印度的礼仪与习俗
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中文
印度的礼仪风俗
（《上诉雪崩报》，1894年1月21日）
斯瓦米·辨喜，这位印度教僧侣，昨日下午在（孟菲斯）拉萨莱特学院发表了一场演讲。由于大雨滂沱，到场听众寥寥无几。
演讲的主题是"印度的礼仪风俗"。辨喜所倡导的宗教思想理论，已在这座城市乃至美国其他城市一些最进步的思想家心中找到了稳固的立足之地。
他的理论与基督教教师所传授的正统信仰相悖。基督教美国的最高努力，是启迪印度异教徒那蒙昧的心灵；然而，辨喜宗教的东方光辉，似乎已使旧日基督教——我们父辈所传授的那种基督教——的美丽黯然失色，并将在一些受过较好教育的美国人心中找到肥沃的生长土壤。
今日是一个"时髦风潮"盛行的时代，而辨喜似乎正在填补一种"长久以来的空缺"。他或许是其国家最博学的人士之一，并拥有惊人的个人魅力，听众皆为其雄辩所倾倒。尽管他的见解颇为开明，但他在正统基督教中几乎看不出什么值得称道之处。辨喜在孟菲斯所受到的高度礼遇，恐怕超过了此前访问这座城市的任何一位演讲者或传道人。
倘若一位前往印度的传教士能像这位印度教僧侣在此间所受到的热情款待那样被接纳，那么在异教土地上传播基督福音的事业必将大为推进。他昨日下午的演讲，从历史的角度来看颇为引人入胜。他对本国历史与传统了如指掌，从远古历史直至当代，能以优雅从容的姿态描述那里各种名胜古迹。
演讲过程中，他数度被听众中女士们提出的问题所打断，他对所有问题都毫不迟疑地一一作答，唯有当一位女士提问意在将他引入宗教讨论时，他才有所保留。他拒绝被引离演讲的原定主题，并告知那位提问者，他将在另一场合阐述自己对"灵魂转化"等问题的观点。
在他的讲述中，他提到其祖父三岁时便已成婚，其父十八岁成婚，而他自己则至今未曾娶妻。出家为僧并不禁止婚娶，但如果一位僧侣娶妻，其妻便也成为僧侣，拥有与丈夫相同的权力与特权，并在社会上占据与丈夫同等的地位。
回答听众的一个问题时，他说印度无论出于何种原因皆无离婚，但若婚后十四年膝下无子，丈夫在妻子同意的前提下，可以再娶；若妻子反对，则不得再娶。他对古代陵墓与寺庙的描述美轮美奂，说明先人所具备的科学知识远超当今最为精湛的工匠。
斯瓦米·辨喜将于今晚在Y. M. H. A. 礼堂作其在这座城市的最后一次演讲。他与芝加哥"斯莱顿演讲局"签有合约，在美国巡回演讲三年。他将于明日离开此地前往芝加哥，并于25日晚在那里履行一项演讲约定。
（《底特律论坛报》，1894年2月15日）
昨晚，一批数量可观的听众有幸得见并聆听了梵社著名印度教僧侣斯瓦米·辨喜，他在"团结俱乐部"的主持下于唯一神教堂发表演讲。他身着本国服饰出场，英俊的面容与健壮的身躯相得益彰，神采奕奕，出类拔萃。他的口才使听众如痴如醉，并不时引发热烈掌声。他以最为纯正的英语，讲述了"印度的礼仪风俗"。他说，他们不称自己的国家为印度，也不称自己为印度教徒。"印度斯坦"才是这个国家的名称，而他们是婆罗门人。古代，他们说梵语。在梵语中，一个词的含义与理由都清晰可辨，但如今这一切都已不复存在。梵语中"朱庇特"的意思是"天上的父"。北印度所有的语言如今实际上已大同小异，但若他走到该国南部，便无法与当地居民交流。在"父亲"、"母亲"、"姐妹"、"兄弟"等词语上，梵语中的发音颇为相近。这一事实以及其他诸多事实，使他认为我们同出于一个共同的渊源——雅利安人。这一种族的几乎所有分支都已失去了各自的独特性。
共有四个种姓：祭司，地主与军事阶层，商人阶层，以及工匠、劳工与仆役阶层。在前三个种姓中，男孩分别在十岁、十一岁和十三岁时被交由大学教授抚养，并分别在三十岁、二十五岁和二十岁之前一直跟随教授学习……在古代，男女皆受教育，但如今只有男孩才能获得这种待遇。然而，目前正在努力纠正这一由来已久的不公。该土地上大量的哲学与法律，均为古代女性——在野蛮人开始统治这片土地之前——所创作。在印度教徒眼中，女性如今享有自己的权利。她们坚守自身立场，法律也站在她们这一边。
学生从学院归来后，方可结婚、成家立业。夫妻须共同承担劳作，双方各有其权利。在军事种姓中，女儿往往可以自择婚配；但在其他所有情况下，一切安排皆由父母做主。目前正在不断努力矫正早婚现象。婚礼仪式极为美丽，双方各触及对方的心，并在上帝与众宾客面前宣誓终身忠诚。男子未经婚娶，便不得担任祭司。男子出席公众礼拜时，必有妻子陪同。在礼拜活动中，印度教徒履行五种仪式：礼拜神祇、礼拜祖先、礼敬贫者、礼敬禽兽，以及礼敬学问。只要家中尚有余粮，客人必不会有所匮乏。待客人尽兴，方由子女用餐，最后才是父母。他们是世界上最为贫穷的民族，然而除饥荒时期外，无人因饥饿而死。文明是一项伟大的成就，但与之相较，英国每400人中就有一个酗酒者，而在印度，这一比例为每百万人中一人。他随后描述了火化遗体的仪式。除非是某位显赫贵族，火化时并不公开宣扬。经过十五天的斋戒之后，亲属代表先人向穷人施舍财物，或用于创办某种公益机构。在道德层面，他们超越一切其他民族，高人一等。
注释
English
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN INDIA
(Appeal-Avalanche, January 21, 1894)
Swami Vive Kananda, the Hindoo monk, delivered a lecture at La Salette Academy [Memphis] yesterday afternoon. Owing to the pouring rain, a very small audience was present.
