上座部與大乘佛教 Theravada - Mahayana Buddhism

Theravada - Mahayana Buddhism

上座部與大乘佛教

Ven. Dr. W. Rahula

羅睺羅法師(博士)著

梁國雄居士譯 V1.0 2010-4-20

(From: “Gems of Buddhist Wisdom”, Buddhist Missionary Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1996)

Let us discuss a question often asked by many people: What is the difference between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism? To see things in their proper perspective, let us turn to the history of Buddhism and trace the emergence and development of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.

讓我們討論一個許多人經常會問的問題：究竟大乘與上座部佛教有什麼分別？為了恰當地處理這個問題，讓我們重溫一下佛教歷史，追溯大乘與上座部佛教的出現與發展過程吧。

The Buddha was born in the 6th Century B.C. After attaining Enlightenment at the age of 35 until his Mahaparinibbana at the age of 80, he spent his life preaching and teaching. He was certainly one of the most energetic man who ever lived: for forty-five years he taught and preached day and night, sleeping for only about 2 hours a day.

佛陀(釋迦牟尼佛)出生于公元前六世紀，他于三十五歲覺悟後，至八十歲般涅槃之間的生命，都用來教導眾生，他以四十五年時間，不分日夜地去教導眾生佛法，每日只睡約兩個小時，其精力充沛，是歷史上甚為罕有的。

The Buddha spoke to all kinds of people: kings and princes, Brahmins, farmers, beggars, learned men and ordinary people. His teachings were tailored to the experiences, levels of understanding and mental capacity of his audience. What he taught was called Buddha Vacana, i.e. word of the Buddha. There was nothing called Theravada or Mahayana at that time.

佛陀說法的對象包括各式各樣的人，例如：國王、王子、貴族、婆羅門、農夫、乞丐、學者、平民等。他每次的教導，都是因應當時聽眾的經驗、理解力，以及心智水平來度身定造。他的教導被稱為「佛的言教(Buddha Vacana)」，當時根本就沒有所謂上座部或大乘。

After establishing the Order of monks and nuns, the Buddha laid down certain disciplinary rules called the Vinaya for the guidance of the Order. The rest of his teachings were called the Dhamma which included his discourses, sermons to monks, nuns and lay people.

在僧團成立後，佛陀更定立了一些稱為「戒律(Vinaya)」的規則來供僧眾遵守，他的其他教導被稱為「法(Dhamma)」，那是他與比丘、比丘尼及在家眾等的談話、演講與教導。

The First Council

第一次結集會議(The First Council)

Three months after the Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana, his immediate disciples convened a council at Rajagaha. Maha Kassapa, the most respected and elderly monk, presided at the Council. Two very important personalities who specialised in the two different areas - the Dhamma and the Vinaya - were present. One was Ananda, the closest constant companion and disciple of the Buddha for 25 years. Endowed with a remarkable memory, Ananda was able to recite what was spoken by the Buddha. The other personality was Upali who remembered all the Vinaya rules.

在佛般涅槃後三個月，他的直系弟子在王舍城舉行會議，由年紀最大和最受敬重的大迦葉尊者做主持人，兩位對法與戒律最為熟悉的重要人物也有出席，一位是阿難(Ananda)尊者，他是佛陀廿五年來的侍者，具有驚人的記憶力，能背誦佛陀說過的所有言教；另一位是優波離(Upali)尊者，他記得所有佛陀說過的戒律。

Only these two sections - the Dhamma and the Vinaya - were recited at the First Council. Though there were no differences of opinion on the Dhamma (no mention of the Abhidhamma) there was some discussion about the Vinaya rules. Before the Buddha’s Parinibbana, he had told Ananda that if the Sangha wished to amend or modify some minor rules, they could do so. But on that occasion Ananda was so overpowered with grief because the Buddha was about to die that it did not occur to him to ask the Master what the minor rules were. As the members of the Council were unable to agree as to what constituted the minor rules, Maha Kassapa finally ruled that no disciplinary rule laid down by the Buddha should be changed, and no new ones should be introduced. No intrinsic reason was given. Maha Kassapa did say one thing, however: “If we changed the rules, people will say that Ven. Gotama’s disciples changed the rules even before his funeral fire has ceased burning.”

