佛教譬喻的现代诠释与运用─以《佛说咸水喻经》为例

佛教譬喻的现代诠释与运用─以《佛说咸水喻经》为例
　　资料来源：世界佛教论坛论文集
　　作者： 释永东
　　在佛教，「譬喻」是释迦牟尼佛说法的九个(南传佛教)或十二个方式(北传佛教)之一。释迦牟尼佛善用譬喻说法，所以在佛教大藏经中出现了相当多数量的譬喻，有些佛经甚至专以譬喻立名，如《佛说咸水喻经》就是两千多年前，佛于印度以水为喻，为比丘说解脱之道的七个过程。东汉时期，印度佛教藉由经典的汉译传入中土，逐渐本土化为中国佛教，并发扬光大。本经最早于西晋(265-316)年间译出，做了一次时空和语言的大转变。前秦建元二十年(384) 昙摩难提再译，东晋安帝隆安元年(397)元月和十一月瞿昙僧伽提婆又重译两次。此经的一译再译应有其时代的需求和必要，然而自瞿昙僧伽提婆重译之后，迄今已经历漫长的十六个世纪，譬喻的教化功能是否能确保不失？抑或有时间、空间和对象的局限性？随着时间的更迭，到了二十一世纪的今天，佛教的譬喻是否会因为面临高科技时代的不同时、空、人、事等因缘背景，而失去其时代的教化意义和存在价值？迄今，虽然已有不少学者从事譬喻佛经的研究，却未有对佛教譬喻的现代诠释和价值做探讨。本论文欲透过《佛说咸水喻经》中水喻七事，来了解「譬喻」的现代诠释学与其运用价值。全文共分为四章：第一章为前言；第二章《佛说咸水喻经》的譬喻探讨；第三章本经「七水喻」的现代诠释和运用；第四章结论。
　　一、绪论
　　「譬喻」(metaphor/simile) 略称「譬」或「喻」，我国修辞学宗师黄庆萱，将譬喻法分为「明喻、暗喻、借喻、略喻」四大类，以「喻体、喻词、喻依」 间的关系和呈现方式为分类标准。自古以来即被人类广泛使用，无论是散文、小说或是诗，「譬喻」的修辞技巧在文学创作上运用得多且广。中国先秦时期，孟子擅于以譬喻说理，将抽象的道理，或是将难以言说之事物，借由熟悉或是浅近之物，以此喻彼，让听者明白，以阐明所表达之事物。从先秦以来，譬喻法即广用于文学创作，且日益推陈出新，曲尽联想之奇崛和文藻之变化。
　　一般使用譬喻，是为使人易于理解教说之意义内容，而使用实例或寓言等加以说明之。因此，为有效达到教化的目的，被采用做譬喻的实例或寓言，在使用的当时，使用者应该有考虑到当时的人、事、时、地等因缘的相应。如今事过境迁，各种人、事、时、地等因缘条件都不同了，「譬喻」的功能还存在吗？即使存在，还能够达到和譬喻产生当时一样的功效吗？
　　在佛教，「譬喻」是佛陀使用的九种或十二种说法方式之一。在大藏经中，就有不计其数的譬喻。少数几部经结集了相当数量的譬喻，故总的以譬喻为名，如《五阴譬喻经》、《杂譬喻经》、《法句譬喻经》和《佛说譬喻经》等； 有些经题就直接以譬喻立名，如本论文所探讨的《佛说咸水喻经》；有些经的譬喻，只出现在经文中，例如《大方广佛华严经》中，就有一百二十八则菩提心的譬喻。 佛陀入灭后，在印度小乘十八部中之经量部，其本师鸠摩逻多尝造喻鬘论广说譬喻，世称譬喻师，其传承之部派则称譬喻部。
　　探讨佛教譬喻的书籍，如郭良的《佛教譬喻经文学》一文，对佛藏(特别是巴利文三藏)中的譬喻经一类作品，作了总体的文学价值描述。 丁敏的《佛教譬喻文学研究》，是第一部以譬喻文学这一种佛教文学体裁为研究对象的专著。 不过，该书仅研究现存的汉译佛经中的譬喻文学作品，而没有涉及梵文、巴利文的相关作品，更没有注意到在西域出土的梵语文书中也有数量不等的“譬喻”类文献数据。朱庆之《佛典与中古汉语词汇研究》探讨佛教词语的构造，为现代汉语、外来语的吸收树立了样板；因翻译佛经、著述佛典而产生的佛教词语，充实了汉语词汇的家族。
