The student’s only bounden duty – a discussion of the master-disciple system
學生唯一的天職～談「師徒制度」
Translated by David Alexander
The term ‘student’ refers to someone who follows a course of cultural or technical study with a teacher. Since the subject of this discussion is the master-disciple relationship in Chinese martial arts I will not touch on students in other fields.
所謂「學生」，泛指所有跟隨老師學習一種文化或一項技藝的學習者，但本文將以中國武術的「師徒」關係為討論對象，其他領域的學生請斟酌參考。I recently received a letter from Mr A, a foreign friend whom I have never met. What was troubling A was that he had studied with Mr C, the foreign disciple of a Chinese Qigong teacher, Mr B. Recently A had decided to go to China to train directly with B. C had stated that following the Chinese master-disciple tradition A would have to pay him a fee before he could study directly with B.
最近接到一位從未見面的外國朋友A先生來函就教，A的困擾是他曾跟一位中國氣功老師B先生的外國徒弟C先生學習，最近A要到中國直接跟B學藝，C表示「根據中國師徒傳統」，A應該支付C一筆費用，才能直接去找A學習。Some time ago a Taiji Quan friend gave me a copy of a DVD which was a film of a Taiji Quan grandmaster’s training. This film was legendary in the world of Taiji Quan but had been seen by a few inner door students, let alone outer door students. The friend wanted to share it with me, for which I was of course very grateful, but he asked me to promise not to pass it around, which I agreed to do.
過去一位太極拳朋友給我一張拷貝光碟，是一位太極拳大師的練拳影片，這支影片在太極拳界傳聞已久，但一直在少數門內流傳，外人無緣一睹，朋友要與我分享，當然感激不盡，但朋友要求我承諾不可外傳，我一口答應。Later when I was in Europe I discovered that the European disciples of this grandmaster were using this film as the ultimate bait to secure the loyalty of their students and that masters in America and Taiwan who possessed this DVD were using it in more or less the same way. When I returned to Taiwan I went back on my word and published the film on the Internet which created a furore.
後來到歐洲發現這位大師的歐洲徒弟拿這支影片當做鉤引學生效忠的終極釣餌，而美國與台灣擁有這支影片的老師們也多少有此心態，我回台灣後就違背諾言，把這支影片在網路公開，引起一場風波。The master-disciple system and the master-disciple relationship are venerable methods of cultural transmission and have existed in every cultural domain at all times and in all lands. They can be seen everywhere, from artistic endeavours whether great or small to the mysterious realms of the spirit right up to the professorial guidance given to today’s PhD students.
師徒制度與師徒關係是一種莊嚴神聖的文化傳遞現象，存在於古今中外的每個文化領域，從大大小小的生活技藝到神祕奇幻的精神領域，甚至今天博士生與指導教授之間，處處可見。It is necessary to have this system and this relationship to transmit the refined element of culture and knowledge.
因為一種文化或學識的精緻部分，必須要靠這種制度與關係才能傳遞。The master and disciple are not only like father and son they in are fact superior to father and son since the master-disciple relationship is an active choice. The objective of this choice is to sustain a culture. The feelings, trust and learning between master and disciple are all founded on this cultural duty.
「師徒」不僅如「父子」，其實更勝「父子」，因為「師徒關係」是主動的選擇，選擇的目的是延續一種文化，師徒之間的情感、信賴與教學都建立在這個「文化責任」之上。This is of course the ideal. However have not many thousands of years of human civilisation been handed down and preserved in this way?
當然這是一種理想，但是數千年的人類文明，不就是這麼傳遞保存的嗎？Unfortunately, as the two examples above show, in many master-disciple relationships the disciple monopolises the master or the master steers his disciples towards becoming his business managers.
遺憾的是，前述兩個例子也一直出現在許多師徒關係之中，做徒弟的把持師父為己有，做師父的暗示或默許徒弟作為「營業經紀人」。Instead of the DVD in the second example it could be a secret book, a mantra, a unique skill or the ultimate form – they are all ways of catching and controlling the student and keeping him completely loyal at the master’s side.
