---
title: 生命之囚 The Prison of Life
description: "(from a lecture given to foreign meditators on10 February 2531 (1988) at Suan Mokkhabalarama.)"
---

生命之囚

The Prison of Life

(from a lecture given to foreign meditators on
10 February 2531 (1988) at Suan Mokkhabalarama.)

英譯序

《生命之囚》這本小冊子是佛使尊者于一九八八年二月，在泰國素叻他尼府猜耶縣的解脫自在園，對前來禪修的外國人所講授課程的譯本。那時，佛使尊者的身體狀況並不好，但在課程最後一天，慈悲的尊者還是勉力為禪修者開示佛法的核心教義並鼓勵大家。

這場演講雖然簡短，但極具價值也相當切合實際，因為它直指佛教的核心──不執著。「執著」在各方面禁錮我們的生命，剝奪生命的自由，這些方面包括從執取生命本身、人性本能、六根反應、盲目信仰、道場、導師、神聖及見解等，乃至至高無上的善及清淨。佛使尊者指出，除非人們能了解到我執( attavadupadana )是苦及心靈囚牢的起因，並致力斷除它，否則將不可能達到所有宗教的共同目標──心靈的自在與解脫。人們可以透過學習像出入息念( anapanasati)這種修習止觀的方法，從內在全然地了解生命，而達到心靈的釋放，這種專注觀呼吸的方法，就是佛陀在證悟前後所采用的一種方便、安全且極為有效的修持方法。

本書雖然沒有詳細描述這種禪修方法，但讀者可以從佛使尊者的另一本著作《出入息念──揭開生命的奧秘》( Mindfulness with Breathing ： Unveiling the Secretsof Life )中研習，這本書已由法隆解行基金會以泰文及英文出版。

值此書以英文版付梓之際， 本中心要感謝譯者山帝卡羅比丘( Ven. SantikaroBhikkhu )及其他所有協助出版的人。

我們衷心期盼這本書能幫助所有把本書內容納入自己生命，耐煩堅毅地去踐行的求法者，讓他們如願從所有囚牢之苦中解脫出來。

謹獻上最誠摯的祝福

佛法解行中心( The Dhamma Study & Practice Group )

生命之囚

今天我們要談的主題是「囚牢」，了解囚牢會幫助我們更了解生命，更清楚能解除生命痛苦的佛法。所以，今天我們來談「囚牢」，請各位專心聆聽。

Today, we'll talk about the thing called "prison." This should help us to understand the thing called "life" better. Then, we'll know Dhamma better, which will help us to live life without dukkha (dissatisfaction, pain, stress, suffering). So today we'll talk about the thing called "prison." Please prepare your minds to listen carefully.

只要有囚牢狀態的地方，便有苦( dukkha )的存在，大家應該可觀察到各式各樣的苦都含有囚牢的本質。苦的特徵包括被系縛、監禁或錮上鎖鍊，以及歷經各種困厄和紛爭。

Wherever the conditions and signs of prison exist, right there is dukkha. You should observe that all the forms and types of dukkha have a quality of prison about them. Being captured, incarcerated, enchained, and put through difficulties and hassles, are characteristics of dukkha.

如果你懂得這些，就會更了解「執著」( upadana )的意義， 因為只要有執著，就會有囚牢。執著使人被監禁于囚牢中，成為「階下囚」。

If you understand this, then you will understand more clearly the meaning of what we call "upadana" (clinging, attachment). Wherever there is upadana, right there is a prison. This thing "upadana" itself brings about the conditions of imprisonment.

那個地方有執著，那兒就有束縛，不論是正面或負面的束縛，兩者同樣都會捆綁人。只要執著事物為「我」或「我所有」，便會產生系縛，而人一旦陷入系縛之中，就好比身陷囚獄一般了。

Wherever there is upadana, right there is bondage. The bondage may be positive or negative; both are equally binding. By regarding things and clinging to them as "I" or "mine," bondage occurs. When bound to something, we get stuck in it, just like being stuck in prison.

所有佛法的原則可以歸納為：執著是苦的因，苦是執著的果。我們每個人都必須善加了解執著，為了便于了解執著，我們必須像看囚牢一樣把執著看清楚，執著就是心靈的、精神的囚牢。

All of the Dhamma principles of Buddhism can be summarized: upadana is the cause of dukkha; dukkha is born out of upadana. We all must understand this matter of upadana well. To make it easy to understand, we must see it clearly as being just like a prison -- a mental prison, a spiritual prison. We come to study Dhamma and develop samadhi (mental stability and calm) and vipassana (insight) in order to destroy upadana. Or, if we speak metaphorically, we study Dhamma and develop the mind in order to destroy the prison that now traps us.

我們學習佛法，修持止觀就是為了要摧毀執著。或者，打個比方，就是為了摧毀禁錮我們的囚牢。

我們現在所談的雖然是心靈或精神的囚牢，但它和遍布各地監禁犯人的囚牢具有相同的特質。而這種純屬精神的囚牢，卻無法以肉眼得見，更奇特的是，人們往往自願被鎖在里面。大家如此欣然前往並甘心被鎖在其中，真是心靈囚牢非常奇妙的一面。

We're speaking about a mental or spiritual prison, but it has the same meaning as a concrete prison. It's just like the physical prisons that people are caught in everywhere, but now we're speaking of a purely spiritual prison. This prison's a bit odd, or extraordinary, in that we can't see its substance with our eyes. What's even more extraordinary is that people volunteer to get locked up in this prison. People are actually delighted to go and get locked up in spiritual prison. This is a very queer aspect of the spiritual prison.