佛见一切众生有“生老病死”四大苦，所以才发心出家修行，研究解决这四大苦的方法。我们时常在不知不觉中，就现出烦恼，有时现之于色，有时藏之于心，有时候无明一动，什么也不知道了；无明一作怪，就糊涂了。所以烦恼是障道的因缘，修道的绊脚石。
When the Buddha saw that all living beings undergo four great sufferings—birth, old age, sickness, and death—he resolved to leave the home-life, to cultivate and find the way to escape from these four great sufferings.
Without our knowing it, our afflictions manifest them-selves. Sometimes they show in our appearance; sometimes they are hidden in our minds. Once ignorance is stirred up, we are totally lost. When ignorance plays its tricks on us, we become muddled. Afflictions are stumbling blocks to cultivating the Way.
可是话又说回来，我们也不能没有烦恼，为什么？因为烦恼即菩提。你若是会用，烦恼就是菩提；若是不会用，菩提就变成烦恼。譬如，菩提是“水”，烦恼是“冰”；水就是冰，冰就是水，水冰是同体，没有两样。寒的时候，水就结成冰；热的时候，冰就化为水。换句话说，有烦恼时，水结成冰；无烦恼时，冰化为水，这个道理很容易明白。简单地说，有烦恼就有烦恼冰──无明；无烦恼就有菩提水──智慧，这一点，各位切记！切记！我们修道，不要修了八万大劫，这个烦恼还是存在，天天靠吃烦恼而活着，若不吃烦恼，就要饿死，这真是很可怜的！
On the other hand, we cannot do without afflictions. Why not? Because “affliction is Bodhi.” If you know how to use it, affliction is Bodhi; if you don't know how to use it, then Bodhi becomes affliction. Bodhi is analogous to water, and affliction to ice. Ice and water are of the same substance; there is no difference. In freezing weather, water will freeze into ice, and in hot weather, ice will melt into water. When there are afflictions, water freezes into ice; and when the afflictions are gone, ice melts into water. This principle is very easy to understand. In other words, having afflictions is having the affliction-ice of ignorance; having no afflictions is having the Bodhi-water of wisdom. Please remember this! We shouldn't cultivate for eighty thousand great kalpas and still have afflictions, day after day living to eat afflictions, and starving to death if there aren't any. That would be truly pathetic.
我们的疾病，是从什么地方生出来的呢？就是从贪瞋痴三毒所生。人若是没有三毒，什么疾病也没有了。佛法中的“戒定慧”，就是医治“贪瞋痴”的特效药，有药到病除的神效。所谓：
Where do our sicknesses come from? They come from the three poisons of greed, hatred, and stupidity. If people didn't have these three poisons, there wouldn't be any illnesses. In the Buddhadharma, precepts, samadhi, and wisdom are the antidote to greed, anger and stupidity. They have the magical effect of eradicating sickness immediately upon being taken.
心清水现月，
意定天无云。
When the mind is clear,
The moon is reflected in the water;
When thoughts are settled,
There are no clouds in the sky.
这种境界，就是没有烦恼。所谓“心止念绝真富贵，私欲断尽真福田”，妄想的心也止了，攀缘的念也绝了，这就是真富贵。简单地说，“不贪”就是富贵。人为什么要贪？因为不知足，觉得不够，所以要贪。没有私欲就是福田，如果断尽就是真福田。这点各位要特别注意！
In this state, there are no afflictions.
When the mind is still and thoughts are gone,
That is true wealth and honor.
When selfish desires are totally cut off,
That is the true field of blessings.
When deluded thoughts are stilled and the exploitation of conditions comes to an end, that is true wealth and honor. In short, to not be greedy is to be wealthy and honored. People are greedy because they aren't content; they feel they don't have enough. Being without selfish desires is called a field of blessings. If the desires are totally cut off, that is the true field of blessings. You should pay special attention to this.
心平百难散，
意定万事吉。
If your mind is at peace,
A hundred difficulties will be dispelled.
If your thoughts are settled,
All things will be auspicious.
这是至理名言，把它当作金科玉律，那一生就受用不尽了。
This is a famous saying. Use it as a motto, and you will receive limitless benefits throughout your whole life.
什么是“烦恼”？就是烦身恼心，不得自在。什么是“忧”？就是忧愁苦恼，闷闷不乐。什么是“横”？就是飞灾横祸，发生不幸。我们被这些事情缠住，就好像用无明锁把你锁住，用烦恼绳把你系住，又好像用块大石头把你压住，压得你喘不过气来，令你有窒息的感觉。佛想令一切众生离开烦恼，得到安乐；离开一切迫害，得到解脱，才教一切众生，发大菩提心，修学佛的功德、佛的行门。所以我们众生应该听受，应该相信，更应该依教奉行。
What is affliction? Having an afflicted body and an annoyed mind. In this state, there is no self-mastery. What is worry? Distress and vexation, and being in low spirits. What are sudden misfortunes? Accidents and unfortunate events. These things bind you and oppress you, like the lock of ignorance which locks you up, like the rope of affliction which ties you up. They are also like a huge rock pinning you down and suffocating you, so that you cannot breathe. The Buddha wanted all living beings to part with afflictions and attain peace and happiness; to escape from all oppression and gain liberation, and this is why he taught all living beings to bring forth the great Bodhi mind, and to learn and cultivate the Buddha's meritorious, virtuous conduct. Therefore, we living beings should listen to, accept, believe in, and practice the Buddha's teachings.
众生的烦恼心，有无量无边那么多，菩萨见我们众生颠颠倒倒，以直为曲，以曲为直；将黑作白，将白作黑；以恶为善，以善为恶；无论如何地教化，他的习气总是不改，障碍重重。若是说出他的毛病，他就很不高兴，而设法保护自己的过错，不肯改过迁善，甚至于发大无明，生出大烦恼。
Living beings' afflictions are limitless and boundless. They are just like a mirage. The Bodhisattvas see how deluded living beings are: living beings reverse the straight and the crooked, black and white, good and evil. No matter how one tries to teach them, they just cannot change their habits. They have countless layers of obstacles. If you point out their faults, they'll get upset and try to justify them; they don't want to correct them and change for the better. They'll even display great ignorance and become terribly afflicted.
菩萨对这类众生起慈悲怜愍的心，耳提面命，三令五申，教众生不要讲是非，不要生烦恼，如果不发脾气、不妒忌障碍，就能出离苦海。
The Bodhisattvas bring forth a kind, compassionate, and sympathetic mind for these living beings. Again and again, they remind living beings not to gossip or become afflicted, and tell them that if they don't lose their tempers or let jealousy obstruct them, they'll be able to leave the sea of suffering.
人身一切是假的，不要把臭皮囊当作宝贝，处处保护着它，你怕它受苦，总想令它享福；可是呢，它却处处给你添麻烦。
This human body is illusory. Don't always protect this stinking skin bag as if it were a precious jewel, afraid to let it suffer and wanting it to enjoy blessings. In spite of all this coddling, your body only gives you a lot of trouble.
一九八三年五月三日开示
A talk given on May 3, 1983
