打坐 About sitting in meditation

打坐 About sitting in meditation

去練習打坐的時候，第一關要面對的就是，腳痛難耐，再來就是一大堆平常想都沒想到的事，這個時候都很熱鬧的出現，打坐就是心跟腦先要安靜，但是一坐下來，腦袋完全不聽使喚，有的沒的想法像海水般不斷湧現。

About sitting in meditation

When practice sitting in meditation, firstly you have to face the unbearable pain and numbness of your feet. Then, lots of things you have never ever thought of before appear in your mind unexpectedly all at once. In meditation, you need to clear your mind and brain first. However, it’s not easy to control your brain as many thoughts will rush to your mind once sitting down.

 

一般教授打坐都會給個題目，比方說，唸佛號，或者想一些禪宗的心語，總有個設定好的目標，讓修學者努力。

When instruct sitting in meditation, practitioners are generally given a topic, such as chanting the names of buddhas or reflecting on brief phrases in Zen Buddhism. Anyway, there will always be a topic set for practitioners to work on.

 

 ⋯⋯我在打坐的時候，是設定去突破恐慌，也不是特別有什麼經驗讓自己害怕，反而是一種虛弱的感覺，讓自己把恐慌設為目標，一個人前途茫茫時會恐慌，沒有東西可以給別人時也會恐慌，沒有能力時更恐慌，很多時候常被虛的感覺追著跑，尤其在坐下來的時候腦袋茫茫然時，簡直要跳起來。

I usually set my mind to make a breakthrough of the panic feeling when I meditate. It’s not any special experience that scares me, instead it’s kind of vulnerable feeling. That’s why I set the goal to overcome the feeling of panic. We panic when we are not able to foresee the future. We panic when we have nothing to offer. We panic when we feel incapable. There are many times we might have unbearable panic feeling caused by those vulnerable feelings, especially when we sit down and are absent-minded.

 

面對恐慌又想把恐慌抖落時，特別感覺無力，就好像去清除從來沒有面對的黑洞般，連動一下都不知道從那裡下手？！別人看這樣的情形，總會說有必要把自己弄得那麼累嗎？

但如果你自己發覺一種狀態，就是心理不進步的時候，是不斷踏在原地的，而且連爬也爬不動時，要不要走呢？

It is extremely helpless when confronting panic and trying to get rid of it. It’s just like eliminating black holes you have never faced before. You have no clues about where to start first. Seeing this, others may ask why bothers to make yourself so tired? But when you find yourself in a state of mental stagnation, remaining unmoved constantly, or even not willing to climb a little further, will you walk on?

 

⋯⋯我知道市場上有許多教授如何面對人生挫敗的課程，但是打坐或者是安靜的面對自己的想法，是一種直接跟自己的對話，而這種對話不是一直鼓勵自己，或讓自己發洩情緒而已，就像是用一些訓練促使自己進步 (我自己對自我成長的態度是傾向於訓練，感覺比較踏實)，打坐得每天抽一點時間出來，還要求要安靜一點的環境，對一般人是有些困難，我是覺得，一有空就讓自己安靜一下，可能是多數人較容易做到的。

As I am aware of, there are many courses teaching how to face defeat in life on the market. Through meditation or reflecting on your thoughts quietly is a method of having direct dialogues with yourself. This kind of dialogue means more than encouraging yourself all the time, or letting out your emotions. It’s more like some kind of training to push yourself to make progress. (I consider self-realization as a kind of training, which is more practical to me). Generally speaking, it may be difficult for people to spare some time sitting in meditation every day, not to mention this also requires them to find a quieter environment. Nevertheless I presume it’s easier for most people to have themselves quiet down for a while once they are free.

