行的时候还是禅

Even Walking Is a Time for Chan

 

我告诉你们，这跑香你若会跑的，不是说跑得快，那就是跑香；也不是说跑得慢，那是跑香，要怎么样子呢？要很如法、很自在的。行的时候，还是参「念佛是谁」，不是参我跑得快，我和你比赛，我比你跑得快。那简直地，就是跑到天涯海角去，也找不着这个「谁」。你要跟着大家的次序跑，现在我们是跑一行，有的时候是跑三行，三个人并在一起跑，因为我们这儿没有那么多空间，只跑一行。这跑一行，一开始不是跑的，一开始只是走，走了十五分钟，或者到二十分钟左右，这时候才开始跑。跑时，只跑一圈或者两圈，最多三圈就打香板。这跑，不能跑得时间太久，跑的时间太久啊，把人又累得气喘呵呵的，那又不能用功了。只跑一两转，或者最多三转，觉得跑得稍微一热了，身上一热就可以打香板了。一听打香板，就停止，就坐那个地方，因为周身气血都活起来了，活起来，再坐着。着呢，你能以礼互双跏趺坐是最好的，容易入定。这双跏趺坐，天龙八部都来护持着你，一切的魔王都远避。能双跏趺坐已经就功德无量了，你可以看看那佛的坐姿，都是双跏趺坐。那么双跏趺坐，你若受不了，没有法子，或者腿硬得像铁那么硬，盘不上，若用烧铁炉烧一烧呢，那太费事了，你就马马虎虎地用单跏趺坐了。单跏趺这么着，这是没有那么容易入定。并且我跟你们讲那鬼逼禅师，双跏趺坐，就是个金塔；单跏趺坐呢，就是个银塔；你没有跏趺坐，就普通坐呢，就是个泥巴。所以要把这腿盘好了，把裤子也往上提一提，它就没有那么紧了。没有那么紧呢，坐着它比较舒服一点，然后用这个或者毡子啊，或者你穿的那个棉袍子，把腿包起来，包得那么严一点。

 

这时止静的人，看大家都把腿包好，坐好了，没有人再那么摇摇动动的，发出吵声了，然后才止静的。就是看着大家都坐好了，没有人打其他人闲岔了，不是看着人家那儿还没坐好，「啪啪啪啪」，不是这个样子的。止静不是打得很快的，要慢一点，「啪！啪！啪啪！」我在三楼听到了你们下面止静止得太快了。不是这样子的，你不是放原子弹嘛！要看大家都坐好了，才能止静，有一个没有坐好，都要等一等他，所以大家不要叫止静人等着，也就是这样子。

 

到打香板了，大家坐下就赶快把腿子包好了，因为坐禅腿不要冻着；若冻着，就用功不容易上路，所以必须要把腿包好了它。这个腿你把它冻着，它就不帮你忙了，不单痛，甚至于你迈步都迈不动了，跑香也跑不动了。这个上身，有的我看见包得把头都包上了，坐禅不是这样子的，头绝对不能包的，头一定要露出来，才那么冷一点你都受不了！甚至于身体也都不能包的，只可以包腿子。若上身冷，你可以穿多一点衣服，你穿多一点衣服它就不冷了嘛！你包上，说这样暖，暖了你就会睡着觉了，也用不上功了。这上身冷一点，它不会出汗，是比较好。

 

