自在非他在

Mastering Oneself and not Being Mastered by Others

「看破」就是明白；「放下」就是解脱，能解脱才能有真正的自在。

“ Seeing through it ” means understanding, and "letting go of it" means being liberated.

Only when you are liberated will you truly master yourself.

世界天天都在变，人、物、时间、空气都在变。本来这季节不应该有雨，居然这时候就下雨了，这就是气候反常。变是有种种特殊缘故才变的，像火山爆发是地里的一股蒸气压力蕴藏已久，聚集而爆出。海啸是海里的水太满了，所以水就往外流，洪水为灾，这都是变。气候时节若是反常，象征着将有事情发生。人反常了，就是神经病；气候反常了，就是气候发神经病，这不是好现象。

In the world, there are changes every day; people, material objects, time, and the atmosphere all undergo change. Sometimes the weather is abnormal and it rains out of season. Such changes happen due to special conditions. For instance, the pressure built up from magma collecting underground results in a volcanic eruption. Too much water in the ocean causes tidal waves and disastrous floods. Abnormal changes in the climate and the seasons are omens of future events. Mental illness is a form of abnormality in people. When the climate is “mentally ill,” that's not a good sign.

在这种种灾病丛生之时，我们要好好用功修行，化戾气为吉祥，消灾劫成平安。如果再不好好修道，气候改变时，人也会不正常；当人有心理变态，就有问题发生。所以学佛法的人在变化期间，要特别用功修行，或特别多念佛、持咒、诵经，有力量就多做点善事，所谓「德大冤孽消」。

In this time when diseases and calamities are occurring everywhere, we must apply ourselves diligently to cultivation in order to transform violence and disasters into peace and auspiciousness. If we fail to cultivate seriously, we tend to become psychologically unbalanced when the climate is abnormal, and then there will be problems. Therefore, during a period of great change, Buddhists should be especially diligent in their cultivation, reciting the Buddha's name more, or reciting more mantras or Sutras. We should do as many good deeds as possible, for great virtue can dispel offenses.

在这个非常时期，要随缘不变，不变随缘。最要紧的是不要发脾气，一有脾气就是变。人想在生死中了生死，就要出一番力量。出力量就是无论做什么事，都往真的去做，遇到横逆坎坷也不动心，不发脾气，这是「栽培心上地，涵养性中天」。若能如此，就能补天地的不足，才是一个真正的修道人。一个学佛求法的人，要深深研究明了，不要执着一切事一切物。一切一切若不执着，就是解脱；还有执着，就不能得到自在解脱。

In this time when things are not the way they usually are, we must “ adjust to conditions, but not change; not change, yet adjust to conditions. ” Most importantly, we should not lose our tempers. As soon as our tempers flare, a change has occurred. If we want to put an end to birth and death while still within birth and death, we must put forth great effort. In putting forth this great effort, we try to be true and honest in all that we do. When we encounter unreasonable and frustrating situations, we should remain calm and not get angry. This is to “ nurture the earth of our mind and nourish the heaven of our nature. ” If we can be like this, we can make up for the deficiencies of heaven and earth. That is to be a true cultivator, a student of Buddhism, and a seeker of Dharma. We must investigate deeply and understand, without becoming attached to anything. With no attachments, we are liberated. If we still have attachments, we have not attained liberation and self-mastery.

「看破」就是明白，「放下」就是解脱；能解脱才能有真正的「自在」，没有解脱就不能「自在」。自不在就是他在，他在就是妄想纷飞，按字义解释是很有意思的，就是喧宾夺主，主人翁没有当家。注意这点！主人翁不当家就是颠倒，什么事都没有规矩了。

“ Seeing through it ” means understanding, and “ letting go of it ” means being liberated. Only when you are liberated can you truly be master of yourself. If you aren't liberated, you cannot be master. If you aren't the master, someone else is. With someone else as the master, your false thoughts fly about wildly. That means “ the noisy guest has seized the place of the host, ” and the host is no longer in charge. Pay attention to this! If the host is not in charge, everything is out of order.

放下就是解脱，就是在戒律里毕业，在规矩、烦恼、无明中毕业了。毕业得到证书就叫解脱。解脱才能自在，若自不在，就是他在，贼来了，将你家里珍宝全偷了。「他」包括无明、妄想、烦恼、天魔外道、妖魔鬼怪等。你若不看住自己的家，就将被「他人」所侵犯掠夺，所以要注意小心，一定要「自」在。但先要看破，真明白──

“ Letting go of it ” means being liberated, graduating from the study of precepts, and graduating from the school of rules, afflictions, and ignorance. When you graduate and receive your diploma, you are liberated.

Only when you are liberated can you be master of yourself. If you are not your own master, then others are your master; the thieves come and plunder all the treasures in your home. Those “ others ” include ignorance, false thoughts, afflictions, heavenly demons, unbelievers, ghosts, goblins, and so forth. If you don't guard your house, it will be invaded and taken over by others. Therefore, you must be attentive and careful; you must be master of yourself. But first of all, you must see through it all and truly understand.

愿消三障诸烦恼，

愿得智慧真明了，

普愿罪障悉消除，

世世常行菩萨道。

I vow to dispel the three hindrances and

all afflictions.

I vow to attain wisdom and true

understanding.

I vow to eradicate each and every

hindrance caused by offenses,

And always walk the Bodhisattva Path,

in life after life.

就是自在、做得主。

That is to be your own master.

若更深解释，自不在就是佛性不现前，而魔王坐殿，被六贼侵犯，想回来也回不来，一天到晚打犯五戒的妄想，虽没有真正去做去，但却时时去打犯戒的妄想，这不是愚痴是什么？这是自不在，而被贼侵犯。自在才能做得主，自不在就做不得主，和流就随境界转，和而不流就不被境界转。所以修行没有旁的，只在自己身心性命上用功夫，什么事都要明白，那就不会做糊涂事，而能知行合一。

To explain it at a deeper level, not being master of yourself means that the Buddha-nature is not manifest; instead, the demon king sits in the “ hall ” (of your mind), and the six thieves have taken over. Even if you want to return, you cannot. From morning to night, you fantasize about break¬ing the five precepts. Although you don't actually do it, you think about breaking precepts all the time. If that's not being stupid, what is it? That's a case of not being the master yourself, because the thieves have taken over. Only when you are the master can you be in control. If you are not the master, you are not in control, and you follow along and get confused by states of mind. If you don't follow along, you won't be confused by mental states. Cultivation is nothing more than applying effort in our own bodies and minds, in our natures and lives, until we understand everything. Then we won't do such muddled things. What we know and what we do will be in total agreement.

一九八二年九月十六日开示

A talk given on September 16, 1982