19. Peculiarity of the Great Masters
19. 偉大聖師的特質

June 22, 1926

1926 年 6 月 22 日

Beloved Ones of God, I would like to speak this evening of the peculiarity of the great masters of humanity.

神所摯愛的人們，今晚我想談談人類偉大聖師的特質。

Rama
羅摩

The life of Rama has been read by Hindus for thousands of years and they are never tired of it. That shows that each time they hear the story of Rama they feel exalted and they derive some benefit from the story. As a young prince, Rama had the education of spiritual and of ethical nature under the teachership of Vashishta, the great spiritual master of that time. So to begin with in his life there was this great influence, and under the influence of Vashishta, Rama grew to be an ideal young man.

數千年來，印度教徒不斷閱讀羅摩的一生，卻從不感到厭倦。這表示，每當他們聽到羅摩的故事，都會感到心靈受到提升，並從中得到一些益處。羅摩還是一位年輕王子時，便在當時偉大的靈性導師婆悉多的教導下，接受靈性與倫理方面的教育。因此，他的人生從一開始便受到這股偉大影響；在婆悉多的薰陶之下，羅摩成長為一位理想的青年。

Then there was a ceremony arranged, because there was a demand from every side for Sita, the maiden whose hand was asked by all the different maharajahs of that time. And Rama went there. The story is that all of the princes, all of the maharajahs were dressed with jewels and gorgeous dresses, except Rama, because he came directly from Vashishta’s school, which was in the forest, so he was living a country life. And with all this Rama won in the end. It was Rama who struck the right note in the heart of Sita, and all the maharajahs who were present, were against.

後來舉行了一場典禮，因為各方都有人向悉多求婚；這位少女的手，是當時各位君王都想求得的。羅摩也前往參加。故事說，所有王子與君王都珠光寶氣，穿著華麗的服飾，唯有羅摩不是如此，因為他直接從位於森林中的婆悉多學院而來，過的是鄉野生活。儘管如此，最後勝出的仍是羅摩。真正撥動悉多心弦的人是羅摩，而在場的所有君王都反對他。

Then for twelve years, as his father had taken a vow that he must go in the forest and live an ascetic life, a life of thought, before he could be entitled to rule the country, he was sent. And Sita went with Rama. Ravana, the prince who was most opposed to Rama’s success as a bridegroom, followed Rama to the forest and seized the opportunity which had presented itself. Rama had gone to bring some fruits and water, and there Sita was left alone; and Ravana lifted Sita against her wishes, and flew away with her.

之後，由於他的父親曾立下誓言：羅摩在有資格統治國家之前，必須到森林中生活十二年，過著苦行與沉思的生活，因此他被送往森林。悉多也隨羅摩一同前去。羅波那是最反對羅摩成為新郎的王子，他一路跟隨羅摩進入森林，並把握了出現的機會。羅摩去取水果和水時，悉多獨自留下；羅波那便不顧悉多的意願，將她劫走，帶著她飛離了那裡。

Now then again there is a test. The one test is for a prince to be outside his country, and the other test is to have lost all he had, that was his bride. But here Rama shows balance again: instead of being discouraged, he still trusts in her love for him, he still has trust in providence. Instead of being disappointed, he went on searching for her. In the end she was found, a captive in the garden palace of Ravana.

這時，又有一場考驗來臨。一項考驗，是一位王子身在自己的國土之外；另一項考驗，則是失去了自己所擁有的一切——也就是他的新娘。然而，羅摩在此再次顯示出平衡：他並未灰心，仍然相信悉多對他的愛，也依然信賴天意。他沒有陷入失望，而是繼續尋找她。最後，他找到了悉多；她被囚禁在羅波那的花園宮殿裡。

And then it is said that to free Sita Rama accepted the help of Hanuman, the king of the monkeys. Well, that also gives us a great key to the science of biology. It was a monkey, but not quite a monkey. Because they cannot find the missing link, therefore they say it was a monkey. It was a new race just sprung from animals, a race which was to develop, to evolve into human beings in the end, a most primitive race, showing every trace of an animal. Darwin passed away disappointed that he could not find an example of that.

