在靈感中翻譯佛法，在業力下努力微笑

詠給明就仁波切：關於自性與人性

On nature and human nature

詠給明就仁波切教導我們如何透過智慧、悲心和平衡來了解自己

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche teaches us the art of understanding ourselves

through wisdom, compassion and balance

《尼泊爾時報》2021年12月25日

Nepali Times December 25, 2021

詠給明就仁波切，1975年生於廓爾喀（Gorkha）區的努日（Nubri），為藏傳佛教噶瑪噶舉與寧瑪傳承的一位上師。他撰有四本書，其中包括紐約時報的暢銷書《世界上最快樂的人》（The Joy of Living），並對於將傳統修持和哲理與現代心理學融合有著自己的信念。

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche was born in Nubri of Gorkha district in 1975, and is the guru of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller The Joy of Living, he believes in the blending of traditional practices and philosophy with modern psychology. 

外科醫生Saroj Dhital是一位佛法修行人，也是明就仁波切的學生。他上個月與上師一起坐在其位於加德滿都的德噶光明寺（Tergar Osel Ling Monastery），談及佛法修持和哲理的傳統和現代詮釋。

Last month, surgeon Saroj Dhital, himself a practitioner of Buddhism and student of Mingyur Rinpoche, sat with the guru at his Kathmandu Tergar Osel Ling Monastery, and talked about traditional and modern interpretations of Buddhist practices and philosophy. 

對話節選：

Excerpt of the conversation:

問：我們初次交流時，您曾告訴我，「皈依佛」意味著「皈依你內在的佛」。可以請您詳細說明嗎？

Saroj Dhital: In our very first interaction you told me that taking refuge in the Buddha means taking refuge in the Buddha inside you. Could you elaborate?

答：釋迦牟尼佛告訴我們，你是你自己的主人。我們全都有此善妙自性，也就是我們的真實自性，我們稱之為「佛性」。從佛教的觀點來看，無論你是誰，本質向來都是一樣的。一切諸佛的本質，以及我們所稱六道所有眾生──包括人類、動物──的本質，都是一樣的。

Mingyur Rinpoche: Shakyamuni Buddha tells you that you are the master of yourself. We all have this wonderful nature – our true nature – which we call the Buddha nature, and from the Buddhist point of view, no matter who you are, the essence is always the same. The essence of all the Buddhas, of all beings – humans, animals – what we call six realms, are the same.

佛陀認出了這一點，我們則還沒有。你可能擁有一顆鑽石，但只要它被藏起來且你沒認出來，那麼它就起不了作用。然而，一旦你認出它，你的生活就會徹底改變。事實上，我們打從開始本來就是富裕的，只是大部份人並未體悟到這一點。

The Buddha recognised this, but we have not. You may have a diamond but as long as it is hidden and you do not recognise that, it does not matter. But, once you do, your life completely changes. The truth is, we are already rich from the beginning, many of us are yet to realise that.

因此，透過修持佛法，我們所有人都能成佛，而不僅僅是佛陀的追隨者、僕人或眷屬。明白這一點，是非常重要的。佛陀曾說：「我可以為你指明道路，至於你能否圓滿成佛，則取決於你自己。」我們必須付出努力、依循佛法，然後就能變得跟佛陀一樣。

So it is really important to know that we all can become just like the Buddha, not just his follower, servant or retinue, through the practice of the dharma. “I can show you the path,” the Buddha said, “whether or not you fully become a Buddha is in your hands.” We have to make an effort, follow the dharma, then we can become like the Buddha.

問：許多對佛法哲理和修持感興趣的人，都在挑金剛乘的毛病。他們說，金剛乘中有太多的階級制度，它是屬於精英的法道。

Many people interested in Buddhist philosophy and practice look for faults in the Vajrayana. They say there is so much hierarchy in Vajrayana and that it is the path of the elite. 

