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Essential Explanation of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra
IV. Ten Revelations of Seeing 四、十番显见

Writings of Master Yuanyin | 2018-06-10 | Download | AI assisted translation

“阿难白佛言：世尊，我佛宠弟，心爱佛故，令我出家。我心何独供养如来，乃至遍历恒沙国土，承事诸佛及善知识，发大勇猛，行诸一切难行法事，皆用此心。纵令谤法，永退善根，亦因此心。若此发明不是心者，我乃无心，同诸土木，离此觉知，更无所有。云何如来说此非心？我实惊怖。兼此大众，无不疑惑，惟垂大悲，开示未悟。” Ānanda addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I am the Buddha’s favored younger kinsman. Because I love the Buddha, I became a monastic. With what mind do I alone make offerings to the Tathāgata, and even travel throughout lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, serving the Buddhas and good spiritual friends, arousing great courageous resolve, and undertaking every difficult practice? It is all done with this mind. Even if I were to slander the Dharma and forever lose my roots of goodness, it would also be through this mind. If this faculty of awareness is not the mind, then I have no mind and am like earth and wood; apart from this awareness, there is nothing else. How can the Tathāgata say that this is not the mind? I am truly terrified. This entire assembly is likewise filled with doubt and confusion. I pray that, in your great compassion, you will enlighten those who have not awakened.”
阿难对佛说：世尊啊，我是您最宠爱的弟弟，因见佛妙相庄严，光明自在，心生敬爱，故发心出家。 Ānanda said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I am your most favored younger kinsman. Seeing the Buddha’s wondrous marks, majestic adornment, and unimpeded radiance, I gave rise to reverence and love and therefore resolved to leave home.”
现在我一心供养如来，乃至我以前走遍了像恒沙一样多的国土，不怕困难，不怕吃苦，为诸佛及善知识做侍者，发大勇猛心，承做一切难行之事，都是用此心。即使诽谤佛法三宝，永退善根，也是用此心。 Now I single-mindedly make offerings to the Tathāgata. Previously, I traveled throughout lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Unafraid of hardship or suffering, I served as an attendant to the Buddhas and good spiritual friends, aroused great courageous resolve, and undertook every difficult task. All this was done with this mind. Even slandering the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha and forever losing one’s roots of goodness would also be done with this mind.”
如果您说这不是心的话，那等于我没有心，和草木一样了。因为我离开这个对前尘所生起来的觉知之心还有什么呢？为什么您说这不是心呢？我实在是惊恐万分！并不只是我一个人是这样，在会的大众也和我一样惊惶失措。还是请您老人家大慈大悲，给我们这些没有悟道的人讲一讲。 If you say that this is not the mind, then it would mean that I have no mind and am like grass and trees. Apart from this mind of awareness that arises in response to the objects before me, what else do I have? Why do you say that this is not the mind? I am truly terrified beyond measure! Nor am I alone in this: the members of the assembly are as alarmed and bewildered as I am. I ask you, compassionate elder, to explain this to us who have not awakened to the Way.”
这段经文，阿难说他受佛宠爱（宠爱有偏爱之义，这种爱就不好了），因为阿难是佛最小的堂弟，所以阿难自己这么说。 In this passage, Ānanda says that he was favored by the Buddha. (“Favor” carries the sense of partiality, and such attachment is not good.) Since Ānanda was the Buddha’s youngest cousin, he spoke of himself in this way.
但佛可不是这样，因为佛对一切人都是一样平等慈爱，只是由于因缘有些差别，从表面上看可能有些亲疏之分，其实佛对众生的心是一样的。阿难见佛有三十二妙相，紫金光聚，所以发心出家供养如来。 But the Buddha was not like this. The Buddha’s compassionate love for everyone is equal and impartial. Because conditions differ, there may appear to be degrees of intimacy or distance, but the Buddha’s heart toward sentient beings is in fact the same. Seeing the Buddha’s thirty-two wondrous marks and the gathered radiance of purple-gold light, Ānanda resolved to leave home and make offerings to the Tathāgata.
供养就是供给佛衣服、饮食、卧具、医药这四种日用所需。因为阿难发心做诸佛的侍者，所以多生历劫，阿难走遍了象恒沙一样多的国土，为诸佛和善知识做侍者。善知识必须理事圆融无碍，如果仅仅说到做不到就不是善知识。 Making offerings means providing the Buddha with the four daily necessities: clothing, food and drink, bedding, and medicine. Because Ānanda resolved to serve as an attendant to the Buddhas, over many lives and kalpas he traveled through lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, serving the Buddhas and good spiritual friends. Good spiritual friends must be thoroughly unobstructed in both principle and phenomena. If they can speak of something but cannot put it into practice, they are not good spiritual friends.
阿难是佛的侍者，不怕困难，不怕吃苦，发大勇猛心，行“一切难行之事”。这种“难行之事”在西藏密宗就讲得比较全面。因为修密宗的人，要消灭种种罪障，需经受种种严峻的考验。 As the Buddha’s attendant, Ānanda was unafraid of hardship and suffering. He aroused great courageous resolve and undertook “every difficult task.” Such difficult tasks are explained rather comprehensively in Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism. Those who practice Esoteric Buddhism must eliminate all kinds of karmic obstacles and undergo many severe tests.
比如，有的人要到冰河中，赤身露体，冻得不得了，受冰河地狱之苦。还有的人，在天气热的不得了的时候，坐在大火炉边上烤，受火炮铜柱地狱之苦。还有的是在羊圈、猪圈中支个铺，住在当中受苦。 For example, some must go naked into icy rivers and endure unbearable cold, suffering the pain of the icy-river hell. Others, in unbearably hot weather, sit beside a great furnace to be scorched, suffering the pain of the hell of blazing cauldrons and copper pillars. Still others make a bed in a sheep pen or pigsty and live there in suffering.
修行要能经得起各种艰苦磨炼才行。当然学佛的目的并不是为了吃苦，但通过苦行可以磨炼人的意志，消除习气。这与外道以吃苦为目的，执著在吃苦相上是不同的。 One must be able to withstand every kind of arduous trial in practice. Of course, the purpose of studying Buddhism is not to seek suffering. Yet ascetic practices can temper one’s will and eliminate habitual tendencies. This differs from non-Buddhist paths that take suffering as their goal and cling to the appearance of suffering.
在我们内地，人们比较聪慧，只要学佛的人努力上进，不后退就是难行之事。因为有恒心是很难得的。有的人发心一两天很容易，要天天都如此就不容易了。很多人今天找个法来修修，过两天“哎呀！吃不消，吃不消”，休息一下再说，这样就难以成就。所以修行人要有恒心，要能发勇猛心，这就是难行之事。 In our country, people are comparatively intelligent. For those who study Buddhism, striving diligently and not retreating is itself a difficult practice. Perseverance is hard to come by. It is easy for some people to arouse resolve for a day or two, but it is not easy to do so every day. Many people find a Dharma practice today and try it, but after a couple of days say, “Oh, I can’t take it, I can’t take it,” and decide to rest for a while. In this way, attainment is difficult. Therefore, practitioners must have perseverance and be able to arouse courageous resolve. This is a difficult practice.
阿难说，如果他离开对前尘所生起来的觉知之心，就没有心了。因为他发心学佛用的是此心，即使不学佛，甚至诽谤佛法三宝，也是用此心。离开此心还有什么呢？讲到这里就非常关键了，阿难这里所说的心仍然是妄心。 Ānanda says that if he were apart from the mind of awareness that arises in response to objects before him, he would have no mind. He uses this mind in resolving to study Buddhism; even if he did not study Buddhism, or even slandered the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, he would still use this mind. Apart from this mind, what else is there? Here we come to a crucial point: the mind of which Ānanda speaks is still the deluded mind.
离开这个妄心，就是妄心息处，这个时候，你并不是死人，不是和草木一样没有知觉，仍然是了了分明，这是什么呢？这就是空寂灵知！空者，一切事物都没有；寂者，不来不去，不动不摇；灵知者，了了分明呀！不信诸位试试看（此时元音上师一击掌），“啪——”一声…… Apart from this deluded mind is the point where the deluded mind ceases. At that time, you are not dead, nor are you insentient like grass and trees; you remain distinctly aware. What is this? It is empty quiescence and numinous knowing. “Empty” means that all things are absent; “quiescent” means neither coming nor going, neither moving nor wavering; “numinous knowing” means clear and distinct awareness. If you do not believe it, try it for yourselves. (At this point, Master Yuanyin claps once.) “Clap—”
此时前念断处，后念未起之时，不正是这个了了分明吗？！这个了了分明是什么呢？学人能当下荐取，就是见性了。所以见性，不是难事呀！不需要经过几十年、几百年的参禅。在这当下一击之际就能够证见本性。 At this moment, when the preceding thought has ceased and the following thought has not yet arisen, is there not precisely this clear and distinct awareness? What is this clear and distinct awareness? If practitioners can recognize it directly in that very moment, they have seen their true nature. Thus, seeing one’s true nature is not difficult. There is no need to spend decades or centuries investigating Chan. At the instant of this clap, one can directly realize one’s intrinsic nature.
见本性之后就需绵密保任了。绵就是长久、连绵不断；密就是要勇猛精进、不疏松，就像我的手指张开空气就从指缝中透过去了，如果我的手指紧闭就没有缝隙了，这就是密。 After seeing one’s true nature, one must engage in continuous and seamless contemplation and safeguarding realization. “Continuous” means lasting and unbroken; “seamless” means vigorous and diligent, without laxity. When my fingers are spread apart, air passes through the gaps; when they are tightly closed, there are no gaps. This is what is meant by “seamless.”
要保住什么呢？就是要保住这个妙明真心，无所住着，时时空寂，时时灵知。时时空寂灵知而又不住空寂灵知。假如住在空寂灵知上，还是有所住，还是妄想心。因为你还有空寂灵知之心在，在禅宗里，这就叫“圣堕”。 What must be safeguarded? This wondrously luminous true mind: non-abiding, ever empty and quiescent, ever numinously aware. Yet while it is always empty, quiescent, and numinously aware, one must not abide in that empty quiescence and numinous knowing. If one abides in it, there is still something to abide in, and it is still the deluded thinking mind. For one still retains a mind of empty quiescence and numinous knowing. In the Chan school, this is called “falling into sainthood.”
堕落在圣位上，还是有生死。我们说要归无所得，任何事都不可得。归无所得正是大得。所以这个真心并不需要诸位费多大力气，只要回光返照，当下就是。只是诸位要有福报，什么福报呢？要敢肯定“噢！这就是真心。 Falling into the position of a sage still entails birth and death. We say that one must return to nothing attainable; nothing whatsoever can be attained. Returning to nothing attainable is precisely the great attainment. This true mind does not require you to exert great effort. You need only turn the light inward, and it is present immediately. But you must have blessings. What blessings? The courage to affirm, “Ah, this is the true mind.”