 

 

但前提是得先學會看看自己，也就是練習自己抓住自己都在想些什麼？！習慣性的去了解自己，時間一久會累積出控制自己的能量，前面說過我自己的恐慌，不追蹤它的時候，根本不曉得怎麼下手應對這種情緒，真的想進步時，就很努力研究自己，研究結果是 1内涵不夠， 2自我 訓練不足，3沒有接受自己不完美。把這些點舉例出來後，至少不那麼害怕自己，及害怕外面的人，事，物的無力感， 誰都討厭前途茫茫的感覺。

Before you quite yourself down, you have to learn to watch and listen to yourself first. In other words, you have to train yourself to be conscious of what you are thinking. Make it a habit to understand yourself, and in the long run you will accumulate abilities to control yourself.  Take the panic I mentioned earlier for example, I have no idea of how to respond to this kind of emotion before I understand where the panic feeling is coming from. To elevate myself, I strove to study my own thoughts. I found some roots of my panic. The result shows firstly : I have insufficient interior understanding and knowledge, I need to work harder to be a profound person. Secondly, I didn’t have enough self-training. Thirdly, I didn’t totally accept that I was not perfect. After reasoning and listing all the roots of my panic, I wasn’t so afraid of myself. I wasn’t afraid of the sense of inability when facing people and things other than me, either. It’s annoying for everyone to feel helpless about the future.

 

訓練自己安靜，是佛學教學中定力的內容之一，也算是基礎功夫，一些東方人發明的武術，無論快攻或是慢打，都以站樁為第一步教學，站不穩如同人沒了立足點，不要說抗壓能力，連基本生活都有困難，找一個立足點讓自己先安定下來，不管是對精神層面，或是面對現實生活，至少先有了抵抗力。

Training oneself to calm down is one of the topics in Buddhist meditation. It is also the fundamental step. In some oriental martial arts, whether slow or fast attack, zhanzhuang (standing firm) is the first instruction. To stand firm, a man needs a standing point. Without a standing point, a man can not even deal with basic needs in his daily life, not to mention resisting pressure. Find yourself a standing point to settle down both mentally and practically, and then you will at least build some abilities for resistance against pressure or negative emotions.

 

在打坐1 的那一篇裡，有提到打坐時腦袋的紛紛亂亂，面對這種情況的時候不用害怕，本來人都是處於那樣的狀態，現在安靜下來反而突顯大腦的情形給自己清楚，這是了解自己的第一步，再下來所要加入的訓練才真正費力，我自己經歷幾年的每天安靜一下想想自己後，發覺自己更能面對現實生活，處理事情的方式變得比較多元化，也算是有些滿意自己！
半寄

As mentioned in paragraph 1, you don’t need to be afraid when facing numerous and disorderly thoughts in while you meditate. It’s natural for a human’s brain to be in that situation. When quiet down, it helps highlight the thoughts in our brains. This becomes the first step in understanding ourselves. The next step of training requires strenuous effort. After several years of reflecting on myself quietly every day, I find it easier for me to face the reality and deal with things diversely. I finally feel a little satisfied with myself.

 

問答:不思不想

人不可能不思不想，只是在想的時候自己有沒有發覺，雜念很多也正常，每天訓練自己五至十分鐘的專注，久了會有用。大腦一定是動態的，但可以把雜念變成思考，例如: 習慣性把一件不懂的事，用思考或加入讀書讓自己了解，把雜念變成一種自己擁有的思想時，便可以產生力量，想法本身不具備力量，要看自己如何訓練它。這也是入門後的功課。不要怕面對雜念，老退回去永遠過不了關。

半寄

Q  and  A
not thinking and  reasoning
Humans’ brains don’t stop running, only the thoughts not being noticed. It‘s natural to have all kinds of chaotic thoughts. Train yourself to concentrate five to ten minutes every day and you will notice the differences in the long term. Our brains are dynamic, but we can turn chaotic thoughts into thinking and reasoning. For example, continuously think and reason a thing which confuses you or enhance reading to understand more about yourself. It produces strength when you turn chaotic thoughts into your own philosophy. A thought itself doesn’t own any strength. It depends on how you train it. And this is the homework after entering the door. Don’t be afraid of facing chaotic thoughts, stepping back all the time can never pass the barrier.
                                                                                                                        Master Ban ji
Translated by Grace Tsai
 Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

                                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                             

                                                             

 

 

                                                                

                                                                                     

 

                                                                                          
                                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               

 

 

             

 

 

                                   
                                                                                        

 

                                                                                                         

 

 

The English translation may be revised occasionally to clarify the original articles. The readers may check them later if they are interested.

