關於「業」（Karma）的一些疑問karma questions
- 10月 24 週一 201114:07
關於「業」（Karma）的一些疑問
關於「業」（Karma）的一些疑問karma questions
- 10月 24 週一 201114:03
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎(下)
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎 Gregory of Nyssa的著作與《涅槃經》的相似之處
David K. Goodin 加拿大魁北克McGill大學博士／講師
Marking Out Common Ground for Eastern Orthodoxy and Mahāyāna Buddhism:
Correspondences in the Works of Gregory of Nyssa and the Mahāparinirvāna SūtraBuddha
transiguration1Buddha
- 10月 24 週一 201113:59
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎(中)
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎 Gregory of Nyssa的著作與《涅槃經》的相似之處
David K. Goodin 加拿大魁北克McGill大學博士／講師
Marking Out Common Ground for Eastern Orthodoxy and Mahāyāna Buddhism:
Correspondences in the Works of Gregory of Nyssa and the Mahāparinirvāna SūtraBuddha
transiguration1Buddha
從基督教觀點來看佛教的形上學
A Christian Perspective on Buddhist Metaphysics
《涅槃經》是大乘佛教的最後一部經典，它告訴眾人「佛性」（Buddha-dhatu）就存在於世間。
「佛性」是一種超越世俗的概念，指的是埋藏在負面的心智狀態和肉體情慾下的自我，
而這些負面的情緒或欲望都是「無我」（anatman）的。
人類目前就是被這些暫存的、無我的負面特質所蒙蔽，
而這些負面特質的來源就是五蘊（skandhas）。
五蘊包含了：(1) 色蘊；(2) 受蘊；(3) 想蘊；(4) 行蘊；(5) 識蘊；
由這五蘊結合而成的假我是無自性的。
五蘊無法組成真我（atman），因為它們都是短暫的，
它們的存在就像轉瞬即逝的生命一樣，在它們深層的內在， 沒有永恆真實的法則。
它們構成了一個被無明所蒙蔽的「塵世中的自我」。
就是這種對感官界的執著，使眾生被輪迴的陷井所苦，無法脫離痛苦（duhkha）。
而 「真我」指的就是佛性，它會從如來藏（Tathāgatagarbha）中顯現出來。
「真我」是人內心深處的自性（svabhava），它可取得法身（Dharmakaya），
也就是存在的終極層次，也就是整個宇宙真實的本質。
只有當人們完全去除心中的煩惱（kleshas，即心智上及精神上的一 切苦惱，包含了貪、瞋、痴三毒），
佛性才有可能被實現。
「真我」存在於佛陀以及其他身心複合體之內；
也就是說，佛性不只是存在於一個人之內，它也遍及整個宇宙。
我們可以說，佛性存在於人類、非人類…等受造物之內。
《涅槃經》曾言：「一切眾生，悉有佛性。」
日本曹洞宗的開山祖師，道元禪師 （1200-1253 C.E.）在瞭解了這段偈語後，指出「眾生是佛」。
「眾生是佛」並不是在表達一種象徵意義，而是要告訴我們，眾生在本質上就是佛。
關於道元禪師的宇宙論，Graham Parkes提出自己的看法，
他認為道元禪師的宇宙論涉及人類與一切非人類的生命。[32]
在如來藏思想中，我們可以發現相同的看法。
如來藏思想主張，所有眾生都有實現他們的佛性的潛能，也可以在輪迴中得到淨化。
即使有情眾生只能在六道中轉生，
然而，他們在六道中還是可以致力於佛法，現象界中的一切生物，都有這種達到解脫的潛能。
在佛教的宇宙觀裡，現象界將不斷重複著四種狀態的循環，
也就是成、住、壞、空「四劫」 -------- 這是一種不斷改變且重生的循環。
而對照於基督教的宇宙觀，則是一種烏托邦世界的墮落：
在最開始的「劫」裡，世界上有許多人存在，他們每一位都擁有最好的德性。
他們身上散發出如此美好的光輝，以致於每一個人都不需要仰賴太陽或月亮。
然而，此時卻出現一種非永恆的力量，使每一個人的光芒都減弱了，而美德也跟著消失了。[33]
這就好像基督教裡亞當的伊甸園一樣，最初的 「大地」墮落了，變成了現今這種充滿痛苦與混亂的世界。
然而，在佛教的宇宙觀裡，世界墮落的根本原因是無常，而不是精神上的罪。
而佛教中另一個可以和基督教比對的有趣觀念是「從無中生有」(ex nihilo) 的宇宙觀，
佛教認為現象世界是由「色」與「空」所組成的，
而真正的真實，則需透過辨證一元論來加以了解：
「憍陳如。色即是空。因滅空色。 獲得解脫非空之色。受想行識亦復如是。」
爾時，世尊告憍陳如：「色是無常。因滅是色。獲得解脫常住之色。
受想行識亦是無常。因滅是識。獲得解脫常住之識。」[34]
現象界是無自性的、是無常的、是短暫的 —— 最明顯的事實就是業力的因果定律。
然而，在這樣的「空」裡，佛性卻以「空性」的形式來呈現一種真實的理性本質。
透過對虛幻實體和理性本質所進行的辨證，
就能夠使無常（透過佛法的正確修習）轉向解脫的常住之色，空轉變成解脫的非空之色。
從這個方面來看，
佛教的宇宙論與東正教所提到的「感官界的受造物」與「理性界的真實」似乎有異曲同工之妙。
五蘊和合的假我，包含了感官界以外的真實，
這個概念無疑是與 Gregory將世界萬物分成感官界與理性界兩種動態系統有異曲同工之妙。
兩個系統都以辨證一元論來描述現象界的真實，
感官界（或者用「空」或「虛無」這 些詞彙來表達）受到佛性或基督法則（Logos-Logoi）的支持，
而佛性或基督法則都超越了感官界。
很自然地，在佛教與東正教中， 某些等價的想法和相互呼應的特徵，
在各自獨特的發展歷程中遭到破壞 -------- 東正教所說的神聖充滿，
在佛教裡，則變成了越超個人的慈悲與佛性的禪觀（buddhanusmrti）。
除此之外，在基督教中，基督法則不僅僅是一個因果的法則，同時也是一種存在於宇宙萬物之內的法則；
而在佛教中，佛性只是一個存在於宇宙萬物之內的法則，而業力才是因果法則中的因。
儘管如此，我認為佛教與東正教這些潛在的相似點，不僅僅只是表面上看起來相似而已，
它們在宇宙論架構下，成為運作的基礎，並且還延伸到末世論的理想中。
這兩個系統最主要的差別在於「現象界持續存在的原因」。
在東正教的想法中，是上帝的意志讓現象界得以維持。
而在佛教的想法中，現象界是業力的產物。
然而，在這兩個看法中，「苦」的概念都刻劃出世界運作的特色，
無論它們被稱作「苦諦」或「神義論」（theodicy），都與「業力」和「罪」密不可分。
接著，我們嘗試將佛教中的「由五蘊所和合的假我」與Gregory所描述的「在受造界中，
終將歸於塵土的肉身的自我」作比較，並且尋找彼此的相似性。
或許，兩者的差異實在太大，還不能稱得上「相似」。
基督教宣稱，每一個人的復活，都會因其獨一無二的個人特質而異。
就算是如此，如果我們將「感官」當作是自我的經歷，尤其是自我在墮落世界中所遭受的一切，
那麼基督教的復活，就可以被想像成：一個不受限於死亡、情欲或不受罪所染污的自我的出現。
「請注意，我把一件奧秘告訴你們：我們不是都要長眠著，乃是都要改變。」（哥林多前書 15:51）
也就是說，原先那個由墮落世界的感官經歷所組成的「自我」，
在復活的時候，就會變成一個不受罪所染污的、與原本不同的「非-自我」。
這種「非 -自我」的概念，可以提供一個特別的基礎，來與佛教的「無我」進行比較。
當然，這個「非-自我」的概念，
並不會與基督教所說的「每一個人與上帝合一的時候，都將保有自己獨特的個人特質」產生衝突。
讓我們再回到一個關鍵性的問題，
就是「是否佛教的現象界在本質上就是惡的？是否現象界與不朽的真理本來就是對立的？」
對佛教和東正教而言，棄絕現象界的客觀現象，是獲得救恩的必要條件。
