【原文】
The most important, the primordial relationship in your life is your relationship with the Now, or rather with whatever form the Now takes, that is to say, what is or what happens. If your relationship with the Now is dysfunctional, that dysfunction will be reflected in every relationship and every situation you encounter. The ego could be defined simply in this way: a dysfunctional relationship with the present moment. It is at this moment that you can decide what kind of relationship you want to have with the present moment.
“Do I want the present moment to be my friend or my enemy?" The present moment is inseparable from life, so you are really deciding what kind of relationship you want to have with life. Once you have decided you want the present to be your friend, it is up to you to make the first move: Become friendly toward it, welcome it no mater in what disguise it comes, and soon you will see the results. Life becomes friendly toward you: people become helpful, circumstances cooperative. One decision changes our entire reality. But that one decision you have to make again and again and again—— until it becomes natural to live in such a way.
【译文】
人一生之中所处的各种关系之中，最重要的最根本的不是与当下所采用的形式的关系而是与当下的关系。换句话说，与任何与任何事物的关系都不如如当下的关系重要。如果你与当下的关系处理得不好，这将会影响你与所有事物与情境的关系。我们可以这样定义自我【ego】：与当下关系的一种不良状态。而现在，你就可以决定与当下保持怎样的关系。
“我想要当下成为朋友还是敌人？” 当下与生活是不可分割的，因此当你问自己这个问题是，你实际上是在决定与生活保持怎样的关系。若你决定与当下做朋友，就应该首先采取行动，主动示好，无论它以何种表象出现，都敞开胸怀欢迎它。然后，你会很快看到变化：生活也会向你示好，各种境况开始帮助你。这个决定改变了我们的整个现实。不过，你得一而在，再而三的做同样的决定，直到这成为你自然而然的行为方式。
【心得】
与当下做朋友，关键是要有一种接受一切的胸怀。对所有的事物都采取一种理解与包容的态度，就是拥有了自然的情怀。自然与宇宙无所不包，我们要与自然为友自然就要无所不容。没有了敌人，没有了反对物，也就没有障碍，一切将会顺利起来。