人生不过三万天，做个好人图什么？

人生不过三万天，做个好人图什么？

大家都向往美好，但是我们追求的，更多是外在的美好，比如相貌、服装、身份，却没想到，真正的美好来自生命内在。而内在的美好离不开智慧和道德，这就需要认识生命的因缘因果。

Everyone aspires to beauty, but we often pursue external forms of beauty—such as appearance, clothing, and status—without realizing that true beauty comes from within. Inner beauty cannot be separated from wisdom and morality, which require an understanding of the causes, conditions and causality of life.

从因缘因果的角度看，道德是什么？价值在哪里？其实，道德就是组成人格的材料。我们用不良心理来构建它，还是用良性品质来构建它？

From this perspective, what is morality, and where does its value lie? In fact, morality serves as the substance from which our character is formed. Will we construct it with virtues or flaws?

如果大家没想过这个问题，可以从另一个角度来思考。想一想，如果一个人善良、诚实、友善、慈悲、温暖，肯定每个人都喜欢；反之，如果一个人心胸狭隘、充满对立、嗔恨心重、嫉妒心强、总是损人利己，肯定没人愿意和他交朋友。

If you haven’t thought about this, consider it this way: a kind, honest, friendly, compassionate, and warm-hearted person is universally liked and welcomed. Conversely, no one wants to befriend someone who is narrow-minded, confrontational, angry, jealous, or selfish.

虽然很多人未必意识到道德的作用，但在生活中，我们愿意接近什么样的人，远离什么样的人，也从一个侧面说明，内心对道德还是有一份肯定，对美好还是有一份向往。

Although many people may not fully realize the role of morality, the choices we make about whom to associate with or distance ourselves from in daily life reflect our recognition of morality and our longing for a beautiful life.

那么，如何造就美好的生命？如果生命由二十种元素组成，其中十种是正向的，十种是负面的，我们会如何选择？能不能做得了主？还是会不知不觉地发展那些负面元素？

How to build a beautiful life? If life consists of twenty elements—ten positive and ten negative—how would we choose? Are we in control of this choice, or do harmful elements grow unnoticed?

儒家讲修身、齐家、治国、平天下。其中，修身是基础，也是首要，从某种意义上说，还是最难的。如果没有佛法智慧，不了解生命的因缘因果，就看不到道德的完整价值，怎么修身？

Confucianism teaches self-cultivation, family regulation, governance of the state, and bringing peace to the world. Of these, self-cultivation is the foundation and, in many ways, the most difficult to achieve. Without the wisdom of Buddhism and an understanding of life’s causes, conditions and causality, how can we fully grasp the value of morality and practice self-cultivation?

我曾和岳麓书院朱汉民院长讨论到这个问题，我说儒家虽然强调道德，但不谈因缘因果，那道德的价值是什么？有人会觉得，我做一个好人，带来的好处最多几十年，那么短暂，为什么要辛辛苦苦地做好人？

In a discussion with Professor Zhu Hanmin, Dean of Yuelu Academy, I pointed out that while Confucianism emphasizes morality, it lacks the concept of causes, conditions and causality. So, what is the value of morality? Some people may think, “Being a good person only brings benefits for a few decades—such a short time. Why should I go through so much effort to be good?”

但如果了解生命的因缘因果，就会知道，遵循道德可以让生命更美好，不仅让我们今生受益，还能尽未来际地受益。

However, if we understand the causes, conditions, and causality of life, we’ll realize that following morality benefits not only this lifetime but also countless lifetimes to come.

摘自《佛法在家庭教育中的运用》

作者：济群法师

Excerpted from:

Bringing Buddhist Teachings to Family Education

By Master Jiqun