(２７)這裏必定要提出一個問題：

　　“涅槃是在死後才能證得，或在今生此地就能證得？”

　　27) Here is a question that definitely should be brought up:

　　“Is nibbāna attained after death or here is this life

　　”

　　寺院講堂的教師或講者只談到死後才得涅槃，然而在叁藏教典裏，我們並沒有發現這種說法。涅槃另外有如下的說法：一是“現證涅槃”(行者親自體證的涅槃sanditthika-nibbana)，一是“現法涅槃(此時此地的涅槃)。在四色界定(rupa-jhana)和四無色界定(arupa-jhana)中，所經驗到充滿喜悅的意識狀態，就是“現證涅槃”或“現法涅槃”。但現在我們必須了解，這些情況是獲得涅槃前的體驗，它們擁有涅槃的滋味，但是仍不同于真正的涅槃。因爲那種狀況是不圓滿、不究竟的，它們被稱爲“現證涅槃”和“現法涅槃”(泰本巴利藏第２３冊，４７５頁)。

　　TEACHERS WHO LECTURE in the fancy preaching halls only talk about nibbāna after death. In the Tipi.aka, however, we don”t find this. There are expressions such as sandi..hika-nibbāna (nibbāna which a practitioner sees personally) and di..hadhamma- nibbāna (nibbāna here and now). We are told that the blissful states of consciousness experienced in the four rūpa-jhānas and the four arūpa-jhānas (eight degrees of deep concentration) are sandi..hika- nibbāna or di..hadhamma-nibbāna. But for the present purpose, we may understand these states to be a foretaste of nibbāna. They have the flavour of, but are not identical with, real nibbāna. Because these states are not perfect and absolute, they have been called sandi..hika-nibbāna or di..hadhamma-nibbāna.

　　還有比這些更好的說法，在一次場合裏，佛陀描述了貪、瞋、癡的止息，那就是“直接體證(sanditthikam)，當下可以得到成果(akalikam)，請大家一起來看(ehipassikam)，向內觀照(opanayikam)，智者親自體證，”這些措辭意味著一個活生生的人，他能明了、感覺、體味到涅槃，而且可以呼朋喚友同來欣賞。如此清楚地顯示他還沒有死，而他的內心卻已知道涅槃的滋味。

　　Yet there are still better words than these. On one occasion the Buddha described the cessation of lust, hatred, and delusion as “sandi..hika.. akalika., ehipassikam opanayika., paccatta. veditabba. vinnūhi”, that is, “directly visible, giving immediate results, inviting all to see, leading inward, and to be inpidually experienced by the wise”. These terms imply a living person who has realized, felt, and tasted nibbāna, and who can call his friends to come and see what he has found. This shows clearly that he has not died, and he knows the taste of nibbāna in his heart.

　　這也可以用其他方式表達——“無取著般涅槃”(anupada-parinibbana),它是現生自證的，“般涅槃”是根除痛苦和煩惱(泰本巴利藏第３２冊，７５頁)，而五蘊不會消失或崩散，也就是說肉體不需要死亡。

　　There are other expressions as well. Anupādā-parinibbāna is something attained while life still remains. Parinibbāyati refers to the eradication of suffering and defilements without any need for the extinction or disintegration of the five aggregates (the body-mind complex), that is to say, without one”s needing to die physically.

　　現在把“涅槃”定義成“清涼”，也就是沒有熱惱、痛苦。因此我想請各位思惟我們泰國祖先的智慧，他們說：“涅槃是死亡前的死亡(Nibbana is dying before death)”你可能從來沒有聽過這句格言，但它是鄉下農民常說的一句話，他們說：

　　Now this word “nibbāna” in ordinary everyday language simply means “coolness, absence of heat, absence of suffering”. Thus, I should like you to consider the wisdom of our Thai forefathers who had a saying “Nibbāna is in dying before death.” You probably have never heard this saying, but it is very common among rural people. They say:

　　死屍中見美色

　　Beauty is to be found in the dead body.

　　施舍中見善行

　　Goodness is to be found in relinquishment.

　　真誠中見天神

　　The monk is to be found, in earnestness.

　　死亡前的死亡見涅槃

　　Nibbāna is to be found in dying before death.

　　身爲子孫我們，比祖先更聰明或更愚笨呢？請慎重思惟這句格言：“涅槃是(肉體)死亡前的(我執)死亡”，肉體不必死，但是我執必定要消除，這稱爲“涅槃”。能了解它的人，就能得到無上及不可言喻的悅樂，這是另一種樂，而他依然繼續活著。

　　Are we their descendents, more clever or more foolish than our fore fathers

　　 Do ponder over this saying “Nibbāna is in dying (to selfhood) before death (of the body).” The body doesn”t have to die. But attachment to the self-idea must. This is nibbāna. The person who realizes it has obtained supreme bliss, yet continues to live.