Chung Tai Shan Magazine #261
佛法講諸法無我，所謂無我，就是無自性；一切法都是緣起，無法獨立存在，這就是無自性，把這些道理徹底了解，才能真正契入佛法的無我觀。
Buddhism teaches that all dharmas have no-self. No-self is the absence of self-nature. All dharmas arise with conditions, there are none that can exist autonomously or independently. This is what it means to have no self-nature. By completely understanding these truths, we will genuinely resonate with the Buddhist teaching of no-self.
「諸法從緣生，諸法從緣滅」，世間上一切諸法，都是因緣和合，都是緣起、都是性空。修行，對於緣起性空的道理要深入，就要靜坐思惟、安禪靜慮，先把身體安定下來，坐得四平八穩，萬緣放下、無憂無掛，依著緣起性空的道理來思惟，這念心清楚明白，什麼妄想都不要打。首先問自己：如果身體生了病，感覺不舒服、頭昏腦脹、腰痠背痛……這個痛、是誰在痛？是我的身體在痛嗎？哪一個是我？……這樣自己問、自己答，就是思惟。對於緣起性空的道理經過一番思惟，就能破除凡夫的我執。
“All dharmas arise and cease on account of casual conditions”: all phenomena in this world arise because causes and conditions come together and cease when causes and conditions fall apart. They are dependently arising and empty in nature. In order to deeply understand the truth that all dependent arising is empty in nature, we must contemplate it during meditation. To still oneself in meditative contemplation, first settle the body down, sit in a comfortable and stable posture, relinquish all affairs and worries, and let nothing weigh on the mind. Contemplate the empty nature of dependent arising according to the Dharma. This very mind should be clear and lucid, with no wandering thoughts.
An example of contemplation is asking yourself, “If this body becomes sick and in pain, if my head is throbbing and my back hurts…This pain—who is the one in pain? Is it my body that is in pain? Where is this ‘me’?” Ask yourself these questions and consider the answers. This is to contemplate the empty nature of dependent arising. Through deep meditative contemplation, we can break the self-attachment of ordinary beings.
四大假合 畢竟無我
All composites of the four elements are ultimately without a self.
凡夫執著身體是我，不知道佛性、空性、菩提、涅槃才是真我，把假的當作真的，產生邪見、造了惡業，將來就要墮入輪迴、流轉生死。佛為了要度眾生脫離生死，第一步就告訴我們要先破除我執。
Ordinary beings attach to their physical bodies as the self. Taking the false to be real and substantial, they do not know that the buddha nature, empty nature, bodhi, and nirvana comprise the true self. Thus, they give rise to deluded views, create unwholesome karma, and consequently fall into the cycle of samsara to undergo life and death. In order to help sentient beings break free of samsara, the Buddha taught us to first overcome this self-attachment.
我執源自於思想觀念的執著，要破除這個執著，就要把緣起的道理仔細想一想：我們人是由色法、心法所組成，色就是物質，地水火風就是組成色身的物質要件；以地大來說，地大就是堅固性，我們的頭髮、眼睛、眉毛、指甲、骨頭……這些就屬於地大，地大就歸地。我們的淚水、血液、大小便……這些屬於水大，水大就歸水。我們身上的熱量屬於火大，火大就歸火。我們的出入息、一呼一吸，屬於風大，風大就歸風。如此分析，這個身體是地水火風四大假合，因緣和合了，才有這個假合的色身，它並不是真實的；既然身體是四大假合，就是空性，根本就沒有一個「我」存在，那麼究竟是誰在痛？
Self-attachment stems from our attachment to wrong ways of thinking and erroneous views. In order to transform these attachments, we must thoroughly contemplate the empty nature of dependent arising. For example, consider how human beings are composites of physical and mental dharmas. Physical dharmas, or form, are material existence; the four material elements that constitute our bodies are earth, water, fire, and wind. Earth refers to what is firm and solid. Our hair, eyes, eyebrows, nails, and bones are considered the element of earth. All earth elements belong to the realm of earth. Our tears, urine, blood, excrement, etc. are considered the element of water. All water elements belong the realm of water. Our body’s temperature and metabolism are considered the element of fire. All fire elements belong to the realm of fire. Our inhalation and exhalation are considered the element of wind. All wind elements belong to the realm of wind. Analyzing like this, we come to understand that the body is an illusory and provisional composite of these four great elements. Causes and conditions come together, thus we have a provisional composite as a physical body. It is without substantial existence. Since the body is a composite of the four elements, it is empty in nature. Fundamentally, a substantial self does not exist, so who is the one in pain?
