Karmapa ‘s teaching (August 31 at 3:53 PM )

 

Meditations for our Times: my altar where my Buddhas sway here and there

禪修時間： 佛壇遍滿諸佛法界

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, continues to respond to students’ questions, this time on the proper understanding of all the colourful ‘forms’ and elaborate visualisations we have in Vajrayana.

聖陛下 第十七世大寶法王 嘉華噶瑪巴 泰耶多傑，繼續回答弟子的問題，這次關於正確認識金剛乘中所有色彩繽紛的「形相 」和說明當中的觀想。

If there is a purpose for these colourful ‘forms’, I see it as similar to child’s play, in the most genuine and respectful way.  

如果這些色彩繽紛的「形相」有其目的，我認為是禪修時就像小孩遊戲時最純正和尊重的樣子。

Children do all sorts of things that don’t make sense to adults.

小孩會做各種毫無意義的事。

They pull funny faces.

他們會扮鬼臉。

They run and crawl like wild animals.

會像野生動物到處爬行、奔跑。

They produce screeching noises that are beyond our imitation.

會做無法模仿的尖叫聲。

We as adults, no matter how noble or sophisticated we think we are, deep down we are curious about children, as if they are some sort of aliens.

作為成人，就算認為自己多高貴或有品味，內心深處對小孩都充滿好奇，彷彿他們是外星人。

Curious about how these little beings can be that way.

好奇這些小孩怎會這樣。

Beneath our uptight demeanours, we would like to tread the children’s path.

我們表面上舉止拘謹，但卻想活像小孩。

But we dare not. No, no!!

但是我們不敢。 不可以、 不可以 。

That would be foolish, we think.

總覺得這樣做太笨。

That would be embarrassing.

那麼做又尷尬。

We would lose our dignity and divinity. How truly childish of us!

怕會掉失尊嚴和神聖。我們太幼稚！

Granted, caring for the feelings of others is a code-like discipline for Bodhisattvas.

畢竟，關懷他人的感受是菩薩要遵守的戒律。

Bodhisattvas do respect society. That’s why, in general, Bodhisattvas carry themselves in society in a humble way.

菩薩絕對尊重社會，所以在社會中總是保持謙卑的態度。

It’s important not to mistake this point to mean that Bodhisattvas suppress their feelings in any way. They see that there is nothing inherent to suppress, so it is not a question of them feeling embarrassed if they were to express themselves openly.  However, they behave respectfully and humbly out of care for others who may still have such notions and inhibitions.  But at least to themselves, the way they feel about themselves does not need to be restricted.

切勿誤解這意思為菩薩會用任何方式去壓抑感受。他們內心本來就沒什麼可壓抑，所以公然表達自己根本不會尷尬。 不過，考慮到旁人或抱持這想法和顧忌，會表現尊重和謙卑。但至少對他們來說，面對自己的感受是無須受到束縛。

So perhaps the benefit of practicing Buddhism is that the methods of all of the yanas have the quality to liberate our own selves to be childish.

所以修持佛法的好處，就是在三乘佛法中皆有解脫我執的要素，讓小孩般的單純、清淨本性呈現。

That’s the purpose of these practices, without a set goal.

這就是實修的原意，不設定目標。  

That’s why, whether these colourful methods are colourfulor not, to me they are interesting.

不管這些豐富多彩的方法是否單調乏味，對我來說都有趣。

There are no set goals to come into contact with the Divine – such as the Buddhas – through mystical means.

因為目的不是想用神秘方式與神（如諸佛）聯繫。

Such means are not even mystical – they are just playful, childish means, if you like, to let go of our self-clinging.

這類方式根本不神秘，只要放下我執，便能接受它純粹是單純、有趣。

Just look at what the trees are doing, and at what the clouds are doing – you just can’t ascribe a purpose to their play.

單憑看這些樹和那些雲在做什麼 — 你無法給它做的事賦予目的。

That’s what genuine meditators see.

這就是禪修者真正看到的。

They see them as guidelines.

他們視這為指引。

We don’t have to be worried that we will somehow lose our Buddhist essence if we open up to our own self.

假使我們放開懷抱，也不用擔心將會不知不覺地失去佛教的精髓。

Seemingly pleasant experiences are not goals to hang on to.

看起來愉快的體驗並不是我們要抓住的目標。

No children do that.

沒有小孩會這樣做。

They look like they enjoy one thing, and in the very next moment they move on to another.

他們看起來很喜歡這東西，但很快就會轉向其他的東西。

Even if we feel that we have gained an idea about what they like to experience, that idea can’t really be re-used to please them, because they aren’t dependent on those pleasant experiences as a set goal.

即使對他們喜歡什麼的經歷已有想法，但相同的想法不能再次取悅他們，因為他們不是追求那些愉快的經歷。

Palaces of light – aren’t such points of view interesting?

光的宮殿 — 這觀點不是挺有趣嗎？

Palaces made of sand – or rather, ‘palaces of sand’, not ‘made of sand’, are truly palaces of light.

沙壇城 — 者更確切地說 “沙的殿宮”而不是“沙造的”，卻是真正光的宮殿。

They are as bright and vivid as they can ever get.

它從沒有這般明亮和生動。

Light and holographic, they can’t be grasped.

光和全息影象都是不可能被抓住的。

If you do grasp them, however, they vanish into miniature dunes.

如果抓住它，就會消失於小沙丘中。

That’s exactly what these visualisations and methods are like: they can’t be touched, even though they seem catchable.

這正是觀想和方法的性質：看來可被捕捉，其實是無法觸摸。

That’s why or how we practice, gently guiding the sand into shapes, without fixed motives, letting them settle in whichever form they take, then letting them be.

這就是我們練習的原因和方法，在沒有固定的動機下， 溫柔地引導沙成形， 讓它以任何形式安頓，然後就順其自然。

To practice such methods in the comfort of our home or in our literal or symbolic caves.

在舒適的家中、或能作坐禪的角落或象徵的洞穴中練習這方法。

Caves carved by this pandemic, if you will.

如果你喜歡，你可以說因這大流行而開鑿的洞穴。

Boundaries that have no real boundary.

邊界是沒有真正的界限。

We meditate, we sync with the flow of our karma as day and night flows.

我們禪定時，讓自己與自身的業力同步猶如晝夜般流動。

As the hours and the minutes and the seconds tick by.

隨著時、分和秒流逝。

To see how creative or fluid we can become.

看看創造性和流動的性質如何轉變我們對「自我」概念的認識。

Without the worries to save others and ourselves, yet saving nonetheless, by not saving as a solid set goal.

救渡別人和自己時須無顧慮（以平等心看待），盡管未能如意 ，也以不捨棄救渡眾生為目標。

Maybe this is the way that you and I can understand these colourful means.

也許這樣會更容易明白這些彩色繽紛形相的意義（它的作用和重要性）。