..續本文上一頁imself to the extent that no man had done and yet lived. He, too, would have certainly died had He not realized the futility of self-mortification, and decided to practise moderation instead.
在漫長的六年裏，他努力尋求真理從不懈怠。他向著名的老師參學，他向所有的宗教導師學習。但他發現找不到他所追求的，他參與了苦行修士的訓練，想通過折磨身體來證悟真理，當時他相信通過這樣的鍛煉會尋獲真理。他以無比的堅強意志實踐苦行修士的教導。他禁食，每天以一點點食物充飢，結果瘦得剩下皮包骨，肚皮也貼上脊椎骨了，他的苦行已到達人類能夠忍受的極限。最後，他覺察到這種自我折磨的苦行方式是枉費心機的，他終于放棄了苦行，轉而實踐中道。
On the full moon night of the month of Vesakha, He sat under the Bodhi tree at Gaya, wrapped in deep meditation. It was then that His mind burst the bubble of the universe and realized the true nature of all life and all things. At the age of 35 years, He was transformed from an earnest truth seeker into the Buddha, the Enlightened One.
在七月(āsāḷha)的月圓之夜，在迦耶(Buddhagayā，現在的布德嘎亞)，他坐在一棵菩提樹下，進入禅定。就在這時候，他證悟了正自覺。當時他叁十五歲，從一個平常人成爲佛陀 —— 一位覺者。
For nearly half a century, the Buddha walked on the dusty paths of India Teaching the Dhamma so that those who heard and practised could be ennobled and free. He founded an order of monks and nuns, challenged the caste system, raised the status of women, taught religious freedom and free inquiry, opened the gates of deliverance to all, in every condition of life, high or low, saint or sinner, and ennobled the lives of criminals like Angulimala and courtesans like Ambapali.
將近半個世紀，佛陀步行在印度泥濘的道路，弘揚他所覺悟的法。那些實踐他所教導者，都能獲得解脫。他成立了比庫僧團和比庫尼僧團。他向傳統挑戰，提升婦女的地位，讓她們通過宗教而獲得自由和平等。他敞開了佛教大門，解放了所有階層的人，無論是高尚或低下的，聖人或罪惡者。度化了殺人無數、罪惡滔天的安古裏瑪拉(Angulmala，古譯：指魔、央掘摩羅)，和妓女安巴帕麗(Ambapal)。
He was towering in wisdom and intellect. Every problem was analyzed in component parts and then reassembled in logical order with the meaning made clear. None could defeat Him in dialogue. An unequaled teacher, He still is the foremost analyst of the mind and phenomena even up to the present day. For the first time in history, He gave men the power to think for themselves, raised the worth of mankind, and showed that man can reach to the highest knowledge and supreme Enlightenment by his own efforts.
他浸濡于尋求知識和智慧中，所有的問題都被他一一的解決了。一切物體都由四種元素組成，一切都是四大(元素)的假合。沒有人能在辯論中把他駁倒。一位無可比擬的教師，他的學術和理論一直影響到今天。他是曆史的第一個人，他給予人類思想的動力，突出了人性，指示人類只要肯努力，就能獲得無上的知識和達到殊勝的覺悟境界。
Despite His peerless wisdom and royal lineage, He was never removed from the simple villager. Surface distinctions of class and caste meant little to Him. No one was too little or low for Him to help. Often when an outcast, or poor and dejected came to Him, his self-respect was restored and he turned from the ignoble life to that of a noble being.
除了弘法以外，他從來沒有離開那簡陋的村莊。他視名利、地位爲無物。他無私的幫助一切衆生，在他眼中沒有誰是渺小或低下的。經常有外來的窮人或殘廢者來尋求他的協助，他令他們的自尊重新獲得確認，使他們從鄙賤的生命中提升爲尊貴的人類。
The Buddha was full of compassion(karuna)and wisdom(panna), knowing how and what to teach each inpidual for his own benefit according to his level and capabilities. He was known to have walked long distances to help one single person.
佛陀的內心充滿了慈悲和智慧，他根據每個人不同的層次和能力教導他們。他經常到很遠的地方去，只爲幫助某一個人。
He was affectionate and devoted to His disciples, always inquiring after their well-being and progress. When staying at the monastery, He paid daily visits to the sick wards. His compassion for the sick can be seen from His advice, ”He who attends the sick, attends on me.” The Buddha kept order and discipline on the basis of mutual respect. King Pasenadi could not understand how the Buddha maintained such order and discipline in the community of monks, when he as a king with the power to punish, could not maintain it as well in his court.
他親切地關懷和愛護他的弟子，經常問起他們的起居和修行的進展。當居住在寺院的時候，他每天都去探訪病院裏的病人，他的慈悲心從這裏展露無疑。他說道：「誰照顧病人，就是在照顧我。」他提倡秩序和紀律，使大家互相尊敬。巴謝那地王(Pasenadi，古譯：波斯匿)不能理解佛陀如何維持一個那麼龐大僧團的紀律？以他身爲一個擁有懲罰權力的國王和他的法院都無法做到這一點。
The Buddha did not claim to have ”created” worldly conditions, universal phenomena, or the Universal Law which we call the ”Dhamma”.…
《第一章 佛陀的本懷與生平 Chapter 1 Gautama, the Buddha》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…