空"Śūnyatā" 1

“The results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof” in Buddhism 1

 

We discussed the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness and persistence in the cultivation of virtues at all times last time. Today, let’s move on to our second topic—the results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof. This concept is also so difficult that only geniuses can totally comprehend it in just one day. 

我們今天來討論一個主軸就好了，第二個，再下面那段，「有業報而無作者」我覺得光要把這幾個字，「有業報而無作者，」，七個字，今天能講清楚，大家都變成天才了！

Karmas defined as karmic debts are way too narrow here, but in modern language, it also can be taken as force power which could be involved in actions or motions of the subject. When one moves, it’s his/her body that makes motions regardless of good or bad. Karma is the cause but also the effect of motions. In this sense, it is interesting to say the karma exists; the doer doesn’t exist. My body moves, but it is not the I.  The other expression is that a person runs to another place. Running to another place is true, but the runner in that place is false.

大家學佛很久，不只是佛教講的業力，「業」這個動作，如果我們用現代語言可以理解，應該是運動！我做一件善事　，我身體要去做對不對，身體力行，運動、身體在動；我做一件壞事，也是身體去做，運動，所以他是一個運動的結果！我在做一件事的時候，我在運動，但是運動的人是我，然後你又說我不存在，這是不是很有趣？！

 

When I just became a sangha, I was so busy that my brain was occupied with all the practices and studies. There was no time for me to understand this scripture deeply. Whenever I get a chance to reread the text, I am still astonished by Buddha’s advanced and marvelous ideas. Can “the results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof” be interpreted as when I beat my body by my hand, the pain occurs, but the beater is gone?  If the beater is gone, so does the person feeling pain. 

我剛出家的時候，我急著要研究佛法懂佛法，然後又要實修，我覺得我的腦袋、我的身體很忙碌，我沒有時間細想，等我有時間細想，我回頭看這種經文，覺得很可怕那時候的人會提到這種思想、思維是很可怕的！有業報無作者」我的手打我的身體，會痛！然後那個痛的動作是「有」，痛的人不在，可以理解嗎？不能理解！哈哈哈！這是他講的意思，我把他翻譯成另外一個你們可能比較能懂，痛的動作有，痛的人不在！

 

In ancient times, Chinese masters compared this to a waterfall. As I remember, Sengzhao, a patriarch of the Sānlùn ("Three Treatise") school said, “a flowing waterfall exists, whereas water is unceasingly falling away.”  Does this explanation make it more sense to you?

古時候，這段經文傳到中國的時候，中國人怎麼解釋他你知道嗎? 中國人用瀑布，用瀑布來形容！我記得三論宗的祖師僧肇，用瀑布來形容作者不在的意思，形容說，它一直流的時候，瀑布存在啊但流水不斷！古代文言文就是這樣形容，瀑布在流，流水不斷！用這樣的一種形容來形容現在我們眼前看的，「有業報無作者」，這樣有沒有一點懂啊？

 

It is impossible to understand śūnyatā in just one discussion. However, piles of piles of papers discussing śūnyatā make it even more confusing. Let’s put aside other’s interpretations, just read the original texts of the Saṃyuktāgama Sutra No. 335, and share your opinion.  Also, putting aside the impression or stereotype about how esoteric Buddhist sutras would be, just talk about your thoughts and personal experiences after reading the texts. 

我剛剛講那個空，事實上不容易一次講就懂！所以如果我們在這裡，各位提出你們對他的理解我們來討論一下，這一段經文後來分裂成非常多非常多佛教的解釋，讓後面的人越看越一頭霧水，因為解釋太多了，那我們先不去看後人解釋，直接看原文，《雜阿含經》原文，你就直接，不要認為他是很深的的一種佛法，直接用你的感官，你現在能理解的我們來討論就好，先把那些我們被灌輸的那些佛經講得很深，佛經講得很深奧，是不能理解的那一種字眼都先拋開，用你的第一經驗，你現在聽到你現在看到的文字的經驗，你能想到的　我們來做個討論就好。 

 

Derrick: 

In my opinion, I beat on my left arm with my right hand, I did feel the pain. Since it’s I that beat myself, why does it say the beater does not exist? What is this trying to teach?

純德﹕有業報而無作者，如果是像我們對文字的理解，剛師父說的，我用我的右手打我的左手臂，那我會痛啊！可是無作者，明明就我自己打我自己，怎麼會說無作者呢？那他想要告訴我們什麼？

 

Ban Ji: Yes, that’s interesting.

半寄師父：是啊，這是很有趣的點！

 

Chun-te Yang: 

Moreover, since there is pain felt, and I am feeling it. If “not the doer thereof” is true, where to place the relationship between I and the pain?

俊得﹕那痛明明就產生，那如果沒有作者，痛要在哪裡停留呢？

 

Ban Ji:

However, after reading this text again now, I find it describes clearly that all the brilliant Indian people in the old-time had attained higher wisdom far beyond our imagination. 

