| 中 台 山 月 刊 194 期 |
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| 本期主題：
眾生歡喜 諸佛歡喜 |
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慈由心生
Compassion Starts with Me 文／美國佛心寺英文中級禪修班學員 Paul Nightingale 我的生活由於慈悲心的培養與慈悲觀的修習，有了正向的改變。我對慈悲心有較深刻的了解，是從三餐改為吃素開始的，它讓我有很多機會思惟素食與培養慈悲心的關聯。 剛開始吃素是基於健康因素，但是當我深入思惟時，我體認到許多生命被殘忍地宰殺，只為了滿足肉食者的口腹之欲，這樣的體會讓慈悲的種子在我心中滋長。重拾素食習慣、持守不殺生戒，令我確信：此生不會再有任何生命因我而死。我對自己說：「我無法為眾生做所有的事，但是我至少能做到一些；事實上，我能夠做的事，遠比想像的還要多。」 慈悲觀的修習，也從不同的層面幫助了我。以前在遭遇不順心的事情或是面對難以相處的人時，我總是很容易發怒。現在，透過慈悲的心量來看事情，即使無法認同他人的意見，我也比較能夠了解對方的觀點，我不再堅持一定要證明自己是對的，這對我而言是一種解脫。對於阻礙自己成功的人，我開始接受對方的缺點，並試著原諒對方。至於不如意的事，我則開始省思：什麼是自己真正需要的，什麼是想要但是不需要的。這些修習方式為我帶來平靜。不只自己，我體會到他人也想擁有平靜的心。現在的我，比較能感受到內心的寧靜，也能將這份祥和帶給他人。 當瞋恚在心中生起時，我明白瞋心將為自己與他人帶來苦痛，因此在我的心中能生出制止瞋心的力量。我開始了解，如果說了傷害性的話，這些惡語對自己的衝擊比對他人的衝擊還大，而我何苦傷害自己，讓內心騷動不安呢？慈悲與瞋恨，萌發於同一念心。如果我們能學習對自己慈悲，也就能對眾生展現出更深厚的慈悲心。 (My life has been affected and changed for the better due to the seeking and the practice of compassion. A deeper understanding of the idea of compassion started with my vegetarian lifestyle. Just not eating meat gave me many opportunities to contemplate the connections between a vegetarian diet and the practice of compassion. At first it seemed simply a healthy choice, but as I continued to contemplate I realized that many lives suffer to satisfy the meat diet. They are brutalized and killed for the sake of the palate. For me this is where a seed of compassion met fertile soil in my life. Going back to vegetarianism and not killing I gained a perspective that during life beings will not die because of me. “I can't do everything but I can do something, and in fact much more than I ever dreamed possible.” One more example of how the practice of compassion is worked in my life. My angry bouts tend to be more about not getting my way or having to deal with others that seem cantankerous. Using compassion as a lens I am much more able to see somebody else's point of view even if I still disagree with their final perspective. Allowing me the freedom to not have to “prove” myself as being right. I can show kindness compassion to those who cross my path. I can show forgiveness and acceptance to others for shortcomings. As far as being upset about not getting my own way, I now contemplate what I really need, what I really want. That really comes down to just “peace”. And not just me, others want peace as well. I am now in a much better place to experience and to give peace. When I start to become angry or upset I know that I have the ability to stop the train of thought that will only bring misery to myself and to others. I have come to believe that if I am saying things that are hurtful or unkind, truly those words are closer to me than others. Why would I want to hurt myself and disturb my mind? Compassion and anger both start in my mind. I am realizing that the more I show myself compassion the more I am able to show it to others.) |