I would like to talk about ways to maintain health from a Buddhist perspective. Practise visualisation often: Using your inner vision to examine your own body is very beneficial to your health.
给大家谈谈佛法养生之道。你们要经常观想，就是用自己心里的眼睛来看自己的身体，对身体非常有益。
Visualise the head: Regularly visualise your head as sane and clear. One must be clear-headed. As it is often said, “Keep a cool head”.
观想头，经常观想自己的头脑非常清醒。人的头脑一定要清，常言道，头脑要清醒。
Visualise the heart: Regularly visualise your heart as red, and surrounded by red blood.
观想心，经常观想自己的心是红色的。心是被血包围着的，血是红色的。
Visualise the lungs: Visualise your lungs as white and clean. Feel the purity of white, and your lungs will get better. When you smoke, have fluid in the lungs or suffer from lung inflammation, they become black.
观想肺，观想自己的肺很白净，当你观想自己的肺时，自己感觉很白，这个肺会越来越好。抽烟、肺积水、有炎症等时肺是黑色的。
Visualise the kidneys: Visualise your kidneys as warm, but not hot. When the kidneys are excessively hot or cool, the urinary system will develop problems.
观想肾脏，观想自己的肾脏是温的。肾脏一定要保持温，不要让它过热。过热或过凉泌尿系统就会出问题。
Visualise your essence: For men, one’s essence must be contained. For women, this refers to vitality, while for men, the essence is innate. The essence must be contained, meaning that one must use their primal spirit to contain their essence. Our primal spirit is very important. Many men’s eyes appear dispirited or lacking in vigour. In fact, these are the signs of poor essence, which has a negative effect on one’s energy levels. When the essence is uncontained, one will become dispirited. If a man is free of unwholesome thoughts, his essence will be exuberant, and he will be full of vigour. Dispirited eyes indicate that the person’s essence is not contained.
观想精，精要元固（指男性）。女性讲的是精神，男性讲的是精。精元固，这个固不是真正坚固的固，是要用你的元神守住你的精。元神很重要，许多男人的眼睛没有光亮，无神，其实是精已经不好了，精不好就影响神气，即精不固，神不爽。男人如果不动坏脑筋，他的精力就会很旺盛，这个人就有精神。眼睛没有神的人，实际上他的精就不固了。
Visualise the stomach: Regularly visualise that your stomach is harmonious. At normal times, refrain from eating too much or too little.
观想胃，经常观想自己的胃很和，即很平和。平时不能吃的过多或过少。
Visualise the liver: Visualise your liver operating smoothly. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the term “stagnation of the liver qi” means the energy of the liver is not flowing smoothly. The liver is very important as it plays a role in blood cell production. Therefore, the free flow of liver qi must be ensured, while gallstones must be removed. Regular visualisation can help get rid of gallstones. It is believed that as people reach middle age, the chance of developing gallstones becomes higher.
观想肝，观想自己的肝很舒畅。中医上常讲肝气不舒，就是说不舒畅，肝很重要，肝是造血的，所以肝一定要舒，胆石一定要消，经常观想消掉胆石。医学上讲一个人经过二十年后，胆一定会有结石。
Visualise the intestines: Regularly visualise that your intestines are soft, moist and lubricated. If they are not, disease is likely to follow.
观想肠，经常观想自己的肠子很柔润，如果肠子不润，一定会有病症，所以肠子要永远都很润滑。
Visualise the spleen: Regularly visualise the invigorating nature of your spleen. If it’s unhealthy, there will be a lot of side-effects.
观想脾脏，经常观想自己的脾脏很健康。脾脏不健康就会带来很多后遗症。
In conclusion, visualise a clear head, white lungs, red heart, warm kidneys, a contained essence, a harmonious stomach, moist intestines, a smooth liver, an invigorating spleen and dissolving gallstones.
总结起来就是，头清，肺白，心红，肾温，精元固，胃要和，肠要润，肝要舒，脾要健，胆石要消。
Also, contemplate this sentence often: “I am skilful at nourishing my great and righteous energy, as it pervades the space between Heaven and earth.” Everybody must nurture their energy, but that energy must be the great and righteous kind. Be a virtuous person and receive the righteous energy that exists in the space between Heaven and earth. We keep our feet firmly on the ground and our heads up high to receive this righteous energy. We simply must possess the great energy of righteousness.
大家要经常想“吾善养吾浩然正气，浩浩乎塞乎天地之间”。谁都要养自己的气，但一定要养自己的浩然正气，要做一个堂堂正正的人，接天地之正气。我们人脚踏在地上，头顶在天上，接天地之正气，做人一定要有浩然正气。
How should we recite mantras so that it is effective? Reciting mantras is the reciting of Buddhist scriptures. Short scriptures are known as mantras, while long scriptures are known as sutras. When reciting mantras, the words should be uttered in a pure and calm manner: intentions must be boundless, and the texts are esoteric and beyond interpretation. When reciting sutras, your recitation must be clear, your mind at peace, and the texts heard clearly. You will get the best results from reciting sutras with a calm, peaceful state of mind. When you recite with unbounded thoughts, your thoughts are expanded and become immeasurable and limitless.
怎样念咒有效果？念咒语，其实就是念经。短的称为咒，长的称为经。念咒语要清静语，要无量意，要密不可译。念经要念得干净，心要安静，经文要听得清楚。心静的时候念经的效果最好。用无量意念经时，你的意念是无量无边的。
Why is it unnecessary to understand the sutras? It’s because the texts are esoteric, and beyond translation and comprehension. Like a code, do no try to comprehend what its meaning is. Just follow them and recite. Bodhisattvas’ heart mantras are not something that can be comprehended by mortals. It is similar to relaying code over a telegram – you don’t have to question why the numbers of the code are arranged in the way they are, or wonder what it means. If you understand them incorrectly, the effectiveness of your recitation will be adversely affected. Therefore, one can only rely on transliteration rather than translation. Furthermore, sutras and mantras are the true words of the Bodhisattva, so how could anybody understand them with a human’s intellect? Therefore, those reciting must take note that only transliteration is possible, by pronouncing the text using the phonetic sound of each character. When senior monks explain sutras and mantras, they are also only explaining the superficial meaning of them. After all, how many people can truly comprehend the underlying meaning of Bodhisattvas’ sutras and mantras?
