莫待老來方學道
Don't Wait Until You're Old to Cultivate the Way
為什麼到了現在，還要等待，不去修行？
Why, even now, do we still want to put off cultivating?
我們在這世界上，應該趕快修行，不要等待。年輕時不修行，等到白頭時再修行，那就來不及了，所謂：
When we are in this world, we should hurry and cultivate. Don't wait around. If you don't cultivate when young, and you wait until your hair turns gray to cultivate, it will be too late. The saying goes,
莫待老來方學道，
孤墳儘是少年人。
Don't wait until you're old to cultivate the Way.
The lonely graves are full of young people.
年輕人也會很快就死去，不管老少，只要時候到了，無常鬼就捉你去見閻羅王，這是一點也不客氣的，所謂：
Young people will also die soon. Regardless of whether you are young or old, when the time comes, the ghosts of impermanence will drag you off to see King Yama. They won't show you any courtesy at all. It is said,
陽間無老少，
陰間常相逢。
Age makes no difference in
the realm of the living,
For people constantly meet in
the realm of the dead.
各位注意！光陰很寶貴，一寸時光，就是一寸命光，不要隨隨便便把光陰空過，等三災來臨的時候，我們能否受得了？趁現在年輕時，要發奮修行，不要等到明天才修行。今天及時修行，方為上策。
Each of you should pay attention! Time is precious. An inch of time is an inch of life, so don't casually let the time pass in vain. When the three disasters are imminent, will we be able to survive? While we are still young, we must cultivate zealously. Don't wait until tomorrow to cultivate. The best way is to immediately start cultivating today.
有人想：「今天先不修行，等明天才修行。」明天又等明天，等來等去，頭髮白了，眼睛花了，耳朵聾了，牙也掉了，到了那個時候想修行，身體不聽招呼，四肢不靈活，那時就苦不堪言。
Someone is thinking, 「I won't cultivate today. I'll put it off till tomorrow.」 Tomorrow, you'll put it off to the next day. You keep putting it off until your hair turns white, your eyes become blurry, your ears go deaf, and your teeth fall out. At that point, you want to cultivate, but your body won't obey, and your four limbs are no longer agile. It will be unspeakably bitter then.
各位要知道，我們活在世界上，好像沒有水的魚，沒有多久的時間，便嗚呼哀哉！所謂：
You all should know that living in this world, we are like fish in a pond that is evaporating. We don't have much time left! As it is said,
是日已過，命亦隨減；
如少水魚，斯有何樂。
大眾！
當勤精進，如救頭然；
但念無常，慎勿放逸。
This day is already done.
Our lives are that much less.
We're like fish in a shrinking pond.
What joy is there in this?
Great Assembly!
We should be diligent and vigorous,
As if our own heads were at stake.
Only be mindful of impermanence.
And be careful not to be lax.
我們從無量劫以來，一直到現在，還不知修行，生了又死，死了又生，這是很值得我們痛心。為什麼到了現在，還要等待，不去修行？各位想一想，時間不會等待，轉瞬之間，一生就結束了。
From beginningless eons in the past until now, we have not known to cultivate. We undergo birth and death, and after death, birth again. We should really be pained at heart about this. Why, even now, do we still want to put off cultivating? Each of us should think about it─time doesn't wait. In the twinkling of an eye, this life will be over.
【編按】摘自《宣化上人中英開示錄（一）》，刊載於「法界佛教總會中文網站」。