”毫无疑虑，这就是多生历劫所培养的善根、福德。假如你不敢肯定“哎呀，恐怕不是吧？”，这就是缺少善根福德。要生西方极乐世界也是如此，《阿弥陀经》不是说“不可以少善根、福德、因缘得生彼国”。 To have no doubt whatsoever is the root of goodness and merit and virtue cultivated over many lives and kalpas. If you do not dare to affirm it, saying, “Oh, perhaps this is not it,” then you lack roots of goodness and merit and virtue. The same is true of rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Does not the Amitābha Sūtra say that one cannot be born in that land with few roots of goodness, merit and virtue, and favorable conditions?
所以要生西方极乐世界也不能缺少福德。以前我们讲过，有一位居士，临终时西方圣境已经现前，就要生西方。这时，他最亲爱的小老婆一哭，他的心就乱了，结果就退回来了。 Therefore, one also cannot lack merit and virtue if one wishes to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. We have spoken before of a lay practitioner for whom the sacred realm of the Western Land had appeared at the time of death, and who was about to be reborn there. Then his beloved concubine began to weep, his mind became disturbed, and as a result he returned.
这就是因缘不凑，因缘不凑巧就是缺少善根福德的缘故。缺少善根福德，不能当下承当，不敢肯定，就只能继续修法了。就像念佛者念佛，参禅者参禅，修密者修密，这样慢慢地培养善根福德。 This was because the conditions had not come together. When conditions fail to come together, it is because one lacks roots of goodness and merit and virtue. Lacking these, one cannot directly take it up or dare to affirm it, and can only continue practicing the Dharma. Thus, those who recite the Buddha’s name recite the Buddha’s name, those who investigate Chan investigate Chan, and those who practice Esoteric Buddhism practice Esoteric Buddhism, gradually cultivating roots of goodness and merit and virtue.
学佛人有五种根器；第一种就是人天乘。对于这类人就是教他们做做好事，培养福报，临终后可以升天，或者不失人身。比如基督教、天主教，伊斯兰教都是这样。第二种就是声闻乘。 There are five capacities among Buddhist practitioners. The first is the human and deva vehicle. Such people are taught to do good deeds and cultivate blessings, so that after death they may be born in heaven or at least not lose their human birth. Christianity, Catholicism, and Islam are examples of this. The second is the śrāvaka vehicle.
对于这类人就是教他们偏空之理而证有余涅槃。第三种就是缘觉乘。对于这类人就是讲十二因缘，这类人仍然是小乘根基，你让他发大心，比较困难。只有等到他们证得罗汉果位之后，他们才能做到。第四种就是菩萨乘。 Such people are taught the principle of biased emptiness and realize nirvāṇa with residue. The third is the pratyekabuddha vehicle. Such people are taught the twelve links of dependent origination. They still have the capacities of the Lesser Vehicle, and it is relatively difficult to induce them to arouse the great resolve. Only after they attain the fruit of arhatship can they do so. The fourth is the bodhisattva vehicle.
这类人发大悲心，自觉觉他，勇猛精进。他们不生西方极乐世界，就在这个世界中与众生滚在一起，救度众生。众生不度尽誓不取佛位，这就是大心菩萨。 Such people arouse great compassion, awaken themselves and others, and practice with courageous diligence. Rather than seeking rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, they remain in this world among sentient beings in order to liberate them. They vow not to attain Buddhahood until all sentient beings have been liberated. These are great-resolve bodhisattvas.
第五种就是佛乘，这类人是圆顿根器，不需要经过渐次方法，一言之下，一切都了。学佛要根据人的根器，一点都不能勉强。就像现在我给你们指示真心一样，如果硬要你们当下肯定，就像按牛头吃草一样。牛不吃草，你将它的头按进草堆里，嘴里嘟囔着：朝这看，朝这看。这样就不行。因为这件事非同小可，勉强不得。 The fifth is the Buddha vehicle. Such people possess the capacity for perfect and sudden awakening; they need not pass through gradual methods. With a single word, everything is understood. In studying Buddhism, one must proceed according to a person’s capacities and cannot force anything at all. It is like my pointing out the true mind to you now: if I were to force you to affirm it immediately, it would be like pressing a cow’s head down to make it eat grass. The cow will not eat, yet you press its head into a heap of grass and mutter, “Look here, look here.” That will not do. This matter is no small thing and cannot be forced.
讲经，不能只依文字来解释，应该讲解出经文的真实意义。《楞严经》重要的真实的意义就在于指示我们的真心，这就是心地法门的核心所在。在宗下这就叫“画龙点睛”，就是指示给我们看什么是真心。在教下就叫做“点中言”，就是讲解经文中的要义，光是依据文字来讲解就没有多大意义了。 When explaining sūtras, one must not merely interpret the words; one should elucidate their true meaning. The important and genuine meaning of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra lies in pointing out our true mind. This is the core of the Mind-Ground Dharma Gate. In the Chan school, this is called “painting in the dragon’s eyes”: pointing out for us what the true mind is. In the doctrinal schools, it is called “hitting the essential point”: explaining the crucial meaning within the sūtra. Merely explaining according to the words has little significance.
阿难这时仍然不能理解佛法的妙义，因为他离开妄心就不知所从了，这就是众生的特点。众生之所以成为众生就是因为他认妄想为心，并在此基础上妄中求妄，求蹊跷，玩弄小聪明。 At this point, Ānanda still could not understand the wondrous meaning of the Buddhadharma. Once apart from the deluded mind, he did not know what to rely on. This is characteristic of sentient beings. Sentient beings are sentient beings because they take deluded thoughts for the mind and, on this basis, seek delusion within delusion, pursuing the curious and playing with petty cleverness.
使用种种花招向人们显示：我能这样，我能那样，欺骗诱惑别人。 They use all kinds of tricks to show others, “I can do this; I can do that,” deceiving and enticing them.
妄心妄动，虽然能促进物质文明的高度发展，但是因为人们缺乏智慧，人类的欲望也越来越高，贪心也越来越强，所以虽然物质文明发展了，但是世界并不安宁，到处是战争与暴力，这都是由于人们执著妄想造成的。 The deluded mind moves falsely and can indeed promote the advanced development of material civilization. Yet because people lack wisdom, human desires grow ever greater and greed becomes ever stronger. Thus, although material civilization has developed, the world is not peaceful; wars and violence are everywhere. All this results from people’s attachment to deluded thoughts.
所以大家要是能学佛，把妄心息下来，检点一下自己的行为，这个世界就美好了。否则，争了一辈子，到头来还是要空手而去，真是冤枉啊！所以，阿难再三请佛为我们这些未开悟的众生开示，使我们能够离开虚假的幻相，恢复我们本来自在，本来不生不灭的真心，脱离生死苦海，这正是佛的悲心啊！ Therefore, if everyone can study Buddhism, calm their deluded minds, and examine their own conduct, this world will become a better place. Otherwise, after struggling and contending for an entire lifetime, one must still leave empty-handed in the end. How unjust and futile that is! Therefore, Ānanda repeatedly asked the Buddha to instruct us unenlightened sentient beings, so that we might leave behind false and illusory appearances, recover our originally free and at ease, inherently unborn and undying true mind, and escape the bitter sea of birth and death. This is precisely the Buddha’s compassionate heart.
“尔时世尊，开示阿难及诸大众，欲令心入无生法忍。于狮子座，摩阿难顶，而告之言：如来常说，诸法所生，唯心所现，一切因果，世界微尘，因心成体。” “At that time, the World-Honored One instructed Ānanda and the entire assembly, wishing to lead their minds into the forbearance of the unborn dharmas. Seated upon the lion’s throne, he stroked Ānanda’s crown and said to him: ‘The Tathāgata has always taught that all dharmas that arise are manifested only from the mind. All causes and effects, and even every mote of dust in the world, take their substance from the mind.’”
无生法忍是什么呢？“无生法”就是说一切事物都是不生不灭的。“忍”就是心肯，就是我在这里说法，你们心里肯不肯接受。如果我说人是有生死的，大家都肯接受；如果我说人是没有生死的，大家就不肯接受了。 What is the forbearance of the unborn dharmas? “Unborn dharmas” means that all things are neither arising nor ceasing. “Forbearance” means that the mind accepts it. When I expound the Dharma here, will your minds accept it or not? If I say that people undergo birth and death, everyone readily accepts it. But if I say that people are without birth and death, no one is willing to accept it.
因为大家都看到小孩出生了，也看到别人病死了或老死了，这不是有生死吗？你为什么要说不生不死呢？他不肯接受这个观点。实际上，当我们证见本性的时候，就会知道我们的的确确是不生不死的！无生法忍就是说大家能够接受、认可一切众生都是不生不灭的这个真理。 Everyone sees children being born, and also sees others die from illness or old age. Does this not mean that there is birth and death? Why, then, do you say there is neither birth nor death? They are unwilling to accept this view. In truth, when we directly realize our intrinsic nature, we know with certainty that we are neither born nor dying. The forbearance of the unborn dharmas means being able to accept and affirm the truth that all sentient beings are neither arising nor ceasing.
这时，佛希望阿难及诸大众都能入无生法忍，接受不生不灭的道理。 At this time, the Buddha wished for Ānanda and the entire assembly to enter the forbearance of the unborn dharmas and accept the principle of neither arising nor ceasing.
所以佛坐在“狮子座”（狮子座就是形容佛的座位非常庄严威猛）上，一边摩着阿难的头顶（摩顶有两层意思：一是护惜阿难，因为佛讲了这么长时间，阿难还是不领悟，所以佛很怜惜阿难；另一层意思是希望阿难能开顶门之眼。 Therefore, the Buddha sat upon the “lion’s throne” (the lion’s throne is an expression describing the Buddha’s seat as exceptionally majestic and awe-inspiring), while stroking Ānanda’s crown. Stroking the crown has two meanings: first, it expresses the Buddha’s care for Ānanda. Although the Buddha had taught for so long, Ānanda had still not awakened, and so the Buddha deeply pitied him. The second meaning is that the Buddha hoped Ānanda would open the eye at the crown of his head.
）一边继续开示。佛说：一切有生有灭的事物，都是从妄想心中生出来的。世界的一切因果，乃至于一粒微尘都是因心而有。 At the same time, he continued his instruction. The Buddha said: All things that arise and cease are produced from the deluded thinking mind. All causes and effects in the world, even a single mote of dust, exist because of the mind.
这段经文中的“诸法所生”就是指一切有生灭的事物。“唯心所现”就是说一切色相都是从妄想心中生出来的。这里所说的“心”指的是第六意识。我们前面讲过，因无明熏真如，妄想就升起来。 In this passage of the sūtra, “all dharmas that arise” refers to all things subject to arising and ceasing. “Manifested only from the mind” means that all material appearances arise from the deluded thinking mind. The “mind” spoken of here refers to the sixth consciousness. As we explained earlier, when ignorance permeates suchness, deluded thoughts arise.