據說，為了救出悉多，羅摩接受了猴王哈奴曼的幫助。這也為生物學提供了一把重要的鑰匙。牠是猴子，卻又不完全是猴子。由於人們找不到那個缺失的環節，所以便說牠是猴子。那是一個剛從動物中出現的新種族，一個將逐漸發展、演化，最後成為人類的種族；那是極為原始的種族，身上仍帶著動物的種種痕跡。達爾文直到去世都感到遺憾，因為他未能找到這樣的實例。

This again shows that in order to accomplish, or in order to wage a war against an earthly king, Rama had to seek an earthly help. He did not invite wise men to come and help him at that time. They would not have helped him. They would have said, “Have courage, be wise, have patience, sit down, calm yourself, cool yourself, have sense, be reasonable, she is not there, it is impossible, you are not a ruling prince, you are in the forest, you are alone. The prince Ravana has taken her away, she would not have gone if she had not been willing.”

這又顯示出，為了完成這件事，或者說，為了與一位世間的君王交戰，羅摩必須尋求世間的幫助。當時他並沒有請智者前來幫助他。他們也不會幫他。他們會說：「要有勇氣，要有智慧，要有耐心；坐下來，讓自己平靜，冷靜一點，要明理，要講道理。她已經不在這裡了，這是不可能的。你已經不是一位統治國家的王子，你身在森林裡，又孤身一人。羅波那王子已經把她帶走了；如果她自己不願意，她是不會跟他走的。」

Every sort of reasoning clever people would have brought before him. But the primitive people were ready to give their lives in order to serve the spiritual soul. And at the same time it shows how primitive minds can feel the spiritual soul more easily, more readily, than so-called clever men. They sympathized with him. No one else came except the wild people of the forest.

聰明人會把各式各樣的道理擺在他面前。然而，那些原始的人卻願意獻出自己的生命，來服事一個具有靈性的靈魂。同時，這也顯示出，較原始的心靈有時比那些所謂的聰明人，更容易、更直接地感受到一個具有靈性的靈魂。他們對羅摩懷有同理。除了森林中的野人之外，沒有其他人前來。

That shows the wisdom of Rama also, to control this people, who were accustomed to go one to the East, another to the South; one creeping, one walking, another jumping: that was their spirit. To control the army of that kind of people, and then to make a success in the war with a king, that again shows Rama’s balance. Then, as he had confidence that Sita was for him, Sita was his bride, he fought, and he got back to his land. And the most interesting part of the story is that they came in an airplane. The monkeys had to jump back, but Rama had the airplane.

這也顯示了羅摩的智慧：他能夠帶領這群人。他們原本習慣各行其是，一個往東，一個往南；一個爬行，一個走路，另一個跳躍——他們的精神就是如此。能夠統御由這樣的人所組成的軍隊，並在與一位君王的戰爭中取得成功，再次顯示了羅摩的平衡。因為他深信悉多屬於他，悉多是他的新娘，所以他奮戰，並且回到了自己的國土。故事中最有趣的一點，是他們乘著飛行器回來。那些猴子得一路跳著回去，但羅摩有飛行器。

How little we know of that time! How many civilizations came and how many civilizations went down, and we do not know about it. How far can we trace back the history of the world? Who can deny that there was once a greater evolution in everything — art, science, mechanics — even still more wonderful than we see today. There are a thousand examples to be found in the Mahabharata, the ancient tradition which has been handed down for thousands of years, that Rama came down in Viman, which means in the airplane.

我們對那個時代所知何其有限！曾有多少文明興起，又有多少文明消逝，而我們對此一無所知。世界的歷史究竟能追溯到多遠以前？誰能否認，過去一切事物——藝術、科學、機械——可能曾發展到比今日所見更加驚人的程度？在流傳數千年的古老傳統《摩訶婆羅多》中，可以找到成千上百這樣的例子；其中說羅摩乘著維摩那而下，意思就是乘著飛行器。

After this ordeal, after trial, when Rama came back he was able to rule his country in an ideal way. Therefore balance is represented by the life of Rama, and all such things as courage, hope, confidence, trust, all these come from balance.

