耕云导师讲词：安祥之美--视频链接：
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安祥之美（双语）
～一九八五年七月廿一日讲于台北市
安祥之美，是在说明安祥的美好，当然也包含对安祥的赞美。
首先要辨明的是什么叫做安祥？
一、安祥是什么？
我们可以分几点来说明：
(一) 安祥是法的现量
什么是法的现量？法有“现量”和“比量”，“比量”就是借思想、文字、逻辑推理而产生的一种形式，也就是靠慎思、明辨来了解、说明“法”，这就是“比量”。如果我们无须透过慎思、明辨，而当场将“法”和盘托出，直接感受，这就是“现量”。
何以见得“安祥是法的现量”？因为“法过语言文字”，法是超越了语言文字的。超越语言文字的法是什么呢？就是法的本身、法的本体，也就是由语言文字、思维、辨说中升华出来的法的实质。由此我们可以知道：“所谓‘法’，是很难理解的”。法是什么？大家说它是真理。真理是什么？真理是原本如此的。原本是个什么？原本没有四万个已发现的银河系，没有太阳系，没有地球，没有生物，也没有人类。原本的法，是在三千大千世界形成以前就存在着的，这才是真实的法。这个超越语言文字的法是什么呢？它的当体就是安祥。
我们为什么说“法是超越语言文字的”？因为语言文字尽最大能力表达，充其量只是相似，并不全等。而每个人的见解不同，每个人的资质不同，所以佛经上有盲人摸象之喻──有的人摸到耳朵，说它像把扇子；有的人摸到肚皮，说它像个大锅；有的人摸到腿，说它像根柱子；……都不一样，都不能窥见全体。
(二) 安祥是禅的生命
法是原本如此的，而安祥是法的现量，因此安祥就是禅的生命。
古人参禅学道，走遍百城烟水，所谓“芒鞋踏破岭头云”——不辞千山万水，不辞辛勤跋涉，来追求法的究竟。追求的是什么法呢？绝不是什么道理。真实的是原本的，原本就没有什么道理，他所能获得的只是一种安祥的心态，所以安祥才是禅的生命。
我们阅读禅宗典籍，二祖见初祖最吃紧的一段对话，就是“我心未宁，乞师与安”。
初祖说：“拿心来！我替你安。”
二祖愣了一会儿说：“心，根本就找不到。”
初祖说：“是这样的话，我已经替你安顿好了。”
这段对话在禅宗来讲，非常重要。人为什么要求法呢？求法的基本目的就是“求心安”。
人，不管他物质生活充实或贫乏，只要他心里非常安祥，就是在过着幸福的生活。不管他是处在什么样的地位，过着什么形式的生活，如果心里紊乱不安，这种生活就无异是对生命的一种煎熬。我们看禅宗的典籍，像六祖腰坠石头踏碓舂米（碓，现在乡下还看得到，都市就只有碾米厂了），甚至有的人苦参苦学二三十年，他们所追求的是什么呢？绝不是追求神秘。因为真理是普遍的，普遍的就是一般的，一般的就不是特殊的，可知神秘绝不是真理。他追求的既不是神秘，又不是理论，是什么呢？就是内心的安祥。
人有了安祥的感受，才是生命的真正享受，也才是真正在享受生命。所以唯有内心的安祥，才是禅者所寻觅、追求、殚精竭虑、瞬有存、息有养、精勤保任的无价奇珍。
(三) 安祥是正受的实证
什么叫做正受？正受是佛经上的名词。如果我们把它用通俗的话来说：“所谓正受，就是正确的感受。”
我们生命的所有感受，百分之九十九是不正确的。因为不正确，才使我们的心不安宁，使我们生活得矛盾、无奈，很乱、很苦。
何以我们的感受大多不正确呢？所谓的“感”，是依赖感官，感官就是眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意。靠着我们的眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意的感知，面对色、声、香、味、触、法的六尘，在缤纷幻象当中，我们所认知的，我们所观察的，都不是实在的东西。有的是一种幻象，有的是过眼云烟，有的是因为我们的心态不正确而扭曲了外在的形象。所以我们没有活在正确的感受里，因此我们也没有得到过人生的真实受用。
如果一个修行者苦行了几十年，而没有得到人生的真实受用，那不是太冤枉了吗？我们看《指月录》，有位香林远禅师临到圆寂的时候，很高兴地说“老僧四十年才打成一片”，也就是说“虽然花了四十年的工夫，终究得到真正的受用啦！”
真正的受用是什么呢？绝对不是出门有轿车，回家有全电气化的生活享受，饮食可以食前方丈、满汉全席，绝对不是指这个。你再有钱，给你两客十二盎司牛排，你也吃不下去，勉强吃下去，你就要找医生了。可知物质的满足并不能填补生命的空虚，显然这并不是学法所追求的目标。佛法所追求的真正受用，就是正受。那么，正受又是什么东西呢？那就是一种“没有忧虑，没有恐惧，没有私欲，没有攀缘，没有矛盾，离开一切执着、一切相对”的调和、统一的心灵状态。什么叫做正受？正受就是一种统一、调和的心灵状态，也即是真正修行者的真实受用。
心灵的统一、调和，非常难。如果我们心里不调和，紊乱得很，即使是在美好的环境里，也不能够去领会、享受。因此“心灵的统一”应该是我们修行的根本目标，为什么呢？因为就一般情况来说，没有一个人的心灵是统一的，除非我们对自己下过一番自我认知的工夫，而能到达一切事、一切理、一切众生的源头处，否则的话，对自己的心灵，也不会察觉、发现是不统一的。你认为你的心灵是统一的，你认为你的人格是完整的，各位！实际上，你我大家的人格都是破碎的，心灵是分歧的，意识是多头的。这话怎么讲呢？你明明想做这件事，再过几分钟你又不做了，你自己就反对你自己，你第二个意见否定你第一个意见；明明理智告诉你这样做才对，但是你的情感告诉你不要这样做；明明理智告诉你这件事是坏的，这个人是不可以接近的，但是你的情感鼓励你、逼迫你、怂恿你，要你去接近他、去亲近他；我们的心前一刻是喜悦的，后一刻是沮丧的。由此可知，我们的心灵没有得到过真正的统一。
天下所有伟大的事业，都是在统一的心灵下完成的。如果我们不能做到心灵的统一，那就不可能发挥出生命的潜在力量；不能发挥潜在的力量，就是自己埋没自己──在大部分时间、大多数的事务里，不是别人限制你，而是你自己埋没了自己。所以安祥就是一种心灵统一的状态，就是佛经上讲的“正受”。
正受，除了可以用“心灵的统一、调和的状态”说明以外，也可以用“突破业障以后的心灵觉受”来解释。
什么叫业障？我们从出生到现在所有的思想行为的总和，就叫做“业”。
佛陀说“众生皆有佛性”，为什么我们见不到佛性？真理是普遍存在的，乃至于庄子说“道在屎尿”──不因为有大小便的地方就没有真理；既然如此普遍、如此现成，为什么看不到？就是因为有障。什么障？业障。业障不能说是好或是坏，只能说它是一个事实，它是你从出生到现在，生活、行为、想念的总和。这种“业”是如何形成的？它是由于“对外界事物的认同”、“对于意识素材的联想”、“由自我出发的所有消极性的、破坏性的情绪的发露”。由于它与真实不同质，所以你便无法再见到真实，因为整个的业是虚假的东西，以虚假的东西去窥探真实，是不可能的。我们只有突破了业的障碍，才有可能见到真实。所以我们时常说“人应该反省”，靠着反省，对于“如何形成自我人格”彻底了然以后，就有突破业障的可能。当我们把业的障碍突破了，我们就能清清楚楚、明明白白地见得到生命的真实，然后我们才能得到真实的受用──安祥。
(四) 安祥是最高的生活艺术
无论任何学问、任何法则，倘使脱离了人生，它就不再有任何意义。虽然安祥是禅的生命、是法的现证，但它也是人生的最高生活艺术。
说到艺术，它的最高境界就是真、善、美。我们想一想：“在这宇宙中有什么东西是最真的？”向外找，我们找不到。说到“真”，就离不开“纯”，所谓“纯真”，这地球上有没有纯真的东西呢？有！如果我们真要去追求纯真的话，向外找是找不到的，只有反求诸己才行。
当我们把内心变得调和、统一，离开一切相对，扬弃一切二元的概念，放弃由业力形成的自我，这个时候，我们的心是绝对安祥的。一颗绝对安祥的心，它是至真的，因为它没有虚假，它没有二元的东西，它也没有边见，它超越一切，如果勉强形容，那就是“我觉故我在”。所以唯有安祥的心态，才最纯真，才是至真；也唯有安祥的心态，才是离诸相对的至善。我们讲“善，就是好”，至善就是顶好。什么东西顶好呢？唯有“离开一切相对，离开所有二元”的概念之后，所呈现的那种安祥的心态，才算顶好的至善。
安祥的心态是至美的，这可从两方面来讲：
（1）是感觉之美：一个人当他内心秒秒安祥的时候，没有想象、没有烦恼、没有相对、超越时空，这种感觉是非常美好的，也就是《大涅槃经》所讲的“常、乐、我、净”──永恒的美好，永恒的纯洁，永恒的自觉，永恒的安祥。
（2）是感受之美：有些人他自己怀有病态的心理，因为心里有阴影，看万事万物都阴森、都丑恶、都黯淡、都晦涩。但当他把心调和得非常安祥的时候，他就会发现“原来一切是这样美好”，不但一沙一世界，而且是触目菩提──万物入眼都是真实而美好的。
我们以至真、至善、至美的心，而活在这个现象界，当然是最高的生活艺术。我们能够如此活，生活对我们来说，才充满生之喜悦，才是生命的享受，生活也才不再是对生命的惩罚。倘使生活中缺少了安祥，而怀着挫折、无奈、怀疑、恐惧、忧虑的心态去过活人生，那生活对生命来说，毫无疑问就是一种惩罚了。所以我们只有活在安祥里，才是真正的享受人生。
(五) 安祥是永不枯竭的幸福泉源
什么是真幸福？内心安适，仰俯无愧。从一天到一年，从一年到一生，都能够仰俯无愧，心安理得，活得很踏实，秒秒感受安祥，活在至真、至善、至美当中，这才是人生的最高幸福。
人若让内心不安，幸福便无从建立。《左传》上有个诸侯楚武王荆尸跟他太太邓曼说“余心荡”──我最近心乱得很，安定不下来，心里非常烦乱。他太太说“王心荡，王禄尽矣”──你既然失去内心的安祥，你所拥有的一切也将会丧失了。隔了没有多久，楚武王果然去世了。所以只有活在安祥里，才是真正的幸福；人若能生活在安祥的心态里，就拥有了永不枯竭的幸福泉源，幸福就会永远追随着你。
由以上各点可以知道：
安祥是正受
安祥是三昧耶
安祥是真如
安祥是本心的现量
安祥就是摩诃般若的发露
我们为什么一开始就不用这些名相？因为研究佛法最感苦恼的就是被名相所困扰，挡住了我们的视线，让我们看不到真实义。
我们了解了“安祥是什么”，就可以进一步讨论：
二、如何才能获得安祥？
(一) 唯求心安
每个人有他不同的理念，叔孙豹主张人生三不朽──“立德、立功、立言”，这是他的生活理念；李白的秉烛夜游，是他的生活向往。有些人追求物质的享乐，有些人追求功业的不朽，有些人活在蝇营狗苟、莫名其妙的自我迷失中。这些人，不管他是为了不朽的功业，或者是为了人生的享乐，在相对的二元的心态下，是不可能获得安祥的。唯有摒弃私欲、功利，全心追求心安，才是追求解脱的正确理念。如果你不追求心安，你又怎么能拥有安祥？
如何才能得到心安呢？那就要做到“为而不有，善而不居。”
什么是“为而不有”？我们每个人都必须努力工作，都必须有自己的正业。我们努力追求良好的工作成果，但却不必因为自己没有得到相对的报酬而失望，也就是《礼运篇》讲的“力，恶其不出于身也，不必为己”。我们每个人追求的应该是贡献自我的机会，而不是自我标榜、自我功利，我们抱着这种心态去工作，就是“为而不有”──我们努力创造，但是并非为了自己占有更多。
什么是“善而不居”？我们做了一件很完美的事情，但我们勿须沾沾自喜；我们做了一件别人做不到的事情，我们不要有优越感。能够如此的话，我们就会活得无愧无怍、心安理得，就能够得到内心的安祥。
有很多人，有了贡献，没有得到相对的报酬，就充满了牢骚、抱怨，而破坏了内心的平衡。有些人品学兼优，不被重视，就感觉有一种被遗忘、被冷落、被否定的落寞感，像屈原就是这样。这样的人，他绝对活不下去，活在自怜里的人，那多凄惨，当他撑不下去的时候，最后必定是自己毁灭自己。所以我们要获得安祥，首先就是要有“只求心安”的生活理念与生活态度。
(二) 宰制官能 惩治我欲
为什么要“宰制官能”？我们为什么会迷失？事实上我们成长的过程，就是我们迷失的过程。这话怎么讲？随着我们的成长，也加深了我们对外在事物的认同，我们随时受感官的支配：看到美好的事物，我们欢喜；看到不顺眼的东西，我们厌恶；环境调和的时候，我们高兴；到了环境低潮，产生一种压抑感的时候，我们就会愤怒，或者就会悲观，乃至沮丧；这都是说我们在受制于官能的支配。我们有个消化器官，拼命地觅食，觅食是合理的本能，是对的；但是觅得食物，还希望食前方丈，就堕落为官能的奴隶了。
