April 8 2021

Apr 8, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

Reciting Amitabha’s Name and protecting life are one entity. Why do we recite Amitabha’s Name? It is because we accept Amitabha’s deliverance. Amitabha Buddha delivers us from endless reincarnation and accomplishes our ultimate wisdom through joining our Buddha-nature with his Dharma body.

So, on one hand, we recite Amitabha’s Name to be delivered by him; and, on the other, we should protect the lives of others and even dedicate the merit of our Amitabha-recitation to all sentient beings. Thus we say, “May the merit of this practice be distributed to all beings without discrimination, that they may be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy.”

念佛和護生是一體的。我們為什麼要念佛呢?因為要接受彌陀的救度,救度我們生死輪迴的生命,成就佛性的法身慧命;同樣地,我們對一切有情眾生也要護念牠們的生命。所以,我們一方面念佛,蒙受佛的救度,一方面要護生,甚至念佛迴向給一切眾生,所謂「平等施一切,往生安樂國」。

Namo Amituofo!

April 2 2021

Apr 2, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

If we cannot avoid killing or seeing others kill, we should recite Amitabha’s Name and dedicate the merit, or just recite with no merit-dedication.

自己非得殺生,或見有殺生時,應懺悔念佛迴向之。直念不迴向也可以。

Namo Amituofo!

March 27 2021

Mar 27, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

The piece of meat on the table is a part of one of the sentient beings of the ten directions to be delivered by Amitabha Buddha, isn’t it? It is! However, if we must kill it and eat it, we should feel ashamed.

If it is inevitable for us to eat it, we should recite Amitabha’s Name – to sincerely and joyfully entrust ourselves to Amitabha’s deliverance, and aspire to be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land. We should then continue reciting Amitabha’s Name for the rest of our lives.

因為阿彌陀佛是要救度十方眾生,那麼,現在桌上擺的這塊肉,是不是阿彌陀佛救度的十方眾生之一?是啊!而我們卻把它加以殺、吃,所以,我們就會有慚愧心。我們不是故意要去殺它、吃它,是我們的環境不許可,有一種慚愧的心。

如果還是非吃不可,那只有念佛——「至心信樂,欲生我國」,之後就是延續的「乃至十念」的念佛,不然怎麼辦?

Namo Amituofo!

March 26 2021

Mar 26, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

Eating meat or not eating meat are not conditions for rebirth. Sentient beings of the ten directions are different in their circumstances and aptitudes. If you are able to abstain from eating meat, you should do it; but, if you must eat meat, go ahead.

However, when you eat meat, you shouldn’t say, “Oh, it doesn’t matter, Amitabha will still deliver me.” It is better if we feel regretful.

吃肉和不吃肉都不是往生的條件,往生沒有規定你要吃肉或者要吃素,這個都沒有規定。十方眾生各各機緣不一樣,你能夠不吃肉的話,那就不吃,但是非吃肉不可的話,那就吃。

但是你的吃肉並不是說:「哎呀,好啊!我有阿彌陀佛救度啦,所以可以盡情地吃啊」,不是這樣的,心中自然會有慚愧。

Namo Amituofo!

March 19 2021

Mar 19, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

A Buddhist, especially an Amitabha-reciter, should recite Amitabha’s Name as a vegetarian; while thinking of Amitabha Buddha who set forth great vows to deliver sentient beings of the ten directions, particularly those who suffer most and are urgently in need. So, if we think of Amitabha’s compassion, we should understand that the meat that we eat today is probably a sentient being who Amitabha Buddha wishes to deliver.

Simply speaking, learning to become a Buddha is learning the Buddha’s compassion. We should also realize Amitabha’s great compassion when we recite his Name. We should also realize that the animals we eat today may have been our parents in past lives. Knowing that, why would we choose to eat them?

學佛,尤其是念佛的人,應該長齋念佛,因為想到阿彌陀佛發願要救度的是十方眾生,而且是以最苦的眾生為最迫切要救度的對象,所以如果能體會阿彌陀佛的悲心,就應該會想到我們今天所吃的肉,也是阿彌陀佛所急迫要救度的眾生。

簡要的說,學佛就是要學佛的慈悲心,念佛也要體會阿彌陀佛的大悲心,既然面對的是生生世世的父母,為什麼還要吃他呢?

Namo Amituofo!

