..续本文上一页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，禅修或法行是培养心智的技巧，以调控心的作用,聚集专注力，并获得内观智。成功地培育这样的技巧最终将会引领你解脱死与苦──取证涅槃。说得更简单一点，禅修就是一种心智训练的技巧。为了实证究竟法的真实本质，你必须直接体验,以亲见真相。通过精勤修行和实际体验之后，你会明了心智的调控为何可以减轻痛苦、增进健康、发挥更高度认知/情感的功能,并获致更大的快乐和更高度的社会和谐。
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.
按照佛法的教义，我们的心不断追寻快乐，其模式是一个又一个抓取无常的事物。这种执取的习性为贪、瞋、痴所推动。禅修是我们手中唯一可以镇伏烦恼的工具。
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，最基本的禅修有两类：即止禅(Samatha)和观禅(Vipassana)。所选禅观目标的性质决定了你在修哪一类禅法。禅修者若选择静止不动的所缘境，则是宁静其心的止禅。如果所选目标的内在本质是动态的、具有不断变化的特性，则观禅是见实相本质最好的方法。
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.
在上一个世纪中，西方科学有一项了惊人的发现：我们是我们所观察世界的一部分，我们的观察过程本身,改变了我们所观察的事物。观察者是观察过程的参与者。没有任何方法可以避免这种主客观之间的相互作用。这种主客观之间的相互关系, 在量子力学理论中叫作测不准原理。
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.
东方禅修的经验科学,实践这个基本原理已经超过25个世纪。在观禅中，能观之心是一系列事件,剎那当下的组合，每次向内观照时，正在禅修这位观察者便参与了这些事件。禅修是“参与性观察的过程”。观察所缘境所得的洞见, 取决于禅修者心智状态(相由心生), 你所看到的是你，你如何看决定了你会看见什么。换句话说，你所看到的实际是一种你自心状态的反映。“情人眼里出西施”这个常用的成语一语道破此中真谛。因此，禅修过程就是能(能观之心)和所(所观之境)相互间极其复杂、微妙关系的展现。
The Observing Mind
能观之心
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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