4-9 The Death of the Arahant
阿羅漢之入滅
在清道洞靜修期間，阿姜曼一如往常地精進修行。許多徵兆會出現在他的禪境中，有一些是相當的特殊。以下，我簡述阿姜曼住在清道洞時的一些事件。幾乎每天一到深夜時分，便會有許多來自空居天或地居天的天人前來拜見阿姜曼。這些天人團體人數不一，有大有小，各自在約定的不同時間內前來拜見。另外，過往的阿羅漢們也會前來拜訪，他們會與阿姜曼一起討論正法。特別的是，每位阿羅漢會為阿姜曼演示他們入無餘涅槃的步驟與方式29。這些阿羅漢中有一些就是在清道洞取涅槃，一些則是在別處入滅。每一位阿羅漢會示範入涅槃時的各個動作，詳細解釋這些動作所代表的意義。
奇怪的是，當阿姜曼在為我們這些弟子解說時，我的心情卻明顯有些低落。或許是因為我想到自己明明有手、有腳、具備與阿姜曼一般的六根六識，但我卻無法證得阿姜曼已證得的境界，只能困坐在自己的處境之中。於是，一部分的我因為聽到故事而興高采烈，另一部分的我卻是鬱鬱寡歡。可以這樣說，我既想大笑又想大哭！但因為害怕同修們認為我瘋了，我忍下了眼淚。事後想想，那段時期的我或許真的有些問題呢？
不管如何，阿姜曼與阿羅漢們的談話是如此精彩與豐富，世上恐怕找不出別的事物能夠與之媲美，我會盡力記載下這些聖者們的對話。然而，恐怕我的程度仍不足以了解他們言談中的微妙之處。所以充其量，我的記載只是一個概要而已。
「每一位阿羅漢都擁有許多優秀的特質，他們的心是無以倫比的－累世培育的波羅蜜沒有任何人或天人能夠媲美。是在克服層層困難之後，他們才得以隨著佛陀的步伐，步入正法的殿堂。每位阿羅漢都像是埋藏在地下的巨大寶藏，轟隆一聲突然現出於世。就算集合所有皇城內的珠寶都比不上阿羅漢所散發出的光芒－這是世所罕見的！阿羅漢的生活方式與世俗之道形成強烈對比，一舉一動完全源自於正法。雖然身體構成成份與他人無異，但維持身體運作的心已臻於純淨，而心的純淨讓受其指揮的臟器、肢體也變得純淨，無一絲垢染。」
「你所作已辦，心與任何導致再次輪迴的因果已完全分離，你已是一名阿羅漢。你的心不再造出新的因緣，未來之生的根源已徹底腐壞。你的戒德、波羅蜜當世無人能出其右，三界有情一致推崇。我們也不例外，所以我們特來拜訪，好當面向你表達讚嘆之意。要知道，阿羅漢果位是異常艱難的成就，麟角鳳毛差可比擬。許許多多的人們也曾希求證得聖果，但是少有人能夠頂得住困難與挑戰。阿羅漢聖者不會尋求任何外在的慰藉或保護，唯有正法是皈依。相形之下，世間人們出於本能會尋求父母或親戚們的幫助，沒有人能夠了解皈依自心的重要性。綜觀這世間，人們要不忙於名與利，不然就是漫無目的地活著。
因此，一位阿羅漢的出世極其難得，三界眾生皆可獲益。你的潔白梵行對人類、天人、梵天是一種恩賜，能為人們帶來希望。同時，你也精通心的語言，這是最重要的溝通方式，遠勝於任何語言。一切諸佛與某一些阿羅漢會運用心的語言來傳遞教法，它共通於三界一切眾生。特別是與不具身軀的有情接觸時，別種溝通方式起不了作用，只能憑藉心的語言而已。以心的語言做溝通的雙方，能夠迅速且精確地理解對方所要表達的意思，這是別種方式比不上的優點。」
在說法結束後，每一位來訪的阿羅漢還會為阿姜曼示範他們入無餘涅槃的方式。在示範時，幾乎每一位阿羅漢都會同意阿姜曼步上前來，仔細觀看他們在此過程的身體姿勢與步驟。一些阿羅漢是在雙盤坐姿時，進入禪定後再接著入無餘涅槃；一些阿羅漢是在右倚「獅子臥」的姿勢下入無餘涅槃30；一些阿羅漢則是身在經行步道時，以站立的姿勢入無餘涅槃；還有一些阿羅漢是在來回經行時入無餘涅槃。同樣地，行走進入無餘涅槃的姿勢與步驟，阿羅漢們都會詳細示範。四威儀中，以坐姿或臥姿入滅最為常見－站姿或行走時入滅的阿羅漢明顯較少。
