第十三章 自然.價值觀和宗教信仰 Chapter 13 Nature, Value And Choice Of Religious Beliefs
Part Five
A Religion For Real Human Progress
第五篇
宗教與人類的進展
Chapter 13 Nature, Value And Choice Of Religious Beliefs
第十三章 自然.價值觀和宗教信仰
Man and Religion
人類與宗教
Man is the only living being in this world who has discovered religion and performs worship and prayer.
人類是自然界中，唯一有宗教信仰的生物。
Man developed religion in order to satisfy his desire to understand the life within him and the world outside him. The earliest religions had animistic origins, and they arose out of man’s fear of the unknown and his desire to placate the forces which he thought inhabited inanimate objects. Over time these religions underwent changes, being shaped by the geographical, historical, socio-economic, political and intellectual environment existing at that time.
人類建立宗教信仰，為了滿足自己對生命內在和外在的了解和欲望。由于人類對自然現象的恐懼，崇敬自然現象，賦予自然現象擬人化的表徵，從而產生了最原始的宗教。這些原始宗教，受到時間、地理、歷史、環境、經濟、政治、文化的影響，不斷的在演變。
Many of these religions have become organized and are flourishing to this day, backed by a strong following of devotees. Many people are drawn to organized religions because of the pomp and ceremony, while there are some who prefer to practice their own personal religion, inwardly venerating their religious teachers and applying moral principles in their daily life. Because of the importance of practice, every religion claims to be a way of life, not merely a faith. In view of their various origins and paths of development which religions undergo, it is hardly surprising that the religions of man should differ in their approach, the understanding and interpretation of their followers, their goal and how it can be achieved, and their concept of reward and punishment for deeds performed.
很多原始宗教，因為組織健全和信徒們大力的支持，至今不但存在，還在繼續的發展。很多人被宗教儀式和典禮所吸引，但是，某些人選擇了自己的信仰，在生活中實踐道德性的修持。因為強調道德性的重要，每一個宗教都宣稱他們的教義不止是信仰，還是生活的道路。各種宗教所了解的范圍和所闡述的道理都不一樣，它們的宗旨和如何實現目標的方法也不一樣，它們對人類行為的賞、罰概念也不一致。
In terms of approach, religious practices may be based on faith, fear, rationality or harmlessness: Faith forms the basis of many religious practises which were developed to overcome man’s fear and to meet his needs. A religion of miraculous or mystical powers exploits that fear which arises from ignorance and makes promises of material gain based on greed. A religion of devotion is based on emotion and the fear of the supernatural which, it is so believed, can be appeased through rites and rituals. A religion of faith is based on the desire for gaining confidence in the face of the uncertainty of human life and destiny.
這是因為各種宗教的緣起、背景和經歷都不一樣的緣故。某些人可能是因為信心、恐懼、理智或仁慈的理由而信仰宗教。很多宗教以滿足信徒的欲望和恐懼，來爭取信徒。有些以奇蹟或神秘的力量來迷惑那些貪婪和無知的信徒，並許諾信徒將獲得物質的報酬。有些以迷信的概念，通過法事和儀軌來誤導那些畏懼于超自然力量的信徒。有些信仰是樹立人們的信心去面對生命的無常和對命運的恐懼。
Some religious practices grew as a result of the development of man’s knowledge, experience and wisdom. The rational approach to religion had been adopted in this case, incorporating the principles of human value and natural or universal laws. It is based on humanism and concentrates on the cultivation of humane qualities. A religion of cause and effect or kamma is based on the principle of self-help and assumes that the individual alone is responsible for his own happiness and suffering as well as salvation. A religion of wisdom is based on the application of reason and seeks to understand life and the reality of worldly conditions through analytical knowledge.
有些宗教的發展，是基于人類的學識、經驗和智慧。理智的宗教信仰，融入自然法和人類的價值觀，建立在仁慈、善良的品質上。一個以「因果」為基礎的宗教，強調一個人必須對自己的善與惡業負責，接受自己所造成的幸福或苦難。一個智慧型的宗教，建立在以智慧分析和了解生命的本質以及宇宙的真理上。
Harmlessness and goodwill are common elements found in religion. A religion of peace is based on the principle of causing no harm to oneself as well as others, and its followers are to cultivate a harmonious, liberal and peaceful life. A religion of goodwill or loving-kindness is based on the sacrifice and service for the welfare and happiness of others.
