|
對於世間法與佛法之關連素有研究的張文毅，於八月十九日科學研討會的第三天，應邀到萬佛聖城演講。張文毅由物理學、文學、藝術和哲學的角度，闡述佛學中的無常、無我、因果大相續流、時空相對，以及轉世等觀點，為這次的科學研討會生色不少。以下就是張文毅演講的內容摘要，整理於下：
因為人皆有佛性，所有宇宙的學問，其實全都在人的身上。泰弋爾在《漂鳥集》裡的第一首詩：
夏天的漂鳥，
飛到我窗前來唱歌：
唱了一首歌，飛走了。
秋天的黃葉，沒有唱歌；
只輕嘆一聲，飄落在那裡。
從這首詩裡，我們可以看到一種遷流無常的概念：季節的變換、漂鳥的來去、黃葉的嘆氣——我的時候到了，我掉下去。邱吉爾說：「酒店何時關門，我何時走。」可見他明白人生的意義。不論麻煩或快樂，當人的生命結束時，就要走了。所以從這一點知道，人生是遷流無常的。這一點可以從中國的「道」字來講，「道」本身就是遷流無常。未講此字之前，先講「易」字。「易」是由日、月二字合成。日是陽、月是陰，—陰一陽兩者合而為一就是道，它是一種動態的對稱，自然的法則運行不已。所以《易經》上說：「天行健，君子以自強不息。」就是效法這陰陽、道的道理，自然的法則就是在走。
印度跳舞之神濕婆，他看整個宇宙的程序都是四步舞曲。我們是生、老、病、死；宇宙是成、住、壞、空；一年有春、夏、秋、冬，都一直在這四步舞曲中打轉，都在轉的現象中。老子《道德經》云：「大曰逝，逝曰遠，遠曰反。」宇宙的現象就是這樣遷流無常。
除了無常之外，宇宙現象最重要的是無我。現在的科學家都證明，我們身上的細胞每天都在生滅，細胞裡還有比細胞更小的原子，內有核子、電子，到最後變成能波。我們每個人之間的磁場、能場，就像大瀑布一樣，能波在不停地交換著，所以我們之間，是不能分開的一個整體，整個宇宙是一面天地蛛網。講到無我，我們就不會對人生瞋恨心或報復心。人不是獨立的個體，而是世界的一部分，事實上，我們自己就是宇宙。
宇宙中有一個原則，一念即剎海。剎，代表時間；海，代表空間；所以，一念代表宇宙。從縱的看，是無始無終；從橫的看，是無邊無際。這麼小的一念，卻代表無始無終的大相續流。
按照基督教「神創生命」的歷史來說，創造生命是在一萬年前。但是從現在地層及地理的種種結構來看，創造生命不是一萬年前，而是更久以前。基督教要找的是第一因，宇宙大爆炸的第一因。他們認為上帝就是第一因，但是佛教講沒有第一因。因為整個字宙是因因果果，互相前後維繫，無始無終的。所以整個字宙即是因果大相續流。
現在的科學承認確實有轉世之事，轉世是前生所有之意識，現在全部帶到這一生來，轉世就是自己跟自己的對話。你前世做得好，這一生得到好報。這一世修行，下一世得到正果，這是宇宙自然的物理法則，自然的力量，絕對跑不掉的。但是，這也不是一定的一對一。佛家所講的因緣果報，惡有惡報，善有善報，不是不報，而是時候未到。這在物理現象來講，叫「測不準原理」，一個未知數。所謂時候未到，就是有一種「測不準」，不曉得什麼時候會來。佛教這一點，比宿命論強的，就在這裡。印度教是宿命論，我一出生，就決定以後怎麼樣了。佛教是講「未知數」，所以給人很大的動機，要做好事，要積陰德，無形中把壞的業除掉了。
在原子的小宇宙裡，有兩百三十五價與兩百三十八價電子的鈾原子，算是比較複雜而能代表電子與核子相互作用的一種。這些電子一方面被核子吸引，一方面又不願被侷限在核子旁的小空間，而各自以平面、斜度及立體的交錯往外飛離，又回轉到核子旁。這兩百多個電子，在這兩個交互作用的力量影響下，來回畫成不同的弧度，而形成一朵蓮花的形狀。所以佛說「蓮花藏世界」的含意，就是這麼小的原子粒子（微塵），也蘊藏著生成異滅，或是大宇宙成住壞空的玄機。
另外，也讓我們了解蓮花所代表的佛性，充塞任何宇宙的角落，甚至在這毛端處的小宇宙中，也有不可說（無限數量）的諸佛如來。所以說，蓮花暗藏著宇宙法則的玄機。
愛因斯坦的《相對論》說，如果你以光速旅行，你將比你在地球上的孿生兄弟要多活百分之七十。所謂「天上一日，人間千年」，從較寬的角度來看，這是解脱時空的標準，也就是《妙法蓮華經》所說的：聽《法華》一天，外面已過了幾千億年。
我們在這個地球上，我們跟整個宇宙的關係，就像水泡跟大海的關係，我們是一面網。水泡跟大海是不能分開的，我們大家都是有緣，「同舟必有前世因」，我加了一句，「擦肩而過也是緣。。在這宇宙幾億萬個星球中，我們很榮幸有整個地球的人在一起，這是說，整個世界人類都是同胞物與。
基督教的一些基本思想，和佛教的淨土宗簡易法門很相似，例如：佛教說，「一心不亂念阿彌陀佛，可得往生極樂世界。」基督教說，「信主可得永生。」佛教講「怨親平等」，基督教講「愛你的鄰人，也愛你的敵人。」基督教說，「天國就在你心中。」而佛教說，「佛在靈山莫遠求，靈山就在汝心頭。人人有個靈山在，只向靈山塔下修」。
可是我們曉得整個宇宙裡的各部，都是相互依存而不可分開獨立的大同體。佛教的大乘宗派不認為只是一心念佛就可以成佛，而是視一切眾生都有同體關係，如同大海裡的小水泡和整個大海同體不可分，一切眾生是我父母，亦視眾生如一子（獨子）。是故大乘佛法認為既然萬物同體，則要到涅槃之境或成佛，不能一個人成。
因此，大乘佛教特別注重六度：布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、般若（智慧），即六種從苦海的此岸渡到快樂彼岸的六種方法。整個地球的眾生都是一個大同體，大同體裡要做到渡到彼岸，大家一起渡。大乘像一艘船，宣公上人如同一艘大船載大家一起到彼岸去。
整個宇宙到處都有佛土，觀世音菩薩可以一身化萬身，度億萬人，就像我們聽收音機，只要頻道對了，千萬人都可以同時收到無線電波。波是本來有的，不需要人跑去接這波來。物質等於能量，電子等於能波，這就是「色即是空，空即是色」，所以菩薩能夠來去自如，祂的能量比光速更快，可以到任何地方，他也是非來非去，如如不動。我們眾生的轉世輪迴，也就是我們自己的回音（echo）.
|
|
On the third day of the seminar on science, Mr. Wen-Yi Chang, who studies the relationship between worldly dharma and Buddhadharma, was invited to lecture at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. From the various points of view of physics, literature, art, and philosophy, Mr. Chang talked about impermanence, no self, the great continuous stream of cause and effect, contrast of time and space, and reincarnation in Buddhism. The variety of topics in his lecture gave the seminar a greater scope. The key points of his speech are given below:
