Have a mind that is open to everything, and attach to nothing.

-- Tilopa

学佛先从做人起

太虚大师

在佛典里有这样的两句话：“人身难得，佛法难闻”。今天在座的诸君，已是一个人世间的人，又能来到这儿听讲佛法，因此，我今天特提出此“学佛先从做人起”来讲。我们还保存着这人的身体，但在世间的难疗的生死中，我们说不定会堕诸恶道，到那时，有谁来听你的一腔哀声？所以，做了人，倘若不学佛法，岂不是在人生道上空跑一趟吗？因此，不由的想到“人身难得，佛法难闻”的意义，引起我讲此题的动机。

先从做人讲起如我们现在所得的人生，有什么善因，有什么胜缘而得来的呢？既得了人身，生活在这无边的人海里，要怎样的次养它、维持它才能够很安善的的过这一生呢？更进一步讲，要怎样使其了知人生的真意义而且得到人生最高的真价值，才不辜负这人身呢？——这问题，一到深处，便必须学佛才有解决的希望，否则生死难关冲不破，弄到“船沉人尽”沉到生死海里，毕竟失了人身难得的真意义和价值了。

我们毕竟是人世间的人，我们不是披戴角的动物，因为我们有人的身体。然而；我们的人身，究竟从何而来呢？我们的回答是：（1）从自身过去世造作了能得人身果报的福业——因，再凭藉了现在世（2）父（3）母的遗体——缘。由此，可知道我们此身的来之不易。倘若没有过去世福业的因，和现在世父母的缘，我们做人基础的身体即无由成立。了知构成此身体的因和缘，所以我们要继续培修福业，而同时对于父母要孝顺恭敬奉养，这是人生应作的第一要事——培本报恩，也即是开关未来世的升进之路！

我们从生身起以至老死，每天所需要的衣食住行之具，从何而来？你如果肚皮俄了，有食物来充饥；冷了，有衣服来遮体；风雨聋来，有房屋给你住，你如果往何处去，有道路给你走。这些资生的赠与，都是仗人类互助的能力——大众的力量而得到的。人世间林农工商的共同的能力，维持了你的生命，资养了你的生命；换句话说：你的生命完全倚靠社会大众的能力来维持、资养。所以你要去服务社会，替社会谋利益，凡是社会各种辛苦事业，你要耐劳的去做——这是第二报酬于社会的。

人生在世，要怎能样才能安居乐业？固然，我们的生命由社会群众的力量来资养，但社会如何能使它安宁？我们常能得到丰乐的生活呢？这即是要有国家。有国家，则有政治、法律；对外有保护疆土之实的军队，使强暴之外患不能侵入，奸逆之内乱可以弭除，即天灾疫难，亦可设法防止。若无国家，不但外患无法抵御，国内人民的生命也没有保障，生活也没有安宁，要报父母、社会恩亦无从报起。所以，我们更要报答国家恩，大家要以爱国心为前提！在今日众敌围攻的中国，我们中国的国民，英勇的将士，慷慨的豪杰，应在众敌环攻之时，一致奋起建设光荣的国家吧！

不瞒你们说，如果前三种能够“实践躬行”的做得到，也只是一个平庸的人，还没有了解人之所以为人的真意义，也没有得到不虚生而为人的最高价值；所以，这里要说明进德修道的第四点。德者，德行也。即以做人而言，因为过去世造作了德行的福业，才有现在世的人身。所以，我们在享受人世间福乐的时候，我们要能在人生道上更进一步。好像每次出门做生意，必须多赚得几分利息回去，决不要亏了本。我们做人亦然，要一生一生的上升，不要糊裹糊涂的醉生梦死，要企图向上进步。因为要进德，所以我们要修道；要依据真正贯通万事万法的道理——佛法去修习，我们才能进德。倘若此生所修的福德，比较前世更进了一步，也就不“枉在人间走一遭”！谈到进德修道，则对于现前的师长以及古昔的圣贤，都有恭敬亲近的需要。由是而观察到圣中之圣的佛，觉得唯有他能以究竟圆满的教法教授我们。我们不但要去礼拜，同时要依佛的教法去信、解、行、证。不然，难于超越生死苦海的厄难，人面兽心的样子也不易变化了！所以，要进德修道，便须依佛而学，走上学佛的道路，因为佛是圣中之圣啊！怎么知道佛是圣中之圣呢？我们要知道：佛原是人类中的一人，不是另外的什么怪异，不过是我们最完全的模范——人天师而已。“佛”是焚语，此云觉者。为什么称他为觉者？难道我们没有觉吗？不错，我们也有觉，但不是常觉，不是普遍觉。例如：我们生死在人间，生不知从何而来，死不知向何处去；对于世事，也许只知其一不知其二；所以有许多错误颠倒，邪见丛生。佛呢，他是自觉、觉他、觉行圆满的究竟觉悟的大觉者！假若你要了解人生真义，免除人生道上的危险，应找这条道儿走，这就是要依佛的教法请明师指教去修行——归依三宝。依佛的法而行住坐卧不离，才有出离生死苦海之一日！

人生究竟是捉不住的！随着一叠叠的波浪而来去，不能自主，犹如航海，无一时不是过着波浪漂泊的生涯。在渺茫的生命道上，除非依佛法的道理——经典去研究，进而实行，将自己的身心以佛理来范围它，才能稳登彼岸。要使我们的思想与佛的思想合一，要以五戒十善为根本。五戒是戒杀、盗、淫、妄、酒。十善是不杀、不盗、不淫（这是身三种）、不两舌、不恶口、不妄语、不绮语（这是口四种）、不贪、不嗔、不痴（这是意三种）。若能如此，再进而修习禅定，自然能对诸经典不要他人讲解，而能自己发明，而有真的智慧生起，渐渐证入佛的真理的境界。

