Chapter 15 War And Peace

第十五章 战争与和平

Why is there no Peace?

世界和平

Man has forgotten that he has a heart. He forgets that if he treats the world kindly, the world will treat him kindly in return.

人类忘记了他有一颗心，如果他仁慈的对待世界，世界也一样会仁慈的对待他。

We are living in a world of really amazing contradictions. On the one hand, people are afraid of war; on the other hand, they prepare for it with frenzy. They produce in abundance, but they distribute miserly. The world becomes more and more crowded, but man becomes increasingly isolated and lonely. Men are living close to each other as in a big family, but each individual finds himself more than ever before, separated from his neighbor. Mutual understanding and sincerity are lacking very badly. One man cannot trust another, however good the latter may be.

我们所居住的世界充满了矛盾，一方面，我们害怕战争，一方面。我们又积极的准备战争。生产过剩又得不到平均妥善的分配。人口急剧膨胀，人心也变得越来越孤独。人类的距离被现代科学给拉近了，可是人类的隔阂也越来越大。彼此间缺乏真诚的态度和真正的了解，也缺乏信任。

When the United Nations was formed after the horrors of the Second World War, the heads of Nations who gathered to sign the charter agreed that it should begin with the following preamble: 'Since it is in the minds of men that wars begin, it is in the minds of men the ramparts of peace should be erected.' This very same sentiment is echoed in the first verse of the Dhammapada which states: 'All [mental] states have mind as their forerunner, mind is their chief, and they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts, with a defiled mind, suffering follows one even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught-ox.'

联合国成立在世界第二次大战之后，各国首脑都同意一项条款：「战争是由人类的心念所造成的，如果人类都把心念用在和平，那么就不会有战争。」这项条款和《法句经》的第一首诗偈雷同。

「一切事情都是以心念为主导，心念主使语言和行动的产生。如果有了污秽的心念，行为和言语也就不会正确，这时苦恼就会紧紧的跟随他，好像牛车跟随着牛的足迹前进。」

The belief that the only way to fight force is by applying more force has led to the arms race between the great powers. And this competition to increase the weapons of war has brought mankind to the very brink of total self-destruction. If we do nothing about it, the next war will be the end of the world where there will be neither victors nor victims; only dead bodies.

有些人相信唯有军队和强大的武装，才能维护和平。为了「备战」而造成军备竞争，这种盲目愚痴的做法，最终将导致人类自我毁灭。如果我们不关注这个问题，下一场战争，将是世界的末日。所获得的不是胜利而是牺牲──最终横尸遍野。

'Hatred does not cease by hatred; by love alone does it cease.'

「伤害无法阻止伤害，唯有仁慈能阻止伤害。」

Such is the Buddha's advice to those who preach the doctrine of antagonism and ill-will, and who set men to war and rebellion against one another. Many people say that the Buddha's advice to return good for evil is impracticable. Actually, it is the only correct method to solve any problem. This method was introduced by the great Teacher from His own experience. Because we are proud and egoistic, we are reluctant to return good for evil, thinking that the public may treat us as cowardly people. Some people even think that kindness and gentleness are effeminate, not 'macho'! But what harm is there if we settle our problems and bring peace and happiness by adopting this cultured method and by sacrificing our dangerous pride?

这是佛陀给予那些造成伤害的战士和叛乱者的开示。很多人认为，佛陀要人转恶向善，是一种行不通的办法，可是，这毕竟是唯一解决问题的办法，佛陀也亲身体验过。当我们以自我和自大为中心时，是不可能有弃恶扬善的念头。其实，造成我们不愿意弃恶扬善的原因，主要是不愿示弱的心理在作祟，不愿让人们以为我们是懦夫。但是，如果我们牺牲我们那高度危险的自尊心，以文明的方式带来和平与幸福，那么，我们到底又损失了些什么呢？

Tolerance must be practised if peace is to come to this earth. Force and compulsion will only create intolerance. To establish peace and harmony among mankind, each and everyone must first learn to practise the ways leading to the extinction of hatred, greed and delusion, the roots of all evil forces. If mankind can eradicate these evil forces, tolerance and peace will come to this restless world.

