在靈感中翻譯佛法，在業力下努力微笑

第十六世大寶法王，以及尊貴的第三世蔣貢工珠仁波切噶瑪羅卓確吉森給 (His Eminence the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Karma Lodrö Chökyi Senge)

The Buddha Nature in the Context of the Three Dharmachakras

從三轉法輪來談佛性

I would like to extend my greetings and my appreciation to all of you for having taken the time to receive these instructions. I have been asked to present an introduction to Buddhism, the Buddhadharma, “the teachings of Lord Buddha.” What I wish to talk about is a very important topic from the final cycle of the teachings which Buddha Shakyamuni gave to us. The principal theme of this cycle of teachings is the Buddha nature. Before I begin discussing this subject, though, I wish to remind you that we need to be free of the three faults while listening to the holy Dharma. The three faults are compared with a vessel or cup. The first fault is being inattentive, compared with a cup turned upside down that cannot hold what is poured into it. The second fault is being inconsiderate of the contents, compared with a cup with holes in the bottom. The third fault is being distracted by disturbing emotions while receiving the teachings, compared with a cup filled with poison that contaminates anything poured into it. We need to be free of all three faults and generate the pure motivation to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all living beings without exception. We listen to the holy Dharma for this purpose and aspire to integrate the teachings in our lives accordingly.

我想要向大家表示問候之意，並且謝謝各位撥出時間來接受教法。我受邀來介紹佛教、佛法、「佛世尊的教言」。我想要談的是，佛陀在第三次轉法輪時所給予的一個非常重要的主題。三轉法輪的核心主旨是佛性（如來藏）。但在開始探討這個主題前，我想要提醒各位，我們在聽聞正法時，要避免三種過失。此處是以容器或杯子來比喻這三種過失。第一種過失是不專心，像倒扣的杯子（覆蓋之器），無法承接任何倒入的東西。第二種過失是不思維內容，像底部有洞的杯子（漏失之器）。第三種過失是帶著煩惱聞法而有所散亂，像裝滿毒素的杯子（含毒之器），汙染一切倒入的東西。我們需要斷除這三種過失，並且生起為了毫無遺漏地利益一切眾生而求證菩提的清淨動機。我們懷著這樣的目的來聽聞正法，並發願要相應地將佛法融入自己的生命當中。

Generally, the teachings that have come down to us from Buddha Shakyamuni are extremely vast and profound. The reason for this spread of both profundity and extent is basically the very different motivations, propensities, and capabilities of individual people. Some of the teachings that the Buddha presented were directed towards people who were very much in the midst of their daily obligations. Others were provisional teachings intended to lead a person into a deeper appreciation. And some of the teachings were about how things actually are, what we call “the definitive” or “certain section of teachings.” The vast body of instructions is generally known these days as “the three cycles” or “the three Dharmachakras.” The first cycle, which was the initial formulation of the Buddha’s experience, is concerned with the Four Noble Truths. The second cycle is known as “the teachings of no characteristics,” and the third cycle - which will be our principal theme here - is known alternatively as “complete differentiation,” “perfect delineation” or, probably more familiarly, “the teachings of the Buddha nature.”

整體來說，我們所領受承續自釋迦牟尼佛的法教極為廣博精深。這些法教之所以同時具備深度與廣度，基本上是由於每個人的動機、習性與能力各有不同。在佛陀所傳的法教裡，有些是針對深陷於日常義務的人，有些是為了引導人們進入更深理解的不了義法，有些則直指實相，也就是所謂的「了義」法（究竟之實義）。今日普遍將這些廣大的教誡名為「三轉法輪」。初轉法輪為佛陀個人經驗的最初表述，內容是關於四聖諦。第二轉法輪稱為「無相法教」，第三轉法輪，也就是今天的主題，有人稱為「如來藏法教」*。

［*英文“complete differentiation”和“perfect delineation”並未找到相應的佛法名相，暫且不翻］

The First Dharmachakra

初轉法輪

The first cycle of teachings is known as the teachings on the Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is basically concerned with an exposition of the suffering and frustration we experience in our lives; it grants a very clear understanding of the dismay and unsatisfactory nature of ordinary experiences in conditioned existence. In the Second Truth, Lord Buddha explained at great length the source or cause of this dissatisfaction, which fundamentally is the emotional concerns - which arise in all of us - and the process by which those motivations turn into suffering. This comes to a delineation of the workings of karma, how an action becomes a seed and produces a certain result. From that he demonstrated a way of life or path that will lead one to become free of suffering, how to live in a way that will dissolve the dissatisfaction of existence, the Third Truth, which is the path. He showed very clearly how this path would lead to the dissolution of suffering, the Fourth Truth, which has come to be known as nirvana, the “transcendence of misery.” You see from the above that the principal focus of the three cycles of teachings was on suffering – its causes, its manifestation, and its cessation. Because the context is suffering, the natural inclination and main message of the teachings is how we can become free of suffering itself.

