..续本文上一页After emphasizing the importance of maintaining an open mind towards religious doctrines, it is useful to remember that a religion should be practised for the welfare , freedom and happiness of all living beings. That is, religious principles should be used positively to improve the quality of life of all beings. Yet today, humankind is corrupted and has gone astray from basic religious principles. Immoral and evil practices have become common among many people, and religious-minded people experience difficulties trying to maintain certain religious principles in modern life. At the same time, the standard of basic religious principles is also lowered to pander to the demands of polluted and selfish minds. Man should not violate universal moral codes to suit his own greed or indulgence; rather man should try to adjust himself according to these codes taught by religion. Religious precepts have been introduced by enlightened religious teachers who have realized the noble way of life which leads to peace and happiness. Those who violate these precepts transgress the universal laws, which, according to Buddhism will bring bad effects through the working of moral causation.
This does not mean, on the other hand, that a person should slavishly follow what is found in his religion, regardless of its applicability to modern times. Religious laws and precepts should enable people to lead a meaningful life, and are not to be used to bind them to archaic practices and superstitious rituals and beliefs. A person who upholds the basic religious principles should give credit to human intelligence and live respectably with human dignity. There must be some changes in our religious activities to correspond to our education and the nature of our changing society, without at the same time sacrificing the noble universal principles. But it is recognized that making changes to any religious practices is always difficult because many conservative people are opposed to changes, even if they are for the better. Such conservative views are like a stagnant pool of water, while fresh ideas are like the waterfall where the water is constantly being renewed and is, therefore, usable.
对各种宗教教义要有开放的思想，宗教的修持是为了自由、幸福和利乐一切众生。宗教的宗旨就为了要提升一切众生的本质。今天人类因为贪婪而远离宗教的基本宗旨。不道德和邪恶的行为，充斥了整个现代社会，有些宗教信仰者，对维持正常的宗教行为感到越来越困难了。同时，某些宗教也降低了自己的基本原则，来迎合那些污秽和自私的人群。人类不应该侵犯道德标准来符合自己的贪婪和放纵，而是持守道德规范来改进自己。宗教的道德规范是由宗教导师所制定的，因为他们觉悟到神圣的宗教生活是达到清净和快乐的唯一途径。那些不道德行为的人，触犯了宇宙的法则(因果法)，这会给他们带来恶的果报。
Distortion of Religion
宗教的曲解：
Despite the value of religion in moral upliftment, it is also true to say that religion is a fertile soil for the development of superstitions and devotional hypocrisy, wrapped under the cloak of religiosity. Many people use religion to escape from the realities of life and put on the garb of religion and religious symbols. They may even pray very often in places of worship, yet they are not sincerely religious minded and have not understood what religion stands for. When a religion has been debased by ignorance, greed for power and selfishness, people quickly point an accusing finger and say that religion is irrational. But ”Religion”(the ritualistic external practice of any teaching)must be distinguished from the teaching itself. Before one criticizes, one must study the original teachings of the founder and see it there is anything intrinsically wrong with it.
虽然宗教有它一定的道德价值。但是宗教也是一块肥沃的土地，滋长了迷信和虚妄的崇拜，这些迷信与虚妄都潜藏在宗教的外衣下。很多人以宗教来逃避现实生活，很多人虽然热心的在从事宗教活动，可是他们并非出自虔诚的心或真正了解宗教的意义。在贪婪、无知、权力和自私心的作用下，很多宗教被摧毁，这时，人们开始指责这宗教是不正信、非理性的宗教。一个宗教在受他人指责之前，就必须提升自己，学习和发扬创始者的教义，并找出其中错误的成份。
Religion advise people to do good and be good, but they are not interested in acting thus. Instead they prefer to cling to the other practices which have no real religious values. Had they tried to cult…
《第十三章 自然· 价值观和宗教信仰 Chapter 13 Nature, Value And Choice Of Religious Beliefs》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…