..續本文上一頁，這種觀念是拒絕和阻止在家人學佛。在佛教文獻中，多處提到人們在正常的家庭生活中，成功的修持佛法而證悟涅槃的例子。有一回，苦行者瓦差哥達(acchagotta)很真誠的問佛陀：「在家的男女信衆，真誠的奉行佛陀的教義，是否能成功的達到精神最高的境界。」佛陀明確的回答：「在家的男女信衆，只要能真誠的奉行佛陀的教義，一定能成功的達到精神最高的境界。」
It may be agreeable for certain people to live a retired life in a quiet place away from noise and disturbances. But it is certainly more praiseworthy and courageous to practise Buddhism living among fellow beings, helping them and offering service to them. It may perhaps be useful in some cases for a man to live in retirement for a time in order to improve his mind and character, as a preliminary to moral, spiritual and intellectual training, to be strong enough to come out later and help others. But if a man lives all his life in solitude, thinking only of his own happiness and salvation, without caring for his fellowmen, this surely is not in keeping with the Buddha”s Teaching which is based on love compassion and service to others.
我們不反對某些人在甯靜偏僻的地方過隱居的生活。但是，更值得稱贊和鼓勵的是，那些和一般人打成一片，又嚴謹的修持佛法、幫助社會、服務人群的人。隱居一段日子，增益心靈和個性的修養，當獲得道德與心智的發展，和堅定、充實自己之後，再回到社會，服務人群，也不失爲有效的方法之一，假如，一個人整個人生都脫離群衆而獨居，只爲自己的安樂和解脫著想，不願利益他人，這與佛陀的大悲心和服務人群的精神背道而馳。
One might now ask, ”If a man can follow Buddhism while living the life of an ordinary man, why was the Sangha, the Order of Monks, established by the Buddha
” The Order provides opportunity for those who are willing to devote their lives not only to their own spiritual and intellectual development, but also to the service of others. An ordinary layman with a family cannot be expected to devote his whole life to the service of others, whereas a Monk, who has no family responsibilities or any other worldly ties, is in a position to devote his life ”for the good of the many”. (Dr. Walpola Rahula)
我們不禁要問：「既然在家也同樣可以修持佛法，爲何佛陀要成立僧團，披剃僧衆呢？」僧團和出家製度是爲那些肯獻身、肯犧牲的人而設的。他們不僅爲了個人心智修養，同時也爲了服務大衆。換句話說，出家人沒有家庭責任，沒有社會拖累，他們可以無私的奉獻，甚至奉獻生命，爲更多的人謀求福祉。
And what is this ”good” that many can benefit from
The monk cannot give material comfort to a layman, but he can provide spiritual guidance to those who are troubled by worldly, family emotional problems and so on. The monk devotes his life to the pursuit of knowledge of the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha. He explains the Teaching in simplified form to the untutored layman. And if the layman is well educated, he is there to discuss the deeper aspects of the teaching so that both can gain intellectually from the discussion.
爲什麼說，出家能利樂衆生呢？僧衆雖然不能給予信衆物質的滿足，可是，他們引導信衆在心靈和精神的修行，解決信衆精神的困擾。出家人追隨和實踐佛陀的教義，再把自己所學到的教育群衆。如果信衆擁有大智慧，也一樣可以和出家人研究，切磋佛陀的教義和自己的心得。
In Buddhist countries, monks are largely responsible for the education of the young. As a result of their contribution, Buddhist countries have populations which are literate and well-versed in spiritual values. Monks also comfort those who are bereaved and emotionally upset by explaining how all mankind is subject to similar disturbances.
在佛教國家，僧人負起了教育的責任，在佛教國家佛學的普及，精神及道德價值的提升，都是僧人做出的貢獻。
In turn, the layman is expected to look after the material well-being of the monk who does not gain income to provide himself with food, shelter, medicine and clothing. In common Buddhist practice, it is considered meritorious for a layman to contribute to the health of a monk because by so doing he makes it possible for the monk to continue to minister to the spiritual needs of the people and for his mental purity.
另一方面，僧人並無金錢收入，他們的衣著、住處、食物和藥品，都有賴在家人爲他們提供。在佛教的修行，在家人有義務維護出家人的健康，出家人同樣有義務協助指引在家人精神的需要，及教導他們如何淨化心靈。
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