..續本文上一頁殺傷擄獲慘遭酷刑的人多達數十萬衆。但是他後來成了佛教徒，就完全改變作風，被佛的教誡所感化，前後判若兩人。在他刻在岩石上的一道有名诰文(現在叫做第十叁號诰文，原文至今尚在)中，他提到征伐迦陵迦之戰。這位大帝公開表示忏悔，並說想到那次大屠殺，他感到極度的悲痛。他公開宣稱，他將永遠不再爲任何征戰而拔劍，而“願一切衆生廢除暴力，克己自製，實踐沈靜溫和之教。”這當然是“天人所敬愛者”(也就是阿輸迦王)最大的勝利——以德服人的勝利。他不但自己摒棄戰爭，而且表示他要“我的子子孫孫也不可認爲新的征服是值得發動的······他們只許以德服人。”
This is the only example in the history of mankind of a victorious conquerer at the zenith of his power, still possessing the strength to continue his territorial conquests, yet renouncing war and violence and turning to peace and non-violence.
這是人類曆史上惟一的例子。一位勝利的征服者，在他聲威顯赫、日麗中天的時候盡有余力繼續擴充他的強域，卻放棄了戰爭與暴力，轉向和平與非暴。
Here is a lesson for the world today. The ruler of an empire publicly turned his back on war and violence and embraced the message of peace and non-violence. There is no historical evidence to show that any neighbouring king took advantage of Asoka”s piety to attack him militarily, or that there was any revolt or rebellion within his empire during his lifetime. On the contrary there was peace throughout the land, and even countries outside his empire seem to have accepted his benign leadership.
這是給今日世界的一項教訓。一個帝國的統治者，公開的背棄戰爭與暴力，而遵奉和平與非暴的福音。並沒有任何曆史上的事迹足以證明有任何鄰國的國王，因爲阿育王修德而乘機以軍力來攻擊他，或是在他在世之日，他的帝國內部有任何叛逆的情事發生。反之，當時全境都充滿和平，甚至他強域之外的國家，似乎也都接受了他仁慈的領導。
To talk of maintaining peace through the balance of power, or through the threat of nuclear deterrents, is foolish. The might of armaments can be produce fear, and not peace. It is impossible that there can be genuine and lasting peace through fear. Through fear can come only hatred, ill-will and hostility, suppressed perhaps, for the time being only, but ready to erupt and become violent at any moment. True and genuine peace can prevail only in an atmosphere of mettā, amity, free from fear, suspicion and danger.
高唱以列強的均勢或以核子嚇阻的威脅來維護和平的人，實在是愚蠢之極。軍備的力量，只能産生恐怖，不能産生和平。靠恐怖是不可能有真正而永久的和平的。隨恐怖而來的，只有憎恨，不善欲與敵忾。這些心理也許一時可以壓抑得住，但隨時都可以爆發而成爲暴動。只有在友愛、親善、無怖、無疑、安全無險的氣氛中，真正的和平方能擡頭。
Buddhism aims at creating a society where the ruinous struggle for power is renounced; where calm and peace prevail away from conquest and defeat; where the persecution of the innocent is vehemently denounced; where one who conquers oneself is more respected than those who conquer millions by military and economic welfare; where hatred is conquered by kindness, and evil by goodness, where enmity, jealousy, ill-will and greed do not infect men”s minds; where compassion is the driving force of actions; where all, including and love; where life peace and harmony, in a world of material contentment, is directed towards the highest and noblest aim, the realization of the Ultimate Truth, Nirvāna.
佛教的目的在創造一個社會。這社會摒斥毀滅性的權力之爭，遠離勝負之見而爲和平與安甯所盤踞。在這裏，迫害無辜必受嚴譴；能夠克己自律的人比以軍事及經濟力量征服成百萬衆的人更受尊敬；仇恨被仁慈所征服，惡被善所征服；人心清淨，不爲仇恨、嫉妒、不善、貪欲所感染；慈悲是一切行爲的原動力；一切衆生，包括最微小的生命在內，都受到公平、體諒與慈愛的待遇。這社會裏的生活平安而和諧，物質供應亦能令人滿足。它最崇高最聖潔的目標是親證最終的真理——涅槃。
[1] M I (PTS), pp.30-31.
[2] Ibid., pp.490 ff.
[3] S I (PTS), p. 234.
[4] MA I (PTS), p. 290f. (Buddhist monks, members of the order of the Sangha, are not expected to have personal expected to have personal property, but they are allowed to hold communal (Sanghika) property).
[5] D I (Colombo, 1929), p. 101.
[6] See above p.47.
[7] A (Colombo, 1929), pp. 786 ff.
[8] D III (Colombo, 1929), p. 115.
[9] A (Collombo, 1929), pp. 232-233.
[10] Jataka I, 260, 399; II, 400; III, 274, 320; V 119, 378.
[11] It is interesting to note here that the Five Principles or Pancba-sila in India”s foreign policy are in accordance with the Buddhist principles which Asoka, the great Buddhist emperor of India, applied to the administration of his government in the 3rd century B.C. The expression Pancba-sila (Five Precepts or Virtues), is itself a Buddhist term.
[12] Dhp. I 5.
[13] Ibid XVII 3.
[14] Ibid XV5.
[15] Ibid XIII 4.
注釋：
一：見巴利文學會版《中部經》第一集第卅、卅一兩頁。
二：見巴利文學會版《中部經》第一集第四九零頁以次各頁。
叁：見巴利文學會版《雜部經》第一集第二叁四頁。
四：見巴利文學會版《中部經》覺音疏第一集第二九零頁“佛教僧侶，亦即僧伽之一員，應不得擁有私産，但准予持有公産。”
五：見一九二九年哥侖坡版第一集第一零一頁。
六：見一九二九年哥侖坡版《增支部經》第七八六頁以次各頁。
七：見同版《長部經》第叁集第一一五頁。
八：見一九二九年哥侖坡版《增支部經》第二叁二、二叁叁兩頁。
九：見巴利文《本生經》第一集二六零及叁九九頁、第二集第四零零頁，第叁集第二七
四及叁二零頁，第五集第一一九及叁七八頁。
十：印度之外交政策亦有五原則，與該國之偉大佛教帝王阿輸迦在西元前叁世紀時所擬
以治理其政府的佛教原則，完全相符。這五原則稱爲Panca Sila，與佛教梵語之“五戒”二字也完全相同。
十一：見巴利文《法句經》第一章第五節。
十二：見同書第十七章第叁節。
十叁：見同書第十五章第五節。
十四：見巴利文《法句經》第八章第四節。
(完)
願以此功德，莊嚴佛淨土，上報四重恩，下濟叁途苦。
若有見聞者，悉發菩提心，盡此一報身，同生極樂國
《佛陀的啓示 第八章 佛的教誡與今日世界 Chapter VIII· What the Buddha Taught and the World Today》全文閱讀結束。