初轉法輪稱為四聖諦的法教。第一聖諦基本上是描述我們在生命中經驗的痛苦與挫折，使人們清楚地理解，在因緣和合的存有中，凡俗經驗的自性即是失望與不滿足。在第二聖諦，佛陀詳細解釋這種不滿足的來源或原因，就根本而言，便是我們每個人心中都會生起的煩惱，以及這些動機變成痛苦的過程。這就連接到關於業力運作的描述，也就是一個行為如何成為種子而產生特定結果。由此，佛陀示現了一條能引領眾生離苦的生命之道，如何以一種可消除對存有之不滿足的方式生活，也就是第三聖諦——道諦。佛陀十分明確地展示出這條道路如何能達到痛苦的消除，也就是第四聖諦，有人稱為涅槃，即「超越痛苦」。依上述所言，你可以看到三轉法輪的主要重點是苦——痛苦的原因、痛苦的顯現、痛苦的滅除。由於內涵與痛苦有關，法教自然是以如何從痛苦本身解脫來作為開示方向與主要訊息。

［*二轉與三轉法輪的內涵，依不同教派而有不同分類，敬請知悉］

How do we actually make use of that perspective? What do we have to do in order to clear away suffering, frustration, and the unsatisfactory nature of our lives? Lord Buddha was very careful to distinguish between the experiences we have of the world around us and the suffering – the frustration, the lack of satisfaction – in our lives, which comes from the way we interpret those experiences. It isn’t simply the world and what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch that are the actual cause for the lack of satisfaction in our lives. It is much more the way we approach and interact with our experiences that cause a lack of satisfaction. This lack of satisfaction comes from the supposition that drives us to see ourselves always as someone who is experiencing something - we see ourselves to exist as someone in opposition to the world. From this perspective, the presence of the sense of ourselves in discordance with the world is the basis for an unhappy experience of life. So, Lord Buddha, in the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, or the first cycle of teachings, elaborated that sense we have of ourselves as existing in opposition to the world.

我們要如何實際地運用這個觀點？我們必須做些什麼，來清除痛苦、挫折，以及生命那種讓人不滿足的自性？佛世尊十分審慎地區分出我們對此世間的經驗，以及我們生命中的痛苦，也就是那些挫折和不滿足，而後者乃來自我們詮釋那些經驗的方式。我們生命中的不滿足，實際上並非純然起因於這個世間，以及我們的所見、所聞、所嗅、所嚐、所觸，而更多、更多是因為我們處理經驗以及與經驗互動的方式。不滿足源自於一種既定認知，這個認知驅使我們總是認為自己是一個正在經驗某事的某人，認為自己是與世界對立的人。從這個觀點來看，我們與世界無法融洽相處的感受，是生命中不快樂經驗的基礎。所以，佛世尊在初轉法輪時，便詳細闡述了這種認為自己與世界是對立存在的感覺。

When we look at it, we see that experiences can arise without any need of a sense of the self. So, through calming the mind, through morality, by acting ethically in body and speech, through training the mind – learning how to restrain the mind so it doesn’t react emotionally – and through developing a calmness which allows for a development of insight into how the mind is and how we react, we come to appreciate that the sense of self, that we feel strongly to be, is actually false. However, an intellectual understanding of this is not by itself sufficient, rather insight needs to develop and grow in us until it becomes a functional and operative understanding. This is essentially the method by which one comes to be free of suffering according to the first cycle of teachings.

若能看著那種感覺，將會明白種種經驗的生起，並不需要任何對「我」的感覺。因此，透過靜心、透過持戒，藉由在言行方面依止規範、藉由修心——學習如何約束自心而使其不隨煩惱而轉，並且透過培養寂止、進而培養勝觀，而能洞悉心的狀態與個人的反應方式，我們將逐漸認識到那種對「我」的強烈感覺，其實是虛妄的。然而，僅是智識上的理解本身並不足夠，我們必須培養並增長勝觀，直到它成為實用且有效的理解。根據初轉法輪，這就是實質上能解脫痛苦的方法。

Generally speaking, most people have the impression that a religious life – in our context Buddhism – and a worldly or an ordinary life are contradictory, that both don’t have very much in common nor relate to each other at all. Furthermore, there is the erroneous supposition that Buddhism teaches a way to stop all experiences so that we can cease experiencing the world, so that we are free to block everything out.