以上，关于学佛的大意已讲完了。你要是能行前三种，只能说勉强算个人，不过空空泛泛地做人，没有了知人生真意义，没有得到人生真价值。若要了知人生真意义和得到人生真价值，要看你能行第四种到如何程度为标准。若能行此第四种，则人生永远是上进的。此第四种是修学戒定慧的途径，是佛法的精髓。——如今再回到“人身难得，佛法难闻”的意义。在佛法，这是启示人生的理智的方法——就是说：人为万物之灵，佛法唯人类才可以修学，由此可见到人生真价值之所在。如今，我们是人身难得今已得，佛法难闻今已闻。这种机缘颇不易得；即来到这人世间，即入宝山，切莫空手而归！我们要誓愿成佛，才能获得做人的真价值！

It is very difficult to practice Dharma due to the habits of disturbing emotions that keep us attached to the worldly preoccupations of this life. It's as if you have to climb a mountain with a burden of heavy baggage on your back. You have to undertake a very long and arduous journey in your Dharma practice, but it is very easy for you to lose your footing and fall down on the way. Furthermore, your fall back down again will be very swift, much swifter and further than for those who do not carry much of this kind of baggage. When you climb up a steep mountain, it is very difficult and very tiring, similarly the practise of Dharma is also challenging. To achieve ultimate happiness you have to maintain Dharma practise diligently. When you practice Dharma, you have to abandon any doubts and practice it with a single-pointed mind. There is no need to have doubts concerning Dharma, because since time without beginning, an ocean of practitioners have already attained enlightenment through this kind of practice. 

-- His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

Luminosity of the Mind

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

In relation to the nature of mind, what is luminosity? In this respect it might be interesting to reflect on a passage which one finds in certain texts which says that ‘between the arisal of different instances of conceptual thought, the clear light nature of mind arises uninterruptedly’.

Say you look at an object which doesn’t have bright colours but is rather subdued in colour and not very attractive. And you look at it for a while. Then, while looking at this object, you make the determination: ‘I shall retain my concentration in order to focus my attention upon my own perception, upon my own experience. And I shall not allow myself to be distracted by other objects, external or internal.’ With such mindfulness, you will be able to recognise the very moment your mind is distracted. For example, you hear a beautiful tune and you are distracted by it, but you immediately realise you are distracted, reinforce your mindfulness, and withdraw from it. Similarly, if you recollect past events, you will immediately realise that you have become distracted. Or if you have preconceptions of the future, you will also be able to identify that your mind has become distracted.

So, normally, it is these types of thoughts which come into being at any given moment and which obscure the essential nature of our minds. When this technique of mindfulness is utilised, therefore, of maintaining attention on the perception of the object in front of us, as and when a distraction arises, we are able to identify it and to withdraw from such distractions. Thus, eventually, all these conceptual events, the cognitive processes that obscure the natural state of the mind, will be cleared away. And the result will be a very stable and lucid state of mind.

The mind is an affirmative phenomenon, but on the ordinary level, it is obscured by concepts, different states of thinking and preconceptions, and so on. In order to recognise the essential nature of the mind, therefore, we have to peel off these different layers and clear away these obscurations. Then we shall see the true face of our own minds.

If you undertake such practices, such experiments, when you say ‘consciousness’, it will not be a mere word. You will be able to understand what it is. Consciousness is a phenomenon that is non obstructive; it is nonphysical and has the quality of luminosity. It is analogous to a crystal. If a crystal is placed on a coloured surface, the real clarity of that crystal will not be seen. If it is removed from anything coloured, however, then its real form will be seen.

The luminosity of the mind, the nature of clarity of the mind, is something that I cannot simply explain in words to you. But if you undertake this kind of experiment on your own, you will begin to understand,’ Ah, that’s the luminosity of the mind!’

Despite its omnipresence, we do not take notice of impermanence until unexpected or even drastic changes occur. Consequently, we misperceive impermanence as the maker of life's misery, not knowing that our own fear of change is the real culprit.

-- Khenpo Sherab Zangpo Rinpoche

修行路上做到这一点 你的修行就会越来越好

智敏上师

我们学法的目的是闻思修的过程，法听过以后，心中应有所触动，不光是听闻了算数。我们学的就是修的，有多少的闻慧，便有多少的思慧，有多少的思慧，才有多少的修慧。而要广大听闻，又必须积资净障资粮聚集好了，方能听闻获得利益。

而普遍存在着一种思想：学法只重表面，加行不愿修，殿也不肯上，就是拿着本书要听经、听磁带、要自己研究。如此是否真正能得解脱利益？末法时期，要广大听闻，表面上看是在努力，而这个还需要资粮的积聚方能收效，正好《福智之声》第83期，谈到广大听闻与净罪集资，没有集资净障的前提，你虽广大听闻，却听不进去的，有时还会毁谤。

如果你广大听闻而不清楚，这时候赶快去广大积集资粮，再去听闻，就会听得更清楚，更深刻地了解。我们中间，有些人学法，皮面上了解一点，深刻的不谈了，即使皮面上的了解，也是根据自己主观的理解。到底对不对，还不敢说，这就不够了。没有广大的集资净障，不管你学得那么多，都不会有真正修持的进步，犹如种花，需要阳光、空气、土壤、水分等缘，不管缺了哪一方面，都不会开出理想的花朵。

