Do Buddhist idolatry? 佛教崇拜偶像嗎？

When the believers of the Western religions first started their missionary journey in China, they, based only on the rituals they saw and the teaching they ignored, accused the traditional religions (including Buddhism and Taoism) in China of idolatry. Even if the Nostra Aetate (1965), a Vatican declaration, emphasized understanding and respect for other religions, including Buddhism, and interfaith dialogue has continued since then, there are still a few believers of these monotheistics today insist on this superficial argument.

當西方宗教的信徒剛開始在中國傳教時，他們僅僅根據所看到的儀式，忽略了教義，便指責中國的傳統宗教（包括佛教和道教）為偶像崇拜。即使梵蒂岡的《Nostra Aetate》（1965）宣言強調了對包括佛教在內的其他宗教的理解和尊重，並且自那時以來宗教間對話一直在持續，但今天仍然有一些這些一神論的信徒堅持這種膚淺的論點。

According to Judaism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Christianity, "idolatry" is the worship of something or someone other than God, as if it were the god they follow. It was considered "worship of false gods" and prohibited by texts such as the Ten Commandments. In these monotheistic traditions, the worship of physical images or idols, and the existence of other divinities are considered problematic.

根據猶太教、天主教、東正教和基督教的說法，「偶像崇拜」是對上帝以外的某物或某人的崇拜，就像是他們所追隨的神一樣。這種被視為「崇拜假神」的做法被《十誡》等文本所禁止。在這些一神教傳統中，對實體圖像或偶像的崇拜，都被認為是有問題的。

Buddhists venerate all the material forms that refer to the Dharma of Buddhism, such as the icons of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, even the "wooden fishs" and prayer beads, as these objects remind the due belief of practitioners, and help them connect spiritually with ideas and qualities. However, it is not these objects worth me toworship, but the Buddha and those who achieved Buddhahood with perfect personality, virtue and wisdom. This is the same as the religions mentioned: they veneration (respect) but not worship of saints and icons.

佛教徒尊敬一切與佛法有關的物質，例如佛菩薩像，甚至「木魚」、念珠等，因為這些物品提醒著修行者應有的信仰，幫助他們在精神上與觀念相聯繫。然而，值得我敬拜的不是這些東西，而是佛陀以及具有圓滿人格、德智的成佛者。這與上述的宗教相同：他們崇敬（尊重）但不崇拜聖人和聖像。

The Diamond Sutra, and the (Sixth Patriarch's) Altar Sutra, are significant Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, teaches wisdom that cuts through illusions that include idolarty and meaningless attachment. The Diamond Sutra has clearly pointed out that it is the wrong way if a person contemplates the Tathagata through any appearances of matter (physical substance) or means of voice. This issue is also metaphorically mentioned in the Altar Sutra. Both sutra prove that Buddhism never promotes idolatry but emphasizes understanding reality beyond material forms. The focus of Buddhist's practice are the Integration of Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path with life, and the realization of enlightenment through inner transformation. 

《金剛經》和《六祖壇經》都是重要的大乘佛教經典，教導我們斷除偶像崇拜和無意義執著等幻象的智慧。 《金剛經》明確指出，如果以任何色相、聲音的方式來觀照如來，那都是邪道。這問題在《壇經》中也有隱喻性的提及。這兩部經都證佛教從不宣揚偶像崇拜，而是強調理解物質形式以外的現實。佛教修行的重點是將四聖諦和八正道與生命融為一體，透過內在的轉化來證悟。

Besides worshiping the Buddha and venerating the material forms which are the symbol of Buddhism, I also pay my respect to the followers of other orthodox religions. They contribute to the purification of the world when they practice the relevant teachings in their lives. This is one of the goals they share with all Buddhists.