阿羅漢們會精確演示入滅時的一舉一動，重現每個細節直到最後一刻。若坐姿入滅，阿羅漢的身體會先完全停止運作，接著軀體向前傾倒，如同棉絮般地慢慢跌落地面。若阿羅漢以「獅子臥」的姿勢入滅，則旁人無法精確判定入滅發生在哪一個時刻。因為唯一可判斷的生命跡象是呼吸，但當阿羅漢躺下後，呼吸動作會變得更加輕柔，而身體的其它部分，與進入深層睡眠時一動也不動的狀態相同。旁人只能觀察著微弱的呼吸，直到完全停止為止。站姿入滅的阿羅漢是直直站著、面色莊重、雙眼閉合、頭微前傾、神情若有所思。雙手相疊置於腰間，右掌在左掌之上。他們似乎先思惟一番後才慢慢跌倒。先跌成坐姿，接著漸漸後傾直到平躺於地面，過程如同棉絮般地輕柔。於經行中入滅的阿羅漢則是來回步行約六至七次後，接著才輕輕跌落地面，最後成為完全平躺的姿勢。
做這些演示時，大多數的阿羅漢們也會主動向阿姜曼靠近些，距離大約六英尺遠。如此，阿姜曼才能清楚觀察每一個細節，並將一切記於心中。每次聽阿姜曼講述聖人們入滅的情況時，我總會生起一股感動淚流的情緒。若壓抑不住眼淚，我便會轉身向著牆壁，不讓同修們看到我滿臉的淚水。我怕我會引起同修們的詢問，讓自己成為故事中一個奇怪且尷尬的插曲。阿羅漢聖者入無餘涅槃的過程既優美又安詳，與多數世人在死前的萬般不捨與痛苦形成了鮮明的對比。這就是為何我每次聽到阿羅漢入無餘涅槃時，我都會感動到流下眼淚的原因。梵行圓滿、值得合掌恭敬的聖者們終於離開了人世，不再與世間因緣和合有任何瓜葛－這件事值得行者細細思惟。我相信其他人在聽聞與思惟之後，也會生起同樣的感動。
有三位阿羅漢正是在清道洞入無餘涅槃。其中兩位是以獅子臥入滅、另一位是在經行時入滅。演示入無餘涅槃的方式之前，每一位阿羅漢還會先為阿姜曼解說他選擇此姿勢的因緣。極少數的阿羅漢選擇了站姿或經行時入滅，多位阿羅漢選擇了坐姿，但最多的則是以臥姿入滅。阿姜曼從來訪的阿羅漢數目，得到了一個結論：在這幾個世紀，泰國仍有許多位阿羅漢出世，他們同樣是在泰國境內入無餘涅槃。我記得的就有下列這些：清道洞入滅的三位阿羅漢，在翁帕章山一位，華富里府的塔溝洞一位，那空那育府的考艾縣一位，南邦府柯嘉區的瓦達吐露恩寺一位。其實泰國還有更多的阿羅漢出世過，但可惜我已記不清楚了。
在此，我簡單解釋「涅槃」這個名詞。涅槃只能用在佛、辟支佛、或阿羅漢的入滅。聖者們的內心已無導致未來之生的任何煩惱，聖者逝世後就永不再出生，故可以用涅槃稱之。仍有煩惱的眾生則不能使用涅槃這個名詞，因為眾生的內心持續不斷地創造與收集未來之生的種子，涅槃完全不適用於他們。眾生在一處逝世，接著在另一處出生；在一境界死亡，即刻在另一境界出生。特別是那些鬆懈懶散、從未為此世或來世培育過戒德的人們，在死亡之後，他們極有可能轉生至畜生道。比起較佳的境界如人類、天人、梵天界，這些人轉生為動物的機會要大得多了。習慣於惡行的人們並不知道，他們可能正是走在通往畜生界眾多道路的其中一條道路上。比起較佳的境界而言，畜生界更包羅萬象，各式各樣的非善業都能在此找到一個相應的去處。但不論是畜生、人類、或天人，他們都有一個共同點：情感的羈絆－於是他們在六道中一次又一次地輪迴，永不得止息。因此，涅槃－火之熄滅，這名詞無法使用在他們的身上。
