【慧灯中英文连载】《Are You Ready for Happiness?》(81)修行当持之以恒
How to Face Suffering and Happiness
世俗谛的方法
Methods of Relative Truth
The seven methods above are very important practices which are easy, convenient, and effective. They should be practiced not only when sitting in meditation but at all times. We must persist in our effort and proceed in stages. When we start with relatively minor difficulties in our life, we can in time handle great suffering by transforming it into the path. If we follow this pattern over a long period, the results will be extremely evident; whenever suffering strikes, we can be mentally strong.
以上七个修法，都是简便易行且收效快捷的重要修法，不但要打坐去修，还应兼以平时的训练。任何一个修法，都应持之以恒，并坚守先易后难的次第。先从比较小的轻微痛苦入手，经过长期的积累，才有可能把一个巨大的痛苦转为道用。若能按此原则长期坚持修下去，效果会非常明显，遇到痛苦的时候，就能展现出强劲的力量。
Our motivation for taking up these practices cannot be too selfish. If we do so just to alleviate our own suffering, the practices — although useful to a degree — will not be very meaningful, because it is out of selfish intent, not bodhicitta and compassion.
修法的目的，不能太自私。如果仅仅只是在遇到痛苦的时候，为了减轻自己的痛苦而去修这些法，也会有一些作用，但意义不是很大。因为这是出于自私心，并不是为了真正发菩提心、慈悲心而修。
After coming out of meditation, we should dedicate the merit: To my guru and the Three Jewels, I pray that I may successfully confront suffering this time, and transform the pain into renunciation, bodhicitta, and compassion.
出座以后，应该回向：祈祷上师三宝，让我能顺利成功地面对这次痛苦，并将痛苦转化为出离心、菩提心、慈悲心等等。
Many Buddhists pray daily to the Dharma protectors in the hope of avoiding obstacles in life. This is because they are mentally weak and are afraid to confront any form of suffering. When we make progress along the path and develop greater fortitude, we can even pray to our guru and the Three Jewels to grant us suffering and obstacles, and to the Dharma protectors for negative conditions, to deepen our inner strength as well as our practice.
很多佛教徒天天念护法，希望自己一切顺利，就是因为我们内心非常脆弱，不敢面对任何痛苦。当修法比较成功，内心不再脆弱的时候，还可以祈祷上师三宝赐给自己痛苦、压力和不顺，请护法神给自己制造一些违缘，以强化自己的心力，提高修行的境界。
This dedication, which is practiced after meditation, is also a method of the relative truth for overcoming suffering.
以上内容，是出座以后的修法，也即世俗谛当中的修法。
Many people think burning incense, prostrating to the buddhas, and giving to charity are the ways in which the Dharma teachings are applied to life. Actually they represent only a portion of Buddhist practices in life, and a very superficial one at that. The essence of the teachings is in taking refuge, developing renunciation, compassion, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. Through these methods, we can face and surmount difficulties we encounter in everyday life with ease.
很多人以为，烧香拜佛或捐钱做慈善就是佛法融入生活，其实这些只是佛法融入生活的一部分，而且是最肤浅、最表面的一部分。真正的佛法融入生活，就是修皈依、出离心、慈悲心、菩提心与空性见等等，现实生活中遇到问题的时候，通过这些方法，就能轻松以对顺利解决。
未完待续
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