除了禮拜佛及尊敬像徵佛教的東西外，我也向其他正信宗教的信徒表示敬意。當他們在生活中實踐相關教義時，他們為淨化世界做出了貢獻。這是他們與所有佛教徒共同的目標之一。

AI Writing 人工智能寫作

Since I started blogging in April 2023, I have published no more than fifty articles.  The reason for the low output is not my insistence on bilingual release, but the organization of the content.
自從我2023年4月開始寫部落格以來，我發表的文章不超過五十篇。產量低的原因不是我堅持雙語發布，而是內容的組織。

When ChatGPT from Open-AI became hot news, I started trying to find smart tools to assist my writing.  It is better if the tool is free.  This search process is not easy.  First, the registration of ChatGPT was a process of being angry.  To protect the related technology from being stolen, Open-AI requests that the users provide a phone number outside the area of the People's Republic of China (including the areas of Hong Kong and Macau) to receive the register code.  It means I, as a resident of Macau, was not a qualified user of ChatGPT.
當 Open-AI 的 ChatGPT 成為熱門新聞時，我開始嘗試尋找智慧工具來輔助我的寫作。如果該工具是免費的就更好了。這個尋找的過程並不容易。首先，ChatGPT的註冊是一個讓我生氣的過程。為保護相關技術不被竊取，Open-AI要求用戶提供中華人民共和國地區（含香港、澳門地區）以外的電話號碼以接收註冊碼。這意味著我身為澳門居民，不是ChatGPT的合格用戶。

Writesonic is the first writing tool I have tried.  I have done nothing since the first registration, just clicked "Sign-in with Google" and logged in with my Google account. Besides the variety of writing patterns it has provided, the chatbot Chatsonic also helps as an "information station" when I need to find information for my writing. Although it is one of the tools that supports multiple languages, I found that the fluency of its Chinese text generating is lower, and it is also a lot of confusion when I asked the chatbot to define in English for certain Chinese terms for distant relatives. However, it is a good assistant for English writing. Unfortunately, after I used up the free word count it offered for trial, I had to deactivate it, as it promoted various plans for different amounts of word counts, but none of them were suitable for an amateur writer who writes not much.
Writesonic 是我嘗試的第一個書寫工具。 自從第一次註冊以來，我什麼也沒做，只是點擊「使用 Google 登入」並使用我的 Google 帳戶登入。除了提供多種寫作模式外，聊天機器人 Chatsonic 還可以在我需要尋找寫作資訊時充當「資訊站」。雖然它是支援多種語言的工具之一，但我發現它生成的中文文本流暢度較低，而且當我要求聊天機器人用英文定義某些遠親的中文稱謂時也很混亂。不過，它卻是英文寫作的好幫手。不幸的是，當我用完它提供的免費試用字數後，我不得不停用它，因為它推廣了各種不同字數的計劃，但沒有一個適合寫得不多的業餘作家。

I found Rytr and Smodin for half a year. Both of them are my writing assistants now. The free plan of Rytr allows me to write up to 10k characters every month. On the other hand, the limited plan (for trial) of Smodin allows me 3 writing credits per day. Each credit is equal to a text in 1000 characters. Both of them own their own chatbot, and can "Sign-in with Google" or register with another e-mail. Although their performance of generating articles in languages besides English, there is still room for improvement, and the combination of productivity of both seems not much, but enough for me. Their task was to make up for my own shortcomings: generating the first draft of an English article in a very short time, which was organized by the information on the network that related to the topics and key-phrases provided by me. As for the later editing, such as proofreading, rhetoric, Chinese translating and comparison of bilingual texts, I can handle it easily.
我用 Rytr 和 Smodin 半年了。他們現在都是我的寫作助手。Rytr 的免費方案給我每月最多一萬 個用於寫作的字元。另一方面，Smodin 的有限計劃（試用計劃）允許我每天獲得 3 個寫作額。每個額相當於一篇 1000 個字元的文字。他們倆都擁有自己的聊天機器人，並且可以「使用 Google 登入」或使用其他電子郵件地址註冊。雖然他們在生成英語以外的語言文章的表現上仍有改進的空間，而且兩者的生產力結合起來似乎不多，但對我來說已經足夠了。他們的任務是彌補我自己的不足：根據我提供的與主題和關鍵字相關的網路訊息，在很短的時間內產生一篇英文文章的初稿。至於後期的校對、修辭、做中文譯本、雙語文本對比等編輯工作，我都能輕鬆應付。

I have now started testing two new tools, ChatGTPfree and Microsoft's Copliot. I have not tested the deeper functions of both yet, but my sense that the accuracy of information and the completeness of (English) articles generated from the chatbot of ChatGTPfree is slightly superior to the chatbot of Copliot.
我現在開始測試兩個新工具，ChatGTPfree 和 Microsoft 的 Copliot。我還沒有測試過兩者的更深層的功能，但我覺得 ChatGTPfree 的聊天機器人生成的資訊的準確性和（英文）文章的完整性略優於 Copliot 的聊天機器人。

