佛法的應用

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葉祖堯博士2025年6月21日晚間講於萬佛聖城大殿

The Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, and all the wise advisors,

My name is Qin Fa and this evening is my turn to practice Dharma talk. The title of my talk is “Applied Buddhism.”

宣公上人、各位法師、各位善知識：我的法名是親法，今晚輪到我來練習講法。我的題目是：佛法的應用。

The first time I was exposed to this subject was in a reception at an international conference in Nanjing in 2007 in which we were introduced to the Minister of Reunification in China. She just got back from Hongkong. After learning that we were Buddhists, she took out two small books from her handbag and gave them to us. The titles of the books were “Heart Sutra and Modern Management” and “Heart Sutra and Wisdom of Life” written by Prof. Pan Zong Guang, then president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Later on I found out that he was quite famous for being nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry a few years ago. Well, these two books provided me a first introduction to the notion of “Applied Buddhism” which refers to the practical application of Buddhist principles, teachings, and practices in various aspects of daily life as well as in many other domains such as management, science, education,  etc. It emphasizes the integration of Buddhist philosophy and ethics into everyday activities, relationships, work, and community engagement. A few years later, Prof. Ron Epstein at DRBU wrote a book called Responsible Living which details how Buddhist ethics should be applied in solving major world problems.

我第一次接觸這個主題是在2007年南京舉行的國際會議的招待會上。當時我和我的同修被介紹給中國的統戰部部長劉延東女士，她剛從香港回來。得知我們是佛教徒後，她從手提包裡拿出兩本小書送給我們。書名分別是《心經與現代管理》和《心經與人生智慧》，作者為時任香港科技大學校長的潘宗光教授。後來我才知道，潘宗光教授幾年前因獲得諾貝爾化學獎提名而聲名大噪。這兩本書讓我第一次接觸到「應用佛法」的概念，它指的是將佛教的原理、教義和修行應用於日常生活和管理的各個方面。它強調將佛教哲學和倫理道德融入日常活動、人際關係、工作和社區參與中。另一個例子是法界佛教大學終身榮譽校長易象乾教授的《負責任的生活》一書，其中詳細介紹如何運用佛教倫理來解決世界重大問題。

Later on that year, we were invited to a luncheon at the Institute of Noetic Science (IONS), located in Petaluma. We were fortunate to sit next to the founder of the institute, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, who was the 6th man to walk on the moon. During the lunch, he mentioned to us his experience coming back from the moon, as the Space craft was spinning and he studently had an epiphany in that he felt “one with the universe.” He was not able to find a scientific explanation of his experience but he later found it in the old Indian text which refers to such experience as samadhi, a state of the mind/consciousness. So, he founded the IONS to study the relationship between science and consciousness. I was fascinated by his experience and invited him to give a series of talks at the Asia University in Taiwan the following year. As part of his activities, I also contacted Venerable Master Sheng Yen, founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan as to whether he would be interested in having a dialogue with Dr. Mitchell and he agreed.

那年晚些時候，我們受邀前往位於佩塔盧馬的心靈科學研究院參加午宴。我們有幸坐在研究院創始人埃德加·米契爾博士旁邊，他是第六位登上月球的人。午餐時，他向我們講述了他從月球返回的經歷。當時，太空船正在旋轉，他突然感覺自己與宇宙融為一體。他無法找到這種經驗的科學解釋，但後來在古印度文獻中找到了解釋，文獻將這種經驗稱為三摩地（Samadhi）一種心靈/意識的狀態。於是，他創立了「心靈科學研究院」，研究科學與意識的關係。他的經歷讓我很感動，我邀請他第二年在台灣亞洲大學發表多次演講。作為他活動的一部分，我還聯繫了台灣法鼓山的創始人聖嚴法師，詢問他是否有興趣與米契爾博士對話，他也同意了。

On May 8, 2008, the dialogue was held at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, and all of its more than 600 seats were filled with people standing in the back as well. As the moderator, I actually spent a few weeks working with a team from the Dharma Drum Mountain to fine tune the questions. The dialogue was published as a booklet called “The Buddha Mind, Universe, and Awakening” and you can download a free copy from the internet. Here is a short summary of the dialogue below:

2008年5月8日，這場對話在台北的中正紀念堂舉行，六百多個座位座無虛席，後排也站滿了人。作為主持人，我花了幾週時間與法鼓山的團隊一起調整對話的問題。對話內容被印成了一本名為《佛心、宇宙與覺醒》的小冊子，您可以從網路上免費下載。以下是對話內容的簡要概述：

There were four core themes, namely：1. The Nature of the Universe; 2. Science and consciousness; 3. Inter-connectedness and emptiness; and 4. Purpose of spiritual practice. 

對話的内容可分為四項主題：宇宙的本質；科學與意識；相通與空性；修行的目的。

1. The Nature of the Universe

Master Sheng Yen discussed the Buddhist view of the universe as an interplay of time and space, which are ultimately empty and interdependent. He referenced the Avatamsaka Sutra’s depiction of a boundless, interconnected cosmos, where phenomena are transient and lack inherent existence. 

1. 宇宙的本質

聖嚴法師探討了佛教關於宇宙的觀點，認為宇宙是時間和空間相互作用的產物，最終都是空性且相互依存的。他引用了《華嚴經》對無邊無際、相互連結的宇宙的描述，其中的現象都是短暫的，缺乏固有的存在性。

2. Science and Consciousness

Dr. Mitchell shared his transformative experience of unity during space travel, leading to a deep interest in consciousness studies. He highlights how quantum physics challenges the strict separation of mind and matter, suggesting a more integrated understanding of reality.

