主持人：淨化人心，或者是讓每個人都有一個信仰，不至於成為社會的一個浮萍，不容易飄動。稍後回來，我們請我們的淨空法師再為我們開示，我們稍後見。

Anchor:  To purify the mind; or to let everyone have a faith, no longer duckweeds of society, and not so easily swayed.  When we come back, we will continue to ask V.M. Chin Kung to enlighten us.  See you later.

主 持人：歡迎回來。老一輩的人常常說，我們年輕人身在福中不知福。因為我們的社會，現在物質生活是非常富足的，但是卻有很多年輕人，選擇用消極的態度來面對 這個世界，同時也放棄自己。那在我們的，常常媒體上可以看得到，有很多年輕人放棄自己的生命。到底為什麼會這麼做，我想胡錦昌總編輯應該會非常有感同身 受，這一點。

Anchor:  Welcome back.  The old generation often commented that we young people live a blessed life without appreciating our good fortune.  Although we live in a society, nowadays, that is materialistic enriched, but many young people choose to face the world with a negative attitude, as well as abandoning their lives.  We have often seen, reported in the media, such youngster commit suicide.  Why would they do this?  I think this should strike a chord in Mr. Jingchang Hu, Chief Editor of Kwong Wah Daily, on this point.

胡 錦昌：阿彌陀佛，師父你好。師父有講過一句話，就是「學為人師，行為世範」。但是我就向師父報告一下，馬來西亞的這些年輕人，就是很容易輕生。譬如講，有 一個年輕人，他就叫做馬塞迪，去跳樓。過了不久，又有一個年輕人，他駕了一輛寶馬去大橋，去跳海自殺，這樣的情景。還有一個事情，就是一個十多歲，好像不 到十六歲的小孩子，他也輕生。這些新聞都是屢見不鮮。當然做為媒體，我們都不去渲染這些新聞。不過我們就不懂，為什麼現在的年輕人，少年，就這樣想不開， 就想去尋死？

Jingchang Hu:  Amitabha Buddha, greetings, Master.  The Master has mentioned the motto “learning to be an erudite teacher, acting to be a role model.”  But I must report to the Master, in Malaysia, many youngsters commit suicide recklessly.  For example, there was a young man, his name is 馬塞迪, he jumped off a building.  Soon thereafter, another youngster, driving a BMW, drove off a bridge, into the ocean, to kill himself.  Another example was a teenager, no more than 16 years old, he also committed suicide.  Such news is so numerous and commonplace.  Of course, as a media person, we try not to exaggerate such news.  But we are very puzzled and do not understand today’s young people, teenagers.  What bothers them so much that they want to die?

淨 空法師：這是一個嚴重的社會問題。不但年輕人，我還聽到在國外有一些，連小學生都自殺。再一個老年人，住在老人院裡頭，輕生的很多。這個問題從哪裡來的？ 他活在這個人間，得不到溫暖。年輕人沒有得到父母之愛。在現在的社會，父母忙著自己工作，小孩都交給佣人去養。佣人偷懶，把他擺在電視機面前，叫他看電 視，乖乖的。所以，這都是製造問題真正的起因。父母顧慮到自己的事業，把自己下一代放棄掉了，這是絕大的一個錯誤。

V.M. Chin Kung:  This is a serious social problem.  It does not just happen to teenagers, I have heard that in the West, even elementary school students commit suicide.  This syndrome also applies to the elderly.  The elderly who lived in nursing homes often commits suicide.  What caused this syndrome?  They are people who live in this world but do not feel any kindness, any warmth from people around them.  Youngsters do not feel any loving care from their parents.  In Today’s society, parents are busy with their careers and give the caring of their children to the maids.  The maids are lazy and put the children in front of the television so the children would not be bothersome.  This is the true cause that created such syndrome.  Parents are only concerned about their jobs and neglected the next generation.  This is a mistake of great magnitude.

在 中國古時候社會不是這樣的。有些人講，中國婦女，古時候在社會上沒有地位，那是錯誤的。你真正讀古書你就曉得，五倫裡頭「夫婦有別」，別是不同的任務。夫 妻兩個組成一個家庭，各有不同的任務，都要把它做到。男子主外，大概負責經濟上，這一樁男子去做；女人的責任更重，除相夫之外，她教子。家裡有沒有下一 代，有沒有聖賢人出來，都靠母親。

This is not the Way of the ancient Chinese society.  Some people have commented that Chinese females had no social status in the ancient society.  That is a mistaken view.  If you really studied the ancient texts, you will understand that “differences in a couple,” one of the five ethical human relationships, means different responsibilities of the married couple.  A family is made up of the wife and the husband, each has a different duty he and she must accomplish.  The husband’s major role is to work outside the family, mainly responsible for the financial side of the family, and this should be done by the man [in the old days].  The wife’s role is even more important.  Besides helping the husband, she must teach the children.  Whether the family has the next generation [to continue the line], or whether there will be sages and saints in the next generation, all depends on the mother.  

