..續本文上一頁people into believing that theirs is the one and only faith with an easy method or short-cut to heaven. If people are led to believe that there is someone sitting somewhere up there who can wash away all the sins committed during a life-time, then this belief will only encourage others to commit evil.
我們常遇到某些人在臨終前更改宗教信仰，他們誤以爲這麼做能洗清他們的罪孽和令他們升天堂。他們也希望保存好他們的軀體，作最好的安葬。其實，這些人早已經信仰了某些宗教，突然又去接受另外一種全新而陌生的宗教，他們這麼做無非是想從新的宗教中獲得贖罪，這是很牽強和很離譜的事，純粹是一種夢想。有些人是在無意識狀態下或死後被強迫轉信成另外一種宗教，那些宗教狂熱份子這麼做，誤導了人類，以爲他們那種信仰是通往天堂的捷徑，並以爲有一個高高在上的「神」，能爲他們洗清罪孽。這種信仰其實在鼓勵人們去犯罪。
According to the Teachings of the Buddha there is no such belief that there is someone who can wash away sins. It is only when people sincerely realize that what they are doing are wrong and after having realized this, try to mend their ways and do good that they can suppress or counter the bad reactions that would accrue to them for the evil they had committed.
根據佛教的教義，沒有任何一種生命，能替他人清洗罪孽，當一個人理解到自己犯錯時，應該努力的去多做善事來彌補，這樣才可以牽製過去所造惡業的壞影響。
It has become a common sight in many hospitals to see purveyors of some religions hovering around the patients promising them ”life after death”. This is exploiting the basic ignorance and psychological fear of the patients. If they really want to help, then they must be able to work the ”miracles” they so proudly claim lies in their holy books. If they can work miracles, we will not need hospitals. Buddhists must never become victims to these people. They must learn the basic teachings of their noble religion which tells them that all suffering is the basic lot of mankind. The only way to end suffering is by purifying the mind. The inpidual creates his own suffering and it is he alone who can end it. One cannot hope to eradicate the consequences of one”s evil actions simply by changing one”s religious label at the door-step of death.
我們經常在醫院目睹那些宗教狂熱份子，圍繞在臨終病人的床前，向他們許諾：「死後獲得重生」，這是利用那些病人無知恐懼的心理。可是，卻無法像他們神聖的經典中所說的那樣，讓病人痊愈。如果，他們能做到，我們就不需要醫院了。佛教徒不應該成爲這些人的受害者，佛教徒必須通過學習佛法──知道苦是人類基本的組成部份。唯一的滅苦之道，就是淨化自己的心識。一個人自己所締造的苦，也唯有他自己能夠消除。一個人不應該希望在臨終前改變宗教信仰，就能清洗自己的罪孽，獲得贖罪。
A dying man”s destiny in his next life depends on the last thoughts which appear to him according to the good and bad kammahe had accumulated during his current lifetime, irrespective of what type of religious label he prefers to do himself at the last moment.
一個臨終的人，他將來的命運是掌握在他臨終前的那一念，而那一念是根據他今世所積累的善業與惡業而顯現的。不管他在最後一刻改變什麼信仰，結果都是一樣的。
《「神」的概念 The God-Idea》全文閱讀結束。