论中国佛教伦理思想及其现代意义

世界各大宗教和伦理传统中都有为现代伦理可资利用的精神资源,就中国文化传统而言,佛教伦理的思想资源不可忽视。佛教的基本义理及平等原则、慈悲救济观念、戒杀护生理念、明心见性的关怀等佛教伦理观念,丰富了中国传统伦理的内容。强化了中土道德教化的信仰力量,增强了世俗伦理的约束力。作为宗教伦理,中国佛教以其普遍性、超越性特征在中土传统社会中成为一种有效的劝善化俗之道,在现代社会中具有缓解现代危机、增进义务责任等普世意义。

On Chinese Buddhist Ethics and Its Modern Relevance

All world religions and ethical traditions offer spiritual resources for modern ethics. As far as Chinese cultural traditions are concerned, the spiritual resources of Buddhist ethics should not be neglected. The basic Buddhist principles as well as its ethical ideas of equality, mercy relief, protection of living beings, purification of the heart, and so forth, have helped to enrich traditional Chinese ethics, improve the faith of educating ordinary servicemen, and heighten the restraining power of worldly ethics. As religious ethics, Chinese Buddhism, with its popularity and overreaching power, has become an effective means of promoting the good and purifying the vulgar in the society of ordinary servicemen. It has general significance in present society to relieve modern crises and enhance the sense of responsibility.