向內學習 Discover It Inside

[向內學習]

Discover It Inside

在此，我們面臨兩種選擇：是要向外學習，還是要向內學習？這兩種學習有天壤之別，而佛陀告訴我們必須向內學習。如來( Tathagata ) 曾宣說：應該要學習的一切，存在于活生生(未死)的身體中【譯注一】。那兒才學得到，因此我們就在那兒學習。向內學習，就是在自己活生生的身體本身學習；而向外學──從書本中或各式各樣的儀式中學習，是無法獲致任何用處的。請向內學習吧！請切記「向內學習」！

At this point, we are confronted by two choices: are you going to learn from the outside or are you going to learn from the inside? The distinction is crucial. The Buddha said that we must study from inside. The external learning is from books, ceremonies, practices, and things like that. Everything that we must learn, the Tathagata has explained in terms of the body which is still alive. That means a living body, with a living mind, not a dead one. That’s where real learning takes place, so learn there. Learn from that inside, which means learn within yourself while still alive, before you die. External studies, learning from books and all those different ceremonies and rituals, hasn’t really accomplished anything of value. So let’s study inside. Please remember these words “learn inside.”

修習止觀，例如我們在這里修習出入息念，就是向內學習。向內學習必須具有相當的耐力，但也不是太困難。實際上，人們所從事的高難度運動和特技等比修習止觀困難多了，然而人們卻有足夠的耐力來勝任這些。可見只要有適度的耐力，便可以透過專注觀呼吸來修習止觀。但有些人耐不住就半途而廢，其實只要再忍耐一些，便能有所成就。因此，請你以充分的耐力努力向內學習。

我想，使用譬喻說明會幫助大家更了解接下來所要討論的主題，因此我們今天就應用這個技巧來談「囚牢」。

Training in samadhi and vipassana (concentration and insight), that is, developing mindfulness with breathing (anapanasati-bhavana) as we have been doing here, is this learning inside. To do this inner study takes a fairly good amount of patience and endurance, but not too much. Actually, in comparison with some of the things other people are practicing, such as high level sports, gymnastics, and acrobatics, training in samadhi and vipassana is less difficult. Yet people have enough endurance and perseverance to be able to do such things. Just have moderate endurance and we will be able to train with samadhi and vipassana , through mindfulness with breathing. Some people can’t take it, and have run away already. We have had enough endurance to get this far, and if we continue a bit more, then we’ll be able to do it and we’ll receive the proper benefits. So, please, apply yourself to this inner study and do so with sufficient patience and endurance.