信堅前言
此文緣起，是一個月前，Wai Sam 師兄來函提起鈴木俊隆禪師所講的石頭希遷《参同契》，令信堅想起此園地曾介紹過 “Steve Jobs and Zen (賈伯斯的禪意人生)，因此想起鈴木禪師的 “禪者的初心”。今天 Robert 師兄來函問起，修行禪定的入門書，信堅覺得此書是最好的入門書。因此在此，以中英對照，節錄介紹。讀者可參看下面英文原版或其中文翻譯。
ZEN MIND, BEGINNER’S MIND by SHUNRYU SUZUKI
鈴木俊隆：禪者的初心 譯者: 梁永安

Live each day as if it were your last. 珍惜今天，活在當下。
《禪者的初心》是日本禪師鈴木俊隆死後，他的美國門徒生，花費大量心血，精心集錄的鈴木禪師言行錄 (有如佛經是釋迦牟尼的門徒生們所收集的言行錄)。此書是為那些對佛法一竅不通的美國人寫的英文著名禪修寶典，也是喬布斯 (Steve Jobs, 1955 – 2011) 一生修禪的依據。禪改變了喬布斯，而喬布斯則通過禪改變了世界。

正如《禪者的初心》所說：“做任何事，其實都是在展示我們內心的天性。這是我們存在的惟一目的。”喬布斯說，創造的秘密就在於初學者的心態。初心正如一個新生兒面對這個世界一樣，永遠充滿好奇、求知慾和讚歎。因為如此，喬布斯始終把自己當作初學者，時刻保持一種探索的熱情，“現在的我仍然在新兵營訓練”。關於喬布斯與禪，讀者可先看此園地的 “Steve Jobs and His Zen” (賈伯斯的禪意人生)
 
何謂禪心、初心?
禪心是跳出文字障礙，刺激弟子對自己的心和自身的存在產生驚奇。這也是所有禪訓練的目的—讓你產生驚奇，迫使你用你本性最深邃的表現，來回應此驚奇。

如來:“他已完成佛道，從真如而來，就是真如、實相、空性，完全的悟道者”。真如是諸法的真實本質、真實相貌，乃指一切眾生之自性清淨心。『真如』是法界相性真實如此之本來面目，恆常如此不變不異，不生不滅，不增不減，不垢不淨。真如就是禪心。

禪者的心應該始終是一顆初心，不受各種習性的羈絆，隨時準備好去接受、去懷疑，並對所有的可能性敞開。保持最初純淨的美好、保持初衷，就是希望你能跟原來一樣純真，別被其他事物影響。

只有保持這樣的心，我們才能如實看待萬物的本然面貌，只有這樣的心才能如實看待萬物的本然面貌，一步接著一步前進，然後在一閃念中證悟到萬物的原初本性。

不忘初心，方得始終。只有不忘記自己最初的想法，才能有始有終地去完成自己的夢想。不要忘記人最初的時候那顆本心，即人之初那一顆與生俱來的善良、真誠、無邪、進取、寬容、博愛之心。一個學佛者，在修學過程中，只有不忘記自己的最初發心，才能持之以恆，堅持不懈，漸行漸遠，善始善終，才能最終實現初發心時的理想。

最難的事就是保持各位的初心。你也必須用一顆清新的心去讀當中的每一句話。佛門中有句俗語:「出家一年，佛在心中；出家兩年，佛在眼前；出家三年，佛在天邊」。對於學佛者來說，在最初發心學佛時，都會勇猛精進，學修並重。但是，隨著時間的推移，有的人受不了苦行的痛苦，漸漸退失了原本精進向上的心，變得懈怠放逸了。

在書中，鈴木俊隆禪師用最簡單的語言，從日常生活的情境切入，闡明如何在生活中保持初心，實現禪心。本書指導人們如何修行，說明何謂禪生活，禪修是以何種態度和了解為前提的，並且鼓勵讀者活出自己的真實本性，自己的禪心。

我們必須抱著初學者的心，放開一切執著，了解萬物莫不處於生滅流轉之中。修行的目的就是要始終保持這顆初心，歸復清淨的生活方式，超越一切的得失心以及名利心。

參禪的三個境界:
蘇東坡說:
參禪前是“橫看成嶺側成峰。遠近高低各不同。不識廬山真面目。只緣身在此山中。”
參禪中“廬山煙雨浙江潮。未到千般恨不消。及至歸來無一事。廬山煙雨浙江潮。”
參禪後是“溪聲盡是廣長舌、山色無非清靜身、夜來八萬四千偈、他日如何舉似人。 ”

宋代青原行思大師說：參禪之初，看山是山，看水是水；禪有悟時，看山不是山，看水不是水；禪中徹悟，看山仍然山，看水仍然是水。

作者簡介
鈴木俊隆(Shunryu Suzuki，1904～1971年)，13世紀日本曹洞宗初祖道元禪師的法嗣。1961年在美國舊金山建立極具規模的塔撒加拉山僧院和舊金山禪院。此舉帶動美國本土開始廣設禪修中心，並影響日本禪宗在美國的傳播，進而大放異彩。鈴木禪師在美國弘法僅僅12年，然而成果豐碩。經過這位文靜且個子小小的人的努力，一個曹洞宗的組織如今在美國已然欣欣向榮。他的人與曹洞宗的禪道水乳交融，是這種禪道活生生的表現。

“His nonego (非我) attitude left us no eccentricities to embroider upon. Though he made no waves and left no traces as a personality in the worldly sense, the impress of his footsteps in the invisible world of history lead straight on.”
他的無我態度極為徹底，不留下任何我們可以渲染的奇言怪行。而儘管他沒有留下任何世俗意義上的豐功偉績，但他的腳印卻帶領著看不見的世界歷史向前邁進。

INTRODUCTION 出版緣起
For a disciple of Suzuki-roshi, this book will be Suzuki-roshi’s Zen mind, and it will be the mind of Buddha himself, the mind of Zen practice.
對鈴木禪師的弟子而言，這本書就是鈴木禪師的禪心。它也是佛陀本人的心，是禪修的心。

This book is an example of how a Zen master talks and teaches. It will be a book of instruction about how to practice Zen, about Zen life, and about the attitudes and understanding that make Zen practice possible. For any reader, the book will be an encouragement to realize his own nature, his own Zen mind.
這本書則是一位禪師如何講禪和教禪的榜樣。這是一部指導人們如何修行的書，其中也說明了何謂禪生活，以及禪修是以何種態度和了解為前提的。它鼓勵讀者去實現自己的真實本性、自己的禪心。

The practice of Zen mind is beginner’s mind. The innocence of the first inquiry—what am I ?—is needed throughout Zen practice.
禪修的心應該始終是一顆初心（初學者的心）。那個質樸無知的第一探問（“我是誰?”）有必要貫徹整個禪修的歷程。

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.
初學者的心是空空如也的，他們隨時準備好去接受、去懷疑，並對所有的可能性敞開。

It is the kind of mind which can see things as they are, which step by step and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything.
只有這樣的心才能如實看待萬物的本然面貌，一步接著一步前進，然後在一閃念中證悟到萬物的原初本性。

This practice of Zen mind is found throughout the book. Directly or sometimes by inference, every section of the book concerns the question of how to maintain this attitude through your meditation and in your life.
這種禪心的修行全書遍處可見。這本書的每一章節都直接或間接地碰觸到這個問題——如何才能在修行生活和日常生活中保持初心 (平常心)。

此書的緣起
This book was conceived and initiated by Marian Derby, a close disciple of Suzuki-roshi and organizer of the Los Altos Zen group. Suzuki-roshi joined the zazen meditations of this group once or twice a week, and after each meditation period he would talk to them, encouraging their practice and helping them with their problems.
出版這本書的構想源自鈴木禪師的入室弟子—瑪麗安·德比（Marian Derby)，她是洛斯拉圖斯（Los Altos)禪修團的負責人。鈴木禪師固定一或兩個星期參加該團的坐禪一次。禪師坐禪後會講講話，為學員們加油打氣，幫助他們解決各種疑難雜症。

Marian taped his talks and soon saw that as the group developed the talks acquired a continuity and development which would work well as a book and could be a much-needed record of Suzuki-roshi’s remarkable spirit and teaching. From her transcriptions of talks made over a period of several years, she put together the first draft of the present book. .
瑪麗安就把這些對話錄了下來。不久之後，她就意識到這些對話具有連貫性和系統性，值得整理成書，也可藉此為禪師非凡的精神和教誨留下一個彌足珍貴的記錄。於是，瑪麗安花了幾年時間，把錄音帶的內容整理出來，也就成為本書的第一份初稿。

