English
English version: This refers to those who are stubborn and unwilling to listen to teachings. Question: The three wisdoms of learning, thinking, and practicing arise in sequence. If one lacks the wisdom of learning through extensive hearing, how can the wisdom of practice through meditation arise? Answer: Even if someone doesn't recognize a single word, but understands the Dharma of Chan (Zen), they can be considered to have learned extensively. It's not necessary to extensively seek out literary phrases and sentences. Cūḍapanthaka (a disciple of the Buddha, known for his slowness) forgot 'basket' while reciting 'broom,' yet he became a great Arhat. Can this be considered extensive learning? Although he achieved such a state, it's not necessarily the case for everyone. Question: Can both those who uphold the precepts and those who break them learn Chan meditation? Answer: Regardless of whether one upholds or breaks the precepts, they can learn Chan meditation. However, purifying and upholding the precepts first is of utmost importance. Question: The sacred teachings say, 'When Śīla (moral discipline) is pure, Samādhi (meditative concentration) manifests.' How can someone who has broken the precepts practice meditation? Answer: Upholding the precepts in the Śrāvakayāna (the Hearer Vehicle, also known as the Small Vehicle) may be considered breaking the precepts in the Bodhisattvayāna (the Bodhisattva Vehicle, also known as the Great Vehicle). If one commits a serious offense in the Small Vehicle, they are immediately and permanently rejected. How can they practice Chan meditation? 'If Śīla is not pure, Samādhi will not manifest' refers to this situation. In the Great Vehicle, however, simply ceasing the deluded mind is true repentance. True repentance can eliminate karmic obstacles and allow the precepts to arise again, thus enabling one to attain Samādhi. This is like first entering the Vaipulya (extensive) repentance, obtaining signs of the extinction of sins, and then practicing the precepts before beginning to practice Chan meditation. Question: By practicing what method can the mind be quickly stabilized? Answer: Eagerness to achieve quick results is actually a form of laziness. Do not seek quickness. Simply be able to distance yourself from deluded thoughts, cease all clinging, neither intentionally seeking nor intentionally not seeking. If you do not attain Samādhi, do not be concerned about it. This is true great diligence. In Udyāna (an ancient region in northern India), there was a monk who could not attain Samādhi after prolonged sitting, so he wanted to give up. Suddenly, a deva (celestial being) transformed into a human and came before him, grinding an iron pestle. The monk asked him what he was doing. The deva replied that he wanted to make a needle out of it. The monk said how could that be possible. The deva said it would be possible if he didn't stop. The monk then had an awakening and resumed practicing Chan