如何集资？礼拜、绕塔、布施、供养、持咒等等，这些都是积聚资粮的方式，而要净罪则是通过“四力门”以此忏悔过现罪业。这些不做到，光靠听经是不会去除五欲的。又在此中，如礼拜等，不但能净障，甚至能开智慧，如五台山某法师拜《华严经》，到最后，不但罪障消除，智慧也开了。所以一个法有多种作用。《四加行》里的法，集资净障都安排好了，而我们有的人来了很长时间，连“四皈依”都不修，结果便是信心不坚固，在这里修不起，便跑回去，回去后又感不适应，又再来，来了又不修，跑来跑去，最后什么也未学到。所以我们学了法，要时常用法去观察，俾在事上起用，不要在文字上纠缠。

在广大听闻中，若过去造有许多恶业，当此业障来上，不管你怎么学，也抵不住。虽然你很用功，很努力，但是罪未忏净，便不会有什么进步，甚至于退道，业障来时，则会使你害病，或者出魔障，甚至还有生命的危险。如过去传说中，经常听到某些人，念书多年，去京城赶考，在其考试房间里，若过去有怨业，便会出魔障，以前的冤鬼找上，使他考不上，甚至命也送掉。

在佛教里，这种情况也很多，尤其在受三坛大戒。最现实的，我们这里的宗归师，他在五台山受戒时，出障，他有一天眼睛一幌，见一人来，此人是他以前针灸治病扎瞎了眼的，见后，两眼就开始发炎，继而两眼红肿如球，最后渐成两块蛋白似的，如果在登坛前内不治好，便不能受戒，幸亏他通过佛前忏悔求加持，又有几位师父的帮助，去台山针灸，才化险为夷。在大型传戒法会中，几乎每次授戒，都会出障。有些人明天就要登坛，而今天便死掉了。这些都是以前的业现起，障碍他们趋向清净解脱。

所以要忏除身口的恶业，便是要集资净障。而侍候上师，为上师执事，则是净除罪障最好的方法，这其中身口意都包括了。如所举之仲登巴，因为承事上师，使他成为阿底峡尊者弟子中成就最大的一个。

If one is distracted by characteristics without dwelling in the state of realisation, one will not be able to avert the traces of the characteristics of dualistic appearances, though it seems a particle is in the eye of one with ophthalmia, the ophthalmic appearance cannot be repaired without curing the eye disease. 

-- Mahasiddha Virupa

Awareness, from the Moment You Wake Up

by Sayadaw U Tejaniya

A meditator’s job is to remember to be aware.

Whether you are standing, sitting, lying down, or walking, if you remember that you are aware, then you are meditating, and you are cultivating the positive qualities of the mind.

We always start with awareness. It is that quality that grounds us and allows all the wholesome mind-states to arise, especially the quality of wisdom. When awareness and wisdom are working together like this, we gain the confidence and the motivation to keep exploring and moving into the uncharted regions of our minds, where suffering gets started at a subtle level.

What the mind is aware of — the objects of awareness such as sensations, thoughts, perceptions, and emotions — isn’t really important. What’s important is the quality of the observing mind that is always working in the background to be aware. The more we remember to be aware, the more we nourish the wisdom that dissolves stress and suffering.

Wisdom is what this practice is about. It is the quality of mind that understands the true nature of reality. It becomes the compass that points the way as we try to understand and remove the mind’s three unwholesome roots of craving, aversion, and delusion.

As individuals, we don’t really know how to deal with the three unskilful root qualities of mind. That’s why the right thing to do in practice is to grow the wisdom quality of mind, which knows how to remove the unwholesome roots. Awareness grows wisdom. So, rely on wisdom; it will stand by you.

Forget the idea that meditation happens only on a cushion or in the meditation hall. Meditation is so important that we need to do it all the time, whenever we can remember. We should meditate from the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep.

It is the nature of mind to arise and pass away every moment, but each moment leaves a legacy for the next moment. That’s why it’s important to cultivate the mind’s wholesome qualities such as patience, perseverance, joy, and equanimity — so that they become the legacy that is passed on. Once we learn how to be continuously aware with wisdom, all of the positive qualities of mind will naturally follow. Cultivating the wholesome and positive qualities of mind is the aim of meditation. These, not “I,” are the qualities at work in meditation.

Five of the mind’s positive qualities, called the “spiritual faculties,” are especially important to cultivate in meditation. When these five qualities are in balance, they develop wisdom, the fifth quality of mind, considered the foremost because wisdom dissolves suffering.

The five spiritual faculties are:

Confidence (trust in the practice)

Energy (continuous effort)

Mindfulness (remembering to be aware)

Stability of mind (calmness, stillness)

Wisdom (understanding the nature of reality)

When meditation is going well, these five qualities work together in a virtuous cycle that strengthens the mind’s wholesome qualities over and over again. First, confidence in the practice supports continuous effort, which in turn strengthens mindfulness, stability of mind, and wisdom. Each new glimpse of wisdom further strengthens confidence in the practice, and the cycle continues.

The qualities of our mind — whether they are positive or negative in any given moment — will grow stronger and stronger if you allow them to remain. We must practice nonstop to make what’s in the mind positive in every moment, because if it’s not positive, it’s going to be negative. Practising in this way, we incrementally displace the old cycle of craving, aversion, and delusion with a new cycle of natural awareness, clarity, and wisdom.

Now let’s consider three basic principles of meditation practice: right effort, right view, and right attitude.

RIGHT EFFORT: BE AWARE CONTINUOUSLY 

Right effort is continuous effort. Continuously reminding yourself to be aware is right effort.

