对境
Facing Situations
人对世间财色名利境界，
Humans face worldly situations [of] wealth, sex, fame [and] gain.
以喻明之：有火聚于此，五物在傍：
With analogies [to speak] clearly of them, [this is like] having fire meeting with these five objects [that] are near.
一如干草，才触即燃者也。
[Those of the] first, [are] like dried grass [or hay]. Just touched, [it] immediately burns.
其二如木，嘘之则燃者也。
Those [of the] second, [are] like wood. [With] blowing of [air, it] thus burns.
其三如铁，不可得燃者也，然而犹可镕也。
Those [of the] third, [are] like metal, [that] cannot [be] burnt. However, [it] still can [be] melted.
其四如水，不惟不燃，反能灭火者也；然而隔之釜瓮，犹可沸也。
Those [of the] fourth, [are] like water, [that] not only [does] not burn, [it is] instead able [to] extinguish fire. However, [if] separated by [a] cauldron, [it] still can [be] boiled.
其五如空，然后任其燔灼，体恒自如，亦不须灭，行将自灭也。
Those [of the] fifth, [are] like space. After letting others [within to] burn brilliantly, [its] essence [remains] constant, unobstructed [and at] ease, also not needing [to] extinguish [the fires within, which] will shortly [be] naturally extinguished.
初一凡夫，
[The] very first [are] ordinary beings.
中属修学；
[The] middle, [from the second to the fourth], belong [to those who are] cultivating learning.
渐次最后，方名诸如来大圣人也。
Gradually [and] finally, [as the fifth, they are] then named [as] all Thus Come [Ones], great sagely persons.
净土宗八祖莲池大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 8th Patriarch Great Master Liánchí
《竹窗随笔》
Essays Written [By The] Bamboo Window
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
