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Lingshan Hermit: Fools Leave Wealth, the Wise Leave Skills, and the Enlightened Leave Righteous Views

The term "兜底" (to provide a safety net) was not found in ancient Chinese language. It emerged during the late Qing dynasty, suspected to have originated from the Manchurian dialect and was a common practice among Manchurians. In modern times, it is frequently heard from the mouths of fools, implying that parents can accumulate wealth and connections to pave the way for their children. Should their children fail in life, they could still live without worry of food and clothing; and if they cause trouble, their parents could leverage their power to smooth things over. This is a perspective embraced by many fools.

However, if an adult child still requires a safety net and cannot even control their bodily functions, then such a child is truly foolish. Even if such a fool inherits immense wealth, they will not be able to preserve it, let alone enjoy a lifetime free from worry. While you are alive, you may shield them in every way, ensuring they face no difficulties, but this only results in creating a useless individual. Should the day come when you draw your last breath and your soul departs to the netherworld, leaving behind a child who neither works with their hands nor understands the basics of life, it would be akin to abandoning a newborn amidst a pack of wild beasts.

Moreover, in today’s treacherous world, even among the intelligent, there are those who rise as wealthy lords in the morning and fall to beggars by evening—how much worse it would be for a fool. Excessive wealth emboldens them, leading them to flaunt their status, fearing only that the world might not know how much gold they have at home. Such wealth intended to secure life could instead become the very cause of their downfall. In their youth, they may provoke trouble, comforted by the safety net provided by their parents; thus, they fail to learn that all actions have consequences. Once the safety net is gone, and they confront dangers again, they will inevitably suffer the repercussions themselves.

Thus, fools leave wealth, the wise leave skills, and the enlightened leave righteous views.

Another foolish argument is: “I have considerable wealth, so my children need not endure hardship.” Yet, there is no one in this world who avoids hardship altogether. If one does not endure hardship in youth and fails to understand the workings of the world, they are destined to endure extreme suffering later in life. This was demonstrated by Prince Chun of the Qing dynasty, who experienced it on behalf of others. Before his death, he once lamented: “Children with too much money become reckless; they won’t stop until they ruin the family.” These are words spoken from the depths of his heart, soaked in blood and tears. Yet, those who have not experienced this often neither understand nor believe it.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 23, 2024.

First published on December 23, 2024.

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灵山居士：愚者留家资，有智者留手艺，大慧者留正见

兜底一词，华夏古未有之。清末时方有，疑出自旗人之口，为旗人之俗。近世又常见于诸愚人之口，谓家长可为子女积财积势铺路筑桥，若子女一事无成时，亦可衣食无忧，若其惹出祸事亦可倚势铲平矣。此愚人之论，拥趸者颇多。若子女成人后尚需兜底，尚能遗粪于裤，则此子至愚矣，如是之愚子留万千之财亦守不住也，又遑论一世无忧。汝在世时，对其百般呵护，令其无忧，诸事皆做不来，施施然一废人矣。若汝一日一口气不来，魂归地府，留一四肢不勤五谷不分之子于世，犹遗一初生儿于兽群出没之处。况今日之下，世道艰险，聪慧者中，朝为富家翁暮作乞丐公者亦多矣，何况一痴儿。又兼财壮其胆，百般显派，只恐天下人不知其屋内多金，令续命之财成其亡命之因。少年时捅蜂窝，兜底之人尚在，凡事皆有人遮挡，是以不知凡事皆有果。后兜底人已逝，又临蜂巢，则必亲领蜂吻。是以，愚者留家资，有智者留手艺，大慧者留正见。又有愚者谓：“吾颇有家资，吾儿无需吃苦矣。”然世上无不吃苦之人。少时不吃苦，不知人间诸事，后必极苦。此事醇亲王已代汝先尝，其死前曾言：“子女钱多胆亦大，不丧身家不肯罢。”诚为泣血之言，然未经者不知亦不信矣。

灵山居士写于2024年12月23日。首发于2024年12月23日。

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lingshanhermit · 9 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Have You Ever Thought About What All Sentient Beings Are Really Like?

A few days ago, I watched Hugh Grant's new movie about two church girls who encounter danger while preaching at a stranger's house. It's a horror film, but that's not the point. While watching, I kept thinking how simple their work was: they just needed to knock on doors with leaflets and invite people to church on weekends. In comparison, Buddhism is much more complex. Mahayana Buddhism is particularly complex compared to Hinayana Buddhism because it must confront the "self" of all sentient beings.

As Mahayana Buddhists, we vow to help all sentient beings achieve enlightenment, but have you ever thought about who these sentient beings are? Where are they? What have they experienced? What are their values, thoughts, and peculiarities? Are they willing to listen to you? And what kind of beings are they really?

Right now, just beyond your wall, a female neighbor is fretting over dozens of missed calls from her boyfriends on her phone. She just woke up and needs to take her son to kindergarten soon, then go downtown for errands, and later work as a hostess at night. She struggles to get up, nursing a hangover while brushing her teeth, examining her dark eye circles, and trying to perfect her lies. Thousands of miles away, someone works as a lawyer while dating multiple men, finding ultimate pleasure in different men's suffocating embrace each night, believing in and pursuing only such tangible pleasures. Some have written dozens of bestsellers, some own half of Hong Kong's wealth, some have hundreds of thousands of employees. Would such people listen to you? Even beggars can feel invincible nowadays, let alone these people. They might be polite and pretend to listen, but usually, such people don't really hear others because they're too confident in themselves. They're more accustomed to being commanders.

These people are all part of what we call "all sentient beings." All sentient beings include psychopathic killers, internet streamers, Princeton professors, battle-hardened lawyers with quick minds who excel at finding logical loopholes, people like John Hopfield, J.K. Rowling, and Musk. Of course, this includes your mother - they're all people brimming with self-confidence. About your mother - are you sure you can convince her? Or do you even want to convince her? Perhaps you'd feel more confident about converting Jack the Ripper to Buddhism than her.

This world has many beings with countless bizarre thoughts and habits. Some don't wear socks, some enjoy being whipped, some talk to themselves, some like smelling rotten apples. Strangely, whether rich or poor, whether three or thirty years old, whether a Nobel laureate or someone who only completed third grade or an extreme feminist, everyone firmly believes their thoughts are correct. If you tell them, "All your beliefs are wrong," your relationship ends, and you become their enemy. There are billions of such humans on Earth alone (not counting animals).

So, are you prepared? Your vow is to help all these beings achieve enlightenment, meaning you must guide them from their current state to awakening. Think about what kind of project this is. These people - some like smelling between others' toes, some enjoy fermented herring, some believe all religions are scams. You need to make them listen to you, convince them, inspire their faith, get them to meditate, help them gain experience, and ultimately lead them to enlightenment. You must face countless mental barriers, confront the world's most rigid things, battle with the "self" of both the world's smartest and most foolish people, find ways to open their hearts, make them listen, and begin practicing. This is far more challenging than just handing out leaflets. It's the world's most challenging and greatest project. And this is exactly what your teacher is currently doing with you.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 16, 2024. First published on December 17, 2024.

灵山居士：你有没有想过一切众生都是什么样的众生

前几天我看了休·格兰特的新电影，电影里讲的是两个教会少女到一个陌生男人家里传教遇险的故事。电影是个恐怖片，但是这不是重点。我看的时候一直在想她们的工作可真是简单：只是拿着宣传单敲开别人家的门邀请他们周末的时候去教堂就可以了。相比之下，佛教可就复杂多了。比起小乘佛教，大乘佛教尤为复杂，因为他所要面对的是一切众生的“自我”。

作为大乘佛教徒，我们都发愿要让一切众生成佛，但是你有没有想过一切众生都是谁？他们都在哪里？他们都经历过什么？都有着什么样的价值观想法和癖好？他们愿不愿意听你说话？以及一切众生都是什么样的众生？

就在此刻，和你一墙之隔的女邻居正看着手机上几十个男友的未接来电犯愁，她刚刚睡醒，一会儿要送儿子上幼儿园，然后��市中心办事，晚��还要出去陪酒。她挣扎着爬起身，顶着宿醉一边刷牙一边看着自己发黑的眼眶一边琢磨着待会儿怎么把谎话编的更圆。在几千里外，有人一边做律师一边在和很多男人约会，每晚都沉醉在不同男人所带来的窒息般的至乐之中，她只相信这种现实的快乐，也只想要这种快乐。有人写过几十本畅销书，有人坐拥半个香港的财富，有人有几十万员工下属，像这样的人，他们会听你讲话吗？现在连乞丐都能觉得自己不可一世，何况是这些人。可能他们会表现的很有礼貌，会假装听你讲话，但通常这样的人都不太听的进别人的话。因为他们对自己太有信心。他们更习惯做指挥者。这些人他们都属于我们所说的一切众生。一切众生包括变态杀人犯，包括网络女主播，包括普林斯顿大学教授，包括身经百战思维敏捷又善于寻找语言漏洞的律师，包括约翰·霍普菲尔德、J.K.羅琳和马斯克这样的人。当然也包括你的母亲，他们都是对自己自信满满的人。关于你的母亲，你确定你能说服她？或者，你想说服她吗？相对于她，你或许对于说服开膛手杰克皈依佛法更有信心。这个世界有很多众生，他们有着千奇百怪的想法和习惯。他们有的人不穿袜子，有的人喜欢被抽打，有的人喜欢自言自语，有的人喜欢闻烂苹果。奇怪的是，不管一个人贫穷还是富有，不管他是三岁还是三十岁，也不管他是诺贝尔奖得主还是只上过小学三年级还是极端女权主义者，每个人都坚定地认为自己的想法是对的。如果你告诉他们：“你所有观念都是错的。”你们的关系就结束了，你就成了他们的敌人。仅仅是在地球上就有着几十亿这样的人类。（还没有算上动物。）所以，你做好准备了吗？你的愿力是要让这些众生全都成佛，也就是说，你要从他们现在的状态开始引导他们直至证悟。你想想这是什么样的工程。这些人，他们有的喜欢闻别人的脚趾缝，有的喜欢鲱鱼罐头，有的人认为所有的宗教都是骗人的。你要让他们听你讲话，要说服他们，要让他们产生信心，要让他们去禅修，让他们生起体验，最终你要让他们证悟。你要面对无数心的壁垒，要面对世上最坚固的东西，和世界上最聪明的人和最笨的人的“自我”作战，你要想方设法打开他们的心，让他们听你说话，开始修行。这可远比塞几张宣传单难多了。这是世上最艰巨和最伟大的工程。而这也正是你的老师正在对你做的事。

灵山居士写于2024年12月16日。首发于2024年12月17日。

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lingshanhermit · 13 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: What Is Your True Protection?

For a long time to come, many of you will live in less than ideal circumstances. You will face many challenges, such as being unable to get coffee, separation from loved ones, illness, or having no one to rely on. Life is not easy for anyone, but this is not a reason to harm others. On the contrary, at times like these, you should maintain kindness and clarity, helping yourself and others. Harming others might bring temporary gains, but it will cost you your entire future.

Northern Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher Cheng Yi said: "Death from starvation is a small matter, but the loss of moral integrity is a great one." Today, most people would dismiss such a notion. However, if the six realms of existence are real, then in certain circumstances, this viewpoint is correct. If you start crossing certain lines, begin doing evil, and start tasting its sweetness, you won't be able to stop. You'll progress from minor evils to major ones, doing many terrible things until destruction. But destruction is not the end; it's just the beginning of an even more terrible nightmare.

Sometimes when I look at certain people, I think it would actually be better for them if their karma caused them to die earlier – departing while their souls are still clean, before they begin doing evil, would lead to a better next life. But they have unfavorable karma that gives them sufficient ability and lifespan to harm others. If you have good karma and merit, they will prevent such situations from arising. But ultimately, what stops you will always be your right view.

In the future, many people will shed their disguises and bare their fangs, because that is their true nature. The right views they speak of are merely lip service, never truly taken to heart. But those whose right views are deeply rooted in their hearts will never be like this. Even when facing various adversities, they will not make deals with the devil. They would rather choose death than choose evil. In fact, when you choose not to do evil, all doors of fortune will begin to open for you. Therefore, this is your greatest protection.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 12, 2024, first published on December 13, 2024.

灵山居士：什么才是你真正的保障

在之后很长的一段时间里，你们很多人都会生活在不如意之中。你会面临很多问题，诸如喝不到咖啡、离散、疾病或是无人可依。每个人的生活都不易，但这不是你伤害别人的理由，恰恰相反，在这样的时候你更应该保持善良和清醒，帮助自己和他人，伤害他人或许会让你一时得利，但却会让你失去所有的未来。北宋理学家程颐说：饿死事小、失节事大。在今天大多数人会对这样的观念不屑一顾。但是假如六道是真实的存在，那么在某些时候，这样的观点就是正确的。假如你开始越过某些线、开始作恶，并且开始尝到作恶的甜头，你就会无法止住，你会从小恶到大恶，你会做很多可怕的事，直至毁灭。但毁灭并非终点，只是更可怕噩梦的开始。有时候我看一些人，如果他们的业力让他们早点死去，其实对他们会更好，在开始作恶之前、在灵魂尚且干净的时候离开，会有一个更好的来世。但是他们有很不好的业，这让他们有足够的能力和寿命伤害他人，如果你有好的业力和功德，它们会阻止你出现这样的情况。但最终能阻止你的永远是你的正见。在未来，有很多人会褪下伪装，露出獠牙，因为那才是他们真正的样子，平时他们挂在嘴上的正见只是挂在嘴上而已，从未真正入过心，而那些正见根植于心的人则永远不会这样。即使他们面临各种逆境，也不会选择和魔鬼交易。他们宁愿选择死去也不选择作恶。事实上，当你选择了不作恶，所有的幸运之门都会开始向你敞开。所以，这才是你最大的保障。

灵山居士写于2024年12月12日，首发于2024年12月13日。

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lingshanhermit · 15 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: As Long as Someone Remains in This Stage, They Haven't Even Touched the Edge of True Spiritual Practice

One day, I saw a video on social media of a fully adorned yogi performing rituals. His mudras were very fluid, his recitations were perfectly standard, and he held the vajra bell and dorje with proper form. Those unfamiliar with Buddhism might find such a person very professional, but I feel largely indifferent to such displays. I've seen many people like this - they consider themselves professional practitioners, spending their days collecting various empowerments and ritual texts, focusing on how to hold ritual implements and form mudras correctly, worrying about whether their pronunciation is standard, and concerning themselves with how many Buddhist masters they know and how many deity mantras they've recited. Some can recite entire texts in Tibetan, knowing every detail of a ritual from beginning to end - when to perform purification, when to beat the drum, which mudras to make while chanting, and the key points of meditation. These are their primary concerns, and they believe mastering these elements means they've mastered Buddhism. However, they don't know who their real enemy is, don't understand their true state of mind, and are unaware of how many thoughts of desire arise in their minds every minute. Thus, they are merely Buddhist craftsmen familiar with ritual procedures, not true practitioners.

Previously, someone sent me a photo of a custom-made statue of Guru Rinpoche commissioned by a famous actor. This statue was quite unique, with colors and postures quite different from the familiar representations of Guru Rinpoche. Many people would naturally assume that this unusual representation of Guru Rinpoche possessed more power than ordinary ones. If you have such thoughts, it shows you're still stuck in the amateur understanding that "dharma practices alone determine spiritual results" or that "certain practices are superior to others and make it easier to achieve enlightenment." Most practitioners actually share this kind of thinking.

