II. Beginning the Practice of the Six-Syllable Mantra in Heart Esotericism 二、初修心密六字明
| 2018-06-23 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 113、修心密六字明与心密有何关系？ |
113. What is the relationship between practicing the Mind-Seal Six-Syllable Mantra and the Heart-of-Heart Dharma? |
| 问：如果自己没法坐两小时，又想修心中心，怎么办？ |
Question: If one is unable to sit for two hours but wishes to practice the Heart-of-Heart Dharma, what should one do? |
| 答：那就先修六字明，待能坐够两小时，再修心中心法可也。 |
Answer: First practice the Six-Syllable Mantra. When you can sit for a full two hours, you may then practice the Heart-of-Heart Dharma. |
| 问：请问老师，修六字大明咒多长时间才可以修心中心密法？ |
Question: Teacher, how long must one practice the Great Six-Syllable Mantra before one may practice the Heart-of-Heart Esoteric Dharma? |
| 答：哦！只是说灌顶前可以先修六字明。并没有规定修多少六字明才可以修心中心法。所以，六字明并不是心中心法的前行，心中心法没有前行。 |
Answer: Oh! It simply means that one may first practice the Six-Syllable Mantra before receiving empowerment. There is no rule prescribing how much of the Six-Syllable Mantra one must practice before practicing the Heart-of-Heart Dharma. Therefore, the Six-Syllable Mantra is not a preliminary practice of the Heart-of-Heart Dharma; the Heart-of-Heart Dharma has no preliminary practices. |
| 114、心密六字明，不需灌顶就可以修吗？ |
114. Can the Mind-Seal Six-Syllable Mantra be practiced without empowerment? |
| 问：“佛法心中心”网页的六字大明咒修法是否算是普传法，是否不需要经过灌顶和传承就可以自己修，这样的普传法是否还可以教别人？ |
Question: Is the Great Six-Syllable Mantra practice on the “Buddhadharma Heart-of-Heart” website a generally transmitted practice? May one practice it independently without receiving empowerment or transmission? May such a generally transmitted practice also be taught to others? |
| 答：六字明原本也是灌过顶才可以修的。当年师公王骧陆上师怜悯大家当面求法不易，曾设坛为将来所有的有缘众生都灌了顶。虽不使用“普传法”这个词，然六字明可以辗转相传。我向师尊元音老人求心中心法时，老人嘱我先修六字明。咒语和手印是信里邮来的。修了半年后，才去上海灌顶。 |
Answer: Originally, one could practice the Six-Syllable Mantra only after receiving empowerment. In those days, our grandmaster, Master Wang Xianglu, took pity on those for whom it was difficult to seek the Dharma in person. He once established an altar and conferred empowerment upon all future sentient beings with affinity. Although he did not use the term “generally transmitted practice,” the Six-Syllable Mantra may be passed on from person to person. When I asked Master Yuanyin for the Heart-of-Heart Dharma, the Master instructed me first to practice the Six-Syllable Mantra. The mantra and mudrā were mailed to me in a letter. Only after practicing for half a year did I go to Shanghai to receive empowerment. |
| 115、心密六字大明咒坐修仪轨 |
115. Ritual Procedure for Seated Practice of the Mind-Seal Great Six-Syllable Mantra |
| 心密六字大明咒坐修仪轨： |
Ritual Procedure for Seated Practice of the Mind-Seal Great Six-Syllable Mantra: |
| 一、入座，合掌，念四皈依咒语 3─7 遍： |
I. Take your seat, join your palms, and recite the Four Refuges Mantra 3–7 times: |
| “南无古鲁贝，南无布达雅，南无达尔嘛雅，南无僧嘎雅。” |
“Namo Gurubhya, Namo Buddhāya, Namo Dharmāya, Namo Saṅghāya.” |
| 二、念三遍： |
II. Recite three times: |
| “南无根本上师元音阿阇黎，南无十方三世诸佛、菩萨、金刚、护法神祗。” |
“Homage to the root master, Acharya Yuanyin; homage to all Buddhas, bodhisattvas, vajras, and Dharma protectors throughout the ten directions and three times.” |
| 三、念一遍： |
III. Recite once: |
| “祈求根本上师元音阿阇黎，祈求十方三世诸佛、菩萨、金刚、护法神祗慈力加被，消我业障，使我安心入佛，虔修妙法，早日成就，救度众生。” |
“I pray that the root master, Acharya Yuanyin, and all Buddhas, bodhisattvas, vajras, and Dharma protectors throughout the ten directions and three times may, through their compassionate power, bless and protect me; eliminate my karmic obstacles; enable me to settle my mind and enter the Buddha; cultivate this wondrous Dharma devoutly; swiftly attain accomplishment; and liberate sentient beings.” |
