耕雲導師講詞：安祥之美（視頻及文字--雙語）

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安祥之美（雙語）

～一九八五年七月廿一日講於台北市

安祥之美，是在說明安祥的美好，當然也包含對安祥的讚美。

首先要辨明的是什麽叫做安祥？



　一、安祥是什麽？

我們可以分幾點來說明：


(一) 安祥是法的現量

　　什麽是法的現量？法有“現量”和“比量”，“比量”就是借思想、文字、邏輯推理而產生的一種形式，也就是靠慎思、明辨來了解、說明“法”，這就是“比量”。如果我們無須透過慎思、明辨，而當場將“法”和盤托出，直接感受，這就是“現量”。

何以見得“安祥是法的現量”？因為“法過語言文字”，法是超越了語言文字的。超越語言文字的法是什麽呢？就是法的本身、法的本體，也就是由語言文字、思維、辨說中升華出來的法的實質。由此我們可以知道：“所謂‘法’，是很難理解的”。法是什麽？大家說它是真理。真理是什麽？真理是原本如此的。原本是個什麽？原本沒有四萬個已發現的銀河係，沒有太陽係，沒有地球，沒有生物，也沒有人類。原本的法，是在三千大千世界形成以前就存在著的，這才是真實的法。這個超越語言文字的法是什麽呢？它的當體就是安祥。

我們為什麽說“法是超越語言文字的”？因為語言文字盡最大能力表達，充其量隻是相似，並不全等。而每個人的見解不同，每個人的資質不同，所以佛經上有盲人摸象之喻──有的人摸到耳朵，說它像把扇子；有的人摸到肚皮，說它像個大鍋；有的人摸到腿，說它像根柱子；……都不一樣，都不能窺見全體。


(二) 安祥是禪的生命

　　法是原本如此的，而安祥是法的現量，因此安祥就是禪的生命。

古人參禪學道，走遍百城煙水，所謂“芒鞋踏破嶺頭雲”——不辭千山萬水，不辭辛勤跋涉，來追求法的究竟。追求的是什麽法呢？絕不是什麽道理。真實的是原本的，原本就沒有什麽道理，他所能獲得的隻是一種安祥的心態，所以安祥才是禪的生命。

我們閱讀禪宗典籍，二祖見初祖最吃緊的一段對話，就是“我心未寧，乞師與安”。
初祖說：“拿心來！我替你安。”
二祖愣了一會兒說：“心，根本就找不到。”
初祖說：“是這樣的話，我已經替你安頓好了。”

這段對話在禪宗來講，非常重要。人為什麽要求法呢？求法的基本目的就是“求心安”。

人，不管他物質生活充實或貧乏，隻要他心裏非常安祥，就是在過著幸福的生活。不管他是處在什麽樣的地位，過著什麽形式的生活，如果心裏紊亂不安，這種生活就無異是對生命的一種煎熬。我們看禪宗的典籍，像六祖腰墜石頭踏碓舂米（碓，現在鄉下還看得到，都市就隻有碾米廠了），甚至有的人苦參苦學二三十年，他們所追求的是什麽呢？絕不是追求神秘。因為真理是普遍的，普遍的就是一般的，一般的就不是特殊的，可知神秘絕不是真理。他追求的既不是神秘，又不是理論，是什麽呢？就是內心的安祥。

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。所以唯有內心的安祥，才是禪者所尋覓、追求、殫精竭慮、瞬有存、息有養、精勤保任的無價奇珍。


(三) 安祥是正受的實證

　　什麽叫做正受？正受是佛經上的名詞。如果我們把它用通俗的話來說：“所謂正受，就是正確的感受。”

我們生命的所有感受，百分之九十九是不正確的。因為不正確，才使我們的心不安寧，使我們生活得矛盾、無奈，很亂、很苦。

何以我們的感受大多不正確呢？所謂的“感”，是依賴感官，感官就是眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意。靠著我們的眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意的感知，麵對色、聲、香、味、觸、法的六塵，在繽紛幻象當中，我們所認知的，我們所觀察的，都不是實在的東西。有的是一種幻象，有的是過眼雲煙，有的是因為我們的心態不正確而扭曲了外在的形象。所以我們沒有活在正確的感受裏，因此我們也沒有得到過人生的真實受用。

如果一個修行者苦行了幾十年，而沒有得到人生的真實受用，那不是太冤枉了嗎？我們看《指月錄》，有位香林遠禪師臨到圓寂的時候，很高興地說“老僧四十年才打成一片”，也就是說“雖然花了四十年的工夫，終究得到真正的受用啦！”

真正的受用是什麽呢？絕對不是出門有轎車，回家有全電氣化的生活享受，飲食可以食前方丈、滿漢全席，絕對不是指這個。你再有錢，給你兩客十二盎司牛排，你也吃不下去，勉強吃下去，你就要找醫生了。可知物質的滿足並不能填補生命的空虛，顯然這並不是學法所追求的目標。佛法所追求的真正受用，就是正受。那麽，正受又是什麽東西呢？那就是一種“沒有憂慮，沒有恐懼，沒有私欲，沒有攀緣，沒有矛盾，離開一切執著、一切相對”的調和、統一的心靈狀態。什麽叫做正受？正受就是一種統一、調和的心靈狀態，也即是真正修行者的真實受用。

