第二、于彼所缘如何注心之理，分三
(2)) How to focus your mind on the object of meditation
《广论》【闻·思·修】Lamrim·Meditation
第二、于彼所缘如何注心之理，分三：一、立无过规；二、破有过规；三、示座时量。今初：
此中所修妙三摩地具二殊胜，一、令心极明具明分力，二、专住所缘无有分别具安住分。有于此上加乐为三，余有加澄共为四者。然澄净者初殊胜摄，不须别说；具适悦相喜乐之受，是此所修定果，然非初静虑近分摄定相应中所能生起；说为成办三乘功德最胜依处第四静虑三摩地中，皆无身乐心乐相应而起，故此不说。有力明分，无色地摄少数定中虽无，然如《庄严经论》云：“静虑除无色。”此谓除少获得自在菩萨，余诸菩萨皆依静虑地摄正定引发功德，故说明显殊胜无有过失。沈没能障如是明分力生，掉举能障一境无所分别，沈掉二法为修净定障中上首，亦即此理。故若不善识别粗细沈掉，及虽识已，不知净修胜三摩地破彼二轨，况云胜观，即奢摩他亦不容生，故智者求三摩地，于此道理应当善巧。此中沈掉乃是修止违缘，辨识违缘及正破之法皆于下说，故此当说修止顺缘引生三摩地之理。
此中三摩地者，谓心专住所缘之分，复须于所缘相续而住。此须二种，一于根本所缘令心不散方便，及于已散未散、将散不散如实了知。初即正念，次是正知。如《庄严经论释》云：“念与正知是为能注，一于所缘令心不散，二心散已能正了知。”若失正念忘缘而散，于此无间弃失所缘，故不忘所缘之念为本。由此正念心注所缘之理，谓如前说明观所缘依处，若时现一最下行相，当发内心坚持于彼之有力执取相，令心策举，即此而住莫新思择。念如《集论》云：“云何为念？于串习事令心不忘，不散为业。”此说具足三种差别。其中所缘境之差别，先未习境，念则不生，故说“于串习事”，此中即令现起先所决定所缘依处之相。行相或执取相之差别者，谓“心不忘”，即心不忘其境之分，此中谓不忘所缘依处。不忘之理者，非因他问或自思察，仅能记忆师所教示“所缘依处如此”，是须令心系于所缘，相续明记无少散动，散乱方生其念便失。故心如前既住所缘依处，复起是念“如是已系所缘”，次不更起重新观察，相续将护此心势力令不断绝，是依念理殊胜宗要。作业差别者，谓从所缘心不余散。如是心系所缘而调伏者，以调象喻谕之：譬如于一坚牢树柱，以多坚索系其狂象。次调象师令如教行，若行者善；若不行者，即以利钩数数治罚而令调伏。如是心如未调之象，亦以念索缚于前说所缘坚柱；若不住者，以正知钩治罚调伏渐自在转。如《中观心论》云：“意象不正行，当以正念索，缚所缘坚柱，慧钩渐调伏。”《修次中篇》亦云：“用念知索，于所缘树，系意狂象。”前论说正知如钩，后论说如索亦不相违，正能相续系心所缘者，是为正念，正知间接亦能令心注于所缘。谓由正知了知或正沈掉或将沈掉，依此能不随沈掉转，令住根本所缘事故；又如前引，世亲菩萨亦说念知俱能注所缘故。
又说依念生定及说记念如索，直令其心相续系于所缘。故能引定主要修法，即是修念之法。正念亦具定解为相之执取相，故修定时若无坚牢决定之执取相，唯憨然而住，心纵得澄净明分，然其明分不发决定之力，有力之念定不得生，由是亦未能破微细之沈，故三摩地唯有过失。又不住余像等所缘依处，唯修无分别心者，亦须忆念教授，谓“令心任于何境全不分别而住”，次则于心不流散者，不令散逸。不散逸者，义同正念不忘所缘，故仍未出修念之规。如彼修者，亦须依止发决定力之念。
《广论》 Pg359LL04L-Pg362L03
*《菩提道次第广论》原文改译——大慈恩译经基金会
(2)) How to focus your mind on the object of meditation
This has three parts: (1) presenting the flawless method, (2) eliminating flawed methods, and (3) indicating the length of sessions.
(a’)) The flawless method
The concentration that you will accomplish here has two special features: vivid intensity – an intense mental clarity – and non-discursive stability, staying one-pointedly on the object of meditation. Some add bliss to these, making three features; others add limpidity as well, making four. However, limpidity is included in the first feature, so it does not have to be listed as a separate item. Delight and bliss which impart a sense of well-being do occur as results of the concentration that you will accomplish here, but they are not concomitant with all of the concentrations which are included in the access to the first meditative stabilization. Also, the concentration of the fourth meditative stabilization – which is said to be the best basis for achieving the good qualities of all three vehicles – is not associated with any physical or mental bliss. Thus, delight and bliss are not counted as features here. While some of the concentrations on the formless levels lack highly vivid intensity, there is nothing wrong with presenting vividness as one of these two features. For, Maitreya’s Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras refers to “meditative stabilization other than the formless realm.” This means that bodhisattvas – except for some powerful bodhisattvas – achieve good qualities by relying on concentrations within the levels of meditative stabilization.
