导师的话︰佛法所以超乎世间法

导师的话︰佛法所以超乎世间法

印顺导师法光学坛 Dharma Light Lyceum 第一期(1997年)法光佛教文化研究所出版页3-10

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导师的话:
佛法所以超乎世间法

印顺导师

在研究的过程当中，有一点我看得很重要︰佛法究竟有
什么不同，比世间其他的更好？这可以分二方面来讲。
一、释迦牟尼佛时候，有一种完善的制度––戒律。传
到中国，后来有丛林制度，到现在也许有新的制度。不要以
为制度都是一样，佛的制度，实际上研究的人很少，……戒
律中真正重要的事情，好像不知道一样。戒律的真正意义，
我们出家人要有人发心去研究。
据我的了解，佛教的戒律是一种集体的生活，修行也就
在集体生活中去锻炼。依戒律的观点，佛法并不重于个人去
住茅蓬修行––这样共世间的，虽然一般都很尊敬这种人。
佛教戒律有什么特色？它是道德的感化和法律的制裁，两者
统一起来。犯了错误，戒律中有种种处罚的规定，但不止于
此，而是在充满道德感化之下，有一种法律制裁的限制。所
以在佛的时代，真正出家的一个个都了不得，就是动机不纯
正的人，在这面多住几年，经过师友的陶冶，环境的熏习，
慢慢也会成为龙象的。在这个集体生活，大家都有共同的信
念，净善的行为，彼此和睦，这就是佛教戒律的特质，而发
生伟大的作用––正法住世。
这种组织，与社会上的组织不太相同，它是道德感化与
法律制裁相综合的。在这面，是很平等的，是法治的，每一
律制，不是对某些人而订的。如在学院的话，如果是学生不
许可，老师也绝对不许可。佛的制度很平等，即使释迦牟尼
佛在世，佛也一样的依法而行。佛的律制，是真正的平等、
民主。在这道德感化、法律制裁之下，人人都修持佛法、研
究法义，各尽其力去发挥。
当然，严格的说，现在中国并没有这个东西––依律而
住的僧团。假使我们去研究，把这面真正精神原则，用现在
的方式去实践

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的话，我想比照著自己的想法，搞一套组织，或是参照政治
或其他组织，照人家的办法也来一套，我想会更合于佛法。
这是佛法伟大的特质，在我认识释迦牟尼佛不像世俗一般那
样，我在研究中加深了我的信心。
另一方面，佛开示我们，用法来指导。在当时，没有现
在那样，研究法华经、华严经，一大部一大部的，不过在义
理上，或在修行方法上，作简单的指导。佛所说明的著重在
什么地方呢？那些与世间不同呢？依我的了解，佛法确有不
共之法，与世间法不同，……我们必须确认佛法的不共之法
！世界上的宗教很多，中国的、印度的、西方的，佛教至少
有一种与他们不同的地方。又如哲学，从东方到西方，哲学
家不晓得有多少？但佛法至少要有与他们不同的地方。如自
以为佛法伟大，而佛法所讲的与他们所说的一样，那就糟了
，因为既然一样，有了他们的，更何必再要佛法。
就世间法所没有的––不共世间的来说，当然就是“缘
起性空”。……“诸行无常，诸法无我”，都是依此而显示
出来。缘起是说世间的一切，无论是天文、地理、自然界、
动物界，乃至我们个人生理上、心理上的现象，都是依缘而
存在的。佛说“缘起”，是最通遍的法则。从这才会了解佛
的制度与其他的所以不同。理论与制度有关，佛法称为“依
法摄僧”。把握缘起的原则，在思想上、制度上，及实际的
修持上，都会有与世间不同处。世间上有许多进步的思想，
有些近于缘起，但他们不能够彻底的完全的把握。
我们为什么信佛？是因为佛是大彻大悟了的。佛的大彻
大悟是怎样呢？你不晓得，我也不晓得。既然不晓得，那怎
么生信呢？佛在菩提树下大彻大悟以后，为了使人也能彻悟
，所以说法。佛所说的法义，及指导出家人应做的生活轨范
––律制，与世间不同；这表示了他证悟的内容与别人不同
，这是可以了解的。放在心我们不知道，说出来，做出来，
总可以看到一点。研究佛教制度的根本原则，从理论事实的
统一中，我发觉佛法义理超越世间特殊的地方。佛老人家的