为什么经文不一定要去理解它？因经文密不可译，密不可解。它像一个密码一样，不要去理解它的意思，只要照着念就可以了。菩萨的心咒不是凡人能理解的，犹如发电报的密码，不用知道为什么这几个数字要放在一起，是什么意思。如果理解错了，反而会影响念经的效果。只能音译，不能意译。经咒都是菩萨的真言，怎能用人间的智慧来解释？念经的人千万要记住只能音译，如字的发音。高僧大德给你们讲解的经咒，也只不过是表面上的含义，菩萨经咒的真正内涵能有几人理解？
Why does the effect of recitation vary among individuals?
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Difference in karma and difference in negative karmic force: The negative karmic force faced by each individual is different, which leads to differences in the effectiveness of their recitations. For those who have done many unwholesome deeds, their recitation will have little effect. In other words, the heavier one’s negative karma, the less effective their recitation will be.
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Differences in thoughts: When reciting sutras, different thinking will lead to different recitation effects. The more your mind wanders and becomes distracted during recitation, the less effective it becomes.
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Differences in the ocean of sounds: Differences in the vocal sounds people make when reciting sutras produces differences in the sound waves that are emitted. Therefore, the effectiveness of the recitation varies. When performing recitations, your voice should resonate like the sound of a large bell – such as the way you can hear the surging waves of the sea. If you have poor health, you will lack the energy to perform recitation and it will be ineffective. When you are happy, reciting sutras and mantras will make you even happier, and your recitation will be effective. When you open your mouth and start to chant, your eyes should be wide open because you want to integrate your thoughts, your mind and your spirit with nature. In other words, you should open your eyes at the start of your recitation, because the scriptures act as a conduit between Heaven and earth to help you unite with nature. Afterwards, a ray of light will appear in front of your eyes – another reason you should always start reciting with your eyes open. Then, as you recite, gradually and slowly close your eyes. For your recitation to be effective, you must enter a state in which you forget about your body and mind entirely. That is, recite the sutras and mantras to the point at which your mind ceases to think and your body no longer exists. Then, you are no longer “yourself” – you have become one with Heaven and earth.
每个人念经的效果为什么会不一样？
第一，因果不同，孽力不同。因每个人的孽力不同，念经的效果就不同。造孽很多的人念经的效果就不好，即孽力越深，念经效果越差。
第二，意念不同。念经时脑子里想的东西不一样，念经的效果就不一样。如果念经时脑子里乱想，杂念多，念出的效果就差。
第三，音声海不同。念经的声音不同，传出的声波不同，念经的效果就不同。念经的声音要像洪钟，像大海的波涛一样汹涌澎湃。譬如：身体不好，念经时就没有力量，没有力量念出的经就没有效果。如果你很开心时，就会越念越开心，念出的经效果就好。开口念诵，当嘴巴开始念经时，眼睛要睁开，因为你要把你的想法，你的心，你的灵和自然界融为一体。也就是说要睁开眼睛念经，因经文是接天地的，让你自己与自然融合为一体，然后你的眼前会呈现出一片光明。因此开始念经时先把眼睛睁开，然后慢慢念，慢慢把眼睛闭上。念经想要有效果，就要念到身心俱忘，也就是说念到心不去想，身体也没有了，这时不是你自己了，就会和天地融为一体。
How to perform recitations so it can be effective?
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You must find the right way to solve a problem. If the sutra you recite doesn’t suit the problem you want to deal with, it won’t be effective.
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You must relax, be at peace and smile gently. When reciting sutras, you should recite to the point that you are filled with Dharma bliss and almost burst with joy.
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You must visualise and listen to your voice. When reciting sutras, you should concentrate, visualise Guan Yin Bodhisattva, and listen to your voice. Listening to the sound of your recitation helps to stop your mind from wandering.
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Visualise that you are surrounded by innumerable rays of bright, golden light that the Bodhisattvas shine upon you. How many of you could think about that when performing recitation? You should visualise the innumerable rays of golden light that shine upon you, illuminating your lungs as white and your heart as red. That is how you apply the Buddha-dharma in real life. Wisdom is like a cluster of light. Normally, people’s minds are scattered and difficult to form into shape. However, your cleverness and intellect are a cluster of light. If it’s scattered and there are too many distracting thoughts, wisdom won’t arise. To become wise, first your mind must be calm. Only with calm and peace can you gather the light of wisdom.
怎样念经才能起效果？
1）要对症下药，你念的经不对症下药，就没有效果，没有用。
2）要放松，要安静，要微笑。念经要念到法喜充满，要念到心花怒放。
3）要观想，听声音。观想就是念经时，思想集中，观想观世音菩萨，然后自己听自己的声音。听到自己念经的声音，脑子就不会乱想。
4）金光万道上身，要把菩萨的光照着自己，你们这些徒弟念经能想到金光万道？要把菩萨的金光万道全部接到自己的身上，照到你的肺白，心红……这就叫现实与佛法结合起来应用。智慧像一团光，人心散乱，不易成状。你的聪明才智实际上就像光一样是一团，如果散乱了，杂念多了，就不可能有智慧了。要想有智慧，这个心必须要静，心静才能把智慧之光聚集起来。
发表于 2022-5-17 07:17:44
