..續本文上一頁of this skill ultimately leads one to liberation from rebirth and suffering--the attainment of Nibbana.In simpler language, meditation is a skill of mental training.In order to witness the true nature of reality, you must come see it for yourself by direct experience.With diligent practice and hands-on experience, you will begin to understand how mental conditioning can reduce suffering, enhance health, promote better cognitive/emotional functioning, and lead to greater happiness and increased social harmony.
在佛法中，禅修或法行是培養心智的技巧，以調控心的作用,聚集專注力，並獲得內觀智。成功地培育這樣的技巧最終將會引領你解脫死與苦──取證涅槃。說得更簡單一點，禅修就是一種心智訓練的技巧。爲了實證究竟法的真實本質，你必須直接體驗,以親見真相。通過精勤修行和實際體驗之後，你會明了心智的調控爲何可以減輕痛苦、增進健康、發揮更高度認知/情感的功能,並獲致更大的快樂和更高度的社會和諧。
According to Buddhist doctrine, our minds continually seek out pleasure by clinging to one impermanent object after another.This inclination towards attachment is fueled by delusion, greed, and hatred.Meditation is the only means at our disposal for suppressing defilements.
按照佛法的教義，我們的心不斷追尋快樂，其模式是一個又一個抓取無常的事物。這種執取的習性爲貪、瞋、癡所推動。禅修是我們手中唯一可以鎮伏煩惱的工具。
There are essentially two types of meditation in Buddhism: Tranquility Meditation (Samatha), and Insight Meditation (Vipassana).The nature of the object chosen will dictate the type of meditation practice to develop.If a yogi chooses an object with a still, stagnant nature to meditate upon, Tranquility Meditation should be practiced to calm down the mind.If the chosen object has an inherent, dynamic, changing characteristic, the practice of Vipassana Meditation is the best approach to see the reality of nature.
在佛教中，最基本的禅修有兩類：即止禅(Samatha)和觀禅(Vipassana)。所選禅觀目標的性質決定了你在修哪一類禅法。禅修者若選擇靜止不動的所緣境，則是甯靜其心的止禅。如果所選目標的內在本質是動態的、具有不斷變化的特性，則觀禅是見實相本質最好的方法。
Within the last century, Western science has made a startling discovery.We are part of the world we view!The very process of our observation changes the things we observe.The observer is a participant in the observation process.There is no way to avoid this interaction.This relationship between subject and object is called the Uncertainty Principle in Quantum theory.
在上一個世紀中，西方科學有一項了驚人的發現：我們是我們所觀察世界的一部分，我們的觀察過程本身,改變了我們所觀察的事物。觀察者是觀察過程的參與者。沒有任何方法可以避免這種主客觀之間的相互作用。這種主客觀之間的相互關系, 在量子力學理論中叫作測不准原理。
The Eastern empirical science of meditation has practiced this basic principle for more than 25 centuries.With Insight Meditation, the observing mind is a set of events, and the yogi as observer participates in these events every time he/she looks inward. Meditation is “participatory observation”.The insight gained from observing an object of meditation depends absolutely on the state of mind of the meditator.What you are looking at is you, and what you see is dictated by how you look!In other words, what you see is actually a reflection of your own mental state.The familiar expression, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” says it all.Thus, the process of meditation is an extremely intricate, delicate relationship between the observing mind and the object of meditation.
東方禅修的經驗科學,實踐這個基本原理已經超過25個世紀。在觀禅中，能觀之心是一系列事件,剎那當下的組合，每次向內觀照時，正在禅修這位觀察者便參與了這些事件。禅修是“參與性觀察的過程”。觀察所緣境所得的洞見, 取決于禅修者心智狀態(相由心生), 你所看到的是你，你如何看決定了你會看見什麼。換句話說，你所看到的實際是一種你自心狀態的反映。“情人眼裏出西施”這個常用的成語一語道破此中真谛。因此，禅修過程就是能(能觀之心)和所(所觀之境)相互間極其複雜、微妙關系的展現。
The Observing Mind
能觀之心
The mind is not a thing, but a succession of events or activities in a process of flow.It functions invisibly, much like an x-ray.To gain a clear picture of what the observing mind is and how it works, it is best to compare it to the properties of water.It is written, “...The path of purification is the waterway...”.If we imagine a large, flowing river, the water represents the observing mind.The water current—the flow of the river—is analogous to consciousness, and the state of the water current—smooth, easy, rough, swirling, or chur…
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