我們人是假相，男眾、女眾也是假的現象，是虛妄不實的。眾生執著這個身體為實有，起了貪心、瞋心，起了男女之欲愛，就迷失了本心、造了惡業；為什麼會如此？就是因為不知道這個身體是假有；如果知道是假有，就不會起貪愛。想一想，當我們看電視時，知道電視裡的影像是假的，還會愛它嗎？眾生由於不知道這個身體是假的、虛妄的，所以對這個身體起了貪愛。例如世間的女子，每天早上起來都要梳梳頭、擦擦口紅、抹抹脂粉……這就是把假的東西當成真的。
A human being is a provisional appearance. Male and female are also provisional appearances without substantial existence. Sentient beings attach to their bodies as substantially existent and thus their minds give rise to greed, anger, and sexual desire, clouding their original nature and leading them to create unwholesome karma. Why is this so? Because they do not know that the body is a provisional existence. If they knew it was provisional and illusory, then they would not give rise to attachments. Let’s think about it: when we watch television knowing all its images are illusory, do we still attach to what we see as substantial? Because sentient beings do not know the body is illusory without substantial existence, they form attachments to the body. For example, after waking up in the morning, many people brush their hair, put on lipstick, or wear makeup…this is to mistake the provisional and illusory for the substantial and real.
我們過去被這個身體所迷惑，執著四大為實有；現在透過思惟的方法把這個執著看破，知道這個身體是四大假合、是空性，不是真正的我。不但我們的身體是四大假合，就連外面的桌子、石頭、茶杯，乃至於山河大地、一草一木……都是四大假合；既然是四大假合，就是緣起、就是假相，並不是真實的，它的體性是空性，就是這樣去思惟。
In the past, we have all been misled by the physical body, attaching to the four elements as substantially existent. Now, we must practice meditative contemplation to overcome this attachment. Realize that the body is a provisional composite of the four elements, empty in nature, and not the true self. Not only are our bodies this way, all external things from tables, rocks, tea cups, mountains, rivers, grass, and trees, are also provisional composites of the four elements. Since this is so, they are all dependently arising, provisional appearances without substantial existence. Their essential nature is the empty nature. This is how we should contemplate.
舉例來說：我們看到一棵樹，綠油油的、長得很茂盛，心裡很喜歡，我們透過分析，就了解這棵樹也是四大假合。樹的葉子、皮、根、花、果，這些是固體，屬於地大，地大就歸地。樹有水分，屬於水大，水大就歸水。樹裡面有熱量，一磨擦就會起火，這屬於火大，火大就歸火。樹也有呼吸循環系統，白天吐氧氣、晚上吐二氧化碳，這屬於風大，風大就歸風。所以樹也要有地、水、火、風四大才能生存，假使四大出了毛病、分散了，樹就會死亡；例如樹皮屬於地大，無論再大的樹，如果樹幹的皮被剝下一圈，地大被破壞、有了障礙，養分無法輸送，很快就會死亡。這樣一觀察，就知道樹也是地水火風四大假合，也是假相、假有。不但樹是假有，花也是假有，一草一木都是假有。
For example, say we see a tree. Its leaves are green, vibrant, and verdant. We like this tree a lot, but through analysis, we understand that this tree is a provisional composite of the four elements. A tree’s leaves, bark, roots, flowers, and fruit are solid and stable; they belong to the element of earth, which pertains to the realm of earth. A tree has sap, which belongs to the element of water and pertains to the realm of water. Trees contain energy that can be ignited with friction. This belongs to the element of fire, which pertains to the realm of fire. Trees also undergo respiration; they release oxygen during the day and CO2 during the night. This belongs to the element of wind, which pertains to the realm of wind. Therefore, a tree must have earth, water, fire, and wind for it to exist. If a problem were to arise with these elements, or they were to disintegrate, the tree would die. For instance, a tree’s bark is considered the element of earth. No matter how big the tree is, if someone were to peel off a circle of bark around its trunk, thus damaging and impeding the element of earth, the tree would have no way to transfer nutrients and die quickly as a result.
