使你学得这类知识的具体任务，起始于试着让心舒适、长久地专注于呼吸——当下你就有了两个操作假定:呼吸意味着什么?专注意味着什么?

It\'scommontothinkofthebreathastheairpassinginandoutthroughthenose,andthiscanbeausefulperceptiontostartwith.Usewhateverblatantsensationsyouassociatewiththatperceptionasameansofestablishingmindfulness,developingalertness,andgettingthemindtogrowstill.Butasyourattentiongetsmorerefined,youmayfindthatlevelofbreathbecomingtoofainttodetect.Sotrythinkingofthebreathinsteadastheenergyflowinthebody,asafullbodyprocess.

Thenmakethatexperienceascomfortableaspossible.Ifyoufeelanyblockageorobstructioninthebreathing,seewhatyoucandotodissolvethosefeelings.Areyoudoinganythingtocreatethem?Ifyoucancatchyourselfcreatingthem,thenit\'seasytoletthemdissolve.Andwhatwouldmakeyoucreatethemasidefromyourpreconceivednotionsofhowthemechanicsofbreathinghavetowork?Soquestionthosenotions:Wheredoesthebreathcomeintothebody?Doesitcomeinonlythroughthenoseandmouth?Doesthebodyhavetopullthebreathin?Ifso,whichsensationsdothepulling?Whichsensationsgetpulled?Wheredoesthepullingbegin?Andwhereisthebreathpulledfrom?Whichpartshavethebreath,andwhichonesdon\'t?Whenyoufeelasensationofblockage,whichsideofthesensationareyouon?

一般认为呼吸是指出入鼻腔的气息，这个有用的辨识可作为起点。无论使你联想起该辨识的呼吸感何等粗显，不妨就把它当作确立念住、培养警觉，使心静止下来的手段。不过，随着专注力越来越精细，你也许会发现，呼吸层次微弱得难以探测。于是你试着把呼吸改想成一股体内能量流，一个全身过程。

接下来，要使该体验尽量舒适起来。如果你感到呼吸之中有任何障碍、阻碍，要设法化解那些觉受。你是不是在做什么，造就了它们?你若发现是自己在造作，放下它们就不难了。除了你对呼吸机制该怎样运行有先入之见外，还有什么令你造作它们?因此要质疑那些观念:呼吸从哪里进入体内?它只从口鼻进入么?身体是否有必要把呼吸拉入体内?若有必要，那么是哪些觉受在用力?那些觉受被拉动?拉动从何处开始?呼吸又从何处被拉过来?哪些部位有呼吸，哪些部位没有?障碍感升起时，你在觉受的哪一边?

Thesequestionsmaysoundstrange,butmanytimesyourpre-verbalassumptionsaboutthebodyarestrangeaswell.Onlywhenyouconfrontthemhead-onwithstrangequestionscanyoubringthemtolight.Andonlywhenyouseethemclearlycanyoureplacethemwithalternativeconcepts.

Soonceyoucatchyourselfbreathinguncomfortablyinlinewithaparticularassumption,turnitaroundtoseewhatsensationsthenewassumptionhighlights.Trystayingwiththosesensationsaslongasyoucan,totestthem.If,comparedtoyourearliersensationsassociatedwiththebreath,they\'reeasiertostaywith,iftheyprovideamoresolidandspaciousgroundingforconcentration,theassumptionthatdrewthemtoyourattentionisausefulnewtoolinyourmeditation.Ifthenewsensationsaren\'thelpfulinthatway,youcanthrowthenewtoolaside.

这些问题听来也许怪诞，然而许多情形下，你对色身的下意识假设也同样怪诞。只有用怪诞的问题迎面观照，才能把那些假设揭开。你只有把它们看清楚了，才能用其它概念取而代之。

因此，你一旦发现自己呼吸不顺乃是缘于某个特定的假设，便把它转过来看看，新的假设会揭示出什么样的觉受。试着尽可能长时间地安住于那些觉受，检验它们。如果它们较之你先前的呼吸感更容易安住，如果它们为定力提供的基础更坚实、宽广，那么揭示它们的那个假设对你的禅定便是一个有益的新工具。如果新的觉受无益，就把新工具弃置一边。

Forexample,ifyouhaveasenseofbeingononesideofablockage,trythinkingofbeingontheotherside.Trybeingonboth.Thinkofthebreathascomingintothebody,notthroughthenoseormouth,butthroughthemiddleofthechest,thebackoftheneck,everyporeofyourskin,anyspotthathelpsreducethefeltneedtopushandpull.

