2025年4月22日 星期二

專有名詞 Buddhist Terminology


大家好!

 

專有名詞

 

最近翻了一些二次大戰的片子,把一些以前的想法又拉出來。

記得我開始大量看這一些戰爭片的時候就已經無法完全再回到一般的傳佛法觀點,甚至是排斥的。

戰爭中所突顯出來的人性,遠遠越過太平日子所能傳述的感覺,

面對戰爭去談貪、瞋、痴好像無病呻吟,我自己說不出口那些所謂「三毒」的人性的修煉,也沒有辦法聽別人談。

因為在戰爭裏所激發的人性實在是太震撼,

撼動到說不出那些小傷口的痛,

那裡面有太多超越是非、善惡的人性表達,一切只為能活著,如螻蟻的活著,看過這些再去看所謂的三毒修煉,三毒就是一個很微小的描述罷了!

 

大視野,大思考,ㄧ直盤旋我個人的修行路,

伴隨著閱讀量及內心的力量增強,慢慢清楚拉廣視野即是解脫。

半寄

 

Buddhist Terminology

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

Lately, I’ve been revisiting some World War II films, which brought back many thoughts I had set aside.

I remember when I first started watching a lot of war films, I found myself no longer able to fully return to the usual way of discussing Buddhist teachings. In fact, I even found myself rejecting them.

 

The human nature revealed in war far surpasses anything that can be conveyed in times of peace.

To talk about greed, anger, and ignorance in the context of war feels like indulging in empty rhetoric. I simply couldn’t bring myself to speak of the so-called “three poisons” of human nature, nor could I bear to listen to others speak of them.

 

Because what war brings out in people is far too powerful, 

so powerful that even the pain of our smaller wounds becomes insignificant and impossible to put into words. 

There’s so much in war that transcends moral judgment—beyond good and evil— people act simply to survive, to cling to life like ants. 

 

After seeing that, going back to the idea of refining oneself through the “three poisons” seems like such a minor, even trivial description.

 

A broad vision and expansive thinking have always circled around my personal path of spiritual cultivation.

As my reading deepens and my inner strength grows, I’ve gradually come to realize that broadening one’s perspective is liberation.

 

Master Banji

 

 

2025年4月20日 星期日

5月讀書會資料

大家好!

5月讀書會資料

我個人的修行生涯裡,大概費了20年在思考《中觀論》裡面的問題,

《阿含經》提出了很多說法,如果沒有《中論》的加以解說,事實上是無解的。

「無我」的深入與解脫是「緣起性空」深觀程度上的決定。

半寄

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

This is to inform you of the reading group schedule in May.

 

In my own practice, I’ve probably spent about 20 years thinking through the questions in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way).

 

The Āgama Sutras bring up a lot of important ideas, but without the help of the Middle Way to explain them, they are, in fact, difficult to fully comprehend.

A deeper understanding of “non-self” and the path to liberation really depends on how deeply we can see into the idea of “Dependent Origination and Śūnyatā.”

 

Master Banji

 




半寄





 

2025年4月19日 星期六

Leica



大家好!

 

Leica

 

書看完了,送胤廷。

書中提及鹿野的Leica相機,那是他媽媽送給他的禮物也是準備很久,我對Leica也是好幾年才買得下手。

 

沒想到買沒兩年,手機進步神速,Leica背出去也用不到,讓我心裡起伏很大,時代進步的太快了!

啊!

就算學習「因緣法」還是只能不斷地嘆息。

半寄

 

Leica

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

I’ve finished reading the book and am passing it on to Yinting.

In the book, it mentions Luye’s Leica camera — a gift from his mother that she spent a long time preparing.

It also took me several years before I was finally able to buy a Leica.

 

But to my surprise, within just two years of owning it, smartphones advanced so rapidly that I barely use the Leica anymore. It stirred up a lot of mixed feelings — the pace of progress is just too fast!

Ah!

Even with an understanding of “dependent origination,” I still can’t help but sigh again and again.

 

Master Banji

 





 

居士回饋文A Lay Practitioner’s Reflection

 大家好!

 

居士回饋文

 

師父,不好意思打擾一下,今天早上我感覺左手腫塊好像跑到左手臂(抽一下),又跑到腹部(抽一下)。

可能是我自己想多了,但又覺的怪,可以請師父幫忙留意一下嗎?謝謝。

 

我說:那就表示那邊有附看不見的東西,你要處理它就急著到處亂亂跑,

也沒錯,昨天就說看就覺得棘手。

醫療期間會密切注意,這是一種業障了!