一般來說，大多數人的感想是，宗教的生活方式—─以我們而言為佛教，與世俗或普通的生活方式，這兩者是互斥的，彼此沒有多少共通點，也沒有任何的關聯。再者，還有一種錯謬的見解，認為佛法教導人們一種讓所有經驗都終止的方式，以便我們不再經驗到這個世界，而能自由地將一切阻擋在外。

Both assumptions are quite wrong and show very mistaken impressions of Buddhism. In fact, the very opposite is much more so the case. Buddhism is solely concerned with how to live in a way in which we do not experience life as unsatisfactory, as meaningless. Buddhism is really focused on how we live, not about getting away from life.

這兩種假定都相當不正確，也顯示出［世人］對佛法有著十分錯謬的印象。事實上，情況恰恰相反。佛法主要關注的是如何生活，而能讓我們不會感到生命是不滿足、無意義的。佛法實際上聚焦於如何活著，而非逃離生活。

As I mentioned, the first of the Four Noble Truths is the truth of suffering, that life is unsatisfactory, that we do experience frustration and pain. This is valid for all of us and isn’t a teaching on how to get away from things; on the contrary, it is a teaching on how to pay attention to just what our life is made up of and how it is usually experienced. Rather than thinking up ways to escape from suffering, the approach in Buddhism is much more to understand suffering and what it means to be discontent. When we really understand what it means to be unhappy and how pain arises, then we know what to focus our attention on, namely on removing the source of dissatisfaction from our experience. And the source of dissatisfaction, according to the Buddha’s teachings, is the negative emotions we feel.

就像我說過的，四聖諦的第一諦是苦諦，生命是不滿足的，而我們確實經歷到挫折與痛苦。這個道理對我們所有人都是成立的，並非在教導我們如何逃避現實。相反地，這個教導是關於如何注意到生命究竟由什麼組成，以及生命通常如何被經驗。佛教採取的方法並非想辦法逃離痛苦，而更多、更多是理解痛苦與何謂不滿足。當我們確實理解什麼是不快樂，以及痛苦如何生起，我們就會明白要把專注於何處，也就是從個人經驗中遣除不滿足的根源。而依據佛陀的教法，不滿足的根源即是我們所感受的煩惱（負面情緒）。

One of the principal ways we remove the negative emotions is through developing a very clear, a very ethical approach to life. We take the workings of karma into account, i.e., we appreciate that all our actions are seeds, that only and alone our actions condition us to experience specific results. If the actions are negative, the results we will inevitably experience will be painful. Therefore, far from teaching us to flee from life or to try to escape from suffering, Buddhism is actually concerned with leading us to understand what our life consists of, what suffering means, how it arises, and what we can actually do about it. The first cycle of teachings is really concerned with helping us understand the nature of dissatisfaction in our lives and shows us how to resolve that.

遣除煩惱的主要方法之一，是藉由培養一種非常清淨、具有規範的生命之道。我們會考慮到業果的運作，也就是，我們認識到自己的一切行為皆是種子，且我們會經驗到哪種結果都唯有取決於自己的行為。如果行為是負面的，我們便無可避免地會經歷苦果。因此，實際上，佛法非但不是在教導我們逃離生活或逃離痛苦，反而是關乎於引導我們理解生命的組成、痛苦是什麼、它如何生起，以及我們實際上可以如何應對。初轉法輪其實是關乎於幫助我們理解生命不滿足的自性，以及告訴我們如何解決這個問題。

The Second Dharmachakra

二轉法輪

The second cycle of teachings Lord Buddha presented is known as “being without signs,” “being without characteristics.” It deals with what our experiences are actually made of, what all the things we experience are, how they really are. When we look at how experiences are, we see that the way they are is fundamentally different from the way we perceive and conceive of them as being. If we look at any particular phenomenon we experience - even the smallest and most insignificant object or event - we see it is made up of many, many factors which have come together to make that particular object a possibility of experience. This statement strongly suggests that there is no object present, whereas objects do exist as a coming together of many conditions. However, we do not see objects as the product of many conditions - we simply see things as independent objects.

佛陀二轉法輪的內涵稱為「無相」。它探討著我們的經驗實際是由什麼組成，而我們所經驗的一切又是什麼，以及它們真實的樣貌。當我們觀察經驗是怎麼一回事時，便會了解到這些經驗的樣貌，在本質上與我們對該經驗的感知或構想有所差別。如果我們觀察任何所經驗的特定現象，即使是最小、最微不足道的事物或事件，我們會發現它是由許許多多的因素組合而成，如此造就了我們可經驗該對境的機會。這項陳述有力地表明並沒有所呈現的對境存在，而同時又確實有因緣聚合而成的對境存在。然而，我們並不是將對境認知為因緣的產物，而純粹把它看成獨立的對境。

We are particularly predisposed to seeing things as independent objects, because we feel we ourselves have substantial existence. This is what is known as “clinging to a sense of an individual self.” We see ourselves in opposition to the world and consequently turn ourselves into an “own thing.” We then proceed to turn everything that makes up the world into “other things,” what is known as “the self of phenomena,” “the self we impute on all experiences.” However, when we look at what we actually experience, we see that we simply experience the coming together of many, many different factors, many different conditions, and that nothing has any existence in its own right. This is the essence of the second cycle of the teachings.

