所謂「煩惱即菩提。」有人問：「不種煩惱，是不是沒有菩提？」不是的，煩惱的本身就是菩提。怎樣是菩提？就是不生煩惱，所以煩惱即菩提。要是只生煩惱，煩惱的本身仍舊是煩惱，菩提仍舊是菩提，大家不要會錯意。

We say, “Afflictions are Bodhi.” Some people ask, "Does this mean that without afflictions there is no Bodhi?" No. Affliction itself is Bodhi. How come? Well, if you don’t generate afflictions, then afflictions are Bodhi. If you breed afflictions all the time, then affliction is affliction and Bodhi is Bodhi. Don’t get this wrong.

對任何人不可以發脾氣，不但在外邊沒有脾氣，就是在內邊也要沒有脾氣，到了這種境界，才算是真正沒有脾氣的人，敢怒不敢言，那也是發脾氣。偶爾發點小脾氣，無傷大雅，還可以的，但你如果假借名堂，故意發脾氣，那就不對了。

Don’t lose your temper at anyone. If you reach the state of having no temper, not only externally but also internally, then you are truly without hostility. If you are angry inside but don’t dare to show it, this is also considered losing your temper. If you occasionally lose your temper in some small and harmless way, that’s alright. However, if you make excuses about having big fits of temper, that’s wrong.

如果自己真正沒有煩惱了，沒有無明了，沒有妄想了，沒有欲念了，到這種境界，雖然有點小脾氣，情有可原，但最好當然是沒有脾氣，與人和睦相處，一團和氣，令人有親切感。

If you reach a state where you truly have no afflictions, no ignorance, no idle thoughts, and no desires, it would be forgivable to have a little temper. Of course the best thing would be to have no temper at all, and get along harmoniously and amiably with people.

修道人要用德行來感化人，不要用勢力來壓迫人，對任何人要講道理，令人心服口服，真正佩服你有才幹、有道德、有學問、有慈悲，否則落在名利上，那就離佛道十萬八千里了，這一點要特別謹慎。

Cultivators should use virtue to teach and transform people, not oppress them with force. Cultivators should be reasonable with everyone. Let people be sincerely convinced, let them respect and admire your ability, virtue, knowledge, and compassion. Otherwise, if you fall for fame and fortune, you’ll be a million miles away from Buddhahood. You should be very careful with this.

出家修道修什麼道？就是修忍辱的道。誰若發脾氣，那就與道相違背，永遠不會與道相感應。發脾氣是一件醜事，是障道的因緣，希望大家謹慎，千萬不要犯這種毛病。

What is the Way that those who renounce the householder’s life cultivate? The Way of patience. Whoever loses his temper is opposing the Way and will never have a response with the Way. Losing your temper is disgraceful. It’s an obstacle to the Way. I hope all of you will be cautious and never make this mistake.

出家修道，沒有把根本的問題抓住，就如同用沙蒸飯，蒸多久的時間，也不會成飯。若是沒有無明火，欲念就會停止，為什麼？你有欲念，就因為有火氣，覺得這也不行，那也不行，很多「不行」的問題跟著來了。所以修道人要把煩惱斷了，才能沒有一切的麻煩。

Renouncing the householder’s life in order to cultivate without understanding the basic questions is like cooking sand in hopes of getting rice. No matter how long you cook it, sand will never become rice. If you didn’t have the fire of ignorance, your desires would cease. You have desires because you have this fiery energy. You feel this is wrong and that isn’t right, and as a result there are many more problems. So in order to be free of their troubles, cultivators must cut off afflictions.

一九八三年七月廿五日開示