纪录片《佛教世界的七大奇观》 尼泊尔布特勒佛塔（3）

My first experience of the Sangha came at what felt like an ungodly hour.

一大清早，我对僧伽的初次体验便开始了。

At Boudhanath every morning, just after dawn, monks¹ of all ages gather to perform the first of many rituals of the day.

每天清晨，博德纳的僧侣们无论长幼都会聚集在一起诵经，进行当天的第一项仪式。

The Sangha is one of the oldest continuously active spiritual organizations in the world.

僧伽是世上最古老且延续至今的宗教组织之一。

What's being recited here is a Tara Puja, it's a chant that aims to ensure a kind of liberation from suffering.

他们正在吟诵的是度母经。此经文旨在助众生脱离苦海。

And it's really interesting, because "Tara" is thought to be a female manifestation² of Buddha³'s wisdom, something which is incredibly potent⁴.

这很有意思，因为“度母”被认为是佛陀智慧的女性化身，她具有无边法力。

I mean, this isn't just an abstract idea of wisdom, this is thought to be healing, to actually be stronger than medicine itself.

我的意思是，度母不仅是智慧的抽象概念，而是被视为治愈者，一种远比药物更加强大的力量。

The Sangha includes women and was set up to allow those who wish to practise Buddha's teachings a disciplined environment and maximum time to focus on the philosopher's ideas,

僧伽群体包括女性成员，而僧团的建立给渴望践行佛陀教诲的人们提供了一个有节律约束的环境，使得她们有充足的时间专注于先哲们的思想，

free from the responsibilities and distractions⁵ of a domestic or conventional lifestyle.

不必受困于家务责任，并摆脱世俗的干扰。

A few miles outside Kathmandu, Ani, the singing nun⁶, runs her own nunnery.

在加德满都城外几英里处，歌尼阿尼管理着她自己的庵寺。

It's a refuge for girls, many as young as ten, the age both sexes can embark⁷ on the life of a Buddhist⁸ novice⁹.

这是女孩们的避难所，很多人只有十岁。在这个年龄不论男女都可以开始修行生涯，成为新教徒。

I have here mostly girls from families who are facing some difficulties, obviously poverty.

我这里大多数的女孩都来自家境有困难的家庭，主要是因为贫穷。

And the other thing is the fathers are often very ignorant.

抑或是因为蒙昧无知的父亲。

They get carried away with the alcoholic¹⁰ behaviour, as well. Very abusive behaviours.

他们会因酗酒而失去理智，继而做出虐待孩子的暴行。

And they do not think that it is good to send their girls to school,

甚至觉得送女孩去读书没什么好处，

so I try to collect them here, and give them as much as I can give them.

所以我尽力收留她们，尽我所能去帮助她们。

Controversial for its time was the inclusion of women among the ranks of the Sangha.

是否接纳女性加入僧团曾经是个很有争议的问题。

The Buddha allowed women to become nuns¹¹, to lead a life devoted¹² to spiritual development.

佛陀允许女性成为比丘尼，让她们全心投入到精神修行之中。

Like Buddhist monks, nuns are expected to remain celibate¹³, pure,

和僧侣一样，比丘尼也要保持独身与纯洁。

since they are one of the three jewels of Buddhism¹⁴, not just Buddha's foot-soldiers, but an incarnation of the belief system itself.

因为她们是佛教三宝之一，不仅意味他们是着佛陀脚下的茫茫一卒，更是这信仰系统本身的一种体现。

So, I've learnt about two of the three jewels of Buddhism.

至此，我已经了解到佛教三宝中的两宝。

The Sangha and the life of the Buddha.

“僧宝”与“佛宝”。

But what about the third jewel, the Dharma, or teachings?

但第三宝——“法宝”，或者说佛陀的教诲又该如何理解呢？

1 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

3 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

4 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

5 distractions   

n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱

参考例句：

• I find it hard to work at home because there are too many distractions. 我发觉在家里工作很难，因为使人分心的事太多。
• There are too many distractions here to work properly. 这里叫人分心的事太多，使人无法好好工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

7 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

8 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

9 novice   

adj.新手的，生手的

参考例句：

• As a novice writer,this is something I'm interested in.作为初涉写作的人，我对此很感兴趣。
• She realized that she was a novice.她知道自己初出茅庐。

10 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

11 nuns   

n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句

12 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

13 celibate   

adj.独身的，独身主义的；n.独身者

参考例句：

• He had defended the institution of a celibate priesthood.他捍卫了独身牧师制度。
• The instinct of the celibate warned him to hold back.单身汉的本能告诫他回头是岸。

14 Buddhism   

n.佛教（教义）

参考例句：

• Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
• Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。