"A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Meditation" in Buddhastation

佛教禅修简介   

梁国雄居士译

     Bhavana or Meditation means the cultivation and development of mind. As a religion that aims to realize the ultimate truth (Nibbana), meditation plays an essential role in Buddhism. One main purpose of practicing meditation is to eliminate negative mental states and defilements that delude the mind from its purity. At the same time, meditation is practiced to cultivate positive mental states that help to purify the mind and nurture the arising of insights. These insights will ultimately result in the realization of Nibanna.

     佛教禅修的巴利文是 Bhavana。它的意思是：心智的培育和发展。作为一个以体证最终真理(涅槃)为目标的宗教，佛教对禅修是非常重视的。禅修实践，一方面要消除扰乱心智的负面心态和不良品质，另一方面，要同时栽培有利心智发展的正面心态和良性品质，最终达致如实洞悉诸法实相和体证涅槃。

     Meditation brings in concentration and joy to the mind. It trains the mind on how to develop mindfulness and clear comprehension of the natural occurrences of phenomena. In other words, Buddhist meditation trains its practitioners to realize the three universal characteristics of existence, i.e. impermanence, suffering and non-self, in every moment. With this realization, and when the mind gets purified along the way, understandings will arise.

     禅修可带给心定力(集中力)和轻安，它训练心去发展对自然现象过程的专注力(Mindfulness)和明觉(Clear Comprehension)。换句话说，佛教禅修令行者于每刻均能体会到万事万物的无常、苦和无我等共性。有了这种体会以及随着修行逐渐清净的内心，解脱智慧很快就会生起。

     Meditation method refers to the tools to cultivate mindfulness and concentration. They can be classified into two groupings, Samatha Bhavana (Tranquility Meditation) and Vipassana Bhavana (Insight Meditation).

     禅修方法是培育定力、专注和明觉的方式。佛教禅修可分为：(1)止禅(Samatha Bhavana or Tranquility Meditation)与(2)观禅(Vipassana Bhavana or Insight Meditation)两大类。

     Samatha Bhavana refers to methods that focus on cultivating high levels of concentration (one-pointedness of mind) and calmness (pleasant state of mind) by making successive efforts in focusing one's mind on a meditation object. The purpose of Samatha Bhavana is to cultivate concentration. As one progresses through various levels of concentration, different stages of joy and calmness will arise. And this will temporarily eradicate the three cankers of mind, i.e. greed, hatred and delusion.

     止禅较着重提升定力(心一境性)和心境安宁，它要行者不断努力集中心意于一禅修对象上。止禅目的是要发展定力，随着定力的不断提高，不同程度的快乐与安宁会生起，内心的三毒(贪瞋痴)亦会因而被暂时压伏。

     In Vipassana Bhavana, practitioners focus their minds on ever-changing objects of reality. Their minds investigate the natural phenomena of the mind and body processes in every present moment. One main difference between Vipassana and Samatha bhavana is their meditation objects. The object of meditation for Vipassana is reality while the object for Samatha are Concepts.

     观禅要行者专注正在变化的现实，要审察每刻身心过程的自然现象。止禅与观禅的一个重要不同点是它们的禅修对象，观禅的对象是变化着的现实(Reality)，而止禅的对象是人为概念(Concepts)。

     In the practice of Vipassana Bhavana, the arising and dissolving nature of the entire mind and body processes are used as the object of meditation. Practitioners who are mindful of the mental and physical processes of these objects will develop clear comprehension of their true nature. By constant mindful observation, insights will emerge as a result.

     在观禅的实践中，整个身心过程的生灭流逝均是禅修对象。行者若能专注这身心过程，自能明觉其真相。如是不断的专注和观察，内观智将相继生起。

     Concentration is also an essential element in Vipassana practice. The only difference between the concentration of Samatha and that of Vipassana is that the former is applied on a fixed meditation object while the latter on ever-changing objects. In Vipassana, practitioners concentrate on observing four main objects, i.e. body, feelings, consciousness and mental object. With the increment in concentration level, their minds will become sharper and more balanced. They could observe and experience the changing nature of mind and body in every moment clearly. They will then realize the reality of mind and body and thus, understand that they too are formed by the same elements that follow the natural karmic law of arising and dissolving. Practitioners will soon realize the non-existence of a 'self' or soul. With these understandings, higher levels of insights become apparent. With the arising of insight of clear knowing, the mind becomes equanimous. When the mind is absolutely balanced, at peace, pure, energetic and mindful, the practitioner will experience the cessation of all these ever-changing processes and realize the state of Nibbana, the cessation of all suffering.

     定力也是观禅的要素。止禅与观禅的定力不同在于：止禅的定力用在固定的一个禅修对象上，而观禅的定力则用在不断转变的对象上。在观禅中，行者集中观察四大类对象：身、受、心和法(四念处)。随着定力的增进，心会更加敏锐、均衡和稳定，行者可体验到和明觉到身心在每刻的变化本质，那时他们将了解身心实相，明白到自身亦是由相同的原素(名色)所构成，它们亦会受自然业力所支配而缘生缘灭的。行者不久将证得「无我」。有了此等见识，更高层次的内观智亦会相继出现。随着内观智的生起和明觉，心会变得泰然、沉着(Equanimous 平等心)。当心达到完全的均衡、安宁、清净、活跃和专注，行者将体证生灭过程的寂灭和了悟涅槃 — 所有苦的止息。