無相三昧7-有餘依湼槃Formless Samādhi 7 – On Nirvana with Remainder

 無相三昧7-有餘依湼槃

 

解讀中文佛學大辭典裡面的三三昧內文：

 

「無相三昧，是與滅諦之滅，靜，妙，離，四行相相應之三昧也。

涅槃離色聲香味觸五法，

男女二相，及三有為相（除住相）之十相，故名為無相。」

 

半寄解讀：

 

1.上文說：「涅槃離了色聲香味觸」，

修行者都涅槃了，怎還會有知覺？

 

2.

如果是四果阿羅漢聖者的「有餘依涅槃」

 

AI資料：有餘依涅槃   指的是煩惱已斷，但色身（五蘊）尚存的解脫狀態。通常是阿羅漢或佛陀在        證果之後，仍具肉身、餘蘊未盡時的涅槃境界。

 

半寄解讀：

 

已經到達阿羅漢果的修行者肉體，

不可能說吃進食物色香味觸全都不見了吧？

試問：你的肉體活在一個沒有任何感官知覺的世界裡，

你會想活下去嗎？

而且這是對一位已經有功力，

生命生死對於祂已經沒有威脅的聖者。

 

3.

關於色聲香味觸，提出最多的應該是在提婆達多的僧團分裂裡，

提婆達多幾乎提出了另一套僧團要維持的秩序與制度，

雖然他被佛教視為墮地獄的惡徒，

但是他的這一套方式確實也流傳下來了。

 

佛陀的教團裡提出食物爭論的，就是提婆達多，

而這種爭議沒有結束，反倒是支持提婆達多的比丘們，

利用他們手上的筆，

寫出色聲香味觸法也是一種修持的三昧（三摩地），

這是不是一直在為提婆達多爭一個佛教地位？

而且必須冠上是佛法最高的修法，

人們才會相信他，

所以後期北傳經典演變到每一部經都說它自己是法王？

這是我個人的看法。

 

半寄

 

AI資料：   提婆達多主張比丘應遵守更嚴格的五條戒律，聲稱佛陀教義過於寬鬆，企圖分裂僧團： ● 永遠住於森林中 ● 永不穿居士給的衣服，只穿糞掃衣 ● 永遠乞食，不受請 ● 永不住屋，只住樹下 ● 永不吃鹽、肉等調味食物（全素）   佛陀未全面接受，認為這些應視個人根器而定，提婆達多藉此分裂僧團，另立「淨行派」。   他與佛陀的分歧可能在於： ● 對戒律的鬆嚴程度 ● 僧團的世俗關係處理（如接受王族支持）   如美國學者 Gregory Schopen、L.S. Cousins 指出：   佛教早期教團不是單一體系，而是多元並存的教派聯盟，提婆達多的行為也許是反映早期教團中不同思想的碰撞。

 

Formless Samādhi 7 – On Nirvana with Remainder

 

Excerpt about Three Samādhis from the Chinese Buddhist Dictionary :

 

"Formless Samadhi" is a kind of deep meditation that connects with the four qualities of Nirvana: stopping, calmness, subtlety, and detachment.

Nirvana is said to free from the five sense objects—form, sound, smell, taste, and touch—as well as the dual characteristics of gender and three marks of conditioned phenomena (excluding the mark of continuity). That’s why it’s called “formless.”

 

My Interpretation:

 

1. The text says Nirvana transcends all sensory experiences such as form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. If that’s the case, how can a practitioner who has entered Nirvana still possess any conscious awareness?

 

2. Consider the case of an Arhat who has attained "Nirvana with Remainder":

AI Data:   "Nirvana with Remainder" refers to a liberated state where all mental defilements have been eliminated, but the physical form—the five aggregates—still remains. This is the condition of an Arhat or Buddha who has awakened but not yet physically passed away.

 

My Interpretation:

 

Even an Arhat still has a physical body.

Can we really say that they have no perception at all of form, taste, smell, or touch when eating food?

Ask yourself: if your body existed in a world without any sensory experience, would you still want to live?

And this is someone who has already transcended life and death, and for whom these things no longer pose any threat.

 

3. The topic of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch came up most clearly during Devadatta’s attempt to break away from the Buddha’s Sangha.

He effectively proposed an alternative system of rules and structure for the monastic community.

Although he is traditionally viewed as an evil person who fell into hell,

his teachings did continue to influence later developments.

 

In the Buddha’s Sangha, it was Devadatta who started arguments about food rules.

These debates didn’t stop.

In fact, the monks who supported Devadatta began writing about how the five senses—form, sound, smell, taste, and touch—could be used in deep meditation (samadhi).

Was this a way to help Devadatta gain recognition in Buddhism?

They even claimed this was the highest Buddhist practice,

so that people would believe in him.

Maybe this is why so many later Mahayana sutrasdeclare themselves to be the supreme teaching—the “King of the Dharma.”

This is my personal reflection.

 

Master Banji

 

AI Data:   Devadatta wanted monks to follow five much stricter rules. He thought the Buddha’s teachings were too relaxed, and he tried to break away and form a new group:   ● Always live in the forest ● Only wear robes made from rags (not ones given by laypeople) ● Always go begging for food (never accept invitations) ● Only sleep under trees (never in houses) ● Never eat salt, meat, or flavored food (must eat only plain vegetarian food)   The Buddha didn’t fully accept these rules. He believed people should follow what fits their own level and ability. Devadatta then split from the Sangha and started a new group called the "Pure Practice School."   The disagreement between Devadatta and the Buddha was likely about:   ● How strict the monastic rules should be ● How to deal with society (such as receiving support from kings)   Modern scholars like Gregory Schopen and L.S. Cousins believe: In early Buddhism, there was not just one group. Instead, there were many different schools and ideas. Devadatta’s actions may reflect these early differences in beliefs.

 

大家好！

 

色聲香味觸法，我6月讀書會前看問題提問，

就已經想到跟提婆達多有關係，

但想一想也懶得寫。

 

昨天我們的英文翻譯瑞欣老師，傳佛學大辭典給我看，想修改英文，

我看一看覺得這到底在寫什麼？

（我年輕時看太多這種佛法解釋，再多看一眼都覺得很煩）

 

只好先在群組寫一寫，今天把它整理貼出來！

 

我雖然對佛法有熱情，但是要說這麼多，我自己都是排斥的，

佛教歷史，有很多看了都懶得說的事，

 

哈！被迫說清楚佛法，幾年前我都想退休了，沒想到還在寫！

 

半寄

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

Back in June, before our study club discussion, I already thought the topic of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas was related to Devadatta. But I didn’t bother to write it down.

 

Yesterday, our English translator, Ms. Jui-hsin, showed me the Comprehensive Dictionary of Buddhist Studies, trying to revise some word in our English translation.

 

I looked at it and thought, “What exactly is this talking about?”

(I have read too many such Buddhist explanations in my youth—just glancing at them now tires me.)

 

So I wrote something briefly in the group chat, and today I organized and posted it.

 

Though I do feel passionate about Buddhism, I find myself reluctant to talk so much about it.

There’s a lot in Buddhist history that I just can’t be bothered to explain.

 

Haha—being pushed to explain the Dharma clearly like this…

Years ago, I was already thinking of retiring. Who would’ve thought I’d still be writing today?

 

Master Banji