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正法的代表—— 楞嚴經
The Sure Sign of the Proper Dharma -The Shurangama Sutra

修持文 By Xiu Chi

Attribute
八種變化相(可還的相)

Source
本所因處(可還的本因)

perception of light明相 rising sun 日輪東升(日出)
perception of dark暗相  new moon, clouds, or fog 月朔新月牙兒時、或被雲、霧掩蔽時
unimpeded vision通相  open doors and windows 窗戶空隙之間 
impeded vision塞相(壅相) walls or buildings 牆壁及建築物間隔之處
conditioned vision同相(緣 相) specific forms and features 特殊的形狀及特徵(分別境界之處)
perception of emptiness異 相(空相) dust and vapors dull void (“dark truth”) 頑空(頑虛、冥空、冥諦)沒有一物之中
distorted vision濁相(塵相) dust and vapors 鬱孛擾昏之 時(鬱是地氣聚結、孛是灰沙飛揚) 
clear vision清相 fresh air 澄霽斂氛(雨收雲散、天 朗氣清)

十種顯見

五.顯見無還第二

阿難尊者最喜歡聽佛說法。實際上,阿 難對於法的音聲具很大的辨別和區分的能力,以致將末作本。佛陀用法來解釋真心,而阿難卻誤認為法就是真心。在這裡阿難犯了好幾個錯誤。第一是他錯認為法即 是法所欲開闡的道理。第二是更嚴重的錯誤,就是阿難以為意識心(攀緣心)就是真心。如來舉例,以手指(末)標示月亮(本)的所在。本來是要幫助阿難明白他 所犯的第一個錯誤。但阿難卻以為法(末)就是真心(本)。

為了糾正阿難所犯的第二個錯誤––他 認為能分別的意識心(攀緣心)就是真心––佛續繼引導阿難去追究真心的本源。佛再次的舉譬喻,說意識心(攀緣心)就如同寄宿在旅舍的旅客。旅客是暫時的住 客,暫住後便離去,回到他們的本所來處––他們的家。同樣的,意識心(攀緣心)的功能也可以六根(六處、六入)等的資料輸入處,甚至歸還到對那些(資料) 輸入已無分別心之處(如某些外道所執著之「冥諦」)。歸還本處––即回歸到空有一如,即空即有之本處。就如同旅舍的主人本來就已經在家了,不會回到什麼地 方去。同樣的,真心已經「在家」了,所以不必依靠或歸還到任何感官的資料或者缺乏感官的資料上。

為了強調他的論點,佛陀提出八識心王 所接觸到的變化相,及把每一個變化相、每一法都歸還到它的本處(可還的本因)––它的家。

接著佛向阿難詰難:到底他的真心–– 他的見精明性歸還何處?假如見(真心、真性天然)可以歸還到這八種變化相的其中之一,那麼在沒有任何可以歸還的本處的情形之下,真心是無法發揮它的功能去 覺察到其他七種變化相的。例如,假如見性被認為是對光明的一種知覺,那麼它的本所因處(可還的本因)就是太陽從東方升起。在缺乏這個本所因處(可還的本 因)的時候(本無所因),見性是不能發揮它的功能的。然而,阿難了解到,實際的情形並非如此。因為在缺乏對光明的知覺時(以太陽東升作為它的本所因處、可 還的本因),黑暗及其他的變化相也可以被感受(如月朔新月牙兒時、或是被天上的雲、或是被霧所遮蓋時)。

最後,為了安慰阿難,因阿難擔心萬一 他放下他對意識心(攀緣心)的執著,他的真心便會失去所有的功能。佛陀總結說:「能有所歸還的,很明顯的,當然不是你的。不能有所歸還的,假如不是你的, 那它是誰的呢?真心(見性、見精明性)是真正的主人。主人已經在家了。同樣的,並沒有任何方法可以把真心忘失丟棄。你不能把真心與人,即使你想這麼做。」 上人解釋說:

有可還的那些相,那不是你的。在你的 這兒,不到旁的地方去的;不是你所能還給人的,沒有法子可以還出去的。假如不是你的,那麼是屬於誰的呢?這幾句話把道理說得很清楚。《楞嚴經》的中文及經 文,實在是太好太妙了。你想要學中文,不學《楞嚴經》,那你的中文沒有學好。

假如你學過《楞嚴經》,當你用中文作 出文章來,恐怕你的學問比一般中國古來的秀才舉人都要好。《楞嚴經》的文,你要學。懂得了幾段,你就會受用無窮。《楞嚴經》的文實在好,歡喜學中文的人, 不要放過這個機會。

你不要如入寶山,空手而回。不要像那 個黑瞎子(黑熊)吃玉米。中國有句話說:「黑瞎子採擷包米(玉米),隨得隨失」。黑瞎子(黑熊)到玉蜀黍田中去收集玉蜀黍。牠把一個玉蜀黍挾在腋窩底下。 然後伸出手續繼去採擷另一個玉蜀黍,又把它挾在另一腋窩底下。但當牠伸出手去採擷第二個玉蜀黍時,便把第一個玉蜀黍丟了。當牠伸出手去採擷第三個玉蜀黍 時,又把第二個玉蜀黍丟了。黑熊一直以為牠採擷了很多的玉蜀黍。直到牠離開玉蜀黍田時,黑熊才發現到原來牠只帶回一個玉蜀黍!