我們特別傾向於認為事物皆為獨立的對境，這是因為我們認為自己具有實質的存在。這稱為「執取有個獨立的我」。我們認為自己與世界對立，以致將自身變成一個「自己的東西」（自），接著又把構成世界的一切變成「其他的東西」（他），後者稱為「法我」、「遍計所執之我」。然而，當我們觀察自身所實際經驗的種種，會發現我們只是經驗著由許許多多不同因素與條件所組成的和合事物，而沒有任何事物具有自性存在。這是第二轉法輪的要義。

We have to be very careful here because many misconceptions can arise at this point. One might feel that saying there is no actual object present means that nothing exists. This would be quite a serious mistake. These teachings do not say that nothing exists nor do they imply that something exists.

於此，我們必須要非常謹慎，因為這一點可能會出現很多誤解。有的人或許覺得：所謂「沒有真實的事物存在」代表「一切都不存在」。這是相當嚴重的錯誤。這些法教並不是在說「一切都不存在」，也沒有意味著「有個什麼存在」。

In Buddhism, we call the view believing nothing exists “nihilism” and the view believing something exists “eternalism,” the notion that things exist forever while they don’t. The view according to the Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma or cycle of teachings does not adhere to eternalistic nor nihilistic ideas.

在佛教裡，相信一切都不存在的觀點，我們稱為「斷邊」（虛無主義），而相信有個什麼存在的觀點，我們稱為「常邊」（存在主義），後者認為事物恆常存在，而情況並非如此。二轉法輪的觀點，不依於常邊，也不依於斷邊。

We feel that something really exists, but when we look, we see that all experiences are simply the product of many different factors, so it can’t be the case that something really exists. On the other hand, when we say nothing exists, we are immediately confronted with our personal experience that something is going on, so we can’t say nothing exists. The point is to come to an understanding that the designations “existent” and “non-existent” are not accurate descriptions of the world, which is the reason why the second cycle of teachings is termed “the great middle way” - the great middle way goes beyond all philosophical postulates and extremes.

我們認為有個什麼真實存在，但當我們觀察時，會發現一切經驗僅僅是眾多因素的產物，所以不可能有個什麼真實存在。另一方面，假如我們說「一切都不存在」，這又與我們的個人經驗直接牴觸，因為在個人經驗中有某些事物正在發生，所以不能說「一切都不存在」。如此，我們理解到，「存在」（有）和「不存在」（無）這兩種指稱無法精確地描述這個世界，此即何以二轉法輪稱為「大中觀」的原因，大中觀超越一切哲學上的假定與邊見。

The way we practice the great middle way is to generate and develop what is known in Buddhism as “awakening mind,” awakening to our relationship to the world and awakening to the way the world is. Awakening to the way the world is means awakening to emptiness and awakening to our relationship to the world means awakening to compassion. So, we have the principles of loving kindness, compassion, and the awakening mind as the key principles in the second cycle of teachings. Many of you may have heard the term “emptiness” and wonder what it means. It is a key principle that needs to be understood exactly in how it works and its role in the cycle of teachings.

修持大中觀的方式，是生起並培養佛法裡所說的「菩提心」（覺醒之心），也就是對我們與世界的關係以及世界的樣貌有所醒悟。醒悟到世界的樣貌，意思是了悟空性，而醒悟到我們與世界的關係，意思是了悟大悲。因此，二轉法輪的主要原則，乃是慈心、悲心與菩提心的原則。你們當中可能很多人都聽過「空性」，並想知道它的意涵。確實了解空性的運作方式，以及空性在轉法輪中所扮演的角色，正是必要的關鍵原則之一。

We cannot understand a concept such as emptiness merely through intellectual reasoning or study in any way. No matter how much we may reason philosophically, no matter what logic we may be able to come up with, the way we see and experience the world will still be in terms of existents, and just this contradicts the way the world actually is. On the other hand, we may feel emptiness refers to nothing, there being nothing, like the emptiness in a box - for instance, there is no “thing” in the box. We feel emptiness means there is nothing going on and we try to understand the world that way, which would be an even greater mistake, because it directly contradicts our own experiences in every instant.

