乾县铁佛寺移动版

QUESTION: So am I right in saying that insight meditation is to help to make us better, happier individuals?

ANSWER: Well, that is a start, a very important start. But meditation has a much loftier aim than that. As our practice matures and our awareness deepens we start to notice that our experience is rather impersonal, that it is actually happening without a ‘me’  making  it  happen  and that there  is  not even a ‘me’ experiencing  it.    In the beginning the meditator might just have occasional glimpses of this but in time it will become more pronounced.

QUESTION: That sounds rather frightening.

ANSWER: Yes, it does, doesn’t it. And in fact when some people first have this experience  they  may  be  a  little  frightened.  But  soon  the  fear  is  replaced  by  a profound realization – the realization that they are not what they have always taken themselves to  be.  Gradually  the  ego  begins  to  weaken  and  in  time  it  dissolves completely  as  does  the  sense  of  ‘I’, ‘Me’  and  ‘Mine.’  It  is  at  this  point  that  the Buddhist’s life and indeed their whole outlook really begins to change. Just consider

how many personal, social and even international conflicts have their origins in  the ego,  in  racial  or  national  pride,  in  the  sense  of  being  wronged,  humiliated  or threatened   and  in the shrill cry, ‘This is mine!’ ‘That belongs to us!’ According to Buddhism, real peace and happiness can only be found when we discover our true identity. This is what is called enlightenment.

QUESTION: That’s  a very  attractive  idea  but  at  the  same  time  it’s  a  rather alarming one too. How does an enlightened person function without a sense of self or without a sense of ownership?

ANSWER: Well, an enlightened person may well ask us, ‘How can you function with a sense of self? How are you able endure all the unpleasantness of fear, jealousy, grief and pride, your own and other people’s? Don’t you ever get sick of the endless scramble to accumulate more and more, of the need to always be better than, or ahead of, the next person, of the nagging feeling that you might just lose it all?’ It seems that enlightened people get along quite alright in life. It’s the unenlightened ones, you and I, who have all the problems and who cause all the problems.

QUESTION: I see your point.   But how long do you have to meditate for before you become enlightened?

ANSWER:  It  is  impossible  to  say  and  perhaps  it  doesn’t  matter.  Why  not  start meditating and see where it takes you?  If you practice with sincerity and intelligence you might find that it improves the quality of your life considerably. In time you may wish to explore meditation and Dhamma more deeply. Later, it might become the most important thing in your life. Don’t start speculating about or worrying over the higher steps on the path before you have even begun the journey. Take it one step at a time.

QUESTION: Do I need a teacher to teach me meditation?

ANSWER:  A  teacher   is  not  absolutely   necessary  but  personal  guidance  from someone who  is familiar with  meditation  is  certainly  helpful.  Unfortunately,  some monks and lay people set themselves up as meditation teachers when they simply don't know what they are doing. Try to pick a teacher who has a good reputation, a balanced personality and who adheres closely to the Buddha's teachings. (责任编辑：admin)