Subhuti, does it occur to you that I believe that through me living beings are led to liberation? Never think that way, Subhuti. Why? Because there is no separate being to lead to liberation. If I were to think there was, I would be caught in the notion of a self or a person or a life span.

Subhuti, what I call a self is essentially not a self in the way that an ordinary person thinks of it. But neither do I think of anyone as an ordinary person. However, knowing the essence, I can use the name - ordinary person.

-- The Buddha, Diamond Sutra

Emptiness and Existence

by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

To generate the type of love and compassion that motivates you to seek buddhahood, not for yourself but for the sake of others, first you must confront suffering by identifying its types. This is the first noble truth. From the time we are born to the time we die we suffer mental and physical pain, the suffering of change, and pervasive suffering of uncontrolled conditioning. The second and third noble truths lead us to understand the causes of suffering and whether or not those causes can be removed. The fundamental cause of suffering is ignorance — the mistaken apprehension that living beings and objects inherently exist.

We all have a valid, proper sense of self, or “I,” but then we additionally have a misconception of that “I” as inherently existing. Under the sway of this delusion, we view the self as existing under its own power, established by way of its own nature, able to set itself up.

However, if there were such a separate I — self-established and existing in its own right — it should become clearer and clearer under the light of competent analysis as to whether it exists as either mind or body, or the collection of mind and body, or different from mind and body. In fact, the closer you look, the more it is not found. This turns out to be the case for everything, for all phenomena. The fact that you cannot find them means that those phenomena do not exist under their own power; they are not self-established.

Sometime during the early sixties when I was reflecting on a passage by Tsongkhapa [founder of the Gelugpa school to which the Dalai Lama belongs] about unfindability and the fact that phenomena are dependent on conceptuality, it was as if lightning coursed within my chest. Here is the passage:

A coiled rope’s speckled colour and coiling are similar to those of a snake, and when the rope is perceived in a dim area, the thought arises, “This is a snake.” As for the rope, at that time when it is seen to be a snake, the collection and parts of the rope are not even in the slightest way a snake. Therefore, that snake is merely set up by conceptuality.

In the same way, when the thought “I” arises in dependence upon mind and body, nothing within mind and body — neither the collection which is a continuum of earlier and later moments, nor the collection of the parts at one time, nor the separate parts, nor the continuum of any of the separate parts — is in even the slightest way the “I.” Also there is not even the slightest something that is a different entity from mind and body that is apprehendable as the “I.” Consequently, the “I” is merely set up by conceptuality in dependence upon mind and body; it is not established by way of its own entity.

The impact lasted for a while, and for the next few weeks whenever I saw people, they seemed like a magician’s illusions in that they appeared to inherently exist but I knew that they actually did not. That experience, which was like lightning in my heart, was most likely at a level below completely valid and incontrovertible realisation. This is when my understanding of the cessation of the afflictive emotions as a true possibility became real.

Nowadays I always meditate on emptiness in the morning and bring that experience into the day’s activities. Just thinking or saying “I,” as in “I will do such and such,” will often trigger the feeling. But still I cannot claim full understanding of emptiness.

A consciousness that conceives of inherent existence does not have a valid foundation. A wise consciousness, grounded in reality, understands that living beings and other phenomena — minds, bodies, buildings, and so forth — do not inherently exist. This is the wisdom of emptiness. Understanding reality exactly opposite to the misconception of inherent existence, wisdom gradually overcomes ignorance.

Remove the ignorance that misconceives phenomena to inherently exist and you prevent the generation of afflictive emotions like lust and hatred. Thus, in turn, suffering can also be removed. In addition, the wisdom of emptiness must be accompanied by a motivation of deep concern for others (and by the compassionate deeds it inspires) before it can remove the obstructions to omniscience, which are the predispositions for the false appearance of phenomena — even to sense consciousness — as if they inherently exist.

Therefore, full spiritual practice calls for cultivating wisdom in conjunction with great compassion and the intention to become enlightened in which others are valued more than yourself. Only then may your consciousness be transformed into the omniscience of a Buddha.

SELFLESSNESS 

Both Buddhists and non-Buddhists practice meditation to achieve pleasure and get rid of pain, and in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist systems the self is a central object of scrutiny. Certain non-Buddhists who accept rebirth accept the transitory nature of mind and body, but they believe in a self that is permanent, changeless and unitary. Although Buddhist schools accept rebirth, they hold that there is no such solid self. For Buddhists, the main topic of the training in wisdom is emptiness, or selflessness, which means the absence of a permanent, unitary and independent self or, more subtly, the absence of inherent existence either in living beings or in other phenomena.

THE TWO TRUTHS 

To understand selflessness, you need to understand that everything that exists is contained in two groups called the two truths: conventional and ultimate. The phenomena that we see and observe around us can go from good to bad, or bad to good, depending on various causes and conditions. Many phenomena cannot be said to be inherently good or bad; they are better or worse, tall or short, beautiful or ugly, only by comparison, not by way of their own nature. Their value is relative. From this you can see that there is a discrepancy between the way things appear and how they actually are. For instance, something may — in terms of how it appears — look good, but, due to its inner nature being different, it can turn bad once it is affected by conditions. Food that looks so good in a restaurant may not sit so well in your stomach. This is a clear sign of a discrepancy between appearance and reality.

These phenomena themselves are called conventional truths: they are known by consciousness that goes no further than appearances. But the same objects have an inner mode of being, called an ultimate truth, that allows for the changes brought about by conditions. A wise consciousness, not satisfied with mere appearances, analyses to find whether objects inherently exist as they seem to do but discovers their absence of inherent existence. It finds an emptiness of inherent existence beyond appearances.

EMPTY OF WHAT?

Emptiness, or selflessness, can only be understood if we first identify that of which phenomena are empty. Without understanding what is negated, you cannot understand its absence, emptiness.

You might think that emptiness means nothingness, but it does not. Merely from reading it is difficult to identify and understand the object of negation, what Buddhist texts speak of as true establishment or inherent existence. But over a period of time, when you add your own investigations to the reading, the faultiness of our usual way of seeing things will become clearer and clearer.

Buddha said many times that because all phenomena are dependently arisen, they are relative — their existence depends on other causes and conditions and depends on their own parts. A wooden table, for instance, does not exist independently; rather, it depends on a great many causes such as a tree, the carpenter who makes it, and so forth; it also depends upon its own parts. If a wooden table or any phenomenon really were not dependent — if it were established in its own right — then when you analyse it, its existence in its own right should become more obvious, but it does not.

This Buddhist reasoning is supported by science. Physicists today keep discovering finer and finer components of matter, yet they still cannot understand its ultimate nature. Understanding emptiness is even deeper.

The more you look into how an ignorant consciousness conceives phenomena to exist, the more you find that phenomena do not exist that way. However, the more you look into what a wise consciousness understands, the more you gain affirmation in the absence of inherent existence.

DO OBJECTS EXIST?

We have established that when any phenomenon is sought through analysis, it cannot be found. So you may be wondering whether these phenomena exist at all. However, we know from direct experience that people and things cause pleasure and pain, and that they can help and harm. Therefore, phenomena certainly do exist; the question is how? They do not exist in their own right, but only have an existence dependent upon many factors, including a consciousness that conceptualises them.

Once they exist but do not exist on their own, they necessarily exist in dependence upon conceptualisation. However, when phenomena appear to us, they do not at all appear as if they exist this way. Rather, they seem to be established in their own right, from the object’s side, without depending upon a conceptualising consciousness.

