觀照腹部的運動 Meditation on Abdominal Movements

Meditation on Abdominal Movements

觀照腹部的運動

It has been asked whether meditation on the rising and falling of the abdomen really conforms to the Pāli texts. This question may be answered on the authority of the Salāyatana Vagga of the Samyuttanikāya where it is stated that failure to note the arising and passing away of mind and matter occurring at the six sense-doors results in the upsurge of defilements, while meditating on them brings nibbāna closer through the realisation of the Path and Fruition with the suppression of defilements. The Mālukyaputta Sutta is also very clear on this point. I shall give reasons in support of our method conforming to the scriptures.

有人問道，觀照腹部的上升和下降是否真的是遵照巴利經文。這個問題的答案或許在相應部六處品的典據中能得到回答，那里陳述到，沒有觀照發生在六門的名法和色法的生起和滅去，將導致煩惱的增長，相反觀照它們鎮伏煩惱後證悟道和果帶來涅槃。《摩羅迦子經》同樣非常清楚地指出這點。我會給出支持我們的方法符合經文的理由。

When Satipatthāna teaching prescribes observing the four elements, it is advocating the observance of the apparent phenomena created by the four primary elements. Abdominal movements indicate the working of the element of motion, which is one of the four elements to be observed by the method of attention to the elements (dhātumanasikāra). I prefer ordinary language to Pāli technical terms, so instead of asking meditators to contemplate the air element (vāyo dhātu), I ask them to observe the rising and falling of the abdomen. Employing everyday language agrees with the Buddha』s preference for simple speech when he gave the advice, 「Gacchāmi vā gacchāmi』ti pajānāti.」 As the meditator』s concentration develops with continued practice of insight meditation, he or she will come to realise the nature of the element of motion in the movements of the abdomen.

念處經在指示如何觀照四種元素(四大)時，它是提倡觀察四大所造成的容易看見的現象。腹部的運動顯示運動元素(風大)的運作，風大是界作意(dhātumanasikāra)方法所觀察的四種元素中的一種。相對于巴利文的技術性術語，我更喜歡普通的語言，所以我沒有要求禪修者們專注于風元素(vāyo dhātu)，而是要求他們觀察腹部的上升和下降。佛陀在給出建議「Gacchāmi vā gacchāmi』ti pajānāti.在行走時，了知我在行走」時，偏好使用簡單的用語，(我)使用日常用語和這相符。禪修者通過持續的內觀禪修的練習，定力增長後，將能了知腹部動作中運動元素的本質。

On the authority of the Satipatthāna Sutta, and others in the Samyuttanikāya, we take it that a meditator should concentrate not only on the four postures usually mentioned in the scriptures, but also on other postures or actions that can be met with in the normal course of events.

通過閱讀念處經和相應部中其他經的典據，我們就知道，禪修者不但要專心觀照經文中經常提到的四種威儀，日常生活中所能遇到的其他姿勢或動作同樣也需要觀照。

If a meditator does not feel satisfied with noting the rising and falling of the abdomen, he or she can try meditating on sitting while sitting, on standing while standing, or on lying down while lying down. However, we do not urge meditators to practise mindfulness of respiration as we maintain that it contradicts statements in the Visuddhimagga and Commentaries on the Satipatthāna Sutta, which speak of insight meditation after the attainment to absorption through noting breathing in and breathing out, but we do not deter anyone from practising mindfulness of respiration.

如果禪修者對注意腹部的上升和下降(的效果)感覺不滿意，他可以嘗試在坐時觀照坐，在站時觀照站，或者在躺下時觀照躺下。不過我們沒有強烈要求禪修者練習入出息念，因為我們認為它和《清淨道論》以及念處經的注釋中的敘述有牴觸。它們講到通過注意入出息來達到安止定，然後開展內觀禪修。但是我們沒有阻止任何人去練習入出息念。

Now I will revert to my original theme.

現在我回到原先的話題。