一位印度记者的文章：不是合法与非法的问题，是有关信仰！

1月31日

作者：Gogo_Viva
翻译：Ani Pema Dechen，

来源：Facebook，原文地址 http://gogo-viva.blogspot.com
转自：维色博客

原标题：Legal! Illegal?
假如这部分钱是非法的，那几乎所有的宗教机构都要小心了！

对于这样一个伟大的藏传佛教领袖噶玛巴来说，这点钱有什么值得大惊小怪？他最近刚从菩提伽耶、每年一次的祈愿法会回来，接见很多从世界各地来的带着虔诚心的弟子，那些弟子也会供养他们最敬爱的上师，只是几百万卢比（不是美金），那值得大惊小怪吗？那如果发生在非洲，或许是。但是如果是在美国、日本、韩国、香港或台湾，当然不是！尊胜大宝法王在藏传佛教中拥有世界性的知名度，很多人全年积攒出时间和金钱，就是为了能到这里见他一面，以表达他们至诚的敬意并参加在菩提迦耶举办的祈愿法会，为世界祈祷和平。弟子们的供养不仅仅是尊敬上师并且相信上师在过去和未来的佛行事业，例如，上师提供尼院的日常开销、无家可归的人们和西藏传统艺术等。

所以祈愿法会结束后，上师得到一批供养钱并不是什么大事，尤其那些钱是来自于25个国家！那也意味着有25个国家以上的人们到印度来提高印度的经济！所以对于那笔数目的资金，人们不会感到奇怪！尤其是那笔钱是来自世界各地弟子的供养。在佛教中，只要你愿意，你可以尽可能地供养，那不是关于合法或非法的问题，那是信心！假如那笔钱被声称是非法而拘留，那么你需要证明所有弟子们的供养都是非法的理由。我们希望从世界各地来的人们不要给印度一个像‘宗教恐怖主义’的坏印象。印度作为佛陀的故乡，我们希望这件事情不要毁了印度的声誉，尤其是这个国家，还努力在保留佛陀时代的特征。

星期三整个印度庆祝她的独立日，这表示这个国家懂得自由的价值 ，那是用很多沉默的解放运动换来的今天的局面。很多年以前，第17世噶玛巴带着他的传承的责任，冒着生命危险来到印度（世界上最重要的喇嘛之一），政府友善地给与了他可以在印度停留的难民身份，然而他的行动到今天还受限制，即使是拜见达赖喇嘛，还需要审批。这个原因是来自于不明的信息，有人怀疑他跟中国当局还有着某种联系，虽然还没有人能证明那信息是什么和从哪里来。

这两天，更多的传媒声称被扣押的钱是进行非法的土地交易，调查还在进行中，但结论明显地已经出来了！

假如大宝法王住的房间可能你的房间还小，而事实上就是比我们大部分人的还小，那你什么感觉？尤其是对于那些真诚信仰他的弟子们，假如有人事先没有征得他的同意而要供养他土地，那非常正常! 在佛陀时代，须达长着（Anathapindika）就找到一个合适的地方（祗园精舍）供养佛陀，他在地方铺上金币而买地，就是为了提供佛陀演说法教。这是佛教非常美丽的传统，美丽的印度古老传统。

在古时代，供养佛陀是非常吉祥的事，今天也一样！假如你有一分钱供养佛陀，你会说不吗？除此之外，假如你非常富有，你想供养土地或房子给佛陀，你不会迟疑这么做的。你怎么会错过通过供养而积累福德善业的机会？那些不是佛教徒的人们可能会好奇那是怎么回事，那是有关信仰！在其他宗教中也有同样的例子。我们怎能否认信仰？我们怎能定义供养是非法的？美国人也是通过金钱而展现他们的信仰（我们信仰的上帝）。

所以，这笔钱就跟用金币供养佛陀没有什么不同，假如那笔钱被声称为非法而被扣留，那么请向全世界证明弟子的非法性，乃至所有的佛教徒们！假如供养是合法的，那么金钱的供养也同样合法；假如供养合法，那么一块表、一本书、一个IPAD、一辆汽车甚至供养一块土地也同样合法（can you say “no” to Steve Jobs?），最主要的是，假如人们不能定义或证明供养是非法的证据，那他们应该看到更深的一个层面，更深一层，他们会看到信仰！一旦他们看到了信仰，那不再是合法或非法的问题，而是信仰！


Legal! Illegal?

