2020年11月5日 星期四
2020年11月4日 星期三
2020年11月3日 星期二
2020年9月21日 星期一
2020年8月18日 星期二
禪宗祖師們The Chan patriarchs
南禪朋友大家好！
(禪宗法語手書-南禪精舍已圓寂比丘尼 揚三空照寫）
禪宗祖師們
The Chan patriarchs
常常聽到很多人說：我的壓力很大，怎麼辦？！（其實我也壓力很大！哈哈！）
生活中大家面對壓力的考量很多，其一是考慮太多就顯得束手無策，其二是全部豁出去馬上變成烈士！哈！
處處都得考慮,又不想當烈士，是否用佛法激盪出一條路走！
禪宗祖師們磨練弟子的魔鬼招式是「有理三十棒,無理也三十棒！」左右開弓企圖逼出一種可以自處與徹悟的生命。
I often hear people complain that they are under a lot of pressure. In
fact, I’m also under a lot of pressure! Ha!
Lots of people are stressed out. First of all, excessive deliberation
can leave you at a loss as to what to do. Secondly, come what may,
hurry up and make yourself a martyr! Ha!
Now, it may be necessary to give things due consideration, but if
you’re not ready to become a martyr, you might still be able to find
a way to go forward by turning to Buddhism.
The Chan patriarchs had a rascally way of training their disciples by
using such catch 22s as “If you are unreasonable, you get 30
whacks; and if you are reasonable, you also get 30 whacks!”
Learning to deftly deal with these sorts of conundrums brings
resourcefulness and
sharpens one’s awareness.
記得我以前掛在書櫃前的禪語錄寫著：
懸崖撒手自肯承當
絕後再蘇欺君不得
This reminds me of the Chan saying I used to have posted in front of
my bookcase:
Hanging from a great precipice, willingly
let go;
After you die and are reborn, there will be
no more fooling yourself.
to find a way to go forward by turning to
Buddhism.
The Chan patriarchs had a rascally way of training their disciples by
using such catch 22s as “If you are unreasonable, you get 30
whacks; and if you are reasonable, you also get 30 whacks!”
Learning to deftly deal with these sorts of conundrums brings
resourcefulness and
sharpens one’s awareness.
記得我以前掛在書櫃前的禪語錄寫著：
懸崖撒手自肯承當
絕後再蘇欺君不得
This reminds me of the Chan saying I used to have posted in front of
my bookcase:
Hanging from a great precipice, willingly
let go;
After you die and are reborn, there will be
no more fooling yourself.
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2020年7月21日 星期二
新竹讀書會
2020年4月19日 星期日
簡論因緣果2Causes, conditions, and results in a nutshell
簡論因緣果2
Causes, conditions,
and results in a nutshell 2
在佛法的真相裡面討論著生，老，病，死。生老病死人間的真
相，但我們在面對缺陷時候都想盡辦法逃脫！就我個人及跟隨
我修持的大德，一直以來的修持原則都在訓練自己可以面對難
題，「也就是因緣（人，事）起了變化後的接受度」。
我親眼看到車禍重傷女居士不曾發出一句怨言，到整個復原的
過程，親身感受另一個大德還款幾百萬甘心領受而得到她自己
大躍進的境界！
們都做不到，然而佛法的教育讓我們懂得佛陀的說法是對的方
向，進而去練習人性的弱點，希望自己藉由佛法而勇敢，而有
力氣往前走，「走到自己心中要的人性」，福智俱備！
半寄
Buddhism emphasizes that birth, aging, illness, and death are
inescapable facts of life. Yet, when actually faced with any of the
misfortunes of life, we have great difficulty accepting them! In the
way I practice and teach others to practice, there is an emphasis on
learning how to face difficulties and to accept the changes that arise
due to causes and
conditions.
It seems to help. For example, there was a laywoman who got
seriously injured in a traffic accident, and during her long recovery
she never uttered a single word of complaint. Then there was the
laywoman who paid a debt amounting to several million dollars; she
did it without the slightest regret, and it helped her make a lot of
progress in her
practice.
