缘份

Karmic Connections

一位厦门的居士今天来看望我，一见到我就殷殷地说：“上师啊！您一定要加持我，我的解脱就全靠您老人家了！”

A lay practitioner from Xiamen paid me a visit today. Upon seeing me, he pleaded earnestly: “Dear Lama! You have to grant me your blessings. My liberation is totally dependent on you, my venerable master!”

时常，我会听到类似的话语。且不论我一介凡夫是否具此能力，即使是真正的具德上师或佛陀亲自现前，也不可能如同扔石子一样地将你我扔到极乐世界。如果以佛陀的大悲心即能将你我度化，娑婆世界的无边众生早已应该度尽，轮回痛苦早已应该消失，何至于等到现在？

This kind of pleading is often made to me. Irrespective of my ability to do so as an ordinary being, even a fully accomplished master or the Buddha appearing in person is not a catapult that can shoot us up to the level of Pure Land. Were it the case, the Buddha, with his immense compassion, would have liberated all of us already. No one would have been left behind in this Saha world, and samsaric sufferings should have all been eliminated. But why are we all still here?

如果自己不精进，解脱是绝无希望的。《毗奈耶经》云：“吾为汝说解脱法，解脱依己当精进。”

Without expending any effort on our part, there is absolutely no hope for our own liberation.

The Sutra of the Discipline (Vinaya Sutra) says, “I have already shown you the way to liberation, but your liberation depends on you, so exert effort.”

可见解脱与否，完全掌握在自己手里。如今，我们这些前世无量佛未能度化的、业障深重的恶世众生，值遇了恩德胜佛的根本上师，闻受了解脱的无上法门，应当珍惜这难得的暇满人生，并猛厉修持正法。

It is clear that we ourselves hold the key to our liberation. Inconceivable numbers of Buddhas have already come, but their compassion has not been enough to save us and we are completely in the clutches of our negative actions. Now that we have met our root guru whose kindness to us surpasses that of the Buddhas and who has taught us the supreme way of liberation, we should cherish this precious opportunity and practice the Dharma with unrelenting resolve.

如果不以强烈的信心与精进修持，如同倒扣的水器不能显现月影一般，自己也不会与法相应，三宝的加持也不可能得到。

A water container turned upside down will reflect no moon image. Likewise, a practice devoid of diligent effort and intense devotion will make no connection with the Dharma or the blessings of the Three Jewels.

《华严经》云：“如月纵出升，非器不显现，佛陀大悲月，亦不照无缘。”

As it says in The Avatamsaka Sutra:
High up in the sky the moon is shining
Yet no reflections appear in unsuitable vessels.
The moonbeam of Buddha’s great compassion, likewise,
Will not reach those lacking karmic connections.

如果缘分不具足，佛陀也无能为力，精进修持才是最好的缘分。

Without the coming together of favorable conditions, even the Buddha is powerless to exert any effect. The best way to gather favorable conditions, as it turns out, is none other than to practice the Dharma assiduously.

壬午年六月初二　　
2002年7月12日 　

2nd of June, Year of RenWu
July 12, 2002