仏教の先生の書かれた日本語文の英訳をさせていただいています。Buddhism’sTheory of Happinessという名前でYouTubeやSNSで仏教の布教活動をされています。その翻訳した文の一部を定期的にここでシェアさせていただきます。
You might do someone a big favor. But you may get angry or sad when you don't get something back. This is a characteristic of our “good deeds”. This kind of mind will not disappear because our good deeds are tainted with poison. Buddhism teaches that good deeds we do are poisoned and not true good deeds.
There's a well-known story between Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu of Liang in China, who was a great supporter of Buddhism. Emperor Wu helped many monks and built numerous pagodas and temples, playing a significant role in spreading Buddhism in China.
One day, the emperor invited Bodhidharma from India as an honored guest. When Bodhidharma, who was 120 years old at the time, visited, the emperor eagerly asked, "I have done so much for Buddhism. How much merit have I gained?"
To his surprise, Bodhidharma replied, "None!"
Shocked, Emperor Wu asked, "How can you say that?"
Bodhidharma explained, "Your actions are nothing but false virtue and poisoned good," meaning that the emperor's sense of entitlement and arrogance were corrupting his deeds.