唯一值得涅槃這個名詞的，就是心中已無一絲煩惱的聖者。這些聖者們戰勝了無明，煩惱永不再生。所以，就算是聖者仍活在世上，我們一樣可用涅槃來描述這些聖者（有餘涅槃）。在入滅的時刻，沒有任何羈絆能夠將聖者重新繫縛至輪迴的羅網上－就算身體在分崩離析，聖者們的心也不會生起一絲波瀾。聖者們的心如如不動，對任何人、事、物毫無掛念。他們平靜地向世界告別，確知自己不受後有。生死輪迴已經結束－輪迴是一切痛苦、失敗、與災難的根源。證得「絕對自由」的心是不動、不變異、全然自給自足的。它如實安住，對整個「世俗的事實」沒有任何幻想，包括自己的身體在內。世上沒有任何事物能夠進入或打擾無垢潔淨的心。因此，涅槃也可用來指稱「心」所能達成的最純淨狀態。聖者不疾不徐，生時無憂，死時無慮－無論世間如何變異，心始終安住。
由上可知，涅槃是一個異於世間且殊勝的名詞，只在談論已解脫一切羈絆的聖者時才能使用，未潔淨內心的人們不該、也不配得「涅槃」二字。涅槃並非物品，無法交易或買賣。貪官污吏或許可以奪取他人的果園或農莊，但他們奪取不了涅槃。要想擁有涅槃，行者唯有精進修行，親自證得。那些希求涅槃、卻不肯努力修行者，無疑是異想天開而已。
清道洞是個特殊的地方，因為許多過往阿羅漢聖者曾來此說法、並演示入無餘涅槃的過程。阿姜曼深受泰國及世界各地佛教徒的尊敬與讚嘆。能有如此成就，阿姜曼憑藉的就是一心修行，持續掃除煩惱與虛假，直到體認心的實相為止。於是，阿姜曼能夠看出因緣合和之虛妄，包括我們的生命都是因緣合和之物。阿姜曼的心放下了執著，沒有事物能夠煩憂他了。真實的阿姜曼，並不是那個會衰老死去的肉身，而是他所領悟到的正法。世事無牢、無實、無有堅固，經不起時間的摧殘；但正法獨立於時間之外，永恆不變。
29. 無餘涅槃，意思是「不再有任何剩餘身體或心理組成成分的涅槃」(色受想行識皆消散)。阿羅漢逝世後，即是進入無餘涅槃。
30. 獅子臥：佛陀的睡姿是右側躺，右手枕頭，左手置於左腿，而左腿輕輕疊在右腿上。般涅槃時，佛陀即是以「獅子臥」姿勢入滅。
While Ãcariya Mun lived in Chiang Dao Cave, numerous nimittas appeared in his meditation, some of them quite extraordinary. Here I shall mention only a few. In the late hours of almost every night he received a wide range of deva visitors from the upper and lower celestial realms who arrived in groups of varying sizes at appointed times. Arahants also came regularly to hold inspirational conversations on Dhamma with Ãcariya Mun. Each Arahant showed him the manner in which his passing away into total Nibbãna had occurred.29 Some were Arahants who had passed away in the Chiang Dao Cave, while others had attained total Nibbãna elsewhere. Such demonstrations were accompanied by an inspiring explanation of the sequence of events that had taken place.