坐呢，我看那个果逾，我常常来观查，有的时候看见他就这么样子！这个是干什么呢？这不是坐禅哪！你不可以这样子的，不可以把腿弄起来这么样子，不可以的。这样子，若在禅堂里就会被打香板的，这一定挨打的。也不可以把腿伸到这个凳子底下那么样子坐，不可以的。这简直都是懒虫，懒得再不能懒了！这样的人一点出息都没有，这样的人，才没有意思呢！你不能那么随便的，不能这么我愿意低低头就低头，我愿意这样子就这样子，不可以的。什么时候都要这么孤炯炯的，都像个金刚似的在那个地方，没有任何人有我这么样子有力量的。(上人并非自称，而是勉励大家要有力量。)不要：「哎唷……唉唷……！」这个简直……有什么意思？你这还能修道吗！真是倒架子！或者这么样子：「啊……！」这种怪现象呢，太奇怪了！我到你们美国这儿，看着你们参禅，这真是……像个怪物，太奇怪了！我从来都不好意思讲，在天后街我也不讲，到这儿我也不讲。」没有人披个毯子在这儿跑香的，没有的！这简直是太奇怪了，真是像到荒野没有人的地方了。所以我今天呢，向你们稍微讲一讲，没有人披个毯子来转的，在中国没有的。所以我到这儿一看：「这是个什么？」我都不认识了，这个奇怪的样子。

 

没有人这么披着一个毯子在身上，没有的。在禅堂里头，没有人这样的。大家都一样，都是穿着一个棉袍子，把腿包好一点，一点也不可以有妨碍旁人的情形，不能弄得奇奇怪怪的样子。你怕冷可以穿多一点衣服。尤其果法，本来他不怕冷，他一定要包个毯子；我对果法，讲真话，我很爱惜他，所以他做这个怪样子，我不讲他，那么今天才讲一讲。还有其他人，你怕冷，就可以穿多一点衣服。我也怕冷、也怕热，所以我就在禅堂里坐了这么多年禅，没有用个毯子披上的。就是在禅堂里睡觉，我在湖北正觉寺给做门头，晚间很冷的，我都不把被往身上披，只盖在脚上。因为你这么坐着，冷了，它就睡不着觉，更好嘛！你暖了，它就睡觉了，睡觉就不能用功了。

 

所以我在湖北那地方，每一天都闻到那异香扑鼻，那一种异香是特别地和人间这种香味不同的；但是它香就香，我也不闻的。虽然不闻，可是知道有这股异香，这大约是天上的天神，他看「啊！这个比丘在这儿是很可怜的，他冷得这么样子。」那时候正是冬天呢，也是穿三层布，没有这么多的毛线衣，有这么多的衣服我到美国这儿，因为年纪也大了，不愿意那么样子逞刚强，所以多穿一点衣服。那时候冷得很厉害，我也是那样子，裤子也是三层布，上身也是三层布，下身也是三层布。湖北下雪，那儿冬天都下雪，有那么冷，就是在那个铁胡子那儿––那个胡子长老，就是在他那儿。我那时候一天到晚，没有一个人睬我的，所以没有一个朋友，没有一个人拿着我当一个人来看的，就是拿着这个人说：「这是废人。」这样子。他们想不到这个废人会跑到美国来。

 

那么说：「一个朋友没有，是不是自己很孤独的，不愿意和人做朋友呢？」不是，我对于任何人都恭敬，和他们和平共处，和任何人我也不打架。不是说：「噢！你怎么要管我啊？」不是这样子。谁愿意管我都可以的，那么没有一个人不可以管我的，这么大的那个小沙弥，他愿意叫我做什么我都做的，绝对不反对的。叫我去在地里拔菜我就拔菜，拔回来把它洗得干干净净，每一棵都洗干净的。那时候我做门头，在那儿看门口；又做园头，去种菜，管理菜，到时候拿回菜给大家吃；又做水头，要水挑，人不太多，有的时候二、三十个人，都是我来挑水给大家喝；又收拾厕所。好像我们三楼的厕所那股味道太「香」了，没有一个人去把它清理清理，本来有一天我想自己去清理那个厕所，但我怕你们看见呢，觉得：「这个师父太不守规矩了，应该我们做的事情，他来干。」所以我就等一等。你们这也都不垢不净了！所以厕所有味道也不要紧似的。

 