| 四、结大莲花手印（黄布盖手）： |
IV. Form the Great Lotus Mudrā (cover the hands with a yellow cloth): |
| 掌根、拇指、小指，三点合，其余六指自然分开，置于胸前。即：合掌后，自然分开六指。 |
Bring together three points—the bases of the palms, the thumbs, and the little fingers—while allowing the remaining six fingers to separate naturally. Hold the mudrā before the chest. That is, after joining the palms, naturally separate the six fingers. |
| 念六字大明咒（心念耳闻）： |
Recite the Great Six-Syllable Mantra (recite mentally and listen with the ears): |
| “嗡嘛呢呗嚜吽(ong ma ni bei mei hong)”（每分钟大约40至50遍） |
“Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ (ong ma ni bei mei hong)” (approximately 40–50 recitations per minute). |
| 要求每日都坐半小时以上，两小时更好。以轻松自然为度。 |
Sit every day for at least half an hour; two hours is better. Let ease and naturalness be the standard. |
| 五、举顶，念六字大明咒15遍。再念一遍发愿文： |
V. Raise the mudrā to the crown of the head and recite the Great Six-Syllable Mantra fifteen times. Then recite the aspiration prayer once: |
| “愿此生速开智慧成佛，救度众生，不求余果。” |
“May I swiftly open wisdom and attain Buddhahood in this life, liberate sentient beings, and seek no other fruition.” |
| 六、顶上散印，下座。 |
VI. Release the mudrā above the crown of the head and leave the seat. |
| 问：心中心六印和大莲花印不盖黄布行吗？ |
Question: Is it acceptable not to cover the Heart-of-Heart Six Mudrās and the Great Lotus Mudrā with a yellow cloth? |
| 答：若不盖，便不如法。 |
Answer: If they are not covered, the practice is not in accordance with the Dharma. |
| 乙：六印和大莲花印要盖黄布，否则过往神灵会拜的，所以要惜福。 |
B: The Six Mudrās and the Great Lotus Mudrā must be covered with a yellow cloth; otherwise, passing spirits and deities will bow to them. Therefore, one should cherish one’s blessings. |
| 答：对！盖手是为惜福。 |
Answer: Correct! Covering the hands is for cherishing one’s blessings. |
| 116、上座重在修心而不重腿 |
116. While Sitting, the Essential Point Is Cultivating the Mind, Not the Legs |
| 问：我现在每天修六字大明咒，双盘姿势腿有疼痛。有两种说法，一是坚持过去，另一说是不可硬撑，我不知那种做法较合适？ |
Question: I now practice the Great Six-Syllable Mantra every day, but my legs hurt in the full-lotus posture. There are two views: one says to persist through it, while the other says not to force oneself. I do not know which approach is more suitable. |
| 答：“两种说法”的说者，他若是曾坚持过来的人，不但他有他的道理，而且他有他的体验。您若与他根性相近，他就能指导您过这一关。 |
Answer: If the person who advocates “the two views” is someone who has persisted through it, then not only does he have his reasons, but he also has his experience. If your capacities are similar to his, he can guide you through this hurdle. |
| 若他并无体验，您别太理会可也，他自己都没过关，您理会他，能过这一关吗！而且一开始就告诉您，修心不修腿，不能双盘者就单盘，不能单盘者就草盘，草盘也不能，就在座位下边交叉着地。这绝不是说盘座不好，而是重在修心而不重腿。只在腿上用心，就耽误了大好的时间，不值得啊！ |
If he has no such experience, you need not pay him too much heed. If he has not passed this hurdle himself, how can attending to him help you pass it? Moreover, from the outset it has been said: cultivate the mind, not the legs. If you cannot sit in full lotus, sit in half lotus; if you cannot sit in half lotus, sit cross-legged; if even that is impossible, simply cross your legs beneath your seat on the ground. This is not to say that lotus sitting is not good; it means that cultivating the mind is more important than the legs. If you focus your mind only on the legs, you waste precious time. It is not worthwhile! |
| 问：腿疼坐不住，想晃动身子，是气脉未通的现象吗？ |
Question: When my legs hurt and I cannot remain seated, I want to sway my body. Is this a sign that the channels and vital energy have not opened? |
| 答：腿、气脉等都未离心，心外无疼。 |
