这个故事本来给一对印度夫妇，他们有婚姻的问题并请求专家指点。

A Mother's Advice

母亲的忠告

(Originally In English)

A daughter who was betrothed to her husband went far away, and then before she left for her husband's house her mother gave her very, very good advice. The mother didn't cry and did not let the daughter cry. Instead she said, "You must listen to me. This is a very happy day. God has blessed you with a good husband , (everyone laugh), who doesn't gamble, who doesn't fool around with other women, who doesn't drink, who doesn't cheat; but who's honest, charitable, gentle, moral, virtuous and handsome (everyone laughs) inside and outside." Inside he was more beautiful than outside. Inside he is white, even though outside he is black. (everyone laugh.) So the daughter was smiling and listening with care, love and attention to the mother. 　

有一个女儿订婚后，准备要远离家庭到夫家。临走之前，她的母亲给了她非常好的忠告。母亲并没有哭，也不让她的女儿哭，反而说：「你要听我的话，这是一个非常高兴的日子，上帝保佑你，给你一位好的丈夫，（大众笑），不赌博，不和女人乱来，不喝酒、不谎话，而且他是一个诚实、仁爱、优雅，有道德、贞洁又英俊的人（大众笑）。谈到内在和外在，他的内在比外在还要漂亮，里面是白的，虽然外面是黑的（大众笑），这个女儿微笑且非常耐心、认真地听着她母亲的话。

And the mother said, "Now, you go to your new home. Treat your relatives in-law as your own. Respect your mother and father in-law as you have respected me and your father. Respect your husband as your only God, friend, protector, and the most beloved and respected person on the Earth planet; so that later you'll make a shining example for your children and bring glory, happiness and pride to your new family. You owe that to your husband, to myself and your father and all your sisters and brothers in our family to fulfill this duty. And you owe it to yourself as well as your husband to glorify all of us in this way.

母亲又说：「你去到新家，对待你的夫家亲戚，要像对待自己的亲戚一样；尊敬你的公婆，就像你尊敬我和你父亲一样，尊重你的先生就像他是这个地球上唯一的上帝、朋友和保护者，是你最爱、最尊敬的人。如此就可以为日后你的小孩树立优秀的榜样，为你的家庭带来荣耀、快乐和骄傲。为了你的先生、我和你的父亲及你所有的兄弟姐妹们，你应尽义务去完成这个责任。

Take care of your family, your husband's property and business so that it'll prosper, and it'll bring loftiness, security and abundance to your family so that your children will live in comfort. There's nothing to be sad about today, there's only the exciting future and new challenge waiting for you. To be loved by a husband is the most beautiful thing in the world. You should endure to be a good wife, so that you have all this happiness and success in your life."

你与你的先生都要尽同样的义务来荣耀我们，好好地照顾你的家庭、丈夫、财产、事业，让它繁荣、顺利，那么将会为你的家庭带来和气、平安和富裕，你的小孩将会生活在舒适中。没有什么好伤心的，只有令人兴奋的未来和新的挑战等着你。被丈夫所爱，是这个世界最美好的事，你应当持续做个好妻子，这样你就会拥有全部的快乐和成功。

So the daughter said, "But, what can I do to fulfill all these noble obligations and this beautiful duty that you have just told me about?"

女儿说：「我该如何做，才能完成刚才您所说的那些高雅的义务和美丽的使命呢？」

The mother said, "You must eat well, dress well, and sleep soundly everyday." The daughter said, "Yes, mother, I understand."

母亲说：「你必须每天吃得好、穿得好、睡得好」，女儿说：「是的，母亲，我了解。」

So when she went to the family in-law, she did exactly that: Slept well, ate well, dressed beautifullyeveryday. All the family members in-law were so happy with her. She raised beautiful, obedient, clever, hard working, hard studying children for the husband and the family in-law.

当她到了夫家，她确确实实地做到了「每天睡得好、吃得好，打扮得漂漂亮亮。」所有夫家的人对她都非常地喜爱，她也为丈夫和夫家抚育了听话、聪明、努力工作又用功读书的小孩。

Other people came and asked for her secret, "How did you make it? You came from such a far away place, you knew nothing about the customs of this land, and yet, you did so well. How did you do it?"

　其它的人都跑来问她秘法：「你如何做到的？你从那么遥远的地方来，对这里的风俗习惯根本不了解，然而你却持家有道，你到底是如何办到的呢？」

The daughter in-law, now mother of three, matriarch of the family, (everyone laugh), female boss of the husband's company, secretary in chief, housekeeper of the whole household, ( everyone laugh) a nurse to the elders and fragile mother and father in-law, a family leader for the younger brothers and sisters in-law etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, and an assistant but loving mother of three beautiful, healthy intelligent children said very humbly, "I achieved all this due to the loving advice of my mother."

这个媳妇已是三个小孩的母亲、家里面的大家长（大众笑），丈夫公司的老板娘、总秘书、全家的总管（大众笑），是长辈们、老弱的婆婆、小叔的保姆，年轻姑嫂叔侄们的领导者，也是三个美丽、爱心、健康又聪明小孩的好母亲，她非常谦卑地说：「我做得到这一切，都是归因于我母亲爱心的忠告。」

So everyone of course said, "Give me, give me please - tell me, tell me, tell me." "MMy mother told me before I came here a sad bride, that I should go to my family in-law: sleep soundly, eat very well, and dress chic." ( everyone laugh.) So everyone said "What? What kind of advice is that? And you did exactly just that to run your family?"

