The Ultimate Truth of Emptiness in Buddhism 2
Let
me begin by mentioning what happened a few days ago. Somebody told me that
their understanding of the statement “The
results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof” in Saṃyuktāgama 335 is
referring to a dead person, who no longer exists, yet his karma follows him
into his next life. I almost couldn’t believe my own ears, for if that were
indeed the meaning, then the title “Sūtra on the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness”
would certainly be a misnomer. If this were what it actually means, then
Buddhism would be a kind of thanatology, with little relevance to this life. In
fact, the doctrine of śūnyatā is about this life, not what happens after death.
我們開始今天的課 ，前幾天有人跟我說 ：「無作者有業報 」意思是作者已經往生，所以沒有作者 。我聽了自己差點往生 ，那樣的說法是要解釋說；A現在做了一件壞事然後A(作者)死掉了，所以「無作者而有業報 」那業報跟著到下一世嗎？如果是這種思維、這種解釋那335經叫做《第一義空經》的這個名字就不用存在！如果可以這麼簡單把「無作者而有業報」解釋成作者已死，就怪不得很多人把佛經都看作是生死學 ，那「空」字義要在哪裡成立？空究竟不等於死，甚至於根本不相干。
Some
people mistakenly believe that Buddhism is all about death and what happens
after death, but this is not really the focus. For example, we may find in the
scripture the passage that a confused old monk tells Ānanda that seeing a
cormorant is the most important thing in Buddhism. Such distorted understandings
of the Buddhadharma are commonplace, so we need to be able to distinguish
between false teachings and what the Buddha really taught. The scope of the
Buddhadharma is vast. Death is just the end of life.
好像佛教徒最關心的是死亡和下一世。事實上那個不重要；如同阿難面對的老比丘跟阿難說：看到水老鶴是佛法裡面最可貴的，學佛法的人們只要思及看見一隻鶴為什麼會是世上最可貴的！？便可以解答很多被曲解的佛法意義，佛法可以探討的範圍廣闊，往生只是生命的終點。
Some
people get the wrong impression that Buddhism is all about nothingness and
death, which totally turns them off, so that they don’t want to have anything
to do with it. Today we have to conclude this series of talks, and when people
heard that I was going to teach on the Heart Sūtra, they couldn’t understand
how I would be able to cover such an important topic in such a short amount of
time. However, this won’t be a problem, since I’ll just be covering the main ideas,
rather than going into detail. I’ll begin with a story about a wise aunty in
the Zhiyue lu (Records of Pointing at the Moon), one of the four great
collections of the Chan/Zen school.
所以各位不要認為說佛法在講「無」，或是講「沒有」、跟「往生 」那太小看佛法，這邊開頭講一下因為有人這樣跟我說，聽了只想掩耳逃之！我們今天要結束！ 本來是講《般若心經》 但是大家一定想說《般若心經》這麼大部經典，師父怎麼可能今天就要結束呢？ 因為我只要講觀點不是講經文，講觀點與概念 。我提出一個公案來討論， 這個公案在禪宗的《指月錄》ㄧ書裡面 ，公案裡面的婆子我們現在叫做大媽，以前都叫婆子。婆子裡面證悟的人很多 ！
This
Aunty had been supporting a particular hermit for 20 years, and one day she
told the female servant who delivered meals to the hermitage, “Today when
delivering the hermit’s meal, I want you to embrace him, and see how he
reacts.” She did as she was told, and while embracing him she said, “What are
you feeling? What are you going to do?” He replied, “A
withered tree leaning on a frozen crag; for three winters there hasn’t been any
warmth.”
在《指月錄》裡面記載到；有一個婆子供養一個庵主，(庵=精舍、蘭若)記載里指出婆子供養修行者20年 ，她常常叫一個服侍的丫頭去送飯給他，就這樣經過20年的一天裡， 婆子跟她的丫頭說妳今天送飯的時候， 抱著那個和尚 ，請他說一句話， 這丫頭就照著她的命令做， 然後她就抱著那個庵主就問他說 ：這個時候你要怎麼辦？這個時候你是如何的什麼感受啊！ 那個庵主對他說：「枯木倚寒巖，三冬無煖氣」 那個丫頭回去以後就跟那老婆婆講說 ：他回答：「 枯木倚寒巖，三冬無煖氣」。
The
servant was beautiful and amorous, but to the Hermit she was nothing but a
withered tree, and he compared himself to a frozen crag; she failed to produce even
a spark of lust in him, for he had already been free of passion for three
years. But when Aunty heard what had transpired, she was furious, for in her
mind he had gotten nowhere in his practice. Full of anger, she drove him out of
the hermitage and burned it to the ground. I’ve previously gone into lots of
these stories in the Zhiyue lu and the Wudeng huiyuan (Combined
Sources from the Five Lamps), and this one is one of my favorites. It’s enough
to make you think that women are superior to men, ha-ha-ha!
那個大媽一聽就說我20年只供養了一個「俗漢」，就把修行者趕出去， 再來，婆子把自己建築的小精舍放火燒了！我以前在《指月錄》、《 五燈會元》裡面的公案，前前後後也花了很多時間，每次看到這種公案都覺得好恐怖！ 所以在我的眼裡我不只認為男女平等而已！ 我還認為可能女人更厲害，哈！開玩笑
Some
of those old ladies in the Zhiyue lu are really something, especially
this one; she not only kicked out the hermit, but went so far as to burn down the
hermitage she had built for him, since to her it seemed that he had not
attained anything extraordinary. It’s not that all those years of solitary
practice had gotten him nowhere, but rather that his understanding of the
Dharma was nothing special. Actually, if I had been supporting a hermit for 20
years and he tried to tell me that the statement “The results of karma exist,
but not the doer thereof” is referring to a dead person, then I’d probably also
feel like kicking him out! You see, distorting the Dharma is a serious error.
有些記載在《指月錄》裡面的老婆子真得很厲害， 她不只把修行者趕出去還把她建造的精舍燒掉！ 因為她認為供養那修行者20年，他也沒什麼特別的修行見解 ！不能說修道沒有成功， 而是沒有對佛法提出特別的見解！ 比方說；我今天供養一個出家人，他跟我說：「有業報無作者」 是作者死了的意思！坦白講如果是我供養的，我大概也是這樣做！不能接受佛法被嚴重曲解！
Why
do I bring this up? Last time, when discussing the Heart Sūtra, I said that I
would only be explaining the statement, “Form is śūnyatā(emptiness), and śūnyatā(emptiness) is form.”