结想成蕴，蕴集不散，就形成了色，就出现了地水、火风四大种性。再进一步，结色成根，就形成了我们的眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六根。这就是心生种种法生，由于心动的缘故就形成了形形色色的世界。 Thoughts coalesce to form aggregates; when the aggregates collect without dispersing, form comes into being, and the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind appear. Going a step further, form coalesces into faculties, producing our six sense faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This is “when the mind arises, the various dharmas arise.” Because the mind moves, the multifarious world comes into being.
形形色色的世界产生之后，再反过来熏妄心，这就是法生种种心生。妄心妄动，这个世界就变成现在这个样子。世界上一切事物的产生都必然有其因果。但凡夫不怕造恶因，只怕受苦果。 After the multifarious world has arisen, it in turn permeates the deluded mind. This is “when dharmas arise, the various minds arise.” When the deluded mind moves delusively, the world becomes what it is today. The arising of all things in the world necessarily involves cause and effect. Yet ordinary beings are unafraid of creating evil causes; they fear only suffering painful results.
那些罪犯在抢劫别人的时候，就不会想到自己因此要受到惩罚。这就是目光短浅，没有智慧。凡夫只看到眼前利益，贪得无厌，不惜造业。等到果报来临时又怨天尤人，不知道这正是自己造成的。 When criminals rob others, they do not consider that they will consequently be punished. This is shortsightedness and a lack of wisdom. Ordinary beings see only immediate advantage; insatiable in their greed, they do not hesitate to create karma. When karmic retribution arrives, they blame Heaven and resent others, not knowing that they themselves have brought it about.
比如那些杀人犯被抓起来枪毙时，却吓得不得了，可当时为什么想不到杀人者必偿命的道理呢？！菩萨就比较有智慧，因为他懂得因果的道理，不会去做坏事。由于不造恶因，就不会受苦果。世界上的一切事物都离不开因果。 For example, when murderers are arrested and executed, they are terrified. Yet why did they not consider at the time that those who kill must repay with their lives? Bodhisattvas are wiser, because they understand cause and effect and therefore do not commit evil. Since they do not create evil causes, they do not undergo painful results. Nothing in the world is apart from cause and effect.
现在的科学家发明创造正是利用了因果律。当我们把水加热就可以产生蒸气，产生的蒸气又能推动火车，这就是因果律。如果我们违背了这个规律，就不可能发明创造。 Modern scientists make inventions and discoveries precisely by making use of the law of cause and effect. When we heat water, it produces steam, and the steam can in turn drive a train. This is the law of cause and effect. If we violated this law, invention and discovery would be impossible.
所以因果是不能颠倒的，但对于大修行人来说却不同，他们能够超越因果，能够洒脱自在。下面讲一讲百丈野狐的公案：一天，百丈禅师上堂说法，讲完之后大众都散了，只有一个老头还不走。 Therefore, cause and effect cannot be reversed. But great practitioners are different: they can transcend cause and effect and be free and at ease. Let us now speak of the Chan koan of Baizhang’s wild fox. One day, Chan Master Baizhang ascended the Dharma seat and gave a teaching. When he had finished, the assembly dispersed, but one old man remained.
于是百丈禅师问：“您有什么事？”老人说：“我不是人。在过去迦叶佛时，我曾住此山，因学人问：‘大修行人落不落因果？’我回答说：‘不落因果。’于是五百生堕落成野狐身。 Chan Master Baizhang then asked, “What is the matter?” The old man replied, “I am not a human being. In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, I lived on this mountain. A student asked me, ‘Does a great practitioner fall under cause and effect?’ I answered, ‘He does not fall under cause and effect.’ As a result, I fell into the body of a wild fox for five hundred lives.”
现在请和尚代为下一转语，使我脱去野狐身。”于是就问：“大修行的人落不落因果？”百丈禅师答道：“不昧因果。”老人于言下大悟，作礼道：“我已经脱去狐身，住在后山，请和尚能依照亡僧的礼节治丧。 “Now I ask the Reverend to offer a turning word on my behalf, so that I may cast off this wild fox’s body.” He then asked, “Does a great practitioner fall under cause and effect?” Chan Master Baizhang replied, “He is not blind to cause and effect.” At these words, the old man attained great awakening. Bowing, he said, “I have already cast off the fox’s body. It is behind the mountain. I ask that the Reverend conduct my funeral according to the rites for a deceased monastic.”
”第二天百丈禅师带领僧众，在后山岩石下挑出一条死狐狸，依礼火葬。所以，对大修行人来说，就可以超越因果。超越因果就是不昧因果，而不是否定因果。修行圆满就可以这样潇洒、自在。 The next day, Chan Master Baizhang led the monastic assembly to the rock behind the mountain, where they found a dead fox, and cremated it according to the rites. Thus, great practitioners can transcend cause and effect. To transcend cause and effect means not being blind to cause and effect; it does not mean denying cause and effect. When cultivation is complete, one can be so unrestrained and at ease.
世界上任何事物的产生都有一定的原因，都必须具备一定的条件，这就是因缘。条件（因缘）一旦改变，这个事物就不存在了。所以说一切色相，都是因缘和合而成，究其根本却是空。 The arising of anything in the world has definite causes and requires definite conditions; this is causes and conditions. Once the conditions change, the thing no longer exists. Therefore, all material appearances are formed through the coming together of causes and conditions, yet when traced back to their root, they are empty.
那么这些色相是怎么来的呢？我们前面讲过，就是从我们妙明真心中生出来的。所以说：一切因果，乃至于世界的一粒微尘，都是因心而有。这就是说，一切色相都是因缘和合，本身是空，它的体就是我们的妙明真心。 Then how do these material appearances arise? As we explained earlier, they arise from our wondrous, luminous true mind. Therefore, all causes and effects, even a single mote of dust in the world, exist because of the mind. That is to say, all material appearances are combinations of causes and conditions and are empty in themselves; their substance is our wondrous, luminous true mind.
再换句话说就是：一切色相都是真心的变现，都是真心的妙用。我们可以看见男女老少，饮食起居，山河大地，草木丛林……种种法相，就如同看见我们的真心一样。 Put differently, all material appearances are transformations of the true mind and its wondrous functioning. We can see men and women, young and old; eating, dressing, and daily life; mountains, rivers, and the great earth; grasses, trees, and forests; and all kinds of dharma appearances—just as we can see our true mind.
只要不住着，处处都是法身的显现，如果硬压住念头落于顽空，就如同土木金石一样没有知觉，就看不见了。那么，在用功修法的时候，一下子境界现前了，究竟是见、还是不见呢？ So long as one does not abide in attachment, everywhere is a manifestation of the dharmakāya. But if one forcibly suppresses thoughts and falls into inert emptiness, one becomes like earth, wood, metal, or stone, without awareness, and cannot see it. Then, when one is diligently practicing the Dharma and a state suddenly appears, does one see or not see?
六祖大师的弟子神会问六祖：“和尚坐禅，还见不见？”注意：神会在这里提出了是见、还是不见的问题。 Shenhui, a disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, asked him, “When the Reverend sits in Chan meditation, does he see or not see?” Note that Shenhui here raises the question of seeing or not seeing.
六祖没有直接回答，信手打了神会三拄杖，反问：“吾打汝，是痛不痛？”这很不好答，痛是凡夫俗子，不痛是土木金石，痛不痛啊？神会答：“亦痛亦不痛。”很轻巧、蛮巧妙。 The Sixth Patriarch did not answer directly. Casually striking Shenhui three times with his staff, he asked in return, “When I strike you, does it hurt or not?” This was very difficult to answer. If it hurts, one is an ordinary worldly person; if it does not hurt, one is like earth, wood, metal, or stone. So does it hurt or not? Shenhui answered, “It both hurts and does not hurt.” A very nimble and ingenious response.
我的心已经空了，不住在痛与不痛上，所以也痛也不痛。六祖大师肯他吗？没有马上肯。因为他也可能倒在两边——痛、不痛，一边倒有、一边倒无。 My mind is already empty, and does not abide in either pain or its absence; therefore, it both hurts and does not hurt. Did the Sixth Patriarch approve of him? He did not approve immediately, because Shenhui might still have fallen into the two sides—pain and no pain—leaning toward existence on one side and nonexistence on the other.
六祖也没有马上否定他，要考考“亦痛亦不痛”是不是他的真境界，就借他的语脉随口答了他的问题：“吾亦见亦不见。”神会问：“如何是亦见亦不见？”这下狐狸尾巴露出来了。痛与不痛、见与不见，本是同类的问题。 The Sixth Patriarch did not immediately reject him either. To test whether “it both hurts and does not hurt” was Shenhui’s actual realization, he followed the thread of Shenhui’s words and casually answered his question: “I too both see and do not see.” Shenhui asked, “What does it mean to both see and not see?” At this, the fox’s tail was exposed. Pain and no pain, seeing and not seeing, are fundamentally questions of the same kind.
自己刚答过“亦痛亦不痛”，却不明白“如何是亦见亦不见”。 He had just answered, “It both hurts and does not hurt,” yet he did not understand what it meant to “both see and not see.”
可见那答语只是口头工夫，并不踏实，脚跟不点地啊！六祖大师慈悲为人，要借他这一问提携他，指导他见性，于是痛下钳锤：“我之所见，常见自心过衍，不见他人是非好恶，是以亦见亦不见。 This shows that his reply had merely been verbal skill, without true substance; his feet were not planted on the ground. The Sixth Patriarch compassionately wished to use this question to guide him and direct him to see his intrinsic nature, so he applied a severe clamp and hammer: “What I see is always the faults and failings of my own mind; I do not see the rights and wrongs, likes and dislikes, of others. Therefore, I both see and do not see.”
汝言亦痛亦不痛如何？汝若不痛，同其木石；若痛，则同凡夫，即起恚恨。汝向前见不见是二边、痛不痛是生灭。汝自性且不见，敢尔弄人！”六祖一针见血地指出他落在生灭两边，激励他明见自性。 “What, then, do you mean by saying that it both hurts and does not hurt? If it does not hurt, you are like wood or stone; if it hurts, you are like an ordinary person, and anger and resentment arise. Your earlier seeing and not seeing are the two extremes; pain and no pain belong to arising and ceasing. You have not even seen your own intrinsic nature, yet you dare to toy with others!” The Sixth Patriarch pointed directly to the heart of the matter: Shenhui had fallen into the two extremes of arising and ceasing. He spurred him on to clearly see his intrinsic nature.
