星雲大師開講：什麼是「人間佛教」？
文／星雲大師 英文翻譯：董譯
「人間佛教」不是哪一個人的，是佛祖的，是大家的。
佛光山推動「人間佛教」，什麼是「人間佛教」呢？佛陀出生在人間，修行在人間，成道在人間，弘法在人間，說法在人間，所以佛教就是人間佛教；凡是佛說的、人要的、淨化的、善美的，有助於增進幸福人生的教法，都是人間佛教。人間佛教的發展有四個重點：
第一、從山林走向社會：過去修道人以住到山林、住到偏僻、沒有人煙的地方為好，現在不是了，現在社會交通便利，「天涯若比鄰」，所以佛教要重視與社會的因緣關係。
第二、從寺院走向家庭：佛教不一定只是在寺院裡，它應該要走入家庭裡。因為人間佛教重視家庭幸福、家庭美滿、家庭快樂、家庭和諧，若能「家家彌陀佛，戶戶觀世音」，人人就可以幸福快樂了。
第三、從出家走向在家：在佛教裡，菩薩不一定都是現出家相，像觀音、文殊、普賢菩薩都是現在家相。所以，佛教是大家的，出家、在家通通都有份，是社會的、人間的財富。
第四、從講說走向服務：未來社會的發展，必然是一個講究服務的社會，誰能為人服務，誰就能存在；誰不為人服務，就會慢慢被淘汰。所以，人間佛教要積極地對國家、對社會、對民眾做出服務、做出貢獻。
總的來說，人間佛教不同於過去落伍的、化緣的、念經的佛教，而是能帶給人幸福、安樂的佛教。實踐人間佛教，可以增加人類的道德、改善社會的風氣、淨化自我的心靈，維繫社會的次序。所以，人間佛教必定是未來世界的一道光明。

Venerable Master Hsing Yun gave speeches : What is "humanistc Buddhism"?
Text / Nebula Master
"Humanastic  Buddhism" doesn’t belong to one person, it belongs to Buddha , it belongs to everyone.
Fo Guang Shan promotes "humanastic  Buddhism" and then  what is "humanastic Buddhism"? The Buddha was born in the human world, practiced in the human world, enlightened in the human world, spreaded the Dharma in the human world， explained the Dharma in the human world. Therefore, Buddhism is human being’s Buddhism. Any things the Buddha who wants, anything the people want,anything that purifies, and anything that is beautiful, any teachings that can help to enhance the human’s happy life, all above is the humanastic Buddhism. There are four main points in the development of humanastic Buddhism:

First, move from the mountains into the society: In the past, the monks and nuns lived in the mountains, lived in far remote places, and the less smoke , the better place . Now it is not. Now the transportation is convenient, “Long distance can not separates bosom friends.The world is but a little place,after all. ” so the Buddhism should pay attention to the  cause-effect relation in the sociaty .

Second, move from the temple into the family: Buddhism not only unnecessarily always stays in the temple, but also should go into the family. Because humanastic  Buddhism attaches importance to family happiness, if every family feels  satisfactory，if each family feels happy ,if each family feels harmony, if each family can chant Amitabha, if each household can chant Guanyin Bodhisattva , if doing so, everyone can be glad and joyful.

Third,  whoever you are, the monks or nuns in the temples or the lay buddhists at home are the same : In Buddhism, Bodhisattva did not necessarily always showed as a monk or a nun,  just  like Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva,  and  Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.  Therefore, Buddhism is everyone’s , so everyone has the duty to practice the Buddhism, which is the whole social and human’s wealth.

Fourth, from the explaination to the service: the future development of society must be a service-oriented society, who can serve people, who can exist; who does not serve people, will slowly be eliminated. Therefore, Buddhism in the world must actively serve and contribute and to the country, to the society, and to the people.

 All in all, humanastic Buddhism is different from the old Buddhism which was out of date, begged alms and chanted sutra. The humanastic Buddhism can bring happiness and peace to the peolpe. The practice of humanastic Buddhism can increase human morality, improve the social atmosphere, purify the soul of the peolpe’s , and maintain the order of society. Therefore, humanastic Buddhism must bring a bright future in the world.
Translated by Elizabeth Dong(Dong Yee)