〖芒果〗

我们说戒、定、慧是所有圣者走向觉悟的必经之道。它们是一体的。戒即定，定即戒；定即慧，慧即定。就像一个芒果，当它还是花的时候，我们称它作花；当它结果时，就改称它为芒果；当它熟透时，我们称它作熟透的芒果。同是一颗芒果，却不停地变化，大芒果从小芒果而来，小芒果会长成大芒果。要说它们是同一颗或不是同一颗都可以。戒、定和慧也是如此相系相连，到头来都同样导向觉悟的大道。

我们必须了解：芒果，它最初出现时是一朵花，然后逐渐长成熟，不管别人怎么叫它，都没关系。一旦芒果出生，便步向老熟，然后它会往哪里去呢？我们要好好思惟这个问题。

有些人不想要老，当他们老了之后，显得很不甘心。像这些人实在不应吃已熟的芒果！我们为什么希望芒果成熟呢？如果时候到了它们还未成熟，我们就会以人工的方法促使它成熟，不是吗？但是当我们年老时，我们却满怀不愿。有些人为此掉泪，他们惧怕老死。若是这样的话，那么他们最好祇吃花，而不应吃成熟的芒果。如果我们能明白这个道理，我们就能见到佛法。一切都能清楚明白之后，我们就平静了。

Mango

We say that morality, concentration and wisdom are the path on which all the Noble Ones have walked to enlightenment. They are all one. Morality is concentration, concentration is morality. Concentration is wisdom, wisdom is concentration. It's like a mango. When it's a flower, we call it a flower. When it becomes a fruit, we call it a mango. When it ripens, we call it a ripe mango. It's a lone mango, but it continually changes. The big mango grows from the small mango, the small mango grows from the small mango, and the small mango becomes a big one. You can call them different fruit or all one. Morality, concentration and wisdom are related like this. In the end it's the entire path that leads to enlightenment. The mango, from the moment it first appears as a flower, simply grows to ripeness. We should see it like this. Whatever others call it, it doesn't matter. Once it's born, it grows to old age and then where? We should contemplate this. Some people don't want to be old. When they get old, they become regretful. These people shouldn't eat ripe mangoes. Why do we want the mangoes to be ripe? If they're not ripe in time, we ripen them artificially, don't we? But when we become old we're filled with regret. Some people cry. They're afraid to get old and die. If it's like this, they shouldn't eat ripe mangoes. They'd better eat just the flowers! If we can see this then we can see the Dhamma. Everything clears up and we are at peace.