After my casual talk about the writing tools I have tested, I have to remark that the contents generated by these tools may not be all correct, users must perform manual review and proofreading to ensure the reliability of the content.
閒聊完了我測試過的寫作工具，我必須說一句，這些工具產生的內容不一定都是全部正確的，使用者必須進行人工審核和校對，以確保內容的可靠性。

The tests of the writing tools mentioned above were against their web versions. Here is their URL:
上述書寫工具的測試都是針對其網頁版進行的。這是他們的網址：
Writesonic  -  https://writesonic.com/
Rytr  -  https://app.rytr.me/
Smodin  -  https://smodin.io/
ChatGTPfree  -  https://chatgptfree.ai/
Copilot  -  https://copilot.microsoft.com/

Finally, is there anyone who could solve my problem that I am not good at doing the article organization? I have to experience my nightmare again to release this article. This release is the 38th edition and the tools I mentioned are less help in this text issue, as the organization of second-hand information on the Internet can not express my personal experience and senses. 
最後，有誰能解決我不擅長文章組織的問題嗎？我不得不再次經歷我的噩夢才能發布這篇文章。這次發布是第38版，我提到的工具對於本文的幫助不大，因為網路上二手資訊的整理無法表達我個人的經驗和感受。

Buddhism and Management 佛教與管理

In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, leaders are constantly seeking ways to improve productivity, foster positive work environments, and enhance employee well-being. Surprisingly, one source of inspiration for effective management practices can be found in the ancient teachings of Buddhism.
在當今快節奏、競爭激烈的商業世界中，領導者不斷尋求提高生產力、創造積極的工作環境和增強員工福祉的方法。令人驚訝的是，有效管理實踐的靈感來源之一可以在古代佛教教義中找到。

Buddhism, with its emphasis on mindfulness, compassion, and ethical behavior, shares several key principles with modern management theories. By understanding and incorporating these common points, leaders can create a more harmonious and successful workplace.
佛教強調正念、慈悲和道德行為，與現代管理理論有幾個共同的關鍵原則。透過理解和整合這些共同點，領導者可以創造一個更和諧和成功的工作場所。

One of the fundamental concepts shared between Buddhism and management is the importance of mindfulness. In Buddhism, mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware in the moment. This can be applied in management to promote focus, clarity, and decision-making. By cultivating mindfulness in the workplace, leaders can enhance productivity and reduce stress among employees.
佛教和管理之間共有的基本概念之一是正念的重要性。在佛教中，正念是對修行的全神貫注和當下的意識。這可以應用於管理中，以促進重點、清晰度和決策的產生。透過在工作場所培養正念，領導者可以提高生產力並減輕員工的壓力。
Another common point between Buddhism and management is the idea of self-awareness. Buddhism teaches the importance of understanding oneself and one's motivations. In management, self-awareness can help leaders identify their strengths and weaknesses, leading to more effective leadership and decision-making.
佛教與管理的另一個共同點是自我意識的概念。佛教教導了解自己和動機的重要性。在管理中，自我意識可以幫助領導者識別自己的優勢和劣勢，從而實現更有效的領導和決策。

Compassion is also a key principle shared between Buddhism and management. In Buddhism, compassion is the practice of showing kindness and empathy towards others. In management, compassion can foster a positive work culture, improve employee morale, and enhance team collaboration.
慈悲也是佛教與管理學共同的關鍵原則。在佛教中，慈悲是對他人表現出仁慈和同理心的做法。在管理中，同情心和適當的仁慈可以培養積極的工作文化，提高員工士氣，並增強團隊協作精神。

Furthermore, both Buddhism and management theories emphasize the importance of ethical behavior. By following ethical principles and values, leaders can build trust with their employees, customers, and stakeholders, leading to long-term success and sustainability.
此外，佛教和管理理論都強調道德行為的重要性。透過遵循道德原則和價值觀，領導者可以與員工、客戶和利害關係人建立信任，從而實現持久的成功和永續發展。

Both Buddhism and the study of Management emphasize the importance of personal growth, self-awareness, and reaching one's highest potential. They both offer frameworks for individuals to understand themselves better, overcome obstacles, and achieve a state of fulfillment and inner peace. This can be explained through the next paragraph:
佛教和管理學都強調個人成長、自我意識和發揮最大潛力的重要性。它們都為個人提供了更好地了解自己、克服障礙、實現成就感和內心平靜的框架。這可以透過下一段來解釋：