在中国的厕所，不是这种抽水的马桶，是地上挖一个粪坑，等里头的粪满了，要把它拿出来倒到另外一个地方，那个样子！那简直地，那个味道是很「好」的，可是在粪坑里的虫子呢，它觉得更不错。我那时候，就认识粪坑里这些虫子，说：「哦！你怎么跑到这个地方来呢？原来你是尽妒忌、障碍，你又自私又自利，愿意吃好东西，不愿意做工，所以现在跑到这个厕所里头来做虫子，『吃』这么好的东西。」那时候我就对它们非常了解，所以我给你们讲，叫你们不要妒忌，这是很危险的。你一妒忌人，你就会跑到那粪坑里头，去尽吃那种东西，这是一定的。

 

你们坐在这儿要平心静气，眼观鼻，鼻观口，口问心，这么样子。这个舌头呢，最好卷起来，舌尖顶上颚，那么有口水就把它咽到肚里头去。这个口水，这叫自家水，自家水这是一个药子，就是一个甘露水，也叫长生不老药。你常常用这个功，你就什么病都会没有的，没有什么病的，你常常自己有这个口水，时间久了，它就会变成甜的，就是好像甘露水似的。那么这一种的功夫，你要长了，不是用三天、五天就有所成就，要时间久。时间久，那么就身体健康了，要这样子。你舌尖顶上颚，也不讲话了，就参「念佛是谁」，这样子。时间久了，就会觉得很自在的，若多参加，打几个七就会开悟的。

 

那么跑香的时候，不是说像发狂了、发癫了那么跑，不是那样子的。跑是跑，但是还是要用功。在这跑香的时候也用功，坐香的时候也用功。不是说我跑一个特别的样子，我跑出一朵花来，这个莲花就在我脚底下，我这么一转，就生出一朵莲花来，这简直地发神经！

  I will explain to you about the period of walking. If you know how to walk, you won't race. That is not walking. Nor is that to say that a slow pace is walking. How should you do it? You should be very orderly and yet at ease. During the walks you should still be investigating "Who is mindful of the Buddha?" You shouldn't be investigating how fast you can run, or who you are competing with. "I can run faster than you!" If that's how you go about it, you can run to the ends of the earth, but you will never find out "who?" You should follow in an orderly fashion and run at the same pace as everyone else. Right now we are walking in single file. Sometimes the walking is done three abreast. But because we don't have that much room here, we are using single file. When we start the walking period in single file, we should not be running. We should walk first. We walk for about fifteen to twenty minutes. The runs should be once or twice around the hall--three times at most--and then the signal to stop should be given. The runs cannot last too long. If the runs last too long, people get tired and winded, and then they won't be able to apply their effort. Just run for one or two laps, three at most. Run until you feel that people are just beginning to get warm. As soon as the body heat rises, hit the fish to stop the run. Then start the sitting period. Once the circulation of blood and qi has come alive, the sit should begin. hen sitting, if you can sit in full lotus posture, then that is best. It is easy to enter samadhi that way. When you use full lotus posture, the gods, dragons, and others of the eightfold division will come to protect you. The demon kings will stay far away from you. By sitting in full lotus position, you are already amassing infinite merit and virtue. Notice the way Buddhas are seated--they are all in full lotus posture. But maybe you simply cannot bear full lotus posture or you have no way to get up into it. Perhaps your legs are as stiff as a board and you can't pull them up into that position; perhaps your legs are as hard as iron so that it seems you would have to fire up the furnace and smelt them before they will bend. If it's that difficult, then you'll have to compromise a bit and use half lotus posture.

 

Sitting in half lotus posture, it is not as easy to enter samadhi. Besides, haven't I told you before about Dhyana Master Gui Bi ("Pressured by Ghosts")? From his story we know that sitting in full lotus creates a golden pagoda; sitting in half-lotus creates a silver pagoda; and that normal sitting--without any lotus posture--creates a pile of mud. And so, pull yourself up into full lotus! Adjust your clothing so it does not bind you. When your clothing isn't too tight, then you will feel more comfortable. When you are sitting comfortably, you may use a light blanket or your padded robe if you are wearing one to cover your lap and tuck in around your legs.