神会根性大利，当下离开两边，自性朗然现前。于是礼拜悔谢。六祖又说：“汝若心迷不见，问善知识觅路。汝若心悟，即自见性，依法修行。汝自迷不见自心，却来问吾见与不见。吾见自知，岂代汝迷？汝若自见，亦不代吾迷。何不自知自见，乃问吾见与不见。”神会再礼百余拜，求谢过衍，服勤给侍，不离左右。他这是报师恩啊！ Shenhui possessed exceptionally sharp faculties. At once, he left the two extremes behind, and his intrinsic nature appeared in luminous clarity. He then bowed in repentance and thanks. The Sixth Patriarch further said: “If your mind is deluded and does not see, ask a good spiritual friend for the way. If your mind awakens, you yourself see your intrinsic nature and cultivate in accordance with the Dharma. You are yourself deluded and do not see your own mind, yet you come asking whether I see or do not see. What I see, I know for myself; how could I take your place in being deluded? If you see for yourself, you likewise cannot take my place in being deluded. Why do you not know and see for yourself, instead asking whether I see or do not see?” Shenhui bowed more than a hundred times, asking forgiveness for his faults. He then diligently served and attended the master, never leaving his side. This was how he repaid his teacher’s kindness.
我们看这个公案，不能着在痛与不痛、见与不见上。这像是一副手铐、一付脚镣摆在面前，看你能不能脱开。 When we consider this koan, we must not become attached to pain and no pain, seeing and not seeing. It is like a pair of handcuffs and a set of shackles placed before you, to see whether you can free yourself from them.
说痛说见手铐搭上去了，不痛不见脚镣搭上去了，脱不开不行啊！我们平常用功应脱开事相，做任何事都不着相，并不是不做事。做事着相——倒在有边，不去做事——倒在无边，都不对。 Say “pain” or “seeing,” and the handcuffs are fastened; say “no pain” or “not seeing,” and the shackles are fastened. You must be able to free yourself from them. In our ordinary practice, we should free ourselves from phenomenal appearances and not cling to appearances in whatever we do. This does not mean doing nothing. To act while clinging to appearances is to fall to the side of existence; not to act is to fall to the side of nonexistence. Both are wrong.
真如佛性不是死的、不是顽空，它能生种种法相、能起种种妙用。佛性本体不能离开相用，体相用一即三、三即一。所以，见与不见这个问题，在宗下、在教下都非常重要。 The Buddha-nature of suchness is neither dead nor inert emptiness. It can give rise to all kinds of dharma appearances and bring forth all kinds of wondrous functioning. The essence of Buddha-nature cannot be separated from appearance and function; essence, appearance, and function are one yet three, and three yet one. Therefore, the question of seeing and not seeing is extremely important both in the Chan school and in the doctrinal schools.
从前，藕益大师有个弟子在扬州高旻寺打佛七，拼命用功，以期成就念佛三昧。他念佛精进勇猛，一下子西方圣境现前了，阿弥陀佛、观世音菩萨、大势至菩萨、莲池海会圣众……统统现在面前，“阿弥陀佛”四个字金光灿烂。 In the past, one of Master Ouyi’s disciples was undertaking a seven-day Buddha-recitation retreat at Gaomin Monastery in Yangzhou. He practiced with all his might, hoping to attain the Buddha-recitation samādhi. His Buddha-recitation was diligent and vigorous, and suddenly the sacred realm of the Western Pure Land appeared before him: Amitābha Buddha, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, the assembly of sages in the lotus pond and sea, and so forth—all appeared before his eyes. The four characters “Amitābha Buddha” shone with brilliant golden light.
他很高兴，告诉藕益大师：“我向左走一走，阿弥陀佛向左转一下；我向右走一走，阿弥陀佛向右转一下。境界好得不得了。 He was overjoyed and told Master Ouyi: “When I move a little to the left, Amitābha Buddha turns a little to the left; when I move a little to the right, Amitābha Buddha turns a little to the right. The experience is extraordinarily wonderful.”
”藕益大师是一位明眼人，告诫他：“不许着此相！”着相怎么行啊？着相就会着魔，《楞严经》就讲了五十种阴魔。虽然我们念佛生西是要见佛，是要去西方净土修行成佛，但一样不能着相。 Master Ouyi was one with clear insight, and he warned him: “You must not cling to these appearances!” How could one cling to appearances? To do so is to invite demonic obstruction. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra speaks of fifty kinds of skandha demons. Although Buddha-recitation for rebirth in the West aims at seeing the Buddha and going to the Western Pure Land to cultivate Buddhahood, one still must not cling to appearances.
一着相就有所住，因执相之故，就不能证到念佛三昧。念佛三昧是正受，不受一切受，任何境界现前都不动摇。因不受之故，一切妄境不现，就会透过相见到自己的本性，亲证念佛三昧。若住在境上，就被前尘遮蔽了心光。心光不能透脱，就见不到本性了。 Once one clings to appearances, there is abiding. Because of attachment to appearances, one cannot realize the Buddha-recitation samādhi. Buddha-recitation samādhi is correct reception: it receives none of all receptions, and remains unmoved when any experience appears. Because nothing is received, all deluded states fail to appear. One then sees through appearances to one’s own true nature and directly realizes the Buddha-recitation samādhi. If one abides in states, the light of mind is obscured by preceding sense objects. If that light cannot shine through freely, one cannot see one’s true nature.
记得有一次我去随喜一个法会，有位法师在上面讲法，讲诸法空相。墙上挂了一张佛像，佛像头上有光圈。法师指着佛像问：“你们大众还见么？”有人答：“不见。”法师认可。其实他答得并不对。 I recall once attending a Dharma assembly. A Dharma teacher was teaching the emptiness of the marks of all dharmas. A picture of the Buddha hung on the wall, with a halo around the Buddha’s head. Pointing to the image, the teacher asked, “Can all of you still see it?” Someone answered, “No.” The teacher approved of this. But in fact, that answer was not correct.
不见？你的眼睛做什么用？我们修法做功夫难道是闭着眼睛吗？这样做功夫是死的呀！天真佛性玲珑剔透、能生万法，证之便得真实受用，闭着眼睛不见怎么能行？见性实际上是透过事相见到本性，事相都是从自性中流露出来的，不是凭空生出来的。 You cannot see it? What then are your eyes for? When we practice the Dharma, do we cultivate with our eyes closed? Such practice is dead. The natural Buddha-nature is exquisitely lucid and transparent, capable of giving rise to all phenomena. By realizing it, one gains genuine benefit; how could it do to close one’s eyes and not see? Seeing one’s nature actually means seeing one’s true nature through phenomenal appearances. All phenomenal appearances flow forth from intrinsic nature; they do not arise from nowhere.
禅宗说：“隔山见烟便知是火，隔墙见角便知是牛。”譬如我们看见树在摇动，就知道这是风来了。林中画风不写树，那怎么画风啊？同样，当我们看见一切境界的时候，就知道这是佛性的妙用。只要我们不着在境界上，就是随时随地见性，正如《六祖坛经》所说：“见性之人，……抡刀上阵，亦得见之。” The Chan school says: “Seeing smoke beyond a mountain, one knows there is fire; seeing a horn beyond a wall, one knows there is an ox.” For example, when we see trees swaying, we know that the wind has come. If one painted wind in a forest without painting the trees, how could one paint the wind? Likewise, when we see all states, we know that this is the wondrous functioning of Buddha-nature. So long as we do not cling to states, we see our nature at all times and in all places. As the Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch says: “Those who see their nature … can see it even when brandishing a sword on the battlefield.”
所以，见与不见这个问题，在佛教的修行中非常重要。只要我们把这个关键掌握好，把能见所见都摄于一心，这样，修行起来就容易多了。 Thus, the question of seeing and not seeing is extremely important in Buddhist cultivation. So long as we grasp this crucial point and gather both the seer and the seen into one mind, practice becomes much easier.
现在看经文： Now let us look at the sūtra passage:
“阿难。若诸世界一切所有，其中乃至草叶缕结，诘其根元，咸有体性。纵令虚空，亦有名貌。何况清净妙净明心，性一切心，而自无体？” “Ānanda, all that exists in all worlds—even grass leaves and knots of thread—when their origin is investigated, each has its own substance and nature. Even empty space has a name and appearance. How much more, then, can the pure, wondrous, pure, luminous mind—which gives rise to all minds—lack its own substance?”
草是微不足道的，可它能够长出叶子。缕就是丝线，丝线可以编织出种种东西（比如：衣服），最简单的就是打一个结。叶从草生，叶的根源是草，叶有草的体性。结是缕成，结的根源是缕，结有缕的体性。 Grass is insignificant, yet it can grow leaves. A strand is a thread, and threads can be woven into many things, such as clothing; the simplest thing is to tie a knot. A leaf grows from grass: grass is the leaf’s origin, and the leaf possesses the nature of grass. A knot is made from thread: thread is the knot’s origin, and the knot possesses the nature of thread.
佛告诉阿难：所有的世界，乃至世界上所有的东西，哪怕是微不足道的草叶、缕结，若追究它的根源，都有来处，都有体性。任何事相都不是虚无缥缈、都不是没有来由，都是由体生起来的，没有体就没有相。即使是虚空，也有虚空的名字和相貌。虚空尚且如此，那么，能生起一切心的“清净妙净明心”，怎么会没有本体呢？ The Buddha tells Ānanda that all worlds, and indeed everything in them—even insignificant grass leaves and knots of thread—have an origin and an intrinsic nature if one investigates their source. No phenomenal appearance is vague and unreal or without cause; all arise from a substance, for without substance there can be no appearance. Even empty space has the name and appearance of empty space. Since this is so even of empty space, how could the “pure, wondrous, pure, luminous mind,” which gives rise to all minds, lack its own substance?
“性一切心”的“性”字，是指佛性。本来是名词，在这里却作动词用。性一切心，就是从佛性生起种种心。“清净妙净明心”的“心”字，也是指佛性。佛性以“清净”为体，以“妙、净、明”为相，以“性一切心”为用。 In the phrase “nature all minds,” the character xing (性), “nature,” refers to Buddha-nature. It is originally a noun, but here it is used as a verb. “Nature all minds” means that the various minds arise from Buddha-nature. The character xin (心), “mind,” in “pure, wondrous, pure, and luminous mind” also refers to Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature takes “purity” as its essence, “wondrous,” “pure,” and “luminous” as its characteristics, and “nature all minds” as its function.
本体清净，是说佛性根本就不会被污染，并不是用过以后就脏了。如果我们真的不着事相，妙、净、明的心相就会朗然现前，内心充满清净、光明，妙不可言。非语言所能描述，非思维所能揣测。 That its essence is pure means that Buddha-nature can never fundamentally be defiled; it does not become dirty through use. If we truly do not cling to phenomenal appearances, the wondrous, pure, and luminous characteristics of mind will clearly manifest before us. The mind will be filled with purity and light, wondrous beyond words—beyond the description of language and the grasp of thought.
