佛教與悲觀主義 Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
佛教與悲觀主義
Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic but a realistic religion.
佛教既不樂觀，也不悲觀，佛教是真實的宗教。
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?
一些批評家認為佛教是不健全的、悲觀的、憤世嫉俗的宗教，徬徨于昏沉與黑暗中，以無害的快樂為敵人，無感受的飄泊在單純的生活中。因而斷言，佛教是在悲觀中孕育一種對生命絕望的生活態度，鼓勵一種模糊籠統的概念，認為人生被痛苦和邪惡所占據。這些批評主要基于他們誤解了四聖諦中的苦聖諦，以及實踐一切緣起無不是苦的看法。
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.
假使佛教的創始人──佛陀，真的是一位悲觀主義者，對他的描繪將更加惡劣。事實上，佛陀的形象是和平、莊嚴、充滿希望和善意的。佛陀身上散發出的微笑和吸引力，據說是不可臆測和難以理解的，也可以說這就是他的教義的縮影。對灰心和苦悶者而言，佛陀那充滿希望的微笑，是一種永不失敗的力量、是一種振奮劑和令人欣慰的芳香。
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?
佛陀慈悲的光輝普照十方，像他這樣的人，不可能是一位悲觀者。當劍喜王和他的太子在聆聽了佛陀的開示後，他們了解唯一獲得真正自我的征服，和獲得民心的最佳方法，就是佛陀真理的教義──佛法。佛陀擁有高度的幽默感，他經常發出會心的微笑，令他的敵對者因此而消除敵意。佛陀擁有一種特殊的力量，他能消除信徒的危險和邪惡的心識，並令他們心甘情願的追隨他。佛陀在弘法、辯論或和信眾們討論問題時，總是保持自己的尊嚴和平和的態度，因此贏得廣大信眾對他的崇拜和景仰。像這樣的一個人，我們能說他是悲觀主義者嗎？
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.
佛陀從來都不希望信眾過著痛苦、憂愁和焦慮不安的生活。他指示了痛苦的真相，和克服及消滅痛苦的方法和道路。要成為一位覺悟者，必須快樂。快樂是佛陀要我們培養證悟覺悟的條件之一。快樂絕對不是悲觀的。
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).
有兩部經典：《長老偈經》(Theragatha)和《長老尼偈經》(Thergatha)，里面記錄的都是佛陀的弟子們快樂的言辭，男、女眾弟子們，以佛陀的教義為修持的方針，在生活中找到和平與幸福。根據經典記載：「有一回，高沙喇國王(kosala)告訴佛陀：他不喜歡其他宗教的弟子，他們看起來憔悴、粗俗、蒼白、孱弱，無法給人一個好的印象，而佛陀的弟子則充滿喜悅、歡愉、振奮的享受著精神生活，並以嚴肅、平和、輕松的心情生活著。過後，他又補充道，他相信佛陀的弟子們這種健全的氣質是由于：佛陀的弟子們，深切的體悟到佛陀那偉大和意義深遠的教義。」
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).
有人問佛陀：他的弟子們，日中一食，過著簡單、純樸、寧靜的生活，因何會有如此的光輝呢？佛陀回答：「他們不懊悔于過去，不憂慮于未來，他們只生活在現在，因此，他們如此的容光煥發。愚癡的人，懊悔于過去，憂慮于未來，他們如乾枯的蘆葦草一樣，折斷于烈日之下。」《相應部經》
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.
佛教是一個宣傳世間諸多不如意的宗教。然而，不能因此而把佛教列入悲觀的宗教。因為佛教的實質是教導我們如何消除這諸多的不如意。佛法告訴我們，即使是最邪惡的人，在接受果報之後，還是一樣可以獲得解脫。佛教為人類提供了達到解脫的希望。但是，其它的宗教卻認為壞人將永遠的壞下去，並且有一個永久的地獄在等候他們。佛教否認這種教義的說法。
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.
佛教既不悲觀，也不樂觀。佛教不鼓勵一個人在這世間，由于悲觀或樂觀而改變他的思想。相反的，佛教鼓勵我們要活得真真實實，同時必須去學習了解事物的真實面目。