加州 红木城
应蓝卡斯教授的邀请,上人为在红木城进修的柏克莱加州大学学生讲演。
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Redwood City, California
The Master invited by Professor Lewis Lancaster to speak to UC Berkeley students at a Redwood City Retreat
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上人为这些青年学生讲解“佛”字的来源。中文最初将“Buddha”音译成“佛陀耶”,后来简称为“佛”。上人说如果当时他在场的话,就会建议将“Buddha”翻成“不大”,因为“佛”是不大、不小、不来,也不去的。蓝卡斯教授很欣赏上人的说法,也觉得很有趣。 |
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The Master taught these young Western students the history of the word
“Buddha,” which in Chinese began as a transliteration fo tuo ye but was soon shortened to fo. Then, much to Professor Lancaster's amusement and scholarly appreciation, the Master suggested that had he been around at the time, he would have suggested that
“Buddha” be rendered in Chinese as bu da, which means “Not Big.” Because, the Master went on to say, Buddhas are not big and not small, and they neither come nor go.
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