Every day we wake up, we open our eyes, and seeing begins to happen. But how often do we consciously notice this? When we do, that is awareness. It is the realisation of our present moment experience. That’s all.

Simple awareness isn’t tiring at all. Do you need to concentrate or focus to know that you are seeing? No. So long as you are aware of something in your being, you are aware. Whatever you know is fine. It can be any of the six sense perceptions — seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, or thinking.

In the Buddha’s teaching, thinking is considered to be a sixth sense perception. Each time a sense is perceived, a “sense door,” which is an organ of perception (eye, ear, nose, body, tongue, mind), meets the object that is perceived (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, thought). Each meeting at a sense door gives rise to a moment of consciousness in which the object of perception is known.

Effort directed at remaining aware does not require much energy. It isn’t difficult to be aware — it’s just difficult to do it continuously! You do not need to know every detail of your experience.

Just be aware and know what you are aware of.

How much effort do you think it requires to be aware? Let’s try a live demonstration with ourselves as guinea pigs. You are sitting. Are you aware that you are sitting? You are seeing. Are you aware that you are seeing? Yes? Are you sure? When did you begin to notice that you are seeing, that seeing is happening? It was just now when I asked you, wasn’t it?

When we aren’t skilled enough at practising with right effort, we will either put in too much effort or not enough effort.

It is important, especially when you are beginning a meditation practice, that you don’t overexert, such as by trying hard to focus on an object or to create a pleasant state of mind.

RELAX THE MIND

The meditating mind must be relaxed. We should never focus too much or try too hard. Right effort isn’t about intensely focusing attention on something.

Whenever we strive to experience something pleasant or to avoid something unpleasant, we get tired. The meditating mind, the mind that is doing the work of meditation, must be a wholesome mind. In a wholesome mind, the qualities of confidence, energy, mindfulness, stability of mind, and wisdom are at work replacing desire, aversion, and delusion, at least to some degree.

However, sometimes when we make an effort, we do so unskilfully. At these times, one or more of the three unwholesome roots come into the mind, and our effort becomes wrong effort.

Whenever craving, aversion, or delusion is present and motivating the practice, we begin to overexert. When we want experience to be a certain way, that’s craving, and we start to strive and to put in too much effort. When we are dissatisfied with something, that’s aversion, and we try to avoid it or make it go away. Focusing hard makes us tired. It’s happening because of craving, aversion, or ignorance of the practice. We need to soften our focus and relax. There should be continuous effort but not exertion.

BE COOL, CALM, AND INTERESTED

Instead of using energy to focus, use intelligence and wisdom by waiting and watching. Right effort is called “right” because there is a lot of wisdom present.

Be cool and calm. Be interested. Accept, examine, and study whatever is happening as it is. Don’t interfere with what is happening. Don’t try to make something unwanted disappear or stop. Don’t try to create preferred experiences.

Notice that the mind is doing its own work through recognising, being aware, knowing, thinking about the practice, and being interested. We’re just seeing and acknowledging the work that the mind is already doing.

Right effort is to keep reminding yourself to be aware.

It’s easy to be aware, because all we can truly be aware of is our six senses — seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, or thinking. So in any moment, all we need to do to be aware is to ask questions like “What is being seen now?” “What sounds are being heard?” “What thoughts are being known?”

You should meditate in this way all day long.

CONSERVE ENERGY

Don’t put in big bursts of effort, or you will run out of steam. Conserve energy so you keep going all day.

It is very important to keep trying to maintain the intention to remain aware all the time, whether awareness is actually continuous or not. This points to another quality of right effort: persistence. It’s not a forceful effort but rather an inner determination to sustain the tiny bit of energy you need in each moment to know you are aware and to keep that going.

Keep up the intention and the commitment, and don’t give up. Persevere throughout the day. It takes some practice because in order for awareness to become constant it needs to become a habit. For something to become a habit, we have to keep after it all the time.

In the beginning, awareness is always on and off, on and off, and we just persevere. When we remember, we keep going. We forget, we remember, we keep going. We need to be aware of ourselves continuously in all postures, whether standing, sitting, walking, or lying down.

When we lie down, we must exercise the mind more, otherwise we’ll fall asleep. The mind doesn’t have to support the body in an upright posture, so all the effort must be geared toward being aware. If we become too relaxed, we’ll doze off. It certainly is okay to practice lying down — just be careful not to fall asleep! Check in frequently to notice the energy you are using and to make sure you are practising with right effort.

CHECK FREQUENTLY FOR THE UNWHOLESOME ROOTS 

Automatic liking and disliking of objects in awareness tends to compel most of the actions in our daily life. It’s the habit of our minds. So it’s not a surprise that this habit shows up in meditation and tries to run the show there too.

We need to thoroughly understand how much the three unskilful root qualities of mind are torturing and tormenting us. We haven’t learned this lesson fully yet. We don’t learn our lesson the first time, the second time, the third time.

When the unwholesome roots arise, we usually welcome them into our homes as guests and serve them tea and biscuits. Isn’t that true? Our lists of likes and dislikes, for example, form a large part of our personalities that we are attached to. We’ll only turn for help from wholesome qualities when we realise the unskilful qualities are running our lives and we can no longer stand them.

The unwholesome root qualities are tough to understand. That’s why you must always, always be interested in the mind and continually learn about it. We’re not trying to get rid of unskilful qualities; instead, we’re working to notice them and to learn about them. We want to know their true nature.

Meditation is the recognition of gross and subtle forms of craving, aversion, delusion, and all of their relatives that are present in the mind while it is observing objects.

Check the mind frequently to see if the unskilful qualities are pushing your practice.

