Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality 《究竟名色法》

Ven.Revata尊者 雷瓦達

Another thing that vipassanā meditation teachers teach nowadays is that ultimate mentality and ultimate materiality, which are very deep and profound, can be realised only by a Buddha. They say it is impossible for us to realise such deep mentality and materiality, which in a finger snap are arising and perishing millions of times over. They ask, ‘How can one see such a thing?’ So they substitute a new ‘rūpa’ and a new ‘nāma’ as objects in place of what the Buddha taught. Do you know about this? I think many of you know. What do such teachers teach? They teach as follows: When you are walking, your physical body is moving. The body which is doing something is rūpa. The mind which is knowing the bodily action is nāma. In this way they replace the nāma and rūpa taught by the Buddha. These teachers insist that if we simply know bodily actions on the one hand and the mind that knows them on the other as rūpa and nāma respectively, we can realise the Dhamma. What do you think? If it is so, then would it have been necessary for the bodhisatta to fulfil pāramī for four incalculable and one hundred thousand eons? There would have been no need if it was so, and it would not have been necessary for a Buddha to appear in the world.

還有，當今教導觀禪的老師聲稱，究竟名法和究竟色法非常深奧，只有佛能證知。他們說我們不可能證知如此深入，一彈指就經歷了百萬個生滅的名色法。他們問道：一個人如何可以見到此法？因此他們以新的「名」與新的「色」 為所緣，取代了佛陀所教導的「名」與「色」。各位知道這 一點嗎？我相信諸位已有許多人知道了。

這些老師們這樣教導：當你行走時，身體在移動，那個正在進行動作的身體就是「色」，而那個知道我們身體動作的心，就是「名」。如此一來，這些老師以這兩種方式， 來代替佛陀所教導的名色法；他們認為只要我們能將我們身體的行為和與之對應的心，分別理解為「色」與「名」的話，我們就能體證佛法。諸位對此怎麼想？果真如此，那麼 我們的菩薩還需要經歷四個不可數與十萬大劫，來累積巴拉密嗎？果真如此，那麼我們的菩薩是不需要這樣做的，而且佛陀也就不需要經歷他所走過的那段歷程，才能出現於此世了。

Actually the Buddha taught ultimate mentality and ultimate materiality, which are the First Noble Truth, the Noble Truth of Suffering. What are ultimate mentality and materiality? How do they arise? In what form? This is something you all need to understand. I have explained this to all of you. How many meditation objects did the Buddha teach when He taught insight meditation? He taught two objects. What are they? They are nāma and rūpa.
事實上，佛陀是以究竟名色法作為第一聖諦──苦聖諦──來教導我們的。到底什麼是究竟名色法？它們以何種形式，如何生起？這些是我們必須瞭解的，我也與各位講解過了：在教授觀禪時，佛陀教導了我們幾種觀禪的業處？ 兩種：名業處與色業處。

When the Buddha taught rūpa meditation, what specifically did the Buddha teach? He taught four elements meditation. Let me quote from the commentary again: ‘Duvidhañhi kammaṭṭhānaṃ rūpakammaṭṭhānaṃ arūpakammaṭṭhānañca’ – when the Buddha taught vipassanā, He taught rūpa meditation and nāma meditation. ‘Tattha bhagavā rūpakammaṭṭhānaṃ kathento saṅkhepamanasikāravasena vā vitthāramanasikāravasena vā catudhātuvavatthānaṃ kathesi’ – when the Buddha taught rūpa meditation, He taught four elements meditation both in a brief and in a detailed method.
當教導色業處時，佛陀具體教導了我們什麼？他教導了我們修習四界差別。我要再次引述這段義註的解說：「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。」

