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Who has magnificent self-confidence and fears nothing that exists? The man who has attained to truth and lives free of error.

— 7th Dalai Lama

浅释中观论之特色 文｜常归

龙树菩萨中观论的基本思想是缘起性空、假名有、不落两边的中道观。论中依缘起法提出胜义谛与世俗谛，即真俗谛，或空有谛，又称第一义谛、世俗谛，或胜义谛与名言谛。通过谛来标显圣义空，于圣义空见中道义，直破凡夫的自性见、一切戏论与邪见，体悟诸法真相。

“性空”是大乘圣者特有的超世见解，不离俗谛来观察外在的一切现象，没有独立实在不变的自性，所以说是空，称性空，这就是真谛。

若以一般人主观的自身存在感及世间常识见解来论世间万事万物，一切是有，系由众多因素相依相持而形成的。此有，会起变化，所以称为假有，这就是世俗谛。

属于俗谛的世间，人类为了反映日常生活中所观察到的种种现象，就依其特性思构设计名词，以便利情报与概念的沟通交流及传播，也便利说话描述与文字书写记载的表达；不论任何国家任何地域，虽然语言与发音上有所不同，所指意义皆一样没有差别。各现象在各别阶段所拥有的独特表象，就其特质各取其名，而实际并无坚固不变的自性，所以能依缘聚缘灭产生各种变化，印顺导师称之为假名有；“我与法”随缘生、在空无自性中幻化生灭，是性空唯名的究竟真相。

空有无碍

依“空有谛”来体悟一切现象背后的极终实相，前者得出“空”的结论，后者得出假有的认识。“空”与“假有”不相妨碍，是中观论特色之一，我与万法唯缘而起，唯缘而灭，无恒长不变的自性，是空。诸法按世间给与的假名，约世间的规律来运转，虽然空无自性，却丝毫不坏因果法则的运作，所以是空有无碍。

要注意的是，龙树菩萨说“空有”谛，非指虚妄的假法中藏有一个真相，认为本有个不灭妙有圆融的实性，就藏在我们之中，这样来理解真相，是不究竟的。行动上我们可以藉假修真；在理解上，不能带有假中藏真妙有圆融的错误观念！中观论空不落顽空，说有不住幻有，空有无碍，才是空有谛的正确观念。依此谛无碍的悟解，方能深入毕竟空寂的实证。

中观论是《阿含经》的光大衍生

《中观论颂讲记》指出两类修行者，从佛法教义学习的，及修观者，都要观察一切法，皆是缘生和合的暂相，没有一个坚固实在的自性，是空。五蕴和合而生的众生，天生俱有的自性见非常根深蒂固， 以此天生妄执，来观察世间万象，总觉得我与他皆“实有自性”，可是众生很矛盾的发觉，这个”实有自性”，非常脆弱，会起变化，不符自性的坚固恒久，说是自有的，却不能操控自如掌握自己的命运。如人的生老病死，怨憎会，爱别离，求不得苦，及事物的成住坏空等等之类，人类从来没有操控实权，皆随业流而转而苦。

佛陀发现此自性见，是无始以来因无明执取而得的不正确认知。通过原始佛典《杂阿含经》，世尊说因缘法——谓此有故彼有，谓缘无明行，缘行识，乃至纯大苦聚集。说十因缘生起一切，形成世间，只要去除无明，离欲而生明，还灭十缘起——无明灭故行灭，行灭故识灭，如是广说乃至纯大苦聚集灭，证入涅槃。从无明而生有，亦由无明而还灭，离于边，处于中道，了知诸法本不生灭，既是性空，现前断尽有漏烦恼，死后不堕入轮回，而证入不生不灭的涅槃。因此印顺导师说《中观论》实际上是龙树菩萨对《阿含经》阐述的缘生缘灭，不落两边之原意的深入解析、开发、衍生、及发扬光大的。

立破善巧，对一切戏论与邪见的否认

中论说：“以有空义故，一切法得成”。龙树菩萨广宣缘起性空的义理，直破自性见及遍破戏论与邪见。戏论与邪见，是不正确的偏见。不管何人不管何派，只要存有实有之见地，即使是微小毫厘而不空的自体在，那就离不开生灭、一异、有无、常断的羁绊，还是自相矛盾、不能自圆其说、不能析释通透的。例举刹那一念生，分析到底有无前后的分别，若说有就非是“刹那”，若说无分别就犯因果同存的错误与矛盾。

世间的修行与出世间的证果，皆是性空缘起。无论声闻法还是菩萨法，能够理解性空缘起，就能悟入出世法的生死解脱，但也不昧世间法的生死，这点两者是一贯的。所以印顺导师赞叹龙树菩萨深入佛法的缘起，在立破上是非常善巧的。

中观论虽说明性空与假名有的谛相即无碍，实是指归正观悟入空的真意，为学佛修行求证的目标所在。透彻了知诸法缘起性空无自性，空有无碍，三乘同摄，立破善巧，超越两 边，闻思修，灭集，体证、证悟毕竟空涅槃之寂灭。

