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功夫都在日用平常當中 - 第251集
Our effort of practice is in daily life.
下面說，「唯此願王，不相捨離，於一切時引導其前，一剎那中即得往生極樂世界，到已，即見阿彌陀佛」。你看，一到極樂世界就花開見佛。這是什麼品位？我們在《觀經》上看到，這是上品往生，不是中下品。我們能達到嗎？能。怎麼能？怕的是你自己不肯幹，沒有人障礙你，自己障礙自己。
The following phrase states, “Only these Great Vows will never leave him, but will always lead him in front. In an instant, he is reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and see Amitabha Buddha right away.” You see, once we reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss, we will see Amitabha Buddha when the lotus flower opens. What grade of rebirth is this? We see in the Contemplation Sutra that it is the advanced grade, and not the intermediate or basic grade. Can we achieve it? Yes, we can, but how? I’m afraid you yourself are unwilling to practise. Only you yourself can pose obstacles to yourself because no one can obstruct you if you really want to practise.
為什麼能？萬緣放下就能，你有一樁放不下，有牽掛，就不能了，關鍵就在此地。能徹底放下，你就能爭取到上輩往生，我們這個經上講的，三輩往生你就能爭取上輩，上輩花開見佛。上輩人心量大，要能包容。
Why can we be reborn in the advanced grade? The key is letting go: you can achieve it if you can let go of all worldly matters, but if you cannot let go of just one thing, you will not be able to achieve it. According to this sutra, you can strive for the advanced grade of rebirth if you can completely let go. People who are reborn in the advanced grade will see Amitabha Buddha once the lotus flower opens in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Such people are broadminded and can accommodate others’ misdeeds.
學海賢老和尚的忍辱波羅蜜，收電費的人打了他兩耳光，他接受了。旁邊人看到看不慣，要想去跟這個收費人理論，老和尚說算了，息事寧人，完全不計較。對於毀謗的人，他何嘗不知道，無需辯論，也不必計較，時間久了真相自然明白了，何必去爭，成就忍辱波羅蜜。
In this regard, we should emulate Great Master Hai Xian’s practice of forbearance. When the electricity bill collector slapped him twice across the face, he gladly accepted it. People around him who saw this could not stand it and wanted to go and have a debate with the bill collector, but the Great Master forbade them to do so, thereby putting a peaceful end to the matter. He never calculated with anyone. He knew those who had been slandering him, but there was no need for him to debate and calculate with them because the truth will naturally be revealed after a long time. Why bother to fight with people! He thus perfected his practice of forbearance.
不但不怨恨，還感謝他，他來考考我，看我六波羅蜜修得怎麼樣。布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、般若，都在日常生活當中，在工作裡面，在處事待人接物，成就圓滿的六波羅蜜。你要不然在哪裡修？特別是人事環境，順境不生貪戀，逆境不生瞋恚，這就是功夫。功夫都在日用平常當中，與我們取西方淨土的品位有很大的關係。
Not only do we not resent, but we also thank those who have come to test our practice of the Six Paramitas. We perfect our practice of the Six Paramitas (i.e., giving, precepts observation, forbearance, focussed progress, meditative concentration and wisdom) in daily life, at work and in dealing with matters, people and things. Otherwise, where do we cultivate them? This is especially so in the social environment, whereby we do not give rise to greedy attachment and resentment in favourable and adverse conditions respectively --- this is effort of practice. That’s why our effort of practice is in daily life. It has a lot to do with our grade of rebirth in the Pure Land.