如憶       林鈺堂簡繁轉換 - 繁體

一切有為法
如夢幻泡影
如露亦如電
應作如是觀

這是《金剛經》中的名偈,通常稱為「六如」。吾人憶念所及之一切,也是明顯而無可把捉、無處尋覓。因此,似乎可以補加「如憶」,而成為「七如」。

目前一切覺受,清晰而真實,但在不停地變異著,而無從掌控。從而了知,虛實之辨、真妄之分只出於心中習慣的「實執」。若能了達萬法之實際在本質上無從一分為二,即知所謂「萬法皆空」之諦。

 

                     二○一三年五月二十四日
                     養和齋     於台北

 

七如偈      林鈺堂

日前作〈如憶〉一文,今晨思及可略修訂《金剛經》結尾之名偈,添「六如」成「七如」:

一切有為法
如夢幻泡影
亦如露電憶
宜常如斯觀

此偈附於〈如憶〉文後,以便讀者一窺全貌。

  
                                                                                二○一三年五月二十八日
                                                                                養和齋    於新加坡

 

As Memories

Yutang Lin

 

All things born of contrivance are similar to dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows,
Like dewdrops and resemble lightning, one should view them all as such matters.

This is the famous Gatha found at the end of the Diamond Sutra (Diamond Wisdom Transcendence Sutra), and it is usually referred to as the "six similes." All matters that we can remember are also vivid and yet impossible to grasp and nowhere to be found. Therefore, it seems that we could amend the list with "as memories" and thereby obtain "seven similes."

All our current sensations are clear and real, and yet they are incessantly changing and impossible to control. Thus one knows that the distinctions of real/unreal or truthful/illusive are simply born of our habitual tendency to grasp something as "real." If one could comprehend that in reality all phenomena are essentially impossible to be cut into duality, then one would know the significance of what is meant by "all dharmas are of blank essence."

 

Written in Chinese on May 24, 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan
Translated on July 21, 2013 in El Cerrito, California

 

 

Gatha of Seven Similes

Yutang Lin

 

A few days ago I wrote the article "As Memories." This morning it occurred to me that the famous Gatha at the end of the Diamond Sutra may be slightly modified to form a Gatha of Seven Similes:

All things born of contrivance are similar to dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows,
Like dewdrops, lightning and memories, one may constantly view them all as such.

This Gatha is attached to the end of the article "As Memories" so that readers may have the whole picture in view.

 

Written in Chinese on May 28, 2013 in Singapore
Translated on July 21, 2013 in El Cerrito, California