The Two Types of Insight Practitioners 《兩種觀禪行者》

Another thing that meditation teachers in many countries teach nowadays is that it is possible to make an end of suffering without having developed concentration. Do you agree with this idea? Even in Myanmar, where the Dhamma seems to be flourishing, there are many who hold this point of view and who teach that there is no need to develop concentration.
當今，許多國家的禪修老師認為不經由禪定的修行，也能止息煩惱與痛苦。諸位是否認同這個觀點？即便在佛法興盛的緬甸，也有許多人認為可以不必培育定力。

What did the Buddha teach after His complete Enlightenment? ‘Samādhiṃ, bhikkhave, bhāvetha. Samāhito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti’ – ‘Bhikkhus, develop concentration. One who is concentrated knows and sees things as they really are.’ Who said this? The Buddha. What did the Buddha say? He said that one who is concentrated knows and sees the Dhamma, the Truths, as they really are. And the Buddha continued: ‘Kiñca yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti? Idaṃ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti’ – ‘What does he know and see as it really is? He knows and sees as it really is, “This is suffering.”’ In other words, the Buddha said that one who is concentrated will know and see the First Noble Truth. And the Buddha continued, saying that one who is concentrated will know and see the Second Noble Truth, and the Third Noble Truth, and the Fourth Noble Truth. If you have a different point of view, please change it so that it is in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha. Keep in mind that, without having developed concentration, no one can penetrate the Dhamma, the truth of things as they really are.
佛陀在證得正自覺後，傳授給我們的是什麼？佛說：「諸比庫，應修習定。諸比庫，具有定力的比庫，能如實了知。」
誰說了這句話？是佛陀！佛陀說了什麼？具有定力者，能如實知見。在這段話之後，佛陀接著說：「他如實了知什麼？他如實了知『此是苦』。」
換句話說，那些具有定力的人，能如實知見第一聖諦， 而且培育定力，也能讓行者如實知見第二、第三直到第四聖諦。諸位，若本來持有不同的觀點與見解，請調整它們， 使其與佛陀的教導一致。我們要時刻告訴自已：沒有培育定力，就無法如實徹見佛法，事實的真相。

If it is true that concentration is indispensable, the following thought may have occurred to you: Isn’t it true that in the Buddha’s time there were some who practised insight meditation without having developed concentration first? Do you have such an idea? I believe you have.
如果，培育定力是絕對必要的，那麼諸位也可能會有疑問：何以在佛世時，有些人未發展出定力，就能開始進行觀禪？我相信諸位會有這種想法和疑問。

Yes, there have been two kinds of practitioners ever since the time of the Buddha. They are called samathayānika and suddhavipassanāyānika in Pāḷi. ‘Samathayānika’ means someone who practises insight meditation after having developed jhāna concentration. ‘Suddhavipassanāyānika’ means someone who practises pure insight. Have you ever heard of these? Someone who practises insight meditation after having developed concentration is a samathayānika, and someone who practises insight meditation directly is called a pure insight meditator. Which one do you want to be? Which are you? Are you someone who practises insight meditation after having developed concentration? Are you someone who wants to be a pure insight practitioner? I want to share something with all of you that will enable you to decide which type of practitioner you would like to be.
確實，從佛陀時代開始，修行者就已經可以被歸納為兩類：止行者與純觀行者。那些在培育了禪那的定力之後， 才開始修觀的，稱之為止行者；而那些直接修觀的行者，稱之為純觀行者。諸位，想要成為哪一類型？你屬於哪一類型呢？你是否先培育起定力後才開始修觀？你是否想要成為純觀行者？我接下來要跟你們分享，使你們可以決定自己想成為哪一種行者。

What is the comparison between someone who practises insight meditation after having developed concentration and someone who is a pure insight meditator? What are the similarities? What are the differences? You need to know both the similarities and the differences. So I want to explain about the first type of person, the one who practises insight meditation after having developed concentration. How does such a meditator practise?
若我們比對止行者與純觀行者，兩者會有何共同點？有何差異處？兩者的同異是你們所需瞭解的。所以我會對第一種修行者，即：先達到定才開始修觀的止行者，進行講解。這一類行者的修行模式如何？

