Master Jingzong Answers Questions about the Purpose of Life
淨宗之聲 - 人生目的問答
(Continuation 2/5 to answer the question: How can we attain real happiness in the Land of Saha?)
Internal happiness is, of course, impermanent. Hoping for a perfect marriage, but ending with divorce; hoping for a permanently healthy body, but inevitably experiencing aging and illness, hoping for filial piety from a child, but receiving disobedience in return. ....too many examples!
The external appearance of happiness is misleading. Behind it, there may be great suffering. Sometimes, happiness itself is a form of suffering. This is called “unreal happiness”because it is ever-changing, with suffering always lurking in the background. For example, after we walk for a long time and feel tired, we feel happy if we sit and take a rest. However, if we sit for too long , our body gets stiff , and we wish to stand up, walk and relax.
In other words, so-called “happiness” is a kind of temporary adjustment to the build-up of a kind of suffering. If sitting is a kind of happiness, we should feel happier while sitting longer; but, that’s not actually what happens. Similarly for walking, it is actually not a lasting kind of happiness.
People think they will be happy if they become rich; but, they can actually feel tired, lose their bearings, or even commit suicide. Most people only know the suffering of poverty; but, don’t know the suffering of wealth.
Above all, in the mundane world, people live in the vast sea of suffering, no matter if they are rich or poor, make progress, or have setbacks.
(2/5 completed. To be continued tomorrow)
當然,外樂是無常、不住的。
盼望美好的婚姻,最後以離婚結局;希望有健康的身體,結果多是老病;想要孝順的兒子,恰恰他不聽話......這些事太多了,就不一一列舉了。
這種所謂的樂,表面是樂,背後就是大苦,甚至在樂的當下就是苦。所以,這些稱為“不真實的樂”,它是變幻無常的,是以苦作為背景的。
比如走路。走得時間很長,感覺累了,往大樹底下一坐,“哎呀,真快樂呀!”可是坐久了,又覺得腰酸背痛,要走一走,“哎呀,走一走真放鬆,真快樂呀!”
這個所謂的樂,就是對前面苦的積累的一種 “臨時調節”。如果坐本身的體性是樂的,那坐得越久越快樂——不是,坐久了又累;如果走是快樂的,應該走得越長越快樂——又不是,走長了又累。
沒有錢的人覺得發了財快樂,可是發了財覺得也很累,茫然,甚至跳樓。沒錢的只知道沒錢的苦惱,不知道有錢的也有有錢的苦惱。
總之,人在這世間,不管有財、無財,進也不是,退也不是。所以稱為“苦海茫茫”。
Namo Amituofo!