When training to develop wisdom, you are seeking through analysis to find the inherent existence of whatever object you are considering — yourself, another person, your body, your mind, or anything else. You are analysing not the mere appearance but the inherent nature of the object. Thus it is not that you come to understand that the object does not exist; rather, you find that its inherent existence is unfounded. Analysis does not contradict the mere existence of the object. Phenomena do indeed exist, but not in the way we think they do.

What is left after analysis is a dependently existent phenomenon. When, for example, you examine your own body, its inherent existence is negated, but what is left is a body dependent on four limbs, a trunk, and a head.

IF PHENOMENA ARE EMPTY, CAN THEY FUNCTION?

Whenever we think about objects, do we mistakenly believe that they exist in their own right? No. We can conceive of phenomena in three different ways. Let us consider a tree. There is no denying that it appears to inherently exist, but:

1. We could conceive of the tree as existing inherently, in its own right.

2. We could conceive of the tree as lacking inherent existence.

3. We could conceive of the tree without thinking that it inherently exists or not.

Only the first of those is wrong. The other two modes of apprehension are right, even if the mode of appearance is mistaken in the second and the third, in that the tree appears as if inherently existent.

If objects do not inherently exist, does this mean that they cannot function? Jumping to the conclusion that because the true nature of objects is emptiness, they are therefore incapable of performing functions such as causing pleasure or pain, or helping or harming, is the worst sort of misunderstanding, a nihilistic view. As the Indian scholar-yogi Nagarjuna says in his Precious Garland, a nihilist will certainly have a bad transmigration upon rebirth, whereas a person who believes, albeit wrongly, in inherent existence goes on to a good transmigration.

Allow me to explain. You need a belief in the consequences of actions to choose virtue in your life and discard nonvirtue. For the time being, the subtle view of the emptiness of inherent existence might be too difficult for you to understand without falling into the trap of nihilism, where you are unable to understand that phenomena arise in dependence on causes and conditions (dependent-arising). Then for the sake of your spiritual progress it would be better for now to set aside trying to penetrate emptiness. Even if you mistakenly believe that phenomena inherently exist, you can still develop an understanding of dependent-arising and apply it in practice. This is why even Buddha, on occasion, taught that living beings and other phenomena inherently exist. Such teachings are the thought of Buddha’s scriptures, but they are not his own final thought. For specific purposes, he sometimes spoke in non final ways.

IN WHAT WAY IS CONSCIOUSNESS MISTAKEN?

Because all phenomena appear to exist in their own right, all of our ordinary perceptions are mistaken. Only when emptiness is directly realised during completely focused meditation is there no false appearance. At that time, the dualism of subject and object has vanished, as has the appearance of multiplicity; only emptiness appears. After you rise from that meditation, once again living beings and objects falsely appear to exist in and of themselves, but through the power of having realised emptiness, you will recognise the discrepancy between appearance and reality. Through meditation you have identified both the false mode of appearance and the false mode of apprehension.

Let us return to the central point: All of us have a sense of “I” but we need to realise that it is only designated in dependence upon mind and body. The selflessness that Buddhists speak of refers to the absence of a self that is permanent, partless, and independent, or, more subtly, it can refer to the absence of inherent existence of any phenomenon. However, Buddhists do value the existence of a self that changes from moment to moment, designated in dependence upon the continuum of mind and body. All of us validly have this sense of “I.” When Buddhists speak of the doctrine of selflessness, we are not referring to the nonexistence of this self. With this “I,” all of us rightfully want happiness and do not want suffering. It is when we exaggerate our sense of ourselves and other phenomena to mean something inherently existent that we get drawn into many, many problems.

SUMMARY FOR DAILY PRACTICE 

As an exercise in identifying how objects and beings falsely appear, try the following:

1. Observe how an item such as a watch appears in a store when you first notice it, then how its appearance changes and becomes even more concrete as you become more interested in it, and finally how it appears after you have bought it and consider it yours.

2. Reflect on how you yourself appear to your mind as if inherently existent. Then reflect on how others and their bodies appear to your mind.

Thus, in general I understood all phenomena of life's round and transcendence to be interdependent. I further ascertained that the underlying basis of mind is free from biases. Life's round is the result of the path conditioned by wrong views. Transcendence is the result of the path conditioned by insight. The essence of both is emptiness and luminosity.

-- Milarepa

从《心经》看佛教的“空”观念

文｜春华

《心经》是汉译佛典中最短的一篇，寥寥二百六十字却将佛家的世界观尽展读者眼前。通过对万物自性空的详细描述，一语中的地指出了世人苦恼的来源，并为人们指出了脱离苦厄之道。从宗教意涵来看，修习般若波罗蜜多的最终目的在于解脱成佛，但在现世利益的意义上看，佛家思想的确为苦难中的人们指出了光明之路，亦在净化心灵、导人向善的工作上有着不可磨灭的贡献。

一、世界的本体━空

首先可以看出，《心经》所呈现在人们眼中的现象世界是变动不居的，而其归宿则指向了“苦”。求不得是苦，求之而得后的空虚亦是苦，总之，佛家的核心要义即是在论证现象界的不可靠性，从而指出它是不值得执念的，无论物执还是我执都要破除。一切看似真实之物实则空无自性，都是因缘和合而生，当因缘改变，即促成事件发生的条件有了变化，向之物不复来今，今之物亦无法走向未来。

佛家讲“万法皆空”，是从“空即非真”的意义上来说的，指出世间一切现象都是自性空的，即本质是不存在的。

然而，这里貌似产生了一个悖论：既然一切都是空，一切都是假象，那么作为最高实体的“空”也应是“空”的、虚假的，即“世间万物都是虚假的”这件事本身也是虚假的，由此进行双重否定而得到“世界不是虚假的”结论。实则不然，以现象世界的范畴和语言来界定形而上对象的性质，这本身就是语言的误用，其错误之处在于：双重否定所运用的排中律只在经典逻辑中适用，换言之，空不是单纯意义上的假，在形而上的意义上来看，非空并不等同于真，空是空而又非空，空是超脱于空与不空的对立之上的存在，所谓不真即空只是为了向世人解释空的含义所做的权宜之言，也就是说，万法之空是一阶的空，而空的空是二阶的空，后者之空已不再是虚妄变现之意，若用第二义的逻辑去忖度第一义的基本原则，则是以虚假的奇技营巧来质疑真实的无上智慧的荒谬之举了。

二、诸法的形成━因缘和合

现实世界在人们的经验看来是如此真实，以致于世人常常把虚幻的尘世当作永恒，从而执念于此，不可自拔。从《心经》的原文来看，能够照见五蕴皆空的认识主体是“观自在菩萨”，也就是说，只有修为达到第八地以上的觉悟者才能真正参透其中的奥义而度一切苦厄。那么，五蕴皆空究竟是怎样一种境界？是诚如字面意义目空一切，还是要剥离掉五蕴中虚妄的东西，从而使之真实的部分展现出来？欲解答这个问题，就要先了解自性空之物构成的条件——因缘。佛教的“法身偈”说，“诸法因缘生，诸法因缘灭。我佛大沙门，常作如是说。”即言万物皆从因缘而生。

“因”即原因，是造成“果”的根据；“缘”是使“因”成为“果”的条件，或称“间接因”；而“果”则指由“因”和“缘”共同作用而产生的业报。万事万物即是由因缘和合而成的“果”，也就是说，“果”是我们所经验到的世界表象，而其本质则是因缘的作用。诸法是变动不居的，现世所存在着的一切都不过是假借的、暂时的存在，一切“有”都是“假有”，世间并不存在恒常不变之物，物即为“有”，有即为“色”，而“假有”即是空，因此《心经》说“色即是空”。可以说，从因缘而生的一切法，完全是空的，唯识宗说“诸法相皆一心造作”，就是说，若将假有执为真实，则是将心禁锢于尘世，唯有跳脱现象的束缚，才能认识到事物的虚假，而体悟空的境界。