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2020年4月17日 星期五
簡論因緣果1Causes, conditions, and results in a nutshell
簡論因緣果1
Causes,
conditions, and results in a nutshell 1
昨天收到不正常的line信息，想到詐騙也勾起自己的修持路！
有時候我會提醒大家我們基金會沒有對外募款，並不是我們清高，反而是我一直以來對佛法的研究度不減，促成我個人對佛法因緣果的堅定修持。每一個人的錢代表著個人的血汗付出，清楚這個點就清楚錢財都有來處，是要負責的，所以！修道時日愈久愈不敢隨便碰錢財。一個人的努力會跟隨努力的能量，那麼他（她）的財物也是他（她）的能量代表，不能隨意用的！
（有關緣的觀點非常複雜，就不在這裡說明）
（我個人萬分感恩佛法的教育，不是道德的觀念而已，是一種真相與實相的理解！）
半寄
Yesterday I got an unusual message on Line; it may have been a
scam, and it reminded me of the need to also be vigilant in Buddhist
Practice.
As I’ve mentioned before, our foundation doesn’t solicit outside
funds, not to put on airs of being aloof from worldly concerns, but
rather because I don’t want to have to compromise my freedom of
thought in my study of the Buddhadharma; this is something that
has strengthened my trust in the results of causes and conditions.
Wealth is usually gained only by hard work. If you understand this
point, you know where money comes from and that you have to use
it responsibly. So the longer I’ve been practicing Buddhism, the less
interest I have in money! Wealth doesn’t come easily, so it should
not be used frivolously!
(A lot more could be said about conditions,
but not here)
(I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to learn this aspect of
the buddhadharma; it’s not merely about ethics; it’s also about
understanding the nature of reality!)
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2020年3月7日 星期六
不執著的想法The attitude of non-attachment
不執著的想法
The attitude of
non-attachment
我在南禪讀書會群組，直接挑明的說：「不執著是人類做不到
的事情」，就佛陀說法的資料，也不曾看到這樣的字眼！學習
佛法要執著於自己吸收了什麼想法（善思維），身體繃太緊了
要懂得放鬆（弓太緊則斷，佛陀的比喻！），佛陀從沒說不要
理會身體的感覺（不執著）。
說到底很多看似瀟灑的佛法，應該是文學性質的發表，文學不
需要在意人是否可以不執著！
禪宗公案「南泉斬貓」，用看似極端的手段告訴人們，說的
，做的，想的是三回事！
很多時候擺在眼前的震撼，會讓修行者清楚，原來自己沒有過
關！所以，總是剪不斷，理還亂。
真的一刀斬斷，便知不執著是什麼了！哈，但刀斬以後的後續呢？！
半寄
In the NanZen book club, just to liven up the discussion, I said that
it’s impossible to be non-attached, and that in the many Buddhist
scriptures I’ve read I’ve never come across the term “non-
attachment.” Think about it. To learn the Buddhadharma you have to
be attached to acquiring right views; and if your body is all tensed
up, you have to be attached to relaxing it (think of the Buddha’s
simile of a bow being strung so tight that the bowstring breaks). The
Buddha never said that we shouldn’t pay attention to the feelings in
the body (i.e., don’t be attached).
There is all sorts of catchy jargon in popular and non-canonical
Buddhist literature, the writers of which are unconcerned with
whether or not it’s actually possible to be non-attached!
The story in which the Chan master Nanquan kills a cat is an extreme
way of pointing out that speaking, doing, and thinking are three
different things.
For lots of people engaged in Buddhist Practice, it takes being
confronted with something shocking to make them realize that they
aren’t as advanced as they thought they were. So it’s always a matter
of “without cutting it off, reasoning remains confused.”
Only by fully cutting it off will you know what non-attachment
really is! But after it’s cut off, what comes next?
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
南禪佛法思想The NanChan approach to Buddhism
南禪佛法思想
The NanZen approach
to Buddhism
大家平安！
這兩天跟一位來拜訪的居士聊起一些高僧的修持。古往今
來高僧的修為總令人高山仰止！在高僧傳裡面如果想找到依止
的典範，怕是很頭痛的，因為高僧們的行儀有太多令人激賞的
仰慕！那如果從思想處著力，是否較輕鬆一些，也是一條佛法
的線索呢？！
從思想可以看到很多佛法的面貌，從中把握住佛法的要義而不
雜亂。所以，我主講佛法思想！
Hope you are all doing well.