First, what is the way leading to Nibbāna? The way leading to Nibbāna is the Noble Eightfold Path. If we summarise the Noble Eightfold Path, it would be just three trainings – the training of morality, the training of concentration, and the training of insight. As I am going to explain these two types of practitioners, I need to explain these three trainings.
我們首先要問，如何達到涅槃？導向涅槃之道是八支聖道。八支聖道可概括為三種訓練：道德的訓練；定力的訓練；修觀的訓練（戒、定、慧三學）。在向諸位解釋兩種行者之前，我須先解釋這三學。

You all know about the first training, the training of morality. I will not say much about this. The second training is the training of concentration. When the Buddha taught the second training, the training of concentration, how many meditation objects did He teach? He taught forty different samatha meditation objects. Of these forty objects, there are thirty that can take the meditator all the way to jhāna absorption concentration, while the remaining ten can lead one only as far as access concentration. Access concentration is very close to jhāna absorption concentration.
由於諸位都對第一學，即戒學，有了一定的瞭解，因此，我不用詳細解釋。第二學是修定。當佛陀教導定學時，他教導幾種業處？他教導四十種不同的止禪業處。在這四十種業處中，有三十種能帶領我們達到證得禪那或安止 定。而剩下的十種能一路帶領行者進入近行定的境界。安止定與近行定其實很相近。

So we can classify these forty meditation objects into two kinds, according to whether they can be used for absorption concentration or just access concentration. Those who want to be samathayānika -- serenity and insight practitioners, who practise insight meditation after having developed concentration – must develop jhāna absorption concentration, by practising one of the thirty meditation objects that can take meditators to jhāna absorption concentration. After having attained jhāna absorption concentration, the meditator proceeds to the practice of insight meditation. This is the way a ‘serenity and insight practitioner’ practises. If you want to be a pure insight practitioner, you don’t need to develop any jhāna absorption concentration. You need to start insight meditation directly.
如此一來，我們可以把業處分成兩種：可以入安止定與近行定的這兩種類別。對於止行者，他們先培育定力後，才開始修觀，因此他們必須先培育安止定；藉由修習那三十種業處其中之一，可以達到安止定。獲得安止定以後，行者必須接著修觀禪，這就是止行者的修行方式。若是一位純觀行者，則不需經過安止定的階段，而直接從觀禪開始修。

So when the Buddha taught samatha meditation, He taught forty samatha meditation objects. Since this is so, let me ask you one question: When the Buddha taught vipassanā – insight meditation -- how many meditation objects did He teach? You are thinking, ‘We came to learn the Dhamma, Bhante; why are you asking us so many questions?’ Since you asked a lot of questions when you were in school, let me now put many questions to you. When the Buddha taught the third training, the training of insight meditation, how many meditation objects did He teach? He taught two. What are they? Rūpa and nāma meditation, materiality and mentality meditation. When the Buddha taught vipassanā, He taught only these two meditation objects. If you want to be a pure insight meditator, there is no other choice: You must take rūpa meditation as your starting point.
佛陀教導止禪時，他教給我們四十種業處。既然如此，我接著要問諸位一個問題：當佛陀教授維巴沙那或者觀禪的時候，他傳授了我們幾個業處？諸位可能會想：我們已經來學習佛法了，尊者，為何還要問我們這麼多問題？這是因為就像在學校裡，要問許多問題一樣，我同樣地想給大家許多問題去思考：當佛陀在教導三學中的第三學，他教導多少種修觀的業處？答案是兩種：名業處與色業處。當佛陀教導我們觀禪時，他就只教導了我們這兩種業處。當你們是純觀行者時，你們就要從色業處開始修，沒有其它選擇。

If you want to be a pure insight practitioner, you can’t start nāma meditation directly. What is the reason? Unless you have attained jhāna absorption concentration, you haven’t yet known or seen jhāna factors. Therefore you can’t discern mentality directly when you are going to practise pure vipassanā. That is why you don’t have any choice; you must start with rūpa meditation. This is the starting point for a pure insight practitioner.
純觀行者的修行不能從名業處開始。什麼原因呢？這是由於：當你還未達到安止定的時候，你還未能看到禪支。 這使得你要修習純粹的觀禪時，無法直接觀照名法。因此你別無選擇，必須從色業處開始修，這是純觀行者修行的起點。

