Category Archives: 古文集 Compilation of Ancient Texts

俞淨意公遇灶神記 The Record of Scholar Yu Jingyi’s Encounter with the Hearth Deity

鍾佰晟 英譯   English Translated by Brian Chung    VBS632 明朝嘉靖年間,江西有一位姓俞的先生,名都,字良臣,才識淵博。 During the reign of the Ming Emperor Jiajing [1521-1567], Yu Du of Jiangxi, courtesy name Liang Chen, was a talented gentleman and scholar well versed in many arts. 十八歲就中了秀才(生員),每次考試結果都是優秀。成年後,家境貧寒,靠教書為生,與同鄉十幾個書生結成「文昌社」,相約要愛惜字紙、放生、戒邪淫、戒口過(言辭謹慎),實行了很多年。但他前後經過七次考試,都沒有考中(舉人)。生了五個兒子,有四個兒子因病夭折。第三子十分聰明俊秀,左腳底有雙痣,夫妻倆都很疼愛他。八歲時在巷中玩耍走失,不知去向。生了四個女兒,僅存活了一個。 At the … Continue reading

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戒殺四十八問節選 An Excerpt from the Forty-Eight Inquiries of Non-Killing

清•周安士居士述(白話)  鍾佰晟 英譯 By Upasaka Zhou An Shi of the Qing Dynasty     English Translated by Brian Chung     VBS 641、VBS 645 慈受禪師的偈說:「世間上殺生殺得太多了,於是就引發了戰爭。於是曾經殺生的,在戰爭中就會被殺。曾經欠人錢財而賴悵不還的,在戰爭中房子就被燒掉。曾經搗毀鳥獸巢穴的,在戰爭中就會妻離子散。各各的報應,都相等於所造之業。所以大家要洗耳恭聽佛陀所說,因果報應的道理呀。(原偈:世上多殺生,遂有刀兵劫。負命殺汝身,欠財焚汝宅。離散汝妻子,曾破他巢穴。報應各相當,洗耳聽佛説。)」 The Chan Master Ci Shou once said, “As a result of the evil of animal slaughter, violence and wars … Continue reading

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