《靜思晨語。法譬如水》503. 因果業力一念間

Karmic Forces and the Mind

影音版 優酷網  | YouTube 

每天都是在對大家說要相信「因緣果報」！我們若是不信因果，那就會造地獄因。

Every day I remind everyone to believe in the karmic law of cause and effect. If we do not believe in cause and effect, we may create the causes of Hell.

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不信因果造地獄因
苦樂都在一念間
業力果報現前時
頃刻萬死感地獄報

Suffering or joy is determined by a single thought. When karmic retribution appears, in an instant we feel 10,000 deaths and the retribution of Hell.

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所以經文中說－－「不信因果造地獄因，苦樂都在一念間；業力果報現前時，頃刻萬死感地獄報。」

Suffering or joy is determined by a single thought. When karmic retribution appears, in an instant we feel 10,000 deaths and the retribution of Hell.

所以地獄離這個人間不遠，就看各人造什麼樣的業。

Hell is not far from the Human Realm. People create different kinds of negative karma.

不要說這輩子，看不到地獄在哪裡呢？業報若是現前，其實地獄就在人間，不是看不到！

Do not say you cannot see Hell anywhere in this lifetime. If karmic retribution manifests, Hell is actually here, it is not invisible.

先來和大家分享，這樣的一段故事。那就是在《蓮池大師戒殺文》裡中，有這段的故事；那就是在大陸陝西蒲城縣。

Let me first share this story from Master Lian-Chi's Essay on Not Killing. This story took place in China's Shanxi Province, in Pucheng County.

那之間有一戶的人家，這戶的人家是真的很富有，是一個大戶人家。但是先生早年就開始素食，虔誠禮佛，信仰三寶，皈依佛門，所以這位先生真的很樂善好施；但是他的太太就是，很不滿她的先生，皈依於佛門，又是素食，又是一直愛布施，所以這位太太，她每一天都是愛吃生靈，很貪吃美味、好的東西。

There was a very wealthy family. It was a large family. At a young age the husband became vegetarian, reverently paid respect to the Buddha, and took refuge in Buddhism. This man was kind and charitable.

有一回是她的生日，她把她的奴僕、廚房的人，全都叫來說：「我這回的大生日，要好好請客。你們要替我鋪排。」殺豬、屠羊，雞鴨那當然就不必說了，當然是不計其數，這些東西大家就趕快去採購了，全都買來集中在廚房的外面。

But his wife was not happy that her husband took refuge in the Buddha, was vegetarian and was always very generous. She loved to eat live creatures every day, and craved tasty food. At one time, her birthday was approaching. She gathered her servants and kitchen aids. She told them, "I want to throw a feast for my birthday. You have to arrange it. Slaughter pigs, lambs, and of course chickens and ducks. The number of animals does not matter." So, they went to purchase these animals and gathered them right outside the kitchen.

叫聲很多，很嘈雜的生靈的叫聲。先生聽到這種哀叫的聲音，就來對他的太太說：「夫人，妳做生日雖然是可以很大肆慶祝，但是否需要用那麼多的生靈來犧牲呢？這些生靈為了妳一個生日，就要犧牲那麼大，你可不可以多發一個慈悲心，多種一些福緣來修福業？」

It was very loud with all the noisy cries of these living creatures. When the husband heard these wails, he said, "My dear, you can have a big birthday celebration, but how can you sacrifice so many living beings? Will you really sacrifice all these lives just for your birthday? Can't you be compassionate and sow more blessed conditions to create blessed karma?"

先生這麼說，太太不要讓先生說完，太太就說：「你這樣說，這實在太過於荒謬了！太過頭了！這些眾生來到人間，就是要讓人殺，就是要讓人吃的。你不去殺牠、不去吃牠，幾十年後，這個世界不是變成了一個禽獸的世界了嗎？這些道理你都不必對我說，我絕對不要改變我的主意！你有你的生活，我有我的生活，我無法管你，你不必來管我。」就是如此惡口利言，對待她的先生。先生覺得無奈，慨嘆著離開那裡。

The wife did not let her husband finish talking. She said, "What you just said is truly ridiculous and over the line. These sentient beings came to this world to be killed, to be eaten by people. If you do not kill them or eat them, after a few decades, won't this world be filled with beasts? You don't have to lecture me about this. I absolutely will not change my mind. You live your way, I live mine. I can't control you. You shouldn't control me." She spoke such harsh and hurtful words to her husband. The husband felt helpless, so he sighed and left.

