二、什麼是佛教?
佛教究竟是什麼呢?佛教真的是教育嗎?
佛教究竟是什麼呢?學佛的人不能不知道。「佛教」是佛陀的教育,是佛陀對九法界眾生至善圓滿的教育。教育內涵包括了無盡無邊的事理,比現代大學裡面的課程內容還要多。時間上,它講過去、現在、未來;空間上,它講我們眼前的生活一直推演到無盡的世界。所以它是教學、是教育,不是宗教;它是智慧、覺悟宇宙人生的教育。中國孔子的教育,是講一世(一生)——從生到死的教育。佛法是三世的教育,講過去、現在、未來。
This question arises in all those who wish to better understand it. Buddhism is a most virtuous and perfect education directed by the Buddha towards all sentient beings in the universe. This education covers a boundless range of phenomena and principles that is much
broader than what is currently studied in modern universities. In regards to time, it encompasses the past, present and future. In regards to space, it encompasses everything from our daily lives to the infinite universe. Buddhism is an education of the wisdom and understanding of life and the universe. It is not a religion. The teachings of Confucius concerns one lifetime. The teachings of the Buddha cover infinite lifetimes.
佛教真的是教育嗎?如果我們仔細觀察,這個疑問就會消除。在日常生活中,只有教學才有師生的稱呼,我們稱釋迦牟尼佛為根本的老師(本師),就是表示這個教育是他老人家創始的,他是第一位創辦人。我們自稱為「弟子」,弟子是中國古時候學生的自稱。由這些稱呼,我們知道我們跟佛的關係是師生關係。就宗教而言,上帝與信徒不是師生關係。佛門則是清清楚楚說明,佛與我們是師生關係;我們與菩薩是同學的關係——菩薩是佛早期的學生,我們是佛現在的學生。我們與菩薩是前後期同學,菩薩是我們的學長,這事要弄清楚啊。
How can we tell that Buddhism is an education? Today, the terms teacher and student are only used in school. However, we call Buddha Shakyamuni, our Original Teacher. We call ourselves students, as did our predecessors in ancient China. This is unlike religions in which the god and his or her disciples do not have a
teacher-student relationship, but rather a parent-child relationship. In Buddhism, however, it is clearly stated that the Buddha is the teacher and we are the students. Bodhisattvas and we are classmates; they were the Buddha!|s former students while we are his current ones.
在日常生活中我們稱呼出家人為「和尚」,其實在一個寺院裡只有一位和尚。「和尚」是印度話,翻作「親教師」。就是親自教導我的老師,就像現在學校裡的指導教授,他是直接指導我的,關係非常親近、密切。他若是不直接指導我,就稱他為「法師」,這如同學校裡的老師很多,但他沒有上過我的課,沒有指導過我。「和尚」與「法師」的差別就在這裡。代表和尚教學的老師稱作「阿闍黎」。阿闍黎的言行,可以做我們的榜樣,可以做我們的模範,我們可以跟他學習。這些稱呼在教育裡才有,宗教裡面沒有這種稱呼。由此可以證明佛教是教育不是宗教。
Furthermore, a monk or nun is called He-shang, which is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word meaning a direct mentor who provides teachings and acts as our personal guide. We share a close teacher-student relationship with this individual. Temples, or Way Places, have only one He-shang. Teachers who teach on behalf of
the He-shang are called Asheli. Their speech and behavior can be models for us to follow. Others who do not directly teach would be called Dharma masters or Fashi. They are like teachers whose lectures we do not attend or those who do not directly teach us. All these terms are characteristics of education and are not found in religion.
再從佛教道場的組織(中國佛教寺院)來看,寺院是佛教教學與佛教藝術相結合的一個教育機構,就像現在的學校與博物館結合在一起。這種形式,就是現代所講的藝術教學。現代人處處講藝術,佛教在二、三千年前就實行藝術教學了。
For further examples of how Buddhism is an education, we can examine Chinese way places where the activities are held. The way place is an educational institution combining Buddhist teaching and art, similar to the combination of a modern school and a museum. Nowadays, people pursue the arts in everything. Buddhism, however, practiced artistic teaching as early as three thousand years
ago.
從寺院的組織也能看出它與現代的學校大致相同。「和尚」相當於學校校長,是主持教學政策的人,課程是他制定的,教師是他聘請的,這是和尚的職責。和尚下面有三位幫助他的人,佛家稱為綱領執事,分掌三個部門:掌管教務的稱「首座」;掌管訓導的稱「維那」;掌管總務的稱「監院」。名稱與學校不相同,實際上他們管的事務跟現代學校裡面的教務、訓導、總務沒有兩樣,可知寺院機構的組織確實是一所學校,是一所非常完整的學校。中國過去稱之為「叢林」,「叢林」就是佛教大學。我們從佛教的起源,一直到中國佛教的建立,可見它的確是一個教學的體系,這事實我們必須要認識清楚,然後才知道我們到底在學什麼!
The staff organization of the way place further illustrates the similarity to modern schools. The He-shang is equivalent to the principal of the school, deciding policies, making plans for courses of study and employing the teachers. Reporting to the He-shang are three associates or program executives, who are in charge of everything directly related to teaching, advising and disciplining,
and general services. In China, a traditional way place was regarded as a Buddhist University. From this administrative structure, we can further see that Buddhism truly is an education.