Therefore, if you want to realise ultimate materiality, you must practise rūpa meditation. Rūpa meditation must begin with four elements meditation. As I have told you, if you discern the twelve characteristics of the four elements systematically throughout your whole body, when concentration improves you will see just a block of four elements. Your body disappears, and the perception of being disappears. At that time you just see your body as a block of four elements. If you continue to discern four elements in that block of four elements, you will find that your body emits light, which changes gradually from grey to white until finally it becomes a block of bright light. You don’t see your body; you just see a block of very bright light. Then, if you discern the four elements in that block of light, and if you can keep on discerning them in that block of light for one hour, you can attain access concentration.
 因此，若想要證知究竟色法，我們就必須修色業處；色業處的修行須從四界差別開始。正如我之前說的：如果你能夠以系統性的方式辨識四界中的十二個特相時，隨著定力的加深，你會只是看到一塊四界的組合，你的身體會消失，對於「有情」的這一認知也將會消失。那時你只是看到自己的身體是一塊四界的組合。如果你繼續辨識那塊四界組合中的四界，你會發現你的色身會發出光芒。光的顏色逐漸從灰 色，變成白色，最終變為一塊光團。此時，你看不到自己的身體，只會看到一塊極亮的光團。接著，如果你持續地在那塊光團中辨識四界，維持一個小時，你就能夠證得近行定。

If you continue discerning the four elements in that block of light, it will break down into very small particles called rūpa kalāpa. These are very, very tiny. Have you ever seen rūpa kalāpa? Would you like to see them? If so, you must follow the way the Buddha taught and must practise as He taught. What do you have to practise? You have to practise four elements meditation. If you develop concentration through practising four elements meditation, you will see these very small particles. Even though most of you haven’t seen them yet, I want you to understand at least in part. So I will give you an example. But I don’t know whether you will understand my example or not.
如果你持續辨識這塊光團中的四界，它會分解成非常微細的粒子，稱之為「色聚」（rūpa kalāpa），他們極為微細。不知道諸位有沒有人見識過色聚？諸位是否想檢視看看？這要取決於，我們是否有遵從佛陀的教導來修習。怎麼樣修習？修四界差別。若你能夠透過修習四界差別而培育起定力，你就能看到這些微細的粒子。即便諸位大部分都還未見識過，但是，我還是希望能讓諸位先部分瞭解。我要舉 一個例子，但不知道諸位是否能理解這個例子。

Do you watch television in your home? I don’t know what type of television you have; that’s why I told you I don’t know whether you will understand or not. When you switch on an old television, what do you see on the screen before the program starts? Very small dots, right? Are they big or small? They’re small. Yes, we can say they are small, but you can still see them with the naked eye. It is small, but you can see them with your unaided eyes. If you divide one of the very small dots on the screen a hundred times, a thousand times, it will be similar to the tiny particles. Do you know about atoms? Have you ever seen an atom? Before the twentieth century, scientists considered the atom to be the smallest unit of materiality. This was their thinking in former times. Then at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, scientists found that they could split atoms into protons, electrons, and neutrons. When were they finally able to split atoms into protons, electrons, and neutrons? At the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. So these protons, electrons, and neutrons are called subatomic particles. The tiny particles about which the Buddha taught, and which were penetrated by the Buddha, and which you yourselves all need to penetrate, are called rūpa kalāpa and are very much like sub-atomic particles. When did the Buddha realise them? Two thousand six hundred years ago, and without using any instrument. He realised rūpa kalāpa without the aid of any instrument, and with no need of a laboratory, but only by means of concentration.
你們家裡有沒有電視？由於我不知道各位的電視是哪 一種型號，因此，我不太能夠確定你們能否聽懂我的例子。 當我們啟動一台老舊的電視時，在電視還沒出現影像之前， 我們會看到什麼？我們會看到許多細小的點，是吧？它們是大，還是小？是小。雖然我們說它們很細小，但還是能為肉眼所見。若我們將電視上這些微細點分解成百個或千個， 它們就會變得有如色聚的大小了。諸位是否知道什麼是原子？你曾經見過原子嗎？二十世紀之前，科學家將原子視為最小的物質，然而這是那時的想法。到了十九世紀末與二十 世紀初，科學家發現，他們能將原子分解成更小的質子、電子與中子。什麼時候他們能將原子分解成更小的質子、電子與中子？這是在十九世紀末與二十世紀初時。質子、電子與中子等粒子被稱為亞原子（或次原子）。佛陀所洞見而後教導，也是我們所需要洞見的微粒子就被稱為「色聚」。色聚與亞原子非常相似。它們何時為佛陀所見的？兩千六百年以前。佛陀不用藉助任何實驗室與任何工具器材，僅僅透過定力，就見到了色聚。