The subject discussed was "Manners and Customs in India." Vive Kananda is advancing theories of religious thought which find ready lodgment in the minds of some of the most advanced thinkers of this as well as other cities of America.
His theory is fatal to the orthodox belief, as taught by the Christian teachers. It has been the supreme effort of Christian America to enlighten the beclouded minds of heathen India, but it seems that the oriental splendor of Kananda's religion has eclipsed the beauty of the old-time Christianity, as taught by our parents, and will find a rich field in which to thrive in the minds of some of the better educated of America.
This is a day of "fads," and Kananda seems to be filling a "long felt want." He is, perhaps, one of the most learned men of his country, and possesses a wonderful amount of personal magnetism, and his hearers are charmed by his eloquence. While he is liberal in his views, he sees very little to admire in the orthodox Christianity. Kananda has received more marked attention in Memphis than almost any lecturer or minister that has ever visited the city.
If a missionary to India was as cordially received as the Hindoo monk is here the work of spreading the gospel of Christ in heathen lands would be well advanced. His lecture yesterday afternoon was an interesting one from a historic point of view. He is thoroughly familiar with the history and traditions of his native country, from very ancient history up to the present, and can describe the various places and objects of interest there with grace and ease.
During his lecture he was frequently interrupted by questions propounded by the ladies in the audience, and he answered all queries without the least hesitancy, except when one of the ladies asked a question with the purpose of drawing him out into a religious discussion. He refused to be led from the original subject of his discourse and informed the interrogator that at another time he would give his views on the "transmigration of the soul," etc.
In the course of his remarks he said that his grandfather was married when he was 3 years old and his father married at 18, but he had never married at all. A monk is not forbidden to marry, but if he takes a wife she becomes a monk with the same powers and privileges and occupies the same social position as her husband.
In answer to a question, he said there were no divorces in India for any cause, but if, after 14 years of married life, there were no children in the family, the husband was allowed to marry another with the wife's consent, but if she objected he could not marry again. His description of the ancient mausoleums and temples were beautiful beyond comparison, and goes to show that the ancients possessed scientific knowledge far superior to the most expert artisans of the present day.
Swami Vivi Kananda will appear at the Y. M. H. A. Hall to-night for the last time in this city. He is under contract with the "Slayton Lyceum Bureau," of Chicago, to fill a three-years' engagement in this country. He will leave tomorrow for Chicago, where he has an engagement for the night of the 25th.
(Detroit Tribune, February 15, 1894)
Last evening a good sized audience had the privilege of seeing and listening to the famous Hindu Monk of the Brahmo Samaj, Swami Vive Kananda, as he lectured at the Unitarian Church under the auspices of the Unity Club. He appeared in native costume and made with his handsome face and stalwart figure a distinguished appearance. His eloquence held the audience in rapt attention and brought out applause at frequent intervals. He spoke of the "Manners and Customs of India" and presented the subject in the most perfect English. He said they did not call their country India nor themselves Hindus. Hindostan was the name of the country and they were Brahmans. In ancient times they spoke Sanscrit. In that language the reason and meaning of a word was explained and made quite evident but now that is all gone. Jupiter in Sanscrit meant "Father in Heaven." All the languages of northern India were now practically the same, but if he should go into the southern part of that country he could not converse with the people. In the words father, mother, sister, brother, etc.; the Sanscrit gave very similar pronunciations. This and other facts lead him to think we all come from the common stock, Aryans. Nearly all branches of this race have lost their identity
There were four castes, the priests, the landlords and military people, the trades people and the artisans, laborers and servants. In the first three castes the boys as the ages of ten, eleven and thirteen respectively are placed in the hands of professors of universities and remain with them until thirty, twenty-five and twenty years old, respectively. ... In ancient times both boys and girls were instructed, but now only the boys are favored. An effort, however, is being made to rectify the long-existing wrong. A good share of the philosophy and laws of the land is the work of women during the ancient times, before barbarians started to rule the land. In the eyes of the Hindu the woman now has her rights. She holds her own and has the law on her side.
When the student returns from college he is allowed to marry and have a household. Husband and wife must bear the work and both have their rights. In the military caste the daughters oftentimes can choose their husbands, but in all other cases all arrangements are made by the parents. There is a constant effort now being made to remedy infant marriage. The marriage ceremony is very beautiful, each touches the heart of the other and they swear before God and the assemblage that they will prove faithful to each other. No man can be a priest until he marries. When a man attends public worship he is always attended by his wife. In his worship the Hindu performs five ceremonies, worship of his God, of his forefathers, of the poor, of the dumb animals, and of learning. As long as a Hindu has anything in the house a guest must never want. When he is satisfied then the children, then father and mother partake. They are the poorest nation in the world, yet except in times of famine no one dies of hunger. Civilization is a great work. But in comparison the statement is made that in England one in every 400 is a drunkard, while in India the proportion is one to every million. A description was given of the ceremony of burning the dead. No publicity is made except in the case of some great nobleman. After a fifteen days' fast gifts are given by the relatives in behalf of the forefathers to the poor or for the formation of some institution. On moral matters they stand head and shoulders above all other nations.
Notes
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。