---
title: 宗教自由 Religion of Freedom
description: "This is a religion of freedom and reason for man to lead a noble life."
---

Religion of Freedom

宗教自由

This is a religion of freedom and reason for man to lead a noble life.

佛教鼓勵信徒以自由的心靈過崇高的生活，佛教是一個自由及理性的宗教。

Buddhism does not prevent anyone from learning the teachings of other religions. In fact, the Buddha encouraged His followers to learn about other religions and to compare His Teachings with other teachings. The Buddha says that if there are reasonable and rational teachings. The Buddha says that if there are reasonable and rational teachings in other religions, His followers are free to respect such teachings. It seems that certain religionists try to keep their followers in the dark, some of them are not even allowed to touch other religious objects or books. They are instructed not to listen to the preachings of other religions. They are enjoined not to doubt the teachings of their own religion, however unconvincing their teachings may appear to be. The more they keep their followers on a one-track mind, the more easily they can keep them under control. If anyone of them exercises freedom of thought and realizes that he had been in the dark all the time, then it is alleged that the devil has possessed his mind. The poor man is given no opportunity to use his common sense, education, of his intelligence. Those who wish to change their views on religion are taught to believe that they are not perfect enough to be allowed to use free will in judging anything for themselves.

佛教不阻止任何人閱讀或研究其它宗教，事實，佛教鼓勵信眾研究和比較其它宗教。佛陀說：「假如一個宗教有它合理的一面，它的信徒也有自由去崇敬這合理的一面。」某些宗教為了征服它的信眾，使他們永遠受困于黑暗，堅決的不允許信眾接觸其他宗教，不允許信眾接觸其它宗教的典籍，不許信眾聽聞其它宗教的教理。它們不允許信眾對自己的信仰和教理有所懷疑，即使教理的表現是不能讓人信服的。它們使信眾生活在迷濛中，有如羊群一樣被牧放。假如有人睜開雙眼看見光明，它們就會說，他已被魔鬼占據了內心，要打入黑暗的地獄。這些可憐的人，沒有機會去運用他們的常識、他們的教育和學識。即使有人想改變這種看法，也會因為自己不夠完善，以致不能自由的運用自己的意識來做出正確的判斷。

According to the Buddha, religion should be left to one's own free choice. Religion is not a law, but a disciplinary code which should be followed with understanding. To Buddhists true religious principles are neither a divine law nor a human law, but a natural law.

根據佛陀所教，宗教是一種自由選擇的信仰，不是律法，而是一種應該奉行的道德規范。佛教不是世間法，而是自然法。

In actual fact, there is no real religious freedom in any part of the world today. Man has not the freedom even to think freely. Whenever he realizes that he cannot find satisfaction through his own religion to which he belongs, which cannot provide him with satisfactory answers to certain questions, he has no liberty to give it up and to accept another which appeals to him. The reason is that religious authorities, leaders, and family members have taken that freedom away from him. Man should be allowed to choose his religion which is in accordance with his own conviction. One has no right to force another to accept a particular religion. Some people surrender their religion for the sake of love, without a proper understanding of their partner's religion. Religion should not be changed to suit man's emotions and human weaknesses. One must think very carefully before changing one's religion. Religion is not a subject for bargaining; one should not change one's religion for personal, material gains. Religion is to be sued for spiritual development and for self-salvation.