不管是经济蓬勃或萧条，我们看台北每条马路上的许多餐馆，除非你事先订座，倘若到了吃饭的时候才去吃，多半是没有位置给你坐，“对不起！明天请早”。人们物质欲望的泛滥，已经充分地反映出精神生活的贫乏及心灵的沉淤。这是一个很可怕、很可悲的现象，绝不是我们在杞人忧天。
什么叫“惩治我欲”呢？一个人的合理欲望是人类进化的动力，我时常说：“如果我们的老祖先都满足于住鸟窝、住山洞、披兽皮的话，我们到今天也还会是那样。因为我们的老祖宗有了改善生活的愿望，所以一代一代地把生活品质提升。”合理的生活欲望，不是罪恶，但是超出范围的私欲扩张，倒真是罪过了。
在我们阅读历史中，一个朝代的崩溃、一个国家的灭亡、一个社会的腐败，以及若干史前文明国家的沉沦，是被什么毁灭的？无他，只是私欲。私欲不仅可以污染社会人群，腐蚀一个国家，而且当它扩展到极点时，它便会毁灭掉整个人类。
所谓私欲，它包含了占有欲、支配欲、领袖欲，还有自我保存。自我我欲的极点──“白天怕人，晚上怕鬼”，这样活着，实在很苦，而历史上的英雄豪杰多半是这类胆小鬼。
我们拥有感官，并不是罪恶，感官只不过是我们生活必须的工具，是我们的附属，但是我们要宰制它，不要让它支配、牵制了我们才对。所谓“非礼勿视、非礼勿听、非礼勿言、非礼勿动”，能够做到这些，就会如王阳明所讲的“天君泰然，百体从令”了。假如你有感官，而你又由它牵着鼻子走，那你这个人活得很惨，你不可能活得自由自在，也不可能获致安祥。
欲，是无底之壑，永远填不满。所谓权势、物质、虚荣，既不真实，也不永恒，它只能构成对你生命的污染、煎熬、惩罚，使你迷失，使你发狂。所以你必须控制它，让自己活在合理的欲望中，也就是说“我们肚子饿了有东西吃，冷了有衣服穿，有房子可以遮避风雨，就已经足够了”。进一步，“如何不忝此生？”──不要把这个宝贵的生命浪费掉，如何反省自己？如何净化自己？如何使自己确确实实地认知自己？这是获得安祥的第二个条件。
(三) 穷理彻源 识心达本
什么叫“穷理彻源”？你追求真理，若跟螃蟹一样横着走，这样的话，道理就多得很。等你眼睛一闭，离开人间的时候，道理还没搞清楚，依然要做个糊涂鬼。所以你要找道理，一定要找到道理的源头──道理从哪里来？“水有源、木有本”，道理的源头在哪里？你必须穷追到一切事、一切理的源头，才算了事。“智者不惑”，你若想断惑，就必须把道理搞清楚；你若想真正搞清楚，就不单是要找到了道理，还要找到所有道理的“始祖”，那你才可能断惑。人断惑了以后，就不再有疑惑、不再有疑问、不再有无知，所以他就心安了。“心安，则吉祥”，他就安祥了。
为什么要“识心达本”？要知道每个人都有心，而每个人的心都是三心二意、多头马车、自相矛盾、互相牵制，没有办法让心灵统一，让生命潜力集中发挥，没有办法表现出自己的价值。而你这一生也就这样窝窝囊囊、糊糊涂涂地被彻底埋没了。
什么是“你原本的心”？我们为什么要“识心达本”？因为所有理性的学问都公认“真实的是原本的”──只有你那个原本的心，才是真实的心、永恒的自己。所以你要努力“认识自己”，自己尚不认识，认识别人是没有用的。
一个自我迷失的人，做什么事都不会成功，所以人首先要“认识自己”。而认识自己，自己生命的本质就是“心”，“心”不是你的表层意识──由眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意对色、声、香、味、触、法所感知、所累积的这一层法尘。你如果认为你现在的分别心是你，那你是认贼作子，终归无常；如果你说你现在的分别心不是你，你又在自我否定。这个问题很麻烦！你若说这个表层意识不是你，无风不起浪，它从什么地方来的？又凭借什么存在？“烦恼即菩提”──没有菩提，连烦恼你也不会感知。一块石头，它能感受烦恼吗？必定你有觉性，你才感受得到烦恼。所以你若追求自我，首先便要认识自我；认识自我，就是认识自己的心，认识“圣主”未曾蒙尘以前的原本真心。能够做到这一点，你就能够得到安祥。
为了说明这个条件是必要而且是足够的，我可以跟各位讲：“很多人听说别人开悟，总认为这个家伙一定是悟出来一套大道理──一套‘放之四海而皆准，百世以俟圣人而不惑’的真理。实在说，没有这回事。谁若是因开悟而讲出一篇大道理来，那这个人是神经病。”
有人说这个家伙开悟了，大概有了神通变化。我告诉各位：“真实的是原本的──原本没有人、没有神、没有佛，神通从哪里来？神通也不是真实的。”
那么说这个人悟了，悟了个什么东西呢？很简单，所谓的“悟”，就是“穷理彻源、识心达本”，也就是说，当下一切问题、一切问号统统消失，统统不见了，一切烦恼、一切业障统统瓦解冰消了，而当时自己生命所唯一拥有的只有两个字：“安祥”。如果不是这样，那就不是真悟。
各位！假如你在打坐的时候胡思乱想，想出了一篇大道理，你一拍腿，跳起来说：“我悟了。”那你要小心一点儿，小心走火入魔啊！真正大彻大悟了，能得到什么？也只不过是得到了“安祥”而已。
那么，如何才能够“穷理彻源、识心达本”？这八个字，说起来简单，做起来要有方法才行，方法不对，就没有效果。如何才能够“穷理彻源、识心达本”？有两句话：第一句话是“致虚极，守静笃”，第二句话是“守本真心”。
什么叫做“致虚极”？我们所看到的一切，总感觉都是实在的；山是山，水是水，统统实在。我们既然认同一切实在，我们便只能活在相对的生活中，我们那个绝对的心灵就被压抑了。必须过活得非常虚，不但虚，而且虚到极点，走在地上好像走在海绵上一样（开悟前会有这种感觉）！
静笃，不但要静，要静到极点，否则便是“万法本闲，唯人自闹”了。
有人说这是执着，很多人认为：你看！又“致”，又“守”，这都是动词，都是有为法，都是执着。你若这么看，你根本不懂佛法。佛法是“不住无为、不尽有为”的──有为，而不执着有为，才是无为；无为，而执着无为，就是有为。所以唯信能入。
你要能够虚，尽量地虚。你打坐打得很好，有人吵了你的安宁，你就发脾气，这证明外在的一切在你心里是实在的，对你来讲，是两个；佛法是不二法门，你到处都是两个乃至多个，与修行绝不相应。所谓“外门闭、内门开”，这是修密宗闭黑关的着眼点。所以修行人一定要虚，要虚到极点；不但要静，要静上加静。这样的话，才比较容易相应。
什么叫“守本真心”呢？五祖弘忍大师《最上乘论》里一再说到这四个字──守本真心。
刚刚修行的人，唱高调说要自在、要洒脱、要无我，说俏皮话、嘴巴滑溜是没有用的，见了阎王，你那一套一点都用不上；而触境遇缘烦恼重重，你又莫可奈何。所以从达摩大师到五祖都是倡导观心的；以后虽然很少用观心的词句，本质上也离不开观心。观心有三个阶段：
第一阶段：由反省而观心。学佛法都是要先反省。学任何一个法门，都是先反省忏悔，否则障不除，不能相应。先在反省的时候观心，可以帮助你认识自己──你究竟是个什么样的人？在座的包括我，都认为自己是个好人，自己是个完整而统一的人，自己是一个非常善良的人，自己是一个言寡尤、行寡悔、可以无大过矣的人，其实，绝对不然。如果认真反省一番，就会发现“自己根本不是个人”。如果承认过去所做、所为、所想，根本不是人，接近没有进化的动物；然后勇于面对自我，才可能做到真实的忏悔，才会获得实质的进步。如果不能够勇于面对自我，永远保持那种虚伪的假象，谁也救不了你。所以第一步要观察“自我是个什么？”
第二阶段：使每一念都不要漏过。萌生一念，自己立刻知道，而自己始终用最客观的立场，来批判自己的念头。这个念头太不好、太黯淡，就自己打自己耳光，乃至于说话、做事，都要观察自己的念头，不让念头自由活动。如果我们要思维一件事──有目的的思维，应集中心力去思维它，那叫“正思维”；如果我们不需要思维任何事时，不要让念头像无缰之马，自由奔驰，否则就会搅乱了心地。
第三阶段：要观察“念从哪里来”。明白“念从哪里来”，就可能找到自己原本无念的真心。找到了无念的本心，就要守住它，“守住”才不会迷失于妄想与认同之中。
哪个是无念的本心呢？记得十几年前，我在东引服务时，有一天在禅定中得到了几句话（为什么说得到呢？这不是书上看到的，也不是我自己的创意）。这几句话是“以子之心，觉子之觉，以子之觉，觉子之心。觉者是心，是心自觉，觉心不二，允称正觉。”这几句话极为究竟，它给我的启示是什么呢？“觉者是心，是心自觉”，不是觉到外面，也不是外面觉进来，套用笛卡尔那句话的模式──我“觉”故我在。
观心观到最后的阶段，就是“我觉故我在”，就是“守本真心”。你守着你的心，它才不会乱跑；你守着你的真实的心，“真实的是原本的”，守原本的本心，就是守“真如”。后来禅宗的子孙看了这个“守”字，觉得用得太拙，其实“拙”就是大智慧。你若能够守你原本的心，那就是守摩诃般若，也就是以后讲的“保任”，名词虽然不同，它的含意完全一样，而我认为“守本真心”更明确、更积极。
(四) 如法精进
“如法”就是照着佛经上所说的方法，照着师父教导的方法。什么叫做“精进”？精者不杂，进者不退。不要掺杂，不要五光十色、五花八门都弄进去，要一心不二。佛陀说“制心一处，事无不办”，你要精进，殚精竭虑，只有这一件大事。古人说：“大事未明，如丧考妣；大事已明，如丧考妣。”这话很值得玩味：大事没有搞清楚，好像死了爹娘一样；大事搞清楚了，又像死了爹娘一样。这个满好玩的，只可意会，不可言传，所以要精进。
安祥是由心安无愧得来的。
安祥是由保持合理的欲望，不放纵私欲得来的。
安祥是由证得宇宙人生的真实得来的。
所以我们得到安祥以后，就会活得踏实、活得潇洒、活得自在、活得无罪一身轻。
刚才我们说到“什么是安祥？如何才能获得和拥有安祥？”我们现在就要说“安祥有什么用？有什么好处？”现在就要讨论“安祥之美”了。
三、安祥的美好
(一) 安祥能使人充满生命的活力
一个拥有安祥的人，身体自然健康，疾病减少，相好庄严（相貌美好又庄严）。真正学禅而上路的人，连相貌都会改变。大家如果在老朋友当中互相观察，将会发现有人已经把内在的安祥之美发露到表面上来了，而表现出清雅脱俗，当然他的生活也必然充满幸福、和谐，使人感到和蔼可亲，堪能信赖。因此他的人生便非常通畅，障碍自然减少，合理的欲望都会实现，正确的努力也会成功，而且可以消千灾于无形，遏百难于未萌。一切灾难都有原因，没有灾难的因，就没有灾难的果。所以对于一位秒秒安祥的人来说，千灾不会降临，百难不会萌生，整个人生活得潇洒自在，大吉大利。
(二) 安祥堪报不报之恩
一个拥有安祥的人，每一秒钟都散发着他生命的光辉，构成他生命的磁场，进入他生命磁场的人，立刻感觉到安祥──心浮气躁的人感觉到一阵清凉；忿恨不平的人感觉到无比温馨；烦恼痛苦的人感觉到非常舒畅；心灰意冷的人感觉到极大鼓舞。在你有生之年的活动半径中，到处散播出灿烂的心光，到处散播出安祥、和谐的灵气。虽然你无心以有为法报四重恩，但是你已经报了，这就叫做堪报不报之恩──不用报恩，已经报恩了。
如果我们每个人都能够散播安祥，我们的社会就是个祥和的社会；我们人人散播安祥，我们的国家就是一个富强康乐、所有邪恶势力无法侵害的国家。
我们要报亲恩、报国恩、报天地恩、报众生恩，就必须保持内心的安祥。当我们内心固定了安祥的时候，可以使七代祖先超升。安祥既然是这么美好，当然值得我们拼生命的全力去追求、去获得、去保有。
(三) 安祥可以奉献心力 享受人生
一个安祥者，他的心是统一的，他的心力是集中的，当他进行正思维时，是锋利无比的，他具有最高的创造力。一个人到了心灵安祥的境地，如果他有一个疑问，而肯不停地用安祥心去思考，不要两三天就会得到一个崭新的答案。他对国家、对人群、对社会都能够提供卓越的贡献，而不会是社会的包袱，不会给社会带来负值。
他每一秒钟都活在安祥里，他没有不满、没有怀疑、没有嫉妒、没有牢骚、没有抱怨、没有忿怒、没有恐惧，所以他是活在满足中，他的人生是享受的人生。
四、何以失去安祥？
说到这里，我们要讨论：何以太多的人失去了安祥？
(一) 惑于感官 逐相而沉
我们追逐那些外在的幻象，把自己沉没在幻象当中，迷失了自己。当我们迷失了自己的时候，就被世间的幻象所诱惑，就被感官的官能所牵制，半点不得自由，哪里还会有安祥？即或有安祥的人，如果受感官的支配，他的安祥也会消失。
(二) 突出自我我欲 背离责任义务
突出自我我欲──我想怎么样？人的欲望没有止境。秦始皇说一世、二世，将至亿万世；汉武帝认为汉朝基业将会永垂不朽，因为把几千年的边患都削平了。但是他们死的时候都很悲哀、失望、空虚、沮丧，为什么？他们吃了很多长生不死的药，结果却发现自己的确是活不下去了。
