文／星雲大師

慈悲就如一座橋梁，人際間藉著它來達到溝通順暢。如果我們每天都能心存慈悲地出門，那麼無論行到何處，都會有讓人歡喜、如沐春風的感覺，自然通行無礙。



Once upon a time, a young man named Ralph, went to the temple to seek advice from a Buddhist monk. Ralph was having problems at work. He couldn’t relate to his colleagues and was wondering if he should just simply quit.

The monk looked at Ralph and asked,“Last time you were here, you mentioned that you rescued an injured dog you found by the roadside. Can you tell me again how you rescued him?”

Remembering the dog, Ralph’s face lit up and he retold the rescue, “Well I was walking home, and it was raining. I saw the puppy, he looked weak, injured, and was just lying on the side of the road. I couldn’t just leave it there, so I brought it home. And fed it and treated its injuries.”

The monk asked, “How's the dog doing now?”

Ralph, still smiling, continued, “He’s completely healed and healthy now! I decided to keep him, and named him Einstein because he is very smart. Well, Einstein is a great dog. When I come home from work, and he hears the door, he would fetch me my slippers!”

Sensing Ralph’s joy at talking about his dog, the Monk replied, “Sounds like you two get along really well.”

Ralph nodded in reply, “Yes of course. We have a great connection. We communicate all the time. We understand each other. And we love each other.”

The monk nodded, and said, “It is because, from the very beginning, you were compassionate towards him. Although you and your dog are different in many ways, you get along because you love him very much. Keeping that in mind, if you treat your colleagues with the same compassion and kindness, then communicating with them isn’t difficult. Compassion is like a bridge between people. It connects them and brings them closer together. Why don’t you give your job a second chance? See if things change for the better?”



有一次，一位信徒帶著她的孩子上山來找法師，請求協助。原來是她的孩子，今年剛從學校畢業，進入社會工作。可是，才做沒多久，就想要換工作，問其原因，兒子滿臉痛苦地對媽媽說：「辦公室裡的人，實在很難溝通。」

憂心的母親掛念兒子的前程，心想：「如果第一關都不能突破，將來人生旅程的挫折還很多，他要怎麼面對？總不能一年到頭都在換工作啊！」這位信徒便請師父幫忙，看看有沒有辦法可以讓孩子和同事溝通？

師父對這男孩說：「我記得你家裡好像養了一隻小狗？」

他很得意回答：「是啊，那是我養的。」

師父又問：「這條狗是怎麼來的？」

「哦，那是在一個下雨的夜裡，我走在回家的路上，忽然看到一隻受傷的小狗，躺在路邊淋雨，心中十分不忍，於是就把牠帶回來飼養。後來，牠的傷好了，也不離開，就住下來。這條狗十分善解人意，當我回到家，牠就會咬拖鞋來給我穿！」

看著這個年輕孩子，眉飛色舞地談起這隻狗，法師就說：「那你和這條狗一定很能處得來。」

「是啊，是啊，因為我們能溝通啊！牠都能了解我的意思，所以我也很喜歡牠。」

「這是因為一開始你就以慈悲心接納牠。所以，雖然人和狗的形體不同、語言不同、動作不同，可是你們還是可以溝通、相處，而且你也很愛護牠呀！」

法師接著又說：「同樣的道理，假如我們對辦公室裡的人，也能夠以一顆慈悲心、愛心，來和他們相處，這樣一來要不溝通也難。再說，人跟狗之間，沒有共同的語言，都能夠溝通了，為什麼人與人之間有了共同的肢體、語言、生活方式、起居作息，反而不能溝通呢？因此，如果我們能夠以慈悲心為出發點，來接納別人，溝通不良的狀況自然會減少。回去以後，你不妨試試看！」

（摘自《星雲說喻01（中英對照版）》，香海文化出版）



星雲大師

1967年創建佛光山，樹立「以文化弘揚佛法，以教育培養人才，以慈善福利社會，以共修淨化人心」四大弘法宗旨，以「人間佛教」為宗風，先後在世界各地創建300餘所道場，創辦多所美術館、圖書館、出版社、書局、人間福報、雲水醫院，興辦佛教學院16所、中學3所，以及西來、南華、佛光、南天、光明5所大學及人間佛教研究院。2023年，大師住世緣盡，淨業圓滿，享耆壽97，被奉為佛光堂上第一代開山祖師，留遺偈：「心懷度眾慈悲願，身似法海不繫舟﹔問我一生何所求，平安幸福照五洲。」