在此第一次結集會議，只有法與戒律這兩個部分被背誦出來。雖然當時對法並沒有不同的意見(那時並沒有提到論(Abhidhamma))，對「戒律」卻有一些討論。在佛陀般涅槃前，他曾告訴阿難尊者，如果僧團欲修改一些次要的戒律(minor rules)，那是可以的。由于在佛陀臨終時，阿難尊者傷心欲絕，未有醒覺到要問佛陀什麼是次要的戒律，故此，出席結集的僧眾未能一致同意那些是次要的戒律，于是，大迦葉尊者作了最後決定，對佛陀所定下的戒律，既不改動，也不增加。對此，大迦葉尊者沒有提出任何具體理由，但有說過以下的話：「如果我們改變戒律，人們就會說，喬答摩(佛陀)尊者的弟子在他的葬禮柴火尚未熄滅已改動戒律了。」

At the Council, the Dhamma was divided into various parts and each part was assigned to an Elder and his pupils to commit to memory. The Dhamma was then passed on from teacher to pupil orally. The Dhamma was recited daily by groups of people who often cross check with each other to ensure that no omissions or additions were made. Historians agree that the oral tradition is more reliable than a report written by one person from his memory several years after the event.

在這結集會議中，法被分為多個部分，每一部分皆有一位長老及其弟子負責背誦，記入腦中。于是，法便開始由長老導師們口傳給其弟子。同時，他們每組人每天都會念誦佛的言教，並且互相校對，確定沒有人誤作任何加減。歷史學家們也同意：口誦的傳承，比若干年後依靠某位人士的記憶報導會較為可靠。

The Second Council

第二次結集會議(The Second Council)

One hundred years later, the Second Council was held to discuss some Vinaya rules. There was no need to change the rules three months after the Parinibbana of the Buddha because little or no political, economic or social changes took place during that short interval. But 100 years later, some monks saw the need to change certain minor rules. The orthodox monks said that nothing should be changed while the others insisted on modifying some rules, Finally, a group of monks left the Council and formed the Mahasanghika - the Great Community. Even though it was called the Mahasanghika, it was not known as Mahayana, And in the Second Council, only matters pertaining to the Vinaya were discussed and no controversy about the Dhamma is reported.

在佛寂滅後一百年，佛弟子進行了第二次結集會議，當中討論了戒律。佛滅後三個月的戒律並沒有更改的需要，因為在那個短時間內，政治、經濟與社會差不多沒有什麼轉變，然而，一百年後，一些比丘發覺有需要改變一些次要的戒律(minor rules)，可是，正統的比丘(指佛陀的直系弟子)卻認為沒有戒律需要改動，由于無法妥協，最後，一批比丘離開了那個結集會議，成為了大眾部(Mahasanghika)。那時候雖有大眾部，仍未有稱為大乘(Mahayana)者。在第二次結集會議時，隨了對戒律有一些爭議外，並沒有對法的任何爭議報導。

The Third Council

第三次結集會議(The Third Council)

In the 3rd Century B.C. during the time of Emperor Asoka, the Third Council was held to discuss the differences of opinion among the bhikkhus of different sects. At this Council the differences were not confined to the Vinaya but were also connected with the Dhamma. At the end of this Council, the President of the Council, Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled a book called the Kathavatthu refuting the heretical, false views and theories held by some sects. The teaching approved and accepted by this Council was known as Theravada. The Abhidhamma Pitaka was included at this Council.

在公元前三世紀，即阿育王(Emperor Asoka)時代，佛弟子又進行了第三次結集會議，目的是討論各部派比丘的意見分歧。在這次結集會議中，意見分歧不只限于戒律，也包括了法。在結集完畢後，主持人目犍連子帝須(Moggaliputta Tissa)編輯了論事(Kathavatthu)一書，里面駁斥了一些部派(Sects)所持的錯誤見解、理論與異端邪說，在這次會議中被接受與確認之教義被稱為上座部(Theravada)，此外，論藏(Abhidhamma Pitaka)也被包括在這次結集之中。

After the Third Council, Asoka’s son, Ven. Mahinda, brought the Tripitaka to Sri Lanka, along with the commentaries that were recited at the Third Council. The texts brought to Sri Lanka were preserved until today without losing a page. The texts were written in Pali which was based on the Magadhi language spoken by the Buddha. There was nothing known as Mahayana at that time.