 

對不起師父,剛剛沒細想就亂問,容我收回問題

 

師父早,昨天原本要說:「那現在修行還來的及嗎?」

自己對這句話覺的羞愧又好笑,就好比一個學生要面對考試了,但平時都沒讀書,想說抱個佛腳能不能過關,如果這次僥倖過關,會讓學生產生打混的壞習慣,學不到教訓。但學生又不想要這個教訓,太慘痛了,因此覺得羞愧、矛盾。

想對師父懺悔,但又覺得應該要對自己懺悔才是。

 

我說:問題都是切身關己才會緊張,哈!

 

半寄

 

A Lay Practitioner’s Reflection

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

A layman asked:

Master, I’m sorry to bother you. This morning, I felt like the lump in my left hand moved—first to my left arm (with a sudden twitch), then to my abdomen (another twitch).

It might just be my imagination, but it felt strange, so I wanted to ask you to kindly keep an eye on it. Thank you.

 

Master replied:

“That indicates there’s an unseen attachment there. As you try to deal with it, it starts moving around in a panic.

That makes sense—I already sensed that it looked complicated at first glance yesterday.

I’m keeping a close eye on it. This is a kind of karmic obstacle!”

 

The layman replied:

Sorry, Master. I asked without thinking things thoroughly. Please allow me to take back the question.

 

Good morning, Master.

Yesterday, I originally wanted to ask: “Is it still too late to cultivate now?”

But I felt ashamed and even found it a little funny.

It’s like a student who’s about to take an exam but hasn’t studied at all—hoping to just pray and cram last-minute to pass.

If the student somehow passes by luck, he might end up developing a bad habit and miss the real lesson.

Yet at the same time, he really doesn’t want to experience that lesson either, because it would be too painful.

 

That contradiction made me feel ashamed.

 

I wanted to express my repentance to Master, but in truth, I feel it’s myself I need to repent to most.

 

I say, ‘We only get anxious about problems that personally affect us—haha!’

 

Master Banji



2025年4月17日 星期四

壓力 Pressure

大家好!

 

壓力

 

隨著大家知道南禪精舍我背負的壓力越大!

從來我沒有公開說過我證佛法果位,

我也沒有對社會做任何的募款,不需要揹負太多的社會壓力,

半寄有沒有證果及個人隱私都是我的權利,無可奉告,拒絕被端上神壇。

 

如果說:我貢獻的佛法還不夠多的話,那是社會的眼光及理解能力的問題,不是我的責任。

(昨夜臺灣凌晨時分,ㄧ位看過部落格的美國人;

說我已經完成了「神的圓舞曲」,記錄一下。

半寄

(從來我都是C段班的,ㄧ段日本歌詞的幽默就可以解煩憂)

 

Pressure

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

As more people learn about NanZen Vihara, the pressure on me increases!

I have never publicly claimed to have attained Buddhahood or any level of enlightenment.

I have also never conducted any fundraising for society, so I don’t need to bear too much societal pressure.

Whether Ban Ji has achieved enlightenment and anything related to personal privacy are my own rights. I will not disclose them and refuse to be idolized.

If someone thinks my contributions to the Dharma are not enough, that’s a matter of society’s view and understanding, not my responsibility.

(In the early hours of last night in Taiwan, an American who had read my blog said that I had already completed 'God's Waltz.' Just noting it down.)

Master Banji

 

(As I’ve always said, I’m a student with loweracademic performance—sometimes a Japanese song’s humor can help ease my worries.)




 


唯識學 Yogācāra (Consciousness-Only Doctrine)


大家好!

 

唯識學

 

關於唯識學四種智。

我個人的見解是如果修行者可以在貪瞋痴裡面逐步的減低人性的弱點與被牽制,也就是《阿含經》四聖果的內容,

則唯識學的四種智也會逐步的呈現在修行者的大腦,供其進行菩薩道般若智慧的人間能量使用。

 

我個人並不覺得唯識學需要另外在四聖果以外進行解讀,「四聖果」的證入修成與「轉識成智」是同步進行的。

四聖果跟唯識學的差別點也只在涅槃跟不入涅槃之間而已。

半寄


 Yogācāra (Consciousness-Only Doctrine)


Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

Regarding the four types of wisdom in Yogācāra, my personal view is that if a practitioner can gradually diminish the weaknesses of human nature—namely, greed, anger, and delusion—and free themselves from their influence, which corresponds to the realization of the Four Fruitions of Enlightenment in the Āgamas,

then the four wisdoms of Yogācāra will naturally begin to manifest in the practitioner's mind, enabling them to engage in the Bodhisattva path and apply the wisdom of prajñā as a positive force in the human world.