 

When you see that everyone has wrapped his legs well and is settled into the sitting position, and no one is moving around or making noise, then you may start the sitting period. That means everyone should be sitting quietly and no one should be making any disturbance. It shouldn't be that before people have even sat down you "Pa! Pa! Pa!" [hit the fish to begin the sit]. That's not the way to do it. The strokes on the fish should not be rapid. Hit it more slowly "pa--pa--pa--." I could hear you when I was on the third floor--hitting the fish very fast to begin the sits. That's not how it should be done. You are not setting off atomic bombs. You must watch to see that everyone is seated. If even one person is not yet seated, then you should wait for him. By the same token, participants in the session should not make the person responsible for starting the sit have to wait for you. That's not the way it should be done.

 

When the fish is hit to stop the running period, everyone should immediately sit down and place a blanket or robe over his legs. That's because when sitting in meditation, you should not let your legs get cold. If they get cold, then it's not easy to work on your skill. And so you should wrap up your legs. If your legs get cold, they won't cooperate with you. Not only will they hurt, you may be unable to walk at all and you won't be able to join the walking periods. As to the upper part of your body, I have noticed that some of you wrap up your heads. That's not appropriate when sitting in meditation. You absolutely should not wrap up your heads. Your heads must be exposed. You can't even take it when your head gets a little cold? You shouldn't wrap the upper part of your body at all--only your legs. You can wear more clothes on the upper part of your body to keep from being cold. If you wrap the upper part of your body so that you're cozy and warm, you will fall asleep and you won't be able to apply effort at your meditation. It doesn't matter if the upper part of your body is a little cooler; in fact it's better.

 

As to sitting, I have noticed Guo Yu's way of sitting and I am always correcting him. Sometimes I see him sitting like that and I wonder what he is doing. That's not sitting in meditation. You can't pull your knees up like that. If someone does that in the Chan hall, he should be beaten with the incense board. That certainly merits a beating. Nor can you stretch out your legs down in front of the bench. That's the behavior of a lazy worm! Incomparably lazy! Anyone who acts like that is domnright shiftless. Anyone like that is not worth much. You cannot be so casual. You can't put your head down just because you feel like it or do anything else just because you feel like it. At all times you must be solid and strong. Just at that point you must be like vajra. no one else has the strength that you have. Don't moan and groan and say, "Ultimately what's the meaning in all this?" You really make a fool of yourself.

 

Some people sit like this [demonstration] Ah! These strange styles are too weird. Coming to America I see the way you meditate and I think, "Really! That's just too much! A bunch of freaks! Too weird!" But I've never said it aloud before. I never mentioned it while we were at Tianhua Temple on Waverly Place and I never said anything when we came here. Nobody--absolutely no one--ever wraps a blanket around himself during the walking periods. That's really too strange. It's really a sign of having come to the wilderness where no human beings can be found! And so today I'm mentioning it to you: no one ever wraps a blanket around himself during the walking periods in China. And so when I came here I asked myself: "What is this?" I'd never seen such a weird style. No one ever wraps a blanket around his torso. Never! In the Chan halls that would never happen. Everyone is the same. Each person wears a padded robe and tucks it in around his legs. No one does anything to bother anyone else. You can't come up with some weird style. If you are afraid of the cold, you can wear more clothes. Especially Guo Fa, who basically isn't afraid of the cold and yet insists on wrapping himself up in a blanket. To tell you the truth, I am very fond of Guo Fa. And so when he used this strange style, I didn't say anything to him. But today I'm mentioning it. There are others who do it too.

 

If you feel cold you can put on more clothes. I too am afraid of cold and afraid of heat. And yet in all the years I've sat in Chan halls, I've never wrapped myself up in a blanket--even when I slept in the Chan halls. At Zhengjiao (Proper Enlightenment) Monastery in Hubei, I was assigned to be door-keeper. At night it was very cold where I sat. But I never pulled my blanket up to wrap around the upper part of my body. I only wrapped my legs. When you sit in the cold, you don't fall asleep. That's what's great about it! If you are too warm, you will sleep; and if you fall asleep, you can't work at your skill.