On the full moon day of Vesākha, the bodhisatta approached the Bodhi Tree and practised ānāpāna up to the fourth jhāna, and then he continued on with kasiṇa meditation, the eight attainments, and the fourteen ways, up to the attainment of supernatural powers. He attained pubbenivāsa-abhiññāṇa, the ability to recollect his many past lives. This is what he attained in the first watch of the night. With that supernatural power he attained the realisation of ultimate mentality and ultimate materiality. So the bodhisatta realised these small particles, not unlike sub-atomic particles, 2600 years ago under the Bodhi Tree without any microscope or any other instrument or any laboratory.
在衛塞月的月圓日時，我們的菩薩在菩提樹下，修習入出息念直至證得第四禪。他隨之繼續修習遍業處證得八定，再修習十四種禦心法，直到證得神通。他證得了能憶念起許許多多過去生的的宿住隨念智。這是他在初夜時分證得的。以他的神通，他透徹知見了究竟名色法。菩薩在兩千六百年前，於菩提樹下，不用藉助顯微鏡，或是實驗室與任何器具，就看到了如同亞原子粒子一般的色聚。

Over the years, teaching at Pa-Auk, I have taught many foreigners and local practitioners. I have instructed them first of all to develop concentration, and then to see these small particles. Don’t you want to see them? Will I have the opportunity to teach you such profound Dhamma? I hope I will have the opportunity to teach it to all of you.
多年來，我在帕奧禪林教導過許許多多本地與外地的禪修者。我指導他們，首先培育定力，然後，再去知見這些色聚。諸位難道不想看到嗎？諸位要給我機會讓我教導你們這深奧的佛法嗎？我希望能夠有指導諸位的機會。

You all are very fortunate to hear such Dhamma. Rare is the arising of a Buddha in the world. Rare is it to hear the Dhamma. Rare is it to be born as a human being. Rare is it to be a human who has faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. Rare is the opportunity to practise meditation. Rare is the opportunity to realise the Dhamma as they really are. Now you are encountering many such opportunities. What are you doing? What is most important to you? To realise the Dhamma. If it is so, what do you need to do? You must develop concentration, just by focusing on the primary object with which you are practising. Nothing else.
諸位能聽到這些佛法是非常幸運的。稀有難得的是佛陀出現於世；稀有難得的是能聽聞佛法；能生而為人是難得的；能夠生為人並對佛法僧三寶有信心，是稀有難得的；能夠學習禪修是難得的；能如實見到佛法的本質是難得的。現在面對那麼多難得的機會，諸位打算怎麼做？對各位來說最重要的是什麼？就是去見證法。既然如此，大家接下來要怎麼做？要培育定力，只是透過專注你正在修習的業處培育定力，就只有如此。

The Buddha said, ‘Tumhehi kiccamātappaṃ, akkhātāro tathāgatā’ – ‘I am the one who shows the way, you must travel it by yourself.’ The Buddha cannot make you realise any attainments. The Buddha shows you how to practise in order to achieve those attainments. The Buddha did His part by showing the way. Now you need to do your part.
佛陀說：「汝當自努力，如來唯說者。」
佛陀無法讓你徹悟任何道果，佛陀只是指出一條道路， 引導你修習而成就這些道果。佛陀盡了他的本分，你則必須盡你自己的本分。

