“观自在菩萨。行深般若波罗蜜多时。照见五蕴皆空。度一切苦厄。”这四句是《心经》的精华要理。略释如下：“观自在”，是教你回光返照，观察观察自己在不在？自己若在，就不会向外驰求，到处攀缘。若是不在，则容易妄想纷飞，甚至发神经，总要找机会，令人供养。有这种思想，那就不自在。

"When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was cultivating the profound Prajnaparamita, he illuminated the Five Aggregates (Skandhas), saw that they were all empty, and crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty..." This line is the Heart Sutra's essential message, and it can be explained as follows: The Contemplator of Self-Presence (Avalokiteshvara) wants you to reflect inwardly and contemplate whether or not you're here. If you're here, then you won't be seeking outside and exploiting situations. If you are not here, then your idle thoughts will be running wild, to the point that you have a nervous breakdown. You'll always be looking for chances to obtain offerings from people. With such thoughts, you will not be at ease.

“菩萨”的行为，一切是利益众生，以众生为前提，绝对不是为利益自己。我们凡夫的思想，恰好相反，总想利益自己，而不利益众生。无论做什么事，先要计较一番，有利的就做，没有利的就不做，这就是自私自利的表现。世界为什么不能和平相处？就因为这种关系。你争我夺，互不相让，所以就发生战争，造成国破家亡的残局。

In everything a Bodhisattva does, he benefits others. Living beings are his raison d'etre, and he would never act for his own benefit. We common people think in exactly the opposite way: we think first of benefiting ourselves and never think of benefiting living beings. In everything we do, we first count up the profits: if the deed is profitable, we go ahead and do it. If it isn't, we don't do it. This is a selfish and self-gratifying attitude. Why can't the world find peace? Precisely because of this attitude. We strive and compete, and refuse to yield to one another. Thus wars break out, and we witness the tragedy of families being torn apart and nations collapsing.

这位菩萨，他能“行深般若波罗蜜多”，从无始劫以来，一直到现在，生生世世都修深般若法，没有间断的时候。修深般若法，（一）没有骄傲心；若有骄傲心，就是愚痴。（二）没有自满心；若有自满心，就是愚痴。（三）常生惭愧心；不生惭愧心，就是愚痴。（四）不生攀缘心；若生攀缘心，就是愚痴。（五）不生瞋恨心；若生瞋恨心，就是愚痴。（六）不生颠倒心；若生颠倒心，就是愚痴。

This Bodhisattva can practice the profound Prajnaparamita. From beginningless time in the past up to this present moment, in life after life, he has practiced the method of Prajna, cultivating it without pause. The first requirement for cultivating profound Prajna is to avoid arrogance. Being arrogant is stupid. Secondly, one must avoid complacency. Being complacent is stupid. The third requisite is to always feel shame and remorse. Not feeling shame and remorse is stupid. The fourth requisite is to avoid exploiting situations. Exploiting situations is stupid. The fifth requisite is to avoid anger and hatred. Feeling anger and hatred are stupid. The sixth requisite is to not be disoriented. Being disoriented is stupid.

我们修道人，以这六种心做为标准，衡量自己所行所作，是否如法？如法就是智慧，不如法就是愚痴。也就是说，勤修戒定慧，息灭贪瞋痴，就是智慧；不修戒定慧，不灭贪瞋痴，就是愚痴。智慧和愚痴的分别，就在这个地方。

Cultivators of the Way make these six requisites their standard in judging to see whether their own behavior accords with the Dharma. If it accords with the Dharma, then that behavior is considered wise. In other words, to diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and to put an end to greed, hatred, and stupidity is wise behavior. To fail to do this is stupid behavior. The difference between wisdom and stupidity lies right here.

要修深般若，才会照破五蕴中的五十种魔境：在色蕴中有十种阴魔，在受蕴中有十种阴魔，在想蕴中有十种阴魔，在行蕴中有十种阴魔，在识蕴中也有十种阴魔。总括来讲，有这五十种；分开来讲，有无数无量种，如有不慎，就堕入魔境。总而言之，凡是有邪知邪见的人，都是属于魔的眷属；有正知正见的人，都是属于佛的眷属。

One must cultivate profound Prajna before one can "illuminate and shine through" the fifty states of the skandha-demons found amid the Five Aggregates (skandhas). Ten demonic states appear in each of the Aggregates of Form, Feelings, Thoughts, Activities, and Consciousness. Generally speaking there are fifty states, but when we look into each case separately, there are measureless, innumerable varieties of states. If a cultivator is not careful, he can easily fall into the demons' snares. In general, all people who make use of deviant knowledge and views belong to the retinue of demons. People with proper knowledge and viewpoints, however, belong to the retinue of Buddhas.

行深般若波罗蜜多时，才能认清魔的境界，不会被其动摇。这时候，不但照见五蕴皆空，也度一切苦厄。五蕴皆空，即是真空，所谓：

真空无人我，
大道无形相。

Only when we practice the profound Prajnaparamita can we recognize the demons clearly and not be shaken or influenced by them. When we practice thus, not only can we shine through the Five Aggregates and see how they are all empty, but we also cross beyond all suffering and difficulty. The emptiness of the Five Aggregates is True Emptiness. As a saying goes,

True Emptiness is free of self and others;
The great Way is free of shape and features.

一切苦厄，就是三灾八难之苦厄。

Suffering and difficulty refers to the three disasters and the eight types of difficulties.