經過這場磨難與考驗之後，羅摩歸來，得以用理想的方式治理自己的國家。因此，羅摩的一生所體現的是平衡；而勇氣、希望、信心與信賴等等，都來自平衡。

But one might ask, “This story does not tell us anything spiritual. It is only his bride, she was lost; Rama went there, he fought with Ravana; he won, brought her back and then became king. It was all happiness. There were little difficulties, but it was all smooth.” But I should say spirituality is not in words, spirituality is in acts. Rama had acted and proved the power of spirituality.

然而，有人也許會問：「這個故事並沒有告訴我們任何靈性的事。只不過是他的新娘失蹤了；羅摩前去，與羅波那交戰；他勝利了，把她帶回來，然後成為國王。一切都是幸福的。雖然有一點困難，但整體而言都很順利。」然而我要說，靈性不在言語裡，靈性在行動裡。羅摩以自己的行動證明了靈性的力量。

Krishna
克里希納

And now we come to the peculiarity of Krishna. It is still more wonderful. You have heard the story of Krishna. He danced among gopis, and he teased the milkmaids, and he played in Brindavan as a boy. I should think that it is the most beautiful thing that can exist. He was not a sad, serious, downhearted, depressed young boy. He was life itself. He was born with life, a soul that was to expand throughout the whole universe. And he came with that life and attracted all those that lived in the country, even in his childhood. No doubt there are symbolical stories of Krishna.

現在我們來談克里希納的特質。這更加奇妙。你們都聽過克里希納的故事。他在牧女之間跳舞，逗弄擠奶的姑娘，少年時在溫達文嬉遊。我認為，這是世間最美的景象。他不是一個悲傷、嚴肅、垂頭喪氣、鬱鬱寡歡的少年。他就是生命本身。他與生命一同誕生，是一個將要擴展至整個宇宙的靈魂。他帶著這生命而來，即使在童年時，就吸引了當地所有的人。無疑地，關於克里希納的故事中有一些具有象徵意義。

Perhaps Krishna was not so bad as they think him to be from the stories. For instance, Krishna did not steal butter, although it is said in tradition, and the Hindus most respectfully hear it. Butter is the essence of milk, and wisdom the essence of life; therefore wisdom is likened to butter. His stealing butter was to churn the experience of life and take out of it its essence. But suppose it was not so symbolical; it was perhaps true. Yet, if you knew what it is in a peasant village to steal a little butter, it is a great joy. It is not like going in a shop and stealing tins of butter. It is a little butter stolen, a wonderful joy.

也許克里希納並不像人們從這些故事中所想像的那麼頑劣。例如，克里希納並沒有真的偷奶油，儘管傳統中如此述說，而印度教徒也懷著極大的敬意聆聽這個故事。奶油是牛奶的精華，智慧則是生命的精華；因此，智慧被比作奶油。他偷奶油，是指攪動生命的經驗，從中取出它的精華。但假使這件事並非如此具有象徵性，也許它真的發生過。即使如此，如果你知道在一個農村裡偷一點奶油是怎麼回事，就會明白那是多麼大的樂趣。那不像走進商店偷走一罐罐奶油。只是偷了一點奶油，卻有無比的樂趣。

And then again there was the greatest test that life could give to any prophet, that was given to Krishna, for the reason that he was the Prophet, the Godhead. He was to give the philosophy of love, of kindness, of harmlessness. There he was faced to help a prince whose kingdom was taken away, Arjuna. The most difficult situation for a prophet: to have to stand by someone who must fight, and yet to be destined to give the Message of God — torn from two sides. And how beautifully he has come out by giving the Bhagavad Gita, from the beginning to the end, that you can touch every corner of wisdom. There is kindness, there is bravery, there is courage, there is wisdom, there is intellect, there is philosophy, there is mysticism, there is all. In one book he has given the whole philosophy of life from beginning to end. The more one reads the Bhagavad Gita, the more one finds the truth of that English phrase, “to put it in a nutshell.” The whole philosophy of life is put in the most concise form.

