佛教與哲學 Is Buddhism a Theory or a Philosophy?

Is Buddhism a Theory or a Philosophy?

佛教與哲學

The enlightenment of the Buddha is not a product of mere intellect.

佛陀的覺悟，不僅僅是智力的產物。

During the time of the Buddha there were many learned men in India who pursued knowledge simply for its own sake. These people were full of theoretical knowledge. Indeed, some of them went from city to city challenging anyone to a debate and their greatest thrill was to defeat an opponent in such verbal combats. But the Buddha said that such people were no nearer to the realization of the truth because in spite of their cleverness and knowledge they did not have true wisdom to overcome greed, hatred and delusion. In fact, these people were often proud and arrogant. Their egoistic concepts disturbed the religious atmosphere.

在佛陀的時代，印度有很多學者，他們各自發展自己的思想和學說，有些甚至到各地去弘揚他們自己的思想和學說，或與其他思想家辯論。但是，佛陀認為這些人並不理解宗教的真諦，雖然他們都很聰明，可是，卻沒有真正的對治貪、嗔、痴的智慧。他們那自我主義的概念，混淆了清晰的宗教思維。

According to the Buddha, one must first seek to understand one’s own mind. This was to be done through concentration which gives one a profound inner wisdom or realization. And this insight is to be gained not by philosophical argument or worldly knowledge but by the silent realization of the illusion of the Self.

根據佛陀所教，一個人必須先了解自己的心智，要了解心法的真相和專注的發展內觀智慧。觀照的智慧並不是一般世俗的哲學。

Buddhism is a righteous way of life for the peace and happiness of every living being. It is a method to get rid of miseries and to find liberation. The Teachings of the Buddha are not limited to one nation or race. It is neither a creed nor a mere faith. It is a Teaching for the entire universe. It is a Teaching for all time. Its objectives are selfless service, good-will, peace, salvation and deliverance from suffering.

佛教是世間眾生和平、幸福與正確的生活之道，是一種消除煩惱而最終達到解脫的方法。佛陀的教義並不限囿于一個國家或一個民族。佛陀的教義不是教條也不是信仰，而是對全宇宙的開示，而這開示從古至今都是一樣的。佛陀的教義是一種無私的奉獻，為人類尋求友善、和平及滅苦的獲得解脫自在的道路。

Salvation in Buddhism is an individual affair. You have to save yourself just as you have to eat, drink and sleep by yourself. The advice rendered by the Buddha points the Way to liberation; but His advice was never intended to be taken as a theory or philosophy. When He was questioned as to what theory He propounded, the Buddha replied that He preached no theories and whatever he did preach was a result of His own experience. Thus His Teaching does not offer any theory. Theory cannot bring one nearer to spiritual perfection. Theories are the very fetters that bind the mind and impede spiritual progress. The Buddha said, ‘Wise men give no credence to passing theories. They are past believing everything they see and hear.’

解脫，對佛教徒而言，是個人份內的事，你必須自救，就好像你必須吃、喝和睡眠一樣。佛陀教義的宗旨，就是在指示什麼是解脫之道。我們不要把佛陀的教義當作是一種理論或哲學。當有人問及佛陀提倡何種學說時，佛陀回答道，他所提倡的不是哲學，而是他個人覺悟的經驗。佛陀的教義不是哲學，哲學不能帶給人們精神的突破。哲學本身有很多的局限性，甚至阻礙了我們精神的進展。

Theories are product of the intellect and the Buddha understood the limitations of the human intellect. He taught that enlightenment is not a product of mere intellect. One cannot achieve emancipation by taking an intellectual course. This statement may seem irrational but it is true. Intellectuals tend to spend too much of their valuable time in study, critical analysis and debate. They usually have little or no time for practice.

佛陀說：「智者不依據學說，他們不羈縛自己，他們只是仔細的觀察和聆聽。」

理論是學識的產品，佛陀了解人類學識的侷限性，因此，佛陀的教義不是學識的產品。一個人不會因學識而獲得覺悟，這說法好像不合邏輯，但卻是真實的。知識份子花太多的時間去研究、分析和辯論，可是，在修持所花的時間卻太少了。

A great thinker (philosopher, scientist, metaphysician, etc.) can also turn out to be an intelligent fool. He may be an intellectual giant endowed with the power to perceive ideas quickly and to express thoughts clearly. But if he pays no attention to his action and their consequences, and if he is only bent on fulfilling his own longings and inclinations at any cost then, according to the Buddha, he is an intellectual fool, a man of inferior intelligence. Such a person will indeed hinder his won spiritual progress.