龙树菩萨在《中论》中写道：“众因缘生法，我说即是无，亦为是假名，亦为中道义。”因缘和合世间的万事万物生起，从本质上看，事物由因缘起，故没有自身独立的实体存在，本性是空，即性空。但事物又确实可观可感，龙树称那只是施假名以示其有。将两者统一观之，事物不但有空的一面，还有不空的一面，空不遣有，有不离空，空中摄有，有内存空，这就是中道义，佛教的最高真理。佛家的“有”，是假有，其实质还是空。但空，并非虚无，而是一种没有客观实体的状况。只有这种相状，才是宇宙万物的真实本性。

三、慈悲济世━般若波罗蜜多的现世修行

按经验事实来看，佛家修行的外在表现就是多行善事，这是慈悲之心使然。所谓“慈悲”，就是对世人所受之苦的怜悯与拯救，世人之苦本自欲望，即对自性空之物的执念，由此看来，济世渡人的最佳方法当是使人们认识到其执念的荒谬，继而产生了对空的概念。也就是说，宣扬空的理论是为了更好地行慈悲之举，在这个意义上看，二者非但不矛盾，反而起到了互相促进的作用。

慈悲，是成佛所必经的一个阶段，对于凡夫俗子而言，行善积德是为了种善因、得善果，以累积修行资粮， 菩萨，本具备了成佛的条件，但因为怜悯尚沉沦于苦海中的众生，自愿慈悲救拔，待众生脱离苦海后，自身才登极乐。

慈的本意为慈爱众生，见众生不得福乐而躬身成就之；悲，意为同情众生之苦，见众生之苦痛而情愿解脱之。慈悲之合意即为拔一切众生苦，与一切众生乐。既然万物都因缘而合，皆无自性，那么众生也都应是平等而无差别的，“因而彼此间便有对于苦乐的共同意识，那么自然便生出与乐拔苦的慈悲之爱。”

四、结语

佛教一再强调世间万物的虚妄，一方面要让世人破除对不可得之物的痴念，另一方面更为重要的是助人们摆脱苦难，以一颗大慈大悲的心来渡化众生，以佛陀的智慧来教导世人，让他们具备正知正见，了解世间一切，五蕴皆空，摆脱内心贪嗔痴的妄念，从而消除烦恼。

The exchange of oneself for others is said to be the heart of Buddha’s teachings.

-- Sakya Pandita

Real Happiness

by Sharon Salzberg

Meditation is essentially a way to train our attention so we can be more aware of both our inner workings and what’s happening around us. It’s straightforward and simple, but it isn’t easy.

People have been transforming their minds through meditation for thousands of years. Every major world religion includes some form of contemplative exercise, though today meditation is often practised apart from any belief system. Meditation may be done in silence and stillness, by using voice and sound, or by engaging the body in movement. All forms emphasise the training of attention.

“My experience is what I agree to attend to,” the pioneering psychologist William James wrote at the turn of the twentieth century. “Only those items I notice shape my mind.” At its most basic level, attention — what we allow ourselves to notice — literally determines how we experience and navigate the world. The ability to summon and sustain attention is what allows us to job hunt, juggle, learn math, make pancakes, aim a cue and pocket the eight ball, protect our kids, and perform surgery. It lets us be discerning in our dealings with the world, responsive in our intimate relationships, and honest when we examine our own feelings and motives. Attention determines our degree of intimacy with our ordinary experiences and contours our entire sense of connection to life.

The content and quality of our lives depend on our level of awareness — a fact we are often not aware of. There’s an old story, usually attributed to a Native American elder, that’s meant to illuminate the power of attention. A grandfather imparting a life lesson to his grandson tells him, “I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is vengeful, fearful, envious, resentful, deceitful. The other wolf is loving, compassionate, generous, truthful, and serene.” The grandson asks which wolf will win the fight. The grandfather answers, “The one I feed.”

But that’s only part of the picture. True, whatever gets our attention flourishes, so if we lavish attention on the negative and inconsequential, they can overwhelm the positive and the meaningful. But if we do the opposite, refusing to deal with or acknowledge what’s difficult and painful, pretending it doesn’t exist, then our world is out of whack. Whatever doesn’t get our attention withers — or retreats below conscious awareness, where it may still affect our lives. In a perverse way, ignoring the painful and the difficult is just another way of feeding the wolf. Meditation teaches us to open our attention to all of human experience and all parts of ourselves.

Meditation is pragmatic, the psychological and emotional equivalent of a physical training program: If you exercise regularly, you get certain results — stronger muscles, denser bones, increased stamina. If you meditate regularly, you also get certain results, including greater calm, and improved concentration and more connection to others. But there are other rewards.

You’ll begin to spot the unexamined assumptions that get in the way of happiness.

These assumptions we make about who we are and the way the world works — what we deserve, how much we can handle, where happiness is to be found, whether or not positive change is possible — all greatly influence how and to what we pay attention.

I was reminded of how assumptions can get in our way when I visited the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., to view a work of art by a sculptor friend. Eagerly I checked every room, peered at every display case and pedestal — no sculpture. Finally I gave up. As I headed for the exit, I glanced up — and there was her beautiful piece. It was a bas-relief hanging on the wall, not the freestanding statue I’d expected; my assumptions had put blinders on me and almost robbed me of the experience of seeing what was really there — her amazing work. In the same way, our assumptions keep us from appreciating what’s right in front of us — a stranger who’s a potential friend, a perceived adversary who might actually be a source of help. Assumptions block direct experience and prevent us from gathering information that could bring us comfort and relief, or information that, though saddening and painful, will allow us to make better decisions.

Here are some familiar assumptions you might recognise: We have nothing in common. I won’t be able to do it. You can’t reason with a person like that. Tomorrow will be exactly like today. If I just try hard enough, I’ll manage to control him/her/it/them. Only big risks can make me feel alive. I’ve blown it; I should just give up. I know just what she’s going to say, so I don’t really need to listen to her. Happiness is for other people, not me. Statements like these are motivated by fear, desire, boredom, or ignorance. Assumptions bind us to the past, obscure the present, limit our sense of what’s possible, and elbow out joy. Until we detect and examine our assumptions, they short-circuit our ability to observe objectively; we think we already know what’s what.

You’ll stop limiting yourself. When we practice meditation, we often begin to recognise a specific sort of conditioned response — previously undetected restrictions we’ve imposed on our lives. We spot the ways we sabotage our own growth and success because we’ve been conditioned to be content with meagre results. Meditation allows us to see that these limits aren’t inherent or immutable; they were learned and they can be unlearned — but not until we recognise them. (Some common limiting ideas: She’s the smart one, you’re the pretty one. People like us don’t stand a chance. Kids from this neighbourhood don’t become doctors.) Training attention through meditation opens our eyes. Then we can assess these conditioned responses — and if parts of them contain some truth, we can see it clearly and put it to good use; if parts of them just don’t hold up under scrutiny, we can let them go.

