Chinese
卍新续藏第 63 册 No. 1222 修禅要诀 No. 1222-A 刻修禅要诀序 昔者世高法护译出禅经。僧光昙猷等并依教修心。后什公入关。僧睿请出禅法要以来。往往有其人矣。达磨西来。僧稠东起以后。斯风大振。至唐中叶。金智无畏等三藏传秘密禅。别为流派。今斯所传。义兼显密。法辨华梵。实为要诀。先得数本校以藏箧。朱盈居士有信之人也。谋余刻以弘通。余曰。弥天有谓曰。禅思守玄。炼微入寂。在取何道。犹[古*见]于掌。堕废斯要而希见证。不亦难乎。然则入佛道要门。盖莫过焉。今子举之。谁不随喜乎。于是乎序。 天明四年甲辰之冬 播磨沙门 智晖 撰 No. 1222 修禅要诀 北天竺婆罗门禅师佛陀波利(唐云觉爱)。随问略说。 西京禅林寺沙门明恂问并随口录。 同寺梵僧慧智法师传译。 于时大唐仪凤二年丁丑岁也。 问。此方古今学禅者。多不能免禅诸障难。以之观之。将恐此地禅匠得法不尽。徘徊斯久。无处申疑。今忽仰逢昙华示喻。得承即欲还国。重会无期。幸希慈降具说禅要。庶令学者的有归凭。 答。禅法渐授。不合顿说。何得具陈。 问。仰承既欲西还。 现代汉语译本 《修禅要诀序》 昔日，世高（An Shigao，人名）和法护（Dharmaraksa，人名）翻译出禅经。僧光（Sengguang，人名）、昙猷（Tanyou，人名）等人皆依教修心。后来鸠摩罗什（Kumarajiva，人名）入关中，僧睿（Sengrui，人名）请他翻译禅法要义。往往有这样的人出现。自菩提达摩（Bodhidharma，人名）西来，僧稠（Sengchou，人名）在东魏兴起之后，禅风大振。到了唐朝中叶，善无畏（Subhakarasimha，人名）、金刚智（Vajrabodhi，人名）等三藏法师传授秘密禅法，别成流派。如今所传的禅法，义理兼顾显教和密教，法则辨析华夏和印度的不同，实在是修禅的要诀。我先前得到几份抄本，校对后藏在箱子里。朱盈居士是位有信仰的人，他想刻印流通。我说：‘弥天（Mitian，人名）曾说，禅思在于守住玄妙，修炼精微以进入寂静。如果能掌握正确的方法，就像看掌纹一样清晰。如果抛弃这些要点却希望证悟，不是很难吗？’如此说来，进入佛道的要门，没有比这更重要的了。现在你发起此事，谁会不随喜赞叹呢？’因此作序。 天明四年甲辰之冬 播磨沙门 智晖 撰 修禅要诀 北天竺婆罗门禅师佛陀波利（Buddhapali，唐朝时被称为觉爱）随问略说。 西京禅林寺沙门明恂（Mingxun，人名）记录并整理。 同寺梵僧慧智法师（Huizhi，人名）传译。 时在大唐仪凤二年丁丑年。 问：此地自古至今学禅之人，大多不能避免禅修中的各种障碍和困难。由此看来，恐怕此地的禅师们没有完全掌握禅法的精髓。我在此徘徊已久，无处请教疑问。如今忽然有幸遇到您，如昙花一现般出现并开示，得知您即将返回故国，重逢之日遥遥无期。希望您能慈悲降临，详细说明禅修的要点，以便让学禅之人有所依凭。 答：禅法需要循序渐进地传授，不适合一下子全部说出，怎么能详细陈述呢？ 问：听闻您即将西行回国。
English
English version Preface to 'Essential Keys to Cultivating Dhyana' In the past, An Shigao and Dharmaraksa translated Dhyana Sutras. Monks like Sengguang and Tanyou all cultivated their minds according to the teachings. Later, when Kumarajiva entered Guanzhong, Sengrui requested him to translate the essentials of Dhyana methods. There have often been such people. Since Bodhidharma came from the West and Sengchou rose in the Eastern Wei Dynasty, this trend has greatly flourished. By the mid-Tang Dynasty, Tripitaka masters like Subhakarasimha and Vajrabodhi transmitted secret Dhyana, forming separate schools. The Dhyana transmitted now combines both exoteric and esoteric meanings, and its principles distinguish between Chinese and Indian traditions. It truly contains essential keys. I previously obtained several copies, collated them, and stored them in a box. Layman Zhu Ying is a person of faith and intends to have them printed and circulated. I said, 'Mitian once said, Dhyana meditation lies in guarding the profound, refining the subtle to enter stillness. If one grasps the correct method, it is as clear as seeing the lines on one's palm. If one abandons these essentials but hopes to attain enlightenment, is it not difficult?' Thus, entering