​

一位資深弟子曾經跟我分享一件有趣的事：在阿姜曼僧團中，每一位沙彌或比丘都能夠表現得像是一位已徹底解脫貪瞋癡的聖者。在阿姜曼的指導下，雖然團體有許多出家眾共住，但沒有一人會做出不當的行為。無論是一人獨處、與他人共同執行日常工作、或參加集會時，每一個人都能舉止得宜，安靜且沉穩。

對這些沙彌或比丘不熟悉的人們，若只觀察他們的言行舉止，可能會認為這些出家眾每一位都是阿羅漢聖者。想知道真實的果位，只能從他們與阿姜曼討論禪修問題時找出線索。阿姜曼會依據比丘各自的道果，給予他們不同的建議：這包括了基礎的內觀方法，也有高階的禪定與止觀法門。

 

不管是個別指導或在集會中開示說法，阿姜曼總是表現出一貫的堅決與自信。從阿姜曼的用詞遣字中，聽眾能清楚感受到這些都是他曾經歷過、也曾仔細思惟後的智慧之語。阿姜曼不臆測，他不會說出「這可能這樣，那可能比較像那樣」的話語。除清晰明瞭外，阿姜曼還能夠提振聽眾的信心，他能讓聽眾察覺出自己同樣具有實現正法的潛能。雖然聽眾尚未達到證得道果的階段，但只要照著教導持續努力，聽眾必將能親自證得正法。

 

說法時，阿姜曼會依據聽眾的程度作調整，他盡量讓所有與會者都獲得最大利益。阿姜曼會解釋法在各個階段的細微之處，確保不同程度之聽眾能夠理解並能應用到各自的禪修。如此，聞法才能轉為實質的進步。

教導在家眾時，阿姜曼通常會強調佛法中適合在家眾聽聞的法，諸如布施、持戒、禪修等等。這些是修行的基礎工程，也是佛法的根基。阿姜曼會教導在家眾，輪迴中若要繼續得人身，行者至少要修持布施、持戒、禪修這三法。能出生為人者，他必定於過去世培育過這三項波羅蜜，且至少有其中一項的業果已經成熟，於是他才能夠在輪迴中得到一個完整人身28。

 

布施是展現善意的方式。慈悲且體貼的善者，會依據自己的財力物力，提供物資與有需求的人們或動物們分享。不論是物施、法施、或是世間知識的布施，布施就是單純地想幫助他人，心中不期望受助者的報答。當然，我們要知道布施這行為是善業，它必會招來善果。另外，能夠原諒他人的錯誤或敵意，這也算是一種布施。

不論天生的外貌如何，那些慈悲且時常布施的人們，他們看起來就是比旁人更加優雅、更有氣質。動物、人類、與天人們都會尊敬愛護他們。不論到哪一個陌生國度，就算不認識任何人，這些布施者也一定會受到當地居民的善意幫助，他們是不會遭遇到急難與匱乏的一群人。

布施者享有好運氣的道理不難理解，只要看看我們社會上對慈善家推崇的程度。怎麼會有人討厭他們呢？每一個人收到禮物時都會感到快樂，連富人們也會期待他人的禮物，更不用說那些貧窮或遭逢厄運的人們在收到資助時會有多麼感動！出於布施的力量，在身壞命終後，樂於布施者絕不會輪迴至一個困頓的境界。

這世間的繁榮與物資的平衡有一部分是與布施者的樂善好施息息相關。只要克己簡樸與助人為樂這些美德仍為世人所重視，社會便處處有溫馨與關懷。這個世界因為有布施者的存在而更適宜人居。由此說來，布施是社會上不可缺少的一項美德；要是少了它，這世間的景象恐怕會是一片荒蕪呢！

 

持戒是一個能有效防止人們濫用、破壞他人物質或心靈財富的保護措施，持戒也是一切美德的基礎。為使社會更加安定美好，所有人都應該推崇持戒守律的行為，絕不可低估戒律的重要性。在社會上，不持戒修心的人們就如同野火，他們會製造出各種破壞。缺少了道德規範，偷拐搶騙的行為將層出不窮，而且情況只會越來越惡化，直到世界上沒有一處可供人們安居。人們往往對物質財富或持戒修心孰為重要感到迷惑，但只要人們仍相信物質財富勝於持戒修心，人們就無法獲得真實的快樂。在物慾橫流的社會，就算經濟能夠不斷進步，財富堆疊到跟山一樣高，但人民無法享受到一絲的平安與喜悅。居住在這樣寡廉鮮恥的社會就如同是身處於炙熱地獄之中，財富有何作用呢？

 

佛陀是第一位明確指出，人們欲追求完善，必要條件是先得持守戒律。佛陀發現並宣揚戒律的重要性，讓原本因為貪瞋癡而恐懼混亂的世界，能依靠戒律的力量找回平靜與信賴。若只依循本性，人們的貪瞋癡只會讓世界越來越炙熱難耐。若還鼓勵人類恣意發展，那麼許許多多源自於貪瞋癡的念頭，將會在這世間創造出數不盡的「怪物」，它們會貪婪地消耗掉、毀滅掉所接觸的一切事物。

佛陀在圓滿波羅蜜後證得聖果，他已徹底解脫貪瞋癡煩惱。出於慈悲，佛陀為世人宣說五戒，這是純淨無瑕的教法，能夠為世間帶來寧靜與喜悅。想想佛陀良善的教法，再想想由貪瞋癡所煽動、會讓世上所有人都陷入紛爭的妄想，這兩者的差異顯而易見。趁著時間還來得及，人們應該會選擇那可化解紛爭的良善教法吧！戒律就像是能治療急症、也可治療慢性病的靈丹妙藥。得了「貪瞋癡重症」的人們，在持守戒律後，最低程度是讓病情緩和下來；但不僅如此而已，持戒甚至可以完全根治「貪瞋癡」疾病。

 

出於慈悲，阿姜曼一向會對在家眾說明持戒與不持戒之間的利益得失。阿姜曼的教導清晰明瞭，人們聽聞後便能知道自己該如何選擇。有一次聽到阿姜曼說明五戒的利益時，我發現我自己也想要趕快來持守這在家五戒－我竟然忘了自己身為比丘，早已持守了227條具足戒。

聽到阿姜曼清晰的開示，我法喜充滿，竟一時失去了正念，忘記自己的身份。找回理智之後，我真是尷尬不已！我之前沒有將這件事告訴任何人，因為我擔心其他比丘們可能會認為我瘋了。事實上，我都覺得自己有些瘋了，我怎麼能夠忘記自己的頭髮早已剃光，還想要持守在家眾的五戒就好？然而，我當時的狀況是一個大家都可能會有的問題：想法形成後，人們很難捉出其中的錯誤，接著便會產生不當的言行意。因此，我們應該時刻正知正念－知道自己的念頭是好是壞，是對或錯。我們必須隨時駕馭自己的念頭；否則，它們將輕鬆擺脫我們的控制。

 

禪修意味著訓練自己的心，讓心愈來愈善巧，能看出事物的因與果，並願意朝向善果的方向前進。禪修讓人們以最有效率的方式去處理心中的成見、疙瘩、關卡。禪修並非放手讓心到處攀緣，我們向內觀察，只專注自己的身與心，以此馴服各種不羈的念頭。平靜下來後，心會漸漸領悟自然的道理－禪修是一條通向平靜與知足的康莊大道。未禪修過的心就如同未受訓練的動物一樣，它們無法執行主人所交辦的任務，它們的力量無法發揮。人們必須先訓練動物，才能讓動物為人們帶來效益。同樣地，人們的心必須經過訓練才能成為有效的工具。在日常生活每一項工作中，無論是大事小事，勞心或勞力，精細或繁雜，這些都是我們禪修的業處，我們必須將心力投注在正在進行的工作之上，這就是對心的訓練。

 

那些以禪修作為基石、作為心之指導原則的行者，他們能夠在觀察一切日常生活事物中獲得喜悅。他們不冒不必要的風險，不在混沌不明的情況下行動，他們能夠保護自己也能保護他人。禪修的利益顯而易見，行者在當下與未來皆能受益。

未來的善果當然值得期待，但更重要的就是行者當下所獲得的利益。精於禪修的行者不論從事何事，只要將心念放入，必能得到完善的結果。思慮清楚後開始進行，進行後不輕易放棄，過程中持續修正並始終朝向預定的目標前進。於是，他們總能夠歡喜收成。因為知道因與果，所以他們能夠駕馭並控制自己，避開貪瞋癡的誘惑。這些行者的日常生活與正法緊密結合，一切言行意皆以正法為準則。另外，行者必須時時提起正念，防止自己落入貪愛的陷阱裡。

貪愛不理會對錯、不理會好壞，它想做什麼就做什麼、想說什麼就說什麼，它恣意妄為，毫無顧忌。貪愛是個破壞力十足的煩惱賊，它以各種方式，一次又一次領著我們走向災難。然而人們也不該把過錯推給貪愛，因為該受責怪的，正是我們自己。每一次我們都會接受貪愛的提議，每一次我們會告訴自己這還不算太糟，下一次會更好。於是，就算結果令人遺憾，我們仍把貪愛當成好朋友。只要保持正念，人們就可避開貪瞋癡的陷阱。若缺少正念的審慎評估，無論人們怎麼做，恐怕都會以錯誤坐收，甚至是不可挽救的嚴重災難。貪瞋癡就是會領著人們往災難前進。

 

禪修是一個能與貪瞋癡作出分割的好手段。然而，禪修並不是一件容易上手的工作。各種禪修法門是為了馴服內心而設計的，會持續對心施加壓力，一直到心願意改正為止。這個過程相當艱辛，就像是馴獸師想要馴服一隻剛捕獲的野猴子一般。

另一方面，禪修同時是發展內心覺知能力的一項訓練。內心的覺知意味著行者必須去觀察自己的心－心一刻都不願停止，總是東奔西跑，如同一個精力旺盛的小孩子。觀察內心需要正念，正念的力量讓我們有機會觀察到心的動靜。首先，我們選定一項佛法建議的業處，任一項皆可。接著把心限制在這項業處，不讓它四處遊走。漸漸地，心會越動越慢並穩固下來，我們便能夠以正念觀察自己的心。最常用與最有效的一個業處是出入息念29，其他常用的業處還包括：佛隨念、法隨念、僧隨念30；順向或逆向思惟「 髮、毛、爪、齒、皮」31；死隨念32等等。禪修時，行者一開始必須強迫內心完全專注在選定的業處上。當內心熟悉業處並開始認定業處為安全可靠的思惟對象後，寧靜與輕安將會接著生起。

 

一般提及的「心輕安」或「心入禪定」，是心的一種內在穩定狀態。抵達此狀態後就不需要原本的業處了，業處只是一開始將心穩住時所需要的立柱。一旦心往禪定靠近並且進入禪定，其進入時的動量已足夠讓心繼續維持在平靜狀態，禪定於是能獨立於業處之外。所以，當心已靜止不動時，作為前行的業處便暫時失去了它的功能。當然若時間允許，心從禪定退出時，行者可以再將注意力凝聚回原本的業處上。

當行者秉持毅力，持續進行如此修行後，一顆長久沉浸於貪瞋癡的心將逐漸恢復它的功能，並開始斷除各種不好的習慣。只要持續下去，一開始禪修時經歷到的生硬與掙扎便會漸漸消失。到最後，禪修將會成為行者精熟且樂於從事的一項功課。

 

心第一次進入禪定時，行者將體驗到無可比擬的寧靜與祥和。這是震撼力十足的感受，就算之後再也不嘗試禪定，行者一輩子都不會忘卻這最初的感受。另外，若接續的禪修無法讓行者體驗到相同的震撼，一些行者恐將生起難以消除的失落與惆悵。只有行者在修行路上更進一步，體會出心一層一層細微之平靜狀態後，無法經歷第一次悸動的失落感才會逐漸消失。

​

​

........................................................................

