Birth Control, Abortion and Suicide
节育.堕胎和自杀
Although man has freedom to plan his family according to his own convenience, abortion is not justifiable.
人类可以根据自己的条件而调整家庭的人口，但是，堕胎是一种不当的行为。
There is no reason for Buddhists to oppose birth control. They are at liberty to use any of the old or modern measures to prevent conception. Those who object to birth control by saying that it is against God”s law to practise it, must realize that their concept regarding this issue is not reasonable. In birth control what is done is to prevent the coming into being of an existence. There is no killing involved and there is no akusala kamma. But if they take any action to have an abortion, this action is wrong because it involves taking away or destroying a visible or invisible life. Therefore, abortion is not justifiable.
节育：
佛教徒没有理由反对节制生育。他们可以自由的使用各种古老的或现代的方法来节育。有人说「节育」违反了「神」的旨意，因此反对「节育」，这些人必须了解，他们这种观点是不合理的。节育，是防止促成生命，不是杀生，因此不造成恶业。但是，堕胎是一种无可分辨的错误行为，这涉及摧毁或杀害一个看得见或看不见的生命，对佛教而言，堕胎是绝对不允许的。
According to the Teachings of the Buddha, five conditions must be present to constitute the evil act of killing. They are:
按照佛教戒律，造成触犯杀生戒的条件有五种：
a living being
一、必须是生命。
knowledge or awareness it is a living being
二、知道这生命是活的。
intention of killing
三、有杀害的意图。
effort to kill, and
四、有杀害的行为。
consequent death
五、造成生命的死亡。
When a female conceives, there is a being in her womb and this fulfills the first condition. After a couple of months, she knows that there is a new life within her and this satisfies the second condition. Then for some reason or other, she wants to do away with this being in her. So she begins to search for an abortionist to do the job and in this way, the third condition is fulfilled. When the abortionist does his job, the fourth condition is provided for and finally, the being is killed because of that action. So all the conditions are present. In this way, there is a violation of the First Precept ”not to kill”, and this is tantamount to killing a human being. According to Buddhism, there is no ground to say that we have the right to take away the life of another.
当妇女怀孕时，生命已存在于她体内(第一条件)，两个月后，她知道这生命是活的(第二条件)，她为了某种理由，不想要肚里的生命(第三条件)，她去堕胎(第四条件)，肚里的小生命因此而被摧毁(第五条件)。这整个过程，五项条件都具足了，因此触犯了杀生戒。堕胎的整个过程，表面没有杀生的迹象，而事实就是在杀生。堕胎违反了佛陀的教义，佛教徒都不应该堕胎，对佛教徒而言，我们并没有权力去拿掉另一个生命。
Under certain circumstances, people feel compelled to do that for their own convenience. But they should not justify this act of abortion as somehow or other they will have to face some sort of bad karmic results. In certain countries abortion is legalized, but this is to overcome some problems. Religious principles should never be surrendered for the pleasure of man. They stand for the welfare of the whole mankind.
在环境的压迫下，人们为了自己的方便被迫去做这种不道德的事。但是，人类不应该认为堕胎是合理的，堕胎造成恶业，将来要受到果报。在某些国家，堕胎是合法化的。然而，不要把宗教牵扯进去。这是世界性的问题。宗教原则绝对不是为了某些人的个人享受或方便，而是为全人类的福址。
Committing Suicide
自杀：
Taking one”s own life under any circumstances is morally and spiritually wrong. Taking one”s own life owing to frustration or disappointment only causes greater suffering. Suicide is a cowardly way to end one”s problems of life. A person cannot commit suicide if his mind is pure and tranquil. If one leaves this world with a confused and frustrated mind, it is most unlikely that he would be born again in a better condition. Suicide is an unwholesome or unskillful act since it is encouraged by a mind filled with greed, hatred and delusion. Those who commit suicide have not learnt how to face their problems, how to face the facts of life, and how to use their mind in a proper manner. Such people have not been able to understand the nature of life and worldly conditions.
Some people sacrifice their own lives for what they deem as a good and noble cause. They take their own life by such methods a…
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