半寄師父：

但是我現在回頭看這段經文，道盡印度人的聰明！印度人有可能存在的智慧超出我們的想像，我只能這樣講。

 

Prof. Atun:

I think neither the beater nor the beaten exists. Thus, the doer thereof doesn’t exist.

阿惇老師：

我覺得他們兩個把作者是施打的人還是痛的人這兩個都不在了，所以無作者是...

 

Ban Ji:

But the results of karma do exist! Because pain exists. When one exerts energy to do a virtuous act, their efforts create power and thus create so-called good karma. The results of virtuous acts exist, so do those of un-virtuous acts. When a person devotes energy to un-virtuous acts, the energy will hang on and then going back around.  Action is done, and the doer has gone. Think carefully, no doer is in place, but the action takes place. When the energy comes to fruition, that is called the result of karma. No seeds. no harvest, just like action and karma.  Fruits exist for sure, not the farmer thereof.  

半寄師父：

在！痛在啊！有業報　，我做了一件好事，辛苦對不對？！他的運動產生能量所以他的福報會存在；跟做壞事也是一樣的，壞事，你也身體力行了，所以他的能量會存在，他跟著你，運動(動力)存在，但是作者不存在！想好，作者不存在，運動存在！運動就是你去做得好事跟壞事，所以叫果報，果報存在啊！我去耕耘有果實，我沒有耕耘沒有果實，果實是一定存在！但是這個耕耘的人不在喔。

 

The organization of Bliss and Wisdom Sangha in Taiwan studies Tsong-Kha-Pa’s (Zongkaba’ s) Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path would use a metaphor that when someone is looking into a mirror, the person reflected in the mirror is reflection, considered non-existence. However, just as Atun has said, “it needs a subject to do the action of looking at the mirror. Therefore, I must be real /existing when looking in a mirror. Isn’t that so? The later-generation Buddhist practitioners then develop an idea: existence comes before reflection, or subjectivity creates illusions. We just can’t deny it by saying all is illusory. If all is illusory, what can we practice? This metaphor is so profound we can further discuss if the I who am looking in the mirror exist. How does it match “the doer thereof doesn’t exist”?

 

我看，台灣現在講最多課的福智團體研究是《菩提道次地廣論》，宗喀巴大師的，他裡面的比喻是說：我在照鏡子，那我在照鏡子，鏡子裡面呈現的那個人是虛假的，那像阿惇老師講的，我照鏡子，我這個人應該是真的吧，是不是這樣？！後代都發展出這樣的想法，說假的後面有一個真的，你不能說全部都是假的啊，都假的，那修什麼？！ 但是，《菩提道次第廣論》內容也是豐富的。你看，我照鏡子，鏡子裡面有一個我，鏡子裡面那個我是虛假的。我這個照鏡子的人是真的，跟這句「有業報無作者」，你們覺得搭的上嗎？

 

Someone replies:  If the doer is real, the doer thereof exists. 

Ban Ji: 

Right, if the doer is real, the doer thereof exists. But what if the doer is not real? It seems reasonable to suppose that he/ she won’t feel pain?  Thereby, the results of karma don't exist! Chun-te, you have listened to my talk and had some idea of "Eight Negations of The Middle Path". What is your opinion?      

Chun-te Yang:

Maybe, it is because if the doer thereof exists, then he might not be able to enjoy his own Karmic Results?  

Ban Ji: What do you mean by not being able to enjoy his own Karmic Results? 

Chun-te Yang:

I mean, seedling and fruition will not occur at the same time. After planting the seeds, one needs to wait for the fruit to grow and ripen. No farmer can sow and reap just on the same day. The grower and the reaper are not the same to enjoy his Karmic Results. Therefore, no the doer thereof exists. Is it right? 

Ban Ji: They were half-right. Thanks a lot. 

Chun-te Yang: I spent a long time pondering this sentence yesterday.

 

(有人回應) 如果是真的，就會有作者！

半寄師父：如果是真的，就會有作者。對的；那如果是假的呢？假的應該不會痛。對！假的就沒有業報！俊得請問你們以前聽我講八不中觀概念，你們對這句話的理解呢？

俊得：有沒有可能，如果有作者的話，他就吃不到果實，

半寄師父：有作者的話他就吃不到果實，什麼意思？

俊得：意思就是說，耕耘跟果實不可能同時發生，不可能今天馬上耕耘，今天馬上有果實，他需要成長期，他需要時間來等待，沒有果實跟耕耘同時發生的這種事！耕耘的作者，跟果實的作者，如果是同一個，那他就吃不到果實，所以應該沒有作者。這樣對嗎？

半寄師父：對一半，非常謝謝！

俊得：這句經文我昨天想很久。

 

Ban Ji: 

The doer thereof doesn’t exist is accurate. For those who repent for their wrongdoing, they still must take the karmic results. But if believing that the doer thereof exists, keeps us stuck in the situations. Most people assume that debts can be paid off immediately, just like the wrongdoing can be canceled merely due to thoughts of repentance. This is absolutely wrong because he hasn’t taken real actions to compensate the victims for their loss yet. It is impossible that all will vanish as long as confessing one’s guilt. 

