---
title: "太虛大師全書．第二編　五乘共學 · 二　科學說生命起源"
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/cmpjj90nw00e0t1th47q9ik2a"
---

### 二　科學說生命起源

> Chapter 2: Scientific Views on the Origin of Life

科學對於宇宙間的一切事物，考究它的根本是什麼，用的是化學分化。因此大概認生物是其餘非生物組合起來的，經過化學分化之後，所存下的原質，已經是非生物的東西了。比如我們講人，也可用化學分化，分化的結果，說它是十四種或十五種原質化合成的，這種說法，恍如佛法講的地水火風四大和合成的一樣。但分化之後的原質，已經不是生物了。科學家為要窮究原質的本來是什麼，進而分化成為分子，由分子分為原子，原子分為電子，電子算是最基本的了。也有再研究把它分為能子，但還未獲得普遍的公認，暫且承認電子能夠成為非生物和動植物的基本原素。然科學要找出生命的起源，也就有了種種的困難，因為生物固然可以分化，但用化分了的原質再化合有生命的生物，則不可能！由此說來，生命不可用非生命的物質化成，非生物的原質，不能與生物之生命作起源。因此，科學對於生命的起源，就成了問題。

> Science, when investigating the fundamental nature of everything in the universe, uses chemical decomposition. As a result, it generally views living things as combinations of non-living matter. After chemical decomposition, the remaining basic elements are already non-living. For example, when we examine a human being through chemical decomposition, the result is said to be a combination of fourteen or fifteen elements. This view resembles the Buddhist teaching that a body is composed of the four great elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. However, the elements after decomposition are no longer alive. To trace the original nature of these elements, scientists break them down further into molecules, then molecules into atoms, and atoms into electrons, which are considered the most fundamental. Some have attempted to go even further, dividing electrons into energy particles, but this is not yet widely accepted. For now, electrons are tentatively recognized as the basic building blocks of both non-living matter and plants and animals. Yet, when science tries to find the origin of life, it encounters many difficulties. Although living things can be broken down, it is impossible to reassemble those decomposed elements into a living organism! From this perspective, life cannot be created from non-living matter, and the elements of non-living things cannot serve as the origin of life. Thus, the origin of life remains a problem for science.

有研究生物學的人，根據生物來講，謂原質根本的電子裏面有陰陽、吸收力、抵抗力等，在發生的作用上，只成功了太陽、行星等，不能生起生命；所以這地球上的生物種子，也許是由別個世界崩毀時風吹來的。我們這個地球上有此種子，由少而多，就漸漸地生長發達成眾多生物。這種起源說，等於沒有說！再追問一句，別個世界的生物種子，又是從何而來？因此、生命起源的問題，還是不能解決。

> Some biologists, studying life from a scientific standpoint, say that within the fundamental particles—electrons—there are phenomena like positive and negative charges, attraction, and repulsion. In terms of their effects, these forces only succeed in forming things like the sun and planets, but cannot give rise to life. Therefore, the seeds of life on Earth may have been blown here by wind when another world collapsed. On our Earth, these seeds grew from few to many, gradually developing into a wide variety of living beings. But this theory of origins is essentially no explanation at all! If we press further, where did the seeds of life from that other world come from? So, the question of life's origin remains unresolved.

科學家解說生物是各種物質化合成的，就想以這些東西化合成為有生命的生物，因而有很多人煞費苦心的去努力研究。但結果，化合出來的東西，如蛋和香蕉，雖與真的蛋真的香蕉差不多，但也只能看看或吃吃，要它化合出來的蛋生小雞，香蕉生芽，則不可能，仍只是死蛋死香蕉。所以科學家對於生命起源的問題，還是不能解決。

> Scientists explain that living organisms are formed through the chemical combination of various substances. Some have therefore hoped to create life by artificially combining these elements, and many have devoted tremendous effort to this research. However, the results have shown that while they can produce things like eggs and bananas that look nearly identical to real ones—edible and visually similar—these synthetic versions cannot give rise to life. A man-made egg cannot hatch a chick; a man-made banana cannot sprout and grow. They remain, ultimately, lifeless eggs and lifeless bananas. Thus, even scientists remain unable to resolve the fundamental question of life's origin.