佛教禪修簡介 梁國雄居士譯
佛教禪修的巴利文是 Bhavana。它的意思是：心智的培育和發展。作為一個以體證最終真理（涅槃）為目標的宗教，佛教對禪修是非常重視的。禪修實踐，一方面要消除擾亂心智的負面心態和不良品質，另一方面，要同時栽培有利心智發展的正面心態和良性品質，最終達致如實洞悉諸法實相和體證涅槃。
禪修可帶給心定力（集中力）和輕安，它訓練心去發展對自然現象過程的專注力（Mindfulness）和明覺（Clear Comprehension）。換句話說，佛教禪修令行者於每刻均能體會到萬事萬物的無常、苦和無我等共性。有了這種體會以及隨著修行逐漸清淨的內心，解脫智慧很快就會生起。
禪修方法是培育定力、專注和明覺的方式。佛教禪修可分為：（1）止禪（Samatha Bhavana or Tranquility Meditation）與（2）觀禪（Vipassana Bhavana or Insight Meditation）兩大類。
止禪較著重提升定力（心一境性）和心境安寧，它要行者不斷努力集中心意於一禪修對象上。止禪目的是要發展定力，隨著定力的不斷提高，不同程度的快樂與安寧會生起，內心的三毒（貪瞋痴）亦會因而被暫時壓伏。
觀禪要行者專注正在變化的現實，要審察每刻身心過程的自然現象。止禪與觀禪的一個重要不同點是它們的禪修對象，觀禪的對象是變化著的現實（Reality），而止禪的對象是人為概念（Concepts）。
在觀禪的實踐中，整個身心過程的生滅流逝均是禪修對象。行者若能專注這身心過程，自能明覺其真相。如是不斷的專注和觀察，內觀智將相繼生起。
定力也是觀禪的要素。止禪與觀禪的定力不同在於：止禪的定力用在固定的一個禪修對象上，而觀禪的定力則用在不斷轉變的對象上。在觀禪中，行者集中觀察四大類對象：身、受、心和法（四念處）。隨著定力的增進，心會更加敏銳、均衡和穩定，行者可體驗到和明覺到身心在每刻的變化本質，那時他們將了解身心實相，明白到自身亦是由相同的原素（名色）所構成，它們亦會受自然業力所支配而緣生緣滅的。行者不久將證得「無我」。有了此等見識，更高層次的內觀智亦會相繼出現。隨著內觀智的生起和明覺，心會變得泰然、沉著（Equanimous 平等心）。當心達到完全的均衡、安寧、清淨、活躍和專注，行者將體證生滅過程的寂滅和了悟涅槃 — 所有苦的止息。 （譯者：KHL）
【附錄英文原文】
"A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Meditation" in Buddhastation
Bhavana or Meditation means the cultivation and development of mind. As a religion that aims to realize the ultimate truth (Nibbana), meditation plays an essential role in Buddhism. One main purpose of practicing meditation is to eliminate negative mental states and defilements that delude the mind from its purity. At the same time, meditation is practiced to cultivate positive mental states that help to purify the mind and nurture the arising of insights. These insights will ultimately result in the realization of Nibanna.
Meditation brings in concentration and joy to the mind. It trains the mind on how to develop mindfulness and clear comprehension of the natural occurrences of phenomena. In other words, Buddhist meditation trains its practitioners to realize the three universal characteristics of existence, i.e. impermanence, suffering and non-self, in every moment. With this realization, and when the mind gets purified along the way, understandings will arise.
Meditation method refers to the tools to cultivate mindfulness and concentration. They can be classified into two groupings, Samatha Bhavana (Tranquility Meditation) and Vipassana Bhavana (Insight Meditation).
Samatha Bhavana refers to methods that focus on cultivating high levels of concentration (one-pointedness of mind) and calmness (pleasant state of mind) by making successive efforts in focusing one's mind on a meditation object. The purpose of Samatha Bhavana is to cultivate concentration. As one progresses through various levels of concentration, different stages of joy and calmness will arise. And this will temporarily eradicate the three cankers of mind, i.e. greed, hatred and delusion.
In Vipassana Bhavana, practitioners focus their minds on ever-changing objects of reality. Their minds investigate the natural phenomena of the mind and body processes in every present moment. One main difference between Vipassana and Samatha bhavana is their meditation objects. The object of meditation for Vipassana is reality while the object for Samatha are Concepts.
In the practice of Vipassana Bhavana, the arising and dissolving nature of the entire mind and body processes are used as the object of meditation. Practitioners who are mindful of the mental and physical processes of these objects will develop clear comprehension of their true nature. By constant mindful observation, insights will emerge as a result.
Concentration is also an essential element in Vipassana practice. The only difference between the concentration of Samatha and that of Vipassana is that the former is applied on a fixed meditation object while the latter on ever-changing objects. In Vipassana, practitioners concentrate on observing four main objects, i.e. body, feelings, consciousness and mental object. With the increment in concentration level, their minds will become sharper and more balanced. They could observe and experience the changing nature of mind and body in every moment clearly. They will then realize the reality of mind and body and thus, understand that they too are formed by the same elements that follow the natural karmic law of arising and dissolving. Practitioners will soon realize the non-existence of a 'self' or soul. With these understandings, higher levels of insights become apparent. With the arising of insight of clear knowing, the mind becomes equanimous. When the mind is absolutely balanced, at peace, pure, energetic and mindful, the practitioner will experience the cessation of all these ever-changing processes and realize the state of Nibbana, the cessation of all suffering.
