To Grasp a Snake

　　捉住一条蛇
 
"Our practice here is not to grasp anything," Achaan Chah told a new monk.

　　阿姜 查告诉一位新比丘：“我们这里的修行是不去执著任何事物。”

"But isn't it necessary to hold onto things sometimes?" the monk protested.

　　比丘提出异议：“但是有时候不是必须要握东西吗?”

"With the hands, yes! but not with the heart," the teacher replied. "When the heart grasps what is painful, it is like being bitten by a snake. And when, through desire, it grasps what is pleasant, it is just grasping the tail of the snake. It only takes a little while longer for the head of the snake to come around and bite you.

　　老师回答说：“用手，可以，但不是用心。当心执著痛苦时，就好像被蛇咬到一样。而当欲望执著快乐时，也只是捉住蛇尾，只要一下子，蛇头便会回过来咬你。”

"Make this nongrasping and mindfulness the guardian of your heart, like a parent. Then your likes and dislikes will come calling like children. 'I don't like that, Mommy. I want more of that, Daddy.' Just smile and say, 'Sure, kid.' 'But Mommy, I really want an elephant.' 'Sure, kid.' 'I want candy. Can we go for an airplane ride?' There is no problem if you can let them come and go without grasping."

　　“让这不执著和正念作为你心的守护者，就如父母一样。你的好、恶会像小孩般地来叫你：‘妈妈，我不喜欢那个!爸爸!我要多一点那个！’只要笑著说：‘没问题，孩子。’‘但是，妈妈，我真的想要一只象。’‘没问题，孩子。’‘我想要糖果。’‘我们可以去坐飞机吗?’如果你能让它们来去而不执著就没问题了。”

Something contacts the senses; like or dislike arises; and right there is delusion. Yet with mindfulness, wisdom can arise in this same experience.

　　某些事物接触到感官，喜欢或不喜欢於是生起；而这当下就是愚痴。然而有了正念，智慧就能够在同样的经验下生起。

Do not fear places where many things contact the senses, if you must be there. Enlightened does not mean being deaf and blind. Saying a mantra every second to block things out, you may get hit by a car. Just be mindful and do not be fooled. When others say something is pretty, say to yourself, "It's not." When others say something is delicious, say to yourself, "No, it's not." Do not get caught in the attachments of the world or in relative judgments. Just let it all go by.

　　如果你必须在那里，不要对会有很多事物和感官接触的地方感到恐惧。觉悟并不是指聋了或瞎了。每秒钟都持咒来防备事物的话，你可能会被车子撞倒的。只要保持正念不要被蒙骗。当别人说某物很漂亮时，告诉仍自己：“它不是。”当别人说某物很好吃时，告诉你自己：“不，它不是。”不要陷於世界的执著或相对的见解。就让它去吧！

Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel that they will be exploited or oppressed, that they will not be properly caring for themselves. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our greed and attachment. This allows our true nature to express itself and become lighter and freer.

　　有些人害怕布施，因为他们觉得他们会被利用或压抑。在长养布施之际，我们是在压抑我们的贪婪和执著，但这样能使我们真实的本然得到显现，并且变得愈来愈轻。