佛法双语工作坊经典连载：佛说四十二章经第37章

法师讲解：37 念戒近道

Commentary: Observing the disciplines to stay close to the way

There is a story in The Ten Recitations Vinaya: two Bhiksus set off to Shravasti in order to pay respects to the Buddha. On the way they found some water to quench thirst, but they realized that there were small living organisms in water. The Bhiksu who upheld the precepts refused to drink it whereas the other Bhiksu who relaxed the precepts drank the water.  The Bhiksu who had upheld the precepts then died of dehydration but was reborn to heaven because of such merits. He then exercised his supernatural power to appear before the Buddha. On hearing the Buddha’s preaching, he attained the initial achievement and then returned to heaven. The other Bhiksu who had drunk the water only managed to arrive late even though he had survived. He was reprimanded by the Buddha for violating the precepts just to see the Buddha in physical form, but without knowing that observing the disciplines can make him see the Buddha’s essential nature.

《十诵律》中有一个故事，两位比丘从远方前往舍卫城拜见佛陀，中途找水解渴但发现水中有虫。一位持戒比丘因此没有把水喝下，而另一位不持戒比丘不想渴死便把水喝掉了。持戒比丘最终死了，但因持戒功德随即生到天上， 並用神通现身在佛陀面前。佛陀为他说法令他证得初果后他便回到天上。而喝水的比丘虽然活过来但却姗姗来迟， 佛陀训斥他不惜破戒只为见佛的肉身，但不知，持戒得见佛的法身。

Also, just before the Buddha’s nirvana, Ananda asked the Buddha: “During the Buddha’s presence we rely on you as our mentor. After your nirvana, who should we rely on?” The Buddha replied: “After my nirvana, you should rely on the disciplines as your mentor.” In Bodhisattva Vinaya, it is said that upholding the precepts is as desirable as having light in darkness, treasures to the poor, freedom to prisoners, and returning home after long expeditions. The Sutra of Contemplation of Amitayus tells us that if we want to be born in the Western Pure Land we need to practise the three acts of merit, and the second act is upholding precepts.

另外，佛陀即将涅槃时阿难问佛陀：“佛陀在世时大家以佛为师，当佛陀涅槃后以谁为师” 佛陀说：“我涅槃后，以戒为师”。菩萨戒里也说到持戒就如同在黑暗中得到光明、贫穷者获得珍宝、囚犯得以出狱、远行者得以归家一样美好！《观无量寿经》更告诉我们，念佛求往生净土的得修净业三福，其中第二福就是要持戒。

Precepts are not only intended for Buddhists to observe because some fundamental precepts, including no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct and no verbal misconduct relate to deeds which are sinful in essence. Violation of them will result in karmic retribution irrespective of whether you have undertaken the precepts or not. Man-made laws are only the lowest thresholds of behavioral standard, laws of causation are the rules of the universe.

戒律不单是给佛教徒遵守的，因为一些根本戒律，包括杀、盗、淫、妄属于性戒，不论你有没有受戒，都不能违犯否则要承受因果的恶报。世间法律只是行为的最低标准，因果才是天地的法则。

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