The Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment are a set of fundamental teachings of Buddhism in the form of a list. The list’s seeming simplicity belies the fact that it is in fact a kind of road map to enlightenment for anyone who follows it with diligence and sincerity. The Thirty-seven Aids comprise seven practices conducive to awakening. Each of the seven practices is itself a set of elements, which add up to the total of thirty-seven: (1) The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, (2) The Four Proper Exertions, (3) The Four Steps to Magical Powers, (4) The Five Roots, (5) The Five Powers, (6) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and (7) The Noble Eightfold Path. Master Sheng Yen’s down-to-earth teachings take the reader on a progression through each of the practices—many of which are familiar to all major schools of Buddhism—illustrating how they relate to the reader’s own practice on the path toward enlightenment.
Buddhism suggests that it is possible to investigate the nature of reality ourselves; but to do so one needs to differentiate definitive teachings from those of interpretable meaning. William Magee’s book, Paths to Omniscience, discusses a number of topics related to the interpretation of scripture according to Dzong-ka-ba, Jam-yang-shay-ba, Nga-w?ng-bel-den, and other great scholars of the Geluk world. Paths to Omniscience also addresses the Geluk approach to the practice of hermeneutics. Even within the lineage itself, scholars have not always agreed about interpretation of scripture. Paths to Omniscience describes intricate maneuvers enlivening the spirited controversies of these emminent Lamas. Paths to Omniscience also includes translations of thirty annotations from Nga-w?ng-bel-den’s Annotations for (Jam-yang-shay-ba’s) "Great Exposition of Tenets". These annotations show how diverse and wide-ranging a great commentarial author can be in his treatment of the basic text. Far from being mere footnotes to Jam-yang-shay-ba, the Annotations can instead be viewed as a seminar on his Great Exposition of Tenets.
To my knowledge there are no anthologies of Ch’an poetry in Chinese, Japanese or English which describe in detail the method of practice and the experience of Ch’an Furthermore, there are few prose sources in English dealing with the same topics On the other hand, there are numerous books in English that relate the episodes of the kung-ans(koans)The prevailing view that comes from reading these stories is that the practice of Ch’an is methodless, and since there is no way to describe the experience of Ch’an, it is suggested that we just go ahead and practice by studying the kung-ans The purpose of these poems is different in that they specifically show you how to practice, what attitudes to cultivate and what pitfalls to beware of Finally, they attempt to describe the ineffable experience of Ch’an itself These poems flow directly from the minds of the enlightened Ch’an masters; we get a glimpse into their experience at the time of, and after their enlightenment In contrast, in reading a kung-an we get an objective story of what happened and we don’t really know what was in their minds. It is my hope that this collection of poems will give those who are interested in the practice a new way of looking at Ch’an and a more balanced view of the scope of Ch’an literature The present selection is offered to make this tradition available to Western readers who may otherwise not be aware of their existence.
Master Sheng-Yen has devoted much of his life to spreading the teachings of Chinese Buddhism—a practice that antedates the more familiar Japanese and Tibetan traditions—throughout the world. He became known in the United States after he began founding meditation centers here in 1980. Now in his late seventies, he tells the remarkable story of his life and spiritual education in FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW. From descriptions of the private world of Buddhist masters to first-hand accounts of Chinese history, it is a rare document that is both an important look at China’s past and a compelling spiritual journey across a lifetime.Sheng-Yen’s story is of a life lived in the last years of the Republic of China, the Sino-Japanese War, and the founding of the People’s Republic of China. An eye-opening slice of modern history as well as an authoritative introduction to an ancient religious tradition, FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW will appeal to spiritual seekers, travelers who want to understand more about China, or anyone looking for a fascinating story.
From The Preface By Dan Stevenson EN. SHENG YEH is a master in the Caodong and Linji lineages of Chan〈Zen〉 school, who for twenty five years now has been guiding students from Taiwan, the United States, and Europe in the practice of Chan Buddhism. Hoofprint of the Ox provides a systematic introduction ─ in Sheng yen,s own words ─ to the principles that inform his particular style of Chan training.... In the final analysis, it is an unabashedly normative work ─ a book on Chan practice addressed to an English speaking audience with a personal interest in Buddhism. To the extent that this audience is also primarily Western, Hoofprint is more than passive report of Sheng yen,s personal convictions. It situates those convictions in responsive relation to specific expectations about Chen practice current among Western students, with specific points to be made.
The present book is a textual study in early Buddhism, which compares the Pali discourses of the Majjhima-nikāya with their parallels preserved in Chinese, Sanskrit and Tibetan etc.
作者簡介
Bhikkhu Anālayo was born in Germany in 1962 and ordained in Sri Lanka in 1995. He completed a Ph.D. thesis at the University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka) in 2000 and a habilitation thesis at the University of Marburg (Germany) in 2007. At present, he teaches at the Center for Buddhist Studies, University of Hamburg, and researches at Dharma Drum Buddhist College (Taiwan).