心靈的統一、調和，非常難。如果我們心裏不調和，紊亂得很，即使是在美好的環境裏，也不能夠去領會、享受。因此“心靈的統一”應該是我們修行的根本目標，為什麽呢？因為就一般情況來說，沒有一個人的心靈是統一的，除非我們對自己下過一番自我認知的工夫，而能到達一切事、一切理、一切眾生的源頭處，否則的話，對自己的心靈，也不會察覺、發現是不統一的。你認為你的心靈是統一的，你認為你的人格是完整的，各位！實際上，你我大家的人格都是破碎的，心靈是分歧的，意識是多頭的。這話怎麽講呢？你明明想做這件事，再過幾分鍾你又不做了，你自己就反對你自己，你第二個意見否定你第一個意見；明明理智告訴你這樣做才對，但是你的情感告訴你不要這樣做；明明理智告訴你這件事是壞的，這個人是不可以接近的，但是你的情感鼓勵你、逼迫你、慫恿你，要你去接近他、去親近他；我們的心前一刻是喜悅的，後一刻是沮喪的。由此可知，我們的心靈沒有得到過真正的統一。

天下所有偉大的事業，都是在統一的心靈下完成的。如果我們不能做到心靈的統一，那就不可能發揮出生命的潛在力量；不能發揮潛在的力量，就是自己埋沒自己──在大部分時間、大多數的事務裏，不是別人限製你，而是你自己埋沒了自己。所以安祥就是一種心靈統一的狀態，就是佛經上講的“正受”。

正受，除了可以用“心靈的統一、調和的狀態”說明以外，也可以用“突破業障以後的心靈覺受”來解釋。

什麽叫業障？我們從出生到現在所有的思想行為的總和，就叫做“業”。

佛陀說“眾生皆有佛性”，為什麽我們見不到佛性？真理是普遍存在的，乃至於莊子說“道在屎尿”──不因為有大小便的地方就沒有真理；既然如此普遍、如此現成，為什麽看不到？就是因為有障。什麽障？業障。業障不能說是好或是壞，隻能說它是一個事實，它是你從出生到現在，生活、行為、想念的總和。這種“業”是如何形成的？它是由於“對外界事物的認同”、“對於意識素材的聯想”、“由自我出發的所有消極性的、破壞性的情緒的發露”。由於它與真實不同質，所以你便無法再見到真實，因為整個的業是虛假的東西，以虛假的東西去窺探真實，是不可能的。我們隻有突破了業的障礙，才有可能見到真實。所以我們時常說“人應該反省”，靠著反省，對於“如何形成自我人格”徹底了然以後，就有突破業障的可能。當我們把業的障礙突破了，我們就能清清楚楚、明明白白地見得到生命的真實，然後我們才能得到真實的受用──安祥。


　(四) 安祥是最高的生活藝術

　　無論任何學問、任何法則，倘使脫離了人生，它就不再有任何意義。雖然安祥是禪的生命、是法的現證，但它也是人生的最高生活藝術。

說到藝術，它的最高境界就是真、善、美。我們想一想：“在這宇宙中有什麽東西是最真的？”向外找，我們找不到。說到“真”，就離不開“純”，所謂“純真”，這地球上有沒有純真的東西呢？有！如果我們真要去追求純真的話，向外找是找不到的，隻有反求諸己才行。

當我們把內心變得調和、統一，離開一切相對，揚棄一切二元的概念，放棄由業力形成的自我，這個時候，我們的心是絕對安祥的。一顆絕對安祥的心，它是至真的，因為它沒有虛假，它沒有二元的東西，它也沒有邊見，它超越一切，如果勉強形容，那就是“我覺故我在”。所以唯有安祥的心態，才最純真，才是至真；也唯有安祥的心態，才是離諸相對的至善。我們講“善，就是好”，至善就是頂好。什麽東西頂好呢？唯有“離開一切相對，離開所有二元”的概念之後，所呈現的那種安祥的心態，才算頂好的至善。

安祥的心態是至美的，這可從兩方麵來講：

（1）是感覺之美：一個人當他內心秒秒安祥的時候，沒有想象、沒有煩惱、沒有相對、超越時空，這種感覺是非常美好的，也就是《大涅槃經》所講的“常、樂、我、淨”──永恒的美好，永恒的純潔，永恒的自覺，永恒的安祥。

（2）是感受之美：有些人他自己懷有病態的心理，因為心裏有陰影，看萬事萬物都陰森、都醜惡、都黯淡、都晦澀。但當他把心調和得非常安祥的時候，他就會發現“原來一切是這樣美好”，不但一沙一世界，而且是觸目菩提──萬物入眼都是真實而美好的。

我們以至真、至善、至美的心，而活在這個現象界，當然是最高的生活藝術。我們能夠如此活，生活對我們來說，才充滿生之喜悅，才是生命的享受，生活也才不再是對生命的懲罰。倘使生活中缺少了安祥，而懷著挫折、無奈、懷疑、恐懼、憂慮的心態去過活人生，那生活對生命來說，毫無疑問就是一種懲罰了。所以我們隻有活在安祥裏，才是真正的享受人生。


(五) 安祥是永不枯竭的幸福泉源

　　什麽是真幸福？內心安適，仰俯無愧。從一天到一年，從一年到一生，都能夠仰俯無愧，心安理得，活得很踏實，秒秒感受安祥，活在至真、至善、至美當中，這才是人生的最高幸福。

人若讓內心不安，幸福便無從建立。《左傳》上有個諸侯楚武王荊屍跟他太太鄧曼說“餘心蕩”──我最近心亂得很，安定不下來，心裏非常煩亂。他太太說“王心蕩，王祿盡矣”──你既然失去內心的安祥，你所擁有的一切也將會喪失了。隔了沒有多久，楚武王果然去世了。所以隻有活在安祥裏，才是真正的幸福；人若能生活在安祥的心態裏，就擁有了永不枯竭的幸福泉源，幸福就會永遠追隨著你。

