瑞士的朋友傳給我看一個很可愛的卡通 “Happy and Sad”。
My friend from Switzerland sent me this funny cartoon: “Happy and Sad”
請先點選此連結http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhv1h3V8Nz4 (只有2分27秒)
Pls follow this link first. It’s only 2min 27sec.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhv1h3V8Nz4
Bibi把Kermit與Elmo的互動當做笑話‚然而我看了感觸很深…
Bibi takes the interaction of Kermit and Elmo as a joke. However, it brought me deep insight after watching.
我們不是都像Elmo一樣的起伏不定嗎?
Aren’t we so emotional like Elmo?
Kermit要跟我玩‚我就好開心‚興高采烈。
Kermit不跟我玩‚我的心情就跌到谷底…
When Kermit wants to play with me, I am so happy, in great delight.
When Kermit doesn’t want to play with me, I just feel so depressed and down to the bottom.
如同風中的風鈴…
Like the bell in the wind…
「我」的情緒完全受到Kermit的主宰。
Elmo的情緒是受到Kermit的主宰;
而反觀我們的情緒又受到誰的主宰…………?
“My” feelings are in Kermit’s hand.
Elmo’s feelings are predominated by Kermit; and look at ourselves, who predominates our feelings?
正好這段時間我都在讀楞嚴經‚而楞嚴經裡頭所主要講到的就是這個『攀緣心』。
I’ve been studying the Śūraṅgama Sūtra lately and the main topic discussed is the “clinging mind”.
當六根對入六塵的時候‚內心必有感受‚接著很迅速的就會生起一個相狀出來。當這個相狀出現的時候‚我們的心如果住在其中‚這就是佛法所謂的『攀緣心』。
When the six organs come into contact with the six sense objects, undoubtfully this will give rise to sensation and a “form”follows immediately. If we abide in this form when it appears in our mind, this is what we call in Buddhism “clinging”.
我們的情緒完全的受到這個『攀緣心』的支配。如果內心所浮現的相狀是『善的』‚我們就會眉開眼笑;倘若心中所浮現的相狀是『惡的』‚則會意志消沉。
Our emotions are totally dominated by this “clinging”. If the form that appears is “good” then we would be in high spirits. However, if the form that appears is “bad”, then we would be despondent.
住在『苦受』是苦‚住在『樂受』也是苦。
苦受本身就是苦;而樂受也是苦‚因為它不是恆常不變的。
If we abide in suffering, we will suffer. If we abide in happiness, we will also suffer.
Suffering is itself suffering; and happiness is also suffering because it is not perpetual and unchanging.
人―無時無刻不是搖擺在這兩端之間。
Man is constantly swaying between these two extremes.
當六根接觸六塵境的時候‚一定會『有』感受。感受是不可能沒有的‚而是我們要學習看到這一念攀緣的心‚讓自己在最短的時間內跳脫心中的相狀‚必需轉變內心的相狀‚外在的因緣才會改變。這就是禪宗所講的:『念即無念』‚簡單來講‚就是當內心的相狀浮現時‚不隨順即是所謂的『調伏』。
When the six senses come into contact with the six sense objects, this will indeed give rise to sensation. It is impossible for the nonexistence of sensation when they come into contact. However, we should learn to see this clinging mind, and we should detach ourselves from the “form” created by ourselves. First of all, we should change the form that comes up, and then the outer conditions will change. This is what we call in Zen: “Mindfulness is absent of false thoughts.” In brief, this is to say that when the “forms” appear within us, we don’t follow then and this is to “overwhelm”.
要知道‚諸佛的解脫是從眾生心性中求‚也就是從妄念中求‚不同於無想定境界之無想‚而是讓自己從妄想中回光返照‚回歸到真實來。
We should understand the liberation that the Buddhas have attained is from the self-nature, which means to achieve it within the delusions. It is different from the Asaṃjñika Heaven which is the heaven of no-thoughts. What we should do is to bring us back from the delusions to the thusness.
感受必有相狀並牽動想法‚這些相狀與想法並非我們所能控制的‚而是受到阿賴耶識的種子熏習現行的。
Sensation must have a “form” and draws in perception. These forms and perceptions are not under our control, in fact they are the manifestations of the permeated seeds in the ālaya-vijñāna
日常生活的人事際遇加上心中的想法、感受與行業發現‚如果心有所住‚我們所住的世界就成為對立的世界‚我們的思考模式就會不斷地落入在得失計較中: 誰對我好‚誰對我不好…這些二分法就會讓我們的心量狹小‚行不了菩薩道。
The encounters in our daily life, plus our sensations, perceptions and the manifestations of our karma will make the world opposing if our mind is attached, because the patterns of our thoughts will be constantly calculating: who is kind to me, who is not… This dichotomy brings forth petty mind and we are unable to accomplish the Bodhisattva’s path.