答：金剛乘佛法發展於印度和尼泊爾，興盛於藏地。在藏地，上師並不像是上帝或家長。而是你真實自性、佛性，以及你如何理解佛性的一種投射。為此，你首先將佛性的功德投射在上師身上。

While Vajrayana Buddhism developed in India and Nepal, it flourished in Tibet. In Tibet the guru is not like a God or a parent. It is a projection of your true nature, your Buddha nature, and its appreciation. To do this, you first project on the teacher the quality of the Buddha nature. 

不過，隨著時間的推移，這個來自藏地的教法混合了不同文化。而每個文化中幾乎都有階級制度。以個人的家庭為例，要嘛以父親、要嘛以母親為首。機構、公司，乃至宗教，也是如此，這在佛教中也看得到。但在教法中，則有不同。

But over time, this teaching from Tibet mixed with different cultures. Hierarchy is present in almost every culture. Starting with one’s family, there is either the father or the mother who is the head. The same is true for organisations and companies, even religions, as is evident in Buddhism. But in teaching, this is different. 

讓我們回到先前關於鑽石被層層隱藏的例子。同樣地，我們也可以想像，由於對真實自性的無明，而層層遮障了我們的本質。

Let’s return to the previous example of a diamond that is hidden under layers upon layers. In the same way, we can also imagine our essence to be obscured by layers based on ignorance of our true nature.

問：話說回來，我們的真實自性、我們的佛性，是什麼？

But then, what is our true nature, our Buddha nature? 

答：佛性有三種功德：空性、超越概念、超越能所（主客）。其中有明性、覺性、慈與悲。這就是我們的真實自性。但是，對此不具認識，便導致我們看不見自己的真實自性，而其樣態乃是自我（我執）。

Buddha nature has three qualities: of emptiness, of being beyond concern, and being beyond subject and object. There is clarity, awareness, love and compassion. This is our true nature. But not recognising this is what hides our true nature from ourselves, in the form of our ego. 

就連科學家和哲學家都說過：「假如我們有十個特質，九個是正面的，一個是負面的。我們往往會先看到那個負面特質，繼而誇大。但卻忽略了剩下的九個正面特質。」我們每天都展現著許多良善，卻認為這個世界一年比一年差。

Even scientists and philosophers have said, if we have ten qualities, nine are positive and one negative. This one negative quality is often what we see first and exaggerate. But we ignore the other nine good qualities. There is a lot of good that we manifest everyday, but we think the world is only getting worse every year.

問：我們可否將上師瑜伽以及金剛乘其他的傳統修持，看作是理解實相的最佳工具？

Can we also think of guru yoga and other traditional Vajrayana practices as the highest form of tools to understand the truth? 

答：當然可以。金剛乘有兩條法道：智慧和方便（梵文upaya，又譯為善巧方便）。智慧即為空性，也就是佛性。上師瑜伽則屬於具有悲心、菩提心與覺性的方便［法門］。

Certainly. In Vajrayana there are two paths: wisdom and skillfulness. Wisdom is the emptiness, which is the Buddha nature, while guru yoga falls under skillfulness with compassion, bodhichitta and awareness. 

事實上，本尊的儀軌、崇敬和憶念，都是透過觀想來表述並連接我們根本自性的一種技巧。儀軌有很多種，但我們必須理解它們的意義。譬如，當我們觀想某個本尊時，需要定力。金剛乘的方法，就是將個人真實自性與修持的不同層面相連。

Indeed, rituals, worshipping and recalling the deities are part of an art of expressing and connecting with our fundamental nature through imagination. There are plenty of rituals but we must understand their meanings. For example, when we imagine a deity, we require concentration. Connecting our true nature to different aspects of practice is the Vajrayana method.

問：透過奢摩他（samatha止），或者對周遭和內在事物的覺知，能否喚起悲心與智慧呢？

Is it possible to invite compassion and wisdom through the practice of samatha, or the awareness of the things around and within us?

答：只靠奢摩他，無法帶來悲心與智慧，我們需要的是具有善巧方便的奢摩他。如此便能導向毗婆舍那（vipassana觀），也就是勝觀。例如，我們傳統中修持奢摩他的方法之一，就是觀呼吸並與呼吸合一。我們需要學會如何安住於自己本然如是的實相中。

Only samatha cannot bring compassion and wisdom, we need samatha with skillful means. This can lead to vipassana, to insight. For example, one of the practices of samatha meditation in our tradition is watching our breath and being one with it. We need to learn how to be in our reality as it is. 