那天晚上開始，在睡眠中，天將亮之前，太太忽然間，好像她的靈魂，已經脫離她的身體，自己好像是走到廚房去了。看到廚師都已經集合了，無論是奴、或是婢，都已經一早就開始在準備了，看到那些生靈在那裡哀叫。

That night, before dawn, in her sleep, she suddenly felt like her spirit left her body. She felt like she was in the kitchen. She saw that the chefs had already gathered. The male and female servants had been preparing since early morning. She saw those living beings wailing.

也看到那個廚師拿著刀，開始捲袖子，大家都已經準備好了，去把那隻豬抬過來，放在條凳上排列好。這隻豬四腳綑綁著，那種哀叫的聲音非常的淒厲，好像是她的靈魂跑進這隻豬身上；那時好像是她自己也很掙扎，在呼救求饒。但是看到那個屠夫，廚房裡的廚師，刀很尖利，拿起來那樣一直逼近了她的身體。

She also saw the chef holding a knife. He rolled up his sleeves. Everyone was already prepared. They lifted the pig and laid it on a bench. The legs of the pig were tied together. The sound of those wails were very agonizing. She felt like her soul went into this pig. It seemed like she was also struggling, yelling for mercy. She saw the butcher, the chef, holding a sharp knife as he approached her.

那種的掙扎、那種的哀嚎，大聲一直叫，但是這把刀，還是往她的喉嚨刺進去。那種的痛、那種的哀叫，無法去形容，血這樣一直在流，氣還未斷，滾燙的，熱水就開始淋下來了，去刮下豬毛。那時的痛，不是人間任何的痛苦能夠形容，非常非常的苦痛。就這樣像是千刀萬剮，從喉嚨進去，全身遍體鱗傷，接下來好像是非常痛苦。

She struggled and wailed and screamed loudly. But the knife stabbed into her throat.. The pain and her cries were indescribable. The blood kept flowing out. Before she took her last breath, boiling hot water rained down to remove the pig's hair. The pain in that moment could not be described in human terms. It was very painful, like being cut by a thousand knives, as if they entered through her throat and cut up her entire body. What followed was extreme agony.

那個靈魂飄飄，非常痛苦，又看到接下來的就是羊了。羊也是在那裡滾動掙扎，在那之間，她自己的心魂，好像是又投入這頭羊的身上，開始又是一樣刀進刀出，那種的苦痛已經是無法去形容了。

Her spirit was lost in pain. Next she saw the lamb. The lamb also rolled around and struggled. At that moment, she felt her spirit enter the body of this lamb. Similarly, the knife went in and out. That pain was already indescribable.

再下來開始，就是雞鴨尖叫的聲音…好像是一一她都是附在，這些雞鴨的身上，她的靈魂一一經過了這麼多的生命。無論是刀的地獄，或者是血光的地獄，或者是滾水燒燙的地獄，或者是在那個鍋裡煮的地獄，下油鍋炸油湯，這些都一一經過，那種的苦痛全都開始經歷過了。

Next came the shrieks of ducks and chickens. She felt like she was in each of their bodies. Her spirit experienced all these living beings. Whether it was a hell of knives, a hell of blood, a hell of boiling water, a hell of being cooked in a pot, or a hell of being fried in oil, she experienced each one. She experienced all that pain.

在這之間，忽然間有一位她的老僕人，很高興，提著一條活生生的鯉魚，這條魚，這樣活生生已經捧進來到廚房了。這之間，她的婢女也是在廚房，她看到了說：「真好，你去哪裡找來這條？這麼大、這麼肥，又是活跳跳的。很好，夫人最喜歡吃魚丸，趕快來殺吧。」

At that moment, and old manservant happily entered with a live carp. He carried this living fish into the kitchen. Her maidservant was also in the kitchen. She saw it and said, "Great! Where did you find this big, fat fish? It's even alive. That's great. The mistress loves to eat fish balls. Hurry up and kill it."