In the story, why did the statement “A withered tree leaning on a frozen crag;
for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth” cause Aunty to fly into a rage?
Why couldn’t she accept it? Because in the Āgama section of the scriptures,
which centers on the four noble truths (suffering, its cause, its ending, and the
path), the highest goal is to become an arhat, or at least a stream enterer,
the attainment of which guarantees that one will attain arhatship after being
reborn no more than seven times. In either case, release from saṃsāra is
certain.
我為什麼要舉這個公案呢？ 如果大家看了這個公案以後，我們再來看《般若心經》， 我上次有講說：《般若心經》裡面我只要提出「色即是空、空即是色」來做說明。剛才那個公案講「枯木倚寒巖，三冬無煖氣」為什麼供養的大媽聽了不能接受， 為什麼 ？因為佛法在《阿含經》裡面講「苦、集、滅、道」也就是說， 所有的修行者都希望自己是證阿羅漢果的聖者，至少證個初果，證初果聖者以後經過幾世的修練佛法功力，到達阿羅漢果就不再輪迴了！
Release from saṃsāra means
ending the cycle of rebirth. As recorded in the Āgama section of the scriptures,
the Buddha’s teaching centers on the four noble truths (suffering, its cause,
its ending, and the path), but not all his disciples attained liberation, much
less those who came afterwards. It was the apparent misrepresentation of the
Buddha’s teaching that spurred Ānanda to play the leading role in compiling the
scriptures. As mentioned earlier, one day he heard a confused old monk reciting
a distorted version of the verse encapsulating a fundamental doctrine taught by
the Buddha—“All phenomena are created and extinguished according to Nidānas”.
The proper form of the verse, as found in various edited versions of the
Dhammapada, goes, “A person might live a hundred years without seeing arising
and ceasing, yet it would be better to live but a single day, seeing arising
and ceasing.” The old monk had twisted this into “A person might live a hundred
years without seeing arising and ceasing, yet it would be better to live but a
single day, seeing a cormorant.” Upon hearing this egregious error, Ānanda was
taken aback, stunned that such a distortion could arise so soon after the
Buddha’s death. It was this blatant misrepresentation of the Buddha’s teaching
that spurred Ānanda to play the leading role in compiling the scriptures. In
fact, it’s unrealistic to expect that everybody who engages in Buddhist
practice will attain arhatship. How, then, should a person with a good
understanding of Buddhism live in the world?
那不再輪迴代表什麼；代表你不用再來人世間。
提到《阿含經》佛陀的教導，裡面就是在講苦、集、滅、道四聖諦。佛陀之後佛法在流傳，有可能個個都證果嗎？ 不可能嗎!像阿難會結集經典就是有一個老比丘把「諸法因緣生、諸法因緣滅」理解成；若人生百歲，不見水老鶴，不如生一日，而得睹見之，阿難一聽感覺不妙，佛陀才入涅槃滅度沒有多久，怎麼誦出來的佛法跟當時聽的「諸法因緣生諸法因緣滅 」已經發生這麼大的錯誤了！ 所以阿難就趕快結集經典。那我剛才講我們每一個人不可能說修了道，(包括在家、出家)都可以證入聖果，不可能！那如果ㄧ個有佛法概念的人，想活在人間怎麼活？
To
be sure, the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice is liberation from saṃsāra, but what about those who can’t attain this
goal, or simply decide to remain in saṃsāra for the time being? So, going back
to the Zen story, the Hermit’s response, “A withered tree leaning on a frozen
crag; for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth,” indicates that he had conquered
lust, so what was Aunty so upset about? Because, to her, his understanding of
the Dharma was inferior and feeble, since it lacked concern for others, as
indicated in the self-centered way in which it was expressed. His response
indicated that, in spite of all his diligent practice, he had a slanted mindset.
He was overly focused on himself, at the cost of the common good—one of the
defining characteristics of the so-called Hīnayāna. This emphasis on benefiting
others became especially prevailing when Buddhism arrived in China, where the
bodhisattva ideal soon became the overarching emphasis, for the Chinese looked doubtfully
at any form of spiritual practice which focused on individual liberation while
ignoring the suffering of others. This emphasis on the bodhisattva ideal is one
of the most remarkable features of Chinese and East Asian Buddhism.
既然苦、集、滅、道，一定是談到解脫脫離輪迴的，如果學佛的人們沒有辦法解脫，或想在人世間生存就好，那怎麼辦？所以這個禪宗公案在告訴我們說：其實「枯木倚寒巖，三冬無暖氣」的敘述是指出那位修行者的知覺是輕微的，神經系統傳導是弱勢的。所以ㄚ頭的動作對修行者而言是「無暖氣」的，為什麼這麼高的修行能力那個大媽還不滿意？！因為這修行的背後存在一個問題；「修行者如何面對群眾互動-菩薩道」 其實她不滿意是不滿意在這個點，她想請問這位修行人，你端坐在那裡然後沒有任何知覺，那人間的疾苦你知道嗎？佛法傳到華人系統，華人系統很注重所謂大菩薩的問題，大菩薩的關注焦點是 ，一定要知曉眾生的苦在哪裡！如果只知道端坐修行而不知道眾生疾苦在哪裡！這個修行對於華人而言是要被打問號的？這是佛法傳到漢系的系統以後起了很大的變化。
Despite
this emphasis in Chinese Buddhism on the bodhisattva ideal, how many of its
practitioners have even reached the level wherein lust is totally eradicated,
such that “for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth”? Some interpret this
line as meaning that he had been in a deep state of samādhi for three months,
during which time his body temperature remained far below normal, which would
have been quite an accomplishment. Either way, he had gone quite far in the
practice, yet Aunty is terribly disappointed and kicks him out! Either way, as
far as Aunty was concerned, his reply could only mean one thing—he was a
self-centered Hīnayānist!
