修行從孝順開始 Filial Piety，the Beginning of Cultivation

師父法語

Words of Wisdom

現代社會有種說法：做好人吃虧，易受人欺負。原因就是現在人的貪、嗔心日益加劇。比如一些家庭，兄弟姐妹之間都鬧著要分家，做父母的雖然一心想使大家和睦，卻無能為力。因為每個人考慮的都是自己的利益，而不願多為別人著想。

There is a belief in society that kind persons are easily bullied. Looking deeper, we may find increasing envy and hatred in people"s mind. In some families, for instance, brothers and sisters fight for a family split despite their parents wishing for unity; each of them considers his or her own interests to be more important than those of others.

在古代，以儒家思想為傳統的家庭，一家人之間都很有規矩。比如吃飯時坐座位，先長輩、後晚輩；如果長輩沒有吃，晚輩是不敢先吃的。有了這樣的規矩，一家人才容易上敬下和、和睦相處。而現代人的家庭，別說一家人很有規矩地坐在一起吃頓飯，就是不講規矩，一家人能湊齊吃飯也很難。

In ancient times, family ethics were strictly followed based on the Confucian tradition. For example, the young were always seated after the elders at meals. Such ethics were conducive to harmony between family members. In modern times, however, simply having family meals has become a luxury, much less a meal with good manners, because most people are engaged in too many business affairs and social activities to look after their families.

因為大多數的人都各忙各的、各顧各的，應酬多了、交際多了，唯獨顧家的時間少了。家庭的建立是為了安頓，如果沒有了安頓感，家庭的意義就不復存在了。現代家庭不和睦的多、不孝順父母的多；離婚率高，有婚外戀的多。種種內憂外患都是我們貪、嗔心加劇的直接反應，都是我們缺少規矩，對別人缺乏尊重的直接後果。

As a symbol of settlement, families will become meaningless if the feeling of settlement is gone. If we observe the rising ratios of family destabilizing factors such as disobedience, divorce and marital cheating, we may feel sad that all of them are a demonstrations of increasing inner craving and hatred and the direct consequence of lacking ethics or mutual respect.

好規矩的培養是從家庭開始的，尊重別人也是從尊重家人開始的，所以我們學佛就要從孝順開始。作為一個人，如果對自己的父母都不能盡責任、義務，就更不用指望他對社會、對其他人盡責任、盡義務了。父母對我們可以說是恩重如山。如果沒有父母的養育之恩，也就沒有我們今天的一切。所以，修行就是要從孝順父母開始，從尊重家人開始。

As the family is the starting point for the cultivation of ethics and respect, we Buddhists need to learn filial piety as our basic quality. It is our born duty to do so, given the incomparable kindness we owe to our parents. Otherwise we will be in no position to serve society.

來源：學誠大和尚開示《不立文字》

Source: With or Without Words, by Ven. Master Xuecheng

翻譯：北京龍泉寺翻譯中心

Translated by: Beijing Longquan Monastery Translation Center

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