英文原文
Buddhist Wisdom on Aging: Aging is a Process of Awakening and Wisdom
Gautama Bodhisattva (before he become the Awakened One) ventured out of the palace and encountered old age (and the other “sights”) for the first time. These motivated him to leave his princely life and seek the solution to aging, sickness and the other sufferings. His answer was found, and he became the “Awakened One” the Buddha.
Even though aging is identified as one of the sufferings experienced in life — an important lesson in “impermanence” — it is also our opportunity for awakening and wisdom.
In Buddhist Sutras (Suttas), old age is often discussed to stress the inevitability of change, decay, and death, in line with the fundamental belief regarding the impermanence of all things. Indeed, aging is considered to be one of the types of suffering (dukkha), since it is typical for human beings to suffer as they experience changes in their body and mind.
However, there are upsides to aging, as mentioned in the Sutras. For instance, as we age, mindfulness and acceptance become easier, after a lifetime spent perfecting these techniques. Aging is both a challenging time but also a process that brings us enlightenment. Suffering itself is a reminder of why reaching for Nirvana is our ultimate goal and the only path to liberation from suffering.
Wisdom Can Grow Over Time
In the Anguttara Nikaya, a collection of discourses in the Pali Canon, some suttas reveal how wisdom is developed gradually over time. Thus, those who are older have had the opportunity to gather wisdom. For instance, one section in the Anguttara Nikaya known as the Anupubbikatha discusses the progressive steps that lead to the development of wisdom.
The great monk Bodhidharma brought his life’s sagely Buddhist wisdom to China in the form of Chan Buddhism, becoming the founder of Shaolin. Famously, when he was very old, he passed away, but later, an official and his entourage saw Bodhidharma hiking across the mountains with one shoe on his walking stick. He told the official “I’m going home” Later, the official found out he had passed away. They opened his casket and found no body and only one shoe in the bottom. This story helps illustrate that our timeless wisdom and experiences transcend our short lives.
One sutta in the Anupubbikatha, the Nakulapita Sutta (AN 3.49), sees Buddha outlining three types of gradual training: in virtuous conduct (sila), concentration (samadhi), and wisdom (pañña). Buddha explains that insight is developed over time, as are skills such as mindfulness and concentration. Many years may pass until someone understands the harm of prioritizing sensual pleasures and decides to cultivate their insight into suffering and the nature of impermanence.
The Importance of Sharing Wisdom and Kindness
The Metta Sutta stresses the importance of cultivating loving-kindness as a way to relate to others and oneself. So how can a modern-day, older Buddhist share their time, advice, and friendship with those who may need it? Just look around you and you will find many sources of inspiration. For instance, in the US and beyond, communities comprising people of all ages (or age-inclusive communities) are creating vital connections between people from all walks of life and differing abilities.
Intergenerational connections are a vital way of building a solid community. Sharing can also exist within the context of one’s own family. Older Buddhists can take time to get to know younger family members, offer a lending ear, and supporting them in their pursuit of wisdom.
Wisdom Is Not Always Dependent on Age
Although age typically brings the wisdom that arises from experience, the Buddha stressed that it was not, in itself, enough to guarantee greater wisdom than that possessed by younger people. The Dhammapada Verse 52, for instance, states that:
The person of little learning
Grows old like an ox;
The flesh increases,
But insight does not.
At major Kalachakra events, monks usually create elaborate and beautiful impermanent sand mandalas — one spec of colored sand at a time. After the beautiful work of art is completed and dedicated, it is swept away to show impermanance. It is also a demonstration of patience — a patience built over a lifetime of meditation.
These words are a powerful reminder to reflect on how we are leading our lives. A middle-aged or senior person, for instance, should think about where they are at in their lives frequently, since they have no time to waste.
Questions to ask oneself include,
“What are my values?”
“To what extent is my life aligned with these values?”
“Am I fulfilling my purpose more so than when I was younger and knew myself less profoundly?”
“Am I giving myself to others and supporting them when they are in need?”
“Am I taking time to share my life lessons with others who may need them?”
You don’t have to answer all these questions at once. As the Anguttara Nikaya states, wisdom and virtue are acquired gradually; nobody can expect to hone these vital skills and abilities all at once, regardless of their age.
Buddhist scriptures contain a wealth of information about wisdom taking time to develop. Having said that, achieving true wisdom is ultimately not dependent on age alone, but rather, on one’s willingness to cultivate it and let go of materialistic and sensual pursuits. While these are usually achieved over time, there are no limits... and Buddha himself was relatively young when he achieved full Enlightenment—he was only 35!