一個偉大的思想家(哲學家、科學家、玄學家)，也可能是一位聰明的笨蛋。他可能擁有聰明才智，有很強的理解力，能夠清晰正確的表達自己的思想。但是，如果他不注意自己的言行，也不注意自己言行的結果，甚至一心一意執著于自我或自我的理想，像這樣的人，就是一位聰明的笨蛋。一位智慧未開發的聰明人，會深深的影響他自己今後的進步。

The Buddha’s Teaching contains practical wisdom that cannot be limited to theory or to philosophy because philosophy deals mainly with knowledge but it is not concerned with translating the knowledge into day-to-day practices.

佛陀的教義包括智慧的訓練，並不局限于一般的哲學或理論。哲學只是一種學識，無法應用到實際的日常生活中。

Buddhism lays special emphasis on practice and realization. The philosopher sees the miseries and disappointments of life but, unlike the Buddha, he offers no practical solution to overcome our frustrations which are part of the unsatisfactory nature of life. The philosopher merely pushes his thoughts to dead ends. Philosophy is useful because it has enriched our intellectual imagination and diminished dogmatic assurance which closes the mind to further progress. To that extent, Buddhism values philosophy, but it has failed to quench spiritual thirst.

佛陀強調的是實踐和體驗。哲學家雖然看到人生的悲慟和不如意，但是，卻無法提供實際的方法，來克服我們生命里所遭遇到的挫折和不如意。哲學家把他們的思想推向牛角尖，哲學本身是有益的，可惜不能解決人類精神的飢渴，哲學能豐富我們的知識和想像，減少我們思想的閉塞和不執著于教條主義。就這些而言，佛教對哲學是肯定的。

Remember that the chief aim of a Buddhist is to attain purity and enlightenment. Enlightenment vanquishes ignorance which is the root of birth and death. However, this vanquishing of ignorance cannot be achieved except by the exercise of one’s confidence. All other attempts, especially mere intellectual attempts are not very effective. This is why the Buddha concluded: ‘These [metaphysical]questions are not calculated to profit; they are not concerned with the Dhamma; they do not lead to right conduct, or to detachment, or to purification from lusts, or to quietude, or to a calm heart, or to real knowledge, or to higher insight, or to Nibbana.’ (Malunkyaputta Sutta _ Majjhima Nikaya)

佛教主要的目的是達到覺悟和精神的自由和解脫。覺悟克服了「無明」這一生死根源。然而，要克服「無明」，唯有靠個人的努力和堅韌不拔的意志力，任何單純知識性的努力都是徒然無功的。佛陀曾經這麼說過：「那些形而上學的純理論思想是不會獲得任何利益，它們與真理毫不相干，它們不能領導行為，滌淨煩惱、執著而獲得寧靜、安穩、內觀智慧或究竟涅磐。」《中部》

In place of metaphysical speculation, the Buddha was more concerned with teaching a practical understanding of the Four Noble Truths that he discovered: what Suffering is: what the origin of Suffering is; what the cessation of Suffering is; how to overcome Suffering and realize final Salvation. These Truths are all practical matters to be fully understood and realized by anyone who really experiences emancipation.

佛陀排除形而上學的不實際思想和臆測，他要我們專注于他所發現的「四聖諦」及其實用性。「四聖諦」告訴我們苦、集、滅、道的真理，及如何棄除苦而達到最後的解脫。任何人要成就于解脫，就必須先了解什麼是「四聖諦」。

Enlightenment is the dispelling of ignorance; it is the ideal of the Buddhist life. We can now clearly see that enlightenment is not an act of the intellect. Mere speculation has something alien to it and does not come so intimately into contact with life. This is why the Buddha placed great emphasis on personal experience. Meditation is a practical scientific system to verify the Truth that comes through personal experience. Through meditation, the will tries to transcend the condition it has put on itself, and this is the awakening of consciousness. Metaphysics merely ties us down in a tangled and matted mass of thoughts and words.

「覺悟」是驅逐「無明」，這是佛陀對生命的理想。當我們了解學識不能令我們獲得覺悟時，就應該更重視佛陀的教義。因此，佛陀強調這是他個人親身的經歷。禪定是實際並具有科學性的，它能驗證個人親身經歷的真理。一切形而上學的思維方式，只能令我們更加困擾，生活在糾纏與混亂中。