英文原文
The fundamental Buddhist concept of dependent origination teaches that, at the most profound level, all life is interconnected, that nothing exists in isolation. Simply put, it means that the real nature of individuals or events can only be correctly understood in the context of their connections with all others. In his 1993 Harvard University lecture, Ikeda Sensei spoke of the Buddhist notion of the interrelationship of all things, stating: Each living thing manifests the enlightenment of which it is capable; each contributes to the harmony of the grand concert of symbiosis. In Buddhist terminology, dependent origination describes these relationships. No person or thing exists in isolation. Every being functions to create the environment that sustains all other existences. All things are mutually supporting and interrelated, forming a living cosmos, what modern philosophy might term a semantic whole. That is the conceptual framework through which Mahayana Buddhism views the natural universe. Buddhism holds that human beings, far from being isolated entities, are part of a larger, symbiotic fabric of coexistence, where “because this exists, so does that; because that exists, so does this.” When individuals cannot grasp or appreciate their connections with others, it gives rise to a sense of isolation, mistrust, hostility or apathy. It leads to a society based upon fragile human relationships. From the perspective of Buddhism, that which creates trust, respect and harmony among people can be described as good. That which divides people, causing disrespect and mistrust, is regarded as evil. Discrimination in any form can be seen as a symptom of what Buddhism regards as the human tendency to create divisions and fractures based on superficial distinctions. Discrimination and prejudice fundamentally contradict any understanding of life’s interconnectedness. Breaking free from patterns of division, hatred, discrimination and mistrust requires a strenuous spiritual effort. It involves redefining what it means to be human, continually reflecting on how we see ourselves and those who are seemingly different from us. In our practice of Nichiren Buddhism, the phrase human revolution describes this process of redefining our lives through the lens of compassion, courage and wisdom. Through such inner reformation, we come to perceive the true aspect of our lives—that we possess infinite potential, the Buddha nature. As we discover our inner nobility, we start to recognize that this same potential exists within the lives of all others. We can sense the bonds that connect us to others. We see that there is something more profound, beyond the differences the eye can see, that connects us all and extends even to those living in the farthest reaches of the planet. Buddhism teaches that because of life’s profound interdependence, the sufferings of others are also our own. Thus, the work of helping others develop their highest potential is integral to developing this