佛法所以超乎世間法
在研究的過程當中，有一點我看得很重要︰佛法究竟有
什麼不同，比世間其他的更好？這可以分二方面來講。
一、釋迦牟尼佛時候，有一種完善的制度––戒律。傳
到中國，後來有叢林制度，到現在也許有新的制度。不要以
為制度都是一樣，佛的制度，實際上研究的人很少，……戒
律中真正重要的事情，好像不知道一樣。戒律的真正意義，
我們出家人要有人發心去研究。
據我的了解，佛教的戒律是一種集體的生活，修行也就
在集體生活中去鍛鍊。依戒律的觀點，佛法並不重於個人去
住茅蓬修行––這樣共世間的，雖然一般都很尊敬這種人。
佛教戒律有什麼特色？它是道德的感化和法律的制裁，兩者
統一起來。犯了錯誤，戒律中有種種處罰的規定，但不止於
此，而是在充滿道德感化之下，有一種法律制裁的限制。所
以在佛的時代，真正出家的一個個都了不得，就是動機不純
正的人，在這面多住幾年，經過師友的陶冶，環境的熏習，
慢慢也會成為龍象的。在這個集體生活，大家都有共同的信
念，淨善的行為，彼此和睦，這就是佛教戒律的特質，而發
生偉大的作用––正法住世。
這種組織，與社會上的組織不太相同，它是道德感化與
法律制裁相綜合的。在這面，是很平等的，是法治的，每一
律制，不是對某些人而訂的。如在學院的話，如果是學生不
許可，老師也絕對不許可。佛的制度很平等，即使釋迦牟尼
佛在世，佛也一樣的依法而行。佛的律制，是真正的平等、
民主。在這道德感化、法律制裁之下，人人都修持佛法、研
究法義，各盡其力去發揮。
當然，嚴格的說，現在中國並沒有這個東西––依律而
住的僧團。假使我們去研究，把這面真正精神原則，用現在
的方式去實踐的話，我想比照著自己的想法，搞一套組織，
或是參照政治或其他組織，照人家的辦法也來一套，我想會
更合於佛法。這是佛法偉大的特質，在我認識釋迦牟尼佛不
像世俗一般那樣，我在研究中加深了我的信心。
另一方面，佛開示我們，用法來指導。在當時，沒有現
在那樣，研究法華經、華嚴經，一大部一大部的，不過在義
理上，或在修行方法上，作簡單的指導。佛所說明的著重在
什麼地方呢？那些與世間不同呢？依我的了解，佛法確有不
共之法，與世間法不同，……我們必須確認佛法的不共之法
﹗世界上的宗教很多，中國的、印度的、西方的，佛教至少
有一種與他們不同的地方。又如哲學，從東方到西方，哲學
家不曉得有多少？但佛法至少要有與他們不同的地方。如自
以為佛法偉大，而佛法所講的與他們所說的一樣，那就糟了
，因為既然一樣，有了他們的，更何必再要佛法。
就世間法所沒有的––不共世間的來說，當然就是「緣
起性空」。……「諸行無常，諸法無我」，都是依此而顯示
出來。緣起是說世間的一切，無論是天文、地理、自然界、
動物界，乃至我們個人生理上、心理上的現象，都是依緣而
存在的。佛說「緣起」，是最通遍的法則。從這才會了解佛
的制度與其他的所以不同。理論與制度有關，佛法稱為「依
法攝僧」。把握緣起的原則，在思想上、制度上，及實際的
修持上，都會有與世間不同處。世間上有許多進步的思想，
有些近於緣起，但他們不能夠徹底的完全的把握。
我們為什麼信佛？是因為佛是大徹大悟了的。佛的大徹
大悟是怎樣呢？你不曉得，我也不曉得。既然不曉得，那怎
麼生信呢？佛在菩提樹下大徹大悟以後，為了使人也能徹悟
，所以說法。佛所說的法義，及指導出家人應做的生活軌範
––律制，與世間不同；這表示了他證悟的內容與別人不同
，這是可以了解的。放在心我們不知道，說出來，做出來，
總可以看到一點。研究佛教制度的根本原則，從理論事實的
統一中，我發覺佛法義理超越世間特殊的地方。佛老人家的
證智，我們都不知道，但從他表現出與世間不同的，特別偉
大，我是從這些上，深深信得佛是真正的證悟。
我有很多看法與人不太相同，譬如說，某人在修行，某
人開悟了﹗修行、開悟當然是好事情。不過，不只是佛法講
「修行」，世界上的宗教都要修行的。道家有修持的方法，
中國儒家也有一點，印度婆羅門教，六派哲學都有修行的方
法，西洋的神教也有啦﹗他們的禱告也是修行的一類。如真
的修行，自然會身心有些特殊的經驗，這是信仰宗教的人所
應相信的，不管你自己有沒有得到，這是絕對可信的。在內
心中或身體上，得到些特殊經驗，宗教就是要靠這種特殊經
驗來支持的。
所以單講修行，並不一定就是佛法，世界上各種宗教都
有修行呢﹗你說你看到什麼東西，經驗到什麼？這並不能保
證你經驗的就是佛法。那麼用什麼方法來區別呢？這有兩個
方法︰一、與佛法的根本義理是否相合。二、行為表現是什
麼樣子。且舉一件事來說，我們中國人有時候真自覺得驕傲
，美國西皮有很多人要學禪，寒山很吃香，簡直崇拜得不得
了。然在我的想法，若以此為典型，作為我們學佛的模範，
大家這樣學，這成什麼樣子﹗因為佛教也好，其他宗教也好
，都要教你正常，修行的人也要正常，中國佛教過去許多大
師，能夠組織佛教，能夠發揚，都是平淡正常的。又如釋迦
牟尼佛教化，有所謂「神通輪、教誡輪、記心輪」，身業、
語業、意業都可以教化，可是佛法的重點是教誡輪。用語言
來引導你，啟發你，使你向上。現在有些人，稍微修行，就
說前生後世，談神通，這不是純正的佛法。從佛的證悟以後
，佛所表現出來，對弟子之間的活動的歷史事實，不是那些
怪模怪樣的––寒山式、濟公式、瘋子喇嘛式的。佛老人家
，生在我們人間，主要用教誡來引導，不是侈談神通，因為
外道也有神通。用神通來建立佛教，佛教就和外道一樣了。
我對佛法的研究，著重在這兩方面，這兩方面的了解，能使
我信心增強，推動支持我很衰弱的身體，在佛法之中，多少
奉獻自己的一分心力。
Words of the Master
How does buddhadharma excell worldly dharma？
Master Yin-Shun
While doing research I have been emphasizing one
point very much: What is it that makes Buddhism
different, better than anything else in the world？T
his can be discussed from two angles · First, in
Buddha's time there was a pe rfect system, i · e ·
the vinaya · After it was transmitted to China, the
syst em of the great monasteries developed, and now
maybe a new system will come i nto being · We should
not think these systems are all the same · As a
matter of fact, there are only very few people who
study the Buddha's system, and it is almost as if
nobody knew what is really important about the vinaya
· Ther e should be some among us, ordained sangha,
devoting themselves to the study of the real meaning
of the vinaya ·
As far as I understand, Buddhist vinaya is a form
of communal life, and s piritual practice is training
in communal life · From the vinaya point of vie w,
buddhadharma does not emphasize that an individual is
practising in a herm itage –– though such a person
would be highly respected, it's still common with the
world · So what are the peculiar characteristics of
the Buddhist vin aya？It is improvement by ethics and
control by law, both of them applied to gether · If
you make a mistake then there a great number of
penalties set for thin the vinaya, It doesn't stop
here, though, but means curbing by the implementation
of law imbued with improvement by ethics · Thus, in the
Buddha's time, everybody who truly left the home was
really incredible · Even those who had some warped
motivation would gradually under the forming influence
