編按：《楞嚴經淺釋》由本期起進入五十陰魔部分；五十陰魔部分為禪坐魔境，佛陀不問自說，其重要性，可想而知。為慎重起見，本刊將上人對本部分之開示，及易象乾教授寫的前言，由《楞嚴經淺釋》第八冊書中摘出先行刊出。
上人自一九六八年講解《楞嚴經》後，數年來又曾與四眾弟子在萬佛聖城及金輪聖寺，舉行「楞嚴經五十陰魔」研討會，會中上人對部分五十陰魔境界做了更進一步之闡釋，同時對修行也有所開示。上人在會中與參與者之對話及開示，將一併列於文內註解之中。
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上人：五陰魔，五陰是什麼呢？是色、受、想、行、識。色有十種魔，受有十種魔，想有十種魔，行有十種魔，識有十種魔，合起來就是五十種陰魔。修道的人必須對這五十種陰魔認識得清清楚楚的，如果不清楚這五十種陰魔，很容易就做了魔王的眷屬。等做了魔王的眷屬時，自己也不知道為什麼就做了魔王的眷屬呢，還不得其要領，還不知道！所以這要特別注意的。
現在《楞嚴經》講到五十種陰魔，這是最要緊的地方。修道的人，如果不明白這五十種陰魔，一定會走錯路的；不走錯路，那是很少很少的。所以你若認識陰魔的境界，就不會胡吹亂捧了，不會自己看自己是一個了不起的人了。
前言
＊易象乾博士寫於美國加州瑜珈市，一九九六年一月一日
一千多年以來，《楞嚴經》在東亞大乘佛教國家評價極高。本經在中國與《法華經》、《華嚴經》，及《大般若經》齊名，同受重，廣泛流通，並享朝廷的支持。
本經之所以如此重要，其原因之一即在於經中最後部份：即本書所講解的，由五蘊所生的五十種陰魔的境界。書中對每一蘊講了十種境界；每一種境界中，都指出了該修行人所經歷過的心理上的現象，及引起該種現象之原因，也指出了該修行人由於執著境界，而生起的種種困難，及對此境界之誤解。
總之，本書所記載的是一種獨特的方法，將精神上的體驗分門別類加以歸納。本書又指出了引起這種體驗的原因。雖然書中所列的這五十種陰魔的魔境，並未將所有的陰境概括淨盡，但是這種分門別類的方法，提供給佛教徒以及非佛教徒，在精神體驗上一個分類的大架構。
那些著魔境界的起因，是由於不持守戒律，這個重要的起因在本書中充分發揮。從本書與第六冊（英文版）中所描述的道場加行之間，我們可看出著魔的起因，與不持守戒律之間的關係。第六冊（英文版）中敘述修習禪定的人，若要在正定上有所進步的話，其先決條件就是要斷婬、殺、盜、妄。本書中亦陳述如果不澈底斷除婬、殺、盜、妄的話，其結果就會產生錯誤的知見，身心內外都會引起魔著。
本經中對盲修瞎煉的人、邪知邪見的人、濫用神通的人，以及邪師的誤導，描繪得特別明確生動，因此對某些人造成很大的威脅。這些人為了保護自己的地位及知見，起而不斷地攻擊本經為偽經。所以攻擊本經為偽經這個動機，應該是十分明顯的；但是非常不幸的是，現在的佛教學術界，都忽視了這個攻擊本經為偽經的主要原因。
我們若欲檢驗此段經義所涵括的範疇，必涉及「主觀」之價值觀念。換言之，即須對歷史上佛教裏各宗各派及其趨向，以佛法來評估其正確性。舉例來說：在上面提及的第六冊（英文版）第三十七頁中，佛曰：
「云何賊人，假我衣服，裨販如來，造種種業，皆言佛法？卻非出家，具戒比丘，為小乘道，由是疑誤，無量眾生，墮無間獄。」
凡學過佛教歷史的學生，都可看得出這段經文會引起哪類人的極端地不安。本書中，對部分佛教中所謂的「師父」所做的邪說、邪行邪境，有著生動詳細地描述，這種描述使得過去和現在的這些「師父」無所遁形。對於本書經文，我們不可以狹義來看，將其作為某一宗派的教義，而置之不理。本書經文對於在印度佛教之外的宗教傳統透過本經對禪坐境界的詮釋，認可各教主所達到之高度覺性。
本書最重要的，就是對佛教修行人而言，很獨特而有價值的指引。宣公上人對本經的講解價值也在於此。上人的知識、智慧，及其個人的體驗，賦予了本經經義新的生命。上人並指出了本經在實際上的效用，及其與目前時代的關聯。
本書經文及其註解之出版，實不容忽視。對於使用英語之佛教徒，若欲追尋對佛教正法之瞭解，本書實為不可或缺。仔細研讀本書經文，能幫助我們對自己及他人在性靈上的經歷，有更深入地認識。在現代修習性靈的圈子裹，有許多頗負盛名的邪師，及所謂的「善知識」，本書是無價之寶，足以幫助我們在遇到這些邪師及「善知識」時，能夠避開陷阱，以免被其引入邪途。
待續
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Editor's Note: Beginning with this issue, we enter a section of the Shurangama Sutra known as the Fifty Skandha-Demon States, which discusses "demonic" states encountered in meditation. The fact that this section was spoken spontaneously by the Buddha without being asked is an indication of its importance. In order to treat this section with all due seriousness, we will first print the Venerable Master's instructional talk regarding this section, as well as Professor Ron Epstein's Foreword to this section [Volume 8 of the English version of the Sutra as published in book form].