meditation, eventually attaining the fruit of the Path. Later, he resided in Nirodha-samāpatti (cessation of perception and feeling, a high state of meditation). Because he resides in Nirodha-samāpatti, he is still there to this day. Simply take distancing yourself from deluded thoughts as diligence, and why worry about not attaining Samādhi quickly? Question: What are the signs of Samādhi? Answer: There are many signs of Samādhi. Here are just three or five examples. Sometimes one may feel that the shape of a man appears on the top of their head, or one may feel that there is a lot of filth on their body. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
腻。此等是有障之相。即宜改易威仪。或且休止。或觉身上如虫蚁行。或复如云及白叠等从背上起并。勿怪亦勿手髑。或如滴油从头面下。或见所坐处明。此等并是定前相也。或久坐立。身有劳倦。傍闻弹指声或触门等声者。即直出定。或𥨊息等。此是诸天善神。善知人劳倦。来相警耳。或觉身有轻举而亦乐者。是神足前相。或轻举而苦者。是风大增也。或身上有处热者。是火光定相。或见一室明者。是初禅之前相。或闻奇妙香气世间无比者。此是定成之相。如是等类不可具述。但觉如是违顺等相。皆勿取着以生忧喜。但缘本境安静其心。 问。坐禅者既不用违强身心。若觉如上虫蚁行等。抑情不触。岂不违强耶。 答。未得定时不用违强。渐既在定。违强无失。 问。将从定出。时节等云何。 答。初学定者。先作要期。或若干时。或鸣钟。或一时一更等。当须出定。如是期已。然后入禅。必须然也。其有入定或经劫数或一二七日等者。并随其心有此修短耳。欲出定时。先从心动。心动已。即气脉渐通。然后徐徐动身而起。故经云。世尊从禅安详而起。 问。若有魔事。云何遣除。 答。但解四威仪中易脱而修。即无魔事。慎勿勉强以自生苦。道从乐生。不同外道受诸苦法。 现代汉语译本： 这些都是有障碍的现象，应该改变仪态，或者停止禅修。有时感觉身上像有虫蚁爬行，或者感觉像云朵或棉絮从背上涌起，不要害怕也不要用手触摸。有时感觉像油滴从头面滴落，或者看到所坐的地方发光，这些都是入定前的预兆。如果久坐或站立，身体感到劳累，听到旁边有弹指声或触碰门的声音等，就直接出定。或者打哈欠等，这是诸天善神知道你劳累，前来提醒你。有时感觉身体轻盈而快乐，这是获得神足通之前的预兆。有时感觉身体轻盈而痛苦，这是风大增盛。有时感觉身上某处发热，这是火光定的现象。有时看到房间明亮，这是初禅之前的预兆。有时闻到奇妙的香气，世间没有的，这是入定成功的现象。像这样的情况无法一一列举，但如果感觉到这些顺境或逆境，都不要执着，产生忧愁或喜悦，只要专注于原本的境界，安静你的心。 问：坐禅的人既然不用勉强身心，如果感觉到像上面说的虫蚁爬行等，压抑情绪不去触摸，岂不是勉强？ 答：未入定时不用勉强，如果已经入定，勉强也没有坏处。 问：将要出定时，时间等应该如何安排？ 答：初学入定的人，先设定一个期限，或者若干时间，或者敲钟，或者一个时辰或一更等，到时就应该出定。这样设定好之后，然后入禅，必须这样做。至于入定时间或经历劫数，或一两天或七天等，都随个人的心意来决定长短。想要出定时，先从心念动起，心念动了之后，气脉就会逐渐畅通，然后慢慢地动身而起。所以经中说，世尊从禅定中安详地起身。 问：如果遇到魔事，应该如何去除？ 答：只要了解在行住坐卧四种威仪中，选择容易解脱的来修行，就不会有魔事。切记不要勉强自己，以致产生痛苦。道是从快乐中产生的，不同于外道所受的各种苦法。
English
English version: These are all signs of obstacles. You should change your posture or stop meditating. Sometimes you may feel like insects crawling on your body, or like clouds or cotton rising from your back. Do not be afraid, nor touch them with your hands. Sometimes you may feel like oil dripping from your head and face, or see the place where you are sitting is bright. These are all signs before entering Samadhi (定, fixed concentration). If you sit or stand for a long time and your body feels tired, and you hear the sound of finger snapping or touching the door, etc., then come out of Samadhi directly. Or yawning, etc., these are the good deities (诸天善神) who know that you are tired and come to remind you. Sometimes you may feel light and happy, which is a sign before obtaining supernatural powers (神足通). Sometimes you may feel light and painful, which is the increase of the wind element. Sometimes you may feel heat in some part of your body, which is a sign of the Fire Light Samadhi (火光定). Sometimes you may see a room is bright, which is a sign before the first Dhyana (初禅). Sometimes you may smell a wonderful fragrance that is unparalleled