..续本文上一页 a fine son he had. Great Shun”s stepmother was a promiscuous, crafty, unreasonable, and prejudiced woman. His younger stepbrother, Xiang, was haughty and disrespectful. Even though his family was so terrible, Great Shun was filial to his parents and kind to his stepbrother.

　　当时，大舜的后弟与后母就想把他害死，所以有一天教他去收拾谷仓，等他进去仓房之后，象即刻点火烧燃仓房。整个仓房火势烈烈，他以为把舜烧死了，就回去家里，欢心暗喜，但不久舜也回来了，象非常惊讶地问：「你去收拾仓房，怎么没被烧死？」舜说：「我眼见起火了，就拿了两个草帽从仓房上边跳出来，所以也没有摔伤，也没有烧着。」于是这件事就这么过去了。

　　One day his stepbrother and stepmother plotted to kill him. They told him to repair the granary, and after he stepped inside, Xiang set the granary on fire. The entire structure was soon in flames. Thinking that Shun would surely be burned to death, Xiang returned home, secretly delighted at heart. When Shun himself showed up a little later, Xiang asked in astonishment, "You were repairing the granary－how come you didn”t get burned to death

　　" Shun replied, "When I saw the fire coming, I grabbed two straw hats and jumped from the roof. That”s why I wasn”t burned or hurt." And so the incident passed.

　　又有一次，舜去淘井，他们又想把舜害死。当舜下井之后，他们三人就用一个大石头把井口堵住，他们以为这回舜一定会死掉。所以说「落井下石」，这典故就是从这儿来的。可是偏偏井旁有个窟窿，所以舜得以从井旁的地道出来。(有人说这地道是有只白狐狸钻出来的，所以把帝舜给救出来了。)虽然他们处心积虑想把舜害死，但舜一点瞋恨心也没有，仍然照常孝顺父母，友爱弟弟。

　　On another occasion, his family plotted to kill him when he descended into a well to clean it. They blocked the well with a large stone. They were certain that this time, Shun would die. The Chinese expression, "to throw a rock down on a person trapped in a well" comes from this story. There just happened to be a hole in the wall of the well, and Shun escaped through a tunnel which led from it. (Some say the tunnel was dug by a white fox who wanted to rescue the future Emperor, Shun.) Yet Shun did not hate his relatives for trying to kill him. Instead, he continued to be filial to his parents and affectionate towards his stepbrother.

　　当象以为舜已经死了，就要和父母分家，他说：「牛羊父母，仓廪父母；干戈朕，琴朕，弤朕，二嫂使治朕栖。」他的意思就是「牛羊给父母，仓房里的粮食也分给父母，我不需要。可是舜的五弦琴、吹笛、练武用的干戈，我都要。舜的两位妻子我也要，教她们来侍候我。」(帝舜的两位太太是娥皇、女英，是帝尧的女儿，特意许配给帝舜，来服侍帝舜。)象说完之后，就到舜的房间去，可是一看，却见到舜坐在床上好好的。象这回吓坏了，以为舜的冤魂不散，回家来了。但舜却开口安慰他，教他不用害怕。当时在尧舜期间，人心就有这样的坏法，可是舜能克尽孝道，所以说：

　　Thinking that Shun was dead, Xiang had started to pide Shun”s possessions with his parents. He said, "My parents can have the cattle and sheep. They can have the grain in the granaries, too, for I have no need of it. But I want Shun”s five-string lute, his flute, and his shield and sword. I also want his two wives. Tell them to come and attend upon me." (Emperor Shun”s two wives were E Huang and Nü Ying. Emperor Yao had purposely betrothed his two daugh-ters to the future Emperor Shun so that they could wait upon him.) Having said this, Xiang went into Shun”s room, and there was Shun, sitting on his bed alive and well. Xiang was terrified, thinking it was Shun”s spirit coming for vengeance. Shun reassured him, telling him not to be afraid.

　　Even in the time of the Emperors Yao and Shun, there were such wicked people. Yet Shun was able to practice filial piety and behave as a filial child should. Thus it is said,

　　六亲不和，有孝慈；

　　国家昏乱，有忠臣。

　　When the six types of relatives are not in

　　harmony, there are filial children and

　　caring parents.

　　When the country is in chaos, loyal

　　ministers come forth.

　　在国家平安时，就是有忠臣，也显不出来。但在国家昏乱时，哪个是忠臣，哪个是奸臣，就可以很容易辨别出来。好像南宋时，国家糜乱非常，奸臣秦桧把岳飞害死。岳飞流芳千古，而秦桧则遗臭万年。「流芳千古」与「遗臭万年」都是名，但一个是好名，一个是坏名。

　　Loyal ministers are not obvious in peaceful times. But in times of turmoil, they can be distinguished from the treacherous ones. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 a.d.), a period when north and south China were pided and the country was in extreme turmoil, the treacherous official Qin Kui had General Yue Fei executed. Yue Fei”s glory and Qin Kui”s notoriety will both last forever.

　　又好像南宋的文天祥，在国家昏乱时，仍是忠于宋天子，始终保民卫国，总也不投降，这也是一位忠臣。所以国家昏乱时，才能显出忠臣来。

　　Another example is that of Wen Tianxiang of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 a.d.), a minister who remained loyal to the emperor even when the country was thrown into chaos. From the beginning to the end, he protected the people and defended the country, refusing to surrender. Loyal ministers become apparent only in times of chaos.

　　那么我们现在建立道场，也是在困苦艰难的时候，这时才能看出真假护法。真护法的人，他要以佛教为己任，以护持三宝做为自己的责任。万佛圣城现在一天比一天发展，需要人来拥护，有力出力，有钱出钱，谁也不要互相观望着，你望我，我看你，这样未免没有在立功方面尽到心。我们应该把弘扬佛教做为自己的任务，把护持佛教做为自己的责任，这样子佛教一定会发展，一定会发扬光大的。

　　In these present difficult times as we struggle to establish this Way-place, we can see which Dharma protectors are real and which are phony. A real Dharma protector takes Buddhism as his personal responsibility. He regards protecting and upholding the Triple Jewel as his obligation. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is expanding and needs people to support and protect it. Those who have strength can contribute their strength, and those who have money can donate money. People shouldn”t just stand around looking at each other. If we just stand around staring at each other, we certainly aren”t creating any sort of merit. We should consider it our personal responsibility to propagate and protect Buddhism so that it will flourish and prosper.

　　一九八二年六月五日开示于万佛圣城

　　A talk given on June 5, 1982

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

《大道废有仁义 When the Great Way Declines, Humaneness and Righteousness Arise》全文阅读结束。