Concept and Reality

概念和究竟

What has been discussed earlier about the thought process relating to eye-consciousness applies with due alteration of details to ear-consciousness, so I give only the gist of the process relating to ear-consciousness.

先前已经讨论过眼识的心路过程，把它的细节适当修改后就能应用到耳识，所以我只给出耳识过程的要点。

When a sound enters the ear-door we say that a sound is heard. This is the first thought process relating to ear-consciousness. Then mind-consciousness investigates the nature of the sound heard. This is the first thought process relating to mind-consciousness. In the second thought process of mind-consciousness the name suggested by sound is cognised. In the next thought process, the name given to the sound is apprehended.

在声音进入耳门的时候，我们说，听到声音。这是第一个耳门心路过程。

然后，意识审查所听声音的性质。这是第一个意门心路过程。

在第二个意门心路过程，识知声音所提示的名称。

再接下来的(第三个意门)心路过程，领会声音所传达的概念。

(译注：该段需要核对。BSNO原版p19更好理解。本人的理解是：比如听到“老师”这个词汇，首先是觉知到这个词汇的声音本身，然后审查声音本身，接着识知到这个声音是“老师”的读音，最后领会“老师”这个词汇概念。)

As an object makes a sound, the ear just hears it. If you note this with mindfulness, without going beyond the hearing, you call a halt to the process of hearing. The stream of consciousness stops flowing there and then. However, if you are unmindful, mental formations and activities will be brought into play. You may remember the sound that you hear and think over it. That means that the stream of mind-consciousness has taken over. Even then, the process of mind-consciousness is only aware of the sound, and concept has not yet been formed. If you can note this with mindfulness, apperception ends here, stopping at the stage of the abstract idea of the sound. If you fail to interrupt further mental activities, the next process of mind-consciousness will interpret the concept of the individual making the sound, and the next process will distinguish the sex of the individual. This will be followed by the development of affinity or repulsion. This is how the thought process stirs up defilements. So it is imperative to meditate on hearing just as you hear. I have summarised these statements as follows:

对象产生声音时，耳朵仅仅听到它。如果带有正念地听它，没有超过听，就让听的过程中断了下来。在那时，心识的流停止了流动。然而，如果没有正念，行作和造作将会产生并运作。你可能会回忆听到的声音，接着考虑它。那意味着，意识的流已经开始接管。即使那样，意识的过程只是知道这个声音，概念还没有形成。如果你能正念地注意它，认知到此结束，在声音的究竟认识阶段停止下来。如果你无法中断更远的思想活动，接下来的意识过程将解释制造了声音的个人的概念，然后再接着的过程将会区别个人的性别。接着，向往或排斥就发展开来。这就是心路过程如何激起了烦恼。所以要求仅仅是依照你听到的来观照听。我结出这些叙述的总结如下：(译注：该段涉及1个耳门3个意门心路过程。下文的3,4,5句括号内的文字是英文版本来就有的。)

If you fail to note the phenomenon with mindfulness, you end up with conceptual knowledge.

To obtain knowledge of the ultimate realities, the following should be borne in mind.

Note with mindfulness the instant that you hear. (Note as soon as the process of ear-consciousness occurs or, failing that, note as soon as the process of mind-consciousness occurs).

Interrupt the flow of the process of thought at hearing. (If you can do this, the second process of mind-consciousness cannot arise). This is in accordance with the saying, “Sute sutamattam bhavissati.”

Then you can distinguish mind from matter. (What you hear is matter at work. When you are noting, mind is at work. Mind and matter are thus distinguished. Both the hearing and the noting appear only to disappear at the next instant.)

Finally, you will recognise the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and not-self.

没如果有正念地注意现象，最终会生起概念的认识。

为了获得对究竟法的了知，下面的(原则)应该谨记在心。

正念地注意听到的瞬间。(一旦耳识过程生起，马上注意。错过这个时机后，一旦意识过程生起，马上注意。)

打断在听时的心路过程的流(如果能做到这点，意识的第二个过程就不会生起)。这和经文一致，“Sute sutamattam bhavissati. 在你闻时，你只闻到它”

然后就能区分出名法和色法。(你所听到的，是正在运作的色法。你正在注意时，名法在工作。如此，名法和色法就能被区别出来。所听和听两者，在生起后，在下一瞬间就灭去。)

最后，你将会了知无常、苦、无我这三种特相。

Failure to Meditate on Sound While Hearing

在听时未能观照声

“Saddam sutvā sati mutthā,
piyam nimittam manasi karoto;
Sārattacitto vedeti, tañca ajjhossa titthati.”

“Having heard a sound, one loses mindfulness. Getting involved in the attraction of it, one feels the onset of desire that tries to imbibe it.”

“闻到声，失去正念。作意声的可意相，他感受到贪着的侵袭，努力地粘着声。”

When a sound presents itself at the ear-door, the hearer tries to appreciate it, generally expecting it to be sweet and agreeable, which tends to induce unwholesome thoughts, speech, and actions. While paying attention to the sound, one loses mindfulness, and desire arises if it is a pleasant sound. The hearer takes in what is heard as if ingesting or imbibing it. Whenever the hearer recalls it, desire arises and torments him or her repeatedly. The story of Prince Nanda illustrates this point.

声音呈现于耳门后，听者尝试去识别它，通常期望它是美好的和令人愉快的，这往往会引发不善的思维、语言、和行为。在注意声音的时候失去正念，如果它是可意的声音，欲念就生起。听者执取所听到的，就好似在摄取或吸收它。听者无论何时回忆起声音，欲念生起并反复折磨他。难陀王子的故事就能说明这点。