開始在殺，還活著就一直在刮魚鱗，魚鱗活生生地一直刮。她的靈魂還是附在那隻鯉魚上面。當時她在那裡一直在呼叫：「救我！救我！」但是看到每個人都像是在辦喜事，那種喜氣洋洋，這種的經歷，真的是求救無門。

They began to kill it. They scaled it while it was still alive. Her spirit was still attached to the carp. At that moment she was still screaming, "Save me! Save me!" But as everyone prepared for this feast, they looked happy and joyful. She felt what it was like to have no means of being saved.

在很哀叫，很痛苦哀叫那時候，自己醒過來了，醒過來之後，整個身體還好像在被刀割，在被火燒、在被油燙，實在是身心痛苦難堪。看到她的婢女，捧進來讓她洗手臉等等…對這個太太說，她說：「夫人，您趕快起來了，起來洗手臉！趕快。有妳很愛吃的那個魚丸，已經都煮好了，早餐有魚丸。」

As she cried out in terrible pain, she woke up. After waking, she felt her body was still being cut by knives, burnt by fire, and fried by oil. The pain in her body and mind was unbearable. Then her maidservant brought water to wash her hands and face. She said to her, "Mistress, hurry up and get out of bed. Wash your hands and face. We have prepared the fish balls you love. You can have them for breakfast."

她一聽非常的惶恐，跟她說：「妳趕快全部端出去，趕快都端出去，我苦不堪言。」那這個奴婢也覺得很奇怪，平時這麼愛吃魚丸，提到了應該是很高興？一早就有得吃，為什麼呢？就去對她的先生說：「夫人好像病了。」

She heard this and became fearful. She said, "Take it away. Take it all away. I am in unspeakable pain." The maidservant felt this was strange. Her mistress usually loved to eat fish balls. She should be happy to hear that she could eat them this morning. What had happened? So she told her master, "I think the mistress is ill."

先生過來時，看到她那樣魂不附體，那種哀嚎痛苦，趕快去安撫她：「是怎麼了呢？」她就一一將夢中，這些事情說給先生聽，先生說：「你是做夢。」她說：「不是夢！我是真的經歷了地獄的苦痛，所以我現在知道地獄的苦痛，難堪難忍！我現在想要和你一起信佛，我要懺悔，懺悔我過去所造的一切！我相信有地獄，有因果，我怕、我惶恐，很痛苦。」從此開始她要素食了，她要皈依了。

He came over and saw that she not herself. She was wailing in pain. He quickly comforted her, "What's the matter?" She then described every part of her dream to her husband. He said, "You were dreaming." "It was not a dream. I truly experienced the suffering of Hell. So now I know that the pain of Hell is intolerable and unbearable. Now I want to practice Buddhism with you. I want to repent everything I have ever done. I believe there is a Hell, and cause and effect. I afraid, I'm frightened. It is so painful." At that time she became a vegetarian and also took refuge.

雖然文章是寫到這裡，但是，這是在清朝的時代，是不是皈依之後，素食之後，她就能夠免去地獄苦呢？是不是這段經歷之後，在她的精神那種的折磨，是不是能夠消除呢？不知道！

The essay stops here. This happened in the Qing Dynasty. Could she avoid the suffering of Hell after she took refuge and became vegetarian? After this experience, after this spiritual torture, could she eliminate her karma? I do not know.

總而言之，地獄到底離人間多遠？應該是不遠！因為這種的不信因果，造地獄因。

But all in all, how far is Hell from the Human Realm? Probably not far. If we do not believe in cause and effect we may create the causes of Hell.

那種的苦樂在那個一念之間，你是要造福？或者是要造禍呢？造福當然就是得到快樂的報；若是造惡，當然是受苦難折磨，身心的痛苦。這本來就是因果。

Suffering and joy are decided in a single thought. Do you want to create blessings or misfortunes? Creating blessings brings retributions of joy. If we commit evil, we will be tormented by suffering, by pain in body and mind. This is the nature of cause and effect.

所以業力若現前，果報現前時，真的是頃刻之間，一下子的時間，她能夠經歷那麼多地獄的苦報，真的是罪。罪業我們若是敢做，報應就不遠了，所以我們要好好相信因果。

If karmic forces and retributions manifest, truly, in an instant, one can experience so many painful retributions of Hell. Truly, if we dare to commit transgressions, retributions will not be far off. So we must believe in karmic cause and effect.

