泰 國 森 林 傳 承
阿姜查尊者
見道開示選
英文原典 ・ 中文自譯 ・ 逐段對照
見法即見佛
行狀
阿姜查(Ajahn Chah,法名 Phra Bodhiñāna Thera),一九一八年六月十七日生於泰國東北烏汶府一戶務農人家。
依當地習俗少年在村中寺院出家作沙彌三年,在寺裡學會讀寫,亦習基本教理;還俗助家後,二十歲那年(一九三九年四月二十六日)再度入寺受比丘戒。
最初數年學戒律、巴利文與經教,父親過世使他深感生命無常;一九四六年他放下學問,徒步行腳約四百公里到泰國中部,
其後折返東北尋訪當代森林禪師阿姜曼(Ajahn Mun),短暫親近而受教——教法雖然浩繁,核心卻極簡單:念住一旦立起,
見到一切都在心裡生起,那裡就是真正的修行之路。此後七年他在森林、山洞與墳場之間頭陀苦行。
行腳多年之後,他應請回到出生村落附近一片密林安住,那片林子當時以蛇、虎與鬼傳聞著稱,依他自己的說法正是森林比丘最合適的地方;
這就是後來的巴蓬寺(Wat Nong Pah Pong)。一九六六年第一位西方弟子蘇美多(Ajahn Sumedho)前來依止;
一九七五年為說英語的僧眾另立國際叢林寺(Wat Pah Nanachat)。一九七七、一九七九年兩度應邀赴英,並曾赴美加弘法。
一九八〇年起糖尿病與眩暈加劇,一九八一年一次手術未能挽回癱瘓的發展,此後失語臥床整整十年,
一九九二年一月十六日圓寂。他生前以泰語與東北伊善方言對僧眾與村民開示,幾乎不留文字著作;現存教法皆由弟子錄音、整理、翻譯而成。
體例
本頁只收一個主題:阿姜查正面談見法、覺知者與入流的段落,共十五段,取自六篇開示。
原文塊是英譯本的逐字照錄,右下角標出篇名、所屬合集與開示的時地;中譯框是本站自譯,不是官方譯本;
註只交代名相、泰語原詞與前後文脈,不作發揮。中譯以信達為先:Dhamma 一律作「法」,
the one who knows 一律作「覺知者」,unconditioned 作「無為法」,stream 作「入流」;
阿姜查的家常比喻(流水、芒果、水牛、暗房的燈、瓶子裡的油與漆)一律保持家常,不改寫成文言。
壹、什麼是見法
「見法者見佛」──阿姜查怎麼定義那個「見」
一、「不一定」就是佛
What we call uncertainty here is the Buddha. The Buddha is the Dhamma. The Dhamma is the characteristic of uncertainty. Whoever sees the uncertainty of things sees the unchanging reality of them. That's what the Dhamma is like. And that is the Buddha. If you see the Dhamma you see the Buddha, seeing the Buddha, you see the Dhamma. If you know aniccam, uncertainty, you will let go of things and not grasp onto them.
──Still, Flowing Water(《Living Dhamma》),一九八一年雨安居,帖桑碧寺
中譯
我們在這裡說的「不一定」,就是佛。佛就是法。法就是「不一定」這個特徵。誰看見事物的不一定,誰就看見了它們不變的實相。法就是這個樣子。那就是佛。你若見法,就見佛;見佛,就見法。你若知道 aniccam——不一定——你就會把東西放下,不去抓取。
註:「不一定」是阿姜查泰語裡最常掛在嘴邊的一句(mâi nâe,ไม่แน่),英譯本或作 not sure、或作 uncertainty,本頁一律譯「不一定」。aniccam 即無常。此段前文他正用「猴子」作比:家裡養過猴子的人,到別處再看見猴子就不會被牠惹惱——知道感受就是那個樣子,人才安得下來;「知道感受的真相,就是知道法」,接著才說出這一段。
二、佛是真理,不是一個過去的人
Where is the Buddha? We may think the Buddha has been and gone, but the Buddha is the Dhamma, the Truth. Some people like to say, “Oh, if I was born in the time of the Buddha I would go to Nibbāna.” Here, stupid people talk like this. The Buddha is still here. The Buddha is truth. Regardless of whoever is born or dies, the truth is still here. The truth never departs from the world, it's there all the time. Whether a Buddha is born or not, whether someone knows it or not, the truth is still there.