Years ago, someone told me that circumambulating Mount Kailash once could purify the karma of an entire lifetime. Another person said that seeing the Mahāmāyā mandala would guarantee enlightenment within seven lifetimes. I'm not certain whether they truly have such powerful effects. Perhaps they do. However, in Buddhist teachings, these are all external forces, and even if they have effects, those effects would be very limited. If you lack the ability to observe, analyze, and examine yourself, if you haven't developed the habit of being honest with yourself and others, if you haven't recognized that your long-held values have been wrong, you will forever remain outside true practice. No mandala or blessed object can defeat your habitual patterns and self-righteousness. These are at most conveniences for beginners, not much different from copying sutras with a brush. The same applies to dharma practices - they too are external forces. Even the most supreme practices cannot produce good results without being accompanied by a great spirit and genuine capacity for self-reflection. True spiritual practice is an extremely complex matter, requiring long-term interaction and communication between master and disciple - a prolonged tug-of-war. If a human teacher who can drive, speak, and fix computers still struggles with your habitual patterns and self-righteousness, what can inanimate objects do? Can they make you lose face and break down internally? Can they tell you your previous understanding was all wrong? Can they order you to call your boss at 2 AM to say good morning? Only a living teacher can do these things to you. Only a living teacher can deliver unexpected blows, and only unexpected blows can affect your habitual patterns. However, it must be noted: all of this must be based on the premise that you know they want to help you achieve realization and that you fully accept this kind of training. Otherwise, realization is impossible - only aversion will result.

So if you think that circumambulating Mount Kailash, receiving a special empowerment, or spending a month with others at Bodh Gaya can change habitual patterns developed over countless eons, you probably have never appreciated the immense power of human habits or understood how difficult it is to change a person's inherent cognition, which is why you have such romantic notions. Therefore, as long as you haven't learned to observe your own faults, haven't learned to be honest with yourself and others, haven't learned to truly follow the teachings, haven't identified who your real enemy is, haven't recognized that these external things can't change much, as long as you're still fascinated by the effects of dharma practices and believe that obtaining certain teachings or key instructions will lead to certain results - even if Shakyamuni Buddha himself were teaching you, you would still be an amateur in spiritual practice. You might master ritual procedures and mandala arrangements but still not understand practice at all. You don't know what practice is, nor how to begin true practice. Although you appear professional, with full professional attire, you still can't hide your amateur nature. Over these many years, I often see people discussing the supremacy of dharma practices and the greatness of teachers, but rarely see anyone discuss the hard work of battling the "self," their true values, or what they really want. They probably have never examined their own souls, much less had the courage to face themselves directly. As long as someone remains in this stage, they haven't even touched the edge of true spiritual practice.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 8, 2024, first published on December 11, 2024.

灵山居士：只要一个人还处在这样的阶段，那他就还没有摸到修行的边儿。

有一天，我在某社交媒体上看到一个全套披挂的瑜伽士修法的视频，他的手印做的非常流畅，念诵也非常标准，铃杵也拿的有模有样，不懂佛法的人大概会觉得他这样的人很专业，但我对这样的人基本无感。因为我见过很多这样的人，他们都认为自己是很专业的修行人，每天关心的都是收集各种灌顶和法本，关心的是铃杵该怎么拿手印该怎么做，关心的是自己的发音标不标准，关心的是自己认识多少佛教大佬念了多少本尊咒。他们中有人��以用藏文念诵法本全文，他们知道一座法从头到尾的所有细节，知道何时洒净、何时摇鼓，知道念咒时作何手印，知道安住的窍诀，他们关心的都是这些，他们以为学会了这些就是学会了佛法。但是他们却不知道自己真正的敌人是谁，不知道自己真实的状态是什么样，更不知道自己一分钟生起了多少个贪念，所以他们是熟悉修法流程的佛法匠人，而非真正的修行者。

之前有人给我发了一张照片，照片内容是某位名演员所定制的莲师像，这尊像很特别，和大家熟悉的莲师颜色姿态都有很大差异，所以，很多人会想当然地认为这个从没见过的莲师比一般莲师更具威力。假如你有这样的想法，说明你还停留在“法可以决定修行结果”或“某些法比另一些法更殊胜更容易成佛”这样的外行认知里。大多数修行者其实都是这样的认知。

多年以前有人跟我说，去冈任波且转山一次可以清净一生的业障。还有人跟我说看到大幻化网坛城七世内必定成佛，我不确定它们是否真的有这么强大的作用。也许它们真的有这种效力。但是在佛教教法里，这些都是外力，即便是有作用作用也会非常有限。假如你没有观察分析审视自己的能力，没有对自他诚实的习惯，没有认识到自己一直以来的价值观都是错的，你就永远只能在修行之外打转。任何坛城加持物也不可能击溃你的习气和自以为是。那些最多只是一种针对初学的方便，和用毛笔抄写佛经差别不大。其实法也是一样，法也是外力。再殊胜的法，如果没有辅以伟大的灵魂和真正的审思能力，也不可能修出好的结果。真正的修行是非常复杂的事，需要师徒长期的互动和沟通、需要长期的拉锯战。一个会开车会说话会修电脑的人类老师面对你的习气和自以为是尚且要头痛要拉锯战，何况是不会说话的物件。它能对你做什么？能让你颜面全失内心崩溃吗？能告诉你你刚才的理解都是错的吗？能命令你凌晨两点给老板打电话说早上好吗？这些都是活生生的老师才能对你做的。只有活生生的老师才能对你进行猝不及防的打击，也只有猝不及防的打击才能对你的习气起作用。但是需要提醒的是：这一切的发生都必须建立在你知道他是想要让你证悟而你也完全接受这种调教的前提下。否则不可能��证悟发生，只能会是憎恶。

所以如果你认为去冈任波且转转山或是得到一个特殊灌顶或是去菩提迦耶和大众一起呆一个月就能改变无始劫以来的习气，你大概是从未领略过人类习气的强大程度、不知道改变一个人的固有认知有多难，所以才会有这种浪漫的想法。所以，只要你还没学会观自己的过失，没有学会对自他诚实，没有学会真正依教奉行，没有认清自己的敌人是谁，没有认识到这些外在的东西改变不了什么，只要你还在迷恋法的作用，还在以为得到某些法某些窍诀就能如何如何，就算是释迦牟尼在亲自教你，你也还是个修行的外行。你可能精通修法仪轨坛城布置但是却丝毫不懂修行。你不知道修行是什么，也不知道如何开始真正的修行。虽然你看上去很专业，有着全套的专业披挂，却依然不能掩饰你外行的本质。这么多年，我经常能看见有人谈论法的殊胜，谈论老师的殊胜，但是却鲜少看见有人谈一下和“自我”作战的辛劳，谈一下自己真实的价值观，谈一下自己真正想要的到底是什么。他们大概从来没有审视过自己的灵魂，更加没有直面自己的勇气。只要一个人还处在这样的阶段，那他就还没有摸到修行的边儿。

灵山居士写于2024年12月8日，首发于2024年12月11日。

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lingshanhermit · 18 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: How the “Self” Distorts the Teachings You Hear

Regarding how the “self” distorts the teachings you hear and turns what is meant to help you into something harmful, I’d like to provide an example. Recently, I often see this phrase: “You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to be yourself.” I recall that Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche expressed something similar in one of his books. Unfortunately, this phrase has now been completely hijacked by many people’s “self.”

I’ve seen this phrase quoted in different places by different people more than once, but they are all using it to defend the “self” rather than the opposite. This is truly saddening because the original intent of this phrase is to weaken the “self.” Trungpa Rinpoche’s message was: you don’t need to pretend to be perfect or to act as if you have no problems. You must allow yourself to make mistakes, especially to recognize when you are making mistakes, admit your mistakes, and acknowledge that you are someone with many flaws, instead of pretending that you are always fine and problem-free. Only by doing so can you embark on the path of spiritual practice.

Because only by admitting your own errors and shortcomings can you begin true cultivation, and only by accepting your real state can you make changes. This was the intended meaning. But now, this phrase has been hijacked by the “self” of the masses and twisted into: “You just need to be yourself, don’t listen to anyone’s nonsense; just do what you want to do. You don’t need to consider others’ feelings, let alone strive for perfection. Do whatever you want, and don’t wrong yourself for the sake of others.” The phrase has now been distorted by the “self” into this.

Do you see where the change lies? Initially, it was an enemy of the “self,” but the devil made a slight adjustment. Just this tiny adjustment completely changed the meaning. Now it has become the caretaker of the “self.”

In fact, this doesn’t only apply to this phrase. Every phrase, every teaching, will eventually become like this in the hands of those who lack merit and proper guidance. Those teachings that were supposed to dismantle the “self” get revised and altered multiple times until they completely degenerate into accomplices and supporters of the “self.” This is the current state of practice for many people. Without proper guidance and timely correction, the “self” will turn all the Buddhist teachings you hear into its playthings.

— Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 8, 2024.

灵山居士：“自我”是如何篡改你所听到的教言的

关于“自我”是如何篡改你所听到的教言、是如何把那些帮你的东西变成害你的东西的，我想举个例子，我最近老是看到这句话：“你不需要完美，你只需要做你自己。”我记得大概是秋阳创巴仁波切在某本书里表达过这样的意思，不幸的是，现在这句话已经完美地被很多人的“自我”劫持了。我不止一次看到这句话在不同的地方被不同的人引用，但是他们都是在用这句话来捍卫“自我”而不是相反。这实在是很悲哀。因为这句话的本意是要削弱“自我”。创巴任波且的这句话意思是：你不需要假装自己很完美，假装自己什么问题都没有，要允许自己犯错，尤其是你要知道自己在犯错，承认自己犯错，承认自己是个有各种问题的人，而不是假装自己一直都很好，什么问题也没有。这样你才能步入修行之道。因为只有先承认自己的错误和不足才能开启真正的修行，也只有接受自己的真实状态才能做出改变。这是他的意思。但是现在这句话已经被大众的“自我”劫持切割成：“你只需要做你自己，无需听他人放屁；只需要去做你想做的，不需要考虑他人的感受，更不需要做的很完美；你想干什么就去干吧，不要为了别人而委屈自己。”这句话现在已经被“自我”扭曲成了这个样子。你知道什么地方变了吗？本来它是“自我”的敌人，然后魔鬼在这里面做了一点点微调。只是这一点点微调，意思就完全变了。现在它变成了“自我”的保姆。其实并不止是这句话，每句话，每句教言，在那些缺乏福德和正确引导的人那里最后都会变成这样。那些本该瓦解“自我”的东西被“自我”三改五改最后就彻底沦为了“自我”的帮凶、变成“自我”的��趸，这就是目前很多人的修行现状。缺乏正确的引导和及时的纠正，“自我”就会把你听到的所有的佛法都变成它的玩物。

灵山居士写于2024年12月8日。

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lingshanhermit · 22 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: How Evil Comes into Being

Upon careful reflection, all our evil actions stem from "self" protection and our cherishing of the "self." We kill for the "self," lie for the "self," and commit various foolish acts for the "self," ultimately landing ourselves in trouble. All of this originates from our belief in the existence of a "self."

However, from a Buddhist perspective, the "self" that we so cherish has never actually existed. From the perspective of the enlightened, the "self" has never existed. But there is a vast difference between this enlightened understanding and the perception of the general public who lack enlightenment experience. The general public considers their existence undeniable. They find it difficult to understand why they have never existed in the way they believe. Therefore, in the eyes of the general public, they truly exist, and the "self" certainly exists as well. For them, not only does the "self" truly exist, but satisfying the "self" is also perfectly natural. Consequently, the "self" gradually develops an enormous appetite—one that can never be satisfied. Perhaps precisely because the "self" has never existed, it needs more desperately than anything else to be proven, valued, and acknowledged. It needs to feel its existence through various means. We strengthen the sense of self-existence by establishing various dualistic oppositions, through touch, taste, putting vintage stickers on luggage, getting tongue piercings, and through conflicts with others.

For the "self," being ignored is the most unbearable thing. Compared to being ridiculed or attacked, being ignored is a greater humiliation because it makes the "self" feel non-existent. Therefore, the "self" seeks attention through every possible means. To this end, we follow societal views, accept their rules, integrate into their world, and strive for achievements that will draw their attention, thus providing more sense of existence and value for the "self." In this process, you need to compete with many people, splash red paint on others' doors, learn to tell lies convincingly, and some even offer their wives to others—this is how evil arises. You do these things because your daughter needs to attend an international school, your wife wants to go to Nepal to receive empowerment and make offerings to spiritual teachers, you need to buy new cars and Buddhist statues, and you have over 200 employees waiting for their salaries and mortgage payments. You can't let them think you're incompetent, you can't let others think you're incompetent, and more importantly, you can't let yourself feel like you're incompetent—a failure who can't afford his daughter's gym membership. This doesn't align with your self-image.

Global development has made all kinds of goods accessible worldwide, arousing our desires and making them surge unprecedentedly. We buy many things we don't need simply out of greed, showing off, or momentary impulse. For this, we need to work more to earn more money, which is why we become exhausted. To maintain your self-image, you need to steal from the poor, kiss up to certain people, learn various forms of hypocrisy and schemes, cut down vast forests, find ways to marry your children into wealthy Japanese families, and learn how to set traps for others. This is partly because you believe in the existence of the "self," and partly because you believe that satisfying the "self" is the path to happiness. This is the root of all evil. It stems from the illusion of a "self" that has never existed, and the survival needs that this illusion develops.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 5, 2024.

灵山居士：恶是如何产生的

仔细想想，我们所有的恶都源于“自我”保护，都源于珍爱“自我”。我们会为了“自我”而杀人、会为了“自我”而说谎、会为了“自我”而做出各种蠢事，最后让自己身陷囹圄。而这一切都源于我们相信有一个“自我”的存在。

但是从佛教的角度来说，我们所珍爱的“自我”其实从来没有存在过。从证悟者的角度来看，“自我”从未存在过。但是这种证悟者的认知和缺乏证悟体验的社会大众的认知存在着极大差异。大众认为自己的存在是无可置疑的。他们很难理解为什么自己从未像自己所认为的那样存在过。所以在社会大众看来，自己是真实存在的，“自我”当然也是真实存在的。对他们而言，“自我”不但真实存在，而且满足“自我”也是天经地义的，所以“自我”慢慢就发展出了一个超级大的胃口——一个你永远无法填满的胃口。也许正是因为“自我”从未存在过，所以“自我”比其他东西更加迫切地需要被证明、需要被重视、需要被认可。它需要通过各种方式感觉自己存在，我们会通过建立各种二元对立来加强“自我”的存在感，会通过触摸、品尝、在行李箱上贴复古贴纸、在舌头上镶珠子、以及和他人的互撕来感受自己的存在。对“自我”而言，最不能忍受的就是被无视，相比被嘲讽被攻击，被无视对我们而言是更大的羞辱，因为那会让“自我”感觉自己不存在。所以“自我”会想方设法让自己被重视。为此我们遵循社会大众的看法，接受他们的规则，融入他们的世界，在他们的世界里努力博取能让他们瞩目的成绩，从而为“自我”提供更多的存在感和价值。在这个过程中，你需要去和很多人争夺，要在别人家门上泼红漆、要学习如何把谎言说的很真诚、有的人还会把自己的女人送给别人，恶就是这么产生的。而你之所以会这么做，是因为你女儿要上国际学校、你老婆要去尼泊尔接受灌顶供养上师、还要换新车买佛像，你公司里还有200多个人等着吃饭还房贷。你不能让他们感觉你是个无能的人，你同样不能让别人感觉你是个无能的人，更重要的是，你不能让自己感觉自己是个无能的人，是个无法支付女儿健身房费用的失败者。这和你对自己的人设定位不符。社会的发展让全世界的商品都变得触手可及，这勾起了我们的欲望，让我们的欲望变得空前高涨，我们会买很多根本用不着的东西仅仅是因为贪婪或是炫耀或是一时兴起。为此我们需要去做更多的工作去赚更多的钱，所以我们才会疲惫不堪。为了维持自己对自己的定位，你需要去从穷人手里偷钱，需要去舔某些人的鞋子，需要学习各种虚伪和套路，需要砍掉大片的森林，需要想方设法让自己孩子嫁入日本豪门，还需要去学习如何给别人设置陷阱。这一方面因为你相信“自我”存在，另一方面因为你相信满足“自我”即幸福之道。这就是所有的恶的根源。它源于一个从未存在过的“自我”幻觉、以及这个幻觉所发展出的维生需求。

灵山居士写于2024年12月5日。

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lingshanhermit · 24 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Are Your Thoughts and Beliefs Really Your Own?

