安樂往生簡繁轉換 - 繁體林鈺堂
現代醫藥科技的進展，雖然在某些方面造福人群，卻也形成一些令人難以抉擇的局勢。弟子綿延問及「安樂死」，聽我解析後，請我撰文以助大眾，因而有此作。 病人若已由醫師判定無可救藥，或已成植物人，可否將維持其生機的機器及管線等移除？ 植物人生機尚存，若移除則剝奪其生機，等於害命，故不宜如此處理。當為彼等修法、做放生等佛事以消業、培福慧。如此，即有可能使彼等因業障消除而復甦，或得自然往生淨土。 至於瀕臨命終，只靠藥物、機器維持心跳，並且無轉好之可能的老、病者，則可以移除人工之協助，使彼等經歷自然之過程。但也要為他們修法、做種種佛事，使彼等能轉生善道或往生淨土。 至於長年受病苦折磨者是否可自行或由他人協助早些辭世？此即近年來時興之「安樂死」。 此種選擇之基本理由是減免痛苦及維持之負擔。從佛法看來，此等境遇緣於宿業，若不消除業障之根本，縱然倖免一時，來世還需面對。並且害命之舉，不論自行他助，都是再造業因，增添將來之苦報。因此，所謂「安樂死」，並不能因死而得安樂，反而是衍生「不得安樂之來生」的不智之舉。 常年受病苦折磨或老弱臥床而厭世者，仍然可依佛法得解脫。若能自修念佛，則業障潛消，心地清明，有可能在佛力加被下，境遇好轉，或得安然自然之往生。其週遭之親友亦可助念或行種種佛事，並以功德迴向於其業障消弭、福慧增長。如此，亦可裨益其得自然之康復或往生。若依佛法而得自然往生，可謂「安樂往生」，而免一切附作用及後遺症矣！ 我在 師恩庇蔭下，為眾代禱，屢有奇效，已二十餘年。前述以佛法功德迴向可癒病或自然往生，皆經歷頗多，並非因堅持佛法理念而作虛語。願此發乎自身經歷之肺腑忠告能助有緣見聞者作正確之抉擇。 至於目前尚無重大疾苦者，亦當醒悟人生無常，別人瀕危之境遇不知何時自己會面對，因此應趁身心尚有健力，多修行多積功德，以期能免「求生不得、求死不能」之苦，將來臨終竟能博得「安樂往生」之善終。
Peaceful and Joyful Rebirth Yutang Lin To take care of matters in accordance with Dharma one need to follow causal rules and seek thorough solutions. The ideal of Dharma is to enable all beings to escape from transmigration in the ocean of repetitive life-and-death cycles, and then return to the peace and joy of original purity and boundlessness. Hence, in the face of hardship and siege one does not evade it, and would not adopt temporarily convenient measures, but instead would apply efforts on elimination of karmic debts and cultivation of merits so as to achieve ultimate liberation. Advanced developments of modern medical technology, even though had benefited the multitude in some areas, and yet had also shaped some situations difficult for us to choose from. Disciple Mian Yan asked about "euthanasia," and, after listening to my analyses from the Buddhist point of view, requested that I wrote about this topic so as to benefit the public. Hence this article was written. When a patient had been diagnosed by physicians as incurable, or had become a vegetative being, could the tubes and other connections to machinery that sustain the patient's life be removed? Patients in vegetative state are still alive, if those connections were removed, it would amount to killing them, and hence we should not do so. We should conduct Dharma activities on their behalves, such as releasing of lives and other Dharma practices so as to reduce their karmic hindrances and cultivate their merits and wisdom. Thus they may recover as a result of extinction of karmic debts or naturally gain rebirth in Buddha's Pureland. As to those at the verge of death due to old age or sickness but remain alive only through medication and machinery to sustain their heart beats, and had no medical reason for recovery, then the artificial supports may be removed so that they may go through the natural processes. But we still need to conduct all sorts of Dharma practices so as to help them gain rebirth in better realms or Buddha's Pureland. As to patients who had suffered long and severe from chronic diseases, whether they may choose to depart earlier from this life on their own or through help from others──the "euthanasia" that had attracted much attention and discussion in recent years, will be considered here. Basic reasons for such choice are extinction of severe and chronic pains and the cost of sustaining such existences. From the Dharma point of view, such circumstances are causal consequences of past karma. If the roots of such karmic hindrances were not uprooted, even if they could be avoided for now, in future lives one will still have to face them. Furthermore, the act of killing, be it self-inflicted or through other's implementation, will become the seed for further consequences, adding to future sufferings. Hence, the so-called "euthanasia" will not yield peace and joy through death, but is indeed an unwise action that will yield no peaceful and joyful future lives. People who are tired of living, either due to bedridden senility or because of chronic suffering in illnesses, may still gain emancipation through Dharma practices. If they could practice the chanting of Amitabha, then their karmic hindrances will gradually reduce and their mind will remain lucid, and hence it will be possible for them to recover or attain natural and peaceful rebirth in Pureland. Relatives and friends around them may also help them through participation in the chanting practice or engaging in various Dharma deeds, and then dedicate the merits thus generated to their reduction of karmic hindrances and accumulation of merits and wisdom. Thus they may also be benefited and thereby gain natural recovery or rebirth. If they gain natural rebirth through Dharma practices, then it is indeed peaceful and joyful rebirth, free from any side-effects and undesirable consequences. Under the blessing of Guru Chen I had pray for many people for over two decades and often yielded immediate and effective results. As mentioned above that illnesses may be cured or natural rebirth gained through dedication of merits generated through Dharma activities, had been experienced often and regularly by me. I do not say these vainly out of conviction to Dharma. May these sincere advices born of personal experiences accumulated over two decades help people who come to know them make correct choices when faced with such situations! As to people who at present are not suffering from severe illnesses, they should awake to the impermanence of human existence——others' circumstances of on the verge of death could become one's own situation at any time, and hence while body and mind are still healthy and energetic, engage more in Dharma practices and accumulate more merits lest they will have to face the suffering of "could not die and simultaneously could not have desirable living," and when eventually it is time to go they could indeed attain the good ending of a peaceful and joyful rebirth in Buddha's Pureland.
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