因為華人系統比較認同的是大菩薩的存在，坦白講修到「三冬無煖氣」有幾個人做得到？三冬中文解釋有說是3個月、有說是三年，不管你是3年還是3個月，身體要活著需要暖氣對不！當一個人的肉體暖氣降到最低點只有一個點可以做說明，那就是「入定」。「入定」就是把身體需要的溫暖調到最低點像空調一樣，那你有本事做到這樣實在很厲害， 已經很厲害了，還是被嫌棄！ 因為老婆子覺得這樣子只是修行者自己得解脫而已！華人系統稱為自了漢。
In
fact, the hermit was not in the wrong, for he had reached an advanced level of
spiritual attainment, but it didn’t count for much in the eyes of Chinese
Buddhism, with its emphasis on benefitting both self and others. But during the
time of the Buddha, the highest goal was to attain arhathood. However, in
Chinese Buddhism there is this big misconception regarding the priority of
benefiting self and other. Only after attaining arhathood did the Buddha’s
disciples go out and teach others. In other words, before teaching others, it’s
necessary to have first attained a certain level of spiritual development. Lacking
this, an aspiring missionary will have little impact on others, and will probably
eventually end up similar with everybody else under the destructive influence of
the worldly society! This is why all of the missionary monks in the time of the
Buddha were well established in the practice. They had attained stream entry,
at the very least, but most were arhats. From this we can clearly see that the
arhat ideal isn’t equal to turning one’s back on society.
但事實上這個修行者並沒有錯，是我們華人系統的要求不同 ，後來漢傳佛教都認為大菩薩道的存在比苦、集、滅、道更高超，也就是說一個修行者不僅要解脫自己，還希望你對眾生伸出援手。在當初佛陀教授的弟子裡只要證到大阿羅漢就不得了了！而這漢傳佛教恐怕是有很大誤解的，佛陀的弟子都是證到阿羅漢以後才去度眾生的，也就是說修行者有著一定的基礎一定的功力，才能夠面對群眾，如果沒有基礎功力，請問修行者如何走入人群 ，走入人群一定是被同化，也很快就消逝在人海裡面！因此當時去傳佛法去度眾生的，全部都是阿羅漢層級的或至少是初果聖者，阿羅漢果的比例最高。所以修行者入證阿羅漢果以後就跟人群做出隔離嗎？答案是否定的。
Up
to this day, practitioners in East Asian Buddhism still mistake the arhat for a
selfish fake saint who lacks compassion, has attained liberation from saṃsāra
and then turns his back on the world. From the scriptures it can be seen that
very few arhats died immediately after attaining arhathood, and that the
Buddha’s teachings were mainly handed down by arhats; i.e., if not for the
arhats’ concern for the world, the Buddhadharma would not have been preserved
for offspring. This emphasis on the bodhisattva ideal for both monastics and
laypeople neglects the necessity to first reach a certain level of attainment,
without which one will have great difficulty navigating the challenges
inevitably faced while striving to benefit all sentient beings.
不能了解傳承到後來的漢系佛法系統，一直把阿羅漢果定義在修行者已經證悟了果位，祂不會再來人世間，所以不要學阿羅漢果聖者這樣做。但在佛教歷史上得阿羅漢果位的聖者馬上入涅槃的不多見！不然佛法是怎麼傳開的呢？如果阿羅漢果位的聖者解脫以後肉體馬上就離世入涅槃，佛法是不可能傳開的，在要求出家、在家眾都去當個大菩薩的同時，也要考慮到當個人尚缺基礎能力時，沒有一定的定力，要怎麼在人海中生存呢？
The
northern schools of Buddhism all emphasize the six perfections and the
bodhisattva path, but it is clear that putting this ideal into practice
requires a high level of spiritual development. To me it’s as if there is a
line dividing the worlding from the saint, and that on both sides there is a
powerful force simultaneously pulling the practitioner in both directions,
challenging his wisdom and his ability to distinguish between good and bad.
Having spent a lot of time groping about on this dividing line, and I’ve found
that facing this struggle head on can actually serve to strengthen one’s
spiritual foundation. So don’t be afraid of facing challenges!
北傳佛法六菩薩道的提出，利益大眾的六菩薩道也是需要學習的 ，我覺得這好像一條線，在凡人跟聖人之間也是很掙扎，到底你要怎麼辦！？一條線，聖凡之隔，好壞之隔 ，對我們而言都存在一種很大的牽動力量，而且這種牽動力挑戰一個修行者的智慧與判斷能力。我個人在凡聖之間的線條摸索很久，雖然很掙扎(而掙扎也代表嚴肅的看待佛法的教學)，但這種掙扎也建立了個人的基礎，所以也不用那麼害怕掙扎的考驗！
These
Zen stories are usually quite short, but full of meaning. This one makes us
wonder how it could be that, despite the Hermit’s considerable degree of
spiritual attainment, Aunty is dissatisfied and kicks him out, disdaining his
lack of compassion and inability to relate to conventional world. The ability
to relate to conventional reality is what is meant by the statement “Form is śūnyatā(emptiness),
and śūnyatā(emptiness) is form” in the Heart Sūtra, which is the topic of today’s talk,
since it illustrates the problem with the Hermit’s reply: “A withered tree
leaning on a frozen crag; for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth.” Now,
if you’re like a “A withered tree leaning on a frozen crag,” then your material
requirements are going to be minimal, and so will your interaction with others.
But don’t get the impression that as soon you undertake Buddhist practice
you’ll instantly become like one of those eminent monks you’ve read about, the
kind who remain in deep meditative states for weeks on end. Even eminent monks
have to attend to the needs of the physical body; if they hardly ate anything,
then they wouldn’t have any energy for benefitting others, nor for spiritual
practice. It seems that this has always been a big challenge for serious Buddhist
practitioners. So from the opening phrase of the Heart Sūtra, “While Guanyin
Bodhisattva was abiding in the profound perfection of wisdom, observing the śūnyatā
of the five aggregates, he passed beyond all tribulation,” we can deduce that
Guanyin first observed the śūnyatā of the five aggregates, and only then was in
a position to benefit others.
