我们当前的社会问题
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中文
我们当前的社会问题
——"其本性乃无可言说之爱的主。"那罗陀所言神之此种特性，彰显于世、举世公认——这是我终生坚定不移的信念。众多个体之集合称为"总体"（Samashti，整体），每个个体称为"个别"（Vyashti，部分）。你我皆是个别，社会是总体。你、我、动物、鸟、虫、蚁、树木、藤蔓、大地、星球、恒星——各是个别，而宇宙则是总体，在吠檀多（Vedanta）中称为维拉特（Virat）、希拉尼亚伽尔帕（Hiranyagarbha）或自在天（Ishvara），在往世书中称为梵天（Brahma）、毗湿奴（Vishnu）、女神等等。个别是否具有个体自由，若有，其尺度应当如何，个别是否应当为了总体而完全牺牲自己的意志与幸福——这些是摆在每个社会面前的永恒问题。到处的社会都忙于寻求这些问题的解答。这些问题如汹涌的波浪，激荡着现代西方社会。要求个体自由服从社会至上的学说称为社会主义，而倡导个体权利的学说则称为个人主义。
我们的祖国，是将个体永远置于社会之下、凭借制度与律令强制自我牺牲之结果与后果的鲜明例证。在这个国家，人们依照经典规定而生，终生依照规定饮食，同样依照规定经历婚姻与各种礼仪；简言之，甚至依照经典规定而死。这种严苛的律法，除一个重大优点外，充满了弊害。其优点在于：人们代代相传、日复一日地操练，只需极少的努力便能将一两件事做得极为出色。这个国家的厨师，仅凭三块土坯和几根树枝，便能烹制出别处无可匹敌的美味米饭与咖喱。以一台值一个卢比的古老织机，两脚悬于坑中，便能织出价值二十卢比一码的金锦，惟此国才能。以一块破旧草席、一盏烧蓖麻油的陶灯——凭借如此简陋之物，竟能培育出博学鸿儒，也唯有此国才能。对丑陋残缺的妻子包容一切、终身相守，对无用且恶劣的丈夫终身尽忠——也只有此国才有。以上皆是光明的一面。
然而所有这些，皆是由如无生命机器般被驱使的人们所成就的。没有精神的活动，没有心灵的舒展，没有生命的激荡，没有希望的流动；没有强烈的意志激励，没有深切快乐的体验，也没有切肤之痛的感触；没有创造才智的涌动，没有对新奇事物的渴望，没有对新生事物的欣赏。此心之上，云霭从未散去，清晨旭日的辉煌图景从未打动此心。此心甚至从未想到，是否存在比现状更美好的境界；即便想到，也无法信服；即便信服，也缺乏行动的意志；即便有意志，热情的匮乏也会将其扼杀。
若仅凭规则生活便能确保卓越，若严格遵循代代相传的规矩便是美德，那么请问，谁比树木更有美德，谁比火车更虔诚、更圣洁？谁曾见过一块石头违背自然法则？谁曾听说牲畜犯罪？
巨大的轮船、强劲的火车头——它们没有智识；它们运动、转向、奔驰，却毫无智性。而那条从铁轨旁移身以求自保的小小虫子，为何说它有智性？机器没有意志的表现，机器从不企图违反法则；虫子却想对抗法则——无论成败，它都奋起抗争——因此它有智识。一个生命的快乐越大、意志越能成功地显现，那个生命便越高级。神的意志完全实现，因此祂是至高的。
什么是教育？是读书识字吗？不是。是博学多识吗？也不是。使意志的流向与表达受到训练、得以管控、并结出硕果的那种培育，才叫作教育。试问，意志历经数代强制压抑而几近湮灭，这样的教育算什么？使旧有的思想，更遑论新思想，在其统治下日渐消亡——这样的教育算什么？正在缓慢地将人变成机器——这样的教育算什么？在我看来，即便由于个人的自由意志与智识而误入歧途，也远比作为一个自动机器行善更有福气。再者，由一批如泥块、如无生命机器、如一堆砂石般的人聚合而成的，能叫作社会吗？这样的社会怎能欣欣向荣？若善果可能，则我们便不会沦为数百年的奴隶，而会是地球上最伟大的民族；这片印度的土地，也不会成为愚昧的渊薮，而会是学问的永恒源泉。
那么，自我牺牲不是美德吗？为大众的利益而牺牲一人的幸福与福祉，难道不是最高尚的行为吗？诚然如此，但正如孟加拉谚语所说："美丽岂能靠摩擦涂抹而成？爱意岂能靠努力强迫而生？"永久乞丐的舍弃有何荣耀可言？无有感官之力者的克制感官又有何美德可言？一个毫无思想、毫无热情、毫无远大志向、对社会构成毫无概念之人的自我牺牲，又能表现出什么？强迫寡妇殉夫，这是对丈夫忠诚的何种表达？为何要用迷信来迫使人们行善？我说，尽可能地解放人们，解开他们的枷锁。污泥能用污泥洗净吗？束缚能用束缚来解除吗？有此先例吗？当你能够为了社会的利益而舍弃一切对幸福的贪求之时，你才是佛陀，你才是自由的——那是遥远的事。再者，你以为通过压迫能达到此目的吗？"瞧我们的寡妇们多么自我牺牲！童婚多么美好！还有哪种习俗能与之相比！如此婚姻中，夫妻之间岂非只有爱？"——这种论调近来甚嚣尘上。然而对于那些主宰大局的男人，他们却无需自我克制！有比服务他人更崇高的美德吗？但这同样的道理却不适用于婆罗门——让其他人去做！事实是，在这个国家，父母和亲属可以为了自身的自私目的、为了在社会面前妥协以求自保，而毫无悔意地牺牲子女和他人最宝贵的利益；数代相传的教诲已将心灵磨钝，使这种行为变得极为容易。唯有勇敢者才能否定自我。懦夫，畏于皮鞭，一手擦泪，另一手施舍。这种施舍有何益处？普世之爱尚在遥远之处。嫩苗须用篱笆保护，精心呵护。若能无私地爱一个对象，便可望逐渐达到普世之爱。若对一位特定的本尊（Ishta-Deva）的虔信（Bhakti）得以成就，对宇宙维拉特的虔信便可望逐步实现。
因此，当一个人能够为了个人而否定自我之时，才应谈及为社会利益而自我牺牲，此前不然。带欲望的行动，引向无欲的行动。若起初便无欲望，无欲的舍弃岂可能实现？又有何意义？无有黑暗，光明又有何意义？
带有欲望与执着的礼拜在先。从礼拜渺小之事入手，伟大自会随之而来。
母亲，莫要忧虑。大风唯击参天大树。"拨火使其燃烧更旺"；"蛇若被击中头部，便会昂首"——诸如此类。当苦痛袭入心头，当悲伤的风暴在四周肆虐，光明似乎再难寻见，希望与勇气几近耗尽之时，正是在这场巨大的灵性风暴之中，内在的梵的光辉得以闪现。那些在富贵中长大、卧于玫瑰花床、从未流过一滴泪的人，谁曾变得伟大，谁曾展现内在的梵？你为何惧怕哭泣？哭吧！哭泣能澄清双眼，能带来直觉的洞见。而后，多元的幻象——人、动物、树木——缓缓消融，为处处皆梵、无处无梵的无限证悟让出空间。彼时——
समं पश्यन् हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
