Chung Tai Shan Magazine #238
佛法講，諸法緣起。我們這個世界上，所有一切都是因緣和合，無論是世間法、出世法，都是仗因託緣產生出來，善果現前是因緣和合，惡果現前也是因緣和合。既然是眾緣和合所生，就沒有自性；沒有自性就是「無我」，沒有一個自主、獨立的主體，不是實在的東西。
Buddhism teaches that all dharmas arise conditionally. Everything in our world, whether worldly or supra-worldly dharma, arises when causes and conditions come together. All things rely on causes and their corresponding conditions to exist: a wholesome effect appears because its causes and conditions come together; an unwholesome effect appears for the same reason. Since all dharmas arise as aggregates of causes and conditions, they have no self-nature. The absence of self-nature is “no-self”, which is to be without an autonomous, independent self and empty of substantial existence.
諸法無我 苦樂原空
All dharmas have no-self. Emptiness inheres in suffering and happiness.
古德有一首詩，也是講這個道理：「有因有緣事易成，有因無緣果不生，不信但看寒江柳，一經春風枝枝新。」春風就是外緣；一棵樹要能夠發芽、開花，必須假藉外面的緣，春天到了，氣候轉好，因緣相遇了，這棵樹就能生長得很好。我們的學業、事業、道業也是如此，必須要因緣和合，才能成就。
The virtuous ancients have a poem about this truth:
“With the right causes and conditions, success comes easily;
With the right causes but not conditions, the fruit cannot appear.
If in doubt, just watch the willows by the winter river.
All grow new leaves when the spring breeze blows.
The spring breeze represents external conditions. If a tree is to sprout or bloom, it must depend on these conditions. When spring comes, the weather improves, and causes unite with their corresponding conditions. Thus, a tree can grow and flourish. The same is true in our studies, careers, and cultivation. Causes and conditions must come together if we are to succeed.
我們這一生當中，一切苦、樂，都是因緣和合所生。緣，有過去的因緣、有現在的因緣。假使過去種了善因、造了善業，今生感得的就是勝報；假使過去造作的是惡因、惡緣、惡業，今生感得的就是惡報。善報現前就是受樂，惡報現前就要受苦。
All the suffering and happiness we experience in this life are due to causes and conditions coming together. Causality includes the past as well as the present. If we planted wholesome causes and created wholesome karma in the past, then the effect that materializes in the present will be favorable. However, if we planted unwholesome causes and created unwholesome conditions and karma, then the effect that appears in this life will be undesirable instead. When a favorable effect appears, we experience joy; when an undesirable effect manifests, we experience suffering.
如果我們這一生得了勝報，得了好的果報，例如學業成就、道業成就、事業成就……在世間來講，有了這些榮譽，得到光榮、稱讚，一定會感到很歡喜、很快樂。這個時候，如果不知道無我的道理，就會對樂境心生貪著；乃至歡喜過頭了，反而樂極生悲。假使明白無我的道理，知道「諸法緣起，緣起性空」，一切都是因緣和合，就絕對不會貪著樂境；進一步，還要懂得把這種勝報、好的果報，回饋、回向給大眾。
Over the course of our lives, we may receive favorable or wholesome results such as academic achievements, a successful career, or spiritual attainments… generally speaking, when we gain certain stature, honors, or acclaim, we typically feel delighted or even overjoyed. At this stage, if we do not understand the truth of no-self, our minds will attach to favorable circumstances or become deluded by joy, where we find “extreme joy begets sorrow.” But if we understand the truth of no-self, that “all dharmas arise conditionally,” that “all conditional arising is empty in nature,” and that all things are effects created by causes and conditions coming together, then we will absolutely not attach to favorable conditions. Moreover, we will know to share and dedicate the wholesome effects of our actions with all sentient beings.
佛法告訴我們：「功德歸三寶，好事給他人，壞事自己檢討。」為什麼「功德歸三寶」？假使沒有三寶，我們也不知道修行；一切功德的成就，都是沾三寶的光明、沾大眾的慈悲，所以要把功德歸三寶。「好事給他人」，做了一件好事，並不是一個人的成就，假使沒有眾緣和合，事情也做不成功。所以成就了這些功德，不我慢貢高，也不心生歡喜，知道這是自己過去種了善因，今生善業因緣成就了，眾緣和合，才感得這麼一個好的果報；雖然是得到了勝報，可是這個因緣也有緣盡的一天，因緣沒有了，果報也就沒有了，並沒有什麼值得歡喜的。
Buddhism teaches us to “dedicate merits to the Three Jewels, attribute credit to other people, but accept and reflect on criticism by ourselves.” Why should we “dedicate merits to the Three Jewels?” If not for the Three Jewels, we would never know cultivation—all the merits we realize thusly are by virtue of the Three Jewels’ guidance and the kindness of sentient beings. Therefore, we must “dedicate merits to the Three Jewels.” When we succeed in performing wholesome deeds, it is never due to our personal efforts alone, so we must “attribute credit to other people.” If not for myriad causes and conditions coming together, our efforts would be fruitless. Therefore, when we gain some merits, do not become arrogant, overly-proud, or indulge in emotional highs. Know that it is because of wholesome causes we planted in the past, and wholesome conditions that manifested in the present. Causes and conditions came together, that is why a wholesome effect appeared. Even so, these causes and conditions will fall apart someday. Without them, the effect also disappears. What is there worth getting overjoyed about?