Then Trudy Dixon edited and organized the manuscript for publication.Trudy divided the book according to emphasis into three sections—Right Practice正確修法, Right Attitude正確的態度, and Right Understanding正確理解 —roughly corresponding to body, feeling, and mind. Shortly after finishing work on this book, Trudy died of cancer at the age of thirty.
接著，負責加工這份初稿的人是鈴木禪師另一位入室弟子 — 楚蒂·狄克遜（Trudy Dixon)。楚蒂依重點的不同而把本書劃分為三部分：“身與心的修行”、“在修行的道路上”，以及“用心理解”。這樣的區分，分別大致對應於身體、感覺與心靈的部分。結束這本書的編輯工作沒多久，楚蒂就死於癌症，當時她年僅30。

The only talk not given originally to the Los Altos group is the Epilogue (結語,尾聲,收場白), which is a condensation of two talks given when Zen Center moved into its new San Francisco headquarters. 書中的談話唯一不是在洛斯拉圖斯禪修團發表的，是“後記”部分，這部分是禪修中心搬入舊金山現址時，禪師兩次講話內容的濃縮版。

In 1958, when he was fifty-three, he came to America. After postponing his return several times, he decided to stay in America. He stayed because he found that Americans have a beginner’s mind, that they have few preconceptions about Zen, are quite open to it, and confidently believe that it can help their lives. He found they question Zen in a way that gives Zen life.
將禪帶到西方世界: 1959年時，53歲的鈴木禪師來到了美國。經過好幾次的延後歸程，最後，他決定留在美國弘法。禪師會留下來是因為他發現，美國人都懷有一顆“初心”，對禪很少有既定的成見，相當願意對禪敞開，相信禪能為他們的人生帶來幫助。此外，禪師也發現，美國人問問題的方式可以為禪注入新的生命。

The following tribute from Trudy to her teacher describes very well the relationship between Zen teacher and Zen student: 以下是楚蒂對禪師的兩段贊辭，很能說明禪師與徒弟之間的關係：

“A roshi is a person who has actualized that perfect freedom which is the potentiality for all human beings. He exists freely in the fullness of his whole being. The flow of his consciousness is not the fixed repetitive patterns of our usual self-centered consciousness, but rather arises spontaneously and naturally from the actual circumstances of the present. The results of this in terms of the quality of his life are extraordinary—buoyancy, vigor, straightforwardness, simplicity, humility, serenity, joyousness, uncanny perspicacity and unfathomable compassion. His whole being testifies to what it means to live in the reality of the present.
一位禪師就是實現了完全自由的人，而這種完全自由是所有人類的潛能。他無拘無束地生活在他整個存在的豐盈裡。他的意識之流不是我們一般自我中心意識那種固定的重複模式，而是會依實際的當下環境自然地生發出來。結果就是，他的人格表現出各種不凡的素質：輕快、活力充沛、坦率、簡樸、謙卑、真誠、喜氣洋洋、無比善悟、與深不可測的慈悲。他的整個人見證了何謂“活在當下”的真實之中。

PROLOGUE BEGINNER’S MIND ” 前言 初心
People say that practicing Zen is difficult. It is not difficult because it is hard to sit in the cross-legged position, or to attain enlightenment. It is difficult because it is hard to keep our mind pure and our practice pure in its fundamental sense. The goal of practice is always to keep our beginner’s mind.
人們都說禪修很難。禪修之所以困難，不在於要盤腿而坐，也不在於要達到開悟。它之所以困難，是因為我們難以保持心的清淨，以及修行的清淨。修行的目的就是要始終保持這顆初心。

For Zen students the most important thing is not to be dualistic. Our “original mind” includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient within itself. You should not lose your self-sufficient state of mind, actually an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. 學禪者最需要謹記的就是不要墜入二元思考。我們的“本心”一切本自具足。它總是豐富而自足，你不應離失本自具足的心靈狀態，它是顆空的心，是顆準備好要去接受的心。如果你的心是空的，它就會隨時準備好要去接受，對一切抱持敞開的態度。初學者的心充滿各種的可能性。

In the beginner’s mind there is no thought, “I have attained something.” All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. Dogen-zenji, the founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume our boundless original mind. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.
初學者不會有“我已經達到了什麼”的這種念頭，所有自我中心的思想都會對我們廣大的心形成限制。日本曹洞宗初祖道元禪師屢屢強調，我們必須歸復自己無邊的本心。哪怕你讀過很多禪方面的經典，你也必須用一顆清新的心去讀當中的每一句話。