仁慈和善心是兩大宗教品質。宗教能帶來和平是因為不傷害和善待一切眾生，同時，也為信徒締造一個和諧、自由和寧靜的生活。宗教的善心或慈悲心是建立在犧牲、服務、以及為眾生謀求福利。
Religions differ according to the understanding capacity of their followers and the interpretation which religious authorities give to the religious doctrines and practices. In some religions, codes, while in others they only provide advice on the need and the way to follow these codes. Every religion will offer reasons to explain the existing human problems and inequalities and the way to remedy the situation. By way of explanation, some religions claim that man has to face these problems because he is on trial in this world. When such an explanation is given, another may ask, ‘For what purpose? How can a man be judged on the basis of just one life when human beings generally differ in their experiences of physical, intellectual, social, economic and environmental factors and conditions?’
宗教的差別就在于信徒的了解和宗教導師如何解釋教義和修行。在某些宗教里，宗教導師擁有很大的權力制定一切律法，而某些宗教只為信徒指引一條道德和正確的道路。所有的宗教都為人類的不平等和種種問題給予不同的答案和彌補的方法。某些宗教認為人類面對種種的問題，是因為他有罪。當這種論調提出時，有人不禁要問：「人類的物質、思想、社會背景、經濟、環境及經歷都有所不同，又怎能在人類短短的一生中來判斷一個人是否有罪呢？」
Every religion has its own concept of what is regarded to be the goal of spiritual life. For some religions, eternal life in heaven or paradise with the Lord is the final goal. For some the ultimate aim in life is the union of universal consciousness, because it is believed that life is a unit of consciousness and it must return to the same original consciousness. Some religions believe that the ending of suffering or repeated birth and death is the final goal. For others, even heavenly bliss or union with Brahma (creator) is secondary to the uncertainty of existence, no matter, whatever form it takes. And there are even some who believe that the present life itself is more than enough to experience the aim of life.
每一個宗教都有一套對自己心靈目標的不同觀念。有些宗教認為在天堂過永恆的生活是他們的最終目的。有些人認為生命是意識的一部份，必須回歸到原始的意識。有些宗教相信，斷滅苦和生死輪迴是終極目標。有些卻認為天堂的快樂，和「神」的境界是次要的，因為，他們認為不管在什麼情況下生命都是無常。有些人卻相信目前的生活已足夠讓他們體驗人生的目標了。
To attain the desired goal, every religion offers a method. Some religions ask their followers to surrender to God or depend on God for everything. Others call for stringent asceticism as the means of purging oneself of all evil through self mortification. Some others recommend the performance of animal sacrifices and many kinds of rites and rituals as well as the recital of mantras for their purification to gain the final goal. There is yet another which upholds diverse methods and devotions, intellectual realization of truth, and concentration of the mind through meditation.
Each religion has a different concept of punishment for evil deeds. According to some religions, man is doomed forever by God for his transgressions in this one life. Some others say that action and reaction(cause and effect)operate due to natural laws and the effect of a deed will only be experienced for a certain period. Some religions maintain that this life is only one of so many, and a person will always have chance to reform himself in stages until he finally evolves to attain the goal of Supreme Bliss.
每個宗教都有他們一套達到目標的方法。有些宗教要信徒歸順于「神」並依賴它。有些通過苦行來清除自己的罪孽。有些以犧牲動物的生命來祭祀，及持咒來淨化自己。有些宗教采取比較廣泛的修行方法，透過禪定來覺悟真理。每一個宗教都有自己一套不同的賞善、罰惡的觀念。有些宗教認為人類一生下來就在犯罪，必須接受懲罰。有些相信因果是一種自然法，果報會在某些時候現前。有些宗教認為這一生是無數生之一，一個人有很多機會在不同階段改善自己，最後得到最高的快樂。
Given such a wide variety of approaches, interpretations and goals of different religions adopted by mankind, it is useful for people not to hold dogmatic views about their religion but to be open to and tolerant of other religious views.
每個不同的宗教都有不同宗旨和教義，我們不要執著于自己所信仰的宗教，對其他宗教要有容忍的精神。
The Buddha said: ‘One must not accept my teachings from reverence, but first try them as gold is tried by fire.’