In Buddhism, the path to Buddhism involves practices such as meditation, mindfulness, compassion, and ethical living. These practices help individuals cultivate inner peace, wisdom, and compassion, ultimately leading to a state of enlightenment and liberation from suffering.  On the other hand, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which is always mentioned in the lessons on Management, a theory of psychological development that suggests individuals must fulfill basic needs such as physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization in order to reach their full potential. This concept aligns with Buddhism's teachings on the importance of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching a state of enlightenment or Buddhahood.
在佛教中，通往佛教的道路涉及冥想、正念、慈悲和道德生活等修行。這些修行幫助個人培養內心的平靜、智慧和慈悲，最終帶來開悟和從痛苦中解脫的境界。 另一方面，管理學課程中經常提到的馬斯洛人格金字塔，一種心理學理論，概述了一種心理發展理論，建議個人必須滿足基本需求，如生理、安全、愛/歸屬、尊重和自我實現，以充分發揮潛力。這個概念與佛教關於自我意識、自我完善和達到開悟或成佛狀態的重要性的教義相一致。

In general, the common points between Buddhism and management offer valuable insights for leaders looking to create a more mindful, compassionate, and ethical work environment. By incorporating these principles into their leadership practices, managers can cultivate a workplace that promotes well-being, productivity, and success for all.
總的來說，佛教與管理之間的共同點為那些尋求創造更專注、富有同情心和道德的工作環境的領導者提供了寶貴的見解。透過將這些原則融入領導實踐中，管理者可以打造一個促進所有人福祉、生產力和成功的工作場所。

Many philosophies from Buddhism (or other orthodox religions), I believe, can be applied to modern management and other sciences. However, most people regard these philosophies as metaphysics or even outright superstition. Only a few people with academic accomplishments know and are willing to accept that the study of religious philosophy can help to innovate academic theories.
我相信，佛教（或其他正統宗教）的許多哲學都可以應用於現代管理和其他科學。然而，大多數人將這些哲學視為形而上學，甚至是徹頭徹尾的迷信。只有少數有學術造詣的人知道並願意接受宗教哲學研究有助於學術理論創新。

Confession 懺悔

Confessions typically involve admitting one's faults or wrongdoings to another person or the supreme being ( God, the deity, the Buddha...etc.), often seeking forgiveness or absolution. It's when an individual hands up and says "yep, that was me, my bad." It's about taking responsibility for his actions and being accountable. When he musters the courage to admit his wrongdoings, it's a sign of maturity and a crucial step towards growth and improvement. 
懺悔通常涉及向另一個人或至高無上的存在（上帝、本尊、佛陀等）承認自己的錯誤或錯誤，通常尋求寬恕或赦免。當一個人舉起手來說「是的，那是我，我的錯」。這是關於對自己的行為負責並承擔責任。當他鼓起勇氣承認自己的錯誤時，這是成熟的標誌，也是邁向成長和進步的關鍵一步。

Self-reflection is the accompaniment of confession. It involves introspection and examining one's thoughts, feelings, and actions to gain insight and self-awareness. It is a process of understanding why one does these things and how to improve himself. This process allows him to gain valuable insights into his own motivations and areas that need work. 
自我反省是懺悔的伴隨。它涉及內省和檢查一個人的思想、感受和行為，以獲得洞察力和自我意識。這是一個理解一個人為什麼要做這些事情以及如何提升自己的過程。這個過程使他能夠深入了解自己的動機和需要努力的領域。

The cool thing is, both are actually work together in a complementary way. Confessions can be a great starting point for self-reflection. When one owns up to his mistakes, it opens the door to really digging into why he made those choices in the first place. Conversely, by examining the root causes and factors that led to his actions, he can develop a deeper understanding of himself, and thus identify the reason of admitting faults and the opportunities for positive change. 
很酷的是，兩者實際上以互補的方式一起工作。懺悔可以是自我反省的一個很好的起點。當一個人承認自己的錯誤時，就會打開一扇大門，讓他真正深入探討他最初為何做出這些選擇。相反，透過檢視導致自己行為的根源和因素，他可以對自己有更深入的了解，從而找出承認錯誤的原因和正向改變的機會。