公案通常很短，但是它提出來的問題卻非常有意義的，為什麼這麼高的修道境界，供養修行者的居士不能接受，還嫌棄修行者不能走入人間！走入人間的詮釋就是《般若心經》講的「色即是空、空即是色」 我今天主講：「色即是空、空即是色 」。這是呼應剛剛講的「枯木倚寒巖，三冬無煖氣」，「枯木倚寒巖」 當修道能力到達人體體溫的低點，生活水平、肉身所需的暖氣都調到最低點，這時候所需也不多，所需不多跟人群的接觸也不需要太多，各位不要認為修了佛道以後，好像一個得道高僧都是出神入化，事實上得道高僧也是肉體啊！他一定要有能量的供給，如果沒有能量供給如何去救別人，事實上不太可能！那不太可能之下修行者又想修道，修行者又要維持一定的能量面對大眾 ，我認為這是一個自古至今修行人的大課題！所以我們在講，「觀自在菩薩 行深般若波羅蜜多時 照見五蘊皆空」， 觀自在菩薩也是照見五蘊皆空之後 ，才度一切苦厄。
The
term “form” in the statement “form is śūnyatā” also occurs in the term
“name-and-form” in Twelve Nidānas. In the time of the Buddha, one topic of
discussion amongst spiritual seekers was the development of the fetus in the
mother’s womb, especially which parts developed first. Some modern scholars
have asserted that the term “form” includes all material things, but I go with
the more traditional view that “name-and-form” respectively refers to the
person’s mental faculties, which are invisible; and to the physical body, which
is material. This contrast between name and form has a major bearing on
spiritual practice, for it indicates that only after overcoming the obstacle of
form, “observing the śūnyatā of the five aggregates,” will one be in a position
to benefit others. So the statements “Form is śūnyatā(emptiness), and śūnyatā(emptiness) is form” and
“observing the śūnyatā of the five aggregates” indicate that only after
penetrating śūnyatā and the insubstantial nature of the body will it be
possible to be free of the obstacles relating to form.
提到「色即是空」「色」這個字就是12因緣裡面的「名色」延伸過來的 ，12因緣「名跟色」在佛陀那個時代，他們就會探討到嬰兒在媽媽的肚子裡面是手先長、腳先長還是身體先長?在古老的年代裡「名色」會探討到這樣，那我們現在有些人也認為「色」包括物質，但是我認為最具體的說法「名色」就是人的精神跟肉體，精神在看不見的層面，肉體是看得見觸摸的到的。名跟色對照精神與肉體就顯得對修行者牽制很大！ 如果修行者突破了「色」的障礙，也就是肉體對修行者的障礙被突破，呈現「照見五蘊皆空」的能力後才去度眾生。
「色即是空、空即是色 以及照見五蘊皆空」，指的是修行者進入了空法、空體才可能在色裡面揮灑。
Actually,
the opening phrase of the Heart Sūtra is the most important. First, “Guanyin
Bodhisattva was abiding in the profound perfection of wisdom, observing the śūnyatā
of the five aggregates,” and then “he passed beyond all tribulation.” In the
study group I lead, I often emphasize the importance of the strength that comes
from virtue, the kind of strength which keeps us from going along with the
crowd, contrary to what we know is right. Even sincere seekers can be induced
into following the crowd, but this is a fatal error. If others are encouraging
us to engage in an virtuous activity, then by all means we should join in; but
if we’re being induced into doing something unvirtuous, we have to have the
inner strength to stick to what we know is right, lest we be induced.
其實《般若心經》開頭就已經講完；觀自在菩薩，在行深（進入）般若波羅蜜多時，照見（證悟）五蘊皆空，之後，度一切苦厄。我在帶我自己讀書會的時候常講，功力很重要，功力不一定解釋成我們一定是證果聖者，我們可以解釋成基礎能力， 有一個基礎能力才不會被人群帶走，因為人群可能會對我們提出他的需求跟要求，當人群希望你順著他的意時，那你都順著人群的意願可以嗎？不行 ，因為眾生每個人的需求不一樣，如果是善法範圍我們大家一起來努力，那不善法呢？沒有辦法遷就！
In terms of actual spiritual
practice, both the Heart Sūtra and the
Zen story discussed today have their own relevance. What’s most
important is to have enough inner strength to not get influenced by harmful views
and the whims of the majority.
《般若心經》裡面如果談實際應用的話跟剛才的禪宗公案做對比，事實上都是一種運用的訴求，一個修行人如何走入人群的運用，那我覺得基礎功非常重要。
Derrick:
I
have a question about the sequel to the Zen story. After some time, the Hermit
returns to Aunty and asks her to again serve as his lay supporter. She agrees,
and eventually sends her servant to test him again. This time, however, the Hermit
responds, “Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, and I know; but don’t let Aunty
know.” The servant reports this to Aunty, and she is quite satisfied with his
response.
純德: 師父請教一下這個公案的下半集，就是庵主被趕出去以後，經過一段時間他又回來找這個老婆子，請她再供養他，然後那個老婆子又故技重施，又派了那個服侍的丫頭去送飯給他！一樣把他抱住，但他這次的回答跟上次不一樣，「他說:天知地知你知我知 ，不要讓老婆子知」，那個丫頭回去之後告訴老婆子，那個老婆子聽完這次的回答就很滿意！
Ban
Ji:
Right!
I only spoke about the first half of the story, since that’s the part that’s
relevant to the misunderstandings of the arhat and bodhisattva ideals I was
discussing. If fact, it seems that the Hermit had also considered this issue
after being kicked out of the hermitage, so that by the time he was tested for
the second time he had a good understanding of the practice.
半寄師父: 對啊 !為什麼只取上半段， 因為我要講自了漢與菩薩的誤解點。那修行者出去以後應該想過這個問題，想過之後又回來，這一次有把握老婆子對於他的修行見解是什麼意見！
By
the way, there’s an interesting anecdote related to this Zen story. When
Zhimei’s son, Chih-ying, was in the fifth grade or so, she related this Zen
story to him and they both memorized it. One day they came to the hermitage,
and she had her son recite the story for me in Taiwanese. Afterwards, also in
Taiwanese, he said, “You know and I know, but don’t let Aunty know.” As soon as
I heard that, I burst out laughing! That’s what I think of every time I read
this line. Chih-ying has already grown up, and, amazingly enough, now works in
the technology sector.
這個公案今天在這裡引用我也覺得不可思議，智美老師的兒子致穎小時候，好像國小五年級，他媽媽把這個公案回去編成故事說給他聽，他們母子練好了公案內容，有一天她把致穎帶來精舍找我，智美老師說:我們致穎用台語唸一個公案給師父聽 ，我說好啊！然後致穎用台語說 ：「你知我知別給(乎)阿婆知 ！」我講到這裡還是覺得很好笑，他用台語講後我當場就笑翻了！今天在這裡舉這個公案，那個唸公案的小孩也已經長大成科技人了！這實在是因緣不可思議 ！
The
statement “you know and I know” means that we shouldn’t give too much
importance to what people think about us. So if you have reached the point in
the practice where “for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth,” you know
it for yourself, and you’re not overly concerned with what others have to say
about it. What’s more, since the Hermit had no doubts about returning to Aunty
and asking her to support him again, we can deduce that he has a lot of
self-confidence and knows how to interact with others. So when Aunty heard his
response, she had to admit that now he had progressed quite far along the path,
for it was now apparent that he embodied the bodhisattva ideal emphasized in
Chinese Buddhism.