So, scientists can split an atom into protons, electrons, and neutrons, but only by using instruments. You may know that we are surrounded at all times by many tiny bacteria. Can you see them with the naked eye? Only after scientists invented the microscope, which can enlarge things many times, could they actually see all the very small bacteria that surround us. With the help of a microscope you can see what you otherwise can’t see with your unaided eyes. The Dhamma penetrated by the Buddha, the Dhamma taught by the Buddha, the Dhamma you all need to penetrate is beyond the naked eye. You need an instrument to penetrate the Dhamma, not some external instrument but just your concentration, which is like a microscope. But a microscope is still not as powerful as concentration. Do you believe this?
因此，科學家必須藉由儀器設備，把原子解析成質子、 電子、中子。你或許知道我們的全身一直充滿了細菌，你用肉眼看得見嗎？只有在科學家發明可以放大很多倍的顯微鏡之後，他們才見得到，我們全身那麼微小的細菌。由於顯微鏡的幫助，你得以見到，沒有儀器輔助時，肉眼所見不到的東西。佛陀所透徹法的實相、所教導的法是你需要透徹體悟的法，是肉眼遠不能及的。你所需要用來徹悟正法的儀器，並非外在的工具，而是內在的，如同顯微鏡一般的定 力。但是顯微鏡的力量不如定力，你相信嗎？

Microscopes cannot enable you to see the truth. Only concentration can enable you to see the truth. That is why you don’t want to depend on a microscope, which cannot help you see the truth. Be someone who resolves to depend on the concentration that can enable you to see the truth as it really is.
顯微鏡並不能讓你見到實相，只有定力能讓你見到實相；那就是為什麼，你不能依靠顯微鏡來見到真相。你要決意依靠定力，來讓自己如實知見事物的本質。

These rūpa kalāpa are the particles that were taught by the Buddha and penetrated by the Buddha. According to the teachings of the Buddha, there is no man, there is no woman, there is no tree, there is no mountain, there is no building; there are only very small particles which are arising and perishing rapidly all the time.
這些色聚就是佛陀所洞見而教導我們的物質微粒。根據佛陀的教法，沒有所謂的男人、女人；沒有樹木、山脈、建築物，只有極微的色聚相續不斷而急速地生滅罷了。

Now you may still have doubt. If so, be assured that there is nothing wrong with you. Why is that? Because you haven’t developed concentration yet. You still haven’t applied yourself to practising with the aim of seeing these tiny particles. Suppose there are meditators who can see these small particles now; if such meditators close their eyes and discern four elements in the people sitting around them here, they will see just small particles everywhere. If they discern four elements in this building, they see just tiny particles. If they pay attention to the four elements in the surrounding space, they see just very small particles. They see no men, no women, no buildings, no mountains, no trees – just tiny particles. Everything becomes the same. At such a time you will not disagree with the Buddha. You will agree with the Buddha.
現在，你或許還有懷疑。如果是這樣的話，請放心你是沒有錯的。怎麼說呢？因為，你還沒有培育定力的緣故；你還沒有實修至見到這些色聚。假設，現在有些禪修者已經能見到這些色聚了，如果他們閉上眼睛，辨識坐在他們周圍的人的四界，他們自然也能見到周圍都是色聚。如果他們辨識這棟建築的四界，他們能看到的只是色聚。如果他們專注於周圍空間的四界，他們可以看到只有非常細微的色聚。他們看到的不是男人、女人、建築物、山脈、林木，而只是色聚。一切皆如是。此時你不再與佛不同知見了，你會與佛的知見一如。

What did the Buddha say?
He said, ‘I don’t argue with anybody in this world. It is they who argue with me.’ Why? People in the world have no eyes, no wisdom; they are blind. Are you blind or are you not blind? Do you know who you are? You are not blind in the physical sense, yet you are blind to the ultimate truth. That is why the Buddha said, ‘Blind is this world.’ I don’t want you to continue to live blindly in a dark world. I want you to change so as not to be blind.
佛陀怎麼說呢？
佛陀說：「我不與世間爭；只是世間與我爭。」
為什麼？世人無眼無慧；盲無慧目。您是具眼者或不具眼者？你知道你是誰嗎？感官上，你不是盲人，但在究竟真理上，你可是盲目的。這就是為什麼佛陀說：「此世界盲暝。」
我不想讓你們繼續盲目地生存於無明的世間，我但願你們能改變，不再盲目。