 

Every year when I was in Hubei at that monastery, a very rare fragrance would fill my nostrils. That rare fragrance was quite special--not like the fragrance that others smelled. However, although it was fragrant, I didn't pay any attention to the smell. Although I didn't intentionally sniff it, nonetheless I was aware of that rare fragrance. Probably it was a heavenly spirit who saw the Bhikshu there and felt sorry for him enduring such cold. At that time I wore only three layers of clothing--even in the winter. I didn't have a sweater--I didn't have on many clothes.

 

After I came to America, because I'm getting older, I didn't want to be so stubborn, and so I wear a bit more clothing. At that time the cold was fierce, but I still was like that: three layers of pants and three layers on the upper part of my body. Hubei has below-zero weather. In the winter it snows. It was so cold there at "Iron Beard's" place. I was at the Bearded Elder's place. At that time, from morning to night, no one paid the least bit of attention to me. I didn't have a single friend. No one even considered me to be a human being. They treated me like a totally useless person. They would never have thought that this useless person would go to America!

 

Was it because I was a loner that I didn't have any friends at that time? No. I was respectful toward everyone. I got along well with them all. I didn't fight with anyone. It's not that I said, 'Oh, what are you doing trying to order me around?" I wasn't like that. Anyone who wanted to order me around could do so. There wasn't anyone who couldn't boss me around. Even that little novice who liked to tell me what to do--I did what he wanted. I never refused. When I was told to pick vegetables, I picked vegetables, brought them back and washed them clean--every single leaf.

 

At that time I was the door-keeper, and so I watched the door there. I also served as the gardener, and so I would go out to plant vegetables, take care of them, and when the time came, pick them and bring them in for everyone to eat. I also served as the water-carrier. Sometimes there weren't very many people--only twenty to thirty, but I carried the water that all of us drank. I also cleaned toilets. By the way, the odor from our third floor toilet is quite strong, but no one goes to clean it. One day I thought I would go clean it myself, but I was afraid if you saw me you would think, "This teacher is really out of hand. He's doing what we are supposed to do!" And so I waited. But you are all "not defiled and not pure," and so if the toilets smell it doesn't bother you.

 

In China, the toilets were not porcelain flush toilets. They were pit toilets. When they became full, you had to dig them out and remove the filth to another location. In doing that, the odor is positively too fine! However the dung beetles enjoy being in the cesspool. At that time when I encountered dung beetles I told them, "Aha! How did you get here? You used to be jealous and obstructive. You were selfish and pursued self-benefit. You liked to eat good things and didn't like to work. And so now you have become dung beetles in a toilet. You get to eat this good stuff!" I was extremely clear about their situation and so I am telling you: Don't be jealous, it's extremely dangerous! If you are jealous of others, you will end up as a worm in a cesspool. Once you get there, you'll have to eat that stuff! That's a certainty!

 

While sitting here you should calm your minds and quiet your energy. The eyes contemplate the nose. The nose regards the mouth. The mouth inquires into the mind. That's the method. It's best to curl your tongue back on the roof of your mouth. Swallow your saliva. Saliva is called the "water of your own home." That's the name of a medicine otherwise known as "sweet dew." It's also called "the elixir of immortality." If you continually apply effort in that way, you won't have any illnesses. If you do that all the time, eventually your saliva will become sweet. It will be just like sweet dew. But you must apply this effort for a long time. It's not something you can accomplish in a few days. It takes a long time. After a while the body becomes healthy. That's the principle involved. Curl your tongue back on the roof of your mouth and don't talk. Investigate "Who is mindful of the Buddha?" Doing that for a long time you will come to very comfortable. By participating in many Chan sessions, you can become enlightened.

 

Also, during the walking periods you aren't supposed to run like crazy--as if you were possessed. That's not how it's done. When you're walking or running, you should still be working on your skill. You work on your skill while walking and running, and you work on your skill while sitting. Don't develop some special style of running--hoping to run until lotuses spring up from beneath your feet. "If I whirl around like this, lotuses appear." Really, that's just crazy!