Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts

Sunday, May 8, 2016

“色即是空,空即是色"; “酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留。”;“世人若学我,如同进魔道”


“色即是空,空即是色";
“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留。”流传很广,几乎成了一般俗人和不真知佛法的学佛人贪口福吃肉的依据。
若见学佛人吃素,则说何必执著,“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留。”这种观点混淆了圣凡、性德和修德,是执理废事的邪见。 
有人说:酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留。这个说法对吗?我们千万不要理解偏了,把这句话当成杀生吃肉满足口腹之欲的借口。
“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留”的来由,本是一个悲壮的典故。
说的是明朝张献忠攻打渝城,也就是现在的成都时,在城外的庙里驻扎,强迫里面的和尚吃肉,当时有个叫破山的和尚说,只要你攻城后不屠城,我就吃肉。结果张献忠答应了他。于是破山和尚一边吃,一边说出了这句话。他是为了数千百姓的生命才破戒的啊。

“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留。”这句话流传甚广,几乎成为一般俗人和不知佛法者劝人吃肉饮酒的依据。若见有人吃素或忌讳什么,则劝说何必执著呢,“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留”嘛。
但是世人仅知济公的此句,却不知还有后句“世人若学我,如同进魔道”、“学我者下地狱,谤我者上天堂”,致使前述谬说流传至今,招致口业,贻害非浅。

 我们知道,“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留”的这种观点混淆了圣凡、性德和修德,是执理废事的邪见。一切众生,都有佛性,在凡不减,在圣不增。然在凡夫的地位,烦恼覆盖,佛性不能显现,若杀生吃肉必得多病短命的果报,来世还要做畜生偿还命债。只有大神通圣人在特定情况下,为度众生才示现吃肉,以掩盖圣人之本,而其中密意凡夫不可能明白,济公吃了两只死鸽可以吐出两只活鸽来。如果你也可以做到,尽管吃肉,作不到的话还是老老实实持戒吧!狮子跳的过去的悬崖,兔子去跳只能摔死。普通人没资格模仿大成就者的不共行为。
兹摘录印光大师斥责吃肉喝酒的邪见的开示,以正其讹。

 《增广印光法师文钞卷一复庞契贞书》:“道济禅师,乃大神通圣人,欲令一切人生正信心,故常显不思议事。其饮酒食肉者,乃遮掩其圣人之德,欲令愚人见其颠狂不法,因之不甚相信。否则彼便不能在世间住矣。凡佛菩萨现身,若示同凡夫,唯以道德教化人,绝不显神通。若显神通,便不能在世间住。唯现作颠狂者,显则无妨,非曰修行人皆宜饮酒食肉也。世间善人,尚不饮酒食肉,况为佛弟子。要教化众生,而自己尚不依教奉行,则不但不能令人生信,反令人退失信心,故饮酒食肉不可学。彼吃了死的,会吐出活的(1),你吃了死的,尚不能吐出原样的肉,何可学彼吃肉?彼喝了酒,能替佛装金,能将无数大木,从井里运来(2),汝喝了酒,把井水也运不出来,何可学他?《济公传》有几种,唯《醉菩提》最好。近有流通者,云有八本,多后人敷衍之文。
《醉菩提》之若文若义均好,所叙之事,乃当日实事。世人不知所以然,不是妄学,便是妄毁。妄学则决定要堕地狱。妄毁则是以凡夫之知见,测度神通圣人,亦属罪过,比之学者,尚轻之多多矣。见其不可思议处,当生敬信。见其饮酒食肉处,绝不肯学,则得益不受损矣。祈洞察是幸。”
 (1)、“彼吃了死的,会吐出活的”:根据《济颠大师醉菩提全传》(天花藏主人编次)载,沈员外派家仆给济公送两只熟鸽子和一壶酒,仆人路上偷吃一只翅膀,偷喝了几口酒。以为神仙也难知道,济公指出,不承认,济公于是到阶前吐出两只鸽子,其中一只少一个翅膀。
 (2)、“彼喝了酒,能替佛装金,能将无数大木,从井里运来”:根据《济颠大师醉菩提全传》记载,净慈寺遭火烧毁,重建需要大木头,浙江没有,济公答应去四川化缘,结果醉卧三日,将大木头走海路运到钱塘江,又运到寺内井里。又喝酒后在殿内呕吐,别人以为是呕吐,实际上是给大殿佛像装金,结果监寺少买一壶酒,又提前打开殿门,使一个佛像的胳膊一尺没有装上金。方丈罚监寺出钱买金子补上,但总不能与济公所装天然合一。
 问:很多人喝酒吃肉时,会用“酒肉穿肠过,佛祖心中留”这句话为自己找藉口,请问这句话的真正含义是什么?
答:这种话是佛菩萨应化在六道里,特殊状况之下教人开悟的。对于一个持斋、持戒很严,他非常执着,分别心很重,贪瞋痴慢都不肯放下,所以菩萨用这个示现,你持斋、持戒那个严肃都没有用。像济公长老、金山活佛,他专门就是对付这种人的。他什么忌讳都没有,所以酒肉穿肠过,佛在心中坐,他心里真有佛。他确实对人、对事、对物他没有对立,他没有执着。没有执着就是阿罗汉,没有分别就是菩萨,这个我们都讲得很清楚。你还有执着,戒持得再好,斋持得再好,你都比不上他。
 所以他是帮你开窍,不是叫你不持斋,不是叫你破戒,不是的,他不是这个意思;他是提醒你,你要更重视实质的修行,那是形式。形式是对外的,为什么要这样做法?持得这么严?是教那个没有学佛的人,刚刚初入门的人,给他做个好样子;真正功夫得力,不是那个,这个一定要懂得。真正功夫得力是放下。所以你没有放下,那都叫世间法,放下才叫出世间法。我们在《华严经》上讲得很多,诸位要细心去体会。(净空法师·答香港参学同修之七十一 2007/6/29)

