論佛學念頭(想法) About the notion in Buddhism

About  the notion in Buddhism
我用新的，易懂的觀點再來寫一些內容，讓佛學更易於一目了然
論佛學念頭(想法)

生 老 病 死 人生四大階段，前面三個階段容易看見，唯有死亡孤單而且看不到，也無法再跟旁人交代什麼感受，一切任憑活著的人想像，於是有人認為死亡前有了什麼想法 (也就是所謂念頭) 是會引導人去投胎在那邊的，比如說；我死亡前很生氣(瞋恨心)不管生氣是為了什麼 ? 都可以導引我去投胎在所謂瞋恨世界裡。
 I will write some articles in a new and easy to understand viewpoint to make Buddhist teachings easier and clearer.

About the notion in Buddhism

Everyone experiences four stages in his life ---birth, aging, illness and death. We can observe the first three stages easily. Only death is lonely and invisible. Since a dead person can not tell how he feels to other people, everything about death is but the imagination from the living people. Therefore, some people may suppose that what a man thinks (so-called a notion) before death may lead him to reincarnate in a certain world. For example, if a man were angry before his death, he would be led to a world of anger and hatred, no matter why he was so angry.

 

佛教講輪迴也就是一部份學說認為人有下一世；有下一世去哪裡投胎，出生，就變的很重要。但是佛教也講因，緣，果，一生的努力應該是最重要的，比如說；我一生樂於助人，累積了100分的助人果實，不可能因為我要去世時跟人有些不愉快，便一切化為烏有，反之，我一生不樂於助人，也不可能去世前做了一件1分的善事，就可以得到100分的果。
Some Buddhist teachings discuss transmigration (of the soul) and an afterlife. If there’s an afterlife, where we may reincarnate becomes important. However, Buddha also taught us about Causes, Conditions, and Karmic results (Karma). According to Karma, all the efforts in our life should be the most important. For example, if I am glad to help others in my life, I may accumulate 100 points of Karmic results of helping people. The 100-point Karmic result will not disappear completely just because I have something unpleasant with other people before my death. Contrarily, if I am not happy to help others, I will not get a 100-point Karmic result just because I have done a one-point good deed before my death.

人一生的行為就是一個記錄器，你(妳)耕耘的一切帶著你(妳)走向自己的路，自己的前途，這才是佛法要說的，死亡，人生最後階段，也是最無力的階段，真能引發什麼下一世的後果嗎 ?

The acts in one’s life are like a recorder. All your efforts lead you to your own path and to your own future. This is what Buddha really tried to teach us. Can death, the last and the most helpless stage of one’s life, result in any consequences in an afterlife?

在所有的佛經裡，都要求修學者必須要有智慧，有智慧的第一個條件是大腦要動，但是大部份的人都是照單全收，比如我前面說的，有人說動一個唸頭(想法)便可以引導你去哪裡 ?!

All Buddhist texts require practitioners to have wisdom. The pre-requisite to be wise is to have your brain question, think and distinguish. However, most people accept things without doubt, such as the argument I discussed before “a notion before death determines where you may go”.

事實是人的大腦24小時都在動，請問諸君哪一個想法會這麼可怕，一下就把人帶到一個世界，能一下就把人帶走的，只有一個，不管好與壞，是想法加執行力造就的力量。

In fact, our brain runs twenty four hours a day. What kind of inking, may I ask, is so powerful that it can lead a man to a certain world right away? Only one thought, whether good or bad, can do this. It’s the power of putting a thought into practice.

為什麼念頭(想法)在修行路上變得這麼重要，稍有練習過打坐的人都知道，一坐下來整個腦袋亂七八糟，所謂妄念紛飛，這時候自己通常會嚇倒，好像從來不認識自己一般，從來不知道自己的腦袋這麼亂。

Why does a thought become so important in practice? A man who has the experience of meditation knows that once sitting down, he has all kinds of thoughts in his brain. He may be shocked by the unfamiliar self and his chaotic brain.

 很多修學過的人，都希望自己能有一顆清晰的腦袋，一個聽從自己的大腦，叫它不要亂想它就要乖乖入定(專心)，於是在修學過程中有念頭(想法)是不對的，漸漸形成共識，還有在極端安靜的氣氛裡，哪怕一個呼吸都顯得很清楚，沉重，混濁，更何況來自內心的一切想法，就算是妄念紛飛都顯得可怕。

Many practitioners hope to have clear brains.  They hope to have brains that listen to themselves and can concentrate right away when they ask. Therefore, it becomes a common consensus that it’s wrong to have thoughts when in practice. In a silent atmosphere, even a breath appears so obvious, heavy and loud, not to mention of all the thoughts in the brain. The chaotic thoughts in the brain appear so horrible.

  

被自己嚇一大跳後，對大腦裡的念頭開始感到可怕，從起初練習打坐，到跟自己的想法拉扯，反反復復訓練自己專心，兩三年後有些人大腦專注力獲得提升，站上高一層的修學者開始覺得大腦蘊藏無限寶藏，延著大腦產生的學問，大量大量出現。

After being shocked by themselves, people start to feel horrible about the thoughts in their brains. From practicing meditation, torn by their own thoughts, to training themselves to concentrate over and over again, some people elevate the concentration of their brains after two or three years . The high-level practitioners start to feel the brains contain endless treasures and numerous knowledge emerged.


人自我發現自己，進一步築構成學理，過程也像歷險記，有血有淚有歡樂。

The process of a man finding himself and further forming a theory is just like an adventure. It’s full of tears and joys.

用腦的人相信腦,用身體的人相信身體,其實一個念頭（想法）就衹能是一個因（起頭）,不管是平時的想法或者是打坐中有的念頭，都需要緣（動力作用）的助長,緣是條件成立的関鍵,更可能是一件事情或者修行成不成功的主要因素，比如說; 我想自己種菜吃，想有什麼？是一個因, 再下來從擁有種子到播下種子，到灌溉，除蟲,施肥，種種緣的條件促成，才能再論及果的收成.

Those who use their brains trust their brains, and those who use their bodies trust their bodies. Actually, a single thought can only be a Cause( start). A notion, whether in ordinary times or in meditation, needs the help of a Condition(the power of putting a thought into practice). The Condition is the crux to determine whether a condition is valid or not, and even, to determine whether a thing /practice is successful or not. For example, I want to grow some vegetables to eat. What kind of vegetable I want to eat is a Cause. The following steps of having seeds, planting seeds, watering, getting rid of bugs, and fertilizing bring about the harvest. All kinds of conditions, the Condition, contribute to Karmic results.

如果有人在大腦裡耕耘成功，那真是可喜可賀，要不然平常人的一個念頭，真真是太薄弱了，怎可能決定自己的命運。

It’s worth celebrating if a man succeeds in cultivating his brain.  Otherwise, how can a man’s notion, I fit were so weak and powerless, can determine his own destiny

我住的這地方傳播一個念頭的說法，影響很多人最後一口氣。

半寄

The statement that notion before death affects the last breath of many people is widely spread in the place where I live (here in Taiwan).
 

Master Ban Ji 
                                                                                                         Translated by Grace Tsai
                                                                                                         Proofread by Sophiea Kuo