You’ll weather hard times better. Meditation teaches us safe ways to open ourselves to the full range of experience — painful, pleasurable, and neutral — so we can learn how to be a friend to ourselves in good times and bad. During meditation sessions we practice being with difficult emotions and thoughts, even frightening or intense ones, in an open and accepting way, without adding self-criticism to something that already hurts. Especially in times of uncertainty or pain, meditation broadens our perspective and deepens our sense of courage and capacity for adventure. Here’s how you get braver: little by little. In small, manageable, bearable increments, we make friends with the feelings that once terrified us. Then we can say to ourselves, I’ve managed to sit down, face some of my most despairing thoughts and my most exuberantly hopeful ones without judging them. That took strength; what else can I tackle with that same strength? Meditation lets us see that we can accomplish things we didn’t think ourselves capable of.

You’ll rediscover a deeper sense of what’s really important to you. Once you look beneath distractions and conditioned reactions, you’ll have a clearer view of your deepest, most enduring dreams, goals, and values.

You’ll have a portable emergency resource. Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively. You’re likely to find yourself in situations — having a heated argument at work, say, or chauffeuring a crowd of rambunctious kids to a soccer game — when you can’t blow off steam by walking around the block, hitting the gym, or taking a time-out in the tub. But you can always follow your breath.

You’ll be in closer touch with the best parts of yourself. Meditation practice cultivates qualities such as kindness, trust, and wisdom that you may think are missing from your makeup but are actually undeveloped or obscured by stress and distractions. Meditation practice gives us the chance to locate these qualities so we can access them more easily and frequently.

You’ll recapture the energy you’ve been wasting trying to control the uncontrollable. I once led a retreat in California during a monsoon like rainstorm. It’s so soggy and unpleasant that people aren’t going to have a good retreat, I thought. I felt bad for the participants; in fact, I felt responsible. For a few days I wanted to apologise to everybody for the rain until a thought flickered: Wait a minute. I’m not even from California; I’m from Massachusetts. This isn’t my weather. This is their weather. Maybe they should apologise to me! And then the voice of deeper wisdom arose: Weather is weather. This is what happens.

We’ve all had weather moments — times when we’ve felt responsible for everyone’s good time or well-being. It’s our job, we think, to fix the temperature and humidity, or the people around us (if we could only get our partner to quit smoking, consult a map, stick to a diet). We even think we’re capable of totally controlling our own emotions — I shouldn’t ever feel envious, or resentful, or spiteful! That’s awful! I’m going to stop. You might as well say, “I’m never going to catch a cold again!” Though we can affect our physical and emotional experiences, we can’t ultimately determine them; we can’t decree what emotions will arise within us. But we can learn through meditation to change our responses to them. That way we’re spared a trip down a path of suffering we’ve travelled many times before. Recognising what we can’t control (the feelings that arise within us; other people; the weather) helps us have healthier boundaries at work and at home — no more trying to reform everyone all the time. It helps us to stop beating up on ourselves for having perfectly human emotions. It frees energy we expend on trying to control the uncontrollable.

You’ll understand how to relate to change better — to accept that it’s inevitable and believe that it’s possible. Most of us have a mixed, often paradoxical attitude toward change. Some of us don’t think change is possible at all; we believe we’re stuck forever doing things the way we’ve always done them. Some of us simultaneously hope for change and fear it. We want to believe that change is possible, because that means that our lives can get better. But we also have trouble accepting change, because we want to hold on permanently to what’s pleasurable and positive. We’d like difficulties to be fleeting and comfort to stick around.

Trying to avoid change is exhausting and stressful. Everything is impermanent: happiness, sorrow, a great meal, a powerful empire, what we’re feeling, the people around us, ourselves. Meditation helps us comprehend this fact — perhaps the basic truth of human existence, and the one we humans are most likely to balk at or be oblivious to, especially when it comes to the biggest change of all: Mortality happens, whether we like it or not. We grow old and die. (In the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, a wise king is asked to name the most wondrous thing in the universe. “The most wondrous thing in the entire universe,” he says, “is that all around us people are dying and we don’t believe it will happen to us.”) Meditation is a tool for helping us accept the profound fact that everything changes all the time.

Meditating offers a chance to see change in microcosm. Following our breath while observing how thoughts continually ebb and flow can help us realise that all elements of our experience are in constant flux. During a meditation session, it’s natural to go through many ups and downs, to encounter both new delights and newly awakened conflicts that have bubbled up from the unconscious mind. Sometimes you tap into a wellspring of peace. Other times you might feel waves of sleepiness, boredom, anxiety, anger, or sadness. Snatches of old songs may play in your head; long-buried memories can surface. You may feel wonderful or awful. Daily meditation will remind us that if we look closely at a painful emotion or difficult situation, it’s bound to change; it’s not as solid and unmanageable as it might have seemed. The fear we feel in the morning may be gone by the afternoon. Hopelessness may be replaced by a glimmer of optimism. Even while a challenging situation is unfolding, it is shifting from moment to moment, varied, alive. What happens during meditation shows us that we’re not trapped, that we have options. Then, even if we’re afraid, we can find a way to go on, to keep trying.

This is not a Pollyanna sentiment that everything will be just fine, according to our wishes or our timetable. Rather it is an awakened understanding that gives us the courage to go into the unknown and the wisdom to remember that as long as we are alive, possibility is alive. We can’t control what thoughts and emotions arise within us, nor can we control the universal truth that everything changes. But we can learn to step back and rest in the awareness of what’s happening. That awareness can be our refuge.

In accord with the saying “You accomplished half of the Buddhist teachings when you left your native land,” you turned your back on your homeland to wander in unfamiliar lands.

Now that you have parted company from your friends and relatives in a positive way, do not listen to those who try to discourage you from pursuing your spiritual practice. Now that you’ve given away your possessions, rely upon whatever meritorious donations come your way. Once you’ve recognised all your pleasures as obstacles created by bad habits, cultivate an attitude without desires.

If you are not contented with few possessions, as long as one “need” after another arises, the deceptive demon of your pleasures will enter without much trouble. Do not take as true anything others say, good or bad: Do not regard it with hope or fear; do not affirm or deny it. Allow others to say whatever they like, as if they are talking about a corpse. Except for a qualified Lama, no one can give correct advice, not even your father or mother. Be the judge of your actions and do not let others lead you around by the nose.

-- His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche

万法归宗

惟覺老和尚

(一)

　　禅七过得非常快，明天就解七了。检讨一下，在这个禅七当中，有没有坐到一支好香？心是不是提得起又放得下，放得下又提得起？是不是静也静得，动也动得？打坐是静，行香、跑香、早晚课诵，就是动。看看在动静当中，心是不是归一，是不是存在？这个就是功夫。

　　无论是禅、净、密、律，都是讲这一念心。哪一念心？诸位听法这一念心。这念心有体、有相、有用，这念心要净、要定、要明、要空、要觉。不仅如此，从开始发心，一直到这一口气不在的时候才能确定，这是根基差的人。上根利智的人，不用等这么久，一闻千悟，说到就做到。说不打妄想，就是一念不生；不落昏沉，就一点昏沉都没有。这一念觉性就像一盏灯一样，清清楚楚、念念分明，只起善念，不起恶念。白天如此，晚上也如此；静是如此，动也是如此；顺境如此，逆境也是如此；身体健康时如此，病时也是如此。这就是功夫，这些不是偶然的。所以，前世有熏修，马上就能做得到；假使前世只是种一点善根，没有经过熏修、没有经过历练，没有一点成果，完全要靠今生来努力，那就不是容易的事情。

　　要了解自己是上根？中根？下根？钝根？了解了以后，自己才知道用功。修行不是容易的事情，要脚踏实地，不要好高骛远。从一步一脚印开始，修行就能落实。否则，如禅宗祖师所说：「说到做不到，是名不到道。」说到做不到，就与道毫不相干、与本心毫不相干；与本心毫不相干，就与生死毫不相干。