即使是着了事相，也只能遮蔽妙净明之相，而于本体无碍，本体依然是清净的。譬如珍珠埋藏地下，虽然外面包着泥土，显不出珍珠之相，但珍珠本体依然是玲珑剔透的。 Even if one clings to phenomenal appearances, this can only obscure the characteristics of wondrousness, purity, and luminosity; it does not hinder the essence, which remains pure. It is like a pearl buried beneath the ground: although wrapped in earth and unable to display its pearly appearance, its essential nature remains exquisitely lucid and transparent.
六祖大师悟道时说：“何期自性本自清净，何期自性本不生灭，何期自性本自具足，何期自性本无动摇，何期自性能生万法。”自性就是佛性。本自清净，是言佛性之体。本不生灭，是言佛性之妙相。 When the Sixth Patriarch awakened to the Way, he said: “Who would have thought that intrinsic nature is originally pure? Who would have thought that intrinsic nature is originally unborn and undying? Who would have thought that intrinsic nature is originally complete in itself? Who would have thought that intrinsic nature is originally without movement? Who would have thought that intrinsic nature can give rise to all phenomena?” Intrinsic nature is Buddha-nature. “Originally pure” describes the essence of Buddha-nature. “Originally unborn and undying” describes its wondrous characteristic.
眼前所见的任何有相的事物，都是生灭不停的，佛性却是不生不灭的，妙不可言啊！本自具足，是言佛性之明相。无量光、无量寿一体具足、一时具足，明明大千界啊！本无动摇，是言佛性之净相。 All visible things that have form are continuously arising and ceasing, whereas Buddha-nature is unborn and undying—wondrous beyond words. “Originally complete in itself” describes the luminous characteristic of Buddha-nature. Immeasurable Light and Immeasurable Life are complete as one and complete all at once: it is plainly the great thousandfold world-system. “Originally without movement” describes the pure characteristic of Buddha-nature.
清净无染、不变不移、不动不摇。能生万法，即“性一切心”，是言佛性之用。佛性就是妙明真心。日月星辰、山河大地、草木丛林、花鸟鱼虫……乃至草叶缕结，一切事物都是从妙明真心生起的，妙明真心是一切事物的源头。 It is pure and undefiled, unchanging and unmoving. Its ability to give rise to all phenomena—that is, to give rise to all minds—describes the function of Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is the wondrous, luminous true mind. The sun, moon, and stars; mountains, rivers, and the great earth; grasses and forests; flowers, birds, fish, and insects—even grass leaves and knots of thread—all things arise from the wondrous, luminous true mind. The wondrous, luminous true mind is the source of all things.
“物不自物，因心故物。”若无妙明真心，一切事物都不会有的。妙明真心怎么会没有本体呢？我们要想亲证这个本体，就必须放舍一切贪求，不住一切形象，或念佛、或参禅、或修密，渐渐脱离妄想执著，心胸宽阔如同虚空，进而豁然打破这个虚空，就会亲证本体、亲见本来面目，那就是见道了。 “Things are not things in themselves; because of mind, they are things.” Without the wondrous, luminous true mind, no things would exist. How could the wondrous, luminous true mind lack its own substance? To realize this substance directly, we must relinquish all craving and seeking and abide in no appearances. Whether we recite the Buddha’s name, investigate Chan, or practice Esoteric Buddhism, we gradually free ourselves from deluded thoughts and attachments. When the mind becomes as vast as empty space, and then suddenly breaks through even that empty space, we directly realize the substance and directly see the Original Face. This is seeing the Way.
“若汝执吝分别觉观、所了知性，必为心者。此心即应离诸一切色、香、味、触诸尘事业，别有全性。如汝今者，承听我法，此则因声而有分别。” “If you stubbornly maintain that the discriminating awareness and contemplation, and the nature that knows what has been understood, must be the mind, then this mind should, apart from all the sense-object activities of form, smell, taste, touch, and the rest, possess a complete nature of its own. Yet as you now listen to my teaching, discrimination arises because of sound.”
执是执取，吝是吝惜。觉，在这里是指起心动念，面对事物的时候，初念一起，就叫做觉。观，在这里是指思量取舍，琢磨琢磨，考虑考虑。 Zhi means grasping, and lin means clinging to or begrudging. Here, jue refers to the arising of a thought: when one first thought arises upon encountering an object, this is called awareness. Guan here refers to deliberating over acceptance and rejection—pondering and considering.
分别觉观，就是面对事物的时候生起分别心，这事对我好不好呀？若有利于我，盘算怎样得到它；若有害于我，盘算怎样驱除它。这样就算是明明了了地知道这件事了。其实，这样的“所了知性”是妄心，不是真心。 Discriminating awareness and contemplation means giving rise to a discriminating mind when encountering things: “Is this good for me?” If it benefits me, one calculates how to obtain it; if it harms me, one calculates how to get rid of it. In this way, one considers oneself to know the matter clearly. Yet this “nature that knows what has been understood” is the deluded mind, not the true mind.
妄心虚妄不实，只是六尘落谢的影子，没有本体。“心不自心，因物故心。”譬如我们面前摆着一个录音机，我们就生起录音机之见，有了录音机的概念。假如我们根本就没见过、也没听说过录音机，还会有录音机的概念吗？所以妄心是假的，对境而有、离境而无。 The deluded mind is false and unreal; it is merely the shadow left behind by the six sense objects and has no substance. “Mind is not mind in itself; because of things, it is mind.” For example, if a tape recorder is placed before us, the idea of a tape recorder arises in us, and we form the concept of a tape recorder. If we had never seen or even heard of a tape recorder, would we still have such a concept? Therefore, the deluded mind is false: it exists in dependence on objects and does not exist apart from them.
假如你执取这个心是妙明真心，从而去吝惜它、保护它。那么，这个心就应该是：即使离开“色声香味触法”六尘，即使离开所面对的事物，也有完全属于自己的体性（全性）。 Suppose you grasp this mind as the wondrous, luminous true mind, and thus cherish and protect it. Then this mind should possess a nature wholly its own, even apart from the six sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas, and apart from the objects it encounters.
比如你现在听我说法，前面讲到七处征心，你就明白了应该把妄心驱除掉。 For example, you are now listening to me teach the Dharma. Earlier, when we discussed the seven locations of the mind, you understood that the deluded mind should be cast aside.
你是听我说了之后才有了此心，假如我不说法、你不听法，还会有此心吗？此心是因分别声尘而有啊！“分别觉观”这样的“所了知性”，对境而有、离境而无，没有完全属于自己的体性，这是第六识的现行，不是妙明真心，而是妄心。 You have this mind only after hearing me speak. If I did not teach the Dharma and you did not hear the Dharma, would this mind still exist? This mind exists because it discriminates the sense object of sound. The “nature that knows what has been understood” of such “discriminating awareness and contemplation” exists in dependence on objects and does not exist apart from them. It has no nature wholly its own. This is the present activity of the sixth consciousness; it is not the wondrous, luminous true mind, but the deluded mind.
妄心因“分别觉观”而起，遮蔽了真心的光明，使你见不到妙明真心。我们学法修行，就是要把这样的妄想执著之心驱除掉。但这绝不是压念不起、落入断灭。 The deluded mind arises through “discriminating awareness and contemplation,” obscuring the light of the true mind and preventing you from seeing the wondrous, luminous true mind. To study the Dharma and practice is to cast aside this mind of deluded thoughts and attachments. But this certainly does not mean suppressing thoughts so that they do not arise, thereby falling into annihilationism.
请看下面的经文： Please look at the following sūtra passage:
“纵灭一切见闻觉知，内守幽闲，犹为法尘分别影事。”前面讲的是对境生心，着相了，不对！现在讲对境所生之心泯灭了，也不对！ “Even if one extinguishes all seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, and inwardly guards a secluded stillness, this is still an illusory activity—a discriminating shadow of dharmas.” What was discussed earlier was the arising of mind in response to objects, which is attachment to appearances; that is wrong. Now it is said that extinguishing the mind that arises in response to objects is also wrong.
见闻觉知，即见闻嗅尝觉知，是六根——眼耳鼻舌身意的功能。见属眼、闻属耳、嗅属鼻、尝属舌、觉属身、知属意。内守幽闲，幽是幽静，闲是不动。 Seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing means seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and knowing—the functions of the six faculties: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Seeing belongs to the eye, hearing to the ear, smelling to the nose, tasting to the tongue, feeling to the body, and knowing to the mind. To inwardly guard secluded stillness means that secluded is quiet and stillness is unmoving.
打坐修行的人往往有这个毛病：锁闭六根，不见不闻，空空荡荡，平平静静，死守这种心态不动，他就以为这是见到了诸法空相，其实这是偏空。着色相是偏有，泯色相是偏空。妙明真心非有非空。它无相可寻，故说它非有；它能起种种妙用，故说它非空。所以空也着不得、有也着不得。着个空，空还是有，因为有个空在。 Those who sit in meditation and practice often have this fault: they shut off the six faculties, neither seeing nor hearing, and remain blank and tranquil, rigidly guarding this state of mind without moving. They think this is seeing the empty characteristics of all dharmas, but it is actually biased emptiness. Attachment to form is biased existence; extinguishing form is biased emptiness. The wondrous, luminous true mind is neither existent nor empty. It has no characteristics to be found, and so is said to be not existent; it can give rise to all kinds of wondrous functioning, and so is said to be not empty. Thus one must not cling to emptiness or to existence. If one clings to emptiness, emptiness is still existence, because there is an emptiness there.
纵然锁闭六根，泯灭一切见闻觉知，死守空荡悠闲的心境，这还是法尘，还属于分别，还是光影门头的事，不是妙明真心。 Even if one shuts off the six faculties, extinguishes all seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, and rigidly guards a blank and tranquil state of mind, this is still a dharma sense object. It still belongs to discrimination; it is still a matter at the gate of light and shadow, not the wondrous, luminous true mind.
凡夫的习气，执著得厉害，处处着有。那就从有上起修，逐渐进步，把着有的习气了了。不着有的时候，又容易落入无记，无记就是偏空。偏空下去会变成土木金石，这个还是分别影事、法尘上的妄见。这都是毛病。 Ordinary beings have deeply entrenched habitual tendencies and strong attachments; everywhere they cling to existence. Therefore, begin cultivation from existence and gradually progress, eliminating the habit of clinging to existence. Yet when one no longer clings to existence, one easily falls into an indeterminate state; this indeterminate state is biased emptiness. If one continues in biased emptiness, one becomes like earth, wood, metal, or stone. This too is a deluded view based on discriminative images of dharma-objects. These are all faults.
不要着有、不要着空，空就是有、有就是空。本体非有非空、即有即空，能起妙用，能生万法。观世音菩萨讲耳根圆通时说：“……闻所闻尽，尽闻不住，觉所觉空，空觉极圆，空所空灭。……”空也不可得啊。 Do not cling to existence, and do not cling to emptiness. Emptiness is existence, and existence is emptiness. The fundamental essence is neither existent nor empty; it is both existent and empty. It can give rise to wondrous functioning and produce the myriad dharmas. When Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva spoke of perfect penetration through the ear faculty, he said: “...The hearing and what is heard are exhausted; when hearing is exhausted, do not abide in it. Awareness and its object are empty; when the emptiness of awareness reaches perfect fullness, the object of emptiness is extinguished. ...” Even emptiness cannot be obtained.
