佛教的兩大部派 Two Main Schools of Buddhism

Two Main Schools of Buddhism

佛教的兩大部派

The real followers of the Buddha can practise this religion without adhering to any school or sect.

一個真正的佛教修學者，不應該執著于任何宗派。

A few hundred years after the Buddha’s passing away, there arose eighteen different schools or sects all of which claimed to represent the original Teachings of the Buddha. The differences between these schools were basically due to various interpretations of the Teachings of the Buddha. Over a period of time, these schools gradually merged into two main schools: Theravada and Mahayana. Today, a majority of the followers of Buddhism are divided into these two schools.

佛陀入滅後數百年，已出現十八個不同的部派，有各自的不同觀點。這些不同的部派，基本是因為對佛法有各自不同的闡釋而成立的。過了一段時期，這十八個部派逐漸的合併成為兩大部派：上座部與大眾部。今天，極大多數的佛教徒都分屬這兩大部派。

Basically Mahayana Buddhism grew out of the Buddha’s teaching that each individual carries within himself the potential for Buddhahood. Theravadins say that this potential can be realized through individual effort. Mahayanists, on the other hand, believe that they can seek salvation through the intervention of other superior beings called Bodhisattas. According to them, Bodhisattas are future Buddhas who, out of compassion for their fellow human beings, have delayed their own attainment of Buddhahood until they have helped others towards liberation. In spite of this basic difference, however, it must be stressed that doctrinally there is absolutely no disagreement concerning the Dhamma as contained in the sacred Tripitaka texts. Because Buddhists have been encouraged by the Master to carefully inquire after the truth, they have been free to interpret the scriptures according to their understanding. But above all, both Mahayana and Theravada are one in their reverence for the Buddha.(For a short, excellent exposition on this topic, read Dr. W. Rahula, ‘Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism’ published by The Buddhist Missionary Society.)

上座部追隨佛陀的教誨，透過自身的努力尋求解脫。大乘佛教則是以圓成佛道為修行依止。大乘佛教認為可以透過菩薩行來圓成佛道，對他們來說，菩薩就是未來佛。菩薩為了悲憫眾生，發願救度眾生脫離苦海，因此延誤了成佛的時機。但是，這種說法並未見于上座部巴利文經典里。佛陀教誨弟子要認真的看待佛法，只有在真的了解佛法時，才能對它自由的發揮。但是，總的來說，上座部和大乘佛教都隸屬于尊貴的佛陀。

The areas of agreement between the two schools are as follows:

從以下數點，可以看出部派都能達到共識。

Both accept Sakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher. The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools. The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools. The Pattica-Samuppada or teaching on Dependent Origination is the same in both schools. Both reject the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world. Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference. Some people are of the view that Theravada is selfish because it teaches that people should seek their own salvation. But how can a selfish person gain Enlightenment? Both schools accept the three Yana or Bodhi and consider the Bodhisatta Ideal as the highest. The Mahayana has created many mystical Bodhisattas, while the Theravada believes that a Bodhisatta is a man amongst us who devotes his entire life for the attainment of perfection, and ultimately becomes a fully Enlightened Buddha for the well-being and happiness of the world. The terms Hinayana (Small Vehicle) and Mahayana(Great Vehicle)are not known in the Theravada Pali literature. They are not found in the Pali Canon (Tripitaka) or in the Commentaries on the Tripitaka.

Theravada Buddhists follow orthodox religious traditions that had prevailed in India two thousand five hundred years ago. They perform their religious services in the Pali language. They also expect to attain the final goal (Nibbana) by becoming a Supreme Enlightened Buddha, Pacceka Buddha, or an Arahant (the highest stage of sainthood). The Majority of them prefer the Arahantahood. Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand belong to this school. Mahayanists have changed the old religious customs. Their practices are in accordance with the customs and traditions of the countries where they live.

Mahayanists perform their religious services in their mother tongue. They expect to attain the final goal (Nibbana) by becoming Buddhas. Hence, they honor both the Buddha and Bodhisatta (one who is destined to be a Buddha with the same respect. Buddhists in China, Japan and Korea belong to this school. Most of those in Tibet and Mongolia follow another school of Buddhism which is known as Vajrayana. Buddhist scholars believe that this school inclines more towards the Mahayana sect.