Since all people have the Buddha-nature, all the knowledge in the whole universe is actually within ourselves. A poem written by Tagore says:
Stray bird of summer fly to my window
Sing a song and fly away
Autumn leaves which have no song
Flutter and fall there with a sigh
In this poem, we can see the concepts of ceaseless change and impermanence: the changing of seasons, the coming and going of a bird, the sighs of the withered leaves. "When my time comes, I fall." Churchill said, " When the tavern closes, I'll go." It is clear that he understands the meaning of life. Be it troublesome or joyful, when a life comes to an end, one must leave. From this point we know that life is constantly changing and impermanent. Let's look at Chinese character "Tao" meaning "the Way" (道). The Tao itself signifies changing and impermanence. Let me talk about another word "yi" (易) first.
The word "yi" (易) meaning "change" is made up by the sun and the moon. The sun is Yang (陽), the moon is Yin (陰). When Yin and Yang are unified, it is the Way (道). It is the state of equilibrium of a moving system, the constant operation of cosmic law. So in the
Book of Changes it says, "It keeps on going without cease like the revolution of heavenly bodies. One makes earnest efforts to stand on his own feet." Follows the principle of Yin and Yang, and the Way, the law of Nature is in operation.
Shiva, the Indian god of dance, visualizes the process of universe as a four-step dance. People undergo the process of birth, old age, sickness, and death; the universe undergoes the process of formation, existence, destruction, and emptiness; a year has spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Everything operates within this four-step dance.
In the Tao Te Ching (Classic of the Way), Lao Tze said, "Being great, it flows. It flows far away. Having gone afar, it returns." The phenomena of the universe constantly change and flow like this, with no permanence.
Aside from impermanence, the most important phenomenon in the universe is no born and passing away. Smaller than the cell, are atoms each containing a nucleus and electrons. In the end they become waves of energy. Among people, there are magnetic fields and energetic fields, which are like great waterfalls. Waves of energy interact without interruption. We are all connected by an inseparable, single substance. Therefore, the whole universe is a great web spanning heaven and earth. With the idea of no self, we won't give rise to thoughts of hatred or revenge towards people. A person is not an independent unit, but rather an integral part of the world. In reality, we ourselves are the universe.
There is a principle in the universe: a single thought is a sea of kshanas (instants). Kshana refers to time, and sea refers to space. Thus, one single thought means the universe. Vertically, it has no beginning and no end. Horizontally, it has no bound and no end. Such a minute thought can represent the great continuous stream which has neither beginning nor end.
