His Renunciation

出家

The renunciation of Prince Siddhartha was the boldest step that a man has ever taken.

悉达多太子的出家，是前所未有的最大胆的行动。

Critics have condemned Siddhartha for His manner of leaving home and Kingdom. Some described it as a 'callous abandonment of wife and family'. Yet what would have happened if He had not left so stealthily and had approached His loved ones for a formal farewell? They would, of course, have implored him to change His mind. The scene would have been hysterical, and quite possibly the little domain of His father Rajah Suddhodana would have been thrown into turmoil. His intention to seek the truth would have had to be aborted by His father and wife who would prevent Him from His renunciation plans. At the age of 29 years, Siddhartha was a full-blooded young man in the prime of life. As it was, the temptation not to abandon all He had know and loved in order to seek the truth must have been formidable. During His final moments in the palace, He visited His bedroom and looked at His slumbering wife and their newborn child. The great impulse to remain and abandon His plan must have caused Him agony. Certainly in those days in India, it was considered a noble thing for a man to forsake home and loved ones to become an ascetic to lead a holy life. All things considered, it would seem that Siddhartha was right in boldly and quickly achieving His plan.

外道非议悉达多太子的出家。认为他是「抛开妻子和家庭」。然而，假使他不是静悄悄的离开，而是以挚爱的心情，举行一个隆重的告别会。那么，他的亲人会苦苦的哀求，改变他坚强的出家意志，这一幕将变得歇斯底里。同时也可能导致他的父亲净饭王(Rajah Suddhodano)所统治的国家陷于混乱。就是因为这样，他不敢向父亲和妻子提起有关他出家的计划，避免被他们说服而放弃。当他二十九岁那年，正当血气旺盛、年轻有为的时候，他为了寻求真理，毅然放弃了世间所有物质的诱惑。当他离开王宫前的那一刻，他到寝室门口注视着熟睡的妻子和刚出世的孩子，那拒绝留下来的冲动，给他带来了必然的最后挣扎。在当时的印度，一个人放弃了家庭和挚爱的一切，出家成为一位修行者，过着神圣的生活，是一件光荣和高尚的事。从各种角度来看，悉达多太子是大胆和毅然地进行他出家的计划。

He renounced the world not for His own sake or convenience but for the sake of suffering humanity. To Him the whole of mankind is one family. The renunciation of Prince Siddhartha at that early age was the boldest step that a man could have taken.

他出家的目的，并不是为了个人的自我解脱，而是为了解决人类的苦难。对他来说，人类就是一个大家庭。悉达多太子的出家，是前所未有的大胆行为。

Detachment is one of the most important factors for the attainment of Enlightenment. The attainment of Enlightenment is by way of non-attachment. Most of life's troubles are caused by attachment. We get angry, we worry, we become greedy and complain bitterly. All these causes of unhappiness, tension, stubbornness and sadness are due to attachment. When we investigate any trouble or worry we have, the main cause is always attachment. Had Prince Siddhartha developed His attachment towards His wife, Child, kingdom and worldly pleasures, He would never have been able to discover the remedy for suffering mankind. Therefore, He had to sacrifice everything including worldly pleasures in order to have a concentrated mind free from distractions, in order to find the Truth that can cure humanity from suffering.

为了达到觉悟的目的，出家是必要的，觉悟须要摆脱一切世间因缘的束缚。人世间的痛苦是因为执着而形成的。我们的愤怒、忧虑、贪婪和怨恨及所有不愉快、紧张、顽固和悲伤都是因为不能放下。如果你有任何的烦恼和困难，请自我反省。你会发现，最主要的原因就是放不下。假如悉达多太子眷念于他的妻子、孩子、王位和世间的享受，他将永远也不会发现治疗人类痛苦的良方。所以他舍弃了一切，包括世间的荣华富贵。出家是为了更自由的、没有干扰的、更加集中精力的为人类寻求解脱痛苦的真理。

In the eyes of this young Prince, the whole world was burning with lust, anger, greed and man other defilements which ignite the fire of passions. He saw each and every living being in this including His wife and child, suffering from all sorts of physical and mental ailments. So determined was He to seek a solution for the eradication of suffering amongst suffering humanity, that He was prepared to sacrifice everything.

在这位年轻太子的眼里，整个世界都为贪婪、嗔恚、欲望所燃烧，还有很多污秽的心念点燃了我们内心的欲火。他知道世界上的每一个人，包括他的妻子和儿子在内，都为了心理或物质的失调而受苦。因此，他决心舍弃一切，毅然的去寻求一个解脱人类痛苦的真理。

Two thousand five hundred years after His renunciation, some people shed crocodile tears or criticize Him for His action. His wife, however, did not accuse Him for desertion when she realized the purpose of His renunciation. Instead, she gave up her luxurious life to lead a simple life as a mark of respect.

Here is how a well-known poet saw the renunciation of the Buddha:

'Twas not through hatred of children sweet,

'Twas not through hatred of His lovely wife,

Thriller of hearts-not that He loved them less,

But Buddhahood more, that He renounced them all.

(Dwight Goddard)

这里有一首大家熟悉的诗歌，是最好的写照：他并不是讨厌他亲爱的孩子，他并不是厌倦了他心爱的妻子，令他震憾的是：并不是吝啬对他们的爱，而是他更爱觉悟之道。终于，他突然的舍弃了所有的一切。 —德威.国达