--- title: 慈悲的法流 第三天 問答 Questions and Answers description: "問： 什麼是生命的最終目的？" --- 第三天 問答 Questions and Answers 問： 什麼是生命的最終目的？ Q: What is the ultimate goal of life? 答： 從一切的不幸、痛苦之中解脫出來。因為你是人類，所以有能力從痛苦當 中解脫出來；善用這個能力吧！ A: To come out of all the miseries. Because you are a human being, you have this faculty to come out of misery. Make use of this faculty. 問： 一位沒有吃素的人能在內觀之中有所成就嗎？ Q: Can a non-vegetarian succeed in Vipassana? 答： 當你來參加課程時，我們只供給素食的餐點。但我們不會說，如果你不吃 素就會下地獄。因為這不是這樣的。不過，慢慢地你會覺得不吃肉比較好，你會 了解吃葷和吃素這兩者對你的差別。素食對于你的進步會比較有幫助。 A: When you come to a course only vegetarian food is given. But we don』t say that if you take non-vegetarian food you will go to hell. It is not like that. Slowly you will come out of eating meat. You will understand for yourself the difference between the two. Your progress will certainly be better if you are vegetarian. 問： 我們如何能夠解除自卑感或優越感的情結呢？ Q: How can we come out of inferiority or superiority complexes? 答： 這就是內觀的功效。每一種情結都是一種內心的不淨雜染；當不淨雜染浮 現在心的表層時，你就只是觀察、觀察它，它就會自然地消失。如果你一直壓抑 它，它將會不斷地增長；相反地，如果你縱容它，則會傷害到別人。所以既不放 縱也不是壓抑，就只是觀察；內觀將會幫助你觀察。 A: This is what Vipassana does. Every complex is an impurity of the mind. As that impurity comes to the surface, you observe it. You observe it, and it passes away. When you keep suppressing it, it multiplies. When you express it, you harm others. So neither express nor suppress. Just observe. Vipassana will help you to observe. 問： 為何我們只觀察呼吸呢？ Q: Why should we work with respiration only? 答： 呼吸是時時刻刻發生在身心當中的實相。呼吸是和你的身、心密切相關的； 而你是來解析探究你自己的身心的。所以你開始以呼吸作為對象來觀察，之後就 會進入身心的更深層面。 A: Respiration is the truth. Respiration is related to your mind and matter, and you are here to make an analytical study of mind and matter. So you start with respiration, and then go to a deeper level of mind and matter. 問： 要能過著正確的生活，難道我們不需要神的力量嗎？ Q: To live a righteous life, don』t we need God』s power? 答： 神的力量就是法的力量。法是神、實相就是神。當你與實相、與法同在時， 你就與神同在。藉由淨化你的自心，在你自身內發展神的力量。 A: God』s power is Dharma』s power. Dharma is God. Truth is God. When you are with truth, when you are with Dharma, you are with God. Develop God』s power within yourself, by purifying your mind. 問： 我常常情緒化、敏感並且充滿了焦慮。這些現象在修習內觀後是否能有所改善呢？ Q: I am emotional, sensitive and always full of anxiety. Can these be overcome by Vipassana? 答： 當然，這就是修習內觀的目的––––使你從所有的痛苦之中解脫出來。焦躁和憂慮是最大的痛苦；它們存在是因為某些不淨雜染深藏在你內心當中。因此， 當你修習內觀時，這些不淨將會浮現到表面並且消失。當然這是需要一些時間的，沒有任何魔法、奇蹟或上師加持；沒有上師會將他的手放在你的頭上而使你 成為一位解脫的人的––––這些都是不可能的。別人只能為你指出正法的道路，而你必須自己努力走在正法的道路上，來解脫你自己。 A: Certainly. This is the purpose of Vipassana—to liberate you from all the miseries. Anxiety and worry are the biggest miseries, and they are there because of certain impurities deep within you, which will come on the surface and pass away. Of course it takes time. There is no magic involved, no miracle involved, no gurudom involved. No guru will put his hand on your head and make you a liberated person—nothing doing. Somebody will just show you the Path. You have to work out your own liberation. Walk on the Path. 問： 你是否曾經見過你的前世呢？ Q: Have you seen your previous birth? 答： 在每一個時刻我都在死去，在每一個時刻我都在新生。這個過程不斷地在發生，而我不斷地觀察著它。 A: Every moment I am dying, every moment I am taking a new birth. This process is going on, and I keep observing it. 問： 在我的職業中一定會不誠實；我也不能換別的職業，因為那會造成很大的不便。怎麼辦呢？ Q: My professional life involves dishonesty. I cannot take up another calling as that will cause great inconvenience. 答： 修習內觀，你的心力將會變得強大。現在你是你自心的奴隸，你的心不斷地強迫你去做不想要做的事。經由修習內觀，你將會有足夠的心力，而很容易地就從中解脫；然後你會找到別的職業，找到一個對你有益、也很健康的職業。 