習氣= 感受+想法
Habits = Sensation + Perception
修行的重點在於『不取』‚不住在心所現的相狀‚從相狀中跳脫出來。
The key of practice is “detachment”. One should not abide in the form that appears in his mind. He should free himself of the form.
故從雜染趨向清淨必需否定自己的心‚而在利他時必需肯定自己的心。因為在改變自己的時候‚必需要認為自己是有缺陷的;而在利他的時候‚必需肯定自己的發心‚才能夠逢境不退。
Therefore from the klesas to enlightenment, we should negate our mind; but when we want to benefit others, we should affirm it. Because when we want to change ourselves, we should recognize our defects; while benefiting others, we should affirm our bodhicitta, so that we would be perseverant in the face of hardship.
所以‚修行第一個階段‚從假入空『念而無念』是必需靠智慧的觀照。而從空出假廣行菩薩業的時候‚必需是靠願力的『無念而念』‚善念才會堅固。
In consequence, the first stage of practice is to enter into the truth of emptiness from the manifest world where “the mind is absent of false thoughts” and the contemplation of Prajñā is needed. On the other hand, when we realize the conventional from the emptiness in order to accomplish the Bodhisattava’s work, the power of one’s vow should be “free from the thoughts” so the wholesome thoughts would be resolute.
講這些都還太深‚非我們凡夫的境界‚但是攀緣心的生起都是隨所生所繫‚我們是隨著過去所變現的業力因緣而執取在其中。例如:螞蟻只會喜歡跟他相應的東西‚不同教育程度與家庭背景所喜歡的穿著是不一樣的。眾生都是被繫縛在自己的因緣中而起執取。
These topics are too deep and cannot be comprehended by ordinary people. The clinging mind arises from where we are born. We are attached to the manifested conditions of our past karmas and bound by them. For example, the ants only like the things that correspond to their realm, people coming from different educational and family background have different taste in clothes. Sentient beings are bound within their own causes and conditions which bring about attachments.
當心面對境界時‚感受會產生想法‚當自己的想法與攀緣心的相狀結合‚即是所有痛苦的根源。簡單的來講煩惱的生起都是我們自己安立名言‚換句話說‚我們是住在自己的想像中‚在自己的想像中生起貪愛、嗔恨、憂愁‚而此攀緣心是多生多劫熏習之產物‚重點不在滅除它‚而是如何與心溝通‚讓心離開相狀‚把心帶回家。
When the mind faces circumstances, the sensations will cause perceptions. When our perceptions are combined with the forms of our clinging, this will turn out to be suffering. In short, klesas are produced because we give them “names”. In other words, we abide in our imagination and within our imagination, we give rise to greed, anger and anxiety. This clinging mind is the permeated product of lives, the point is not to eliminate it, but to know how to talk to it, so the mind becomes detached from the “form” and brings it back to thusness.
故所有的障礙最怕的就是回光返照。
Thus what scares all the obstacles is insight.
小乘的方法是直接滅除它‚例如:我喜歡巧克力‚不可以!馬上要將這個心斷了!並且馬上拒絕巧克力。
The Theravada way is to eliminate it directly; such is the case with chocolate. If I like it, I should immediately stop this thought and immediately reject the chocolate.
大乘的方法是先冷靜下來‚開始分析自己的心‚與自己的心談話‚看到自己執取的點‚把心帶回來‚不是不去接受巧克力‚相反的是要巧克力‚而在當中起不執著。
The Mahayana way is to calm the mind down first. We start by analyzing our thoughts and talk to ourselves. We should perceive our attachments and bring the mind back. The point is not to refuse chocolate, on the contrary it is to accept it but not to be attached.
當你直接對治感受、壓抑它‚你就是在跟它對抗。這樣不但無法減弱它的威力‚反而會增強‚因為它已經變成了你的敵人。
When you try to govern and suppress that “feeling”, you are in fact “against” it. In this way, you won’t be able to abate its impact but increasing it because it has already become your enemy.
記得‚危機就是轉機。
Remember, the crisis is a turning point.
一個人要改變命運‚一定得改變內心的相狀。世上許多成功的人都是跳脫自己心中的相狀而戰勝了自己。
To change one’s fate, one should first change the “form” that is within. Many successful persons in the world are those who have overwhelmed the forms within themselves.