图源自网络,
文源自:
 http://tieba.baidu.com/p/897333630?pn=0

Monday, July 6, 2015

為什麼葱、蒜、韮等植物是「葷」的?

问: 為什麼葱、蒜、韮等植物是「葷」的?

答:所謂「葷菜」,是指具有惡臭味的蔬類,例如︰大蒜、蔥、韮菜、小蒜等。《楞嚴經》說︰葷菜生食生瞋,熟食助淫。在比丘戒律裡面則規定︰吃了葷菜要單獨住,或者距離他人數步以外,並位於他人下風而坐,或者必須漱口至沒有惡臭為止。這主要是為了不擾亂大眾,所以,不得食葷。

並且在誦經之前,為了不使聽經的鬼神發瞋和起貪,最好不吃葷菜。辣椒、胡椒、五香、八角、香椿、茴香、桂皮等都算是香料,不算葷菜,不在戒律所限。


问: 东南亚地区喜欢吃的臭豆,及榴梿也是算恶臭味的食物。虽不在葷类,尤其诵经前也应避免吗? 也许在佛陀时代,印度没这两种食物所以不在葷单里?

答: 葱、蒜、韮 所含的成份,如果生吃這類辛菜,會使人動肝火,容易增長嗔恚的心念;如果煮熟吃,則會助長淫欲的念頭,對於修行人來說是個障礙。

臭豆及榴梿沒問題,可以食用,但吃過後若要誦經,必須要先漱口。“法” 從恭敬中求,所以修行人在誦經前都必需要先淨身。

摘自-《學佛群疑》
https://m.facebook.com/155708327793174/photos/a.736083059755695.1073741842.155708327793174/981103705253628/?type=1&source=48

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

原来,十二个宗教都劝导我们吃素

原来,十二个宗教都劝导我们吃素
(I am so adorable,  please Don't eat me...)

不管你是什麼信仰,上天都告诉我们不杀生不食肉, 十二个宗教的经典都如此说明,整理出来了,值得深思。
这是多位宗教家与素食主义家的分享资料,不是为推广某某宗教,而是撇开人为的思想,站在超然的角度来让大家明白【持素】的真谛,没有断章取义,也不是牵强附会。

为什麼不同宗教都有不同的上帝/上天?(上帝一词也只是代名词,也可称为如来、真主、主宰者)

爱因斯坦说:“我们就像是个进入一座大型图书馆的小孩。图书馆裏藏满了许多由不同语言写成的书籍。这个小孩知道,这些书一定是由某(些)人所写,只是不知道他(们)是如何写成的,或依据什麼规则排列成的。”
所以上天只有一个,是本来存在也永远存在(就像科学里的能量)。只是在不同地区、不同时代里,大家都给了它不同的名字。而宗教之间的矛盾,都是人为的太执著於表面不同文化习俗、不同方式、不同文字,才产生了误解。

各类宗教经典里说明了什麼?

各类宗教经典,都是当初圣人在世时留给人们的智慧语录,也是上天的旨意,目的都是教导人们恢复善良的心,与万物和谐相处。因为它有绝对的价值,所以才能历经岁月的洗刷,而永垂不朽。只是年代不同,语言翻译不同,所以多少会有些出入。而众多位宗教家也都发现这些文物内记载了上天告诉人们的话:不杀害动物,要人们吃素(或称斋戒等)。

1. 佛教

佛教相信三世因果、六道轮回,而杀生更是五戒里的首戒,杀生也是造成入地狱的恶果。

“众生吃肉,就是吃自己的亲属。”
~楞严经。卷六七一

“大慧,凡杀生者,多为人食,人若不食,亦无杀事,是故食肉与杀生同罪。”
~楞伽经

“杀动物并以其肉供养神灵,如同杀孩子并以其肉供养母亲,这是可悲的错误。”
~ 藏传佛教,《弟子最高法则》:古鲁的格言,13过失

2. 道教

“一者不得杀生,二者不得荤酒。”
~《初真戒》

“勿食含血之物”
~《云笈七签》卷三八,老君二十七戒

“勿登山而网禽鸟,勿临水而毒鱼虾,勿宰耕牛。”
~文昌帝君阴鸷文

“老君曰:戒之不食肉,心当莫念之,含血有形类,元气所养活 ”
~《老子化胡经》

3. 儒学/儒家思想

儒家的素食观念,在孔子的语录里并不明显,但孟子说得很明白。据推论原因,孔子并不是一出生就是圣人,他是在七十岁才达到“从心所欲而不逾矩”,也就是后期才成为素食者。孔子在51岁时拜见老子,后有“游龙之叹”,说明老子的学问很高深,是孔子学习的榜样,所以道家的天地和谐,与儒家的中心思想——仁很接近。