potential in ourselves. Conversely, by harming others, we also harm ourselves. This view of life makes it impossible to build our happiness on the suffering of others. This limitless view of the self, that we are all bound by innumerable ties and have a responsibility for one another, is what Buddhism calls the “greater self.” The “true” or “greater” self completely comprehends being an integral part of this web of life and can appreciate those connections. In that vein, the lesser self is self-centered. It is a state of awareness constrained by egoism and selfish desires, in which one has little grasp of the true self. The SGI aims to bring about a “large-scale awakening to the greater self that will lead to a world of creative coexistence.” The actions that we take for the happiness of others is the surest way to awaken to our greater self. Buddhism expresses the highest ideal of human behavior through the practice and character of the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva’s moral imperative is to rise above the constraints of the “lesser self,” the individual ego, and to act with compassionate altruism toward others. In the Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging symbolizes this through his actions to express profound reverence for the Buddha nature he perceives in each person he encounters. Whether people respond positively or with hostility, he persists in awakening people to their limitless potential. His name comes from his refusal to demean or disparage any person. The Buddhist ideal of compassion exists in the conscious effort to empathize with and relieve others’ suffering regardless of how they may treat you. Only through committing to a consistent practice of respecting others, as exemplified by Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, can we genuinely understand people’s pain and develop our greater selves. Never Disparaging acted out of his deep-seated conviction in the Buddha nature of all people. Today, when we as Nichiren Buddhists work to share this Buddhism with those around us, we act in the same spirit as Never Disparaging. Such Buddhist practice is an excellent way to polish our character. Buddhism is a religion of dialogue. Through dialogue, we can restore respect for the dignity of life and build bridges between people of diverse backgrounds. Such conversation takes courage and can only happen when fueled by a belief in the infinite potential of all people. Most needed today is dialogue that helps us to reflect on our own beliefs and presumptions, and challenges us to transform the inner biases that make it easy to identify people as “the other,” as separate or different from us. Through such discussion, we break barriers and develop a new level of humanity. Education can play a crucial role in fostering a belief in the power of dialogue and the interconnectedness of all life. The educational philosophy of global citizenship may be said to share much in common with the Buddhist ideal of the bodhisattva. In his 1996 lecture at Columbia University in New York, Sensei offered three essential elements of global citizenship: 1) The wisdom to perceive the inter-connectedness of all life and living. 