By observing these truths, we will understand that trees are provisional composites of earth, water, fire, and wind. They are provisional appearances, provisional existence. Not only are trees like this, but also flowers, grass, and all foliage.
思惟緣起 破除妄執
Contemplate dependent arising, overcome illusory attachments.
眾生把地水火風四大當作自己的身體，把外四大當作真實，執著假有的現象為實有，而有「我」、「我所」，所以迷失了本心，這就是一種顛倒。要想破除這種顛倒執著，靜坐修觀時，就要依緣起性空的道理去分析，分析就是思惟，思惟就是靜慮：思惟內四大是空、外四大也是空，出家相是空、在家相也是空，男相、女相是空，乃至一草一木、一切胎、卵、濕、化，無論任何事物，都是四大假合，都是緣起、都是性空。靜坐時專門思惟這個道理，一遍、二遍、三遍、十遍，十而百，百而千，千而萬……反覆思惟，重慮緣真，始終保持這念心存在，綿綿密密、不斷地思惟這個道理；思惟達到相當的境界，這念心由粗到細，智慧心現前，就能破除自己的煩惱，乃至證到三昧的境界。
Sentient beings take composites of the internal four elements to be their bodies, and composites of the external four elements to be real and substantial, which is attaching to provisional existence as true existence. Thus, they have notions of “me” and “mine,” and lose the original mind. This is a type of distortion. If we want to transform these distorted views and attachments, we must practice contemplation in meditation and analyze the truth that all dependent arising is empty in nature. To analyze is to contemplate; contemplate that the internal four elements of the body are empty; the external four elements of the world are also empty; the appearance of monastics is empty; the appearance of laypeople is also empty. The appearances of male and female are empty. Every blade of grass, every single tree, all beings born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation, and all material existence are provisional composites of the four great elements—they are all dependently arising and empty in nature.
Specifically contemplate this truth in meditation. Not just one time, but two times, three times, ten times…from ten times to a hundred times, from a hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand. Contemplate over and over again. Repeatedly contemplate this truth, and always keep this very mind present and undistracted. Constantly contemplate this teaching: when our contemplation reaches a certain resonance, this very mind will become subtler and subtler, innate wisdom will manifest, and we can eradicate our afflictions, or even attain a state of samadhi.
我們明白以後，在日常生活上，就要思惟這個道理，所謂聞、思、修，把這個道理思惟相應了，就是證。在佛住世的時候，佛弟子聽佛說法，就是用聞、思、修的方法，思惟相應，一剎那就契入空性，證到初果、得法眼淨；根機好的，就能證到羅漢果。
With this understanding, we must contemplate the teaching in our daily lives. Follow the Buddhist wisdom of listening to, contemplating, and practicing the Dharma; finally resonating with the truth of emptiness through contemplation is attainment. In the past, when the Buddha gave a teaching, his disciples would use the method of listening, contemplating, and practicing to cultivate the Dharma. By resonating with the Dharma through contemplation, they would instantaneously realize the empty nature and attain the fruit of stream-enterer and the pure Dharma eye. Those with good spiritual capacities could even attain the fruit of arhatship.
