科技進步的危機

　　The Danger of Technological Progress

　　科學家在皮毛上轉來轉去，發明這些東西，好像有所得，

　　其實把本有的智慧都忘了。

　　Scientists search up and down on a superficial level and come up with new inventions.

　　They seem to have attained something, but actually they have forgotten their inherent wisdom.

　　所有的人類，一切一切都是向外馳求，心外求法，越跑越遠，總也追不上。但是越追不上，就越要追，這就叫舍本逐末，舍近求遠。

　　The human race is engaged in the pursuit of external things. We seek the Dharma outside the mind. The more we chase it, the farther we stray. We can never catch up with it. Although we cannot catch up, we are ever more eager in our pursuit. Paying attention to trivialities, we forget our main objective. Rejecting what is near at hand, we seek far away.

　　你們各位以爲現在這個電腦、電視、電話、電冰箱等等是好東西，其實這都是一種表法，一種在外邊迷人的東西，令人執迷不悟。可是你若真明白了，也是令你覺悟的一種東西。就好像眼耳鼻舌身意這六根，它能令人墮落；可是你若會用它，也能令人修行無上菩提。

　　People think computers, televisions, telephones, refrigerators, and so on are good things, and they tend to become attached to them. If we truly understand these things, they can help us become enlightened. They are like the six senses: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. These six thieves can cause people to indulge in evil ways. However, if you know how to use them, they can help you to cultivate and attain Buddhahood.

　　現在外邊有電腦這些東西出現，可是我們自性裏邊這些妙不可思議的東西都是具足的，本來不需要向外去馳求。但是因爲我們自己令自己這些寶貝──妙不可言的常住真心，性淨明體，被五蘊遮障了，所以不能現了。因爲被遮障著，所以就舍近求遠，不知道回光返照。

　　Computers and the like appear to be external objects, but actually they exist within our own nature. We do not have to seek outside for them. We cannot see these treasures, which come from our everlasting true mind and our pure, bright nature, simply because they have been obscured by the five skandhas. Since they are covered up by ignorance, we forget what is near to us and seek what is far away. We don”t know how to look within ourselves.

　　外邊有電腦，我們每一個人自己也都有個電腦，這個又叫做神腦，也可以稱爲聖腦，也可以稱爲佛腦，也就是那個大智慧。那麼現在的科學家，發明這些東西，都是往外馳求，越找越遠。他們在皮毛上轉來轉去，好像有所得，其實把本有的智慧都忘了，這就叫舍本逐末。

　　Within our own nature, we each have a computer called the pine mind, the sacred mind, or the Buddha mind; it is simply great wisdom. Nowadays, scientists come up with an endless stream of new inventions, but they are actually wandering farther and farther off the track. They are searching outside themselves, on a superficial level. They may seem to have attained something, but actually they have forgotten their inherent wisdom. This is to concentrate on details while forgetting the main objective.

　　我們修道人是舍末求本，把末梢不要了，找這個根本的法門。根本的法門就是怎麼樣才能圓滿自己本有的佛性。怎麼樣才能返本還原，恢複我們本有的大圓鏡智、平等性智、妙觀察智、成所作智？這四智都是智慧的表現，而電腦只不過是四智裏頭百千萬億分的一少部分。所以我們各位把真金都不認識，盡拿這些黃銅來玩，這是很可憐啊！我們現在修行的人，都要認識自己真正本有的智慧，我們不要向外去馳求。

　　Cultivators should concentrate on the main objective and renounce the petty details. We should discard the minor parts and search for the fundamental Dharma-door. How can we perfect our own original Buddha-nature

　　 How can we return to the source and go back to the origin

　　 How can we recover our inherent Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, our Wisdom of Equality, our Wonderful Contemplative Wisdom, and our Wisdom of Accomplishment

　　 These four are manifestations of wisdom, while the computer is only a tiny fraction of one-trillionth part of the Four Kinds of Wisdom. People tend to mistake brass for gold; they are very pitiful. As cultivators, we should recognize our inherent wisdom instead of seeking far and wide outside.

　　那麼外邊這些東西是不是不用它呢？前一陣子我說電腦等科技是妖怪，令人都失業，懶惰懈怠，養成一種好逸惡勞的思想。這樣下去，不久人在世界上就沒有用了。既然沒有用了，當然這一場戲就快要閉幕了──人都沒有用了，還要人幹什麼？反過來說，人若覺悟，以真智慧來采用科技，而不是讓科技來控製人，那麼，當然可以做出很多裨益人群的東西。總而言之，同一樣東西，就看你會不會用。應該是人用電腦，而不是讓電腦來控製人心。所謂

　　Does that mean we should not use external things at all

　　 A while back, I mentioned that computers and other products of technology are monsters that put people out of work, making them lazy and causing them to detest toil and be fond of ease. If this continues, human beings will soon become useless. Once there is no use for the human race, the show will be over and the curtains will fall. What will people be needed for

　　 On the other hand, if people wake up and utilize scientific technology wisely instead of letting themselves be controlled by it, it can benefit humankind in many ways. In general, no matter what it is, it depends on how you use it. People should use computers, but not let their minds be controlled by computers.

　　見事省事出世間，

　　見事迷事墮沈淪。

　　If you recognize what you see, you can transcend the world.

　　If you are confused by what you see, you will sink and drown.

　　一九八叁年叁月廿五日晚間開示

　　于萬佛聖城

　　A talk given on March 25, 1983,

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

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