武親道居士2025年7月23日晚間講於萬佛聖城萬佛殿

Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, and Dharma Friends, my name is John Vu, Dharma name Chin Dao. Today, I would like to share a Dharma talk on the topic of Buddhism in the Western world.

佛陀、菩薩、宣公上人、各位法師、各位佛友，我的名字是武文度，法名親道。 今天結法緣，我想分享關於「佛教在西方世界」的個人淺見。

Buddhism first spread from India to various Asian countries, adapting to the distinct cultures and civilizations it encountered. This localization led to the emergence of diverse traditions such as Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana. In the late 19th century, Buddhism reached America. At that time, only a handful of academic books introduced it—and many viewed Buddhism more as a spiritual tradition than a formal religion.

佛教最初從印度傳播到亞洲各國，並因應不同文化和文明進行了調整。 這種在地化，催生了像大乘、上座部、和金剛乘等多元傳統的出現。 到了十九世紀末，佛教傳入美國。當時只有少數幾本學術書籍介紹它，而且許多人將佛教視為一種精神傳統，而非正式的宗教。

In the early 20th century, the writings of Zen Master Suzuki began to circulate among intellectuals and college students, but this exposure emphasized meditation and unintentionally shaped a narrow understanding of Buddhism.Only when the Venerable Master brought Buddhism to America did the full spectrum of Buddhist teachings—sutras, precepts, the sangha, ethics, and meditation—become accessible here.

二十世紀初，鈴木大拙的著作開始在知識分子和大學生之間流傳，但這種接觸只強調了禪修，無意中塑造了對佛教狹隘的理解。直到宣公上人將佛教帶到美國，完整的佛教教義——經藏、戒律、僧伽、倫理和禪修——才得以在此地普及。

So, my question is: How do we, as his disciples, ensure these precious seeds take root and flourish into a great bodhi tree—offering wisdom, and refuge to all people of the Western world?

所以，我的問題是：作為他的弟子，我們如何確保這些珍貴的種子生根發芽，長成一棵偉大的菩提樹——為所有西方世界的人們提供智慧和庇護？

Throughout the 20th century, monks from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Tibet arrived in Europe and America to propagate Buddhism. However, their efforts largely remained within their ethnic communities. Language barriers and limited cultural understanding made it difficult to reach Westerners effectively.

整個二十世紀，來自泰國、斯里蘭卡、越南和西藏的出家眾來到歐美弘揚佛法。 然而，他們的努力大多侷限於各自的族裔社區內。語言障礙和有限的文化理解，使得他們難以有效地接觸西方人。

Many temples replicated the rituals and practices of their home countries, but Westerners often found these unfamiliar and challenging to adopt. This cultural mismatch is one reason Buddhism has struggled to grow more widely. Visit a Thai or Vietnamese temple today, and you may find few Western practitioners.

許多寺廟複製了他們母國的儀式和修行方式，但西方人往往覺得這些很陌生，難以接受。 這種文化不匹配是佛教難以更廣泛發展的原因之一。 如今，如果你去參觀泰國或越南寺廟，可能會發現西方修行者寥寥無幾。

Western societies need Buddhism—not as a cultural import, but as a fresh expression tailored to Western values, ways of thinking, and approaches to life. Rituals may not be as necessary as new methods of thinking, acting, and solving problems. Western culture thrives on science, logic, investigation, and dialogue, and Buddhism must speak to these strengths.

西方社會需要佛教——但不是作為一種文化輸入，而是作為一種為西方價值觀、思維方式和生活態度量身定制的全新表達。 儀式或許沒有像新的思維、行為和解決問題的方式那樣必要。 西方文化以科學、邏輯、探究和對話為核心，佛教必須要能與這些優勢對話。

To meet this need, it requires a sangha guided by deep wisdom and compassion—fluent not just in language but in cultural literacy. Buddhism holds immense value in science, technology, medicine, environmental studies, and ethics. But due to time constraints, I will focus on science, an area of rapid expansion and inquiry.

為了滿足這一需求，它需要一個由深邃智慧和慈悲心引導的僧伽——不僅精通語言，還要具備文化素養。 佛教在科學、技術、醫學、環境研究和倫理學方面具有巨大價值。 但由於時間限制，我將重點放在科學，這是一個快速發展和探索的領域。

Today, neuroscientists are increasingly recognizing that consciousness arises from the mind, not just the brain. Science can no longer fully explain human experience by electrical impulses or brain chemistry alone. Some research even suggests that memory resides in muscle and cellular systems. These discoveries raise profound questions that Buddhism may help illuminate.

如今，神經科學家們越來越認識到，意識源於心識，而不僅僅是大腦。 科學已無法單純地用電脈衝或腦化學來完全解釋人類經驗。 一些研究甚至認為，記憶存在於肌肉和細胞系統中。 這些發現提出了深刻的問題，而佛教可能幫助闡明這些問題。

On consciousness, both Buddhism and science find common ground:

The scientific concept of entropy and change mirrors the concept of impermanence in Buddhism.