佛陀說：「不要因為崇敬而相信我的教誨，必須像熔煉黃金一樣，通過試驗後才相信我。」
After emphasizing the importance of maintaining an open mind towards religious doctrines, it is useful to remember that a religion should be practised for the welfare , freedom and happiness of all living beings. That is, religious principles should be used positively to improve the quality of life of all beings. Yet today, humankind is corrupted and has gone astray from basic religious principles. Immoral and evil practices have become common among many people, and religious-minded people experience difficulties trying to maintain certain religious principles in modern life. At the same time, the standard of basic religious principles is also lowered to pander to the demands of polluted and selfish minds. Man should not violate universal moral codes to suit his own greed or indulgence; rather man should try to adjust himself according to these codes taught by religion. Religious precepts have been introduced by enlightened religious teachers who have realized the noble way of life which leads to peace and happiness. Those who violate these precepts transgress the universal laws, which, according to Buddhism will bring bad effects through the working of moral causation.
This does not mean, on the other hand, that a person should slavishly follow what is found in his religion, regardless of its applicability to modern times. Religious laws and precepts should enable people to lead a meaningful life, and are not to be used to bind them to archaic practices and superstitious rituals and beliefs. A person who upholds the basic religious principles should give credit to human intelligence and live respectably with human dignity. There must be some changes in our religious activities to correspond to our education and the nature of our changing society, without at the same time sacrificing the noble universal principles. But it is recognized that making changes to any religious practices is always difficult because many conservative people are opposed to changes, even if they are for the better. Such conservative views are like a stagnant pool of water, while fresh ideas are like the waterfall where the water is constantly being renewed and is, therefore, usable.
對各種宗教教義要有開放的思想，宗教的修持是為了自由、幸福和利樂一切眾生。宗教的宗旨就為了要提升一切眾生的本質。今天人類因為貪婪而遠離宗教的基本宗旨。不道德和邪惡的行為，充斥了整個現代社會，有些宗教信仰者，對維持正常的宗教行為感到越來越困難了。同時，某些宗教也降低了自己的基本原則，來迎合那些污穢和自私的人群。人類不應該侵犯道德標準來符合自己的貪婪和放縱，而是持守道德規范來改進自己。宗教的道德規范是由宗教導師所制定的，因為他們覺悟到神聖的宗教生活是達到清淨和快樂的唯一途徑。那些不道德行為的人，觸犯了宇宙的法則(因果法)，這會給他們帶來惡的果報。
Distortion of Religion
宗教的曲解：
Despite the value of religion in moral upliftment, it is also true to say that religion is a fertile soil for the development of superstitions and devotional hypocrisy, wrapped under the cloak of religiosity. Many people use religion to escape from the realities of life and put on the garb of religion and religious symbols. They may even pray very often in places of worship, yet they are not sincerely religious minded and have not understood what religion stands for. When a religion has been debased by ignorance, greed for power and selfishness, people quickly point an accusing finger and say that religion is irrational. But ‘Religion’(the ritualistic external practice of any teaching)must be distinguished from the teaching itself. Before one criticizes, one must study the original teachings of the founder and see it there is anything intrinsically wrong with it.
雖然宗教有它一定的道德價值。但是宗教也是一塊肥沃的土地，滋長了迷信和虛妄的崇拜，這些迷信與虛妄都潛藏在宗教的外衣下。很多人以宗教來逃避現實生活，很多人雖然熱心的在從事宗教活動，可是他們並非出自虔誠的心或真正了解宗教的意義。在貪婪、無知、權力和自私心的作用下，很多宗教被摧毀，這時，人們開始指責這宗教是不正信、非理性的宗教。一個宗教在受他人指責之前，就必須提升自己，學習和發揚創始者的教義，並找出其中錯誤的成份。
Religion advise people to do good and be good, but they are not interested in acting thus. Instead they prefer to cling to the other practices which have no real religious values. Had they tried to culture their minds by eradicating jealousy, pride, cruelty and selfishness, at least they would have found the correct way to practise a religion. Unfortunately, they develop jealousy, pride, cruelty and selfishness instead of eradicating them. Many people pretend to be religious, but commit the greatest atrocities in the name of religion. They fight, discriminate and create unrest for the sake of religion, losing sight of its lofty purpose. From the increase in the performance of various so-called religious activities, we may get the impression that religion is progressing, but the opposite is really the case since very little mental purity and understanding are actually being practised.
