(１６)“對某個教法，若生起是佛說或非佛說的懷疑時，我們應如何解決這個問題？”

　　16) Here is a question which asks,

　　16) “If doubt arises as to whether a certain teaching is the Buddha”s or not, how can we settle the matter

　　”

　　佛陀設定一個檢核的原則：對照經典(Sutta)——法，來審查及判斷，並與毗奈耶(Vinaya)——律作比較。這個原則是建立在不相信任何人，或不以任何人爲權威的基礎上。

　　若有人發表論述，自稱是從佛陀或一群博學的長老聽來的教法，並說用它來修行可以滅苦，如果我們對他的言論産生懷疑，佛陀說要用二種方式進行檢核：

　　THE BUDDHA LAID down a principle for testing: examine and measure against the Suttas (discourses), compare with the Vinaya (discipline). This principle is based on not believing anything second hand and not taking anyone else as an authority. If doubt arises concerning a certain statement of some person who claims to have heard it from the Buddha or from a learned group of elders, which he says leads to the cessation of suffering, the Buddha said that it must be tested in two ways:

　　(一)對照經典以審查、判斷。經典是將各種不同的教誨予以系統化集成，它有明確的軌則，若某種說法不符合這個軌則，那麼就抛棄它。

　　(1) Examine and measure it against the suttas. The suttas are a setting out of the various discourses which constitute a distinct line. If an utterance will not fit to this line, it must be discarded.

　　(二)與毗奈耶比較。毗奈耶是一種典範、准繩、明確的製度，若某種說法不符合這個製度，那麼就抛棄它。

　　(2) Compare it with the Vinaya. The Vinaya is an exemplary model, a standard, a fixed system. If the utterance in question will not fit to the system, if it does not conform with the Vinaya, then discard it.

　　不要一聽聞就相信，例如某個比丘說這教法是我從佛陀那兒聽來的，或說是聽聞于僧團長老和博學的人，而他們都說這是輾轉從佛陀那兒聽來的。雖然如此，也請各位務必先起疑，並且去審查它，然後對照經典去判斷，它如法嗎？與毗奈耶比較，它如律嗎？

　　Don”t trust any bhikkhu, nor any section of Sangha, nor any group of elders, nor any group of learned and practised inpiduals who claim to have heard such and such from the Buddha. The Buddha always asked that we, before all else, raise a doubt and investigate. Then measure it against the Suttas, does it fit

　　 Compare with the Vinaya, does it conform

　　這是個保障的工具，即使佛教延續了二千年、叁千年、五千年，甚至數千年、數萬年，假如這個原則一直保存使用，佛教或法、律將不會被毀滅或混淆。所以它是一個非常有用的原則，名叫“四大教法”[譯注一]，這是佛陀設定以經和律作爲檢核根據的教導，他沒有提到阿毗達磨(Abhidhamma),只提出要以經典來審查、判斷，及與毗奈耶作比較。

　　This is a means of ensuring that, though Buddhism lasts two thousand years, three thousand years, five thousand years, however many thousands or tens of thousands of years, if this principle remains in use, the religion or Dhamma-Vinaya cannot in any way become distorted or confused. So it is an extremely useful prin- ciple. It is called the Great Standard. It is a teaching of the Buddha laying down the use of testing things against the Suttas and the Vinaya. He did not mention the Abhidhamma (the last “basket” of the Pali Canon).

　　[譯注一]請參考巴宙譯，《南傳大般涅槃經》，５５頁；《長阿含經》卷第叁，(《大正藏》)第一冊，１７——１８頁)。