孔子很看重祭拜先人时,先要斋戒沐浴。斋,是约束自己的饮食,不纵欲,使身心清净。

子之所慎:齐、战、疾。
有三件事情是孔子谨慎的:斋戒、战争、疾病。战争与疾病都造成无数人伤亡,所以要谨慎防备。但孔子把斋戒排在前面,说明了,口斋与心斋的重要性。

颜渊问道於孔子。孔子曰:汝斋戒,吾将告汝。颜渊曰:回贫,唯不饮酒、不茹荤久矣。孔子曰:是祭祀之斋,非心斋也。……」
意思是说,颜渊向孔子拜师求道,孔子则要求他先斋戒,颜渊回答说他很穷,已经很久都没有喝酒或吃肉了。孔子则进一步要求颜渊要「心斋」,意即净化心灵。由此可见,孔子向弟子传道时,也遵循规矩而要求弟子持戒。

“人皆有恻隐之心。君子见其生,不忍见其死。闻其声不忍食其肉。”
~孟子。梁惠王篇第四章

孟子曰:「……虽有恶人,斋戒沐浴,则可以祀上帝。」
意思是说,即使是很坏的人,只要能斋戒并沐浴,则也可以礼拜上帝。可见斋戒是很好的行为规范,甚至可以说能洗刷罪恶。

4. 基督教

“但凡有生命带血的食物,你们不可吃。我一定会追讨害你们生命的血债;向一切野兽追讨,也向人追讨;向每一个人我将追讨他兄弟的灵魂。”
~旧约创世纪9:4

“肉为了肚腹,肚腹装满了肉,但神要叫这两样都毁掉。”
~圣经。歌林多前书6:13

“天主说:看,全地面上结种子的各种蔬菜,在果内含有种子的各种果树,我都给你们作食物。至於地上的各种野兽、天空中的各种飞鸟,在地上爬行有生魂的各种动物,我把一切青草给它们作食物。”
~创世纪1:29,30

“动物是创造来陪伴人类的。”
~圣经

“你们不要求我,不要向我祈求,因为你们的手沾满无辜的血腥,你们杀牛杀羊来供养我,我并没有叫你们杀牛宰羊来供养我,你们应该纤悔,不然我不会听你们的祈求,也不会原谅你们的业障。”
~圣经

“人吃野兽肉,将会变成他自己的坟墓。我告诉你们实话,那杀人者将杀了自己;那杀生吃肉者,就是吃死人的肉。”
~圣经

“圣经之中,人类活得最久的时候,是在他们吃素的时候。”
~理查.史华滋《犹太教与素食主义》

“虐待这些从来不会伤害人类、没有抵抗能力、完全受人类掌控的动物,是可怕的恶魔行径。”
~ 约翰.亨利.纽曼(John Henry Newman)主教

圣经上记载:远在洪荒时代,人类只吃五谷米、麦之类的素食,进而才吃蔬菜,慢慢地可以吃清洁的肉类。在此以前,只吃五谷的人类寿命可活到几百岁,而在人类开始吃清洁的肉类后,寿命慢慢地减低到八、九十岁。

5. 伊斯兰教

伊斯兰教是极为慈悲的宗教,格外重视动物的福利,尤其并不排斥素食主义。

《可兰经》有许多章节论及动物的生命是神圣不可侵犯的,而且动物也享有祥和生活、追寻上帝以及朝上帝意识发展的平等权利,与地球上的人类极为相似:

“在大地上行走的兽类和天上飞翔的鸟类,跟你们一样都是群体的一部分。在天经里我没有遗漏任何事物,一切众生终将蒙主所召。”
~可兰经(6:38)

“难道你不知道凡天地间的众生和空中展翅的群鸟,莫不颂扬对真主的赞美?他们各自明了自身祈祷和赞颂的方式,真主全知他们一切所为。”
~可兰经(24:41)

《可兰经》强调动物和人类一样,得以同享大地的各种资源(25:48-49、32:27、79:31-33),并指出在上帝眼中,动物与人类是平等的;祂与动物之间的沟通,就像祂与人类的沟通一样。例如在第16章68节提到:「你们的主曾对蜜蜂启示道:『筑你们的巢在山中与树上,也在人类的居所中。」

“不要让肚腹成为动物的坟墓。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“善待动物的功德,可比善待人类;残害动物的罪孽,犹如残害人类。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“众生皆为上帝的家人,任何人最爱护祂的家人,必得祂的钟爱至宠。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“凡怜悯雀鸟且不伤其生命者,真主将於审判之日慈悲以待。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“唯有悲悯其他众生者,才能获得真主的悲悯。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“蔬果丰足之处,天使将成群降临。”
~哈迪斯圣训

“禁吃死的动物血及肉”
~可兰经

6. 印度教

“既然你无法使动物死而复生,就要为杀死它们负责,杀生者会下地狱,无法脱罪。”
~原初逍遥时光

“好好想想肉食是从何而来的,那残酷的脚镣和对生命的屠杀,让人们戒除吃肉吧”
~ 吠陀经

“买肉的人用他的财富制造了暴力,吃肉的人用他的口欲制造了暴力,屠夫则捆绑杀害动物,所以有三种形式的屠杀。”
~ 吠陀经

“人无法不伤害生物而得到肉食,一个伤害有知觉生物的人,将永远得不到天佑。所以避开肉食吧!”
~ 玛奴(印度教规创始人)

