(３９)现在想想“乐土”
“乐土在哪里？由哪里可以进入乐土？”

39) Now consider the “happy state”

39) “Where is the happy state to be found? Where do we go to get happiness?”

　　有段经文谈到天神(devata)寿量竭尽、寿命将尽，也谈到他们想到达乐土及想知道哪里能找到乐土的愿望。最后他们得到结论：乐土在人间。天神欢喜地说：“祝你们如愿抵达人间乐土！”

In the texts, there is a passage which speaks of celestial beings (devatas) dying, passing away, coming to the end of their merit, and coming to the end of their life spans. It also tells of their wishing to attain the happy state, seeking it, and wishing to know where to find it. In the end they come to the conclusion that the happy state is to be found in the realm of human beings. The celestial. beings rejoice saying, “May your wishes be fulfilled! Go to the happy state in the human realm!”

　　“乐土在人间”象征人间比天界更容易察觉无常、苦、无我。人间有觉者，有阿罗汉，佛、法、僧三宝具足，而充满感官享受的天界没有这些。因此天神来到人间乐土，所有天神都同声欢喜祝福，但这里的人却想到天界找寻乐土，这真是件滑稽的事！到底谁对谁错呢？有些人行善布施，甚至变卖家产，建设寺院作为投资，只为了来生能上天堂。请大家想一想，真正的乐土在哪里？

The expression “happy state in the human realm” signifies that in the human realm impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-selfhood can more readily be perceived than in the celestial realm. In the human realm there are enlightened beings, there are arahants, and there are the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. In the celestial realm, that jungle of sensuality, there are none of these things. Thus, celestial beings come to the human realm in search of the happy state. It is ridiculous that human beings here should want to go to the celestial realm for happiness. Yet some people seek paradise, happiness in the next existence, in the realm of celestial beings. They invest in it by making merit, giving to charity, selling their houses and goods, and building things in monasteries. Where is the genuinely happy state to be found? Think it over.