A Guide to the Practice of Chan BuddhismThis is an inspiring guide to the practice of Chan (Chinese Zen) in the words of four great masters of that tradition. It includes teachings from contemporary masters Xuyun and Sheng Yen, and from Jiexian and Boshan of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Though the texts were written over a period of hundreds of years, they are all remarkably lucid and are perfect for beginners as well as more advanced practitioners today. All the main points of spiritual practice are covered: philosophical foundations, methods, approaches to problems and obstacles—all aimed at helping the student attain the way to enlightenment.本書結集了四位禪師的禪修指導,包括明代曹洞宗的博山(無異元來)禪師、臨濟宗的晦山戒顯禪師的禪法,以及近代虛雲法師與聖嚴法師的禪法。內容涵括修行的各個面向,包括哲學基礎、實修方法、問題與障礙的解決,以及如何將修行融入生活中等。書中的資訊無論是對禪修初學者或已經深入修行的人,都能有所助益。
作者簡介
聖嚴法師,一九三○年出生,少年出家,曾於高雄山中閉關六年,並留學日本,獲得立正大學文學博士學位,曾任雜誌編輯、教授、所長以及譯經院院長等,創辦中華佛學研究所、創建法鼓山、僧伽大學、法鼓大學以及社會大學等,在國內設立禪修、文教、慈善等基金會,而分支道場亦遍及於歐、亞、美、澳等各大洲。他是一位教育家、作家,更是一位宗教家和國際知名的禪師,長年在國內外推動「心靈環保」、「種族和諧」及「世界和平」等工作不餘遺力。他所獲得的榮譽獎項中,包括總統文化獎、行政院文化獎、行政院社會領袖和風獎、中山文藝創作獎、中山學術著作獎、斐德烈二世和平獎等十多種。出版著作一百多種,已有十多種語言的譯著。他曾應邀為《中華日報》、《中央日報》、《聯合報》、《中國時報》、《自由時報》等各大報紙,及《天下》、《康健》等雜誌撰寫專欄。
生命路徑總在不期然之處轉彎,彷彿是為了讓我們看見更廣闊的風景……歷經大環境不斷變遷的聖嚴法師,本著最初的願心,面對人生中的高山深壑,以佛法為地圖,做為指引個人安頓身心之道;進而將他對佛法的踐行領悟,透過義理分明的文字,為現代人描繪出生命智慧的藏寶圖。
本書由聖嚴法師娓娓道來其一生的學習歷程,以及隨順因緣全力投入生命中不同角色的各種轉折,經過文字的闡述及解行並重的生命實踐,使現代人得以親近佛法善知識,領受佛法做為人生指引的妙用。
本書為英文版,為《法鼓全集》英譯計畫中的第一部英文出版品。期待能以此英譯系列向廣大的西方讀者推廣漢傳佛教與禪法。
I am an ordinary Buddhist monk born in 1930 at a village in Jiangsu Province, Nantong County. The second year after my birth, there was a great flooding of the Yangzi River, which washed away our home and everything we owned. We were impoverished. My family then moved to the south bank of the Yangzi River. I was always weak in physique and prone to illness since childhood. I entered school at the age of nine, and left school when I was thirteen. I became a monk when I was thirteen. The basic education I received was equivalent to that of a fourth grade primary school student. While the other teenagers were studying at high school and university, I was busy working as a younmonk and performing ritual services. Later, I served in the military for the country. Nevertheless, since I was young, I realized the importance of knowledge and education. Therefore, during my time in service, I would take hold of any opportunity for self-study, and read many books. After leaving the army and spending six years in solitary retreat, having met the educational requirements along with my published work, I was enrolled in Rissho University in Tokyo. There, within six years time, I completed both a master’s and a doctoral degree in Buddhist Literature. From the time I realized that the sutras are used to provide knowledge and methods to purify society and the human mind, I felt