【慧灯中英文连载】《Are You Ready for Happiness?》(80)利用痛苦修自他相换

We often speak of cultivating bodhicitta, of giving happiness and taking suffering; however, when actually faced with problems, we only think of ourselves, and in so doing, suffer the consequences over many lifetimes. This is all due to attachment to self-love. Although ordinary people cannot cut through this attachment right away, it can be gradually reduced with bodhicitta practice.

我们常说要发菩提心，要自他相换，但真正遇到问题的时候，却事事处处为自己打算，所以生生世世都很倒霉、很受挫，这一切的根源，就是爱我执。尽管凡夫不可能一下子就断除爱我执，但通过菩提心的修法，就能逐步减少爱我执。

Whatever suffering we come upon in the future, we should follow the method of exchanging the self for others: as we breathe out, imagine sending out to all sentient beings our positive karma created in the past, present and future, as well as our present physical and mental well-being; then visualize all sentient beings receiving our happiness in its entirety; as we breathe in, imagine the mental and physical suffering of all sentient beings transformed into a black gaseous substance which enters our body, dissolves the attachment to self-love in our heart, and destroys it. We alone take responsibility for the suffering of all sentient beings, so that they may be far removed from pain. Lastly, meditate on the emptiness of self. This is a basic practice of “exchanging oneself and others.”

以后不管遇到巨大或轻微的痛苦，都应观修自他相换：将呼吸作为载体，呼气的时候，把自身过去、现在、未来所造的所有善根，再加上目前肉体与精神上的所有幸福和快乐，都通过呼出去的气，分享给天下所有的众生，然后观想所有众生都得到了自己所有的幸福；吸气的时候，将众生所有精神与肉体上的痛苦，都变成黑色的气体，吸到自己的体内，并融入到驻扎在心脏内部的爱我执上面，并将它彻底摧毁。所有众生的痛苦都由自己一人承担，让所有众生都远离痛苦，最后再修无我。这是一个普通的自他相换修法。

In addition, when encountering suffering each time, we should sincerely wish: may I suffer in the place of all sentient beings; may no one else experience the same kind of hardship. It is best if we can generate this aspiration without pretension; if not, there is still substantial merit in generating a contrived aspiration. In many sutras it is stated this practice has infinite merit. When suffering descends on us, we should always take up this practice with true sincerity. Then suffering becomes a positive condition for our practice, and we are also less likely than in the past to reject adversity. By accepting suffering, we are hence in the position to take suffering for all sentient beings and to make the vow. Although misfortune is hard on us, if it can assist our practice, we are willing to bear it. Over time we will develop a habit of visualizing in this way even in our dreams at night. To experience suffering under these circumstances is certainly worth it.

另外，每次遇到痛苦的时候，都要诚心实意地发愿：愿以我这次的痛苦，能代替所有众生的痛苦。希望世界上再没有第二个人感受这种痛苦。能够毫无造作地发愿最好，实在做不到，则即使是造作的也非常有功德。许多佛经里讲过，这个修法的功德是无量的。以后遇到痛苦的时候，都要这样发自内心去观修，这样痛苦就可以变成修法的助缘，我们也不会像以前那样排斥痛苦。因为有了痛苦，才可以代替所有众生的痛苦，才有资格去发心、发愿。虽然自己承受痛苦还是难以忍受，但如果能成为修行的助缘，我们就会甘愿去承受。经过长期的修行，就会养成习惯，即使是在晚上作梦的时候，都会这样去观修。在这种情况下感受痛苦，是值得的。

From beginningless time, we have undergone immeasurable suffering, yet we have never made use of adversity to relieve the suffering of others, to accumulate merit, or to cultivate bodhicitta; we have simply allowed suffering to take its course with nothing to show for it. We should all rejoice in knowing that we are now able to help others by way of our suffering!

无始以来，我们承受过无数次痛苦，却从来没有通过这个痛苦减少众生的痛苦，或积累过什么资粮，没有发过菩提心，只是白白地承受痛苦而已。现在通过这个痛苦，可以对众生发起菩提心，还可以自他相换，这是多么值得庆幸啊！