布施的故事 A Story of Giving（中英文字幕 English subtitle）-- 美佛寺性仁法師講佛教故事 Venerable Xingren

布施心易發，相續心難持！
It's easy to initiate a giving mind, but hard to persist.
2022.08.14 宣講於洛杉磯美佛寺
有這麼一個年輕人到寺院，問寺裡面的方丈和尚：『我做布施、我做放生、我參加印經、參加各式各樣的法會，做了種種的功德。為甚麼佛祖沒有保佑我呢？為甚麼觀音菩薩沒有罩著我呢？為甚麼我的生活還是如此地不如意呢？為甚麼我老是那個倒霉的人呢？』方丈被他的問題給問住了，不知道如何解釋。畢竟，姜還是老的辣。這個老和尚非常地有智慧，當下就反問這個年青人，問他：『除了你倒霉，你覺得誰倒霉會更合適呢？難道要師父倒霉嗎？難道要家裡面的父母親替你倒霉嗎？』這個年青人一想，經過一番地如理思維，覺得也對。菩薩為度眾生，為了凡夫眾生受苦受業受累受報。甚至有時候不惜身命，肝腦塗地。我不入地獄誰入地獄，我不倒霉誰倒霉？這個方丈和尚真的很有智慧，接著，看著沒有蓋好的大雄寶殿，當下靈機一動。於是從口袋裡面掏出一百塊錢，遞給這個年青人，跟這個年青人說：『請你用這一百塊錢，幫我完成大雄寶殿的建設』。這個年輕人當下非常地驚訝：『現在的物價是如此地昂貴，一百元怎麼可能夠呢？』方丈和尚接著開示說：『那你幾次的發心，怎麼可能消除你累生累世的罪業呢？』更何況我們閻浮提眾生舉心動念，無非是業，無非是罪。我們還在繼續造罪造業的過程當中。這個時候年輕人終於明白，知道接下來該怎麼做，於是笑著告別了方丈和尚。諸位同修，這個道理是非常地簡單。就像我們布施一次，我們大家就想發大財，就想做大官，甚至想要消除我們累生累劫以來的慳貪之心。我跟諸位同修講，那是不可能的事情。我們要怎麼樣布施呢？要怎麼樣布施才能夠圓滿我們的布施波羅蜜呢？我跟諸位同修講，布施要養成習慣。我們要慢慢地去布施，慢慢地去除我們內心的慳貪。因為無始劫以來，我們內心的這個貪心已經根深蒂固，不是我們布施一次兩次，就能夠徹底根除的。都說『布施心易發，相續心難持』。還真的是如此。我特別感恩一些護法一直以來的護持和布施。她們雖然布施的金錢不多，但每個月、每個星期，她們都會發長遠之心，慢慢地布施，讓布施養成生活的一個習慣。感恩大家，阿彌陀佛！
A young man went to a temple and asked the chief abbot in the temple, "I do charity, release animals, participate in printing sutras, participate in all kinds of dharma assemblies, and I do all kinds of meritorious deeds. Why doesn't the Buddha bless me? Why doesn't Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva protect me? Why is my life so unsatisfactory? Why am I always the unlucky person?" The abbot couldn't answer his question and did not know how to explain it. After all, ripe ginger is spicier. This old monk is very wise, and he immediately asked the young man, "If not you, who do you think is more suitable to be unlucky? Do you want me to be unlucky? Do you want your parents at home to be unlucky for you?" This young man thought about it, and after some rational thinking, he felt that it was right. To save sentient beings, Bodhisattvas suffer pains, karma, toil, and retributions for ordinary beings. Sometimes even risk their lives and do whatever it takes. If I don't go to hell, who will, and if I don't take bad luck, who will? This abbot monk was really wise, next, he looked at the unfinished Mahavira Palace and got an idea. So, he took out a hundred dollars from his pocket, handed it to the young man, and said to the young man, "Please use this one hundred dollars to help me complete the construction of the Mahavira Hall." The young man was very shocked at the moment, "The current price is so high, how can 100 dollars be possibly enough?" The abbot then taught him and said, "Then with only a few times of contributions, how can you eliminate your sin karma accumulated over many past lives?" Not to mention that when we, beings in Jambudi, have any thoughts, they are nothing but bad karma and sin. We are still in the process of committing sin and karma. At this time, the young man finally understood and knew what to do next, so he said goodbye to the abbot with a smile. Fellow practitioners, this principle is very simple. Just like when we give out once, we then want to make a lot of money, be high officials, and even eliminate our minds of greed from many past lives and kalpas. I tell you fellow practitioners that it is impossible. How should we give? How should we give to accomplish our giving paramita? I tell you fellow practitioners that you need to cultivate a habit of giving. We have to give gradually and remove the greed in our hearts gradually. Because for beginningless kalpas, this greed in our hearts has been deeply ingrained, and it cannot be completely eradicated with one or two donations. It is said that "It's easy to initiate a giving mind, but hard to persist." This is really true. I am especially grateful to some supporters for their continued support and generosity. Although they don't have much money to give, every month or every week, they develop a long-term heart and continue the giving, so that giving is cultivated as a habit of life. Namaste, Amitabha!