外表跟真相 Appearance and Reality

We have all seen actors on the TV or movies playing roles of Martial Arts Masters. These actors and actresses move their bodies with grace, precision and power, as if they will conquer all in close quarter combats.

我們在電影或電視上都有看過「武林高手」這個角色。銀幕上，這些演員看起來似乎是萬人無敵的武林高手。

However, we all know that they are not all Martial Arts Masters in real life. We all know that they are actors and they have been taught to move their bodies as if they are the masters.

然而，我們都知道，他們不是現實生活中的武林高手，是演員，被教導如何運用身體表演得像個武林高手。

They have the appearances of Martial Arts Masters. But in reality, they are actors and actresses.

也就是說，他們看起來像武林高手，但是在現實生活中是演員。

When I read other writings on Buddhism, sometimes, I felt that some writers are similarly confused about appearance and reality. In other words, they are confused about cause and effect.

讀佛教的作品，常常讓我覺得，一些作者不是很清楚外表跟真相的差別，也就是把因跟果顛倒。

For example, many texts like to talk about "Buddha-nature". They all like to say that we all have "Buddha-nature" within us. On the surface, I don't have problem with this statement. But it all depends on what the definition of Buddha-nature is. If you say that Buddha-nature is compassion and is detachment from everything, then I might have some issues with this statement. However, if you say that Buddha-nature is Śūnyatā , then I can agree with you.

例如：許多書和文章喜歡談「佛性」，也都說「人性」就是「佛性」。基本上，我對這句話沒有意見，但重點是對「佛性」的定義。 如果說，「佛性」是「慈悲心」和「放下一切」，我就會有點意見。 然而，如果您說，「佛性」是「空」，那我可以同意這個說法。

If Buddha nature is compassionate and detachment, then it means that human nature is compassionate and detachment. Your Practice then would consist of discovering compassion and detachment.

如果「佛性」是「慈悲心」和「放下一切」，那人的本性也應該是如此。 所以修行會是：發覺您的「慈悲心」和培養能力去「放下一切」。

If Buddha nature is Śūnyatā , then it means that human nature is Śūnyatā as well. Your Practice would then be all about understanding Nidānas of Buddha nature.

如果「佛性」是「空」，那人的本性也是「空」。 修行將是：瞭解「佛性」和 「人性」的「因缘」。

These two views are totally different.

這兩個點完全不同。

You might ask, "What about compassion and detachment?"

您也許會問，『那為什麼要說「慈悲心」和「放下一切」呢？』

Wouldn't that simply be the result of enlightenment?

不會只是知道真相跟解脫的結果吧？

In the beginning of this blog, I used fire as an example to explain Śūnyatā and Nidānas. I will use fire to explain this concept as well. Heat is the result of fire. We might say, for simplicity, "Fire's nature is heat." Because as far as we are concern, heat is the primary attribute of fire that matters to us. If we want to light up a dark place, we would think that "Fire's nature is light."

一開始，我用火為例來解釋「空」和「因缘」，這裡也用火來解釋。熱是因火而生。我們可能說「火的本性是熱。」因為這比較簡單，而且我們需要火的理由是因為它能產生熱氣，而且熱氣對我們很重要。如果我們需要照亮一個黑暗的地方，那時也許會說「火的本性是光。」

But we have all agreed that the fire's true nature is Śūnyatā. Heat and light are simply the result of the Nidānas that involved fire.

但我們應該都同意，「火」的本性是「空」。「熱」和「光」只是「火」跟其他「因缘」所造成的。

If we find heat and light, we will sometime find fire, but not always. Because there are certainly other Nidānas that can create heat and light without fire.

如果我們發現「熱」和「光」，有時我們會找到「火」，但並非總是如此。因為「熱」和「光」也有其他無關「火」的「因缘」所造成。

We also cannot use heat and light to create fire, because heat and light are not fire's Nidānas .

我們也不能用「熱」和「光」來造「火」，因為「熱」和「光」不是「火」的「因缘」。

If you replace fire with "Buddha nature", and heat and light with "compassion" and "detachment," then what do you have?

如果您將「火」改成「佛性」，也把「熱和光」更換成「慈悲心和放下一切」，那您的結論是什麼？

It means that Buddha nature is Śūnyatā and is the result of many Nidānas . To achieve Buddha nature, you will need to understand the Nidānas that are needed.

我的結論是「佛性」是「空」，也是許多「因缘」所產生的。 要成佛，您將需要了解「佛性」的「因缘」。

Since human nature is also Śūnyatā , it means that we can change our human nature to Buddha nature. Why is this possible? Because Buddha has already show us an example. If we know our current Nidānas, we will be able to slowly transform them to the Nidānas that are required for "Buddha-nature." Simply speaking, this is what Practice is.

由於人的本性也是「空」，這表示「人性」也可以變成「佛性」。 為什麼呢？因為佛陀已經證明這是做得到的。 我們只要了解現在自己的「因缘」，就能慢慢的轉變成為「佛性」需要的「因缘」。 簡單來說，這就是修行。