V 1-10 Methods to Prevent Karmic Obstacles from Forming 阻止业障产生的方法
Disclaimer: The translations are not official nor endorsed by 2OR, so please just treat it as a ‘fan-based’ translation. The Buddha-Dharma is profound. No matter how you convey it, it won’t be completely perfect. Because the Buddha-Dharma is an experience, it’s an awakening 【佛法深奥无比，怎么写，都不会是究竟圆满。佛法是一种悟】. Please enjoy, and I hope it serves as a good filler until the official English version comes out.
今世的每个想法每个行为都有可能产生业障，贪瞋痴，我执他执，都是业障的来源。怎样才能使业障不生呢？
All our thoughts and behaviours in this life may bring about karmic obstacles. Greed, anger and ignorance, attachment to self and others are all sources of karmic obstacles; how can we prevent them from forming?
第一靠戒，戒就是改，改掉毛病，改掉习惯，改掉脾气，去掉贪和瞋。人都有这样那样的习惯，或者是脾气，“我这个人就是直，有啥说啥”，能行吗？连不懂装懂都是口业，更别提不敬佛不敬菩萨。不改不戒，照喝酒照吃肉，怎么修心？戒是戒定慧中的基础，只有改了戒了，才能减少业障的产生，才能定住，才能不受诱惑，才能不痴，有智慧。
First is to rely on moral discipline. That is, to change our shortcomings, habits, temperament and to rid ourselves of greed and anger. Humans have a wide array of habits and temperaments. Some people justify their behaviour, “I am a straightforward person; I always speak my mind.” Is that acceptable? If pretending you know something that you don’t is considered a negative form of verbal karma, then there’s no need to mention showing disrespect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you don’t make any changes nor morally discipline yourself and continues to drink and consume meat, how could you cultivate your mind? Moral discipline forms the foundation of the Three Studies: Observing precepts, Concentration and Wisdom. Only when we change and discipline ourselves can we reduce the formation of karmic obstacles; through which we attain concentration so that we can resist temptations and shun ignorance, then from it develop wisdom.
大毛病戒了，下一步就是高层次的“狠斗私心一闪念”。这其实是佛家的一句话，就是说在恶念或不好的意识还在下意识的时候，就要马上意识到它是不对的，将其掐灭在没形成的状态中，这样一来就不会变成业障。如果顺着它想下去，恶念就形成了，变成业障了。这一步明显比戒酒戒肉食要难得多。
After taking disciplinary actions on our major shortcomings, the next step would be to adopt the elevated application of “eliminating selfish ideas in an instant”. This is a saying in Buddhism which means that while our malicious thoughts or negative intentions are still in the subconscious mind, we should have an instant realisation that it is unwholesome, and nip it in the bud before they come into form. Through this method, we can prevent karmic obstacles from forming. Conversely, should we allow these thoughts to lead us by the nose, malicious thoughts will then take shape, resulting in the formation of karmic obstacles. Seemingly, this step is far more challenging as compared to restraining the consumption of alcohol and meat.
然后就是更高一层的心魔了，心魔是由业障引起的也会带来更大的业障。这只有修为很高的人才能有，也只有面对、看破，悟了才能灭心魔。
Following this, we would need to face an even greater demon within us. It is brought about by our karmic obstacles, which also serves to perpetuate more major karmic obstacles. It is exclusive to a highly cultivated person. Only by facing it, seeing through it and becoming enlightened, can we bring our inner demon to an end.
当然看破也不是那么简单的，这里包括很高的修为理念，像除我执、除他执、破除相、无众生相等，单单从理论上学习是不能解决问题的。举些简单的生活中的例子：见到一个漂亮的姑娘，平常人只会看到她表面的美，欣赏其外表，但修为到了一定的地步，就能看破“皮囊”，去掉“执”，不着相，这就是慧。
Needless to say, to see through the nature of things is not simple. It encompasses skilful cultivation and conceptualisation – for example, being rid of attachment to self and others, eliminating attachment to forms, and perceiving that all sentient beings are equal. However, we can’t resolve our problems simply through learning theories. To quote some simple real-life examples: when one sees a beautiful young woman, an ordinary person will admire her superficial beauty and her outward appearance. However, for one with a certain level of spiritual cultivation, it would be seen as “a sack of skin”, there is neither attachment nor grasping to forms – this is what wisdom is all about.
钱财和皮囊一样，得之有其原因，失之也有其道理。这就像一个专业的登山运动员正在往雪山顶上攀登，他知道体力非常珍贵，每一步都要精确地使用，不能浪费，负重也要精确计算，不能少也绝不能多，同时知道天黑暴风雪就要来临之前，必须赶到下一个安全的宿营地。这时候他看到周围有人走了错误路线，有人在看风景，有人在追赶羚羊，所以他就要告诉这些人要走这条路，不要浪费精力快走吧，暴风雪来了羚羊救不了你。这就是看破与看不破。所以要看破就要有智慧，而要有智慧，就要通过戒定去修。
Wealth should also be perceived the same way, as a “sack of skin”, because there is always a cause for its gains and losses. Just like a professional mountaineer who makes their way up to the top of a snowy mountain. They understand that stamina is invaluable. To avoid any possible wastage, every step they make has to be carefully considered. Even the weights they carry would have to be accurately calculated – not too much and not too little. At the same, they are fully aware that before nightfall or before an oncoming snowstorm, they would have to make their way to a safe campsite. At this moment, if they see the rest of the group taking the wrong route, some enjoying the scenery, others chasing after antelopes, then they would urge them not to waste their energy anymore and to embark on the right route instead. After all, the antelopes they are chasing after wouldn’t be able to save their lives should a snowstorm hit. This illustrates the significance of the ability to see through the nature of things. To do so, wisdom is the key, and it’s cultivated through moral discipline and concentration.
第二个阻止业障产生的工具是“感恩心”，这里说的感恩心，不是单指心态，它是一个工具，这是一个修行的法门。在人的七情六欲里，每一情每一欲都会产生业障，只有感恩心才可以断绝业障，是“唯一”可以使业障不生的一种心情，也是对付贪瞋痴的有效武器，所以当你逐渐习惯用感恩心去看周围的人和事，业障才会越来越少。
The second tool to prevent karmic obstacles from forming is to possess gratitude. Gratitude here does not simply refer to the state of mind but also a tool to apply in Buddhist practice. With human’s throng of desires (“seven emotions and six sensory pleasures”), every passion and desire form karmic obstacles which can only be ceased through gratitude. Gratitude is the only emotional response that’s able to prevent the formation of karmic obstacles and used as a weapon against greed, anger and ignorance. As you gradually adopt gratitude in dealing with the people and matter around you, your karmic obstacles will be reduced.