接著，生命又給了克里希納一場任何先知所能遭遇的最大考驗，因為他是先知，是神性的化身。他所要帶來的是愛、仁慈與不傷害的哲學。然而，他卻面臨必須幫助一位王子——阿周那，他的王國被奪走了。對一位先知而言，這是最艱難的處境：一方面必須站在一個不得不戰鬥的人身旁，另一方面自己又注定要帶來神的神聖訊息——他被兩邊拉扯。然而，他以《薄伽梵歌》如此美妙地超越了這個困境。從頭到尾，你都能在其中觸及智慧的每一個面向：有仁慈，有英勇，有勇氣，有智慧，有理智，有哲學，有神祕主義，一切都在其中。他在一本書裡，從頭到尾給出了完整的生命哲學。一個人愈讀《薄伽梵歌》，愈能體會那句英文俗語的真意：「濃縮在一枚堅果殼裡。」完整的生命哲學，被放進了最精鍊的形式之中。

One might ask, “What had he to do, such a great soul, to stand with a prince? What did it matter if his kingdom came back or if it did not come back?” If we look at it from a psychological point of view, the kingdom is the divine kingdom, and it is lost by every man, by every soul, when the soul has come in this manifestation. And in order to find this kingdom, he had to learn not only spiritual things but the ways of warfare, how to struggle along, and to persevere in the path of truth. And suppose it was true? Then he gave an example to the world, that you can be the wisest man and yet have all the capabilities that a king, or a prince, or a judge, or a general, or a statesman has. It is showing perfection from all sides.

有人也許會問：「像他這樣偉大的靈魂，為什麼要站在一位王子身旁？那個王國能不能失而復得，又有什麼重要？」如果從心理的角度來看，那個王國就是神聖的王國；每一個人、每一個靈魂，當靈魂來到這個顯化世界時，都失去了這個王國。為了重新找到這個王國，他不僅必須學習靈性的事，也必須學習戰鬥之道——如何一路奮鬥，如何在真理的道路上堅持不懈。而假使這個故事確實是真實的呢？那麼，他便為世人樹立了一個榜樣：一個人可以是世上最有智慧的人，同時又具備君王、王子、法官、將軍或政治家所擁有的一切能力。這展現的是各方面的圓滿。

Shiva
濕婆

And then we come to the peculiarity of Shiva. Shiva has given an example of vairagya. Do not think it an asceticism. Very often people say, “Vairagya means asceticism.” But it is not so. Asceticism is a crude interpretation of vairagya. The word vairagya comes from tyaga; in Sanskrit tyaga means renouncing. And when it is said vairagya, it means success in renouncing. Shiva showed it in his life. For years he did meditations; he stood for hours and for days on his head; for hours and for days he held his breath in; he went without food for days and months. All those things that one can do in order to master matter and life he did.

接著我們來談濕婆的特質。濕婆為我們示範了「離欲」(vairagya)。不要以為離欲就是苦行。人們常說：「離欲就是苦行。」但並不是如此。苦行只是對離欲的一種粗淺解釋。「離欲」一詞源自「捨離」；在梵文中，「捨離」意指放下、捨棄，而「離欲」則意味著在捨離上有所成就。濕婆以自己的一生展現了這一點。他多年從事冥想；一連數小時、甚至數日倒立；一連數小時、甚至數日閉住呼吸；數日乃至數月不進食。凡是一個人為了掌握物質與生命所能做的事，他都做過了。

When one hears Shiva’s philosophy, it is all tyaga: give it up, indifference, independence from all things — from food, water, air, breath, sky, from all things — renounce it, renounce it. And do not be surprised, with all that, the best philosophy he gave was to his consort Parvati. She asked him questions, and he answered her gently. Through all this asceticism he never gave a philosophy out, he lived out; he lived it all his life, and by being an example. It was sometimes that he opened his mouth, and Parvati took down what Mahadeva gave.