　　道究竟在哪里？自己要确实了解，要对得起自己，不能蒙蔽自己。假使蒙蔽他人，日久见人心，时间一久，人家还是知道；假使蒙蔽自己，自己马上就能知道，就要赶快觉察，知过、改过，这就是真正修道的人、修行的人。

　　一个是知，一个是行，知到哪里，就做到哪里，知和行要配合起来。行是事，知就是理。佛法一个是事，一个是理，事理圆融、事理不二。如果有事没有理，盲目修行，就称为盲修瞎练，愈修愈糊涂，所以，一定要有一个方向。例如，走路要有一个方向，才能到达目的地；做学问也要有一个方向，学业才能成就；做事有一个方向，事业才能成就；修行也要有一个方向、一个目的，不要走错路，道业才能成就。

　　佛法一个是因，一个是果。佛经云：「因地不真，果招纡曲。」不要好高骛远。每个人都想成道，道在哪里？道不离心。心在哪里？心不离觉。不管修任何法门，都要觉察、觉照，要使身口意三业清净。其次，不要打妄想，六根要净、要定、要明、要归一。禅宗讲得更清楚，打坐的时候，始终不离当下这念心，这就是归一。

　　修忏悔法门，忏悔了以后就清净了，不要再责备自己、折磨自己，安住正念，这就是归一。从今以后，永远不再造恶业、不再造过失，这才是忏悔的目的。念佛，有能念之心、所念之佛，最后也要归一。怎么归一？没有能念之心、没有所念之佛，归于当下这个觉性，从有念归于无念。诵经也是如此，能诵的这念心和所诵的经要归一，念了以后，不要执着一切境界，要把这念心归一。做事也是一样，有能做、所做，做了善事、做了功德，不要执着功德，要归一，能所俱空，要归到当下这个觉性。

　　修善法是福报，不要执着福报，好事给他人，功德归三宝，坏事自己检讨、惭愧、忏悔，心始终要归一。修净土的人想生净土，怎么样才能生净土？三业清净，往生有份，六根都摄，见佛不难。所以，不是盲目地求生西方、求生东方、求生南方、求生北方，或是求佛来加持……这些都离道十万八千里，不可能生到净土。要想生净土，必须从因上来修，「诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意，是诸佛教」，修任何宗派都是一样，三业清净、六根归一，往生才有份。什么意思？就是要万法归宗，我们这念心才会净、才会定、才会明，才会有所成就，这就是佛、这就是道。

(二)

　　佛经云：「归元无二路，方便有多门」，明白这些道理，就找到一条路，无论别人讲得如何天花乱坠，说什么佛菩萨出世，都迷惑不了你；假使不明白这些道理，就跟一般人一样，听到哪个地方有灵感、有神通，自己就乱了方寸，始终与道毫不相干。神通、感应在哪里？不是在外面，而是在这念清净心、无为心当中，外面的感应都是舍本求末。所谓「心诚则灵」，拜土地公、恩主公、妈祖……也有一点感应；但是，心不诚了、心散掉了，就什么感应都没有了。一般民间信仰相信「举头三尺有神明」，最低限度可以约束自己、管理自己，可以提升社会道德。

　　因此，我们要了解，「但得本，莫愁末」，心诚、心净、心定、心空，就是本。心清净了，不要求灵感，自然有感应；有了感应也不要执着，一切境界都是自心起用。我们这念心无远弗届，追求心的作用，等于在太阳底下找影子，是没有用的。所谓「归元无二路，方便有多门」，诵经、念佛、持咒、打坐，都可以达到一心不乱，最重要的目的就是不离开自己本具的觉性，其他都是方便。

　　以前有一位老和尚经年行脚，途中看到山脚下有一道光，老和尚觉得很奇怪，于是前去勘察究竟。到了山谷里面，看到一位老太太搭了一个篷子在那里修行。老和尚问：「老菩萨在这里用功多久了？」老太太回答：「二十多年了。」老和尚问：「你在这里用什么功？修什么行？」老太太说：「我念六字大明咒。」老和尚知道心念归一、心定了，自然就有光。老和尚问：「你是怎么念的？」老太太答：「唵嘛呢叭咪牛。」老和尚说：「老菩萨，你念错了，不是『唵嘛呢叭咪牛』，是『唵嘛呢叭咪吽』。」老太太听了以后，后悔得不得了：「糟糕了，我这二十年的修行白费了。好！现在开始念『唵嘛呢叭咪吽』。」老和尚离开后，回头一看，没有光了，再仔细观察，里面是一团黑气。老和尚知道老太太心生退悔，没有信心了。于是，老和尚回去跟老太太说：「老菩萨，我刚才是测验你的，你念的是对的。」老太太说：「师父！您真会捉弄人。」又重新念「唵嘛呢叭咪牛」，光又出现了。

　　这是有定而没有慧，不知道「归一」。持咒、念佛，念到能所俱空，要归于觉性。光也是虚妄的，不要理它。「凡所有相，皆是虚妄。若见诸相非相，即见如来」，这个就是道。明白这个道理，不要执着感应，听到什么、看到什么，动都不动一下，为什么？执着这些境界，就是舍本求末。觉性就是光，不要执着。经云：「净寂光通达，寂照含虚空」，法身无形无相，十方虚空都在这念心当中。所以，心要归一，假使心不归一，心散乱、心颠倒，什么都没有用。

(三)

　　过去，潭州龙山和尚在山上住茅篷，专门照顾这念心。有一位行者在山脚水沟里看到一片菜叶流下来，知道一定有修行人在深山里住，就沿着这条溪慢慢往上找，结果找到龙山和尚。龙山和尚看住在深山这么隐密的地方，还是被人找到，于是马上搬家，与外隔绝。现在的社会是做不到的，到处都有人，寸土寸金，再高的山都有人管理，所以，整个时间、空间都不一样了。龙山和尚把茅篷烧掉，又移新居，他说了一首偈子：「三间茅屋从来住，一道神光万境闲。」修行总是要有一个遮风避雨的地方，一坐下来，一个杂念都没有，只有这念心，白天如此，晚上也是如此，一年到头都是如此，这就是功夫。又说：「一池荷叶衣无数，满地松花食有余，刚被世人知住处，又移茅屋入深居。」这就是专修、保养圣胎。我们现在修习大乘佛法，在利他中完成自利。假使你有龙山和尚这个功夫，我们也有关房可供专修；但是，假使没有这个功夫，住在关房里无聊、打妄想，倒不如面对社会，福慧双修，发长远心。

　　道不离这念心，但是，一定要知道「道」在哪里。修行，一是修福报，我们平时在常住修福、在精舍弘法，这是慈悲、福德，结人缘、结善缘、结佛缘、结法缘、结欢喜缘；假使没有缘，就没有办法度众生。所谓「未成佛道，先结人缘」，要跟大众广结善缘，不能结恶缘，结了恶缘，处处都是荆棘、都是障碍，所以要结善缘、结佛缘，就能左右逢源。

　　修行就在这念心当中，提得起、放得下，放得下、提得起，最后就得自在，这就是「静中养成，动中磨炼」，始终不离开当下这念心。诸位听法这念心要作主、要分明，要有定、有慧。《老子》云：「天得一以清，地得一以宁」，没有天灾、没有雷电、没有风雪，整个虚空得一；有天灾，天就不一了。「地得一以宁」，没有地震、没有海啸、没有瘟疫、没有战争，大地就安宁了，就风调雨顺、国泰民安。「神得一以灵，谷得一以盈，万物得一以生，侯王得一以为天下贞。」所以，不但是佛法讲归心，世间所有一切都要归一、归零。人也要归零、归空、归觉，只有这念心，就能超凡入圣。

