南禪精舍_半寄導師_跨越生死關

各位親愛的讀者您好，

佛典成立史的研讀，讓我們從歷史與考古的角度，更加清楚佛學教育在漫長的時間與空間中演進的樣貌，這對於有心修持者而言，清楚的佛學脈絡是非常重要的課題。
十二月的讀書會，半寄導師 將陸續針對佛學史裡面的重要議題做更深入的開示，竭誠歡迎您的參與。

各地的讀書會訊息如下:
12/02 (六) 早10:30~12:00: 台南讀書會。
(悉達多1~2章+佛典史第三章1~5節「佛典的翻譯與整理」)
12/07 (四) 早10:30~12:00: 新竹讀書會。
(為什麼阿難沒證阿羅漢果就不能參與佛典的結集+佛典史第三章1~5節「佛典的翻譯與整理」)
12/23 (六) 午15:00~16:30: 潮州讀書會。
(為什麼阿難沒證阿羅漢果就不能參與佛典的結集+佛典史第三章1~5節「佛典的翻譯與整理」)

南禪生命教育基金會 與您一起學習與成長。
連絡電話: (08)7861856 / 0919932733

南禪精舍_半寄導師_不一不異(2/2)

南禪精舍_半寄導師_不一不異(1/2)

瑞欣提問說，靈魂可以滅，那之前說能量不滅有無衝突？

我的回答是沒有衝突，錄影檔的不一不異是確立佛法思想，如果靈魂不滅就是能量的轉移問題，這又是另一個話題。

假如，我有大福報，靈魂會跟著升級到天人的能量，假如我造大惡業，必須入三惡道，靈魂可以從人變豬變螞蟻，這樣的能量轉換是巨大的。

不管變天人或者螻蟻，還是起了變化，所以不能說是「一」的固定體，中觀一直要說明的就是變化，因緣會起變化。

如果靈魂可以是固定不滅的，那業力說也無法成立。

這樣就變成做好事跟做壞事是一樣的待遇！

能量如果被證實是不滅，那人們對自己要做的

事就會小心，因為好的跟壞的行為都會產生對自己的牽動力。

能量可以轉移，那太棒了！做好事可以累積，做錯了事可以迴轉向上，人生只要願意努力，大家都有機會，這才是佛法，不是只有懺悔而已！

Grace asks, “Doesn’t that spirit is not eternal contradict ‘immortality of energy’ we talked of before?”

My reply is ‘No’.

My statement on Youtube video confirms Buddhist teachings of “without unity(anekārtha) and without diversity(anānārtha)”.

As for whether some spirit can be permanent, it is another issue about energy transfer.

Supposed great good karmic results can advance one’s spirit to become a deva, and great bad ones descend it to Three Evil Paths(realms of hell, hungry ghost, animal). The energy involved in transforming a human’s spirit to a pig’s or an ant’s is sure to be tremendously huge.

Whether being transformed to be a deva or an ant, its essence has changed. And therefore there is not a static essence, ‘Unity’. This is what Mūlamadhyamakakārikā tries to stress all the time: essences in all phenomena are not static or definite. They will change, and so will ‘Causes and Conditions.

If spirit is eternal, the theory of karma will be invalid. And good deeds and bad deeds will be paid all the same.

If ‘immortality of energy’ is verified to be true, people will pay attention to what they do because all their behaviors, good or bad, will become forces to affect themselves.

It is great that energy is transferrable! Thus, good deeds can be accumulated, wrong deeds can be mitigated and turned around upward. Everyone has his chance in life as long as he is willing to make efforts. Other than repentance, this(everyone has his opportunity) is what Buddhism really advocates.

Ya-ling says it is impossible for one to travel through time and space to kill his grandfather. Because, after traveling back to the past, he may not know his grandfather or is not back as a human at all. It needs ‘I’ at the present (‘I-Now’), which can be viewed as ‘Unity’(a static and definite essence), to go back to kill my grandfather. And it needs all requirements, such as condition changes and energy transfer, to be satisfied to make me my grandfather’s grandson. So there is not a static essence, ‘Unity’. The notion of ‘Unity’ is invalid and therefore confirms ‘immortality of energy’.

“Is my interpretation right, Master?” asks Ya-ling.

