10/08/2025
《為何禪修？Why Practice Meditation?》
我們只是布施跟持戒是不足夠的，它只是讓我們內心一下子短暫的快樂，但是不能夠讓我們內心成就永恆的快樂。
佛陀還有教導另外一種行福的方法，那是佛教最高的福行，就是禪修。
禪修就是修我們的心，讓我們的心提升到更高的層次。
如果一個人只是做布施而已，他所做的布施也可能會衰退起來。他可能遇到讓他生氣，小氣的事情；他就可能不再做了。然後有時候貪心嗔心生起得很強烈的時候，我們有可能就不能好好地持五戒，有可能就會犯戒。
所以佛陀還教導我們要禪修，就是要訓練這個心，修這個心。因為一切的源頭就是從心而來。無論我們做什麼行為，講什麼話，都是從心而來的。所以我們禪修就是去處理那個源頭那個根，就是那個來源。
然後佛陀教導修心有兩類。
第一就是訓練到這個心能夠平靜下來，定下來。
第二就是訓練到這個心能生起智慧。
然後這種平靜跟智慧，它集中起來，就是正念，它們就是從這種正念而延伸出來，帶起來的。所以我們要培養正念。
如果我們正念好的話，我們就能夠知道自己。
現在我們可能還來不及，在察覺的時候，可能嗔心已經生出來了，脾氣已經發出來了。在知道多一次時已經後悔了，心已經很熱了。所以我們需要去培訓這個心，訓練這個心，以這個法來訓練，去培養定慧。
世間的智慧只有不斷的去累積和尋找，它只是讓我們的生命越來越沉重。而法的智慧，就是教導讓我們越來越放，越來越捨。這樣我們的心，我們的生命才會越來越輕盈起來。所以我們每個人就需要去禪修。
就是首先我們訓練讓這個心平靜下來。很簡單，很容易明白的解釋，就是我們修定，就是讓這個心修至一心。如果我們的心還是想東想西，就很多雜念了，很多的情緒，所以我們要尋找一個業處，修行方法來綁住我們的心，讓它成為一心。就是讓我們維繫這個心成為一心。
比如說大師父教導我們純粹覺知呼吸進出，這個就是維繫讓我們的心成為一心。還是他們教導buddho buddho，也是為了讓我們的心成為一心。
如果我們的正念越好的話，我們就可以維持在這個業處，例如呼吸越長久。如果我們覺知呼吸的過程，一下子心就想出去了，就代表我們失念了。就好像綁住呼吸的繩子斷掉了。
最主要要抓到修行的原則和重點，我們修行不需要很多的知識。我們修定只是讓我們好好地讓心在業處，讓心從中定下來。
當我們修定的時候要教導自己，要放下世間的事情，只剩下呼吸。純粹覺知呼吸這個業處。然後我們讓心專心在一個業處那裡。
關於修定，不是你修一次兩次就生起的。因為一直以來我們都放縱我們的心胡思亂想。所以修定我們要每天常常修。然後不要去害怕說修定很困難。如果我們有這種害怕的心，那我們就沒有興趣去修。
我們要懂得鼓勵自己，我們也是能夠修到讓這個心平靜下來，定下來。
當我們還在想，為什麼我們不能停下思想的時候，我們要想，無論是佛陀都好，也是忍。無論是大師父也是忍。我們都是一樣，要忍，守護這個心讓它平靜起來。
所以我們要讓心培養起定力，這個定力其實有很大的益處，無論是在世間還是在出世間。
一個人有定力的話，他的心不會那麼容易就受苦，不會那麼容易就動搖傷心。他會有很好的正念，不會那麼容易就因外界的事情而煩躁。
就好比喻為一個電池。如果一個人有定力，就好比喻為充滿了電。他可以很有力量去面對他的生命。
所以我們已經尋找了外在的財富了，我們現在要懂得尋找我們內在的財富。就是這種定慧。然後就是我們喜歡用哪一個方法修行業處，就用那個方法。我們喜歡覺知呼吸，就覺知呼吸。誰喜歡用buddho就用buddho .
就是外在的成功，我們已經做到很多了。外面要尋找到的東西，我們也是有很多要找到了。就是我們要畢業，我們也是要學讀書很多年，我們也做到了。我們想得到屋子，想得到車，我們也可以去找回來。然後這個定力的財富，我們也是應當可以找回來的。
然後還有另外一個修心的，就是智慧。當內心有定力，我們就用這種定力去破除煩惱。就是培養智慧去戰勝內心的苦。這種苦就是從我們對身心的那種執著。簡單來說，苦就是我們迷失在這個身心當中。所以這個法上的智慧，就是為了讓我們了解身心的實相。來覺知來知道這個身體。我們說‘我的’身體，但佛陀卻說，它是無我的，我們要去了解它。
當我們的心平靜，才能出智慧。如果不平靜的話，我們也很難去了解這個實相。所以佛教裡面的智慧，就是我們心平靜了，然後認清這個身心。是要看到它無常，苦，無我；不是我的一面。就是我們要看到在我們內在不斷生滅的東西。當我們看到無常，苦，不是我的時候，內心因為執著而生起的痛苦，就會熄滅。
其實我們內心會痛苦，不是因為外在的事情，不是因為外在的財富，環境，而是因為對我們身心的執著。所以我們要解脫這個苦，也是要回來覺知這個身心。因為我們迷失在這個身心。
我們要清楚看到身心的實相也是很容易。就是我們讓心平靜了，來了解這個身心它是無常，苦，無我。我們不斷去常常教導自己，這個真理和實相會呈現出來的。這個就是修行而成就的福業。
Merely practicing generosity (dāna) and observing precepts (sīla) is not enough; they may bring temporary happiness to the mind, but they cannot lead to lasting inner joy.
