Buddhist Missionaries

传教

'Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit, and happiness of gods and men.' (The Buddha)

「僧众啊！去吧！为了大众的利益，为了大众的幸福，为了悲悯这世界，为了善，为了利益，为了幸福，为了人与人类。去吧！」─佛陀─

When we turn the pages of the history of Buddhism, we learn that Buddhist missionaries gave the noble message of the Buddha in a peaceful and respectable way. Such a peaceful mission should put to shame those who have practised violent methods in propagating their religions.

翻开佛教的历史，我们可以发现到，佛教是以和平、尊重的方式来传教，那些以暴力传教的宗教都应该感到羞耻。

Buddhist missionaries do not compete with other religionists in converting people in the market place. No Buddhist missionary or monk would ever think of preaching ill-will against the so-called 'unbelievers'. Religious, cultural and national intolerance are unbuddhistic in attitude, to people who are imbued with the real Buddhist spirit. Aggression never finds approval in the teachings of the Buddha. The world has bled and suffered enough from the disease of dogmatism, religious fanaticism and intolerance. Whether in religion or politics, people make conscious efforts to bring humanity to accept their own way of life. In doing so, they sometimes show their hostility towards the followers of other religions.

佛教在传播过程中，从来不为「市场」而竞争。僧众或信徒从来不会为了传教而恶意去中伤或诋毁他人。宗教、政治或民族的不容忍和嗔恚，对真正皈依佛教的人来说，是无法理解的。佛教徒从来就不赞同攻击性，这世界的流血事件或灾难，大部分都来自攻击性的教条主义、宗教狂热、和不容忍。无论在宗教或政治，都会有人觉得自己负有使命，要把人类带到理所当然的另一种生活方式去。这种人往往为了自己的目的，攻击那些和自己意见不同的人。

Buddhism had no quarrel with the national traditions and customs, art and culture of the people who accepted it as a way of life but allowed them to exist with refinement. The Buddha's message of love and compassion opened the hearts of men and they willingly accepted the Teachings, thereby helping Buddhism to become a world religion. Buddhist missionaries were invited by the independent countries which welcomed them with due respect. Buddhism was never introduced to any country through the influence of colonial or any other political power.

佛教从来就不与传统、习俗、艺术或文化发生争执，佛教接受它们的存在，并改良它们。佛陀慈悲的言教，开启人们的心扉，让人们毫无困难的接受他的教义。也因为如此，人们自愿的协助佛教成为世界性的宗教。佛教不采取殖民手段，也不借助政治力量来推广。佛教的传教士，往往是被那些主权独立，态度诚恳和包容佛教的国家，以敬重的态度邀请他们前去弘法的。

Buddhism was the first spiritual force known to us in history which drew closely together large numbers of races which were separated by the most difficult barriers of distance, language, culture and morals. Its motive was not the acquisition of international commerce, empire-building or migratory impulse to occupy fresh territory. Its aim was to show how people could gain more peace and happiness through the practice of Dhamma.

在历史，佛教是唯一以精神力量排除种族、语言、文化、风俗的困难，而将人们团结在一起的宗教。佛教在传教中，不借助国际性的商业势力来推广，也不借助帝国主义的余威，不是科学好奇心的使然，也不是在殖民思想的冲击下为了扩展和占据新的领土。而是指示人们透过佛法的实践，能获得宁静与幸福。

A sparkling example of the qualities and approach of a Buddhist missionary was Emperor Asoka. It was during Emperor Asoka's time that Buddhism spread to many Asian and western countries. Emperor Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries to many parts of the world to introduce the Buddha's message of peace. Asoka respected and supported every religion at that time. His tolerance towards other religions was remarkable. One of his scripts engraved in stone on Asoka Pillars, and still standing today in India, says:

阿首咖是弘扬佛法的一颗明星。他将佛法弘扬到亚洲和西方国家。阿首咖派遣传教士到世界各地去弘扬佛陀那幸福的信息。阿首咖敬重和支持每一位传教士。他的容忍值得我们注意。从目前遗留在印度的阿首咖石碑中，我们清楚的发现他的理念：「

