第九辑 圣贤之音 - 文化与道德的乐章 Volume 9: Culture & Virtue - Echoes of the Sage
支撑民族不倒的是文化
Culture is the Backbone of a Nation
“儒释道”三家本来是一家，不分。因为都是圣人们对我们这些普通凡夫们的一种引导，让我们提升自己的精神境界。我们的课程要从头开始系统地学，后面才能真正地领悟它表达的意思。
Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were originally intertwined, as they all provide guidance from the sages to enhance the spiritual well-being of ordinary people. Our courses need to be systematically studied from the beginning in order to truly understand the meaning they convey.
很多人学习儒释道的文化就是流于表面，为什么呢？因为他们对于表达的词语理解得不够深刻，基础不够，所以很多人学得很肤浅，没法深入。
Many people only scratch the surface when learning about the cultures of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Why? It's because their understanding of the expressed words isn't profound enough, and their foundation is insufficient. Consequently, a lot of people engage in superficial learning and struggle to delve deeper.
其实，儒释道所有的文化，古圣人都讲得很清楚，他们不会讲废话的，他每一句话都是教我们怎么去做的，都是要落实的。你不落实，都是废话。
In fact, within the cultures of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, the ancient sages explained things quite clearly. They wouldn't speak nonsense; Every word of theirs taught us how to act and should be put into practice. Without practice, it's all just empty talk.
圣人是不讲废话的，不会像那些小说家或者诗人抒发情感或者编故事。古圣先贤一定是没有废话，他们的每一句话都是字字珠玑、都是有用的、都是可以落实的，是有系统的。
The sages do not give empty talk; they do not express emotions or fabricate stories like novelists or poets. The ancient sages must have had no empty words; every sentence they spoke was pearls of wisdom, practical, implementable, systematic.
儒家文化也是有系统的，只是后来的弟子、子孙不争气，慢慢地就荒废了，就变成碎片了。
Confucian culture was also systematic, but later disciples were disappointing, leading to its gradual decline into fragments.
现在的中国文化已经碎片化了，不系统。佛教也是一样，道教也是一样，包括基督教，也是一样，他们也是整个文化碎片化了，所以西方人现在也是信仰危机，他们也在堕落，他们对宗教的理解都非常地肤浅。因为没有系统地、全面地、深入地学习，只是大概地了解一下。
Chinese culture has become fragmented and lacks systematicity. The same goes for Buddhism and Taoism. Christianity is no exception; its entire culture is also fragmented, contributing to a crisis of faith in the West, and they are also morally declining. Their understanding of religion is very shallow. This is because there hasn't been systematic, comprehensive, and in-depth learning; just a superficial grasp of these beliefs.
像中国人对佛教的了解，也是非常地肤浅。基督教估计也差不多。真正地能够地基督教深入学习的人很少。全世界都差不多。但是，圣贤没有放弃我们，他们还是不断地来到地球上、来帮助我们。
Just like the Chinese understanding of Buddhism, which is also very shallow, Christianity may be more or less the same. Very few people can truly study Christianity in depth. This could be more or less the same all over the world. But the sages have not given up on us; they still come to Earth constantly to help us.
其实从基督教的角度讲，就是讲救世主了。救世主这个词，不是说像电影里演的一样: 一个人拯救世界、拯救地球。不是这样的。
In fact, from the perspective of Christianity, they are saviors. The term "savior" does not refer to someone who saves the world and the earth, as portrayed in the movies. This is not true.
真正的救世主是来引导我们的，让我们自己来拯救自己。如果没有这些圣贤，人类就像野生动物一样，互相残杀，人类文明是不可能进步到现在的。
The real savior is here to guide us, enabling us to save ourselves. Without these sages, humans would attack each other like wild animals, and human civilization would not have progressed to its current state.
圣贤们就是来教化我们的。如果没有圣人在世间引导人类走到今天，作为凡夫，我们一天到晚会想什么？会做什么?
The sages come to the world to educate and transform us. Without sages guiding mankind to where we are today, as ordinary people, what would we be thinking and doing all day long?
