自縛 林鈺堂 簡繁轉換 - 繁體

細檢心行固應修,莫陷疑慮施展縛;
依法實修趨解脫,念佛拜佛契單純。

學佛者或因習於深思熟慮,而陷於經常細檢心行,以致於對任何言行皆存種種顧慮,而不知如何是好,寸步難行。

當知佛法之目的在引導眾生趨向解脫,而非加深牽纏。若自覺有此種困擾,當一改內省之習性,而致力於超乎思慮的念佛(或持咒)及拜佛,並養成每日定課的習慣。若能如此有恆努力,便可望漸漸體會心地單純的解脫風味。

二○○五年三月三十日 養和齋    於加州

 


Self-bondage@Yutang Lin

Even though one should practice careful reflection on intentions,
Do not get stuck in worries that confine one's mind and activity.
All Dharma practices should aim at approaching emancipation,
Recite Buddha's name and do prostrations to realize simplicity.

Comment:

Some practitioners, due to their habit of pondering over matters, would get stuck in constant reflections on their own intentions to the extent that they sustained all sorts of precautions to any speech or behavior, and found it difficult to make any significant move because they could not decide what to do would be more appropriate.

One should realize that the goal of Dharma is to lead sentient beings toward liberation but not to increase their entanglements. If a practitioner realized that the above-mentioned puzzlement had indeed arisen, then the solution would be to drop the habit of constant reflection on intentions, and instead endeavor to cultivate practices, such as repetition of Buddha's name or mantras and prostration to Buddha images, that are beyond conceptual thinking. It is important to develop the habit of maintaining regular sessions for such practices on a daily basis. If one could do so regularly and maintain it for the rest of one's lifetime, then one could expect to gradually realize the flavor of liberation through a mind in simplicity.

Written in Chinese and translated on March 30, 2005
El Cerrito, California