'One should not honour only one's own religion and condemn the religion of others, but one should honor others' religions for this or that reason. In so doing, one helps one's own religion to grow and renders service to the religions of others too. In acting otherwise one digs the grave of one's own religion and also does harm to other religions. Whosoever honors his own religion and condemns other religions, does so indeed through devotion to his own religion, thinking, 'I will glorify my own religion.' But on the contrary, in so doing he injures his own religion more gravely, so concord is good. Let all listen, and be willing to listen to the doctrines professed by others.' In 268 B. C., he made the doctrines of the Buddha a living force in India. Hospitals, social service institutions, universities for men and women, public wells and recreation centers sprang up with this new movement, and the people thereby realized the cruelty of senseless wars. The golden era in the history of India and the other countries of Asia--the period when art, culture, education and civilization reached their zenith--occurred at the time when Buddhist influence was strongest in these countries. Holy wars, crusades, inquisitions and religious discrimination do not mar the annals of Buddhist countries. This is a noble history mankind can rightly be proud of. The Great Nalanda University of India which flourished from the second to the ninth century was a product of Buddhism. It was the first university that we know of and which was opened to international students.

不应该为了尊重自己的宗教而蔑视其他的宗教。这么做，往往只会使自己所信仰的宗教蒙受更大的损失。贬低他人来抬高自己，对他人造成伤害。诋毁其它的宗教并非在捍卫自己的宗教，而是伤害自己的宗教。我们应该聆听和关注其它宗教的教义。」

在公元前二八六年，阿首咖使佛教成为当时印度的最大动力。医院、社会服务、学校、机构、水供和娱乐中心如雨后春笋般的竖立起来，人们也理解到无情的战争是残酷和无益的。

在印度和其它亚洲国家的黄金时代──艺术、文化、教育，人类文明的全盛时期，就是佛教影响力最大的时期，也是国家最强盛的时期。在佛教国家的历史里，没有所谓的「神圣的宗教战争」，也没有受到镇压异端和宗教歧视的伤害，是一页令人类骄傲的纯净历史。公元二至九世纪的那兰陀大学，就是佛教的产品，是世界第一所为全世界学生而开放的大学。

In the past, Buddhism was able to make itself felt in many parts of the East, although communication and transport were difficult and people had to cross hills and deserts. Despite these difficult barriers Buddhism spread far and wide. Today, this peace message is spreading in the West. Westerners are attracted to Buddhism and believe that Buddhism is the only religion that is in harmony with modern science.

在过去，交通困难，人们必须攀山越岭、横渡沙漠才能到达东方，可是佛教的传教士并不畏惧这些困难，终于使东方大部分的国家都接受了佛教信仰。逐渐的，佛教成为亚洲最主要的宗教，至今仍然是亚洲最多人信仰的宗教。今天佛陀那和平的信息已传播到西方，西方人也开始接受了佛教思想，并认为佛教是唯一能和现代科学协调的宗教。

Buddhist missionaries have no need or desire to convert those who already have a proper religion to practise. If people are satisfied with their own religion, then, there is no need for Buddhist missionaries to convert them. They give their full support to missionaries of other faiths if their idea is to convert the wicked, evil, and uncultured people to a religious way of life. Buddhists are happy to see the progress of other religions so long as they truly help people to lead a religious way of life according to their faith and enjoy peace, harmony and understanding. On the other hand, Buddhist missionaries deplore the attitude of certain missionaries who disturb the followers of other religions, since there is no reason for them to create an unhealthy atmosphere of competition for converts if their aim is only to teach people to lead a religious way of life.

佛教的传教士，无意劝说那些已满足原有宗教信仰的人，放弃原来的宗教，改信佛教。佛教的传教士充分的支持其它的宗教和它们的传教士。如果他们的目的是劝人向善，提升人们的道德性，使他们过有意义的宗教生活，佛教的传教士同样的给予他们热心的支持和协助。佛教的传教士也为那些骚扰其它宗教信仰的传教士感到遗憾，如果他们的宗旨是崇高的，目的在指引人们过神圣的生活，就没有理由为了让人们转信他的宗教而做出不健全的竞争。

In introducing Dhamma to others, Buddhist missionaries have never tried to use imaginary exaggerations depicting a heavenly life in order to attract human desire and arouse their craving. Instead, they have tried to explain the real nature of human and heavenly life as taught by the Buddha.

佛教的传教士，绝对不会浮夸的去描画那虚妄的天堂生活，来刺激人类感官的欲望，从而获得人们的追随和信仰。佛教是以佛陀的教诲来解释人间和天堂，本来就是「无常」本质。