我們無法單靠智識推理或各種研讀來理解空性這類的道理。不管我們的哲學推理多厲害，不管我們能想出什麼樣的邏輯，我們還是以存在的角度來看待與經驗這個世界，而如此便恰恰與世界的實際樣貌相悖。另一方面，我們可能認為空性的意思是「沒有東西」，就像盒子裡面的空，比如說這盒子裡沒有「東西」。我們認為空性的意思是什麼都沒有發生，並試圖以這種方式來理解世界，如此將是個更嚴重的錯誤，因為這和我們個人時時刻刻的經驗直接相悖。

Emptiness refers to “a middle way” and doesn’t simply mean absence or nothing, because there is a very wonderful capability or quality that arises in conjunction with the understanding of emptiness. This is what we know as Bodhichitta or, to translate it, as “awakening mind” or “awakening heart.” Bodhichitta is the natural manifestation of compassion and concern for others, which comes with the appreciation of the ineffable nature of all phenomena.

空性的意思不是「不存在」或是「沒有東西」，而是「中觀」，這是因為在理解空性的同時，會生起一種十分美妙的能力或功德。我們稱為菩提心，或翻譯為「覺醒之心」。菩提心是悲心與關懷他人的自然展現，它同時伴隨著對萬法不可言喻之自性的體認。

So, the main theme of the second cycle of teachings is not that nothing exists or that something exists, it is that our experience is beyond any conceptualization. When we actually begin to experience the world and ourselves from that angle, then we find ourselves awakening to a very rich and wonderful engagement in the world, one that is characterized by compassion and gentleness.

因此，二轉法輪的主旨並非「一切都不存在」，亦非「有個什麼存在」，而是我們的經驗超越任何的分別概念。當我們確實開始以這樣的角度來經驗世界與自身，就會發現自己能體悟到一種帶著悲心及柔和而與世界交會的方式，而那是非常豐富且美妙的。

In the first cycle of teachings it was taught that life is unsatisfactory. The Four Noble Truths help us understand the nature of this dissatisfaction and how to resolve it. In the second cycle of teachings it was taught that our experiences cannot be characterized, they are free of the extremes of eternalism and nihilism. The third cycle speaks about the Buddha nature.

初轉法輪教導的是生命之不滿足。四聖諦幫助我們了解到這種不滿足的自性以及如何解決。第二法輪教導的是個人經驗之難以描述，它們離於常邊與斷邊。第三法輪則是談到佛性。

The Third Dharmachakra

三轉法輪

We find a very important and very wonderful teaching being presented in the Third Dharmachakra, namely that every sentient being is not fundamentally different from an awakened Buddha, that every living being has what we term “the Buddha nature.” This does not mean that there is some “thing” inside each of us that can be pointed to as “the Buddha nature,” that could grow into a Buddha. The idea that there might be something inside us of this kind is eliminative according to the teachings of the second cycle. However, the Buddha nature is nothing other than what we always and already are.

在第三轉法輪中有個非常重要、非常美好的法教，那就是每位有情眾生在本質上都與覺醒之佛沒有不同，每位眾生都具備所謂的「佛性」。這並不表示我們每個人內在都有個可以指認為「佛性」的「事物」，並由此茁壯而成為佛。根據二轉法輪的法教，這種認為我們內在或許有個什麼東西的想法，是具排除性的。然而，佛性無異於我們向來的樣貌，也無異於我們原來的樣貌。

As it is, we live our lives in great confusion, and the teachings on the Buddha nature suggest this confusion. All disturbing emotions, the pain and distortions that we consider and define as “our experiences” are but incidental impurities and are not fundamentally what we in truth are.

儘管如此，我們仍過著極為迷惑的生活，而關於佛性的法教便指出這個迷惑。我們認為且定義為「個人經驗」的種種煩惱、痛苦和顛倒，只不過是客塵染污，本質上並非我們的真實樣貌。

The Buddha nature is ever-present and manifests when all the confusion of ordinary experiences is cleared away; it is the empty, clear or radiant, and open mind. It is no “thing” in itself.  And the empty, clear or radiant and open mind is never different from the mind of a Buddha, a Fully Awakened Being, i.e., we ourselves are not different from a Buddha, except for the presence of incidental impurities. According to these teachings, there is really no difference between the Buddha nature as taught in the third cycle and with awakening mind, which was mentioned in association with the second cycle of teachings. Awakening mind is “awakening to how the world is,” and Buddha nature is “the potential for awakening”  - they are not two different things but are intricately entwined since one of the principles of awakening mind is a compassionate attitude towards ourselves and others.        