Have you ever wondered where your thoughts and beliefs come from? Or rather, are your thoughts and beliefs truly your own? Do they really belong to you? Or are they the result of external influences? If they're not really your thoughts, but merely the result of being influenced and indoctrinated, is there still any need to defend them so desperately?

As humans, we naturally tend to defend things associated with ourselves. If someone criticizes your university online, you immediately feel personally attacked and stand up to defend it. You have this defensive reaction because you consider it a part of yourself. The same thing happens with your cat, your favorite movies, your stocks, the lipstick brand you use - because these things are related to you, you won't allow others to criticize them. If someone says they're not good, you feel personally hurt and instinctively defend them. Subconsciously, you consider them part of yourself. When they're attacked, it feels like you're being attacked.

So when you approach Buddhism with this mindset and begin practicing, especially when you start following the path of taking the teacher as your guide, if your teacher begins to gradually apply pressure and starts wearing down your "ego," you'll often feel hurt. You'll feel like your teacher is constantly attacking you - attacking your values, your habits, the things you like. (This "attack" doesn't necessarily mean they said or did anything specific. Sometimes they might just be sitting there, and you'll still feel attacked. Great practitioners have this ability. They can simply sit there and make your "ego" feel threatened.) This puts you in a state of high mental tension. The reason you feel attacked is that you view your values, thoughts, habits, and everything related to you as part of yourself. But this is quite a strange notion because none of these things were created by you. Have you ever seriously considered why you have your current values? Why do you enjoy night running, hiking, or intermittent fasting? Why do you think RIMOWA suitcases are a status symbol? Why do you feel you must watch "Decision to Leave"? Did you invent these values and lifestyle choices? Or are they the result of unavoidable influences? If you didn't invent them, how can they be part of you? So, ask yourself, which of your values did you invent? Which of your perceptions of the world did you create independently? We absorb various information actively and passively every day, and this information shapes our worldview. Although none of these views, beliefs, and lifestyle choices were created by us, we treat them as our own and don't allow anyone to profane them.

Some might say we treat them as our own because they are right and good, and that's why we guard them as our values. However, I don't believe those who say this have the ability to judge which values are correct and beneficial to themselves and others. In all these years, I've rarely met anyone who could make such judgments. The things you believe are right are largely because most people say they're right, because you think the "smartest" people say they're right. But in my view, even these "smartest people" are trapped by two kinds of ignorance. Although they might have graduated from MIT, run the world's most profitable companies, or have the ability to send rockets into space and recover them, even if they are such people, I don't believe they have the ability to judge which values are beneficial to humanity. Not to mention that many people's so-called "smart people" are just actors, internet celebrities, and TV hosts.

From Buddhism's higher perspective, even our bodies have no real existence. To Buddhism, our precious body is just a continuation similar to what it was a second ago, changing every second, and it's a continuation that you must constantly maintain by putting in carrots, water, rice, and meat. If our body and mind have no real existence, then those values and habits that depend on the "self" are even more illusory. But today we're not discussing such profound matters, we're not talking about emptiness, let's pretend for now that we exist. What we want to discuss today is whether those beliefs and habits that cause us suffering really belong to you? Are they really part of you? And should you cry out in pain when cutting them away?

In Buddhist practice, one of the teacher's tasks is to remove those beliefs that cause you suffering. These beliefs are all based on illusions, from believing that all phenomena truly exist to whether dogs should be leashed while walking, what type of doubanjiang should be used in authentic twice-cooked pork, whether Trump's election means the end of the world, and whether women should be good to men. Some have been with you since birth, while others were only established in recent years. These things you consider right or wrong, black or white, high-end or low-end, although they may have relative correctness and incorrectness, from an ultimate perspective, they are all factors that cause our suffering because they are all based on non-existent "selves." For experienced teachers, there are many ways to remove them. Removing them can involve reasoning with you, teaching dharma, making you wash dishes, calling your girlfriend a fool in front of you, or making you dress like and spend an evening sitting in a gay bar. If you're rather foolish, when all this happens, you'll feel like your teacher is attacking and hurting you, just like thinking a doctor is hurting you when removing a tumor. The reason you feel this way is that you haven't figured out what really causes your suffering, haven't figured out who your real enemy is. Therefore, as a practitioner, you must first figure these things out, figure out who your real enemy is, figure out that the things you defend have nothing to do with you. Only after understanding these things can your practice gradually get on the right track. But unfortunately, many practitioners never figure these things out in their entire lifetime. That's why they treat enemies as friends and friends as enemies.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on December 1, 2024. First published on December 2, 2024.

灵山居士：你的想法你的观念真的是你的想法你的观念吗？

你有没有想过，你的想法你的观念是从何而来？或者说，你的想法你的观念真的是你的想法你的观念吗？它们真的属于你吗？还是你被影响的结果？假如它不是你的想法，只是你被影响被灌输的结果那你还有必要去死命维护它吗？

作为人类，我们天然就会维护那些和自己相关的事物。如果有人在网上批评你上过的大学，你马上就会觉得自己也受到了伤害，你会站出来为它辩护。你会有这种防卫性的反应，是因为你觉得它是你的一部分。同样的事情也发生在你的猫、你喜欢的电影、你的股票、你正在用的口红牌子上面，因为这些东西和你相关，你不允许别人说它不好，假如有人说它不好，你会觉得自己也连带受到了伤害，你会本能地去维护它。潜意识里，你认为它们是你的一部分。当它们受到攻击，也就等同于你受到了攻击。

所以，当你怀揣着这样的认知来到佛教，开始修行，特别是当你开始修持以师为道，如果你的老师开始慢慢发力，开始搓磨你的“自我”，这个时候你就会经常感觉自己受到伤害。你会觉得老师经常攻击你，他会攻击你的价值观、攻击你的习惯、攻击你喜欢的东西。（这里所谓的“攻击”并不一定是指他说了什么做了什么。有时候他什么也没说，只是在那坐着，你也会感觉自己被攻击。大修行者有这样的能力。他们只是坐在那里，就能让你的“自我”感觉到威胁。）这让你精神高度紧张。而你之所以会觉得自己受到攻击，是因为你把你的价值观你的想法你的习惯所有这些和自己相关的东西全都视为自己的一部分。但这是相当奇怪的观念，因为这些东西没有一个是你自己打造出来的。你有没有认真想过，你为什么会有现在这样的价值观？为什么会喜欢夜跑喜欢徒步喜欢轻断食？为什么会认为RIMOWA旅行箱是身份的象征？为什么觉得一定要去看《出走的决心》？这些价值观和��活方式是你发明的吗？还是那些不可抗影响力的结果？如果它们不是你发明的，那它们又怎么会是你的一部分。所以，你不妨问一下自己，你的价值观里有哪些是你自己发明的？你对世界的认知里又有哪些是你自己独创的？我们每天都在主动被动吸收各种信息，这些信息组成了我们对世界的看法。虽然这些看法观念生活方式没有哪一个是我们自己想出来的，但我们却视它们如己出，不容许任何人亵渎。有人或许会说，我们视它们如己出是因为它们是对的是好的，所以我们才会把它当作自己的价值观来守护。但是我不认为说这话的人有能力判断哪些价值观是正确的是对自他有益的。这么多年我几乎没见过能判断这些的人。你认为对的东西，其实很大程度上只是因为大多数人都在说它对，是因为你觉得“最聪明”的那些人都在说它对。但是在我看来，那些“最聪明的人”也都是受困于两种无明的人，虽然他们可能毕业于麻省理工学院开着世界上最赚钱的公司有能力把火箭送上太空再收回来，即便他们是这样的人，我也不认为他们有能力判断哪种价值观对人类有益。更别说很多人所谓的“聪明人”只是一些演员网红和主持人。

从佛教较高的观点来看，连我们的身体都没有丝毫的存在。对佛教而言，我们珍爱无比的身体只是一个与上一秒相似的延续，它每一秒都和上一秒不同，它也是一个你必须不断地塞进去很多胡萝卜、水、大米和肉类才能维持的一个延续。如果我们的身心没有丝毫真实的存在，那么那些依附于“自我”而存在的价值观习惯就更加虚无缥缈。但是今天我们要讨论的不是这么深奥的东西，我们今天不是要说空性，今天我们先假装自己是存在的。今天我们要说的是，那些会让我们痛苦的观念习惯，它们到底是不是真的属于你？真的是你的一部分？以及在切割它的时候你是不是应该喊痛？

在佛教的修行里，老师的任务之一是从你身上剔除那些会让你痛苦的观念，这些观念全都基于幻觉而生，从认为万法真实存在到遛狗的时候该不该拴绳再到做正宗回锅肉应该放哪种豆瓣酱以及川普当选是不是世界末日女人该不该对男人好。它们有些从你出生就一直伴随着你，有些则是这几年才刚刚建立起来。这些你认为的对与错、黑与白、高端与低端，虽然它们也有相对正确和相对错误之分，但从究竟上来说，它们全都是导致我们痛苦的因素，因为它们全都基于一个又一个不存在的“自我”而生。对于有经验的老师来说，剔除它们的方式可以有很多种。剔除它们可以是和你讲道理、和你说法，也可以是让你洗碟子，可以是当着你的面说你女朋友是傻瓜，也可以是让你穿的像个基佬一样��基佬酒吧坐一晚上。如果你比较笨的话，当这一切发生的时候，你会觉得老师是在攻击你，是在伤害你，这就像是你觉得医生为你切除肿瘤是在伤害你一样。而你之所以会这么觉得，是因为你还没有搞清楚让你痛苦的东西到底是什么，没有搞清楚到底谁才是你真正的敌人。所以，作为修行者，你必须先去搞清楚这些，搞清楚谁才是你的敌人，搞清楚你维护的那些东西跟你完全没有关系，只有搞清楚这些你的修行才能慢慢上道。但是遗憾的是，有很多修行者一辈子都没有搞清楚这些。所以他们才会以敌为友，以友为敌。

灵山居士写于2024年12月1日。首发于2024年12月2日。

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lingshanhermit · 26 days ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Therefore, Do Not Commit Evil

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Rgya mtsho Rinpoche says: "Strive to accumulate merit. If you have merit, you might kick gold while walking." Similarly, if you are a person who has committed many evil deeds, if your merit is exhausted, you might choke to death just from drinking water. When karma ripens, there's no need for professional assassins or ricin - a small slice of lemon can easily end your life by lodging in your throat, causing violent coughing until you suffocate. How many people in history have choked to death on pills? How many have died from burst blood vessels while straining on the toilet? There was a woman who defrauded many people of their money and fled to a small country. It is said she successfully persuaded two groups of people who came to kill her - using her young body and money - but the body will eventually age, and money will run out. May she continue to succeed each time. Many people flee abroad after committing evil deeds, hiding and hiring private armies to protect themselves. They have stolen much from others and have no intention of returning it. They think they'll be fine as long as they have good protection. These fools probably think they're safe hiding on Caribbean islands surrounded by bodyguards in black suits with walkie-talkies, but in the end, it might be these very protectors who take their lives. When causes and conditions converge, anything can happen; if you have accumulated enough negative karma, no protection will help. Your nuclear bunker, your basement full of gold, dollars, drinking water and weapons - none of it will be of any use. You might choke on a lemon slice, trip on your dress hem and fall to your death down stairs, be killed by a falling billboard while walking, or even be struck dead by a falling turtle - an eagle carrying it flies over your head and, for some unknown reason, releases its grip right above you, the turtle striking your head with deadly precision. This happened to the ancient Greek writer Aeschylus. (It can just as easily happen to those notorious for evil deeds.) You might be strangled in bed by your most beloved, or die from falling off a horse. So if you have committed great evil, harmed many people, and stolen much from others, hiding anywhere is futile - you never know how death will find and strike you. There is no way to guard against it. Therefore, do not commit evil.

But before that, you must first learn what constitutes evil, and before learning what evil is, you must learn what honesty is and what it means to not deceive yourself. Many people engage in activities that harm others, their wealth is based on plundering others, so they need to beautify their evil actions. Many people feel guilty when they first start doing bad things, but over time they become shameless - this is because the "ego" is at work. The "ego" beautifies all our evil deeds because we cannot accept that we are bad people, fraudsters, or villains, so the "ego" emerges to beautify our behavior, leading us into self-deception, making us believe we are actually doing something very good. That's why many people become increasingly self-righteous over time, because they have completely convinced themselves that what they're doing is something great. The "ego" redefines what evil deeds are for you; according to its definition, even if you rob people every day, it can make you believe you're helping others. But no matter how the "ego" distorts the definition of evil deeds, evil remains evil - you may be deceived, but karma cannot be deceived. So you really should carefully examine what you're doing. Many people I know think they are very kind, even if everyone in their family is involved in drug trafficking, they will believe they have never done evil, believing their food, clothing, and lifestyle have nothing to do with it - that's why they are utterly shocked by what befalls them. This is the power of the "ego" - it can make even the most wicked person feel completely virtuous.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on November 16, 2024.

灵山居士：所以，不要作恶

宗萨钦则仁波切说：“努力积累福德吧。如果你有福德，走路都能踢到金子。”同样的，假如你是个作恶多端的人，假如你的福德已经耗尽，你喝口水都有可能会被噎死。因缘成熟的话，不需要金牌杀手和蓖麻毒素，一片小小的柠檬就能轻轻松松结束你的生命——它会糊住你的喉咙让你剧烈咳嗽最后窒息而亡。历史上有多少人是被药片噎死的？又有多少人因为上厕所的时候用力过度血管爆裂而死？有个女人骗了很多人的钱，躲到了一个小国家。据说她成功说服了来杀她的两拨人——用她年轻的肉体和钱——但是肉体终究会衰老，钱也会被用光。但愿她以后每次都能成功。有很多人作了恶之后跑到国外去当寓公，他们躲起来，雇佣私人军队保护自己。他们偷了别人很多东西，还想着永远不还。他们觉得只要做好防护就不会出问题。这些蠢人大概觉得躲在加勒比海的小岛上周围都是穿黑西装拿对讲机的保镖就会很安全，但是最后要你命的可能就是这些保护你的人。当因缘聚合时，一切都有可能发生；假如你的恶业足够多，再怎么防护都没用。你的核战避难屋、地下室的黄金、美元、饮用水和武器，全都派不上用场。你可能会被柠檬片噎死，可能不小心踩到裙角从楼梯上滚下来跌死，可能走在路上被广告牌拍死，还可能被从天而降的海龟砸死——一只鹰抓着它从你头顶飞过，不知道为什么，刚好飞到你头顶的时候，它松开了爪子，海龟精准砸到了你的头上。——这是发生在古希腊作家埃斯奇勒斯身上的事。（它也一样会发生在那些恶业昭著的人身上。）你还可能会被最爱的人掐死在被窝里。或是骑马摔死。所以，假如你作了很大的恶，伤害了很多人，偷了别人很多东西，其实你藏到哪里都没有用，你不知道死神会以什么方式找到你、攻击你。你也完全无法防范。所以，不要作恶。

但是在此之前，你必须先去学习什么是作恶，在学习什么是作恶之前，你先要去学习什么是诚实、什么是不自欺。因为很多人所从事的事情会伤害到很多人，他们的财富基于对他人的掠夺，所以他们有美化自己恶行的需求。很多人在刚开始干坏事的时候还有愧疚，但是时间长了就会变得毫无愧色，这是因为“自我”在起作用。“自我”会美化我们所有的恶行，因为我们无法接受自己是个坏人、是个骗子、是个恶棍，所以“自我”会跑出来美化我们的行为，他让我们陷入自欺，让我们相信自己其实是在做一件非常好的事，所以很多人越到后面就越会变得理直气壮，因为他已经完全相信自己所从事的是很伟大的事。“自我”为你重新定义了什么是恶行，按照他的定义，即便你每天都在抢劫，他也能让你相信自己是在帮助别人。但是无论“自我”如何篡改恶行的定义，恶行也还是恶行，你会被欺骗，因果不会被欺骗。所以你真的应该好好审视一下自己正在做的事。我认识的很多人，他们都觉得自己非常善良，即便她的家族每个人都在贩毒她也会认为自己从未作恶，她认为自己的吃穿用度和这些都没有关系，所以她们才会对自己的遭遇感到震惊不已。这就是“自我”的能力——他能让一个十恶不赦的人感觉自己善良无比。

灵山居士写于2024年11月16日。

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lingshanhermit · 1 month ago

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Lingshan Hermit: On Crazy Wisdom

Someone once told me how much they admired Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's crazy wisdom. Though they expressed it subtly, I knew what they really meant. They wanted to play that way too, to act crazy because it would make them seem unique and different - something that would greatly feed their "ego." The very fact that they thought this way shows they could never truly be crazy, because any crazy acts they planned would be within their ego's precise calculations, occurring within a rational framework. When you deliberately display "craziness," the ego constantly monitors and regulates your crazy behavior. True crazy wisdom can only emerge in those who have almost completely eliminated both types of ignorant habits. Many supposed crazy wisdom practitioners I've met were merely pretending to be crazy - it was their selling point. Even while acting crazy, they maintained certain boundaries and self-observation to avoid going too far. They cultivated a limited craziness that wouldn't scare people away while still displaying their "crazy wisdom." But this isn't crazy wisdom. Crazy wisdom is about living totally, completely dropping all pretense, refusing to entangle with or compromise with any intellectual constructs. Therefore, it's irrelevant to most people.

