◎不要做自己的辩护律师

◎ Don't act as your own defense attorney

一样的佛法，每一个人的讲法不同，修行法不同，每一个人的见解不同，所以有很多种类的分别，又有很多种类的看法。

Different people explain the same Buddhadharma in many different ways. Accordingly, the methods of cultivation are also different. Each person has his own interpretation. Therefore, there are many different viewpoints.

譬如真正修佛法的人，要不抽烟，不喝酒，不吃那么多的肉。有的同是佛教里面的人就说了：「佛讲戒律教人不杀生，不偷盗，不邪淫，不妄语，不喝酒，没有叫人不抽烟，所以抽烟不在佛教的戒律以内。」这就是自己给自己讲道理。根本抽烟的问题就在饮酒里面，不过自己要给自己做辩护律师，就说抽烟是不犯戒的。

For instance, true cultivators of Buddhadharma should not smoke, drink, or eat meat. But some Buddhists say, “The Buddha’s precepts prohibit people from killing, stealing, indulging in sexual misconduct, lying, or drinking. However, there’s no mention of smoking. Therefore, smoking is not included in the precepts.” This is a self-justification. Smoking is covered in the precept against drinking. They want to act as their own defense attorneys so they say smoking is not a violation of the precepts.

真正有智慧的人，凡是不对的事情都应该不做，也不一定要佛讲戒律讲到这个问题，我就不做；没说到我就要做。不是这样的。一切恶劣的习惯，我们都应该改了它。

A person with true wisdom will not do anything improper. He will refrain from doing all manner of bad things, not just those mentioned in the precepts. We should change all our bad habits.

我们说不吃肉，不杀生，这个不杀生，也包括了不吃肉；这个不吃肉，也包括了不杀生，因为你要不杀生就没有肉吃了。有的佛教徒又说了﹕「佛没教人不吃肉，只是教人不杀生。佛都允许人吃三净肉--不见杀，不闻杀，不为我杀﹕吃三净肉是可以的。」这也是自己口里馋，舍不得这个肉味，所以这样辩护。

Not killing includes not eating meat and not eating meat also includes not killing. That is because if we don’t kill, there will be no meat to eat. Some Buddhists say, “The Buddha prohibited people from killing, but not from eating meat. The Buddha allowed people to eat the meat that is pure in three ways: 1) One does not see the creature killed; 2) one does not hear the creature being killed; 3) the creature was not killed especially for oneself. Eating meat that is pure in these ways is permitted.” That is also a self-justification because the person basically cannot renounce meat.

以前我遇到一个教授，一天不吃肉也不行的，一定要吃肉。他说：「我即使不吃肉，就是闻闻肉味也是好的，都解馋了。」所以，你看每个人的见解是不同的，各人有各人的思想。

I met a professor before who could not get by for one day without eating meat. He said, “Even the smell of meat would relieve my craving for it if I couldn’t get to taste it.” So you see, each person has his own ideas and views and they are all different.

学佛法就要学戒、定、慧。

In learning Buddhadharma, we must learn precepts, concentration, and wisdom.

戒，就是「诸恶不作，众善奉行。」凡是恶的事，都不要做；一切的善事，都要做。定，就是勤修禅定。慧，就是由戒生定，由定发慧。这是戒定慧三无漏学。

Precepts help us to “refrain from all evil and do all good.” We refrain from doing whatever is bad, but we do all good things.

Concentration is the vigorous study of Chan meditation. Wisdom is the result of concentration, and concentration comes from upholding precepts. This is called the three non-outflow studies.

要息灭贪、瞋、痴，要不贪、不瞋、不痴；没有贪了就不争了，不争了就无所求了，你无所求就不自私了，不自私也就不自利了。所以这都有连带的关系。学佛法就是要老老实实照这个方法做去，不能投机走捷径，躐等而进，要这样子实实在在去修行。

We must put an end to greed, hatred and delusion. Being free from greed, we will not fight. When we do not fight with others, we seek nothing. When we do not seek, we will be selfless. When we are selfless, we will not pursue personal advantage. All these are related. Studying Buddhadharma means following the teaching in a precise and honest manner. Don’t take chances and shortcuts, just cultivate honestly.