Mind and Matter(Nama-Rupa)

　　心和物(名與色)

　　"What is mind

　　 No matter. What is matter

　　 Never mind."

　　什麼是心？不是物。什麼是物？不是心。

　　According to Buddhism, life is a combination of mind (nama) and matter (rupa). Mind consists of the combination of sensations, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness. Matter consists of the combination of the four elements of solidity, fluidity, motion and heat. Life is the co-existence of mind and matter. Decay is the lack of co-ordination of mind and matter. Death is the separation of mind and matter. Rebirth is the recombination of mind and matter. After the passing away of the physical body (matter), the mental forces (mind) recombine and assume a new combination in a different material form and condition another existence. The relation of mind to matter is like the relation of a battery to an engine of a motor car. The battery helps to start the engine. The engine helps to charge the battery. The combination helps to run the motor car. In the same manner, matter helps the mind to function and the mind helps to set matter in motion. Buddhism teaches that life is not the property of matter alone, and that the life-process continues or flows as a result of cause and effect. The mental and material elements that compose sentient beings from amoebae to elephant and also to man, existed previously in other forms. Although some people hold the view that life originates in matter alone, the greatest scientists have accepted that mind precedes matter in order for life to originate.

　　根據佛教的說法，生命是心和物的結合。心包括了受、想、行和識。物是四大元素的組合，包括了地(固體)、水(流體)、風(動體)和火(熱)。

　　生命是心與物的組合，老是心與物的失調，死是心與物的分解，再生是心與物的中心組合──當肉體死去後，精神力在一個不同的物質狀態或身體中形成一個新的組合。

　　心與物的關系，就好像電池與汽車引擎一樣。電池發動了引擎，引擎發動後爲電池充電，這樣的組合，促成了汽車的運行。同樣的道理，物使心作用，心使物活動。

　　佛教認爲生命不只是物質而已，整個生命過程依靠因果來持續和流動。精神和物質兩大因素組成了小至變形蟲，大至大象，乃至一切衆生包括人類在內。雖然，有些人認爲生命只是物質現象。但是，有些前衛的科學家已經開始接受，心識于物質形成之前，已經是生命的起源這種觀點了。

　　In Buddhism, this concept is called ”relinking consciousness”. Each of us, in the ultimate sense, is mind and matter, a compound of mental and material phenomena, and nothing more. Apart from these realities that go to form the nama-rupa compound, there is no self, or soul. The mind part of the compound is what experiences an object. The matter part does not experience anything. When the body is injured, it is not the body that feels the pain, but the mental side. When are hungry it is not the stomach that feels the hunger but again the mind and its factors, makes the body digest the food. Thus neither the nama nor the rupa has any efficient power of its own. One is dependent on the other; one supports the other. Both mind and matter arise because of conditions and perish immediately, and this is happening every moment of our lives. By studying and experiencing these realities we will get insight into:

　　(1)what we truly are; (2)what we find around us; (3)how and why we react to what is within and around us; and (4)what we should aspire to reach as a spiritual goal. To gain insight into the nature of the psycho-physical life is to realize that life is an illusion, a mirage or a bubble, a mere process of becoming and dissolving, or arising and passing away. Whatever exists, arises from causes and conditions.

　　佛教稱這種觀點爲：「再連接的意識」。我們每個人都存在于心和物裏，除了心識範圍和物質現象，再也沒有別的。我們從心與物的範圍裏，認識到沒有「自我」和靈魂的存在。在精神上，我們也不是對一切都有所認識。比如當我們受傷時，感覺到痛的不是我們的身體，而是精神。當我們感覺到餓時，不是我們的胃覺得餓，而是我們的思惟。但是，我們的思維並不需要補充食物，卻能引導身體補充食物。這些都是心與物在作用，它們互相的依賴，相互的支援。在我們的生命中，心與物無時無刻的都在作用。透過對心與物的了解，我們洞察到：

　　一、我們到底是什麼？

　　二、我們找到些什麼？

　　叁、是什麼與我們同在或環繞我們，又爲什麼？

　　四、什麼是我們所欲求達到的心靈目標？

　　洞察生命的本質後，我們了解生命有如夢、幻、泡、影，即生即滅。一切的生與滅都是因緣的條件反應。