自己做

Do It Yourself

自信，在人生里占据了重要的地位。

Self confidence plays an important part in every aspect of man's life.

当明白没有外力、信仰或宗教仪轨能救度自己后，佛教徒就会自觉非靠自己努力不可，唯有透过自己的努力，才能建立对自己的信心。同时也明白自己的今生和来生，完全由自己负责，每个人都必须去寻求自我的解脱。解脱，好比治疗疾病，当一个人生病时，他必须去看医生，经过医生诊治后，他必须自己吃药，没有人可以代替他服药。没有人能透过称赞药物或医生的处方，就能把病治好。

Knowing that no external sources, no faith or rituals can save him, the Buddhist feels the need to rely on his own efforts. He gains confidence through self-reliance. He realizes that the whole responsibility of his present life as well as his future life depends completely on himself alone. Each must seek salvation for himself. Achieving salvation can be compared to curing a disease: if one is ill, one must go to a doctor. The doctor diagnose the ailment and prescribes medicine. The medicine must be taken by the person himself. He cannot depute someone else to take the medicine for him. No one can be cured by simply admiring the medicine or just praising the doctor for his good prescription.

为了治病，他必须遵照医生的吩咐，按时和按份量服药，甚至连日常的饮食也受到医生的限制。同样的，佛教徒必须遵守佛陀所制定的戒律。佛陀就如医生一样，他的处方──佛法，是为了控制和降伏一个人的贪、嗔、痴，而后获得解脱。佛教徒不能单凭歌唱赞美佛陀或供奉佛陀的塑像而获得解脱。佛教不是靠祈求就能获得解脱的宗教。佛教徒必须懂得适当的控制自己的欲望，净化自己，精进努力才能获得解脱。

In order to be cured, he himself must faithfully follow the instructions given by the doctor with regard to the manner and frequency in taking his medicine, his daily diet and other relevant medical restraints. Likewise, a person must follow the precepts, instructions or advice given by the Buddha (who gives prescriptions for liberation)by controlling or subduing one's greed, hatred and ignorance. No one can find salvation by simply singing praises of the Buddha or by making offerings to Him. Neither can one find salvation by celebrating certain important occasions in honour of the Buddha. Buddhism is not a religion where people can attain salvation by mere prayer or begging to be saved. They must strive hard by controlling their selfish desires and emotions in order to gain salvation.