修福的訓練 About the training for good karma

修福的訓練 About the training for good karma

佛學的教法一向傾向人必須去修福，按照現代語來說就是，賺自己要花的錢，只是這種錢是肉眼看不見的。

About the training for good karma

Buddhism teachings preach people to work for good karma. In modern words, it is like to make the fortune they will spend. It is just this kind of fortune is invisible.

 

人們會認為看不見的錢很重要，不見得是迷信，舉例說，有些人一個小感冒就可能要了命，有些人感染個十次也無所謂，當然你可以說那是優生學的問題，但我要說的是生命裡面的許許多多，跟你，我擦身而過的禍、福，正無聲無息在影響我們對生命的感覺，禍、帶來了恐懼，福帶來了喜悅，肉體與精神交織出人生。

It may not be a superstition to think the invisible fortune is important. For example, some may die of a common cold, while others still survive having bad colds for ten times. You may say it’s about eugenics. But what I intend to express is: lots and lots of the misfortune and fortune brushing by in our life are unnoticeably influencing the way how we perceive out lives. Misfortune, bringing fear, and fortune, bringing happiness, are interweaving our life both physically and mentally.

 

無形的情緒，有形的遭遇，掌控人們的生活，誰都想讓自己有好的際遇，過上好日子，對福的想法升了起來，前面神秘經驗已經說過，神的賜予不可能，談談用修持的方法好了。

Invisible emotions and visible encounters take charge of people’s life. Since everyone wants to have good fortunes and to live happily, the idea of good karma emerges. As mentioned in “about mysterious experience” before, it’s impossible to get it simply from god’s blessings. Let’s discuss how to get it by Practice.

 

做善事去修福已經是普遍的認同，但修了福以後能不能像存款一樣被保存著，才值得探討。

我想有行善記錄的人們，在遇上生活的瓶頸(或困難)時，都會有一個共同想法，我做了那麼多的善事，怎麼還會這樣，麻煩小的時候，抱怨一下，麻煩大的時候，情緒便會排山倒海的來，認為付出沒有回報，試想一下，圍繞一個人身邊的需求有多少? 身體要健康，事業要順利，小孩要優秀，家庭要美滿、、、，林林總總疊起來也高的嚇人，哪我們有做了疊起來高的嚇人的福嗎?  大部份人肯定沒有，但我們對所謂善事的索求(報償)確認為理所當然。

人的欲望常在看不見的腦袋裡，心裡，漫無止境的擴張，那種速度連自己也拉不回，管不了，如果人的欲求常這樣飛奔，其實該用恐怖形容，只是大部份的人都沒有打坐的訓練，根本就不曉得自己是處於那樣的狀態。

It is universally agreed to do virtuous deeds to earn good karma. However, it is worth discussing whether the earned good karma can be saved as your deposit. When having a bottleneck (or trouble) in life, people who have performed good deeds often think of the same question. ‘Why is it still so bad after I have done many virtuous deeds?’ When their trouble is minor, they may complain a little. When the trouble is big, negative emotions arise overwhelmingly, which makes them think they don’t get what they paid for. Just try to think: how many things does a man demand for around him? To be healthy, to have a successful career, to have excellent children, to have a happy family, etc. How enormous our demands are! But do we accumulate as much good karma as our demands (to ask for rewards)? Most people definitely don’t, but we take for granted that rewards come after our virtuous acts.

Men’s desires often expand boundlessly in the invisible brains and minds. Their desires expand too rapidly to pull themselves back or take control. It is horrible when a man’s desires often expand and drift like that.

However, most people are not aware of this situation at all because they don’t get the training for meditation.

 

 

就佛學的角度來說，1是因，就是善的想法，2是緣，善的舉動，3是果，付出後的回饋(果實)，這些看似一連串的動作，通常在緣的時候就停止了，為什麼?!   緣是條件，我去做一件好事，不會馬上就看到結果，因為要成熟期，等待果實成熟才能摘下來享用，有些人在這裡面去加入其他方法，比如、看看自己的付出有沒有須要改進的，自己付出的態度、、、。

To explain it in Buddhism, Step 1 is Cause, the virtuous thought. Step 2: Condition, the virtuous act. Step 3: Karma, the reward (fruit) of the efforts. Why do the seeming series of actions usually stop at Step 2? Condition is the requirement. If I do something good, I may not be able to see the consequences right away. Maturity takes time. We need to wait for the fruit to be mature before picking it up and enjoying it. During the period, some people may add other methods, like reflecting on their attitudes and improving their efforts, and so on.

