Chapter 9 Dhamma And Ourselves As Refuge

第九章 佛法与皈依

Why We take Refuge in the Buddha

皈依

Buddhists take refuge in the Buddha not out of fear of Him, but to gain inspiration and right understanding for their self-purification.

佛弟子皈依佛陀，并不是惧畏于佛陀，而是为了获得心灵的发展和正确的理解如何净化自己。

Buddhist do not take refuge in the Buddha with the belief that He is a god or son of god. The Buddha never claimed any divinity. He was the Enlightened One, the most Compassionate, Wise, and Holy One who ever lived in this world. Therefore, people take refuge in the Buddha as a Teacher or Master who has shown the real path of emancipation. They pay homage to Him to show their gratitude and respect, but they do not ask for material favors. Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha thinking that He is a god who will reward them or punish or curse them. They recite verses or some sutras not in the sense of supplication but as a means of recalling His great virtues and good qualities to get more inspiration and guidance for themselves and to develop the confidence to follow His Teachings. There are critics who condemn this attitude of taking refuge in the Buddha. They do not know the true meaning of the concept of taking refuge in and paying homage to a great religious Teacher. They have learned only about praying which is the only thing that some people do in the name of religion. When Buddhists seek refuge it means they accept the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha as the means by which they can eradicate all the causes of their fear and other mental disturbances. Many people, especially those with animistic beliefs, seek protection in certain objects around them which they believe are inhabited by spirits.

佛弟子皈依佛陀，并不是因为佛陀是「神」或是「神的儿子」，佛陀从来不承认他具有「神」性。佛陀是一个已经觉悟的「人」，他是最慈悲的人、最有智慧的人和最值得尊敬的人。所以皈依佛陀如同皈依老师或师傅。佛陀为我们指示了解脱于苦的正道。信徒们礼敬佛陀，是表示对他的尊敬和感激，并非要求佛陀的赐予。佛教徒不问佛陀祈求什么，也不认为佛陀是拥有赏、罚或诅咒人类权力的「神」。佛教徒诵念经文只是赞美佛陀，歌颂他那崇高、尽善的素质，同时把佛陀当作自己的楷模和鼓励，根据佛陀的教诲来发展自己的信心，并没有祈祷的意义存在。有些人责难这种皈依佛陀的态度，因为他们不明白皈依和礼敬伟大导师的真正意义，他们以为这只是一般的宗教祈祷。佛教徒三皈依的真正意义是，皈依佛陀(Buddha)、皈依佛法(Dhamma)和皈依僧团(Sangha)，从而培养真正的信心，断除精神的困扰。很多人误解了，以为这是一种对神灵的崇拜和寻求神灵的依怙。

The Buddha advised against the futility of taking refuge in hills, woods, groves, trees and shrines when people are fear-stricken. No such refuge is safe, no such refuge is Supreme. Not by resorting to such a refuge is one freed from all ill. He who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha sees with right knowledge the Four Noble Truths -Sorrow, the cause of Sorrow, the transcending of Sorrow, and the Noble Eightfold Path which leads to the cessation of Sorrow. This indeed is secure refuge. By seeking such refuge one is released from all Sorrow.

(Dhammapada 188-192)

佛陀告诫弟子们，人类生活在恐怖和忧虑中，不要去迷信那些山、岩、木、树等神祇，这种信仰既不殊胜也不安全，更不能消除烦恼。佛弟子必须真正的皈依佛陀、佛法和僧团，了解什么是正知、正见，了解四圣谛──苦、集、灭、道，透过对八圣道的实践，才能断除一切苦痛，这就是真正的皈依。一个人唯有通过真正的皈依，才能离苦得乐。

In the Dhajagga Sutta, itis mentioned that by taking refuge in Sakra, the king of gods or any god, the followers would not be free from all their worldly problems and fears. The reason is, such gods are themselves not free from lust, hatred, illusion and fear, but the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha (i.e. the community who has attained perfection) are free from them. Only those who are free from unsatisfactoriness can show the way to lasting happiness.

在经典中曾经提及皈依忉利天和其他诸天的天神，皈依者并不能解除内心的恐惧与不安。唯有皈依佛、法、僧三宝，才能消除内心的恐惧与不安。这是因为诸天的天神并没有消除贪、嗔、痴、烦恼和一切内心引起的骚动。当一个人从一切烦恼中摆脱出来时，才能获得真正的幸福。

Francis Story, a well known Buddhist scholar, gives his views on seeking refuge in the Buddha.

一位著名的佛教学者 F.史多利，这么看待皈依：

I go for refuge to the Buddha. I seek the presence of the Exalted Teacher by whose compassion I may be guided through the torrents of Samsara, by whose serene countenance I may be uplifted from the mire of worldly thoughts and cravings, seeing there in the very assurance of Nibbanic Peace, which He himself attained. In sorrow and pain I turn to Him and in my happiness I seek His tranquil gaze. I lay before His Image not only flowers and incense, but also the burning fires of my restless heart, that they may be quenched and stilled, I lay down the burden of my pride and my selfhood, the heavy burden of my cares and aspirations, the weary load of this incessant birth and death.

「我皈依佛陀，从皈依，我看到佛陀慈悲和无上的教导，从而了解什么是轮回。从佛陀的慈悲，我放弃了实践一切肮脏的思想和欲望，追求殊胜的涅磐境界，佛陀证悟的境界。他让我消除烦恼和痛苦，他令我得到快乐。我在佛陀的塑像前皈依，不仅是供奉鲜花，而是奉献了虚荣和自我的重担，也放下了执着和攀缘的重担，更放下了那永无休止的生死轮回。」

Sri Rama Chandra Bharati, an Indian poet, gives another meaningful explanation for taking refuge in the Buddha.

