september27

We do not regard a person as an

authority simply on the basis of their

fame, position, power, good looks,

wealth and so on, but rather because we

find what they say on issues related to

their particular field of expertise

convincing and reliable. In brief, we do

not generally take a person to be an

authority on a subject simply out of

respect and admiration for them as a

person. Similarly, when we take the

Buddha as an authority, as a reliable

teacher, we do so on the basis of having

investigated and examined his principal

teaching, the Four Noble Truths.

我們不會僅僅就一個人的名望, 地位,

權勢, 長相, 財富這些東西,

就尊崇他們是某種權威,

而會因為我們認為這個人在他的專業領域中

相關的論述讓人信服也值得信賴.

簡單的說, 我們通常不會單純的

為了尊敬或欣賞某個人,

就認定他是某個領域的權威.

以此類推, 當我們把佛陀尊為權威,

認為他是一個值得信賴的老師時,

是基於我們已經查驗了

他的重要教誨, 四聖諦.

苦 集 滅 道

March 30