PART ONE RIGHT PRACTICE 第一部正修: 身與心的修行
1.1 POSTURE 坐禪的姿勢
Zazen practice is the direct expression of our true nature.To take this posture is itself to have the right state of mind.
禪修是我們真性的直接表現。採取這種姿態本身就有正確的心態。

Zazen posture坐禪的姿勢
When you sit in the full lotus position, your left foot is on your right thigh, and your right foot is on your left thigh. When we cross our legs like this, even though we have a right leg and a left leg, they have become one. The position expresses the oneness of duality.
當你採取蓮華坐的坐姿時，右足是壓在左大腿的下面，左足是壓在右大腿的下面。當這樣盤腿而坐時，儘管我們有一隻左腳和一隻右腳，但它們卻會渾然為一。這種姿勢道出了二元的同一性。

Our body and mind are both two and one. Each one of us is both dependent and independent.
And even though we say mind and body, they are actually two sides of one coin. This is the right understanding. So when we take this posture it symbolizes this truth.
我們的身與心既是二，又是一。我們每一個人都既獨立而又依賴。儘管我們有“心靈”和“肉體”這兩個不同的觀念，但它們實際是一體的兩面，這才是正見。所以，我們坐禪時採取盤腿坐姿，為的就是要象徵這個真理。

The most important thing in taking the zazen posture is to keep your spine straight. Your ears and your shoulders should be on one line. Relax your shoulders, and push up towards the ceiling with the back of your head. And you should pull your chin in. Also to gain strength in your posture, press your diaphragm down towards your hara, or lower abdomen. This will help you maintain your physical and mental balance.
坐禪時最需要注意的是保持脊骨挺直。你的兩耳和雙肩都應該成一水平線。肩膀放鬆，後腦勺斜向上，正對天花板。下巴應該收攏。另一個讓你的姿勢獲得力量的方法，是把橫膈膜往下壓向丹田，這可以幫助你維持身體與心靈的平衡。

Your hands should form the “cosmic mudra.” If you put your left hand on top of your right, middle joints of your middle fingers together, and touch your thumbs lightly together, your hands will make a beautiful oval.
你的兩手應該結成“禪定印”，手掌朝上，右手手背放在左手掌中，兩手中指的中間指節相觸，兩根拇指上舉，指尖輕輕互觸。這樣一來，你的雙手就會構成一個漂亮的鵝蛋形。

You should not be tilted sideways, backwards, or forwards. You should be sitting straight up as if you were supporting the sky with your head. It expresses the key point of Buddhism.
身體不要歪到一邊，也不要向後仰或向前傾。應該坐得直直的，就像是天空要靠你的頭才能撐起來一樣。這種坐姿是對你的佛性一個完美的表現。

Doing something is expressing our own nature. The most important point is to own your own physical body. If you slump, you will lose your self. Your mind will be wandering about somewhere else. We must exist right here, right now! You must have your own body and mind.
做任何事都是我們本性的表現。最重要的事情是擁有自己的身體。身體一旦萎頓，你就會失去自己，你的心也會遊蕩到別處去。我們必須存在於此時、此地！你必須擁有自己的身體和心靈。

Usually, without being aware of it, we try to change something other than ourselves, we try to order things outside us. But it is impossible to organize things if you yourself are not in order. If you cannot be satisfied with the state of mind you have in zazen, it means your mind is still wandering about.
我們通常都會不自覺地試著改變別的東西，而不是改變我們自己，我們都會試著讓自己以外的東西變得恰如其分。但是如果你自己不是恰如其分的話，也就不可能讓任何東西恰如其分。如果你不能滿足於坐禪時的心靈狀態，心思就會左右搖擺。

1.2 我呼吸，所以我存在BREATHING
When we practice zazen our mind always follows our breathing. When we inhale, the air comes into the inner world. When we exhale, the air goes out to the outer world. In this limitless world, our throat is like a swinging door. The air comes in and goes out like someone passing through a swinging door, no “I”, no world, no mind nor body.
坐禪時，我們的心總是與呼吸緊緊相隨。吸氣時，氣會進入內在世界；呼氣時，氣會排向外在世界。在這個無限的世界裡，我們的喉嚨就像兩片活動門，氣的進出就像是有人穿過這兩片活動門。沒有“我”，沒有世界，也沒有身或心。