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证智，我们都不知道，但从他表现出与世间不同的，特别伟
大，我是从这些上，深深信得佛是真正的证悟。
我有很多看法与人不太相同，譬如说，某人在修行，某
人开悟了！修行、开悟当然是好事情。不过，不只是佛法讲
“修行”，世界上的宗教都要修行的。道家有修持的方法，
中国儒家也有一点，印度婆罗门教，六派哲学都有修行的方
法，西洋的神教也有啦！他们的祷告也是修行的一类。如真
的修行，自然会身心有些特殊的经验，这是信仰宗教的人所
应相信的，不管你自己有没有得到，这是绝对可信的。在内
心中或身体上，得到些特殊经验，宗教就是要靠这种特殊经
验来支持的。
所以单讲修行，并不一定就是佛法，世界上各种宗教都
有修行呢！你说你看到什么东西，经验到什么？这并不能保
证你经验的就是佛法。那么用什么方法来区别呢？这有两个
方法︰一、与佛法的根本义理是否相合。二、行为表现是什
么样子。且举一件事来说，我们中国人有时候真自觉得骄傲
，美国西皮有很多人要学禅，寒山很吃香，简直崇拜得不得
了。然在我的想法，若以此为典型，作为我们学佛的模范，
大家这样学，这成什么样子！因为佛教也好，其他宗教也好
，都要教你正常，修行的人也要正常，中国佛教过去许多大
师，能够组织佛教，能够发扬，都是平淡正常的。又如释迦
牟尼佛教化，有所谓“神通轮、教诫轮、记心轮”，身业、
语业、意业都可以教化，可是佛法的重点是教诫轮。用语言
来引导你，启发你，使你向上。现在有些人，稍微修行，就
说前生后世，谈神通，这不是纯正的佛法。从佛的证悟以后
，佛所表现出来，对弟子之间的活动的历史事实，不是那些
怪模怪样的––寒山式、济公式、疯子喇嘛式的。佛老人家
，生在我们人间，主要用教诫来引导，不是侈谈神通，因为
外道也有神通。用神通来建立佛教，佛教就和外道一样了。
我对佛法的研究，著重在这两方面，这两方面的了解，能使
我信心增强，推动支持我很衰弱的身体，在佛法之中，多少
奉献自己的一分心力。

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Words of the Master
How does buddhadharma excell worldly dharma？

Master Yin-Shun

While doing research I have been emphasizing one
point very much: What is it that makes Buddhism
different, better than anything else in the world？T
his can be discussed from two angles · First, in
Buddha's time there was a pe rfect system, i · e ·
the vinaya · After it was transmitted to China, the
syst em of the great monasteries developed, and now
maybe a new system will come i nto being · We should
not think these systems are all the same · As a
matter of fact, there are only very few people who
study the Buddha's system, and it is almost as if
nobody knew what is really important about the vinaya
· Ther e should be some among us, ordained sangha,
devoting themselves to the study of the real meaning
of the vinaya ·
As far as I understand, Buddhist vinaya is a form
of communal life, and s piritual practice is training
in communal life · From the vinaya point of vie w,
buddhadharma does not emphasize that an individual is
practising in a herm itage –– though such a person
would be highly respected, it's still common with the
world · So what are the peculiar characteristics of
the Buddhist vin aya？It is improvement by ethics and
control by law, both of them applied to gether · If
you make a mistake then there a great number of
penalties set for th in the vinaya, It doesn't stop
here, though, but means curbing by the impl
ementation of law imbued with improvement by ethics
· Thus, in the Buddha's t ime, everybody who truly
left the home was really incredible · Even those who
had some warped motivation would gradually under the
forming influence of th eir brothers and the
environment turn into sages if they stayed there for
a f ew years · Everybody led this communal life with
a common belief

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and pure, go od behaviour in great harmony · This is
the special quality of the Buddhist v inaya which had
a great function –– to ensure that the true
teaching remain ed in the world ·
Such an organisation differs from other
organisations in the society sinc e it combines
improvement by ethics and restraint by law ·
Equality reigns th erein as does the law · None of
the rules ws set up against a certain group o f
people, like in our institute –– what the students
do not agree to, the t eachers would never agree to
either · The Buddha's system is an equal one · E
ven the Buddha himself would follow the rules ·
These regulations set by the Buddha are truly equal
and democratic · Under such a system of improvement
by ethics and restraint by law, everybody is devoted
to dharma practice and the study of the teaching
developing as much as possible ·
Of course, in a strict sense, you wan't find such
a community living in a ccordance with the vinaya in
China today · I feel it would be much more in co
nformity with dharma if we were to study this system
and put its real spiritu al principle in a modern way
into practice than if we were making up somethin g by
ourselves or copy government or other organisations
and then come up wit h something ·
This is one great quality of the buddhadharma ·
My trust in research incr eased greatly when I
realized that S a6kyamuni Buddha was not just
somebody w orldly · From another angle, Buddha
taught us to use dharma to direct · In hi s time it
wasn't like today · People wouldn't study huge texts
like the Lotus Sutra or the Avatamsaka Sutra but in
terms of doctrinal understanding or pra ctical
methods just give meagre guidance · What did the
Buddha emphasize？Wh at was different from worldly
dharma？As far as I can see buddhadharma defin itely
has its special features which differs from the ways
of the world · We have to grasp these uncommon
aspects firmly ！ There are many religions in the
world, Chinese, Indian, Western ones · There is at
least one point

