來源：濟群法師? 2024年09月29日
It’s commonly understood among practitioners that Buddhism characterizes life as inherently suffering. However, this statement doesn’t paint the full picture; it applies specifically to the lives of ordinary beings mired in confusion and afflictions. In contrast, for the enlightened, life is also defined by freedom and joy. This is because behind our confusion and afflictions lies the potential for enlightenment. By unlocking this potential, our lives will become infinitely free, peaceful, and joyful.
學(xué)佛者都知道，佛教說“人生是苦”。其實這個說法并不完整，而是有特定對象的。也就是說，凡夫以迷惑和煩惱為基礎(chǔ)的生命才是痛苦的。而對于覺悟者來說，生命的本質(zhì)也是自由而歡喜的。因為在迷惑煩惱的背后還有覺悟潛質(zhì)，一旦開啟這個層面，生命就是無限的自在，無限的寧靜，無限的喜悅。
Our lives are influenced by two internal forces. Healthy and positive minds are our allies. They enhance our lives, foster happiness, and contribute to a stable and harmonious society. In contrast, unhealthy and negative minds are our adversaries. They consistently breed suffering and discord. Buddha Dharma teaches that the most formidable enemy in life is the self, specifically referring to our inner afflictions.
這是生命的兩個層面，是由內(nèi)心的兩大陣營造就的。其中，健康的良性心理是我們的朋友，會讓生命得到提升，給人生帶來幸?？鞓?，給社會帶來安定和諧。而那些不健康的負面心理則是我們的敵人，會不斷制造痛苦和麻煩。佛法認為，人生最大的敵人就是自己。這個自己，正是指內(nèi)心的煩惱。
These inner enemies are the root causes of all forms of suffering, from personal anguish to strained relationships, and even crimes such as killing, stealing, lying, and sexual misconduct. At the core, humanity grapples with two natures: the Buddha-nature and the demonic-nature. Cultivating our Buddha-nature leads us towards attaining perfect wisdom and compassion. Conversely, succumbing to our demonic-nature traps us in cycles of prolonged suffering across the lower realms.
生活中一切痛苦，從對自己的折磨，到不和諧的人際關(guān)系，乃至殺盜淫妄等種種犯罪現(xiàn)象，都是這個敵人造成的。從根本上說，人的兩面性就是佛性和魔性。開啟佛性，能讓我們成就圓滿的智慧和慈悲；而放任魔性，結(jié)果只能是墮落惡道，長劫受苦。
We frequently devote considerable effort to grasping societal dynamics and showing concern for society, yet we often overlook the most critical aspect: learning to understand and manage ourselves, which truly should be our foremost priority. The teachings of Buddha Dharma can guide us to identify the positive and negative forces within our minds.
我們會花很多精力去了解和關(guān)心社會，可從來沒想過，真正應(yīng)該學(xué)會的是了解自己，管理自己，這才是人生的頭等大事。佛法就是幫助我們了解，內(nèi)心有哪些正向的力量，哪些負面的心理。
摘自《心靈創(chuàng)造幸?！?/p>
版權(quán)所有：濟群法師
Excerpted from:
Happiness Comes from the Mind
by Master Jiqun