12. 談墮胎.
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12. On Abortion.
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釋恒雲.
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Heng Yun Shi.
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《楞嚴經》云：「流愛為種，納想為胎，交遘發生，吸引同業」，一受胎，就有生命！.
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According to the Shuragama Sutra, "Love flows out toward its object, and so, on the strength of shared karma, a seed is drawn into the womb during intercourse." Once an embryo is formed in the womb, there is life!.
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問：若是孕婦照超音波後，發現肚裏的胎兒是畸形兒，如蒙古症之類的，請問可否因此墮胎嗎？.
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Question: If after an ultrasound examination, a pregnant woman finds out that her fetus has a congenital disorder, such as Down’s Syndrome, is abortion allowed in this situation?.
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答：墮胎在殺戒裏面，是屬於殺胎，仍犯殺人罪，所以基本上，如果是自然流產，或是胎死腹中，因為這是胎兒的生命自然結束的，所以不算犯殺戒。可是如果是刻意去墮胎的，這就犯殺戒。.
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Answer: In terms of the precept against killing, to have an abortion is to kill a fetus. Therefore, it is considered killing a human being. Basically, in the case of a miscarriage or a fetus being stillborn, the mother doesn’t break the precept against killing because the fetus died naturally. However, if she intentionally has an abortion to terminate her pregnancy, she would have broken the precept against killing..
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問：可是父母撫養這樣的孩子，不是一輩子很辛苦嗎？.
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Question: Wouldn’t it be very difficult for the parents to raise a child with a congenital disorder?.
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答：的確很辛苦，可是這都有一種因緣果報在裏面。因為有問題小孩子來投胎，是跟這父母有緣。所謂「夫妻是前緣，善緣、惡緣，無緣不合；兒女原宿債，欠債、還債，無債不來。」孩子來投胎，這跟父母之間，要三緣成胎，父緣、母緣，還有什麼？自己的緣。《楞嚴經》上說：「同業相纏，合離成化。見明色發，明見想成；異見成憎，同想成愛。流愛為種，納想為胎，交遘發生，吸引同業；故有因緣，生羯羅藍、遏蒲曇等。」所謂「同業」，是自己所造的業裏頭，和父母的因緣相同。因為同業，互相生出一種情愛，就如膠似漆纏到一起了，互相擺脫不開，而有了胎生、卵生、化生、濕生。.
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Answer: Indeed, it would be really tough for the parents, but having such a child is due to some kind of causes and effects. The deficient child is born to this particular couple, because he or she has affinity with these parents. It is said that “Husband and wife are connected due to either wholesome or unwholesome affinities in the past; they would not become a couple without prior affinities. Sons and daughters are born into the family due to their past debts – they are either seeking repayment or paying back what they owe; they would not join the family without prior debts.” It requires three kinds of affinities for a fetus to come into being: the affinity with the father, the affinity with the mother, and his or her own affinity. The Shurangama Sutra states: “Some beings are born due to being bound together by shared karma; other beings are born due to union or else due to separation. Based on deluded perception, sense-objects are mistakenly understood to appear; and because of deluded understanding, deluded thought arises. Hatred is the response to incompatible points of view, while love is the response to compatible points of view. Love flows out toward its object, and so, on the strength of shared karma, a seed is drawn into the womb during intercourse. Due to these causes and conditions, the fetus develops, passing through the kalala stage, the arbuda stage, and the stages that follow.” Shared karma means that the child’s karma and the parents’ karma have the same causes and conditions. Due to this shared karma, emotionally love arises up between the parents and the child, and they become inseparable as if they were glued together. Consequently, beings are born from a womb, from an egg, by metamorphosis, or in the presence of moisture..
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人來做人的時候，是第八識最先來的；死的時候，第八識最後走。識一走，身上就涼了；識沒有走，身上還不會涼的。所以說「去後來先做主人」。人死後到投胎這段時間，這第八識的識，就是「中陰身」，又叫「中有身」。中陰身看什麼都是一片漆黑，什麼都看不見。可是他（她）和哪一個父親、母親有緣，有父子、母子的關係，也就是有一種相同的業報，不論距離千里萬里，當父親、母親在那兒行淫欲，他（她）就會看到那兒有一點點光；他（她）無明一動，這時，就有一股如吸鐵石的力量，無論多遠，都會把他（她）吸過去，就來投胎了！這叫「流愛為種，納想為胎，交遘發生，吸引同業。」.