空也要打破，不打破不行。禅宗讲：虚空粉碎、大地平沉。假如虚空不粉碎，有个空在，滞在心里，光不透脱，还是法尘分别影事。这只是影子，不是真正的主人公。所以不能着有，也不能着空，空有皆不住，一切不可得。 Emptiness too must be shattered; otherwise it will not do. The Chan school says: “Empty space is shattered to dust; the great earth sinks level.” If empty space is not shattered, then there remains an emptiness to which one clings in the mind. The light cannot shine through unobstructedly; it is still a discriminative image of a dharma-object. This is only a shadow, not the true master. Therefore, one must not cling to existence, nor cling to emptiness. Abide in neither emptiness nor existence; nothing whatsoever can be obtained.
“无眼耳鼻舌身意、无色声香味触法……心无挂碍”，不是说对境有心、还是无心。而是活泼泼地，“啪”地一下，前念已断、后念未起，当下是真空实际理地。真空不是断灭，还有个了了分明在啊！这是离念的灵知灵觉，这个知觉没有能知所知，没有能所相对，是绝对的。这才是本命元辰，它的体性就是无相，并不是个什么有相的东西。 “No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables, or dharmas ... the mind has no hindrance” does not mean that one either has a mind or has no mind in response to circumstances. Rather, it is lively and vital: with a “snap,” the preceding thought has ended and the subsequent thought has not yet arisen. At that very moment is the actual ground of true emptiness. True emptiness is not annihilation; there is still clear and distinct knowing. This is the numinous knowing and awareness free from thoughts. This knowing and awareness has neither a knower nor what is known, neither subject nor object; it is absolute. This alone is one’s original destiny. Its essential nature is formless; it is not some thing possessing form.
我们接着看经文： Let us continue with the sutra text:
“我非敕汝执为非心。但汝於心微细揣摩：若离前尘有分别性，即真汝心。若分别性离尘无体，斯则前尘分别影事。尘非常住，若变灭时，此心则同龟毛兔角，则汝法身同於断灭，其谁修证无生法忍？” “I did not command you to regard it as not being the mind. But carefully examine the mind: if, apart from the preceding objects, there remains a discriminating nature, then that is truly your mind. If the discriminating nature has no substance apart from objects, then it is merely a discriminative image of the preceding objects. Objects are not permanent; when they change and perish, this mind would be like turtle hair or rabbit horns. Then your Dharma body would likewise perish utterly. Who, then, would cultivate and realize the patience with the non-arising of dharmas?”
前面刚刚讲到：“分别觉观”不是妙明真心；“内守幽闲”也不是妙明真心。 We have just explained that “discriminating perception and contemplation” are not the wondrous, luminous true mind, and that “inwardly guarding secluded stillness” is likewise not the wondrous, luminous true mind.
佛对阿难说：并不是我有意令你认为这些都不是真心。即使我不告诉你，你也应该自己仔细揣摩一下。揣摩，就是思考思考、研究研究。 The Buddha said to Ānanda: It is not that I deliberately intend to make you regard all these as other than the true mind. Even if I did not tell you, you should carefully examine the matter yourself. To examine means to think it over and investigate it.
你自己细心想想：假如离开前尘，也就是离开眼前的一切色境界或圣境界，你还有分别心在吗？如果离开前尘还能分别，那么分别心就是你的真心了。前面讲过，分别心是妄心，对境而有、离境而无。分别心离开前尘是绝对没有自体的，所以分别心绝不是真心。 Think carefully for yourself: if you were apart from the preceding objects—that is, apart from all the realms of form or sacred realms before your eyes—would a discriminating mind still remain? If you could still discriminate apart from the preceding objects, then the discriminating mind would be your true mind. But as explained earlier, the discriminating mind is the deluded mind: it arises in response to objects and is absent apart from them. The discriminating mind absolutely has no substance apart from the preceding objects. Therefore, it certainly is not the true mind.
佛继续启发阿难：如果分别心离开前尘便无自体，那它就是前尘分别影事，是“色声香味触法”一切境界的影子，而不是妙明真心，而不是法身，不能依之修证无生法忍。 The Buddha continued to guide Ānanda: if the discriminating mind has no substance apart from the preceding objects, then it is a discriminative image of those objects—a shadow of all realms of “forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables, and dharmas.” It is not the wondrous, luminous true mind; it is not the Dharma body; and one cannot rely on it to cultivate and realize the patience with the non-arising of dharmas.
为什么呢？因为前尘并不常在，前尘是变迁不定的，所谓“沧海桑田”，一直在变来变去。在前尘变灭的时候，分别心就像龟毛兔角一样，也就随之没有了。 Why? Because the preceding objects do not remain constant; they are ever changing and unstable—what is called “the blue sea turning into mulberry fields.” They are continually changing. When the preceding objects change and perish, the discriminating mind is like turtle hair or rabbit horns: it too ceases to exist along with them.
龟没有毛，兔没有角，龟毛兔角是比喻根本没有、并不存在、没有自体。如果分别心是真心、是法身的话，当这样的“法身”随着前尘一起断灭的时候，谁来修证无生法忍啊？忍有认可之意，无生法忍就是认可法身不生不灭，即亲证妙明真心，也称见性，也称开悟，又叫阿鞞跋致。 Turtles have no hair, and rabbits have no horns. “Turtle hair and rabbit horns” is a metaphor for that which fundamentally does not exist, has no actual existence, and has no substance. If the discriminating mind were the true mind and the Dharma body, then when such a “Dharma body” perished together with the preceding objects, who would cultivate and realize the patience with the non-arising of dharmas? Patience here has the sense of acceptance. The patience with the non-arising of dharmas is acceptance that the Dharma body neither arises nor ceases; that is, directly realizing the wondrous, luminous true mind. It is also called seeing one’s true nature, awakening, and avaivartika.
僧问大随禅师：“劫火洞然，大千俱坏，未审这个坏不坏？”这个，是指妙明真心，也就是佛性。佛性不生不灭，怎么会坏？若错认分别心为佛性，那就坏了。 A monk asked Chan Master Dasui, “When the kalpa fire blazes and the great thousandfold world is destroyed, I wonder whether this is destroyed or not?” “This” refers to the wondrous, luminous true mind—that is, buddha-nature. Buddha-nature neither arises nor ceases; how could it be destroyed? But if one mistakenly takes the discriminating mind for buddha-nature, then it is destroyed.
大随禅师只用一个字作答：“坏！”大随禅师怎么知道他是错认分别心为佛性呢？从这僧所问的话就可以看出来。其实，劫火是假，大千非真。将佛性与劫火、大千联系起来，劫火、大千就是前尘。这样的“佛性”分明是前尘分别影事，而不是妙明真心，所以大随禅师答他：“坏！” Chan Master Dasui replied with only one word: “Destroyed!” How did Chan Master Dasui know that the monk had mistaken the discriminating mind for buddha-nature? It can be seen from the monk’s question. In truth, the kalpa fire is provisional, and the great thousandfold world is not real. To connect buddha-nature with the kalpa fire and the great thousandfold world is to make that fire and world into preceding objects. Such “buddha-nature” is plainly a discriminative image of preceding objects, not the wondrous, luminous true mind. Therefore, Chan Master Dasui answered him, “Destroyed!”
我们说的是妄心本无，不是说没有真心，真心是有的。前面讲过，连草叶缕结都有体性，何况真心！真心即法身。如果法身没有了，那么报身、化身也就都没有了。这岂不是落空了么？这岂不是断灭了么？ When we say that the deluded mind is originally nonexistent, we do not mean that there is no true mind. The true mind does exist. As explained earlier, even blades of grass and tangled fibers have their essential nature; how much more so the true mind! The true mind is the Dharma body. If the Dharma body did not exist, then the reward body and manifestation body would not exist either. Would that not fall into emptiness? Would that not be annihilation?
“即时，阿难与诸大众默然自失。” “At that moment, Ānanda and the entire assembly sat silently, at a loss.”
这时，阿难和诸大众的妄心都起不来了。大家好像失掉了自我，讲不出话，无法申辩，这就是默然自失。至此释迦佛把大众的妄心都破光了，能与释迦佛辩论的还有什么心呢？穷遍思维再也找不出来了。 At this point, Ānanda and the entire assembly could no longer bring forth their deluded minds. Everyone seemed to have lost themselves; they could not speak or offer any defense. This is what is meant by sitting silently, at a loss. By this point, Śākyamuni Buddha had thoroughly shattered the deluded minds of the assembly. What mind remained with which they could debate Śākyamuni Buddha? Search exhaustively through all thought as they might, they could no longer find one.
大家默然自失，开不得口，动不得念，言语道断，心行处灭，当下妄想空净，一念不生，了了分明，刹那间省悟了。哦！以前执虚为实、认假作真，原来以前都错了。 The entire assembly sat silently and at a loss. They could neither open their mouths nor stir a thought. The path of words was cut off, and the sphere of mental activity was extinguished. In that very moment, deluded thoughts became empty and clear; not a single thought arose, yet there was clear and distinct knowing. In an instant, they awakened: “Oh! Formerly, we clung to the empty as real and took the false for true. It turns out that we had all been wrong before.”
雪窦禅师说：“二十年来曾苦辛，为君几下苍龙窟。屈！堪述！明眼衲僧莫轻忽。”这里的“君”，是指佛性。为了寻找佛性，为了见性，雪窦禅师二十年来吃了多少辛苦啊！就像几下苍龙窟一样，九死一生。屈──原来以前都错了！堪述──是为了启发后学：明眼的衲僧千万不可轻视这个、千万不可忽略这个啊！ Chan Master Xuedou said: “For twenty years I have endured hardship, descending again and again into the lair of the blue dragon. What a shame! It bears telling! Clear-eyed patch-robed monks, do not take this lightly.” Here, “you” refers to buddha-nature. In seeking buddha-nature and seeing his true nature, how much hardship Chan Master Xuedou endured over twenty years! It was like repeatedly descending into the lair of the blue dragon, surviving nine deaths for each life. “What a shame”—it turns out that everything before had been mistaken! “It bears telling”—this is to inspire later students: clear-eyed patch-robed monks must never take this lightly or overlook it.
“佛告阿难：世间一切诸修学人，现前虽成九次第定，不得漏尽成阿罗汉，皆由执此生死妄想，误为真实。是故汝今虽得多闻，不成圣果。” “The Buddha told Ānanda: Although all practitioners in the world may now accomplish the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, they cannot exhaust the outflows and become arhats. This is entirely because they cling to these deluded thoughts of birth and death, mistaking them for what is real. Therefore, although you have now attained extensive learning, you have not attained the fruit of a sage.”