A complete process of confessions, that is  the cooperation of both admit faults and examine movtivations, is not only a discussion points in religion and philosophy, but also a scientific means of self-management. It is a powerful tool that can help an individual become the best version of himself. This is the only way to make those meaningful improvements one's seeking, indeed, It may be challenges when processing, but the rewards of self-awareness and personal development are well worth the effort. So don't be afraid to get real with yourself.
一個完整的懺悔過程，即承認錯誤和審視動機的配合，不僅是宗教和哲學的討論點，也是一種科學的自我管理手段。它是一個強大的工具，可以幫助個人成為最好的自己。這是實現那些有意義的改進的唯一方法，確實，處理時可能會遇到挑戰，但自我意識和個人發展的回報是非常值得付出努力的。所以不要害怕面對真實的自己。

Anapanasati 安那般那

Anapanasati, a form of meditation that involves mindfulness of breathing, has been a significant practice method in various traditional spiritual practices, particularly in Buddhism. By focusing on the natural breath, anapanasati aims to cultivate awareness, concentration, and emotional balance. In addition to its spiritual significance, controlled breathing techniques associated with anapanasati have been found to have numerous benefits for physical and mental well-being. 

安那般那（安般守意／數息）是一種涉及以正念來呼吸的禪修形式，一直是各種傳統精神修行（尤其是佛教）中的重要修行方法。透過專注於自然呼吸，安那般那旨在培養意識、專注力和情緒平衡。除了在靈性上的意義外，與安那般那相關的控制呼吸技術也被發現對身心健康有許多好處。

Anapanasati, which originates from the Pali language, consists of two parts: "anapana" meaning inhalation and exhalation, and "sati" meaning mindfulness. This technique has been popularized by the teachings of the Buddha and is a fundamental practice in various schools of Buddhism.

安般守意（Anapanasati）源自巴利語，由兩部分組成：「anapana」意為吸氣和呼氣，「sati」意為正念。這項技術已透過佛陀的教義所普及，並且是佛教各宗派的基本修行。

Benefits of Anapanasati Meditation

安那般那禪修的好處

Mindfulness：Anapanasati helps in developing mindfulness by anchoring awareness to the breath, allowing practitioners to observe the changing nature of their thoughts and emotions.

正念：安那般那透過將意識錨定在呼吸上來幫助培養正念，讓練習者能夠觀察他們在思想上和情緒上的變化的本質。

Concentration：Focusing on the breath enhances concentration as individuals learn to redirect their attention back to the breath whenever distractions arise.

專注力：專注於呼吸可以增強專注力，因為人們會學到當出現分心時將注意力重新轉移到呼吸上。

Emotional Regulation: Regular practice of Anapana can optimize emotional regulation, helping individuals respond to challenging situations with greater clarity and calmness.

情緒調節：定時練習安那般那可以優化情緒的調節，幫助個人更清晰、更平靜地應對具有挑戰性的情況。

How to Practice Anapanasati

如何練習安那般那

Choose a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit or lie down without distractions. Begin by bringing your attention to the natural rhythm of your breath, notice the inhalation and exhalation without trying to control it. Observe the sensations associated with breathing - the rise and fall of the abdomen, the airflow through the nostrils, or the expansion of the chest. When distractions arise, acknowledge them without judgment and gently return your focus to the breath. 

選擇一個安靜舒適的地方，讓您可以坐下或躺下而不會分心。首先將注意力集中在呼吸的自然節奏上，注意吸氣和呼氣，而不是試圖控制呼吸。觀察與呼吸相關的感覺：腹部的起伏、通過鼻孔的氣流或胸部的擴張。當出現分心時，承認並且不要批判這個這個分心，然後輕輕地將注意力放回呼吸上。

Consistent practice is key to reaping the benefits of Anapanasati. Start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the practice.

持續的練習是透過安那般那獲得益處的關鍵。先從簡短的練習開始，當對練習感到更加熟悉時，請逐漸增加持續時間。

Anapanasati is a powerful tool for cultivating mindfulness, concentration, and emotional well-being. By incorporating this practice into your daily routine, you can experience greater clarity of mind and a deeper connection to the present moment.

安那般那是培養正念、專注力和情緒健康的強大工具。透過將這種練習融入日常生活中，可以體驗到更清晰的頭腦以及與當下這一刻的更深入的關連。