佛法的思向 20 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 20

「過去」、「現在」、「未來」佛家首重「現在」，然只有證果的聖者，始能活在當下，眾生皆活在「過去」的情感與「未來」的夢想裏。

"Past", "Now", "Future". Buddhists focus on "Now", but only the saints who have reached enlightenment can live in "This Instant." Everyone else lives in the emotions of the "Past" and the dream of the "Future."

這個「果」不好，不要埋怨，那一定是自己以前行為的結晶，
自己想要脫離現在的遭遇，必得另起爐灶，
也就是另外造一個因，譬如說自己想有錢，
自己必須努力工作，自己想有智慧，
必得努力於自我的心靈提昇。
真能如是，那大概每個人的生命形態就改觀了。

You shouldn't complain that the "Karmic Result" is bad. It is the consequence of your own actions in the past. If you want to escape from your situation, you need to set out to create a new "Yin" (Cause). For example, if you want to have money, you need to work harder. If you want to be wise, you need to work on elevating your heart and mind. If everyone can do that, then I think everyone's life can be changed.

如果自己想重新復活。有一點「那就是不能有罪惡感」，
所有宗教都說自己生下來就有罪，可是佛陀就不這麼說，
佛陀說，因為自己有了「無明大夢」，
所以自己給自己搞得團團轉，還不知道說自己為什麼要這樣？

If you want to be reborn, then you must not have a sense of sin. All religions said that people are born with sins except for Buddha. Buddha said, we are all dreaming a "dream of ignorance." Because of this dream, we are confusing ourselves, and unable to figure out reasons of our actions.

在這種因素下，纏縛自己的東西（業障）怎麼可能消失呢？
現在就只講「怎麼樣清明？」讓自己從那個無明大夢跳脫，
而不是繞著罪業團團轉，那只是在泥沼裏滾來滾去，沒有用的。

In this condition, how can "bad karma" disappear? Right now, we should talk about how to wake up from this dream, and not run around worrying about sins and "bad karma". It will only make us roll around in mud, totally useless.

好比說自己欠債了，只能講還錢，
那方法一定是自己賺更多的錢，
而不是一直哭訴說「我欠了人家多少錢」我想以信仰來說，
這一種說法，是一種解脫，也是一種力量，
一種真真實實的生命。

For example, if you owe any debt, you should consider repayment. The method for repayment is obvious, make more money, and not to cry about it. From the perspective of faith, idea of repayment is a kind of release; it also can be a force, a real life.

這種感覺就是你的遭遇讓你在角落哭泣的時候，
有一個人扶你起來自立更生，是應該擦乾眼淚往前走的。
（比如說，你的遭遇讓自己痛苦、不愉快，不甘心是沒有用的，
只能說，自己怎麼樣全力的排開它）。

It is a feeling that when you are crying in a corner, someone is lifting you up and wiping away your tears so you can move forward. (For example, if your situation is painful. Any unhappiness and nonacceptance is useless. You should figure out how to get rid of the situation.)

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不需要神秘經驗的修行 3 There is no Need for Practice with Mystical Experiences 3

大腦在有條理的訓練後，會進入一種還沒訓練前，雜亂想時無法體會的世界，就是入定的感覺，這種感覺隨個人用功程度不同，產生定的能量也不同，

After systematically training your brain, it will be able to enter into a world that an untrained brain cannot understand. This is the state of samadhi. The state of samadhi differs according to the practitioner's level and training.

一般的情形是，到山區尤其是深山，也較容易修練定的練習，原因在於山區的能量，本來就比較安靜、簡單、提供你的資訊少，大腦就算要胡思亂想，也沒有大量可以吸收的來源，再加上自己用功於腦力的集中，要練習入定是較占優勢的，這可用來解釋， 為什麼密宗在西藏，可以在黑洞閉關，一進去竟然能長達一、二、十年之久。

Normally, it is easier to practice samadhi in the mountains, especially those in the very remote area. Because there are less energy in mountain; it is already quiet and simple, so the environment itself feeds less information to your brain. Even if your brain wants to have distracting thoughts, there are not a lot of information that it can absorb. Plus, if a practitioner is putting efforts in focusing his brain, it is easier to enter into a state of samadhi. This can explain why practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism can stay in a cave for 10 to 20 years.

再有科學家對這一點應該非常有興趣，那就是時空感的不同，第1篇有提過入定的時間感覺不一樣，修行者處於入定狀態時，跟一般人的時空感，大大不同，他的幾分鐘可能是一般人的幾小時，甚至是幾天! 這種明明是一樣的肉體 ，卻處於不同空間，那種感覺只有修行者自己明瞭，經過這樣的解釋，神祕感應該消失了，就算無法修習入定，也應該明白是怎麼一回事，

Further, there is something might be of interest to scientists. In the state of samadhi, the practitioner's concept of space and time is different than those of people not in samadhi. His few minutes could be our few hours, even few days! This feeling, of a same body in a different space, can only be understood by the practitioner. After this explanation, you should no have any sense of mystery surrounding samadhi. Even if you cannot do it yourself, you will at least know what this mean.

人們很習慣對自己沒經歷過的事，就輕鬆否認，別人的經驗不一定都是自己可以理解的，宇宙內存在的時間，空間問題，還蘊藏無數沒有解答的層面，那是有心人會去努力的。

People are used to deny ideas that they have not experienced themselves. You cannot always understand other people's experiences. There are still many unanswered questions about space and time in the universe, but people who are interested will take time to figure them out.

半寄 Master Ban Ji


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不需要神秘經驗的修行 2 There is no Need for Practice with Mystical Experiences 2

要由這些雜亂的思緒中，一步步走向專一過程的訓練，用意志來建立腦的獨立性，是一環必要的程序，跟訓練身體一樣，腦不訓練過無法聽指揮，不是你要求它不要亂想，它就會幫你辦到，而唸佛號更只是佔腦部一小撮的量，想要把這一點力量放大，甚至是變得有力氣，中間所必要穿越過的困難，應該是可以想像的。

If you want to move toward a fully focused state of mind, you will need to use willpower to establish your brain's independence. This is the same as training your body. A brain that has not been trained will not listen to your commands. It doesn't have to do what you want. Furthermore, thoughts of Amitabha Buddha will only occupy a small part of your brain. If you want to increase it so that it occupies all of your brain, even become powerful, the difficulties that you needs to overcome are substantial.

人們往往跳躍過最困難的階段，直接去看成功的點，如果是事業上的成功，雖然自己不曾體會過，也可以用眼睛看見，用比例、比較的現實方式知道，但修行的體會，只有當事者清楚，外人看不懂，也無法從其他管道清楚， 所以很容易導致神秘的想像，假使你有時間，也採取對的方法訓練自己，一心不亂是可以期待的。

People usually ignore the difficult processes to look at the result of the success. If it's the success of a business, even if you have never started a business yourself, you can see and read other people's experiences and understand the difficulties. But the empirical experiences of a practitioner is hard for outsiders to comprehend. It is also difficult to read or gather information about it, causing many people to have an mystical idea of Practice. If you have time, and the correct method, it is possible to achieve the state of "fully focused willpower."

佛教有著非常多的修法，每個方法都不一樣，但要說是神秘的，其實不然，我相信宗教產生的內容依然可以解釋它，包含跨世界性的一切信仰，從用修練法去完成的，到不用修法，只談信仰的宗教，就那個國家、文化背景、歷史演變、人文衝擊，一樣樣的檢視，大都可以明白，這個國家為什麼有這些信仰。

Buddhism has many methods for Practices. Every methods are different. But they are not mystical nor mysterious. I believe that all religions, their beliefs and methods, can all be explained. Some of them require Practices, some only require faith. But if we investigate and study a country, its cultural background, historical changes, and the clashes of humanities, we will be able to understand why this country has a particular belief system.

用修練法的，只要累績很多修道者的經驗，就可從中窺知一、二、用神秘的眼光，不如就近清楚了解，是最好的方法。

From the experiences of many practitioners, you can get a glimpse of their Practices. Instead of looking at Practice with mystery, it is better to get close and personal, so that you will be able to understand it.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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不需要神秘經驗的修行 1 There is no Need for Practice with Mystical Experiences 1

{修行}這個世界跟{修養}很不一樣，因為差距太遠，世俗的人對它陌生的可以，以致於修行的內容是什麼? 始終蒙上一層神秘面紗，舉一些經典裡提到的境界詞句，來看看修行的內容。

The world of Practice is very different from the world of "Self-Cultivation" (Or Self Improvement). Because there are such a large differences, people are not familiar with it, and this caused the lessons of Practice to be always hidden behind a mysterious veil. Let us look at some words that describes the states of Practice from Buddhist Texts to learn about the contents of Practice.

在中國淨土宗阿彌陀經裡，有提到: 若有人一日至七日一心不亂的唸佛，{一心不亂}是什麼境界? 一心不亂是入定的境界，也就是意志很專心的集中去唸佛號，因為身、心都達到專注的功用，而進入一種超越時空的感覺，用跨越時空也可以，哪種感覺會讓一段的時間，比如一天或幾個小時，感覺像一剎那的時間而已，就過完了!

In the Amitābha Sūtra used by Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, it was mentioned "If someone can be fully concentrated on the name of Amitabha Buddha for 1 to 7 days." What kind of state of mind is "fully concentrated?" It is the same state of mind as samadhi. In this state, you only have Amitabha Buddha in your mind and nothing else. That is, you have fully focused your willpower on the name of Amitabha Buddha. Because your mind and body are concentrated on the same task, you will enter into a state that seemingly transcend or across space and time. In this state, a day or a few hours of time will feel like a moment to the practitioner.

看起來好像很容易，在上面有提到{意志很專心}這句話，意志一般人都是碰到棘手事情，才會咬牙產生的情緒，面臨困難要求自己不能倒下，而產生的最高保持專注的境界，現在要用在修行裡，很高的警覺狀態，有唸佛號經驗的人都清楚，在唸佛聲裡，腦海也同時夾雜其它想法，跟唸佛一起存在，不是想平日的瑣碎事，就是亂七八糟的事塞一堆，也不是唸了佛號才會這樣，反而是藉想專心的結果，才凸顯出腦袋根本就習慣胡思亂想。

It might look and sound easy. But "fully focus your willpower" is very difficult to achieve. A person will usually invoke willpower only when he met a very difficult task. The "fully focused willpower" usually manifest itself in a life or death situation, when a person needs the full concentration of his mind and body to resolve a difficulty. In the environment of Practice, it would be very difficult for a practitioner to develop "fully focus willpower". Anyone with any experiences with this method knows that while been mindful of 'Amitabha Buddha', the brain is filled with other thoughts and distractions. Thoughts of the daily lives and other distracting thoughts coexist with the thought of 'Amitabha Buddha'. This does not happen because you are thinking of 'Amitabha Buddha'; this happens because you are trying to focus and concentrate on one thing. It is only during this time that you realize your brain is accustomed to have many strange and wild thoughts.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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佛法的思向 19 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 19

看經的態度，須還經典本來面目。
不要持自己的感情喜好、權威去看經典。
在經典面前築構愈多的想法及不必要的權威，
只會讓自己離經典愈遠。
平靜的看待經典要告訴自己的內容。
理論，再思考自己該以何理由接受，
或透過辯證、思維佛經以期達到完全了解經典內容的期待。

When you look at Buddhist Texts, you should look at their true colors. You should not use your own feelings, or through the authorities to look at Buddhist Texts. The more presumptions that you have, and the more unnecessary authorities that you accept before reading Buddhist Texts will only pull you farther away from them. You should look at the Buddhist Texts tranquilly and absorb their contents. Then you should theorize about them, and figure out if you should accept any of the content. You should do this with internal debates and logic so that you can fully understand the Buddhist Texts.

