如何化解“压力山大”？
How do we cope with mounting pressures?
问：当今全球面临严重的精神危机，到处都存在着“压力山大”，我们个人也要面对生活上、工作上的许多压力。Question: The world today faces serious mental crises. It’s like a pressure cooker everywhere. Individually, we’re confronted with many problems in life as well as at work.
我想问一下，这些大到全球、小到个人的压力，佛教中如何来化解？How can Buddhist teachings be applied to deal with these pressures—from large ones on a global scale to small, personal ones?
有人说要放下，但压力不是说放下就不存在了，我们该如何面对呢？Some people proclaim the path of “letting go,” but stresses simply do not disappear by our disclaiming them. How shall we brace ourselves?
堪布答：压力太大了，往往是由于欲望太大了。Khenpo: More often than not, excessive desire is the culprit of excessive pressure.
所以，即使大家不能完全放下，至少也要懂得知足少欲，生活上一切随缘，不要让心中的贪欲过度膨胀。Therefore, even if you cannot let go of desire completely, at least learn to be content with whatever comes to you, and be at ease with your life. Do not let your covetousness run excessively unruly.
假如你们对生活的要求特别高，一定要买几套房子、几辆车子，一辈子当房奴、当车奴，到死也没有还完债，这样的人生，压力肯定特别大。If you crave a high living standard, such that you must own several houses and cars, you’ll end up being a slave to your mortgages or car loans all your life and be in debt until death. Isn’t this kind of life highly stressful?
所以，佛陀告诉我们，应该降低贪心、减少欲望，尽量地知足少欲。The Buddha advised us to reduce our desire and cravings and try our best to be content.
同时，还要懂得谅解别人，不要稍有一点点不开心，就马上怨天尤人，抱怨社会、抱怨父母、抱怨身边的人。In the meantime, be patient with other people. When you feel cross, do not lay the blame on society, your parents, or those around you.
其实，按照佛教的因果理念，你这一世若有福报，财富便会不求自得；According to the Buddhist idea of causality, so long as you have merit, you will be wealthy in this life, even if you don’t strive to be so.
没有福报的话，再怎么样拼命追求，也只会让自己越来越穷。Without merit, no matter how hard you try to be rich, the result will only be the opposite.
所以，希望大家能明白一些佛理，以随缘的心来面对一切，如此才能活得自在，这也算是一种放下。Therefore, it’s worthwhile to understand even an inkling of Buddha’s teachings and embrace whatever comes to you with an open, relaxed mind. This is a form of letting go, and your life will be easier.
为什么说没有信仰很可悲？Why is it said that a person without faith should be pitied?
问：一个没有正确信仰的人，可悲之处在哪里？Question: Why should we pity someone who is without right faith?
堪布答：很有可能无恶不作，最终毁坏自己和他人！Khenpo: Well, such a person may never stop doing evil deeds and in the end will destroy self and others!
什么才是真正的信佛？What is the real meaning of having faith in Buddhism?
问：我们汉地很多人是“闲时不烧香，急时抱佛脚”，信佛带有一种功利性，并不是真正的信仰。请问，什么才是真正的信佛？Question: In Han China many people’s faith in Buddhism is somewhat utilitarian: “When all’s well, he pays no homage to the Buddha; when trouble comes, he rushes to implore the Buddha.” I doubt this can be considered true faith. What, then, is the real meaning of having faith in Buddhism?
堪布答：信仰有迷信和正信两种。Khenpo: There are two kinds of faith: superstitious faith and the right faith.
所谓的迷信，是别人说什么，自己不加分辨，就盲目地相信和崇拜，最终自己也找不到方向。Superstitious faith means to believe and worship blindly what others are preaching without investigating first. This will lead you nowhere.
现在汉地许多人信佛，就带有迷信的成分，烧香拜佛是为了保佑自己健康、平安、快乐……像做生意一样。Today, the faith in Buddhism of many Han Chinese is tainted with superstition. They offer incense or prostrations to the Buddha in order to obtain blessings for their own health, good fortune, and so forth, like they are making a business deal with the Buddha.
这种信佛跟信神没有什么差别。This is no different from worshiping worldly gods.
那什么是正信呢？What is the right faith?
当你以一种科学的态度，用自己的智慧去研究佛教时，你会发现，佛陀觉悟了万法的真理，并用这种智慧给迷茫的人们点亮了一盏明灯，为众生离苦得乐指明了方向。It means that you first approach Buddhism scientifically and analyze it with your intellect. You’ll see that Buddha Shakyamuni has indeed realized the truth of all phenomena. With this wisdom he lit a bright light for bewildered sentient beings, pointing the way to the elimination of suffering and attainment of happiness.
所以，佛陀非常伟大，他的智慧无与伦比。Thus, the Buddha is utterly amazing, and his wisdom is unsurpassable.
有了这样的认识，你的信心就不会退失。Once you have this understanding, your faith in Buddhism will never regress.
当然，要想获得这种信心，必须要长期、系统地学习佛法。Of course, only through dedicated, long-term, and systematic Dharma study can this kind of faith be generated.
若只是浅尝辄止，稍微了解一点佛法，这是远远不够的。If you are just dabbling and know the Dharma only superficially, that’s far from enough.
每日箴言
若呼唤 必前来 在
末法时代，不管是为了自己修行顺利成就，还是为了利益众生圆满成功，一切重大的事业均离不开莲师的加持。——索师
发愿的同时还要祈祷
十方所有的诸佛菩萨、高僧大德、护法神
您们一定要垂怜我，加持我
一定要让我的誓愿得以实现！
