'Prayer Is Not Enough.'
The Dalai Lama on Why We Need to Fight Coronavirus With Compassion
Ruven Afanador for TIME
IDEAS
BY DALAI LAMA
APRIL 14, 2020
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists and a Nobel Laureate
Sometimes friends ask me to help with some problem in the world, using some “magical powers.” I always tell them that the Dalai Lama has no magical powers. If I did, I would not feel pain in my legs or a sore throat. We are all the same as human beings, and we experience the same fears, the same hopes, the same uncertainties.
From the Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of sickness, old age and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to conquer anger and panic and greed. In recent years I have been stressing “emotional disarmament”: to try to see things realistically and clearly, without the confusion of fear or rage. If a problem has a solution, we must work to find it; if it does not, we need not waste time thinking about it.
We Buddhists believe that the entire world is interdependent. That is why I often speak about universal responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive act—whether working in hospitals or just observing social distancing—has the potential to help many.
達賴喇嘛
「祈禱是遠不足夠的！」達賴喇嘛尊者回應《時代》週刊
「祈禱是遠不足夠的！」達賴喇嘛尊者說，我們要以慈悲之心應對新冠病毒。
有時候，朋友們會請我以「神通」協助解決世界的某些問題。我總是跟他們說，達賴喇嘛沒有神通。如果我有，我就不會感到腳痛或喉嚨痛。我們同樣都是人，我們經歷相同的恐懼、希望，以及不確定性。
佛教認為，所有眾生都深知痛苦——真實發生的病苦、老苦，以及死苦。然而，我們人類有能力運用心智戰勝憤怒、恐慌，以及貪婪。近年來，我一直在強調「情緒裁軍」的理念，即努力看清真相為何，不受畏懼或憤怒的困惑。如果該問題有辦法解決，我們必須要去尋找解決的辦法；如果沒有，我們不該浪費時間去想它！
我們佛教徒相信，這世間的一切都是相依的，這也是為什麼我常提「全球責任感」的原因。這個駭人新冠病毒的爆發，顯示了某人一有問題會立即影響其他人。但是這也提醒我們，慈悲或建設性的行為——無論是進行醫護工作或只是保持社交距離——都可能幫助很多人。
自從武漢有了新冠病毒的新聞傳出後，我一直在為我的兄弟姐妹們祈禱，無論您是來自中國還是其他國家。目前我們可以看到，沒有人對此病毒是免疫的。雖然我們都在擔心自家的親友及全球經濟的未來，可是，祈禱是遠不足夠的！
這次的危機證實，我們所有人都要負起自己所能承擔的責任。我們必須結合醫生與護士表現出來的勇氣與經驗科學，開始扭轉現況，保障我們的未來，免遭更多此類的威脅。
在這個充斥恐懼的時刻，重要的是我們應思考全球面臨的長期挑戰及可能性。從外太空拍攝的照片清楚顯示，我們這顆藍色星球是沒有真實國界的。因此，我們所有人必須照顧好這顆地球，並且努力防止氣候變遷和其他的毀滅性因素。這次的大流行警告我們，只有採取協調一致的全球對策，我們才能面對前所未有的巨大挑戰。
我們也必須記得，沒人能從苦難中置身事外！對於那些無家可歸、缺乏生計及家人的貧困者，我們應伸出援手，保護他們。這次的危機告訴我們，即便我們分開生活，我們也無法遠離彼此。因此，我們所有人都有責任去實踐慈悲和協助他人。
身為佛教徒，我信奉無常的原則。這個病毒終會過去，就如我這一生見證許多戰爭與其他驚駭的威脅都已過去；我們會有機會重建全球社會，就如我們過去多次做過的努力。我衷心希望，每人都能安好且保持鎮定。在這個不確定的時刻，針對眾人的建設性努力，我們不應該喪失希望及自信，這點很重要。
（《時代》雜誌Time Magazine於2020年4月14日發表）
原文： https://bit.ly/3ahQ4dy
Ruven Afanador for TIME
IDEAS
BY DALAI LAMA
APRIL 14, 2020
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists and a Nobel Laureate
Sometimes friends ask me to help with some problem in the world, using some “magical powers.” I always tell them that the Dalai Lama has no magical powers. If I did, I would not feel pain in my legs or a sore throat. We are all the same as human beings, and we experience the same fears, the same hopes, the same uncertainties.
