The Heart Mantra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uFmxPiHFdI

1. (Sanskrit) Tayata: Om! Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate. Bodhi, Svaha!
2. (English) This is to say: Om! Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond (to the Other Shore of Liberation),  Gone Altogether Beyond. Oh, What an Awakening, All hail!

Chung Tai Monthly Newsletter

從失去中學習
文／美國佛心寺禪修班學員　Jeanna Salinas　　


　　Most of us are familiar with the story of Krisha Gotami, the woman who upon the death of her young child went to Buddha and asked for his help. He instructed her to go to each house in the village until she found a family that had not experienced death and to ask of that family a mustard seed. She was then to bring the mustard seed back to Buddha. 

　　She went from house to house but was unable to find any household that had not been touched by death. As she continued to search for a family untouched by death it gradually occurred to her that death was universal. There was not a family that had not experienced death. Everyone dies and realization was her first glimpse of the nature of impermanence and the futility of grasping. 

　　Losing a loved-one through death can be a dark and difficult time, and for some perhaps the most difficult time we are to face during our lifetime. Often, the threatened loss of someone dear can provoke more fear than a perceived loss of our own self, especially when it involves the loss of a child. But as in the case of Krisha Gotami, children do die. As do parents. As do spouses. As do siblings. 

　　However, the most precious Dharma has provided a path to gradually develop the perspective and insight not only to endure, but to learn from our losses, and to find and maintain the inner peace and happiness that comes from the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. 

　　One of the first teachings that we are taught is that of impermanence. This teaching is very clear and we are taught to look for ourselves at this impermanence and how it affects everyone universally. By the recognition of impermanence we obtain the true picture that shows us that everyone suffers at the hands of death and once we accept this, the natural progression becomes one of learning how to let go. Recognition of this need to let go brings us to a different perspective. 

　　We learn to see how futile it is to grasp and the more that we can embrace the idea of impermanence, the easier it is to let go in times of personal loss. When this realization becomes anchored firmly in place, we then through our practice and training, learn to turn our loss outwardly into compassion - compassion for others who have also experienced the sadness of death, and compassion for those who have not yet realized the truth of impermanence and nonattachment. 

　　Buddha has given us the teachings that allow us to turn the darkness of grasping and attachment into the light of compassion. When we experience a loss, through our training and practice we are able to experience the loss, but at the same time, experience it through the perspective of one who understands impermanence and is able to still see the sky through the clouds. 

　　（相信我們多數都聽過瞿曇彌的故事。當這位母親的孩子不幸早夭時，她一路奔往精舍向佛陀去求救。佛陀告訴她，如果她能到村子裡，從一個從未死過人的家庭中，要到一粒芥菜籽，帶著這個芥菜籽來找佛陀，佛陀就能解救她的孩子。

　　於是她挨家挨戶地詢問，始終找不到一戶死神從來沒有降臨過的人家。在不斷的尋找中，慢慢地，她明白了，死亡是必然的。世界上，沒有任何一家人沒有經歷過死亡。每一個人都會死，這讓她開始了解到什麼是無常，同時她也明白了執著是徒勞無功的。

　　面對至親的死亡、失去所愛，可能是一段灰暗困苦的日子。甚至對某些人來說，這是他們一生中最為艱苦的時光。通常，害怕失去親人的感覺遠比失去自己的生命更令人恐懼，特別是當一個人失去了自己的孩子。但是，就如同在瞿曇彌的公案所見，小孩會往生，正如我們的父母、 配偶、兄弟姐妹也會往生一樣。

　　然而，佛法最珍貴之處，就是教我們如何洞悉一切，從而悟入正知正見。這不只是去忍受失去親人的痛苦，更要從失去至親中學習，以達到由佛陀的智慧和慈悲所帶來的清淨與法喜。

　　無常是我們最初學到的佛法教義之一。當我們學會用無常的眼光去看待自己，學會認清無常是公平地降臨到每個人身上，而能坦然接受它時，就能清楚地看到，事實上，我們每個人都在死亡的手上掙扎。一旦能如實地接受它，我們自然就了解如何真正地放下。當我們認識到必須放下時，就學會了用一種全新的角度來看待人生。

　　當我們愈能如實地認知無常，了解執著是無益時，在失去至親的當下，就愈容易放下。當無常的觀念在心中扎根時，藉由修行的薰習，我們便能將失去外在親人的痛苦轉化為內在的慈悲。這種轉化是對那些經歷同樣死亡傷慟者的大慈，是對那些不懂無常和放下的人的大悲。

　　佛陀的教法，讓我們將執著的黑暗轉化成慈悲的光明。當我們失去至親所愛，我們要學會在感受有所失去的同時，能以無常觀，如實地去看待一切。穿透烏雲，藍天依然可見。）

Chung Tai Monthly Newsletter, No 149 (III)

美妙的生命樂章

文／ 美國佛心寺禪修班學員　Mark Cunningham

　　I first started reading and observing Buddhist principles and material a couple of years ago. This past fall I started attending "Beginning Meditation Classes" at Buddha Mind Monastery in Oklahoma. I wanted to find a teacher who could teach me better ways to practice and help to guide me and share their experience with me as tried to deepen my efforts of practicing the principles that I had read about.