人總是無法接受自己的業報。
但試著觀察人一有感情無法滿足，
便欲求管道渲洩，而這管道又通常是對人。
渲洩常非到感情滿足不能休止，
但自己已滿足，所承載的也是滿滿的業障。

People are usually unable to accept their own karma. If you observed a person who has emotions that he cannot satisfy, you will find out that he will always find ways to vent. And it is usually other people at the other end of the venting. This will last until his emotion has been satisfied. But when the person has satisfied his emotions, he will bear the accumulation of a lot of bad karma.

人窮，要他承擔，簡直要他的命。
但自己不承擔，卻會愈窮。
我們沒力量愈不敢衝，但自己愈保護自己，力量也愈薄弱。

If a person is poor, it will be like asking for his life if you want him to bear the responsibilities of his actions. But if he does not choose to be responsible, he will only be poorer. When we have no strength, we do not have the courage to move forward. The more we protect ourselves, the weaker we get.

世人若能承認，「天下沒有白吃的午餐」，
天下或許不致如此混亂。

If everyone can agree that there is "no free lunch", maybe the world would not be this chaotic.

人若能「不自欺欺人」，即是「破痴」。

If a person can avoid deceiving himself and everyone else, he will have "eliminated ignorance."

佛家不講罪惡之洗清，而言「無明大夢」之醒時，
是希望修行者能清楚自己的迷惘，
迷思不破，如何面對所謂罪惡，或業障？
甚至其他一切切。

Buddhist does not talk about cleansing of the sin, but about "waking up from the dream of ignorance." This is so that a practitioner can clearly see his own confusion. If he is confused, how would he face the so call sin, or bad karma and everything else? 

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人性 2 Human Nature 2

Some of you might say, is "Greed" an emotion? Is "Ignorance" an emotion as well? How do you deal with "Anger?"

有些人或許會問，「貪」是情緒嗎？ 「痴」也是情緒嗎？ 要怎麼去看待「瞋」這個情緒？

The nature of "Greed" is "desire". For us, "desire" is an emotion, because it can ask you to satisfy it.

「貪」的本質是「慾望」。對我們而言，「慾望」是一種情緒，因為「慾望」會要求您去滿足它。

"Ignorance" is actually the result of many emotions, such as pride, curiosity, rationality.. etc. If your curiosity is immature, you will be ignorant. However, if your curiosity is mature, your thirst for knowledge will make you seek out information, and you will less likely be ignorant. However, curiosity by itself is not enough for you to become wise, you will also need a health dose of "skepticism", which is used to combat "Doubts," and "humbleness" to combat "Pride."

「痴」其實是很多情緒組合而成的結果，如驕傲、好奇心、懷疑心‧‧‧等等。 如果您的好奇心不夠成熟，將一無所知；然而，如果是成熟的，求知慾會引導您去尋找知識，所以您不太可能會無知。 可是，好奇心不能讓您有智慧，還需要「理性」和「謙虛」來打擊「疑」和「慢」。

What about "Anger?" Is there an use? Is there even a spectrum for "Anger?"

那「瞋」呢？ 「瞋」有什麼用處嗎？ 「瞋」也有不一樣的點嗎？

Most Buddhist teachings want us to use "emptiness" to defend ourselves from attacks. We do not subscribe to this approach. Because you will still be damaged. Our readers should be familiar with "Five Skandhas are Śūnyatā". The concept is that our body and our feelings and emotions are all Śūnyatā. If our arm is in the fire, the "emptiness" school of defense would wants us to "let it all go" because our arms and our feeling of pain are all transitory and Śūnyatā. But, even if we don't feel the pain, our arms will eventually be damaged and become useless to us. Is that good?

大多數佛教的教法，希望我們使用「空」來保護自己，我們並不同意這樣的做法，因為您仍然會受到損害。 我們的讀者都應該熟悉「五蘊皆空」這個概念，也就是身體和情緒都是「空」。 「空」的保護法門說：如果我們能放下一切，就不會受傷。 假設，如果我們的手臂是在火中，「空」的保護法門要我們不去理它，因為手臂和痛感都是「空」，但即使不感到痛苦，手臂最終也會被損壞，會變成沒用。 這樣好嗎？

The "emptiness" school of defense do not actually advocates that we let our bodies endure physical attacks (unless they are part of asceticism). But we cannot avoid emotional attacks unless we have reached Buddhahood. Because our Five Skandhas will continue to receive emotional attacks and hurt us. So are we suppose to just endure the wounds accumulated from these attacks? As we have pointed out before, constant injuries to our psych can be a major obstacle to our Practice. In fact, it can even reduce the maturity of some of our emotions, such as "Fear" and "Sorrow". Therefore, there is no reason to simply accept emotional attacks as well.

「空」的保護法門不會要我們去接受身體的攻擊。 (除了苦行法門吧！) 我們還沒成佛前，無法避免情緒上的攻擊，因為「五蘊」還是會傳達這些攻擊去傷害您，只能忍受攻擊所累積的傷。 如之前所說，情緒的傷害會變成修行的障礙，這些傷也會讓一些情緒如「恐懼」和「悲哀」變得更不成熟。 所以，沒有理由去接受情緒上的攻擊。

The way to defend ourselves starts with "Anger." However, we don't use "Anger" as a attacking force, it is used for defense. It is used to summon the wills and powers within us to repel our attackers.

保護自己是從「瞋」開始。 但是，我們不用「瞋」去攻擊，我們用「瞋」來防禦。 它是用來召喚在我們的意志力和能力來擊退攻擊者。

Some people might think how can I say that a negative emotion can be used positively? Remember what I have written before, emotions are not binary, and have different level of maturity. When an emotion is mature, it is a helpful force in you. However, when an emotion is immature, it becomes an obstacle. "Anger" is just a name that we use to associated with the negative side of this emotion. It's like a knife can be used to operate on people to save lives, make fantastic meals or hurt people. It only depend on how we use it.

有人可能會認為我怎麼能說，可以用利用負面的情緒呢？ 如之前寫過，情緒不是極端的，它們都有不一樣的成熟點。 一個成熟的情緒是幫助的力量，不成熟的情緒則是一個障礙。 「瞋」只是這個情緒的一個負面的名子。 像一把刀，可用來開刀救人，可用來料理或傷人，端看我們如何運用它。

When "Anger" are immature, it becomes anger and is used wantonly to attack other people. Immature "Anger" is a poison to our Practice and creates bad karma. But with matured "Anger", we can use it to defend ourselves to prevent the accumulation of bad karma.

不成熟的「瞋」會讓您肆無忌憚的攻擊別人，會變成修行上的「毒」，並創造惡業；不過，成熟的「瞋」是可以用來保護自己，不讓別人來傷我們，以防止惡業的累積。


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人性 1 Human Nature 1

Often, traditional Buddhist books attempted to explain the concept of Śūnyatā and Nidānas by using the composition of the human body as an analogy. They might say something like "Human body requires air and food and water, so it cannot exist alone, therefore, its survival is depended on its Nidānas . Also, human body is a composition of many parts, such as fingers, legs...etc, it's nature is therefore Śūnyatā . " None of this is incorrect, but when it comes to human nature, there is not a lot of discussion, other than that human nature needs to conquered, or that human nature is Buddha nature that is obscured.

在傳統佛教書籍裡頭，常常用人體的組合來解釋「空」跟「因緣」。 他們可能說『人需要空氣、食物和水才能生存，所以人不能單獨存在，人體是「因緣」所生。』 或『人體是許多東西組合而成的，如手指，腿... ...等，因此它的性質是 「空」。』 這些說法都不是不正確。 但這些書提到人性，只有兩種說法：人性也是「空」需要被除掉，或者人性的本質是「佛性」。

However, I felt that this is an unsatisfactory explanation of human nature and I would like to propose another point of view for contemplation.

不過，我認為這不是一個令人滿意的解釋，在這裡想提出另一個小小的看法。

Human nature is a composition of human emotions. There are positive emotions, like happiness, joy and compassion. There are negative ones like greed, anger and ignorance. At any moment, what we felt is the result of tug of wars between these competing emotions. These emotions can be triggered by our senses: what we see or what we hear, or by our memories. Our behavior and expression are further manifestation of these emotions.

人性，是情緒所組成的。 有好的情緒，像幸福，快樂和同情；也有負面的，如貪，瞋和痴。 無時無刻，我們所感受到的是這些情緒競爭的結果。 這些情緒是被我們的感官所觸發：凡是我們所看到、聽到或記憶的都算。 更進一步的，我們用行為來表達這些情緒。

Each of these emotions have different maturity level. Previously, we discussed that emotions like greed should not be treated as binary; either we are greedy or we are not. Greed actually manifests itself in a spectrum, from "no desire" to "desire for survival" to "desire for better living condition" to "greedy". We like to use age or maturity as an analogy for this spectrum. When "greed" is young, it cannot be satisfied easily, so it is quick to throw temper tantrums and wants everything in or out of the sight. As "greed" matures, it is better able to distinguish between "needs" and "wants", and it is also able to understand the concept of "affordability". As "greed" advances in ages, it eventually dies.

每個情緒都有不一樣的年齡。 之前，我們討論過「貪」不應該被極端化，「有貪」 或「沒有貪」。 「貪」實際上有很多點，從「沒有慾望」到「生存的慾望」甚至到「更好生活的慾望」直到「貪」。 我們用年齡或成熟度來比喻這些不一樣的點。 當「貪」是不成熟或年輕的，它不能很容易得到滿足，所以很會發脾氣。 當「貪」比較成熟了，便能開始分辨「需要」和「慾望」，也會了解有沒有能力來得到所欲的。 「貪」最後也會死亡的。

However, unlike our physical bodies, where the individual components, such as hand and feet, all grow at the similar rate as our chronological age, emotions do not. One emotion might be more mature than another, and this can be easily be observed among people. Some people might have insatiable needs for material possessions (greedy about things), but have no regard for what they eat (not greedy about taste.). So we can say that this type of person has an immature "thing-greed" and a mature "taste-greed."