這一點非常重要。因為我們的心總是不安，而且我們很容易把事情誇大到令人憂慮的程度。有位科學家曾說：「假如我們不再誇大並接受現實，那麼99%的憂慮都會得到解決。」

This is very important because our minds are restless and we tend to over exaggerate things to the point of worry. A scientist once said, 99% of our worries will be taken care of if we stop exaggerating and accept reality.

然而，如果我們想知道如何見到自己的實相，就得從某個地方著手，比如從呼吸開始。這裡的重點，是要試著如其所然地觀察呼吸。無論它或深或淺、寧靜平緩或毫無章法，都無所謂。藉由傾聽自己的呼吸，我們必然能放下自己的散亂。

But if we want to learn to see our reality, we have to start at a point, like with our breath. The emphasis here is to try and see our breath as it is. Does not matter if it is shallow or deep, irregular or peaceful. By listening to our breath, we must then let go of our aberrations.

我們都擁有勝妙的功德。我們都具有佛性。每個人的內在都具有覺知、慈心與悲心、智慧、方便與潛藏力。我們應當盡力去運用它們。我們也該試著去利用自己的過失與不足。放下並不意味著放棄。最好的力量就在我們之內。

We all have great qualities. We all have Buddha nature. There is awareness, love and compassion, wisdom, skills and potential within all of us, and we should try our best to use them. We should also try to use our own mistakes, our own incapacities. Letting go doesn’t mean giving up. The best power is within ourselves. 

藏傳佛教的噶瑪噶舉和寧瑪傳承教導我們：智慧、慈心、悲心與覺知，是最強的力量。藏地有個著名的故事，內容說道：「曾經有個非常慷慨的國王，他想要幫助所有人。他從自己的倉庫取出青稞送給人民，然而一旦送完，就沒東西可吃了。一位大臣提議要教導人民自己種植青稞，如此一來，智慧便能與人民相隨。於是他們照著做，整個國家便得救了。」

There is a teaching in our Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism that wisdom, love, compassion and awareness are the best powers. There is a story popular in Tibet: Once there was a king who was very generous and wanted to help everyone. He gave barley to his people from his own store, but once that ran out, there was nothing to eat. One of the ministers suggested that the people could be taught how to plant barley themselves so the wisdom stays with them. When they did that, the entire nation was saved.

以如實的方式接受現實，即為智慧的開端。當然這條法道並不平坦，因為總有很多起起伏伏。而我們的現實本身也是無常且一直在變化。於此之上，我們的心就像一隻不安分的猴子。我們想著工作、擔憂家庭與生活，許多的念頭來來去去。我們常常根據衝動、過去的習氣和他人的說法而行事。如此便導致許多的誤解和溝通不良。

Accepting reality as it is, is the beginning of wisdom. The path is not smooth, of course, as there are lots of ups and downs, and our reality itself is impermanent and constantly changing. On top of this, our mind is like a restless monkey. We think of work, we worry about family, about life – many thoughts come and go. We often act on impulse, our past habits and what other people say. That creates a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication.

當我們與這些念頭抗爭，最終反而會想得更多。但當我們真的想要加以思維時，念頭便會消失。這就是我說的瘋猴子心。

When we fight with these thoughts, we end up thinking about it more. But when we really want to think about it, the thought will disappear. That is what I mean by the monkey mind. 

這並不是說念頭不好。有必要讓它們來。但我們也必須記得呼吸。如果我們沒忘記呼吸，我們就沒有迷失。我們必須放下渴求、放下執著，以培養智慧，因為智慧就是如實了知實相。然後，我們慢慢地回到自己、我們的身體、我們的感覺、我們的心。如此一來，智慧便能隨著奢摩他而一起到來，毗婆舍那與奢摩他則最終合而為一。

This is not to say that thoughts are bad. It is important to let them come. But we have to also remember to breathe. If we still remember breath, we are not lost. We have to let go of craving, of attachment to develop wisdom, as wisdom is knowing reality as it is. Then slowly we return to ourselves, our bodies, our feelings, our minds. Thus, wisdom comes together through the samatha, and vipassana and samatha become one in the end.

