回小向大，心系苍生

Now a few more things need to be emphasized.

在此，还有一些需要强调、值得注意的事项：

 First, as a Mahayana practitioner, when aspiring or dedicating, one should begin with the vow: “May I，in the many lives from now until enlightenment，never harm the life or even a single hair of another being，not even for the needs of my own body or life.” Naturally, one must make good one’s promise. If，for the time being, one cannot fully keep one’s words，at the least one should vow this way: “May I, in the many lives from now until enlightenment, never intentionally harm the life of another being, even for the needs of my own body or life.” Failing this，any more talks on practicing Mahayana would be pointless. Moreover, we should encourage ourselves to make the promise of not harming other beings at all costs as quickly as we can and make good that promise, which ought to be the goal of our practice at the moment as well.

第一、作为一位大乘修行人，无论在发愿或回向时，首先应当发誓：“祝愿我在从今乃至菩提间的生生世世中，即使为了自己的身体乃至生命，也不伤害任何一个有情的性命，即使众生的一根毫毛也决不损坏。”当然，因为誓言一定要做到，如果这种发誓暂时无法完全做到的话，做为大乘佛子，最低限度也要这样发誓：“祝愿我在从今乃至菩提间的生生世世中，即使为了自己的身体乃至生命，也决不故意伤害众生的生命。”如果连这一点都做不到，修学大乘佛法就无从谈起。不仅如此，我们还应当让自己尽早发起并实现前一种无上、伟大的誓愿，并将其作为目前的修行目标与奋斗方向。

Second，according to the sutras，when we dedicate, no matter how great or insignificant virtuous karma may be, we should never make the vows of the celestial being and human realm or that of a shravaka: “May I, through this root of virtue, attain the state of Chakravarti (a universal monarch), or have health, long life and so forth.” Rather, the vow should be: “May I，with this root of virtue, become the refuge of all sentient beings, the one who delivers all from samsara.” To dedicate as such with resolution is dedication of a bodhisattva.

第二、佛经中记载：每当我们回向时，无论所做善业是大、是小，决不能发“祝愿我依靠此善根，从而获得转轮王的果位或者健康、长寿……”等人天、声闻乘之愿；而是应该发愿：“愿我依靠此善根，能够生生世世成为众生的怙主（怙主指救度众生的人），成为度化众生的人。”这样专心致志地发愿回向，就是大乘菩萨的回向。

An analogy of dedication is that a person, unwilling to keep the food just for self consumption, shares with others. Does this mean one’s virtuous karma is reduced after dedication, the same way one only keeps a dollar after sharing ten dollars with nine other people? The root of virtue is not at all like that. The more it is dedicated, the more it grows; the more it is kept for oneself, the more likely it decreases. This aspect of the root of virtue is just the opposite of that of worldly things. Thus, never forget to dedicate.

回向可以比喻为，一个人舍不得将食物独自享用，而将它与众人分享。那么，在回向之后，自己的善业是否也随之而减少了呢？就如某人以十元钱来用于十人共分，此人只能得一元钱一样。但是，善根却不是这样的，越是回向给众生，善根就越增长；越是舍不得回向，善根就越有可能减少。善根在此方面的特点，是与世俗事物恰好相反的。我们千万不要忘记回向。