Another question might occur to you here, namely: How does one start rūpa meditation? I will answer this by citing the commentary to the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness. In the commentary to the vedanānupassanā section (the section on contemplation of feeling) of this sutta, the following explanation appears: ‘Duvidhañhi kammaṭṭhānaṃ rūpakammaṭṭhānañca arūpakammaṭṭhānañca. Rūpapariggaho arūpapariggahotipi etadeva vuccati. tattha bhagavā rūpakammaṭṭhānaṃ kathento saṅkhepamanasikāravasena vā vitthāramanasikāravasena vā catudhātuvavatthānaṃ kathesi.’ When the Buddha taught vipassanā, He taught two types of meditation: materiality meditation (rūpakammaṭṭhānaṃ) and mentality meditation (nāmakammaṭṭhānaṃ, which is another term for arūpakammaṭṭhānaṃ). When the Buddha taught rūpa meditation, He taught four elements meditation, with both a brief method and a detailed method. Among the forty types of samatha meditation, one type is four elements meditation. Four elements meditation qualifies as both samatha and vipassanā. So when the Buddha taught vipassanā, He taught four elements meditation in both a brief method and a detailed method as the starting point of rūpa meditation.
諸位此刻，可能會提的另外一個問題是：如何開始修行色業處？這個問題，我打算引述《大念處經》義註中的一段 文字來回答。義註中，在「受隨觀」的部分，有一段文字如 此解釋：「當佛陀教導觀禪時，他教我們兩種業處：色業處與名業處（非色業處）。在教導色業處時，佛陀教導以簡略與詳盡法修習四界差別。」在四十種止禪業處之中，四界差別是其中一種。四界差別同時涵蓋了止與觀兩者。佛陀教導以簡略法和詳盡法修習四界差別，以此作為修習色業處的開始。

So if you want to be a pure insight practitioner, you must undertake four elements meditation. You may have been a pure insight meditator for some time in your life. When you thought you were a pure insight meditator, did you practise four elements meditation? I believe you have been or thought you were a pure insight meditator at some time in this very life. And yes, I thought of myself that way, too. I thought I was a pure insight practitioner before.
諸位若要成為純觀行者，則必須修四界差別。你們或許在過去，已經練習過一段時間的觀禪，然而，當你把自身視為一位純觀行者時，是否有修習四界差別？我相信，諸位一定曾經認為自已是一個純觀行者；我自已也曾有一段時間如此的認為。

We have never been taught four elements meditation according to what appears in the commentary. That is why our point of view at that time was different from now. At that time we thought, ‘This is right.’ We considered what is wrong as right. Now we know the explanation in the commentary, where it says that when we are going to practise vipassanā directly as a pure insight meditator, we need to discern four elements. When the Buddha taught four elements meditation, He taught earth, water, fire, and wind elements. In the earth element, there are six characteristics – hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, and lightness. In the water element, there are two characteristics – flowing and cohesion. In the fire element, the characteristics are heat and cold. In the wind element, they are pushing and supporting. There are twelve characteristics altogether. You need to discern these systematically.
然而，我們實際上並不曾如義註所解釋的那樣被指導如何修行四界差別。這就是為何我們現在會和之前有不同的觀點。以往的我們會認為「這是對的」，而將錯誤的認為是正確的。然而現在我們根據義註得知：作為一位純觀行者來練習觀禪必須知道如何分辨四大元素。佛陀教導我們四界差別時，他教導地界、水界、火界和風界。地界中有六個特相：硬、粗、重、軟、滑、輕；水界有兩個特相：流動與凝結；火界有冷與熱兩個特相；風界有推動與支持兩個特相；總共有十二個特相。你必須能夠以系統化的方式，對之加以辨識。

