文／佛光星雲（1927～）

一片菜葉值幾何？凡夫的心用少許銅錢去計量，聖賢的心則以無盡的因緣去愛惜。一生的困乏亨通，點點滴滴都是有因有緣，當怨尤果報時，應當思惟，昨日種下的因緣。

惜福是愛惜我們開墾的福田，不被貪瞋痴三惡牛踐踏禾苗；

結緣則是為我們聚合春風雨露的資糧，使我們的心田開花結果。

愛惜自己的福報，就是珍惜自己的現在；

廣結人間的善緣，就是豐富自己的未來。

玫瑰一時虛榮滿足，松樹久藏曖曖光釆，我們應如松的生命，懂得把外境的侵犯和毀傷，轉換成煦陽的溫暖、和風的清涼。

──選自《人生的階梯》

Infinite Causes and Conditions

Venerable Master Hsing Yun (1927 - )

English translation: Venerable Zhi Yue

How much value is there in a vegetable leaf? An ordinary person would say it costs only a few dollars, but the wise would cherish it as a product of infinite causes and conditions. Every aspect of life, from difficulties to prosperity, all have numerous causes and conditions. Instead of complaining about results, we should reflect on our own past causes and conditions.

To cherish our blessings is to treasure present conditions, while forming affinities with others fosters future conditions. Cherishing our blessings can be likened to loving and caring for a plot of land. It also prevents the three poisons─greed, aversion, and ignorance─from smothering the seedlings that we have planted. On the other hand, forming affinities with others can be likened to fertilizing the land as it gives our hearts a more bountiful harvest.

Just as the rose indulges in an instant’s beauty and the unpresuming pine preserves its glory against the test of time, we should learn to transform the harsh environment into the conditions of the warm sun and the refreshing breeze.

── from Rensheng De Jieti

(The Stairway of Life)