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佛教与悲观主义 Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
 
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Is Buddhism Pessimistic?

佛教与悲观主义

Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic but a realistic religion.

佛教既不乐观,也不悲观,佛教是真实的宗教。

Some critics argue that Buddhism is morbid, cynical, hovering on the dark and shadowy side of life, an enemy of harmless pleasures, and an unfeeling trampler on the innocent joys of life. They see Buddhism as being pessimistic, as fostering an attitude of hopelessness towards life, as encouraging a vague, general feeling that pain and evil predominate in human affairs. These critics base their views on the First Noble Truth that all conditioned things are in a state of suffering. They seem to have forgotten that not only had the Buddha taught the cause and end of Suffering, but he had taught the way to end Suffering. In any case, is there any religious teacher who praised this worldly life and advised us to cling to it?

一些批评家认为佛教是不健全的、悲观的、愤世嫉俗的宗教,徬徨于昏沉与黑暗中,以无害的快乐为敌人,无感受的飘泊在单纯的生活中。因而断言,佛教是在悲观中孕育一种对生命绝望的生活态度,鼓励一种模糊笼统的概念,认为人生被痛苦和邪恶所占据。这些批评主要基于他们误解了四圣谛中的苦圣谛,以及实践一切缘起无不是苦的看法。

If the founder of this religion, the Buddha, was such a pessimist, one would expect His personality to be portrayed on more severe lines than has been done. The Buddha image is the personification of Peace, Serenity, Hope and Goodwill. The magnetic and radiant smile of the Buddha which is said to be inscrutable and enigmatic, is the epitome of His doctrine. To the worried and the frustrated, His smile of Enlightenment and hope is an unfailing tonic and soothing balm.

假使佛教的创始人──佛陀,真的是一位悲观主义者,对他的描绘将更加恶劣。事实上,佛陀的形象是和平、庄严、充满希望和善意的。佛陀身上散发出的微笑和吸引力,据说是不可臆测和难以理解的,也可以说这就是他的教义的缩影。对灰心和苦闷者而言,佛陀那充满希望的微笑,是一种永不失败的力量、是一种振奋剂和令人欣慰的芳香。

The Buddha radiated His love and compassion in all directions. Such a person can hardly be a pessimist. And when the sword-happy kings and princes listened to Him, they realized that the only true conquest is the conquest of the Self and the best way to win the hearts of the people was to teach them to appreciate the Dhamma---Truth.

The Buddha cultivated His sense of humor to such a high degree that His bitter opponents were disarmed with the greatest ease. Often they could not help laughing at themselves. The Buddha had a wonderful tonic; He cleaned their systems of dangerous toxins and they became enthusiastic thereafter to follow in His footsteps. In His sermons, dialogues and discussions, He maintained that poise and dignity which won for Him the respect and affection of the people. How can such a person be a pessimist?

佛陀慈悲的光辉普照十方,像他这样的人,不可能是一位悲观者。当剑喜王和他的太子在聆听了佛陀的开示后,他们了解唯一获得真正自我的征服,和获得民心的最佳方法,就是佛陀真理的教义──佛法。佛陀拥有高度的幽默感,他经常发出会心的微笑,令他的敌对者因此而消除敌意。佛陀拥有一种特殊的力量,他能消除信徒的危险和邪恶的心识,并令他们心甘情愿的追随他。佛陀在弘法、辩论或和信众们讨论问题时,总是保持自己的尊严和平和的态度,因此赢得广大信众对他的崇拜和景仰。像这样的一个人,我们能说他是悲观主义者吗?

The Buddha never expected His followers to be constantly brooding over the suffering of life and leading a miserable and unhappy existence. He taught the fact of suffering only so that He could show people how to overcome this suffering and move in the direction of happiness. To become an Enlightened person, one must have joy, one of the factors that the Buddha recommended us to cultivate. Joy is hardly pessimistic.

佛陀从来都不希望信众过着痛苦、忧愁和焦虑不安的生活。他指示了痛苦的真相,和克服及消灭痛苦的方法和道路。要成为一位觉悟者,必须快乐。快乐是佛陀要我们培养证悟觉悟的条件之一。快乐绝对不是悲观的。

There are two Buddhists texts called the Theragatha and Therigatha which are full of the joyful utterances of the Buddha's disciples, both male and female, who found peace and happiness in life through His Teaching. The king of Kosala once told the Buddha that unlike many a disciple of other religious systems who looked haggard, coarse, pale, emaciated and unprepossessing, His disciples were 'joyful and elated, jubilant and exultant, enjoying the spiritual life, serene, peaceful and living with a gazelle's mind, light-hearted.' The king added that he believed that this healthy disposition was due to the fact that 'these Venerable Ones had certainly realized the great and full significance of the Blessed One's Teachings' (Majjhima Nikaya).

有两部经典:《长老偈经》(Theragatha)和《长老尼偈经》(Thergatha),里面记录的都是佛陀的弟子们快乐的言辞,男、女众弟子们,以佛陀的教义为修持的方针,在生活中找到和平与幸福。根据经典记载:「有一回,高沙喇国王(kosala)告诉佛陀:他不喜欢其他宗教的弟子,他们看起来憔悴、粗俗、苍白、孱弱,无法给人一个好的印象,而佛陀的弟子则充满喜悦、欢愉、振奋的享受着精神生活,并以严肃、平和、轻松的心情生活着。过后,他又补充道,他相信佛陀的弟子们这种健全的气质是由于:佛陀的弟子们,深切的体悟到佛陀那伟大和意义深远的教义。」

When asked why His disciples, who lived a simple and quiet life with only one meal a day, were so radiant, the Buddha replied: 'They do not repent the past, nor do they brood over the future. They live in the present. Therefore they are radiant. By brooding over the future and repenting the past, fools dry up like green reeds cut down [in the sun] (Samyutta Nikaya).

有人问佛陀:他的弟子们,日中一食,过着简单、纯朴、宁静的生活,因何会有如此的光辉呢?佛陀回答:「他们不懊悔于过去,不忧虑于未来,他们只生活在现在,因此,他们如此的容光焕发。愚痴的人,懊悔于过去,忧虑于未来,他们如干枯的芦苇草一样,折断于烈日之下。」《相应部经》

As a religion, Buddhism preaches the unsatisfactory nature of everything in this world. Yet one cannot simply categorize Buddhism as a pessimistic religion, because it also teaches us how to get rid of this unhappiness. According to the Buddha, even the worst sinner, after paying for what he has done, can attain salvation. Buddhism offers every human being the hope of attaining his salvation one day. Other religions, however, take it for granted that some people will be bad forever and have an eternal hell waiting for them. In that respect, such religions are more pessimistic. Buddhists deny such a belief.

佛教是一个宣传世间诸多不如意的宗教。然而,不能因此而把佛教列入悲观的宗教。因为佛教的实质是教导我们如何消除这诸多的不如意。佛法告诉我们,即使是最邪恶的人,在接受果报之后,还是一样可以获得解脱。佛教为人类提供了达到解脱的希望。但是,其它的宗教却认为坏人将永远的坏下去,并且有一个永久的地狱在等候他们。佛教否认这种教义的说法。

Buddhism is neither optimistic nor pessimistic. It does not encourage man to look at the world through his changing feelings of optimism and pessimism. Rather, Buddhism encourages us to be realistic: we must learn to see things as they truly are.

佛教既不悲观,也不乐观。佛教不鼓励一个人在这世间,由于悲观或乐观而改变他的思想。相反的,佛教鼓励我们要活得真真实实,同时必须去学习了解事物的真实面目。


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