2026年9月13日 星期日

佛法時間概念—後記The Concept of Time in Buddhism — Postscript

 佛法時間概念—後記

 

南禪讀書會昨天就物理、數學已經發展到極致的概念,做了激烈的討論。

 

喜歡科技的人們,覺得現代科技已經如此發達,《中觀—空》理論似乎失去了用處。


 

但我必須說:《中觀—空》理論與相關修行,

核心價值在於藉由「八不理論」破除我們對固著觀念的釐清,

進而達成修行者與閱讀者其思考能力的自我提升。


 

數學與物理學固然是了解世界的強大工具,但《中觀—空論法》在解構認知局限、轉化錯誤的觀點上,依然有其不可替代的獨特價值。


 

我們有成員提到:

 

佛學早在兩千多年前就提出了「無自性」(緣起性空)的洞察,


而現代科學發展至今(例如量子力學對物質非固定實體的發現),

才逐步驗證了類似的觀點。

 

提供參考。

 

半寄



 

The Concept of Time in Buddhism — Postscript

 

At yesterday’s NanZen study club, we engaged in a vigorous discussion on advanced concepts in physics and mathematics.


 

Some participants felt that, given the rapid progress of modern science and technology, the theory of Madhyamaka—Śūnyatā may no longer be necessary.


 

However, the essential value of this teaching and its practice lies in the “Eight Negations,” which dismantle fixed assumptions and sharpen one’s capacity for critical reflection.


 

Although mathematics and physics are powerful means of understanding the world, the Madhyamaka—Śūnyatāremains uniquely important in exposing the limits of cognition and transforming erroneous views.


 

A member also noted:

As early as two thousand years ago, Buddhism proposed the insight of “non-inherent nature” (dependent origination and śūnyatā). Modern science—such as quantum mechanics, 

which reveals that matter is not a fixed entity—has only gradually approached similar insights.

 

For reference.

 

Master Banji

佛法時間概念2 The Concept of Time in Buddhism 2

 佛法時間概念2

 

經由四禪定建立的天人觀來看,深定的肉體把時間感受降低,


在入定與出定間幾小時至三個月內,對入定者的肉體感受而言,卻只在幾秒鐘的受覺,


因此,藉由修定的層次便可以用肉體理解時間,

而這只是一個基礎理解而已。


 

後來在龍樹菩薩的中觀空理論裡,又探討到時間前後的相互依賴存不存在的問題?


頓時把印度傳統的時間觀,昇華到另一個時空點來討論。


 

伴隨著空思想的探索,時間是依賴性質的互存,還是有其他的可能性?


這讓已經用「非想非非想」形容的世界,起了變化。

 


用空的思想解讀的微小細念,及延續佛陀靈魂觀解讀的(不不異),

讓佛法在解決時間的複雜性上,

提供充分的思維模式。


 

理解空與運用空,去深入不論是整體性質或段落的個人時間,


都將起實際的大用。

 

半寄

 

 

AI非想非非想:這是一種類似「似有若無、若有若無」的思維邊界。它形容人的精神狀態達到了一個極限:

往上看,它還沒有完全解脫(還有微弱的想);


往下看,它已經把所有世俗的雜念與認知都理解與克服了(沒有粗顯的想)。)

 


92號發佈的「心得分享釐清2」片段

 

核心在於:釐清龍樹在此破斥的不是「事物的時間因果關係」,而是「時間概念本身的自性實有(Ontological Self-nature)」。


 

一、 核心問題:論敵的「自性」錯覺

 

論敵(如勝論或有部)主張「時間」是獨立實有的「實體」(Dravya/Bhāva)。龍樹的破斥邏輯是:


 

1. 若「現在」與「未來」是獨立實有(有自性)的時間實體,它們就不應該依賴「過去」。


 

2. 若論敵承認「現在」必須依待「過去」才能成立(沒有過去,就無所謂現在):

 

情況 A(若異時): 當「過去」存在時,「現在」還不存在;當「現在」存在時,「過去」已經滅失。


兩個完全不在同一時空碰頭的獨立實體,如何發生「依待 / 界定」關係?

 


情況 B(若共時): 若為了讓它們能發生「依待關係」而讓它們同時存在,

那「過去」與「現在」就混淆在同一個時間點,

失去了「過去」與「現在」的時間先後差別。



 

The Concept of Time in Buddhism 2

 

From the perspective of the four meditative absorptions, deep samādhi reduces bodily perception of time.

