佛法是缘起法|Dependent Origination instead of Predomination of Dharma

缘起的道理就是不断重新组合，越组合越好，越组合越清净，越组合越大。佛法不同于外道的地方就是缘起法。

The truth about dependent origination is that the conditions that lead causes to effects continuously merge and diverge; the more it happens, the more likely the conditions may lead to better, purer, and greater circumstances. The main difference between the Buddha Dharma and other religious teachings lies in the doctrine of dependent origination.

外道的法是什么呢？是主宰法， 认为什么人或什么神能够主宰万物。这是不可能的事情。佛法是缘起法，不是主宰法。

What do other religions teach? Many of them teach theism, which holds the belief that an omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient person or god(or persons or gods) dominates and controls every aspect of life. From the perspective of Buddhist teachings, it is impossible for such beings to exist.

所谓“缘起法”，就是它能够改变，它是无常的、变化的。因为无常变化，我们才能够断烦恼。如果不是缘起法，如果不会变化，那么烦恼永远是烦恼，菩提永远是菩提，凡夫永远是凡夫。

The so-called “dependent origination” means that everything is constantly changing, is impermanent, and is transient. It is because of this transient nature that we can eradicate afflictions. Without dependent origination, there would be no change, and consequently afflictions would remain as afflictions, the enlightened would remain enlightened, and the ordinary would remain ordinary.

因为一切法都是无常，都是无我，都是会变化的。在这样的变化过程当中，是有规律性的，它不是杂乱无章的。我们如果顺着好的方面去变化，顺着好的方面去走，顺着觉悟的路，顺着菩提的次第大道去走，这就是对的，反过来就是错的。这些观点，我们内心要越来越清楚地去认识。

Every Dharma is impermanent, devoid of the concept of “self,” and transient. In the process of constant change, there is regularity because it is not haphazard. If we follow a positive direction to change ourselves and go down the right path, i.e., the path to awakening or the Bodhi path to enlightenment, we will be doing it correctly.

如果我们认识不到，我们认识不来，可能学得越久越迷茫，就是法不入心，不能纳法成业，不能了解到法的真正意涵是什么。

Otherwise, we would be doing it all wrong. All of these viewpoints require us to understand them more and more clearly. If we do not or cannot understand, we will end up, more confused as we progress in our study, that is, unable to immerse ourselves in the Dharma, and therefore unable to actualize our aims and unable to understand the true meaning of the Dharma.

来源：学诚大和尚开示《感悟人生》
Source：Understanding Life by Ven. Master Xuecheng
翻译：北京龙泉寺翻译中心
Translated by: Beijing Longquan Monastery Translation Center