In this era, some people try hard to play the role of a good practitioner, while others try to play the role of a crazy practitioner, styling themselves as Parisian beasts or whatever crazy image - but whether you're trying to play the good practitioner or the crazy one, both are expressions of weakness. You lack the courage to be yourself, so you put on what you think is a good act.

In today's age, what most people lack is normal wisdom. Many don't know how to love, how to write a love letter, how to fold socks - some don't even know to say thank you when receiving kindness. So these are what they should learn. If possible, they should learn how to grow a flower, learn to be honest with themselves and others, learn to observe the subtle greed, anger and delusion within themselves - these are what they should study. They need normal wisdom, not crazy wisdom. Unless you can walk into your living room right now and defecate without inhibition in front of your wife and mother-in-law, then smear that fresh excrement on your wife's nose, and finally lick your fingers clean one by one - unless you can do that, crazy wisdom is absolutely not for you. Besides, crazy wisdom usually only feels good when viewed from afar. If you actually ended up with a teacher like Chögyam Trungpa, you'd quickly discover it's not what you want. Unless you enjoy being woken up at 2 AM to perform Maori war dances in the kitchen. If you were given complete and total freedom, your first reaction would definitely be fear and retreat. Because you're not ready to take that step, not ready to break with the world - you still care about too many people and things. You just want to play around, not actually be seen as crazy. Because you don't possess true crazy wisdom.

First published on November 18, 2024.

灵山居士：谈谈疯智狂慧

以前��个人跟我说他很欣赏秋阳创巴仁波切的疯智。虽然他表达的很含蓄，但我知道他真正想说的是什么。他想说的是其实他也想这样玩，他也想表现的很疯狂，因为这样会显得自己非常与众不同，很能喂饱他的“自我”。他会这么想表示他其实永远也不可能真正疯狂，因为他想要做的一切疯狂之举都是在“自我”精密的计算之内，都发生在理性框架内。当你展示“疯狂”的时候，“自我”会一直在旁监视、规范你的疯狂。而真正的疯智只有在两种无明习气几乎消失殆尽的人身上才有可能出现。我见过的很多疯智者，他们其实只是在装成疯狂的样子，那是他们的卖相，他们在装疯的时候依然会保持着某种尺度和观察以免不小心玩过界。他们在营造一种既不会把人吓跑又能展示自己疯狂的有限疯智。但这不是疯智。疯智是全然的活着，是全然的离戏，疯智是不和任何戏论纠缠妥协。所以，这和大多数人无关。

在这个时代，有人在努力扮演一个好的修行者，而另一些人则在努力扮演一个疯狂的修行者，他们把自己打扮成巴黎魔兽或是任何疯狂的样子——但是无论是哪一种，无论你是想扮演好的修行者还是疯行者，其实都是虚弱的表现。你没有勇气做你自己，所以才会装出你认为好的样子。

现今这个时代，大部分人所缺乏的是正常的智。很多人不知道如何去爱，不知道如何写一封求爱信，不知道如何叠袜子，他们有的人甚至不知道受人恩惠要说声谢谢。所以他们应该学习的是这些，如果可以的话，他们应该去学习如何种出一朵花，学习对自他诚实、学习观察自己身上发生的那些细微的贪嗔痴，他们应该学习这些。他们需要的是正常智慧，而不是疯智。除非你现在就能走到客厅在你老婆和丈母娘面前毫无障碍地拉上一泡屎，然后把刚拉的屎抹到你老婆鼻尖，最后再把手指一根一根地舔干净，否则疯智就绝对不适合你。而且疯智在大多数时候只是远观的时候很爽，如果你真的摊上秋阳创巴这样的老师，你很快就会发现那不是你想要的。除非你喜欢经常在半夜两点钟被叫起来在厨房里跳毛利族战舞。如果真的给你完全彻底的自由，你第一感觉肯定是害怕，你会退缩。因为你还没准备好踏出这一步，没准备好和世界决裂，你还在乎很多人很多事，你只想玩一下，并不想真正被当成疯子。因为你没有真正的疯智。

2024 11 3

首发于2024年11月18日。

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lingshanhermit · 1 month ago

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What Most People Don't Know About Themselves

By Lingshan Hermit

When you see others' happiness, do you genuinely wish for their joy or not? Does their happiness offend you? Does it make you extremely uncomfortable? Perhaps because their joy stirs up unhappy memories deep within you, and their abundance intrudes upon your scarcity, making it unbearable. Often, you don't want to see others happy - you want to see them fail, be humiliated, face setbacks, accomplish nothing, and suffer in sadness. You want them to taste what you've tasted before. This is what we typically call the mind of malice. Usually, when someone isn't doing well themselves, they're unlikely to wish for others' wellbeing. Most people are only willing to make space for others when their own "self" is satisfied.

You don't want to see them have beautiful relationships, don't want them to get good positions right when they start working, don't want them carrying expensive phones or bags. You have these wishes largely because you don't have these things yourself - you've never experienced such love, no one has treated you that way, you've never received flowers, never used Chanel lipstick, you've never even bought clothes over 3,000 yuan. So when others' happiness appears before you, it becomes an offense, and you put on a stern face to criticize their actions. Many things, because you've never had them, you express contempt for them and harbor hostility towards them. This helps maintain your fragile self-esteem. Usually, what you criticize are things you want to do but never had the chance to do, or things no one was willing to do with you. And those things you once yearned for but couldn't obtain - you hope others can't get them either. If they already have them, you wouldn't mind destroying them.

Generally, the mind of malice isn't an easily recognized or admitted mindset. It's the cousin of jealousy. Most people won't admit they're jealous, let alone admit they want to destroy something because they're jealous - because they don't have it themselves. The "self" will automatically rationalize and justify their actions. Those manipulated by malice observe others in an extremely uncomfortable state of mind, and if others are doing well, they rush to destroy it. They hope to see others lose their loved ones or possessions, hope to see them suffer. Basically, this is the result of the "self" being in a long-term state of hunger. Their "self" has long been unsatisfied, so they must seek a sense of existence in other ways. The human "self" needs to be fed, and if someone's "self" remains unfulfilled for long, they easily become full of resentment, easily find fault with everything, and gradually view everyone as enemies. If this continues, they may develop to the point of taking pleasure in others' pain. They want to see others suffer, want to take away others' beloved possessions - only then will they feel comfortable, only then can they feel their own existence.

As humans, we've all had such thoughts to varying degrees. Most people just haven't had the opportunity to develop to such extremes. Although you might not be so extreme most of the time, you still get upset when your friend's mother-in-law is especially kind to her and buys her things daily, get angry when someone shows off their bag bought in France, and especially angry at strangers on Xiaohongshu displaying their bold behavior - traveling the world alone. These people have things you don't have, do things you dare not or cannot do, which threatens your self and makes your self uncomfortable. So you don't want them to be comfortable; you hope they encounter obstacles - you'd be happy if they got robbed in Paris or broke their leg while hiking.

For practitioners, admitting to having such thoughts isn't easy. Many practitioners' "selves" have evolved a strange kind of self-esteem over years of practice. For them, face is incredibly important, and admitting to having such thoughts would mean their years of practice were completely wasted, especially if you've been practicing for twenty-plus years and everyone thinks you're doing well. Admitting these things would feel shameful and might even end your standing in others' eyes. So you won't admit it to yourself or others. The "self" will bury all these thoughts of not wishing others well, intentionally avoiding deeper examination of these thoughts because they don't align with your self-image. Shouldn't you be a person free of anger and full of tolerance?

When you first began practicing, you had the purest compassion, truly hoping everyone would be well, truly hoping everyone could be free from suffering and find happiness. Then the demon king came and began creating rifts between you. Humans are complex; we're easily provoked, sometimes not even understanding our own sudden emotions. So it wasn't difficult for the demon king to turn you against each other. One day, you showed a special string of beads given to you by the master in your social media circle. Your dharma brothers and sisters all saw it - they saw that the master gave you prayer beads they didn't have. The demon king began whispering in their ears, stirring their pot of jealousy, beginning to make them envious of you, and this envy triggered many other behaviors. You gradually began to notice their attitude toward you was different from before, noticed their hidden hostility, noticed they began deliberately neglecting you, began subtly expressing their contempt for you. Although you weren't visibly harmed and didn't make any substantial counterattacks, your heart kept churning over this matter. You minded such things greatly, minded their attitude toward you, and couldn't let it go. Every now and then, you'd take it out to think about it, getting hurt all over again. Your compassion was initially directed toward all beings, but now you've quietly kicked them out of your sphere of compassion - those who deeply hurt you. In your subconscious, you hope they have bad luck, hope they encounter troubles. When you have such thoughts, you've distanced yourself from compassion. Deep in your heart, you don't want these people to do well; you hope they have misfortune. So later, when you heard they failed in investments, their company went bankrupt, they got involved in lawsuits, and finally jumped off a building, you felt no sympathy. You thought they deserved it. The demon king destroyed your bodhicitta, made you lose your compassion, and simultaneously destroyed your Mahayana practice because you developed thoughts hoping for others' misfortune, and you were completely unaware of it. Because all this happened where others couldn't see, in the deepest recesses of your heart. On the surface, you remained undisturbed, appearing the same as before, but inside you had changed. If you weren't someone accustomed to being honest with yourself, someone capable of self-examination, you might never discover this in your lifetime. Your self-deception system would keep it very hidden, letting you live in the illusion of your own magnanimity, never letting you know you were someone who harbored such deep resentment toward others. Besides you, no one else knows about this thing that happened to you. Only you know, and only you have the ability to dig it up, so, in the end, only you can change it.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on November 11, 2024

First published on November 12, 2024

灵山居士：大多数人所不知道的自己

当你看到别人的快乐的时候，你是希望他们快乐还是不希望他们快乐？他们的快乐是否冒犯到了你？让你极度不爽。因为他们的快乐搅动了你内心深处那些不快乐的记忆，而他们的丰盈则侵犯了你的匮乏，让你无法忍受。很多时候，你不希望看到别人快乐，你希望看到他们失败，希望看到他们出丑，希望他们受挫，希望他们什么事情都干不成，希望他们因此而悲伤痛苦，希望他们去品尝你曾经品尝过的滋味。这就是通常我们所说的恼害心。通常当一个人过的不太好的时候他就不太可能希望别人能够过的好。大多数人只有在“自我”被满足的情况下才愿意给别人让渡出一部分空间。你不希望看到他们拥有美好的爱情，不希望他们刚来上班就有那么好的位置，不希望他们用那么贵的手机背那么贵的包。你之所以会有这种希望，很大程度上是因为你没有，你没有过这样的爱情，也从来没有人对你这样过，你没收到过花，没用过香奈儿口红，你甚至没买过超过3000块的衣服。所以当别人的幸福展现在你面前，于你就是一种冒犯，你会摆出严厉的面孔，去批判他们的做法。很多东西，因为你从来没有得到过，所以你才会对它表示不屑，才会对它们充满敌意。这有助于你维持自己脆弱的自尊。通常你所批判的都是那些你想做却没机会做或是没有人愿意和你做的事。而那些你曾经渴望却又无法得到的东西，你希望其他人也一样得不到。如果他们已经得到了，你不介意毁了它。

一般来说，恼害心并不是那么容易被发现和承认的心态。它是嫉妒的表兄。大多数人都不可能承认自己在嫉妒，更不可能承认自己之所以这么做是因为嫉妒、是因为自己没有所以才想要毁掉它。“自我”会把他们的行为自动合理化正义化。那些被恼害心操纵的人，他们会在一种极不舒服的心态下，观察别人在干什么，如果别人过得不错，他们就要跑去破坏。他们希望看到对方失去心爱的人或物，希望看到他们痛苦。基本上，这是“自我”长期处于饥饿状态的结果。他们的“自我”长期没有被满足，所以必须以其他方式寻找存在感。人类的“自我”需要被喂食，如果一个人的“自我”长期未被满足，就很容易充满怨气，很容易看什么都不顺眼，慢慢他就会把所有人都视为敌人，如果继续这么发展下去他们就会发展到以别人的痛苦为乐。他们想要看到别人痛苦，想要夺走别人的心爱之物，这样他们才会舒坦，才能感觉到自己的存在。

作为人类，我们或多或少都曾有过这样的心。只是大多数人没有机会发展到这么极端而已。虽然大多数时候你不会这么极端，但你一样会因为闺蜜的婆婆对她特别好天天给她买东西而生闷气，会因为某人晒自己在法国买的包而生气，更会因为在小红书上展示自己大胆行为的陌生人而生气——她一个人在周游列国——这些人，他们有你没有的东西、做了你不敢做也不能做的事，这威胁到了你的自我，让你的自我很不舒服，所以你不希望他们那么舒服，你希望他们遇到障碍——如果她们在巴黎被抢劫，或是爬山的时候摔断了腿你会很高兴。

对于修行人来说，承认自己有过这种心理并不容易，很多修行人的“自我”经过多年进化养成了一种奇怪的自尊。对他们而言，面子是无比重要的，承认自己有过这样的心意味着自己多年的修行完全白费了，尤其是当你已经修了二十几年，每个人都觉得你修的还不错，承认这些会让你觉得丢脸，甚至会终结你在众人眼中的地位。所以你既不会对自己承认也不会对别人承认。“自我”会把这些不希望别人好的念头全都深埋起来，它有意不去深究这些念头，因为这和你对自己的定位不符。你难道不应该是一个毫无嗔心宽容大度的人吗？

在最初开始修行的时候，你有着最纯正的慈悲心，那时候你真的希望每个人都好起来，真的希望大家都能离苦得乐。后来魔王来了，他开始在你们之间制造罅隙。人类是很复杂的，我们都很容易被挑动，有时候连我们自己都不能理解自己那些突如其来的情绪。所以魔王想要让你们反目一点也不难。某天，你在朋友圈展示了上师给你的一串很特别的珠子。你的师兄弟们都看到了——他们看到的是，上师给了你一串他们没有的念珠。魔王开始在他们耳边低语，开始搅动他们的醋坛子，开始让他们嫉妒你，嫉妒又引发了很多其他行为。你慢慢开始觉察到他们对你的态度和以前不太一样，觉察到他们隐藏的敌意，觉察到他们开始故意冷落你，开始含蓄地表达对你的不屑。虽然从表面上看你并没有受到伤害，你也没有做出什么实质性的反击，但你的内心一直在为这件事翻腾。你很介意这样的事，很介意他们对你的态度，对此你一直无法释怀。隔一段时间你就要拿出来想想，然后再受一次伤。你的慈悲心刚开始是针对一切众生的，现在你悄悄把他们踢出了你慈悲的范畴，你的慈悲开始不包含他们——那些深深伤害过你的人。潜意识里，你希望他们倒霉，希望他们遇到麻烦。当你有了这样的心，你也就远离了慈悲心。在内心深处，你不希望这些人过得好，你希望他们倒霉。所以后来当你听到他们投资失败公司破产还惹上了官司最后还跳了楼你一点也不同情。你觉得他们活该。魔王破坏了你的菩提心，让你失去了慈悲，他同时也毁掉了你的大乘修行，因为你生起了希望别人倒霉的心，而且对此毫无察觉。因为这一切都发生在别人看不到的地方，发生在你内心最幽深之处。表面上你毫无波澜，看上去还和过去一样，但是你内里已经变了。假如你不是一个习惯对自己诚实的人、不是一个有能力审视自己的人，你大概一辈子也发现不了这件事。你的自欺系统会把它藏的很隐秘，它会让你活在自己很大度的幻觉里，不会让你知道自己是个对别人有着如此深的怨念的人。除了你之外，没有第二个人知道这件发生在你身上的事。只有你知道，也只有你有能力把它挖掘出来，所以，最终，也只有你能够改变这件事。

灵山居士写于2024年11月11日，首发于2024年11月12日。

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: In Fact, You May Have Never Stopped Harming Others

In life, you'll meet people who are puzzled by their misfortunes. They consider themselves good people who never harm others, saying "I wouldn't even hurt a little bird" - these are their exact words.