身體的成長，如手和腳，都跟我們的實際年齡是一樣的速度。 但情緒不一樣。 一個情緒可能比另一種更成熟，也可能和實際年齡沒有關係，這是很容易觀察到的。 有些人可能對物質有永不滿足的需求（物慾的貪)，但在吃的方面，一點都沒有要求（沒有口慾的貪)。 所以這類型的人有不成熟的「物慾」，卻有成熟的「口慾」。

Mature emotions will not cause us much problem, it is the immature emotions that are our weaknesses. These immature emotions are the "poisons" that made it hard for us to proceed on the path to enlightenment.  So when we talk abut "understand yourself", we meant understand your immature emotions. When we talk about "eliminating weaknesses", we are talking about maturing these immature emotions. This is Practice.

成熟的情緒不會造成問題，但不成熟的情緒，是我們的弱點。 這些不成熟的情緒，就是佛經所說的「毒」，讓我們無法進步。 所以，當我們說「瞭解自己」，就是要去知道哪些是不成熟的情緒；當我們說「消除弱點」，都是要成長這些不成熟的情緒。 這就是修行。

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佛法的思向 18 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 18

訓練踢掉的心(踢掉什麼? 囉嗦的自己，很愛自己的自己，不抽象吧!)，定慧雙進│可很快消除心頭粗昧相。 (粗昧相，就是不知道自己在做什麼! 像習慣發脾氣，習慣了就不會清楚自己，算修行的大忌諱)

You should practice kicking off parts of yourself. (Kicking off what? The nagging self, the narcissistic self, not too abstract, right?) If you can make progress in wisdom and concentration, you can remove the ignorance of your heart/mind. (In the original Chinese, 粗昧相 literally means rough appearances. In here, it is further clarify that "rough appearances of your heart/mind" means that you don't know what you are doing. For example, the habit of angry outburst is a sign that you don't know what you are doing, because once it is a habit, you won't know you are doing it. This is a big taboo in Practice.)
 
藉思想及行動控制情緒、性格，再由控制進步為自然。

First, you should use thoughts and behaviors to control emotions and personality. Then you can progress from control to becoming second nature.

一朵花只能開一種形態，沒有明顯走向，怎麼顯出特質來？

A flow can only bloom with one form. If there is no obvious trend, how does it show that it is special?

想想自己。
人事磨鍊不夠。
勇猛力不夠，未下功夫鑽去。
行事不知輕重，緣於你的心太窄只容納你自己。

Think about yourself.
Not enough experience in the world.
Not enough bravery and courage, so you haven't spent the effort to figure it out.
Not knowing the seriousness of the matter, because your mind is too narrow and can only contain yourself.

把握現在，任何日子過去就不再回，任一時刻皆須面對承擔，若存逃避心態，離修道愈遠。

Grasp "now", because time doesn't come back. You need to face responsibility at any moment. If you have any thoughts of escape, you will be farther away from the path.

你提昇你的感情去觸摸經文、佛法。

You should raise your emotions to touch and feel Buddhist Texts and Dharma.

修行是當下先按捺你的感情。 過後真過不去，再找不造業的方法去渲洩，靜下來，拿佛法與之對抗。 這是沒力量時的做法，功夫要做到當下，就能清楚自己感情的不足，馬上拿佛法來銷融它。

Practice is to restrain your emotions, instantly. If you really need to find a release for the emotion afterward, use a method that does not create bad deeds (or bad karma). Once you are calm, you can use Dharma to fight it. You do this when you do not have enough strength and ability. You need to progress so that you can do so at the moment, instantly. As soon as your emotions start to flare, you need to know what you are lacking and use Dharma to vanquish it right away.

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自我愛 6 (後記) Self Love 6 (Supplement)

寫完了「自我愛」，想到一般讀者都不習慣思考，又來加進補充，我的意思是； 如果你想擁有你想要的，但是會有不踏實的感覺 ，因為清高論左右著你，或者你無能力獲得，而也想擁有，卻用惡毒的想法安慰自己，所謂人不自私天誅地滅。

After I have written "Self-Love" , I realized that most readers are probably not used to critical thinking. So I like to add a supplement. What I want to say is this: if you want something, but have an uncomfortable feeling because you are influenced by noble and virtuous theories. Or if you do not have the ability to get what you want, but still want, so you resort to vicious ideas to comfort yourself with ideas such as "Heaven and earth will destroy a person that is not out for himself."

社會上充斥許多想法，足以眼花撩亂，又像緊箍咒圈住頭，無法喘息，一個想修行的人，必須要有能力選擇這些言論，要不然腦袋裝了什麼都不知道?怎麼可能帶給自己一條好的路，

These types of ideas are abundant in the society, enough to be confusing, but they are all like a ring that tightly encircles your head, causing you unable to think and breath. A practitioner needs to have the ability to choose among all these ideas. If he doesn't know what he has in his brain, how would he be able to choose a right path for himself?

這也是我想寫這個部落格的主因，就算是佛教徒一直想追求一種好的境界，也需有辨別能力，不然費一堆力氣，還不知自己身在何方? 豈不是冤枉的可以。

This is one of the main reason that I want to write this blog. Buddhists are always looking to find a good state of mind, but they also need to be able to differentiate. Otherwise, it is a waste of time, and they won't even know where they ended up. Isn't that so wrong?

至少我個人透過長期的思考，在現實生活從容舒適，沒強力思索前，我面對言論的浪潮，一樣徬徨無助，就佛法而言，中國的就有八大宗派，不知該選擇哪一個?

After a long long time of pondering, I am able to live comfortably in the real world. Before, I was similarly lost and helpless in the waves of ideas and theories. There are 8 major schools of Buddhism in China alone, how would you know which one to choose?

現在我非常清楚實相是什麼! 意外的很這些判別後的想法，讓自己活的不錯，精神與能力具有，讀者該知道我為什麼一再提倡思考的原因了。華人一直認為思想無用，大錯! 成功人物包括修行者都是動腦袋的人。

Right now, I am very clear what the reality is. Surprisingly, after I was able to have the ability to differentiate, I was able to live well, spiritually and energetic. This is why I keep promoting thinking and reasoning. Chinese always think "thinking" is useless. Wrong! All successful people, include practitioners, all use their brains.

就算不為生活 ，佛學依然是要動腦的。

Even it's not for living, Buddhism still requires the use of a brain.

半寄 Master Ban Ji 

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自我愛 5 Self Love 5

在第1篇有提到生氣時的冥思，後來拉出一堆補充，讀者大概覺得離題太遠!

In part 1, I talked about meditation after an episode of anger.  But since then, I have supplemented it with a lot of other talks that readers might think I have digressed.

而我的想法是不會，需要那麼多的說法，只想點出一點，你在冥思時候生氣，到底要繼續生氣，還是要把事情想清楚再說，如果這時用自我愛當標準來衡量自己，是要覺得太愛自己才引燃生氣? 還是要覺得應該釐清內容才是?

I don't think that's the case. I said all these to raise a point. When you are meditating, and you are angry, should you continue with your anger, or should you try to figure things out first? If you use self-love as a criterion to judge yourself, do you think you are angry because you love yourself too much? Or do you think you need to figure out why you are angry?

在我過去的觀察了解裡。 打坐時出現的情緒，常會讓學者不知道該怎麼辦? 總覺得現在在冥思，為什麼無法專心? 想專心又無法克制情緒，在修行與情緒間掙扎不知如何是好?

Based on my observations, emotions that came out during meditation often cause confusion in a practitioner. If he does not know how to handle it, he would not be able to understand why he cannot concentrate in meditation. He wanted to concentrate, but cannot control his emotions, and cannot figure out what to do between the struggle of Practice and emotions.

假使你平常的閱讀量夠，會有充足的資訊提供自己參考，知道的愈多愈可以判斷該怎樣面對自己的情緒，從許多理念的看法裡，找出適用點，看見自己情緒的不安，明確的決定該如何看待自己，是愛自己產生了障礙，還是該做其他的想法，來解決雜亂叢生的阻礙，我個人常用「自我愛太深」的詞，來譴責自己無法突破的修學，又常回頭安慰疲憊不堪的自己，企圖從中調出好的音律。

If you normally read a lot, you will have plenty of information to help you understand how to face your own emotions. The more you know, the better you will be able to decide how to face yourself. You will be able to take many theories and ideas to find something suitable, to see the disturbed emotions, and clearly see how you should see yourself. Is your self-love becoming an obstacle for you? Or is there some other reason? Personally, I use the phrase "Love Myself too much" to criticize myself when I was not able to make a breakthrough, but then use the same phrase to comfort my exhausted self. I try to find a good rhythm in Practice.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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自我愛 4 Self Love 4

自我愛跟貪一樣，界限很難拿捏，要明明白白使用它，一樣是思想有沒有擺對的問題，這就是第3篇提出一些華人思想做比較的原因，

Self love and Greed are similar in that they are both hard to find a balance. If you want to use it cleanly, you will need to understand the correctness of your thoughts. This is why I raise some of the ideas proposed by Chinese intellects in part 3 of this series.

世界上所有人類的行為除了原始本能外，其餘全靠想法在推動，自己吸收一種自己主要喜歡的想法，進而影響自己一生，就因這樣的引力足以牽引命運，已經強烈左右自己的一切，所以非要清楚跟有條理不可。

Except for our primitive nature, the behaviors of all people are influenced by ideas. People absorbs ideas that they like, and these ideas affect their entire life. Ideas can impact your fate, and control everything about you. So you need to have clear and coherent ideas.

佛陀曾用琴弦表示修行的張力，太緊與太鬆都無法拉出美妙的節奏，我想該愛自己到怎樣的界線? 用這樣當譬喻是最恰當的，我不願違背人性太多去談修行，那樣的結果只會導致更極端的說法出現，儒家也提出中庸的見解，但這裡面如果無法清晰的知道該怎麼用 ? 總會徘徊在是與非的選擇題中，不知如何是好!

Buddha used a string to illustrate the tension of Practice. If the string is too tight, or too loose, you cannot play beautiful melodies. I think how much a person should love themselves is best illustrated this way. I don't want to go against human nature too much when talking about Practice. The result of that will cause even more extreme ideas. Confucians also raised the idea of "The Mean" [Note]. But if you are not clear on how to do it, you will always be back and forth between the choices of "true" and "false". You will be unsure of what to do.