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011


If this money offering is illegal, most of Religion institutions have to be careful!

What’s the big deal for such a great and famous Tibetan Buddhism Lama--His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje who recently just back from Bodhgaya where the Kagyu Monlam was held each year, meeting many disciples who came from the worldwide also made offerings to their dearest Guru, to have millions Rupees (not million US dollars!)? Is it a big deal? If it happens in Africa, maybe. But if in America, Japan, Korean, HK or Taiwan, of course not! His Holiness is such a great and worldwide famous Lama in Tibetan Buddhism, many people save their holidays and money of the whole year just for coming here to see Him, sending their respect toward to Him, to attending the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, India. "Monlam" is an occasion to pray for world peace, and the disciples’ donations are not only for showing their respects to Guru, but also for trusting the activities which HH has done in the past and coming future, for example, HH sponsors the nunnery daily usage, homeless people, schools and traditional Tibetan arts etc.

So it’s not a big deal for having the money after the great Monlam, especially currencies from 25 countries! This also means more than 25 countries’ people have came to India to enhance Indian economy! So, people won’t be surprised about the amount of money. Especially, the money was offered by all the disciples around the world. In Buddhism, you can offer as much as you can, as you want. It’s not about legal or illegal. It’s about faith. If the money is detained by claiming it's illegal therefore someone need to make a proof to all the disciples even all the Buddhists its illegal reason. We hope people from other countries won’t get a bad impression that India may be a country which is “religion terrorism”. As a Buddha’s home country, we truly wish this wouldn’t ruin India’s reputation, especially this beautiful country still trying hard to keep its nice characters and traditions since the Buddha's time.

The whole India celebrated the Independent Day on this Wed. which represents it's a country understands the value of freedom due to many silent revolutions for achieving to the current situation. Many years ago, HH the 17th Karmapa with the expectation to continuing his responsibility of Tibetan Buddhism lineage risked his life to India, afterward the Government of India very kindly gave him (one of the most important Lamas in the world) a refugee status for staying in India. However his action is confined till today, even visiting HH Dalai Lama still need approval. The reason is because of unknown information suspecting him having the connection with China authority. Although no one proves what the "unknown" information is and where it comes from so far.

These 2 days, most of the news reports claimed the money which found is for some "illegal" land deal, the investigation is still in process but this conclusion seems has already came out!

If you know HH Karmapa lives in a room which may be smaller than yours (actually smaller than most of ours), then how will you feel? Especially for those disciples who respect him sincerely. So if someone really wants to donate the land without notifying HH also without a consent from Him, that's normal, in Tibetan Buddhism, that's normal! During the time of Lord Buddha, Anathapindika sought a suitable place for the Buddha's residence, so he covered the golden coins on the Jetavana in order to buy it to provide the Buddha a place to proceed the Buddha’s activities. This was a beautiful tradition, a beautiful tradition in Buddhism, a beautiful tradition from the ancient India.

In ancient time, it was the most auspicious thing to make an offering to the Buddha, same as today! If you have a coin to offer to the Buddha, would you say no? In addition, If you were rich enough to offer a house even a land to the Buddha, you would not hesitate to do so. How can you miss this precious opportunity to gain your merit through offering? People who are not Buddhists maybe curious about it, but it’s faith, there are many examples to prove how faithful people are in other religions. So, how can we deny faith? How can we define offering is illegal? Americans even show their faith in their bills (In God We Trust).

So, this money is no longer different than the golden coins for offering to the Living Buddha! If the money is detained by claiming it's illegal therefore please show the whole world its proof of illegality to all the disciples, all the Buddhists. If offering is legal then the money offering is legal. If offering is legal then a watch, a book, an ipad (can you say “no” to Steve Jobs?) a car, a house even a land offering is legal! Most of all, the key point is if "the people" can't define or show evidences of "offering" illegality then they should go to the deeper part, look deeply, they'll see the FAITH. Once they see "faith" they'll realize it is no longer about legal or illegal but FAITH!