2) The courage not to fear or deny difference, but to respect and strive to understand people of different cultures and to grow from encounters with them. 3) The compassion to maintain an imaginative empathy that reaches beyond one’s immediate surroundings and extends to those suffering in distant places. Compassion in Buddhism does not involve the forcible suppression of our natural emotions, our likes and dislikes. Rather, it is the realization that even those whom we dislike have qualities that can contribute to our lives and can afford us opportunities to grow in our own humanity. Further, it is the compassionate desire to find ways of contributing to the well-being of others that gives rise to limitless wisdom. Compassion consists of the sustained and courageous effort to seek out the good in all people, whoever they may be, however they may behave. It means striving, through sustained engagement, to cultivate the positive qualities in oneself and in others. Engagement, however, requires courage. There are all too many cases in which compassion, owing to a lack of courage, remains mere sentiment. Wisdom, courage and compassion are qualities that characterize both bodhisattvas and their secular counterparts, global citizens. In the realm of education, Sensei has dedicated his life to fostering global citizens who can contribute to humanity through their wisdom, courage and compassion. As a Buddhist leader and mentor, he has devoted his life to awakening bodhisattvas who work for all people’s happiness with the same awareness. When enough people ground themselves in this awareness, humanity can free itself from the horrific cycles of war, conflict and discrimination, and foster new generations of people imbued with a deep respect for the sanctity of life. Sensei states that the 21st century is the Century of Life, a century in which human beings and their happiness are at the center of all human activity. Through dedicated action and dialogue, we can promote mutual understanding, support the flourishing of each person’s potential and create a society that treasures and protects all life.
中文翻译
佛教的根本概念“缘起”教导我们，在最深刻的层面上，所有生命都是相互关联的，没有任何事物是孤立存在的。简而言之，这意味着个体或事件的真实本质只有在它们与所有其他事物的联系背景下才能被正确理解。在1993年哈佛大学的演讲中，池田大作先生谈到了佛教中万物相互关联的观念，他指出：每个生命都展现出它所能实现的觉悟；每个生命都为共生的大和谐交响曲做出贡献。在佛教术语中，缘起描述了这些关系。没有人或事物是孤立存在的。每个存在都发挥着作用，创造维持所有其他存在的环境。万物相互支持、相互关联，形成了一个活生生的宇宙，现代哲学可能称之为语义整体。这就是大乘佛教看待自然宇宙的概念框架。佛教认为，人类远非孤立的实体，而是一个更大的共生共存结构的一部分，其中“有此故有彼，有彼故有此”。当个体无法理解或欣赏与他人的联系时，就会产生孤立感、不信任、敌意或冷漠。这导致了基于脆弱人际关系的社会。从佛教的角度来看，那些在人们之间创造信任、尊重与和谐的事物可以被描述为善。那些分裂人们、导致不尊重和不信任的事物则被视为恶。任何形式的歧视都可以被视为佛教所认为的人类基于表面区别制造分裂和断裂倾向的症状。歧视和偏见从根本上违背了对生命相互关联性的任何理解。摆脱分裂、仇恨、歧视和不信任的模式需要艰苦的精神努力。这涉及重新定义作为人的意义，不断反思我们如何看待自己以及那些看似与我们不同的人。在我们日莲佛教的修行中，“人间革命”这个词描述了通过慈悲、勇气和智慧的视角重新定义我们生命的过程。通过这种内在改革，我们开始感知生命的真实面貌——我们拥有无限的潜力，即佛性。