經文中列舉出二十種修道難處，我們挑選以下一些特別的情況加以解釋：
Difficult for the poor to give alms: It is true that poor people will have difficulty in money donation, but we have learned in Chapter 11 that the merit of alms giving depends mainly on mentality instead of object. Moreover, poor people can make offerings in terms of courage and the dharma. Giving hope and happiness to others, such as lending a helping hand, or showing appreciations, are within the scope of offering of courage. As for offering of the dharma, it includes teaching the dharma, and encouraging others to believe in karma or to take refuge in the Three Jewels. Offering of the dharma is also the most prestigious among the three kinds of alms giving.貧窮布施難：窮人在財布施來說是難，但第11章曾經講過布施的功德主要是論心境而不是論對境。而且貧窮人也可以作無畏布施或法布施。給人希望或歡喜，包括助人、讚美等都屬於無畏布施。勸人深信因果，皈依三寶，乃至講解佛法都是法布施，而三種布施中以法布施最為殊勝。
Difficult for the rich to practise: Affluent people, who possess wealth, power, and status, can easily lose themselves. First of all money can bring about a lot of temptation, and secondly practice may imply forfeiture of possessions. There is such a story from the Buddhist sutra: once a bhiksu was suffering from a serious sickness which nobody could cure. Venerable Master Moggallana yet thought of his disciple Jivaka who was a famous doctor. He had often offered medical treatments to monks and therefore had accumulated a lot of merits. It was just that Jivaka had been reborn in heaven after death. When Moggallana was looking for him in heaven, Jivaka happened to be on the ride for indulgence, and he only waved to Moggallana. As a result Moggallana stopped Jivaka by using supernatural power and reprimanded him. However Jivaka defended himself, saying that I have already done well; if other devas were me, they would ignore you.豪貴學道難：因為富貴的人擁有財富、權力、地位，很容易迷失自我。金錢可以為他們帶來很多的誘惑，而且學道意味著他們需要有所犧牲。佛經裡有一個故事，一位比丘生病無人能治，目犍連尊者想起他的一位名醫弟子耆婆，他專門為出家人治病，福報很大，但已死生天了。於是目犍連到天上找耆婆。當時耆婆正驅著車前往享樂，見到目犍連只向他揮了揮手，於是目犍連用神通把車停著訓斥了耆婆一頓，但耆婆說我這樣已經很好了，其他天人根本不會理你。
Difficult to experience the Buddhist sutras: The existence of Buddhist sutras follows the emergence of the Buddha. Dated from the beginning of human history which started several thousands of years ago all the way to the emergence of the next Buddha Maitreya coming in 5.7 billion years, Buddha Sakyamuni’s dharma, which will last for some ten thousand years only, is the only dharma that will exist during this period. Also only those human beings who have a karmic cause can learn and practice it.得覩佛經難：佛經是必須有佛出世才會出現的，從有史以來的幾千年前一直到彌勒佛出世的五十七億年後，只有釋迦牟尼佛的法運一萬多年，當中只有有緣的人道眾生才能聞法修學。
Take the Surangama Sutra as an example; the Great Master Zhi Zhe (538 A.D. - 597 A.D.) , the founder of the Tian Tai School of Buddhism, set up a worship terrace at the peak of Tian Tai Mountain in quest of the Sutra. He worshiped and prayed for the Sutra there for 18 years till his great decease but without success. After more than a hundred years, Master Paramiti, an eminent monk from India, was deeply moved by the deeds of Master Zhi Zhe, so he was determined to bring the Surangama Sutra to China. However, circulation of the Sutra across the border was forbidden at that time. After several unsuccessful attempts, Paramiti hid the scrolls of the Sutra by sewing them into his arms, and successfully brought the Surangama Sutra to China eventually in 705 A.D. It is thus clear that the opportunity of hearing the dharma is very rare. 就以《楞嚴經》為例，天台宗始創人智者大師（公元538-597年）為了拜讀《楞嚴經》，在天台山頂設立拜經臺，祈求禮拜了整整十八年，直至圓寂時都沒有獲得。百多年後印度高僧般剌密諦因為智者大師拜經的事跡深受感動, 決定把《楞嚴經》傳到中國。但當時《楞嚴經》是禁止外傳，經過了多次失敗，最終般剌密諦把經卷藏在臂膊的肉裡，在公元705年成功地把《楞嚴經》傳到中國，可見遇到佛法的機遇是非常難得的。講解 | 釋宏添 北京天開寺