发表于2025年9月7日作者管理员

Why Does Life Hurt?

2024-05-25 heyumapati Hare Krishna

调皮的奎师那拿着一块糖

Why does a loving God let his children suffer?
为什么慈爱的神让他的孩⼦受苦？

Atheists claim this question disproves religion. But does it? I knew it had to have an answer, and I looked for this answer in different spiritual paths. Know where I found it? Of course, in Krishna Consciousness.
⽆神论者声称这个问题证明宗教是错误的。但真是这样吗？我知道这必须有⼀个答案，我在不同的灵性道路上寻找这个答案。知道我是在哪⾥找到的吗？当然是在奎师那知觉中。

The one God has given us the different religions as paths where we can stroll, trot, or run past suffering and leave it behind. Yes. Why blame God for our pain when he urges us to take the path out? He says it in the different scriptures. Over and over again.
唯⼀的神给了我们不同的宗教，作为我们可以漫步、⼩跑或跑过苦难并将其抛在⾝后的道路。是的。当上帝敦促我们⾛上这条出路时，为什么要把我们的痛苦归咎于他呢？他在不同的经典中已再三的说过。

But the question remains: Why does God allow suffering in the first place? Why does God give us pain before he shows us the way out?
但问题仍然存在：为什么上帝⾸先允许受苦？为什么上帝在他给我们指明出路之前给了我们痛苦？

Again, Krishna gave me the answer, though it applies to all the paths he has given. It begins with the soul.
奎师那再⼀次给了我答案，尽管它适⽤于他给出的所有道路。这个伟⼤，从关于灵魂的知识开始。

But first, let me sum up the problem.
但⾸先，让我总结下这个问题。

We suffer because we are out of our element like a fish jumping out of the bowl. And speaking of fish, when I was a teenager I had some tropical fish, including a Siamese fighting fish named Sam. Now this guy would often jump out of the tank.
我们之所以受苦，是因为我们离开了适合我们⽣存的环境，就像鱼跳出鱼缸⼀样。说到鱼，当我⼗⼏岁的时候，我有⼏条热带鱼，包括⼀条叫萨姆的暹罗⽃鱼。这条鱼经常从⽔箱⾥跳出来。

He would land on the hard linoleum floor and lie there till someone found him (always in time, fortunately) and saved him from a suffocating death. But what if he had landed on a soft silken pillow? He still would suffer and die, wouldn’t he? Because he had jumped out of his element.
他会落在坚硬的油毡地板上，躺在那⾥直到有⼈发现他（幸运的是总是很及时），把他从窒息的死亡中拯救出来。但如果他落在柔软的丝绸靠垫上呢？他还是会受苦并死去，不是吗？因为他离开了适合他⽣存的环
境。

All right. But what has this to do with me? I have no Siamese blood (though some of us may ) nor have I scales or fins. But like Sam, I have jumped out of my element.
好吧，但这跟我有什么关系？我没有暹罗⾎统（尽管我们中的⼀些⼈可能有）也没有鳞或鳍。但就像萨姆⼀样，我已经离开了适合我的环境。

To understand more about the element, let’s go back to the soul and put it all together.
为了更好地理解这个基本原理，让我们回到关于灵魂的知识，把它和刚才谈论的放到⼀起考虑。

In the Bhagavad-Gita (2.12) Lord Krishna explains that the soul, a complete person, lives forever:
在《博伽梵歌》2.12 中，主奎师那解释说，灵魂，是⼀个完整的⼈并且永远活着：

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
从来没有⼀个时刻我不曾存在，你，所有这些国王也是，将来也不会不复存在。

And again in Bhagavad-Gita (2.23) Krishna tells us that the soul cannot change:
在《博伽梵歌》2.23 中，奎师那告诉我们灵魂不能改变：

This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.
灵魂⽕不能烧，⽔不能浸，风不能蚀，永不会被任何武器戮碎。