So we should get close to the Buddha, we should come within and find the Dhamma. When we reach the Dhamma we will reach the Buddha; seeing the Dhamma we will see the Buddha, and all doubts will dissolve. ──No Abiding(《A Taste of Freedom》),一九八〇年雨安居,巴蓬寺
So we should get close to the Buddha, we should come within and find the Dhamma. When we reach the Dhamma we will reach the Buddha; seeing the Dhamma we will see the Buddha, and all doubts will dissolve. ──No Abiding(《A Taste of Freedom》),一九八〇年雨安居,巴蓬寺
中譯
佛在哪裡?我們也許以為佛來過、走了,但佛就是法,就是真理。有些人喜歡說:「唉,我要是生在佛陀的時代,早就到涅槃了。」會這樣講的是傻人。佛還在這裡。佛就是真理。不管誰生誰死,真理還在這裡。真理從來沒有離開過世間,它一直都在。有沒有佛出世,有沒有人知道,真理都還在那裡。
所以我們應該親近佛,應該向內走,去找到法。到了法,就到了佛;見了法,就見了佛,一切疑惑都會化掉。
所以我們應該親近佛,應該向內走,去找到法。到了法,就到了佛;見了法,就見了佛,一切疑惑都會化掉。
註:這段的前文是佛對阿難說的一句話,阿姜查引作「Whoever sees the Dhamma sees me, and whoever sees me sees the Dhamma」(誰見法就見我,誰見我就見法)。緊接在本段後面,他用「趙老師」打比方:趙先生讀完了該讀的科目才成為趙老師;趙老師死了,那套「怎麼成為老師」的學問還在,誰去讀誰就成為老師——真理也是這樣,不隨佛的色身生滅。
三、法眼:憍陳如所見的
When Aññā Kondañña, the first disciple, heard the Buddha's teaching for the first time, the realization he had was nothing very complicated. He simply saw that whatever thing is born, that thing must change and grow old as a natural condition and eventually it must die. Aññā Kondañña had never thought of this before, or if he had it wasn't thoroughly clear, so he hadn't yet let go, he still clung to the khandhas. As he sat mindfully listening to the Buddha's discourse, Buddha-nature arose in him. He received a sort of Dhamma ‘transmission’ which was the knowledge that all conditioned things are impermanent. Any thing which is born must have ageing and death as a natural result.
This feeling was different from anything he'd ever known before. He truly realized his mind, and so ‘Buddha’ arose within him. At that time the Buddha declared that Aññā Kondañña had received the Eye of Dhamma. ──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》),一九六八年十月,巴蓬寺,對僧眾與沙彌
This feeling was different from anything he'd ever known before. He truly realized his mind, and so ‘Buddha’ arose within him. At that time the Buddha declared that Aññā Kondañña had received the Eye of Dhamma. ──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》),一九六八年十月,巴蓬寺,對僧眾與沙彌
中譯
憍陳如是第一位弟子,他頭一次聽佛說法時,所領悟的並沒有多複雜。他就只是看見:凡是生出來的東西,依其自然的條件,必定變化、必定衰老,最後必定死去。憍陳如以前沒想過這件事,或者想過但沒有徹底清楚,所以他還沒有放下,還執取著五蘊。當他正念地坐著聽佛開示時,佛性在他身上生起了。他領受了一種法的「傳授」——那就是「一切有為法都是無常的」這個認識。凡是生出來的,必然以衰老與死亡為自然的結果。
這種感受和他以前所知道的任何東西都不一樣。他真正地了悟了自己的心,於是「佛」在他心中生起。就在那時,佛陀宣告:憍陳如已經得了法眼。
這種感受和他以前所知道的任何東西都不一樣。他真正地了悟了自己的心,於是「佛」在他心中生起。就在那時,佛陀宣告:憍陳如已經得了法眼。
註:阿若憍陳如(Aññā Kondañña)是佛陀初轉法輪時五比丘中第一位開悟的;「阿若」意為「已知、已了悟」,是佛陀印可之後才加在他名字前面的。法眼(dhammacakkhu),巴利經典記「遠塵離垢,得法眼淨」。有為法(conditioned things,sankhāra)指一切由因緣條件湊合而成、會生會滅的東西。「傳授」原文作 transmission,阿姜查自己加了引號,此處照譯,非漢傳禪宗「傳心印」的意思。
四、知道了,和看見了,不是同一件事
So as the Buddha expounded the Dhamma, Aññā Kondañña opened the Eye of Dhamma. This Eye is just the ‘one who knows clearly’. It sees things differently. It sees this very nature. Seeing nature clearly, clinging is uprooted and the ‘one who knows’ is born. Previously he knew but he still had clinging. You could say that he knew the Dhamma but he still hadn't seen it, or he had seen the Dhamma but still wasn't one with it.