若能将这四句经文的法，修到炉火纯青的时候，就证得八风吹不动的境界。何谓八风？就是称、讥、苦、乐、利、衰、毁、誉。这八种风，能把没有定力的人，吹得昏头转向，不知东西南北。今将这八风浅释如下：

If we can cultivate the Dharma in this verse to perfection, we will attain a state in which the Eight Winds cannot affect us. What are the Eight Winds? They are praise, ridicule, pain, pleasure, gain, loss, defamation, and honor. The Eight Winds blow people who lack samadhi-power head over heels, until they cannot tell east from west. Let's look more closely at these eight winds:

（一）称：就是称赞。人家称赞你一声，觉得比吃蜜还甜，心里很舒服。

1. Praise: This means adulation. When others praise you, it tastes as sweet as honey; it's a comfortable sensation.

（二）讥：就是讥讽。人家讽刺你一句，就受不了，心里就不舒服。

2. Ridicule: This means somebody makes fun of you. If someone mocks you, even a little, you can't stand it, and it's a very uncomfortable sensation.

（三）苦：就是苦恼。受一点苦楚，烦恼就起来了；一切苦来折磨你，看你受得了受不了。

3. Pain: This means suffering. When you experience a little bit of suffering, you become afflicted. Whenever suffering behfalls you, it is a test to see whether or not you can forbear it.

（四）乐：就是快乐。受一点快乐，不要得意忘形；一切乐都是考验，看你怎么办？

4. Pleasure: This refers to happiness. You should not let a little happiness overwhelm you. All kinds of happy states are tests, to see what you will do with them.

（五）利：就是利益。得到利益就高兴，失去利益就悲哀，这是没有定力的表现。

5. Gain: This refers to getting advantages. You become pleased when you gain benefits and are sad when you lose them. This shows a lack of samadhi-power.

（六）衰：就是衰败。无论遇到什么艰难，要损失不计较，失败不动心。

6. Loss: This refers to failure. No matter what difficulties arise, we ought to take them in stride and not be upset when we lose out.

（七）毁：就是毁谤。有人毁谤你，说你的坏话，无所谓！应该处之泰然，自然风平浪静。

7. Defamation: This means slander. If someone insults you and spreads tales about you, you shouldn't mind. You should let it pass, come what may. The entire episode will eventually calm down all by itself.

（八）誉：就是荣誉。有人赞叹你，宣传你的名望，仍要无动于衷，视功名犹如瓦上霜。

8. Honor: This refers to situations of exaltation. If you are praised by someone and he makes your name known, you should take it in stride and regard glory and honor as no more important than frost on the windowpane at dawn.

这八种风，是考验“心”的法门，在逆境不动心，在顺境也不动心。若是动心，就是修持不够，没有定力的功夫；若是不动心，便证明有功夫。但是不能自满，自我宣传：“八风也吹不动我，我的定力犹如金刚一般地坚固。”这样也不对。

The Eight Winds are dharmas that test your mind, to see whether adverse or favorable situations will upset your equilibrium. If they upset you, your cultivation still lacks maturity and you are deficient in the power of samadhi. Someone who remains unmoved by such states has realized genuine skill. Even so, he can't feel complacent and boast "The Eight Winds cannot blow me over, because my samadhi is as solid as Vajra." That is also wrong.

在宋朝有位苏东坡居士，他对佛学略有研究。虽然他禅定功夫还不够，却自觉定力到了相当程度。有一天，心血来潮，灵感忽至，写了一首偈颂：“稽首天中天，毫光照大千，八风吹不动，端坐紫金莲。”他以为自己已经开悟，所以请佛印禅师给他印证，于是派遣侍者过江，把偈颂送到金山寺。

In the Song Dynasty, the layman Su Dongpo was adept in Buddhist study. Although his skill in Chan concentration was immature, he felt himself to be quite accomplished. One day, feeling exuberant and possessed by a sudden inspiration, he penned a verse:

I pay my respects to the chief of gods,
Whose hairmark-light illumines the universe;
The Eight Winds blow me not, as I
Meditate on this purple-golden lotus.

He thought he'd already gained enlightenment, and he wanted this enlightenment certified by Chan Master Foyin (Buddha-seal). Thereupon, he sent his servant to Gold Mountain Monastery across the river from his home.

老禅师一看，在原纸上写上：“放屁！放屁！”四个字，交给来人（侍者）带回。苏东坡一看，无明火冒三丈高，大发雷霆，岂有此理！这是开悟的偈颂，怎说是放屁？于是过江来找佛印禅师算账。

The elderly Chan Master took one look at the verse the messenger handed him and wrote two words on the paper: "Fart! Fart!" and told the attendant to take the message back. Su Dongpo read the reply and blew up in a fit of anger. He thundered, "How dare you! This is my enlightenment testimonial; how dare you call it a fart!?" He promptly rowed across the river to settle accounts with Chan Master Foyin.

不料，来到金山寺的山门时，佛印禅师已在那里等待他的光临，就大笑地说：“好一位八风吹不动的苏大学士，竟被屁风吹过江来，欢迎！欢迎！”（因为他们二人是老道友，时常开玩笑）苏东坡满肚子的火，刚要爆炸，被老禅师一说，觉得有理，于是承认自己定力不够，乃向禅师顶礼谢罪。从此之后，不再说口头禅了。禅是行的，不是说的，能说不能行，是无有是处的。

Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached the gate of Gold Mountain, Chan Master Foyin was waiting for him, to say "Oh, welcome! Welcome to the Great Adept Su Dongpo, one who is unmoved by the Eight Winds, but who lets a couple of tiny farts blow him all the way across the river. Welcome!" The two were old friends and fellow cultivators, and they were in the habit of joking with each other. Su Dongpo's volcanic anger, right on the verge of exploding, was cooled off completely by the truth of the Chan Master's statement. All he could do was admit that his samadhi still lacked maturity and bow to Master Foyin. He apologized for making a scene, and thereafter he avoided bragging. Chan skill is proven by practice, not by prattle. If you can't practice what you preach, it doesn't count.