..續本文上一頁se, some of you here may not be Buddhist. Even if you believe in Christianity, Islam, or other religions, it is very important to truly understand the religion”s doctrines and philosophy. If you only carry out activities at a superficial level, such as playing drums, carrying out ceremonies, and so forth, I do not think these are very constructive because they cannot help you withstand the challenges of life. When you are affected by the changeable external environment, your confidence in faith will be easily shaken. We should not follow this kind of blind faith.
All in all, the role and effects of Buddhism for humanity are indeed unparalleled. After a long period of study, Albert Einstein said, “If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.” When I read this, I was a bit surprised. I thought: “Although Albert Einstein achieved great things in science, did he really study Buddhism to the same extent as he studied science
” I started to read and research this. Finally, I found what I was seeking in the Chinese version of quotes by Albert Einstein, translated by Xu Liang Ying and others. The English edition says the same thing. Therefore, in the eyes of this scientist, among the religions, Buddhism was the one that could pass scientific tests completely.
V “Religion is the Opiate” Misinterpreted
At present, some people not only do not believe in Buddhism, they even slander Buddhism. The main reason for this is because Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” This view was particularly popular during the Cultural Revolution. Of course, you all are young, and have not gone through those decade-long calamities, so you may not fully understand this. At that time, Karl Marx”s famous words became a powerful weapon for others to condemn religions. They labeled religion a narcotic “drug,” and called missionaries “drug dealers.” Religious believers were called “opium addicts.” After hearing this, without even enquiring about it, many started to blindly attack religion in various disrespectful ways.
Although Karl Marx said this, what he meant has been misinterpreted. Later, Qian Zhongshu also researched his original words, and found that Karl Marx”s metaphor was not exactly how people understand it. During Karl Marx”s lifetime in the 19th century, opium was an expensive analgesic. It could be used to relieve anxiety and pain and eliminate suffering. Using it to describe religion is from the perspective of the effects of religion, but not about the nature of religion. Moreover, this metaphor also stressed that religion has a very strong attraction; it makes people wholeheartedly follow it and gradually lose interest in worldly matters. Modern China had experienced the “Opium War,” so opium was understood as a drug in a negative sense.
In fact, both Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels viewed Buddhism highly. For example, Friedrich Engels said in World Theory, “Only in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha did dialectical method become mature.” Further, Karl Marx also said, “Buddhism”s dialectical method has already reached a very profound and subtle level.” They were extremely impressed with Shakyamuni Buddha”s dialectical method. Moreover, this spirit, through the efforts of Nagarjuna, Dharmakirti, and so forth has now flourished in every corner of the world. The profundity of the wisdom in Buddhism is evident; it is not something someone can overturn by simply saying a few words or accusing it of being a superstition.
Of course, for those who believe in another religion, it is not necessary to give up your religion. Whatever religion you follow is fine, it is just necessary to observe it with wisdom. This is a very important point. Without a religious faith, life will only be concerned with the pursuit of money, status, and fame. Living in this world will be meaningless and have no significant value.
Today, from the depth of my heart, I feel very grateful for the opportunity to have this discussion and share with the students and lecturers here. Why
Because after working in education for so long as a teacher, not for the sake of money or fame, I feel a sense of responsibility to pass on this philosophy to others when the opportunity arises so that it can benefit others in a way that is far greater than monetary assistance. If we think like this, if everyone”s mind is balanced, how positive will it be for the whole world
Even if we don”t have a huge capacity, after obtaining this human body, we should try our best to do whatever we can to benefit other mother sentient beings.
If you have any questions or doubts about Tibetan Buddhism, faith, or life we can discuss and share our ideas here. If I know something about the topic, I will try to answer. If I do not know about it, then we can still share our ideas with each other.
Thank you.
《Faith and Life》全文閱讀結束。