次第就是顺序。九次第定就是九种禅定：四禅、四无色、灭受想。从低到高，按顺序从一种定进入另一种定。 Successive stages means sequence. The nine successive stages of meditative absorption are nine kinds of dhyāna: the four dhyānas, the four formless absorptions, and the cessation of feeling and perception. From lower to higher, one enters another absorption in sequence.
四禅：初禅、二禅、三禅、四禅；四无色：空无边、识无边、无所有、非想非非想；灭受想定又称灭尽定，把“色受想行识”五蕴里的“受”和“想”灭掉。一接触外境，这是什么呀？就领受了。 The four dhyānas are the first, second, third, and fourth dhyānas. The four formless absorptions are the boundlessness of space, the boundlessness of consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception. The absorption of cessation of feeling and perception is also called the absorption of cessation. It eliminates “feeling” and “perception” among the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Upon coming into contact with an external object, one apprehends it: “What is this?”
蕴是蕴藏、蕴积的意思，领受得多了蕴藏起来，就是受蕴。领受以后就想：哪个对我有利，哪个对我有害，有利的怎样得到它，有害的怎样消灭它……这许许多多的想法蕴积起来，就是想蕴。 The word aggregate means storing and accumulating. When one receives many impressions and stores them up, this is the aggregate of feeling. After receiving an impression, one thinks: Which things benefit me? Which things harm me? How can I obtain what benefits me? How can I eliminate what harms me? When these many thoughts are accumulated, this is the aggregate of perception.
打坐做功夫，先粗住，再细住，然后是欲界定、未到定，未到定就是还没有到初禅。继续打坐做功夫，生起八触十功德，就到了初禅。然后从初禅经过二禅、三禅、四禅，进入四无色定。经过空无边、识无边、无所有，到了非想非非想定，还有一丝想蕴未灭。最后把受蕴和想蕴全都灭尽，就是灭受想定了。 In seated meditation and practice, one first attains coarse abiding, then subtle abiding, followed by concentration of the desire realm and access concentration. Access concentration means that one has not yet reached the first dhyāna. Continuing to meditate and practice, the eight contacts and ten virtues arise, and one reaches the first dhyāna. Then, from the first dhyāna, one passes through the second, third, and fourth dhyānas and enters the four formless absorptions. Passing through boundlessness of space, boundlessness of consciousness, and nothingness, one reaches the absorption of neither perception nor non-perception, where a trace of the aggregate of perception remains unextinguished. Finally, when the aggregates of feeling and perception are entirely extinguished, one reaches the absorption of cessation of feeling and perception.
漏就是烦恼，烦恼就是贪、瞋、痴、慢、疑、恶见。恶见就是身见、边见、见取见、戒禁取见、邪见等，这些见解称为“见惑”，贪、瞋、痴、慢、疑等心态称为“思惑”，这是粗分——粗粗地分类。 Outflows are afflictions. Afflictions are greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and wrong views. Wrong views include the view of the body, extreme views, attachment to views, attachment to precepts and prohibitions, and deviant views. Such views are called “afflictions of views,” while mental attitudes such as greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt are called “afflictions of thought.” This is a broad classification.
若是细分那就名相太多了：俱舍宗分见惑为八十八品，唯识宗分见惑为一百二十品；思惑呢？思惑可分为九地八十一品。这些名相很繁杂，对于先断哪个、后断哪个在教界还有争论，在这里我们就不细讲了。 In a detailed classification, there are far too many technical categories. The Abhidharma school divides the afflictions of views into eighty-eight classes, while the Consciousness-Only school divides them into one hundred and twenty classes. As for the afflictions of thought, they may be divided into eighty-one classes across the nine grounds. These categories are highly complex, and there are still disputes within Buddhist doctrinal circles as to which should be eliminated first and which afterward. We will not discuss them in detail here.
总之，见惑和思惑都属有漏，把见惑和思惑这二惑都断尽了就是漏尽。不得漏尽就是没有断尽二惑，那就不能证成阿罗汉果。为什么不能成阿罗汉呢？因为在修法的时候不是用真心来修的。 In brief, both the afflictions of views and the afflictions of thought belong to the outflows. When these two kinds of affliction are entirely eliminated, the outflows are exhausted. Not exhausting the outflows means not having fully eliminated these two kinds of affliction; then one cannot realize the fruit of arhatship. Why can one not become an arhat? Because, in practicing the Dharma, one does not use the true mind to practice.
真心就是“大佛顶如来密因”，就是妙明真心、就是佛性啊！它是不生不灭、不来不去、不动不摇的。不用真心修法，而用对境生起的妄心来修，就比如煮沙成饭，无有是处。虽然能修成功九次第定，但还是不得漏尽成阿罗汉。 The true mind is the “secret cause of the Tathāgata’s great Buddha-crown”; it is the wondrous, luminous true mind, buddha-nature itself. It neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, neither moves nor wavers. To practice the Dharma without using the true mind, but instead using the deluded mind that arises in response to objects, is like cooking sand in hopes of making rice: it is impossible. Although one may succeed in cultivating the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, one still cannot exhaust the outflows and become an arhat.
生死妄想，就是有生有灭的妄想。 Deluded thoughts of birth and death are deluded thoughts that arise and cease.
佛告诉阿难：现在世间一切修法、学法的人，纵然能修成九次第定，也不能断除见思二惑、证阿罗汉果。为什么呢？因为他们执著有生有灭的妄心，误认为妄心就是真心。所以你如今虽然号称多闻第一，但你不用真心修行，还是不得漏尽成阿罗汉，还是没有证成圣果。 The Buddha told Ānanda: Although all those in the world who practice and study the Dharma may cultivate the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, they cannot eliminate the two afflictions of views and thought or realize the fruit of arhatship. Why? Because they cling to the deluded mind that arises and ceases, mistaking it for the true mind. Therefore, although you are now known as foremost in extensive learning, because you do not practice with the true mind, you still cannot exhaust the outflows and become an arhat; you still have not realized the fruit of a sage.
石霜庆诸禅师圆寂后，大众欲请首座继续主持法席。石霜禅师的侍者（九峰道虔禅师）对大众说：“须明得先师意，始可。 After Chan Master Shishuang Qingzhu had entered parinirvāṇa, the assembly wished to invite the head seat to continue presiding over the Dharma seat. Shishuang’s attendant, Chan Master Jiufeng Daoqian, said to the assembly: “One must first understand the former master’s intent before this is possible.”
”首座不服，反问：“先师有什么意？”九峰说：“先师道：‘休去，歇去，冷湫湫地去，一念万年去，寒灰枯木去，古庙香炉去，一条白练去。’其余则不问，如何是‘一条白练去’？”首座答：“这个只是明一色边事。 The head seat was unconvinced and asked in return, “What intent did the former master have?” Jiufeng said: “The former master said: ‘Go on resting, go on resting; go on cold and desolate; go on with one thought lasting ten thousand years; go on like cold ashes and withered wood; go on like an incense burner in an ancient temple; go on like a strip of white silk.’ I will not ask about the rest. What does it mean to ‘go on like a strip of white silk’?” The head seat replied, “This merely illuminates the matter on the side of uniformity.”
”九峰不肯他：“原来未会先师意在！”首座一听，恼了：“你不肯我那？但装香来！香烟断处，若去不得，即不会先师意！”侍者马上点上香，香还没有燃完，首座就已经坐脱了。 Jiufeng did not acknowledge him, saying, “So you had not understood the late master’s intent!” When the chief-seat monk heard this, he became angry. “You do not acknowledge me? Then bring incense! If I cannot depart when the incense has burned out, then I have not understood the late master’s intent!” The attendant immediately lit the incense. Before it had finished burning, the chief-seat monk had already passed away while seated.
九峰抚摸着首座的背说：“坐脱立亡即不无，先师意未梦见在！”诸位在这个地方注意了，如果修成九次第定，能入灭尽定，就可以坐脱立亡了，但那是真成道么？不一定啊！要明见真心才算数。禅宗有言：舍利十斛，不如转语一句。若不明见真心，任你坐脱立亡、舍利无数，也只是一色边事。 Jiufeng stroked the chief-seat monk’s back and said, “To pass away seated or die standing is not impossible for you, but you have not even dreamed of the late master’s intent!” Everyone, take note here: if one cultivates the nine successive stages of meditative absorption and can enter the cessation of feeling and perception, one can indeed pass away seated or die standing. But does that mean one has truly realized the Way? Not necessarily. Only clearly seeing the true mind counts. The Chan school says: “Ten hu of relics are not worth a single turning word.” If one has not clearly seen the true mind, then no matter how one may pass away seated or die standing, or how countless one’s relics may be, these are merely matters of one side.
有人提出问题来了：九次第定修到最后，灭受想定也修成了。修成灭受想定，不受一切受，思想也没有了。这就是说，思惑已经断尽了。思惑已断的人，分段生死就应该了了。为啥经文上说，九次第定修成以后，也不得漏尽阿罗汉果呢？ Someone raises a question: if one cultivates the nine successive stages of meditative absorption to the end and also accomplishes the cessation of feeling and perception, then one no longer undergoes any feelings, and thoughts too are gone. Does this not mean that the delusions of thought have already been completely cut off? Once the delusions of thought are cut off, segmented birth and death should be finished. Why, then, do the scriptures say that even after accomplishing the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, one cannot attain the fruition of an arhat whose outflows are exhausted?
这个问题问得很好。现在从两方面答一下： This is an excellent question. Let us answer it from two perspectives.
第一、注释《楞严经》的人很多。有些人讲，修九次第定，到成就的时候，三界九地的思惑都已经断尽了。 First, there are many commentators on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Some say that, when one cultivates the nine successive stages of meditative absorption to accomplishment, the delusions of thought in the nine grounds of the three realms have all already been cut off.
我们上次讲过，三界就是欲界、色界、无色界。九地就是欲界里的五趣杂居地，色界里的四禅：离生喜乐地、定生喜乐地、离喜妙乐地、舍念清净地；无色界里的四空：空无边处地、识无边处地、无所有处地、非想非非想处地。这九地里，每一地都有上中下三类思惑，每一类又可细分为上中下三品。如此，每一地都有九品思惑。 As we explained last time, the three realms are the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm. The nine grounds are the ground of the mixed dwelling of the five destinies in the desire realm; the four dhyānas in the form realm—the ground of joy and bliss born of separation, the ground of joy and bliss born of meditative stability, the ground of wondrous bliss free from joy, and the ground of purity through equanimity and mindfulness; and the four formless attainments in the formless realm—the ground of boundless space, the ground of boundless consciousness, the ground of nothingness, and the ground of neither perception nor non-perception. In each of these nine grounds, there are three classes of delusions of thought—superior, middling, and inferior—and each class can in turn be subdivided into superior, middling, and inferior grades. Thus, each ground has nine grades of delusions of thought.