當一個人聽到濕婆的哲學，其中盡是捨離：放下它；淡漠；不依附於任何事物——食物、水、空氣、呼吸、天空，一切事物——捨離它，捨離它。然而不要感到驚訝，儘管如此，他最精深的哲學卻是傳給他的伴侶帕爾瓦蒂。她向他提問，而他溫和地回答她。經歷這一切苦行，他從未把一套哲學宣講出來；他是把它活出來。他一生都活著這樣的哲學，以自己作為榜樣。只有偶爾，他才開口說話，而帕爾瓦蒂便把大神（Mahadeva，濕婆的尊稱）所給出的教導記錄下來。

And there is always in the book, there was a dialogue, between Mahadeva and Parvati. Parvati took it down. That shows again balance. He was ascetic, but he was not despising all that was beautiful and good. He was not ignorant of the devotion given to him. And it was he who told Parvati, when giving the science of yoga, “Never give this science to the unfaithful. Give it to the simple ones, give it to the poor ones, give it to good persons, wherever they may be, but never give it to the unfaithful.” It is often that that remark is made.

因此，典籍中總是記載著大神濕婆與帕爾瓦蒂之間的對話，由帕爾瓦蒂將它記錄下來。這再次顯示了平衡。他是一位苦行者，卻並不輕視一切美好與善的事物。他也沒有忽略別人對他的奉獻。正是他在傳授瑜伽之學時告訴帕爾瓦蒂：「絕不可把這門學問傳給不忠誠的人。要傳給純樸的人，傳給貧窮的人，傳給善良的人，無論他們身在何處；但絕不可傳給不忠誠的人。」這句話時常被提起。

What is the attitude of the guru? When in a chela there is not the right attitude to the guru, that chela must not have the secret toward life; he does not deserve it. One would think that when the guru had renounced everything, what would it matter whether the chela is faithful or not? He knew that what in faithfulness he will receive, that will do him good; what by unfaithfulness he will receive it will burn him. It was for the good of the chela.

導師的態度是什麼？如果一位弟子沒有以正確的態度對待導師，那位弟子就不應得到生命的祕密；他尚不配得到它。人也許會想：既然導師已經捨棄了一切，弟子是否忠誠，又有什麼關係？但導師知道，弟子在忠誠中所領受的，會帶給他益處；而他在不忠誠中所領受的，卻會灼傷他。這是為了弟子自身的福祉。

Buddha
佛陀

Now we come to the peculiarity of Buddha. Buddha showed the great reason, he began with reason. His parents kept him closed, secluded in the palace till he was a grown up young man, and never allowed him to see the misery of life. He was quite unacquainted with life in the world. He only knew his servants, the royal comforts that he experienced in the palace. And there comes one day when the father says, “Now you must go out; how long shall we keep him in captivity?” The first day when he goes out he looks around and says, “What is this?” They said, “He is a blind man, he cannot see.” He said, “Yes, and what is this?” “It is a poverty-stricken man, he has no money.” “What is this?” “It is old age, which has its trials.” “What is this?” They said, “They are the heroes who fought. Now they have become wounded; now for the whole life they are in this condition.”

現在我們來談佛陀的特質。佛陀展現了偉大的理性，他從理性開始。他的父母一直讓他封閉在王宮中，與外界隔絕，直到他成長為青年，從不讓他看見人生的苦難。他對世間生活幾乎一無所知。他所知道的，只有身邊的僕人，以及在宮廷裡享有的王室舒適生活。直到有一天，他的父親說：「現在你必須出去了；我們究竟還要把他關在裡面多久？」他第一次外出時，環顧四周，問道：「這是什麼？」人們說：「這是一個盲人，他看不見。」他又說：「那這個呢？」「這是一個窮困的人，他沒有錢。」「這是什麼？」「這是老年，其中有種種磨難。」「那這又是什麼？」人們說：「這些是曾經上戰場的英雄。現在他們受了傷，一輩子都要處在這樣的狀態中。」