　　有关譬喻的论文则有数字学者做过系列的研究，如梁丽玲的《〈杂宝藏经〉及其故事研究》，针对该经一百二十一则故事，做一全面性的整理研究，以显现佛教文学的璀灿，是从事佛教文学研究很有价值的参考。 《〈贤愚经〉研究》，则以《贤愚经》六十九则故事为依据，从叙述主题、思想内涵、修辞技巧等方面，进行全面的整理与剖析。 「《贤愚经》及其相关问题研究」，就该经的故事做分析与经文内容比对。 〈《撰集百缘经?饿鬼品》研究〉探讨该经〈饿鬼品〉的内容。 和「《出曜经》的动物譬喻」以研究经中有关动物的譬喻。 另有梁晓虹的〈佛典的譬喻〉、 《佛教词语的构造与汉语词汇的发展》从十二分教的佛经分类方式，将本经的故事内容依本生、因缘、譬喻等不同的类型加以区分，并探讨其不同的故事结构形式、 〈佛经譬喻造词之特色〉，旨在探讨佛经譬喻的语文造词的特色、 其出现在《佛教与汉语词汇》中的〈从语言上判定《旧杂譬喻经》非康僧会所译〉亦然。 颜洽茂的《佛教语言阐释：中古佛经词汇研究》，对譬喻等词义的研究。 丁敏的〈譬喻佛典之研究──撰集百缘经、贤愚经、杂宝藏经、大庄严论经〉，旨在探讨这四部经中譬喻的形式和内容。 林韵婷的〈杂阿含经譬喻故事研究〉，以譬喻故事的角度，将《杂阿含经》的法义如何与现实生活融合作一整理、呈现。
　　虽然上列诸多著作和论文均围绕着譬喻做研究，却未涉及譬喻的现代诠释。本论文以质性研究方法为主，针对《佛说咸水喻经》汉译原典做观察，来探讨佛教譬喻的现代意义和运用。
　　二、《佛说咸水喻经》的譬喻探讨
　　《佛说咸水喻经》旨在以水为喻，为比丘说解脱之道的七个过程。共有三个汉译本，第一版《佛说咸水喻经》 的译者已不可考，共有682字；第二译本出现在《增壹阿含经》， 共有603字。是兜佉勒国沙门昙摩难提(Dharma-nandi)译于前秦建元二十年(384)。 之后瞿昙僧伽提婆(Gautama Sanghadeva)于东晋安帝隆安元年(397)重译出，与难提本小异。第三译本《中阿含经》七法品(A.VII.15 Udakupama)《水喻经》第四 (卷1)， 共有1388字，原为昙摩难提于符秦建元二十年(384)译出，罽宾三藏瞿昙僧伽提婆重译于东晋孝武及安帝隆安元年(397)，与昙摩难提译者大不同。目前本经无梵文本，仍有巴利文本《A.7.15》。
　　本譬喻随着译出先后，由「七人喻水」、「七人水喻」到「七水人」，显然由事显理，直入事即理的结合。较晚译本受到当时社会环境的影响，使用了较多语体文，也愈形现代化和人间化。再说，从第三译本的七个水喻人的结尾都加了「世间谛如有也。」来看，此七水喻人的「人」不应该只是针对出家比丘而已，而是包含所有的世间人，不只是对出家比丘的修行证果而言，而是含盖了所有的世间事。
　　三、七水喻的现代诠释
　　比较《佛说盐水喻经》三异译本的内容，可见较晚译本的遣词用字愈趋现代化和人间化，而且这七水人喻含盖了所有世间人事物。然而，时至今日，两千多年前佛陀传授的「七人水喻」是否还能发挥其现代的教化意义和功能？下面将依据较近代的第三译本，以现代化的诠释方法来分析探讨。
　　(一)若人没于水。
　　云何有人常卧？谓或有人为不善法之所覆盖，染污所染，受恶法报，造生
　　死本，是谓有人常卧。犹人没溺，卧于水中。我说彼人亦复如是，是谓初水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　在佛教修行道上，第一水人虽指沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，但综观现代社会，沉迷在毒海、酒海、烟海、淫海、偷窃、赌博、诈欺等恶习大海而无法自拔、不知省悟的众生，不是比比皆是吗？ 也是目前世界各国所面临最棘手难对治的社会问题。
　　(二)从水出头复还没水。
　　云何有人出已还没？谓人既出，得信善法──持戒、布施、多闻、智慧、修习善法。彼于后时失信不固，失持戒、布施、多闻、智慧而不坚固。是谓有人出已还没。犹人溺水，既出还没。我说彼人亦复如是，是谓第二水喻人，世间谛如有也。
　　第二水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，终于有些惭愧心，就像有人沉溺大海，头偶尔探出水面，却马上再度沉溺。不正像沉溺于毒品烟酒等恶习中的人，偶尔起了丝毫的惭愧心，却不长久、不牢固，当毒淫、酒淫等恶习一来，忍不住又再沉迷下去。
