為什麼要受持五戒？（中英對照）　宣化上人著

◎ 受五戒的重要性

◎ The importance of receiving the five precepts

要是能持五戒十善，就能升到天上。「五戒」──殺、盜、婬、妄、酒。

不殺生是慈悲；
不偷盜是義氣；
不邪婬是正人君子；
不妄語是忠信的人；
不飲酒是不亂來的人。

殺生，將來是宿殃短命報； 偷盜，將來是貧窮苦楚報； 邪婬，將來是雀鴿鴛鴦報；小鳥好高騖遠，貪邪婬就做了小鳥。

If one can uphold the five precepts and practice the ten good deeds, one will ascend to the heavens. The five precepts are not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants:

Not killing is to be kind and compassionate,
Not stealing is to be righteous,
Not engaging in sexual misconduct is to be an upright and proper person,
Not lying is to be a loyal and faithful person,
Not taking intoxicants is not to be a reckless person.

Killing brings the retribution of a short life span,
Stealing brings the retribution of a life of poverty and hardship,
Sexual misconduct brings the retribution of being born as pigeons or mandarin ducks.

Birds are impractical and lustful. If people act that way, they will be reborn as birds.

我 時時跟你們講，你們卻不太注意。我也不怕麻煩，再對你們再講一遍。說什麼呢？人不要殺生。因為一切眾生在無量劫以來，和我是親戚，或是朋友，或是父母祖先 也不一定的。我們要是殺生的話，前生父母造了罪業，今生托生做牛，做豬，我們殺了他們，等於間接殺了我們的父母是一樣的。

I often tell you these things, but you never pay much attention. I don’t mind taking the trouble to remind you again. What is it? People must not kill, because all living beings have either been our relatives or friends, or even parents or ancestors, throughout limitless eons. If our former parents have now been reborn as pigs or cows because of offenses they committed, and we kill those pigs and cows, then that would be the same as killing our own parents indirectly.

再說偷盜，「已所不欲，勿施於人。」自己不願意的事，不要加在別人身上；自己不歡喜的事，不要叫別人做。「不偷盜」，因為我們不願別人偷我們的東西，我們首先就不要偷別人的東西或財物。

As for stealing, it’s said, “We should not do to others what we would not like done to us.” Since we don’t like having our belongings stolen, we should not steal others’ belongings.

至於邪婬，在因果律上，凡是犯邪婬的罪，受的懲罰是很重。尤 其夫婦不應該馬馬虎虎隨隨便便離婚，因為你結婚又離婚，在因果律上，人死後身體要分成兩份。因為你有兩邊的關係，所以用鋸子從頭頂鋸到腳底。你結婚幾次就 要分開多少份。一個女人和一百個男人結婚，就分成一百份；一個男人與一百個女人結婚，也要分成一百份。一百個女人，一人分一塊，分得零零碎碎。

In the law of cause and effect, the punishment for sexual misconduct is very heavy. Husbands and wives should not casually divorce. If you are married and then divorce later, in the law of cause and effect, your body will be divided into two parts because you had two relationships. You will be sawed in half from head to toe. You will be sawed into as many pieces as the number of marriages you have had. If a woman married a hundred men, she would be cut into one hundred pieces. Each man would get a piece of her.

分開有什麼不好呢？分了，再想把靈性聚集在一起，就很不容易了，這個機會是很不容易得到。得不到 這個機會就永遠性化靈殘，與草木同朽，變成無情的植物。因為你的本性分開了，不夠做眾生；就是做眾生，你一個身體要做八萬四千那麼多蚊蟲。這個蚊蟲又去做 蚊蟲，總也不知向後轉，不會背塵合覺，在輪迴裡死了又生，生了又死。

What’s bad about being cut into fragments? It will be hard for the spiritual nature to come together again. Such a chance would be difficult to come by. If the chance does not arise, the spiritual nature will forever be incomplete and one will become an insentient thing, much like wood or grass. One's nature will be so fragmented that it will be insufficient to function as a sentient being. Even if it does become a sentient being, it would be in the form of a swarm of eighty-four thousand mosquitoes or the like. Those mosquitoes would in turn become mosquitoes that also lacked any awareness of how to change their course. They would not be able to wake up and turn away from the deluded existence. They would continually be born and die within the cycle of transmigration.

所以「一失人身，萬劫不復。」我們把人的身體失去了，在幾萬個大劫後，也不容易恢復，再得到這個人身。

Thus, it’s said, “Once the human body is lost, it will not be recovered in tens of thousands of eons.” If we lose the human body, we will have to pass through millions of eons and still may not be able to regain it.

◎ 受五戒的好處

◎ The benefits of receiving the five precepts

今生不籠鳥，來生不坐監； 今生不釣魚，來生不討飯； 今生不殺生，來生無災難； 今生不偷盜，來生無搶案； 今生不邪婬，來生無婚變； 今生不妄語，來生無欺騙； 今生不醉酒，來生不狂亂。

Not caging birds in this life, we will not be put into the jail in future lives; Not fishing in this life, we will not become beggars in future lives; Not killing in this life, we will not encounter difficulties in future lives; Not stealing in this life, we will not be robbed in future lives; Not engaging in sexual misconduct in this life, we will have good marriages in future lives; Not lying in this life, we will not be cheated in future lives; Not drinking in this life, we will not lose sanity in future lives.