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in which Buddhism differs from all of them · Also in
terms of philosophy, one really h as no way of
knowing how many philosophers there have been in the
East and We st but there must be at least one point
in which buddhadharma differs from al l of them · If
we just feel buddhadharma is great but teaches only
the same a s they, then it would be a mess because
since if it were the same there would be no need for
buddhadharma ！
As far as the uncommon part is concerned, that
which can't be found in wo rldly dharma, it is of
course the teaching of " dependent origination ／
emptiness · " Concepts " like all conditioned
phenomena are impermanent, all dharmas are without
self" have been taught on its basis · Dependent
origination tells us that everyhting in the world no
matter whether it relates to astronomical phenomena
or to those belonging to geology, the whole nature,
the animal wor ld, even our own physiology and
psychology, all these phenomena exist on the basis of
conditions · The dependent origination taught by the
Buddha is the m ost valid law · Only this point
allows us to understand what the difference b etween
the Buddha's system and other systems is · There
exists a connection b etween theory and institution
which is in Buddhist parlance called " to keep t he
community together in accordance with dharma" · If
we can grasp this princ iple of dependent
origination, no matter whether in terms of philosophy
or in stitution or practice, it will be different
from the world · There are many p rogressive ideas
in the world some quite close to dependent
origination, but they lack a penetrating and complete
grasp of the whole matter ·
Why do we believe Buddha？Because he had a most
penetrating and profound awakening · How was this
penetrating and profound awakening？You don't know,
and I don't know either · Then, how can we believe
him if we don't know thi s？After his penetrating and
profound awakening under the bodhi tree, the Buddha
began to teach dharma so that other people could
attain the same awakeni ng · The meaning of his
teaching and of the rules he set

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in order to guide the sangha, the vinaya, are
different from worldy ones · This proves that the c
ontents of his awakening differed from those of other
people · That much we can understand · If he had
kept it in his mind we had no way of knowing this,
but trough speech and action we're able to understand
at least somewhat · When I studied the basic
principle of the Buddhist system I discovered from
the congruence between theory and facts the point
where Buddhist teaching excells worldly ones · The
wisdom Buddha realized is beyond us but looking at
his ac tivities which were so different from worldly
ones, so great, I deeply believ e that he had a
genuine awakening ·
Many of my ideas differ from those of other
people · For example, " this or that person is
practising,"" this or that person had an awakening ！
" For s ure, to practice and to awaken is something
positive but nor only Buddhism is talking about
practising, all religions in the world do · The
Taoists have t heir way to practice, even the Chinese
Confucians have something along these lines, the
Brahmins and the six philosophical schools in India
had their meth ods, so do the theists of Western
religions · Their prayers are also a way to practice
· If our really practice, there will be naturally
some special bodi ly or mental sensations · This any
believer in any religion can be sure of no matter
whether he himself had them or not · You can trust
that there are spe cial experiences on the mental or
physical level · Religions are maintained by them ·
Thus if you only talk about "practicing" then
there is nothing specially Buddhist about this, it's
shared by all religions in the world · If somebody
says he's seen something or experienced something
that doesn't guarantee that his experience was
buddhadharma · So how can we draw a distinction？
There a re two ways: check a& whether it is in
agreement with the basic teachings of Buddhism, and
b& how the person behaves · Let's use an example ·
We Chinese sometimes feel really proud because there
are so many American hippies learn ing meditation ·
Han-shan is immensely popular and revered · In my
view,

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however, if you take him as a role model for our
practice of the dharma, if every body behaved like he
did, what would this be like？！ Buddhism, as all
other religions, hopes that you're a normal human
being, that every practicioner i s a normal person ·
The great Chinese Buddhist master of old were able to
org anize Buddhism and spread dharma because they
were simple and normal · Moreover, in Buddha
'Saakyamuni's teaching you find the wheels of
spiritual power, teaching and mental marking which
means it is possible to teach through body, speech
and mind · The emphasis, however, is on the wheel of
teaching –– guiding and inspiring through speech so
that one can improve · But now there ar e some
people around who engage in a few practices and then
begin to talk abo ut other people's past and future
lifes or about supernatural powers · This i s not
pure dharma · What Buddha manifested after his
awakening, the historical facts of his activities
with his disciples, these were not at all strange and
weird in the style of Han-shan, Chi-kung or the crazy
lama · Lord Buddha was born among us human beings
and used primarily teaching to guide us · He di d
not indulge in talk about supernatural powers because
also the non-Buddhist have these · If you want to
rely on supernatural powers to establish Buddhism
then there is no difference with other religions ·
My study of buddhadharma has been emphasizing
these two points · Understa nding them has increased
my faith and supported my weak body to that I could
fulfill my wish and make some trifling contribution
to the teaching ·