觀看=observe; 心=thought; 念頭=mind; 覺知=backtracking the causes; 循因=know; 本明=self-brightness
摘要
佛教修行主要以修心為主，修心是在心中探求自己的自性。有一個修行方法「觀看心念」是非常重要的方法。蓮花生大士說：「成佛法門，觀心為最」。「觀心」以現代語言來表示就是「觀看心念」。蓮花生大士認為修行法門中「觀看心念」是最重要、最好的方法。六祖惠能大師也說：「我於忍和尚處，一聞言下便悟，頓見真如本性。是以將此教法流傳，令學道者頓悟菩提，各自觀心，自見本性。」惠能大師教導修行人，也是要大家「觀心」，可見「觀看心念」是非常重要的方法。根據蓮花生大士的描述，「觀看心念」的做法是：「任何念起，知而勿隨……不加修整……惟澄心諦觀」。這句話表示「觀看心念」的做法有三個步驟：步驟一、首先要「覺知」念頭升起；步驟二、對念頭「勿隨勿壓」；步驟三、什麼也不做，只要「觀看」、「覺知」念頭就好。事實上，從蓮花生大士的話中可以知道，「觀看心念」的「觀看」就是「覺知」，也就是「覺察」。「覺」在佛教修行上是非常重要的，禪宗六祖惠能大師說「歸依覺」、「稱覺為師」。此外，根據蓮花生大士的看法，「觀看心念」是「非空非有」的修行方法。諾那上師和六祖惠能大師也都提醒修行人在這個地方要注意，不要修成偏空。看到念頭之後，再繼續看念頭背後的念頭，如此「循因」回頭，最後回到本來面目。「觀看心念」這個方法不僅在打坐時可以用，更可以應用在日常生活上，職場上、感情上、婚姻上、子女教養上、與人相處上……。行、住、坐、臥，時時看著自己心念的起伏，覺察到自己的執著，進而從擺脫這些執著，成為明白、清楚、有智慧的人。 To practice Buddhism, the most important thing is to cultivate the mind. The cultivation of the mind is to find out the self-brightness in the mind. A method to search for the self-brightness is to observe the thoughts in the mind. This method is very important. The Great Master Padmasambhava (蓮花生大士) has said: "To get enlightenment, observing the mind is the best way." The Sixth Patriarch of Zen, Master Huei-Neng (惠能大師), taught people to observe their own minds. According to Great Master Padmasambhava, there are three steps to observe the thoughts in the mind. The first step is to know the emergence of the thoughts in the mind. The second step is neither to follow the thoughts nor to oppress them. The third step is to do nothing to the observed thoughts but to keep observing them and knowing them. Great Master Padmasambhava has said the thought-observing method is non-empty and non-real. Master Nuo-Na (諾那上師) and Master Huei-Neng also reminded people to prevent from empty-oriented practice. After observing a thought, one should continue to observe the thought behind it. And then, go on to observe the deeper thoughts. The thought behind a thought is the cause of the observed one. Just keep backtracking the causes. At last, the self-brightness will appear by itself. Observing the thoughts in mind not only can be used in meditation, but also in daily life. With this method, people can be free from thoughts and go back to their true nature.