　　The more that I read and, more importantly, the more that I tried to "apply" what I read to my life, the more I felt it was becoming a "truthful way of life" for me. Not only did it enhance some of the spiritual practices and principles that I was already making a part of my life, it offered a "hope" for me in crossing through some areas of my life that are still causing me to suffer, and maybe more importantly than just me, they are areas of my life that also have caused suffering for others that are dear to me too.

　　While I am far from "enlightened" I know in my heart of hearts that I am on this path and that while I am just a beginner, I know that there is some power or pull "within" that keeps moving me in a direction of growth in a positive way.

　　No doubt, the losses and failures in my life have been the biggest catalyst for lasting beneficial change in my life. To date, one of the biggest losses or troubles that I have ever had to face was alcoholism; many of the principles that I was taught in rebuilding my life and overcoming alcoholism are central to the Noble Eightfold Path. Self-examination (Right Mindfulness and Right Understanding), amending relationships (Right Action), and helping others are all principles that I try to practice in my life.

　　Where does tolerance fit in? Buddhism has helped me to be able to better practice tolerance for others. My intolerance for others and not allowing them the dignity of growing as they are supposed to grow in their own time is a guarantee for a disaster in my relationship with others. Meditation and contemplation in how to better understand them have helped me to have a more kind and tolerant view towards others.

　　Sometimes the best that I can do is to "step back" from the moment until a later time when I have a chance to let the "emotions of the moment" subside and clearer thinking prevail. Now those are nice ways of saying it and on paper it sure looks a lot better than how it might really happen in real life. Some days life just seems to "come at you", and all the spiritual tools in the world can't stop that. BUT, they do give me some assistance in how to respond.

　　I have always been fond of the story of the boy that was trying to learn to play the guitar. When you first are learning to play the guitar putting your fingers in the right spots for the chords is very awkward, sometimes uncomfortable. You strum the strings and a noise that is similar to the sound that the chord should make comes out of the guitar. The more you strum, the better the sound becomes. That is just one chord. Eventually the teacher has you move from one chord to another, it doesn't flow anything like a beautiful song for some time as you practice. At first it isn't always a pretty sound, but in time with more practice eventually you become able to make that "joyful sound" that you had hoped to be able to make one day.

　　That to me is how the spiritual life seems to work too. I will be able to play a beautiful melody in my life.

　　（幾年前，我開始接觸佛法。直到今年秋天，我才到美國奧克拉荷馬州的佛心寺上初級禪修班。我希望找一位能善用方法來引導修行的老師，除了分享修行經驗外，同時也能帶領我更深入地實踐過去所學的教理。

　　隨著薰修的深入，不斷地將所學應用到日常生活中時，我益加地感受到佛法才是人生的真理。佛法不僅在修行方法及教理上豐富了我的心靈生活，當我在人生十字路口不斷掙扎時，它帶給了我希望。不僅如此，當我親愛的家人和朋友們陷入困境時，佛法也為我們帶來光明。

　　雖說距離開悟還很遠，但我心裡明白，我走的是一條正確的道路。雖然我只是初學者，但我知道，有一股內在的力量帶著我一路走在正道上並不斷地成長。

　　毫無疑問，我這一生的失敗，就是生命轉折的最大助因。酗酒是我生命中曾經面臨的最大困境之一，而我所學到的如何克服、面對以重建新生命的所有道理，都離不開八正道的核心。例如，自我反省（正見與正念）、改善人際關係（正業），以及幫助他人等，都是我在生活中努力實踐的道理。

　　忍辱的作用何在？佛法幫助我更落實容忍的功夫。我在人際關係上的失敗，歸因於無法包容他人，甚至不容許他人在成長過程中擁有應有的尊嚴。藉由靜坐觀行，我更能同理他人，也更加地慈悲與包容。

　　有時，我所能做到的最佳狀況是在事情的當下「退一步」，並在事後讓自己的情緒冷靜下來，使思緒變得清晰。有時，這些道理看似紙上談兵，而且，說的遠比在現實生活中落實容易多了，當事情衝著你來時，所學的一切心靈妙方似乎都派不上用場。即使如此，佛法依然在我面對、處理這些問題時，提供了很大的幫助。