Orstartquestioningtheneedtopushandpullatall.Doyoufeelthatyourimmediateexperienceofthebodyisofthesolidparts,andthattheyhavetomanagethemechanicsofbreathing,whichissecondary?Whathappensifyouconceiveyourimmediateexperienceofthebodyinadifferentway,asafieldofprimarybreathenergy,withthesoliditysimplyalabelattachedtocertainaspectsofthebreath?Whateveryouexperienceasaprimarybodysensation,thinkofitasalreadybreath,withoutyourhavingtodoanythingmoretoit.Howdoesthataffectthelevelofstressandstraininthebreathing?

Andwhatabouttheactofstayingfocused?Howdoyouconceivethat?Isitbehindthebreath?Surroundedbybreath?Towhatextentdoesyourmentalpictureoffocusinghelporhindertheeaseandsolidityofyourconcentration?Forinstance,youmayfindthatyouthinkofthemindasbeinginonepartofthebodyandnotinothers.Whatdoyoudowhenyoufocusattentiononanotherpart?Doesthemindleaveitshomebase—say,inthehead—togothere,ordoestheotherparthavetobebroughtintothehead?Whatkindoftensiondoesthiscreate?Whathappensifyouthinkofawarenessalreadybeinginthatotherpart?Whathappenswhenyouturnthingsaroundentirely:insteadofthemind\'sbeinginthebody,seewhatstressiseliminatedwhenyouthinkofthebodyassurroundedbyapre-existingfieldofawareness.

譬如，你感到自己位于堵塞的一边，试着观想处于堵塞的另一边。试想同时在两边。不把呼吸想成从口鼻而入，而是从胸前、颈后、皮肤每个毛孔、任何一个有助于减少推拉感之处进入。

或者，质疑推拉的根本必要性。你是否感到，色身直接体验到的是固态部位，必须由后者掌管处于次要地位的呼吸机制?如果你设想以另一种方式直接体验色身，把它当成主要是一个呼吸能量场，固态部位只是对呼吸某些侧面的一种标签，又将如何?无论你经历哪一种主要色身感，把它设想为现成的呼吸，无需你再对它做些什么;那样一来对呼吸的苦与紧张层次，又有什么影响?

还有，维持专注的动作是怎么回事?你是怎样构想它的?它位于呼吸之后，还是被呼吸包围?在多大程度上，你对于入定的心理形象，协助或妨碍了定力的自如与坚固?例如，你也许注意到自己以为心识存在于色身某个部位，不在其它部位。那么当你把注意力放在别处时，是怎么做的?是心识离开本位(比如头部)去该处，还是得把其它部位引入头脑?这样做造成了何等张力?你把知觉设想为现存于该部位将如何?如果你把整件事颠倒过来，与其设想心在在色身之内，反之，设想色身被一现成的觉知场包围，又将如何?

Whenyouaskquestionslikethisandgainfavorableresults,themindcansettledownintodeeperanddeeperlevelsofsolidity.Youeliminateunnecessarytensionandstressinyourfocus,findingwaysoffeelingmoreandmoreathome,atease,intheexperienceofthepresent.

Oncethemindissettleddown,giveittimetostaythere.Don\'tbeintoogreatahurrytomoveon.Herethequestionsare,\"Whichpartsoftheprocesswerenecessarytofocusin?Whichcannowbeletgo?Whichdoyouhavetoholdontoinordertomaintainthisfocus?\"Tuningintotherightlevelofawarenessisoneprocess;stayingthereisanother.Whenyoulearnhowtomaintainyoursenseofstillness,trytokeepitgoinginallsituations.Whatdoyoudiscovergetsintheway?Isityourownresistancetodisturbances?Canyoumakeyourstillnesssoporousthatdisturbancescangothroughwithoutrunningintoanything,withoutknockingyourcenteroffbalance?

