Realization

生命的真相：

Once we realize the nature of life (characterized by unsatisfactoriness, change, and egolessness)as well as the nature of man's greed and the means of getting them satisfied, we can then understand the reason why the happiness so desperately sought by many people is so elusive like catching a moon beam in their hands. They try to gain happiness through accumulation. When they are not successful in accumulating wealth, gaining position, power and honour, and deriving pleasure from sense satisfaction, they pine and suffer, envying others who are successful in doing so. However, even if they are 'successful' in getting these things, they suffer as well because they now fear losing what they have gained, or their desires have now increased for more wealth, higher position, more power, and greater pleasure. Their desires can never seem to be completely satiated. This is why an understanding of life is important so that we do not waste too much time doing the impossible.

当我们了解生命的真相(苦、无常和无我)时，我们还会像一般人那样，追求欲望的满足吗？我们理解追求虚无的幸福就好像在水中捞月，对欲望的渴求、无法获得真正的快乐。当人们无法成功的累积财富、满足于权力、地位和荣誉时，他们感到痛苦和憔悴，就算是那些「成功人士」也一样要面对这些问题。他们害怕失去所拥有的一切，他们希望拥有更多的财富、更大的权力、更高的地位、更多的荣誉，他们的欲望永远也无法得到满足。这就是为什么了解生命的真相是非常重要的。

It is here that the adoption of a religion becomes important, since it encourages contentment and urges a person to look beyond the demands of his flesh and ego. In a religion like Buddhism, a person is reminded that he is the heir of his karma and the master of his destiny. In order to gain greater happiness, he must be prepared to forego sort-term pleasures. If a person does not believe in life after death, even then it is enough for him to lead a good, noble life on earth, enjoying a life of peace and happiness here and now, as well as performing actions which are for the benefit and happiness of others. Leading such a positive and wholesome life on earth and creating happiness for oneself and others is much better than a selfish life of trying to satisfy one's ego and greed.

宗教信仰，对人类来说是非常重要的。宗教信仰让人类看清楚感官的欲求和自我的执着。譬如佛教，它告诉我们「业力」控制了我们的命运。要获得更大的快乐，就必须放弃短暂的快乐。如果一个人，今生过着善良和神圣的生活、享受着宁静与幸福，就算他不相信有来生，可是这一切善的果报却利益了自己和他人。拥有这些正面生活条件的人，能为自己带来幸福，胜于那些只想满足自我和欲望的自私者。

If, however, a person believes in life after death, then according to the Law of Karma, rebirth will take place according to the quality of his deeds. A person who has done many good deeds may be born in favorable conditions where he enjoys wealth and success, beauty and strength, good health, and meets good spiritual friends and teachers. Wholesome deeds can also lead to rebirth in the heavens and other sublime states, while unwholesome deeds lead to rebirth in suffering states. When a person understands the Law of Karma, he will then make the effort to refrain from performing bad actions, and to try to cultivate the good. By so acting, he gains benefits not only in this life, but in many other lives to come.

如果，一个人相信有来生，他会根据自己的业力而获得重生。一个人如果拥有很多善行，他将往生于善界，他将拥有财富和成功，俊俏和充满精力，健康和拥有良师益友。善行导致往生善界，恶行则往生恶界。当一个人了解「业力」后，停止恶行，努力于善行，最后所获得的果报，不仅是利益今生，也利益了无数的来生。

When a person understands the nature of man, then some important realizations arise. He realizes that unlike a rock or stone, a human being possesses the innate potential to grow in wisdom, compassion, and awareness? and be transformed by this self-development and growth. He also understands that it is not easy to be born as a human being, especially one who has the chance to listen to the Dhamma. In addition, he is fully aware that his life is impermanent, and he should, therefore, strive to practise the Dhamma while he is still in a position to do so. He realizes that the practice of Dhamma is a life-long educative process which enables him to release his true potentials trapped within his mind by ignorance and greed..

当一个人了解人类的本性后，就能生起正知。他深知人类不是没有生命的石头，他意识到必须自我发展潜能、增长智慧和慈悲心。他同时也理解到，身为人类不是一件容易的事。尤其，当有机会接触佛法时，他完全明了生命是无常的，于是，他开始实践佛法。他意识到实践于佛法能断除困扰他一生的无明和贪欲。

Based on these realizations and understanding, he will then try to be more aware of what and how he thinks, speaks and acts. He will consider if his thoughts, speech and actions are beneficial, done out of compassion and have good effects for himself as well as others. He will realize the true value of walking the road that leads to complete self transformation, which is known to Buddhists as the Noble Eightfold path. This Path can help a person to develop his moral strength (sila)through the restraint of negative actions and the cultivation of positive qualities conductive for personal, mental and spiritual growth. In addition, it contains many techniques which a person can apply to purify his thoughts, expand the possibilities of the mind, and bring about a complete change towards a wholesome personality. This practice of mental culture (bhavana) can widen and deepen the mind towards all human experience, as well as the nature and characteristics of phenomena, life and the universe. In short, this leads to the cultivation of wisdom (panna). As his wisdom grows, so will his love, compassion, kindness, and joy. He will have greater awareness to all forms of life and better understanding of his own thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

当了解生命的真相后，他更加注意于他自己的身、语、意三行，他知道透过善的身、语、意行，能够利益自己，也利益他人。他清楚的了解到自我价值发展的道路──八圣道。实践于八圣道，能协助一个人发展「戒」──将一个人的负面行为转化为正面行为，获得精神与心灵的力量，净化思想，发展心识，从而改变整个人生。实践「定」──能够获得人生的真正经验，了解宇宙、生命一切现象的真性。当「定」获得全部的发展后，就会生起「慧」。当「慧」生起时，就会获得善心、欢愉和慈悲。这时，他更加了解生命的所有组成部分和自己的思想、感受和动向了。

In the process of self-transformation, a person will no longer aspire for a divine birth as his ultimate goal in life. He will then set his goal much higher, and model himself after the Buddha who has reached the summit of human perfection and attained the ineffable state we call Enlightenment or Nibbana. It is here that a man develops a deep confidence in the Triple Gem and adopts the Buddha as his spiritual ideal. He will strive to eradicate greed, develop wisdom and compassion, and to be completely liberated from the bounds of Samsara.

当一个人获得自我的发展后，就不再执着于生命及无尽的欲望，他把理想订得更高，他以佛陀那纯净的人性境界为榜样，努力争取证悟于涅槃。他发展了对三宝的崇敬，以佛陀为精神支柱。他弃除贪欲，开发智慧和慈悲心，完整的从轮回中获得自我的解脱。