“食肉者啊!你是魔鬼,不是人。不要和食肉者为伍,和他一起也会损害对上帝的侍奉。朋友们,相信我!食鱼食肉纵酒的人们终必被根除,有如肥田中的野草被摘除,丢进暗谷深处。所有血身同属一躯,不论是飞鸟、鹿、牛。食肉之人将瞪著眼直堕地狱。”
~卡比尔,印度圣人

7. 犹太教

“凡以色列家中的人,或你们周围陌生人,若吃什麼血,我将对那吃血的人掉头而去,不再视他为我的子民。”
~圣经。利未记 17:10 (血:意指“肉”)

耶稣曾说:“人吃进的野兽肉,将会成为他自己的坟墓。我实话告诉你们,那杀人者,将杀了自己,吃被杀动物的肉,就是吃死人的肉。”
~犹太教和平福音

“亚当与他后代的许多子孙,都是严格的戒食肉类者。”
~犹太法典

“能够彰显上帝对动物的慈爱和了解动物不该受苦的重要性,是伟大的表现”
~犹太百科全书

“虐待动物不但是绝对禁止的,而且上帝明确要求人类要以仁慈善良之心善待动物”
~犹太百科全书

“对待动物仁爱的原则便是 - 上帝怎样对待人类,人类就该怎靡对待动物。”
~犹太百科全书

“上帝不允许亚当和他的妻子去杀害任何生物并食其肉,他们能吃的只有各种绿色的药草。”
~罗西 闻名的犹太圣经注解者

“造物主的原意是要人类严格吃素的。早期的犹太历史记录了人类对低等动物的人性对待…很明显地显示出古希伯来人当时就已经了解动物有感情、会受苦的道理,而他们也可能是第一批了解这个道理的人。”
~赛门.葛雷泽教士(Simon Glazer)

8. 巴哈伊教 (Bahá'í Faith)

巴哈伊教(旧译大同教)由巴哈欧拉创立于十九世纪中叶的伊朗,其著述言论构成了被认为是满足人类现阶段、即迈向成熟阶段之需要的最新启示体系。它的最高宗旨是创建一种新的世界文明,真正实现人类大同。其基本教义可概括为“上帝唯一”、“宗教同源”和“人类一体”。

“对於禁止吃动物的肉,应该清楚知道,上帝在造物之初,决定每种众生的食物,不遵照上帝的决定是不被允许的。”
~巴哈伊著作选集

9. 锡克教

“凡吸食大麻者、吃肉、喝酒的人,不论是否朝圣、守斋、行仪、都会下地狱。”
~格阑斯沙希伯。1377页

10. 琐罗亚斯德教(Zoroastrianism)

基督教诞生之前中东和西亚最具影响力的宗教,古代波斯帝国的国教。曾被伊斯兰教徒贬称为“拜火教”,在中国称为「祆教」

“这些植物是我(上帝)为大地降下雨水产生食物,餵养忠实者,餵养乳牛。”
~阿维斯塔

11. 高台教 (Cao Dai)

高台教是20世纪起源于越南的一种新兴宗教,它与和好教(Đạo Hòa Hảo)是越南特有的两种宗教之一,也是这个国家的第三大宗教。

“最重要的是就是停止杀生,因为动物也像人类一样,有灵魂,有知觉,因为如果我们杀生,并吃掉他们就等於欠下了血债。”
~圣人的教理

12. 艾塞尼派经典

艾赛尼教派(Essenes),为自西元前2世纪至1世纪流行於巴勒斯坦的犹太教派。

“我来终止祭奠与宴会,如果你们不停止献祭与喝肉饮血,上帝将不会停止震怒。”
~十二门徒福音

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=950443428309533&id=100000316540885&ref=bookmark
photo from internet

-----
吃肉咒语😘

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=855227087995875&id=100005257744695

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

吃素幹嘛?心地善良不害人就好

好文章分


素食家族
【 吃素幹嘛?心地善良不害人就好 】   
心靈方程式 / 文: 董復華

我每每建議人素食的時候,最常聽到的一句話就是:
「吃素幹嘛?心地善良不害人就好!」

是這樣嗎?我們的心真的善良嗎?

生命是平等的!只有「人」的生命可貴嗎?當我們宰殺那些動物時,我們可知道他們的恐懼和無奈?

我們的善良是只有對人嗎?不害人就可以隨意的為了自己口腹之慾,去殘害其他的生命嗎?有人甚至會說:那些畜牲本來就是供人食用的。是嗎?

人最早是只吃五穀雜糧的,是不吃肉的,是誰告訴您畜牲本來就是供我們人食用的?

那只不過是動物防衛能力不如我們,所以只好無奈任我們宰割,如果有一天外星人來攻佔了地球,我們的防衛能力不如他們,剛好我們人類又可以成為他們的食物,當他們成為地球更高科技文明的主宰時,他們把您宰殺,論斤論兩的賣的時候,您還會贊成您的說法嗎?