佛教究竟是什麼呢?佛教真的是教育嗎?
佛教究竟是什麼呢?學佛的人不能不知道。「佛教」是佛陀的教育,是佛陀對九法界眾生至善圓滿的教育。教育內涵包括了無盡無邊的事理,比現代大學裡面的課程內容還要多。時間上,它講過去、現在、未來;空間上,它講我們眼前的生活一直推演到無盡的世界。所以它是教學、是教育,不是宗教;它是智慧、覺悟宇宙人生的教育。中國孔子的教育,是講一世(一生)——從生到死的教育。佛法是三世的教育,講過去、現在、未來。
This question arises in all those who wish to better understand it. Buddhism is a most virtuous and perfect education directed by the Buddha towards all sentient beings in the universe. This education covers a boundless range of phenomena and principles that is much
broader than what is currently studied in modern universities. In regards to time, it encompasses the past, present and future. In regards to space, it encompasses everything from our daily lives to the infinite universe. Buddhism is an education of the wisdom and understanding of life and the universe. It is not a religion. The teachings of Confucius concerns one lifetime. The teachings of the Buddha cover infinite lifetimes.
佛教真的是教育嗎?如果我們仔細觀察,這個疑問就會消除。在日常生活中,只有教學才有師生的稱呼,我們稱釋迦牟尼佛為根本的老師(本師),就是表示這個教育是他老人家創始的,他是第一位創辦人。我們自稱為「弟子」,弟子是中國古時候學生的自稱。由這些稱呼,我們知道我們跟佛的關係是師生關係。就宗教而言,上帝與信徒不是師生關係。佛門則是清清楚楚說明,佛與我們是師生關係;我們與菩薩是同學的關係——菩薩是佛早期的學生,我們是佛現在的學生。我們與菩薩是前後期同學,菩薩是我們的學長,這事要弄清楚啊。
How can we tell that Buddhism is an education? Today, the terms teacher and student are only used in school. However, we call Buddha Shakyamuni, our Original Teacher. We call ourselves students, as did our predecessors in ancient China. This is unlike religions in which the god and his or her disciples do not have a
teacher-student relationship, but rather a parent-child relationship. In Buddhism, however, it is clearly stated that the Buddha is the teacher and we are the students. Bodhisattvas and we are classmates; they were the Buddha!|s former students while we are his current ones.
在日常生活中我們稱呼出家人為「和尚」,其實在一個寺院裡只有一位和尚。「和尚」是印度話,翻作「親教師」。就是親自教導我的老師,就像現在學校裡的指導教授,他是直接指導我的,關係非常親近、密切。他若是不直接指導我,就稱他為「法師」,這如同學校裡的老師很多,但他沒有上過我的課,沒有指導過我。「和尚」與「法師」的差別就在這裡。代表和尚教學的老師稱作「阿闍黎」。阿闍黎的言行,可以做我們的榜樣,可以做我們的模範,我們可以跟他學習。這些稱呼在教育裡才有,宗教裡面沒有這種稱呼。由此可以證明佛教是教育不是宗教。
Furthermore, a monk or nun is called He-shang, which is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word meaning a direct mentor who provides teachings and acts as our personal guide. We share a close teacher-student relationship with this individual. Temples, or Way Places, have only one He-shang. Teachers who teach on behalf of
the He-shang are called Asheli. Their speech and behavior can be models for us to follow. Others who do not directly teach would be called Dharma masters or Fashi. They are like teachers whose lectures we do not attend or those who do not directly teach us. All these terms are characteristics of education and are not found in religion.
再從佛教道場的組織(中國佛教寺院)來看,寺院是佛教教學與佛教藝術相結合的一個教育機構,就像現在的學校與博物館結合在一起。這種形式,就是現代所講的藝術教學。現代人處處講藝術,佛教在二、三千年前就實行藝術教學了。
For further examples of how Buddhism is an education, we can examine Chinese way places where the activities are held. The way place is an educational institution combining Buddhist teaching and art, similar to the combination of a modern school and a museum. Nowadays, people pursue the arts in everything. Buddhism, however, practiced artistic teaching as early as three thousand years
ago.
從寺院的組織也能看出它與現代的學校大致相同。「和尚」相當於學校校長,是主持教學政策的人,課程是他制定的,教師是他聘請的,這是和尚的職責。和尚下面有三位幫助他的人,佛家稱為綱領執事,分掌三個部門:掌管教務的稱「首座」;掌管訓導的稱「維那」;掌管總務的稱「監院」。名稱與學校不相同,實際上他們管的事務跟現代學校裡面的教務、訓導、總務沒有兩樣,可知寺院機構的組織確實是一所學校,是一所非常完整的學校。中國過去稱之為「叢林」,「叢林」就是佛教大學。我們從佛教的起源,一直到中國佛教的建立,可見它的確是一個教學的體系,這事實我們必須要認識清楚,然後才知道我們到底在學什麼!
The staff organization of the way place further illustrates the similarity to modern schools. The He-shang is equivalent to the principal of the school, deciding policies, making plans for courses of study and employing the teachers. Reporting to the He-shang are three associates or program executives, who are in charge of everything directly related to teaching, advising and disciplining,
and general services. In China, a traditional way place was regarded as a Buddhist University. From this administrative structure, we can further see that Buddhism truly is an education.