समं पश्यन् हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
——"诚然，见自在天（Ishvara）平等存在于一切处者，不以自我伤害自我，从而趋向至高之境"（《薄伽梵歌》（Bhagavad Gita），十三·28）。
注释
English
OUR PRESENT SOCIAL PROBLEMS
— "The Lord whose nature is unspeakable love." That this characteristic of God mentioned by Nârada is manifest and admitted on all hands is the firm conviction of my life. The aggregate of many individuals is called Samashti (the whole), and each individual is called Vyashti (a part). You and I — each is Vyashti, society is Samashti. You, I, an animal, a bird, a worm, an insect, a tree, a creeper, the earth, a planet, a star — each is Vyashti, while this universe is Samashti, which is called Virât, Hiranyagarbha, or Ishvara in Vedânta, and Brahmâ, Vishnu, Devi, etc., in the Purânas. Whether or not Vyashti has individual freedom, and if it has, what should be its measure, whether or not Vyashti should completely sacrifice its own will, its own happiness for Samashti — are the perennial problems before every society. Society everywhere is busy finding the solution of these problems. These, like big waves, are agitating modern Western society. The doctrine which demands the sacrifice of individual freedom to social supremacy is called socialism, while that which advocates the cause of the individual is called individualism.
Our motherland is a glowing example of the results and consequence of the eternal subjection of the individual to society and forced self-sacrifice by dint of institution and discipline. In this country men are born according to Shâstric injunctions, they eat and drink by prescribed rules throughout life, they go through marriage and kindred functions in the same way; in short, they even die according to Shastric injunctions. The hard discipline, with the exception of one great good point, is fraught with evil. The good point is that men can do one or two things well with very little effort, having practiced them every day through generations. The delicious rice and curry which a cook of this country prepares with the aid of three lumps of earth and a few sticks can be had nowhere else. With the simple mechanism of an antediluvian loom, worth one rupee, and the feet put in a pit, it is possible to make kincobs worth twenty rupees a yard, in this country alone. A torn mat, an earthen lamp, and that fed by castor oil — with the aid of materials such as these, wonderful savants are produced in this country alone. An all-forbearing attachment to an ugly and deformed wife, and a lifelong devotion to a worthless and villainous husband are possible in this country alone. Thus far the bright side.