Now you know how to start insight meditation directly as a pure insight practitioner. So if you want to practise insight meditation after having developed concentration, you first need to develop jhāna absorption concentration. After having developed jhāna absorption concentration, you continue on to the practice of four elements meditation, as rūpa meditation. So what is the similarity and what is the difference between the two types of practitioners?
現在你知道如何作為一位純觀行者來修觀禪了。而若你想成為止行者，在培育定力之後才修觀，則你必須先證得安止定。在這之後，你才能接著以四界差別作為色業處開始修習。那麼，這兩種修行者的共同點和差異之處在哪裡呢？

The difference is that the pure insight practitioner has no jhāna absorption concentration, but the other type of practitioner practises insight meditation after having developed absorption concentration first. But when they start vipassanā, are they the same or different? They are the same. The only difference is with regard to jhāna absorption concentration – one attains it beforehand and the other does not. But when they undertake insight meditation, both need to start with four elements meditation.
純觀行者不需先經由安止定，而止行者則必須先達到安止定，才能開始修觀。然而當兩者都進入到觀禪這一階段時，他們是否還是一樣的？是一樣的。兩者唯一的區別，就是一者需要先達到安止定，而另一者不用。而兩者修觀禪時都必須從四界差別開始。

I would like to explain further. Those who have developed absorption concentration have another option for starting insight meditation. If they want to start with nāma meditation rather than rūpa meditation, they have the capability to do so. Why? They have attained jhāna absorption concentration, so they know how to discern the jhāna factors; therefore they are able to discern the jhāna-dhamma for nāma meditation. In the first jhāna, there are thirty-four mental formations. So they can discern those, and can take nāma as the starting point of their vipassanā. Or they can start with rūpa meditation. That is why they have two options. However, for beings in the realms of the five aggregates, mentality arises depending on materiality. According to the Visuddhimagga, those who want to discern mentality must first have thoroughly discerned ultimate materiality. For this reason, even though the samathayānika have two options, starting with four elements meditation is the better choice when they undertake insight meditation. Suddhavipassanāyānika have no other choice but to start with four elements meditation. So they are both the same when they start insight meditation. The starting point of vipassanā is the same for both, that is, four elements meditation.
我想做進一步的解釋，對於那些已經有定力的止行者來說，他們有另外一種選擇方式去開始修觀。如果他們想要從名業處，而不是從色業處開始，他們有能力這樣做。為什麼？這是因為他們已經證得禪那，具有辨別禪支的能力，他們因此能夠辨識和修習名業處相關的禪那法。在初禪中，有三十四個名法，由於止行者具有對之進行辨別的能力，因此能夠選擇名業處作為觀禪的修行起點，而且，由於他們同樣的可以在這方面選擇色業處的修行，因此，止行者有兩種選擇的自由。然而，對於五蘊界的眾生而言，名法是依靠色法而生起。根據《清淨之道》（Visuddhimagga，清淨道論）， 那些想要辨識名法的行者，他們必須先能徹底辨識究竟色法。因為這個原因，即使止行者能有兩種選擇，當他們作觀禪時，能從四界差別開始也是很好的選擇，對於純觀行者而言，就沒有其他的選擇了，只能以四界差別開始。所以，這兩種行者開始修觀時是一樣的。對兩者來說，修觀的起點都是一樣，那就是四界差別的修習。

Let me ask you another question. Suppose you want to cross a river or the sea. You could cross a river or the sea with a ship – this is one option. Another option is to make the crossing by swimming. Which do you prefer? Crossing in a ship, for sure! How tiring it would be and how hard to cross by swimming! So practising pure insight is very much like crossing the sea of saṃsāra by swimming, whereas practising insight meditation after having developed concentration is like crossing the sea of saṃsāra in a ship. Very peaceful.
現在，我問諸位另一個問題：假設你要跨越一條河流或是大海，而你可以選擇乘船或是游泳過去，諸位會比較喜歡哪一種？各位很明顯的會選擇乘船！游泳太耗體力了、 太困難了。同樣的，純觀行者的修法有如以游泳跨越輪迴之海，而止行者在培育定力後再修觀，就有如乘船跨越輪迴之海，非常平靜安詳。

