五戒是根本大戒 -- 【编辑室】

佛教的戒律虽然有出家戒、在家戒的区别，所有一切戒律都是依据五戒为根本，因此，五戒又称为“根本大戒”。

五戒就是不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒。《杂阿含经》卷三十三载：“云何名为优婆塞戒具足？应远离杀生、不与取、邪淫、妄语、饮酒等，而不乐作，是名优婆塞戒具足”。可见五戒也是在家优婆塞、优婆夷应持守的戒律。

不杀生：就是不侵犯他人的生命。大至杀人，小至杀死一切生物，都是可说是“杀生”。不过，佛教是以人为本的宗教，所以不杀生，主要是指不杀人。杀人是犯波罗夷﹝极重罪﹞，是不通忏悔的。

戒杀生，主要是培养我们的慈悲心，《涅盘经》说：“食肉者，断大慈种，行住坐卧，一切众生闻其肉气悉生恐怖。”所以佛教徒吃素，主要是为了长养慈悲心。

不偷盗；就是不侵犯别人的财富。简单地说，不是自己的东西，未经许可便占为己有，就是偷盗。

不邪淫：所谓邪淫，是指合法的夫妻关系以外的男女爱欲行为。例如强奸、嫖妓、重婚、诱拐、贩卖人口、妨碍家庭、强迫别人从事卖淫等有伤社会风化的行为，都犯了邪淫戒。

不妄语：妄语，就是说虚妄不实的话，包括挑拨离间的两舌、恶毒伤人的恶口、欺瞒不实的妄言、阿谀奉承的绮语。

不饮酒：虽然明指为酒，但是凡能刺激神经，使人丧失理智、败坏德行的东西，包括所有的毒品在内。佛教是重视般若智慧的宗教，唯有戒酒，才能使神智清楚，思路清晰，智慧明朗。

所以，受持五戒，现世可以免除苦恼、恐怖，可以获得身心的自由、平安、和谐、快乐；将来可以免堕三涂恶道，得人天果报，乃至成佛。受持五戒，如同在福田里播了种，纵使不求，自然有许多利益加身，自然享有无尽的功德善果。

Back To The Dharma Basics

【Editorial】

One of the most treasured elements found in Buddhism is the invitation to “come and see!” if the teachings work for you personally. Ehipassiko (in Pali) constitutes an open invitation to investigate, to scrutinize the Dharma before accepting it.

Two thousand five hundred years have lapsed since the Budddha’s Parinirvana. His teachings of the Dharma continue to develop and grow in India which later spread throughout the countries of Asia and presently worldwide, responding and adapting to the multiplicity of cultural settings and rituals. It relies significantly on upaya (skillful means) to reach out to the masses.

However, when these skillful means and the absolute truth underlying Buddhism cannot be distinguished or understood clearly, confusion may arise. This could obstruct us in the pursuit of true spiritual development.

We have to constantly ask ourselves, “Yes, many people often talk about following the Buddha. But why should we follow the Buddha? What is its basic purpose?” This is something that a Buddhist should understand.

Master Yin-shun advised that it is only with a thorough understanding of our purpose in following the Buddha and having confidence that it is imperative to follow the Buddha’s teaching, that we will be able to learn the essence of Buddhism and tread the true path, otherwise we will be distracted into practicing it incorrectly.

He said, “I deeply believe that during the long period of the development of Buddhism, some teachings have been changed and even deformed. Therefore, the core teachings of Buddhism have to be revealed and the cause of the change in the teachings has to be understood. Only with this will we be able to distinguish, clarify and distill the teachings.”

The Dharma practice is a first person endeavor. You are called to use your own life as a lens, a laboratory and a light unto yourself that empowers you.

“When you are inwardly a light unto yourself with the Dharma, you are your own master, you make your own future.”~~~ Dhammapada 380.

This understanding is expounded in the Kalama Sutta (page 45 ), which enshrines personal freedom to seek for enlightenment than to following some fixated faiths without questioning or wisdom. “Don’t follow something just because you hear it frequently, or because you read it in a book,” said the Buddha to the Kalamas, “but call upon the direct knowledge grounded in your own experience.”

In the light of the aforesaid, “Back To Basics” (page 48), Little Ant II reminds us to “re-focus and return to the root of the Dharma from time to time” by realizing that the suffering, its causes, cessation and the Noble Eightfold Path were clearly laid before us in the first teaching of Gautama Buddha following his enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths are at the core of the enlightenment experience and are regarded as deeply insightful, not a theological perspective.

There is no shortcut if the spiritual path itself must pass the test of personal experience to attain Buddhahood. We need to get the basics right from the beginning and then there will never be any need to look back with vexation and apprehension.

We go to the Buddha for his teaching to learn, to investigate, to reflect and finally to dispel our doubts and answer our questions of life. Like the Kalamas we too are faced with perplexities but the test remains the same then, now, and in the future: “Where is this teaching taking you? Is it moving you in a direction that is wise, beneficial, kind and compassionate?”

The Buddha has this noble advice for us:

“As the wise test gold

By burning, cutting, and rubbing it

On a piece of touchstone,

So are you to accept my words

After examining them and

Not merely out of regard for me.”

~~~ The Buddha