..续本文上一页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.
我们常遇到某些人在临终前更改宗教信仰，他们误以为这么做能洗清他们的罪孽和令他们升天堂。他们也希望保存好他们的躯体，作最好的安葬。其实，这些人早已经信仰了某些宗教，突然又去接受另外一种全新而陌生的宗教，他们这么做无非是想从新的宗教中获得赎罪，这是很牵强和很离谱的事，纯粹是一种梦想。有些人是在无意识状态下或死后被强迫转信成另外一种宗教，那些宗教狂热份子这么做，误导了人类，以为他们那种信仰是通往天堂的捷径，并以为有一个高高在上的「神」，能为他们洗清罪孽。这种信仰其实在鼓励人们去犯罪。
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.
根据佛教的教义，没有任何一种生命，能替他人清洗罪孽，当一个人理解到自己犯错时，应该努力的去多做善事来弥补，这样才可以牵制过去所造恶业的坏影响。
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.
我们经常在医院目睹那些宗教狂热份子，围绕在临终病人的床前，向他们许诺：「死后获得重生」，这是利用那些病人无知恐惧的心理。可是，却无法像他们神圣的经典中所说的那样，让病人痊愈。如果，他们能做到，我们就不需要医院了。佛教徒不应该成为这些人的受害者，佛教徒必须通过学习佛法──知道苦是人类基本的组成部份。唯一的灭苦之道，就是净化自己的心识。一个人自己所缔造的苦，也唯有他自己能够消除。一个人不应该希望在临终前改变宗教信仰，就能清洗自己的罪孽，获得赎罪。
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.
一个临终的人，他将来的命运是掌握在他临终前的那一念，而那一念是根据他今世所积累的善业与恶业而显现的。不管他在最后一刻改变什么信仰，结果都是一样的。
《「神」的概念 The God-Idea》全文阅读结束。