南无本师释迦牟尼佛（三称） Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha !(three times)
南无大愿地藏王菩萨（三称） Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva! (three times)
Chapter 8: Praises of Lord Yama and his Followers (阎罗王众赞叹品) English sound recording with captions, Online Chinese Earth Store Sutra text; English Earth Store Sutra text; A Commentary by Master Hsuan Hua at City of Ten Thousand Buddhas;
As the saying goes, ” To err is human, to forgive, divine.” We are all imperfect in different ways of various degree. I personally improved so much as my journey on the study of Dharma continues, and as I am influenced by so many virtuous friends.
Buddha said, “The beings of southern Jambudvipa have stubborn and obstinate natures, difficult to tame, difficult to subdue. ” Many times we have good intention, but as we are ignorant, confused, delusional, we did not do things the right way. Not to mention “because beings of Jambudvipa have heavy habits of forming evil“，most times it is our deep rooted bad habits of greed, aversion and bigotry got in the way. That is the very reason Shakyamuni Buddha born to the Earth, he devoted all his time after enlightenment to the education of sentient being. （印光祖师云，如来为一大事因缘故，出现于世。 所谓大事者，欲令一切众生，悉皆开示悟入佛之知见，各得成佛而已。）
Earth Store Bodhisattva said in Chapter 7, “I observe that the mental stirring and thoughts of living beings of Jambudvipa are [almost] always wrongdoings. Although now and then they [may generate virtuous thoughts and] gain good benefits, they mostly retreat from their initial resolve. If they encounter evil conditions, in every thought they increase and add to [the unwholesome]. These people are as if walking in the mire and carrying heavy rocks. They would become more trapped and weighted down as their feet would sink deeper with each step. If such a person can meet a virtuous friend, this person’s burden will be lightened or even completely removed, because such a virtuous friend has great strength. Furthermore, the virtuous friend will lend him support, advise him to keep his steps firm and steady, and point out that once he reaches the level ground, he should beware of the bad road and not walk on it again.” （地藏菩萨摩诃萨白佛言：世尊，我观是阎浮众生，举心动念，无非是罪。脱获善利，多退初心。若遇恶缘，念念增益。是等辈人，如履泥涂，负于重石，渐困渐重，足步深邃。若得遇知识，替与减负，或全与负。是知识有大力故，复相扶助，劝令牢脚。若达平地，须省恶路，无再经历。）
Earth Store Bodhisattva is such a good teacher. He is skilled in lots of magic because of his finely wondrous and inconceivable wisdom through spiritual powers. Earth Store Bodhisattva is one of these virtuous friends on the high realm, now that Sakyamuni Buddha is not in physical form on Earth, and Metteyya Buddha, the future Buddha of this world, has not arrived yet. So we shall follow Buddha’s advice to often pay tributes to Earth Store Bodhisattva in Chapter 6, “in the future on the first, eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, eighteenth, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth days of the [lunar] month, the offenses of living beings will be compiled and the degrees of seriousness assessed. The acts and thoughts of the beings of Jambudvipa are invariably karma and wrongdoing. How much more so when they give themselves over to killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech—hundreds of thousands of offenses! If they are able to read this sutra aloud once in front of the images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, holy ones, and worthies on these ten observance days, there will not be disaster or calamity for a hundred yojanas to the north, south, east, and west. Those in their families, both young and old, will be apart from the lower realms now and throughout hundreds of thousands of years in the future. If they can recite this sutra once on each of the ten observance days, in the present life there will not be untoward dire events and illnesses in the family, and there will be food and clothing in abundance. ” ( 若未来世众生，于月一日、八日、十四日、十五日、十八日、二十三、二十四、二十八、二十九日、乃至三十日，是诸日等，诸罪结集，定其轻重。南阎浮提众生，举止动念，无不是业，无不是罪，何况恣情杀害、窃盗、邪淫、妄语、百千罪状。能于是十斋日，对佛菩萨诸贤圣像前，读是经一遍，东西南北百由旬内，无诸灾难。) To read Sutras is to worship Buddha. 高僧開示：佛法中的“善知識”該怎樣找？“惡知識”又該怎樣躲？
As we getting more and more conscience of the nature law of universe, we human should design laws that close align with cosmic principles, and follow the good practices of Buddha and Bodhisattvas like Earth Store to help those commit crimes. So education is of crucial importance. All the sages and saints in the history are best known for the teachings they instructed to the world. Master Chin Kong spent a lot of time to disseminate the teaching of Buddha’s Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (佛说十善业道经(Bilingual Chinese English). According to Master Chin Kong, this is the foundation of Buddha’s teaching. This discourse help us apply the theory into all peripheral of daily life, the principle is universal applicable at all level for a ordered life, whether it is in personal, family, community, country or international.