When we practice zazen, all that exists is the movement of the breathing, but we are aware of this movement. When you practice zazen, there is no idea of time or space. Moment after moment each one of us repeats this activity.
So in the realm of pure religion there is no confusion of time and space, or good or bad.
在坐禪時，唯一存在的只有“呼吸”。但我們應該覺察著每一個呼和每一個吸。在坐禪時，不應該有時間或空間的觀念。一刻接著一刻，我們每個人都是在不停地重複這種活動。所以在清淨宗教的領域中，是沒有時間與空間或是對與錯這樣的困惑。

All that we should do is just do something as it comes. Do something! Whatever it is, we should do it, even if it is not-doing something. We should live in this moment.
我們應該做的事情就是，什麼事情來到，就做什麼事情，好好做它！我們應該活在當下。

Tozan, a famous Zen master, said, “The blue mountain is the father of the white cloud. The white cloud is the son of the blue mountain. All day long they depend on each other, without being dependent on each other.” There may be many things like the white cloud and blue mountain. They depend on each other. But the white cloud should not be bothered by the blue mountain. The blue mountain should not be bothered by the white cloud. They are quite independent, but yet dependent. This is how we live, and how we practice zazen.
著名的洞山良價禪師說過：“青山白雲父，白雲青山兒，白雲終日倚，青山總不知。”這是對生命一個透徹的說明。很多事物的關係都是跟青山白雲的關係相似，彼此都互相依賴。但白雲不應被靑山打擾，青山也不應被白雲打擾，兩者都是相當獨立，但又互相依賴。這是我們應有的生活和修行的方式。

When we become truly ourselves, we just become a swinging door, and we are purely independent of, and at the same time, dependent upon everything. We are completely dependent and independent. 當我們變得真正地忠於自己，我們就會變成兩片活動門，在完全獨立的同時又與萬物相互依賴。我們是完全獨立而又完全依賴的。

1.3 Complete freedom獲得完全的自由
“To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.” 給你的牛或羊—片寬敞的綠草地是管好它們的方法。

Whatever we see is changing, losing its balance. The reason everything looks beautiful is because it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony. This is how everything exists in the realm of Buddha nature, losing its balance against a background of perfect balance. 我們看到的一切都是變動不停的，是正在失去平衡的。任何東西之所以看起來美，就是因為它失去了平衡，但其“背景”卻總呈現完全的和諧。

So if you see things without realizing the background of Buddha nature, everything appears to be in the form of suffering. But if you understand the background of existence, you realize that suffering itself is how we live, and how we extend our life. 所以，如果你只看到萬物的表象，而沒意識到作為它們背景的佛性，就會覺得萬物都在受苦。但如果你明白了這個存在的背景，就會了解受苦本身是我們應有的生活方式，是我們可以擴大生命的方式。

To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him. So it is with people: first let them do what they want, and watch them. The best one is to watch them, just to watch them, without trying to control them. 給你的牛或羊—片寬敞的綠草地是管好它們的方法，對人也是一樣的道理。首先，讓他們做他們想做的事，你從旁看守他們。是看著他們，但只是看著，不存有任何想控制他們的心”。

The same way works for you yourself as well. If you want to obtain perfect calmness in your zazen, you should not be bothered by the various images you find in your mind. Let them come, and let them go. Then they will be under control.
同樣的道理也可以用在你自己身上。在坐禪時，如果你想獲得完全的平靜，就不應該被心中出現的各種雜念困擾，應該任它們來、任它們去，然後這些雜念反而會被你所控制。

Suppose you are sitting under some extraordinary circumstances. If you try to calm your mind you will be unable to sit, and if you try not to be disturbed, your effort will not be the right effort. The only effort that will help you is to count your breathing, or to concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling. The true purpose is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes. 比方說你碰到某些煩心事，要完全靜下心來打坐是不可能的，如果你拼命壓制心念，你的努力就是不正確的努力。唯一可幫助你的努力就是數息，或是把心念專注在一呼一吸上。禪的本意是如物之所如去觀物的本身，讓一切自來自去。

1.4 MIND WAVES 漣漪就是你的修行
When you are practicing zazen, do not try to stop your thinking. Let it stop by itself. If something comes into your mind, let it come in, and let it go out. It will not stay long. When you try to stop your thinking, it means you are bothered by it.
坐禪時不要刻意壓抑思考，讓思考自己停止。如果有什麼雜念要進入你的心，就讓它進來吧，它不會待太久的。如果你刻意停止思考，那就代表你受到它的干擾了。

It appears as if something comes from outside your mind, but actually it is only the waves of your mind, and if you are not bothered by the waves, gradually they will become calmer and calmer. 雜念看似從心的外面進來的，但事實上，雜念只是你的心所產生的漣漪，只要你不為雜念所動，它們就會逐漸平伏下來。