要注意的是，所谓毕竟空寂静涅槃，不是我们此间五蕴有情所想象的有个实在永恒不变的清净境界，如果是这样的话，学佛修行者将不能入涅槃，佛菩萨也不能倒驾慈航，救度众生了。智度论说:“般若将入毕竟空，寂诸戏论；方便将出毕竟空，严土化生”。

研读中观论，一定要弄明白什么是缘起性空无自性。天地万物，有情界无情界，都没有有一个实在、独一常在、固有的本质，只缘种种原因暂时聚集和合而成，假名有。再通过细微观察我们自身、及周遭之一切人事物的运作，体证我、法皆空，那么我们就会很容易读懂并融入龙树菩萨所阐述的中道观，一举击破自性见，再将之纳入修行中，可以是八正道，离极端苦行与极端放逸两边的中道行，也可以是六波罗蜜多的修持，如此断集、离惑染，体证佛法，趋向究竟寂静涅槃，是佛子最终的目标。

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When you feel attachment towards something that you believe to be attractive, or aversion towards something that you believe to be repulsive, understand that to be your mind’s obscuration, nothing but a magical illusion.

— Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche

The Four Noble Truths by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

INTRODUCTION

When the great universal teacher Shakyamuni Buddha first spoke about the Dharma in the noble land of India, he taught the four noble truths: true sufferings, true origins or causes of sufferings, true stopping or cessations of sufferings, and true pathway minds or paths leading to the stopping of sufferings. Since many books contain discussions of the four noble truths in English, they are very well known. These four are all-encompassing, including many aspects within them.

Considering the four noble truths in general and the fact that none of us wants suffering and we all desire happiness, we can speak of an effect and its cause on both the disturbing side and the liberating side of the four. True sufferings and true origins are the effect and its cause on the disturbing side of things that we do not want; true stopping and true pathway minds are the effect and its cause on the liberating side of things that we desire.

TRUE SUFFERINGS

We experience many different types of suffering. All are included in three categories: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and all-pervasively affecting suffering. The suffering of suffering refers to [the feeling of unhappiness and thus to] such things as headaches and so forth. Even animals recognise this kind of suffering and, like us, want to be free from it. Because beings have fear of and experience discomfort and unhappiness from this kind of suffering, they engage in various activities to eliminate them.

Suffering of change refers to [the feeling of tainted happiness – happiness deriving from disturbing emotions and attitudes – and thus to] situations in which, for example, we are sitting very comfortably relaxed and, at first, everything seems all right. But, after a while, we lose that feeling [of happiness]. It changes and we become restless and uncomfortable.

In certain countries, we see a great deal of poverty and disease: these are sufferings of the first category. Everybody realises that these are suffering conditions to be eliminated and improved upon. In many Western countries, poverty may not be that much of a problem. However, where there is a high degree of material development, there are different kinds of problems. At first, we may be happy having overcome the problems that our predecessors faced. But, as soon as we have solved certain problems, new ones arise. We have plenty of money, food, and nice housing; but, by exaggerating the value of these things, we render them ultimately worthless. This sort of experience is the suffering of change.

A very poor, underprivileged person might think that it would be wonderful to have a car or a television set and, should he acquire them, would at first feel very happy and satisfied. Now, if such happiness were permanent, as long as he had the car and the television he would remain happy. But he does not; his happiness goes away. After a few months he wants another kind of car and, if he has the money, he will buy a better television set. The old things, the same objects that once gave him much satisfaction, now cause dissatisfaction. That is the nature of change: that is the problem of the suffering of change.

All-pervasively affecting suffering is the third type of suffering. [Of the three types of tainted feelings, it refers to a tainted neutral feeling. On a more general level, it refers to the tainted aggregate factors of experience – forms of physical phenomena, feelings of a level of happiness, distinguishing, other affecting variables, and types of consciousness that derive from disturbing emotions and attitudes]. It is called “all-pervasive” because it acts as the basis for the first two types of suffering.

There may be those who, even in developed countries, want to be liberated from the second type of suffering, the suffering of change. Bored with tainted feelings of happiness, they seek a totally neutral feeling. However, because of attachment to such a feeling, it leads to rebirth on the plane of formless beings. Beings on this plane of existence have only that tainted neutral feeling [as a result of the attachment from which it derived.]

Now, desiring liberation from the first two kinds of suffering is not the principal motivation for seeking liberation from samsara, uncontrollably recurring rebirth. Buddha taught that, of the three sufferings, the third kind of suffering is the root of all suffering. [Therefore, liberation from samsara requires ridding ourselves of the true suffering, namely all-pervasively affecting suffering. This is the object of renunciation.]

Some people commit suicide, thinking that their suffering is simply due to their present human life and that, by ending this life, there will be nothing afterwards. [But, this is not the case; there are future rebirths.] This third, all-pervasively affecting suffering [the tainted aggregates of future rebirths], comes about from the power of karma and disturbing emotions and attitudes. We can see, without having to think very deeply, that [our present tainted aggregates] have come about from the power of the karma and disturbing emotions of our previous lives. And, now at present, further anger and attachment [that will bring about the tainted aggregates of a future life] arise simply because we have these present aggregates.