Yet these "good people" encounter unfortunate and difficult fates. (I once met someone whose house was demolished; when I learned that he used to enjoy destroying birds' nests, I wasn't at all surprised by his experience.) They want to know why. Why are they harmed by others when they never harm anyone? Why don't good deeds bring good rewards?

Without a reasonable explanation, they might turn to becoming bad people, because sometimes it seems that bad people live better lives.

Sometimes you really need to examine your life, to examine whether you are truly as good as you think you are, whether you are really someone who never harms others. It should be noted that the harm we're talking about here isn't just about physically attacking others - Buddhism doesn't consider harming others to be limited to such actions.

You might not take a knife to kill someone or hurt a little bird, but the same you eats eggs, orders hairy crabs, takes supplements containing animal ingredients (like deer antler), wears shoes made from animal leather and fur, often has roast lamb leg with beer for dinner, and eagerly discusses neighbors' private matters. So you have, consciously or unconsciously, harmed many animals and many people.

If you examine your life carefully, I believe you might find many aspects that aren't so innocent - you're not as blameless as you think. You've been taking supplements containing deer antler, using leather products, using certain famous cosmetics brands whose manufacturers regularly conduct cruel animal testing and use mink oil to ensure their product quality. You might also frequently go fishing.

If all these exist in your life, I don't think you should consider yourself someone who never harms others - you have never stopped harming others. Many animals have been killed because of your lifestyle. Just because you want to improve your health, many deer have their antlers cut off. You should know that deer antler is sawn off from the deer's head, and this process is neither comfortable nor painless.

You might say, "I didn't cut off that deer's antlers myself," which is true - you didn't do it personally, but if there was no demand from you, no one would be interested in doing this. Hiring someone to kill and killing someone yourself carry the same legal consequences. So you've been harming those deer, albeit indirectly. But you are equally responsible.

If you want to improve your fate, one of the things you need to do is stop harming others (including animals). The harm mentioned here includes both direct harm (like catching a fish) and indirect harm (like taking deer antler supplements). Buddhism believes that if a person harms so many beings, it's natural for them to receive a bad fate. If they want to improve their fate, not harming others is the first thing they need to do.

You might say that one person not using leather products won't change anything, won't make our world better. This is true, but if many people stop using any products from animals, the situation would be different.

I believe there are many people who want to improve their fate. If everyone refuses to use animal products, many animals would be spared from slaughter. You don't need to go to Kekexili to protect Tibetan antelopes, because without demand there would be no killing. Of course, you might say that slaughterhouses don't kill just for one person - they kill for many potential customers. This doesn't make your behavior any more justified. You won't be absolved just because many people are involved. When a hundred people kill one sheep, each person receives a complete killing karma.

As practitioners, we have an obligation not to harm beings, even if it's just reducing one killing that comes from demand. Even if you're not a practitioner, you shouldn't harm beings if you hope for a good future. Besides these things, you also need to pay attention to some subtler matters.

When you're walking on the street, you might spit chewed gum on the ground, which harms those responsible for cleaning the streets, because removing a piece of dried gum stuck to the ground is very laborious. You might also buy pirated books and DVDs, thus harming many people, including writers, directors, and actors, because you get their work without paying any price (or rather, you didn't pay the right people). If you play music very loudly when you should be in bed, you harm your neighbors, even though you might not intend to.

It should be pointed out that not harming others isn't easily achieved. Many people harm others every day without realizing it. For example, when you open a window on a bus, you might harm those who prefer the windows closed. When you close a door too forcefully, you might startle someone next door who is meditating. These are all forms of harm.

I once met someone who thought he was a good person. While describing himself as a kind person who loves animals, he was removing a freshly caught fish from his hook. I think that fish would certainly disagree with his self-assessment. His kindness probably only extended to his pet dog and not to fish.

Many practitioners can avoid such harmful actions (like eating a fish), but they also need to learn to avoid many subtle forms of harm. Because subtle harm is still harm and will still produce karma. Moreover, some harm that you don't notice isn't subtle at all - it might involve enormous consequences.

First published in November 2007.

灵山居士：事实上，你可能一直没有停止过对别人的伤害　　　（修订）

在生活里你会遇到一些为自己的遭遇感到困惑的人，他们认为自己是个好人，是个从来不伤害别人的人，“我连一只小鸟都不会伤害”－这是他们的原话。

但是这样的“好人”却遭遇不幸命运坎坷。（我曾经遇到过一位房子被推平的人，当我了解到他以前是个非常喜欢捣毁鸟窝的人时候，我就丝毫不为他的经历感到奇怪了）他们很想知道为什么。为什么他们没有伤害别人，却总被别人伤害。为什么好人没有好报。

如果没有合理的解释，他们可能就要改行去做坏人。因为有时候看起来好像坏人生活的更好。

有时候你真的需要审视一下自己的生活，审视一下你是否真的如自己所认为的那样，是个好人，是个从来不伤害别人的人。需要说明的是，在这里我们所说的伤害并不是说你经常殴打别人，佛教并不认为伤害别人指的只是这些。

你也许不会拿着刀去杀人，不会去伤害一只小鸟，但是同一个你，你会吃鸡蛋，会点大闸蟹，你每天服用的是含有动物成份的补药（例如鹿茸），你脚上穿的是动物的皮毛制品，你的晚饭经常是烤羊腿加啤酒，你热衷于谈论邻居的隐私。所以你在有意无意中伤害了很多动物，也伤害了很多人。

如果对你的生活加以审视，我相信你可能会发现很多地方并不那么如人意，你并非你所认为的那样清白无辜。你一直在服用含有鹿茸成份的补药，一直在使用牛皮制品，一直在使用某种知名化妆品，而那种化妆品厂商��了保证他的化妆品质量经常使用动物进行残忍的实验并且含有貂油成分。你可能还经常去钓鱼。

如果这一切存在于你的生活中的话，我想你不应该觉得自己是个不伤害别人的人，你一直没有停止过对别人的伤害。有很多动物因为你的生活而被杀。仅仅因为你希望自己的身体变的更加健康就导致很多鹿被割下鹿角。要知道，鹿茸是从鹿的脑袋上锯下来的，那种过程并非舒适和毫无痛感的。

也许你会说，我并没有去割掉那只鹿的鹿茸，事实也是如此，你没有亲自动手，但是��果没有你的需求，也不会有人有兴趣这么做。雇凶杀人和自己杀在法律上需要承担同样的后果。所以你一直在伤害那些鹿，虽然只是间接的伤害。但你同样需要负责。

如果你希望可以改善命运，你要做的事情之一就是停止伤害别人（也包括动物）。这里所说的伤害包括那些直接伤害（例如钓上来一条鱼）也包括间接伤害（服用鹿茸之类）。佛教认为，如果一个人伤害了那么多的众生，他获得不好的命运也是理所当然。如果他希望改善命运，不伤害别人是首先要做的事。

你也许会说，只是一个人不用牛皮制品改变不了什么，不会使我们的世界更美好。事实也是如此，但是假如很多人都不使用任何来自动物的制品，那么情况就会有所不同。

我相信希望改善自己命运的人绝非少数，如果大家都拒绝使用动物制品的话，就会有很多动物免于被屠杀。你不用去可可西里保护藏羚羊，因为没有需求就没有杀戮。当然你可以说，屠宰场并非只为我一个人而杀，他是为很多潜在的客户而杀。这丝毫不能让你的行为变的更加正当。你不会因为人多而获得赦免。一百个人杀死一只羊，每个人都会获得一个完整的杀业。

作为修行者，我们有不伤害众生的义务，哪怕只是减少一个因需求而产生的杀戮。即使不是修行者，你也不应该去伤害众生，如果你希望有一个好的未来的话。除了这些事情之外，你还需要注意一些比较细微的事情。

当你走在大街上的时候，你也许会把嚼过的口香糖吐在地上，这就伤害了那些负责清理街道的人，因为把一块沾在地上已经干了的口香糖搞掉是很费力气的一件事。你还会去购买盗版书盗版DVD，这样你就伤害了很多人，包括作家，导演，演员，因为你没有付出任何代价就得到了他们付出努力的作品（或许说你没有付钱给该付的人）。如果你在应该上床睡觉的时候把音乐开的很大声，你就伤害了你的邻居。虽然你可能并非有意。

这里需要指出的是，不伤害别人并非轻而易举就可以做到。很多人每天都在伤害着别人却浑然不觉。例如，你在坐公交车的时候打开一扇窗户就可能伤害那些喜欢关着窗户的人。你关门的时候过于猛烈也会吓着隔壁正在打坐的人。这些都是伤害。

我曾经遇到一个认为自己是个好人的人，他在向我描述自己是个对动物具有爱心的好人的时候正在把一条刚钓上来的鱼从鱼钩上弄下来，我想他刚钓上来的那条鱼一定会反对他对自己的看法。他的爱心大概只限于自己的爱犬而不包括鱼类。

很多修行者能避免这类伤害众生的行为（吃掉一条鱼），但是他们同样需要学习避免很多细微的伤害。因为细微的伤害也是伤害，也会产生因果。何况有些你注意不到的伤害并不细微，它可能牵涉巨大。

本文首发于2007年11月。

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Extensive Experience Does Not Equal Wisdom, Yet It Makes One Think They Are Wise

The greatest affliction of our time is the affliction of excessive exposure; the most destructive force to a person today is also, first and foremost, excessive exposure. Throughout history, people have praised the virtue of being well-informed and knowledgeable. However, in our present day, this has become a major affliction. Excessive exposure has become a fast track to demonic possession for the masses. In my years of observation, those who are well-informed yet remain unaffected by demonic influences are countable on fingers. Among tens of thousands today, barely one possesses right view. They cannot distinguish between righteous and evil teachings, simply accepting what pleases them and what gratifies them – all the while consuming dishes personally prepared by the demon king.

For practitioners of spiritual cultivation, excessive exposure easily leads to loss of focus and generates scattered thoughts. It's like a cat chasing multiple mice – with one in its mouth while pursuing another, gaining one territory only to covet another, eventually losing both. Today's practitioners, compared to ancient times, are exposed to far more. Yet they cannot attain enlightenment – why? It's the affliction of excessive exposure. If one were to place themselves among Guru Rinpoche, Shakyamuni, Avalokiteshvara, and Manjushri, choosing and following just one would surely lead to enlightenment. However, people harbor feelings of insufficiency – after obtaining Avalokiteshvara's teachings, they yearn for Manjushri's; after following Shakyamuni, they look toward Guru Rinpoche. Never single-minded, they ultimately gain nothing. Moreover, while all Buddhist teachings lead to the same destination, their entry points differ, and their methods of exposition vary. Those of shallow wisdom hear these differences and rank them as superior or inferior, pursuing the "higher" while abandoning the "lower." Before mastering one method, they switch to another; before growing close to one teacher, they seek another, causing their practice to remain stagnant. Some practitioners pack up and leave at the slightest dissatisfaction, seeking another place to settle. They see many options and have many choices. If one place doesn't suit them, they switch to another. Having too many choices becomes the very reason they cannot achieve enlightenment. Such people, though appearing to practice their entire lives, ultimately accomplish nothing – this is the reason. Unlike ancient practitioners who relied on a single teacher, harbored no other thoughts, faced no interference from other teachings, and had nowhere else to go, they committed wholeheartedly and thus could swiftly attain enlightenment.

This principle applies not only to spiritual practice but also to worldly affairs. To succeed in anything, one must focus on that single thing. I've observed that those who fail in various endeavors do so because of excessive exposure. Such exposure leads to endless desires, which in turn leads to lack of persistence in any single pursuit. Those without persistence become scattered and divided in attention, and those divided in attention lose everything, ultimately failing. Therefore, the foolish should not be allowed excessive exposure – it leads to desires for change, greed for more, and the abandonment of all pursuits.

Furthermore, everyone has a tendency to compare and compete. In ancient times, women mostly stayed within deep courtyards and grand mansions, seeing little and having few opportunities for comparison. The demon king had no leverage, and thus there was less gossip and more peaceful lives. Today's people, with their vast exposure and knowledge, inevitably develop a comparative mindset, which breeds feelings of insufficiency. From insufficiency springs all manner of troubles. It's no wonder we see stories like Wu Song killing his sister-in-law or Pan Jinlian causing Xi Men's death – such tales become mere dinner table gossip. Many of today's misfortunes stem from this. With advanced technology, one needn't leave home to see Xi Men's type, as screens are filled with Pan Jinlian and Wang Po figures. Various demonic technologies break down barriers of communication, allowing predators to entrap young women and girls from thousands of miles away. Human desires are like dry grass – one spark sets them ablaze. With such tools at hand, combined with insufficient hearts and bodily desires, how many can resist such temptations? Thus, many fall from virtue. When women develop a comparative mindset, they easily become dissatisfied, wanting what others have, their demands multiplying. If unsatisfied, they either seek fulfillment elsewhere or threaten divorce, or both – a situation more dangerous than walking on knife's edge or grabbing treasures from a burning house. If they encounter a man who loses control, they may end up like Yan Poxi from Water Margin, becoming a ghost under the blade. These are the fruits of today's excessive exposure.

Modern people see a hundred thousand times more than their ancestors; even young children know affairs of hundreds of nations. But is this beneficial? From my observation, it merely increases ego-clinging. Seeing more only increases what one sees, not one's wisdom. If one could truly see everything, across all directions and three times, then one could judge matters correctly, seeing all dharmas and their causes clearly, distinguishing right from wrong. But seeing through just one hole only generates misconceptions. Though modern people consider their vision vast, it doesn't even amount to seeing through one hole. Thus, extensive experience does not equal wisdom, yet it makes one think they are wise, believing they can judge all matters under heaven and evaluate right and wrong. From U.S. presidential elections to street fights between Liu Er and Zhao Si, they comment on everything. Regrettably, the masses lack wisdom, cannot distinguish right from wrong, cannot recognize true demons, and follow those whose words match their desires, release moral constraints, and pave the way for evil under the guise of righteousness. Such speakers often have hundreds of thousands of followers, further inflating their momentum and ego. Like the blind leading the blind, all enter the path of demons. Those revered by today's masses are mostly of this kind. These ant-minded people, with their inch-deep vision, destroy the path laid by sages, pave smooth roads for evil, lead practitioners astray, and cause people to fail in all endeavors. These are all the consequences of believing oneself to be knowledgeable and well-informed.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on November 8, 2024.