我欲，是贫穷的标志，在我们扩张私欲的同时，也显示了我们心灵的贫乏。所以一个一意追求私欲的人，同时也便背弃了责任义务。
人应该怎么活？人应该活在责任义务里，人应该负起每个人自己的责任。
人若想活得通畅，只有活在责任义务当中。因为你不管在哪个机关做事，不管你的工作岗位是什么，如果想活得不黯淡、不窝囊、不委屈、不晦涩，能抬头挺胸，你就必须尽到应尽的责任，满足责任对你的要求。因为人的价值可与经济学旁通，经济学讲“边际效用”，人也是一样，谁最能构成社会人群的需要，谁就最重要；谁若无法满足工作的需求，工作对他来讲，就不需要。所以人的工作，不管在任何地方，应该要使别人觉得自己“有你不多，没有你嫌少”。如果让人家觉得“有你嫌多，没有你最好”，那就糟糕了。所以人不能够为了放弃责任义务而使自己良心产生一种亏欠，也不能为了省些精神而损害到自己的自尊。
人，除了责任义务，没有别的。所有最伟大的人，像孙中山先生，他们都是活在责任义务中的。他们内心所承受的负荷，不是我们能想象得到的，他们面对的难题那么多，他们每一天都没有轻松的日子，因为这个多难的国家给予他们的担子太重了。
任何一个人必须是活在责任义务里，他才活得通畅、光明、坦然、无愧。如果一个人不尽责任、不尽义务而想活得很好，除了甘做小偷、盗贼，成为人们看不起、最可耻、最低级的人以外，就别无他途；这种人活着，岂非多余？不只是社会的包袱，更是一种污染；对他自己来讲，就无异是对生命的一种煎熬了。这种人不会活得快乐，因为“为善最乐”，而他为恶，会最乐吗？你看看那些被通缉的人、那些杀人犯、那些诈欺犯，看起来都不像人样，为什么？“诚于中，形于外”，活得实在很苦，真是万般无奈。所以人只有安心地活在责任义务里，他才不会失去安祥。
人若逃避责任、逃避义务，他就没有内心的安祥。父母养育我们是权利吗？我们养育子女是为了养老吗？绝对不是。如果说是这样的话，报载有一个男孩已经全身瘫痪了，还有一个女孩子成了植物人，他们的爸妈伺候他们二十多年，是为什么？人绝不是活在功利里边，人只有活在责任义务里，一切唯求心安，才够资格拥有安祥。人若一旦放弃责任义务，就不可能再拥有安祥。
(三) 偏离正法 远离中道
正法就是中道，偏离了那个恰到好处的中道，背弃了真实永恒的法则，便不可避免地丧失了安祥。
偏离中道最厉害的，就是我执与法执──自我执着与对于法的谬执。狭义地说，认为有一个“一成不变，放之四海而皆准，百世以俟圣人而不惑”的真理，这就是法执。认为有一个真实不变的我，其实没有。谈到我，很多人到现在还糊涂──为什么佛经上很多地方说“无我”，有的时候又强调“常、乐、我、净”呢？大家要知道“真实的我，是生命的共相；真实的我，是生命的原态；真实的我，是永恒的我，是自他不二的我。而虚伪的我，却是尔为尔、我为我，人我之际分得那么清楚”。“后天所形成的我”与“无我之真我”是迥然不同的，由于遗传因子、生长环境、所受教育、自己父母的社会层面所影响自己活动、接触的半径，以及尔后受师友的影响……，这些东西等于电脑装填资料。没有装资料的电脑，人人相同，自他不二；装了资料的电脑，就迥然不同了。所以我们讲“无我”，就是没有六尘所积的我；我们说“有我”，就是生命的“我觉故我在”的真实的、永恒的我。我们不要迷失，就是不要把“虚假的我”当作“真实的我”，不要让“真实的我”被六尘埋葬掉。所以偏离正法，就会迷失。
五、失去安祥的后果
(一) 生命失去源头活水
失去了安祥的人，使生命陷于枯涩、黯淡，让自己活得挫折、无奈。
没有安祥，我们的生命就没有了根基，所谓“业海茫茫，无本可据”。说到哪个是自我？我们为何而活？百年以后，我们把身体所有的六十兆细胞归还给地球，我们自己还能保有什么？必然会茫然无措。我们知道，一个无本可据的人，必不能端正人生方向，也难免会犯很多错误；而错误又恒等于烦恼，一个人不可能活在错误中而安祥自在；人若活在错误中，人也一定是活在烦恼中。人若不停止制造错误，人也便没有办法摒弃烦恼、排除烦恼。所以说没有安祥的人生，是烦恼的人生，是罪恶的人生，而错误必得烦恼，罪恶终归毁灭。
(二) 百病从心生
生命一旦失去了源头活水，就会百病丛生，生命力也会呈现出萎缩、晦涩。一个失去安祥的人，会因为生命的闭塞而常常抱怨、不满、委屈、牢骚、嫉妒、怀疑、主观自是、任性骄傲，陷人生于黯淡挫折，身体也便跟着不健康了。
讲空话，是没有用的，这些都可以找到实证。各位不妨边听我说、边去找熟知的对象，就你的亲戚、朋友、同学、同事中，比对一下，就会得到证实。
人保持健康，不仅要认识“病从口入”，而且不要忘了我们的老祖宗《黄帝内经》上开宗明义说的一句话──“百病从心生”。你可以看：凡是逞强、好胜、想出风头、怕落别人之后的人，多半都有鼻窦炎。得鼻窦炎的人，多半主观好胜、想出风头、想赢人家。这样久而久之，主观好胜的人就免不了罹患鼻窦炎。
有很多人在小孩子的时候受到溺爱，除了要天上的星星摘不到无法给他以外，要什么，有什么，父母竭尽所能来满足小孩子的愿望，不管他合不合理，只要他要求，就可以获得。以后，他逐渐长大，年龄虽然越来越大，但是个性却越来越强，惯性依然存在。小的时候要玩具、要西瓜、要芭乐，这些你都做得到啊！大了以后，他要飞机、要汽车，这就难一点了，他若要个太空船，你能做得到吗？诸如此类，娇生惯养的人长大以后，必然任性；任性的结果，就会遭到很多的挫折，而他又不能够随时发露，不敢对任何人都发脾气，于是就会得气喘病。太多的不满闷在心里，就会使人得气喘病。他感觉人生没有温暖，人生是苍凉的，人生使他不如意，他的脊背就会发凉。得气喘病的人，背部上半截，你摸摸看，夏天都是凉的。
有很多人，罹患胃溃疡，为什么？就是担心。也就是说，对消极性的认同──凡事不往好的地方想，偏往坏的地方想，习惯于担忧，总认为“这件事恐怕要糟；那件事若坏了，怎么办呢？”制造着恶性循环的黯淡联想，久而久之，精神消化力差，事情摆在心里消化不了，影响到生理上的消化不良。
我们的神经有两种：一种是运动神经，一种是植物神经。所谓植物神经，就是自律神经。我们可以叫手举起来，因为那是运动神经。我们不能叫心跳慢一点儿或跳快一点儿，也不能叫肠胃停止不动，因为那是自律神经。我们以为就不会支配、影响到它，实际上我们还是在直接影响它。当我们离开家乡很久之后，跟几个好朋友谈说家乡什么东西好吃，比方说：吴先生到台北时，聊天说到府城的肉粽、度小月的担仔面，说着说着，嘴里就会流口水了，为什么？还没有吃，就先完成消化准备了。人的心理绝对支配生理。
有些新兵进入前线阵地，听到一阵枪响，就要拉肚子。为什么要拉肚子？因为枪一响，一紧张，一刺激，胆汁大量分泌；胆汁大量分泌以后，就增加肠蠕动；增加肠蠕动，就会拉肚子了。所以人哪！你的健康、你的幸福，都决定于你的心态。
有很多贪心太重的人，会罹患肾脏病。
有很多人骄恣任性，什么叫任性？我想怎么样，就一定得怎么样，如果不怎么样，就要生气。像这种人，他第一阶段，若睡午觉起来，会感觉得头昏脑胀；睡了一夜的觉，早上起来精神反而还没有下午的好。这种人到了老年以后，多半会人格丧失。你们见过人格丧失的人没有？六七十岁的老头，站在电线杆底下解小便，毫无价值观念，也没有自觉了，跟小孩子一齐抢糖果吃，这就叫“人格丧失”，这就是由主动力引发的反动心态。自我意识太突出的人，最后因为心力消耗太多，到了老年，就变成没有自我意识了，物极必反之故。
有很多疑心太重的人，总是怀疑、猜忌──这个人讲这话对我不利，他一定是在骂我，而胡思乱想，喜欢联想，这种人会罹患风湿关节炎。风湿关节炎怎么来的？是由怀疑、猜忌、妄想而来。
有很多人经常以主观的价值标准、以任性的态度，衡量别人的行为，常常会感到失望、生气，认为别人都不对，而形成偏激。偏激，到最后就会罹患三叉神经炎，头痛如裂，很不好治啊！开刀割不好，伤到别的神经，人会残废。用钴六十放射线照射，照好了以后，半身麻木，起码半个脸会麻木。
有些人放纵本能，所谓本能，就是食、色──尽情拣好的吃，有钱不吃干什么？认为自古名士皆风流，于是放纵本能，纵情酒色。放纵的结果，加上精神的刺激，由嫉妒、怀疑所引发的一种暴怒，就会引发糖尿病。实际上，糖尿病就是由放纵本能加上一种情绪激动所引发的。当然我们不能够一概而论，因为一般人当中也有特殊的，糖尿病有遗传性，还有不明的原因。
有些人喜欢多讲话，多讲话的坏处很多：第一，他会使自己迷失。本来内心很安祥的，滔滔不绝地讲了半天，再去找安祥，安祥溜走了，你慢慢去体验吧！第二，话多的人，男人话多，容易得疝气；女人长舌，白带特别多。如果每一件都再继续举例，那就举不完了，就到此为止。
总而言之，当你内心失去安祥的时候，就会百病丛生，“菑（同灾）必逮夫身”。一切的疾病都会围绕着你，因为当你内心不平衡的时候，内分泌也不平衡了，既然不能“天君泰然”，那就不会“百体从令”了。因而障碍重重，身心失调，望之不似人君，跟别人接洽公务，社交活动，别人都有一种躲开你的冲动，跟你在一起，感觉心里很难过。这样，你的人生还会通畅吗？你办事还会办得通吗？你必然活得晦涩、黯淡、挫折、无奈，生活对你来说，便成为惩罚了。
所以生活中如果没有了安祥，真是生不如死。我们失去了安祥以后，也就褪失了生命的华彩，使自己不再相好（相貌美好），不再潇洒，不再有内在美，乃至外在都丑恶了。
我们不是谈一个问题就要去强调它，你们各位回忆看看：尤其是女人，到了年纪大了，没有人的时候，坐在那个地方，白天打瞌睡，晚上睡不着，来了人，就是发牢骚，说：“我对谁如何好哇！现在长大了，对我不孝顺……”都是不满，所以这位老太太一站起来腿就发酸。如果她能认知“每个人都有他的人生态度，我们对人的态度应该有分际，不必去管别人如何”，她就没有病了，就可以去爬山了。
所以人一旦失去了安祥，同时便会褪失了生命的华彩。是女孩子，不会再容光照人；是男孩子，就面目可憎。用通俗的话说：“这个人就现出衰相，就显得倒楣。”所以人失掉了安祥，生活就变得黯淡，就充满了矛盾、挫折、无奈。
六、如何保持安祥？
我们既然了解安祥是这么好，安祥又可以求之有其道，而失落了安祥的人是这么悲惨，我们就应该拼命追求，并保持安祥才对。至于如何保持安祥呢？
(一) 反观自心 正确认知
安祥是一种调和、统一、自在、自觉的心灵状态。你们各位现在花几秒钟反观自己的心：是不是感觉得很安祥？是不是没有杂念？是不是空空朗朗？是不是没有烦恼？是不是没有兴奋？是不是没有过去、未来？如果是的话，这个就是安祥的心态，也是你原本的心态。只要你能保持它，就节省了你十万年修行的努力。
我们为什么不说是“三昧耶”？不说是“正受”？不说是“正觉”？不说是“摩诃般若”？不说是“真如、自性”？不说是“本心”？而说是“安祥”？因为古人以三十年为一世，作为一个文化的时区，也就是文化时间的区分；每一个时代有它自己的语言，如果我们现在用一两千年前的语言，我们就感觉得有点儿晦涩，不够明朗，而且它障碍了我们察觉真相，障碍了我们体会真实。所以我们如果用一、两千年以前的名相，不如采用现在的语言。我们说是“三昧耶”，大家感觉有点儿陌生；若说“安祥”，大家在感觉上会亲切些。
(二) 停止寻觅 守本真心
禅既然是以安祥为内涵，那我们就不要去东寻西觅，任你找来找去，也不可能找到什么，不如“归来偶对梅花嗅，春在枝头已十分”，用不着“芒鞋踏破岭头云”了。只要秒秒“守本真心”，只要努力瞬有存、息有养，保任此事就够了。而保任此事是跟错误、罪恶不并存的，一定要痛改前非、扬弃自己的罪恶，才能拥有并保持安祥。
安祥，有的是从修行而得；修行而得，要经过三大阿僧祇劫。这个不是夸张的话，生生不退转，也要个十万八万年，所以“修而得”很难，而别人传心给你很容易。但是“难得的”能够保持，“容易得的”不知珍惜，反而容易退失。因此大家如果掉以轻心，就辜负这一段法缘。大家要努力保持，不要随便把它遗忘、抛失才好。
虽然安祥可以由修行而得，也可以由传心而得，但是不管你是怎么得来的，都要不断地修行。修行不是个神秘的名词，不是出家人专用的名词，而是人人应该做的课题。
(三) 扬弃错误 不断修正
修行，就是修正你的思想、行为。常常观心，对于不正、错误、罪恶、黯淡、虚伪的念头，要批判自己、惩罚自己、警惕自己、告诫自己，使它不再重复。人多半是或浓或淡地活在错误当中，人不能够免于错误，但是不要把错误重复下去，重复下去，那就永远活在黑暗中；也不要把罪恶重复下去，若重复下去，最后得到的一定是毁灭。
