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第五屆宣公上人涅槃紀念講座，於2005年3月10日在柏克萊太平洋宗教學院的追思教堂舉行。主講人是有名的神學家，休士頓‧史密斯教授，講題是「宗教的宇宙文法」並介紹世界各主要宗教如佛、耶、印、儒、回與猶，共同具有的階層本體論。類似諾恩‧強睦斯基的理念：人類語言共具固有的規則，或稱「宇宙文法」，史密斯教授將他整合的這套14種特色也稱為「宗教的宇宙文法」，提議是各宗教辭句內的內涵理念。
史密斯教授迷人的講演受到全場東、西方觀眾的激賞。當晚是由馬丁‧維荷文教授精彩的介紹開場，接著是史教授的講演，到亨利‧羅斯莽教授對史教授這位學者型修行人大部份同意的回應與讚賞，最後觀眾提出許多很懇切的問題。整場講座互敬互重，充滿溫馨與親切的氣氛。
史教授之所以令觀眾印象深刻，不只是在他的演說，更因他敏銳的答覆和以他九十餘高齡驚人的體力表現。他邀請發問者坐在身旁，以便能與之近看、握手並注視著唇動。他在回答一個問題時，引用了威廉布雷克的詩句：「這個靈魂其人生幽暗之窗/扭曲了天堂的樑柱/在眼見而非看穿下，使你相信一個謊言。」有人問他有關「跨宗教」，他答說：「我們處於一個地球村的新時代，宗教之間有著前所未有的交流。對於心靈生活有興趣的人，這有一個問題：在面對自己的深度信仰與對其他信仰的開放之間該如何拿捏？它沒有尺度，要憑個人的取決。」他個人則是「研究各主流宗教、做該教導師的學徒，並投入其修行。」為什麼他會對宗教感興趣？他答：「我認為宗教讓我們生活更充實。宗教激發我們對於自己所擁有的最大潛能──精神發展中，投入心力。」
休士頓‧史密斯教授的講詞和亨利‧羅斯莽的對辯，將刊載於下期世界宗教研究院出版的「東西宗教」。
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The Fifth Annual Venerable Hua Memorial Lecture was held at the Memorial Chapel in the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley on Thursday, March 10, 2005. The main speaker, Professor Huston Smith, an eminent theologian, gave a talk on what he considered to be commonly shared characteristics underlying the world’s major religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Akin to Noam Chomsky’s theory of mankind’s innate rules of language or “Universal Grammar”, Huston Smith labeled this set of characteristics as the “Universal Grammar of Religion,” suggesting the same built-in innateness of religious expression.
The packed audience was appreciative of Professor Smith’s engaging lecture. The night proceeded from Professor Martin Verhoeven’s glowing introduction, to Professor Smith’s actual presentation, to Professor Henry Rosemont’s mostly concurring response and praise of Professor Smith as a scholar-practitioner, and finally to a long series of sincere questions from many audience members. The general tone was a warm, friendly exchange between respected friends.
Professor Smith impressed the audience not only with his lecture, but with the keen answers he gave to people’s questions, and his amazing physical agility for his advanced age (he’s in his nineties). He asked those who wanted to ask a question to sit next to him so that he could see them up close, shake their hands, and watch their lips move. At one point, in response to one question, he quoted William Blake: “This life’s dim windows of the soul / Distort the heavens from pole to pole / And leads you to believe a lie when you see with, not through, the eye.” Asked about interfaith, he replied, “We are in a new time of globalization. Religions are rubbing shoulders as never before. For those interested in the life of the spirit, this poses a problem: How to combine depth in our own faith with openness to others? There is no formula. Each one has to work it out for themselves.” For him personally, he “studied [each of the world’s major religions], apprenticed himself to the most profound exponent of that religion, and plunged into the practices.” He noted that virtually none of those religious leaders ever asked about his own religion, Christianity. When asked why he was interested in religions, he answered, “I think religion allows us to live more fully. It inspires us to pour our energy into the greatest potential we have—spiritual development.”
Huston Smith’s presentation and Henry Rosemont’s response can be found in the upcoming issue of Religion East & West published by the Institute for World Religions.
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