弟子藥恩來電郵提問：

問：尊貴的上師，您最近的作品〈確認法身〉，我有兩個小問題請教。
http://www.originalpurity.org/gurulin/b5files/f2/f2346_e0281.html
 
您說在色、聲、嗅、味、覺（感受）及心（意念、情緒）消逝之際，能覺受之靈明卻是無有變異而常在的。這便是我們可隨時隨地確認的法身一瞥。

弟子的問題是，假如各種條件具備，我可以找個安静没有聲音的地方，閉上眼睛和嘴巴，鼻子不去聞氣味，身體不動减少觸覺，但意念與情緒却一直在翻滾，無有停息，即這些覺受很難一起消逝，更何况聲色不斷，此起彼伏。如何又能隨時隨地瞥見法身呢？請問方法。

此外，覺受消逝而靈明常在，似乎有一個獨立於色聲香味觸法之外的法身存在，我的理解哪裡不對呢，請問法理。

謝謝上師！

答：問得好。

用文字說法，一定會有瑕疵的，因為是以對立的工具設法表達不可說、不可思議的。

你提出的是深明法理的纔會看出的文字破綻。

所謂「消逝之際」並不是說「都消逝之際」，任一種的消逝都可用來修。觀音法門就是修，音不在時，能聞音的不變。

其實，都在時也是法身一瞥，但是一般習於套上成見，而無從由見解脫出，所以只能藉「消逝之際」來修。

此外，所謂「靈明常在」也是不得已的說法，因為此靈明與所有覺受是無可分、是一體的；用這樣的說法來傳達說不出的。

 

二○二○年七月五日
養和齋　　　於加州

 

Disciple Yao En raised questions in an email:
Q: Venerable Guru, as to your recent work, ″Recognizing Dharmakaya″, I have two minor questions to ask for your teaching.
http://www.originalpurity.org/gurulin/b5files/f2/f2346_e0281.html#e

You stated that, ″The totality of colors, shapes, smells, tastes, sensations, feelings and thoughts, which we experience at any instant and any spot, is incessantly fleeting away and evolving, and cannot be hold onto; nevertheless, at the juncture when these experiences dissipated, the awareness which is undefinable and indescribable remains constantly without changes. This is what we, as a minute bit in the Dharmakaya, can recognize, at any instant and any spot, as a glimpse of the Dharmakaya. ″

Disciple′s question is that, if all kinds of conditions are met, I can find a quiet place free from noises, close my eyes and mouth, stop smelling odors, and do not move body to reduce sensation from touching, but thoughts and emotions will keep on rolling up and down incessantly, in other words, it is very difficult for all these sensations to cease together, not to mention that sounds and colors and shapes come and go constantly. How can one get a glimpse of the Dharmakaya at any instant and any spot? Please reveal the method to me.

Besides, sensations disappear while awareness remains constantly, this seems to indicate the existence of a Dharmakaya which is independent of colors, shapes, smells, tastes, sensations, feelings and thoughts; where does my comprehension go astray? Please show me the Dharma rationale.

Thank you, Guru!

A: Good questions.
Employing words to expound on Dharma is bound to contain minor defects because one is attempting to convey what is unspeakable and incomprehensible via dualistic tools.

The questions you raised are pointing at defects of using words to expound Dharma, and such discernability are possessed only by people who have profound comprehension of the Dharma teachings.

The so-called ″juncture when these experiences dissipated″ does not mean ″when they all dissipated together″; any kind of dissipation may be used for practice. The Guan Yin (Visualization on Sounds) practice is to notice that, as sounds dissipated, awareness capable of hearing remains unchanged.

In fact, when all experiences present, it is also a glimpse of the Dharmakaya; however, ordinarily people are used to adding established views and couldn′t be free from prejudices, and hence, we can only use the ″juncture when these experiences dissipated″ to practice.

Besides, the so-called ″awareness remains constantly″ is also a way of saying because there were no better choices; indeed, this awareness and all sensations are indivisible and in oneness. We can only use such an expression to point at what is inexpressible.

 

Written in Chinese on July 5, 2020
Translated into English on May 31, 2021
El Cerrito, California