..续本文上一页ddha was interested in the happiness of men. To him happiness was not possible without leading a pure life based on moral and spiritual principles. But he knew that leading such a life was hard in unfavourable material and social conditions.
以为佛教是只注重崇高的理想，高深的道德与哲学思维，而不顾人民的社会与经济利益的人是错了。佛是很关心人类的快乐。可是他也很知道，如果物质社会环境不佳，想过这样的日子是困难的。
Buddhism does not consider material welfare as an end in itself: it is only a means to an end-a higher and nobler end. But it is a means which is indispensable, in dispensable in achieving a higher purpose for man”s happiness. So Buddhism recognizes the need of certain minimum material favourable to spiritual success-even that of a monk engaged in meditation in some solitary place. [4]
佛教并不认为使物质生活舒适，就是人生的目的。它只是达到一个更崇高的目的的条件。但是这条件却是不可缺少的。要想为了人类的幸福，达成更高的目标，这条件是少不了的。因此佛教承认，即使一个和尚在僻静的地方独自修习禅定止观，要想修习成功，最低限度的物质环境仍是必需的。［注四］
The Buddha did not take life out of the context of its social and economic background; he looked at it as a whole, in all its social, economic and political aspects. His teachings on ethical, spiritual and philosophical problems are fairy well known. But little is known, particularly in the West, about his teaching on social, economic and political matters. Yet there are numerous discourses dealing with these scattered throughout the ancient Buddhist texts. Let us take only a few examples.
佛并不将人生与它社会经济背景的关系剥离。他将它视为一个整体，顾到它社会、经济与政治的每一面。他有关伦理、精神与哲学问题的教诫，知道的人不少。可是关于他在社会、经济与政治方面的教诲，就少有人知了。这情形尤以在西方国家为然。但这方面的经典，散见于古佛籍中为数极多。现在试举几个例子如次：
The Cakkavattisihanāda-sutta of the Digha-nikāya (No.26) clearly states that poverty (dāliddiya) is the cause of immorality and crimes such as theft, falsehood, violence, hatred, cruelty, etc. Kings in ancient times, like governments today, tried to suppress crime through punishment. The Kūtadanta-sutta of the same Nikāya explains how futile this is. It says that this method can never be successful. Instead the Buddha suggests that, in order to eradicate crime, the economic condition of the people should be improved: grain and other facilities for agriculture should be provided for farmers and cultivators; capital should be provided for traders and those engaged in business; adequate wages should be paid to those who are employed. When people are thus provided for with opportunities for earning a sufficient income, they will be contented; will have no fear or anxiety, and consequently the country will be peaceful and free from crime. [5]
《巴利藏长部经第二十六经》(Cakkavattisihanada Sutta)中明明白白地说贫穷是一切非义与罪行之源。诸如偷盗、妄语、暴行、憎恚、残酷等，莫不由此而生。古代的帝王，和现代的政府一样，尽力想以惩罚来抑止暴行。同在这《长部经》里的另一经Kutadanta Sutta中已说明这种方法是何等的徒然。它说这种方法绝不能成功。反之，佛倡议要芟除罪恶，必须改善人民的经济状况：应当为农人提供稻谷种子和农具，为商贾提供资金，对雇工给予适当工资。人民都有了能够赚到足够收入的机会，就会感到心满意足，无有恐怖忧虑，结果就国泰民安、罪行绝迹了。［注五］
Because of this, the Buddha told lay people how important it is to improve their economic condition. This does not mean that he approved of hoarding wealth with desire and attachment, which is against his fundamental teaching, nor did he approve of each and every way of earning one”s livelihood. There are certain trades like the production and sale of armaments, which he condemns as evil means of livelihood, as we saw earlier. [6]
因为这缘故，佛就告诉在家众，改进经济的状况是非常的重要。但这并不是说他赞成屯积财富，贪求执著。那是和他的基本教诫大相迳庭的。他也不是对每一种的谋生方式都同意。有几种营生如制造贩卖军火等，他就严词斥责，认为是邪恶的生计。这在前文已经讲过。
A man named Dighajānu once visited the Buddha and said: ”Venerable Sir, we are ordinary lay men, leading the family life with wife and children. Would the Blessed One teach us some doctrines which will be conductive to our happiness in this world and hereafter.”
有一个叫做长生的人，有一次在拜访佛时说道：“世尊啊！我们只是普通的居士，与妻子儿女一起过著家庭生活。可否请世尊教我们一些佛法，能使我们在今生后世都享有快乐？”
The Buddha tells him that there are four things which are conductive to a man”s happiness in this world: First: he should be skilled, efficient, earnest, and energetic in what…
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