你不要到寶山裡,看到寶貝太多了,想 拿一些這個,那個又放下了。我們現在講經就是如入寶山。這可比那寶山的寶貝還都有價值。你要是明白一句這部經典上的經文,假如你修行用功,你就不會退轉。 假如你向前勇猛精進,你就成佛了。所以經典的價值比寶山裡的寶貝的價值還高得多。


Ten Aspects of the Seeing

V. The Seeing Does Not Return (Part Two)

The Venerable Ananda liked nothing better than listening to Shakyamuni Buddha speak Dharma. In fact, he identified so strongly with those sounds of Dharma that he made the mistake of mistaking the means for the end. The Buddha used the Dharma to explain the True Mind, but Ananda jumped to the conclusion that the Dharma was the True Mind. There is more than one mistake happening here. First, Ananda is mistaking the Dharma for the principles the Dharma is describing. But second is the deeper mistake of assuming his mind-consciousnesses are the True Mind. The Buddha’s example of the finger (the means) being mistaken for the moon (the end) is aimed at helping Ananda realize his mistake of taking the Dharma (the means) to be the True Mind (the end).

In order to correct Ananda’s misconception that his distinction-making consciousnesses are his True Mind, the Buddha leads Ananda on a search for the source of his “mind.” Again relying on analogy, the Buddha likens the mind-consciousnesses to the guests at an inn. Just as the guests are temporary residents who will return to where they came from—their own homes, so too, the mind-consciousnesses’ functions can be returned to where they came from—the data input of the sense organs and so forth even to the absence of distinguishing that input (as in the “dark truth” that certain externalists attach to). Just as the host of the inn is already “at home” so that he doesn’t return to anywhere else, so too, the True Mind is “at home” and does not rely on or return to any sense data or lack of sense data.

To press his point, the Buddha mentions eight attributes perceived by the mind-consciousnesses and returns each attribute to its source—its “home.”

Then the Buddha challenges Ananda by asking him to which of these does his True Mind—his Essence of Seeing return. If the Seeing (True Mind) were returnable to any one of these eight, then in the absence of that source, the True Mind would not be able to function to perceive the other seven. For instance, if Seeing were considered to be the perception of light, then its source would be the rising sun and in the absence of that source, the Seeing would not function. However, Ananda will realize that, in actuality, this is not so. In the absence of the perception of light (based on the rising sun for its source), darkness and other attributes can be perceived (as when there is a new moon, or clouds in the sky, or a fog covering).

Finally, pacifying Ananda’s concern that if he lets go of his attachment to his mind-consciousnesses he will have no mind functioning at all, the Buddha concludes: “That which can be returned to other sources is clearly not you; but as to that which cannot be returned to any other source—if that’s not you, what is it? The True Mind (Essence of Seeing) is the host! The host is already at home. So too, there is no way to dispense with your True Mind. You couldn’t give it away even if you wanted to!”

The Venerable Master comments:

“That which can be returned to other sources is clearly not you; but as to that which cannot be returned to any other source—if that’s not you, what is it?” These few words explain the principle very clearly and the Chinese text of this Sutra is extremely fine! If you want to study Chinese and have not yet studied the Shurangama Sutra, then your study of Chinese is not yet complete!

Once you have studied the Shurangama Sutra, if you write essays in Chinese, it is probable that your written Chinese will be so fine that not even the best scholars of ancient China could compare with it. To understand but a portion of the Shurangama Sutra text is of inexhaustible use. Those of you who like to study Chinese should not pass up the opportunity to study this superb text.

Don’t enter the mountain of jewels and return empty-handed. Don’t be like the bear who goes into a cornfield to gather ears of corn. The bear puts one ear of corn under one armpit and then reaches for another ear of corn to put under the other armpit. But by reaching out for the second ear, he loses his grip on the first ear. Then, as he reaches to grasp a third ear, he loses the second ear. All the while he thinks he’s loading up on corn, only to discover when he leaves the cornfield that he’s come away with only one ear!

When you enter the mountain of jewels, don’t be so overwhelmed by all the gems that as you pick up one, you drop the others you were holding. This explanation of the Sutra is like the mountain of jewels. If, having understood one sentence of this Sutra, you apply effort in your cultivation, then you will not retreat; if you vigorously progress with courage, then you will become a Buddha. And so the value of the Sutra far exceeds the value of the jewels on the mountain!

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