六 哈里帕达
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中文
六
（译自孟加拉语）
乔治·W·黑尔先生寓所转交，
芝加哥迪尔伯恩大道541号，
1893年12月28日。
亲爱的哈里帕达：
我在芝加哥的演讲消息竟已见诸印度报端，实令我深感诧异；因为无论行事，我总是竭力回避声名。此地有诸多事物令我印象深刻。可以公允地说，这个国家没有贫困。我从未在他处见过如此有教养、受过如此良好教育的女性。我国固然不乏受过良好教育的男性，然而像这里女性一样的人物，却几乎无处可觅。诚如古语所云："女神本身以吉祥天女之姿居于德行之士的家中。"我在此见过成千上万的女性，其心灵纯洁无瑕，一如白雪。哦，她们是何等自由！正是她们主导着社会事务与公民职责。学校与大学中皆是女性身影，而在我们的国家，女性甚至不能安全地独自上街行走！她们对我的恩情无可估量。自我来此以来，她们便邀我进入她们的家门。她们为我安排饮食，筹备讲座，陪我前往市集，并为我的舒适与便利尽心尽力。我此生所欠她们的深重恩情，无论如何也无法报答万一。
你可知真正的"沙克蒂（Shakti）崇拜者"是谁？乃是这样的人：他深知神是宇宙中无所不在的力量，并能在女性身上看见那力量的显现。此地许多男性正是以这种眼光看待她们的女性。摩奴亦曾言道，神灵护佑那些女性幸福、受到善待之家庭。此地男性对其女性的善待，已达到人所能期望的极致，因此他们才如此繁荣昌盛、博学睿智、自由奔放、精力充沛。而我们为何却是如此奴颜婢膝、悲苦穷困、死气沉沉？答案已是不言而喻。
此地女性又是何等纯洁贞静！鲜有女性在二十岁或二十五岁以前成婚，她们自由如空中飞鸟。她们去市集、去学校、去大学，自力挣钱，从事各种职业。那些家境富裕者，则将自身奉献于济贫扶困之事。而我们在做什么？我们极为殷勤地将女儿在十一岁时嫁出，唯恐她们堕落败德。我们的摩奴是如何教诲的？"女儿应当与儿子同等受到抚育与教育。"正如儿子须在三十岁之前恪守梵行戒（Brahmacharya），女儿亦须恪守梵行戒，并由父母加以教育。然而我们实际上在做什么？你们能改善自己女性的处境吗？若能，则你们的福祉尚有希望。否则你们将一如既往地落后不前。
在我国，若有人生于低贱种姓，他便永无翻身之日，毫无希望可言。这是为何？何其暴虐！在这个国家，每个人都有机遇、有可能、有希望。今日他或许贫寒，明日他便可能跻身富裕、博学而受人尊敬之列。此地人人皆热心于帮助贫困之人。在印度，处处哀鸿遍野，皆言我们极为贫穷，然而究竟有多少慈善团体真正致力于穷人的福祉？有多少人真正为印度千百万穷苦大众的苦难而悲泣？我们算是人吗？我们为他们的生计、为他们的改善，究竟做了什么？我们不触碰他们，我们回避与他们为伍！我们算是人吗？那些成千上万的婆罗门——他们为印度卑贱受压迫的民众做了什么？"莫触碰"、"莫触碰"——这是他们口中唯一的话语！我们永恒的宗教，在他们手中已沦落至何等卑微堕落的地步！我们的宗教而今何在？唯在"莫触碰主义"之中，此外别无他处！
我来此国，既非为满足好奇之心，亦非为求名逐利，而是为了探寻是否能为印度穷人的生计谋求一些途径。若蒙神助，你们将逐渐知晓那些途径为何。
就灵性而言，美国人远不如我们；但就社会而言，他们远胜于我们。我们将向他们传授我们的灵性，同时汲取他们社会中最为优秀的部分。
致以挚爱与诚挚的祝愿，
你的，
辨喜（Vivekananda）。
注释
English
VI
(Translated from Bengali)
C/O George W. Hale Esq.,
541 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago,
28th December, 1893.
Dear Haripada,
It is very strange that news of my Chicago lectures has appeared in the Indian papers; for whatever I do, I try my best to avoid publicity. Many things strike me here. It may be fairly said that there is no poverty in this country. I have never seen women elsewhere as cultured and educated as they are here. Well-educated men there are in our country, but you will scarcely find anywhere women like those here. It is indeed true, that "the Goddess Herself lives in the houses of virtuous men as Lakshmi". I have seen thousands of women here whose hearts are as pure and stainless as snow. Oh, how free they are! It is they who control social and civic duties Schools and colleges are full of women, and in our country women cannot be safely allowed to walk in the streets! Their kindness to me is immeasurable. Since I came here, I have been welcomed by them to their houses. They are providing me with food, arranging for my lectures, taking me to market, and doing everything for my comfort and convenience. I shall never be able to repay in the least the deep debt of gratitude I owe to them.
Do you know who is the real "Shakti-worshipper"? It is he who knows that God is the omnipresent force in the universe and sees in women the manifestation of that Force. Many men here look upon their women in this light. Manu, again, has said that gods bless those families where women are happy and well treated. Here men treat their women as well as can be desired, and hence they are so prosperous, so learned, so free, and so energetic. But why is it that we are slavish, miserable, and dead? The answer is obvious.
And how pure and chaste are they here! Few women are married before twenty or twenty-five, and they are as free as the birds in the air. They go to market, school, and college, earn money, and do all kinds of work. Those who are well-to-do devote themselves to doing good to the poor. And what are we doing? We are very regular in marrying our girls at eleven years of age lest they should become corrupt and immoral. What does our Manu enjoin? "Daughters should be supported and educated with as much care and attention as the sons." As sons should be married after observing Brahmacharya up to the thirtieth year, so daughters also must observe Brahmacharya and be educated by their parents. But what are we actually doing? Can you better the condition of your women? Then there will be hope for your well-being. Otherwise you will remain as backward as you are now.
If anybody is born of a low caste in our country, he is gone for ever, there is no hope for him. Why? What a tyranny it is! There are possibilities, opportunities, and hope for every individual in this country. Today he is poor, tomorrow he may become rich and learned and respected. Here everyone is anxious to help the poor. In India there is a howling cry that we are very poor, but how many charitable associations are there for the well-being of the poor? How many people really weep for the sorrows and sufferings of the millions of poor in India? Are we men? What are we doing for their livelihood, for their improvement? We do not touch them, we avoid their company! Are we men? Those thousands of Brâhmanas — what are they doing for the low, downtrodden masses of India? "Don't touch", "Don't touch", is the only phrase that plays upon their lips! How mean and degraded has our eternal religion become at their hands! Wherein does our religion lie now? In "Don't-touchism" alone, and nowhere else!
I came to this country not to satisfy my curiosity, nor for name or fame, but to see if I could find any means for the support of the poor in India. If God helps me, you will know gradually what those means are.
As regards spirituality, the Americans are far inferior to us, but their society is far superior to ours. We will teach them our spirituality and assimilate what is best in their society.
With love and best wishes,
Yours,
Vivekananda.
Notes
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。