放下瞋心　快乐知足
Letting Go of Anger Brings Happiness and Contentment

文／美国佛宝寺英文研经禅修班学员　法道

　　数周前，我在新闻报导中看到一则令人愤慨的社会新闻，当时自己并没有觉察到什么，但六岁的女儿注意到我看电视时的反应，便问我：「他们为什么都这么生气？」这个简单的问题，却让我深思佛法的教义，以及如何将佛法应用于生活中。

　　自己开始思惟贪、瞋、痴三毒和苦的关联，更进一步检视这三毒是如何不知不觉地出现，并显现在言行中。虽然我的修行还不完美，但仅仅是能注意到自己瞋心的生起，对我就有很大的帮助了。能觉察、觉照到瞋怒的感受和心念，让我开始学会放下。

　　我常常认定事情应该依着某个方式进行，但却往往事与愿违，这时瞋心便会悄然生起。一开始是不耐烦，接着便扩散到更多念头，进而影响自己和他人的谈话，以及生活中的各种经历。

　　然而，当我能保持正念并提起觉性，进而以慈悲心来化解瞋恚时，便开始体认到瞋心对自己及对事情所造成的伤害。就如一句谚语所说：紧抓着热煤碳想丢向他人，唯一被烫伤的只有自己。一旦自己能从愤怒中抽离，就能自在地做出选择和处理。处理的方式，有时我会关掉新闻，转而花更多时间陪伴家人；有时会试着用和平的方式来表达自己认为重要的信念；有时则会以学习有趣的事情来化除瞋心。因为懂得用各种方式化除瞋恚烦恼，就能用更开阔的心胸与意见相左的人谈话，而依然觉得自在。

　　虽然自己在修行上，离有所成就仍有一段距离，但这些学习放下瞋心的经验，让自己不论在什么境界当中，都能感到知足与快乐；也更能体会到，自己面对境界，是能选择、能作主的。人生，就掌握在自己的一念之间。

　　（Several weeks ago, I saw an outrageous news in a national news report. I wasn’t aware of it but my six-year-old daughter noticed my reaction as I watched the TV and simply asked me, “Why are they all so angry?” It was a simple question but it made me reflect on the Dharma teachings and how it may apply in my life.

　　I thought about the concept of greed, anger and ignorance as connected to suffering. I considered how this manifests in me and how it sneaks up on me. Although I’m not perfect, simply noticing that anger arising has been helpful. Being mindful and aware that angry feelings and thoughts are occurring paradoxically helps me to let it go.

　　Often I have thoughts that things should be a certain way when often times they aren’t. Sometimes this is when the anger starts to subtly creep up on me. Often it starts as annoyance and then starts to permeate my thoughts. It enters my conversations with other people and it starts to color my experience.

　　However, when I can be mindful and bring some awareness and then eventually some compassion to the anger, I start to realize how much damage it’s doing to me and to what end. It’s like the saying about grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. Once I can untangle my thoughts from the anger, it frees me to make choices on how I want to deal with it. Sometimes I deal with it by turning off the news and spending more time with family. Sometimes I try to advocate for purposes I feel are important in peaceful ways. Other times I learn something that’s interesting. Because I know how to use various ways to get rid of anger, I can be more open to having conversations with people I disagree with and it is still okay.

　　I am far from perfect at this but I have these experiences or moments of learning to let go of hatred that give me a sense of contentment and happiness despite the circumstances. I feel more of a sense that I have a choice on how I want to deal with situations. Life is in the hands of one’s own thoughts.）