论印度的艺术
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AI-translated. May contain errors. For accurate text, refer to the original English.
中文
印度的艺术
"印度的艺术与科学"是斯瓦米·辨喜在旧金山温特大厅向听众发表演讲时的主题。演讲结束后，听众所提出的诸多问题充分证明，斯瓦米自始至终牢牢抓住了听者的注意力。
斯瓦米部分讲道如下：
纵观各民族的历史，起初，政权始终掌握在祭司手中。一切学问亦源于祭司阶层。其后，政权易手，刹帝利或王权崛起，军事统治大行其道。此乃亘古不变之规律。最终，奢靡之风盛行，人民在其重压之下日趋沉沦，终为更强大、更野蛮的民族所征服。
在世界各民族中，自有史以来，印度便被誉为智慧之邦。千百年来，印度从未主动向外征伐他国。其民素来不事战争。与你们西方人不同，印度人不食肉类，因为肉食催生好斗之性；动物的血液令人躁动不安，使人渴望有所作为。
试比较伊丽莎白时代的印度与英国。彼时，你们的民族尚处于黑暗时代，而我们却已光明开化。盎格鲁-撒克逊民族历来不擅长艺术。他们有出色的诗歌——例如，莎士比亚的无韵诗何其精妙！然而，单纯的押韵未必高明，绝非世间最文明之物。
在印度，音乐早已发展出完整的七声音阶，乃至半音与四分音，此距今已数千年之久。印度在音乐领域独领风骚，在戏剧与雕塑方面亦然。如今一切所为，不过是模仿的尝试。今日之印度，一切问题皆归结于一点：一个人究竟需要多少才能维持生计。
English
ON ART IN INDIA
"Arts and Sciences in India" was the topic under which the Swami Vivekananda was introduced to the audience at Wendte Hall, San Francisco. The Swami held the attention of his hearers throughout as was demonstrated by the many questions which were put to him after his address.
The Swami said in part:
In the history of nations, the government at the beginning has always been in the hands of the priests. All the learning also has proceeded from the priests. Then, after the priests, the government changes hands, and the Kshatriya or the kingly power prevails, and the military rule is triumphant. This has always been true. And last comes the grasp of luxury, and the people sink down under it to be dominated by stronger and more barbarous races.
Amongst all races of the world, from the earliest time in history, India has been called the land of wisdom. For ages India itself has never gone out to conquer other nations. Its people have never been fighters. Unlike your Western people, they do not eat meat, for meat makes fighters; the blood of animals makes you restless, and you desire to do something.
Compare India and England in the Elizabethan period. What a dark age it was for your people, and how enlightened we were even then. The Anglo-Saxon people have always been badly fitted for art. They have good poetry — for instance, how wonderful is the blank verse of Shakespeare! Merely the rhyming of words is not good. It is not the most civilised thing in the world.
In India, music was developed to the full seven notes, even to half and quarter notes, ages ago. India led in music, also in drama and sculpture. Whatever is done now is merely an attempt at imitation. Everything now in India hinges on the question of how little a man requires to live upon.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。