佛性恆時都在，當凡俗經驗的所有迷惑都得到淨除時，佛性便會彰顯，它就是空、清朗光明、開放的心。它本身不是「事物」。而那空、清朗光明、開放的心，與正覺者、佛的心絕無差別。也就是說，我們本身與佛無異，差別只在於我們有客塵染污。根據這些教導，三轉法輪所說的佛性，與二轉法輪所說的菩提心，其實並無差別。菩提心是「對世界樣貌的醒悟」，而佛性是「對此醒悟的潛藏力」。它們並非兩個不同的事物，而是錯綜複雜地彼此交織，因為菩提心的原則之一，即是以悲憫的態度對待自己與他人。

You will notice that some people are naturally compassionate. It doesn’t matter who approaches them, everyone likes them, feels comfortable with and trusts them. That kind of spontaneous trust, inspiration, calm, and ease indicate the presence of the Buddha nature in that person. Some people seem to be naturally angry, aggressive, short-tempered, and so forth. The teachings say that anger isn’t the fundamental nature of an individual; the disturbing emotions are incidental impurities, adventitious stains that can be cleared away.

你會注意到有些人天生就具有悲心。無論任何人接近他們，都會感到歡喜、覺得舒坦，也會加以信任。這種自然而然的信任、啟發、寧靜與自在，顯示出此人是具有佛性的。有些人似乎天生容易生氣、具攻擊性、脾氣不好等等。教導表示，瞋怒並非任何人的根本天性，煩惱是客塵、偶發的垢染，是可被淨除的。

According to the third cycle of teachings, everybody has the Buddha nature - everybody has the potential to awaken. As individuals, there is no fundamental distinction, there is no difference between anyone, there is no basis for prejudice or discrimination present in any of us. There is also no justification to privilege one person against another, since we all fundamentally have the same nature. The only difference between us is the extent to which that nature is actually manifest or not. The more impurities or confusion we have, the less that nature manifests. The less impurities, the more that nature manifests.

依據第三法輪，人人都有佛性，人人都具有覺醒的潛藏力。人與人之間沒有本質上的區別，任何人之間都沒有差異，且任何人內在都沒有［讓］偏見或歧視［生起］的基礎。由於我們在本質上都具有相同的自性，所以也沒有理由讓誰比誰更有特權。我們之間唯一的差別，在於佛性實際彰顯的程度。我們的塵垢或迷惑越多，佛性的彰顯就越少；塵垢越少，佛性的彰顯就越多。

So, the task then becomes one of enabling the Buddha nature to manifest purely and fully in our lives. We do this by going back to the first cycle of teachings, which discusses karma, how we act, what we do on a day-to-day basis, the ethical actions of learning restraint, of learning how to perform virtue, and how to avoid non-virtue. These practices allow the Buddha nature to manifest. We can also look at the second cycle of teachings, which is principally concerned with the development of love, compassion, and the two aspects of awakening mind, awakening to our relationship to the world and awakening to how the world is. It is through the practice of these instructions that we can clear away our own confusion so that our true nature - the adamantine ground – manifests purely and fully.

所以，［我們的］任務便是讓佛性得以純然、全然地彰顯在生命中。做法則是藉由回到初轉法輪，其中探討到業力、言行準則、日常作為、學習節制與斷惡行善的戒行。這些修持能使佛性得以彰顯。我們也要思維第二法輪的教導，其中主要關乎著培養慈心與悲心，以及菩提心的兩個層面——醒悟到我們與世界的關係，以及醒悟到世界的樣貌。正是透過修持這些教誡，我們才能淨除迷惑，而使真實自性——此金剛不壞之基，純然、全然地彰顯。

Questions

提問

Question: If Buddha nature is the fundamental reality, then why do impurities exist?

如果佛性是根本實相，為何會有塵垢的存在？

His Eminence: The point here is not an explanation of why there are the incidental impurities but on how we experience things now. In answer to your question, the incidental impurities we were discussing are an experience of ignorance, of not knowing. What does ignorance or not knowing refer to? The lack of experiential, direct understanding of how we are. That lack of understanding is present and overwhelms us, so we do not perceive ourselves or the world correctly. While our mind or essential nature is empty and clear – that is one way it is described – misunderstanding causes us to perceive emptiness as a “thing,” which we take to be a self. That assumption causes us to perceive and conceive the clarity that arises in the mind as “something else” or “other.” Both the notion of “self” and “other” are duality. It is ignorance or the misunderstanding and the propensity for duality that are the cause for incidental impurities.

