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历史见证了佛陀 Historical Evidence of the Buddha
 
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Historical Evidence of the Buddha

历史见证了佛陀

The Buddha is the greatest conqueror the world has ever seen. His Teaching illuminates the way for mankind to cross from a world of darkness, hatred and suffering to a new world of light, love and happiness.

Gautama the Buddha was not a mythical figure but an actual, historical personality who introduced the religion known today as Buddhism. Evidence to prove the existence of this great religious Teacher are to be found in the following facts:

The testimonies of those who knew Him personally. These testimonies were recorded in the rock-inscriptions, pillars and pagodas made in His honour. These testimonies and monuments to His memory were created by kings and others who were near enough to His time to be able to verify the story of His life. The discovery of places and the remains of buildings that were mentioned in the narrative of His time. The Sangha, the holy order which He founded, has had an unbroken existence to the present day. The Sangha possessed the facts of His life and Teachings which have been transmitted from generation to generation in various parts of the world. The fact that in the very year of His death, and at various times subsequently, conventions and councils of the Sangha were held for the verification of the actual Teachings of the Founder. These verified Teachings have been passed on from teacher to pupil from His time to the present day.

After His passing away, His body was cremated and the bodily relics were divided among eight kingdoms in India. Each king built a pagoda to contain his portion of the relics. The portion given to King Ajatasatthu was enshrined by him in a pagoda at Rajagriha. Less than two centuries later, Emperor Asoka took the relics and distributed them throughout his empire. The inscriptions enshrined in this and other pagodas confirmed that those were the relics of Gautama the Buddha. 'The Mahavansa', the best and authentic ancient history known to us gives detailed particulars of life as well as details of the life of Emperor Asoka and all other sovereigns related to Buddhist history. Indian history has also given a prominent place to the Buddha's life, activities, Buddhist traditions and customs. The records which we can find in the Buddhist countries where people received Buddhism a few hundred years after the Buddha's passing away such as Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Tibet, Nepal, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos show unbroken historical, cultural, religious, literary and traditional evidence that there was religious Teacher in India known as Gautama the Buddha.

The Tripitaka, an unbroken record of His 45 years of Teaching is more than sufficient to prove that the Buddha really lived in the world. The accuracy and authenticity of the Buddhist texts is supported by the fact that they provide information for historians to write Indian history during the 5th and 6th century B. C. The texts, which represent the earliest reliable written records in India, provide a profound insight into the socio-economic, cultural and political environment and conditions during the Buddha's lifetime as well as into the lives of His contemporaries, such as King Bimbisara.

Salvation Through Arahantahood Attaining Nibbana through Arahantahood is not selfish.

Certain Buddhists believe to seek salvation by becoming an Arahant is a selfish motive; because everyone, they claim, must try to become a Buddha in order to save others. This particular belief has absolutely no ground in the Teaching of the Buddha. The Buddha never mentioned that He wanted to save every living being in this whole universe. He offered His help only to those who were spiritually matured and willing to accept His Nobel way of life.

'The doors to the deathless are open! Let those who will hear leave wrong doctrine 'Now shall I turn the Wheel of the Great Law, For this I go to the Kasian city. There shall I beat the drum of deathlessness In this world that is groping in the dark.'

(Ariya pariyesana Sutta-Majjhima Nikaya). The belief that everyone must strive to become a Buddha in order to attain salvation cannot be found in the original Teachings of the Buddha. This belief is just like asking every person to become a doctor in order to cure other people and himself of diseases. This advice is most impractical. If people want to cure themselves of their sicknesses they can get medical advice from a qualified doctor. This they can do without waiting until they are all doctors before curing themselves. Nor is there any need for each and every person to be a doctor. If everyone becomes a doctor, who are going to be their patients? In the same way if everyone is going to become Buddhas, who is going to save whom? Of course, those who wish to become doctors can do so. But they must have intelligence, courage and the means to study medicine. Likewise, it is not compulsory for everyone to become a Buddha to find his salvation. Those who wish to become Buddhas can do so. However, they need the courage and knowledge to sacrifice their comforts and practice all kinds of renunciations in order to attain Buddhahood. Others can be content to be healthy.

To attain Arahantahood, one has to eradicate all greed and selfishness. This implies that while relating with others, an Arahant will act with compassion and try to inspire others to go on the Path leading to Liberation. He is the living proof of the good results that accrue to a person who follows the method taught by the Buddha. The attainment of Nibbana is not possible if one acts with a selfish motive. Therefore, it is baseless to say that striving to become an Arahant is a selfish act.

Buddhahood is indisputably the best and the noblest of all the three ideals(Supreme Buddha, Silent Buddha and Arahant). But not everyone is capable of achieving this highest ideal. Surely all scientists cannot be Einsteins and Newtons. There must be room for lesser scientists who nevertheless help the world according to their capabilities.