Translated by Grace Tsai

Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

南禪精舍_半寄導師_善根的超越(一)

悉達多的流浪故事

悉達多的流浪故事 Episode XXX II (The Final Episode)

書名:悉達多的流浪故事(人性與狼的奇遇記)   Siddhartha  作者:半寄

悉達多的流浪故事32( 完結篇)

悉達多回到他待過的村莊，村民很久沒看過他，大家都想知道他去了哪裡？ 在修學什麼功課 ?

這一次他很驚訝，自己沒有想要傳達什麼想法，只是想試驗自己，再次進入人群會有什麼不一樣的感覺 ?

 

修學的定力，讓他覺得人群一下子很近、一下子很遠，時間跟空間的感受都跟以前不一樣，很多時候時間、空間很陌生。應該說是舊的感覺已去，新的感覺一直在隨著時間、空間，『更新』。

 

這種感覺如何跟人們說去？!

 

悉達多想起「空」的修學裡面，提起因與緣的改變。透過修學的因素，自己塑造另一個自己，也改變跟人們的互動對待，全新的生活，不一樣的感官。

 

只是這一切，似乎是一個幽默，到頭自己竟然無法說出那樣的感覺！

 

真的是屬於捻起一朵花的微笑嗎？

 

空中無言

Episode XXX II (The Final Episode)

Siddhartha returned to the village he once stayed in. The villagers, not having seen him for a long time, were eager to know where he had been and what he had Practiced. However, Siddhartha was surprised to find that he didn’t want to convey anything but to test himself this time. He wanted to know how it would like to be in the crowds again.

The imperturbability which he gained from Practice made him feel the crowds were close and far simultaneously .His perception about time and space was different from his old one. Most of the time, he found time and space strange to him.  To put it more precisely, his old perception was gone and his new one kept updating with the new time and space.

How could he explain this feeling to others?

Siddhartha remembered changes of Yin and Yuan (Cause and Conditions) discussed in Śūnyatā. By Practicing and changing the factors, a person could remold a new self, change his relationship with others, and thus have a brand new life and different senses.

However, he couldn’t put all of these into words because it seemed to be kind of humor,.

Could it actually be sort of "pick up flower, subtle smile"? (Translator’s Note 1)

In the air was only silence!

 

Translator’s Note 1:

This phrase originates from a story, known in English as the Flower Sermon. It means gaining a thorough understanding of esoteric Buddhist teachings. 

   
  Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

                                                               

悉達多的流浪故事31 Episode XXX I

悉達多的流浪故事31

日常生活形成的慣性，是一種安定，也是一種壓迫，日復一日的過去、現在、未來，形成一系列的輪轉，想要明天的人們，欣喜的期待，不願時光過去的人們，奮力沉溺，而想要現在的人們努力以赴的耕耘。

 

悉達多在腦海裡浮現人們在歷經生活的點滴，不管人們願不願意，生活的形態，讓人們樂在其中，或者身陷其中。

 

我就是想要你得到一點自由，悉達多持續跟「自己的身體對話」，現在你總算有力量，讓輪轉的時代巨輪，不能一直逼迫著你。

 

流浪也挺不錯的，你親眼看見很多事，更跟狼進行搏鬥，很多的經歷把你鍛鍊的很好，如果不去流浪怎能知道?

 

悉達多的大腦、身體互相感謝對方，感謝雙方的努力，讓自己有些自由，做到一些不被撼動，只一些，便如同甘露一般，滋養著自己，在生活裡從容。

Episode XXX I

Habits developed in daily lives became stable yet repressive as well. The past, present and future cycled in series day after day. People who desired tomorrow look forward to it delightfully. And those who did not want the past to slip away indulged themselves in the past to the full extent. Those who desired the present strove diligently.

 

People’s life experiences came to Siddhartha in dribs and drabs. Whether willing or not, the various patterns of life led people to pleasure or confinement.

 

‘I want you to earn some freedom ’ Siddhartha continued having dialogues with his body. “Finally, you have developed some power to resist against the cycling of time which keeps oppressing you now.’

 

It was not so bad to wander. It enabled you to witness so many things and to fight with the wolf. So many of these experiences trained you to be tougher. How could you know these if not for wandering?

 

Siddhartha’s brain and body thanked each other for striving to earn themselves a little bit freedom. A little bit freedom from being controlled and shaken, just a little bit, nourished themselves like sweet dews and enabled them to behave calmly in life.