在第三次結集會議完畢後，阿育王的兒子瑪欣德尊者(Ven. Mahinda)把三藏佛典(包括第三次結集會議的論典在內)帶到斯里蘭卡(Sri Lanka)。這些被帶到斯里蘭卡的藏經原文，至今仍被保存下來，完整無缺。這些藏經是用巴利文(Pali)寫的，而巴利文則源自佛陀所用的摩揭陀語(Magadhi language)。那個時候，仍未有大乘(Mahayana)的名稱出現。

Coming of Mahayana

大乘的出現(Coming of Mahayana)

Between the 1st Century B.C. to the 1st Century A.D., the two terms Mahayana and Hinayana appeared in the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra or the Sutra of the Lotus of the Good Law.

在公元前一世紀至公元一世紀之間，大乘(Mahayana)與小乘(Hinayana)這兩個術語出現在妙法蓮花經(Saddharma Pundarika Sutra)之中。

About the 2nd Century A.D. Mahayana became clearly defined. Nagarjuna developed the Mahayana philosophy of Sunyata and proved that everything is Void in a small text called Madhyamika-karika. About the 4th Century, there were Asanga and Vasubandhu who wrote enormous amount of works on Mahayana. After the 1st Century AD., the Mahayanists took a definite stand and only then the terms of Mahayana and Hinayana were introduced.

大約在公元二世紀時，大乘(Mahayana)的界定始變得明確。龍樹(Nagarjuna)發展了大乘(Mahayana)哲學有關空(Sunyata)的概念，在一簡短的中觀論頌(Madhyamika-karika)文本里面，他論證了諸法皆空(Void)的道理。大約在公元四世紀時，更出現了無著(Asanga)與世親(Vasubandhu)兩位論師，他們寫了大量有關大乘的著作。因此，可以推測在公元一世紀後，由于大乘行者們(Mahayanists)采取了明確立場，于是大乘與小乘這兩個術語就在那個時候被引進了。

We must not confuse Hinayana with Theravada because the terms are not synonymous. Theravada Buddhism went to Sri Lanka during the 3rd Century B.C. when there was no Mahayana at all. Hinayana sects developed in India and had an existence independent from the form of Buddhism existing in Sri Lanka. Today there is no Hinayana sect in existence anywhere in the world. Therefore, in 1950 the World Fellowship of Buddhists inaugurated in Colombo unanimously decided that the term Hinayana should be dropped when referring to Buddhism existing today in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, etc. This is the brief history of Theravada, Mahayana and Hinayana.

我們千萬不可把小乘(Hinayana)誤解為上座部(Theravada)，因為它們並非同義詞。上座部佛教是在公元前三世紀時被傳入斯里蘭卡的，那個時候說不上有大乘(Mahayana)。小乘部派(Hinayana sects)是在印度中發展的，它們實與斯里蘭卡所傳的佛教毫無關系。時至今天，在世上恐怕已沒有任何地方有小乘(Hinayana)的存在了。因此，世界佛教友誼會(The World Fellowship of Buddhists) 于1950年在斯里蘭卡可倫坡(Colombo)的開幕典禮中，一致同意放棄采用小乘(Hinayana)這個術語來標籤現存于斯里蘭卡、泰國、緬甸、柬埔寨(高綿)與寮國等國家的佛教。這就是上座部、大乘與小乘的簡單歷史。

Mahayana and Theravada

Now, what is the difference between Mahayana and Theravada?

現在，要說大乘與上座部的分別了。

I have studied Mahayana for many years and the more I study it, the more I find there is hardly any difference between Theravada and Mahayana with regard to the fundamental teachings.

我研究大乘已很多年了，而且越研究它我越發現，大乘與上座部之間在基本教義上，幾乎沒有什麼差別。

• Both accept Sakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher.

兩派皆以釋迦牟尼佛為他們的導師。

• The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools.

兩派所述的四聖諦可說是一模一樣的。

• The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools.

兩派所述的八正道也可說是一模一樣的。

• The Paticca-samuppada or the Dependent Origination is the same in both schools.

兩派所述的緣起法(Paticca-samuppada or Dependent Origination)也是一樣的。

• Both rejected the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world.

兩派皆不接受此一說法：認為世界是由一至高無上的神所創造和管治。

• Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference.

兩派皆接受無常(Anicca)、苦(Dukkha)、無我(Anatta)等三法印，以及戒(Sila)、定(Samadhi)、慧(Panna)等三學，當中並無任何分別。

These are the most important teachings of the Buddha and they are all accepted by both schools without question.

