介绍:
为你读英语美文 · 第423期
主播：永清
How to Meditate
《如何冥想》
Chapter 3 Meditation on Impermanence
第3章 对无常的冥想
作者：Kathleen MacDonald，翻译：永清
Everything in the physical world is impermanent, changing all the time. Some changes are obvious: people grow up, get old, and die; buildings and bridges wear out and fall apart. The environment goes through a complete transformation from one season to the next; flowers wilt, paint cracks and peels, cars break down.
物理世界里的一切事物都是变化无常的。有些变化显而易见：人们长大，变老，死亡：建筑物, 桥梁磨损和倒塌。环境从一个季节到下一个季节的彻底转换；花会枯萎，油漆会开裂和剥落，汽车会抛锚。
Our conscious world is also changing constantly. Sometimes we are happy, sometimes depressed; sometimes we feel full of love, other times full of anger. Memories of conversations and events, thoughts of the future, ideas about this and that fill our minds one after the other. A few moments of looking inward will show us how quickly the mind is changing: it’s like a railway station at rush hour! Streams of thoughts, feelings and perceptions flash by, in every direction, without ceasing.
我们的意识世界也在不断变化。我们有时快乐，有时沮丧；我们有时感到被爱包围，有时被愤怒充斥。对交谈和事件的回忆，对未来的想法，关于这个那个的想法，一个接一个地填满我们的脑海。花几分钟时间看看我们的内心，就发现我们思想变化的速度有多快；就像高峰时段的火车站！思想、感情和感知从四面八方闪过，川流不息。
This constant change is the reality of things, but we find it very difficult to accept. Intellectually, it is not a problem; but real acceptance of impermanence rarely, if ever, enters our everyday behavior and experience. Instinctively, we cling to people and things as if they were permanent and unchanging. We don’t want the nice person or the beautiful object to change, and firmly believe that the irritating person will never be different. And when we are depressed or dissatisfied, we think we will be that way forever.
这种不断的变化是事物的本质，但我们却难以接受。理智地说，这不是问题；但要真正接受变化无常，却非易事，如果有可能, 进入到我们的日常行为和经历里。本能地，我们会紧紧抓住人和事物，仿佛他们是永恒不变的。我们不希望好人或美丽的事物改变，并坚信，易怒的人永远不会有所不同。当我们沮丧或不满时，我们认为我们将永远这样。
We cling especially strongly to our view of our own personality: ”I am a depressed person,” “I am an angry person,” “ I am not very intelligent.” We might indeed be this or that, but it is not the whole picture nor will it always be like that; it will change.
我们特别强烈地坚持自己对个性的看法："我是一个抑郁的人"，"我是一个愤怒的人"，"我不是很聪明"。我们可能确实是这样的或那样的，但这不代表全部，也不会总是这样，看法会改变。
By not recognizing impermanence we meet with frustration, irritation, grief, loneliness, and countless other problems. We can avoid experiencing them by becoming familiar with the transitory nature of things, recognizing that they are in a constant state of flux. Gradually we will learn to expect, and accept change as the nature of life.
如果不能认可变化和无常，我们就会遇到挫折，恼怒，悲伤，孤独和无数其他问题。我们可以通过熟悉事物讯息万变的本质来避免经历这些，认识到事物处于不断变化的状态。渐渐地，我们将学会期待，接受改变是生活的本质。
We will understand not only the changes simply happen but also that we can bring bout changes. We have the power to change what we are, to develop and transform our minds and lives.
我们不仅会明白这些改变只是发生了，而且我们也能带来改变。我们有能力改变现状，发展和改变我们的思想和生活。
Our mind is composed of many parts: thoughts, perceptions, feelings, memories and images following one after the other, ceaselessly. Spend a few minutes simply observing the ever-changing flow of experiences in your mind, like someone looking out of a window onto a busy street, watching the cars and pedestrians passing by. Don't cling to anything that you see in your mind, don't judge or make comments ? just observe and try to get a sense of the impermanent, ever-changing nature of your mind.
我们的意识由许多部分组成：思想、感知、感觉、记忆和图像，一个接一个，永不停歇。花几分钟时间观察你脑海里不断变化的经历，就像从窗外望向一条繁忙的街道，看着汽车和行人经过。不执着于任何你在头脑中看到的东西，不评判或发表评论——只是观察并试着去感受你意识里无常的、不断变化的本质。
It is unrealistic and self-defeating to cling to things as though they were permanent. Whatever is beautiful and pleasing will change and eventually disappear, so we can’t expect it to give us lasting happiness. Also whatever is unpleasant or disturbing won’t last forever-it might even change for the better! So there is no need to be upset, or to reject it.
坚信永恒不变是不现实的，也会带来挫败感。无论多么美丽和令人愉悦的事物终将改变并最终消失，所以我们不能指望它们能给我们恒久的幸福。当然，任何不愉快或令人不安的事物也不会一直持续下去-甚至可能变得更好！
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