  Master Ban Ji
(Translated by Grace Tsai)

 (Proofread by Sophiea Kuo)

 

悉達多的流浪故事30 Episode XXX

悉達多的流浪故事30

 

悉達多明顯感受到，自己跟以前不太一樣，一股不能被輕易撼動的力量，在他心裡產生，愈來愈清楚指導者教給他的學問，是一種可以被實踐出來的力量，不是只能供奉膜拜的經典。

 

過去生命裡的自我纏縛，人與人之間相互的影響，大部分時間都是矇懂的，很多時候對自己也常常束手無策。

 

以前你生病的時候，我好害怕，悉達多跟自己【身體】說著 : 害怕你從此沒辦法好了 ! 你讀書的時候，我也怕，怕你書讀的不好，後來，你去賺錢，我一聽說別人賺錢的數目，更是對你絕望，覺得你完了，自從大腦意識到你的存在，我除了短暫的快樂，其餘時間都在憂慮著你，還帶著你到處流浪，一心想著怎樣才能解決我們的麻煩，讓【大腦，身體】都得到一種安定。

 

一種無處不在的自我生存憂慮，在身體、心裡，到處充斥。

 

總算，費了那麼大的力氣，把自己搞定，滄桑喔 ! 沒想到搞定自己，「這件小事」，竟然很滄桑。

Episode XXX

Siddhartha felt that he was obviously different from before. The power which was not shaken easily arose from his mind. He was convinced that what his instructor taught was more than scriptures or theories which deserved only to be worshiped. Instead, he could put them into action.

 

He was ignorant about the self-constraint in the past life and interdependence between people most of the time. More often, he felt helpless with himself, too.

 

‘When you were sick, I was scared’ Siddhartha talked to himself, ‘ that you could no longer recover. When you studied, I was also scared that you didn’t do well. Later, when you started making money, I felt disappointed at you after hearing how much money others made. I thought you were through. Since my brain was conscious of your existence, I had been worried about you all the time, except for short period of being joyful. As a result, I decided to take you along to wander so that I could resolve our trouble and let my brain and body rest in peace.

 

Fear and anxiety about self-existence pervaded everywhere, both in his body and in his mind.

 

Finally, after striving so hard, he had himself under control. What vicissitudes! It never occurred to him that such a little thing as controlling himself should go through so many vicissitudes.

                                          

  Master Ban Ji
(Translated by Grace Tsai)

(Proofread by Sophiea Kuo)

 

 

 

悉達多的流浪故事29 Episode XX IX

悉達多的流浪故事29

元素裡面有其他的元素，一層次一層次的拆解，因素齊全就可以組織，因素消失時，個體或整體都會散去，這些可以因為元素而存在的一切，也可以因為元素而消失的一切，是【空】在做媒介，沒有【空】的存在，元素只能是固定的個體，絕對無法轉變，組合或消失。

悉達多像發現新大陸般，狂奔的吼叫，我終於懂了，終於 !

 

因為【空】的存在，所有的事物都會不一樣，人不需要終止，卻一定需要『空』。

 

悉達多看看自己的身體，這個連入定都沒辦法解決的個體，『現在自己藉由空在拆解』、認識他，一個自己最最熟悉，也最陌生的他。

Episode XX IX

There were components in elements, layers and layers of elements to be broken down.  As all the elements are complete, so as things organized. As any of the elements scattered, so as the individual or the whole dispersed and vanished. Everything was to exist or to vanish simply because of elements. It was the Śūnyatā that intermediated and altered the results. Without Śūnyatā, elements were fixed objects, absolutely impossible to be changed, assembled, or to vanish.

 

Siddhartha, like having discovered the new continent, galloped and screamed out ‘I finally understand. At last!’

 

Existence of Śūnyatā differed everything. People might not need ending, but they definitely needed Śūnyatā

 

Siddhartha looked at his own body, which failed to be calm even in Samadhi. By dissembling himself with Śūnyatā, he now knew himself again, the most familiar yet strangest one.

