《華嚴經》上說：

The Avatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Sutra says:

了知眾生種種異，
悉是想行所分別；
於此觀察悉明了，
而不壞於諸法性。
智者了知諸佛法，
以如是行而迴向；
哀愍一切諸眾生，
令於實法正思惟。

They fully realize that the various differences
among beings
Arise entirely from distinctions in their
thinking and activities.
Contemplating thus, they perceive with clarity
The nature of all dharmas without harming it.
The wise ones fathom the Dharma of
 all Buddhas.
They dedicate the merit from their practice of it,
Empathizing with all beings,
And thus enabling them to properly contemplate
dharmas as they actually are.

眾生起惑、造業、受報，種什麼因，就結什麼果，這是自然的道理。譬如種佛因，就結佛的果；種菩薩因，就結菩薩的果；種緣覺因，就結緣覺的果；種聲聞因，就結聲聞的果，這是四聖道。

Beings become deluded, create karma, and undergo retribution. They plant causes and then reap the corresponding results. This is a natural principle. If they plant the causes for being Buddhas, they reap the result of Buddhahood. If they plant the causes for being Bodhisattvas, they reap the result of Bodhisattvahood. If they plant the causes for being Ones Enlightened by Conditions, they become Ones Enlightened by Conditions. If they plant the causes for being Hearers, they become Hearers. Those are the Four Sagely Realms.

還有六凡道，就是三善道──天、人、修羅；三惡道──畜生、餓鬼、地獄。總之，種三善道的因，就結三善道的果；種三惡道的因，就結三惡道的果。這種因果的道理是絲毫不爽，千真萬確的，絕無迷信的色彩！

The Six Common Realms are the Three Good Realms of gods, humans, and asuras, and the Three Evil Realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings. In general, if one plants the causes for the Three Good Realms, one is reborn in these realms. The same applies to the Three Evil Realms. The principle of cause and effect is never off by the least bit. It is not a supersition.

愚癡的人不知道因果的厲害，隨便錯因果，甚至不相信因果，撥無因果；有智慧的人知道因果報應的厲害，就怕錯因果，無論做什麼事情，都三思而後行。出世聖人修行為「了因果」，一般凡夫就「造因果」，沒有罪過，他要造出罪過。造出罪過，自己還不承認是罪過，反而認為理所當然，沒有任何慚愧之心，這是罪上加罪，不可饒恕。

Not knowing the seriousness of cause and effect, deluded people casually make mistakes in cause and effect or even deny the law of cause and effect. Wise people, knowing that the law of cause and effect relentlessly metes out the deserved retribution, dare not make mistakes in cause and effect. They always consider carefully before doing any-thing. Sages cultivate in order to understand the process of cause and effect. Ordinary people continue to create causes and undergo effects. Originally their offenses did not exist until they committed them. Once they have committed them, they refuse to acknowledge them as offenses, insisting they have done nothing wrong. Being devoid of shame and conscience compounds their offenses beyond the point of forgiveness.

眾生有種種的異別，包括善惡的種子，都是各有不同，各造各的業，各受各的報。這些都是在色受想行識五蘊法中，所分別而成就的。若能在種種業果報應之中，觀察明白，就能了知一切法性，而又不破壞它。

Beings are different in various ways, including the good and bad seeds they possess. Each being creates its karma and undergoes its individual retribution. This process evolves from distinctions that occur in the five skandhas of form, feeling, thinking, activities, and consciousness. If one can contem-plate and appreciate the various karmic retributions, one will fathom the nature of all dharmas without destroying it.

有智慧的人，明白、瞭解諸佛所說的法，修菩薩行，把所聚集的善根，為眾生迴向。為什麼為眾生迴向？因為哀愍一切眾生。菩薩看眾生太愚癡了，所做的事都是顛顛倒倒，怎麼樣教化，也不明白。

Wise people clearly understand all the Dharmas spoken by the Buddhas. Out of pity for beings, they cultivate the Bodhisattva conduct and dedicate all their accumulated good roots to them. Bodhisattvas see beings doing foolish things and so try to teach them, but beings are very deluded and do not understand.

教他「捨己為人，捨末求本，擁護正法，令正法住世。」他不相信。所以眾生是可憐愍者。勸他「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。」對於真實法，應該往對的來做。怎樣是不對？應該反省一下，仔細想一想，不是只想一次，要時時想，自己是不是錯了因果？自己是不是對佛教沒有盡應盡的責任和義務，反而造出種種罪過呢？要這樣時時刻刻迴光返照，反省又反省，檢討又檢討，這才算是真正的佛教徒。

Bodhisattvas teach beings to make sacrifices for the sake of others, to renounce the superficial aspects and seek the root of the matter, and to support and protect the Proper Dharma so that it will long abide in the world. But beings lack faith. That's why they are to be pitied. They should be exhorted to refrain from all evil and to practice all good. We should try to practice in accord with the true Dharma, constantly reflecting and asking ourselves: "Have ave we made mistakes in cause and effect? Instead of fulfilling our responsibilities within Buddhism, have we created all kinds of offenses?" We should constantly look within and examine ourselves again and again. Only then can we be considered genuine Buddhists.