认假作真

Taking the False for the Real

人对真实的东西都认识不清楚，反而对假的东西疯狂追求。

People don't recognize what's real, so they chase after the false, seeking it as if insane.

子曰：「吾未见好德如好色者也。」孔子那时候就已经感叹，爱好道德者，不如爱好美色的人那么专心，所以他这么样叹息，说：「我从来没有见过爱好道德，有如爱好美色一样的人啊！」

Confucius said, “I have never seen anyone whose desire for virtue is as strong as his desire for beautiful women. ” Even in those days, Confucius lamented the fact that people who cultivated virtue were not as concentrated as those who were fond of beautiful women. That's why he sighed and said, “I have never seen a man who liked virtue as much as he liked beautiful women! ”

我则没有看见好佛法，如好财那么用功的人。你看！爱好佛法的人怎么样好佛法，也有疲倦的时候，拜佛久了，或念经、诵咒久了，就觉得疲倦。但是若去找钱，不吃、不喝、不睡他也不疲倦！就看赌钱的人，白天晚间都不休息，仍然火眼金睛，毫无倦意！

I have never seen anyone who is as devoted to working for Buddhism as those who work for money. People who like the Buddhadharma sometimes get tired. They get tired after bowing to the Buddha or reciting Sutras or mantras for a long time. However, money-chasers don't feel tired even if they don't eat, drink, or sleep. Take a look at gamblers: They don't rest day or night, yet their eyes are still bright as gold—they are tireless.

各位研究一下，为什么人会如此？就因为人对真实的东西都认识不清楚，反而对假的东西趋之若鹜，疯狂追求，真是颠倒之至！

Think about it: why are people like this? Because they don't recognize what's real, so they run after the false, seeking it as if insane. This is being really upside down.

一九八三年四月三十日晚间开示

于万佛圣城

A talk given on the evening of April 30, 1983,

at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas