五三、相觀對治 方便法門

53. It is good for one to take mutual examination and contrast others’ position with one’s own.

人之際遇，有齊①有不齊，而能使己獨齊乎？己之情理，有順有不順，而能使人皆順乎？以此相觀對治②，亦是一方便法門③。

【注 釋】

① 齊：通“濟”，意喻順利，成功。

② 相觀對治：相互對照修正。此處有將心比心的含義。

③ 法門：佛教用語。修行者入道的門徑。泛指途徑或方法。

【今文解譯】

每個人的境遇是不盡相同的，有的順有的不順，有誰能保證自己的境遇一直是順的？人的心智是不斷變化的，時而暢明時而瘀滯，有誰能要求別人的心智始終都保持暢明？為人處世能有這樣換位思考的心態，倒也不失為一種修身立德的好方法。

【English Translation】

Men’s lots are different from each other. Among them, some are commendable, and some are not. How can a man claim that he himself is the only one whose lot is commendable? The state of a man’s heart and mind changes accordingly from time to time. Now he may be sensible, now may not. How can he demand that others hold on to a sensible state of heart and mind without any change? Empathy as considerate as such is quite a way fit for refining our moral behaviors.