有这个邪知邪见的人说：“不要受戒。你受戒做什么？何必弄个‘戒’来管着你？不受戒多自由呢！你何必要受戒呀？”你以为不受戒是自由，却很容易堕地狱了。那真是“自由”，很容易就跑到地狱去了。
People with wrong views say, “Don’t take the precepts. What do you want to take them for? Why get some precepts to restrain you?” That is a wrong view. You think that not receiving precepts is being free. But it’s very easy to fall into the hells that way. That's where your so-called "true freedom” may lead you.
你若受戒，有戒来支持你，有戒相、戒法、戒体支持你，就不容易堕地狱；就是堕地狱也很快就出来了。你要是听其自由，不受戒，以后堕落地狱里，什么时候才能出来，那是没有人能担保的。
If you receive the precepts, you will have the protection of precepts. The precept marks, percept dharma, and precept substance will support you. You will not fall into the hells that easily. Even if you do fall into the hells, you will get out quickly. If you like to be free and don’t take precepts, then later when you fall into the hells, it's not for sure when you will come out.
你要是受过戒，堕地狱的时间，由很长的时间可以缩短。好像你犯了很大的法，被警察捉住，因为你给总统做护卫、茶房，总统就写字条叫人把你放出来，你很快就出来了。若是没有这种关系，很久的时间也不能放出来，不知要拖延多久。这是同一个道理，你有“戒”来保护你，它可以把你受很长罪的时间，缩为很短的时间。所以不要自作聪明，说不受戒是好的。
On the other hand if you have received precepts your time span in the hells can be shortened. It is like when someone who committed a major crime gets caught by the police. If the criminal had worked as a personal guard or an attendant for the president, then the president may write a note ordering that criminal's release. If the criminal doesn’t have such connection, he won’t be released for who knows how long. It is similar to that. When you have the protection of precepts, the long duration of your suffering can be greatly condensed. Therefore, don’t get smart and say, “It’s good not to receive the precepts.”
你们受戒，这是好的。我告诉你们，众生受佛戒，即入诸佛位。众生受了佛戒，就是入了佛位，所以不要毁佛禁戒，不要毁谤佛的戒律。
It’s good for you to receive the precepts. Let me say this to you, “Having taken the Buddha’s precepts, living beings enter the position of all Buddhas.” When living beings take the precepts of Buddhas, it’s the same as having entered the position of the Buddha. Therefore, don’t disparage the precepts or slander the Vinaya of the Buddha.