所謂修行是個人願意再多花時間，去探討生命的意義，就因費時費力，更要緊抓其中的節奏感，不需要一談到人性就心虛，不知怎麼在其中處之泰然?! 反倒該用清楚筋骨結構的架式，幫助自己快一點登頂。

Practice is all about the desire of a person to spent some extra time to investigate the meaning of life. But because it takes time and effort, it is important to capture the right rhythm. If you keep avoid talking about human nature, how would you be able to live in the middle of it? Instead, you need to know the framework and the structure of human nature to help you reach the summit faster.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

[Note] 中庸 is translated as "The Mean" here. Please consult Wikipedia for explanation.

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自我愛 3 Self Love 3

我們能不能避開這些不實用的言論? 答案是可以，所以要檢討自我的內容，自我的內容釐清了，道德的不當要求，惡毒言論的伐害，都會有力量抵擋。

Can we avoid these impractical and unreasonable remarks? The answer is yes, by examining yourself and by understanding who you are. Once you are clear, you will be able to resist improper moral standards and malicious remarks.

從前我認為自己是好人，但得到的是不好的待遇，所以也會懷疑因果 的說法，不太相信，後來弄清楚所謂的好人，是普通定義，社會認為的、或自己界定的，只要外表沒做傷天害理的事，就認為自己是好人，搞得自己滿腹牢騷，後來我弄清楚思考的方向，要有好的待遇是果實的問題! 好的果實吃完了，當然就沒得吃，天經地義，跟自己是不是好人，根本不相干，所以一大堆看似堂而皇之的言論，都沒切中重點來說，想要再有果實吃，要再耕耘，就這麼簡單。

Before, I always thought that I was a good person, but always encountered bad deals. At that time, I also doubted Karma. Later, I understood that the so call "good" was either general definitions of the society, or personal delineations. It is a concept of "good" that says that if you never did anything horrible and wicked, you can be called a "good person." This definition of good made me disgruntled. But once I figured out how to think and had a clear direction, I understand that "getting a good treatment" is a matter of the fruits of your own labor. Once you ate all the good fruits, you will have nothing left. It has nothing to do with whether you are good or bad. All these seemingly grand remarks never talked about the main point: if you want to have fruits to eat, you need to plant fruit trees. It's that simple.

因為愛自己，捨不得自己吃苦，耕作是很累的，能不要就不要，那果實從那裡來? 也因為無法真正面對自己，才會讓一些根本不能用的想法，在自己腦海亂飛，有一大陣子的歲月，認為不食人間煙火的論點，至為崇高，等清楚因、緣、果後，才知道什麼樣的理論才能稱為圭臬。

Because people love themselves, they don't want to suffer. Cultivation and farming is very hard work. If you can avoid it, you will. But then where do fruits come from? But because people cannot face themselves, they let many useless ideas floating around in their brains.

There is a time when I thought the idea of living in an other-worldly manner is the most sublime concept in the world. But once I understand Yin, Yuan and Results (Karma), I understand what kind of theory can be called a real model.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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Notes to English Readers

I have re-translated Master Ban Ji's articles and book from the inception of the blog to Nov. 2011.
Hopefully, I have fixed some grammars and typos and provided more clarity than before.

自我愛 2 Self Love 2

人愛自己很深的時候，是沒辦法做任何事的，假設你奮力想要突破自己，要突破必然遭遇阻力，這個時候你怕會受傷 、被孤離、還沒做就開始害怕，擔心自己受不了，想想這樣的自己，去談許多許多的進步方式，有益處嗎?

A person who loves himself too much is unable to get anything done. If you are really trying to make a breakthrough, you will surely encounter many resistances. When you encounter a resistance, you will be afraid of getting hurt, getting isolated and start to be fearful before doing anything if you love yourself too much. You will worry that you cannot handle the pressure. If you are like this, is it of any use to talk about ways and methods to progress?

很愛自己的人只適合在被保護的狀態下作業，愛自己捨不得自己受苦，當然所有的想法都會被引導到保護自己為優先，這種前提下，平時所吸收的一切資訊或法門，全成了擋箭牌，只會帶自己往好處想，絕不可能拿來糾正自己的錯誤，想進步成了天方夜譚。

People who love themselves can only function in a protective environment. A person who love himself will not allow himself to suffer. All his thinking will be for the purpose of protecting himself. In this context, any methods and knowledge he acquires all become his shields, never to be used to correct his mistakes. This person will never have the ability to advance.

我看過許多聰明人，用盡各種方法規避自己該做的事，卻又成天拿大道理緊扣別人的腦，也算是把自我愛發揮到極點。

I have seen many smart people using all sorts of methods to avoid their duties. But at the same time, these same people will use all sorts of arguments and justification to limit other people. These people probably expressed "Self Love" to the extreme.

人一定是愛自己，這不是用道德可以規範的，中國一些道德學派，把人對名利的追求，說到風清月白的地步，弄到稍有學識的人一說到錢， 避之唯恐不及，但現實生活是誰都需要錢過日子， 接著! 用來反彈這些言論的語言是，人不為己天誅地滅這種話都出來了!

Of course a person will love himself. This is not something that can be dictated by moral standards. There are some philosophical schools in China that disdain the pursuit of fame and fortune, so much so that caused Chinese people with a some intellectual ability to constantly run away from any mention of money. But in reality, people all need money to survive. So the oppositions to this school of thought came out with statements like "Heaven and earth will destroy a person that is not out for himself."

說到底這些言論不是罔顧現實，就是心虛的可以，人要活著需要很多條件的支持，兩袖清風不可能，但為了自己可以做天誅地滅的事，是不是也是自己做了太多心虛的事? 需要用言論保護自己。

Both of these ideas totally disregard reality. Survival requires the support of many conditions. It is impossible to be totally pure, but to be able to destroy heaven and earth just for oneself smacks of using words to make justification for one's own guilty conscious.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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自我愛 1 Self Love 1

「自我愛!」 佛陀講解修道法門時，常會用到的詞語，簡單解釋就是 「愛自己」，佛陀認為我們太愛自己的結果，導致無法修道。

"Self Love" is a phrase that Buddha often mention in his speeches. Simply, "Self Love" is "love oneself." Buddha thought that as the result of our love for ourselves, that we were not able to Practice.

剛開始看到這樣的經文，一頭霧水，愛別人很容易理解，愛物質也是，或者是愛自己養的寵物，這些都不難清楚，但是 「愛自己」 得想想，怎麼個愛法?

At first, when I read this type of Buddhist Texts, I cannot understand how one loves oneself. It's easy to understanding loving other people, or things, even to love one's pets. But myself? How do I do that?

我們就這樣在活著，身體需要的，不論看得見的物質，看不見的想法，我們都很習慣性滿足自己，用心想一下，自己應該最愛自己沒錯!

We live our lives by satisfying ourselves. We habitually satisfy whatever the body needs, whether visible things, or invisible ideas. If you take some time to think about it, it is true that we love ourselves the best.

假設你有修行經驗，用冥思方法知道自己的心念 ( 冥思 :就是安靜的想自己修學的內容 ，用打坐姿勢，或只安靜的去想都是，唯一不同點是個人修的法 門不一樣) ，你會很清楚知道 ， 自己很多想法繞著自己轉，雖然冥思是在想自己修的內容，但繞著自己的雜念多到數不清，這裡面除了還不熟悉修法外，最多的還是在捍衛自己。

If you have any experience with Practice, you probably have used meditation to know your thoughts. (Meditation is quietly think about the content of your learning. This can be done by sitting, or simply be calm. It's all the same, they only differ in detail.) You will know that there are a lot of thoughts floating within your brain, and these thoughts are mostly about yourself. Even thought meditation is about be mindful of your learning, there are always countless number of thoughts surrounding you. Some of these thoughts exist because you are not yet familiar with your method, but most of these extra thoughts are there to uphold yourself.

比方說 : 你冥思前跟人吵架，一靜下來整個思緒全是吵架內容，想移開都辦不到，有可能你是對的但吵輸了，有可能是錯的但不想承認，這些情緒沒過去以前，是不可能想修學的內容，以人性正常的觀點看，沒什麼不對，假使你想進步，來看看自我愛的內容。

For example, before meditation, you had a fight. When you have a chance to be calm, all your thoughts are going to be about the fight, and you can not even remove it from your mind. It is possible that you lost the fight, or that you were wrong but would not admit it. Before these emotions have passed, it is impossible for you to Practice and work on your learning. This is normal. It is human nature. If you want to advance, you will need to know what is "Self Love."

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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佛法的思向 17 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 17

宗教的感應是努力虔誠祈求後的感動，一生能碰上一兩次就不得了，它能帶給努力者在修行路上的激勵，但如念執感應，則差之千里矣

Religious rapture is the result of sincere prayers. It will be incredible if you can encounter this once or twice in a life time. However, if you encountered it, it will bring you incredible incentives on the path. But if you are always looking for it, then you are miles away from it.

世尊要弟子在修行中「堪忍」是跟「忍耐」不同的。 「堪忍」是在要越過任一境界時，須忍受習性與佛法的拉踞戰，忍受感情脫離的痛苦，能夠忍受過後，感情自能向上超越，邁入另一境界。 而「忍耐」則只是你對人事逆來順受，永遠在輪迴，重覆同樣的忍耐動作。

The "endurance" that Buddha wanted his students to "bear/endure" is not the same as the endurance that is normally understood. When you are attempting to elevate to a different stage on the path, you need to "bear/endure" the struggle between your habits and Dharma, to "endure" the pain that comes with the separation of emotions. After you are able to endure this, your emotion will be elevated. But normal endurance is how you tolerate the negativity surrounding you, which is always repeating, and causing you to always having to endure the same thing over and over.

「慈」是以平等心看待眾生。 「悲」乃同其情。 「喜」則隨喜他人的成就。 「慈悲喜」能做到，再不執著，就是「捨」。

"Compassion" is to look at all humanity evenly.
"Sorrowful" is to be empathic to all.
"Joyful" is to be happy for other people's accomplishments.
If you can be "Compassion", "Sorrowful" and "Joyful", then you are able to "be Generous."

自我檢視

我的心太淺，總思索不到深處
我的日子太懶，總在人事裏飄浮
我的眼光太短，總在近處佇留
我的容量太窄，只合啜飲清流小溪
而歲月啊！便默不作聲地
自我身旁流逝

Self Checkup

My heart/mind is too shallow, cannot contemplate the depth of myself.
My days are too lazy, always floating in the matters of people.
My eyesight is too short, only able to look at scenes near me.
My capacity is to small, only fitted for drinking from small streams.
But time, silently,
flows away right beside me.

