..续本文上一页d before the Buddha. Hence it is not purely Buddhist, but it is not excluded from the field of Buddhist meditation. However it is not essential for the realization of Nirvāna. The Buddha himself, before his Enlightenment, studied these yogic practices under different teachers and attained to the highest mystic states; but he was not satisfied with them, because they did not give complete liberation, they did not give insight into the Ultimate Reality. He considered these mystic states only as ”happy living in this existence” (ditthadhammasukhavihāra), or ”peaceful living” (santavihāra), and nothing more. [4]
修习有两种。一种是发展注意力使能集中，所谓心一境性(亦称奢摩他、三摩地、止等)。经中有许多方法，修之可达到最高的神秘境界如无所有处、非想非非想处等。这些境界，跟据佛说，都是心造心生的、是缘成的(有为法)。它们与实相、真理、涅槃无关。这一种的修习，在佛世以前已经有了。因此，它不是纯粹佛教的，但是佛教也并未将它从佛教的修习方法中剔除。可是这种方法并不是证入涅槃的要件。佛在自己证正觉以前，就曾在不同的师门下，学过这种瑜伽法门，而达到了最高的神秘境界。可是，他并不以之为满足，因为它们并不能予他以彻底的解脱，也不能使他亲见最终的实相。他认为这种神秘境界只是“此生中愉快的生活”或“平静的生活”，如此而已。〔注三〕
He therefore discovered the other form of ”meditation” known as vipassanā (Skt. Vipaśyanā or vidarśanā), ”Insight” into the nature of things, leading to the complete liberation of mind, to the realization of the Ultimate Truth, Nirvāna. This is essentially Buddhist ”meditation”, Buddhist mental culture. It is an analytical method based on mindfulness, awareness, vigilance, observation.
因此，他发明了另一种的修习，叫做毗婆舍那(观)，深刻地察照万物的本性，以导致心灵的完全解脱，而证入最终的真理、涅槃。这才是主要的佛教的修习的方法、佛教的心智培育法。它是跟据观察、警觉、洞照与忆念而作的一种分析法。
It is impossible to do justice to such a vast subject in a few pages. However an attempt is made here to give a very brief and rough idea of the true Buddhist ”meditation”, mental culture or mental development, in a practical way.
在区区数页短纸中，要详论这一广泛的议题，是不可能的。以下只是一个简单粗浅的尝试，以略明真正的佛教修习——心智的培育或心智的发展——其实用的方法为如何而已。
The most important discourse ever given by the Buddha on mental development (”meditation”) is called the Satipatthāna-sutta ”The Setting-up of Mindfulness” (No. 22 of the Digha-nikāya, or No. 10 of the Majjhima-nikāya). This discourse is so highly venerated in tradition that it is regularly recited not only in Buddhist monasteries, but also in Buddhist homes with members of the family sitting round and listening with deep devotion. Very often bhikkhus recite this sutta by the bed-side of a dying man to purify his last thoughts.
佛所说的法中，有关心智发展(修习)的最重要的一部经，叫做《念住经》(巴利文《长部第二十二经》或《中部第十经》)。这部经传统上极受尊敬。不但在寺院中经常定时背诵，在佛教家庭中亦复如是，而尤家人团坐虔诚聆听。比丘们亦常在垂死人的病榻边读诵此经，以净化临终者最后的念头。
The ways of ”meditation” given in this discourse are not cut off from life, nor do they avoid life; on the contrary, they are all connected with our life, our daily activities, our sorrows and joys, our words and thoughts, our moral and intellectual occupations.
这经中所创导的修习方法，既不离世亦不遁世。相反的，它与我们的生活、日常的活动、我们的忧悲喜乐、我们的语言思想、我们所从事的道德与理性的活动，靡不相关。
The discourse is pided into four main sections: the first section deals with our body (kāya), the second with our feelings and sensation (vedanā), the third with the wind (citta), and the fourth with various moral and intellectual subjects (dhamma).
这部经共分四大部份：第一部分是关于身体的，第二部分关于感觉与感受，第三部分关于心智，第四部分则关于各种道德的与理性的课题(法)。
It should be clearly borne in mind that whatever the form of ”meditation” may be, the essential thing is mindfulness or awareness (sati), attention or observation (anupassanā).
这里有一事必须明白牢记：不论修习什么方法，要紧的是念念分明，忆持不忘，并须注意观察。
One of the most well-known, popular and practical examples of ”meditation” connected with the body is called ”The mindfulness or Awareness of in-and-out breathing” (ānāpānasati). It is for this ”meditation” only that a particular and definite posture is prescribed in the text. For other forms of ”meditation” given in this sutta, you may sit, stand, walk, or lie down, as you like. But, for cultivating mindfulness of in-and-out breathing, one should sit, according to the text, ”cross-legged, keeping the bo…
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