　　(三)或出头遍观四方。
　　云何有人出已而住？谓人既出，得信善法──持戒、布施、多闻、智慧、修习 善法。彼于后时信固不失，持戒、布施、多闻、智慧坚固不失，是谓有人出已而住。犹人溺水，出已而住。我说彼人亦复如是，是谓第三水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　第三水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，有信心从善，起惭愧心，且意志坚定，就像有人沉溺大海，头探出水面，就不再沉溺。好比染上毒品烟酒等恶习的惯犯，有信心要戒除烟酒毒品，起了惭愧心，意志也很坚定，虽然当毒淫、酒淫来时，身心的煎熬痛苦难堪，但由于其决心和意志力坚固而战胜毒淫，从此不再吸食。
　　(四)或出头不复没水。
　　云何有人出已而住？住已而观？谓人既出，得信善法──持戒、布施、多闻、智慧，修习善法，彼于后时信固不失。持戒、布施、多闻、智慧，坚固不失。(住善法中，知苦如真，知苦习(集)，知苦灭，知苦灭道如真。彼如是知、如是见、三结便尽。谓身见、戒取、疑。三结已尽，得须陀洹，不堕恶法，定趣正觉，极受七有。天上、人间七往来已，便得苦际。)是谓有人出已而住，住已而观，犹人溺水。出已而住，住已而观，我说彼人亦复如是，是谓第四水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　第四水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，有信心从善，起惭愧心，且意志坚定，就像有人沉溺大海，头探出水面，就不再沉溺。之后多守戒律、修持布施、熏习善法、长养智慧，渐对这些善法信心不退、坚固不失，身见结、戒取结、疑结等三结烦恼断尽，便证得初果须陀洹，天上人间再来回七次，所有的苦就完全断除了。犹如染上毒品烟酒等恶习的惯犯，有信心要戒除烟酒毒品，起了惭愧心，意志也很坚定，虽然毒淫、酒淫等上来时，身心的煎熬痛苦难堪，但由于其决心和意志力坚固而能战胜毒淫，不再吸食。但是此时毒淫还在，为对治毒淫，该人多持守法规、多与人为善，多熏习听闻善法，智慧渐生，就更有更生向上的力量了。
　　(五)或有人欲行出水。第三译本定义为：
　　云何有人出已而住，住已而观，观已而渡，谓人既出，得信善法──持戒、布施、多闻、智慧。修习善法，彼于后时信固不失，持戒、布施、多闻、智慧，坚固不失。住善法中，知苦如真，知苦习、知苦灭、知苦灭道如真。如是知，如是见，三结便尽，谓身见、戒取、疑。三结已尽。淫、怒、痴薄。得一往来天上、人间。一往来已。便得苦际。是谓有人出已而住。住已而观。观已而渡。犹人溺水。出已而住。住已而观。观已而渡。我说彼人亦复如是。是谓第五水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　第五水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，有信心从善，起惭愧心，且意志坚定，就像有人沉溺大海，头探出水面，就不再沉溺。之后多守戒律、修持布施、熏习善法、长养智慧，渐对这些善法信心不退、坚固不失，身见结、戒取结、疑结等三结烦恼断尽，便证得初果须陀洹，且想要永远离开此生死大海。正像沉溺于毒品烟酒等的惯犯，有信心要戒除烟酒毒品，起了惭愧心，意志也很坚定，虽然毒淫、酒淫等来时，身心的煎熬痛苦难堪，但由于其决心和意志力坚固终能战胜毒淫，不再吸食。但是此时毒淫还在，为对治毒淫，该人多持守法规，多与人为善，多亲近善友，多熏习听闻善法，智慧渐生，充满更生向上的力量，就想要永远脱离过去一直沉溺其中的毒品大海。
　　(六)或有人欲至彼岸。第三译本定义为：
