Voice of Master Jingzong - Q and A about the Purpose of Life
淨宗之聲 - 人生目的問答
(continuation of the answer to Q13 - 2/3)
The karma accumulated in our past lives naturally manifests in this life according to the Law of Cause and Effect. Many non-Buddhists attempt to twist this, suppress it, and seek different outcomes ; while Buddhists simply try to do their best, accept the outcome, and listen to the Buddha.
As a student you should study hard; but, your mind should be relaxed about whether you can enter a top level university. This is not regarded as a lack of motivation, but a more balanced acceptance of the outcome.
However, it is not easy to have this mindset. People tend to be impatient, and try to add something to accelerate their natural growth. Actually, natural growth doesn’t mean not growing, or having no motive to grow. Just embrace the seed of your Buddha-nature and the karma from your past lives, and accept their natural outcome. You should “try your best to perform and fulfill your duties and responsibilities as a student, worker, son, or father.” If you don’t care and give up your duties and responsibilities as a father or husband, this is regarded as “slothful”, and not “trying your best.”
(to be continued tomorrow)
宿世以來本有的福報也會自然地呈現,不會像沒有學佛的人,往往會妄求——沒有這個福報,他也去使勁求,結果很扭曲,很壓抑,很痛苦;我們不一樣,盡人事,聽天命,聽佛命。
你在學習,還是學生階段,該努力讀書還是讀書,但內心是坦然的。不像別人那樣“我一定要考名牌大學”。當然,能考上最好,沒有考上也正常。“這樣不就沒動力了嗎?”這不是沒動力,而是這個力恰到好處。
當然,這一點不容易,往往都會矯枉過正,一般人都是拔苗助長。像一棵樹,春天到了,雨水澆了,它的成長是非常自然的過程。它沒有說“我要使勁長,我要如何努力地長”,那都是人加給它的概念,說“你在多少水分,在什麼陽光的情況下,很自然地生長”。真正的“自然”,不代表它不生長、沒有成長的動力。
我們內心佛性的種子、宿世的福報,到今天要怎麼展現出來,讓它自自然然地展現。所謂“自自然然”,也就是你盡到人事之後,比如你做學生,做工人,做農民,做兒子,做父親,盡到你的人事。你如果做父親,“我也不管事”;做丈夫,“我也不管家庭、不管妻子的事”,這就是懈怠,這就是放棄責任,這不叫“盡人事”。
Namo Amituofo!