禪修可帶給心定力（集中力）和輕安，它訓練心去發展對自然現象過程的專注力（Mindfulness）和明覺（Clear Comprehension）。換句話說，佛教禪修令行者於每刻均能體會到萬事萬物的無常、苦和無我等共性。有了這種體會以及隨著修行逐漸清淨的內心，解脫智慧很快就會生起。
禪修方法是培育定力、專注和明覺的方式。佛教禪修可分為：（1）止禪（Samatha Bhavana or Tranquility Meditation）與（2）觀禪（Vipassana Bhavana or Insight Meditation）兩大類。
止禪較著重提升定力（心一境性）和心境安寧，它要行者不斷努力集中心意於一禪修對象上。止禪目的是要發展定力，隨著定力的不斷提高，不同程度的快樂與安寧會生起，內心的三毒（貪瞋痴）亦會因而被暫時壓伏。
觀禪要行者專注正在變化的現實，要審察每刻身心過程的自然現象。止禪與觀禪的一個重要不同點是它們的禪修對象，觀禪的對象是變化著的現實（Reality），而止禪的對象是人為概念（Concepts）。
在觀禪的實踐中，整個身心過程的生滅流逝均是禪修對象。行者若能專注這身心過程，自能明覺其真相。如是不斷的專注和觀察，內觀智將相繼生起。
定力也是觀禪的要素。止禪與觀禪的定力不同在於：止禪的定力用在固定的一個禪修對象上，而觀禪的定力則用在不斷轉變的對象上。在觀禪中，行者集中觀察四大類對象：身、受、心和法（四念處）。隨著定力的增進，心會更加敏銳、均衡和穩定，行者可體驗到和明覺到身心在每刻的變化本質，那時他們將了解身心實相，明白到自身亦是由相同的原素（名色）所構成，它們亦會受自然業力所支配而緣生緣滅的。行者不久將證得「無我」。有了此等見識，更高層次的內觀智亦會相繼出現。隨著內觀智的生起和明覺，心會變得泰然、沉著（Equanimous 平等心）。當心達到完全的均衡、安寧、清淨、活躍和專注，行者將體證生滅過程的寂滅和了悟涅槃 — 所有苦的止息。 （譯者：KHL）
【附錄英文原文】
"A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Meditation" in Buddhastation
Bhavana or Meditation means the cultivation and development of mind. As a religion that aims to realize the ultimate truth (Nibbana), meditation plays an essential role in Buddhism. One main purpose of practicing meditation is to eliminate negative mental states and defilements that delude the mind from its purity. At the same time, meditation is practiced to cultivate positive mental states that help to purify the mind and nurture the arising of insights. These insights will ultimately result in the realization of Nibanna.
Meditation brings in concentration and joy to the mind. It trains the mind on how to develop mindfulness and clear comprehension of the natural occurrences of phenomena. In other words, Buddhist meditation trains its practitioners to realize the three universal characteristics of existence, i.e. impermanence, suffering and non-self, in every moment. With this realization, and when the mind gets purified along the way, understandings will arise.
Meditation method refers to the tools to cultivate mindfulness and concentration. They can be classified into two groupings, Samatha Bhavana (Tranquility Meditation) and Vipassana Bhavana (Insight Meditation).
Samatha Bhavana refers to methods that focus on cultivating high levels of concentration (one-pointedness of mind) and calmness (pleasant state of mind) by making successive efforts in focusing one's mind on a meditation object. The purpose of Samatha Bhavana is to cultivate concentration. As one progresses through various levels of concentration, different stages of joy and calmness will arise. And this will temporarily eradicate the three cankers of mind, i.e. greed, hatred and delusion.
In Vipassana Bhavana, practitioners focus their minds on ever-changing objects of reality. Their minds investigate the natural phenomena of the mind and body processes in every present moment. One main difference between Vipassana and Samatha bhavana is their meditation objects. The object of meditation for Vipassana is reality while the object for Samatha are Concepts.
In the practice of Vipassana Bhavana, the arising and dissolving nature of the entire mind and body processes are used as the object of meditation. Practitioners who are mindful of the mental and physical processes of these objects will develop clear comprehension of their true nature. By constant mindful observation, insights will emerge as a result.
Concentration is also an essential element in Vipassana practice. The only difference between the concentration of Samatha and that of Vipassana is that the former is applied on a fixed meditation object while the latter on ever-changing objects. In Vipassana, practitioners concentrate on observing four main objects, i.e. body, feelings, consciousness and mental object. With the increment in concentration level, their minds will become sharper and more balanced. They could observe and experience the changing nature of mind and body in every moment clearly. They will then realize the reality of mind and body and thus, understand that they too are formed by the same elements that follow the natural karmic law of arising and dissolving. Practitioners will soon realize the non-existence of a 'self' or soul. With these understandings, higher levels of insights become apparent. With the arising of insight of clear knowing, the mind becomes equanimous. When the mind is absolutely balanced, at peace, pure, energetic and mindful, the practitioner will experience the cessation of all these ever-changing processes and realize the state of Nibbana, the cessation of all suffering.