During the last two days I’ve been having a discussion with a
visiting layperson about several eminent monks, whose approach to
practice was nothing short of awe-inspiring! Their stories are told in
the Biographies of Eminent Monks, and they all had an approach to
practice that is so amazing that you’d be hard pressed to single out
any one of them as more impressive than the others! Perhaps it
would be easier to differentiate them in terms of doctrine or
teachings, since this is also an important part of who they were.
In gaining an understanding of Buddhist doctrine, it’s helpful to
begin by contextualizing it within Buddhist history. Doing so shows
how the teachings of these eminent monks had a lot to do with the
society and cultural context in which they lived.
Their modes of thought reveal a lot about Buddhism, and concisely
clarify essential points. This is why I talk about
Buddhist doctrine.
春天來了！願建康的日子也將來臨！祝福大家！
Spring has arrived! Wishing everyone lots
of health and happiness!
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2019年11月17日 星期日
不垢不淨 Neither defiled nor pure
2019年
不垢不淨
Neither defiled nor pure
南禪朋友假期愉快！
南禪精舍《般若心經》講述近尾聲，我在「不垢不淨」的講課
裡提到人容易在算盡一切得與失後再去做事情，計算得失本來
就是生存法則，談不上對或者錯！
對於一個想前進的修行者，「不垢不淨」確是必然要修學的。
人們都喜歡風光的事情，但每件成功的事情，都由處理「垢」
的概念做出來的，不能知道個人需要求進步的點，如何塑造好的成品（淨的概念），「不垢不淨」帶出大腦對「垢」的認
知，而讓願意前進的人蹲下來尋求自己的問題點。
唐朝鑒真和尚東渡日本，幾次的失敗再加眼睛也瞎掉，是否該
用業障論斷？！或者是想做事情的人們更該不計世俗的評價，
去做自己認為該做的事呢？！而平凡如我輩者，都是許多前進
者血汗下的獲益人！
「不垢不淨」化解自己的算計，為自我的前進跨越！
半寄（般若心經講課記念文，2019）
Friends of NanZen, hope you’re enjoying your vacation!
Our discussion of the Heart Sutra is nearly finished. In
the session on
“neither defiled nor pure” I mentioned that people
tend to do things
after calculating all the expected gains and
losses. Calculating gains
and losses is a kind of survival strategy, and it
can’t be said to be
right or wrong. For anyone on the path of Buddhist
Practice, it’s
necessary to know what is meant by “neither defiled
nor pure.”
Everybody likes it when things turn out well, but
every successful
endeavor inevitably entails dealing with some kind
of “impurity.”
Now, if you don’t have a clear goal in mind, you won’t
get good
results (purity). The idea of “neither defiled nor
pure” helps clarify
what “purity” really is; it also helps someone
intent on making
progress to introspect on whatever problems one may
be facing.
Consider the Tang dynasty monk Jianzhen;
he failed multiple times
in his attempts to reach Japan,
and ended up losing his sight. Should
we attribute his misfortunes to
obstructive past karma? When
attempting to do something, should
one disregard conventional
values and go ahead with it no matter
what others think about it?
Such ordinary practitioners as we are,
we all benefit from our
antecessors’
experience gaining from their
sweat and toil. This idea of “neither
defiled nor pure” reconciles your
contradictory perceptions,
allowing
you to move forward.
Banji (reflections on a series of talks on the Heart
Sutra in 2019)
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2019年7月20日 星期六
前世今生2Past lives, present life2
前世今生2
Past lives, present life 2
修習佛法，個人總認為藉由佛法的智慧，看透自己不是單獨的個體，進而在複雜的人際脈絡裡，找到自己的立足點，這比去追尋飄渺虛無的前世更加有意義。
許多可以直接觸摸的佛法，一旦被帶往看不見的世界做著墨，徒增修行者無謂的疲憊感。一件事情藉由佛法弄清楚該怎麼辦才是最好的，實地去做，一旦衝開個人的極限，將感受到生命成長的喜悅，每一次對的著力點，步步在劃開前途，這種個人心靈的茁壯，應該是千金不換的。
修行志在追求對佛法的清楚與實踐，自己前世是誰！除了修行者本身有能力解開生命的枷鎖以外，一般人連立足點都無著落之際，探索前世也只是讓自己對時空更加錯亂而已！
個人很慶幸在年輕時候，紮下一些清楚的觀念，足以抵擋昏暗言論的襲擊，不在錯誤的信息裡窮打轉。
with dubious or heterodox teachings.