The Venerable Master lectured on the Shurangama Sutra in 1968. In the following years, discussion forums on the Fifty Skandha-demons of the Shurangama Sutra were held at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and Gold Mountain Monastery. During those discussions, which were attended by the fourfold assembly of disciples, the Venerable Master gave further explanations of portions of the Fifty Skandha-demons and also gave instructions on cultivation. Relevant extracts from the Venerable Master's instructions and discussions with the other participants will be included in the commentary.
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Venerable Master:
What are the five skandhas? They are form, feeling, thinking, formations, and consciousness. There are ten kinds of demons for each of the skandhas, making a total of fifty. Cultivators should have a clear understanding of these fifty types of demons. If you are not clear about these states, you could easily end up in the demon king's retinue, and you won't even know how you got there. That's why you have to be especially careful.
In the lecture on the Shurangama Sutra, we have now reached the very important section on the fifty kinds of deviant states caused by the five skandhas. If people who cultivate do not understand these fifty skandha demons, they will easily go astray in their cultivation. If you can recognize the states of these skandha demons, then you will not get carried away with reckless boasting and assume that you are an extraordinary individual.
Foreword
*By Ronald B. Epstein, Ph.D., Ukiah, California, U.S.A., January 1, 1996
For over a thousand years the Shurangama Sutra has been held in great esteem in the Mahayana countries of East Asia. In China the Sutra was ranked in popularity and importance with the Lotus, Avatamsaka and Prajna Paramita Sutras; it was also accorded imperial favor.
One major reason for the importance of the Sutra is its final section, presented in this volume, on fifty deviant mental states associated with the Five Skandhas; ten states are described for each of the skandhas. For each state a description is given of the mental phenomena experienced by the practitioner, the causes of the phenomena and the difficulties which arise from attachment to the phenomena and misinterpretation of them. In essence what is presented is both a unique method of cataloguing and classifying spiritual experience and an indication of causal factors involved in the experience of the phenomena. Although the fifty states presented are by no means exhaustive, the approach taken has the potential of offering a framework for the classification of all spiritual experience, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist.
An important causal theme of the Sutra that reaches its full development in this section is the relation between the experience of the demonic and failure to observe the guidelines of the moral precepts. Thus we find a link between this particular section and the Aiding Practices of the Bodhimanda described in volume six. There, the elimination of lust, killing, stealing and false speech are presented as a prerequisite for correct meditational progress. In this volume the consequences of the failure to completely eliminate them are presented in terms of wrong views and encounters with demonic states, both internal and external.
The Sutra's particularly clear and graphic exposure of wrong practice, wrong views, the wrong use of spiritual powers, and the deceptions of deviant spiritual teachers is probably one of the major factors involved in the perennial attacks on its authenticity. It is clear that the types of people it criticizes have certainly been threatened by it, and in order to preserve their own authority and views have attacked the Sutra. Unfortunately this primary motivation for discrediting the Sutra has been ignored by the modern Buddhist scholarly community. It is not, however, difficult to see why this is the case.
To examine this dimension of discourse would mean plunging into the "subjective" realm of values, that is, the Dharmic evaluation of the correctness of various historical schools and trends. For example, not in this volume but in the above mentioned one, the Buddha proclaims:
How can thieves put on my robes and sell the Thus Come One, saying that all manner of karma one creates is just the Buddhadharma? They slander those who have left the home-life and regard Bhikshus who have taken complete precepts as belonging to the path of the Small Vehicle. Because of such doubts and misjudgments, limitless beings fall into the un-intermittent hell. (Volume 6, p. 37)
Students of Buddhist history will have no difficulty identifying those for whom such a statement would be extremely uncomfortable. The present volume profiles in vivid detail deviant experiences, claims and behaviors on the part of so-called Buddhist teachers in such a way as to make it an embarrassment and threat to many, including both historical and contemporary figures.
This volume of the Sutra cannot be dismissed as a narrow sectarian document. Its classification of non-Buddhist Indian religious traditions, through its framework of interpretation of meditational states, attributes to many of their founders very high states of consciousness and accords them unusual respect.
The primary importance of this volume is as a unique and intensely valuable guide for Buddhist practitioners. Herein lies the value of the commentary of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, which accompanies the Sutra text. His erudition, wisdom and personal experience help both to bring to life the text and to illuminate its practical use and current relevance.
One cannot underestimate the importance of the publication of this section of the Sutra with the accompanying commentary. It is an excellent resource for the English-speaking Buddhist world in the quest for proper understanding of Buddhism. Careful study of it will lead to greater insight into one's spiritual experiences and those of others. It is also an invaluable aid to avoiding the pitfalls of association with false gurus and so-called spiritual masters, many of whom have achieved great prominence in the contemporary spiritual scene.
To be continued |
