你的幸福一定会不辞而别

中英文

Are You Ready

for Happiness? (4)

For ordinary people, the mind follows a natural pattern. This pattern always takes the same direction. To start with, material things can bring us a feeling of happiness. This feeling of happiness is based on a sense of satisfaction; in turn this sense of satisfaction comes from having a new or fresh experience. When we examine the feeling of happiness, we see that all things lose their luster once the novelty wears off. Being new and fresh is not a quality that can last forever; it is only a matter of time before it dissipates. When the new sensation disappears, the feeling of satisfaction loses its base and disappears with it. The feeling of happiness then disappears as well.

凡夫的心灵状况，有一个自然规律。它变化的方向都是一样的：首先，物质可以给我们带来幸福感。这个幸福感，建立在满足感的基础之上；而凡是物质带来的满足感，又都建立于对物质的新鲜感之上。我们可以回过头去认真思考一下：任何一个物质，在新鲜感消失以后，无非就是审美疲劳。没有审美疲劳时，新鲜感能给我们带来满足感。在满足感的基础上，就能感觉到幸福。凡是新鲜感，过一段时间以后，就会消失，任何新鲜感都不可能永久保持，只是新鲜感停留的时间长短有所不同而已。新鲜感消失的时候，满足感一定会跟着消失，因为它的基础已经没有了。随之而来的，就是幸福感的不辞而别。

As human beings, we think material things are what we spend a lifetime pursuing; actually, we are only chasing after a feeling. The Buddha pointed to this important distinction, but we have yet to recognize or discover it.

然而，人类终其一生都在追求物质。实际上，我们在追求的，只是一种内在的精神感受而已。只是，我们自己始终没有发现，佛陀却一针见血地指出。

The Buddha said: we can seek happiness — that is our right; however, the happiness derived from material things cannot be relied on. Thus, when we pursue worldly pleasures, we should concurrently look for even greater happiness — the kind that comes from the spirit, or from undertaking work which is noble and meaningful.

佛陀告诉我们：你们可以追求幸福，这是人类的权利，也是生命的权利，但物质所带来的幸福，是非常不可靠的。所以，在追求吃喝玩乐等物质幸福的同时，我们应该追求更崇高的幸福——来自于心灵，甚至来自于更伟大、更有意义的工作所获得的幸福。

未完待续

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