然而，不論是佛教或東正教都主張，信徒必須以不執著於感官界的意識，擁抱同一個充滿欲望的世界，
也就是說，在出世與入世的道路之間，採取「中道」。
或者，我們可以用保羅的說法：
「依據聖靈(κατα πνευμα) 而活而不要依據肉體的世俗感知而活。」（羅馬書 8:1-9）
這樣的「中道」，成為每天日常生活中的禪修，
我們的意識，如果處在默觀或禪修之中，
就會發現「遍及萬物的永恆」和「塵世中的無常」是如此和諧共存。
因此，無論在永恆或無常之中，感官界都不是惡的。
或許，從某個角度來看，這像是一種模稜兩可的態度，
然而，就算是如此，佛教和東正教都不贊成一種無法妥協的二元論，以靈魂界來對抗物質界。
因為，就好像東正教宇宙論與佛教的主張那樣，
它們都提出，必須兼具感官與默觀（或感官與禪修）二者的體悟，才能通往永恆的「真我」。
《涅槃經》的末世論，並沒有對涅槃作出確實和完整的描述。
然而，經中卻啟示我們：達到涅槃的境界時，五蘊都會被轉化，一切感官界都不受業的染污：
憍陳如。色是無我。因滅是色。獲得解脫真我之色。受想行識亦復如是。
憍陳如。色是不淨。因滅是色。獲得解脫清淨之 色。受想行識亦復如是。
憍陳如。色是生老病死之相。因滅是色。獲得解脫非生老病死相之色。受想行識亦復如是。
憍陳如。色是無明因。因滅是色。獲得解脫非無明因色。受想行識亦復如是。[35]
《涅槃經》曾言，心靈的受、想、行、識將會被轉變成清淨真我。
關於此，《涅槃經》的描述與Gregory的想法十分相似。
Gregory認為，現象界中的各種罪如果可以與上帝和解，歸向上帝，那麼腐敗的肉體就會轉變成不腐敗的。
佛陀也曾言：「善男子。天上無大苦惱事。其身體柔軟細滑。」[36]
這裡有必要進一步說明，在「念佛觀」（buddhanusmrti）的修行當中，佛陀的身體是純淨而崇高的，
我們可以將此概念，沿用在各個地區佛陀所化身的神祇身上。[37]
這使人聯想到佛教的主張，佛教認為，每一個眾生（肉身的存在）都期待著（佛教的）末世的來臨，
或者，至少這些眾生（靈性的存在）都將從痛苦、欲望與幻像的染污中解脫。
然而，也有相反的論點認為，「涅槃後的肉身」只是一種比喻，用來象徵「轉化」這一主觀經驗[38]，
就好像用自然主義的繪畫來比喻耶穌的靈性真實一 樣。
而這就是二諦（「俗諦」與「真諦」，或者說「世俗諦」與「勝義諦」）所主張的，
絕對的真實只能依靠抽象的符號或語言來表達。
總之，無論《涅槃經》的敘述，是一種人格化的比喻手法，
或者，它描述出超然的真實，那現象界的肉體，都不可以被視為無法改變的罪惡。
起碼，在《涅槃經》的陳述中，「對現象界的肉身的厭惡」也是一種必須捨棄的執著。
再者，我們也無法排除「達到涅槃的真我，將是一具承載著非凡的人的肉身」的可能性。[39]
有些學者斷言，上座部佛教對真我與身體的描述是二元的，在真正的涅槃中，則不會有肉體的存在。
大乘佛教對此看法是抱持開放的態度。[40]
在佛教中，第二個支持「肉身會（如同基督教末世論的主張）在轉化或轉生的過程中得到淨化」的基礎是，
現象界的自我，可以藉由觀想地獄之苦，來淨化業 力的染污：「善男子。有智之人觀地獄苦。
觀一地獄乃至一百三十六所。一一地獄有種種苦。皆是煩惱業因緣生。」[41]
這一百三十六個地獄中所受的寒、熱之苦，對種種造惡之人來說，都可被視為非世間的國度。
然而，我們可以說，這不過是一種比喻，用來象徵個人的某中主觀經驗。
例如：天台大師（公元538-597年，又被世人稱作智顗大師或智者大師）與日蓮大師（公元1222-1282 年）都認為，
地獄是人類生命中的一種心理狀態 [42]。
在唯識瑜伽行派，也就是著名的「唯識」傳統當中，也可以發現類似的看法，
唯識傳統認為，阿賴耶識（根本心識）被認為在受生的這一世中，受到了心理與身體的染污（例如：五蘊的染污）；
而修行者就要在業力的儲藏所中徹底根除這些染污的種子，
以免他們的阿賴耶識又陷入進輪迴的痛苦之中－－也許是陷入輪迴更底層的部分，甚至是落入地獄之中。
因此，對修行者來說，這種身體的比喻是非常真實的，
即使這一切的事實，都被認為是唯識的，或是中道的（中觀 Madhyamaka）。
這個討論的重點在於，無論是東正教或大乘佛教，都主張淨化那些染污的業力／罪是重要。
用 Gregory的話來說，我們應該要「藉由悔改與身體上的苦難，而帶領那些有罪的人回到原始的恩典之中。」[43]
先不要理會肉身在宇宙論的輪廓下的確切狀態，
雖然，對於佛教和東正教而言，肉身都是靈性轉化的重要媒介。
此外，那個非此即彼的二元論範疇，例如：心－身、 主體－客體的分割，
可能只是肉身在處理客觀現象時的自然反應而已，這樣的二分法並不能完全表達出靈性的真實。
儘管，在《涅槃經》當中，並沒有具體說明「涅槃」的細節，
然而，經文當中間接對「涅槃」提出的比喻，
似乎可以與上文中 Gregory of Nyssa所提到的有關天堂的論述作比較，
佛言：「善男子。若言涅槃非三世攝，虛空亦 爾者。是義不然。何以故。
涅槃是有可見可證是色足跡章句。是有、是 相、是緣、是歸依處、寂靜光明安隱彼岸。是故得名非三世攝。」
這就是為什麼，我們可以確認，涅槃是超出三世（即現在、過去、未來）之外的。 [44]
就像Gregory所描述的那個「清淨無欲」的天堂，
在那裡，人們正享受著豐收的喜悅時刻，並且默觀著與上帝合一的美好，
《涅槃經》曾描繪出一幅與此相似且超脫的景象，
修行人脫出三世之外，處於一種超越時間的圓滿境界。
而現象界的命運依然晦澀而難解。
在上文描述「絕對存有」的文字中，顯示了涅槃式的 「彼岸」，也可能出現在東正教的理想中，
例如，Irenæus所說的落在光譜另外一端的新樂園，
或是Maximos the Confessor所說的在另一個世界的無實體的天堂。
Gregory帶給我們的獨特啟示，奧秘地將各種元素，天衣無縫地合為一 體，
Gregory的著作為我們提供了一面最好的鏡子，讓我們清楚照見《涅槃經》中描繪出的末世論。
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結語
Closing Statements
儘管《涅槃經》與Gregory的著作，在許多重要細節上，還是有著顯著的差異，
然而，二者在宇宙論和末世論方面的基本架構上，卻存在著許多驚人的相似點。
若由「辯證一元論」來為二者的客觀事實下定義，
會發現它們當中「非人性的內在原有價值」，最終都將連結到一個末世論的理想與圓滿境界。
除此之外， 它們在描述達成圓滿境界的過程時，都將「人性元素」與「非人性本質」作連結；
東正教和大乘佛教都認為，透過人類努力圓滿救恩論的理想，
所有客觀現象的存在，最後都會與終極事實和諧一致。
生態神學家將有興趣針對這個共同的重要主題，進行特別的探討。
這個分析的重要性，還涉及其他主題，值得進行宗教對話。
東正教和大乘佛教在深層教義中所存在的相似性，
能夠增進彼此針對神學、宇宙論和末世論…等領域的其他問題進行更有意義、更深層的交流的可能性。
《涅槃經》和 Gregory的著作，的確是相互呼應的，
而且，我們可以從中看見一條共通的道路和中立的基礎，
這些條件都能夠增進雙方在更廣泛的主題上的交流，藉此豐富彼此的內涵，為彼此增色。
儘管如此，一種「普世救恩」的主張仍不能算是「宗教對話」領域的實際目標。
但是，我們還是有可能增進各種信仰之間的瞭解與敬重，
尤其，當這些信仰的基本價值與其他信仰相同時。
本文的分析向我們顯示，透過對《涅槃經》和Gregory的著作所進行的比較研究，
我們可以發現，在東正教和大乘佛教之間，有一條通往「尊重彼此，相互對話」的道路。
這兩個偉大的世界信仰的「救恩論」或許無法完全一致，
今日的基督徒還是可以站在類似Clement of Alexandria (d. circa 215 C.E.)的立場，
欽佩佛陀非凡的神聖性 [45]，同時又維持自己堅定的信仰。
或許，擴展自己對其他信仰的敬愛，使之日益加深，是宗教對話與跨宗教研究領域中最高貴的志向吧！
(we express our deep gratitude to prof.David K. Goodin for this kindness to allow us to translate and upload his article.
we have nothing to repay him, except our humble prayers.
we pray and hope in the future to have more articles like this.
