..續本文上一頁teach the younger generation to become capable and productive citizens of the world. Ancient scholars were cautious and attentive, and devoted themselves completely to the study of knowledge until their hair turned white. They would never have the thought, "How can I get into the limelight and become famous

　　" They never entertained such thoughts. They studied in order to teach young people to become productive citizens, how to improve the social mores, and how to create a new and better world. That was the style and spirit of the ancient scholars. What about today”s scholars and professors

　　 They only teach their students how to become rich and famous.

　　古來學者是爲「明理」，也就是以「格物、致知、誠意、正心、修身、齊家、治國、平天下」八條目，令青年人培養正當的思想，良好的品德。而現在的學者與教授，卻鼓勵青年人吃迷幻藥，鼓勵學生吃避孕藥，不孝父母，做世界上出乎其類，拔乎其萃的「搗亂份子」。所以社會一天不如一天，所有知名學府的教授應負完全責任。尤其現在電視所播放的都是令人顛倒、往下流的節目。

　　The scholars of ancient times sought to obtain an under-standing of principles. That is, they wished "to investigate things, extend their knowledge, make their minds sincere, make their hearts proper, cultivate their persons, bring harmony to families, set the country in order, and bring peace to the world." With these eight steps, they fostered proper ideas and good character in young people. Nowadays, however, some scholars and professors actually encourage students to use drugs, take birth control pills, be unfilial to their parents, and become notorious trouble-makers in the world. Society degenerates with each passing day, and the professors at well-known universities should take full responsibility. Moreover, television tends to confuse people and negatively influence them.

　　由這點看來，人心不古，道德淪亡，這是有原因的。青年人站不住腳，沒有定力，這並非一個因素造成的，而是由多種因素造成的，這是很可悲的事。所以凡是宗教、教育人士，要趕快改變這種行爲與思想，這樣世界浩劫也許有挽回的機會；如果依然這樣，而不加改善，世界末日就快要來臨了。

　　From this, we can see that there are reasons why people no longer follow ancient ways, and why moral values have declined. Young people cannot stand on their own and are easily influenced by their surroundings. There are many factors behind this, not just one. This is a great pity. Therefore, all people involved in religion and education should quickly find a way to improve the situation. Only then can we hope to avert an impending world crisis. If we keep on going like this without any improvement, the final days of the world will soon be at hand.

　　那麼有沒有挽救的方法呢？有。因爲一切唯心造。人心好，世界就好；人心壞，世界就壞，末日就將來到。如果想要沒有末法、末日的來臨，人人都應該打起精神，在狂風暴雨中從事救人的工作。這並不是說你舍去自己的生命去救人，而是要你將狂風暴雨停止。

　　Is there any way to avert a crisis

　　 There is. Everything depends upon the human mind. If people have wholesome minds, the world will be wholesome. If people have corrupt minds, the world will be corrupt and doomsday will soon arrive. If we don”t want to hasten the decline of the Dharma and the approach of doomsday, then we must rally our spirits and carry out the work of salvation in the midst of the raging storm. This doesn”t mean that you have to give up your own life in order to save others. It means you must stop the storm.

　　各位看看，現在世界上到處都有天災人禍、水災、風災、火災、戰爭。因爲這些大災難而死亡的人不算，就拿小災難來說，飛機失事、火車失事、汽車互撞等等，就不知死了多少人。這種種災難的發生，都是人心戾氣所造成；無有道德所促成的。但是每個人都還不覺悟，不負責任，反而把過錯推到他人身上，沒有一人回光返照說：「世界不好，是因爲我不好。」都沒有人這樣想，所以世界一天比一天壞，一天不如一天。

　　Take a look around, and you”ll see natural and human calamities－floods, hurricanes, fires, and wars－occurring everywhere. Even if we don”t count the casualties from these major disasters, but only consider smaller calamities such as plane crashes, train derailments, and car collisions, the number of casualties is still staggering. These various catastrophes result from violent tempers and lack of virtue. Yet no one has awakened to this. Instead, each blames the other and refuses to take responsibility. There is perhaps not a single person who has reflected upon himself and thought, "The world is not in good shape because I haven”t been a good person." And so the situation in the world becomes more deplorable with each passing day. Each day is worse than the previous one.

　　所幸有個辦法能改變，它既不費力，又不花錢。這個辦法就是世界上所有人不食衆生肉，都吃齋、戒殺、放生，這樣世界災難就會消滅于無形。所以吃齋是很重要的，這些災難都是因爲殺生而結下怨氣，這種怨氣充滿宇宙，才形成種種災難。人人若能戒殺、放生，不吃一切肉類，則人的暴力思想就會消除。

　　Fortunately, there is a way to turn this around and it takes neither strength nor money. This method requires that everyone abstain from the flesh of living beings and eat only vegetarian food, and that they free creatures instead of killing them. If this can be done, then all the world”s disasters will vanish. Therefore, adopting a vegetarian diet is very important. Calamities occur because the universe is filled with the enmity generated by slaughter. If people can liberate creatures rather than killing them and eating their flesh, these tendencies towards violence will abate.

　　爲什麼人那麼暴躁、脾氣那麼大？就因爲吃肉。因爲吃肉會增加欲念，使人生瞋恨心，沒有慈悲心。所以想要世界沒有災難，就要趕快戒殺、放生，不吃衆生肉，以便挽回浩劫之將臨。

　　Why are people so explosive and hot-tempered

　　 Because they eat meat. Eating meat increases one”s thoughts of lust and makes one angry and uncompassionate. Hence, if we wish the world to be free of calamities, we must quickly stop taking the lives of creatures and eating their flesh. Only then can we avert an impending crisis.

　　一九八二年六月十叁日開示于萬佛聖城

　　A talk given on June 13, 1982

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

《挽回劫運 Averting a Crisis》全文閱讀結束。