Chapter 14 Promoter of True Human Culture
第十四章 佛教與文化
Modern Religion
現代的宗教
Buddhism is strong enough to face any modern views which pose a challenge to religion.
佛教能面對現代觀點和任何宗教的挑戰。
Buddhist ideas have greatly contributed to the enrichment of both ancient and modern thought. Its teaching of causation and relativism, its doctrine of sense data, its pragmatism, its emphasis on the moral, its non-acceptance of a permanent soul, its unconcern about external supernatural forces, its denial of unnecessary rites and religious rituals, its appeal to reasoning and experience and its compatibility with modern scientific discoveries all tend to establish its superior claim to modernity.
佛教對古代和現代思潮都有很大的貢獻。佛教的「因果法」、「緣起法」、「五蘊論」和它的實用主義、強調道德性、否定靈魂的存在、否定外力對修持的關系、否定一切儀軌，佛教追求理性的認識和經驗，它和現代科學不謀而合，建立了它卓越的現代性。
Buddhism is able to meet all the requirements of a rational religion that suit the needs of the future world. It is so scientific, so rational, so progressive that it will be a pride for a man in the modern world to call himself a Buddhist. In fact, Buddhism is more scientific in approach than science; it is more socialistic than socialism.
佛教結合了宗教和一切理性所必要的條件，它更適合于未來世界的需求。佛教是如此的科學、如此的理性、如此的進步，在現代世界中，人人都以身爲佛教徒而感到自豪和榮耀。事實，佛教比科學還要科學，比社會主義更社會主義，比一切進步的東西更進步。
Among all the great founders of religion, it was the Buddha alone who encouraged the spirit of investigation among His followers and who advised them not to accept even His Teaching with blind faith. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that Buddhism can be called a modern religion.
在所有的宗教創始人當中，只有佛陀鼓勵信徒去審核自己心靈的發展，佛陀告誡他們，不要盲目的信仰，要經過試驗後才接受他的教誨。所以說，佛教是現代的宗教，這一點也不誇張。
Buddhism is a well-elaborated scheme of how to lead a practical life and a carefully thought-out system of self-culture. But more than that, it is a scientific method of education. This religion is best able in any crisis to restore our peace of mind and to help us to face calmly whatever changes the future may have in store.
佛教是一種盡心盡力的實際生活，也是一種自我內在文明的徹底思想，此外，它也是一種科學的教育方法。佛教能在任何危機中，恢複我們內心的甯靜，同時，幫助我們沈著的應付將來所面對的一切變化。
Without sensual pleasure, would life be endurable
Without belief in immortality, can man be moral
Without resorting to pinity, can man advance towards righteousness
YES, is the answer given by Buddhism. These ends can be attained by knowledge and by the purification of the mind. Knowledge is the key to the higher path. Purification is that which brings calmness and peace to life and renders man indifferent to and detached from the vagaries of the phenomenal world.
沒有感官的欲樂我們能生存嗎？不相信靈魂的存在會有道德心嗎？不去神社禱告能過正直的生活嗎？是的，這些都是佛教要回答的問題。這些問題可透過智慧和內心的淨化來完成。智慧是攀登高樓的鑰匙，淨化帶來甯靜與和平，使人在面對風暴等現象時能屹立不倒。
Buddhism is truly a religion suited to the modern, scientific world. The light which comes from nature, from science, from history, from human experience, from every point of the universe, is radiant with the Noble Teachings of the Buddha.
佛教是適合現代科學的宗教，它的光明來自：自然、科學、曆史的人類文明的經驗。在宇宙的任何一個角度，都能散發出佛陀崇高教義的光輝。