國立臺北大學校長薛富井博士2015年5月22日講於萬佛聖城五觀堂

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比丘尼近經英譯

從全球高等教育發展的態勢，談上人的先知卓見，以及我們應有的志向

Ven. Master Hua’s foresight and our aspiration from the perspective of global trends and developments in higher education

諸佛菩薩、師父上人、各位法師、各位師長以及各位同學，大家午安。

Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Ven. Master, Dharma Masters, teachers and students, good afternoon.

非常榮幸能夠參加法界佛教大學的畢業典禮，以及僧伽居士教育訓練班的結業式。此時此刻我的內心充滿了法喜，但更是充滿了慚愧，因為實在是沒有資格在這裡做畢業典禮的談話。

I am very honored to participate in the commencement exercises of Dharma Realm Buddhist University, and of the Sangha Laity Training Program. At this moment, I am filled with Dharma joy but at the same time, filled with shame, because I am not really qualitied to speak in the commencement.

我是於1990年春天任教於喬治華盛頓大學的時候，皈依師父上人的，上人殷勤教誨我們要誠實做人，努力修行，並且在他之前作佛成佛，他曾經說過：「我是一隻小螞蟻，甘願走在一切佛教徒的腳底下；我是一條道路，願所有眾生走在我身上，從凡夫地直達佛地。」上人的十八大願，更是讓我們深深感念他的慈悲心與大願力。以下我想從目前全球高等教育的發展態勢，談到上人的先知卓見以及對於我們的期待。

I took refuge with Ven. Master Hua in the spring of 1990 when I was teaching at George Washington University. The Ven. Master taught us to be good, honest people and cultivate diligently. He wanted us to become Buddhas before he did. He once said, “I am a little ant, willing to walk beneath the feet of all Buddhists. I am a road; I hope every living being can walk on me to reach the ground of Buddhahood from the ground of ordinary people.” The Ven. Master’s 18 vows makes me deeply grateful for his compassion and the strength of his great vows. Hence, I would like to talk about the Ven. Master’s foresight and his expectations for us from the perspective of globalization trends and developments in higher education.

高等教育在全球化思維的衝擊下，其核心價值以及相對應的辦學理念與方向，引發了不同的論述與爭辯，從各國政府相繼將資源投入作為強化其在國際間高教競爭力的事實來看，高等教育在世界各國已經產生重大的質變，並且被視為是眾多競爭型產業中的一類。從教育的本質應該是一種培育學生具有德行與智慧的良心事業，轉變成為經濟體中的一種產業，這個現象確實是值得有志人士高度關注的議題。

Globalization-oriented thinking, with its core values and corresponding educational philosophy and direction for higher education, has sparked different discussions and debates.  The fact that governments in various countries have poured resources into higher education to strengthen their competitive edge has brought about a major qualitative change in higher education. Higher education is now categorized as just one more kind of competitive business on the market.  Education, originally a profession of the conscience that strives to nurture students’ inherent virtues and wisdom, has now turned into an industry within the economy. This phenomenon is an issue that greatly needs the attention of concerned parties.

我們若以全球各大名校爭相開辦的高階班商管教育為例，更是每個大學視為營收與獲利的重要來源，參與的學員在此競逐厚植自己的社會人脈與網絡，雖然課程內容著重於經營的策略地圖，以及快速有效的行動方案，從專業領域的知識建構而言，是無可厚非，然對於企業經營該有之仁義道德和利益眾生的思想，卻鮮少提及。商管教育儼然成為一種商品，依學費價格決定此種商品的良窳與社會認知的聲望。

Take, for example, the competitive advanced MBA programs in the world’s most elite schools. These universities regard such programs as an important source of revenue and profit.  Students also strive to establish their social networks via these programs.  Although it is reasonable and understandable to expect an emphasis on operational strategies as well as effective and efficient action plans from the aspect of professional knowledge and expertise, virtue, humaneness, and the aim of benefiting living beings are rarely mentioned here.  As a result, MBA programs have become a business commodity and the price of tuition determines the quality, social prestige and recognition.