由以上各點可以知道：

安祥是正受
安祥是三昧耶
安祥是真如
安祥是本心的現量
安祥就是摩訶般若的發露

我們為什麽一開始就不用這些名相？因為研究佛法最感苦惱的就是被名相所困擾，擋住了我們的視線，讓我們看不到真實義。

我們了解了“安祥是什麽”，就可以進一步討論：



　二、如何才能獲得安祥？


(一) 唯求心安

　　每個人有他不同的理念，叔孫豹主張人生三不朽──“立德、立功、立言”，這是他的生活理念；李白的秉燭夜遊，是他的生活向往。有些人追求物質的享樂，有些人追求功業的不朽，有些人活在蠅營狗苟、莫名其妙的自我迷失中。這些人，不管他是為了不朽的功業，或者是為了人生的享樂，在相對的二元的心態下，是不可能獲得安祥的。唯有摒棄私欲、功利，全心追求心安，才是追求解脫的正確理念。如果你不追求心安，你又怎麽能擁有安祥？

如何才能得到心安呢？那就要做到“為而不有，善而不居。”

什麽是“為而不有”？我們每個人都必須努力工作，都必須有自己的正業。我們努力追求良好的工作成果，但卻不必因為自己沒有得到相對的報酬而失望，也就是《禮運篇》講的“力，惡其不出於身也，不必為己”。我們每個人追求的應該是貢獻自我的機會，而不是自我標榜、自我功利，我們抱著這種心態去工作，就是“為而不有”──我們努力創造，但是並非為了自己占有更多。

什麽是“善而不居”？我們做了一件很完美的事情，但我們勿須沾沾自喜；我們做了一件別人做不到的事情，我們不要有優越感。能夠如此的話，我們就會活得無愧無怍、心安理得，就能夠得到內心的安祥。

有很多人，有了貢獻，沒有得到相對的報酬，就充滿了牢騷、抱怨，而破壞了內心的平衡。有些人品學兼優，不被重視，就感覺有一種被遺忘、被冷落、被否定的落寞感，像屈原就是這樣。這樣的人，他絕對活不下去，活在自憐裏的人，那多淒慘，當他撐不下去的時候，最後必定是自己毀滅自己。所以我們要獲得安祥，首先就是要有“隻求心安”的生活理念與生活態度。


(二) 宰製官能　懲治我欲

　　為什麽要“宰製官能”？我們為什麽會迷失？事實上我們成長的過程，就是我們迷失的過程。這話怎麽講？隨著我們的成長，也加深了我們對外在事物的認同，我們隨時受感官的支配：看到美好的事物，我們歡喜；看到不順眼的東西，我們厭惡；環境調和的時候，我們高興；到了環境低潮，產生一種壓抑感的時候，我們就會憤怒，或者就會悲觀，乃至沮喪；這都是說我們在受製於官能的支配。我們有個消化器官，拚命地覓食，覓食是合理的本能，是對的；但是覓得食物，還希望食前方丈，就墮落為官能的奴隸了。

不管是經濟蓬勃或蕭條，我們看台北每條馬路上的許多餐館，除非你事先訂座，倘若到了吃飯的時候才去吃，多半是沒有位置給你坐，“對不起！明天請早”。人們物質欲望的泛濫，已經充分地反映出精神生活的貧乏及心靈的沉淤。這是一個很可怕、很可悲的現象，絕不是我們在杞人憂天。

什麽叫“懲治我欲”呢？一個人的合理欲望是人類進化的動力，我時常說：“如果我們的老祖先都滿足於住鳥窩、住山洞、披獸皮的話，我們到今天也還會是那樣。因為我們的老祖宗有了改善生活的願望，所以一代一代地把生活品質提升。”合理的生活欲望，不是罪惡，但是超出範圍的私欲擴張，倒真是罪過了。

在我們閱讀曆史中，一個朝代的崩潰、一個國家的滅亡、一個社會的腐敗，以及若幹史前文明國家的沉淪，是被什麽毀滅的？無他，隻是私欲。私欲不僅可以汙染社會人群，腐蝕一個國家，而且當它擴展到極點時，它便會毀滅掉整個人類。

所謂私欲，它包含了占有欲、支配欲、領袖欲，還有自我保存。自我我欲的極點──“白天怕人，晚上怕鬼”，這樣活著，實在很苦，而曆史上的英雄豪傑多半是這類膽小鬼。

我們擁有感官，並不是罪惡，感官隻不過是我們生活必須的工具，是我們的附屬，但是我們要宰製它，不要讓它支配、牽製了我們才對。所謂“非禮勿視、非禮勿聽、非禮勿言、非禮勿動”，能夠做到這些，就會如王陽明所講的“天君泰然，百體從令”了。假如你有感官，而你又由它牽著鼻子走，那你這個人活得很慘，你不可能活得自由自在，也不可能獲致安祥。

欲，是無底之壑，永遠填不滿。所謂權勢、物質、虛榮，既不真實，也不永恒，它隻能構成對你生命的汙染、煎熬、懲罰，使你迷失，使你發狂。所以你必須控製它，讓自己活在合理的欲望中，也就是說“我們肚子餓了有東西吃，冷了有衣服穿，有房子可以遮避風雨，就已經足夠了”。進一步，“如何不忝此生？”──不要把這個寶貴的生命浪費掉，如何反省自己？如何淨化自己？如何使自己確確實實地認知自己？這是獲得安祥的第二個條件。


(三) 窮理徹源　識心達本

　　什麽叫“窮理徹源”？你追求真理，若跟螃蟹一樣橫著走，這樣的話，道理就多得很。等你眼睛一閉，離開人間的時候，道理還沒搞清楚，依然要做個糊塗鬼。所以你要找道理，一定要找到道理的源頭──道理從哪裏來？“水有源、木有本”，道理的源頭在哪裏？你必須窮追到一切事、一切理的源頭，才算了事。“智者不惑”，你若想斷惑，就必須把道理搞清楚；你若想真正搞清楚，就不單是要找到了道理，還要找到所有道理的“始祖”，那你才可能斷惑。人斷惑了以後，就不再有疑惑、不再有疑問、不再有無知，所以他就心安了。“心安，則吉祥”，他就安祥了。

