34.護生得長壽 Saving Lives For A Longer Life
- SAVING LIVES FOR A LONGER LIFE
Du Jinyang, the County Chief of Qiantang in Zhejiang became very sick,and his doctor gave him the wrong medicine by accident, which almost finished him off.
Du realized how precious, but how fragile, life is. He made a vow. “I swear that I will devote my life to helping others and saving the world. The most important duty is to repent and to save all in the world. Nothing else is worth bothering about.”
One day, Guanyin, the merciful deliverer, came to him in a dream, and said,“In your past life, you were an official in Chu. Although you were honest, you were too strict, so you caused great harm to others, which could have been avoided. You were not selfish or greedy, but your actions have caused you to lose your rank. Also, you ate many animals, so of course the result is that your life should be shortened.
“Fortunately, this sickness has awakened your conscience and you have sworn a very good oath. You have made up your mind to help others, and have no wrath in your heart. This is very good. If you want to live longer, the greatest hidden virtue of all is to save lives. Release animals trapped in cages or raised for the slaughter. This will also earn you higher rank.
“Take care. Do a good job.”
After he woke up, Du told his family never to kill another animal. He began donating money to free doomed animals.
Sure enough, that winter he was promoted to take charge of Jiaojiang county, and the next spring, his illness was cured entirely. Du was very grateful to Guanyin and the Buddhas. He always remembered his vow to help others. The best way to do that is to tell them not to kill, but to release living creaDures.
Du was always honest, and carried out his duties carefully. He lived a long life and died at home of old age.
- 護生得長壽
浙江錢塘郡的郡守杜晉陽生了一場重病。碰巧醫生又給他開錯了藥，這差點要了他的命。
杜意識到了生命的寶貴和脆弱。他發了個誓。「我將盡我的一生來幫助他人、拯救社會。最重要的是，我會懺悔，以及救助世上一切眾生。我將不懼一切困難。」
一天，他夢到了大悲觀音菩薩。觀音對他說，「你前世曾經是楚地的官員。儘管你很正直，但是你過于嚴厲，給別人造成了巨大傷害。這些本來都是可以避免 的。你不自私貪婪，但是你的所作所為足以讓你丟官。還有，你吃了很多動物，所以理所當然你將會減壽。」
「可喜的是，你的病喚起了你的良知，而且你還發了大願。你決定要盡力幫助他人，心里又沒有一絲憤恨。這很好。如果你想活得久些，最好的積陰德方法就是 護生，將那些為了被宰殺而被關在籠子里的或者被飼養的生物放生。這還會讓你得到更高的官職。」
「善思念之，好好做。」
杜醒來後，告訴他的家人再也不要殺生了。他開始買動物放生。
不出觀音所言，那一年冬天他就被提拔，當了椒江郡的長官。第二年春天，他的病就全好了。杜非常感激觀音和佛陀。他從不曾忘記他要幫助他人的誓言。而幫助他人最好的方法就是勸他們不要殺生，要放生。
杜一直都很正直，還謹慎處理公務。他活了很長時間，最後壽終正寢。