But all these things are done by people guided like lifeless machines. There is no mental activity, no unfoldment of the heart, no vibration of life, no flux of hope; there is no strong stimulation of the will, no experience of keen pleasure, nor the contact of intense sorrow; there is no stir of inventive genius, no desire for novelty, no appreciation of new things. Clouds never pass away from this mind, the radiant picture of the morning sun never charms this heart. It never even occurs to this mind if there is any better state than this; where it does, it cannot convince; in the event of conviction, effort is lacking; and even where there is effort, lack of enthusiasm kills it out.
If living by rule alone ensures excellence, if it be virtue to follow strictly the rules and customs handed down through generations, say then, who is more virtuous than a tree, who is a greater devotee, a holier saint, than a railway train? Who has ever seen a piece of stone transgress a natural law? Who has ever known cattle to commit sin?
The huge steamer, the mighty railway engine — they are non-intelligent; they move, turn, and run, but they are without intelligence. And yonder tiny worm which moved away from the railway line to save its life, why is it intelligent? There is no manifestation of will in the machine, the machine never wishes to transgress law; the worm wants to oppose law — rises against law whether it succeeds or not; therefore it is intelligent. Greater is the happiness, higher is the Jiva, in proportion as this will is more successfully manifest. The will of God is perfectly fruitful; therefore He is the highest.
What is education? Is it book-learning? No. Is it diverse knowledge? Not even that. The training by which the current and expression of will are brought under control and become fruitful is called education. Now consider, is that education as a result of which the will, being continuously choked by force through generations, is well-nigh killed out; is that education under whose sway even the old ideas, let alone the new ones, are disappearing one by one; is that education which is slowly making man a machine? It is more blessed, in my opinion, even to go wrong, impelled by one's free will and intelligence than to be good as an automaton. Again, can that be called society which is formed by an aggregate of men who are like lumps of clay, like lifeless machines, like heaped up pebbles? How can such society fare well? Were good possible, then instead of being slaves for hundreds of years, we would have been the greatest nation on earth, and this soil of India, instead of being a mine of stupidity, would have been the eternal fountain-head of learning.
Is not self-sacrifice, then, a virtue? Is it not the most virtuous deed to sacrifice the happiness of one, the welfare of one, for the sake of the many? Exactly, but as the Bengali adage goes, "Can beauty be manufactured by rubbing and scrubbing? Can love be generated by effort and compulsion?" What glory is there in the renunciation of an eternal beggar? What virtue is there in the sense control of one devoid of sense-power? What again is the self-sacrifice of one devoid of idea, devoid of heart, devoid of high ambition, and devoid of the conception of what constitutes society? What expression of devotedness to a husband is there by forcing a widow to commit Sati? Why make people do virtuous deeds by teaching superstitions? I say, liberate, undo the shackles of people as much as you can. Can dirt be washed by dirt? Can bondage be removed by bondage? Where is the instance? When you would be able to sacrifice all desire for happiness for the sake of society, then you would be the Buddha, then you would be free: that is far off. Again, do you think the way to do it lies through oppression? "Oh, what examples or self-denial are our widows! Oh, how sweet is child-marriage! Is another such custom possible! Can there be anything but love between husband and wife in such a marriage!" such is the whine going round nowadays. But as to the men, the masters of the situation, there is no need of self-denial for them! Is there a virtue higher than serving others? But the same does not apply to Brâhmins — you others do it! The truth is that in this country parents and relatives can ruthlessly sacrifice the best interests of their children and others for their own selfish ends to save themselves by compromise to society; and the teaching of generations rendering the mind callous has made it perfectly easy. He, the brave alone, can deny self. The coward, afraid of the lash, with one hand wipes his eyes and gives with the other. Of what avail are such gifts? It is a far cry to love universal. The young plant should be hedged in and taken care of. One can hope gradually to attain to universal love if one can learn to love one object unselfishly. If devotion to one particular Ishta-Deva is attained, devotion to the universal Virat is gradually possible.
Therefore, when one has been able to deny self for an individual, one should talk of self-sacrifice for the sake of society, not before. It is action with desire that leads to action without desire. Is the renunciation of desire possible if desire did not exist in the beginning? And what could it mean? Can light have any meaning if there is no darkness?
Worship with desire, with attachment, comes first. Commence with the worship of the little, then the greater will come of itself.
Mother, be not anxious. It is against the big tree that the great wind strikes. "Poking a fire makes it burn better"; "A snake struck on the head raises its hood" — and so on. When there comes affliction in the heart, when the storm of sorrow blows all around, and it seems light will be seen no more, when hope and courage are almost gone, it is then, in the midst of this great spiritual tempest, that the light of Brahman within gleams. Brought up in the lap of luxury, lying on a bed of roses and never shedding a tear, who has ever become great, who has ever unfolded the Brahman within? Why do you fear to weep? Weep! Weeping clears the eyes and brings about intuition. Then the vision of diversity — man, animal, tree — slowly melting away, makes room for the infinite realisation of Brahman everywhere and in everything. Then —
समं पश्यन् हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
समं पश्यन् हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
— "Verily, seeing the same God equally existent every where, he does not injure the Self by the self, and so goes to the Supreme Goal" (Gitâ, XIII. 28).
Notes
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。