班迪達尊者是當代最偉大的禪修老師之一。「念住內觀」禪法是班迪達尊者有關定學的最核心教導,他強調禪修關鍵是不斷地保持正念。解脫苦是一切眾生最迫切的需求,每個人都有「解脫」的可能,那是隱藏在內心裡的美好,實現它是我們生而為人最大的價值展現。我們無須獨自走上一條未知的道路,「念住內觀」禪法即是能讓眾生滅除苦憂、體證涅槃的唯一道路。班迪達尊者在本書中為我們指出,這條離苦得樂的正念之道就在每個人自己的身心之中。他詳盡地解說了如何走上這條解脫道路的原則與方法,並邀請我們要以最大的精進,超越自己所認定的極限。他常告誡禪修者:「瞄準目標,集中!別讓心溜掉!請保持精進!」如果我們能保持正念、如實覺知,就能在每個剎那相續的經驗中,穿越重重的煩惱苦林,現證寂滅之樂。在本書中,班迪達尊者首先提醒我們,要遵循佛陀的「法」與「律」而生活,依戒、定、慧三學而修行,才能獲得解脫的快樂。接著,他建議以四種護衛禪——佛隨念、慈心禪、不淨觀與死隨念,來保護我們擺脫由貪、瞋煩惱所引發的擾亂,而能免於內在與外在敵人的危險。「念住內觀」禪法是班迪達尊者有關定學的最核心教導,他強調禪修的關鍵是不斷地保持正念。如果能以強力的「念」持續地穿透所緣的對象,心便受到正念的保護,不受煩惱攻擊,覺知會變得愈來愈集中且直接,進一步能生起觀慧,讓人親見身心過程的本質,認出它們是無常的、不受控制且不圓滿的,而獲得解脫。他教導禪修者:★在打坐時,標示與觀察自然呼吸下腹部「起」與「伏」的動作,並如實地覺知感受。★在行禪時,以正念覺知腳部「抬起、移動、踏下」的動作。★在一般日常活動時,時時刻刻都將注意力放在最明顯的對象上,對一切保持密集覺知。班迪達一生持戒精嚴,素以嚴格的教學與勇悍的禪法聞名。本書的內容即是來自二○○三年五月,他在美國麻州「內觀禪修協會」的長期閉關中心「森林皈依所」主持一個月的閉關時,為閉關學員所作的開示。
作者簡介
班迪達尊者 Sayadaw U Pandita
於1921年生於仰光近郊的因盛鎮(Insein),十二歲出家。1947年,他通過巴利會考的高級考。1954年,尊者以巴利校審員的身分參與第六次三藏結集的組織工作與佛典編輯。1950年,廿九歲的尊者開始追隨當代內觀大師馬哈希尊者(Mahāsi Sayādaw)修習念住內觀(Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā)禪法。當馬哈希尊者於1982年過世後,尊者即被選聘為該中心的導師。從此,他一生都在弘揚念住內觀的實修教學。1990年起,班迪達禪師陸續在東南亞、歐美等地成立禪修中心,尤其是緬甸勃固的森林道場,更成為外國禪修者學習念住內觀禪法的首選之地。念住內觀禪法因而廣傳至世界各地。班迪達尊者以持戒精嚴、嚴格教學而聞名,晚年時仍不畏病苦,四處弘法。尊者於2016年4月16日安詳示寂。他的著作有《就在今生》(In This Very Life)、《解脫道上》(On the path of Freedom)、《寧靜安樂之路》(The Way to the Happiness of Peace)、《炎炎夏日的雨水》(Rain Drop in Hot Summer)等,其中《就在今生》更是學習禪修者必讀的寶典。
譯者簡介
觀行者
教育科技博士,曾任教於淡江大學,辭去教職後,致力於佛學研修及翻譯。譯作有《祈禱的力量》、《慈悲與智見》、《進入禪定的第一堂課:超越觀呼吸》、《一行禪師講金剛經》、《療癒身心的十種想》等(以上皆由橡樹林文化出版)。
Taiwan went through an intense period of social change in 1949. The island's politics, economy, ethnicity …… had undergone considerable change. In response this period of tumultuous change, Master Dong Chu founded the "Humanity" magazine to help people cope.
Seventy years later, "Humanity" had weathered being shelved, relaunched and redesigned. It still continues to publish topics that help people cope with the changes in today's world monthly. As "Humanity" approaches its 70th anniversary, it is encountering a different kind of changing world. 27 June 2018, with the aim of sharing the diversity of spiritual practices, we invited dharma masters from different traditions to share the compassion and wisdom of Buddhadharma. The full texts of the keynote speeches and panels are included in this special issue of " Awakening in the Global Buddhist Village".
"Humanity's" guiding teacher, Master Sheng Yen, dedicated his life to bringing Chinese Chan Buddhism to the West. Many Westerners who became his students twenty to thirty years ago continue to follow his footsteps, engage in self cultivation and teaching, establish centers and transmit the lineage. How did they discover Chan Buddhism and how did they find their teacher, Master Sheng Yen? These stories of the teacher and the student are very inspirational.
In the twenty first century, on this 70th anniversary of "Humanity" magazine, Buddhism has spread around the world resembling a global Buddhist village. From the United States of America, Bhikkhu Bodhi described his process of transformation from a traditional monastic to that of a social advocator because he witnessed the oppression of human beings caused by the current social systems; to Italy's Bhikkhun? Dhammadinn? who shared about her journey of how she went from learning dancing to engaging in Buddhist research and ultimately to becoming a female monastic.
Contributing to the world in our capacity of Chinese Chan Buddhism, "Humanity"70 along with the Buddhist Dharma family all over the world and our friends on the same path, let us "Awaken in the Global Buddhist Village"!
About the Humanity magazine
Founded in 1949, Humanity magazine was the first Buddhist magazine published and released in Taiwan. Founded by Ven. Dong Chu and later continued by his disciple Master Sheng Yen, it has been one of the most influential magazines in Taiwan’s Buddhist circles.
Humanity magazine concerns itself about contemporary development of Buddhism, and puts an emphasis on the uplifting of people’s minds and spiritual lives. Each month’s topic not only touches upon various social phenomena, but also explores from Buddhist concepts to worldly studies, to encourage readers to search their inner beings and incorporate Buddhist practice into their daily lives. For cover and layout design, the magazine has invited outstanding illustrators to help render an elegant yet fun style, thus through pages allowing readers to slow down and find a space for spiritual relaxation, self-transformation, and the enjoyment of purity and freedom by applying the Dharma in life.
The magazine had been discontinued for a while due to Master Sheng Yen’s solitary retreat practice. When it was reissued in 1982, as an encouragement, he wrote:
Seek progress in the ordinary life and see the glory of life in hardship.
Seek development in harmony and see the hope in the hard work.
Seek abundance in peace and calm and see the solemness in the training.
Seek wisdom in silence and see the compassionate aspiration in the proactive commitment.
In the future, the Humanity magazine will continue to uphold Master Sheng Yen’s encouragements and expectations, to keep on sharing Buddhist wisdom and compassion, to help bring brightness and hope to the world.