為誰辛苦為誰忙

在汲汲營營、忙忙碌碌的生活中，你可曾想過人生在世的意義和價值究竟是什麼？

是來吃飯的？穿衣服的？還是來吵架、兢爭的？

生命一定有它的原因，也一定代表著某些意義。

到了最後，它的目的是什麼？它會到那兒去？又會成為什麼樣的東西呢？

很多的人，就是在貪生怕死、貪名求利、你爭我鬥中一天一天的過下去。看到大家要的我也要，大家不要的我也不要。

以為很多人都要的，那一定好，所以搶著要，但是從來不去思考自己是不是真的需要。反正大家都要的我就要，大家不要就立刻把它丟掉。

人應該抱持「我要的不一定是別人要的，別人要的不一定是我要的」的觀念，這才是真正獨立的人格。

「想要」是貪得無厭的追求，
不但使自己非常疲累，
非常煩惱，非常痛苦，
也會對別人造成困擾。

~ 聖嚴法師著

Literally translated as:

Working hard for who? Being busy for who?

As we hectically pursue fame and wealth in life, have you ever thought what is the purpose and value of life?

Are we here to eat? Are we here to put on clothes? Or are we here to quarrel and compete?

There must be a reason for being alive and it must have certain significance.

In the end, what is its purpose? Where will it go? What will it become?

A lot of people live their lives fearing death, seeking fame and wealth, arguing and fighting, day by day. When they see what others want, they also want, what others don’t want, they also don’t want.

They think that whatever a lot of people want must be good so they also fight for them. But they never consider if they really needed them. As long as what others want, I also want, what others don’t want will be discarded immediately.

Everyone should hold the notion that ‘What I want may not be what others want. What others want may not be what I want.’ That is true independent character.

‘Wanting to have’ is to pursue greedily, insatiably.
not only does it make you tired,
it makes you frustrated, makes you suffer
and will also cause problems for others.

Written by Venerable Sheng Yan, translated by me!