灵山居士：见多非智多，然见多可令其自以为智多

今日之大患者，乃见多之患也；今日之最能毁人者，亦属见多为第一也。见多识广一事，历来为世人所赞崇。然今时今日，此事已然成为一大患。见多已成众人成魔之速道。余历年所见者，见多识广而又不着魔不为魔所控者，屈指可数矣。今人中万人亦无一有正见，于诸多言说何者邪何者正皆无从辨别，见乐己者则收，见悦己者则收，所食所饮皆魔王亲自所烹之肴也。

于修行人而言，见多则易失要点、易生散乱。如一猫逐数鼠，口中噙一鼠而又逐另一鼠，得陇后复又望蜀，后陇失蜀亦不得。今日之修行者比之古时，所见可谓多矣。然终不能得道，何以故？见多之患也。如一人置身于莲师释迦观音文殊之间，择其一位而从之，必可成道。然人皆有不足之心，是以得观音后又贪恋文殊，从释迦后复又望莲师。终不能一心，是以终一无所得。复诸佛教法，虽其所归处虽同，然入手处皆不同，说法亦有差异。浅智者闻后自行分高下，后逐高而舍低，一法未成又修一法，一师未热又依一师，令其修行常驻于原位。又有修者于一处受气则卷铺盖，另寻一处安身，其所见者多，可选者亦多。此处不爽则另换一处。可选者众，乃其终不能成道之因也。如是之人，虽一生都似在修行，后终一事无成，其因在此。不若古之修行人，依于一师，不作他想，无他说之扰，亦无他处可投，死心塌地，方能速速成道。

修行之事如此，凡间之事亦是如此。若要成事��则必注心于一事。余见诸事不成者，皆因见多也。见多则不一而足，不一而足则于一事无恒心，无恒心者则乱、则左右兼顾，左右兼顾者则左右皆失，终至于事败。是以愚人不可令其见多，见多则思变，则贪多，则诸事废。

��人人皆有比攀之心，古时妇女多居深庭大院，所见者少，无从比攀，魔王无处可着力，是以多人闲是非少，一生静好。今之人见多识广，见多则必生比攀之心，比攀而后生不足之心，不足之心生则诸事生，后若生出武松杀嫂、西门横尸之事，亦不为怪，辄成众人下饭之谈资。今日人间之诸般不幸，多出于此也。今时科技发达，不需出门庭即可见西门，因满屏皆西门金莲王干娘也。又有各类魔引科技，破交往之障，令登徒子可于百千万里外，诱少妇少女入其彀中。人之欲望皆如干草，一点即着，有此利器辅佐，又兼有不足之心身体之望，世上又有几人可禁得住此诱惑？是以败德者众。又妇人生比攀之心，则易生诸多不满，见他人有者，自亦需有，所求者亦倍增。若未得餍足，若不另寻他人满己之望，即是以离婚告讼相胁，或二者并行，然此事之凶险胜于刀口磨颈火宅取物也。若遇男人一时不控，则必成水浒阎婆惜，沦为刀下之鬼。此今人见多之果也。

今人所见多过古人百千万倍，即垂髫小儿亦能知百国万邦之事。然此事善否？以余之所见，徒增其我执耳。见多只增其见，而不增其智。若能见所有，见十方三世，则可断事。于万法因缘，历历在目，可断是与非。若只见一孔，则徒生谬见。今人之所见，虽自以为广大，然一孔亦不及也。是以见多非智多，然见多可令其自以为智多，自以为可断天下事，可评是与非。上至花旗国总统选举，下至刘二赵四街头互殴，无事不置喙。可叹大众无智，不辨对错，不识真魔，见其所言者中己之下怀、释道德之捆缚、为邪行正名铺路，谓其所言者深得我心堪为我用，乐其言而后从其人。如是之人，从者常有百千万众，益发增其气势，长其自我。以一盲而导众盲，皆入魔之道也。今日大众所尊崇者，皆此类也。此类蚁智之人，以其方寸之见，毁圣人所布之道，铺行恶之坦途，引修者顾此失彼，令众人百事不成。此皆自以为见多识广之过也。

灵山居士写于2024年11月8日。

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: We Have All Been Hijacked by This Lifestyle of Electric Wires and Plugs

On this day, everyone is waiting in anticipation, eager to know whether Harris or Trump will ultimately win. This shows that many people consider this matter important, indicating that the whole world has become deeply interconnected, and also revealing that many people harbor deep-seated inferiority complexes. If you fundamentally admire Western culture, it's unlikely that you'll have genuine faith in Buddhism and Eastern culture. Deep inside, you feel quite inferior. You have no confidence in the culture of your birthplace. You probably don't truly believe that Milarepa and Bodhidharma could stand on grass tips. I've met many practitioners before who, while claiming unwavering faith in Buddhism, were deeply enthusiastic about Western culture at their core. It's like being married to Buddhism and professing love for it while constantly thinking about another woman. Although they might never realize it themselves or admit to being followers of Western culture, careful observation reveals their true thoughts. Their logic is Western logic, their life philosophy is Western philosophy, and their criteria for judging progress and right versus wrong are likewise Western - these cannot be hidden. In their subconscious, they believe people who use paper shredders and irons are more civilized than those who use abacuses. They automatically assume Westerners are the world's leaders, hence their intense focus on this matter. They have always evaluated the world, Buddhism, and right and wrong through Western eyes. In my view, this proves their complete lack of faith in Buddhism, because only those who completely misunderstand or insufficiently understand Eastern culture would worship Western culture. If you truly understood Buddhism and Eastern culture, your gaze toward Westerners would be one of compassion and sympathy rather than admiration.

Why not? These people weren't born in regions where Buddhism flourished. Their history is one of constant warfare and plunder. They worship figures like Caesar, Kant, and Napoleon, and value dominating others. Their lives lack Zhuangzi's wisdom and the understanding that "life rarely goes as wished; be content with half of what you desire." Their understanding of their own minds remains primitive, so they believe satisfying desires brings happiness. They spend all their time and energy seeking happiness externally and trying to conquer others. For this, they invented weapons capable of destroying each other and created one thing after another that they believed would bring happiness, ultimately leaving our lives hijacked by various electrical appliances and bills. Without electricity, gas, or internet, we cannot survive a single day. We must work hard to maintain this lifestyle, suffocating under its pressure. Yet this group of people, who have outsmarted themselves into failure, who dig up suffering while searching for happiness - you feel inferior to them, even crossing oceans to live their life, trying to learn their language and way of thinking. This only proves your complete ignorance of Buddhism and Eastern culture. You don't understand its profundity and greatness, nor do you know what Western culture will ultimately bring you. You're swept along by popular opinion, believing this is the life of superior humans. And all this is rooted in your deep inferiority and lack of understanding of your own true nature.

From another perspective, although I use a German electric razor, read news on an iPhone, and type on a keyboard, this doesn't prevent me from considering it a low-level lifestyle. Just as language is a low-level form of communication, we must use it because others do, and it's currently the only thing they understand. So I have no choice. In our lives, traditional Eastern lifestyle has nearly disappeared, and we have all been hijacked by this lifestyle full of electric wires and plugs. Therefore, we need to use language, electric razors and dental floss, need to know that Taylor Swift is T-Swift, need to know how to brew pour-over coffee, so we can better communicate with various people to help them understand themselves.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on November 5, 2024. First published on November 5, 2024. Copy

灵山居士：我们所有人都被这种充满电线和插头的生活方式绑架了

在今天这个日子里，每个人都在翘首以待，每个人都想知道最后到底是哈里斯赢还是川普赢。这说明很多人都觉得这件事很重要，说明了全世界都已经被深度捆绑在一起，也说明了很多人的骨子里相当自卑。如果你从骨子里就是个崇尚西方文化的人，基本上，你不太可能对佛法和东方文化有真正的信心。内心深处，你相当的自卑。你对自己出生地的文化毫无信心。你也不可能真的相信密勒日巴和达摩祖师能站在草尖上。以前我见过很多修行者，虽然他们都号称对佛法有着无比的信心，但他们骨子里却相当热衷于西方文化。这就像是虽然你和佛法结了婚虽然你嘴上一直在说爱她但是心里却一直想着另外一个女人一样。虽然他们自己可能从未察觉，也从不会说自己是西方文化的拥趸，但是只要稍加观察，你就能知道他们的真实想法。因为他们的逻辑是西方的逻辑，他们的生活理念是西方的理念，他们对先进与否对错与否的评判标准同样是西方的，这些都是无法隐藏的。潜意识里，他们认为使用碎纸机和熨烫机的人群比使用算盘的人群更加文明，他们会默认他们才是世界的引导者，所以才会如此关注这件事情。一直以来，他们都是在用西方的眼光来评判世界、评判佛法、评判对错。就我而言，这足以证明你对佛法全无信心，因为只有当一个人对东方文化完全不了解或是了解不够的时候才会去崇拜西方文化，如果你真的了解佛法，真的了解东方文化，你看待西方人的眼神绝不可能是崇拜而更应该是同情和悲悯。为什么不呢？这些人，他们没有出生在佛法昌盛的地区，他们的历史是不断的征战和抢劫，他们崇拜的是凯撒、康德和拿破仑这样的人，崇尚的是压倒别人，他们的生活里没有庄子，也看不到“人生哪能多如意、万事只求半称心”，他们对自心的了解完全处于蛮荒状态，所以他们会以为满足欲望就能快乐。他们全部的时间精和力都用在向外寻找快乐，都用在想要征服其他人上面。为此他们发明了能毁灭彼此的武器，发明了一个又一个自以为能带给自己快乐的东西，最终却让我们的生活被各种电器和账单绑架，假如没有电没有气没有网络，我们一天也过不下去。为此我们必须去努力挣钱维持这种生活，我们被这种生活压的喘不过气。就是这样的一群人，这样一群弄巧成拙的人，这样一群想要快乐却挖掘出痛苦的人，你居然对他们感觉自卑，居然漂洋过海去过他们的生活，尝试学习他们的语言和思维方式。这只证明你对佛法对东方文化一无所知，你不知道它的深邃和伟大，不知道西方文化最终会带给你什么。你被大众的想法裹协着，以为这就是高等人类的生活。而这一切都根植于你深深的自卑和对自身实相了解的匮乏。

从另一方面来说，虽然我也会用德国产的剃须刀，会用iPhone看新闻，会用键盘打字，但这并不妨碍我认为这是一种低端的生活方式。就像是语言同样是一种低端的交流方式，但是我们必须使用它一样。因为其他人都在用。而且这是他们目前唯一听的懂的东西。所以我别无选择。在我们的生活里，传统的东方生活方式已经濒临消失，我们所有人都被这种充满电线和插头的生活方式绑架。所以我们需要使用语言，需要使用电动剃须刀和牙线，需要知道泰勒·斯威夫特就是霉霉，需要知道挂耳咖啡的泡法，这样我们才能更好地和各种人交流，以帮助他们了解自己。

灵山居士写于2024年11月5日。首发于2024年11月5日

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: It's like one day suddenly discovering that your wife, whom you've loved your whole life and who bore you three children, is actually a demon.

Bodhidharma said his purpose in coming to the East was to find someone who could not be deceived by others. As humans filled with ignorance, we can be deceived by our peers, by media, by advertisements, and even by our own eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind - by our own hearts. Sometimes, even when we know something is false, we're unwilling to wake up. Because being deceived is comfortable, while awakening is cruel. So we'd rather live in deception than wake up to face reality. This is partly because self-deception is too comfortable, and partly because changing one's cognition is, for many people, almost equivalent to destroying everything they've previously built, which terrifies them. This is also why many people, despite years of spiritual practice, continue to live in self-deception. Because they fear reality.

America's Mark Twain said: "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." Indeed. Many people I've met find it far more difficult to admit they've been deceived than to be deceived in the first place. They would rather lose everything, rather be abandoned by everyone, than lose the feeling that they're clever. This is true for spiritual practitioners, and even more so for those who don't practice. Their stubbornness is no less than that of practitioners. Just look at the 2020 U.S. election to see how stubborn our habits are, how unwilling we are to wake up. Four years ago, the whole world watched in astonishment as Biden turned defeat into victory in an instant, surpassing Trump, giving birth to the famous "Biden curve." The whole world was shocked by this scene. When this happened, it should have been time for everyone to change their thinking. But this didn't happen - you didn't see many people protest afterward. Biden ascended to the presidential throne without hindrance. Most people pretended nothing had happened. Because in this world, the most firmly established and hardest thing to change is what a person has already accepted as truth. Most people lack the courage to face facts. When facts are presented so blatantly before them, they become cowardly, choosing to turn their faces away and pretend they haven't seen. Because for many people, this is practically asking for their lives - imagine what it would be like for devout Christians to discover Jesus Christ was a fraud - this is the situation facing the entire Western society and those in Eastern society whose thinking has been completely Westernized. Acknowledging these things means denying Western civilization. It also means their decades of effort have been in vain. So it's not surprising that many people choose to bury their heads in the sand.

In my teens, I once thought Western society was democratic and free. Back then, I thought Westerners were of higher quality than Chinese people, that they were pure and kind. Many Chinese people who grew up in the 1980s had religious-like aspirations toward the West. Later, as I grew older, I slowly realized this wasn't the case. Westerners are human too; like us, they also have human greed, anger, and delusion. They too can be tempted, play various schemes and tricks, be conquered by devils and ally with them. Imagining them as either angels or demons is disrespectful to reality. When they possess great wealth and power, they too cannot resist temptation; devils whisper in their ears just the same. Thinking about it now, those people in Western society who live behind the scenes at the top of the pyramid don't have true faith. They possess enormous wealth, and now they have technological means to control the whole world. If they could still give you freedom and democracy, they would practically be saints.

I still remember how I felt when I first watched "The Godfather Part III" in my teens. I was surprised that the Vatican in the movie could be so corrupt. Now thinking about it, a religious organization that has existed for over a thousand years, which at certain periods in history had power even greater than kings, possessing huge donations from all sectors of society, having enormous discourse power and influence - if after more than a thousand years they could still maintain purity, resist corruption, and not be conquered by devils, everyone there would have to be a saint and master practitioner. But are they? Actually, this kind of thing doesn't just happen in the Vatican, it happens to high-ranking lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, in Taoist temples, to anyone who has dominion over others, and it happens to Buddhist teachers as well. When you have power, devils whisper in your ear, they set traps for you, tempt you to fall into them, urge you to use your power to take small advantages: "It's just a little bit, don't be so nervous." But if you do that, you've boarded their ship, and afterward it's very hard to get off. You'll start from a little and progress to more and more. Any practitioner, as long as your right view takes even a slight nap, as long as you don't watch yourself constantly, as long as you're not firm enough, you might be pulled down by devils, fall into their trap. Spiritual practice is like carrying a bowl of water that's about to overflow while walking on uneven ground - one careless moment and water will spill. So I can't imagine how those who haven't truly practiced and yet possess great power can resist such temptation. Of course, some of them might not want to resist at all; they were after this from the beginning. If this happens to people in the temple, it certainly happens to those playing cards in the house of cards.