Taipei, fr. Jonah)
- 10月 24 週一 201113:55
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎(上)
為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎為「東正教」與「大乘佛教」提出一個共通的基礎 Gregory of Nyssa的著作與《涅槃經》的相似之處
David K. Goodin 加拿大魁北克McGill大學博士／講師
Marking Out Common Ground for Eastern Orthodoxy and Mahāyāna Buddhism:
Correspondences in the Works of Gregory of Nyssa and the Mahāparinirvāna SūtraBuddha
- 10月 24 週一 201113:51
以聖父為「因」所建構的「新因果概念」（中文）
以聖父為「因」所建構的「新因果概念」
the Father as cause, a contribution to the concept of 因果
see the english translation at the end of this text
reason
一般來說，「因果」概念普遍存在於東方人的心中。
我們可以說，「因果定律」是宇宙的自然定律，也是人類生命和整個世界最深層的主宰。
然而，對於西方人來說，「因果定律」有時候卻令人無法理解。
舉例來說：為什麼我現在的言行舉止會影響到下一世的我呢？
從東方的觀點來看，影響下一世的命運 的關鍵，不在於外在的行為表現，而在於內心的動機。
就像大樹開花結果一般，「意念」的「因」會造成往後的「果」。
當樹上的果實瓜熟蒂落後，果實又會帶著 DNA的遺傳因子回歸大地，長成另一株植物。
或許，許多東方人會覺得這個例子「理所當然」說明了「因果」的作用，
然而，以希臘思想的角度來檢視之，就會發現這個例子的說服力並不足夠。
「理所當然」這四個字總是不經意的溜進我們的話語當中，
然而，這四個字也掩蓋了事情背後未知的問題：「究竟，這一切是如何發生的呢？」
希臘思想的傳統，會用邏輯思考來檢視一切是否為真。
當有人說：「果實成熟時就會『自然而然』落下」的時候，
西方人就會提出疑問：「為什麼果實成熟時，不是 『自然而然』的往上飛，而是往下落呢？
是什麼力量讓果實往下落，而不是飛向其他方向呢？」
追根究底，我們發現了萬有引力的存在，是它讓果實落下。
我們也提出了「加速度」、「自由落體」…等概念，並且以方程式描述落體之運動路徑。
這些原理與論述是經得起檢驗的。
除此之外，近代的量子力學也給我們許多驚喜。
若是以邏輯的角度出發，我們可以說「因果」創造了「時間箭頭」。
時間從「因」流向「果」，又從「果」流向「因」，
這個概念可以用符號表達如下： 「因」→「果」又「果」→「因」。
讓我們回到正題，在這次的討論當中，我的重點並不是這些哲學性或理論性的物理學原理，
而是想要與各位分享一些新的概念。
我想，這些概念是東方的思想家未曾提出過的，因為，它們出自於聖經，是神的啟示。
以下，我會盡量用簡單易懂的話語來闡 述這些新概念，
如果各位想要更深入的瞭解，可以深入閱讀John Zizioulas教授精闢的著作「Communion and Otherness」。
----------------------------------------------
基督宗教的神是Trinity。
大部分的中文譯者將Trinity譯為「三位一體」，
然而，我認為「三位一體」這個中文名詞並不能精確表達出 Trinity的真意，
也容易使人產生錯誤的認知，誤以為Trinity是由「三位」和「一體」兩個獨立部份組成的概念。
關於 Trinity，如果各位有興趣瞭解更多，可以透過網路參與我們的課程，在我們的網頁上有許多相關的文章。
在這次的討論當中，我只分享我對 Trinity的一部分詮釋，還有一些我從東方思想中衍生出來的想法。
----------------------------------------------
首先，
我想探討一個重要的問題：為什麼聖父、聖子、聖靈這「三位」是「一個」神而不是「三個」獨立的神呢？
這個問題之所以如此重要，是因為它的答案蘊含了西方社會學、政治學與哲學…等思想元素。
依據西方的一般性說法，聖父、聖子、聖靈這「三位」有一個共同的essence，
因此，我們說他們是「一 體」，因此是「一個神」而不是「三個神」
（這種說法的代表性人物是聖奧古斯丁，他的意念很良善，但卻缺乏全方位的神學背景）。
值得注意的是，這樣的說法並非以「聖經」或「教會信仰」為根基，
因此，我們可以發現這個答案漏洞百出。
舉例來說：依據這個論述我們可以推論，「一個神」的存在來自於「一個共同的 essence」。
然而，如果essence是神存在的關鍵因素，那麼，神的存在就不是完全自主的，
因為，是附加在神身上的essence使神存在，因此，神的存在具有某種「被強迫性」。
當然，這是不合理的。
如果換個角度來想，我們可以以自己為例，
我們之所以是「人類」，是因為我們生而為人，
無論我們的意願如何，都無法拒絕兩個眼睛、兩條腿…等特徵。
人類對於自己的存在，並非百分之百的自主。
我們唯一能做的，就是接納自己天生的樣子，然後用後天的努力使 自己更加完美，
或者，有些人選擇自暴自棄，讓自己更加墮落。
在這裡，我想要提出一個疑問：「究竟什麼是essence？」
許多中國人， 甚至是中國的神學家對essence的意義很陌生，
因為，這個概念是西方哲學的產物。
大部分的中國人用「本質」或「實質」…等詞來表達essence的意義，
不然就是以自己的生活經驗來向別人說明，例如：水的本質是無色透明… 等。
往往，這樣的解釋不夠精確，甚至有誤導的作用。
如果我們研究初期教會的歷史，就會發現，當時的教會也曾面對過相同的問題。
教會中有些人想要用亞里斯多德的思想來解釋萬物的essence，
舉例來說：紙、書、木桌、鉛筆、木椅的essence都是「木頭」，因為，它們的原料都是木頭。
因此，「木頭」是這 些物品的「存在」的終極源頭。
以上我們做了許多哲學的討論，
然而，我認為，「為神找到一個完美的哲學描述」並不是一件重要的事情，
「聆聽神向我們啟示的聲音」才是最重要的。
聖經當中幾乎沒有提到過essence，只有在彼得前書1:4當中提到過一次。
---------------------------------------------
現在，讓我們來看看，聖經當中的essence是什麼意義呢？
聖經上說，聖父擁有essence，並將之分享給聖子與聖靈。
我認為，這才是基督徒對 essence的正確認知。
在我們的課程中，我們會詳細的分析和論證這個道理，
但是在這裡，我只用幾個例子作簡要的說明，
其中包括：約翰福音1:4，約翰 福音17:10…等章節。
聖經肯定神的存在。
然而，聖經對「存在」這個概念卻有兩種不同面向的詮釋：什麼是神？
這個問題涉及 essence的意義（例如：生命、力量、智慧等…）。
神如何存在？（例如：聖父、聖子、聖靈之間的關係）。
---------------------------------------------
從聖經的教導中，我們知道「聖父給予聖子生命」。
我們所說的「聖父」與人類在世間的父母完全沒有任何關聯。
首先，神沒有男、女性別之分，而世間的父親先天上與母親有許多區別。
再者，世間的父親與兒子的角色帶有時間性
（兒子必定比父親晚許多年出生，兒子與父親的存在的起點不可能重疊）。
由此我們可以看出，「神」與「世間的父親角色」之間沒有任何的相似性。
我們無法精確得知，聖經所說的「在神體內給予生命」（give birth in god）究竟是什麼意思，
然而，從聖經和教父們的作品當中，我們可以歸納出兩個特性：
「聖父」給予「聖子」生命，藉此過程，「聖父」也給予「聖子」性格。
也就是說，「聖子」的存在是獨一無二的，他有別於「聖父」或「聖靈」。
然而， 「聖子」卻擁有「聖父」的essence，「聖子」不會有另一個新的essence。
對於聖靈而言，也是如此，只是形式稍有不同。
「聖父」發出 （proceeding）「聖靈」，藉此過程，「聖父」也給予「聖靈」性格。
也就是說，「聖靈」的存在也是獨一無二的，他有別於「聖父」或 「聖子」，也不是「聖子」的兄弟。
然而，「聖靈」同樣也擁有「聖父」的essence，「聖靈」不會有另一個新的essence。
請注意，這裡只有一個essence，那就是聖父的essence。
在這個觀念上，我們必須要很謹慎：
神不是由三個「達成共識，決定要永遠在一起」的 「獨立個體」所組成的。
我們應該要知道，只有一個「因」或「源頭」，那就是「聖父」。
因此，我們可以說，在Trinity當中有一個 「因」或「源頭」，那就是「聖父」，他就是神。
談到這裡，我想提醒各位，「聖父」是神的事實，並不能否定「聖子」與「聖靈」也是神。
或許我這樣說有點奇怪，讓各位感到有點困惑。
不過，請容我繼續說明，聖父「發出聖靈」和聖父「給予聖子生命」是兩種不同的作用方式，
但是，兩者皆是永恆的，超越了時間的概念。