Hearing Ãcariya Mun talk about those Arahants, I felt dismayed and somewhat discouraged by my own unfortunate circumstances. There I was a human being with eyes, ears, and mental faculties just like Ãcariya Mun; yet, I couldn’t accomplish the things that he did. On the one hand, I was elated to hear his stories; on the other, I felt disheartened. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time, but I kept my tears to myself for fear that my fellow monks would think I was mad. In fact, at that time, deep inside, I really was a bit mad.
The inspirational conversations that Ãcariya Mun had with the Arahants were so captivating that it’s hard to find anything else in the world that compares with them. I shall try to faithfully recreate the essence of those conversations here, though I fear I may not do them proper justice. Here is the gist of what the Arahants said to Ãcariya Mun.
“All Arahants possess superb qualities within their hearts that are most amazing – intrinsic virtues unsurpassed in the human and deva worlds. Each Arahant who appears in the world following the Lord Buddha does so only with the greatest of difficulty. Each is like a gold mine cropping up spontaneously in the middle of an emperor’s imperial city – a very rare occurrence indeed. An Arahant’s lifestyle contrasts sharply with worldly lifestyles because an Arahant’s life is invigorated by Dhamma. Although his body is composed of the same physical elements as those of everyone else, the heart maintaining that body is pure, and such purity of heart invigorates every aspect of the physical element.
“You yourself have now completed the task of filtering from your heart all possible causes of existence, thus becoming one of the Arahants. Being one whose heart will never again give rise to birth and existence, you have become another incomparable source of merit for the world to venerate. So we’ve come to visit you now to show our appreciation for your achievement, which because of its enormous difficulty, is seldom accomplished. Although many people desire to attain what you have, very few succeed when they are faced with the difficulties. People born into this world instinctively cling to their parents and relatives for support. Hardly any of them realize the importance of relying on their own hearts as their mainstay. The vast majority of people just drift aimlessly, accomplishing nothing of real value – their numbers are beyond reckoning. So the appearance in the world of a fully-enlightened Arahant is a remarkable event that benefits living beings throughout all the world systems. Your attainment of purity has made you an enormous boon for humans, devas, and brahmas alike. You are also well-versed in the universal language of the heart, which is far more important than any other form of communication. All the Buddhas, and certain categories of Arahants, use the language of the heart when giving assistance to living beings, for it is the universal language of sentient beings throughout the universe. Contacting and teaching nonphysical beings is achieved exclusively by means of this universal form of communication. Those communicating in the language of the heart can understand each other much more quickly and easily than would normally be the case.”
After concluding his inspirational conversation with Ãcariya Mun, each Arahant would then demonstrate the manner in which he had passed away into total Nibbãna. Nearly every Arahant who came allowed him to observe the posture in which this was achieved. Some Arahants demonstrated how they had died and passed into total Nibbãna while sitting cross-legged in samãdhi. Some demonstrated how they were reclining on their right side in the ‘lion’s posture’ 30 at that time. Others showed him how they were standing still in the middle of the meditation path; still others revealed how they were pacing back and forth in meditation at the time of their total Nibbãna. The sitting and reclining postures were the most common – relatively few Arahants passed into Nibbãna while walking or standing.
Their deaths were demonstrated in a precise manner, showing every detail right up to the final moment. As a seated Arahant passed away, he slumped over gently like soft cotton, while his body ceased to function and became perfectly still. It was more difficult to discern the exact moment when an Arahant reclining in the ‘lion’s posture’ passed away. His breathing was the only visible sign of life and that became ever more refined as he lay quietly, as if asleep, without the slightest movement in any part of his body, until his breathing gradually ceased altogether. Those Arahants who demonstrated death in a standing posture stood erect, assuming a reflective pose with the right hand placed on the left hand, head slightly bowed and eyes firmly closed. They appeared to reflect momentarily before slowly slumping into a heap on the ground – first in a sitting position, then slumping gradually further, until, softly, like cotton wool, they lay on the ground. Arahants, who died while walking in meditation, paced back and forth about six or seven times before gently slumping to the ground where they lay perfectly still.
