住無量心簡繁轉換 - 繁體林鈺堂
執著有淺深，淺者可能以語言形容，深者可能無從把捉，因此無法全靠點破，還要等待時節因緣，也就是說，心中的清明是要靠長期的努力才能漸臻純潔。「無所住心」是崇高的境界，對一般人是可望而難以企及的，因此在實修上，我們需要尋找一個登高的指標，指導我們如何由煩惱窩裡漸漸走出，邁向「無所住心」的高峰。 學佛通常都說要發菩提心，立菩提願，行菩提行。這是正確的指導，然而細究起來，構成菩提心行的要素──求證佛果，往往只是抽象的概念。不管略說「智悲圓融」，或是細論「五智四悲」，與一般人的生活相形之下，都是做不到的。 四無量心：
依次來說，四無量心指導我們先由拔苦、予樂這兩方面著手來為一切眾生服務；並且要理智地考慮到苦樂的因果條件，而在培植因緣上努力。接著，要追求無苦之樂，也就是那超出輪迴於世間的解脫之樂，因此需要學習佛法，將「無執忘我，開闊利他」實踐在生活之中。至於「住平等大捨」則是指示我們──只有在「無所住心」、無偏、無私的清明心態中才是解脫，也纔能夠真誠並且恰切地為眾生服務。這在實行上，就是要能忍讓、包容，超出親仇、利害的分別，平等愛護。 圓融來說，四無量心指導我們在無所住心的平等大捨中，生起為一切眾生拔苦、予樂的心行，並且要徹底地達到無苦的解脫之樂。因此在自省上，我們有明確的目標，就是要「自淨其意、廣大發心」；在服務上，我們有明確的方針，就是「拔苦予樂、分享法喜」。更由於四無量心都是以一切眾生為中心，以究竟之樂為終極，自然是時空無限的開展。這樣一來，無盡的佛果呼之欲出，菩提心行也就在其中了。 怎樣才能使一切眾生離苦、得樂、充滿法喜禪悅？有限的我們既不能給予絕對的答案，也無能使之充分實現。在這樣冷靜的檢討下，四無量心是否只是「望梅止渴」或者「畫餅充饑」的口號而已呢？不是的。雖然絕對的理想需要經過生活的考驗，才能形成實際可行的智慧，雖然人間的淨土需要大家在天災人禍之中不斷地護持、重建；如果我們不步步朝向真善美邁進，我們就會漸漸沉陷在弱肉強食的悲慘之中。一點一滴不斷的努力才累積成此刻吾人享有的安樂；一絲一毫私心的糾纏牽連成今日我們煩惱的縛繭；因此取捨之間必需謹慎。勿以善小而不為；勿以路遙而卻步。理想愈高，我們愈需要奮發勵行。 在個人份上，若無四無量心的指導，則身陷現實生活中的利害、煩惱，哪能不痛苦、閉塞？哪有安寧的時刻可言？反過來看，若能把心住在四無量心的境界上，則人生際遇的順逆浮沉都微不足道，因為我們已超出了私人間的對立和計較，一切的努力都只在如何為世間減一分苦和添一分樂上考慮。這種無盡的事業使我們從個體的束縛中脫出，而融合在「有情一體」的大愛裡。這種服務的行為並不一定需要如何特立獨行，只要在自己的生活中，基於這種無盡的覺醒與關懷，對週遭的人多給一分溫暖，多伸一份援手，容忍以致祥和，便能慢慢增長自己生活的智慧，並給人間增添一些歡樂。 「無所住心」太難實修，所以我建議以較易把握的「住無量心」來做為實修的指針，希望行者因之而能逐漸趨入「無所住而生其心」。但是在日常生活中，正逢「錙銖必較」的當頭，要保持「住無量心」，實在是太難了。因此我們需要養成每天做佛課的習慣，以培養平日心地的清明。一方面我們要常想到無常——人生短暫，不值得爭執，便容易超出個人的煩惱；一方面我們要勤於念佛，由念念純粹達到生命的淨化。這樣我們便能免得在柴米油鹽、燈紅酒綠之間昏頭轉向，而能在採菊東籬時，享受南山悠然的恬淡。
相關檔案： Abiding in the Boundless MindDr. Yutang Lin
This article is based on a Chinese work of mine, titled 住無量心 and appeared in my book 無限的智悲 (Limitless Wisdom and Compassion) which was published for free distribution in 1993. Shou-Yean, my wife, found the message contained in this article to be very helpful for people immersed in worldly daily life. Therefore she suggested that I make it available for English readers as well.
Abiding in the Boundless Mind
To be free from attachments and the consequential prejudices is a very difficult task because some attachments and prejudices are easier to discern and formulate while others may be inexpressible and almost humanly impossible to relinquish even when recognized to be such. Therefore, it cannot be accomplished merely by others' pointing them out; it can only be achieved by one's conscious and continuous effort in adopting Buddhist practice. Clarity and tranquility is an innate quality of our mind; however, for those who have become aware of their inner pollution and turmoil it will take long-term nourishing to gradually regain purity of mind. Abiding nowhere is an ideal goal of freedom of mind which is hardly applicable to an ordinary person even if he is aspiring to it. In actual practice we need to find a practical guideline showing us the direction toward the summit of abiding nowhere, thereby we may gradually climb out from the whirlpool of worldly suffering and sorrows. In the course of Buddhist practice it is generally taught that one should develop the Bodhi-mind, establish one's Bodhi-vows, and practice Bodhi-activities; all of these aspire to help all sentient beings attain Enlightenment. This is of course a correct teaching. Nevertheless, upon closer reflection one recognizes that the essential factor in Bodhi-mind, Bodhi-vows and Bodhi-activities, namely, the Enlightenment of Buddha, is only an abstract concept to us ordinary people. Be it described generally as the unification of Wisdom and Compassion or in more detail as the five aspects of Wisdom and the four levels of Compassion, it is simply beyond the reach of our ordinary daily lives. Our daily lives are subject to many conditions and restrictions, and are full of antagonism, hindrance, judgment and choices. The state of Buddhahood is inconceivable and even beyond the limits of time and space. Therefore, the process of reaching Enlightenment is an approximation from a finite state to an infinite one. In the light of this observation it seems to me that the well-known Four Kinds of Boundless Mind would serve as an appropriate guideline in the process of purification toward Buddhahood—our original purity.