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

悉達多的流浪故事28 Episode XX VIII

悉達多的流浪故事28

 

悉達多努力思考著人體需要的物質，與人體感官的「觸感」。

 

 

 

這段期間，他有點明白，自體的存活，意義不大，就算自己已

經有了一些定力可以加被自己，然而，自體能延伸的範圍有

限，他通過定力的經驗，清楚人不可能「只跟自己活著」，有了迦南多可以討論後，悉達多重新定義了人與人之間的對待問題。

 

 

 

人要活著就需要維生的供給，量大與量少都是一種需要，『所以誰也不能在這些依存中自在』，悉達多這般想著，一路走來，自己一直在面對問題，而解決問題，也讓自己不斷的看到新的視野，自己練習的入定，讓他的感官跟以前不太一樣，不用太費力思考，就能直接觸摸喜、怒、哀、樂。

 

 

 

直接！對！想終止什麼？也要直接的感受，想得太入神，悉達多彷彿看見自己變成食物，又一個元素，一個因素的拆解它，又像迦南多跟自己在辯論般，迦南多與自己似乎一樣。

 

 

 

「空」第一次在悉達多的感官裡升起。

 

Episode XX VIII

 

Siddhartha thought hard about the materials needed for a human body and the tactile sense of human senses.

 

 

 

Even though he had acquired some imperturbability during this period of time, he realized the existence of an individual meant little. As there was a limited scope for human bodies to extend, experience of being imperturbable convinced him that it was impossible for a man to live all alone. Being able to discuss with Karanda also urged him to redefine the mutual reliance and relationship between people and people.

 

 

 

To live on, human beings needed some fundamental supplies, whether it was in a large or small amount. ‘No one could feel free from the interdependence.’ Siddhartha thought. He kept facing and solving problems along the way, which broadened his vision on and on. Practicing mediation altered his senses. Not having to make too many efforts, he could feel his pleasure, anger, sorrow and joy directly.

 

 

 

Yes, directly! To cease something, you needed to feel it directly. Lost in thinking, Siddhartha seemed to find himself become food and dissemble the food elements one after another. It seemed that he was debating with Karanda. Karanda turned to be him.

 

 

 

Siddhartha sensed ‘Śūnyatā’ for the first time.

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

 

 

 

 

悉達多的流浪故事27 Episode XX VII

悉達多的流浪故事27

人與人之間的撞擊，即使意見不一樣，還是讓大腦起了不同的反應，悉達多開心的笑開懷，哦！去淨土，他想一想，去淨土居住應該不錯，也不知是不是自己一直在找尋答案，悉達多對去淨土，還沒產生興趣，倒是迦南多提出的終止是不可能的！讓悉達多有點焦慮。

 

人體的各個器官由維持器官的基本條件，食物、水、空氣組成，悉達多對著迦南多說著他的想法，可是食物、水、空氣裡面都沒有人體的成分，如果修學裡面能夠突破這些因素的限制，或者對這些因素的再加以認識，一定可以做些什麼？！只是到底能做些什麼？他自己也還不清楚。

迦南多也無法想像，離開維持人體需要的一切供給時，人體會怎樣？我可以試著分解這些因素，看有沒有可能突破自己對「人體」原先的認知，悉達多想著應該怎麼進入下一個階段的突破。

 

有了夥伴，即使意見不同，悉達多覺得至少有討論的對象，感覺踏實很多，那是他以前不知道的。

Episode XX VII

The interaction between people holding different opinions facilitated different reaction to the brain. Siddhartha laughed heartily and happily. ‘Oh, go to the pure land. It seems good to live in the pure land.’ Siddhartha thought to himself. Maybe it was because he focused on finding out the answer, it didn’t interest Siddhartha much to go to the pure land. Yet, Karanda’s opinion that ceasing is impossible made him a little anxious.

 

“Every human organ was composed of the basic life-sustaining elements, i.e. food, water and air.” Siddhartha talked to Karanda. ‘However, we cannot find any components of human body in them. If we can break up restrictions of these factors or have deeper understanding of these factors by Practice, we must accomplish something!’ It was just that he was not very clear of what he could accomplish.

Neither could Karanda imagine what would happen to the human body if the necessary supply for life was disconnected. Maybe I could try to dissemble these factors and see if it was possible to break up my old understanding of human body. Siddhartha pondered how to make the next breakthrough.

 

Having partners or someone he could discuss with though of different opinions, made Siddhartha calm and sure. It was something he never knew before.

 Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

悉達多的流浪故事26 Episode XX IV

悉達多的流浪故事26

在一條通往人群的路上，悉達多遇見一位想去尋找修學者的人，迦南多，迦南多博學多聞，讓悉達多想跟他一起生活與繼續討論自己沒有明白的生命。

 

當悉達多與迦南多討論生命的時刻，悉達多發現自己的思考開始敏捷，以前跟隨指導者的日子，是一股腦的吸收指導者給他的教導，那些教導他很少去想，怎麼做才能達到指導者說的境界，現在迦南多會質疑他說的話 ? 甚至堅決否認生命可以終止，迦南多想要的世界是一種乾淨的淨土，不是終止。

 

生命可以在淨土裡得到延續，決不是終止，迦南多說。

 

剛從練習定力出來的悉達多，還不能反應迦南多的問題，卻明顯感受到，在與人互動下，大腦明顯不一樣，一個人的生活，自問自答，現在耳朵聽著迦南多的話，腦袋的想法跟著他轉，悉達多再次去觸摸自己跟別人相互依存的關係。

Episode XX IV

On his way heading for the crowds, Siddhartha met Karanda, a person who searched for Practice. Karanda knew so much that Siddhartha would like to live with him and continue discussing life issues which he had not yet clarified.

When discussing life with Karanda, Siddhartha found himself starting to think swiftly and critically. He used to absorb whatever his instructor taught without thinking too much. And he spent little time considering how to reach the realm his instructor mentioned. On the contrary, Karanda would question whatever he said or even strongly denied the possibility of ending lives. Karanda searched for a world of the clean pure land, not a world of ending.

 

‘Life can be continued in the pure land, not ended.’ Karanda said.

 

Siddhartha, who just came out from practicing meditation, couldn’t respond to Karanda‘s question yet. However, he could obviously felt that his brain functioned totally differently when interacting with others. When he was alone, his brain did the asking and answering all by itself. But now as he listened to Karanda, his thinking was directed by his words. Once again, Siddhartha experienced and realized the interdependence between others and himself.

 Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

 

悉達多的流浪故事25 Episode XX V

悉達多的流浪故事25

身體的喜悅讓悉達多不願多吃進食物，深怕進食多了會干擾身體的定力。

 

悉達多走出去，試著跟人群相處，發現一定力量的安定，讓他遠離人群的干擾，不再容易被一件衣服矇騙，定力產生的喜悅，讓悉達多快樂的跟「自己」相處。

但是，自己還是沒有終止?一些日子後，悉達多問著自己，就在同時，悉達多發覺，低能量的進食，讓缺乏營養補給的身體、開始不聽使喚，大腦不太聽從自己的指揮，身體也走不了多遠。大腦不能去思維自己想理解的事情，跟人們的互動剩下只能聽，他的世界，只剩下「定力安慰著自己。」

 

原本以為攀登到一定的「定點」，應該可以解開生命的迷底，定力的產生讓自己有脫胎換骨的經驗，然而生命如何不受牽引、甚至是終結一切的苦，還是沒有答案。

 

在一個人的歲月裡，身體的器官反而清楚展現，身體的器官像工具，入定的體驗讓悉達多完全清楚，沒有了器官的工具組合，讓靈魂像沒有房子住的人，「只能漂盪」，雖然定力可以做依靠，但房子沒了！定力仍是無法展開他的能量。

 

悉達多慢慢吃多一點食物，身體逐漸有了力氣，帶著定力的體驗，他決定離開練習入定的地方，去尋求他還沒明白的問題。

Episode XX V

Joy of the body made Siddhartha reluctant to eat much, fearing it might disturb the imperturbability.

 

Siddhartha walked out and tried to associate with people. He found some power of imperturbability protected him from the disturbance of the crowds. He would not be cheated by a piece of clothes so easily. Joy resulting from imperturbability helped Siddhartha to get along with himself happily.

 

‘But, you still didn’t end yourself?’ Siddhartha asked himself a few days later. At the same time, he also found his malnourished body was too weak to walk far. His brain was also beyond control resulting from eating little. His brain couldn’t reason what he intended to figure out. He could only hear when interacting with people. Only imperturbability was left to comfort him.

 

He used to think that as long as he reached some point, he would be able to solve the riddle of life. Being in Samadhi gave him experience of becoming another person. However, he still didn’t find the answer to how to resist against being engaged in life or even how to terminate all the torture.