王國維‧《浣溪沙》
山寺微茫背夕曛，鳥飛不到半山昏，
上方孤磬定行雲。
試上高峰窺皓月，偶開天眼覷紅塵，
可憐身是眼中人。
Wang Guowei, “Sands of the Washing Stream”
Mountain temple, hazy silhouette in the
fading dusk behind; flying birds’ shadows disappear halfway up the darkening slopes;
above, a solitary chime pins down the moving clouds.
Let me mount the summit, to gaze upon the moon
so bright; the divine eye---let it open that I may see the red dust; alas, it
is only me I see.
年輕時這首《浣溪沙》常伴著苦思佛法的自己，一心拼命的想解開眼前的障礙，哪裡會想到前世！哈哈！
This was the poem I frequently recited in my youth, while struggling to wrap may brain around some abstruse Buddhist doctrine. So when your full attention is occupied with solving the conundrums that are right in front of you, the question of past lives doesn’t even come up!
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2019年7月19日 星期五
前世今生1Past lives, present life1
前世今生1
Past lives,
present life 1
有人說：為什麼有些人會知道自己過去的生命是誰？（也就是上輩子）但仔細聽內容，大都會說自己的上輩子跟皇室有關係！哈
Someone asked why it is that some remember
their past lives. As I see it, it would be better to ask why in most of their
past lives they were members of the imperial family! Ha!
Now, the real significance of our past
lives is not so much who we were, but rather the emotional tones associated
with them, which adds another layer of complexity. We naturally hope that our
past lives were ideal, and the same goes for our future lives. Yet what’s more
important is one’s current life, embedded as it is in a web of relationships
formed as we interact with others. The family in which one is born is the
primary stage in which these relationships get played out, with relationships
through marriage adding another layer of complexity. So when it’s already hard
enough to clearly understand the relationships of the present life, it’ll be
even harder to make sense of our past lives!
一個修行者透過今生努力的修持，也未必可以化解生活中人與人的歧異，例如；達賴喇嘛的流亡奮鬥，也是一世無法解決的事情。一世的事就複雜的可以，上輩子的事，真的只是自己身份問題嗎！？
果真許多人都是皇室家族再來重生，皇室已滅，真看到自己是皇室成員時，該當如何！？
佛法講的世界很廣大，有些世界肉眼看不到，人們容易在看不到的世界賦予想像，如果用今生的經驗反推，看不見的世界也不會太神秘的。
Even someone who’s devoted his entire life
to Buddhist Practice may not be able to solve certain difficulties he has with
others. Take, for example, the Dalai Lama; he’s spent most of his life in
exile, and there’s not much chance that he will ever return to Tibet. When the
affairs of the present life are already so complex, how could simply knowing
who you were in a past life be of much use? Lots of people who claim to
remember their past lives say they belonged to the imperial family in a
previous incarnation, but seeing that the imperial family is no more, how
should one feel about having been a member of it?
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2019年7月11日 星期四
Correct interpretation and Misinterpretation of Non-attachment
translation. Grace Tsai
2019年7月5日 星期五
不執著的正義與反義 Correct interpretation and Misinterpretation of Non-attachment
the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.)