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When a person comes into being, the eighth consciousness is the first to arrive; when a person dies, the eighth consciousness is the last to leave. Once the consciousness is gone, one’s body becomes cold. Thus, it is said that “Whoever leaves last but comes first is the master.” During the period of time between when one dies and when one gets reborn, the eighth consciousness is called the “intermediate skandha-body” or the “intermediate existence body.” To the intermediate skandha-body, everything is pitch-black, and it is unable to see anything. But if it has a parent-child affinity with its potential father or mother (i.e., having shared karma), even if it were tens of thousands of miles away, it would see a little point of light when its potential father and mother are having intercourse. As soon as its ignorance arises, no matter how far away it may be, strength like a powerful magnet will draw it into the womb! This process is described by the Shuragama Stura as “Love flows out toward its object, and so, on the strength of shared karma, a seed is drawn into the womb during intercourse.” .
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受胎後的第一個星期叫「羯羅藍」，意思是「凝滑」，就是凝結成牛奶似的東西。第二個星期叫「遏蒲曇」，就是由凝滑，變成一種胞形了。以後就逐漸行成身形了。.
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The kalala stage refers to the first week of embryonic development. The word “kalala” means “slippery coagulation,” a form coagulated like milk. The second week of development is called the arbuda stage when the coagulated form takes on a globular shape. After this stage, the embryo gradually develops into the shape of a human body..
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「十二因緣」中說「無明緣行」，無明就是男人、女人生出一種愛意來，然後就有房事。「行緣識」，有了兩性的行為，然後就有一種識，這就是「納想為胎」這個識；這時候，就是中陰身投胎了。也就是說，這時就有生命了！所以孩子和父母間都有一種特殊的因緣，即使是蒙古症的子女，也都有一種特別的業緣必須要了。.
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According to the Twelvefold Conditioned Arising, “Ignorance is the condition for karmic activity.” In this context, ignorance refers to the emotional love that arises between a man and a woman, which leads to sexual intercourse. “Karmic activity is the condition for consciousness;” after sexual intercourse begins, a consciousness arrives, which is “a seed (i.e., consciousness) is drawn into the womb during intercourse.” At this time, the intermediate skandha-body becomes an embryo. In other words, a life has come into being! There is a special kind of primary and secondary causes that exist between parents and their child. Accordingly, special karmic causes must exist for the parents to have a child with Down’s Syndrome..
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以前沒有超音波，受什麼胎，都生下來。現在有超音波一照，喔，是蒙古症，就把他拿掉！以為是拿掉日後的煩惱。其實，通常這種緣，不是一個好緣來的，但是你必須要了它，如果父母不了了它，又把他殺了，這就會更增加彼此之間的惡緣。這惡緣，或許來世的時候就更厲害。如《楞嚴經》所提的「十二類生」中，有一種眾生叫做「非無想」，這種眾生並不是沒有思想，而是思想不正常。譬如梟鳥生出後，就會把媽媽吃了，用媽媽的血肉來養自己。還有科學也發現一種甲蟲會吃牠媽媽。.
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Before there was ultrasound tests, people gave birth to the fetus they carried. Now with ultrasound, people can discover that their fetus has Down’s Syndrome, and abort the fetus. By doing so, they think they are avoiding troubles in the future. Usually the affinity between the deficient fetus and the parents is unwholesome. However, the parents need to accept this. If instead of giving birth to the child, the parents kills him or her, this action will increase the unwholesome affinity between the parents and the child. This negative affinity probably will be even worse in their future lives. According to the Shurangama Sutra, among the twelve categories of living beings, there is one category called “beings that lack and do not lack thoughts.” It does not mean that those living beings don’t have any thoughts; rather, they have abnormal thoughts. For example, after its birth, an owlet would devour its mother and nourish itself with its mother’s body and blood. Science has also found a small beetle (Micromaltus debilis) that eats its mother. .
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為什麼牠要吃媽媽呢？因為在過去生，牠們有很深的怨仇，例如恩將仇報，過去子是母的恩人，可是母或許用種種方法將他弄死，讓他死不瞑目，又沒有辦法訴冤，所以他這一世生為其子，就要把媽媽吃掉。諸如此類，這其中都有一種的因緣果報。可是世間上的人不明白因果，所以以為有問題的胎，就可以墮掉；這可以說是雪上加霜。基本上這一種胎，不應該墮掉的，而是要了了這種業緣。.