宗教奉勸人們向上、向善，但是人們對這點似乎不感興趣，反而去從事一些沒有宗教價值的活動，如果他們肯嘗試去修心養性，糾正了不良的心識，如：嫉妒、驕傲、殘忍和自私等，至少他們會找到正確的人生道路，不幸的是，他們不僅不重視這些不良心識，反而被這些不良心識所纏繞。很多人披宗教的外衣，以宗教的名譽做盡了傷天害理的事，他們為了自己的目的而起紛爭、擾亂宗教，失去了宗教的崇高目標。從某些表面現象看來，這些宗教好像在進步，實際剛好相反，因為，他們很少去淨化自己和真正的去了解宗教的意義。 Practising a religion is nothing than the development of one’s inner awareness, goodwill and understanding. Problems would have to be faced squarely by relying on one’s spiritual strength. Running away from one’s problems in the name of spiritualism is not courageous, much less to be regarded as spiritual. Under today’s chaotic conditions, men and women are rapidly sliding downhill to their own destruction. They irony is that they imagine they are progressing towards a glorious civilization that is yet to be realized.
其實，宗教的修持就是心靈的發展、仁慈和對教義清楚的了解。我們必須依靠自己心靈的力量來面對問題，以宗教修行來逃避問題，是一種懦夫的行為。在今天混亂的局勢里，人類在自我毀滅。很諷刺的是，他們還以為他們朝向輝煌的文明沖刺、前進。
In the midst of this confusion, imaginary and plastic religious concepts are propagated to create more temptation and confusion in man’s mind. Religion is being misused for personal gain and power. Certain immoral practices, such as free sex, have been encouraged by some irresponsible religious groups to introduce their religion among youths. By arousing lustful feelings, these groups hope to seduce boys and girls into following their religion. Today religion has degenerated into a cheap commodity in the religious market giving scant regard to moral values and what they stand for. Some missionaries claim that the practice of morals, ethics and precepts are not important as long as a person has faith and prays to God, which is believed to be sufficient to grant him salvation. Having witnessed how some religious authorities have misled and blindfolded their followers in Europe, Karl Marx made a caustic remark: ‘Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the feelings of a heartless world, just as it is the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.’
這種混亂、想像和虛妄的宗教概念，混淆和迷惑了我們的思維，宗教被個人的私欲和利益濫用了。某些宗教向信徒們，尤其是年青人，推薦那些不道德的行為，如：性自由等，來吸引他們的支持。這種低賤的道德意識充斥宗教范圍，導致宗教腐化，漠視于道德以及道德的意義。有些傳教士認為對「神」的崇拜能獲得拯救，道德與戒條不是重要的因素。在歐洲很多信徒被宗教所誤導，卡爾.邁克指出：「宗教是被壓迫眾生的嘆息。是無情世界的感受，有如失去靈魂的軀體。它是人類的鴉片。」
Man needs a religion not for the reason of giving him a dream for his next life or providing him with some dogmatic ideas to follow, in such a way that he surrenders his human intelligence and becomes a nuisance to his fellow beings. A religion should be a reliable and reasonable method for people to live ‘here and now’ as cultured, understanding beings, while setting a good example for others to follow. Many religions turn man’s thoughts away from himself towards a supreme being, but Buddhism directs man’s search for peace inward to the potentialities that lie hidden within himself. ‘Dhamma’(meaning, to hold on)is not something a person searches outside himself, because in the final analysis, man is Dhammaand Dhammais man. Therefore, true religion, which is Dhamma,is not something outside us that we acquire, but the cultivation and realization of wisdom, compassion and purity that we develop within ourselves.
人類需要宗教，並不是為了要圓成未來的美夢，或為自己提供某些依怙，這種做法等于自我投降，將成為他人譏笑的對象。一個宗教必須以合理和確實的方法，讓人類在現實中活得更有意義，同時也給他人做一個好榜樣。很多宗教鼓勵人類追求外在的力量，佛教卻鼓勵人們向自己的內心尋求潛藏的寧靜──「法」。「法」的真相是：人既是法，法既是人。因此，「法」必須透過內心的修持和覺悟于智慧、慈悲和純淨來獲得，除了修持外，沒有其他途徑能夠獲得這神聖和偉大的「法」。
Which is the Proper Religion?
正信的宗教
If any religion has the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, then it can be regarded as a proper religion.
具備四聖諦、八聖道的宗教，就是真正的宗教。
It is a very difficult for a man to find out why there are so many different religions, and which religion is the true one. Followers of every religion are trying to show the superiority of their religion. Diversity has created some uniformity, but in matters of religion, men took upon each other with jealousy, hatred and disdain. The most respected religious practices in one religion are deemed ridiculous to others. To introduce their divine and peaceful messages some people have to resorted to weapons and wars. Have they polluted the good name of religion? It seems that certain religions are responsible for dividing instead of uniting mankind.