of their brothers and the environment turn into sages
if they stayed there for a few years · Everybody led this
communal life with a common belief and pure, good behavior
in great harmony · This is the special quality of the
Buddhist vinaya which had a great function –– to ensure
that the true teaching remained in the world·
Such an organisation differs from other
organisations in the society sinc e it combines
improvement by ethics and restraint by law ·
Equality reigns th erein as does the law · None of
the rules ws set up against a certain group o f
people, like in our institute –– what the students
do not agree to, the t eachers would never agree to
either · The Buddha's system is an equal one · E
ven the Buddha himself would follow the rules ·
These regulations set by the Buddha are truly equal
and democratic · Under such a system of improvement
by ethics and restraint by law, everybody is devoted
to dharma practice and the study of the teaching
developing as much as possible ·
Of course, in a strict sense, you wan't find such
a community living in a ccordance with the vinaya in
China today · I feel it would be much more in co
nformity with dharma if we were to study this system
and put its real spiritu al principle in a modern way
into practice than if we were making up somethin g by
ourselves or copy government or other organisations
and then come up wit h something ·
This is one great quality of the buddhadharma ·
My trust in research incr eased greatly when I
realized that S a6kyamuni Buddha was not just
somebody w orldly · From another angle, Buddha
taught us to use dharma to direct · In hi s time it
wasn't like today · People wouldn't study huge texts
like the Lotus Sutra or the Avatamsaka Sutra but in
terms of doctrinal understanding or pra ctical
methods just give meagre guidance · What did the
Buddha emphasize？Wh at was different from worldly
dharma？As far as I can see buddhadharma defin itely
has its special features which differs from the ways
of the world · We have to grasp these uncommon
aspects firmly ﹗ There are many religions in the
world, Chinese, Indian, Western ones · There is at
least one point in which Buddhism differs from all of
them· Also in terms of philosophy, one really has no way
of knowing how many philosophers there have been in the
East and We st but there must be at least one point
in which buddhadharma differs from al l of them · If
we just feel buddhadharma is great but teaches only
the same a s they, then it would be a mess because
since if it were the same there would be no need for
buddhadharma ﹗
As far as the uncommon part is concerned, that
which can't be found in wo rldly dharma, it is of
course the teaching of " dependent origination ／
emptiness · " Concepts " like all conditioned
phenomena are impermanent, all dharmas are without
self" have been taught on its basis · Dependent
origination tells us that everyhting in the world no
matter whether it relates to astronomical phenomena
or to those belonging to geology, the whole nature,
the animal wor ld, even our own physiology and
psychology, all these phenomena exist on the basis of
conditions · The dependent origination taught by the
Buddha is the m ost valid law · Only this point
allows us to understand what the difference b etween
the Buddha's system and other systems is · There
exists a connection b etween theory and institution
which is in Buddhist parlance called " to keep t he
community together in accordance with dharma" · If
we can grasp this princ iple of dependent
origination, no matter whether in terms of philosophy
or in stitution or practice, it will be different
from the world · There are many p rogressive ideas
in the world some quite close to dependent
origination, but they lack a penetrating and complete
grasp of the whole matter ·
Why do we believe Buddha？Because he had a most
penetrating and profound awakening · How was this
penetrating and profound awakening？You don't know,
and I don't know either · Then, how can we believe