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Why does the bird or the beetle eat its mother? There was great enmity between the mother and the child in their past lives. For example, in the past, the child was the mother’s benefactor. However, instead of being grateful, the mother thought of various ways to kill her benefactor. The mother finally succeeded, and the benefactor died with everlasting regret, with no means to address his or her grievance. Therefore, in this life the benefactor is reborn as the killer’s child and eats her out of revenge. There are always some kinds of cause and effect that underlie seemingly unusual phenomena such as this one. However, since most people don’t understand the principle of cause and effect, they think it is o.k. to abort a deficient fetus. Unfortunately, by doing so, they are making things worse for themselves. Basically, one should not abort the deficient fetus. Instead, one should have the baby, and thereby settle one’s karmic debts and be free of negative affinities..
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問：女孩子被強迫而有孕，可不可以墮胎？.
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Question: If a girl were raped and got pregnant, is abortion allowed in such a case? .
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答：這種情況令人非常同情。但是，如果因此去墮胎，這是殺害一條生命。所以在這種不幸的情況下，還是應該將孩子生下，而不墮胎。雖然，這個女孩子的一生可能要受很多辛苦，但從因果的角度來說，這是比較妥善的方法。.
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Answer: This kind of situation really deserves our sympathy. However, if the girl aborts the fetus, she would be killing a life. Therefore, even in these unfortunate circumstances, she still should give birth to the child. Although the girl may encounter a lot of hardship by doing so, from the perspective of causes and effects, having the baby is a better alternative than killing..
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墮胎，在目前的社會已是一件泛濫之事，我講一則真實的故事，以為警惕。有個居士提到他媽媽癌症要往生前一段時間，舉動行為變成三個人似的，一下變成小男孩的樣子，一下又變成小女孩的樣子，一會兒又恢復她原來的樣子；變成小女孩時，還會跟他撒嬌。原來他媽媽過去墮過兩次胎，一個男的，一個女的；現在他（她）們來找「媽媽」了，附在「媽媽」身上。所以世間上大家都只看到「果」的一面，沒有看到「因」的那一面。.
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In current society, abortion is quite excessive. Let me tell you a true story as a warning. One layperson mentioned that shortly before his mother died of cancer, she behaved as if there were three persons in her body. Sometimes she behaved like a little boy, sometimes like a little girl, and moments later, she was herself again. When she behaved like a little girl, she even acted like a spoiled child to get his attention. It turned out that his mother had aborted two fetuses in the past, one was male, and the other one female; now they have come to find their mother and attached themselves onto her body. It is really unfortunate that in this world, everyone can only see the consequence, but not its cause..
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我們想想看，子女出生以後，都是父母的心肝寶貝，呵護得無微不至。那胎裏的孩子，也是自己的子女，怎麼忍心把他（她）殺了呢？這樣，即使是善緣來的子女，也變成惡緣，變成仇了，變成「小鬼難纏」。.
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Let’s think about it, after children are born, their parents treat them as precious treasuries and take care of them with the upmost attention to detail. However, the fetus in one’s womb is also one’s own child, how can one bear to kill him or her? If your abort a child, even if the child originally has positive affinities with you, such affinities would become negative like that of an enemy. The aborted fetus turns into “a little ghost who is difficult to handle.”.
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在《楞嚴經》中提到，「若用錢物，或役其力，償足自停。如其中間殺彼身命，或食其肉；如是乃至經微塵劫，相食相誅，猶如轉輪，互為高下，無有休息。除奢摩他，及佛出世，不可停寢。」這是說眾生之間，若是錢財方面的負債，無論是以人身或畜生身，或這一世或來世，或是用錢物，或用勞力，互相扯平，償還夠了，彼此之間的業就了了。這默默中雖然沒有人一定主宰，但是因為是業力的關係，彼此都不想吃虧，所以絕對不可你佔我便宜，我佔你便宜的，一定要公平才會自然停止的。.