So these very small particles must be penetrated. But I want to remind all of you that these tiny particles are not yet ultimate materiality; they are just the smallest unit of materiality seen in conventional reality. In each particle, there exists earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, colour, smell, taste, nutritive essence, and possibly life faculty and sensitivity, among others. There are at least eight, nine, or ten ultimate materialities in each kalāpa. You need to analyse these using your ‘instrument’. What is the instrument? Concentration. You need to use the light of concentration, the light of wisdom – the light of wisdom which illuminates them so you can see them as they really are. This is something scientists cannot do. In the light born of the wisdom of concentration, everything internal and external becomes the same. Past, present, and future all become the same. Arising and perishing, the same. No man, no woman – you will agree with the Buddha at that time. Your faith in the Buddha will become very strong.
 因此，要徹見這些色聚。但我得提醒大家，這些色聚還不是究竟色，它們只是世俗諦中可見物質的最小單位。每一 顆色聚中都存有地界、水界、火界、風界、顏色、氣味、味道與食素，有些色聚還有命根、淨色這些色法。每一顆色聚 中有八到九種，乃至十種的究竟色。你必須以自己的工具分析這些色法。何等工具？定力。你需以定力之光，智慧之光──能照明它們的智慧之光──如實見到這些色法。這是 科學家也力所不及的。在由定生起之智慧所產生的光之下， 內外的一切事物都變成一樣；過去、現在、未來都一樣；生起與滅去也都一樣；沒有所謂的男人、女人。此時，你會認同佛陀，你對佛陀的信心會變成非常強烈。

Then you must continue with ultimate mentality. Just knowing something you’re doing is not nāma kammaṭṭhāna as taught by the Buddha. Just knowing the mind that knows physical action as nāma, which is what many teachers teach nowadays, is not conducive to the realisation of Nibbāna. This is just a superficial way of understanding. You need to go beyond this. According to the Buddha’s teaching, nāma arises in the form of mental cognitive processes, with many mind moments, which are followed by process-freed mind moments too. Cognitive processes and process-freed mentality (vīthi and vīthi mutta) were taught by the Buddha as nāma. Let me explain. Right now you are hearing my voice. As you hear my voice, the sound impinges on your ear-sensitivity at the same time that it impinges on your mind-door. Do you agree? It impinges on your mind-door too. To make you understand better, I will explain it more. When you were young, deluded by wrong view, you listened to music; you used to make the bass strong so the sound would be loud and pounding – boom… boom…boom. What happened at that time? Here (in the heart) you feel the boom…boom…boom, right? Yes. Thus a certain object, whether sensed by the eye, ear, nose, tongue, or body, when it impinges on the respective sense-door, that object also impinges on the mind-door. One object impinges on two doors at the same time. A visible object impinges on the eye-sensitivity and the mind-door at the same time. An audible object impinges on both the ear-sensitivity and the mind-door. The mind-door is called bhavaṅga in Pāḷi. The Buddha said that when those who are not deaf hear a sound, it impinges on the ear-sensitivity and on the mind-door, and at that time the ear-door cognitive process will arise followed by the mind-door cognitive processes. They are arising and perishing rapidly many times over. They are very quick. Do you want to know how they arise? I have given an example for ultimate materiality but I don’t know how to give an example for you so that you can understand ultimate mentality. I will try then. This is how meditators have reported their experience to me: When they saw the mental process, when a sound impinged on their ear-door and mind-door, they reported, ‘Mentality arises in this way, Bhante’ – and they would imitate their impression. Do you want to hear the way they reported? ‘Di-di-di-di-di-di-di...’ I cannot pronounce the syllables quickly enough to mimic the way they arise. Don’t you want to experience this? Keep in mind, you all admire science; but scientists will never realise or discover mentality in this way even until the world is destroyed.
你必須繼續辨識究竟名法。只是知道自己正在做著一些事情並不是佛陀所教的名業處；只是知道在了知行為動作的心就稱之為名法，它對涅槃的實證，並無益處。可是， 這卻是當今很多老師所教導的，這只是一種膚淺的瞭解。你需要超越這個層次。根據佛陀的教法，名法是以一種心路過 程的形式生起，一個心路過程中有許多的心識剎那，隨後也有許多離心路過程心生起。佛陀教導心路過程以及離心路過程為「名」。
我來解說一下：現在，你們正在聽著我說話，這音聲撞擊你的耳淨色（在耳朵內一種對聲音敏感的色法，存在於耳十法聚中），與此同時，聲音也撞擊著你的意門。你同意嗎？它也會撞擊著你的意門。為了讓你更能理解，我再多做說明。年輕時，由於被錯誤的知見所蒙蔽，你聽音樂；你曾經把音響的低音貝司調到最強，讓樂聲聽起來夠大，能澎嘭作響。那時會怎麼樣呢？在你的心臟，能感覺到呯呯呯的聲響，對不對？是的。因此，某個明顯的所緣，不論是由眼、耳、鼻、舌、或身所感知的，當它撞擊個別根門的同時，它也撞擊意門；一個所緣同時撞擊兩個門。可見的色所緣撞 擊眼門和意門；聲所緣撞擊耳門和意門。意門在巴利語叫做「（bhavaṅga）。
佛陀說：當沒有耳聾的人聽到音聲，此音聲撞擊耳淨色和意門時耳門心路過程以及隨後的許多意門心路過程生起。它們迅速地不斷在生滅，速度極快。你們想知道它們是怎樣生起的嗎？我曾舉究竟色的例子，但我不知道如何給你們實例說明，以便你們能瞭解究竟名法。好，我來試試看。這就是禪修行者對我所做的報告。他們說：「尊者，當見到心路過程時，當某種音聲撞擊耳門和意門時，名法以這種方式生起⋯⋯」：報告者模仿著他們的印象給我看。你們想聽聽看他們報告時所模仿的聲音嗎？「那是：滴滴滴滴滴滴滴⋯⋯」我發不出那麼快速的音節，模仿它們生起的方式。你們不想經驗這一段嗎？別忘了，你們都崇拜科學，但是直到世界毀滅了，科學家也永遠無法以這個方式證知或發現名法，而佛在二千六百年前體證了此一深奧之法，沒有實驗室，也沒有儀器設備，他就靠自己的修行力量，定力之光或智慧之光的幫助而已。為能體悟正法，你們都需要這樣的知見。