All of them share one essential feature—its scope encompasses all sentient beings without limitation of space and time. These four kinds of Boundless Mind guide us to serve all sentient beings in the following order: First, we should endeavor to help them become free from suffering and attain happiness, and we need to consider rationally the causal conditions involved in order to plant proper causes and develop favorable conditions. Secondly, we should pursue the joy which is beyond the suffering of transmigration, hence we need to learn and practice the teachings of Buddha. In our daily activities we should endeavor to incorporate a spirit of being free from attachments beyond selfish considerations, and opening up to the world in taking others' interest to heart. Thirdly, only when we abide nowhere, i.e., staying in the equanimity and clarity of mind which is free from discrimination and prejudice, can we attain liberation and also serve sentient beings sincerely and appropriately. This means, in practice, we should be patient, tolerant, above prejudiced favoritism, and maintain a universal loving-kindness. The spirit of these four kinds of Boundless Mind should be integrated as a whole. Thus they teach us to abide in the equanimity of abiding nowhere, from which spontaneously develop activities that relieve suffering of and bring happiness to all sentient beings, and perfect our services by bringing about the joy of Enlightenment transcending transmigration. Following this teaching we will have a definite goal in reflecting on ourselves, namely, to purify our intentions and enlarge our horizons. We will also have a tangible guideline in serving others, namely, to relieve suffering, bring happiness and share the joy of the Dharma. Furthermore, since all four kinds of Boundless Mind center around all sentient beings and together they aim at the ultimate joy of Buddhahood, their application is naturally boundless in time and space. Consequently, the ultimate realization of Buddhahood is forthcoming from their backstage, and the Bodhi-activities are interwoven into their functioning. In reality, how could we relieve suffering of all sentient beings, bring happiness to them, and share the joy of the Dharma with them? We are so limited in our resources and abilities that neither a definite answer nor a feasible solution is apparent. Upon such a cool and rational reflection one may wonder if the four kinds of Boundless Mind are merely fanciful idealism that can yield only temporary and psychological self-deceit. No, that is not the case. Although absolute ideals need to be seasoned by real-life experiences to become pragmatic wisdom, and a paradise on earth requires constant maintenance and reconstruction from damage and destruction caused by nature or human folly, if we do not march step by step toward truth, beauty and goodness, we will inevitably sink inch by inch into the mire of survival by violence and brutal force. Whatever we enjoy now is the result of an accumulation of effort and labor, and the cocoon of sorrow enclosing us has been woven continuously by tiny threads of selfishness, therefore we cannot but be cautious in choosing the direction of our activities. Stop not from doing even trivial acts of goodness; and stall not from marching onto a long journey. The higher the ideal, the more diligent and strenuous we should be. As far as an individual is concerned, without the guidance of the four kinds of Boundless Mind one would be immersed in the sorrows and conflict of interests of daily life, then how could one be free from agony and self-centeredness, and when will one find a moment of tranquility and rest? In contrast, when one abides in the openness of the four kinds of Boundless Mind the ups and downs of personal life is readily accepted as it is—a small potato—in the universe. The four kinds of Boundless Mind guide us to transcend the antagonism and criticism among individuals and to direct all our efforts toward relieving suffering of and adding happiness to the world. Engaging in the endless activities of compassionate service would free ourselves from the prison of self-centeredness and nourish all of us with the universal love encompassing all sentient beings. To engage in compassionate service it is not necessary to go in an eccentric way. One may just as well spread the spirit of Boundless Mind in daily life with the awareness of boundless compassion—be helpful and kind to people you encounter, be tolerant to induce peace and harmony, and you will add happiness to life and gradually mature in wisdom. Abiding nowhere is too difficult to practice for most of us; therefore, I suggest that we adopt the more tangible Four Kinds of Boundless Mind as the guiding principle of our daily activities. I hope that in this way the practitioner may gradually approach and realize the state of abiding nowhere and yet developing one's intentions. However, right at the moment of complicated weighing and calculating of loss and gain it is almost impossible to even think of Boundless Mind. To overcome such a difficulty we need to develop the habit of doing certain Buddhist practices daily at a regular time. A good practice recommended by many Buddhist sages and teachers as suitable for most of us is the chanting of Amitabha. Through the force of habit developed by daily practice our mind may become clearer and purer. On the one hand, we need to remind ourselves of the impermanence and transience of life, and conclude that life is too short and precious to throw into inconsequential arguments and fights. Such an awakening will free us from our sorrows. On the other hand, we need to practice diligently the chanting of Amitabha (or some other Buddhist practice) to purify our minds through constant repetition of a pure and holy name. In this way we will not get lost in the necessity and triviality of worldly subsistence and may retain a peace of mind for enjoying the leisure of a simple and pure life as revealed in the following stanza of the Chinese poet Tao Yuan Ming:
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