Sex and Religion

性与宗教

'The lower part of us is still animal.'(Gandhi)

在人类的本性中，潜藏着兽性。 ─甘地─

The sex impulse is the most dynamic force in human nature. So far-reaching is the sexual force that some measures of self-control is necessary even in ordinary existence. In the case of the spiritual aspirant, for whoever wants to bring his mind under complete control, a still greater measure of self-discipline is necessary. Such a powerful force in human character can be subdued only if the aspirant controls his thoughts and practises concentration. The conservation of the sexual force helps to develop this strength. For if he controls the sexual force, he will have more control over his whole make-up, over his lesser emotions.

「性」是人类最原始的动力，性的影响深邃。因此，某种程度的自我节制，对人类而言是必要的。如果想进一步对自己的心灵有所发展，对心识的控制更加应该收发自如，致力于更高的自我心灵的锻炼，就显得更重要了。要克服「性」这股强大的动力，必须先降伏自己的心念。只要能控制好「性」的冲动，将更能有效的控制其他的行为和情绪。

Celibacy is one of the requirements for those who like to develop their spiritual development to perfection. However, it is not compulsory for each and every person to observe complete celibacy in order to practise Buddhism. The Buddha's advice is that observing celibacy is more congenial for a person who wants to cultivate his spiritual achievements. For ordinary Buddhist laymen, the precept is to abstain from sexual misconduct. Although perversion of the sexual force is not under this same category, the perverted person invariably suffers bad reactions either physically, or mentally or both.

「独身」是开展心灵力量的条件之一。但是，佛教并不强迫每一个人都过独身的生活。「独身」与培养心灵的成就有关，但是，对一般的佛教徒而言，只要持守不邪淫戒就可了，绝对不能对性欲有所放纵。性欲放纵者，无论在生理或心理都会带来不幸。

There is a need for Buddhist laymen to exercise some degree of control over their sexual force. Man's sexual urge must be controlled properly otherwise man will behave worse than an animal when he is intoxicated with lust. Consider the sexual behavior of what we call the 'lower animal'. Which really is often 'lower'? The animal or the man? Which acts in a normal, regular manner as regards sexual behavior? And which runs off into all manner of irregularities and perversities? Often it is the animal that is the higher creature and man that is the lower. And why is this? It is simply because man who possesses the mental capacity which if rightly used, could make him master over his sex impulses, has actually used his mental powers in such deplorable fashion as to make himself more a slave to those impulses. Thus man can, at times, be considered lower than the animal.

佛教徒必须在某种程度控制自己的性欲。当人们沉迷于性欲时，他的行为还不如动物。我们称性放纵者为「低等动物」。谁比较「低等」呢？是动物还是「人」呢？谁 比 较 正常 呢 ？ 难 道 是 性 放 纵 者 ？ 谁 比 较 有 规 律 和 有 原 则 呢 ？ 这 一 比 较 ， 高 尚的「人」，就显得比动物「低等」多了。为什么呢？因为，人类拥有心智能力，能够正确的运用心智、压制冲动。可是，人类常为性冲动所奴役，因此，就显得比动物更「低等」了。

Our ancestors played down this sexual impulse; they knew that it was strong enough without giving it any extra encouragement. But today we have blown it up with a thousand forms of incitation, suggestive advertisements, emphasis and display; and we have armed the sexual force with the doctrine that inhibition is dangerous and can even cause mental disorders.

我们的祖先不重视「性」的问题，他们了解「性」那股强大的动力，因此，不需要特别地去鼓励。但是，我们今天被成千上万的「性」渲染所诱惑，种种挑逗性的广告、海报到处可见，有些人甚至为「性放纵」作辩护，认为控制「性欲」会导致心智失常。

Yet inhibition the control of impulse is the first principle of any civilization. In our modern civilization, we have polluted the sexual atmosphere that surrounds us. So great is the mind-body urge for sexual gratification.

事实，控制「性欲」是各种文明的首要原则。我们这「现代文明」已经污染了我们对「性」的认识。我们的身心，也受到了不正当「性」观念的感染。

As a result of this sex exploitation by the hidden persuaders of modern society, the youth of today have developed an attitude toward sex that is becoming a public nuisance. An innocent girl has no freedom to move anywhere without being disturbed. On the other hand, females should be dressed such a manner as not to arouse the hidden animal nature of youths.