The neuroscience findings that challenge the notion of a central “self” align well with the doctrine of anatta (no permanent self) in Buddhism.

Both emphasize causality—Buddhism through karma, science through physical laws.

在意識這個主題上，佛教和科學有共通點： 科學中的熵和變化概念，與佛教的無常概念相呼應。 神經科學中挑戰「核心自我」觀念的發現，與佛教的無我（沒有恆常不變的自我）教義相當契合。兩者都強調因果關係——佛教透過業力，科學透過物理定律。

Current scientific investigation in the areas of Near-death experiences (NDEs), Out-of-body experiences (OBEs), Past lives, and Rebirth remain scientific enigmas. Buddhist teachings on karma and reincarnation could offer valuable frameworks for further exploration. Science studies consciousness from a third-person perspective—brain scans and behavioral observation. Buddhism offers the first-person lens—introspection and meditation. Integrating these approaches may unlock deeper insights.

當前科學界對瀕死體驗（NDEs）、出體經驗（OBEs，又稱「靈魂出竅」）、前世和轉世的探究，仍然是科學上的謎團。 佛教關於業力和輪迴的教義，或許能為進一步的探索提供寶貴的框架。 科學從第三人稱視角研究意識——透過腦部掃描和行為觀察。佛教則提供第一人稱視角——透過內省和禪修。 整合這些方法可能會解鎖更深入的見解。

I believe a collaboration between Buddhist sangha and neuroscientists could lead to breakthroughs in understanding neuroplasticity, emotional regulation, and mental resilience. Under the umbrella of “Buddhist Science,” we can explore how the mind shapes behavior, contributes to illness, and influences society.

我相信，佛教僧伽與神經科學家之間的合作，可以在理解神經可塑性、情緒調節和心理韌性方面取得突破。 在「佛教科學」的框架下，我們可以探索心識如何塑造行為、導致疾病以及影響社會。

Buddhadharma—including Yogacara philosophy and meditation practices—can enrich modern psychology, especially in therapy. For instance:

Cognitive therapies integrated with meditation can help prevent relapses in depression.

Meditation also encourages acceptance, emotional balance, and psychological flexibility.

Therapeutic use of meditation fosters self-awareness, compassion, and emotional regulation.

Buddhist Sangha and scientists working together could investigate how meditation affects stress, brain function, and overall wellbeing—benefiting both individuals and communities.

佛法——包括唯識學和禪修實踐——可以豐富現代心理學，尤其是在治療方面。例如： 將認知療法與禪修結合，可以幫助預防憂鬱症復發。 禪修也鼓勵接納、情緒平衡和心理彈性。 禪修的治療應用，能培養自我覺察、慈悲心和情緒調節。 佛教僧伽和科學家攜手合作，可以研究禪修如何影響壓力、大腦功能和整體幸福感——從而造福個人和社區。

Now I understand why the Venerable Master emphasized the importance of advanced education for the sangha. I believe, in the future, monks and nuns may also serve as scientists, therapists, and educators—bridging Buddhism and science to elevate both disciplines.

現在我明白了為什麼宣公上人強調僧伽高等教育的重要性。 我相信，未來出家眾也可能擔任科學家、治療師和教育家，從而將佛教和科學連接起來，提升這兩個領域。

Buddhism’s wisdom is not confined by culture. Its universality allows it to engage all humanity, especially in these global areas of Buddhist Science. To fulfill this potential, we must cultivate a sangha that embodies clarity of wisdom and depth of compassion—and that takes time and intentional effort.

佛教的智慧不受文化侷限。它的普世性，使其能夠與全人類對話，特別是在佛教科學這些全球領域中。 為了實現這一潛力，我們必須培養一個體現清淨智慧和深邃慈悲的僧伽，而這需要時間和有意的努力。

At present, many senior monastics who trained under the Venerable Master are aging, and some have passed away. The next generation is still growing, but the numbers are not many. This fills me with deep concern. I remember years ago at CTTB, the Great Buddha Hall was overflowing with vibrant energy and devoted practitioners.

目前，許多在宣公上人座下受訓的資深出家眾年事已高，有些已經往生。 下一代正在成長，但人數不夠多。這讓我深感擔憂。 我記得多年前在萬佛聖城，大殿裡充滿了蓬勃的朝氣和虔誠的修行者。

Without sincere effort to develop the next generation of sangha, I fear the consequences could be grave. As disciples, let all of us commit to planting and nurturing these seeds of wisdom that the Venerable Master has given us —so they may blossom into a bodhi tree whose shade extends to all beings, across cultures and across time. —Amitabha.

如果不真誠地努力培養下一代僧伽，我擔心後果可能會很嚴重。 作為弟子，讓我們所有人共同致力於種植和培育宣公上人賜予我們的智慧種子——願它們開花結果，長成菩提樹，其樹蔭能庇蔭所有眾生，跨越文化，橫亙時間。 —阿彌陀佛。