其次，我們也看到許多高等教育的人才培育規畫，主要在強調如何在全球化的就業市場氛圍下，提升跨領域的專業及國際移動的能力，並強化與產業的連結，促進學生的職場就業力，因此教育辦學的績效指標，往往是學生畢業後的就業狀況調查，與各項職涯發展的追蹤考核。同時，在商業化導向的國際排名與競爭下，創造了大學追求商業品牌的迷思，反而是在教育的過程中，能夠使學生在一生中永續培福與增慧的基本倫理和道德素養，卻極為缺乏。

Secondly, we also see many professional development plans in higher education.  These plans primarily focus on how to enhance one’s professional expertise and internal mobility in a globalized environment and how to strengthen the connection with the industry in order to upgrade the students’ ability to compete in the job market and workplace. Therefore, such education has been evaluated in terms of career development and employment after graduation.  Meanwhile, the commercialized international rankings and competition have generated a craze to pursue studies at a “name brand” university.  But basic virtues and ethics, which would guide students to sustain right livelihoods and create blessings and wisdom for the rest of their lives, are utterly lacking in the educational process.

處於當今快速變遷的網路時代，所有各方面領域的知識創造、形成與分享都是即時性的，而且是爆炸性的。專業知識以及任何一種學科領域 (Discipline) 的典範 (Paradigm) 因此恆常處於變動的狀態，創新 (Innovation) 成了主流，不僅造成了學習面向的多元發展，也造成了全球在多元知識的建構和價值觀的形成過程中，以指數式成長 (Exponential Growth) 的速度，超越了一般常人所能吸收與判別辨識的能力。

In the digital era of rapid changes, all aspects of the creation, formation and sharing of knowledge are instant and explosive.  The expertise and paradigms of any discipline are in a state of constant change.  Innovation has become the mainstream. This results not only in learning having to confront diversified developments, it also means that the rate of exponential growth in global diversified knowledge construction and value formation has exceeded the capacity of ordinary people to absorb and discern.

坦白而言，這樣的發展對於學生在領域知識的學習本身就是一種極大的挑戰，但更大的困難是，我們應該如何關照到學生，特別是當他們在形塑健全人格特質的學習過程裡，他們的身與心均必須處於外境不斷變化與動搖的現象世界裡。這些現況均在在的指向一個嚴肅的課題，亦即當今的世界應如何發展健全的教育理念和制度，而教育內涵的主流回歸到人類普世不變的倫理與道德觀的層面，是一條必需的道路。

Frankly speaking, such a development for the students in their field of study is itself a great challenge, but the bigger problem is how we take care of the students, especially in the process of shaping their character as a whole person, when their bodies and minds are bombarded with constant changes and shifts in the world of phenomena. The current situation presents a serious topic, namely, how to develop a healthy and wholesome educational philosophy and system so that the mainstream and the content of education returns to universal value of timeless ethics and virtues.  As educators, this is a path we must tread on.

另一方面，當資本主義的發展在全球化的推波助瀾之下，一切均講求快速競爭的步調，我們所處的依報世界，也產生了重大的變化。現在大家都在談天災人禍，越來越多人覺悟到世間無常、國土危脆，人類的文明發展無法阻止災變不停的發生。一切法從心想生，世出世間一切生滅的現象，都是從心的作用而產生，如何把世界或環境的災難化解、減輕，我們必須從最根本處的人心著手，努力去改變自己，因為我們與十方法界所有眾生的關係均存在著可課責性 (Accountability)，從佛法的思惟而言，不僅包括了有情與無情 (即山河大地、草木礦植物等) 的眾生，也包括了一切外在物質與環境世界的依報。面對這一切的困境與挑戰，只有「心」的教育才是最根本的解決之道。