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修行絕不能忽略的感覺 4 The Feeling That a Practitioner Must Not Ignore 4

在我個人修持的經驗裏，折磨身體只有兩種答案 ， 一、身體有基本生存慾望，當它感覺到生存有困難時，會強力掙扎，就算你給它現在在修行的命令，也沒用，因為它是活著的器官，需要有食物補給，才能維持運作，很餓的時候像有枯火在體內燒，是一種乾裂的痛苦，這個時候才驚覺身體是很多個體，一旦出現一個不舒服，全體都跑出來抗議。

In my personal experience, tormenting your body only has two answers: 1. Your body has its own survival instinct. When it feels that it has difficulty, it will struggle forcibly. Even if you order it, the order will be useless. Because it is a living organ and requires nutrient in order to function. When you are very hungry, you will feel like there is a fire burning in your body, causing parching pain. At this moment, you will find out that your body has many components, when one of them is not comfortable, they all come out with complaints.

二、你可以在這時下強烈命令，要求它安靜，不給它希望會有任何補及加入，一番折騰後它會安靜，但隨之而來的是，自己會發現{大腦}不動了，沒有補足養分的結果是它自己罷工，你可以不要食物，換取大腦呆滯。

2. At this point, you can give your body a strong order, wishing it to quiet down and giving it no hope of getting any energy and nutrients. After some struggle, it will quiet down, but in exchange, you will find yourself brain dead. The brain shut itself off when it has no nutrient. You can accept no food, in exchange for a numb brain.

很多修行人有一種很深的錯覺，以為身體是自己的，想怎樣對它就怎樣對它，如果修行一開始先去看看病的不能動的人，對身體的看法，會有很大的改觀，至少不會認為身體是可以被自己掌控的，

Many practitioners have a deeply held mistaken view. They thought that their bodies belongs to them, and can do to their bodies as they please. These people, if they had spent some time looking at patients who are too sick to move before their Practice, will have a drastically different view of the body. At least they won't think that they can control their own body.

身體好的時候，才是修行的好幫手，一個健康的身體，思路敏捷，積極進取.......許許多多的用途都靠它，社會新聞常報導，誰沒飯吃餓到怎樣又怎樣，這些知識大家都有，但是它一旦換上修行的服裝，一切完全合理，合理到不用懷疑，不論台灣、國外、大多數人總錯認這是修行必要的條件，所以沒有質疑就全盤接受，一個以智慧解脫為追求目的的修法，基礎訓練只是一個開端，思考能力的培植才是根本。

A healthy body is the best partner of a practitioner. A healthy body will make practitioner smarter, more motivated, more energetic, and many many other benefits. There are always news reports of people who had nothing to eat and the consequences of not eating. Everyone has this knowledge, but once it is cloaked with Practice, it all become reasonable. So reasonable that we are not allowed to be skeptical about it. Domestically and internationally, many people have a mistaken notions that denial of the body is a condition of Practice, so they accept it without question. The fundamental of a practice that rely on wisdom to reach enlightenment is the development of critical thinking abilities.

修行不是練少林拳，是以武力取勝，當然要極端訓練身體，修行是尋求解脫，從真相下手。

Practice is not Shoalin Martial Art. If you want to win using physical force, of course you will need to train your body to the extreme. Practice is looking for freedom, for liberation and we need to start from the Truth.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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修行絕不能忽略的感覺 3 The Feeling That a Practitioner Must Not Ignore 3

佛陀受羊乳供養，很簡單的一件事，拆開來看內容其實很多，他自己接受來自身體的要求，違背傳統教法，卻讓他有力氣大徹大悟，從此脫離婆羅門教，開創屬於他發現的修法。

Buddha's acceptance of goat's milk might seem like a simple thing. But once you analyze it, there are depth to it. He accepted his own body's request and turned his back on the traditional methods to become enlightened and left Brahmanism. He started a new Practice that he had discovered.

重新說一遍老故事， 想提出一個問號? 既然佛陀從身體的苦行裡走了出來，為什麼後代傳他修行方法的人第一步又走回老路，還是從否認身體做起? 一個你最親切的夥伴，除了善用它以外，絕對找不出任何原因，忽視它的存在。

I repeat an old story to raise a question. If Buddha rejected asceticism of the body to achieve enlightenment, why do his followers keep going back to it as the first step of the Practice? Why do they want to start by denying their body? Your body is your closest partner, other than to use it wisely, I cannot think of any reason to ignore its existence.

漠視身體的修法，像人格分裂，明明有身體，卻在身體外彷彿又存在一個自己，然後又拼命跟自己說 : 你是臭皮囊，你帶給我很多災難，我不要理你。

A Practice that ignores the body is like asking you to have multiple personalities. There is obviously a body, but then they keep wanting you to find another self outside of the body, while keep telling your body that it is a dirty bag; that it brings disasters and you don't want to have anything to do with it any more.

除非身體已撐不住，不然你是不會看看它，究竟怎麼了，一個宣說智慧解脫的宗教，要這樣撻伐身體，真不知情何以堪!

Unless your body is about to collapse, you will never look to see what happened to it. I do not understand why a religion that keeps talking about find release through wisdom would suppress the body.

修行是一連串思想一再得到昇華，進而達 到所謂徹悟。絕不是去榨擠身體，要求它給你全世界，你的身體脆弱時只是肉體，很容易被擊垮，絕不像工具般拆散了，沒事!

Practice is using thinking and more thinking to elevate yourself, and eventually reached enlightenment. It is not a method to squeeze your body to get the world. When you body is weak, it is only flesh and bones, can be easily defeated. It is not like a machine that can be taken apart without consequences.

你可以用很嚴格的命令，訓練身體，但是真理的獲得絕無法用嚴格的要求去達到{開悟}，徹悟是生命精華的累積，是從不間斷的多層次思考、現實磨練，眼界有無打開? 許多條件都符合下自然產生的境界，無法追求，卻可以培養，就看你給自己灌溉什麼?

You can use strict orders to train your body. But you can never obtain the Truth through strict orders. Enlightenment is achieved only through the accumulation of your life's essences that comes from continuous multi-faceted thinking, trials of the realities, your visions and many other conditions. It cannot be pursuit, but can be cultivated. It only matter what you are feeding yourself.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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修行絕不能忽略的感覺 2 The Feeling That a Practitioner Must Not Ignore 2

佛陀在修道時也曾遭到同伴的唾棄，因為他放棄苦行，放棄的原因是飢餓導致無法思考，後來決定接受牧羊女羊乳的供養，食物使他恢復力氣思考而達到悟道，同修的同道認為他破壞苦行的戒律，離他遠去，這些故事佛教徒耳熟能詳。

Buddha was also cast aside by his peers during his Practice, simply because he abandoned tapas [Note]. The reason that he abandoned tapas was because hunger dulled his brain, caused him to lose his ability to think clearly. Later, after he accepted a herder's offer of goat's milk, the energy from food regenerated his ability to think and eventually achieved enlightenment. His peers on the path of tapas thought he had broke tapas' percepts and left him. This is a story that all Buddhists should be familiar with.

換一個立場，如果你是當時的喬答摩 .悉答多，你會清楚你的身體在告訴你，我餓了! 這個信息嗎? 而且這個信息在當時環境是不允許有的，社會也強烈在執行它，不讓修行人違反苦的定律，這樣的背景下，你會選擇吃些營養食物? 還是堅持苦行立場至死不變?

If you were Siddhattha Gotama at the time, would you able to clearly understand the message of hunger from your body? Further more, this message of hunger is not tolerated by the circumstances. Because Siddhattha was practicing tapas, the society will not allow a practitioner of tapas to violate the law of dukkha. In that environment, would you choose to eat nutritional food, or keep on with tapas until your death?

很多人在看佛陀傳記後，會知道他就是這樣走過來，而有沒想過 {苦}是當時的主流派修法，被主流派拋棄是很可怕的事，除了必得忍受孤獨，還必須堅持自己的看法是對的，在還沒有被證明自己是對的時刻裡，這些主流壓力不好招架，不僅無助，還無處棲身，

Many people know this story, and how Siddhattha became Buddha. However, most people never realize that dukkha and tapas was the mainstream practice of the time. To be abandoned by the mainstream is very terrifying. Not only do you have to accept loneliness, you also need to have strong belief in yourself that your view is correct. Before you can prove it, the attacks from the mainstream are difficult to handle. Not only would you not have any help, you will have no shelter as well.

多數人會選擇屈從，就算自己的身體對自己求救，你也不敢理它，怕被攻擊、被拋捨，這裡邊藏著一種人性的悲涼，明明是為求治解脫而有的行為，竟然有這麼多不能理解的紛爭?

Most people will choose to submit to the pressure. Even if your body is looking for help, you will be too afraid to pay attention to it, because you are afraid of attacks or abandonment. This is what is sad about human nature. People search for enlightenment in order to find release, but then encountered so much unreasonable disputes.

要不要選擇你真實的感受? 不是勇者做不到，理解這些就知道有成就的人，是怎麼走過來的，這只是其中一種條件完成而已!

Only a brave person can choose to accept his real feelings. If you can understand this, you will know how a person with accomplishments walked the path, and this is only one of the many conditions.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

[Note] 苦行 Tapas is a practice of self-discipline or austerity willingly to restraining physical urges. It is probably similar to asceticism. I'll use tapas and asceticism interchangeably.

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修行絕不能忽略的感覺 1 The Feeling That a Practitioner Must Not Ignore 1

我個人在過去被指導修持的經驗裡，最不能忘懷一點，修道彷彿不需要身體了!

In the past, when I was been taught how to Practice, there is always one constant. That is, they always taught that one does not need a body during Practice.

所有的指導都跟你說；身體是負擔，一定要去除對它的執著，我同意身體會帶來很多麻煩，但是沒有身體我怎麼辦? 指導者又說身體是借給你用的，不是你的，我也同意! 但我對身體一無所知的狀態下，要拿什麼樣的力量反駁自己?

All the instructions said: body is a burden, and you must remove your persistent view of your body. I agree that body brings a lot of troubles, but what happens to me without a body? The instructors also always said that your body was loan. I agree, but if I know nothing about my body, how do I have the knowledge to refute my own body.

我不懂為什麼修持的開端是在強烈否定身體下開始?

I don't understand why all Practices begin with a strong denial of the body.

修行不是要學習智慧來好好活著嗎? 好好活著不是也不容易? 甚至是一個大課題，為什麼不是從教智慧下手? 身體本身無罪，不須要否決它到這樣的地步，就算把層級提升到解脫生命，也必須跟身體好好先談談，一個沒有裝備齊全的身體，你要它把你帶去哪裡? 真去了會不會因裝備不足，還沒達成修行的追求就先當烈士一命嗚呼?!

Isn't the purpose of Practice to learn the wisdom to live well? It is not easy to live well, and it is a big and difficult topic. Why don't they start with teaching of wisdom? Body itself is not sinful, we don't need to deny it like this. Even if we are elevated to the level that transcends life, we still need to start by having discussion with our body. Where do you expect a not fully equipped and functioning body to take you? Even if you really get there, would you not perish before you reached the goal of Practice because your body is not well prepared?

