無辜的小鬼（中英）　宣化上人主講

教育始於胎教

Education Starts in the Womb

◎宣化上人‧一九八八年十月二十五日
A Talk Given by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, Oct. 25, 1988

懷孕的時候，有什麼樣的行為，就影響胎兒也有這種心理。
A baby will be imprinted by whatever mindset the mother has during her pregnancy.

各位善知識，今天大家聚會到這一個大堂裏邊，共同談一談教育的問題。教育是人的根本，若把這根本問題忽略了，那就叫捨本逐末，捨近求遠。
   　    
All good and wise friends, today we are together in this great hall to discuss education. Education is the foundation for everyone, if we neglect this basic issue, we will be “renouncing the essential while pursuing the trivia, ignoring what is near and seeking what is far away.” 　
   　    
教育是由有生以來，耳濡目染影響的，形成我們人一生的行為，所謂「近朱者赤，近墨者黑，染於蒼則蒼，染於黃則黃。」教育的問題，甚至於可以這麼說，不單生出後做人受教育；就是沒生出以前，在母親的腹裏，已經就接受教育了。當小孩子在母親腹裏的時候，這個母親如果是有學識的，也會影響這個小孩子很聰明，很有學問的。母親懷著子女的時候，如果是愛發脾氣，出生的小孩子脾氣一定很大的。母親非常剛強，不接受任何人的勸告，這個小孩子生出來也一定非常剛強，不聽任何人的勸告，自己有自己的主宰，不是一般人所能左右的。所以胎教非常重要。
   　    
Education starts when we are born; what we constantly see and hear after our birth shapes our behavior throughout our lives. It is said that “Those who draw near to vermilion will turn red, those who associate with ink will turn black; something stained with gray will turn gray, something stained with yellow will become yellow.” It can even be said that education not only affects a person after his birth, but also when he is still in the womb. For example, if a mother were knowledgeable, the baby in her womb will be positively influenced to also be very smart and learned. If a mother likes to lose her temper while pregnant, her baby certainly will have a big temper. If a mother were very obstinate and refuses to take advice from anyone, her child will definitely be very stubborn and does things his own way without heeding the advice of others. Therefore, educating the fetus is very important.
   　    
女人為國民之母，為國家的根本，所有的女人都應該會教育兒童。在懷孕的時候，就懂得胎教，這時候也不應該爭，也不應該貪，也不應該妄求，也不應該那麼自私，也不應該那麼自利，也不應該打妄語。因為你打妄語，有爭、貪、求、自私自利這些行為，就會影響胎兒也有這種心理，所以就不會在社會上做一個良好的國民。因為這個，所以父母於懷孕的期間，就應該特別注意教育。
   　    
Women are mothers of every citizen, and thus they are the foundation of a nation. Given this important role they play in society, all women should learn how to educate their children, and this responsibility starts when they become pregnant. During their pregnancy, women should not fight, be greedy, seek, be selfish, pursue personal advantage, or tell lies. Because if a mother engages in any of these behaviors, her baby will be influenced accordingly and develop similar mindset. Consequently, the child won’t become a good citizen. Therefore, parents should start paying attention to educating their child when their baby is still in the womb.
   　    
在小孩子生出來了，做父母的一定要給子女做個好榜樣，不要那麼爭啊！吵啊！自私自利、貪、求、打妄語啊！如果你有這樣的行為，那子女是見到什麼，就會學什麼。譬如大人會講話，小孩子也一點一點就會講話了。他受這種的影響力是很大的。所以做父母的不能說能養子女，不能教子女。你能養子女，那是幫助國家生一個國民了；可是你不能教養子女，這是沒有負起對國家、對社會的關心。你沒把你生出的子女教育好，令他做一個問題兒童，甚至於危害社會國家，這都是做父母的要負的責任。
   　    
Parents must set good examples for their children. They should not fight or quarrel so much, be selfish, seek self-advantage, be greedy, or lie! This is important because children will observe and imitate their parents’ behaviors. Indeed, children are highly susceptible to their environment. For example, by observing the way adults talk, children learn how to talk bit by bit. Therefore, parents should not say they are only capable of bearing their children, but incapable of educating them. By bringing a child into this world, you are adding a new citizen to your nation. However, if you don’t educate your children well, you won’t be fulfilling your responsibility to your nation and society. In other words, you will be held fully responsible if you fail to educate your children properly and they become problem youths, who may even harm the nation and society.
   　    
所以做父母的，要以教育子女為當務之急，不要把「去賺錢、去搞名搞利」，做為第一了。應該以教育子女，做為最要緊的一件事情。你若是把子女教育好了，比你為他賺多少錢都有價值；因為他知道怎麼樣做人，怎麼樣愛惜身體了。所以子女在家庭，還沒有入學的這個階段，教育的責任是父母的。
   　    
Therefore, as parents, you should make your children’s education as your first priority, instead of focusing mainly on earning money and pursuing fame. You should consider educating your children as your most important task. If you are able to educate your children well, it will be more valuable than earning a lot of money for them. This is because through proper education, your children will learn how to behave as upright individuals, and how to cherish their own bodies. Therefore, before children are old enough to attend school, their parents should be responsible for their education during this period of time.
   　    
那麼等到他一踏入學校，學校做人師表的，應該要以身作則，影響得學生儘量知道怎麼樣敦品立德，怎麼樣能孝順父母，尊敬長上。一開始的時候，要教他孝道。萬佛聖城的小學，儘量灌輸小學生孝順父母；在家裏要替父母工作，也要順承父母的意思。所以萬佛聖城的小學生回到家裏，他的父母都非常滿意的。
   　    
As soon as children start school, teachers should set good examples for their students. Under the teachers’ positive influence, the students should learn how to develop upright characters and virtues, and how to show filial reverence toward their parents and respect toward their elders. From the very beginning, teachers should teach their students filial reverence. In the elementary school at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, students are instilled with the concept of filial reverence. They are taught to be obedient to their parents, and to help their parents when they go home. Therefore, their parents are very pleased with their behavior at home.
   　    
老師以「得天下英才而教育之」做自己真正的天職義務，就應該負起教育一般人的子女這種的責任，令他不抽菸、不喝酒、不吸毒，不男女不守規矩，應該在這個地方著手。
   　    
For teachers who have taken “obtaining outstanding people in the world to educate” as their true vocation and duty, they should shoulder the responsibility for educating other people's children. They should start with instructing the students not to smoke, not to take intoxicants or drugs, and not to get involved in improper relationships with members of the opposite sex.