　　我一直很喜歡一個男孩學彈吉他的故事。剛開始學的時候，要把手放在正確的位置上彈出和弦，真是不靈活又難受，彈奏出來的聲音也跟噪音差不多。但是，愈彈聲音就愈好聽。而這不過是彈一個和弦而已，時間久了，老師一定會要求從一個和弦換到另一個和弦。這個時候，聽起來一點都不像一首動人的曲子。但只要練習久了，最後就可以如自己所期望的彈出美妙的音樂。

　　對我而言，修行生活也是如此，只要不斷地練習，就能彈奏出美妙的生命樂章。）

Chung Tai Monthly Newsletter, No 149 (II)

傾聽寂靜

文／ 美國佛心寺研經班學員　Tania Herman

　　There are many sounds produced from many sources. They are loud and some even deafening. The rumbling of the cars, the typing on the keyboard, the discussion in the monthly meeting, the arguing of the children in the back seat, and the commercials for toys on TV, to mention a few.

　　Although loud sounds continuously bombard my ears, it is possible to listen to silence. When I pay attention to silence, I can perceive deeper thoughts and analyze my actions. Buddhism teaches me to be mindful. When I hold still to a situation, it allows me to choose how I'm going to react to it. I can observe the lesson and save myself from feeling pain or inflicting pain on others.

　　Being mindful helps me practice tolerance, and tolerance brings me peace. Practicing tolerance frees me from regrets and expands my view of the world surrounding me.

　　I can stay in line at the store and not be angry because the cashier is too slow; maybe I would be too in her situation. I can drive and not be bothered by the cars that cut in front of me; maybe they have an emergency. I interact with people of different religions, cultural backgrounds, and races, and accept and respect those differences.

　　My perceptions were modified when I started practicing Buddhism. I became aware of the control I have over my choices. Tolerance is like the gift that keeps on giving; the more I practice it, the more tolerant I become, and with this, the more peace and tranquility I achieve.

　　（日常生活中存在著很多聲音，分別來自不同的地方。它們很吵，有的甚至是震耳欲聾。隆隆的車聲、打字的鍵盤聲、月報會議中的談論聲、車後座孩子們的爭吵聲，還有電視上的玩具廣告聲……這些只是其中的一小部分。

　　雖然耳朵不斷地承受著各種聲音的疲勞轟炸，可是我們還是能夠聽見「寂靜之聲」。當我傾聽寂靜，我可以感受到自己內心深處的念頭、可以分析自己的行為。佛法教導我們要攝心觀照，當我沉靜專注時，我可以選擇回應事情的方式，可以觀察事件本身，使自己免於痛苦，也避免造成對他人的傷害。

　　攝心觀照幫助我學習寬容，寬容帶來了平靜。寬容使我不再懊悔、遺憾，同時也開闊了生命的視野。

　　當我能設身處地為他人著想時，我可以在店裡大排長龍時，不因收銀員動作緩慢而生氣。開車時，我不會因為有人超車而煩惱，我知道或許他們有緊急的事情。當我和不同信仰、不同文化背景及不同種族的人相處時，我學會尊重和接納差異。

　　自學佛以來，我開始調整我的想法。我清楚地知道，自己是人生選擇的主宰。寬容就像源源不絕的禮物，愈練習，心就愈加自在。藉此，就能達到內心更深層的寂靜與平和！）

Chung Tai Monthly Newsletter, No 149 (I)

靜觀的智慧

文／ 美國佛心寺護法會諮詢委員、研經班學員　 Blaine Frierson

　　Mahayana Buddhism for the westerner is a complete reorientation of life. In the West, you are trained to take initiative, to reach out, to move forward. It is said, 'If you don't do it, who will?' Being aggressive is the way to success and accomplishment; Those who wait don't eat; Those who procrastinate don't succeed. Yet, Buddhism teaches the opposite.

　　In the West we are also told in our education system to define every item to its most minute degree, and to logically separate those definitions by making distinctions. The so-called critical method of study encourages students to contrast, compare, and make critical distinctions. This is the opposite of Buddhism and thus leads to a different path.

　　In Mahayana Buddhism, we are taught to 'just sit', to not make distinctions, to not compare and contrast. When we try to assert ourselves, shoving forward into life, we become lost.When we wait, or, just sit, the world and everything in it comes to us! The whole world manifests itself in us. We do not manifest ourselves in the world; we allow all beings, sentient and non-sentient to manifest themselves through us. This is practice. This is enlightenment.

　　We wait. This is the secret to the Buddhist principle of tolerance. By its definition tolerance does not force itself on other beings. It waits. It listens. It watches the breath. It counts the breath. It watches the watcher.