​

​

當聽到有人勸你們禪修時，你們可能會認為自己的雜事太多，或者身體無法負荷，你們根本就不願意嘗試。你們或許會這樣想：

「我肯定沒有機會了，我決不可能禪修的。我在家庭、在社會上的工作誰來做？更不用說我現在還要教養孩子，甚至將來還要幫忙養育孫子呢！如果我浪費時間在閉著眼睛坐著禪修，我怎麼能維持家庭的收入？到最後，或許我們全家人都會餓死呢！」

 

於是，你們說服了自己，就這樣錯過了一個大好機會。事實上，這種負面思維已經深埋在每個人的心中，它可能就是你們為何無法脫離苦痛的原因。但若現在不試著糾正，它將永遠阻礙你們的進步。

 

禪修其實是一種能減輕並糾正那些負面思維的方法，禪修與世間其他能夠減輕病痛的療法沒有多大差異。譬如說，天氣炎熱時，人們會想洗個冷水澡；天氣寒冷時，人們會穿上衣服或升起火堆；飢餓的時候，我們會吃頓飯菜；生病時，我們會服用藥物以緩解症狀。

多少世紀以來，人們都是用這些方法去解決問題，應該沒有人會抱怨這些太過麻煩吧？各民族、各個階層的人們都是這樣照顧自己的身體。動物們感覺到飢餓，便會趕緊找尋食物以滿足身體的需求，這是牠們每一天的考驗。同樣地，透過禪修開發心的力量是一個照顧自己的重要方法。實際上，這是我們該特別專心致力的工作，因為禪修直接治療心，而心是一切言行意的源頭。

 

當心接觸到與自身有關的任何事物時，它立刻會跳出來站在最前線。換言之，心是構成我們所知道之一切事物的必要條件。心沒得選擇，只能負起這種需立即反應且需承擔一切的責任。只要有事情發生，不論當時的念頭是善或惡、是對或錯，心都認為自己必須站出來發號命令。在一些情況下，事情真的是嚴重到不知該如何是好；但不管如何，心仍會盡力去收拾殘局，它絕不會就這樣放著不管。

雖然已經處理日常一切事物，心仍不嫌麻煩，它還會持續編織各種奇思亂想。有時，心會反覆想著一個念頭，一遍又一遍，甚至會想到飲食無味、難以成眠的程度。然而，就算心把自己弄到如此疲憊，心仍然把所有事情都攬在身上，不願放下。在做運動時，人們會知道體力有個極限，也會在適當的時候休息。相較之下，我們的心卻是永不休息，或許只有睡眠時會休息吧？但也只休息一下而已，因為心還會從潛意識翻出想法與畫面，為我們創造出許許多多的夢境。於是，心長期處在一種永不滿足且疲憊不堪的狀態。心想要為自己的不滿足找到一個答案，殊不知這完全是由於它自己的過度躁進與不知放下所造成。

 

由於心總是沖向前線，我們可將心稱之為一名士兵。遇到好事，它與之奮戰；遇到壞事，它同樣奮戰。心不會慢下腳步，不願好好思考，只要有事情發生它都要過去處理。若已有自己的見解，心就會堅持以這見解去解讀任何事物，絕不讓事物輕易通過自己設置的關卡。我們的心就是這樣橫衝直撞，說它是一名衝動的士兵是個恰當的比喻。倘若心不趁早與它數不清的對手達成協議，那麼我們將會一直在瑣事裡大做文章，永遠不知道世上還存在著解脫之道。

總之，若人們不肯以禪修去調教內心，只追逐各式各樣的慾望，那麼無論尋得了多少財富，人們都尋不到真正的快樂。物質財富是因緣和合，它們不是快樂的源頭。倘若擁有者心中缺乏正法，那麼每一件財產對他來說都代表著一份煩惱，擁有的越多只是越痛苦而已。

 

智者們已體悟並宣說這個道理：唯有正法才能同時照顧人們財產與心靈的富足。更重要的是，只要心中擁有法，無論財產是多是少，人們都可擁有心靈的歡樂與富足。

若人們不願隨順法，卻隨順自己的慾望，那麼就算尋得滿山滿谷的財富，人們總是尋不得真實的快樂。金銀財寶的功用是為日常生活提供適當的支持，也唯有智者能夠妥善運用，他們能以財富滋潤自己的生活。內心若不夠善巧，或者已經背離了法，我們就有如是身處在窮絕之所，想做什麼都會遇上重重的阻礙。搜刮到的財富毫無作用，它們無法資助我們的心。到最後，我們的心與成堆的財富都只是廢物而已。

 

若說有事物能夠不畏困境、越挫越勇，沒有事物比得上我們的心了！只要獲得適當的引導，心就能夠徹底轉變，它將為我們帶來各式各樣的奇蹟。可惜啊！自出生以來，人們一直不知道心真正的力量，只是不斷縱容心各種原始的要求。若人們以對待內心的方式去對待自己的車子，車子一定很快就會壞掉。也不用煩惱之後的維修，因為這車子會壞得相當徹底，想修理也無從著手。世間每一個工具都需要適當的維修與保養，才能夠歷久彌新，越用越順手。我們的心也是一項工具，它也需要保養。人們既已知道保養工具的重要性，我們更應該善加維護我們最重要的資產。

 

禪修是為維護與培育內心而設計出來的一套方法，願意為自己負起責任的每一個人，都應該試著以正確的方式去看顧心，而這就意指我們必須進行合適的禪修以訓練內心。我再次用車子來譬喻我們的心好了：禪修就有如技師在詳細檢查車子的每個部分，如果技師發現車子有某零件壞掉，技師就會把車子架高，接著換下所有該換的零件。

內心的維修需要禪坐，我們在禪坐中檢視心的各部分－或著說構成我們思想的受想行識。接著，我們可以檢視這些浮出表面的念頭是好是壞、能夠導向出離或只是增加苦痛？一天中有數不清的念頭生起與滅去，但人們極少注意到它們。藉由禪坐，我們才能夠檢視各個念頭的價值與缺失。

看到心念的樣貌後，我們還可以把注意力轉向物質，而這物質的部分指的是身體。我們該檢視自己身體的狀況，注意時間在我們的身上留下了什麼。我們的身體是越來越強健、還是越來越衰弱呢？時間一年一年飛快地流逝，我們的身體機能能夠一直維持下去嗎？還是你已注意到身體的病痛與退化？

