..續本文上一頁加禅期的人都變成平等，大家都只是一個禅修者。你禅修了幾多年、你是老手還是新手，這些都變得不重要。如果你抛棄所有這些個人經曆，那麼大家便都是平等無束縛。我們正是在擺脫這些關注、觀感和心念思想，不讓它們束縛我們、阻止我們開展出從放下而來的平靜。就這樣，你徹徹底底放下你過去的每一個片段，即使是在此禅期間時至這刻曾發生過的事，即使僅在這一刻之前所發生的事情的記憶！這樣，你不把負擔從過去帶進當下，無論剛剛發生了甚麼事，你都不再感興趣，任它來去。你不讓過去在心內回蕩。
I describe this as developing your mind like a padded cell! When any experience, perception or thought hits the wall of the ”padded cell” , it does not bounce back-again. It just sinks into the padding and stops right there. Thus we do not allow the past to echo in our consciousness, certainly not the past of yesterday and all that time before, because we are developing the mind inclined to letting go, giving away and unburdening.
我會把這描述爲把心發展成有如一間軟壁房間一樣，當有任何經驗、觀感，或心念思想打在軟壁上，都不會反彈回來，只是嵌進軟墊內，停於該處。如是地，我們不讓過去在我們的意識內回響，不管是昨日或所有之前的過去，因爲我們正在開展著趣向於離執、舍棄和不累贅的心。
Some people have the view that if they take up the past for contemplation they can somehow learn from it and solve the problems of the past. However, you should understand that when you gaze at the past, you invariably look through distorted lenses. Whatever you think it was like, in truth it was not quite like that! This is why people have arguments about what actually happened, even a few moments ago. It is well known to police who investigate traffic accidents that even though the accident may have happened only half an hour ago, two different eyewitnesses, both completely honest, will give different accounts. Our memory is untrustworthy. If you consider just how unreliable memory is, then you do not put value on thinking about the past. Then you can let it go. You can bury it, just as you bury a person who has died. You place them in a coffin then bury it, or cremate it, and it is done with, finished. Do not linger on the past. Do not continue to carry the coffins of dead moments on your head! If you do, then you are weighing yourself down with heavy burdens which do not really belong to you. Let all of the past go and you have the ability to be free in the present moment.
有些人認爲，如果他們深思過去，便可從中學習，並能解決到過去的問題。可是，你要明白，在你凝視著過去時，你總是透過扭曲的鏡片來看。無論你認爲那是怎樣，事實卻不完全是這樣！這便是爲何人們都對真實發生過的事情會有所爭論的原因，即使那是幾刹那之前的事。負責調查交通意外的警員都很清楚，即使意外是發生於半小時之前，兩個都是絕對誠實的不同的目擊證人都會有不同的描述。我們的記憶很不可靠，假如你細心想想記憶是如何不可靠，你便不會認爲回憶過去是有意義的。於是，你便可以把它放下，你可把它埋葬，有如埋葬死人一樣，你把它們放在棺材內，然後埋葬，或火化，這便完結、了事。不要流連過去，不要繼續把裝著流逝時光的棺材頂在頭上！否則你便是把實際上不屬於你的重擔加諸身上。忘掉所有過去，這樣你便有能力在當下中解脫。
As for the future, the anticipations, fears, plans, and expectations-let all of that go too. The Lord Buddha once said about the future ”whatever you think it will be, it will always be something different” ! This future is known to the wise as uncertain, unknown and so unpredictable. It is often complete stupidity to anticipate the future, and always a great waste of your time to think of the future in meditation.
至於未來方面，預計、擔憂、計劃、期望，所有這些亦都要放下。佛陀有一次說到未來：「無論你預料那將會是怎樣，但結果往往會是別樣！」智者都了解，未來是不確定、未知和不可預知的。預想未來往往是十分愚昧，而且在禅修中預想未來更是在浪費時間。
When you work with your mind, you find that the mind is so strange. It can do some wonderful and unexpected things. It is very common for meditators who are having a difficult time, who are not getting very peaceful, to sit there thinking ”Here we go again, another hour of frustration”. Even though they begin thinking like that, anticipating failure, something strange happens and they get into a very peaceful meditation.
在修心的修行中，你會發覺心是那麼的奇怪，它竟會做出些那麼的令人贊歎和意想不到的事。禅修者吃苦頭，坐得不很平靜，邊坐邊想：「唉，又開始啦，另一個小時的沮喪」，這都很平常。雖然他們開始時會這樣想，預計會失敗，然而奇怪的事情發生起來，他們竟進入十分平靜的禅定。
Recently I heard of one man on his first ten-day retreat. After the first day his body was hurting so much he asked to go home. The teacher said, ”Stay one more day and the pain will disappear, I promise” . So he stayed another day, the pain got worse so he wanted to go home again. The teacher repeated ”just one more day, the pain will go”. He stayed for a third day an…
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