Since the development of this sort of vivid intensity is blocked as long as there is laxity, while one-pointed non-discursiveness is blocked as long as there is excitement, laxity and excitement are the chief obstacles to achieving genuine concentration. So if you do not understand how to identify accurately the subtle and coarse forms of laxity and excitement, or if you do not know how to correctly sustain a concentration which stops these once you have identified them, then it will be impossible for you to develop serenity, not to mention insight. Hence, those who diligently seek concentration should master these techniques.
Laxity and excitement are conditions unfavorable for achieving serenity. Later, I will discuss how to identify these unfavorable conditions and how to actually stop them. Now I shall explain how to develop concentration in a manner conducive to achieving serenity.
Here, concentration refers to your attention remaining one-pointedly on an object of meditation; in addition it must stay with the object continuously. Two things are needed for this: (1) a technique in which your attention is not distracted from whatever it had as its original object of meditation, and (2) an accurate awareness of whether you are distracted and whether you are becoming distracted. The former is mindfulness; the latter is vigilance. Vasubandhu’s Commentary on the “Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras” states:
Mindfulness and vigilance bring about close mental focus because the former prevents your attention from wandering from the object of meditation and the latter clearly recognizes that your attention is wandering.
If a lapse in mindfulness leads to forgetting the object of meditation, you will be distracted and will immediately lose the object upon which you are meditating. Therefore, the foundation of cultivating concentration is mindfulness which does not forget the object.
How does such mindfulness focus your mind right on the object of meditation? Once you have at least visualized the object of meditation in the minimal manner as explained above, generate a powerful apprehension of the object that tightly holds it with your attention. After you have set your attention at a high level, stabilize it on the object without newly analyzing anything.
With regard to mindfulness, Asanga’s Compendium of Knowledge says:
What is mindfulness? In regard to a familiar object, your mind is not forgetful and operates without distraction.
This indicates that mindfulness has three features. (1) Its observed object is “a familiar object,” since mindfulness does not occur with regard to a previously unfamiliar object. In this case, the image of a previously ascertained object of meditation appears. (2) Its subjective aspect or manner of apprehension is your mind’s not forgetting the object, as indicated by the phrase “your mind is not forgetful.” In this case, it is your mind’s non-forgetfulness of the object of meditation.
What does non-forgetfulness mean? It is not mentioned in reference to merely being able to remember what your guru taught you about the object of meditation, thinking or saying “The object of meditation is like this” when you cast your mind to it or when someone asks you about it. Rather, it refers to how your attention is fixed on the object of meditation and brings it to mind clearly without even the slightest distraction. If you are distracted, you lose your mindfulness to the extent that you are distracted. Therefore, after you have set your attention on the object of meditation in the manner explained above, you think, “In this way, I have fixed my attention on the object of meditation.” Then, without new examination, you sustain the force of that awareness in unbroken continuity. This is the most critical point in the technique of maintaining mindfulness. (3) Its function is to keep your attention from wandering from the object of meditation.
Fixing your attention on an object of meditation in this way and controlling it is said to be like taming an elephant. An elephant trainer ties a wild elephant to a tree or sturdy post with many thick ropes. If it does as the trainer teaches it, then fine; if not, it is subdued and controlled, struck repeatedly with a sharp iron hook. Your mind is like the untamed elephant; you bind it with the rope of mindfulness to the sturdy pillar of an object of meditation such as I explained above. If you cannot keep it there, you must gradually bring it under control by goading it with the iron hook of vigilance. Bhavaviveka’s Heart of the Middle Way states:
The erring elephant of your mind
Is securely bound by the rope of mindfulness
To the sturdy pillar of the object of meditation
And is gradually controlled with the iron hook of intelligence.
Also, Kamalasila’s second Stages of Meditation states:
With the ropes of mindfulness and vigilance, tie the elephant of your mind to the tree trunk, the object of meditation.
It is not contradictory that the former text likens vigilance to an iron hook while the latter text compares it to a rope. Mindfulness directly and continually fastens your attention to the object of meditation. However, indirectly vigilance also focuses your attention on the object of meditation, for you depend on noticing actual or incipient laxity and excitement with vigilance, and then stabilize your attention on the primary object without falling under their influence. Also, as cited above, the master Vasubandhu says that both mindfulness and vigilance focus your mind on the object of meditation.
It is said that you achieve concentration on the basis of mindfulness and that mindfulness is like a rope that actually fastens your attention to the object of meditation continuously, so mindfulness is the main technique to sustain in achieving concentration.
Also, mindfulness has a way of apprehending its object that carries a sense of certitude. If, while maintaining concentration, you stabilize your mind casually without a solid sense of certainty about the object, then your mind may take on a limpid clarity, but it will not have the vivid intensity of certain knowledge, so you will not develop powerful mindfulness. Therefore, subtle laxity will be unchecked, and only flawed concentration will ensue.
Those who cultivate just non-discursive attention without stabilizing their attention on other objects of meditation, such as a divine body, bring to mind the personal instruction, “Stabilize your mind without thinking of any object at all.” Then they must keep their attention from being distracted and wandering. This non-distraction is synonymous with mindfulness that does not forget the object of meditation. Thus, since this meditation is simply the technique of maintaining mindfulness, those who meditate in this way must also rely on a mindfulness that carries the force of certain knowledge.
Lamrim Chenmo Pg47L07-Pg50LL03
References 参考资料:
- 《菩提道次第廣論》全文下載
- The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Tib. Lam rim chen mo) (Volume 3), Shambhala Publications
Recent Posts:
