Be compassionate and build up your virtue 

发慈悲心 广积阴德

It is also said in the Wenchang Emperor's Yin Stallion: "If you want to expand the field of blessings, you must rely on your heart, perform all kinds of convenience, do all kinds of Yin Gong, benefit things and people, and cultivate goodness and blessings."

   In order to achieve happiness and good fortune, one must accumulate virtue and good deeds; one must accumulate a lot of good deeds in order to have a great effect. And the goodness accumulated should preferably be yin virtues unknown to others, in order to be able to reverse fate. However, all good deeds and virtues are based on compassion. Compassion is to give happiness to all beings, and compassion is to remove the suffering of all beings. To care for sentient beings at all times, to think of others in every way, is to be compassionate. This is why the Pure Conduct Sutra tells us that in our daily lives, no matter where we walk, live, sit or lie, we should always wish that all sentient beings will be free from all worries, sufferings and burdens, and that we will achieve supreme wisdom as soon as possible. 

   According to the Sutra on the Practice of Compassion, compassion has fifteen benefits (rewards): 1) inner peace when resting; 2) peace of mind when waking; 3) protection from the gods; 4) support from others; 5) no bad dreams at night; 6) a joyful heart; 7) water cannot float (one cannot drown in water); 8) fire cannot burn (one cannot die from fire); 9) swords cannot hurt (one cannot die from swords or guns); 10) poison cannot harm (one cannot die from (will not die from poison); 11. always be born in a good place; 12. always feel happiness; 13. ascend to Brahma in the next life; 14. later go back to earth as a king (leader); and finally, achieve the highest wisdom through faith in Buddha. 

The concrete manifestation of compassion is the love of material life. This is what the Buddhist scriptures call "unbounded compassion" and "one body, one compassion". 

   Never kill or abuse animals. Don't cage goldfish or birds to deprive them of their freedom, otherwise we will also be in bondage in the next life. It is best not to keep chickens, ducks, dogs or cats because these animals eat small insects and by keeping them, you are indirectly killing them. 

   Do not cut down trees at random, because all trees have small animals such as spirits and insects on which they depend for their survival. In case you have to cut them down for some legitimate reason (such as building roads, bridges, schools or monasteries), you should burn incense three days beforehand and tell the tree gods and small animals to move. If they don't agree, ask it to send you a dream. You must even water the plants carefully so as not to hurt the little insects on the ground. Before it rains you must cover or pack up all kinds of jars outside, so that the rainwater does not fill them up and give birth to small insects after a few days; when you need to use the jars on a sunny day, pour that water on the ground and you will kill the small insects in the water. 

Never set fire to forests or meadows, and never use pesticides or insecticides that harm people or themselves. If your crops are infested with pests and diseases, follow the instructions in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and you will be able to prevent or avoid serious pests and diseases. This is a matter that you must bear in mind. 

You would do well to set aside some money each month to help the poor and needy. Or encourage your children to buy animals for release with the money they have added to their savings. These actions will help you to live a long and painless life in this life or the next. 

  Being a vegetarian not only develops compassion, but also reduces the bad karma associated with killing. If you are unable to be a vegetarian for a long time, it is best to eat vegetarian food on the Sixth or Tenth Day of Ramadan, or on the Three Pure Meats (when an animal is killed and you do not hear its screams or see its death). (the animal was killed without you hearing it scream or seeing it die, and it was not killed by anyone else just for you). If you want to change your fate of a short life, you must at least first refrain from harming the lives of things. This is why the sages have repeatedly admonished us to "keep away from the kitchen" and "not to eat its flesh when you hear its sound", adding that "in a moment's time, blessings and disasters are dependent on each other." The time spent eating a meal is extremely short, but when we use our chopsticks to pick up a dish or meat, the seeds of good fortune and bad luck are already planted in our hearts. 

   The best way to nurture love in children is to start at a young age. So it is said. 

It is always painful to see everything die. 

Even insects are greedy for life. 

The life of a child is born. 

Tell children not to despise it. 

Cultivate deep kindness at an early age 

So that they may live a hundred years. 

A heart to kill is better than a heart to be merciful 

Don't break a young branch in the spring forest. 

   If you want to understand more about the impact of killing and letting go of life on your destiny, please refer to The Book of Killing and Letting Go of Life and The Book of Life Care Paintings! 

   Another concrete manifestation of compassion is to be kind to others and not to lose one's temper. Hatred is terrible, for it can reduce former good deeds and cultivation to ashes, and it brings you countless troubles and unrest. That is why it is said, "The fire of anger burns up the forest of merit and virtue" and "One thought of anger opens the door to a million obstacles." 

Losing one's temper is a sign of bad cultivation and a short life, and if we have this bad habit, we must change it completely! 

We should even have sympathy and compassion for evil people, bad students, etc. We should never scold evil people with indignation, or rejoice in punishing bad students and gloat over our punitive skills!

   《文昌帝君阴骘文》上面也说：“欲广福田，须凭心地，行时时之方便，作种种之阴功，利物利人，修善修福。”

   人生要得幸福善报，就一定要积德行善；善一定要积很多，才能发生大作用。而且所积的善最好是别人所不知道的阴德，才能够扭转命运。然而行善积德都以慈悲心为根本。慈就是给众生快乐，悲就是拔除众生痛苦。时常关怀众生，处处为别人着想，就是慈悲心。所以《华严经》的“净行品”告诉我们，日常生活当中，无论行、住、坐、卧，都应发愿希望众生永离一切烦恼、痛苦和负担，早日成就无上智慧。 

   《修慈经》上记载，慈悲心有十五种好处（果报）：1、休息的时候内心安稳；2、醒的时候安心；3、天神保护；4、别人拥护；5、夜无恶梦；6、心常欢喜；7、水不能漂（不会被水淹死）；8、火不能烧（不会死于火灾）；9、刀不能伤（不会死于刀枪）；10、毒不能害（不会死于毒药）；11、常出生在好的地方；12、常感受快乐；13、来世升梵天；14、以后又到人间做王（领袖）；最后还会因为信佛而成就最高的智慧。 

慈悲心的具体表现就是爱惜物命。没有条件和限制的爱心所产生的福德才是无量无边，这就是佛经上所说的“无缘大慈”与“同体大悲”。 

   永远不可以杀害或虐待动物。不要把金鱼和小鸟关在笼子里剥夺动物的自由，否则来生我们也会受束缚。最好不要养鸡、鸭、狗、猫，因为这些动物会吃小昆虫，你养了它们，等于间接的杀生。 

   不要随便砍伐树木，因为一切树木都有鬼神和昆虫等小动物赖以维生。万一为了某些正当的理由（如修路、造桥、建学校、盖寺院）不得不砍时，你应当在三天前烧香，告诉树神和小动物，请它们搬家。如果它们不答应，请它托梦给你。甚至连给花草浇水都得小心翼翼，以免伤害到地上的小虫。下雨天前一定要把室外的各种罐子上盖或收拾好，以免雨水灌满了罐子，过了几天以后便会生小虫；等你晴天要用罐子时，把那水倒在地上，就会害死那些水中的小虫。 

千万不可放火焚烧山林或草地，也不要使用农药和杀虫剂等害人害己的东西。假如你的农作物受了病虫害的侵袭，请你遵照《大悲心陀罗尼经》所指示的方法去做，自然可以防止或免除严重的病虫害。这一件事情诸君一定要切记在心。 

你最好每个月都拨出一些钱来救济穷困的人。或者鼓励孩子以补满储蓄的钱来买动物放生。这些作为会使你今生或来生长寿而且没有病痛。 

  吃素不但可以培养慈悲心，而且还可以减少杀生所带来的恶业。假如你不能吃长素，最好在“六斋日”或“十斋日”吃素；或者吃“三净肉”（动物被杀时你没有听到它的叫声，也没有看见它的死亡，同时不是别人专为你杀的）。你要改造自己短命夭折的厄运，至少必须先做到不伤物命。所以先圣先贤一再告诫我们“君子远庖厨”、“闻其声不忍食其肉”，又说：“口腹须臾间，福祸相倚伏。”吃一顿饭的时间虽然极为短暂，可是当我们用筷子夹菜或夹肉时，心中就已经种下凶吉福祸的种子了。 

