釋昭慧為玄奘大學宗教與文化學系教授;釋性廣為玄奘大學宗教與文化學系兼任副教授兼董事長。 本文係科技部研究計畫〈「十遍處」於各佛教傳承間的演變與差異之比較研究〉(A Comparative Research on the Evolution and methodological features of "Kasina Meditation" among Different Buddhist Heritages)之研究成果。該項計畫編號:NSC MOST 108-2410-H-364-004-。本計畫執行期間自民國108年08月01日起至109年07月31日止。
關鍵詞
遍=kasiṇa=complete; 十遍處=dasa kasiṇrāyatanāni=ten spheres of totality; 止=Śamatha=quiescence or tranquility; 觀=Vipaśyanā=insight; 所緣=ālambana=sense object or object of cognition; 業處=kammatthana=an object of meditation
In this paper, the author intends to study the theory and principle of "kasiṇa" (totality) or "kasiṇāyatanāni" (spheres of totality) meditation methods. In addition, the author also concerned about the different evolution of meditation methods "Dasa kasiṇā" (ten kasiṇas) among different Buddhist heritages, especially Theravada, Sarvāstivāda, and Yogācāra, a major Mahāyāna philosophical school. There are ten kasinas described in Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga. That is: earth (paṭhavī kasiṇa), water (āpo kasiṇa), fire (tejo kasiṇa), air or wind (vāyo kasiṇa), blue or green (nīla kasiṇa), yellow (pīta kasiṇa), red (lohita kasiṇa), white (odāta kasiṇa), enclosed space, hole or aperture (ākāsa kasiṇa), bright light (āloka kasiṇa). But according to the original Buddhist scriptures like Nikāya, Agama sutras, The author initially found two points: 1. There were not many times that "dasa kasiṇyatanāni" appear in the original Buddhist scriptures. In addition, "dasa kasiṇāyatanāni" as a type of meditation methods, were not highly regarded in the original Buddhist scriptures. 2. There are no bright light (āloka) kasiṇa in these ten kinds of kasiṇas, but instead of consciousness (viññāṇa) kasiṇa. As for "ākāsa", the original Buddhist scriptures only call it "space-kasina". However, is "ākāsa" synonymous with "enclosed space" or "limited space"? Perhaps further research is needed. In Theravada Buddhism, kasiṇa refers to an ancient system of meditatio. As the first category of forty samatha kammatthanas (canonical objects of meditation, 止業處), Kasiṇa meditation uses visual objects to focus the mind, intended to cultivate the concentration ability of practitioners, and create a foundation for further practices of meditation. This paper compare academic evolution and methodological features of "Dasa kasiṇā" among Primitive Buddhism and different Buddhist schools, including original texts, practical items and theoretical content and practice skills. The author explore the reasons for these differences, and pay attention to the relationship among these three types of meditation methods. This involves different theoretical structures and experience accumulation of different Buddhist meditation systems, and is also a great contribution of the meditation masters and śāstra writers from different heritages.