這裡的重點不是在解釋為什麼有客塵，而是我們當下如何經驗事物。若針對你的問題來回答，我們之前探討的客塵，是一種無明或無知的經驗。無明或無知的意思是什麼？指的是我們對自身樣貌缺乏實際、直接的了知。而這種缺乏了知的狀態，讓我們不知所措，以致無法正確地感知自己或世界。儘管我們的心或根本自性為空、明——經典中如此描述，［上述的］誤解卻使我們將空性感知為一種「事物」，並將之視為自我。如此的假設，使我們將心中生起的明性感知並構想為「有別於心的事物」或是「他者」。「自」、「他」兩者的概念為二元的。正是這種無明或誤解，以及二元分別的習氣，導致種種客塵。

Question: Rinpoche, you said that a religious life and a worldly life can be united. The teachings appear to be separate. It appears that if we learn to practice religion, we are encouraged to take vows and then have to return to worldly ways - then we’re on our own. I believe we could say we can put them together and here we are.

問題：仁波切，您說宗教生活與世俗生活可以結合。而法教似乎是各自不同的。看來若要學習修持佛法，我們會被鼓勵受戒，接著必須回到世俗方式，完全靠自己努力。我相信我們可以說兩者能夠結合，而我們現在卻是這樣。

Rinpoche: We learn how to practice, and many practitioners spend considerable time in retreat. How do we join what we practice with how we actually are? Is that your question? Really, when we get down to it, our practice is best when it permeates every aspect of our lives and everything we do, whether we are walking, sleeping, sitting, or eating. Everything we experience becomes a reminder or an opportunity to practice mindfulness and awareness. Every interaction we have with another individual is an opportunity to practice not being self-centered or not regarding the world as originating with oneself. Being open and acknowledging the feelings and needs of another person is something we may find in the practice of taking and sending, for instance. This is what we learn to practice. It is intended to be used to completely permeate our lives so that everything we do is a response in that way.

仁波切：我們學習如何修持，也有很多修行者花了大量的時間閉關。我們要如何結合修行內涵與自身實際狀況？這是你的問題嗎？的確，實際而言，若能將修行遍及生活的每個層面和所做的每件事情，不管是走路、睡覺、坐著，或是進食，如此就是最好的修行。我們的種種經驗都成為練習正念和正知的提示或機會。每次與他人互動，都是練習不再自我中心的機會，或者不把世界看成是源於自身的機會。比如，在自他交換的修持中，我們可能會發現［修持者］要保持開放的態度並關注到他人的感受與需求。這正是我們要學習的修持。它的用意在於要加以應用並完全融入生活，如此一來，我們的所作所為便都能應和著修持本身。

Question: Rinpoche, would you tell us why the Four Noble Truths are called “noble.”

問題：仁波切，請您告訴我們，為什麼四聖諦稱為「聖」？

Rinpoche: They are called “noble truths” because they aren’t ordinary statements that are just true. They have a level of truth and profundity that makes them very special.

仁切波：它們被稱為「聖諦」，是因為它們並非一般所謂真實的聲明。其所具有的真諦之真與深奧之深，使它們非常殊勝。

Question: How do we gain experience of emptiness or an understanding of what emptiness is?

問題：我們要如何經驗空性，或是了知空性？

Rinpoche: By studying and reflecting the teachings one will come to some understanding. A direct understanding arises when there is no longer an experience of something being understood - understanding is not separate from what is understood. That’s when the understanding of emptiness really arises.

仁波切：透過聞思法義，一個人將能夠［對空性］有所了知。當不再有對所要了知者的經驗，就會生起直接的了知——也就是能知與所知的兩者無別。那時就真正生起對空性的了知。

The entire topic of emptiness needs to be approached with a great deal of caution, because there are so many misunderstandings here. People take emptiness and make it into a thing, which is one form of misunderstanding; they conceptualize it and try to load it on everything they encounter - a major deviation. So, the topic really requires heedful analysis and training. What is very important here is that you have access to and rely on instructions from an authentic teacher who can guide you in this area.

在趣入空性的整個主題時要極為嚴謹，因為這裡面有很多的誤解。有人把空性視為一個事物，這是其中一種誤解，他們將空性概念化，並試著套用在任何遇到的事物上——這是很大的偏差。因此，對於這個主題必須有審慎的分析與訓練。非常重要的則是，要值遇一位能指導你認識空性的具徳上師，並依止由他而來的相關教誡。

Question: How do we deal with clinging in our relationships, such as parent and child, child and parents, wife and husband, and so forth?

問題：我們要如何處理各種關係裡的執著，比如親子關係、夫妻關係等等？

Rinpoche: This is a source of concern for many people, and I encourage you not to worry about this at all. Many people feel if one dispenses with clinging, one won’t have any relationships. This is not what happens. Basically, the clinging present in the relationship is the source for the problems that may arise in relationships. As one becomes clearer and more and more free of clinging, the relationship becomes deeper, closer, and less problematic.