我们自己都知道：如果没有学习，你看外面没有学习过文化的人，不是说你学那些知识……我也写过一篇文章叫《文化和知识的区别》，你们可能都看过。你光有些知识是没用的。没有文化的人，他目光是很短浅的。一天到晚他想什么、做什么，你们都看得见，很清楚。
As we all know, without learning, look at those who have never studied culture. Well, I'm not saying that you acquire that knowledge...I've also written an article titled "The Difference between Culture and Knowledge", which you might have read. Having some knowledge alone is useless. Without culture, one would be short-sighted. Whatever they think and do all day long, you can see it clearly.
中国的文明之所以没有倒下，西方人也觉得奇怪，其他的文明都没了，古代四大文明，包括罗马的帝国，后来都一点一点没落。西方的文明都长久不了。
Why Chinese civilization has not collapsed also surprises Westerners. Other civilizations have disappeared. The four ancient civilizations, including the Roman Empire, all gradually declined. Western civilization cannot endure for a long time.
怎么只有中国的文明，每一次好像衰败得快要倒下去、又起来了？中国的文明为什么没有彻底衰亡？就是因为中国一直都有圣贤在默默的帮助我们，就是因为中国一直有民族的脊梁来支撑我们，
How come only Chinese civilization seemed on the verge of collapse every time but managed to rise again? Why hasn't it completely disappeared? It's because China has always had sages silently guiding us and the backbone of the nation supporting us.
中国的文化无论怎么摧残，也没有断根，根还是没有断。所以到了民族危亡的时候，总是有圣贤在支撑着我们。
No matter how Chinese culture was devastated, its root hasn't been completely destroyed. Therefore, when the survival of our nation is threatened, there are always sages supporting us.
有文化，才有文明。文化一旦断了根，这个民族的文明就没有了，慢慢地就没落了，最后跟某些非洲人一样，某些非洲人是没有什么文化的——没有文化的民族，你们看一看，可以看得很清楚。
Only when there is culture, is there civilization. Once the root of culture is devastated, the civilization of the nation is over. It will gradually decline and end up like some Africans, who have little culture–a nation without culture. You can see it pretty clearly.
西方的文明为什么强大？是因为他们有文化。然而有文化，是因为有信仰。信仰是文化的根源。
Why is Western civilization so powerful? Because they have a cultural foundation, and culture derives from faith. Faith is the root of culture.
中国的文化从道家文化开始。没有道家的圣贤，哪来的中国道家的文化？中国所有的文化是从道家里来的。儒家文化也是从道家发扬光大出来的。
Chinese culture begins with Taoist culture. Without Taoist sages, where would Chinese Taoist culture come from? All of China's culture originated from Taoism. Confucian culture also developed and flourished from Taoism.
全世界任何一个有信仰的民族都会强盛一段时间。伊斯兰教也是一样，阿拉伯人如果没有伊斯兰教、没有默罕默德，他们现在就跟非洲人是一样的，他们现在能够这样有文明，他们也有一定的文明和文化，是圣人给予他们的教化，让他们有了信仰，有了文化。
Any nation with faith in the world will thrive for a period of time. It's the same with Islam. Without Islam or Mohammed, the Arabs would be like Africans now. Their current civilization and culture are also attributed to the education given by sages, enabling them to have faith and culture.
其实非洲也有很多资源，他们为什么就强大不起来呢？富不起来？一直这样落后呢？这几千年，他们一直都是没有什么文化，没有信仰，都是崇拜鬼神，所以他们就很落后。
In fact, Africa also has many resources. Why haven't they become strong? Wealthy? Why have they been so underdeveloped? For thousands of years, they have lacked culture and faith, and they have been worshiping spirits and gods, so they have remained very backward.
大家站得高一点就看得很清楚，但是现在很多人不知道为什么看不清楚。我们要不断地去传播这个思想，我们相信大家慢慢地就能达成共识。
Standing a little higher gives us a clearer view, but I don't know why many people can't see clearly now. We need to spread this idea constantly, and we believe that everyone will gradually reach a consensus.
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