偉大的神學家Gregory the theologian曾用一句話闡明了這些概念：神是一（聖父），但卻不是單獨一個。
---------------------------------------------
有些人可能會說：「為什麼是如此？這個答案會不會太複雜了？」
以下，就讓我們一起來認識一些革命性的新觀念，它們闡述了生命如何由Trinity而來。
． 「聖父」是因，而「聖子」及「聖靈」是果。
．時間的概念，可以從因果中加以剔除。
．在新因果概念中，因果並非必然存在的，而是出於我們自由的選擇。
「聖父」在發出「聖靈」和給予「聖子」生命時，不受任何強迫。
因為「聖父」想要以 「愛的共同體」的模式存在，
所以，他以自由的意願，進行了這項工作。
．因果並不是一個法則，而是一種愛，一種自由。
例如：耶穌願意像人類一樣，在十字架上受難而死亡，
因為，他永遠是聖父深愛的聖子，他不斷允諾聖父。
因果不是某種道德法則，而是一種關係，這種關係最終轉變成了生命。
聖子之所以是「善的」，並不是基於道德倫理上的原因，而是因為，這是聖父的旨意。
一切的倫理和道德都不是絕對的法則，愛與自由的生命，才是最終的法則。
東方人對於「什麼是善？」並沒有一個平易近人的解釋。
究竟誰能夠決定什麼是善，什麼不是善呢？
善只不過是一般人心中的普遍概念。
．這裡所談的新因果，不再是一種從痛苦經驗中得到的體悟。
它來自於「神存在的方式」，也來自於 Trinity的光。
．如果未來中國的神學家或佛教導師能夠在這個觀念上用功，
我想，這將是中國哲學上的一場革命：從「道德律法」轉變為 「以人為主」，
從「命中注定」轉變成「自由意願」。
．因此，我們應該這樣思維：當下我的存在，不僅僅是自己的決定，而是一個與別人息息相關的決定。
事實上，我們必須了解，我們的存在是神的恩賜，我們因為神與眾人的愛而存在。
如果一個人，以自私的態度存在，在他的世界裡，凡事只為了自己的好，那就是所謂的地獄。
．我個人認為，東方人應該已經知道了這些概念，只是沒有透徹的瞭解。
東方人想要擺脫「個體」與「個人主義」色彩，所以不斷在「太虛」和「無我」當中尋找自己，
然而，除此之外，東方人如何能夠更進一步向真理邁進？
我想，當我們與眾人在「愛」和「自由」中共存時，才算真正實現了「無我」的境界。
． 人類的存在之源，並不是「人性」，而是亞當。
亞當是我們的「因」，我們的「人性」皆相同，所以，在這個世界上，「人性」只有一個。
然而，我們擁有自己的「位格」，因此我們有自由。
亞當是神的肖象，我們每個人也都是與眾不同的神的肖象，每個肖像都是獨一無二的。
．「他性」（otherness）是有次序、有階層的。
然而，階層並非來自於權利，而是來自於「存在的方式」。
亞當是我們的「因」，但如果我們願意的話，
我們可以更改我們的「因」，讓耶穌成為我們的新亞當，新的「因」。
我們都在耶穌裡，耶穌才是教會的頭，而我們不是。
．在西方人的心中，階層觀念是不好的，階層被視為一種對自由的抑制，
然而，在基督教裡，「聖父」卻高於「聖子」（約翰福音 14:28），
因為「聖父」是「聖子」、「聖靈」的存在之「因」，
「聖父」賦予「聖子」、「聖靈」與他相同的存在方式。
在基督教裡，階層被解放了，只有愛、自由與生命。
我想，中國文化傳統中的階級觀念，可以在基督教裡找到新的意義。
為了避免誤解的危險，我想舉個例子來說明：有人認為自己的生命就像個重擔，
但有些人則會說：「啊！我是雙親的愛的果實，我的存在不只是一場化學反應，而是兩個摯愛者的結晶，
我喜歡這個結果，我擁有父母親一部分的血液，這讓我感到其樂無比，
這份愛正是我生命的源頭，它讓我有能力去運用愛、給予愛和領受愛。」
．最重要的是，亞當是人類「位格」和「他性」之源，
因此我們可以推論，必定有一個獨特的事物，讓亞當成為獨一無二的人。
我想，光是用「創造」一詞來解釋，有點過於敷衍。
我們應該進一步說，亞當之所以是獨一無二的人，因為他的人格是神的恩賜，這是難能可貴的。
然而，亞當並不是宇宙的中心，他的中心參考點是神，也就是Trinity。
因為，亞當想以自己為宇宙的中心，拒絕以神為中心參考點，所以他墮落了。
最後，我想以誠摯的心與各位分享心中的感想。
教會中曾有許多偉大的教父，將聖經中的思想引入希臘哲學中，
他們的貢獻，豐富了希臘哲學的內涵，也給予希臘哲學新生命。
我想，Trinity的概念，必定也能為中國哲學思想注入新的元素，為中國哲學思想開創新的道路。†
the Father as cause, a contribution to the concept of 因果
see the english translation at the end of this text
reason
一般來說，「因果」概念普遍存在於東方人的心中。
我們可以說，「因果定律」是宇宙的自然定律，也是人類生命和整個世界最深層的主宰。
然而，對於西方人來說，「因果定律」有時候卻令人無法理解。
舉例來說：為什麼我現在的言行舉止會影響到下一世的我呢？
從東方的觀點來看，影響下一世的命運 的關鍵，不在於外在的行為表現，而在於內心的動機。
就像大樹開花結果一般，「意念」的「因」會造成往後的「果」。
當樹上的果實瓜熟蒂落後，果實又會帶著 DNA的遺傳因子回歸大地，長成另一株植物。
或許，許多東方人會覺得這個例子「理所當然」說明了「因果」的作用，
然而，以希臘思想的角度來檢視之，就會發現這個例子的說服力並不足夠。
「理所當然」這四個字總是不經意的溜進我們的話語當中，
然而，這四個字也掩蓋了事情背後未知的問題：「究竟，這一切是如何發生的呢？」
希臘思想的傳統，會用邏輯思考來檢視一切是否為真。
當有人說：「果實成熟時就會『自然而然』落下」的時候，
西方人就會提出疑問：「為什麼果實成熟時，不是 『自然而然』的往上飛，而是往下落呢？
是什麼力量讓果實往下落，而不是飛向其他方向呢？」
追根究底，我們發現了萬有引力的存在，是它讓果實落下。
我們也提出了「加速度」、「自由落體」…等概念，並且以方程式描述落體之運動路徑。
這些原理與論述是經得起檢驗的。
除此之外，近代的量子力學也給我們許多驚喜。
若是以邏輯的角度出發，我們可以說「因果」創造了「時間箭頭」。
時間從「因」流向「果」，又從「果」流向「因」，
這個概念可以用符號表達如下： 「因」→「果」又「果」→「因」。
讓我們回到正題，在這次的討論當中，我的重點並不是這些哲學性或理論性的物理學原理，
而是想要與各位分享一些新的概念。
我想，這些概念是東方的思想家未曾提出過的，因為，它們出自於聖經，是神的啟示。
以下，我會盡量用簡單易懂的話語來闡 述這些新概念，
如果各位想要更深入的瞭解，可以深入閱讀John Zizioulas教授精闢的著作「Communion and Otherness」。
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基督宗教的神是Trinity。
大部分的中文譯者將Trinity譯為「三位一體」，
然而，我認為「三位一體」這個中文名詞並不能精確表達出 Trinity的真意，
也容易使人產生錯誤的認知，誤以為Trinity是由「三位」和「一體」兩個獨立部份組成的概念。
關於 Trinity，如果各位有興趣瞭解更多，可以透過網路參與我們的課程，在我們的網頁上有許多相關的文章。
在這次的討論當中，我只分享我對 Trinity的一部分詮釋，還有一些我從東方思想中衍生出來的想法。
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首先，
我想探討一個重要的問題：為什麼聖父、聖子、聖靈這「三位」是「一個」神而不是「三個」獨立的神呢？
這個問題之所以如此重要，是因為它的答案蘊含了西方社會學、政治學與哲學…等思想元素。
依據西方的一般性說法，聖父、聖子、聖靈這「三位」有一個共同的essence，
因此，我們說他們是「一 體」，因此是「一個神」而不是「三個神」
（這種說法的代表性人物是聖奧古斯丁，他的意念很良善，但卻缺乏全方位的神學背景）。
值得注意的是，這樣的說法並非以「聖經」或「教會信仰」為根基，
因此，我們可以發現這個答案漏洞百出。
舉例來說：依據這個論述我們可以推論，「一個神」的存在來自於「一個共同的 essence」。
然而，如果essence是神存在的關鍵因素，那麼，神的存在就不是完全自主的，
因為，是附加在神身上的essence使神存在，因此，神的存在具有某種「被強迫性」。
當然，這是不合理的。
如果換個角度來想，我們可以以自己為例，
我們之所以是「人類」，是因為我們生而為人，
無論我們的意願如何，都無法拒絕兩個眼睛、兩條腿…等特徵。
人類對於自己的存在，並非百分之百的自主。
我們唯一能做的，就是接納自己天生的樣子，然後用後天的努力使 自己更加完美，
或者，有些人選擇自暴自棄，讓自己更加墮落。
在這裡，我想要提出一個疑問：「究竟什麼是essence？」
許多中國人， 甚至是中國的神學家對essence的意義很陌生，
因為，這個概念是西方哲學的產物。
大部分的中國人用「本質」或「實質」…等詞來表達essence的意義，
不然就是以自己的生活經驗來向別人說明，例如：水的本質是無色透明… 等。
往往，這樣的解釋不夠精確，甚至有誤導的作用。
如果我們研究初期教會的歷史，就會發現，當時的教會也曾面對過相同的問題。
