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《敎育專欄》

 

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

慈祥代天宣化 忠孝為國敎民

On behalf of Heaven,proclaim and transform with kindness. For the country,teach the people to be loyal and filial.

你長大了要做什麼?
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

宣公上人一九八九年五月十五日開示於洛杉磯加州大學(UCLA)
A talk by the Venerable Master Hua on May 15, 1989, at the University of California, Los Angeles

發達,文化很普遍,這是得天下英才而教育之的一個場所。可是現在的教育近於捨本逐末的一種狀態。什麼叫捨本逐末呢?想有良好的教育,要有良好的師表,能以做一般青年學子的榜樣。可是我到這個國家,每遇著一位有為的青年,我就問他:「你將來長大,讀完了書,你想要讀什麼書?做什麼事情?隨時隨地無論,在什麼地方、什麼場合,遇到青年的學生,我這樣地問他,他就說他願意做醫生。我問他:「你為什麼要做醫生?」他說:「賺錢賺得多。」有的學生就說,他願意做科學家,也是賺錢賺得多,還能有名譽,所以他要做一個科學家。

沒有哪一個人說:我願意做一個真正利益一般老百姓的人,我願意把我自己的國家治理好了它;我在投身到政府裡頭,我願意以身作則,願意盡義務而不拿薪水,來為老百姓謀幸福,我自己把一切一切的享受都為老百姓而犧牲。這幾十年以來,我就想要找一個這樣的小孩子,可是到今天也沒有遇著。或者是有這樣有為的青年,但是可惜我沒有遇到過,或者我還是見的人、見的學生是很少。那麼我相信這個學府裡邊,大約一定有這樣的人才,犧牲自己,為老百姓謀幸福,置身到政壇裡邊,完全盡義務,完全沒有貪污、自私自利這種思想。如果現在若有這樣的人,出來領導國家社會,所謂「上有好者,下必有甚焉者矣。君子之德,風;小人之德,草。」每一個國家若有這樣的人才出現,這真是「一人有慶,兆民賴之。」若真能這個樣子,這才是得到根本的道理。

你在政府的人,沒有貪污,沒有自私自利的心,這國家一定好的。國家為什麼不好?就因為人人自私自利,人人想要利益自己而不利益他人,這叫捨本逐末。我們是整個國家一個聰明有智慧的人,我們就要為一切智慧達不到,或者笨一點的人,來謀幸福,這才叫得到根本治國的方法。那麼我到這國家幾十年以來,也沒有參加過競選總統的活動,在去年的時候,有一個偶然的機會參加布希總統的競選,我曾經說過這麼幾句話,我說:「在國家的領袖,必須要兩袖清風,愛民如子;必須要不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利,不對老百姓打妄語。我們覺得哪一位能不爭、不貪、不自私、不求、不自利、不打妄語,那是我們選舉總統的適當人選。那麼對競選的這種活動,應該很公平地來選舉。所謂公平選舉,就是不用金錢去自我宣傳,要老百姓真正在心目中所仰望的人,我們大家選舉這個人。不需要你用錢最多,你就當選;我用錢最多,我就當選,那這不是選賢而有德的人,而是誰有錢就被選,那麼窮人就沒有機會。若人人不用宣傳,要憑他的德行感召,來被老百姓公推為國家的領袖,這樣子才比較是最公平的一個辦法。」不過我是一個出家人,有這個看法,但是無論哪一個國家,恐怕會認為這是一個很笨的法子,不太合用;雖然不太合用,今天我也對大家說一說這個意思。

這個窮人雖然沒有錢,有錢的人就支持他。有錢的人想要把他選出來做總統,做一個傀儡的總統,聽話的總統,聽命令的總統,受這有錢的人來支配;如果他不聽話,他這個總統也就不能做了,這個也是不公平的。

做國家的領袖,不應該把金錢看得那麼重要,應該把人民的生命福利看得重要一點。那麼做國家領袖,應該把教育做為第一位。那麼教育,你要能把人、青年的子弟,教育他懂得怎麼樣做人了,他能品學兼優,他學問也好,品德也好,這樣子品學兼優的人來做國家的領導者。那麼應該造就所有青年的學生,都知道怎麼樣愛國,怎麼樣愛護他自己的家庭,怎麼樣愛護他自己的身心性命,那麼得到真正的安寧。真正的快樂,不是一天到晚在那兒好像瘋狂了似的,那麼緊張,晝夜不停地為自己的利益去奔走跋涉;應該造就他們能給國家謀幸福。所以這個教育的經費要做為第一位,把這有為的青年都培植成國家的一個棟樑之材,我認為這才是善於治國的一個良好方法。如果你只重這個國防,而青年人都走錯路了,你就國防再好,也沒有人去支配這個國防,沒有一個好人去運用這個國防,這未免是很可惜的一件事。今天在開始,我先對各位說一說這個道理。

