12月13日

前世今生
佛光星雲 ( 1927~ )

佛經裡說：「菩薩畏因，眾生畏果。」覺悟
的菩薩他慎於開始，毫末小惡不敢違犯；剛強
的眾生，放恣身口意業，只有看到報應現前，
才開始畏懼悔恨。浩瀚的佛經有九千多卷，其
實只要我們能謹守八字真言「諸惡莫作，眾善
奉行」，即可消災免難，如意安康。

前世來生，干卿底事，何必吹皺一池春水？
重要的是如何經營今生？要成慈眉菩薩，或成
惡鬼貪狼？就在你建設的是地獄，還是天堂?

──選自《人生的階梯》

December 13

Past and Present Life
Venerable Master Hsing Yun (1927 - , Fo Guang Shan)
English translation: Fo Guang Shan International Translation Center and Zhi Yue

In Buddhism, there is a very profound
saying that “Bodhisattvas fear causes, while
sentient beings fear effects.” Bodhisattvas
refrain from creating ill causes, for they
know an ill cause will bring an ill effect.
Sentient beings, on the other hand, are
impulsive and often act without thinking
through the consequences. While we do
not show any fear of creating ill causes, we
dread the ill effects they bear on us.

While there are numerous Buddhist texts,
spanning over nine thousand sutras, they all
teach us to refrain from doing unwholesome
deeds, to do all that is wholesome, and how
to dispel disasters in order to live a peaceful life.

Live in the present, without unnecessary
thought about the past or the future.
At every moment, we can choose to be
compassionate like the Bodhisattvas, or to
succumb to insatiable greed. Ultimately, it
is up to us to decide whether our lives are
like heaven or hell.

── from Rensheng De Jieti (The Stairway of Life)