身體仍算健康的時候，人們往往會過於自信而不願相信死亡離我們並不遠。一旦有意外或者疾病發生，人們可能馬上就得面對死亡，到時候才想為死亡做準備已來不及了。禪修的重要性即在於此：我們檢視自己，為自己的缺失提出改進之道，並讓我們預做準備。若持續如此檢視，那麼不論是在禪坐或日常工作時，我們的心都可以安詳平靜、不受外境干擾。我們將學到如何謙卑地看待自己，不再替生命中的缺陷加油添醋。除此之外，我們也將學會以中庸之道駕馭言行意，我們不會自大到忘記自己是誰，不會陷入會帶來嚴重後果的事物之中。（中譯註：以上是解說在家人得人身的三個條件：布施、持戒、禪修。）

 

禪修的好處實在是多到講都講不完，所以阿姜曼會為在家居士揀選適合的部分，並時常為他們解說。而阿姜曼為沙彌與比丘眾的開示，則完全是另一個境界了。我在這裡記錄下來的，只是讓大家淺嚐一下阿姜曼的法味。或許，一些讀者會認為我記錄的資料太多、太瑣碎，會讓他們失去專注力。然而，若我不以各面向來傳遞阿姜曼的教法，那麼這份記載必不完整。我已盡力彙編我收集到的阿姜曼的開示，但肯定有諸多缺失，歡迎讀者們對此書提出批評與建議。但請不要批評阿姜曼，阿姜曼的教導是在生活中自然展開，原本就不是為了寫進書本而存在。

 

較為高深的法，阿姜曼只會對他的近侍弟子們講述，許多長期跟隨阿姜曼學習的弟子們都知之甚詳。然而，身為作者的我卻是天性外向，不喜乖乖坐著聽聞。在阿姜曼去世後，我四處拜訪那些曾長期跟隨阿姜曼的資深弟子眾。從這些新一代阿姜的口中，我收集到了許多阿姜曼的開示與教導。雖說仍非完整，但我相信這些資料已足夠讀者們稍微了解阿姜曼的教法。阿姜曼採用的禪修方法是如此的堅決與剛猛，所有弟子眾都心知肚明，我們之中沒有一人能夠在苦行、戒德、與智慧上與老師相提並論。我深深相信，一直到今日，阿姜曼的成就仍是無人能夠超越之。

​

​

.............................................................

​

​

阿姜曼提到，當他在烏隆府、廊開府的山區與森林居住時，地居天與空居天的天人眾有時會前來聽他說法。其中的一些天人是每兩個星期規律地前來，其他天人則是每一個月前來聞法一次。總之，這區域的天人們拜訪的次數比起清邁府的天人們是較少些。我知道現在提起天人拜訪的事情有些突兀，但我又怕弄亂了順序；不管如何，我就繼續記述下去好了。

 

阿姜曼說過一個蛇神世界中的大城市，地點位在寮國琅勃拉邦西方的山區。阿姜曼居住在那附近時，蛇神領袖與他的隨從們會特定前來拜訪，有時領袖還會帶領一大群國民一同前來聞法。

不像地居天或空居天的天人們會詢問許多問題，蛇神們通常一次只會請教阿姜曼幾個問題而已。他們的習性或有不同，但各個境界的有情都是以同等恭敬的心前來拜訪。阿姜曼住在山腳下的那段期間，蛇神領袖幾乎是每晚都來拜訪。在一些特別日子，蛇神領袖還會帶領一大群隨從一同前來。若如此，阿姜曼總是能夠預知他們將來拜訪之事。由於那裡的環境相當偏僻，少有當地居民會前去拜訪阿姜曼，所以阿姜曼可以騰出更多的時間去接待蛇神與眾天。

蛇神們大多是在晚上十點到十一點之間抵達，這時間比起其他地區的蛇神是早了些，或許是因為地處偏遠不易受到人類干擾吧？蛇神極為敬重阿姜曼，他們誠摯邀請阿姜曼長期居住在此地。為保障阿姜曼的安全，他們也派遣人員，日夜輪班巡邏阿姜曼居住的區域。蛇神們不會靠得太近，只在適當距離外警戒，以防意外發生。另一方面，天人們通常較晚些才來拜訪阿姜曼－大約是凌晨一二點時抵達。若阿姜曼住在更遠離人煙的山區時，天人們也會早一些前來，或許是十至十一點左右。他們到達的時間一般不固定，但通常是在午夜之後。

 

在中年之後，阿姜曼每日的生活作息大約是依照下列的行程表：早餐後，阿姜曼開始行禪，一直走到中午時分才休息。短暫休息後，他會花一個半小時坐禪，然後行禪到下午四點。四點左右，阿姜曼會開始打掃居所的周邊環境，洗澡，接著行禪到晚上七、八點。之後，阿姜曼便會回去他的小屋，就座入禪定。若禪坐結束時，時間不會太晚且戶外沒有下雨，阿姜曼會到經行步道上行禪；若禪坐結束時已經很晚了，阿姜曼就直接上床休息。通常，阿姜曼是十一點就寢，凌晨三點起床。阿姜曼一般會事先知道天人們是否會來拜訪。若他們將於午夜後抵達，那麼阿姜曼會先就寢，起床後再接見他們。若他們將在十一、十二點間抵達，阿姜曼會先行就座入定，在定中等待天人們的到訪。以上就是阿姜曼在中年時期的生活作息。

 

若空居天與地居天的天人們希望在同一夜晚前來拜訪，阿姜曼會先接待第一個團體，說法，回答問題；接著告訴天人們有另一個團體將會前來，第一個團體便會告別離開。為表恭敬，另一團體會在一段距離外等待，直到前一個團體離開後再前去拜訪。等待第二個團體坐定後，阿姜曼再次為第二個團體說法開示。

