Ananda Asking the World-Honored One

中文原著：隆門圓通法師
英文翻譯：張惠平
Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong
Translated by Huei Ping Chang

往昔，阿難尊者曾問世尊身、口、意三業、何者為重？
佛回答：「意業為首、次口業、再次為身業。」
因為意業清淨，身口舉動言說，便能端正，所作所為都會向善的。阿含經有偈云：「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行，自淨其意，是諸佛教。」由此可知淨意正心，是最重要的。
佛說：人生造業的原動力，乃出於個人的心識。故每個人皆可從自己內心去改造。身語意是「業」的發動處。要使身語意時時存善去惡，即能造就善業，自利利人。反之，身語意中存惡、作惡，則會造出十惡業來，必會害社會人群。
太虛大師言：「仰止唯佛陀，完成在人格，人成即佛成，是名真實現。」 這話是說依止佛陀的真理，修習智德、培養健全的人格，使人達到完美品德的教法，才是學佛的真義。
學佛，一方面可制止在外的惡行，一方面可淨化內心的心念。如此，佛法是為建立人間淨土，佛教人生，才是適合時代需要的佛教。
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資料來源：心靈甘露(一)，隆門圓通法師著。

Ananda Asking the World-Honored One

Arya Ananda asked the World-Honored One, “Among the body, speech, and mind, which one is the most important?” The World-Honored One answered, “The mind is the most important, the speech is the second most important, and the body is the third.”

Because of the pure mind, the body and speech will be upright. Whatever one does will turn towards goodness. The Agama Sutra says, “Do not do any kind of evil deeds, but follow every kind of goodness. One’s mind should be purified. This is called Buddhism.”

From here we know that purifying one’s mind and correcting one’s heart are of top importance. The Buddha said, “The motivation for making karmas comes from one’s consciousness. So everyone can be reformed from within.”

The body, speech, and mind are where karmas start. If one can oftentimes reserve goodness and sever evil in his body, speech, and mind, he will be able to create good karmas and benefit both himself and others.

On the contrary, if one reserves evil and does bad deeds in his body, speech, and mind, he might create Ten Evil Karmas and harm society and people.

Master Tai Shi said, “One should admire only the Buddha and complete his personality. Once he has made his personality complete, his cultivation of Buddhism will also be complete. Such is called true realization.” This means that it would be the real meaning of the cultivation of Buddhism if one can rely on the truths rendered by the Buddha, cultivate wisdom and virtue, develop a healthy and replete personality, and attain a perfect character.

Learning to be a Buddha can help curb external bad deeds and purify internal thoughts. If so, Buddhist Dharma can help establish a pure land in the human realm, and Buddhism will be suitable for the needs of the era.

Auspiciousness to you all. Let’s share this.

Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. I), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong.