[509] 为什么丧事杀诸生命以祭其灵、宴其宾，皆是以落井下石为孝，比杀亲为更可怜悯？
[509] Why Is [The] Funeral Practice [Of] Killing Many Lives, With [Them] Offering [To] Those Consciousnesses [Of The Deceased, And] Feasting [Of] Those Guests, All [For Those] Fallen [Into A] Well, With Dropping Rocks As ‘Filiality’, Compared [With] Killing [Of] Parents, Is Even More Pitiable?
◎ 愚痴之人不知因亲丧杀生，令亲受杀报。凡眼不见，谓为行孝；天眼视之，比杀亲为更可怜悯。何以故，以所杀生多，令亲与自己及宾客，生生世世，相为酬偿，可不哀哉。今之为人子者，多多皆是以落井下石为孝。
◎ [Summary]: Those ignorant people [who do] not know, because [of their] parents’ funerals, killing lives, cause [their] parents [to] receive killing’s retribution. Ordinary [beings’] eyes [that do] not see [this], call [it] as practising ‘filiality’. [For those with the] heavenly eye seeing this, compared [with] killing [of] parents, [it] is [even] more pitiable. Why thus? [As] with that killing [of] lives many, your esteemed parents, with yourself and guests, for life after life, [will be with] one another repaying, how [is this] not lamentable? Now, of those as children, extremely many are all with [for those] fallen [into a] well dropping rocks as ‘filiality’.
现今世道陵夷，礼法坏乱。凡所行事，通皆图撑架子，壮场面，不知何者应法，何者应戒。
Nowadays, [with] the ways of the world deteriorating, ceremonial rites [are] corrupted [and] confused. All those practised practices, [are in] common, all [with] planning [to] put on airs, [for] grand public appearances, not knowing which [of] those correspond to [the] Dharma, [and] which [of] those should [be] abstained [from].
汝母既在生吃素念佛，临终尚有瑞应。勿道荤不宜用，亦当勉遵母意，全体用素。
Your mother, since while alive, ate [as a] veg[etari]an [and] recited [Āmítuó]fó[’s name (阿弥陀佛), when] approaching [life’s] end, still had auspicious [signs] responding. Not speaking [of] meat [being] not suitable [for] use, [you] also should encourage [the] following [of your] mother’s wish, [with] all using veg[etari]an [food].
古者丧礼绝不用荤酒。隋炀帝为太子时，其母死，不敢吃肉，偷令用竹筒装肉，以蜡封口，用包袱裹而进之。
Those ancients’ funerals absolutely [do] not use meat [and] alcohol. When Emperor Yáng [of the] Suí [Dynasty] was Crown Prince, his mother died. [He did] not dare [to] eat meat, [but] secretly ordered using [of] bamboo tubes [to be] filled [with] meat, with wax sealing [their] openings. Using cloth [to] wrap [them], then eating it.
可见丧中用肉，古儒者如此之严，虽为太子尚恐人知，作此种办法。
[It] can [be] seen [that on] within funerals using meat, those ancient Confucians [were] like this, that strict. Although as [a] Crown Prince, still afraid [of] others knowing, [he] created this kind [of] method.
今人自己也吃肉，且以肉享宾客，宾客皆不知丧是何事，居然饮酒食肉，当做一场热闹开心事办。
Nowadays, people [are with] themselves also eating meat, moreover with meat enjoying [with] guests, [these] guests [who] all [do] not know funerals are what matters, naturally [are with] drinking [of] alcohol [and] eating [of] meat, as a lively [and] happy matter done.
其于先王礼法，全体违背，而只知其要人夸美。如欲避用素系为省钱之嫌，宜标示大义，而特提出若干钱以作公益，则人自不至以省钱怪也。
With those former Kings’ ceremonial rites, entirely contradicted, then only knowing that [of] wanting others [to] praise [and] compliment [them]. If desiring [to] avoid suspicion of using veg[etari]an [food being] related [to be] for saving money, [there] should [be] indicating [of its] main points [in writing], and specially initiating [with a] certain amount of money, with [it for] serving public welfare. Then, others [will] naturally [be] unlikely [to be] with saving [of] money blaming [you].
人子于亲，当令神识得所。今之为人子者，多多皆是以落井下石为孝。
[As] children, for [their] parents, [there] should [be] enabling [of their] consciousnesses [to] attain that [peaceful]. Now, of those as children, extremely many are all with [for those] fallen [into a] well dropping rocks as ‘filiality’.
如其不肯下石，似乎羞惭无颜见人一样，越下的石多，越自为得意。
If [there are] those not willing [to] drop rocks, [they are] seemingly like [those] ashamed [and] without face [to] see others, [with] more dropping [of] rocks, more with themselves satisfied.
可怜父母一生为儿女，及至其死，又借此丧事杀诸生命以祭其灵，以宴其宾，以自食啖。
Pitiful [are] fathers [and] mothers, [who were for their] whole lives, for [their] sons [and] daughters [caring], up until their deaths, [with the latter] also using these funeral practices, [for] killing many lives, with [them] offering [to] their consciousnesses, with feasts [for] those guests, with themselves eating [them].
尚扬扬得意曰，我于我亲丧，杀了几只猪，买了几多鸡鸭鱼虾以宴宾客，我父母生我一番，我也可谓尽心焉耳矣。
Yet, elated [and] satisfied, saying, ‘[As] I, for my parents’ funerals, killed how many pigs, bought how many chickens, ducks, fishes [and] prawns, with [them for] feasts [of] guests, [for “repaying”] my father [and] mother’s one birth [of] me, I also can [be] called [to have fulfilled] utmost efforts.’
而不知因亲丧杀生，令亲受杀报，凡眼不见，谓为行孝；天眼视之，比杀亲为更可怜悯。
Yet, not knowing [that] because [of] parents killing lives, enables [your] parents [to] receive killing’s retribution, ordinary [beings’] eyes [that do] not see [this], call [it] as practising ‘filiality’. [For those with the] heavenly eye seeing this, compared [with] killing [of] parents, [it] is [even] more pitiable.
何以故，以所杀生多，令亲与自己及宾客，生生世世，相为酬偿，可不哀哉？成家之子，不借重债，况欲行孝，而借性命之债乎。
Why thus? [As] with that killing [of] lives many, your esteemed parents, with yourself and guests, for life after life, [will be with] one another repaying, how [is this] not lamentable? Those children [who have] formed families, [will] not borrow [to have] heavy debts, moreover, [when] desiring [to] practise filiality, then ‘borrow’ [the] debts of lives.
汝虽皈依佛法，恐于此理未能了然，故为汝说。即家中兄弟姊妹，有不知此理者，宜以光言令彼看，为彼详说所以。
Although you [have] taken refuge [in the] Buddha’s Dharma, fearing [that] of these principles, [you have] yet [to be] able [to] understand [them] clearly, thus for you speaking [of them]. If elder brothers, younger brothers, elder sisters [and] younger sisters within [the] family, have those [who do] not know these principles, [there] should [be] with [Yìn]guāng[’s] words, enabled [for] them [to] see, for them detailedly speaking [of their] reasons.
彼等若晓得此理，谁肯行落井下石之孝？行落井下石之孝，虽虎狼尚有不忍，况人乎哉？
If they all know these principles, who [will be] willing [to] practise ‘filiality’ of [for those] fallen [into a] well dropping rocks? Practising ‘filiality’ of [for those] fallen [into a] well dropping rocks, even tigers [and] wolves still have [those] not [able to] bear [this], moreover humans?
但以世人不知三世因果，固执世间习惯之事以行丧礼，其悖先王丧礼也大矣。
However, with [the] world’s people not knowing three lifetimes’ causes [and] effects, stubbornly attached [to] practices of worldly habits practising funeral rites, those conflicts with former Kings’ funeral rites [are] also great.
汝与光未一面，汝母与光亦无相识，光何必要络络索索讨人嫌，说者些空头话做什么？
You, with [Yìn]guāng, [have] yet [to] once meet. Your mother with [Yìn]guāng, [are] also not acquainted. Why [would Yìn]guāng want [to] ramble [and] annoy people, speak so many [of] those ‘empty’ words?
不过念汝尚信光，汝母一生勤俭慈惠，念佛修善，光唯欲汝母得利益，不愿汝母由汝等不明大理，致令受损。
However, considering [that] your mother still [has] faith in [Yìn]guāng, [and that] your mother, [for her] whole life, [was] hardworking [and] frugal, kind [and] benevolent, recited [Āmítuó]fó[’s name (阿弥陀佛) and] cultivated good, [Yìn]guāng only desires your mother [to] attain benefits, not wishing your mother, due [to] you all not understanding [these] great principles, [to] cause her [to] receive harm.
若汝等不怕自己母亲受损，不肯令其得益，则亦只好任汝等，光岂能强汝等不行乎？
If you all [are] not afraid [of] your own mother receiving harm, [and are] not willing [to] enable her [to] attain benefits, [she] then also only can rely on you all. How [is Yìng]uāng able [to] force you all [to] not practise [that wrong]?
然光已说过，光心无愧。光若不说，便失光之身分。何以故，以汝以光为善知识故。譬如有人，欲得归家。问路于人，必须指其当行之正路，不当行之岔路。
However, [as Yìn]guāng [has] already spoken [of this] before, [Yìn]guāng[’s] mind [is] without regrets. [Yìn]guāng, if not speaking [of this], then loses [the] character of [Yìn]guāng. Why thus? Because of you, with [Yìn]guāng as [your] good-knowing friend thus. For example, if [there] is [a] person, [who] desires [to] return home. [With] asking of others, [they] must point [to] that right road that should [be] walked, [and] that side road that should not [be] walked.
汝若仍依己见，一定要向不当行之岔路去，乃汝之过，与指路者无干也。
If you still rely [on your] own view, definitely wanting [to], towards that side road [that] should not [be] walked go, [this is] then [the] fault of yourself, nothing to do with those [persons who] pointed [out the] road.
祈谛审吾言，是骗汝耶，是成就汝之孝道耶？知好歹者，当不以吾言为谬。
Requesting [that you] attentively examine my words, [to know if they] are deceiving you, [or] are [for] accomplishing that filial path of yours. Those [who] know [what is] good [and] bad, should not [be] with my words as erroneous.
《答孙庆泽居士丧礼不宜用荤书》
Reply Letter [To] Layperson Sūn Qìngzé [On] Funerals [Being] Not Suitable [For] Using Meat
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师答念佛600问》
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Answers [For] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s 600 Questions
释宗柱法师审阅
[By] Dharma Master Shì Zōngzhù Reviewed
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关教理
Related Teachings:
《临终三大要》
Three Great Essentials When Approaching Life’s End
https://purelanders.com/now
死亡前后与丧礼中后的诵念
Chanting When Dying, After Death, During & After Wakes
https://purelanders.com/wake