佛陀是这世界从未有过的伟大胜利者,他的教义像指路明灯,指引人们跨越黑暗的世界,脱离悲伤和痛苦,点燃了希望的灯,充满了爱与快乐。

佛陀不是神话中的塑像,而是真实的历史人物,他为我们缔造了今天的佛教。我们可以从以下历史资料中证实这位伟大的宗教导师的存在。

一、同时代的人遗留下来的证词。这些证词都是与佛陀同一时代的国王或亲近过佛陀的人所遗留下来的。这些证词镌刻在石碑、石柱或佛塔。这些纪念碑证实了佛陀的一生,也为后世留下佛陀曾经存在的有力证据。

二、很多当时所遗留下来的遗物和遗迹,无论地点或结构都吻合了有关佛陀一生的报导。

三、佛陀所创立的僧团,至今还完整的存在。现在的僧团还保留了佛陀的言教,一代一代的传承,分布到世界各地不同的国家里。

四、在佛陀入灭的那一年以及随后数年,僧团举行了多次佛陀教义的编审、鉴定和结集。这些结集后的经典,由导师传授给学生,代代相传一直到今天。

五、佛陀入灭后,遗体火化后的舍利,分发给印度八个国家,每个国家都建立舍利塔安放佛陀舍利。当时,阿迦他沙国的舍利安放在哈利王舍利塔内,百多年后,被阿首咖(Asoka,古译:阿育王)分供于他所统治的国土内的舍利塔中,这些佛塔遗迹的碑文,佐证了佛陀确实存在于当时的印度。

六、一部印度史书摩诃旺沙 (Mahaansa),记载了当年阿首咖的史实,以及其他与佛教有关的君主。明显的记载了佛陀一生的行迹以及佛教的传统和制度。

七、佛陀人灭后的数百年,很多国家接受了佛教,留下很多完整的史料,包括历史、文化、宗教或文学的,这些都吻合了当时佛陀在印度所弘扬的传统。这些接收佛教的国家包括锡兰(现在的斯里兰卡)、缅甸、中国、尼泊尔、韩国(由中国传入)、日本(由中国传入)、泰国、越南(由中国传入)、柬埔寨和寮国(老挝)。这些国家都完整的保留了确实的史料,证明了苟答马佛陀的存在。

八、巴利三藏中,完整的保留了佛陀一生四十五年所传授的教义,充分的证明了佛陀确实出现在人间。

九、巴利三藏中除了记载佛陀的言教外,也确实的记载了公元 前五到六世纪的印度历史、经济、文化和政治都受到佛陀深刻的影响。 譬如宾比萨拉 (Bimbisàra,古译:瓶沙王),就把佛陀当作他的政治顾问。

通过阿拉汉道度化世人

透过阿拉汉道证悟涅槃,不是一种自私的行为。

某些佛教徒认为,修证自我解脱的阿拉汉是一种自私的行径。他们认为必须透过证悟佛道而度化众生。这种信念并不是没有根据的。可是佛陀从来就没有说过他要度化众生,他只提供他的帮助给予那些愿意接受他那崇高生活方式的人。

「无死的大门敞开着,那些愿意听到的人,远离错误的教义……」「现在我转起*轮,因为我来到卡西安城,为这沉浸在黑暗的世界敲响无死的大鼓」《中部.圣度智经》

在原始的佛教教义中,并没有提到「度化他人」的说法。佛陀所推荐的方法是:通过佛陀的教诲来消除烦恼,精进、努力、净化自己、解脱自己。不要忘记佛陀曾经这样告诫大家:「你应该自己努力寻求解脱,佛陀只是一位指路人,佛陀只是教导你如何成就的导师。」《法句经》

那些人认为必须证悟佛道然后度化世人的思想,并没有出现在原始的佛教教义里。这种思想就好像要求人人都成为医生,不但要治疗自己还要治疗他人,这是一种不大实际的想法。人如果生病了,就应该去找合格的医生,不可以等到自己修完医学课程后,才来治疗自己。再说,这世界也不需要人人都成为医生,如果人人都是医生,那么谁是病人呢?同样的,如果人人都成佛,谁来度化谁呢?当然!一个人如果想成为医生,那也可以,他必须要有智慧、有勇气去研究医学。同样的,不要强迫人人都求成佛道。如果某些人希望成佛也可以,他必需有勇气、有智慧、肯牺牲个人的利益,修学种种的佛法和戒律,克制自己的欲望来完成佛道。所以说,通过阿拉汉道证悟涅槃,不是一种自私的行为。如果说,通过阿拉汉道证悟涅槃,是一种自私的行为,将得不到佛陀的祝福。然而,在所有的三藏经典里,一切成就阿拉汉道的圣者,都得到了佛陀最大的祝福。

佛教有三种崇高的理想──正自觉佛、独觉佛和阿拉汉。但是,不是人人都可以达到这崇高的理想。这好比不是所有的科学家都能达到爱因斯坦或牛顿的成就。但是,他们一样可以根据自己的能力来协助这世间的发展。


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