問：培養內在的悲心時，是否會有需要平衡或節制的課題？

Is there an issue of balance or moderation when it comes to developing compassion within us?

答：是的。佛陀在過去世中，某天，他看見一隻母虎和牠的幼崽在尋找食物。他想，如果母虎死了，幼崽也會死掉，於是他將自己的身體佈施給了牠們。但佛陀後來卻說：「是的，我在過去世曾這麼做，但菩提心的初學者們則絕對不應照著做。如此的希求，本身可能會變成障礙。」

Yes. One day in the Buddha’s past life, he saw a mother tiger with her cubs looking for food. Thinking that if the mother died, the cubs would too, he offered his body to them. But Buddha later said, “Yes, I did so in my past life but new practitioners of bodhichitta should never do the same. The desire itself may become an obstacle.” 

培養慈心、悲心與菩提心雖然相當重要，但在修行時，我們需要找到自己的平衡。我們必須檢視自己的能耐、資源和心力。我們的幫助不能超過自己的極限。僅僅靠著慈心與悲心，無法拯救這個世界，我們需要將其與智慧結合。智慧是主要的修持，悲心則是方便法門。

It is important to develop love, compassion and bodhichitta, but in practice we need to find our own balance. We have to check our ability, our resources and the strength of our mind. We cannot help beyond our limit. Love and compassion alone won’t save the world, we need to combine it with wisdom. Wisdom is the main practice and compassion is the method. 

智慧有如空性，全然自由，超越能所。在一切皆為空性的同時，痛苦則是一種幻相。這個見地是徹底敞開的，但我們的行為卻必須落實。 佈施、持戒、精進、安忍，這一切都很重要。但在付諸行動時，卻因為社會與文化的諸多層面，而有著很多該做和不該做的。當你將此納入考量時，就沒法自由，然後導致自我束縛，這是另一種極端。

Wisdom is completely free like emptiness, beyond subject and object. And suffering is an illusion, while everything is emptiness. The view is totally open but your action has to be there. Generosity, discipline, effort, patience – all are important. But there are many dos and don’ts when it comes to action, as there are societal and cultural aspects. When you think about them, you cannot be free, which then leads you to tie yourself, which is another extreme. 

所以，盡力去幫助他人。但也要瞭解自己的極限，並在兩個極端之間找到平衡。

So, try your best to help others. But know your limits and find balance between the extremes.

問：能認清自己內在的惡，是一回事，但當我們看見自己之外的惡時，又該怎麼做呢？

Being able to identify evil within us is one thing, but what can we do when we see evil outside of ourselves?

答：通常我們應該去支援受害者，這真的很重要。但我們是怎麼做的？

Normally we should support the victims, which is really important. But how do we do that? 

如果並不了解所造行為的因緣和情況，我們有時只是跟隨自己內在的魔羅，而變得與加害者一樣。在試圖拯救受害者的同時，我們選擇了暴力。這並非真正的智慧或悲心，且最終將造成更多的問題與干擾。

Sometimes we just follow our inner mara, and we become the same as the perpetrator, without understanding the condition, the situation in which the act was committed. While trying to save the victim, we choose violence. This is not real wisdom or compassion, and in the end it will create more problems and distractions. 

人們不想改變自己，他們只想改變這個世界，世界因而變得混亂。然而，佛陀的道路是，你首先要改變自己的內在世界、內在的魔羅。只有如此，真正的影響力才會到來。

People do not want to change themselves – they only want to change the world, and then the world becomes chaotic. But Buddha’s way is that you need to change your inner world, your inner mara first. Only then does the genuine influence come. 

