流转轮回，身不由己

We neither came to nor will leave this world voluntarily. However unwilling, we all have to go when it is time, not by choice and certainly not on our terms. As well, we came in the same fashion. If there were free choices, no being would want to be born as an ox or a horse. But the reality is that we see these poor beings all the time. If free will were possible, all beings would naturally choose to be king in the human realm or someone like Indra, the King of the gods, instead of an ox or a horse. This clearly shows that beings cannot choose the timing or the form of birth. One just has to come when it is time.

我们不是自愿来的，更不是自愿走的。走的时候谁都不愿意，即使不愿意也得走。众生走时是不自愿、不自由的。同样，众生来时也是不自愿、不自由的。如果那时可以自由选择，就没有一个众生愿意去做牛、做马，但是，我们却经常看到这些可怜的生命。如果真有自由可言，那么，它们肯定会选择做人间的国王，或是天堂的帝释天王等等，而不可能选择做牛、做马。这就充分说明了，生命来的时候不是自由、自愿的，愿意也得来，不愿意也得来。

This is by no means God’s will. Buddhism does not acknowledge a personified God but respects all faiths, including the viewpoints of atheism and the non-Buddhist traditions. Some people may find this statement unacceptable since atheism rejects the ideas of samsara and causality. How can such nihilistic views be respected?

这不是上帝的安排，佛教并不承认人格化的上帝。但是，我们会尊重各个教派，包括外道和无神论的观点。有些人也许觉得这话有些过分，因为无神论认为“不存在轮回” “不存在因果”，这种断见怎么能够去尊重呢？

As a matter of fact, the sutras answered this question long time ago. The answer is that although atheism is incorrect, atheists at least have contemplated the question of life. In this respect, they are better than those who, like animals, only care about eating and drinking, and generally feel apathetic toward the issues of life and rebirth. Although the atheists have not found the truth, it is possible that with the right guidance their views may change gradually through meditation. Hence, Buddhism also respects nihilists’ right to their own views. As for eternalism, it certainly deserves some respect since practicing virtue is part of its doctrine as well. The way both exoteric and esoteric Buddhism regard non-Buddhist faiths is this: respect their views but do not acknowledge them.

其实，这个问题在佛经上早已提出。佛经上的答案是什么呢？答案就是，无神论虽然是不正确的，但是，无神论者至少还对生命进行了思考，从这一点来看，他们比起那些像旁生一样只知道吃喝，其他什么都不管，对生命和轮回持无所谓的态度，完全不进行思维的人还是要好一点。好在哪里呢？不错，虽然目前持断见者尚未找到真理，但是通过思维的方式，他的见解也会逐渐地转变，这是有可能的。所以，佛教也尊重断见派。而常见派本身就要求信徒行善，所以肯定是要尊重的。 不论显宗还是密宗都是这样看待外道的。但是，对于他们的观点，我们仅止于尊重而已，却并不承认。