無相三昧1 Formless Samādhi 1

無相三昧1

 

問題

「雜阿含經80經: 三三昧: 修行次第：空（觀五蘊無常）→ 無相（離六境）→ 無作（斷三毒、破我見）. 

 

請問師父:

 1. 南禪精舍修行依據: 初果至四果一貫觀法: 觀 無常 苦空 無我 (259經舍利弗答摩訶拘絺羅之無間等法) 與三三昧的修行次第能否互相印證? 

2. 三三昧與四果觀係能否理解成 空三昧 → 破欲愛 (身見戒取疑貪嗔); 無相三昧 → 破色愛; 無作(無所有)三昧 → 破無色愛、掉舉、慢、無明.」

 

半寄解答：

說到「無相三昧」我在修行幾年以後一

直在考慮這個問題，

如何在修行跟生活裡面取得平衡，

這邊就簡單提一個重點來講 :

 

取自《雜阿含經80經》部分內容。

 

「佛告比丘：「空三昧的修法若比丘於空閑處樹下坐，善觀色無常、磨滅、離欲之法。如是觀察受、想、行、識，無常、磨滅、離欲之法。觀察彼陰無常、磨滅、不堅固、變易法，心樂、清淨、解脫，是名為空。如是觀者，亦不能離慢、知見清淨。」

 

半寄：上面經文，個人認為「空三昧」的修法透過龍樹菩薩的《中觀論》可以做邏輯性的了解，

甚至讓修行者進入「空」的體會。

 

經文：「無相三昧的修法復有正思惟三昧，→「觀色相斷，」聲、香、味、觸、法相斷，是名無相。

如是觀者，猶未離慢、知見清淨」

 

半寄：

而無相三昧觀，

「觀色相斷」對活在現實世界上的修行者而言，

幾乎是不可能的事情。

 

我查了資料大部分的解釋都指向

無常、空、夢幻如此去理解無相，

或是心不隨物轉，

 

問題是經文寫著「觀色相斷」用了「斷」字。

相都斷了，跟無常、空、夢幻或是轉物根本就不相干，

後世漢系佛學者把很多佛法都完全隨個人心意扭轉到合理的說法，

實際上拿原文一比較根本說不下去。

 

半寄

Formless Samādhi 1

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

Question:

In Saṃyuktāgama Sūtra 80, the Buddha teaches that practice should go step by step through:

 

Śūnyatā (by seeing the five aggregates as impermanent)

 

Signlessness (by letting go of the six sense objects)

 

Wishlessness (by cutting off the three poisons and destroying the ego-view)

 

At NanZen Vihara, the path from first to fourth stage of awakening follows a method of contemplating impermanence, suffering, śūnyatā, and non-self (based on Sūtra 259 where Śāriputra answers Mahā Koṭṭhita about the uninterrupted path). Do these methods match the Three Samādhis?

 

Can we understand the Three Samādhis like this?

 

Śūnyatā Samādhi = removes craving for sense pleasures (like identity view, attachment to rules, doubt, greed, anger)

 

Signless Samādhi = removes attachment to the form realm

 

Wishless Samādhi = removes attachment to formless realms, restlessness, pride, and ignorance?

 

Banji Replies:

When it comes to “Signless Samādhi,” I’ve thought a lot about it during my years of practice. How can we balance daily life with spiritual training?

 

Here’s a core excerpt from Sūtra 80:

 

The Buddha said: “To practice the Śūnyatā Samādhi, a monk sits quietly under a tree and contemplates form as impermanent, subject to decay, and devoid of desirability. He likewise observes feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness in the same way.

By seeing these aggregates as unstable, disappearing, and constantly changing, the mind becomes joyful, pure, and liberated — that is called ‘Śūnyatā.’

But even with this practice, pride and impure views still remain.”

 

Banji comments:

I think this kind of practice can be understood more clearly using Nāgārjuna’s Middle Way teachings. It can help people understand what “śūnyatā” really means and even feel it during their practice.

 

Another part says:

“In Signless Samādhi, we think deeply and correctly: ‘Cut off attachment to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and mental objects’ — that is Signless.

But even this won’t fully remove pride or purify one’s view.”

 

Banji comments:

But trying to “sever attachment to form” in everyday life is nearly impossible.

 

Most modern explanations interpret “signless” as something like śūnyatā or illusion, or say it means “not being influenced by things.”

 

But the sūtra uses the word “sever” — not just seeing through or letting go.

If the signs are completely cut, then this has nothing to do with just seeing impermanence or śūnyatā.

Later Chinese Buddhists often changed the meaning of teachings to fit their ideas, but if you compare their explanations to the actual text, it really doesn’t match.

 

Master Banji