阿姜曼會配合天人們的程度與根性，講述適合的法。有時，天人的領袖會請教一個特定的主題，那麼阿姜曼會將心聚焦在這個主題上，等到內心整理出相關知識後，他才開始說法。偶爾，天界領袖會請阿姜曼開示某篇經文，經文的篇名甚至是使用阿姜曼並不熟悉的古老名稱。於是，阿姜曼會回問此經文現在的名稱，然後領袖再告訴他，這對應現今的哪一篇經文。通常，阿姜曼能夠自行思索出對應的現代篇名；但偶爾他仍需詢問以確定無誤。當然也有阿姜曼認定天人們所說的經文是哪一篇，開始解說後，天人們才告訴他這篇不是他們想詢問的經文。於是，天人們會誦出幾句經文，好讓阿姜曼更清楚些。通常在聽了一二句後，阿姜曼就可以正確憶出經文了。確定沒有誤會之後，阿姜曼才再次為他們說法開示。

 

很罕見的巧合，空居天、地居天與蛇神們會希望能在同一天同一個時段前來拜訪阿姜曼。這件事並不像人類社會中，不同團體同一時間去拜訪老師那樣的方便。若這樣的事情發生了幾次，阿姜曼便會考慮各境界眾生的狀況，告訴各個境界他們適合前來的時間。

阿姜曼說過，雖然人們很少會在他住在森林與深山時前來拜訪，但此時會有各境界的各個團體前來拜訪，所以每一晚他的行程都很滿。若有一晚，空居天的天人們不克前來，那麼一定會有其他地方的天人們前來拜訪。所以，阿姜曼少有靜處的時間。幸好，在深山或森林時人們少來拜訪，阿姜曼偶爾能休息一下。但若住在靠近村莊或城鎮的地方，居民們必會常常前來拜見。在這樣的情況下，阿姜曼通常會在下午或傍晚時接見村民。待村民們離開後，阿姜曼再開始教導沙彌與比丘眾。

​

​

28.  布施、持戒、與禪修是佛陀為大眾宣說的三項基本修行。

 

29. 觀呼吸（安那般那念）是將注意力集中在呼吸中吸入和呼出感覺最明顯的部位，可以是鼻尖或是腹部。藉由觀察每一次吸入與呼出所產生的微細感覺，禪者的注意力將完全固定在呼吸之上，不再受其他念頭的吸引。

 

30. 「佛、法、僧（Buddho ，dhamma，sangho）」是用來集中禪者注意力的冥想輔助詞。譬如，禪者可以在內心中反覆思念著「buddho」一詞，只需集中心念在每一次的「buddho」，讓這集中的心念持續且不間斷，禪者就可以排除其他心念的生起，於是這看似簡單的重複就能令內心生起安定與平靜的感受。

 

31. 這是將注意力集中在身體真實本質的訓練。髮、毛、指甲、牙齒、皮膚是身體中最外顯的五個部位，禪者仔細思惟這些部分是由什麼成分所構成、是美是醜、能否永遠不變？禪者可以順向或逆向對各個部分進行思維，直到某個特定部分吸引住禪者的注意力。接著，禪者深入剖析這些部分的真實構成（經典共列舉出身體的32個組成部分）。

 

32. 念死（maraõãnussati）是思惟死亡的本質與死亡對自己有何影響。行者可以先思惟世間一切生物有誰能夠永生不死？出生後，我們注定會變老，有可能生病或受傷，之後可能就是死亡。思惟透徹後，行者自然知道生老病死是自然的過程。行者也將意識到世上沒有人能夠預知自己的死亡會在何時、何地、何種狀況下發生，也無法知道死亡後的命運為何。行者將體悟這一世的生命短暫，時間有限，不能再蹉跎光陰。同時，念死將能幫助行者放下對世間事物的羈絆，讓行者更加專注在出世間的修行。

​

Once a senior disciple of Ãcariya Mun recalled that the many monks and novices living under his guidance tended to behave as though free from kilesas. Although they lived together in a large group, no one behaved in an unseemly manner. Whether they were on their own, in the company of others performing their duties, or attending a meeting, all were calm and composed. Those, who had never heard the monks discuss their levels of meditation with Ãcariya Mun, might well suspect from observing them that they were all full-fledged Arahants. The truth became apparent only when he advised the monks on how to solve specific problems in their meditation. Each monk was advised according to his level of achievement: from basic concentration and wisdom techniques to the higher levels of concentration and insight.

 

Whether addressing the problems of individual disciples or instructing the whole assembly, Ãcariya Mun always displayed the same uncompromising self-assurance. His audience was fully aware that the Dhamma he expounded was something he had actually realized within himself. He never relied on speculative assessments, such as, ‘it could be like this’ or ‘it might be like that’. Those listening were also fully convinced that the Dhamma he taught existed potentially within all of them. Even though they had not achieved it yet, surely they would realize it for themselves one day, provided they did not falter in their efforts.

 

Ãcariya Mun modified his talks according to the character and the level of his listeners’ understanding, so that everyone who was present gained some benefit from the assembly. He was careful in explaining the teaching in all its stages, ensuring that listeners at different levels of meditation were able to understand and apply it to their individual practice in order to attain satisfactory results. When teaching lay people, he usually emphasized aspects of Dhamma that were suitable to their situation – such as, generosity, moral virtue, and meditative development– as the basis for their practice. He explained that these three dhammas are the basic criteria needed for birth in the human world and so are the foundation of the sãsana. Someone born as a human being must necessarily have cultivated these three dhammas in the past. At least one of them must have been previously developed to serve as a catalyst for being born fully human.28

 

Generosity is a means of demonstrating one’s goodwill. People, who are noble-hearted and considerate toward fellow human beings and animals in-need, sacrifice and share some of their own good fortune according to their means. Whether it’s a gift of material goods, a gift of Dhamma, or a gift of knowledge of any sort, it is a gift freely given to benefit others without expectation of anything in return, except the good results of the act of giving itself. This also includes the generous gesture of forgiving those who behave wrongly or offensively. Those who are benevolent and prone to selfless giving are bound to be gracious people who stand out among their peers, irrespective of their physical appearance. Devas, humans, and animals all revere and cherish them. Wherever they go there will always be someone willing to help them. They never suffer acute poverty and hardship. Quite clearly, philanthropists in society are never out of fashion and rarely disliked. Even a wealthy, but stingy person looks forward to gifts from others – not to mention the hapless poor who have little hope of someone helping them. Due to the power of generosity, those who have developed a habit of giving will never be born into a world where they must live in hardship. Donors and their generosity have always served to maintain balance and prosperity in the world. As long as people still value selfsacrifice and extend a helping hand to one another, life on this earth will always have meaning. Generous people are inevitably hospitable and supportive, which makes the world a better place to live. In this sense, generosity is absolutely essential for us all. Without it, life in this world would be a parched and barren existence.