他说的修成灭受想定能断尽思惑，就是指这九地八十一品思惑都断尽了。那么见惑呢？他说是没破。因为见惑没破，知见不正，就会认假当真，遇境还会沉沦。见惑不破，就不得无生智。见惑破了之后，才能得无生智。见惑、思惑都破了，才能证得阿罗汉果。见惑还没破，无生智不得，所以不能够证到漏尽阿罗汉果。 When he says that accomplishing the cessation of feeling and perception can cut off all delusions of thought, he means that all eighty-one grades of delusions of thought in these nine grounds have been cut off. But what about delusions of view? He says they have not been overcome. Because delusions of view have not been overcome, one’s views and understanding are incorrect; one mistakes the false for the real and may still sink into delusion when encountering circumstances. If delusions of view are not overcome, one cannot attain the wisdom of the unborn. Only after delusions of view have been overcome can one attain the wisdom of the unborn. Only when both delusions of view and delusions of thought have been overcome can one realize the fruition of arhatship. Since delusions of view have not yet been overcome, the wisdom of the unborn is not attained; therefore, one cannot realize the fruition of an arhat whose outflows are exhausted.
第二、如果修行人不晓得不生不灭的真心，在那里执著生死妄想，像阿难一样，误以妄心为真实，就会认假迷真，这就是见惑，是知见不正。见惑如果不破，前尘是不会丢完的。 Second, if practitioners do not understand the true mind that neither arises nor ceases, but cling to deluded thoughts of birth and death, like Ānanda mistakenly taking the deluded mind to be real, they will mistake the false and lose sight of the true. This is delusion of view—incorrect views and understanding. If delusions of view are not overcome, the objects before one will not be entirely cast off.
我们面前讲的色、声、香、味、触，这种种的尘境，他挥不开、丢不完。前尘既在，思惑哪能说破尽呢？他沉空守寂，不对境，好像没事。一旦对境的时候，他就生心了。心生的时候，种种欲望就来了。 The forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile objects before us—these various objects of the senses—cannot be shaken off or completely discarded by such a person. If these former objects remain, how can one say that the delusions of thought have been entirely overcome? He sinks into emptiness and guards quiescence, without encountering circumstances, so it seems as though nothing is happening. But once he encounters circumstances, the mind stirs. When the mind stirs, all kinds of desires arise.
这样看来，思惑并不是破尽了。见惑是迷于理，就是道理上不明白；而思惑是迷于事，事情当前的时候，心就发昏了。理既不明，思想怎能全清爽呢？道理都没弄明白，遇到事情，心能不动吗？所以说，虽然能够修成九次第定，也不得漏尽阿罗汉果。 Seen in this light, the delusions of thought have not in fact been completely overcome. Delusions of view are confusion regarding principle: one does not understand the principles involved. Delusions of thought are confusion regarding phenomena: when affairs confront one, the mind becomes muddled. If principle is not understood, how can one’s thoughts be wholly clear? If one has not even understood the principles, can the mind remain unmoved when encountering matters? Therefore, even though one may accomplish the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, one cannot attain the fruition of an arhat whose outflows are exhausted.
相宗里有的人说，修行应该先破见惑，后破思惑。因为见惑是分别所生，分别所知障叫见惑。而俱生所知障与烦恼障是思惑。俱生，就是于无始以来就有的。一定先破分别的，后破俱生的。一定是先破见惑，后破思惑。 Some people in the Dharma Characteristics School say that cultivation should first overcome delusions of view and only afterward delusions of thought. Delusions of view arise from discrimination; the cognitive hindrances produced by discrimination are called delusions of view. The innate cognitive hindrances and afflictive hindrances are delusions of thought. “Innate” means that they have existed since beginningless time. One must certainly first overcome the discriminative ones and afterward the innate ones. One must first overcome delusions of view and afterward delusions of thought.
不可以说先破思惑，后破见惑。由此可见，修成九次第定，而不证阿罗汉果，讲得不对，连《楞严经》经都是伪造的了。其实他的解释是没有道理的。 One cannot say that delusions of thought are overcome first and delusions of view afterward. From this, it would seem that the claim that one can accomplish the nine successive stages of meditative absorption without realizing arhatship is incorrect, and that even the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is a forgery. In fact, however, this explanation is unreasonable.
细细思量，假如九次第定修成功了，灭受想定是否真能破思惑？我想并没有破。为什么呢？他是伏的，把思惑伏到里面了。因为他在修定的时候，不是用真心修，是用妄心修的。克制妄心，压念头不起。 On careful reflection, if one succeeds in cultivating the nine successive stages of meditative absorption, can the cessation of feeling and perception truly overcome the delusions of thought? I think it cannot. Why? It merely suppresses them, pressing the delusions of thought down within. This is because, in cultivating meditative stability, one does not cultivate with the true mind but with the deluded mind, restraining the deluded mind and suppressing thoughts so that they do not arise.
如同把石头压在草上，叫草不要生起来，这并不是从根本上解决问题。草压在石头下，等拿掉石头，草又生出来了。灭受想定修成之后，所得的定是有劫数的，劫数过了之后，他出定了，反而要来个大翻动，妄动的习气比从前更厉害十倍。 It is like placing a stone on grass to keep it from growing. This does not solve the problem at its root. When the grass is pressed beneath the stone, it grows again as soon as the stone is removed. Once the cessation of feeling and perception has been accomplished, the meditative stability attained has a limited duration measured in kalpas. After that period has passed and one emerges from meditative absorption, there will instead be a great upheaval: the habitual tendency toward deluded movement will be ten times stronger than before.
玄奘法师到印度取经的时候，就看到一位法师在山里等释迦佛降生说法。这法师在释迦佛降生之前，就住在山上啦。玄奘法师是修道人，在路过这座山时，看出这个山上有紫气，知道山里有修道人，于是让大家去寻找。 When Master Xuanzang went to India to obtain the scriptures, he saw a Dharma master in the mountains who was waiting for Śākyamuni Buddha to be born and teach the Dharma. This Dharma master had already been living on the mountain before Śākyamuni Buddha was born. As Master Xuanzang, himself a cultivator of the Way, passed by this mountain, he saw purple qi above it and knew that there was a cultivator in the mountain. He therefore had everyone search for him.
因年代太久，洞口已没了，碎石、树木倒塌，封住了洞口。好不容易挖开洞口，见里面有一个人坐着。玄奘法师的弟子说：哎呀！死了吧。玄奘法师说：不是的，他是修灭尽定。便拿磬在他耳边敲，使其出定。 Because so much time had passed, the entrance to the cave had disappeared. Fallen rocks and trees had blocked it. After great difficulty, they dug open the cave entrance and saw a man sitting inside. Master Xuanzang’s disciples said, “Oh no! He must be dead.” Master Xuanzang said, “No. He is cultivating the cessation of feeling and perception.” He then struck a chime beside the man’s ear to bring him out of meditative absorption.
出定之后，他看见玄奘法师身穿袈裟，以为是释迦佛来给他传法了。玄奘法师告诉他，释迦佛已经圆寂了。他听后痛哭流涕，觉得错过了机会，空等了一场。 After emerging from meditative absorption, the man saw Master Xuanzang wearing monastic robes and thought that Śākyamuni Buddha had come to transmit the Dharma to him. Master Xuanzang told him that Śākyamuni Buddha had already entered parinirvāṇa. On hearing this, he wept bitterly, feeling that he had missed his opportunity and had waited in vain.
玄奘法师告诉他：“你不要哭，震旦正在兴起大乘佛教，你可到那边去投生。你这个身体这么多年下来，皮肤骨骼都不行了，不能用了，再去投生，换个新的吧。你要到高楼大厦、琉璃瓦、黄墙头的地方去投生。 Master Xuanzang told him, “Do not weep. Mahāyāna Buddhism is now flourishing in China, and you may go there to be reborn. After all these years, the skin and bones of this body have deteriorated; it can no longer be used. Go and be reborn again, and exchange it for a new one. You should be reborn in a place of lofty buildings, glazed roof tiles, and yellow walls.”
”那位法师就圆寂了。投生后，就是后来的三车和尚。为啥叫三车和尚呢？这个人投生在尉迟恭家里。投生后，习气大的不得了，原来修灭受想定压下去了杀、盗、淫，现在呢？是大杀、大盗、大淫。 The Dharma master then passed away. After being reborn, he became the later Three-Cart Monk. Why was he called the Three-Cart Monk? He was reborn into the household of Yuchi Gong. After his rebirth, his habitual tendencies were exceedingly strong. In his former cultivation of the cessation of feeling and perception, he had suppressed killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. But now he engaged in great killing, great theft, and great sexual misconduct.
这样，他就闯了大祸，被打入太庙，要杀头了。按照唐朝法律，犯了死罪，出家做和尚可以免死。家人没办法，只好让他出家做和尚，不然要杀头的。三车和尚说：“我出家要带女人走。 As a result, he caused a great disaster and was thrown into the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where he was to be beheaded. According to Tang dynasty law, one who had committed a capital crime could avoid execution by leaving the household life and becoming a monk. His family had no alternative but to have him become a monk; otherwise, he would have been beheaded. The Three-Cart Monk said, “If I leave the household life, I want to take women with me.”
”问带多少？三车和尚说要装三车（三车和尚的雅号就是这样来的）。你看看，这还得了！所以说修灭受想定，思惑是断不了的。一旦泛起来，更是大得不得了。只好说“相似断”，好像断了，实际是包在里面。 When asked how many he wanted to take, the Three-Cart Monk said that he wanted enough to fill three carts—hence his sobriquet, the Three-Cart Monk. Just look at this—is it not outrageous? Thus, cultivating the cessation of feeling and perception cannot cut off the delusions of thought. Once they surge forth, they become all the more immense. At most, this can be called a “semblance of cessation”: they seem to have been cut off, but are actually wrapped up within.
见惑迷理，迷于道理，知见不正。思惑迷事，遇到事情就泛起来了，思惑顶难破。因此我们说，有人修九次第定，定是有，但却是克制的，因其没有真正的无生智，所以不究竟。不究竟就不能得漏尽阿罗汉果。 Delusions of view are confusion about principle: one is confused about the principles and has incorrect views and understanding. Delusions of thought are confusion about phenomena: when events arise, they surge forth. Delusions of thought are most difficult to overcome. Therefore, we say that some people may cultivate the nine successive stages of meditative absorption and indeed attain meditative stability, but it is merely forced restraint. Because they have not truly attained the wisdom of the unborn, it is not ultimate. Since it is not ultimate, they cannot attain the fruition of an arhat whose outflows are exhausted.
这个理答复完了，如果还有疑问，等到以后有机会我们再讨论。 This explanation is now complete. If there are still questions, we can discuss them another time when the opportunity arises.
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