宣化上人：弟子规浅释，孝

应，读去声，作动词用，回答之意;不可读平声，而解作应该。呼，是高声叫唤：父母或者在远处，或者在别个房间，所以当父母需要我们时，就会提高了声音来叫。假如我们不马上答应，父母或者会以为我们不在，或者会以为我们没听见。于是一叫再叫的，嗓子叫哑了都有可能;再不然就是发起脾气来了!

这都很伤健康的。真孝顺的孩子，不会希望父母伤身体，更不会装聋作哑，甚至于被叫烦了，还反过来怪父母。

1.WhenMotherandFatherarecalling,answerthemrightaway.

Whenourparentsarefarawayorinanotherroom,theymaycallouttouswhentheyneedus.Ifwedonotrespondrightaway,theymaythinkthatwearenotaroundorthatwedidnothearthem,andtheywillkeepcallinguntiltheybecomehoarseorlosetheirtemper,neitherofwhichwouldbegoodfortheirhealth.AtrulyFilialchildwouldnotwanthisparentstoruintheirhealthlikethat.Hewouldnotpretendtobedeaformutewhenhisparentscalledhim,andhewouldnotdaretodisobeythemevenifheisannoyedatbeingcalled.

命是当面吩咐，或者是很威严地命令，或者是很和蔼地交待，总之都得赶快去做，不要找藉口，拖拖拉拉的，或是阳奉阴违，当面答应却背后捣鬼;又或者做得心不甘情不愿的，甚至人前，背后发牢骚。这都不可以的。

2.Whentheygiveyoudirections,obeythemwithouthesitation.

Whenourparentstellustodosomething,whethersternlyorgently.weshouldobeythemrightawayandnotlookforexcusestoprocrastinate.Weshouldn tactobedientinfrontofourparentsbutthendisobeythembehindtheirbacks;norshouldwedothingsinareluctantmannerandkeepcomplaininginfrontofourparentsorbehindtheirbacks.

教，在这里也是个动词，念平声，教导。父母的人生经验比我们丰富，当他们在指导我们怎么待人，处事，接物时，我们都要恭恭敬敬地仔细听明白，牢记在心。不可以当那话是耳边风，看父母像老骨董。所谓“众人是我师，我是众人师。”别人不管好的不好的，都可以做我们的一面镜子，何况是对自己的父母?父母说得对，要听从;说得若不合理呢!也可以拿来做参考改进之用，怎么可以不恭敬呢?

3.Whenyourparentsneedtoinstructyou,respectfullydoasyou retold.

Ourparentsaremuchmoreexperiencedthanweare,andsowhentheyinstructusonhowtocommunicatewithotherpeopleandhowtohandlevarioussituations,weshouldlistenrespectfullytotheirwords,makesureweunderstandthem,andrememberthembyheart.Weshouldn tthinkourparentsaretooold-fashionedandsimplylettheirwordsgoinoneearandouttheother.Itissaid, Allpeoplearemyteachers,andIameveryone steacher. Whetherotherpeoplearegoodorbad,wecanalwayslearnsomethingfromthem;howmuchthemorecanwelearnfromourparents!Weshouldlistentoourparentsiftheyareright,ofcourse;andiftheyareunreasonable,weshouldstillberespectfultothem,butnotfollowtheirexample.

再说假如我们做错了，或者不能满父母的心意，父母免不了要责备，或者疾言厉色地骂一顿，或者只温和地教训几句。不管怎么样，都要温驯地接受，不可争辩，更不可强词夺理来惹父母伤心生气。

4.Wheneveryourparentsmustscoldyou,acknowledgeyourerrorsandfaults.

Ifwedosomethingwrongorweletdownourparents wishes,theymayscoldusseverelyorgentlyremonstratewithus.Nomatterhowtheyreact,weshouldcompliantlyaccepttheiradmonition,andnotarguewiththemormakethemangryorupset.

为什么把这四项放在孝道之首?因为这是居家生活中，最常面临的事情。父母子女间是否慈爱、孝顺，在这些日常应对中，最容易反映出来。若做子女的，做不到这些，却说有孝心，任谁也不相信的。可是我们人哪!最容易在这些日常的小事上忽略过去，以为没什么要紧;殊不知日积月累的，就足以伤透父母的心了!口口声声：“我是有那个孝心的!”有心无行，又有什么用?

