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〈八戒〉1.不殺生。2.不偷盜。 3.不婬。4.不妄語。5.不飲酒。6.不
著香花鬘，不香塗身。7.不歌舞倡技，不故往觀聽，不坐高廣大床。8.不 非時食〈過午不食〉。
不殺生、不偷盜、不邪婬、不妄語、不飲酒，這是五戒；五戒只戒邪婬，八戒連正婬，跟自己正當配偶都不可以的。
不妄語戒包括大妄語、小妄語，嚴格說連笑都屬妄語，不可以的。目的就是要我們端正其心，因為我們習氣太重了，很容易放逸。人之所以犯戒就是因為放逸，不檢點自己的心；心放逸了才造作種種的惡業，因此種種的戒都是幫我們收攝身心，端正身心。
第六，不著香華鬘，不香塗身。 就是不穿得漂漂亮亮，不塗香搽香水，戴花鬘等妝飾品。
第七，不歌舞倡技，不故往觀聽
。不特別去聽音樂會，看芭蕾舞、電視，不坐高廣大床。怎麼叫高廣呢？你坐在床上，腳懸空不著地，那就表示床高了。床只能容一翻身，假如還有很多空間，就變成廣了。床為什麼不能高廣呢？就是不讓我們放縱身軀
「哎呀！要舒服一點哪，享受一下
。」這是讓我們約束自己，所以一切要很簡樸。在這六天中，我們不坐臥高廣大床，不非時食，過午就不吃東西了。
很多居士問，「法師！我身體不好，晚上能喝點東西嗎？
」我跟同參研究過，我們出家人病時都可以開緣；有時吃的藥太強，胃裡要先墊點底，但是要告白說淨，並且不多食，不美食，不安逸食，那就可以。你要生
慚愧心，自己的業障特別重，報身不那麼健康，所以不能完全遵守佛的淨戒，很慚愧晚上要吃一點。你切不要炒啊煮的，弄得很大聲音，要常念餓鬼苦，要慈悲，想到碗盤聲讓餓鬼聽見，咽喉起火。你簡單泡點東西，或者吃些麵包，不要弄出很大的聲音。你能不多食，不美食，不講究好味道
，不安逸食，不貪享受，這樣是可以的；不然的話很多人都不能受八關齋戒，不能受菩薩戒了。是不是？
所以我跟同參們都想過，出家人都有病緣，在家居士也可以按情況比
量，老人家也是要開緣。上人讓年老出家人吃三餐，但如同剛才所說的，不多食、不美食、不安逸食，要心懷慚愧，有慈悲心；慚愧自己的報身不強壯，慈悲那些餓鬼沒有得吃，不要喀里匡琅，弄出很多的碗盤。
下面是在意業方面，如何對治邪婬：
第一，要發大菩提心，立大誓願
，堅持不邪婬的佛戒。菩提心就是有智慧的心，利益眾生的心。我們要堅持佛戒，既然受了戒，就一定要堅持佛制的戒律。
第二，邪婬傷風敗俗，身心名譽功課都受損，不可以做。現時代很需要大家以身作則把風氣帶好，因為現在太自由了，少男少女不知節制欲念，還覺得是很得意的事。我們要把好風氣帶給社會，不要把壞風氣弄得更
壞。現在風氣太壞了，去年我看見一個女博士的論文寫妓女，她就親身去體會，來寫這個論文。
在以前，淪為妓女是為生活逼迫，現在的社會是笑貧不笑娼，不重廉恥，覺得這才是進步。其實在道德方面是非常墮落的，但是一般人不覺得，就連大學生也沒有這個觀念。前些時我聽講，某酒店一次幫人介紹一個年輕女孩子，這人跟這女孩聊天時，發現她是大學生，自願來的，也不覺得這事不妥，還覺得很好賺錢。再講下去就更糟了，原來這女孩是他朋友的女兒。他聽後趕快打發她回去。後來他想自己的女兒會不會也做這種事呢？自己兒子的女友會不會也是這樣子呢？真的，現在這個社會真是不敢說。
我們學佛的人應該以身做則，先從端正身心做起，把這一股正氣，把佛高尚的戒德來影響周圍的人--我們的孩子、我們的朋友。雖然我們力量可能微薄，但有一分力量，就有一分的影響存在。
以前常聽上人說「力挽狂瀾」， 那時體會不出其中的意思，現在想想
真覺得很辛苦。你想，一個大浪拍下來，那力量多大！你要做中流砥柱，頂住這麼大的浪是不容易的。但是你完全不試的話，眾生只有一條路--同歸於盡。所以我們不要怕自己力量微薄，還是要做中流的砥柱。既然我們學佛，我們就要相信佛語，相信佛戒；佛的戒律是真可以幫助我們了生脫死，離苦得樂的。假如我們還是執迷不悟，依然故我，那是絕對離不開苦，生死也絕對不能了的。
待續
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The Eight Precepts [usually
observed for a fixed number of days by laypeople who would
like to emulate the monastic lifestyle] are:
1. No killing
2. No stealing
3. No lust
4. No false speech
5. No taking of intoxicants
6. No adornment of flowers and perfumes
7. No partaking in or enjoying of any entertainment, such as
songs, music, dancing; and no sleeping on high and spacious
beds
8. No eating at inappropriate times (not eating after noon)
The first five are the Five Precepts and
in that case, the "no lust" precept only pertains to deviant
lust. However, in the Eight Precepts, even marital relations
with one's spouse are not permitted.
