[无量香光 · 显密文库 · 手机站]
fowap.goodweb.net.cn
{返回首页}


To the Last Breath - Introduction
 
{返回 Maha Boowa 文集}
{返回网页版}
点击:2158

Introduction

Anyone who has visited the forest monasteries of Thailand will need no introduction. They will have seen Acharns1 who teach in a spontaneous and direct way, and who live as they teach. This is Forest Dhamma, vigorous but without pretension, inspiring one to live and practice the Way rather than reading about it. Yet here is a book — and a translation of a book at that — that can only attempt to offer a partial view of certain aspects of that Teaching.

This is especially so with the first part of this collection of Dhamma talks, To the Last Breath. For these were given under quite special circumstances: A person, quite knowledgeable about Buddhism, is dying of cancer. The emphasis is therefore very much on dealing with pain, suffering and, finally, death. And pointing towards that which is beyond suffering and death.

These circumstances mean that the beginning fundamentals of Dhamma practice are generally assumed to be already understood. (Khun Pow and the other listeners were already well practiced in developing Dhamma in their actions and speech.)2 For those new to Dhamma, however, it is important to remember the special context and to take into account the other Dhamma qualities that make an essential foundation that will need to be cultivated. The Lord Buddha gave an important example of this when he would begin his Dhamma Teaching (to those newly interested) with the Progressive or Graduated Sermon:3

"Then the Lord delivered a graduated discourse to 'Kutadanta,' on generosity, on morality and on heaven, showing the danger, degradation and corruption of sense-desires, and the profit of renunciation. And when the Lord knew that Kutadanta's mind was ready, pliable, free from the hindrances, joyful and calm, then he preached a sermon on Dhamma in brief: on suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path..." 4

It is this 'joyful, calm, pliable, ready mind' — already settled firmly upon foundations of generosity and morality — that is receptive to the powerful Truths about pain, suffering and death. It is at this point that the emphasis changes to energetic striving, to overcoming the obstacles that prevent insight and pin us blindly to the wheel of birth and death.

"Then the Lord said to the monks: 'Now, monks, I declare to you: all conditioned things are of a nature to decay — strive on untiringly.' These were the Tathagata's last words." 5

In this book you will find both these aspects. There are constant references to 'gradually'... 'steadily'... 'step by step'... 'level by level' (of the Graduated Teaching). These lead into a growing emphasis on earnestness and diligence in practice.

Any translation is the impossible search for just the right word. The expression that conveys both the sense and accuracy in a pleasing way; and that also brings with it the spirit of the original. This translation is much more of a blind groping. First, there is the wide language and cultural gap between Thai and English. Then there is the change of medium from the living word to the printed page, which must always lose the dynamism of the original experience.6 Finally, and perhaps the most important point, there is the great profundity of Dhamma, which is really beyond the translators' level of understanding. The reader will therefore need to make due allowance for the deficiencies in this translation effort. The only way truly to understand is to translate it back into your own life, your own experience and practice.

Even with its errors and inadequacies this book is the result of a great effort by many people. It will have all been worth while if a single person finds some truth in it that can help him or her face up to their situation, their illness and pain. Insight into that suffering may they go beyond a mere book's description to true liberation.

Notes

1. Meditation Teachers.

2. See Epilogue.

3. Anupubbikatha. Also see the Appendix.

4. Thus Have I Heard. Page 141/29. (D.i.148) (Maurice Walshe, trans.; London: Wisdom Publications, 1987.)

5. ibid., p. 270/67. (D.ii.156).

6. To help with these points, Pali terms have been kept to a minimum or put in the Glossary. Repetitions — which spoken Thai delights in with its musical variations of words and phrases; and which also serve to reinforce the Dhamma themes — have sometimes been deleted.


{返回 Maha Boowa 文集}
{返回网页版}
{返回首页}

上一篇:To the Last Breath - Biographical Note
下一篇:To the Last Breath - Contents & Editors Preface
 The Path to Arahantship
 To the Last Breath - 4. The Interna..
 Straight from the Heart - The Langu..
 Straight from the Heart - An Heir t..
 Things as They Are - Glossary & Not..
 Wisdom Develops Samadhi - Samadhi 3..
 Things as They Are - The Outer Spac..
 Wisdom Develops Samadhi - Wisdom..
 Straight from the Heart - The Marve..
 Things as They Are - The Four Frame..
全文 标题
 
【佛教文章随机阅读】
 隆莲法师传[栏目:隆莲法师]
 印祖故事 70、教界努力齐斡旋,寺庙条例得修正[栏目:常惭愧僧印光法师的故事]
 佛法本身最有科学精神[栏目:黄夏年教授]
 相应66经 入出息经[栏目:相应部 46.觉支相应]
 福报的由来 二十七、平易近人的好处[栏目:福报的由来]
 很想施食但是不会念咒,这样能达到目的吗?[栏目:海涛法师·佛学问答]
 垟山禅悟录 《宝鬘集》选讲[栏目:宋智明居士]
 感受“六字大明咒”[栏目:观音心咒感应录]
 一点心光[栏目:菩提洲·佛子心语]
 燃起觉性之灯[栏目:达真堪布]


{返回首页}

△TOP

- 手机版 -
[无量香光·显密文库·佛教文集]
教育、非赢利、公益性的佛教文化传播
白玛若拙佛教文化传播工作室制作
www.goodweb.net.cn Copyrights reserved
(2003-2015)
站长信箱:yjp990@163.com