 

Moral virtue is effectively a barrier that prevents people from abusing or destroying each other’s material and spiritual wealth. It’s the very basis of those special good qualities that every human being should have, and should never let slip away. People who do not have moral virtue to protect and maintain their inner wealth are like a fire raging through human society. Without morality’s protective restraint, mistreatment and destruction would run rampant in the world to the point where there would hardly be an island of security left where a person could rest in peace. As long as people believe that material wealth is more valuable than moral virtue, they will have no real security. In such a case, even if the world economy were to flourish until material wealth was piled as high as the sun, the sun’s heat would be no match for the scorching heat of an immoral world.

 

Moral virtue is the true foundation of human perfection that was personified by the Lord Buddha. He uncovered this truth, presenting it as a means by which a world confused and fearful of dukkha might rely on its restraining power to live in the cool, soothing glow of trust. Left to their own devices, people with kilesas will tend to think in ways that make the world oppressively hot. If these thoughts are allowed free rein, powered by the kilesas and untempered by even a hint of moral virtue, they will surely create innumerable poisonous ‘monsters’ that will spread throughout the world to devour everything in their path. The thoughts of a supremely virtuous person like the Lord Buddha, who totally eliminated the kilesas from his heart, produce only welcome peace and happiness in the world. Compare this with the thought patterns instigated by the kilesas that cause us, and everyone else, unimaginable trouble. The difference is obvious enough that we should want to search for a way to resolve this problem and stem the tide of such thoughts before it is too late. Moral virtue is like a medicine that counteracts infectious diseases as well as chronic ones. At the very least, a patient who is sick with the ‘kilesa-fever’ can find some measure of relief and hope of recovery in the practice of moral virtue. More than that, it may just effect a complete cure.

 

Out of his compassion, Ãcariya Mun used to instruct lay people on both the merits of moral virtue and the faults of having no moral standard. These instructions went straight to the heart and were so impressive that, in hearing his advice to lay people, I found myself thinking that I too would like to keep the five moral precepts – forgetting that, as a monk, I was already observing 227 monastic rules! I was overcome with enthusiasm to hear him talk and lost my mindfulness for a moment. When I finally came to my senses, I was rather embarrassed, and did not mention it to anyone for fear that other monks might think me a bit crazy. In fact, I was a little bit crazy at that time since I forgot my own shaved head and thought about keeping the layman’s five precepts. This is a problem we all face: when thinking in ways that are wrong, we end up acting wrongly in that manner as well. Therefore, we should be aware of our thoughts at all times – aware of whether they are good or bad, right or wrong. We must constantly rein in our own thoughts; otherwise, they can easily spin out of control.

 

Meditative development means training the mind to be clever and unbiased with respect to basic principles of cause and effect, so that we can effectively come to terms with our own inner processes, and all other related matters as well. Instead of abandoning the mind to unbridled exuberance, we rely on meditation to rein in our unruly thoughts and bring them into line with what is reasonable – which is the path to calm and contentment. The mind that has yet to undergo meditation training is similar to an untrained animal that cannot yet properly perform its appointed tasks and is, therefore, not as useful as it might be. It must be trained to do those jobs in order to gain maximum benefit from its work. Likewise, our minds should undergo training as a means of understanding ourselves as we carry out all our daily tasks, be they mental or physical, significant or trivial, gross or subtle.

 

Those who develop meditation as a solid anchor for the mind enjoy reflecting carefully on whatever they do. They are not likely to take unnecessary chances in a situation they are unsure of, when a mistake could hurt them or someone else who is involved. Meditative development brings definite benefits, both immediately and in the future, but the most significant are those we experience here and now in the present. People who develop an aptitude for meditation will be successful at whatever they put their minds to. Their affairs are not conducted halfheartedly, but are well thought out with an eye to the expected benefits of a job well-done. In this way, people can always look back with satisfaction on the fruits of their labor. Since they are firmly grounded in reason, people who meditate have no difficulty controlling themselves. They adhere to Truth as the guiding principle for all they do, say, and think. They are mindful not to leave themselves open to the myriad temptations that habitually arise from the kilesa of craving – wanting to go there, wanting to come here, wanting to do this, wanting to say this or think that– which give no guidance whatsoever to right and wrong, good and bad. Craving is a very destructive defilement that tends to lead us repeatedly into misery in countless ways. In truth, we have no one to blame but ourselves, so we are left to accept the consequences as something regrettable, trying to do better the next time. When sufficient mindfulness is maintained we can reverse this trend. But if we do not have enough mindfulness to reflect prudently on these matters, everything we do will have adverse effects, sometimes irrevocably so. This is the real crux of the kilesas – they inevitably lead us toward misfortune.

 

Meditation is a good means for making a clean break with the unseemly business of the kilesas. Meditation techniques are arguably somewhat difficult to practice, but that’s because they are designed to put pressure on the mind and bring it under control, much like trying to bring a monkey under control in order to tame it. Meditation techniques are actually methods for developing self-awareness. This means observing the mind which is not content to just remain still but tends instead to jump about like someone who’s been scalded with hot water. Observing the mind requires mindfulness to keep us aware of its movement. This is aided by using one of a number of Dhamma themes as an object of attention to keep the mind stable and calm during meditation. A very popular method and one that gives good results is mindfulness of breathing.29 Other popular themes include the use of a word such as “buddho”, “dhammo”， “sangho”,30 or kesã, lomã, nakhã, dantã, taco in forward and reverse order,31 or meditation on death,32 or whatever theme seems most suitable. The mind must be forced to stay exclusively with that object during meditation. Calm and happiness are bound to arise when the mind depends on a particular Dhamma theme as a good and safe object of attention.