教會中有些人想要用亞里斯多德的思想來解釋萬物的essence，
舉例來說：紙、書、木桌、鉛筆、木椅的essence都是「木頭」，因為，它們的原料都是木頭。
因此，「木頭」是這 些物品的「存在」的終極源頭。
以上我們做了許多哲學的討論，
然而，我認為，「為神找到一個完美的哲學描述」並不是一件重要的事情，
「聆聽神向我們啟示的聲音」才是最重要的。
聖經當中幾乎沒有提到過essence，只有在彼得前書1:4當中提到過一次。
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現在，讓我們來看看，聖經當中的essence是什麼意義呢？
聖經上說，聖父擁有essence，並將之分享給聖子與聖靈。
我認為，這才是基督徒對 essence的正確認知。
在我們的課程中，我們會詳細的分析和論證這個道理，
但是在這裡，我只用幾個例子作簡要的說明，
其中包括：約翰福音1:4，約翰 福音17:10…等章節。
聖經肯定神的存在。
然而，聖經對「存在」這個概念卻有兩種不同面向的詮釋：什麼是神？
這個問題涉及 essence的意義（例如：生命、力量、智慧等…）。
神如何存在？（例如：聖父、聖子、聖靈之間的關係）。
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從聖經的教導中，我們知道「聖父給予聖子生命」。
我們所說的「聖父」與人類在世間的父母完全沒有任何關聯。
首先，神沒有男、女性別之分，而世間的父親先天上與母親有許多區別。
再者，世間的父親與兒子的角色帶有時間性
（兒子必定比父親晚許多年出生，兒子與父親的存在的起點不可能重疊）。
由此我們可以看出，「神」與「世間的父親角色」之間沒有任何的相似性。
我們無法精確得知，聖經所說的「在神體內給予生命」（give birth in god）究竟是什麼意思，
然而，從聖經和教父們的作品當中，我們可以歸納出兩個特性：
「聖父」給予「聖子」生命，藉此過程，「聖父」也給予「聖子」性格。
也就是說，「聖子」的存在是獨一無二的，他有別於「聖父」或「聖靈」。
然而， 「聖子」卻擁有「聖父」的essence，「聖子」不會有另一個新的essence。
對於聖靈而言，也是如此，只是形式稍有不同。
「聖父」發出 （proceeding）「聖靈」，藉此過程，「聖父」也給予「聖靈」性格。
也就是說，「聖靈」的存在也是獨一無二的，他有別於「聖父」或 「聖子」，也不是「聖子」的兄弟。
然而，「聖靈」同樣也擁有「聖父」的essence，「聖靈」不會有另一個新的essence。
請注意，這裡只有一個essence，那就是聖父的essence。
在這個觀念上，我們必須要很謹慎：
神不是由三個「達成共識，決定要永遠在一起」的 「獨立個體」所組成的。
我們應該要知道，只有一個「因」或「源頭」，那就是「聖父」。
因此，我們可以說，在Trinity當中有一個 「因」或「源頭」，那就是「聖父」，他就是神。
談到這裡，我想提醒各位，「聖父」是神的事實，並不能否定「聖子」與「聖靈」也是神。
或許我這樣說有點奇怪，讓各位感到有點困惑。
不過，請容我繼續說明，聖父「發出聖靈」和聖父「給予聖子生命」是兩種不同的作用方式，
但是，兩者皆是永恆的，超越了時間的概念。
偉大的神學家Gregory the theologian曾用一句話闡明了這些概念：神是一（聖父），但卻不是單獨一個。
---------------------------------------------
有些人可能會說：「為什麼是如此？這個答案會不會太複雜了？」
以下，就讓我們一起來認識一些革命性的新觀念，它們闡述了生命如何由Trinity而來。
． 「聖父」是因，而「聖子」及「聖靈」是果。
．時間的概念，可以從因果中加以剔除。
．在新因果概念中，因果並非必然存在的，而是出於我們自由的選擇。
「聖父」在發出「聖靈」和給予「聖子」生命時，不受任何強迫。
因為「聖父」想要以 「愛的共同體」的模式存在，
所以，他以自由的意願，進行了這項工作。
．因果並不是一個法則，而是一種愛，一種自由。
例如：耶穌願意像人類一樣，在十字架上受難而死亡，
因為，他永遠是聖父深愛的聖子，他不斷允諾聖父。
因果不是某種道德法則，而是一種關係，這種關係最終轉變成了生命。
聖子之所以是「善的」，並不是基於道德倫理上的原因，而是因為，這是聖父的旨意。
一切的倫理和道德都不是絕對的法則，愛與自由的生命，才是最終的法則。
東方人對於「什麼是善？」並沒有一個平易近人的解釋。
究竟誰能夠決定什麼是善，什麼不是善呢？
善只不過是一般人心中的普遍概念。
．這裡所談的新因果，不再是一種從痛苦經驗中得到的體悟。
它來自於「神存在的方式」，也來自於 Trinity的光。
．如果未來中國的神學家或佛教導師能夠在這個觀念上用功，
我想，這將是中國哲學上的一場革命：從「道德律法」轉變為 「以人為主」，
從「命中注定」轉變成「自由意願」。
．因此，我們應該這樣思維：當下我的存在，不僅僅是自己的決定，而是一個與別人息息相關的決定。
事實上，我們必須了解，我們的存在是神的恩賜，我們因為神與眾人的愛而存在。
如果一個人，以自私的態度存在，在他的世界裡，凡事只為了自己的好，那就是所謂的地獄。
．我個人認為，東方人應該已經知道了這些概念，只是沒有透徹的瞭解。
東方人想要擺脫「個體」與「個人主義」色彩，所以不斷在「太虛」和「無我」當中尋找自己，
然而，除此之外，東方人如何能夠更進一步向真理邁進？
我想，當我們與眾人在「愛」和「自由」中共存時，才算真正實現了「無我」的境界。
． 人類的存在之源，並不是「人性」，而是亞當。
亞當是我們的「因」，我們的「人性」皆相同，所以，在這個世界上，「人性」只有一個。
然而，我們擁有自己的「位格」，因此我們有自由。
亞當是神的肖象，我們每個人也都是與眾不同的神的肖象，每個肖像都是獨一無二的。
．「他性」（otherness）是有次序、有階層的。
然而，階層並非來自於權利，而是來自於「存在的方式」。
亞當是我們的「因」，但如果我們願意的話，
我們可以更改我們的「因」，讓耶穌成為我們的新亞當，新的「因」。
我們都在耶穌裡，耶穌才是教會的頭，而我們不是。
．在西方人的心中，階層觀念是不好的，階層被視為一種對自由的抑制，
然而，在基督教裡，「聖父」卻高於「聖子」（約翰福音 14:28），
因為「聖父」是「聖子」、「聖靈」的存在之「因」，
「聖父」賦予「聖子」、「聖靈」與他相同的存在方式。
在基督教裡，階層被解放了，只有愛、自由與生命。
我想，中國文化傳統中的階級觀念，可以在基督教裡找到新的意義。
為了避免誤解的危險，我想舉個例子來說明：有人認為自己的生命就像個重擔，
但有些人則會說：「啊！我是雙親的愛的果實，我的存在不只是一場化學反應，而是兩個摯愛者的結晶，
我喜歡這個結果，我擁有父母親一部分的血液，這讓我感到其樂無比，
這份愛正是我生命的源頭，它讓我有能力去運用愛、給予愛和領受愛。」
．最重要的是，亞當是人類「位格」和「他性」之源，
因此我們可以推論，必定有一個獨特的事物，讓亞當成為獨一無二的人。
我想，光是用「創造」一詞來解釋，有點過於敷衍。
我們應該進一步說，亞當之所以是獨一無二的人，因為他的人格是神的恩賜，這是難能可貴的。
然而，亞當並不是宇宙的中心，他的中心參考點是神，也就是Trinity。
因為，亞當想以自己為宇宙的中心，拒絕以神為中心參考點，所以他墮落了。
最後，我想以誠摯的心與各位分享心中的感想。
教會中曾有許多偉大的教父，將聖經中的思想引入希臘哲學中，
他們的貢獻，豐富了希臘哲學的內涵，也給予希臘哲學新生命。
我想，Trinity的概念，必定也能為中國哲學思想注入新的元素，為中國哲學思想開創新的道路。†
- 10月 24 週一 201113:48
以聖父為「因」所建構的「新因果概念」(英文)
以聖父為「因」所建構的「新因果概念」(英文)
the Father as cause . a contribution to the concept of *因果*
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it is common accepted to the eastern people the idea of *因果*
the Father as cause . a contribution to the concept of *因果*
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it is common accepted to the eastern people the idea of *因果*
- 9月 25 週六 201022:53
從佛教徒及正教徒的角度來看基督教的祈禱（中文）
從佛教徒及正教徒的角度來看基督教的祈禱從佛教徒及正教徒的角度來看基督教的祈禱：
對Kenneth K. Tanaka 發表於Buddhist-Christian Studies, 2002的期刊論文所進行的反思。
Christian prayer seen from the eye of a Buddhist and an orthodox Christian.
