無諍、無諍行、無諍三昧與「諸法無諍三昧法門」 -- 兼論〈諸法無諍三昧法門〉中之「無諍」意涵=Aranā, Aranā Practices, Aranā-samādhi and “The Approaches to Achieve Aranā-samādhi with All Phenomena” : Re-examining the Meanings of “Aranā” in “The Approaches to Achieve Aranā-samādhi with All Phenomena”
作者為玄奘大學宗教學系教授、系主任兼文學院院長=Professor and Director, Department of Religious Studies, Hsuan Chuang University
關鍵詞
諍=adhikarana (contention); 無諍=aranā (non-contention, non-disturbing); 無諍行=aranā practices; 阿蘭若=aranā (undisturbed place); 無諍三昧=aranā-samādhi (samādhi of non-disturbance); 諸法無諍三昧法門=approaches to achieve aranā-samādhi with all phenomena; 禪波羅蜜=dhyāna-pāramitā (meditation pāramitā); 四念處=catvāri smrty-upasthānāni (the Four Foundations of Mindfulness)
After reading “The Approaches to Achieve Aranā-samādhi with All Phenomena” written by Master Hwei-si (慧思) and searching throughout the whole text, I cannot find the term “aranā-samādhi” (samādhi of noncontention). Therefore, I trace back to search for the original definitions and connotations of this term in earlier Buddhist texts such as scriptures in Early Buddhism (Pre-sectarian Buddhism), the Sectarian Buddhism, and the Early Mahayana Buddhism, so that I can get a more comprehensive understanding of the meanings conveyed by this term and its related terms: “aranā”(non-contention, non-disturbing), “aranā practices,” and “aranā-samādhi” (samādhi of non-disturbance.) Basing on this clarification, I then re-examine the full text of the article “The Approaches to Achieve Aranā-samādhi with All Phenomena” to verify if it does contain the connotations conveyed in these three keywords: “aranā,” “aranā practices,” and “aranā-samādhi.” After comparing and analyzing these sutras and treatises, I have found that the content of this treatise by Hwei-si does correspond to the meanings conveyed in its title. However, the meanings of “aranā-samādhi” in this treatise is quite different from the original meanings of “aranā,” “aranā practices,” and “aranā-samādhi.” The point about “aranā practices,” and “aranā-samādhi” is to “treatsentient beings well.” This is to apply the skills of aranā practices which are acquired at the undisturbed and quiet place from the external environment to inner cultivation, and then to expand the object of such a practice from the self to the others, and spreading the practice to all sentient beings around. This is a practice that springs from compassion: with it, one tends to desist from causing others to suffer due to any disturbing feelings generated by us. It is also a practice based on the wisdom penetrating the emptiness of all phenomena that arise inter-dependently: through it, the barrier between the self and others is removed, allowing all sentient beings to discontinue their knots of suffering and get enlightened.In contrast, the main point of “The Approaches to Achieve Aranāsamādhi with All Phenomena” lies in “coordinating all approaches well.” This is an approach based on “dhyāna-pāramitā” (meditation pāramitā): it permeates and thus coordinates all approaches by applying “catvāri smrty-upasthānāni” (the Four Foundations of Mindfulness). And since it generates no barriers or obstacles among all approaches, it is named “approaches to achieve aranā-samādhi with all phenomena.” Hwei-si does not intent to treat aranā-samādhi as a specific “approach” (or “vehicle”). Instead, he intends to establish a viewpoint on practices that is based on “dhyāna-pāramitā”: that is, with “four foundations of mindfulness,” “one absorbs all,” “one coexists with many” and “no conflicting disturbances are generated among all approaches.” This is also a theory of practices illustrating the possibilities and achievement when “boundless approaches work in harmony” and “no conflicts or barriers arise among these boundless approaches.” This should be the origin of the Perfect and Sudden Calming and Contemplation (Yuandun Zhiguan) in Tiantai school.