She said, "Y"Yes, I did exactly just that: ate well, slept soundly, and dressed chic everyday. That's what I did." They said, "H"How? What do you mean? By just enjoying this, you ran your family and everything went along well? Please explain to us. Are you joking or something?"

所以每个人都要求：「告诉我这个忠告吧！」她说：「在我来这里当新娘之前，我母亲告诉我，到了夫家应该吃得好、睡得好、穿得高雅。」（大众笑）大家说：「什么？这是什么种类的忠告嘛？而你却照着做，去管理你的家庭。」她说：「是啊！我就是这么做，每天吃得好、睡得好、穿得高雅，那就是我所做的啊！」他们问：「怎么说呢？你只去享受这些就能把家里一切事务管理得井然有序？请你解释一下，你是在开玩笑？」

She said, "N"No! No! What my mother meant by eating well was that I must take care of the whole family, feed them all, including the guests, until they are all full and satisfied, then I eat myself what is left over; because after everyone is satisfied no one will disturb me anymore. I'll be hungry by then (everyone laughs) -- having run around -- so whatever is left over, doesn't matter what, will be very tasty, delicious (everyone laughs); nourishing and will have a lot of blessing power. I pray to Buddha before I eat (everyone laugh) and Buddha blesses my food. So whatever I eat becomes nectar. My body is strong, my palate is satisfied, my heart is contented; so I can offer my best service to my family after I'm well fed, satisfied and have enjoyed a delicious meal in all quietness and tranquility. When everyone is satisfied and full, they also love me and of course their loving feelings also bless me as well because I took care of them very well. All their good wishes and their contented feelings will also bless me, and I share the merit of their happiness; I share their happiness as well. So that's the secret of: eating well."

她说：「不是！不是！我母亲所说吃得好的意思是，我必须照顾整个家庭的成员，对待他们好，包括所有的客人，直到他们都吃饱、满足了，然后我自己才吃剩下的，因为在每个人都满足了之后，就不会再来打扰我，那时我也饿了（大众笑），不论剩下什么东西，一定都很美味可口（大众笑），很有营养，有很多的祝福，在我吃之前，我还供养佛祖（大众笑），佛祖会加持我的食物，无论我吃的是什么，都会变成甘露，所以我的身体强壮、胃口佳，内心也满足，在这种宁静且祥和的气氛下，我吃得很好，既满足又享受。享用了可口美味的一餐之后，我当然可以贡献出我最好的服务给家庭，大家都满足且吃饱。因为我把他们照顾得很好，他们所有好的祝福和满足的感觉也会加持我，而我也分享他们的快乐，这就是『吃得好』的秘密。」

Then they said, "Y"You sleep every night soundly? You just worry about sleep?" She said, "N"No! What my mother meant by sleeping well is that, after everyone is asleep, I take care of all the doors, turn off all the lights, make sure everything is in place and secured so that the thieves do not come in, take care of all the family members that everyone is well, sound asleep; and then I don't worry. Then my heart is very calm and relaxed because I know they are all well taken care of and warm in their blankets; that they sleep all night long and they will never get up and disturb me, ask for anything, or be sick; then I don't have to worry. Then I sleep myself very soundly too because there's nothing else to do. (everyone laugh.) That's what my mother meant."

　他们又问了：「你每天晚上都睡得很甜吗？只要担心你睡得好不好就够了吗？」她说：「不是！我母亲所谓睡得好，是在每个人都就寝之后，我把所有门窗都关上，所有的灯都熄掉，确定每样东西都在原位很安全，确保小偷不会进来。照顾全家人，让每个人都安好，都有温暖的毯子，睡得甜，我的内心就会很平静且放松，因为我晓得他们都得到很好的照顾，有温暖的毯子，整晚都睡得好，不会起来烦我或是生病，我不必担心，我自己也能睡得好，因为已经没有什么可做了（大众笑），那就是我母亲的意思。」

And the others were feeling very surprised and impressed about the wisdom of the mother, as well as the wisdom of the daughter. Of course, like mother like daughter.

所有的人都非常惊讶，对于这对母女的智慧留下了深刻的印象，有其母必有其女。

"AAnd now about the last one, please, about the last one. Oh! Why do you have to dress well?" So she said, "Y"Yes! Dressing well means you have to be always properly dressed and tidy. You dress yourself with a big smile when you wake up in the morning and the last thing before you go to bed. You dress yourself with all the loving kindness that God has bestowed within your heart. So when people see you, they see an angel, they see love written in your face, they see blessings shinning in your eyes, they see God in your benevolent smile. That's what my mother meant by dressing well.

大众又问：「请告诉我们最后一项，为什么你要打扮得漂漂亮亮，穿得那么好呢？」她说：「穿得好的意思是说，你必须总是穿着适宜、整洁，当你早晨醒来，必须给自己挂上一个大大的笑容，就寝的最后一件事，必须穿戴上帝所赐与你内心所有的爱和善良。当人们看到你的时候，就像看到一位天使，他们看到你脸上写满了爱，看到你的眼睛里充满了幸福、光亮，他们在你仁慈的笑容里看到上帝，那就是我母亲所谓『穿得好』。」

"SSo that's how I dress myself everyday. That's how I feed myself to health everyday. That's how I sleep to sweet dreams every night. And if all of you do that, your family members, your in-laws, will be also as well as mine right here!" So everyone of course bowed, clapped, smiled, dressed themselves well, and went home.

这些就是我每天如何打扮、使自己吃得健康、使每晚的梦都香甜的秘诀，如果你们全部都能做到，你们的家人、你们的亲戚也都会像我的一样好！听到此，每个人都向她敬礼鼓掌，带着微笑，将自己打扮好，然后回家。
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