It will take quite a long time before you find your calm, serene mind in your practice. Many sensations come, many thoughts or images arise, but they are just waves of your own mind. Nothing comes from outside your mind. Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm.
修行時想要讓心平靜下來，需要相當長的時間。很多感覺會生起，很多雜念或思緒會湧現，但它們只是你自己的心的漣漪，沒有任何東西會來自心的外部。沒有任何在你之外的東西可以引起困擾。你心上的漣漪是你自己製造出來的，如果你讓你的心如如呈現它自身的樣子，它就會變得平靜。

If your mind is related to something outside itself, that mind is a “small mind”, a limited mind. If your mind is not related to anything else, then there is no dualistic understanding in the activity of your mind. You understand activity as just waves of your mind. Big mind experiences everything within itself.
如果你的心與某種外在的事物產生連接，它就會淪為一顆“小心”，一顆有限的心。如果心不與任何其他事物有所連接，心的活動就不會有二元性，你會把為心的活動理解為只是心的漣漪罷了。大心會體驗到，一切都盡在自己一心之中。

That everything is included within your mind is the essence of mind. Even though waves arise, the essence of your mind is pure; it is just like clear water with a few waves. Water and waves are one. Big mind and small mind are one.
心包含了一切，這是心的本質。儘管心上會生起漣漪，但心的本性是清淨的，就像是帶有些許漣漪的清水。水與漣漪合而為一，大心與小心合而為一。

With big mind, we accept each of our experiences. Because we enjoy all aspects of life as an unfolding of big mind, we do not care for any excessive joy. So we have imperturbable composure, and it is with this imperturbable composure of big mind that we practice zazen.
懷抱著大心，我們就會接受每一個經驗。因為我們把人生各方面都看做是大心的開展而加以品味，所以並不眷戀任何過度的歡樂。就這樣，我們擁有了從容自若，而正是為了擁有這種從容自若，我們才需要坐禪。

1.5 MIND WEEDS 拔除心中的野草
In pure zazen there should not be any waves in your mind. While you are sitting these waves will become smaller and smaller, and your effort will change into some subtle feeling.
清淨的修行是不應該有任何漣漪的。你只管繼續打坐就好了。因為愈打坐，心的漣漪就會愈細小，而你的努力也會轉變為某些精微的感覺。

“Pulling out the weeds we give nourishment to the plant.” We pull the weeds and bury them near the plant to give it nourishment. So even though you have some difficulty in your practice, even though you have some waves while you are sitting, those waves themselves will help you. So you should not be bothered by your mind.
“拔出野草，可以為植物帶來滋養。”拔出野草，把它埋進植物四周的土壤，就可以成為植物的養分。所以，哪怕你修行時碰到困難，哪怕你打坐時會感受到心的漣漪，但這些漣漪本身是可以幫助你的，所以你不應該被它們攪擾。

Strictly speaking, any effort we make is not good for our practice because it creates waves in our mind. It is impossible, however, to attain absolute calmness of our mind without any effort. We must make some effort, but we must forget ourselves in the effort we make.
專注呼吸，然後放掉呼吸。嚴格來說，在修行時，任何刻意的努力都是不好的，因為這會助長心產生更多的漣漪。另一方面，沒有努力，絕對的寧靜也是不可能達到的。我們必須有所努力，但又必須在這努力的過程中忘掉自我。

1.6 THE MARROW OF ZEN 禪的精髄
“In the zazen posture, your mind and body have great power to accept things as they are.” 在禪坐中，你的身心有強大的能力接受事實真相。

In Samyuktagama Sutra, it is said that there are four kinds of horses: excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones. The best horse will run slow and fast, right and left, at the driver’s will, before it sees the shadow of the whip; the second best will run as well as the first one does, just before the whip reaches its skin; the third one will run when it feels pain on its body; the fourth will run after the pain penetrates to the marrow of its bones. You can imagine how difficult it is for the fourth one to learn how to run!
《雜阿含經》提到了四種馬：最上等的馬、次等的馬、下等的馬，以及最下等的馬。最上等的馬光是看到鞭影，就知道主人要它跑得快或跑得慢，要它跑向左或跑向右。次等的馬跑起來跟最上等的馬一樣好，不同的是，要等到馬鞭接觸到皮膚表面才會知道主人的心思。下等的馬要等到感覺皮肉痛了才會跑，而最下等的馬則非要等到痛入骨髓才會聽話。各位可以想像後面這第四種馬有多難調教。