RIGHT VIEW: THE MIND IS NATURE, NOT “ME”

Right view is the understanding that the mind is nature, not an “I” or “me.”

The mind is not a self. It is not personal; it’s not me, not mine. No one is there. This is right view, and we practice to discover this nature.

Right view needs to be present in the mind even before awareness, because if your awareness lacks right view, you will become entangled in craving, aversion, and confusion.

When we look clearly at “what is” by practising awareness with right view, wisdom begins to arise. This begins to give us a clear picture of the way things are, which is the nature of reality toward which the Buddha pointed. This is how to develop right view.

Our conditioned and habitual view of our world is that the process of mind and matter is “me.” I’m looking at “me.” I know “me.” But we can’t meditate to develop wisdom using this point of view.

If we think of the body or the mind as “me,” then craving, aversion, and confusion will arise. If we think we are having a good experience, we will start attaching to it or try to create more of it — that’s craving. If we think we are having a bad experience, we will start denying it, avoiding it, or pushing it away — that’s aversion. If the mind is spaced out and missing everything or busy rationalising and defending our craving and aversion, that’s confusion.

When we practice awareness with right view, we come into intimate contact with life. We begin to understand what it is really like to live life as a human being. Understanding right view cannot be achieved by the ego, the sense of “me.” Instead, with a calm and clear mind, we simply watch every experience just as it is. Then the understanding of right view — the not-self nature of experience — will unfold.

WHAT KNOWS VS. WHAT IS KNOWN 

When we are practising, there are always two things involved: objects that are known and the mind that is knowing these objects. Together these two — what is known and what knows — form a unity of experience that arises moment after moment. This is important to remember.

The mind is that which knows. We call things that are known “objects.” Objects include any of the five sense perceptions, such as sights, sounds, tastes, touch, smells, and thoughts, which are objects of mind, usually in the form of words or images.

Objects appear spontaneously. When we know an object, we don’t have to change it or improve it, nor could we do so anyway. An object doesn’t have to be anything other than what it is. It is just what it is, and it can’t be altered or changed.

But what we can do in the present moment is work with the mind that knows. We can make sure the mind has right view and that it is working in the right way. We can bring these qualities of mind to bear in the present moment by being aware.

The work of meditation is thus the work of the mind that knows all objects of awareness. Meditation is the work of the mind.

INVESTIGATE THINKING

When we meditate, do we think it is good to have a lot of thoughts in the mind? Or do we think it is better to have only a few thoughts, or even no thoughts in the mind?

If we believe it’s better to have few or no thoughts in the mind, then we are likely to resist thinking whenever thoughts arise in the mind.

But thinking is just nature. Can we stop nature or avoid nature? It’s impossible. Instead, we merely need to see that thinking is nature. That is right view. With this view, we can start to skilfully live with thinking instead of resisting the nature that is thinking.

You need to be able to recognise when the mind is thinking, but not get entangled in what is being thought. There is no need to get caught in the story your thoughts are telling. There is no need to automatically believe that the story running in the mind is true.

Rather, be interested in the fact that the mind is thinking. It’s a process that is happening. If you are not used to acknowledging that the mind is thinking, go back to whatever else you were being aware of, such as the breath or sensations in the body. Don’t stay just with the mind, because you can then get lost in thought.

If you frequently give yourself the opportunity to acknowledge the thinking mind, you will get to the point where you begin to see that this is mind. Then you can know it and not get lost in thought. There is a difference between being lost in thought, which is wandering mind, and being aware of thinking while thinking.

We begin to recognise that we can objectively know “this is mind.” We realise “this is mind, mind is thinking.” Once we learn how to see the mind objectively in this way, then we don’t get lost in thought. It won’t happen.

NOTICE THE INTENTION TO THINK

When the mind is thinking continuously and we become aware of it, it’s not enough to just know the mind is thinking. We should try to notice the intention to think. The mind wants to think. We want to become able to see this desire clearly. Sometimes when we ask ourselves, “Why is my mind thinking so much?” we are able to detect the desire to think.

When we look at thoughts in this way, we become able to understand certain processes such as cause and effect relationships between the mind and body, or how the mind labels “right” and “wrong.” We’re not interested in the content of the thoughts. We want to understand the phenomenon of thinking, especially in relation to the unskilful qualities of wanting certain things to happen (for example, wanting certain kinds of thoughts or images to arise in the mind) and other things not to happen (such as certain thoughts we don’t want to arise).

We can observe these processes clearly in relation to sounds we hear during meditation. See how the mind immediately labels such sounds as “good” or “bad.” We enjoy “good” sounds that we hear, such as the sounds of bells chiming, birds singing, or leaves rustling in the wind, and we grasp at them in the mind. We like them and want to experience them more. We don’t want them to stop. Likewise, we try to block out the “bad” sounds we hear, such as car traffic or construction noise.

It doesn’t matter how well you are concentrating. You could be in the depths of concentration, but when you hear a sound and you think it shouldn’t be there, you lose concentration instantly. You resent that the sound broke your concentration.

The moment we have wrong view, we have wrong thought, which is a thought of liking or disliking, or of evaluating an experience as good or bad. Then, instead of continuing to see reality clearly, we get entangled in desire and aversion. We start trying to manipulate nature instead of seeing it clearly and working with it skilfully.

In this way, our likes and dislikes hinder the mind’s work.

USE ALL SENSES TO DEVELOP WISDOM

A meditator uses all the experiences of the six sense doors to develop awareness, stability of mind, and wisdom. People who aren’t meditators still have the six senses but tend to develop desire, aversion, and apathy toward them. So use every moment you have with the six sense doors to develop awareness, stability of mind, and wisdom, and you’ll be meditating.