　　过去一切佛菩萨、一切圣贤，都是这样修出来的。假使不了解这些道理，就会走错路、走远路。所以，古德讲：「智人求心不求佛，愚人求佛不求心。」一般人到处去朝圣、到处去拜拜，为什么朝圣会挤死人？是不是圣不灵？大家要了解，圣在心当中，所谓：「佛在灵山莫远求，灵山只在汝心头；人人有个灵山塔，好向灵山塔下修」，心定、心净、心明、心空，烦恼漏尽，这就是佛。《六祖坛经》云：「离道别觅道，终身不见道，波波度一生，到头还自懊」，离开觉性，不知道检讨反省，不知道破除我执、法执、漏尽三惑，向外求佛，就是舍本求末。心当中的烦恼化除多少，心就净化多少。所以，修行要福慧双修、悲智双运、定慧等持。

(四)

　　什么是定慧等持？什么是福慧双修？什么是悲智双运？悲，就是慈悲，要救度众生，给大众方便，这就是慈悲、就是福报。什么是智？如《金刚经》云：「以无我、无人、无众生、无寿者，修一切善法」，而不执着一切善，「即得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提」。所以，三轮体空就是智，修了善法而不执着，就是智慧。什么叫作不执着？以布施而言，布施就是慈悲，有财布施、法布施、无畏布施，布施了以后，没有布施的对象、没有布施的财物、没有布施的自己，三轮体空，能所俱空。

　　救度众生，必须要用佛法来救。以救济而言，只能救急，不能救贫。每个人都有其因果，假使前世没有修福报，无论怎么帮助他都很困难。所以，救人可以救急，今天没有饭吃，我们给他三天、五天的饭吃；他身体有病，我们将他送医，这是慈悲心。但是，要让他终身富贵、终身健康，是不可能的事，必须要他自己去努力。所以，我们要用佛法告诉他，每个人有三世因果，要修善积福，检讨反省、惭愧忏悔，这样去努力，就能改变自己的命运，这就是我们的责任。古德云：「人为善，福虽未至，祸已远离；人为恶，祸虽未至，福已远离。」做了善事，虽然还没有看到善果，大祸已经远离了；假使造恶多端，虽然还没受报，不是不报，时候未到，一切都是有因有果的。

　　把这些真理传播给大众，就是救人救世。是从根本来救、从心来救，也就是端正知见。假使我们自己的知见不正，怎么去端正别人的知见？自己的心不净，怎么得到这种心地法门？所以，菩萨以禅悦为食，法喜充满，自己有法喜，才能把法布施给别人，对方才能得到法喜；自己有禅定的功夫，才知道这念清净的心、超越的心、归一的心，这个才是自己的法身慧命。了解这些道理，自己才有信心；假使自己都没有信心，自己都没有深入，怎么去弘扬佛法？只是舍本求末、有理无事，只能讲一讲道理，人家再进一步问你，就讲不出来了。

(五)

　　大乘佛法，就是在利他当中完成自利，自利当中才能利他，始终不离开群众、不离开社会、不离开大众，就是要悲智双运，定慧等持。什么是定慧等持？定就是不动，这念心不想过去、不想现在、不想未来，一念不生。假使不想过去、现在、未来，但这个心像石头、木头一样，也没有用，成了无想定，所以，要有慧。这个心不但不动，还要清楚、明白、作主，就是一个知。知觉要存在，这就是慧。定慧不二这念心就是无上道，需要自己去养成；假使不养成，也是没有用。

　　所以，打坐这念心要清楚、要明白，还要养成。如果只能保持定慧不二这念心一秒钟，功夫不够。所以要继续坐，发长远心。别人能保持二十分钟、三十分钟，你也能迎头赶上。假使能保持一个钟头，坐到一支好香，不要得少为足，要继续发心，支支都是好香。到了这个境界了，还要延长，打坐的时候也存在，走路的时候也存在，跑香的时候也存在，这是一个开始。慢慢地，白天也存在，晚上也存在，晚上不会作恶梦，远离梦想颠倒。所谓「圣人无梦」，因为心归一了，当然不会作梦。众生始终都在梦当中，所谓「人生如梦」，因为世间上所有一切都是虚妄不实的，确确实实是一个梦境。

　　贪财的人在作发财梦，贪色的人在作贪色的梦……一个念头就是一个梦，每个人都在梦境当中。所谓「三寸气在千般用，一日无常万事休」，「今日座上客，明日阶下囚」，气还存在时，什么都抓得死死的，什么都不放，一旦无常来临，什么都带不走。坏的念头是作恶梦，好的念头是作好梦。出家也是在作梦，作弘法的梦、建设道场的梦，这是好梦；但是，作了这些梦，也要能所俱空，达到不作梦的境界、无梦的境界。无梦就远离生死、远离颠倒，就是菩提心、无住心。

　　打坐的时候，这念心不但没有坏的念头，连好的念头也没有，能所俱空。所谓「有佛处不得住，无佛处急走过」，不着有、无两边，这念心超越时空，哪里还有梦？这就是《华严经》所说的「一真法界」，禅宗所说的「明心见性，见性成佛」，教下就是「菩提、涅槃」，是不作梦的境界。要达到这个境界，必须经过练习，最低限度不要作恶梦，只作好梦；等到统统都是好梦了，最后归于无念、无住、无为、无想、无相，不作梦的境界。如果不了解这个修行的层次，就会走错路、走远路。

　　打坐是先苦后甜，现在经过六天的熏修，自己检讨一下，妄想减少了没有？是不是没有妄想了？昏沉减少了没有？是不是没有昏沉了？这念菩提心现前了没有？菩提心就是无住心，诸位听法这念心不住有、不住空，不住明、不住暗，不住内、不住外，不住上、不住下，「一切无所住，诸佛常现前」。我们这念清净心、觉性，就是佛，不要向外寻找。如果不知道这个道理，不知道在这个地方用功，如何成道、如何成佛、如何得解脱？如何超凡入圣？方向找到了，照这个方向去走，走一步就是一步的光明；假使不走，一步光明都没有，始终都是在无明、烦恼、颠倒当中。

(六)

　　「佛者，觉也。」觉察、觉照、觉悟，做到没有？没有的话，就成了一种口头禅。因此，必须要落实觉察。觉察什么？往内照，回光返照。光，就是我们的智慧，而不是另外有什么光。这念智慧心现前，这念觉性现前，白天存在、晚上也存在，明也存在、暗也存在，顺境存在、逆境也存在，这就是光，有了这份光明，就不会走错路、不会走远路，步步都是光明。

　　觉，有本觉、始觉。一切众生都有本觉，虽然有本觉，但没有始觉。我们现在开始觉悟，就是始觉。从凡夫一直到功德圆满，无明漏尽，当中有六个层次，称为六即佛。这六个层次都是佛，但是如果没有觉悟，这六个层次都是众生；觉悟了，六个层次都是佛。

　　现在开始是始觉，继续用功，跟智者、圣者有一点点相同了，称为相似觉。再继续用功，「无明分分断，真如分分现」，就是分证觉。到达十地满心，称为等觉，弥勒菩萨就是等觉，将来时节因缘到了，就成无上正等正觉。觉，就是我们的觉性，必须自己实际在这里用功；假使不用功，什么都没有，就是不觉的众生。儒家也谈「觉」，如「先知先觉，后知后觉，不知不觉」。道本来就是现成的，但是我们心当中有无明、烦恼，要经过漫长的时间，把无明、烦恼统统沉淀、除掉，化腐朽为神奇。