Nick Vuijicic (http://blog.christinesrecipes.com/2008/11/nick-vujicic.html)就是其中的一位。一位生出來就沒有四肢的澳洲殘障者‚曾一度為自己殘缺的色身充滿了悲傷以及尋求自殺‚但是當他跳脫自己內心自唉自嘆的相狀時‚他的生命出現了光芒、充滿了活力。
Nick Vuijicic is one of them. Nick is Australian and unfortunately born without legs and limbs. He was once seeking for suicide, however when he freed himself from his inner laments, his life glimmers and becomes of full vitality.
現代的科學也開始在探討這一塊『正面思維』‚如何讓自己的心離相‚必需離相‚生命才會富有、充滿創造力。
Modern science starts to make investigations on “positive thinking “and how one can free himself from the existent form. One should be detached so life will be prosperous and full of creativity.
人必須跳脫他感受的相狀才能夠讓生命發揮出光輝。一個產品也是要跳出原有的設計才能夠創新。修行也是要不斷地打掉所證的定境方能向上證悟。
Man should unbind himself from the forms of his sensations so that his life will glow. A product should also break through its original design so to make an innovation. Practice is to constantly demolish the states we have priorly achieved to attain a higher enlightenment.
佛教所講的『離相』即是改變『固有的思維模式』。固有的思維模式即是一個人的性格‚性格必需改變‚生命的本質才能夠改變。如果儘從外在拜佛、念經、布施‚只是積集一些善緣‚逢報時一切豐富‚但是老毛病習氣還在‚所以富貴造業‚來生又墮落‚所以眾生週而覆始地掉回同一個蘿蔔坑。
The meaning of “detachment” in Buddhism is to change the “original pattern of thought”, which is the character of a person. The character should be changed so that the essence of life will be changed. If the modifications come from outward by prostrations, recitations and making donations, these are just planting some good conditions which only enable wholesome retributions, however if the vices still remain, one might commit unwholesome karmas that might provoke our fall in the next life. This is the reason why sentient beings are constantly falling into the same trap.
總結‚改變自己的命運‚扭轉自己的業力‚主宰自己的心念‚即是在境界現前時‚提起自我觀照的能力‚儘量不要讓自己的心住在相狀中太久‚而是將自己的心安住於內心的清淨光明中。
In conclusion, to change our fate and to change our karma, we must get hold of our thoughts. When we meet the trials, we should observe our mind and try not to abide in the form for too long, instead we should abide in the inner light of peace.
記得生命是遷流的‚再多的快樂即將消失‚再大的痛苦終會過去。
Remember life is impermanent. No matter how much joy you have, it will soon vanish. No matter how much agony you experience, it will certainly pass away.
修行即是由外往內拉‚不因他而點燃內在的光芒‚而是學習自己真正的獨立‚真正的具足信心‚照亮自己也照亮他人。
Practice is to draw oneself inwardly. Not depending on others to lit up the light that is within us. Practice is to be truly independent and truly confident to enlighten ourselves and others, too.
如果在這動態的生命中‚我現在不能夠給予自己安定的力量‚給予自己安全感與信心‚學習真正的自我獨立‚那末一口氣不來‚當無人陪伴的時候‚我又如何具足安定自己的力量?又有誰能夠給我信心呢?
If we cannot stabilize ourselves, to feel secured and confident, and to be independent without help in this ever changing life, then what will happen if one day we die and there is nobody by our side? How can we stabilize ourselves? And who will give us confidence?
人的內心世界有兩道泉水‚一道向上‚一道向下。
There are 2 fountains in our heart. One is going up, the other down.
向上的困難‚向下的容易。
向上的如同燈明‚向下者如同黑暗。
Going up is hard. Going down is easy.
The one that goes up is light.
The one that goes down is darkness.
兩股力量的不斷地交戰‚往往外境的現行‚讓我們乎略了那道渺芒的光明‚而使我們趨於黑暗。
These two forces are always waging war against each other and we almost neglect that dim light and approach to the darkness.
其實內心的光明一直都沒有消逝過‚一直等待著你去發掘、維護‚使它從暗淡逐漸成巨火。
However the light that is inside our heart has never disappeared. It is always there waiting for you to discover and to preserve, so that it will turn from dimness to light.
只要你跟隨著光芒。
As long as you follow the light.
則會越來越光明。
It will be brighter and brighter.
只要你跟隨自心的光明。
As long as you follow your inner light.
