第三四手相云：「若為令一切鬼神龍蛇、虎狼獅子、人及非人，常相恭敬愛念者，當於合掌手。」

合掌

是人間最美的動作

可以是謝謝

可以是歡喜相逢

可以是珍重再見

可以是願你善緣和合

有如這溫柔相合的雙手

願所有合掌的人

都記得一切祝福的善念

願所有看到合掌的人

都生起一切圓滿的善念

【祝福】

一切生命，不論美麗、和善或是平庸、彆扭，就像你我一樣，終究是有情眾生。他們也和我們一樣，渴望快樂而厭惡痛苦。同時，他們趨樂避苦的權利也和我們不相上下。所以當我們承認所有的人在「追求快樂」以及「獲得快樂」這兩方面都是平等的，我們自然而然對他人會產生人溺己溺的親近感覺。

透過使我們自己逐漸熟悉這種一視同仁的利他心，我們就會培養出對他人的責任感：一種積極協助他人克服障礙的願力。這種願力是沒有選擇性的、沒有分別的，一視同仁。只要有人和我們一樣地經驗樂與苦，即使他們中有一部分人的行為是惡劣的，我們也沒有理由因為個人的喜怒改變對他們的關懷。

我們若以自我為中心，生起一種對於「我」的強烈執著，將阻礙我們發展慈悲心。合掌手提醒我們永遠記得一切善念，讓慈悲心充滿，普照有情。

 

All life, whether beautiful and kind or mediocre and awkward, is ultimately a sentient being just like you and me. Like us, they desire pleasure and abhor pain. At the same time, their right to seek pleasure and avoid pain is equal to ours. So when we recognize that all people are equal in terms of "pursuing happiness" and "obtaining happiness", we will naturally feel a doting closeness to others.

By familiarizing ourselves with this kind of non-discriminatory altruism, we develop a sense of responsibility for others: a willingness to actively help others overcome their obstacles. This kind of willingness is non-selective, non-discriminatory and treats everyone equally. As long as there are people who experience joy and pain like us, even if some of them behave badly, there is no reason for us to change our care for them because of our personal joys and sorrows.

If we are self-centered and develop a strong attachment to "me", we will be hindered from developing compassion. Putting our palms together reminds us to always remember all good thoughts, fills our hearts with compassion, and shines on all sentient beings.