我们必须确知：“人只要是活在错误当中，他也不得不活在烦恼当中。”而人最大的弱点是姑息自己、苛求别人。我请各位记住一句话：“最会原谅自己的人，最得不到别人的谅解和佛天的原谅；最肯责备自己的人，最容易得到别人的原谅和佛天的宽恕。”
我们不要长着眼睛光看别人，不看自己。不要活在放纵、任性、自我宽恕当中，这样会形成恶性循环，使生命一天比一天萎缩。现在讲，你不相信，等恶果成熟的时候，你求老师，老师也爱莫能助。伟大的释迦牟尼、真主耶稣，并不能救他的释迦族人跟犹太人。人，只能自救。而自救最有效的方法，就是修行──不断地修正自己的想念和行为。
(四) 即知即行 解行相应
最后告诉各位，要“力行”，要“即知即行”，做到“解行相应”。坐在这里，光“知”不“行”，这种“知”就变成了废知识，跟酒精的废卡路里一样，它对你没有帮助。而且没有用的知识装得越多，对你的人生、对你的智慧障碍越大。你知道那些名相，背熟那些名词，对你有什么用？
有很多修行人，泥迹失神，抱了几本经去啃，希望能得道。结果最后临死的时候，证明只是被经所转，并没有转经。
七、结语
总而言之：
离开安祥，就没有修行者的真实受用；
离开安祥，就没有禅的真生命、真血脉；
离开安祥，也没有真实的法。
所有的法，都是在日常生活和人的内心生根的。
如果我们不下反省忏悔的工夫，不毅然决然扬弃所有的错误；
如果我们甘愿被官能摆布、操纵、牵制；
如果我们以联想、冥想、幻想为享受；
如果我们对外在的事物惯于认同；
如果我们习惯于发露破坏性的、消极性的情绪──不满、抱怨、愤怒、嫉妒、毁谤；
我们将永远得不到安祥。
谢谢各位！
THE BEAUTY OF AN-HSIANG
GENG YUN July 21st ,1985 in Taipei
“The Beauty of An-Hsiang” interprets the beauty of An-Hsiang (peace and benignity), and surely includes the praises of An-Hsiang. Firstly, we would like to verify what An-Hsiang is.
We can interpret it by the following points:
(1). An-Hsiang is the Direct Inference of the Dharma.
What is the direct inference of the Dharma?
The Dharma can be attained through the direct or the comparative inferences.
The comparative inference is a form resulted from thoughts, words, and logic; namely, to realize and interpret the Dharma by means of deliberation and verification.
However, if we do not go through those two processes, and can instantly present the Dharma, and directly perceive it, that is the direct inference.
How can we assure that An-Hsiang is the direct inference of the Dharma?
It is because that“the Dharma transcends languages and written words.”Indeed, the Dharma surpasses both of them.
Well, what is the Dharma that transcends both languages and written words？
It is the original self and body of the Dharma, and is the true essence of the Dharma that sublimates from languages, written words, deliberation and verification.
Therefore, we realize that it is very difficult to understand the so-called “Dharma”.
What is the Dharma？
Everyone says it is the truth.
What is the truth？
The truth is original.
Then, what is the original state？
Originally, 40,000 galaxies had not been discovered, nor were the solar systems, the earth, creatures, and human beings.
Before the formation of the universe, the original Dharma has been there, which is the true Dharma.
What is the Dharma that transcends both languages and written words？
Its true essence is An-Hsiang.
Why do we say that the Dharma transcends all the languages and written words？
It is because all the languages and written words at most can only describe something similar, but they are not totally identical to the Dharma.
There is a simile in the Buddhist sutra saying that people's understanding of the Dharma is exactly like the blind feeling an elephant.
Some touched its ears and thought it was a fan; some others touched its belly and thought it was a big wok.
As for people who touched its legs, they said it was a pole.
Their perceptions were all different, and none of them could view the whole picture.
(2) An-Hsiang is the Life of Ch'an
The Dharma is original, and An-Hsiang is the direct inference of the Dharma.
Therefore, An-Hsiang is the life of Ch'an.
Ancient practitioners traveled through hundreds of towns and crossed over hundreds of rivers to search for the Dharma and practice it.
As a saying goes, “Hiking through the clouds over the peak of mountains, one wore out one's straw-made shoes.”
They endured endless and hard journeys to search for the truth of the Dharma.
After all, what kind of Dharma were they searching for?
It is absolutely not a theory.
That which is original is true. Originally, there is no theory at all.
What one can attain is nothing but the mentality of An-Hsiang. Consequently, An-Hsiang is actually the life of Ch'an.
In the Ch'an scriptures we read, the most crucial dialogue between Bodhidharma and the second Patriarch was that the second Patriarch begged Master Bodhidharma to settle his restless mind for him.
Master Bodhidharma said, “Give me your mind, I'll settle it for you!”
The second Patriarch was stunned for a while and said, “I can't even find my mind!”
Master Bodhidharma then replied, “If it is so, I've already settled it for you.”
As far as the Ch'an School is concerned, this dialogue is very important.
Why do people search for the Dharma?
Their basic objective is to search for a clear conscience.
Regardless of whether one's material life is sufficient or deficient, one can live happily when one's mind is full of An-Hsiang.
Conversely, no matter what social status or lifestyle one has, if one's mind is restless, one's life is not different to a torture.
In the Ch'an scriptures we read, the Sixth Patriarch tied a stone around his waist to make himself heavy enough to push the rice grinder.
(Now the traditional grinder can only be found in the countryside; instead, there are mills in the city.)
In addition, some people even spent quite a few decades on hard practice.
What were they searching for?
Definitely, it is not for a mystery.
It is because the truth is general.
As it is general, so it is common.
As it is common; therefore, it is not special.
Consequently, we can conclude that a mystery is definitely not the truth.