Over these years, I've practiced many dharmas, read many books, and experienced many people and events. My thoughts are very different from when I was young. The more I encounter Western culture, the more I discover things aren't so simple; the deeper I understand Western culture, the more I can see their problems. Many things in Western culture that seem correct reveal huge loopholes and risks when carefully analyzed. For example, as mentioned before, in Western ideology, as long as you don't harm others, you can do anything, and others have no right to interfere. But what they don't know is that harming others is a broad concept, and many harms are invisible. Some people can cause many deaths just by saying something online. But the law won't pursue them. Current laws only lock onto physical harm. They can only punish this kind of physical harm, but there are many non-physical harms that existing laws completely fail to recognize. In recent years, you can see many people teaching women how to get money from men, and you can also see many women being killed. I believe these women were harmed by those who taught them. They made women feel they could escape punishment if they were clever enough. But the law won't find them guilty, and most people don't think they should be held responsible. This allows them to continue harming many people. Devils hide here, hide in these theories that seem correct but conceal huge traps. And what has liberty, equality, and fraternity ultimately brought us? The death of traditional culture? The birth of gender self-determination laws? Or that you can increasingly trust no one? These are also questions that need deep thought.

In recent years, we've all seen Western society become increasingly abnormal. Many things that were completely impossible in the past are happening now, things that are completely contrary to what they used to advocate. These things all reveal to us - the world is not what you've always thought it was. Fortunately, many people in American society have begun to reflect, they've started to wonder what's really going on, whether they've been deceived from the beginning. Besides ignorance being the biggest deception, this should rank among the top three deceptions in human history, with countless Eastern and Western people deeply trapped within it. For more than a hundred years, they've been reveling in this man-made illusion. For Westerners who are accustomed to living comfortably and showing superiority to Easterners, it's not easy to accept that they too, like Easterners, have been enslaved and deceived all along. Especially for Americans, who have always lived in the illusion of democracy and freedom, so when they vote for Trump on the voting machine but get Harris instead, it shakes their souls. For so many years, they've always thought they elected their president themselves, always thought the media was free, and always felt their country was the best. But the various chaos of recent years is enough to make many of them start having huge doubts, but doubting is one thing, having the courage to admit being deceived is another. In fact, not just Western society, but all human society faces a huge ideological impact. After the dust settled on the 2020 U.S. election, I deliberately observed China's cultural circle, and I saw they basically ignored it, or rather they pretended not to see, pretended all this didn't exist. This is like one day suddenly discovering that your wife, whom you've loved your whole life and who bore you three children, is actually a demon. You don't know how to explain to everyone, you haven't figured out how to face it, so you can only pretend not to know. I know what this means to them - they grew up sucking on Western nipples, their thought systems all come from the West, the ideologies they promote all come from the West. If they admit it's all a scam, admit that even the best systems cannot resist human greed and self-interest, and will ultimately be corrupted, then their future survival might face problems. Based on my understanding of how firmly human ego is established, I don't believe they have the possibility of changing their minds in their lifetime. Most likely, they will die like the remnant adherents of the Qing dynasty, clinging to their old-era cognition.

Patriarch Bodhidharma said he came to the East to find someone who could not be deceived by others. Actually, being deceived isn't the most frightening thing; what's most frightening is not admitting you've been deceived. Such people don't admit they have problems, so they won't seek solutions, and thus they will forever live in a state of being deceived. As ordinary beings, we are all imprisoned in our own cognition, locked in the cage of our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, so we will be deceived, tricked, make mistakes, and be led by the nose by others - this is a basic fact. But it's okay, as long as we know we're being deceived, admit we're being deceived, then there's still hope of awakening. What we need is the courage to admit - this is more important than anything else.

Written by Lingshan Hermit in February 2023, first published on November 3, 2024.

灵山居士：这就像是有一天你忽然发现你爱了一辈子还给你生了三个孩子的妻子是妖怪

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: This Theory Is Irrelevant to Most People Living on Earth

Many people like to say: "In absolute terms, there is no beauty or ugliness, no good or evil, no right or wrong." They not only enjoy saying this themselves but also like to share it with non-practitioners to demonstrate their profound understanding. While this statement may be valid from an absolute perspective, it becomes problematic from a relative viewpoint. Although there might be no beauty or ugliness, good or evil, right or wrong in absolute terms, that is the realm of the enlightened and irrelevant to most people living on Earth. Most people's lives don't involve the absolute or enlightened states - they exist in a solid material world. They cannot walk on water or perceive walls and empty space as the same thing. To them, their emotions, body temperature, and the raised logo on their shirt are equally real. Their lives consist of TikTok, overtime work, traffic jams, endless messages, and countless responsibilities.

This theory is not only irrelevant to most people on Earth but also to those of us who are still far from the absolute state. Although many of us consider ourselves practitioners, most of us probably haven't even touched the edges of true practice. In the foreseeable future, we likely won't need to deal with the absolute state because truly understanding practitioners are rare, and those who can achieve enlightenment through practice are even rarer. Moreover, even if you do achieve enlightenment one day, 99.99999999% of people in this world will still remain in the ordinary state, living in their solid material world, in what they consider to be reality. Therefore, they need relatively normal standards of beauty and ugliness, good and evil as reference points. For instance, they need to know what blue is, understand the differences between men and women, know which brand of cat food is safer, understand what "the smaller basket" refers to, and know what Trump's or Harris's election would mean for us. If one day their child pushes a neighbor's child to the ground out of jealousy over a new bicycle, they need to know this is a serious mistake requiring an apology. These are all necessities for our life and practice, as essential as toilet paper, toilets, and drinking water. If our standards of good and evil, beauty and ugliness are disrupted, deconstructed, or nullified, we will gradually lose all our reference points. We'll feel nothing is absolutely correct, and then all rules, standards, and moral systems will be corrupted and decay.

Let me correct what I just said - we don't lose all reference points, but rather those we need. Most people's foolishness will make them lose precisely the reference points they need, not all reference points. So I'm not saying you will achieve enlightenment, because enlightenment is sometimes described as having no reference points. Unfortunately, many outsiders take profound Buddhist theories and transfer them to the general public, spreading them everywhere, which is highly inappropriate. Many profound Buddhist theories are not applicable even to most practitioners, let alone ordinary people. Transferring such theories to ordinary people and spreading them among them will ultimately be exploited by evil forces, evolving into a massacre of social rules, morality, and aesthetics. For the general public, having a relatively normal set of standards for beauty and ugliness, right and wrong, and morality is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, they can easily fall into various forms of nihilism. Moreover, this problem will continue to spread to Buddhist practice, providing endless excuses for foolish people. Once a fool grasps this trick, they can refute all requirements from teachers. They always have ways to prove they're right and don't need to do certain things, because nothing is absolutely correct. Such theories in the hands of intelligent people can help them kill the ego and recognize true reality, but in the hands of fools, they only serve to instantly kill all well-intentioned advice.

Twenty years ago, someone told me: "You don't know, foreigners are very naive, they don't understand these things." I really hope her romantic interest was genuinely naive, rather than pretending to be naive to avoid responsibilities and obligations as a boyfriend. During my growing years, most people either imagined foreigners as devils or angels. But both assumptions are equally absurd. Although foreigners might be different from us in some aspects, they are still human, sharing the same greed, anger, and delusion. Therefore, they can be tempted, act foolishly, and take advantage of situations, and if pretending to be naive brings them great benefits, they won't firmly refuse either. Someone once told me: "This is Hollywood's aesthetic, this is what they consider beautiful. Maybe this actor looks ugly to us, but this is Western aesthetics. This is what they like." For a while, I somewhat believed it. But when I saw Anne Hathaway, Tallulah Riley, and Emilia Clarke, I developed deep doubts, suspecting they were pretending and actually shared our normal aesthetic standards. Especially when I saw that they cast Emilia Clarke rather than Awkwafina as Daenerys Targaryen, I knew this was another beautiful lie. They do know what beauty is. Of course they do. They know who is beautiful and who has an unusually long neck. They know what normal aesthetics are. They just want to reshape the public's perception of beauty, first reshaping aesthetics, then making gender ambiguous, then dismantling right and wrong, dismantling family and morality, dismantling your practice. I guess this is another trick of the devil.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on October 25, 2024.

灵山居士：这个理论跟生活在地球上的大多数人无关

很多人喜欢说：“从究竟上来说，没有什么美丑，也没有什么善恶，没有对也没有错。”他们不但喜欢自己说，还喜欢到处跟不修行的人说以彰显自己的高明。虽然从究竟上来说，这话没什么问题；但是从不究竟的角度来说，它就很有问题了。虽然究竟上没有美丑、也没有善恶、没有对也没有错，但是那是证悟者的境界，和生活在地球上的大多数人无关。大多数人的生活里没有究竟，没有证悟的境界，只有坚实的物质世界。他们无法在水面上行走，也不会认为虚空和墙壁是一种东西。对他们来说，自己的情绪、体温和衬衫上凸起的logo都是同样真实的东西。他们的生活是抖音加班堵车回不完的消息和无尽的责任。

这个理论不止是和地球上的大多数人无关，它跟离究竟境界还很遥远的我们也无关。虽然我们多数人会自认是修行者，但其实我们大多数人可能连修行的边儿都还没摸到，在可预期的未来，我们大概率也用不上究竟的境界，因为真正懂修行的人很少，能通过修行证悟的人就更少了。而且退一万步讲，即便是有一天你真的证悟了，这世界上依然还有99·99999999%的人还停留在凡夫境界，他们活在坚实的物质世界，活在他们认为真实的世界中，所以他们需要相对正常的美丑善恶作为参考点��譬如他们需要知道蓝色是什么，需要知道男人和女人的区别，需要知道哪个牌子的猫粮比较安全需要知道“那个小一点的筐”指的是哪个，需要知道川普或是哈里斯当选分别会带给我们什么。如果有一天，他们的孩子因为嫉妒邻居孩子有了新的脚踏车而把他推倒在地他们需要知道这是严重的错误必须去道歉。这些都是我们生活和修行的必需品，和卷纸马桶饮用水一样不可或缺。如果我们的善恶美丑标准被打乱、被解构、被虚无化，慢慢我们就会连带地失去所有的参考点。我们会觉得没有什么是绝对正确的，然后所有的一切规则标准道德体系都会被腐蚀朽坏。修正一下我刚才的话，我们不是失去所有的参考点，而是失去我们所需要的那些参考点。多数人的愚蠢会让他们恰到好处地失去那些他们所需要的参考点，而不是所有的参考点。所以我不是在说你会证悟。因为证悟有时候会被描述成没有参考点。非常不幸的是，很多外行会把从佛教里听到的高深理论搬运到社会大众那里，他们会把这些东西到处说，这实在是很不应该。佛教里的很多高深理论别说是对普通人，就是对于大多数修行者也不适用。把这样的理论搬运到普通人那里，在普通人那里传播，最后就会被魔鬼利用，演变成对社会规则道德审美的屠杀。对社会大众而言，有一套相对正常的美丑是非道德标准是绝对必要的。否则他们就很容易会陷入各种虚无主义。而且这种毛病会一直延烧到佛法修行上，为那些蠢人提供源源不断的借口。只要一个蠢人掌握了这种窍诀，他就能驳斥所有来自老师的要求。他总有办法证明自己是对的、是不需要做那些的，因为没有什么是绝对正确的嘛。这样的理论在聪明人手里可以帮助他们杀死自我认明实相，但是到了蠢人的手里就只会秒杀一切善意的建议。

二十年前有人跟我说：“你不知道，外国人他们都很天真的，这些他们都不懂的。”我很希望跟她谈恋爱的那位是真的天真，而不是为了躲避责任而假装天真，假装不知道男友的义务。在我成长的年月里，大多数人不是把外国人想象成魔鬼就是把他们想象成天使。但是这两种假设都同样荒谬。虽然外国人某些方面和我们不太一样，但他们也一样是人类，有着人类共同的贪嗔痴，所以他们会被诱惑，会犯蠢，也会贪小便宜，如果装傻对他们有很大好处的话他们也不会坚拒。以前还有人跟我说：“好莱坞的审美就是这样，他们认为的美就是这样。可能在我们看来这个演员很丑，但是这就是西方人的审美。他们就喜欢这样的。”有一段时间我是有点信的。但是当我看到安妮海瑟薇、塔莉雅·莱德、艾米莉亚.克拉克时我就产生了深深的怀疑，怀疑他们又在假装，其实他们是和我一样有着正常的审美。尤其是当我看到他们并没有让奥卡菲娜出演丹妮莉丝.坦格利安而是让艾米莉亚.克拉克出演时我就知道这又是一个美丽的谎言。他们并非不知道什么是美。他们当然知道。他们知道谁长得美，知道谁是长脖怪。知道正常的审美是什么。只是他们希望重塑大众对美的认知，他们先是重塑审美，然后让性别变的模糊，继而瓦解是非对错，瓦解家庭和道德，瓦解你的修行。我猜这又是魔鬼的伎俩。

灵山居士写于2024年10月25日。

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Destiny Locked by Values

In the past, when I talked to others about precepts, I would ask them after explaining if they could observe these precepts. A few people would always answer without hesitation that they could. Coincidentally, whenever I finished teaching and asked if they understood what I had taught that day, these same individuals would always claim they understood. However, many subsequent events proved that they actually couldn't do it and didn't understand. Later, I gradually discovered that it wasn't just this issue; they often behaved similarly in other matters and in interactions with others. They were accustomed to making casual promises, seeming to agree to everything readily, but never asking for specific details. The end result was always a mess—they either didn't do it well or didn't do it at all. And they would have various excuses and pretexts to brush it off.

After encountering many such people, I slowly realized that the reason they agree to everything so readily isn't because they're easygoing, nor because they understand their own abilities—in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's precisely because they don't understand their own abilities at all that they agree so readily. It's also because they completely don't understand what I'm saying that they think they've understood. In their view, admitting they don't understand is very embarrassing, and repeatedly confirming details is also embarrassing. Because of the image they've created for themselves, they can't accept that they don't understand, nor can they accept that there are things others can do that they can't. For them, answering "I can't do it" or "I don't understand" makes them look incompetent. They need to maintain this image for themselves and others, and over time they really start to believe they are this way. Self-deception and deceiving others are their means of self-protection. They are accustomed to creating a false image in front of others, wanting to appear better and stronger than they actually are, wanting to seem more excellent, resourceful, and capable than others. So they've developed the habit of making casual promises. They think this will make them look better. But it doesn't make you better. It only makes you further from reality, eventually falling into an inextricable situation.

Later, when I encountered such people again, as long as they said they could do it without thinking—I knew basically they couldn't do anything well. If it's not that they don't understand their own abilities, then it's that they're not taking the matter seriously and don't know the gravity of the situation. The reason they make casual promises is that they have no intention of doing many things, so they readily agree. It's like that famous joke where a reporter interviews a farmer: "If you had a million dollars, would you donate it to the country?" The farmer says, "Of course." The reporter then asks, "If you had a car, would you donate it to the country?" The farmer still answers affirmatively. Finally, the reporter asks, "If you had a cow, would you donate it to the country?" The farmer says no. The reporter is puzzled and asks why he can donate a million dollars but not a cow. The farmer says, "Because I actually have a cow." Of course, there's no pressure for things they don't intend to do. In fact, such people aren't just like this in Buddhist communities; they're like this in all situations. They're accustomed to making casual promises, accustomed to creating a false image of being generous and magnanimous. In their view, not observing a Vajrayana precept is no more serious than standing up a friend for a mountain hike. If they don't show up at the agreed time, no one will behead them in the street. But, unfortunately, it's not the same thing; the consequences of standing up a friend and not observing precepts are completely different.