the essential gateway to the Buddha's path, there is nothing more important than this. Now that you are initiating this, who would not rejoice and applaud?' Therefore, I write this preface. Winter of the Jia Chen Year, Tianming 4th Year, Written by the Shramana Zhihui of Harima Essential Keys to Cultivating Dhyana The Brahmin Dhyana Master Buddhapali (translated as 'Awakened Love' in the Tang Dynasty) from Northern India, briefly explained according to questions. Recorded and compiled by the Shramana Mingxun of the Chanlin Temple in Western Capital. Translated by the Sanskrit Monk and Dharma Master Huizhi of the same temple. At the time, it was the Dingchou Year, the second year of the Yifeng era of the Great Tang Dynasty. Question: Those who study Dhyana in this land, from ancient times to the present, mostly cannot avoid the various obstacles and difficulties in Dhyana practice. Judging from this, I fear that the Dhyana masters in this land have not fully grasped the essence of Dhyana. I have lingered here for a long time, with nowhere to ask my doubts. Now, I am fortunate to encounter you, appearing and instructing like a fleeting Udumbara flower, and I hear that you are about to return to your country, with no certain date for reunion. I hope you can compassionately descend and explain in detail the essential points of Dhyana, so that those who study Dhyana may have something to rely on. Answer: Dhyana methods should be taught gradually, not all at once. How can I explain everything in detail? Question: I hear that you are about to travel west and return to your country. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
渐授即当无寄。佛法既有开制。幸赐勿阻机缘。 答。据此实亦可矜。但可有问随说耳。 问。有人言。经说禅定牢固者。如来灭后第三五百年也。时今远矣。不合修禅。若据此言。合修禅不。 答。经亦广云修禅。若据佛本不灭。何论之久近也。西方现今坐得四禅八定者。其数极多。不可胜计。若言不合。其事如何。三慧之中禅是修慧。今时岂可但学闻思不许修也。此言偏据极。非通说。虽引佛经。其间非无邪正。且于圣教偏举一文以蔽多义者。此当魔说耳。深可察之。深可察之。 问。比见学禅者多有失心。令既已无所复用。因废万行。虚度一生。下情以此。但欲余修。且不修禅得不。 答曰。不也。禅是六度之第五。亦是三学中定学。安得不修。亦既有人因食噎死。岂即不食耶。其失心者。只是不善方法耳。若解方便。千万无失。幸勿疑怖。决定须修。北天竺有一僧。每习多闻而不学定。彼时读诵经。忽有天来掩其口而语曰。汝闻思足矣。何不习禅以之验之。纵修余行而不学定者。于佛法中未为全得。 问。性多散乱者。学定何由可得。 答。猕猴尚能坐禅。况乃人而不得也。学定难者。只为前生未曾习耳。今复不学。于未来何可得。岂令弥历长久而不得耶。更期 现代汉语译本： 问：如果按照次第渐进地传授佛法，就应当没有固定的模式。佛法既然有开许和限制，希望您不要阻止我的机缘。 答：根据你所说的，确实值得同情。但可以根据提问来随缘解说。 问：有人说，佛经上说禅定牢固的时期，是在如来佛灭度后的第三个五百年。现在距离那个时期已经很久远了，不适合修习禅定。如果按照这种说法，是应该修禅还是不应该修禅呢？ 答：佛经也广泛地说要修习禅定。如果按照佛陀的法身不灭的观点，又何必讨论时间的长短呢？西方现在能够坐到四禅八定的人，数量极多，不可胜数。如果说不应该修禅，这又该如何解释呢？三慧（闻慧、思慧、修慧）之中，禅定是修慧。现在难道可以只学习听闻和思考，而不允许修习吗？这种说法过于片面，不是普遍的道理。虽然引用了佛经，但其中并非没有邪正之分。而且对于圣教，片面地引用一句话来掩盖多种含义，这应当是魔的说法。要深刻地察觉，深刻地察觉。 