Precepts
持戒
By observing precepts, not only do you cultivate your moral strength, but you also perform the highest service to your fellow beings.
持守戒律，不單能培養道德規範，同時也能爲衆生提供更高的服務。
Every country or society has its code of what are considered to be moral actions within its social context. These codes are often linked to the society”s interest and its code of law. An action is considered right so long as it does not break the law and transgress public or inpidual sensitivities. These man-made codes are flexible and amended from time to time to suit changing circumstances. Important as they are to society, these man-made standards cannot serve as a reliable guide to some principles of morality which can be applied universally.
每一個國家或社會都以一套自己的道德規範，而道德規範也和法律關系密切。一個正確的行爲是不抵觸任何法律的。這種人類自我締造的法律，通過了長時間的驗證和修訂。法律是以社會和人文的標准而擬定的，法律不是放諸四海而皆准的道德規範。
By contrast, Buddhist morality is not the invention of human minds. Neither is it based on tribal ethics which are gradually being replaced by humanistic codes. It is based on the universal law of cause and effect (kamma), and considers a ”good” or ”bad” action in terms of the manner it affects oneself and others. An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to another being.
相對來說，佛教的道德觀並不是人類思維的發明，也不是以宗教的價值觀取代人類的價值觀，而是基于一種宇宙的自然法──「業力」，即所謂的「善行」與「惡行」的果報對自己或他人的影響。一切爲人類帶來「利益」的「行」，不一定就是「善行」，因爲它可能爲其他衆生帶來精神或肉體的痛苦。
Buddhist morality addresses a very common, yet crucial question: How can we judge if an action is good or bad
The answer, according to Buddhism, is a simple one. The quality of an action hinges on the intention or motivation (cetana)from which it originates. If a person performs an action out of greed, hatred, and delusion, his action is considered to be unwholesome. On the other hand, if he performs and action out of love, charity, and wisdom, his action is a wholesome one. Greed, Hatred and Delusion are known as the ”Three Evil Root”, while love, charity and wisdom as the ”Three Good Roots”. The word ”root” refers to the intention from which that action originates. Therefore, no matter how a person tries to disguise the nature of his action, the truth can be found by examining his thoughts which gave rise to that action. And the mind is the source of all our speech and action.
佛陀曾提出一個簡單而意義深長的問題：「我們應該如何鑒別善與惡行？」這問題對佛教徒來說，是太簡單了。一切「行」的本質以正確的心念爲出發點，不包含貪、嗔、癡的成份，就是善行。反過來說，不包含慈悲、施舍和智慧等的一切行，就是惡行。我們應該了解貪、嗔、癡就是邪惡的根源，慈悲、施舍和智慧就是叁種善的根源。這兩大類的根源，就是一切「行」的緣起。不管一個人如何忽視這些「行」的真性，都深深的受到這些「行」所帶來的果報的影響。
In Buddhism, a person”s first duty is to cleanse himself of the mental defilements of greed, hatred and ignorance. The reason for doing this is not because of fear or desire to please some pine beings. If this is so, a person is still lacking in wisdom. He is only acting out of fear like the little child who is afraid of being punished for being naughty. A Buddhist should act out of understanding and wisdom. He performs wholesome deeds because he realizes that by so doing he develops his moral strength which provides the foundation for spiritual growth, leading to Liberation. In addition, he realizes that his happiness and suffering are self-created through the operation of the Law of Kamma. To minimize the occurrence of troubles and problems in his life, he makes the effort to refrain from doing evil. He performs good actions because he know that these will bring him peace and happiness. Since everyone seeks happiness in life, and since it is possible for him to provide the condition for happiness, then there is every reason for him to do good and avoid evil. Furthermore, the uprooting of these mental defilements, the source of all anti-social acts, will bring great benefits to others in society.
「意」的行，是一切「身」和「語」的行的基礎。身爲佛教徒，首要的任務就是斷除導致「意」行的貪、嗔、癡。這麼做並不是奉承「神」的旨意，如果以這種思想，就是智慧還不圓滿。這麼做，就好像小孩子因頑皮而害怕被處罰。佛教徒必須擁有理解力和智慧，透過道德的增長，能開發心靈的基礎，從而獲得解脫。他清楚的理解到，一切喜樂和痛苦都是業力的作用，要減輕或消除一切「苦」，除了要「精進」外，還要防止一切「惡行」，他行善，因爲他知道，唯有「善行」能給他帶來真正的幸福和安甯。每個人都向往過幸福的生活，因此必須爲「幸福」製造條件，致力于「善行」遏止一切「惡行」。這種心靈的進展，遏止了一切「反社會」的行爲，因此不單利益自己也利益了整個社會。
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