Chung Tai Shan Magazine #259
「禪者，佛之心」，我們修行學佛就是要覺悟、要契悟當下這念心。禪宗講「頓悟自心，直了成佛」，「佛」就是指我們的本心，透過檢討反省把煩惱漏盡，智慧圓滿了，這念心光光明明、圓融無礙，到達動靜不二的境界，就是佛。成佛，一個是智慧佛、一個是如如佛。知道回光返照、檢討反省、改過自新，就是智慧佛；心當中沒有妄想顛倒，不想過去、不想現在、不想未來，如如不動，就是如如佛。依此來用功，每一位都能成佛，大家要在這個地方學習、承擔，才不會辜負這一生。
Chan is the buddha’s mind. The purpose of Buddhist cultivation is to realize our pure and intrinsic awareness, to realize this present mind. Chan Buddhism teaches, “With sudden enlightenment to the original mind, one becomes a buddha.” Here, buddha refers to our intrinsic mind. Once we extinguish all afflictions by way of self-reflection and attain perfect wisdom, this very mind of ours will be full of brightness, unhindered in any respect, and reach a state where motion and stillness are nondual—this is the buddha.
Becoming a buddha requires that we cultivate and realize the buddha of wisdom and the buddha of suchness. The buddha of wisdom is the ability to cast the light of our awareness inwards, to practice self-reflection, and to reform our wrongdoings. The buddha of suchness is a mind without deluded thoughts and distortions, neither thinking of the past, present, nor future, and always maintaining stillness in suchness. By cultivating these two aspects, everyone can become a buddha. We must all learn to take on the mind directly—then, we will find life’s true value.
反省返照 淨化自心
Purify the mind through self-reflection.
佛法以人為根本，人以心為根本，心以覺悟為根本。我們的念頭有善、有惡，有粗、有細，有是、有非，有正、有邪，怎樣把這些念頭管理、淨化，達到覺悟呢？儒家說「罔念則狂，克念則聖」，「克」就是克制，能夠克制自己不好的念頭，就可以入聖人之門；「罔念則狂」，假使不知道克制自己的起心動念，打妄想、生無明，起顛倒、我執我所，就成了狂人、就會墮落。禪宗祖師說：「不怕念起，只怕覺遲」，修行要時時刻刻檢討反省自己，不怕現在起了惡念，只怕沒有覺察、覺照的心；覺察到起了惡念，馬上把它化掉，這就是修行。
The root of Buddhadharma is found in human beings. The root of human beings is found in the mind. The root of the mind is in awakening to awareness. Our thoughts can come in many forms: good, bad, coarse, subtle, right, wrong, wise, or misguided. The key question is: how should we control and purify these thoughts so we can realize our pure and intrinsic awareness?
Confucianism tells us, “Sages who succumb to their thoughts become deluded beings. Deluded beings who subdue their thoughts become sages.” To subdue means to restrain: by restraining unwholesome thoughts, one can enter the realm of sages. On the contrary, those “who succumb to their thoughts become deluded beings.” This means if we cannot restrain our thoughts and give rise to delusions, ignorance, distortions, and self-attachment, then we will become deluded beings and fall into the lower realms.
Similarly, Chan masters say, “Fear not the arising of thought, only the absence of awareness.” In Buddhist cultivation, we must constantly practice self-reflection; do not fear raising unwholesome thoughts, but only that we lack a mind of awareness—the awareness of observation and reflection. When we observe that a negative thought has arisen and eliminate it immediately, this is the cultivation of learning to realize buddhahood.
