..續本文上一頁典籍中，有無數的事例，證明過著普通正常家庭生活的人，都能夠很成功地實行佛的教誡，證入涅槃。遊方者婆嗟種(在無我章裏已經介紹過的)有一次直截了當地問佛，過著家庭生活的男女居士，有沒有實行佛教而成功地達到很高的精神境界？佛毫不含糊地說，像這種居家的男女成功地遵行佛教而達到很高的精神境界，不止是一個兩個，一百個兩百個，甚至五百個，而是比五百個還要多出多多。［注二］
It may be agreeable for certain people to live a retired life in a quiet place away from noise and disturbance. But it is certainly more praiseworthy and courageous to practice Buddhism living among your fellow beings, helping them and being of service to them. It may perhaps be useful in some cases for a man to live in retirement for a time in order to improve his mind and character, as preliminary moral, spiritual and intellectual training, to be strong enough to come out later and help others. But if a man lives all his life in solitude, thinking only of his own happiness and ”salvation”, without caring for his fellows, this surely is not in keeping with the Buddha”s teaching which is based on love, compassion, and service to others.
對于某些人，遠離塵囂到一處清淨的地方，去過絕世的生活也許合適。可是能與衆人共處，實行佛教，爲衆服務，施以濟度，自然更是勇敢而值得贊美。但在某些情形下，也許隱居一時，先將心胸性格陶冶一番，作一番道德、精神與理智方面的初步磨煉，到力量充實之後再出山度人，也未嘗不好。可是一個人如果終生獨居，只顧到自己的快樂與解脫，不關心余人的疾苦，這就和佛的教誡決不相符了。因爲佛教是建立于友愛、慈悲、與爲人服務的基礎上。
One might now ask: If a man can follow Buddhism while living the life of an ordinary layman, why was the Sangha, the Order of monks, established by the Buddha
The Order provides opportunity for those who are willing to devote their lives not only to their own spiritual and intellectual development, but also to the service of others. An ordinary layman with a family cannot be expected to devote his whole life to the service of others, whereas a monk, who has no family responsibilities or any other worldly ties, is in position to devote his whole life ”for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many” according to the Buddha”s advice. That is how in the course of history, the Buddhist monastery became not only a spiritual centre, but also a centre of learning and culture.
有人也許要問：如果常人可以過在家的生活，而仍能修習佛法，爲什麼佛要創立和合僧團呢？殊不知僧伽是專爲了某些志願獻身的人而設的。這些人不但要發展自己的精神及心智，而且立志要爲人類服務。一個有家有室的居士，不能期望他將一生整個地奉獻出來爲人群服務。和尚因爲沒有家室之累，也沒有其它俗務的羁絆，可以根據佛誡將全部身心貢獻于“增進多數人的福祉，增進多數人的快樂”。在曆史過程中，佛教寺院不僅成爲宗教中心，也成爲學術文化的中心，其起因就是這樣的。
The Sigāla-sutta (No. 31 of the Digha-nikāya) shows with what great respect the layman”s life, his family and social relations are regards by the Buddha.
佛是何等重視居士的生活以及他家庭與社會關系，從《善生經》(巴利文《長部經》第卅一經)中可以看得出來。
A young man named Sigāla used to worship the six cardinal points of the heavens-east, south, west, north, nadir, and zenith- in obeying and observing the last advice given him by his dying father. The Buddha told the young man that in the ”noble discipline” (ariyassa vinaye) of his teaching the six directions were different. According to his ”noble discipline” the six directions were: east: parents; south: teachers; west: wife and children; north: friends, relatives and neighbours; nadir: servants, workers and employees; zenith: religious men.
一個名叫善生的男子，一向都遵守他父親臨終時的遺命，禮拜虛空的六方——東、西、南、北、上、下。佛告訴他說，在佛教聖律中的六方，與他的不同。根據佛的聖律，那六方是：東方——父母，南方——師長，西方——妻兒，北方——親友鄰居，下方——奴隸傭工，上方——宗教信徒。
”One should worship these six directions” said the Buddha. Here the word ”worship” (namasseyya) is very significant, for one worships something sacred, something worthy of honour and respect. These six family and social groups mentioned above are treated in Buddhism as sacred, worthy or respect and worship. But how is one to ”worship” them
The Buddha says that one could ”worship” them only by performing one”s duties towards them. These duties are explained in his discourse to Sigāla.
“應當禮拜這六方，”佛說。這裏，“禮拜”一詞意義重大。因爲，人所禮拜的，一定是神聖的、值得尊重敬仰的東西。上述六類家庭和社會份子，在佛教中就是被視爲神聖的、值得尊崇禮拜的了。可是怎樣禮拜法呢？佛說，只有對他們敦倫盡分，才算是禮拜。這些職分在《佛說善生經》中都有解釋。
First: Parents are sacred to their children. The Buddha says: ”Parents are called Brahma” (Brahmāti mātāpitaro). The term Brahma denotes the hi…
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