A: Practise Vipassana and your mind will become strong. At present you are a slave of your mind, and your mind keeps forcing you to do things which you don』t want to do. By the practice of Vipassana, you will get the strength to come out of this easily, and then you will find some other profession, which will be helpful to you, and which will be healthy. 問： 當我在眾人之前被輕視、侮辱、打擊時，我應該如何處理這種情況呢？ Q: How should I deal with a situation where I am abused, kicked and belittled in front of many people? 答： 在眾人之前或單獨一人，這兩者有何差別呢？如果某人侮辱你，你就接受有人侮辱你的事實，為什麼要有生氣的反應呢？當你開始反應時，你已經是在傷 害你自己了。當某人侮辱你時，他想要使你不快樂；結果你就任它擺布，你的習 性會說：「好的，你想讓我不快樂嗎？沒問題，我就配合你！我會讓自己不快樂、 我會一直保持不快樂，現在你想要我不快樂，好啊，那我就不快樂幾個小時、幾天。」這是怎麼一回事啊？你正在做什麼呢？你正在傷害你自己。這個事實在你 修習內觀之後，會變得十分清楚。 A: In front of many or alone, what difference does it make? If somebody insults you, somebody insults you. Why react? When you start reacting, you have started harming yourself. When that person is insulting you, he wants to make you unhappy. So you say, "All right, you want to make me unhappy? Shake hands! I』ll be unhappy. I』ll remain unhappy. You want to make me unhappy once, but I』ll continue to be unhappy for hours, or for days at a time." What is going on? What are you doing? You are harming yourself. This will become so clear by the practice of Vipassana. 問： 什麼是無選擇地(、如實地)觀察呢？ Q: What is choiceless observation? 答： 這個意思就是：不做什麼；一切正在發生之時，你就只是觀察著它，不要 附加這個信仰或那個信仰、這個教條、那個儀式或這種哲學，不要附加任何東西， 也不要創造任何東西：讓所有事物自然地發生。在你身心之內所自然發生的，無 論是什麼，都是實相；而實相就是神。 A: It means to do nothing. Things are just happening, and you are observing. Don』t impose this belief or that belief, this dogma, that cult, this philosophy. Don』t impose anything, don』t create anything: let things happen naturally. Whatever is happening within you naturally is the truth, and truth is God. 問： 內觀與專注有何差別？ Q: What is the difference between Vipassana and concentration? 答： 內觀不僅僅是專注而已，內觀是在每一個當下觀察實相。你發展自己的覺 知力、發展你的念住；事物不斷地改變，而你只是保持覺知：這就是內觀。如果 你僅僅是專注于某個可能是一個想象的對象，那麼是不會觀察到任何變化的。當 你的心以想象作為專注的對象，那麼你不是在觀察實相。當你在觀察實相時，它 必然是變化的；它不斷地在變化，但是你保持覺知。它不斷地在變化而你也不斷 地覺知到這個變化，這就是內觀。 A: Vipassana is not merely concentration. Vipassana is observation of the truth from moment to moment. You develop your faculty of awareness, your mindfulness. Things keep changing, but you remain aware: this is Vipassana. If you concentrate only on one object, which may be an imaginary object, then nothing will change. When you are with this imagination and your mind remains concentrated on it, you are not observing the truth. When you are observing the truth, it is bound to change. It keeps changing and yet you are aware of it. It keeps changing and you aware of the change. This is Vipassana. 問： 禪修是解脫的唯一方法嗎？ Q: Is meditation the only way to get liberated? 答： 是的，如果只是以盲目的信仰來接受任何東西，對你是沒有多大幫助的。 你必須自己努力使你自身解脫；你要發現束縛在那裡，然後讓自己從束縛之中解 脫出來––––這就是內觀。觀察你的束縛，觀察你的痛苦。那麼你將會發現束縛的 真正原因、痛苦的真正原因，並且看到這些原因逐漸地根除、根除，漸漸地你就 從中解脫了。所以解脫是來自于內觀的修習。 A: Yes. Just accepting something with blind faith will not help. You have to work for your liberation. You have to find out where the bondage is, and then you have to come out of that bondage. This is Vipassana. Observe your bondage, observe your misery. Then you will find the real cause of the bondage, the real cause of misery and you will find how this cause starts getting eradicated, eradicated. Gradually you are coming out of it. So liberation comes by the practice of Vipassana. 問： 如果人們在古時候的印度就已經修習了正法，為何階級制度現在仍然存在呢？ Q: If people practised Dharma in ancient India, why does the caste system exist today? 答： 因為人們忘了正法；當正法從這個社會消失時，階級制度就變強。當這個社會之中存有正法，階級制度是不可能存在的。 A: Because they forgot Dharma. When Dharma disappears from society, then the caste system becomes strong. When there is Dharma, there can』t be a caste system in society. 問： 如何成就自己的目標與抱負呢？ Q: How to accomplish one』s goals and ambitions? 答： 經由修習內觀來淨化你的心，你就會成為自心的主人。那麼你會發現你在世俗所做的一切都是成功的；在出世間也一樣，所做的也是成功的。所以做你自心的主人，淨化你的心！ A: Purify your mind by Vipassana and you become the master of your mind. Then you will find that all the work you do at the mundane level will be successful. At the supra-mundane level also, your work will be successful. So be the master of your mind. Make your mind pure. 問： 一個人要參加多少次的內觀課程呢？ Q: How many times does a person have to attend a Vipassana course? 答： 這要視情況而定，但我要說的是，先來參加一次十日課程，然後看看這對 你有了什麼樣的幫助。如果你發現能應用在生活上，非常好，過一陣子，再來參 加另一次的十日課程。但是重要的不在于只參加十日課程而已，而是要將內觀的 方法應用在你的生活當中。如果你每天的生活當中，內觀對你有明顯的幫助，那 麼你的修習是正確的；否則只是去參加課程，對你是沒有幫助的。 A: It depends, but I would say first attend for ten days, and see yourself how it has helped you. If you find that you can apply it in life, very good. Later on, go for another ten days. But the main thing is not merely going to the courses for ten days, but applying the technique in life. If Vipassana is manifesting itself in your day-to-day life, then you are practising properly. Otherwise, merely going to courses will not help. 問： Dharma 和 Dhamma 有何差別？ Q: Is there any difference between Dharma and Dhamma? 答： 一個是梵文，一個是巴利文，沒有差別。 A: There is no difference. 問： 您對無法參加十日課程的人有什麼建議呢？ Q: What do you suggest to people who cannot attend a ten-day course? 答： 請下定決心來參加一次十日課程，沒有參加，就得不到什麼結果。這是沒有魔術或奇蹟的。假使我只坐在這兒花費一小時就能夠指導他們，那麼我何必要 求他們撥出十天的時間來參加呢？花一個小時是很容易的，但是沒有用；你必須 在生命之中，騰出十天的時間來學習這個方法。這是一個如此深奧、如此微細的方法，是需要一些時間來學習的。 A: Make a determination to come to a ten-day course. Without that, nothing can be done. There is no magic, no miracle. Why would I ask people to spare ten days of their life, if I could just sit here and teach them in an hour? That would be easy, but it wouldn』t work. One has to spare ten days of one』s life to learn the technique. It is such a deep technique, such a subtle technique, that it requires time. 問： 請描述一下，您日常生活中典型的一天。 Q: Describe a typical day in your everyday life. 答： 我持續地修持內觀，持續地指導內觀；我使我自己快樂，也使其他人快樂──這就是我做的事。 A: This is what I do: I keep practising Vipassana. I keep teaching Vipassana. I make myself happy, I make others happy. 問： 當我們用功時，如何去除淫欲的念頭呢？ Q: How can we remove thoughts of lust while we are studying? 答： 不是只有在用功時如此，而是任何時刻都要如此！婬欲就是淫欲，它是有害的。愛應該是清淨的愛；清淨的愛是單行道，你不期望有任何回報。法、內觀， 將會幫助你將這淫欲的念頭轉為清淨的愛──清淨的愛是沒有絲毫激情的，清淨 的愛是充滿慈悲的。 A: Not only while studying, but all the time! Lust is lust; it is harmful. Love should be pure love. Pure love is one-way traffic; you don』t expect anything in return. Dharma, Vipassana, will help this lust to turn into pure love—pure love is without a trace of passion. Pure love is full of compassion. 問： 這個方法是否以自我為中心呢？我們要如何才能讓自己變得活躍並且幫助 他人呢？ Q: Isn』t this technique self-centred? How can we become active and help others? 答： 首先你必須以自己為中心，你必須幫助你自己；除非你先幫助你自己，否則你無法幫助別人。［一個弱者是無法幫助另一個弱者的：一位跛腳的人無法幫助另一個跛腳的人。］你必須使自己夠堅強，然後用這個力量來協助他人，也使他們堅強。 A: First you have to be self-centred, you have to help yourself. Unless you help yourself, you can』t help others. A weak person cannot help another weak person. A lame person cannot help another lame person. You have to become strong yourself, and then use this strength to help others and make others strong also. 