The Buddha taught another method to cultivate merit, the highest form of merit in Buddhism, which is meditation (bhāvanā).
Meditation is about cultivating our minds, elevating them to a higher level.
If a person only practices generosity, their practice may decline, e.g. they might encounter situations that provoke anger or stinginess, causing them to stop practicing generosity altogether.
Similarly, when greed or hatred becomes overwhelming, we might struggle to uphold the five precepts and could even break them. Therefore, the Buddha taught us to meditate, to train and cultivate the mind. This is because everything originates from the mind (citta). Whatever actions we do, whatever words we speak, all come from the mind. Thus, meditation is about working at the root, the very source.
The Buddha taught two aspects of mind cultivation:
1. Training the mind to attain calmness and stillness (samatha)
2. Training the mind to develop wisdom (paññā)
Both stillness and wisdom arise from mindfulness (sati). They are nurtured and sustained by it, which is why we must cultivate mindfulness.
If our mindfulness is good, we can truly know ourselves.
Right now, we often react too late, anger has already arisen and we have already lost our temper. By the time we recognize it, regret sets in and our minds are agitated. That’s why we need to cultivate the mind with the Dhamma to develop both stillness and wisdom.
Worldly wisdom leads to endless pursuit and searching, leading to heavier burdens in life. In contrast, the wisdom of the Dhamma teaches us to let go and relinquish, which lightens our minds and lives. Thus, each of us needs to practice meditation.
First, we train the mind to achieve calmness. A simple and clear explanation is that we develop stillness (samādhi) to bring the mind to one-pointedness.
If our mind still wanders here and there, there are many scattered thoughts and emotions.
So we need to find a meditation object (kammaṭṭhāna) and method to anchor our mind, and bring it to one-pointedness.
For instance, great masters may teach us to purely be aware of our breathing. This helps maintain one-pointedness. Similarly, the repetition of "buddho, buddho…" serves the same purpose.
The better our mindfulness is, the longer we can maintain our focus on the breath. If our mind drifts away during this process, it signifies a loss of mindfulness, like the rope tying the mind to the breath has broken.
The key is to grasp the principles and focus of practice; we do not need extensive knowledge. Our meditation practice simply involves keeping the mind anchored, allowing it to settle.
While meditating, we should let go of worldly concerns and focus solely on the breath, be purely aware of the breath as the meditation object. Keep the mind just focused on this meditation object.
Stillness doesn't develop in just one or two sessions. We've long allowed our minds to wander aimlessly. So, we need to practice consistently, every day. Don't be afraid that meditation is difficult. If we have such fear, we'll lose interest in practice.
Instead, we need to learn to encourage ourselves. We, too, can train the mind to become calm and stable. When we wonder why our thoughts keep arising, remember that even the Buddha and great masters had to endure. Like them, we must be patient and guard the mind until it becomes still.
This stillness has tremendous benefits, both in worldly and spiritual contexts. A person with stillness is less susceptible to suffering and emotional turmoil. They possess good mindfulness and are less easily disturbed by external circumstances.
It's like a battery; a person with stillness is like a fully charged battery, empowered to face life’s challenges.
While we have sought external wealth, we must now learn to seek inner wealth, which is this stillness and wisdom. We should use whatever method resonates with us for our practice. If we prefer mindfulness of breath, we should focus on that. If we favor the repetition of "buddho," then we should use that.
We have achieved much in terms of external success. We have pursued and often attained many external desires, such as graduating after years of study or acquiring houses and cars. So, we should also be able to attain this inner wealth, this stillness.
Another aspect of mind cultivation is wisdom.
With stillness, we can use it to eliminate defilements. We cultivate wisdom to overcome inner suffering. This suffering arises from our attachment to the body and mind. In simple terms, suffering stems from our confusion within these physical and mental forms. Thus, the wisdom of Dhamma enables us to understand the true nature of the body and mind. We often say "my body," but the Buddha teaches that it is "not-self" (anattā), we must understand this.
Wisdom can only arise when the mind is still. Without stillness, it is challenging to grasp this reality. The wisdom in Buddhism arises when the mind is still, allowing us to see the body and mind clearly, recognizing their impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā), seeing them as not truly ours. We must observe the continuous arising and passing away within ourselves. When we recognize impermanence, suffering, and non-self, the suffering caused by attachment will cease.
Our suffering is not caused by external circumstances like wealth or environment but by our attachment to body and mind. Therefore, to liberate ourselves from suffering, we must turn inward and become aware of this body and mind, because we are deluded by them.
Seeing the true nature of body and mind is actually quite simple. We simply need to still the mind and understand that body and mind are impermanent, suffering, and not-self. By continuously teaching ourselves this, truth and reality will reveal themselves. This is the highest form of merit gained through meditation practice.
-----Ajahn Golf 阿贊高爾夫 อาจารย์กอล์ฟ
24-12-2024 @ 巴礼莱佛寺，新加坡 Palelai Buddhist Temple, Singapore