印度這個國家，有一個傳統思想，那就是 { 苦 } 的思維，苦在印度思想佔據一個相當重要的地位，研究印度修行會看到他們用很多方法折磨自己，用這樣的行式達到所謂修道! 好像身體有著原罪，非這樣對待它否則不能消除罪孽，古代很多所謂修行的動作，是想向神交待，交代自己已通過嚴酷的懲罰，是否已可以回到神的身邊。

India has a traditional idea of dukkha. Dukkha is a very important concept in India, and if you study the practitioners in India, you will see that they used many methods to torture themselves and call it Practice. It is as if the body has an original sin, and they must treat it thus in order to redeem it. Many such practices of the ancient time are attempts at confession to the gods; to let the gods know that they have punished themselves, hoping to return to the grace of the gods.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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佛法的思向 16 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 16

修持簡語 Phrases to Consider in Your Practice

為了他人的善惡而擾亂你的修行，甚至在別人的話語裏生生死死，修不了行的是你，超越不了習性的也還是你，別人根本不會因此而改變。

Letting other people's good and evil disrupt your Practice, and living in other people's words will cause you to not able to progress. Other people will not change because of it.

要抓緊生命的主線，跳脫自我的限制。 情緒不好不去管它，還是做你自己的事。 先用心栽一棵智慧的大樹，再說！

We must grab tight the line of life and escape from self limits. You should not worry about your emotions, just do what you are suppose to do. First, you should work on planting a tree of wisdom, then proceed from there.

對事用心盡力，但不要怕錯，成敗自己擔當，相對地，你就不會苛求他人「完美」，內心的感情不變，但手段可以更改，對於自己後，你知道那很難，自然不會要求眾生，慈悲於焉產生。

You should do everything with all your heart and mind, but do not be afraid of mistakes. You will need to be able to handle both success and failure. When you can do so, you will not expect other people to be "perfect." Emotions do not change, but methods can. Once you know it's difficult, you will naturally not require perfection from everyone, and compassion will flow naturally.

不要管「果」，先管「因」「緣」造作，因先擺正確，再加上「緣」的不斷用心「果」自然形成。

You should not worry about "Result". You should first worry about "Yin"(Cause) and "Yuan"(Conditions). Get "Yin"(Cause) correct then work on "Yuan"(Conditions), the "Result" that you want will come naturally.

你需藉助外面世界的觀察，再細細的思考，讓自己接受你想改變的自己，沒有章法及混亂的自己，是沒有辦法做什麼的?!

You need to observe the world, and contemplate about your observations to allow yourself to be able to accept the change that you want. A self that is un-structured and chaotic will not be able to accomplish anything?!

心的柔軟度夠，佛法自然就能入。 藉禪坐用心，可產生力量，佛法思維又可加強力量，等力量夠了，就能扳倒習性，自然能夠嚐到法味。

If your heart is malleable, then Buddha's teaching will able to penetrate. You can use meditation to create power. Thinking about Buddha's teaching will increase that power as well. When you have enough power, you will be able to remove your habits, and tasted the Dharma.

判別善惡相，須視其執著程度，執著善，未必能化渡，不執著惡未必不能化渡。

To distinguish between virtue and evil, you need to look at their commitment to their ideas. We cannot always help a person who is committed to virtue to get to the other side. But we can help a person not committed to evil to achieve enlightenment.

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當下4 This Instant 4

然而讀者不要忘了，最簡單的教法，一定是穿過千重山以後的事，不然只有簡單，假使沒有深厚的學養當靠山，是無法有火花乍現的，禪宗畢竟是反對煩瑣的教學而有的，但脫離文字太遠的結果是 {禪 }究竟是什麼 ? 變成一長串的問號?!


But please do not forget, the simplest teaching can only be applied after a student had made tremendous efforts in learning. Otherwise, if it's only simple, but without the backing of knowledge and efforts, there will be no spark. Zen avoids tedious educations, but the result of stray too far from words, made Zen a difficult concept to know and understand.


學習{ 禪 }的教學，而且是用對的方式，被指導者絕對可以產生石破天驚的蛻變。


Using Zen's method, if done correctly, a student is capable of breakthrough transformations.


而前提是你得避開簡化文字後的陷阱，很多所謂禪的教導，變成比手畫腳的無字天書，學者除了無力辨識外，恐怕連藉它培養功力 都不可能!


But first, you must avoid the trapping of simplified teachings. Many so call Zen teachings became a game of Charade, you will not only loss your ability to learn, you will probably not be able to use it to improve.


現代的教法，或人生課題的闡述裡 ，很喜歡講當下，當下就該怎樣，又怎樣!


Modern teachings, or classes on life lessons and self-improvements like to talk about "This Instant," like "What you should do this instant."


我只想問誰會使用 { 當下 }? 我們所謂的當下不過是經驗法則，{ 當下 } 如果可以強而有力的使用，那已是千錘百鍊的劍，在出鞘時光芒十足。


I want to ask who can use "This Instant." The "This Instant" that people usually talked about are nothing more than rule of thumb. The "This Instant" that Zen is talking about is more than that. If it can be used, it will be like a tempered sword, when it leaves the scabbard, it's light will blind all.


最簡單的字眼，往往是最困難的表達，我曾經以為會講這些話的人，應該都是高手，所以會運用這麼高深的詞句教人，最後發覺徒然浪費青春時光。


This kind of simple words usually are the hardest to express and to realize. I used to thought people who can talk about "This Instant" are all masters, so they can use these profound words to teach people. However, later, I found that I was just wasting my time.


你還想運用當下嗎 ? 可以 ! 先蹲幾年用功再說 !


You want to use "This Instant?" Sure, you should spent a few year with your Practice first.


至於我，我不會用當下，我只願意讓事情盡量不留下遺憾 。


Me? I cannot use "This Instant." I am only willing to try not to have regrets.


半寄 Master Ban Ji

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當下3 This Instant 3

在禪宗留下的對話裏，至少可以看到一點，老師教了學生屬於他自己關鍵性的突破，在個人用盡所有力氣追求仍然無法解答的困境中，禪的教導至為重要，當然你必須找到禪修已有成就的人。

But we can get a glimpse of the Zen teaching in the conversations that were written down from that era. At least, we know that when a student had exhausted all his abilities and was still unable to progress, the master taught the student the key breakthrough that the student needed. This is the crux of Zen's teaching method, of course, you still need to find someone who is a master in Zen first.

用我們現在能理解的想法來說，把文字，思考，體會......一切你所熟悉的感覺拿掉，要你赤裸裸的面對你的老師，他還逼你不准用你習慣的態度來應對他，比如；世俗禮儀，慣用的答辯，我想要不是你實力雄厚，大概會瘋了。或把他揍一頓再走。

We can use words that is easier for us to understand to explain this teaching. We can say that the Zen master wanted his student to give up all his familiar emotions and feelings, his understandings, and the words and thoughts that he had ever had. He wanted his student to face his master naked, and he would even deny the student's habitual reactions and behaviors, such as secular rituals and the usual arguments. I think the student will probably go crazy or even beat up the master, unless he has a lot of strength within himself.

用現代眼光來看這些教法，更顯它的偉大，因為他採取特殊教法教育他的學生，他告訴學生，解脫的過程中，有沒有去蕪存菁的能力很重要，那代表你是不是已貫徹全懂了所謂修行。假使你讀遍了佛教經典，依然無能力替自己做些什麼? 在禪者的眼裡不能忍受! 所以他用打的，燒的，怒罵的，也要告訴你，你是很會讀頌經典，但是你沒有任何成就。

Looking at this method with a modern view point, we can marvel at its greatness. Because a Zen master used a very special method to teach his students. He told students that on the path to enlightenment, the ability to separate the wheat from the chaff is very important. The student is consider to have fully understand the so called Practice only if he had the ability to discriminate.

A Zen master would not be able able to tolerate his student if he had read all the Buddhist Texts but was still unable to do something with it. Therefore, he would hit, burn, yell, and curse at the student to just let the student know that he still had not accomplished anything.

世界上所有的教學方法，沒有一種教學法跟它一樣，用逼迫的方式去掉多餘的存在，思想的，經驗的，直摧你靈魂深處，喚起你生命最大的轉折，突破生命中看似不能再起變化的大變動。 唯有禪宗! 他的教學辦到了。

There is no teaching method like this in the world. This method forced students to remove extra and unnecessary ideas and experiences, all the way into the depth of your soul to arouse the biggest turning point in the student's life. Only with Zen's education can one make breakthrough in one's life when it seems further changes were no longer possible.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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當下2 This Instant 2

禪的訓練除大家熟悉的外表禪坐，禪的內容性大都是陌生的，真正說打坐是全世界各宗各派共通的基礎，其中最大的差別點在於修練的內容，靈修有靈修的內容，禪有禪的思維。

Other than the familiar practice of meditation, the Practice of Zen is unknown to most people today. Meditation is a common practice among all the religions and Practices the world. They only differ in their substance: Zen has Zen's thinking, spirituality has its own content as well.

來看看中國禪宗，禪宗在中國取得宗派地位時間是唐朝，唐朝一個中國歷史上自由，思想奔放的年代，也是知識份子出家修道的高峰期，佛教在中國的發展，在這個時期有了重大轉變，幾大宗派的講學在皇室支持下蓬勃發展。

Let's look at Chinese Zen. Chinese Zen became a major religious school in China during the Tang dynasty. Tang dynasty was an era of free thoughts. It was an era when it was common for intellects of the time to became Buddhist monks or learn the ways of Tao. The development of Buddhism in China had a major change at that time, and a few major schools received the support of the emperor and flourished.

也因在這樣的重重學術背景環繞下， 一種要求簡單易於明白的教法在蘊育中，畢竟能深入經藏閱讀難懂經文的都是少數份子，貴族子弟，而廣大群眾一樣有 {知} 的渴望， 於是禪宗簡潔有力的大鳴大放迅速在傳開， 以 { 直指人心 ， 見性成佛 } 簡單的信息， 快速取得宗派地位 ， 追隨者成千成萬的累積。

In this heavily academic environment, a need for a teaching method that is easy to learn and understand was developed. After all, only the royalties and few elites were able to enter the libraries of Buddhist Texts and read these difficult texts. Since most people have a same desire to "know", Chinese Zen's simplicity spread quickly. It used the simple message of "Sudden Enlightenment" [Note] to quickly obtain the position of a major Buddhist school and accumulated tens of thousands of followers.

這種起源於對過多學術傳播佛法的抗爭，到最後演變成過於簡化思想的宗派，其內容性又引發很多爭議的探討 ， 因為禪宗的教授 是採取一對一的教法 ， 究竟裡面教了什麼 ? 當事者以外的人 ， 是無法清楚的 。

This type of simplicity was the result of struggles with heavily academic teaching of Buddhism that were popular at the time. But it eventually evolved into a religion of simplified ideas, and the content of these ideas led to many argumentative discussions. Because the teaching of Zen is usually one on one, what was really taught between the master and the student are usually unknown to outsiders.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

[Note] 直指人心 ， 見性成佛 : This means "You should look into your own heart and mind, if you can see your nature, you will become Buddha." But this translation seems to ruin the poetic and simple artistry of the original Chinese words. So I have choose to use "Sudden Enlightenment" in the translation.  