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罪業因緣 不相妨礙
上火徹下 下火徹上
東西南北 通徹交過
如魚在鏊 脂膏皆盡
此中罪苦 亦復如是

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我們現在再看，接下來這段懺文說－－「罪業因緣，不相妨礙。上火徹下，下火徹上，東西南北，通徹交過。如魚在鏊，脂膏皆盡，此中罪苦，亦復如是。」

Now let us look at this next passage. "One's negative karmic causes and conditions do not interfere with those of other wrongdoers. Flames burn down from above, and up from below. From east, west, south north, the fire burns everywhere. Like fish in a griddle, one's fat is cooked away. The suffering there is always like this."

因為我們在《靜思晨語。法譬如水。勤耕福田 增長慧命》說過了，地獄的形態，那個周匝有七重鐵城，七重鐵網，還有七重的刀為林，很多的猛火，都從四面八方那樣聚集過來。廣有縱廣八萬四千由旬，罪人墮入地獄去，一人亦滿，實在是多人亦滿。

We have described the appearance of Hell. It is surrounded by seven walls of heavy iron, seven nets of heavy iron, and seven forests of knives. Scorching flames come from all directions. Hell extends over 84,000 yojanas. When a wrongdoer descends into Hell, one person fills it up, and many will also fill it up.

剛才這位太太的地獄報應，你看同一個地獄，在那個形態中，就是她一個人不斷經歷。妳看，多麼廣、多麼大的地獄，一個人也滿滿的。受到經歷那麼多的罪報，所以這個「罪業因緣」，哪怕是再多人在裡面，也覺得說自己所受的報應，已經無法去顧及還有另外的人。

The retributions of Hell that the wife faced are the same. She experienced those aspects of Hell. You see, Hell is wide and vast. It can be filled with one person's suffering when one experiences so much retribution. These are "negative karmic causes and conditions". No matter how many people there are, they only feel their own retribution. They cannot pay attention to anyone else.

所以說起來，「不相妨礙」，地獄不論多大，無論多少人，你受你的罪，我受我的罪，彼此之間不相妨礙。地獄的形相，「上火徹下、下火徹上」，上面有火，下面有火；這種「東西南北，通徹交過」，無論是上面或下面、無論是四面八方，這個火的地獄就是這樣四面八方。

So, they "do not interfere with each other". No matter how big Hell is, how many there are, you will face your punishment, I will face mine. We will not interfere with each other at all. Hell is described as "Flames burn down from above, and up from below". There are flames above and flames below. "From east, west, south, north, they all intersect." Whether it is from above, or from all directions, the flames of Hell come from everywhere.

人如果在那裡面，周圍都全是火，就好比像是那個「魚在鏊」，就是說在那種釜鼎上面，那個火無論是用烤的、用煎的，周圍都是火。上面也是火，下面也是火，那種魚在鏊中「脂膏皆盡」，體內的油都被逼出來了，所以「脂膏皆盡」。我們看看在炸油，無論是什麼樣的生靈，你乾乾的鍋子把牠放下去，活活地煎，那個油就一直冒出來了，所以「脂膏皆盡」。

If humans are inside, they are surrounded by fire. They are like "fish on a griddle". Hell is like being on a griddle, whether we are being baked, or fried, we are surrounded by fire. There is fire above and below. When fish are on a griddle, "the fat is cooked away". The fat inside their body is rendered, so "the fat is cooked away". Look at the frying oil. No matter what kind of creature it is, if we drop it into an empty pan and fry it, the fat will keep coming out. So "the fat is cooked away".

所以「此中罪苦，亦復如是」。地獄的苦就是如此，這全都是業力因緣。

"The suffering there is always like this." The suffering in Hell is just like this. It comes from karmic causes and conditions.

所以無論是什麼人在受罪，什麼人都不妨礙什麼人，各人受各人的罪報。

No matter who is being punished, they will not interfere with each other. They each face their own retribution.

所以這個地獄，火燒紅的地獄，上下交徹，真的是苦不堪，人若在那裡頭，真的是苦不堪。

So in Hell, the red hot fires of Hell intersect from above and below. The suffering is unbearable. Whoever is there faces unbearable pain.