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The Shurangama Sutra pointed out that, “One should realize that debts should be settled, whether with money, goods, or labor, so that indebtedness can naturally come to an end. But if, in the process of repayment, beings take each other’s lives or eat each other’s flesh, then they may well continue through an infinite number of eons, eating each other and killing each other, as if they were turning ceaselessly on a wheel, now on top, now beneath. The wheel may never stop unless they undertake the practice of samatha, or unless a Buddha appears in the world.” This passage means that if the debts between living beings were financial in nature, then whether these beings are born as humans or animals, they would be able to settle their debts with money, goods or labor; and they can settle their debts either in this life or in future lives. Once the debts are repaid, the karma between the debtors and the creditors would cease to exist. Although there is no one controlling the whole process, the power of karma is such that no one is willing to accept a loss. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that no one tries to take advantage of others; only after fair repayments would the indebtedness naturally comes to an end..
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可是如果是命債呢？在彼此結怨的中間，或者把對方殺了，或者吃對方的肉。那你吃我的肉，我就殺你的身；我吃你的肉，你又殺我的身；就像輪子轉來轉去，沒有停止的時候。除非得到楞嚴大定，或者有佛出世，給解除這種罪業的相；然後雙方互相都知道了，不再造業，這才能停止。 不然，這種血海深仇，是很難平息的。難怪宣公上人說：「我要勸大家不要再墮胎了，你想想看，一個生命還沒出世，就成冤魂，到處是要命的小鬼，你說社會會安寧嗎？這些小鬼需要不貪財、有道行的人才能超度。小鬼難纏啊！很難辦的，到處是罪業，你說能安寧嗎？ 」.
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However, what if the debt involves taking of a life? During the process of mutual resentment, if one living being kills another or eats another’s flesh, then a cycle of eating and being eaten, killing and being killed will go on and on like the turning of a wheel. For example, you eat my flesh now, I will kill you later; I eat your flesh now, you will kill me later. This vicious cycle is endless, unless one attains the Shurangama Samadhi or a Buddha comes into the world and releases one from these karmic offenses. Only then would both the debtor and the creditor understand the need to stop creating further negative karma, and end this cycle of ceaseless mutual-indebtedness. Otherwise, it is very difficult to appease animosity that is as great as the sea. It is not surprising that the Venerable Master said: “I urge everyone not to have abortions any more. Think about it, if living beings become resentful spirits even before they are born, with these vengeful little ghosts of aborted fetuses everywhere, how can the society be peaceful? These little ghosts can only be crossed over by genuine cultivators of the Bodhi Path who are not greedy for wealth. These little ghosts are really tough to handle! It is very difficult to resolve these matters, and thus, with karmic offenses pervading everywhere, how can there be peace?”.
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問：我的親友是婦科醫生，若孕婦有經濟上的困難或孩子過多等，可以為她墮胎嗎？.
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Question: My relative is an OB/GYN. If a pregnant woman has financial difficulties or already has too many children, is it okay for the doctor to perform the requested abortion?.
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答：約三十年前，我還沒有出家時，在報上看到一篇文章，這是一位護士寫的。她提到在她上班的醫院，年輕的護士不敢去值晚班。為什麼？因為在二樓的墮胎手術室，晚上常常傳來嬰兒的哭聲，所以她們都嚇得不敢值晚班。可是，她因為家庭的關係願意上晚班，因為這樣可以照顧家庭，對她比較方便；還有她的膽子比較大，所以她就去當夜班的護士。怎麼樣呢？醫院二樓的手術室，在晚上沒有人時，的確常常有孩子的哭聲傳來。她也見怪不怪，繼續值她的晚班。.
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Answer: About thirty years ago, when I was still a layperson, I read a newspaper article written by a nurse. She said that at the hospital where she worked, young nurses were afraid to take the night shift. Why was that? In the evenings, cries of babies could be heard coming from the abortion clinic on the second floor, and these cries really scared the nurses. However, the author signed up for the night shift, because her family situation made it more convenient for her to work at night; besides, she was braver than others. What was her experience? Although she did hear cries coming from the abortion clinic late at night when no one was around, she ignored the cries and went about her work. .
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有一天，當她要下班時，也就是清晨，來了一個快要臨產的孕婦，看起來很憂心的樣子。等到她來值晚班時，知道那婦女已經生下孩子了，可是難產死掉了，父親也沒來，孩子就放在育嬰室裏面。她不知道什麼因緣，就不自覺特別去照顧那個孩子；可能是憐憫孩子沒有媽媽吧！照顧了一段時間以後，有一天，當她來上晚班時，值日班的護士告訴她，今天那個爸爸來把孩子帶走了。孩子帶走了以後呢，當天晚上，因為值晚班，有時會不自覺打瞌睡，朦朧間這位護士就看到那難產死了的媽媽來了，對她說：「謝謝妳幫我照顧孩子這麼多天，我真的非常感謝妳，我也會幫助妳照顧其他的孩子。」從那天晚上起，她去值班的時候，二樓的墮胎手術室，都沒有嬰兒的哭聲再傳來了！.