To find a true and proper religion, we must weigh with an unbiased mind what exactly is a false religion. False religion or philosophies include: materialism which denies survival after death; amoralism which denies good and evil; any religion which asserts that man is miraculously saved or doomed; theistic evolution which holds that everything is preordained and everyone is destined to attain eventual salvation through mere faith.
Buddhism is free from unsatisfactory and uncertain foundations. Buddhism is realistic and verifiable. Its Truths have been verified by the Buddha, verified by His disciples, and always remain open to be verified by anyone who wishes to do so. And today, the Teachings of the Buddha, are being verified by the most severe methods of scientific investigation.
一個人在眾多的宗教當中，要找一個真正的宗教是不容易的。每一個宗教的信徒，都認為他們所信仰的宗教是最卓越的。在五花八門的宗教里，共同的一項事實就是彼此輕視、嫉妒和誣蔑，每一個宗教都譏笑其他宗教的教義和修持方法。為什麼有些宗教要用武力去宣揚它們的「神」，以及它們那「和平」的福音。它們是否褻瀆了宗教的神聖性？從這點看來，某些宗教要為人類由合而分負起大部份責任。要找到一個真正的宗教，必須以不偏不倚的心來觀察，什麼是虛妄和不實際的宗教或宗教理論，包括：唯物主義，它否定了死後的存在，反道德主義，它否定了善與惡。大多數的宗教都宣揚人被奇跡般的拯救或毀滅。而有些有神論者，則認為每一件事都是宿命的，每一個人注定在最後得救。佛教並沒有這些令人不滿意或不正確的基礎，佛教是現實主義者，一切理論都能被證實，它的真理已被佛陀和他的弟子們證實。佛教的真理不止被證實，而且還是敞開的，如今，仍然有很多人想要去證實它。佛陀所宣揚和教導的真理，今天已經獲得嚴謹的科學家們所證實。
The Buddha advises that any form of religion is proper if it contains the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. This clearly shows that the Buddha did not want to form a particular religion. What He wanted was to reveal the Ultimate Truth of our life and the world. Although the Buddha expounded the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path, this method is not the property of Buddhists alone. This is universal Truth.
佛陀說：「任何形式的宗教，只要包含了四聖諦和八聖道，就是真正的宗教。」這論點明白的表示，佛教不需要有特別的組織，佛教所示現的就是我們的生活和宇宙最究竟的真理。佛陀所宣說的四聖諦和八聖道，不僅屬于所有的佛教徒，也是屬于整個世界的真理。
Most people find it necessary to put forth arguments to ‘prove’ the validity of the religion that they are following. Some claim that their religion is the oldest and therefore contains the truth. Others claim that their religion is the latest or newest and therefore contains the truth. Some claim that their religion has the most followers and therefore contains the truth. Yet none of these arguments are valid to establish the truth of a religion. One can judge the value of a religion by using only common sense and understanding.
Some religious traditions require man to be subservient to a greater power than himself, a power which controls his creation, his actions and his final deliverance. The Buddha did not accept such powers. Rather, He assigned to man that very power by asserting that each man is his own creator, responsible for his own salvation. That is why it is said that ‘There is none so godless as the Buddha and yet none so godlike’. The religion of the Buddhists gives man a great sense of dignity; at the same time it also gives him great responsibility. A Buddhist cannot put the blame on an external power when evil befalls him. But he can face misfortune with equanimity because he knows that he has the power to extricate himself from all misery.
One of the reason why Buddhism appeals to intellectuals and those with a good education, is that the Buddha expressly discouraged His followers from accepting anything they heard(even if it came from Himself)without first testing its validity. The teachings of the Buddha have remained and survived precisely because many intellectuals have challenged every aspect of the teachings and have concluded that the Buddha had always spoken the undeniable Truth. While other religionists are trying to ‘reassess’ their founder’s teachings in the light of modern knowledge about the Universe, the Buddha’s teaching are being verified by scientists.