(原貼在2019.07.05)
不執著的正義與反義 Non-Attachment: Its True Meaning and
Misinterpretation
時下人們常掛在嘴邊的不執著，真正去了解不執著的內容，「那應該是佛法教學上面為讓大家易於明白，而採用的詞語。」在苦，集，滅，道四聖諦的修道裡面，如果可以放入不執著的境界，應該是在「滅」而要進入「道」的境界，也就是要涅槃了，所以人世間的一切跟一個要證入涅槃的聖者，不再相干，當然也無須執著與放下。
只是，這不執著的教學方法，怎變成了日常用語，跟要求別人要這樣做的殿堂，彷彿執著了就只是凡夫俗子，而大家都害怕自己是俗人！？
掛在嘴邊的不執著，除了只是口頭禪以外，隨便說出的不執著、放下，如同常常在打自己的嘴巴，因為一般人不執著與不挑著，將如何生存！？這要思慮一下！
就是修行也一樣，不執意於佛法的道路究竟對不對，將如何知道自己是否有前進了！？
我時時都執著於檢視自己接受的想法對嗎？更執著於自己的腳步踏在何方！同時也努力讓自己能放下已經走過的執留，真能放下以往，又是如何欣喜啊！
所以，聰明的人們應該很清楚執著是必要的！
半寄
People often talk about non-attachment, but
to truly understand it, we must recognize that it is a teaching tool in
Buddhism, meant to simplify complex ideas.
In the Four Noble Truths, i.e. suffering,
its cause, its cessation, and the path to its cessation, if non-attachment
applies, it belongs to “cessation” leading to the path, meaning one is
approaching nirvana. At that stage, worldly matters no longer concern the
enlightened one—there is no need to cling, nor even to let go.
Yet, how did this Buddhist teaching become
a casual phrase in daily life, even a demand imposed on others? It’s as if
having attachments makes one an ordinary person—and people fear being seen as
ordinary!
When non-attachment becomes just a meaningless
slogan, telling people to simply "let go" contradicts itself—because
in reality, how can one survive without holding onto anything? This deserves deep
examining!
Even in spiritual practice, if one has no
commitment to the Buddhist path, how can they know if they are
progressing?
I constantly hold on to examining my own
thoughts and ensuring my steps are on the right path. At the same time, I
strive to let go of what I no longer need—what a joy it is to truly move
forward!
Therefore, the wise know clearly that
attachment is necessary.
Master Ban Ji
2019年6月30日 星期日
接受是修行也可以是毒藥Acceptance as a virtue and as a drug
接受是修行也可以是毒藥
Acceptance as a
virtue and as a drug
日前跟一位女士聊天，她說：佛教的辯經這兩個字她聽起來很刺耳，《經》為什麼要辯呢？
我說：那叫做《因明學》，也就是把不懂的人事物透過辯論去理解，當然也包括經典。
她很生氣的說：她只能接受就是接受，不能還要辯論。
我說：比方:我口吃，天生身體有缺陷，在佛法而言，都可以透過辯論問問為什麼我跟別人長得不一樣！？
她說：就是接受啊！
這位女士一生應該都是幸福的！
A few days ago I was chatting with a
laywoman, and she said that the whole idea of debating the scriptures strikes
her as quite odd and of dubious value.
I explained that Buddhism has a long
tradition of logic and debate, and that it’s used to refine and verify our
understanding of important matters, including the meaning of the scriptures.
I replied, “Suppose I have a congenital
stammer. In the Buddhist approach, we could use debate to inquire into how it
came about that I’m different from others in this respect.”
She reiterated, “Enough already; I accept
it!”
I suppose she is the type of person who
never has any problems!
Buddhism, she has no intention of engaging
in it herself.
I replied, “Suppose I have a congenital
stammer. In the Buddhist approach, we could use debate to inquire into how it
came about that I’m different from others in this respect.”
She reiterated, “Enough already; I accept
it!”
I suppose she is the type of person who never has any problems!
Master Ban Ji
Translated by Ken Kraynak
2019年6月28日 星期五
失落的地平線
昨天中午1點來了1位近20年不見的不速之客，還帶另一位居士前來，被打擾的我沒生氣，還問他們吃飯沒！怕沒吃飯不能喝茶，有喜歡喝什麼茶？
不料他帶來的居士反問我，我們喝茶都不挑了，師父還挑茶喝！……（我差點回答說：昨晚媽祖託夢給我，要我這樣問的，佛陀請原諒我！哈哈！很後悔把禪杖丟掉。）
我經常要面對跟我說：他們已經什麼事都不執著的人們，說完不執著後，馬上問我，師父我現在的苦惱該怎麼辦？
但我從沒反問，你們不是不執著了！？
台灣的宗教教育錯亂的可以。
這兩天才知道，最近流行人家跟你說什麼話，不要辯，就接受，然後心就會靜下來。那如果開口回應，就成罪人！？
半寄