On the other hand, the development of capitalism under the intensified effects of globalization stresses fast-paced competition.  Consequently, major changes are taking place in the material world in which we live. Nowadays, everyone talks about natural disasters and man-made calamities. More and more people have realized that the earth is impermanent and frail and that development of human civilization cannot stop disasters.  We know that all Dharmas are created from the mind.  The phenomenon of what comes into being and what perishes in both conventional and transcendental worlds are also made from the mind alone. How do we mitigate or solve environmental problems or global issues?  We must fix their root cause – that is the human mind. We should work hard to change ourselves because we are also accountable in the relationships we have with all living beings. From the Buddhist perspective, living beings include both sentient and insentient beings, such as mountains, rivers, great earth, grass, plants and minerals, as well as the material world and the external environment. In the face of these predicaments and challenges, the fundamental method to solve these issues is to transform the mind.

上人的一生為弘揚正法，特別注重教育事業。法界佛教大學注重啟發自性智慧，不僅傳授專業知識，更以倫理道德為基礎，引領學生藉由經典閱讀與實際修持，造就具有全人特質的人才，終極的目標在於利益群生。

Ven. Master Hua dedicated his entire life to propagate the Buddhadharma, with particular emphasis on education. Dharma Realm Buddhist University focuses on activating students’ inherent wisdom. It not only conveys knowledge but also nourishes each student as a whole person by guiding him or her through sutra studies and actual practices grounded in virtue and humanity.   The ultimate goal of such education is to inspire students to benefit living beings.

今天同時也是僧伽居士訓練班的結業典禮，學員們在奠立了良好穩固的學習基礎後，將來的任務在於如何參與佛教事務，以弘揚正法，續佛命脈。上人在聖城所開辦的各項教育，將教育回歸到人類最基本的倫理與道德之核心價值，確實是濁世中的一股清流。能夠走進萬佛聖城學習，本身就是「百千萬劫難遭遇」的殊勝因緣，進了萬佛聖城都是在學習如何做人，我們人人本來個個都可以成佛，但是師父上人告訴我們，如何成佛一切都必須從做人開始，這也是現在高等教育的內涵令人惋惜的地方，因為「做人」不是學習的重點，取而代之的是如何滿足追求個人的欲望。

Today is also the commencement of the Sangha and Laity Training Program.  With a good and solid foundation, the graduates’ mission is to participate in Buddhist works so that they can share the Dharma and carry on the Buddha’s lineage.  The various educational institutions that Ven. Master Hua founded return education to its core value of basic human virtue and ethics.  It is indeed a clear stream in the turbid world.  Being able to walk into CTTB to learn is a supreme and special opportunity. CTTB teaches people how to be truly human. All of us can become Buddhas. Our teacher, Master Hua, told us in order to become a Buddha, one must know how to be a good person.  This is the lamentable aspect of higher education in today’s world, which has replaced the goal of learning how to be a good person with how to pursue and satisfy personal desires.

上人在1993年元月最後一次回台弘法時，告誡大家要盡到做人的基本原則，力行孝道，並且要做到「不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不妄語」六大宗旨，我們如果能夠老老實實地、腳踏實地，拿出真心來用功，就能圓成佛道。上人的六大宗旨聽起來是再平淡無奇不過了，但在實踐的過程中，才知道字字直指人心，無一不是考驗。所謂「直心是道場」，這六大宗旨隨時在檢驗我們是否盡用委曲婉轉的心在修行佛法，造作身口意的惡業，欺瞞自己與別人。

When the Ven. Master returned to Taiwan to propagate the Dharma in January 1993, he exhorted us to fulfill our basic duty as human beings by being filial to our parents and practicing the Six Great Principles of not fighting, not being greedy, not seeking, not being selfish, not pursuing personal advantage and not lying. He said that if we could cultivate with our true hearts, honestly, step by step, we will certainly realize Buddhahood.  The Six Great Principles sound quite ordinary. But in the process of practicing them, one knows every single word points directly to the mind. Everything becomes a test.  It’s said, “the straight mind is the Way.” The Six Great Principles test us all the time to see if we are using the crooked mind to cultivate the Buddhadharma or to create bad karma in body, speech and mind to deceive ourselves and others.