Reflection on journal article by Kenneth K. Tanaka; Buddhist-Christian Studies, 2002
- 9月 25 週六 201022:49
從佛教徒及正教徒的角度來看基督教的祈禱（英文）
從佛教徒及正教徒的角度來看基督教的祈禱（英文）
Christian prayer seen from the eye of a Buddhist and an orthodox Christian .
Reflection on journal article by Kenneth K. Tanaka; Buddhist-Christian Studies, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------
When i read the excellent article of M. K. Tanaka about the subject i
was very moved by the profound and unique way he approaches the
subject of the prayer. I will only try to contribute some orthodox
ideas which are not well known.
So Tanaka describes the prayer of a young girl of about eight. I know
such a girl, she is the daughter of my good friend , her name is Mary,
her mother has heart problem she can die anytime, she lives with the
special device to give pulses in her heart, so what i write is very
true, (but i will not write about the mothers disease i will keep as
Tanaka mentions, i do not want to think about the real situation) only
i increase her age to 12 to be the age of my little friend and also
to be the same with the Buddhist girl mentioned next, years old with
long brown hair. Wearing a nightgown, she is kneeling next to her bed
with her hands clasped and her head bowed, as he says a typical form of
the western Christians to the eastern society. Working further with
this image, sees this little girl--let's call her Megan-- doing two
things in her evening prayer.
One is that she is giving thanks to God for the benefits she has
received. She thanks him for her food, clothing, friends, and family.
Then, she also makes a request. In this petitionary element of her
prayer, she is asking God to make her sick father get well soon. As she
does so, her expression turns more serious, and she clasps her hands
more firmly and brings them closer to her chest. She then looks up
toward the ceiling, expressing her heartfelt wish for her father's early
recovery. What is noteworthy is that Megan's prayers are spoken aloud
as in a human conversation.
He writes: ‘I wonder first and foremost, what God looks like to her. Is
God a male or a female, or neither? I would think that even for her (in
this gender-sensitive age), God is still a male. If so, does she see him
as an elderly man with a long white beard, holding a cane and sitting
in a throne? Next, where does God reside? If he is in heaven, what is
heaven like to her? In regards to her father's illness, how does she
think God can make her father get well? ’
Then he asks , ’ he same questions about a Buddhist girl "praying"
before the Buddha or a Bodhisattva for the same kind of wish? The image
that immediately crops up in my mind is of a girl of about twelve and
her mother whom I saw at a pa-goda in Rangoon, Burma, a number of years
ago. The girl is wearing a large, red fresh flower in her hair and has
on traditional apparel. She sits with her mother on a marble floor of a
spacious area in front of Buddha images that are several meters in
height. She holds a bouquet of flowers held upright between the palms of
hands in a gesture of reverence. She sits with her legs folded but
thrown out to her side, a style common in her country as well as in
Thailand. Her eyes appear closed, and her head is slightly bowed down
toward the Buddha images. She stays in that posture for what seems like
several minutes; her mother does the same. I don't know, of course, what
is going on inside, but she is certainly not meditating.
is an important point to make here, for Buddhists are stereotypically
seen to only me-ditate. However, the vast majority of lay Buddhists in
Asia primarily "pray" or ex-press them selves devotionally, during which
they give thanks but also petition for one thing or another of worldly
nature. While panoply of Bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara and
Kshitigarbha serve as objects of these earthly petitions in Mahayana
Buddhist countries of East Asia, the Shakyamuni Buddha is the primary
object of devotion in the Theravada societies of Southeast Asia.
Shakyamuni Buddha, then, is the object of her request. The huge images
of the Buddha in his meditation pose sit in front of her. Supposing she
too is asking for her father's early recovery from an illness, I wonder
what kind of image she holds of the Buddha. Would that image in her mind
be the tranquil, meditative Buddha, or the handsome, gallant prince
Siddhartha, who boldly went off to seek truth, or the image of some
"fatherly figure" from her life experience? More than likely, her image
is amorphous, as an amalgamation of the images mentioned above, and
more. However way she may conceive of the Buddha, she must feel a
satisfying level of comfort with the Buddha for such a deeply personal
and devotional act to hold any sense of meaning.
Tanaka points out that , “i believe that the act of Christian prayer
entails one quality that is virtually absent in the Buddhist devotional
form: an interaction with the ultimate, in other words, God. “
The Christian prayer is a two-way communication, a conversation with
God. In con-trast, there is virtually no sense of the Burmese girl
having a conversation with the Buddha. To her Buddha may answer her
prayers for better crop or physical healing, but I would be very
surprised if she expected to interact with Buddha on a personal level,
whereby, for example, she experienced a spiritual conversation with him.
She may even barter or negotiate with him, offering to be a "good girl"
if only God can cure her father of his illness. God appears more willing
to listen to her needs and to respond on an individual basis. God at
this level is more like a caring uncle who is willing to listen and talk
with her.
But them Tanaka says, Most prayers are not mystical, and it would be
going too far to claim mystical experience for ordinary prayer. Like
Megan, prayers seek God above and not within. This, in fact, does
distinguish Megan's prayer from Buddhist meditation, which most people
agree involves some form of "mystical experience.
To the above excellent thoughts which i appreciate a lot and respect,
i only would like to contribute some more that the respectable Tanaka
probably does not know.
If this girl, Megan is orthodox , the prayer indeed becomes within.
Let me explain this. If the girl is orthodox Christian, she is
baptized. She prob-ably gaze at heavens , or some icon of Jesus, let me
say an icon, which is made by special rules , the colors the drawings
have a very special meaning, a theology in col-or not in words. The icon
helps her to defocus from the shapes, and talk to her by the symbols
the colors etc, same unspeakable theology.
Yes she does not understand dogmatics etc... but she KNOWS god (from
the Christian point of view). because she receives the Holy communion .
For her god is not any imagination, an old male, with white beards, or
some young man with long hairs (like Jesus in the icon) if you ask her
she will never identify any shape. She will be sure that God listen to
her, and also and more important than God is inside her. But she can not
explain the how. But she has a very strong feeling that gad is her
RELATIVE.
She actually speaks to a member of her own family. She is sure for this,
because she knows she has the same blood with god, her flesh is God’s
flesh. She actually has ....some rights !!!!! but again if you ask her
more she cannot express in a ration-al way the concept.
Actually something like that happen in Greece in a mountain which as
many monasteries. An non orthodox scholar visited the place and
talking with the monks he has surprised to hear that they pray not
towards outside, but inside, to their heart and he was more surprised
to hear that they see !!! god like an unspeakable, impossible to
discribe analytically light, which (very wrongly) considered errors and
hallucinations, but his objections become the reason the great
theologian Gregory Palamas to express and reformulate the theology of
the grace of god.
As Tanaka says, One of the reasons for meditation's disengagement from
mun-dane concerns (e.g. Megan's concern for her father's illness) is
that they are regarded as the very source of suffering (attachment to a
person). This samsaric (cycle of births and deaths) existence needs to
be transcended through personal cultivation in which meditation plays a
key role. However, such meditation practices with extremely lofty
mystical goals were not easily accessible to ordinary Buddhists.
This vacuum has come to be filled with such "devotional practices" as
sutra chanting, malting offerings of flowers, lanterns, or food, and
"prayers" (e.g. Burmese girl de-scribed above). However, from the
mainstream monastic Buddhist view these prac-tices are viewed as
secondary or, at best, provisional.
Actually the Christian girl may light a small candle (not in her house
-may be will have some fire- but in some church- ) which for her is a
small symbol of giving light and melting at the same time. As the
candle melts but gives light, my life also is sacrificed to enlighten
others. She will also smell the incense, which is a prayer also but a
prayer expressed not in words but in fragnace.
All her senses will be stimulated to this communication with God which is outside her and inside her, and nowhere also.
But i very admire what Tanaka says, next.
This verse is taken from the writing of a seventh-century Chinese
master, Shan-tao. Since everyone, including children, participates in
the sutra chanting at religious ser-vices, far more people than the
small number of priests rake part in this "prayer of blessing." A
similar but even more popular form of prayer of blessing called the
"Golden Chain" (one that was composed in Hawaii in the early part of the
twentieth century) is recited at religious services, particularly when
youths and young adults are in attendance.
Golden Chain--II
I am a link in the Buddha's golden chain of love that stretches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong.
I will be kind and gentle to every living being and protect all who are weaker than myself.
I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and
beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing on what I
do now depends not only my happi-ness, but also that of others.
May every link in the Buddha's golden chain of love become bright and strong, and may we all attain perfect peace.
Particularly the last stanza expresses the Bodhisattva spirit of wishing
all beings to realize the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, that is,
nirvana or Buddhahood. I personally have regarded this last stanza and
the previously cited "verse for merit transference" as my Buddhist
prayer for all living beings.
If what I have discussed above can be regarded as "prayers of blessing,"
what I am about to share can be seen as "prayers of petition,"
on the same order as that of Megan's prayer for her father to get well.