March 12 2021

Mar 12, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

The most precious thing in our life is life. If the safety of our body is threatened, we will feel panic, pain and agony. It is the same for the people on the other side. So, being a vegetarian is a direct and indirect way of not taking other lives, and even protecting those lives. It also allows us to accumulate great merit and virtues.

So, being a vegetarian is a way of living virtuously. Opening a veggie restaurant is also a way of practicing compassion and generosity. We need not worry whether it makes a profit or loses money. The important thing is that it facilitates more people to eat a vegetarian diet.

人生最貴重的是生命,如果有人危害到我們的人身安全,我們都會恐懼、痛苦、產生怨恨,反之,對方也是這樣。所以,如果我們吃素, 就是直接、間接的不殺害牠的命,甚至是在積極地保護牠的命,這樣的話,功德是很大的。

所以,行善從吃素開始。至於開素食館,不管賺多賺少,都是功德一樁,因為他讓很多人方便吃素。

Namo Amituofo!

March 5 2021

Mar 5, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Caring for Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

There is a saying, “ when we fast for a day, we abstain from killing.” When we serve our guests a vegetarian meal, none of us will eat fish or meat. In so doing, none of us accumulates negative karma due to direct or indirect killing. By making this choice we accumulate merit and virtues.

有句話說:「一日持齋,天下殺生無我份。」今天我們以素食宴客,使得大家不吃魚、不吃肉,不直接間接殺生造業,豈不是一件功德!*09

Namo Amituofo!

February 25 2021

Feb 25, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care for Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

We should work towards being a vegetarian if we really want to care for and protect sentient beings. Those who are learning Buddhism in this era and choose not to eat vegetarian, even when it is readily available, must be lacking compassion, or do not believe in cause and effect in the three periods of time. All the meat we eat is actually made from our parents from the past. Are you sure you want to eat that way? If you do, you are not a true Buddhist. The law of cause and effect is fundamental in learning Buddhism. It is the backbone connecting all Buddhist teachings. All Buddhists should deeply believe in cause and effect first, and avoid committing any evil karma. If we eat meat every day, we accumulate evil karma without even realizing it.

真正愛護眾生,要從吃素開始。在這時代學佛,如果吃素方便而不想吃素,若不是缺乏愛心,就是不信三世因果,不然的話,就是沒有學佛的慈悲心。

我們所吃的肉,其實都是過去世的父母,這點大家肯定不肯定?如果不肯定的話,就不是真正的學佛者。因果是佛法的根本、貫通一代佛教的骨幹,所以學佛的人首先要深信因果,避免造惡因,如果天天都在吃肉的話,其實不知不覺都在造惡因。

Namo Amituofo!

February 16 2021

Feb 16, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Care of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

The Sutra of the Contemplation of Mind says, “All Sentient beings reincarnate within the Five Realms. During their many lives, they are each other’s parents. This means that all men are our kind fathers, and all women are our kind mothers.

It also says, “Sentient beings of various kinds reincarnate within the Six Realms, like a wheel turning unceasingly”. They are the parents and siblings of each other, and they share grace with each other life after life.

If we eat meat, we may be eating the meat of our benefactors! Isn’t it immoral to be so ungrateful?

《心地觀經》:一切眾生,輪轉五道,經百千劫,於多生中,互為父母;以互為父母故,一切男子即是慈父,一切女人即是悲母。又說:有情輪迴生六道,猶如車輪無始終;互為父母為兄弟,生生世世互有恩。既然生生世世彼此都互有恩惠,那我們沒有吃素,而去吃肉,萬一吃到他的肉,豈不是恩將仇報?

Namo Amituofo!

February 8 2021

Feb 8, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Caring of Life and a Vegetarian Diet

護生與素食

The most precious thing in the world is life. If we don’t have a healthy body and long life, gold and precious metals are meaningless. Conversely, if we can restore our health and lengthen our lives, it is worthwhile for us to pay large amounts of gold and precious metals. The most precious thing in the world is life!

The most miserable thing in the world is killing. We recite Amitabha’s Name to keep ourselves safe from disasters, enrich our blessings, and extend our longevity. Moreover, we should not kill and protect the lives of sentient beings.

世間最寶貴的就是生命,如果沒有健康的身體,長壽的生命,再多的黃金白銀對你來講都沒意義,反之,如果能夠贖回生命,付出再多的黃金白銀都值得,因為世間上最寶貴的就是生命。天下最悲慘的就是殺生,所以我們念佛讓自己消災免難、增福延壽,也要不殺生,應該保護眾生的生命。

Namo Amituofo!