因 為母親是孩子第一代的老師，三歲之前那個紮根教育是由她來做的，她要不把這個根紮好，你家裡後代沒有人了；她要能真正把責任做到，這個小孩是聖人、是賢 人。所以，母親的偉大，你看，母親被稱為太太，太太什麼意思？文王的祖母太姜，母親太任，自己的夫人叫太姒，生下來的小孩都是大聖人。聖人的母親叫太太， 太太從這麼來的，那是多麼尊重的一個稱呼。稱太太是什麼？聖賢的母親。

Because mother is the first teacher of a child, before three, the “Root Education” is taught by her.  If she fails in the “Root Education,” the next generation is ruined.  If she performs this duty well, her children will become saints and sages.  So, mothers are great.  You see, a mother is also called “Tai Tai.”  What is the meaning of “Tai Tai?”  The grandmother of King Wen (a historical king regarded as a saint in the Golden Age of China) was called Tai Jiang, his mother was called Tai Ren, and his wife was called Tai Si.  All three mothers gave births to saints.  Thus the mother of saints is called “Tai Tai.”  This is the origin of “Tai Tai.”  What a respectful title!  When a female is called “Tai Tai,” she is respected as the mother of saints.  

所以這個事情是父母沒盡到責任，特別是母親。所以母愛比什麼都重要，對於小孩的心情有很大的影響。常常父母不管他的話，他心裡會起變態，所以才會有這些事情發生。老人也是如此，兒女不孝，把老人送到老人院去，就不再理會了，他心裡多難過，活著不如死。

To conclude, this syndrom is caused by parents not fulfilling their responsibility, especially the mother.  Motherly love is more important than anything else [in the world].  It has a great effect on the child’s emotions.  If parents are neglectful, the child will become mentally disturbed, resulting in such things to happen.  The same applies to the elderly, if children are not filial and put their parents in nursing homes, and abandoned them; they are very depressed [saddened], and prefer to die than to live [in such a bleak condition].

主持人：是。

Anchor:  Yes.

淨空法師：他會想這些問題。

V.M. Chin Kung:  He will think about these questions.

藍志峰：可是師父，不關心會導致他空虛，可是太關心，他又覺得是種壓力。父母之間應該怎麼拿捏？

Zhifung Lan:  But, Master, neglect will cause them to feel hallow inside, but too much care will make them feel pressured.  How should the parents find the balance?

淨 空法師：對，所以父母也得要學，不學不行，還是得學聖賢教育。真正是宗教信徒的話就好很多，他對於宗教經典常常聽、常常學習，那就不一樣。所以不學不行， 沒人教他。所以國家真的需要一個這樣的電視台，專門教這些教育，讓大家統統一起來學。這個功德就無量無邊，不知道救多少人。

V.M. Chin Kung:  You are right.  So parents must also learn, learn from the teachings of the saints and sages, without learning, nothing works.  The situation is better for [parents who are] the true disciples of a religion.  Such disciples will constantly listen and study the religious cannons.  It will make a difference.  So, the last resort is still learning [from the sages], and teaching, everything else is futile.  Consequently, a country really needs such a public station to broadcast exclusively such kind of education, to allow everyone to learn together.  This will generate limitless, infinite virtues and merits, and saving countless people.

藍 志峰：法師，很多社會都會有一種情況，就是父母親認為把教育孩子的責任交給學校，就由學校的老師來教。可是學校的老師就認為說，我教你孩子，我教學生的這 個工作是有時間限，譬如說九點到七點，之後我就拍拍手，就不是我的工作，孩子是父母親應該教的。所以就有這種情況，就是父母親把孩子交給學校，然後學校老 師又認為說，父母親也應該扮演重要的角色，雙方都有不同的說法。

Zhifung Lan:  Master, many societies have a mindset whereas parents delegate the responsibility of education to the school, that it is the teacher’s duty to educate their children.  However, the school teacher believes that it is my job to teach your child, but my working hours are, for example, from 9 AM to 7 PM.  In other words, after working hours, my job is done, it is no longer my job, the parents should be responsible for the education of children.  Under this scenario, parents think children’s education is the school’s responsibility, and school teacher believes that parents should play a more important role in this.  Both sides have different views.

淨空法師：所以雙方都不要孩子，可憐的是孩子，孩子真可憐！

V.M. Chin Kung:  So both sides abandoned the children, such children are to be lamented, such pitiful children!  

藍志峰：他的那種空虛感，以及抗壓性非常的低。

Zhifung Lan:  They feel empty inside and have a low tolerance to pressure.