If one does not pursue a mystery or a theory, then, what can it be?
It is nothing but the mentality of An-Hsiang .
People, who are conscious of the perception of An-Hsiang, can claim that they have attained the true joy of life, so that they can truly enjoy their lives.
Consequently, the An-Hsiang in one's mind is solely the most invaluable and rarest treasure to possess, and that is what all the Ch'an practitioners are searching for with their full strength and energy.Once they attain it, they should maintain it in every moment and nurture it even during their breaks.
(3). An-Hsiang is the True Verification of Genuine Perception
What is Genuine Perception?
It is a term from the Buddhist Sutras.
In our general language, it means the correct sensation.
In fact, almost 99 percent of all our sensations are incorrect.
That is the reason why our minds are restless and our lives are full of conflicts, regrets, confusions and pains.
Why are most of our sensations incorrect?
The so-called“sensation”is derived from our senses; namely, eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies and minds.
We use our senses to sense Six Dusts, which are forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches and consciousness.
Therefore, in this fantastic and delusive world, what we realize and observe is nothing realistic.
Some are kind of fantasy; some are like past clouds, and some are distorted forms caused by our negative mentality.
As a result, we are not living with correct sensations, and surely can never attain the true benefit of life.
If a practitioner has persisted with his practice for decades, but still cannot attain the true benefit of life, isn't it wasteful and frustrating?
When we read“Pointing-Moon Record”, we found a Ch'an master named Hsiang-Lin-Yuan.
While he was falling into decay, he happily said, “I, an old monk, after forty years of hard practice, finally have attained it!”
In other words, after forty years of hard practice, he eventually attained the true benefit of life.
What is the true benefit?
It never refers to having a limousine to drive, neither a houseful of electronic appliances to use, nor a non-stop
supply of banquets to enjoy every day.
It definitely does not refer to any of these.
No matter how rich you are, if I give you two pieces of twelve-ounce steak, I believe you cannot finish them.
If you do, you need to rush to a doctor.
We then realize that material satisfaction can never fill up the emptiness of one's life.
Obviously, it is not the goal for the pursuit of the Dharma.
The real goal is to attain the true benefit, and it is Genuine Perception.
Well, what is Genuine Perception?
It is a harmonious and unified state of mind, and is free from worries, fears, desires, flattery and conflicts, and
also deviates from all the attachments and contrasts.
It is exactly the true benefit an authentic practitioner
attains.
It is extremely difficult to unify and harmonize one's mind.
If our mind is inharmonious and restless, even we are in a very pleasant environment, we are unable to appreciate and enjoy it.
Therefore, “the unification of one's mind” should be the fundamental goal of our practice.
Why? It is because, generally, none of us has a unified mind, unless we have thoroughly completed the process of self-realization and have reached the very origin of all matters, reasons and sentient beings.
Otherwise, we are unable to realize that our minds are not unified.
You think your mind is unified and your personality is
integrated.
In fact, our personalities are broken, our minds are divided, and our consciousness is multiple.
Well, how to interpret it? For example, you originally planned to do something, but a few minutes later, you decided not to do it.
You were simply against yourself!
Your second thought opposed to your first one.
Your reason told you it was right to do so, but your emotion told you not to.
Furthermore, your reason told you that it was wrong to approach this person; however, your emotion encouraged you, forced you, seduced you and pushed you to get
close to the person.
Similarly, a moment ago, we were very happy; a moment later, we turned to be upset.
All these make us realize that our minds have never been truly unified.
All the great works in the world have been accomplished with a unified mind.
If we cannot have our minds unified, we are unlikely to develop the potential power of our lives.
That failing to develop the power of one's potential equates to personally burying oneself.
In most of time and cases, you are not limited by others, but simply buried by yourself.
Consequently, An-Hsiang is the state of a unified mind, and is the “Genuine Perception” as stated in Buddhist Sutras.
Genuine Perception can be interpreted as “a unified and harmonious state of mind”; meanwhile, it can also be defined as “one's mental sensation after one has broken through one's karma.”
What is karma? It refers to the entire accumulation of one's thoughts and behaviors from one's birth to the present.
Buddha said, “All beings have the nature of Buddha.”
Why can't we see it?
Truth is everywhere, even Chuang-Tzu said, “Tao is in
dung and urine.”
It emphasizes that truth will not disappear even when there is dung and urine.
If it is so common and obvious, why can't we see it?
It is because we are blocked by a barrier.
What is the barrier? It is karma.
We cannot judge karma as good or bad; we can only say it is a fact.
It is the accumulation of your entire life, behaviors, and thoughts, from your birth to the present.
How is karma formed?
It is formed because of “one's identification to the external world”, and “the association with the elements of the consciousness.”
Moreover, it is “the revelation of all the negative and
destructive emotions emerging from the self.”
As its essence is different from that of truth, so it makes one unable to see truth again.
As the whole karma is made of falseness; therefore, it is impossible to view truth through falseness.
The only possibility to see truth is to break through the barrier of karma.
Consequently, we often say that “people should be always reflecting upon themselves”.
Only by doing it, can one realize how one's personalities have been formed and likely to break through one's karma.
We can clearly and completely see the truth of life, when we have broken through the barrier of the karma.
Then, we can attain its true benefit, which is An-Hsiang.
(4). An-Hsiang Is the Most Superb Art of Living
Any knowledge or law, when it deviates from the human life, it soon loses its value.
Though An-Hsiang is the life of Ch’an and the true verification of the Dharma, it is also the most superb art of living.
Speaking of art, its highest state is truth, virtue and beauty.
Let us think about this question, “What is the truest thing in this universe?”
We try to find it externally, but we fail.
Speaking of truth, it cannot be separated from purity, which is so-called “the pure truth.”
Is there anything as the pure truth on earth?
Yes, there is. However, the only way to find it is to search within ourselves, but not from the outside world.
When we have harmonized and unified our minds to be free from conflicts, all the dual concepts, and to abandon the karma-formed self, it is the moment that our minds are
in the state of the absolute An-Hsiang.
A mind of the absolute An-Hsiang equates to ultimate truth, because it is free from falseness, duality and bias.
It transcends everything.
If we try to describe it, it can possibly be defined as, “I am aware; therefore, I exist.”
Consequently, only the mentality of An-Hsiang can be addressed as the purest truth and the ultimate truth.
And it also equals ultimate virtue.
When we talk about virtue, it refers to goodness.
Then, ultimate virtue means the best goodness.
What is the best goodness?
When one has abandoned the concepts of conflicts and duality to allow the state of An-Hsiang to emerge, it then can be claimed to reach the best goodness.
The mentality of An-Hsiang is ultimately beautiful.
We can interpret it in two regards:
[1] The beauty of feeling:
When one’s mind is constantly in the state of An-Hsiang and free from imagination, worries and contrasts, and even surpassing time and space, one must feel content and joyful.
It equates to the state of “Eternity, Joy, Self and
Purity” as described in the Nirvana Sutra.
It is the eternal beauty, the eternal purity, the eternal awareness and the eternal An-Hsiang.
[2] The beauty of sensation:
Some people are mentally ill; therefore, their minds are full of shadows.
In their minds, everything is gloomy, ugly and dark.
However, when one has harmonized one’s mind to reach the state of An-Hsiang, one will then discover and realize how wonderful everything is meant to be.
Not only is a grain of sand an entire world, but also
everything else in his eyes is true and beautiful.
With the mind of ultimate truth, virtue and beauty to
live in this mundane world, we surely live the most
superb art of living.
If we can live like this, we are delighted and can truly enjoy our lives. Living is no longer a punishment to one’s life.
Conversely, if one lives without An-Hsiang, instead, with frustration, helplessness, suspicion, fear and worry, one’s living is undoubtedly a punishment.
Therefore, only living in the state of An-Hsiang, can we truly enjoy ourselves in life.
(5). An-Hsiang Is the Live Fountain of Happiness
What is true happiness?
It is when one can always have a peaceful mind to face both Heaven and the earth with a clear conscience.
In other words, one needs to maintain the guiltless mind throughout one’s life, and live realistically with An-Hsiang in mind without any interruption as well as live in the state of the ultimate truth, virtue and beauty.
This kind of life can then be claimed as the greatest
bliss of life.
If one’s mind is restless, one’s bliss can never be built.
In “Zuo-Zhuan”, there was a feudal lord, Chu-Wu, named Jing-shi, who told his wife, Deng-Man: “My mind has been very disturbed that I cannot settle it down to stop
worrying.”
His wife said: “If your mind is restless, your social status is about to vanish.
Since you have lost the mind of An-Hsiang, you are going to lose everything you own shortly.”
It was as expected that the lord of Chu-Wu passed away a short while later.
Therefore, it is the true happiness for one to live with An-Hsiang in mind.
When we live with the mentality of An-Hsiang, we seem to attain the live fountain of happiness, and the happiness will be with us forever.
Referring to the above statements, we then realize:
An-Hsiang is the Genuine Perception;
An-Hsiang is Samadhi.
An-Hsiang is the True Origin;
An-Hsiang is the direct inference of the original mind.
An-Hsiang is the revelation of Mahaprajna (the Great Wisdom).
Why did we not apply the Buddhist terminology in the very beginning?
It is because we know it is very confusing and distant to our study of the Dharma.
It can block our visions to make us unable to realize its true meaning.
After we have realized what An-Hsiang is, then we can have a further discussion.
(1). To Search Only for the Peace of Mind
Everyone has his own concept of living.
Shu-Sun-Bau advocated the three forms of immortality
the immortality of one’s virtue, one’s feats and one’s
speech, which is his concept of life.
As for Lee-Bai, he admired strolling in the night by candlelight.
Some people chase after the material comforts, while some others are in pursuit of immortality based on their accomplishments.
Besides, some people are living corruptive and devastating lives and others are lost for unknown pursuits and reasons.
To these people, whether their purpose of life is for the their feats or pleasures, they are unlikely to attain An-Hsiang, because they are living with a dualistic and
contrasting mind.
The correct concept for one to pursue one’s liberation is to give up one’s personal desires and pleasures, and fully concentrate on searching for the peace of mind.
Otherwise, how can you attain An-Hsiang?
How can one attain the peace of mind?
Here is the requisite: “Making efforts is not for one’s own benefits, and doing well is not for winning
compliments.”
What does it mean by “Making efforts is not for one’s own benefits”?
Everyone should find himself a decent job and work hard.
However, if we have striven for a better production, but without being given an equal reward, we should not feel disappointed.
As the statement in the chapter of the Lee-yun goes, “One feels regretful for being unable to offer one’s strength, which is not necessarily for one’s own benefits”.
What we all should pursue is to find opportunities to devote ourselves, but not to emphasize self-assertion and
personal benefits.
If we can work with this attitude, we are “making efforts, but not for our own benefits.”
We strive to create more and perform better, but not for possessing more for ourselves.
Then, what is “doing well is not for winning compliments”?
When we have done something perfectly, we should not feel too proud of ourselves.
In addition, when we have achieved something that others cannot do, we do not feel superior to others either.
To live this way, we can live peacefully without any regrets and attain the mind of An-Hsiang.
Many people cannot stop complaining when their contributions are not rewarded fairly; therefore, their balanced minds are fully destroyed.
Moreover, some outstanding and decent people always feel forgotten and neglected, when they are not valued. Chiu-Yua, an ancient poet, was a typical example.
People who always feel pity for themselves seldom survive.
Eventually, they must end their own lives.
Therefore, if we want to attain An-Hsiang, we should keep in mind that “searching only for the peace of one’s mind” is our concept and attitude of life.
(2). To Govern One’s Senses and Control One’s Desires
Why do we need to govern our senses?
Why can we be lost?
In fact, the process of our growth equates to the journey of our lost life.
How to interpret this?
Our identification towards the external world is being deepened during the process of our growth; therefore, we are constantly driven by our senses.
We are excited when we see something beautiful; whereas, we feel disgusted when we see something annoying.
