参话头 林钰堂 公案记录应对境，话头起疑不断参； 跋 弟子王浩提问：参话头与念佛之分别，何谓“话头”？可否随时参？等等。作此覆之。 禅门公案乃古德参禅应对之记录。读者设身处地而不假思量，或得开悟。至于“话头”乃一疑问。参禅者一旦择定一个话头〈一句问话〉，并且对之确实心存疑问，则应放下一切，不断参究之。参话头并非一直念诵此问话，故与念佛、持咒之净念相续不同，而是心系此疑问上。 净念相续终究契入念即无念，本来清净。参禅持疑直至心念断绝，全体现前。虽殊途同归，但随根器及用功深浅，所达证悟，一般而言，因人而异。 二○○七年二月三日 Pondering over a Doubtful Question Yutang Lin Gong An (koan) recorded circumstances of an interaction. Comments: Disciple Wang Hao raised questions such as: what is the difference between pondering over a Hua Tou and repetition of Buddha name? What is a Hua Tou? Could one ponder over a Hua Tou at any time? Etc. So I wrote this in reply to his inquiry. Gong An (koan) in Chan school refers to records of circumstances of interactions between or among ancient Chan practitioners. If a reader of a Gong An can imagine as if being present at the situation and can refrain from conceptual responses, then there may be a possibility for comprehension. As to Hua Tou (wato), it is a doubt. Once a Chan practitioner had chosen a Hua Tou (a question) that the practitioner had real doubts about, then the practitioner should give up all else and ponder over it INCESSANTLY. Pondering over a Hua Tou does not mean repetition of a question; hence it is not the same as repetition of a pure thought in chanting Buddha name or chanting a mantra. Instead, it means to brew the doubt in mind. Continuation of a pure thought would eventually merge into oneness of thought and no thought, the original purity. Chan pondering in brewing a doubt should continue until all conceptualization effortlessly ceased, and the totality naturally reveals itself. Even though, in light of the above, they are different approaches leading to the same ultimate realm, but generally speaking, depending on people's propensities and efforts made, degrees of enlightenment attained vary from individual to individual. Written in Chinese and translated on February 3, 2007 [Home][Back to list][Pondering over a Doubtful Question] |
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