大多數人對宗教都有先「證實」後信仰的心理。有些人則認為他們所信仰的宗教是最古老，所以也最「真」。有些人則聲稱，他們所信仰的宗教是最「新」的，所以也最「真」。某些宗教擁有很多信徒，因此他們認為他們的宗教最「真」。然而，這些所謂「真」的宗教，都是沒有確實依據的宗教。一個人可以用普通常識來判斷或理解一個宗教的價值。有些傳統的宗教，鼓吹信徒能通過對它的信仰而獲得超然的力量，這種超然的力量控制了信徒的創造力、行動和最後的命運。佛陀並不接受這種觀點。佛陀認為超然的力量唯有通過個人的自我拯救才能獲得。因此，佛陀說：「這世界沒有『神』，佛陀也不是『神』。」佛教給予信徒們充足的知識來分辨這一切，同時也給予他們很大的信心。一個佛教徒，當受到邪惡的干擾時，不能依靠外在的力量。佛教徒以平常心來面對不幸，因為，他知道他擁有面對一切的力量。
佛教擁有許多知識份子和受過良好教育的信徒，這是因為他們毫無疑問的接受佛陀那超然的教義。知識份子之所以信奉佛教，是因為佛法意義深長、切實，許多知識份子追求的是有挑戰性的學識，佛陀那不可否認的真理，迎合了他們。某些宗教想以現代有關宇宙的知識，「重新評估」他們的「祖師」，而佛陀的教義已被證實是具備科學性的。
Moral and Spiritual Development
道德與心靈的發展
Without a spiritual background man has no moral responsibility: man without moral responsibility poses a danger to society.
缺少了心靈的支柱，就沒有道德的責任，缺少了道德，社會就危險了。
Buddhism has been an admirable lighthouse for guiding many a devotee to the salvation of eternal bliss. Buddhism is especially needed in the world today which is riddled with racial, economic and ideological misunderstandings. These misunderstandings can never be effectively cleared until the spirit of benevolent tolerance is extended towards others. This spirit can be best cultivated under the guidance of Buddhism which inculcates an ethical moral co-operation for universal good.
佛教是一座令人羨慕的燈塔，因為它引導信徒邁向永恆、幸福和解脫的大道。佛教在今天，顯得特別需要，因為，今天的世界困惑于種族、國際、社群、經濟以及意識形態的種種錯誤觀念。這些錯誤的觀念永遠無法真正有效的解除，除非能以容忍和慈悲的精神去對待他人。而慈悲和容忍的精神卻可以在佛教的指引下得到充分的培養和發展，同時也為人類提供了理性和道德的合作典范。
We know that it is easy to learn vice without a master, whereas virtue requires a tutor. There is a very great need for the teaching of virtue by precepts and examples.
我們知道，當一個人沒有老師的指導時很容易學壞。道德需要通過理念和實際例子來教導，道德教育是迫切需要的事。
Without a spiritual background, man has no moral responsibility; man without moral responsibility poses danger to society.
缺少了心靈的支柱，就沒有道德的責任，缺少了道德，社會就危險了。
In the Buddha’s Teaching, it is said that the spiritual development of man is more important than the development of material welfare. History has taught us that we cannot expect to gain both worldly happiness and everlasting Happiness at the same time.
The lives of most people are generally regulated by spiritual values and moral principles which only religion can effectively provide. The governmental interference in the lives of people is made comparatively unnecessary if men and women can be made to realize the value of devotion and can practise the ideals of truth, justice and service.
Virtue is necessary to attain salvation, but virtue alone is not enough. Virtue must be combined with wisdom. Virtue and wisdom are like the pair of wings of a bird. Wisdom can also be compared to the eyes of a man; virtue, to his feet. Virtue can be likened to a vehicle that brings man up to the gate of salvation. But wisdom is the actually key that opens the gate. Virtue is a part of the technique of skillful and noble living. Without any ethical discipline, there cannot be a purification of the defilements of sentient existence.
Buddhism is not mere mumbo-jumbo, a myth told to entertain the human mind or to satisfy the human emotion, but a liberal and noble method for those who sincerely want to understand and experience the reality of life.
佛陀認為心靈資源的開發，比物質資源的開發來得更重要。歷史的事實告訴我們，不能企望世俗的幸福與永恆的幸福同時獲得。大多數人的一般正常生活基于心靈與道德價值觀。心靈與道德的價值，唯有宗教才能有效的提供。如果人們能了解這些價值，同時去實踐那公平、奉獻和仁愛的真理，那麼就不需要社會法制或政府的律法來干預人類的生活了。高尚的道德，是獲得解脫的必要因素。但是，只有道德是不足夠的，道德必須與智慧相結合。就好像鳥類的雙翼，智慧好比人類的雙眼，道德則是我們的雙腳。道德如車輪，可以運送我們到解脫之門，而打開這扇大門的鑰匙就是──智慧。道德是精湛、專門和高尚生活的一部份，缺少道德修養，就無法使心靈的污點獲得淨化。
佛教不是盲目崇拜的宗教，不以神話來滿足或應酬人類的情緒，佛教以自由和神聖的方式，來引導虔誠的信徒去了解和體驗真正的人生。