我們人是萬物之靈,也是道器。什麼是道器?道器就是能成為道的器物。其它的物種靈性不夠高,成不了道器,也因為過去生中造的業淪落到三惡道(畜牲道、餓鬼道、地獄道)去,如果我們不趁「身為人」時好好修行,破迷開悟,「諸惡莫作,眾善奉行」,遲早有一天,我們又會輪迴墮落到三惡道去,就跟那些被我們宰殺的畜牲一樣的下場。

從某個角度來說,說牠們本來就是供我們食用的也是沒有錯,因為他們過去生就是殺業太重,所以輪迴來還債的,我親眼看見過要被宰殺的牛掉眼淚,因為牠知道牠要結束生命繼續還債了,因為不只還一世,我們吃過多少的生命?一條命怎麼夠還!

現在全世界吃素的人口很多,素食成了飲食的新趨勢,素食餐飲也越開越多,越開越豪華,菜色也越來越精緻豐富。有的人會說:吃素的人也不一定心很好。

是的!我也見過。但是,吃素的人心不是很好,那是指只有吃素食,卻沒有在修行的人,因為他沒有轉變煩惱習氣,他也沒有放下他的「貪瞋癡」。

每個吃素的人因緣不同,現代吃素的人,不一定都有宗教信仰,有的是為了健康,有的是為了環保,有的因為出於愛心,不忍心吃眾生肉,每個人的因緣不同,但是只要吃素的人,還是有他的福報,這福報就在我們持守吃素不殺生當中,因為少造了很多的「殺業」。

在佛門吃素叫吃齋,「齋」這個字的意思就是「洗心」。把心洗清靜了叫做「齋」。很多吃素的人,並沒有含攝「修身」的道理在其中,佛門在日常飲食中加入了戒律,就叫「齋戒」。因為加入了佛教修行的道理,所以在吃素的時候,就能夠發揮「洗心」的作用。佛門的素食,跟一般人說的健康素不一樣,佛教不吃五辛,不吃五辛就含有修行的義趣在裡面,因為還持著「戒」。

廣欽老和尚說:「素食非常好,一個人只要這輩子能夠吃素不殺生,這個人不會造下什麼太大的惡業。」

相反地,如果不吃素,「殺生」就是最大的惡業,殺生必然障礙我們,臨終的時候我們的冤親債主就會找上我們;先不要講臨終,現前就會身體不好,就會生病,看看現代人的罹癌率,是三十年前的三十五倍,以前我小時候,難得聽到身邊的人得癌症,現在身邊的人得癌症,好像隨處可見,而且肉是酸性,酸性體質的人,罹癌的機率也是鹼性體質人的好幾十倍,這些都是有醫學根據的,這些都是真的,因為我們沒有做無畏布施。

有的人說不吃肉沒營養,體力也不好,這是我們心理作用,牛可以耕田耕一整天,馬可以日行百里,反而獅子、老虎、豹跑不久,電視動物頻道就告訴我們,牠們快速奔跑無法超過45秒,因為牠們的心臟無法負荷,就是因為肉食動物身體成強酸性,所以牠的新陳代謝不好,心臟無法負荷。

有沒有看過鹼性電池的廣告,這就是為什麼鹼性電池比一般電池持久耐用的原因,所以不要再以訛傳訛,認為不吃肉會沒有營養,沒有體力,就算肉有它的營養在,從植物中也都能攝取到,現在的肉品一堆的問題,不要致癌就不錯了。

也有人說:植物也有生命,吃它不是也是殺生。植物是無情眾生,它沒有意識型態,所以它不會起怨念,來世我們就不用承受果報,我們總要維持生命,所以還是得飲食,可是我們還是要保持一個平等的慈悲心,尊重生命,不要隨變的踐踏草皮,攀折植物花朵。

有一天我在環保站做義工,吃飯的時候,一位師父剛好來環保站跟我們一起用齋,突然師父問:

「大家都吃素嗎?」

我們回答:「都吃素啊!」

師父說:「我看你們都沒有!」

我們都很納悶!師父為何如此說?」

師父接著說:「你們只有嘴巴吃素,『心』沒有吃素,你們看!這兩盤下飯的菜,你們都吃得精光,其他的菜都還剩下許多,所以你們的分別、執著都還是存在啊!」

師父接著又說:「不過你們也已經很不錯了,至少因為悲心而少造了許多殺業。」

其實師父是在點化我們,師父的點化確實使我們受益良多。這就是佛門和我們吃素不同的地方。所以吃素不但身體健康,少造殺業,還能培養「定力」,因為人的口腹之慾要克服,也不是件容易的事。

所以我在這裡用了一些篇幅,略為跟大家分享一下素食的好處,跟正確吃素的觀念。

◎生命是「平等的」!在生命的輪迴裡,我們也曾經以其它的形象出現在生命中。吃素不但能培養自己的平等心、平常心,也能培養出定力,更能少造許許多多的殺業,不與眾生結怨,與一切眾生廣結善緣,所以吃素是最好的「放生」。
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转载自: https://m.facebook.com/vegetarianFamily/photos/a.145224202164250.29016.144644482222222/854266007926729/?type=1&source=48

Monday, September 15, 2014

Good Vegetarian comics


A Nice one ...

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Vegetarian by Venerable Xuan Hua

小时看过类似公案引导驱向吃素之路。
因为看到现世亲人的肉食习性令我担心真有吃到六亲眷属的一日而我现世也不想吃到前世的六亲眷属...

