..續本文上一頁ions which go against the interest of other beings. This means we must abstain from killing, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, and from speaking lies. Long ago, in ancient India, these were the four important moral bases. People followed four moral precepts in their lives. Later on, people discovered some intoxicants, like alcohol and marijuana, and started using them. Wise people said: "Once you take any kind of intoxicant, even though you want to live a moral life, it becomes very difficult because you have become the slave of that intoxicant." Therefore, the fifth moral precept was added: abstention from taking any kind of intoxicant. The four precepts became five precepts—five sīlas.

　　後來，慢慢地人們更體會到，麻醉品不只是酒、大麻等等，還包括令人沈迷的賭博，所以戒除賭博的道德規範又加了上去。更後來，人們接著又覺察到：財富、權利和地位是更厲害的麻醉品。一個人一旦累積了財富，心就 呈現瘋狂的狀態，做出害人害己的事；所以說積聚財富也會上瘾，也會是一 種麻醉品。一個在家人必須努力工作賺取金錢，這沒什麼不對；在家人不應 是乞丐，因此必須誠實地努力工作賺取所需。這樣子並沒有違背正法。但是， 當你開始努力工作賺取財富的同時，就有被金錢麻醉的危險，你可能深陷其 中，不停地累積金錢而無法自拔；這是很危險的情況。

　　Time passed, and slowly people realized that intoxication is not merely the intoxication of alcohol, marijuana, or bhāng, and so on; there is also the intoxication of gambling. Therefore the moral precept to abstain from gambling was added. More time passed, and people realized that a bigger intoxication is that of wealth, power and status. Once one accumulates wealth, he becomes quite mad, performing actions which are harmful to himself, and harmful to others. The accumulation of wealth can also be an intoxicant. As a householder one has to work hard to earn money. There is nothing wrong with that. A householder should not be a beggar; therefore one must earn one”s living honestly by hard work. This is Dharma. But once you start working hard and earning money, there is a danger that you may get intoxicated with that money. You may get trapped in the rat race of accumulating more and more money. A dangerous situation.

　　這時候，在家人會面臨一個難題，一方面必須賺錢養活自己、家人以及支助社會中的其他人；但另一方面，卻要冒著被金錢麻醉的危險。所以在古印度就曾經製定了 samvibha-ga 的規定。Samvibha-ga(分享)是古印度語， 大部份的古印度語現在已經失傳；samvibha-ga 這個字傳至鄰近國家並被保留 了下來。在當時，人們並不使用 da-na(布施)這個字；因爲當你給予 da-na， 你的自我容易膨脹，認爲「我正在布施」，所以當時是用 samvibha-ga(分享) 這個字，而不用 da-na。既然你累積的財富是來自于社會––––那麼現在就應 該回饋到社會上。所以，samvibha-ga 的意思就是與他人分享，分享給需要的人。Samvibha-ga 說起來也是五戒的一部份。

　　The householder faces a dilemma. On the one hand, a householder needs to earn money to support himself or herself, the members of one”s family, and the other members of society. Yet on the other hand, there is the danger of becoming intoxicated by this. So, the rule of samvibhāga was made. Samvibhāga is a word from the ancient Indian language, most of which we have lost today. It has gone to neighbouring countries and is preserved there. In those days the word dāna—donation—was not used. When you give dāna, your ego becomes strong: "I am giving dāna." So instead of dāna, they used samvibhāga, which means the money that comes to you from society. The money that you accumulated came from society—now distribute it to society. Samvibhāga: share it with other people. Share it with those who need it. Samvibhāga was a part of the five precepts.

　　五戒在過去是必要的，現在也是；五戒是法的基本要件，一直到未來也都將是必要的、是法的基本要件。衡量一個人是否如法的標准，就看他是否過著守五戒的生活。爲什麼要守五戒呢？覺悟的聖者解釋了爲什麼戒是必要 的；他們對不同的人，依據聽聞者的根器，而用不同的方式解說。社會中每一個人的根器不一，有些像小孩，有些像少年，有些像青少年，有些像成年人，對不同的人有不同的方式解釋。

　　The five precepts were essential. They are still essential. They are the basic prerequisites of Dharma, and they will remain essential in fut…

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