Asyougetmoreandmoreabsorbedinexploringtheseissues,concentrationbecomeslessabattleagainstdisturbanceandmoreanopportunityforinnerexploration.Andwithouteventhinkingaboutthem,you\'redevelopingthefourbasesofsuccess:thedesiretounderstandthings,thepersistencethatkeepsafteryourexploration,thecloseattentionyou\'repayingtocauseandeffect,andtheingenuityyou\'reputtingintoframingthequestionsyouask.Allthesequalitiescontributetoconcentration,helpitgetsettled,getsolid,getclear.

当你这样一边提出问题，一边获得有益结果时，心就会入定，越来越深、越来越牢固。你消解了专注时不必要的紧张与压力，找到越来越自在、舒适的觉受方式来体验当下。

一旦心定下来，让它定久一点。不要急于继续前行。此处的问题是，“这个过程的哪些部分必须专注?哪些可以放下?哪些部分你需要抓住，才能维持这个定境?\"进入正确的觉知层次是一个过程，停驻在那里，又是一个过程。你在学着维持这个寂止感时，试着在任何场合之下保持它。你发现有什么在妨碍?是否它是你自己对干扰的抵制?能否使你的静止如此多孔，那些干扰可以一穿而过、不受抵挡、不把你的定力中心撞得失去平衡?

随着你越来越沈浸于对这些问题的探索，入定渐少成为一场抵制干扰的战斗，渐多地成为一个探索内心的机会。不知不觉地，你便在培养四神足:理解事物的欲望、坚持探索的勤奋、对于因果的密切关注、提问方式的创意。所有这些素质皆有助于培养定力，助它安止、牢固、清晰。

Atthesametime,theyfosterdiscernment.TheBuddhaoncesaidthatthetestforaperson\'sdiscernmentishowheorsheframesaquestionandtriestoanswerit.Thustofosterdiscernment,youcan\'tsimplysticktopre-setdirectionsinyourmeditation.Youhavetogiveyourselfpracticeinframingquestionsandtestingthekarmaofthosequestionsbylookingfortheirresults.

同时，这些探索也在培养着明辨。佛陀曾经说过，测验某人的明辨程度的方法，是看他/她怎样提出问题，怎样尝试解答。因此，为了培养明辨，你在禅定中不能只固守既定的指南。你必须构思问题，寻其果报，如此测试那些问题的业力，给自己创造修练的机会。

Ultimately,whenyoureachaperceptionofthebreaththatallowsthesensationsofin-and-outbreathingtogrowstill,youcanstartquestioningmoresubtleperceptionsofthebody.It\'sliketuningintoaradiostation.Ifyourreceiverisn\'tpreciselytunedtothefrequencyofthesignal,thestaticinterfereswiththesubtletiesofwhateverisbeingtransmitted.Butwhenyou\'repreciselytuned,everynuancecomesthrough.Thesamewithyoursensationofthebody:whenthemovementsofthebreathgrowstill,themoresubtlenuancesofhowperceptioninteractswithphysicalsensationcometothefore.Thebodyseemslikeamistofatomicsensations,andyoucanbegintoseehowyourperceptionsinteractwiththatmist.Towhatextentistheshapeofthebodyinherentinthemist?Towhatextentisitintentional—somethingadded?Whathappenswhenyoudroptheintentiontocreatethatshape?Canyoufocusonthespacebetweenthedropletsinthemist?Whathappensthen?Canyoustaythere?Whathappenswhenyoudroptheperceptionofspaceandfocusontheknowing?Canyoustaythere?Whathappenswhenyoudroptheonenessoftheknowing?Canyoustaythere?Whathappenswhenyoutrytostoplabelinganythingatall?

Asyousettleintothesemoreformlessstates,it\'simportantthatyounotlosesightofyourpurposeintuningintothem.You\'reheretounderstandsuffering,nottoover-interpretwhatyouexperience.Say,forinstance,thatyousettleintoanenvelopingsenseofspaceorconsciousness.Fromthere,it\'seasytoassumethatyou\'vereachedtheprimordialawareness,thegroundofbeing,fromwhichallthingsemerge,towhichtheyallreturn,andwhichisessentiallyuntouchedbythewholeprocessofemergingandreturning.YoumighttakedescriptionsoftheUnconditionedandapplythemtowhatyou\'reexperiencing.Ifyou\'reabidinginastateofneitherperceptionnornon-perception,it\'seasytoseeitasanon-abiding,devoidofdistinctionsbetweenperceiverandperceived,formentalactivityissoattenuatedastobevirtuallyimperceptible.Struckwiththeapparenteffortlessnessofthestate,youmayfeelthatyou\'vegonebeyondpassion,aversion,anddelusionsimplybyregardingthemasunreal.Ifyoulatchontoanassumptionlikethis,youcaneasilythinkthatyou\'vereachedtheendofthepathbeforeyourworkisreallydone.