Our tainted aggregates are like an enabler: they enable us to obtain the so-called “terrible state” – the terrible state of further karma and disturbing emotions and attitudes. In other words, since our tainted aggregates arose because of disturbing emotions, they are presently still associated or mixed with the terrible state of disturbing emotions. In fact, being under the control of these disturbing emotions and attitudes, these tainted aggregates support the generation of further disturbing emotions and keep us from generating positive states of mind. All our suffering, then, [both the suffering of suffering and the suffering of change,] can be traced back to these aggregates tainted with attachment and clinging.

Perhaps, when we realise that our tainted aggregates are the cause of all our suffering, we might think that suicide is the way out. Well, if there were no continuity of mind, no future lives, then all right. If we had the courage, we could take our own lives. But, according to the Buddhist viewpoint, that’s not the case: our consciousness will continue. Even if we take our life, we will have to take another tainted body that will again be the basis for experiencing the suffering of suffering and the suffering of change. If we really want to get rid of all our sufferings, all the difficulties we experience in our lives, we need to rid ourselves of the fundamental cause that gives rise to the tainted aggregates that are the basis of all suffering. Killing ourselves is not going to solve our problems.

TRUE ORIGINS

Because this is the case, we must now investigate the cause of suffering. Is there a cause or not? If there is, what kind of cause is it: a natural cause that cannot be eliminated or a cause that depends on its own causes and therefore can be eliminated? If it is a cause that can be eliminated, is it possible for us to rid ourselves of it? Thus, we come to the second noble truth: true origins or true causes of suffering.

Concerning this, Buddhism maintains that there is no external creator and that even though a Buddha is the highest being, even a Buddha does not have the power to create new life. [In other words, a Buddha cannot create the all-pervasively affecting suffering of the tainted aggregates of a future rebirth.] So now, what is the cause of suffering?

Generally, the ultimate origin is the mind. Specifically, the mind that is influenced by disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, jealousy, naivety, and so forth is the main cause of rebirth and all its related problems. However, there is no possibility of ending the mind, of interrupting the mental continuum itself. Furthermore, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the deepest, subtlest level of mind [the clear light mind] itself. [By nature, it is completely pure.] However, the deepest mind can be influenced by disturbing emotions and negative thoughts. Thus, the question is whether or not we can fight and control anger, attachment, and the other disturbing emotions. If we can eradicate them, we shall be left with a pure mind that is free forever from the causes of suffering.

This brings us to the disturbing emotions and attitudes themselves, which are types of subsidiary awareness or mental factors. There are many different ways of presenting the discussion of the mind; but, in general, [mind refers to mental activity and its] defining characteristic is “ mere clarity and awareness.” [This means the activity of simultaneously giving rise to mental appearances or mental holograms of objects and cognising them, and nothing more]. When we speak of disturbing emotions such as anger and attachment, we have to see how they are able to affect and pollute this mental activity, the mind. What, in fact, is their nature? This, then, is main focus of the discussion of the true origins of suffering.

If we ask how attachment and anger arise, the answer is that, without a doubt, their arising is assisted by our grasping for the existence of things to be established truly and findably from their own sides: our so-called “grasping for true existence.” When, for instance, we are angry with something, we feel that the object is out there, solid, true, and unimputed, and that we ourselves are likewise something solid and findable. Before we get angry, the object appears ordinarily; but, when our minds are influenced by anger, the object looks ugly, completely repulsive, nauseating, something we want to get rid of immediately. Its existence as repulsive appears to be established from its own side, by its own self-nature. The object really seems to exist in that way: solid, independent, and very unattractive. This appearance of “truly ugly” fuels our anger. Yet, when we see the same object the next day when our anger has subsided, it seems more beautiful than it did the day before. It is the same object, but it does not seem as bad. This shows how anger and attachment are influenced by our grasping for the existence of things to be established truly and findably from their own sides.

Thus, the texts on Madhyamaka philosophy state that the root of all disturbing emotions and attachment is grasping for truly established existence, in the sense that this grasping brings about these mental disturbances and supports and sustains them. Thus, the naive unawareness that grasps for the existence of things to be truly established by their own self-natures is the basic source of all our sufferings. Based on this grasping at truly established existence, we develop all kinds of disturbing emotions and attitudes, based on which we act destructively and build up a great deal of negative karmic force.

In his Supplement to (Nagarjuna’s “Root Stanzas on) the Middle Way,” Madhyamakavatara, the great Indian pandit Chandrakirti wrote that first there is grasping for the truly established existence of the self, to “me,” and becoming attached to that “me.” This is then followed by grasping for the truly established existence of things and becoming attached to them as “mine” and to “me, as the possessor of them.”

