文／美国佛心寺研经禅修班学员　法康

　　对这个地球上所有的人来说，过去的一年半是极具挑战性的时期。新冠肺炎病毒初袭美国时，我感到困惑不解，不懂这个病毒为什么会如此危险？真正让我了解病毒传播危险的是佛心寺的法师，我也从而学习到保护自己与他人的重要。

　　这一段时日里，我关注于世界的相互关联。世界各地的人正承受着被病毒危害的相同命运，这证实了业网将我们牢系在一起。同时，我也观察「封城」对地球上其他生物造成的影响。少了人类的活动，河水变得清澈，自然界万物开始蓬勃生长，这证明一切万物息息相关。

　　我被恐惧与愤怒所困扰，但透过静坐与佛法，我平和坦诚地面对造成自己痛苦的原因。当恐惧、愤怒时，透过静坐，我认知到是自己内心的三毒与我执造成这些苦。认清这个事实，使我顿时从困扰中得解脱。

　　最让我惊讶，并觉得极重要的是，我学习到「慈悲」的重要。因为心中把对方看作「他人」，我对他们的愤怒、贪婪、无知，感到不能忍受。透过静坐修慈悲观，放下自己的想法，一念的慈悲让我看见他们的恐惧，进一步将功德回向给他们。我真切地知道修慈悲观改变了我。

　　因缘法与无常观，在这一段历程中对我也有所助益。了解无常的道理，使我不执着于自己的感觉与想法，因而心得到平静。当我勤勉地禅修与学习，觉察、觉照力有了提升，更能有助于觉悟，唯有觉悟这念心，才是最究竟的。觉悟，帮助我得以摒除错误的知见，更能运用慈悲心善待自己与他人，降伏妄念，而不被妄念牵引。

　　感恩中台禅寺，让许多人得以知道佛法。很荣幸自己能成为其中的一员，祝福大众。

　　（The past year and a half have been a challenging time for human beings on this planet. Initially, when COVID-19 reached the United States, I was confused and unsure as to why it was so dangerous. The master at Buddha Mind is the person who helped me understand some of the possible dangers that could happen as the virus spread and helped me understand the importance of protecting ourselves and others.

　　During this time, I concentrated on the interconnectedness of the world. The whole world was suffering from the same consequences of the disease. It was a demonstration to me of just how our karma is tied together. I also spent a lot of time contemplating how “shutting down” effected the other sentient beings on the planet. The waters became clearer, and all of nature began to thrive in our absence. Again, the proof of the interconnectedness of all sentient beings became an undeniable truth to me.

　　I struggled with feelings of anger and fear but through meditation and the Buddha's teachings, I was able to be gentle and honest with myself about what was creating my suffering. As I sat with the anger and fear, I was able to recognize how the three poisons and my ego were creating the suffering. Acknowledging this truth brought immediate relief.

　　One of the most surprising and important parts is the importance of compassion. When I viewed people as “others”, I struggled with being impatient and intolerant of their anger, greed and ignorance. Through sitting meditation, my practice provides me the tools to stop my thinking and examine from a place of compassion. I can see their fear. I have learned how practicing compassion, offering well wishes and merits to those I view as “wrong”, I know with certainty the practice changes mine.

　　Other concepts that have been useful to me during this journey are causality and impermanence. Understanding impermanence helps me. By not attaching to my feelings and beliefs about how I think things should be, I experience peace. When I am diligent in my practice of meditation and studies, my mindfulness increases. Mindfulness creates awareness and awareness is the key. Awareness helps me correct and challenge faulty beliefs, practice compassion for myself and others and deal with thoughts as they arise instead of allowing the thoughts to direct and control me.

　　Thanks to Chung Tai Chan Monastery that work on making the words of the Buddha available to so many. I am honored to be a part of this community and send nothing but love and blessing to all.）