Answer: Legs, channels, and vital energy are all not apart from mind; apart from mind, there is no pain. |
| 问：我坐时不去理它，是否只要坚持坐下去，日久功深，腿自然会伏顺呢？ |
Question: When I sit, if I do not attend to it and simply persist in sitting, will my legs naturally become compliant as time passes and my practice deepens? |
| 答：其实是“降伏其心”。 |
Answer: In truth, it is a matter of “subduing one’s mind.” |
| 问：后半小时都坐不大好了，不知道为什么？ |
Question: During the latter half hour, I cannot sit very well. I do not know why. |
| 答：仁者心动。 |
Answer: It is your mind that moves, good sir. |
| 117、座上只用照顾咒语，莫管其他。 |
117. While Sitting, Attend Only to the Mantra; Do Not Concern Yourself with Anything Else. |
| 问：坐上，有时观想一下，身体虚空，或者是佛我一体，这样心里清静些，能提高效果，我现在偶尔观想，只是作为权宜之计，不是一直观想，也可以用用吧？ |
Question: While sitting, I sometimes visualize my body as empty space, or visualize that the Buddha and I are one. This makes my mind quieter and can improve the effect. I now use visualization only occasionally as a temporary expedient, not continuously. Is it acceptable to use it sometimes? |
| 答：座上只用照顾咒语，莫管其他。 |
Answer: While sitting, attend only to the mantra; do not concern yourself with anything else. |
| 问：我也是临时借用，暂时用用，不会落套。 |
Question: I am only borrowing it temporarily, using it for the moment. I will not become trapped in a fixed pattern. |
| 答：当然不会落套，因为已经在套里了。 |
Answer: Of course you will not become trapped in a pattern, because you are already trapped in one. |
| 问：您厉害。只用照顾咒语，莫管其他，今天早上这样，好多了。我原来觉得自己念头非常顽固，要像章鱼一样适用许多触角（各种方法）才能抓住。今天，放下，一切放下，只是持咒，感觉轻松多了，那种感觉就是原来得来全不费功夫。 |
Question: You are formidable. Today I followed your instruction to attend only to the mantra and not concern myself with anything else, and it was much better. I used to think that my thoughts were extremely stubborn, and that I needed to use many tentacles, like an octopus—various methods—to seize hold of them. Today I let go, let go of everything, and simply held the mantra. It felt much easier. It was the feeling of what I had sought so hard coming without effort. |
| 答：早就说“以轻松自然为度”。 |
Answer: I have long said, “Let ease and naturalness be the standard.” |
| 问：要踏破铁鞋才能信得及。 |
Question: One must wear out iron shoes before one can truly believe it. |
| 答：哈哈！那就多造几双铁鞋吧。 |
Answer: Ha ha! Then make a few more pairs of iron shoes. |
| 118、金刚持：心念耳闻 |
118. Vajra Recitation: Mental Recitation and Listening with the Ears |
| （1）金刚持重在“听闻” |
(1) In Vajra Recitation, Listening Is Essential |
| 问：如何心念耳闻？ |
Question: How does one recite mentally and listen with the ears? |
| 答：心念耳闻即“金刚持”，重在“听闻”。 |
Answer: Mental recitation and listening with the ears is “vajra recitation”; listening is essential. |
| “心念耳闻”并不是想咒语，而是听得历历分明。为了帮助听到，嘴唇可微动。但别人听不到。旨在用耳根摄住意根 。 |
“Mental recitation and listening with the ears” does not mean thinking about the mantra, but hearing it with complete clarity. To help one hear it, the lips may move slightly, though others cannot hear it. Its purpose is to use the ear faculty to gather in the mind faculty. |
| “此方真教体，清净在音闻”嘛。若真这样，速度不会随着妄念的减少而变慢。 |
As it is said, “The true substance of this land’s teaching lies in purity through hearing sounds.” If this is truly done, the speed will not slow as deluded thoughts diminish. |
| 问：我想请教一下，怎样念咒才是从心中流出？ |
Question: I would like to ask: How should one recite the mantra so that it flows from the mind? |
| 答：其实就是轻松自然，别造作、别拿捏，轻松明快，自然流畅。 |
Answer: It is simply to be relaxed and natural. Do not be contrived or overly deliberate; be relaxed and clear, natural and flowing. |
| 问：心念耳闻，嘴唇微动，那么，舌头动不动呢？ |
Question: In mental recitation and listening with the ears, the lips move slightly. Does the tongue move as well? |