Scholars may regard them as self-serving and, technically, not
religious, but I doubt we can easily dismiss them, especially when the
"petitioners" are carrying them out within their respective religious
framework (God, Buddha, Bodhisattva, etc.) and at formally recognized
settings (Buddhist temples, etc.)
The Christian girl if orthodox , has similar feelings. She knows that
she is not alone, she does not belong to this particular family. She
does not pray only in her house before to go to bed. This everyday
prayer is the natural continuation of the prayer and to be more exact,
not prayer but life way that she experiences when she goes to the
church. And her everyday small prayer is rooted on this. So Saturday
night she will prepare , probably she will go to church to confess, to
purify herself from her little (may be adorable ) sins which can be
horrible if she grows up and they grow up with her also, for example
she will mention her fighting with classmates or may be her brother,
some sweets probable she ate secretly, but some fears also, which
many times come to kids, some nightmeres , that sometimes she does not
obey to her parents etc... and the priest, if he is good, he will show
to her the most love, he will give good advice, may be some candy also,
he will calm her, take out her fears, conflicts, and then give her the
forgiveness of the holly spirit. She will feel this, she will be like
flying because her pure heart feels the purifying grace of the holy
spirit. She will come home, to be prepared for tomorrow. For the
liturgy. She will pray for this.
Tommorow she will go to liturgy by her mother. But she knows , that she
represents her sick father who probably can not go. She will fell there
all the un-iverse. The icons, the songs, all the symbols, the priest
dressed as Jesus Christ, will make her to feel that she is really in
the kingdom of heavens, not in a place, but in a situation, in a
condition that the MANY BECOME ONE. May be she will feel that they are
present her dead grandparents which she loved a lot, and cried a lot to
their death, but know she knows they are here, she cannot express how,
but she feels. Of course she cannot express theologically and
intellectually the above, but she feels as any orthodox knows and feels
in the liturgy. And finally she will go to receive the holy communion.
God will be her source of life. She will not say, oh, god is in this
icon here or there. She will say , god is in me and i in god, god is in
the others and actually we are one, we are members of each others ,
because god is in me in the other and i am in all.
Probably you will say , this kid can think so deep? Probably she will no
be able to express it well , but yes, this is the feeling. And from my
experience , as a priest and spiritual father, kids many times can
teach us and have a much more better feel-ing of god than adults. And
is not this the chan(zen) enlightment?
And at the end, her mother who also receive the holy communion will wait
the priest to finish the liturgy, then they will take him by a taxi
probably, to the house to give the holy communion to the sick father.
Here i must point out about the parents. Because for the girl her
parents will be not just the biological parents with all the good and
bad things may have. She will feel some other kind of relationship.
What really unites them is the holy communion.
The source of like is not the food they eat, is god himself. So parents
BECOME parents participating to this relationship with god, and
providing her the opportunity to be in god and so in gods family.
And the holy communion will identify her with her sick father. The
holy communion will make her to feel that she IS HER FATHER from one
point of view, that their bodies are the same, ONE BODY, god’s body, but
still she is his daughter , only because this is a special way to love
him by a unique and not a general way.
My point is that she loves him not accidentally, for example because it
happen in this life this man to be her biological father, and in some
other life, may be she will be his father and he her daughter. She
will be always his daughter , it is a unique relationship. And her
present life is not an accidental thing, but a LOVE EVENT. She exists
here and now, because of love , not only because of the love of the
parents but also because of the participation to the loving community
of god, to God’s body.
The more she feels this , the more she becomes ‘empty’ from the
self-abide. She feels that love IS the emptiness. So the girl has a
point , how to start living, an identity.
She knows that probably her father will die, there is the possibility
in the back of her mind but she knows that even painful, the bond i
mention before, the bond of love that unites her to her father, will
never stop. It is not a 2 way mutual love. I give you an example. If
love is like tube connecting 2 people, the orthodox Christian love is a
little bit different. The tube in the middle has a junction, in which
another tube connects, and this tube is the god. And the fluid that
flows in this tube is the source of life.
And finally all people are interconnected with those tubes and the god
tubes, actually you cannot distinguish whose is the tube, it is just a
network, in is God who is everything to everything. So this love
MAKES the life, is the life. And can-not be overcomed by biological
death.
Indeed our girl knows that she will see again her father, as she
believes the same for the dead grandparents, she will be with them in
heavens but she expects also the resurrection, for them who loved to
have body, of course much better that what they had, to touch them, kiss
them etc... love is not only a feeling but also a bodily experience
and activity of the neural networks of the brain!!!!!
The girl grows up not as an individual.
And finally she trusts!. she knows how to trust god , this is her faith.
She knows no matter what still love exists, because this is god.
I will continue on this with more details in next articles.
Christian prayer seen from the eye of a Buddhist and an orthodox Christian .
Reflection on journal article by Kenneth K. Tanaka; Buddhist-Christian Studies, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------
When i read the excellent article of M. K. Tanaka about the subject i
was very moved by the profound and unique way he approaches the
subject of the prayer. I will only try to contribute some orthodox
ideas which are not well known.
So Tanaka describes the prayer of a young girl of about eight. I know
such a girl, she is the daughter of my good friend , her name is Mary,
her mother has heart problem she can die anytime, she lives with the
special device to give pulses in her heart, so what i write is very
true, (but i will not write about the mothers disease i will keep as
Tanaka mentions, i do not want to think about the real situation) only
i increase her age to 12 to be the age of my little friend and also
to be the same with the Buddhist girl mentioned next, years old with
long brown hair. Wearing a nightgown, she is kneeling next to her bed
with her hands clasped and her head bowed, as he says a typical form of
the western Christians to the eastern society. Working further with
this image, sees this little girl--let's call her Megan-- doing two
things in her evening prayer.
One is that she is giving thanks to God for the benefits she has
received. She thanks him for her food, clothing, friends, and family.
Then, she also makes a request. In this petitionary element of her
prayer, she is asking God to make her sick father get well soon. As she
does so, her expression turns more serious, and she clasps her hands
more firmly and brings them closer to her chest. She then looks up
toward the ceiling, expressing her heartfelt wish for her father's early
recovery. What is noteworthy is that Megan's prayers are spoken aloud
as in a human conversation.
He writes: ‘I wonder first and foremost, what God looks like to her. Is
God a male or a female, or neither? I would think that even for her (in
this gender-sensitive age), God is still a male. If so, does she see him
as an elderly man with a long white beard, holding a cane and sitting
in a throne? Next, where does God reside? If he is in heaven, what is
heaven like to her? In regards to her father's illness, how does she
think God can make her father get well? ’
Then he asks , ’ he same questions about a Buddhist girl "praying"
before the Buddha or a Bodhisattva for the same kind of wish? The image
that immediately crops up in my mind is of a girl of about twelve and
her mother whom I saw at a pa-goda in Rangoon, Burma, a number of years
ago. The girl is wearing a large, red fresh flower in her hair and has
on traditional apparel. She sits with her mother on a marble floor of a
spacious area in front of Buddha images that are several meters in
height. She holds a bouquet of flowers held upright between the palms of
hands in a gesture of reverence. She sits with her legs folded but
thrown out to her side, a style common in her country as well as in
Thailand. Her eyes appear closed, and her head is slightly bowed down
toward the Buddha images. She stays in that posture for what seems like
several minutes; her mother does the same. I don't know, of course, what
is going on inside, but she is certainly not meditating.
is an important point to make here, for Buddhists are stereotypically
seen to only me-ditate. However, the vast majority of lay Buddhists in
Asia primarily "pray" or ex-press them selves devotionally, during which
they give thanks but also petition for one thing or another of worldly
nature. While panoply of Bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara and
Kshitigarbha serve as objects of these earthly petitions in Mahayana
Buddhist countries of East Asia, the Shakyamuni Buddha is the primary
object of devotion in the Theravada societies of Southeast Asia.
Shakyamuni Buddha, then, is the object of her request. The huge images
of the Buddha in his meditation pose sit in front of her. Supposing she
too is asking for her father's early recovery from an illness, I wonder
what kind of image she holds of the Buddha. Would that image in her mind
be the tranquil, meditative Buddha, or the handsome, gallant prince
Siddhartha, who boldly went off to seek truth, or the image of some
"fatherly figure" from her life experience? More than likely, her image
is amorphous, as an amalgamation of the images mentioned above, and
more. However way she may conceive of the Buddha, she must feel a
satisfying level of comfort with the Buddha for such a deeply personal
and devotional act to hold any sense of meaning.
Tanaka points out that , “i believe that the act of Christian prayer
entails one quality that is virtually absent in the Buddhist devotional
form: an interaction with the ultimate, in other words, God. “
The Christian prayer is a two-way communication, a conversation with
God. In con-trast, there is virtually no sense of the Burmese girl
having a conversation with the Buddha. To her Buddha may answer her
prayers for better crop or physical healing, but I would be very
surprised if she expected to interact with Buddha on a personal level,
whereby, for example, she experienced a spiritual conversation with him.