禪宗講什麼「你知、我知」，等於在説別人對你個人的評價不用太在意，我修持到「三冬無煖氣」我清楚，修行者對一件事對一個人不動心，修行者自己清楚，不但不動心還可以反推回去， 就是有能力走入人群！所以漢系佛法的系統，那個丫頭回去講「你知、我知」老婆子就同意了他對於修行境界的說法，老婆子認為這種修道才是最高超的。
老婆子認為修行者可以進入修道的階段，也可以出來走入人群， 她要的就是這個修持。這個也是漢系的系統裡面一直在強調的大菩薩道。
Now,
when we get to know something about Buddhism in Southeast Asia, we realize that
benefiting both self and other is also very important in the Theravāda school.
Indeed, Theravāda Buddhists should be commended for their many contributions to
society. Actually, the bodhisattva ideal is not exclusive to Mahāyāna Buddhism;
in every school of Buddhism there are lots of devout and compassionate people
who make outstanding contributions to society. However, since we happen to have
been born into the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition of China, we tend to look down
on the arhat ideal, which is a big mistake.
但我們去看東南亞一帶的佛法修行者，像上座部的傳法事實上他們在自利、利他方面也是做了很多，同樣的對社會關懷，所以佛教徒還是要有一些眼光 ，我們要看到同樣是佛教徒的人群在他們地區裡面的貢獻，我們也是讚嘆！ 不是只有我們漢系裡面才會有大菩薩道，在其他的地方每一個佛教徒、一個有真正信仰的人，真正有慈悲心的人，對於人群的貢獻都是不可抹滅的。我們自己因為血統的關係， 一開始就接受了漢系佛法的說法 ，也認為那些大阿羅漢什麼事都沒有做，真是離譜的可以！
You
may have noticed that in my talks I often draw on specific points from the
history of Buddhism, rather than speaking in a general, discursive way. This is
because the focus of the Buddhadharma is spiritual development, for which
purpose we need to have a clear understanding of the practice. As I see it, in
terms of practice, rambling generalities are not very helpful.
所以我講佛法一定會沿著佛教歷史講，不希望越過歷史去談太多空泛漫無邊際的內容，因為佛法畢竟是要用來修持的，清楚明白也是一個大關鍵，講到漫無邊際去了不太有需要， 這是我個人的看法 。
Derrick:
In
the Zen story, if we take the Hermit’s response as simply indicating that he
was very strict about upholding the monastic precepts, would that be doing him
an injustice?
純德: 師父請教一下 ，那個出家人對那個女孩子不動心，如果我們只是把他解釋成他只是一個出家人嚴守一個戒律的話，那是不是就太看不起這個出家人了？
Ban
Ji:
That’s
not it at all, for the response “for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth”
indicates that he was already totally free from lust, so he no longer had any
need to be restrained by the monastic precepts. Even so, there are lots of
spiritual disciplines and traditions that emphasize the cultivation of concentration
for the sake of gaining supernormal powers, but may not have a strict code of
ethics restricting their use. Take, for example, the famous Tibetan practitioner
Milarepa. Prior to becoming a Buddhist, he studied black magic, and used his
powers to take revenge on his enemies. So it’s essential to have a firm
grounding in the precepts right at the beginning of spiritual practice, so as
to prevent the misuse of any supernormal powers one may develop.
半寄師父: 這說法矛盾了 ，他前面已經交代說他「三冬無煖氣」 ，就修行境界而言已經遠遠超越戒律的範圍。還有以廣泛（指各種修法包括不是修佛法）的修行而言，很多各宗派的修行者都會入定，但有了功力後用在什麼地方也很重要，像密勒日巴尊者未修善法之前的詛咒能力也是強悍的！當然這時候戒律就顯得重要，不論能力再高都以遵從戒律為主要的前題。
(有關於戒律請參考YouTebe南禪精舍慧解脫ㄧ的說法)
CEO
of Nan Zen Life Education Foundation:
Is
it possible that the Hermit was a kind of hypocrite, and that both times he
replied, he was merely saying what he thought Aunty wanted to hear, rather than
saying something that genuinely expressed his level of attainment?
執行長: 但是我一直在思考 一個問題，就說他第一次的回答：「三冬無煖氣，枯木倚寒巖 」跟後面的回答：「你知我知不要讓老婆子知 」我一直在思考，他這兩次的回答真的跟他的修行有關係嗎？還是只是他語言的表達，他用另外一種方式來表達讓老婆子滿意！
Ban
Ji:
Probably
not. You see, the point of the story is that he really had reached a high level
of attainment, at which point his material needs were minimal—much less than the
average person—such that if Aunty withdrew her support, it wouldn’t have made a
big difference to him, and thus he would have had no reason to misrepresent his
level of attainment. In short, somebody at his level would not misrepresent
himself to his lay supporter.
半寄師父: 「你知、我知」還有需要把老婆子考慮進來嗎？應該不用吧！修行這是一個衝突喔！修行者修持到自認境界很高，但是供養的居士卻不滿意，而且他已經「三冬無煖氣」了，能量耗到那麼低他生活所需有多少？！這比一般的修行人所需更低！他每天所耗的熱量很少，所以老婆子有沒有供養他其實並不重要，至於採用一種方式來表達讓老婆子滿意，對於可以入定的修行者而言確定不需要討好供養的居士。
But
why did he come back and ask Aunty to begin supporting him? After getting
kicked out, he began to reflect long and hard on why Aunty was dissatisfied
with his attainment, and eventually realized the deficiency in his practice;
otherwise he would not have returned. You see, people in those days were highly
tenacious. These days we stress direct communication, but Aunty’s way of figuring
him out was to have her servant test him and then convey his response, and when
it didn’t meet her standards she impulsively drove him out and burned down the
hermitage. I think he got the message! People those days were quite tough, you
either got the message or you didn’t, and if you didn’t you were finished, not
like people today, always talking about communication and kind gestures. This
is one of the big challenges for practitioners of Chinese Buddhism.