The souls number in the millions, billions, trillions, and beyond, up to infinite numbers. But they sometimes make one mistake. And thus they suffer.
灵魂的数量有数百万、数⼗亿、数万亿甚⾄更多，⽆限多。但他们有时会犯同⼀个错误，因此他们遭受痛苦。

Sometimes a soul walks away from his eternal home in the spiritual world and comes into this material kingdom. But why?
有时候灵魂会离开他在灵性世界的家来到这个物质世界。但为什么呢？

Because this soul has voluntarily accepted the delusion that he can usurp Krishna’s place as the supreme enjoyer. “Why Krishna? Why not me?”
因为这个灵魂已经⾃愿接受了他可以篡夺奎师那作为⾄⾼⽆上的享受者的地位的错觉。“为什么是奎师那？为什么不是我呢？”

Don’t understand? Let me explain. All souls act as objects of enjoyment for Krishna, the one supreme enjoyer.
不明⽩吗？让我解释⼀下。所有灵魂都是奎师那的享受对象，奎师那是唯⼀的⾄⾼⽆上的享受者。

Not fair, you say. Why does Krishna get to have all the fun? Oh, but he doesn’t. Do you know why devotees call Krishna the Reservoir of Pleasure? Because the soul may feel more pleasure from serving Krishna than Krishna feels from accepting the service. And Krishna knows this.
你说，这不公平。为什么奎师那可以享受所有的乐趣？但他没有。你知道为什么奉献者们称奎师那为快乐的源泉吗？因为灵魂通过服务奎师那感受到的快乐，⽐奎师那从接受服务中感受到的快乐更多。奎师那知道这⼀点。

So what does Krishna do about it? Does he take pleasure away from the devotees? No. Not at all. He does the opposite. He takes up the life of a devotee. He comes into this world as Sri Chaitanya and chants Hare Krishna and preaches the Bhagavad-Gita.
奎师那怎么解决这个问题？他从奉献者那⾥拿⾛快乐吗？不。完全不是。他反其道⽽⾏之。他接受了奉献者的⽣活。他以施瑞·柴坦尼亚的⾝份来到这个世界，唱颂哈瑞·奎师那，并宣讲《博伽梵歌》。

And don’t we see this principle in the other spiritual paths too? Jesus, none other than the son of God, lived the life of a perfect Christian. Gautama Buddha, himself the ultimate truth of Buddhism, lived the life of a perfect Buddhist monk.
我们不是在其他的灵性道路也看到了这个原则吗？耶稣，不是别⼈，正是神的⼉⼦，过着完美的基督徒的⽣活。⾼塔玛·布达，作为佛教的终极真理，过着完美的佛教僧侣的⽣活。

Get the message? Chaitanya, Jesus, Buddha—they can do whatever they want, but they choose the life of a perfect follower. Maybe they want to tell us something?
明⽩了吗？柴坦尼亚、耶稣、布达——他们可以为所欲为，但他们选择了过完美追随者的⽣活。可能他们要告诉我们⼀个秘密？

All well and good to explain pleasure, you say, but the question of pain still nags at us. If God enjoys so much fun, why does he let us suffer?
你说，解释快乐是⼀个好事，可是关于痛苦的问题还在困扰着我们。如果上帝享受这么多乐趣，为什么他让我们受苦？

All right. Let’s go back to Sam, my little fish. He has jumped out of his tank. Now whether Sam lands on a hard floor or a soft pillow, he will suffer because he is out of his element. I can offer him all the best things life—the latest iPhone, a whole pizza with olives, a lovely female fish— but still he will suffer. First, I must drop him back into the water.
现在，让我们回到我的⼩鱼萨姆。他从缸⾥跳出来。⽆论他落在坚硬的地板上还是柔软的靠垫上，他都要受苦，因为他离开了他的⽣存环境（他都会因为不适应环境⽽受苦）。我可以给他提供⽣活中所有最好的东
西——最新的苹果⼿机，⼀整块有橄榄的披萨，或⼀条漂亮的雌性⼩鱼——但他仍然会受苦。⾸先，我必须把他放回⽔⾥。

