一身病苦从何来？

Where Do Illnesses Originate?

生怪病的人，在过去生中，多数贪便宜，不肯吃亏。

For the most part, these people with strange illnesses had sought "bargains" in their past lives and had been unwilling to take a loss.

法界佛教总会所属法界佛教大学，这次组织亚洲区访问团，到东南亚弘扬佛法。在未起程之前，我便知道会有种种的障碍，因为我到什么地方弘法，一定会被人所嫉妒和障碍。为什么？因为我太直，不会同流合污，所以遭人嫉妒。可是我有把握，邪不胜正，牛鬼蛇神，无能为患。

Dharma Realm Buddhist University, under the auspices of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, organized a tour of Southeast Asia to spread the Buddhadharma. Before we set out on the journey, I was aware that we would face a variety of obstacles, because wherever I go to propagate Dharma, I always encounter jealousy. Why is that so? Because I am too straightforward; I've never been able to just flow along with the crowd. As a result, I run into others' jealousy. However, I have confidence, because the deviant cannot overcome the proper. Devils and spirits cannot disturb me.

我有信心，佛菩萨时时护我的法。我所到之处，虽然遇到很大的障碍，可是不起作用，不会发生意外的问题，处处逢凶化吉，平安无事，这是蒙佛菩萨的加持。

I have faith that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas protect my Dharma at all times. Wherever I go, although I encounter tremendous obstacles, they have no effect. Accidents do not occur. Everywhere, the inauspicious becomes auspicious. Due to the aid of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, everything is calm and peaceful.

我所到的地方，每天都有很多患病的人，来求医治。凡是患病的人，皆因业障深重；若是没有业障，则不会生怪病。凡是来见我的人，都是生奇怪的病，中西医皆束手无策，无法医治的绝症。生怪病的人，在过去生中，多数贪便宜，不肯吃亏；或者吝啬成性，一毛不拔，不肯布施救济穷人，处处为自己着想，不为大家着想，时时自私自利，见利忘义，所以搞得业障一天比一天重，终于生了怪病。

Wherever I went on this trip to Asia, I met people every day who sought cures for their illnesses. The causes of their illnesses were always serious karmic obstructions. If they'd had no such obstructions, they would never have caught their strange diseases. All the people who came to see me did so because of unusual diseases, problems that neither Asian nor Western medicine could cure, such as cancers that would not respond to treatment. For the most part, these people with strange illnesses had sought "bargains" in their past lives, and had been unwilling to take a loss. Perhaps they had been stingy penny-pinchers by nature, tightwads who wouldn't give a cent to help poor people, who thought exclusively of their own advantages. Such people never considered the welfare of others as important, but instead were constantly selfish out of personal indulgence. Hunger for profits obscured their good conscience; thus, their karmic obstacles increased daily, and eventually emerged in the form of an unusual illness.

还有，患怪病的人，在往昔曾毁谤三宝，甚至谤大乘经，所以堕落在地狱受苦。从地狱出来，再转为畜生，或为飞禽、或为走兽。做完畜生，再转做人，可是做人时，多数六根不全，有种种的缺陷，或是瞎子、或是聋子、或是哑吧、或是瘸子，总而言之，生理不健全。这类的人，在往昔造了恶业，所以今生受这种果报。

People who contract curious diseases are invariably people who have slandered the Triple Jewel in past lives. They may even have slighted the Great Vehicle Sutras, an offense that can send people to the hells. Once they left the hells, they ascended to the realm of animals, where they may have been reborn as birds or beasts. Once their debts in the animal realm were repaid, they could be reborn as human beings. Reborn as a person, nonetheless, they invariably suffered birth defects--were paraplegic or otherwise disabled, blind or deaf, mute or lame--in general, they lacked a complete share of humanity. People such as these created evil karma in the past, and so in this life they are undergoing these kinds of retribution.

受这种果报的人，本应该生大忏悔心，多做功德事，才是对的。可惜他们不但不觉悟，而且爱财如命，想在出家人身上找便宜。求我治病，还想贪便宜，希望不要花钱，就能治好病。病好之后，很慷慨地封一个红包，做为供养。可是红包内只有一块钱(新加坡或马来西亚钱)，或者两块钱，至多五块钱。他们业障这样重，还想贪便宜，这是多么地可怜！

People who receive these kinds of retributions ought to be deeply ashamed and remorseful. They should busily earn more merit and virtue. That would be the right thing to do. Unfortunately, they fail to realize this and love money more than their own lives. They expect to get a quick bargain from this left-home person. They come demanding that I heal them, yet still seek a bargain, hoping to be completely cured without spending a penny. When their illness is better, they "generously" donate a red envelope as an offering. The envelope will most often contain one dollar (Singapore or Malaysian currency), or perhaps two dollars, but never more than five dollars. Even with karmic burdens as heavy as theirs, they are still greedy for petty profits. How pitiful!

我为什么对各位说这件事呢？因为要令各位提高警觉，谨慎小心，不可造恶业。在佛教里不可诽谤三宝，不可谤大乘经，不可狐疑不修行，不可妄语欺骗人。如果造这种种的恶业，将来一定会堕落地狱。到时候，做师父的也是爱莫能助，无法援救。我事先声明了，免得届时埋怨师父不救你出地狱。

Why have I related this to all of you? In order to alert you to the need for caution. You must not create bad karma, nor can you slander the Triple Jewel of Buddhism. You must not slander Great Vehicle Sutras. Do not hang on to doubts that keep you from cultivating; do not tell lies and cheat people. Evil karma such as this will certainly send you to the hells. Then in the future, even if your teacher wants to help you, he can't, because you'll be beyond salvation. I'm telling you in advance, so that when the time comes, you won't complain that your teacher didn't come and rescue you from the hells.