Whatever you notice of your experience in the moment, acknowledge it for what it is. Let yourself continue to know that, and then continue to recognise whatever else you can know. You are not trying to change your experience.

What are we doing as we go through our daily life — sitting, standing, walking, or whatever? We are trying to know. We are being aware of whatever is happening in the body and the mind.

Now, if in any moment you begin to feel that you are knowing three or four different things at the same time, don’t be alarmed. This can happen, and it’s not a bad thing. Don’t think you are distracted. Don’t judge it. It is a good sign.

MEDITATE WITH YOUR EYES OPEN 

We are so used to thinking that meditation is something we do with our eyes closed that we may have never considered that we can be aware of seeing. Yet seeing can be an object in the same way that we can be aware of the objects being seen.

It is very important to learn how to practice in this way — when seeing, to know that you are seeing. It’s important because the mind’s habit of immediately liking, disliking, or ignoring every object it perceives interacts extensively with the process of seeing, and this causes suffering.

It’s really not difficult to understand what seeing is, yet generally we do not grasp it. The habitual tendency of the mind is to think of what is being seen — I see a Buddha picture, I see a coffee cup, I see the floor. But the seeing itself — that’s a different thing — and that’s what you want to know. Just acknowledge that you are seeing.

When you see, recognise that seeing is happening. Whenever the eyes are open, seeing is happening. Because of seeing we are able to look, and every time we do something, we look. Before we turn a door handle, we look at the handle. We look at the door as we move toward it. We look at something before we pick it up before we do anything.

I want you to be able to bring this practice of dhamma into daily life so that life itself becomes the practice of dhamma. One of the ways you can bring dhamma into your life is to be aware that you are seeing and looking, because then you will be meditating with your eyes open.

Seeing and thinking have similar natures. Just as we want to notice not what we are thinking about, but rather that we are thinking, we want to be able to observe and learn about the process of seeing, in particular in relation to liking, disliking, and ignoring.

Just as we can get lost in our thoughts very easily, we can get lost in what we are seeing as well. With practice and perseverance, we become able to objectify seeing, just as we learn to objectify thinking, and in this way, we don’t get lost in it. As you go about your day-to-day activities, try to make yourself conscious of seeing and looking as much as possible.

RIGHT ATTITUDE: ACCEPT EXPERIENCE JUST AS IT IS 

Right attitude is accepting your experience just as it is.

This is the right frame of mind to meditate. It is a mind that is free of compulsive liking and disliking and therefore is able to clearly see things as they are.

Right attitude allows you to accept, acknowledge, and observe whatever is happening — whether pleasant or unpleasant — in a relaxed and alert way.

It is very important to have this attitude in meditation, because if you are trying to have a different experience from the one you are having, you will never be able to see the present moment clearly, and in this way learn about the nature of reality.

Just reminding yourself to be aware is not enough. In order for awareness to become stronger, you also need to have the right attitude, an observing mind free from the three unwholesome roots.

Whatever you are experiencing at this moment is the right experience. There is no need to be happy or unhappy with what is happening, and there is no need to like or dislike the experience. This is the right attitude for meditation.

Whether what is happening is judged as good or bad is irrelevant. With the right attitude, you learn from every experience. You’ll be able to notice how the mind judges good or bad and then see the reactions that go along with these judgements.

There’s no need to go around trying to find an object of choice to follow like the breath, thoughts, or emotions. In this meditation, we pay attention to the meditating mind and to cultivating wholesome mental qualities. As such, we can use any object to cultivate awareness, develop stability of mind, and gain insight into the nature of phenomena.

No experience out there is better than the present experience. An experience is an experience. An object is an object. It is neither wholesome nor unwholesome!

Here is the more important question: is the mind observing with wholesome or unwholesome mental qualities?

KNOW THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE

The objective is to know the whole experience: the thoughts, feelings, and sensations surrounding an emotion, and how the mind is behaving whether with or without the three unwholesome roots.

There is a natural progression in the growth of awareness. You might start off with noticing just one object — say, the breath. After a while you will become aware of several objects in the body — say, of sensations in the belly, hands, and chest. Then you may notice your feelings while being aware of all these objects in the body.

Later on, you become able to be aware not only of objects and feelings but also of the mind that is aware, plus of the attitude that is behind this awareness. Once you are able to see this whole picture, you will begin to understand how all these objects interact with one another to create either more stress or more ease in the mind. This is understanding; this is wisdom.

It therefore is essential that you allow the mind to expand, to become aware of more and more objects. If the mind stays on one object only, it cannot gather much data, and awareness and wisdom cannot grow.

LET WHAT HAPPENS HAPPEN

My teacher, Shwe Oo Min, gave concise right attitude instructions in three short lines: “Don’t try to do anything; don’t try to prevent anything, but don’t miss what’s happening.”

It is a wrong attitude to judge meditation practice and become dissatisfied with how it is going. The dissatisfaction arises from the idea that things are not the way we think they should be, or from ignorance of what right practice is. These attitudes close the mind and hinder the practice.

The three unskilful root qualities prevent you from living your life fully. They prevent you from finding true peace and freedom. Look out for them. As you stop attaching to or identifying with them, their strength will slowly diminish.

When you wait and watch with awareness and intelligence, you will see that experiences are just happening according to their own nature. Let whatever happens happen. There is no need to be happy or unhappy with what is happening, and there’s no need to like or dislike any experience. Be happy that there is knowing and awareness, as this in itself is already wholesome.