   培养孩子的爱心，最好从幼小的时候就开始做起。所以说： 

万物夭亡总痛情， 

虽然虫蚁也贪生； 

一般性命天生就， 

吩咐儿童莫看轻。 

培养深仁在幼时， 

才能享寿百年期； 

杀心好比慈心换， 

莫向春林折嫩枝。 

   诸君假如想要进一步明白杀生和放生对命运的影响，请参阅《放生杀生现报录》和《护生画集》！ 

   慈悲心的另一种具体表现就是待人和蔼，不发脾气。憎恨心是可怕的，因为它可以使从前的善行和修养化为灰烬，而且给你带来无数的烦恼和不安宁。所以说：“嗔火烧尽功德林”、“一念嗔心起，百万障门开。” 

发脾气是修养不好与短命的象征，如果我们有这个坏毛病，一定要彻底改过！ 

甚至连犯罪的恶人、坏学生等我们都应寄以同情和怜悯心，千万不可以愤恨心责骂恶人，或者在处罚坏学生时心生欢喜，对自己的惩罚技巧洋洋得意！

What are the acts of abstaining from killing and releasing

 戒杀与放生的行为包括哪些

 1. Do not kill a living being with your own hands.

　　2. Do not abet others to kill.

　　3. Do not help others to kill.

　　4. Abstain from eating meat.

　　5. Do not engage in trades related to killing.

　　6、Whenever there is worship, regardless of what is being worshipped, use vegetarian dishes, flowers and fruit, not animal gifts.

　　7. If you see someone killing a human being, you should discourage them or buy the animal to be slaughtered with money and release it. If this does not work, or if the person does not sell the animal, then you should have compassion for the slaughtered animal, and even better if you can recite the Buddha's name or mantra for it.

　　8. Do not abuse the animal.

　　9、Other actions that are contrary to killing.

　　10. Abstain from killing and releasing animals yourself, and advise others to do the same. 

   1、不亲手杀生。

　　2、不教唆别人杀生。

　　3、不帮助别人杀生。

　　4、戒除肉食。

　　5、不从事与杀生有关的行业。

　　6、凡有祭拜，不管拜的是什么，一律用素菜、鲜花、水果，不用牲礼。

　　7、见人杀生，应加劝阻，或用钱将临宰之动物买而放之。若劝阻无效，或他不卖，则应对被杀之动物起同情心，若能为它念佛号或往生咒更好。

　　8、不虐待动物。

　　9、其他与杀生行为相反之行为。

　　10、自己戒杀放生，也劝别人戒杀放生。 

(This article is an original article by Zhuge Changqing, and the pictures are selected from the Internet. Welcome to forward it, and please indicate the source for forwarding)

Introduction to Zhuge Changqing: Zhuge Changqing, the inheritor and promoter of traditional Chinese culture, is willing to "learn from sages, promote virtue, revitalize China and benefit the world" together with people with the same ideals in the world.

(Zhuge Changqing: zhuge8031@163.com ）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

Zhuge Changqing's Chinese Dream

Learn from sages and carry forward virtue

Revitalizing China for the benefit of the world

 （本文是诸葛长青原创文章，图片选自网络。欢迎转发，转发引用请注明出处）

诸葛长青简介：诸葛长青，中国国学传统文化传承弘扬者，愿与天下志同道合者一起“学习圣贤、弘扬善德、振兴中华、造福世界”。

（诸葛长青：zhuge8031@163.com）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

  诸葛长青中国梦  

学习圣贤 弘扬善德

振兴中华 造福世界

Selected Articles in Previous Periods

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往期精选文章

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1The wisdom of traditional Chinese culture changes the destiny: filial piety to parents+five in one+self-improvement

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2Zhuge Changqing's Three Golden Keys to Changing Destiny

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4How to repent: the ritual of repentance and the method of repentance (full version)

4   如何忏悔：忏悔仪轨忏悔方法（完整版）

5How to read the Dizang Sutra: Methods for reciting Dizang Sutra (complete version)

5 如何念地藏经：念地藏经仪轨方法（完整版）

6How to release? The ritual of releasing life

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7Zhuge Changqing's Repentance Culture: A Case Study of Repentance Methods for Changing Destiny

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8Free Life Culture: Free Life Culture in Ancient China

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9Shocking photo of feeding: Buddha, Bodhisattva and Dharma Protector come to the scene

9施食震撼照片：佛菩萨护法神亲临现场

10Feeding Rite Return: the return is changed to simple return

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