When you are determined to practice zazen with the great mind of Buddha, you will find the worst horse is the most valuable one. In your very imperfections you will find the basis for your firm, way-seeking mind. Those who find great difficulties in practicing Zen will find more meaning in it. 當你下定決心要以佛陀的偉大心靈來禪修時，你就會發現，最下等的馬才是最有價值的。在你自身的不完美中，你會為你堅定的求道之心找到基礎。那些覺得禪修極為困難的人，卻會在其中找到更多意義。

The posture taken in zazen is not the same for each of us. But even though you cannot take the right posture, when you arouse your real, wayseeking mind, you can practice Zen in its true sense. 坐禪的姿勢並不是一體適用的。不過，就算你不能用正確姿勢坐禪，但只要你興起真實的求道之心，一樣可以做到真切意義的坐禪。

If you find it impossible to sit because of some pain or some physical difficulty, then you should sit anyway, using a thick cushion or a chair. Even though you are the worst horse you will get to the marrow of Zen. 如果你是因為身體的因素造成打坐時會疼痛或不舒服，那不妨用厚一點的蒲團，甚至不妨坐在椅子上，總之，不管怎樣，就是要繼續打坐下去。哪怕你是最下等的馬，一樣可以領悟到禪的精髓。

Actually the best way to relieve your mental suffering is to sit in zazen. In the zazen posture which you have acquired by long, hard practice, your mind and body have great power to accept things as they are. When you feel disagreeable it is better for you to sit. 當你感到心情沉重，最好的方法就是坐下來打坐。採取坐禪的姿勢，你的身與心都會獲得巨大的力量，能夠依事物的如如面貌接受它們。當你感到痛苦時，最好的對策就是打坐。

1.7 色即是空，空即是色NO DUALISM
Our practice should be without gaining ideas, without any expectations, even of enlightenment.
This is based on the Prajna Paramita Sutra. It says, “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form.
Form is form and emptiness is emptiness.”
修行時不應該有得失心，不應該抱任何期許，哪怕你期許的是得到開悟也是一樣。

When you sit, you should just sit without being disturbed by your painful legs or sleepiness. That is zazen.

You will be annoyed by the feeling you have in your practice. When you can do everything, whether it is good or bad, without disturbance or without being annoyed by the feeling, that is actually what we mean by “form is form and emptiness is emptiness.”
打坐時，你應該只管打坐，別去理會腿酸和倦意。這就是坐禪。你會受到修行時的各種情緒和感受所困擾。當你做任何事（不管好事或壞事）的時候，都能無所掛礙、不受情緒和感受所困擾，那就是真正的“色即是空，空即是色”。

Knowing that your life is short, to enjoy it day after day, moment after moment, is the life of “form is form, and emptiness emptiness.” 知道生命短暫，所以盡情去品味每一天、每一刻，這就是“色即是空，空即是色”的人生。

At first you will have various problems, and it is necessary for you to make some effort to continue our practice. If you make your best effort just to continue your practice with your whole mind and body, without gaining ideas, then whatever you do will be true practice. Just to continue should be your purpose. When you do something, just to do it should be your purpose.
修行之初，你會碰到各式各樣的困難，這時你有必要做一些努力來讓修行貫徹下去。如果你傾全力去修行而又不帶有得失心，那麼你做的一切就是真正的修行。做任何事情時，都應該以“把事情做好”當作唯一目的。

1.8 BOWING叩頭，叩頭，再叩頭
After zazen we bow to the floor nine times. By bowing we are giving up ourselves. To give up ourselves means to give up our dualistic ideas. So there is no difference between zazen practice and bowing. 坐禪結束時，我們會以頭觸地叩頭九次。我們叩頭，是表示放下自己，放下自己則意味著棄絕二元性的思維。所以，叩頭和坐禪並沒有分別。

When everything exists within your “big mind”, all dualistic relationships drop away. There is no distinction between heaven and earth, man and woman, teacher and disciple. In your big mind, everything has the same value. Everything is Buddha himself. In your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to each thing the same respect given to a Buddha.
當一切都存在於你的 “大心” 時，所有二元思維就會脫落。沒有天地之別，沒有男女之別，也沒有師徒之別。在你的大心裡，一切都是具有同等價值的。一切都是佛的自身。在修行裡，你應該如一切之所如，接受一切，給予每一樣事物如同對佛陀的敬重。