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當下1 This Instant 1

當下，這個詞很廣泛的被應用，人到底能不能在當下做些什麼 ? 來討論一下。

"This Instant"[Note] is a widely used phrase. Let us discuss whether a person can do anything "This Instant".

最近賈伯斯的往生，激起很大的討論，討論的內容多會指向他所修學的佛教，特別是{ 禪 }的教導。

Recently, Steve Job's passing invoked many discussions. Many of these discussions talked about his Buddhist learning, especially in Zen Buddhism.

禪宗說了很多當下的應用，但是因傾向不立文字的教導，內容究竟是什麼  ? 常讓學習者一頭霧水。

Zen Buddhism talked about the application of "This Instant," but because Zen Buddhism tends not to teach using texts, the content of its teachings can be nebulous to the students of Zen Buddhism.

想一下 ! { 當下} 如果可以被使用的人應用，那這個人背後練過多少功夫 ? { 當下 } 可以被使用就代表自己很熟悉，很熟悉於不須要思考的反應，而又是對的做法，想那樣的使用功夫，當然得先看看是怎麼練的。

Think about it, if a person can apply "This Instant," can you imagine the efforts and practices this person endured? If you can do things "This Instant", it means that you are very familiar with it. You are familiar enough with the issue to be able to come up with the correct action without thinking.

通常人在面對一件事的時候，會有幾種反應來處理事情： 一，父母的教法， 二，社會的看法，三，自己的經驗，四，同儕的做法。這些都反應完了還是不能解決，才會再去想其他能用上的方式。

Often, when faced with a situation, we usually react by 1. using the teachings from the parents, 2. adopting the view of the society, 3. acting based on our own experiences, and 4. utilizing methods used by our peers. It's only when none of these reactions is able to resolve the situation that we will consider other methods.

用這麼多條件去面對事情，照理說  : 取得了相當的優勢，應該已可解決事情，但也因為佔據了太多經驗法則，人能進步的空間遭到擠壓，事情是處理了，但相信很多人會常常有事情不盡完善，如果可以還想重頭再做一次的感覺 !

It might be reasonable to say that since we have so many methods at our disposal, we already have significant advantageous and should be able to resolve many issues. However, it is because there are so many methods, there is no room for progress. We might have resolved the situation, but I believe that many resolutions are incomplete, and many of us to would often like to have the chance to result the situation once again.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

[Note] 當下 means instantly or this moment. In Chinese, it can be used as a noun or a verb. But I'll use "This Instant" regardless of English usage.

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佛法的思向 15 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 15

一直以為佛學從哲學變為宗教後，說法一直傾向消極論，甚至連消極也不須理由。 就是一個「苦」字括代一切，直把千年思想逼至牆角；

I always thought that when Buddhism transformed from philosophy to religion, its wordings became negative and passive, and it doesn't even need a justification for this negativity. Everything is summed up in one word, "dukkha" (suffering), and pushed thousand years of finest thoughts into a corner.

一個思想體系形成，中間思辯再思辯，更甚者得付出生命代價，連佛陀成道，也是 對印度思 想再提昇、再重新出發的代表解釋，過程中一再經歷的誤解與追殺，還 是牽扯新舊思想 的相互不容，人為問題尚且不論，就是因為能建立相當的思考架 構，佛法才能廣為流傳，否則早在古代思想蓬勃、群雄並起時，就已被淘汰，那能流傳至今？

Formation of an ideology is not a simple matter. It must went through numerous debates. Sometimes, practitioners must sacrifice their lives for their ideas. Buddha took the ideas and concepts of the Indian culture of his time, elevated them and created new interpretations. In the process, he was hunted for his ideas and experienced many misunderstandings, all because of the incompatibility between the new and the old ideas, not to mention man-made problems. But because he was able to create a comprehensive framework, Buddhism is able to spread and endure. Otherwise, in the ancient time when there are a lot of competing ideas, Buddhism would already be eliminated.

反倒今人思想墮落不說，還拚了命拿最簡單的想法硬擠掉千年命脈，真是苦哉！ 〈這個苦字當比前面那個苦字了得！〉。

Then, we look at today. People's thoughts not only have deteriorated further, they also work hard to use the simplest words to squeeze out the lifeblood of the idea of the millennium. This is really suffering. (This suffering is even more so that the "dukkha" used previously.)

以消極的觀點看，人間是一個屠宰場！逼得人無處容身！然而在大環境裏，人類 自己已經取得生活優勢，反而逼迫其他動物無法生存，那人如不能在人的優勢環境 中生存，理當也是人自己的問題。不從人自己身上下手，問題怎麼解決？而且人有相當不能理解的感情、負面的作為，如一再拿消極的方式面對，是否與吸嗎啡一般，陷入更多的迷惘？

From a negative point of view, the world is a slaughterhouse. People are forced to have nowhere to go. However, in this environment, mankind has the superiority and is able to force other creatures to extinction. If people cannot survive in an environment when mankind has the advantage, it should be mankind's problem. If we don't start with ourselves, how do we solve this problem? Furthermore, mankind have many irrational emotions and negative behaviors, if we keep use passive and negative methods to face these negativity, will it be similar to smoking opium, sinking further into more confusion?

多年來，致力於慧學的努力，以前覺得慧多定少，心易浮動；如今卻覺慧學愈多， 愈風清月明！當然是有條件的，至少是一個自我思想體系的完成！

Over the years, I have dedicated myself to learn the wisdom of Buddha. Before, I always felt that I have more wisdom than concentration, because my mind can wander easily. But now, I think that as I accumulate more Buddhist wisdom, I see more clearly. Of course there is a pre-requisite for this clarity, and it is the completion of an ideological framework within myself.

試著用粗淺一些的文字，表達對「空法」的理解，許多未完善處，留予探討者去挖 掘！畢竟不是理論式的窮闢精晰！

I tried to use some simple words to expression my understanding of Śūnyatā. This might not be complete, and I'll save them for the explorers to discover the rest for themselves. After all, this is not an attempt at exhaustive discourse.

祇拿出個人認為的重點，加以論述！有心者理當再深入，或許勤於動腦的結果，也 會帶來駐立於人世間的良緣善機！

This is a personal view of the important issues in Buddhism. If you are interested, you should definitely research further. May the result of your own efforts will bring you good karma and good opportunities in the future.

不待春風花不開
及至花開又吹落


Waiting for the spring wind to bloom
Only to fall when the wind blows

中華民國九十二年九月　　　　　 半寄於南禪精舍

September, 2003 Ban Ji at Nan Zen Vihara

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前世今生 4 Past and Present Lives 4

我在修行的過程中，意外發覺前世今生的重要，除了1，2 篇所說競爭的公平性外，很多人的情感也須藉追憶撫平，前世今生變成橋樑，讓人有機會接軌自己失落的過去，安撫殘敗的生命。

I accidentally discovered the importance of previous and present lives during my Practice. Other than the issues of fairness discussed in part 1 and 2, many people's emotions can also be heal through memories. Past and present lives become a bridge, give people a chance to connect to a lost past, and to comfort a ruined life.

你覺得社會虧欠你嗎? 你覺得競爭不公平嗎? 回頭看看自己留下了什麼樣的積蓄?

Do you think the society owes you? Do you think competition is unfair? Did you ever look at what you have accumulated?

如果發覺根本沒有存款，怨恨自然消失，說不定自己一直是在負債情形下生存，社會已給自己十分的寬容。

If you find that you have no savings, you would no longer hate the world. Maybe you would even find out that you are living in debt, and the society is already very tolerant of you.

用前世今生的計算方法，會發現生命的起跑點平等，看不到前生，用今生的走過的路計算也會有一些答案，計算方法清楚了，就會知道沒有機會與機運，只有多少積蓄的問題，有存款的人起跑點一定比較快，花一些時間觀察自己吧!

If you considered past and present lives, you will find that the starting points of life are all equal. Even if you cannot see your previous life, you can figure out an answer based on the life that you have lived so far. Once you are clear, you will know that there is no chances and lucks. It is all a matter of savings. People with savings will start faster. So why don't you spent sometime observing yourself.

用很多不同的角度，看待已消失的過去，用修正、彌補、再儲存、什麼方法都好?! 不都是期盼更好的待遇或今生嗎?

You can try to use many angles to look at the previous errors, and use corrections, reparation or deposits, any methods, to give yourself a better treatment and present life.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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前世今生 3 Past and Present Lives 3

過去的生命，輝煌的，失敗的，點點滴滴記錄在自己心理，輝煌已過去不能忘懷，自己會下意識的尋求，更可能是盡全力的找，想找回失落的輝煌，失敗呢? 痛苦纏繞像身陷泥沼拔都拔不出來，甚至是自戀般可憐自己。

Past lives, glorious ones and failures, are all recorded in your heart and mind. You cannot forget about the glorious past, and your subconscious might still be looking for it. You might also be making every effort to find the lost glory. What about failures? The pains of failures wrap around you like quicksand with no chance of escape. You might even pity yourself like a narcissist.

尋求前世的生命，像努力記起自己沒做好的事，沒負起的責任，想讓自己去補償。 這樣的尋求不見得都不好，很多的回憶，除了是想念以往外，也給自己一個重新看見自己的機會。

Searching for previous lives, like trying to remember what you did not do well, trying to remember the responsibilities that you have ignored, and find ways to redeem these mistakes, is not a bad thing to do. Recalling the past is not only for longing for the past, it can also be used to give yourself a chance to look at yourself.

一個想重生的人，有機會彌補過去，意義非常重大。

For a person trying to reborn, having a chance to remedy the past is very significant.

許多設法尋求過去的人，心理一定有不為外人所知的痛苦，不論是繁華已去的過去，或者是殘破不堪的過去。 前世的生命跟走過的生命一樣，不是沒有或迷信，反而是一種屬於人性的寬容，要不要繼續留戀，外人插不上手。

Many people who are searching for the past have pains deep within, whether they are searching for a flourishing or a dilapidated past. Past lives are lives that have already gone by, not superstitious and not unreal. It is the leniency of human nature, it allows us to redeem our past mistakes. Whether a person wants to continue to be nostalgia of his past is his own business.

而你想找回什麼樣的過去 ?

What kind of past are you trying to find?

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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前世今生 2 Past and Present Lives 2

第 1 篇那樣說，讀者一定想這更沒有依據，前生! 誰看的見。

After reading the first part, most readers would probably think: "Where is the proof for past lives?" Who has seen it?