──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
所以,當佛陀開演此法時,阿若憍陳如開了法眼。這隻眼就是那個「清楚地知道的人」。它看事情的方式不一樣。它看見的正是這個自然。清楚地看見自然,執取就被連根拔掉,「覺知者」便誕生了。在這之前他也知道,但還帶著執取。你可以說:他知道法,卻還沒有見到法;或者說,他見了法,卻還沒有和法合為一體。
註:「清楚地知道的人」原文作 the one who knows clearly,和下文的 the one who knows(本頁一律譯「覺知者」)是同一個東西,只多了「清楚」二字。自然(nature):原文腳註明白交代,此處的 nature 指一切身心事物,不只是樹木動物。這一段是全頁的樞紐——阿姜查把「知道法」「見到法」「與法合一」分成三層,三層之間的落差就是修行本身。
五、看見了,當下就解開
Someone who sees the Dhamma has a similar experience. When attachment, aversion and delusion disappear, they disappear in the same way. As long as we don't know these things we think, “What can I do? I have so much greed and aversion.” This is not clear knowledge. It's just the same as when we thought the madman was sane. When we finally see that he was mad all along we're relieved of worry. No-one could show you this. Only when the mind sees for itself can it uproot and relinquish attachment.
──The Middle Way Within(《A Taste of Freedom》),一九七〇年,以東北方言對僧俗大眾開示
中譯
見法的人,經驗也類似。執著、厭惡、愚癡消失的時候,也是這樣消失的。只要我們還不知道這些東西,就會想:「我能怎麼辦?我有這麼多的貪、這麼多的瞋。」這不是清楚的認識。就像我們以前以為那個瘋子是正常人一樣。等到我們終於看見他一直都是瘋的,擔憂就解除了。這件事沒有人能指給你看。只有心自己看見了,才能連根拔起、放掉執取。
註:前文的比喻是:有個人天天在街上對你破口大罵,你氣了好幾天,回到家還想著怎麼討回來;某天有人來告訴你「那個人瘋了,瘋很多年了,他逢人就罵,沒人理他」——話一聽完,積了好幾天的怒氣當場化掉。事情一件也沒變,變的只是你知道了真相。阿姜查說,見法就是這樣。原文 attachment、aversion、delusion 即漢傳所稱貪、瞋、癡。
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貳、覺知者
poo roo(ผู้รู้)──阿姜查用得最多的一個詞
一、修行拿什麼當根據
Therefore it is said to begin the practice by calming the mind. Put awareness into the mind. If the mind is aware it will be at peace. Some people don't go for awareness, they just want to have peace, a kind of blanking out. So they never learn anything. If we don't have this “one who knows” what is there to base our practice on?
──Still, Flowing Water(《Living Dhamma》)
中譯
所以說,修行要從讓心靜下來開始。把覺知放進心裡。心若有覺知,就會安穩。有些人不要覺知,他們只想要安靜,一種放空發呆的狀態。所以他們什麼也學不到。我們若沒有這個「覺知者」,修行要拿什麼當根據?