問： 在學習過內觀課程之後，每天要花費多少時間在禪修上呢？ Q: After learning Vipassana, how much time daily should we spend on meditation? 答： 終究它會變成你全天的工作，你能夠在每一個時刻都清楚地覺知。但剛開 始的時候，如果你在每天早晚各修習一個小時，對你是有幫助的。這是對心的訓練，就如同你每天做身體的運動，使身體健康強壯一樣；所以，你每天要做這個心的運動，讓你的心保持健康又強壯。 A: Ultimately it will become a full-time job, and you will be aware every moment. But initially, if you practise for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, it will help you. It is a mental exercise. Just as you do physical exercise every day to keep your body healthy and strong, so you do this mental exercise every day to keep your mind healthy and strong. 問： 為什麼這個世界的道德風氣會一天天地敗壞呢？ Q: What about corruption, which is increasing day by day? 答： 人們己經忘了自然的法則。如果這些人開始觀察在他們自身之內的實相， 那麼他們就不可能過著糜爛敗壞的生活。 A: People have forgotten the law of nature. If these very people start observing the truth within themselves, it will become impossible for them to live a corrupt life. 問： 我們可以結合兩種或多種的技巧來修行嗎？ Q: Can we combine two or more techniques? 答： 你可以依你喜歡，將許多不同的技巧結合起來修行，但是不要將其它方法 和內觀混雜來修持。內觀是一種獨特的方法，如果你又加上其它的技巧，這對你 是沒有什麼幫助的，甚至可能會傷害到你。保持內觀修法的純淨。其它的技巧有 可能只是停留在心的表層；而內觀是一種深層的開刀手術，它是從內心的深層去 根除不淨煩惱。假使你將內觀混合了其它技巧，你是在玩游戲並且可能會對你造 成非常大的傷害。 A: You can combine as many techniques as you like, but don』t combine them with Vipassana. Vipassana is a unique technique and combining it with anything else will not help you. It may even harm you. Keep Vipassana pure. Other techniques only give a veneer to the surface of the mind. But Vipassana makes a deep surgical operation; it takes out complexes from the depth of the mind. If you combine it with another technique, you are playing a game which may be very harmful to you. 問： 經由修習內觀是否能夠引發拙火(kunQ: Can kuṇdalinī be awakened by the practice of Vipassana? 答： 什麼是拙火(kunA: What is kuṇḍalinī? Kuṇḍalinī is the activation of nerve centres on the spinal chord. By the practice of Vipassana, every atom of the body gets activated. Kuṇḍalinī is just a small part of that. Practise Vipassana and you will easily understand the difference between the two. 問： 是否有可能經由書籍的指導來修持內觀？ Q: Is it possible to practise Vipassana by taking guidance from a book? 答： 不！絕對不要這麼做，這太危險了。 A: No, never do that. That will be dangerous. 問： 可否參與政治，以便在印度建立正法，解決目前的問題。 Q: Kindly enter politics to establish Dharma in India and solve the present problems. 答： 我從報紙上看到一個說法：正法應遠離政治。我是全然反對這個觀點的； 政治必須充滿正法。但問題是這個國家已經將法視為派別意識；其實，政治是要 超越派別意識而不是要脫離正法。如果政治合乎正法，這是最好的；整個國家將會變得純淨、快樂、和平。 A: I have read in the newspapers that politics should be kept away from Dharma. I am totally against this view. Politics must be full of Dharma. The trouble is that the country has taken Dharma to mean sectarianism. Politics must be free from sectarianism, not from Dharma. If there is Dharma in politics, it will be wonderful. The whole country will become so pure, so happy, so peaceful. 問： 我們如何能像悉達多．喬達摩一樣成為覺悟的人呢？ Q: How can we become enlightened as Siddhārtha Gotama did? 答： 每個人都能覺悟，覺悟並非是悉達多．喬達摩所獨有的。他曾經說過：「在我之前，有許多人覺悟，而在我之後也會有許多人覺悟。」任何人在經驗的層面 上，從無明當中解脫出來的，他就是一位覺悟者。任何一個人都可以修行，並且達到覺悟。 A: Everyone can become enlightened. Enlightenment is not the monopoly of Siddhārtha Gotama. He said: "Before me, so many people became enlightened, and after me also so many are going to become enlightened." Anyone who comes out of ignorance at the experiential level is an enlightened person. Any human being can practise this and become enlightened.