34. 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.

34. 护生得长寿

　　浙江钱塘郡的郡守杜晋阳生了一场重病。碰巧医生又给他开错了药，这差点要了他的命。

　　杜意识到了生命的宝贵和脆弱。他发了个誓。“我将尽我的一生来帮助他人、拯救社会。最重要的是，我会忏悔，以及救助世上一切众生。我将不惧一切困难。”

　　一天，他梦到了大悲观音菩萨。观音对他说，“你前世曾经是楚地的官员。尽管你很正直，但是你过于严厉，给别人造成了巨大伤害。这些本来都是可以避免 的。你不自私贪婪，但是你的所作所为足以让你丢官。还有，你吃了很多动物，所以理所当然你将会减寿。”

　　“可喜的是，你的病唤起了你的良知，而且你还发了大愿。你决定要尽力帮助他人，心里又没有一丝愤恨。这很好。如果你想活得久些，最好的积阴德方法就是 护生，将那些为了被宰杀而被关在笼子里的或者被饲养的生物放生。这还会让你得到更高的官职。”

　　“善思念之，好好做。”

　　杜醒来后，告诉他的家人再也不要杀生了。他开始买动物放生。

　　不出观音所言，那一年冬天他就被提拔，当了椒江郡的长官。第二年春天，他的病就全好了。杜非常感激观音和佛陀。他从不曾忘记他要帮助他人的誓言。而帮助他人最好的方法就是劝他们不要杀生，要放生。

　　杜一直都很正直，还谨慎处理公务。他活了很长时间，最后寿终正寝。