lament. I thought, “The Dharma is so good, yet so few people know about it, and so many people misunderstand it.” Ordinary people treat Buddhadharma as something secular or mystical; at best they treat it as an academic study. Actually, Buddhism is a religion that applies wisdom and compassion to purify the human world. Thus, I vowed to use contemporary ideas and language to introduce to others the true meaning of the Dharma that was forgotten, and to revive the spirit of Shakyamuni Buddha. — From the Author’s Preface
作者簡介:
Master Sheng Yen 聖嚴法師(1930~2009年)
聖嚴法師1930年生於江蘇南通,1943年於狼山出家,後因戰亂投身軍旅,十年後再次披剃出家。曾於高雄美濃閉關六年,隨後留學日本,獲立正大學文學博士學位。1975年應邀赴美弘法。1989年創建法鼓山,並於2005年開創繼起漢傳禪佛教的「中華禪法鼓宗」。
聖嚴法師是一位思想家、作家暨國際知名禪師,曾獲臺灣《天下》雜誌遴選為「四百年來臺灣最具影響力的五十位人士」之一。著作豐富,中、英、日文著作達百餘種,先後獲頒中山文藝獎、中山學術獎、總統文化獎及社會各界的諸多獎項。
聖嚴法師提出「提昇人的品質,建設人間淨土」的理念,主張以大學院、大普化、大關懷三大教育推動全面教育,相繼創辦中華佛學研究所、法鼓佛教學院、僧伽大學、法鼓大學等院校,也以豐富的禪修經驗、正信的佛法觀念和方法指導東、西方人士修行。
法師著重以現代人的語言和觀點普傳佛法,陸續提出「心靈環保」、「四種環保」、「心五四運動」、「心六倫」等社會運動,近年來更致力於國際弘化工作,參與國際性會談,促進宗教交流,提倡建立全球性倫理,致力於世界的和平。其寬闊胸襟與國際化視野,深獲海內外肯定。
In Buddhism, awakening from the long dream of life means realizing your self-nature… Although we may understand that our lives are dreamlike, we still bear responsibility for this sleeping and waking dream We must make our minds simple, peaceful, and tranquil Sincere and rigorous practice lets us calm both body and mind, which in turn allows us, day by day, to reduce our karmic obstructions”
重返生命之流,悟在柴米油鹽中突破修行套路,重拾純粹與自由
《當下覺醒》作者史帝芬.鮑地安,正念之外另闢蹊徑,引介通向覺知與愛的直接方法。
正念禪修蔚為風潮,許多人以此尋求內心的清明,但兼具修行與心理學背景的作者鮑地安,卻在長期的正念修習中遇到瓶頸:他感受到平靜,卻流失了靈動與能量。
他看見了正念的盲點,也發現有一種更直接、簡單的方法,通往「覺醒的覺知力」,能更持久地感受平靜與喜悅。
鮑地安肯定傳統正念在覺察念頭與思緒、培養開放性覺知上的助益。但他指出,正念強調專注力,恐讓「努力保持正念」成為忙碌生活的另一項「任務」,還可能使人為了保有平靜而超然物外,因而疏離了有情的生活世界。
在本書中,鮑地安展示另一條直達心靈覺醒的道路。覺醒的覺知不需透過「努力練習」去追求,而應洞悉我們的本質──你就是覺知力。鮑地安的方法以佛法不二論為基礎,巧妙揉和西方心理學,以現代語彙闡述難以言傳的佛學教法,讓人耳目一新。他更提供毫無門檻的冥想練習,提示我們如何不費力地保持覺知。
讀者將發現,禪修不再只是蒲團上的靜坐,而是以更積極的態度享受生活;喜樂與愛並非必須苦苦追求的崇高境界,只需回到真實的自己就能擁有。
鮑地安並不反對正念禪修,但他提供的直接方法超越了正念練習,令我們鬆一口氣,在日常柴米油鹽中沐浴本然的覺知之光。
本書特色
★提出通向「覺醒的覺知力」直接方法,擺脫辛苦練習,直達喜悅與愛。★業內罕見,直指正念修習的侷限性,反省世界各地正念練習程式化的現象。★兼論佛法與心理學,闡述難以言傳的不二論,提醒修行之外也要「入世」生活。★十九個沒有門檻的冥想練習,幫助你感受持久的平靜。
作者簡介
史蒂芬.鮑地安(Stephan Bodian)
禪宗非兩元論和不二論吠檀多傳承的老師,是一位結合了東方智慧和西方心理學的先驅者,也是享譽全球的資深冥想老師和正念禪修老師。自一九七○年開始習禪,在這之前他在哥倫比亞以及史丹福修習亞洲語言及文化。他曾接受鈴木俊隆(Shunryu Suzuki)以及前角博雄(Taizan Maezumi)的教導,於一九七四年被指派成為禪師,並在洛杉磯的禪修中心帶領訓練課程。他也嫻熟西方的心理學及心理治療,同時也跟西藏上師們學習大圓滿、大手印,之後有十年的時間跟隨金恩.克蘭(Jean Klein)進行印度教吠檀多的學習,他修習及教授不二論數十年。
鮑地安曾擔任《瑜伽雜誌》(Yoga Journal)前主編,也是暢銷指南書《禪修入門》(Meditation for Dummies)的作者,《佛教入門》(Buddhism for Dummies)的共同作者,他的經典著作《當下覺醒》(Wake Up Now: A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening)中譯本在台灣長銷不墜,至今是相關領域人員的重要參考書籍。
他也是覺醒學院(School for Awakening)創辦人兼院長。在跟隨數位當代偉大的靈性大師學習,經過一連串深入的覺醒後,他目前致力於諮商、指導、教學。他的網站stephanbodian.org。
譯者簡介
盧冷芳
出生於中國大陸,後移居美國。十幾年來,不斷探索各種心靈修行途徑,曾跟隨包括鮑地安在內的多位傑出的心靈導師學習,並為其中一些老師擔任翻譯工作,同時也是瑜伽老師和冥想老師。