--- title: "太虛大師全書．第二編　五乘共學 · 義繹" description: "太虚大师著《太虛大師全書·第二編 五乘共學》成书于民国时期，是近代佛教革新运动的重要文献。作者太虚为民国高僧，倡导人间佛教。本编以五乘（人、天、声闻、缘觉、菩萨）佛法为框架，系统阐述佛教基本教义，强调人乘正法为出世之基，融通世间与出世间法。该书为现代佛教教育及人间佛教实践提供核心理论依据，在近代佛教复兴中具有承前启后的重要地位，是研究中国佛教现代化转型的必读经典。" url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmpjj8zo300d1t1thc8kcmacv" --- ### 構成佛教之要素 > Elements of Buddhism ——二十五年一月在澄海佛教會講—— > January 1925 - Lecture at Chenghai Buddhist Association 佛教的要素是什麼？第一就是佛：講佛教，便要首先認識如何是佛。佛為梵音，具云「佛陀」，或「佛陀耶」，亦作「浮屠」，其義譯即為「覺者」，就是對於宇宙人生有澈底覺悟的人。佛為覺者之覺，非通常浮泛的覺，因這些覺，自以為覺，其實都是極膚淺的覺，甚至或是錯覺；唯有佛的覺，乃是「澈底的覺」。較之中國聖人所稱之聖的意義，更加慎重與深遠，是無上正等正覺之覺。覺者與聖人相彷，所以中國的聖人亦有稱為先覺者；唯聖人終究是世間的聖人，世間的覺者，不能和超世的聖中聖的覺者——佛相比擬。然此覺者在佛教中，亦通於阿羅漢、辟支佛、菩薩，唯羅漢、支佛祗能稱為正覺，不能稱為正等正覺，因其覺量狹小未能普遍一切故；大乘菩薩雖亦稱為正等正覺，自利利他，普於一切，然其有上有容，不能稱為無上；唯有佛，纔是無上無容正等正覺的覺者。 > What are the essential elements of Buddhism? The first is the Buddha: when discussing Buddhism, we must first understand what a Buddha is. "Buddha" is a Sanskrit term, fully rendered as "Buddha" or "Buddhaya," also written as "Futu." Its meaning translates to "the Awakened One"—one who has thoroughly awakened to the nature of the universe and life. The awakening of a Buddha is not ordinary or superficial. Others may think they are awake, but their awareness is shallow, or even mistaken. Only the Buddha's awakening is complete and thorough. Compared to the concept of a "sage" in Chinese tradition, it is deeper and more profound, representing the awakening of unsurpassed, perfect, and complete enlightenment. While "the Awakened One" resembles the Chinese idea of a sage—sometimes called a "former awakened one"—sages are ultimately worldly beings. A worldly awakened one cannot compare with the Buddha, the awakened one beyond the world, the sage of sages. However, in Buddhism, the term "awakened one" also applies to Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas are called "rightly awakened" but not "perfectly and rightly awakened," because their awakening is limited in scope and cannot reach all beings. Although Mahayana Bodhisattvas are also called "perfectly and rightly awakened," benefiting themselves and others universally, their awakening still has a superior above them and room for further growth. Only the Buddha is the unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakened one, with nothing above and no room remaining. 講明佛所以稱為覺者的意義，就真正知道：第一、佛與世間聖人不同，佛是出世的大聖；第二、還須知道佛與所謂「神道」亦不同。神和佛，在一般中國人的觀念中，都是混在一起，不能辨別清楚，而知佛是覺者之後，則佛不同於天神地祇的意義，也自然會明白。知道佛是出世的大聖人，大覺者，不但『天上天下，唯佛獨尊』，而且是『十方所有我盡見，一切無有如佛者』。若以世間神聖來比較，無異螢火之鬥日月了。既知道佛非禍福於人的神鬼，進一步，還要知道佛亦非萬能創造萬物的主宰神，而是一個覺悟真理的人而已。 > To clearly understand the meaning of the Buddha being called "the Awakened One," one must truly realize two things: First, the Buddha is different from ordinary saints of the world—He is a transcendent great sage. Second, one must also understand that the Buddha differs from so-called "deities." In the minds of most Chinese people, gods and Buddhas are often mixed together and cannot be clearly distinguished. But once we know that the Buddha is an awakened being, the distinction between the Buddha and earthly gods or celestial spirits naturally becomes clear. Knowing that the Buddha is a great sage of transcendence and a fully awakened being, it is not only true that "Throughout heaven and earth, the Buddha alone is honored," but also "All beings everywhere I have seen, none can compare to the Buddha." To compare Him with worldly sacred figures is like comparing fireflies to the sun and moon. Once we understand that the Buddha is neither a god who brings fortune or misfortune to people, we must go further: The Buddha is not an omnipotent creator deity who governs all things. He is merely a person who has awakened to the truth. 我們眾生自無始以來，迷昧不覺，所以流轉生死；若要了脫生死的苦痛；便非依無上正遍覺的佛的方法來修學不為功。如此信佛，把信心與佛打成一片，便再也不會改途易轍去信仰別的宗教和別的主義了。 > From beginningless time, we sentient beings have been lost in confusion and unawareness, which is why we continue cycling through birth and death. If we wish to escape the suffering of this cycle, we must rely on and practice the methods taught by the Supreme Perfectly Enlightened One—the Buddha, and nothing else will suffice. When we believe in the Buddha in this way, our faith becomes one with the Buddha Himself, and we will never again waver or turn to other religions or doctrines. 但是，這樣信佛有什麼益處呢？簡單點說，就因我們眾生未能真正覺悟宇宙人生的真理，迷而流轉於生死；而佛既覺悟真理，不流浪於生死痛苦，同時又把怎樣覺悟真理了脫生死的方法告訴人；我們纔得依此方法而解脫，這便是信佛的大利益。佛不能利人，佛所以利人者即在於法，離了法便無所謂佛，所以構成佛教第二重要素，就是法。那麼、我們既信了佛，就要信法，但要由信仰而去研究明解和修習，纔算是真正的信法！所謂法，就是經、律、論三藏；其內蘊不外境、行、果；其方法不出戒、定、慧；其證悟的結果，不外菩提、涅槃。 但是法的境界是很廣的，太廣了；而法為佛所說，佛又太高了；我們凡夫眾生要躐等的學習，是辦不到的，故須皈依已經對佛法有所證悟而歷代傳持佛法的僧，於是僧又成了構成佛教的第三重要素。僧、廣義言之，可以分作三類：一、菩薩僧，自等覺以下的地、向、行、住、信的菩薩，都可名之為僧。二、聖賢僧，如聲聞、緣覺等已發心修行，證到七賢位之修總相念、別相念、四加行以至四向、四果位都是聖賢僧。三、比丘僧，即是秉戒修持，能住持佛教的僧伽。佛法雖然高廣，但由這三種真實的僧伽，便可從實踐行事上把佛法引用表現出來，使人歌詠讚歎。所以、佛法如高山峻嶺，而比丘僧、聖賢僧、菩薩僧，是一步一步攀上這高山峻嶺的階級，那末學佛者要想從凡夫地到佛果地，僧就成了必依的規範者。 整個的佛教，就是由這三種要素組合而成。所以學佛的人，便要在這上面有真正的認識，不論在家或出家，然後方是真正的佛徒；由這真正信佛的份子，由少數集合多數的份子，就產生出佛教會的團體了。所以，是真正的佛徒，應該從認識三寶起，然後由少數的份子集合多數的份子，成立堅實的教團，宣揚佛教文化！ > Buddhism as a whole is made up of these three elements. Therefore, anyone who studies Buddhism—whether a layperson or a monk—must truly understand them in order to be a genuine follower of the Buddha. When such true believers come together, starting from a few and gathering into many, the Buddhist community emerges. So, to be a true Buddhist, one must begin by understanding the Three Jewels. Then, from a small group of like-minded individuals, grow into a larger community, forming a strong, united sangha to spread Buddhist culture. （竺摩記）見海刊十七卷三期 > (Recorded by Zhumo) See Volume 17, Issue 3 of the Sea Publication