貪的修持 Reducing Greed

南禪精舍所提供的修法，一定讓很多人感到陌生，相對於其他法門確實是這樣，

The method advocated by Nan Zen Vihara must seem foreign to most people who are familiar with Buddhism, especially to people who have been exposed to methods promoted by traditional Buddhists.

現在我們來看看以下的修法: 來看看白骨觀好了，

Let's take a look at one of the methods. Let's look at a method that practices "Bone Visualization".

[Note; I don't know if there is a standard English translation for this method.]

白骨觀是對治貪慾強的人所提供的修法，過程是觀想肉體腐蝕的情形，達到令人做嘔，恐懼的反應，進一步得到放下的修法

"Bone Visualization" is a method advocated by traditional Buddhists for people who are especially greedy. The practice is to visualize the decay of human body, until one becomes nauseated and horrified at the visualization.

但我以為去想像腐臭或親眼看見屍體來達到效果，為什麼不直接探討自己內心的想望，

But I always thought that instead of visualization, or look and smell at the decayed body to achieve some effects, why don't we probe directly at ourselves regarding our cravings and desires?

外面的刺激是可以讓人暫時止住慾望，放下眷戀不捨的事與物，

It is true that external stimulus can force one to temporarily stop desire, and give up things that one cannot normally let go.

那如果從自己內部去了解自己對事，物的看法!? 是否比較可以根治或提升自我對事與物，那份想擁有的內容 ? 我對修法傾向於提升自我的情懷，不對貪一個個對治，因為人想要的跟需要的，太多，太多了 。

But if one probes oneself to understand oneself, can one not find a better cure to one's greed, and also to improve one's characters? I always think that the methods of Buddhism should elevate oneself, and not to treat symptoms. Because there are too many things that a person can desire, too many things to be greedy about. It is too hard to suppress and eliminate one's greed to all the things in the world one at a time.

如果人透過自我觀察，再努力培養自己在要與不要間有取捨能力，真的不是一個比較好的選擇嗎 ?

If through observing ourselves, we can work on increasing our ability to determine "want" and "do not want." Wouldn't this be a better method? A better choice?

貪祇能提升內容，不能消極毀滅。 貪是無法滅的，滅了生命也沒了。 生存一定需要外面的供給，這是生命最基本的條件，只是在貪與生存欲望之間，難分難解，除非是已非常明顯的貪法。生存是需要動力的，只有已成道的人能身處其中三昧，其餘眾生都被本能所驅使，為生存奮戰，貪與欲更難拿捏，能做的應該是提升，而不是使生命失去動力。

Desire/Greed is not necessary a bad thing because it can elevate us and improve our lives. It actually should not be destroyed, because if the desire/greed is gone, so is human life. Survival requires elements from the external world. Food and shelter, for example, are the basic requirements for life. Unless the greed is very obvious, the line between greed and the desire to live is very fine. Life needs motivation, and only one who have achieved enlightenment can live in Samadhi. Everyone else are all driven by instinct, fighting for life, for survival. It is a fine line between desire that feeds one's soul versus desire that destroys. What one should do is to elevate oneself and not reduce life's motivation.

需要藉腐爛來排除貪慾，應該是已動彈不得的情況下，也就是已被貪慾全然把持的狀態。 用非常手段解決非常事，也不妨一試!

Using decay to eliminating greed should be a method reserved when one is paralyzed one's greed. At that point, it doesn't hurt to use exceptional approach because the situation is exceptional.

半寄 Master Ban Ji