We feel happy when the environment is pleasant; otherwise, we become angry.
All these show us how we are restrained by our senses.
Indeed, we need to look for food to satisfy our digestive system, as it is our instinctive nature.
However, to keep craving for endless feasts
definitely makes us enslaved by one’s senses.
No matter the economical situation is good or bad, it seems every restaurant in the street of Taipei is full. If you go to a restaurant without making a reservation in advance, you will be rejected because they are mostly fully booked.
The flooding of our material desires has completely reflected the poverty of our mental lives and our drowning
minds.
This is a very terrible and sad phenomenon.
We definitely do not exaggerate its seriousness.
What does it mean by “control one’s desires”?
It is true that reasonable desires are the drive for the evolution of our civilization.
I often say that if our ancestors had been satisfied
with living in the caves or trees, and wearing the skins of animals, we would probably remain as that today.
It was because of their desires to improve lives, the quality of human lives then can be upgraded from generation to generation.
Having reasonable desires is not a sin; however, overspreading one’s personal desires is definitely sinful.
After having read all the history in the past, we realize that there is only one reason to result in the collapse of a dynasty, the destruction of a country, the
corruption of a society, or even the demolition of a few pre-historical civilizations.
This reason is nothing more than the overspreading of personal desires.
Personal desires can not only pollute the whole society, but also corrupt a country.
When it expands to the extreme, greed will devastate humanity.
Personal desires include the desires of possessions, dominance, leadership and self-preservation.
The extreme development of personal desires would make one afraid of men in the daytime and ghosts at night.
To live like that is truly miserable; however, there were many historic heroes who were mostly this kind of
cowards.
It is not sinful to have senses, which are necessary tools for our everyday life and should be subject to us.
We have to govern and control them, but not vice versa
, as the saying goes, “Do not look at, listen to, speak about or do anything which is against courtesy.”
If you can abide by it, you can reach the state as what Wang-yang-ming described: “With heavenly composure, every cell of our body is under control”.
If you are always dominated by your senses, your life must be miserable.
You can never live a free life, nor can you attain An-Hsiang.
Desires are just like a bottomless valley that you can never fully fill.
With regards to power, material, and vanity, they are neither real, nor eternal.
What they will bring to your life are pollution, torture and punishment, which make you lose your way and can even drive you insane.
Therefore, you have to control them to make yourself live within reasonable desires.
That is to say when we are hungry, we have food to eat; when it is cold, we have clothes to wear; when it is raining or windy, we have a house to shelter us. That is enough.
Furthermore, we have to think about how to make our lives worthy, but not wasteful.
How to introspectively reflect upon oneself, to purify oneself and to completely recognize oneself?
All these are claimed as the second condition for attaining An-Hsiang.
(3). To Search for the Origin of All Reason and Recognize the True Mind.
What does it mean that “To search for the origin of all reason”?
If you are searching for the truth and going sideways like a crab, you will find many reasons.
However, when you are reaching the end of your life, you still cannot figure out what reason is and may remain as a puzzled ghost.
Therefore, if you are looking for a reason, you definitely need to search for the origin of the reason. Where is it from?
Water has the origin of its fountain, and a tree has its root.
Where is the origin of a reason?
You must keep searching and searching until you find the utmost origin of all matter and reason.
The wise are not puzzled.
If you want to stop being puzzled, you need to solve the puzzle.
To achieve this, you not only have to find the reason, but also to find the very “Patriarch” of all reason.
When one has no more puzzles, one will be free from confusion, doubt and ignorance.
Then, one’s mind is peaceful, and one will be in the state of An-Hsiang.
Indeed, “a peaceful mind brings nothing but bliss”.
Why do we have to recognize the true mind?
We know that everyone has a mind; however, it is a mind with multiple intentions.
It is like a carriage driven by many horses, and there are conflicts and restraints among them.
Under the circumstances, it is definitely unlikely to unify one’s mind and fully develop one’s potential to expose one’s true value.
In the end, your life is totally buried unconsciously and worthlessly.
What is your true mind?
Why do we have to recognize it?
It is “because all the knowledge of reason publicly accepts the statement: “The true is the original.”
Only the original mind of yours is true and eternal.
Therefore, you have to strive to recognize yourself.
It is useless to recognize others, when you do not even recognize yourself.
A lost person can never succeed; therefore, the first
priority is to recognize oneself.
It is to recognize one’s mind, which is the original essence of life, but not one’s superficial consciousness.
The superficial consciousness equates to the dust of the Dharma, and it is accumulated from the interaction between our senses of eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies and minds, and the external forms, sounds, scents, tastes, touches and thoughts.
If you regard the differentiating mind as yourself, you simply mistake the thief as your son. It is not eternal.
Conversely, you are denying yourself.
It is a thorny issue.
If you say your superficial consciousness is not you, then, where does it come from? We know that waves cannot be brought without wind.
What is it based on to exist? Worries equate to Bodhi (wisdom). Without Bodhi, you even cannot sense the worries.
Can a rock be conscious of worries?
It is your consciousness that makes you perceive worries.
Therefore, if you are searching for the “self”, you firstly need to recognize what the self is.
To achieve that, you need to get to know your own mind.
It is to know the true mind that exists before your birth.
If you can make it, you will attain An-Hsiang.
In order to explain that the condition of recognizing one’s self is compulsory and sufficient, I would like to tell you that many people thought an enlightened person must have realized a set of great theories.
And the theories can be applied to the whole world and even the sages in hundreds of generations later will not challenge them. In fact, it is not true.
If someone can lecture a great theory because of his enlightenment, he must be psychopathic.
Some people say that this fellow is enlightened; therefore, he must possess some magical power.
Let me tell you, the true is the original.
Originally, there was no human being, no God, no Buddha, where did the magical power come from?
Even the magical power is not real.
Then, if someone is enlightened, what does he actually get from his enlightenment?
It is very simple! The so-called “enlightenment” is that one has reached the origin of all reason and also has recognized the true mind”.
In other words, all the problems and doubts are completely gone, and worries and karma also fully disappear.
At the moment, the only thing one possesses is nothing but An-Hsiang.
Otherwise, it is not true enlightenment.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you figure out a great theory during your meditation, then you hit your laps and jump up to claim, “I am enlightened.”
I think you had better be careful, because you may be obsessed.
What can you actually secure from the true enlightenment?
It is nothing but An-Hsiang.
Then, how can we reach the origin of all reason and recognize the true mind?
It seems easy to say, but you need to find the right methods to achieve it.
Otherwise, it will not work.
Then, how to be successful?
Here are two statements: firstly, “to reach the utmost
of unreality and maintain the absolute tranquility,”
secondly, ‘to maintain one’s true mind”.
What does it mean “to reach the utmost of unreality”?
We think whatever we see is real; a mountain is a mountain and a river is a river. Everything is real.
Since we regard everything as real, we can only live a contrary life, and our absolute mind is surely restrained.
We have to live not just unrealistically, but extremely unrealistically.
When you are walking, you feel like walking on a sponge instead of on the ground.
You will have this kind of sensation right before attaining your enlightenment.
In addition, we have to live with tranquility, not just with tranquility, but with extreme tranquility.
Otherwise, it is like the saying goes, “The law of nature originally goes smooth; it is only you who are restless.”
Some people criticize the statements as attaching. “To reach” and “to maintain” are both verbs, implementing
the law of the conditioned and are attaching.
If you see them like this, you simply do not understand what the Dharma is.
The Dharma does not adhere to taking-action, or not taking-action.
When one is taking action but does not adhere to taking action, one equates to taking no action, and vice versa.
Therefore, only people who believe in this can enter the Dharma.
If you can, please live as unrealistically as possible.
For example, when you are meditating and disturbed by someone, you immediately lose your temper.
It proves that the external world is completely real to your mind. Therefore, to you, the world is dual.
However, the Dharma is the methodology of non-duality.
If you always have dual or multiple minds, you absolutely cannot correspond to the Dharma to practice.
That “to close the external door to make the internal door opened” is the essential methodology for practicing “retreating in the darkness” of the Esoteric School.
Consequently, practitioners must live as unrealistically as possible.
Meanwhile they have to maintain their minds in an absolute tranquility, then, they will be more likely to correspond to the Dharma.
What does it mean by “to maintain one’s true mind”?
The Fifth Patriarch, Master Hong-Ren, repeatedly mentioned the statement of “To maintain one’s true mind” in “The Supreme Mahayanism”.
People who just start their practice would like to brag
about being carefree and selfless.
In fact, those witty talks and fancy eloquence are totally useless!
When you meet Pluto, it does not help you at all.
When you are trapped in difficulties and loaded with numerous agonies, it can barely make you relieved at all.
Therefore, from Master Bodhidharma to the Fifth Patriarch, they all advocated to monitor one’s mind.
Although the terminology of monitoring one’s mind is seldom applied in the later time, the true reality of practice does not deviate from it.
There are three stages of mind-monitoring.
The first stage is to monitor one’s mind through self-introspection.
To study the Dharma, one must begin from self-introspection.
No matter what school of Buddhism you are studying, you have to start from self-introspection.
Otherwise, the negative karma cannot be removed and there is no way for you to correspond to the Dharma.
Monitoring one’s mind during the self-introspection will help you get to know yourself.
What kind of person are you?
I believe that we all regard ourselves as good people.
We are integrated and complete.
We are gracious and hardly make any mistakes in both our speeches and deeds.
In fact, it is definitely untrue.
If you undertake a thorough self-introspection, you will discover that you are not even qualified to be addressed as a human being.
If you can admit whatever you did and thought in the past were not human and almost like animals without
evolution, and bravely face yourself, you can then truly repent and achieve solid progress.
Conversely, if you are unable to face yourself and always wear a fake mask, no one can ever save you.
Consequently, our first step is to disclose who you actually are.
The second stage is not to miss any thoughts. One should immediately sense a thought when it emerges, and always be extremely subjective to judge it.
If the thought is negative and gloomy, you slap yourself to stop it.
Even when you are talking or working, you need to constantly monitor your thoughts, and do not allow them to play freely.
If we need to think for a purpose, we should focus on thinking of it.
That is called “right intention”.
If it is needless for us to think, we have to monitor our thoughts to prevent losing control like a wild horse running without a direction.
Otherwise, our minds will be definitely disturbed.
The third stage is to detect where thoughts come from.
When you realize where they are from, you may possibly find your own true thoughtless mind.
After having found the original thoughtless mind, you have to hold it so that you can no longer lose yourself in illusions and attachments.
Which is the original thoughtless mind?
I attained a few phrases during my meditation when I served on the island of Dong-Yin more than a decade ago.
(Why did I say I attained them? It is because they were not from the books I read, nor my own creation.)
They are as follows, “With your mind, you are aware of the awareness,
With your awareness, you are aware of the mind.
The awareness is the mind, The mind is self-aware.
When the awareness and the mind are not dual, It is the authentic awareness.”
These few statements are extremely absolute, and why do they inspire me?
Referring to “The awareness is the mind; the mind is self-aware”, I realize that it is not to be aware to the outside, nor to be aware because of the outside.
Let me simulate the verse of Rene Descartes and claim that I “am aware”; therefore, I exist.
After having monitored your mind to the final stage, you have reached the state of “I am aware; therefore, I exist”, and that is “maintaining your true mind.”
As you are maintaining your mind, it will not run freely. That keeping your true mind is keeping your original mind; namely, you are maintaining the “true origin”.
In the later time, the descendants of the Ch’an School think the word “keep” is too clumsy .
In fact, the clumsiness is the great wisdom.
If you can keep your true mind, it is like keeping the MahaPrajna (the great wisdom).
Actually, it means exactly the same as “maintain” which we apply later.
The words are different, but their implication is identical.
I think that “maintaining the true mind” is more
explicit and positive.
(4). To Follow the Way to Focus on One’s Practice
“To follow the way” means to follow the methods described in the Buddhist Sutras as well as the instructions of one’s master.
Then, what does “focus on one’s practice” mean?