在现代社会在「性」观念的潜移默化下，养成时下青年在公众场合造成性骚扰的习惯。一般无辜的女性，很难自由自在的行动而不被骚扰。话说回来，那些穿着新潮服装的女性，也要为这一点负起大部份的责任。

Man is the only animal that does not have periods of natural sexual inactivity during which the body can recover its vitality. Unfortunately, commercial exploitation of the erotic nature in man has caused modern man to be exposed to a ceaseless barrage of sexual stimulation from every side. Much of the neuroses of present-day life is traceable to this unbalanced state of affairs. Men are expected to be monogamous, yet women are encouraged in every possible way to 'glamorize' themselves, not for the husband alone, but to excite in every man passions that society forbids him to indulge in.

人类是唯一没有性欲休止期的动物。不幸的是，商人利用人类性欲的本性，使人类长期暴露在这种病态的性刺激下。现代生活中，很多神经衰弱者，可溯源于这种不平衡的刺激。社会都希望人类过着一夫一妻的生活，但是，女性却被鼓励运用一切原始的条件，诱惑所有可以被诱惑的人，甚至令所有的男性为她意乱情迷，包括她自己的丈夫在内。

Many societies try to enforce monogamous relationships. Thus a man with many failings can still be a moral man, meaning that he is faithful to the one wife that the law allows him to have. The danger here lies in the fact that thoughtful people who are intelligent enough to realize that these rules are artificial and not based on any transcendental, universally valid principles, are liable to fall into the error of thinking the same about all the other ethical laws.

很多社会强制推行一夫一妻的制度。一个男人纵使有很多缺点，如：偷盗、撒谎、欺骗，但是，只要他对妻子忠实，在他妻子的心目中，他就是一名有德性的人，他的一切罪行都获得妻子的宽恕和原谅。这制度也存在某种危险性，有些人把一夫一妻制看作是人为的制度，而非超越一般性的普遍法则。这种观念是错误的。

Sex should be given its due place in normal human life; it should be neither unhealthily repressed nor morbidly exaggerated. And it should always be under the control of the will, as it can be if it is regarded sanely and placed in its proper perspective.

「性」在人类的生活中，有着一定的地位。不需要不健康的压抑它，也不需要以病态的心理去夸张它。如果我们重视「性」，就应该适当的以自己的意识去控制它。

Sex should not be considered as the most important ingredient for one's happiness in a married life. Those who over-indulge can become slaves to sex which would ultimately ruin love and humane consideration in marriage. As in everything, one must be temperate and rational in one's sexual demands taking into consideration one another's intimate feelings and temperament. 

在幸福的婚姻生活中，不应该过分的强调「性」。过份强调「性」生活，会成为「性」的奴隶，对婚姻造成伤害。「性」是夫妻双方面的问题，有需要，有付出，真正的协调和满足双方，才是真正幸福的婚姻生活。

Marriage is a bond of partnership for life entered into by a man and a woman. Patience, tolerance and understanding are the three principal qualities that should be developed and nurtured by the couple. Whilst love should be the knot tying the couple together, material necessities for sustaining a happy home should be made available by the male partner for the couple to share. The qualification for a good partnership in marriage should be 'ours' and not 'yours' or 'mine' . A good couple should 'open' their hearts to one another and to refrain from entertaining 'secrets'. Keeping secrets to oneself could lead to suspicion and suspicion is the element that could destroy love in a partnership. Suspicion breeds jealousy, jealousy creates anger, anger develops hatred, hatred turns into enmity and enmity could cause untold suffering including bloodshed, suicide and even murder.

婚姻是结合男女双方而成为终生伴侣的过程。耐心、容忍和了解是婚姻的三大原则。婚姻是爱的结合，而不是被绳索捆绑。物质需求、建立家庭、与妻子分享自己的一切，是做丈夫的责任。夫妻生活的理念是「我们的」而不是「你的」或「我的」。一对好夫妻必须坦诚相处，彼此间不保留秘密。保留秘密会导致猜疑，猜疑导致嫉妒，嫉妒引发嗔恚，嗔恚造成仇恨，仇恨形成敌对，敌对缔造无比的痛苦，包括流血事件、自杀甚至谋杀。