阿難。如是天人。圓光成音。披音露妙。發成精行。通寂滅樂。如是一類。名少淨天。
「阿難，如是天人」：像光音天這個天人。「圓光成音」：他的圓光成為一種音了。「披音露妙」：再把他這個音給分析清楚了，然後就會顯露出一種微妙的精行，「發成精行」。「通寂滅樂」：這種的精行是通於寂滅樂。寂滅就是一種連念都沒有了，寂滅這個心性。「如是一類，名少淨天」：這一類的天人叫少淨天，少少地得到眞正的清淨了，得到少分而不完全。
淨空現前，引發無際，身心輕安，成寂滅樂，如是一類，名無量淨天。
「淨空現前」：得到眞正的清淨，又證得這空的理。「引發無際」：引發無量的這種清淨，這個清淨沒有邊際。「身心輕安」：這時候身也輕安，心也輕安；眞正得到這種自在了，也就是得到這個眞空裏邊的這種妙有，妙有裏邊的眞空，一般人所不知道的。我們一般的人都貪外邊的色，向外邊去流——「性流為情，情流為欲」。有這種淫欲心生出來，一定要找一個對象發洩自己這種的欲火，這是向外馳求去了，這是所謂色。這個色是不是單單要有色才有這種境界呢？不是的，就在這個眞空裏邊也有這個眞色；眞色裏邊，你若明白了，也就是眞空：眞空妙有也就在這個地方能體驗到。《心經》上說：「色不異空，空不異色；色即是空，空即是色。」你若是得到這種寂滅樂，寂滅樂就是一個空理，得到空理這種真正的寂滅樂，那比你外邊去找尋的那個色，加倍的快樂不知幾千萬倍。你想要得到這一種的境界，你先要停止外邊那個色；你外邊這個色如果不停止，你自己真空裏邊那種色是不會發現的。所以現在說「引發無際，身心輕安」：這就是「空不異色，色不異空；色即是空，空即是色」。這不能假借的，不能說我也得到這種境界了。不是口頭上講得到，要真得到才算的。這種境界說不出來的，如人飲水，冷暖自知。「成寂滅樂」：這叫成寂滅樂。「如是一類，名無量淨天」，無量無邊的清淨天。
世界身心。一切圓淨。淨德成就。勝託現前。歸寂滅樂。如是一類。名遍淨天。
「世界身心，一切圓淨」，以前那個天只有身心圓淨，現在連這個世界，你這個功夫成就了，把這個世界都轉變了，世界本來是不淨的世界，你也可以把它轉變成圓淨，所以說「唯心淨土，自性彌陀」，也就是這個道理，你心淨，就佛土淨；你心若不淨，那佛土也不淨。你就是在極樂世界，你一天到晚若哭哭啼啼的，那也不樂的；你就在娑婆世界，你一天到晚都歡歡喜喜的，那也就是歡喜地菩薩，所以這一切唯心造，也就是這個道理，只看你能看得破，放得下，你就得到自在；你看不破，放不下，就得不到自在。「世界身心，一切圓淨」，都圓淨了。「淨德成就」，這回這個清淨了，而光明這種德行成就了。
「勝託現前」，這時候這個勝託，怎麼叫勝託呢？他這種殊勝的功能，到任何的地方都無障礙了，所以「勝託現前」，這個是一種心理上的感覺。「歸寂滅樂」，得到這個寂滅的樂。「如是一類」，像這樣的一類「名遍淨天」，沒有一個地方他不清淨的，遍法界他都清淨了，所以這個叫做遍淨天。
阿難。此三勝流。具大隨順。身心安隱。得無量樂。雖非正得真三摩地。安隱心中。歡喜畢具。名為三禪。
阿難！你要知道，這三勝流，具大隨順——他具足這個大的隨順。隨順就是隨順眾生的心，令眾生也都歡喜。「身心安隱」：身也沒有妄想了，心也沒有妄想了；身也沒有不安穩的，心也沒有不安穩。這時候「苦惱不逼，憂懸不逼」，把那前邊的憂懸苦惱都沒有了，身心安穩了。這時候一點煩惱憂懸都沒有了——身也安，心也安了，就是老老實實的，身心都老實了。怎麼老實法？就是沒有一種欲念了，沒有再生心動念，或者男人去找個女人，女人找個男人，沒有了，這叫身心安穩了。你若不安穩的時候怎麼樣呢？這個念停止了，那個念又生起來。「某某生得很美的；某某又是很漂亮的。」一天到晚想這個事情。現在身心安穩了，對這些個問題都解決了，再也不生這個心了。什麼安穩？我講來講去就是這一個問題；造業也就是這一個問題。最初就是一念無明，一個無明就惹出這麼多的禍患了。這個無明，這個欲念、愛欲從什麼地方來的？就是從無明那兒來的，所以十二因緣一開始就講無明，無明然後就有了行，行就有識了，識就有名色，都是從這兒來的。
現在在這個地方，雖然沒有真正把這個無明破了，可是「得無量樂」：得到無量的快樂。「雖非正得真三摩地」：雖然不是真正的定，可是他「安隱心中」：在這個安隱心中。「歡喜畢具」：有一種歡喜。「名為三禪」：到你坐到三禪的境界上，這時候你這個念就不起了。一念不生，得到一種真正的寂滅樂。所謂「一念不生全體現；六根忽動被雲遮」：你在這一念不生的時候，那就是佛的本體——全體現。
六根忽動，你或者眼睛看一看，耳朵聽一聽，這一動；被雲遮，這就又生了雲彩把你自性遮上了。前邊還生心動念，譬如脈停止了：「我的脈怎麼停止了呢？」你這麼一想，它脈搏又動了。用功用到你的呼吸氣停止的時候，你生了一念，我這怎麼沒有呼吸氣了呢？這麼一想的時候，這個呼吸氣又有了。這就叫念沒住。現在到這個三禪上，你脈搏、呼吸氣什麼都沒有了，也不管它了，連這個念都沒有了，都找不著了，這叫一念不生；一念不生就全體現，所以這是三禪的境界。
待續
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Sutra:
"Ananda, heavenly beings for whom the perfection of light has become sound and who further open out the sound to disclose its wonder develop a more focused level of practice. Arriving at the bliss of still extinction, such beings are in the Heaven of Lesser Purity.
Commentary:
Ananda, heavenly beings for whom the perfection of light has become sound and who further open out the sound to disclose its wonder develop a more focused level of practice. For them, perfect light has become sound, and when they distinguish this sound more clearly, it reveals a subtle and wonderful level of practice. Arriving at the bliss of still extinction by means of this subtle practice, such beings are in the Heaven of Lesser Purity. Still extinction means the absence of thought. Their minds and natures are quiescent. These gods have obtained a bit of genuine purity, but not total purity.