Why does Sam jump? Before you wonder about the why, first put Sam back in the water.
为什么萨姆跳出来？提这个问题之前，先把萨姆放回⽔⾥。

And why did I jump? First put me back into my element.
为什么我跳出来？先把我放回我的⽣存环境⾥。

But what does “element” mean? Maybe I could also call it “home.” Would that help? Prabhupada explains:
但“环境”在这个⽅⾯是什么意思？可能我说它是“家”更好。这有帮助吗？帕布帕德解释道：

You are part and parcel of Krishna; that is our original state. Now by contact with this material nature we have forgotten. Just like I come from India. Suppose I remain here for many years, so I may forget about my home.
你是奎师那的重要组成部分；那是我们原始的地位。现在，通过与这个物质⾃然接触，我们已经忘记了。就像我来⾃印度⼀样。假设我在这⾥待上很多年，我可能会忘记我的家。

But it is a fact that I was Indian, my home was India; therefore I am called Indian. I may forget.Similarly, actually we were with Krishna, but we do not know when we have left our home … and come to this material contact; that is another thing. But it is a fact that we were with Krishna.
但事实上我是印度⼈，我的家在印度。因此我被称为印度⼈。我可能会忘记。同样，实际上我们曾与奎师那在⼀起，但我们不知道我们什么时候离开了家…进⼊了这个物质接触中；那是另⼀回事。但实际上我们以前和奎师那在⼀起。

Because we have got [a] little independence. Just like a very rich man’s son, sometimes gives up home life, his father and mother, he loiters in the street—that is his choice. Similarly, from [scripture] we can understand that originally we were in Krishna, with Krishna.
因为我们拥有⼀点点独⽴性。就像⼀个⾮常富有的⼉⼦，有时候放弃他的家庭⽣活，离开他的⽗母，在街上游荡——这是他的选择。同样地，从（经典）中我们可以理解，最初我们是在奎师那那⾥，跟奎师那在⼀起。

But somehow or other we have come to enjoy this material world; therefore we have been entangled. Now get out of this entanglement and go back to Krishna. That is our proposition. (March 5, 1973, Calcutta)
但不知怎地，我们来享受这个物质世界；因此我们被困在其中。现在要摆脱这种纠缠，回到奎师那那⾥。这是奎师那知觉的建议。（加尔各答 1973 年 3 ⽉ 5 ⽇）

But another question arises: What do we do in our eternal home?Lord Chaitanya explains:
但另⼀个问题出现了：我们在永恒的家做什么呢？主柴坦尼亚解释说：

My dear Lord Krishna, son of Maharaja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean of nescience. Please pick Me up from this ocean of death and place Me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet. (Siksastaka 5)
我亲爱的南达·玛哈茹阿佳之⼦奎师那啊，我是你的永恒仆⼈，但不知怎地我掉进了⽣死苦海，请从⽣死苦海中提起我，并将我如⼀颗原⼦放在您的莲花⾜下。（《⼋训规 5》）

But what has all this to do with pain? Because we have wrongly accepted the earth as our home and our element, we try to find pleasure in the things of this planet. But as eternal souls, we need unending pleasures. Lord Krishna elaborates in the Bhagavad-Gita:
但这⼀切与痛苦有什么关系呢？因为我们错误地接受了这个地球作为我们的家，作为我们的⽣存环境，我们试图在这个星球寻找快乐。但作为永恒的灵魂，我们需要⽆尽的快乐。主奎师那在《博伽梵歌》中详细的说明：

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them. (5.22)
痛苦源于同物质感官的接触，聪明⼈不会沾染这些痛苦的源泉。琨缇之⼦啊，这样的快乐有始有终，智者不会以此为乐。（BG 5.22）

I can’t guarantee you’ll never feel pain again. Pain muscles its way in as part of the deal when you come to the material world … but only as long as you stay here.
我不能保证你再也不会感到痛苦。当你来到物质世界时，痛苦是交易的⼀部分……只要你还待在这⾥。