　　云何有人出已而住？住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸。谓人既出，得信善法达持戒、布施、多闻、智慧、修习善法。彼于后时信固不失，持戒、布施、多闻、智慧，坚固不失，住善法中。知苦如真、知苦习、知苦灭、知苦灭道如真，如是知、如是见，五下分结尽，谓贪欲、瞋恚、身见、戒取、疑。五下分结尽已，生于彼间，便般涅槃，得不退法，不还此世，是谓有人出已而住。住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸，犹人溺水，出已而住，住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸。我说彼人亦复如是，是谓第六水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　第六水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，有信心从善，起惭愧心，且意志坚定，就像有人沉溺大海，头探出水面，就不再沉溺。之后多守戒律、修持布施、熏习善法、长养智慧，渐对这些善法信心不退、坚固不失，身见结、戒取结、疑结等三结烦恼断尽，便证得初果须陀洹，想要永远离开此生死大海，就必须登上岸去。正像沉溺于毒品烟酒等的惯犯，有信心要戒除烟酒毒品，起了惭愧心，意志也很坚定，虽然毒淫、酒淫等来时，身心的煎熬痛苦难勘，但由于其决心和意志力战胜毒淫，不再吸食。但是此时毒淫还在，为对治毒淫，该人多持守法规，多与人为善，多亲近善友，多熏习听闻善法，智慧渐生，充满更生向上的力量，想要永远脱离过去一直沉溺其中的毒品大海，就必需登上岸去，永远脱离这个毒海圈子，才能尽除这些染污的恶习。
　　(七)或有人已至彼岸。第三译本定义为：
　　云何有人出已而住，住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，谓住岸梵志？谓人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多闻、智慧。修习善法，彼于后时信固不失，持戒、布施、多闻、智慧，坚固不失。住善法中，知苦如真、知苦习、知苦灭、知苦灭道如真，如是知、如是见，欲漏心解脱，有漏、无明漏心解脱。解脱已，便知解脱，生已尽，梵行已立，所作已办，不更受有，知如真，是谓有人出已而住，住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，谓住岸梵志。犹人溺水，出已而住，住已而观，观已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，谓住岸人。我说彼人亦复如是，是谓第七水喻人。世间谛如有也。
　　第七水人指长期沉溺在生死大海的无明烦恼众生，有信心从善，起惭愧心，且意志坚定，就像有人沉溺大海，头探出水面，就不再沉溺。之后多守戒律、修持布施、熏习善法、长养智慧，渐对这些善法信心不退、坚固不失，身见结、戒取结、疑结等三结烦恼断尽，便证得初果须陀洹，想要永远离开此生死大海，且已登上岸去，永远不会在掉落此无明生死大海，永断生死轮回，得自在解脱。正像沉溺于毒品烟酒等的惯犯，有信心要戒除烟酒毒品，起了惭愧心，意志也很坚定，虽然毒淫、酒淫等来时，身心的煎熬痛苦难堪，但由于其决心和意志力战胜毒淫，不再吸食。但是此时毒淫还在，为对治毒淫，该人多持守法规，多与人为善，多亲近善友，多熏习听闻善法，智慧渐生，充满更生向上的力量，欲永远脱离过去一直沉溺其中的毒品大海上岸去，如今终于上到安全的岸上，永远不会再犯，且能现身说法，有力量协助其它更生人永远断除毒淫，做个利益社会有用的人。