him if we don't know thi s？After his penetrating and
profound awakening under the bodhi tree, the Buddha
began to teach dharma so that other people could
attain the same awakeni ng · The meaning of his
teaching and of the rules he set in order to guide
the sangha, the vinaya, are different from worldy ones·
This proves that the contents of his awakening differed
from those of other people· That much we can understand·
If he had kept it in his mind we had no way of knowing this,
but trough speech and action we're able to understand
at least somewhat · When I studied the basic
principle of the Buddhist system I discovered from
the congruence between theory and facts the point
where Buddhist teaching excells worldly ones · The
wisdom Buddha realized is beyond us but looking at
his ac tivities which were so different from worldly
ones, so great, I deeply believ e that he had a
genuine awakening ·
Many of my ideas differ from those of other
people · For example, " this or that person is
practising,"" this or that person had an awakening ﹗
" For s ure, to practice and to awaken is something
positive but nor only Buddhism is talking about
practising, all religions in the world do · The
Taoists have t heir way to practice, even the Chinese
Confucians have something along these lines, the
Brahmins and the six philosophical schools in India
had their meth ods, so do the theists of Western
religions · Their prayers are also a way to practice
· If our really practice, there will be naturally
some special bodi ly or mental sensations · This any
believer in any religion can be sure of no matter
whether he himself had them or not · You can trust
that there are spe cial experiences on the mental or
physical level · Religions are maintained by them ·
Thus if you only talk about "practicing" then
there is nothing specially Buddhist about this, it's
shared by all religions in the world · If somebody
says he's seen something or experienced something
that doesn't guarantee that his experience was
buddhadharma · So how can we draw a distinction？
There a re two ways: check a& whether it is in
agreement with the basic teachings of Buddhism, and
b& how the person behaves · Let's use an example ·
We Chinese sometimes feel really proud because there
are so many American hippies learn ing meditation ·
Han-shan is immensely popular and revered · In my
view,however, if you take him as a role model for our
practice of the dharma, if every body behaved like he
did, what would this be like？﹗ Buddhism, as all
other religions, hopes that you're a normal human
being, that every practicioner i s a normal person ·
The great Chinese Buddhist master of old were able to
org anize Buddhism and spread dharma because they
were simple and normal · Moreover, in Buddha
'Saakyamuni's teaching you find the wheels of
spiritual power, teaching and mental marking which
means it is possible to teach through body, speech
and mind · The emphasis, however, is on the wheel of
teaching –– guiding and inspiring through speech so
that one can improve · But now there ar e some
people around who engage in a few practices and then
begin to talk abo ut other people's past and future
lifes or about supernatural powers · This i s not
pure dharma · What Buddha manifested after his
awakening, the historical facts of his activities
with his disciples, these were not at all strange and
weird in the style of Han-shan, Chi-kung or the crazy
lama · Lord Buddha was born among us human beings
and used primarily teaching to guide us · He di d
not indulge in talk about supernatural powers because
also the non-Buddhist have these · If you want to
rely on supernatural powers to establish Buddhism
then there is no difference with other religions ·
My study of buddhadharma has been emphasizing
these two points · Understa nding them has increased
my faith and supported my weak body to that I could
fulfill my wish and make some trifling contribution
to the teaching ·