第八辑 把心带回家 Volume 8: Bringing the Mind Home
当我们禅坐时，有时并不需要使用任何特定的方法。就像刚才说的："像把一盆沙倒在平面上。"
Sometimes when we meditate, we don't use any particular method. Just as what I've said, "like pouring a handful of sand onto a flat surface".
当然初学静坐的时候还是要借助一点方法的，比如观呼吸。入门嘛，一开始心很乱，你要强制自己观察呼吸，心像坐在呼吸上一样，一呼一吸你的心跟着呼吸走，或者是持一个咒、念一句佛号，每一句你都能够尽量地让自己听清楚，杂念慢慢地就减少了。
Of course, when starting meditation, it's still necessary to use some methods, such as watching the breath. At the beginning, when the mind is distracted, you need to force yourself to watch your breath. Your mind follows each inhaling and exhaling, like sitting on your breath. Or you can chant a mantra or a Buddha's name. In each repetition, try to listen carefully, and distractions will gradually decrease.
刚开始修禅定的时候，需要借助一个方法的，到后来禅修者如果见道了以后，（初见道）证到初果以后，就不需要使用特定的方法了，只需要安住在无我的状态中就可以了。安住在无我的状态中，没有任何的牵挂和负担，也不执著自己正在修禅定。
When starting to practice meditation, it's necessary to use a method. As the meditator progresses and attains the initial stage of enlightenment, he no longer needs to rely on specific methods. He can simply abide in the state of selflessness, without any attachments or burdens, and without being attached to the act of meditation itself.
如果你作意"嗯，现在我要开始入定了！"你这样一想又执著了，执著要入定，就入不了定。执著自己在禅修，你就没办法进入一个正确的禅定状态，这都是微细的挂碍。
If you think "Well, now I'm going to enter into meditation!", you become attached, attached to entering meditation, and you can't enter into meditation. If you are attached to the act of meditation, you can't enter into a proper meditation state. These are subtle hindrances.
"打坐不作打坐想"，不要有你正在禅坐的观念。
"Meditate without thinking that you're meditating." Let go of the idea that you are meditating.
如果你这样想："我在打坐、我要入定"，那禅坐的观念就已经变成真正入定的障碍了。心中有一个我相，周边的嘈杂会让禅修者心神不宁，甚至心生抱怨。
If you think "I'm meditating, I want to enter into meditation", then the idea of meditation has become a real obstacle to entering into meditation. With a notion of self in your mind, the surrounding noise would disturb you, and even cause complaints.
禅坐的时候，不要刻意去控制它，也不要勉强让心宁静。如果你想："哦，我在打坐"，这样既有我相又有禅坐相，这两个相就会让你有所挂碍，就入不了真正的三摩地，三摩地是不会有任何挂碍的。
When you meditate, there should be no effort to control and no attempt to be peaceful. If you think, "Oh, I'm meditating," then you have both the notion of self and the notion of meditation. These two notions will hold you back and prevent you from entering true Samadhi, which is a state without any hindrances.
要有智慧照破这个我相，无我相也无有禅修相，你只要专注在你的修行方法上就可以了。
You need wisdom to eradicate the notion of self. There should be no notion of self or notion of meditation. Just concentrate on your practice method.
这个很简单，你的心只是专注，打比方你念阿弥陀佛，你就专注在"阿"上，那个时候没有我相，也没有禅修相，就是专注念阿弥陀佛就可以了，
This is pretty simple, just concentrate your mind. For example, if you chant "Amitabha Buddha", just concentrate on "A". At that moment, there should be no notion of self or notion of meditation. Just concentrate on chanting Amitabha Buddha.
每念一句阿弥陀佛，"阿"字都听得很清楚。每一念都不能够忘失掉，不能打失了观照。如果有妄想，这个"阿"字就听不到了，
Every time you chant, the character "A" should be heard clearly. Never miss any repetition or lose mindfulness. If there is any wandering thought, the character "A" can't be heard.
嘴巴念了，心里"阿"没听到，没从心里过，杂念扰乱。有些人念了好长时间"阿弥陀佛"，事实上一句都没听到，没走心，耳旁风一样地过去了，这样念佛就没有效果。
You're chanting orally, but your mind hasn't heard it. It hasn't passed through your mind, you're distracted by disturbing thoughts. Some people have been chanting "Amitabha Buddha" for a long time, but actually haven't heard a word at all. They are not concentrated, so the words just pass by their ears like the wind. Chanting in this way is useless.
如果你在打妄想，甚至有些人在想别的事，想一些烦恼的事，甚至东张西望，口中高声念着"阿弥陀佛"，这样就是没有什么用。
If you are daydreaming, or even thinking of something else, something upset, or looking around while loudly chanting "Amitabha Buddha", it's useless.
刚开始念佛的时候，要念到一心不乱，这还是很粗的禅定。就是每一句佛号，一句一句中间一个妄念都没有，这是一心不乱，要练习的，这是初步的功夫。
When you begin to chant a Buddha's name, you need to chant till your mind is focused without distraction. This is still a rough form of meditation. It means that there shouldn't be any wandering thoughts during each chanting. This is a focused mind without distraction. It needs practice, this is the basic skill.
当你经常能念到一心不乱的时候，慢慢地连佛号都提不起来了，不知道什么时候你自然就不念"阿弥陀佛"了，
When you can often concentrate without distraction, you may gradually find that you can't even think of the Buddha's name anymore. You don't even know when you naturally stop chanting "Amitabha Buddha".
那个时候任何挂碍负担都没有了，你就真正地入禅定了。所以我们要多多练习禅修，多体验训练自己，把心带回家。
At that point, any attachments or burdens will be gone and you will have truly entered into meditation. So we should practice meditation, experience, and train ourselves more, to bring our mind home.
易明之光 Mini读书@2023