　　上述佛说的「七水人喻」，在修道上所以能由凡成圣、灭除我法二执的烦恼、得究竟解脱，关键在于有惭愧心的生起，就是自觉心的启动，才能「自觉」、「觉他」、「觉行圆满」。对于时下懈怠散漫的修道人，也有教化提醒的作用，这些暂时迷失的修道人，同样需要靠自觉生起惭愧，才能精进向上、远离恶法。对于一般沉迷五欲六尘，尤其染上药物滥用、贪赃枉法、偷窃嫖赌等恶习者，更需由衷发起自觉，生惭愧心、坚定意志、更生做人，这就是所谓的「自觉教育」。
　　而「自觉」就是一种自我教育，佛经讲:「自依止、法依止、莫异依止」，就是自我教育。所谓「自我教育」，就是要自我要求、自我学习、自我充实、自我反省，而不是只想依顿别人。平时自问、自觉、自发、自悟，透过自我的观照而能找到自己，这就是自我教育成功。人要靠自己自知、自觉、自悟，才能成功，别人的帮助终究有限。 不管是善法的成就如教育、修行等，或是恶法的断除如毒瘾、盗窃等，都非靠自觉不可，犹如本经所谈的「七水人喻」。
　　四、结论
　　「譬喻」是释迦牟尼佛常用的说法方式之一，故常出现在大部分经典中。有些佛经是以譬喻为主并以之立名，如《撰集百缘经》、《贤愚经》、《杂宝藏经》和《大庄严论经》等，故较多学者针对这几部经从事学术研究。而《佛说咸水喻经》只是《中阿含经》和《增一阿含经》中的一部小经，也只提到单一的七水人喻，就是佛以水为喻，为比丘说解脱之道的七个过程。这部小经第一译本「水喻七事」，第二译本则为「七事水喻，人亦如是」，多加了「人亦如是」，到了第三译本就由八字简化为「七水人」，显然由事显理，直入事即理的结合。本经的译经笔法和遣词用字也随着文明的进步愈趋现代化和人间性，每个译本都反应出当时的社会时势──魏晋南北朝时代，佛经汉译采用「口语∕语体文」，少用「书面语」。到了唐宋就有使用白话文了。
　　综上所述，《佛说七水人喻》原是佛为有情生命活动的情况分有七种类。因无惭、无愧而起惑造作恶业而长期没溺苦海中，如三恶趣者。若惭愧时有、时无，行善行恶不定，或时在人天善趣，或时处于三恶趣中，在海中时浮、时沉者。有惭、有愧，有正见寻觅、有正志、有勇猛意、谋求出离苦海，相当于七贤四善根位者。第四~第七譬喻已见道，修习三无漏学，乃至作证四沙门果位者的历程。如今却能说明时下各种药物滥用、恶习杂染的身心烦恼困境，进一步还能用来协助社会上染有烟酒、毒品、偷窃、嫖赌、贪渎、诈欺等恶习者的更生问题的辅导。可见时空虽历千古，人性却不变。释尊怎会料到其两千多年前指导比丘修道用的善巧譬喻，历千古而不衰，不但能用来阐释解决各种社会人性污染恶习的问题，其中蕴含的「自觉教育」还是当前教育的根本所在呢？可见本经「七水人喻」虽只是佛教九类譬喻的一种，内容也简短微不足道的小譬喻，不但能做为修道上的引导，对现代生命教育和当前各种社会问题也具有时代教化功能。足见佛教譬喻是超越时空，不但可以现代诠释学说明之，且深具时代意义和价值的。
　　THE ROLE OF BUDDHIST PREACHER: A MODERN PERSPECTIVE
　　(Speech for the 2nd World Buddhist Forum in Wuxi and Taipei in China
　　from 28th March to 1st April 2009)
　　Ven. Dr. Thich Quang Thanh (Vietnam)
　　- Member, International Organizing Committee of United Nations Day of Vesak 2008 in Vietnam
　　- Secretary, National Department of International Buddhsit Affairs of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
　　- Deputy Secretary General, Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute.