转载至http://www.drbachinese.org/online_reading/dharma_talks/volume6/volume6_6.htm

宣化上人開示錄(六)│

殺生食肉的可怕

單是起齋雞、齋鴨這些葷的名字,裏頭就含有污染的種子。

◎一九七九年十一月二十日開示

梁武帝在位時,中國的佛教很興盛,民間凡有婚禮或喪事,都請和尚去念經。今天時代不同了,現在只有喪事,才請和尚去念經;遇有喜事,例如結婚、生子時,卻沒有人請和尚去念經。其實這是錯誤的,無論紅白事,都應該請出家人去念經迴向、種福,一方面可以超度亡者,一方面可以為生者增福。

梁武帝時,就有一位誌公和尚,是位高僧,他有五眼六通,對於前因後果他都一一明了。某次,一個有錢人家有婚事,便請誌公和尚去念經。他一踏進門口,便歎息道:「古古怪,怪怪古!孫子娶祖母。女吃母之肉,子打父皮鼓。豬羊炕上坐,六親鍋裏煮。眾人來賀喜,我看真是苦!」

這是什麼意思呢?「孫子娶祖母」,你說怪不怪?原來,這位祖母在臨終時,她拉著孫兒的手,心裏很捨不得,她說:「你們都成家立業,惟獨我這個小孫兒,沒有人照顧。唉!怎麼辦呢?」說完便去世了。她到了地府,閻羅王便判她:「你既然這樣寵愛孫兒,還是回去做他的妻子,好照顧他。」於是,祖母便托生來做孫子的太太。所以世間上的前因後果,有時是很可怕的。                      

「女吃母之肉」,在外面,一個女孩子正在吃豬蹄,吃得津津有味,這隻豬原來是她前世的母親。「子打父皮鼓」,誌公和尚再看看那些奏音樂的,打鑼鼓、吹喇叭、吹笛子,好不熱鬧!有個人用力地打鼓,鼓是驢皮造的,而這驢竟然是他前世的父親啊!

誌公和尚再往炕上看看,便說:「豬羊炕上坐」,往菜鍋裏一看,便說「六親鍋裏煮」。原來,從前被人宰的豬呀、羊呀,現在都回來吃人,要這些人償還宿報;以前專吃豬羊的六親眷屬,現在反而回來受人烹割,在鍋子裏還債。「眾人來賀喜」,大家都以為這是喜慶之日,但誌公和尚只歎息:「我說真是苦!」其實是人以苦為樂呀!

大家聽了這段公案後,應該知道殺生食肉的可怕。我們又研究這個「肉」字:「肉字裏邊兩個人,裏邊罩著外邊人,眾生還吃眾生肉,仔細思量人吃人。」所以,能夠茹素是最好。但吃齋時,不要再起什麼齋雞、齋鴨、齋鮑魚等名字。既然吃齋了,為什麼還放不下?單是起這些葷的名字,裏頭就含有污染的種子。所以以後不要再用葷名去講齋菜。

這次有些人到萬佛聖城之後,發願回去要吃長素。這很好,與六道輪迴斷絕往來,你不吃他,他不吃你;你不殺他,他不殺你,這樣便把循環業報清淨了。

又有人問:吃齋有什麼好處?

我說:「沒有什麼好處,是活著上當。」什麼意思呢?因為齋菜沒有肉類那麼好味道,所以說活著上當。可是,假設你不吃齋,便是死了上當。就像一個秤,那一邊重,那一邊輕,你自己去研究研究。

為什麼說吃肉是死了上當?無論你吃什麼東西,便有那種成分在你身上。你吃菜,便有一股菜味;吃蔥,便有一股蔥味;吃牛奶,便有一股牛奶味;吃起士,身上便有一股起士味;吃大蒜,呼吸氣都有大蒜味。因為你所吃的東西,要與你合股,合而為一,變成你身上的一部份。你吃什麼吃多了,身體就會變成和它一樣。因此,吃豬肉多了,便會變豬;吃牛肉多了,便會變牛,這是合乎科學和邏輯學的。你的身體和肉類變為合夥公司;死了之後,也會變成那樣東西。比如,死後要是周身一股豬味,閻羅王嘟嘟鼻子,便說:「你這樣臭,還是去做豬好了。」羊牛雞犬,也都是同一個道理,所以說是死後上當。

你仔細研究,殺豬的人,他的眼睛像豬。為什麼?他曾經被人殺了好多次,現在他回來報仇了,但眼睛還是豬眼睛;宰牛的人,眼睛像牛眼睛。其實因果是絲毫不爽的,所以說:「千百年來碗裏羹,怨深似海恨難平,欲知世上刀兵劫,細聽屠門夜半聲。」一碗肉湯裏邊含藏的怨恨,像海那樣深,說不盡的。要知道世上為何有戰爭、殺戮,譬如兩國彼此戰鬥,死傷連城,這就是眾生的惡業共聚,同時受報。假設你能細聽夜半屠房裏悽厲的叫聲,你便應該明白殺殺不已的恐怖。目前科學已經研究出來,人多吃肉,很容易生癌症。這是因為動物體上的怨,在你身上積聚多了,久而久之便變成害人的毒素。因此我們應該與眾生斷絕因果,不要與牛羊雞犬互造罪孽,便能慢慢地把世界上的惡氣轉過來。

在萬佛聖城,我一邊行持正法,一邊要把世上的殺劫轉變過來,無形無相地把它慢慢消滅了。所以我主張人不殺生、不偷盜、不邪淫、不妄語、不喝酒、不吃麻醉藥。最低限度要守五戒,而且還要守得清淨。你們既已到了寶山,不要空手而歸!