At this point, you might feel overwhelmed by all the information that you have been asked to bear in mind while you meditate. All these suggestions basically serve one purpose: to give you the understanding that will help you to meditate with the right attitude.

When you have the right understanding, you will naturally develop the right attitude, apply the right effort, and develop right awareness and wisdom.

When we pay attention to our experiences in meditation, awareness collects what you could call raw data. Once we have gathered a lot of data, we could call it information. In this way, a meditator keeps feeding several information streams: data about the body feeds the information stream about the physical processes; data about the mind will accumulate as information on feelings and emotions, and so on.

Putting all this information together enables the mind to understand how physical and mental processes interact. At this point, information becomes knowledge.

Wisdom then uses this knowledge about the interaction of physical and mental processes in skilful ways in order to positively influence events. The mind does all of this on its own. It is not “I” that meditates; it is the mind.

Meditation is the work of the mind. We help the mind do its work by paying attention to our experiences with right attitude in order to learn about the workings of the three unwholesome roots, which wisdom ultimately dissolves.

Once you have seen the benefits of working in this way and have become skilful at maintaining all these processes, you will keep expanding them and keep growing in wisdom. When you keep practising in this way, awareness and wisdom eventually will always be present, and insights will continuously arise as needed.

Are you practising with right attitude? Check frequently.

The greatest meditation is a mind that let go.

-- Atiśha

一分耕耘一分收获

宏海法师

阿弥陀佛，各位大觉世间的有缘，大家吉祥。

我们今天利用这一点点时间，再跟大家分享一下关于耕耘和收获，也就是因果的故事。

在这个佛典里面呢，讲到这么一则，就是在古时候，古印度有兄弟两个，但是这家，他的出身非常的贫寒，几乎没有什么财产。那么这个兄弟俩个，还是每天以务农为生吧。到了该种地的时候，有一年，这个哥哥他就把弟弟给叫过来，他自己打了一个主意，说现在我这么的饥寒困苦，日子也过的一直不是很富足，所以他就想去在这个天神庙里去祭拜天人。依照我们现在所说的，就是说诚恳心呀，求得天人的施舍，给他一些现世的福报。也就是我们现在常说的，去求些福报，求现世的功德利益。

那么他本来要去种地的时节，他就把弟弟给叫过来，说我要去祭祀天人，到神庙里边去做大斋会，希望你呢，好好的给咱们地里去种地去，把这些地都给种满。还给他指点说，这儿种什么大麦、小麦、胡麻呀，都安排好了。安排好了以后，他自己就到这个神庙里边，去祭拜天人去了。

但是你还别说，他确实在这个上面还非常心诚，举办了很大的斋会。每天在那儿祈祷。祈祷呢，他的这个心发出来了，引起了这个天人的注意。那么在这个祠堂里面供的这个天神，他就真的就是随着他的感而应来了。因为毕竟天人他有天眼嘛，那到跟前的时候，他就想看一看这个哥哥呢，他想，他既然这么虔诚的求我，那么，我是否看看他曾经过去，有没有行过这个布施呀，修过十善业，种的福报，如果有的话，我不妨给他一些，随他的因缘，让他生起信心，希望他能够过上一个好的生活。

结果用他的天眼观的时候，他看到这个哥哥，前生后世，过去就没有一点点种的善根福德，在他的福田里面没有这个。所以他当时呢，就觉得说，真是不好意思，很懊恼，说本来你自己的心田中，没种过这个福，所以现在求呢，很可能就是没那么灵验。当然这个我们待会儿再说，这个故事是继续发展。

怎么发展呢？就是这个哥哥还是一心一意的求。求的时候，这个天神就是为了教化他，方便善巧的教化他，他就化做他的弟弟，出现在他面前。出现在他面前的时候呢，这个哥哥一看他弟弟来了，就很恼火，说我让你好好的在家里面种地，你跑到这儿来干什么？结果这个弟弟还说，我看你这个求天神求的这么虔诚，我也想求求。反正我求求，咱们有了福气了，就不要去种地了，不要去耕耘了，我们自然在这儿就有收获。结果这个哥哥一听，说你白日做梦，说你痴心妄想，哪儿有不去耕耘而得来的收获呢。这个弟弟，天神化的弟弟嘛，就说真的如此吗？他说必然如此，如果你不去耕耘，不去种这个田，那么秋天的时候，绝对得不到收获。

在这样的情况下呢，这个天神就现了原形了，显现出来了，教化他的哥哥，说你这么告诉你的弟弟，说没有耕耘得不到收获。可是呢，我用天眼观了一下，虽然你如此的求我，但是我就看到你在过去生中，没有种过一点点的布施供养福德。那么现在你来求我，本来我应当赋予你福气，但是你自己没有那个承载能力，所以你应当认认真真的，去耕耘你的八识心田。这样的话，对你生活的遭遇，能够随遇而安，方能够战战兢兢的去，在这个因果线上去培福，种种子，那么你才有可能得到这个收获。这么一教化以后，他的哥哥听了天神的开导，也心开意解了，就好好的回家，不在这儿做这个痴心妄想了，说求天神赐给他现世的福报，财富呀等等，回家去什么呀，种地去了。

由这一则，我们就想到说，我们现在的生活中，或者说我们去学习佛法吧，很多时候我们会有这样的想法，就是去求。甚至我们有时候觉得说，以这种交换的心态，往这个功德箱里塞一点点钱，那么就希望有很大的回报。这种回报来的时候，又触发我们更大的贪欲，再更加的去，以这种贪欲而支撑的一个，所谓的虔诚心。当然它也会有因果，可是我们这个时候，就是不要忘了，第一个，不是跟诸佛菩萨来什么呢，做交易的。

