一、认识自己,点亮心灯
I. Know Yourself, Light the Inner Lamp
身处今天这个时代,很不容易。物质和科技文明给生活带来便利的同时,也带来污染、暖化等生态问题,及焦虑、抑郁等心理疾病。与此同时,频繁的国际冲突更是令世界动荡不安。这种一日千里的变化,使人对未来充满不确定感。一直以来,我们习惯于向外建立依赖,寻找幸福。当世界相对稳定时,这种依赖似乎还靠得住。只要努力,幸福也可以企及。但当外在世界充满变数时,就会感觉,自己依赖的一切越来越脆弱,幸福也越来越渺茫。在这样的大背景下,唯有认识自己,让自己变得强大,才能减少对外界的依赖,减少由此带来的影响。不管从个人还是人类来说,如何安顿身心,实现人身的独特价值,将是未来的头等大事。
Living in today's world is not easy. While material and technological civilization has brought convenience to our lives, it has also brought ecological problems such as pollution and global warming, along with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. At the same time, frequent international conflicts have left the world in turmoil. Such rapid change fills people with uncertainty about the future. All along, we have been used to looking outward for support in our search for happiness. When the world is relatively stable, this reliance seems dependable---with effort, happiness seems within reach. But when the external world is full of variables, we feel that everything we rely on is growing ever more fragile, and happiness ever more elusive. Against this backdrop, only by knowing ourselves and making ourselves strong can we reduce our dependence on the outside world and lessen the impact it has on us. Whether for the individual or for humanity as a whole, how to bring peace to body and mind and realize the unique value of being human will be the foremost task of the future.
如何认识并提升自己?什么才能帮助我们安身立命,认识心性?正是东方文化,尤其是佛法智慧的长项。儒释道文化都是让我们向内观照,从认识自己、改变自己,到建立美好的世界。其中,佛法更是人生的大智慧,因其对心性的透彻认识,有"东方心理学"之称;学佛,正是引导我们认识自己、安顿身心,改善生命品质,从而造就良好的心态、高尚的精神、美好的人格。这在当今世界尤为重要。
How do we know and improve ourselves? What can help us find our footing in life and understand the nature of the mind? This is precisely the strength of Eastern culture, especially the wisdom of the Buddhadharma. The cultures of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism all teach us to look within---from knowing ourselves and changing ourselves to building a beautiful world. Among them, the Buddhadharma is the great wisdom for life; because of its thorough understanding of the nature of the mind, it is known as "Eastern psychology." Learning the Buddhadharma guides us to know ourselves, bring peace to body and mind, and improve the quality of our lives, thereby shaping a healthy state of mind, a noble spirit, and a beautiful character. This is especially important in today's world.
二、传递善意,点亮更多人心灯
II. Pass on Goodwill, Light the Inner Lamp in More Hearts
我们要深刻认识到,传承东方智慧对自身及人类的意义。物质文明的发展已来到十字路口,在何去何从的抉择中,东方智慧正在显现它的独特价值,关键是我们去做,去向世界传递,让更多人听到东方智慧的声音。这并不是我们一定要去传播,而是世界发展到今天,确实需要这样的文化,才能让人心更和谐,社会更有序。
We must deeply recognize what passing on Eastern wisdom means for ourselves and for humanity. The development of material civilization has reached a crossroads. As we choose which way to go, Eastern wisdom is revealing its unique value---and the key is for us to act, to carry it out into the world, so that more people can hear the voice of Eastern wisdom. This is not because we insist on spreading it; rather, the world as it has developed today genuinely needs this kind of culture to make hearts more harmonious and society more orderly.
当我们从修学受益,看到传承东方智慧的意义,就要发起愿心,以帮助众生为己任,要去点亮更多人的心灯。包括中国人、海外华人,乃至外国人,因为大家都是贪嗔痴的重病患者,都被无明和烦恼所困扰,都有自我拯救的需要,寻找光明的需要,觉醒解脱的需要。
When we have benefited from study and practice and see the meaning of passing on Eastern wisdom, we should arouse the aspiration to make helping sentient beings our own responsibility and go light the inner lamp in more hearts. This includes the Chinese, overseas Chinese, and people of every other nation alike, for we are all gravely ill with greed, hatred, and ignorance; we are all troubled by ignorance and affliction; and we all have the need to save ourselves, the need to seek the light, the need to awaken and attain liberation.
如何帮助更多人点亮心灯?过去几十年,我们在弘法过程中探索了很多经验,希望大家参
How can we help more people light the inner lamp? Over the past decades, we have explored and gathered a wealth of experience in spreading the Dharma, and we hope everyone