当我们发现内在的高贵时，我们开始认识到同样的潜力存在于所有其他人的生命中。我们能感受到连接我们与他人的纽带。我们看到，有一种比眼睛所能看到的差异更深刻的东西，将我们所有人连接起来，甚至延伸到地球上最遥远地方的人们。佛教教导说，由于生命的深刻相互依存性，他人的痛苦也是我们自己的痛苦。因此，帮助他人发展其最高潜力的工作对于发展我们自身的这种潜力是不可或缺的。相反，通过伤害他人，我们也伤害了自己。这种生命观使得我们不可能建立在他人痛苦之上的幸福。这种对自我的无限看法，即我们都被无数纽带所束缚，并对彼此负有责任，就是佛教所称的“大我”。“真我”或“大我”完全理解自己是这个生命网络的一个组成部分，并能欣赏这些联系。在这方面，“小我”是以自我为中心的。它是一种受自我主义和自私欲望限制的意识状态，在这种状态下，一个人对真我几乎一无所知。创价学会旨在实现“大规模的大我觉醒，这将导致一个创造性共存的世界”。我们为他人幸福所采取的行动是唤醒我们大我的最可靠方式。佛教通过菩萨的修行和品格表达了人类行为的最高理想。菩萨的道德使命是超越“小我”即个体自我的限制，以慈悲的利他主义行为对待他人。在《法华经》中，常不轻菩萨通过他的行为象征了这一点，他对他遇到的每个人所感知到的佛性表达深切的敬意。无论人们是积极回应还是怀有敌意，他都坚持唤醒人们认识他们无限的潜力。他的名字来源于他拒绝贬低或轻视任何人。佛教的慈悲理想存在于有意识地努力同情并缓解他人痛苦的过程中，无论他们如何对待你。只有通过致力于像常不轻菩萨所体现的那样持续尊重他人的修行，我们才能真正理解人们的痛苦并发展我们的大我。常不轻菩萨的行为源于他对所有人佛性的深信不疑。今天，当我们作为日莲佛教徒努力与周围的人分享这一佛教时，我们以与常不轻菩萨相同的精神行事。这样的佛教修行是磨砺我们品格的好方法。佛教是对话的宗教。通过对话，我们可以恢复对生命尊严的尊重，并在不同背景的人们之间搭建桥梁。这样的对话需要勇气，并且只有在相信所有人无限潜力的推动下才能发生。今天最需要的是帮助我们反思自己的信念和假设，并挑战我们转变内在偏见的对话，这些偏见使我们容易将人们视为“他者”，视为与我们分离或不同的人。通过这样的讨论，我们打破障碍，发展出新层次的人性。教育可以在培养对对话力量和所有生命相互关联性的信念方面发挥关键作用。全球公民的教育哲学可以说与佛教的菩萨理想有许多共同之处。在1996年纽约哥伦比亚大学的演讲中，池田先生提出了全球公民的三个基本要素：1）感知所有生命和生活相互关联性的智慧。2）不害怕或否认差异，而是尊重并努力理解不同文化的人们，并从与他们的相遇中成长的勇气。3）保持富有想象力的同理心的慈悲，这种同理心超越个人直接环境，延伸到远方受苦的人们。佛教中的慈悲并不涉及强行压制我们的自然情感、我们的好恶。相反，它是认识到即使是我们不喜欢的人也有可以为我们的生活做出贡献的品质，并可以为我们提供成长为人性的机会。此外，正是为他人福祉做出贡献的慈悲愿望产生了无限的智慧。慈悲包括持续而勇敢地努力寻找所有人的优点，无论他们是谁，无论他们如何行为。这意味着通过持续参与，努力培养自己和他人身上的积极品质。然而，参与需要勇气。有太多的情况是，由于缺乏勇气，慈悲仅仅停留在情感层面。智慧、勇气和慈悲是菩萨及其世俗对应者——全球公民——共有的品质。在教育领域，池田先生毕生致力于培养能够通过智慧、勇气和慈悲为人类做出贡献的全球公民。作为一位佛教领袖和导师，他毕生致力于唤醒以同样意识为所有人幸福工作的菩萨。当足够多的人立足于这种意识时，人类就能摆脱战争、冲突和歧视的可怕循环，并培养出深深尊重生命神圣性的新一代人。池田先生指出，21世纪是生命的世纪，一个人类及其幸福成为所有人类活动中心的世纪。通过专注的行动和对话，我们可以促进相互理解，支持每个人潜力的蓬勃发展，并创造一个珍视和保护所有生命的社会。
文章概要
本文基于佛教“缘起”思想，探讨了生命相互关联性的深刻内涵，特别结合中年体验的关键词，阐述了从孤立感到大我觉醒的转变过程。文章首先解释缘起观如何揭示万物相互依存，指出人类是共生网络的一部分，而非孤立实体。接着分析当人们无法感知这种联系时，会引发孤立、不信任等负面情绪，导致社会关系脆弱，而佛教视创造和谐为善，制造分裂为恶。文章强调，通过“人间革命”的内在修行，可以认识到自身佛性，并意识到他人同样拥有无限潜力，从而发展“大我”，超越以自我为中心的“小我”。以常不轻菩萨为例，说明慈悲实践如何尊重他人佛性，促进品格提升。此外，文章指出对话是恢复生命尊严、打破偏见的关键，教育能培养全球公民的智慧、勇气和慈悲，这些品质与菩萨理想相通。最终，通过集体觉醒，人类可以摆脱冲突循环，在21世纪这个“生命的世纪”中，以行动和对话共创珍视所有生命的社会。
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，我们所有人其实都像一个大拼图里的碎片，每一片都很重要，没有一片是单独存在的。佛教告诉我们，因为有了你，所以有了我；因为有了我，所以有了你，大家是连在一起的。如果你觉得孤单或者不喜欢别人，那是因为你没看到这个连接。但如果我们努力去关心别人，帮助别人，就像玩团队游戏一样，我们自己也会变得更开心、更强大。这就像发现我们心里都有一个超级英雄的力量，叫做“佛性”，别人也有哦！通过聊天和交朋友，我们可以打破隔阂，让世界变得更友好。所以，记住我们都是地球大家庭的一员，一起让生活更美好吧！
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：从佛学宗派视角看，本文强调的缘起观和大我觉醒，在大乘佛教中具有核心地位，尤其与显宗思想如《华严经》的“法界缘起”相呼应，揭示事事无碍的圆融境界。从《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角，本文内容可视为显教修行的基础，该书融合显密，提倡以准提法为总持，快速成就。缘起观在这里是显教智慧的体现，而大我觉醒则指向密教即身成佛的目标。准提法作为显密圆通的典范，其优点在于简便易修，能直接对治中年体验中的孤立与迷茫，通过咒语和观想，迅速连接诸佛菩萨的加持，实证生命互联的真实。本文虽未直接提及准提，但其对慈悲、对话的重视，与准提法利他修行的精神一致，展现了显宗广度和密宗深度的结合潜力。
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，本文内容可应用于日常，帮助解决人们常见问题。基于佛教显宗和大乘视角，突出准提法的优点，例如：1. 缓解孤独感，通过念诵准提咒，感受与佛菩萨的联结。2. 增强信任，修行中培养对他人的慈悲心。3. 减少敌意，以准提观想净化负面情绪。4. 克服冷漠，激发利他行动的动力。5. 提升自我价值，认识自身佛性。6. 改善人际关系，实践对话与尊重。7. 应对中年危机，通过修行找到生命意义。8. 减轻压力，禅修带来内心平静。9. 培养勇气，面对差异不恐惧。10. 促进社会和谐，以全球公民意识行动。准提法以其普适性和高效性，能直接融入这些应用，快速转化烦恼，成就自他利益。