The Buddha discovered this deep and profound Dhamma 2600 years ago without any laboratory and without any instruments. He realised this Dhamma just through His training, and with the help of the light of concentration, with the help of the light of wisdom. You all need to have this point of view in order to realise the Dhamma. So suppose you have realised ultimate mentality and materiality. It means you have penetrated the First Noble Truth. Keep in mind, if you haven’t penetrated ultimate mentality and materiality in this way, you haven’t penetrated the Dhamma taught by the Buddha. If you don’t penetrate these things, you will still disagree with the Buddha. Only when you see the way the Buddha sees will you not take issue with the Buddha. But the range of your wisdom will not be the same as His. The Buddha saw completely; you won’t see completely but only partially. The Buddha said that an ordinary disciple must see partially, a seeing that will not equal a Buddha’s seeing. But this partial seeing is enough to become a Noble One. Without such realisation, you will not have realised the First Noble Truth. For now, I will not explain any further about ultimate mentality. I will explain more only when I have the opportunity to teach you how to penetrate ultimate mentality.
所以，假定你已如此證知究竟名法和色法，那表示你已經透徹了第一聖諦。記住，如果你還不能以此方式，透徹究竟名法和究竟色，那你就還沒有洞見佛陀教導的法。如果你不能洞見這些法，你還會不認同佛陀所教。只有當你見佛所見，你才能無異於佛之知見，然而你的智慧程度與佛有別。 佛具有圓滿的知見；而你的知見所及，只是一部分而已。佛說，一般的弟子所能知見的都還是分證，無法等分如佛知見。但是這樣地分證，卻足以成就聖位。 況且，缺乏這種體悟，你也無法證悟第一聖諦。好！我就不多作說明了，有機會再教你們如何洞悉究竟名法的實相。

Source:
EXPECTATION DERIVED FROM ONE’S OWN POINT OF VIEW-5A
主觀與期待之五A
Ven. Revata尊者 雷瓦達