事實，在今天的世界里，根本就沒有真正的宗教自由，人類甚至失去了思想自由。當一個人發現他無法從自己信仰的宗教獲得滿足時，無法為他解答某些特殊的問題。他不能自由的放棄他原來信仰的宗教，而去接受一個對他更有吸引力的宗教。原因無他，因為這是一個權威性的宗教，宗教領導人和他的家庭成員剝奪了他的自由。人類應該有選擇自己宗教信仰的自由。沒有人有權力去強迫別人跟隨自己的信仰。有些人是因為屈服于戀愛對象，而跟隨他的信仰，這種人對宗教的了解還比不上木偶。宗教不應該令人屈服于情感的弱點而改變一個人。在轉換信仰的時候，也應該慎重的考慮，因為宗教不是一種交易。一個人不應該為了個人或物質的利益而改變信仰，宗教信仰是為了開發心靈而獲得自我的解脫。

Buddhists never try to influence other religionists to come and embrace their religion for material gain. Nor do they try to exploit poverty, sickness, illiteracy and ignorance in order to increase the number of Buddhist population. The Buddha advised those who indicated their wish to follow Him, not to be hasty in accepting His Teachings. He advised them to consider carefully His Teaching and to determine for themselves whether it was practical or not for them to follow.

佛教不以物質的誘惑來吸引信徒，佛教也不是在利用那些貧窮、病患、文盲和愚癡的人。佛陀告誡那些追隨者，不要急于接受他的教義。佛陀要信徒們要慎重的考慮和判斷他的教義，是否確實和實用。

Buddhism teaches that mere belief or outward rituals are insufficient for attaining wisdom and perfection. In this sense, outward conversion becomes meaningless. To promote Buddhism by force would mean pretending to propagate justice and love by means of oppression and injustice. It is of no importance to a follower of the Buddha whether a person calls himself a Buddhist or not. Buddhists know that only through man's understanding and exertion will they come nearer to the goal preached by the Buddha.

佛陀教導我們，對外力和儀式的信仰是無法獲得智慧的，因此，對外力和儀式的信仰是沒有意義的。以武力來推動佛教，意味著以壓迫和不公正的手段去宣揚那公正和仁慈的宗教。是否要自稱佛教徒，那是不重要的事，重要的是，要透過自己清楚的了解，和運用自己心識，這樣才能更接近于佛陀所宣說的人生真正目的。

Amongst the followers of every religion are some fanatics. Religious fanaticism is dangerous. A fanatic is incapable of guiding himself by reason or even by the scientific principles of observation and analysis. According to the Buddha, a Buddhist must be a free man with an open mind and must not be subservient to anyone for his spiritual development. He seeks refuge in the Buddha by accepting Him as a source of supreme guidance and inspiration. He seeks refuge in the Buddha, not blindly, but with understanding. To Buddhists, the Buddha is not a savior nor is He an anthropomorphic being who claims to possess the power of washing away other's sins. Buddhists regard the Buddha as a Teacher who shows the Path to salvation.

宗教狂熱是危險的。不正確的方法得不到好的結果，方法不對，目標也不可能對，一個宗教狂熱者不可能以理性和科學性為自己的原則。根據佛陀的教義，佛教徒必須是一個自由的人，以開放和不屈服的胸襟尋求心靈的發展。佛教徒皈依佛陀，是把佛陀當作導師和自我鼓勵的對象，是為了了解，而不是盲從。對佛教徒而言，佛陀不是「救世主」，也不是那擁有極高權威能洗清他人罪孽的「神」。佛教徒把佛陀當作一位老師，一位能指引他邁向解脫之道的老師。

Buddhism has always supported the freedom and progress of mankind. Buddhism has always stood for the advancement of knowledge and freedom for humanity in every sphere of life. There is nothing in the Buddha's Teaching that has to be withdrawn in the face of modern, scientific inventions and knowledge. The more new things that scientists discover, the closer they come to the Buddha.

佛教支持現代人的自由和進步。佛教在人類生活的各個層次都代表著人性的自由和知識的進展。面對現代科學和知識的沖擊，佛教的教義並未因此而被淘汰或更動。可見佛教教義的科學性。科學的新發現越多，人類就越接近佛教。

The Buddha emancipated man from the thralldom of religion. He also released man from the monopoly and the tyranny of the priestcraft. It was the Buddha who first advised man to exercise his reason and not to allow himself to be driven meekly like dumb cattle, following the dogma of religion. The Buddha stood for rationalism, democracy and practical, ethical conduct in religion. He introduced this religion for people to practise with human dignity.