當你轉化自己時，你想要幫助他人，想要以散發內在平和的方式去幫助他人。否則，你會錯待各種的社會工作。基於你內在的魔羅，你的社會工作變成培養個人魔羅的一種武器，繼而導致更多的衝突與抗爭。社會正義是重要的，但佛陀是以慈心和悲心做到這一點，而非仇恨和暴力。

When you transform yourself, you want to help others, you want to radiate whatever peace you have within you to help others. Otherwise, you miss out on a lot of social work. Based on your inner mara, your social work becomes a weapon to develop your own mara, and it results in more conflict and more fighting. Social justice is important, and Buddha did that through love and compassion – not through hatred, violence.

問：我們已經變得非常以人類為中心、不在乎這世界上的其他有情眾生。我們應該如何運用佛陀的教法，同樣為其他眾生服務呢？

We have become very human-centric, not caring about the other sentient beings in the world. How should we use Buddha’s teachings, also for other beings?

答：我認為與平衡連結是非常重要的。這個世界是以個體為基礎，我們作為個體，需要依照自己的極限和能力來轉化自己的行為。然後，世界會發生改變。問題在於，當我們想要改變世界卻沒發生改變的時候，我們就放棄了。我們想：「我只有一個人，無論我做什麼，都不會影響到這個世界。」於是我們退出。假如我們過於緊繃、服從暴力，我們就會毀了這個世界。

I think it is really important to connect with the balance. The world is based on the individual, and as we are the individual, we need to transform our actions according to our limit, our capacity. Then the world will change. The problem is when we want to change the world and that doesn’t happen, we give up. We think, “I am just one person, whatever I do, doesn’t affect the world.” And then we quit. If we are too tied and follow violence, we will then destroy the world. 

因此，正如佛陀所說：「用你自己的方式去給予幫助，只要對環境和世界有幫助，能貢獻什麼就貢獻什麼，能做什麼就做什麼—─即使是很小的事。」　

So, as the Buddha said, you help in your own way, with whatever you can contribute, whatever you can do to help the environment and the world – even the small things.

我見過很多社會工作者，他們因為什麼也沒改變而疲憊不堪、充滿壓力、情緒低落，假如他們修持佛陀的教法—─慈心與悲心、覺知與智慧，並擁有更多的想像與力量，那麼他們就更能幫助這個社會與環境。如此的平衡是非常重要的。

I have met many social workers who were exhausted, stressed and depressed because nothing changed. If they practice the teachings of the Buddha – love and compassion, awareness and wisdom – and get more imagination and power, they can help the society and the environment more. Balance like this is very important.

問：如果您不相信靈魂，卻相信再次投生，那麼，從一個身體傳遞到另一個身體的，是什麼？這個相續是什麼？它是否也是靈魂的一部分？

If you don’t believe in the soul, but you believe in rebirth, what is it that passes from one body to another? What is this continuity? Is it also a part of the soul?

答：佛性被兩層東西遮蔽。外層是我們所講的「我」，它本身也有三層：不健康的「我」、健康的「我」、超越我的「我」。

The Buddha nature is obscured by two layers. The outer layer is when we talk about self, which itself has three more layers: the unhealthy sense of self, the healthy sense of self, and the self beyond self. 

不健康的「我」，就是我們所稱那個執著自己為「恆常、單一、獨立」的我。我們視自己為恆常。同時，我們不喜歡意外的驚喜。但如果這個驚喜是在意料之中，我們會很高興。總是有個信念，認為一切事情都應該按照某種方式進行。例如，你在排隊等著用廁所，有人插隊，那個不健康的「我」就會爆發。

The unhealthy self is what we call clinging on to the ‘permanent, single, independent’. We perceive ourselves as permanent. At the same time, we don’t like to have unexpected surprises. But if the surprise is expected, we are happy. There is a kind of consistent belief that everything should be a certain way. For example, if you are waiting in a line to use the toilet and someone cuts in, the unhealthy self explodes. 

那個人或許沒看到你、或許有緊急情況、又或者只是不尊重你。可能有很多因緣，但是我們卻看不見那些。我們只希望所有事情都如我們所預期的。

Maybe that person did not see you, had an emergency or just doesn’t respect you – there can be many causes and conditions, but we do not see them. We just want everything to be as we expected.