 

 

做善事還得有內容，大部份的人都等不及，跟生活一樣要花費的支出很多，自己一點點的付出，還來不及成熟就被自己摘得亂七八糟，而回過頭又覺得沒有收穫，人站在每個角落如果都看不到自己，我想是一種悲情，願意付出的人們，應該把只是付出，演變成有心為善，有心為善不僅俱足內容，更能培養出個人的素質，因為運用了思考，觀察，這樣做除了是為善外，更提昇了自我，達到互惠的程度。

擁有福報是需要訓練的，美好的果實總是格外誘人，就看自己怎麼種。

Doing virtuous deeds needs to be content-based. But most of us can’t wait and often demand rewards for our small effort hastily. We always feel get little and pay more. It is pathetic, I think, if a man cannot see himself anywhere at different situations. People willing to give should reflect on their acts toward giving and elevate their giving from passive moves into intentional behavior. Doing virtuous deeds intentionally not only contains contents but also cultivates one’s inner quality. Because after self-observing and self-reflecting, doing virtuous deeds is no longer a passive doctrine but an active choice. We are mutually beneficial in not only helping others but also elevating ourselves when doing virtuous deeds.

Owning good karma needs training. Good result is always extraordinarily attractive and it must depend on how one cultivates.

 

還有對修福的看法也要正確，修福不能只是指去外面付出，一個教出優秀小孩的家庭，也該被喝采，優秀不只是讀書，是可以貢獻社會的那一種，如果各行各業都亂了套，我看也是代誌大條，一個好的家庭功能一樣是貢獻卓越的，那更是年復一年的付出，結結實實的因，緣，果。

 

耕耘，等待的長路，就如同人不會去要求小孩馬上回饋家庭的，不要再亂摘果實。

The opinion of working for good karma needs to be correct, too. Working for good karma isn’t restricted to making efforts outside the family. A family raising the children to become outstanding deserves applause, too. Being outstanding may not only refer to studying, but also contributing to the society. If all walks of life are not in order, it makes big trouble, too. A well- functioned family also contributes remarkably. Efforts year after year result in is firm and solid Cause, Condition, and Karma .

 

Cultivation is a long way of waiting. Picking up the fruit hastily is like expecting a child to contribute to a family immediately. Do not pick up the fruit hastily anymore, unless you know clearly that the fruit is not good.

 Master Ban ji
                                                                                                           Translated by Grace Tsai
 Proofread by Sophiea Kuo

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                

 

 

 

 

清涼小品 About refreshing sketches

清涼小品 About refreshing sketches

有時候翻翻書，常會看見一些清涼小品，記得年輕的時候有很多這類的書籍，自己還蠻喜歡看的，現在學佛的人數日益增加，清涼小品轉變成許多佛學概念，像放下，走過就好，慈悲喜捨，好像只要有了這些觀念，日子就顯得不一樣，人生也從此開展。

About refreshing sketches

I often read of some refreshing sketches when browsing through books. And I used to enjoy reading them when I was young. As more and more people practice Buddhism, some ideas preached in refreshing sketches become Buddhist concepts, like letting it go, enduring and passing it by, being compassionate and glad to give. Owning these concepts seems to make life different and easier ever after.

 

大部份人年輕的時候，真正憂慮的時光總是少部份的，小品讀來總是順心又可口，那種感覺是至少在短暫時光裡，覺的一切都是如此的美好，所謂好時光的感受。 隨著年齡的增長，小品不曉得在哪裡丟了?! 不見了!  還徹底的找不著，也沒有人跟我說小品不好啊! 那它為什麼就自動不見了蹤影?

Most people didn’t really worry much at an early age. Reading refreshing sketches made them highly satisfactory and pleasant. It made them feel everything was so beautiful and enjoyable during that short period of time. However, as time went by, where were the refreshing sketches? They were totally gone. Nowhere to find. No one told me they were not helpful. Why did they disappear from my life automatically?