為什麽要“識心達本”？要知道每個人都有心，而每個人的心都是三心二意、多頭馬車、自相矛盾、互相牽製，沒有辦法讓心靈統一，讓生命潛力集中發揮，沒有辦法表現出自己的價值。而你這一生也就這樣窩窩囊囊、糊糊塗塗地被徹底埋沒了。

什麽是“你原本的心”？我們為什麽要“識心達本”？因為所有理性的學問都公認“真實的是原本的”──隻有你那個原本的心，才是真實的心、永恒的自己。所以你要努力“認識自己”，自己尚不認識，認識別人是沒有用的。

一個自我迷失的人，做什麽事都不會成功，所以人首先要“認識自己”。而認識自己，自己生命的本質就是“心”，“心”不是你的表層意識──由眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意對色、聲、香、味、觸、法所感知、所累積的這一層法塵。你如果認為你現在的分別心是你，那你是認賊作子，終歸無常；如果你說你現在的分別心不是你，你又在自我否定。這個問題很麻煩！你若說這個表層意識不是你，無風不起浪，它從什麽地方來的？又憑借什麽存在？“煩惱即菩提”──沒有菩提，連煩惱你也不會感知。一塊石頭，它能感受煩惱嗎？必定你有覺性，你才感受得到煩惱。所以你若追求自我，首先便要認識自我；認識自我，就是認識自己的心，認識“聖主”未曾蒙塵以前的原本真心。能夠做到這一點，你就能夠得到安祥。

為了說明這個條件是必要而且是足夠的，我可以跟各位講：“很多人聽說別人開悟，總認為這個家夥一定是悟出來一套大道理──一套‘放之四海而皆準，百世以俟聖人而不惑’的真理。實在說，沒有這回事。誰若是因開悟而講出一篇大道理來，那這個人是神經病。”

有人說這個家夥開悟了，大概有了神通變化。我告訴各位：“真實的是原本的──原本沒有人、沒有神、沒有佛，神通從哪裏來？神通也不是真實的。”

那麽說這個人悟了，悟了個什麽東西呢？很簡單，所謂的“悟”，就是“窮理徹源、識心達本”，也就是說，當下一切問題、一切問號統統消失，統統不見了，一切煩惱、一切業障統統瓦解冰消了，而當時自己生命所唯一擁有的隻有兩個字：“安祥”。如果不是這樣，那就不是真悟。

各位！假如你在打坐的時候胡思亂想，想出了一篇大道理，你一拍腿，跳起來說：“我悟了。”那你要小心一點兒，小心走火入魔啊！真正大徹大悟了，能得到什麽？也隻不過是得到了“安祥”而已。

那麽，如何才能夠“窮理徹源、識心達本”？這八個字，說起來簡單，做起來要有方法才行，方法不對，就沒有效果。如何才能夠“窮理徹源、識心達本”？有兩句話：第一句話是“致虛極，守靜篤”，第二句話是“守本真心”。

什麽叫做“致虛極”？我們所看到的一切，總感覺都是實在的；山是山，水是水，統統實在。我們既然認同一切實在，我們便隻能活在相對的生活中，我們那個絕對的心靈就被壓抑了。必須過活得非常虛，不但虛，而且虛到極點，走在地上好像走在海綿上一樣（開悟前會有這種感覺）！

靜篤，不但要靜，要靜到極點，否則便是“萬法本閑，唯人自鬧”了。

有人說這是執著，很多人認為：你看！又“致”，又“守”，這都是動詞，都是有為法，都是執著。你若這麽看，你根本不懂佛法。佛法是“不住無為、不盡有為”的──有為，而不執著有為，才是無為；無為，而執著無為，就是有為。所以唯信能入。

你要能夠虛，盡量地虛。你打坐打得很好，有人吵了你的安寧，你就發脾氣，這證明外在的一切在你心裏是實在的，對你來講，是兩個；佛法是不二法門，你到處都是兩個乃至多個，與修行絕不相應。所謂“外門閉、內門開”，這是修密宗閉黑關的著眼點。所以修行人一定要虛，要虛到極點；不但要靜，要靜上加靜。這樣的話，才比較容易相應。

什麽叫“守本真心”呢？五祖弘忍大師《最上乘論》裏一再說到這四個字──守本真心。

剛剛修行的人，唱高調說要自在、要灑脫、要無我，說俏皮話、嘴巴滑溜是沒有用的，見了閻王，你那一套一點都用不上；而觸境遇緣煩惱重重，你又莫可奈何。所以從達摩大師到五祖都是倡導觀心的；以後雖然很少用觀心的詞句，本質上也離不開觀心。觀心有三個階段：

第一階段：由反省而觀心。學佛法都是要先反省。學任何一個法門，都是先反省懺悔，否則障不除，不能相應。先在反省的時候觀心，可以幫助你認識自己──你究竟是個什麽樣的人？在座的包括我，都認為自己是個好人，自己是個完整而統一的人，自己是一個非常善良的人，自己是一個言寡尤、行寡悔、可以無大過矣的人，其實，絕對不然。如果認真反省一番，就會發現“自己根本不是個人”。如果承認過去所做、所為、所想，根本不是人，接近沒有進化的動物；然後勇於麵對自我，才可能做到真實的懺悔，才會獲得實質的進步。如果不能夠勇於麵對自我，永遠保持那種虛偽的假象，誰也救不了你。所以第一步要觀察“自我是個什麽？”

第二階段：使每一念都不要漏過。萌生一念，自己立刻知道，而自己始終用最客觀的立場，來批判自己的念頭。這個念頭太不好、太黯淡，就自己打自己耳光，乃至於說話、做事，都要觀察自己的念頭，不讓念頭自由活動。如果我們要思維一件事──有目的的思維，應集中心力去思維它，那叫“正思維”；如果我們不需要思維任何事時，不要讓念頭像無韁之馬，自由奔馳，否則就會攪亂了心地。