修行會經歷一些層次，起初覺得佛法很好、也很精進修六波羅蜜，覺得自己就像菩薩一樣，感到很有進步；慢慢時間久了，發現自己心中有許多無明煩惱，便覺得自己退步了。其實在過去沒修行以前，根本就不知道自己有無明煩惱；現在能覺察到無明煩惱，相較於之前，這就是進步了。
Buddhist cultivation generally progresses through various stages: at first, we feel the Buddhadharma is something beneficial and practice the six paramitas diligently. At this stage, we see ourselves as bodhisattvas who are making good progress on the path. As time passes, however, we uncover much ignorance and afflictions in our mind. We may think we have regressed, but before practicing Buddhism, we simply did not realize they were there. So, being able to observe our ignorance and afflictions means that we have made progress compared to our previous state.
世間有所謂情緒管理。就佛法而言，修行不但要管理自己，還要淨化、提升自己。首先要認識自己，認識自己才能管理自己；把自己管理好就是自利，自利才能利他。就像警察把小偷捉到了，光是管理還不夠，還要把小偷感化，讓他由壞人變成好人、賢人，乃至菩薩。修行也是如此，首先要認識清楚心中的無明煩惱，我們心中的無明煩惱，就像小偷一樣，時時刻刻偷取我們的功德法財，所以要管理、淨化這念心；告訴自己不要打妄想，時時刻刻提醒自己，行住坐臥要具足四威儀、要遵守道場的規矩，這就是管理；進一步要淨化我們的心，心當中有了煩惱、過失，要慚愧、懺悔、改過，要念念分明，時時刻刻檢討反省，把煩惱化掉、化得乾乾淨淨。
Nowadays, society emphasizes emotional management. From a Buddhist perspective, managing our emotions and thoughts is just one part of cultivation. We must also purify and elevate ourselves. To do so, the first step is to begin with self-understanding. By understanding ourselves, we can discipline our thoughts and emotions, which is to achieve self-benefit. We must be able to help ourselves before we can benefit others.
When the police catch a thief, only detaining him is not enough. They should also help him reform, so he can become a good person, a sage, or even a bodhisattva. This analogy describes Buddhist cultivation. First, we must recognize the ignorance and afflictions in our mind, which are like thieves, always stealing our merits and virtues. Then, we must discipline this very mind. This means constantly reminding ourselves to refrain from raising deluded thoughts; to maintain the four deportments in walking, sitting, and resting; and to observe the rules of our monastery. The next step is to purify our mind: when we raise afflictions and perform wrongdoings, we should have contrition, practice repentance, and reform our actions. We must always be aware and perform self-reflection in order to thoroughly transform our afflictions.
覺察覺照 入道要門
Enter the Way through awareness of observation and reflection.
佛法講覺察、覺照、覺悟。覺察，就是返照自心、檢討自己的煩惱，這很重要。一般人都是向外看，只看別人，看不到自己的過失。看人家這也不是、那也不是，遇到不如意，就怪社會、怪大眾，認為自己都是對的，這就是沒有覺察。例如，遇到經濟不景氣，有些人會想：「這個社會不好，為富不仁，富者愈富、貧者愈貧，而且朋友也不幫助我、親戚也不幫助我……實在是烏煙瘴氣。」這是一般眾生的想法。如果有了覺察，就不會怪社會、怪他人，也不會怪親戚、朋友，而是反省自己：「今生窮困潦倒，是自己過去努力不夠、善心不夠、福報不夠、智慧不夠；從現在開始，要時時刻刻檢討，修一切善，無善不修。」這就是覺察。
Buddhadharma teaches us that awareness has three facets: (1) awareness of observation, (2) awareness of reflection, and (3) pure and intrinsic awareness. Having awareness of observation is to turn our awareness inward, to look into the mind and examine our afflictions. This is extremely important. Most people tend to direct their attention outwards and judge others rather than seeing their own faults. When faced with difficulties, one who judges others, blames society, or always thinks they are right lacks awareness of observation. For example, during economic downturns, some people may think, “Society is wrong, unjust, and unfair. The rich become richer and the poor become poorer. My friends aren’t helping me; my family isn’t helping me…it’s all a big mess.” This is the way ordinary beings think.
