【中英专栏】如何得到不怕病、不怕老、不怕死的境界？
一个人，不管是什么身份，只要一心念佛，就能得到不怕病、不怕老、不怕死的境界。
By relying on the wholehearted recitation of Buddha’s name alone, anyone can attain the state where illness, old age, and death no longer pose any threat.
在明代，湖南衡阳有一姓黄的铁匠，
During the Ming Dynasty, there lived in Hengyang, Hunan Province, a blacksmith by the last name of Huang.
一家四口都靠打铁维生，生活特别艰辛。
He led an extremely tough life to support his family of four by hammering iron bars.
他常常感叹：“人生实在痛苦，不知何时才能获得快乐？”
He always lamented, “Life is just too painful; when, if ever, can I be happy?”
一天，有位行脚僧路过，
One day a wandering monk passed by his place,
他问僧人：“有没有既不花钱，也不妨碍打铁，还能离苦得乐的方法？”
and Huang asked the monk, “Is there a method that will bring me happiness and rid me of suffering, yet still allow me to continue to hammer irons while not costing me money?”
僧人告诉他：“如果你不停地念阿弥陀佛，将来往生极乐世界就没有痛苦了。”
The monk told him, “If you mindfully recite the name of Buddha Amitabha* all the time, you will be reborn in his Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss,† where you will never experience any suffering again.”
他听了之后很有信心，从此一边打铁一边念佛。
Upon hearing this, a deep faith arose in him and he began to recite Buddha Amitabha’s name while he worked.
推风箱时，推一次风箱念一句佛；
When operating the bellows, he pumped air once and recited the Buddha’s name once.
打铁时，也是打一锤念一句佛。
When hammering iron, he struck the anvil once and recited the Buddha’s name once.
他妻子说：“站在炉边已经够热了，打铁也够累了，
His wife remarked, “It’s hot standing by the oven, and the hammering tires you as well.
你还要念佛号，会把人累坏的！”
Still, you want to recite the Buddha’s name on top of all this—you’ll soon exhaust yourself!”
他笑笑回答：“平时在炉边很热，念佛后反而清凉；
He smiled and replied, “The oven used to be scorching, yet now it feels cool when I recite the Buddha’s name;
平时打铁腰酸背痛，念佛后反而轻松，晚上睡觉也很好。”
hammering used to give me backaches, yet now it becomes an easy task when I recite the Buddha’s name. I also sleep very well now.”
后来有一天，铁匠对妻子说：“我要回家了。”
One day, the blacksmith told his wife, “I am going home.”
妻子不解：“这不是你的家吗？”
Perplexed, his wife asked, “Isn’t this your home right here?”
他说：“回极乐世界去。”
He said, “I am going back to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.”
随即口说一偈：“叮叮当当，久炼成钢，
Soon thereafter, he spoke, “Crackling and sputtering in firing and pounding, iron turns into steel.
太平将近，我往西方。”
Heading toward the Western Land now, my ultimate peaceful refuge is near.”
说完便站着往生了。
Having said that, he left this world while still standing.
生活中，很多人自以为看透了生死，
Many people imagine that they deeply understand life and death.
可真正看到医生的“病危通知书”时，依然手忙脚乱，感觉天崩地裂，
Yet as soon as they receive the doctor’s “Notice of Critical Illness,” they are shaken, fearing it’s the end of the world.
非常渴望多活一段时间，哪怕是一个小时、一刻钟也愿意。
They scramble desperately for another lease on life, even if it means to live for just one hour, or a quarter hour more.
可是念佛的人不会这样，
However, those who practice recitation of the Buddha’s name don’t act this way.
在面对衰老、死亡等问题上，他们往往有不同于世人的一分从容与自在。
In the face of aging, death or other turning points in life, they usually display a measure of ease and calmness unseen in worldly people.
不过，遗憾的是，如今又有几人会向念佛的老人，投去关注、效仿的目光呢？
Regrettably, how many of us will pay any attention to the old people who recite the Buddha’s name or even follow their example?
* Amitabha Buddha is the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light, the principal Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism, a branch of supreme importance in East Asian Buddhism.
† The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the realm established by Buddha Amitabha where sentient beings can aspire to be reborn. Once there, beings are free from any suffering and can enjoy perfect conditions to advance spiritual growth and attain Buddhahood.
索达吉堪布《做，才是得到》
Khenpo Sodargye《Achieve by doing 》