　　- Standing Member, Executive Committee of HCMC Buddhist Sangha.
　　- Deuty Secretary, Committee of Dharma ropagation of HCMC Buddhist Sangha.
　　- Lecture, Vietnam Buddhist University in HCMC.
　　The post modern age is a witness to tremendous progress made in the field of science and technology. But the moral and ethical degeneration has also crept in. Such a view has been expressed very cogently by P.A. Payutto:
　　With the development of technology, and in particular, the so-called high technology, which deals with information and communications, greed and hatred have acquired much more effective tools to work with. Technology has become hireling of greed and hatred, and technological progress, in the form of industrial development, has been almost exclusively to their ends. Science, technology and the development of information and communications technology have been used to lull humanity into heedless consumption, dullness and intoxication, rather than for the development of the individual or equality of life. They have been used as tools for seeking objects of desire and in so doing have fired hatred through the contention they generate.
　　P. A. Payutto laid points out that scientific and technological invention as tools for seeking objects of desire rather than the development of innermost human feelings has been given more emphasis and laments that humans in the twentieth century have created many bad deeds influencing humanity of the twenty-first century. It is a legacy of the problems that the citizens of the twenty-first century will have to deal with . In fact, the heritage with which the people deal is the very grave problems of over population, dwindling natural resources, and an environmental crisis that threaten the very foundation of our existence on this planet, H. H. Dalai Lama said. In other words, the human moral crisis is the very essential cause leading to violence, terrorism, HIV/AIDS infection, prostitution, homosexuality, neglect of human and animal rights, and to destruction of ecological environment, etc. All these spring from the human’s Threefold Defilements (desire, hatred and ignorance). Due to demands of fame and wealth, of social position, of mammon, of personal property, of promotion, and of various other desires, etc. in modern life, man has become a hireling of lust, anger and delusion. Even though he has been able to win and subdue nature with all sorts of advanced scientific inventions, he has still failed and is tied down with the sufferings of birth, old-age, sickness and death.
　　In the face of the social situations today, how to deal with the so-called material civilized waves attacking the humans from a variety of aspects? How to keep the familiar tradition, human dignity, and social order? The topic “The Role of Buddhist Preacher: A Modern Perspective” will not only opens a new, active and creative visibility of the image of Buddhist monk in the new age, with his skillful means of entering the worldly life without changing one’s Buddha’s nature, but also contributes to development of society and Buddhism in the present and future.
　　As we know, besides cultivation of the Threefold Higher Training (Morality, Mental Concentration and Wisdom) for one’s spiritual development as well as Dhamma propagation to the masses, the Buddhist monk, with skilful means, needs to engage zealously in construction of a healthy civilization through social aspects for the welfare and happiness of the masses. Such a perspicacious view has been expressed by D.T. Suzuki when he says that:
　　…In those days, the Buddhist temples were schools, hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages, refuges, for old age; and the monks were schoolmasters, nurses, doctors, engineers, keepers of the free lodges, cultivators of land, explorers of the wideness, etc... When the community was still in a primitive stage of evolution, the Buddhists were leaders in every sense, and the government naturally encouraged their activities.
　　And again, Venerable Ajahn Tiradhammo Thera states very logically in his concise foreword:
　　A Buddhist, to me, is not someone who merely recites appropriate formulas or wears the right uniform, but one who lives his life as best as he can in the true spirit of Truth. This is the whole purpose of the Buddha’s Teachings, and the ultimate purpose of all spiritual teachings. A Buddhist social activist then is someone who is living Wisdom and Compassion in a social context; learning to share selfless spiritual treasures with all beings.
　　These two judgments are enough not only to prevail upon other views, but also to affirm the positive and skilful role of Buddhist monks today.
