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宗教的需求 The need for a religion
 
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The need for a religion

宗教的需求:

To understand the real purpose of life, it is advisable for a person to choose and follow an ethical-moral system that restrains a person from evil deeds, encourages him to do good, and enables him to purify his mind. For simplicity, we shall call this system 'religion'.

要了解生命的真正意义,必须鼓励他追随一种伦理道德的系统,让他从邪恶变成善良,使他净化自己的思想。这个系统就是──宗教。

Religion is the expression of the striving man: it is his greatest power, leading him onwards to self-realization. It has the power to transform one with negative characteristics into someone with positive qualities. It turns the ignoble, noble; the selfish, unselfish; the proud, humble; the haughty, forbearing; the greedy, benevolent; the cruel, kind; the subjective, objective. Every religion, represents, however imperfectly, a reaching upwards to a higher level of being. From the earliest times, religion has been the source of man's artistic and cultural inspiration. Although many forms of religion had come into being in the course of history, only to pass away and be forgotten, each one in its time had contributed something towards the sum of human progress. Christianity helped to civilize the West, and the weakening of its influence has marked a downward trend of the Occidental spirit. Buddhism, which civilized the greater part of the East long before, is still a vital force, and in this age of scientific knowledge is likely to extend and to strengthen its influence. It does not, at any point, come into conflict with modern knowledge, but embraces and transcends all of it in a way that no other system of thought has ever done before or is ever likely to do. Western man seeks to conquer the universe for material ends. Buddhism and Eastern philosophy strive to attain harmony with nature or spiritual satisfaction.

宗教是奋斗者的表现,宗教是人类最伟大的力量,宗教引导人类逐渐的去了解自我。宗教可以化卑贱为崇高、化自私为慷慨、化傲慢为谦虚、化挥霍为节约、化贪婪为布施、化残暴为善良、化主观为客观。每一个宗教都希望能将人性提升到一个较高的水平,虽然无法尽善尽美。从早期的宗教可以看到,宗教是人类艺术和文化灵感的泉源。虽然很多宗教已经在人类历史中被遗忘了,但是,每一个宗教对人类的历史都曾经做出贡献。基督教带给西方文明,但是,在东方却发挥不了影响力。东方从古至今都一直在受佛教的影响,甚至科学昌明的今日,佛教还是继续发挥它的影响力。佛教并无一点与现代科学发生抵触,不但如此,佛教还包容和超越了现代科学知识,没有任何一种思想体系能做到或曾经做到。西方人征服宇宙是为了物质的目的,而佛教及东方哲学,则努力与大自然协调,以寻求精神的解脱。

Religion teaches a person how to calm down the senses and make the heart and mind peaceful. The secret of calming down the senses is to eliminate desire which is the root of our disturbances. It is very important for us to have contentment. The more people crave for their property, the more they have to suffer. Property does not give happiness to man. Most of the rich people in the world today are suffering from numerous physical and mental problems. With all the money they have, they cannot buy a solution to their problems. Yet, the poorest men who have learnt to have contentment may enjoy their lives far more than the richest people do. As one rhyme goes:

宗教教导人类如何冷静的使自己的心识获得平静。使我们获得平静的秘密就在于如何使烦恼消除。如何获得满足,对人类来说是一件非常重要的事。追求物质的同时,带来了更多的烦恼,物质并不能使人快乐。今天,生活在世的许多大富豪,同样必须面对更多生理或心理问题所带来的困扰,金钱,解决不了人类的问题。反而,一些贫穷的人,他们懂得如何满足自己,他们生活得更快乐。著名作家瑞伊敏这么说道:

'Some have too much and yet do crave I have little and seek no more; They are but poor though much more they have And I am rich with little store. They poor, I rich, they beg, I give; They lack, I have; they pine, I live.' Searching for a purpose in life The aim in life varies among individuals. An artist may aim to paint masterpieces that will live long after he is gone. A scientist may want to discover some laws, formulate a new theory, or invent a new machine. A politician may wish to become a prime minister or a president. A young executive may aim to be a managing director of multinational company. However, when you ask the artist, scientist, politician and the young executive why they aim such, they will reply that these achievements will give them a purpose in life and make them happy. Everyone aims for happiness in life, yet experience shows time and again that its attainment is so elusive.

拥有太多的人,还在不停的追求,我只要求一点,不求多,拥有太多的人依然贫穷,拥有一点的我,却很富裕,他们贫穷,我富裕,他们索求,我付出,他们缺乏,我有余,他们憔悴,我精猛。


寻找生活的目的:

生活的目的因人而异,画家的生活目的,可能只是创作传世作品,希望在他死后,仍然能永垂不朽。科学家的目的,可能是开发新的定律、公式或理论。政治家冀求成为总统或总理。年轻的行政人员、向往成为跨国公司的经理或总裁。但是,当你问及画家、科学家、政治家或年轻的行政人员,为什么他们会有这种理想时,他们会毫无犹豫的回答你,他们是为了使生活过得更美好更幸福。每个人都向往美好幸福的生活,但是,经验告诉我们,要达到这些理想是不容易的。


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