In other words, at first there seems to be a very solid, independently existing “me” that is very big – bigger than anything else – establishing its own existence by its own power. This is the basis. From this, comes the false appearance of other objects [and persons] as if their existence as well were established from their own sides. Based on that, comes the appearance of the existence of a “me,” truly established as the possessor of them as “mine.” Then, because of our taking the side of that “me,” comes the appearance of “the other,” truly established as existing from his or her own side, for instance as “my” enemy. Toward “me,” “me, the possessor of things,” and “things as ‘mine,’” attachment arises. Toward him or her, we feel distance and anger. Then jealousy and all such competitive feelings arise. Thus, ultimately, the problem is this feeling of “me” – not the mere “me,” but the false “me” with which we become obsessed. This gives rise to thinking with anger and irritation, along with speaking harsh words, and the various physical actions based on aversion and hatred. All these destructive actions of body, speech and mind build up negative karma force.

Killing, lying, and all similar destructive actions also result from the negative motivation of disturbing emotions and attitudes. The first stage is solely mental: thinking destructive thoughts based on disturbing emotions and attitudes. In the second stage, this destructive thinking leads to destructive physical and verbal actions. Immediately, the atmosphere is disturbed. With anger, for example, the atmosphere becomes tense; people feel uneasy. If somebody gets furious, gentle people try to avoid that person. Later on, the person who became angry also feels embarrassed and ashamed for having said all sorts of absurd things, whatever came into his or her mind.

When we become angry, there is no room for logic or reason; we become literally “mad.” Later, when our minds have returned to normal, we feel ashamed. There is nothing good about anger and attachment; nothing good can result from them. They may be difficult to control, but everybody can realise that there is nothing good about them. This, then, is the second noble truth.

TRUE STOPPING

Now, the question arises whether or not these kinds of destructive mind can be eliminated. This brings us to the discussion of the third noble truth, true stopping or cessations of sufferings.

As we have seen, the root of all disturbing emotions and attitudes [and the karmic impulses to think, speak, and act upon them] is our grasping for the existence of things to be truly and findably established by their own self-natures. Therefore, we need to investigate whether the mind that grasps for the existence of things to be established in this way is correct or whether it is distorted and cognises phenomena incorrectly.

We can do this by investigating how the existence of the objects such a mind cognises can actually be established. However, since this grasping mind itself is incapable of determining whether or not it cognises objects correctly, we need to rely on another kind of mind. If, upon thorough investigation, we discover many other valid ways of cognising phenomena that contradict or negate the way that the mind that grasps for truly established existence cognises its objects, we can conclude that this grasping mind does not cognise reality correctly. Thus, with the mind that can analyse the deepest truth about things, we must try to determine whether the mind that grasps for the existence of things to be truly established by their own self-natures is correct or not. If it is correct, the analysing mind should ultimately be able to find these self-natures on the side of objects in the way that they are grasped.

The great classics of the Chittamatra and, especially, the Madhyamaka schools contain many lines of reasoning for carrying out such investigation. Applying them, when we investigate whether the mind that grasps for truly and findably established existence is correct or not, we discover that it is incorrect. It is distorted because we cannot actually find the objects for which it grasps. Since this mind is deceived with respect to its object, it needs to be eliminated.

Through investigation, then, we discover no valid support for the grasping mind. However, we do find the support of logical reasoning for the mind that realises that the grasping mind is invalid. In the internal spiritual battle, the mind supported by logic is always victorious over the mind that is not. The understanding that there is no such thing as truly and findably established existence is in conformity with how the clear-light subtlest level of mind cognises things. On the other hand, the mind that grasps for the existence of things to be truly and findably established is in conformity with how the superficial fleeting levels of mind cognise their objects. [Thus, since the subtlest level of mind is the deepest level that continues uninterruptedly with no beginning and no end, whereas these fleeting levels are superficial; the latter can be removed, leaving the eternal continuity of the former.]

When we eliminate the disturbing emotions and attitudes, the cause of all suffering, we eliminate the sufferings as well. This is liberation, or the true stopping of sufferings: the third noble truth.

TRUE PATHWAY MINDS

Since it is possible to achieve this true stopping that lasts forever, we must now look at the method for bringing about its attainment. This brings us to the fourth noble truth: true pathway minds or “true paths” leading to true stopping of sufferings. When we speak of the true pathway minds that are shared in common by the three Buddhist vehicles of mind – Hinayana and, within Mahayana, Paramitayana and Vajrayana – we are referring to the thirty-seven factors leading to a purified state. When we speak specifically of the true pathway minds of the bodhisattvas’ vehicle of mind, Mahayana, we are referring to the ten bhumi mind levels and the six far-reaching attitudes, the so-called “six perfections.”

We find the practice of the Hinayana path most commonly in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Cambodia. Here, practitioners are motivated by the desire to achieve liberation from their own suffering. Concerned for their own liberation alone, they practice to develop the thirty-seven factors leading to a purified state. These thirty-seven are pathway minds related to the five more general pathway minds.

