Short-cut to Paradise

　　天堂的捷徑

　　Paradise is open not only to the followers of a particular religion, but it is open to each and every person who leads a righteous and noble way of life.

　　天堂的大門並非僅爲宗教而打開，而是爲一切正直與高尚生活的人而打開。

　　There is no difficulty at all for Buddhists to go to heaven if they really want to. But there are some people who go from house to house trying to convert other religionists into their faith and promising them the heaven they carry in their bags. They claim that they are the only blessed people who can go to heaven; they also claim that they have the exclusive authority to send others to the same goal. They introduce their religion like a patent medicine and this has become a nuisance to the public today. Many innocent people who lack the knowledge of their own religion, have become victims of these paradise sellers.

　　If Buddhists can understand the value of the Noble Teachings of the Buddha, they will not be misled by such people. These paradise sellers are also trying to mislead the people by saying that this world which is created by god, is going to end very soon. Those who want to have a wonderful everlasting life in heaven must accept their particular religion before the end of the world comes, otherwise people would miss this golden opportunity and would have to suffer in eternal hell.

　　This threat of the end of the world, had been going on for hundreds of years. The wonder of it all is that there are still people today who believe in such a treat which is irrational and imaginary. Some people get converted after hearing such preaching, without using their common sense.

　　In Buddhism, there is no personal judge either to condemn or to reward but only the working of an impersonal moral causation and natural law.

　　Why wicked people enjoy while good people suffer

　　Some people ask, ”If good begets good and bad begets bad why should many good people suffer and some wicked people prosper in this world

　　 ” The answer to this question, according to the Buddhist point of view, is that although some are good by nature, they have not accumulated enough good merits in their previous birth to compensate for the bad effects of unwholesome kamma in this present life; somewhere in their past there must have been some defect. On the other hand, some are wicked by nature and yet are able to enjoy this life for a short period of due to some strong good kamma that they accumulated in their previous birth.

　　For example, there are certain people who by nature have inherited a strong constitution and as a result enjoy perfect health. Their physical power of resistance is strong and hence they are not prone to illnesses. Although they do not take special precautions to lead a hygienic life, they are able to remain strong and healthy. On the other hand, there are others who take various tonics and vitamin

　　enriched foods to fortify themselves, but in spite of their efforts to become strong and healthy, their health do not show any improvement.

　　Whatever good and bad deeds people commit within this life-time, they will definitely experience the reaction within this life or hereafter. It is impossible to escape from their results simply by praying, but by cultivating the mind and leading a noble life.

　　Buddhists are encouraged to do good deeds not for the sake of gaining a place in heaven. They are expected to do good in order to eradicate their selfishness and to experience peace and happiness.

　　如果佛教徒想要天堂，那一點困難也沒有。但是，那些挨家挨戶的宗教促銷員，卻以「天堂」的承諾，來吸引人們加入他們的行列。他們聲稱他們是唯一有權力送人們「天堂」，也只有相信他們的人才能去「天堂」。這樣的做法和特效藥的促銷沒有兩樣，他們已造成對公衆的騷擾。很多天真的人，由于對宗教的無知，而成爲他們促銷行動的受害者。如果佛教徒能真的去了解佛陀那崇高的教義，就不會被他們誤導。這批天堂的促銷員說：「世界是『神』創造的，世界末日將要來到，要獲得永生，就必須在世界末日之前信仰他們的宗教，否則將會淪落到地獄，接受煉火煎熬的痛苦。」

　　世界末日將在數百年後發生！？重要的是，今日尚生活著的人，爲什麼要去接受這種不理智和充滿想像的論調。有些人因爲沒有好好的運用他們普通的常識，而被他們誤導。爲何惡者享福，善者受苦：

　　有人不禁要問：「假如善有善報、惡有惡報是真的，那麼，爲什麼這世間有很多好人在受苦，而壞人卻逍遙自在呢？」根據佛教的觀點，雖然有些人做了很多好事，但是，在他們的過去世，沒有積累足夠的善業來抵償今世惡業的果報，在他們的過去世，一定存在著某些缺陷。另一方面，某些作惡多端的人，卻能夠享受人生，是因爲他們在過去世積累了很大的善業。

　　有些人一出世就擁有健康、強壯的身體。他們抵抗力強，因此不受疾病的侵害。雖然他們沒有特意的去照顧自己，可是還是活得很健康。而某些人，卻很在意自己的健康。刻意的進食補品、維生素、來維護自己的健康，可是一點功效也沒有。

　　人類無論製造善業或惡業，必定在今世或來世受到果報。透過祈禱是不可能逃避業報的，唯有修心養性和過著崇高的生活，才能解決這個問題。

　　佛教鼓勵多造善業，並不是爲了天堂。而是希望透過善行來改造自私的心念，並獲得甯靜和快樂。

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