那為什麼他又回來，還要求這個老婆子要供養他，為什麼？他出去的這段時間，他想過為什麼被拒絕，為什麼老婆子不願意承認他的修道！是不是他在修行的環節裡面出什麼問題？他想通了所以又回來！他一定有異於以前的看法才會再去老婆子那裡。譬如說；昨天自認為「三冬無煖氣」的修行已經很好，可是被否認，搞不好一夜之間想通，知道雙方認知落差在哪裡!古人的韌性很高。我們現代人都講要溝通，我跟你溝通一下為什麼我對你不滿意！當時叫一個送飯的丫頭帶話，話帶來帶去不滿意就趕出去，連廟都跟你燒了！也不用溝通你就得自己想喔！想得通是你自己的! 想不通就再見！古時候很殘酷，想一想現代人真好，還要講溝通、溫情，所以我認為漢系的修行人實在很可憐。
Even
the likes of Aṅgulimāla got some sympathy from the Buddha when he was beaten by
people out for revenge. But Aunty was so fierce that she simply drove out the Hermit
without as much as a single word of explanation. Practitioners of Chinese
Buddhism are willing to go to extremes, but is it really necessary? Influenced
by Confucianism, Chinese Buddhist monastics are expected to endure all sorts of
hardship without grumbling, but tend to lack sensitivity to others. Sure there
are a few like Master Xuyun, saintly figures of impeccable character,
unaffected by any hardship, but how many can reach that level of attainment? If
you’re interested, you can read his biography on the internet, and you’ll find
out about how he repeatedly endured brutal beatings by entering a deep state of
samādhi.
前面說央掘利摩羅被毒打，佛陀還會安慰他所受的痛苦，這老太婆連一句話都不講就把人趕出去超殘酷的！漢系的修行人被賦予絕巖絕壁的風骨，事實是有必要嗎?北傳佛法對出家人的修行，跟儒家結合要求出家人要經風霜而傲骨沒有人情的，在漢系佛教裡面看虛雲老和尚都覺得人怎麼可能做到那樣的地步，像虛雲老和尚那種慘痛的經驗，人怎麼可能做到那個程度？！大家如果有興趣可以上網去查近代的高僧虛雲老和尚， 他被人家打得死去活來每次打他就入定去，解脫他肉體的痛苦！
It
sometimes seems that Chinese Buddhism sets an unrealistically strict standard
for spiritual practice, ignoring the limitations of the body, as if people had
no feelings or nervous system. I gained some insight into this while reading
Garma Chang’s biography of Milarepa, where we find that Milarepa, now a highly
accomplished practitioner, was overcome by profound sadness when he departed
from his teacher, Marpa, and that even later on he was saddened by the
departure of one of his disciples. But in Chinese Buddhism, this sort of thing
doesn’t go, and you’ll never read about an eminent Chinese monastic feeling
like that. Yet there’s no denying that yogis have a mind and feelings, and even
if the normal operations of the mind can be suspended for a time while in a
state of deep concentration, the body is still there. So feelings and emotions
are inevitable.
整個漢系佛教對修行人那麼嚴格，修行人都沒有肉體嗎？!他沒有知覺嗎？！沒有神經系統嗎？！我這個懷疑在看《密勒日巴尊者大師傳》的時候得到的一個答案，張澄基教授的著作《密勒日巴尊者傳》寫到密勒日巴在跟他的大弟子馬爾他做道別的時候，他的內心無限的傷感！密勒日巴尊者本身也是死去活來的修行者，在他的晚年弟子要離開的時候 同樣依依不捨！但是這樣的情感在漢系裡面不被包容，我們看不見漢系高僧有這樣的情感，但是修行者始終不能否認自我神經系統(心)，就是把他調到最低入定了，自我肉體還是存在啊！感官（心）不可能沒有感覺 。
Western
Buddhist scholars have raised the question of where the mind is located in
Buddhist thought: Is the mind located in the brain or in the heart? In the
nervous system or in the sense organs, or perhaps somewhere else? Taking a
close look at this issue, we can see that, even though traditional Buddhist
scholarship has a lot to say about the mind and its functions, nothing definite
is said in this regard.
When
Buddhists discuss the mind, its existence is assumed, and there’s no need to
specify its location, but Westerners seem to find this rather confusing.
（在面對國外人士的佛法教學上，他們會問佛法的「心」指的是大腦或是心臟、神經系統或感官知覺，到底「心」是指哪一個？在這裡順道點出來，雖然佛教的論師們已經說了很多關於心與心所的解釋，或許還有研究的空間。
佛教徒去聽有關於「心」的佛法，都覺得「心」的存在是理所當然，但老外常聽得霧煞煞，哈！）
So,
in contrast to other schools of Buddhism, the texts of Chinese Buddhism give
the impression that serious Buddhist practitioners are free of feeling. Chinese
Buddhist scholars have traditionally treated Buddhism as if it were something
completely apart from ordinary human experience and feelings. When reading the Gaoseng
zhuan (Memoirs of Eminent Monks) it’s rare to find any
mention of emotion, giving the impression that Buddhist practice is impossible
for the average person. But when we read the biographies of saints in other
Buddhist traditions, such as that of Milarepa, as well as some contemporary
Tibetan lamas, we find that they don’t shy away from expressing their feelings;
I’m all in favor of this. Practitioners have feelings just like everybody else,
and the passages in the scriptures on the four fruitions mainly speak of the decrease
of greed, hatred, and delusion, rather than their complete eradication. So
somebody who is completely free of all feeling is probably a corpse.
一向我們的記錄裡面很冷酷，從來不去記錄這些觀點。 以前研究佛教屬於人的區域都覺得很不能接受，去看《高僧傳》那裡面幾乎都沒有情感可言 ，那種沒有感情可言的文化，讓你無從遵循，然而漢系以外的高僧像密勒日巴尊者，還有到近代一些喇嘛們的傳記，他們寫出了他們的情感表達方式，我就覺得很好 ！本來修行人也有他悲歡離合的這一面，在佛經裡面講到四聖果也講到貪嗔癡薄，薄而已啊不是沒有！ 正確講沒有了人、身體不是等於一切也消失？
Going
back to the statement “Form is śūnyatā(emptiness), and śūnyatā(emptiness) is form” in the Heart Sūtra, one thing we need to keep in
mind is that the term “cutting off” doesn’t occur in the Heart Sūtra. Today
I’ll discuss this term and some related points.