　　A. AS A MODERN BUDDHIST PREACHER
　　Today, a modern Buddhist preacher, while preaching Dhamma in accordance with the hearer’s temperament, needs to master psychology and sociology. As mentioned above, psychology will help him to comprehend the mental characteristics of humans, the psychological nature and behaviour of each individual in society for applying Dhamma suitable to the hearer’s temperament. Sociology will give him the study of the relationships between people living in groups, especially in industrial societies. From there, while preaching Dhamma, he will be able to give any kindly and righteous behaviours to various kinds of people in society. Here one may point out some typical and practical examples that when teaching Dhamma to the hearers with their active, creative and straight temperament, a modern Buddhist preacher should give his active, creative and straight speech to them; with the people whose characters are gentle and open-minded, he will use his polite and open words to them; with the persons prissy and reticent, he gives his concise and reasonable speech to them; with the objects who are romantic and emotive, he should give his soft and kindly behaviour as well as flowery words to them; and with the intellectuals, he use his intellectual and well-educated words; or with various human classes as doctors, engineers, workers, officers, authorities, scientists, philosophers, psychologists, students, scholars, poets, writers, etc., his speech will be corresponding to their knowledge, occupations and positions in society. With such a skillfully preaching style, a modern Buddhist preacher will not only succeed in his religious obligation and role, but also suit to both the hearer’s temperament and the active spirit of spreading Buddhism in skilful means today.
　　B. AS A BUDDHIST ACTIVIST
　　Just here, a reasonable and factual question is put forth that to alleviate human mental affliction and social crisis, what and how does a Buddhist activist today needs to perform with his role of social engaging?
　　Firstly, returning back to the Buddha’s time, the Lord himself, with his role as teacher and preacher and with his skilful means in social service during his 45 years, had never abandoned society; on the contrary, he himself had participated in a variety of political, social, and cultural aspects without changing his Buddha-Nature with his sole aim ‘for the profit and happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the profit, gain and happiness of gods and humans.’ He guided not only the kings how to make the country peaceful and prosperous, and how to give a comfortable and happy life to the people; but also encouraged and taught the people how to give their good conducts and attitudes each other in rightly moral behaviours, specially in relationship between parents and children, between husband and wife, servants and employees, friends each other, etc.
　　To face social issues as mentioned above, a Buddhist activist , while participating in social activities for his religious aim and role, needs not only to thoroughly grasp contemporary social situations and human temperament; but also has to skillfully perform how to alleviate human mental affliction and social crisis. Here, we can investigate and discuss on some typical cases concerning issue by issue, as follows:
　　- Ecological environment: especially air pollution disasters, a Buddhist activist today, he on the one hand concisely and reasonably explains the practical value and importance of ecological environment to the people, encourages them respecting, protecting and maintaining life of human beings, of all flora and fauna, and of nature; and on the other hand associates with them afforesting, respecting and protecting all flora and fauna, keeping atmosphere and water supply pure and unpolluted, etc. Such a skilful action will alleviate human mental affliction and ecological environment crisis.
　　- HIV/AIDS epidemic: a Buddhist activist firstly needs to understand clearly the meaning and cause of HIV/AIDS epidemic. That is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causing the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) from transmission of the three main ways : (1) sexual contact with an infected person; (2) exposure to infected blood (mainly needle sharing among intravenous drug users); and (3) mother-to-infant transmission. Next, he co-operates with social communities setting up and participating in the propaganda of the masses for preventing HIV/AIDS epidemic; giving them a good medical care; looking after the terminally HIV/AIDS effected-patients; supporting the early HIV/AIDS effected-patients by giving them his vocational training, a professional advice, a useful and effective training of Buddhist meditative method, and a healthy entertainment and favorite sports (like football, swimming, tennis, badminton, martial art, etc.), and so on for increasing their strong resistance; etc. Such an action will alleviate not only HIV/AIDS epidemic but also social afflictions.
　　- Prostitution and homosexuality: they are really the very complex but gentle issues causing many debates and explanations from eminent scholar’s various views, especially on homosexuality. For prostitution, it is the very key cause leading to HIV/AIDS epidemic from human sexual intercourse, and to social afflictions. To gently untie these complex issues, a Buddhist activist needs to give them his good behaviours in skilful means likely: for the homosexuals, he performs his active role by giving his professional advices and trainings on living psychology, on righteous human values, on harmful effects from their unreasonable and unnatural actions; gradually encouraging them to create good conditions of heterosexual intercourse step by step; creating healthy sports and entertainments as well as changing their hormone therapy and physical appearance for appropriateness to their real psychology of sex; etc. For the prostitutes, he gives a special course of vocational trainings, finds righteous and suitable occupations, and gives his professional advices on living psychology, on righteous human values, on harmful effects from their unreasonable and unrighteous actions, etc. Such a creative and skilful role will fade these inextricable problems of society today.