Those who really intend to do it will be very cautious about the issue of precepts. They will ask very detailed questions, asking what specific behaviors this precept refers to, where are the exceptions to this precept? Where are the boundaries of breaking the precept? They will seriously consider whether they can do it, what to do if they can't, and how to repent if they violate it. As for those who respond the fastest saying they can do it, I can't say they never intended to do it from the beginning. I think they want to, but because they're used to making big talk, they don't understand themselves at all; they're very unfamiliar with themselves. So they don't understand their own abilities, and they don't understand the consequences of not being able to do it—or rather, they're unwilling to believe there will be such serious consequences. If a person is unwilling to believe something, they always have a way to make themselves not believe. So they don't treat it as a very serious matter. They often say they have a fluke mentality. I actually don't quite understand their logic. Because they're saying, "Although I'm practicing, although I'm trying to accumulate good causes and eliminate bad causes, karma might not exist." I can't imagine what kind of logical education they've received. Such people always end up making everything a mess.

On one hand, I attribute this to the result of their long-term self-deception. On the other hand, it's also because they've grown up in an environment where saying something doesn't necessarily mean you have to do it. I didn't understand why they were like this before, but after meeting more people and seeing that many of them are like this, I slowly understood why. Because everyone around them doesn't think it's a big deal to say something and not do it. When they say "Let's have a meal together sometime," they don't really intend to have lunch with the other person. So when this habit extends to their spiritual practice, they face serious problems. Because this time, the object they're standing up isn't ordinary people but the Three Jewels and Three Roots. What's worse is that although they may not intend to carry it out, they feel they must say it, and must say it in a high-sounding way, must say it as if it's real. They think this will give them face. If I agreed with someone to go hiking at 6:30 the next morning and I thought I might not be able to get up, at least I would say I might not be able to get up and if I'm not there by the time, don't wait for me. But they would never say that. They would say, "Don't worry, I'll definitely be there on time," and then you wait until the sun is high in the sky and they still haven't shown up.

The power of culture is quite terrifying because it has long been welded tightly to our "self," dignity, habits, values, and other things we cherish so much. We view it as part of ourselves. So in the absence of powerful external forces and strong self-reflection, it's basically impossible to reverse. Asking a person to abandon their existing thought patterns and values is equivalent to cutting off their legs. It requires great courage, insight, and self-reflection ability, and requires the cooperation of both teacher and disciple, which is precisely what most people lack. Because first, for a person to perceive the problems of their own culture requires great insight and courage, and most people get stuck at this step. They are accustomed to blaming their suffering and experiences on others, so it's difficult for them to understand that this is a problem caused by their own values and culture. After the first step, to further associate one's own suffering with these cultures requires super wisdom, and then to make a firm decision to change is a long-term painful process of being ground down. So few people can hold on until the end. Over the years, I've seen many people try to change their fate, but they ultimately couldn't break free from the established thinking and values brought by culture, because these things are tied to their dignity. Once touched, it triggers a strong self-reaction leading to termination. At certain moments, these established thoughts and value systems determine the direction of their fate. They ensure that they make the wrong choice at every critical juncture. It can be said that the culture in them has locked their fate from the very beginning.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on October 3, 2024. First published on October 17, 2024.

灵山居士：被价值观锁定的命运

以前我给别人说戒律的时候，说完之后会问他们这条戒律你们能不能遵守？有几个人总是会毫不犹豫地回答说能遵守。无独有偶的是，每次我讲完法问他们今天讲的能不能听懂的时候，他们几位也总是能听懂。但是后来发生的很多事情证明他们其实是既做不到也听不懂。后来我慢慢发现不止是这件事，他们在其他事上、在和其他人的互动上也经常如此，他们很习惯于随口承诺，每件事他们似乎都会答应的很爽快，但是却从来不问具体细节，最后的结果都是一地鸡毛——他们不是没做好就是完全没做。而且会有各种理由和借口搪塞。

这样的人接触多了我慢慢发现他们之所以什么事都答应的这么爽快不是因为他为人爽快，也不是因为他了解自己的能力——事实恰好相反，正因为他完全不了解自己的能力才会答应的这么爽快。也正是因为他完全听不懂我在讲什么所以才会觉得自己听懂了。在他们看来，回答没听懂是很丢脸的事，反复确认细节也是很丢脸的事。因为他们给自己的人设，他们不能接受自己没听懂，也不能接受有什么事情是别人能做到自己却做不到的。对他们而言，回答“做不到”“没听懂”会让自己看上去很无能。他们需要对自己和他人都保持这样的人设，时间长了他们就会真的相信自己就是这个样子。自欺和欺人是他们自我保护的手段。他们习惯于在人前塑造虚假的形象，他们想让自己看上去比实际情况更好更强大，想让自己看上去比别人更优秀更有资源更有执行力，所以他们养成了随口承诺的习惯。他们以为这会让自己看上去更好。但这不会让你更好。只会让你更加远离真实，最后陷入无法自拔的境地。

后来再遇到这样的人，只要他想都没想就说自己能做到——我就知道基本上他什么也做不好。如果他不是不了解自己的能力那就是他根本没认真对待这件事，不知道这件事的严重程度。他们之所以会随口承诺是因为很多事情他们根本没打算去做，所以才会一口应承下来。就像是那个著名的笑话说的，一个记者采访一个农民：如果你有一百万会将捐给国家吗？农民说当然会。记者接着问如果你有一辆车会捐给国家吗？农民还是肯定的回答。最后记者问：如果你有一头牛会捐给国家吗？农民说不会。记者很奇怪，问他为什么一百万可以捐一头牛却不能捐。农民说因为我真的有一头牛。没打算去做的事情当然不会有什么压力。其实这样的人并不只是在佛教团体里才这样，他们在所有的场合都是这样，他们习惯于随口承诺，习惯于给别人制造自己豪爽大气的假象。在他们看来，不遵守一个金刚乘的戒律的严重程度并不大于和朋友约好一起去爬山最后却爽约了的严重程度。假如在约定的时间他有没出现，也没有人会把他当街斩首。但是，很遗憾，这并不是一回事，对朋友爽约和不遵守戒律所要面临的后果完全不同。

而那些真正打算做的人，他们会很谨慎对待戒律的问题，他们会问的很细，会问这条戒律具体指的是那些行为，会问这条戒律的开遮在哪儿？犯戒的界限在哪儿？会认真考虑自己是否能够做到，万一做不到的话该怎么办？如果有违犯应该如何忏悔？而那些以最快的速度回复说能做到的人，我不能说他们从一开始就压根就没打算去做，我认为他们是想做的，但是因为说惯了大话，导致他们完全不了解自己，他们对自己很陌生。所以他们不了解自己的能力，也完全不了解做不到的后果——或者说他们不愿意相信会有那么严重的后果。假如一个人不愿意相信一件事，他总是有办法让自己不相信。所以他们没把这件事当成很严重的事认真对待。他们经常挂在嘴上的是：有侥幸心理。我其实并不太懂他们的逻辑。因为他们是在说：“虽然我在修行，虽然我在努力累积善因摈除恶因，但是因果也可能是不存在的。”我无法想象他们所受的是一种什么样的逻辑教育。这样的人最后总是会把一切都搞的一塌糊涂。

一方面我会把这归结为他们长期自欺的结果。另一方面也是因为他们从小就生活在一个说了并不一定需要去做的环境里。以前我不了解为何他们会这样，后来接触的人多了，看到他们很多人都是这样，我慢慢明白了为什么会这样。因为他们周围的每个人都不觉得说了不做是什么大事，当他们说“有空一起吃饭”的时候并不真的打算要和对方一起共进午餐。所以，当他们的这种习惯延续到修行上，就会面临严重问题。因为这次他们爽约的对象不是普通人而是三宝三根本。更要命的是，虽然他们可能并不打算去执行，但他们觉得必须要说，还必须要说的冠冕堂皇，必须说的像真的一样，他们觉得这会让自己很有面子。假如我和别人约好第二天早上6点半去爬山而我又觉得自己有可能会起不来至少我会说我有可能会起不来如果到时间我没来你们就别等我了。但是他们��对不会这么说，他们会说放心我一定准时准点到，然后你等到日上三竿他也没有出现。

文化的力量是相当可怕的，因为它早已和我们的“自我”、尊严、习惯、价值观这些我们无比珍爱的东西牢牢焊死在一起。我们视它为自身的一部分。所以在缺乏强大的外力和自身强大的反省力的情况下，它基本上不可能被扭转。要一个人抛弃他既有的思维模式价值观约等于切掉他的两条腿，那需要极大的勇气洞见和反省能力，需要师徒双方通力合作，而这恰好是大多数人所不具备的。因为首先一个人要觉察自身文化的问题就需要极大的洞见和勇气，大多数人在这一步就卡住了。他们习惯于把自己的痛苦和遭遇归罪于他人，所以很难让他们明白这是自己价值观文化所导致的问题。在第一步之后，能再进一步把自己的痛苦和这些文化关联起来需要的是超级智慧，之后能再痛下决心改掉更是一种长期被搓磨的痛苦过程。所以没有几个人能撑到最后。这些年我见过很多尝试扭转命运的人，但是他们最终也没能挣脱文化所带来的既定思维价值观，因为这些东西都是和他们的尊严绑定的，一旦被触碰就会引发自我强烈的反应而导致终止。在某些时刻，这些既定思维和价值体系决定了他们的命运走向。它们确保他们在每一次关键选择上都做出错误的选择。可以说，他们身上的文化从最开始的时候就已经锁定了他们的命运。

灵山居士写于2024年10月3日。首发于2024年10月17日。

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lingshanhermit · 2 months ago

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Lingshan Hermit: Jumping Between the Absolute and the Relative

In 2014, I was at Dzongsar Monastery. One afternoon, the Rinpoche suddenly appeared in the hallway of the reception area without warning. At that time, the monastery was holding a month-long empowerment ceremony, and the reception area was full of people seeking teachings. When the Rinpoche appeared, some were practicing, some were reading, and others were sleeping. But upon seeing the Rinpoche's grand arrival, everyone hurried to get up and greet him. Oddly, one person remained lying in bed until the Rinpoche reached his doorway, with his feet pointing towards the Rinpoche. He wasn't asleep and unaware; he was playing with his phone, for which he was reprimanded by an attendant.

Later, when I mentioned this incident during a teaching, a new student said, "Isn't the Rinpoche a great accomplished master who shouldn't care about such things?" Of course, he doesn't care. He's a saint dwelling in the state of the Great Perfection of luminosity. Whether you stand up or not, his mind won't be affected at all. He won't get angry or upset if you don't stand up. Your not standing up doesn't harm him in any way. But this doesn't mean you shouldn't stand up. Nor does it mean that your lack of manners is correct. As a disciple, you should have the etiquette and decorum of a disciple. When the teacher appears, you should stand up and greet him. This is basic courtesy and protocol. The state of an enlightened being is the state of an enlightened being. Whether they care or not has nothing to do with what you should or shouldn't do. Their not caring doesn't mean you can forgo doing it. Moreover, even among enlightened saints, they pay great attention to various etiquette details between themselves. They don't omit various courtesies just because they think the other "probably doesn't care." If this argument held, then all protocols could be omitted. You wouldn't need to prostrate to him, send him holiday greetings, give him an Italian electric kettle, make offerings to him, or even use respectful language. For enlightened saints, sitting on the floor is no different from sitting on a gilded throne, so why not let him sit on the floor when he visits your home? If you've visited monasteries in Tibet, you'll know that the thrones in the main hall have different heights and positions. During ceremonies, different people sit in different positions based on their seniority and practice. No one stands up and says, "Aren't we all equal?"

I've seen many people who are keen on jumping between the absolute and the relative. When they hurt others, they advise others not to be attached. When others point out problems with their behavior, they express shock: "You actually care about such things? Can such things really make you unhappy?" At these times, they act like great accomplished masters, making you feel like you're overreacting, making you feel that getting angry is your fault, making you feel as inferior as ordinary people, making you feel that although they've taken advantage of you and hurt you, you shouldn't be petty—because as a practitioner, you shouldn't be petty or get worked up over small matters. But if your roles were reversed, if next time they were the ones being hurt, they would immediately switch to the relative mode. At this point, their absolute view and broad-mindedness would all disappear, and they would accuse you and nitpick like ordinary people. I'm really ashamed of such people. I hope none of us will be like this.

So, as a disciple, there are many things you should do. You should send holiday greetings to your teacher, buy him birthday cakes, give him nice phone cases and facial cleansers, and if he visits your home, you should prepare the best tea and snacks. Don't deceive yourself by saying he probably doesn't care about these worldly rules and courtesies, or that he has transcended concepts of good and bad, beautiful and ugly, more or less, and won't be excited by these things. That's just your self-deceptive excuse. Of course, you have the freedom to choose, and I absolutely don't mean to force you. Whether you do these things or not has no impact on him, but it will have a big impact on your future.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on October 13, 2024.

灵山居士：在究竟和相对之间横跳

2014年的时候，我在宗萨寺。有一天午后，上师仁波切忽然无预兆地出现在接待处的楼道里，当时寺里正在举行为期一个月的灌顶法会，接待处住的全都是来求法的人。上师出现的时候，有的人在修法，有的人在看书，还有人在睡觉。但是看到上师大驾光临，每个人都赶忙爬起来问候上师，奇葩的是有个人一直到上师走到自己门口的时候还躺在床上，用脚对着上师，他并不是睡着了不知道，他是在玩手机，他因此而被侍者呵斥。

后来我在某次讲法时说到这件事，有个刚来的学生说上师是大成就者所以应该不会在乎这些吧？他当然不在乎，他是安住在光明大圆满境界的圣者，你起不起身他的心都不会有任何的波动，他不会因为你不起身就生气起嗔心。你不起身对他也没有任何伤害。但这不表示你就可以不起身。也不表示你没有礼貌是对的。你是弟子，那就应该有弟子的礼仪和规矩，当上师出现的时候你就应该起身问候。这是起码的礼节和规矩。证悟者的境界是证悟者的境界，他在乎不在乎和你该做什么不该做什么完全无关。他不在乎，不表示你可以不做。而且即便是证悟的圣者，他们互相之间也非常注重各种礼仪细节。他们没有因为觉得对方“应该不在乎吧”就省去各种礼节。如果这个说法成立的话，那么所有的规矩都可以被省略。你不用向他礼拜，不用给他发节日祝福，不用送他意大利电热水壶，不用供养他，你甚至连敬语都可以省下来。对证悟的圣者而言，坐在地板上和坐在鎏金的法座上并无差别，那他来你家做客的时候你何不让他坐在地板上呢？如果你参观过藏地的寺庙就知道，大殿里的法座是有高矮前后之分的，开法会的时候，不同的人根据不同的资历不同的修行坐的是不同的位置。没有人会站出来说：我们不是平等的吗？

我见过的很多人，他们热衷于在究竟和相对之间横跳。当他们伤害到别人的时候，他们会劝喻别人不要执著。当别人表示他做事情有问题的时候，他们会很震惊地表示：“你居然还在乎这样的事？这样的事情还能让你不高兴？”这个时候他们表现的像个大成就者一样，他们会让你觉得自己反应过度，会让你觉得生气是你的不是，会让你觉得自己像普通人一样差劲，会让你觉得虽然他占了你便宜伤害了你但是你也不应该斤斤计较——因为你是个修行人，所以不应该斤斤计较，不应该为了这点小事而大动肝火。但是假如你们的角色互相对调一下，假如下次受伤害的是他们，他们马上就会切换到相对的模式，这个时候他们究竟的见解和宽广的胸怀全都不见了，他们会指责你，会像凡夫一样锱铢必较。我实在是很为这样的人感到羞愧。希望我们都不要是这样的人。

所以呢，作为弟子，很多事情你都应该去做，你应该给上师发节日祝福，应该给他买生日蛋糕，应该送他好看的手机壳和洗面奶，如果他来你家做客，你应该给他准备最好的茶叶和点心。不要自己骗自己说他应该不在乎这些世俗的规矩和礼仪，或是他已经超越了好坏美丑多少的概念，不会因为这些事情而激动，那不过是你自欺的借口罢了。当然，你有选择的自由，我绝对没有强迫你的意思。你做这些或是不做这些对他而言都没有任何影响，但是对你的未来会有很大的影响。

灵山居士写于2024年10月13日。

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