She may even barter or negotiate with him, offering to be a "good girl"
if only God can cure her father of his illness. God appears more willing
to listen to her needs and to respond on an individual basis. God at
this level is more like a caring uncle who is willing to listen and talk
with her.
But them Tanaka says, Most prayers are not mystical, and it would be
going too far to claim mystical experience for ordinary prayer. Like
Megan, prayers seek God above and not within. This, in fact, does
distinguish Megan's prayer from Buddhist meditation, which most people
agree involves some form of "mystical experience.
To the above excellent thoughts which i appreciate a lot and respect,
i only would like to contribute some more that the respectable Tanaka
probably does not know.
If this girl, Megan is orthodox , the prayer indeed becomes within.
Let me explain this. If the girl is orthodox Christian, she is
baptized. She prob-ably gaze at heavens , or some icon of Jesus, let me
say an icon, which is made by special rules , the colors the drawings
have a very special meaning, a theology in col-or not in words. The icon
helps her to defocus from the shapes, and talk to her by the symbols
the colors etc, same unspeakable theology.
Yes she does not understand dogmatics etc... but she KNOWS god (from
the Christian point of view). because she receives the Holy communion .
For her god is not any imagination, an old male, with white beards, or
some young man with long hairs (like Jesus in the icon) if you ask her
she will never identify any shape. She will be sure that God listen to
her, and also and more important than God is inside her. But she can not
explain the how. But she has a very strong feeling that gad is her
RELATIVE.
She actually speaks to a member of her own family. She is sure for this,
because she knows she has the same blood with god, her flesh is God’s
flesh. She actually has ....some rights !!!!! but again if you ask her
more she cannot express in a ration-al way the concept.
Actually something like that happen in Greece in a mountain which as
many monasteries. An non orthodox scholar visited the place and
talking with the monks he has surprised to hear that they pray not
towards outside, but inside, to their heart and he was more surprised
to hear that they see !!! god like an unspeakable, impossible to
discribe analytically light, which (very wrongly) considered errors and
hallucinations, but his objections become the reason the great
theologian Gregory Palamas to express and reformulate the theology of
the grace of god.
As Tanaka says, One of the reasons for meditation's disengagement from
mun-dane concerns (e.g. Megan's concern for her father's illness) is
that they are regarded as the very source of suffering (attachment to a
person). This samsaric (cycle of births and deaths) existence needs to
be transcended through personal cultivation in which meditation plays a
key role. However, such meditation practices with extremely lofty
mystical goals were not easily accessible to ordinary Buddhists.
This vacuum has come to be filled with such "devotional practices" as
sutra chanting, malting offerings of flowers, lanterns, or food, and
"prayers" (e.g. Burmese girl de-scribed above). However, from the
mainstream monastic Buddhist view these prac-tices are viewed as
secondary or, at best, provisional.
Actually the Christian girl may light a small candle (not in her house
-may be will have some fire- but in some church- ) which for her is a
small symbol of giving light and melting at the same time. As the
candle melts but gives light, my life also is sacrificed to enlighten
others. She will also smell the incense, which is a prayer also but a
prayer expressed not in words but in fragnace.
All her senses will be stimulated to this communication with God which is outside her and inside her, and nowhere also.
But i very admire what Tanaka says, next.
This verse is taken from the writing of a seventh-century Chinese
master, Shan-tao. Since everyone, including children, participates in
the sutra chanting at religious ser-vices, far more people than the
small number of priests rake part in this "prayer of blessing." A
similar but even more popular form of prayer of blessing called the
"Golden Chain" (one that was composed in Hawaii in the early part of the
twentieth century) is recited at religious services, particularly when
youths and young adults are in attendance.
Golden Chain--II
I am a link in the Buddha's golden chain of love that stretches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong.
I will be kind and gentle to every living being and protect all who are weaker than myself.
I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and
beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing on what I
do now depends not only my happi-ness, but also that of others.
May every link in the Buddha's golden chain of love become bright and strong, and may we all attain perfect peace.
Particularly the last stanza expresses the Bodhisattva spirit of wishing
all beings to realize the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, that is,
nirvana or Buddhahood. I personally have regarded this last stanza and
the previously cited "verse for merit transference" as my Buddhist
prayer for all living beings.
If what I have discussed above can be regarded as "prayers of blessing,"
what I am about to share can be seen as "prayers of petition,"
on the same order as that of Megan's prayer for her father to get well.
Scholars may regard them as self-serving and, technically, not
religious, but I doubt we can easily dismiss them, especially when the
"petitioners" are carrying them out within their respective religious
framework (God, Buddha, Bodhisattva, etc.) and at formally recognized
settings (Buddhist temples, etc.)
The Christian girl if orthodox , has similar feelings. She knows that
she is not alone, she does not belong to this particular family. She
does not pray only in her house before to go to bed. This everyday
prayer is the natural continuation of the prayer and to be more exact,
not prayer but life way that she experiences when she goes to the
church. And her everyday small prayer is rooted on this. So Saturday
night she will prepare , probably she will go to church to confess, to
purify herself from her little (may be adorable ) sins which can be
horrible if she grows up and they grow up with her also, for example
she will mention her fighting with classmates or may be her brother,
some sweets probable she ate secretly, but some fears also, which
many times come to kids, some nightmeres , that sometimes she does not
obey to her parents etc... and the priest, if he is good, he will show
to her the most love, he will give good advice, may be some candy also,
he will calm her, take out her fears, conflicts, and then give her the
forgiveness of the holly spirit. She will feel this, she will be like
flying because her pure heart feels the purifying grace of the holy
spirit. She will come home, to be prepared for tomorrow. For the
liturgy. She will pray for this.
Tommorow she will go to liturgy by her mother. But she knows , that she
represents her sick father who probably can not go. She will fell there
all the un-iverse. The icons, the songs, all the symbols, the priest
dressed as Jesus Christ, will make her to feel that she is really in
the kingdom of heavens, not in a place, but in a situation, in a
condition that the MANY BECOME ONE. May be she will feel that they are
present her dead grandparents which she loved a lot, and cried a lot to
their death, but know she knows they are here, she cannot express how,
but she feels. Of course she cannot express theologically and
intellectually the above, but she feels as any orthodox knows and feels
in the liturgy. And finally she will go to receive the holy communion.
God will be her source of life. She will not say, oh, god is in this
icon here or there. She will say , god is in me and i in god, god is in
the others and actually we are one, we are members of each others ,
because god is in me in the other and i am in all.
Probably you will say , this kid can think so deep? Probably she will no
be able to express it well , but yes, this is the feeling. And from my
experience , as a priest and spiritual father, kids many times can
teach us and have a much more better feel-ing of god than adults. And
is not this the chan(zen) enlightment?
And at the end, her mother who also receive the holy communion will wait
the priest to finish the liturgy, then they will take him by a taxi
probably, to the house to give the holy communion to the sick father.
Here i must point out about the parents. Because for the girl her
parents will be not just the biological parents with all the good and
bad things may have. She will feel some other kind of relationship.
What really unites them is the holy communion.
The source of like is not the food they eat, is god himself. So parents
BECOME parents participating to this relationship with god, and
providing her the opportunity to be in god and so in gods family.
And the holy communion will identify her with her sick father. The
holy communion will make her to feel that she IS HER FATHER from one
point of view, that their bodies are the same, ONE BODY, god’s body, but
still she is his daughter , only because this is a special way to love
him by a unique and not a general way.
My point is that she loves him not accidentally, for example because it
happen in this life this man to be her biological father, and in some
other life, may be she will be his father and he her daughter. She
will be always his daughter , it is a unique relationship. And her
present life is not an accidental thing, but a LOVE EVENT. She exists
here and now, because of love , not only because of the love of the
parents but also because of the participation to the loving community
of god, to God’s body.
The more she feels this , the more she becomes ‘empty’ from the
self-abide. She feels that love IS the emptiness. So the girl has a
point , how to start living, an identity.
She knows that probably her father will die, there is the possibility
in the back of her mind but she knows that even painful, the bond i
mention before, the bond of love that unites her to her father, will
never stop. It is not a 2 way mutual love. I give you an example. If
love is like tube connecting 2 people, the orthodox Christian love is a
little bit different. The tube in the middle has a junction, in which
another tube connects, and this tube is the god. And the fluid that
flows in this tube is the source of life.
And finally all people are interconnected with those tubes and the god
tubes, actually you cannot distinguish whose is the tube, it is just a
network, in is God who is everything to everything. So this love
MAKES the life, is the life. And can-not be overcomed by biological
death.
Indeed our girl knows that she will see again her father, as she
believes the same for the dead grandparents, she will be with them in
heavens but she expects also the resurrection, for them who loved to
have body, of course much better that what they had, to touch them, kiss
them etc... love is not only a feeling but also a bodily experience
and activity of the neural networks of the brain!!!!!
The girl grows up not as an individual.
And finally she trusts!. she knows how to trust god , this is her faith.
She knows no matter what still love exists, because this is god.
I will continue on this with more details in next articles.
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