Gratitude is the Source of Blessings
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每一回坐下來能夠安靜時，我都是一直以反觀自照來問自己：「人生也是在四生六道之中，到底四生在六道中為什麼是這麼苦的循環？」佛陀的教育，就是要我們去體會，體會這人生之苦。
When I can sit and have a quiet moment, I reflect and ask myself: in life, there are Four Forms of Birth, Six Realms; why is this cycle so full of suffering? Buddha wanted us to contemplate and understand the intrinsic suffering in life.
我們不只是要探討「四生六道」，我們也應該要去體會佛陀所教育的「四諦、六波羅蜜」。因為有四生，所以我們就要先去瞭解苦。佛陀跟我們說：「我們要知苦，世間就是苦。」苦從哪裡來？集啊！集了很多的業力，所以現在受苦。
Not only do we need to investigate this cycle, we should also understand the Four Noble Truths and Six Paramitas. We should first understand the suffering of the Four Forms of Birth. The Buddha taught us to know suffering. This world is filled with suffering. But where does suffering come from? It comes from the gathering of karmic forces which results in our present suffering .
要如何才能消除苦呢？要如何才能滅除苦難呢？就必須修行於道，必須修行。要不然我們只是知道四生六道，四生在六道中苦不堪言。但是多少眾生在四生中還是不知不覺！
How do we eliminate suffering? We must practice the Way. We must practice, or else we will suffer unspeakably as we continue to be reborn in the Four Forms and Six Realms. People are stuck in the Four Forms of Birth,
就算在人道當中，也有的人就是醉生夢死。你跟他說「人生是苦。」他就說：「哪有啊？我每天不都是為所欲為嗎？我每天都有得吃、有得玩，我想要有什麼就有什麼東西。」像這樣就是不知道人生無常，就是不知道無常，所以他還不斷地造作業，還在集種種的業；因為他不知道後面的苦果，所以不會想要修行於「道」。
in the Human Realm. Some go through life as if in a dream. If you talk about suffering, they say, " What suffering? I do whatever I want every day. I get to eat and play every day. I get whatever my heart desires! " Living like this, these people do not know about the impermanence of life, so they continue to create and accumulate all kinds of karma. They do not know about painful consequences, so they do not strive to cultivate the Way.
或因四生造一切罪
四生：胎生、卵生、濕生、化生
Four Forms of Birth may cause all wrongdoings. The Four Forms of Birth: womb-born, egg-born, moisture- born, transformation-born.
所以，我們應該要去探究四生之苦，我們就要多去瞭解四諦的真理。我們如果可以這樣平行地去探究四生、瞭解四諦，我們才會知道唯有修行六波羅蜜，才能夠消弭六道由不得自己輪迴的苦難。所以說，對於在凡夫的這個境界當中的我們，在這個地方所講到的「四諦、六波羅蜜」這些「法」，我們應該要多用來探討「四生六道」。
That is why we have to examine the suffering in the Four Forms of Birth and understand the truth in the Four Noble Truths. If we take this dual approach, through cultivating the Six Paramitas, we can eliminate and free ourselves from the suffering of a cyclic existence. So, Dharma includes the Four Noble Truths and the Six Paramitas. As ordinary human beings, we should look into the Four Forms of Birth and Six Realms.
我們昨天說過，「四生」就是有四種出生的生態，第一就是胎生。
As we have mentioned yesterday, there are Four Forms of Birth. The first is womb-born,
胎生就是懷孕在母胎裡面，與出世之時就是同樣的形態，這就叫做「胎生」。就向人在母親的子宮裡面，十月懷胎的時間到了，生下來就是人的身體。豬、羊、馬、羊、鹿等等…這些也是一樣，同樣生下來豬就是豬的外形、牛就是牛的外形、馬就是馬的外形、鹿就是有鹿的外形，這都叫做「胎生」。就是懷胎的時間到了就生下來，這叫做胎生。
which means they are carried in the womb, are when they are born they look similar to their adult form. For example, humans are carried in their mother's womb for ten months (40weeks), and then born in human form. Pigs, cows, horses, sheep, deer, etc. , are the same. Pigs are born in pig-form, cows in cow-form, horses in horse-form, deer in deer-form. These animals are all womb-born. After a certain period of development in the womb, they are born.