 

What is commonly referred to as a ‘calm citta’ or a ‘citta integrated in samãdhi’ is a state of inner stability that is no longer associated with the initial object of attention, which merely prepared the citta by holding it steady. Once the citta has entered into samãdhi, there exists enough momentum for the citta to remain in this state of calm, independent of the preparatory object, whose function is temporarily discontinued while the citta rests peacefully. Later when the citta withdraws from samãdhi, if time permits, attention is refocused on the initial Dhamma theme. When this is practiced consistently with dedication and sustained effort, a mind long steeped in dukkha will gradually awaken to its own potential and abandon its unskillful ways. The struggle to control the mind, which one experiences in the beginning stages of training, will be replaced by a keen interest in the task at hand.

 

The citta becomes unforgettably calm and peaceful once it enters samãdhi. Even if this happens only once, it will be an invigorating and indelible experience. Should it fail to occur again in subsequent attempts at meditation, an indescribable sense of loss and longing will linger in the citta for a long time. Only with further progress, as one becomes more and more absorbed in increasingly subtler states of calm, will the frustration of losing the initial state of calm be forgotten.

 

 

WHEN HEARING ABOUT MEDITATION, you may fret and feel mentally and physically inadequate to the task, and be reluctant to try. You may be tempted to think: Fate has surely conspired against me. I can’t possibly manage it. My duties and responsibilities both at home and at work make it difficult. There are all the social obligations, raising children and looking after grandchildren. If I waste time sitting with eyes closed in meditation, I’ll never be able to keep up and make ends meet and I’ll probably end up starving to death!

 

Thus, you become discouraged and miss a good opportunity. This way of thinking is buried deep within everyone’s psyche. It may be just the sort of thinking that has prevented you from ridding yourself of dukkha all along; and it will continue to do so if you don’t try to remedy it now.

 

Meditation is actually a way to counteract and alleviate all the mental irritations and difficulties that have plagued us for so long. Meditation is not unlike other methods used in the world to relieve pain and discomfort; like bathing when we feel hot, and putting on warm clothes or lighting a fire when we feel cold. When hungry, we eat and drink; when ill, we take medicine to relieve the symptoms. All these are methods that the world has used to relieve pain and discomfort over the ages without anyone ever dismissing them as being too burdensome or too difficult to do. People of every ethnic and social group are obliged to look after themselves in this way. Even animals have to take care of themselves by searching for food to alleviate their discomfort and survive from day to day. Similarly, mental development through meditation is a very important means of taking care of ourselves. It is work that we should be especially interested in because it deals directly with the mind, which is the central coordinator for all our actions.

 

The mind is in the front line when it comes to anything relating to ourselves. In other words, the citta is absolutely essential in everything. It has no choice but to accept the burden of responsibility in all circumstances without discrimination or hesitation. Whatever happens, the mind feels compelled to step in and immediately take charge, unfazed by ideas of good and bad or right and wrong. Although some situations are so depressing they’re nearly unbearable, the mind still boldly rushes in to shoulder the burden, heedless of the risks and its own inherent limitations. More than that, it recites its litany of thoughts over and over again until eating and sleeping become almost impossible at times. Still, the mind charges ahead refusing to admit failure. When engaging in physical activity, we know our relative strengths and when the time is right to take a rest. But our mental activities never take a break – except briefly when we fall asleep. Even then, the mind insists on remaining active, subconsciously churning out countless dream images that continue overloading its capacity to cope. So the mind lives with a sense of intolerable dissatisfaction, never realizing that this dissatisfaction arises in direct relationship to its heavy work load and the unbearable mental aggravation it generates.

 

Because it is always embattled, the mind could well be called a warrior’. It struggles with what is good and it struggles with what is bad. Never pausing to reflect, it engages everything that comes along. Whatever preoccupations arise, it insists on confronting them all without exception, unwilling to let anything pass unchallenged. So it’s appropriate to call the mind a ‘warrior’, since it recklessly confronts everything that comes across its path. If the mind does not come to terms with this dilemma while the body is still alive, it will keep on fighting these battles indefinitely, unable to extricate itself. Should the heart’s endless desires be indulged in without Dhamma to act as a moderating influence, real happiness will always be out of reach, regardless of how abundant material wealth may be. Material wealth itself is not a true source of happiness, and can readily become a source of discontent for the heart lacking inner Dhamma to serve as an oasis of rest.

 

The wise have assured us that Dhamma is the power which oversees both material wealth and spiritual well-being. Regardless of how much or how little wealth we acquire, we will enjoy a sufficient measure of happiness if we possess some measure of Dhamma in our hearts. Unsupported by Dhamma and left to its own desires, the heart will be incapable of finding genuine happiness, even with a mountain of valuable possessions on hand. These are merely physical and emotional supports that intelligent people can use wisely for their own pleasure. If the heart is not intelligent in the way of Dhamma, or Dhamma is absent altogether, the place where we live will resemble a wasteland, no matter what our choice. The heart and all its wealth will then end up as just so much accumulated waste – stuff that is useless for our spiritual development.

 

When it comes to being stoic in the face of adversity, nothing is as tough and resilient as the heart. Receiving proper assistance, it becomes something marvelous in which we can take pride and satisfaction under all circumstances. From the time of birth to the present moment, we have exploited our hearts and minds – mercilessly. Were we to treat a car like we treat our minds, it would be pointless to take to a garage for repairs, for it would have become a pile of scrap metal long ago. Everything that we utilize must receive some sort of upkeep and repair to ensure that it continues providing useful service. The mind is no exception. It’s an extremely important resource that should be well looked after and maintained, just as we do with all our other possessions.

 

Meditation is a therapy designed exclusively for the mind. All of us who are truly interested in taking responsibility for our minds – which, after all, are our most priceless possessions – should care for them in the correct and proper way. This means training our minds with suitable meditation techniques. To use the car comparison: it means examining the mind’s various component parts to see if anything is defective or damaged; and then taking it into the garage for a spiritual overhaul. This entails sitting in meditation, examining the mental components, or sankhãras, that make up our thoughts; then determining whether the thoughts that surface are fundamentally good or harmful, adding fuel to the fires of pain and suffering. Thus, an investigation is undertaken to ascertain which thoughts have value and which are flawed. Then we should turn our attention to the physical components; that is, our bodies. Do our bodies keep improving with age or are they deteriorating as time goes by – the old year inevitably turning into a new one, over and over again? Does the body continue regenerating or does it inevitably wear down and grow older with each successive day? Should we be complacent about this by failing to mentally prepare ourselves while there’s still time? Once we are dead, it will be too late to act. This is what meditation is all about: cautioning and instructing ourselves by examining our shortcomings to determine what areas need improvement. When we investigate constantly in this manner, either while sitting in meditation or while going about our daily tasks, the mind will remain calm and unperturbed. We will learn not to be arrogantly overconfident about life, and thus avoid fueling the flames of discontent. And we will know how to exercise proper moderation in our thoughts and deeds so that we don’t forget ourselves and get caught up in things which may have disastrous consequences.