* The four close placements of mindfulness, the four factors for attaining correct riddances, and the four legs for attaining extra physical powers are related to the building-up pathway mind, the so-called “path of accumulation.”
* The five powers and the five forces are related to the applying pathway mind, the so-called “ path of preparation.”
* The seven causal factors for attaining a purified state are related to the seeing pathway mind, the so-called “path of seeing.”
* The eight factors of an arya pathway mind are related to the accustoming pathway mind, the so-called “path of meditation.”

Developing these true pathway minds in sequence, practitioners are able to completely rid themselves of disturbing emotions and attitudes, bringing about the true stopping of the true origins of their sufferings and the attainment of their individual liberation. These are the pathway minds and their result in Hinayana.

The primary concern of Mahayana practitioners is not merely their own liberation, but the enlightenment of all limited beings. With this motivation of bodhichitta – their hearts set on attaining enlightenment as the best means of helping others – these practitioners develop the six far-reaching attitudes [generosity, ethical self-discipline, patience, joyful perseverance, mental stability, and discriminating awareness or “wisdom.”] They progress by developing, in turn, the ten bhumi levels of mind of arya bodhisattvas until they have completely rid themselves forever of both sets of obscuration [emotional and cognitive] and attained the supreme enlightenment of Buddhahood. These are the pathway minds and their result in Mahayana in general.

The essence of the practice of the six far-reaching attitudes is the unification of method and discriminating awareness so that the two enlightening corpuses – Rupakaya, a corpus of forms, and Dharmakaya, a corpus encompassing everything – can be attained. Since these two corpuses can be attained only simultaneously, their causes must be cultivated simultaneously. Therefore, we need to build up, simultaneously, a network of positive force, a so-called “collection of merit,” as the cause for attaining a Rupakaya, and a network of deep awareness, a so-called “collection of wisdom,” as the cause for attaining a Dharmakaya. In Paramitayana, we practice method held by the force of discriminating awareness and discriminating awareness held by the force of method; but in Vajrayana, we practice method and discriminating awareness as sharing the same essential nature.

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It is primordially natural luminosity, unborn as any nature whatsoever, not established as subject and object, or knowing and what is known, nothing whatsoever, not dwelling in any extremes, not within the range of any expressions or reference points, inconceivable, unthinkable, and beyond thought. Therefore, do not mentally engage, but meditate by abandoning mindfulness and mental engagement.

— Bhāvaviveka

有定数吗? 圣严法师

受报；如果业报已了，不待劫难到来便生佛国净土，从此超出三界，永远不再遭受劫难的摧迫，称为“出离苦海”。当然，若不修行佛法，要想脱离这样的劫难是不可能的。

民间传说的在劫在数，虽和佛法相关，却是只知其然而不知其所以然，只知无法逃避而不知如何超脱。所以民间每经一段承平时代，便丧失忧患意识而形成歌舞升平、生活糜烂、道德堕落和思想腐败等现象，某些预言就会因此传出而呼告大众：将有天灾人祸、战乱等发生，会有多少人死亡等等；甚至危言耸听，说死里逃生的人少如漏网之鱼。其中有些预言说这是无可挽回的事情，但也有若干预言呼吁社会大众及时端正人心，劝恶向善，回头是岸，以挽救劫难于临头。这些预言大致是出于民间信仰的有心之士，也有的是出于佛教徒的化世方便。

有些人士基于在劫在数的观念，以为那些杀人魔王的出世似乎也有道理，即不是他们要杀人，而是被杀的人需要他们来处理，否则善恶因果报应之说就无法完成。这种说法必须纠正，如果说魔王是应众生须受劫难而来，则好比是刽子手行刑杀人，是执法而非犯法造罪。其实，既被称作魔王，就算是造罪而非“替天行道”的执法行为，唯有自然的灾变及人力无从抗拒而遭的劫难，始为“天数”。所以，魔王杀人，恶业极重，也是要受恶报的。

如果是来自火、水、风等的天灾杀人，则是自然的报应，其中没有人格的魔力或出于某些恶人的意欲，乃是造业者直接受报。所以在佛经中只有说火、水、风等自然的劫难，没有说由魔或魔的代理人来执行众生的恶报。因为被魔王杀的人，虽然很可能是罪有应得，但也可能是出于魔王的一时愤怒，或出于恶人的偏激疯狂，甚至会促成更多人假借替天行道的名义而涂炭生灵，这样不仅不公正，也给宵小犯罪做恶的口实，所以，佛教不赞成以魔王代替自然灾害来杀戮众生的说法。

众生为了逃避劫数，必须修学佛法。修五戒十善能免除三涂之苦，即刀兵、水火和地狱诸苦；修禅定能暂时免除内心烦恼之苦；若能开悟而得智慧，即可出离三界的生死之苦。如果自己没有信心修好五戒十善及禅定智慧，也该多念阿弥陀佛，发愿往生西方阿弥陀佛的极乐世界，同样可以出离生死的范围。可惜众生只畏苦果，而不知避恶因。其实，最好的办法是即时去恶向善，广种福田，修学佛法，发菩提心，求成佛道，如此即可免遭受未来的劫数之难。

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As I see the rising sun spreading radiance all around, the authentic guru’s wisdom and compassion come to mind. Then he tenderly looked after me; now that time is gone. Thinking and thinking of him, the guru’s presence fills my mind.

— Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol

What Mindfulness Is (Not) by Andrew Olendzki

Perhaps the best way to understand what mindfulness is, from a classical Buddhist perspective, is to recognise some of the things it is not.

Mindfulness does not just mean being aware or being conscious, because one is always conscious when not comatose or dead. Consciousness is the fundamental quality of mind, understood as an event that occurs rather than a thing that exists. As such, it is always present when any kind of experience takes place. If mindfulness meant to be aware, then we would always be mindful, automatically, in all circumstances.

Mindfulness does not just mean attention, because we are always paying attention. Attention is the mental factor that gathers all the other mental factors together and directs them to a single object, bringing coherence and focus to each mind moment. Our attention may wander from one object to another, and it may be unable to stay on the same object for multiple moments in a row, but it is always directed somewhere.

Mindfulness does not mean paying attention in the present moment, because all mind moments occur in the present moment. How could it be otherwise? It is not possible to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch an object in anything but the present moment. Mental objects like thoughts can take their content from the past (a memory) or the future (an imagination), but the process of thinking about the past or future always occurs in the present moment. When people talk about being aware in the present moment, they really just mean either getting out of the mind door and attending to one of the senses or being aware of the act of thinking without getting caught up in the content of the thought.

Nor can mindfulness be adequately identified as paying attention on purpose, or as we might put it, being conscious consciously. The difference between conscious awareness and unconscious awareness is the presence of the mental factors “applied thought” and “sustained thought.” The first allows the mind to be directed to an object that is chosen by volition, and the second means we are able to hold our attention on the object of our choosing. Meditation training usually involves the intentional directing and sustaining of attention in various ways, which develops the skill of concentration, but not all meditation is mindfulness meditation.

It is important to recognise that each of the mind states mentioned so far is ethically neutral and can be used for harm or good. Many of the ways we misbehave involve attention, volition, and concentration, and these same functions are at work when we are acting benevolently.

Let’s turn now from what mindfulness isn’t to what it is in the context of Buddhism.

Every moment of consciousness is accompanied by an emotional response, and this is where mindfulness is properly situated on the Buddhist maps of experience. Mindfulness is a quality of emotional response, a particular intentional stance and attitude toward the object of experience that shapes and textures how it is experienced by consciousness.

Mindfulness is an inherently wholesome or healthy mental factor, so it cannot function at any moment when the mind is under the influence of greed or hatred, even in their mildest versions of favouring and opposing. Anytime you want or don’t want things be a certain way, the mind is not being mindful.

Mindfulness requires a thoroughgoing equanimity. This does not mean you don’t care or are indifferent to what is happening, only that the mind is evenly balanced and fully aware of things exactly as they are, without the desire to change them by favouring one thing or opposing another.

Mindfulness is a mind state that is engaged with the object of attention, but that engagement is disengaged from craving. One breathes mindfully, not wanting the breath to be long or short but just being aware of it as it is. One walks mindfully, back and forth, with no desire to get somewhere, simply noticing the nuanced textures of physical sensations arising and passing away in the body. Mindfulness is thus all of the above — awareness, with attention, in the present moment, on purpose — with the important addition: and with an attitude or intentional stance of non attached equanimity.

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It doesn’t matter whatever comes, stop judging and it won’t bother you.

— Choje Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche

現代的佛弟子應亟亟發大菩提心 仁俊長老

作為一個現代佛弟子的吾人，應亟亟激發、印決著念念發大菩提心，處處展大菩提行。釋迦佛說︰「心惱眾生惱，心淨眾生淨」，足見眾生的苦惱與清淨與眾生的心有最密切的關涉，因此，「自淨其意」，遂成為修學佛法歷程中的首要之務。大乘行者修習佛法的特質與重點︰發大菩提心，展大菩提行。內在盡力降伏、革除自我的作祟、封蔽，外在運心關注、體恤眾生的困缺、迫害，為之積極而誠摯的奔波、呼籲、奉獻、伺衛，永不與眾生脫節離群，做眾生的「不請之友」。菩薩總是活在消消融融、通通廓廓的心境與氣宇中，因此，與一切人都相處得非常和洽、敦善，成為一切人最可靠的朋友與法友，盡到最懃懇最充實的友誼；這樣的友誼愈久而愈真愈醇，真醇到甚於膠漆相投，怎也稀釋不開，薄溶不了。總持、都攝（取）著渾涵之悲與深澈之慧的大乘行者，由於對眾生友善到非常友善，所以，與任何人都相處得了無隔膜，從這裡，見出菩薩做人為人的功力與德量都非常成熟、成功，也就因此讓許多人都肯認他是普為一切人而發菩提心的人，一切都以人為目標，沒有了自我營圖，所以便讓人感到︰他成為人類最急需而決不可少的一種人，無我的感召力與無量的吸引德，全都這麼發心發力的。