懷胎的過程真的是很辛苦，不只是在懷胎的過程當中，作為母親的人會很辛苦；同樣，到底我們在懷胎的當中，還在子宮的懷胞裡面，我們會變成什麼形狀？有的生下來很美、很可愛，皮膚白、很標緻、很美。但是在生下來之後，有的人慢慢長大就會對自己的外貌不滿意，有的嫌眼睛太小、有的嫌鼻子太平等等…諸多的不滿意。所以現在很多人要去整容、要去美容等等…就是對於自己不滿意。
The process of pregnancy is very toilsome, not only for the mother, but also for the fetus in the womb. There is no telling how it will turn out. Some people are born beautiful, adorable, with fair skin and delicate features. However, after birth, some slowly become dissatisfied with themselves. Some complain that their eyes are too small. Some complain that their noses are too flat. There are all sorts of complaints, so nowadays many people undergo plastic surgery, or get other work done, because they are dissatisfied with themselves.
在懷胎的過程當中，並不是媽媽可以去創造、也不是自己可以要求的，總是在懷胎的過程當中，就是這樣完成了。生下來能夠五官具足、四肢具足應該就是很好。但是有的人五官、四肢都不具足，真的是生下來就是畸形的孩子孩子也是有啊！所以，人生在母親的懷胞中，到底我們生長的過程又是怎麼樣呢？
These features are created during pregnancy, their shape cannot be controlled by the mother or the baby. Being born with five sense organs and four limbs intact should be good enough. Some people are not so fortunate. Some babies are even born deformed. We are all born into our mothers' embrace, but how do we develop over time?
尤其在我們的醫院也有過這樣的案例，就是有這樣的一個前例出生在我們的慈濟醫院。大家應該還記得過去有一位「泡泡龍」小朋友，這個孩子就是他的父母，媽媽才十四歲，年紀很小，爸爸也是好玩，卅多歲，就這樣生下孩子。這個孩子生下來很不幸，生下來之後皮膚沒有一吋完膚，盡了一切醫療的科技要來幫他治療也是成效有限。因為問題出在於他的身上的基因不健全，所以一生下來就是體無完膚，很可憐！
You probably still remember the little "Bubble-Dragon" born in our Tzu Chi hospital. His mother was only 14 when she had him. She was very young. His father was frivolous, so they ended up with a child. The child has been suffering since birth. His skin was incompletely formed. Doctors utilized all their expertise to treat him. But his condition was due to an incomplete genome; hence he was born without fully-developed skin. It was heart-wrenching.
在我們的醫院儘管有很多人愛他，但是父母無法負擔這樣的孩子，所以要求放棄。就算父母放棄他了，還是有一大群的人在愛他、疼他，用盡一切的辦法要幫他治療，同樣還是無法治癒。
Even though many people in our hospital loved him, his own parents could not shoulder this burden, and asked to give him up. His parents gave him up, but there were still many people who adored and cherished him. They tried everything to treat him, but nothing could be done.
註1：在慈濟醫院出生的這位泡泡龍小朋友目前安頓在財團法人佛教私立禪光育幼院，院址：花蓮縣新城鄉仁愛路 17之2號。目前有改建工程資金上得迫切需求，需要外界援助。後續報導請見網址：財團法人佛教私立禪光育幼院。
註2：同樣照顧泡泡龍症狀的還有「罕見疾病基金會 」
但是孩子一天、一天還是長大了，這個孩子我們常常去看他。有時候過年過節把他接回來。但是他苦啊！第一苦就是生下來被父母遺棄；第二苦，就是從他生下來之後，跟著他一輩子，時時刻刻分分秒秒都在折磨著他的苦，就是體無完膚的苦。現在不只是體無完膚，甚至現在開始身體也已經開始在變形了。
Despite all this, he grew older. We visited him often and brought him here for some holidays. But he suffers so much! First, he was given up by his parents at birth. Second, the pain of his incomplete skin tortures him every second of every day in his life. Now his skin is slowly becoming deformed.
儘管是和他一起長大的孩子，也是一樣和他玩得很融洽。雖然他並沒有被人群放棄，但是隨著他自己愈長愈大，愈是有放棄自己的心態。因為那是分秒時刻都是在折磨苦難中。
The children that grew up with him still play in harmony with him, and others have not given up on him. But as he grows older, he is beginning to give up on himself because he is suffering tremendously all the time.
諸位，胎生，光是「人」這一類，在懷胎的過程中，是不是能夠很完具呢？六根具足嗎？像這樣六根是具足的。但是還要考慮到皮膚是不是也能夠具足呢？也沒有辦法求得完美啊！這就是胎生的過程，無法求得完全如意，求不得啊！
Everyone, for humans alone the process of pregnancy and birth is uncertain, we don't know whether the Six Sense Organs or even the skin will be complete. We cannot simply ask for and receive perfection. This is the development of the womb-born; not everything can happen according to our wishes. It is not possible.