However, if we observe inwardly with awareness, then we will not blame society, peers, family, or friends. Instead, we will perform self-reflection: “The poverty and misfortunes I experience in this life are because I did not put in enough effort, raise enough wholesome thoughts, or cultivate enough merits and wisdom in the past. From now on, I will constantly practice self-reflection and perform all good deeds, leaving no good deed left unperformed.” This is to have awareness of observation.
再以家庭為例，有些家長看到孩子不想讀書、成績不好，就發脾氣，不僅罵孩子，連家裡的一切都看不順眼，到處指責，這就是眾生，對自己的煩惱完全沒有覺察。如果知道要覺察，就會反省檢討自己：「我是家庭的一分子，孩子表現不好，我也有責任；應該要以慈悲心教導他從因當中努力，引導他改過向善、慚愧懺悔，走出一條光明的路。」凡事先從自己開始檢討，這就是覺察。
Let’s take family life as an example. Some parents get angry when they see their children slacking off in school and getting poor grades. They scold their children and soon, everything in the house starts to irritate them. So everywhere, they find something to blame. Failing to observe one’s afflictions with awareness is to be a sentient being. If parents understand how to observe with awareness, they will reflect upon themselves: “I am a member of this family, so if my child is underperforming, then I am also responsible. I should show compassion and teach my child to cultivate the right causes, guide them to practice repentance, change for the better, and find their own bright path.” In this way, to begin everything with self-reflection is to have awareness of observation.
覺察了以後，還要覺照，把心中的煩惱照破。例如，經過檢討，發現自己容易發脾氣、經常罵孩子、口業不清淨，這就是覺察；把問題檢討出來後，要時時刻刻注意，發現起了瞋心，立刻藉由誦經、持咒、念佛、懺悔……把瞋心化掉，這就是覺照。每個人都有貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、邪見這六個根本煩惱，一定要對治。我們覺察到心中起了無明煩惱，可以念一句「阿彌陀佛」，用這句佛號來返照自心；或是用般若智慧照它一下：「是誰在起瞋心？」這樣一返照，瞋心自然就沒有了。
Once we have awareness of observation, we must then bring forth awareness of reflection. This is to apply awareness to reflect on and eliminate the afflictions in our mind. For example, parents might observe that they are easily angered and often scold their children, resulting in unwholesome speech. This is to have awareness of observation. After observing the problem, we must constantly pay attention. When we give rise to anger, transform it by means of chanting sutras, mantras, buddhas’ names, or practicing repentance, etc. This is to have awareness of reflection. Everyone has six fundamental afflictions—greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and erroneous views—that must be dealt with. When we mindfully observe the ignorance and afflictions in our mind, we can chant “Amituofo” to bring awareness back to our mind. We can also use bodhi wisdom to contemplate: “Who is the one getting angry?” When we reflect inwardly like this, our anger will naturally disappear.
根機最下等的人，起了煩惱、罵了人、做了壞事，自己根本不知道，甚至別人來提醒，自己還不接受。根機差一點的人，已經起了瞋心、發了脾氣，才想到：「唉呀！我怎麼又在發脾氣、又在起煩惱？」所謂「不怕念起，只怕覺遲」，這樣雖然根機差一點，但還是有覺察也算不錯。而根機好的人，只要一起煩惱、無明，立刻就能把它照破。如果根機再好一點的人，經常都保持在正念中，煩惱自然就不會生起。明白了這個道理，這念心時時刻刻覺察、覺照，就是自性佛；每一尊佛菩薩都是這樣修行成就的。
Those with the lowest spiritual capacities do not know when they raise afflictions, scold others, or perform bad deeds. Even if others point out their behavior, they do not accept their criticism. Those with middling spiritual capacities realize only after the fact that they lost their tempers and think, “Oh gosh! I got angry and raised afflictions again.” Remember, “Fear not the arising of thought, only the absence of awareness.” Although this second capacity is not the best, but since they have awareness of observation, it is still pretty good.
