【中英文连载】《Are You Ready for Happiness?》(69) 增强心力，面对痛苦

However, when it comes to practicing the Four Opponent Powers to purify karma, we should be more serious. That is, we must repent deeply our past transgressions and feel truly alarmed and terrified of our karmic retribution. The more penitent we are, the greater the power of purification is.

然而，在修四个对治力的时候，就不能这样得过且过，而是要对过去的罪业深深地感到后悔，并对罪业的苦果生起极大的怖畏之情。对罪业越有后悔心，清净的能力就越强。

People in this world may not understand why they need to accept suffering. This is precisely the attitude that prevents them from attaining true happiness.

世间人也许不能理解：为什么要接受痛苦呢？正因为如此，所以他们永远也不会得到真正的幸福。

There is a story in the sutras about a king who lived a life of luxury. He never had to experience any discomfort; hence, if a pea were placed beneath eighteen layers of silk bed sheets, he would notice it and find it intolerable. Later in life, he not only lost his throne but also became a pauper. His only recourse was to retreat to the mountains where he chopped wood to make a living. Since he had no clothes to wear, he would carry the wood on his bare shoulders. Over time, he no longer felt the suffering and considered this way of life very normal.

佛经中讲过这样一个故事：有一个人在当国王的时候，过着豪华奢靡的生活。因为从未忍受一点不舒服，所以即使在铺了十八层各种丝绸床单的下面有一粒豌豆，他都能感觉到，并且不能忍受。后来，他不但失去了王位，而且一贫如洗，过着捉襟见肘的生活，只好到山上砍柴维持生计，因为连一件上衣都没有，他只能光着膀子背柴。天长日久下来，他不但丝毫感觉不到痛苦，还觉得很正常。

Although this is just a story, there are many such examples in real life.

虽然这只是个故事，但现实生活中也不乏类似的例子。

When we come upon suffering, we should face it courageously rather than passively resist it. Once this hurdle is overcome, we can calmly accept a similar kind of suffering the next time and defeat it. In this way, we become the victor. If we persist, we can increase our mental strength and defeat all suffering.

如果遇到一个痛苦时，不去消极地抗拒，而是勇敢地面对。过了这一关，下次遇到类似痛苦的时候，就可以坦然、平静地接受，这就是战胜了这个痛苦，自己也就是这次与痛苦较量的胜利者。长此以往，就可以增强自己的心力，战胜所有的痛苦。