大乘行者發菩提心所發的內涵與外展︰虛虛廓廓徹底的推翻與開創，從惑習等治中苦練的盡盡絕絕，淨化到無上的淨化；真真平平全盤的頂承與擔扶，從悲智兼運中施為的充充實實，健化到無比的健化。從三業中體持、發揮著如此的淨化與健化；淨化與健化強固得增上更增上，則直向三覺邁進得關聯開通，常與三根周旋得俐落巧吸，菩提心就化為發力的動能與發光的導標，進入了內不虛脫外不漂淪的境界。能這樣，大菩提心化為日常的精神踐倡，對長時大空中面臨的一切，看的透透脫脫，做的爽爽當當；爽當到不離不著，必治（己）必立（人），能捨（身）能荷（法）；正法導轉當下的「取識」，化為當前的智照，所向之處與所作之事，全都見得佛見得人，從此不再與佛與人隔絕一念；念頭上的佛數數活現，活現得瞻佛聞法，從法的啟示中將一切眾生看活了，自己也在一切人中活得靈靈通通、暢暢舒舒，從有漏中轉向無漏，久久地串習清淨，證得永活、徹活、畢竟活的圓覺佛陀，因地中就是這麼紮根奠基的。

照這樣看，活 ── 絕對的活，不僅是一般人的渴求獨鍾，就連發了菩提心的菩薩，也具有此最強烈的蘄求，足見這個活字的誘發性、鼓激力與盤迴味，是多麼的濃稠與深厚唷﹗人類的世界具有充分的聲色光熱，這完全是由於人類活力的發明與創造。從佛法緣起業感的如實立場說，這個世界是無始性的，也不是無因而有的，乃是憑人類的共業感得的。業，概括著人類一切一切的活動，這一切一切的活動中所積累的無限活力，從他的內涵加以究析︰不外乎染與淨，染強過了淨，人心及社會風習，則日趨於敗腐淪墮；淨勝過了染，人心及社會風習，則日趨於旺鮮上升。因此，佛教特別重視轉染成淨的倡揚與體踐。從人類身心中所潛涵的一分善淨性 ── 「梵行」加以觀察，人最具有轉染成淨的可能性，「人身難得」之激勉與可貴，在此。所以，只須勝解自身之可貴，積極而果毅地向上向善，善到惡止善行，久久地積善不已，積儲的善力善德強大深廣了，人就能轉變得心地厚重，面貌寬和，與一切人相見相處得篤敬而禎祥。人類的特性之一︰具有通向、呼應、接聯、相助的理念與行為，將此種觀念與行為，透過了理智的淨導與理性的渾涵，擴充到無邊無類無人無我的境界，器質與氣宇完全都世界化了；有了世界化了的器質與氣宇，便會激發出抱著世界心，獻出世界身，發達世界願，恤拯世眾苦的弘願與偉業，騰涌而洋溢著熱血與醇情的人了。

真發了大菩提心的菩薩行者，念頭上懸掛與緣頭上照料的，都離不開惱苦與困缺的眾生，因此，深入世界遊化的唯一宗趣︰拔濟這些無數無盡的惱苦與困缺的眾生。耐得著苦勞，化得開擊刺，一心一德地實踐義務與堅效義命，跑遍了世界，周旋而肆應於世界法中，身心澄清得穩平坦豁，神情澹泰得安詳端莊，到一切處樹真風範，見一切人留好印象，如此的遊化世界，也就等同淨化世界，成為世界最必須的人；做人做到成為世界必須與急需的人，則成為世界人了。具有了為世界人的存心與作略，就會發世界心，做世界人；發透了世界心，為遍了世界人，才稱得上普為一切眾生。念念不忘普為一切眾生，處處實踐普為一切眾生，對眾生關護得頂戴肩荷，怎樣的奉事諸佛，也同樣的奉事眾生，有了如此的敬性與熱忱，諸佛的悲智與眾生的惱苦，從自家身心中則交融得數數照發，深深涌現，學諸佛（菩薩）為眾生的智度與悲護，纔的實畢真得充充分分、沛沛沸沸。步趨佛陀與效學菩薩的佛弟子，邁得上成佛大道，發得透為世大心，就得具有如此的的實畢真的充充分分、沛沛沸沸，才成咧﹗