in the world, which is a sign of successful Samadhi. Such situations cannot be fully described, but if you feel these favorable or unfavorable signs, do not be attached to them, causing sorrow or joy. Just focus on the original state and quiet your mind. Question: Since those who practice meditation do not need to force their body and mind, if they feel like insects crawling as mentioned above, and suppress their emotions without touching them, wouldn't that be forcing themselves? Answer: Before entering Samadhi, there is no need to force yourself. Once you are in Samadhi, there is no harm in forcing yourself. Question: When about to exit Samadhi, how should the timing be arranged? Answer: Those who are new to entering Samadhi should first set a time limit, such as a certain amount of time, or ringing a bell, or one hour or one watch, etc., and then you should exit Samadhi. After setting it up like this, then enter meditation, it must be so. As for entering Samadhi for kalpas (劫数, eons), or one or two weeks, etc., it all depends on the individual's mind to decide the length. When you want to exit Samadhi, first start with the movement of the mind. After the mind moves, the Qi (气, vital energy) channels will gradually open, and then slowly move your body and get up. Therefore, the Sutra says, 'The World Honored One (世尊) arose peacefully from Samadhi.' Question: If there are demonic events, how should they be removed? Answer: Just understand the four kinds of deportment (四威仪) – walking, standing, sitting, and lying down – and choose the one that is easy to detach from and practice, and there will be no demonic events. Be careful not to force yourself, so as not to cause suffering. The path arises from happiness, unlike the various ascetic practices of other religions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
解此消息。魔事自除。犹不除者。即宜舍置或读诵经论。乃至入诸市肆游目放心。魔事必遣。但有禅病。宜依经教以禅法治。非但针药等所能疗耳。 问。坐禅有预防魔事法不。 答。凡欲学禅。先起悲愿。我今修定。必取菩提。广利群物。唯愿三宝诸天神等。宜卫其身。使无灾障。每斯誓已。然后习禅。然于禅堂内四壁边上。多画圣僧形像。并作结跏坐禅定状。其圣僧像稍宜大作。仍以花香供养。近下复画诸凡僧像。稍宜小作。大小如人。亦作禅状。然后于中学禅。可得预防魔事。 问。佛堂中坐禅得不。 答。坐禅宜于静室树下冢间及露坐等。不须在于佛堂中也。 问。多人同处坐禅得不。 答曰。得然。各面他背坐。不得相向。若有多人。夜中燃一灯烛。人少不须用。 问。坐禅须被受持袈裟不。 答。裸得无在。 问。学禅者。一切时常摄念耶。 答。除大小便。余时常须摄心。 问。定心名止。止中即有观不。 答。但只勿学。临时自当知。 问。坐禅人兼得持经讲说等不。 答。力所堪者皆得兼修。然诸业中禅业最胜。是以西方上房上供先给禅师。经律等师与其中下。 问。有禅业者。命终之际能排恶趣 现代汉语译本 解释这些信息，魔事自然消除。如果仍然不能消除，就应该放下，或者读诵经论，甚至可以到街市上游玩，放宽心胸，魔事必定会消失。但如果是禅病，就应该依照经教用禅法来治疗，不是单靠针药等就能治好的。 问：坐禅有没有预防魔事的方法？ 答：凡是想要学禅的人，首先要发起悲愿：‘我现在修习禅定，必定要证得菩提（bodhi，觉悟），广泛利益众生。唯愿三宝（the Three Jewels，佛、法、僧）诸天神等，保卫我的身体，使我没有灾障。’每次发誓之后，然后才开始习禅。可以在禅堂内的四壁边上，多画圣僧的形像，并画成结跏趺坐禅定的样子。圣僧的画像应该画得稍大一些，并且用鲜花香火供养。在圣僧像的下方再画一些凡僧的画像，应该画得稍小一些，大小和真人一样，也画成禅定的样子。然后在这中间学禅，就可以预防魔事。 问：在佛堂中坐禅可以吗？ 答：坐禅应该在安静的房间、树下、坟墓间以及露天的地方等，不需要在佛堂中。 问：多人一起坐禅可以吗？ 答：可以。但各自面向他人背对而坐，不得面对面。如果人多，夜晚可以点一盏灯烛，人少就不需要。 问：坐禅需要披着受持的袈裟（kasaya，僧侣的法衣）吗？ 答：裸体也可以，没有妨碍。 问：学禅的人，是否一切时常都要摄念？ 答：除了大小便的时候，其余时间都要常常收摄心念。 问：定心叫做止，止中就有观吗？ 答：只要不要去学，到时候自然就会知道。 问：坐禅的人可以兼做持经讲说等事情吗？ 答：力所能及的都可以兼修。但在各种行业中，禅业最为殊胜。因此在西方，上房的上供首先供给禅师，经律等师则在其中下。 问：有禅业的人，命终的时候能够排除恶趣吗？