The followers of the Buddha were advised not to believe anything without considering it properly. In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha gave the following guidelines to a group of young people:

佛教把人類從宗教束縛中解放出來，也把人類從極權殘暴的神權系統中解放出來。這是佛陀對人類的開示，要人類善于運用自己的智慧，不要像那些孱弱愚笨的畜生一樣，盲目的接受宗教信仰。佛陀在他的教義中，體現了：理性、民主、實用和道德，佛陀是第一位用大眾語言宣說教義的人。佛陀告誡信徒，不要接受那些沒有經過適當思考的事。

佛陀在《卡拉瑪經》(Kalama Sutta)中，對一幫年青人說：

'Do not accept anything based upon mere reports, traditions or hearsay,

「不要接受那些口頭傳說、傳統或聽來的事。

Nor upon the authority of religious texts,

不要相信權威性的宗教經典，

Nor upon mere reasons and arguments,

不要相信理論和爭議，

Nor upon one's own inference,

不要相信自己的推斷，

Nor upon anything which appears to be true,

這一切，看起來都像真的，

Nor upon one's own speculative opinion,

但這一切都基于個人的揣測或意見，

Nor upon another's seeming ability,

或基于別人表面的能力，

Nor upon the consideration: 'This is our Teacher.'

或基于這樣的念頭：

'But, when you know for yourselves the certain things are unwholesome and bad: tending to harm yourself of others, reject them.

「這是我們老師所教導的。」「當你知道這對你不適當或無益時──損人不利己，你就應該拒絕它。」

'And when you know for yourselves that certain things are wholesome and good: conducive to the spiritual welfare of yourself as well as others, accept and follow them.'

「當你知道適合和有益于你時──利人利己，你就應該順從它並接受它。」

Buddhists are advised to accept religious practices only after careful observation and analysis, and only after being certain that the method agrees with reason and is conducive to the good of one and all.

佛教徒只有在仔細的觀察和分析後，才接受和實踐自己的信仰。同時，也確保了信仰的合理性和利人利己。

A true Buddhist does not depend on external powers for his salvation. Nor does he expect to get rid of miseries through the intervention of some unknown power. He must try to eradicate all his mental impurities to find eternal Happiness. The Buddha says, 'If anyone were to speak ill of me, my teaching and my disciples, do not be upset or perturbed, for this kind of reaction will only cause you harm. On the other hand, if anyone were to speak well of me, my teaching and my disciples, do not be over-joyed, thrilled or elated, for this kind of reaction will only be an obstacle in forming a correct judgment. If you are elated, you cannot judge whether the qualities praised are real and actually found in us.'

(Brahma Jala Sutta) Such is the unbiased attitude of a genuine Buddhist.

真正的佛教徒決不依靠外來的力量而獲得解脫，也不希望外力的介入來擺脫痛苦。佛教徒以清除潛在于內心的煩惱，來尋求內在的歡愉。

佛陀在《長部》里這麼說：「假如有人詆毀我，或我的教義和我的弟子，我不會因此沮喪或煩惱。這麼做，只會帶來傷害。假如有人讚揚我，或我的教義和我的弟子，我也不會因此的感到歡喜、感動或得意。因為這是造成正確判斷的障礙。如果你沉醉于別人的讚揚中，你就無法判斷讚揚的本質是否屬實，或我們是否真正值得被讚揚。」

The Buddha had upheld the highest degree of freedom not only in its human essence but also in its divine qualities. It is a freedom that does not deprive man of his dignity. It is a freedom that releases one from slavery to dogmas and dictatorial religious laws or religious punishments.

佛陀提倡高度的自由，不單是為人類，也涵蓋了一切平等的眾生。自由並不是鼓勵放縱。人類自由的從那些奴役人性的宗教權威、神權或宗教懲罰中解放自己。