在我們人生下來之後，能夠健健康康四肢健全，能夠身體健康無恙的人生過程當中，但是我們能夠懂得惜福嗎？我們能夠懂得知恩、報恩嗎？能夠懂得感恩嗎？父母給予我們如此健全的身體，我們能否懂得感恩呢？能否感恩父母？母親的懷胎過程很辛苦，能夠給我們這麼具足的身體，但是說不定我們還是不知道應該要感父母恩！
So when we are born healthy and with all four limbs, do we remember to cherish our blessings? Do we strive to appreciate and return the grace of our parents? Are we grateful? Do we know to be grateful for this healthy body that our parents have given us? For our parents, the period of pregnancy is hard work. Perhaps we do not even know that we should be grateful to them for this complete, functional body.
你們可還記得，在(菲律賓的)連體嬰還沒有分割之前，慈濟小學的楊校長，帶著小學的學生來看連體嬰，是一種生命的教育。帶小學生來看連體嬰，讓他們知道要能夠有健康的身體，可以自由的活動，就已經要感恩父母了，要懂得愛惜身體。
Do you remember that before the Filipino conjoined twins were separated, Principal Yang of Tzu Chi Elementary brought some students to visit them? This is a form of life education, to learn that they should be grateful for and cherish being healthy and free.
所以有個二年級的孩子，小學生，他們剛好是雙胞胎，他們來看連體嬰。在他們看完了之後，問他們：「你們看過了之後有什麼感想？要不要和大家分享？」可愛的小朋友語出驚人，他們看過之後竟然會說：「我知道她們連在一起好辛苦喔！我會感恩我媽媽和爸爸，沒有把我的弟弟和我連在一起生下來。我感恩媽媽！」你看，他是雙胞胎的，果然要感恩他的媽媽，沒有把他的弟弟和他連在一起這樣生下來。只是二年級的孩子，才八歲而已。來看到這樣的景象，他就懂得要感恩，知道這樣應該要感恩。所以，懂得感恩的人，才能夠知福、才能夠惜福，才會在人間再造福。
There were two second-graders who happened to be twins. After they saw the conjoined twins they were asked, "Would you like to share your thoughts now that you have seen them? " To everyone's surprise, one of these adorable children said, "I know it must be hard for them to be connected. I am very grateful to my mom and dad that my brother and I are not conjoined. I am grateful to my mom. " You see, he is a twin, naturally he thanks his mother for the fact that he and his brother were not born attached. This is a second-grader; he is only eight years old. When he saw the babies, he already knew he should be thankful. Only people who know to be grateful can appreciate and cherish their blessings. In turn, they will create more blessings.
感恩是惜福的資糧
懂得感恩的人
會珍惜所擁有的一切
進而付出回饋別人
在人間再造福
Gratitude is the fuel for cherishing blessings. One who is grateful cherishes everything that one has and will benefit others in return to create more blessings in the world.
但是，多少人不知恩、不惜福，對父母不懂得孝順，對一切物質不能夠珍惜。他們都覺得除了人以外，一切的萬物都是要給人吃得，都是要提供給人類享受口感，提供給人類有營養、有力量。所以可憐的萬物弱肉強食，實在是很可悲。
But many people are ungrateful and unappreciative. They are not respectful toward their parents, and do not cherish the material goods they have. They feel that, other than humans, all creatures are meant to be consumed; so people can enjoy the taste, nutrients, and energy that they provide. These poor living creatures are subjected to "survival of the fittest" . It is very sad.
就像一隻豬，有的人說：「這隻豬養大了之後，可以提供給人類吃，這隻豬可以讓很多人一同去分擔那個業。」人云：「吃四兩要還半斤」，這隻豬殺了之後，有很多人來吃，將來要還也是很多人一同來還。不過現在的人，不是一隻豬很多人吃，而是一隻豬只有很少人去吃。甚至像是乳豬這道料理，一桌少數幾個人就吃完了。什麼叫做乳豬啊？就是才剛剛生下來的豬仔，都還沒有吃到母奶，就把牠抓到廚房去，準備要上桌了。有的人以為一切禽類獸類都是理所當然要給人吃的，所以大家吃的都沒有節制。像這樣，大大隻的豬，這樣來吃還不夠，他們把貪食的對象改變成為小小隻的豬，一桌的三、五個人就把牠給分食了。
Take pigs as an example. They are raised to be eaten. If many people eat one pig, they collectively shoulder this karma. It is said, "eat four ounces, repay it in double". If a pig is killed and eaten by many people, all will pay their share in time. But nowadays, a pig is not split among many people. Instead, one pig is eaten by only a few, or only one table. Do you know about suckling pigs? It is a new-born pig which has not even tasted milk, and is taken to the kitchen to be cooked and served. Some people think that all animals are meant to be eaten by people. So, many people eat without constraint. It is not enough for them to eat a large pig, they have to get a tiny one and split it among only a few people.