回頭講，在《般若心經》講「色即是空，空即是色 」，請大家注意，《心經》裡面沒有使用「斷」字！今天也提一些觀點來釐清。
In
the context of spiritual practice, the term “cutting off” gives the impression
of annihilating the entire world. In terms of the cultivation of śūnyatā, it’s
significant that in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā Nāgārjuna uses the term “seeing
thru” (Chinese: po; to refute, disprove, negate; to expose the truth of) instead
of “cut off,” but never in reference to the four holy paths (those of the śrāvaka,
pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, and buddha). The Āgama section of the scriptures
does speak of “cutting off the first three fetters,” viz., personality view;
superstitious belief in the efficacy of rites and rituals; and doubt. However,
in terms of spiritual practice, it’s more useful to speak of “seeing thru.” For
a detailed discussion of this topic, please refer to my book Ultimate
Realization in Buddhism, which has been translated into English, where I delve
into this issue in relation to my own experience in spiritual practice.
修行如果用斷掉來形容好像整個世界要灰飛煙滅了！空的修行到龍樹菩薩的《中觀論》時候，提升到「破」的觀念，雖然不是把這個破字應用在四聖道，但是講到斷字觀點好像不對要用「破」，「破」是龍樹提出的主要思維。我們現代話講就是糾正，糾正這個想法是有問題的，所以用「破」字，在《四阿含經》裡面都說「斷三結」，有興趣的讀者可以參考我寫的書《佛法最終的實現》，這本書我有釐清這個問題，裡面引用修行的經驗帶到我寫的這本書來做個釐清，在《阿含經》裡面大量講到「斷三結 」如果講到這個佛法修行的觀點好像北傳佛法的思考有一些優點，北傳佛法考慮到「破」的運用。
By
the time of Nāgārjuna, “cutting off” had been replaced by “seeing thru,” one
form of which is the eight negations, which is a kind of refutation. Nāgārjuna
counters the common sense notion “I exist” by questioning the very nature of
existence, pointing out that whatever is regarded to exist is nothing but the
coming together of the requisite Nidānas within the context of space and śūnyatā,
whereby the indeterminate nature of things allows them to become what they are.
So existence actually depends on śūnyatā, and this is why the term “seeing
thru” became current.
佛法歷史到龍樹菩薩的時候講破字沒有講斷三結，破字，八不就是一個破字的思維，我破（糾正）你的想法，比如；「有我」是普遍被接受的，而龍樹說：你的「有」不能存在？因為「有」是存在在條件裡面，條件要融合要有「空」的元素在裡面，空間也好，空的不定性也好，全部都要有「空」存在才會有「有」，所以他用了破字 。
Moreover,
applying the concept of cutting off to spiritual practice raises various
questions regarding the body, sense organs, and consciousness; it would
preclude the possibility of a living saint, since it implies that the
attainment of arhathood would coincide with annihilation. In terms of the
statement “form is śūnyatā,” given the interconnected nature of name-and-form,
how could one be cut off and not the other?
As
for the Zen story mentioned earlier, it ties in well with this topic of śūnyatā.
The reply “for three winters there hasn’t been any warmth” indicates a high
level of attainment, but what about the question of living in the world?
《中觀論》裡面沒有斷字用破字，如果用了斷字思維以後修行者怎麼活著會變成大問題，如果覺得斷字完全可以成立的話，那證阿羅漢果的聖者他當下就要寂滅，斷了嘛！ 用斷字必須要考慮到肉體的感官知覺問題，我們講「色即是空」這個色跟名色(精神跟肉體)有關，而精神跟肉體、生理同時存在可以用斷嗎？
所以我比較傾向於用破三結才可能活下去。
前面為什麼我要引用那個公案就是一氣呵成，如果「三冬無煖氣」是修行境界很高的表達，那請問你怎麼面對人群？
Question
from the internet: It seems to me that the Hermit was something of a
dissembler. For how could a man with blood still flowing in his veins be
embraced by an attractive young woman and not be moved in the least.
網路上問: 師父我以為他自喻是枯木無煖氣太矯情了！身為一個男人被女孩抱著怎麼可能沒感覺呢？
Ban
Ji:
It’s
well known that advanced practitioners can do all sorts of things that are
impossible for the average person, including conquering lust, but it takes a
lot of work to reach that level. You could do it too, but you might have to
spend three years diligently practicing in complete solitude in a suitable
environment, such as my hermitage. Suppose you attain as state of deep
concentration, in which all ordinary desire comes to an end; then you would
know for yourself exactly what this state is like. So the Hermit was not faking;
his response was a genuine expression of his actual level of attainment. Not
many people reach that level, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do so.
半寄師父: 這個題目其實很簡單，你來我教你怎麼入定，但是你要自己關三年才可以喔！關三年關得住，我每天請人到你的門口跟你送飯給你吃，但你不能出來，那你要練習入定如果你練習入定以後你就知道做得到做不到！控制人體絕對做得到，絕對不是矯情，我問你就算我供養你20年，都把你關在一個小精舍裡面，你關得住嗎？誰都受不了！
Actually,
very few people could handle 20 years of solitary retreat; unless you’re
already well grounded in your practice, you’d likely end up going insane. But
the Hermit in the story didn’t go insane, and this indicates that he really had
progressed quite far. So when you think about it, for somebody adept at
entering into a deep state of concentration, controlling the normal appetites
of the body is child’s play.
如果你不是有內涵有功力，任誰都沒有辦法關20年，會瘋掉的！一個修行人關20年沒有瘋掉，那他內心孕育出了什麼力量！要朝這方面去想，以一個可以入定的修行者來講，肉體對一個入定的修行者而言應該是小兒科。
On
the higher reaches of the four holy paths one becomes endowed with six
supernormal powers, inconceivable to the average person. Today there are
numerous Buddhist institutes staffed with lots of scholars, but when discussing
these six supernormal powers, they always deliberately avoid dealing with the
question of how these powers fit in with sensory perception. This is quite odd,
but who would be daring enough to claim that these six supernormal powers don’t
exist?
因為以佛法的修道而言到四聖果以後會引發六神通，引發六神通已經超越人能想的範圍，現代佛學院很發達，很多教授、學者在提到六神通都會講一個問題，「六神通在人類感官知覺裡面不知道怎麼解釋」所以跳過那段就不解釋了！你就覺得很好笑，但是有人敢說六神通不存在嗎？
The
physical body and its sense faculties are very important. If you’ve ever met
Master Guangqin, you must have been impressed by the degree of control he had
over the body, rather than being controlled by it.