Sutra:
"Those in whom the state of purity is emptied experience the boundlessness of light ease in their bodies and minds, and they accomplish the bliss of still extinction. Such beings are in the Heaven of Limitless Purity.
Commentary:
Those in whom the state of purity is emptied experience the boundlessness of light ease in their bodies and minds, and they accomplish the bliss of still extinction. Having obtained genuine purity, they then attain to the principle of emptiness, which leads them to discover the boundlessness of purity. This purity has no end. At that time they become physically and mentally at ease, attaining true self-mastery. They have experienced the Wonderful Existence within True Emptiness and the True emptiness within Wonderful Existence, which is a state most people do not know about. Most people are greedy for external forms, so their energy flows out.
Their nature flows out into emotion;
Their emotions flow out into desires.
When their sexual desire is aroused, they are obsessed with finding a partner with whom they can indulge their burning desire. This is what the quest for external sensual gratification involves. But is it really necessary for there to be external forms for such an experience to occur? No.
Within True Emptiness, there is True Form. If you understand, then True Form is just True Emptiness. You can experience True Emptiness and Wonderful Existence right here and now.
The Heart Sutra says:
Form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form.
Form is just emptiness; emptiness is just form.
The bliss of still extinction—the principle of emptiness—is tens of millions of times more intense than the bliss derived of external physical gratification. If you want that experience, though, you must first stop your involvement with external sensory experiences. Otherwise, the True Emptiness within you cannot manifest.
Here, these heavenly beings experience boundless physical and mental light ease. This is the level where, "Form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form is just emptiness; emptiness is just form." You cannot fake this. You can't say you've reached this level if you haven't. It can't be experienced through mere words; it only counts if you are really there, just as only the person who drinks a glass of water knows if the water is cold or warm. Such beings who have accomplished the bliss of still extinction are in the Heaven of Limitless Purity.