註:覺知者,泰語 poo roo(ผู้รู้),英譯作 the one who knows。阿姜查用這個詞泛指心裡那個「知道」的功能,不是另立一個我。同一篇開示裡他又說:安止(samādhi)只是把石頭壓在草上,石頭一搬草照樣長回來;要真正的安穩,得靠智慧——而智慧要有這個「知道」當立足點。
二、跟著覺知者走
In order to calm the mind and become aware of the perceiver of sense impressions, we must observe it. Follow the “one who knows.” Train the mind until it is pure. How pure should you make it? If it's really pure the mind should be above both good and evil, above even purity. It's finished. That's when the practice is finished.
──Still, Flowing Water(《Living Dhamma》)
中譯
要讓心安定下來、要覺察到那個接收感官印象的人,我們就得去觀察它。跟著「覺知者」走。把心練到清淨為止。要練到多清淨?真正清淨的話,心應該在善與惡之上,連「清淨」也超過去。就結束了。修行到那裡就結束了。
註:「連清淨也超過去」一句,對照他在同一篇裡講的刀子:刀有刃、有背、有柄,你沒辦法只拿起刀刃——拿起善,惡就跟著來;抓住樂,苦就跟著來。所以他說,只挑好的、丟掉壞的,那是小孩子的法。
三、佛就是這顆心裡的覺知者
Understanding like this, then sitting at the foot of a tree we hear the Buddha's teaching. Standing, walking, sitting or lying, we hear the Buddha's teaching. Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking, we hear the Buddha's teaching. The Buddha is just this ‘one who knows’ within this very mind. It knows the Dhamma, it investigates the Dhamma. It's not that the Buddha who lived so long ago comes to talk to us, but this Buddha-nature, the ‘one who knows’ arises. The mind becomes illumined.
──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
這樣理解了,那麼坐在樹下,我們就聽見佛的教導。站著、走著、坐著、躺著,我們都聽見佛的教導。看、聽、嗅、嘗、觸、想,我們都聽見佛的教導。佛,就是這顆心裡的這個「覺知者」。它知道法,它探究法。並不是那位很久以前住世的佛跑來對我們說話,而是這個佛性、這個「覺知者」生起來了。心就亮了。
四、六個門,一個覺知
Coming inwards, that which watches over the body is consciousness - just this ‘one who knows’, this single awareness. If it receives through the eye it's called seeing. If it receives through the ear it's called hearing; through the nose it's called smelling; through the tongue, tasting; through the body, touching; and through the mind, thinking. This consciousness is just one but when it functions at different places we call it different things. Through the eye we call it one thing, through the ear we call it another. But whether it functions at the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind it's just one awareness. Following the scriptures we call it the six consciousnesses, but in reality there is only one consciousness arising at these six different bases. There are six ‘doors’ but a single awareness, which is this very mind.
──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
往內看,那個看顧著身體的,是識——就是這個「覺知者」,這一個覺知。它從眼睛接收,就叫作看;從耳朵接收,就叫作聽;從鼻子,叫作嗅;從舌頭,叫作嘗;從身體,叫作觸;從意,叫作想。這個識只有一個,但它在不同的地方運作,我們就給它不同的名字。從眼睛,我們叫它這個;從耳朵,我們叫它那個。可是不管它在眼、耳、鼻、舌、身還是意運作,都只是同一個覺知。照經典我們稱之為六識,但實際上只有一個識,在這六個不同的處所生起。有六個「門」,卻只有一個覺知——就是這顆心。
註:「六個門」即六根門頭。這一段是阿姜查對「覺知者」最直接的界定:不是第七個東西,就是那一個在六處生起的識。他在同一篇隨即補上一句——這顆心若還有障蔽,它就從無明而知,知得不對、看得不對;而正確的道路也是從同一個地方生出來的,「對」和「錯」都出在這一處。
五、Buddho:暗房裡調亮的那盞燈
Sati or mindfulness depends on the presence of “Buddho” - the knowing. It must be a clear knowing, which leads to the mind becoming brighter and more radiant. The illuminating effect that this clear knowing has on the mind is similar to the brightening of a light in a darkened room. As long as the room is pitch black, any objects placed inside remain difficult to distinguish or else completely obscured from view because of the lack of light. But as you begin intensifying the brightness of the light inside, it will penetrate throughout the whole room, enabling you to see more clearly from moment to moment, thus allowing you to know more and more the details of any object inside there.