Those with good spiritual capacities recognize afflictions and ignorance as they arise, and can reflect and eradicate them on the spot. Those with the best capacities constantly maintain right mindfulness, and thus afflictions naturally do not arise. We must understand these teachings. When this very mind constantly observes and reflects with awareness—this is the buddha of our inherent nature. This is how every buddha and bodhisattva has accomplished their cultivation.
修德有功 性德方顯
When the virtue of cultivation is accomplished, the intrinsic nature appears.
修行要覺察、覺照，進一步才能覺悟。所謂「修德有功，性德方顯」，透過覺察、覺照，把心中的煩惱照破，本具的佛性就能顯現出來。我們從過去無始以來，起煩惱已經成了習慣，這些貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、邪見的種子都蘊藏在我們八識田中；現在透過持戒、誦經、打坐、持咒、懺悔、經行、修六波羅蜜、三十七助道品等種種法門，來破除心中的煩惱，這就是修德；修德有了工夫，本具的佛性才會現前；假使不在這裡用功、走了遠路，就辜負了修行的因緣、浪費自己的生命。
Buddhist cultivation requires us to have awareness of observation and awareness of reflection. Only then can we take the next step: awakening to our pure and intrinsic nature. “When the virtue of cultivation is accomplished, the intrinsic nature will naturally appear.” Through observing and reflecting with awareness, we eradicate the afflictions in our mind; then our inherent buddha nature will appear. Since beginningless time, we have habitually given rise to afflictions, so the seeds of greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and erroneous views are ingrained within our eighth consciousness. Now, we must eradicate these afflictions by upholding the precepts, chanting sutras and mantras, practicing sitting and walking meditation, performing repentance, practicing the six paramitas and thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, and other Dharma gates. This is “the virtue of cultivation.” When we successfully accomplish the virtue of cultivation, our inherent buddha nature will naturally appear. Without putting our efforts towards this, we will take a long way off the path, squandering opportunities to practice as our lives pass idly by.
佛性、覺性是本具的，法爾如是，無始無終；我們透過覺察、覺照，把這個覺性圓滿了，生命就是無始無終。相反地，如果我們不修、沒有覺察、覺照，雖然本具覺性，卻始終迷迷糊糊、甚至造了惡業，將來就會墮落，隨業流轉、輪迴六道。翻過來是手掌、翻過去是手背，一切都看我們自己如何去努力。
Our buddha nature, this pure awareness, is inherent. It is just as it is, without beginning and without end. When we overcome our afflictions by observing and reflecting with awareness, we will fully realize the intrinsic awareness of our true nature. Our life will then be one without beginning and without end. On the contrary, if we do not cultivate, do not practice observing and reflecting with awareness, even though our intrinsic nature is this same awareness, we will still live in confusion and ignorance. Creating unwholesome karma as a result, we condition ourselves to cycle through samsara, undergoing rebirth in the six realms of sentient beings. Facing up, a hand shows the palm; turned down, it shows the back. Everything depends on how much effort we put in.
佛法是心法，從過去到現在諸佛，都是傳授這個心地法門；能夠聽聞、了解佛法，是人生最大的福報。明白了人人都有覺性，就要在覺性上用功，這樣才是真修實悟。這念心覺悟了，就是菩薩；完全覺悟、煩惱統統漏盡，就是如來佛。
Buddhadharma is the teaching of the mind. All buddhas from past to present teach the Dharma gate of the mind-ground. To be able to hear and understand the Buddhadharma is life’s greatest blessing. Knowing that everyone has pure and intrinsic awareness, we must focus our cultivation on this awareness. This is the true cultivation that leads to complete enlightenment. Once this very mind awakens to its true nature, then we are bodhisattvas. Once we attain complete and perfect enlightenment and eradicate all trace of afflictions, then we are the tathagata, the buddha.