When giving these demonstrations, the Arahants came to within six feet of Ãcariya Mun so he could clearly view every aspect of their passing away, which created a lasting impression in his heart. Listening to him recount those episodes, I felt the urge to shed tears. I had to turn my face to the wall as this strange feeling overcame me. Otherwise, I might have created a stir, which could have become an embarrassing epilogue to this story. The total Nibbãna of those Arahants was accomplished with a serene gracefulness that stands in marked contrast to the distress typically suffered by most people at the time of death. I was so moved by hearing how each Arahant passed away that I simply couldn’t hold back my tears. Those amazing individuals were taking final leave of the world of conventional reality with all its chaos and confusion – which is an amazing thing to contemplate. I am sure that anyone else who listened would have been deeply affected in the same way.
Three Arahants attained total Nibbãna at the cave in Chiang Dao – two while reclining in the ‘lion’s posture’ and one while walking meditation. Prior to giving Ãcariya Mun a visual demonstration of how his death had occurred, each Arahant gave him a detailed explanation of why he had chosen to pass away in that posture. Very few died while standing or walking. Many more did so while sitting, but the majority passed away while reclining. On the basis of what he had seen, Ãcariya Mun came to the conclusion that over the centuries many Arahants had passed away in Thailand. As far as I can remember, they included the three Arahants at the cave in Chiang Dao, one in the Wong Phra Chan mountains, one at Tago Cave in Lopburi province, one at Khow Yai in Nakhon Nayok province, and one at Wat Dhatuluang monastery of Ko Kha district in Lampang province. There were others as well, but unfortunately I can no longer recall them.
“Nibbãna” is a term used exclusively with reference to Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and Arahants, all of whom have expunged from their hearts every trace of the kilesas leading to future birth. It is not a term associated with living beings who still have kilesas, for those beings continue to accumulate the seeds of future births in their hearts constantly, thus making the designation “Nibbãna” entirely inappropriate for them. Having died here, they are reborn there; dying there, they’re reborn somewhere else. Negligent human beings who’ve made no effort to develop virtuous qualities in this life so as to enhance their future lives, may well be reborn as animals after they die. The opportunities for birth as an animal are more numerous than those for birth in the much higher human, deva, and brahma realms. So those who prefer making bad kamma may be on one of the many paths to rebirth in the animal kingdom, which is far more diverse and extensive than the higher realms. But animals, humans, and devas all have one thing in common: the burden of emotional attachments that cause them to be reborn over and over again – indefinitely. Consequently, the term Nibbãna does not apply to them.
The only ones who deserve the designation “Nibbãna” are those individuals who have completely eradicated the kilesas from their hearts – extinguishing them forever, even while they are physically alive. At the moment of passing away, they have no lingering attachments that could bind them to the round of saÿsãra – not even to the body that’s starting to decompose. Absolutely no attachment or concern for anything anywhere exist in their hearts. Thus they bid final farewell to the world with no trepidation, having no expectations of experiencing karmic consequences in another realm of existence – a source of endless frustration. The heart that has attained absolute freedom is constant, unchanging, and wholly contented. It harbors no expectations at all concerning conventional realities such as the body. Therefore, not even an atom of the conventional world could enter and affect the heart’s state of total purity. The word “Nibbãna” refers to the total purity of one who is never agitated or melancholy – neither sorrowful in life nor regretful at death – but always imperturbably unchanging throughout.
Nibbãna is a special term used with reference to a special type of individual. No one who has yet to purify his heart would dare assume this title. Nibbãna is not a kind of personal property, like an orchard or a farm, which can be taken over by powerful interests even without the owner’s consent. Whoever wants to take possession of Nibbãna must make the effort to develop it within the heart – there is no hope for those who merely lie around waiting for it to appear.
Ãcariya Mun, the subject of this biography, received inspirational Dhamma from many Arahants. He has received national acclaim and respect from faithful Buddhists everywhere. He achieved this renown by faithfully practicing the Dhamma until he realized the Truth in his own heart, where nothing false existed. He was able to see those things that are inherently false, like organic life; and as such, let go of them so they no longer burdened his heart. The true Ãcariya Mun, no longer subject to change, was the Truth of the Dhamma he realized. That Dhamma remains true – forever. Unlike all other things which are inherently unstable and so of limited duration, the passage of time has no effect whatsoever on it.