所謂「法眼淨」，就是指觀見真理沒有障礙、疑惑的智慧眼。知道世間法都是緣起性空、幻化不實，心中就沒有貪著，沒有欲愛、色愛，最低限度，六根慢慢就清淨了。有了這種觀慧，看到外面的花花世界，這個智慧心馬上就能起照，看到任何境界，「凡所有相，皆是虛妄」，當體即空，這樣一下就能把煩惱照破，就不會被境界所轉。假使不知道這個道理，這念心一接觸到外面的境界，就會攀緣這個境界，天天都在想念，始終都在分別、執著：「這個東西很好、那個東西不錯……」這個心染著到境界上，不容易轉過來。我們明白以後，想要做到心不染著，就要起觀行。
In Buddhism, the pure Dharma eye refers to the eye of wisdom seeing the truth without obstruction or doubt. Knowing that all worldly dharmas are dependently arising, empty in nature, illusory and insubstantial, our minds are free of attachment, or at the very least without sexual desire. In this way, the six senses gradually become purified. Also, when we see the beguiling world outside with this contemplative wisdom, our wisdom mind immediately gives rise to the awareness of reflection: no matter what we see, “all appearances are illusory,” their essence in itself is the empty nature. Reflecting like this, we can transform our afflictions right away and cease to be driven by external conditions.
If we do not understand these truths, as soon as this very mind makes contact with external circumstances, it will grasp at them, raising thoughts from day to night, always discriminating and forming attachments: this is good, this is bad, and so on. Once our mind becomes attached to external circumstances, it is very difficult to turn around. So once we understand, we must practice meditative contemplation to overcome our attachments and purify our mind.
佛法講，以始覺之智，照本覺之理。我們現在聽經聞法、明白緣起性空的道理，就是始覺、開始覺悟了，覺悟到所有一切法都是空性。在小乘來講，要想見佛，就必須見法；法者，諸法空義，「空」就是緣起性空之理，見到空，就見到佛了。證到了空性，身心寂滅，就能得到解脫，哪裡還有煩惱？
Buddhism teaches us to reflect on the truth of fundamental awareness with the wisdom of wakening awareness. The one listening to the Dharma right now and beginning to understand the emptiness of dependent arising is wakening awareness. That is, our awareness begins to awaken; we begin to awaken ourselves to the truth that all dharmas are empty in nature.
In terms of the Hinayana teaching, before seeing the buddha, one must first see the nature of dharmas. Here, the “nature of dharmas” refers to emptiness, or the truth that all dependent arising is empty in nature. Seeing emptiness, one sees the buddha. Upon realizing the empty nature, one’s body and mind reach nirvanic stillness and thus attain liberation. Then how can there be any more afflictions?
運用緣起 行菩薩道
Apply the teaching of dependent arising to practice the Bodhisattva Way.
菩薩和聲聞對因緣的看法不一樣，聲聞所看到的是緣起性空之理，而不了解假有，認為只有真空不滅才是真的，就取一個空性，把這念心安住在真空當中。而菩薩不但了解空性，還了解假有。所謂空，並不是離開假有，另外去找一個空，而是對假有不執著。因為如果沒有假有的存在，就沒辦法建道場、度眾生，道業也沒辦法成就。運用假有來辦道場、度眾生，做了以後又不執著，回歸這念心體；這念心始終如如不動、了了常知，這就是中道了義、如來佛的境界。
Bodhisattvas, however, see causality differently from shravakas (Hinayana practitioners). While shravakas realize the emptiness of dependent arising, they do not truly understand the nature of provisional existence, but consider the state of emptiness as nirvana and true reality. They grasp at emptiness and abide in this state. Bodhisattvas not only understand emptiness, but also provisional existence. For them, emptiness is not some void apart from provisional existence, rather, it is having no attachments to provisional existence. Because if not for provisional existence, there would be no way to build monasteries and help sentient beings. Consequently, it would be impossible for us to realize the Way. Although we use provisional existence to build monasteries and liberate sentient beings, we must do so without developing attachments to them. Moreover, we must return to nature of the original mind. When this very mind always abides in the stillness of suchness, with the ever-present knowing of awareness, it is the ultimate truth of the middle way, the state of the tathagata.
