◎不要做自己的辯護律師

　　◎ Don”t act as your own defense attorney

　　一樣的佛法，每一個人的講法不同，修行法不同，每一個人的見解不同，所以有很多種類的分別，又有很多種類的看法。

　　Different people explain the same Buddhadharma in many different ways. Accordingly, the methods of cultivation are also different. Each person has his own interpretation. Therefore, there are many different viewpoints.

　　譬如真正修佛法的人，要不抽煙，不喝酒，不吃那麼多的肉。有的同是佛教裏面的人就說了：「佛講戒律教人不殺生，不偷盜，不邪淫，不妄語，不喝酒，沒有叫人不抽煙，所以抽煙不在佛教的戒律以內。」這就是自己給自己講道理。根本抽煙的問題就在飲酒裏面，不過自己要給自己做辯護律師，就說抽煙是不犯戒的。

　　For instance, true cultivators of Buddhadharma should not smoke, drink, or eat meat. But some Buddhists say, “The Buddha”s precepts prohibit people from killing, stealing, indulging in sexual misconduct, lying, or drinking. However, there”s no mention of smoking. Therefore, smoking is not included in the precepts.” This is a self-justification. Smoking is covered in the precept against drinking. They want to act as their own defense attorneys so they say smoking is not a violation of the precepts.

　　真正有智慧的人，凡是不對的事情都應該不做，也不一定要佛講戒律講到這個問題，我就不做；沒說到我就要做。不是這樣的。一切惡劣的習慣，我們都應該改了它。

　　A person with true wisdom will not do anything improper. He will refrain from doing all manner of bad things, not just those mentioned in the precepts. We should change all our bad habits.

　　我們說不吃肉，不殺生，這個不殺生，也包括了不吃肉；這個不吃肉，也包括了不殺生，因爲你要不殺生就沒有肉吃了。有的佛教徒又說了﹕「佛沒教人不吃肉，只是教人不殺生。佛都允許人吃叁淨肉--不見殺，不聞殺，不爲我殺﹕吃叁淨肉是可以的。」這也是自己口裏饞，舍不得這個肉味，所以這樣辯護。

　　Not killing includes not eating meat and not eating meat also includes not killing. That is because if we don”t kill, there will be no meat to eat. Some Buddhists say, “The Buddha prohibited people from killing, but not from eating meat. The Buddha allowed people to eat the meat that is pure in three ways: 1) One does not see the creature killed; 2) one does not hear the creature being killed; 3) the creature was not killed especially for oneself. Eating meat that is pure in these ways is permitted.” That is also a self-justification because the person basically cannot renounce meat.

　　以前我遇到一個教授，一天不吃肉也不行的，一定要吃肉。他說：「我即使不吃肉，就是聞聞肉味也是好的，都解饞了。」所以，你看每個人的見解是不同的，各人有各人的思想。

　　I met a professor before who could not get by for one day without eating meat. He said, “Even the smell of meat would relieve my craving for it if I couldn”t get to taste it.” So you see, each person has his own ideas and views and they are all different.

　　學佛法就要學戒、定、慧。

　　In learning Buddhadharma, we must learn precepts, concentration, and wisdom.

　　戒，就是「諸惡不作，衆善奉行。」凡是惡的事，都不要做；一切的善事，都要做。定，就是勤修禅定。慧，就是由戒生定，由定發慧。這是戒定慧叁無漏學。

　　Precepts help us to “refrain from all evil and do all good.” We refrain from doing whatever is bad, but we do all good things.

　　Concentration is the vigorous study of Chan meditation. Wisdom is the result of concentration, and concentration comes from upholding precepts. This is called the three non-outflow studies.

　　要息滅貪、瞋、癡，要不貪、不瞋、不癡；沒有貪了就不爭了，不爭了就無所求了，你無所求就不自私了，不自私也就不自利了。所以這都有連帶的關系。學佛法就是要老老實實照這個方法做去，不能投機走捷徑，躐等而進，要這樣子實實在在去修行。

　　We must put an end to greed, hatred and delusion. Being free from greed, we will not fight. When we do not fight with others, we seek nothing. When we do not seek, we will be selfless. When we are selfless, we will not pursue personal advantage. All these are related. Studying Buddhadharma means following the teaching in a precise and honest manner. Don”t take chances and shortcuts, just cultivate honestly.