第三階段：要觀察“念從哪裏來”。明白“念從哪裏來”，就可能找到自己原本無念的真心。找到了無念的本心，就要守住它，“守住”才不會迷失於妄想與認同之中。

哪個是無念的本心呢？記得十幾年前，我在東引服務時，有一天在禪定中得到了幾句話（為什麽說得到呢？這不是書上看到的，也不是我自己的創意）。這幾句話是“以子之心，覺子之覺，以子之覺，覺子之心。覺者是心，是心自覺，覺心不二，允稱正覺。”這幾句話極為究竟，它給我的啟示是什麽呢？“覺者是心，是心自覺”，不是覺到外麵，也不是外麵覺進來，套用笛卡爾那句話的模式──我“覺”故我在。

觀心觀到最後的階段，就是“我覺故我在”，就是“守本真心”。你守著你的心，它才不會亂跑；你守著你的真實的心，“真實的是原本的”，守原本的本心，就是守“真如”。後來禪宗的子孫看了這個“守”字，覺得用得太拙，其實“拙”就是大智慧。你若能夠守你原本的心，那就是守摩訶般若，也就是以後講的“保任”，名詞雖然不同，它的含意完全一樣，而我認為“守本真心”更明確、更積極。


　(四) 如法精進

　　“如法”就是照著佛經上所說的方法，照著師父教導的方法。什麽叫做“精進”？精者不雜，進者不退。不要摻雜，不要五光十色、五花八門都弄進去，要一心不二。佛陀說“製心一處，事無不辦”，你要精進，殫精竭慮，隻有這一件大事。古人說：“大事未明，如喪考妣；大事已明，如喪考妣。”這話很值得玩味：大事沒有搞清楚，好像死了爹娘一樣；大事搞清楚了，又像死了爹娘一樣。這個滿好玩的，隻可意會，不可言傳，所以要精進。

安祥是由心安無愧得來的。
安祥是由保持合理的欲望，不放縱私欲得來的。
安祥是由證得宇宙人生的真實得來的。

所以我們得到安祥以後，就會活得踏實、活得瀟灑、活得自在、活得無罪一身輕。

剛才我們說到“什麽是安祥？如何才能獲得和擁有安祥？”我們現在就要說“安祥有什麽用？有什麽好處？”現在就要討論“安祥之美”了。



　三、安祥的美好


(一) 安祥能使人充滿生命的活力

　　一個擁有安祥的人，身體自然健康，疾病減少，相好莊嚴（相貌美好又莊嚴）。真正學禪而上路的人，連相貌都會改變。大家如果在老朋友當中互相觀察，將會發現有人已經把內在的安祥之美發露到表麵上來了，而表現出清雅脫俗，當然他的生活也必然充滿幸福、和諧，使人感到和藹可親，堪能信賴。因此他的人生便非常通暢，障礙自然減少，合理的欲望都會實現，正確的努力也會成功，而且可以消千災於無形，遏百難於未萌。一切災難都有原因，沒有災難的因，就沒有災難的果。所以對於一位秒秒安祥的人來說，千災不會降臨，百難不會萌生，整個人生活得瀟灑自在，大吉大利。


　(二) 安祥堪報不報之恩

　　一個擁有安祥的人，每一秒鍾都散發著他生命的光輝，構成他生命的磁場，進入他生命磁場的人，立刻感覺到安祥──心浮氣躁的人感覺到一陣清涼；忿恨不平的人感覺到無比溫馨；煩惱痛苦的人感覺到非常舒暢；心灰意冷的人感覺到極大鼓舞。在你有生之年的活動半徑中，到處散播出燦爛的心光，到處散播出安祥、和諧的靈氣。雖然你無心以有為法報四重恩，但是你已經報了，這就叫做堪報不報之恩──不用報恩，已經報恩了。

如果我們每個人都能夠散播安祥，我們的社會就是個祥和的社會；我們人人散播安祥，我們的國家就是一個富強康樂、所有邪惡勢力無法侵害的國家。

我們要報親恩、報國恩、報天地恩、報眾生恩，就必須保持內心的安祥。當我們內心固定了安祥的時候，可以使七代祖先超升。安祥既然是這麽美好，當然值得我們拚生命的全力去追求、去獲得、去保有。


(三) 安祥可以奉獻心力　享受人生

　　一個安祥者，他的心是統一的，他的心力是集中的，當他進行正思維時，是鋒利無比的，他具有最高的創造力。一個人到了心靈安祥的境地，如果他有一個疑問，而肯不停地用安祥心去思考，不要兩三天就會得到一個嶄新的答案。他對國家、對人群、對社會都能夠提供卓越的貢獻，而不會是社會的包袱，不會給社會帶來負值。

他每一秒鍾都活在安祥裏，他沒有不滿、沒有懷疑、沒有嫉妒、沒有牢騷、沒有抱怨、沒有忿怒、沒有恐懼，所以他是活在滿足中，他的人生是享受的人生。



四、何以失去安祥？

說到這裏，我們要討論：何以太多的人失去了安祥？


(一) 惑於感官　逐相而沉

　　我們追逐那些外在的幻象，把自己沉沒在幻象當中，迷失了自己。當我們迷失了自己的時候，就被世間的幻象所誘惑，就被感官的官能所牽製，半點不得自由，哪裏還會有安祥？即或有安祥的人，如果受感官的支配，他的安祥也會消失。


(二) 突出自我我欲　背離責任義務

　　突出自我我欲──我想怎麽樣？人的欲望沒有止境。秦始皇說一世、二世，將至億萬世；漢武帝認為漢朝基業將會永垂不朽，因為把幾千年的邊患都削平了。但是他們死的時候都很悲哀、失望、空虛、沮喪，為什麽？他們吃了很多長生不死的藥，結果卻發現自己的確是活不下去了。

