Meditation on Abdominal Movements

观照腹部的运动

It has been asked whether meditation on the rising and falling of the abdomen really conforms to the Pāli texts. This question may be answered on the authority of the Salāyatana Vagga of the Samyuttanikāya where it is stated that failure to note the arising and passing away of mind and matter occurring at the six sense-doors results in the upsurge of defilements, while meditating on them brings nibbāna closer through the realisation of the Path and Fruition with the suppression of defilements. The Mālukyaputta Sutta is also very clear on this point. I shall give reasons in support of our method conforming to the scriptures.

有人问道，观照腹部的上升和下降是否真的是遵照巴利经文。这个问题的答案或许在相应部六处品的典据中能得到回答，那里陈述到，没有观照发生在六门的名法和色法的生起和灭去，将导致烦恼的增长，相反观照它们镇伏烦恼后证悟道和果带来涅槃。《摩罗迦子经》同样非常清楚地指出这点。我会给出支持我们的方法符合经文的理由。

When Satipatthāna teaching prescribes observing the four elements, it is advocating the observance of the apparent phenomena created by the four primary elements. Abdominal movements indicate the working of the element of motion, which is one of the four elements to be observed by the method of attention to the elements (dhātumanasikāra). I prefer ordinary language to Pāli technical terms, so instead of asking meditators to contemplate the air element (vāyo dhātu), I ask them to observe the rising and falling of the abdomen. Employing everyday language agrees with the Buddha’s preference for simple speech when he gave the advice, “Gacchāmi vā gacchāmi’ti pajānāti.” As the meditator’s concentration develops with continued practice of insight meditation, he or she will come to realise the nature of the element of motion in the movements of the abdomen.

念处经在指示如何观照四种元素(四大)时，它是提倡观察四大所造成的容易看见的现象。腹部的运动显示运动元素(风大)的运作，风大是界作意(dhātumanasikāra)方法所观察的四种元素中的一种。相对于巴利文的技术性术语，我更喜欢普通的语言，所以我没有要求禅修者们专注于风元素(vāyo dhātu)，而是要求他们观察腹部的上升和下降。佛陀在给出建议“Gacchāmi vā gacchāmi’ti pajānāti.在行走时，了知我在行走”时，偏好使用简单的用语，(我)使用日常用语和这相符。禅修者通过持续的内观禅修的练习，定力增长后，将能了知腹部动作中运动元素的本质。

On the authority of the Satipatthāna Sutta, and others in the Samyuttanikāya, we take it that a meditator should concentrate not only on the four postures usually mentioned in the scriptures, but also on other postures or actions that can be met with in the normal course of events.

通过阅读念处经和相应部中其他经的典据，我们就知道，禅修者不但要专心观照经文中经常提到的四种威仪，日常生活中所能遇到的其他姿势或动作同样也需要观照。

If a meditator does not feel satisfied with noting the rising and falling of the abdomen, he or she can try meditating on sitting while sitting, on standing while standing, or on lying down while lying down. However, we do not urge meditators to practise mindfulness of respiration as we maintain that it contradicts statements in the Visuddhimagga and Commentaries on the Satipatthāna Sutta, which speak of insight meditation after the attainment to absorption through noting breathing in and breathing out, but we do not deter anyone from practising mindfulness of respiration.

如果禅修者对注意腹部的上升和下降(的效果)感觉不满意，他可以尝试在坐时观照坐，在站时观照站，或者在躺下时观照躺下。不过我们没有强烈要求禅修者练习入出息念，因为我们认为它和《清净道论》以及念处经的注释中的叙述有抵触。它们讲到通过注意入出息来达到安止定，然后开展内观禅修。但是我们没有阻止任何人去练习入出息念。

Now I will revert to my original theme.

现在我回到原先的话题。