(29)“什么是人的至善?”
29) Now,
29) “What is the highest good for humanity?”
有次佛陀说:“诸佛说:‘涅槃是无上的法’”,“无上的法”意指“人性的终极、最高的善。”伦理学的国际用语中,以拉丁文summum bonum—— 至善,表示人类今生所能到达最好、最高的境界。学佛的人一致认为如果佛教有所谓“至善”的话,那一定是涅槃了。所以外国人问佛教的“至善”是什么,你应该回答:“诸佛说:‘涅槃是无上的法’。”
THE ENLIGHTENED ONE once said, “All Buddhas say nibbāna is the supreme thing.” Supreme thing means “the ultimate and highest good for humanity.” In the international language of ethics, it is known by the Latin term summum bonum, the utmost goodness, the best and highest thing attainable by a human being in this very life. Buddhist students agree that if there is a summum bonum in Buddhism, then it must be nibbāna itself. So if a foreigner asks what the summum bonum of Buddhism is, you should answer “All Buddhas say nibbāna is the supreme thing.”