..續本文上一頁 times; they carefully attend to them at every moment. Therefore these precious pearls glow brighter each day, as the dragons guard them attentively day and night. People who practice Chan meditation are just the same, in that they never allow their minds to ramble with scattered thinking. An ancient worthy said, "When not even a single thought arises, the entire substance comes into view." We can rephrase it to say, "When idle thoughts no longer arise, the entire substance comes into view." When one is free of idle thoughts, then one can have some success.

　　參禅的人，不想成佛，不想開悟，不想得智慧，只是努力用功，勤加修行，到時候自然會開悟。不要去想什麼時候能開悟？如果這樣一想，想到無量劫，也不會開悟。在禅堂裏，行行坐坐，坐坐行行，時間久了，自然會有成功的機會，所謂「久坐有禅。」

　　Meditators don”t think about becoming Buddhas, getting enlightened, or gaining wisdom. They simply work hard and cultivate vigorously. When the time comes, they naturally become enlightened. You can”t think about when you will get enlightened. If you think like that, you can think to the ends of time, but you”ll never get enlightened. If you stay in the Chan Hall, and sit and walk, walk and sit, then after a long time, you”ll have a chance to get enlightened. As it”s said, "Chan comes with long-time sitting."

　　參禅，又好像「貓捕鼠」一樣用工夫，要聚精會神守在老鼠洞旁，等待老鼠出來，就一爪捕之，不可以懈怠，一散亂其心就不能注意了。參禅的人，亦複如是，時時刻刻要提起正念，不生妄念，這是參禅初步入門的知識。

　　Investigating Chan is done the way a cat stalks a mouse. The cat concentrates its energy and focuses its attention, patiently sitting beside the mousehole, waiting for the mouse to appear. As soon as it comes out, the cat pounces on it. The cat cannot slack off; once it becomes distracted, it will no longer be able to concentrate. Chan meditators are the same: at all times, they maintain proper thoughts and avoid idle thoughts. This is basic knowledge for beginners in Chan meditation.

　　修道人，不要到南山去找「道」，也不要到北海去找「道」。道，就在你的身邊。你能結雙跏趺坐，專心致意參禅，這就是道。不要有好高骛遠的心，向外馳求去找道，那是永遠找不到。舍近求遠，到處找困難的事，這就是自找麻煩，自討苦吃。

　　Cultivators should not go running off to the mountains in the south or to the ocean in the north to seek the Way. The Way is right with you at all times. If you can sit in full lotus and concentrate your mind as you investigate Chan, just that is the Way. Don”t let your mind hanker after remote mysteries, running outside in search of the Way, for you”ll never find it there. You”ll be forsaking what”s near to search afar; and everywhere you go, you”ll be searching for trouble. You”ll be causing yourself needless hassle and making your life miserable.

　　一九八○年禅七十二月開示

　　A talk given during a Chan Session

　　in December, 1980

《控製妄想的秘訣 The Secret to Controlling Random Thoughts》全文閱讀結束。