我們可還記得在《地藏經》裡面，你們在誦經的時候，看光目女的母親，你看，殺業重，她的殺業是是怎麼個殺法？喜歡吃魚。她不是吃大尾的魚而已，而是一網撒出去、拉回來，完全是小小隻的小魚苗。有時候看到在雜貨店有在販賣的「魩仔魚」，可能就是那種魚。非常的小尾，只是一筷子伸過去夾起來就有無數的小魚。所以像這樣，只是一口就可以吞食了多少的生命？造這樣的業啊！
Do you remember what is written in the Earth Treasury Sutra? When you recite it, remember the bright-eyed girl's mother. She had a lot of karma from killing. How did she acquire that karma? She enjoyed eating fish, but she did not like to eat big fish. Instead, she liked the tiny ones that are caught with one cast of the fishing net. Sometimes stores sell anchovies, perhaps they are similar. They are tiny. With one reach of the chopsticks, you could pick up countless small fish. Just like that, you can swallow so many lives in one mouthful and create karma.
人稱為萬物之靈，卻使天地間多少禽獸這些動物、這些生命，變成讓人類果腹，就是填到肚子裡。所以我說——「人的肚子就像是萬塚墳墓場，有多種的墳墓，什麼樣的屍體都吞到人的肚子裡面。」所以說起來，人是一種最骯髒，也是最殘忍的一種動物，天下一切生命無不是想盡辦法去吞食。
Humans are called the most sentient of all beings. There are so many creatures in the world. The lives of these animals are ended to satisfy our appetites. So I say the human stomach is a mass grave. It is a tomb for many; we ingest corpses of all kinds. Humans are indeed the dirtiest and the cruelest animal. We try to find a way to swallow all forms of life.
苦是一種果報
因為過去種了苦因
所以現在招感苦果
唯有用心修行於道
才能滅除苦難
Suffering is a form of karmic retribution. As the seed of suffering was planted in the past, we now reap the fruits of suffering. Only by cultivating the Way, can we eliminate all suffering.
如果像過去那樣，他就是愛吃，所以提供給他吃，還說：「吃少一點，有業大家一起分擔，這樣業會輕一點。」而現在所造的業則是愈來愈重，同樣的生命就是少數人來凌虐牠、吞食牠，所以現在的人，你看若是有了什麼樣的病痛，或是遇到什麼樣的意外，都是比過去來得苦，苦不堪言。
In the past, even if people loved to eat, at least they ate less; and split the karmic retribution between many, so their burdens were lighter. But now, people create heavier karma. A life is now taken, abused, and consumed by fewer people. That is why if people nowadays are ill or suffer accidents, it is more painful than in the past. Such unspeakable suffering!
所以我們要知道人生的「苦諦」——苦的道理是從哪裡而來的？我們要聯想到「四生」的生活形態，人為什麼集了這麼多苦的業因，才來受這麼多的苦報？我們應該要把這個道理，和凡夫的行為應該要好好地聯想在一起。要用心啊！
We really have to know about the suffering in life. The truth of suffering: where does it come from? We need to think about the Four Forms of Birth, how we accumulate so many bad karmic causes that result in so many painful retributions. We should think about these truths and how they correlate to the behavior of ordinary human beings. We must be mindful.
各位，同樣的胎生，互相殘殺，多可怕啊！所以難怪現在的天災人禍如此的多，看看人惹來了多少災難禍端？這些災難的起因，都是人為的。
Everyone, it is scary that womb-born beings cruelly kill one another. No wonder there are now many natural and man-made disasters. We brought this on ourselves; it is caused by humans.
所以人既然會造了這麼多的災禍，其實人也可以造很多的福，其實都只是在一念之間。所以請大家要時時多用心！
While humans can cause so many disasters, they can also create many blessings. It depends on a single thought. So everyone, please always be mindful!
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