 

我想起來了，後來麻煩事一多，冰塊也滅不了火，更何況是清涼小品(一笑)，搬冰塊都來不及，哪還有清涼小品的容身處 ? 而且搬冰塊會凍手，還要有力氣，有人幫忙還好，沒人幫忙或者是幫倒忙時，那可是無語問蒼天的，如果這時候有人跟我說放下不就好了，管他是不是天王老子我肯定翻臉，火在燒時有水最好，冰塊也不錯，就是不能不管。

Oh, I got it! With troubles increasing later in my life, even ice couldn’t put out the fire (of my emotions), let alone refreshing sketches. (LaughJ) When moving ice to put out the fire, I was too busy to think of refreshing sketches. Moving ice froze my hands and consumed my strength. It is good if there’s someone there to help me. It makes me helpless and speechless if there’s no one to help, or even, someone to make more troubles then. If someone tells me to leave it alone and let it go this instant, I will definitely fly into a temper with him, even though he is a king. When the fire burns, having water near you is the best. Even having only ice is OK. You just can’t leave it alone.

 

那為什麼小品式的佛語一大堆，而且多到人都不知道該站在哪裡了?! 是不是大部份的人，不是武功高強的高手，就是幸福快樂 的在生活? 要不然怎麼 只有我像笨蛋似的，怎麼修都是放不下，還為了人究竟能不能真的放下 ? 費盡心血的在找答案，一些自我的辛苦研究，擺在小品面前反而成了笑話，因為我還想拿水，搬冰塊滅火，而別人只要放下，火就滅了。

Why are there so many refreshing sketches about Buddhist teachings? So many that we don’t know which one to insist on? Are most people great masters in controlling their negative emotions? Or do they live happily and free of negative emotions? Otherwise, why am l the only one that can’t let go of my negative emotions by Practice? Like a fool, I still exhaust myself in researching if mankind can really let go of its emotions? My research becomes a joke in front of the refreshing sketches. Because when I am trying to put out a fire with water and ice, others have the fire extinguished by just letting it go.

 

在發覺清涼小品不足以滅火後，幸好我去看看佛陀的教學，及後人努力研究的資料，確定火要自己去滅，如果有人來幫忙一起滅火那就更棒了，火會自己滅的時候，已經燒完，還有身體，面目嗎？

Finding refreshing sketches unable to put out the fire for me, I fortunately turn to Buddhist teachings and the successors’ studies for help. I affirm that I need to put out the fire by myself. Of course, if there’s someone there to help me, it would be better. After the fire finishes and extinguishes by itself, will there be any bodies and faces left?

 

為什麼演變到後來說出 : 我放不下的人? 都被當成票房毒藥般的不可說，來學佛的人們，究竟是從凡人修學起 ? 還是從聖人修學起 ? 我倒是被搞的糊里糊塗，凡夫俗子需要修學，當然是放不下才來的，那為什麼不能老實講說 :自己放不下?

如果是從聖人修學起，當然也不需要再被教了，一般說來；已是聖人的人，都在家裡不須要辛苦的學習，所以需要修學的人，都該誠實面對自己的狀況，自己只有一個。誰也替代不了，辛苦修學當然是希望自己有朝一日能懂得滅火的方法，讓自己能從容處世。

It becomes something like a box office bomb for a practitioner to speak out “I can’t let go of my emotions “. Why does it evolve into a taboo? Do Buddhists Practice from ordinary people or from saints? I am mixed up. If ordinary people try to let go of their emotions by Practice, why can’t they honestly speak out “I can’t let it go.”?

If they Practice from saints, they don’t need teaching anymore because saints don’t need to Practice. Therefore, a practitioner should face his own situation honestly. You are the only one. No one can replace you. We Practice hard, hoping to find ways of putting out fires some day and thus to make ourselves live calmly and easily.

 

當然如果你可以不假思索就放下，直接就浴火重生，我按 10000個讚。

半寄                            

Of course, if you can let go of your emotions without hesitation and get reborn directly from the fire, press you 10000 “like”. 