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One early morning, when her shift was about to end, a woman in labor arrived at the hospital. She looked very worried. When the nurse returned later that day for her shift, she found out that the woman had died during childbirth. Unfortunately, the baby’s father didn’t come to the hospital, so the baby was left alone in the nursery. The nurse didn’t know why but found herself taking extra care of the baby; perhaps she felt sorry for the motherless child. After the baby had been under her care for a while, the nurse arrived at work one evening and was told that the baby’s father had picked up the baby during the day. That evening, the nurse dozed off while she was at work; sometimes it was difficult to stay awake during the quiet hours of the night. While drifting in and out of sleep, she saw the mother who had died during childbirth. The mother said to her, “Thank you for taking care of my baby for so many days. I’m very grateful. I’ll help you to take care of the other children here.” From that evening on, the nurse never again heard babies’ cries coming from the second floor abortion clinic..
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你說，沒出世的胎兒沒有靈性嗎？他（她）只是一塊肉嗎？割下來的肉是死肉；我們人身上也都有肉，是什麼使我們身上的肉活動，變成我們生命的一部份呢？那把肚裏的骨肉割下來，隨著這塊肉成長為人的靈性該怎麼辦？他（她）會不會成為靈界的流浪兒，他（她）要去找誰討這筆債？.
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From true stories like this one, how can we claim that unborn fetuses are not alive? Are they just pieces of flesh? We too are made of flesh; what makes us alive and the fetuses not alive? If we cut a fetus from the mother’s body, where would he or she go? Will he or she wander around in the spirit world, forever homeless? Who will he or she hold responsible for taking his or her life?.
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有一個女子，因為年輕不懂事，讀書時曾到過一家醫院墮胎；當時胎是墮了，身心的創傷卻難以平復。幾年後，就在這家醫院前面，她去墮胎時所經過的十字路口，發生了車禍。所以，墮胎這件事，對母親與胎兒無論是身、是心都是傷害！.
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There was another story about a young girl who had an abortion in a hospital when she was still a student. Although the baby left her body quickly, the physical and emotional scars remained. A few years later, she was involved in a car accident at the intersection near the hospital where she had the abortion. An abortion harms both the mother and the child physically and emotionally..
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有一天，有個居士帶著她婦產科醫生的先生到道場來。為什麼？這位醫生患癌症，希望藉著佛菩薩的力量來幫助他。他告訴我，他很注重健康的，每天運動以保持健康，不知道為什麼還會患癌症。其實，社會上墮胎的風氣熾盛，身為婦產科醫生更不能不慎！醫生的職責是「濟世活人」；幫人墮胎，正與「活人」相違。種什麼因，結什麼果。「業」，是我們天天造的；「因」，是你偶爾做這麼一次，這因種了，將來結這果。如春天播種子，這種子種下去，等秋天才可收成。.
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A woman once brought her husband, an OB/GYN, to the temple. He had been diagnosed with cancer and hoped that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas could help him. He told me that he took good care of his body and exercised everyday to maintain his health. Therefore he had no idea why he still got cancer. Actually, with abortions being so prevalent nowadays, OB/GYNs especially need to be careful. A doctor’s duty is to save lives, and performing abortions is contrary to this duty. Whatever causes we plant, we reap the corresponding effects. Karma results from our daily actions, while we create a cause only once in a while. Let me give you an example to illustrate these concepts. If we plant seeds in the spring, we need to wait until autumn for the harvests. .
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由種上到結果，這叫「種因結果」。這個「業」，就是從春天到秋天這段時間，中間經過所發生的事；也就是你常常做什麼，這就叫「業」。拿前面的例子來說，年輕的女子去墮一次胎，這就是「因」；婦產科醫生常常幫人墮胎，這就是「業」。這個業，你隨時做，有可能隨時就受報的，做善就是善業，做惡就是惡業。.
