以病为镜　林钰堂

迟早老病缠肉身，痛苦煎熬如何渡？
心地坦荡可依佛，造业深重悔不及。

跋

世间造恶者，大多迷于眼前，而忽略了不可避免的老病死苦。病苦之惨痛往往超乎想像，极为难忍，而又无从防止。若是心中清明，遇病尚可念佛求助。若是业障深重，心乱如麻，虽知悔亦不及挽救矣！每见病苦，当知反省，何德何能，可以安渡如此关头？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　二○○二年二月十一日
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　养和斋　　　　于加州

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Illness as Mirror　Yutang Lin

Senility and sickness would wrap the body sooner or later;
Painful suffering as being fried or roasted, how to endure?
An open and straight mind may rely on Buddha’s blessing;
Having committed heavy karma it may be too late to regret.

Comment:

Worldlings who committed evil doings are mostly bewildered by present situations into overlooking the unavoidable suffering of senility, sickness and death. The severe pain of suffering from illness is often inconceivable, extremely difficult to endure, and completely unpreventable. If one’s mind remains clear and calm, even in sickness one could still chant the name of Buddha for help. If one’s karma is heavy and complicated such that one’s mind is in a mess, then even though one has the good sense to regret it would still be too late for redemption. Whenever we see suffering of sickness, we should reflect on what merits and capacity do we have that we could survive such ordeals?

Written in Chinese on February 11, 2002
Translated on March 5, 2002
El Cerrito, California

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