要实现世界和平，就必须懂得「容忍」。要建立人与人之间的和谐，就必须消除贪、嗔、痴这三种万恶的根源。如果人类能断除一切邪恶的力量，并实践容忍，那么和平的世界就指日可待了。

Today the follows of the most compassionate Buddha have a special duty to work for the establishment of peace in the world and to show an example to others by following their Master's advice: 'All tremble at punishment, all fear death; comparing others with oneself, one should neither kill nor cause to kill.' (Dhammapada 129)

今天佛陀的追随者，都肩负重任，以导师为榜样，为实现世界和平而工作。

佛陀这么开示：「一切众生都畏惧于刑具，一切众生都害怕于死亡，将心比心，我们不应该杀害生命，也不应该指使他人去杀生。」

《法句经》V.129

Peace is always obtainable. But the way to peace is not only through prayers and rituals. Peace is the result of man's harmony with his fellow beings and with his environment. The peace that we try to introduce by force is not a lasting peace. It is an interval in between the conflict of selfish desire and worldly conditions.

要获得和平不困难。但是，以祈祷和祭祀来希望得到和平是不切实际的。和平是人与人，人与环境协调的结果。以武力获得的和平，只是满足了某些人的私欲，不是真正的和平，也不会持久。

Peace cannot exits on this earth without the practice of tolerance.

缺乏容忍，世界就无法和平。

To be tolerant, we must not allow anger and jealousy to prevail in our mind. The Buddha says, 'No enemy can harm one so much as one's own thoughts of craving, hate and jealousy.' (Dhammapada 42)

要实现容忍，我们就不应该允许嗔恚和嫉妒在我们心中生起。

佛陀说：「仇敌害仇敌，冤家对冤家，心念如果向着邪恶去发展，所造成的祸害就会更大了。」《法句经》V.42

Buddhism is a religion of tolerance because it preaches a life of self-restraint. Buddhism teaches a life based not on rules but on principles. Buddhism has never persecuted or maltreated those whose beliefs are different. The Teaching is such that it is not necessary for anyone to label himself as a Buddhist to practise the Noble Principles of this religion.

佛教是容忍的宗教。佛陀指示我们，为了要获得美满的生活，就必须自我节制。佛教不以教条或理论来教化信徒，佛教也从不迫害或亏待那些非信徒。佛教指引的是和平的道路，佛教也不需要信徒们标榜他们是佛教徒，才可以修学这种崇高的宗教真理。

The world is like a mirror and if you look at the mirror with a smiling face, you can see your own, beautiful smiling face. On the other hand, if you look at it with a long face, you will invariably see ugliness. Similarly, if you treat the world kindly the worldly will also certainly treat you kindly. Learn to be peaceful with yourself and the world will also be peaceful with you.

世界就像一面镜子，如果你微笑的面对镜子，你会看到自己美丽的笑脸，如果你拉长着脸面对镜子，看到的将是丑陋的你。同样的，如果你以仁慈的心对待这个世界，世界也会同样仁慈的对待你。学习以和平的心对待世界，世界将会因为你而充满了和平。

Man's mind is given to so much self-deceit that he does not want to admit his own weakness. He will try to find some excuse to justify his action and to create an illusion that he is blameless. If a man really wants to be free, he must have the courage to admit his own weakness. The Buddha says:--

人类的心识充满了自我，因此无法看见自己的短处，经常在找藉口为自己的错误掩饰。一个人如果想获得真正的自由，必须先发现自己的短处和压抑不当的行动。

'Easily seen are other's faults; hard indeed it is to see one's own faults.'

佛陀说：「发现他人的错误，太容易了，要发现自己的错误，太难了。」