印度诗人 Sr R.C.巴拉帝，在他的诗作中，对皈依做了这么的诠释。

'I seek not thy refuge for the sake of gain,

寻求皈依是为了获得什么？

Not fear of thee, nor for the love of fame,

不是惧畏，也不是仰慕于您──佛陀。

Not as thou hailest from the solar race,

不因为您尊贵的出身，

Not for the sake of gaining knowledge vast,

也不为了获得渊博的学识。

But drawn by the power of the boundless love,

只因为，被您那无穷尽的慈悲所吸引。

And thy all-embracing peerless ken,

被您那无上的智慧所折服。

The vast Samsara's sea safe to cross,

轮回之海，将安全的渡过。

I bend low, O lord, and become thy devotee.'

我倾心于您，佛陀！我自愿的成为您忠实的弟子。

Some people say that since the Buddha was only a man, there is no meaning in taking refuge in Him. But they do not know that although the Buddha very clearly said that He was a man, he was no ordinary man like any of us. He was an extraordinary and incomparably holy person who possessed Supreme Enlightenment and great compassion toward every living being. He was a man freed from all human weaknesses, defilements and even from ordinary human emotions. Of Him it has been said, 'There is none so godless as the Buddha, and yet none so godlike.' In the Buddha is embodied all the great virtues, sacredness, wisdom and enlightenment.

有人认为，佛陀也是人，为什么要皈依他？因为，他们不知道，佛陀自己亲口说过，他是一个「人」。但是，佛陀绝对不是一个跟我们一样的普通人。佛陀是一位不平常，而且是一位无可伦比的圣人，他拥有高超的智慧和对待一切众生平等、无量的悲悯心。佛陀是人，而他已远离一切人性的弱点、污点甚至人性的私欲。因此，我们可以这么说：「佛陀是一位至善的人，至今尚未有人可以和他相比拟。」佛陀教导我们培养伟大的德行，无惧畏、恐怖，智慧和证悟解脱之道。

Another question that people very often raise is this: 'If the Buddha is not a god, if He is not living in this world today, how can he bless people?' According to the Buddha, if people follow His advice by leading a religious life, they would certainly receive blessings. Blessing in a Buddhist sense means the joy we experience when we develop confidence and satisfaction. The Buddha once said, 'if anyone wishes to see me, he should look at my Teachings and practise them.' (Samyutta Nikaya) Those who understand His Teachings easily see the real nature of the Buddha reflected in themselves. The image of the Buddha they maintain in their minds is more real than the image they see on the altar, which is merely a symbolic representation. 'Those who live in accordance with the Dhamma (righteous way of life) will be protected by that very Dhamma.' (Thera Gatha) One who knows the real nature of existence and the fact of life through Dhamma will not have any fear and secure a harmonious way of life.

人们经常会生起这么一个疑问：「如果说佛陀不是『神』，而他也不生活在这世间，那么，他如何保佑他的弟子呢？」其实，不一定要「神」才能保佑「人」，父母同样在保护和庇佑自己的子女。根据佛陀的教义：「假使人们能遵循佛陀的告诫，过着神圣的宗教生活，他们将会获得佛陀的庇护。」佛陀说过：「假使任何人需要看到我，只需要看到我的教义及如何修持它即可。」那些遵循佛法的人，比起那些只看到供坛佛陀塑像的人，更了解佛陀的本怀。《长老偈》(Theragatha)中说道：「人们依止于法，将获得法的护持。」

In other religions, the people worship their god by asking for favours to be granted to them. Buddhists do not worship the Buddha by asking for worldly favours, but they respect Him for His supreme achievement. When Buddhists respect the Buddha, they are indirectly elevating their own minds so that one day they also can get the same enlightenment to serve mankind if they aspire to become a Buddha.

其它的宗教崇拜「神」，并要求「神」的赐予。佛教徒礼敬佛陀，并非要求「赐予」，只是尊敬佛陀无比的成就。当佛教徒在礼敬佛陀时，他们间接的提升了自我的心灵。假如有一天，他们发愿要成佛，他们也一样能圆成佛道。

Buddhists respect the Buddha as their Master. However, this respect does not imply an attachment to or a dependence on the Teacher. This kind of respect is in accordance with His Teaching which is as follows:

佛教徒礼敬佛陀，就有如学生向师长敬礼一样。但是，这种礼敬并不含有依赖或执着于导师的成份。这种礼敬精神是依佛陀的教义而行的。如经典中说道：

'Monks, even if a monk should take hold of the edge of my outer garment and should walk close behind me, step for step, yet if he should be covetous, strongly attracted by pleasures of the senses, malevolent in thought, of corrupt mind and purpose, of confused recollection, inattentive and not contemplative, scatter-brained, his sense-faculties uncontrolled, then he is far from me and I am far from him.'

「僧众啊！即使一位僧人，亦步亦趋的紧随着我的袈裟，但是，只要他心中还有贪念，强烈的执着于五种感官的欲望，具有不正确的堕落思想和目的，行为杂乱、怠慢、对问题不加以思考，慌张、不能镇定，对感官不能控制的人，他远离了我，我也远离了他。」

'Monks, if the monk should be staying even a hundred miles away, yet he is not covetous, not strongly attracted by the pleasures of the senses, not malevolent in thought, not of corrupt mind and purpose, his collection firmly set, attentive, contemplative, his thoughts be one-pointed, restrained in his sense-faculties, then he is near me and I am near him.' (Samyutta Nikaya)

「僧众啊！即使一位僧人，虽然居住在百里之外，但是，他不贪婪，有效的抑制感官的欲望，没有邪念，没有堕落的思想和目的，心念坚定、精进和专心，专注的自制于自我感官的抑制，他非常的接近我，我也非常的接近他。」《相应部经》