From the Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of sickness, old age and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to conquer anger and panic and greed. In recent years I have been stressing “emotional disarmament”: to try to see things realistically and clearly, without the confusion of fear or rage. If a problem has a solution, we must work to find it; if it does not, we need not waste time thinking about it.
We Buddhists believe that the entire world is interdependent. That is why I often speak about universal responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive act—whether working in hospitals or just observing social distancing—has the potential to help many.
Ever since news emerged about the coronavirus in Wuhan, I have been praying for my brothers and sisters in China and everywhere else. Now we can see that nobody is immune to this virus. We are all worried about loved ones and the future, of both the global economy and our own individual homes. But prayer is not enough.
This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats.
In this time of great fear, it is important that we think of the long-term challenges—and possibilities—of the entire globe. Photographs of our world from space clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet. Therefore, all of us must take care of it and work to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a coordinated, global response will we meet the unprecedented magnitude of the challenges we face.
We must also remember that nobody is free of suffering, and extend our hands to others who lack homes, resources or family to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one another—even when we are living apart. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to exercise compassion and help.
As a Buddhist, I believe in the principle of impermanence. Eventually, this virus will pass, as I have seen wars and other terrible threats pass in my lifetime, and we will have the opportunity to rebuild our global community as we have done many times before. I sincerely hope that everyone can stay safe and stay calm. At this time of uncertainty, it is important that we do not lose hope and confidence in the constructive efforts so many are making.
This article is part of a special series on how the coronavirus is changing our lives, featuring insights and advice from the TIME 100 community. Sign up for the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to get the latest reporting on the global pandemic.
達賴喇嘛
「祈禱是遠不足夠的！」達賴喇嘛尊者回應《時代》週刊
「祈禱是遠不足夠的！」達賴喇嘛尊者說，我們要以慈悲之心應對新冠病毒。
有時候，朋友們會請我以「神通」協助解決世界的某些問題。我總是跟他們說，達賴喇嘛沒有神通。如果我有，我就不會感到腳痛或喉嚨痛。我們同樣都是人，我們經歷相同的恐懼、希望，以及不確定性。
佛教認為，所有眾生都深知痛苦——真實發生的病苦、老苦，以及死苦。然而，我們人類有能力運用心智戰勝憤怒、恐慌，以及貪婪。近年來，我一直在強調「情緒裁軍」的理念，即努力看清真相為何，不受畏懼或憤怒的困惑。如果該問題有辦法解決，我們必須要去尋找解決的辦法；如果沒有，我們不該浪費時間去想它！
我們佛教徒相信，這世間的一切都是相依的，這也是為什麼我常提「全球責任感」的原因。這個駭人新冠病毒的爆發，顯示了某人一有問題會立即影響其他人。但是這也提醒我們，慈悲或建設性的行為——無論是進行醫護工作或只是保持社交距離——都可能幫助很多人。
自從武漢有了新冠病毒的新聞傳出後，我一直在為我的兄弟姐妹們祈禱，無論您是來自中國還是其他國家。目前我們可以看到，沒有人對此病毒是免疫的。雖然我們都在擔心自家的親友及全球經濟的未來，可是，祈禱是遠不足夠的！
這次的危機證實，我們所有人都要負起自己所能承擔的責任。我們必須結合醫生與護士表現出來的勇氣與經驗科學，開始扭轉現況，保障我們的未來，免遭更多此類的威脅。
在這個充斥恐懼的時刻，重要的是我們應思考全球面臨的長期挑戰及可能性。從外太空拍攝的照片清楚顯示，我們這顆藍色星球是沒有真實國界的。因此，我們所有人必須照顧好這顆地球，並且努力防止氣候變遷和其他的毀滅性因素。這次的大流行警告我們，只有採取協調一致的全球對策，我們才能面對前所未有的巨大挑戰。
我們也必須記得，沒人能從苦難中置身事外！對於那些無家可歸、缺乏生計及家人的貧困者，我們應伸出援手，保護他們。這次的危機告訴我們，即便我們分開生活，我們也無法遠離彼此。因此，我們所有人都有責任去實踐慈悲和協助他人。
身為佛教徒，我信奉無常的原則。這個病毒終會過去，就如我這一生見證許多戰爭與其他驚駭的威脅都已過去；我們會有機會重建全球社會，就如我們過去多次做過的努力。我衷心希望，每人都能安好且保持鎮定。在這個不確定的時刻，針對眾人的建設性努力，我們不應該喪失希望及自信，這點很重要。
（《時代》雜誌Time Magazine於2020年4月14日發表）
原文： https://bit.ly/3ahQ4dy
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