　　- War, violence and terrorism: a Buddhist activist firstly gives them persuasive explanations and typical evidences of gravely social and human damages from the war, violent and terrorist actions; and then skillfully encourages and guides humans practising Buddhist non-violence (ahi?sā) by cultivating compassion and sympathy for true peace, happiness and welfare for oneself and all sentient beings. Truly, the very practice of non-violence will not only heal the wounds of war, conflict and violence as well as relieve all human and social sorrows; but also build up a peaceful and joyful society, and tightly tie with the esteem values of equality, fraternity and liberty.
　　- Sex, love and marriage: they are the three important and necessary issues for life of sentient beings in general and of humans in particular, specially for married life; on the contrary, the three marks will also be able to make human sufferings and unhappiness in various aspects unless they thoroughly comprehend and righteously perform the issues with their kindly and gentle attitude. Before performing his religious role and obligation, a Buddhist activist needs not only to thoroughly understand these foregoing but to maintain his open-minded view for communicating and guiding knowledge of these issues to humans. For sex, it plays an important and key role in long maintenance and development of human love and married life. Nevertheless, sex can be either a good servant or a bad master. If the humans use sex in moderation with their righteous reason, sex becomes a good servant; conversely it is a bad master. Hence, he not only gives them righteous education and professional knowledge of sexual techniques and practice with an effective and standard method suitable to human morality and social life; but also guides them how to moderate their sexual intercourse for sound bodies and minds. Likewise are love and marriage. Love can be either the best restorative medicine or becomes the best dangerous poison and addicted drug when their mental illness is in bud, and is either the best source of pure and fresh water or becomes the best polluted and harmful water supply when they are in thirst. All depends on human reason, comprehension, action and attitude of righteously conscious or unconscious deeds. Hence, a Buddhist activist should give them a proper guidance of love in accordance with their ages, temperaments, manners, comprehension, etc. only guides them how to create a long loving relationship with their best kindly and gentle behaviours, mutual understanding, respect and sympathy; sharing mutual in difficulties and happiness; making mutual suggestions in mistakes; etc. Such a Buddhist activist’s skilful guidance of love will make humans satisfy and succeed in significant love. In summary, sex and love are the two important and indispensable needs for the mundane life of people. If sex is in action without love, it is only empty experiences; on the contrary, love without sex becomes a tasteless love. It can be seriously said that sex and love look like as a man with his two legs, arms, eyes, etc. in his natural figure. If one of two lacks, it is not good looking to see and contemplate in his good appearance. Marriage is the very final result of right love humans are willing to gain. Its meaning and behaviour are similar to the adult’s love; but adding their responsible role for couple life and happiness, for parents-in-law, for kindly behaviour towards husband and wife. In this situation, a Buddhist activist needs to give his sincere advices to the newly married couples by guiding them how to give a mutual best behaviour, respect, sympathy, and responsibility with five ways the Buddha taught in the Dialogues of the Buddha how to reasonably moderate in sexual behaviour for good body and mind, or for best health and spirit, etc.; how to share and making mutual suggestions in mistakes for perfect person; etc. Such a significant marriage is called the happy one.
　　By and large, through the new and active foregoing, a modern Buddhist preacher, with his religious obligation, manifests his skilful and creative role of social engaging without changing his Buddha-Nature in many aspects likely ecological environment; HIV/AIDS epidemic; homosexuality; prostitution; war, violence and terrorism; love, sex and marriage; etc. If his role is unshakably maintained and strictly adhered by people, it is surely not only to make the country and society develop and prosper more and more, but also to bring humans the peaceful life with the great welfare, profit, and happiness forever. And such a modern Buddhist preacher’s image not only paves the new way for the next young generation of Buddhist monks in their religious role and obligation suiting to Buddhist view today, but also contributes to the development of human morality and education in any social situations in the third millennium.