半寄師父：事實上沒有作者才是對的！我問你，做了一件壞事我懺悔了，如果那個作者是真的，你必須在當時的時空停留多久？你說？！我們一般都說，懺悔就了結了因為都已懺悔。事實上不可能！因為你對業報的存在還沒展開結束的動作。不可能我心裡動一下懺悔，就馬上所有做的事都煙消雲散。不可能！

 

Here are two points to consider. Firstly, if debts remain even after repentance, how long a repenter will stay back to the time and space of whatever event took place? A was supposedly killed by B twenty years ago, but it is actually impossible for B to spend the following 20 years staying in the past? Secondly, would the world stop turning when B decide to stay? Supposing B is still repenting for his/her crime committed in 1970 until 1990, which year is he/she actually staying, in 1970 or 1990? Dharma is profoundly involved in different aspects of meanings.

但是如果你懺悔了還不能了結，你又要停留在原來的時空多久？例如殺一個人A，二十年後，A如果在青壯年被你殺，那你是不是還要二十年待在原來的時空中，這是一個點！第二個點，只有你待在原來的時空，那世界要不要跟著運轉，你殺人是1970年的事，你到1990年還在受罪，那你到底是留在1970年還是1990年？這研究佛學很深，就可以知道佛法牽扯的意義很多。

 

Derrick: Suppose I killed a person at 20, and now I am 50.  Thirty years have passed.  I am different from the 30 -year-old self as defined, then there would be many difference between the two selfs. Thereby, the doer thereof doesn’t exist.

純德：師父我20歲殺他，經過30年我50歲了，如果我們把30年前的那個人跟30年後的那個我定義成不同的人，那我們可以說那個作者已經不見了。

 

Ban Ji: Right, it is impossible for redemption that a person can go back in time to repent their sins. Because time passes without stopping, no one can stay without changing. Can anyone freeze time?

半寄師父:對！所以你不能說我在懺悔，懺悔的你停留在原地時空，那有沒有人可以在原地時空停留？你告訴我。

 

Derrick: No. 

純德：沒有！

 

Ban Ji:

Karma is not just about Karmic Results, but further involves the relationship with time and space. The saying “the results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof” is true. We can only get a better understanding by putting it in the dimensions of time and space. Not only karma, both virtuous and un-virtuous acts are also associated with time and space. As the farming analogy reveals to us, a prospective farmer will not just sit and wait. When it comes to fruition, doing nothing is not wise. Fruits spoil fast even in postharvest. Good methods of postharvest storage can only keep fruits fresh for a longer period of time. Three months maybe the max, neither would karmic results(fruit) remain unchanged. Would you like to remain idle in order to keep karmic results all the time? Some other people might think abundance comes from sowing the seed of hard work. Why can’t we indulge ourselves in good results and try to keep them forever?  

半寄師父：

所以佛學在講業報，不是一般的果報，他還牽扯到時空問題，用時空才能解釋為什麼沒有作者。一件好事也是一樣，譬如說你今天果實滿滿的，你的耕耘得到不錯的果實，那你就站著不動嗎？我們稻穀收割以後好像儲藏三個月就不太新鮮了。果子也不會等著你來吃他，這也有時空問題，不要說業報，說你去造惡業，造善業也是時空問題，難道你就停留在你的時空吃果實嗎？！

 

Being aware of the past is keeping you stuck and make you left behind, you will know how to overcome obstacles in life. Answering some questions becomes easy and clear. On the assumption that all other people have moved on and left you indulging in your Karmic Results. Will you keep up with them? Or you will repent in order to keep your guilty conscience in place, then ask yourself to whom you are repenting? 

這個問題如果你想的通，你的人生會解開很多你不能打開的結。我這句話聽得懂嗎？如果你意識到，我這麼辛苦才有這些果實可以吃，我就抱著它不放，然後你意識到，我抱著它不放，而其他人走了，你要不要跟著走？那如果你在原地懺悔，大家都走了，那你怎麼辦？你一直在那邊懺悔，你跟誰懺悔？你要做什麼才能彌補你做錯的事？這個都值得探討。

 

How great “The results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof.” is! Buddha has pointed out the problem of the time-space in his teaching. However, little has been discussed about śūnyatā in terms of the axis of the time-space until nowadays. Because people only come across more about the issue of the time-space in modern time. From the time-space approach, it became more interesting for the discussion of good and bad karma. Consider this, “ whether you would like to confine yourself in the past?”

