“内外道以皈依别”——阿底峡尊者

《The Right View》(17)

In the teaching today, we will examine in more details the differences between Buddhism and non-Buddhism, the mundane and the supramundane practice and, lastly, Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. The questions regarding these three differences seem quite easy to some, but the answers may not be so obvious to everyone. For someone who wants to practice the genuine Dharma，it is imperative that one understands the answers to these questions beforehand, as different answers will engender greatly different results in whatever actions one undertakes, be it doing good deeds or sitting down to meditate.

这篇文章准备给大家介绍三个内容：第一是佛教和外道的差别；第二是世间法和出世间法的差别；第三是大乘和小乘的差别。这三个问题说起来比较简单，但不一定人人都十分清楚。对一个想修持正法的人来说，就有必要先了解这三个问题的答案。因为，无论平时行善的时候也好、打坐的时候也好，对这三个问题的不同抉择就会带来差异悬殊的结果，所以有必要讲一讲。

The difference between non-Buddhism and Buddhism

第一、外道和佛教的差别

Broadly speaking, the view, the practice and the behavior of non-Buddhist traditions and those of Buddhism are all different, and so are their results. The key difference lies in whether or not it requires taking refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha，Dharma and Sangha. One that does is Buddhism; otherwise, non-Buddhism.

如果从广的角度来讲，外道和佛教的见解、修法、行为都不一样，最后获得的结果也有很大差别。但最关键的差别，就是皈依三宝的称为佛教，不愿皈依三宝并具有其他信仰的称为外道。

Although non-Buddhist beliefs also proclaim some notion of emptiness, they are unable to enunciate the void nature of all phenomena based on dependent origination. Their idea of emptiness is only some sort of simple emptiness, unlike the one that is inseparable from phenomena. For example, some non- Buddhists also point out that what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears is all illusory. However, most of their ideas about emptiness are just nothingness which ignore phenomena altogether. This is neither the emptiness taught by Nagarjuna and other like-minded masters，nor the one expounded by Asanga and the like that is inseparable from luminous clarity. Emptiness of non- Buddhism means simply non-existence, just like human heads are without horns, which is not the true meaning of Buddhist emptiness. But non-Buddhist idea of emptiness, regretful to say, is just this simple.

外道虽然也讲了一些空性，但是，他们讲不出缘起性空的空性。他们所讲的空性，只是一些很粗大的空性，不是显空无别的空性。比如说：有些外道也说，现在我们眼睛看到的、耳朵听见的那些东西是如幻如梦的。但是，他们讲的大部分空性，都是不承认现象的单空，这既非龙树菩萨等所讲的单空，也非无著菩萨等所讲的明空无别的空性。他们的空性就是根本不存在的东西，如同人的头上没有角之类的空性，佛教并不认为这是真正意义上的空性。外道讲的空性就是这么简单。

That was the view of the mainstream non-Buddhists during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Later, when Islam invaded India, some of the most important Buddhist sites, such as Nalanda Monastery and Vikramasila (Precept Monastery), were sabotaged. Subsequently, a few non-Buddhist schools began to adopt certain Buddhist theories, resulting in the non-Buddhist canon being mixed with many Buddhist teachings. Yet, up until now, not one of these schools is capable of realization of emptiness beyond the notion of “not-self.”

这是正规的外道，也就是释迦牟尼佛住世时那些外道的见解。后来伊斯兰教侵入印度，那烂陀寺和木扎莫西拉（戒香寺）等佛教最重要的基地被毁坏，有些佛教的教证、理证逐渐被一些外道吸收利用，所以，现在的外道经典里也掺杂了很多佛教的东西。但无论如何，迄今为止，没有一个外道能够抉择人无我以上的空性。

Anyway, the most important and the key difference between Buddhism and non-Buddhism lie in taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Accordingly, taking refuge is deemed a prerequisite for anyone who wants to learn Buddhism. However，it has never been forced upon anyone. Only those who want to learn the Buddha’s teachings or take up Buddhist practice must comply. Not taking refuge is to remain an outsider, is off the path to liberation and cannot be deemed a Buddhist.

总之，佛教与外道最重要、最关键的差别就是：佛教是皈依三宝的，外道是不皈依三宝的。所以，想学佛首先就必须皈依三宝。佛教并不要求所有的众生都皈依三宝，但如果要学佛、要修佛法，就要皈依三宝，不皈依三宝就是在门外、道外，就不能称之为佛教徒。

学佛的真正意义是什么？

大乘显密教法之精华

智悲双运