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The seeds and their resulting fruits are the “causes and effects.” “Karma” is all the events that occurred between spring and autumn or the things that we do frequently. Going back to the OB/GYN with cancer, a woman creates a cause when she has an abortion, while the OB/GYN creates karma when he performs abortions frequently. A person who creates karma constantly may face its retribution constantly. Wholesome actions create wholesome karma, while unwholesome actions create unwholesome karma..
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《梵網經菩薩戒》云：「若佛子，若自殺，教人殺，方便殺，讚歎殺，見作隨喜，乃至咒殺。殺因、殺緣、殺法、殺業。乃至一切有命者，不得故殺。」所謂「自殺」，就是自己動手結束對方的生命；也包括自己結束自己的生命。「教人殺」，自己雖然不殺，但教人殺，如當面勸人行殺，或派人到別處行殺，這樣和自己殺死，罪是一樣的。.
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The Brahma Net Sutra’s Bodhisattva precepts states that “A disciple of the Buddha must not kill by himself, tell others to kill, kill with expedient means, praise killing, or condone killing. He must not use any methods whatsoever, not even mantras, to kill. He must not create any causes for killing, effects of killing, methods of killing, and karma of killing. As long as the being has a life, he must not end its life intentionally.” “To kill by oneself” means not only to take other’s life, but also to take one’s own life. “Telling others to kill” includes advising others to kill or sending someone to kill on your behalf. Whether the act of killing is done by your own hands or by others’ hands because you told them to do so, the offense is the same..
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談談「教人殺」的實例，在八○年代，有一位經理級的先生，遠從東南亞來到萬佛聖城向上人求救，因為他身患癌症。上人讓他在聖城的萬佛寶殿中，在十方諸佛菩薩及四眾前發露懺悔，以挽救他的罪業。他提到他因口所犯的惡業，慘無人道地吃眾生肉，如吃猴腦、鵝掌等。接著，上人問他：「你殺過人嗎？」他說：「絕對沒有！除非我喝醉開車，不知道撞死人。」上人又問：「那你太太呢？」「唉呀，我想起來了，我曾叫我太太墮胎！」所以，這些生命都來和他討債了！因此，有人問你，墮胎好不好？應該勸她不要墮胎。不要說：「若有困難，就把孩子拿掉吧！」這是教他殺。.
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Speaking of telling others to kill, let me tell you a true story. During the 1980s, a manager came all the way from Southeast Asia to visit the Venerable Master at CTTB. This man had cancer and hoped the Venerable Master could save him. In CTTB’s Buddha Hall, the Venerable Master helped this man by letting him repent in front of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions and the Fourfold Assembly. The man talked about the evil karma he had created with his mouth, because he cruelly ate living beings’ flesh such as monkey brains and goose feet. The Venerable Master then asked him if he had ever killed a person. He replied, “Never. The only way I might have done so would be if I were driving what drunk and killed someone unknowingly.” The Venerable Master further asked, “How about your wife?” In surprise, the manager answered, “Oh, I remember now. I once talked my wife into getting an abortion!” All the lives he had taken were coming to him and demanding payments. Therefore, if someone asks you whether she should get an abortion, you should advise her against it. Don’t say things such as, “If you are in a difficult situation, just get rid of the fetus.” If you tell someone to get an abortion, it is considered as telling others to kill..
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你持戒，有持戒的功德；破戒，有破戒的罪業。可是在因果上來說，不管有沒有受戒，因果都是存在的；殺胎的這種過失，因果上默默中都要互相論對的。曾見過在超度牌位中，有同一個媽媽超度十幾個未出生的胎兒，看得令人觸目驚心，這身上有多少條生命呀！人的無知，造成無知的未來；無知的未來，讓人更無知，就像滾雪球似的。.
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Upholding the precepts creates merit and virtue; breaking the precepts creates negative karma. However, causes and effects exist regardless of whether one has received the precepts. By killing a fetus, one will bear the consequences. I once saw rebirth plaques made by a mother who tried to cross over more than ten fetuses that she had aborted. It was frightening to realize how many lives she was indebted to! Our current ignorance creates a future full of ignorance, and a future full of ignorance causes us to be even more ignorant, thus creating a snowball effect. .
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問：請問法師對九月是墮胎月有什麼看法？.
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Question: Dharma Master, what is your view on “September as the month of abortion”?.
