疑 2 Doubts 2

I actually wrote all the previous materials before dinner. But during dinner, I understood where my doubts came from, and I was able to resolve them and understand how to proceed.

前一篇文章是在晚餐前寫的，但在吃晚餐時，我突然了解疑慮的來源。 我知道如何解決這些問題，並在生活中實踐著。

When I read their materials, the same familiar words and phrases all have subtle differences in their meanings and interpretations. Because of these small differences in a few key concepts, the articles they wrote and the conclusions they reached end up in some place totally unfamiliar to me. The materials seems the same, but also foreign at the same time.

上一篇有提到，修行者寫的文章用了許多我們對佛教熟悉的字彙跟語詞。但這些字彙和語詞的用法、含義和解說跟我的了解都有些微的差別。 因為幾個關鍵字的小差異，導致整篇文章的結論，和我的理解相隔千里。 以至於這些文章雖然看起來似乎相同，但實際上卻完全不一樣。

Furthermore, when I read Buddhist Texts, I seem to have to do a lot more thinking, because it was written in a more ancient form of Chinese. So there is a lot more intellectual engagements during the reading process. Also, many of the Buddhist Texts tend to be in the form of debates or questions and answers settings, so it is easier to engage the brain while reading them.

一般來說，當我讀佛經時，我需要思考，因為佛經是用比較古老的寫法來論述。 此外，許多佛經採用答辯的形式來寫，所以很容易用大腦來讀。

However, when I read the instructions, stories and accounts of these practitioners, the texts are narrative. Because these are their stories and their instructions, the texts are also authoritative in nature. As part of our cultural and education upbringing, it is hard to question authorities. Actually, our training makes it hard to even question written words, simply because they are written.

然而， 他們的修行法門、故事和經驗是用敘述的方式來撰寫。 再加上，那些都是他們的故事和法門，所以文章讀起來更具有權威性。 而我們的文化、教育讓我們很難去懷疑權威。 其實，如此的教育讓我們幾乎無法去質疑書面上的文字，只是因為那些是發表過的文字。

So I succumbed to authorities, and these authorities' usage of words and phrases are different than mine. No wonder I was confused.

因此，我屈服了「權威」。這些「權威」的解釋跟我的不一樣，
難怪我被搞糊塗了。

It shows my lack of confidences in my own understandings, to be so easily swayed by someone I don't even know. I don't even know if their authorities are genuine.

這表示我對自己的理解缺乏自信、如此輕易的被一個不認識的人給動搖了，卻也不知道他們是不是真的這方面的「權威」?

It also shows that while I understand our method and reasons behind them, I did so without rigorous debate. It is as if I accepted these knowledge on faith. Even though I have some empirical understandings, these understandings are not deep enough.

這也表示，儘管我了解我們的法門和為什麼我們的法門要這樣走，但我並沒有跟自己做過嚴格的辯論。  好樣我是用信仰去接受這些知識，雖然我有一些體會，但也無法入心。

I understand now that I need to fortify my knowledge and empirical understanding with challenges from alternative view points. This is also part of the Practice. This is how vicikicchā (doubt) can be eliminated, with critical thinking.

現在明白，我需要鞏固與挑戰自己的知識和體會，這也是修行。
「疑」是用批判性思考「註」去消除的。

I urge our readers to do the same as well, to apply critical thinking with all writings on all subjects, including ours. This is about search for the Truth, which requires critical thinking, not faith.

我呼籲大家也一樣用批判性思考去對待所有的事，包括這個部落格的文章。 尋找真相的過程需要批判性思考，不需要信仰。

「註」：這裡的批判性思考，指的是 邏輯清晰嚴密的思考。對一些結論所建立的假設做出審視或疑問，從而判斷事情的真偽。

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