净空法师看到世风日下，对今后发展的后果忧心忡忡，他苦口婆心地给我们讲法。 谆谆教导，实是老菩萨的良苦用心： ”诸位佛菩萨在世间示现的一个原则，必定是针对现前社会需要， 提供拯救解决方法。 对现前不适用的理论方法，他决定不说，今天的社会发生了严重的危机，我们要知道，这个危机是教育彻底失败了。过去世界还能维持一个祥和，原因在哪里？全世界对于道德伦理的教育疏忽了，而中国人重视。抗战之间胜利之前，家庭父母，学校老师还讲一些伦常道德，我[净空法师]这一辈人还得到熏习，抗战胜利之后，没有人讲了。所以现代人不懂得做人；我们看到小朋友，他们的思想，言行，仔细观察，感觉很恐怖。。。外国宗教讲的世界末日我也相信就要来了。这个问题要不认真的想办法来挽救，二三十年后，这个世界没救了！ 今天学校教育不讲[伦常道德]了，打开电视，网络，里面都是杀盗淫妄。全世界的众生脑子里都想这些。众业所感。大家都造恶业。恶业天天增长。果报就不可收拾。 世界末日真就到了。 有智慧的人，在这短短的一生当中，要懂得修福。 凡是利益一切众生，帮助社会安定，世界和平，这是善。 凡是利益自己，利益自己的小团体，损害别人，欺骗别人，这是恶。 而恶的果报在三途 。 这又何必？人在世间，能活几天？算你活一百岁，也不过三万六千日。 这么短暂的时间去造作罪业，堕落在三途，那时间就长了。不值得。所以在这个世间，读圣贤书， 受好的教育，一定要克服自己的烦恼，欲望，真正发心利益众生。“
Buddha’s Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (佛说十善业道经(Bilingual Chinese English) Buddhas and bodhisattvas have a method which could cut off all pain and get substantial benefits. This method is to practice ten virtues. 《佛說十善業道經》出自西晉月氏國三藏竺法護譯《佛說海龍王經》，為其第十一品《十德六度》，是佛為海龍王說，一切法靡不由心，應修十善，遂廣明十善功德，及攝一切佛法。即諸佛菩薩有一方法，能斷除一切惡道之苦，獲取極大利益，這個方法就是修行十善業道。Here is a movie of the “Ten commandments” of The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action.