 Master Ban ji

Translated by Grace Tsai
 Proofread by Sophiea Kuo)

 

 

   FB上面有動力南禪，很多的問答在那裡，有興趣的人請上Facebook
             
https://www.facebook.com/groups/361452477350905/

南禪精舍簡介:  南禪精舍主要修行，是以思想為主，思想清晰再導入實修，以緣起性空為主，是依據佛學【中觀論】為主要的論述，中觀論本身就是一本辯論書籍，重要思想為辯論【空】的成立，由龍樹菩薩所論述，空的主要經典為【般若波羅蜜多心經】。

神秘經驗 About mysterious experience

神秘經驗 About mysterious experience

相信很多人都有求神拜佛的經驗，不管你的祈求內容是什麼 ?  應該都會想知道究竟有沒有神在聆聽你訴說?

About mysterious experience
I believe many people have worshipped Buddha at temples to pray to gods for blessing before. No matter what you earnestly pray for, you may wonder if there is a god listening to your prayer.

 

神給你好運氣，是祂製造出來的?! 還是祂去別的地方拿的，人們一定肯定說，祂製造出來的，因為神無所不能(請注意，神的定義是廣泛包含各民族被祈求的神)，在這裡 我不想探討神是不是存在? 我比較有興趣說說人性。

在很多神話裡，都記載說有些特殊人格但也屬於人的人，祂們一生下來，就是無敵鐵金鋼，既不怕水也不怕火，因為掌握水與火甚至大地一切的，正是祂們。

一般人生下來就有人性，會貪婪，膽小，陷害別人，這些特質無敵鐵金鋼一點點都沒有，祂有的是權勢，勇敢，智慧，而且不需要歷練，徹頭徹尾的天生麗質，還好像，應該說是屬於祂的資源永遠都用不完，誰站在這樣人的面前，都顯得渺小，自卑，除了頂禮膜拜加祈求祂給自己一些什麼外! 還能想些什麼?

Does god himself make the good luck he gives you? Or does he take it from somewhere else? People will certainly say god makes it himself because he is almighty. (please note, the definition of god here extensively includes gods that people of various nationalities earnestly hope to) Here, I don’t want to probe into if god exists. I am more interested in talking about human nature.

A lot of myths speak of some humans with special characteristics. They were born almighty and fearless of fire and water. It’s they that control fire, water, and even everything in the world.

Ordinary people are born with human nature, such as greed, timid, and framing others. In contrast, the almighty, born perfect in power, brevity, and wisdom, seem to own endless resources effortlessly.

Whoever standing in front of such people appears insignificantly small, inferior. What else can he think of other than worshiping or praying?

 

世界上各個宗教所寫著的書，我看是數也數不完，既然要寫這麼多書，還發明一大堆修持的方法，基本上就是承認誰都是人，需要透過磨練才有較令人滿意的樣子.

如果說一個教主或導師一生下來就跟我們不一樣，祂沒有人性的麻煩跟無能，請問我如何跟祂學習，克服人性的本領，就算只是祈求祂給自己一些什麼 ! 那也要祂聽的懂(哈)，比如說，一個醫生從來沒有過生病的經驗，從來沒有喔! 那 他真的知道你身體的痛苦，真的知道什麼叫做痛(因為他沒有痛過)。如果你是他的病人，他會允許你的病他治不好嗎?  治不好一定是病人的問題 !?  因為他沒生病過。

同樣的，如果你祈求好運，那好運就來臨，你不必負擔任何支出，你真的可以就這麼放心享用，因為神特別眷顧自己，因為自己實在是長的太可愛了，還是自己已經淪為魔鬼的人員，還很高興在享用大餐。

There are countless religious books about all kinds of methods for practicing in the world. These books basically admit that Practice enables humans to become better and more satisfying. If a founder of a religion or a mentor were born differently from us and free of human weakness, could he teach me how to overcome human weakness? How can he answer my prayer? He should at least understand what I lack and am praying for. For example, if a doctor is never ever sick, not even once, can he really understand the pain of your body or what pain is? (because he has never experienced pain before). If you are his patient, will he accept that he is unable to cure you? It must be your problem if he can’t cure you. Because he doesn’t get sick. Similarly, if you get whatever you pray for at no expense every time, can you enjoy your good luck at ease? Why do you always get what you pray for? Is it because you are so adorable and God favors you? Or is it just because you have sunk down into being a member of devils unconsciously?