Sutra:
"Those for whom the world, the body, and the mind are all perfectly pure have accomplished the virtue of purity, and they consider this to be a superior abode in which they can return to the bliss of still extinction. Such beings are in the Heaven of Pervasive Purity.
Commentary:
"Those for whom the world, the body, and the mind are all perfectly pure have accomplished the virtue of purity. In the previous heaven, only the body and mind experienced total purity. The beings in the heaven now discussed have developed their skill to the point that they can change the world itself. This world is basically impure, but they can transform it into a pure one. The principle here is the same one expressed in the saying:
The mind is itself the Pure Land;
The inherent nature is Amitabha Buddha.
If your mind is pure, the Buddhalands are pure. If your mind is not pure, you do not perceive the purity of the Buddhalands, either. If you're in the Land of Ultimate Bliss but do nothing but cry all day long, then there's no bliss. If you're in the Saha World and you're happy from morning to night, then you're like the Bodhisattvas of the Ground of Happiness. The principle here is that "everything is made from the mind alone." If you can see through it all and put it down, you will be free and at ease. If not, you won't experience freedom and ease. When the world, the body, and the mind are all pure, then the pure and bright virtuous nature is accomplished.
And they consider this to be a superior abode in which they can return to the bliss of still extinction. This superior abode is a supreme capability to travel anywhere without hindrance. It is a psychological experience wherein they attain quiescent bliss. Such beings are in the Heaven of Pervasive Purity. There isn't any place that isn't pure. They perceive the entire Dharma Realm as pure.
Sutra:
"Ananda, those who flow to these three superior levels will be replete with great compliance. Their bodies and minds are at peace, and they obtain limitless bliss. Although they have not obtained genuine Samadhi, the joy within the tranquillity of their minds is total. This is called the Third Dhyana.
Commentary:
Ananda, those who flow to these three superior levels will be re- plete with great compliance. That means they can comply with the wishes of living beings and make them happy. Their bodies and minds are at peace, and they obtain limitless bliss. They do not have any false thoughts in their minds, so they do not act on false thoughts with their bodies. They experience no unrest in either body or mind. They are not oppressed by afflictions or worries. These beings have no such experiences. Their bodies and minds are quiet and peaceful.
They are also dependable. How are they dependable? They have no desires. They are not always pursuing members of the opposite sex. They are physically and mentally at peace. When your body and mind are not at peace, then a new thought arises as soon as the last one ceases. "Ali, that person is beautiful." Or, "So-and-so is really hand- some." All day long you think about such things. But if one's body and mind are at peace, then those kinds of thoughts simply do not arise any more. It all boils down to one problem. I keep talking and talking, but in the final analysis, what leads you to create offenses is just this one problem. It's that first thought of ignorance that stirs up so many ca- lamities as a consequence. Emotional love and desire come from that ignorance. So the first of the Twelve Links of Conditioned Causation is ignorance. Ignorance leads to activity, which leads to consciousness. From consciousness come name and form. It all starts right there.
Although the beings described here have not broken through ig- norance, nonetheless they obtain limitless bliss. Although they have not obtained genuine Samadhi, the joy within the tranquillity of their minds is total. They don't have genuine concentration, but in the peace and quiet of their minds there is a kind of joy. This is called the Third Dhyana. When you reach the Third Dhyana, your thoughts do not arise. You obtain the genuine bliss of still extinction. It is said:
When no thought arises, the entire substance appears.
When the six sense organs suddenly move,
one is covered as if by clouds.
That moment without any thought arising is the essence of the Buddha. Your eyes taking a look and your ears listening is the movement by which you are obscured. You're in the clouds. You cover up your own nature.
Before the stage now being discussed, one's thoughts were still active. For instance, when one's pulse stopped, one would think, "How is it my pulse has stopped?" and with that one thought the pulse would begin again. When one's breath stopped, one would think, "I'm not breathing." And that thought would trigger the breath to start up again. That's what happened before thoughts ceased. This no longer happens in the Third Dhyana. If the pulse or the breath ceases–no matter what happens–one pays no attention. Such thoughts do not arise anymore. One has no thoughts at all. They can't be found. That's what is meant by the lines, "When no thought arises, the entire substance appears." That's the state of the Third Dhyana.
To be continued |