待續

The University of California is a renowned educational institution whose graduates can be found the world over. The University is engaged in advanced scientific research and development, and it also provides a broad forum for the humanities. Talented students from around the world are attracted to its campuses to receive an education.

Unfortunately, today’s education tends to concentrate on superfi­cial aspects while neglecting the essentials. What do I mean by this? An excellent and wholesome education requires good teachers who can be good models for students. Since I came to this country, I have been asking the students I meet, “What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to do after you graduate?” On all the different occasions that I have asked young students this question, they invariably say, “I want to be a doctor.” “Why do you want to be doctor?” I ask them. “Because I can make a lot of money.” Some students say they want to be scien­tists, so they can make a lot of money and also become famous.

No one ever says that he’d like to do something to truly help the people. No one says, “I’d like to serve the public and work for the government. I wish to set a good example for the people and do my job without taking a salary. I give up all personal comforts in order to work for the people.” I’ve been search­ing for a young person with such aspirations for several decades, but without success. Such a young person must exist somewhere, but un­fortunately I haven’t met him or her. Then again, maybe it’s because I haven’t met that many students. I think there must be such a per­son at this University— someone who devotes himself to public service and has no thought of personal gain, someone who works in the government without taking a salary, someone who would never be corrupted by bribes or selfish interests. If such a person could lead the nation, then, as the saying goes,

What the ruler cherishes
Will be cherished even more by the people.
The relation between superiors and inferiors
is like that between the wind and the grass.
[The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it.]

If every nation had such a leader, then it would be a case of:

When the ruler practices wholesome deeds,
All the people will benefit from it.
If this becomes a reality, then the essentials will be realized.

If government officials are not corrupted by greed and selfish­ness, then the nation will prosper. Nations decline simply because everyone wants to benefit himself and no one wants to help others. They neglect the essentials to pursue what is superficial. As wise and intelligent citizens of a nation, our spirit should be to help out those who are not as intelligent. This is the key to good government. During the several decades that I have been in this country, I had never been in­volved in the presidential election until last year, when I had the chance to meet President Bush on his campaign tour. On that occasion I said:

The leader of the nation must be clean and incorruptible; he should love the people as if they were his own children. He should avoid fighting, avoid greed, avoid seeking for advan­tages, avoid selfishness, avoid pursuing personal gain, and avoid cheating the people. One who follows these guide­lines is the best candidate for President. In a fair elec­tion, money should not be spent on publicity campaigns. The person in whom everyone places their trust and respect should win the election. If the one who spends the most money always wins, then the election is not based on virtue and integrity, but on wealth, with the poor having no chance at all. People should cast their vote for the candidate with the most virtue, rather than for the one who spends the most on publicity. That would be more fair.

This is my opinion as a monk, and every country may consider it rather dumb and impractical. However, I still want to share my idea with everyone.

Now, if a poor person has a rich sponsor who helps him to get elected, then he will be a puppet president—a president who listens to orders and is controlled by that rich sponsor. If he doesn’t do what the rich sponsor says, he won’t be able to stay in office. That’s not a fair situation either.

The leader of a nation should put less emphasis on money and more emphasis on the well-being of the people. Education should be his first priority. If our education instills an appreciation of basic human values in young people and encourages them to strive for moral and scholastic excellence, then we will have promising leaders in the future. Young people should be taught to love their country, cherish their families, and take care of their own bodies, minds, and souls. That way, they will find true peace and happiness and won’t be all stressed out, engaged in a crazy pursuit for profit all day long. We should encourage our young people to work for the good of society. Education should be the first item in the national budget. In my opinion, the best way to set a country in order is to turn young people into good citizens through education. If we stress national defense, but allow our youth to go astray, there won’t be any capable people to oversee the national defense forces in the future. That would be a great pity.  I just wanted to explain these principles to you today.

To be continued

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