佛陀給我們開闢一條生路

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佛陀給我們開闢一條生路 - 第256集

The Buddha opened up a new route for us.

今天地球的社會，湯恩比說得好，相當於中國古代春秋戰國，諸侯國很多，今天講的擁有主權的國家。參加聯合國的有一百四十多個，這麼多的國家，決定不能避免競爭、鬥爭、戰爭。我們現前的社會都主張競爭，從小就教競爭，長大哪有不爭的道理？競爭提升就是鬥爭，鬥爭提升就是戰爭，現在的戰爭是用核武、用生化。

Dr. Arnold Joseph Toynbee^[1] put it aptly: society on Earth today is equivalent to the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period in ancient China when there were many vassal states (known as sovereign states today). With over 140 countries participating in the United Nations, competitions, fights and wars definitely cannot be avoided. Our current society advocates competition. People are taught to compete since young, so there is no reason they will not compete when they grow up. Competition will become fight, and fight will develop into war. Nuclear and biochemical weapons are used in the current wars.

所以湯恩比的晚年，為這個事情焦慮擔心，人類走向全體滅亡的道路，自己不知道，沒有警覺。他大聲疾呼，留下來這麼多的著作，我看得懂。外國人看不看他的書？我相信有，很少，流通不廣。甚至於他提出來的，人家也曉得，人怎麼樣？麻木了，無可奈何，大家都這樣的，那我不跟怎麼辦？

That’s why Dr. Toynbee was anxious and worried about this matter in his later years. Human beings are heading towards the path of total extinction, yet they themselves are neither aware nor alert of it. He was crying out for people to be vigilant on this matter. I can understand his concern from the many writings left by him. Are there any foreigners reading his books? I believe there are, but only very few of them do, because his books are not widely circulated. People also know what he proposed but how did they respond? Being indifferent and helpless, they thought: since everyone is like that, what happens if they do not follow suit?

佛陀教育高明，大家都爭，大家都走這條滅亡之道，學佛的人，佛陀給我們開闢一條生路，像海賢老和尚，一句佛號念到底，求生淨土，他給我們表法。這個裡頭最重要的表法，我沒有講得清楚，我說了三條，但是最重要的是告訴我們，西方極樂世界真有；第二個告訴我們，阿彌陀佛真有；第三個告訴我們，只要真正相信，沒有懷疑。

Buddhist education is wise in this regard. While everyone competes and treads this path of extinction, the Buddha opened up a new route for us, like Great Master Hai Xian who had been chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name throughout his life and was reborn in the Pure Land. He had set an example for us. Most importantly, he told us that the Land of Ultimate Bliss really exists. Secondly, Amitabha Buddha really exists and thirdly, he told us to truly believe in it without doubt.

真正發願求生極樂世界，老老實實念這一句阿彌陀佛，萬緣放下，為什麼？統統是假的。所以他老人家常說，勸人好好念佛，念佛成佛是真的，其他啥都是假的。我們要把他這個意思搞清楚、搞明白，放下萬緣，一心專念阿彌陀佛，我們走的是一條正大光明成佛之道。我們以這個來影響周邊的人，好事！

If we really vow to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, we must let go of all worldly matters and honestly chant this Amitabha Buddha’s name. What is the reason? Because everything is illusory. That’s why the Great Master often urged people to sincerely chant Amitabha Buddha’s name to become a buddha because only this matter is real while everything else is illusory. We need to understand what the Great Master meant here and let go of all worldly matters to single-mindedly concentrate on chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name. In this way, we are treading a proper and bright path to Buddhahood. We then use this to influence the people around us. This is a great deed!