Whyarethesefoursentencesplacedatthebeginningofthediscussiononfilialpiety?Theydealwiththemostcommonsituationsthatoccurinourhomes.Wecaneasilytellfromobservingthedailyinteractionsbetweenparentsandchildrenwhethertheparentsarelovingandthechildrenarefilial.Ifthechildrenclaimtobefilialandyetfailtopracticethesefourbasicrulesindailylife,whowillbelievethem?Unfortunately,wetendtoneglectthesesmallmattersofdailylifeandthinkthattheyarenobigdeal.Wedon trealizethatifwegraduallyaccumulatethesebadhabits,wemayendupbreakingourparents hearts.What stheuseofclaimingtobefilialifwedon tactuallypractice?

以前中国古时有个叫丁兰的男子，性情十分粗鲁，对相依为命的母亲总是非打即骂，自己还不觉得那是不孝。有一天，他在田里工作，忽然看见小鹿是跪着吃母鹿的奶，再看看枝头的小乌鸦，忙进忙出的找食物喂老乌鸦;他猛然省悟到自己比禽兽还不如，决定等下母亲送饭来时，要好好表现一下孝行。

InancientChina,therewasamannamedDingLanwhowasaroughfellow.Althoughheandhismotherhadonlyeachothertorelyupon,heoftenscoldedandbeathismotherwithoutanysenseofshameforhisunfilialconduct.Onedaywhenhewasworkinginthefields,hesuddenlynoticedafawnkneelingdowntodrinkitsmother smilk.Healsosawsomeyoungcrowsbusilylookingforfoodtofeedtheiragingmother.Reflectingonthewayhetreatedhisownmother,herealizedthathewasnotevenasgoodasananimal.Hemadeuphismindtobefilialtohismotherfromthenon.

母亲送饭来得晚了，正急得害怕要挨打了，一见儿子朝他奔来，吓得饭盒一丢，返身就逃。丁兰一看更急得边追边叫妈，母亲边跑边哭：“唉呀!我这回被抓到，准被打死了!真苦命啊!这样活着没意思啦!”见着池塘就跳了下去;等丁兰赶到，水面只浮着一块薄木板，再也找不到母亲了!于是乎，悔恨交加的丁兰便把木板当作母亲，写上母亲的名字，供奉起来。这就是中国人供奉祖先牌位的由来。

Butitjustsohappenedthatonthatparticularday,hismotherwaslateinsendinglunchtohim,andshewasafraidshewouldbescoldedandbeatenagain.Asshehurriedlywalkedtowardherson,shesawDingLanrunningtowardher.Terrified,shedroppedthelunchboxandturnedandfled.WhenDingLansawhismotherrunningaway,heshoutedoutandranevenfaster,tryingtotellherhisintention.Hismothercriedassheran,thinking, Ifhecatchesmethistime,he llbeatmetodeathforsure!Whatmisery!It smeaninglesstoliveinthisworld! Andsowhenshereachedtheriverbank,shethrewherselfinandcommittedsuicide.WhenDingLanreachedthatplace,hesawonlyapieceofwoodfloatingontheriver.Knowingthathewouldneverseehismotheragain,hepickedupthewoodandtookithome,wherehetreateditashismother.Hecarvedhismother snameonit,setitonthealtar,andmadeofferingstoit.AndthustheChinesecustomofsettingupmemorialplaquestotheirancestorsbegan.

虽然丁兰省悟了自己过去忤逆母亲的不孝，但已是“树欲静而风不止;子欲养而亲不待了!”所以孝顺父母要及早，更要从这些每日的应对做起，培养自己的恭敬心，那便是孝的初步了!

AlthoughDingLandeeplyregrettedhisrebelliousbehavior,itwastoolate.Sothereisasaying, Thetreewantstobestill,butthewindkeepsonblowing:achildwishestorepayhisparents kindness,buttheyaregone. Ifwewanttopracticefilialpiety,weshouldstartearlybydevelopingarespectfulattitudetowardourparentswhenweinteractwiththemindailylife.Thatisthefirststeptobeingfilial.

摘自法界佛教总会(孙果秀注释)