It means to focus, but not diverge, and to move forward
instead of retreating.
Do not be guided by miscellaneous methods, but only concentrate on a single practice.
As the Buddha said, “To focus your mind on one point, then there is nothing you cannot accomplish.”
Indeed, you have to fully focus on your practice, as it is the solely great task to do.
An old saying goes: “Before attaining the enlightenment, one feels like losing one’s parents; after attaining the enlightenment, one also feels like losing one’s parents.”
It sounds truly deep and interesting, and it is worth reflecting on it. You can realize it, but it is beyond your verbal expressions.
Therefore, you need to fully focus on practice.
An-Hsiang is derived from a peaceful and guiltless mind.
An-Hsiang is derived from maintaining legitimate, but not indulgent desires.
An-Hsiang is derived from the verification of the truth of the life and the universe.
Therefore, when we attain An-Hsiang, we can live realistically, cheerfully, freely and guiltlessly.
We were talking about the meaning of An-Hsiang, and how to attain it.
Now, we want to talk about what An-Hsiang can do for us and what its benefits are.
That is to say, now we are going to talk about “the beauty of An-Hsiang”.
(1). An-Hsiang Can Make One’s Life Full of Vitality
People who attain An-Hsiang are naturally healthy, seldom sick and look decent.
To those devoted and successful Ch’an practitioners, their features also turn better.
You can have a look at your old friends around, and will find some people have already radiated the beauty of the internal An-Hsiang on their appearances.
It truly makes them look elegant and extraordinary.
Naturally, their lives are full of bliss and harmony, and they also become very amicable and reliable.
As a result, their lives turn smooth and obstacles are lessened.
All their reasonable wishes can come true and positive efforts will bring them success.
In addition, it can make hundreds and thousands of disasters and hardship vanish before being formed.
Every disaster has its cause to happen.
If there is no cause, there will be no effect.
Therefore, to a person who attains An-Hsiang in every second, no disasters will attack him and hardship will never appear in front of him.
He can simply enjoy a carefree, cheerful and blissful life.
(2). An-Hsiang Can Repay the Favors That Normally Cannot Be Repaid
A person who attains An-Hsiang can radiate the energy of his life in every second to constitute a magnetic field.
Anyone entering the magnetic field can simultaneously attain An-Hsiang;
therefore, a restless person turns calm, an angry person turns warm, a person in anguish soon feels relieved, and a depressed person feels greatly encouraged.
As a result, you can always radiate the beam of yourmind to spread An-Hsiang and the spirit of harmony withinthe
radius of the activities in your lifetime.
Although you do not intend to apply the law of the conditioned to repay the four great favors, you realistically have already done it.
This is exactly “to repay the favors that normally cannot be repaid.”
You do not intend to do it, but you have realistically done it.
If each of us can spread An-Hsiang, our society will turn to be harmonious.
Our country will also become so wealthy, powerful, healthy and peaceful that all other evil forces cannot intrude.
If we want to repay our favors to our parents, to our country, to the heaven and the earth and to the sentient beings, we have to maintain An-Hsiang in our mind.
When we have firmly attained An-Hsiang in our minds, we will be able to elevate seven generations of our ancestors to a higher level.
Since An-Hsiang is so good that we must strive to pursue, secure and attain it with our full strength.
(3). An-Hsiang Can Make One Devoted and Enjoy One’s Life
A person with An-Hsiang always has a unified and focused mind.
When he is engaged in the “right intention”, he is incredibly sharp and highly creative.
When one has reached the state of An-Hsiang, one can shortly find a brand new answer to one’s question. It is because one can constantly deliberate the question with the mind of An-Hsiang.
Consequently, he can always make a great contribution to the country, people and the society, and will not become a burden to the society, nor bring any negative value to it.
He lives with An-Hsiang in every second, and he has no dissatisfaction, no suspicion, no jealousy, no grumbles, no complaints, no anger and no fear.
He is definitely content with his life, and enjoys his life.
IV. Why Do We Lose An-Hsiang?
Coming to this point, we would like to discuss: “Why do so many people lose their An-Hsiang?”
(1).To Be Misled by the Senses and Drowned by Chasing Forms
When we chase the outside illusions and make ourselves drowned by them, we lose ourselves.
When we are lost, we are easily seduced by worldly
illusions and restrained by the perceptions of our senses.
We do not live freely at all; then, how can we remain in An-Hsiang?
Even to people who have already attained An-Hsiang, they also may lose it if they are dominated by their senses.
(2). To Over indulge in Personal Desires and Abandon One’s Responsibilities and Obligations
To overindulge in personal desires means to do whatever one wishes.
Personal desires are endless.
The Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin-Shi-Huang, claimed he could pass his throne on for thousands of generations.
The Han Emperor, Wu-Di, also thought his empire could be eternal, because he had conquered all those intruders on the border, who had invaded for thousands of years.
However, while both emperors were dying, they were very sad, disappointed, confused and depressed.
Why? It is because even though they had taken so many herbs that assured their longevity, they finally realized
the impossibility of their survival.
Personal desires symbolize the sign of poverty.
While we are expanding our personal desires, we are showing people how weak our minds are.
Therefore, when a person fully focuses on pursuing his personal desires, he must be abandoning his own responsibilities and obligations at the same time.
How are we supposed to live?
We should live with our responsibilities and obligations.
Everyone should be responsible for his own duties.
To live with one’s responsibilities and obligations is the only way to live smoothly.
Wherever you work, no matter what job you are doing, if you want to live without gloom, annoyance, grievance and obscurity, you have to fulfill your responsibilities and satisfy the requirements of those responsibilities to make yourself strong and confident.
As the value of our life is applicable to the theory of the Economics; therefore, the Economical terminology of “the marginal effect” can also be applied to the human beings.
People who are strongly needed by society become the most important ones.
Those who cannot satisfy the demands of their jobs are useless to the jobs.
Therefore, wherever you work, you have to make yourself the most indispensable one. In other words, your presence can satisfy their needs, and your absence will result in their malfunction.
However, if your presence is unnecessary, and your absence is even better, that is truly miserable!
Consequently, we cannot abandon our responsibilities and obligations to make our conscience guilty, nor can we try to lessen our efforts to harm our dignities.
Besides the responsibilities and obligations, there is nothing essential for us to do.
All those greatest people always live with their duties and obligations, such as President Chiang-Ching-Kuo.
The burden they bore in mind is absolutely beyond our imagination.
They faced all sorts of problems and could not be relieved even for one day.
It was because the struggling country overloaded too much burden on them.
Everyone has to live with his responsibilities and obligations; then he can live smoothly, brightly, honestly and remorselessly.
If one fails to fulfill one’s duties and obligations, and expects to live well, it is impossible. The only exception is when one turns to be a thief or gangster, and therefore to be despised as the most shameful and inferior person.
Lives like this are not worth living.
They are not only the burdens to society, but also pollute it. To them, living is constant torture, and they surely do not live happily.
Since “doing good deeds is most joyful,” and they are doing evil deeds, will they be happy?
Just look at those wanted criminals, murderers and frauds; they do not even look like human beings at all.
Why? It is because “with sincerity in one’s mind, one will look naturally sincere.”
Obviously, they live bitterly and helplessly.
Therefore, only people who fulfill their responsibilities and obligations can maintain the mentality of An-Hsiang.
If one escapes from one’s responsibilities and obligations, one will surely lose An-Hsiang in one’s mind.
Is it parents’ right to raise us? Do we raise our children for their care of our retirement? Absolutely not!
Otherwise, how can the parents of a paralyzed boy and a
girl in a vegetative state look after them for more than twenty years? What for?
People definitely do not live for the purpose of getting benefits and fame.
Instead, people should live for fulfilling their responsibilities and obligations; then they are eligible to possess An-Hsiang.
Once they abandon their responsibilities and obligations, they can no longer attain An-Hsiang.
(3). To Deviate from the Dharma and Keep Away from the Golden Mean
The Dharma is the Golden Mean.
People who deviate from the Golden Mean and abandon the true and eternal law will inevitably lose An-Hsiang.
As far as “deviating from the Dharma” is concerned, self-attachment and Dharma-attachment are the most serious examples. They refer to attachment to one’s self as well as to the Dharma.
Narrowly speaking, one thinks that there is a great truth, which can never be changed and can be adopted by the sages even after hundreds of generations, that is called the Dharma-attachment.
People also think there is a self, which is real and will never change. In fact, it is not true.
Speaking of “I”, many people are still confused.
Why is “selfless” mentioned so many times in the Sutras?
However, it also reinforces “Eternity, Joy, Self and Purity.” Why?
We need to know that the true self is the shared form of all beings and also the original state of life.
The true self is the eternal self, which is exactly the true identity of all of us.
Nevertheless, the false self refers to individuality, namely the differences between you and I. The difference among one another is very clear.
The “cultivated self” is completely different from the true self of the “selfless”.
Our genes, environment, education, and the influences from
our parents’ background, friends and teachers, all are like
programmed computer information to make us different.
Before being programmed, everyone is identical.
However, after having been programmed, everyone is completely different.
Therefore, “selfless” refers to the self that has not been contaminated by the six dusts.
With regards to the “self”, we refer it to the true and eternal self, as quoted in the statement of “I am aware; therefore, I exist.”
We do not lose, that is to say, do not mistake the false self for the true self, nor allow the true self to be buried by the six dusts.
Consequently, one will become lost if one deviates from the
Dharma.
V. The Results of Losing An-hsiang
(1). Life Loses its Live Fountain
When one loses An-Hsiang, one will be trapped in a dull and dark life, and also live with frustration and regrets.
Without An-Hsiang, our life loses its foundation.
It is like the statement describes, “Being in the sea of karma, one has no base to land on.”
Which is the self? What do we live for?
After our death, when we have returned all our six trillion cells to the earth, what remains can we keep for ourselves?
We must feel helpless and do not know how to deal with it.
As we know, a person without a foundation to stand on can never find a right direction for his life, and it is inevitable that he will make a lot of mistakes.
Mistakes are equivalent to worries.
No one can live with mistakes and still attain An-Hsiang in their minds.
Living with mistakes equates to living with worries.
If a person does not stop making mistakes, he can never be free from worries.
Therefore, a life without An-Hsiang is a life of worries and sins.
Mistakes always result in worries, and sins eventually bring destruction.
(2). All Diseases Emerge from One’s Mind
When one’s life loses its live fountain, all sorts of diseases will begin to emerge and one’s life also turns weakened and dull.
After having lost An-Hsiang, one will start to complain, become dissatisfied, grumble, get upset, and also be
jealous, suspicious, indulgent and proud, because of his stuffed life.
Therefore, his life becomes dim and frustrating, and his physical condition turns bad as well.
Empty talk is useless. All these symptoms can be verified.
While you are listening to me, you can also try to think about your close acquaintances, including your friends, relatives, classmates or colleagues, to verify their symptoms. And you will agree with me.
To maintain one’s health, one should not only have the
concept that “The mouth is the entrance of most diseases”, but also should know that “Most diseases emerge from one’s mind”, which is the statement in the forward of the “Internal Scripture” written by our ancestor; the Huang Emperor.
You may look around, for those who like to show off, to win, and are afraid of losing, are apt to have sinusitis.
Those who suffer from sinusitis are mostly subjective and always intend to show off and defeat others.
In the long run, this type of persons will inevitably suffer from sinusitis.
Many people were spoiled when they were little.
Except the stars in the sky, they could get whatever they wanted.
Parents strove to satisfy their children’s desires without legitimate reasons.
As long as they asked, they could get almost anything.
When those children grow up, their personalities also become stronger and stronger and their habits remain the same.
In childhood, they simply wanted toys, a watermelon, or aguava; however, they want airplanes and automobiles when they become adults. It certainly becomes harder to
achieve.
If they want a space shuttle, can their parents buy them one? There are many more examples such as these.
In short, spoiled children must turn out to be arbitrary adults.
The arbitrariness certainly will bring them a great deal of frustration.
