156. Tempering Body and Mind to Eliminate Karmic Obstacles and Accumulate Merits and Virtues
一五六、磨煉身心消業培功德
1 Many Dao cultivators who were committed and worked very hard in the beginning quit in the middle. The main reason is demonic hindrances and obstacles. Whether demonic hindrances and obstacles befall a family, or karmic debtors of past lives come to claim their rights, these happenings affect the body.
1 很多的修道人，在開始的時候非常用功、專心，卻突然中途而退。主要的原因，就是中途發生魔障，或者家庭發生魔障，或者過去的宿世冤孽來找，影響身體，造成生理上發生問題。
2 Once a physiological problem sets in, a Dao cultivator experiences psychological changes, which, in turn, affect his nature, making him restless and making him change his mind or give up cultivation altogether.
2 生理上一發生問題，當然產生心理變化。因為心性變化，使得他坐立不安，只好放棄修持了。
3 To cultivate [the Dao] requires one to endure trials and tribulation, suffering and tempering, physically and mentally, as well as enduring them for the sake of eliminating karmic obstacles. Eliminating karmic obstacles requires even more tempering and suffering.
3 修煉就是要經得起禁得起磨，要磨煉身心，更何況是要消業障。要消業障就要禁得起磨考。要能吃苦，要能苦行。苦行就是在消業障。
4 Sickness is also one way of eliminating karmic obstacles. This type of sickness will not be life-threatening and will not cost one his life. The purpose is to provide him with an opportunity to eliminate karmic obstacles.
4 生病也是消業障。這種病不至於讓他致命，不會是絕症，但就是要藉此讓他消業障。
5 If the karmic obstacles are not manifested through sickness, there are other ways to temper him. It is all up to him to understand the reason behind his trials and tribulation.
5 若不讓他藉生病的方式，就會用其他的方法來磨煉他。那就要看他自己是否懂得這個道理啊！
6 Chanting the Grand Orison is another way for a person to eliminate his karmic obstacles. There is a price to pay when it comes to cultivating the Dao.
6 唸皇誥就是替自己消業障，所以修行必須要付出代價。
7 As we talk about contributing your ideas, your strengths, and financial donations, it is asking you to contribute yourself. Contribute your intelligence, your energy, your strength and your personal wealth for the benefit of the public. All of these accumulate merits and virtues.
7 今天講出心、出力、出錢，就是要奉獻自己啊！奉獻自己的智慧；奉獻自己的精力、體力；奉獻自己的財力，為大眾造福、謀福。奉獻的最後，換得一個功德啊！
8 None of the material things in the physical world can be taken with you when you die, and none of them can be used to eliminate karmic obstacles. Material things must be turned into energy and dispersed. This is why we talk about contribution.
8 在物質世界、有形世界，凡是物質上的東西，將來不單是不能帶走，就是你要用來消業障都不行。一定要把物質轉換成精神，才可以在無形中散佈出去，所以要講布施。
9 The first type of contribution is financial. When you donate money, you turn material wealth into a spiritual equivalent for eliminating karmic obstacles and for accumulating merits and virtues.
9 布施的第一種就是財施。把錢拿出去布施給人家，把有形的物質變成財施，以換來的精神代價，來消我們的業障，培功德。
The Anthro-Celestial Research College, the Anthro-Celestial Cultivation College, December 2, 1992
天人研究學院、天人修道學院－民國八十一年十二月二日