九、仁慈救劫
明朝時，有一位王居士，篤信佛教，每天訟經拜佛。由於當時連年天災人禍，王居士憂心如焚，他聽說小洞天有位高僧，能知過去未來，便前往拜謁請教。
王居士叩問高僧說：「當今遍地盜賊猖狂，戰爭擾攘，億萬生靈遭此浩劫，惟願尊者慈悲，伸出金臂拯救。」高僧笑著說：「惟有戒殺放生，方可免遭浩劫。」說罷即閉目禪定。
按：近年全球戰爭不息，饑荒災疫，各種天災人禍相繼而來，推究原因，實皆由眾生殺業所召感，並非神鬼所降，故特錄此則事跡，驚告世人。倘若一人能戒殺，便有一人免遭災禍；一家能戒殺，就有一家免遭災禍，由此推廣而至一村、一縣、一省、一國，皆莫不如此。
世人認為天心尚未厭惡禍亂，不知其實是人心自己，尚未厭惡災亂。如果真正厭惡災亂，便能立誓戒殺放生，那麼雖然陷於危難之地，入於刀兵之中，生逢饑荒災疫之年，終究不會損傷他一毛一髮。大家只要能深信立行，其功效迅速，如影隨形。古今善惡報應，昭昭分明；感應事跡，歷歷在目，還有什麼讓你疑惑不決的呢？
9. Disasters Can Be Avoided By Being Compassionate
During the Ming Dynasty, there was an upasaka named Wang who was a very pious Buddhist. Everyday he would recite the Sutras and make obeisance to The Buddha. At that time there were natural disasters and calamities everywhere. Upasaka Wang was very worried about this. He heard that in Xiao Dongtian there lived a High Sanghan who could see into past and the future. He went specially to pay respect to him and to seek his advice.
After making abeisance, Upasaka Wang said, “There are bandits everywhere. People wage war all the time. May the Honoured One be kind and compassionate and help the living beings with your golden arms.” The High Sanghan laughed and said, “If people could liberate lives and refrain from killing, they would be free from disasters and calamities.” After saying that he closed his eyes and sat in meditation.
Note: Today’s world is a world of war, famine, epidemics, natural disasters and man-made calamities which occur one after another. The reason behind these happenings is the karmic effect of killing. They are not brought upon us by ghosts or spirits. The above incident was recorded to warn the worldly people to refrain from killing. If a man could refrain from killing, he would be free from disasters and calamities. If a family could refrain from killing, it would be3 free from disasters and calamities. If the practice of non-killing could be extended to a village, a county, a province and the whole country, the people therein would reap the reward of being free from disasters. Worldly people blame the heavens when disasters and calamities strike. But they do not know that they actually originate from our own minds. We are the ones who invite the natural disasters and man-made calamities to befall upon us. If a man were to make a vow to liberate lives and to abstain from killing, then even if he were to be surrounded by dangers and difficulties, or go into battle, or encounter famine and pestilence, he would still be unharmed. If every man could truly believe in this and practice diligently, good effects will follow just as sure as the form is followed by its shadow. From the past till the present the rewards and retributions of good and evil deeds can be seen clearly. In fact there were many records written on the efficacy of cause and effect. So why are people still hesitating about starting the good practice of non-killing？