 

I personally do not think Yogācāra needs to be interpreted separately from the Four Stages of Enlightenment.

The attainment and cultivation of the Four Fruitions and the transformation of consciousness into wisdom (vijñāna into jñāna) happen simultaneously.

 

The only distinction between the Four Fruitions and Yogācāra lies in whether one chooses to enter Nirvāṇa, or not.

 

Master Banji



 




2025年4月15日 星期二

孤寂 Solitude

 大家好!

 

聖山-孤寂

 

    年輕的時候看過楊南郡先生寫的鹿野忠雄,翻了翻就沒空再讀,楊先生筆下的鹿野忠雄寫得非常吸引人,但那時候的我沒有空讀。

 

由於爬過臺灣五岳的北大武山,對這位縱橫臺灣山區的高手,ㄧ直有興趣想知道。

後來看資料他去南洋的時候失蹤,

英年早逝也跟著遺憾,但其實對他並不了解,

只覺得那麼年輕就出名的人物,一定有著過人之處。

 

最近終於有空看看劉克襄先生寫的鹿野忠雄,

照片中的文字是我很久以來不曾有的震撼!(《流火》344頁)

 

這在我看三島由紀夫、川端康成的時候都不曾有過,日本文學對於美的精神追求,一直處於聖潔狀態,而鹿野忠雄的聖潔美對於我而言,是最撼動的。

 

修行者必須歷經鹿野描述的這種感情,那種感情難以言喻,是遠眺富士山的詫異肅然。

對新東高山(玉山東峰)的聖潔,

於我同樣也是對佛法那座聖山的表達,

我看了半天了,都還沉醉在那種難以言喻,卻有人傳遞了內心對聖山的禮敬-孤寂。

 

半寄

 

Sacred Mountain Solitude

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

When I was young, I once flipped through the writing about Tadao Kano by Mr. Nanjun Yang. Tadao Kano is a Japanese person who did forest research in Taiwan. The writing by Mr. Yang was very captivating, but I didn't have time to read it back then.

Since I’ve climbed Beidawu Mountain, one of Taiwan’s Five Great Mountains, I’ve always been interested in this expert who has traversed Taiwan’s mountain ranges.

 

Later, I read that Kano went missing during a trip to Southeast Asia. He passed away young, which left a sense of regret. But honestly, I didn’t know much about him. I just thought that someone who became so well-known at such a young age must have been extraordinary.

 

Recently, I finally had time to read Mr. Liu Kexiang’s writing about Tadao Kano. The words beside the photos deeply moved me in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. (Page 344, Alpha Scorpii in Summer: Tadao Kano's Experience Growing Up in Taiwan)

 

Even when I read authors like Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata, I had never experienced this kind of emotional impact. Japanese literature often pursues an ideal of spiritual beauty—something pure and sacred. But the sacred beauty conveyed through Kano’s life and story was the most powerful I’ve ever encountered.

 

A practitioner must go through the kind of emotion described by Lukano — an indescribable feeling, like the awe and solemnity of gazing upon Mount Fuji from afar.

It’s a deep sense of purity toward the sacred Xindong Mountain (Eastern Peak of Yushan), and at the same time, an expression of reverence for the sacred mountain of the Dharma.

I’ve been looking at it for a long time, still immersed in that indescribable feeling—a feeling where someone has conveyed their inner reverence for the sacred mountain.

 

At the same time, it’s an expression of reverence for the sacred mountain of Buddhism.

 

I’ve been reading for a while now, still immersed in that indescribable feeling — a quiet solitude through which someone has conveyed their deep reverence for the sacred mountain.

Master Banji



 





2025年4月14日 星期一

赫曼.赫塞 Hermann Hesse

大家好!

 

赫曼.赫塞

 

《流浪者之歌》(Siddhartha)是赫曼·赫塞(Hermann Hesse)於1922年出版的小說,描述一位印度青年悉達多(Siddhartha)在靈性追求中經歷種種人生階段的故事。

 

「書中悉達多多次反思自己的過去,那些曾經的他——例如放縱的他、追逐財富的他——都像是一種“影子”,是一段與真我分離的存在。這些「影子自我」隨著他的靈性成長逐漸被他看穿、理解、甚至包容。」

 

上面取自AI資料

 

「影子你到底要跟我多久?」

記得我看《流浪者之歌》的時候,曾經對著「影子」兩個字流下淚來!

那時候年輕的心靈就很清楚人怎麼可能擺脫自我的影子?