 

 很多的神話敘述把人性這部份抽離，一抽開人性後，讓有人性的人無從對應(不知道沒有一般人性格的人，是長什麼樣子?)，無從對應當然更無法分辨祂是誰? 那如果說我很怯懦，需要能力，也承認自己是這樣的人，等於把精神體從看不見的世界，拉到自己摸的著的眼前，也就是清楚知道自己欠缺的是什麼!?這時候很多神秘的幻想應該會消失。

In many myth stories, human nature is drawn out, letting a man with human emotions not know how to deal with his human nature.(I wonder what a person without human nature looks like) If I confess that I am coward and need ability to overcome it, I drag myself from the invisible world to face problems at present.

And much mysterious imagination may disappear at this instant.

佛教自己常說佛陀是大醫王，能治癒眾生一切病(指心理病)，卻也不允許說他是從人修學成功的，也是認為一生下來就有神蹟，結果很多本來可以談的清楚的修法，硬被說成神秘經驗。

Buddhists regard Buddha as King of the doctor, who can heal all mental sicknesses. They think he was great because he was born of miracles, not because he succeeded in elevating himself from a human being. This attitude forces many practicing methods which can be clarified originally to become mysterious.

 

是不是人性本來就希望有救世主，由救世主去承擔一切，才是神話形成的主要原因，希望有救世主當然不希望祂是人，如果是人怎麼來救我，甚至於承受自己的罪。

回頭看人也太小看自己了，人性雖然很麻煩，對有心去對治自己的人，依然可以走出一條大道，比如說；我每次做錯事就讓自己做討論，還付出努力要赳正自己，時間一久應該可以見到不一樣的自己，這種有成就的改造自己，相信會讓人覺的活著很重要，因為要花很多時間塑造自己，自己創造的自己，意義上來說，遠遠勝過一切神蹟。

Is it humanity to hope for a savior to shoulder everything for us and thus forms mythology? We don’t expect the savior to be a human being. How can a human save us and shoulder our sin? Actually, human beings underestimate themselves. Though human nature is troublesome, those who are determined to cultivate themselves can still walk their own paths. For example, every time when I do something wrong, I reflect on my behavior and take actions to correct it up. I may see a different me after doing this for a long time. The achievement of self-remolding makes living worthwhile. Spending long time remolding and constructing ourselves means far more beyond the miracles of gods.

 

 

如果佛陀真的是遠勝於一般人的人，那他的偉大來自教學與修行成功，不是生下來就跟我們不一樣。

Should Buddha be greater than ordinary people, it’s because he succeeded in cultivating himself by Practice, not because he was born differently from us.

 

 

看不見的空間可以付予許多的想像，愈神秘人們愈有興趣，但一個人通過努力讓怯懦變勇敢時，那也是夢寐以求的。

Things beyond sight leave much space for imagination. The more mysterious it is, the more interested we are. Making efforts to elevate ourselves, to turn cowardliness into brevity is also what we seek eagerly.

  Master Ban Ji
  Translated by Grace Tsai
  Proofread by Sophiea Kuo   

忍耐 About tolerance

忍耐  About tolerance

有人跟我說，有宗教信仰後，對別人的不好態度都用忍耐面對，結果弄得自己疲乏，事情也沒有解決。

自古忍耐就是一種美德，不斷被讚頌著，其實每一種對人事的看法，都無法臆測真正實行以後，它會呈現的面貌，也不見得是被提倡的想法不對，用幾個角度來看看，1 如果對別人的不友善，都無法忍受，那有可能自己也得常陷入跟人紛爭的世界，2 如果每件不愉快的事都用忍耐的態度去承受，誰都會被壓垮，3 有良心的人反擊別人以後，通常會自己先難過

About tolerance

Someone tells me a view that a religious practitioner should tolerate all the negative attitudes from others. However, tolerance doesn’t solve the problem, only to make one exhausted.

