..續本文上一頁acher, or a teacher of teachers of Brahmins back to the seventh generation, or even any one of those original authors of those scriptures, who claims that he knows and he sees: “This alone is Truth, and everything else is false”
”
“那末，有沒有一位婆羅門的教師，或是教師的教師，如此上溯至于七代，或是婆羅門經典的原著作人，曾自稱他已知已見“只有這才是真理，余者皆是假法”？”
”No.”
“沒有！”
”Then, it is like a line of blind men, each holding on to the preceding one; the first one does not see, the middle one also does not see, the last one also does not see. Thus, it seems to me that the state of the Brahmins is like that of line blind men.”
“那末，這就像一隊盲人，每一個都抓住了前面的人。第一個看不見，中間的看不見，最後也看不見。這樣，依我看來，婆羅門教徒的情形正與一隊盲人相彷。”
Then the Buddha gave advice of extreme importance to the group of Brahmins: ”It is not proper for a wise man who maintains (lit. protects) truth to come to the conclusions: “This alone is Truth, and everything else is false”.”
然後，佛給了這群婆羅門教徒一些極爲重要的忠告。他說：“護法的智者，不應作如是的結論：“只有這才是真理，余者皆假”。”
Asked by the young Brahmin to explain the idea of maintaining or protecting truth, the Buddha said: ”A man has a faith. If he says “This is my faith”, so far he maintains truth. But by that he cannot proceed to the absolute conclusions: “This alone is Truth, and everything else is false”.” In other words, a man may believe what he likes, and he may say ”I believe this”. So far he respects truth. But because of his belief or faith, he should not say that what he believes is alone the Truth, and everything else is false.
那年輕的婆羅門，就請佛解釋應如何護法。佛說：“如人有信仰，而他說“這是我的信仰”，這樣可說是護法了。但這樣說過之後，他卻不可進一步地得出一個絕對的結論：“只有這才是真理，余者皆假。”換言之，誰都可以相信他所喜愛的，也可以說“我相信這個”。到此爲止，他仍是尊重真理的。但是由于他的信仰，他卻不能說唯有他所相信的才是真理，而其他一切都是假的。”
The Buddha says: ”To be attached to one thing (to a certain view) and to look down upon other things (views) as inferior – this the wise men call a fetter.” [29]
佛說：“凡執著某一事物(或見解)而藐視其他事物(見解)爲卑劣，智者叫這個是桎梏(纏縛)。”﹝注二十九﹞
Once the Buddha explained[30] the doctrine of cause and effect to his disciples, and they said that they saw it and understood it clearly. Then the Buddha said:
有一次，佛爲弟子說因果律。﹝注叁十﹞他的弟子們說他們已看見了，也明白了解了。于是佛說：
”O bhikkhus, even this view, which is so pure and so clear, if you cling to it, if you fondle it, if you treasure it, if you are attached to it, then you do not understand that the teacher is similar to a raft, which is for crossing over, and not for getting hold of.” [31]
“比丘們啊！甚至此一見地，如此清淨澄澈，但如你貪取它，把玩它，珍藏它，執著它，那你就是還沒有了解凡所教誡只如一條木筏，是用來濟渡河川的，而不是供執取的。”﹝注叁十一﹞
Elsewhere the Buddha explains this famous simile in which his teaching is compared to a raft for crossing over, and not for getting hold of and carrying on one”s back:
在另一經裏，佛曾解釋這則有名的譬喻。就是說：“他的法，好比是一條用以渡河的木筏，而不是爲人執取、負在背上用的。”他說：
”O bhikkhus, a man is on a journey. He comes to a vast stretch of water. On this side the shore is dangerous, but on the other it is safe without danger. No boat goes to the other shore which is safe and without danger, nor is there any bridge for crossing over. He says to himself: “This sea of water is vast, and the shore on this side is full of danger; but on the other shore it is safe and without danger. No boat goes to the other side, nor is there a bridge for crossing over. It would be good therefore if I would gather grass, wood, branches and leaves to make a raft, and with the help of the raft cross over safely to the other side, exerting myself with my hands and feet”. Then that man, O bhikkhus, gather grass, wood, branches and leaves and makes a raft, and with the help of that raft crosses over safely to the other side, exerting himself with his hands and feet. Having crossed over and got to the other side, he thinks: “This raft was of great help to me. With its aid I have crossed safely over to this side, exerting myself with my hands and feet. It would be good if I carry this raft on my head or on my back wherever I go”.
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《佛陀的啓示 第一章 佛教的宗教態度 Chapter I· The Buddhist Attitude of Mind》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…