Then
there was Xuyun, who coped with repeated beatings by entering samādhi, and when
he came out of it, he could still function; this is something very few people
personally experience. So don’t assume that everyone is on the same level of
spiritual development. Those adept in concentration practice have remarkable
control over the physical body, which is hard to understand if you haven’t
experienced it for yourself.
肉體的感官對我們很重要，如果你看過廣欽老和尚你ㄧ定會相信那個肉體是操控在他手裡，而不是他被肉體操控。
像虛雲老和尚被打到入定出來，肉體卻還能用，也是超越人類經驗的。不要用一個很平凡的男生想法去想感官問題，如果你把自己修到入定，反過來操控你的肉體，超越人類經驗！
So
we can apply the idea of “seeing thru” or “penetrating” to arrive at an
understanding of the statement “form is śūnyatā,” and to see thru everything in
the world, including feelings; when the experience of “śūnyatā is form” becomes
familiar to the practitioner, he’ll be able to act effectively in the world.
In
addition to abstract Buddhist principles, you can apply this to your own
experience. When you encounter a major difficulty, think in terms of “seeing
thru,” rather than “cutting off.” The principle of śūnyatā has a vitalizing
effect. So Buddhism is a kind of practical philosophy, rather than an
other-worldly thanatology.
再說如果我們用破除或突破的觀念，去達到「色即是空」！突破人間的一切包括感情種種，當「空即是色」的體悟為修行者熟悉時，就可以在人間創造很多。不只是佛學應用，你的人生也可以應用很多，走到路覺得很痛苦的時候不要想到斷字，應該要講到破字或是空字，空的思想，可以給自己開條生機出來，這是講佛學的意義，死掉不太有意義！
Derrick:
So
could we think of “seeing thru” as a kind of transcendence?
純德: 師父「破」可以把它想像成是一種超越嗎？
Ban
Ji:
Right,
it’s a sort of transcendence.Take, for example, personality view, the mistaken
idea that the body exists independent of Nidānas. It’s not a matter of cutting
off or eliminating the body, but rather of seeing thru the illusion of it being
a substantial entity with an independent existence; this is a more suitable way
to think about it.
半寄師父: 也是超越沒錯！
因為這主要是說：斷三結，你看「身見」，認為身體是唯一存在的不用其他條件支持，佛法稱為「身見」，意思是主觀認定自己肉體的存在，不要認為身體存在需要其他成份大家都知道，我個人常要確認大腦、身體知不知道？再來如果我們運用破字來看「身見」輕鬆很多，賦以身體存在的條件說明，而不是斷了身體。
I’ve
found that in coming to terms with these sorts of concepts, certain forms of
expression tend to limit our understanding, so it can be very useful to find
alternative expressions, as in the case of “seeing thru.”
This
idea of seeing thru is also found in the Heart Sūtra, in the expression “observing
the śūnyatā of the five aggregates.”
Somebody
may have doubts about some aspect of the Buddhadharma, but doubt itself can
lead to seeing thru. It’s not a matter of cutting off, for how could it be cut
off?
Perhaps
you find it hard to wrap your brain around this topic, but don’t worry about
that, since tomorrow we’ll move on to a different one. Every field has some
jargon, the meaning of which may not be readily apparent and needs to be
learned. Anyway, I think there are some good reasons for using the term “seeing
thru” instead of “cutting off.”
個人認為用大腦的判斷衝出自我的限制，展現出學習佛法的大用處，用破（突圍）去解脫！
《般若心經》對於身體（身見）用「照見五蘊皆空」來修持，也不用斷的修法！
假設說有人懷疑佛法的說法，疑也應該是用破啊！我懷疑你，懷疑就是你用一個真相讓我明白，也是破字！不是用斷，斷怎麼斷？！
我們今天解開了一件事情的真相或是不明白的事，而明天ㄧ定還會有一件啊！所有各行各業都有我們不懂得，用破字是不是比較好！
Should
you find certain concepts confusing, thinking in terms of “seeing thru” can
help in making sense of them. Seeing thru is also what causes wisdom to grow,
and illusory notions to reduce. In everyday life, you may come across issues
which are beyond your scope of expertise, in which case this approach of seeing
thru can also be applied. In terms of Buddhist practice, it’s a matter of
cultivating the wisdom by which one transcends the first three fetters:
personality view; superstitious belief in the efficacy of rites and rituals;
and doubt.
或是被ㄧ些奇奇怪怪的想法困住，也是用破（解脫），學佛的修行者智慧增長降低愚痴的想法，也是用破的思維推進的！那如果要在人間活著 可能會不斷碰到不是自己專業性的問題，應該是用破字，佛法也一樣證果講究身見、戒取、疑！都是屬於智慧性質的理解。
In my book Ultimate Realization
in Buddhism, I mention the line from
Sūtra 172 of the Madhyamāgama, fascicle 45, where the Buddha says, “. . . a
learned noble disciple does not obey the mind; rather, the mind obeys the
learned noble disciple.” Here the term “mind” includes the sense organs. This
passage points out that, while the average person is led about by outer sense
objects, an experienced practitioner has the mind and sense organs under full
control. Buddhism is a highly effective tool for controlling the mind and
reducing our mental afflictions, as long as you put it into practice, in a way
which suits your needs and stage of spiritual development. Don’t be overly
demanding or expect a total transformation to occur overnight. But if something
used to cause you to fly into a temper for an hour, but now when it happens you
only get irritated for half an hour, this indicates that you’ve made some real
progress.
I hope that everybody has found these talks to be beneficial.
This
event was sponsored by the Nanzen Life Education Foundation.
Master
Ban Ji (talks given in 2020; transcribed in 2021,
during the COVID-19 pandemic)
(Translated
by Ken Kraynak)
(Proofread
by Sophia Fang-chun Kuo and Grace Jui-hsin Tsai)
在《阿含經》的《中阿含經》第45卷裡面，我的書《佛法最終的實現》 也有寫到「多聞聖弟子不隨心自在」而「心隨多聞聖弟子自在」意思是你的肉體感官受自己操控，通常我們的感官是隨外界給的刺激在走。你讓我不舒服我本來要發脾氣發到100分的，現在可以降低到50分就有大進步了！佛法是治療心病的大好工具，自己使得上便是對佛法最好的學習，不見得要每個人都那麼高超。
希望這幾次的講課利益大家福慧增長!
感謝南禪生命教育基金會的支持！
半寄（講於2020年，寫於2021年時值疫情期間）