第二個例子的「光碟」可以是一本「秘笈」，一句「口訣」，一個「絕招」，甚至「最後一趟套路」，總之是要鉤引操控學生，使其長相左右，不生異心。My master Gong Baozhai once said: “Why do we practice Bagua Quan? Why do we study martial arts? It is to become free”.
我師父宮寶齋先生曾說：「我們為什麼練拳？為什麼習武？為的是要『自由』」！。That’s true. The first people to practice martial arts wanted to escape hardship and oppression and sought the freedom to survive. Later they passed on from martial practices into Daoism and sought the freedom to live.
是呀！最初練拳的人是要免於困苦、壓迫，追求生存的自由，後來由武入道，是要追求生命的自由。So my master also said: “The reason that we practice martial arts is to become masters of ourselves”. When we teach martial arts we also want our students to become masters of themselves, i.e. independent and self-sufficient.
所以我師父又說：「我們練武，就是要成為獨立自主的人。」而我們教拳，也是希望學生成為獨立自主的人。Because we wish them to become free we earnestly want our students to learn quickly and will be at ease with teacher ourselves.
因為要成為自由人，巴不得學生趕快學會，自己輕鬆。Since we want them to become free why go to so much trouble to tie them to our sides?
既然要成為自由人，為什麼又要費盡心思把學生綁在身邊呢？I have heard that many professors instructing PhD students are reluctant to pass them and want to keep them at their sides to conduct research and earn credit.
聽說許多博士指導教授遲遲不讓學生過關，把學生綁在身邊為他做研究，做成績，Controlling others out of your own selfish interest is an inherent weakness of those who have power, whether it takes place in halls of learning or martial arts schools.
因為滿足私利而操控他人是擁有權力者的劣根性，由學術殿堂以至於民間武館，概無例外。An over rigid master-disciple system will of course foster this type of weakness. However the sense of trust and duty and the feeling of closeness in a proper master-disciple system is really an indispensable factor in the transmission of a refined culture. However this is something that is lacking in the schools and supplementary classes of a mass education system.
僵化的「師徒制度」當然是助長這種劣根性的溫床，但是正確的「師徒制度」所擁有的信賴感、責任感和親密感，正是傳遞精緻文化不可或缺的要素，而這也是「學校」或「補習班」這種「普及教育」所缺乏的。The only bounden duty of the student is to study. The objective of the master-disciple system is to transmit culture. The only duty of the disciple is to pass on what he has learned. The formalities and customs in the master-disciple system all originate from the mind set that is the prerequisite for sincere study. They are not hard and fast rules.
學生的唯一天職是學習， 師徒制度存在的目的是傳遞文化， 徒弟唯一的責任是把所學傳遞下去，師徒制中所有的禮儀、規矩，都是在誠心學習的前提下發自內心的行為表現，不是硬性規定。Confucius said: “You value the sheep, I value the rites”. The purpose of ceremonial rites is to express sincerity. I hope that all teachers and students will take seriously the time hallowed master-disciple system and master-disciple relationship.
孔子說：「爾愛其羊，我愛其禮」，儀式只是用來表達誠心的。希望所有教者與學者都能認真看待原本神聖的「師徒制度」和「師徒關係」。Let each one of us do his duty and be at ease.
各盡其責，各得自在。Translator’s note: Confucius instructed his disciples to reject the values of wealth and position and instead derive value from ritual. On one occasion a disciple wanted to dispense with the sacrifice of a live sheep to announce the new moon. Confucius chastised him saying “You value the sheep, I value the rites”
The student’s only bounden duty – a discussion of the master-disciple system - 八卦的部落格 - Yahoo!奇摩部落格
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重要的東西在台灣漸漸地消失，怎不令人擔心呢!!