| 答：不出声音，重在听闻。莫太拘泥嘴唇与舌头，都是为了帮助听闻。 |
Answer: Do not produce sound; listening is essential. Do not be overly rigid about the lips and tongue. They are all merely aids to listening. |
| 问：“心念耳闻”之“心念”与默念有何区别？ |
Question: What is the difference between the “mental recitation” in “mental recitation and listening with the ears” and silent recitation? |
| 答：“心念耳闻”重在听闻，并不是念诵。为区别于口念，故名“心念”。而默念是默默地念诵。 |
Answer: In “mental recitation and listening with the ears,” listening is essential; it is not recitation. It is called “mental recitation” to distinguish it from recitation aloud. Silent recitation, however, is reciting silently. |
| （2）耳闻咒语与呼吸无关 |
(2) Hearing the Mantra Is Unrelated to Breathing |
| 问：心念耳闻时，怎么配合呼吸？ |
Question: When reciting mentally and listening with the ears, how should one coordinate it with the breath? |
| 答：不能理睬呼吸，顺其自然。耳闻咒语与呼吸无关。 |
Answer: Do not attend to the breath; let it take its natural course. Hearing the mantra is unrelated to breathing. |
| 问：弟子修六字大明。上座调息静心后，开始持咒。偶有一持咒便胸口不适。不持静心反而清净。不知何故。请师傅开示。 |
Question: This disciple practices the Great Six-Syllable Mantra. After regulating the breath and quieting the mind upon taking the seat, I begin to hold the mantra. Occasionally, as soon as I begin holding the mantra, I feel discomfort in the chest. When I do not hold it but instead quiet the mind, it is actually clear and peaceful. I do not know why. Please give instruction, Master. |
| 答：可能有两个不同的原因： |
Answer: There may be two different causes: |
| ①不能忘掉呼吸。 |
1. You are unable to forget the breath. |
| 心密打坐，并不调息，心念耳闻，与呼吸无关。若不忘呼吸，由于咒语极快，呼吸的速度是远赶不上咒语的。又总不能忘掉呼吸，由于憋气，便感觉胸口不适。 |
In Mind-Seal sitting, one does not regulate the breath. One recites mentally and listens with the ears; it is unrelated to breathing. If you cannot forget the breath, the mantra is extremely rapid, while the breath cannot possibly keep pace with it. Since you are unable to forget the breath, you hold your breath and consequently feel discomfort in the chest. |
| ②误解了心念耳闻的“心”。 |
2. You have misunderstood the “mind” in “mental recitation and listening with the ears.” |
| 误以为这个“心”是指心脏部位，总是往心脏部位注意，这就无形中意守了中丹田。没有打坐功夫的人，若意守中丹田，便会感觉胸口不适。对治的办法是：听到咒语是从下丹田发出，轻松自然，如珠走盘。（注意：这个方法只是对治上述情况，不能推而广之。）待身体能够化空，就不管什么下丹田不下丹田了。 |
You mistakenly take this “mind” to refer to the location of the physical heart and continually direct your attention there. Without realizing it, you are concentrating on the middle dantian. If a person without meditative training concentrates on the middle dantian, chest discomfort will result. The corrective method is to hear the mantra as issuing from the lower dantian, relaxed and natural, like pearls rolling across a tray. (Note: This method is only a remedy for the situation described above and must not be generalized.) Once the body can dissolve into emptiness, there is no need to concern yourself with the lower dantian or not. |
| 问：老师，怎样念，才是心念耳闻？ |
Question: Teacher, how should one recite in order to recite mentally and listen with the ears? |
| 答：有人问过老人这个问题。老人说：“就这样吧，你念一句咒。” |
Answer: Someone once asked the Master this question. The Master said, “Let us do it this way: recite one mantra.” |
| 他念了一句“嗡……” |
He recited one syllable: “Oṃ...” |
| 老人问：“你自己听到了吗？” |
The Master asked, “Did you hear it yourself?” |
| 他回答：“我听到了。” |
He replied, “I heard it.” |
| 老人说：“这就是心念耳闻！” |
The Master said, “That is mental recitation and listening with the ears!” |
| 问：怎么念，才是金刚持？ |
Question: How should one recite in order for it to be vajra recitation? |
| 答：只要轻松自在都可以，若是拿捏都不可以，这就是金刚持的实际意义。 |
Answer: As long as it is relaxed and natural, any way is fine; if it involves contrivance, none is acceptable. This is the practical meaning of vajra recitation. |