披緇後,那些不敢想的有關流浪者的影子思索,全先ㄧ律埋藏,先看佛法怎麼說。

 

「赫塞深受東方哲學與佛教影響。在某些描述中,影子可以被理解為一種「無常」、「非自性」(Anatta)的象徵。影子無法被掌握,它隨著光與形體變化,這與佛教對「自我」本質的觀點頗為相似。」

 

AI資料

 

如今,翻了一個大身,再看赫曼.赫塞,光抓一點AI的資料也夠瞧的。再次面對「影子」哈,不是討厭鬼!

 

《流浪者之歌》永遠之歌。

 

半寄

 

Hermann Hesse

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

 

"Siddhartha", published in 1922 by Hermann Hesse, tells the story of a young Indian man, Siddhartha, and his spiritual journey through various stages of life.

 

"In the book, Siddhartha repeatedly reflects on his past — those former versions of himself, such as the indulgent version, the one who chased wealth — all of them appear as 'shadows,' a state of existence separated from his true self. These 'shadow selves' gradually become transparent, understood, and even embraced as he spiritually grows."

(The above is from AI data.)

 

"Shadow, how long are you going to follow me?

I remember when I read Siddhartha, I shed tears over the word "shadow." 

Even at my young age, I was clearly aware how one could never truly escape the shadow of the self. After becoming a Buddhist nun, all the thoughts about the "shadow" of the wandering were buried deep, striving to see what Buddhism had to say first.

 

"Hesse was deeply influenced by Eastern philosophy and Buddhism. In certain descriptions, the shadow can be seen as a symbol of 'impermanence' and 'non-self' (Anatta). The shadow cannot be grasped; it changes with light and form, which aligns closely with Buddhism's view of the 'self'."

(The above is from AI data.)

 

Now, after a leap progress in spiritual practice, though a very small part of information grabbing from AI about Hermann Hesse is already abundant enough, yet, re-facing the "shadow" is not so annoying and painstaking anymore!

 

Siddhartha” — an eternal song.

 

Banji



2025年4月13日 星期日

五力 The Five Spiritual Powers

 

五力

 

大家好!

讀書會中有人提到年齡大了理解力比較好,為什麼也不容易入佛法領域?

 

我說:因為少了力量,也就是佛法中的「五力」,沒有力量沒辦法成就任何事物,修行想領悟佛法而心裡沒有力量也是不可能的。

 

後代修行者對《阿含經》簡單的表達「力量」說法,大都輕輕的略過,

我個人理解自我的脆弱點,ㄧ直把心裏想培養成的力量透過藉事引理的在鍛練,日積月纍有了走路的本錢。

半寄

 

The Five Spiritual Powers

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

During our study club discussion, someone mentioned that while our ability to understand things may improve with age, why is it still difficult to truly enter the path of the Buddha’s teachings?

 

I responded: it’s because we lack inner strength — specifically, the “Five Spiritual Powers” (pañca balāniin Buddhism. Without strength, it’s impossible to accomplish anything. The same applies to spiritual practice: if the mind lacks strength, genuine understanding of the Dharma is not possible. 

 

Many later practitioners tend to gloss over the simple but profound concept of “inner strength” as mentioned in the Āgama Sutras. 

 

Personally, I’m aware of my own vulnerabilities, so I’ve been consciously working to cultivate these inner strengths — using real-life situations as opportunities to reflect and train my mind. Over time, with consistent effort, I’ve gradually built the foundation I need to keep moving forward on the path.

 

Banji

2025年4月9日 星期三

肉搜 Doxed

肉搜

 

大家好!

 

分享我喜愛的詩:

 

樓外輕雷枕上聽,

中年心事自飄零,

怕看舊識逐頭白,

難得新交入眼青,

浮生不若絲與竹,

陶寫悲情祇佛經。

佚名

 

我好像被肉搜?

什麼3千年前1萬年前的雞毛蒜頭的事都被挖出來!

有人給我一個人名,我看到那個人名都快笑死。

 

有一次不知道在哪個地方也是附近的地方吧?