 

During entry and exit from meditation, even if hours or months pass externally, the practitioner may feel only a few seconds have elapsed.

 


Thus, meditation already allows a bodily understanding of time, though this is only a basic level.


 

Later, Nāgārjuna’s Madhyamaka examines whether past and future mutually depend on each other.

 


This elevates the Indian theory of time to a new level of analysis.

 

With śūnyatā, the question becomes whether time is purely interdependent or something else entirely.


 

This also reshapes the notion of “neither perception nor non-perception.”

 

Through śūnyatā and the principle of “neither identical nor different,” Buddhism provides a framework for understanding time’s complexity.

 


Applying śūnyatā allows insight into both the whole structure of time and segmented personal temporal experience, with practical significance.

 

Master Banji

 

AI Data: Non-Perception / Non-Non-Perception
(This is a boundary-like mental state described as “neither clearly existent nor clearly non-existent.” It refers to a mental condition that reaches an extreme limit: on one hand, it has not fully reached liberation (there is still a very subtle form of “perception”); on the other hand, it has already overcome all coarse worldly thoughts and conceptual distractions.)

 

Excerpt from the September 2 post: “Reflections on Madhyamaka — the Doctrine of Śūnyatā 2: Clarification 2

The core point is to clarify that Nāgārjuna is not refuting the causal relationship of events in time, but rather the claim that time itself has inherent ontological self-nature (svabhāva).

 

I. Core Issue: The Opponent’s Misconception of “Self-Nature”

The opponent (such as the Vaiśeṣika or Abhidharma schools) argues that “time” is an independently existing real entity (a substance, dravya/bhāva).

Nāgārjuna’s refutation follows this logic:

1. If “the present” and “the future” are independently real entities with inherent existence (svabhāva), then they should not depend on “the past.” 
2. However, if the opponent admits that the “present” can only be established in dependence on the “past” (without the past, there is no meaningful present), then: 

Case A (if they exist in different times):
When the “past” exists, the “present” does not yet exist; when the “present” exists, the “past” has already ceased. If they are two independently existing entities that never coexist in the same time, how can they establish a relationship of dependence or definition?

 

Case B (if they exist simultaneously):
If, in order to allow a dependent relationship, the “past” and the “present” are said to exist at the same time, then they collapse into a single temporal point. In that case, the distinction between “past” and “present” disappears, and the very structure of temporal sequence is lost.

2026年9月12日 星期六

佛法時間慨念1 The Concept of Time in Buddhism 1

 佛法時間慨念1


以前看佛教的一些天人觀都覺得那是神話,後來自己在禪修中發覺那是真的。

除了是印度民族的宇宙觀,也是他們伴隨著對禪定、理論的理解,構造出來的時空劃分。

用一般容易理解的語言來說,

1.如果禪定可以劃開肉體與靈魂,則靈魂是否有重量?

2.佛法因緣果的時間處理方式,如何在人體實現?

印度思想講究業的力量,業本身代表力量,
業既使在沒有肉體的狀況下,依然可以糾纏靈魂,這是一種肉眼看不見的世界,

在沒有肉體的情況下,討論業一定要使用時間與空間的問題,業力的開展也是一種「重量」的開展。

所以如何擺脫業(重力)的牽絆,決定了修行者將攀爬到哪一個時間與空間點,這便是印度建構出來的天人觀。

例如;在第一次世界大戰的時候與人的糾紛沒有結束,(當然這個前提建立在佛教的宿命論裏)

而第一次世界大戰的時空背景也早就過去了,

但在業力觀中,有糾紛甚至是人命的糾纏,還沒結束。

而這整體而言,並不是說曾在第一次世界大戰時代活過的人們,都停留在當時的時空裡,

是跟你有糾紛或者人命問題的「那個人跟你的時空點」一直沒有過去!

所以以業力觀而言,時空的劃分是非常複雜的。

而對於已經擁有追溯過去時空力量的修行者而言,這些時空點會非常具體。

有糾紛層次的第一次世界大戰時間的結束點,是彼此的糾葛消失的時候,

彷彿停滯的時空點,在業力消失以後再度往前。

由此觀點,業力產生的時間觀可以分整體的,也可以分段落的,並且跨生命的時空存在(前幾世)。

這是我透過佛法修行理解出來的時間觀點。

半寄


The Concept of Time in Buddhism 1

 

At first, I regarded Buddhist descriptions of heavenly realms as myth. Through meditation, I later found them to be real.