「今生不籠鳥，來生不坐監」﹕你想一想，你把鳥關在籠子裡令牠不自由；這個國家是講自由 的，你讓畜生不自由，這也不合乎這個國家的憲法。你讓鳥在籠子裡，就和在監獄是一樣，這個鳥就在籠子裡念咒了，說﹕「果報、果報…」來生果報就來了，那個 鳥念咒說﹕「上帝！你說有果報，為什麼他把我放在籠子裡頭？這是怎麼回事？」牠就到玉皇大帝，也就是天主那裡，左寫一張狀子，右寫一張去告狀去。牠寫多 了，天主一看﹕「好了！這個人是不公道，來生也叫他受這個果報。」這個人後來就坐到監獄裡去了。所以說「今生不籠鳥，來生不坐監」，因為那個鳥一天到晚念 那個「果報」，念那個因果報應，念那個經給上帝聽，上帝就判這個人來生去坐監獄。

“Not caging birds in this life, we will not be put into the jail in future lives.”

Think about it. When someone puts a bird in a cage, he takes its freedom away. By doing that, the person is not abiding by the constitution of this country. This country advocates freedom. Caging a bird is the same as putting the bird behind bars. The bird will start chanting the mantra, “retribution, retribution…” In the future, the bird will go before the Jade Emperor, who is the Lord of the Heavens, and file a suit against the person who caged it.

The Heavenly Lord will say, “Okay, this person has not been fair. He shall undergo the retribution!” You will then go to jail in future lives. This is because the bird has been chanting the mantra of retribution from morning to night. When the Heavenly Lord hears it, his verdict is that the person who caged the bird should be put behind bars.

我記得不是今生，是多少生以前，那時候迷迷糊糊，什麼道理也不懂，看人 家釣魚，我也去釣魚，很歡喜釣魚的。看到魚吃魚餌，水就現出一圈圈的波紋，這時把釣魚竿向上一挑，這個魚就釣上來了。你說以後怎麼樣啊？來生就做要飯的， 拿個碗向人要飯，因為沒有東西吃。所以說「今生不釣魚，來生不討飯。」要飯是很苦的，儘向人討飯吃，所以我們信佛的人少釣點魚是好的。

I recall it was not in this life but some other lives in the past, I was deluded and didn’t know better. I saw people fishing so I went fishing too. I was quite fond of doing it. When the fish took the bait the water rippled. Then I would swing the fishing pole upward and the fish would be hooked. What happened to me afterward? I became a beggar in the next life. I had to beg for food because I didn’t have anything to eat. Thus, it’s said, “Not fishing in this life, we will not become beggars in future lives.” It’s quite miserable to beg for food. It’s better that we Buddhists do less fishing.

有人說﹕「我少釣點魚可以，一年釣一次；我只釣小魚，不釣大魚，這樣好不好呢？」小魚也是一條命，大魚也是一條命；你釣一次也是殺生，你釣多次也是殺生。不過你釣的少，欠的債會少一點；釣的多，欠的債也就多一點﹕也就是你釣半斤，將來要還八兩。

Someone may say, “I can do less fishing. I'll fish just once a year. And I will only fish for small and not big fish. Will that be okay?” Well, a small fish is a life, just the same as a big fish. Fishing once a year, you still end up killing, just the same as when you fish many times a year. However, if you fish less, your debt will be less; fish more, and your debt will be more. That is to say, if you catch half a pound of fish, you must pay back eight ounces in the future.

「今生不殺生，來生無災難」﹕你今生不殺一切的生靈，等來生就沒有人殺你，也沒有一切的災難，也不會被槍打死，也不會火燒死，也不會被水淹死，因為你前生沒有殺生，今生也沒有病痛。

Not killing in this life, we will not encounter difficulties in future lives. If you refrain from killing any living being, then in future lives you will not be killed and you will be free from all difficulties. You will not be killed by gunshots, burned by fire, or drowned in water. Since you didn’t kill in previous lives, you will also be free from all illnesses in this life.

「今生不偷盜，來生無搶案」﹕搶案就是你打劫我，我打劫你。你若不偷盜別人的東西，來生沒有人搶劫你的東西。你為什麼有人搶你的東西？就因為你前生偷盜，以為偷盜是不錯的，把別人的東西偷回來，到今生別人又把它搶回去。所以這個因果循環是很不可思議的。

Not stealing in this life, one will not be robbed in future lives. If you don’t rob others of their things, no one will rob you in future lives. Why would you get robbed? It would happen because you had stolen and robbed people in previous lives. You thought it was quite clever to steal others’ belongings. This life, they snatch things back. This revolving cause and effect is quite inconceivable.