所以我覺得這句「有業報無作者」的經文很偉大，佛陀在講授祂的教學時已經有時空的問題提出！時光的探討很少，到近代人比較容易理解到有時空的問題存在。所以如果你用時空來講福報跟業障的時候 ，這很值得探討的，很好玩！你要不要一個人停留在那個時空裡？

 

Atun: 

I consider the one who committed a crime is no longer me, whereas others still remember that I killed the man. The fact is that the man was dead after all.

阿惇老師：我已經覺得過去殺人的人已經不是我，可是別人還認得我殺了他，那個人還是死了。

 

Ban Ji:

Right, consider the following questions. How can you repay your karmic debts as soon as possible when you take no actions to repay your debt, merely repenting in the past time and space? The situation would be getting more entangled in the relationship between the killer and the killed, and not able to change even when your-standing-point is different in relation to time-space? Time has gone and so has space. What is with you? What should you do?

 

Master Ban Master Ban Ji

            Translated by Ken Kraynak

(Translated by Hui-tun Chuang and Grace Jui-hsin Tsai)

(Proofread by Sophia Fang-chun Kuo)  

半寄師父：

對啊！所謂有業報，你殺了他，但是你又不願意停留在那個時空裡，那你到底要什麼方法趕快還完債呢？若不還完債，你在已經過去的時空那邊懺悔，有可能只有殺與被殺兩個人的糾結，而時空不起作用嗎？時空也走，你該怎麼辦？

半寄

空 "Śūnyatā"

The Ultimate Truth of"Śūnyatā"( Emptiness )in Buddhism

 

Hello, there.  The following contents are excerpted from the study club of Nan Zen held at AJ Hotel Hsinchu, Taiwan in 2020. For the entire talk, you may find videos on Nan Zen’s Facebook page.   

We are not interpreting the entire scripture, but extracting the concepts from it.  

First, I want to point out that don’t panic and stress yourself out when you have difficulty understanding them. I have spent the past three decades immersed in the study of Buddhism, and therefore it takes me years to realize śūnyatā, the dharma of emptiness. Since these interpretations of śūnyatā reflect a part of my long-term efforts, it is difficult to understand them all at once. 

佛法第一義空

南禪朋友好，這些內容是根據2020年在臺灣新竹安捷飯店舉辦的FB直播講課內容節錄出來的。

首先說明，我們不是講整個經文，而是抽出其中的概念來講。

關於佛法中的「空」法思想，不要說你們，就我自己，也琢磨了好幾年，前前後後思考了好幾年，我才把整個佛教的空法貫穿！所以要講這個空法也準備了二三十年，坦白講，這是我的心血，所以各位聽空法的時候，也不要要求自己一下子就去理解所謂的空法。

 

However, it can be simply defined. Considering śūnyatā the essence of Buddhism, we must clarify some misunderstandings. Of course, all phenomena are constructed and depended upon what needs to be satisfied. These dependencies are called Nidānas. We live with all other beings in a world, where our bodies and things surrounding us are tangibly considered real.  It is hard for us to sense or imagine emptiness.  If I were empty, then you couldn’t see or feel me.  But this is also our wrong assumption in regards to existence and non-existence. Taking śūnyatā as the concept of nothingness misleads people into thinking that Buddhism is a pessimistic and passive religion. As a matter of fact, śūnyatā is systematic and well-structured in the history of Buddhism

(For a further understanding, please see my video clips on Youtube.)

因為他畢竟是一個佛教的精髓，但也不會那麼難了解，只是說我們的思想裡面，是處於「有」的世界。我的肉體是真的，看到一切是真的，那你告訴我這是空的，你想得出來嗎？

絕對想不出來！感官也感受不到。對不對？！那你的肉體感受不到我是空的，你感官也感受不到，那你對空一定是很陌生的！ 所以空到最後，很多人就會想「空」就是沒有嘛!然後「空」就是「幻有」、「虛幻有」以為佛教講的就是消極的，事實上那都是對空的一種錯誤的理解！ 那我要講的「空」他是有一個系統的！（參考youTube南禪精舍錄影檔不一不異）

 

Sutra No. 335 (313) of the Saṃyuktāgama (T02, no. 99, p. 92c12–25):

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Buddha was staying near the village of Kalmāṣadamya in the Kuru country. At that time the Blessed One 

said to the monks, “Today I will teach you the Dharma, persistent in the beginning,

middle, and end; excellent in both word and spirit; The practice of consummate purity, that is the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness, so to speak.  Listen closely, consider it well; I will now expound it to you.

“What, then, is the Sūtra on the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness? Monks, when vision arises, there is no place that it comes from; and when it ceases, there is no place that it goes to. Thus vision arises out of insubstantiality, and afterwards ceases. The results of karma exist, but not the doer thereof. When this Skandhas ceases, a different Skandhas arises and continues. These phenomena are nothing but conventional designations. The same goes for hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking; they are nothing but conventional designations.