淨空法師：對，所以父母沒有盡到父母的責任。這是真的，這不是假的。說實在話，我們中國從前是大家庭，我主張是大家庭比小家庭好。小家庭自由，大家庭不自由，但是一想到育幼養老，你就喜歡大家庭了。

V.M. Chin Kung:  That’s right.  Parents have not done their duty.  This is true, not assumptions.  My opinion is that the clannish family in old China is better than the nucleus family.  Nucleus family may have more freedom, whereas clannish family does not, but when we think about rearing the young and caring for the old, we will prefer the clannish family.

所以中國過去大家庭是負責育幼，負責教育，教育不是國家負責的，是家庭。所以私塾是家庭子弟學校，因為他兄弟他不分家的，五代同堂，這樣的家。像《紅樓夢》就是一個家庭，三、四百人在一起生活，他是社會行為。

In old China the clannish family is responsible for nurturing the young, for their education.  Education of youngsters are not the responsibility of the country, it is the family’s.  So private tutoring was the school for the children of the clan.  The siblings live together, without separate households, and such family can have five generations living together.  For example, the family described in A Red Chamber Dream, had three to four hundred people living together, the family became a small community.  

所以家有家道、有家學、有家規，像《弟子規》是共同的家規。除了共同家規之外，自己家裡還有特別的家規，屬於他一家。因為他學習的東西不一樣，他從事生產事業不相同，所以他還有他的規矩。這一百一十三，這是共同的，必須要守的，不管是哪個家庭，都要遵守的。

To conclude, the clannish family had its family ways, it had a family school and family rules, such as Di Zi Gui , which was a common family rule [for all members of the clan].  Besides Di Zi Gui, individual families [in the clan] had their own family rules because they learned different things, participated in different trades, so they had individualized family rules.  But the 113 [rules of conduct in Di Zi Gui] was common for all and must be obeyed by all, no matter which family, all must follow.  

所以它有家業、有家風，世世代代相傳。讀書是你家裡管的，你讀得好，參加考試，縣考秀才，省考舉人，國家皇上親自做主考，進士，這就取得什麼？今天所講的學位，有這個學位可以從政，它是這麼來的。

So a clan has its own business and family tradition, which were passed along generation after generation.  Educating the young is the duty of the family.  A youngster who had good grades could participate in examination held by the county.  Once he passed the examination, he would have the equivalent of today’s bachelor degree.  If he passed the examination held by the province, he would have the equivalent of today’s master degree.  Finally, he would attend the examination held by the emperor, and if he passed, he would be given the equivalent of a doctorate degree.  The purpose of all these levels of examinations, what we call degrees today, was to choose government officials.

藍志峰：可是師父，同樣的一個父母，同樣的家庭，可是教出的孩子也是性格會異，那是怎麼一回事？

Zhifung Lan:   But, Master, children from same parents and growing up in the same family can have totally different personalities.  Why is this?

淨空法師：那都是教育上理念跟方法有問題。

V.M. Chin Kung:  This symptom is caused by the problematic methods and ideologies of education.  

藍志峰：可是你是同樣的父母、同樣的家庭。可是有些可以成材，有些不能成材，是各人的慧根問題嗎？

Zhifung Lan:  But why is it children from same parents and growing up in the same family, some can be outstanding, but others are just common?  Is the difference caused by individual intelligence?

淨空法師：那個與前世都有關係。小孩到他投胎，到他家裡來，有報恩的、有報怨的、有討債的、有還債的，那個事情麻煩就大了。

V.M. Chin Kung:  That has to do with past lives.  A child enters into the fetus and born into a family has different purposes; some joins the family to repay a kindness or to take revenge, some to collect a debt or to repay a debt.  This will cause great trouble [in the family if the child comes to take revenge].  

主 持人：是，我們的確是希望說，我們的小孩，每個小孩都是來報恩。教育對我們社會是非常重要的。我想在今天大師的開示當中能夠看得出，在大師的身體力行，讓 我們看到一個和諧社會是可能發生的。今天大師的開示，也讓我們在庸庸擾擾的社會當中找到了站穩腳步的力量。希望大家在今天節目當中，能夠得到一些啟發。我 們今天節目就到這裡結束，祝你有一個愉快的晚上，再會。

            Anchor:  Yes, indeed, we hope that all our children have come to our family to repay a kindness.  Education is very important in our society.  From the explanations given by the Master today, we can see that the Master practices what he preaches.  He let us see the possibility of a harmonious society.  In today’s Dharma Talk, we find a strong foothold in a society of trials and tribulations.  I hope that everyone can find some enlightenment in today’s program.  On this note, we will end our show today. Wish you all a happy evening.  Good-bye