 

法界佛教總會 ‧ DRBA / BTTS / DRBU

English version:  http://www.cttbusa.org/vegetarianism/cttbveg3.asp

The Horror of Taking Lives and Eating Meat

By the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

The mere use of such names as "vegetarian chicken" and "vegetarian duck" plants seeds of defilement.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty, when Buddhism flourished in China, people would always invite monks to recite Sutras at weddings and funerals. Times have changed, and now monks are invited to recite Sutras only at funerals. No one asks them to recite Sutras at weddings or baby showers. Actually, this is wrong. Whether it is an occasion for rejoicing or mourning, left­home people should be asked to recite Sutras and transfer the merit, on the one hand to save the deceased, and on the other to increase the blessings of the living.

During Emperor Wu's time, there was a high monk called the Venerable Zhi. Having attained the Five Eyes and the Six Spiritual Penetrations, he could clearly discern causes and effects. One time, a rich man asked him to recite Sutras at a wedding. Upon entering the house, he sighed and said:

How strange! How very strange indeed!
The grandson marries the grandmother.
The daughter is eating her mother's flesh,
And the son is beating on a drum stretched with his father's skin.
Pigs and sheep are sitting on the couch,
And the six kinds of relatives are cooking in the pots.
People have come to offer congratulations,
But I see that it is truly suffering!

What does this mean? The grandson marries the grandmother. Would you say this is strange or not? Right before she died, the grandmother of the family had held her grandson's hand, not being able to part with him. She said, "You all have your own families, but this little grandson of mine has no one to take care of him. Ah! What is there to be done?" Then she died.

When she arrived at King Yama's court, King Yama gave her the following verdict, "Since you love your grandson so much, you might as well go back to be his wife and take care of him." And so the grandmother was reborn as her grandson's future wife. The workings of the law of cause and effect in this world can be quite frightening.

The daughter is eating her mother's flesh. Outside the house, a girl was eating a pig's foot with great relish, not realizing that the pig had been her mother in its previous life.And the son is beating on a drum stretched with his father's skin. Venera­ble Zhi then took a look at the musicians who were beating drums and blowing on their trumpets and flutes. What excitement! One man was banging away vigorously on a drum stretched with mulehide, not knowing that the mule had been his father in a previous life.

Venerable Zhi looked at the people sitting on the couch and said: Pigs and sheep are sitting on the couch. Then he looked in the pots and said: And the six kinds of relatives are cooking in the pots. All the former pigs and sheep that had been slaugh­tered before were now getting even and eating the people who had eaten them before! The six kinds of relatives who had eaten those pigs and sheep were now being chopped up and cooked in the pots to pay off their debts.

People have come to offer congratulations, / But I see that it is truly suffering!Everyone thought it was a happy occasion, but the Venerable Zhi only sighed and said, "This is really suffering!" People take suffering to be joy!

After hearing this story you should understand the horror of killing and eating meat. Let us look at the Chinese character for meat.

Two people are inside the character for meat.
The person inside is linked to the one outside.
Living beings eat the flesh of living beings.
If you really think about it, it is people eating people.

Thus it is best to be vegetarian. However, we shouldn't use names such as "vegetarian chicken," "vegetarian duck," and "vegetarian abalone" for vegetarian dishes. If we are vegetarians, why can't we forget about meat? The mere use of such names plants seeds of defilement. Vegetarian dishes shouldn't be called by non-vegetarian names.

Some people who came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas this time have vowed to become lifelong vegetarians. This is a very good thing, because this way one severs unwholesome affinities with living beings in the six paths. If you don't eat them, they won't eat you; if you don't kill them, they won't kill you. The cycle of karmic retribution will thus be purified.

"What benefits are there in being vegetarian?" someone asked.

I said, "There aren't any. You're taking a loss while you're alive." Because vegetarian food isn't as tasty as meat, you take a loss by being vegetarian during your life. However, if you don't keep a vegetarian diet, then you will take a loss after death. It's like a scale. You have to figure out for yourself which side is heavier and which is lighter.

Why will you take a loss after death if you eat meat? Well, your body is composed of the foods you eat. If you eat vegetables, you will smell like vegetables; if you eat onions, you'll smell like onions; drink milk, and you'll smell like milk; eat cheese, and you'll smell like cheese. If you eat some garlic, your breath will smell of garlic. The things you eat become part of your body. If you eat a lot of a certain thing, your body will become very similar to it.

Therefore, if you eat a lot of pork, you will become a pig. Eat a lot of beef, an you will become a cow. This accords with science and logic. The meat you eat incorporates with your body, and after you die you turn into that kind of animal. If you smell like a pig, for instance, after you die King Yama takes a sniff and says, "You smelly thing, you should be reborn as a pig." The same goes for sheep, cows, chicken, and dogs. That's what I mean by being cheated after death.