“As for the term ‘conventional designations,’ it’s like this: When this exists, that exists; when this arises, that arises. That is to say: Depending on ignorance, conditioning arises; depending on conditioning, consciousness arises, and so on, up to this great mass of pure suffering arises.

“Conversely, when this doesn’t exist, that doesn’t exist; when this ceases, that ceases. That is to say: Depending on the cessation of ignorance, conditioning ceases; depending on the cessation of conditioning, consciousness ceases, and so on, up to this great mass of pure suffering ceases.

“Monks, this is the Sūtra on the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness.”

When the Buddha finished delivering this discourse, the monks were delighted and practiced accordingly.

雜阿含335經

　　如是我聞：

　　一時，佛住拘留搜調牛聚落。

　　爾時，世尊告諸比丘：

　　「我今當為汝等說法，初、中、後善，善義、善味，純一滿淨梵行清白，所謂第一義空經，諦聽！善思！當為汝說。

　　云何為第一義空經？

　　諸比丘！眼生時，無有來處；滅時，無有去處，如是，眼不實而生，生已盡滅，有業報而無作者，此陰滅已，異陰相續，除俗數法；耳、鼻、舌、身、意亦如是說，除俗數法。

　　俗數法者，謂：此有故，彼有；此起故，彼起。如：無明緣行，行緣識……廣說乃至純大苦聚集起。

　　又復，此無故，彼無；此滅故，彼滅，無明滅故行滅，行滅故識滅……如是廣說，……乃至純大苦聚滅。

　　比丘！是名第一義空法經。」

　　佛說此經已，諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。(引述自莊春江網站）

 

The text above is excerpted from Sutra No. 335 (313) of the Saṃyuktāgama (T02, no. 99, p. 92c12–25). A beginner Buddhist has to notice that the Saṃyuktāgama plays a crucial role in Buddhism. The Saṃyuktāgama, known as the primitive scripture (the earlier teachings ) internationally, is considered the closest to Buddha’s original teachings. The Chinese version of the Āgamas contains four canonical collections.  Here, I am using the Saṃyuktāgama. 

上面經文是《雜阿含經第335經》，《雜阿含經》初學佛的人可能不知道，《雜阿含經》在世界佛學的研究裡面，《雜阿含經》算是比較被具體認同，比較接近佛陀講的佛法，國際間對《雜阿含經》的稱呼叫做「原始教典」，原始，就是最貼近佛陀時代的經文。《阿含經》有四阿含，《雜阿含經》是《阿含經》裡面的一部經典，《雜阿含經》根據考古還有很多學者的研究，它是比較貼近佛陀的說法，所以我挑《雜阿含經》出來講。

 Sutra No. 335 of Saṃyuktāgama states that Buddhist practitioners practice diligently and consistently all the time, even in the beginning, middle, and end of nights. Throughout the other scriptures in Saṃyuktāgama, the night time is divided into three stages--the beginning, middle, and end of nights. Ancient Indians in the era of Gautama Buddha were actually quite conscious of the passage of time. In their ancient works, we find they often used the concept of the past, present, and future to describe stages of the time. Later, deriving from this concept, we have the expressions of the past life, present life, and next life. In sum, “persistent in the beginning, middle, and end” emphasizes the continuity and consistency spanning all stages of the time.

在這經文裡面敘述 在一個村莊的聚落裡面，佛陀就跟他們說：「我要為你們說初、中、後善的佛法」。你看《雜阿含經》會得到一個經驗，初夜中夜後夜，都在精進，佛法講到，對夜晚時間用初中後來做劃分！

印度人事實上非常有時間觀念！在佛陀那個時代，印度人常用時間去說明很多的概念，現在透過這麼古老的文字，會發覺過去、現在、未來是他們常運用的時間觀念，我們後來說：我有前世、今生、來世。這裡面其實都是時間觀念在做一種跨越的貫穿。

 

   Studying Buddhist scriptures is quite interesting indeed. If comparing it with Chinese classics or Western philosophies, we may find each has different focuses.  As for me, I find Buddhist discussions more interesting and profound when discussing the concept of the beginning, middle, and end of nights.  The Vajrayāna Buddhist practitioners claim that practices in the beginning, middle, and end of nights can account for the teachings of diamond vehicles (Vajrayāna), namely the superlative dharma. The superlative dharma refers to the wisdom and the supreme level of spiritual attainment beyond ordinary people.  The ancient Vajrayāna practitioners even considered the teachings of diamond vehicles (Vajrayāna) superior to that of Mahayana Buddhism (Mahāyāna) and Theravada Buddhism (Hīnayāna). 

