為什麼要受持五戒？（中英對照）　宣化上人著

◎ 學佛法沒有什麼利益？

◎ Is there no benefit in studying the Buddhadharma?

「唉！我學習佛法，研究佛法，聽經聞法，已經有這麼長的時間了，我還沒有得到什麼利益！」你想得到什麼利益？其實這個利益對你是很大的，你卻不知道。什麼利益呢？

“I have studied, investigated, and listened to the Buddhadharma for a long, long time and I have not gained any benefit!” What benefit do you want? In fact, you have gained great benefit without knowing it. What kind of benefit have you gained?

譬如你在這裡學習佛法，你就不會去殺人，在殺人罪犯裡就沒有你了。你說這不是好處嗎？你這兒聽經聞法，偷盜的罪犯裡又沒有你了；你若不聽經聞法，說不定就偷盜、殺人、放火，偷盜的罪犯裡，你恐怕就有一份了。你說這不是好處嗎？

When you study Buddhadharma here, you aren't out murdering people. Therefore, you are not among those murderers. Is that not a benefit? When you come here to attend Dharma lectures, you will not be found among thieves and burglars. If you don’t listen to lectures, you may get involved in theft, robbery, or even arson. Now that you study Buddhadharma, you are free from all these crimes. Wouldn’t you say that’s a benefit?

你現在學習佛法，身就不會去犯婬業，不會到外面去行婬欲。你沒有這種行為，在姦殺的罪犯裡又沒有你這 一份了。你做很多正當的事，這個罪犯裡你又沒有份了，這豈不是好處呢？你在這兒學佛法不會去打妄語，不會去外面欺騙人，那麼打妄語的罪犯裡又沒有你了，你 這就是口業清淨了。你再不喝酒，不抽菸，不吸毒，不吃種種迷魂藥了，你的意業也會清淨了，就會不貪，不瞋，不癡，因為你不吃那些迷人的東西，所以吸毒罪犯 裡面你也沒有一份了。

When learning Buddhadharma, you do not get involved in sexual misconduct. so you won’t commit crimes such as rape. You do many proper things so you will be free from all crimes. Isn’t that a benefit? When you study Buddhadharma, you won’t tell lies or go around cheating people. Then, you won’t commit the offense of lying. That is purifying your mouth karma. If you can go further to refrain from drinking, smoking, and taking drugs, then your mind karma would be purified too. Since you don’t consume those intoxicants, you wouldn’t be in the company of drug criminals either.

這三業清淨不是學佛法的好處是什麼？你如果不學佛法，殺人，放火，偷東西，警察就會捉你坐監。甚至讓你永遠不能出來，你說這是苦不苦？你學佛法，把這些的災難都沒有了。這不是好處是什麼？所以心無疲厭，要常常來學佛法。

If purifying the three karmas is not a benefit of learning Buddhism, then what is it? If you don’t study the Buddhadharma, you may kill, or steal, or get involved in arson. Then the police will catch you and put you behind the bars, perhaps for life. Wouldn’t that be miserable? Since you are studying Buddhadharma, you are free from all these problems. If that is not a benefit, what is it then? Therefore, we should not grow weary of studying the Buddhadharma.