无私

Cultivating Selflessness

同在一片蓝天下的人们，都有维持生存的欲望。但生存的目标却千差万别。心灵高尚的人，活着是为了利益更多的人；平常的凡夫，活着是为了自己、亲友和家人；心胸狭隘的人，却一味为了自己的利益而孜孜不倦、废寝忘食。

The urge to survive is a universal wish of all humans living under the same blue sky. The purpose of surviving, however, varies tremendously from person to person. For someone of high morals, to live means to benefit many other people; for common folks, it is for caring for themselves as well as their circles of family and friends; while for a small-minded person, he cherishes only self-interest and will spare no pain working day and night to achieve it.

即使是博览群书、智慧超群，即使是满腹经纶、学富五车，即使是受过无数贤人圣哲的教育，让他放下自私之心，也难于上青天。无始以来，我们都为了自身的利益而活着，要放下这难以割舍的习气，只有以滴水穿石的精神，从点点滴滴开始。

Normally, for anyone to relinquish the selfish mind is a task next to impossible. This applies to people who are well learned, the smartest, the most knowledgeable, or even those who have studied extensively with many sages. From time without beginning, we have been living for our own interest only. This intractable habitual pattern can only be cast off by extreme tenacious effort on our part. That is, we have to start working in bits and pieces and persist onward with a resolve akin to wearing down a rock with drops of water.

《大师在喜马拉雅山》中讲述了这样一个故事：小喇嘛尊哲与上师在一起修行。每天他们只有一顿午餐可以享用，午餐也成了一天中最快乐的时光。

The collection of Great Masters in the Himalaya Mountains tells a story: Little lama Tsondru practiced with his master. They ate only one meal a day at lunch, so lunchtime became his happiest hour of the day.

一天，上师告诉他：“今天来了一个老和尚，你要将自己的食物让给他。”

One day, his master told him: “We have an eminent old monk visiting us today; you should offer your own food to him.”

“不行！我也很饿，就算出家人，也不能剥夺我吃饭的权利，我今天只有这一点食物。”

“I can’t do it! I get hungry too. Even if the visitor is a monk, he should not deprive me of my right to eat, and this tiny amount of food is the only meal I have for today.”

“你不会饿死的，应该把食物让给他！”

“You are not going to die from starving, let him have your food!”

“可是我也很饿！”

“But I am very hungry myself!”

“你必须给！”

“You must!”

就这样，尊哲心爱的午餐属于了别人。但从此以后，他却学会了忘我，无论多么珍爱的东西，他都能轻而易举地布施。此时，他才体会到上师让他舍弃食物的一片苦心。放下自己执爱的东西，可以换来一片无私的天地。

As it turned out, the young lama’s most-relished lunch became an enjoyment for someone else. But from then on, he learned to be unselfish and the practice of offering became an easy task for him, even if it meant giving away his much-cherished belongings. He finally came to see the thoughtfulness of his master in urging him to surrender his food. In giving up the possessions he clung to, he gained entry to the vast arena of selflessness.

释迦牟尼佛当时在遇到一位只会说“给我”的乞儿时，也是先让他说“我不要”，种下一颗无私的种子，才将食物布施于他。要清除自私的深厚积习，就要遵从“不以善小而不为”的古训，从一分钱、一碗饭、一尺布做起。

Once, Buddha Shakyamuni met a little beggar who only said “I want it, I want it” all the time. The Buddha made the beggar say the words: “I do not want it, I do not want it” repeatedly and then rewarded him with food. In this way, the Buddha planted the seed of generosity in the beggar’s mind. For us, we should follow the old adage of “Do not fail to do any good deeds, no matter how insignificant they may seem.” Starting by letting go of one penny, one bowl of rice, or one yard of fabric, we will eventually be successful in eliminating our deep-rooted habit of selfishness.

壬午年六月十四日 　
2002年7月23日

14th of June, Year of RenWu
July 23, 2002