至於孝道，上人說過父母就是天地，父母就是師長，父母也就是諸佛，你要想成佛，先要孝順父母，因此第一要緊的就是孝道。一般世俗的孝道大抵針對自己的父母，佛法裡的孝道則利基於眾生平等的思想，有更深的超越，亦即十方法界的眾生與我均為一體，且一切眾生輪轉六道既經無量劫數，且於多生中，曾經互為父母，我們當本著大孝的精神，發勇猛精進的菩提心，不僅使自己能夠了生脫死，證得佛果，亦當為所有的眾生發心回報，令得無上正等正覺。上人的十八大願就是最究竟的孝道。

As for filial respect, Ven. Master said parents are our heaven and earth.  Parents are our teachers, and parents are Buddhas.  If one wishes to become a Buddha, one must first be filial to one’s parents. Therefore, the most important practice is filial respect.  The subject of conventional filial respect is usually our own parents.  The extended filial respect that Buddhism teaches points to a deeper level: all living beings are equal and are identical with me. Additionally, as all living beings have been transmigrating in the Six Paths for innumerable eons, we have been one another’s parents.  Based on the spirit of extended filial respect, we should make a vigorous resolve to seek awakening. We can then end the cycle of birth and death, become Buddhas, and help all living beings to realize the unsurpassed and right enlightenment as a way of repaying their kindness. The Ven. Master’s 18 great vows are the epitome of filial respect.

今天各位的學習即將暫時告一段落，如何培養服務人群的精神，建立我為人人的大志向，謀求大眾的幸福，是大家可以努力思考的方向。由於立志是古今讀書人最重要的一件事，「立志」在佛法裡是一種誓願或願力，諸佛菩薩和師父上人在願力中，所行持的慈悲、智慧、戒律與方便均是不可思議，而且直至盡未來際不可計劫，仍然持之以恆，堅定行持。希望能夠藉由上人的許多法語，在今天的典禮中，與大家共同勉勵、共同學習「以師心為己心，以師志為己志」，如大佛頂首楞嚴神咒云：Today, your studies may have come to an end temporarily.  However, the spirit of how to serve others and the aspiration of seeking to bring benefits to all people might be something you would want to think about.  For ancient scholars, finding one’s aspiration is a most important task.   In Buddhism, one’s aspiration means one’s resolve or vows.  The kindness, compassion, wisdom, ethical discipline, and skillful means that Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the Ven. Master have practiced from the power of their vows are really inconceivable.  For innumerable eons, they persevere in their practices. I to use the Ven. Master’s words of Dharma to encourage everyone in their learning and practice. “Take the teacher’s mind as your mind, take the teacher’s aspiration as your own aspiration.  As the Shurangama Sutra says,

「願今得果成寶王  還度如是恆沙眾

  將此深心奉塵剎  是則名為報佛恩

  伏請世尊為證明  五濁惡世誓先入

  如一眾生未成佛  終不於此取泥洹」

“I vow to reach enlightenment, and as a Dharma-King,

Return to rescue beings countless as the Ganges’ sands.

This deep resolve I offer in the myriad Buddha-lands.

By this may I repay the kindness shown me by the Buddha.

“I ask the Buddha to be witness as I take this vow

To enter first the murky realms of five turbidities,

If even just one being still has not become a Buddha,

Then I will wait before I seek the leisure of nirvana.

再一次感恩有這樣的機會來參與今天的盛事，我的內心仍然是感覺十分慚愧。敬祝大家法喜充滿、福慧雙全。

Once again, I am grateful to have such an opportunity to participate in such a great event.  I still feel a sense of shame in my heart.  In the end, may everyone be filled with Dharma joy and perfect in both blessings and wisdom.