我欲，是貧窮的標誌，在我們擴張私欲的同時，也顯示了我們心靈的貧乏。所以一個一意追求私欲的人，同時也便背棄了責任義務。

人應該怎麽活？人應該活在責任義務裏，人應該負起每個人自己的責任。

人若想活得通暢，隻有活在責任義務當中。因為你不管在哪個機關做事，不管你的工作崗位是什麽，如果想活得不黯淡、不窩囊、不委屈、不晦澀，能抬頭挺胸，你就必須盡到應盡的責任，滿足責任對你的要求。因為人的價值可與經濟學旁通，經濟學講“邊際效用”，人也是一樣，誰最能構成社會人群的需要，誰就最重要；誰若無法滿足工作的需求，工作對他來講，就不需要。所以人的工作，不管在任何地方，應該要使別人覺得自己“有你不多，沒有你嫌少”。如果讓人家覺得“有你嫌多，沒有你最好”，那就糟糕了。所以人不能夠為了放棄責任義務而使自己良心產生一種虧欠，也不能為了省些精神而損害到自己的自尊。

人，除了責任義務，沒有別的。所有最偉大的人，像孫中山先生，他們都是活在責任義務中的。他們內心所承受的負荷，不是我們能想象得到的，他們麵對的難題那麽多，他們每一天都沒有輕鬆的日子，因為這個多難的國家給予他們的擔子太重了。

任何一個人必須是活在責任義務裏，他才活得通暢、光明、坦然、無愧。如果一個人不盡責任、不盡義務而想活得很好，除了甘做小偷、盜賊，成為人們看不起、最可恥、最低級的人以外，就別無他途；這種人活著，豈非多餘？不隻是社會的包袱，更是一種汙染；對他自己來講，就無異是對生命的一種煎熬了。這種人不會活得快樂，因為“為善最樂”，而他為惡，會最樂嗎？你看看那些被通緝的人、那些殺人犯、那些詐欺犯，看起來都不像人樣，為什麽？“誠於中，形於外”，活得實在很苦，真是萬般無奈。所以人隻有安心地活在責任義務裏，他才不會失去安祥。

人若逃避責任、逃避義務，他就沒有內心的安祥。父母養育我們是權利嗎？我們養育子女是為了養老嗎？絕對不是。如果說是這樣的話，報載有一個男孩已經全身癱瘓了，還有一個女孩子成了植物人，他們的爸媽伺候他們二十多年，是為什麽？人絕不是活在功利裏邊，人隻有活在責任義務裏，一切唯求心安，才夠資格擁有安祥。人若一旦放棄責任義務，就不可能再擁有安祥。


(三) 偏離正法　遠離中道

　　正法就是中道，偏離了那個恰到好處的中道，背棄了真實永恒的法則，便不可避免地喪失了安祥。

偏離中道最厲害的，就是我執與法執──自我執著與對於法的謬執。狹義地說，認為有一個“一成不變，放之四海而皆準，百世以俟聖人而不惑”的真理，這就是法執。認為有一個真實不變的我，其實沒有。談到我，很多人到現在還糊塗──為什麽佛經上很多地方說“無我”，有的時候又強調“常、樂、我、淨”呢？大家要知道“真實的我，是生命的共相；真實的我，是生命的原態；真實的我，是永恒的我，是自他不二的我。而虛偽的我，卻是爾為爾、我為我，人我之際分得那麽清楚”。“後天所形成的我”與“無我之真我”是迥然不同的，由於遺傳因子、生長環境、所受教育、自己父母的社會層麵所影響自己活動、接觸的半徑，以及爾後受師友的影響……，這些東西等於電腦裝填資料。沒有裝資料的電腦，人人相同，自他不二；裝了資料的電腦，就迥然不同了。所以我們講“無我”，就是沒有六塵所積的我；我們說“有我”，就是生命的“我覺故我在”的真實的、永恒的我。我們不要迷失，就是不要把“虛假的我”當作“真實的我”，不要讓“真實的我”被六塵埋葬掉。所以偏離正法，就會迷失。



　五、失去安祥的後果


(一) 生命失去源頭活水

　　失去了安祥的人，使生命陷於枯澀、黯淡，讓自己活得挫折、無奈。

沒有安祥，我們的生命就沒有了根基，所謂“業海茫茫，無本可據”。說到哪個是自我？我們為何而活？百年以後，我們把身體所有的六十兆細胞歸還給地球，我們自己還能保有什麽？必然會茫然無措。我們知道，一個無本可據的人，必不能端正人生方向，也難免會犯很多錯誤；而錯誤又恒等於煩惱，一個人不可能活在錯誤中而安祥自在；人若活在錯誤中，人也一定是活在煩惱中。人若不停止製造錯誤，人也便沒有辦法摒棄煩惱、排除煩惱。所以說沒有安祥的人生，是煩惱的人生，是罪惡的人生，而錯誤必得煩惱，罪惡終歸毀滅。


(二) 百病從心生

　　生命一旦失去了源頭活水，就會百病叢生，生命力也會呈現出萎縮、晦澀。一個失去安祥的人，會因為生命的閉塞而常常抱怨、不滿、委屈、牢騷、嫉妒、懷疑、主觀自是、任性驕傲，陷人生於黯淡挫折，身體也便跟著不健康了。

講空話，是沒有用的，這些都可以找到實證。各位不妨邊聽我說、邊去找熟知的對象，就你的親戚、朋友、同學、同事中，比對一下，就會得到證實。

人保持健康，不僅要認識“病從口入”，而且不要忘了我們的老祖宗《黃帝內經》上開宗明義說的一句話──“百病從心生”。你可以看：凡是逞強、好勝、想出風頭、怕落別人之後的人，多半都有鼻竇炎。得鼻竇炎的人，多半主觀好勝、想出風頭、想贏人家。這樣久而久之，主觀好勝的人就免不了罹患鼻竇炎。

