..續本文上一頁dy erect and mindfulness alert”. But sitting cross-legged is not practical and easy for people of all countries, particularly for Westerners. Therefore, those who find it difficult to sit cross-legged may sit on a chair, ”keeping the body erect and mindfulness alert”. It is very necessary for this exercise that the mediator should sit erect, but not stiff; his hands placed comfortably on his lap. Thus seated, you may close your eyes, or you may gaze at the tip of your nose, as it may be convenient to you.
有一個最爲人所熟知、喜好而又是最實用的修習法門，叫做“憶念出入息法(數息觀)”。這是與身體有關的。只有在修習這一法門時，才需要采取一種經中指定的特別姿勢。經裏所指示的其他修習方法，就無此限製，無論行住坐臥都可隨意爲之。但修習數息觀則必須跟據經典趺跏而坐，保持身軀端直而心念警覺。趺跏而坐不易實行，非一切國家人士(尤其是西方人士)所能清輕易辦到。因此，趺跏坐有困難的人，可以坐在椅子上，只要身體端直，心神警覺就行。這項修習中，端坐極爲重要，但不是僵坐。兩手須很舒適地擱在膝上。如此坐定後，可將兩眼閉合，或凝視鼻端，隨各人方便爲之。
You breathe in and out all day and night, but you are never mindful of it, you never for a second concentrate your mind on it. Now you are going to do just this. Breathe in and out as usual, without any effort or strain. Now, bring your mind to concentrate on your breathing-in and breathing-out; let your mind watch and observe your breathing in and out; let your mind be aware and vigilant of your breathing in and out. When you breathe, you sometimes take deep breaths, sometimes not. This does not matter at all. Breathe normally and naturally. The only thing is that when you take deep breaths you should be aware that they are deep breaths, and so on. In other words, your mind should be so fully concentrated on your breathing that you are aware of its movements and changes. Forget all other things, your surroundings, your environment; do not raise your eyes and look at anything. Try to do this for five or ten minutes.
每人日夜呼吸不停，但自己絲毫不覺，因爲從未有人以分秒的時間，將心神貫注在呼吸上。而如今要做的，正是這個。(方法是)照平時一樣的一呼一吸，絲毫不要用力。只將精神集中于這呼出吸入上，凝神觀察這吸進呼出的動作，保持對這呼吸的警覺，使時刻都了了分明于這一動態。你呼吸時，有時深，有時淺。這並不打緊，只顧自自然然的呼吸去。惟一的一點是你在深呼吸時，心中須有數這些是深呼吸，如此這般。換言之，你的心力須集中在呼吸上，使你對于它的動作變化，無不了然于心。忘掉你的周圍環境以及其他一切事物，不可擡眼視物，這樣的試練五至十分鍾。
At the beginning you will find it extremely difficult to bring your mind to concentrate on your breathing. You will be astonished how your mind runs away. It does not stay. You begin to think of various things. You hear sounds outside. Your mind is disturbed and distracted. You may be dismayed and disappointed. But if you continue to practice this exercise twice daily, morning and evening, for about five or ten minutes at a time, you will gradually, by and by, being to concentrate your mind on your breathing. After a certain period, you will experience just that split second when your mind is fully concentrated on your breathing, when you will not hear even sounds nearby, when no external world exists for you. This slight moment is such a tremendous experience for you, full of joy, happiness and tranquility, that you would like to continue it. But still you cannot. Yet if you go on practising this regularly, you may repeat the experience again and again for longer and longer periods. That is the moment when you loose yourself completely in your mindfulness of breathing. As long as you are conscious of yourself you can never concentrate on anything.
開頭的時候，你會發覺全神灌注在呼吸上，非常的不容易。你會奇怪你的心這麼這樣會跑，它就是不肯停下來。你想東想西，耳中只聽到外面的聲音。你的腦筋混亂、思緒紛飛。你也會覺得沮喪失望。但是如果你繼續不停的練習，每天早晚各一次，每次五至十分鍾，慢慢的，你的心就會集中在呼吸上了。過了一段時間，你就會經驗到一刹那(的定境)，你的心神全部灌注在呼吸上，連近身的聲音也都充耳不聞，一時間外境俱泯。這一短時間的(定境)，是一種了不起的經驗，充滿了喜悅與甯靜。你但願能繼續保持它，但是這時你還作不到這一點。不過只要你經常不停的練習，這種經驗可以一次又一次的發生，而每次定的時間也會逐漸加長。這就是你系心於呼吸上至忘我之境的時候了。只要你老覺得有你自己存在，你就不能集中注意力于任何別的東西。
This exercise of mindfulness of breathing, which is one of the simplest and easiest practices, is meant to develop concentration leading up to very high mystic attainments (dhyāna). Besides, the power of concentration is essential for any kind of deep understanding, penetration, insight into the nature of things, including the …
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