..续本文上一页ma, however limited its scope. With the diligent application of this and the gradual increase of good kamma a being can raise itself to higher levels of existence and understanding.

　　因此，一切低等动物也同样具备开创善业的能力，虽然在范围受了一定的限制。分辨、选择和取舍，精进和努力，慢慢的积累善业，所有低等的动物都能提升他们再生的境界和智力。

　　To look at this problem from another angle, we can consider one of the earliest stories that have been told to show how the Buddha-to-be first made the initial decision to strive for Enlightenment. A great many rebirths before the Buddha was born as Siddharta, he was born as an ordinary man.

　　从另一个角度来看这个问题，佛陀在他多生多世的本生故事里告诉我们，在佛陀证悟前的许多过去生中，他不仅是个普通人，有时还是动物呢。

　　One day while traveling in a boat with his mother, a great storm arose and the boat capsized, throwing the occupants into the angry sea. With no thought for his personal safety, the future Buddha carried his mother on his back and struggled to swim to dry land. But so great was the expanse of water ahead of him that he did not know the best route to safety. When he was in this dilemma, not knowing which way to turn, his bravery was noticed by one of the devas. This deva could not physically come to his aid, but he was able to make the future Buddha know the best route to take. The young man listened to the deva and both he and his mother were saved. There and then he made a firm determination not to rest until he had finally gained Enlightenment.

　　在佛陀的某一个前世，他与母亲一同乘船出海，遇到风浪船翻了，所有的人都掉进大海中。他不顾自己的安全，背负起自己的母亲，在大海中浮游，他不知道怎样才能获救，哪一个方面才是正确的。就在这时候，他的勇敢和诚意，感动了天神，天神为他指引了正确的方向，并暗中保护他，他和他的母亲因此而获救。

　　后来，他觉悟到如果用同样的方法来拯救众生，那该多好啊！于是，他下定决心，永不停息，一直到获得最后的证悟为止。

　　This story illustrates the fact that Buddhists can and do seek the help of devas in their daily life. A deva is a being who by virtue of having acquired great merit (like the king of the devas) is born with the power to help other beings. But this power is limited to material and physical things. In our daily existence, we can seek help of the devas (when misfortune strikes, when we need to be comforted, when we are sick or afraid, and so on).

　　这个故事也说明了一件事，佛教徒可以在日常生活中获得天神的庇佑。天神因为积累了很大的功德，他们有能力帮助众生，不过，这种帮助仅限于物质或生理，而不是精神的发展。我们在日常生活中，如不幸的事发生、受到打击、生病、害怕和需要安慰时，都可以祈求「神」的庇佑。

　　The fact that we seek the aid of these devas means that we are still tied to the material world. We must accept the fact that by being born we are subject to physical desires and needs. And it is not wrong to satisfy these needs on a limited scale. When the Buddha advocated the Middle Path, He said that we should neither indulge ourselves in luxury nor completely deny ourselves the basic necessities of life.

　　当我们祈求「神」庇佑时，我们仍然与物质世界牢牢的系缚在一起。我们要接受一个事实，有「生」就有生理的欲望，也就受到物质条件的局限。在某些范围内，满足这些希望是无可厚非的。佛陀提倡中道的生活，他教导我们不应该沉迷于奢侈的物质生活，也不应该排斥基本生活的需要。

　　However, we should not stop at that. While we accept the conditions of our birth, we must also make every effort, by following the Noble Eightfold Path, to reach a level of development where we realize that attachment to the material world creates only pain and sorrow.

　　但是，我们不应该停留在这一阶段。我们应该接受「生」的因缘条件，努力追随「八圣道」开发我们的精神领域，并了解执着于物质的世界，会产生痛苦和烦恼。

　　As we develop our understanding over countless births, we crave less and less for the pleasures of the senses. It is at the stage that we become truly self-reliant. At this stage, the devas cannot help us anymore, because we are not seeking to satisfy our material needs.

　　当我们经历无数生死而开发我们的智慧后，我们对感官、物质的欲望越来越少。在这个阶段，我们要靠的是自己，就连天神也帮不了我们。因为，我们不再需要物质的满足。

　　A Buddhist who really understands the fleeting nature of the world practises detachment from material goods. He is not unduly attached to worldly goods. Therefore he shares these goods freely with those who are more unfortunate than he is: he practises generosity. In this way again a Buddhist contributes to the welfare of others.

　　佛教徒了解世间一切本来无常的事实，不执着于物质，不执着于世间所有。因此，将自己的所有无私的奉献和布施。这是佛教徒对他人…

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