Precepts

持戒

By observing precepts, not only do you cultivate your moral strength, but you also perform the highest service to your fellow beings.

持守戒律，不单能培养道德规范，同时也能为众生提供更高的服务。

Every country or society has its code of what are considered to be moral actions within its social context. These codes are often linked to the society's interest and its code of law. An action is considered right so long as it does not break the law and transgress public or individual sensitivities. These man-made codes are flexible and amended from time to time to suit changing circumstances. Important as they are to society, these man-made standards cannot serve as a reliable guide to some principles of morality which can be applied universally.

每一个国家或社会都以一套自己的道德规范，而道德规范也和法律关系密切。一个正确的行为是不抵触任何法律的。这种人类自我缔造的法律，通过了长时间的验证和修订。法律是以社会和人文的标准而拟定的，法律不是放诸四海而皆准的道德规范。

By contrast, Buddhist morality is not the invention of human minds. Neither is it based on tribal ethics which are gradually being replaced by humanistic codes. It is based on the universal law of cause and effect (kamma), and considers a 'good' or 'bad' action in terms of the manner it affects oneself and others. An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to another being.

相对来说，佛教的道德观并不是人类思维的发明，也不是以宗教的价值观取代人类的价值观，而是基于一种宇宙的自然法──「业力」，即所谓的「善行」与「恶行」的果报对自己或他人的影响。一切为人类带来「利益」的「行」，不一定就是「善行」，因为它可能为其他众生带来精神或肉体的痛苦。

Buddhist morality addresses a very common, yet crucial question: How can we judge if an action is good or bad? The answer, according to Buddhism, is a simple one. The quality of an action hinges on the intention or motivation (cetana)from which it originates. If a person performs an action out of greed, hatred, and delusion, his action is considered to be unwholesome. On the other hand, if he performs and action out of love, charity, and wisdom, his action is a wholesome one. Greed, Hatred and Delusion are known as the 'Three Evil Root', while love, charity and wisdom as the 'Three Good Roots'. The word 'root' refers to the intention from which that action originates. Therefore, no matter how a person tries to disguise the nature of his action, the truth can be found by examining his thoughts which gave rise to that action. And the mind is the source of all our speech and action.

佛陀曾提出一个简单而意义深长的问题：「我们应该如何鉴别善与恶行？」这问题对佛教徒来说，是太简单了。一切「行」的本质以正确的心念为出发点，不包含贪、嗔、痴的成份，就是善行。反过来说，不包含慈悲、施舍和智慧等的一切行，就是恶行。我们应该了解贪、嗔、痴就是邪恶的根源，慈悲、施舍和智慧就是三种善的根源。这两大类的根源，就是一切「行」的缘起。不管一个人如何忽视这些「行」的真性，都深深的受到这些「行」所带来的果报的影响。

In Buddhism, a person's first duty is to cleanse himself of the mental defilements of greed, hatred and ignorance. The reason for doing this is not because of fear or desire to please some divine beings. If this is so, a person is still lacking in wisdom. He is only acting out of fear like the little child who is afraid of being punished for being naughty. A Buddhist should act out of understanding and wisdom. He performs wholesome deeds because he realizes that by so doing he develops his moral strength which provides the foundation for spiritual growth, leading to Liberation. In addition, he realizes that his happiness and suffering are self-created through the operation of the Law of Kamma. To minimize the occurrence of troubles and problems in his life, he makes the effort to refrain from doing evil. He performs good actions because he know that these will bring him peace and happiness. Since everyone seeks happiness in life, and since it is possible for him to provide the condition for happiness, then there is every reason for him to do good and avoid evil. Furthermore, the uprooting of these mental defilements, the source of all anti-social acts, will bring great benefits to others in society.

「意」的行，是一切「身」和「语」的行的基础。身为佛教徒，首要的任务就是断除导致「意」行的贪、嗔、痴。这么做并不是奉承「神」的旨意，如果以这种思想，就是智慧还不圆满。这么做，就好像小孩子因顽皮而害怕被处罚。佛教徒必须拥有理解力和智慧，透过道德的增长，能开发心灵的基础，从而获得解脱。他清楚的理解到，一切喜乐和痛苦都是业力的作用，要减轻或消除一切「苦」，除了要「精进」外，还要防止一切「恶行」，他行善，因为他知道，唯有「善行」能给他带来真正的幸福和安宁。每个人都向往过幸福的生活，因此必须为「幸福」制造条件，致力于「善行」遏止一切「恶行」。这种心灵的进展，遏止了一切「反社会」的行为，因此不单利益自己也利益了整个社会。