舉例來說，禪七也是因緣和合，首先要有禪堂，假使沒有水泥工、木工，禪堂就修不好；有了水泥工、木工，假使沒有經費，也無法修建；要有經費，就要去化緣……這些都是因緣。因緣配合得好，禪堂就能順利修建；如果因緣不好，要修禪堂就不容易。由此可知，修禪堂、辦道場都是因緣，因緣必須具足，缺一不可。
An example of using provisional existence is holding a Chan-7 retreat, which is possible only because causes and conditions come together. First, we must have a meditation hall. But without construction workers and carpenters, a meditation hall cannot be built; even if these professionals are available, we still need money to build the hall; in order to raise money, we have to fundraise…these are all causes and conditions. When causes and conditions properly come together, we can readily build a meditation hall. If not, then it would be extremely difficult. From this we can see that building a meditation hall or monastery necessarily involves causes and conditions. We must have all the right causes and conditions, not even one can be missing.
菩薩明白世間法、出世間法都是緣起，知道因緣很重要，因此積極地建立因緣、創造因緣；建立了因緣以後，要運用緣起，巧作佛事；最後不住緣起、心中不執著，事情成功了，不要高興，失敗了，也不要煩惱，因為這些都是因緣和合。
Bodhisattvas understand both worldly dharmas and supra-worldly dharmas are dependently arising. They know the importance of causes and conditions; therefore, they proactively create and develop them. In doing so, they use dependently arising dharmas as expedient means to perform the “work of the buddha.” Then ultimately, they do not abide in these dependently arising dharmas, and their minds form no attachments to them. Thus, they do not become overjoyed in success or raise afflictions in failure. They understand that all things happen on account of causes and conditions coming together.
佛法講「功德歸三寶，好事給他人，壞事自己反省檢討」。假使沒有釋迦牟尼佛、沒有三寶，我們也不知道出家修行，所以說功德歸三寶；如果沒有祖師大德傳承佛法，沒有眾生來護持佛法，我們也沒辦法修行、建設道場……這一點一滴都是緣。雖然這個因緣是假有，但是我們修行、弘法，也不能捨棄這個因緣法。所以菩薩行是重視因緣，而不執著因緣。佛法講「眾生歡喜，諸佛歡喜」，行菩薩道不能離開假相、假有，如果離開社會、離開眾生，如何圓成佛道？
In Buddhism, we “dedicate merits to the Three Jewels, give credit to other people, but accept and reflect on criticism by ourselves.” If not for Shakyamuni Buddha and the Three Jewels, how would we have a chance to enter monastic life and cultivate the Way? Therefore, we dedicate our merits to the Three Jewels. If not for great masters of the past and sentient beings who support the Dharma, we would have no means to cultivate or build monasteries…all of these are conditions. Although they only exist provisionally, we cannot relinquish these provisional dharmas if we wish to cultivate and spread the Buddhadharma. Therefore, bodhisattva cultivation is to make use of causes and conditions without attaching to them. Buddhism teaches, “When sentient beings rejoice, all buddhas rejoice.” The Bodhisattva Way cannot be separated from provisional appearances and provisional existence—if we relinquish society and other sentient beings, how can we perfect the Buddha Way?
佛法離不開世間法，我們明白了以後，要修一切善法，不執著一切善法。雖然世間一切都是假的，不妨借假修真，藉種種因緣來達到自利利他、弘揚佛法的目的。世間上的有為法都屬於緣起，緣起是方便。菩薩就是善用緣起，建立緣起、運用緣起，最後不住緣起。空有都不住，安住在清楚明白、不動的這念心，就是實相。明白了這個道理，就是最上乘的佛法。
Buddhadharma is here in the world. By understanding this, we can cultivate all wholesome dharmas, while not attaching to them. Although all worldly dharmas are provisional and illusory, that does not prevent us from using the provisional and illusory to cultivate the true and real. We must use all kinds of causes and conditions to reach the goals of benefitting ourselves, other people, and spreading the Buddhadharma. All conditioned dharmas in this world are dependently arising. They are expedient means. Bodhisattvas are ones who wisely and compassionately use, develop, apply, and ultimately do not attach to dependently arising dharmas. They abide in neither emptiness nor existence, but rather in the clear, lucid, and unmoving mind—this very mind that is true reality. If we understand these truths, it is to understand the Buddhadharma of the Supreme Vehicle.