You can investigate this carefully. Why does a butcher of pigs have eyes resembling those of a pig? It's because he had been slaughtered as a pig many times in the past, and now he has come to seek revenge. Although he is human, his eyes are those of a pig. Cattle butchers have the eyes of a cow. The law of cause and effect is never off. There is a verse:

For hundreds of thousands of years,
The stew in the pot has boiled up
A resentment very hard to level.
If you want to know why
There are wars in the world,
Just listen to the haunting cries that come
From a slaughterhouse at midnight.

The grief and hatred brewed up in a pot of meat stew is as deep as the ocean. It could never be fully described. The wars and massacres in the world are brought about by the convergence of the evil karma of living beings, causing beings to undergo retribution at the same time. If you listen carefully to the cries of misery coming from a slaughter­house in the middle of the night, you will realize the horror of the ceaseless killing that goes on in there.

Scientists have discovered that people who eat a great deal of meat tend to get cancer. This is because the resentful energy in the bodies of slaughtered animals accumulates in the bodies of those who eat meat and eventually turns into a harmful toxin. We should cut off this relationship of causes and effects with animals and stop the vicious cycle of creating offenses against cows, sheep, chickens, and other animals. Then we will gradually be able to lessen the inauspicious energy in the world.

At the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, we want to uphold the Proper Dharma and avert the crisis of killing in the world. We want to slowly and imperceptibly avert this disaster. Therefore we advocate: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not drinking, and not taking drugs. At the very least, we should observe the Five Precepts and maintain our purity in that regard. Since you have come to this treasure mountain, don't leave empty handed!

A talk given on November 20, 1979.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Vegetarian compassion

When I initially moved towards vegetarian , it was with compassion for the beings (or so I think). However, along the way I developed sensitivity to the smell of meat served on plates. I would frown at it, saying it is smelly and avoid the smell. My attachment to my dislike overwhelmed my compassion for their loss of life. 

Is it because of my recent visit to the holy place, Bodhgaya that helps cleanse me that this realisation was evoked? I don't know.

But now when I see beings served on plates again, I  had resumed my initial compassion for them and also towards the person ordering the food as I had been or still am like them now.
Amituofo...

A good article on right attitude in life release:
https://m.facebook.com/vanyu32/photos/a.372297339475892.80888.238558509516443/675051139200509/?type=1&source=46


(pictures sourced from internet)

Monday, November 2, 2009

Anti-Aging through a Vegetarian Diet

Attended the talk last Sat, 31 Oct by Dr Sanjay Doshi , organised by VSS.

It is definitely a very informative talks which imparted quite a lot of tips on healthy eating, especially on anti-cancer or cancer prevention food.
Hopefully VSS could reproduce the main points on their web.

The benefits of Broccoli was much elaborated, a good source against breast cancer.

Tomatoes' nutrient effect would be very much enhanced after processed or cooked as the heat breaks down the cell wall. A good source against prostrate cancer.

My favourite, Avocado, is good at causing 17% drop in total blood cholesterol, reducing greatly the bad cholesterol.

Garlic, which I dislike has stop cancer-causing substance , speed DNA repair & kills cancer cells. Best to peel & chop the cloves & let it sit 15-20 minutes before cooking. This process activates the enzymes & release sulfur containing compounds.

And this is 1st time I heard about Flaxseed which is to be very effective at reducing cancer, stroke and diabetes. Best effective is to consume 2-4 tablespoons of grounded flaxseed daily.
A newbie to me that I would like to find out more & try...

Carrots only known to me as rich in Vitamin A was also recommended for consumption as one that helps stops cancer cell growth. Thought eating it raw will be direct nutritional but was advised that steaming it whole then cutting into slices will gives it best effect. Juices was less encouraged as juicing will immediately release sugar into the blood.

Couldn't remember all the goodies mentioned in the talk & hope they have more such informative talks in future. :-)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Eggs Involve Killing

Received this via email...

With every egg demanded, many male chicks are killed…
This is standard practice all over the world in factories.
In USA alone, 200 million chicks are killed at birth at hatcheries yearly.

"Whatever living beings there may be — feeble or strong, long, stout,
or of medium size, short, small, large,
those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near,
those who are born as well as those yet to be born -
may all beings have happy minds.
Let him not deceive another nor despise anyone anywhere.
In anger or ill will let him not wish another ill.
Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life
even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.” - The Buddha (Metta Sutta)


Video Shows Chicks Ground Up Alive at Egg Hatchery
Mercy for Animals video: http://www.mercyforanimals.org/hatchery

(Warning: make sure you are not munching any food while you watch the video)
------------------------------
Amituofo...
May All Be Well & Happy not at the expense of others

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Gratitude to Earth & Earthlings

Visited the exhibition on "Gratitude to Earth & Earthlings" at kmspks on Vesak Day as well. The posters were really quite loud & attractive to relay the messages.

Yes, it is really revolting, imaging carnivorous Giants treating humans just like what we thought of animals as food. :PPPP


Oh, I like this cartoon illustration of Gift & concept of Recycling since Buddha's time. A complete story could be viewed via this link... :-)
What we could do in modern days, playing our small role, contributing to the hugh concept of Saving the Earth...

A summary of the Buddhist Perspective of Vegetarianism exhibited section can be found here: http://www.moonpointer.com/vege/index.htm
May We All Be Well & Happy....not at the expense of other beings....