问：最近看到学禅的人很多都精神失常，导致原有的能力都丧失了，因此荒废了各种修行，虚度一生。我因此只想修习其他的法门，不修习禅定可以吗？ 答：不可以。禅定是六度（布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、智慧）中的第五度，也是三学（戒、定、慧）中的定学，怎么能不修习呢？就像有人因为吃饭噎死，难道就不吃饭了吗？那些精神失常的人，只是因为没有掌握正确的方法而已。如果懂得方便之法，就不会有任何过失。希望你不要怀疑和害怕，一定要修习。北天竺有一个僧人，总是学习很多知识而不学习禅定。有一次他正在读诵佛经，忽然有天人来捂住他的嘴巴说：‘你听闻和思考已经足够了，为什么不修习禅定来验证你所学的呢？’即使修习其他的法门而不学习禅定，在佛法中也不能算是完全得到。 问：如果天性散乱，要如何才能修习禅定呢？ 答：猴子尚且能够坐禅，更何况是人呢？修习禅定之所以困难，只是因为前世没有修习过而已。如果现在又不学习，那么未来又怎么可能得到呢？难道要让这种情况持续很久都无法得到吗？更希望...
English
English version: Question: If the gradual teaching should be without fixed forms. Since the Buddha's Dharma has both allowance and restriction, I hope you will not obstruct my opportunity. Answer: According to this, it is indeed worthy of sympathy. But one can explain according to the questions asked. Question: Some people say that the sutras say that the period when meditation is firm is in the third five hundred years after the Nirvana of the Tathagata (如来 - Thus Come One). Now it is far from that time, and it is not suitable to practice meditation. According to this statement, should one practice meditation or not? Answer: The sutras also widely say to practice meditation. If according to the view that the Buddha's Dharmakaya (法身 - Dharma Body) does not perish, why discuss the length of time? In the West, there are now extremely many people who can sit in the Four Dhyanas (四禅 - Four Meditations) and Eight Samadhis (八定 - Eight Concentrations), too many to count. If you say it is not appropriate, how is this matter to be explained? Among the Three Wisdoms (三慧 - Three Wisdoms) (Hearing, Thinking, and Cultivation), meditation is cultivation wisdom. Can we only learn hearing and thinking now and not allow cultivation? This statement is extremely biased and not a universal principle. Although it quotes the sutras, there is no lack of right and wrong in it. Moreover, regarding the holy teachings, selectively quoting one sentence to cover up multiple meanings, this should be the words of Mara (魔 - demon). It should be deeply discerned, deeply discerned. Question: Recently, I have seen many people who study meditation lose their minds, causing their original abilities to be lost, thus abandoning various practices and wasting their lives. Because of this, I only want to practice other methods, is it okay not to practice meditation? Answer: No. Meditation is the fifth of the Six Paramitas (六度 - Six Perfections) (Generosity, Morality, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, Wisdom), and it is also the Samadhi (定 - Concentration) learning in the Three Learnings (三学 - Three Learnings) (Morality, Concentration, Wisdom), how can one not practice it? Just like someone chokes to death from eating, does that mean they should not eat? Those who lose their minds are just because they have not mastered the correct method. If you understand the expedient methods, there will be no mistakes. I hope you will not doubt and fear, you must practice. There was a monk in North India who always studied a lot of knowledge but did not study meditation. Once he was reciting the sutras, suddenly a Deva (天 - celestial being) came and covered his mouth and said, 'You have heard and thought enough, why don't you practice meditation to verify what you have learned?' Even if you practice other methods without learning meditation, you cannot be considered to have fully attained in the Buddha's Dharma. Question: If one is naturally scattered, how can one practice meditation? Answer: Even monkeys can meditate, let alone humans? The reason why meditation is difficult is only because one has not practiced it in previous lives. If you don't learn now, how can you get it in the future? Do you want this situation to continue for a long time without being able to get it? I hope even more... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
何时。经曰。闻思尚如门外。禅行始似入门。修禅下至一念。福尚无量。岂一生殊可不学也。未能全学者。幸可兼修。讲说之人。虽复广议禅法。且如说食而未入口。至于禅行。始如饱餐美食也。昔有国王闻禅之益。虽理国务兼复习禅。况出家之人落发屏缘息心无事而不少学。岂是人哉。 问。学禅但唯坐耶。 答。是何言也。有待之身。要须四威仪中易脱而互修。宁得唯坐。唯坐多招魔事。 问。且四威仪中坐法云何。 答。结跏端坐。结跏法。以左脚压右右压左俱得。若结跏未便。半跏亦得。半跏法唯是右压左。其两手各仰舒。掌亦右压左。并不得左压右也。乃须闭目合口。舌跓上腭。或可跓齿。其闭目合口等并不宜令急。乃至万事皆贵舒纵。不用拘急。闭目未惯者。时任稍开。坐久少似疲倦。辄改威仪。勿令生苦。他皆准此。 问。此方相传为右手等多动。坐者要令左压右。今乃与彼硕反。未审何故耶。 答。西方诸佛。从佛以来相承坐法皆如是也。并是印法。此方擅改。吾所未详。 问。坐禅时倚物。身或俯仰等。任性坐得不。 答。必须正身端坐。身若倚曲即生病痛。 问。谨闻坐矣。行法云何。 答。行即经行也。宜依平坦之地。自二十 现代汉语译本 问：什么时候应该开始禅修？ 答：经书上说，听闻和思考佛法就像还在门外，禅修实践才像是入门。修习禅定，哪怕只是一念，福报也是无量的。难道一生可以不学习吗？不能完全学习的人，最好可以兼修。讲说佛法的人，即使广泛地谈论禅法，也像是说食物而没有吃到嘴里。至于禅修实践，才像是饱餐美食一样。过去有国王听闻禅修的益处，即使处理国家事务，也兼顾禅修。更何况出家之人，剃除头发，屏弃世俗的牵绊，止息妄念，清净无事，却不肯稍微学习禅修，这能算是修行人吗？ 问：学习禅修只是打坐吗？ 答：这是什么话！有身体的人，必须在行、住、坐、卧四种威仪中交替修行，怎么能只是打坐呢？只是打坐容易招惹邪魔之事。 问：那么，四种威仪中的坐法是怎样的？ 答：结跏趺坐，端身正坐。结跏趺坐的方法是，用左脚压在右腿上，或者用右脚压在左腿上都可以。如果结跏趺坐不方便，半跏趺坐也可以。半跏趺坐的方法只是用右脚压在左腿上。两手仰放，手掌也是右手压在左手上，不可以左手压在右手上。然后要闭上眼睛，合上嘴巴，舌头抵住上颚，或者可以抵住牙齿。闭眼合口等都不宜过于用力，一切事情都贵在舒缓放松，不要拘谨急迫。闭眼不习惯的人，可以时常稍微睁开。坐久了稍微感到疲倦，就改变姿势，不要让自己感到痛苦。其他的威仪也参照这个原则。 问：此地相传右手大多动，打坐的人要让左手压在右手上，现在你说的却与他们相反，不知道是什么缘故？ 答：西方诸佛，从佛陀以来相传的坐法都是这样的，都是印证佛法的。此地擅自更改，我也不清楚。 问：打坐的时候倚靠物体，身体或者前俯后仰等，随意而坐可以吗？ 答：必须端正身体坐直。身体如果倚靠弯曲，就会生病疼痛。 问：谨遵教诲，明白了坐的方法。那么，行的方法是怎样的？ 答：行就是经行。应该在平坦的地方，从二十