It is universally accepted by scholars that the terms Hinayana and Mahayana are later invention. Historically speaking, the Theravada already existed long before these terms came into being. That Theravada, considered to be the original teaching of the Buddha, was introduced to Sri Lanka and established there in the 3rd century B. C., during the time of Emperor Asoka of India. At that time there was nothing called Mahayana.

Mahayana as such appeared much later, about the beginning of the Christian era. Buddhism that went to Sri Lanka, with its Tripitaka and Commentaries, in the 3rd Century B. C., remained there intact as Theravada, and did not come into the scene of the Hinayana-Mahayana dispute that developed later in India. It seems therefore not legitimate to include Theravada in either of these two categories. However, after the inauguration of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in 1950, well-informed people, both in the East and in the West, use the term Theravada, and not the term Hinayana, with reference to Buddhism prevalent in South-east Asian countries. There are still outmoded people who use the term Hinayana. In fact, the Samdhi Nirmorcana Sutra (a Mahayana Sutra) clearly says that the Sravakayana? Theravadaand the Mahayana constitute one Yana (ekayana) and that they are not two different and distinct ‘vehicles’. Although different schools of Buddhism held different opinions on the teaching of the Buddha, they never had any violence or blood shed for more than two thousands years. This is the uniqueness of Buddhist tolerance.

一、兩個部派都是以釋迦牟尼佛為導師。

二、兩個部派都同樣尊崇四聖諦。

三、兩個部派都同樣實踐八聖道。

四、兩個部派同樣以十二因緣為基本教義。

五、兩個部派同樣反對有超自然的造物者締造世界和統治世界。

六、兩個部派所接受的無常、苦、無我和戒、定、慧的觀念完全一致。

有些人認為上座部的思想較為自私，這是因為他們尋求自我解脫之道。但是話說回來，一個自私的人能證悟覺悟嗎？兩個部派都接受三乘思想(正自覺、獨覺和聲聞覺)和菩提(覺悟)。而上座部堅信菩薩只是證悟佛道的前行。只有證悟正自覺的佛陀，才能為這世間的所有眾生帶來幸福和快樂。

上座部追隨正統的宗教傳統，盛行于兩千五百年前的印度。他們以巴利語作為宗教活動的唯一語言，以達到涅槃，完成正自覺(佛陀)、獨覺(獨覺佛)、或聲聞覺(阿拉漢) 為最終的目標。但是，在上座部大多數人都以成就阿拉漢為目標。在斯里蘭卡、泰國和緬甸的佛教都屬于這個部派。

大乘佛教已經改變了這些古老的宗教傳統。他們以所處國家的風俗習慣和語言從事宗教活動。他們修持的最後目標也一樣是涅槃(成佛)。因此，他們崇敬佛和菩薩(未來佛)。中國、日本和韓國的佛教徒屬于這個部派。西藏和蒙古的佛教徒屬于金剛乘(密宗)。

國際佛教學者稍後終于接受了大乘和上座部的觀點。對歷史而言，上座部成立的歷史最久。上座部以佛陀原始的教義為依止。在公元前三世紀，阿首咖時代，斯里蘭卡接受了從印度傳入的佛教。在那時候並沒有所謂的大乘佛教。大乘佛教的出現比較晚，大約是紀元初。佛教和三藏經典于三世紀傳入斯里蘭卡，當時並沒有大乘或小乘的存在。從這點看來，上座部的存在，較這兩種概念的存在要來得久。1950 年召開的佛教大會，明確的規定對南傳佛教的稱呼，無論在西方或東方一律使用上座部而不使用小乘。在大乘經典里，也明確的指出「聲聞乘」，在上座部或大乘佛教里，對這三乘之一的「聲聞乘」的解釋都是一致的。

不同的部派對佛陀的教義有不同的理解。但是，兩千多年來，並不因此而導致佛教分裂。這體現了佛教徒獨一無二的容忍精神。