──Clarity of Insight(《Clarity of Insight》),一九七九年四月,曼谷,對在家禪修者開示
中譯
Sati——正念——要靠「Buddho」的在場,也就是那個「知」。它必須是清楚的知,這樣心才會愈來愈明亮、愈來愈光明。這種清楚的知對心產生的照明作用,就像把暗房裡的燈調亮。房間漆黑一片的時候,放在裡面的東西都很難分辨,或者根本因為沒有光而完全看不見。但你一開始把裡面的燈調亮,光就會透遍整個房間,讓你一刻比一刻看得清楚,於是裡面任何東西的細節,你都能愈知道愈多。
註:Buddho 是森林傳承常用的持念語,意為「覺者」,隨呼吸念「Bud-/-dho」以入手。阿姜查此處的重點不在念這兩個音節,而在念出來的那個「知」。他緊接著提醒:野獸撲食也有正念,牠盯著獵物、抓住不放,那也是一種 sati——所以要分得出是哪一種正念;沒有「Buddho」的知,心仍是未醒的。
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參、入流之後・不住
見了法的心,怎麼在世間活下去
一、無為法:已經見到法的那顆心
Asankhata dhamma, the unconditioned, refers to the mind which has seen the Dhamma, the truth, of the five khandhas as they are - as transient, imperfect and ownerless. All ideas of “me” and “them,” “mine” and “theirs,” belong to the determined reality. Really they are all conditions. When we know the truth of conditions, as neither ourselves nor belonging to us, we let go of conditions and the determined. When we let go of conditions we attain the Dhamma, we enter into and realize the Dhamma. When we attain the Dhamma we know clearly. What do we know? We know that there are only conditions and determinations, no being, no self, no “us” nor “them.” This is knowledge of the way things are.
Seeing in this way the mind transcends things. The body may grow old, get sick and die, but the mind transcends this state. When the mind transcends conditions, it knows the unconditioned. The mind becomes the unconditioned, the state which no longer contains conditioning factors. ──Toward the Unconditioned(《Living Dhamma》),一九七六年布薩日,巴蓬寺
Seeing in this way the mind transcends things. The body may grow old, get sick and die, but the mind transcends this state. When the mind transcends conditions, it knows the unconditioned. The mind becomes the unconditioned, the state which no longer contains conditioning factors. ──Toward the Unconditioned(《Living Dhamma》),一九七六年布薩日,巴蓬寺
中譯
Asankhata dhamma——無為法——指的是已經如實見到法、見到五蘊真相的那顆心:見到它們是無常的、不圓滿的、沒有主人的。一切關於「我」與「他們」、「我的」與「他們的」的想法,都屬於假定出來的實在。它們其實全都是有為法。當我們知道了有為法的真相——既不是我們,也不屬於我們——我們就放下有為法,也放下那些假定。放下有為法,我們就得到了法,我們進入法、證知法。得到了法,我們就清楚地知道。知道什麼?知道只有有為法與假定,沒有眾生,沒有自我,沒有「我們」也沒有「他們」。這就是對事物實際樣貌的認識。
這樣看,心就超越了種種事物。身體會老、會病、會死,但心超越了這個狀態。心一超越有為法,就知道了無為法。心成為無為法——那個不再含有任何造作因素的狀態。
這樣看,心就超越了種種事物。身體會老、會病、會死,但心超越了這個狀態。心一超越有為法,就知道了無為法。心成為無為法——那個不再含有任何造作因素的狀態。
註:有為法/無為法(sankhata / asankhata dhamma):有為法是由因緣條件湊成、會生會滅的一切;無為法不由因緣造作。「假定出來的實在」原文作 determined reality,該篇腳註標明是 sammuti sacca,即世俗諦、約定俗成的實在——譬如插一根木頭在地上叫它「界標」,界標並不本來就在那裡,是我們定出來的。五蘊即色、受、想、行、識。
二、入流:心是確定的,不再退
One who is like this doesn't dare to commit evil acts. This is why we say that one who has reached the first stage of enlightenment will no longer be born in the woeful states. His mind is certain, he has entered the Stream, there is no doubt for him. If he doesn't reach full enlightenment today it will certainly be some time in the future. He may do wrong but not enough to send him to Hell, that is, he doesn't regress to evil bodily and verbal actions, he is incapable of it. So we say that person has entered the Noble Birth. He cannot return. This is something you should see and know for yourselves in this very life.
