问 心
Awakening
问1：西方国家宗教有忏悔，做错的事可以忏悔赎罪，佛法讲究因果，如果业债已经没有条件还清，是不是生生世世轮回都无法修成正果了？
Q: Confession is a part of the western religious culture, which allows people to disclose their sinfulness in the hope of absolution. Buddhism focuses on cause and effect. If there is no way to pay off the debt caused by karma, isn't it impossible for one to achieve full enlightenment within the endless cycle of life and death?
学诚法师：佛法也有忏悔法门。做错事，最重要的是在内心忏悔清净，这样所受的恶果也会减轻。当受恶果报时，只要当下内心不再种新的恶因，这个业就了结了。
A: Confession is also a way of practice in Buddhism. What is most important after you commit a sin is to confess it from the bottom of your heart; in this way the bad effects you are going to experience will also be reduced. And when the retribution takes place, as long as you do not create new bad causes at that moment, the karma terminates.
问2：顶礼师父！请问若忏悔能够净除一切罪障，那么不是与因果真实不虚相违背吗？
Q: Dear Master, I prostrate myself before you. Assuming that confession could purify all karmic hindrances, does it disobey the law of cause and effect, which is absolutely true.
学诚法师：从因到果，是业力在发生作用，业力不虚。忏悔是善业，能产生正对治恶业的力量，故而可使恶果减轻。好比一个物体往下坠落，但有另外一个向上的力量把它托起来，正因为两种力量都真实不虚，才可以产生这种作用。
A: It is the power of karma that leads cause to effect, and such power is absolutely true without falsity. Confession is a virtuous action, which can generate the power to remedy the bad karma and therefore reduce the influence of bad effects. It is the same as a falling object that is held up by another upward force. Since both forces are real, such an effect can be possible.
问3：“定业不能转”是什么意思？依靠忏悔法门可以铲除吗？
Q: There is a saying that 'karma whose fruits will definitely be experienced cannot be changed'. What does it mean? Is it possible to eliminate such karma through confession?
学诚法师：已经成熟的业无法改变，未感果之业，若能如理忏悔，则能荫覆恶业，渐渐转轻乃至令净。
A: The karma that has already ripened cannot be changed. As for the bad karma whose effect has not taken place, it can be reduced or even cleansed gradually through confessing in accordance with the Buddha's teaching.
来源：学诚法师的微博
Source: Microblogsof Ven. Master Xuecheng
翻译：北京龙泉寺翻译中心
Translated by: Beijing Longquan Monastery Translation Center
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