佛法双语工作坊经典连载：佛说四十二章经第33章

法师讲解：33 智明破魔

Commentary: With wisdom to defeat Mara

As soon as we start cultivating, we will come across a lot of hindrances because Buddhist cultivation is meant to make head-on confrontations with our afflictions. Virtue and affliction counterbalance each other; when our virtue is stronger we will subdue our afflictions, but when afflictions are stronger we will be defeated and will give up. But as long as we persevere, victory is ours. For example, a muddy pond can look as if it is clam, but when clean water starts to flow in it will become turbid. If the flow lasts long enough, water will become clear gradually.

当我们开始修学佛法，往往会遇到很多障碍，因为修学佛法本身就是要与各种烦恼正面交锋。所谓此消彼长，有时候我们会把烦恼调服住，但有时又会被烦恼击倒而退转，但只有我们坚持，最终必会获胜。例如一池沉淀的污泥看上去也可以很平静，但当清水加进去时便会令污泥翻滚，但如果坚持一段时间，水会慢慢变清。

Some people are eager for holy responses, and they consider that responses are the only representation of achievement. However, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas may actually be blessing you in silence without your notice. As a case study, in the past there was a doctor who practised meditation of compassion in the wilderness every day in hope that he could see Maitreya Bodhisattva. After twenty years of fruitless cultivation he decided to give up. On the way home he saw a sick dog suffering from pustules which he could cure. Amidst mental conflict a flicker of compassion flashed through his mind, so he sucked the pustules with his mouth. In a split second, the dog disappeared, and Maitreya Bodhisattva came in sight. “I had been expecting you for 20 years. Why didn’t you come?” He asked Maitreya Bodhisattva. “I have always been with you to bless you; it’s just that your hindrance of karma has blocked your view. Now as you exhibit great compassion, your hindrance of karma is eliminated rapidly, so you can of course see me!” said Maitreya Bodhisattva. When a wholesome deed is executed with strict adherence, the return will be tremendous in the end.   

有些人喜欢追求感应，觉得有感应的才是收获，但其实佛菩萨在背后默默加持你但你不知道而已。这里有一个公案，以前有一位大夫，天天在山上修慈心三昧希望能见到弥勒菩萨，但修了二十年什么收获也没有，于是便打算放弃了。在下山的路上，他遇到一只长了脓疮的狗。他会治疗这只狗，在犹豫间他最终生起了一丝善念，用口把狗身上的脓吸掉。一瞬间狗不见了，但见弥勒菩萨出现在眼前。他便问弥勒菩萨: “为什么我等了二十年您都不出现” 弥勒菩萨告诉他：“其实我天天都在你身边加持你，只是你有业障看不见我。现在你生起大悲心把业障迅速消除掉，自然能看见我！”当你把善行贯彻到底，最终必定有很大的回报。

讲解 | 释宏添   北京天开寺