 

During days of being alone, as how he reacted physically, Siddhartha realized clearly that his body organs were like tools. Experience of Samadhi also convinced Siddhartha that a soul without tools of the body organs would be like a man losing his house. It could do nothing but drift. Though he could rely on imperturbability, he lost his house. Imperturbability alone was not able to develop its strength and function fully.

 

Siddhartha started eating more gradually and his body regained some strength. With experience of Samadhi, he decided to leave the place where he practiced meditation and found answers to the questions that confused him.

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

悉達多的流浪故事24 Episode XX IV

悉達多的流浪故事24

靜止不動「入定」的肉體，讓身體需要的能量燃燒，降到最低點。

 

直到癱倒下來，才發覺肚子又開始抗議，在幾近最低點的燃燒裡，身體的感覺依然持續著。

 

而悉達多卻發現，經過「入定」的訓練，身體的感覺起了變化，那不再是一般靜坐後的寧靜而已，是一個小孩轉變成大人的觸覺，小孩的身體像被脫下來的衣服，不再適合穿在大人的身上，好奇妙的感覺啊! 悉達多驚奇的叫著，完全忘記肚子的叫聲。

Episode XX IV

The body in Samadhi stayed stationary, which reduced the consumption of the energy necessary for his body to the minimum.

 

Only until he collapsed down was he aware of the protest of his empty stomach. Sense perception of his body still persisted in the nearly minimum consumption.

 

However, Siddhartha found the training of Samadhi had changed his sensual perception. It was no longer tranquil he used to feel after ordinary meditation. It was the tactile sensation of a child growing into an adult. The child’s body, like clothes taken off, could no longer suit an adult. What amazing feelings! Siddhartha screamed surprisingly and totally forgot about his gurgling belly. 

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

 

悉達多的流浪故事23 Episode XX III

悉達多的流浪故事23

悉達多積極進行各方面的準備工作，「徹底要試驗終止的生命」，他一方面開始慢慢的減少進食，一方面藉著進食的減少，開始訓練自己集中精神。

 

進食減少讓肚子起來抗議，悉達多沒理會肚子，持續的降低飲食，大腦缺乏供給也開始罷工，悉達多也沒接受大腦的罷工 ! 更加緊微弱的力氣，訓練集中精神。

 

一個月，兩個月过去，悉達多只剩下皮包骨，但他的身體明顯有一股安定不動的力量支撐著，悉達多很清楚他慢慢的做到持續集中精神後，會出現一種精神體，名字叫「定力」。

 

悉達多整個感官世界，隨著他努力的練習，全部化成「定力」的世界，偶而忘神了，竟然發覺時間給他的感覺不一樣，時間在他的身體裡變得緩慢，緩慢到時間是不存在的，就連肉體的感覺，也不再強烈。

 

不知過了多久?鳥的叫聲喚起了他，一股強烈的疲憊感侵襲著悉達多，一直盤坐著的悉達多，啊 ! 的一聲，癱倒在坐床邊，下意識的看了一下時間，不能相信，十天 ! 整整十天，在自己沒任何感覺中，十天像幾個小時般，過去了 !

 

Episode XX III

Siddhartha actively prepared himself to experiment on ending his life thoroughly. He started eating less gradually while at the same time he started training himself to concentrate with the less food eaten.

 

His belly protested against his eating less. Siddhartha paid no attention to it and continued cutting down the food. His brain, lacking supply, started striking, too. Siddhartha paid no attention to it, either. He strengthened up his weak body and accelerated his training of concentration

 

With one month and two months passing, Siddhartha became skinny and bony. But a kind of stable and tranquil power held him up. He was clearly aware that as long as he could continue concentrating degree by degree, he could develop the spirit called imperturbability.

 

All of Siddhartha’s senses transformed into world of imperturbability owing to his strive to Practice. Sometimes he was so absorbed that he found time sensed differently to him now. Time ran slowly in his body and was too slow to barely exist. Even the senses of his body became less keen now.

 

Unconscious of how long it had passed, he was woken up by the bird’s warbling and then he felt exhausted. ‘Ahh!’ Siddhartha cried out. Siddhartha, remaining seated cross-legged, collapsed beside his bed. Looking at the time subconsciously, he was amazed to find that ten days, ten days in total, without any sensual perception, had passed whereas it was only several hours.