2. 科學與意識

米契爾博士分享了他在太空旅行中，和宇宙合一的體驗，讓他身心蛻變；這引發了他對意識研究的濃厚興趣。他強調了量子物理學如何挑戰精神與物質的嚴格區分，從而提出了對現實更全面的理解。

3. Interconnectedness and Emptiness

The dialogue emphasizes the Buddhist concept of emptiness (śūnyatā) and the interconnectedness of all phenomena. The metaphor of a mustard seed containing Mount Sumeru illustrates the non-dualistic view where the vast and the minute coexist, reflecting the infinite within the finite.

3. 相通與空性

對話強調了佛教的空性（śūnyatā）概念以及一切現象的相通性。芥菜籽蘊含須彌山的隱喻，體現了廣闊與微小並存的非二元論觀點，體現了有限中的無限。

4. Purpose of Spiritual Practice

Master Sheng Yen underscores that the goal of spiritual practice is not to seek mystical experiences but to transcend self-identity and realize the true nature of mind. This awakening leads to genuine freedom and compassion. 

4. 修行的目的

聖嚴法師強調，修行的目的並非尋求神秘體驗，而是超越自我，證悟心性。這種覺醒將引領我們走向真正的自由與慈悲。

This dialogue offers a unique perspective on how ancient Buddhist wisdom and contemporary scientific thought converge in exploring consciousness and the universe. 

這次對話提供了一個獨特的視角，即古老的佛教智慧和當代科學思想如何融合在一起探索意識和宇宙。

For a deeper understanding, you can read the full booklet: The Buddha Mind, Universe, and Awakening (PDF).

為了更深入地理解，您可以閱讀完整的小冊子：佛心、宇宙和覺醒（PDF）。

The event was a real learning experience for me and it furthered my interest in Applied Buddhism which refers to the practical application of Buddhist principles, teachings, and practices in various aspects of daily life and society. It emphasizes the integration of Buddhist philosophy and ethics into everyday activities, relationships, work, and community engagement. 

這次對話提供了一個獨特的視角，即古老的佛教智慧和當代科學思想如何融合在一起探索意識和宇宙。

Consider the example of application of Buddhist thinking to economics. Here is a short summary:

  1. In traditional economics, the goal is to maximize profit and utility whereas in Buddhist Economics, the goal is to maximize well-being and reduce suffering.
  2. In traditional economics, the philosophy is consumption—more is better,  whereas in Buddhist economics, enough is best. The measure of success in traditional economics is “more is better” whereas in the view of Buddhist economics, “happiness is best”.

以佛教思想在經濟學的應用為例，簡單概括如下：

1. 傳統經濟學的目標是最大化利潤和效用，而佛教經濟學的目標是最大化福祉並減少痛苦。

2. 傳統經濟學的哲學是消費越多越好，佛教經濟學則認為適可而止。傳統經濟學衡量成功的標準是「多多益善」，而佛教經濟學則認為「快樂為上」。

Some common areas where Applied Buddhism can be observed include:

  1. Stress reduction: Incorporating mindfulness meditation and awareness practices into daily routines to cultivate present-moment awareness and reduce stress.
  2. Compassion and Ethics: Emphasizing the cultivation of compassion, kindness, and ethical behavior in interactions with oneself and others.
  3. Social Engagement: Engaging in socially beneficial activities, such as community service, social justice initiatives, and environmental conservation efforts, guided by Buddhist values of altruism and interconnectedness.
  4. Psychology and Therapy: Integrating Buddhist teaching of mindfulness-based approaches into counseling, psychotherapy, and mental health interventions to promote emotional well-being and resilience.
  5. Education: Introducing Buddhist teachings on mindfulness, ethics, and wisdom into educational curricula to foster holistic development and cultivate positive values among students.
  6. Conflict Resolution: Applying Buddhist principles of non-violence, empathy, and dialogue to facilitate conflict resolution and reconciliation processes at interpersonal, societal, and international levels. 

佛教的應用領域包括： 1. 減壓：將正念冥想和覺知練習融入日常生活，培養對當下的覺知，進而減輕壓力。 2. 慈悲與道德：強調在與自己和他人的互動中培養慈悲、善良和道德行為。 3. 社會參與：在佛教利他主義和互聯互通價值觀的指導下，參與社會公益活動，例如社區服務、社會正義倡議和環境保護工作。 4. 心理學與治療：將佛法以正念為基礎的方法融入諮商、心理治療和心理健康介入中，以促進情緒健康和韌性。 5. 教育：將佛教關於正念、道德和智慧的教義引入教育課程，以促進學生的全面發展並培養積極的價值觀。 6. 解決衝突：運用佛教的非暴力、同理心與對話原則，促進人際、社會與國際層面的衝突解決與和解進程。

In summary, Applied Buddhism seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and practical implementation of Buddhist teachings, with the aim of promoting individual flourishing and contributing to the well-being of society as a whole. Practitioners of Applied Buddhism seek to apply the core principles of Buddhism, such as mindfulness, compassion, wisdom, and non-attachment, to address contemporary challenges and promote personal well-being, social harmony, and sustainability.
總而言之，應用佛法致力於彌合佛教教義的理論理解與實踐運用之間的差距，旨在促進個人的全面發展，並造福整個社會。應用佛教的修行者致力於運用佛教的核心原則，例如正念、慈悲、智慧和不執著，來應對當代挑戰，促進個人福祉、社會和諧和環境永續性。

It is my belief that every Buddhist university should have a curriculum on Applied Buddhism so that students can make real meaningful contributions to society. 

我相信每所佛教大學都應該開設「應用佛學」課程，以便學生能夠為社會做出真正有意義的貢獻。

阿彌陀佛！