菩提心利益一切众生 -- 【编辑室】

成就菩提心，是每一名佛教徒的最终理想。要完成菩提心的修行。不是一两天的事，而是终身奉行，每天在生活中体现这种修为，就是最崇高行为。我们发愿修习菩提心，就是要时时刻刻持续不断地意识到把利益归处到所有众生中。

到寺院听经闻法，法师一定会提醒我们：“菩提心是为利益一切众生，所以要成就一切众生的事业，利益一切众生，讲的是所有众生，没有一个众生被遗漏。”

好些佛教徒都有这样的想法，发菩提心是一件可望不可及的事，有的甚至会说：“发菩提心吗？等我到极乐世界再发吧。”事实上，发菩提心就要在活着的时候发，别等死了再发。就好比世俗生活里，我们天天要吃饭，哪有人会认为活着时不要吃饭，等死了再去吃供在灵台前的“美味”。要知道，发菩提心是一种觉悟，只有觉悟的人才可能发菩提心，愚痴颠倒的人能会发菩提心吗？一心为自己的人，是发不出菩提心的。只有舍已为人、自苦他安乐、念念不忘众生的人，才能发菩提心，才能修菩萨法。换句话说，修菩萨法的人必须发菩提心，发菩提心的人才能修好菩萨法。

众生无边誓愿度，为的就是佛道的无上誓愿。不度众生，成不了佛，就好比不肯帮助别人，是很难提高自己的。若不愿意在大风大浪里锻炼，也很难干得出大事业来。成佛要发大心，一直要大到圆满。成了佛是不是没事了？成佛是为了更好地度众生。我们现在度众生能力很小，成了佛度众生能力就大了。所以希望自己成佛，这是对初发菩提心的人说的，人总要有个希望，有了希望，就有了动力。我们一天一天活下去，一天一天往前走，这个动力就是希望。如果我们真正抓住一个希望，给我们无法估计的力量。其实，谁也估计不出一颗心的力量。

Embracing Wisdom

【Editorial】

Wisdom was the essence of Buddha’s experience under the Bodhi tree 2553 years ago and is still the key to enlightenment today. It is the highest achievement in the Noble Eightfold Path and it is supported by mastery over our speech, action and mind.

There are three stages of developing wisdom:

by hearing or reading the words of others (received wisdom)

by intellectual understanding

by experiencing the truth within oneself (experiential wisdom)

Received wisdom sets one in proper direction but it cannot liberate. Received wisdom and intellectual understanding both provide inspiration and guidance to take the third step while it is experiential wisdom that liberates.

In this issue, you will find the inspiration and guidance to help you experience the truth within yourself.

To find out where to develop received wisdom, read Providing Tertiary Education in Buddhist Studies, page 44.

To find out about received wisdom and intellectual understanding, read Breathing Life into Withered Wood, page 47 and In Search of the Sixth Patriarch in Guangzhou, page 48.

Last but not least, read A Buddhist Approach to Time Management, page 51, to manage your time more effectively in order to develop all three stages of wisdom and attain nibbana in this life.