Tolerance, in Chinese culture, has been a virtue for long and is praised constantly. No one can predict exactly what will happen if we bring our ideas toward people/ things into action. The view mentioned above may not be wrong. However, let’s consider it in some angles. First, if we can’t endure unfriendliness from others, we may often have to conflict with others. Second, whoever collapses if he takes everything negative with tolerance. Third, after fighting back, a conscientious man usually feels sorry first.

有宗教信仰的人，通常認為我不犯人，別人也不要犯我，這是一種事情還沒發生，就已經想好了的立場，結果往往是挨打，因為別人不是你可以掌握的，別人也不見得認同你，但認同忍耐的人，也不會輕易相信忍耐是沒有用的，那是不是會造成一種現象，被攻擊後一直安慰自己，我這麼忍耐事情一定會自動解決，我相信有天理的制裁。

A religious man usually presumes that if I don’t attack people, they won’t attack me. But he often suffers. You can’t control others because they may not see eye to eye with you. People choosing to tolerant don’t accept tolerance is useless easily. After being attacked, they comfort and persuade themselves that things will be solved by themselves if they keep tolerating. They believe attackers will be punished by justice.

剖析一下，被攻擊是動態，有動作的，靜待事情被解決是靜態的，哪一個會產生作用(結果)，如果自己完全清楚事情要解決，是要去想辦法做的，這樣的話，對自己的遭遇是不是會有不一樣的看法，至少比忍耐多出幾種想法，做法。

Just to analyze, being attacked is dynamic and in action, while waiting quietly for things to be solved is static. Which can cause an effect (a result)? Once you know clearly something needs to be solved, you should try to solve it. This way, you will take your situation differently. And other than tolerating, you will have more ideas and ways of facing it.

佛學裡邊提供了打坐(增強定力，進而產生抗壓能力)思考能力(想辦法解決事情)，定與慧交換使用，但對一般人來說，太遙遠了，摸不著，然而人際關係本身就是一個大題目，自己沒有一些思想內容，怎麼能讓自己過上好日子?! 更何況大部份的教學都傾向清心寡欲，不與人爭，讓人不選擇忍耐都不行，外面都說:退一步海闊天空，但退一步所帶來的傷害，要自己承當得起來。跟進一步都是一樣的，進一步也不容易。

Buddhism provides meditation (to build up concentration and the ability to resist pressure) and thinking ability (to have wisdom to solve problems). Concentration and Buddhist wisdom swap to use in Buddhism practice. But it’s too distant and untouchable for ordinary people. The interpersonal relationship itself is a big issue. How can you live confidently and freely if you don’t think and work out your own philosophy of life? Most teachings require us to have less desire, not to conflict with others, and thus force us to tolerate. Some may preach, “One step back, all troubles away.” But when stepping back, you need to face the music just as progressing further. Neither is easy.

 

 

真實的釋迦佛陀帶著一個大團體在活動(出家，在家二眾)，不可能只教人忍耐，如同孔子帶三千子弟，教學方式也是面面俱全，大家都期盼帶出智，仁，勇的弟子，絕非只是一個教學觀點而已，後世的人自己懶惰變得只喜歡簡易的，自以為瀟洒的哲學，我說；退一步海是藍的，進一步海也是藍的，不要再隨意給別人口號似的哲理，一個帽子一扣，扣死所有人的腦袋，偏偏喜歡給人帶帽子的，一大堆。

再有，人傾全力去解決事情，事情也不見得就被解決，這也是有智慧的人必須接受的。

半寄

 The real Buddha led and taught big groups of people (monks/nuns and Buddhists at home), and he definitely not taught them to tolerant only. Just as Confucius had 3000 pupils, his teaching methods were well considered in every respect. Both hope to train their pupils to be wise, kind, and brave, instead of teaching them only one viewpoint. The later generation tends to like simplified and (what they think) smart philosophy because of their laziness. I say, “When stepping back, the trouble is there. And when progressing further, the trouble is also there. “Don’t teach people slogan-like philosophy easily because it stops many people from thinking. Unfortunately, many people like to preach such philosophy.

Furthermore, sometimes things just can not be solved even when we try our best to solve them. A person with wisdom also needs to accept this fact.
 

 Master Ban Ji

 Translated by Grace Tsai

 Proofread  by Sophiea Kuo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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