MERCY BEGINS AT THE DINNER TABLE

　　仁慈始于餐桌邊

　　During the Ming dynasty， a Buddhist called Wang Cheng was always willing to help others， especially orphans and the poor.

　　明代的時候，有一位佛教徒，叫王成，他總是樂意助人，尤其是孤兒和窮人。

　　Every day Wang chanted Buddhist sutras， or scripture. In general， he was very pious， but for some reason， there was one rule of Buddhism he did not obey：he was not a vegetarian.

　　王成每天都誦經，總的來說，他是一個虔誠的佛教徒。但是出于某種原因，有一條戒律他沒遵守：他不吃素。

　　He lived during a bad period. There were many disasters. Bandits and outlaws roamed the country. Wang was worried. He heard that a monk living in a cave practiced Buddhism so hard that he could tell the past and the future. He knew the causes of present conditions' and the effects the future would bring. Wang decided to visit him for instruction， even though the way was long and dangerous.

　　他生活在一個不好的年代，那時候有很多災禍。國內強盜和歹徒猖獗。王王很擔憂。他聽說有一個在山洞里用功修行的和尚能知過去未來。他也知道現在的因和將來的果。于是王成決定去拜訪那個和尚，希望能得到一些指示，盡管路途既遙遠又危險。

　　Finally， after many difficulties， Wang reached the monk's cave. He addressed the monk. "Your heavenly honor， the world today is full of bandits and out laws.The people are oppressed by those bearing weapons. We do not know how to keep living. We living creatures are drowning in a sea of disasters. We call upon you， sir， to show mercy by giving us a hand and helping us survive."

　　王成克服重重困難，終于找到了那個和尚的山洞。他向和尚請教，"尊敬的法師，今天世界上到處都是強盜和歹徒。老百姓受著那些帶武器的人的欺壓。我們不知道怎么生存下去了。我們是苦海中的眾生。我來拜訪您，是希望您能大發慈悲，幫幫我們，讓我們活下去吧。"

　　The monk smiled. "You are Wang Cheng， aren't you？"

　　和尚微笑著說。"你是王成吧？"

　　Wang was startled. "Yes， sir， but how could you know my name？ What is your honor's instruction？"

　　王成很驚訝。"是的，法師。您怎么知道我的名字呢？您能給我一些指教嗎？"

　　"If you cannot be a vegetarian， you're just wasting our time with these questions."

　　"如果你不能吃素，問這些問題只是浪費時間。"

　　Wang continued asking questions， but the monk had no more to say to him，so Wang had to go home and think over what he had learned. He decided that he really did have to stop eating the carcasses of dead animals.

　　王成繼續問了很多問題，但是和尚再沒說什么了。王成只好回家，反復思索和尚所講的話，決心不再吃肉。

　　Several years later， Wang presented himself at the cave again. When the monk saw him， he laughed. "That's more like it！ You have understood， and you have finally taken the teachings of mercy to heart.

　　幾年后，王成再次拜訪了那個山洞。當和尚看到他，就大笑了起來"是了！你明白了，而且你終于將慈悲的教導放在心中了。

　　"We live in treacherous times. The country is full of bandits. Only those who do not kill may live in peace. This is the balance of the universe."

　　"我們生活在一個爾虞我詐的年代。國家里盜賊橫行。只有那些不殺生的人能生活在安寧里。這是宇宙的因果規律。"

　　With that， the monk closed his eyes and continued his meditation.

　　說完后，和尚合起眼繼續打坐。

　　Wang Cheng returned home to tell everybody that nobody who kills any living creature can hope for peace， because killing causes killing. If you eat meat， you are responsible for many deaths， so even if you do good deeds， you cannot enjoy true peace. To enjoy peace， you have to earn it by creating peace， not suffering. The best way to do that is to respect all life and eat only vegetarian food.

　　王成回家后，告訴每個人，殺生的人得不到安寧。因為一報還一報。如果你吃肉，你就要對死去的生命負責，所以盡管你做好事，你還是得不到真正的安寧。要得到安寧，你就必須創造安寧，而不是苦難。這樣做的最好方式就是尊重所有的生命并且吃素。

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