..续本文上一页dy erect and mindfulness alert”. But sitting cross-legged is not practical and easy for people of all countries, particularly for Westerners. Therefore, those who find it difficult to sit cross-legged may sit on a chair, ”keeping the body erect and mindfulness alert”. It is very necessary for this exercise that the mediator should sit erect, but not stiff; his hands placed comfortably on his lap. Thus seated, you may close your eyes, or you may gaze at the tip of your nose, as it may be convenient to you.
有一个最为人所熟知、喜好而又是最实用的修习法门，叫做“忆念出入息法(数息观)”。这是与身体有关的。只有在修习这一法门时，才需要采取一种经中指定的特别姿势。经里所指示的其他修习方法，就无此限制，无论行住坐卧都可随意为之。但修习数息观则必须跟据经典趺跏而坐，保持身躯端直而心念警觉。趺跏而坐不易实行，非一切国家人士(尤其是西方人士)所能清轻易办到。因此，趺跏坐有困难的人，可以坐在椅子上，只要身体端直，心神警觉就行。这项修习中，端坐极为重要，但不是僵坐。两手须很舒适地搁在膝上。如此坐定后，可将两眼闭合，或凝视鼻端，随各人方便为之。
You breathe in and out all day and night, but you are never mindful of it, you never for a second concentrate your mind on it. Now you are going to do just this. Breathe in and out as usual, without any effort or strain. Now, bring your mind to concentrate on your breathing-in and breathing-out; let your mind watch and observe your breathing in and out; let your mind be aware and vigilant of your breathing in and out. When you breathe, you sometimes take deep breaths, sometimes not. This does not matter at all. Breathe normally and naturally. The only thing is that when you take deep breaths you should be aware that they are deep breaths, and so on. In other words, your mind should be so fully concentrated on your breathing that you are aware of its movements and changes. Forget all other things, your surroundings, your environment; do not raise your eyes and look at anything. Try to do this for five or ten minutes.
每人日夜呼吸不停，但自己丝毫不觉，因为从未有人以分秒的时间，将心神贯注在呼吸上。而如今要做的，正是这个。(方法是)照平时一样的一呼一吸，丝毫不要用力。只将精神集中于这呼出吸入上，凝神观察这吸进呼出的动作，保持对这呼吸的警觉，使时刻都了了分明于这一动态。你呼吸时，有时深，有时浅。这并不打紧，只顾自自然然的呼吸去。惟一的一点是你在深呼吸时，心中须有数这些是深呼吸，如此这般。换言之，你的心力须集中在呼吸上，使你对于它的动作变化，无不了然于心。忘掉你的周围环境以及其他一切事物，不可抬眼视物，这样的试练五至十分钟。
At the beginning you will find it extremely difficult to bring your mind to concentrate on your breathing. You will be astonished how your mind runs away. It does not stay. You begin to think of various things. You hear sounds outside. Your mind is disturbed and distracted. You may be dismayed and disappointed. But if you continue to practice this exercise twice daily, morning and evening, for about five or ten minutes at a time, you will gradually, by and by, being to concentrate your mind on your breathing. After a certain period, you will experience just that split second when your mind is fully concentrated on your breathing, when you will not hear even sounds nearby, when no external world exists for you. This slight moment is such a tremendous experience for you, full of joy, happiness and tranquility, that you would like to continue it. But still you cannot. Yet if you go on practising this regularly, you may repeat the experience again and again for longer and longer periods. That is the moment when you loose yourself completely in your mindfulness of breathing. As long as you are conscious of yourself you can never concentrate on anything.
开头的时候，你会发觉全神灌注在呼吸上，非常的不容易。你会奇怪你的心这么这样会跑，它就是不肯停下来。你想东想西，耳中只听到外面的声音。你的脑筋混乱、思绪纷飞。你也会觉得沮丧失望。但是如果你继续不停的练习，每天早晚各一次，每次五至十分钟，慢慢的，你的心就会集中在呼吸上了。过了一段时间，你就会经验到一刹那(的定境)，你的心神全部灌注在呼吸上，连近身的声音也都充耳不闻，一时间外境俱泯。这一短时间的(定境)，是一种了不起的经验，充满了喜悦与宁静。你但愿能继续保持它，但是这时你还作不到这一点。不过只要你经常不停的练习，这种经验可以一次又一次的发生，而每次定的时间也会逐渐加长。这就是你系心於呼吸上至忘我之境的时候了。只要你老觉得有你自己存在，你就不能集中注意力于任何别的东西。
This exercise of mindfulness of breathing, which is one of the simplest and easiest practices, is meant to develop concentration leading up to very high mystic attainments (dhyāna). Besides, the power of concentration is essential for any kind of deep understanding, penetration, insight into the nature of things, including the …
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