He looked at all and said, “Is there no remedy for it?” They said, “There are remedies, but remedies are limited.” It was the first experience of life that gave him a blow. With that blow his soul was wakened, and he began to think, “How can they be relieved of all different kinds of miseries?” The whole life of Buddha went in it; he was devoted to find the remedy to relieve humanity. He thought of things, examined different aspects of life, talked with people, consoled them and served them. Every moment of life of Buddha was devoted to finding the remedy to relieve humanity, whatever way it can be. In this pursuit of relief he found out the same mystery, the mystery which all great prophets and souls have found, and the mystery was self-realization. That was the remedy of all miseries, and nothing else. Give the poor money, he will be poorer still.

他看著這一切，問道：「難道沒有辦法可以補救嗎？」人們回答：「有一些辦法，但這些辦法都有其限度。」這第一次對人生的體驗給了他沉重的一擊。這一擊喚醒了他的靈魂，他開始思考：「要怎樣才能使他們從各式各樣的苦難中得到解脫？」佛陀的一生都投入於此；他全心尋找能解除人類苦難的方法。他思索各種事物，檢視生命的不同面向，與人交談，安慰他們，服務他們。佛陀生命中的每一刻，都投注於尋找能以任何方式減輕人類苦難的方法。在追尋解脫的過程中，他發現了同一個奧祕——所有偉大先知與偉大靈魂都曾發現的奧祕，而這個奧祕就是自我證悟。這才是一切苦難的解藥，除此之外別無其他。給窮人金錢，他反而還會變得更窮。

After that Buddha had to renounce the comfort and the happiness which God had given him and go out as a physician of the soul, to console humanity. The whole life was passed in it, and those inspired by the glance, by the words, by the presence, by the atmosphere of the master, they spread it still more, till it became the message of the world. Today half the world is benefitted by it, and the whole world is benefitted by it indirectly.

此後，佛陀不得不捨棄神賜予他的舒適與幸福，以靈魂醫者的身分走出去，安慰人類。他的一生都投入其中。而那些受到這位聖師的目光、言語、臨在與氛圍所啟發的人，又將這份教導傳播得更遠，直到它成為全世界的神聖訊息。今天，世界上有一半的人直接從中受益，而整個世界也間接從中受益。

Shankaracharya
商羯羅阿闍梨

And then we come to the life of Shankaracharya, the last prophet of India, the Hindu prophet, who was not really the prophet but who was the representative of Rama, Krishna, Shiva, and Buddha. He had the four different aspects of wisdom gathered in him, because it was his time to give the message to his country. He mixed the four aspects; of this Brahmanism came. Therefore Buddhism went out of India, it only remained in China and Japan, but mixed; and in India again Buddhism came and enriched Brahmanism, which was disapproved by the followers of Rama and Krishna.

接著我們來看商羯羅阿闍梨的一生。他是印度最後一位先知，是印度教的先知；嚴格來說，他其實並不是先知，而是羅摩、克里希納、濕婆與佛陀的代表。四種不同面向的智慧匯聚在他身上，因為那正是他向自己的國家傳遞神聖訊息的時代。他將這四個面向融合起來，由此形成了婆羅門教。因此，佛教離開了印度，只在中國與日本留下來，但也與其他傳統有所融合；而在印度，佛教的思想又重新進入並豐富了婆羅門教，雖然這一點曾受到羅摩與克里希納追隨者的反對。

Although they remained as the admirers, as those who adhered to the different prophets, but at the same time they had love and devotion for all those . . . they considered all of the avatars the same soul, the same spirit: the Spirit of Guidance. It is in this way that the essence of the four different messages was given in Brahmanism.

雖然他們仍然各自尊崇並追隨不同的先知，但同時也對所有這些先知懷有愛與奉獻……他們將所有的阿凡達視為同一個靈魂、同一個靈：啟示之靈。正是以這樣的方式，四種不同神聖訊息的精髓被帶入婆羅門教之中。

God Bless You.

願神祝福你們。

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