「今生不邪婬，來生不婚變」﹕ 什麼叫婚變呢？譬如離婚，或者結婚後有很多麻煩，這都因前生不守戒律，有邪婬的行為，今生身體上還有一種狐臭味，很大的。你怎樣搽香水塗香粉，還是臭的， 臭不可聞。本來男人都喜歡女人，但是一聞這個味道都薰跑了；本來女人也都喜歡男人的，但是這個男人有這股臭氣，把女人都薰跑了，所以沒有人會愛你的。因為 不持戒律，身上沒有香氣；你要是持戒律，戒律精嚴，你的身體就會放一股香氣，香光莊嚴。

In this life, if you do not engage in sexual misconduct and never get involved in affairs with other men or women, you will not divorce in future lives. But if you were not faithful in previous lives, your marriage in this life will not be a happy one. Various things will happen to disrupt your marriage. That is the retribution for engaging in sexual misconduct.

Not engaging in sexual misconduct in this life, we will have good marriages in future lives. What is a good marriage? It means there will be no divorce nor any other marital troubles. Divorce and marital troubles are a result of failure to follow precepts. Those who have engaged in sexual misconduct will be born with a bad body odor. Whoever had not observed precepts, will have a very bad body smell in this life. The smell will be so strong that no perfume will be able to cover it. Men usually like women, but when they smell that odor, they will run away. Women are also fond of men, but if a man has such a smell, women will also run away from him. Such a person will not be loved. Anyone who does not uphold precepts will not smell good. If you uphold precepts in earnest, your body will emit a fragrance and be said to be “adorned with fragrant light.”

你看在中國清朝的香妃，大概是維吾爾的民族，是回子那邊的人。她身上總是放香的，不用搽香水或用香 皂，她身上自然有股香氣，比什麼都香。所以中國那個糊塗皇帝，就歡喜身上放香的女人，就去出征把她搶回來，封她叫「香妃」，令其他的女人妒嫉她。因為皇帝 有很多老婆，三宮六院，這個正宮娘娘妒嫉她，就把她殺死了，這個香妃也就不香了。

The court lady--Madame Fragrance of Chin Dynasty in China, probably a member of the Uighurs, always emitted fragrance. She didn’t have to use perfume or fragrant soap. She had this natural fragrance from her body that was more fragrant than anything else. The deluded Chinese emperor waged a war and took her back. He named her “Madame Fragrance,” which made all of his other women jealous. The emperor had many wives, and his jealous empress had her killed, after which she was no longer fragrant.

今生不邪婬，你很守規矩不跟別的女人或男人去邪婬，來生你結婚也不會離婚的。因為你前生不忠實，今生也搞得不愉快，有種種特別因緣就婚變，婚姻有變故了，這是邪婬的果報。

In this life, if you do not engage in sexual misconduct and never get involved in affairs with other men or women, you will not divorce in future lives. But if you were not faithful in previous lives, your marriage in this life will not be a happy one. Various things will happen to disrupt your marriage. That is the retribution for engaging in sexual misconduct.

「今生不妄語，來生無欺騙」﹕因為今生不打妄語，到來生沒有人會欺騙妳。所以有人欺騙自己， 「噢！原來前生自己打過妄語，所以今生才有人欺騙我。」有人告訴我，從菲律賓來的四個人不是真的要來出家，是想藉這條路來這裡，來了以後不會出家。我說沒 有關係，我就是明明知道他們是欺騙我，我還是相信他們。因為我不願意欺騙人，我也相信人不欺騙我。我明明知道他是欺騙我，我也不想他是欺騙我，我不這麼 想。那個人聽了之後說﹕「噢！這是好的！」這個世界就是你防備我，我防備你；你怕我欺騙你，我怕你欺騙我。那我知道他欺騙我，卻不這麼想。是不是吃虧了？ 吃虧就吃虧了，沒有關係。

“Not lying in this life, we will not be cheated in future lives.” If we don’t lie in this life, no one will cheat us in future lives. If someone cheats us, we must realize, “Oh, I must have lied in a previous life and so I am being cheated in this life.”

Someone told me that the four people from the Philippines did not come to leave the home-life. They just used it as an excuse to come to the United States I said that it’s all right. I know their motive very clearly, but I still believe them because I don’t want to cheat people and I also believe that people will not deceive me. Even if I know someone is cheating me, I will not bring forth the thought that he is. The person who hears it may say, “Oh! This is good.” In this world, many people put up defensive fronts against each other. You fear that I may cheat you, and I am afraid that you may deceive me. Am I taking a loss by not minding being cheated? If I am, it doesn’t matter.

「今生不醉酒，來生不狂亂」﹕ 來生就不會發癲狂，發神經。為什麼你今生發神經，精神不正常？就因為你前生喝酒喝得太多了。那個麻醉藥、迷幻藥也吃了很多，所以到今生狂性還不斷。這個因 果循環就是這樣的。信不信由你，我不管。你信，我也這麼說；你不信，我也這麼說﹕不管你信不信，我都要說。

“Not drinking in this life, we will not lose sanity in future lives.” Why is it that people lose their sanity or have mental illness in this life? It is because they drank too much and took a lot of drugs in previous lives. Therefore, the insanity continues into this life. The circular flow of cause and effect is this way whether you believe it or not. Whether you believe it or not I will say it just the same.