──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
像這樣的人,不敢造惡。所以我們說,到達初果的人,不會再生到惡趣去。他的心是確定的,他已經入流,對他來說沒有疑惑了。今天沒有到達完全的覺悟,將來也一定會到。他也許會做錯事,但不至於重到把他送進地獄——也就是說,他不會退回到身、口的惡行,他做不出來。所以我們說那個人已經進入聖者之生。他不會再退回來。這是你們應該在這一生裡自己看見、自己知道的事。
註:入流(Stream Entry)即初果須陀洹(sotāpanna)。該篇腳註寫明:初見道時斷除的是十結中的前三結——身見(sakkāyaditthi)、疑(vicikicchā)、戒禁取(sīlabbata parāmāsa);十結全斷才是究竟解脫。惡趣原文 woeful states;聖者之生原文 Noble Birth。此段前文他正在說五夏之內的比丘應當如何,語境是對僧眾說話,但末句「這是你們應該在這一生裡自己看見、自己知道的事」是對在場所有人說的。
三、在世間,卻不和世間相混
You can compare this with the effect of putting oil and paint together in a bottle. Each liquid has a very different density so it doesn't matter whether you keep them in the same bottle or in separate ones, because the difference in their density prevents the liquids from mixing together or permeating into each other. The oil doesn't mix in with the paint and vice versa. They remain in separate parts of the bottle. You can compare the bottle with the world and these two different liquids, that have been put into the bottle and are forced to stay within its confines, are similar to you living in the world with insight that separates your mind from the defilements. You can say that you are living in the world and following the conventions of the world, but without attaching to it. When you have to go somewhere you say you are going, when you are coming you say you are coming or whatever you are doing you use the conventions and language of the world, but it's like the two liquids in the bottle - they are in the same bottle but don't mix together. You live in the world, but at the same time you remain separate from it. The Buddha knew the truth for himself. He was the lokavidū - the knower of the world.
──Clarity of Insight(《Clarity of Insight》)
中譯
你可以拿油和油漆裝在同一個瓶子裡來比。兩種液體的密度差很多,所以你把它們裝在同一個瓶子還是分開裝,都沒差別——密度的不同使它們沒辦法混在一起,也沒辦法互相滲透。油不會跟油漆混合,反過來也一樣。它們各自留在瓶子的不同部分。你可以把瓶子比作世間;而這兩種被裝進瓶子、被迫待在瓶子範圍內的不同液體,就像你帶著洞見活在世間——那洞見把你的心和煩惱分開了。可以說,你活在世間、順著世間的約定俗成走,但不黏著它。要去哪裡你就說你要去,回來你就說你回來,不管做什麼,你都用世間的習慣和語言,但那就像瓶子裡的兩種液體——同在一個瓶子裡,卻不混在一起。你活在世間,同時又與它分開。佛陀自己知道了真相。他是 lokavidū——世間解。
註:lokavidū「世間解」是佛十號之一,意為徹知世間者。洞見原文 insight,即觀(vipassanā)所生的慧;此處不譯作「內觀」,是因為阿姜查在同一篇裡把 insight 當成一種已經長成的見地,不是一種坐法。這一段緊接在講六根門頭之後——他要說的是:見法之後,眼還是看、耳還是聽,一樣都沒少,少掉的只是黏上去那一下。
四、沒有可以住的地方
Think about it...there's nowhere to stay. We people live in a 'home'. To leave home and go where there is no home... we don't know how to do it, because we've always lived with becoming, with clinging. If we can't cling we don't know what to do.