所以研究佛經其實很好玩，如果你對照其他的學問，比如說：你看我們自己華人的一些論典，你看西洋的哲學，你會發覺大家討論的都不一樣！但是佛學討論的很有趣，他會講到初中後的概念。那初中後善，我看很多人講經的時候，像密宗的，他會說這個初中後算是金剛乘的佛法，金剛乘就是說他是超越在所謂南傳北傳之上的，古時候的用語就是大乘小乘上面還有一個金剛乘，金剛乘就是說我傳的法是最好的；那還有一種就是勝義的說法，初中後善，後代金剛乘還有用勝義法來解說。

 

What is the superlative dharma (Shengyi)? It refers to the wisdom and supreme level beyond what ordinary people can comprehend. In brief, in my opinion, it tries to explain how hard to cultivate virtues persistently, especially during nighttime or when feeling exhausted.

「勝義」是什麼？勝義就是說超越一般人能理解的，超越一般人的大腦能理解的智慧！他有一種境界上的殊勝。但是我的看法是說，你初中後善，如果我們用白話的來講也好，用必較粗淺的文言文來講就是，我在任何時間維持一貫善的態度就不容易了 ，更何況是人在身心疲憊的夜晚之時。

 

If a beginner starts to hear about the superlative dharma or the teachings of Vajrayāna, he/she is definite to get confused. I am not trying to criticize other’s teaching. However, Buddha’s teachings can lead us to liberation through our practices in the world.  In this sense, I prefer explaining Buddhism in a way closer to lived experiences. Frankly speaking, I reckon that it is not that easy for us to think or act in keeping with virtues all the time. Besides, Buddhist practitioners need to understand the Truth of Emptiness first, so they can apply it as basis to all levels of their practices.

(My video on virtuous roots can be viewed on Nan Zen’s Facebook page or on Youtube.) 

我講經喜歡用現實會有的狀態來講事實，我不會一下告訴你這個叫勝義善或是叫金剛乘的善，因為我覺得對一般人沒有意義，但是我對其他人的講經方式，也沒有批判或批評的意思，我覺得那是一個很好的講經的法門，只是我個人講經我喜歡用平實的語句來講，但是你一下子要跟一個剛來學習的人說，你要有最殊勝的一個善，我相信他是一頭霧水，所以我講經比較喜歡用所謂平實的語句，用平實的語句把他說出來！我出家很久，我歷經了自己的出家，也看過很多人的人生，我坦白講，我們對一個善行為要維持很久，不太容易！（請參考YouTube南禪精舍善根錄影檔）

 

Buddha’s teachings ask a practitioner to cultivate virtuous acts all the way to the root. For example, a person can be very generous when seeing poverty and try to improve their conditions from the bottom of their heart. Motivation is pure. It is indeed a virtue to carry out generosity, but not be so easy to carry it on especially when the give and take is off balance. The helped may take donations for granted and keep asking for more. The greed may cause the giver’s withdrawal. Then complaints may arise to blame the giver’s imperfection and go on the giver’s frustration. 

舉個例子！我要發一個善心，然後善心你要推廣到什麼程度，這裡面佛法要求你要做到哪裡，要做到善根。

善心是一個念頭，我想要布施，我看到貧窮，我看到這邊有缺失的，我想要改善，我用我布施的能力或我工作的能力去改善他，這是初發心，然後你去做的時候，完蛋了！你去布施的時候你發覺，那些給你布施的人還會再來要求你，然後你工作完成的時候他會跟你說，這個做的不好那個做得不好，還要求你更完美！

 

Persistence is one of the virtues that could be drawn back by any reason. Pure motivation is a virtue too that is tested by challenges of inter-personal complexity. The course of maintaining virtues must go through all these confrontations that reflect obstacles and facets of humanity. It is not easy to cultivate virtues persistently throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the nights. If one can accomplish all the tests, I would give my acclaims for their over-human-nature-transcendence. 

Throughout the scriptures, you can find the concept of time expressed as “virtuous acts from the beginning, keeping on in the middle, and then to the end. In my opinion, it is just about whether we can be persistent in the cultivation of virtues.

你的心是不是在這種人事挫折裡面會得到失落感，所以你看我從初發心到在工作的內容裡面，我要不要維持這個內容，事實上不容易！ 

那你從初發心到中間這個過程，歷經考驗，你要不要做，都是人性的考驗！

如果你能貫穿初中後的善，我認為你就很了不起了，這個時候才能談勝義善，

貫穿表示已經超越了人性去做一些別人做不到的善根！

我看一下其他的講經在初中夜後善這三個點，他們所能講的範圍比我講的多非常多，但是我只願意用簡單講，你有沒有能力去貫穿你的善行為？！就這樣！

 

CEO of Nan Zen Life Education Foundation, Sophia Fang-chun Kuo: 

Persistence with virtuous acts is easier said than done. Circumstances around us are changing all the time. We find ourselves more capable to cultivate virtuous acts in the face of prosperity than in the face of adversity. We would be discouraged by the off-balance of give-and-take. Therefore, the changes of the external world might cause difficulty for being persistent in the cultivation of virtuous acts.