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答：這是十幾年前，一位廣播員問我的問題。當時我不明白為什麼九月是墮胎月？廣播員回答說：「因為學生放暑假，所以很多兩性的事情發生。有孕了，學生九月要回到學校上課，就去打胎。」那麼，十幾年前風氣就這樣，現在更不用說了。這件事說起來，其實大家都有責任──.
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Answer: This is a question that a radio announcer asked me about ten years ago. When I said that I didn’t understand why September is the month for abortions, the radio announcer told me: “Since during summer vacations, many students have sex and get pregnant. So when it’s time for them to go back to school in September, they get an abortion.” If things were this bad ten years ago, we can imagine how things are now. Actually, all of us share some responsibility in this matter for the following reasons:.
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（一）從飲食來說：人應該吃人乳，但現在的孩子大多是飲牛乳長大的；牛是獸，獸有獸性，用獸的奶來養大孩子。斷乳以後，又是大魚大肉、甜點、油炸食品。用這樣的飲食來養孩子，孩子或許看似快高長大，生理成長得快，但沒有真正健康的基礎，同時慾念也重，心理的成熟度夠不上生理的成長。.
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First, our children’s diet. Human beings should be fed with human milk; however, most children nowadays grow up drinking cow's milk. Cow is an animal, and yet we feed our children milk produced by a animal. When children are old enough to eat solid food, they are fed with a lot of fish, meat, sweets and fried foods. Children on such a diet seem to grow taller and faster. However, even if their bodies were growing rapidly, this growth is not rooted in genuinely good health. In addition, due to their diet, these children tend to have strong desires, and their emotional maturity cannot keep up with their physical maturity..
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（二）媒體的泛濫：在我們享用科技的方便時，風氣所及，年輕的一代更是在媒體的泛濫下失去保護，誘惑太大，很難潔身自愛，也不懂潔身自愛。.
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Second, overwhelming influence of the media. While we are enjoying the conveniences brought by modern technology, the younger generations are being inundated by the media without any protection. These youngsters are extremely attracted by what they see; under such influences it is hard for them to keep their bodies pure and cherish themselves, and they also don’t know how to do so..
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（三）從教育方面來說：教育是要教人「明理」，不是「名利」。但現在的教育反行其道，年輕的一代受不到道德教育的滋潤，就像沒有根一樣，隨波逐流，失去做人的基礎。.
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Third, our children’s education. Education should teach people how to understand the truth, instead of how to pursue profits and fame. Unfortunately, education nowadays is contrary to the Way. Without the nourishment provided by an education based on ethics and morality, the younger generations don’t have a strong foundation in how to be upright individuals. Instead, they are like rootless plants, being carried adrift by the tides..
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所以增慾的飲食、導慾的媒體、錯向的教育……，學生自然很容易恣情縱慾，為所欲為，墮胎月就出來了！若能改善教育、飲食，省悟科技帶來的負面作用，提昇道德觀念等等，想必日後根本沒有「墮胎月」這個名詞！.
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Therefore, under the influence of these factors: a diet that increases desires, media that teach desires, and education that focuses on the wrong values, students naturally tend toward indulging in sexual desires without any restraint. By doing whatever they please, the month of abortion comes into being. If we can improve our children’s diet and education, realize the negative side-effects of modern technology, and strengthen our sense of ethics and morality, I think we definitely won’t have the phrase “the month for abortion” in the future!.
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結語：. 有一次，我參加一個會議，主題是：「佛教對社會的參與影響」。個人覺得：用佛法來改造人心，這就是最大的影響！拿我出家人的身份來說，我不覺得一定要去外面做一些事情，這樣才能幫助社會；而是，把正確的觀念帶給大家，影響得人人都有正確的觀念。就像現在我們談到墮胎的問題，這是社會上已存在的一個嚴重事實，如果人人有正確的觀念，那就會幫助很多的生命。所以，帶給大家正確的知見，這就是行持佛法的一部份！.
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Conclusion:.
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Once I attended a conference on “The Role of Buddhism and its Impact on Society.” I believe that Buddhism’s greatest impact is how it transforms our minds. As a member of the Sangha, I have found that I don’t need to go around and do things for others in order to benefit the society. Rather, I can share the proper views with others, and help everyone to attain such views. For example, the issue of abortion we have been discussing is one of the serious problems in society today. If everyone can understand the proper view of no killing, many lives will be saved. Helping people to understand this true principle is one way of upholding the Buddhadharma..
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