..续本文上一页nists took a definite stand and only then the terms of Mahayana and Hinayana were introduced.

　　大约在公元二世纪时，大乘(Mahayana)的界定始变得明确。龙树(Nagarjuna)发展了大乘(Mahayana)哲学有关空(Sunyata)的概念，在一简短的中观论颂(Madhyamika-karika)文本里面，他论证了诸法皆空(Void)的道理。大约在公元四世纪时，更出现了无着(Asanga)与世亲(Vasubandhu)两位论师，他们写了大量有关大乘的著作。因此，可以推测在公元一世纪后，由于大乘行者们(Mahayanists)采取了明确立场，于是大乘与小乘这两个术语就在那个时候被引进了。

　　We must not confuse Hinayana with Theravada because the terms are not synonymous. Theravada Buddhism went to Sri Lanka during the 3rd Century B.C. when there was no Mahayana at all. Hinayana sects developed in India and had an existence independent from the form of Buddhism existing in Sri Lanka. Today there is no Hinayana sect in existence anywhere in the world. Therefore, in 1950 the World Fellowship of Buddhists inaugurated in Colombo unanimously decided that the term Hinayana should be dropped when referring to Buddhism existing today in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, etc. This is the brief history of Theravada, Mahayana and Hinayana.

　　我们千万不可把小乘(Hinayana)误解为上座部(Theravada)，因为它们并非同义词。上座部佛教是在公元前三世纪时被传入斯里兰卡的，那个时候说不上有大乘(Mahayana)。小乘部派(Hinayana sects)是在印度中发展的，它们实与斯里兰卡所传的佛教毫无关系。时至今天，在世上恐怕已没有任何地方有小乘(Hinayana)的存在了。因此，世界佛教友谊会(The World Fellowship of Buddhists) 于1950年在斯里兰卡可伦坡(Colombo)的开幕典礼中，一致同意放弃采用小乘(Hinayana)这个术语来标签现存于斯里兰卡、泰国、缅甸、柬埔寨(高绵)与寮国等国家的佛教。这就是上座部、大乘与小乘的简单历史。

　　Mahayana and Theravada

　　Now, what is the difference between Mahayana and Theravada

　　现在，要说大乘与上座部的分别了。

　　I have studied Mahayana for many years and the more I study it, the more I find there is hardly any difference between Theravada and Mahayana with regard to the fundamental teachings.

　　我研究大乘已很多年了，而且越研究它我越发现，大乘与上座部之间在基本教义上，几乎没有什么差别。

　　- Both accept Sakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher.

　　两派皆以释迦牟尼佛为他们的导师。

　　- The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools.

　　两派所述的四圣谛可说是一模一样的。

　　- The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools.

　　两派所述的八正道也可说是一模一样的。

　　- The Paticca-samuppada or the Dependent Origination is the same in both schools.

　　两派所述的缘起法(Paticca-samuppada or Dependent Origination)也是一样的。

　　- Both rejected the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world.

　　两派皆不接受此一说法：认为世界是由一至高无上的神所创造和管治。

　　- Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference.

　　两派皆接受无常(Anicca)、苦(Dukkha)、无我(Anatta)等三法印，以及戒(Sila)、定(Samadhi)、慧(Panna)等三学，当中并无任何分别。

　　These are the most important teachings of the Buddha and they are all accepted by both schools without question.

　　这些都是佛陀的重要教导，它们都被两派毫无疑问地接受。

　　There are also some points where they differ. An obvious one is the Bodhisattva ideal. Many people say that Mahayana is for the Bodhisattvahood which leads to Buddhahood while Theravada is for Arahantship. I must point out that the Buddha was also an Arahant. Pacceka Buddha is also an Arahant. A disciple can also be an Arahant. The Mahayana texts never use the term Arahant-yana, Arahant Vehicle. They used three terms: Bodhisattvayana, Prateka-Buddhayana, and Sravakayana. In the Theravada tradition these three are called Bodhis.

　　他们也有一些不同点的，最明显的一点是菩萨理想(Bodhisattva ideal)。许多人说大乘的目的是为了成就菩萨(Bodhisattvahood)，而上座部的目的是为了成就阿罗汉(Arahant)；于此我必须指出，佛陀也是一位阿罗汉，辟支佛(Pacceka Buddha)(或称独觉)也是阿罗汉，他/她们的弟子也可以是阿罗汉。大乘的经文从来就没有出现过如阿罗汉乘(Arahant-yana, Arahant Vehicle)等术语，他们所用的三个术语是：菩萨乘(Bodhisattvayana)， 缘觉乘(Prateka-Buddhayana)，以及声闻乘(Sravakayana)。在上座部传统中，这三者被称为菩提(Bodhis)而非乘。

　　Some people imagine that Theravada is selfish because it teaches that people should seek their own salvation. But how can a selfish person gain Enlightenment

　　 Both schools accept the three Yanas or Bodhis but consider the Bodhisattva ideal as the highest. The Mahayana has created many mystical Bodhisattvas while the Theravada considers a Bodhisattva as a man amongst us who devotes his entire life for the attainment of perfection, ultimately becoming a fully Enlight…

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