如何断烦恼

How to Cut Off Afflictions

若想没有烦恼，唯一的办法，就是勤修戒定慧，息灭贪瞋痴。

If you want to be free of afflictions, the only way is to diligently cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom,

and extinguish greed, hatred, and stupidity.

菩萨见三界的众生，都患了贪瞋痴三毒的毛病，有种种的苦恼，在长夜漫漫中被煎熬和压迫。

The Bodhisattvas understand that living beings of the three realms are all ill with the afflictions of the three poisons: greed, hatred, and stupidity. They have all kinds of bitter afflictions that oppress and torment them throughout the long, dark night.

按理来说，出家修道人不应该有烦恼，可是也有种种烦恼，为什么呢？因为心不清净。这个不好啦！那个不对啦！这个人又有什么过错，那个人又有什么毛病，总而言之，有很多烦恼来缠绕，使得身心不得自在。

In principle, people who have left the home-life to cultivate should not have any afflictions. However, they still do, because their minds are not pure. They complain that this is no good and that is wrong; this person made such and such mistakes, and that person has some other faults. Anyhow, they are caught up in many afflictions and cannot be free mentally or physically.

各位想一想，每个人有每个人的烦恼，上自总统，下至乞丐，都有他们的烦恼。世界各国的元首，今天忧国，明天忧民，有很多烦心的事；乞丐向人家讨饭，人家不布施，他会发脾气，生出烦恼。若想没有烦恼，唯一的办法，就是勤修戒定慧，息灭贪瞋痴。如果修行到家了，自然不生烦恼。

Let's think about it. Everyone has his own afflictions. From the President to the panhandler, everyone has afflictions. The leaders of all the nations of the world worry about their nation one day, and their people the next. Many matters vex their minds. Panhandlers beg for food; if people don't give them food, they lose their tempers and get afflicted. If you want to be free of afflictions, the only way is to diligently cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom, and extinguish greed, hatred, and stupidity. When you become skilled at cultivation, your afflictions will naturally cease.

菩萨发大悲心，为有三毒烦恼病的众生，广说对治的方法。佛说八万四千法门，就是对治众生八万四千烦恼病；这八万四千种的药方，能灭除众生一切的苦患。研究药方而不吃药，那是无有是处；所以学佛法，要有信解行证的功夫，才能成就。

Bodhisattvas bring forth great compassion towards living beings who are afflicted with the three poisons. They vastly proclaim the cure for these sicknesses. The Buddha spoke 84,000 Dharma-doors to cure living beings' 84,000 illnesses of affliction. These 84,000 prescriptions can eradicate all living beings' sufferings. But if we study the prescriptions without taking the medicine prescribed, it will be useless. So in order to achieve anything in studying Buddhism, we must have skill in faith, understanding, practice, and certification.