有很多人在小孩子的時候受到溺愛，除了要天上的星星摘不到無法給他以外，要什麽，有什麽，父母竭盡所能來滿足小孩子的願望，不管他合不合理，隻要他要求，就可以獲得。以後，他逐漸長大，年齡雖然越來越大，但是個性卻越來越強，慣性依然存在。小的時候要玩具、要西瓜、要芭樂，這些你都做得到啊！大了以後，他要飛機、要汽車，這就難一點了，他若要個太空船，你能做得到嗎？諸如此類，嬌生慣養的人長大以後，必然任性；任性的結果，就會遭到很多的挫折，而他又不能夠隨時發露，不敢對任何人都發脾氣，於是就會得氣喘病。太多的不滿悶在心裏，就會使人得氣喘病。他感覺人生沒有溫暖，人生是蒼涼的，人生使他不如意，他的脊背就會發涼。得氣喘病的人，背部上半截，你摸摸看，夏天都是涼的。

有很多人，罹患胃潰瘍，為什麽？就是擔心。也就是說，對消極性的認同──凡事不往好的地方想，偏往壞的地方想，習慣於擔憂，總認為“這件事恐怕要糟；那件事若壞了，怎麽辦呢？”製造著惡性循環的黯淡聯想，久而久之，精神消化力差，事情擺在心裏消化不了，影響到生理上的消化不良。

我們的神經有兩種：一種是運動神經，一種是植物神經。所謂植物神經，就是自律神經。我們可以叫手舉起來，因為那是運動神經。我們不能叫心跳慢一點兒或跳快一點兒，也不能叫腸胃停止不動，因為那是自律神經。我們以為就不會支配、影響到它，實際上我們還是在直接影響它。當我們離開家鄉很久之後，跟幾個好朋友談說家鄉什麽東西好吃，比方說：吳先生到台北時，聊天說到府城的肉粽、度小月的擔仔麵，說著說著，嘴裏就會流口水了，為什麽？還沒有吃，就先完成消化準備了。人的心理絕對支配生理。

有些新兵進入前線陣地，聽到一陣槍響，就要拉肚子。為什麽要拉肚子？因為槍一響，一緊張，一刺激，膽汁大量分泌；膽汁大量分泌以後，就增加腸蠕動；增加腸蠕動，就會拉肚子了。所以人哪！你的健康、你的幸福，都決定於你的心態。

有很多貪心太重的人，會罹患腎髒病。

有很多人驕恣任性，什麽叫任性？我想怎麽樣，就一定得怎麽樣，如果不怎麽樣，就要生氣。像這種人，他第一階段，若睡午覺起來，會感覺得頭昏腦脹；睡了一夜的覺，早上起來精神反而還沒有下午的好。這種人到了老年以後，多半會人格喪失。你們見過人格喪失的人沒有？六七十歲的老頭，站在電線杆底下解小便，毫無價值觀念，也沒有自覺了，跟小孩子一齊搶糖果吃，這就叫“人格喪失”，這就是由主動力引發的反動心態。自我意識太突出的人，最後因為心力消耗太多，到了老年，就變成沒有自我意識了，物極必反之故。

有很多疑心太重的人，總是懷疑、猜忌──這個人講這話對我不利，他一定是在罵我，而胡思亂想，喜歡聯想，這種人會罹患風濕關節炎。風濕關節炎怎麽來的？是由懷疑、猜忌、妄想而來。

有很多人經常以主觀的價值標準、以任性的態度，衡量別人的行為，常常會感到失望、生氣，認為別人都不對，而形成偏激。偏激，到最後就會罹患三叉神經炎，頭痛如裂，很不好治啊！開刀割不好，傷到別的神經，人會殘廢。用鈷六十放射線照射，照好了以後，半身麻木，起碼半個臉會麻木。

有些人放縱本能，所謂本能，就是食、色──盡情揀好的吃，有錢不吃幹什麽？認為自古名士皆風流，於是放縱本能，縱情酒色。放縱的結果，加上精神的刺激，由嫉妒、懷疑所引發的一種暴怒，就會引發糖尿病。實際上，糖尿病就是由放縱本能加上一種情緒激動所引發的。當然我們不能夠一概而論，因為一般人當中也有特殊的，糖尿病有遺傳性，還有不明的原因。

有些人喜歡多講話，多講話的壞處很多：第一，他會使自己迷失。本來內心很安祥的，滔滔不絕地講了半天，再去找安祥，安祥溜走了，你慢慢去體驗吧！第二，話多的人，男人話多，容易得疝氣；女人長舌，白帶特別多。如果每一件都再繼續舉例，那就舉不完了，就到此為止。

總而言之，當你內心失去安祥的時候，就會百病叢生，“菑（同災）必逮夫身”。一切的疾病都會圍繞著你，因為當你內心不平衡的時候，內分泌也不平衡了，既然不能“天君泰然”，那就不會“百體從令”了。因而障礙重重，身心失調，望之不似人君，跟別人接洽公務，社交活動，別人都有一種躲開你的衝動，跟你在一起，感覺心裏很難過。這樣，你的人生還會通暢嗎？你辦事還會辦得通嗎？你必然活得晦澀、黯淡、挫折、無奈，生活對你來說，便成為懲罰了。

所以生活中如果沒有了安祥，真是生不如死。我們失去了安祥以後，也就褪失了生命的華彩，使自己不再相好（相貌美好），不再瀟灑，不再有內在美，乃至外在都醜惡了。

我們不是談一個問題就要去強調它，你們各位回憶看看：尤其是女人，到了年紀大了，沒有人的時候，坐在那個地方，白天打瞌睡，晚上睡不著，來了人，就是發牢騷，說：“我對誰如何好哇！現在長大了，對我不孝順……”都是不滿，所以這位老太太一站起來腿就發酸。如果她能認知“每個人都有他的人生態度，我們對人的態度應該有分際，不必去管別人如何”，她就沒有病了，就可以去爬山了。