And pain follows you everywhere you wander in the universe, from the nearest rock to the farthest star. As Krishna tells his friend Arjuna:
⽆论你在这个宇宙中漫游到哪⾥，从最近的岩⽯到最远的恒星，痛苦都会追随你。奎师那告诉他的朋友阿尔诸纳：

From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again. (8.16)
在物质世界中，从最⾼的星宿到最低的星宿，全是⽣死轮回不休的痛苦之地。但是，琨缇的之⼦啊！但到达我的居所，将永不再投⽣。（BG 8.16）

So do this: Take up once more your eternal role as the Lord’s servant. Then go back to your element when you finish with the material world.
所以要这样做：再次承担你永恒的⾓⾊，成为主的仆⼈。当你结束物质世界的⽣活后，回到你的环境中去。

You can do it. As the Chinese proverb goes, Nothing in this world is difficult for one who has a heart.
你可以做到的。就像中国谚语所说的，世上⽆难事，只怕有⼼⼈。

—Umapati Swami, May 25, 2024
—乌玛帕提·斯⽡⽶ 2024.5.25

PS. I thought you might like this passage from the Srimad Bhagavatam about King Bharat, who renounced everything to serve Lord Krishna. (“Bharat” is also the Indian name for India, in honor of this great soul.)
附⾔：我想你可能会喜欢《圣典博伽⽡谭》中关于巴茹阿特王的这段话，他为了服务奎师那⽽放弃了⼀切。（“巴茹阿特”也是印度的名字，以纪念这位伟⼤的灵魂。）

My dear King, the activities of Bharata Maharaja are wonderful. He gave up everything difficult for others to give up. He gave up his kingdom, his wife and his family. His opulence was so great that even the demigods envied it, yet he gave it up.
我亲爱的君王，巴茹阿特王的活动精彩奇妙。他放弃对他⼈来说极难放弃的⼀切，包括他的王国，妻⼦和家庭。他的财富曾如此庞⼤，以⾄半神⼈都羡慕不已，⽽他却放弃了这⼀切。

It was quite befitting a great personality like him to be a great devotee. He could renounce everything because he was so attracted to the beauty, opulence, reputation, knowledge, strength and renunciation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
像他这样的卓越⼈物相当适合当伟⼤的奉献者。他是这么依恋⾄尊⼈格⾸神奎师那的美丽、富裕、名望、知识、⼒量和弃绝，甚⾄可以抛弃其他的⼀切。

Krishna is so attractive that one can give up all desirable things for His sake. Indeed, even liberation is considered insignificant for those whose minds are attracted to the loving service of the Lord. (5.14.44)
奎师那魅⼒⽆穷，使⼈可以为了祂放弃⼀切想要的事物。事实上，对于⼀⼼向往为⾄尊主做爱⼼服务的⼈来说，就连解脱都微不⾜道。（5.14.44）

Eternally touching my head to the floor at the lotus feet of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, for showing me this.
永恒地顶拜我的灵性导师施瑞拉·帕布帕德的莲花⾜，他向我展⽰了这⼀切。

NOTES:

The opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any organization or any other person.
本⽂表达的观点仅为我个⼈的观点，并不⼀定反映任何组织或者任何⼈的意见。

Photo top: Naughty Krishna holding a piece of candy (Jishnu Das)

Write to me: hoswami@yahoo.com

Srila Prabhupada

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the teacher who brought Krishna Consciousness from India to the West and then to the rest of the world. He is the founder of the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement as well as the author and compiler of many works of Vedic knowledge. He left this world in 1977.

Umapati Swami

One of the first American devotees of the Hare Krishna Movement, he became Srila Prabhupada’s disciple in 1966. Since then, he has preached Krishna Consciousness in many countries and is the author of “My Days with Prabhupada,” available from Amazon. Now 87 years old, he maintains this blog to share what he has learned.