 

They are not only part of the Indian cosmological view, but also arise from reflections on meditation and theory, forming a structure of time and space.


 

In simple terms:

 

If meditation can separate body and soul, does the soul have weight?

How does the law of causes, conditions, and results unfold in time within the human body?


 

Karma, in Indian thought, is a form of force.

 

Even without the body, karma can still bind the soul. This suggests an unseen domain.

 


Without the body, karma must be discussed in terms of time and space. Its unfolding can be seen as a form of “weight.”

 

Thus, freedom from karma (like escaping gravity) determines the level of time and space one reaches. This underlies the idea of heavenly realms.


 

For example, unresolved entanglementsfrom World War I may still persist in karmic terms, even though that historical time has passed.

This does not mean people remain in that era,


but the specific time-space connection between you and the person you have conflict with, or even a life-and-death issue with, has not yet passed.


 

From this perspective, time and space in karma are complex.


 

For practitioners with insight into past time, these points become concrete.

A moment in time ends only when karmic entanglement ends.


It is as if time pauses, then resumes when karma dissolves.

Thus, karmic time can be continuous or segmented, and can extend across lifetimes.

 

This is my understanding of time through Buddhist practice.

 

Master Banji

2026年9月11日 星期五

久違了It’s Been a While!

 久違了!

收到當年來台灣訪問學者的笑容,
說我把當年沒有解完的「唯心論」解完了!哈哈😄

您們也清楚要解開這一系列有關於佛法理論跟修行的問題,這個任務有多麽困難!

這是我想都不敢想的事,沒想到,走到今天把佛教「唯心論」也解出來了!

佛法修證「四聖果」的內容,能解釋出來是最重要‼️

「唯心論」被講得滿天飛,
但我從來不放在心上,
有機會把它解出來也是必須的。

而有關於《中觀——空論》,
我個人認為它不是純粹的理論,

除了是辯證,也可以用大腦去印證。

當時,印度佛法修行,傳統方式是經由入定作快速躍過人體障礙的理解,
再藉由理論辯證修正——善思維。

而後,由於能入定的修行者太少,
而能入定的,又選擇停留在三摩地的快樂,

致使修定的經驗,不能回歸到由佛法去做指引。

由於有在帶讀書會,我盡量解釋出一般人可以理解及生活中就可以用的理論,
寫出「四聖果」後,比較有空了,
最近做一些嚐試解釋《中觀——空論》
等我有想到一些解法,再寫出來,非常感謝☺️

半寄🙏

(遠方讀者回應
「唯心論」一點點的內容而已,台灣佛教把它膨脹了!

我認為是整個漢傳佛教都把它膨脹,連南傳佛教也在「心法」裡團團轉

有人能夠討論真好!)


It’s Been a While!

 

I sensed a message from a visiting scholar who had come to Taiwan long ago and whom I haven’t seen in years.
Smiling, he said that I had finally solved the problem of “Idealism” that was left unresolved back then—haha 😄


 

You all understand how difficult it is to sort out these issues in Buddhist theory and practice.


I never imagined I could do this. But today, I’ve actually worked through the question of Buddhist “Idealism.”

What matters most is being able to clearly explain the practice and realization of the Four Stages of Enlightenment.

 

“Idealism” is often discussed everywhere,
but I’ve never focused on it.
Still, when the opportunity came, it was necessary to clarify it.


 

Regarding Madhyamaka — The Doctrine of Śūnyatā,


I don’t think it is just theory.

It involves reasoning, but it can also be examined and verified through the mind.

 

In early Indian Buddhism, practitioners entered deep meditation (samādhi)
to quickly go beyond the limitations of the body,
and then used reasoning to refine their understanding.


 

Later, fewer people could enter such states,
and those who could often stayed attached to the pleasure of meditation.

Because of this, meditative experience was no longer guided by the Dharma.


 

Since I lead study groups, I try to explain these ideas in a way that people can understand and apply in daily life.

After finishing my articles on the Four Stages of Enlightenment, I now have more time.


Recently, I’ve started trying to explain Madhyamaka — The Doctrine of Śūnyatā.
When I find clearer ways to explain it, I will share them. Thank you ☺️

 

Master Banji

 


(Response from a distant reader:

The content of ‘Idealism’ is actually quite limited—Taiwanese Buddhism has greatly exaggerated it!”


I think the entire Chinese Buddhist tradition has done this,

and even Theravāda circles around ‘mind-Dharma’ concepts.


It is good that this can be openly discussed.)