(７)假設我們補充問：

　　“在家人應該學習什麼？”

　　7) This Dhamma, which is said to resemble a raft, is just as applicable for lay people as it is for bhikkhus (monks). Suppose, then, that we are asked,

　　7) “What should a lay person study

　　”

　　我們不必浪費時間自己去想答案。若有人要有自己的想法也可以，沒人會阻止他。但如果依據佛陀所教的回答，我們必須說：“在家人應該學習所有如來(Tathagate)宣說有關“空”(Sunnata)的教示(suttantas)”。“素旦答”(suttanta)是佛陀所有教誨的核心，是經系統化且完整、妥善地結集而成，這就稱爲“素旦答”。

　　WE SHOULD NOT waste time thinking out our own answer. If anyone wants to have his own ideas, well and good, there is nothing to stop him. But if we are to answer in accordance with what the Buddha taught, then we must say, “Lay people should study all the suttantas, that is, the discourses of the Tathāgata about su..atā (emptiness).”

　　sutta指的是經典，anta的意思是究竟，因此“素旦答”(suttanta)是完整又系統化，將最精華的部分結集而成的經典。它就像“吠檀多”(vedanta)這個字，“吠陀”(Veda)的意思是知識，“吠檀多”是知識中的精華，是將知識作最完整而有系統化的結集。

　　These suttantas are a well-organized exposition of the teaching. They constitute a good system forming the pithy substance or heart of the teaching. This is why they are called suttanta. A sutta is a “discourse” and anta means “end”. Hence, a suttanta is a discourse that is well set out, well ordered, and the sound kernel of the subject. It is like the word vedanta. Veda is “knowledge”; vedanta is knowledge that is the pure substance of the matter, well set out and systematically arranged.

　　請記住“素旦答”這個字！所有“素旦答”都是如來所說，是如來所教，而且都與“空”相應。關于這點，有人問佛陀要如何修法，才能獲得永恒安樂的利益，佛陀回答：“所有“素旦答”是如來所說，與“空”相應，義理奧妙深遠，超越世間。”這句話的重點在于“與空相應”。

　　Remember this word suttanta. All the suttantas are utterances of the Tathāgata. They are what the Buddha taught and they all refer to su..atā (emptiness). In this connection, lay people ask how they are to practise Dhamma in order to achieve the most enduring benefits and happiness. The Buddha said, “The suttantas are utterances of the Tathāgata, are of great profundity, have deep significance, are the means of transcending the world, and refer to su..atā.”

　　“空”(sunnata)這個字，你聽起來也許會覺得有些奇怪，但先不要退縮[譯注一]，因爲它正是佛教最重要的字眼。請注意聽：“空”字或可譯爲“空無一物”，它有好幾個用法與意義，佛陀所說的“空”，不是指什麼東西都沒有的“物質空”。這裏的“空”，是指智慧的“空”，因爲所有事物仍然存在，也許會多到充塞整個世界，但佛陀說它們是“空”或“空性”，因爲所有的一切都不是“我”、“我所有”。我再說一次，這些都是爲了教我們不要去執取任何事物。

　　This word su..atā may seem strange to you, but don”t lose heart just yet, because it happens to be the most important word in Buddhism. Please listen carefully. The word su..atā may be translated as “emptiness”. But the word “empty” has several usages and meanings. The su..atā of the Buddha does not mean physical emptiness, it is not a physical vacuum devoid of material substance. No! Here it is a case of emptiness in the sense of essential nature, because all sorts of things are still present. There can be as many objects as would fill up the whole world, but the Buddha taught that they are empty, or have the property of emptiness, because there is nothing in any of them that either is a self or belongs to a self. The aim of this is, once again, non-clinging to any thing at all.

　　在家人尤其應該學習佛陀所說“空”的教示。一般說來，普通的人都誤解“空”，以爲它對在家人而言是太過高遠的理論，究其原因，是因他們沒有聽聞過佛陀對“空”的教示。所以請好好記在心裏，不只是出家人，即使是在家人也必須學習“空”、理解“空”、踐行“空”[譯注二]。

　　Lay people should study in particular those sayings of the Buddha that deal with su..atā. Generally, this subject has been misunderstood as too lofty for lay people. The reason for this is simply that too few people wish to practise according to these sayings of the Buddha. So please keep clearly in mind that even a lay person must study about, practise, and then discover su..atā. It is not only for bhikkhus.

　　佛陀開示過這句話：“在家人應該學習與“空”相應的事”(泰本巴利藏１９冊，５１２頁)，期望你們不要再害怕“空”或與“空”關的事。

　　請跨出你的腳步，多去了解“空”。若要深入、詳盡地解釋“空”，那會花相當多的時間，在此，我們只討論它的核心及實質，也就是空掉“我”及“我所有”的感覺——空性，這樣就足夠了。心若沒有任何“我”、“我所有”的感覺，這心就是“空”的，“世間空”就是這個意思。

　　I hope, then, that you lay people will no longer be afraid of the word “su..atā” or of the subject of su..atā. Take steps to increase your knowledge and understanding of it. Su..atā is a subject requiring intricate and delicate explanation; it takes a long time. For the reason, we have discussed only the actual core of the matter, just the real essence of it and that is enough, namely, emptiness of the idea of being a self or belonging to a self. If the mind realizes that there is nothing that is a self and that there is nothing that belongs to a self, the mind is “empty” and free. “This world is empty” means just this.

　　[譯注一]泰國佛教界對“空”誤解極深，說到“空”都無法理解。泰國的高僧從來多談苦、無常、無我，少談到“空”，直到佛使比丘發現經典多說“空”，佛陀甚至說：“ 一切教誨不與“空”相應，則非佛說。”佛使尊者四十多歲就開始宣說“空”是佛陀最高的教誨，當時 一般人以爲他瘋了，或有人以爲他不過是位“佛教學者”，只會說不會做。直到今日泰國佛教談及“空”的著作，還是多爲佛使尊者所撰，少部份弘揚空理的人，也多是曾在其門下修學的法師。

　　[譯注二]泰國在家人以爲“空”高深莫測，是根本做不到的事，甚至說：““空”是出家人的事。”

《在家人應該學習什麼？What should a lay person study

　　》全文閱讀結束。