很多人以为的善，其实不然

As said before，if the purpose of doing something was to satisfy worldly pursuits such as health and longevity，it would be deemed an unwholesome motivation. All the activities done on this premise, whether they are meditation or reciting sutras, are considered just mundane practices that do not lead to enlightenment. Patrul Rinpoche had said that absent genuine renunciation and bodhicitta, if one were to do a nine-year retreat and cut off all associations with others to practice the Great Perfection full-time, one would not even sow the seed of liberation, let alone other achievements. How terrible not having generated renunciation and bodhicitta! What use is there for other practices when not even the Great Perfection can sow the seed of liberation? Therefore, making the choice of motivation should never be taken lightly.

如前所讲，如果目的是为了健康长寿等等，就是不善动机。因为动机是不善的，所以在此前提下所做的一切，无论是打坐、念经，都是世间法，与解脱没有任何关系。华智仁波切讲过，在不具备出离心和菩提心的基础上，即使闭关九年，断绝与任何人的来往而修大圆满，连解脱的种子都不能播下。如果在心田中竟然不曾播下解脱的种子，那成就就更谈不上了。没有出离心和菩提心就是这么可怕——即使修大圆满法都不能播下解脱的种子，修其他的法就更不用说了。所以，千万不能轻视对动机的选择。

If the purpose of doing a practice is to obtain happiness or to chase away suffering in this life, it is an unwholesome motivation. Although it is better than not having faith in the Buddha’s teachings or being indifferent to cultivating virtue, it does not lead to enlightenment. Thus, practitioners seeking liberation from samsara must not harbor this kind of motivation. It is also stated in the scriptures that such motivation must be given up. So every time we do something good, we should always check our motivation first. For example, when the idea of doing prostrations or liberating animals pops up in our mind, we should ask ourselves why we want to do this. If our motivation is found to be wrong, it must be corrected as quickly as possible.

凡是为获得这一世的幸福，或者为遣除这一生的痛苦而修法，这样的动机都是不善的。虽然这样的行善比不信佛、不行善要好得多，但却与解脱毫无关系。因此，对于希求解脱的修行人而言，绝不能有这样的目的。经书里讲过，这种动机是需要断除的。所以，我们在每次行善的时候，首先要观察自己的动机。比如：心里突然冒出一个念头，我要去磕头（或我要去放生），这时就要问一问自己，我为什么要磕头（放生）呢？如果发现自己的动机是错误的，就必须及时纠正。