According to the Christian account of history, God created life ten thousand years ago. However, modern geological research into the various strata and structures of the earth indicates that the creation of life happened not ten thousand years ago, but rather much earlier. In Christianity, people want to find the first cause that caused the Big Bang which created the universe. They think God is that first cause. But Buddhism says there is no first cause because the whole universe is just causes and effects, interconnected back and forth, without beginning or end. Thus, the universe is the great continuous stream of causes and effects.
Modern science affirms the reality of reincarnation. Reincarnation is the bringing of all consciousness from previous lives into the present life; it is just a dialogue with yourself. It you did well in your previous life, you will have wholesome retribution in this life. The cultivation accumulated in this life will result in proper fruition in the next life. This is the natural physical law of the universe; this natural force cannot be deterred. Nevertheless, this is not absolutely one to one: As a Buddhist saying goes, "Good is always rewarded, and vice is always punished. It is not there is no result; rather, it is just that the right time has not come yet." In physics, this is called, the "principle of uncertainty" - an unknown number. "not the right time" refers to this "uncertainty". One doesn't know when it will come. It is in this very point that Buddhism surpasses fatalism. Hinduism is a kind of fatalism, for they think that once a person is born, his future destiny is fixed. However, Buddhism speaks of the uncertainty, which gives people tremendous motivation to do good deeds, accumulate hidden virtue, and thus invisibly eradicate evil karma.
In the small universe of the atoms, the case of uranium atoms with 235 electrons and 238 electrons can illustrate the forces of interaction between the electrons and the nucleus. On one hand, the electrons are attracted to the nucleus. On the other hand, they resist being confined to the small space around the nucleus; and fly out in all directions, and then return to the nucleus. Those more than 200 electrons, under the interacting forces, each make different curves, and together they form the shape of a lotus flower. That is why the Buddha spoke of the Lotus Treasury World, which represents the idea that even the smallest atom (mote of dust) contains the secret of the formation, existence, destruction and emptiness of the universe. Moreover, it enables us to understand that the Buddha-nature represented by the lotus fills every corner in any universe, and even minutest the universe on the tip of a hair contains limitless, unspeakably many Thus Come Ones. So it is said that in a lotus is hidden the secret law of the universe. Einstein's Theory of Relativity says if you travel at the speed of light, you will have 70% longer life than your twin brother on earth. It is said, "One day in heaven is a thousand years on earth." From a broader point of view, this is the liberation from the standard of time and space, and this is described in the
Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra as, "One listens to the
Dharma Flower Sutra for one day, and in the meantime several hundred billion years have passed by outside."
Living on Earth, our relationship with the entire universe is like that which the bubbles have to the great sea. We are a great net. Bubbles cannot be separated from the great sea. We all have affinities.
"There must be causes from previous lives to bring people together on the same ship." And I have added, "Brushing shoulders as we pass by someone is also a kind of affinity." Among the trillions of planets in the universe, we are fortunate to gather together on this Earth, in the world. All people are my brothers, and all of creation is a part of me.
Some basic concepts of Christianity are similar to the simple Dharma-door of the Pure Land School in Buddhism. For instance, Buddhism talks about "chanting Amitabha Buddha single-mindedly, one is able to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. "In Christianity it says, "With faith in God, one obtains eternal life." Buddhism says, "Enemies and relatives are level and equal." Christianity also says, " Love your neighbors and love your foes." "Heaven is in your mind." While Buddhism says, "The Buddha is at Magic Mountain. You need not seek far away. Everybody has a Magic Mountain pagoda. Just cultivate your wisdom at the Magic Mountain pagoda."
However, we are aware that all the parts of the entire universe rely on one another and cannot be independent. The Mahayana sect does not think that whole-heartedly chanting the Buddha's name and becoming a Buddha is the end of it; rather, we have to become of the same substance as all living beings. It is like the many tiny bubbles which are part of the sea and cannot be separated from it. All living beings are my parents. We regard each of the living beings as our only son. Therefore, the Mahayana sect believes that since all things are of the same substance, a cultivator alone cannot achieve Nirvana or become a Buddha by himself.
Thus, the Mahayana sect emphasizes the Six Paramitas: giving, upholding precepts, patience, vigor, Samadhi (concentration), and Prajna (wisdom) - six methods to get from this shore of the sea of suffering to the other shore of bliss. All living beings on whole Earth are one great substance of unity. Everyone will be crossed over to the other shore together. Mahayana is like a big ship. Venerable Abbot Hua is also like a big ship, carrying all of you to the Pure Land.
The whole universe is filled with Buddha Lands. Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva can manifest ten thousand transformation bodies to liberate trillions of people. It is just like listening to the radio, when the right channel is found, many people can receive the radio wave signal. The wave already exists, and we don't need go out to get it. Matter is energy capacity and electrons are energy waves. This is just "form is emptiness and emptiness is form." And that's why a Bodhisattva can come and go freely. This energy capacity is even faster than the speed of light and it can go everywhere. And it neither comes nor goes, and is thus, thus, unmoving. Our reincarnation as living beings is nothing but an echo of ourselves.
|