 

The benefits of meditation are too numerous to address, so Ãcariya Mun kept his explanations to the lay audience at a level appropriate to their practice. His explanations to monks and novices were of a very different caliber. I have written down just enough here to give the flavor of his teaching. Some people may find that I’ve included certain things that seem excessive, or even distasteful; but the account would be incomplete if I did not convey all aspects of his teaching. I have made the effort to compile these teachings in the hope that the readers will encourage me with the benefit of their criticism. So you are welcome to criticize me for whatever you find to be inappropriate; but, please do not blame Ãcariya Mun because he had no part in writing the book.

 

Ãcariya Mun conducted higher Dhamma teaching only within the circle of his close disciples. But the author has somewhat of an irrepressible nature and cannot sit still; so, I have gone around, collecting oral accounts from all the ãcariyas today who lived with Ãcariya Mun in the past and are his disciples. I’ve recorded this information so that the reader may know something of his practice, even though it is not a complete account. Ãcariya Mun’s mode of practice was so uniquely resolute and uncompromising that one could surely say that none of his disciples can match him in the austerities he performed, the noble virtues he perfected, and the inner knowledge he so skillfully mastered. To this day he remains unexcelled.

 

 

ÃCARIYA MUN SAID that when he stayed in the forests and mountains of Udon Thani and Nong Khai, devas from the upper and lower realms occasionally came to hear Dhamma from him. Some groups came regularly every two weeks, others only once a month. Devas from that area did not come to see him nearly as often as those from Chiang Mai province. I shall relate those experiences in due course; but, for now, let me continue following the sequence of events so as not to confuse matters.

 

 

Ãcariya Mun spoke of a huge city of nãgas, located under the mountain west of the Laotian city of Luang Prabang. While he lived there, the chief of those nãgas regularly brought his followers to hear Dhamma, occasionally in large numbers. The nãgas tended to ask far fewer questions of him than the devas of the upper and lower realms, who always had many questions for him. All these groups, however, listened to what he had to say with equal respect. During the time Ãcariya Mun lived at the base of that mountain, the chief nãga came almost every night to visit him. Only on special occasions did he bring a large following; and in that case, Ãcariya Mun always knew of their arrival in advance. Due to the remote location, he had little contact with people at that time, so he was able to be of particular service to the nãgas and devas. The nãgas did not visit very late at night – they came at maybe ten or eleven p.m. – which was probably due to his remote location. As a sign of their profound respect, the nãgas invited Ãcariya Mun to remain living there out of compassion for them. They even arranged to protect him both day and night, taking turns to keep watch. They never came too close, maintaining a convenient distance always, yet close enough to observe anything that might happen. The devas, on the other hand, usually came later than the nãgas – at about one or two a.m. If he was living in the mountains, far from a village, the devas sometimes came earlier, say ten or eleven p.m. There was never a sure time, but normally the devas came after midnight.

 

 

DURING MIDDLE AGE, Ãcariya Mun’s normal daily routine was as follows: After the meal he walked meditation until noon and then took a short rest. Rested, he sat in meditation for an hour and a half before continuing his walking meditation until four p.m. After that, he swept the area around his dwelling, bathed, and again practiced walking meditation until about seven or eight p.m., when he entered his hut to sit again. If it did not rain after seated meditation, he walked again, until late at night. Or, if it was already very late, he retired for the night. He normally retired at eleven p.m. and awoke at three a.m. Ãcariya Mun usually knew in advance when the devas would visit. If they were going to arrive later than midnight, he rested before receiving them. If they were expected to arrive between eleven p.m. and midnight, he first entered into samãdhi and waited there for them. This is the daily routine that he maintained throughout that period of his life.

 

 

WHEN BOTH HEAVENLY and terrestrial devas wished to come on the same night, Ãcariya Mun would receive the first group, give them a Dhamma talk, answer their questions, and then tell them that another group was soon coming. The first group then left in a timely manner and the other devas entered from where they’d been respectfully waiting at a distance. He then began speaking to the second group, discoursing on a Dhamma theme he deemed suitable for their temperament and level of understanding. Sometimes the chief of the deva group requested a certain topic. Ãcariya Mun then focused his attention on that specific Dhamma theme. When he felt his heart in possession of this knowledge, he began his discourse. Sometimes the deva leader requested an discourse on a sutta, using an archaic title with which Ãcariya Mun was unfamiliar. So Ãcariya Mun asked and was told the present-day title. Usually Ãcariya Mun could figure out for himself the suttas that were being requested; but occasionally he had to ask for clarification. At other times, the devas requested a sutta by a title of which he felt certain. But, as soon as he began to elucidate it, they informed him that he had made a mistake; that it was not the one they requested. To refresh his memory, they recited some verses from the sutta. After one or two verses he could usually remember it correctly. He began his discourse only when he was sure he had the right topic.

 

On rare occasions, the devas from the upper and lower realms all came to listen to Dhamma at the same time as the nãgas. This is not unlike various groups of humans all showing up to visit a teacher simultaneously. When this happened often, he scheduled their arrivals at different times for the convenience of all concerned. According to Ãcariya Mun, even though he lived deep in the forests and mountains, he did not have much free time because he had to deal with so many groups of devas from different realms of existence. If on a particular night no devas from the celestial realms came to see him, then there were bound to be terrestrial devas from one location or another; so, he had little free time at night. Fortunately, there were few human visitors in those remote places. If he stayed near a village or a town, however, then human inhabitants from the area came to see him. He received these people in the afternoon or early evening, teaching the monks and novices afterwards.