最后，你达到一种令出入息寂止下来的呼吸辨识，那时便可以对更精细的色身辨识提出问题。这样做类似于无线电调频。你若调得不准，杂音会干扰讯号的细节。调准时，每个细节都会传过来。你的色身觉受也类似:当呼吸动态寂止下来时，辨识与生理觉受之间相互作用的更微妙的细节便显现出来。色身仿佛是一股原子感的雾体，你开始看见辨识如何与那团雾体相互作用。色身的形状多大程度上属于那团雾体的固有性质?多大程度上是有意形成——或者说是外加的?你放下造作该体形的意志[动机]，会发生什么?你能专注于雾体颗粒之间的空间么?那时会发生什么?你能安住那里么?当你放下对空间的辨识，改为专注于觉知，那时会发生什么?你能安住那里么?当你放下觉知的一体感，会发生什么?你能安住那里么?你若根本不试图标记任何事物，那时又会发生什么?

随着你在这些无色界层次定驻下来，重要的是不要迷失自己进入其中的目的。你在这里的目的是理解苦，不是过分铨解自己的体验。譬如说，你在一个包容一切空间或意识之感的境界中定驻下来。从那里看，容易认为你已到达原始的觉知、生命的本源，万物从其中升起、又回归其中，本身却不受整个升落过程的影响。也许你会以为经上对无缘起的描述合乎自己的体验。如果你定驻于非想非非想界，则容易以为它是心无所住[之状态]，不存在知与被知的分界，因为思维活动微弱至极，基本上不可分辨。你被该境界的表面无为所打动，也许觉得只需把贪、瞋、痴看成幻相，便超越了它们。如果你抓紧这类假定，很容易以为自己已经到达正道顶端，实际上你的工作尚未完成。

Youronlyprotectionhereistoregardtheseassumptionsasformsofperception,andtodismantlethemaswell.Andhereiswherethefournobletruthsprovetheirworth,astoolsfordismantlinganyassumptionbydetectingthestressthataccompaniesit.Askifthere\'sstillsomesubtlestressintheconcentrationthathasbecomeyourdwellingplace.Whatgoesalongwiththatstress?Whatvagrantmovementsinthemindarecreatingit?Whatpersistentmovementsinthemindarecreatingit?Youhavetowatchforboth.

此处你的唯一防护，是把这些假定看成辨识形式，也它们拆解开来。四圣谛正在此处显其价值，即作为拆解任何假设的工具，方法是:探测伴随这些假设的张力。问自己，你安住的那个定境里是否仍有某种精细的张力。是什么伴随那种紧张?是内心什么样的游散动态在制造它?是内心什么样的持续动态在制造它?这两个方面你都必须审视。

Inthiswayyoucomefacetofacewiththeperceptionsthatkeepeventhemostsubtlestatesofconcentrationgoing.Andyouseethateventheyarestressful.Ifyoureplacethemwithotherperceptions,though,you\'llsimplyexchangeonetypeofstressforanother.It\'sasifyourascendinglevelsofconcentrationhavebroughtyoutothetopofaflagpole.Youlookdownandseeaging,illness,anddeathcomingupthepole,inpursuit.You\'veexhaustedalltheoptionsthatperceptioncanoffer,sowhatareyougoingtodo?Youcan\'tjuststaywhereyouare.Youronlyoptionistoreleaseyourgrip.Andifyou\'relettinggofully,youletgoofgravity,too.

就这样，你面对面地看见了维持着哪怕最精细的定境的那些辨识。你看见，即便它们也有苦。你若以其它辨识替代它们，只会以一种苦替代另一种苦。这就好比上升的定力层次把你带到了一根旗杆的顶点。你朝下看，看见老、病、死朝着旗杆追上来。你已穷尽了辨识所能提供的一切，怎么办?你在那里停留不得。唯一出路是松开你的紧握。如果你彻底放下，便也放下了重力。

最近订正2-19-2007