部份人肯定沒有，但我們對所謂善事的索求(報償)確認為理所當然。

人的欲望常在看不見的腦袋裡，心裡，漫無止境的擴張，那種速度連自己也拉不回，管不了，如果人的欲求常這樣飛奔，其實該用恐怖形容，只是大部份的人都沒有打坐的訓練，根本就不曉得自己是處於那樣的狀態。

It is universally agreed to do virtuous deeds to earn good karma. However, it is worth discussing whether the earned good karma can be saved as your deposit. When having a bottleneck (or trouble) in life, people who have performed good deeds often think of the same question. ‘Why is it still so bad after I have done many virtuous deeds?’ When their trouble is minor, they may complain a little. When the trouble is big, negative emotions arise overwhelmingly, which makes them think they don’t get what they paid for. Just try to think: how many things does a man demand for around him? To be healthy, to have a successful career, to have excellent children, to have a happy family, etc. How enormous our demands are! But do we accumulate as much good karma as our demands (to ask for rewards)? Most people definitely don’t, but we take for granted that rewards come after our virtuous acts.

Men’s desires often expand boundlessly in the invisible brains and minds. Their desires expand too rapidly to pull themselves back or take control. It is horrible when a man’s desires often expand and drift like that.

However, most people are not aware of this situation at all because they don’t get the training for meditation.

 

 

就佛學的角度來說，1是因，就是善的想法，2是緣，善的舉動，3是果，付出後的回饋(果實)，這些看似一連串的動作，通常在緣的時候就停止了，為什麼?!   緣是條件，我去做一件好事，不會馬上就看到結果，因為要成熟期，等待果實成熟才能摘下來享用，有些人在這裡面去加入其他方法，比如、看看自己的付出有沒有須要改進的，自己付出的態度、、、。

To explain it in Buddhism, Step 1 is Cause, the virtuous thought. Step 2: Condition, the virtuous act. Step 3: Karma, the reward (fruit) of the efforts. Why do the seeming series of actions usually stop at Step 2? Condition is the requirement. If I do something good, I may not be able to see the consequences right away. Maturity takes time. We need to wait for the fruit to be mature before picking it up and enjoying it. During the period, some people may add other methods, like reflecting on their attitudes and improving their efforts, and so on.

 

 

做善事還得有內容，大部份的人都等不及，跟生活一樣要花費的支出很多，自己一點點的付出，還來不及成熟就被自己摘得亂七八糟，而回過頭又覺得沒有收穫，人站在每個角落如果都看不到自己，我想是一種悲情，願意付出的人們，應該把只是付出，演變成有心為善，有心為善不僅俱足內容，更能培養出個人的素質，因為運用了思考，觀察，這樣做除了是為善外，更提昇了自我，達到互惠的程度。

擁有福報是需要訓練的，美好的果實總是格外誘人，就看自己怎麼種。

Doing virtuous deeds needs to be content-based. But most of us can’t wait and often demand rewards for our small effort hastily. We always feel get little and pay more. It is pathetic, I think, if a man cannot see himself anywhere at different situations. People willing to give should reflect on their acts toward giving and elevate their giving from passive moves into intentional behavior. Doing virtuous deeds intentionally not only contains contents but also cultivates one’s inner quality. Because after self-observing and self-reflecting, doing virtuous deeds is no longer a passive doctrine but an active choice. We are mutually beneficial in not only helping others but also elevating ourselves when doing virtuous deeds.

Owning good karma needs training. Good result is always extraordinarily attractive and it must depend on how one cultivates.

 

還有對修福的看法也要正確，修福不能只是指去外面付出，一個教出優秀小孩的家庭，也該被喝采，優秀不只是讀書，是可以貢獻社會的那一種，如果各行各業都亂了套，我看也是代誌大條，一個好的家庭功能一樣是貢獻卓越的，那更是年復一年的付出，結結實實的因，緣，果。

 

耕耘，等待的長路，就如同人不會去要求小孩馬上回饋家庭的，不要再亂摘果實。

The opinion of working for good karma needs to be correct, too. Working for good karma isn’t restricted to making efforts outside the family. A family raising the children to become outstanding deserves applause, too. Being outstanding may not only refer to studying, but also contributing to the society. If all walks of life are not in order, it makes big trouble, too. A well- functioned family also contributes remarkably. Efforts year after year result in is firm and solid Cause, Condition, and Karma .

 

Cultivation is a long way of waiting. Picking up the fruit hastily is like expecting a child to contribute to a family immediately. Do not pick up the fruit hastily anymore, unless you know clearly that the fruit is not good.

 Master Ban ji
                                                                                                           Translated by Grace Tsai
 Proofread by Sophiea Kuo