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其城四門 有四大銅狗
其身縱廣四千由旬
牙爪鋒長 眼如掣電

The four doors of the city have four big bronze dogs. Each dog's body is so wide, it covers 4000 yojanas. Their teeth and claws are sharp, their eyes are like lightning.

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復有無量 鐵嘴諸鳥
奮翼飛騰 噉罪人肉

There are also countless iron-beaked birds. They excitedly take flight and feed on the flesh of wrongdoers.

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在這個地獄中，還有－－「其城四門，有四大銅狗，其身縱廣四千由旬，牙爪鋒長、眼如摯電。復有無量鐵嘴諸鳥，奮翼飛騰，噉罪人肉。」

In this Hell, "The four doors of the city have four big bronze dogs. Each dog's body is so wide, it covers 4000 yojanas. Their teeth and claws are sharp, their eyes are like lightning. There are also countless iron-beaked birds. They excitedly take flight and feed on the flesh of wrongdoers."

可怕嗎？地獄就是如此！你看，這個火四面八方，上下交徹，罪人在那裡已經都燒爛了。

Scary? Hell is just like this. You see, flames come from all directions and intersect. The wrongdoers are all burnt to a crisp.

尤其是預防這些罪人會跑出去，所以那個城有四個門，那有四大銅狗在那裡看顧。而且「其身縱廣」，這些狗的身體很大，這銅狗的牙和指甲都很長，罪人如果要逃避時，牠們的牙很長，銅鐵的指甲去把他勾回來。你們想，罪人在那裡掙扎，想要逃也無路逃！尤其是牠的眼睛，好像是很強的電光一樣會射你，即使逃也無路可逃。

To prevent these wrongdoers from escaping, the city has four doors. Four large bronze dogs stand guard. And, "Each dog's body is so wide". They are very big. Their teeth and nails are also very long. If wrongdoers try to escape, they drag them back with their long nails and teeth. Think wrongdoers struggling there have no way to escape. And the dogs' eyes are bright like lasers and can shoot out at people. There is nowhere to run.

還有「無量鐵嘴諸鳥」，那個鳥是鐵的嘴，鳥的鐵嘴是很尖。你在那裡掙扎時，身體已經潰爛了，那麼鐵鳥就「奮翼飛騰」，開始就飛起來，展翅開始飛起來，在罪人受火的地獄，全身潰爛之後，牠就在那裡啄食，吃肉。看，這種的地獄可怕不可怕？

There are also "countless iron-beaked birds". These birds have sharp iron beaks. As the people in Hell struggle, their bodies are already rooting. The iron birds "excitedly take flight". They open their wings and fly. After the bodies of wrongdoers rot in the fires of Hell, they peck at and eat the flesh. Look, isn't this hell scary?

我們人間是不是有像是這樣的呢？有的看人在吃魚，或者吃肉，不是用鍋子煮的而已；他用烤的，叉住了，在那個火爐中讓周圍的火那樣子烤。烤了之後油一直滴，然後再一塊一塊來把牠撕食；你們想，這和地獄差多少呢？只是說那些動物在受這種人間地獄的刑具，牠哀叫無門。

Do we see this happen in the Human Realm? Look at people eating fish or meat. Not only do they cook them in pots, they also roast them. They spear them and roast them in fire. They fry them until the fat drips. Then they tear off bites to eat. Think about it. How different is this from Hell? When these animals faced the torture devices of Hell on Earth, they cried without relief.

所以我們最好，要好好起一念好心，尊重生命。我們能夠放生，我們能夠護生，我們可以不去殺生，這樣我們是不是心很安呢？

So it is best we give rise to good thoughts and respect life. We can liberate and protect living beings. We can avoid killing them. Then won't our minds be at peace?

所以各位，學佛我們要相信因果！我們若不相信因果，等到業相現前的時後，那頃刻之間萬生萬死，感地獄的報應，那就苦不堪言。所以大家要時時多用心！

So everyone, in learning Buddhism, believe in cause and effect. If we do not believe in cause and effect, by the time karma manifests, we instantly experience 10,000 births and deaths, feel the retribution of Hell. That suffering will be unspeakable. So everyone, please always be mindful.