..續本文上一頁ddha was interested in the happiness of men. To him happiness was not possible without leading a pure life based on moral and spiritual principles. But he knew that leading such a life was hard in unfavourable material and social conditions.
以爲佛教是只注重崇高的理想，高深的道德與哲學思維，而不顧人民的社會與經濟利益的人是錯了。佛是很關心人類的快樂。可是他也很知道，如果物質社會環境不佳，想過這樣的日子是困難的。
Buddhism does not consider material welfare as an end in itself: it is only a means to an end-a higher and nobler end. But it is a means which is indispensable, in dispensable in achieving a higher purpose for man”s happiness. So Buddhism recognizes the need of certain minimum material favourable to spiritual success-even that of a monk engaged in meditation in some solitary place. [4]
佛教並不認爲使物質生活舒適，就是人生的目的。它只是達到一個更崇高的目的的條件。但是這條件卻是不可缺少的。要想爲了人類的幸福，達成更高的目標，這條件是少不了的。因此佛教承認，即使一個和尚在僻靜的地方獨自修習禅定止觀，要想修習成功，最低限度的物質環境仍是必需的。［注四］
The Buddha did not take life out of the context of its social and economic background; he looked at it as a whole, in all its social, economic and political aspects. His teachings on ethical, spiritual and philosophical problems are fairy well known. But little is known, particularly in the West, about his teaching on social, economic and political matters. Yet there are numerous discourses dealing with these scattered throughout the ancient Buddhist texts. Let us take only a few examples.
佛並不將人生與它社會經濟背景的關系剝離。他將它視爲一個整體，顧到它社會、經濟與政治的每一面。他有關倫理、精神與哲學問題的教誡，知道的人不少。可是關于他在社會、經濟與政治方面的教誨，就少有人知了。這情形尤以在西方國家爲然。但這方面的經典，散見于古佛籍中爲數極多。現在試舉幾個例子如次：
The Cakkavattisihanāda-sutta of the Digha-nikāya (No.26) clearly states that poverty (dāliddiya) is the cause of immorality and crimes such as theft, falsehood, violence, hatred, cruelty, etc. Kings in ancient times, like governments today, tried to suppress crime through punishment. The Kūtadanta-sutta of the same Nikāya explains how futile this is. It says that this method can never be successful. Instead the Buddha suggests that, in order to eradicate crime, the economic condition of the people should be improved: grain and other facilities for agriculture should be provided for farmers and cultivators; capital should be provided for traders and those engaged in business; adequate wages should be paid to those who are employed. When people are thus provided for with opportunities for earning a sufficient income, they will be contented; will have no fear or anxiety, and consequently the country will be peaceful and free from crime. [5]
《巴利藏長部經第二十六經》(Cakkavattisihanada Sutta)中明明白白地說貧窮是一切非義與罪行之源。諸如偷盜、妄語、暴行、憎恚、殘酷等，莫不由此而生。古代的帝王，和現代的政府一樣，盡力想以懲罰來抑止暴行。同在這《長部經》裏的另一經Kutadanta Sutta中已說明這種方法是何等的徒然。它說這種方法絕不能成功。反之，佛倡議要芟除罪惡，必須改善人民的經濟狀況：應當爲農人提供稻谷種子和農具，爲商賈提供資金，對雇工給予適當工資。人民都有了能夠賺到足夠收入的機會，就會感到心滿意足，無有恐怖憂慮，結果就國泰民安、罪行絕迹了。［注五］
Because of this, the Buddha told lay people how important it is to improve their economic condition. This does not mean that he approved of hoarding wealth with desire and attachment, which is against his fundamental teaching, nor did he approve of each and every way of earning one”s livelihood. There are certain trades like the production and sale of armaments, which he condemns as evil means of livelihood, as we saw earlier. [6]
因爲這緣故，佛就告訴在家衆，改進經濟的狀況是非常的重要。但這並不是說他贊成屯積財富，貪求執著。那是和他的基本教誡大相迳庭的。他也不是對每一種的謀生方式都同意。有幾種營生如製造販賣軍火等，他就嚴詞斥責，認爲是邪惡的生計。這在前文已經講過。
A man named Dighajānu once visited the Buddha and said: ”Venerable Sir, we are ordinary lay men, leading the family life with wife and children. Would the Blessed One teach us some doctrines which will be conductive to our happiness in this world and hereafter.”
有一個叫做長生的人，有一次在拜訪佛時說道：“世尊啊！我們只是普通的居士，與妻子兒女一起過著家庭生活。可否請世尊教我們一些佛法，能使我們在今生後世都享有快樂？”
The Buddha tells him that there are four things which are conductive to a man”s happiness in this world: First: he should be skilled, efficient, earnest, and energetic in what…
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