這是許多人所關注的源頭。我會鼓勵你一點都不用為這件事擔心。許多人以爲如果不去執著，就無法擁有任何關係。情況非然。基本上，各種關係中所可能出現的問題，正是源自於對此關係的執著。當一個人更為清晰、更少執著，關係［反而］會變得更加深刻、緊密，問題也會減少。

Question: Would someone like myself, who has not gone through a period of purification practice, benefit from the Kalachakra initiation?

問題：像我這樣未曾做過長時淨化修持的人，是否能從時輪金剛灌頂中獲得利益？

Rinpoche: It certainly wouldn’t be a sign of disrespect if you felt interested and wish to attend the empowerment. If you feel inspired and confident, the empowerment will likely benefit you. Nevertheless, it is best to approach it with some understanding and awareness of what it means and involves.

仁波切：如果你對灌頂有所意樂，也想參加，這絕不會是一種不敬的徵兆。如果你覺得受到激勵且具有信心，灌頂就有可能利益到你。儘管如此，最好要對灌頂的含義和內容有一定的理解和認識，再去接受它。

Question: What happens to the Buddha nature at the time of death?

臨終時，佛性會有什麼狀況？

Rinpoche: At the time of death, when the structures of consciousness disintegrate, we experience what we truly are, which is the Buddha nature; this occurs in the first intermediate state following the death process. If an individual has trained during life and has some experience, then at that time a practitioner becomes completely free by realizing his or her own nature.

臨終之際，當心識的結構分解，我們會經驗到自己的真實樣貌，也就是佛性。這個經驗會出現在死亡過程後的第一個中陰狀態。如果一個人在生前曾有修練並有些經驗，該修行者便能在那時體悟自性，並因而全然解脫。

Question: Experiencing what we are, what is that which experiences?

當我們經驗到自己的樣貌時，那個在經驗者，是什麼？

Rinpoche: To answer your question directly as it was posed, one would say the mind is what understands how we are. But, to be more precise, we would rather say at that point there is no differentiation between what is understood and the understanding.

若就你所提問的內容直接回答，有人會說：「了知我們的樣貌者，為心」。但是，若要更為精準，我們會說：「彼時，所知與能知無二無別。」

Student: So, are we in a certain sense a center of awareness?

所以，就某種意義而言，我們即為覺知的核心？

Rinpoche: In a sense. 就某種意義而言。

Question: What is the most efficient method of clearing away obscurations?

淨除遮障最有效的方法是什麼？

Rinpoche: Generally speaking, to be present with mindfulness and awareness in every moment and every area of our lives. On the basis of that mindfulness and awareness, to do what is virtuous and to avoid what is non-virtuous. Put another way, with the basis of mindfulness and awareness, to always be motivated with the wish to be helpful to others. That will naturally lead us to engage in virtue and to avoid what is non-virtuous. More particularly, there are specific practices within the tradition, such as the preliminary practices that are very effective ways of clearing away obscurations.

一般來說，在生活中隨時隨地都要保持正念與正知。要以正念正知為基礎而斷惡行善。換句話說，在正念正知的基礎上，恆時懷抱著利益他人的希求心。這樣一來，我們便能自然而然地斷惡行善。更明確地說，佛教傳統裡有特定的修持，比如前行法，便能十分有效地清淨遮障。

Question: It seems that in order to realize the Buddha nature, it takes a great deal of practice, it is very difficult, and takes a great deal of commitment. Is the only way to do this to become a monk or nun?

如果要證悟佛性，看來需要廣大的修持。這很困難，此外也需要廣大的誓願。是否唯有出家為僧或尼，才能達到？

Rinpoche: There isn’t a single path we could say is the path everybody should follow, because we are all very different. Some persons have greater obscurations than others, some have more abilities than others, so there isn’t a single course everyone should follow. It’s an individual matter, but it may be helpful for you to become a nun.

沒有所謂人人都該遵照的一條道路，因為我們全都截然不同。有些人的遮障比較多，有些人的能力比較強，所以沒有一種作法是人人都該依循的。這要看個人狀況而定，不過，對你來說，出家為尼可能會有幫助。

Thank you very much. 非常感謝您！

May virtue increase! 願賢善增長！

Presented at the Karma Kagyu Center in Toronto, Canada, 1990.

傳授於加拿大多倫多噶瑪噶舉中心，1990

Translated from Tibetan by Ken McLeod. Transcribed by Gaby Hollmann in 1990.

由藏譯英：Ken McLeod於1990 / 英文聽打：Gaby Hollmann於1990

~ 出處：https://www.dharmadownload.net/pages/english/Natsok/0010_Teaching_English/Teaching_English_0004.htm　

~ 普賢法譯小組Becca翻譯/ Joy 校對 / Serena完稿於藏曆木龍年薩嘎達瓦蓮師日，願一切吉祥！

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