我记得以前，就是有一个庙里边的一个老和尚很有智慧。那么去了一个斋主，做了一点小功德，然后就对老和尚说慈悲，希望菩萨加持，他能够来年怎样怎样，做一个很大的回报。老和尚就教化他说，说这样吧，我庙里没有车了，我也不要你做这个功德，我给你钱，你帮我去买一辆车，行吧？那这个商人觉得说，虽然我没有供养，但是我帮你买还是可以的，这不是很简单的事嘛，何乐而不为呢，说行吧。老和尚就给了他五百块钱，说你给我什么呀，买一辆奔驰回来。这下这功德主傻眼了，说五百块钱怎么能够买一个奔驰呢？老和尚就教化说，说你做这么点儿功德，你就想要那么大的回报，这符合因果吗？所以大家想想，这就是因果线。

有时候我们没有这样的去因，你怎么去感这个果呢。我们往往在现实中看见人家，可能现世拥有的这种福报很大，那么我们就会觉得说，啊呀，求不得，可能人家天生就有这么样的福气，这样的家庭，这样的事业，我呢，可能奋斗一辈子，我都达不到。这个时候，心里生起了不平衡，甚至抱怨，甚至这个仇富心理等等，这都是不可取的。只能够让自己的福报，更加的越来越折损。所以很多时候我们要相信因果，去什么呢？去效仿人家曾经所培的之因，而不要嫉妒或抱怨，人家现世所享之福报之果。这是很重要的一点修行方法。

再者说了，就是说，当然我们也，佛门里面也讲到说，求嘛，观世音菩萨号称有求必应。一个呢，这也是佛门里边的一个方便的一个度化众生。因为他有求的时候，求福、求慧、求生净土，才向着佛法僧三宝靠近嘛。但是我们要看人家的什么呢？注重他的能求的这个虔诚心，不是他所求的这个贪欲物，这一点要认得清楚。特别有时候，虽然我们说，你看这个天神，就看到他的过去世，他没有这个因嘛，我们常说求菩萨保佑，给我怎样怎样，可是你自己也得具足这个福报。那在这样的情况下，很可能佛菩萨为了度化你，激荡你的这种信心吧，他给你从中，安排一下你的这个因缘中，可能你本来后享的福报，他提前给你调出来，由于你的诚心感应，这也是可以达到的。

就像一张卡里边，也是我们每个人本自具足的这种福报，那么你求的时候，借观音菩萨这种道力，我们求的这个心的这种，不可思议的清净力。这样因缘一聚合，那还确实会有求必应，这个也是丝毫不爽的。可是问题是，就像求的时候呢，我们本来也要有这个福德，就像卡一样，你想花这个钱，那可以帮你取，但是你卡上你得有钱啊，你没有这个钱，你透支透支也可以，但是你还得往里存呀，你透支透支到一定的范畴内的时候，你违法了，那么就不但没有福报，还召来灾殃了。所以大家要知道，耕耘和收获永远是同步的。

我们现在就是，只想收获忘记了耕耘了。当然我们前边讲到的说，菩萨当然会显灵，甚至有时候也会满我们的愿，这个诸佛菩萨或者天龙护法，而问题是，如果你求的这个太越分了，纵然你强行得到过来，你没有这个福量去承载，他还会遭殃的呀。

现实生活中不是有这么一则嘛，就是某一个大的餐饮集团，他经过这个很著名的一个栏目，那么就看到一个民间的这些小吃很多。他就去一个比较落后的地方，乡村里边，老夫妻俩，一辈子就是做这个小吃过日子。结果他这个餐饮业，把它做了包装宣传以后，就把它给挖过来，买断了他的这个专利，给了他六百万。六百万老俩口一辈子农村长大，就是每天耕耘一点，每天收获一点，舒舒服服过日子，身体也很健康。结果一下子给了他这么多钱，一辈子不要说挣到了见到了，想都没想过有这么多钱。就这六百万给了他以后，三个月，这老汉这老爷子突然间就走了。可能老太太福报稍微大一点，老爷子承载不住了，就把他的命给催走了。

所以你看，有时候我们说求求求，觉得菩萨不灵，菩萨不是不灵，有时候不敢给你灵，为什么？很可能一下子你这个承载量不大，反而什么，给你招灾了。所以大家要知道耕耘和收获，因果永远都是同步的，丝毫不爽。

我记得我曾经在五台山，有一年在那儿磕头的时候，碰到五台山旁边村里面的一个放牛的一个老爷子，人家都懂得这个一分耕耘一分收获。他路过放牛的路上，最后还给我讲法一样的，我听了非常受用。他说现在的人呀，心里太那个什么呀，太贪欲多了，太躁动了。说你没有种那个因，你看见，今天看见别人出去赚了一百块钱，你没有赚到，你就发火了，可是你种了这个因，人家因有那个，所以果人家才能得那个，你没有这个因，你上哪儿去得这个果呢。你怎么能平地能起个房子呢，你没打地基呀。

所以大家通过这一则故事，我们要知道，如果我们真正的相信因果，相信佛法，那么我们一个修道者，或者我们说一个求得世间，哪怕说我们的目标低一些，求得世间的福报者来讲，你也一定要记住，就是说，种了那个因，才会有这个果。至少我们在求这个果的时候，我们还要懂得同步的去什么，一边儿去种因，一边儿让这个果呢，通过我们的诚心快速的成熟，这个是可以的。但是大家不要忘了，世上没有无因之果，一定要相信因果，随顺因果，一分耕耘一分收获。