Short-cut to Paradise

天堂的捷径

Paradise is open not only to the followers of a particular religion, but it is open to each and every person who leads a righteous and noble way of life.

天堂的大门并非仅为宗教而打开，而是为一切正直与高尚生活的人而打开。

There is no difficulty at all for Buddhists to go to heaven if they really want to. But there are some people who go from house to house trying to convert other religionists into their faith and promising them the heaven they carry in their bags. They claim that they are the only blessed people who can go to heaven; they also claim that they have the exclusive authority to send others to the same goal. They introduce their religion like a patent medicine and this has become a nuisance to the public today. Many innocent people who lack the knowledge of their own religion, have become victims of these paradise sellers.

If Buddhists can understand the value of the Noble Teachings of the Buddha, they will not be misled by such people. These paradise sellers are also trying to mislead the people by saying that this world which is created by god, is going to end very soon. Those who want to have a wonderful everlasting life in heaven must accept their particular religion before the end of the world comes, otherwise people would miss this golden opportunity and would have to suffer in eternal hell.

This threat of the end of the world, had been going on for hundreds of years. The wonder of it all is that there are still people today who believe in such a treat which is irrational and imaginary. Some people get converted after hearing such preaching, without using their common sense.

In Buddhism, there is no personal judge either to condemn or to reward but only the working of an impersonal moral causation and natural law.

Why wicked people enjoy while good people suffer

Some people ask, 'If good begets good and bad begets bad why should many good people suffer and some wicked people prosper in this world? ' The answer to this question, according to the Buddhist point of view, is that although some are good by nature, they have not accumulated enough good merits in their previous birth to compensate for the bad effects of unwholesome kamma in this present life; somewhere in their past there must have been some defect. On the other hand, some are wicked by nature and yet are able to enjoy this life for a short period of due to some strong good kamma that they accumulated in their previous birth.

For example, there are certain people who by nature have inherited a strong constitution and as a result enjoy perfect health. Their physical power of resistance is strong and hence they are not prone to illnesses. Although they do not take special precautions to lead a hygienic life, they are able to remain strong and healthy. On the other hand, there are others who take various tonics and vitamin?enriched foods to fortify themselves, but in spite of their efforts to become strong and healthy, their health do not show any improvement.

Whatever good and bad deeds people commit within this life-time, they will definitely experience the reaction within this life or hereafter. It is impossible to escape from their results simply by praying, but by cultivating the mind and leading a noble life.

Buddhists are encouraged to do good deeds not for the sake of gaining a place in heaven. They are expected to do good in order to eradicate their selfishness and to experience peace and happiness.

如果佛教徒想要天堂，那一点困难也没有。但是，那些挨家挨户的宗教促销员，却以「天堂」的承诺，来吸引人们加入他们的行列。他们声称他们是唯一有权力送人们「天堂」，也只有相信他们的人才能去「天堂」。这样的做法和特效药的促销没有两样，他们已造成对公众的骚扰。很多天真的人，由于对宗教的无知，而成为他们促销行动的受害者。如果佛教徒能真的去了解佛陀那崇高的教义，就不会被他们误导。这批天堂的促销员说：「世界是『神』创造的，世界末日将要来到，要获得永生，就必须在世界末日之前信仰他们的宗教，否则将会沦落到地狱，接受炼火煎熬的痛苦。」

世界末日将在数百年后发生！？重要的是，今日尚生活着的人，为什么要去接受这种不理智和充满想像的论调。有些人因为没有好好的运用他们普通的常识，而被他们误导。为何恶者享福，善者受苦：

有人不禁要问：「假如善有善报、恶有恶报是真的，那么，为什么这世间有很多好人在受苦，而坏人却逍遥自在呢？」根据佛教的观点，虽然有些人做了很多好事，但是，在他们的过去世，没有积累足够的善业来抵偿今世恶业的果报，在他们的过去世，一定存在着某些缺陷。另一方面，某些作恶多端的人，却能够享受人生，是因为他们在过去世积累了很大的善业。

有些人一出世就拥有健康、强壮的身体。他们抵抗力强，因此不受疾病的侵害。虽然他们没有特意的去照顾自己，可是还是活得很健康。而某些人，却很在意自己的健康。刻意的进食补品、维生素、来维护自己的健康，可是一点功效也没有。

人类无论制造善业或恶业，必定在今世或来世受到果报。透过祈祷是不可能逃避业报的，唯有修心养性和过着崇高的生活，才能解决这个问题。

佛教鼓励多造善业，并不是为了天堂。而是希望透过善行来改造自私的心念，并获得宁静和快乐。