5 November 2016
於第十六世嘉華噶瑪巴圓寂紀念日，十七世大寶法王嘉華噶瑪巴對慈悲心的開示
佛曆7世紀上半葉的月稱大菩薩，在其代表著作《入中論》曰（Introduction to the Middle Way)：
「聲聞中佛能王生，諸佛復從菩薩生，大悲心與無二慧，菩提心是佛子因」
偉大佛教哲學導師月稱菩薩的這偈頌是我每日祈禱和修行的一部分，不只因為我是佛教徒 – 而是皆因作為人。這偈頌說出了我的心識，這使我認同、明白和同意「愛能征服一切」的說法是合情理的。也就是說，這四句偈頌是我日常修習的一部分，因為它們是真實的。
為什麼我會這樣說？皆因真正的關愛是最終真正重要、真正值得做的事情。只有透過真誠的關愛，我們才能找到快樂。 「真誠」是無條件的，「快樂」是從任何形式的焦慮和痛苦中解脫，在佛學用詞就是從業力和煩惱（痛苦情緒）中解脫。
在這無常和短暫、不能預測的生命，唯一有意義的東西而我們可以實現的就是慈悲。慈悲是我們可以留給別人唯一重要的東西，這也是我們唯一可以跟隨著自己重要的東西。無論我們可以積聚多麼的權力，金錢財富和名聲，在我們生命的終結，和在一個生命到另一個生命的旅程時，慈悲是我們唯一可以隨身和贈與他人的東西。
慈悲違反邏輯和生活常規，它超越了生、老、病、死。慈悲是唯一可以幫助我們理解生命這四個階段並不可怕，而是真理、無常和本然。因此，它幫助我們找到勇氣去活出有意義的生命。忽然間，通過認識和接受生命的無常，我們發現更多的快樂，更多生命的意義。
慈悲誕生了非凡的聖人，如阿羅漢和辟支佛。他們跟我們一樣都是從凡夫開始，但是勇氣使他們捨棄我執，我執乃生命憂慮的根源，也是傷害所有眾生的源頭。慈悲也誕生了其他偉大聖人，如佛菩薩，即使祂們知道眾生是無量的，勇氣讓祂們與所有眾生分享慈悲的體驗 。
因此，如果我們要珍惜生命中的任何東西，僅慈悲心而已。無條件的慈悲，像一個母親對她唯一的孩子的愛。為了孩子，母親甚至願意犧牲自己的生命。這個孩子未來可能會成為怎樣的人？這樣的問題，在母親的愛和慈悲裡，都變得毫無關係。
讓我們視人身為一種珍貴的存在，它使我們不是明年、不是明天，而是此時此刻此地珍惜這樣寶貴的特質。
第十七世大寶法王嘉華噶瑪巴泰耶多傑
Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, shares the following teaching on compassion, on the anniversary of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa’s paranirvana.
Mahabodhisattva Chandrakirti, who lived in the first half of the seventh century CE, started his famous work, the Madhyamikavatara (“Introduction to the Middle Way”) with the lines:
“Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas are born from the Muni king;
Buddhas are born from bodhisattvas;
And, from the mind of compassion, non-duality and Bodhicitta, bodhisattvas are born.”
This particular quote by the great Buddhist master Chandrakirti is a part of my daily prayers and practices, not just because I’m a Buddhist – but because I am a human being. The quote speaks to my consciousness, which allows me to recognize, understand, and accept that the saying ‘love conquers all’ is justified. In other words, these four lines are part of my daily practice because they are true.
Why? Because, ultimately, what really matters, what is worthwhile, is genuine care. It is only through genuine care that we can find joy. ‘Genuine’ means unconditioned, and ‘joy’ means being free from all forms of anxiety and pain, which in Buddhist terms means being free from karma and klesha (afflictive emotions).
In this ever-changing and brief, abrupt life, the only meaningful thing that we can achieve is compassion. Compassion is the only substantial thing we can leave behind for others, and it’s the only substantial thing that we can take with us. No matter how great the power, the financial fortune, the fame that we might amass, at the end of our life’s chapter, and on the journey from one life to another, compassion is the only gift that we can take with us and pass on to others.
Compassion defies the logic and laws of life, transcending birth, ageing, illness and death. Compassion is the only quality that can help us understand these four stages of life not as something terrible but as truth, impermanence, and nature. Therefore, it helps us to find courage to live meaningful lives. Suddenly, through knowing and accepting the impermanence of life, we discover much more joy, much more purpose in life.
Compassion gives birth to extraordinary beings, such as the Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. These are individuals just like ourselves, but who achieve the courage to let go of the source of life’s anxiety: the ego, which harms all sentient beings. Compassion also gives birth to other extraordinary beings, such as the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, who develop the courage to share the experience of compassion with all sentient beings – even though they know that there is no limit to the number of sentient beings.
Therefore, should we wish to cherish anything in life, it should be none other than compassion. A compassion that is unconditioned, like a mother’s love for her only child. For her child’s sake, a mother is willing to sacrifice even her own life. What kind of person might this child might become in the future? Such a question is irrelevant when it comes to a mother’s love and compassion.
May we see our human existence as a precious human existence, which will enable us to cherish qualities like this, not next year, not tomorrow but right here, right now.
Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa
（中文翻譯由本中心翻譯小組負責。若有錯漏，請見諒。節錄或載列文章內容以原文為準。）