They cannot reveal their negative emotions to anyone, nor can they lose their tempers to anyone.
Consequently, they are stricken by the disease of asthma. People with too much dissatisfaction in minds will eventually get asthma.
They feel life is not warm, and the coldness makes them depressed and their backs turn cold.
You can try to touch the upper back of people who suffer from asthma, and you will find that their backs are cold even in the hot summer.
Many people suffer from stomach ulcers. Why?
It is because of anxiety, which results from a negative
identification towards everything. They always think
about the worst situations, instead of good ones. They
are used to worries.
They always think that “something may go wrong; and if it is getting worse, what can I do?”
They keep producing a vicious cycle of gloomy thoughts, and gradually, the mentality affects their
digestion.
Indeed, the mental indigestion surely results in physical indigestion.
We have two kinds of nerves: the motor nerves and the autonomic nerves.
The so-called autonomic nerve is a self-regulating nerve.
We can raise our hands because of the motor nerve; but we cannot slow down or speed up our heartbeats, or tell our intestines or stomachs to stop functioning.
We thought they were beyond our control or influence, but actually we still directly affect them.
For example, Mr. Wu and I were talking about the delicious food in our home town, Tainan, we had been in Taipei for quite a long time. When we were talking about the sticky-rice-meat dumpling and the basket noodles of Tainan, our mouths started to water.
Why? Before eating it, we are mentally ready to digest them.
Our mentality absolutely dominates our physical functions.
Some new military recruits, when they enter into the combat zone, they start getting diarrhea right after hearing the gunshots. Why?
It is because the gunshots make them nervous and
stimulating the emission of their bile.
It is the bile that increases the movement of the intestines to cause diarrhea.
Therefore, your health and bliss all depend on the state of your mind.
Meanwhile, most of the overly greedy people will suffer
from kidney illness.
Many people tend to be self-conceited and arbitrary. What does it mean by “arbitrary”?
It means that one always insists on doing this and that; otherwise, one definitely will lose one’s temper.
The first symptom for people like this is the dizziness after taking a nap.
Even after having a whole night of sleep, they do not
feel refreshed.
When they get older, they mostly are apt to get
Alzheimer’s disease.
Have you ever seen an old man at the age of sixty or seventy urinating on an electric pole?
He has lost the concept of value and has lost self-consciousness. Therefore, he even fights with little kids for sweets.
This is “the loss of one’s personality”, which is an anti-motive mind developed from an active motivation.
A person with over-active self-consciousness will lack self-consciousness when he gets old, because all his mentality has been fully consumed. As the saying goes, “Going to the extreme will result in the opposite.”
Some people are apt to be suspicious; they always suspect and guess that others are saying something against them or blaming them.
They tend to think illusively and enjoy the association of various thoughts.
Therefore, these people suffer from arthritis. Where does arthritis come from?
It comes from suspicion, guessing and illusions.
Many people always judge the conducts of others with their subjective standard and arbitrary attitude; therefore, they are often disappointed and upset, and blame everything on other people.
These biased people will eventually suffer fromthe
symptom of trigeminal nerve neuralgia.
It will bring them serious headache, which is very hard to cure.
A failed surgery may damage the other nerves to make them paralyzed.
In addition, radiation therapy may result in paralyzing half of his body, or at least half of his face.
Some people indulge their instinctive desires. The
so-called instincts needs are eating and lusting.
They try their best to enjoy food and think, “If not for eating, what is the money for?”
In addition, they think that throughout the history all the celebrities have been lustful, so they indulge themselves in the pleasures of drinking and sex.
With the combination of the indulgence, the emotional
stimulus, and a fury caused by jealousy and suspicion,
one is stricken by diabetes.
In fact, diabetes is developed by the indulgence of one’s instinct needs and the excitement of one’s emotion.
However, there are always exceptions.
To some people, diabetes is a genetic disease; while to some other, its cause is still unknown.
Some people are very talkative, which is very harmful.
When one talks too much, firstly, one will make oneself lost. Originally, his mind is full of An-Hsiang, but after talking for a long while, he can no longer find An-Hsiang in his mind. It has slipped away. You can try to experience it.
Secondly, if a man talks too much, he will get hernia.
If a woman talks too much, she will suffer from
leucorrhoea.
Well, if we keep giving examples, it will never end. Let us stop right here.
In general, when you lose An-Hsiang, you will inevitably suffer from all kinds of diseases.
As the saying goes, “Disasters will arrive at your body”, namely, the diseases will be around you.
Since you lose the balance of your mind, your internal
secretions will be out of balance.
As “your mind is not with heavenly composure”, so “all cells of your body naturally cannot be submissive.”
Therefore, there are layers of barriers surround you to make your mind and body losing their balance. You do not even look like a decent man.
When doing business or joining in any social events, you always make people trying to avoid you, because they feel so uncomfortable to get close to you.
In this situation, will your life go smooth?
Can you accomplish anything? Undoubtedly, your life must be full of gloom, darkness, frustration and regrets. To you, living obviously has become a kind of punishment.
Therefore, when one’s life is lacking An-Hsiang, to be alive is not better than to be dead.
Once we lose An-Hsiang, the glory of our lives starts to fade away.
Our appearances are no longer appealing, nor handsome.
There is no inner beauty, and our external appearances also turn ugly.
We do not mean to reinforce this; however, you may try to recall some people, especially those aging women. When they are alone, they mostly doze off in the afternoon, but become sleepless during the night.
Whenever there is a visitor, she will start grumbling
and complaining, “I have been taking good care of my
kids, but now they have grown up and fail to be filial to me and so on and so forth.” Anyway, she is full of
dissatisfaction in her mind.
As a result, when she stands up, she cannot walk because her legs get sore.
If she can realize the fact that everyone has his own attitude toward life, and our attitude toward others should be individualized and we should only mind our own business, she will be relieved from the sickness and can go mountain-climbing.
Consequently, once a person loses his An-Hsiang, the glory of his life will also fade out.
If it is a girl, her face will be no longer attractive.
If it is a boy, his face will become disgusting.
Commonly speaking, this person will show a sign of misfortune.
Therefore, if one loses An-Hsiang, one’s life will become
gloomy and full of contradictions, frustrations and regrets.
We have realized how wonderful An-Hsiang is and the way to attain it.
We also know how miserable our lives will be when we lose it. Therefore, we should strive to pursue it and maintain it.
Then, how can we achieve it?
(1). To Reflect on One’s Mind and Have Accurate
Cognitive Awareness
An-Hsiang is the state of a harmonious, unified, free and self-conscious mind.
Now, all of you take a few seconds to reflect on your own mind, you can perceive An-Hsiang, can’t you?
Aren’t you free from any illusions?
Isn’t your mind empty and clear?
Isn’t it free from any worries, excitement, the past and the future?
If it is, that is the mentality of An-Hsiang, and also the original mind of yours.
As long as you can maintain it, it will save you one-hundred-thousand years of perseverance in your practice.
Why don’t we name it “Samadhi”, “Genuine Perception”, “Authentic Awareness”, “Mahaprajna”(great wisdom), “Bhutatathata” (permanent mind), “True Suchness”, or “Original Mind”? Instead, we name it “An-Hsiang”.
It is because the ancient people counted thirty years as a generation in terms of the cultural differences.
Each generation has its own language.
If we use the language which belongs to the generation of one or two thousand years ago, it is difficult and confusing to understand it.
Besides, it will interfere with our search for the truth and our realization of the truth.
Therefore, we would rather use the modern language than the old terminology.
When we say, “Samadhi”, we feel a bit strange.
However, when we say An-Hsiang, we feel more familiar.
(2). To Stop Searching and To Maintain the True Mind
Since the essence of Ch’an is An-Hsiang, we do not have to search any further.
Even you try to keep searching here and there, it is impossible for you to find anything.
I would rather “return home to smell the fragrance of
the plum blossoms, and appreciate the beautiful spring
time,” than “search among the mountains to have my
straw-made shoes worn out.”
One only has to “maintain one’s true mind”, and strives to maintain it even when one is resting or in a hurry. Simply maintaining it is sufficient.
The maintenance of An-Hsiang does not co-exist with one’s mistakes and sins.
One must rectify all the mistakes made in the past and
get rid of all the sins; then, one can possibly attain An-Hsiang and maintain it.
Some people may attain An-Hsiang through their practice, which needs to take three and a half incalculable eons to achieve. This is not an exaggeration .
If you can practice without any retreat life after life, it will still take at least one-hundred-thousand or eighty-thousand years to attain it.
Therefore, it is very difficult to attain it by means of practice.
However, it is much easier for people who possess An-Hsiang to transmit their minds to you.
Unfortunately, people do not cherish whatever they can get easily. As a result, one cannot maintain it, and will
easily lose it again.
Hence, if you do not take it seriously, you may lose this wonderful opportunity to learn the Dharma.
Everyone should strive to maintain An-Hsiang and do not forget it or lose it.
Although An-Hsiang can be derived from either practice or mind transmission, no matter which way you attain it, you still have to constantly practice.
“Practicing Ch’an” is not a mysterious term, nor a specialized term reserved only for monks; on the contrary, it is a compulsory， subject that everyone must be aware of.
(3). To Abandon Mistakes and Constantly Rectify Oneself
To practice means to rectify your thoughts and behaviors. You should constantly monitor your own mind.
With those evil, wrong, sinful, gloomy and false thoughts in mind, you have to criticize, punish, warn, and assure yourself that you will never allow them to appear again.
People mostly live with some mistakes.
It is inevitable to make mistakes; however, we should not allow ourselves to make the same mistake over and over again.
Otherwise, we will forever live in darkness, and eventually be completely destroyed.
We have to know that if we live with mistakes, we surely cannot resist living with worries.
The greatest human weakness is to tolerate oneself all the time and be extremely critical to others.
I would ask you to bear it in mind: “People, who most easily forgive themselves, are most unlikely forgiven by others, Buddha and Heaven.
On the contrary, people, who most willingly condemn themselves, will most easily secure the forgiveness from others, Buddha and Heaven.”
We do not use our eyes to watch only others; instead, we have to watch ourselves.
Do not live with indulgence, arbitrariness and self-forgiveness, because that will form a vicious cycle to corrupt your life day after day.
Now, you do not believe me, but when the wicked effects arrive, even if you beg me,I cannot save you! (If I could, I would.)
Being even as great as the Buddha, he could not save his own tribe; nor could the great Lord Jesus Christ save the Jewish people.
It proves that human beings can only be saved by themselves.
The most effective way to save ourselves is to practice, that is to constantly rectify our thoughts and behaviors
(4). To Practice One’s Realization and Make Them Correspond to Each Other
Finally, I want to advise all of you the importance of “physical practice”.
You have to physically practice your realization, and make your practice correspond to your realization.
You are sitting here with full “realization” but without any “physical practice”, and your “realization” equates to useless knowledge, just like the calories in alcohol, which is not helpful at all.
With more useless knowledge accumulated in your mind, your life and wisdom will be blocked with more obstacles.
Although you have learned a great deal of terminology,
and even can recite them, what can they realistically do
for you?
Many practitioners are on the wrong path, though they are tightly holding certain Sutras to research and wish to attain enlightenment.
Eventually, they proved to us right before their deaths that
they were manipulated by Sutras, but not vice versa.
In conclusion,
Deviating from An-Hsiang, practitioners cannot secure the true perception and benefits of their practice;
Deviating from An-Hsiang, there is no true life, true blood and pulse of Ch’an;
Deviating from An-Hsiang, there is no true Dharma;
All the Dharma grows roots in our everyday life and our inner mind.
If we do not introspectively reflect upon our lives and are very determined to get rid of all the mistakes;
If we are willing to be manipulated, controlled and restrained by our senses;
If we enjoy the association of thoughts, meditation and illusions;
If we are used to attaching to the external objects;
If we are used to exposing the destructive and negative
emotions, namely, dissatisfaction, complaint, anger,
jealousy and defamation;
We will never attain An-Hsiang.
Thank you!