　　禅宗祖师说：「生处转熟，熟处转生。」每个人心当中都有烦恼、都有垃圾，不能靠自杀或把身体烧掉来去除烦恼、垃圾，这是没有用的，只有忍耐、改进，只有净化自己、提升自己，这就要靠觉察的功夫。觉察到烦恼、昏沉、妄想一来，就把它照住。进一步，要把它照破。就好比我们心当中有小偷，小偷一来，就看着它。看着它，就是觉察。第二步，把它照破，把小偷变成好人。念佛也是一样，念佛就是看到心当中的烦恼，把它念破，这就是真念佛的人。否则，嘴巴在念，心当中在打妄想，是没有用的。憨山大师云：「口念弥陀心散乱，喉咙喊破也徒然。」为什么？口念、心也念，心念要照到烦恼那里念；念了以后，身口意三业就清净了，目的是在这里。

(七)

　　所有一切法门都是对治法门，例如：三十七助道品是「助道」，帮助我们成就道业；六波罗蜜也是助道；八万四千个法门都是助道品。道，本来就具足，诸位听法这念心就是道，这念觉性、这念清净心，就是道。佛经里有个譬喻，我们的觉性「如金在矿」，黄金和矿是同时存在的，每个人心当中都有金矿。金矿在哪里？在无明、烦恼当中。转化无明、烦恼，就是炼金。在禅堂里，经过七天的熏修、七天的锤炼，金现前了没有？如果没有，要继续不断地炼，把矿炼得干干净净，里面的纯金就会现前。

　　纯金，是指我们本具的清净心、本具的觉性、本具的佛性。真金不怕火炼，把纯金炼出来，永远不会再变成矿，就得到解脱，这就是理。了解理之后，动也如此，静也如此，无论行住坐卧，始终有这个理。悟到这个理，就称为入理圣人，入了理上的圣，还不是真正的圣。所谓「师父引进门，修行在个人」，禅七的主要目的就是把这个道理、这个方向，告诉每一个人。了解这个道理，就入门了。入什么门？入这个佛性之门、入这个心门。入了这个门，还要自己去用功，那就是功夫。

　　过去是见佛得度的根机，见到佛，佛说：「善来比丘，须发自落，法服着身。」马上就成道。因为原本只差一点点，只要增长你的信心，烦恼漏尽，就成阿罗汉果，但这种根机已经没有了，这是第一批。第二批，佛只讲四句话：「诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意，是诸佛教。」就成道了。第三批，佛讲经说法，修戒、修定、修慧，也能成道。现在的人是钝根，天天诵经、天天忏悔，每天都讲要息妄想，要回光返照，但是，一打坐始终就是昏沉，静下来心当中都是妄想，或是感觉无聊，这念清净心始终不现前，这是下根的人。

　　虽然如此，只要继续不断地用功、不断地熏修，最后总有桶底脱落、烦恼漏尽的一天。过去六天都在用功，不是白费的，由于有过去的磨炼，经过不断的努力，最后这一念清净心就会现前。所以，自己要有这个信心，还是要用功，就是「念而无念，修而无修，做而无做」，始终不离开善法──心只起善念，不起恶念；口只讲好话，不讲坏话；身只做善事，不做坏事──最低限度要达到这个程度，这是第一步。假使连第一步都没有走出去，要想成道，不是简单的事。「万丈高楼平地起」，佛法是以人为根本，人以心为根本，心以觉为根本。太虚大师曾说：「人成即佛成」，每个人都想成佛，最基本的要先完成人格；如同修建大楼，要先把地基打好，地基打好了，一步一步地建，就很简单了，此外，还要持之以恒。

(八)

　　太虚大师云：「仰止唯佛陀，完成在人格。」人格如何完成呢？以儒家来说，做到仁、义、礼、智、信五常，人格就完整了。家庭伦理、社会伦理、学校伦理、政治伦理，这就是人的根本。假使连这个观念都没有，是不容易的。人有人格，僧有僧格。我们出了家，成为僧众，要建立僧格，就要「诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意」，只起善念，不起恶念，起了恶念，把它照破，如三十七助道品里的四正勤──「已生善念令增长，未生善念令速生；已生恶念令灭除，未生恶念令不生」，「修一切善，无善不修；断一切恶，无恶不断；度一切众生，无众生不度」，修戒、定、慧三无漏学，先要从这个根本上做起。就等于学英文一样，要先把字母学好，发音要正，然后记生字……一步一步来，急也急不得。

　　「仰止唯佛陀，完成在人格，人成即佛成，是名真现实。」人格完整了，僧格完整了，然后要想成佛，就如同手掌翻过去是手背般易于达成。所以，做什么事情都要脚踏实地，一步一脚印，天下没有白吃的午餐，佛经也提到「没有天生的释迦、自然的弥勒」，一切都是一步一脚印走出来的。

　　我们从灵泉到中台，也是一步一脚印走过来的，这些成果不容易，也不是偶然的──出家众积极建设，弘扬佛法；在家居士出钱出力，聚沙成塔，集腋成裘。除了建设中台，还办佛学院、成立大专青年禅学会、建设精舍，历经千辛万苦。由于四众的努力，中台禅寺、精舍、佛学院、国小、国中、高中、博物馆都已建设完成，成就一个现代化的大丛林。有了这些成果，第一步成功了，不要得少为足，还要百尺竿头再进步，精进再精进。第二步，要继续用功修行、弘法，充实自己、提升自己，把佛法落实在日常生活上。所以，我们的禅七没有中断过，目的就是在充实自己、净化自己、提升自己；各地的精舍也没有休息过，有各级禅修班，还有种种活动，这些都是同时进行，才有今天这种成果。

　　古德云：「百尺竿头坐底人，虽然得入未为真；百尺竿头须进步，十方世界现全身。」「百尺竿头坐底人」是什么人呢？就是阿罗汉。证到阿罗汉果，证到空，称为无学位。虽然站在最高「空」的境界，心空境寂，入了涅槃，但是，住在空当中，离开了群众，缺乏大慈悲心，智慧、福德还没有完全圆满，所以要再进步才能达到三觉圆满，自觉、觉他、觉满，既能自利，又能利他。如何再进步？就是不住在空当中，和光同尘，把佛法落实在日常生活上，随缘度众，这就是「十方世界现全身」，空当中还有妙有。最终，要达到无住心，修一切善，不执着一切善；度一切众生，无一众生可度。如释迦牟尼佛所说，虽然说法四十九年，却没有说一句法；度了无量无边众生，却没有一个众生可度。虽然没有说法，还是积极地说法；虽然没有度一个众生，又积极不断地度众生。这就是「百尺竿头须进步，十方世界现全身」。

　　明天还有半天的时间，没有坐到好香，不要灰心，继续努力，说不定下一分钟好香就现前，要有这个信心。就如同走路到台北，已经走百分之九十的路程了，要继续不断地走，最后一定能到台北。又等于挖金矿一样，拚命挖了十天、二十天、一个月……还没有看到金矿，你就停止了，其实只差一点点，最后一锄，金矿就现前了。所以，连最后一分钟、最后一秒钟都不要放弃。刚开始经过一天、二天、三天……，还在昏沉、妄想当中，不要灰心，就是这样坐下去，最后「一念相应成正觉」，跟清净心、无为心相应，好香就现前。

　　有了这支好香，就增加了信心。以后照这个方法，在动静闲忙当中继续用功。每个人都有一份，没有哪个人没有，只要有恒心、有信心，如儒家所说，「如切如磋，如琢如磨」，继续不断地坐。功夫是用出来的，不用就没有，用就有希望，持之以恒，就能成功。这念心是本具的，不作佛求、不作法求、不作僧求、不作众生求，一切无所求。狂心顿歇，歇即菩提！

Although it is not something that we are born with, sadly many people like to gossip about others. The faults that we see in others are simply the reflection of our own shortcomings. Therefore, the best way to judge others is based on their positive contributions and good qualities, not on the things that we want them to be. Thus, if we see faults in others, we should be more compassionate and caring, because if we were in their shoes, gossiping would only make us feel hurt.

-- Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche

How to Communicate with your parents without tearing your hair out

by Venerable Faxun

Many teen often appear angelic outside their homes, but parents complain just as often that their teems have no respect for elders or lie without batting an eyelid… the list goes on. While they (parents and teens) may try very hard to communicate with each other, very often, conversations end up in heated arguments. Each party is unable to handle effectively the tension that builds up quickly, resulting in temper exploding or cold wars with either or both parties refusing to talk to each other!

The Buddha’s teaching on Right Speech is instructive in addressing and resolving this modern issue of communication between parents and children. A good teaching is one that we can apply directly in our day-to-day living and this reaching on Right Speech is certainly one. It is something practical which we can use to transform harsh speech into gentle speech, and false speech into truthful speech.

Here is a typical conflict scenario involving parents and their teen. Teenager Joan made an appointment with a friend to study in a library at a nearby town centre after school the next day. She informed her parents out of responsibility and respect. Her parents expected her to be home by 5pm, as granny would be visiting that evening before flying off to China. Joan promised her parents to be back by then.

So the next day, Joan and her friend proceeded with their plan, but arrived late at the library as they were held up in school by their teacher and were caught in traffic. They were deeply engrossed in their studies at the library when at 5pm, Joan’s mother called, half screaming on the phone. Hearing her mum’s angry voice, Joan looked at her watch and realised that she was late. She turned the phone off in a panic, not knowing what to say at that moment! When Joan got home and was questioned why she had turned the phone off during the call, she lied that the battery had gone flat.

Teenagers often resort to telling lies out of desperation. Most know when they are wrong; they also know it is not right to lie. Yet often, out of fear of being scolded or punished, they try to get out of unpleasant situations by lying, with the hope of covering up their mistakes.

Taking an objective view, Joan obviously felt agitated and frustrated about the whole situation. A noble deed to help a friend with studies turned into a situation beyond her control as she was held up by their teacher and caught in a traffic jam; these had not been taken into account in her plan. She would have also felt guilty for not keeping to the promise to be home by 5pm. Emotionally, there was guilt, frustration, probably anger too. An intended action of goodness turned into an unpleasant situation through no fault of her own. Upsetting indeed!

Her parents, on the other hand, were probably worried when Joan did not return home at the expected time. Could she have met with an accident? Did something bad happen? Or, they might be upset that their daughter had no sense of punctuality. In particular, Joan’s mother probably felt angry to be cut off when she called Joan, and might have guessed that Joan had lied about the battery being flat. It would have been too easy to check on the battery level, but such an act of mistrust would only aggravate the whole situation. Experiential interactions with teenagers reveal that many usually do not know how to handle broken promises (especially with authoritarian parents who scold at the slightest provocation, even when truth is spoken). Out of desperation or fear of have the face the music, they resort to temporary measures of ‘escapes’ such as shutting off their phones or telling lies. Often, they are not aware of the consequences of their actions. While they yearn so much for trust and freedom from their parents, by their reactive actions, they break the trust for which they yearn. Many are constantly caught in such a situations and do not know how to cope or get out of the cycle. Such frustrating experiences often result in confused and conflicting emotions and feelings – often the very cause of dysfunctional communication between children, especially young teens and their parents.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR TEENS …..

1. Reflection

Instead of getting angry or frustrated, it would be more helpful to calm your mind, check your action and reflect upon it. How do you see yourself when shutting off the phone and lying to your parents? How do you feel? How would your parents feel? How do you prevent something similar from happening again so that you gain the trust of your parents? What would be a better approach so that you don’t lose the trust of your parents regarding your time management or sense of responsibility, while showing care and concern for your friend at the same time?

2. Keep Calm and Be Truthful

Most teens resort to lying out of desperation to cover up a mistakes they have made. As a result, they end up telling one lie after another to cover up the previous one. The way out of this endless cycle is to learn to keep clam and be truthful.

THE PRINCIPLE IS ALWAYS TO BE SINCERE AND TRUTHFUL.

Instead of reacting in an escapist manner, when confronted with a situation which feels threatening or which you feel you do not know how to deal with, take a deep breath and breathe out the anxiety and fear. Then explain the situation by telling the truth.

In the Digha Nikaya, the Buddha says: “By giving up false speech, one becomes a speaker of truth….thus becoming a trustworthy and reliable person….. Giving up harsh speech, he says what is gentle and pleasant, pleasing to the ear, affectionate and like by most (DN1).” There is no more necessity to lie.

Taking the earlier scenario as an example, Joan should simply explain the situation, that she was held up by the teacher and caught in the traffic, etc. Furthermore, not only do we need to explain, we need to explain calmly and clearly, and not get caught up in our emotions. Always be kind and gentle in your speech.

3. Courage and Acceptance

Most teen know that it is their fault for not keeping a promise. But they are just too afraid to face the music. It might be helpful to seek inspiration from the life stories of great people in the past. For example, George Washington, the first president of America, chopped down his father’s favourite cherry tree but was brave enough to admit his deed when questioned. We need to learn to be courageous, admit our misdeeds and accept the punishment, if any. Courage is a good attribute (quality) to develop. It will certainly enhances our development as responsible adult.

4. Responsibility and Trust-Building

It is your responsibility to inform your parents if you are late. For example, if you are caught up in a traffic jam, you could simply use your mobile phone to send a text message, or better, telephone one of your parents to tell them why you will be late. Do not wait for your parents to call you. Such an act of responsibility will certainly build your parents’ trust in you.

5. Time Management

Some teens simply lack time management skills. When your parents ask when you will be home, you should not give an unrealistic time. Otherwise, you will be unable to keep to the time promised. The ultimate consequence is that your parents become upset and you lose even more trust from your parents.

Learn to work out how much time is needed to travel from point A to point B. Let’s take the earlier case as and example again – in this case, library to home. In addition Joan will also need to factor in time for packing-up, time for lunch, even for answering nature’s call, and also have some time allocated for walking between bus stops and train stations; even time waiting for the bus and train.

Likewise, after you have worked out a realistic time, you may wish to add a few extra minutes’ allowance to ensure you return home on time or even earlier.

6. Empathy

Try to put yourself in the shoes of your parents. How would your parents feel when you are not home by the promise time? Most parents would worry. They become concerned for their beloved child – are you in an accident? Are you safe?

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU ARE A PARENT?

7. Patience

Be patient; it takes time for you to earn your parents’ trust. If you continue to act in a responsible an mature way, eventually you will gain their trust.

Parents will usually let go and give you more freedom once they notice you are mature and responsible.

Saint Francis de Sales said what was necessary for a contemplative life was “a cup of understanding, a barrel of love, and an ocean of patience.”

In essence, we need to re-learn the ancient wisdom handed down by the ancient sages. The Right Speech in the Noble Eightfold Path and the Buddhist Teaching on Loving-Kindness is a good guideline for more effective communication.