慎因護己──勿以惡小而為之---1061112佛學講座：淺釋《地藏菩薩本願經》第九講講座報導 Be Cautious about the Cause (What We Do) to Protect Ourselves--Don't Do Anything Evil Even We Think it Small---Dharma Lecture Nine of “Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva” on Nov 12, 2017 @ 中華清淨學佛協會

民國106年11月12日的佛學講座，段老師講述《地藏菩薩本願經》第三品。隨著經文，老師帶領我們看到摩耶夫人請問地藏菩薩，地藏菩薩講述了我們閻浮眾生在六道裡輪轉不停，究竟是做了甚麼事，種了甚麼因，然後因為這個因，在甚麼緣之下，結出了甚麼果，首先直指最嚴重的五無間罪報及它的果報。為了避免我們初學者心生疑惑或毀謗，老師特別以生活中淺顯的例子來比喻說明，使我們從理性上了解為何不孝乃至殺害父母、毀壞佛法僧三寶，會招致難以想像的可怕果報，所謂的地獄罪報其實都是眾生自己的身口意召感來的。透過這樣的理解，使我們明白真正的愛惜保護自己，就是要看好自己的心，因為這世間的一切都脫離不了自然的因果法則，即使我們還沒法立刻脫離輪迴，但至少不要讓自己墮入三惡道。

The Dharma Lecture on November 12, 2017, Teacher Duan gave a speech on Chapter Three of “Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva”. The Teacher led us to read paragraphs of Sutra about Queen Maya asked the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the Bodhisattva instructed us the reason we living beings of Jambudvipa continuously take rebirth in the six realms of samsara without a halt--- what exactly we did to lead to it, and how the different things we do under what kind of circumstances cause different karma. First of all, the Bodhisattva directly pointed to the most severe five incessant karmic retribution. To prevent us(beginners) from confusion and slander, the Teacher especially illustrated with simple examples of our life to make us understand rationally why being unfilial toward parents, even killing them, and doing damage to the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha will bring about unimaginably horrible karmic consequences. Actually, the so-called karmic retribution of Hell is called by beings’ own behaviors, speech and mind. Through such comprehension, we knew how to truly love and protect ourselves---take good care of our mind because everything in this world can’t be separated from the nature rule of “cause and effect”. Although we can’t immediately leave the samsara, at least we can protect ourselves from falling in three evil realms.

講座後的開放提問，有與會者提問從業因業果的角度，如何看待安樂死、受虐兒等問題，老師層層分析、逐一答覆，並教導我們凡事不要只從短暫的此生、眼前所見的片段，便對人對事輕率評判。此外，老師也以其親身體會，勉勵我們即使此生遇到所謂的惡緣，不該逃避，也不要埋怨，應當以學習過的佛法知見來思惟，並以「隨緣消舊業，切莫造新秧」的態度來面對，轉惡緣為善緣，而非冤冤相報，如此才是真正幫助自己與他人通往自在解脫的明智之道。

After the lecture, some attendants asked that “How do we regard social issues like euthanasia, child abuse…in view of karmic cause and effect?” The Teacher analyzed layer upon layer of our questions, replied one by one and taught us that when we think of everything, we shouldn’t judge them(no matter people or things) rashly in terms of our short human life and fragments we see. In addition, the Teacher also encouraged us not to escape and complain even though we come up against the “bad karma” on her self-experience; instead, we should reflect on the bad karma with the Dharma we learn and face the karma with attitude of “Use every opportunity to eliminate old karma and not to create new bad karma” to turn the bad karma into good karma, rather than taking revenge one another. It is the wise way to really help ourselves and others proceed to the true freedom and relief.