..续本文上一页t if everything is determined, then there would be no free will and no moral or spiritual life. We would merely be the slaves of our past. On the other hand, if everything is undetermined, then there can be no cultivation of moral and spiritual growth. Therefore, the Buddha accepted neither strict determinism nor strict undeterminism.
佛教徒相信：「人类种下什么因，就获得什么果。」我们现在所得到的，是基于过去所制造的因，我们将来所得到的，是基于现在所制造的因。换句话说，人的现在不等于他的过去，人的未来也不等于他的现在。在过去、现在和未来之间，一直都在流转变化。
业力不是绝对的，佛陀说：
「如果每一件事情都已经注定，那就无法拥有自由的意志和道德的精神生活了。我们必定成为过去的奴隶。」
假使每一件事情都是注定的，我们将无法培养道德和增长心灵的力量。因此，佛陀既非「宿命论」者，也非「非宿命论」者。
Misconceptions regarding Kamma
不要误解业力：
The misinterpretation or irrational views on kamma are stated in the Anguttara Nikaya which suggests that the wise will investigate and abandon the following views: the belief that everything is a result of acts in previous lives; the belief that all is the result of creation by a Supreme Ruler; and the belief that everything arises without reason or cause. If a person becomes a murderer, a thief, or an adulterer, and, if his actions are due to past actions, or caused by creation of a Supreme Ruler, or if that happened by mere chance, then this person would not be held responsible for his evil action.
不要误解业力，也不要以不理智的观点来看待业力。在《增支部》中，建议智者放弃以下观点：
一、相信一切事物都是过去世所造的业。
二、相信一切业都是超自然的灵力或神所缔造的。
三、相信诸法的生起，是无因、无果的。
假如一个人成为杀人犯、盗贼或奸淫犯，是因为过去的业力造成，或是一种超自然的定律构成，或只是一种偶然发生的事，那么他就不需要为自己的邪恶罪行负责了。
Yet another misconception about kamma is that it operates only for certain people according to their faiths. But the fate of a man in his next life does not in the least depend on what particular religion he chooses. Whatever may be his religion, man”s fate depends entirely on his deeds by body, speech and thought. It does not matter what religious label he himself holds, he is bound to be happy world in his next life so long as he does good deeds and leads an unblemished life. He is bound to be born to lead a wretched life if he commits evil and harbors wicked thoughts in his mind. Therefore, Buddhists do not proclaim that they are the only blessed people who can go to heaven after their death. Whatever the religion he professes, man”s kammic thought alone determines his own destiny both in this life and in the next. The teaching of kamma does not indicate a post-mortem justice. The Buddha did not teach this law of kamma to protect the rich and to comfort the poor by promising illusory happiness in an after life.
另外一种对业力的错误观念是：以为业力只执行于某些拥有特定宗教信仰的人身。事实，人类的命运，一点也不受他所选择的宗教所左右。不管他选择什么宗教，他的命运还是完全由他的行为、语言和意识所决定。只要他造善业和过着没有污染的生活，他来生一定会重生于快乐的境界。如果他造的是恶业，同时心中充满邪恶的意念，他的来生肯定在恶趣中度过。因此，佛教并不认为，只有那些以祈祷为宗教的人，可以在死后升天堂。一个人，不管他信仰的是什么，只有他的心识能决定他今世或来世的命运。业力的重点，不在于死后获得的意义，佛陀没有秘密，也没有私人的动机，他没有向我们承诺，实践他的教诲，将会在来世获得虚无缥缈的幸福。他也没有以业力这一定律来保护富有的人或慰藉穷人，保证他们在来世获得幸福。
According to Buddhism kamma explains the inequalities that exist among mankind. These inequalities are due not only to heredity, environment and nature but also to kamma or the results of our own actions. Indeed kamma is one of the factors which are responsible for the success and the failure of our life.
佛陀对业力的诠释，说明了人类不平等的现象。这些不平等现象不单是自遗传、环境或自然形成，同时也是我们的业力或是我们自己的行为导致的结果。然而，我们必须了解──业力是决定我们一生成败的重要因素之一。
Since kamma is an invisible force, we cannot see it working with our physical eyes. To understand how kamma works, we can compare it to seeds: the results of kamma are stored in the subconscious mind in the same way as the leaves, flowers, fruits and trunk of a tree are stored in its seed. Under favorable conditions, the fruits of kamma will be produced just as with moisture and light, the leaves and trunk of a tree will sprout from its tiny seed.
业力是一种看不见的力量，我们无法以肉眼来观察它，和了解它如何作用。以种子为例：业力的结果潜藏在意识中，如同枝干、叶子、花卉、果实蕴藏在种子中一样。在良好的因缘条件下，如：阳光、土壤、水分都具足时，种子开始萌发，枝干、叶子、花卉、果实将会从很小的种子开始茁壮成长。
The working of kamma can …
《业力 What is Kamma
》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…