Serenity and Insight 止观

此身过本多，
德寡奚足夸？
故当隐己德，
莫令他人知。

This ego is by nature rife with defects,
Its accidental talents I should hide, not praise.
Wherever qualities it has I will conceal,
That they remain unknown to everyone.

显扬他令誉，
以此匿己名；
役自如下仆，
勤谋众人利。

The fame of others I will magnify
That it might thus outshine my own.
Among them I will be as one who serves,
My lowly labor for their benefit.

他虽犯大过，
欣然吾顶替；
自过纵微小，
众前诚忏悔。

When others are at fault, I’ll take
And turn the blame upon myself.
And all my sins, however slight,
Confess, and make them known to many.

吾当离安乐，
甘代他人苦；
时观念起处，
细察己过失。

Happiness, fulfillment: these I leave aside.
The pain of others: this I will embrace.
Inquiring of myself repeatedly,
I will become aware of all my faults.

#156
是故当尽心　勤行众生利；
牟尼无欺言，奉行必获益。

#157
若汝自往昔　素行利生事，
除获正觉乐，必不逢今苦。

#158
故汝于父母　一滴精血聚，
既可执为我，于他亦当习。

#159
应为他密探；见己有何物，
悉数尽盗取，以彼利众生。

#160
我乐他不乐，我高他卑下，
利己不顾人，何不反自妒？

我乐他不乐，
我高他卑下，
利己不顾人，
何不反自妒？

I indeed am happy, others sad;
I am high and mighty, others low;
I am helped while others are abandoned:
Why am I not jealous of myself?

应为他密探；
见己有何物，
悉数尽盗取，
以彼利众生。

Now be covetous for other’s sake,
Of everything you see that you possess.
Steal it, take it all away,
And use it for the benefit of others.

故汝于父母　
一滴精血聚，
既可执为我，
于他亦当习。

Just as you identify
A drop of other’s blood and sperm,
And cling to it as though it were yourself,
Now take sentient beings – others – as your self.

若汝自往昔　
素行利生事，
除获正觉乐，
必不逢今苦。

If, indeed, you had in former times
Embraced this work and undertaken it,
You could not still be lacking
In the perfect bliss of Buddhahood.

是故当尽心　
勤行众生利；
牟尼无欺言，
奉行必获益。

The truth, therefore, is this.
That you must wholly give yourself and take the other’ s place.
The Buddha did not lie in what he said-
You’ll see the benefits that come from it.