净空老法师谈 佛陀是对于宇宙人生的真相，理事、性相、因果彻底明了通达的觉者。《十善业道经》在佛法教化众生是最重要的一部经论。他在经题报告中说；佛法众多宗派，唯独净土三经 （《 佛说无量寿经 》、《 佛说观无量寿佛经 》、《 佛说阿弥陀经 》）跟这一部《佛说十善业道经》，一切诸佛是决定要说的。业就是在每一天的生活工作处世待人接物，所以的一切作为。做的时候叫作”事”， 事做完之后，它的结果就叫作”业”。做的好事，坏事就叫作善业，恶业。 业看不到，听不到，也摸不着，业在阿赖耶识里。 我们的思想不善，行为不善，言语不善，都留在 阿赖耶识里。 善的标准是要与心性、性德相应；十善业道是佛教的幼稚园。五戒十善是佛法的基础；戒跟善在果德上不相同。因戒得定，因定生慧，五戒求的是清静。 十善求的是福报。 昼夜常念善法，思惟善法，观察善法，不容毫分不善夹杂。恶才取得干净，善才会修圆满。
社會要安定，世界要和平，能夠辦得到的只有教育。治国如是，治家也不例外。好子孙也是从教育中来。 无论什么环境，教育最重要。 工商界能成功，也在于对员工的教育。疏忽了教育，制度再好，都有弊病。建国君民，教学为先；作之师（法布施），作之亲（内财布施，布施恩德），作之君（无畏布施）；立德立功立言。
历史文献记载中，雍正皇帝是高僧大德虚云老和尚、体光老和尚、太虚大师等认定的乘愿再来大士！ 对于儒，释，道三教有深刻的认知，他说：“佛以治心，道以治身，儒以治世。”三教各有其用，又有许多共同的东西。可谓真知灼见。他还特别强调，三教有一个共同目标，即教育百姓如何做人：“三教之觉民于海内也，理同出于一源，道并行而不悖。” 雍正在十一年二月十五日，他还为佛说十善道业经作序， 可见他对《佛说十善业道经〉的重视。
根据《吕氏春秋》中的”德主刑辅”法律观研究 一文分析，《吕氏春秋》的法律观念深受到儒家的影响，提出人治和德主刑辅的思想。在治国理念上以儒家”德治”和”人治”思想为主，也合理吸收了法家的法治思想，对儒家思想和法家思想予以的合理扬弃。
儒家提倡的人治。孔子也认同”人”在治理中的重要地位。他提出”为政在人”主张，其人治思想与柏拉图的”贤人政治”有着其共通之处。孔子在《论语·为政》中说：“道之以政,齐之以刑,民免而无耻。道之以德,齐之以礼,有耻且格。
通过将法治与德治相互进行对比，孔子显然更加推崇在治理中运用道德教化民众，感化民众，以使民”有耻且格”，从而达到社会治理的目的。而施行德治的手段则是人治。因此孔子强调统治者自身的道德修养，认为”修身”是”治国平天下”的前提和基础。《论语·子离》：”其身正，不令而行；其身不正，虽令不从”。
伴随着君主集权加强和官僚体制的逐步建立，法治思想逐渐兴盛。成文法取代了传统的习惯法，法律体系逐渐完善，法律条文更为明晰，使得”缘法而治”成为可能。因此，法家提出了不同于儒家的主张，《韩非子·显学》：圣人之治国,不恃人之为吾善也,而用其不得为非也。恃人之为吾善也,境内不什数;用人不得为非,一国可使齐。为治者用众而舍寡,故不务德而务法。
与儒家推崇”道之以德,齐之以礼”以使百姓”有耻且格”的主张相反，法家提倡”用人不得为非”，认为法律和法治可以”一国可使齐”，进而直接提出”不务德而务法”。在法家看来，完善的成文法能够克服人的因素对于治理的影响，法家不”比待贤”，而是以法代贤，”尚法不尚贤”.
《吕氏春秋》和儒家思想类似，都认为只有有道德的人才能实现国家的治理，显示出其强烈的人治思想，而在对百姓的治理上，《上德》： ”以德以义，不赏而民劝，不罚而邪止……说通而化奋，利行乎天下，而民不识。岂必以严罚厚赏哉？严罚厚赏，此哀世之政也”。在文中，《吕氏春秋》也体现出浓厚的人治思想，认为治民依靠德与义的教化，能够使得百姓”不赏而民劝，不罚而邪止”，这同儒家”道之以德,齐之以礼,有耻且格。”的思想很类似。
这些思想都是我们当下乱世解决问题的很好借鉴。
to be continue ….
Dedicate Merits:
May the precious bodhicitta That has not yet arisen, arise and grow, And may that which has already arisen not diminish, But increase more and more. 回向偈： 愿以此功德，庄严佛净土。 上报四重恩，下济三涂苦。 若有见闻者，悉发菩提心。 尽此一报身，同生极乐国。