這些都是佛陀的重要教導，它們都被兩派毫無疑問地接受。

There are also some points where they differ. An obvious one is the Bodhisattva ideal. Many people say that Mahayana is for the Bodhisattvahood which leads to Buddhahood while Theravada is for Arahantship. I must point out that the Buddha was also an Arahant. Pacceka Buddha is also an Arahant. A disciple can also be an Arahant. The Mahayana texts never use the term Arahant-yana, Arahant Vehicle. They used three terms: Bodhisattvayana, Prateka-Buddhayana, and Sravakayana. In the Theravada tradition these three are called Bodhis.

他們也有一些不同點的，最明顯的一點是菩薩理想(Bodhisattva ideal)。許多人說大乘的目的是為了成就菩薩(Bodhisattvahood)，而上座部的目的是為了成就阿羅漢(Arahant)；于此我必須指出，佛陀也是一位阿羅漢，辟支佛(Pacceka Buddha)(或稱獨覺)也是阿羅漢，他/她們的弟子也可以是阿羅漢。大乘的經文從來就沒有出現過如阿羅漢乘(Arahant-yana, Arahant Vehicle)等術語，他們所用的三個術語是：菩薩乘(Bodhisattvayana)， 緣覺乘(Prateka-Buddhayana)，以及聲聞乘(Sravakayana)。在上座部傳統中，這三者被稱為菩提(Bodhis)而非乘。

Some people imagine 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 Yanas or Bodhis but consider the Bodhisattva ideal as the highest. The Mahayana has created many mystical Bodhisattvas while the Theravada considers a Bodhisattva as a man amongst us who devotes his entire life for the attainment of perfection, ultimately becoming a fully Enlightened Buddha for the welfare of the world, for the happiness of the world.

有些人臆測，以為小乘是自私的，因為它告訴人們應該尋求自救。但是，一個自私的人怎麼可能得到覺悟呢？兩派皆承認有三種乘(Yanas)或三種菩提(Bodhis)，其中以菩薩的理想為最高。大乘創造了不少神秘的菩薩，而上座部則認為菩薩只是我們人類中之一員，他/她一生致力于完善自己，希望最終以成為佛陀，為世間帶來快樂與福祉。

Three Types of Buddhahood

三種覺者(Three Types of Buddhahood)

There are three types of Buddhahood: the Samma Sambuddha who gains full Enlightenment by his own effort, the Pacceka Buddha who has lesser qualities than the Samma Sambuddha, and the Savaka Buddha who is an Arahant disciple. The attainment of Nibbana between the three types of Buddhahood is exactly the same. The only difference is that the Samma Sambuddha has many more qualities and capacities than the other two.

有三種覺者：(一)無上正等正覺或正等覺者(Samma Sambuddha)，即我們所稱之佛陀，他們靠自力成就完滿的覺悟；(二)緣覺覺者(Pacceka Buddha)，他們的品德比正等覺者少一些；(三)聲聞覺者(Savaka Buddha)，他/她們皆是阿羅漢的弟子。此三種覺者所成就的涅槃(Nibbana)都是完全一樣的，相異之點只不過是：正等覺者(佛陀)有很多品德和能力是其他二種覺者所無的。

Some people think that Voidness or Sunyata discussed by Nagarjuna is purely a Mahayana teaching. It is based on the idea of Anatta or non-self, on the Paticcasamuppada or the Dependent Origination, found in the original Theravada Pali texts. Once Ananda asked the Buddha, “People say the word Sunya. What is Sunya?” The Buddha replied, “Ananda, there is no self, nor anything pertaining to self in this world. Therefore, the world is empty.” This idea was taken by Nagarjuna when he wrote his remarkable book, “Madhyamika Karika”. Besides the idea of Sunyata is the concept of the store-consciousness in Mahayana Buddhism which has its seed in the Theravada texts. The Mahayanists have developed it into a deep psychology and philosophy.

Ven. Dr. W. Rahula

有些人以為龍樹(Nagarjuna)所言的空(Voidness or Sunyata)純粹是大乘所教的，其實空源于無我或緣起的道理，它們在上座部巴利文的經典中都可以找到。(例如在SN35.85 Sunna Sutta之中：)

一次，阿難問佛：「人們都在說空(Sunya)這個字，到底什麼是空？」

佛答：「阿難！世間沒有我，也沒有屬于我的任何東西，因此，世間是空的。」

此概念為龍樹所用，寫了他出色的中觀論頌(Madhyamika Karika)。除了空的概念外，大乘也有藏識(第八識或阿賴耶)之說，而此說也是源自上座部之經文的，大乘只不過把它發展成為一套深奧的心理學和哲學而已。

【完】