一群男生在那裡七嘴八舌的吵架,我湊熱鬧過去看。

等他們吵完那個吵得最兇的男生,我問他的名字,

說一說他竟然是我堂姑媽的兒子-表哥。

反正我也習慣好像走到哪裡都有親戚,所以他冒出來我只覺得好笑,又多認識一個親戚。

 

他是自負型書生的人,他認為他是仗義直言,就這樣跟他聊起來,很多書都跟他借,

一直到他考上淡江輪機系(靠海)都是拿當年的禁書在看,他考入大學以後拿得更多,由於是禁書,所以都一副偷偷摸摸的樣子,

那兩三年裡我跟他來往頻繁,大部分都是書上面的事,借書跟討論。

他也ㄧ付是我老大的姿態。

出家以後有一次他看我在讀《大藏經》還傳授他的聯考心得給我,希望我把佛經唸好。

再來各奔前程了,

十幾年後他來潮州找我,帶表堂姑媽跟他的太太、2個兒子。

堂姑媽很得意,他有一個台大的媳婦,但我覺得他老婆怪怪的,故意在我面前對他吆來喝去,英氣盡失,我心想這傢伙結婚完了!(哈)

堂姑媽竟然暗示我跟他可能有感情過,原來!

我想罵他死傢伙你都沒有幫我辯解嗎?

但想一想都是看禁書,他媽媽也不懂跟她講有什麼用?講了,她也不會理解的。

送他們出門的時候,我在心裡唸了一句「兄弟」再見👋

 

(從共同讀的書籍中談天說地,到現實生活的必需,有一種無可再追只能隨時光而去

段時期的閱讀量也墊下日後的基礎,表哥到底是不錯的。)

半寄

 

(台北書展基金會監事郝明義表示,以往台灣禁書的理由有以下十項:一、作品有共產思想:如馬克思的著作《共產黨宣言》及《資本論》等;二、1949之後留在中國的文人作品:如魯迅的《阿Q正傳》、老舍的《駱駝祥子》等;三、在香港或海外比較和中國有聯繫的人:如金庸的小說;四、與「228事件」及台灣日治時期相關的事和人:如史明的《台灣人四百年史》;五、白色恐怖階段:在台灣擁有自由思想的人,以及其他受害者的書,例如雷震的《自由中國》雜誌和殷海光的著作。)

 

Doxed

 

Greetings, friends of NanZen!

 

I think I’ve been doxed? 

It’s like someone dug up every little thing from 3,000 or even 10,000 years ago—nothing too small to uncover! Someone even told me a name, and when I saw it, I nearly died laughing

 

One time—somewhere nearby, I think—there was a group of guys loudly arguing. I went over to watch. 

After the loudest one finished yelling, I asked him his name. 

And guess what? He turned out to be my cousin—my dad’s cousin’s son! 

I’m used to running into relatives everywhere, so I just found it funny. One more cousin I hadn’t known!

 

He was the righteous bookish type. 

He thought of himself as someone who spoke out bravely for justice.

We started talking and ended up bonding over books. I borrowed a lot from him.

 

Even when he got into the marine engineering department at Tamkang University (by the sea), he was still reading banned books from back in the day. 

After starting college, he got even more of them. Since they were banned, he always acted like it was some secret mission.

During those two or three years, we were in touch a lot, mostly borrowing books and talking about what we read. He always acted like he was the older brother in charge

 

After I became a Buddhist nun, there was one time he saw me reading the Tripitaka and shared his university entrance exam tips with me—hoping I’d study the sutras well. Then life took us in different directions.

 

Over ten years later, he visited me in Chaozhou, bringing my aunt, his wife, and their two sons. 

My aunt was really proud that her son had married a National Taiwan University graduate. 

But I felt his wife was kind of weird—she kept yelling at him in front of me, and all his proud spirit was gone. 

I thought, “Wow, marriage really ruined him!” (LOL)

 

Then my other aunt even hinted that maybe we had feelings for each other in the past. 

What?! I wanted to yell at him, “You didn’t even try to explain?” 

But thinking about it—our bond was all about those banned books. His mom wouldn’t understand even if I explained. No point saying anything.

 

When I saw them off, I silently said in my heart, “Goodbye, brother. 👋

 

(From those days of reading and deep conversations, to the real world and everyday life… 

It’s something we can’t go back to. But those years of reading laid the foundation for a lot that came after. 

He really was a good cousin.)

 

Banji

 

(Hau Ming-Yi, a supervisor at the Taipei Book Fair Foundation, explained that books were banned in Taiwan in the past for ten main reasons. Here are five of them:

1.    Books with communist ideas – like The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital by Karl Marx.

2.    Books by writers who stayed in China after 1949 – such as The True Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun and Rickshaw Boy by Lao She.

3.    Writers in Hong Kong or overseas who were seen as close to China – for example, novels by Jin Yong.

4.    Books about the 228 Incident or the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan – like Taiwan’s 400-Year History by Su Beng.

5.    Books from the White Terror period – including works by people in Taiwan who supported free thinking or were victims, such as the magazine Free China by Lei Zhen and books by Yin Haiguang.)