用個辯論好了，小時候或過往的歲月，你做過的事現在大部份看不見，很多事你忘記了，可認識你的人記得，尤其男生留的種，想不認都不可能，這就是以前的烙印，也是一種人生的軌道。

Let's use this argument. You can no longer see your behaviors and actions of your youth, and probably have forgotten most of them as well. But people who knew you remembered. Especially the seeds of boys and men, they don't even have a choice of not admitting to them. This the marking of the past, it is also a track of life.

你在自己的軌道走，順著軌道就可以找到你，這樣解說前生沒什麼奇怪的，你也可以就今生自己的慣性，清楚的看見自己是誰，一旦清楚自己的作為， ( 就算是現在很多自己做的事都不願意承認，何況過去的事，除非是好處，又會認為降臨自己身上是理所當然。) 你會接受自己大部份的遭遇。

You walk on your track, and you can be found just by following your track. Using this explanation, the concept of previous life should not seem strange. You can use the habitual thoughts and behaviors of this life to clearly see who you really are. Once you clearly understand your behaviors, you will be able to accept most of your encounters. (Most people would not even want to admit things they have done right now, not to mention those of the past. Of course, they also feel that they deserve all the good things that is happening to them.)

假設你從來不曾幫助別人，為什麼會認為別人應該好好對你，或者是你有貢獻過社會，但已領完你的貢獻積蓄，社會為什麼還要優惠你 ?

If you never helped other people, why would you think other people will treat you well. Or, if you had contributed to the society before, but have withdrawn all your savings from the society, why should the society be continue to act favorable to you?

你不曾做過的貢獻，現在卻要求好的回饋或沒有積蓄卻還要提款，當然遭受看起來像不公平的待遇，這都是已往的印記，卻左右現在自己的命運，已過去了的生命不等於沒有。

If you never contributed, but wanted good return, of course you will encounter seemingly unfair treatment. Just like you have no money in the bank but keep trying to withdraw. These are all markings of the past, but they control your fortunes right now. Past life is life that's in the past, but that doesn't mean it didn't exist.

過去推動現在的負與得，現在的一切動作表示你將來命運。

The past gives impetus to today's loss and gain. Today's actions dictate tomorrow's fate.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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前世今生 1 Past and Present Lives 1

看見很多探討所謂公平的理論，不是激動的認為社會不公平，就是說競爭的不公平，世間不平事何其多 ? 而探討內容再如何精彩，還是無解 !

There are many discussion about fairness. These discussions are either about the unfairness of the society, or the unfairness of competitions. Isn't it a given that the world is full of unfairness? Regardless of how exciting these discussions are, the issues of unfairness remains.

這才是最遺憾的，古往今來，人窮盡多少腦力想解開生命的謎題? 結果是聽的人有聽沒有懂，更可能是說的人也是茫茫然 !

This is what's regrettable. From ancient times to today, many people have exhausted so much efforts hoping to solve the puzzle of life. The result is that people listened, but do not understand. Of course, speakers are probably confused as well.

立足點的公平，教育大部份做得到，其餘混雜很多機會與機運問題，機會與機運有很多人為可以操控的空間，所以往往令世人無法接受，但這裏頭真是這麼的複雜? 令人忿忿不平?

In most cases, education can provide a basis for fairness. The rests are mixed with chances and luck. But there are rooms for manipulation on the matters of chance, so people usually cannot accept them as fair. But is it really this complicated that people cannot help but feel upset over this?

佛法在這裡給了答案。

Buddhism provides an answer.

推論前世我是什麼樣的人，或許不重要，但是自己究竟做了什麼事，很重要。假設你是老師很盡責的教育學生，這輩子一定被教育得好，至少會碰上好老師，以佛教的觀點來說，這是你上輩子教育別人的積蓄，所以這方面會特別得到照 顧。這不是機會與機運，是你的優良行為造成。

The identity of your previous life is not important. It is more important to know what you did in your previous life. For example, if you were a teacher in the previous life, and you did your very best in educating your students. Then you will receive a good education this life time. At least, you will meet good teachers. From the Buddhists' perspective, this is the savings that you have accumulated with your performance as an educator in your previous life time, so you will be able to withdraw these savings in the form of a good education in this one. This is not about chance and fortune. This is the result of your good behavior.

半寄 Master Ban Ji

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佛法的思向 14 A Guide to Buddhist Thoughts 14

佛教自印度傳入中國後，大量經典被翻譯，空法的思想亦在此時帶入。但中國思想裏沒有「空」的想法，也不能理解何謂「空」？


Ever since Buddhism's spread into China from India, many Buddhist Texts have been translated, and the concept of Śūnyatā was introduced. However, Śūnyatā is not a concept that existed in Chinese culture, and Chinese could not understand the meaning of Śūnyatā.


解經的人常常用道家的「無」來解釋，且中國向來有「空靈」思想的存在，不論是國畫上的、書法上的，或古代士大夫、知識份子的隱遁都脫不了這層思想。


People who interpreted Buddhist Texts tend to use the concept of "Nothing" from Taoism to explain Śūnyatā. Furthermore, Chinese usually have a concept of "ethereal."[Translator's Note 11] This concept of "ethereal" beauty was pursued in Chinese paintings or Chinese calligraphy. Even the literati and intellects of the ancient China went into recluse in search of this concept.


但個人以為這些想法、做法應該歸類於美學，是情感上的嚮往，如同日本人心中最高的生死是「淒美」，這該都屬於民族文化的結晶，是民族裏感情表達的最高方式，且以感情的認同為主要方式，不需要太多思想背景。


But I think these thoughts should belong in aesthetics, because it is an yearning of the emotions. Just like the Japanese who thought that "Poignant" is the highest level of emotions. These are all crystallization of a culture, and the culture's highest level of expression. We identify with these expressions with emotions, and do not require much thoughts.


但空法不是！它須有相當思想作背景，絕非老莊「無」的思想。早在還在印度時，它就是一個體系的思想，是須通過嚴謹的辯論才能成立的。總覺得「空法思想」影響華人至深，如心經的流傳！但「空法」與「空靈」二者必得清楚劃分再談結合，如同理性與感情，如能並駕齊驅，當屬人間美事！


But not so for Śūnyatā. Much intellectual background is required to understand Śūnyatā It is definitely not Lao-Zhuang's "Nothing". [Translator Note: 12] Even when it was in India, it was an ideological system and was established after rigorous debates. I always thought that Śūnyatā has tremendous influences over Chinese people, as can be seen from the popularity of Heart Sutra. But we still need to differentiate between Śūnyatā and "ethereal" before we can try to combine them. Just like rationality and emotions, if we can eventually apply them together, humanity will benefit for it.


緣起性空、隨緣起而有、隨緣滅而盡，無有實體 ( 不是沒有 的意思 ， 因為聚集而成的實體 ， 是因緣的產品 ， 也就是在因緣的襯托下存在 ， 只承認它因為因緣存在而有 ， 因緣滅了就消失 ， 所以說無有實體 ，有實體就無法滅掉 ，等於不可能再變化 。再改造 ，那可是嚴重的思想錯誤 )，因緣決定一切故曰「空」。


Principle of DOCS, all things are created due to "dependent origination", all things are destroyed due to "dependent origination", no definitive body (This does not mean no body. Because body is a composition, and is the result of Nidānas. We can only admit that it exists due to Nidānas. If the Nidānas is gone, then it will be destroyed as well. Therefore, we said no definitive body. If there is a definitive body, then it cannot be destroyed, and that equates to inability to change. This is a serious misconception.) and Nidānas determines everything. These are all the rationale of Śūnyatā.


換句話說：因緣法懂得愈多，則空法自了然於心！前面所述種種想法、修法，在引出學者心中的障礙；想法錯誤使思想空間為之閉塞，假設空性思想可以具體觸摸，那麼導正想法，便似撕去內心一層薄膜，使空間感增加一些，一層層的撕去，直至空間無限的射放，解脫才乍現曙光！


Another way to say this is that the more we understand Nidānas, the better we will understand Śūnyatā. All the concepts and methods described so far are an attempt to remove obstacles settled deep with in out hearts. Incorrect idea will make it harder for us to think. If Śūnyatā can be touched physically, then we are trying to tear away a thin layer of membrane in our heart to make a little bit of room. Layer after layer, removed, until there is unlimited space for the heart to shine.


[Translator's Note 11:] 空靈 Literally, it means "Space-spirit". It really describes a concept of aesthetic feelings. It's a feeling of unlimited space filled with meanings. So I will simply translate this as "ethereal."


[Translator's Note:12] 老莊 Lao-Zhuang refers to the Laozi and Zhuangzi texts. They are two influential books on Taoism.

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為什麼要探討真相 Why Search for The Truth

We have said many times, dukkha is not the Truth, and liberate from dukkha is not the purpose for finding the Truth.

我們已經說過很多次，「苦」不是真相，
而且「解脫苦」並不是尋找真相的最終目的。

Then why look for the Truth?

那麼，為什麼要尋找真相呢？

Why do scientists try to explain the creation of the Universe? Why do they try explain how the world works by delving into the infinitesimal realms?

為什麼科學家想要了解宇宙的創造？
為什麼他們要鑽研無限小的世界來解釋宇宙的一切？

Because they are curious.

因為他們有好奇心。

Because in the process of looking for The Truth, we uncover many useful things that help make us and our lives better.

因為在尋找真相的過程中，我們會發現很多有用的東西，
幫助我們自己以及生活更美好。

Scientists did not go about searching for the Truth on how to talk over a great distances.

科學家沒有去尋找一個「讓人可以跟很遠的人說話」的真相。（電話的發明）

Scientists did not go about searching for the Truth on how to see from a great distance away.

科學家沒有去尋找一個「讓人可以看到一個很遠的東西」的真相。（電視的發明）

No, scientists searched for the Truth on how the world works, and in the process, they discovered electricity, and from there, they invented telephone and television.

科學家是在尋找世界的真相，在這個過程中，
他們發現電，進而發明了電話和電視。

Scientists might dream about the concepts of telephone and television, but without the knowledge of electricity, all the dreaming and trying did not get them anywhere. Telephone and television are only byproducts of the search for the Truth.

在這之前，科學家可能夢想電話和電視的發明；
但沒有電的知識，所有的夢想，都不會有用。
電話和電視只是副產品。

Likewise, we should not say that I want to be released from dukkha, so we search for the Truth on how to be released from dukkha.

同樣的， 我們不應該說，我想解脫苦，
所以我們來尋找如何解脫苦的真相。

We should be search for the Truth about ourselves, and in the process, we will discover methods on how to be released from dukkha.

我們應當尋找自己的真相，在這個過程中，
即會發現如何將苦釋放。

And we will discover methods on how to do many other things too.

在找出真相的過程中，我們也會發現如何做其他一樣有用的事。