菩薩於極久遠的過去生中為救度眾生與淨化世界而發心，所以，總是將眾生與世界連在一起看，故其視野與緣境，從未離開過眾生與世界，因此，於心心念念中都思惟著如何成熟眾生，莊嚴佛國。但是，成熟眾生與莊嚴佛國的任務非常非常的艱鉅，由於從智觀中空化了身心，對發心獻身視為最有意義的樂事；更何況為著推展普世的進化與淨化，當然更感到無比的奮暢與健昂。菩薩的興神與使命，就這樣的越來越積極懃懇的。一切諸佛的心量與眼界，無一不曠觀遍照著整個世界，生活在世界的無數有情，其中以人類的活力最為強大，強大到能到處開拓，遍地殖產，可以說人類的活力與動能創造了這個世界。在這裡我要特別說一下，我們最大的慶幸處︰上不升天堂（彌勒內院例外），下不墮地獄，卻能生在人間聞薰佛法，從佛法中聞薰的久了、深了；深到從因緣中體解到無定性、無常我，徹底振脫了世間戀著，身心邁向著出世清淨，以清淨心眼察照世界，正正直直地深入而遍入世界，負起改變、提昇世界的職責，面對世界的精神與氣志，則蓬勃輻展得與時俱進，與空俱擴，修為、發達在這麼種的時空中，一切時空中則成為詮演佛法的道場；這麼種道場的載體 ── 身心，空化淨化了的身心，自然而必然的與道相應，這樣看來，人類身心的價值與力用，是多麼的可貴呀！

身心果真化為道場的，一切云為、操守與印決，無不是道，身心則成為活道場；活道場中所顯現的 ── 正法，正法從活道場中顯出光明清淨，這樣的佛弟子所接引、所提轉的有情，在的實畢真中受到的啟發，獲得的觀摩，引發的效隨等等，都相當的正直而明豁，能腳踏實地進入活活脫脫、開開通通的新境界中，成為脫胎換骨的徹底的新新人；新到內不失念而外不著相的階段，則永不顛倒永發趣。發趣發到具有洞洞闢闢、虛虛融融的本領與能耐，面對一切的艱險恐怖，便鎮平得如空不動，身心放得下，行願當得起。行願於身心中充實的旺旺足足，念頭上空觀的光與力，將我見與我愛照治得活躍不了，一切都進修在平實坦穩中，前途看的清清楚楚，做的果果敢敢，這時，菩提心從無我的平台上指揮得了了當當，所見與所行的種種，便完全不離世界觀，與之俱起的當然是做世界人了。世界人必然的離不開世界心，發世界心為世界人的若觀若行，配應得極其緊切而親誠，菩薩的心腸與面貌，讓人們照察到的盡是表裡一如，言行一致，對任何人無條件的照料都護衛得無微不至，盡讓人感到他的的確確是發了普度世界眾生的大心行者，因此，從事實所表現的，面臨著大苦大難之際，總是搶在眾生前面充當急先鋒，衛在眾生後面作真後殿者，絕不會臨難怯逃，將赴義勇為的氣膽與精神，發揮得極極致致，實踐其普度世界眾生的決絕大願與大心。

思在、行在大菩提心中的菩薩根性者，其意志與作略的表徵︰為眾生效勞而不求酬勞，為社會盡勞而不怕劇勞，深入社會而遍助眾生，完全看作是自家本分事，將這種本分推展得極其積極而熱摯，熱摯得化為心頭的大呼聲，此種呼聲所引起的昂發與奮為的勁頭，徹底的將「死而後已」的觀念轉拗為「死而不已」的無盡行願，透過了如此的徹底的拗轉，念頭上則直效菩薩，眼面前則恆觀佛陀；效觀的不離不忘、必懃必懇，佛陀與菩薩則常常從心識中現起，從圓滿清淨的德相中受到的啟示與開導，整個身心從戀昧中驀地透脫出來，獻捨身心的堅誓與決志，從此便絕諸慮畏，菩薩就這樣才敢於發大心，勇於效大雄佛陀的。

大雄佛陀的一切成為我們心頭眼前的淨範與高標，我們的菩提心對之體照的醒醒豁豁、坦坦曠曠，大光明中無限無盡的能量與力質，則能將一切惑習照破、通透得不作障礙，大智大悲則從此生起廓清與渾涵的絕大勝妙力用，進入惑習等治與悲智兼運的境域中。發決、發透了大菩提心的行者，沒一個不致力體握著惑習等治、悲智兼運的宗趣。從這個宗趣更進一步肯認著︰大菩提心所對治所體印的，不外乎真我與真空，從真空中觀破了真我，渾身渾心全都解除了一切的黏搭盤錯，心門與眼界敞豁的同虛空一樣的廣大，菩薩的大菩提心與大菩提行便成為能涵護一切人的人了。

於此，本人渴求、誠懇在座的諸上善人︰立刻發大菩提心，隨時現大菩提行，從大菩提的心行中，發力、發德與發光，作普世人類照明的帶路者；務請諸位牢記著，牢記著︰永恆地發心作普世人類照明的帶路者，儘快地從光明中將娑婆世界建設成清淨的莊嚴佛國，藉此感報祖國當政諸公敬法、護法與倡法的無量深心與大心！

拙稿後面說四偈，敬請諸上善人賜正︰

撐在人前不驚倒，托在人後不倦退，活在人中普為人，愈為愈喜愈暢奮。
時間用得緊而正，化為光明破黑暗；空間行得淨而廣，化為道德度苦惱。
文化理智探深邃，文明理性擴遍充，風徽清泱超疆域，普世稱崇嚮大同。
人類最喜敬的人，偉大而不炫架勢，倡導和樂踐和平，為民造福為世範。