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.
“The aging of beings, their old age, brokenness of teeth, grayness of hair, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties – this is called aging. With the arising of birth there is the arising of aging and death.” – MN 9, Sammaditthi Sutta, v. 21-22 – The Discourse on Right View
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.
With age comes wisdom, which we can pass on to the next generation. With Wisdom we have the opportunity to, ourselves, become “Awakened”
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.
Which path will you walk? All Buddhist paths ultimately lead to one destination. Until we are awakened, our journey continues.
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.
The greatest of teachers, Shakyamuni. He was only 35 when he became the Awakened One, fully Enlightened
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
佛教关于衰老的智慧：衰老是觉醒与智慧的过程
乔达摩菩萨（在他成为觉悟者之前）离开宫殿，第一次遇到了衰老（以及其他“景象”）。这促使他放弃王子生活，寻求解决衰老、疾病和其他苦难的方法。他找到了答案，并成为“觉悟者”佛陀。
尽管衰老被认定为生命中经历的苦难之一——这是“无常”的重要一课——但它也是我们觉醒和智慧的机会。
“众生的衰老，他们的年老、牙齿脱落、头发变白、皮肤起皱、生命衰退、感官衰弱——这被称为衰老。随着出生的产生，就有了衰老和死亡的产生。” – MN 9，正见经，第21-22节 – 正见论
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，衰老被认为是苦难（苦）的一种类型，因为人类在经历身心变化时通常会受苦。
随着年龄增长，智慧也随之而来，我们可以将其传递给下一代。有了智慧，我们有机会自己成为“觉悟者”。
然而，正如经典中提到的，衰老也有积极的一面。例如，随着年龄增长，正念和接受变得更容易，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。苦难本身提醒我们，为什么追求涅槃是我们的终极目标，也是从苦难中解脱的唯一途径。
智慧可以随时间增长
在《增支部》中，这是巴利藏经中的一部经典集，一些经藏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《渐次教说》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佛教智慧以禅宗的形式带到中国，成为少林寺的创始人。众所周知，当他非常年老时，他去世了，但后来，一位官员和他的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了我们短暂的生命。
《渐次教说》中的一部经藏，《那拘罗父经》（AN 3.49），佛陀概述了三种渐次训练：戒行（戒）、定（定）和慧（慧）。佛陀解释说，洞察力是随时间发展的，正念和专注等技能也是如此。可能需要多年时间，直到有人理解优先考虑感官享乐的危害，并决定培养对苦难和无常本质的洞察力。
分享智慧和慈悲的重要性
《慈经》强调培养慈爱作为与他人和自己相处的方式的重要性。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，你就会找到许多灵感来源。例如，在美国及其他地方，由所有年龄段的人组成的社区（或包容性社区）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。
你将走哪条路？所有佛教道路最终都通向一个目的地。直到我们觉悟，我们的旅程继续。
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下。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。
智慧并不总是依赖于年龄
尽管年龄通常带来从经验中产生的智慧，但佛陀强调，这本身并不足以保证比年轻人拥有更大的智慧。例如，《法句经》第52节指出：
学问少的人
像牛一样变老；
肉体增加，
但洞察力不增。
在主要的时轮金刚法会上，僧侣们通常创作精美而短暂的精美沙坛城——一次一粒彩色沙子。在美丽的艺术品完成并奉献后，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。
这些话是一个强有力的提醒，反思我们如何引导我们的生活。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，并更充分地实现我的目的？”
“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？”
你不必一次回答所有这些问题。正如《增支部》所说，智慧和美德是逐渐获得的；无论年龄大小，没有人能期望一次磨练这些关键技能和能力。
最伟大的导师，释迦牟尼。他只有35岁时就成为觉悟者，完全觉悟。
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并不单独依赖于年龄，而是依赖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……佛陀自己在完全觉悟时相对年轻——他只有35岁！
文章概要
本文基于关键词“Buddhist sutras on middle age suffering”，探讨了佛教经典中关于衰老（特别是中年之苦）的智慧。文章指出，衰老虽被视为苦难和无常的体现，但也是觉醒和智慧增长的机会。通过引用《正见经》、《增支部》和《法句经》等经典，文章强调了智慧随年龄逐渐发展，但并非完全依赖年龄，而是需要修行和放下执着。文章还讨论了分享智慧和慈悲的重要性，以及通过正念和接受来转化苦难，最终导向涅槃的解脱。
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：这篇文章就像在说，变老虽然会让人身体不舒服、心里难过，但这其实是老天爷给我们的一份特别礼物，让我们有机会变得更聪明、更明白道理。就像佛陀年轻时看到老人后，决定去寻找解决痛苦的方法，最后成了大智慧的人。所以，当我们慢慢长大变老时，不要害怕，因为我们可以学到很多好东西，比如耐心和爱心，还能把这些智慧传给其他人，帮助大家一起成长。
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：从佛教显宗和大乘视角看，本文强调了苦难（如衰老）作为修行契机的重要性，这与《显密圆通成佛心要集》中“显密圆通”的理念相契合。该经典主张显教（如戒定慧三学）与密教（如准提法）的融合，以圆通无碍地成就佛道。在本文语境中，衰老之苦可视为显教中观照无常的实践，而准提法则提供了密教层面的快速转化方法。例如，通过准提咒的持诵，修行者能在中年或老年时，将身心变化转化为智慧资粮，加速觉悟进程。这体现了大乘佛教的利他精神，即不仅自度，还能以智慧分享助他，符合《显密圆通成佛心要集》中“即事而真”的修行原则。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题：基于本文内容，修行实践可应用于解决以下十个问题：1. 如何面对身体衰老带来的恐惧和不安？通过正念冥想，观察无常，减少执着。2. 如何在中年时找到人生意义？反思价值观，如文章中的自问问题，调整生活方向。3. 如何积累智慧而不依赖年龄？持续学习经典，如阅读《增支部》，培养洞察力。4. 如何克服孤独感？参与跨代社区活动，分享经验，建立连接。5. 如何管理情绪波动？练习慈心禅，培养对自己和他人的慈悲。6. 如何应对健康衰退？将病痛视为修行机会，修习忍耐和接受。7. 如何传递智慧给下一代？主动与年轻人交流，提供指导和支持。8. 如何减少物质欲望？学习佛陀教导，放下感官享乐，追求精神成长。9. 如何在忙碌中保持修行？利用日常时刻，如简短持咒或观呼吸，融入生活。10. 如何加速觉悟进程？结合准提法等密教修持，快速净化业障，提升智慧。这些实践聚焦于赞美生命的成长潜力，以目标导向的视角，开启未来的可能性，帮助人们在衰老过程中找到光明和希望。