　　Tolerance may be defined as the practice of permitting a thing of which one disapproves. It may be also called patience, or long-suffering. In tolerance, we wait; we make no distinction; we do not judge; we see the others as ourselves-us.

　　As not good, not bad. We allow the intolerant person to manifest themselves through us. This is neither good, nor is it bad. It is not approved and it is not disapproved. It merely exists.

　　As a young male growing up in the United States, I was trained to not allow anyone to overstep their boundaries with me, to prevent aggression by another, and to 'stand up for myself.' This is in contradiction to Buddhism.

　　My profession is practicing law. When I first started practicing, I wrote one of my first letters to another lawyer, making a demand. The old lawyer called me and said 'you need to watch what you say in your letters, for, if you are too demanding you may be committing extortion on others.' I have remembered this lesson forever, but I have never really quite understood the philosophy behind his words.

　　In Buddhism I have learned the logic behind the lesson. To practice the Buddha Way one must be patient, kind and tolerant. When a person becomes aggressive or raises his/her voice towards me, I try not to speak and say little, to allow them to speak their piece before responding. Then, when I speak, I speak with power; I speak from the heart.

　　The Buddha way is waiting and being one with the world. The world is one through your sitting. The world comes to you. You do not go to the world. The peace that passes all understanding will come when you wait, if you are tolerant.

　　（對西方人而言，大乘佛法是一個重新定位的新人生觀。在西方，每個人從小就被訓練成必須積極主動地向外去爭取每一件事。有句話說：「如果你不去做，誰會去做？」只有主動積極，才是成功的不二法門。總是在等待的人，就會沒有飯吃；拖延的人，絕不可能成功。然而，佛陀的教法卻不盡相同。

　　西方的教育體制同時教導我們，要精確地去定義每一件事物，運用邏輯去區別比較事物的不同。西方所謂的批判式學習方法，就是鼓勵學生去比較、分別。這種訓練讓我們走在一條與佛法完全背道而馳的路上。

　　大乘佛法教我們息心而坐，不要起分別、比較的念頭。在生活中，強要企圖去證明自己的存在時，我們就迷失了。然而，當我們息心靜慮之時，就會發現這世界一切現成，一切都本具在我們心中。我們不需突顯自己的存在，而是讓一切有情與無情的本性自然呈現。這就是修行，也是一種契悟。

　　靜觀，就是通往佛法忍辱波羅蜜的祕密。忍辱本身的定義，就是不將自己的意見或情緒強加於眾生身上。忍辱是靜待、是傾聽、是觀息、是數息，更是觀此能觀之心。

　　從修行上來說，忍辱可說是練習接受我們不認同的事。忍辱也可以說是一種耐心，是一種堅忍的心。在忍辱中，我們靜觀，不去分別、不去論斷，而是體會自他不二，視人如己，無有差別。

　　世間一切沒有絕對的好與壞，接受那些不能包容我們的人的一舉一動。這些舉動的本身，既非好事，也不是壞事，也不是我們贊不贊成的問題。這一切只是如實地存在。

　　身為在美國長大的年輕男子，從小我所受的訓練是，當有人跨過我的界線時，我必須站起來捍衛自己，以防止他人的侵犯。但這卻和佛法相互矛盾。

　　我是一位律師。在我剛開始執業的時候，曾經寫信給另一位律師，要求他達成我的需求。結果，這一位老律師打電話對我說：「要注意你信裡的用詞，如果用太過命令的口氣，可能會犯了勒索敲詐的罪。」雖然，自此以後我永遠記得這個教訓，但其實我並未真正明白他話中的哲理。

　　現在回想起來，是佛法讓我了解這個事件背後的道理。也就是說，在成佛之道上，必須要學會忍耐、慈悲和包容。當別人攻擊我或對我大聲嚷嚷的時候，我學會儘量不要回應，讓他們先把話講完，我再回應。於是，當我開始說話時，我的話變得更有力量，而且它完全發自於內心。 成佛之道有賴於靜觀及與世界融合無礙的智慧。世界的真實相貌會因你的靜觀而自然呈現，這不是強求而來的。當你能靜觀和包容時，一種由於全然了解而生的寂靜之心，自然現前。）

Words of Wisdom from Grand Master Wei Chueh

True cultivation is to practice all good deed, without any attachment whatsoever.

Words of Wisdom from Grand Master Wei Chueh

The Principle of Causality (cause and effect) in Buddhism actually teaches us to depend on our own diligent efforts. If we understand our life then we can direct our life. If you can perceive these truths clearly, then you can understand your fate and create/establish your fate.

佛法中所說的因果，其實是要靠我們自己去努力，知命則能立命。明白了這些道理，便能了解命運、創造命運。