Spirit World

「神」的信仰

There are visible and invisible beings or spirits in the same way as there are visible and invisible lights.

Buddhism does not deny the existence of good and evil spirits. There are visible and invisible beings or spirits in the same way as there are visible and invisible lights. We need special instruments to see the invisible light and we need a special sense to see the invisible beings. One cannot deny the existence of such spirits just because one is unable to see them with one's naked eyes. Theses spirits are also subject to birth and death. They are not going to stay permanently in the spirit form. They too exist in the same world where we live.

A genuine Buddhist is one who moulds his life according to moral causation discovered by the Buddha. He should not be concerned with the worshipping of these gods and spirits. However, this kind of worshipping is of some interest and fascination to the multitude and has naturally brought some Buddhists into contact with these activities.

Regarding protection from evil spirits, goodness is a shield against evil. Goodness is a wall through which evil cannot penetrate unless a person opens the door to an evil influence. Even though a person leads a truly virtuous and holy life and has a good shield of moral and noble living that person can still lower his shield of protection by believing in the power of evil that would do harm to him.

The Buddha has never advised His followers to worship such spirits and to be frightened of them. The Buddhist attitude towards them is to transfer merits and to radiate loving-kindness to them. Buddhists do not harm them. On the other hand, if man is religious, virtuous and pure in mind, and if he is also intelligent and possesses strong will-power and understanding capacity, then such a person could be deemed to be much stronger than spirits. The evil spirits would keep away from him, the good spirits would protect him.

佛教否定了对「神」的信仰。

佛教不否认「神」的存在，佛教认为「神」是其他生界的「人」(天人)，祂们比人类拥有更大的欲乐，祂们也拥有超越人类的力量，但是这些力量是有限的。祂们虽然生活在幸福和快乐的生界里，享有比人类更长的寿命，可是，祂们一样为「无常」所牵绊。当祂们享尽祂们的福报后，祂们一样会根据自己的业力进入轮回。佛陀认为，身为人类有更多的机会去积累善业，而「神」在这方面远远不如人类。佛教并不重视「神」，也不认为「神」对我们道德的发展和达到涅槃解脱有所帮助。无论是大神或小神，祂们也一样会死亡，避免不了生死轮回。

佛教徒经常把自己所开创善业的功德回向给「神」，是因为佛陀曾经对「神」有所教诲，要「神」保护那些严谨修持的人。但是，佛教不鼓励对「神」的崇拜和供奉。当人类存在极大的困扰时，他们很自然的向「神」祷告，这种祷告是为了抒发内心的压抑，会得到慰藉和舒缓。但是，对一些有智慧、意志坚强、受过良好宗教教育、和理解力高的人来说，对「神」的祷告是不必要的。佛教徒必须了解，对「神」的祷告无助于证悟涅槃。

佛教徒应该相信佛陀所说：「一个人自己作恶，导致自己污秽，不作恶就能清净。清净与否在于自己，他人无法令你清净。」

《法句经》V.165

圆成佛道和证悟涅槃，不需要靠外力的帮助。因此，佛教徒在佛法的修持，完全不需要依赖「神」的帮助。