..续本文上一页teach the younger generation to become capable and productive citizens of the world. Ancient scholars were cautious and attentive, and devoted themselves completely to the study of knowledge until their hair turned white. They would never have the thought, "How can I get into the limelight and become famous

　　" They never entertained such thoughts. They studied in order to teach young people to become productive citizens, how to improve the social mores, and how to create a new and better world. That was the style and spirit of the ancient scholars. What about today”s scholars and professors

　　 They only teach their students how to become rich and famous.

　　古来学者是为「明理」，也就是以「格物、致知、诚意、正心、修身、齐家、治国、平天下」八条目，令青年人培养正当的思想，良好的品德。而现在的学者与教授，却鼓励青年人吃迷幻药，鼓励学生吃避孕药，不孝父母，做世界上出乎其类，拔乎其萃的「捣乱份子」。所以社会一天不如一天，所有知名学府的教授应负完全责任。尤其现在电视所播放的都是令人颠倒、往下流的节目。

　　The scholars of ancient times sought to obtain an under-standing of principles. That is, they wished "to investigate things, extend their knowledge, make their minds sincere, make their hearts proper, cultivate their persons, bring harmony to families, set the country in order, and bring peace to the world." With these eight steps, they fostered proper ideas and good character in young people. Nowadays, however, some scholars and professors actually encourage students to use drugs, take birth control pills, be unfilial to their parents, and become notorious trouble-makers in the world. Society degenerates with each passing day, and the professors at well-known universities should take full responsibility. Moreover, television tends to confuse people and negatively influence them.

　　由这点看来，人心不古，道德沦亡，这是有原因的。青年人站不住脚，没有定力，这并非一个因素造成的，而是由多种因素造成的，这是很可悲的事。所以凡是宗教、教育人士，要赶快改变这种行为与思想，这样世界浩劫也许有挽回的机会；如果依然这样，而不加改善，世界末日就快要来临了。

　　From this, we can see that there are reasons why people no longer follow ancient ways, and why moral values have declined. Young people cannot stand on their own and are easily influenced by their surroundings. There are many factors behind this, not just one. This is a great pity. Therefore, all people involved in religion and education should quickly find a way to improve the situation. Only then can we hope to avert an impending world crisis. If we keep on going like this without any improvement, the final days of the world will soon be at hand.

　　那么有没有挽救的方法呢？有。因为一切唯心造。人心好，世界就好；人心坏，世界就坏，末日就将来到。如果想要没有末法、末日的来临，人人都应该打起精神，在狂风暴雨中从事救人的工作。这并不是说你舍去自己的生命去救人，而是要你将狂风暴雨停止。

　　Is there any way to avert a crisis

　　 There is. Everything depends upon the human mind. If people have wholesome minds, the world will be wholesome. If people have corrupt minds, the world will be corrupt and doomsday will soon arrive. If we don”t want to hasten the decline of the Dharma and the approach of doomsday, then we must rally our spirits and carry out the work of salvation in the midst of the raging storm. This doesn”t mean that you have to give up your own life in order to save others. It means you must stop the storm.

　　各位看看，现在世界上到处都有天灾人祸、水灾、风灾、火灾、战争。因为这些大灾难而死亡的人不算，就拿小灾难来说，飞机失事、火车失事、汽车互撞等等，就不知死了多少人。这种种灾难的发生，都是人心戾气所造成；无有道德所促成的。但是每个人都还不觉悟，不负责任，反而把过错推到他人身上，没有一人回光返照说：「世界不好，是因为我不好。」都没有人这样想，所以世界一天比一天坏，一天不如一天。

　　Take a look around, and you”ll see natural and human calamities－floods, hurricanes, fires, and wars－occurring everywhere. Even if we don”t count the casualties from these major disasters, but only consider smaller calamities such as plane crashes, train derailments, and car collisions, the number of casualties is still staggering. These various catastrophes result from violent tempers and lack of virtue. Yet no one has awakened to this. Instead, each blames the other and refuses to take responsibility. There is perhaps not a single person who has reflected upon himself and thought, "The world is not in good shape because I haven”t been a good person." And so the situation in the world becomes more deplorable with each passing day. Each day is worse than the previous one.

　　所幸有个办法能改变，它既不费力，又不花钱。这个办法就是世界上所有人不食众生肉，都吃斋、戒杀、放生，这样世界灾难就会消灭于无形。所以吃斋是很重要的，这些灾难都是因为杀生而结下怨气，这种怨气充满宇宙，才形成种种灾难。人人若能戒杀、放生，不吃一切肉类，则人的暴力思想就会消除。

　　Fortunately, there is a way to turn this around and it takes neither strength nor money. This method requires that everyone abstain from the flesh of living beings and eat only vegetarian food, and that they free creatures instead of killing them. If this can be done, then all the world”s disasters will vanish. Therefore, adopting a vegetarian diet is very important. Calamities occur because the universe is filled with the enmity generated by slaughter. If people can liberate creatures rather than killing them and eating their flesh, these tendencies towards violence will abate.

　　为什么人那么暴躁、脾气那么大？就因为吃肉。因为吃肉会增加欲念，使人生瞋恨心，没有慈悲心。所以想要世界没有灾难，就要赶快戒杀、放生，不吃众生肉，以便挽回浩劫之将临。

　　Why are people so explosive and hot-tempered

　　 Because they eat meat. Eating meat increases one”s thoughts of lust and makes one angry and uncompassionate. Hence, if we wish the world to be free of calamities, we must quickly stop taking the lives of creatures and eating their flesh. Only then can we avert an impending crisis.

　　一九八二年六月十三日开示于万佛圣城

　　A talk given on June 13, 1982

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

《挽回劫运 Averting a Crisis》全文阅读结束。