南禪生命教育基金會執行長郭芳純:

您說有沒有能力貫穿善行為這個觀念，其實在理解上我覺得是很容易的，我很想要貫穿這個善行為，但是真正要做到是非常不容易的！為什麼不容易？

因為我覺得每天的日子都會不一樣都會變化 也許現在很順， 順境時會覺得我有能力，但是有一天遭遇到一些挫折或是極大的變動的時候，我們反過來會去思考，那我以前的善行為的果都跑到哪裡去了，為什麼現在會遇到這麼不好的事，為什麼？所以當人遇到這些變動的時候，要一個人去貫穿這些善行為是非常不容易做到的！

 

Ban Ji: 

Exactly, it can’t be too easy to be a Buddhist Classic. (with a cunning smile) Since Buddhist classics are the descriptions of perfection as a standard model for leading practitioners, which for sure excludes the nonsense of emotional talking. I appreciate Sophia’s feedback and also welcome questions that I would take as a reminder about some important issues worthy of further discussions, such as how to deal with difficulties.

半寄師父:

對啊！不然為什麼要放到經典來講 ！

嘻嘻嘻.詭異的回答...這經文就是標準，對不對？！

足以為後人典範 ，叫經 ，叫典！

經典所陳述的一定是最圓滿最理想的那個境界！

他會把你做的不如意一肚子火的那一種情境納進來嗎？

絕對不會！ 這樣就不叫經典了！

剛剛執行長的問題，也是我要講的問題，但是有人提出來才會提醒我，如果我在做事情我碰到很多困難那我怎麼辦，那我怎麼辦？

 

Decluttering is known as Japanese philosophy and later prevalently adopted as a popular lifestyle. Japanese people are excellent at applying the dharma in their daily life, whereas our people tend to be self-confiding to the literal meanings. The philosophy of decluttering is referred as break, purge, and release, which is actually derived from śūnyatā. 

現在講斷捨離，事實上斷捨離的觀念也源自於空法，只是日本人，你去看日本佛學，你會覺得日本人很厲害，他們會把一些佛學的觀點，都在生活中用，那我們反而很容易訴諸於經典，你看日本人就覺得要斷捨離，其實都是出自於佛教的書。那斷捨離所要應用的就是空法的思想。

 

To break, purge and separate things from the unnecessary and then release space seems very easy. But what about decluttering interpersonal relationships with people? Is it easy too? Absolutely not. To be more precise, it is difficult to forgive and forget painful feelings, toxic relationships, or traumatic experiences. By the same token, it is difficult to turn away from happiness. The toxic relations may come from your false perception about what a happy life should be. When things are not going your way, you feel hurt rather than feeling blessed. Then you feel like cutting off the interpersonal relationships with your beloved ones. But is it right? 

斷捨離，好像很容易，東西我不要就丟掉，那人不要可以嗎？不行！那更貼切講，我在我人生裡面曾經受過傷害，我在我人生裡面曾經很幸福過；受過傷害的，其實你捨不掉，而你很幸福了，但是可能那個幸福有點降低了你也受不了，所以斷捨離其實很困難！

 

To declutter relationships is the most difficult thing in life. All the relationships were built up since we were born. Imitate relationships can go beyond sexual and gender, such as interactions with family, friends, and so on. Even a Buddhist monastic like me also has to deal with decluttering relationships. You need more wisdom to do it well.

感情上的斷捨離其實很難。那感情上大家不要誤會說只有男女的感情，不見得，一個人的一生，包括你的原生家庭，你們各自結婚，包括像我出家，我面對的很多人，人跟人之間互動產生的情感，幾乎都沒有那麼容易做到斷捨離，你要做到你要有高度的智慧！

 

Sūnyatā applied to declutter interpersonal relationships could make things easier and feasible. In my own practice, I’ve benefited a lot from śūnyatā applying to the contemplation of my human nature through which relationships are easily decluttered. 

但是你說要做出來，絕對做的到，用空法的思想！我個人的修持上，我為什麼講經我都講空法，因為在我個人的修持上得自於空法的法益，佛法的利益非常大！所以我才會講空法，如果斷捨離裡面有空法的思想，比較容易拋捨一些你的人性以及你的感情裡面給你束縛住的點。

 

We are now in a world full of knowledge and well-learned people. To be frank, we receive education to make ourselves useful for the common good, so we spend lots of time learning all kinds of knowledge. Knowledge is nearly all that we possess, isn’t it? Therefore, those who are like you are intelligent tech-nerds in this classroom might use knowledge to solve problems intuitively. Nevertheless, tech-nerds will feel more frustrated when comes to the issues of interpersonal relationships. They do not know how to deal with emotions and interpersonal complexity. 

