中道 The Middle Way

The Middle Way

　　中道

The Buddha does not want us to follow the double path-desire and indulgence on the one hand and fear and aversion on the other. Just be aware of pleasure, he teaches. Anger, fear, dissatisfaction are not the path of the yogi but the path of-worldly people. The tranquil person walks the Middle Path of right practice, leaving grasping on the left and fear and aversion on the right.

　　佛陀並不希望我們追從兩邊──欲求與耽溺于一邊，恐懼、嗔怒另一邊。他教導我們去覺知愉悅。嗔怒、恐懼、不滿足並非瑜伽之道，而是俗人之道。一位平靜的人是走在正修的中道上，舍棄左邊的執取和右邊的恐懼與嗔怒的。

One who undertakes the path of practice must follow this Middle Way: “1 will not take interest in pleasure or pain. I will lay them down.” But, of course, it is hard at first. It is as though we are being kicked on both sides. Like a cowbell or a pendulum, we are knocked back and forth.

　　一個從事「道」的修行者，必須遵循中道：「我不對苦、樂感興趣。我要放下它們。」當然啦……剛開始很困難，就好像被這兩邊踢到一樣。我們就如同牛鈴或鍾擺般，被前後地敲擊。

When Buddha preached his first sermon, he discoursed on these two extremes because this is where attachment lies. The desire for happiness kicks from one side; suffering and dissatisfaction kick from the other. These two are always besieging us. But when you walk the Middle Path, you put them both down.

　　當佛陀初次說法時，他談論這兩個極端，因為這正是執著的所在。對快樂的欲求從一邊踢過來，而苦和不滿足則從另一邊踢過來。這兩邊一直在圍剿著我們。可是，一旦你走在中道上時，你就會放下這兩邊。

Don’t you see? If you follow these extremes, you will simply strike out when you are angry and grab for what attracts you, without the slightest patience or forbearance. How long can you, go on being trapped in this way? Consider it: if you like something, you follow after it when liking arises, yet it is just drawing you on to seek suffering. This mind of desire is really clever. Where will it lead you next?

　　難道你沒看到嗎，如果你追從這兩邊，富你生氣時，就會毫無耐心或自制力地揮拳亂打，和對吸引的東西執取不放。你能繼續這樣被欺騙多久？想想看，如果你喜歡某件事物，當喜愛生起時，你便追隨其後，然而，這只是在牽引你去找痛苦罷了。這顆欲望的心實在根聰明，下一步，它將帶你到哪里呢？

The Buddha teaches us to keep laying down the extremes. This is the path of right practice, the path leading out of birth and becoming. On this path, there is neither pleasure nor pain, neither good nor evil. Alas, the mass of humans filled with desiring just strive for pleasure and always bypass the middle, missing the Path of the Excellent One, the path of the seeker of truth. Attached to birth and becoming, happiness and suffering, good and evil, the one who does not travel this Middle Path cannot become a wise one, cannot find liberation. Our Path is straight, the path of tranquility and pure awareness, calmed of both elation and sorrow. If your heart is like this, you can stop asking other people for guidance.

　　佛陀教導我們要不斷地放下這兩邊，這才是正修之道──導引我們跳出「生」與「有」之道。在這道上，既無樂地無苦、無善地無惡。唉!大部份的人都充滿了欲望，只為了追求愉悅，然而，總是忽略了中道，錯失了圓滿者之道──追尋真理者之道。一個不走中道的人，執著于「生」和「有」、樂與苦、善與惡，將無法成為智者，地無法尋得解脫。我們的道是直的──平靜和清淨的覺醒之道，平定了得意與悲傷兩者。如果你的心如此的話，你就可以停止請教他人的指點了。

You will see that when the heart / mind is unattached, it is abiding in its normal state. When it stirs from ’the normal because of various thoughts and feelings, the process of thought construction takes place, in which illusions are created. Learn to see through this process. When the mind has stirred from normal, it leads away from right practice to one of the extremes of indulgence or aversion, thereby creating more illusion, more thought construction. Good or bad only arises in your mind. If-you keep a watch on your mind, studying this one topic your whole life, I guarantee that you will never be bored.

　　當心不執著時，你將會看到，它安住在其平常的狀態。當它因種種念頭和感覺而動搖時，念頭的過程會代之生起，而無明則從中生起。學習去看透這個過程，當心被動搖時，它會將我們從正修帶離到耽溺或嗔怒的極端中，因而制造更多無明、更多念頭。善與惡只在你心中生起，如果你觀照你的心，窮一生之力學習這個主題，我保證你永遠不會厭倦。