The "no false speech" precept includes
black lies and white lies. Strictly speaking, even laughter
is considered false speech and is not permitted. The purpose
is to always guard our minds, because our habits are too
deeply entrenched and it is easy for us to be lax. People
break the precepts because they are lax and do not guard
their minds. When the mind is lax, one commits all sorts of
evil karma. That's why all the precepts actually help us to
guard our body and mind so that we can maintain proper
behavior and thoughts.
The Sixth Precept is "No adornment of
flowers and perfumes." This means that one must not put on
make-up, dress gaudily, apply fragrances or perfumes, or
wear flowers and jewelry.
The Seventh Precept is "No partaking in
or enjoying of any entertainment such as songs, music,
dancing; and no sleeping on high and spacious beds." One
must not attend concerts or ballet performances or watch
television. What is meant by "high and spacious"? If you sit
on the side of the bed and your feet don't touch the floor,
that means the bed is high. If the bed has space for only
one person to turn, that is acceptable, but if there is a
lot of extra space, the bed is considered spacious. Why
should the bed not be high and spacious? This precept is so
that we will not lose control of our bodies and think, "Oh!
How comfortable and enjoyable!" Since we must conduct
ourselves with decorum, everything must be simple. On these
six days, we must not sleep on high and spacious beds, nor
eat after noon.
Many laypeople have asked me, "Dharma
Master, my health is poor. Can I drink something at night?"
I have investigated this issue with my fellow cultivators.
We left-home people also get sick and when that happens, we
can make an exception. Sometimes, we need to eat some food
when we take strong medicine, and that's all right. You must
always feel repentant and know that your body is not healthy
because your karma is especially heavy. Since you need to
take some food at night, you cannot fully abide by the
Buddha's pure precepts, and so you have to be repentant. Do
not make a din when you fry or cook your food. Remember how
the hungry ghosts suffer and be compassionate. Do not
disturb and anger them with the clatter of the cooking
utensils. It is best to eat food that can be prepared
without much noise, such as a powdered drink mix or bread.
As long as you don't overeat, indulge in flavors, or indulge
in a comfortable environment while eating, it is acceptable.
Without this exception, few people would be able to receive
the Eight Precepts or the Bodhisattva Precepts.
After pondering it over with my fellow
cultivators, we felt that, since monastics were exempt from
this rule when they were ill, laypeople and the elderly
should also be exempted. The Venerable Master allowed
elderly monks and nuns to eat three meals a day. However, as
stated above, they must not overeat, indulge in flavors, or
indulge themselves in a comfortable environment while
eating. They must be repentant and compassionate. Repent
that you do not have a healthy body, and be compassionate
towards the hungry ghosts who have nothing to eat. Don't
make a lot of noise when you are eating.
Below is a method for
counteracting lustful behavior in terms of mind karma:
1. Bring forth the great Bodhi mind and make great vows to
uphold the Buddha's precept against lustful behavior. The
Bodhi mind is the mind of wisdom and the mind that benefits
living beings. We must always uphold the precepts we have
received.
2. Lustful behavior is indecent in
public. One should not indulge in it as it harms one's body,
mind, reputation, and career. Now, in this modern age,
everyone must set a good example and correct the social
trend of promiscuity. Young men and women do not know how to
control their desire and are even proud of it. We must
create an environment with good social mores and not be
influenced by its ills. Today's society is pretty awful.
Last year, I read an article on prostitution written by a
female Ph.D who became a prostitute in order to write the
article.
In the past, people were forced into
prostitution by the circumstances. Modern-day society,
however, frowns on poverty but not on prostitution. People
have no sense of shame and regard this as progress.
Actually, from a moral standpoint this is a sign of
degeneration, but many people, including university
students, do not feel that way. Earlier on, I heard a story
about a certain hotel that recommended a young girl to a
patron. On chatting with the girl, this person discovered
that she was a university student and that she had come of
her own free will. She did not regard this sort of thing as
improper and even felt that she was earning good money. As
they talked further, the man discovered to his horror that
she was his friend's daughter. On hearing that, he quickly
asked her to leave. Later on, he wondered whether his own
daughter or his son's girlfriend would do such a thing.
Truly, in this society, anything is possible.
We Buddhists should set a good example
and start by rectifying our own behavior and thoughts. We
should use proper energy and the noble virtue of the
Buddha's precepts to influence those around us, such as our
children and friends. Even though our individual effort is
not much, it still helps.
In the past, the Venerable Master always
said that much effort was required to tame a torrential
flood. At that time, I did not understand what he meant, but
now I see that it is really difficult. Just imagine the
force of a big wave crashing down! You must be like a pillar
in the current, because it is not easy to withstand the
onslaught of the waves. However, if you fail to try, then
all living beings will perish together. Therefore, we must
not be afraid that our effort is limited, and we must still
be like a pillar in the current. As students of Buddhism, we
must believe in the Buddha's words and precepts. The
Buddha's precepts can really help us to end birth and death,
and to leave suffering and attain bliss. If we refuse to
come to our senses and still carry on as before, we will
certainly fail to leave suffering and end birth and death.
~ To be continued
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