尤其像我們現在處於大腦都發展的很好的時代，很多人想用知識去解決很多事情，因為頭腦很好，但是用想法想解決事情的時候也會發現遭受挫敗，但是我比較同情的是，我坦白講，我們在整個讀書的過程，因為我們的教育就是希望大家都是有用的人，所以整個過程大家都費了很多時間在讀書，所以我們最厲害的就是知識，對不對？！繞在每個人的腦海，尤其各位很多人都是科技人，那個頭腦都是很厲害，想一下就知道自己要做什麼，我們習慣這樣的思維，但是這樣的思維，有時候投注在比較複雜的人際的時候往往挫敗感很大，那挫敗感很大你情緒就容易上來。

 

Then, how do Buddhist practitioners manage his emotions? First, we have to notice that the brain and the body think differently. You are intelligent to detect the reactions of what the bodies resist or disobey the orders from our brains. I found the body resistance could become stronger during meditation. According to the Buddhist classics, there is about training bodies to follow the brains' orders. The mental function of the brain is considered omnipresent that leads every one of our actions and thoughts. Through meditation, identifying the bodys' reactions and thoughts can become more easily without obstructions. It may take at least ten years to declutter the obstructions from coarse to fine. The practice of mental declutter needs the guidance of dharma. Therefore, applying the wisdom of dharma to solve problems in everyday life has always been my main concern.

但是如果你學佛，你到底要怎麼去克制你的的情緒呢？大腦想的跟身體做的不太一樣啊! 大腦命令他做，如果各位去讀書都是高手，但是現在大腦命令身體做一個動作，你會發覺他是抗拒的，抗拒的很厲害？！我個人的修持經驗也是這樣，抗拒的很厲害！

所以你光要大腦下一個指令讓你的身體希望你的身體能服從，在佛經裡面講就是這樣的描述，你的修行由粗到細，我相信至少都要十年的功夫！

那我們怎樣從粗到細這裡面，做一個比較妥善的安排？我覺得是佛法的智慧，才能幫助我們做到！

因為不論我自己修行，我碰到的問題還有人家問我的問題，好像很多問題都繞著這裡，所以我在講經也比較關切這個問題。

 

Śūnyatā is the essential teachings in Buddhism. Since Buddhism talks about the means of liberation and is meant to be practiced and realized in the real world, it is more than a philosophy. Has any of you ever considered how to contemplate one’s body in terms of śūnyatā? Will you be empty? Will your body be void? It seems not. 

佛教用空法來貫穿整個佛學思想，那佛學既然是要拿來修，他不只是一門學問。那空法到底怎樣放到我們的身體來，各位有沒有想過這個問題，我就空了嗎？　我這個人就空了嗎？ 好像不是！

 

Sutra No. 335 (313) of the Saṃyuktāgama mentions the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness:

“What, then, is the Sūtra on the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness? Monks, when vision arises, there is no place that it comes from; and when it ceases, there is no place that it goes to. Thus vision arises out of insubstantiality, and afterwards ceases.”

你看他下面說第一義空，云何為第一義空？

他說「諸比丘眼生時無有來處，滅時無有去處，如是眼不實而生」

 

“When vision arises, there is no place that it comes from. And when it ceases, there is no place that it goes to.” Is this confusing to you? This is about śūnyatā. Its description of śūnyatā is so abstract that later generations have difficulty solving it. Therefore, Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā's (Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way) essence of "Eight Negations of The Middle Path" ¹ analyzes the concepts of śūnyatā and dependent origination in depth. Isn’t it odd to say there is no place that vision comes from because one has had five sense organs since his parents gave birth to him? I will explain this question later in the talk of "Eight Negations of The Middle Path"¹ 

 

1 "Eight Negations of The Middle Path": There is neither arising nor ceasing; no permanence nor annihilation; no unity nor diversity; no coming nor going.”

 

 Master Ban Ji

             Translated by Ken Kraynak

              (Translated by Hui-tun Chuang and Grace Jui-hsin Tsai)

(Proofread by Sophia Fang-chun Kuo)

你們看到這一段會不會暈倒在地？！「眼生時無有來處，滅時無有去處」。眼睛生來是沒有他來的地方，滅去也沒有他滅去的地方！ 我昨天想了一夜，我就想這段我們不講，因為這段如果要了解他，其實要牽扯到《中觀論》（漢譯）的「八不中道」，八不中道才會提到上面說法的演譯，原始教典是提佛陀的教導，第一義空是佛陀講的空法！這裡面這麼抽象的文字，後人是沒有辦法解答的，所以他到龍樹菩薩的時候才用《中觀論》去闡述佛陀到底在講什麼！

我就是我父母生下來我就有五官，為什麼你說眼生來是沒有來處呢？

這太奇怪了！那這個理論到底能不能存在呢？ 我們到了八不中道再講