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人類的未來 The Future of Humankind▪P2

  ..續本文上一頁m or not

  

  你們再注意看,過不了多久,人將會變得毫無用處的。舉例來說,現在正有一班人,在那裏絞盡腦汁盡發明些稀奇古怪的東西!

  Look into it! People will soon be rendered useless! For instance, some unethical scientists now are busy inventing miraculous monsters.

  這些人玩的是把人的遺傳基因,移植到動物體;和把動物基因,移植到人身上,這種基因互換的把戲。你要說那個東西是個人嘛!那不是真正的人;你要說那它是動物啰?它也不是真正的動物。于是,在人與動物基因互相交流的情況下,就産生了各式各樣的突變種。

  You say it”s human

   It”s not really human. You say it”s an animal

   It”s not exactly an animal either. Since they graft human genes onto animal bodies and alter human genes with animals strains, this mutual genetic modification produces a freakish, mutant, hybrid that resembles neither parent.

  按照目前這個時代,人一出生很可能就長了犄角,或是長長的象鼻子。依我看,人要是長了像大象一樣的長鼻子,簡直就是怪物,哪還算是人?可是現在這些畸型和突變都有發生的可能。

  Now people can be born with horns, or elephant-like trunks. In my opinion, a human born with a nose like a pachyderm is more a goblin than a person. These goblins and freaks are all within the realm of possibility today.

  再說,今天的科技已經發展到難以控製的局面了。接下來的兩百年,電話之類的東西會全部被淘汰掉,電視和電腦自然也會消失不見!因爲那時候,人類的身體──會自動配備了這些機具和它的功能。若想跟某人聯絡,不需要撥電話或動任何按鍵,只消從裝在自己體內的電話機,把對方的號碼發射出去(接收天線就裝在眉毛或頭發裏),也有同樣配備的對方就會收到這通電話「哈啰,早安!」你看,比起電話,這方便多了。

  Furthermore, the range of technology has grown out of control. Within the next two centuries, telephones and the like will be totally obsolete. Televisions and computers will have disappeared. Every person”s physical body will contain the capabilities of these machines. Nobody will have to bother dialing a telephone or punching a touch-tone. A person will only need to beam out the number of the desired party from his own built-in phone, with its antennae located in the eyebrows, perhaps, or from his hair, and the other person will receive the call the same built-in way. "Hello! Good morning!" That”s how easy it will be to place a phone call.

  關于這點,有人可能會這麼想:「法師,你所說的簡直像天方夜譚嘛!」

  Somebody may be thinking at this point, "Dharma Master, that”s the craziest talk I”ve ever heard."

  那好,我問你,你可想過要是五百年前,你對人說:「未來五百年內,就會發明飛機、電視、收音機等等。」會有多少人相信?大家不當你是瘋子才怪。可是現在這些東西多麼普遍,到處都看得見。

  Well, I ask you to consider this. How many people would have believed you if five hundred years ago you had said, "In five hundred years, there will be airplanes, television, and radios

  " Everyone would have considered you insane. But all these inventions are commonplace now.

  爲什麼一開始我就提這個問題呢?因爲我們該知道,科學的進步和物質的便利,對人來說,其實並不是好處;是有漏的,不究竟。

  Why do I mention this topic in the first place

   Because we should recognize that advances in science, and in material benefits are not necessarily good for humanity in the long run. They are incomplete, imperfect benefits.

  唯有智慧,才能究竟圓滿地利益整個世界,以道德作爲前導的思想和意念,才會對所有的人有益而無害。

  Wisdom, on the other hand, is the most thorough-going benefit for the whole world. Thinking and attitudes born of morality and virtue are thoroughly good for us all.

  像佛陀的「四無量心」──慈、悲、喜、舍──就是完完全全地利益衆生;唯有把心念紮根在「四無量心」上,就可以使科學反過來爲我們所用。

  The Buddha”s Four Measureless Attitudes of kindness, compassion, joy, and even-mindedness are totally advantageous to all creatures. When we base ourselves in thoughts such as these, then we can go ahead and put technology to work for us.

  你們聽了不要害怕,就是以後我們會忘記人的基本相貌:譬如我們現在這個身體,將來的人會一絲都想不起來,人原先是長得什麼樣子。因爲到了那個時候,人都長得像動物一樣了──我不是在罵人,我這個預言是非常冷酷的事實。

  There”s no fear that we will forget the fundamental aspects of humanity: our own bodies for example. In the future people will forget entirely what people look like. We will all become like animals. I”m not scolding you; this prediction is a cold, hard fact.

  這個世界,總是照著一定的規則在變化。好到極點,就變壞;惡到極點,就轉好。人窮到極點,會突然致富;富人也常在一夜間蕩盡家財。我們在剛出生的時候,還只是個小嬰兒,然後長大、老了、病了、死了。出生和死亡在這個世界不停地交替循環,這也就是進步到極點,然後遷變毀滅的過程。

  That”s how the world turns. Good taken to the ultimate point turns bad. Evil, once it reaches an extreme, turns good. A person who is poor to the bitter extreme of poverty can suddenly strike it rich, while rich people can los…

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