相反地，假使現在遇到的事情都不順利，總是失敗，也不要垂頭喪氣，不要認為佛菩薩不加被，也不要認為同參道友不來幫忙，這是我們過去所造的惡因、惡緣、惡業現前所感的果報；因緣散掉了，果報也沒有了。一切都是因緣和合，明白諸法從緣生、諸法從緣滅的道理，面對外在一切境界，就能夠看得破、放得下。
On the contrary, if things are not going smoothly, if we have many failures, do not be discouraged. Do not think that buddhas and bodhisattvas have forgotten us and blest us not, or that fellow practitioners are unsupportive. Our situation is the effect brought forth by unwholesome causes, conditions, and karma that we created in the past. Once these causes and conditions fall apart, their effects will also cease to exist. All things are effects of causes and conditions coming together. By understanding that all dharmas arise and cease on account of causal conditions, we will see the reality of all external circumstances and put down our attachments to them.
得失不動 隨緣自在
Unmoved by gain and loss, accord with conditions to enjoy intrinsic freedom.
〈達磨二入四行觀〉云：「得失從緣，心無增減。」「得失從緣」，得到了也不高興，失去了也不煩惱；遇到好的事情也不歡喜，遇到壞的事情也不煩惱。得也是如此，失也是如此，隨順現前的因緣，「心無增減」。
The Essence of Mahayana Practice states, “Knowing that success and failure depend on conditions, the mind [experiences] neither gain nor loss.” When there is success, do not become self-satisfied; when there is failure, do not raise afflictions. Do not become elated in favorable situations, nor distressed in unfavorable ones. Remain unmoved in success and unmoved in failure. Act according to the conditions at hand, with “the mind experiencing neither gain nor loss.”
假使遇到好的事情，得到他人的肯定，就歡喜得不得了，心就有所「增」；遇到不如意的事情，聽到別人在背後講幾句是非話、風涼話，就垂頭喪氣，好像什麼都沒有了、乃至活不下去，這就是「減」，如此不但事情做不好，甚至連道心、菩提心也會退失。
If we encounter favorable situations such as being praised by others, and thus experience an emotional high, then the mind experiences “gain.” If things are not going our way, like when others talk behind our backs, spreading rumors or disparaging us, and we thus hang our heads in dejection, feeling like everything is over, or that life is not worth living, then the mind experiences “loss.” With this attitude, it is not only difficult to succeed, but we may also turn back on the Way and regress from the bodhi mind.
以前蘇東坡先生講「八風吹不動」，也是告訴我們「心無增減」。八風，就是八種境界之風──稱、譏、毀、譽、利、衰、苦、樂。如果始終執著外境，看別人的臉色，這個心隨著外面的好壞境界生生滅滅，心有增減，就屬於眾生境界。現在要把外面的境界風看破、捨掉，外面的名利、取捨、得失，與我沒有關係，人家說我好，我也不高興；人家說我不好，我也不煩惱。這念心不隨外面的境界所轉，就是「心無增減」。心當中沒有增減，就沒有去來；這念心沒有去來，達到如如不動，就是如來，當下就是出世、就是解脫，就能得到真實的利益。知道一切都是因緣和合，都是假相，外面的境界風一來，自己心中還是正智如如，不隨外面的境界所轉，當下這念心就有定力、有智慧，就與菩提道、涅槃道相應，與平等不二這念心相契合，就能契入實實在在的心境。
The poet Su Dongpo claimed to be “unmoved by the eight winds,” which similarly refers to a state where “the mind [experiences] neither gain nor loss.” The eight winds represent eight types of experiential states that can blow our mindfulness away: praise, ridicule, defamation, honor, gain, loss, suffering, and happiness. If we habitually attach to outside circumstances, like behaving based on others’ opinions and giving rise to thought after thought driven by outside situations, then the mind experiences gain and loss—this is the state of sentient beings.
Now, we must learn to see through outside circumstances and relinquish our attachments to them: fame and profit, grasping and rejection, gain and loss—these external things have nothing to do with me anymore. When others praise me, I do not get happy; when others speak ill of me, I do not raise afflictions. If this very mind is not driven by external conditions, that is to “experience neither gain nor loss.”
When the mind experiences neither gain nor loss, then it is neither coming nor going; when the mind neither comes nor goes and is unmoving in suchness, then it is the tathagata. This is to transcend the mundane and reach liberation in the here and now—where we obtain real and substantial benefits. Know that all things arise as aggregates of causes and conditions: they are illusory appearances. When the wind of external conditions blows our way, our minds abide in the wisdom of suchness, not carried away by these conditions. Then, this very mind present now has samadhi power and wisdom, and resonates with the Way of bodhi and with the Way of nirvana. Being in tune with the state of equality and non-duality, we realize the mind that is ultimate reality.
我們的人生，不外乎一個勝報、一個衰報。衰報就是苦，勝報就是樂。在苦樂當中，能夠把這個心安住下來，就屬於聖位，否則就仍是凡夫。修行，就要在這念因心上用功。苦報現前，我們不憂愁、不煩惱；樂報現前，我們也不歡喜，這念心就是解脫，就能得自在。依著這個道理去修，生活中處處都是佛法。這就是真正的佛法。
Our life experiences can be understood as favorable results and undesirable outcomes. Undesirable outcomes bring suffering, while favorable results bring happiness. When we can bring lasting peace to the mind in the midst of suffering and happiness, that is a state of sages. Otherwise, we are still ordinary beings. Cultivation is to practice on this very mind as the cause. When circumstances bring suffering, we must not be dejected or raise afflictions. When they bring happiness, we should not indulge in joy. Then, this very mind is liberation—it will enjoy intrinsic freedom. If we practice according to this teaching, then every aspect of our lives will be filled with Buddhadharma. This is the true Dharma.