Indeed, I have been teaching locals and foreigners for more than thirteen years. I have witnessed the difference between these two types of practitioners. In general, those who practise insight meditation after having developed concentration feel very good. They feel at ease, they feel sukha. Those who directly practise insight meditation without any absorption concentration must start straightaway with four elements meditation. Generally speaking, most of them encounter difficulty. As I have told all of you, this is a general observation. But it is different for those who have practised four elements meditation successfully in a past life. They can practise four elements meditation successfully within a short time. So it is that, generally speaking, pure insight practitioners encounter hardship in their practice, but those who have developed absorption concentration can practise four elements meditation with ease, without any difficulty, within a short time, and with success.
我已經教導各種本地人與外地人超過十三年了，因此， 我親眼看到了純觀行者與止行者兩種修行者的區別。總的來說，那些經歷過安止定而進行觀禪的行者，相對之下，會比較容易，他們能夠感覺到樂。而那些，沒經歷安止定就直接修四界差別的純觀行者，則總的來說，大多數都面臨困難。然而這只是一個概括性的觀察。對於一些人來說，由於他們在過去世已經成功修習四界差別，所以在現世，他們修習四界差別時會進展較快。因此，一般而言，純觀行者在修行上 會遭遇困難；但是經歷過安止定的行者，在修四界差別時，會較輕鬆、沒有困難、進展也要來得迅速、較易達成一定的成果。

But if you want to be a pure insight practitioner, I will not find fault with you. I will teach you. If you have accumulated pāramī by practising four elements meditation in the past, I should teach you, because it will be easier for you. But you will know what meditation object you practised with in the past only when I teach you, and only when you actually practise. Only at that time will I know, and you as well. If you are successful with ānāpāna meditation within a short time, we can say that you may have practised with this successfully in your past. If you can practise four elements meditation successfully within a short time, for sure you practised four elements meditation in your past, too.
但是，這不意味著我否定純觀行者的修行方式，我仍然會進行相關的教導。若諸位在過去曾修四界差別，而累積了一定的巴拉密，修起來則會簡單很多。但只有經由教導與親自操作時，你才能知道你在過去曾經修習的業處。屆時，我們可以共同找到你過去的業處。若你在短時間內於入出息念上已達成一定成果，則我們可以說你在過去或許已經在同樣的修習上，有所成就。若你在短時間內，於四界差別的修行上，達到一定成果，則我們可以得知，你過去或許也修過四界差別。

Therefore, when we are meditating, we should keep this thought in mind: ‘If we have come into this existence with enough pāramī, we will attain the highest attainment after following the true teachings of the Buddha.’ If you don’t follow the true teachings of the Buddha, what you have fulfilled in the past will not work, and does not come to fruition.
因此在進行禪修時我們要將這點銘記於心：如果我們帶著足夠的巴拉密來到這一生，只有遵從了佛陀真正的教法，我們才能達到最高的修證。若你不去遵從佛陀真正的教法，則你以往的積累就不能運作而無結果。

Why not? The way leading to Nibbāna became known when the Buddha appeared in the world. If you don’t follow the way the Buddha taught, how can you realise the Dhamma as they really are? Even though you may have practised in your past, you still must follow what the Buddha taught in this very life. Suppose you have come into this existence without enough pāramī; if you get the opportunity to practise the true teachings of the Buddha in this life, you are fulfilling the pāramī for your realisation in the future. Therefore, the most important thing is to practise the true teachings of the Buddha, not counterfeit dhamma.
為何不呢？當佛陀出現在世間，導向涅槃之道才為人所知。若你不遵從佛陀的教導，你如何能如實體證法呢？即便，你在過去世可能已經有過相關的修行，然而，在此世，仍然要遵從佛陀的教導。假設你沒有帶著足夠的巴拉密來到此生，若你掌握此世修行佛陀真正教法的機會，則你就是 在為未來的證悟而累積巴拉密。因此，最重要的是，修習佛陀真正的教法，而不是虛偽不實的相似之法。

（待續）
Source:
EXPECTATION DERIVED FROM ONE’S OWN POINT OF VIEW-4B
[主觀與期待]
Ven. Revata尊者 雷瓦達
photo credit go to Bro. Scott