所以人一旦失去了安祥，同時便會褪失了生命的華彩。是女孩子，不會再容光照人；是男孩子，就麵目可憎。用通俗的話說：“這個人就現出衰相，就顯得倒楣。”所以人失掉了安祥，生活就變得黯淡，就充滿了矛盾、挫折、無奈。



六、如何保持安祥？

我們既然了解安祥是這麽好，安祥又可以求之有其道，而失落了安祥的人是這麽悲慘，我們就應該拚命追求，並保持安祥才對。至於如何保持安祥呢？


(一) 反觀自心　正確認知

　　安祥是一種調和、統一、自在、自覺的心靈狀態。你們各位現在花幾秒鍾反觀自己的心：是不是感覺得很安祥？是不是沒有雜念？是不是空空朗朗？是不是沒有煩惱？是不是沒有興奮？是不是沒有過去、未來？如果是的話，這個就是安祥的心態，也是你原本的心態。隻要你能保持它，就節省了你十萬年修行的努力。

我們為什麽不說是“三昧耶”？不說是“正受”？不說是“正覺”？不說是“摩訶般若”？不說是“真如、自性”？不說是“本心”？而說是“安祥”？因為古人以三十年為一世，作為一個文化的時區，也就是文化時間的區分；每一個時代有它自己的語言，如果我們現在用一兩千年前的語言，我們就感覺得有點兒晦澀，不夠明朗，而且它障礙了我們察覺真相，障礙了我們體會真實。所以我們如果用一、兩千年以前的名相，不如采用現在的語言。我們說是“三昧耶”，大家感覺有點兒陌生；若說“安祥”，大家在感覺上會親切些。


(二) 停止尋覓　守本真心

　　禪既然是以安祥為內涵，那我們就不要去東尋西覓，任你找來找去，也不可能找到什麽，不如“歸來偶對梅花嗅，春在枝頭已十分”，用不著“芒鞋踏破嶺頭雲”了。隻要秒秒“守本真心”，隻要努力瞬有存、息有養，保任此事就夠了。而保任此事是跟錯誤、罪惡不並存的，一定要痛改前非、揚棄自己的罪惡，才能擁有並保持安祥。

安祥，有的是從修行而得；修行而得，要經過三大阿僧祇劫。這個不是誇張的話，生生不退轉，也要個十萬八萬年，所以“修而得”很難，而別人傳心給你很容易。但是“難得的”能夠保持，“容易得的”不知珍惜，反而容易退失。因此大家如果掉以輕心，就辜負這一段法緣。大家要努力保持，不要隨便把它遺忘、拋失才好。

雖然安祥可以由修行而得，也可以由傳心而得，但是不管你是怎麽得來的，都要不斷地修行。修行不是個神秘的名詞，不是出家人專用的名詞，而是人人應該做的課題。


(三) 揚棄錯誤　不斷修正

　　修行，就是修正你的思想、行為。常常觀心，對於不正、錯誤、罪惡、黯淡、虛偽的念頭，要批判自己、懲罰自己、警惕自己、告誡自己，使它不再重複。人多半是或濃或淡地活在錯誤當中，人不能夠免於錯誤，但是不要把錯誤重複下去，重複下去，那就永遠活在黑暗中；也不要把罪惡重複下去，若重複下去，最後得到的一定是毀滅。

我們必須確知：“人隻要是活在錯誤當中，他也不得不活在煩惱當中。”而人最大的弱點是姑息自己、苛求別人。我請各位記住一句話：“最會原諒自己的人，最得不到別人的諒解和佛天的原諒；最肯責備自己的人，最容易得到別人的原諒和佛天的寬恕。”

我們不要長著眼睛光看別人，不看自己。不要活在放縱、任性、自我寬恕當中，這樣會形成惡性循環，使生命一天比一天萎縮。現在講，你不相信，等惡果成熟的時候，你求老師，老師也愛莫能助。偉大的釋迦牟尼、真主耶穌，並不能救他的釋迦族人跟猶太人。人，隻能自救。而自救最有效的方法，就是修行──不斷地修正自己的想念和行為。


(四) 即知即行　解行相應

　　最後告訴各位，要“力行”，要“即知即行”，做到“解行相應”。坐在這裏，光“知”不“行”，這種“知”就變成了廢知識，跟酒精的廢卡路裏一樣，它對你沒有幫助。而且沒有用的知識裝得越多，對你的人生、對你的智慧障礙越大。你知道那些名相，背熟那些名詞，對你有什麽用？

有很多修行人，泥跡失神，抱了幾本經去啃，希望能得道。結果最後臨死的時候，證明隻是被經所轉，並沒有轉經。



七、結語

總而言之：

離開安祥，就沒有修行者的真實受用；
離開安祥，就沒有禪的真生命、真血脈；
離開安祥，也沒有真實的法。
所有的法，都是在日常生活和人的內心生根的。
如果我們不下反省懺悔的工夫，不毅然決然揚棄所有的錯誤；
如果我們甘願被官能擺布、操縱、牽製；
如果我們以聯想、冥想、幻想為享受；
如果我們對外在的事物慣於認同；
如果我們習慣於發露破壞性的、消極性的情緒──不滿、抱怨、憤怒、嫉妒、毀謗；
我們將永遠得不到安祥。
謝謝各位！

 

 

THE BEAUTY OF AN-HSIANG
GENG YUN  July 21^st ,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.

I. WHAT IS AN-HSIANG?

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.

II. How to Attain An-hsing?

(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”.

III. 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.

VI. How to Maintain An-hsiang

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.

VII. Conclusion

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!