然後是「單一」，意思是我的方式是最好的方式。在一次科學實驗中，超過70%的受訪計程車司機都說，自己的駕駛技術高於平均水平。但這是不可能的。例如，你和朋友在一輛車上，道路有些顛簸，我們便自動認為，如果自己來駕駛會更安全。

Then there is ‘singularity’, meaning my way is the best way. During a science experiment, more than 70% of taxi drivers interviewed said that their driving skill was above average. But that is impossible. For example, if you and your friend are in a car, and the road is a little bumpy, then automatically we think that it would be safer if we were driving it.

再來是「獨立」，意思是說，我們想要控制一切。我們認為：「假如它不受我的控制，那就是錯的。」這三者（恆常、單一、獨立）合在一起，其實就是魔羅。它非常棘手、十分自我中心，對他人漠不關心。而事實上，這個單一的、獨立的、恆常的「我」並不存在，甚至在相對層面上也是如此。它只存在於概念層面上。

Then comes ‘independent’, meaning we want to control everything. We think, “if it is not controlled by me, it is wrong”. These three combined together [permanent, single, independent] is the mara actually. It is very touchy and egoistic. It doesn’t care about others. And that single, independent, permanent self actually does not exist even at the relative level. It is just at the conceptual level. 

接著來說健康的「我」。它是一直變化的「我」。也就是說，可能你在家裡是家長、丈夫或妻子，在工作場所是老闆或員工。在你的朋友圈裡，你是友人。你的「我」一直在變化。而且這個「我」從兒時到今天也都在變化。有時，這個「我」在早上是開心的，到了晚上卻又不開心。有時是好的「我」，有時是不那麼好的「我」。「我」總在變化。

Next is the healthy sense of self. It is the self that is changing. So maybe at home you are parents, husband or wife, and at work maybe a boss or a staff. With your friend circle, you are friends. Your Self is always changing. And this self has changed from your childhood till now. Sometimes the self is happy in the morning but unhappy in the evening. Sometimes good Self, sometimes not so good Self. Self is always changing. 

此外，它是多樣的─—你之所以為你，是因為你的教育、家庭背景、朋友們看待你的方式、你的身體、你的心。有太多的細節部分。理解這點是有益健康的。而這一切都相互連結、相互依存，而非獨立自主。不是所有事情都在你的掌控之中。悲心、覺知與智慧便由此而來。

There is multiplicity – you become you because of your education, your family background, the way your friend looks at you, your body, your mind. There are so many pieces there. Understand that this is healthy. And they are all interconnected, interdependent, not independent. Not everything is in your hand. From there comes compassion, awareness and wisdom. 

最後，空性並不意味著什麼都沒有，而是一切都可以顯現。因此，「我」的真實自性超越了時間與物質，也超越了主體（能）與客體（所）。

And lastly, there is emptiness that does not mean nothing, but that everything can manifest. So the true nature of self is beyond time and matter, beyond subject and object.

那麼，是什麼在延續？健康的「我」已經變了，而心識、物質和微塵之流則持續下去。身體是微塵，心是心識，它們就像河流，即使總在變化，也會一直延續。

So then, what is continued? The healthy self is changed and that stream of consciousness, matter and particles is continued. The body is the particle and the mind is consciousness, and they will continue like a river even though they are changing. 

然而，在究竟層面上，真正的「我」乃是空性—─空，卻非一無所有。其中有著明性與潛藏力。這兩者為一，所以我們並非空無一物。然而，我們也不存在。

But the real self is emptiness at the ultimate level – empty, but not nothing. There is clarity and potential. These two are one and therefore we are not nothing – yet, we are not existing.

~ 英文出自https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/on-nature-and-human-nature ，但其內容只是節選開示重點，建議讀者觀賞網頁中的影片，方能了解全貌、完整學習！

~ 普賢法譯小組 Huilai翻譯 / Heidi, Joy, Nestor 校對/ Serena完稿，祈願一切賢善吉祥！