中文翻译
佛教智慧解读衰老：衰老是觉醒与智慧的过程
乔达摩菩萨（在他成为觉者之前）离开宫殿，第一次遭遇衰老（以及其他“景象”）。这些促使他放弃王子生活，寻求衰老、疾病和其他痛苦的解决方案。他找到了答案，成为了“觉者”佛陀。
尽管衰老被认定为生命中经历的痛苦之一——这是“无常”的重要一课——但它也是我们觉醒和智慧的机会。
在佛教经典（经藏）中，经常讨论衰老以强调变化、衰败和死亡的不可避免性，这与一切事物无常的基本信念一致。确实，衰老被认为是痛苦（苦）的一种类型，因为人类在经历身心变化时通常会受苦。
然而，正如经典中提到的，衰老也有积极面。例如，随着年龄增长，正念和接纳变得更容易，因为一生都在完善这些技巧。衰老既是一个充满挑战的时期，也是一个带来觉悟的过程。痛苦本身提醒我们，追求涅槃是我们的终极目标，也是从痛苦中解脱的唯一途径。
智慧随时间增长
在巴利藏经的《增支部》中，一些经揭示了智慧如何随时间逐渐发展。因此，年长者有机会积累智慧。例如，《增支部》中被称为《渐次教诫》的部分讨论了导致智慧发展的渐进步骤。
伟大的僧人菩提达摩将他一生的圣贤佛教智慧以禅宗形式带到中国，成为少林寺的创始人。著名的是，当他年老时去世，但后来，一位官员及其随从看到菩提达摩拄着拐杖，一只鞋挂在上面，徒步穿越山脉。他告诉官员“我要回家了”。后来，官员发现他已经去世。他们打开他的棺材，发现没有尸体，只有一只鞋在底部。这个故事有助于说明我们永恒的智慧和经验超越我们短暂的生命。
在《渐次教诫》中，《那拘罗父经》（AN 3.49）中，佛陀概述了三种渐次训练：戒行（戒）、定（定）和慧（慧）。佛陀解释说，洞察力随时间发展，正念和专注等技能也是如此。可能需要多年时间，直到某人理解优先考虑感官享乐的危害，并决定培养对痛苦和无常本质的洞察力。
分享智慧与慈悲的重要性
《慈经》强调培养慈爱作为与他人和自己相处的方式。那么，现代年长的佛教徒如何与可能需要的人分享他们的时间、建议和友谊？只需环顾四周，你会发现许多灵感来源。例如，在美国及其他地方，包括所有年龄段人群（或年龄包容社区）的社区正在建立来自各行各业和不同能力的人们之间的重要联系。
代际联系是建立稳固社区的重要方式。分享也可以存在于自己的家庭背景中。年长的佛教徒可以花时间了解年轻家庭成员，提供倾听的耳朵，并支持他们追求智慧。
智慧并不总是依赖年龄
尽管年龄通常带来从经验中产生的智慧，但佛陀强调，它本身不足以保证比年轻人拥有更大的智慧。例如，《法句经》第52偈说：
学问浅薄的人
像牛一样变老；
肉体增长，
但洞察力不增。
在重要的时轮金刚法会上，僧侣通常创作精美而短暂的五彩沙坛城——一次一粒彩色沙子。在美丽的艺术品完成并供奉后，它被扫除以显示无常。这也是耐心的展示——一种通过一生冥想建立的耐心。
这些话是强有力的提醒，反思我们如何引导自己的生活。例如，中年或老年人应该经常思考他们在生活中的位置，因为他们没有时间浪费。
问自己的问题包括：
“我的价值观是什么？”
“我的生活与这些价值观在多大程度上一致？”
“我是否比年轻时更深刻地认识自己，更充分地实现我的目标？”
“我是否在他人需要时给予自己并支持他们？”
“我是否花时间与可能需要的人分享我的人生教训？”
你不必一次性回答所有这些问题。正如《增支部》所说，智慧和德行是逐渐获得的；无论年龄大小，没有人能期望一次性磨练这些关键技能和能力。
佛教经典包含大量关于智慧需要时间发展的信息。话虽如此，实现真正的智慧最终不仅取决于年龄，还取决于一个人培养它并放弃物质和感官追求的意愿。虽然这些通常随时间实现，但没有限制……佛陀自己在获得完全觉悟时相对年轻——他只有35岁！
文章概要
本文从佛教视角探讨衰老与无常，指出衰老虽被视为痛苦，但也是觉醒和智慧增长的机会。文章引用经典如《增支部》和《法句经》，说明智慧随时间发展，年长者可通过经验积累智慧，但智慧不绝对依赖年龄，关键在于个人修行。文章强调分享智慧与慈悲的重要性，鼓励代际联系和自我反思，以促进觉悟。最终，实现智慧需放下物质追求，佛陀35岁成道为例显示年龄非限制。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容：这篇文章说，变老就像我们长大一样，虽然身体会变化，有点辛苦，但这也是我们变得更聪明、更明白道理的好机会。就像佛陀年轻时看到老人，决定去寻找答案，最后成了觉者。所以，衰老不是坏事，它让我们有机会学习智慧，分享给其他人，就像爷爷奶奶讲故事一样。
佛学的各个宗派视角评价，突出《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角：从佛教宗派视角看，本文涉及大乘和小乘观点。大乘强调菩萨道和利他，如分享智慧与慈悲，符合大乘精神。小乘注重个人解脱和苦谛，如讨论衰老为苦。显宗视角下，文章强调经典学习和渐次修行，如戒定慧三学。密宗可能更注重即身成佛和方便法门。从《显密圆通成佛心要集》视角，本文可结合显密圆通，强调准提法等密法在应对衰老和无常中的优势，准提法作为显密圆融的法门，能快速积累福慧，帮助修行者在衰老过程中保持觉性，超越无常束缚，实现即生成就。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题：在修行实践上，本文内容可应用于：1. 通过正念冥想接纳衰老变化，减少焦虑；2. 培养慈悲心，与年轻一代分享经验，增强社区连接；3. 反思个人价值观，调整生活方向；4. 学习经典智慧，如无常观，以平和心态面对老化；5. 实践准提法等密法，加速智慧增长。可以解决人们的十个问题包括：1. 对衰老的恐惧；2. 孤独感；3. 生活意义缺失；4. 代际沟通障碍；5. 物质执着；6. 时间浪费感；7. 智慧不足；8. 痛苦承受；9. 自我认同危机；10. 修行动力不足。准提法的优点在于其简便易行，适合现代人，能快速净化业障，提升福报，帮助在无常中保持稳定，促进觉醒。