| 嘴唇微动，能听到，这就有了，甚至可以轻微出声念的。如果这样说了，你在那儿抠：舌头应该怎么样，嘴应该怎么样，牙应该怎么样，舌头抵不抵上腭，会不会伤气……那就把这些都扔掉，那不是真正的金刚持。 |
If the lips move slightly and you can hear it, then it is there; you may even recite with a faint sound. But if, after hearing this, you start fussing over how the tongue should be, how the mouth should be, how the teeth should be, whether the tongue should touch the palate, whether it will harm your vital energy, and so on—then throw all that away. That is not genuine vajra recitation. |
| 其他修行也一样，要轻松自在，别造作，别拿捏，别执着名相。比如念佛，念佛是要让你摄心。你为如何念法，不但不摄心反而起更多妄想，那干脆别念了。 |
Other forms of practice are the same: be relaxed and natural; do not be contrived, do not force anything, and do not cling to names and forms. Take Buddha-recitation, for example. Its purpose is to gather in your mind. If, in worrying about how to recite, you not only fail to gather in the mind but instead give rise to even more deluded thoughts, then you might as well not recite at all. |
| 又如，有个人看了不少有关观照的文章，来问我：“究竟应该如何观照呀？”，我说：“我告诉你啊，观什么照啊，不观照就是观照”。因为他执着那东西，执着名相，早已不是观照。佛法都是为了应病予药，对治你那个狂乱心。一拿捏，就着相，那就不要拿捏了，就这么做事。 |
Again, someone had read quite a few articles on contemplation and came to ask me, “How exactly should one contemplate?” I said, “Let me tell you: what is there to contemplate? Not contemplating is contemplation.” Because he was attached to that thing, attached to names and forms, it was already no longer contemplation. All Buddhadharma is medicine prescribed according to the illness, meant to counteract that frenzied mind of yours. The moment you force it, you become attached to appearances. So do not force it; simply go about your affairs in this way. |
| 119、初修六字明者，怎样知道自己进步了呢？ |
119. For those beginning the Six-Syllable Mantra practice, how can they know whether they have made progress? |
| 答：看妄想执著会不会削弱，看烦恼痛苦会不会减轻。 |
Answer: See whether your deluded thoughts and attachments have weakened, and whether your afflictions and suffering have lessened. |
| 120、我没有什么反应是不是比较迟钝？ |
120. If I have no particular experiences or responses, does that mean I am rather dull? |
| 甲：我有一师兄初修莲花印，昨晚在座中，感到头顶被针刺一小洞，之后有水源源不断的灌入身体……请问老师这是什么状况？ |
A: A Dharma brother of mine has just begun practicing the Lotus Mudrā. During last night’s meditation session, he felt as though a small hole had been pricked in the crown of his head, after which water continuously poured into his body. . . . Teacher, may I ask what condition this is? |
| 答：再往后呢？你接着说。 |
Answer: And what happened afterward? Go on. |
| 乙：我没有什么反应是不是因人而异，还是我比较迟钝？！ |
B: Is it normal that I have no particular experiences or responses—does it vary from person to person, or am I simply rather dull?! |
| 答：歇下这个攀比心吧！ |
Answer: Put aside this comparative mind! |
| 121、下座：观照 |
121. Off the Meditation Cushion: Contemplation |
| 问：我平时不打坐时，咒念得较快。 |
Question: When I am not meditating, I recite the mantra rather quickly. |
| 答：座下持咒只是一开始时的权宜之计。座下观照才是正行。 |
Answer: Mantra recitation off the meditation cushion is only a provisional measure at the beginning. Contemplation off the cushion is the proper practice. |
| 问：弟子现在在修六字明。请问老师，座下，可否持弥陀圣号来保护真心，代替观照念头儿呢？ |
Question: I am currently practicing the Six-Syllable Mantra. Teacher, when off the meditation cushion, may I recite Amitābha Buddha’s name to protect the true mind, instead of contemplating thoughts? |
| 答：怎么能说不可呢。又兼，观照并非看念头。若误解观照，还不如念佛好呢。 |
Answer: How could you say that you may not? Moreover, contemplation is not watching thoughts. If you misunderstand contemplation, it would be better to practice Buddha-recitation. |