So most people don't want to go to Nibbāna, there's nothing there; nothing at all. Look at the roof and the floor here. The upper extreme is the roof, that's an 'abiding'. The lower extreme is the floor, and that's another 'abiding'. But in the empty space between the floor and the roof there's nowhere to stand. One could stand on the roof, or stand on the floor, but not on that empty space. Where there is no abiding, that's where there's emptiness, and Nibbāna is this emptiness. ──No Abiding(《A Taste of Freedom》)
So most people don't want to go to Nibbāna, there's nothing there; nothing at all. Look at the roof and the floor here. The upper extreme is the roof, that's an 'abiding'. The lower extreme is the floor, and that's another 'abiding'. But in the empty space between the floor and the roof there's nowhere to stand. One could stand on the roof, or stand on the floor, but not on that empty space. Where there is no abiding, that's where there's emptiness, and Nibbāna is this emptiness. ──No Abiding(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
想想看……沒有地方可以待。我們人住在一個「家」裡。要離家,去到一個沒有家的地方……我們不知道怎麼做,因為我們一向是和「有」、和執取一起活著的。不能執取,我們就不知道要幹嘛。
所以大多數人不想去涅槃,那裡什麼都沒有;什麼都沒有。看看這裡的屋頂和地板。上面那一極是屋頂,那是一種「住」。下面那一極是地板,那是另一種「住」。可是在地板和屋頂中間的那片空間裡,沒有地方可以站。人可以站在屋頂上,或站在地板上,但站不到那片空的地方。哪裡沒有「住」,哪裡就是空,而涅槃就是這個空。
所以大多數人不想去涅槃,那裡什麼都沒有;什麼都沒有。看看這裡的屋頂和地板。上面那一極是屋頂,那是一種「住」。下面那一極是地板,那是另一種「住」。可是在地板和屋頂中間的那片空間裡,沒有地方可以站。人可以站在屋頂上,或站在地板上,但站不到那片空的地方。哪裡沒有「住」,哪裡就是空,而涅槃就是這個空。
註:篇名 No Abiding 直譯即「沒有可住之處」。屋頂與地板的比喻是阿姜查當場指著講堂說的,和漢傳讀者熟悉的「無所住」意思相通,但他不是在引經,是在指屋頂。「有」原文 becoming,即十二因緣的 bhava。他在同一篇裡先講「拿,但不要抓死」:手電筒撿起來看一看,「喔,是手電筒」,再放下——這就叫拿而不抓。
五、心是法的時候
When the mind is Dhamma, it stops. It has attained peace. There's no longer a need to do anything special, because the mind is Dhamma already. The outside is Dhamma, the inside is Dhamma. The ‘one who knows’ is Dhamma. The state is Dhamma and that which knows the state is Dhamma. It is one. It is free.
──Opening the Dhamma Eye(《A Taste of Freedom》)
中譯
心是法的時候,它就停了。它得到了寧靜。不再需要做什麼特別的事,因為心已經是法了。外面是法,裡面是法。「覺知者」是法。那個狀態是法,而知道那個狀態的也是法。它是一。它是自由的。
註:這一段的前文是:見法之前要忍、要捨、要精進——為什麼要精進?因為我們懶;為什麼要修忍?因為我們不能忍。等到修行站穩了、懶散完了,精進就不必再用力,因為心已經是法了。「覺知者見了法,他就是法。」阿姜查在同一篇末尾補上:這個本性不生、不老、不病、不死,不苦不樂,不大不小,不輕不重,不長不短,不黑不白,沒有東西可以拿來跟它比,任何約定俗成都構不到它——所以說涅槃沒有顏色。