Bowing helps to eliminate our self-centered ideas.
叩頭可以幫助我們消除自我中心思想。

If it is our inmost desire to get rid of our self-centered ideas, we have to do it. When we make this effort, our inmost desire is appeased and Nirvana is there. Before you determine to do it, you have difficulty, but once you start to do it, you have none. Your effort appeases your inmost desire. Real calmness should be found in activity itself. Calmness in activity is true calmness.”
只管去做，別管不可能: 如果去除自我中心的觀念是我們最內在的渴望，我們就非去做不可。在你下定決心去做之前，你會覺得困難重重；一旦你下定決心，就會覺得那一點都不難。真正的平靜應該在活動中尋找。只有動中之靜才是真正的靜。”

After you have practiced for a while, you will realize that it is not possible to make rapid, extraordinary progress. It is like studying a foreign language; you cannot do it all of a sudden, but by repeating it over and over you will master it. Just to be sincere and make our full effort in each moment is enough.
修行過一陣子之後，你就會明白，想要有快速、不尋常的精進是不可能的。這情形好比學習外國語言一樣，想要一蹴而就根本是不可能的，但經過反復學習，你就一定能學好。完全不期許任何的進步，但只要保持真誠，在每個當下盡最大的努力便已經足夠。

1.9 NOTHING SPECIAL 開悟沒啥特別
Zen practice is the direct expression of our true nature. Of course, whatever we do is the expression of our true nature, but without this practice it is difficult to realize.
禪修是我們真實本性的直接表現。當然，做任何事情都是我們真實本性的表現，只不過，沒有禪修，本性就很難被體現出來。

When there is no gaining idea in what you do, then you do something. If you continue this simple practice every day you will obtain a wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after you obtain it, it is nothing special. It is just you yourself, nothing special. 只有在沒有計較心的情況下，你才是真正在做事。你若能每天持之以恆做這種簡單的修行，最終一定會獲得某些奇妙的力量。獲得力量以前，你會覺得那真是很奇妙，但獲得之後，就覺得那也沒什麼特別的了。

As a Chinese poem says, “I went and I returned. It was nothing special. Rozan famous for its misty mountains; Sekko for its water.” People think it must be wonderful to see the famous range of mountains covered by mists, and the water said to cover all the earth. But if you go there you will just see water and mountains. Nothing special.
蘇東坡詩云：“廬山煙雨浙江潮，未到千般恨不消，及至到來無一事，廬山煙雨浙江潮。”廬山的濛濛煙雨，浙江潮的壯闊，是多麼令人嚮往的美景，若是沒親眼見識，心中的那份遺憾總是難消，但是真的到了廬山一窺其真面目，也親身感受浙江潮水的澎湃，卻突然覺得，就是這樣而已，心情是改變了，然而廬山煙雨仍是廬山煙雨，浙江潮依舊是浙江潮，沒什麼特別。
  
禪在於悟，在於用心去體會，心有所動而至感悟。此詩就說明詩人觀物悟禪的過程以及禪悟後的空寂曠達的心境。廬山煙雨浙江潮，是理想的目標，每個追求者都為之魂縈夢繞，不惜任何代價，一定要一睹為快。其實，煙雨和潮，一直在這裡，不曾改變，變化的，只是“求不得”的心情。很多人終身在追尋某種東西，未追求到手時是痛苦，追求到手後是厭倦、無聊，覺得“不過如此”，這樣一來，人生便像鐘擺一樣在痛苦和無聊之間作空虛而沉悶的擺動。而具備了平常心，體驗了生活禪，你在實現了自己朝思暮想的目標時，在看到了“廬山煙雨浙江潮”之後，發出會心的微笑：“正是如此！”

It is a kind of mystery that for people who have no experience of enlightenment, enlightenment is something wonderful. But if they attain it, it is nothing. But yet it is not nothing.
對於沒有經歷過開悟的人來說，開悟充滿了神秘感，是一種奇妙的體驗。但是獲得開悟，就會覺得那也沒什麼，但開悟又不是“沒什麼”特別，只是心境不同。

Just practice zazen in a certain posture. Do not think about anything. Just remain on your cushion without expecting anything. Then eventually you will resume your own true nature. That is to say, your own true nature resumes itself.
因此，只管以正確的姿勢厲行坐禪，別想其他的。只管坐在蒲團上，不期許什麼。這樣，最終你會歸復你的真實本性。更精確地說，是你的本性會重新歸復它自己。