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

悉達多的流浪故事22 Episode XX II

悉達多的流浪故事22

悉達多，學習觀察、了解人們的生活，發現大部份人都很忙碌，家庭裡有家庭需要的運作、維生的方法，除非家庭的生活不能滿足人們的需求，不然，是不可能也不必要想到有關於生命，「起點與終點」。

 

生命裡需要的明天，讓每個人都焦慮的想知道，明天會不會更好?就像村民常問他的 「老師，我應該怎麼做,才能擺脫現在的低潮 ?」 或者 「老師，我去祈求有智慧，有能力的神，神會滿足我的要求吧 ?!」村民一邊說著，一邊給自己回答，悉達多大部份的時候，只是個傾聽者。

 

現在離開村落，悉達多感覺到在被村民指責的時候，他沒有要「終止生命的意願」，在狼肚子裡被激起的求生與不甘被動物吃盡的反擊，都看不到生命願意終止的痕跡。

 

在什麼情況下，生命才會想要自己終止 ?

 

悉達多決定自己親身體會終止的生命。

半寄

Episode XX II

Siddhartha, learning to observe and understand people’s lives, found most people were too busy with managing to maintain a family. Only when their family life failed to meet their needs did they think about life, the start and the end.      

 

The necessary tomorrow in life made everyone anxious to know if tomorrow will be better. For example, some villagers asked him, ‘My instructor, what should I do to get rid of my present depression?’ or others asked, ‘Will the Almighty God answer me if I pray to him for wisdom?’ They asked and gave answers simultaneously. Siddhartha was only a listener most of the time.

 

Now he left the village. Siddhartha was aware that he didn’t want to end his life even when he was condemned by villagers. His strong will to survive while in the wolf’s belly and his fight- back against being eaten up by animals proved that he didn’t want to end his life.

 

Under what circumstances did a living creature want to end itself?

 

Siddhartha decided to experience ending his life himself.

Master Ban Ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

 

 

 

悉達多的流浪故事21 Episode XX I

悉達多的流浪故事21

沒辦法「終止」的人生，祈禱、祈求替代遠離與終止。

沒錯！當人們問起悉達多，有關延續性的生命時，悉達多像觸電般跳了起來，「延續性」這個想法，還沒在他的腦海出現過，一直以來他都在研究終止性，再一次悉達多面臨更大的衝擊。

 

終止的生命，尋求離去，甚至是想盡辦法研究，要如何終止生命之苦，就是不想停留於人的世界。人的世界苦與難太多了。

 

他從來沒意識到，大部份的人們，是尋求怎麼好好活下去的。

 

而且自己也還沒離開人的世界，自己的身體就在跟人相互的依靠間活著，哪怕是把生活的需求降到最低，還是跟人依靠著，如果一切得到終止，代表跟人群的關係畫上休止符，哪曾經的依存是什麼意義? 不是一場夢吧 !

悉達多最無法接受夢的說法，那跟吃聖旨沒什麼兩樣，自己被狼吃進肚子过，被吞噬的感覺讓他很清楚，那不是一場夢。

 

如果自己沒用盡全力抵抗，就是一場結結實實的獵奪。

 

悉達多試著打開他的視窗，看看別人的生活。

Episode XX I

Unable to keep away from or terminate the situations in life, people pray and plead instead. When being asked about continuity of life, Siddhartha jumped off like getting an electric shock. Yes! As he had spent all his time studying termination, he never thought of continuity before. A greater shock struck him again.

 

Seeking to leave human world, people tried ceasing life or even strove to investigate how to terminate the pains of living. There were too much torture and sufferings in the human world.

 

It never occurred to him that most people sought to live better.

Moreover, his body lived inter-dependently with others as long as he lived in the world. Even he minimized his needs in life, he still relied on others. If terminating everything means ceasing the relationship with others, then what was the interdependence that everyone once had? Was it a dream?

The idea of dreams was the last thing that Siddhartha would ever accept. It was no better than eating Decree. He had been swallowed by the wolf and the feelings of being swallowed were too true to be a dream.

 

If he hadn’t endeavored to fight back, it would have been true depredation.

 

Siddhartha tried to open up his vision and looked at how others lived.